Best Media of 2018

My previous post was a recap of my year in more personal terms, but here is the soundtrack (of sorts) to 2018. I would love to read any comments you have if you've also heard/read/seen any of the things I enjoyed this past year.

Music (because it's one of the most effective time capsules, don't you think?):
I spent a fair amount of music-listening time this year wanting to feel comforted and not wanting to have to think about exactly what song might be the perfect fit, so I listened to a lot of older Coldplay, actually. They're not necessarily happy songs, but they're familiar and calming to me.

Most of the new music that I listened to (whether newly released or just new-to-me) ended up having political undertones. I found this medium a clearer commentary of life in modern America than any written word I can think of. I think the written word is still the most powerful to me in general, but I'm distrustful of it lately, partly because the volume is at 11 and I have trouble sifting through fact and fiction, or being okay with letting any of it speak to me for whatever its worth, regardless of the the "truth" or lack there of there within. Anyway, I've been adding to a playlist called Resistance Party that's all songs that - to me - directly address the times. In some cases, these songs actually taught me. The playlist is rap-heavy as I think this genre is what folk used to be in terms of commentary.



One of the most striking songs (to me) is an old one by Nina Simone called Missisippi Goddam that I heard for the first time this year. Definitely not a song of hers you might have heard at a dinner party.

Another one that really struck me is Thy Neighbor by Jackie Hill Perry, which starts out, "The church is held together by the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, this is why I can't be a true christian and say I love Jesus but I can't stand the church," followed later by the funny but also convicting "the Jesus in me sees the Jesus in you." Damn, sister!

Childish Gambino's song  This is America (and it's video) got a lot of buzz this year, and I'm noting it here, not because I listened to it a ton, but because after hearing the buzz, I sat down to watch the video (with Ira on my lap) and like everyone else, was stunned by the sudden point-blank shooting a few seconds into the video. I was very shaken since Ira saw it and it was very hard to explain that it was real but not real - and I guess that's the whole point. Real but not real enough but so real.

Artist of the year: Cardi B (I love her on many levels, and I am still not tired of her song "I Like It"). Not to mention that she in my top 3 best dressed celebrities in 2018 (Zendaya was another, for anyone curious).
Best love song: Denim by Priscilla Renea
Biggest earworm: I Won't Hurt You by The West Coast Pop Experimental Band (Isle of Dogs)
Best discovery: boygenius (thanks Michelle!)

Live shows: I saw Lily Allen live, an artist I've admired for a long time! 

Best soundtrack: the musical (that I haven't seen) The Band's Visit.
Best album: Janelle Monae's Dirty Computer and it's accompanying "Emotion Picture", a music video montage of about 6 of the songs off the album. I think my mouth was a-gape the entire time I watched it. Daring, Sexy, Powerful, Explosively Creative.

Movies and Shows:
(in rough order of how well known I think they are)

• Coco
• Westworld (season 1)
• Isle of Dogs
• Blackkklansman. The quality of the movie itself was all over the place, but the premise of the is riveting and it provided a much needed jolt concerning my outlook on race relations.
• Maniac (Netflix; bizarre, funny Jonah Hill and Emma Stone show about a drug trial)
• Kim's Convenience (Netflix; absolutely hilarious Canadian sitcom with special interest for Asian-Americans and dads-and-daughters)
• Legion (the most un-Marvel Marvel show you'll see, in the best way. Quality varies by season, in my opinion).
• Method (Netflix; a Russian detective show that is very intense but fascinating. Intriguing mental illness component)
• Babylon Berlin (Netflix; amazing German period drama, for fans of Peaky Blinders)
• Rise of the Phoenixes (Netflix; 70+ hour-long episodes of Chinese historical drama; beautiful, clever, intricate, tragic, and worth overlooking the cheesy bits)

Books:
Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses. I felt so lost in this book at first, but the writing style is unlike anything I've ever read, and it is awe inspiring. I was also encouraged by this book that there isn't "one right way" in order for writing to be truly great.

Similarly, I read many sections of Why We Write (edited by Meridith Maran) which inspire me to write whenever I pick it up and helps me ward off impostor syndrome as I identify with all sorts of feelings and thoughts shared by other writers in that book.

I read 11 1/2 books of the Bible, Judges being my favorite and John being my least favorite. I hope to elaborate another time.

Pearl S. Buck's autobiography, My Several Worlds. I find so much comfort and wisdom in her thoughts and experiences as a white woman raised in China and spending adulthood in the United States. I appreciate how cantankerous she was in some ways; it seems only natural for a life both wonderful and tumultuous and gives validation to my own sort of stormy inner self.

The least well-written book I read was The Painted Kiss by Elizabeth Hickey. It's historical fiction based on the relationship between the famous painter Gustav Klimt and his muse, Emilie. It was enjoyable and I learned a lot about Austrian history, but I was not overly impressed with its quality in terms of "literature."

