Doesn't have a point of view
7.28.2004
tofu?
Why did I name the last post tofu? Because I meant to talk about the tofu festival. Last Saturday I went with Lillian. We both got sunburned badly. My sunburn is in the shape of an upside-down sunset drawn by a child with a diagonal stripe through it. We ate some yummy dishes. I wish that we could have tried more of them. I was happy with our choice of a tofu salad which included tofu, tofu linguine, japanese basil, lettuce, little bits of crunchy seaweed, and delicious miso dressing. It was handed to us by a happy Japanese lady yelling, get your tofu salad, it will make you go "woo-pa". She was awesome.
Other awesome things at the festival included the person in the tofu ninja costume who waved at me and Lillian. Too bad that we failed to bring a long a camera. We also saw several appealing t-shirts. The best of them were this new company called spicy brown. They asked us if there are any stores in Alhambra that they could sell their shirts. Lillian and I could not think of any places trendy enough. They suggested that we start one.
I think that I have decided that if I opened my own business it would either be a diner or a bookstore.
Yesterday was one of my most exciting days of the whole summer. At the festival, we noticed these passes to the world premiere of Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. We decided to try to bribe Xi to take us. This time it actually worked. Beforehand, I went to Color Me Mine with Kenneth to paint ceramics. I couldn't believe how crowded it was. That many people paint ceramics on a regular basis? I picked out a little star shaped box and Kenneth got a little fish. After that, Thanh picked us up to go to Gruaman's Chinese Theatre. It was fun just to be in Hollywood and to see the inside of the historic theatre. Some of the stars from the movie were there, but the person that I was most excited about seeing was Samuel L. Jackson. I just finished watching Pulp Fiction for the first time and I wanted to say some quote from it as we walked past him. All I could think of was bad ass mother fucker, but I didn't want it to be taken the wrong way.
Today, I have to work again. I am scouring the house for the chocolate syrup. Are there really that many places where my mom could hide it?
7.26.2004
tofu, tofu
The world, or rather Alhambra, is too hot right now. I am too lazy to lean over and turn on the fan. The dishes are piling up. I am not accomplishing enough for the fraction of the summer that remains
At first I was proud of myself for keeping away from the tv set. Now, I am worried that I am reading my life away. I finished "Lullaby" because it was fairly short. It was a lot shorter than the plastic book and "one flew over the cuckoo's nest." It was not as great as I expected. I'm a fan of repetition, but it was a little too much.
I realized that my library book is overdue. Worse yet, they actually made the due date the date of the last day of summer school, so my book is more overdue than I thought. This makes me feel very guilty. I hate preventing others from reading.
7.19.2004
blue's room
Today, I turned on my tv to what might be my greatest nightmare come true. Okay, not really. I was flipping through the channels and was happy to see that my beloved Blue's Clues was on, so I tuned in. What did I find but a puppet version of Blue-- a TALKING puppet version of Blue. I just about fell over. It was if Blue's Clues had turned into all things that characterize bad shows for toddlers. First of all, Blue is now a puppet, second of all, she has an odd variety of puppet friends including a roaring orange dinosar, a doodle board which cleverly says doodle doodle as it draws, a jukebox which sings boogie woogie, and a talking dress-up chest. Eek. The worst part is the whole plot line of Blue being born with a gold key to the special room which she now discovered. What happened to good writing like the praised tranisition between Steve and Joe?
By some happy coincidence, I received a birthday present from Sharon in the mail today. She gave me a blue's clues notebook (which I have always wanted). It is from this new show instead of the regular series. Despite this fact, it still made me extremely happy. She also sent me play-dough and the neatest card I have ever seen. I'll post a photo of it later. Thanks Sharon!
On a positive Blue's Clues note, I found these nice little music videos featuring Blue and real musicians. Here's the one with India Arie.
7.18.2004
wall of books
I went to the library. I went to the library and I couldn't leave. Sometimes, I think that I have problems. I passed by books and I had to get them, even though my list of summer goals is constantly growing on its own.
To justify my checking out 6 books from the pasadena library (not counting the 2 from PCC) I proceeded to read 2 of them within a 24 hour period.
