skipping happy through springtime mix!

do you remember the good old times? when love letters were mixtapes? and you would find them in your backpack? or in your desk? well, this is for you, the forgotten love mixtape letter. enjoy.

the view out there

i can't wait . . .

i can't wait for amazing sun sets


i can't wait to eat these


i can't wait to live in my future underwater den



( photo one: in car; photo two: camden aqua; photo three: camden aqua)

traveling through transit.

screaming teens [check]
discarded chicken bones [check]
mystery stains and smell [check]
late, very late arrival [check]
over priced [check]
septa cops tackling a teen [check]
teen tackling random stranger [check]

this and much more is what an average transit commuter expects during their daily ride on ye ole septa.

at last septa has leveled up it renowned "perk" for the traveler: the "Be Kind to Your Behind" campaign ad from cottonelle.

Stepping into the orange line, I was blinded by the sheer white gloss reflecting off the light fixtures. I paused in my conversation with my commuter buddy, a sassy 60 year old lady who marched with King and has something to say about everything. I squinted my eyes and thought "Finally, they cleaned a cart!" Upon closer inspection, i realized it was contact paper. contact paper of ... toilet paper. yes, toilet paper. the whole cart is wrapped in toilet paper. an ad hung above reading "Be Kind to Your Behind". Sitting down, I'm thinking "Great, after a long day at work, I'm now traveling through the bowels of the city surrounded by toilet paper" yes, who wouldn't get that I'm so fresh feeling after a long day at work.


[close contact. no pun intended]


[taken during my second encounter. cart was empty]

on the other hand, this ad campaign has definitely got the attention of folks. however, wiping your ass and septa are two things you don't want to think about during your commute home. just saying.

presents for san.fran.

my sister returned from san Francisco today.

this is what she got me: a box set of large FRUiTs postcards:



and of course. i love it.

mixtape for the lonely

i made this virtual mixtape. i wanted the mixtape to look like a hidden item found in an rpg game. the site is fun to play with.

toy of the week

ok this is not a toy. its a gadget. it's a watch. i need a watch. i need an alarm clock too. steampunk. yes!

finally, my Wallflower: The Anime : review

yes yes.

in all honesty, i completed the series weeks ago. believe it or not folks, i actually do other things which do not involve anime, graphic novels and gaming. uuuhhhh. really! i do. i do? YES I DO!

Wallflower revolves around the adventures of four bishonen and a Sadako/Samara type girl. At times very sexist, the story delves into turning Sunako (a-sadoko-from-the-ring-like-girl who enjoys all things dark 'n bloody) into a proper lady. Through many mishaps, teen angst and social stress, the four bishonen and sunako have many humorous adventures. I am not giving away the ending (you must watch) but it was a classic anime ending. which means: NO ENDING! life goes on ... into season two!

the anime doesn't follow the sequence of the manga ... but the anime pretty much ends at volume 8. if that. (right now, it is at vol. 14 in the USA) so, if you read the manga watch the anime ... no surprises and a couple new stories that were not in the graphic novel.

I liked it. the anime consisted of the typical waterfall, paper, spastic animation of the japan genre. the story followed the plot of the manga. I like Sunako. she's tough, strong and sticks to her beliefs. I can't stand whimpering heroines who later come into their own.

however ... between the anime and the manga. I lean towards the manga. the manga is addictive and so well written.

... that was my review. in short: good but the manga is better. ok? ok.

legends do come true

my sister's blog Broken Wizards has inspired me write one of my own reoccurring sitings.

Boarding on to the El Train, I saw him standing at the end of the cart: The Fallen Wizard. I couldn't stop staring. Instantly, I knew I needed to get a closer look. Much closer. I stood right in front of him. He was amazing. Hunched backed. Various boils scattered his pasty face. Long white beard which reached his shins, framed by yellowish white hair falling to his elbows. He wore a black bomber jacket, faded black highwater pants and beat up black leather shoes. Clutching closely to his chest were two white plastic shopping bags filled with various little cardboard boxes. I stood there, trying to stare-but-not-stare. We got off at the same stop. I wanted so much to follow him, just for a few blocks. One or two, maybe. Alas, he was quick and i soon lost sight of him

The next siting: Drinking bubble tea with A and J on a corner in Chinatown, I saw him across the street walking quickly to an unknown destination. I started jumping up and down. "There he is!!! The Fallen Wizard!!! THERE! THERE!" J looks at me, looks across the street. The quick little fellow was gone. "Dude, I don't see this so called wizard. someone must have slipped something in you bubble tea"

Yet another siting: Happily galloping through The Gallery (OK, that sounds really weird, but i had just bought a new video game at Game Stop), i felt a cold wind brush me. I turn to look. There he is, walking towards me, the wizard. Again, holding various plastics bags, he walks quickly past me briefly glancing at my shocked face. I turn around to watch him disappear in the crowd.


here is a sketch:

first things first

i got a new MacBook with the intel core 2 duo processor. Yes! New Toy!

so, what is the first thing i do? Find a sweet wallpaper for the new baby. yes, baby needs some clothes!

