Unfriendly Monster...

Packaging with a little love...

2012-01-29T22:56:00.000-08:00

February 14th is looming... I'm not a huge fan of gift-giving on Valentine's Day, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate wonderful V-Day packaging. Here are some DIY goodies for you love-stricken folks out there!

Use a straw to make a lovely little arrow. Pairs well with a plain paper bag!

Use cupcake cups to make faux flowers.

Another arrow, but with a sweet little heart on the tail end.

A box wrapped with your love letter.

Popsicle sticks on a string! You can personalize them with little love notes.

Friday Round-Up

2012-01-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

Things I desperately want...

Bicycle with leather seat and handles. And that basket...

Wide-wick candles. Wood tray.

A mug. That holds cookies. Genius!

A nesting doll wearing a Burberry coat.

My very own pocket lynx!

A spot of honey with my tea.

Happy Friday, folks!

Lovely Spaces

2012-01-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

I'm in the process of looking for new digs. Part and parcel of that are obsessive apartment hunting and daydreaming about decor.

And some of the non-stop daydreaming can be blamed on...

Warm blankets with lovely colors.

Exposed brick wall. Doorway. And oh, the frameless art.

Guest room, secretly used as a mid-week retreat.

Jane Austen room. No other comments needed.

Old, natural kitchen with exposed beams and copper pots.

A house is not a house without books. Lots of them.

A living room with a view. Clean and fresh.

The charm of mismatching frames. And good art.

Organization of your gift-wrapping propensities!

The perfect background for a chat.

A true retreat. Low-lying sofa, exposed beams, and chandelier.

My dream work station. If only...

A dog and your favorite chair to come home to.

Of course, the furniture (and living space) I actually own are nothing like the above, but one day. A girl can dream.

A Bit of Style

2012-01-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

I'm a self-proclaimed fashion disaster. Color sense? Paint me color blind. Matching or fashionable mis-matching of items? A complete mystery. Knowing how to wear hats and scarves just so? Like solving a Rubik's Cube...blind-folded.

Having said that, I know what I like. When I see it. On other people.

And this is what I like...

The polished look. The sweater is simple, a little severe,

but softened by that beautiful, silky bow and flirty but modest skirt.

The staple look. Since moving up to the PNW, this look seems to be a

staple. Neutral sweater, tight jeans, beautiful loop scarf, tall boots,

and a bit of pizzaz with the purse.

The mini swag. I had to add this picture because this kid

makes the outfit.

As I slowly attempt to get back into blogging, I hope to share more fashion, home decor, and random tidbits with you all!

Happy Thursday!

A New Proposal

2012-01-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

Cannibalism is an underestimated and misunderstood form of affection. At the very least, it staves off hunger and controls explosive population growth. Yes, Mr. Swift. Cannibalism for everyone.

Beat & Rubbish

With a dash of pepper and salt...

Let us eat each other into oblivion.

Weakness

2011-02-10T22:38:00.000-08:00

When you have a man...

and a dog...

and they're both so exquisite to look at...

Life becomes very unfair.

Early Winter

2010-11-23T09:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I experienced my first snowfall...ever. I've been to snowy places, but I've never watched the snow fall from the sky. So pretty!

It started out nice and gentle...

That's my dog, sniffing suspiciously at the white stuff. He's a Californian like me. By evening, we had about 3-4 inches of snow, which may not be too bad for other places used to harsh winters, but it's bad for Seattle - when snow falls on an ill-prepared city, you get trouble.

And it wasn't without its mishaps - I took the bus yesterday because I'm a wimp and can't drive in the snow. After 2 hours of sitting in traffic, a group of bussers and I decided to walk home...5.5 miles in the wind, chill, and snow. I bought makeshift winter clothes from Sears, which was the only store close by, and trekked through crazy cold for 4 miles (at one point, we linked arms so we wouldn't get blown down the bridge ramp) before calling my roommate to pick us up. Even then, the danger wasn't over. We still slipped and slid all the way home!

I got home at 9:00 pm. My other roommate, who drove that day, didn't get home till midnight. And she still had to abandon her car 6 blocks away because it couldn't make it up the hill.

However, today is officially...SNOW DAY!!! I don't have to go into work! When I woke up this morning, I immediately got into my new winter kicks and ran outside... I love snow. :)

AUUUUGH!

2010-11-02T19:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry, folks, my internet's been spotty (at best)! My housemates and I are getting new Internet service on Friday, so once that's all set up, I should be able to post new entries, reply to your comments, and make comments on your entries more consistently.

I keel you, Internet!

Thank you for your patience!!!!!!

Living in the Emerald City

2010-10-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a month and a couple of weeks since I moved up to Seattle, otherwise known as the Emerald City.

It's green! But lonely. It's beautiful! But cold. It's friendly! But confusing.

I'm loving every minute of it.

I haven't taken many pictures of my new home - I started working immediately after moving up here. However, I did make my first movie ever of my dog and my housemate's dog running around in the local dog park. (Click on the caption: The Dogs)

The Dogs

It's rough, shoddy, and a little off. But it captures their spirits well. So enjoy!

P.s. New blog to come soon! It'll be fun and exciting, I promise. :)

Packin' My Bags and A-Leavin'

2010-08-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks,

I'm moving. Packing my bags and a-leaving, finally. I'm uprooting myself from my native Los Angeles, CA for the wild grey yonder of Seattle, WA.

