Siran's Request Part 3

Siran’s Response

You think you are cunning
Yet soon you will be running
From the monsters who will feast on your flesh
Weaving you into our mesh

Ten thousand years I hunted
The one thing I have wanted
Humanity’s temptation
Will be my salvation

To survive we must feed
It is a never ending deed
What we do not devour will become
One of our kin, you must succumb

Before I come for you
One thing I still must do
I know the dwelling of your lovely bride
There is no place where she can hide

I will chase after her
The soulless I prefer
The sweet description of your love
Makes me crave your precious dove

She will join our ranks
For that I must give thanks
I will enjoy ripping her limbs apart
Drinking her blood, feasting on her heart

Her bones will break asunder
The crack will sound like thunder
Soon she will find her home in the dark
Bound by the silver mark

Then you we shall come for
No more a little lore
You will see your nightmare is real
Never to escape this ordeal

So live with this in mind
One day soon you will find
That your peace filled happy moment
Will be shattered and filled with torment

You should have just held your tongue
Instead to this dream you clung
You have sealed both of your destinies
Instead of being my keys

Remember the choice you have made
As all your other memories start to fade
Remember you still are my little pawn
Forever serving your mistress Siran

Siran's Request Part 2

The Man’s Reply

There is truth in what you spoke
She was gone when I awoke
All that I have left of her now
Is her ring and my vow

She was young and so was I
She was too, too young to die
All I have to do is go back ten years
And erase all of those tears

Beautiful, filled with truth
Vibrant and stunning in her youth
She would have wanted me to move on
Let go of hate and embrace the dawn

You dare prey upon my dream
I now know your evil scheme
You wish me to unleash a nightmare
Something no man should ever dare

A dark beast is what you are
The Pillar’s second scar
Corrupted to your very soul
Stained black, as black as coal

You would feed on all mankind
Thus, you must remain confined
The Silver Gate will hold you fast
Rot in your shackles ‘til time is past

I will not turn back the clock
I will not destroy the lock
Remain trapped away in your cage
That which seals all your hate and rage

You are just a weak fool
Using me as your tool
You expect me to grant your plea
Setting you and your wrath free

Your kind will bear this curse
The shining gates will not disperse
Silver and gold and bronze is your doom
Locking you deep forever in your tomb

You should not have tempted me
I will never agree
Your venomous words have fallen on deaf ears
I have no hatred or fears

You will fade into nothingness
While I will find peace and true happiness
I have chosen the path at my feet
Go back to your cage and wallow in defeat

Siran's Request Part 1

Siran’s Request

Time is ever fleeting
Soon Death you will be meeting
Coming to take you away from this place
Leaving behind, not a trace

Or Death may take another
Your sister or your brother
Pulling them away from your grasp
Never to escape his clasp

Why does Death always steal?
Never allowing us to heal
Robbing us of our happiest day
Reminding us we are all his prey

My son and then my daughter
My husband to the slaughter
Stolen from me by a thief in the night
Taken beyond, far from sight

Your heart has been broken
You need not have spoken
The expression in your eyes
Has brought down your guise

I know what you have lost
I too have paid Death’s cruel cost
Leaving us nothing but hollow strife
Weeping, wasting though our life

But you who is so daring
Yes you, so ever caring
You can rewind the thread of fate
Drawing her back from the gate

For you possess the power
To change that very hour
To save your beloved one
To undo what has been done

Death we cannot offend
It matters not the rules we bend
You deserve to feel her tender caress
Go back in time for the power you possess

Steal back what is rightfully yours
Run through those open doors
Your love is waiting on the other side
All you must do is decide

Choose between happiness and pain
You know what is at stake and what you will gain
Choose between now and the past you have known
To be with her or forever be alone

Beyond The Veil

Beyond The Veil

Far beyond the ensuing day
Lies rolling hills shrouded in grey
Where The Mist tells an ancient tale
Of a cursed place beyond The Veil

Where the land wakes to a barren dawn
And The Ghosts of the past still live on
The sky is dark and deathly pale
In the lifeless Realm beyond The Veil

Those who have not truly died
At the Crimson Gate wait and abide
Only one as lord they hail
Ruler of all beyond The Veil

They are doomed to darkness and despair
This pain, this curse they must bear
Their Souls were consumed by the gale
That enslaves all beyond The Veil

As The Mist starts to disappear
It whispers in my ear
“Do not tread on the blood stained trail
That will lead you beyond The Veil”

“To enter that Realm you will awake
The curse she has set, it will take
The innocent and the frail
And seal them beyond The Veil”

“If you do not choose to heed
And enter The Realm of her steed
You will never cease to fail
Escaping beyond The Veil”

