hullo, world

Librarian teatime!

2010-06-11T14:51:00.001-07:00

Afternoon tea at the Fairmont with Ha! :D

high tea in san jose

2009-08-07T15:36:00.001-07:00

Lisa's Tea Treasures with Bea!

duck family

2009-05-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

Duck family at lake elizabeth. Mom, dad, and twelve duckings!

weight loss

2009-05-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, am I delusional!? I'm definitely losing faith in exercise and all weight loss plans.

So it's been more than eight months since I went to a gym, and all I've been doing for the past three months or so is eating and falling asleep almost immediately after (something people always told me would be disastrous for my metabolism). I swore I'd start exercising again right after school let out so I would be able to fit into the dress I wanted to wear for B's wedding in June. I tried it on early in the semester and my flesh bulged unbecomingly all around the waistband, which naturally threw me into a fit of depression. Except I wasn't depressed enough to stop eating (or maybe the depression just made me eat more). I mean, just the other day X and I went out to eat and ordered practically everything on the menu, PLUS dessert, and ate it all. Yesterday we had fried chicken for dinner, and then I went out with D for tea, and then when I got home after all that I was hungry for salt again so I had some leftover rice (the kind cooked with meat and peanuts and egg and wrapped in lotus leaves) and soy sauce.

Today I tried on my dress again and it fits perfectly. No unsightly bulges. No constricting of breath.

I don't get it.

'group' projects my @$$

2009-04-30T02:06:00.000-07:00

Hello. I am sitting here working on a 'group' paper for a 'group' project. Where is my group, you ask? Safely asleep in San Francisco somewhere, dreaming pleasant dreams of good grades while other people slave away doing their work. Is it any wonder that I'm full of hatred and bitterness these days?!

...Okay, I've always been filled with hatred and bitterness. But lately I feel like I have some justification.

pourquoi pas?

2009-04-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

I'm making my birthday wishlist now. I just want an issue of Pourquoi Pas? ...a fashion illustration magazine edited by David Downton. I think I would be happy if it were the only thing I received for my birthday this year. I really don't want anything else right now.

...Then again, it IS only April.

belts over shirts

2009-03-25T00:41:00.000-07:00

Okay I just wanted to say that I really, REALLY hate it when girls who don't have good figures wear belts (ESPECIALLY thin ones) over their shirts. If you don't have a waist, WHY are you accentuating the lack!? I don't care if this is mean. It goes like this: Trends in fashion are not for everyone. Sometimes a style can be ripping up the runway and just not look good on you. This is not to say that you are ugly, it is just that nobody looks good in EVERYTHING. Why not just play to your strengths instead of inflicting visual, erm...dischord...on everyone? Maybe if looks like belts-over-shirts were comfortable, I would be able to understand why people do them. But no. They serve NO PURPOSE outside of aesthetics.

Are they all blind? Why? Why?!

food checklist...complete!!

2009-01-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

Food I've wanted to eat, and had, this vacation:

oyster noodles
stinky tofu
steamed/grilled corn
grilled sausages
gua bao (stewed meat & veggies & peanut powder in an open bun)
green onion pancakes
lun bia^n kao (veggies, meat, egg, peanut powder, sweet sauce wrap... not sure if I need the ^n?)
potstickers (also with kimchi!)
wonton soup (also with fuchou wonton!)
oyster fried in egg & sticky rice stuff
tien bu la (fish cake, tofu, pig's blood + sticky rice cake, daikon with sweet/hot sauce)
fried bao (shui jian bao)
pearl tea
rice balls (with yo tiao - fried dough - wrapped inside, and sour veggies)
shaved ice (with mochi made of taro and yam, and peanuts, and big red beans)
do hua (like this tofu-looking custard in sweet soup)
red bean cake (also with custard)
mochi
takoyaki
BREAD (with red bean, pork sung, green onion, taro paste, custard, you name it, I've had it)

And all those trips to the convenience store so I could have tea/juice/milk/onigiri/chips with weird flavors like grilled corn and sushi. I swear there's been more, but I'll need a memory jog once out of perpetual food coma to remember...

YAY! FAT AND HAPPY :)

grammar gripe

2008-12-28T07:20:00.001-08:00

Do you ever feel like the world (via the internet) is conspiring AGAINST communication?? To internet kids out there:

"Than," not "then"
"You're," not "your"
"They're," not "their," not "there"
"Bear," not "bare"
"Hole," not "whole"
"Wary," not "weary"
"Err," not "air"
"Passed," not "past"
"Here," not "hear"
"Breathe," not "breath"
"Borne," not "born"
"Its," not "it's"
"Fare," not "fair"
"Too," not "to"
"Pore," not "pour"

Use "every day" and "everyday" in DIFFERENT SITUATIONS!
Also "any more" and "anymore"

ConsistEnt
PersistEnt
DefinItely

AND MANY, MANY MORE.
THIS MUST STOP. I can feel my Engri—English eroding every time I come online.
WHEN IN DOUBT, CHECK ON M-W.COM...PLEASE!!!

the ones we love

2008-12-26T17:23:00.000-08:00

I love this. There's also another one called "Where We're From." It's all at We Projects.
Check out this one: http://www.theoneswelove.org/info.indiana.caba.html
I love the description! Haha

tales of beedle the bard

2008-12-26T06:17:00.000-08:00

LOL - I picked up J.K. Rowling's newest at the airport bookstore and skimmed a few of the stories. I'm now listening to the John Crace podcast summarizing the tales, and cackling to myself. This is much snarkier than some of the others I've heard from him. Love it!

leg warmers

2008-12-14T01:17:00.000-08:00

I love leg warmers. I'm so glad they're around again. Except that I really can't justify purchasing cute ones to myself. Like these cozy-looking fuzzies from Betsey Johnson, at fred flare:

I sometimes wonder about the practicality of wearing these. I admit they're probably a godsend to dancers in cold locales, who need the freedom of movement offered by leotards and get cold legs, but to everyone else? Isn't wearing leg warmers just about equivalent to wearing Uggs (aka Fuggs)? If it's cold enough for these, then isn't it LONG PANTS weather? Just sayin'...

...

On second thought, I guess you could wear these underneath your jeans for added warmth. Since girls' jeans are so tight up top nowadays, more practical long johns would probably not fit without an incredible amount of bunching. Right?

...This is what occupies my spare moments.

plagiarism

2008-12-04T03:26:00.001-08:00

Old news, I know, but oh, my gosh. I was reading bookshelves of doom and came across a link to this entry regarding Emily the Strange and how the creators totally bit off a children's book. Really?? Well, I've always disliked Emily so I hope something is done about this!!

etsy find: green bird soaps

2008-11-17T22:47:00.001-08:00

Okay, totally random...but I'm loving these little green bird soaps from seller anniepoo.