And knowing me, this will be my fate halfway there:

Avouer qu'on est perdu - Cumulonymbus

In other words, lost as a bat in broad daylight.

So, for about two weeks (give or take), I will probably be missing in action. Rest assured, I will think about you all every single day. There will be much weeping and shaking from withdrawal, but I will be brave about this. It's not like we're breaking up. It's...it's just a brief, necessary pause to start afresh. In more ways than one.

When I come back, I promise to shower you with lots and lots of ridiculous attention. You'll beg me to stop.

Hooray!

Thursday Shorts

2010-08-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

His Liquid Grave - Meluseena

Mully was a sailor, born on the high, rough seas.
A scallywag, a pollywog, an unrepentant lout was he.
He drank, he gamed, he lied, he cursed,
He charmed the ladies with words unrehearsed.
All to forget a love he once courted,
To the sewers and seas, he finally consorted,
Young but bitter, he lived on a close shave,

Till alas, he lost his life to a liquid grave.

The Inevitable Etsy Cache

2010-08-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

It was inevitable. It's an Etsy world, and we just live in it. I tried to resist an out-and-out Etsy post, but there are just so many wonderful little finds on that soul-absorbing site that I...I can't resist no mo'.

So, here are some of my top picks of the week! Remember, my birthday is in March - but I'm not adverse to a little early gift-giving, iffen ye know what I mean.

Books and air balloons. I love books. I love air balloons.

Come on, this is like a honeycomb to a bear!

Speaking of bears...

A Monocled Bear. And it's a brooch.

I want this gentlemanly beast climbing on my lapel

every. single. day.

Nerdy glasses on a string?

I'm not beyond a little kitsch.

A watercolor of The Royal Mile in

Edinburgh, Scotland!! Here's an extra exclamation point

to emphasize my love for this print - ! Brings back memories of

my lovely summer in Scotland.

A Fiddlin' Kitty. My dog would protest,

but I'm the Master of my own Universe!

And some girlie vintage frames to match.

If you have any favorite sellers or items, let me know! I'm always up for a little wallet-torture!

The Lost Children of the City

2010-07-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the Art of Sanya Glisic

Do you know where your children are?

The school bell chimes

But the yard is empty

Where have the children gone?

Hidden within the forest deep

Far beyond society's rubbish heap,

Its burns, its fire

Its callous revelry,

That leaves behind the wooded scar

Lies a marvel

Of dancing bears and

Balancing tumblers

Mighty buckets and

Tutu'd divers

Maidens fair and

Poisonous creatures

Cycling lions and

Lions cycling

Bull-headed men and

Balls of string

Men of steel and

Their companion true

They all await

To awe and amaze you

So don't delay

Your visit, if you may

The Weekend Is Upon Us

2010-07-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the little moments.

Magnifying Glass by Salihagir

Birds of One Feather

2010-07-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

Artist Unknown

Phineas woke up one Fall morning

To find the leaves turned brown and withered

He donned a sweater and a scarf

And human hands to keep him warm

At the wharf, he met a sage

Handless, hairless, and lined with age

"Fortune, fortune, will I read,"

Cried the sage, to mislead

Chirping and whirring with delight

Phineas agreed to pay any price

The sage raised his stumps, a dark, dark blight

And looked askance at Phineas, twice

"Fortune, fortune will I read,

For your warm mittens and a bead,"

The sage was sly, and Phineas simple

A devil's deal...if 'twere not for Kimpel

Kimpel the Fisherman, young and wise

Had made a pledge to his mother dear

To protect the innocent from false scries

For to one, she lost her heart sincere

Throwing aside his fisher's creel,

A strong, firm hand did Kimpel use

To halt the lies, the steal, the deal

And stop a most unfortunate ruse

Cries and howls, unholy to hear

The sage let loose with a single tear

Phineas, simple and kind at heart

With his mittens did he gladly part

Alarmed by kindness, the sage did pause

As the cold shriveled the boy's poor claws

"Ye are good," the sage did say,

"I am changed, from this 'ere day."

Kimpel assessed and judged and nodded

Truth was told, redemption awarded

So the boy, the sage, and the fisherman together

Became fast friends, Birds of One Feather

Hiatus

2010-02-26T14:31:00.000-08:00

Sorry, folks. Just going through some personal trials right now. Need to go on a little break to take care of some things.

The Return of Vacation by Cetrobo

I promise to be back soon...energized, refreshed, and full of monstrous activity (raaawr). When I come back, I shall eat you all! Nom nom nom!

Introducing Cole + Josephine

2010-02-23T11:18:00.000-08:00

No need for introductions, really. The art speaks for itself. However, since I'm gregarious, allow me to expound: Cole + Josephine is the brainchild of Nicole Sharp. She's a self-taught artist, and her work is both visceral and intelligent, with a hint of "Wordsworthian" whimsy. Every piece is like a stream-of-consciousness, as if a floating thought was captured mid-flight, which is manifested in the title of her works. I've included some of my favorite pieces below, but you can see more of her wondrous artwork on her blog or in her shop.

A Piece of Fried Gold

Fresh

Here I am just trying to relax and you

just tear through here and destroy my calm

We can sit in our modern chairs and

have long, philosophical discussions

The Frequency of Direction

Trompe L'oil Pears

Terrarium: Bringing the Outdoors In.