We listened to the novel Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynee Jones as an audiobook and it was thoroughly enjoyed by our whole family. It will be very familiar to anyone who has seen the movie adaptation, but it's different enough to warrant a read. It also quotes a John Donne poem, and nothing endears me more than when a book (or sermon, tbh) I'm enjoying quotes something that I love and am familiar with.

Podcasts:
I was encouraged by some episodes of Exploring My Strange Bible (the ones on Why Church Matters, thanks to my friend Luke!) and the Liturgists podcast (particularly "Prophet or Ass" and "Church Unity"). I also read several chapters of The Gospel Comes with a Housekey by Rosaria Butterfield that gave me a few gold nuggets to hang on to (I guess that should go under books, but it fits this section better).

Visual media:
There is so much (so much!) visual content that inspires me throughout the year, and I try and share it periodically in my stories on Instagram. I'm always dumping stuff into my Pinterest vortex too. Jonas and I did stop by the Getty Musuem for the first time in many years to see a fashion history exhibit that was amazing, as well as some of the other visiting exhibits. I also started following hashtags on Instagram (I'm not sure if that feature was new to 2018 or not) and it's a great way to discover all sorts of new things. I took part in the #fjnine challenge many times, pulling photos from my feed to match the weekly color scheme. Here are the collages I made, all with my own photos.

I can't wait to discover new things and uncover old things in 2019.

Evil & Eviler

I got married. :) A month tomorrow, on Valentine's day. Yeehaw! // But what I'm actually going to blog about today is Hitler. Last night, the new husband and I were watching Misfits (a show we quite enjoy for it's plot and dark humor, but is full of crass-ities that you may or may not be up for - don't say I didn't warn you) Season 3, episode 4 in which the gang gets mixed up in a time warp resulting in an alternate present in which the Nazis still rule. It's quite a good episode, and it got me thinking about the all the things I've seen (or heard of) in the past 2 years or so in which the story of Hitler & the Nazis is somehow reinvented (or in which there is speculation about what would have happened if it hadn't gone down the way it did). It's not a huge list (you may be able to add to it), but it's enough to constitute a possible trend. 3 movies, apart from the Misfits episode; 1. Valkyrie (which I did not see, but Jonas said was moving; historically accurate?), 2. Captain America (perhaps not Hitler directly? I fell asleep at the drive in....) and a favorite of mine, 3. Inglourious Basterds. I feel like I may have blogged about it before, but I just have to share this little snippet from my favorite scene again, because it was so lovely.

Anywho, I don't actually have commentary about the fact that this subject may be gaining popularity in media, so much as I am interested in why Hitler is the ultimate bad guy in the minds of most of those in the West. Especially when there are worse, not to mention more current, dictators and evil dudes. I know this is hardly a subject that hasn't been discussed before, but why do YOU default to Hitler as the baddest of them all? Do you? I suspect it's because WW2 brought so many cultural global changes and we also learn a lot about Hitler  & his whole deal in school in the US. I'm just curious as to why people still want to punish him over and over and why we continue to be almost personally offended by the holocaust (I'm talking about those of us who don't have direct ties to it, of course). Really, I'm not trying to play down the tragedy, I just think there are worse things that need to be focused on instead. And for the record, I DON'T think terrorists or Middle East mischief makers are the worst out there, these days. If you think about it, I think they inflict relatively little psychical damage for all the hype and energy focused on hating them. 