Whether anybody would want to buy decorative soaps, however, is a completely different matter. I wouldn't. But I still think they're cute!

garland light

2008-11-03T04:22:00.000-08:00

The Garland Light:

I keep staring at it, mesmerized. I find myself wanting one. But what would I do with it if I had it?!

Where would you put it?

Oh Bart

2008-10-31T08:01:00.000-07:00

Maybe you can't tell from the photo, but there appears to be a nail clipper in the aisle on bart. Just sitting there. Shining. I can't seem to stop staring at it. I'm partially disgusted (it's bart! who knows where that's been!), and partially fascinated (oooohh, shiny!). Um...ok time to pass out.

rant on yelp

2008-10-27T04:35:00.000-07:00

I decided some time ago that Yelp is unreliable, mostly based on the biases of the users (because everyone values different things), and a number of other factors... Also, okay, I admit: spelling and grammar DO affect how I look at the reviews. Some may say that grammar/spelling are simply not important on the internet, but I've come to feel that the people who say this are just trying to justify stupidity and laziness. (Unless they're actually saying that all those run-ons and the blatant misuse of words are stylistic elements, in which case...!!! Wow!)
Anyway, is it really too much to ask that when people write these reviews, they try to make them coherent and cohesive and CORRECT? I'm so tired of seeing "you're," "your," "its," "it's," "they're," "their," and "there" in the wrong places. PARTICULARLY "they're," as in, "They're ribs were really good." Why would you do that? Why? Isn't it counter-intuitive given that "they're" is longer and requires an apostrophe? Wouldn't you think twice about using it? I can see someone making this sort of mistake once on accident, but when he uses it multiple times I start to think that he just doesn't know how to use the words.
I'm also tired of seeing other users rate certain reviews (mostly by the Yelp Elite, I've noticed) as "Funny" or "Useful" when the reviews just aren't. How is it funny when you've just said something like, "The service was horrible. I'm never going to this place again," or "I liked the chocolate cake?" Is this some kind of insider joke I'm not understanding? And how is the review useful if you tell me something like, "It was really busy that night, so we decided not to stay, but I've heard their fish is good?" If you didn't get to try it, doesn't that make your review a little less than useful?! All this just makes it seem to me like one big popularity contest instead of a useful network of information.
Having said all that, today I read someone's review and noticed a grammatical error that made me throw up a little in my mouth. I appreciate the attempt at eloquence but—!!!
Okay that is all. :)

(I'm just full of anger these days...)

new pet peeves every day

2008-10-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

I'm discovering that I actually have more pet peeves than already established.* Today's revelation came about as I was wrapping a dish in cling wrap and the wrap just continually folded over and got stuck to itself. It's like when you're trying to place a long strip of tape on something, and it creases and pastes to itself instead. Then you pretty much have to discard the tape because trying to pry it apart is just more mess than the tape's worth, but usually you've already stuck one end of the tape to whatever it is you're taping, and so you have to rip that part off as well. Ugh. Ugh!! I hate that.

*Pre-established peeves: people who talk [on their cell phones] loudly in enclosed public places (like trains, buses, study areas at the library); when several people walk side by side (like three abreast) on a narrow sidewalk, verrrrrry sloowwwly; when people stand next to each other on the escalator, blocking the way for others who would like to pass, even when they see people lining up behind them; creased pages in new books; people who walk so close to you that they bump you in the supermarket aisle, although there's no one else there and plenty of space; people who read over your shoulder [aloud] when you're trying to concentrate; misspelled words; incorrect usage of "they're," "there," and "their" (as well as "your" and "you're"); words that only get partially erased from a blackboard; quavery, high-pitched voices...

letters from iwo jima

2008-10-20T02:54:00.000-07:00

So I just watched both Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, because this class that I'm taking had a discussion mentioning both films and I thought I'd see what they were talking about...
Letters was definitely better as a war movie; I got a bit tired of hearing the word "hero" in Flags. Also I just kept feeling like both Ryan Phillipe and Jesse Bradford seemed like such douchebags—the character Rene Gagnon certainly was in his own way, which would explain my feelings toward Bradford. I think I just dislike Ryan Phillipe in general now because of Reese Witherspoon, though.
Most importantly, however, I realized that I just have this huuuge, inexplicable crush on Ken Watanabe. Yeah, okay, he's kind of old enough to be my father. And he's really not that great looking. BUT there's just something about him!! The little fangirl in my heart went "KYAAA!" every time he showed up in the first few scenes. Heheheheh. SIGH...

bills, bills, bills

2008-09-15T23:26:00.000-07:00

I opened the mailbox and got 4 bills today. The world reeled around me and all I could hear in my head was ABBA singing (ominously but still somehow upbeat), "Money, Money, Money..."

Gosh I hate this feeling.

Mister Bookseller

2008-09-06T00:23:00.000-07:00

Such a cute, bittersweet little comic strip. Found via Bookslut via Bookshelves of Doom. Read it here.

PS - Spoiler alert - That moment when he picked up the dedicated Verne and had the flashback...totally reminded me of Ratatouille when Ego took that first bite. Haha

zoe bradley at kate's paperie

2008-09-03T17:10:00.001-07:00

Friends in NYC, could you please visit the Kate's Paperie Soho and take lots of photographs of Zoe Bradley's work? See photo below, shamelessly pilfered from design*sponge.

new inspiration for workouts?

2008-09-02T16:57:00.000-07:00

I've been prone to laziness lately because the idea of going to the gym is just so BORING. There's rarely anything good on the tv screens (also I just generally don't watch TV, so it's hard to get into), the closed-captioning has horrible spelling, and I would much prefer to read a book while exercising. Except that reading while going up-and-down for cardio gives me motion sickness.

I know. Sad.

The solution: audiobooks and podcasts! I recently came across a post on bookshelves of doom (another blog I frequently read), introducing "The Classic Tales Podcast," where each week part of an unabridged classic is posted as a podcast. I've subscribed just now on iTunes and am looking forward to listening!...and maybe going to the gym.

Maybe.

in-vino-veritas

2008-08-30T02:12:00.000-07:00

The InVinoVeritas dress at Anthro. I've tried it on (in a different color) and know the fit. So, so, soso tempted like you would not believe.

Having gotten that off my chest...I must admit I am also tempted by the long cardigans at Urban. Sigh!

vw dress

2008-08-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when I try to catch up on all my blog entry backlog on my reader - I come across these random [unaffordable] items several eons after the rest of the world, and long after they've gone out of stock...

