Culturally Subverting Bedtime Stories

Bad Girls Club

2010-11-09T16:39:00.006-05:00

I have a confession to make: I've been watching The Bad Girls Club: Miami. Typically I don't watch the Oxygen Network and typically I'm not into television shows depicting foolish women who are my age, but this show is actually entertaining. Originally, I wanted to see an episode because it was filmed Miami, but after watching I became dumbfounded how ridiculous this show is and became somewhat obsessed.

Now, imagine being born a cute baby girl. You get smacked on your tush by the doctor, you get wrapped around a pink blanket, you get breast-fed by your mother, you start growing, you love cookies, you have tea parties with your teddy bears, you skip to school, you have your cootie shots, you have been taught every good manner, and you're sugar and spice and everything nice. Now imagine everything opposite of that and you have these ladies:

a photoshop disaster

My Tuesday nights have been pretty dull ever since Lost ended so whenever I wasn't doing anything on my former Lost night I would turn on, tune in and drop out by watching The Bad Girls Club: Miami. I've watched tons of screaming, "fights", shit-talking, bad girls leaving the house, new bad girls entering the house, drunks, bleach thrown around, and that one time they went to Churchills.

Did I learn anything from watching the show? Yes and No. Yes, this Miami season was more entertaining than Jersey Shore's Miami season (seriously I only watched two episodes). No, it's not earth shattering, but what I did learn is to embrace the "bad girls". When I first heard of this show a few years ago, I was completely baffled that a show like this exists. Who wants to watch belligerent women hmm, I mean girls, literally do nothing but drink and fight? I'm a classy board but after seeing a couple of episodes of this season of The Bad Girls Club I realized that "bad girls" are more interesting and always makes history. Com'on the first official bad girl is Eve-y Eve herself, the first woman on earth who ate a forbidden fruit from The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Heck, even the Maries from the Czech New Wave film Daisies (Sedmikrásky) were on to something. They figured since theres bad everywhere in this world, they should go bad themselves.

A nihilistic approach to life! So can I conclude since these bad girls are without (or barely with) moral standards, they are the faces of the future of post-nihilism?

Ugh, too much thought for this show. If you want to read more I suggest checking the coverage by Miami New Times.

Voting or something like it

2010-11-01T15:06:00.003-04:00

Election Day is tomorrow and sadly I have been slacking. Normally I'm on top when it comes to voting: studying the sample ballot, research candidates and amendment articles etc; I just haven't been swayed by politics this past year. What I can say is:

I have a super political crush on Debbie Wasserman Schultz. I thought about applying for her internship.
Out of the 14 mailed political advertisement sent to my family only 1 was endorsed by the Democrat Party.
One of these 13 was directed to me: a person who has voted for socialist candidates in past.
All of these endorsed Republican Party ads all mention wasteful spending.
And Obama Liberal/Liberal Media
I can't find my voter information card.
I'm hungry and I want pizza.
Shit, I really should've done an absentee ballot.
Oh well, photo shoot tomorrow.

Why I "deactivated" my Facebook account

2010-08-21T10:04:00.002-04:00

Because I'm tired of it. Since deactivating my account last week, the first question I've been asked from friends is "Did you delete FACEBOOK!? Are you okay?" Yeah I'm fuckin' okay.

This is one of many reasons I felt the need to leave. Why did I let this social networking site (now a social brand) become the source of communicating with friends?

When I first made an account with Facebook was back when I was in undergraduate and my university was invited to be Facebook (yes, back when your university was invited to be on Facebook). I took it as a joke and signed up as Angelica la Douche, then a day later I deleted my account. Why? Because I thought it was dumb and I didn't want former classmates from high school to find me and try to request to be "friends" with me. I simply did not care what they were up to. It wasn't until about 3 years later when I decided to join again as suggested by a good friend who had recently moved. The first two days of joining I was overwhelmed by the amount of people requesting to be my friend. Some people I didn't know, but knew them as a friend of a friend who I later end up meeting. It's always awkward when you meet someone and you add, "Oh yeah I think we're Facebook friends." What does that even mean?

I had an amazing art history professor who once had a huge 4 hour debate about the meaning of friends and communication (there wasn't much art in this art history course at all, it was more like a philosophical debate course). He argued that you're only allowed to have 5 true friends and everyone else is just an acquaintance. If you had more friends than that, you're lying to yourself. It's about quality not quantity, am I right!? He also argued that the best way to communicate with your friends is face to face, 2nd was calling them/or writing a letter and the last was texting them. He did not discuss much about social networking because it was slightly before its peak and it was the era of texting. One of my readings for the class was Jean Baudrillard's Simulacra & Simulation. Baudrillard's main argument was everything now is just a hyperreality -- references without no original (a simulacra). Facebook and etc., are simulations of actual human interaction.

All this is not to say that I don't believe Facebook and other forms of social media is not a great tool. It makes communicating a whole lot easier, especially when you have something to say to all of your "friends" or instead of driving around to see your friends. I have good friends living all throughout south Florida, from North Palm Beach to Coral Gables and Facebook made it easy to connect with my friends.

Recently, one night a friend posted and tagged a photograph which led all my friends in the photo (including myself) posting comments at 2 in the morning. After 20+ comments one friend mentioned why were we all on Facebook at 2am instead of actually hanging out and that this was some creepy futurist event. This is when it first dawn on me -- why was I using Facebook? Why was I replacing actual human interaction?

All of these thoughts, from my art history professor to Jean Baudrillard's Simulacra & Simulation to creepy futurist events to Facebook's fucked up privacy policy to people who once hated Facebook (and other social networking sites) who all of the sudden they won't stop posting about their personal life to the simple fact that I've always hated Facebook made me deactivate my account -- for awhile of course. An experiment of sorts but also to get my butt geared on applying for graduate school.

A friend (a real one, not a Facebook one) said that if we become dependent on these tools (social media) then need to get rid of them of our lives that we're just using them incorrectly. I disagree with him, because of two reasons:

1. There's no actual way of correctly using Facebook. You're either on it or you're not.

2. Most people I know who uses Facebook are dependent on it, and if you believe that's the incorrect way of using it then you should deactivate/delete your Facebook account.

Todos vuelven a la tierra en que nacieron, al embruje inconfundible de su sol

2010-08-16T21:10:00.011-04:00

This past weekend I've been obsessing over Rita Indiana y Los Misterios. Hailing from the country everyone thinks I'm from, Dominican Republic, Rita Indiana's music pays respect to merengue (old) and experimenting with electro (new) making her music completely groundbreaking. Rita Indiana, has been taking DR by storm without having an official release. You could watch any of her live performances on youtube and hear the crowd singing along (as well as following her dancers' steps).

What makes me so excited aside from the smart lyrics and musical fusion is her androgynous look. There's always room for tons of criticism when a latina doesn't look "womanly" enough. Complete fearlessness is what you see and hear from Rita Indiana. Merengue and other forms of latino music have always been dominated by men. The machismo music industry is just going to have to set aside, hopefully forever. With all respects to reggaeton which I always like to think is the reason why there's MTV tres, I never felt like it was creative enough. I'm glad someone took a part of reggaeton and mixed it more in her sancocho.

Rita Indiana y Los Misterios -- La Hora de Volve

La Hora de Volve couldn't be a more perfect song, the African influenced merengue highlighted with electro. Could this be what our future sound like? Hope so!

Plus this video, with all its greatest has awesome tribal-like dancing.

Show your roots!

Where have all the architectures, gone?

2010-06-01T14:51:00.007-04:00

City Hall of Opa-Locka

Last summer I picked up a poster "Only 6 Months Old Is Opa-Locka -- Sincere, Sustained Development is Making it Miami's Fastest Growing Suburbs" with images of historical places in Opa-Locka at the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami. The poster illustrated points of Moorish Revival architectures interest in the city, incorporated in 1926. The work in progress is a collaborative by Anne Daems and Kenneth Andrew Mroczek entitled Opa-Tisha-Wocka-Locka, will tell the histories of Opa-Locka. Perhaps my immediately placement of the poster to my wall comes from my nerd fascination for historical places. Sadly, I didn't think much of it afterwards.

It wasn't until two months ago, when I making a trek to visit a friend in Coral Gables that I past the Opa-Locka Tri-Rail station. I was completely amazed. Never in the history of me riding trains, was I head over heals for how a city's train station was constructed. Everything I could remember from my Islamic Art and Architecture course came to mind: minarets, domes, arches, mosaics, the color (cobalt) blue. I felt like I was no longer in South Florida, heck, for sure not in the states either. To make me even more excited was an article I read about the city's developer, Glenn Curtiss in the Miami Herald...I believe. This whole town was developed by the theme "Arabian Fantasy" based on 1001 Arabian Tales.

In my recent trip to New York City, I made sure to look up as much as I can. There are buildings with many excessive decorative constructions, something you do not see in recent town developments and plazas. It made me wonder what future will hold for architectural design and how will people response to our current structures. I can't help but be completely bored and sad to see new constructions being built. Granted there's so much to planning constructions: monies (make it cheap, make a profit), labor, deals with the city and etc., but I miss looking at beauty.

Cool as smoking while pregnant

2010-04-02T08:04:00.005-04:00

Sociological Images has to be one of my favorite website which I try to keep up with on Google Reader. Sometimes I end up skipping posts that are crucial reading because

1.) I tend to catch up with Google Reader at work.

2.) I'm probably catching up on Best Show on WFMU with Tom Scharpling while doing work that doesn't use too much of my thought process.

3.) FAILblog is a whole lot easier to take in, than reading amazing, informative articles.

It takes a lot of commitment to be a better person.

Catching up on Sociological Images, I came across a video called "The Story of Bottled Water"

A pretty simplified "story" but nevertheless, informative. The last few weeks I've been thinking about how much water bottle consumption is done in my household. My thoughts were mostly on the energy it takes to produce these bottles, which mostly never gets recycled.

Time for changes!

My Friends are blogging, so why did I stop?

2010-03-28T07:09:00.005-04:00

First off, my awesome # 1 undergrad (undergrad, instead of 'college' because I need to work on that 'grad' school or what I like to say because it makes me feel like I'm an aging adult) bff ANDREA, has a new blog Eating with Good Intentions. An honest blog on Andrea's trials and tribulations on her effort to eat healthy. As a person who doesn't eat as healthy I should, it is inspiring to read and a call to action for myself as well.

Second off, my awesome # 2 undergrad bff Misael over at Art. Music. Film. Whatever. finally posted his last part to his Art History Senior Seminar paper.

Misael managed to get an A+ on his paper and I think Andrea and I only got a mere "A". My argument, there's no such thing as an A+ in the university level, because a 4.0 GPA is just an A, nothing more. Boooo! In all joking-ness aside, I looked over/slightly help edit this A+ paper. I thought about this paper when Jeanne-Claude past away a few months ago, and was glad that Misael decided to share it on his blog. Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, and Part Five . If you just slightly interested in art or always wondered about what the deal was with Christo and Jeanne-Claude, this is a must read.

Thee One to Change

2010-02-15T12:41:00.004-05:00

A magazine about female drummers? I giggled and held the first issue like a prize. Interviews of Frankie Rose, Ali Koehler and others makes Tom Tom Magazine a forceful beat (harhar) to the lack of media representation of women in music.

Since I can remember no other instrument made me want to play music. I spent hours in front my parent's mirror, listening to Hole's Live Through This and pretending I was playing the drums. Since then, I have only been on a drum kit twice and both occurred last year. Finally I will get my drumming lessons and possibly buy my kit once funds and space kick in. Which leads to why I was disappointed with Frankie Rose's interview. A quite boring interview in which Frankie Rose shrugs at all the questions related to drumming. Understandably she doesn't consider herself a drummer but has been in some of the most talked about bands such as Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts and Dum Dum Girls. How can it be that this magazine's first interview is about a drummer who doesn't consider herself a drummer?

I've thought about it for awhile, and thought that deconstruction of drum playing is fine, keeping it simple is fine, but it gets boring quickly. You can't be punk at the age 40. As a listener I can appreciate Frankie Rose and her musical projects, but as a musician I would want to change everything she represents. I guess that's how it usually goes.

Lift American Spirits

2010-02-09T15:51:00.004-05:00

More reasons to love Press Secretary Robert Gibbs:

ZING!

Previously on Lost

2010-02-02T17:31:00.003-05:00

Robert Gibbs on Lost

For some odd reason this past year I developed a crush on White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs. It's possibly because of his charming smirk he flashing during press conferences. There's a feeling there's a big joke residing in his mind and none of us are aware of. Plus, he looks sweet.

Although the State of the Union occurred last week I wonder if Gibbs will be watching Lost tonight. I wonder...

