This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it.

Apr 30, 2007

sugoi desu ne



went to Anime Matsuri this past weekend, and at first i was hesitant that this years concert would even equate last years with High and Mighty Color. i was wrong this years headliner Back-on was just as awesome, easiest comparison would be Linkin Park. Also I would have to say cosplaying at con > not cosplaying. Me and T went to the con early in the day to check out the dealer room for goodies. I have to say I felt a lil out of place being dressed.. "normal", almost as if the attendees were staring at us as being outcasts. Funny right? Anyways I opted to come back in the evening... in costume. YES! But too bad so sad no pictures were taken. Not on my camera anyways.. somebody did ask to take a photo of me.. I was Tifa from Advent Children.. and the biggest problem with dressing up a con, is having to pose for pictures if people like your costume enough. I mean the serious cosplayers already have their pose in mind. as for me i just stood there, trying to resist from throwing up the peace sign. I think the crew should have a collective theme for halloween this year. maybe Final Fantasy? Tekken? something like that. it'll be freakin awesome!

more back-on.


Apr 26, 2007

perfect weather.


omgomgomg. so nice outside. really. it's rent a boat on lake travis weather, or even go tubing in
san marcos weather, or just hanging out around austin weather, or brunch on the patio weather with mimosas, or sangria at sunset weather.. seriously. giving you mid-late20early30somethings crew some ideas. I know not for this weekend, but for a weekend sometime in the future.. and you may or may not be correct in your assumption that i just wanted an excuse to post the 'baby, you're so money' photo.


Apr 23, 2007

Happy Birthday Dad!


Happy Birthday Dad! You're the greatest :)

This past Saturday we celebrated my Dad's birthday with friends and family. A good time was had by all. There was a ton of delicious food.. made by my dad (yeah I know he cooked for his own birthday shindig), and there was plenty to drink (yes that kinda drink). And I even hooked up the ps2 for some karaoke revolution time.




Apr 18, 2007

the shoe debate

after discussing the subject of cultures with a friend.. the topic of people taking off their shoes when inside their home came up. 'people' mainly being asians, and the people not taking them off mainly being not asian. huge generalization, i know. so anyways... i decided to test this theory by asking my fellow coworkers: "so... um. random question... do you where wear your shoes inside your home?" the first answered with a, yeah, but I have tile floors, and tile floors are cold. the second, with a, very rarely. and the third with a flat out no. given two is half asian, and three is married to a woman of middle eastern decent (i think). i probably need a larger group to poll for a better consensus.
so more shoe thoughts of.. when people come over.. do you ask them to take off their shoes? i get a little uncomfortable asking people who normally don't do so to do this (i think it's because of that one sex in the city episode, where Carrie's shoes got stolen). i wonder what they think when i ask them.. are they appalled by the idea? do they have holes in their socks? does it ruin their outfit? but isn't it 20x more comfortable to be barefoot? or if they like to, but just think that it's rude to take off their shoes. then in turn i wonder what people think when i go to their homes and immediately take off my shoes. are they thinking "gross!" i mean seriously, the bottom of my shoes are bound to be 10x dirtier than the bottom of my feet.. but then again maybe not after walking barefoot on floors that people generally wear shoes on.


Apr 17, 2007

pretentious weekend


the self proclaimed pretentious weekend, began on thursday evening, when the immediate crew headed out to MFAH to see the MET exhibition. it was an enjoyable evening and experience being so close to Monet's, Renoir's, and Van Gogh's. i hope to see many more great things during the upcoming italy adventure. then we come to saturday, where we took the parents out to see Wicked for a matinée show and then dinner at backstreet cafe immediately after. both i must say were superb. Wicked was a good choice to take the family as it was very entertaining for all ages. (i think had we taken them all to see les miserables, my dad would almost for certain be snoring by the third song) and with backstreet cafe visited, i get to cross off another restaurant off my list of places to try. i ordered one of the specials for the night, a softshell crab dish with a crawfish champaign sauce. YUM.

i did notice that at the back of the playbill there were statistics on people who go to see shows in the theatre district:
median age: 45.9 (I think we ruin the curve)
average annual household income: $132,240 (sure, for 45.9 year olds that is feasible)
automobiles: 74% own 2 or more cars (2!!!)
median value of residence owned: $476,315 (!!! those 45.9 year olds are in some serious debt)
dining out: 91% of the theatre audience are avid restaurant goers (well yeah, that $476,315 house kitchen is too nice to use)
occupation: professional, managerial & executive - 64% (could you be any more general?)
time spent reading playbill: 10 min (i think for me 15 min)


Apr 13, 2007

Yes, I am still bitter.