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania turns me up sweet.

poetry

2008-08-24T01:21:00.001-07:00

Did you ever write poetry in elementary school? I believe I had quite a talent for it—when I was seven, that is. Back then teachers were just grateful when kids understood enough of the directions to rhyme words. I think I wrote a poem about the American flag (something along the lines of...it's red, it's blue, and oh! it's white, too!), that somehow got printed in our school newsletter. I think that was the first and last time I ever saw a school newsletter.

I tried to write a poem today. Given the backstory, I'm sure you understand why I had an EPIC FAIL.

More on this later.

PS - Has anybody gotten the new Vogue? It's got about 700 pages or something, which (to my Cheap Asian Heart) screams "good bargain!!" I own about 3 copies of Vogue, total, and somehow they all have Keira Knightley on their covers. I don't think I have a crush on her...?

goodreads

2008-08-20T20:26:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd mention, now that I've returned to the blogosphere, that I recently became more active on goodreads, one of those social networking sites based on books you and your friends have read/are reading/want to read. Now whenever I feel the urge to procrastinate I go on goodreads and write a review, or add a book. I particularly enjoy writing reviews for books I deeply dislike.

Can I help being a bitter, angry person? Probably.
Do I want to? ...No....

another blog?

2008-08-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

If I were to start another blog at this point, I think I would write about people who studied architecture but then went in a different direction in their lives/careers. I would post photos of all the cool things they've created or accomplished, and maybe have some interviews to see why they left architecture and how architecture has influenced them. I think this would be inspiring...to a LOT of us ex-CADmonkeys. Does it say something that out of everybody I knew in school, maybe about 75% are not working in the field anymore? Or if they are still working in the field, they harbor dreams of transferring to a different one?

Anyway. Just some food for thought (for me anyway). And I guess this is somewhat related - I was reading one of my many subscriptions to design blogs when I came across the designLAB shop...it's a shop purveying interesting vintage goods, as well as other home furnishings/accessories made by independent artists. It was created/is owned by Cara Piscitello, who has a degree in arch and now runs (co-runs?) an architecture+design studio in Bellingham, Washington. I looked through some of the items they're offering in their online shop and I have to say - I'm in love! I think the Asian Mommy in me is surfacing because I am totally coveting these pyrex dishes!

What can I say? There's something about these clean colors that is just so attractive...
Anyway, check it out (link above)!

palantir seeks new hires

2008-06-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

In case you guys haven't heard about this yet, there's a startup in the south bay called Palantir that is looking for new hires...namely software engineers, business developers, and QA candidates (tech backgrounds appreciated in all positions).

To find out what they do, check out this article:

What Does Palantir Do?

I hear it's a great place to work - a bunch of old classmates from my high school are over there and they appear to love it so much that they prefer going there on Fridays and Saturdays instead of partying or relaxing at home like the rest of us normal folk. (No, I'm serious, they seem to enjoy it. That much.) In fact, this is what my friend Kevin (who wrote that little article linked above) says verbatim:

I'm sure you've all heard me rave about Palantir---the work, the
people, the culture, the financial opportunity. I was raving about it
two and a half years ago and I'm still raving about it today. I
personally guarantee that it's a great place to work :)

Anyway, if you're interested at all, leave me a comment or email me. Pronto! Yeah?

fly solo?

2008-05-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

This was mentioned by Splendora:

Fly Solo: The 50 Best Places On Earth For a Girl to Travel Alone. What do you think? I'm curious...will be checking it out next time at the bookstore.

In the meantime...I'm reading The Devil in the White City. Finding the portentous statements at the end of the segments about Dr Holmes a little annoying at this point...also the endless names and descriptions involved in the construction of the fair. I feel like I should be enjoying this more.

before green gables

2008-04-10T15:49:00.001-07:00

Just read a review for the Anne of Green Gables prequel. Uh...I don't think I'll go there.

do you want to shop?

2008-04-10T11:22:00.000-07:00

h&m x marimekko today!

...Um, I won't be there. Need to hold on to my cash...

sappitysap

2008-04-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a couple of things right now, and I've got the romantic movie いま、会いに行きます ("Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu"...with a faltering English title of "Be With You") playing in the background. This movie is so incredibly sappy...which is why I like it so much, I think.

The synopsis according to imdb:

"Mio's death leaves husband Takumi and 6 year old son Yuji fending for themselves. Taku occasionally suffers fainting spells, is disorganized, and fears that his health hindered Mio's happiness. Yuji overheard relatives speculate that his delivery compromised her health, and he blames himself for her death. Mio left him a picture book in which she departs for "The Archive Star" but re-appears during the rainy season the following year, and he eagerly awaits her return. Taking a walk in the forest outside their house, Taku and Yuji find a woman sheltering from the rain and immediately accept her as Mio. She has no memory or sense of identity, but comes home to live with them anyway. She asks Taku how they met and fell in love, and he recounts a tale of years of missed chances starting in high school until she encouraged their marriage years later. As the rainy season nears its end, Yuji finds the "time capsule" he hid with his mother before her death. Mio's diary is inside, and its version of the romance holds the answers to the mystery."

Okay, that is...maybe not such a great synopsis. Uh, the gist of it is right. Mio passes away due to health complications (apparently her health was in a decline after Yuji's birth). The year after her death finds Takumi and Yuji still blaming themselves in various ways for Mio's death, and questioning themselves as to her happiness with them while she was alive. Mio wrote and illustrated a little book for Yuji about this phenomenon of passing away and reappearing during the rainy season.
Miraculously, Mio really does appear when the rainy season begins...and Yuji and Takumi are given a second chance to be with her and reassure themselves of her happiness.

It's totally sappy and the whole time travel element they introduce towards the end is a little hard to believe, but for some reason I just really love this movie. Takumi is so very awkward (but not as bad as Mr. Train Man in DENSHA OTOKO), but likable, and Yuji is sooooo cute!
I would watch this movie just to see/hear Yuji say, "Daijoubu yo! Taberareru yo!" And yes, the weeper ending gets me every time.

:) If you are a fan of sappy Asian romantic movies, esp. tearjerkers, you should like this one. Coincidentally, I was looking for the picture above when I came across Nakamura Shidou's filmography, and realized that he's actually the voice of Ryuuk from Death Note, which I just watched recently. Iiiiiiinteresting. (He's also in Letters from Iwo Jima.) And. Yes. Okay I go back to work now.

tmi

2008-03-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

I pulled an all-nighter last night and collapsed, sore and frozen, onto the couch at 730am with some fleece blankets and the intention to sleep until 9am. What happens at 9am?

