Emy Augustus

2012-01-26T14:23:00.001-05:00

I really like the cohesiveness of these images. Kind of like they were each dipped into a vat of something.

... the first into a vat of dark polka dots, the second into a vat of dreamy romanticism, and the third into a vat of glitter and patches. Hehe. I want to be dipped into a vat of happy awesomeness. ; )

scout

2012-01-26T11:05:00.000-05:00

I was waiting to post these pictures until I came across some interesting quote; oh ACTUALLY I was hoping to watch the documentary on the author one more time to take down some nice things that were said, but I haven't gotten around to it. So here are the pictures -

Truman Capote as a child - real life inspiration for 'Dill'

those drawings are beautiful. Especially if you look closely at the facial expressions.

casting call for the role of Scout

Don't know what this photo above was doing in the documentary ... I feel like I've seen it before elsewhere?

I really like her zig zagged, unintentionally I'm sure, bangs.

Clinton Street

2012-01-25T17:35:00.004-05:00

postcard from Patti Smith to Robert Mapplethorpe

Another Lovely Thing :
Haruki Murakami on seeing the 100% perfect girl one April morning

A note from Oscar Wilde

2012-01-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

This cheered me up ...

Oscar Wilde’s letter to an Oxford student on the uselessness of art:

My dear Sir

Art is useless because its aim is simply to create a mood. It is not meant to instruct, or to influence action in any way. It is superbly sterile, and the note of its pleasure is sterility. If the contemplation of a work of art is followed by activity of any kind, the work is either of a very second-rate order, or the spectator has failed to realise the complete artistic impression.

A work of art is useless as a flower is useless. A flower blossoms for its own joy. We gain a moment of joy by looking at it. That is all that is to be said about our relations to flowers. Of course man may sell the flower, and so make it useful to him, but this has nothing to do with the flower. It is not part of its essence. It is accidental. It is a misuse. All this is I fear very obscure. But the subject is a long one.

Truly yours,
Oscar Wilde

[VIA]

outfit details:

Oxford button up shirt - Uniqlo

pants - Uniqlo

headband & neck thing - diy with pompoms, feathers, and a bath puff.

I'm not sure what he means when he says that art is sterile. Or when he says that something is off if it makes you want to take any kind of action...?! But I do like the overall gist of it and the 2nd paragraph. It's something to remember. A flower is pretty cliche and redundant but you never really get tired of looking at one, even if it's the most commonest of all flowers. Even if your brain doesn't realize it, the eyes are still happy to see it. Maybe there's an exception to this. I'll have to pay attention to when and if the sight of a flower ever annoys me haha.

Old Lolita covers

2012-01-18T12:41:00.000-05:00

Late 80s - 1989 : New York

80s - 1986 : Paris

Late 60s - 1966 : New York

60s - 1961: Athens

50s - 1957 : Stockholm

(found)

Click through the link above to see the complete collection - "185 book and media covers from 37 countries and 56 years"! The ones I've posted above were my favorites and match my own style aesthetic in terms of how Lolita is portrayed as a person/character. I DESPISE the covers that portray her as some sort of loose excuse for literary people porn. Not that porn is bad, but it's just so shallow of an interpretation, and inappropriate for a complex story to just slap some pretty girl in some state of nudity on the front cover. Like the cover that just has a naked woman on it, or the ones where she is supposed to be the embodiment for some universal concept of lust or desire which doesn't exist and if it does, the cover artist did not capture it. Basically, it's probably best to not try to give her a face. It's fun to do that though! Everyone who loves the story will want to make her look the way they like. But...that ruins it a little bit for someone, somewhere down the road.

Well the five here did not ruin it for me. They are so quaint and historical and sometimes cultural! I especially like the one from Athens and the one from Stockholm. The Athens one addresses an important part of the story that most of the other covers don't focus on. They focus more on her youth, innocence, attractiveness/seductiveness, yet a key part of the story was this natural sense of control she had over Humbert ^2. It wasn't even like she was trying to control him; just who she was and who he was; he felt completely helpless in her presence. And the illustration from the 60s is so funny because it is sooooo typical to portray a girl looking like that. Ex: these old diaries from around the same time -

Full Stockholm Cover: Love the fonts and their colors!

Yesterday's failed smoothie is today's hair treatment

2012-01-17T12:06:00.001-05:00

{source}

outfit details:

Shoes, borrowed from sister: Eric Michael

Tights: Uniqlo

Dress: Thrifted, Topshop

My favorite thing about the dress besides the classic shape is the deconstructed looking zipper in the back. I recently sewed the shoulder straps in by about a inch because it was hanging too low and loose on me. (The dress has been hanging in my closet for ... a year?! And has been worn ... twice?!) That's the trouble with thrifting a dress. The style might be amazing but it just might be a size off from what you normally wear. Plus, it is worth mentioning that I usually have an aversion to animal printed garments. It's really not my style. This dress makes it work though. Maybe due to the subdued color combined with the aforementioned classic shape (reminds me of the dresses shirley temple would wear in her movies).

close up of hair and eye makeup.

I really like how my hair gets curly-ish when it's wet. You would not believe how hard it is though! Haha, the avocado smoothie dries to a cement-like consistency! It feels like my hair is going to break off if I bend it. Scary. Here is my typical eye makeup combo: a line of black followed by a line of white (sometimes I'll use silver). It makes me feel wise yet youthful at the same time. I don't know if my mental state echoes the makeup though!

close up of lip makeup.

I love painting on a tiny mouth! It's so funny looking and weird.

Oh yes, so about the avocado smoothie aka happy accident hair treatment. It is a filipino drink that a friend introduced to me a few years back. It involves combining avocado, milk, and sugar. Sounds good right? We made it yesterday, substituting with soy milk and honey, and it tasted none too great. =( So, since my hair has always tended to be dry, and knowing avocado is good for it, I tried it this morning as a leave-in conditioner type thing. I can't wait to see how it is after I shower. It took a surprisingly small amount to fully saturate my hair, so I think I have enough for ... maybe 4 more uses? If it works well I can kiss Lush's avocado leave in conditioner goodbye. That thing costs like 20 bucks for a small jar! A single avocado is only a dollar! I have high hopes for this smoothie treatment because after rinsing the residue off my hands, the skin still had a slightly oily feel to them. A good sign!

Illustrations of butterflies by Vladimir Nabokov

2012-01-16T19:55:00.002-05:00

My favorite one has got to be the first one. Geometric shapes are so trendy right now. I learned that Nabokov's hobby was the study of butterflies. He proposed a theory about their evolution that everyone thought was ridiculous but which somebody recently proved to be true. I love it when things like that happen - you intuitively make an educated guess about something but 'technology' isn't advanced enough to prove it until ... decades later! He also wrote a poem about how the only thing he wants to accomplish in life is to discover and name a new type of butterfly. Also, when his dad was imprisoned during the war, he went to visit him and brought him a butterfly - he was eight years old at the time. His dad was the one who introduced him to the 'hobby'. I don't know if it is appropriate to call it a hobby ~ he seems to have been quite good at it and really serious about it. He is such an perspicacious person. Everything about him exudes sensitivity and understanding and amazingness. I spent all of Saturday drawing butterflies because I felt envious/admiring of his tenacity. I am currently going through a phase of renewed appreciation for him, Herman Hesse, and Haruki Murakami. If there were no time, distance, or language barrier, those three could have been best friends.

{link}

2012-01-16T16:19:00.001-05:00

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ!

An intriguing thought

2012-01-15T12:11:00.000-05:00

Today's outfit: Twas brutally cold. 15 degrees with a high of 27 -

In his cell, he commits suicide for "crimes against myself." Vonnegut, in a foreword added to a later edition of Mother Night, warns, "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be."

- And So It Goes, Kurt Vonnegut: A Life by Charles J. Shields

photographs

2012-01-12T14:32:00.001-05:00

Emmy The Great - Paper Forest

>{here}<

A Painting

2012-01-09T12:15:00.006-05:00

skateboards

2012-01-04T09:24:00.000-05:00

2011-12-31T20:43:00.003-05:00

Sweet William : star belt (I'm sure it could be worn as a beautiful fall necklace for adults!)

Sweet William: mask necklace

Sweet William: felix

I want to make things so bad I feel manic. The accessories at Sweet William; a children's boutique store, is especially making me crave DIY. I ordered some things from Amazon but it will take some time to get here. No instant gratification tonight! :(

Photos: Brooklyn museum, dolls by Jess Brown

Something about boutique, high end childrens' products drive me crazy with something akin to desire. Something about the way they are made and the way they look make them seem more valuable than a diamond or gold necklace. And they are relatively RELATIVELY cheap in comparison. Strange.