2010 In Review

Well, my faithful readers (or browers, or stumble uponers :)), another year has swooshed on by and here I am to sum it up, as it was for me. I decided I would be bored reading the answers (again) to round 3 of my end-of-the-year survey tradition, so I've modified it.  Taking away the boring questions from the previous survey and adding some from Proust/Vanity Fair and some random thing I found on another blog.  I hope you enjoy it and if you decide to fill out one for yourself, please do let me know! See here the sister-posts from 2008 and 2009. {image from beautifulpaper}
People <3
1. What is your idea of a perfect date? Unusal and surprising. Gourmet food, conversations about what we are passionate about, sharing music, hugs and kisses. Also, getting dressed up and smelling good. Getting flowers. 
2. What's your favorite family tradition? After dinner conversations and the scope that they cover. 
3. What are your favorite qualities in a man? Leadership without dictatorship, tenderness, perceptiveness, true love (that's not cheesey if you've experienced it). 
4. What are your favorite qualities in a woman? An unforseen sense of humor, loyalty, knowing when how and where to speak and when not to. 
5. My idea of a good party? 5 people or less! Good food, music and conversation. 
6. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
'08 Agyness Deyn & Obama
'09 Cate Blanchett.
'10 Marion Cottilard. 
7. Who was the best new person you met?
'08 Jns. No question about it.
'09 I’m glad to have met Rocky & the FC kids. 
'10 Bri Augusto. :) 
Looking Back
1.When and where did you learn to ride a bicycle? In Urumqui, China in the summer of 1998, possibly? My dad taught me on an outdoor basketball court. I ran straight into the backs of a group of students sitting on the ground because I couldn't figure out the breaks. 
2.What was the first big purchase you made with your own money? I distinctly remember buying a pack of tic tacs in Thailand at roughly age 10. One of the biggest feeling purchases of my life. 
3.What was the best thing you bought?
'08 Some stunning and impractical additions to my wardrobe, to be sure (cocktail dresses and stilettos all in strikingly uncommon hues ^^). I also joined mp3search.com and have bought loads of good music there. I bought an extraordinary British dictionary from 1912 as a gift which I am rather proud of.
'09 I don’t know what the best thing was. I like to buy beads at Michael’s… that’s not better than other stuff I bought, but I do like them and used them a lot in my mixed media class. 
'10 Tickets to an Imogen Heap concert, some sari fabric, a set of knives for class (my mom actually bought them for me!). Some vintage clothing and rings and dishes.
4. A movie I saw this year that I consider a “keeper.” A Very Long Engagement, Up In The Air, Children of Men, The Social Network, Inception, Inglorious Bastards, New York I love you, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (yes, it was the first time I'd ever seen it). 
5. My favorite place to shop online? I discovered Etsy. No more needs be said. In the store? nothing new worth mentioning, that I recall... 
6.The Year In Music [What song will always remind you of this year?]
'08 Oh man, that is such an unfair question. There are trillions. Definitely ApathyEdge stuff. Jose Gonzalez's "Hand on Your Heart", Dave Matthew's "Crash Into Me", Copeland's "Coffee", Diana Krall's "Case of You", Anberlin's "Dismantle.Repair", John Legend's "Where Did My Baby Go?", Brand New's "Jesus Christ".
'09 DMB’s “Where Are You Going?” Angus & Julia Stone’s “Mango Tree” JJ’s “Baby” Cleast Eatwood’s “Electric Feel” Rachael Yamagata’s “What If I Leave?” John Mark McMillan’s “Carbon Ribs” Joshua Morrison’s “Westport” Owl City’s “Saltwater Room” Jason Derulo’s “Whatcha Say” Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” Anything by Fever Ray, Noisettes, the Temper Trap, the Notwist, Francis and the Lights or Bon Iver & the soundtracks to Once, the Curious Case of Benjamin Button & Slumdog Millionaire. Discovered: Karen Dalton, Neon Hitch, Francis & the Lights, Coeur de Pirate, Tiny Vipers.
'10 Corinne Bailey Rae's "Are You Here?", Janelle Monet's "Tightrope", soundtrack to Nine, Rachael Yamagata's "Both Sides Now", MGMT's "Electric Feel", Disney songs - Cruella De Vil & Oo De Lally, "Such Great Heights" particularly by Ben Gibbard (?), The Morning Bender's "Excuses", Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero's (?) "Home"... Francois Hardy & Ben Christophers "My Beautiful Demon", anything by Frou Frou, Keane's "Sunshine", Coldplay's "Death and all his friends," Dan Black's "Symphonies", several classics by Nat King Cole, multiple songs from Regina Spektor's album "Far", Snowden's "Anemone Arms". Discovered: WORLD WAR (death by adoration!), CocoRosie, Everything Everything, Rogue Wave, Cat Power.
7.What was the best book you read?
'08 Oh! There were several phenomenal ones! The Last Chinese Chef (Nicole Mones), The Tao of Pooh (Benjamin Hoff), and The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) will remain some of my favorites forever. I also read lots more Dorothy Sayers (always excellent), Wild Swans, Funny in Farsi... I'm happy to have gotten so many good reads in! I was not impressed with Kafka's Metamorphosis (at... all).
'09 Wicked (Gregory Maguire), Wired Magazine, Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger). 
'10 Son of a Witch and A Lion Among Men (Gregory Maguire), Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand), Perdido Street Station (China Melville) 
8.What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
'08 I turned 17, and it was the first day of *community* college. :) Jonas and Jordan came over and it was awesome.
'09 My parents threw a big 18th birthday-graduation-4th of July weekend in July which was special and hectic ^^. On my actual birthday, Jonas & Jordan came for dinner and I got a full on small desert garden as a gift. 
'10 I turned 19 - A few days early, my coworkers threw me a surprise party. :) I worked and went to school all day but my mom made awesome Vietnamese wraps for dinner and I had a good time with Jonas and the Fam. A few days later, Jonas and Annelise and I went to the Avila farmer's market where Jonas bought me tuberroses that he couldn't get on the day of my birthday. Then, a month later, Jonas and the Fam and I all went up to visit my aunt in Monteray where we cruised the aquarium and town for a day. 
9. How would you describe your personal fashion concept this year?
'08 Oh.. hm. I would say I've been able to solidify a style more, now that I actually have a selection of places to shop from! But I hope that I've remained versatile. I'm enjoying a very odd mixture of Grace Kelly and Janis Joplin.
'09 I wore more color and more patterns and less make up. I’m very much still into classic though, especially the 40s. 
'10 I wore a lot of clashing colors on purpose. Growing my hair out. This years decade was the 50s (that's probably what I meant last year too but it was too new for me to name correctly...?). Gold, blouses, bows. My first every LBD. Jewel tones and rings and necklaces. 
10. Who was your first kiss? My dear Jonas. 
Looking Ahead
1.What goal would you like to accomplish in the next 12 months? Become more involved at Church, land the PCPA interneship and find a job after that, start school at SCAD as a fibers major, and get engaged. :) 5 years? Run a company (or an aspect of it) pertaining to the art-business world, get a pair of cats, have the first of 3 kids with awesome names. 10 years? Help Jonas publish a book, re-visit China & Thailand and visit Sweden, custom build a house (or renevate an old one!). 
2. I hope my children will remember be for my... ability to open their eyes to new wonders each day. 
Just Me
1.When is your mind most stimulated? Walking along city streets and browsing city stores/blogs. Also conversations about art, spirituality, and things people don't know to talk about. 
2.What comes easily to you? Describing things. 
3. Shoes or clothes person? How about "and"... 
4. How has your understanding of religion changed throughout your life? I've come to see how arrogant I have been about it at times and how trying harder doesn't make you feel better.  Right now I'm loving learning to love what I had regarded with disgust because I am learning to see it differently. 
5.What is your favorite color and flower? No favorite color, only favorite combinations (slate grey & navy blue hover at the top, pale pink & gold) and too many favorite flowers to name, but recently I've discovered peonies (could I be any less of a trend monger?). 
6. When I cook, I like to make... something different every time! Wish I knew how to make... anything fried, for starters. 
In a Nutshell, 2010
Do... trust, laugh a lot, keep up with friends, seek out new things, forgive, try roasting brussel sprouts!
Don't...worry!
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
'08 I'm going to go with Edith Piaf's "La Vie En Rose" - both truthfully and satirically.
'09 The Killer’s “Sam’s Town.”