My cell phone alarm goes off. I am torn out of a disturbing dream involving the gardeners breaking into our house to threaten me with their leaf blowers...
...just to find drool all down one side of my face. And for some reason, I am singing that DAMN RICKROLL SONG.

"Never gonna give you up! Never gonna let you down! Never gonna run around and desert you!!!"

here we go again, imagini

2008-03-27T12:02:00.001-07:00

Remember, some time ago, I had this link up in a blog entry about Imagini and their "Visual DNA" survey? Basically it's a personality test that says things like, "Your ideal vacation is..." and shows you about fifteen thumbnails of places you could go on vacation...mountains, beach, your bed; with friends, an S.O., alone, etc... There were maybe ten questions and after you'd chosen the pictures that best described you, Imagini spins out a bunch of funky titles and explanations for your choices, classifying you according to mood, habits, etc.

Well, now Imagini people have come up with a new survey - Youniverse. It's another personality test, but this time it supposedly classifies you according to your romantic disposition (your "love type"). Apparently I am a Warm & Fuzzy.

I think my addiction to these surveys/personality tests can be traced back to my childhood. I'm not sure how, but I am sure that they'll soon come up with a survey to figure that out...

Airman

2008-03-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

I spent my late afternoon/evening curled up on the sofa, reading Eoin Colfer's Airman. Unlike its Artemis Fowl predecessors, it left me with a chuckle in my throat and a smile in my heart. I like these adventure stories! Hooray for YA lit!

how to print on anything

2008-03-23T22:56:00.000-07:00

Was just reading someone's blog about Lotta Jansdotter's soon-to-be-released book, Lotta Prints ("How to Print with Anything, from Potatoes to Linoleum" - which can be found here). For those of you who missed my previous mentions of Lotta Jansdotter (I can't find them right now, else I'd link 'em), check out her site here. I was introduced to her work by one of my coworkers a couple of years ago, and have salivated over it ever since. I mean, check out these sticky notes. What's not to like??

So anyway. I'm contemplating pre-ordering Lotta Prints, even though I'm uncertain about whether I'll use it to print anything, since I am really amazingly lazy. It does sound (and look) wonderful, though. Makes me want to paint my entire attic with dandelion spores, or little chickens, or oddly shaped ferns, or dancing 'shrooms...

PS - We watched Death Note (#1) yesterday, which was actually pretty good... then Actually, Love today, which would have been a bit of a disappointment to me, except for the short "Damn the Past!" ...so cute and funny, still makes me laugh a little to myself when I remember it...

work break

2008-03-20T01:42:00.000-07:00

So call me a whiner...but don't you hate when you've been working on something for a long, long, longass time, maybe staring at it until your eyes are all blurry and your back aches like you're eight months along...you finally decide you're done...
...and then, while you are cleaning up and feeling relieved that you are finally, finally, FINALLYYYY finished...you discover...that...YOU DIDN'T FULFILL ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND YOU STILL HAVE A SHITLOAD OF WORK TO DO???!!!

ARRRRRRRGHGHGHGHGHHGHGHGHGHGH

Sigh. Yes, I know, not even close to the end of the world. I just went to read some Tokyomango (a blog introduced to me by a coworker, and which I continue to read occasionally), and the recent post on this annual festival really helped me put things in perspective...

(I shamelessly stole this picture from her site. Check it out - linked above.)

PS. - I watched Gilda today. Talk about sexual tension. Now I want to watch other Rita Hayworth films.

h&m x marimekko

2008-03-15T02:40:00.000-07:00

What rock have I been living under!?!? How did I never hear about the H&M x Marimekko collaboration (supposedly hitting stores this April...that's SOON)??

Anyway, I don't know. Was just looking at some of the samples and am not too impressed. Yet. But if they even come close to that Oscar de la Renta red flower printed dress, then I will be very, very, veryvery excited.

PS - I found the Julia Rothman mug at Urban Outfitters today for just $1.99!!!!!

happy. :)

milk bottle fun

2008-03-14T02:02:00.000-07:00

How cool are these milk bottles by Julia Rothman?

The buildings are etched into the bottles with laser, then hand-inked. I was looking at the photos of the process on Flickr, and it was just awesome. I wondered why they were $65 when I first glanced at them on the ReForm School site, but after seeing the Flickr set, I can totally understand. I wonder how many hours it took her, total?

dear me

2008-03-05T13:20:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a really, really long time. Things have been pretty busy, though that's not an excuse - I just haven't felt like blogging.

Anyway. Um. I was playing with dashed lines while procrastinating earlier today. Here's something random...

I think I'll call it "Techno Guinea Hen." :)

881! (the fobby way of saying goodbye)
(It also appears to be the name of a movie showing during the SF Asian American Film Festival...which is really confusing me linguistically. More on that later.)

carpetbagger chic

2007-11-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

I tend to like grandma chic. There's nothing wrong with that. Do you think this carpetbag satchel (they call it the "sweater satchel" but really, I don't know anyone who would wear this as a sweater...well ok, maybe my mom) is taking it too far?

I think Anthropologie has an unfair monopoly over this quirky cutesy stuff. I am staring at their chickadee egg cup and chuckling to myself. Know anybody who'd want and/or use this?

And there's also a dress I really like...as usual...

Sigh. I can't be spending money right now. But but but...

Diana: omg

that's so cheap!!

i mean

not really

but if you think about anthro

and then h amd m prices

h and m

sells dresses for 60

and this is anthro

isn't it?
me: yeah

oh dear

i am so tempted

but i cannot shop anymore!!!

Diana: i feel like it is a steal

Diana, you are NOT helping. Aaagghghhhh!

nantaka joy and rare device

2007-10-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

It has been far, far too long since I blogged about random shit I can't afford. And so, here:

The nantaka joy journals (by nantaka joy, obviously, except their site isn't up and fully functioning yet), which can be purchased online at Rare Device. A site with which I am rapidly becoming unhealthily obsessed--check out the razorblade necklace, or the robot laptop bag. I'd probably spring for the robot laptop bag even though it lacks multiple compartments, extra padding, and about a million other practical things on my list of criteria for a laptop bag. Too bad it's sold out...

Anyway, the nantaka joy journals have, other than the obvious scalloped edge and quirky print, textured covers and hand-drawn dots at the tops of their pages. I would consider getting one except that I already have about five (or, okay, maybe seven) blank journals sitting on my bookcase. Haha...ha...

Luckily (or maybe unluckily, for my wallet), the items on Rare Device are much more affordable than, say, a $2000 upholstered armchair from Anthropologie.