Oh, and Making It Better.

I'm just going to throw this out there...

the Beatles do nothing for me

Owls plus Bird Claw Talismans

equal Incompatible Etsy Trends

Picture Books

2010-02-19T11:24:00.000-08:00

People have different motivations for reading and writing books. Mine was always, always about the story. Love of words? A close second.

I see stories in everything: books, pictures, music, dreams, moments, even scents. This morning, I stumbled across a treasure trove of stories...in a series of fashion photographs. I normally don't pay attention to fashion, but the rich and compelling story found in each frame, the lush and vivid colors, the hint of history and the mystic... it was all too fantastic to ignore. Enjoy.

Tamer Yilmaz

Carter Smith

Out Sick

2010-02-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

I was out sick yesterday.

I went to the ER and found out I had a tummy virus.

I took medicine and am a bit better now.

I wish you all a safe and healthy mid-week!

Lips Touch Three Times

2010-02-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I devoured a book in one gulp. It was like a delicious addiction - I couldn't put it down. Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor is an explosion of imagery, fairy tales, twists, pulls and pushes, tastes and sights, implications and delights. My normally rooted feet actually left the ground, and I was hurtled into a completely different world. I recommend. Highly, wildly.

You also get the absolutely stunning visual treat of Jim Di Bartolo's illustrations. I was transfixed by this book's cover, and was taken aback when I found more lush illustrations inside.

Ms. Taylor begins with a spin-off of one my favorite poems, The Goblin Market...

before transporting her readers to hot, sticky, and exotic India for a re-telling of the Orpheus myth...

and then finishing off with a tale of her own imagining.

I've been an aspiring writer for a while now, and have always wanted to play with The Goblin Market and the Orpheus myth in a number of different ways. To see Ms. Taylor play with these stories so lovingly, and so seductively, is inspiring.

If you haven't already read it, please do yourself a huge favor and read the book. I promise you that all your senses will be engaged.

P.s. In response to a special request...marshmallow madness!

MIA

2010-02-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

It's MIA Monday - meaning, I'm going to be missing in action!

Missing in Action by Talented Child

Too much work, too much work. Don't you just hate it when reality intrudes on your creativity? Hmph.

Shall see you all on Tube-tastic Tuesday!

____________________________________________

UPDATE (2/11/10):

Yeeeeeah. I've been MIA a lot longer than I planned. I had to dig myself out of an avalanche of work with just a rusty ol' keyboard and dinky monitor. Still digging. I'll be back by next Tuesday (Monday's a holiday after all), clean and fresh-faced for you guys. Thanks for all of your kind comments of reality-loathing sympathy! Hehe.

While I Was Sleeping...

2010-02-04T04:33:00.000-08:00

A love story bloomed.

Allow me to introduce Wicklow, the Merry Reader of Brigadoonberry (better known as my bookshelf). He and his band of friends have been my faithful companions for a year now. Lively, spritely, and jovial, Wicklow was a popular lad. As all library gnomes are wont to do, he read and read and read until the sun shone through the curtain veil. When he wasn't reading, he enthralled audiences with brave tales of tempests, labours, love lost and found, and of course, happy endings.

But Wicklow had a secret, one he hid deep in his heart. He was lonely. He tried to fill the emptiness in a million different ways.

He played hide-and-seek with Sir Dooley...

He watched Cake Challenge till his eyes burned...

He threw back pints with his best mates, Londonderry and Dublin...

All to no avail. No matter what he did, his heart still felt empty.

Until last night. When he met her.

Wicklow fell in love for the first time in his life. Having never been in love, Wicklow naturally wondered how he could get her to notice him. So, he began to devise ways of impressing her.

He thought, "Shall I write a sonnet?"

He thought, "Shall I play jazz?"

He thought, "Shall I sing of my travels?"

Yet, none of them seemed right. He was not a sonnet. He was not jazz. He was not a grand adventure. He was just Wicklow, a library gnome. And in the end, being the smart fellow that he was, Wicklow did the right thing. He showed her...himself.

And she was impressed by his honesty...and his herb garden.

So when the moon reached its zenith, they got married.

And had wonderful children together.

Now, Wicklow's heart is full and satisfied. And my bookshelf is filled with little readers eager to begin their lives as library gnomes-and-a-half. We couldn't be happier (or cheesier).

To love, literature, and lutefisk. Happy Valentine's month, folks.

Weird Word Wednesday

2010-02-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

I love words. Words, words, words. Today, I'm going to honor words that are somewhat obscure to the general public. Enjoy!

Agowilt - A sudden, sickening fear

Image courtesy of I Can Haz Cheesburger

Agelast - A person who never laughs

Image courtesy of Mark Boucher

Accismus - Pretending to be uninterested...when you really are

Image courtesy of Ippy Ippy

Avatrol - A Bastard (e.g. Joseph Stalin)

Image courtesy of Dunechaser

Autophoby - Fear of referring to oneself,

e.g. using words such as "I" or "Me"

(Elmo is ticklish, Elmo takes picture!)