Experimenting with a new type of makeup

2011-12-23T13:06:00.001-05:00

Lavender Blue

2011-12-15T13:05:00.006-05:00

... I know what you're thinking. Damn this girl must be full of herself to put up three photos in a row which look virtually ... the same ... Well I don't know what to say to that ... ... except

I saw a billionaire the other night!!! She looked nothing like how you would imagine one to look. Not at all like the characters on ~Revenge~ surprise surprise. Well now I can say I've truly lived. My experiences have run the gamut from an accordion playing family on the subway to ... witnessing 22 giant bags stuffed with clothing. Wowsers Life you silly blind thing.

Outfit details:

dress - Urban Outfitters

sweater - Anthropologie

Tights - AA

shoes - steve madden outlet

hm. what else.

lips - Sephora brand lipstain in 'strawberry kissed'

flower hair clip - ALDO

glasses w/ non-prescription frames - classic specs

We moved our little desk up from downstairs recently. Very helpful for studying. Which, I shall now be getting back to... Good Night!

A gay boyfriend would be a nice thing to have circa April Ludgate Season 1

2011-12-14T23:37:00.001-05:00

I finally did something I've been wanting to do for a while and that is, organize my books by color. It was fun and *quick* and the result looks so soothing and neat. I highly recommend to anyone who is a fan of color. =) I forgot to take a 'before' pic but found this one in my files where you can see a little bit of the first row of books -

Before:

After:

(I tried to match up little objects that went with the color schemes)

OH SEE HOW NICE IT LOOKS.

My next study break I am going to do the same to the downstairs book shelf. =B It might pose something of a challenge though since those books are all the 'boring' ones - textbooks and other nonfiction. Oh boy I look forward to it...

My sister is in the process of ordering new glasses, which means I get to try them on. A few look pretty good on me and is giving me IDEAS~ Here's three I like, the first two look the same but one is a lighter brown w/ flecks of amber - I believe that is called Turtoise shell or something? The clear one is fun. The frame is a bit thick & too heavy for my face but I would love to try them on in a thinner style, which they do come in.

one:

two:

three:

mad scientist?

and this right hurr is 2 pics I snapped from the aforementioned event at B&N.

What a sweetheart he was. I started taking this video clip right after the director guy said something really great...which I don't remember, not even the gist of it. I just remember as I listened I thought, wow that's great I wish I recorded that. Oh well! What he said in this clip was pretty true too - that the best movies are the ones we see in our head when we listen to a certain song.

Next study break : an outfit post! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOh. Byebyefornow.

The best thing about plants is their color of course; that, and the frondescence!

2011-12-14T15:26:00.001-05:00

God I love the imagery in this video so much. Not even mentioning lyrics, the person, the ideas. Let's just focus on the images for now before I get too overwhelmed! I wish I could dress up like a bird and get photographed! He was aiming for a hawk here I think, what with the brown feathers and dark, stern eye makeup. I would want to be that green parrot. There's plenty more amazing images in the video (which can't be embedded) - you must watch it to get the full effect. It moves very quickly, in flashes almost; which just about drove me crazy at first when I was trying to get just-the-right-image for the screen shots but ~ I got the hang of it. The trick is to pause a few seconds before you know the image is about to appear, not as you see it because there will be a delay.

... omg just found this : Jonsi and Alex make a raw, vegan lasagna!

I saw jónsi (pronounced Yon-si) speak with Cameron Crowe last night at Barnes and Nobles in a sort of double promotion. He made the soundtrack for a new movie coming out called 'We bought a Zoo'. It was quite good and made me realize some things.

2011-11-07T22:46:00.000-05:00

Isn't the packaging for the perfume eau so cute? I love good/cute/fun/clever/innovative good packaging. I don't normally wear perfume but that bottle design is just too great to resist. I got it as a free gift from Sephora because I signed up for their rewards card. I tend to be suspicious of those types of things but eh, it's probably not a big deal as long as I don't get into the mentality of, oh my god I want to rack up my "reward points" let me go there every chance I get to buy something because it's going towards a free gift at the end. Yeah ok, I don't want to spend 100 $ at Sephora (although I think with my most recent purchases sans rewards card I'm coming close wahhhh).

Well, actually the cashier was nice and when I pointed out I was only interested in getting the card because I wanted the Daisy perfume on display but then I was like, oh it'll probably be gone by the time I rack up 100 points (1 point = 1 dollar) she said, oh I can give it to you now you'll just start with a negative balance. And then I don't think she did even that ... Still though, I hope I don't set foot there again until next year, the real next year, not as in 2 months. I mean honestly what else do I need? I have three bright lipstains, a lovely white eye shadow, black and silver eye liner, clear mascara and that is all I need and I refuse to let commercials,etc convince me otherwise! *shakes fist*

Yeah ever since watching one of those Michelle Phan make up tutorial videos - I've discovered the awesomeness of white eye shadow ... and wanting a nice pigmented, matte, white. So there it is above - by Make Up For Ever. It didn't come with the applicator brush so I got one of the samples at the store.

The bottom 2 photos are the presents I got for my sister. 2 nail polishes, Momiji message doll, and the aforementioned Toki Doki eye shadow.

I actually got some good studying in today. =)
I also listened to music for the first time in a while and got punched in the face with nostalgia. I was reminded of dark playgrounds, old cold cars, etc etc.

2011-11-05T16:45:00.003-04:00

I took the day off today. So glad I did. September is the month when everything changes. I saw that in a children's book and thought it was a nice phrase. I was born in September. So, there were a lot of complaints about this outfit. My sister didn't like my choice of shoes and my boyfriend didn't like the necklace. I found out that dark eye shadow actually looks REALLY good on my sister. I didn't think it would because dark eye shadow (black, dark grey, browns) look awful on me. I'm more of a lip color person because I have very full well defined, fleshy lips. I have to wear very light eye shadows like white or light silver or pastels or else I just look way too heavily made up and weird and yeah emphasis on the heavy. It's just bad. Like an aged stripper.

On my lips I am wearing Sephora's 'forever fuschia' cream lip stain. Its my favorite shade. I got the lighter one called 'cute pink' ... and it makes me feel like malibu barbie when I wear it. (this is a bad thing) However, I will keep it because it is a good blending color. Dabbing a little bit on top of 'forever fuschia' makes it just a tad lighter and more shimmery.

Have a good weekend!

oh - My sister liked the presents I got her. Yesterday was her b-day. She is 21 now. I got her a Tokidoki eyeshadow kit, 2 sephora brand nail polishes and a message doll. My boyfriend got her an old sponge and a tissue box of rocks (my idea). I will photograph them later along with the bathrobe.

2011-11-04T08:47:00.001-04:00

These were taken in such a rush yesterday. Yesterday I was out of the apt. from 9:30 until 11:40 ish. By the end of the night I really wanted to use my coalface soap. So I did, and on top of that also the ocean scrub. I like this outfit because it reminds me of / makes me feel like one of those boutique children's catalogues like Small Magazine or something.

o hey you can see my new bathrobe in the background hanging there... but yeahhh need to photograph me wearing it to show it in all its soft colorful wonderfulness.

And now since time is short till I have to leave, I am going to make some tea/coffee and have half of a brownie that I saved myself last night.

oh alright here is an example of something wonderful from their site ( their mag. is pretty much online I think).

2011-11-01T21:58:00.002-04:00

I hurriedly snapped a picture this morning before going to school. It pisses me off when it feels like my schedule runs my life. I get resentful, but then I started thinking, well maybe it doesn't have to be this way. Maybe I just need to grab whatever little pocket of time that is there and use it to do something I want to do. And hence, here we have a outfit photo! I later added a light grey cardigan because I thought the bright colors might be a little too obnoxious for school. It added a nice touch of maturity, I thought.

Necklace: Miss Hoe

Yellow Henley: Uniqlo

Black and White striped shirt: Uniqlo

Pants: Uniqlo

Here is a close up but still not close enough to show off that splendid creation - moi. J/K the necklace. It's fuzzy/furry on top, and the bottom is made up of big wooden beads wrapped in an assortment of fabrics. There's a fantastic ribbon tied on and the very center ball is just a big puff ball made of colorful bits of yarn. Oh yeah and there's also two smaller steel beads on it. It was a birthday present from a lovely gal from So. Cal. I picked the orange version at first but had to exchange it for the green because it went much better with my skin tone.