Sigh. MUST NOT SHOP.

we eat too much

2007-09-16T21:59:00.000-07:00

Long time no blog!!

The inspiration for my return to the blogosphere (haha...ha): Safeway's 5-layer bean dip. To backtrack a little, I have a ton of beer and chips and dip and whatnot left over from Friday night...more than I could possibly eat myself (I will sometime soon have an afternoon beer party - watch this space). So today I stopped by Safeway to buy some things to go with all the stuff I already have. Like potato chips for the dip, and some cheese for the tortilla chips that will become nachos. This is not unlike the DELICIOUS CYCLE Alex showed me the other day, I realize...

Anyway. I also bought some 5-layer bean dip to go with the tortilla chips (there were a lot). Christina came over later in the afternoon to hang out, and of course we couldn't do that properly without refreshment (we're heifers), so we cracked open the dip and brought out the tortilla chips and some beer. And you know what? WE. ATE. IT. ALL. No, not just half, or even three-quarters, of the little tub of fatty goodness. ALLLLLLLLLLLL of it is now in our bellies! We were both pretty full at about the three-quarter mark, but with our usual mutual competitive urging ("HEY! I ate that entire piece!! It's your turn now!!"), we managed to finish. Someday, probably earlier than we expect, we may very well be sharing neighboring hospital beds as the doctor delivers a communal lecture to us about lowering our cholesterol. But until then....

Later on I saw Christina glance surreptitiously at the Nutrition Facts label on the bean dip wrapper. I took it away from her and threw it out. Honestly, without me that girl would probably be 100x less happy, eating nothing but lentils.

lovejoy's high tea

2007-07-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

Having high tea with chrispyha today at Lovejoy's Tea Room. Tea, crumpets, scones, pasties, finger sandwiches...and let's not forget petit-fours!

wishlist ;)

2007-07-22T23:25:00.001-07:00

Is it presumptuous and bratty of me to post a wishlist?

TOO BAD!!! :D It's my birthday (soon enough!) and I'll be a brat if I want to!! :D :D :D

Okay so at the moment...there are a few things I'd like (I was thinking about this the other day):

- black or white cardigan (NOT cropped)
- low black converse
- patterned and/or colorful shoelaces (to go with the converse, of course)
- a curling iron (one that won't frizz up my hair...and might double as a flattening iron?)
- a ginormous shoulder bag (with maybe a splashy pattern)
- black motorcycle boots (mid-calf or knee, clunky like wellies)
- some LOVE!!!

:) ehehehehehehe

matisse

2007-07-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, I admit it: I was wrong. For a field trip, we went to the SFMoMA yesterday and saw the actual Matisse exhibit (which wasn't open to the public last time I went to the museum). From this experience I came to realize that I don't really like his work. The visit went like so:

J: Wow, I really like this sculpture!
Classmate: That's by Rodin.

cruising

2007-07-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

OK, I know I just went on a cruise earlier this year. And I know I came back with an excess...like ...10 pounds. However, the TravelZoo top 20 just listed a couple more that sound fun...like the Caribbean Vacation cruise with AA, or the European River Cruise along the Danube. Normally I'd keep these travel deals to myself, but right now everybody's hyping TravelZoo so I figure there's no point. If you'd be willing to travel with me, let me know!!

Siigh!

bookstore encounters

2007-06-28T15:33:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah. Nothing says "sexy" like random pick-ups at the bookstore. I was at Borders for a few hours today, curled up in an armchair, poring over magazines and Jasper Fforde's "The Big Over Easy" (where is the "italicize font" button in Safari? and what about "edit html" or "compose" viewing mode?? i am sorry for not listening more carefully to Graham's descriptions of using Safari now).

I look up after burning my eyes out over Wallpaper*, the evil evil design mag that costs $9/issue but is so very pretty, and see this random Asian man of indeterminate age (20's? 30's?) walking past. We make eye contact briefly. I blink my poor blurring eyes and return to reading. He continues walking. No big, right?

About fifteen minutes later I am wandering aimlessly in the Romance section, surrounded by lurid jacket illustrations of scantily-clad men and women casting smoldering looks at each other. The place has no apparent system of organization, but I find the varying shades of pastel pink and blue in which romance novels are invariably bound quite soothing. I turn and here is that man walking by again. Suddenly he stops, turns, and comes into my romance aisle, ostensibly to ask me a question.

Man: Hey. I know this is random, but...
J: ?? (confused, mentally preparing to give directions to the nearest BofA atm)
Man: I just wanted to tell you that you are AMAZINGLY cute.
J: ??!?!? Uh...thanks.
Man: My name is J***, by the way. (extends hand)
J: (moment of hesitation; then shakes hand, praying for no communicable disease)...It's nice to meet you?

And then he walked off. Quickly. I think he realized how very random and weird he/the situation appeared. However it was nice to receive a compliment? I'm not complaining!!

The End. I think this was perhaps the highlight of my day. This, and Alex's impression of an indignant Frenchman telling a culturally confused french fry that he does not belong in France.

cancer park

2007-06-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

Has everyone been to Cancer Park in Fremont? It's that little park behind the fire station off Paseo. I went there this morning with Deb, on an ill-fated badminton date. We attempted to play (quite earnestly) on the grassy field next to the parking lot. During the two hours we were there, about four cars drove in, parked, and just sat there. I have no idea what the drivers were doing (other than watch Deb and I make fools of ourselves), but this occurrence further cements my hypothesis that people go to the park to carry on illicit drug deals. Seriously, all those vans with darkened windows?? Who knows what activities are taking place in their murky depths. Yes, even at 11am on Thursdays.

In other random news, lately I've been feeling a little overpowered by the proliferation of third-party applications on Facebook. As a hardworking Facebook stalker, I'm finding it discouraging (to say the least) that it's becoming more and more difficult to keep track of people I don't really know because there are just too many things going on. What is this "I am Hungry" application? And "Movies" (more self-explanatory, I suppose, but still), or "iLike" or "Graffiti" or "Top Friends" or or or...?? I mean, really, how am I supposed to continue stalking people who are unaware of my existence under these conditions? If this goes on my laziness will win over my curiosity and I'll just stop stalking people altogether. SIGH!

Haha. Okay that is all. G'bye!

MIA no longer

2007-06-11T01:51:00.000-07:00

I talked to M.Chu today and it went like this:

M: I have been online stalking you.
J: Oh really?
M: Yes, I checked xanga, blogspot, facebook...and you have been GONE from all of them!
J: I have?!? I have!!