Don't enjoy the silence

2009-11-26T08:50:00.006-05:00

Only one day left until the notorious Black Friday gives us consumers sales we only dream of. News reporters are already on line before anyone else, and normally I could careless. Usually Black Friday just means Buy Nothing Day to me, but I had a change of heart this year. It is not I've become a frantic shopper, or I enjoy supporting big evil corporations but I find the idea of Buy Nothing Day a bit useless. The only people I know who shout to buy nothing, turn off your tv, go outside and etc. are of the intellectual, sociopolitical kind. Those masses are nothing compared to the working class who could careless on what they have to say.

Trying to convince my Latina mom to not buy anything on Black Friday is like trying to win any argument with her -- pointless. For example last night she couldn't stop complaining that I spent 15 dollars on Thai food. All I heard from her for the next half hour was how she would have gone to McDonalds and spent less or have gone out to eat at Olive Garden of course saying all this under her breath. Point is, there's nothing to change my mother's mind on saving money. Black Friday is somewhat of an assistant to the working class, and protesting to buy nothing is too idealistic, too radical for them. Although I do agree that we as a society should consume less, simply ignoring corporations and capitalism altogether in one day does not solve anything. I believe there are other alternatives that really need to be set in place instead.

Awareness for consumer to shop their local independent stores is one. The few records stores here in South Florida are having sales on Friday. Another thought is setting up workshops for people to create simple and fast gifts instead of buying gifts. These are ideas that need to be discussed, not just to buy nothing. We're long ways until us as a society begin to be more aware of where we buy our needs and how our consumer monies are actually being used/who it supports but I do believe as discussions arise, there will be solutions

Not enough coverage of the impact of BastaDobbs.com

2009-11-12T17:08:00.003-05:00

BastaDobbs.com Announces Victory: Lou Dobbs to Leave CNN

NEW YORK – Responding to the news Wednesday that Lou Dobbs will leave his post as a longtime anchor on CNN, the leaders of BastaDobbs.com – a national Latino-led coalition that had been advocating for his ouster – released the following statement:

“Our contention all along was that Lou Dobbs – who has a long record of spreading lies and conspiracy theories about immigrants and Latinos – does not belong on the ‘Most Trusted Name in News,’” said Roberto Lovato, co-founder of Presente.org, a national online advocacy organization coordinating the BastaDobbs.com campaign in conjunction with more than 40 local and regional Latino organizations from across the country. “We are thrilled that Dobbs no longer has this legitimate platform from which to incite fear and hate.”

The BastaDobbs.com campaign launched in mid-September, and included online petitions, a viral YouTube video, text-message campaign, radio PSAs and a series of events in 18 cities – organized in conjunction with the CNN special Latino in America. The message to CNN was that courting Latino viewers while keeping Dobbs on the network would not win them favor with the fastest-growing demographic in the country. Since then, more than 100,000 people have joined the effort. The events and the campaign garnered significant press coverage in both Spanish-language and mainstream media.

Lovato said the BastaDobbs.com victory marks a key turning point for the Latino community, as it moved from marching in the streets in 2006 to mounting a successful, high-tech campaign against one of the biggest and strongest media voices against common-sense immigration reform.

“The community is newly empowered and energized, and we are ready to fight for a respectful and civil media discourse when it comes to immigration coverage on mainstream news,” Lovato said. “This is only the beginning of a much longer-term effort.”

To view the YouTube video, click here: http://bastadobbs.com/video

Ya Basta!

2009-09-27T22:26:00.005-04:00

In an interview with Katie Couric, Glenn Beck did not define what is "white culture" in response of his belief that Obama has a deep-seated hatred for the white culture. First he failed by saying he didn't know, then doing his best Michael Scott impersonation by leaving you wtf?
Hm, since I had a difficult time figuring out what entails white culture, I headed over at Stuff White People Like to find out.

The last entry (#128) in Stuff White People Like is camping. Does Obama hate camping? The woods are awesome with its creepiness and crisp wind -- how can anyone hate that? Jokes aside, why is anyone taking Glenn Beck serious? The dude is obviously a joke, but there is a factor in there that is quite annoying, he and Fox are making money. Color of Change's campaign to voice their (our) distaste with advertisers supporting Glenn Beck's program. Sixty-two companies have pulled out their support.

Glenn Beck is not the only one getting a backlash from their negative view on people corrupting white culture. Lou Dobbs a "birther" has repeatedly reported lies about Latinos and immigrants which fuels hatred (with crime) towards my people. The website Basta Dobbs is asking CNN to stop Lou Dobbs with his extreme views on this so-called most trusted in news news outlet.

Enough is enough, Ya Basta!

Kanyegate meme

2009-09-16T22:43:00.003-04:00

Sorry, I had too.

edit: Joe Wilson'd on his own entry!

Next new indie hit: Phillip Garrido

2009-09-09T18:51:00.005-04:00

As always, it seems I write too much about waking up to the Today show. I was struggling to fully wake up when I heard that Phillip Garrido recorded music back in the late 70s or early 80s. From the little clip I heard it actually sound decent. The lo-fi quality and its quite psychedelic feel made think about other musicians who suffered from a mental illness -- Brian Wilson, Daniel Johnston et cetera are deemed as a genius.

News reports have addressed the ominous lyrics:

“For every little girl in the world, they want to be in love, you’re just the same, go play a game, just tell me that you want me, c’mon babe, I’m just insane, I’m crying out to you.”

Words like "babe" and "girl" have always been a part of pop music. Should we be worrying about every lyric that is written now?

I'm in no way supporting what Phillip Garrido has done, but heck that music is okay. I'm sure his music can easily be featured in a psych/garage compilations like Nuggets or Pebbles. So here's your new indie blog hit sensation:

Today is the day I think of you

2009-09-07T16:17:00.003-04:00

There's a certain musical excitement I haven't felt in awhile. Yo La Tengo holds a dear place in my heart. Their music doesn't remind of one person, but everyone I know. Although they are my favorite band, I was not looking forward to the "Buy Early Get Now " pre-order of their new album Popular Songs. All I really want is just the album (okay I also want the original score to Adventureland by YLT on vinyl) I don't need an mp3 code for the album, a poster (I have quite a few YLT posters) or an early listen to the album. I know what I'm gonna get from a Yo La Tengo. They've been together for 25 years and have managed to create strong releases.

I miss the excitement of an album release. The internet has spoiled us with leaked albums and killing excitement. Tomorrow will be the day -- although I have my 9 hour work day tomorrow and will not have the time to get Popular Songs at the record store, I have trusted person on getting me the best gift.

The "quintessential critics band" will never fail in my eyes. Album sales maybe down, and digital sales might be up but Yo La Tengo fans have always remain true to the band.

Let's get the real important issue straight

2009-08-13T19:10:00.001-04:00

These town hall meetings are getting pretty insane. I'm just happy to see people care about real issues like how awesome Arrested Development (the sitcom and show but not the medical term usage) is. I wonder what would happen if protests for pop culture justice starts occurring frequently, but now that I think about it, it does happen but not for political reasons.

The Lebanon, PA town hall meeting with Senator Spector about the health care reform stirred up a laughfest for myself. These people are a passionate bunch, but I'm not sure if they have a gasp of this deep issue (heck, even I don't know). Katy Abram was one of the people that asked a question to the Senator (she's the one who doesn't want this country turn into Russia, turning into a socialized country). I watched her talk, and through her sighs, I knew she really has no idea what going on. Her interviews after the meeting still more sighs with no actual meat on what she was saying. This dude in the photo most likely wouldn't sigh if he was interview about why protest on bringing back Arrested Development. He's as passionate as everyone in these town hall meetings, except he knows his issues. But seriously, let's get Arrested Development back.

An Eternal Snooze Fest

2009-08-05T17:14:00.009-04:00

Earlier this year, a friend was telling about a new art group/organization at FAU -- The Miami Stuckists. She asked me if I've heard of Billy Childish (yes) and slightly told me what stuckism was. When I got home I did my research on it. The basic summary of stuckism:

Stuckism is a radical and controversial art group that was co-founded in 1999 by Charles Thomson and Billy Childish (who left in 2001) along with eleven other artists. The name was derived by Thomson from an insult to Childish from his ex-girlfriend, Brit artist Tracey Emin, who had told him that his art was 'Stuck'. Stuckists are pro-contemporary figurative painting with ideas and anti-conceptual art, mainly because of its lack of concepts. Stuckists have regularly demonstrated dressed as clowns against the Turner Prize. Several Stuckist Manifestos have been issued. One of them Remodernism inaugurates a renewal of spiritual values for art, culture and society to replace the emptiness of current Postmodernism.

I was completely annoyed that such a group exist, especially on campus. The idea of artists coming together is wonderful and I encourage that, but I thought this group will only segregate the art students at FAU. Why not start a radical art group that actually DOES something then make manifestos or protest something worth protesting about.

The Miami Stuckist's Manifesto (which is based on the original of who cares) is a bit of a laughing fest for me. Two points that made me questioned their beliefs:

1. Stuckism is the quest for authenticity. By removing the mask of cleverness and admitting where we are, the Stuckist allows him/herself uncensored expression.
PAINTING (JUST LIKE ALL OF THE VISUAL ARTS) IS A MIMESIS OF NATURE/REAL LIFE -- there's nothing authentic about it.

8. Painting is mysterious. It creates worlds within worlds, giving access to the unseen psychological realities that we inhabit. The results are radically different from the materials employed. An existing object (e.g. a dead sheep) blocks access to the inner world and can only remain part of the physical world it inhabits, be it moorland or gallery. Ready-made art is a polemic of materialism.
PAINT IS ALSO AN EXISTING OBJECT, CANVAS IS ALSO AN EXISTING OBJECT. HOW DOES A DEAD SHEEP BLOCKS ACCESS TO THE INNER WORLD? WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN!!!!?

What got me over the edge about the Miami Stuckists happened a few weeks ago when I found out one of their members has been plagiarizing a former classmate/friend's oeuvre. There are many concerns on this serious issue. This person could get a BFA degree from plagiarized work, and that should not be accepted.

Borrowing in art happens a lot (e.g. ready-made) and that's a part of what Stuckism believes to be not "true art." A walking, breathing contradiction Stuckism is. All forms of art is a representation of life. These forms already exist, and making a rendering of these forms is a conceptual idea. When you start to think what color paint you want to use, what subject matter you want to paint -- all of those thoughts are concepts.

CityLink/Metromix recently reported on the Miami Stuckists "conservative" group. I read the article while the way leaving to work this afternoon and I couldn't help myself but laugh out loud. Stuckism -- based on the English artworld (Turner prize, artworks made over a decade ago) is all the Miami Stuckists could talk about. Really? What about the local art communities? What about art that has been made the last 5 years?

~~Interesting enough the article only mentions "4" artists for their group exhibition debut. The last time I counted there was 5. The fifth being one who plagiarized.~~ (Strikethough -- cleared up that misunderstanding) Now, I'm all for artists coming together, being creative, exhibiting works, but attacking other art forms and calling those artists "not artists" is rather Childish (huh Billy).

2009-08-02T23:19:00.002-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #36:

Slap Chop Rap

Side note: I didn't see this version on tv, but I saw another one that killed me in the morning.

Hate on Today

2009-07-29T17:19:00.002-04:00

I'm still not sure why I continue to watch the Today show. It's a routine I do in order to wake up. My alarm goes off, I turn it off, I turn on the tv (which is always left on the pervious channel -- Conan, Jimmy) and I go back to sleep. The nonsense that the Today show reports on always wakes me up. Something I disagree on or something I wonder the importance of the news they are reporting always gets me up in a fury.

But today's interview with Michelle Malkin was awkward for Matt Lauer and wtf? to the sane Americans watching. Why give a right wing racial a slot at 7am? Why start off the today with hate? Malkin rambled about how Obama is a "racial opportunist" and her lame theories in her new book Culture of Corruption.

Even though I felt the hate through the television, I couldn't help but feel sad for her. She must have a lot of self-hate.

2009-07-19T23:07:00.002-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #35:

Illdoctrine

Side notes: I read/saw this video via Sociological Images and was touched by it. Pretty much what I've been thinking about MJ's death/life. Gracefully said.

That's a quitter's way out

2009-07-13T18:40:00.002-04:00

(late) Sunday's Favorite Selection #34:

Sarah Palin--Every breath you take

Side note: Recently while listening to a recorded conversation I had with a friend-I noticed all the words I constantly repeat, nervous ticks and my total awkwardness. Not fun.

