caroline's stuff that doesn't go anywhere else.

oops?

2008-12-20T13:46:00.000-08:00

In my truest nature, I have neglected the things that I like.

Well, not really... I just haven't found the time to update this little old thing.

Good news is that I'm working on some things, and I might even have a new blog to call home. It's currently in the works. But for now, I'll jump in here and there with even the littlest things like music reviews, random things I like, and a photo or two.

Until then... the balcony is closed. Or empty. Or something.

taking pictures to make it last longer.

2008-07-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

I've always liked taking photos... the first camera I ever got was a Kodak. I don't really remember what the model or make of it was, but let's just say it resembled what might have been considered a disposable camera of today. It was red, and it looked a lot like a Holga. My aunt and uncle gave it to me for my birthday, and I pretty much used it up in an hour. And it was the best.

Looking back on it now, I realize that photography is one of the hobbies that I have kept going ever since. It's just one of those things I've grown accustomed to. The ironic thing about me liking photography is that I hate getting my own photo taken. I liken it to when movie stars say they never watch their own movies: it's just something they never want to see. I love to do black and white, and mainly because of the simplicity. I also like film photography, so of course my pockets feel a little lighter after getting them developed at Photoworks in The City (it's only because I don't have access to a darkroom like I did in the past).

Anyway, here's a bit of what I've been able to do lately.

Visit: my flickr for more photos

Louross is BOSS.

2008-04-10T22:33:00.000-07:00

I don't know about anyone else, but this season of "Hell's Kitchen" has literally kicked my ass. While watching the season premiere there was a certain contestant that stole my heart immediately.

His name? Lou Ross. Or Louross... something or other. What a spunky monkey. It's not just the hair, the nicely shaped brows or hipster glasses, or that I don't give a damn attitude, but I just loved how he was ready to take over. In the season premiere, I liked it when he took charge and Gordon Ramsay made him captain. He owned it. BOSS ALL THE WAY. He's my surefire winner because he knows what he's doing, can be in control, and seems to like it when Ramsay gives him hell.

The only person I would think could give him a run for his money? That other guy with the hipster glasses ... Ben. He won them the halibut challenge, seemed like he was in control and knew what to do as well. If there were two guys in the end, it'd be Ben and Louross.

As for the women, I like Corey. She's the only one who's shown any kind of personality that isn't showy or super bossy. Though I did feel bad when she called out Christina ... but I later took it back because she started crying. Cry baby. As for Jen, the one who talks too much, I'm just waiting for her to get booted off. "AND I worked in Belgium..." Who. Cares. She also comes off as a tattle tale.

Visit: Hell's Kitchen (Fox)
Watch: episodes are available on Hulu, my new best friend.
Photo credit: Louross's mySpace!!!

from the bin: "Before I Speak" by Kyle Riabko

2008-03-31T22:49:00.000-07:00

While filling up my iPod with some of my favorites, I came across some old $1.99 albums. What better way to bring back From the Bin, even though I've technically only done one installment so far.

Brief Intro: I bought "Before I Speak" because I was heavily into Ryan Cabrera for about five minutes. I thought I should venture out and find something else to obsess over that was very similar to Cabrera, and when I saw this album on sale, I decided to get it. Also what caught my eye about Kyle is that he is on the same label as John Mayer, so I thought I couldn't have gone wrong. Only the best for me.

Brief Bio: He sings... he now apparently acts! Well, more is here on the official bio.

Upon first listen...: I didn't like it. I kept skipping from song to song, hoping that I'd get my fix of some Ryan Cabrera-like stylings, but instead I turned it off. It went on my shelf of a thousand CDs.

Upon second listen...: I didn't give it the chance it deserved. I guess I was looking for some Ryan Cabrera in this guy a little too much, due to their similarities (guitar playing cute guys). Now as I listen to it almost two years later (yes... two years), it has somewhat of an edge on Ryan's first album. Kyle is less pop, but his album sort of builds a bridge between pop and ...jazz (contemporary jazz). There, I said it, even though some might not think so, but I think some of the arrangements have the elements, as well as elements of funk and the blues. It's very interesting, and considering how old he was at the time of the recording (barely out of high school)... dare I say, but it's very "way ahead of its time."

Songs to check out: "What Did I Get Myself Into" (I love this one because it's tinged with the blues), "Carry On"

Final thoughts: A lot of my final thoughts were stated in my "second listen," but now I feel super judgy for not giving Kyle Riabko the chance he deserved. I do like this album, and can't wait to see what he comes out with next.

Worth the $1.99?: Yes, upon a second, careful listen.

Buy it at: Amazon.
More info: mySpace

CUPCAKE WEEK ON MARTHA!!!

2008-03-31T22:20:00.000-07:00

Kara's Karrot Cupcake!

She teased me with "Cookie Week" ... and now it's "Cupcake Week" on "Martha" and I can't be more excited.

Apparently, a buttload of cupcake shops around the country sent her samples of their goods, including my favorite, SF's own Kara's Cupcakes! I was so delighted when I saw on the table that she had one of their famous pink boxes neatly displayed among the others. I was hoping that Martha would say her favorite was the Chocolate Velvet (because it's mine!), but it's not really surprising that she would pick Kara's Karrot, which is better than most carrot cupcakes I've had.

And besides Martha picking Kara's among some of the best in the country, I'm just ecstatic! I love Kara's Cupcakes. They're delicious and reasonably priced. My favorite, as stated above is the Chocolate Velvet, but I also enjoy the Ghirardelli Chocolate, Java Chip, Fleur De Sel. All of these are chocolate, I know, but I live for chocolate. I also like that they use ingredients from local businesses, more notably local chocolate juggernauts Ghirardelli and Scharffen Berger, which are two of my favorites. No wonder it's so tasty!

All in all, I believe Martha made an excellent choice in naming Kara's Cupcakes among the best. Oh, they're so good... and even though this day is really, really far away, I want to have some at my wedding (Because they do weddings!). If you ever want to catch me around, I'll most likely be at their location at Ghirardelli Square.

Visit: Martha's Favorite Cupcakes (MSO)
Photo Credit: marthastewart.com

redux: Brushfire Fairytales

2008-03-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

(Albums I have, which I revisit in times of need ... or when I'm utterly and completely bored.)

Coming down...

I forgot where I first heard about Jack Johnson, but I don't think it really matters. He's mellow, he's from Hawaii, plays a guitar and has a voice to go with it.

But Brushfire Fairytales, his debut album, has to be one of my favorites. It was the album that introduced him into the mainstream, and it doesn't get any simpler than that. It's pretty much straight forward pop-acoustic tunage that you can listen to on a road trip or while you watch a sunset at the beach. Nothing complicated, and I think that's what sets him apart from the rest. It's good for a rainy day, just like this one.

Songs from "Brushfire Fairytales" that I like a lot: "Inaudible Melodies," "Posters," "Fortunate Fools," "F-Stop Blues"

Jack Johnson will be in San Francisco for the Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park, August 22-24th. Tickets are going for, gasp, $225 bones PLUS fees! Holy crap. But you'd have to expect it, especially since others like Radiohead (!!!), Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Wilco, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Broken Social Scene, and so many others are going to be there. Maybe he'll come back another time, just him ... and cheaper, too.

Visit: 1% For The Planet, an organization Jack Johnson is highly active in.

random tv thoughts - from LOST to Hell's Kitchen and beyond!

2008-03-18T00:23:00.000-07:00

Jin's grave? Noooooooo....

- "Lost" has been good lately. Not bad for a show that was in the can about a season and a half ago with its Dharma Initiative-obsessed storylines that were turning viewers off. But really, was I one of the only few who really liked it when they got all mythological about things? What about all those stations that were on the blast door map? What's up with the rest of The Others? I care, ABC. I. Care.

- "Hell's Kitchen" is coming back (April 1st), but originally just to fill the void of there being no written television. Now that it's on before it's usual summer airdate, this leaves me pleased that it is on really soon, yet, what the hell am I supposed to watch in the summer? Certainly not anything stupid.

- "The Office" is coming back. There are no words. None.

- The big news of the week is Britney Spears doing "How I Met Your Mother." Photos of her on the set have been released, and all I can say is that she looks really happy and upbeat and normal, which is better than she's looked in years. I know she did "Will & Grace" about two years ago, and she looked happy and upbeat and semi-normal there, but there's something in the air this time. Can't wait to see what goes down.

- I said I wasn't into American Idol this year, but I admit that yesterday I was up until about 1:30am watching back video of all of the contestants this year (in part due to boredom). My favorites are:

David Archuleta - this shouldn't be a "real surprise," but this kid has killer pipes and he's such a cutie pie.
Jason Castro - he appeals to me because he has dreads and talks like he has possibly smoked a lot of weed ... I mean, he's really laid back and awesome. And that story he told about ripping a dread out of his head was just too funny.
Carly Smithson - I loved it when she sang "Come Together." She's also Irish and has a cool accent.
David Cook - I really liked that emo-tastic "Hello" he did. Too bad he's a biter.

- My least favorite American Idols:

Amanda Overmeyer - I get that she's rocking the "rock chick" thing, but her hair gives me a headache, as well as her voice. It always looks like she's getting ready to puke, too. Not my cup of tea.
David Hernandez - He's gone already, but he just reminds me of this guy I don't like.
Danny Noriega - Also gone. I did like his audition, but he tended to be a little too much on the flashy side for me. Good voice, though. Nice hair.

- AI's that make me go "meh:"

Ramiele Malubay - Yeah, woo hoo, Filipino people. However, I agree with the judges in that she's picking a lot of "safe" choices and it's getting b-to-the-oring. She has a good voice, but she needs to stretch it out a little bit, otherwise people are just going to forget about her.
Michael Johns - He's like the grandpa of the group, btw. He's hot and everything, but when he busted out with "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" I just thought that was a big fat no-no.
Syesha Mercado - I didn't think her "Saving All My Love For You" rendition was all that great, and it sounded like kareoke. Meh.

- I watched some of "Dancing With The Stars" tonight and caught Mario dancing. What a hottie pie.

Photo credit: Lostpedia

gym class hero.

2008-03-10T23:49:00.000-07:00

Pic from Jer's Crossfit Zone Blog

Besides going to the gym to get healthy and work out, I really only go because it's an excuse to listen to my iPod. It's been many a strange workouts when I haven't had it (or it died on me) and I've had to listen to whatever 24 Hour Fitness was playing, or listen to other people breathing hard and running on treadmills. Not even the sounds of Yellowcard (I know) could drown that out. Having music playing really does get me moving faster and makes the time go by really easily. Listening to the iPod works in two ways: I work out and listen to music. Multi-tasking is a beautiful thing.

Now, this isn't a post where I give health tips or tell you about how "fabulous" my gym is (it's pretty mundane like all the rest of them, I suppose). I am nowhere near qualified to give any kind of health tips besides telling others that a cupcake a day doesn't keep the doctor away.

But, I do feel that I am qualified to give tips on the ultimate music playlist. How many times have I read an article in a health/fitness magazine, and they give the absolute lamest playlist? I look at the titles of the songs, and I'm like, "This is supposed to get me motivated?" Hell to the no.

Other than the typical artists that are suitable for workout music (Gwen Stefani's "Love.Angel.Music.Baby.," anything by Britney Spears that isn't stupid, some Black Eyed Peas songs), here's what has made it to my list:

- "Rumpshaker" by Wrexx N Effect: What else gets you moving than someone telling you to shake your rump?
- "The New Workout Plan" by Kanye West: I'm kinda-sorta over this song (because I skip over it now), but the end part is actually what keeps you moving. I also like it when he shouts "Double time!" much like Jane Fonda or Kathy Smith would in the days of yore.
- "Bebot" by the Black Eyed Peas: The beat wins you over. Also good for us Filipino people who don't speak Tagalog well, or at all. You learn AND you exercise.
- "Beat It" by Michael Jackson: It's badass, and it's a classic. I also recommend "Smooth Criminal," but sometimes it can be a little too slow for me.
- "Toy Soldier" by Britney Spears: I didn't really like this song at first, but after hearing it in a shoe store in NY (haha), I got over her wannabe sexy/cutesy voice, and gave in. The soldier beat during the bridge is the kicker. Also good from the "Blackout" album is "Hot As Ice."
- "Maneater" by Nelly Furtado: Synthesizer + beats = cool for the elliptical. Haha. I also enjoy this nice mash-up of this song and The Killers' "Somebody Told Me." (find it on YouTube)

Now that you've got somewhat of a basis of workout songs, it's time for you to go crazy and make your own.

Further reading: Brlliant Playlists (Macworld) - this is pretty old (2005), but it has the right idea.
Certain songs found from typing them into: Project Playlist (what a beautiful site)

food.... everywhere!

2008-02-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

Yummy!

My recent trip to New York was jam packed with wonderful places I visited. But most of all, New York gave my taste buds a major workout. I mainly made appearances at eateries in the Upper West Side, however I found myself trekking halfway down Manhattan to visit the famous Momofuku noodle bar, located at 171 First Avenue to get me some of those fabulous pork buns I've been hearing about.

I'd be lying if I said I heard about the pork buns word of mouth, but the truth is, I heard about them from Martha Stewart. She had David Chang (the owner) on the show a couple of months ago, and he managed to get my mouth watering from his process of curing the pork belly to steaming the buns. (No lie, but I haven't been able to get that place out of my head since.) It's an easy enough recipe, but it really takes a long time (patience is the key). But after everything is finished, it's super easy to put together.

The experience in the Momofuku Noodle Bar was amazing ... even sitting at the actual bar (instead of the communal tables) was actually pretty nice. The waiters were all really friendly, dishing out some great service. Once I ordered those buns, I ate them up super fast! I also ordered some Chicken Ramen, which I have to say tasted like nothing I've ever had before (in other words: not packaged ramen) ... but those buns were pretty filling, so I got full quickly. I say you should probably take someone with you next time if you don't want to get full too fast!

To my dismay, there is a lot more on the menu than I had originally thought, and it just makes me sad I wasn't able to try more. But everything I had was good... I'm spreading the word, even though the nearest location is over 3,000 miles away from me. If you're ever heading to NY, don't forget to visit Momofuku!

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David Chang describes his restaurant as first starting out as a "mom and pop" type shop, but how it evolved into much more:

Visit: Steamed Pork Buns (MSO - watch the video, too!)
Photo credit: Martha Stewart.com

for the record...

2008-02-13T00:06:00.000-08:00

One of the many reasons that I am looking forward to visiting NY this time around is to shop. Yeah, I don't really seem like the type to be a crazy shopper, but there's something really exciting about browsing and possibly selecting something to purchase. Or heck, I just love impulse buying even though it's usually followed by some serious buyer's guilt. And plus, I feel like I've shopped San Francisco to its limit ... well, shopped all the places I can afford of course.

While perusing the web the past couple of weeks, I have decided on certain places that I must go. There is the undiscovered, meaning all the stuff I didn't see the first time. And then, there is the old, which I have been waiting four years to revisit.

