*POOF!*

...did you enjoy my disappearing act? No? Hehe, I know I was gone for far too long. I'm sorry guys. ^_^;

The big reason I disappeared in the first place...I hate to say it, but I just didn't want to deal with the awards. Don't get me wrong, I love gifts and I'm hugely flattered that everyone rained them down on me at once. I just...I don't like participating in something that I see as mostly chainmail. Flattering chainmail, but still something that obligates you to do something you wouldn't otherwise--and you're supposed to send it to X number of people. THAT's the part I have the most issue with. I don't want to 'trap' people in the same way...the trap of polite obligation.

As such, I am politely declining as is my right. That I allowed it to affect me so much is absolutely ridiculous, and I refuse to allow it to again. Please excuse me while I slip over to Secret Diary of a Mountain Witch and pop these into her award cauldron. *Pop*

Now that that's over...I MUST share with you my latest craze. Omnia. Now, some of you may already be aware of this amazing band (Likely those of you that live in the UK). Omnia is, sadly, largely unknown here in the US. I myself have only recently discovered it. You see, I have been on a quest for pagan-y music...the closest I seemed to get was Blackmoure's Night. Very nice medieval folk-ish...some of the songs could easily be called pagan...but they do not call themselves a pagan band and do not write songs for that crowd.

My search led me to OMNIA. I'm sorry, but any band that dedicates a song to Morrigan and ends it with chanting "Kill, maim, fight...slay, DIE!" has my vote. Oh, and Satyrsex...nice and hot and fast-paced with plenty of moaning and grunting. :D However my favorite song so far has to be Niiv...its one of their new songs. Its simply...beautiful. Its about a star-crossed love between a fae and a mortal. The fae's lines are in Finnish (I believe...), while the man speaks in English. Oddly I've only found versions where the man speaks to be live performances on youtube (the version on their website only has her singing).
***EDIT***
Apparently the man is singing in their recorded version. I only wear one headphone and work and usually have it playing quietly, so I didn't realize that if you have both speakers and turn it up a bit he's there in the background.
Either way its breathtaking. http://www.worldofomnia.com/ (its the second song on their opening player.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5i3yyYHRuc&feature=PlayList&p=DCE6DDC7EEDE77F9&playnext_from=PL&index=2 is the best sound quality I could find on youtube. It cuts off the beginning, but has both of them singing.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective...) this has stirred in me to take up an instrument (or five...) once again. I already own a tinwhistle, and would like to get to a moderate level of play. I've been wanting to play the violin since I was three (I can remember the exact moment when I first heard one played) and would like to finally learn that. I'd also like to restart the piano. IN ADDITION to all of this, there are two medieval/renaissance instruments I'd like to pick up. Fortunately they both seem to be a bit of a cross between a violin and a piano. The Nyckelharpa and the hurdy-gurdy (NOT a barrel organ). Oh! Crap, I forgot to mention I also want to learn to play the bodhran. Yeah...one can dream.

Now, would I like to learn all these instruments, start a pagan band, and begin touring the country? HELL YES! It sure as hell beats the day job. However I'm also realistic. Let me cling to my dreams...they're the teaspoon of sugar to my real life medicine.