Image courtesy of Debbie Petite

Aprocisiary - A person appointed to give answers

Image courtesy of Phantomato

Aucupate - Bird watching

Image courtesy of Linda Yvonne

Aspectabund - Having an expressive face

Image courtesy of Afqhlmza

Avoy! - An expression of fear or surprise

(I know this image doesn't correspond with the word,

but it's James McAvoy. I love him.)

Image courtesy of Cat in Stripes

Happy Wednesday, folks.

Happy Birfday, Crafty!

2010-01-29T11:48:00.000-08:00

Today is a special day indeed. My friend, Crafty Hands, is celebrating her 2-th birthday. Nearly three whole decades of the joy that is Crafty. Three decades of a lovely Crafty forming, growing, evolving, and becoming. In celebration of all things Crafty, here are just a few of the lil' things that remind me of the birthday girl:

She bakes... (wonderful, wonderful cakes!)

She loves... (her mischievous Corgi, Yoda)

She rages... (against cruddy L.A. drivers)

She creates... (the most amazing costumes)

She sculpts... (the most creative figures)

She sews... (patterns and clothes galore)

She knits... (like a squirrelish fiend)

She crafts... (with her hands).

And all she does, she does with love.

Or anger.

Whichever is the stronger emotion of the day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAFTY!!!

The Photo Crashers

2010-01-28T11:48:00.000-08:00

You've encountered them before. Photo Crashers. The classy gents and ladies who ruin your photo by beaming ridiculously in the background, holding a pint of ale in one hand and making an obscene gesture with the other.

The phenomenon of "photobombing" is apparently not limited to our species. It's a problem of epic proportion in the animal kingdom as well... The proof is in the pudding (thank you, Huffington Post):

Taking the bullet...or hogging the shot?

The guard: "I want a sandwich."

The goat: "Hmmmm...?"

(Is that a ghost in the background?!)

Photo Crasher: "Yaaaaaah! Whaaaaazzup!"

Cat: "Really? I mean, really? Over it. Going home."

Penguin 1: "...?"

Penguin 2: "....!"

Seal: "Yaaaay!"

W is for Wednesdays

2010-01-27T15:27:00.000-08:00

W is for...

Warthogs

Where the Wild Things Are

Waistcoats

Well-Mannered Boys

Wire Walker

World Without End

Happy Wednesday, folks.

I need cake

2010-01-25T15:10:00.000-08:00

I got into a car accident this morning, so I need chocolate or cake. Since my friend is recovering from surgery and I can't demand sympathy cake from her, all I can do is salivate over these works of exquisite art from Rosey Sugar Palace (Brookland College Flickr set):

Let's have cake and eat it too!

A Curious and Crafty Cat

2010-01-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

Hats off to Japanese stop-motion animation and crafts. Komaneko the Curious Cat is the culmination of these two art forms. If I could live in Komaneko's world, I'd abandon everything in this reality to do so. The detailed design, the craftsmanship, and the concept behind this stop-mo animation is amazing.

I invite you to take a peek this weekend. And after watching the first installment, I dare you to stop...

Happy weekend, folks!

Komaneko - True Friend (Part One)

P.s. My dog ate my last pair of business heels. Yep. My last pair of professional black heels...torn asunder by Sir Dooley. Sigh. Well...at least it gives me an excuse to go shopping!

Happy Thursday

2010-01-21T12:08:00.000-08:00

Today, the skies are gray and heavy with rain, a view I would love to take in all day long. Unfortunately, my window is just a sliver along the top of the wall, leading to a view of the fluorescent lights in the hallway...and a neon green Exit sign. That sign taunts me on a daily basis.

Still. Our building decided to surprise us with a rainy day breakfast por gratis. Yippee skippy for free food!

My healthy choice of the day.

The free breakfast makes corporate life a bit more bearable. So does sharing the little details I've added to my office to make it more...homey. Such as:

My three little accomplices.

They live life in complete and utter denial.

Just the way I like it.

My Signs.
As you can see, I don't abuse my Office Supply privileges.
At All.

The Week's Plateau

2010-01-20T12:20:00.000-08:00

Oh Wednesday, have mercy.

Please help Haiti...

2010-01-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

The death toll is rising, the devastation is horrible, and the survivors are severely wounded. Any amount of donation you can give would help a lot. Please do so through reputable organizations, as there are always opportunists waiting in the wings to feed on the bleeding hearts of compassionate individuals.

You can donate through well-known organizations such as: Unicef, World Vision, and Red Cross.

The Red Cross has also made it easier and more convenient for you to donate by allowing you to text the word "HAITI" to 909-99. This will immediately send $10 to the organization, and you will be charged $10 on your cell phone bill. Easy peasy.

Also, you can visit Lovely Cluster's blog and find a number of stores that will donate a huge percentage of your purchase price to the Haiti rescue effort.

My friends know I'm a pessimist when it comes to humanity in general. I believe in the goodness of the individual, but crowds give me a mental hernia. Yet...in times like these, when I see people helping strangers in far off lands with nothing but compassion and love in their hearts...it gives me hope. A lot of hope.

Joining the Circus

2010-01-12T02:40:00.000-08:00

Old sketches of mine.

Photoshopped the sketch last night. I added color, fringe, sparkle, and designs - You'll have to click on the image to see all the details.

Sources of inspiration include Esther Williams, The Great Gatsby, and "Chelsea, Let's Go Join the Circus" by Agent Ribbons.