NYC is most definitely a music town, and that excites me, too. From all the record shops (and I don't mean Virgin), music clubs, Broadway, and even the street performers, the musical possibilities are endless. It's like an important destination for anyone who wants to make music, and/or be a part of the scene.

So imagine my dismay to find out that a certain place on Prince St. called Rocks In Your Head closed down last year and moved to Brooklyn! That place was amazing when I saw it back in 2004. It was the one thing I couldn't stop talking about when I came back, and it's one of the things I vividly remember. When first walking in, I was taken aback by the walls being covered fully by record covers, crates on the ground full of records (records galore!), certain shady people perusing through the stacks... it felt like I walked into some hipster mystery movie, and I was ready to be singled out. I thought this place was utterly perfect--- from the decor, to the counter where I purchased a used copy of John Lennon's "Rock n' Roll" album where they manually (!!!) filled out a receipt for me. Yeah, it's not like some "new" technology, but the simplicity of that really threw me. In that moment, my love for the place was born.

And ever since then my vow was to return, but now I return to dust. Seems like everything I take a liking to either closes down or moves away. Oh well. There are other fish in the (record store) sea.

Visit: NYC Record Shops (Gridskipper)
Photo credits: Peyri; Gothamist

quit the snubbing!

2008-01-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Oscar nominations came out. Blech.

I think a lot of the nominations are pretty much what people expected. Juno got a lot of love, as well as Daniel Day-Lewis scoring another nomination, and everyone wet themselves over Cate Blanchett for the umpteenth time in her career (twice!). Really, Academy... while she's probably this century's Meryl Streep, I do believe there were many performances this year you could have given that extra nomination to. I'm not saying Angelina Jolie should have got it, but share the love once in a while!

My heart was broken when I didn't see Emile Hirsch on the list for Best Actor for his performance in Into the Wild. It has to be one of the best of the year, a transformation for Hirsch to actually become this character. And Sean Penn, the film's director and co-writer (along with the book's author Jon Krakauer) is sorely missing from the bunch. I figured they would at least get a Best Cinematography nod due to the sweeping shots of Alaska and beyond, but they could only make due with a Best Editing and Supporting Actor nod for Hal Holbrook, who was pretty damn good in the movie, too. Also missing is Eddie Vedder with his great soundtrack. None the less, whatever recognition they got, it's Into the Wild for the win!

I can't remember a year when I've actually been happy with the Oscar nominations fully---I think there's always a chance that somebody will get snubbed. But I really, really, really hate when they're it's so obvious that they're all IDIOTS.

One more note: no love for The Simpsons Movie is a serious, serious mistake! But then again, nothing will stand a chance against Ratatouille. Nothing!

Visit: Oscars (Official site)
Photo Credit: Rotten Tomatoes

my guide to making your iTunes playlist look cooler than it actually is

2008-01-21T22:29:00.000-08:00

Lloyd Dobler wants you to listen to Peter Gabriel!

Like many people with nothing else to do, I try to strike a balance between keeping my iPod "up to date" with some of the more popular music today, as well as some of the "oldie, but goodie" songs that I remember from my childhood.

But like many people with iPods, I find that what makes you super cool is the playlist that you can put together. There are many playlists that you can model your own after, such as a specific genre, a film's soundtrack, or whether a couple of songs you like happen to be upbeat. Playing your playlist for someone else by let's say, lending your iPod to someone is the ultimate test of your super cool-ness: if they like it, I'm sure they'll say something like "Kick ass playlist, man." If they don't, they either say nothing or hand you your iPod back in silence. You're either ahead of your time, or your taste sucks. I like to think you're somewhere in between.

Basing your list on a theme is always a winner. For example, if you like 80s music, you can make one that is simply called "80s music." You could go a thousand ways on this one, such as filling your list with popular songs from the era, or maybe a hundred metal hair-band songs from the 80s. Possibilities are endless.

If you're looking for inspiration, I really suggest you try the iTunes store where almost every week Celebrity Playlists are updated. In these playlists, you get to know your favorite celebrity's favorite songs, and you can either download the whole thing or download the songs that you want. It's sort of a window into the soul of your favorite celebrity, a way to know what inspires them and if they actually have decent taste.

My favorite playlist was one that was never posted. It was director Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, Clerks, etc.), whom by the way is one of my heroes because of his talents as a writer and his ease at being so articulate when called upon. Smith's was never posted because it was too long! If you read it, you get classic Kevin Smith with all his quips, quirks, and hardcore love for songs you know and songs you'll make fun of him for liking. Whatever. It's just too good.

My least favorite? Any playlists on which I know none of the artists. Why? Well, this ties into the the whole "ahead of your time" thing. Sometimes celebrities like to prove how interesting or how "ahead of their time" they are by saying they like all of these obscure artists that nobody knows about. While I agree that it's nice to know the obscure artists, my only suggestion is that they manage to insert at least one artist that the masses would know. I'm not saying that they need to have T-Pain or Carrie Underwood in there, but maybe just one Elvis or Bob Dylan song would suffice. Something to make me care. Their descriptions also might need work. I'm kind of over the whole "This is AMAZING!" or "I love how this makes me feel."

No matter where you draw inspiration from, my best advice is to go with your gut, and go with what you like. It doesn't really matter what other people think about your playlist... unless you're throwing a party for a hundred drunk college kids. That's when you probably need to consult popular radio, or read Blender.

Some "choice" playlist themes that I'm planning to attempt, complete with their titles:
Steal this movie!: It seems that these days movies don't have a hit single in them anymore, ala "I Will Always Love You" (The Bodyguard) or "My Heart Will Go On" (Titanic). This playlist lets the trend live on! Planned songs include songs from Ghostbusters, Footloose, Mannequin, etc. Not so much 80s movies, but also 90s and others. Many possibilities here, folks. You could also do one with TV theme songs!
Sensitivity: This will be dedicated to all the songs that are about love that make me cry, or songs that make me feel more misunderstood than I actually do already. It might contain some emo songs (maybe), but I really think I'll fill this one with songs from John Mayer, Jason Mraz and countless singer-songwriters. If you have a guitar and you sing all raspy and sweet, then this is the playlist for you.
Travellin' Songs: Named after a Bright Eyes song. What else does it have but songs that make you feel like you're out on the road. It's not anything new, but I think it's essential for your iPod.

---

My own personal playlist (filled with songs/artists you know, songs/artists you might not):

"I Want You Back" - *NSync: Quite possibly my most favorite song by the band because of its cheesiness and super-Swedish production. It has this late 90s boybland-licious vibe that I can, and never will shake. It still gets me all riled up (to dance). *NSync will be back!
"1000 Things" - Jason Mraz: It's a "love at first sight" song. I'll never get tired of it because Mraz always know how to make you feel lovey dovey, even if you're not in love. I like listening to his music when I need to relax or get in the mood. He's also one of my favorite artists.
"Modern Nature" - Sondre Lerche: It was one of the songs off of the soundtrack to Dan In Real Life, but it's been out for a while. This is a song that would most definitely be on a romantic playlist just because it's playful and sweet.
"Narcolepsy" - Third Eye Blind: 90s rock at its best. That particular line "how'd you like to be alone and drowning" still gets me.
"How Come U Don't Call Me" - Prince: I didn't hear the original one until I heard Alicia Keys' version. Although I love both, I dig Prince's more because damn, it's Prince. Alicia's version is more upbeat and pop-like, while Prince's is stripped down and seems more tragic in his grief.
"Vegas" - Sara Bareilles: My favorite singer-songwriter to emerge from the past year! She's really great live, and this song is my theme song as of ... now. You can kind of go through the motions of wanting to start anew when you listen to it without actually having to do it. She gives you an idea.
"I Believe When I Fall In Love (It Will Be Forever)" - Stevie Wonder: The title pretty much explains it. My favorite Stevie song, too.
"I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)" - The White Stripes: Also self-explanatory. And I'm a huge, huge, huge White Stripes fan. Huge.
"Videotape" - Radiohead: I never really liked/listened to Radiohead until "in_Rainbows" came out. Call me bandwagon, but I think these guys might be onto something here! ;)
"Coming Clean" - Green Day: a "coming out" song. It has this innocence to it.
"Refuge (When It's Cold Outside)" - John Legend: another "love" song. Making a love-song playlist without anything by John Legend is a sin. (Also, do you notice I like a lot of songs that have parenthesis in the title?)
"Foolish Love" - Rufus Wainwright: I discovered him late, but this is one of his classics. He can certainly belt out a tune.
"The Professor & La Fille Danse" - Damien Rice: Another singer-songwriter ... please don't except anything less! I love his voice and its' ability to get quiet at the most appropriate times. Sigh.
"Livin' On A Prayer" - Bon Jovi: My fondest memory of this song is me and my cousins in a car banging our heads along to this song while my uncle blasted it on the radio, the windows down, the wind blowing hard. It sounds like it's out of a movie, but it wasn't. I still get chills.
"Back Here" - BBMak: This song is so unbelievably lame, but I'll be all cliche and say I LOVE IT, and I could listen to it forever.
"Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" - Ashlee Simpson: I know I lose my street cred (ha) by saying I like this song, but damn. I really like this song.

I could go on, but it would take forever.

Visit: iTunes (official)
My Boring Ass Life (Kevin Smith's blog)
Image Credits: Scene Stealer (Say Anything), Amazon (for the CD covers)

so long (and good night.)

2008-01-16T12:48:00.000-08:00

Brad Renfro (1982 - 2008)

(Dexter has just woken up to find his sleeping bag drenched with sweat. Erik is already awake from hearing him whimper; he takes the shirt off his back to give to Dexter, and gives him his dry sleeping bag as well. Dexter is scared, and Erik assures him that he is not alone.)

Dexter: Suppose you kept going another 18 billion light years, what if there's nothing out there? Suppose you kept going another trillion times further, so far out you see nothing. The light from the universe would be fainter than the faintest star. Infinitely cold. Infinitely dark. Sometimes if I wake up and it's dark, I get really scared, like I'm out there and I'm never coming back.
Erik: Here, hold onto this when you sleep. And if you wake up and you're scared, you'll say, "Wait a minute. I'm holding Erik's shoe. Why the hell would I be holding some smelly basketball shoe a trillion light years from the universe? I must be here on earth, safe in my sleeping bag, and Erik must be close by."

(Scene from "The Cure")

---

I think Sir Ian McKellen, Brad's co-star from "Apt Pupil" really puts it best as to how much everyone will miss this kid.

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Films he made that I recommend you check out: The Client, Ghost World, Telling Lies In America, Apt Pupil, Bully.
Randomly useless fact about that photo: About five years ago, I was planning on putting that photo on a t-shirt because of how cool I thought it was.

Visit: Brad Renfro.org

the martha stewart collection: did I really pay 72 bucks for a 7 quart pot?

2008-01-13T00:28:00.000-08:00

The Martha Stewart Collection, which has probably been out for only a couple of months is my ultimate guilty pleasure. Sure I could buy pots and pans that don't have the MS brand label on it, but then again, I could also go to sleep at a reasonable hour every night and not eat dinner at 11pm. That in itself is another issue.

But to focus on the subject at hand: the collection is my vice. Anything and everything you can think of to use in the home has been made for this collection. And it seems that Martha knows that I have a weakness for newer, shinier versions of things I already have. For some reason, I believe that if Martha puts out a melon baller, I MUST HAVE A MELON BALLER. NOW. EVEN THOUGH I DON'T EAT MELONS UNLESS AT A BUFFET IN RENO.

I haven't bought as much from the MSC as you would think, especially since I'm a super hardcore Martha enthusiast. So far, I am satisfied by each of the products I have bought.

Product: "Waterman" Double Old Fashioned Glass
Price: $19.99
Worth it?: Absolutely. My family has always had a penchant for breaking glasses, which made me a little apprehensive about buying these glasses. But for a bargain like this for some European glass, I really, really could not not buy it. Also, if anyone breaks any of these glasses, they know what will happen to them. I really like how they look, too.
Personal rating: pretty damn great.

Product: Non-stick Spring form Pan
Price: $9.99
Worth it?: For me, yes, since I cannot find my old spring form pans. My only regret is that this spring form pan doesn't have any ridges on the bottom, therefore when I made the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake from Everyday Food, it was kind of rough to lift out of the pan at first. I recommend letting your cheesecake set for more than a couple of hours in this pan. Maybe even for a day.
Personal rating: super.

Product: 7-Qt. Cast Iron Round Pot
Price: $119.99 (Regular price - currently unavailable online!)
Worth it?: YES, YES, YES!!! I can't tell you how much it helps to go to an actual Macy's and check out the collection in person. It seems to me that anytime I'm walking around in The Cellar, everything is on sale. Last week, I bought myself a red one (much, much prettier than the blue one in my opinion) for the ultimate low price of $72 bucks. I really love having this pot, and I cannot stop talking about it, let along using it. When and if I'm home early enough to make dinner, this is the pot I have been using. I christened it while making the Beef Stew recipe from December's Everyday Food. It took a while, but I enjoyed making a meal in a really, really nice pot. I can't wait to do a roast! While it's not a Le Creuset... okay. I really don't care.
Personal rating: the best (damn) thing since sliced bread. And drive-thru Starbucks locations.

There is a lot more from this collection that I could go for, but at the same time, I'm happy with the things that I do have, as well as the things from the MSC that I have shelled out some cash for. If there is anything I really recommend, it's that you visit Macy's and try to buy everything on sale. Usually on sale is the cookware, bakeware, and even dinnerware. But never the gadgets and things ... never. And, if you're as hardcore as I am, I really think getting that 7-quart pan is essential.

Sigh... Martha Stewart has truly made my house a home.

Product photos from: The Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's
MS Logo Photo: Doyle Partners
Visit: Martha Stewart (official)
The Martha Blog (official blog!)
Secret Sources (Martha's favorite sources)

gladiator ready!!!

2008-01-08T01:15:00.001-08:00

(Old school Malibu looking fierce as hell.)

The new American Gladiators premiered on Sunday, and man! It was both exciting and hilarious. Exciting because of the changes (Water below the joust! Fire on the water!), and hilarious because certain people can't take the heat (falling off balance beam face forward!).

And that's the one thing that gets me: is the new Eliminator so tough that these people can't even get through the whole thing without looking like a hung over zombie? During the first half of the two hour special, the first two women competitors were exhausted after swimming under the fire and climbing the cargo net! It was INSANE, but so funny how they struggled to do anything, or as they were on that barrel roll. It was like, dude, all you have to do is hang onto the barrel, but they couldn't even do that! Oh man. HI-larious.

And man, I don't even remember the Eliminator being so hard. That treadmill that used to be at the beginning looks easy now that there's a rope there, but even that's tough to get up. Terrible. I also thought that their cuts to footage of the losing competitor trying to get up that treadmill after they lost were also terrible, but super funny.

Anyway. Take a look at a clip from the old Eliminator, where they get through the hand bike really fast. Crazy.

Visit: American Gladiators (NBC.com)

conan back = happy me

2008-01-03T00:59:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how happy I am that "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" is back tonight. So far the show has been as funny as I'm used to it being. Unfortunately, they returned without the writers, thus coming up with material on the spot as well as on the spot material previously taped. But first and foremost, he stated that he supports the writers, which was met by applause.