Tina gets down

2009-07-05T14:06:00.002-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #33:

Rosie Perez's dance routine on the opening credits to Do The Right Thing

Side notes: One of my favorite, and in my opinion one of the best opening credit to any movie. It captures the energy of Do The Right Thing and Public Enemy's Fight the Power. If you feel nothing from seeing this dance routine, film or song then you're a soulless person.

click click click

2009-07-05T09:54:00.005-04:00

For the last few weeks, I been obsessed with the photo of Megan Fox denying the yellow flower from "Sweet Boy" at the London premier of Transformer : A waste of time, apparently. I believe it's an iconic photograph, minus the fact that Megan Fox isn't that famous. She looks highly overwhelmed from all the people and the camera flashes; the 11 year boy aka "Sweet Boy" giving her a yellow flower-the symbol of our Western culture who embraces not that famous people (or better stated, people clocking their 15 minutes of fame).

It's so iconic that Kodak was offering $5,000 to the first person who can give reliable information on who this boy was. His facebook profile was found blah blah, the rest of the story isn't that interesting.

What is interesting is this photo. It's all real, but for some reason it seems so staged. I'm not doubting Sweet Boy's feeling/want/need to give Megan Fox that flower, and I'm not doubting the feeling of disarray in Megan Fox's face but all I can feel when I see this photo is that I'm being lied to. I'm still struggling to figure out why I feel this way. I know it has to do with the stature of celebrities and the reasons why we hold them with an importance.

Fight the forces of gravity!

2009-06-22T22:45:00.005-04:00

A Dream Come True
"A few years ago, I began to notice the appearance of wrinkles in my cleavage area. No matter how much I used creams or exercised, the creases didn’t go away. So I began to research the cause and learned a lot. Because I sleep on my side – like millions of women do – I learned that gravity and the pressure of my breasts resting on top of each other while sleeping was the culprit. I consulted several physicians and found that there were no products available in the market that support a side-sleeping woman’s breasts, without the use of a bra, adhesives or restrictive clothing. My quest had begun.

The more that I learned, the more I was inspired to develop a product that would not only offer beauty benefits, but support the needs of side-sleeping women. While health care professionals recommend side-sleeping for proper spine alignment, a woman’s breasts often make sleeping in this position uncomfortable. And women everywhere can benefit from a good night’s sleep!

After researching, designing and carefully testing my product, I’m very pleased with the results – and I hope that you will be, too. Not only does Kush offer more natural rest for the breasts for a more comfortable sleep, it helps to prevent the appearance of cleavage lines and wrinkles. I sleep better at night and I feel better about my appearance during the day. Kush is a dream come true."

Sincerely,

Cathinka Chandler
CEO Kush

Uh what? Why? I mean, she had to have known what her product looks like and the colors she produced them in the beginning. The Kush Support website offers different colors, and is cheaper than originally advertised, but I'm still confused about this product.

oh Heeey

2009-06-21T15:49:00.002-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #32:

Jurassic Park-Hey!

Side note: I'm not sure why this is so funny, but it is.

I'll be grazing by your window, please come pat me on the head

2009-06-14T09:40:00.004-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #31:

Jeff the Brotherhood-BONE JAM

Side note: It's been some time and I think it's about time to start writing again. Maybe that's why I got a new journal to write on. There are somethings I don't want to forget. Like last night when this song came on in the car and I said "You know what beginning of this song reminds me of?" And dead on, as I finished my sentence the correct thought was said. Tons of giggles was going on afterwards. Aside from that, if I were ever to make a film (that uses popular music) Jeff the Brotherhood's BONE JAM would be in the beginning of the scene when the main character wakes up and gets ready.

Time out

2009-03-11T18:14:00.002-04:00

I'm taking a break for a bit. My mind is going bananas lately and my mind could hardly think of something solid to write about. Blogger's block, maybe. I'll still be using my tumblr because it's pretty mindless to post there.

It's made out of bronze

2009-03-08T13:31:00.003-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #30:

Side note: Seriously I love Jerry Saltz. I can hear him talk about art forever, and his silly stories. Oh and Roberta Smith too. I secretly wish I was their child.

Female characters written by Pedro Almodovar

2009-03-01T13:51:00.003-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #29:

Penelope Cruz in Volver

Side note: I'm still upset that the one time I did not watch the Academy Awards was the same time Penelope Cruz won an award. I really wanted her to win Best Actress two years ago for Volver, but I knew that Helen Mirren was going to win (no lie that was an amazing performance). Though Cruz's performance as the hardworking and flawed Raimunda showcases complete honesty. Ernesto Acevedo-Munoz describes this scene:

Raimunda's rendition of the song 'Volver' gives the characters access to their real feelings. Raimunda's eyes well up as the lyrics refer to the anxiety and desire to return to and be reconnected with that which we have loved.

I cry every time I see this part.

Designers vs. consumers vs. marketing at PepsiCo

2009-02-28T16:14:00.005-05:00

Battle #1: Tropicana Winner: Consumers

Tropicana is now going back to its old design. Woopdeedo. I preferred the new design, it was clean and simple. People argued that it was too "generic brand" for them. I say wow, because last time I checked we're in an economic crisis and everyone is trying to save a buck.

Clear loser: Designers.

Battle #2: Obama team's drink choice

Winner: Coke

TIME reports that Obama's team drinks Coke even though Pepsi's redesign looks a lot alike Obama's logo.

Loser: Marketing.

Blank walls+label everything+put a spotlight on it=SO IMPORTANT!

2009-02-23T18:45:00.003-05:00

We Love Museums...Do Museums Love Us Back?

This is too funny, cute, and smart not to post.

"Nothing is allowed to get old or fall apart, which of course is impossible and goes against the law of nature. But museum people fight nature everyday with the latest technology in order to slow down the effects of time as much as possible."

I died a little when this was said. That and a museum is basically a box and stimulates time travel.

This makes me feel a little less of an asshole when I tell people that I believe in preserving art not conserving art.

Tapes for playing

2009-02-22T10:33:00.003-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #28:

Tapes for Listening (Tapes for Dancing). from Michaelkelly Kelly on Vimeo.

Side note: I stop buying albums on tape in 2000.

The Rookies do a lot of poopies

2009-02-18T22:56:00.004-05:00

I see what you're trying to do. A super cute little girl uploading pictures to see how simple it is. I have 2 problems with this.

1. Have an elder do the same and record. The result-not the same. Children now easily adopt to technology. By the time I had the internet in my house (I was in high school) within 4 months I had 3 websites. I learned html pretty quickly. If Microsoft really want to stand the test on how easy it is to operate Windows Live Photo Gallery have an elder do it. I'm also on your game to have someone way younger than the Mac dude, to have our 'future' on these Rookies commercials. I wonder how much money these kids are getting. I also wonder about their future. It will be a mess, everyone knows that. Child stars later become hot tranny messes. Avoid this. Avoid selling your kids to say they are a PC.

2. Why is she sending photos to her mom and dad? Where is she? She's obviously in a house. This is making me worry.

Is this real life?

2009-02-15T12:30:00.003-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection # 27:

Kittens Inspired by David after Dentist

Side note: Kittens inspired by kittens is hands down my favorite viral video of all time (even more than hamster on a piano-eating popcorn). I think I've watched it over 100 times this past week. Though I gleamed when I saw this video because last week I couldn't stop watch David after Dentist. Kids sure say the darndest things. I think of David as a philosopher with his deep questions regarding life, and Kitten girl is a lot like having a conversation with my 4 year niece. Best of all, my friend and I are making a book about his cats and told me yesterday he thinks he has this now famous Kittens book!

You're scum between my toes

2009-02-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

A very special favorite selection #2:

News worth obsessing over

2009-02-14T08:16:00.008-05:00

Aside from Madoff and the constant up to date report on the Rose Museum at Brandis University, I've found other news report to obsess over.

The Sun reports on a 13 year old boy and his 15 year old ~~mum~~ girlfriend having a child. So no that photo isn't a photo of a 20 something mum and her 8 year old son and her new baby. I don't even what to think further than this photo because it's the biggest WTF moment I had yesterday.

The New York Times reports on the Artist Shepard Fairey (you know the OBEY dude) files a lawsuit against the AP. The AP is saying that it owns this image of his work of Obama and the word Hope underneath. Fairey had used the photo taken for the AP as template for his work. The LOL part of this story is that the freelance photographer who took this photo Mannie Garica says he owns the photo not the AP and he's happy that the photo he took was the source of this now infamous image of Obama. I just find it a little odd that there's a dispute over an image of Obama and who owns it. I thought Obama owns his own image, right?

If you even a little bit of tv you've most likely have seen a commercial to Heat Surge Roll-n-Glow Fireplace. Once again The New York Times has an interesting article on it. When my brother and I first saw the commercial we were a bit confused so we pressed rewind to better understand how the Amish made this. If you're still confused read the article.

4. There are few viral videos I'm obsessing over, but I'll post the ultimate for tomorrow's favorite.

Richard Halloran: Owns Home Computer

2009-02-09T22:58:00.003-05:00

Newspaper on home computer? now that's the future.

I really do wonder though if the actual "newspaper" will actual die. It's dying yes, but will people just let it die? I don't think so well, at least in my life time. It has to slowly be forgotten, then die. It will make a comeback though either by a hipster being ironic or VH1's Remember When...

On a slight side note: Roger Ebert on blogging.

edit: Not even 30 minutes later...on the Daily Show right now Jon is interview a guy named Walter Isaacson talking about how to save our newspapers. Jeeze I can tell the future just like this news report.

The textbook committee part 2. (decided to leave you out, not even mention)

2009-02-08T10:51:00.008-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #26:

LCD Soundsystem-Someone Great (directed by the great Doug Aitken-one of my favorite artists)

Side note: This song and video makes me feel so depressed, but I love it like no other. Over a year ago I made a mix for a friend who was leaving town. All the songs were about getting psyched, but the last two songs I couldn't help myself and get serious. I put Someone Great, and ended it with Guided By Voices' Smothered In Hugs. These songs at first didn't seem like they would fit well together, but not true. Both amazing songs, both about (well to me) people who you love/once loved leaving/left your life and/or you're planning to leave with them. Your memories of them will always remain with you until the end, even if everyone has forgotten them. I was so struck with these two songs together after I made the mix that I googled it and this came up:

There was a moment at an ACL afterparty when the DJ followed by Guided By Voices' Bee Thousand jam "Smothered In Hugs" with the Silver sounds of "Someone Great." Doesn't sound like it should flow, but somehow it was perfect, prompting us to say something intelligent like "this song's fucking awesome" to nobody in particular. But three kids around answered back and started a discussion in which all agreed -- "Someone Great" is something 'fucking awesome.'

-Stereogum

I wasn't the only person who had thought of these two songs together. Since then I'll slip one of these two songs to people who I will never forget in a mix. Even if I want to forget them now.

G with the P

2009-02-02T21:29:00.002-05:00

I have a new daily route, which is put on the Today Show to fully wake up. This caught my ear:

President Obama knows about Jessica Simpson's weight "issue". I would love to know if our president not only gets foreign policy news updates 7 days a week, but also gets celebrity news. In this post modern western world it's equally as important. Or that's what we're suppose to know? But really Matt Lauer, Us magazine? I guess fluff is good for Super Bowl weekend.

I do have to note-I hate the Today Show and I'm not sure why I tune to it every morning. It creeps me out. Good Morning Matt, Good Morning Meredith, and Good Morning to you America now for today's top stories.

Those creepy stares to the camera from the people who about to get interview haunts me for the rest of the day.

While you're out being a hot tranny mess

2009-02-01T11:51:00.004-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #25:

Miller High Life's outtakes of their one second commercials.

Side note: Eels (you know the band) made a one second commercial for Super Bowl last year, but the NFL rejected it because 29 other advertisers had to fill in the spots for the typical 30 second ad. To buy a spot during Super Bowl is about $100,000 per second. The real genius here- Mark "E" Everett.

It's called Preserve

2009-01-29T16:27:00.003-05:00

Art Museum rule # 1:

Do not sell anything from your collection to make a buck.

Art Museum rule #2:

Look at Art Museum rule #1.

Since Monday night, I've been closely reading about Brandis University's decision to close the Rose Museum and sell off (some of) their collection due to their budget deficit. Their collection includes works from modern & contemporary artist such as Williem de Kooning, Nam June Paik, Helen Frankenthaler and Andy Warhol.

I've been baffled for awhile about this new trend. Just last month I've been keeping my eyes on the National Academy Museum to deaccession works of art from it's collection to pay off their expenses. The museum is currently blacklisted in the art world now.

A statement recently released from the American Association of Museum about this ordeal:

The American Association of Museums is alarmed and dismayed at the decision by Brandeis University to close the Rose Museum and sell the objects from its collection. Such a drastic action would be an irreparable loss to the university and its community. Present and future generations of students and the public would be deprived of a priceless educational experience.

Museums hold collections in the public trust. These collections are a part of our common heritage and belong, in a moral sense, to all of us. It is the museum’s job to preserve them for future generations.