'10 Jack Johnson's "No Other Way": 

And know that if I knew all of the answers / 

I would not hold them from you'd-d'k

now all the things that i'd know. 

May 2011 be full of joy. 

Calliope

Jonas took me on a date to Solvang today for "abvleskeivers" (sp?!) and sausage. Yum! We had a great time blasting Dave Matthews, M.I.A., Jose Gonzalez and Massive Attack on the drive, looking in the Swedish section at a bookstore and discovering an AMAZING instrument at positively the nicest antique store either of us had ever stepped foot in (they also had incredible vintage rings. Wowie!).  It's called a disk music box. Most of the specimens we saw were selling for $80,000. (OHMYLAND!) But they are so lovely. I could just have stood and stared and listened for hours. Here's a video I found of one (the second video is another kind of music box they had there). 

In other media news, here's what I've been enjoying lately:
READ 

• The Alchemaster's Apprentice by Walter Moers  (well written, but on the childish side)
• A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire (not as good as the first 2, but worth reading)

WATCH 

• Red Cliff (my fave war movie - so many clever strategies and ways to manipulate your advantages in battle)
• Grand Torino
• Inception (oh, for the love of Marion)
• Better Off Ted - TV 

LISTEN

• Sami Yusuf
• World War
• M.I.A.'s album MAYA

Red Light, Sunlight

You know how sometimes you see a photo or watch a video or hear a song and it hurdles you into one of those sound tunnel, step back moments? Totally just got that from this documentary, Born into Brothels. It's about an hour and a half long, but I highly recommend it if you can find a little slice of time. What a concept to take the simple joy of art and seeing beauty through photos to give even the chance of hope to a child who otherwise has nothing. // Coming up on midterms, I suspect. Not a fan of the piling up projects. As the end of school draws nearer, I have little more clarity into what the future contains, but for today, I feel confident that I can make it and excited, if pensive, about what's next in my life. I'm still looking for a car, job(s), and room mates in the OC area, if you have leads. :) I am working on doing a big girl thing and registering to vote as well. Hehe. Speaking of which, though I know hardly anything about her and basically nothing about the other candidates, I'm so far of fan of Meg Whitman for the next governor of CA. And she's a Republican, no less. Bet you didn't see that one comin' from me... ;) I'm kind of proud of myself for still liking what I've heard even though I tend to be disgusted with staunch Republicans. I'm reading some very interesting stuff about health care as well in preparation for a short paper I'm writing. It's crazy because just about every single thing that people freak out about is misinformation about what's actually in the bill. I like Obama. :) // I'm a big ol' fan of Hannah and Landon Metz, hippie artist couple of NYC. Here are some of Landon's photos (love Hannah's blog as well...). They're pretty much living my dream life. I think taking sunlit photos of your spouse is about one of the most romantic things there is.