Book Love Monday

2010-01-11T15:59:00.000-08:00

Book Cell
Originally uploaded by Clear as Crystal

Unearth your books.

You won't regret it.

eye love you

2010-01-09T04:29:00.000-08:00

A "lovely" sketch.

The sketch actually lived through 3 incarnations: First, it was a doodle on our calendar. Second, I re-drew it with some changes on paper. Third, I re-drew it yet again on Photoshop to test out my new Wacom tablet. It was then colored on Photoshop, and framed via Flickr and iPhone's Joy Camera.

Have a wonderful weekend, folks!

Year of the Tiger

2010-01-08T13:43:00.000-08:00

Year of the Tiger

The Chinese Zodiac has a cycle of 12 years. Those of you born in 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, and 1998 can celebrate this year as your year.

Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright...

You are the third sign of the Chinese Zodiac. You are unpredictable, rebellious, colorful, powerful, passionate, daring,impulsive, vigorous, stimulating, sincere, affectionate, humanitarian,generous.

You can be restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered,obstinate, selfish, aggressive.

Your motto: I win.

Your element: Wood.

Your Gemstone: Diamonds.

Enjoy your year.

The Great Penguin

2010-01-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

In this blog, I am paying my respects to the art of Andrew Wong. Andy is a unique illustrator hailing from Manchester, UK; he graduated with hono(u)rs from the University of Central Lancashire. His artwork is reminiscent of the whimsy of Hayao Miyazaki, one of the giants in anime illustration. Not only do I enjoy Andy's expansive imagination and quirky characters, but I also love his use of colors and lines. In addition, he premieres penguins in his work - who doesn't love penguins?

Andy has submitted his recent work, titled "Sapp the Sapling", to Patch Together. Please vote for his work so that his art can be transformed into a vinyl figurine: Vote A Billion Times!

Vote for me! I'm a tree!

Also, you can follow Andy's progress through his blog: Moombaduo.

Happy Wednesday, folks!

Salutations to Crafty Jill and Hubbel Pie!

2010-01-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

Ah, the wondrous power of peer pressure. After suggesting, cajoling, threatening, and pressuring my good friend to start her own blog, she finally caved and started Jill of ALL Handy Crafts.

Crafty Jill is a dabbler in all things arts and crafts. She can draw, sculpt, mold, stitch, sew, bake, and decorate. You name it, she can probably do it...or learn to do it. In essence, she is the exact opposite of Yours Truly. Apparently, my snowflake cut-outs still give certain individuals nightmares.

Not your Aztec Snowflakes! Auuugh!

Anyhow, check out Jill Crafty's blog! She just started, so let's show her some support and lurve!

Also... how about a slice of Hubbel Pie?

This is my friend, Hubbel. Hubbel is talented. Hubbel is also a very nice guy. Truly. He once bought me the most deelicious Mexican tapas dinner, for which I will be eternally grateful. Now, independent of this lovely memory, I'd like to support Humble Pie, a movie he wrote and starred in, because it's so darned good. You can watch the trailer here:

Please support dear Hubbel by watching his critically-acclaimed movie! Ya can check him out on Netflix as well.

Thank you, come again!

Happy Birthday, Sir Isaac Newton

2010-01-04T17:38:00.000-08:00

Rant of the Day: Music Snobs

2009-12-29T13:50:00.000-08:00

I don't care. I'm just going to say it...

I don't like Simon & Garfunkel.

There,I Said It. Other than a couple of songs here and there, scattered inthe wind like so much debris, I'm just not a big fan. Is it "heretic" orun-American? Perhaps. But there you go. I'm not a fan. So...

Hehehe. Homer.

Whichreminds me of a really big pet peeve of mine - music snobs. Get overyourselves. So what if I listen to some Top 40 Chart Toppers? I dowhat I want! Nyah nyah. On a serious note, music snobs annoy mebecause they judge individuals who listen to mainstream music solelybecause they listen to mainstream music. Perhaps it's the idea thatthese mainstreamers are contemptible because they follow the crowd...? Perhaps it's just the desire of these self-proclaimed indies to bedifferent (or the lofty idea that they ARE different)? Perhaps it's amalcontent disposition towards disassociation from general society?

Whatever the reason may be, you shaddup, you! Who gives a flying screw whether someone listens to Scout, Neutral Milk Hotel, Rihanna, or Mandy Moore? It's one thing to discuss the merits of a song or the talents of an artist (an honest-to-goodnessdebate on Britney Spears' musical abilities is well called for), but toautomatically strike someone down because he/she listens to amass-commercialized Top 40 song? Gimme a break. Music is music, andit's about the enjoyment of the listeners. If they want to listen to Lady Freaking Gaga, that's their prerogative. For someone to judge solely on thegenre or popularity of the song/artist, it's not only snobbery, it'sstupidity.

Again...get over it. Go read a book. Drink somejava. Get a tan. Adopt a pet. Watch the grass grow. Whatever. Juststop sneering at people for being "mindless lemmings" when you'retaking a nosedive off the cliff yourself.

And that was my rant of the day. Goodbye.

Whistle While You Work

2009-12-28T14:31:00.000-08:00

After a wonderfully relaxing Christmas weekend, I'm back in the grind. However, my brain is still on holiday, so I'm going to import an entry from my ol' Xanga blog. Enjoy...or I eat you.