Blast From The Past

I've always enjoyed listening to a wide variety of music. From opera to metal and everything in between (except country), I listen to a lot of genres including what's popular today. Yet when I was younger, I only listened to Ace of Base, Disney soundtracks, and classical music. My brother was the one into all of those 90s groups like Nirvana, Green Day, and MC Hammer. I couldn't stand them at all when I was little so I find it ironic that the radio stations I listen to play the newly re-popularized Green Day and the timeless hits from Nirvana. One of the few musicians my brother used to listen to that I did like was Alanis Morissette. My favorite song from her was Ironic on her Jagged Little Pill album. Well, a few weeks ago, I was in a store just browsing the music section when I came across that very album and decided to pick it up. I haven't heard anything from Alanis since my brother moved out of the house when I was 10. So, needless to say, I don't remember much of the music but when I popped in that CD, so many memories came flooding back. Even things I didn't realize I remembered like long trips to our family campsite when I would play DJ for my brother while he drove. I have to admit that I really enjoy the CD now and it has me craving a lot of the other tunes from back in the day. After all, my favorite decade has to be the 90s.

The Next Dimension

A few months ago while in Las Vegas, I had a chance to check out Sony's 3DTV exhibit in the MGM Grand. I had previously been able to see Panasonic's and Samsung's 3DTVs but it was my first time to actually experience video games in this new dimension of viewing. Needless to say, I was pretty impressed. While I don't feel that it will revolutionize games or how we view media for that matter, what I saw exceeded my expectations. The image was clear, the 3D elements looked great, and the quality reminded me of the 3D effects you see at Disneyland. While I couldn't tell much difference among the brands other than I felt Panasonic had better color and depth than Samsung, I found that the glasses the different brands offered really changed my mind on which TV I would get if I bought one.

Unfortunately, both Sony and Samsung seemed to forget that there are people that already have to wear glasses for everyday tasks, like myself. The design from both companies allowed very little room for a second pair of prescription glasses underneath the ones required to view 3D and I found that it was very uncomfortable to wear. Sony's glasses wouldn't even stay straight because of my frames underneath, causing the 3D effect to skew at an angle. Panasonic, incidentally, has a great design for their 3D glasses including a floating nose bridge which pushes the lenses far enough away so they do not scratch the glasses underneath. Even though I'm a die hard Sony fan, this simple consideration and design for people who already wear glasses will have me put my money behind Panasonic if I ever were to pick up on the 3D trend. Ironically, I found out that I can't physically join 3D mania since I am prone to migraines and 3DTVs seem to trigger migraines in people like me. At least I'm saving myself a few grand, right?

What's On Tonight?

I'm actually not a big TV person. When I do watch TV, I usually catch up on some news or whatever is on the Discovery Channel or the History Channel. But there are a few shows that I get really excited about when September rolls around. Being able to sit down on the same night (or DVR it) and watch the progression of a story can be very enjoyable. While none of the new shows debuting this fall season interest me, a couple of my old favorites are returning once again to a TV near you.

Another project by J. J. Abrams, Fringe follows FBI Agent Olivia Dunham as she investigates a series of strange events known as the Pattern. From mutated animals to viruses that turn your skin clear - there is no limit to the odd and dangerous situations that Dunham finds herself in. Its reminiscent of the X-Files yet you can see a bit of Lost mixed in as well. Mostly dealing with pseudo-science like time travel, mind control, and alternate universes - Fringe is a great fix for my sci-fi geek needs and is presented with a sense of realness that makes the show more compelling. While some of the events are down right ridiculous, Fringe has always been enjoyable and I look forward to see what happens after season 2 ended with one gigantic cliff-hanger.

My favorite show on TV has always been Criminal Minds which follows a fictional department of the FBI known as the Behavioral Analysis Unit or BAU. Their job is to get into the heads of killers and use their profiling skills to track down and arrest them. Most of the episodes are self-contained, making Criminal Minds easy to watch even if you have missed an episode or two yet each episode still highlights one member of the team and helps expand and evolve that character. Unfortunately, this year CBS has decided to get rid of two key members of the BAU. I don't know what they were thinking, Criminal Minds has always had one of the highest ratings for CBS so why they think they must fix something that is not broke is beyond me. Some fans have even gone as far to blame Charlie Sheen for demanding more money to stay with CBS's sitcom Two and a Half Men, resulting in budget shortages among the other shows. Whether this is true or not, I'm not sure but I am definitely disappointed that NBC chose to tinker with an already tight and great cast. Hopefully, this will not ruin my favorite show on TV. With the sixth season set to start, only time will tell if CBS's decision was the right one.