By selling its art collection for cash to the highest bidder to erase a temporary deficit, Brandeis University is in fundamental violation of the public trust responsibilities it accepted the day it founded the Rose Museum. Such a sale is also a betrayal of the donors, who generously gave art for the benefit of the students and the public, not for paying bills. This is a direct violation of the AAM Code of Ethics for museums.

If it cannot afford to maintain and exhibit its collection, we urge Brandeis University to seek another steward of it. There are many fine museums in the region capable of caring for these works, even on a temporary basis, while the university explores other options. In choosing an alternate solution to the sale and irrevocable loss of the collection that was entrusted to its care, the university would serve as a role model for its students, faculty and community.

Ford W. Bell
President
American Association of Museums

Jehuda Reinharz, the president of Brandis wrote an email that can be read at Modern Art Notes, which is basically blah blah blah, wah wah wah.

This is all making me think of my application to an art museum's summer internship. One of the essays I had to write was what is a museum? What is it's purpose and it's future? I'd written rambled about preserving and public responsibilities. Responsibilities.

Self pick me up

2009-01-25T16:21:00.002-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #24:

Mates of State-Goods (It's All in Your Head)

Side note: All I want is a guy to dance with. Silly dance is a plus.

We care about Obama & iPods

2009-01-22T19:36:00.008-05:00

I was not shocked that Kanye said this. He's probably going to get a lot of crap for comparing Obama's elected presidency to iPods, but like all Kanye's ridiculous sayings-he has some truth to it. Aaron wrote a comment a few posts ago on how Pepsi's new design looks like Obama's logo. I thought for a while about Obama's "logo". I've only been alive for 23 years so I can only recall a few president elections and I don't think any presidential candidate had an impacting logo. Slogans yes, but logos? Perhaps it's something that pops out, because I'm interested in this stuff now. The blue O with red stripes.

What a genius idea-maketing! Heck you can even go to www.logobama.com and create your own Obama logo. And what about that oh so famous Obama Change image? Completely literally changing how an amazing marketing tool can help out a presidency.

This is a historic presidential election yes, but I don't think I've ever seen so many Obama shirts being sold on my way to Philadelphia Museum of Art one afternoon. I remember when iPod first came out and even its ads on magazines, but it wasn't until that famous shadow dancing in front of a bright color backdrop that made iPods as iconic as it is now. Kanye, as silly as you are, you are always onto something.

Previously on Lost

2009-01-21T11:27:00.004-05:00

I can barely watch TV anymore, with the except of news programs at night and a few other channel surfing programming. I mean I used to watch hours upon hours of crap on TV all the time. Now sitting down for an hour to watch anything gives me an attack of anxiety. I get up, walk around, get a drink, pee, check my emails, eat cookies then fall asleep-all within 20 minutes of any show. But maybe finally I can sit still because LOST is back on air. I have to not even blink for 2 hours tonight. I have to go to my second job tonight and might miss the first few minutes of the show, but I think I'll survive.

LOST is possibly the only pop culture phenomenon that I'm obsessed with, though I've been obsessing over Bernard Madoff but I'm not sure if I'll categorize him as anything related to pop culture or a phenomenon. I've become some sort of Star Wars spazz but replace Star Wars with LOST.

I just wished more of my friends watched it so we can discuss theories.

I don't put out

2009-01-19T06:27:00.003-05:00

Late Sunday's Favorite Selection #23:

Ladies and Gentlemen The Fabulous Stains-Do You Wanna Be A Professional?

Side note: Jeff and I's new favorite movie.

Rebrand everything

2009-01-17T08:02:00.003-05:00

Literally right after I posted about the new design for Tropicana, I opened my refridgerator to see a new design for Sierra Mist which also means Pepsi has a new design. Makes senses seeing that Tropicana is also under PepsiCo.

Once again a very clean, simple design. The tree for Sierra Mist made me giggle, but I think it works well. The font for Mist looks like it's misting away the product-clever PepsiCo.

I've become quite obsessed with design and layout. I have to accredit my awesome friend Monica for making me like this and also working at the University Galleries. Which brings me to the conversation we had last night. Grad school, and moving away from Florida. I told her about SVA's new program Design Criticism and how I keep thinking about applying to that Master program. Frankly I don't have the money for it-so it's a thought for the future. It's also a bit scary because it's a new program, and no other school that I know of actually has a program similar to this.

The nice thing about the conversation-none of my friends actually knows what they want out of their life. Everything is open ended, which makes me feel a bit relax that I am not going crazy.

Now if only America can start working on their own design...(infrastructure anyone?)

Hippie Yuppie Hipster

2009-01-13T17:37:00.005-05:00

My bible. Or at least that's what I used to say. Being a quasi sociologist (that is I thought about getting a minor in sociology) made me realize that most of what is written in this book is true. Or at least holds some truth. First off I'm actually in the book as the Loner. Or at least me in the past? Well the drawing looks a whole lot like past me-big curly hair, cat framed glasses, looking very pale and a "duh" face at a lot. Okay so maybe that may still be me, but I'm not that nerdy-though I do tend to over pluck my eyebrows (how did the writers know!?)

As obscure people try to be I think well you're not all that different from everyone else. You look silly, you sound silly and 'cool' is dead. It died when hippies started taking over. Punk was never cool but dirty. New Wave was a "clean" punk but never cool. Artists (visual, written, film) in the 1960s were the last of the 'cool'. And lets face it everyone should know the origin of cool comes from black culture. Everyone should know this. This is explained in John Leland's book Hip: The History. I couldn't read more than a chapter before getting really bored by it. It was too American-centric so it didn't capture my full attention.

Point is I read this really good article a while ago called Hipster: The Dead End of West Civilization at Adbusters. It gave me a better reason why I really dislike going to Miami, and why I feel so empty and disillusioned when I go Miami, art shows, music shows-anything involving young people my age. The last paragraph pretty much sums up my generation:

We are a lost generation, desperately clinging to anything that feels real, but too afraid to become it ourselves. We are a defeated generation, resigned to the hypocrisy of those before us, who once sang songs of rebellion and now sell them back to us. We are the last generation, a culmination of all previous things, destroyed by the vapidity that surrounds us. The hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture so detached and disconnected that it has stopped giving birth to anything new.

BTW-I'm not a hipster...according to the Hipster quiz in the back of the Hipster Handbook. I failed it.

Design taking over

2009-01-11T22:21:00.007-05:00

Google has a new favicon. I'm very lukewarm about it. The colors remind me of a multi-cultural design which I like, but I think it's too much.

Tropicana Orange Juice has a new design as well, which I like a lot more. Simple, clean very "now" which I dig. It's to the point too. Orange juice. That's all, but the 100% orange pure & natural is a bit silly, because well duh but yum! Though I do have to say it does remind me of a store brand-example Target's brand. It has a cheap and healthy design to it.

Now I wonder who's next in redesigning...

Blog the planet!

2009-01-11T08:13:00.003-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #22:

Doogie Howser, M.D.

Side note: First blog? Neil Patrick Harris hosted SNL last night, which wasn't funny at all. That bummed me out because I love Neil Patrick Harris and I think he's an awesome actor. Talking about awesome...

Though SNL heard my request for Rachel Maddow impersonation! But I only caught the ending to it, which also wasn't very funny.

2012: Total eclipse of the heart

2009-01-04T22:40:00.002-05:00

Armageddon Week on History channel! I was excited but after 20 minutes of watching Nostradamus: 2012 I started playing some vinyls and singing very loud. Pretty much this 2 hour special, which is still playing is repeating everything that was said in the first 20 minutes. Images of chaos is taking over, Nostradamus "look a like" blah blah blah. Maybe I'm a bit old school, but I want to hear/see interviews not this over the top graphics of the end of time.

I found myself being obsessed with 2012 a few months ago. About a year a friend became wildly obsessed with 2012, kept talking about the end of time, but I didn't care. It wasn't until another friend found out how about this obsession of 2012 at my job. She actually went into depth what 2012 means (in the Mayan calendar sense) and I of course became fascinated. A few months after that we talked about it again and this time a new light came to me. It was more of a personal conversation and wondering of a global change.

I'm not sure why Nostradamus is all up on this 2012 special when it really should be about the Mayans, but I guess for viewership throwing in Nostradamus is a good marketing tool. The next 4 years should be very interesting.

Pack my things and say goodbye

2009-01-04T09:55:00.007-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #21:

The Bodines-Skanking Queens

Side note: On New Year's Eve I was waiting for the train which was extremely late, but I didn't mind. I was blasting the CD86 cds on loud volume, singing and dancing around the station. It was the first time in a very long time that I felt completely free. This song isn't featured on the compilation, but Therese is (and in the actual C86 tape) and jeeze how I long to learn how to play the guitar now. The only sad thing about this song is that I can't help but think how much I want to leave South Florida, and how I won't be missed. On top of that someone I barely even know who is a friend of a friend keeps telling me I should move to Philly. It's odd to feel wanted somewhere you've only been to for a few days, and not somewhere you've lived for 11 years. I really do think it's time for me to leave. I want to feel like I did the other day.

Cycles of blame

2009-01-02T18:39:00.009-05:00

Ted Leo is my Bob Dylan, my Bruce Springsteen, my Joe Strummer and pretty much any other "great" singer songwriters who were frustrated, disillusioned by what they saw and who led their generation. The sad thing though is that I don't know many people who are Ted Leo fans. I know for a fact that Ted Leo rules all corners of this world, has more passion than most musicians now and well cares for this world-as much as he is worried and upset at it.

Whatever happened to that one singer songwriter that everyone looked up to? I have to be honest I'm not a fan of Dylan or Springsteen, but I will not deny their importance. Are these people dead in a metaphorical sense? Or we just don't care for it anymore? I think someone like M.I.A. is more of the front runner now, but is no where near close to being a "great" singer songwriter. Yeah she has amazing songs, but I feel her depth is only skin deep. Which is a just another reflection of our society, our generation. Sad huh? Is it so bad to want change?

I'll keep listening to Mr. Leo, because no one can make me feel as empowered, safe and happy when I listen to the man.

Good night, and good luck

2008-12-28T07:59:00.004-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection # 20:

SNL Ben Affleck as Keith Olbermann

Side note: I just saw this last nite, and I couldn't stop laughing. I love me some Countdown with Keith, but this was so over the top that I think I love this even more. So over the top that even Ben Affleck couldn't stop snickering. Now if someone in the SNL can impersonate Rachel Maddox with her saying abou' like any good Canadian I'll be so happy.

Best of whatever 2008

2008-12-27T20:57:00.026-05:00

2008 has proved to be a wonderfully crappy year for me! YAY! But lovely sounds were (as always) tuned in and never actually tuned correctly. Who cares about the perfect pop song? The more distorted, noisy, sloppy and almost perfect pop it is-the more it rules. My love for noisy pop music grows everyday, with this year providing new sounds. All these lovely bands from New York who wear their influences in on sleeves (c-86, psych, shoegaze) are the highlights for me this year (like last year). Though I spent most of 2008 discovering music that wasn't made this year, there were a few albums that really had a hold on me. The Raveonettes' Lust Lust Lust was one of them and pretty much will always remind me of this bittersweet year. 2009 is finally coming to save me, and I already foreseeing lots of Minutemen, Swell Maps and Arthur Russell listening for me. February 2009 will give me treats as The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's debut album and Asobi Seksu's third album comes out! Can I already call those out as my favorites of 2009?

Top Ten songs:

10. The Raveonettes-Black Satin
Lust Lust Lust came to me in the perfect moment for me this year. A bit disillusioned, heartbroken, stressed out and anxiety prone for the first time, I found much comfort in this album. "Look who's here to save my soul, sweet night, she's on a roll. Covers me with all her black, satin dress takes me aback, and I drown, yeah drown!"

9. Portishead-The Rip
This song is the doppelganger of the tenderness I felt this whole year. Do I really have to say more?

8. Stereolab-Daisy Click Clack
Holy crap! A pop song about pop music!? Holy Moly Stereolab, you are geniuses! The new album is typical Stereolab-over all good. I do have to say I enjoy the more electronic stuff (Dots and Loops for president!) but this song is a gem that gets stuck in my head for weeks. CLAP CLAP CLAP TAP TAP TAP SNAP! Off beat, on time, make it linger!

7. M83-Jessie & Kim
Stunning! Shoegazy synth pop yum yum! Makes me wanna dance while looking at the floor.

6. Crystal Stilts-Crippled Croon
This song caught me completely off guard back in the spring. How can it so moody and distant yet quite charming? Side note: Listen to their debut while taking a bubble bath. You'll be left confused, sad and so damn relaxed! And how about I'm still a little baffled that the guitarist and vocalist are from FLORIDA! But it makes sense why it's all moody and distant.