The first was M. Butterfly, a Tony winning play by David Henry Hwang. David Henry Hwang, who attended my high school. Sure, he didn't graduate from there, but I think we can still claim him. It was not as serious as I expected. I thought it was more than "slyly humerous" as described on the back cover. It also reminded me of something I had forgotten-- that weezer named their album Pinkerton for the character in the opera Madame Butterfly. Now that I know a little about the plot of the opera, I have a greater understanding of weezer as well.
The second was David Boring, a graphic novel by Daniel Clowes (author of Ghost World.) As most reviewers of the novel cleverly state, it was less than boring. It is the story of a 19-year-old (yikes!) who lives with his friend Dot, leading a seemingly normal life sleeping with women, working as a security guard as he writes a great screenplay, until he falls in love and gets shot in the head. No, I did not just give away the plot of the entire book for you. That happens in act 1 of 3. The thing that intrigued me most was the anything-but lucky penny that was carried throughout the novel. It reminded me of Karina's magical NY subway token that I wear all the time. Well, so far I haven't been shot in the head.
Now I have to go back and get the copy of eightball comics that they have.
All of this reading is in part blamed upon the library not having a single copy of any books by Chuck Palahniuk. I ordered Lullaby and it is there, so maybe I will have it by Wednesday.
I made this perfect little mix for Kashena. It is very late, but since she is out of the country, I have not been in a hurry. I put soo much effort into making this one just right. The theme is the feeling that you get when you try to pull an all nighter typing a paper in the library and you get to the point when you realize that if you had worked faster, you would have been asleep and in bed instead of staring at the rising sun. Yeah, I don't really know how to shorten that into a 3 word title. Most of the songs mention nighttime, sleep, or lonliness. Anyway, I selfishly made myself a copy of the mix to "test" it and have been doing so for well over a week. There is a problem song. Norah Jones' Day is Done just doesn't fit the mood. It is too sleepy and slow and I no longer want Norah Jones in the mix. If I take her out, there is a lack of female vocals and pop singers. I do not have the motivation to search for a fitting female vocal. This is my new great idea. I am going to post my mix, like Lillian, and hope that someone can suggest the perfect song. Note that it must also transition well inbetween The Ladybug Transistor and ...Trail of Dead, which is tough. Here it goes.
1. The Beatles- For no one
2. Stealer's Wheel- Stuck in the middle with you (from Reservior Dogs)
3. Modest Mouse- The good times are killing me
4. Calexico- Alone again or (written by Love)
5. Spoon- I didn't come here to die
6. Beulah- Gravity's bringing us down
7. Shearwater- A make over
8. Papas Fritas- Another Day
9. The Pale- A wakeup call
10. Y.A.C.H.T.- I love a computer
11. The Velvet Teen- Radiapathy
12. The Kissing Book- Your melancholy ways
13. The New Pornographers- The laws have changed
14. Interpol- PDA
15. Portastatic- Oh come down
16. Norah Jones- Day is done
17. The Ladybug Transistor- Song for an ending day
18. ...And you will know us by the trail of dead- Another morning stoner
19. Michael Andrews (featuring Gary Jules)- Mad world (donnie darko soundtrack)
20. Lamplighter- Bedtime
I went with Tom yesterday to old town. I haven't seen him in over a year, so it was really nice. What I love about Tom is that he can't lie to the people at Staples about when he is going back to school during his job interview, but he feels no guilt in telling his friend that his car was stolen just so that he wouldn't have to drive. We got boba at Tea Station, which was good but pricey.
7.11.2004
lots of syrup
Hi blogger world,
I have so much to say right now, but I have less than 1 hour before I have to eat tuna casserole and go to work. I was supposed to start/finish my super-easy graphic communications so-called report right now. It is more important than my blog.
Ah, I have deprived myself from the internet for at least 3 days and have found lovely e-mails from Chau and Eric in my inbox. I want to reply. I also feel like writing to Jason, who I haven't e-mailed in over a year.
If I can find enough information, I will write (or realistically, copy and paste off websites) about soy-based ink for my report.
Eeep. Work just called and said they want me to come in an hour early. Quick with the important news.
Yesterday, I got a package from Eric. Real U-bet chocolate syrup! Thanks Eric! I figured you would read this before you got or I sent an actual thank you. My mom opened dark chocolate syrup (not as good as it sounds) a couple of weeks ago that we got in Hershey, PN last year. Now I have enough chocolate syrup to last me for the rest of my life. Time to buy soda water.