Have a great evening ladies and gents~ I still need to photograph that bathrobe I got. Maybe I can squeeze it in tomorrow morning... Oy that'll be early. -_-

Jean-Ralphiooooooo stop crying

2011-10-30T18:51:00.001-04:00

I've been making so many awesome little purchases. "TREAT YO' SELF" - Tom Haverford =)

Take this for instance. I first heard of LUSH through my friend who kindly let me use her Ocean Salt scrub. My face felt amazing after using it! I finally got my own today. (I first tried their charcoal face soap and it was great too. Great for cleaning off the oily skin ... but still not as massaging and refreshing as how I remembered the scrub felt so ... ) Here it is - fun part is, they give you a little popsicle stick and tell you to stir in the sea salt yourself. Such fun! I felt like a little herbalist or something. Making my own potions and lotions. Ha - speaking of which, my sister and I might experiment with making lip balms with petroleum jelly by adding in various things like hot chocolate powder, beet juice, vanilla extract, etc.

Delightfully crusty!

After it's been vigorously mixed. =)

A reminder of its previous pristine look :

Next, I would like to share some of the sephora brand lip stains I've been getting. And a bathrobe. =D

Also, NY got it's first snow yesterday. It was the most perfect first snow of the season ever. In honor, we've put up our mini christmas tree. There are some November birthdays coming up so I figure I can put b-day presents underneath.

2011-10-29T20:36:00.000-04:00

The only two songs I like that are played where I work :

and this one :

They are oddly similar in some ways eh, with the sports theme. But overall sound is soooo different. Now what does this say about me? Manic Depressive.

=)

Enjoy!

2011-09-01T11:42:00.000-04:00

Bloody L I don't feel like leaving! I'm such a homebody.

Angeline and Jamila are arriving tonight! All the way for California! One I haven't seen for a decade (!!!) and the other maybe half a decade?

Yesterday I saw a girl on the bus wearing a Rocket Summer T-shirt. Weird. I wonder how long until these bands I was/am into are replaced by a new crop of names...that might be a sad sad day

2011-08-28T05:33:00.000-04:00

The black-and-rufous giant elephant shrew hid in his habitat and refused to come out for afternoon feeding.

2011-08-28T04:52:00.001-04:00

It's such a novel experience to watch a movie and have no idea what it's about besides the title and the genre (science fiction)! Usually there will be at least a little blurb of a plot summary via netflix/hulu or I would have googled it and read the wikipedia entry. It feels good. Like an act of faith. =) So far it's a little boring - beautiful scenes though! - except for the Hal thing. I just know he's going to turn evil. That blank red "eye" oh em gee ... and his weird manner of speech.

THIS IS SO HARD. I love spoilers. They don't 'ruin' movies for me at all.

2011-08-28T04:35:00.004-04:00

Where's the hurricane? So far the most exciting thing that has happened is that my boyfriend had to move his car from a underground garage in zone C to zone A (edit: oops, reversed the letters - think I was thinking of A the letter grade = good and better than C ha ha ). And that my sister filled the bathtub for the 2nd time last night and it mysteriously drained. Also sort of exciting that I get people in California and Beijing asking about the hurricane in tones of concern. How do people in China know about it? Would I know about a impending mild natural disaster in some part of China?

2011-08-13T03:12:00.001-04:00

I would like to be a little poor. Life is more romantic and meaningful that way. It is also nice to be a little rich so you can buy things which define your identity. A lot rich is bad though because you will desperately feel the need to spend and nothing feels quite right or good enough and life is boring when you can just buy everything.

Moon River, wider than a mile,
I'm crossing you in style some day.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
wherever you're going I'm going your way.

Two drifters off to see the world.
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end--
waiting 'round the bend,
my huckleberry friend,
Moon river and me.

I went to see the classique Breakfast at Tiffany's yesterday at the Brooklyn Bridge park. I don't remember the first time I watched it, just remembered I really liked it, it left me with a good feeling. I was surprised to find that the two main things that jumped out at me, really, the one main thing was money. Holly, never having any and relying on male friends to give her fifty dollars at a time for the powder room, and Fred/Paul with his slightly older woman lover buying him clothes, his apartment, everything... I want to look up why it seems to be common practice back then to even give money for the powder room aka bathroom. That reference I do not get. The only thing you would need money for in a bathroom now is to buy a pad for like 75 cents or something?
So yeah never realized how much money gets mentioned in this movie and how it's so intertwined with the plot and never picked up on or remembered that Paul was a 'kept' man, boy toy, pet. I just remembered it as a sweet, touching love story with style. I thought her apartment was this shabby/chic, colorful, bohemian vintage place when all it had was that halved bathtub sofa with some pink and purple cushions. AND another thing, this song. Seeing and hearing it this time, I was so envious of the perfection of it. Yet I remembered I felt very cringy about it before, felt it was too sappy or something and didn't particularly like it. Honestly WHEN was the last time I saw this?! Was I completely blind to have missed/failed to appreciate all these nice details? I especially like the line with her huckleberry friend because I just re-read huckleberry Finn and it was all about how he is genuine and truly humane compared to Tom Sawyer and the white picket fence valuing society he lived in despite having a drunk for a father and being labeled as a wayward boy bound for hell.

~~Pardon any misspelling. I don't have my glasses on, am using a touch screen keyboard, and it's three in the morning.~~ Fixed them! Lol can't stand spelling errors when editing is so easy.

That's about it. Now I have to switch to the laptop because I can't embed videos on here. In closing I would like to say it is def. good to re watch, re read, re visit things at a later date. In case you didn't know that already.

Oh yeah and there was some mild controversy about the comic Japanese character. A woman in the Bronx was trying to get the movie banned. So to appease her, they showed a documentary about Asians in Hollywood. It was nice but not very in depth. I don't think anyone said anything about how at one of hollys parties, there was this exotically dressed and attractive Japanese woman which is so typical. Make the man of a certain minority race look ridiculous and stupid and the woman sexy and appealing. It's so funny and interesting isn't it.

Moon River and me.

Moon River - Audrey Hepburn

2011-08-02T12:13:00.003-04:00

I dunno why but I rather like this. Largest size just to be obnoxious. =P
I saw it weeks ago and keep thinking back to it at random times ... like now.

2011-08-01T11:11:00.001-04:00

That little round table in the back-

I would like to paint it pink...

Top to bottom:
necklace - Anthro
Cardigan - thrifted, but by J. Crew
Tank top - LOFT
pants - Zara
shoes - anthro

I love these shoes! I should wear them more.

2011-07-30T10:22:00.001-04:00

I am trying to find an outfit by Sunday night that can pass as "business professional". It's hard because I usually have no such desire to dress that way. despite watching anywhere from 2 - 4 episodes of The Office per day.

These are all from Zara. Ranging from 10 - 40$. I had no idea Zara could be as cheap as H&M! Every time I go to the store I see prices 70 and up. I hope I can find these in the store today. I have to return the cardigan and tank top I got from the Loft yesterday. What was I thinking ... My favorite two are the first and the last one. Especially the last one. So mod! =) It'd totally go with my body type and hair.

2011-07-28T21:36:00.004-04:00

I'm at Bryant Park. I went to Union Square just to give another park a try and it was gross. It was so weird, one half was loud, rude sounding poor people - oh I feel awful saying that but tis true, and the other side, that was closer to the farmer's markets were the well off people dressed nicely and talking in low tones. The park felt small and damp and dingy. I don't remember it being so unpleasant. So yea, I think B.P. really is the best! Washington Square is nice too but can be too noisy. But no that one ain't bad and is closer to home. When I was waiting to use the bathroom at the park, there was a timid, meek woman who totally cut the line I think by pretending she was just going to wash her hands. And a big fat stupid woman staring stupidly. And the cleaning woman slamming things around. And the friend of b.f.s.w. who saw there was one hand dryer left and rushed towards it to beat me. I think these glances of sneaky humanity is what Kurt Vonnegut's eerie short stories capture. There's not a lot of kids at Bryant Park compared to Washington Square which is nice. I think that's due to there being a carousel instead of a playground. Playgrounds get kids to linger, a carousel only lets them stay long enough to become a decorative part of the scenery for adults; idyllic childhood ah!

Well I'm sorry but here it is, I see a oldish middle aged couple kissing passionately on the bench. It's a nice sight. The woman looks a bit younger with dark bushy hair down to her shoulders, a bit of a gypsy turned office worker in her navy patterned button up tucked into her navy pencil skirt. The man is dressed like anyone else around here. Salt and pepper hair, non descript pale blue dress shirt, tan slacks with a belt. I wonder if he's cheating. I imagine a wife a train's ride long commute away. Now they're at it again. It's so sweet looking, like teenagers. Just before, he fluffed her hair and bought it close to her face and must've murmured something flattering cuz she grinned charmingly, all the while staring into his eyes. It was a real batting of the eyelashes moment.