5. The Raveonettes-Sad Transmission
Any song that begins with handclaps and then a crazy distortion loop comes screeching in needs a warm embrace. It's the type of song you want to hold really tight to your heart while you caress the song's hair. "Your heartbeat stops, when I tell you that lovers always part. Sad transmission brought to you by someone who doesn't care" I say: WORD!

4. Vivian Girl-Where Do You Run To
The stand out Where Do You Run To has me listening in repeats. Although the rest of the debut album is pretty darn good, this song is the most disconnected to their influences I think. Less punk, more thoughtful, more honest. "Where do you run to, baby?"

3. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-A Teenager in Love
So far all the blogs that I read are citing Everything With You as their favorite PoBPaH song of the year, but mine is this one. It's not the typical noisy pop that the pains makes. It's proves that even with a lower volume, and lovely guitar riffs the pains still crafts pop tunes with wit and tenderness. Plus how can you not love a chorus that goes "a teenager in love with christ and heroin"?

2. The Raveonettes-Young and Beautiful
This song sonically breaks my heart and makes my head explode. The vocals are so dreamy, delicate and completely tragic. This synth pop song makes me want to dance and die at the same time. "When you wait for love, but love just goes by, do you feel it now? you'll never love again...When you wait for death, but death just goes by, do you feel it now? you'll never ever die. You get to be so young and beautiful."

1. The Airfields-Yr So Wonderful
A song that was actually released last year as a 3" cd-r single via Cloudberry Records, but the debut came out this year (and what a lovely debut it is!) This song shines and glimmers forever in my heart. It just hit me that Yr So Wonderful reminds me of Yo La Tengo's Sugarcube if Yo La Tengo turnitup with the noise just a bit. Unbashing love that is a bit chaotic with careful melodic vocals. And how about that insane tambourine playing? "Wonderful, I think you're beautiful, I'm not your fool, oh yes I am oooooh ooh oooooooh ooh ooooooooooooh!"

Favorites of 2008 that came out years ago:

Unrest-West Coast Love Affair
Broadcast-Ominous Cloud
Mahogany-My Bed Is My Castle
Teenage Filmstars-Kiss Me
Black Tambourine-Black Car
Rocketship-People I Know
The Dentists-I Had An Excellent Dream
The Chesterf!elds-Ask Johnny Dee
Swirlies-Sarah Sitting
Rocketship-Naomi and Me
The Bodines-Therese
Black Tambourine-For Ex-Lovers Only
Yo La Tengo-Fog Over Frisco

Best record label:
Slumberland Records!
A label that really should be an American classic released lovely underground pop noise-when no one really was. Almost heading for it's second decade in life, and out of nowhere it started releasing the best of the best music that is out now. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Crystal Slits, and what about those Searching For The Now releases? What gems! I mean yeah Black Tambourine and Rocketship have grown to be one of my favorite bands, but with these recent love for new pop music is rocking and slicing pop kids faces-with a gruesome stale knife of distorted feedback. Mmmmm

Best 7":
Some how, by some glory 2008 was a great year for my favorite format. More labels are producing and more bands making tons of singles (Vivian Girls with 4 this year!), which leaves me happy. I got my hands on quite a few from this year, including ones from singles club, splits, hand crafted love, numbered editions and color vinyl mmm. I have yet to get Sexy Kids' Sisters are Favorite (which is a great song), but I'm ordering soon once money flow starts being stable again (which is soon!)

1. Vivian Girls-Wild Eyes
Back in April, somehow I got myself introduced to Vivian Girls. Wild Eyes literally shook me. Part garage surf punk girl doo woop and part amazing. Plus I really love my sister's version of WHY oh WHY oh WHYYY? Side B's My Baby Wants Me Dead is probably one of my favorite side B of the year. He wants to put a gun to my head, just like this song.

2. Searching For The Now 3 (A Sunny Day In Glasgow/The Sunny Street)
Wowzee! The completely dreamy experimental band A Sunny Day In Glasgow puts me in heaven whenever I hear their cover of the Pastels' Sometimes I Think About You. Makes me as happy as meeting someone new who excites you. The Sunny Street's Pottery & Glass is a bit sad and reflective, but quite beautiful. Put on loud volume (especially for Sometimes I Think About You)

3. Searching For The Now 4 (The Pains of Being Pure at Heart/Summer Cats)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's Come Saturday has to be one the loudest pop tunes of the year. Well this version at least (the newest one via myspace sounds a little lower with it's oooh oh oooh!) but this can just me blasting Searching For The Now 3 so when I put on 4 my ears bleed...just a bit. I have to admit, The Pains are tied for my favorite band of the year (next to the Raveonettes). I mean the band were in 2 different splits, their own single, and opened for the Wedding Present! So what comes next of the loudest pop tune of the year? Summer Cats' Let's Go! the most fun tune of the year. Overall #4 shines! Put on louder volume.

4. The Carrots-Doing Our Part
This 33rpm 7" actually has 3 songs from their EP back in 2006. Doing Our Part is the new one, but my gosh how I love this song. I relate to this song with Jennifer taking lead vocals singing monotonely "do you wanna runaway runaway oh ohh" The rest of songs are reworked, so you won't find the lo-fi glory from the EP. Jimmy Don't Cry has Veronica vocals a bit higher than Jennifer's (whose I vocals prefer more). Side B with Secret Since '99 and Ladies of Givens is more upbeat, faster, and clean. Will people hate me if I say I only like maybe 3 songs from The Pipettes, but The Carrots (who I think is better) every song I love? Even my four year old niece can tell you, and sing to you any Carrots song you want to you hear. CUTE!

5. Je Suis Animal-Painted In My Face
Mr. Cloudberry (Roque) played this for me, and I was pretty wowed by it. Completely sweet-a bit dream pop & psych with a whole lot of love. The b-side Photograph captures my heart. "Yesterday I touched your face, kissed your lips, but you were just a photograph of you."

6. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Everything With You
Overall this song carries the torch of everything that is great about a good single. Boy/girl vocals, loud, honest and heck very captivating. Side B has The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's theme song The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. This version has Peggy's vocals a bit lower, but I think that's because the music itself is louder. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart will never die, okay?

7. Jacuzzi Boys/King Khan split
Jacuzzi Boys baffle me that they're from Florida, but anyways A Strange Hand is psych garage blah goodness. I actually think they should change the song to A Strange Town. Seriously. Why aren't there more bands like this in South Florida? King Khan (as in The King Khan & BBQ Show and King Khan & the Shrines) delivers a hum drum folk song Desert Mile. Creepy as fuck.

8. Andy From Denver/Red Pony Clock split

This split comes from the Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records' Singles Club and this was a part of the 2nd batch. I was super excited about this because M Coast named it quits, and Andy From Denver is Andy Gonzales newest project. Hanging on a Cloud sounds like it could be a M Coast song but with a more of a sunshine pop AM radio with a bit of funk. Red Pony Clock is a band that I don't know much from. From this single Waiting Four You, I do know I enjoy it very much. Pretty horns and psych pop sounds make me happy.

9. caUSE co-MOTION!-I Lie Awake
Love me some caUSE co-MOTION! Sloppy crash pop makes me bounce with anxiousness written all over. Side B's You Don't Say is like 1 minute long and Cry For Attention bit longer is my favorite in this single.

10. Jennifer O'Connor/Dump split
I was excited to see this because well I don't having anything from Dump, so I had to have it. Why? Because it's James from Yo La Tengo duh! I never heard of Jennifer O'Connor, but I do like I Was So Wrong (which is a Dump remix). Not a big fan of the other song I'm a racecar driver, but it's okay I guess. Dump covers a song that I don't know named I Wanna Get Next To You, and seriously, all I want to do is makeout to song while this song is on repeat. I guess that means like every 3 minute I would have to get up and pick up the needle, but it's worth it.

Best extras in a 7":
BOAT-Topps
Topps drawn trading cards and gum!? YAY! I'm in a funk because I've had it for months and I can't even think about chewing that gum, and I love gum.

Best 7" cover:

Best album cover:

Best compilation soundtrack record:
Yo La Tengo-They Shoot, We Score
HAHAHAHA you really thought I would make a list without including a Yo La Tengo record? Stupid. This record includes scores from Old Joy, Junebug, Game 6 and Shortbus. Be happy and listen to all the different tiny versions of Green Arrow, and let go to all you're holding on to. Dreamy!

Best compilation that actually came out in 2006:
CD86: 48 Tracks From the Birth of Indie Pop
Although I knew a few tracks, the ones I didn't know blew my mind alway. The Bodines, The Raw Herbs, The Servants, The Primitives and The June Brides captured my heart, and kicked me because why the fuck haven't I ever heard of them? And how about that Jesus & Mary Chain song I never heard-Upside Down? I've always liked them, but this song is worth calling me a big fan now.

Most mediocre song of 2006 that I liked in 2008
Evangelicals-Hello Jenn, I'm a Mess
Evangelicals are Apollo Sunshine after recording Katonah then listened to the Flaming Lips who were listening to Cocteau Twins. This song came out in 2006, and although they did release an album this year, I have yet to hear it. Hello Jenn, I'm a Mess is dream pop without being too dream pop, it's indie rock without being too indie rock. It's mediocre at it's best, but it's better than a lot of shit that is out there. Sometimes mediocre is good, and this is one of those time. It's for the anxiety driven or moody motherfuckers like myself. Plus how you pass up lyrics like "loose lips sink friendships."

Most Overrated Band of '08:
1. Glasvegas
Sorry I don't get why people like them. They are extremely boring. Why should I care if Alan McGee thinks they're the best band to come out of Scotland in 20 years? Didn't Alan McGee give us Oasis? So here you go the next Oasis.

2. Beach House
eh. I thought I liked it the first listen, the second seal the deal for me-I don't. I mean am I suppose to like every dream pop band that is out there? I think it's okay to say no once in awhile. Just sayin'.

Coolest music video from another overrated band of 08:
MGMT-Time to Pretend
I only like this video because he rides a cat, and because it was directed by the same guy who directed an amazing short film called Death of the Tin Man. Wooh for Ray Tintori! But really-do we need another Of Montreal? I can only take so much from Kevin Barnes, I don't need another.

Coolest music video:

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Everything with You. It was recorded with a Super 8! How super. Plus this video reminds me of a typical day with my sister and I. Yup!

Other runners up: Crystal Stilts-Prismatic Room and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Gothenburg Handshake...because of it's randomness, and pretty cinematic scenes of nothingness.

Yu'le like this

2008-12-24T18:55:00.001-05:00

A very special Favorite Selection #1:

Yule Log III-Director's Commentary

Side note: Haha

RUDY! RUDY!

2008-12-21T08:06:00.002-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #19:

40 Inspirational speeches in 2 minutes

Side note: I found this video on Paul Scheer's tumblr. This is pretty ridiculous and at the same time amazing.

Men seldom make passes at girls with glasses

2008-12-20T19:36:00.008-05:00

It's been 12 years since I started wearing glasses, yet I was always related myself as a girl who wore girls. My first pair were pretty lame. I had to wear them because since my last name ends with a V, I sat in the back, and couldn't see the blackboard. Soon enough I moved to Florida, and I realized that wearing glasses (or at least these pair) wasn't gonna get me any friends. I stopped wearing them (or at least when I had to look at the blackboard). A few months later I lost them as I was running out my house to catch the bus. I freaked out because I realized I have horrible vision. Two days later my parents took me to get my second and probably my favorite pair of glasses ever. Leopard printed cat framed glasses. Need I say more. I was considered a bit offbeat at middle school, but this threw me off the roof. Guys though were still hitting on me-but I had a few new admirers especially the one I had liked since moving! (Eventually I found the other glasses a few days later in my front yard).

As time passes by even more, this slowed down as boys in high school didn't understand why I wore glasses. Often I would get guys telling me that if I took off my glasses and let my hair down I would be beautiful. I always just shoot them a dirty looked and tell "too bad I don't give a shit." But what bugs me the most is the fact the my own type rarely give me the time or day. Never had I thought I had a type but lets face it-deep down inside I do. I won't even get into that but point is I don't get it. I see them chasing non-glasses wearing girls after they give me that talk. Oh yes. I always get dumbfounded by that, but I never let that bring me down (actually sometimes it does). This past year I've had a hand filled of guys (that I know and don't) telling me that I intimidate them. Possibly my glasses give off the vibe. Im blaming it for the fact that it makes me look more smart, and that scares guys (especially if I'm smarter than them).

