@KHAndAnime:

Right, but I suppose I don't like metal as much right now because it is too technical, too loud, and just has too much going on. I'm sure I'll come full circle, but right now I am looking for simplicity. Hell, I'm listening to singer/songwriters now, and there was a day I would have said that singer/songwriters are the worst. :P

This is a textbook example of what I'm talking about with blink. Even from the start, Travis sets the tone.

And this is a good example for 80s. Again, even if other instruments begin the song, I feel like the drums are the cornerstone of the song.

Before you answer, let me expound on this a little bit more. When I say "drum first," I'm talking about bands with great drummers and/or bands who have drumming as the "lead" so to speak. Without questioning my taste, a big reason I've loved blink-182 for as long as I have is because both Tom and Mark (vocalists, guitar and bass, respectively) are such novices instrumentally, they allow Travis free reign, essentially, to guide where their songs go. It feels right to me, even though I know the structure is incredibly basic.

I find this to be true also of a lot of 80s bands: The Cure, The Smiths, Echo & the Bunnymen, etc. or, at the very least, I really love their drumming. They find a groove or rhythm, and I rarely ever dislike it. But I know blink-182 and 80s bands have fairly little in common. :P

What bands do you like that "drum first?" What genres (excluding metal, I'm sorry, I'm just not super into it at the moment) lend themselves to "drumming first?'

The top three, of what I have seen, would definitely be Mad Max, Ex Machina, and Straight Outta Compton. If I was forced to pick one though, Mad Max for sure. One of the best action movies I've seen in a very long time.

At this point, it has to be a caricature. At least that's what helps me sleep at night...

Cure easily for me.

But this is still a very bizarre comparison. Something like Queen or Alice Cooper, and/or The Cure or The Smiths would've made much more sense.

Jeremy - Pearl Jam

Got out of an abusive relationship so that's nice. But deconstructing that has not.

I think what I have changed the most this year is that my "lowest lows" have been nowhere near as low as they've been in the past. With a lot of reading, meditation, and multiple outlets, I've resigned myself to feel "low," but not let the "low" feeling dictate the entirety of my existence.

Definitely a night owl. Any waking up prior to 9am and I need a heap of caffeine and "positive" energy to get me through the day. What about you guys?

Hopefully this doesn't come across as arrogant but this is a fairly frequent phenomenon. It generally happens when I am listening to the right songs, and/or if I spend a great deal of time by myself processing through my life: where I have been, where I am now, and where I think I may be going And overall, this set of calmness comes over me, almost transcendent in a way, and I am always ready to face the challenges in the day.

To simplify even more, that "moment" happens usually when I am meditating.