The show so far has included:
- Conan and his sexy strike beard, which proves that he "has testosterone."
- A nice tribute to his strike beard ... I love you.
- Conan trying to break the record of how long he can spin his wedding ring on his desk. (Longest was 41 seconds; tonight he got 36)
- A tour of Conan's office, as well as what he and others have been doing during these past two months.
- Conan talking about playing Sudoku, then throwing the book of it at someone in frustration.
- Conan and a portable amp, playing his guitar.
- Taking his amp and guitar and playing while people are trying to do work, or playing while people were trying to play Rock Band. Ha.
- regular guest Bob Saget from "Full House" and making bad jokes. Of course.

Others like Letterman and Leno returned as well, but to be pretty damn honest, I really only cared about Conan. The most important thing that should happen as quickly as possible is that this strike gets resolved ASAP. I was so upset about "Heroes" ending so early, earlier than it should have been. It would have been a phenomenal season, but right now I just feel like nothing's happening. Nothing! Hurry up! TV is super boring these days, which is something I never though I would say. I don't want to see anymore reality shows... because most of them suck.

Well... except "American Gladiators." Holy crap, I'm excited that that's coming back.

Picture from: Faded Youth Blog
Visit: O'Brien Improvises, saying "Sadly, we don't have our writers with us" (NYT Blog)

not like them?

2007-12-24T22:54:00.000-08:00

From left to right: ... sorry, don't know.

During the recent allegations of super producer Chris Stokes (Immature, B2k) going on Lou Pearlman on his acts, I discovered through Oh No They Didn't that Stokes is one of the driving forces behind a "new" boyband called NLT.

Now, don't judge me, but hot damn ... I LOVE THESE GUYS. I don't know why, but I solely believe that I'm interested in this group because they're a couple of guys who decided to form a boyband-like harmony group who dances. Also known as the next *NSYNC, BSB ... whatever.

NLT (Not Like Them), if you look at them closely, have followed the boyband rules to a T. For example:

- There are at least four guys, so if they stand in a diamond formation, you can see all of them.
- Two guys sing lead: one is decent, the other is superb.
- There's one blonde guy, who's probably everyone's favorite because he's super cute.
- There's a creepy guy who made a bad hair choice of wearing a ponytail (re: Chris Kirkpatrick's braids, Nick Carter's manbangs, Howie D's long hair. Ugh.)
- There's a lot of dancing. A lot.
- Hand movements are in full use, especially the one where they tap their chest, meaning, "I love you, you're in my heart."

Other things to really mention is that for some reason, they look completely different from the boybands of the past, especially in image. If you see a picture of them, they look like the next coming of Fall Out Boy or Panic! At the Disco. Also, their sound has the typical Timbaland-infused beat, whereas 90s boybands had the Swedish influence of Max Martin and Kristian Lundin. I figure Chris Stokes is going for ... I dunno, NKOTB 08, or even a white B2K? It's official, I guess: Chris Stokes is the new Maurice Starr. None the less, I love it all.

Anyway, I've gone all mad on the whole thing, and I'm even pimping their song on my mySpace. But here's the video to "She Said, I Said," produced by Timbaland (who else?), which reminds me a little bit of the old music videos of yore that had some kind of lame story to it, and some girl who's wearing a cropped shirt for the sole reason of showing her belly. And she seems pathetic, too. They also do a lot of JT-like choreography, which in my book is enough to win me over.

Visit: NLT (official), NLT's mySpace
Further reading: B2K's former manager denies sexual molestation allegations (MTV)

domo arigato!

2007-12-07T00:13:00.000-08:00

My obsession: Domo-kun. My mission: to make a Domo-kun iPod case!!!

I recently found a link to it from the MAKE: Blog while trying to find a picture of my lovely Domo. I don't know why I like this character so much. It's very disturbing for someone my age, but then again, I have a lot of obsessions that would classify me as a twelve year old. So to speak. Well, let's just say that one day I bought myself a small Domokun plush from Urban Outfitters, and two days later, I bought myself an extra large one at Metropark. The main reason: I wanted a bigger one.

But making an iPod case will be a challenge for me, and I think this one would make me happiest due to the fact that it's cute and it's Domokun. If there's anything I love, it's a character that loves watching TV. Except, I don't fart when I'm nervous. Or do I ...

Visit: Tutorial: Furry Monster iPod Case (Domokun) (Craftster)
Domo-kun Official Site (Domomode)

out of sync.

2007-11-09T15:15:00.000-08:00

"According to Justin, the whole reason for the breakup of *NSYNC was everyone else's fault? That was crazy! All of us had done nothing but wait around for him to feel he was ready to start work on a new *NSYNC album."
- Lance Bass, Out of Sync

A friend of mine picked up Lance Bass' memoir, "Out of Sync" when he was doing a signing at Books Inc. in the Castro. While there, he also managed to pick up an autographed copy for me as well. Naturally, any piece of *NSYNC-related memorabilia means the world to me, and this autographed book joins its brother, an autographed piece of paper that a friend of mine got Joey Fatone to sign in a Walgreens. Now, if only I could find that piece ...

I started to read this book, for certain that I would get to read some of the deepest, darkest *NSYNC secrets imaginable, ala New Kids On the Block's "Behind the Music" episode. I suppose I got a little of that, since Lance mentions their love of the attention, having a little bit of fun, and Lance trying to get some on the DL. But a lot of it, for some reason I don't understand, didn't resonate well with me.

My attention veered off when the book wasn't talking about *NSYNC, and I believe that's really my fault. But then again, a book with a title like "Out of Sync" would definitely cause my mind to go a million miles a minute, as anything that is merely reminiscent of *NSYNC would make my heart pound faster. But, I also forgot that this is a memoir --- Lance's memoir --- so his whole life before being super famous had me wanting the *NSYNC part to come faster. It's a memoir, though ... it is what it is.

I do find a lot of the parts after he joined *NSYNC to be interesting, such as knowing that he was gay, the whole Lou Pearlman saga, Joey realizing he was gay, and also his love life that he constantly struggled to keep quiet at the height of *NSYNC domination. There's something noble about trying to not hurt the image/careers of your friends while you quietly suffer behind the scenes. I think that his memoir does a good job of recalling those conflicts, and it does a great job of showing that it's always best to be who you are and not what others expect you to be.

My biggest regret from reading this book is reading the chapter in which the fall of *NSYNC begins. It's nothing that I would have ever wanted to read, and I wouldn't wish it on any other *NSYNC fan. It's not like a crazy, horrible breakup, but in a way it seems like Lance pins it all on Justin and his solo career. Though Lance recently stated on "The View" that he didn't just blame Justin, he blamed management, members of the group ... basically everyone, even himself. He even states this in the book.

But I am glad to know that Lance feels that there is a brotherhood upon him and the rest of them that can never be broken. He would like to get back together someday, and hell, I'd like that too. But like all good things, nothing lasts forever. You look at some of the greatest bands of all time, and none have had smooth sailing all the time. It's rare that they'd stay together forever, but if they broke up, they'd all still manage to find their way back home.

---

Random *NSYNC thoughts/facts:
- *NSYNC's "No Strings Attached" remains the top selling album in one day with over one million, 2.4 million in a week.
- *NSYNC isn't some stupid, lame name, but it's also the last letter of each of the guys' names put together. Except Lance, who replaced some dude name Jason. For the same of the name, Lance tried unsuccessfully to go by the nickname Lancesten. Something lame (!) like that.
- Speaking of "No Strings Attached," Britney Spears' "Blackout" CD has the same exact look. Seriously.
- Though now I'm a huge, huge, HUGE Justin fan (more than I was when he was in *NSYNC), JC was, and always was the best singer. Period.
- JC is also my favorite member. Because everyone has one.
- Joey Fatone's big thing while in *NSYNC was that he liked Superman. I wonder if that's still true.
- Chris had these really, really, really ugly braids when they first got big in the US. And I mean like, FUG. When he cut them off, it was like night and day.
- I can't really tell when their last performance as a group was (Lance names a couple in his book), but I believe their performance at the 2003 Grammy Awards during a tribute to the Bee Gees was. I still watch it on YouTube. And I cry. Sad.

---

Videos of note:

In this video, *NSYNC performs their Spanish version of "This I Promise You" - "Yo Te Voy Amar." Also in this video: JC outsings Justin.

Britney Spears and *NSYNC make their respective debuts on the MTV Video Music Awards. Britney appears fresh from the tanning booth, while *NSYNC stomps on desks. Also: JC gets to sing lead while Justin's lead part doesn't even get to see the light of day.

The Grammy Awards, where they pretty much perform for the last time. In this video: JC decides to make me cry by growing his hair out into a greasy mop. Boo on the haircut. Boo on it being the last performance. Ever.

Buy, buy buy it: Amazon
Visit: Lance Bass (mySpace)
Pictures from: Rolling Stone, NsyncGuide.

STRRRIKE!!!

2007-11-07T14:41:00.000-08:00

Conan O'Brien will be a rerun tonight, and I'm not happy.

But then again, it's not really much when you think about what the Writer's Guild of America isn't happy about. This is the first strike in over twenty years, and it's absolutely ridiculous (!) that they're not getting properly compensated. To make it worse, the AMPTP is offering a deal that compensates writers .3% of revenue from writers' creations viewed through the internet and other new media, while the WGA want 2.5%... it's not really a huge demand, but it's a reasonable one. The AMPTP's reasoning for their small offer? They think it's too soon to tell how "big" new media will get, AND if there is enough evidence that there is money to be made from it. Yeah, and George Bush ain't the President of the United States.

This whole argument goes beyond new media, but it also delves back into the details of the contract they decided on in 1988, so you know there's a big mess to go through. The union has had enough and has decided to strike against the greedy establishment that continues to take what isn't theirs everyday. It's a harsh way to describe it, but there is no other way. This is something that needs to be addressed, and hopefully it will be resolved soon enough. Not only does this strike effect the writers, but it's also effecting the directors, actors, and not to mention the production crew. Everyone who makes these shows happen is effected, meaning there are sure to be imminent layoffs not too far off in the distance if not resolved in a timely manner.

All seriousness aside, what the HELL is going to happen to "The Office?" Or "Lost?" "Lost" was supposed to premiere in February. My real concern right now besides the WGA and my favorite shows is the demise of real TV shows. Meaning: reality television will kill us all. And I may be forced to hate the one thing I truly love.

Watch as the writers of "The Office" talk about how the strike is affecting them:

Support: Fans 4 Writers - don't write until it's right!, United Hollywood

More updates in the coming days, I'm sure...

sondre lerche (in real life)

2007-10-20T01:16:00.001-07:00

Norwegian singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche won me over with his music on "Phantom Punch" so much that I was willing to trek to Amoeba earlier this year to watch him live, performing his own classic songs like "On the Tower," as well as "The Tape" and "Airport Taxi Reception." It wasn't until recently that I found out that he is the main (and pretty much only) soundtrack contributor to a film that I would like to see, which is "Dan in Real Life" starring Steve Carell.

Some of the tracks are songs that have appeared on previous albums, such as "Faces Down" but others are remakes of classic Elvis Costello and Pete Townsend songs that are sure to please audiences. His vocals are pretty much universal, basically in a way that he can sing whatever he pleases from jazz ("Duper Sessions") to experimental rock (his latest album).

Other than that ... I love him! I met him, and what a nice guy. I talked about it in a previous blog before, but I think it's worth rehashing for one last time.

If you'd like to see what I saw in March, then watch the video below in which he talks about his first musical memory, meeting Elvis Costello, and making music. It's part performance, part interview, which is cool ... but it would've been even better if they had more of the performance.

Buy it here: Amazon
Visit: Sondre Lerche @ Amoeba, 3/23/07 (Amoeba)

whole foods alert! NEW whole foods alert!

2007-10-12T12:39:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I didn't know about the new Whole Foods in Lake Merritt!!! I just read about it on SFist a mere week too late (d'oh!). But I'll just come out and say it: I'm in love!!!

Check the link, if you please. I only have three words for you: BIG. MARKET. HALL.

Visit: Whole Foods Market Set to Open First Store in Oakland, Featuring a First-of-its-Kind "Market Hall" Design (wholefoods.com)
What is Old is New...The Building of Whole Foods in Oakland (flickr)

green is out, black is in

2007-10-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my relationship with my green 6GB iPod Mini ended. Bought ages ago (2005), it somehow managed to piss me off doing what it usually does (die on me), when the battery is still somewhat full. It was like a dramatic ending to one beautiful relationship that was beyond repair. As I waited in the pouring rain, I pulled out my iPod Mini in search of a tune that fit the moment (something like John Mayer ... ha) only to have one message flash before my eyes as the song became distorted:

"The battery is running low..."

I couldn't even switch it off either, and I had to press menu and the center at the same time to reset it. Angry and frustrated, I knew it was so over. Over!

The good news was that I came home to find my new black iPod Classic waiting for me. Sleeker design, more space (80GB), shinier and brighter, it was a welcome glow as opposed to that drab hunk of junk that I used to love so much. Maybe it's cliche for me to drop one thing for something that's better looking, but I do believe that I made a good choice. Upgrade!

But now comes the tedious task of putting (almost) all of my music on it, but remembering to pace myself and not put everything on it. Having the iPod Mini was kind of like practice: what to put on it, what not. And now with the option of putting TV shows and movies on it, I think I'm going to have a lot more fun with it.

More fun features:
- Games! There's the iQuiz, which on my Mini was just a "guess the song snippet" kind of Thing. But now it's better, complete with five rounds, and even a random question thrown in about something like about how many records you need to sell to go gold (500,000, FYI). I also enjoy the game Vortex, which is like Pong, but ... not.
- Cover flow: sort of like when you have iTunes on your Mac. Some reason I want to just touch the screen, but it's not a touch. I end up looking quite the fool.

I'm glad I waited a while before buying another iPod. It's good that they came out with a new one, and that it came out just in time before the holiday. And, if you're wondering, I'm not quite through with my Mini ... I'll use it for the gym, and also for uploading the music I listen to when I'm doing my reviews. We're all winners here.

Buy it here: Apple Store
Visit: Funny iPod Ad Spoofs (TechEBlog)

1977: not born yet, but kinda wish I was.

2007-10-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

SPIN magazine grabbed my attention with their latest issue, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of the year punk made its superbad debut (or big splash, for you purists that say it goes farther). My love for punk doesn't date back as far, but it definitely starts with the bands from that era: one I wish I was around to see.

But alas, I was a couple of years too late into it, but appreciation for the more known bands (Sex Pistols, the Ramones) and probably lesser known but still important (Television, one of my faves!) is something I won't apologize for. Heck ... why should I apologize for being born after this era? I shouldn't! That's not punk. Ha.

My greatest punk beginnings? My parents, whom while still young frequented the Mabuhay Gardens, aka the Fab Mab. Filipino restaurant by day, punk club by night! Upon learning this piece of history, after listening to my first Ramones record, I knew this love affair was meant to be. As someone who still thinks she needs to be better versed in the punk world, I picked up this issue pronto. More punk, the better.

