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.

Peachy

Things I'm stoked on & thankful for:

• Being recruited for PCPA's (the Central Coast's Broadway counterpart) 2-year technical theater program. Technical theater includes set and prop design and construction, lighting, sound technology, costume design and construction, etc.  Very exciting and a good fit for my life right now, but also nerve wracking as I anticipate 65 hour work weeks for that length of time. And just for the sake of name dropping, I would have you know that graduates from the sister acting program include such recognizable names as Kathy Bates, Robin Williams and Zac Efron. When I start the program, I may very well go all silent on the blog front for some time, but hopefully I will be able to blog about some of the experiences every now and then. Speaking of which...
• I started a new Tumblr commemorating my growing-up years in Asia. Please have a look! http://talesofkashmir.tumblr.com/
• Getting to hang out with ladies (and some gents!) from our church small group.  My friend Michelle works across the street from me, so we have lunch once a week. She's really getting me re-excited about writing and poetry. Some of which I may post later....?
• Collaborative art with Jonas. We're shooting for a draw&caption duo like this couple's blog, We Can, except the captioning part may turn into more of a story because Jonas's drawings tend to be hold more visual information than a caption could cover. I'll be posting those as they get going as well. 
• "Friends of Ours" and rock bands that incorporate orchestras. 
• This color scheme. Spring in general. 

A Spring In My Step

I think we just had the first day of spring. I'm not sure, and I doubt it's important.  Sometimes I get these sweet realizations that calm my worried bones. I doubt the budding trees and birdies keep calendar books or sticky notes or write blog posts on the exact days of events. Too nerve wracking to remember all that. We had a dinner guest last night who has recently accepted Christ into his life. I was struck by the excitement that he had about being in the family of Jesus. He said he finds himself smiling for no reason. I want to have that too because our days here are finite and... yes. That's it. We've been going through Lamentations at church, which I'm loving too. I delight in the polarities of rawness and joy. Re-awakenings seem to go right along with spring. And this lovely album. And these lovely photos (1,2,3,4,5). 

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. 

Super Nova

Exploding with things to share, pictures to comb through and upload, things to do, things to remember, people to have a good time with, Holiday enjoyments, finals, music, art. I have a long list of things to blog, but for lack of time, I'm afraid most of it will end up just in list format. I have oodles of spiffy winter-themed photos to share and themed posts up my sleeve, but I'm just about to hit a break in school and move to a nicer work schedule anddd go on vacation, so I think I'll hold off until next time. Sniffle. 
Merryness in the Air:

• - old youth leader Joe engaged! And my friends Shawn and Kenna are expecting baby #2. Hooray!
• - this incredible Ballerina Project.

• - free Christmas tunes with joyous art cover (haven't given it a spin yet - sorry if it's lame). 
• - most recently planning to major in fibers at SCAD. <3 Only one semester left at AHC! [my friend Hailey is working on her Event Planning certification, which happens to be available at CSU Fullerton - which I was accepted to, btw :) - so maybe I will be looking into that later on down the road too!] 
• - one week 'til I'm roadtripping to Oregon with Jonas and the fam. That car is going to be snuggly, to put it gently. 
• - I love my church (and proud to call it my church - new and wondrous to me!). Jonas and I have signed up for a financial planning class there and I recently signed up to help decorate the church as well, as it is done expertly several times a year. Exciting! Very much enjoyed lunch with new and newer friends this afternoon (yummy Thai food at a local fave spot and then we all joined in a tradition and added a one dollar bill to the restaurant wallpaper).  Being young and in love in 2010 is GREAT. Speaking of which, Tuesday marks 23 months for Jonas and I. Fond memories behind us, exciting ones ahead of us. XO
• - thank you Jesus that I'm just about done with my cold! I hope this means I won't be repeating my tradition of being sick ON Christmas. I did have an awesome deep voice for a day though... 
• - totally infatuated with Biet Simkin of World War. Tragic and lovely. Get signed already so I can buy your music! 

There's A Light Up Ahead...