I'm also blaming the media. I can't really think of one female wearing glasses that is smart, independent and well, dates. In order to get the dates you lose the frames. Even Tina Fey's character Liz Lemon in 30 Rock as quirky as she is (and me in a few years) gets no action. Or Ugly Betty gets action, but the show is called UGLY Betty. Lately I've been thinking of getting contacts, but this is me. I feel so weird when I don't have them on and I still do all the things to keep my glasses from falling off my face. So next option is get a new pair. I already have my eyes (haha) on a pair, but from a store in Portland. Anyways I did what they said-resized the photo to the actual measurement, print it out, cut it out, put on face. Sooo pretty. It's the same size as my current ones, but uh vintage. Well point I am getting out is that I'm still going through the trials and tribulations of being a lady with glasses. Who knew. I thought this stuff ends when you're out of high school.

While I'm at it-I am not a fan of ironic glasses...just sayin'.

Ice cream and cake, and cake

2008-12-17T21:18:00.004-05:00

Look at this loving family. That kid is too cute- too bad his name is Adolf Hitler Campbell. He was recently denied CAKE because the local ShopRite refused to put his name on the cake. So good ol' Walmart decorated it instead. Now, no kid should be denied cake on their birthday, but really mommy and daddy? The father made a statement that people should look focus on the future, not the past. And this is why his other children are named : JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell.

The past 3 years the father has made the similar request to the same ShopRite asking for a swastika as well. I guess he meant the Hindu symbol and meaning.

What is funny about this whole ordeal is that Walmart decorated his name on the cake. Walmart-the same place where albums are censored.

On a slight side note: Welcome Art Under Your Nose to the blogosphere! Everyone should go and read, because Misael is awesome (and so is art).

Here's a video for everyone!

Boy oh boy

2008-12-15T18:12:00.005-05:00

This entry is split in two separate thoughts/writings

1. Aaron over at Examinations of the Practicality of Objectivism & Other Writings just posted about us having a "healthy competition" and compared us to Rubber Soul and Pet Sounds. I'll like to point out that I am Brian Wilson in this equation because when Aaron started his blog, I was inspired and figured I could do that. Also Pet Sounds is a favorite of mine. Even Aaron's insight on sports inspired me and make me laugh. I thought "hey I have something to say, and I think of myself as entertaining enough to be funny and cynical."

Sadly enough I've been feeling very unmotivated to write and lacking inspiration. Blogs I regularly read have slowed down on posts and things have been a bit mundane in life. I'm not sure if it's my life or society that is letting me down (perhaps both) but I've been kicking myself in the butt lately to do something. I started this blog because it kicked me in the butt and I should not be slowed down. Today I read an interview on New York Times art critic Roberta Smith. She mentioned she loves daily/weekly publications and it's immediacies. That's how I feel about blogs. A fresh thought. About 2 weeks ago The Daily Show had this writer/blogger as a guest and she said something along the line -If you were laid off from your job, you can start a blog! Jon Stewart couldn't stop laughing and neither could I.

I saw this ad on New Times the other day. I was completely intrigued by it-mostly because it took me a bit to realize it was a dude in the ad. My thought process was like this:

-Nice legs

-Hmm

-They are a bit muscular

-....

-Wait a minute...

-Dude?

-It has to be because they are showing his chest.

Are men being objectified now!? That thought has been on my mind for a bit now, but after seeing this ad I am 100% sure that men are objectified. I remember reading about this in my Aesthetics and Art Theory class, but image is everything now so this made a bigger impact on me. Aside from the fact that it's a vein treatment center what interests me is that his face is cut off. Ads with women rarely ever do that unless it's one of those loss weight before and afters. I must investigate men in ads now.

In the future everyone will be talking in Auto-Tune

2008-12-14T13:53:00.002-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #18:

Side notes: My goal in life is to perfect the Auto-Tune voice without Auto-Tune. Also this 5 year old kid is singing Bob the Builder theme song on Auto-Tune. I can die happily now.

Hey hippie, just wanna get few things straight

2008-12-10T19:36:00.004-05:00

After a long wait Langerado finally posted the initial lineup for the 2009 festival set in Miami yesterday. It looks like I'll be going again-after saying this year "I hate festivals, I hate hippies, I hate Langerado" which is the same thing I said the year before, but how can I turn away from Tortoise!? Maybe I can meet John McEntire and ask him questions about the production of Stereolab's Dots and Loops or when is The Sea and Cake are going to make my dreams come true and have a show down here or about his collection of analog synthesizers.

This year's lineup is a bit of a shocker if you're a langeradee and didn't not read that New Times or City Link article a few months ago about the change to Miami and how it's going to be mostly bands who haven't played at Langerado. This leaves out all those jam bands then? Well it happens to be more diverse (more diverse fans) and I think it's a good thing. Not because I'm not a fan of hippies or jam bands (mostly true) but because as a festival it should thrive to change and share music. I read awhile ago how Beat Happening opened up for Fugazi!

I'm planning to go one date only, so I'm hoping for Tortoise, King Khan and the Shrines, DeVotchKA and Tricky perform the same day.

Here's the lineup so far:

Death Cab For Cutie • Snoop Dogg • Thievery Corporation (Live) • Slightly Stoopid • Ryan Adams and the Cardinals • Dashboard Confessional • The Pogues • Matisyahu • Flogging Molly • Michael Franti & Spearhead • Broken Social Scene • Cafe Tacuba • Umphrey's McGee • The Disco Biscuits • Robert Randolph & The Family Band • Pepper • The Faint • Cold War Kids • Steel Pulse • Public Enemy • Gym Class Heroes • Tricky • Girl Talk • Chromeo • Mute Math • Bad Brains • Ozomatli • Against Me! • George Clinton & Parliament / Funkadelic • Tortoise • DeVotchKa • Black Kids • Grupo Fantasma • Holy F*ck • Budos Band • Tokyo Police Club • Lotus • The Virgins • The Gaslight Anthem • King Khan and the Shrines • Lucero • Murs • Ra Ra Riot • Tortured Soul • Rebelution • K'Naan • The Egg • Zac Brown Band • Tigercity • The Aggrolites • Cloud Cult • Spam Allstars • Rachel Goodrich • Blue King Brown • The Heavy Pets • Awesome New Republic • The Postmarks • Suenalo Sound System • Live Painting by LEBO

Say hi to your mother for me, then jizz in my pants

2008-12-07T08:31:00.003-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #17:

Side note: This was the only thing that made me feel better last nite seeing that I'm deathly sick.

OMGz

2008-12-06T15:05:00.003-05:00

I found out in this Brooklyn Vegan post that Swirlies are back and are doing a tiny tour. Why don't I live in the North East?

What to expect? "I'm sure something will break, there will be lots of tuning breaks, we'll play too loud and I will consequently sing off key, and no one will remember how to play the songs," says Damon. "In other words, it should be business as usual. What better way to spend my spring break, right?"

My excitement is level red now. That statement is something I want to experience. The great thing is that still I've been working on my best of 2008 list-a Swirlies song is in it. Later on that though as I'm being very productive, getting writing done for this week. But YAY for Swirlies!

Here I am dreaming again

2008-11-29T18:50:00.002-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #16 (on Saturday!):

Side note: Most of Richard Linklater's films are good. Waking Life is beyond good. Slacker is better though.

Most likely-I hate you.

2008-11-26T18:01:00.005-05:00

A thought always arises whenever I'm at the mall-I really hate people. Yesterday though it hit me that I actually hate consumerism not just the mall. My thoughts on hating people never comes up whenever I'm in a crowded train, or a packed show. I love being in crowds of people but the second I go to buy something I see how people can not act whenever they are buying. It really frustrates me to witness the true nature of people-they are horrible when they shop.

I think this is also the reason why I opted out on going to fashion school, and why I can really care less about fashion now. I feel so deceived by it. Shopping is hell for me because I never feel comfortable and I get irked so easily. And forget it I get so down when I look at the tag to see where it was made.

Going to the mall is a joke to me. A joke to see a juxtaposed of silliness. Example: Let's say there's a mall in the middle of a rich neighborhood and working class neighborhood. The working class try so hard to look money it's so sad. Why spend your money on that?

Though aside from food the only thing I don't mind spending money on is music. Local record stores of course because I really hate myself and other people when I go to Best Buy. I tend not to be so judgemental when I'm at a local record store. That is whenever I'm at FYE or whatever I start going on the bad taste people have. I know people have potential to be amazing (and have great taste of music) but this is can't be good.

Now what to do? I've always felt the best stuff (music, art, films) always come from people who go against "the cool" but now "the cool" is a look you can get from your iphone and later as your default picture on myspace. Oh the sadness I feel. I do believe we have it in us to save our culture (and not the consumerism culture) but what is it going to take? A lot of people don't care anymore and it's difficult to start a movement if people don't care. Something big, really big has to happen to make a change. I want to say I'm waiting, but I'm tired of doing so. Sooo tired.

I'll tumblr for ya.

2008-11-24T16:40:00.002-05:00

Marry me. I've been using tumblr for almost a week now, and I'm in love. It's simplicity and minimalist design should be praise. It's like the Mac for blogging. Perfect for just that one photo, song, or quote you want to post. Nothing more. Heck your grandma could probably help you with post your tumbling.

With it's minimalist qualities it actually does a lot more that blogger. You can reblog, tell the people you're following that you loved their post, and as well you can find other tumblrs in your area using Google maps. I know following is just new here in blogger, but it's doesn't do much except it's in your dashboard and in Google Reader. Tumblr does not have a comments feature, but you can get it through disque. What's the point though? You can click the heart of the post and that's all you need to know. Tumblr should stick with its short posting no comments. Plus if you want to comment on it you can always reblog and write in your thoughts.

My only issue is more of a cultural issue. We're become more and more of a visual society and rather to discuss lengthy topics it's shorten to a post of a picture. Though at the same time Tumblr has this existentialist quality to it. Not sure how to explain, but I'll get back to it one of these days.

I do have to say this tumblr makes me so hungry:

http://gluttonyisabliss.com/

Marry me.

2008-11-23T11:24:00.003-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #15:

Side note: Just the other day I finished watching all of Arrested Development. I've only seen tiny parts of it here and there, but just a few weeks ago Jeff let me borrow the series. Wow. I can't stop doing all of the chicken dances.

New, elsewhere and repost of a repost!

2008-11-18T17:50:00.004-05:00

I got a new blog! No frets though, because I will still use this to report my cultural activities.
This tumblr I got because I'm a bit obsessed with the ones I've seen so far (plus I get to post on posts Jeff made-duh!). Also this tumblr blog is reporting random scans and photos. Not much text will be written.

http://elegantsips.tumblr.com/

ALSO!
Someone I don't know blogged about this blog!

weirrrrd. yet coooool.

PAARRRRRTTTYYY!

2008-11-16T14:30:00.004-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #14:

Side note: Sadly I had to leave early before Cars Can Be Blue's second set last nite, but I had a great time and laughed a lot. Though I think that if I didn't leave early Nate would have sang this song to me.

"My mouth is drier than my grandma's vagina."

My life in la bodega

2008-11-12T19:55:00.009-05:00

In the strangest of matters, I have noticed that everyone I am close to is going through this "break through." Not sure exactly what to call it, but I guess what I mean is trying to figure out what to do next in their life. It's one of those moments (especially when you're my age and especially when you just graduated) when you feel extremely hopeless, too sad and worse of all losing your mind. Mood swings all over, constantly feeling anxious and waiting...just waiting. And while I am here just waiting and constantly on edge, I am learning to hold on to sweet things. Perhaps it's because my cynicism really hasn't been doing me any well, and I'm tired of feeling like this. I'm resorting back to my youthful days (I say that as a 23 year old) when being pure and simple was the best. Back when I lived in New York, and the tiniest thing will make me happy (Do I hear Mister Softee? Mami, Papi I need a dollar, Mister Softee!! Hurry, he's going to leave! I hear the music fading!!) Lately all those little things I loved as a kid are the only things that haven't let me give up.

The good ol' bodega.

For a nickel I can buy a Now and Later, for a dime I can buy Twizzler, or for a quarter I can buy any Wise snack chip (my favorite is Cheez Doodles..crunchy!) Luckily by my job there is a corner store that has my childhood, though there's no merengue-the sugar kind not dancing kind. My childhood as a wanna be BeBes Kids in the hood let to me to experiment with junk food. I would had to say if you wanted to know what taste good together come to me. Like example: this afternoon my lunch consist of Little Debbie snack chocolate roll, Cheez Doodles, and lemon iced tea-all for a price of $1.69! Sounds gross but the taste of sweet and salty...mmm my mouth getting watery right now. I've turned friends into believers. And if you were making the bucks-buying a pizza for a dollar after hitting up the bodega. Seriously that never fails.