I virtually scurried to David Lanham's Drawings and Other Creations. His digital art is cute, demented and very much to my liking.

After much internal turmoil of which wallpaper to pick, I went with this one:



False Alarm



I have a soft spot for the disenchanted samurai. always have and alway will.

haha. I am losing my mind.

the new family member

yes. danboard. lastest member of "the family"

from the manga Yotsuba &!


huh? hey, where are you?


oh , there you are!


welcome to the family!

i'm having a nose bleed on the utlimate cute-ness of danboard.

also, the eyes light up! (nose bleed continues)

drawn to life

Current DS Lite Favorite: Drawn to Life.


You are The Creator (oh my, you're GOD-LIKE, even) who must save a darling RPG village from impending doom. As The Creator, you draw your Hero. Of course, my hero looks like ME rocking torn up jeans, a hoodie and mega man arms. You design weapons, scenes and rides throughout each level. Although very user friendly, this game is surprising tough and i find myself getting stuck on a few levels.
The true highlight of this game is the progressive use of stylus-based game play on the DS Lite touchscreen. the mere fact, that the gamer is designing and playing is absolutely novel. btw, the touchscreen is what makes the DS Lite interactive and ... FUN! this is the start of some really interesting new platforms for gaming. i am very excited to see what comes next!

the kaosillator

pearly, matu and i bought the korg kaosillator over the weekend.
hours of fun. sweet beats, bizzare noises. loops. totally worth 200 bucks.

only downside. ya can't store/save! oh well. that really doesn't bother me at all.

but i am super happy with this kaos/osillator pad. small and compact. great to play with on your commute!

an ordinary day in weirdadelphia

walking around this town. one sees many odd things.

here are a few:


these trees in no. liberty were swarming with these black birds.
the "tweets" were almost deafing.
i've seen these guys before. at city hall. flying in massive clusters from one tree to the next.

onward:

i have no idea what was going on here. none. i am pretty sure the fellow was standing in the street doing tai chi to the beat of various percussion instruments

i was hoping that these kids would hop on the dragons back. take flight. and battle the parasitic black birds.
alas.

a cheerful sunday morning with this cute kid.

Asian Baby Sings Hey Jude - Watch more free videos

lazy dayz

mobile phone pictures.
i crashed at my sister's place after a show. due to professional habit, i tend to wake up early. bored and waiting for someone to wake up (and too lazy enough to get up) i documented the scenery. the view from the amazing areobed:





finally AWAKE and it's time for PHO!


matu eatting pho. haha.


did a bit o' shopping and later ... MORE FOOD. it must be a winter thing. ilovefoodsomuchiwanttoeatallthetime.
anyway: VEGAN GOODNESS and xuithou


three kind mushroom soup. soooo good.


dunno, i found it really funny at the time.


my brother in law and a matu

Dokebi Bride

2 weeks ago, my sister shoved vol 1 and vol 2 of Dokebi Bride into my hands, said "READ!" and stormed away.
1 week ago, my sister asked me if I read them. I said "not yet". She proceeded to scold me while praising/lecturing, with a commanding voice, the "amazing-ness" of the graphic novel (her creepy lopsided ponytail was nodding in agreement)
2 days ago my sister called me to ask me what I thought. Uuhh. Didn't read 'em yet. More lecturing.

So I now I am reading volume one. And. It. Is. Amazing. Ness. A must read for any graphic novel fan. wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated

summary from netcomics.com (you know, I hate summarizing)

"Born into a shaman family, Sunbi has inherited the power to see and communicate with spirits just like her grandmother, a notable shaman and savior of their little fishing village in the South Sea. Early on, she sees things like an imposter shaman being thrashed by a dragon of the deep, and doesn't understand that none of her schoolmates can see such things. Her powers make her the amorous target of hedonistic demons even as a child. Long shielded from the reality of her power, she finally learns the secret of her mother's death, and why her grandmother was never able to leave their village."

Tomorrow, I will be heading off to get 3 through 6. I want to know what happens!

Tigermap

go to tigermap and check out Ravens and Vultures first podcast installment.

Toys I want

Pete Fowler's Pets and Owners. I already have a couple of Fowler's toys: The Tribe of Monsterism and The Snorse (they make cameos throughout this blog).



I also want the Mars-1 Observer DELTA INC Edition from kidrot
so cute, i want to bite it. and punch it..

the littlest mushroom

I've been reading pearly's blog daily. its funny. and smart.

the littlest mushroom

check out our BATTLE STANCE video, starring matu, pearl and me.

dear diary

My little sister found three of my old journals! One is from the 5th grade (age 9), another from the summer before 9th grade (age 13) and yet another from the last days of my sophomore year in highschool (age 15).
Of course, she read aloud my sophomore year aloud, relishing every angst ridden page.