Worth checking out is the interview with Johnny Rotten ... with him saying that the Ramones were never punk (among other things), it's a perfect interview. He says things that'll probably make you squirm, but it still makes for a good read.

If you don't want to pick up the issue, you can find that they have everything featured about 1977 on their website.

Visit: 1977: the year that punk exploded! (SPIN.com)
Flier: Random one from the Fab Mab, from a Flier index. Check it out for more goodies. Also notable: a show for 2 bucks? Damn.

dumping the "Big Shots" for some "Heroes"

2007-09-30T22:28:00.000-07:00

Man, that was fast.

I dropped "Big Shots" about ten or fifteen minutes into it. It's my fault, I suppose. I banked on it so much to be my male version of "Sex and the City" but it failed, as the others have over the years.

The characters are a bit too whiny, and even though Michael Vartan is on the show, I can't watch it. It's literally unwatchable, at least from my standpoint. It's over. It's done. I think I would have liked it more if they didn't just sit around and bitch about their lives all the time. It's one thing to have one character that's p-whipped; it's another when it's all of them, and it's the main premise of the show. Booooring.

No matter, it's all water on under the bridge. I have been able to pick up another, better show called "Journeyman" which coincidentally is set in San Francisco! You can tell when it's shot here and when it's somewhere else. Or at least native SFers notice... right?

---

In the course of three weeks, I was able to watch the entire first season of "Heroes." I'm always slow to the hype surrounding new television shows, as I was with "Lost" and "Ugly Betty" to name a few. In fact, I was slow to watch these shows because my days at the time were occupied by school, work, eating, sleeping, and managing to watch the shows I did keep up with. Now I am completely caught up, with the episodes and the show. I was skeptical at first, just because it seemed to me that this was another attempt as some kind of "X-Men" show. Still wounded by that film called "X-Men 3" (*shudder*), I decided not to rub salt in the wound. But now: I can't get enough of it!

... actually, this is just an excuse to post some pictures of Milo Ventimiglia, aka Peter Petrelli. My "hero," and new "boyfriend." Check two of my favorite pics of him from Best Life Magazine:

And, this probably doesn't really need to be said, but "Heroes" has one of the best looking casts in television! Kudos to them for adding Hunter from "The Office" as well. Keep it coming!

Visit: More Milo in Best Life Magazine (ONTD)

my blues come in form of red and white stripes.

2007-09-21T23:31:00.000-07:00

Last week The White Stripes put a dagger through my heart and canceled the rest of their fall tour ... a week before they were supposed to be at the Greek in Berkeley. It was something I had been looking forward to ever since I did the whole pre-sale thing, and also because I like the Greek Theater as a venue, even though it's seriously up in the cuts of UC Berkeley.

I can't blame The White Stripes. It was said that Meg is suffering from acute anxiety, which I understand can be something that is serious, and I do hope Meg gets well. It's a bummer, but it's something I will have to live with.

I'm just disappointed because The White Stripes have come to be one of my favorite bands, and I was looking forward to this for what seemed like an eternity. Anything I did this past year was knowing that I would be attending this show on September 21st. Thoughts like "Hmm, I should finish this sandwich" or "Hey, better jump through that hoop of fire." Anything to get through the days until September 21st. Okay, so I didn't actually jump through a real hoop of fire, but it's just a figure of speech. Everything I put myself through this year was just so I could be in that crowd, watching them and the Cold War Kids do what they do best.

Instead of being in Berkeley for the day, walking around Telegraph and University, I decided to pick up an extra shift at work, and now I have a blazing headache. But to make myself feel a little better, here are some highlights from their 2005 show in Berkeley, one I was lucky to attend. They were promoting "Get Behind Me Satan" and it was my first WS concert. This is my recollection of the things that happened, and I recall them to the best of my memory.

1. Jack kicks it off with "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" and somehow segues into "Hotel Yorba" - I could be wrong about the segue, but I do remember him playing the chords to "Dead Leaves" and me going crazy along with the crowd. I also sang along like I was at an *NSYNC concert, which non-surprisingly, I have seen a whopping nine times. Don't be shocked.

2. Guy with spike choker almost pokes me - why they let people in with these things, even when they say they are not allowed still puzzles me to this day. Almost. Died.

3. Jack gets pissed at a radio station - So, you know those stupid annoying radio stations that think blowing up a balloon with their station and call letters on it is really super awesome? Well, Jack thought it was stupid and called them out. "I want an apology," he said. Everyone erupted in cheers ... and I suppose somebody was getting fired at the same time. He was in the middle of a song, and all of a sudden someone's stupid balloon comes up on stage. Not cool at all.

3. Jack smells "northern California" - in other words, people were blazing up, noticed, and liked it.

4. Meg sings - She sang! It was the song "Passive Manipulation," a song I don't particularly like all too much, but it was nice to hear something out of her for like ... a minute.

5. Jack does "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)" - It was my favorite song off the album. Everyone got quiet during the part when he gets super quiet in the song. Totally memorable.

Just recalling certain moments from '05 is depressing. Even more depressing is that they actually did two shows in '05, and I only went to one. It's very uncharacteristic of me (example: all those *NSYNC shows), but I suppose I ran out of money during the time. I'd rather have been to see them this year, and I would rather have new memories. Hopefully they'll reschedule.

Watch them perform "Effect and Cause" on Conan. I wanted to hear this one live, but this is as good as it gets:

Buy, buy, buy: Under Blackpool Lights, the White Stripes live in the UK in '04, and a perfect way to see what their shows are really like.

fall preview: Big Shots

2007-09-14T17:16:00.000-07:00

The men of "Big Shots" try to channel their inner Carrie Bradshaw. Or that time she walked the runway and ended up falling on her butt. (Can you say "Awkward pose?")

I kind of see it ... four successful men living in Manhattan being controlled by the women in their lives. Question is, though: is it a new take on the ever present power-struggle? Man versus Man? Or even Man versus Woman?

Probably not. But I suppose "Big Shots" looks interesting mainly because it could possibly be the one true answer to "Sex and the City." Or not ... I could be getting ahead of myself.

The show boasts some heavy hitting leading men. Dylan McDermott has somehow managed to return to ABC with a new show. Christopher Titus, whom you might remember from his show "Titus" on Fox somehow looks perfect for his role of resident asshole. Joshua Malina looks like the docile type, and Michael Vartan, well, looks as hot as usual.

All four men, according to what the show is about I suppose can be lumped into more familiar type of people. For example:

James Walker (Vartan) = Carrie Bradshaw
Brody Johns (Titus) = Miranda Hobbes
Karl Mixworthy (Malina) = Charlotte York
Duncan Collinsworth (McDermott) = Samantha Jones

(And I'm guessing someone *might* have a gay friend along the way that resembles Carrie's best gay, Stanford. Right?)

Those assessments can be questioned once the pilot airs - I'm sure that the roles will be mixed around. But I've based my statements on the commercials and character summaries that I've seen and read. In other words, James Walker seems to be the central main character we're supposed to feel for, while Brody Johns' life is ruled by his successful career, Karl Mixworthy has this warped sense of reality about relationships, and Duncan Collinsworth might as well be the resident manwhore due to his unbelievably mutant good looks. And also, like on "Sex and the City," one thing rules above all: sex.

I'm mainly excited for this show because it actually looks interesting, and each member of the cast looks like they can actually bring something to this show to make it what it is. As for the women in their lives, the only familiar names I see are Nia Long and Paige Turco. I'm sure they'll each bring something good to the table as well.

Watch the preview here:

Visit: Big Shots ABC Preview Site

decals, decals, decals ...

2007-09-13T21:36:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought I couldn't love Threadless any more than I already do, I recently discovered that they offer wall decals through Blik, a shop that specializes in decals not just for your walls, but also your car and other likely surfaces.

I'm definitely looking into re-decorating once I have my apartment to myself (and my sister, aka my roommate), and I've found a whole lot of really cute decals that I *might* try and get away with. Two of my favorites:

As a huge fan of Threadless, I am definitely into Blik's Threadless Shop. I love wearing their shirts and just the thought of putting another one of their wonderful creations on my wall is even better. I love "Ambition Killed The Cat" and "Summer Wind." (Both of what each decal piece looks like is pictured above, but click on the links to see what they actually look like on someone's wall!)

Prose has to be the one that has peaked my interest the most! Granted, I don't have a fireplace, but I definitely like the different suggestions of how to put it to good use. I'd probably use some kind of really nice/profound/well-known quote if I were to ever do this.

The whole decal thing might not be practical for some, especially since most of us can't stay in our 20s forever, and some of the decal designs may be a little too kiddish for some people's tastes. But ... I do think it's kind of like a new spin on wallpaper, and a great way to just kind of do up another room in an unconventional kind of way.

Visit: Blik

PLEASURE OVERLOAD!

2007-09-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

Okay. I get it, Steve Jobs. You make iPods, therefore, you are King of the Universe. How the hell do you do it?

Not only have you created just one iPod, but you have made others, and you have made them better. You have also created the iPhone's little sister, the iPod Touch, which is basically like the phone, but not a phone. You have also managed to include something else I love into the mix, which I shouldn't love because it's an~~evil~~ omnipresent corporation. But hot damn! Free Wi-Fi? In the words of Barney Gumble, just hook it up to my veins!!!

I can't write anything anymore ... I'm wracking my brain here trying to figure out which one I really want (probably the iPod Classic, which is a name that sounds pretty cool). I also cannot do the little "i" thing any longer. It's hard.

But, let us think about the poor people who shelled out some serious bank for those iPhones ... it feels just like yesterday that I passed these people on the street thinking to myself: "Mmm ... he'll probably come out with something better later on." Poor kids.

Visit: An Open Letter to iPhone customers (Steve Jobs is sorry!!! I read it ... deal, or no deal? I say deal.)

the beat goes on?

2007-09-04T23:52:00.001-07:00

I heard it through the grapevine that there may be some new iPods introduced tomorrow, September 5th. Mac Rumors sure knows how to get my mind going. Damn them!

There's just so much going on there that I can't even process it. Which is why I'm waiting until tomorrow to see whether or not all the rumors are true.

george michael bluth is superbad.

2007-08-31T23:43:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love thee, George Michael Bluth. Or should I call you by your real name, Michael Cera? Or maybe I should say your name in your native Canadian tongue ... Michael Cera...

I know it's largely unhealthy to harbor a crush on such a young lad (I believe he is a strapping 19 years old ... ), but I suppose it's his boyish charm that really gets me (in other words: I don't CARE that it's unhealthy!!!). It had first gotten to me while watching one of my favorite shows of all time, "Arrested Development." Something really nerdy/geeky about him got me right here in my little heart. This is what happens when you like that "type": you spot them right away, and you could probably sniff them out in a second. Ahh, such is life.

But, I digress. I think it hurts my heart a little bit now that he's such a big star due to being in "Superbad." Now everybody wants to get their grubby mitts on him, and it makes me want to spit on people. It just goes to show that you can't keep something good for yourself too long; people are bound to find out about it.

Sigh. Another thing I cannot enjoy ... another person that is no longer "mine." This, is life.

Visit: Funny (old) interview with George Michael's co-star in "Superbad," Jonah Hill at HoboTrashcan. That guy is FUN-NY. I swear, these two are the new Odd Couple. Whatever that means.

from the bin: "Through Toledo" by Greg Laswell

2007-08-26T20:25:00.001-07:00

On every visit to Amoeba, I manage to make it to the ever so lovely Clearance section, where they offer CDs from $1.99 to $1.00. With that kind of money, I could definitely buy half of a burrito, but instead I choose to buy obscure CDs that nobody wants anymore. Here is my latest choice.

Pondering the night away...

Brief intro: You probably know who Greg Laswell is, but you probably know his girlfriend, Mandy Moore, even better. I found out about Greg through randomly perusing Wikipedia, that website everybody loves to love, and I read that she no longer dates Zach Braff (hybrid name: Mandach) or Andy Roddick (hybrid name: Mooroddick), but this singer-songwriter bloke from SoCal.

Brief bio: Okay, apparently he's not as obscure as I thought, as a couple of songs have made rounds on the CW drama scene, most notably on "Smallville" and "One Tree Hill," and I'm sure to some montage of fifty people crying. My bio is pretty much bland compared to his self-written one, which I recommend you read since it's much, much better, and I'd rather not have to paraphrase the thing.

Upon first listen...: He actually has a really good voice. There are some great melodies, ready to engulf you at each minute. Forgive me for getting into "Paula Abdul mode" but in his voice you sense a quiet confidence, though the album is pretty melancholy in its sound and in theme (apparently, this is about the divorce is recently went through). His voice has a bit of a Sondre Lerche-kind of purr, which I say, is damn good. And while listening to "Through Toledo," I can definitely see why his song would be featured on the shows they've been featured on.

Songs to check out: "Amazed," "Do What I Can," the seemingly metal-ish "I'm Hit," "Your Melody"

Final Thoughts: I now feel buyer's remorse for this album, due to the fact that I bought a great album in the clearance section. It happens like this sometimes, but I figure I can redeem myself when I pick up his first album. I also predict that I may fall in love with this man if he chooses to release a live album, because those always get me with their stripped down goodness.

Worth the $1.99?: Most definitely, but worth a whole lot more.

Preview some of his songs: Project Playlist
Or, if that link doesn't work, check: MySpace (this is all because I can't host mp3's)

fall preview: Pushing Daisies

2007-08-16T16:06:00.000-07:00

"Pushing Daisies" looks beautiful. On a first impression, you might think you're looking at a picture from "Big Fish" but instead, you're looking at the latest creation from Bryan Ferry, a guy who brought "Dead Like Me" and "Wonderfalls" to life. Vividness is his strong point, as well as creating stories that jump out at you with some innovation. Or for you heavy thinkers, the ability to think way outside the box.

The story follows Ned (newcomer Lee Pace), whom we first meet as a child. He discovers his power to bring the dead back to life shortly, and then realizes what this power can really do. Although it's a power that only some can dream of (or not), there's a catch: bring someone back to life once with one touch, touch them again, they're really dead. Stuff like that could probably mess a kid up real bad.

Flash to the present, and Ned's a regular guy just trying to get by. An ex-cop named Emerson (Chi McBride) sees his power in motion and Emerson gets the idea to use his power to solve crimes, bringing them back to life in order to find out who kills them. Sounds simple, fun, and strange at the same time, until things like love get in the way. I think that's usually the spoiler, but it makes for good TV.

The show also stars Swoosie Kurtz ("Sisters," Locke's fucked up mom on "Lost"), Anna Friel, and Kristen Chenoweth (Broadway star, Tony Award winner). A pretty stellar cast, if you ask me. I'm interested in how this show is going to play out, and by the preview it looks like it'll be sweet. It also puts a new spin on the usual cop/medical/investigative shows that we're all used to. Think of it as "CSI" meets some crazy fairytale. Except, I'd rather not think of it as a CSI-type show. "Pushing Daisies" looks more lighthearted. Kind of strange, as it's a show about life and death.