I got an e-mail from Amy Winfrey. There is a new fiend. It is that last in the series. But... there is going to be a second season. I can't wait, especially after watching the new episode. Check it out!
Connie has temporarily shut down her website. As upset as I am, she does promise a new layout to come. Luckily her daily is still daily.
There's the news. I was scheduled this week for 5 days of work instead of 2 which reduces my chances of going to see Karina, going clubbing, and concert going. Oh, well. I've been letting the concerts pass me by. Camera Obscura is this Tuesday, but I think I'm going the Orange County Fair with my parents. Oh, did you hear? If you call it the OC fair, it sounds way cool, like the tv show.
7.07.2004
kenneth sighting
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Yesterday, much to my surprise and happiness, I saw Kenneth. He chased me down at PCC. Apparently, he had spotted by orange backpack before and wondered if it was me or not. Because he could not locate my phone number, he asked both Linda and Ileanna if they remembered what color backpack I had in high school. Linda said pink and Ileanna said orange. Ileanna also added that because I am environmentally conscious, I would have not have thrown it out. My main reason for not throwing it out is that Jansports are guaranteed for life. When Felix sent his in to be repaired, he received a postcard from his backpack. Since then, I've wanted to send mine in.
I was also fortunate enough to not only see Kenneth, but the witness the debut of his new clothing line-- kEnsembles, based upon Mandy Moore's line mBlem. I hope that his line is a hit.
This exchange occurred in less than 5 minutes as Kenneth walked to his class and as I walked to the library. Now all I have to do is call him and maybe we can hang out this summer. Then I can give him a copy of the blue moon as I promised. This reminds me that I also told Tom that I would contact him.
Of all of the people I feared I would see at the community college, I never thought that I would see Kenneth. I guess I'll cancel that long-over due letter to him.
Today is my dad's birthday. Happy birthday Dad!
More about work: I like working at cartooniversal because I finally know about where everything belongs. The downside is the continuous showing of the movie Shrek. I liked Shrek the first time that I saw it, but after the 6th time I am tired of hearing it. There are more important things, like chemistry, to fill my empty brain space.
7.04.2004
Happy 4th of July!
Happy 4th of July everyone.
I'm still bummed that I have to work tonight, but at least I get to see Karina, Lillian, and Suzanne soon.
Xi wrote a semi-formal review of Spiderman 2. It made me want to write one too. He made a good point in that the character of Mary Jane does not seem added out of the obligation for a romantic substory. It is instead an integral part of the plot and Peter Parker's internal conflict.
More comments on superheros later.
7.02.2004
cure for 4th of july blues
I just found out that Karina's coming home for the weekend. That made my day.
7.01.2004
hometown treasures
I'm happily mixing my mixed CD today. I've decided on a sleepy/dreamy mix of songs that I would listen to when I reach the point while pulling an all-nighter when it hits me that sleep could be better than staring at a computer screen. Sadly this usually doesn't happen until at least 4 in the morning.
Yesterday, I spent way too much time doing nothing at the computer. Here is my worthwhile discovery. It is called Nails. If you don't have a lot of time to play around with it, at least watch flow or spin.
Another discovery that I made was of this website. It shows eateries, bowling alleys, theaters, and other roadside attractions across the united states. As the scrolled through the photos of bright neon signs, I began to recognize several of them. Much to my excitement, I discovered that many of the listed places were businesses which I drive by every day. How could I have seen through their beauty? The photos make their signs look so shiny, retro, and appealing, but most of these places I hhave never consider visiting like Goody's and Bun and Burger.
All of this internet strolling was brought upon by the search for a perfect e-card for Felix.
Happy belated Birthday Felix!
Working at Universal Studios makes me wish that could speak Japanese. The Japanese tourists usually have the most interesting requests. So far I have been asked what the word "Latina" on a t-shirt reading "Latina Queen" means. Another woman asked where she could get, what I think was, a watergun. When I didn't understand, she formed a gun with her hand and said bang bang. The woman with her also have a paper with a nice drawing of a little gun on it.
I talked to Anu today. Yea! The other day, I tried to make Anu style tea on the stove when I was feeling sad. I didn't have cardamon pods and I had to used ground. It was not nearly as good.