"Sci Fi Geek"

What does it mean to be a sci-fi geek?

I recently found out my cousin plays Magic: The Gathering. After my initial reaction (of abject horror), I began to ask her questions. Do you throw the cards at one another? No. Do you flick the cards, carefully aimed, at an object? No. Do you use the cards as a backstory for a boardgame? No. Do you wear capes and call each other names with apostrophes in them, like Ra'nok? No. Then what the HECK do you do with these flippin' cards??!?!?!

So began my foray into a world of absolute confusion, chaos, and geekdom. And I began to wonder... how deep can you fall before you're labeled a sci-fi geek?

I adore Ender's Game...have watched "Bladerunner" twice...dream about owning a Tardis...listen to EscapePod on a daily basis... But I don't know a thing about Forrest J. Ackerman or the secret goings-on of a D&D game. I don't understand their secret language, and am a bit afraid of their passion for all things Star Trek. I don't know how Borgs assimilate, how Klingons mate, how Elves talk...

What I do know is...if it's a person's passion, and it's something he/she enjoys without harming others...then it's something that should escape our judgment. Everyone's a geek in some way or another. Fashion geek. iPhone geek. Celebrity geek. Literary geek. Baking geek.

If reading Ursula K. Le Guin and watching Tron makes me a sci-fi geek, then so be it. It'll just be an augmentation of my Geeks List, of which I am very proud.

Still, the question remains... What makes a sci-fi geek...and what the HECK do you do with those flippin' Magic cards???

The Goblin Market Project

2009-12-22T15:34:00.000-08:00

Yay! I finally finished my last assignment for my Intro Photoshop class. I am now officially a post-beginner, pre-intermediate photoshop artiste! Thank you, thank you.

The Concept: A representation of the "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti.

For the unenlightened, the basic premise of the "Goblin Market" is that goblin merchant men tempt virtuous young maidens with luscious, ripe, and abundant fruit every morning and every evening. However, unbeknowest to the maidens, once they partake of the fruit, they can no longer hear the goblins' cries...and are doomed to pine and waste away from want.

The poem revolves around two sisters - Laura and Lizzie - who are representative of the duality of innocence and desire, strength and weakness, the virtuous lady and the fallen woman, the woman who abides by society's rules and the woman who breaks away from patriarchal suppression, etc.

The "Goblin Market" was quite scandalous for its time (19th Century), as many viewed the poem to be a thinly veiled analogy to sex: "Then [she] suck'd their fruit globes fair or red: / Sweeter than honey from the rock, / [...] She suck'd and suck'd and suck'd the more / Fruits which that unknown orchard bore; / She suck'd until her lips were sore..."

The poem was also viewed as an analogous discussion of losing one's virginity.

There are also analogies to the animalistic nature of those who partake of the fruit, the most glaring of which is Laura being likened to a swan (referencing Leda and the Swan), as well as the goblin men possessing the features or qualities of wild beasts.

(I selected Da Vinci's depiction of Leda and the Swan - it's classic and the most G-rated. If you want the more risque illustrations, go here. Don't say I didn't warn you.)

My Spin: The subversive nature of the goblins, symbolized by the dichotomy between surface (land) and sub-surface (water).

Since I'm no professional artist, I couldn't really draw what I wanted. I was forced to use images I found online, so please take a moment to respect the artists from whom I borrowed many, many beautiful works of art.

This was my base image. It's called the Time by Imperioli. I loved the surreal creativity and serenity of this artwork. Feeding off of this artist's creative energy, I decided to go with a three-paneled piece.

The left panel consists of the first four lines of the "Goblin Market". The lines are haphazardly placed to represent the chaotic, down spiraling path of Laura's innocence. The font is Lansdowne.

The right panel consists of the title of the poem. I chose Daemonesque because its structure is rigid and fairly straightforward, but it's wrapped up in and decorated with (choked by?) luscious vines and flowers. This integration of the straight and narrow with the chaotic is very Rossetti Goblinesque.

I added Christina Rossetti's initials in red to represent life force, i.e. the life force of any written work is the author, and the life force of the body is blood. I also chose red to represent the temptation of the goblins' fruits, which promises life beyond the grayscale. Further, I chose red to represent the violence of Laura and Lizzie's experience as well as the blood bond between the sisters, which ultimately saves Laura's life. For the font, I used FantasticPete.

The middle panel consists of my work. I borrowed images from many, many wonderful artists, including James C. Christensen. I've incorporated clinging moss, gnome and elf prisoners, baskets of luscious fruit strewn about haphazardly (both inviting and dangerous), goblins hiding in the shadows (waiting for their victim), the temptation of the apple held by the lead goblin (yes, the lead goblin is from the movie, The Dark Crystal - those puppets always freaked me out), etc.

Against the backdrop of the ocean, I embedded an image of Lizzie being attacked by the goblins - it's a very faint but palpable foreshadowing of what's to come. I also have the "real" Lizzie sitting in the boat, blissfully unaware that Laura is venturing into the underbelly of society to take part in very dark, forbidden deeds.

This post is already way too freaking long, so assuming you (dear reader) even made it this far, I won't go into the different themes of my work or Rossetti's poem. I'll just leave you with the final product.

Here's hoping for an "A" in the class...?