Watch the preview here:

Visit: Pushing Daisies Fall Preview
Picture from: Wikipedia

i was there for 756 and all i got was this little button and a whole bunch of advertisements for merchandise i don't need.

2007-08-07T23:54:00.000-07:00

The fireworks!!!
August 7, 2007: a day I will never forget.

But I suppose it won't be for a lot of people, especially anybody who was at AT&T/SBC/Pac Bell Park on the same night. It was a night for me that was absolutely magical and boring at the same time, but yet, I decided that I wasn't going to keep quiet for the whole game. I had this strange feeling he would hit the one that everyone was waiting for, and I wasn't going to take "no" for an answer.

Bonds was up at the plate two times before he got the one he wanted, and I have to say both of his at-bats weren't bad. He had hit base hit after base hit, and it was great, but at the same time, you know that the crowd (and especially Bonds) really wanted the one. For a while, I figured it was going to be like any other night I'd come out to see the Giants: a tease, an almost ... but this time, it was for real.

So it was 3-2, bottom of the 5th, and he hit it. I mean, he really hit it. I had to check myself, due to the fact that before he got it, thousands of flashbulbs would blind me for a split second. But it wasn't until the fireworks and orange and black streamers came flying out of the sky that I knew that I had just witnessed something I would never ever see in my lifetime ever again. I screamed, jumped up and down, hugged my aunt (whom I was with). It was just ... amazing.

For a split second, it made me forget about everything: forget about the scandal, forget about the stupid people that come to the games with asterisks thinking that their presence there would dampen anyone's spirits, forget about anything I ever knew before then. It made me remember why I love baseball in the first place. I remembered how it could take everything away in a split second, and let you get caught up in the moment. I don't know if any of the asterisk people felt that way while they saw a roaring crowd on their feet to the background of fireworks and streamers. But I think it would be pretty hard not to get caught up in all of it.

As for the asterisk people, I have to ask them ... why were they there? It's a question that I'd like answered. They don't like him, they think he's a cheater. So why the hell are they there to witness something like this? I think it's total crap. For people who think they're making a statement, I think they just look foolish. I liken it to my hatred of the condiment mustard. I hate it. I can't stand it. But, let's just say this: If I hated mustard so much, then why would I subject myself to going to mustard festivals where I'm surrounded by people who put mustard on everything? The smell engulfs my nostrils, people are splattering mustard all over themselves and myself in the process. I hate it, I hate everything that mustard stands for/is all about. But yet ... I'll go in order to watch people I hate celebrating something I hate. Just because I want to. You just have to ask ... why would you do that? It's a weird way for me to describe the whole Bonds scandal, but I think it's got some similarities. It's hard for an SF native to actually talk about the scandal, mainly because Bonds has meant so much to the team and The City all of these years, and he's primarily our one marquee star athlete. A lot of people accuse us of bias, and I have to say, it's true. But even this SF Giants fan has her doubts ... ask me about it when the truth really comes out.

But back to the game, it kind of died down afterwards. We ended up losing the game to the Washington Nationals, 8-6. It seemed like we were going to win, but we didn't. I guess everyone got so caught up in all the hooplah. It took probably about an inning for them to start hocking merchandise like a Bonds prize pack or something. It made me roll my eyes, but it was expected, even with the $60 price tag. Seems like everyone wanted to commemorate the night in some way, and while leaving there was a huge line outside of the Giants Dugout where people would get their orange "I Was There" shirts. I passed.

A magical night ... the season is pretty much lost, as we are in last place. But I hope that this will be a turning point for the Giants. The Detroit Tigers were the worst team EVER a couple of seasons ago, and they ended up turning it all around. I hope it's a sign of good things to come. Especially with our "big 3" pitchers: Cain, Lincecum, and Lowry. Young, talented, and oh so yummy!

Talking to the fans, tearfully. Surprisingly enough, I didn't think his voice sounded as high as it did.

Some guy ran out on the field! Awesome! I think it would have been way cooler if everyone in the lower deck ended up rushing the field.

Crews surrounding him.

The craziest thing was when Hank Aaron appeared on the screen. I pretty much cried and screamed as loud as possible. All that stuff about Aaron not caring pretty much dissolved in one video message. The part about the record inspiring others "to chase their own dreams" got me. Like... right here.

I got my button! It's pretty freakin' awesome.

Visit: With or without an asterisk, Bonds joins immortals, MLB To Place Asterisk, Pound Sign, Exclamation Point, Letter 'F' Next To Bonds' Name In Record Books (ha!)

you put a spell on me!

2007-08-05T22:20:00.001-07:00

The yummy chicken breast sandwich ... it's warm, too!

Located in the Westfield Mall in San Francisco, 'wichcraft has been my latest discovery, even though it's been there since the new "cleaner" side of the mall opened in September of 2006. From the mastermind of Tom Colicchio, best known for being a head judge on Bravo's "Top Chef" and also his fabulous line of "crafty" restaurants, he has finally made it to The City with another one of his spectacular creations.

There are locations in New York and Los Angeles, but I believe this is the first one here in the City, and I have to say ... I'm uber grateful! One look at the menu and I was totally hooked. They offer breakfast sandwiches, cool sandwiches (cold), and warm sandwiches (sandwiches that look like they've been through the pannini machine. Hot!). I decided that my first sandwich would be the one I took a photo of up above, which is the chicken breast sandwich. It's shredded chicken breast, roasted red peppers, mozzarella cheese and pesto all on grilled country bread. It was so delicious and warm! It also came with a bag of chips, but I don't think I really needed it.

As for the atmosphere, I would say it resembles the best of what a New York City loft would look like --- like someone shopped at Crate & Barrel, but someone was careful enough to put their own little touches on it. Everything looks so clean and organized, from the furnishings to the plates. I was very impressed. It was a nice day to be in there ... not too hustle and bustle, and I was able to enjoy my sandwich at a table by the window and read Chuck Klosterman. As every day should be.

Since my trip to 'wichcraft was only my first, I have to say I am now designating it as my new place to eat at lunch. Working downtown for 5+ years has definitely made my food adventures pretty mundane, and since the new mall opened, I think I've exhausted those new options quite quickly. Also, I don't think my wallet can take anymore abuse ... every dish in that mall has to be at least 8 bucks (minimum!).

Not that 'wichcraft is easy on the wallet, but I think they're reasonable prices for the quality of food they give. Soup is something else they offer, and even something called olive oil potato chips, which sound yummier by the minute. They even have dessert! Ice cream'wich, anyone?

Visit: 'wichcraft SF, 'craftsteak NYC
P.S.: I'm reviewing this on yelp, too! Can't get enough yelping these days.

fall preview: Gossip Girl

2007-08-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

(Before the 2007-08 Fall Season begins, I will try to feature as many new shows as possible. Well, actually, just the ones I really want to see for myself.)

The cast of "Gossip Girl" looking all fierce, yet misunderstood (pic from Wikipedia)

Ever since "Sex and The City" ended a couple of years ago, there have been many attempts at trying to replace it, or at least emulate it to a point where it's unwatchable. There have even been some attempts at trying to make a guy version, but let's just forget that Seth Green ever starred in a vehicle like that one ("Four Kings," maybe a year or so ago. I realize it was a sitcom, but there's just something about people pairing four guys in an apartment in NYC together that makes me think about it). This fall, there's no exception to the rule as we prepare ourselves for "Big Shots," another show I'm excited for. More on that later.

In those attempts, The CW Network has come up with "Gossip Girl," a drama based on the best selling books by Cecily von Ziegesar written specifically for teens. The story follows a group of teen socialites living it up in the big city (New York, of course), and through their chronicles of growing up and such, the book is somehow, naturally, told by an unseen character through a blog. (I suppose if a book like this was written in the 1980s, the unseen character might be the host of a pirated radio show or possibly writing people's business in an underground newsletter. Or written on the girl's bathroom wall, whichever.)

The CW, the token teen drama utopia among all the networks, has picked up this show for its parade of lineage. After seeing the previews, I'm a little bit intrigued. Josh Schwarz (best known for "The O.C.") is one of the producers, and as for that unseen character? It's Kristen Bell, fresh after the dastardly cancellation of my beloved "Veronica Mars." She serves as the narrator, and all I can say is thank goodness they gave her another job--- but I regret that I'll never learn the fate of her best known character.

As for the "Sex and the City" comparison, it's more likely to draw it since it takes place in Manhattan on the Upper East Side and the characters get to wear designer duds. But it's a bit more Melrose than 5th Avenue, since there's bound to be the backstabbing, lies, love, hate, sex... I hope they throw in some comedy to the mix, as I can't take the brunt of a storm all in one sitting.

The question that begs to be asked really is why people should care since teen dramas are as disposable as tampons (eww). Once in a while you'll see a show that'll break through (much like "The O.C." and my all-time favorite, "Dawson's Creek"), and that's because it has elements that are either unlike any show on television or have personas that pretty much make the show what it is. What I'm really hoping to see isn't disposable television, but possibly something that'll be smart and fun, and be added to the list of shows among which haven't been cancelled after an episode or two. I think people are too quick to try and replace shows that have been major mainstays on television, thus drawing comments such as "the next Sex and The City" or "the next Silver Spoons." That's a problem most of the TV execs have: they're trying too hard to replace what they lost. If NBC wasn't so busy trying to make "the next Friends" they would have gotten shows like "The Office" and "My Name Is Earl" a whole lot sooner.

Hopefully "Gossip Girl" won't try to be too much like it's sort-of big sister SATC. I believe The CW hasn't had a standout hit ever since UPN and The WB merged in 2006, and by that I mean a standout hit that isn't a reality show. The one thing I am looking forward to in "Gossip Girl" is how there's going to be an upper class v. outsider element; a crossover going on between both worlds. It's bound to create some fantastic drama, something I've been waiting a long time for. This could be a new legacy show for The CW -- I bet they're counting on it.

Watch the preview here:

Visit: Gossip Girl (official show site), step into the world of gossip girl (the blog)
Final thoughts: Okay, so maybe it's a bit ironic to think of another show as "the next Silver Spoons." Who would DARE replace that show? And how could you ... it's not 1982 anymore, and robots can't pose as a member of the family quite as easily as they used to.

the first installment of "ironic YouTube comments" shall commence now!

2007-07-13T00:17:00.001-07:00

I'm super addicted to YouTube, and I know you know that. But another addiction I have are the comments people leave. Sometimes you don't know if these people are completely serious or just trying to get some attention. Anyway, I hope to make this a consistent thing, as I am consistently on YouTube, and consistently being entertained by certain people.

After I read this comment, I swear ... it had to be the first one:

"You're right. I don't like this "new" pop-rock shit. It's pop music with electric guitars. It isn't rock. I hate most of the music out today, with the exception of some of the nu metal."****
--- hobag1978; saw it while watching the video for "1979" by the Smashing Pumpkins

Yes. I just called out the user. They deserve all the credit.

(****and I bet you're wondering why I think this is an ironic statement. I'll tell you: nu metal is something that makes me laugh. Not the music, but the sheer fact that it's called nu metal. Sure, I could put those cute two little dots over the top of that "u" but it just makes me want to laugh even more. Also, I suppose the user has a point, saying that "new pop-rock" is just pop music with electric guitars, but at the same time ... what pop music DOESN'T use electric guitars? I suppose if you listen to some early Beatles, when they made those charming movies named after their songs, you won't hear any electric guitars? I think that pop music pretty much uses anything that ISN'T considered to be pop music standard these days, so a statement like this definitely makes me roll my eyes and gag a little. Yeah, sure I hate most of music today, too, but that doesn't mean I can't listen to it and appreciate certain songs. And anyway, if we're upset about pop music using electric guitars, what about pop music using drum kits? It's kind of like, "Oh, that song has lyrics in it." Oh, how dare they!)

Visit: I don't have a stupid video, YOUTUBE.

sit down news: no longer in fashion?

2007-07-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

There's a part of me that went a little giddy when I heard that Jessica Aguirre, formerly of ABC7, wasn't going to return for the nightly news. My gidiness subsided a little once I heard she was going to NBC11, home of more annoying anchors (oh Laura Garcia-Cannon, can you slow your word roll a little without batting your eyes?). I would say that I watch the ABC7 news more often than NBC's, so of course this wouldn't affect me as much.

But curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to see what was up with Jessica. Would she bring the same amount of editorial comment filled newscasts to NBC? Answer: yes, and along with that a particular phenomenon that has somehow invaded my television. That my friends, is reporting the news while standing.

Now, I don't believe this is a new fad, but I do believe it to be an annoying fad. What's wrong with sitting down behind an anchor desk? Not so much, especially since sitting behind that desk gives you more power than your counterparts. You're anchoring the news for the love of Pete. You're there to, well, anchor the news. Ultimately, it makes you better than your co-workers: you've paid your dues out in the field and are now allowed to sit on your butt while others are out there doing the dirty work. It's an award that is a long time coming, and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

But the only reason I think that they're doing the stand up shtick is because it gives the viewer the impression that the anchor is more than just someone who tells you the news. I'm thinking: is it because they want to give her more to do than just sit down and talk? It's not so much a concept to just sit there and talk (which is what she did at Channel 7), but to have her get up and move around? WOW. Now THAT'S a concept . I mean, why sit in a TV studio when you can walk around it? Not only this, but she gets to hold a rolled up piece of paper in her hand, have an HDTV screen behind her instead of the traditional floating box, stand at a table that should be at a local sports bar and talk to guests standing at that table. It's almost like she is in a sports bar. All that's missing is a pitcher of beer. I kind of want to blame Katie Couric, especially when she began doing the "CBS Evening News." She would lean up against her desk, read in front of a HD screen, etc. Damn you, Katie. Damn you.

What I'm definitely not missing: editorial comments. As a broadcasting student, and if you're going into news, the thing they reiterate so much that your ears begin to bleed is that you are to report the facts and no opinions, unless you are a commentator. On ABC7, Aguirre constantly did this to a point where I was like "Who the f*ck are you?" It would go like this: she would report on something sad, play the package, then right after when she would have to segue, she would shake her head. "Just terrible ... terrible. In other news..." *jumps up and down while shaking head* Seriously? Nobody asked you, lady. Just report the news. That's what you're there for. It's just one of those things that you don't do. I suppose she wanted to bring some kind of humanity to her news reporting, and hell, I ain't mad at that. But there's a time and a place for it, and quite frankly, she was going about it all wrong.

Anyway, maybe I'm being a little too harsh. I realize I am being highly superficial, but these people have been invited into my home, it's only fair that I criticize the way they talk to me. I suspect my cattiness has surfaced more recently because Leslie Griffith has somehow vanished off the face of the Earth, and my need to pick on someone has finally reached the brink.

Visit: Who's The Most Annoying A**hole News Anchor On TV, in which someone decided to call out our top news men (if you want to call them that); also check out Should TV Anchors Get Into the Opinion Game? (really ... should they?)
Other notes: picture is from Aguirre's former home, ABC7; Couric's is from CBS.

general hospiTALE: seriously, WTF?

2007-06-20T05:28:00.000-07:00

Pic courtesy of Wikipedia.
Also, this shot is from the 1984 credits, which quite frankly looks lame but who cares.