...[even when you can't see it]
So, my affair with Tumblr has proved less than entirely engaging, and I miss my blog. I don't promise consistency, but I am thinking that I might switch my focus in writing here back to more of a real journal than all pictures and no thoughts.  Plus sharing inspiration that builds up in my archives and does nothing when I don't share it. //// 2 nights ago Jonas and I headed over for an excellent dinner with our friends Bri, Greg & Nicole in another installment of our evolving "dinner club" tradition. Jonas and I always laugh at how stereotypical we're turning out to be - playing scrabble-esque games with young couples and cooking dinner together - but as it turns out, I guess people do this stuff for good reason! We lost track of literally hours as we all talked about the planet we live on and where we think it might be going and whether we have a hand in it. I'm so happy to be in college and have friends who are truly good company. //// Last night, Jonas and I went and saw the Social Network (which I recommend).  Coupled with our dinner club conversation, the admirable parts about the idea of Facebook and what our peers can do with a computer and an idea have me  proud to live in this time even when the world seems to shrink by the day and its horrors are ever more apparent. I feel as if the internet is a tool that enhances creativity. Take for instance, this video. 

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

The End of Ellipse

[pictures are mine - more on flickr and fb later, I suspect] I am a pretty big fan of Imogen Heap and was really excited to find out she was going to play Santa Barbara because usually all the big names don't stop between LA and San Fran. So I pestered Jonas to come with me and we bought some tickets (my first ever purchase on my Visa card, right from the AHC cafeteria) and eagerly awaited the date.  Jonas had to work later than expected that day and I was nervous that we wouldn't make it in time.  On the way there, I saw 4 deer (in 2 places) on the side of the highway! I've never seen even 1 in all my days driving that road before.  Poor Jonas couldn't see since he was supposed to be watching the road.  We arrived in time (even found free parking, though we then had to put some coins in a door to use the toilet. ha!) and the lady checked the tickets, but when we sat down, we were confused because the ticket only had one seat number on it, though I was sure I had purchased 2. I later found an untouched ticket in the recesses of my purse (oops!). 

The evening opened with an acapella group from the SB public high schools - Imogen reviews auditions by groups prior to playing in a city and the best one opens for her (and later sings a song with her in the middle of her set). Next, members of her band who happened to be musicians under other names on their own performed. Geese, a duo on violins and a Mac were unlike pretty much most things I've ever heard - rather cacophonous but still lovely. Ben Christophers played a few songs as well, and as I've listened to him more since the concert, I like him more and more. Imogen started her set after a break (during which everyone brought back drinks from the bar - stinky) and it was nothing short of magnificent. Even better than I had hoped! Turns out this was the finale show of her US tour, and she felt indebted to SB because on her last tour she was too sick to play at the Granada as scheduled.  Whatever the reason, she played 15+ songs - the concert lasted 4 hours. The lights were great, she was great, the band(s) were great, etc. It is a good memory. She is much more socially relaxed than I expected. She was quite funny and interacted wonderfully with the audience. She had the audience sing in rounds for "Just For Now" and at the end of the show, people called out melodies and keys and she created an improv song from it! You can buy it here when it's posted - the proceeds go to a local charity. For her first song, she came out spinning some sort of whirring thing above her head which she then let go of to free her hands for a keyboard. When she let go of it, it hit her sound board and messed everything up, so she scampered away and restarted the whole thing. It was quite funny and endearing. She had a very cool see-through piano and used all sorts of other instruments (including an ordinary saw [actually played by another member of the band], a gong, and a "water bell[?]") as well as her famous and flawless looping techniques. It was great to hear the stories behind each song. 

She is a humble women with a great sense of style, great sense of humor and a great great deal of vocal and instrumental talent. She hit every note - actually reminded me of Vitas at once point (in a good way). She is quite tall and I bet her boyfriend is nice as well. She actually looks a bit like my aunt Molly to me. The crowd loved her, of course. They stood in their seats, cried, screamed (Imogen raised her eyebrows), kissed, sang along in the wrong parts right as the room went quiet (twice. haha!) and drank. I knew every song, though she didn't play my favorite song. If you can't tell, I loved it. I'm very excited to have seen her live and would do it again in a heartbeat. You should go, even if you only kinda like her (as was the case with Jonas, who quite enjoyed the show as well ^^) - you will not be dissapointed! On the way home, Jonas and I admired the moonlight reflected off the ocean. Lovely evening. The end. 

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!