Theatrics

Spring Break Summation:: I am reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman. So far, my favorite by him. // Watched Fantastic Mr. Fox - very clever indeed and I laughed a lot. Also, excellent art, but I did not like the color scheme and it left me with a strange feeling. It was like no one really cared for each other in that movie and I kept thinking something was going to happen. Hm... How to Train Your Pet Dragon was excellent. :D And lastly, Clash of the Titans. Ok. Yea. Just don't go. Jonas and I were trying to justify the $10 we each just wasted. We decided we got to hold hands for 2 extra hours and we are now licensed to make merciless fun of that movie for the rest of our lives. Which we will. // I've been listening to my friend Sarah's excellent new band, Sleepyhands (listen here - maybe they'll tour in the States some day! :)) and CAT POWER! Oh, where have you been all my life, Miss Chan? I can't get enough. If anyone knows where I can buy a recording of the following song, please tip me off. (Also, Beach House is playing in SLO on April 15, apparently. Come with me!) (Angus & Julia Stone have a new album out as well).

My mum made coconut-curry halibut over a bed of biriyani and spinach leaves which was delicious and then last night, Jonas and I cooked for two friends, Brian & Chris. We had tortellini in a cream basil sauce, Parmesan bread sticks, shrimp salad in avocado halves (excellent!) and a failed peach mousse. Also some blueberry soda from TJ's (yippee! More bottles for my collection). Still learning to cook, honestly, but it's a lot of fun. Jonas and I made a shopping list in which we substituted real ingredients with funny names that sounded similar and then waited tensely in Smart & Final when the cashier swore that the $20 I just gave her was a $10 and they had to check the security cameras to iron out the disagreement (!). It was a $20. // Jonas and I are also collaborating on a story, complete with illustrations and an original encyclopedic mythical history of witches (Jonas is illustrating and writing histories, and I'm writing the story and creating some characters so far). It's gonna be fantastic and we'll be published and live like gypsy royalty off all our proceeds & the movie they'll make from this story. ;) Speaking of which, one of my favorite stories of all time, A Grain of Rice by Helena Claire Pittman, would make a wonderous movie, I'm sure of it. I'm going to write Yimou Zhang, the director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers and ask him to consider making this short children's tale into a movie. In 10 years, I'll be wearing shimmering and sparkling fabrics, hanging on the arm of my love at the premier of "一單粒大米". Just you wait. :D // This morning, Jonas and I hit a doughnut shop (apple fritter for him, raspberry filled heart disease for me) and then click-clacked through the 99 cent store in search of milk in my leopard stiletto-wedges. No luck there, so we shared a caramel machiatto from Starbucks (the last 3rd is so heavenly!!!). Now neither of us have any cash or any gas in our cars. :) It's been a good week. // This morning, the church was decorate in long white curtains all around. It was beautiful. We sang a breathtaking version of the Doxology. // My brothers and Dad are in Utah & sisters and Mum down in TO - home alone today, cleaning, playing & homeworking. Happy Easter to you all!

The Hazards if Kiwi Fruit

Ugh, when I try and save all my thoughts to sit down and write a coherent post, it never happens. I must revert back to my old plan of posting more often even if it means less full posts. I sometimes like that better as a reader of other blogs anyway. Here is a word bank from my experiences last week (which was smashing, just as I'd predicted - thanks to God and my best friend and my family): Waller Park sunshine studying, corn nuts, the Postal Service, nacho sushi roll, Bible study talk on not judging, late night INO, spontaneously making a U-turn on the way home from work and chasing a small kitten through a field (it evaded me :( ), Ponyo, making orange creamsicle cupcakes, taking oodles of photos (now on flickr), Thai food with new friends (old friends of Jonas's) Zach & Lindsey, "happy belated 20th bday Jonas" picnic afternoon at Pismo in the fog, Blackhawk Down, excellent Element sermon on bitterness, SLO wedding expo with Mum & Annelise, and F21 super sale summer shopping spree! // What are you doing for spring break? I think I will hit the zoo (LA or SB?) and maybe go up to Moro Bay for french dip sandwiches and sea lion watching as well as jetting down to LA, possibly, to look at some more schools. I suddenly have little idea what I want to do school wise. -.- After 5 years of always being "sure" about one thing or another. But it's ok - whatever happens, it will be an adventure. :) // Ooo, better late than never - here's me recommending Shutter Island. It's hard to say anything about it without giving stuff away, so just trust me and go see it. If you're one of those people who thinks most (and I mean most) movies are "so predictable", then you're just gonna have to set that aside and let yourself be entertained. I didn't see anything coming in that movie. ^^ // Here's a novel idea... the band Free Energy released their latest on tape. Yes, as in the old school ribbon turning on two lil' wheels tape. Cool, huh? As long as you have somewhere to play it.

