New Blog

Hey everyone, so I haven't posted in awhile, why? Because i plain just haven't felt like it. So in my leave i have been browsing around for other ways to show the public just what my everyday life is like, and i am glad to say i found somewhere.

www.russweidenmiller.tumblr.com

For future updates, please redirect your interwebs to the above address.

And so concludes my final blogspot post, see you all on Tumblr!
-Russ

P.S.- Dear Whore, i miss you, come home soon, we need to hang out.

Part of Me

!!!NEW SONG ALERT!!!

Well, I've done it again, looks like I wrote some lyrics and made up some music behind it.

It seems like everyone is leaving to go to their respective colleges now, and I didn't realize until very recently how it's effecting (affecting? whatever) my life. So one day I sat down and thought about it, how I got so close to these people just in time to say goodbye again as they all leave for school.

Anyway, from that depressing little brood, I emerged with some brand spankin' new lyrics and a chord progression which have now evolved into a full-fledged song, and I rather like this one. However, I have put a hold on Xenophobia for the time being in the midst of school and goodbyes and this new thingy here, but no worries, production will commence once again ASAP.

Now I had trouble naming the song, and eventually I just plucked a lyric from it and slapped it on as a title, so that particular piece may be subject to change if I find I'm not happy with it.

I'd also like to say that this song is dedicated to all my friends that I've made these past 4 years, and then some, but most specifically (and this is the only time I'll ever use real names): Michelle, Helker, the Parsons, Rosie, Tony, Coffey, Brendan, Jeff, Cait, Frannie, and the one and only Amanda Dinh. You guys mean the freaking world to me and I wouldn't trade your friendship for anything.

Now without further ado, here's the song:

Part Of Me

Verse1
I've been losing myself
Piece by piece these past few weeks,
I don't know if I
Will ever be the same

Because I've been rushing
Forward towards a change,
When all I really want
Is to stay where I am

Pre-chorus
And you're all a part of me,
You made me who I am,
I don't know how it's going to be,
Walking without you (and),

Chorus
I've grown accustomed to
All these faces, all these places,
And I don't want to
Leave them behind,
As this circle is
Slowly spinning, slowly shrinking,
I don't want to be
The only one left to cry

Verse 2
I've been losing myself
Piece by piece these past four years,
All I had to do was
Blink and it was gone

And I don't know what to do
With myself without
All of you
Right here by my side

Pre-Chorus
Chorus

Bridge
And I've grown closer to you
Than anyone else
Just in time to say goodbye,
Just in time to say goodbye,
And you mean more to me
Than anyone else and
We'll never say goodbye,
We'll never say goodbye

(Solo?)
Pre-Chorus 2
And you're still a part of me,
You keep me who I am,
I know I'm never going to be
Walking without you (and),

Chorus 2
I've grown accustomed to
All these faces, all these places,
And I will never
Leave them behind,
As this circle is
Always spinning, always strengthening,
I know i won't be
The one left behind...

END

Thanks for the best four years of my life guys, let's hope Thanksgiving break comes sooner rather than later.

Till Next Time,
-Russ

P.S.- I may have forgot a few names up there, and I apologize if I forgot anybody. It's hard to think of all my friend's names off the top of my head, but just know you all mean just as much to me as all the rest.

It's Currently 4:30 AM...

Why the hell am i still awake?!

Xenophobia

Ok, so i've been seriously lacking in material to write about, and I've hit major case of writer's block over the past month or so, whether it be lyrics, this blog, or otherwise. I put the pen to the paper, and the ink just doesn't want to move.

So i thought i'd update this and give you all atleast something to read until this block passes, it's some lyrics i wrote back in May. Now there's a story behind these here song-words. After my senior prom i went down the shore with a few friends for the rest of that weekend, and after a contemplative walk on the beach i realized just how scared i am of change, of people leaving and coming back different, or just not coming back at all.

And so i got home, sat down, got out my trusty lyric book&pen and jotted down this little diddy. Now for a title i just wanted something that basically told you the meaning of the song right out front, and so i did a little search on phobias. I came across Agoraphobia-the fear of leaving a familiar area and of possibly panic attacks, Athazagoraphobia- fear of being forgotten or ignored, and Metathesiophobia- the fear of changes.

Now, i feel these all explained the song pretty well but for some reason or another the words just didn't feel like fit. So i was stuck for a title until i did some thinking and remembered one word that i've known for awhile, that word was Xenophobia. So i looked it up to make sure i had the right definition, and sure enough there it was: Xenophobia- fear of that which is unknown or different from oneself. Aaaand boom, i had myself a title.

So here it is, Xenophobia, a song about a fear of college, change, and losing friends. All lyrics are subject to change, and probably will, enjoy:

Xenophobia

Verse 1
The fog rushed over me
And quickly covered the scene
Of you and me,
On this beach,
We speak of life and love
The things we are most fearful of
While the waves just crash,
Behind our backs...

Chorus
Is it all a dream?
I don't ever want to leave,
Just stay right here,
Calm my fear
Of you coming back
Wearing a different skin,
Please don't change,
Just stay this way

Verse 2
But i know it will all
Be for nothing come the fall,
You will be free
And far from me,
So i'm not a fan of change
But would it against me if i say
How much a care?
Please stay right there!