The Great Pacific Northwest

2009-12-15T18:22:00.000-08:00

I survived rain, snow, and sleet this past weekend while visiting Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. Hell, I thrived! I love cold weather...and the Pacific Northwest suits me juuuust fine.

I didn't take many pictures, unfortunately, but here are some to commemorate my trip...

Pine smells so much better in real winter.

Frozen lake with trapped bubbles. Nothing so lovely, folks.

Lake Hearst. Frozen over.

I had to take a picture of this little sucker because it was clinging so tenaciously to the branch!

Lovely moss, lovely tree.

The cousins bundled up for the winter...and trying not to fall on their arses.

A Minor Quibble

2009-12-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

I'm not a Grammar Nazi, per se. I frequently mangle the English language out of speed, exhaustion, convenience, artistic license, and brain-deadedness. Sometimes, I do it out of ignorance as well. My apologies - I had a public education. Zing.

What about University, you say? That kinda learnin' will make you smart! Case in point:

"Fool me once..."

Yes, a college education is very important. You will learn many wonderful things you may never learn otherwise. However, is grammar one of them?

A common misconception people have about the English Literature major is that grammar is taught alongside the sacred words of Byron, Wordsworth, Austen, and Shakespeare. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Once you've entered the halls of high-brow English literature at the university level, professors assume you're grammatically proficient and never touch upon this technical area. We are directed solely towards studying literary criticism, analysis, and interpretation.

"This is English Lit 202. Get your inks and nibs out, and spank me out a 200-page paper on the themes of gender and culture in Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Woman. By the way, Shakespeare was gay and Byron loved his sister. Any questions?"

Unfortunately, I've personally witnessed the error of this assumption. Many of my fellow English Lit students were ignorant of simple grammar as well as the standard/accepted method of writing an essay (at the time, the English Lit department at my university was ranked third in the nation. Scary, no?).

Therefore, I am not one of those folks who will blast you to hell, and resurrect you only to blast you again, if you make some grammatical mistakes. (The pillaging, burning, and murdering of the English language by many evil Netizens, particularly our glorious "entitled" youth, however...I will save THAT for another day.)

Still, I do have a few quibbles, among which I must, must, must, must, must bring to attention:

Hanged v. Hung

My 7th grade English teacher actually hammered this little jewel into my head: A person is hanged, a picture is hung.

Hanged.

Hung.

Throughout my years of reading books, magazines, newspapers, online news, blogs, and community forums, I have only witnessed a handful of people who made the correct distinction between "hanged" and "hung."

It's not a glaring error (unlike "their, there, they're" and "you're, your"), but it does make my tear ducts sting a little. Just a little.

Therefore, please, if you have the (mis)fortune of running across this particular blog post, be sure to spread the word!

The Ogre of WayCennor Wood

2009-12-10T16:08:00.000-08:00

This is a tribute to my old boss (AKA The Hall Monitor).

Now, I'm not a poet by any means; in fact, I suck at it. I've made grown men cry with my poetry - and not in a good way. I don’t do iambic pentameter, couplets, sonnets, haikus, limericks. However, that doesn't mean I don't like to torture my readers (or Nettie, since she's the only one who reads this thing) every now and then. Read with caution...and try not to wince too much. My ego can only take so much abuse.

Grog, The Underling Beast of WayCennor Wood

Listen closely, children, and listen well,
This be the cautionary story to tell,
Of a beastly ogre with features so foul,
His misshapen face elicits a terrified yowl.

Around the bend and over the hedge,
Pass the highway and your grandmother’s ledge,
Under the garbage and a hobo’s distaste,
Beyond the horizon and into sewage and waste,

There lies the deep forest of WayCennor Wood,
Dark and fetid with the stink of deprived childhood,
And within its deep bowels, a monster awaits
To cut you to ribbons and your pride to degrade,

Like discarded dough mulch, his face is malformed,
With a bulbous nose, and eyes quite transformed,
His gaze is beastly and lustful and raw,
And his teeth razor sharp in his big gaping maw,

He targets the small, their names he impugns,
With hamhock arms and the wit of buffoons,
With legs like tree trunks, he stumbles about,
To step on the innocent, the kind, and devout,

Grog is his name, and prideful is he,
Of the nest he has made, with a family of three,
On the backs of his charges, he gained his riches,
And riding a Porsche, towards douchebaggery he inches,

Under the guise of great might, he lays his attack,
But in the face of true power, he stumbles off track,
When faced with a foe greater than he,
He lays on his back and sells himself eagerly,

Grog the deformed ogre, a hated beast indeed,
A bully, a coward, and a veritable stinkweed,
When the earth turns over and the evil lay slain,
Grog the ogre will be writhing with pain,

For it never pays to be a pollution on earth,
Better for Grog to have passed in stillbirth,
For as long as he lives, he will be debased,
And never rise above being a pansy shirtwaist.

(If you ever read this...you know who you are, Grog! You know!)

Castle in the Air

2009-12-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

As much as I enjoy trolling through soul-killing shopping malls of mammoth proportions, I am ultimately a patchwork girl. I love things that are home/handmade. In a twist of irony, one of technology's greatest feats - the internet (cough Google cough) - has allowed for a resurgence of the simple, the natural, and the anti-mass produced.