Ok. All of that happened about 2 weeks ago now. Case in point. This week, I went to school, went to work, discovered that I am allergic to kiwis at the family Easter lunch (a week early due to vacation plans) and watched Inglourious Basterds. Which I liked, for the record. I don't feel very much like commenting on it... Oh, also I wore two cute outfits in one day today. :j

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I just watched this cute Disney short on Hulu. I wonder if kids really get all the extra references now adays? Who knows? It made me laugh, regardless. ^^

If I were a guy, this is how I would dress... {1. & 2. Anna Kuperberg photography 3. & 4. from the recent J Lindberg catalog}


P.S. I get my job at Hardy back for the break! :) I'll probably start after next week when finals are officially over. {link to blog - watch video}

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The older I get, the more the holidays seem to creep up on me. Today was the first remotely holiday-ish day of the season, I think. The weather was almost tropical. Over-cast, but warmish. Jonas and I shared a peppermint latte and I wore a sweater and there was jazz in the background. As of last year, winter is my favorite season. I am hoping fall will be fully gone soon. // I really enjoy the college group I've been attending the last few weeks. I'm glad to have found a place where I feel proud and secure of the inclinations of my heart. Not for the sake of being right or accepted exclusively, but because it makes me feel like I'm a part of something important. We were talking a bit about charities tonight & I've been thinking to myself for a few days now that I would like to find a cause to give to. There are so many truly needy places and people and causes. I would love your input if you know of something you think especially needs funding. // In important news: my family has lived in America for 2 years as of today! We were trying to remember our first day back, but it's blurred with all other travels in my mind now. A lot as happened in 2 years. Imagine what can happen in 2 more... Also, the Berlin wall came down 20 years ago today. That seems incredible to me. I guess that it's only been 20 years. But at the same time I have no recollection of that event (obviously - I wasn't born yet) & it doesn't seem to come up often. Somehow I always think it happened on my birthday though (?!). // I finished my altered book today. Pictures on FB later. It came together pretty nicely in the last 20 minutes that I worked on it or so and I am actually quite pleased with it. I also have a big ol' paper I should be working on at this very moment, so I will leave you with this awesome song (ok video... can't find the song alone anywhere online) by jj. Those Swedes are at it again.

To be posted soon... holiday gift guide[s]. Sleep well everyone. :) [Click to view video].

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Thanks Parker for the heads up on this cool FREE album. Go nab it. :) I also learned of Gabby Young & Other Animals on his blog. I like. Gotta love her hair too. Not that I'm biased. "We're All In This Together" is my favorite. She reminds me a bit of Zoe Keating.

Did I already mention I *very much dislike* my current job? Today I filled out an application for Pier 1 & got sucked in to the bead & paper isles of Michael's once again which has me rethinking opening an Etsy shop. I'll be sure to tell you if I do that. I'm going to try for a job at the public library too. Please oh please, I want a job I love. // In the ongoing saga of the mixed-media-book assignment - my study was on Ayn Rand's book, The Fountainhead, and the 40's (it was published in '42). Pictures on facebook later, but you have to see this. In my search for inspiration, I found several of these, one was even more expensive. The Fountainhead is in my top 5 favorite books, but I'm not quite to the level of buying something like this.

The book was made into a movie in the early 50s I think and Dominique Francon was played by Patricia Neal. I would love to name a kid Dominique. Anyway, here are some glam shots of Miss Neal. She reminds me of my grandma Patty. I love the one of the kids in her skirt. ^^ Apparently an Atlas Shrugged movie is supposed to come out in 2010 (or '11 was it?) with Charlize Theron (?) as the female lead? Should be interesting. I only made it about 5 pages into Atlas Shrugged. I would like to read it later, but no time now. I resolved never to watch the Fountainhead so that I can preserve my experience from the book.

While researching all of this for my project, I discovered this spat between the Library of Congress and Rand's heir who was in possession of some original manuscripts that Rand promised to the Library after her death. This video is probably only interesting if you're in awe of Rand as I am, but the obvious tension and the simple fact that he is touching her actual work fascinates me.

My toes are cold. I'm goin' to bed. :)
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Yesterday was the first real day of my new job which I've officially had for 5 weeks now or something. I had my first "tuttee," as they are called. That is, I tutored a student in English. // When I got home, I called up Jonas and we decided to ride bikes to Blenders in the Grass. 1/3 of the way there, the chain on his bike broke, so we had to walk back and get a different bike and start again. When we got there, he got a peanut butter smoothie, and I got red mango. We were right next to the pet store which helped us devise our devious plan... My youngest sister, Julia, has a little fish bowl that she filled with rocks and shells and water. Then she proceeded to show everyone her "fish" and though it was greatest fun when people confusedly left without having seen it. Sooo, Jonas and I actually bought 2 Siamese fighting fish (Betta fish) - he kept one (it's gorgeous - red with tiny blue scales on its body) and I got a shimmery blue-ish red-ish rainbow looking one. But first, we filled two jars with water and went on and on about the beautiful "fish" inside. My whole family played along and Julia pretended with us. Later when she was occupied, we put the real fish into her bowl and then pretended as if we couldn't see any fish. When we finally all admitted that we could of course see the real fish, she was pretty smiley but said with a giant exhale-laugh, "You guys stressed me out!" Hehe. Julia's doesn't have a name yet, but Jonas is thinking about "Okami" (I think...) for his. He always thinks of great names for things (Julia wanted to name hers Billy...). Here's a painting to show you a bit what these fish look like, since I don't have a picture for our little nameless fish yet. (by DeviantArt's Jennifer The First) They're very shimmery and multicolored, often, which you can't tell from the painting.