2011-07-28T19:56:00.000-04:00

So Monday is orientation for ___________. I feel a little like a traitor ( to myself ) for saying this, but I feel excited. I know it's just a retail job ... but for a part time job, what do you expect. I'm really excited actually that it's for this particular store and in this certain location though I shouldn't cuz it'll be filled with people, especially on the weekends and I'm going to wind up hating clothes shopping and I'll be standing for up to eight hours. But still, if it had to be retail ( and in a way it's good that it is because that is a flexible and reliable p/t job) then I'm glad it's this store. Also wouldn't mind ____________ or __________ haha. At least it's not _____ or _____. bleh! I really hope for the ________ job too though. That would be so great.

2011-07-26T17:58:00.000-04:00

I'm really happy I finally got this kitchen table painted. It was hovering around unfinished and unusable for days...weeks....and all that was left was the wheels and a small part of the drawer and other random little parts and for some reason the task was very daunting. Painting a simple piece of furniture like this is actually a lot of work. But yay, it's done and holding things that were piled on the floor. I like the way the shiny metal bowls look and I have my collection of salt and pepper shakers in a row on top. I want to get those colorful windup ones from Pylones. I don't think I'd use them but they're just such a good idea.

2011-07-26T17:25:00.000-04:00

Not sure where to hang these. Something about the color seems too 'modern' to fit in anywhere.

2011-07-11T12:30:00.000-04:00

I went to the MoMA, and found parts of my vital organs there ~ aka the highlighted segments.

Cildo Meireles

Thread 1990-95
Forty eight bales of hay, one 18-carat gold needle, and fifty-eight meters of gold thread

Meireles creates sculptures and installations that tie everyday materials to larger political and philosophical concerns. Thread is a modular cube, a form evocative of the geometric rationality of Minimalist art, but it is constructed of a material generally associated with agriculture. A gold wire encircles the mass of hay. At one end of the wire, a single 18-carat gold needle is inserted into the cube, recalling the common expression, "Like finding a needle in a haystack." The pairing of substances with vastly different monetary values but that here, are nearly indistinguishable suggests the precariousness of economic relationships, and the minute needle embedded in the massive cube may call to mind the place of the individual within a larger social system.

Pino Pascali

Bridge 1968
Braided steel wool

Bridge may have the appearance of a primitive rope bridge, but it is constructed of steel wool, a modern industrial product. This is the most ambitious of the works in Pascali's last series, Reconstructions of Nature: besides Bridge, it includes a human trap, jungle vines, and an animal skin all crafted of unlikely materials such as rubber and fake fur. An Italian critic coined the term "Arte Povera" in 1967 to describe the work of Pascali and other Italian artists who worked with "poor", nonart materials. These artists renounced the separation between art and life and aimed to expand or dissolve the traditional parameters of painting and sculpture. "I do not believe you make shows in galleries," Pascali said, "you mke the gallery, you create the space."

2011-07-10T14:21:00.000-04:00

A Passing Interaction Between a Resting Dragonfly And The Grass On a Summery Afternoon:

Grass: (shyly) Hi there. May I ask what you're reading?

Dragonfly: Well I don't see how it's any of your business, but I happen to be trying to read the words on this napkin. I'm doing a study on hygenicological lexicography.

Grass: I - I don't believe those are words. I've seen a few napkins in my day, and I think those might be just decorative markings.

Dragonfly: Excuse me! I am a learned insect belonging to the order Odonata, suborder Epiprocta, and, in the strict sense, infraorder Anisoptera! Perhaps you are confusing me with the easily confuzzled Damselflies, eh? I THINK I KNOW LETTERS WHEN I SEE THEM!!!

. . .

Grass: you look like that funny-looking human.

Dragonfly: what funny looking - I don't see what you're quacking on about . . .

Human (Diana): they didn't have any sugar so you have to mix your own in - - Hey it's a dragonfly! You know how you catch them? By grasping their wings!

Dragonfly: < flies away in a slight bit of a rush >

Grass: :)

2011-07-08T14:27:00.000-04:00

I forgot how a tripod works. Those extendable legs are handy!

2011-07-08T12:16:00.000-04:00

This is a good video to watch whilst one's nails are drying.

Also, night sky (bajillions of stars) time lapse.

2011-07-06T16:09:00.000-04:00

Our rusty fire escape is getting repainted!

My email got spammed.

Rain + Sun =)

2011-07-03T11:38:00.004-04:00

I used one of those apps for tracking your jogs for the first time yesterday and posted it to my facebook.

A mix of pride and shame. That sounds like it could be the title to a Dostoevsky novel. Pride because now I'm one of those people who are serious about their health and fitness and are high techly posting their stats to facebook (although I just noticed it doesn't have my pace on there like it does for Sheryl's a.k.a bitchcake's -- she must use a higher techyer one!); Shame because well, it is kind of slow isn't it! And I was dying at the end I tell you. There was an option on the app for you to pick how much effort it took you - a range of colors from green to red; I chose red; and how you felt at the end; I chose tired with the pain face. Still though, here's to hoping that the little numbers will inversely grow.

Afterwards, Louis made some greek yogurt-sorbet-fruit amazingness.

which we had on the roof

Then we watched the Wizard of Oz which made me sad about real life 'Dorothy' and annoyed with Halloween costumes.

2011-06-24T09:58:00.001-04:00

I took some photos of our room since I cleaned. Why waste such an opportunity eh? I still never make the bed.

The two little stuffed alien bunnies were purchased in Beijing. There were so many stuffed things w/ cool patterns. As with the tin robots, I want moremoremore. The bookshelf is from Urban Outfitters.

The stuffed fish are from Crate and Barrel. They are meant to be cat toys; there is a pouch in the back where you can tuck in catnip. Seeing as I don't have a cat yet ... and why would you waste such beautiful things on a cat?!

Curtains are from Urban Outfitters

Umbrella mobile from Pearl River on Broadway

I have a scratchy throat and despite natural remedies - gargling with salt water, tea with lemon and honey, it's still there. =( Methinks the worst is the pain that accompanies involuntary but rhythmic bodily actions. Like a soldier marching through snow with rag shoes.

Here's something I liked:

- JPD
- REDDIT

Interesting things I learned through the first link: the thing through the men's noses is not a hard piece of wood but actually the rolled up feather from a bird. That makes a lot more sense! Imagine what a big hole it'd have to be if it was a hard object. The men do this to look attractive so they can get a woman to notice them. They live in isolation to avoid war, conflicts, and religious zealots/missionaries. I approve! One thing it didn't tell me was why, after tasting the rice that the white man brought over; they would make a banging motion to the head. It was obvious that they liked it, but how does banging the side of your head signify that? Tape recorder, matches, mirror... I think someone has read A Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court!

a related video of children seeing an iPhone for the first time - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2aGAB4RuLA redditor commenters are so much better.

2011-06-18T08:29:00.000-04:00

But then I made the mistake of catching up on my internet. Maybe it's not a mistake. Just checking in with all the myriad places I keep myself plugged into. And it really bummed me out! I wish I could elaborate. I wish I didn’t have to. I just got myself stressed out. I feel like “everyone” is moving. Pretty much. Maybe not everyone actually, but a lot of my friends are moving or moving on or something, this summer. Going to school or abroad or to live out some kind of fantasy. Everyone's coming back, I mean. Eventually. Both of my parents are retiring this summer. It feels like, for a lot of people I know, they have some idea of what their Next Step should be. Something that sounds fun to them, and they’re doing it. And I do not exactly feel that way. I don’t know if I feel left out or what.

[here]

My sleep is still kind of messed up. I did take another nap yesterday although I didn't think it was a jet lag nap but a normal I'm trying to avoid something unpleasant nap.

2011-06-17T23:45:00.006-04:00

"The campus (like so much of life) is filled with these small battlegrounds of cost versus aesthetics, with the decorative in many cases compromising with the functional." - M.G.

hm Yeah if you want to see plentiful examples of the functional trumping the decorative go to Beijing.

The opening for The Office done in the style of a 90s sitcom. <3

Als

This just filled me with the warm fuzzies. I can't believe that's Katy Perry. I can't believe the comments were so hateful! Sheesh I thought people on the Internet were smart. The 80s / modern vibe is so awesome. And it makes fun of everything while still being so nice!

Also, this

k. Now I should get back to that other thang.