I have a bookmarks folder titled "Pretty Little Things" - Although I'm your worst nightmare when it comes to crafts, I have an almost unholy appreciation for it. Crafts, cards, anything letter-pressed, illustrations, beautiful things, strange things, sad things, flappy happy things, and of course, very evil things. I love them all.

Now, I don't want to showcase ALL of my favorite blogs, webpages, and online shoppes...because it'll never end. Ever. EVER.

Ever? *URK!*

So...I'm going to introduce my all-time favorite (non-book) store on the planet:

Castle in the Air: The Studio

My cousin took me to this little gem in Berkeley, California about four years ago. I felt all manners of things upon walking in: Childlike wonder, sense of truly coming home, immense greed, and grief over the fact that it doesn't exist in SoCal.

Most people are confused by the "type" of person I am. Apparently, I'm a walking, talking labyrinth. Some people think I'm an asexual robot, some think I'm a mercenary from hell, some think I'm a sarcastic uber feminist, some think I'm a librarian in a librarian's body living in a library. If you're one of the lost...and you truly want to know who I am deep, deep inside...visit the website. This store makes me weep with joy.

Oh...and folks, just because you don't live in the Berkeley area and can't visit Castle in the Air, don't despair! They have an online shoppe and a blog! Hurrah!

P.s. Yes, I am aware that "favorite" implies a choice of only one. However, I like living on the edge - I sometimes take a stick and bash the English language black and blue. Why? Because I love it so.

Songs of the Night

2009-11-27T05:32:00.000-08:00

The Sebastian Bach & 80s Sunglasses Category:

"The Flame" by Cheap Trick. They just don't make long-hair-rockin', fist shaking, leather pants wearin' ballads anymore!

The Cowboy & Voodoo Category:

"A Storm Is Going To Come" by Piers Faccini. Even if you have a minimal grasp of the English language, the mere tone of the song will make you think of cowboys and voodoo. His voice makes the back of my neck tingle.

The Bjork Experience Category:

"Time Flies" by Lykke Li. From her eerie, otherworldly voice to the haunting mix of instruments and melody... makes you think of twisted barks, unsettled mist, and Bjork attacking Asian women.

The Loving Love for Love's Sake Category:

"Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. I. Love. This. Song. I love to love this song. I want to marry this song. I want to have babies with this song. At the very least, I want to stalk this song till it takes a hit out on me. The tune and lyrics are sweetly simplistic...but there's a sense of absolute depth and loveliness to it that's so rich and so engaging, you feel compelled to fall in love.

Eunuchs and Slaves

2009-11-25T12:21:00.000-08:00

After a cup of coffee and some monkey work, I’m ready for some posting.

So, my friend and I were jokingly discussing the merits of capital punishment. My friend proposed forced manual labor. Have the car jackers build our highways, the rapists build abused women shelters, the murderers dig graves… A twisted but balanced form of justice, non?

I went a little caffeine-high crazy and proposed castration for extreme crimes (child rape, gruesome premeditated murders, etc.), particularly if it’s a repeat offender, in lieu of lifetime imprisonment. Why? Because lifetime imprisonment is: 1.) A horrible life behind bars, but not a very effective deterrence since we currently seem to have plenty o’ life-timers in prison, 2.) A crazy burden on taxpayers who may not want to pay for someone who kidnapped, raped, and killed the child next door, and 3.) A badge of honor among the ruffians. When I was in high school, I knew two groups of people. Those who said, “Holy Sh*t, Shy Boy (yeah, that's a real gang name) went to jail? OMG!” and those who said, “Shy Boy went to jail? Mad respect. That’s my esse.”

Now, don't get your knickers in a twist: Yes, we were only talking about punishment for men, not women. Yes, it was a light convo that was gender specific. So sue me. And before you try to extinguish my flame, I have to repeat that we were joking. If you're hypersensitive, (always) politically correct, and love mayonnaise, get the hell outta my blog. You’re ruining my fun...and possibly my sandwich?

I obviously would never lobby for prisoner-castration. Well, never say never… Anyway, aside from it violating the hallowed Constitution of our beautiful, freedom-loving country, it’s also quite grotesque. I’m not that bloodthirsty. And what would you do with all those fancy-free appendages afterwards? Can't recycle them?

Plus, if it does prove to be an effective deterrent against future crimes, the question remains: If this is allowed, how far will be push the boundaries of "befitting" punishment for the crime? Also, what would be the long-term consequences? It’s all well and good that rapists and child molesters wouldn’t be able to breed anymore, but what would it do psychologically to them...to us? What kind of backlash would occur? Would the "eunuchs" become more violent? As a friend pointed out, in certain South African regions, certain local officials punish offenders with castration, only to have these offenders run amok and violate women with inanimate objects. Yeah, not pleasant. And what about the general public - would we become inured to this form of violence and ultimately demand construction of Roman Colliseums next to every McDonald's?

Then my mind shifted a little to the left. I thought, “Well, it’s unacceptable because I live in our current paradigm of justice. We help grandmas across the street, don’t blow ourselves up to get a point across (for the most part), and feed our prisoners. Hell, we love raw fish and treat our cats to $40K weddings (don’t get me started). Would I find it so unacceptable if I lived in a more violent, bare-knuckled society? If my sense of justice twisted, would I consider castration a violation of civilized society? Or would it just be fair?” Scaaary.