We also watched several episodes of Invader Zim which is pretty awesome. Grr is definitely one of my favorite animated characters ever (haha, this picture totally doesn't match with the other two..). "I love dis showwww..."

I have been too lazy thus far to unsubscribe from my word-a-day emails, and this weeks' theme had to do with books. These two words make me happy: 1. grangerize (GRAYN-juh-ryz) is a verb meaning a) To mutilate a book by clipping pictures out of it or b) To illustrate a book by adding pictures cut from other books. 2. comstockery (KOM-stock-uh-ree, KUM-) is a noun meaning overzealous censorship of material considered obscene. Haha, love it! // My room has almost no floor space left... time to clean. We cleaned out our garage this morning and everyone keeps coming to me asking if I want this or that random object because chances are, I will say, "Hm... yes! Mixed media." ^^// Good news: I think... I'm not sure... but I thinkkkk, there might be a little shoot coming up in my flower garden. // Bad news: There is a rumor that Fullerton is increasing it's "fees" by 33% (which will put the new price at $4000 something). Still better than most other places, but kind of a drag when you don't even have $3000 for said fees. // Last, but not least, my promised music discovery, CéU (apparently already hugely popular in her native Brazil). Listen here or here. What a lovely lady and sound.

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I actually knew today's "word of the day" (odious). Good for me! :D
Ok, I have like... a billion things to share. // My favorite entertainment finds of the week: indie film Once ('07) and perfect old school-new school blend band, Noisettes. First, about Once. I love those movies that you enjoy right from the start. And that are real. I mean, the end of the movie is like a real life ending! Sometimes I like movies to end "right" because I often watch movies to relax from real life, but this one was just right. It was also one of those movies that I ran upstairs and bought the soundtrack for right after seeing it. Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova = love. I had a short obsession back in my freshman year of high school with the Czech Republic. I can't remember why. // Noisettes have a very different sound, but loads of fun. It's fun and sophisticated at once and I adore the lead singer's style.


My room is undergoing a makeover. I bought a vintage desk (picture later) and took down my regular wall art which made everything look empty, so I my curtain sheer which is suffocates my ferns in the window and tacked it to my ceiling as a canopy. I also bought a red Ranunculus bulb which I'm going to add to my garden. The garden isn't in the ground yet, but I'm slowly accumulating things to put in it. I'm excited for it. It will be like the comfort of the cat that I don't have. // I went to a hippy bike/banjo party for my friend Skaggs this morning. There was pita bread and humus and people with red hair. :j I was a fan.

Just one more thing today, so you're not overwhelmed with awesomeness. ;) My aunt Cathy stopped by and showed us this awesome video. Isn't that so much fun! I wonder if I can ask Matt if he would go to Xinjiang? And it would be fun to be in one of his shots too. I'd never heard of some of those places in his video, but I'd love to visit them all!

I should run off to write a paper on my *possibly* favorite mixed media artist, Swoon. :D Laterz. And happy Labor Day extended-weekend!
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I've never been so excited to go to the Doctor's in my life! In fact, doctors (or dentists more precisely, but pretty much any medical place) are in the top 3 of my list of most hated things (saying goodbyes and working out being the other two). But the reason that I'm excited to go tomorrow is that I may finally have my ears healed or at least be given medicine to help them heal - I have not been able to hear normally for almost a month. Today was the worst so far. I literally could not hear most of what people were trying to say to me. Dismal.
But I actually had a wonderful evening apart from that. Dinner with my wonderful boyfriend and his family and then the new flick " Julie & Julia" afterward (not only is my boyfriend the sweetest, most selfless person you will ever meet, he also has excellent taste in jewelry and brought me a lovely antique[?] necklace back from his trip to Iowa. If you're not already green with envy, you should be ;)). I loved it! I very rarely love movies but I truly enjoyed every moment of that film. It reminded me that true love can last in a marriage. I also got a good laugh out of the struggling blogger stereotypes (though Julie's blog hardly had a hard time gathering a following - that's a little unrealistic in my experience) and was once again heart-warmed at the thought of what an excellent meal can do for even the wretchedest person. I hope you get a chance to see it as well. Also, I would just like to say that I have a sister named Julia and I think it is a beautiful name, though I distinctly remember thinking otherwise when my parents were choosing names. Hehe.

My job is in it's last day or two and I'm making tiny steps of progress in landing a new one. I'm sure there will be more updates if anything comes of it. School starts in 2 weeks and I have leftover fish with grapes and almonds, a kiwi and some twice baked potatoes for lunch tomorrow. Life is good.
I'm about to hit the hay, but here is a photo, lest you think my blog has been sabotaged (via byrdandbleeker). It speaks for itself (it makes me smile so!).