Chorus
Bridge
We all knew this day would come,
The day I'm left on the curb
To smile and wave,
And pretend it's ok,
But my insides are burning hot,
They are burning with the thought
Of waking up
To this reality...
(End)

So there it is folks, Xenophobia. It's not my cheeriest song, but it's the newest one i've written that i've actually finished, and i have a bunch i still need to finish come to think of it. I'm still working on All My Friends Are Insomniacs, and i plan on finishing it once i get this freaking writer's block out of the way.

But that's all for now, so i'll talk to all next time i got something interesting to type about.

Sincerely,
-Russ

P.S.- Hi Michelle

Hahaha...Playing Catch-Up

So...my last post was January eh? Ok, I'll bring you all up to speed, here goes *clears throat* Since January I have:

-Gotten into College
-Went on Kairos
-Reconnected with my best friend
-Finally got that band started (From the Backseat)
-Turned 18
-Realized my feelings for a certain amazing person after knowing her for a year exactly today
-In case you didn't get the above bulletpoint, I now have a girlfriend.
-Graduated from Cardinal O'Hara Highschool
-Been unable to sleep at a normal hour since Summer started
-Become and official student at Penn State University
-Tweaked Snow Cloud a bit
-Wanted so badly to say "I told you so!" but resisted out of respect for that person's friendship
-Started this thing up again

So that is the past 5 or so months of life put into bullet points. Hooray for re-energized blogs! I am going to once again be updating this thing on a regular basis, I've really missed it. But, there will be some changes. You will notice posts becoming more personal and more closely related to actual things going on in my life as I embark on this new Quest known as "College". There may be a few nasty posts, depending on my mood. Yes, I know I said when I started this I wasn't going to use it to attack people but come on...this is a blog.

That's about it for now, expect another new post soonish, I think I might actually start labeling these things...

Till Next Time!
-(Russ)Stash Out!

P.S.- For more on From the Backseat, visit our myspace at www.myspace.com/fromthebackseat or look us up on Facebook, we can use the fans!

Hey, Snowcloud...

Fallen from the gray sky,
You float down to the ground,
Look up at your new surroundings,
Take in what you've found,
As you look up,
Blue skies begin to emerge,
And inside you breakdown,
As you cry,

Hey Snow Cloud,
Hey Snow Cloud,
Don't let the Sunshine through,
I don't want to go just yet.

Right here in your arms,
Is where i want to be,
I hold tighter every second,
In the morning you'll leave,
But as i look out the window
The horizon begins to lighten,
The tears come to my eyes
And i think, As i cry,

Hey Snow Cloud,
Hey Snow Cloud,
Don't let the Sunshine through,
I don't want to go just yet,
Are you blind?
Can't you see?
I am happy
Where i am,
Don't take it away

Those, my friends, are the lyrics to my newly completed song "Hey Snowcloud." No, this isn't the song i mentioned in the last post but one that i just wrote today off the top of my head and was slightly influenced by Joshua Radin. I'm still kinda surprised that i wrote it without too much thought. I am still working on the other one and i'll post the finished lyrics as soon as they're done.

I might add a bridge, depends on if it goes with the flow of the song or not.

Till Next Time,
-Russ

*edit*
Yeah, no bridge, it'll just add too much on to an already good song.

The Wheel Weaves As The Wheel Wills...

Or so they say...

Anyways, the title of this post is a quote that is said quite frequently throughout the book i just finished around a week ago. Yes, that is right, i have successfully finished Eye of the World- Book 1 of the legendary Wheel of Time Series. Now, i make it sound like a big deal...but i still have 10 more books to go (not including the as of yet unfinished 12th book). Thats only 832 pages out of 9685. 305,902 words out of 3,430,682 (all according to the hardcover editions, numbers provided by Wikipedia AKA internet crack :-p). So you can see how this one little tiny accomplishment isn't exactly exciting me the way it would if it was a single standing book.

Ok, on to the review...

The Eye of the World follows the journey of Rand Al'Thor and company on their Journey to defeat "the Dark One." When monstrosities known as "Trollocs" (kind of a cross-breeding of humans and various animals gone horribly wrong) attak Rand's peaceful farming village of Emond's Field in the Two Rivers, a mysterious woman known as Morian Sedai, one of the Aes Sedai (basically magic wielding folk) and her companion, a "Warder" ( a kind of warrior) known as Lan take action and take Rand and his two friends Mat and Perrin away from the village, because it was the three boys the monsters were after.

The Story follows them as they travel northward, first towards Tar Valon, home of the Aes Sedai, and then, after hearing of a dangerous threat to the mysterious Eye of the World, a detour is taken to get there in time to stop whatever evil is after it.

Overall, it is a very enjoyable fantasy novel. That is, of course, if fantasy is your thing. The only complaint i have is right around the middle of the book, when the characters seperate into groups (not gonna spoil why or how here) the story seems to slow a bit, but only a bit, before picking right back up again. The characters are memorable, and i found myself becoming connected to the characters within only seconds of being introduced to them. They each have their own specific personalities and they never seem to stray to far from them.

Bottom Line: 4 out of 5

Why 4? Well, it's the first in the series, and if it wasn't for that, it'd get an instant 5. Robert Jordan knew what he was doing right away with this series, let's all pray A Memory of Light comes out just as great as the rest, all eyes are on you Mr. Sanderson!

All for now,
-Russ

P.S.- I currently am working on an original acoustic song. I have it all except a bridge written both musically and lyrically. I'll post the lyrics up here when finished and a video of the song on From the Backseat's Youtube as soon as i have one recorded.