I am not one to be personal. but these are too funny to pass. I wish I had a scanner to scan some of the pages (the illustrations are out of control).

MY JOURNAL: 5th Grade Room 202 (the cover contains "top secret", "wow", flowers,"warning:read at your own risk" and "do not listen to warning!")

9/22/89
We started our Eagles Geography this week. Hurricane Hags might pass Philadelphia. I was so excited. It won't be so hard like blowing down trees. I have to talk to you [journal] like a bestfriend. I am talking to you. AHH!
At recess, it started to rain. When we came into class it didn't. Now, its raining again. Oh boy. It's one of those days. HA HA HA. That was a joke. It's friday, as you must have guessed. On Monday we are starting reading cycle. I'm nervous. I don't know if I passed. All I remember was that I got two right and two wrong. I think the girl who sits in front of me Milissa is writing something about me in her Journal. I wonder what she is writing. I feel a little depressed. Milissa asked what my favorite colors are. I like lots of colors. I choose blue because I am wearing blue. I can't think of anthing else to say but La De Da De Da. I hope you have a Good Day. Bye or Bye-Bye.

[Present Day: I am not certain what Hurricane Hags is.]

Age 13: Diary - Chetana. (a Mead Composition Marble book. On the cover: "feliz", my sister and cousins names, "old fashion times" and a drawn peach with a happy face. Also, half of the pages are ripped out.)

July 5 1993: Friday
My eyes are so bad and getting worse. When I am 30, no twenty, I will be wearing bifocals. Granny glasses. I wish my eyes will come back.
That's another thing. I worry too much, too much for my own good. It scares me. I worry that I'll worry about something and it will come true. It usually does.
Nothing good ever happens to me. I hope i get a kitten. Dad said he'll get it. It might fill that emptiness.

[Present Day: the bitterness ... ooooh the bitterness begins]


Last Days of Sophmore year in High School: Age 15] (Cover: Victorian girl cradling a tabby cat)

June 21 1995
I've been home for the past 3 days, laying listless in the heat. Tomorrow is the last day of summer. Oddly enough, it was a cool 64 today. Kitty is going crazy. She's scraching (s.p) my ankles, rolling around the carpet; her eyes are wild. I can hear her claws, right now, tearing the fibers in the carpet apart. Tomorrow is the last day of school. What to do? NOTHING! Poor little chetana, all alone at home, sisters laughing merrily reading eachother's secret thoughts. Mother gave me this. "Do whatever you want with it" she said. Hinting LOGBOOK in every syllable. I am so old and I can't spell.
So, let me tell you a tid-bit about myself. My birthday was about 3 days ago. I have 2 sisters, a mother and a father. I don't really have any "good friends", just poeple who want to have a goodtime. The neighboors dogs are barking in unison with the sound of passing cars. I like peaches and japanimation. I have a dog and two cats. Nothing right ever comes out of my mouth. I say what I think and can't keep silient. Cynical fool, just like a million others entering adulthood.

[Present Day: dude. scary girl. Anyways ... i think i will enter some more enteries from The Days of Old in the near future. Now, back to watching Wallflower. Apparently, my love for anime never went away]

wallflower

yes! my favorite manga Wallflower is out an anime! i saw two episodes.


a still from the anime


a page from the manga.


that is all. i will review once viewing of volume one is completed.

a theory that didn't work

apparently, this week, i found out: ignoring that your falling sick doesn't cure you from becoming sick.

so ... sick pick movies/series of the flu season (the good and the bad which made it good)

alright ... this is all ondemand.
because my sick-self was too weak get up and put in a DVD.
aahh remote control, you are my dear dear friend in times of need!


Wicker Man (1973): the parade is eched into my mind. i am now on a hunt for a fox mask.
Brokeback Mountain: YEAH, I SAID IT! i have been avoiding this movie like the plague. but when your mind is numb with fever and selection is so limited ... you just click. anyway ... it was good. enough said.
Little Miss Sunshine: uncomfortable...
SUPERgals: Anime about being a gal. at first, annoying ... but it got better. still a bit annoying.
Dexter Season 2: I liked the first season better. but this wasn't that bad
Braveheart: HAHAHAH
Samuri Champloo: sooooo good!

mind you ... i was ill ... here are some other films i saw
Lake House (yeah ... puke and made no sense)
Stay Alive (videogame horror ... made no sense)

blog about it

bouncing virtually ...

some "blog worthy" press on R&V

crackersunited

and

bands to watch

insta-noodles madness

instant pho sprimpah soup ... yes, i tend to brag about my skills with the instant noodle soup.

one of my creations:
before:
shitake mushrooms
tomyum paste
green onions
veggie dumplings
rooster sauce
hot kettle water
and of course pho instant noodle bowl!


yum yum and yum. tom didn't lie (haha ... worst joke ever)

AFTER: note: i am now chowing down infront of the worst italian horror movie. so bad that the name was denied from my memory palace.

at play

yet another installment of the family.