2011-06-17T18:32:00.003-04:00

I just watched Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs again because it occurred to me that I should. Because I was writing a cover letter for something in the 'maps' division if you really want to know and I like word associations and now I'm writing about it because the song made a new impact on me where it wasn't just a sad love song by a girl who got dumped and is trying to get her guy back but a commentary on the job application process and that's right! -- the whole of modern society. So in the beginning, an impatient authoritative voice interrupts the gym-turned-studio scene telling the clusters of people to stop working for just a few minutes, it's time for a rehearsal of some sort. People in busy little groups reluctantly stop; annoyed and bothered as lights go off and one big light is directed at a little stage. A blatant "action Nick!" underlines the fact that this is just a performance, rehearsed hundreds of times; some people trying to get their act good enough. The fake audience dutifully sits and waits for it to be over. "Nick" mechanically picks up his guitar and strums out a racing and anxious preliminary beat as though to apologize for taking up time. Then, closeup of her and the way she stares up into the darkness makes you think of journal entries or letters that really never wanted to be read or even written. Underscoring the egoism that is inherent and necessary in music videos.

That was some awesome thunder and lightning last night! I don't think I've heard thunder that loud in my life. I thought the big metal fence on the roof got blown overboard. There was one blinding flash of lightning that actually felt blinding lol. It was such a great feeling the power of the connections and now I can't get it back even with my Miffy speaker and fullscreen mode.

2011-06-17T08:14:00.001-04:00

Kale salad is sooooooo good. Especially with avocado which is another one of my favorites.

Okay so look at these adorable things I got in Beijing (a UNadorable city might I add!)

Tin wind up birds. When you wind them up they make cute pecking motions.

4 wind up tin robots. Love these soooo much. Want more. =B

little drummer

space peddler

cute waxed cardboard coin collector. So cute.


more of the space theme. I love that little rocket and the tiny Saturn.

Gears!!!

The biggest one; still small tho. On the back, "Robot Lilliput"! <3

I really like those simple commands. A = Go and B = Stop.

The little vegetables and herbs I planted are all doing really good. Especially this herb that's new to me called Lemon balm or Melissa Officinalis. It seems to be good for everything! But then it seems like all herbs have these amazing functions. This one is supposed to the the calming herb. A member of the mint family (which I am also growing yum). Used to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, helps with indigestion. It tastes and smells SO good and the leaves are so tender. I sound like a goat. In a study, it was found that over a period of 7 days and with 18 volunteers; the people who got a dose of 600 mg of Lemon Balm showed increased calmness and alertness and "increased mood" whatever that means. I'm assuming they were in a better mood. Herbs - eat them, grow them, they are cool.

I want more tin robots!!! If you were bored enough, you could actually probably find each of the four in the photo from yesterday's post. =D Go ahead, I see 3 already. It's like Where's Waldo.

2011-06-16T02:06:00.001-04:00

A stand selling old fashioned wind up tin toys in Beijing

So it's 1:37 am and I guess I'm still recovering from jet lag. Guess it's not as easy as sleeping until 2. So what I've done is finally get around to refreshing my resume so I can start looking for a new part time. Thank God for certain practical reasons/circumstances of the past few weeks which made me feel okay and not like a lazy jerk as the days went by and I did nothing job search related because to be frank I really didn't feel like it. It's weird though, after getting back from China, I feel ready. I guess I'm just sick of not having my own income. For one thing I want a big floppy hat from Bloomingdale's because I've discovered that big summer hats look good on me AND perform a vital function unlike other accessories like the lackadaisical necklace. I also pre-teenly want one of those brightly colored Harajuku Lovers backpacks. Not sure which one per se but they look like candy.

2011-05-15T19:58:00.001-04:00

This is someplace in Williamsburg by the water. Cool to look across and realize that I was just there on the other side looking over a day or so ago. Today was sort of a failed day in terms of planning. Wanted to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the MET but the line was huge. The whole place in general was swarming and you didn't start to feel the AC until you went up 2 flights of stairs and down a long corridor. I don't mind crowded places. I just let my mind relax and drift towards a destination. What ANNOYS me is hearing all the people around me complain about all the people. No duh there's a lot of people. Just shut up and deal with it. Anyways, I also wanted to check out the Brooklyn Flea for the first time this year but we got there as they were just about to start cleaning up for the day. For some reason the outing still felt nice though. I got 4 small pepper plants. It's so weird to see all these glassy tall modern buildings around here. I tend to think of this place the way I felt when I first saw it. Quaint, slightly run down, lots of interesting graffiti and street art type things like the sidewalk stencil that read " I <3 Sweatshop Labor" which I was super enamored with because to top of the awesomeness there was the shadow of a bike falling across it ... so I took a picture and luckily for me it came out with a greenish filter and it was my myspace profile pic for a good long while. That was when I lived with my parents on Long Island.

Well in a way, I think these buildings are nicer than the equally, no even MORE massive brick apartment complexes across the street from me. So ugly those things are! It would be sweet if it was possible for the city to only have walk up style apartments (except modernized with a hidden elevator somewhere inside because 1.I'm not always in the mood to jog up five flights and 2.It's très inconvenient whenever you have to move something bigger than a breadbox).

I like making new new things! The pizza was made in a tart tin - still need to try my hand at a fruit tart! I loooooooove how it has a detachable bottom. Makes things SO much easier. The meal below my sister made OCD-style. ^_^

2011-05-07T12:48:00.004-04:00

These are my feet in Madison Square Park on a day when there was some kind of Indian celebration.

The women's and girls' clothing were SO vibrantly colored and patterned. Where do they buy them from I wonder. There must have been thousands upon thousands of people there and I didn't see any repetition.

This week I started thinking Again about why I can't draw background scenery. It seems like a pretty big flaw for someone to exclusively draw people. Everyone has to have a setting that they exist in. But every time I try to draw a background for the person I've just drawn; which is pretty much always a girl and at least half the time one who looks like myself, I get super bored and can't finish it. If you try for an urban setting, you have to make all these long rectangles, multiple small horizontal rectangles within, and squat rectangles on top (building, bricks, windows). Then if you try to soften the scene with trees; it starts with one large branch, branching off into a few big branches, medium branches, and many many more small, and tiny hair thin branches. On top of which are countless numbers of leaves. And then on top of that you have to consider perspective and depth and remember that things in the foreground have to be darker and more detailed then things in the background. People in comparison are so much easier. I read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and enjoyed her drawings of scenery. Maybe the ironic thing is that someone who isn't too focused on the details is able to draw a detailed scene and someone who is too focused on the details can't? Because maybe the person who isn't too focused on the details can just visualize the final result and therefore barely notices the details since they are just a series of naturally building steps. The one caveat though is that I thoroughly enjoy drawing hair which is very detailed and repetitive yet I don't mind. You know what's a good phrase though?
The Sylph's Demesne
I learned the two words through reading Falling Upwards, a book of critical essays on things like Harry Potter and Sex and the City. I think it would make a great title for a painting. Fyi, the second word isn't pronounced the way you would think! (me, I was thinking Dee - Mez - knee, but alas, no!)

Drawings by Sylvia Plath.

2011-04-20T15:23:00.005-04:00

Here's that necklace I ordered from Anthropologie. They call it primary pixels. It adds a nice touch of detail to a plain outfit. I found out this week that my blood type is O ( + or - ?). This means I can donate blood to pretty much everyone but can only take blood from another type O. This is pretty much irrelevant unless I get into some horrible accident where I need a blood transfusion because I will never donate blood.

I think I need lots of glittery white eyeliner of all textures in my life. I have a sudden urge to treat my eyelids and the underpart of my eyes like a blank canvas and draw little swirls around it.

My parents are ordering a new batch of chicks! This time they will be Rhode Island Reds which are also good egg layers and supposed to be very friendly. The chicks are rust colored instead of yellow. I'm getting very excited about a new chicken coop being built. This is my design. The most important part is the roof which I want to be able to plant dandelions on. I got the idea from a Japanese architect named Terunobu Fujimori who did the same for his house. See here. Heres a detail of it -

What a brilliant idea. It makes me think of hobbit holes and ...

My sister as usual is very much against any idea I have. She thinks it will contaminate whatever vegetables my parents plant nearby and that they don't always bloom ... (yes they do actually; dandelions are always in bloom - whether it be the yellow flowers or the fun little puffs) She wants to use sod. Which is expensive and heavy. Besides if you're going to grow anything on the roof, what better than a cool looking weed because weeds have notoriously strong roots to hold dirt together and which comes freely provided in any yard. You just dig it up from the places you don't want it to be and make a awesome roof out of it! We also have clover and little purple flower weeds...

we are only ordering 4

I wore my MUJI dress for the first time today. It's a very plain dress made out of muslin. I can't wait to find various accessories for it so that I can wear it everyday and still have it be different. For example, a woodsy nature-y look one day ... then a yellow look ... then a pops of color look like I was going for today with the necklace and red flats ...

