BRIEFLY ABOUT ME :

My name is Shelly and I'm above all else a nerd. I'm not afraid to admit it either. I'm a 31 year old woman formerly employed as a computer nerd. I'm married to an equally nerdy engineer. Apparently nerdiness runs in the family--my younger sister (who infrequently writes here, clle46) is also a computer nerd. I am the mother of a young, soon-to-be-nerd named Zachary Nathan (or just simply Zack). He is definitely the cutest (and silliest) toddler in the world. My nerdiness extends past computers and employment and into my personal life. My major loves are trivia (I've got what I refer to as a "junk brain"), horror and sci-fi books (specifically apocalyptic fiction and Philip K. Dick), movies (horror, sci-fi, fantasy, drama, and black comedy), writing, and making things look pretty (excluding my cluttered but clean home which is certainly a reflection of my brain). I reside in the in the state of Michigan where I own a home and am subsequently owned by three persnickety cats. I've got a couple of degrees (BS in Political Science and BA in Telecommunications) but my current plan is to earn a MA in English. Indeed, I do love school (another part of my nerdy self). By the way, if you are wondering where "Lambchops" came from don't even bother asking. It has nothing to do with the puppet and everything to do with who I was born (there's a riddle for you). Learn more about me by visiting my 7-year-old blog sevencagedtigers.com.

EPINIONS:

I've been around Epinions now for over seven years. The days, months, and years have flown by. In that time I've concentrated my efforts in the music cateogry however I also dabble in books, movies, games, beauty (I have a thing for perfume), electronics, and comptuer hardware. Heck, I've tried just about every area on Epinions at least once. Like it or love it I'm gonna be around here for a while. I've held the ill-fitting Category Lead hat (in music, of course) for almost three years now and was one of two originals in the category. I now serve at the post with none other than bob_tomato.

I do my best to rate fairly and consistently as outlined by Epinions Guidelines. It's not rocket science, folks. If you think something is wonky or have edited/rewritten your review, don't hesitate to e-mail me. If there is one thing I most dislike on Epinions it is people who take things too seriously. I'll be the first to admit sometimes I get mad/angry/happy/numbed by the whole thing but take it from me--"real life" is more important than any variety of "online life." I'm not out to make friends. I've got those already. I just want to share and to help create an open and sharing environment. The most troubling of all displays? Revenge rating. If you revenge rate, it's not a secret. Your ID is not safe even if it is "hidden." Take it from me, you will be tracked down and hung from the nearest virtual tree by your pinkie toes.

One last thing. I trust based on writing. I do not engage in trust slutting, don't reciprocally trust, and do not expect anything of that variety in return. I make no excuses for my trust list and admit that I routinely clean things up. There is only one person who will stay trusted forever--that is my sister.

ADDITIONAL THINGS TO KNOW (AND DISLIKE?) ABOUT LAMBCHOPS:

• I am opinionated. That's why I'm here. If you don't agree with me, that's not a reason to down-rate. It's a reason to comment or not rate at all, but if something is well-written my personal opinion should have no bearing on your rating. That goes for how I rate also and includes psycho fans of Tears for Fears, Robert Miles, and The Donnas. By the way, I really love it when people sign up for the site just to gang up on me. It makes me happy.
• I am an atheist. I do not believe in any god and admit that there is nothing wrong with some amount of selfishness. It is how we survive, people, and shouldn't make us guilty. Do not try to convert me--it will not work. I came to this decision a decade or so ago. I was allowed the choice growing up of being whoever I chose. It is the way I intend on raising any and all future unborn children (and yes, my hubby agrees--though he was raised an atheist).
• I am a cancer survivor. I was bald. I've got numerous physical and emotional scars to show. I once wrote an essay about my experience. I also received some really, really nasty comments regarding it that doubted my sincerity and motives. Screw them. My diagnosis and treatment and emotional journey is what makes me who I am today. I am a cancer survivor of 12 years. By the way, for all those concerned it was non-Hodgkin's t-cell Lymphoma.
• I am a bleeding-heart liberal pacifist. I do not believe in the war, I read and watch and enjoy Michael Moore, I do not like Bush, and I am educated on the matter both currently and philosophically (please note again the political science degree above). I do not expect to be hated for any of my beliefs as I do not hate anybody for theirs. Some of my closest friends are Rush republicans. If you hate me, then please feel free to block me and never read anything by me again.
• ...uh...yeah...I think that's enough for now.

THE REVIEWS:

As I mentioned, I primarily write music reviews. There are a few dozen each also of movies, books, beauty, electronics, and computer hardware also to enjoy with the occasional auto, home & garden, sports, and travel also. But my self-imposed bread n' butter is music. Here are a few links to some of my favorites/best/worst/least popular/most popular/earliest/newest/longest/shortest/least favorite. I think that just about covers any adjective that may apply. If you want to check out all my music reviews, click on over to RockReviews.net where they are neatly and alphabetically arranged. Below are links to a slew of reviews of British pop and rock bands. Enjoy.

...the British are coming! The British (and the Scots, and the Irishmen, and the Welsh) are coming!

Ash 1977	Richard Ashcroft Alone with Everybody	Richard Ashcroft Human Conditions	Athlete Vehicles & Animals	Belle & Sebastian Boy with the Arab Strap
Belle & Sebastian If You're Feeling Sinister	Belle & Sebastian Tigermilk	Blur 13	Blur MOR	Blur Parklife
Bernard Butler Friends & Lovers	Bernard Butler People Move On	Catatonia Equally Cursed and Blessed	Catatonia International Velvet	Charlatans Between 10th and 11th
Coldplay Rush of Blood to the Head	Edwyn Collins Gorgeous George	Cooper Temple Clause Kick Up the Fire...	The Coral Magic & Medicine	Cornershop When I Was Born for the 7th Time
Cranberries No Need to Argue	The Darkness Permission to Land	Del Amitri Hatful of Rain	Elastica Elastica	Elastica The Menace
Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand	Garbage Version 2.0	Gay Dad Leisure Noise	Gomez Bring It On	Gomez Liquid Skin
Gomez In Our Gun	Gomez Split the Difference	James Gold Mother	James Seven	James Whiplash
James Best of James	JJ72 JJ72	JJ72 I To Sky	Kula Shaker K	Lamb Fear of Fours
Longpigs The Sun is Often Out	Longpigs Mobile Home	Mansun Attack of the Grey Lantern	Mansun Six	McAlmont & Butler The Sound of...
Mogwai Come on Die Young	Morcheeba Who Can You Trust?	Morcheeba Big Calm	Morcheeba Fragments of Freedom	Morcheeba Charango
Muse Showbiz	Oasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory?	Oasis Be Here Now	Oasis Heathen Chemistry	Beth Orton Trailer Park
Beth Orton Central Reservation	Portishead Portishead	Pulp Different Class	Pulp This is Hardcore	Pulp Countdown
Space Spiders	Space Monkeys The Daddy of them All	Spiritualized Let it Come Down	Spiritualized Amazing Grace	Stereophonics Performance & Cocktails
Stereophonics J.E.E.P.	Stone Roses Second Coming	Stone Roses Complete Stone Roses	Suede Suede	Suede Dog Man Star
Suede Head Music	Supergrass In It For the Money	Supergrass Supergrass	Supergrass Life on Other Planets	The Thrills So Much for the City
Travis The Man Who	The Verve Northern Soul	Robbie Williams Sing While You're Winning	Robbie Williams The Ego Has Landed