I got back from NY more than a week ago. What have I been doing since then?? I don't really know, but obviously I haven't been online...or have I? Thinking back...lots of Voxtrot, facial with Deb and Ha, chores around the house (I spent this afternoon dousing my mother's poor insect-and-fungus-infested trees with this crazy 3-in-1 killer spray. I got some on my skin - do you think it will burn, fester, and fall off?). Museums on Tuesday when admission was free. (The Matisse exhibit at MoMA? NOT really a "Matisse" exhibit.) Random frightening bouts of shopping. A little bit of gym. Uhhh...what else have I done?! My days seem pretty occupied but I can't really remember anything. Watched Knocked Up. Re-read the Penderwicks book the other day, and finished reading a vampire novel today (doesn't that scream "accomplishment" to you?). Rearranged some of my bins of clothing. Got health insurance. Paid the bills.

As an aside, NY was fun :) Much thanks to Di for letting us crash at her place, and for taking us around and dealing with my perpetual moodiness. Also Mar for wandering and eating through the city with us!! I miss you!!! I doubt either of them read this, but hey...

In more productive news - I went to my first letterpress class last weekend! And I'll have more classes starting in a couple of weeks, so my pace should pick up. I promise this is the last time I straight-up blog about random shit I've been doing. I hate when that's all people talk about, but I honestly don't have anything better to say. :)

another vacation

2007-05-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

It's just one vacation after the other. :D :D :D Tiring, but I'm lovin' it. (Should I eat McD's for dinner??)

Got back from Asia this week - heading to NY with chrispyha tonight to see DI!!! and MAR!!! For a week. I am excited to see these girls. I also feel some apprehension (just a little) for the state of my liver after this trip. Be strong!

my daemon

2007-05-02T02:38:00.001-07:00

I got the snow leopard, Rasthmus. I love that the daemons have names. However I'm not sure I'm really that similar to Lord Asriel...........

--edit, many days later...
Why is it showing a moth/butterfly? Did my daemon change?? I think I'm significantly past the shifting-daemon phase of life though...

after dark

2007-05-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

I kiiiiinda want to read this.

imagini

2007-04-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

tomorrow: coacheeellllaaaaa!!

faeries

2007-04-24T23:53:00.000-07:00

D'you think this would be any good? The introduction's by Neil Gaiman, but I'm not sure what that says to me...

horrorscope

2007-04-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

In the words of Littke's Loydene: Oh, lardy...

Leo July 23 - August 22

Please stop insisting you have nothing left to live for. The phrase you're looking for is "never had a reason to live."

in the world of children's lit...

2007-04-19T22:45:00.000-07:00

I am totally up for joining this:

http://motherreader.blogspot.com/2007/01/baca-off.html

YOU TELL 'EM!!!

And now......an ANNE OF GREEN GABLES PREQUEL??? Do I even need to say anything more?!?!??!!?!

For those of you who don't understand my level of incredulity, let me just tell you now that I am a hardcore L.M. Montgomery fan. She is my favorite author. Not "one of my favorites," none of that "if I had to choose a children's author" crap. No. She is my favorite. Sappy as hell and all (you really have to appreciate the amount of romantic idealism she channels into her novels, given that her own life was somewhat depressing for her). Admittedly Anne of Green Gables was not my favorite of her books, but...hasn't anybody read Anne of the Island? Rilla of Ingleside? The Blue Castle??? I remember (and I'm sure most of y'all do as well, since I've told this story so many times) weeping profusely as I read Rilla of Ingleside in the waiting room at the optometrist's office. It was really humiliating...but YOU try reading a book about a girl coming of age while watching her brothers and friends go off to WWI without feeling a pang!! That book was wonderful. And The Blue Castle, with sarcastic and solitary Valancy finally living her life the way she's always wanted to?? TOTALLY gives me hope for the future. So there! I'm so glad I grew up reading LMM instead of Lurlene McDaniel.

The End.

PS - Did you know Natalie Babbitt (of Tuck Everlasting fame) has a new book? It's called Jack Plank Tells Tales. I have mixed feelings.

a good memory

2007-04-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

to be a little more cheery:

procrastinating, 1 day left

2007-04-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

OK I know this is ridiculous. It is the second to last day here and instead of

- finishing documents for tomorrow's deadline
- checking work
- archiving old emails
- cleaning my monster mess desk
- writing a goodbye email/thank-you letter,

I am blogstalking. Again. The horrible thing about this is that I somehow always end up reading blogs of people who either irritate me or make me extremely jealous. I'm now having one of those degrading moments of self-loathing, when I feel like everyone around me is having the time of his/her life while I am just...stagnating, like old milk. Ewww...

I need, needneed to stop this.

4/12 horoscope, amen

2007-04-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

From The Onion:

Leo July 23 - August 22

If there's a drinkable liquid in the world that doesn't cause loss of motor function, impaired judgment, slurred speech, dehydration, and eventual unconsciousness, you don't want to know about it.

a serious discussion

2007-04-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

Christina: ahhh! http://www.gateaux-inc.com/details/books.htm

if we ever got married, jen

if we both became lesbian

and gay marriage were legalized

that would SO be our wedding cake

me: we might have a major disagreement, however

on which titles would be included

Christina: you'd get half

and i'd get half!

you are so difficult.

hahaha

me: well, i guess it would work

but what if i have issues with one of your titles?

yes, i know marriage is about compromise, but STILL

Christina: then we could have the cake designer make a little frosting-potsit

postit

saying that book is mine

and you don't agree

me: i suppooooose....

waitress

2007-04-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

I want to see Waitress.

modern twist

2007-04-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

I try not to hype up too much of DailyCandy's stuff but today's modern-twist coasters were a fun catch:

OK so could we learn TO make our own already???

this is what i do every day...

2007-03-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

...for the next two weeks, anyway. I'm quitting!!! (HURRAY! HURRAY! HURRAYYYY)

And I don't know why it never occurred to me to do this before, but:

This is what I do every day.

My eyes hurt.

footnotes, P&P style

2007-03-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

An annotated version of Pride & Prejudice? Who would want that? I scoffed. Then I read this article.

Now I want one.

dandelions

2007-03-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

I have an unhealthy obsession with dandelion clocks.

The Dandelion Clock Dress at Anthro looks like so much fun!

more dresses

2007-02-25T21:11:00.000-08:00

Anthropologie's workshop dress looks like it's made of sun-bleached canvas. If you look closely you can see the faint flower print...as though years in the sun and seaspray wore away the pattern and left you with its ghost. Go to the site, though, and check out the back view - it shows the corset lacing detail. I kind of love it...

Meanwhile, this drowsy babydoll dress is just...playful, adorable, dreamy, I really like it, etc.