2011-03-29T16:37:00.006-04:00

My midterm got rescheduled to Monday. (=

2011-03-28T10:36:00.003-04:00

it's time for another stressed out blog about things I need to do in a alarming small amount of time.

Next, I will post some pictures of things I want for the warmer weather which is taking its slow sweet time in arriving.

I have a midterm this Thursday. My studying for it has consisted of copying over lecture notes and sleepily reading one out of 12 chapters assigned to us. Then I have to get something done on the computer for Wednesday. So the way I am going to hopefully deal with these problems is to skip class on Tuesday and work on those two things. Then, thankfully, no class on Wednesday oh except for the meeting at 11 - damn.

Then the test is Thursday morning. Oh. My. God.

I really don't think I'm going to make it this time.

2011-03-11T08:54:00.010-05:00

[source]

I got into a really negative state of mind last night. It's better this morning but I still feel faint vestiges.

2011-03-10T10:40:00.003-05:00

You attack and I love you.

that's what I would call it.
The real title is - this.

2011-03-10T10:20:00.004-05:00

[source]

Too much to keep track of; I'm losing it. Losing it I tell you! I feel like I have young adult senility. OH god thank god you're here dear old blog.

Number 1: VOLUNTEERING
- Today I got proof from my school of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations.
- I still need two more (may be in little book of vaccinations I got when I was a baby) - in Forest Hills apt under bed, it should be.

- Call my adviser to see if she will sign the reference form (of course she will, but still need to call and find a time to meet up with her)

- Give 2nd form to someone else to sign. ( I know who, just don't want to name names for privacy reasons. I am so mature.)

And that should be that, when I check off those three things, I will go back to the hospital and meet with the other director, and I will be able to start.

Next order of business: CHANGING STATUS TO RESIDENT

Yeah I don't know how this happened but when I went to pay this semester's tuition, I found I've been paying the non-residents tuition. Wtf I've been living here for at least 18 years with a few years of high school in California but that is irrelevant. So for THAT I need to -

- Go to bank to get a form notarized
- Get permanent resident card and lease from apartment in Forest Hills
- Go back to registrar's office
- Go back to Bursar's office and pay tuition.

OMG. Hate & dislike.

Last important order of business: RECORD SENTENCES FOR WEDNESDAY

Now that my test is done with and there's not much new readings to do for my other two classes, I need to make this my main priority. Whenever I have any bit of free time, I need to be working on this.

That is all, time for class. Toodles!

2011-03-08T14:36:00.000-05:00

I feel really bad that I wasn't able to get any work done for the independent study. I really thought I would have time to record 64 sentences in two weeks, but somehow, there wasn't. First there was the transcription assignment that took up half a week, then a test to study for, and looking for a volunteer position, and hopping between clyde st. and pitt st. Plus, there's the whole matter of how daunting it is to take 2 hours to record. But I will get it done by next Wednesday the 16th! Because if I don't, that would just be horrendous.

Now TODAY, after my test, I will probably be out early, that plus I don't have to go to work until 5. I'm thinking in the interim, I will call Gouverneur's and ask about that volunteer position. And since that won't take more than 30 minutes, what shall I do with all my other free time? Read ahead for Language Acquisition? Go home and clean my room?

Test is over! Now I can finish watching Spirited Away (2nd time) with a light soul. I know I got 2 or 2.5 wrong. I could've totally made it 0! Ugh why didn't I study more?! And yet I clearly remember just 18 hours ago wanting to snuggle under blankets instead of studying. Well THERE'S the rub. That's what separates the boys from the men etc. I'm not stupid, I know getting 2-3 wrong isn't BAD but YOU know how it is. Well if anything, this just tells me to prepare more for my next tests which I am already feeling scared and avoidant about because it's going to be in Speech science and Hearing science and ... well, the idea of a test in the former doesn't make me too secure feeling. But fear of something should not equal avoidance and so I propose to start studying right away after tonight.

And now to call the volunteer coordinator at Gouverneur's and hope I come across as polished and desirable instead of petulant and pleading. Why wouldn't they want me? =D

LOVE YOU! (who am I talking to? I don't know, but it feels appropriate to put that there)

This is very pretty.

2011-02-24T22:40:00.006-05:00

Vimeo takes forever to upload a 10 minute video. I know I should multitask by doing something productive like studying, but it makes me too antsy. I think I am way too self conscious for my own good. Watched a few moments of one of the video clips of my partner and I interacting with the little baby. She sounds exuberant and happy while my voice drips with sarcasm. Yes sarcasm, as I talk to a year and a half year old baby. It's the camera! Something about being watched and recorded puts me on edge! I think I'm just very sensitive to artificiality. Because if it was just me naturally playing with her I'm sure I'd be different.

Louis and I went to Beacon's closet today and I got some glorious patterns and colors. Sho Exshaited. I don't know WHY I felt the need to spell it like that. Trying to sound retarded and cute? IDK. I feel like I'm wasting my life waiting for this stupid clip to download. It's only on the second one. Holy crap. Ja, and how do I make put it on a Dvd? Panic-panic-panic. 76% the end is near. Oddly, it is 10:48 pm and I ... am not ... sleepy! Oh by the way, the picture of a guy throwing a bouquet of flowers in the post below is a Banksy.

Two big changes at Pitt St. Mirror is up on the wall and perfectly aligned. >;)

And we got our SimpleHuman trash can from Target. $30. I was sliiiightly tempted by the state of the art streamlined one for $180 but somehow it didn't seem like the right choice.

Sorry that these pictures aren't all artsy and beautiful and perfect. I kind of just pointed and shot. I have a lot of work to do this week and the next and I'm worried that I won't be disciplined enough to do it all and then I'll never get into grad school. At the same time I know that's irrational because grad school doesn't mean That. Despite the worries and frustrations, I've been feeling very happy and thankful and calm. I am so gonna CONQUER my work this weekend.

My boyfriend gave me a pack of tissues for Valentine's day cuz he said I'm always blowing.

2011-02-23T12:40:00.001-05:00

I asked a professor what a dotted sine wave was ( meaning why it was dotted) and he thought I was asking what graph paper is.

. . .

I really want mauve / grey / clay colored nail polish.

I really want to buy a dress and go to Beacon's closet and flounce around being !pretty!

I went to the opera for the first time and when I told a professor (a different one) this morning she said opera is the highest art form.

. . .

I think I'm just about done revising my letter to apply to be a volunteer.
It starts with " Hello ------- , my name is Yvonne "

It's funny how easy it is to forget that I have about $300 in my bag.

2011-02-12T08:22:00.002-05:00

I kind of dread looking at my blog. It used to be like looking in a mirror. Like when you're at a party where you don't know anyone and you're just like, holy crap I don't like you, and you, and you, and you escape to the nice quiet bathroom and stare at your own reflection until you feel calm again.

So what's going on in the life of Yvonne. Monday, I'm going to be videotaping interactions with a 1 and 1/2 year old baby that I don't know with 2 group members and hopefully getting 50 utterances out of her. I'm going to bring a fully charged camera (fudge this means I have to make sure I get home early Monday morning and start it charging? Then pick it up before I go to work? Or go back home in between classes when I have that 1 hr and a half break? Or just bring it to school and charge it there? - - - Yes) and a wooden train set.
This weekend, I should also settle on and order a daybed for the bedroom so that when my sister stays over she doesn't have to sleep on a towel sheet on the floor. I'm hovering between this one from IKEA and this one. I like the frames as opposed to the ones w/o (the Japanese style ones). They give you something to lean on. Daybeds usually don't have to be so expensive but for some reason the ones that have a Japanese feel are. IDKY.

Anywho~I saw The Illusionist (L'illusionniste (!)) last night and I think from now on I'm only going to watch movies for which there are no TV previews. With the exception of Harry Potter of course. =)

2011-02-08T12:19:00.002-05:00

Writing this while my professor is taking attendance. There are too many little things to keep track of. I lent a girl my Phonetics textbook from last semester. Then read more of the research article for tomorrow's meeting and read the little text for Speech Science. I also went to Gertz today and scheduled an apt. with my advisor to discuss graduate school. While I was there I picked up the blue notebook I used as my journal for a Intro. class last semester. Normally, I'd just leave it and let the office people throw it away eventually, but I got it from Kinokuniya. Plus, I barely used even a third of it and it's a small, thin thing. I also picked up a form for recording observations of a speech therapist. This is very idealistic of me. I'm supposed to get something like 25 hours of observation in a 300 level class I'll be taking next (and last?!) semester but maybe I can get some done earlier...? Maybe? Despite feeling so disorganized lately. I'm so sick of classes where basic things get reiterated... Q and A straight from readings... oh well, it's not her fault I suppose. She does teach the exact same class right before this. Anyway, no pictures in this blog post. Sadness. It is now 10:43 pm and I don't think I will get as far as I wanted to in my Speech Science text.