A Drop in the Ocean

Has it ever struck you that banana are the perfect shape for a phone? Well, they are. // I now have twitter. Find me here. :) //I may have found a room mate! It will be lots of fun if it works out. // What is your earliest memory? Mine involves eating broccoli in a restaurant that was at a fork in the road. // I have an overwhelming amount of things to blog about and not very many chances to blog. // I went with Jonas to Farmer's Market in SLO on thursday and we shared a mushroom pizza at CPK (they no longer have the mango chicken one that was my favorite!). One of the best parts was being good dinner guests. We smiled and thank-you-ed and left a tip with a note of appreciation. Then we went back to the market, only to discover that the exorbitantly priced yet delicious cheesecake caramel apples were sold out. Bum dizzly. // Do your teachers have funny speaking habits? My Columbian sociology teacher ends a lot of sentences with "...and stuff like that." My Arabian psychology teacher ends each topic with "any questions on that?" My statistics teacher with a major outty belly button talks in fill-in-the-blanks: "If you take 3 out there will be - what, - 4 left?" On the second day of class, I counted more than 68 fill-in-the blanks statements/questions in an hour and 5 minutes. // Here is a really cool video that I hope you enjoy. :)

Yours Truly Presents: The Morning Benders "Excuses" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

When I fancy myself a blogger prestigous enough to be interviewed, I go about rewriting interviews from truly prestigious bloggers. The template here was from the Bedlam of Beefy interviewing Ruby Press. What is your least favorite smell?

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LOVE it! ::

Film... Stranger Than Fiction.

Book... Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.

Food... There are quite a few recipes involving pesto in my foodgawker.com favorites. Eating out, I'd have to go with Byron's special seaweed salad and Nacho sushi roll at Ichiban's. Candy: salty licorice.

Album... as far as being good as a full album, Keane's Under the Iron Sea. Phew, I just realized this is titled "love it!" not "favorites," which makes me feel much more at ease.

Day... Any day that I get to spend with Jonas! :D :D

Clothes... recently, I've been snuggling in my oversized red cardigan with kitty buttons!

Band... this week, Ben Howard.

Blogs... may I direct you to the list on the right side of the page. :)

Place... the secret forest wonderland behind Pioneer park which was RECENTLY BULLDOZED! Ow, my life. I feel a life-long scar developing.

Smell... Jonas's Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue. wow.

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HATE it! ::

Film... The Game.

Book... most Christian self-help books :/

Food... eggs.

Album... huh, well, I can't say since I probably couldn't bare to listen to it all the way through.

Day... the dreaded goodbye day before leaving somewhere where a loved one can not follow.

Clothes... empire waisted peasant tops with oversized patterns. not that I keep track.

Band... hate is a strong word, but R.E.M. comes to mind.

Place... the dentist's.

Smell... baby wipes. Disgusting to the max.

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It’s all in the details… ::

The best sandwich is made with… basil, cream cheese, roasted jalepeno and bacon on a toasted savory bagel, perhaps?

The place I feel safest… lost in the arms and eyes and smile of my baby, possibly over coffee and with a downpour of rain outside. Super delicious feeling.

I love the sound of… bass in the floor when you turn the speakers way up.

A singer I unexpectedly like is… I'm not sure there is such a thing for me.

The first poster on my bedroom wall was…mm, I had poster collages from the start, and they were always evolving.

The vice that I am glad I got rid of…biting my nails to the point of bloodiness.

The one that still has a hold on me…blogging rather than studying? *sheepish. Not sure I'm really trying to get over that one though.

I am most embarrassed by…smelling bad ranks pretty high up there for me.

As a child I wanted to be…a doctor or a forensic scientist.

The first time I got drunk was…I've never had more than a milileter of alcohol.

I really don’t like… being encouraged to think negative thoughts!

The best way to cook a potato is…off the top of my head, I'm partial to scalloped.

At night I worry about…worrying too much.

The first thing I do in the morning is…check the clock to see if I have time to fall back asleep.

Plane, train, or automobile…planes :) get to international destinations faster!