Aaaaand...I'm sure there are hundreds of other things on Anthro that I could blog about because I am stupidly obsessed with that store, but I will stop now and wipe this drool off my keyboard.

reversible skirts

2007-02-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

I will attempt to ignore the fact that I made a dumb mistake at work just now (and will probably get yelled at because of it on Tuesday), and instead post about reversible skirts. Namely the Libby Dibby Reversible Wrap-Around Skirt, shown below:

I don't particularly like wrap-around skirts (I always feel like one strong gust of wind will unwrap them), but I do like the names they have for their pattern combinations. My personal favorite would have to be the "starlet polka."

Starlet Polka:

I'd definitely wear the starlet polka. However, they also have a lot of fun ones like "choco milk bubbles" and "daytrip to florida" and "milkshake and 2 straws." I'm not sure if I really feel that all the names for the pattern combinations are accurate to the way the patterns look, but it's fun to read them and look at the swatches. Do these count as swatches? Whatever.

OK I'm fed up with work for the day. Leaving soon...hurrah!!

bungee cord handbag

2007-02-09T17:07:00.000-08:00

I stole this from someone's blog because I like it so much.

It's the Puckish Handbag from buyolympia.com. It's stitched and screenprinted, AND the handles are made of bungee cord! Isn't that weird (but cool)?

I am also a fan of the neckties on that site.

my hero?

2007-02-07T18:05:00.000-08:00

This girl can eat 183 pieces of sushi in half an hour and down 20 pounds of food in one sitting. She's 5'-4" and weighs 95 pounds. This is insane.

jumper dresses

2007-02-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

I really like jumpers. I used to live in them - that is, OshKosh jumpers, when I was about six. This may be why I associate them with small children. And why I'm wary about going back to them.

However: don't you find this cute?

The Lux Button Jumper Dress. I'm not digging the quasi-seductive look the model's got going on there, but...

The dress has pockets! AND it's on sale! What more could you ask?

button earrings

2007-02-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

Okay. I know I could make these. But...!!

Printed Posts at Urban Outfitters

cardigans & hoodies

2007-02-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

Cardigans for guys remind me of old-man clothes and Mr Rogers (Won't you please, please won't you be my neighbor?). Not that it's a bad thing: I'll have you know that I have many fond memories of Mr Rogers.

Cardigans for girls, though, are a completely different story.

The Sugar Rush Cardigan...

The Razzmatazz Cardigan...

And, just for kicks (I think this one is my favorite), the Talini Hoodie. Note the detailing around the pockets. And the cuffs. Oh Hoodie, will you ever go on sale???

mario chocolates

2007-01-28T18:12:00.000-08:00

Not your typical chocolate coin:

It's the Nintendo New Super Mario Bros Character Figure and Coin Chocolate 10 set. LOL. I can imagine Howard liking this a lot.

narrative

2007-01-25T19:31:00.000-08:00

Guess where I am?

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

You know, I can actually tell the story of my current life-situation with explodingdog pictures. It goes something like this:

The week before last, I worked 10-15 hrs/day to meet my deadlines. This was my state:

But I was resigned to the situation because I knew I'd be going on vacation soon. So after a very...difficult...time, I left for a week of sunshine and happiness on a big boat. Hurrah!

(That's me in the back wielding an oar in ecstasy.)

But alas, I had to come back.

Unfortunately, that's when it started. Red warning lights going off...

Plus a general feeling of gloom and doom...

Mild hysteria and extreme disbelief that they could be expecting me to complete last week's work this week PLUS this week's work...

It wasn't long, however, before the ugly truth dawned...

Which has left me feeling exhausted, to say the least.

All the same, I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that I AM GOING TO MAKE IT. I hope.

button pins

2007-01-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

These are called the Retro Inspired Green Bird Tree Leaves One Inch Button Badges.

Blah about the long name that I can never hope to remember, but I do like these buttons. I have been eyeing them for some time now but I can never convince myself to get them. $4.50 (plus $2 shipping) for three little plastic pins hardly seems worth it. And, okay, maybe what's really holding me back is the fact that payment must be made through PayPal and I'm too lazy to open a new account or figure out what my old username/password combination was. Eh...

wool dress

2007-01-23T20:18:00.000-08:00

I know wool usually itches (no matter what kind of wool they say it is). But okay. Would THIS wool itch?

(The photo-op shirtdress.)

I am willing to believe it would not.

graphic plates

2007-01-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

So Urban Outfitters is having a sale - and the graphic plates are now 4 for $15. I was looking at them when I was supposed to be hard at work drafting this morning. They're very cute; might I say they may even be aDOOORRRRable?

However: I can't help thinking that we could probably make these ourselves. Is anybody interested in going into the plate-making business with me?

vacation

2007-01-12T20:56:00.000-08:00

A week away from Victoria's Secret -

OH!!!!!!!! BLIISSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

eggpress valentines

2007-01-11T18:28:00.000-08:00

Valentine's is more than a month away...but these cards from Egg Press are just so cute...

Buy them here: CLAMS IN LOVE

Also check out the others. There is a ridiculously adorable ladybug valentine...and a giraffe Christmas card...

:)

***laaaaater***

Yes, Ha, this blog entry was meant as a hint. For you. Won't you be my valentine?!

noodles, pies, and plaid

2007-01-09T14:38:00.000-08:00

Let's all have a moment of silence in honor of Ando Momofuku, who created the Cup Noodle. Thank you, Mr. Ando! You have saved me from many a hungry night.

A few related links:
NY Times article
the blog I stalk sometimes

On an unrelated note, I also thought this was cute:

My pie!
(Little 5" pies. How cute is that? They have apple, strawberry-rhubarb, sweet potato, banana cream, chocolate cream, and lemon meringue. Mmmmm, pie...)

And finally - didn't I say plaid/tartan would be in, like last year? O Vivienne Westwood...how I wish you weren't so unaffordable...

email archives

2007-01-08T16:57:00.000-08:00

I was just reading through some old emails and found one I received from my mother while I was away in Japan:

Right now only wheather [sic] bother me a lot. They said the worse one not yet come OH! NO!

hahahahahahaha I love my mom

popart color camera

2007-01-06T14:26:00.000-08:00

Isn't this cool?

The Pop Art Color Camera...