As for what I've been watching this summer, the only show that really caught my attention and kept me watching was ABC's The Gates - another TV show with Vampires. Unlike some of the other shows on, the Gates fills a nice void in the Vampire trend - it's not overly violent or filled with sex like True Blood yet it has a more mature storyline than Vampire Diaries. Taking place in a private community, the Gates follows the new police chief as he learns of what really is lurking inside the Gates. From Vampires and Werewolves to evil witches and ghosts - the Gates actually does a good job blending in all of the common folklore monsters with an interesting and modern setting. With the season finale set to air next week, I'm excited to see what's in store for all the members of the Gates. Unfortunately, ABC is notorious for canceling shows after one season, so I'm hoping that the viewership and fan base will be enough to get the Gates a second season. If it does, I'll gladly travel back to see what happens inside this very dangerous private community.

Reshaping The Sharks Part 3

Some of the more shocking news during this free agency period was what happened to the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. I mentioned before that they had already let go about a half a dozen of their players due to the salary cap, one of the more shocking cases was goaltender Antti Niemi (pictured above) - a rookie who took the spotlight and catapulted the Hawks to the top of the league. Before he won the cup, he made less than $ 1million but after the win, he felt that he deserved a raise. With no solution in sight, he and Chicago went into arbitration and the NHL Commission awarded Niemi a contract of $2.750 million, an offer that Chicago refused thus releasing Niemi into the free agency pool. Many people criticized Doug Wilson for moving so quickly on Antero Niittymaki, a goalie who has had moments of greatness but has yet to play in more than 40 games a season. After all if Doug Wilson had waited, he could have snagged a proven, cup winning goalie in Niemi. Well, fear not Shark fans, somehow Doug Wilson did just that - Antti Niemi is the newest member of the San Jose Sharks. I was totally floored by the news, having to read the text message a few times before I realized what it was saying. After all, we had a goalie in Niittymaki and many assumed that the position of goalie was all wrapped up. But Wilson saw a great opportunity and somehow managed to find the cap space to offer Niemi a one-year contract. With the tandem of Niemi and Niittymaki, the two natives of Finland have just raised the Sharks chances at a strong shot for the Stanley Cup.

In other news, the Young Prospects tournament in Vancouver started yesterday (09.12.10) with the rookie Sharks taking on the rookies from the Anaheim Ducks. Always an intense rivalry, even in exhibition games, it was the first hockey game I have seen since the Sharks were booted out of the Western Conference Finals and boy was it a welcomed sight. For many players, the tournament is an opportunity to show off their skills and gain the attention of the Sharks staff. If all goes well, they may be invited to the Sharks training camp and even called up to play in the NHL. Some of the names on the ice were familiar: Benn Ferriero, Nick Petrecki, Brandon Mashinter, John McCarthy, Marek Viedensky, and Taylor Doherty have all been seen in teal before but have yet to stay up in the NHL for very long. It was a nice preview of the talent in the Sharks system and a preview of who might actually make it to San Jose. Overall the game was fast and exciting with very strong physical play being a constant theme. The Sharks prospects were able to jump to an early lead in the first and then added three more goals in the second. They kept a 4-0 lead over the Ducks prospects until two 5-3 opportunities for the Ducks broke J. P. Anderson's shut-out bid. The Sharks went on to win 4-1 in their first game of the tournament. An interesting note about the game, J. P. Anderson was invited to camp on a try-out basis, he is actually not a part of the Sharks organization. He is also a right-handed catcher, something exceedingly rare for a goalie. He had great poise on the ice and made all of his saves look easy. Even during a few breakaways, Anderson held his ground well which was impressive considering that he is only 18 years old. With such a great showing, it will be interesting to see if the sharks decide to offer him some sort of deal or not but from what I've seen of him, he definitely deserves the opportunity.

Last but not least is the unresolved issue of the San Jose Sharks' Captain. With the retirement of Blake, once again the position is vacant and many names have been flying around as to who is going to wear the "C". Danny Boyle is a name that has commonly come up for the position. As a strong leader both on and off the ice, I can understand why he is definitely a front runner. Not only that, he has won a Stanley Cup and has the experience needed for the position. Others that have been mentioned are Joe Pavelski, Ryane Clowe, and Patrick Marleau (who had been the captain prior to Blake taking over). While I can see Boyle wearing the "C", for me I think the position should go to Joe Thornton. It isn't a surprise that after coming from Boston, Jumbo Joe has become the face of the San Jose Sharks. He is a very vocal presence in the media, he is very active with the organization, and he is always leading by example. When Joe plays well, the team plays well. If Joe plays poorly, the team responds poorly as well and that was pretty evident in the Western Conference Finals. For me, Joe has already been the Captain of the San Jose Sharks for a long time now but has yet to really be held accountable for the leadership position. Giving him the "C" will not only send a clear message that he is the one to follow, but will also send a message to Jumbo Joe that he has to step up when the team needs him. Of course it doesn't mean that the other players are off the hook, there are many leaders on a team and the "C" and "A" isn't a requirement to be one. But even so, the position of Captain for the Sharks is an important one that needs to be filled by the right person.