My Week In a *Long* Paragraph

I love when I discover a song in my iTunes library that I've never heard before and suddenly love. Cloud Nine by Ben Howard is the latest. Happy in my own skin on the ninth cloud. // Fun parties around here for Brad's birthday. We ordered out from our favorite *real* Chinese restaurant, but half an hour before the food came Bradley suddenly became really sick. :( Hopefully it will subside soon, poor guy. // I spent the day lying low at my Grandparent's house with my dad and aunt as well as it has been pouring torrential rains on and off. We watched some taped figure skating (hooray for the first medal for Korea, not to mention for the highest score of all time. And our hearts went out to the Canadian who's mum died 2 days before her performance in a freak heart attack) while keeping an eye on the Chilean earthquake and Hawaiian tsunami news. We ran to the thrift store real quick where I bought my first ever pencil skirt as well as a silk floral number with some potential. Then back to the the house for some food network shows that had everyone hooked. // Foodgawker has a new sister, Weddinggawker. So far, so brilliant. //You know what else is brilliant? House. Watching reruns now, waiting for Danielle & Annelise to come around. Love this show. // On Wednesday, I left my wallet at In-N-Out which I only discovered hours later when I was looking for it so I could drive to pick up Annelise from school. I was trying not to be completely freaked out as I as un-frantically as possible called Jonas who offered to call INO who had found and kept my wallet. PHEW. I needed to find an identifying paper that my mom could show INO peeps to retrieve my wallet so I was turning my room upside down for my old paper driving permit I opened all the drawers in my desk... wait, ALL the drawers? Um, yes. Ever since I bought this vintage 40s desk, the middle drawer hasn't opened. I've tried many times, Jonas tried, my dad tried - no one could open it, but suddenly it slid open. Sadly, no bundle of cash inside. But still, coolio. // On Thursday, I tried to make a Chinese cold noodle dish which failed miserably and then I watched District 9 with Jonas and Annelise. Less predictable than I thought; set up for a sequal much? The first (only?) non-laughable alien movie that I've seen. // Now, hm... for a picture for you or some visual stimuli... aha. Nvm. Another time!

What's Brewing

Last night I went with Jonas and the Tuesday night crew to the Downtown Brewery in SLO to see Briertone. Jonas and I ended up liking The Honey Trees, a band that opened for them, much better. I bought their EP, Wake The Earth and discovered upon looking them up just now that they are much more popular than I thought (listen to their cover of Edelweiss here)! Becky, the lead singer, is also an artist and illustrated the band Lydia's album "Illuminate." The Honey Trees sound a bit too close to Eisley for my taste on the EP, but it was still fun to go to a concert and buy a real CD (!) - haven't done either of those things in years. I got a few good shots during the evening; I am considering starting a flikr account for my ever growing collection? Perhaps most exciting of all though, was a poster for Copeland's farewell (?! :( ) tour - they will be playing the same venue on March 28. I am so there! // Here is a nice photo of Becky from her personal myspace.

Happy 16th to my brother Bradley!!! (tomorrow). Love you, Chi. // Going down to TO this weekend for Bradley's birthday. I'm looking forward to seeing Danielle & thrift shopping at my favorite little shop. Maybe I'll squeeze in a meal at the authentic Chinese restaurant too! Yum. // My Psych class got canceled today (YUSSSS! This never happens to me. The class is interesting and all, but super long and as I said, my classes never get canceled) so Jonas and I did math homework in his car in the rain and listened to DCFC. // I really, really wish I could make a lot of delicious exotic foods and not worry about school and work and "stuff like that". // Ok, bye now. :)

Everybody's Trying to be My Baby

I just toasted and buttered a croissant - I always forget how delicious those are. // Happy Belated Valentine's Day & Chu Yi (first day of Chinese New Year)! Here's a retro song for you (how absolutely crazed are those fans?!). My baby turns 20 in a week and everyone should wish they were "baby" to someone like him. xo. [FB, click to view]

My favorite shot from Urban Outfitter's lovers photo contest. Reminds me of a day in the life of Hannah & Landon - I'm hooked. I'm absolutely convinced I should have been at Woodstock. 30 some years too late, dang it.

I am going back to work on Tuesday. :) Hooray for being employed! I've also been "busy" running a nation, thanks to Jonas's reawakened political-nerd obsession from high school. ;) If that sounds fun, check it out or visit my nation. // I've also been exploring Pandora Radio. The Elliott Smith station probably gets the most attention from me. Diana Krall & A.R. Rahman are also good. // Thanks for reading. :)

Phantom Planet

I can't remember how I found this video, but I like it. The jungle country feel (I can almost smell it!) and the background noises and the song and his playing and voice and the fact that something like this is on youtube. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it too. :) (If you're reading on FB, click here to see the video).

In to week 2 of school. 3 of 4 teachers are good and 2 of 4 are fun. I dropped Biology, my biggest & hardest class which was a relief and may be back to work soon. We'll see about that. Making new friends in classes and waving to old ones. :) Trees are blooming on campus and parking is getting tighter and tighter. I have been taking more pictures than usual. Since I'm there by about 7:50 every morning, I have no trouble finding a spot. I mostly park in the same spot all the time by this giant tree and I've been taking a picture of it every morning. It may turn into a project. I ate 7 tacos that Rocky brought for free-food-Tuesday and Jonas is making cool things in ceramics. // I think that's all I have for today. :) It's raining hard, on and off here. I like it.