Like my lomo Actionsampler Flash, this camera takes 4 pictures in the span of 1 second and puts them all on one photo. What makes this camera special is that each picture is in a different color, which I find pret-ty cool. You can make photos Andy Warhol-style (sorta)! The only problem is that--like many other cheap plastic cameras--this doesn't have flash. Also that the ghetto plastic rectangle on top is actually the viewfinder. I think my holga might do color photos too, with the help of some filters. I should check...

mary janes

2007-01-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

I really don't need new shoes. But these are so cute, and on sale:

...the Poetic Licence "Elle" Patent Mary Jane

Look at those heels. And I do have a weakness for mary janes. I used to have this burgundy pair...square-toed flats with dark red stitching, and purple/red flowers along the sides. It sounds kind of weird and hobo-esque but trust me, they were cute. Also I had a pair of apple green mary jane-style sneakers. Those were extremely cute too. I think I was just going through a really great shoe period in my life. Why must those come and go? Which dorkily reminds me...

Say you'll stay, don't come and go like you do

Must not give in to temptation. MUST NOT

*** about 5 hours later ***
I just checked back on the website (the sight of them comforts me and tortures me at the same time). And omfg, THEY'RE GONE!

Christina: all gone?

but you weren't going to buy them anyway?

me: i gueeeeeeeeeessssss

No more temptation then...

happy new year!

2007-01-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

Another year gone by

myflashfetish

2006-12-28T23:39:00.000-08:00

:) a playlist!

I made this playlist at MyFlashFetish.com.
Check out this MySpace MP3 Player!

(Remember to push the play button at the bottom center of the tape. And you can skip tracks by clicking the arrows on either side of the wheels...)

--YEARS later: WTF?? This was NOT my playlist...!!

taiwan

2006-12-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

I want to go back to Taiwan. Once there, I could

- EAT (lenbu, tianbula, oamisua, etc etc)
- SHOP (night markets calling my name)
- chill at the apartment (the gym is done and i bet nobody is using the pool)
- visit the art museum....

And did I mention EATING and SHOPPING????

siiiiiiiiiiighhhhhhhhh

boxing day sales

2006-12-26T09:44:00.000-08:00

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaacckkkk!!

buttercup ballerinas:

moody afternoon pumps:

MY rickrack peeptoes (well ok not really mine...but...):

the temptation may overwhelm me...!!

S-M-R-T!

2006-12-21T11:26:00.000-08:00

Christina: nice!

you are awesome!

me: i know, aren't i???

Christina: yes! i am here for your affirmation!

donna & blitzen

2006-12-15T18:47:00.000-08:00

Have you heard it? Badly Drawn Boy's "Donna and Blitzen." I'm not huge on Christmasy songs but...I can't stop listening to this!!!!!!!

...I want to go home...

working overtime

2006-12-13T20:24:00.000-08:00

This is how I entertain myself while working late:

http://thefunniest.info/top.html

gifts to warm the heart

2006-12-13T11:13:00.000-08:00

If you're still shopping around for that special someone's perfect gift, don't forget to check out the following options:

Ass-warming USB seat cushion

ORRRRRRRRRRR ...drumroll please

An Ale Swearengen [beer] holster!

(see, Christina, I told you it exists!!)

Wouldn't receiving one of these just give you the warm and fuzzies?? LOL

paperdoll...magnets

2006-12-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

Did you ever play with paper dolls when you were little? I did! I enjoyed the vast garment selection. And the fact that if you f*cked up the clothes by getting a little too scissors-happy you could just make new ones.

Anyway, these are magnetic, not paper, which means that cutting up would be more of an issue. But somehow I find them nostalgic and fun:

Galison/Mudpuppy magnetic dolls

:) Good times

turtles

2006-12-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am WAAAY too amused by this article: All but Ageless, Turtles Face Their Biggest Threat: Humans

It begins with:

This was no euphemistic brushoff, no reptilian version of “Sorry, I’ll be busy that night washing my hair.” Paddling around in a tropically appointed pool at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the husky female Gibba turtle from South America made all too palpable her disdain for the petite male Gibba that pursued her. He crawled onto the parqueted hump of her bark-brown shell. She shrugged and wriggled until he slipped off. He looped around to show her his best courtship maneuvers, bobbing his head, quivering his neck. She kicked him aside like a clot of algae and kept swimming.
“I feel sorry for the little guy,” said Jack Cover, a turtle specialist and the general curator of the aquarium. “He’s making no progress, she’s got zero interest in him, yet he just keeps coming back for more.”
And why not? The male Gibba may be clueless, he may at the moment have the sex appeal of a floating toupee, but he is a turtle, and, as a major new book and a wealth of recent discoveries make abundantly clear, turtles are built for hard times. Through famine, flood, heat wave, ice age, a predator’s inspections, a paramour’s rejections, turtles take adversity in stride, usually by striding as little as possible.

This is so incredibly dorky. But for some reason the "clot of algae" comment just really cracks me up. You know, I've just realized that I've blogged at least 3 times consecutively about being amused by stuff that isn't all that amusing. I think I need to get more sleep...

no trespassing!

2006-12-12T00:57:00.000-08:00

Hahaha...my friend Deb and I saw this at Michael's and I couldn't resist taking a picture. I am so easily amused...

2006-12-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

Rip Slyme - JOINT (PV)

LOL. Erina shared this with me last year and I remember being amused. Plus I really like Rip Slyme. They played at Summer Sonic last year and were awesome performers. :D And come on...eating sushi, drinking beer, and then attempting to work it off? How could we not relate?!

sadness

2006-12-10T20:01:00.000-08:00

I posted earlier last week about a coat I ordered. Today I found out it was sold out so I am not getting it. :(

Also received my citation in the mail today. :(

On the brighter side of things, it was much less than I'd expected (the payment required for the citation, I mean). I think the price of the coat [I did not get] goes pretty far in covering it. I suppose I should also be glad that I'm not going to be pursued by some religious fanatics who want to cut my belly open and rip my heart out before cutting off my head and throwing it down the steps of their temple...

wildflower pillow

2006-12-07T18:13:00.000-08:00

I believe I wrote about this blog before: design*sponge

It is kind of a cool place to read about random artsy furnishings/kitchenware/useless but pretty items you place around the house. Well, I subscribe to it, anyway. They have a design*sponge shop now where you can buy things like the ridiculously overpriced ($90!!!) pillow shown above. Cute, is it not? I think I'll sew my own. Sometime.

type typing away

2006-12-06T14:51:00.000-08:00

Oh, sigh...

The Corona Streamline of 1930s in Maroon.
Isn't it beautiful??? So glossy....
Except...$395, and who really uses a typewriter these days? We actually already have one at home somewhere. It is not nearly as attractive as this one, however...

I'd like to say that if I had this, I would really get cracking on the next Great American Novel. Typing reams every day. But let's be realistic here. I think what would end up happening is that I would just sit and stare at it a lot. Maybe drool a little bit. And that's it.

Yet another reason to like the 1930s, though. Despite the prevailing national economic troubles and pending international war...