Walking around was always good to me. As a kid in my hood-you walked all the time. A lot of those times with your friends (BeBe's kids). My elementary school was about 2 miles away from my house, and every single day with my friends (rarely with an adult) we walked. Sometimes my sister would wait for me and walk me home. Being outside, the breeze, talking. It's nice. Though not too nice in Florida. You see, people here frown upon it. People are always looking at me from their cars wondering why I'm not in a car. Sorry but I'm not going to confine my space-and going out doesn't mean going to another confine space.

Throwing eggs out the window. Can't do that here for a few reasons. One being that I live in a one story house-throwing eggs is best when living in an apartment. Two you actually need people walking outside, under your window to throw the egg. The last memory I had of the day before I moved from New York was me throwing eggs out the window with a neighbor who was half my age-I was 12. Late that very nite (you see in my hood, during the summer everyone was hanging outside until very late) I heard my neighbor yelling from out her window to her brother who was outside "Yo quiero huevos!" I almost died.

Books. and more books. Before I got into music (say whaa? there was a time!?) I read so much as kid. I would spend the whole day just reading if I could. It was an escape for me. Being the youngest, and not having any space I found it with a book. Oddly enough-one time my siblings had a party when my parents weren't around and told me not to leave my parents room for the whole nite. I was delighted. A whole night with a book and I can listen to whatever radio station I wanted to hear.

And I'm pushing over my mid twenties, I realized that those simple things still keep me happy. I need it to stay that way.

Guy Ben-Ner's Stealing Beauty

2008-11-09T07:12:00.005-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #13:

Side note: I went to Ikea last nite and all I can think about was this video art piece. Also it's 7am Sunday morning and I'm watching Singles on E! How 90s of me.

Working and daydreaming all day

2008-11-07T17:04:00.007-05:00

about the new love in my life

Except it can not be with me. Love does cost a thing, and that thing cost over $300. Luckily I met you the other day, tried you on, stared at the mirror thinking how beautiful we look together. We're too different to be together. You're rich, I'm poor. Though I think I'm okay with the $12 look alike I got in Target last week.

Oh yeah-if you actually wear glasses, try not wearing them for once in a while. It's pretty trippy and funny. Then of course wear sunglasses to darken the view. Then walk to your job and make sure your boss waves at you. Make sure it's her though, because you can't see from a far and you don't want to wonder who the person is waving at you-like I did today. Also, make sure to not wear your glasses in a familiar place, because if it was opposite world-that would suck major.

Hot for yous

2008-11-05T21:46:00.006-05:00

Art crush of the month:

Martin Eder

I should scan the photo of him in my Art Now 2 book because it better represents why I think he's cute (with his knives collection). Since taking a painting course earlier this year, I've started to really enjoy looking at paintings now. Eder's kitchy surreal images of porno ladies and kitty cats makes me smile. Juxtapose!

Someone who didn't make it into my new life

2008-11-02T15:38:00.003-05:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #12:

Side note: Although I'm still waiting until one day Jens Lekman writes a song about me, he will always manage to write songs that my heart can relate to.

Feed me with your kiss

2008-10-29T21:32:00.002-04:00

My Bloody Valentine's Glider 1990:

Bloc Party's Intimacy 2008:

The better band has the better cover. Glider makes me want to makeout, Intimacy doesn't.

The beat dies

2008-10-27T18:41:00.004-04:00

I'm not one to write reviews about releases, because frankly if I were to explain the album you would have to be me listening to it. There are no words whatsoever that explain what music does to me. That is if it doesn't suck or if it's not mediocre. In that case I would just say "that sucks" or "eh".

But here I am typing this, because I've been listening to this Beauty Dies EP for about a week now, and love it to pieces. It the gap between Pretty in Black and Lust Lust Lust. It's poppy, still dark and emotional, without being sad/happy/cute emotional. Plus it makes me want to wear a black dress with black shades and dance in a large empty hall by myself, or maybe if I'm up to it dancing with one person, but still in that large empty hall.

The stand out track in this 4 track EP has to be Young and Beautiful. It makes me sink so low. It's beautiful, tragic, and everything that I love about the Raveonettes rocked and rolled into this song. Somehow they amaze me how they write the same song (heartbreak, love, wearing black, being beautiful and young, and death) yet its still so refreshing. I can easily say this is one of those pop tunes I've been searching for all this year. I think I have maybe two hand filled now. But this is special in any case because boy/girl harmonies makes me swoon.

About this third installment of their fall/winter EP releases, I read an interview with Sune Rose Wagner (here at Culture Bully) that he wishes people recorded more singles instead of albums. Finally, I don't feel utterly alone when I say that statement.

Death to organization

2008-10-26T10:18:00.002-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #11:

Side note: Watching The Science of Sleep can be very painful for me, but I still love it.

I know someone who knows someone who knows Pam Berry quite well

2008-10-22T16:53:00.010-04:00

There's certain album covers that goes unnoticed, until on day you have your headphones one listening to the album and you're staring at the cover. Then it hits you. Why haven't I noticed something so simple and beautiful? Simplicity with a small twist that knocks you down. That's how I felt when I actually stared at Black Tambourine's Complete Recording. You stare at the front; you turn it around, then bow!

The surprise Pam Berry was holding out on you. In the front she looks like she's reaching out, a longing, then of course that longing can only be harmful to all. I do have to say, if I had any lick of talent when it comes to music I would want to be in a band that sounds like Black Tambourine. It's pop-but the lovely dark, loud, noisey and moody kind. But back to the gun. There's something so seductive about a woman with a weapon, but at the same time it holds as protection for that seduction. I guess if you listen to Black Tambourine you get why Pam Berry is holding that gun. The great sentence in the liner notes said "Oh the violence of crushes." Stephen Pastel-throw Aggi off the bridge. If not for me, for Pam Berry. Baby, please, ditch the fool.

Another album cover that did the same thing for me is My Bloody Valentine's You Made Me Realise.
I get chills looking at that.

Viviendo en la era Pop!

2008-10-19T08:34:00.005-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #10:

Beginning side note: Sadly the actual video I wanted to put up has no embedding code. If you care to actually watch what I wanted to put up please do watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbF1phW2xLI

The reason why I'm putting this video up is because it's the same song (but doesn't sound as lushly good another version) and this video has Pedro Almodovar (era 1980s) singing and dancing along in some sort of drugged state.

End side note: Roque who told me about Zombies sometime last year and who hooked with me with other like minded awesomeness Spanish pop bands from the 80s was singing a song yesterday-one I know too well and too little. A very rare song called Red Go-Cart was in a mixtape my sister's friend made for her back in 1996. My sister's friend wrote that it was by Bunnygrunt but a few years ago when I discovered this tape I failed to find out what release it was from. This happened for a few reasons:

1. This was back when Bunnygrunt wasn't together, and there was little information on them-except that they were once called "The World's Cutest Band".

2. That song wasn't by Bunnygrunt.

3. My sister's friend knew little of Bunnygrunt (even at the time when they were first together) because in another mixtape for my sister she wrote that a song was called "Refrigerator". That ended up being a big mystery for me because I loved that song (still do) and while looking for the song titles in all their LPs-none were called Refrigerator.

Which leads me back to Roque, because back at that time (Red Go-Cart and Bunnygrunt era) I didn't know him, but he was my neighbor once on last.fm. I saw him listening to a song called Favorite Food by Bunnygrunt (which favorite food was a part the lyrics of "Refrigerator"). I sent him a message asking him if he knew what release it was in and he told me. Two years later I finally got that 7". Probably one of my favorite 7".

Anyways yesterday there he is singing another mystery for me-that amazing Red Go-Cart song.

I love a good mystery song but finding out who actually wrote it is the best feeling ever. Now if I can only find out who the heck sings that beautiful Angels, etc song.

EDIT: The Red Go-Cart song is actually called Little Red Go-Cart and it's by Throw That Beat In The Garbagecan

I need to investigate the essence of each being

2008-10-15T18:02:00.008-04:00

Film news:

Yesterday my friend was telling me that Jean Claude Van Damme has a new movie coming out. I blinked, but she continued to tell me that it actually looks good. I blinked twice. She showed me the trailer and I'm a believer. JCVD looks like Jean Claude starring in Dog Day Afternoon but less ATTICA! and more funny without being campy.

Aside from it's limited showing starting November 7th (which I doubt will be shown in South Florida) Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival starts this weeks! Something worth doing in South Florida-finally! Sadly, this will be the first time going to FLIFF without my sister! Bummer.

Though here's my youtube list of what I want to see:

Happy-Go-Lucky

Slowly I am trying to write down every female character I can relate to in a film. Hopefully this character can be added? So far I got:

Monica Vitti's character in L'Eclisse

Thora Birch's character in Ghost World

Audrey Tautou's character in Amelie

Miranda July's character in Me and You and Everyone We Know

Every female character in Pedro Almodovar's films

And a little bit of Shannyn Sossamon's character in Wristcutters: A Love Story and Parker Posey's character in Party Girl

Pussyfoot-Embedding code was disabled, but the title Pussyfoot should give anyone a reason to watch it.

Synecdoche, New York

Charlie Kaufman. That's all I have to say.

Music news:

Yo La Tengo are having their 8 days of Hanukkah at Maxwell's, but they are playing with THE FEELIES and VIVIAN GIRLS on New Year's Eve. Did I metion YO LA TENGO are also playing. Of all places New Jersey. What a girl to do?

what a girl to do?

The way that I feel when you cry is so bad

2008-10-12T14:52:00.006-04:00

While on train yesterday I overheard this woman on the phone talking about how she wants to see her child (I guess she wasn't allowed to see her child). Then I heard her trying to cry in silence, but in a close proximity you can her weeping. Although I couldn't see her, her friend was sitting next to her just staring her. This older lady came by after a bit of the woman crying and stared to talk to her-giving her old lady wisdom.

For some reason the sight of a woman crying breaks me. I'm not sure if every woman experiences this, but it's something that transform my own identity. It's one of the few moments for me that I completely can relate. When I see and listen (not hear) a woman cry-I automatically start crying. I see myself in her. All her emotions I feel. I have this weird aesthetic experience whenever I see Claire Danes on screen crying. She's one of the few actresses that when she cries you can see every pain in her face. Call it uglyface, but it's beautiful and hurtful. Reverting back to non verbal communication is the most honest someone could be with you, unless well you're acting. But it's one of the few times when there's no failed communication. You get it.

For that older lady on the train she told the crying woman that it's not always like this. She said sweet little encouragements to cheer her up. That made me smile.

Now I know I have a heart, because it's breaking

2008-10-12T14:03:00.004-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #9

Watch Death to the Tinman in Entertainment Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Side note: This short film got me to start writing my ideas down for my screenplay.

How to be socially knowledgeable

2008-10-07T20:25:00.005-04:00

The best thing next to wikipedia is wikiHow. There's something so interesting about people taking the time to write or edit information. What's real? Who cares. Everything is this world is pretty much a lie. Information gets lost through miscommunication anyways so why is it frown upon when I use the best thing in the internet?

Back to wikiHow. I stumble upon it a few months ago and was giggling to myself on all the silly how-to whatever. It started with How To Be A Pop Kid. I laughed it off but it's so true. Step number 12 states: Try to persuade countless friends to listen to pop with mixtapes. (or CDs if you're digitally inclined) Be crushed when they don't listen to them. Oh how I've fallen into that mistake plenty of times. A tip: A lot of your indiepop days might be kind of lonely, so fill them with other hobbies besides zinemaking and band-doing! Examples include trainspotting, shoegazing, knitting, looking at bridges, trying to draw the Sarah Records or K Records logo JUST RIGHT, daydreaming, mixtaping, taking long walks while listening to the Field Mice, and arts and crafts. And of course I need a lot of money to buy records.

Here's a list of other gigglefest of wikiHow (that relates to me-duh)

How To Be A Shoegazer

How To Be So Lame That You're Actually Cool

How To Ride A Bike

How To Hug

How To Write A Famous Blog

My favorite thing along side from the wikis is when you're having a conversation with someone (example: about a band) and they totally start vomiting information you read from the band's wikipedia. Yeah.

In the streets of Philadelphia

2008-10-05T19:01:00.002-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #8

Side note:

Philadelphia is filled with babies and Bruce Springsteen. I want to go back.

Give it up to my shawty shawty!

2008-09-28T16:33:00.004-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #7

Side note: Originally today's favorite was Lost Boyz' Renee because it reminds me of my cousin and 1996. We listened to their debut album like crazy that winter (along with Redman's Muddy Waters). But I just heard this song on XM radio and I remember loving this song more in 96.

Cos I'm fall fall falling for you

2008-09-21T09:57:00.005-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #6

Side notes:

It's the last day of summer!

"doo oo oo yeah" should be in every song ever.
There's this commercial for Rhapsody that uses Sound and Vision and The Sea and Cake did a lovely cover of it.

