Okay, so I totally just bought a John Petrucci 6 Music Man guitar. It is SO sweet. I bought the model with the piezo system and the Mystic Dream finish. It is absolutely beautiful, and it sounds even better. The pickups are active (battery powered) and the piezo system makes it sound like an acoustic guitar with the flick of a switch. TOTALLY BEAST. The guitar plays so amazingly smooth. The tremelo system is probably the nicest, smoothest tremelo I have ever played. This guitar is set up perfect from the factory, and I will have to make no adjustments.

I can't believe how much better I sound with this guitar!! It feels wonderful to play, too, which makes it that much easier to play. I've also been working on my guitar rig lately, adding a pedal and a new power supply. I was already getting some great tones with the new adjustments, but now it sounds and feels like I have a completely new rig, and essentially, I do. I am so excited!!

This guitar is absolutely perfect for the kind of music I write and play. I have some other decent instruments, but this one takes the cake. I've always been missing something with my rig. The guitar is so versatile and can do just about anything, save for maybe leaping over buildings in a single bound... wait, I think it can do that, too. I don't think there is another guitar out there that could be more perfectly fitted for what I want and need it to do. The guitar set me back quite the pretty penny, but it was worth it. I have never bought a guitar that I REALLY wanted, and I thought it was time to do so. Most of the gear that I do have were such good deals that I really couldn't pass them up. This time, though, I sought after the guitar I really wanted. I should have done this years ago.

Anyway, I've got an english paper to write tonight that I don't want to do. I would MUCH rather be playing my beast new guitar.

Also, I am still planning to do a very late and much needed blog on the awesome Dream Theater concert I went to at the end of August. I will also write my thoughts on the awesome Black Clouds and Silver Linings album. These are way overdue, but I have been super busy with school and work.

Until then...

So I just scored a ticket to see Dream Theater in Denver on the 25th. I haven't seen them since 2001, so this will be quite a treat for me. After some annoying issues with friends and ticket purchases, it looks like I will be sitting by myself (or more like rocking out, standing up, and alone to be more accurate), but it will be good regardless. I believe the tickets are pretty close to dead center but a little further back. Honestly from the way it looks this may be the best seat I have ever had for a Dream Theater show. Quite tasty, indeed.

I just had my last day of work at Barnes and Noble. It was good to work there again, but it will be nice to leave. My feet and back have been killing me as a result of the labor. Positively, the people were great and I have a certain opening there again if I ever needed it. I'm hoping that I never will, though. I did make some awesome purchases, though, which I am excited about.

D&D rocks and is so much fun. It is way better than when I played when I was younger. I am an elf ranger (I know, I know. But I had to try it at least once), and I am thinking about mutliclassing as a wizard. I'm not sure though, because then I cannot excel at either area. I have bought some cool books lately related to the genre, and I have begun to read some of my old Forgotten Realms novels. It is quite fun, and I would recommend anyone to try D&D at least once. It is truly what started all of the RPGs we play today.

I start school next week, as well as my new math tutoring job. I am looking forward to it and not all at the same time. It will be a good change.

I have been playing Eternal Sonata lately, and I have to say that it is pretty good. Great graphics and music, although the dialogue is pretty weak. Shadow Complex is pretty good despite some buggy problems. It certainly pays homage to Metroid and Castlevania, but the stronger influence is certainly Metroid. I just hope younger people realize the roots and play some of those fantastic games. I am also still trying to finish up some stuff in Mass Effect which has been going rather well. There are still plenty of games in my gaming queue left to play or finish. I have my work cut out for me coupled with school and work (and gaming, of course).

Until next time...

I just noticed today that I finally received my hard earned E3 emblems. I actually called in to work to watch all of the main three press conferences, so I was a little dismayed when I had not received them days after the show. I try to always catch E3, so I am glad that they finally posted. Much thanks to Soulreavercross and VinceL for their assistance in this matter.

For some strange reason I feel that I cannot write about DT's new album yet. I'm not sure why. I think it's actually quite good, but I'm not listening to it at the moment. Something is holding me back, and I need to figure it out. I will do it, but it may be in the far off future. There is plenty of other things that I want to write about in the meantime. How about the fact that I never got my Emblems for watching the E3 press conferences live? I'm really annoyed about that. And how about the fact that I hardly have any time for gaming because I have such a varying working schedule? And how about the fact that one of my friends is leaving for a year and a half and the only way I can contact her is by letter? And how about the fact that I recently watched Troll on DVD!!!!!! Alas, many things have been going on more pressing than DT's new album.

I recently met up with this guy I know from school who likes to play paper RPGs. I used to play a bit when I was younger, and we got talking about it. I expressed my interest in playing and we set up a time. So far all we have done is create characters, but it's going to be a blast and I am really excited to start playing again. I keep playing with my dice for no reason at all. I feel like an excited, goofy idiot. I can't wait 'til Friday.