2011-02-05T19:14:00.002-05:00

See? There's my new haircut. I went to a place in Forest Hills called L'Arte. The main attractions were the low price ($25) and the mellow shade of green covering the walls. As you can see it doesn't look dramatically different boo. However, the differences are subtle and I can feel them. When I pull on a hat, my bangs no longer prick me in the eyes. When I bend my head slightly forward, my bangs no longer obscure 3/4 of my vision. When the wind blows, my bangs no longer cover my entire face down to the upper lip. Yay improvement! It almost feels like taking one of those allergy medications. Everything feels so much clearer and more organized now. When my hair is messy and all over my face; I can't think straight. Ugh, yellow light! Btw, I am determined that next time, there will be a dramatic, positive, difference. I walked past a place in the lower east side that looked NICE. Like a place where I could talk to the hair cutter, explain my vision, and he'd get me. I'm prepared to bring drawings! I think I am willing to pay a max of $50-$60. Is that crazy/dumb/extravagant?

Anyways, crunches count for 2011 = 2,085.

I'm not sure if I should keep doing them because discouraging sources tell me crunches don't really do anything. But maybe I should just keep doing them because they must be burning calories at least. They can't just be completely pointless?!

Lazy Butterfly

2011-02-04T16:25:00.003-05:00

I've been watching a lot of family guy. School's pretty good. I am really excited to be moving to manhattan. In June. So far away. Right now I'm just visiting the place with Louis a couple of times a week. Setting up the apartment is taking a while; specifically, finding a painter to paint the living room (light grey). I haven't really even been looking for one. It is the first week of school; and it is fairly recent that we got wifi at the apt. But still, I need to get back on that... I would like to update this blog regularly, but I don't know, I'm lacking the --something-- that makes me want to do it. Outfit posts seem redundant and boring; I need to figure out a diff. way to blog I guess. So I'm just going to write because it feels good and you will have to excuse me if the writing is tedious and boring. This whole thing (moving to a new apartment with my new boyfriend) makes me feel pleasantly grown up. That, and the way I've been dressing is much more ~ not bright turquoise tops with a sail boat pattern and ruffled sleeves and more greys and cowls and those boots that everyone is wearing nowadays. And I've just gotten a new hair cut! From a much better place than the one in Elmhurst that advertises a 10$ hair cut but didn't say anything when I paid more than twice that much. Jerks. I just hate how the 3 hair cutters I've tried so far are so conservative and timid. I want a haircut that makes it clear that I've gotten a haircut. Not just a neater looking version of my old hair style.

2011-01-19T11:00:00.000-05:00

Birdy Wallpaper that reminds me of Roald Dahl drawings.

2011-01-13T11:54:00.000-05:00

2011-01-13T02:35:00.005-05:00

You're a love song, only halfway sung. You're the knot that comes undone. Dressed as darkest night. The flight of a stringless kite. You're a butterfly in the mind. You're a butterfly before my eyes. You're a butterfly who says he's mine. Who leaves before he arrives.

- facebook status read at 1:30 am makes a lot of sense to me...it *sounds* horrible.

Crunches Count 2011: 990

2011-01-11T17:29:00.002-05:00

ewwwwww. Ewww. EWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! Ewwww wwwwwww w w w wwwwwwww ew.

I like it! Finally a new music video from a old favorite that doesn't make me think omg what happened the older stufff was soooo much betterrrr. Still, his long hair was a superior look. Now he looks like Orlando Bloom who is so 9 years ago.

Are you still playing the race card

2011-01-11T14:17:00.008-05:00

I really really really reallyreallyreallyreally don't want more snow. Although I suppose it is futile to wish for Spring when it is only the beginning of Winter. *sigh* I am really in the mood for lighter colors and feelings of lightness and not tightly tensed muscles braced against icy winds. Right now is one of those times when the silence sounds like it's ringing and I have to turn on yellow lights to counteract the cold blue lighting coming in from outside. I am freezing and sleepy.

Wearing soooooooooo many layers under this!!!

Jacket: Anthropologie

Sweater, shirt, & tank: Banana Republic
skirt: gift from friend
silky floral hankerchief: from relative in China
tights: Ricky's Halloween store
Shoes: TJ Maxx ($1)

Crunches count for 2011: 950

2011-01-11T10:10:00.000-05:00

I thought The Metropolis Case was going to be one of those books I read cover to cover in a day or two maybe due to the novelty factor of reading a person's blog and then reading his first book but I got through about 4 chapters and stopped. It was even kind of distracting because while reading, I kept thinking about the real person who wrote this book and knowing that he invented the storyline and characters prevented me from really getting into it. Kind of weird. Saw this on one of my old / current fav. blogs and I agree with #'s 1,3, and 5.

Random thoughts and conclusions:
1. Potatoes are a good thing to have around.
2. I’m scared of the sixth dungeon of Legend of Zelda (NES).
3. I like perverts.
4. It’s supposed to snow a lot tomorrow, and I’m okay with that.
5. You should always end your days with sweet snacks.

I've been into trying to make textured things

I love the way some people decorate their homes. It's the little details that make it amazing. Of course you need the big basics like the right house/apartment in the right location and furniture and stuff, but after all those big choices, the smaller things make it sooooo much better. Picture frames and curtains. *sigh* wantwantwantpinepinepine.

crunches done in 2011: 850

2010-12-28T07:15:00.002-05:00

The spagflation crew

Listening: Patrick Wolf - The Libertine
Read: Truman Capote - In Cold Blood
Drinking: Tea! The kind that comes in little balls and when you pour hot water on it it unravels into leaves.

Sponge

2010-12-27T13:59:00.007-05:00

My mind has been DAZZLED.
I'll just share a few favorites. Mind blowing, heart stopping favs.

ONE.

That wall paper!

TWO.

It is my dream to decorate with used color palettes as well as this person has.

THREE.

FOUR.

the unbearable lightness of being

2010-12-27T11:02:00.005-05:00

sweater and headband - Anthropologie
Jeans - Abercrombie & Fitch kids
Tank- Banana Republic

CoZy ClOseUPs

Listening to: Nectarine by Twin Sister
Reading: Annotated Alice
Drinking: Green tea

2010-12-26T21:16:00.011-05:00

I have terrible posture. *straightens spine* there that's better.
So I had a nice weekend at my parent's place. They are depressingly lovable. It's good to be back! I was very eager to come home and move my desk from one side of the room to the other. It turned out to be more work than I imagined but now it's done! Funny how even a medium sized desk in a small-ish room can accumulate so many things which you don't know what to do with so you leave it in a pile on the floor or on the bed and walk away and then when you walk back, you suddenly know what to do with it! Throw it out! Here's a few pictures of what my room looks like now ...

The wifi sucks right now because of the blizzard and it is taking even longer to upload pictures. Why does it keep automatically switching to NETGEAR which sucks beyond sucking ...

ah, here we are!

The desk I moved used to be against this wall. It was very cluttered and neither an efficient use of space nor optimally aesthetic. I also cleared a bunch of junk from the bedside table to give it a lighter, cleaner look.

Here is its new location (right side from door).

I love the way my room is now. It's much more streamlined and functional. Looking around makes me very happy and calm-feeling. I took photos of everything. My laundry basket, my new boots... did I mention I love the way I organized everything? Love it. I think I'm turning into Monica from Friends.

Moving on to the *ahem* Yin-Yang bed. I am very proud of it.

since I rather like small things that light up, I've decided to move our tree to my room for an indefinite period of time. Till I get sick of it. Which will most likely be never. Look at the pretty splashes of paint color it casts!

aaaand a closeup for those who are myopic -
WOAH!

now for some random snapshots of areas in my room.

1.