After reading the very lengthy article that dru had posted, which I had interpreted as implying the demise of appreciation for classical music unless you yourself play an instrument. (while it was also saying that Americans just like to keep to themselves, and not bother with things not them, except when in their cars.. where they will slow down just to stare at a stalled car) But the basis of this rant is about the unappreciation of orchestral music... and my still being bitter about a significant event that occurred back in the summer of 1999. And in that event, which I was a part of, was a talent competition. In which, I performed Meditation from Thais by Jules Massenet, the beautiful piece meant for a solo violin, transcribed for viola. Sure it was slow piece, but undeniably moving and emotional. And c'mon it was a violin piece I played on the viola. On my freakin' lovely larger than a violin, viola. Do I have an E string?? No, I had to go all up on my instrument to hit those high notes. No easy feat. I remember it oh so well, I didn't fret on stage. Or so it appeared. No shaky start despite the pianissimo, eyes closed, slight swaying with the music, long white dress. although I do recall a slight flat note near the end and you could see it in the expression of my face (the video camera chose to close up on my face at this exact moment) as i quickly fixed it. In the end I lost to a girl who did a cheerleader dance (in her cheer leading outfit no less) to what I recall being a remix of 2unlimited's Get Ready for This. Insert "..." here.


Apr 12, 2007

double standard [crows feet edition]

Crows feet are fine lines and wrinkles radiating from the eyes. For the most part they're caused by sun exposure, but smoking can make them worse (good thing i don't smoke). Years and years of smiling and squinting can also play a part in how they're formed (dang, perhaps i shouldn't smile so much).

So why the double standard? From what I can tell, I think the majority of people have the same feeling about them. When a man has crows feet, I'm not sure he even notices he has them, and if he does he's not going to openly complain about them. But when a woman begins to have them, it's buy the most expensive eye cream you can find! Seriously, if you google 'crows feet' the number one result is "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Womens Crows Feet." The woman's perception of a man with crows feet is practically the polar opposite of a man's thoughts of a woman with them. From the womans point of view, crows feet on a man can be considered handsome, adorable, or endearing even. Not so much for the woman, who gets labeled as old, and with wrinkles. (Of course I think as a woman we are all guilty of presenting this feeling upon each other as well.) But with that, they are seen exactly as what they are on women, wrinkles. But on men, it's like they are aging well, and instead of cute, they get labeled handsome. I'd have to say... that is a bit unfair, or maybe this is just all my perception. Then again, i guess women win the long hair competition. since Women w/ long hair = cute, Men w/long hair = so not cute.

Here I have two exhibits.


Exhibit A. Hugh Grant, possibly one of the more famous representations of 'handsome' crows feet.


Exhibit B. Kyra Sedgwick, obviously if this were a magazine photo those crows feet would be photoshopped/airbrushed out in no time flat.


Apr 9, 2007

who's that dog?

photos of the dog formerly known as Renji. [dru renamed him Ronji]


but in 2 months he'll probably be back to this.


Apr 8, 2007

photo.li.cious

i made these babies, last week for the hubby's coworker's going away. I decided to attempt chocolate mint cupcakes. Chocolate cake, with a mint frosting. T thought the frosting was reminiscent of toothpaste though, but he said his coworkers enjoyed them. I used peppermint extract for the frosting, not sure how to get outta that toothpaste realm.

for dru and donny's apartment warming party, I made these. I decided to go a bit crazy on the decorating. the theme for the shindig was 'a couple of wild & crazy guys' like the old SNL skit with Steve Martin. these were a chocolate cupcake with a hint of coffee and hazelnut frosting. the larger ones had nutella in the middle (dru [heart] nutella) surprise! patio furniture. we are now molding into awesome suburbanites. here is our furniture along with our sunday brunch. yen said i was like phoebe monica, always wanting to be the hostess with the mostest. i have weird hobbies.


Apr 4, 2007

hairlemma

so i've been thinking that it's time to get a haircut... before my impending vacation. what do you think?

1) off with her hair.
2) sure, but not enough that anyone would notice.
3) split ends are hot.

oh and i don't even play WoW.. but i thought this was hilarious.