While I love me some soapy goodness, and have since I was probably five (Y&R with Grandma), I have come to realize that soaps are nothing but that: soapy goodness. Ludicrous, gratuitous, conspicuous (?) soapy goodness.

I admit it: I have had an on-and-off again love affair with "General Hospital." Over the years it has thrilled me, disappointed me, thrilled me, bored me to death, disappointed me for probably three years straight, and then thrilled me once again. I suppose it's me being co-dependent on a world that does not exist, but then again, I just think that sometimes the stories that they come up with reel me in (case in point: the monkey epidemic that briefly brought back Robert Scorpio and Anna Devane, Laura waking up for a minute, Patrick and Robin, etc).

If there was a character that I had to pick as my all-time favorite, it is the wonderful Lucky Spencer. The son of the legendary Luke and Laura, he was cute, fun, and oh so dreamy. This was when he was played by Jonathan Jackson, my first true teeny bopper crush (if you don't count Mike Myers. He was cute by default of being so damn funny). And quite frankly, if you asked me a couple of years ago who my favorite female character was, you know damn well I would have said Elizabeth "Lizzie" Webber.

And now ... here's the problem: I don't like Lizzie anymore. Why? Because she has become the epitome of what's wrong with most soap characters these days by the sheer fact that she has not been held accountable for ANYTHING (at least not lately). My god, do you know how many free passes this chick has been given? Hmm, leaving some dude in a burning building to die while pregnant with his child? Check. Lying about the paternity of your newborn son in order to "save" your husband? Check. Lied to the real father only to tell him the truth when you thought you were going to die? Check. Lying every day? CHECK, CHECK, CHECK. I would like to recall a line uttered by Lizzie herself back in the day when she was seen as underdog #1 compared to her saint of a sister Sarah: "What is she, the poster girl for perfection?"

My answer? No. I frankly think that the writers of GH have not only destroyed Lizzie, but in fact, destroyed Lucky in the process. Yeah, he was addicted to painkillers. Why? Because some hussy named Maxie Jones has been in love with him since she was a kid and the only way that she could get him to notice her was to feed him drugs. Yes, this caused Lucky to lie, cheat, steal, you name it. And hell, Lizzie has never let him forget about it. Lucky, so blinded by his love for Lizzie finally came to the realization that the drugs were no good, so he quit and did everything to change his life around. Meanwhile, Lizzie slept with Jason "the Borg" Morgan out of spite when seeing Lucky and Maxie together, thus creating Jacob Martin (oh, how clever you are Lizzie). She then convinced herself that she didn't want to be with Lucky OR Jason, and decided that she would be on her own. But then Lucky, bless his heart, decided that he couldn't fight for her anymore. He wanted to let her go. Free pass dished by Lucky? I THINK SO.

But NO. Lizzie took this as a "For the first time I saw that boy I fell in love with" sign and decided that she wanted to marry him again. Why, oh why Lizzie? You had a free pass! You didn't have to tell Jason (yet) and you didn't have to tell Lucky. But no, you just had to complicate shit. Great. Fan-tastic.

So you can imagine me feeling absolutely no sympathy when Baby Jake got kidnapped. okay, I know. A child being kidnapped is terrible, of course, but this is the soap world, so I think I get a free pass (my first since Lizzie has hogged all of them). Lizzie of course blames.. Okay, herself, and all I could do was laugh when Lucky blamed her too! Hahaha! That's right, Lizzie. YOU did this to Jake. Meanwhile, the borg finds out that his kid has been kidnapped and he emotes the same way a breadstick can: crummy, but still firm. The story is still ongoing, but I have a feeling Baby Jake will turn up soon enough. However, heads are turning towards a certain someone who knows that the baby is Jason's ... hmm ... a certain disgruntled girlfriend perhaps? ... (I find myself feeling sorry for Sam, by the way. Never thought I would see the day that I would side with her rather than Lizzie. That's how I know it's bad.)

But how I feel about Lucky and Lizzie has depressed me far beyond I could have ever dreamed of. I remember their love in the early stages, and now it's all shot to hell. I suppose Lizzie always felt this obligation to Lucky, hence the "boy I fell in love with" remark, especially since he practically "saved" her after her brutal rape on a cold Valentine's night. But of course, as bad as Lizzie was, she couldn't resist the badass charms of Jason Morgan; I suppose Lucky always knew that she felt drawn to him. Now there's this triangle that has been created out of that history, and I suppose it makes for a compelling storyline, but at the same time, a part of me just wants to go through the screen and ring their necks. The lies are what truly get me because how on earth did Lizzie come to the conclusion that passing someone else's baby off as Lucky's would make everything right? Not only does it shut out the true father, but it just makes the whole situation more complicated---to a point where the truth explodes out of nowhere and ruins many lives. All the while, this makes for good television as I witness someone's world spiraling into a black abyss.

Anyway. That's how I feel about the whole thing.

Visit: General Hospital Happenings, Clarissa's GH Screencaps (where most of the screencaps are from), GH @ Wikipedia

mika @ the fillmore, 6/9

2007-06-12T00:49:00.001-07:00

Oh, what a night ...

I can't believe it. I didn't expect to still be doing this at my age, but there's nothing more exhilarating than being in a crowd of sweaty, sweaty young screaming teenagers. But even more better: going to concerts. It seems so long ago when I went to my first concert back in 1998 (a late bloomer), something called the Jingle Jam. It was a fun experience, but my heart knew that there could be more.

Anyway, fast forward almost ten years later and dozens and dozens of concerts later, and you would have come to last Saturday where it seemed like every concert I've ever been to felt like horseshit compared to the Mika concert I experienced at The Fillmore. Possibly one of my favorite venues ever (well, just because they offer free cold apples and sometimes the trademark concert posters), and probably one I loathe as well due to it being standing room only. You could feel the vibrations on the hardwood floors. And I'm not being overdramatic or poetic or anything; the floor was literally shaking, and this was due to everyone getting restless at some point waiting for the show to begin and waiting for him to come back out for an encore.

Dressed in some update of John Travolta's "Saturday Night Fever" getup, I felt like I was watching some 70s disco star strut his stuff through smoke and lights-- damn, I felt it. I felt every note he sang, and I felt like I was in the presence of a superstar. I couldn't put my finger on it, but for the love of me, Mika is pure magic. He's theatrical, spontaneous, flamboyant ... whatever describes anyone who loves to put on a big show. Every move he made caused me to scream and reach my hand out, hoping that he would reach out for me, too. It was very surreal and off-putting.

The set-list was full of all the songs everyone knows, from "Grace Kelly" to "Erase" ... the ballads gave everyone a moment to take time to rest from all the jumping and such, all of which everyone swayed in unison. I, however, took the time to just stare at him as he clinked away on his piano. Couldn't take my eyes off him during the whole thing, and that scares me a little.

My favorite moments came during the obvious songs. During "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" he grinded up on a well-endowed burlesque dancer, much to the delight of everyone around him. There was even a moment during "Love Today" where he started pounding on a garbage can, literally beating the sh*t out of it. It was loud, but damn, it was good. As he tossed the drumsticks away from me, I frowned. Boo. Hand it to the people in front!

The encore was another thing. I figure that if I was high, I probably would have been freaking out when I saw Mika and the band coming out in animal costumes. The bunny then proceeded to hit all of them with drumsticks (a trend, yes), but before that they danced in a circle. But then they broke out into my favorite song, "Lollipop" and balloons fell from the sky, as well as bubbles and confetti. The crowd went wild. It kind of reminded me of the last scene in "Star Wars: Episode I" when Natalie Portman hands someone a bubble. Don't ask why.

I don't know how to comprehend the show, but if I can reference the album, it was like a cartoon. Life in Cartoon Motion? Yes. But I love, love, LOVED this show. It was surreal, it was magnificent, and damn, it was good.

More pics (from the crap that is my camera phone):

More Mika!

Opening act Sara Bareilles. She was awesome. Watch out for this one.

Attack of the bunny!

Dancing in their circle. Ha!

Visit: Show review from the SF Chronicle, Mika (Official Site), Sara Bareilles

notes from the underground:

2007-06-09T00:26:00.000-07:00

(aka stuff on the web I stumbled upon/like/shocked me/etc.)

- Someone found a love letter in a Grateful Dead Family Album. I'm in love with whomever wrote it.
- The Defenders of Stan is now up to Episode 8. Hooray!
- Coverage of Paris Hilton crying continues! But damnit, I haven't seen a video of her crying mommy yet ... YouTube for the first time ever, is useless. (By the way, I missed my local news coverage of the whole thing, being out having a life and all. Ha.)
- Tony Thompson of Hi-Five died June 1st. Color me shocked. And sad.
- Always been a Rosie O'Donnell fan because she's fascinating to me. However, not a fan of the blonde chick that pretty much made her leave quickly. It seems that she is now taking on the role of outspoken loudmouth. Muwahaha.
- Tell me you don't remember this guy.

deadly obsession?

2007-06-02T01:04:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of nights now I have been tearing my house apart. Because of my recent graduation, the house has been a complete mess -- not just because I've been going crazy with projects, but also because in order for the place to get clean (for impending company), everything has to get pushed around as well. Basically, everything that I own was on the floor at some point and then put in its rightful place.

Or so I thought.

I'll admit it: I'm obsessed with post-it notes. Not just regular post-it notes, but the cool ones from Knock Knock which are sold at local Urban Outfitters stores if you're curious. A friend of mine bought these awesome post-it notes from them and they've peaked my interest. Now I can't go a day without using one in my planner, which I probably don't need anymore since I don't have school. But like everything else I have, I figure I need it.

Anyway. I can't find my "To Do" post-its, and it's driving me MAD. I think it particularly sucks that I have a need for this, especially at a time I actually need it. It's one thing when I don't and I force myself to use something (like when you buy food and realize the day before it expires that it's going to expire, so you eat it). But I want to use it ... NOW!!!

So, these wonderful post-its probably ended up:
1) in the trash
2) somewhere in a pile of crap
or
3) in the elusive "black hole"

If it ended up in the trash, I would be seriously devastated. If it's in a pile of crap, at least I know it's somewhere safe (much like when I can't find my credit card and I know it's in the house somewhere because I would never take it out). If it has "accidentally" landed in the middle of nothing, I guess I could just buy another one. But I reeeeeally want my old one. Really.

I also want the ones that say "Complaint," "Please," and "Or Else." Sure, I could probably just have regular post-its, but where's the fun in those except that they come in different colors? I guess I just like novelty post-its. Novelty in general. Does it make me a novelist? Oh god, I hope it does.

Visit: KnockKnock (all post-its)

greatest hits.

2007-05-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Pic courtesy of Lostpedia

While I loathe and despise season finales, I have to give it up to Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof for never disappointing me, and making this the best season since the first. There are a lot of questions that got answered, and a lot of new ones that were posed, and all I can say is: I can't wait until February. I haven't been this interested in television since "Night Court" was on the air. (Kidding. Maybe "Silver Spoons" or "Full House.") 2010 is far, far away, but the anticipation for the series finale is getting to me ... can't wait to be surprised! EEEEEE.

I had a lot of favorite moments during the third season, but my ultimate favorite came during "Greatest Hits." (SPOILERS ARE FOLLOWING ... DO NOT READ BELOW UNLESS YOU SAW THE EPISODE! And for the love of Pete, catch up already!) Charlie dives down to The Looking Glass station, and when you think this is the end for our rockstar hero, he comes to find that it's not a flooded station, but one that's working! And these two crazy chicks with guns are pissed off and stuff. Awesome.

Anyway? My favorite shot was of his shoes floating in the water, the immortal Off The Wall Vans checker slip-ons. Call it symbolism, call it the ultimate ad for the legendary shoes, whatever. I just loved the way that played out. He was probably one of my favorite characters on "Lost" because of the character background: sweet and humble rockstar turned bad by drugs. On the island, he found some redemption ... why, oh why can't I be on an island? I'm kidding.

Also, his list -- his "greatest hits." I bet it inspired a lot of people to sit down and write their greatest hits, too. It kind of inspired me, but I'll write them down later. Four (out of five) hasn't seemed to happen yet.

---

Pic courtesy of Salon.com

But in sadder news, "Veronica Mars," which is another one of my shows has been cancelled, or so they say. I hate how networks take great shows and try to retool them to "make them better." How else are you going to make a show like "Veronica Mars" better than it already is? To put it plainly: eff that.

---

Other TV things I find wonderful:
- the season finale of "Brothers & Sisters" and a certain pantry scene ... hee.
- "Dancing with the Stars" winner Apolo Anton Ohno
- the fact that "Hell's Kitchen" will premiere June 4th.
- "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" ... even if it is in reruns this week.

Visit: Lostpedia, Veronica Mars

perfect from now on.

2007-04-16T00:16:00.000-07:00

I figure coming from the blog-dead includes me doing something that I hardly do. Okay, so something that I never do, and something that I'll probably never do unless something moves me to do so.

But if you know me behind the bloglines, you know I'm not a reader. Book reader, that is. I hate reading. I've hated it ever since I was a child because I was stuck reading books like "Rascal" and "Harriet the Spy," which I suppose are both children's classics in their own right. However---if you flashback to a young me, you will note the chubbiness in my cheeks and the stubbiness of my legs. I liked watching "Night Court" even though I didn't quite understand what they talked about, and I loved to stay up to watch Arsenio because it satisfied my R&B/Urban Contemporary thirsts. In conclusion, you will see a child in front of you that does not read unless forced. And by forced, it's always those damned summer reading lists. Can we do away with those? (I'm kidding. But I sure as hell wished they would do away with those when I was a wee lass.)

This is the part where I tell you that it's ironic that I hate reading, because I absolutely love to write. Letters, email, snail mail, cards, short stories, screenplays, announcements, letters that scold people without like a righteous ass, whatever. Anything that needs to be written, I'll get it done. I hate going to the bookstore because to get to the magazines, I must pass books. While wandering around North Beach the other day, I actually wandered into (for the first time) City Lights Bookstore, one of the most famous bookstores in the history of the universe. Some guy named Kerouac hung out there (unclutch your heart, dear hipsters: I know who he is). It's just downright famous if you ask me. I went in there and quickly stepped out. I felt like books were going to rain down on me at any moment, as if to know there was an intruder in their presence. Like on "Lost," how the French chick calls the black smoke the security system. I'm sure all bookstores have a reaction when they smell foul.

But lately, this so-called "I don't read" soul has stepped into bookstores and not winced at the sight of thousands of spines and booksleeves that don't interest her. I guess this is due in part to the fact that I've acquired an internship as as music reviewer, and with this, I've had to expand my vocabulary slightly (how many ways can you say "awesome" without saying it with that word?). And I figure since I'm writing about music--- I might as well know about it other than whatever I think I know about music.

So one fateful moment in Borders, I decided to check the music section, and there are tons and tons of music books. Books on rock, books on pop, books on Britney Spears that I laughed at, and so forth. I didn't want to read about rock music for some reason, but I still looked through the standard book on The Beatles or how John Lennon changed music. Yawn. My dad has that stuff.