2010-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

2010-12-24T12:36:00.004-05:00

Read:
(past tense; not a command)

2010-12-24T11:42:00.004-05:00

I've got more of a character face. Hehehe Robert. I've been snacking on plain spaghetti with olive oil. It's got a great texture but leaves a sour taste on my tongue. My parents are coming later to pick my sister and I up and drive us back to Smithtown. It's been a delightfully slow day. I'm getting back into the swing of taking pictures.

sweater and headband from Anthropologie

I love the patterns and textures and colors. It's the perfect combination for fall/winter. I've worn it to school (to fill myself with feel good vibes while taking a final) and the library and Le Pain Quotidien! ;)

2010-12-23T20:49:00.006-05:00

Louis came over today. It's nice the simple things he does that take away some persistent (though not major) problem. A few twists of the nail clipper and I don't have to pull the headboard to make it connect with the side board anymore (which I did at least once a day). A bit of cooking oil and my door doesn't creak. Or was it more a squeak/squeal/whine? IT WAS LOUD and impertinent and sometimes cute.
I was writing a Christmas card earlier and re-reading it, I left out like 3 words and forgot an -ed. I never make mistakes like that!!! My mind must have been preoccupied.

old -drawing- habits die hard. Made cards with Isabelle one day. She took one that I drew and turned it into mini's with a wonderful thing called a scanner which I sometimes miss. Tissew paper!

I'm craving some really good vanilla ice cream right now. The type that feels slightly grainy on your tongue.

2010-12-21T17:47:00.003-05:00

Hi. Finals are over. I'm going to be posting more. (I have lots of things to show you!) For like a month. Until class starts again and I get a teacher who only gives 2 tests one worth 60% of your grade, the other worth 40%, and a teacher who is "boring".

The size 16 jeggings from A&F kids have arrived and they fit me great! Esp. the navy blue pair. Makes me want to get more. Horrible innit?

2010-11-24T20:45:00.001-05:00

2010-11-22T19:38:00.007-05:00

#1
Have we really stooped as prudishly low as telling each other who we slept with 2 years ago as a comeback for something that wasn't meant to be an attack?

via Free People

via Anthropologie

via The Sartorialist

#2

Suddenly, she was gripped by the idea that if she changed her clothes her entire life would change as well. If she wore a skirt and a jacket and a pair of high heels, then what else would she do but walk around the glass palaces on Bishopsgate and talk into a slim phone and eat lunch out of a paper bag? If she wore trousers and underwear, like the girl with the big camera on Brick Lane, then she would roam the streets fearless and proud. And if she had a tiny, tiny skirt with knickers to match and a tight bright top, then she would - how could she not? - skate through life with a sparkling smile and a handsome man who took her hand and made her spin, spin, spin.

For a glorious moment it was clear that clothes, not fate, made her life.

- Brick Lane, p. 228

It's not true but there's enough truth in it to be like, ya know...

2010-11-21T19:36:00.006-05:00

IT'S LIKE MAYBE I DON'T HAVE TO EVEN THINK ABOUT CAPTURING & EXPRESSING THAT 1% OF WHATEVER IT IS THAT MAKES ME, ME IF SOMETHING AS INVOLUNTARY AND SOMETHING YOU OFTEN DON'T EVEN REALIZE YOU'RE DOING OR FORGET AS SOON AS IT OCCURS LIKE A BURP CAN BE SO IMBUED WITH A PERSON'S FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTER Y'KNOW?

#gpoy

I want to get a haircut soon.

2010-11-21T16:32:00.009-05:00

Oh no.  This blog has far too many product pictures and videos and not enough me.

It's interesting when an author describes a particular character's burps.  

"Mrs. Azad stubbbed out her cigarette in an ivory dish.  She adjusted her underwear with a thumb and a wiggle of her opulent backside...She drank a second glass of beer and belched with quiet satisfaction.  Her husband had brought orange juice at first, and she jumped up in her chair as if she would strike him." 
- Brick Lane, p. 85 

"Except for Marie's fabled love for Dewey Prince, these women hated men, all men, without shame, apology, or discrimination...They looked back on their own youth as a period of ignorance...They were...whores who had never been young and had no word for innocence...Marie sat shelling peanuts and popping them into her mouth. Pecola looked and looked at the women. Were they real? Marie belched, softly, purringly, lovingly. "
- The Bluest Eye, p. 58

I wonder how mine would be described?

her voice gets funny towards the end

2010-11-18T11:24:00.001-05:00

Come along Cedric!

2010-11-10T16:22:00.003-05:00

2010-11-10T12:17:00.004-05:00

YES!!! MY TWO TESTS ARE OVER AND DONE WITH! I'm doing cartwheels inside. Tomorrow I'm going to Abercrombie to check out their jeggings. =D My new look will soon be complete!

2010-11-08T21:29:00.004-05:00

In love with this bag

2010-11-08T18:09:00.004-05:00

TIM CURRY WAS THE ANAL CONCIERGE IN HOME ALONE 2!!!

That kills me.

Love

Him

Dearly

... what a character.

2010-11-06T21:13:00.002-04:00

I want a flower forest.

The smell is calming.

2010-11-02T19:48:00.003-04:00

"While people are fairly young and the musical composition of their lives is still in its opening bars, they can go about writing it together and exchange motifs (the way Tomas and Sabina exchanged the motif of the bowler hat), but if they meet when they are older, like Franz and Sabina, their musical compositions are more or less complete, and every motif, every object, every word means something different to each of them. "

p. 89, The Unbearable Lightness of Being

2010-10-28T13:05:00.004-04:00

Someone just sent me a link to an article where I found this poem called Separation,

Your absence has gone through me

Like thread through a needle.

Everything I do is stitched with its color.

- W.S. Merwin, 1962

It's easy to love makes me want to draw a picture.

“I remember walking along the sidewalk, and the grass was growing up between the flagstones. I asked my mother where it came from, and she said the earth was right underneath those flagstones. “I felt so happy to think of that,” he says, “that the real world was down there.”

My super nice teacher gave me an A on my reflection paper even though it was handed in a day late. =) Last class in 15 minutes! Listening to Trapeze Swinger one last time before I go.

2010-10-27T23:56:00.002-04:00

Hm. Would this be a good winter jacket for me? The salesboy told me it's more of a in between seasons thing to wear. "Something you wear to work." Yah um ok. I tried it on in the store and it felt heavy and warm... although their whole store was very well heated so. I feel a bit unsure. Then there's the shoes and bag to think of. Dark brown, dark grey, or black?

2010-10-27T10:57:00.005-04:00

Learning about muscles of the mouth is a surefire way to get me to post unfinished drawings from months and months ago. 23 more pages. Multiply that by 2 (front and back you know) and you get ... a lot more. In some small way, it is kind of fun. I feel like a taxonomist. When I look up and realize I just took notes on 10 pages, it feels good. Studying is fun. If I keep telling myself that, maybe I will go back to it instead of typing on my blog about how I miss learning German. ;)

2010-10-27T09:10:00.000-04:00

2010-10-20T06:48:00.001-04:00

Piazza, New York Catcher by EmyAugustus

I like when people say smart things.

2010-10-19T19:19:00.003-04:00

I WAS WALKING HOME ONE EVENING LAST WEEK. IT WAS RAINING. MY HAIR GOT WET. I WAS HAPPY. Just wanted to share that with you.

#GPOY

2010-10-09T07:22:00.004-04:00

I need to find a different way to blog. Every time I want to write something, the thought is followed by, oh wait, but then _____________ might see it. How do I write about me while still keeping things private ...

First CS experience is interesting. He is from Germany and likes to be in some state of undress around the house a lot.

2010-10-05T06:37:00.005-04:00

It's fun to be lonely when you realize you're in the same boat as so many other cool people. Ernest Hemingway for one. Matthew Gallaway for another.

2010-09-30T22:30:00.001-04:00

>=(

It's complicated.

I have another test in 4-5 days and I can NOT focus at all. Fuck.

HW

2010-09-24T22:10:00.005-04:00

Listen and reflect:

In the late 1970s, a new language was born. And Ann Senghas, Associate Professor of Psychology at Barnard, has spent the last 30 years helping to decode it. In 1978, 50 deaf children entered a newly formed school--a school in which the teachers (who didn't sign) taught in Spanish. No one knows exactly how it happened, but in the next few years--on school buses and in the playground--these kids invented a set of common words and grammar that opened up a whole new way of communicating, and even thinking.

I think this dress in 'Natural' (third color box) would look good on me. It looks much better in real life. I love linen.

2010-09-18T21:26:00.000-04:00

Environment helps

not Zen

2010-09-18T07:41:00.006-04:00

Head Porter Tweed Shoulder bag by Wood Wood

The Letter Bag by Moop

Smith Day Bag by The Property Of

[via.]

Goodbye Heart

[via.]

Going to the E. Village on Sunday. Hope I find something.
Last picture; really like her hair.
Boots and coats are The hardest things to shop for.