I'm drifting into my solitude over my head.

MTV's Top Pop Poop

2008-09-17T16:05:00.015-04:00

(Blogger note-I wrote this awesome post last night, and something weird happened and only 1/3 of what I wrote showed up. So sadly this rewritten entry is probably not as interesting as yesterday when I was really into it.)

I don't think I've ever experienced feeling so moved by a text message that it made me post a blog about it, until today. As a ha ha joke, I texted my friend a picture of my mousepad at work. It's a Britto mousepad. Romero Britto - the uber cheesy "neo pop art" artist, that my friend hates dearly.

A part of his response was "Mouse pads are just about the lowest of the low for visual artist...in fact, they're just below messenger bags."

My replied back asking him aside from the artwork itself what's below that-a postcard, a coffee mug?

Honestly I couldn't stop thinking about this question. It automatically made me think of the essay The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction by Walter Benjamin. I have yet to actually read the essay, but I slightly do know what its about. What's the lowest of the low of reproductions? I've seen Britto's work on buses (and all over the damn place in South Florida) but I counted that out because I think of that as public art. Tattoos are reproductions but I counted that out because for its sentiment to the tattooee. It's personal therefore the artwork is not lower down to the equivalent to a mousepad. Unless well you're me and suggested to your friend to get a tattoo of Joseph Beuys' How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare because you want to live your tattoo fetish through her. Back to Britto - His images (that's right images, not art) are all over the (consumer) place. I've been interning/working at this job for over a year now, and just a few months ago I noticed that my mousepad was a Britto. Not that I didn't notice my mousepad its that his designs are such a background image because I see it all the time. Just 2 years ago I found out that it was actually an art in charge of these designed images. I honestly thought it was just some manufactured cheesy design, like a tacky font. I know someone is in charge doing it, but I didn't know it was some famous artist who is in the Saatchi Collection.

So here's the response from my friend:

In order (of) reproduction:

postcards

tshirts

coffee mugs

fridge magnets,

toilet seat covers,

mass produced shlock with no intrinsic artistic value...then mousepads.

He forgot messenger/tote bags. And umbrellas because I once had a Starry Night umbrella that I got from the Dollar Store.

Killer Coke's delicious new design makeover

2008-09-17T16:05:00.004-04:00

I noticed a few months ago the new design for Nestea's Iced Tea bottles. Not that I know anything about good design, but I really like it. The old one looked too much like a soda bottle and it looked sporty. I guess it's mountainish features reminds me of sports. But this sleek bottle is pretty European therefore it's cool. Simple and futuristic. Futuristic because the yellow and gray remind me of my futuristic dress that has pockets (and I think in the future every dress should have pockets.) Plus it now comes with 50 more antioxidants. Yummy antioxidants. Yummy corporations that kill union leaders from my country. It's how I like my drinks.

Some people think little girl should be seen

2008-09-16T20:14:00.006-04:00

While looking thru all the photos I've saved on my PC I found a folder of artworks I would like to have if I curated an art show. It was a part of a project in senior seminar course. I wrote a proposal for it, but I think I didn't save it. From what I remember it was an exhibition that was broken into 3 sections- thread, hair and identity. The proposal was written really nicely why I did that, but you're smart you can see the connection.

Here are the artists/artwork I wanted in my awesome curated show:

Lygia Clark

Ghada Amer

Sadly I don't remember her name, but once I find out I'll edit this.

Ana Mendieta

Ellen Gallagher

Petah Coyne

Cindy Sherman

Nikki S. Lee

Ana Mendieta

Found on cragslist

2008-09-14T09:43:00.004-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #5

Side notes:

Other films I really want to see:

In Search of a Midnight Kiss

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Pedro Almovador's film-Los Abrazos Rotos should be out in a year. This still is so mysterious it's making me too anxious.

More songs about buildings (and food)

2008-09-12T16:32:00.002-04:00

Creative Time presents Playing the building, a sound installation in which the infrastructure, the physical plant of the building, is converted into a giant musical instrument. Devices are attached to the building structure — to the metal beams and pillars, the heating pipes, the water pipes — and are used to make these things produce sound. The activations are of three types: wind, vibration, striking. The devices do not produce sound themselves, but they cause the building elements to vibrate, resonate and oscillate so that the building itself becomes a very large musical instrument.

For some reason when I was in New York this summer-I regret not checking out this site specific installation. I did know about it, but failed in life and let not only myself down-but David Byrne as well. Just yesterday I caught a video clip on this installation. The video itself moved me so I can only imagine how I would had emulsified in front of this art work. But what's the best thing about this art work is that it only function as a participatory work. You can look at it sure, but you have to use your hands to press on those organ keys, and your ears ready to listen to the direction where the sound traveled. All the little trinkets that help produce the sound makes this building an instrument.

I'm sure this experience can only be compared to falling into a black hole.

Everybody is talking about the stormy weather

2008-09-07T17:57:00.002-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #4

OH NO my (Sunday) best dress!

2008-08-31T16:47:00.007-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selections #3:

I had already made my pick for today's selection a few days ago but then once I started with the side notes, I realized that these side notes are very important. This ridiculously youtubed post is filled with past stories, past favorites and well the past itself, so I'll start with the original favorite that later is filled with reasonable side notes.

Let the side notes begin!

The Rentals featured Petra Haden who was in my favorite almost all girl band-that dog. One of her triplet sister Rachel was also in that dog and now in the recent lineup of The Rentals. You might have heard of Petra without knowing Petra (how sad). She was also in the Decemberists, has made countless of recordings for different artists and as well for herself. He's Kissing Christian was like my favorite song when I was 12.

While thinking about that dog it made me think of Cake Like because my sister had put them on a mix tape for me (it actually might have been two different mixes, but still.) I never knew anything about Cake Like until a few years ago I was determined to do my research. To my surprise the lead singer/bassist is Kerri Kenney-Silver who is Trudy Wiegel in Reno 911, and well if you know your comedy was also in Viva Variety and The State. You might also know the guitarist because she was in Wet Hot American Summer, The Ten and also played Mary Kay Latourneau in The Mary Kay Latourneau Story!!! Sadly, I have no idea where that tape with the first Cake Like song I heard which is called Lovely Ladies; Suck is still a good song though.

Which leads me to my last side note-this video. This video begins with some dude who I don't know Kerri Kenney-Silver, David Blaine (wtf?) then my sister (wtf!?) Yes that is corrected my lovely sister-whom introduced me to that dog (which led me to know The Rentals) and Cake Like. The opening to this video is for Jim Carroll's People Who Died which was featured in The Basketball Diaries' soundtrack. The video was filmed in a school day afternoon in CBGB. My sister skipped classes to be in the video. According to her there was only like 10 people in the crowd and she got to meet Leonardo DiCaprio (whom she danced with) and Marky Mark (whom wanted her number.) Now I haven't seen this video in ages and I haven't spoken to my sister since finding this video but here are the times I think I see her-even though this video is pretty pixelated.

2:13-the dark wearing lipstick girl with thin eyebrows on the bottom left

2:49-the dark wearing lipstick girl with thin eyebrows on the bottom with a smile

3:52-the dark wearing lipstick girl with thin eyebrows on the bottom right with a smile

I'm sure there are a few times she appears in the video-but like any good MTV music video they are short fast paced shots.

Bizarro Sunday Selections huh?

Knowledge is power!

2008-08-28T01:01:00.004-04:00

Sadly-classes are starting everywhere in the world, and I am not a student anymore. It's pretty surreal for me especially because being a student is the one thing I am actually good at. Though I do have to say I can be a bit of a slacker, but I still enjoy being in that environment. So seeing students with their books and backpacks gets me really sad. There's an empty feeling I get whenever I get home from work. I feel as though I lost something along the way. The thought of grad school has been on my mind lately, but I've been very hesitant about the idea.

My dream graduate program is in Rochester. Woopdeedoo. The introduction to the Visual and Cultural Studies Graduate Program in the University of Rochester reads:

The Graduate Program in Visual and Cultural Studies provides students with an opportunity to study critically and analyze visual culture from a social-historical perspective. The Program stresses the close interpretation of artistic production within historical and cultural frameworks. Housed in the Department of Art and Art History, the Program offers an interdisciplinary doctoral degree drawing on coursework and faculty expertise in several University of Rochester humanities departments. Because the primary faculty work in Art and Art History, Film Studies, Modern Languages and Cultures, and Anthropology, students are able to relate literary and cultural theory to visual culture, and to investigate the connections between cultural productions, critical theory, and society. Students may also take courses in such departments as History, English, Music, and Philosophy.

These are some of the courses from Spring 2008:

DIRECTOR: JEAN-LUC GODARD
CONTEMPORARY ART: THEORY/PRACTICE
WOMEN, CLOTH AND CULTURE
POP FILM GENRES: COMEDY & HORROR
FILM HISTORY: MUSEUM STUDIES
MOTHERS, COMRADES & WHORES
THE POWER OF PRINT

This literally screams ANGELICA VERGEL!!! I love art history, but I can't bare to take the typical Masters program for art history. Perhaps maybe if the program was all about contemporary art. One of my professors who is a SVA alumni has always expressed her feelings that I should really apply to SVA's Art Criticism and Writing program, but it's missing something for me-and that a more wider range of understanding society. Though SVA does have a new program called Design Criticism which sounds really interesting to me.

But all that is beside the point. The Visual and Cultural Studies program is meant for someone like me although it's mostly a ph.d program they do accept masters. The only thing that is holding me back is the fact that it's in Rochester. What the hell is in Rochester? I feel like I'll wither away if I go there. I need to be in a city that is not NYC, with a community of people that actually know each other.

Grad school is in hold for now, but in the meanwhile I'll keep on looking for that perfect grad school.

Center of gravity

2008-08-26T21:52:00.005-04:00

Possibly the greatest photograph ever taken (taken by Jason Bergman). Various reasons, primarily two-Yo La Tengo (well minus James) and the air dancer in the background! Ira has orgasmic face on and that air dancer is about to erect.

Those two reasons for me are the reasons for living.

Genius + Love = Yo La Tengo (+ air dancer)

The Universal Laws (whateva whateva whateva)

2008-08-24T18:46:00.002-04:00

Sunday's Favorite Selection #2:

one.

You're still a douche bag

2008-08-18T20:47:00.006-04:00

Why did Angela Chase ever like you? Sure you were good looking, but dumb as fuck-which is not attractive-which is making me think that Angela Chase was also dumb, but that's beside the point. What I'm having a difficult time to grasp is how Scarlett Johansson ever dated you. Glad to know that's over with. Plus she slightly won my heart back with Vicky Cristina Barcelona (complete side note-over at imdb.com's boards for the film people are comparing Woody Allen with Pedro Almodovar. I say psssh yeah right. After seeing it I saw no relation-except that Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem being in it.)

You suck just like Empire Records suck.

Though I have to say the best contribution you have done in film has to be this scene from American Psycho:

I thought I was looking at my mother's old douche bag, but that's in Ohio.

2008-08-17T18:15:00.002-04:00

Starting this Sunday I'll be posting a youtube video that is considered to be a classic (in my eyes).

There's no need for a reasoning why it's my favorite, but I might add a side note.

Sunday's Favorite Selection #1:

Side note: The song that is playing in the background on this scene is one of three songs that typically get stuck in my head while test taking.

The other two:

1. Theme song to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (especially the raging guitar)

2. Theme song to Super Mario Brothers (this video is a beatboxing flute interpretation)

Tea parties for feminists

2008-08-15T20:49:00.008-04:00

A couple of days ago my mom told me she wants to host a tea party at her church and wanted to know if I can help her. Since I'm a lovely child I agreed, but I know nothing of about hosting a tea party. I have little proper etiquette, but I can bake a mean sweet. Then yesterday I was discussing with Monica (whom we've talked about having a tea party/baking session) about this tea party seeing that she's an expert on tea. Which led to us finally planning our own tea party for next weekend. High tea! High five!

I'm extremely excited. Monica even said "why don't you look through that book of yours"...aka written by one of my many heroes-Amy Sedaris. I thought of all these baked goods I want to make such as:

cupcakes (duh)

gingersnap cookies

crepes

strawberry shortcake

fluffy coconut cake

lemon madeleines

biscotti

kourambiethes

scones

lemon curd

Basically my dad was right and I should had gone to culinary school. Either that or I'm a fat little kid.

Being an hostess seem very 50s Americana, and tea parties seem very Victorian. High class I ain't, and rules are meant to be broken so either this party will be very punk rock (most likely no because we don't listen to punk rock, but I do rather enjoy post punk) or very clumsy with tons of giggling and tea being spilled everywhere. Maybe tummy aches from too much sweets.

Sounds like a dream come true.

And yes I plan to bake all of that.