There were two books that caught my eye. The first being "Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time" by Rob Sheffield, who writes for Rolling Stone. It's more of a true story rather than fiction, but the idea of music fiction/non-fiction is the first thing to intrigue me since I discovered bit torrents (another day, another topic). The second, of course, was this book that caught me off guard:

"Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life" by John Sellers is not what I thought it would be. And the questions of the moment are: what did I think it would be, and why in the world would you pick now to talk about it, let alone recommend it?

Answer: I don't know (and cue the Jim Halpert puzzled look).

But what I do know is that I loved it from the moment I read it. The first words in the book are "I hate Bob Dylan" and for the love of me, I don't know anyone who does. It's one of those crazy things that it seems like everyone and their mom loves. Sellers' dad worships Dylan, and I have to say, my dad worships Dylan, too. I bought my dad one of Dylan's most recent, and while Dylan is good, I can think of a million other things I'd rather listen to in the car than any more wax-poetic tunage from back in the day. (By the way, in the car while with my dad, lately it's been The Beatles' "Love" soundtrack. I enjoy The Beatles, but sometimes, I think a break is due. He's been spreading his wings a bit, and I think he's now obsessed with The Shins and their awesomeness. It started when I lent him the "Garden State" soundtrack.)

Part of the title is "How Indie Rock Saved My Life" and with that title, I figured it had to be good. And seriously ... I think this book is perfect if you've ever obsessed about a band. Sellers fancies Guided By Voices, which I'm sad to say, I've never heard a record by. But reading about his fan-boy devotion just made me want to pick up "Bee Thousand" (almost did; ran out of money) and also--- this is the sign that I'm truly interested in something --- Wikipedia-it or YouTube them. His fandom reminded me a little bit of myself by some of the bands that I've found myself obsessed with at some point in time-- Wham! (when I was like, FIVE), Immature, The White Stripes, Green Day, N.E.R.D. ... and most importantly during my youth, a secret love affair with Hanson. That's right: I said Hanson. And if you don't know, now you know --- "The Walk" hits stores May 22nd in the US. I've previewed some tracks (okay, all) and it's their best album yet. I also YouTubed their Underneath Acoustic tour and put on my favorites Part Two, because it includes two of my faves from "This Time Around," which are "If Only" and "Runaway Run." The last one was arranged quite differently from the original, and I have to say I totally fell back into love. Or obsession, which ever you might think is the right fit for me.

Sellers also mentioned that someone says that you should never meet your heroes. This is a major thing for me when I go to concerts of people I enjoy. At the last Jason Mraz concert I went to, I had some butterflies once he began to play, mainly because I thought that maybe he'd be outside to meet the fans and such. He wasn't, but the thought of him being outside signing, or the thought of him walking down the street to the 7-Eleven made me go crazy. What if I ran into him? What would I say? Would he think I was stupid?

And that's another thing: while I love Mraz with all of my heart and soul, I kind of liked him better when nobody knew who he was. I had heard about him through an ex-blogger, and I remember going to the store to buy "Waiting For My Rocket To Come" out of curiosity. I had yet to start my obsession with singer-songwriters, and Mraz was the ticket into heaven. I began buying everything he recorded that I could get my hands on, and I just thought to myself: job well done. I think the minute he became super popular was the moment that I realized he wasn't technically "mine" anymore. Actually, the moment I realized he wasn't mine anymore was when this chick in front of me sung every single lyric to every one of his songs at his acoustic show at The Fillmore in '05. It was deathly quiet during "Please Don't Tell Her," which sounded beautiful acoustically without all of the hoo-hah production, and all I could hear was HER VOICE. She ruined the experience for me, and I will NEVER FORGET IT. I hope someone ruins something she loves. (That's the worst I can wish on someone without wishing their tragic death.) Other artists I liked a whole lot more when nobody cared: James Blunt, N.E.R.D., Plain White T's,etc.

I recently overcame my fear of meeting my heroes when I went to an in-store at Amoeba, starring Sondre Lerche. Oh, how I loved that show. Is it just me, or does everything sound better stripped down? My favorite track that he played was "On The Tower." It was the first time I heard it, and it's one of those songs that'll get you the first time. Overwhelm you, emotionally or something crazy like that. Whatever. I actually went up to him, met him, mumbled "You played a great set" and he said "Thank you" in his awesome Norwegian accent, and I took a picture with him. I was also sweating very, very badly.

But, what's this really about? Oh yeah. Reading "Perfect From Now On" really just solidified all of the thoughts in the back of my head I never got a chance to say out loud, or think about in full detail. I'm making it my first (and most likely last) recommendation for all you kiddies out there who "love" to read. If you've ever loved music, here's your chance to read about a guy who probably loves music more than you ever could. I've picked up some great tips, both music-wise and just in general about loving your favorite bands. Hopefully I've learned something. Haven't figured out if there was a moral to the story yet. (There probably was. But things go over my head. Not because I'm short, but because I'm slow.)

Buy it at: Amazon.
Visit: Angry John Sellers, mySpace, johnsellers.net

my final project has arrived!!!

2006-12-19T21:51:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm obviously writing this before I actually post it up to the week 16 entry on the BECA 670 blog, but I just wanted to leave my link here before I forget entirely:

http://randomartsf.wordpress.com

First of all, I changed blogging software. I badly wanted to do Moveable Type, but I swear, if you don't know how to do a certain thing, don't try to learn it in a week because that's just stupid. I stuck with Wordpress just because it's very user friendly. You don't even have to type in HTML or anything, and you can just click a button, and it's there! Like magic or something.

Also ... I didn't get a chance to do my own Google Map, and instead, I'm using Zooomr as a host for the RaSF photo album because it already has geotagging available. My real wish in the future is that I can make my own Google Map that has the same effect. I'm majorly bummed I wasn't able to put the map on the front. But I will do it in the near future when I figure it out a little bit more.

Other than that, my project is basically done, and I'm happy with it. And even though the class is over, it's something that I would love to keep up with.

So, that's my shtick. See you on the flipside. (I've always wanted to say that, but now that I have, I think I sound like a crazy man. Yep. Crazy man.)

final project: it moved! (sorry, blogger.)

2006-12-15T01:28:00.000-08:00

So because of the guest speakers Jay and Ryanne today talking about wordpress and how good it is, I decided to put my final project version there. I've already worked on it, so here it is. I heart wordpress, too. It took me a little while to figure out how to work their templates, though. The beautiful thing about it is that you don't have to even touch code! Not even a little bit of it. You can of course customize with CSS, but that's if you actually pay. I'm in it for the free stuff.

Check back soon ... it's a work in progress until December 22nd.

baby version of my project.

2006-12-05T23:08:00.000-08:00

Go here! It's in it's super beginning stage.

final-final project/tool post pt. 2 (super, super long)

2006-12-01T16:37:00.000-08:00

Continuing from what I found the first time (the only thing, actually), I have a better grasp of what it is that I'm going to be doing. After some long hard consideration (and quiet time being a lab monitor), I've decided on my final project.

My original final project proposal had to do with building up an artist collective, which by the way, is still something that I want to do. But I'll probably leave that for when I have more time. In sticking with the "art" theme, I've decided to build up a site that I would say resembles Buzznet or other photo-sharing sites. And I came up with "Random Art In The City: A(nother) Place For The Weird And Obscure In San Francisco." That's a working title because I realize that SF is a place that might go beyond weird and obscure (in some cases).

The basic premise is this: people in SF can send in photos of crazy things they've seen in the city ... random art. My favorite piece of random art in the city are the painted mushrooms. They're just pipes with little domes on them, and for some odd reason, someone painted the domes red with white polka dots to make them appear like mushrooms on concrete. The first time I saw it, I thought I was a little nuts, but now whenever I see those type of pipes without the paint on it, I just wonder what happened. When they send their photos in, they can tell a story about how they found it, and what they thought of it (besides it being random and weird). Or maybe they can send in a little known fact about the piece of art instead. People will be able to comment, share their thoughts, or maybe like on YouTube, they're allowed to post a video response ... maybe the commenter can post a photo response. Maybe later on if I have the will to carry this into the future, I'll let people do video responses. Who knows? The possibilities to be able to interact are pretty much endless. One of the goals of the site is to show another side to the city that natives and tourists don't really see. Of course you can come to the city and see the Golden Gate Bridge, or whatever famous place, but I think it's kind of cool to go around and see the obscure .. and take people to go with you, too! I want it to be an adventure site ... choose your own adventure, perhaps? Maybe not so much that, but just fun. Like if you have a day where you're bored, you can just go see whatever weird attraction interests you.

Now, all I really have to do is find a way to make all of this work, and besides the FireFTP program, I had a couple of tools that I wanted to use:

The first tool is a version of Google Maps called Google Maps API in which you can imbed a java version of their maps on your own site. I figured using this will give the reader an easier and hopefully fun way to find the piece of art that was submitted. The map would appear with the photo, of course. I have to read up on this more, though because they have a LOT of options. Almost too many.
Another tool I'm looking into is Moveable Type ... the free, personal version. While I love Blogger, I feel like I want to branch off into another type of blogging platform. However, if I feel like I'm ripping my hair out at the last minute, I'll go back to Blogger just because I'm familiar with it more. But MT is something I've always wanted to try out, so it's a pending idea.
An HTML/Webdesign program: On my super-old school laptop, I used to use this thing called Microsoft FrontPage, and I used to be all over that. Now that I think about it, it was a pretty good program to use, but I probably won't be using that unless I go super-fancy. I also don't have it on my newer PC, so that's a bust. In a way, I have my heart set on Dreamweaver (because now I have a Mac), and then I'll just try to make it my own somehow by fixing other stuff. I've got some basic HTML stuff memorized, so I think if I need to make certain adjustments, I will. Anyway, I probably should have mentioned this in class on Thursday, but whenever I had a problem figuring out an HTML code, I'd go (and still go) to Lissa Explains it All, which is a HTML site for ... kids. Yeah, it's a kids site (I like how it says "JUST for kids"), but whatever works, works. Click on the "html-help" tab.
Photohosting site: I already have Photobucket, but I'm going to shop around for another one. Maybe Flickr might be better. I'm still looking at stuff.
My old digital camera that resembles a brick, but magically still functions.
Photoshop, too, which is what I use to resize my photos all the time and do some color correction.
Webspace, if I won't use blogspot ... which will be my SFSU account. Free webspace!

Other things I thought about were commenting abilities, which should be cool if I use Blogger or Moveable Type. I've still got a lot of kinks to work out, like more advanced ways to submit photos. I guess I could set up another email account for people to send their photos/blurbs in, and that would just require me to look at/or approve things before they get posted up. I also want it to work on its own, like Buzznet, where they have their own accounts and such, and can upload whatever and whenever they want. I won't go that far, though. That's just too out of my league at the moment.

I've also started to think about the basis of the site ... rules, regulations and such. My first rule is no landmarks/famous stuff... which I might rethink, because I all of a sudden remembered the Defenestration Building, which is probably the weirdest thing ever. But it's still cool. I guess the rules part is a work in progress, too. But I think I can get a basic layout done by the next time I come to class. Hopefully.

Tool post!

2006-11-17T01:01:00.000-08:00

I say tool instead of tools because I found only one so far that I know I'm most likely to use. I checked out the Firefox extensions/add-ons page that Sandon has posted to his blog, and I downloaded myself the FireFTP program, which is a free (!!) FTP program. I tried a hand at trying to get Fetch, but it was only available free as a trial. I hate that, so I tried my best to find something free. And it worked! It takes a little bit a patience to actually get how to use it, but I got the hang of it ... eventually.

Go here to get it.

(I'll try and add to the list as I find more tools I'll be using. Squee!)

the "hyper" projects, plus my own.

2006-11-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

Hyper project #1: Studiocleo.com - I like the idea of images mixing with poetry, and this is the basic setup for this project. The poetry is interesting, but a part of it is a little bit confusing. I can't tell if the creator intended the poetry to clash with the images, or to have them in synch with them. At times, it seems like that might be true, but most of the time, it's a lot of the same images. I also at some point lost track of the poetry. The poetry is "life" heavy ... questions about it, mostly. The images are of everyday things: waiting for a bus, sitting on a bench, some street signs. Maybe the point of it was to have the mundane appear to be something extraordinary. I didn't love it-love it; I would say I was just intrigued by it. But I got tired of clicking on each image after a while. There doesn't really seem to be an end to the project, and there's nothing that indicates when it was created, or why.

Hyper project #2: http://www.391.org/29/ - I must be good at picking weird projects ... it's weird that it reminds me a little bit of Urban Dead, with the map. None the less, this one is better than the first one that I picked. I don't really know what it is, or have no way of giving it a name. You click on different parts on the map, and it takes you different places. As soon as I clicked on the doctor's office, a song began to play. I can't name the rap group, but they sound really familiar. I'd hate to say the wrong group... The Roots? Oh, nobody rag on me, please. The one thing I found to be really interesting about it was clicking on the Central Periodical Company, on which you can click on the magazine section or newspaper section. I chose the newspaper section, and it shows an article about the Mayor of a city. But once you run your mouse over it, there are corrections/criticisms in red over the article, which is a cool idea. I suppose the name of the project, which is "Access Points" does have a meaning to it. It's a huge project, and I have yet to go over every single thing.

As for my own version of a interactive/hyperfiction project, the only one that I can really grasp right now is just going with the one that we worked on in class. As of right now, it's just in a beginning stage, and to sum it up, it's the story of mistaken identity. It begins the same way, but each story takes a different turn in the end. I guess it's like "choose your own adventure" ... right? I don't really know how to explain the plot without spoiling it fully, but I guess I'll just try and lure you into reading my story by telling you that one of the two adventures has him ending up dead. Exciting? Probably not, but maybe it might be. I'll try. Like, really hard.

(To jazz it up, though ... I don't know. Pictures? Funny fonts? I'm glad I don't really have to do this.)

The Kingdom of Loathing.

2006-11-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

What really caught my eye about the game was that it was simple: well, the graphics. They look like stick figures I used to draw, or this one cartoon I remember from watching "Liquid Television" a couple of years back. That's beside the point.

The Kingdom of Loathing, according to its Wikipedia page, is a sort of satire on the MMORPGs. I guess you could call it that, because of the characters that are available to play ... like the Disco Bandit or the Sauceror. My character, which can be male or female, is the Accordion Thief. This is the description for my character choice: The scourge of mariachis and polka bands, the Accordion Thieves have plied their malign craft since time out of mind. Their Moxie serves them well in both their adventures and their interactions with "the ladies.". In my case, it serves me well with the "fellas." Something like that. I already love this game because it's weird and it has bad looking stick figures.