Tree Killers

I'm off to Yosemite tomorrow with "Rocky & Friends" which is what I call the college Bible study I've been attending. // My peeps keep putting furniture in my room... not quite sure what's going to happen with it yet. // There was the most incredible rainbow this afternoon. One of those that you hope everyone had a chance to see, but at the same time is a special thing just for you. // Went to return a Bath & Body Works gift today - well, exchange, I should say. My favorite scents are Rice & Shea Butter and Black Raspberry Vanilla, I think. You? // I'm really liking Brazilian music right now. CeU from before, but also this video by Seu Jorge is, well, swoony. // Wouldn't it be...fun... to cliff jump after being married? Maybe just fun to look at pictures. // My mum offered me all the money I get from selling back old textbooks if I do - yata! Thanks mom. :D // The city finally made good on their threats to start a road through the fields by our house - aka plow the best spot in all SM. Bye lazy frog pond, bye tree swing, bye summer night bike spot, bye eucalyptus forest where many a magical photo was shot, bye lizards, bye gullys and tree canopies, bye melon baybays and memories. I hope the construction workers are hit by lightning. So there. // I'm mad. // Grr. // So, buy impounded car for ~$500? [Y/N] // I might have to pierce myself to forget about the pain in my heart over that good for nothing new road. Or lip? {via the Satorialist}//

Susan went to be with Jesus around 5am on Jan. 6, 2010. My guess is that such an excellent artist couldn't be happier anywhere else. To see things through her lens is truly wondrous. Her pictures are home to me.

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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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It saddens me to see 1/4 of a Jamba Juice smoothie left in the blender and thrown out. It's not like anyone touched it, for crying out loud. Jon and I just went - we both like the Strawberry Surf Rider best but agree that it's embarrassing to ask for anything on the menu because of the ridiculous names. // Ok, check out this incredible picture. Jimmy is a friend of mine/cousin of a cousin of a long-time friend who happens to be both a gymnast and rock star. So there ya go (the band pictured is Szilva).

Check out these cute "rouge pots" by Stila. There are a whole bunch of them with different pretty lids, but I haven't found a place where you can view the whole line yet. I rarely wear blush, but it's amazing to see how instantly fresh it can make your face appear.

So, I discovered Jed Root last night - a website with portfolios by those behind the scenes of major Magazines. Love these two by Inge Fonteyne.

I love this photo (by Barry Feinstein, 1966) because even from the back, Bob Dylan is unmistakable.

Cheers. & if you're on facebook, I promise, the blog is cooler.

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Yesterday was my lovely sister Annelise's birthday (17). Tomorrow my brother Jonathan turns 14. Hard to believe! I don't have many pictures of Jon, but here are some of Pep that I've been saving just for this occasion. My mom made an incredible baby-back ribs dinner & and I made some delicious candied orange peel (hooray Foodgawker!) - the holiday season has arrived. [Also, a chalk pastel drawing she gave to me from last semester's drawing 2 class w/ Mr. Hood.] Happy Birthday t0 you two great friends!




I like that you talk to strangers on Halloween - I mean, people ring your doorbell and stuff. I dressed up, uneventfully, but I whipped together an awesome Mad Hatter costume for Jonas in like 2 minutes and I was so proud of myself. It looked awesome. I'm sure it will be on facebook later. // So guess what? Gabby Young (previous post) is following this blog! Cool, huh? Thanks Gabby. :) // I randomly remembered this song called "Ten Thousand" (another tip off from Parker a long time ago) that I love by John Mark Mcmillian (associated with the Glorious Unseen...?). I went to his mypspace (so should you!) and I also love his song "Carbon Ribs." I may actually buy those two on iTunes because I can't find them anywhere else. That will be my first ever iTunes purchase O.O Here is a photo of him. He has a wife, Sarah, who he calls "my sugarhotsweetness" and a baby son named Jude.

While at the Norton Simon museum 2 weekends ago, I took a picture of the cover of a book so that I could look up the artist later. Turned out to be Shepard Fairey who makes "propaganda" art & including the famous "Hope" posters of President Obama. I think most of his work is taken from real photos which he then over-hauls in his own style. I love that he takes images from the Middle East and Asia. See here.


I have so much more to share. 2 of my classes @ Hancock are officially finished, so hopefully I'll have a little more time. In which I should find a new job, but that's beside the point. 'Nite!
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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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