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TWO NEW MOVIES TO HOLD YOUR BREATH FOR. At least, I hope they're as good as their potential.
Hm, well actually, scratch that. I was going to put Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland teaser in here too, but all the real teasers are disabled for code pasting, so another time. It's gonna be sick though... more on that in the future, I'm sure. Goodnight world.

My sister showed this to me today. I thought it was... hilarious.



I've been working all day on putting together a slideshow for "graduation." Lots of memories. ^^ I made up dinner tonight. I cooked up some sausage and peppers etc. in some Chipotle salsa and then baked it inside of a bread braid. It wasn't half bad! :)

Right now I'm listening to this *apparently very underground?!* band called Mapei right now, that I think is pretty tight. I like this album cover (?) of theirs too. Clever and culturally charged...



Via Lookbook... I discovered this website in its *very* early stages on which you can trade clothes, rather than buy them. I don't know if I'll really be any better off after paying postage (assuming I find something I'm willing to trade for! - I'm only the 3rd user signed up), but I think it's a great idea. You should join too.

Laterz!

Mm, lots of things to share on here, not so much time! I got a driver's license today. :) And [am getting] paid for 3 hours of house work at my Aunt's (kinda random, but who says no to a chance to make some cash these days?). Didn't get much Econ home work done. Ohhhwell. ^^ My youngest sister spent hours today in a fort behind a large hedge in our backyard that we call "Narnia" (the hedge, that is). Bradley made it for her out of pieces of wall that we're not using (from remodeling parts of the house). There's this song, the last track on the White Album by the Beatles, called Julia, that John Lennon wrote for his mom, Julia Lennon (there seem to be very few pictures of her available, but the one below is charming, I think). And despite how that all reads, it seems like a coherent day to me. I think I thought of the song "Julia" because the sweetness of my sister penetrated my usual obliviousness today.



While on the subject of golden oldies, a while back, I saw Audrey Hepburn's "Paris When It Sizzles." I'm under the impression that it's not very well known, and I admit that it was a bit odd, but I think it's my favorite Hepburn movie. I find that even if I genuinely like something, if there are a whole bunch of people who like the same thing without knowing WHY it is likable (that is, not appreciating any real talent or charm of Hepburn's, but just seeing her face at Target), I find myself not liking it so much anymore. I know that that in itself is clique, but alas. Found this... giddy... shot on Corbis; random, bit of a diamond in the rough of a file sharing community. The watermarks don't come off unless you buy the images and the images available seem a bit limited in subject, but they seem like relatively unknown images as well, so perhaps it's worth the trade-off?



One last gem to share tonight. I rarely come upon clothing ('specially lingerie) that I like online, but some of these are pretty pretty! (please browse responsibly)

*K

Enchantment is about the best term I can think of for this film, "Man On Wire".  Turns out it's not all that obscure, but if you haven't seen it, you should.  It's about a tight rope walker who decided to put a wire between the Twin Towers. Some of my family seemed to think it was a little ridiculous in parts, but it made my spirit feel light and I actually preferred it (it's a documentary) to any movie I've seen in quite a while.  At one point, Phillippe's (the tightrope walker) girlfriend Annie says of him, "He's so excessive, so creative - so each day is like a work of art to him." I think you will agree this shot is breathtaking.


It takes a team of Phillippe's friends 6 years to plan the endeavor and they rig the wires in the middle of the night, one August in '76 (?). Phillippe already had a history of walking in the clouds in crazy places, which went hand in hand with a history of arrests. After being arrested post-twin-towers excursion, the police write-up named the incident "Man On Wire", thus the name of the film. Another favorite quote of mine: one of his "accomplices" says, "I guess I was the kind of guy who was, you know, not averse to things that... were... weren't completely legal."
Throughout the whole documentary, no one mentions that the Towers are no longer there (it was made in 2008), but there's footage of them going up in the 60s-70s and they were really... stately. I wish I had seen them standing.  My english teacher was telling us about the first time she realized that talking about the impact of the Vietnam war to college students didn't really mean anything because it was no longer our generation that was defined by that war. She was pondering what it would be in our generation that turns out to be that defining moment. I remember right where I was when I heard about the Twin Towers, though I think I only remember because my mom said I would, just as she remembers where she was when she heard the news of JFK's assassination. Somewhat random, but also connected - I remember by my house in Urumqi, China (2007), by the curve in the road where the middle school let out, there was a tightrope rig set up in someone's quart yard. I heard that there was a young Turkish girl, about 6 or 7, who came out to practice on it every now and then, and I always looked for her, but I never did get to see her practice. (This last photo is really Phillippe, if I'm not mistaken - I'm finding myself more and more grateful that my mum took so many then-embarassing pictures of me as a kid).


 

To me this is a memorial of China days, and beauty, and sadness, and looking forward and back. Great job Jeremy - I still want to see you come to SCAD! :P Hope you all enjoy this as much as I did. And could he have chosen anything better than Sigur Ros? (I think not).