I started playing maybe twenty or thirty minutes ago, but it looks like I've used up all my clicks, or in TKoL world, my "adventures." You get 40 a day, but it looks like they gave me some extra adventures, since when I looked my count, it said 80. And each character has three main attributes: muscle, moxie, and mysticallity. All of these can be gained through the different adventures you have, and the different things you can collect on these adventures. Also, before you can go to other levels, you have to complete some kind of "training" which occurs at Mt. Noob. While I thought this was fun at first, it got kind of repetitive, because I just found myself re-clicking everything to gain more attributes. It was funny and cute to read the first time, but then I just realized I was going in a circle. Maybe I'm not getting the game. But without the training, you can't click on anything else. Or, it just won't let you go anywhere else. When I tried to go elsewhere, it told me I couldn't, so that was frustrating. There is also something strange about being stuck at a place called Mt. Noob for a long period of time.

I looked around a little bit more and I found out that you can actually start playing against other people. I decided against this, mainly because I didn't feel like reading how and why, and I didn't feel like ruining my character, crazy_underwear, at this time. The whole game is really text-based, and while I think the little figures are really crappy and funny looking, when I think of a game, I don't think of "reading." I think that's why when you get Scrabble, the instructions that they give you are printed really, really small: it discourages people from reading it because it's a huge snooze. But, I think I'm smart enough on my good days, so I figure I'll eventually give in and read it, or figure it out on my own.

But seriously, I'm going to try and play again tomorrow when I get 40 more adventures because I want to see what else happens. You can't learn everything in one day with these things. I finally gave up on Urban Dead. That game just brought me a whole lot of misery.

Two (of six) characters you might want to be:

The Sealclubber

The Accordion Thief

king kong took a vacation and ended up on a shirt.

2006-11-06T13:37:00.000-08:00

Since I'm a Threadless member, I got an email notifying me that a t-shirt I voted for (which I said "I'd buy") was actually made into a tshirt. It's awesome! I'm probably going to get it, but ... maybe when there's another $10 sale. But still, I think it's a pretty cool shirt:

Click here to see a better image.

Urban Dead isn't fun when you don't know how to play.

2006-11-03T16:08:00.000-08:00

I played a little bit of Urban Dead at home, or at least tried to. And I got confused a little bit, mainly because I had just logged on, and I found out some dude had kept on killing me until I was dead! I logged off ... and I guess that really wasn't enough? I don't know much about the game to go hide under a tree or anything. Or maybe my internet connection was just SO SLOW to load the page that I was already shown logged in and some guy just decided to make me his victim. that really, really, really sucked. But I was also disappointed that I had no more action points, and just nothing. Being a Zombie in the game isn't exactly cool. And I had to wait for more, because they replenish. I guess it's kind of like my Zombie just took a nap. I was able to stand up just now (me getting killed happened yesterday). So maybe all is not lost.

And now ... I will try my hand at another game, possibly the ones that Marc suggested.

... to be continued.

final project woes.

2006-11-02T11:34:00.000-08:00

I have the strangest feeling that I might need to come up with another project proposal. It always happens: I get an idea, blow it up out of proportion, and then I decide to abandon it. That's what happens to my "greatest" ideas: I get excited about it one minute, and the next, I feel like I'm totally over it. And I don't think that's good since this final project is coming close to being due ... isn't it?

And frankly, I have no idea what it is that I want to do anymore. I think I might actually just be going through a "phase" and I'll probably feel differently tomorrow. But this is the first time in a while I've actually sat down and thought about what it is I need, and what it is I need to do, and it's a little overwhelming for me. Maybe because I'm doing everything in one sitting.

If there IS anything that I need right now, it's a new computer, and I'm getting one pretty soon. I also got a coupon for $30 off, so I'm going to use that as soon as possible (you know how I love the deal-ie-os). Or at least before the coupon expires. I just hope that I'll be able to get my stuff together in time (I usually do). But, not to fear ... I'm working on more ideas. My mind feels a little more scrambled than it usually is. And, like I said ... I'll probably feel differently tomorrow. I need to just get up and walk away for a little bit and take a nap.

(p.s. Watching all the shows like Yacht Rock makes me want to do something like that too, by the way. It's so confusing. So many shows ... so little time.)

techno-del.icio.us!

2006-10-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Here are my Technorati, and my del.icio.us accounts. I'm still working on putting everything together on it (links and stuff), but for some reason, I'm having a hard time putting links up. Meaning: I don't know what to put. Yeah, I realize putting stuff you like is the way to go, but I never realized that I only liked maybe a few websites, as opposed to a lot. Or maybe I just hate having to link things on the page when I already have them on my browser? None the less, it's good for when I'm on another computer and I forget the exact website to something. I could just log in and get the link right away instead of doing a search. I'm adding sites on deeeeeelishious whenever I see something on the main page I like, which is how I found Uncommon Body. There are no pictures or anything, but I love the information. It's very interesting.

Eh. Anyway, it's a work in progress. Check back later.

my three subscriptions.

2006-10-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

The Google Reader is genius! I love it... everything is at my fingertips. Sort of. Anyway, here are my three:

The Leaky Cauldron: This is my first stop for anything Harry Potter related. Sometimes I'll be bored and I'll just kind of look through everything here. And, with the new pictures from the fifth movie, my interest has been sparked again. So I always give this place a visit. I love how they post news, rumors, etc. If you're a HP fan you probably already know about this site. If not... get with it! ;)
Pink Is the New Blog: My daily celebrity gossip/humor/whatever site, which I mentioned on my first blog ... it took me forever to find his feed, though. It's on the sidebar with all the other little icons and advertisments, which I had to rustle through a little bit. I look forward to the pictures mostly.
Gawker.com: I had to be on the up and up with celebrity gossip for my internship last semester, and one of the sites I looked at a lot (and discovered) was this one. I especially liked looking at Gawker Stalker, which is this crazy thing where people send in tips about where celebrities have been spotted. The exact time, exact place, who they are with, and it gets marked on a MapQuest-looking map. Creepy, but strangely, I cannot look away.... oh yeah, and it's really just Manhattan based. I don't seem to mind.

And ... that is all. The Google Reader is good when I don't feel like going to a whole bunch of sites. As for RSS and whatever, I feel like I'm getting addicted. And if a site doesn't have a feed, I go NUTS.

crickets chirping

2006-10-02T23:05:00.000-07:00

Yes.

Cobwebs have formed inside my head because I don't know what would be cool to do for a final project. I suppose it should be something that a) isn't too hard and b) will enjoy doing.

............ okay! I guess I came up with something. My sister is always talking about these guys that do Diggnation. Basically, they're two guys who talk about stuff on the web, or totally go off on tangents while drinking beers. I could try to do something like that, or at least I think that would be fun.

Also, I guess I've had this in my head for a while, but I've always wanted to start up my own website which would be like an "artist collective." It was originally an idea for me to have some sort of resume up on the web complete with all the writing stuff I've done, but it kind of bloomed into something else during the summer. I was thinking about just featuring artists on there, their work and other things ... kind of act like a host for their own resumes/work/etc. Most of the artists would be local, and the "artists" I speak of could be musicians, painters, sculptors, writers, photographers ... whatever is considered creative. I also planned to possibly have something like a podcast on there, in which I interviewed or talked to one of the featured artists. Another thing was to have my friend's recorded journals from his recent trip to the Philippines, or maybe host a podcast that he was trying to get started. But now ... I don't really know. I figure this is more of an outside thing (like non-school related), and I have no idea how to really make it interactive ... besides letting people comment on what they like or don't, or having a forum for other artists to be in touch with each other, la, la, la.

Or ... I could just make another YouTube!!! I'm kidding. I'm just ... drawing a blank on the project. I need ideas!!!

Threadless.com

2006-09-24T17:41:00.000-07:00

I heard about Threadless.com from a friend almost a year and a half ago, though it has been on the web since 2000. She mentioned them to me because she knew that I liked graphic tees, and also because I like sales. One of the best things that they have are the $10 sales, which come at perfect times like right before school time (when I'm in need of clothes) and holidays like Christmas. Or, they'll have sales just for the heck of it.

What I think is really cool about Threadless is that the designs on the tshirts are designed by people like you and me ... think of it as an ongoing t-shirt contest, and we the people get to vote and comment on what shirts we like. The winners get their design made into a tshirt, and receive a cash prize. I think it's a great opportunity for designers to get their stuff out there, and a great opportunity to get their stuff critiqued. They also have a forum available for people to talk about anything. It doesn't have to be about the tshirt designs ... some people talk about TV and stuff. The site has a lot of content... both fun and insightful. A lot of new stuff has been added over the years. I think one of the most recent things they did was extend the tshirt contest into one where you can create slogans for tshirts. They even supply templates for you!

Most of the designs on the site are really fun and interesting. Some are just ... well, weird. But I think it's really cool to be able to have a hand in what gets put onto a tshirt. And I also think Threadless is a great place to share designs and ideas with others. The people on there seem like fun, too.

Here's a link to an interview with the founder, Jacob DeHart, to find out the bigger story behind Threadless.

And, I thought it'd be cool to share some of my favorite designs. I have two of these shirts ... the other two I wish I bought when they had it, but now I have to wait for a reprint. And a $10 sale. It's wishful thinking.

behind the scenes at AT&T Park

2006-09-11T22:09:00.000-07:00

Last semester, I had the privilege of working with WB20 (which is now TV20, by the way ... yourTV20. Good, that's out of the way.) at their (now defunct?) Daily Mixx Show. And it just so happened that they were shooting on location at AT&T Park, and they asked me to go to help out! This not only made my week, but just the whole internship entirely. Sure, I got to learn a lot and get some free stuff, but having some kind of "Behind the scenes" access to the park just tickled me a little ... well, pink.

When the day began, it didn't seem like we'd be able to go, though. It was raining cats and dogs outside, and they were going to do some shots on the field (which would be impossible to do when raining). But we all went anyway, just in case the rain would let up. Luckily for us, it did, and the sky cleared up and created the perfect fake backdrop like it never rained at all. We met up with a representative from the park (her name escapes me ... it was in April, after all) and she gave us the run down of what was going on at the park this year and what we would be able to shoot (and whatnot). On camera, Shane and Lesley did their thing, and also managed to do some one on one interviews. The only one I can really remember was when they both interviewed this guy named Bryan Srabian (not Brian Sabean, the GM) and how he said "hyphy" and I think everyone in the room was shocked that he knew that word. After one of the takes, they kind of teased him because he knew "the lingo" and how much he was getting into the interview. Haha. (Oh yeah: they were interviewing him about how the players get to pick their own intro music, and he was talking about how Randy Winn was into the Bay Area rap scene, especially E-40.)

That interview, by the way, took place in Renel's booth where she does the announcing for the game. It was cool to actually be in that room, just because you could see a sweeping view of the ballpark and even the bay. While waiting around, I looked at what was in that room, and the thing that really caught my eye was this tall white cabinet with a couple of CDs on top of it. And taped to the front of the cabinet were pictures of Renel with all sorts of people, and some article clippings. It was interesting to look at. On a table on the right, everything looked like a hot mess. The only thing I remember seeing were little mini bottles of alcohol. Draw your own conclusions here.

Other crazy things I got to see ... I've never really been in those special "VIP" elevators, the ones that go to the Oracle Suites or whatever, and I got to be in it. After getting off, we had to go through this creepy maze that reminded me of going down to the war room in some old flick. I also got to sit in the Giants dugout while they did more shots. When done, I walked around a little bit and sat on the benches just because. The next thing I did was look at the phones, which had little labels on them. The one I saw first said GENERAL MANAGER. Me being me, I picked it up, and it rang a little. I got a little scared and hung it up.

The biggest highlight of my trip was getting to go into the Giants Lockeroom. They made it sound all "special occassion" that we got to go in there, too. "Not even the press are allowed in here," the lady said with raised eyebrows. I got nervous.

Inside, it was empty of all the players' gear, which wasn't really surprising. It also smelled very clean, which I'm sure it doesn't during the baseball season.

Here are the lockers all dressed up fancy for the cameras ... just a few jerseys to emulate what it might look like during real time. FYI: those lockers are HUGE, and if you sit in them, you feel like you're in a confessional at church. Catholic church, that is. (It has a grid on each side. I guess you have to communicate with your teammates somehow.)

That's Lesley in the background doing her shots, and Shane in the foreground watching. I'm sitting in the confessional, taking horrible photos with my crappy camera phone. While she wasn't shooting, Shane asked where Barry's locker was. If you go beyond the right of the photo, his locker is in fact, three lockers, and it's almost far away from everyone else's (it's not pictured). And I know you're wondering "Why three lockers?" Two of them are for his trainers, of course. I didn't realize trainers got lockers.

As for the crappiest picture I have ever taken, I nearly soiled myself when I saw this banner. It's fuzzy, but it says "1989 National League Champions." And I got excited just because I got all nostalgic about what a wonderful baseball season that was (even though it ended with an earthquake and a loss to the Oakland A's). Those days at Candlestick were cold, but so much fun.

Other fun stuff in that locker room ... a bulletin board that was laying on a table (they were repainting, so almost all the wall stuff was down). It had old baseball cards of former Giants, and much to my excitement a phone list. The first thing I looked for was Noah Lowry's phone number. Of course, life wouldn't be that good to me. Ever.

So, that was my story. It was fun to feel like a "VIP" for a couple of hours, and to actually be able to go around to the areas of the ballpark that I'd never been. I'll tell you that there were a whole lot of men in that place, especially in the main control room. A lot of suits. I felt severely underdressed. But, it was fun. I wish I took more photos, and I wish I brought an actual camera. You can ever trust these camera phone things.

The logo on the jumbo-tron. The weather was still a little shady when I took this one.

For more information on AT&T Park, and to keep up with the (3rd place!) Giants, you can always go to the SFGiants website. And, as a fan of humor sites, please visit my favorite Giants humor site, Bleeding Black and Orange which keeps me going through such trying times during the season. Trapped in LA is a good one, too. I find it's better that you have a sense of humor if you're a Giants fan.

Oscar!

2006-09-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

One of my favorites. (plus another)

2006-09-06T00:31:00.000-07:00

Like (almost) all students, I love free stuff. College life can get tough, especially if you don't have any money. Which in part is why I love The Test Pilot. Two words: FREE MUSIC!

Okay, so it's not a huge array of downloads, but it's a bit select. The guy who runs it posts up samples of artists' best songs. They're not necessarily well-known artists (I think the latest well-known artist he posted up were some recent Dashboard Confessional songs), but I would say it's mostly indie. In his little "About Me" section, he says he does the blog "to put music out there that I think people don't know about and should try." I'm always on the lookout for new artists, so I like to frequent his blog a lot. I actually came across it looking for a New Order song I heard playing with a trailer to this flick called "Marie Antoinette," and he had a download of it. Don't know when that movie is coming out. I guess I should look it up.

And yes, I do like free stuff ... but I do take his advice. If you like it enough ... you should buy it. It's always cool to support the artist.

Honorable Mention: Pink Is the New Blog! I love this blog, too. I can't live without reading this blog everyday. Trent is always making fun of Kim Stewart (I know ... who's that?) and his commentary on everything is pretty funny. It's a celebrity blog, by the way. He'll have the craziest looking pictures and put his "pink" commentary on it. And he'll even take the most boring picture in the world and make it interesting. It's where I get my celebrity gossip, too. A must see! Go ... now!

My first post.

2006-08-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, this is super cool:

BECA 670 - the class blog.