crash happy

Welcome to the blogger-sphere, Andrew

2008-05-14T13:02:00.001-07:00

Check out Sr. Stuntcow, a talented artist, a great person.

That's all!

Almost persuaded...

2008-02-24T13:07:00.000-08:00

I'm on the fence, and Tina almost pulled me over to her side (wait till end of "Women's News").

The Real LIVE Thing

2008-02-12T15:51:00.000-08:00

2/8/08 - “She put it DOWN that night”

Earlier this month I was lucky enough to see the lovely Ms. Jill Scott at the equally lovely art-deco Paramount Theater in Oakland. During the Friday concert she picked some great tracks from her library, often segueing from new songs back to old classics, each complementing the other, and all *ridiculously* better live than the studio cuts. Through a near perfectly paced set list (2hrs flew by!), Jill led the always-tight FatBack Taffy through the gamut of rock to blues to touching ballardy– busting out beyond the lazy categorization of “neo-soul”. With witty, sincere, sometimes hilarious spoken interludes between each song, Jill crafted an entertaining, thoughtful observation of modern, mature love (and, to be frank, sex.)

As y’all know, Jill above all is a talented storyteller, and one noteworthy example of this for me was the live version of “My Love”– already a touching song, made more-so by a spoken breakdown that recast the song not just as a simple plea for a love-lost, but a powerful re-declaration of “self-worth-found”. To quote the woman, it was “beautifully human” moment.

Actually, it was a beautiful night all around. Jill looked the definition of “grown and sexy” in a red afro, black empire-waist dress, gold necklace and killer strappy heels. The horn section not only sounded tight, but looked cute doing their little two-steps, and the lighting design this tour was impressive.

In the end, Jilly from Philly drew an adoring crowd of young, old, gay, straight, black, white, yellow, brown. That’s one mixed-up funky Family Reunion and I’ll *most definitely* be at the next one ;-)

* * *
I wish I had the exact setlist, but I know it included: "The Real Thing", "Gimme" (Wow! A rare gem from "Live:Experience 826+") ; "Come See Me"; "Whenever You're Around" (w/ the better than album vrs. guitar solo); "Only You"; "Slowly, Surely" (which I think got a bluesy-revision that slowed deliciously down with each verse); "Do You Remember"; "How It Make You Feel" (and later, its counterpart "We Need You"); "Breathe"; "Crown Royal" ("Not going to take one sip... even tho it looks good, smells good... aw fuck it!"); "Epiphany" (which I did NOT think she'd do live); "My Love"; "Wanna Be Loved"; "The Way"; "He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)";"Golden" (thankfully this time done "straight", without the disco-breakdown from last tour); "Hate On Me" (you KNOW those two back-to-back had the crowd grooving and sweating); and finally a beautiful poetry/sing-along piece as the encore that's floating around on YouTube.

Lordy.

2007-11-11T17:56:00.000-08:00

Okay, feeling a wee bit better.

The reason I look sh!ttier than usual.

2007-11-08T22:24:00.000-08:00

Lord. It's been longer than a week, but the pressure these past 7 days has been intense. It's a nasal migraine. Not like a baby elephant. Like grown one. That's sitting on my head. After eating dark matter. I've got dark circles so large I'm officially a panda.

Me? I'm not.

2007-11-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

I'm not the Crashhappy listed on several MMORPG forums. Yes, I am geek. No, I'm not a D&D geek. Tho there's nothing wrong with that. I know 20-sided die throwers. More power to them. And...hit points.

I'm not Crashhappy from the RC forums. Tho I did get those japanese mini-rc cars as a gift. What? Subura wrx. I blame InitialD.

I'm not Crashhappy from any car-modding sites. Tho I can see why that'd be a popular username.

* * *
I'm going to turn this back into a doodleblog as I'd first intended eons ago. It's devolved into a music review blog. That's all.

Sketchcrawling w/ Critters

2007-11-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

Wither that extra hour Saturday night, folks? Unfortunately I used mine to read "a few pages" of this book and unfortunately didn't put it down until WAY past my bedtime. Yes, I know there's a movie, but I'm on this reading kick lately. Nice change from software manuals. I'm on shelfari, too, if anyone wants to share reading lists.

So Sunday I barely got my red-eyed ass outta bed and down to the 16th (and my second) Sketchcrawl.

I think the last time I went to the zoo to sketch(in SF? Or San Jose, I can't recall) I was way looser, everything was 2min, gestural, more dynamic. This time there were a lot more sitting "poses", not animals in motion as much as repose.

In particular, I spent more time than usual rendering that orangutan. He was the last animal I sketched. The sun was high in the sky, casting hard shadows on the this massive oran who almost dwarfed the large hot rock he leaned wearily against, while a smaller oran sat near and distractedly picked at the elder's matted hair. I stood there, squinting at the sun reflecting on the pad, drawing, trying to tease out the tiny eyes flanked and shaded by all that old, heavy flesh, and therein... man, just something so sad and heavy, as if he'd long forgotten exploring lush canopies, and resigned himself to sitting in the sun, and look through all the pink, hairless standing monkeys before him. Infinitely tired.

Okay, maybe that tragic impression was aided my my sleep addled brain on a breakfast of diet coke, but for a time I felt kinda awful that he was in that zoo at all. Yes, it's better than being poached or hunted, but that zoo seemed just too small for him.

Or her. I didn't exactly check.

But do check Sketchcrawl.Com. Enjoy!

My last-minute costume suggestion

2007-10-27T16:44:00.001-07:00

You need @ big cardboard box, toilet paper, glasses, a bald cap or some grey hair spray, slacks, big shoes, and, of course, a "large stance". Voila!

Common's New Vid: "I Want You"

2007-10-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

Pick your poison:
AOL search for Common's new video -- YouTube, DailyMotion, etc.

OR watch it here...

Now, how come Wil.i.am, who produced the track, is not in the vid, but Kanye is? Not like I need to see the Pea. We all know who I'm here to see. All suited up, no less. Two words: Um. Hmm. I love Erykah*, but putting that man in a crotched pants? Criminal. Also criminal? CROCHETED. Not crotched. Oh freud...

W/ regards to the video, it's allright. In the final scenes, I think they could have emphasized the fact that Com was still watching Kerry, either on the security cam or from the balcony. While holding Alicia, his mind was lingering on that other woman. Wouldn't have taken much. Better editing to establish where the two (Kerry & Com) were relative to each other, hold the shots a little longer, more RAW emotion from Com. Hahah, okay, the last one I'll not hold my breath on. He may have his SAG card, but he needs to work on his acting game. Ask Alicia, she seems to know.

Even given his limited skills, I sat through "Smoking Aces". And watched this video twice already. Come on. Lot of good looking grown folk, ne?

*Living with Baduism. Lol.

Real Real.

2007-10-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

I'd made a comment regarding r&b songtresses way back last summer, in which I lamented:

ASIDE: why isn't there room in the hiphop landscape for a smart + stanky singer? By "stanky" I mean raw sexy. ...R&B Beyonce-chics sell a safe "sexy" that never gets gritty-- the real funk that can come from a grown ass woman's relations, both sexual AND emotional. [Few artists] still fiercely [hold] on to her sexuality...Erykah and Jill, whom I both love, but are of the "sensual-earthmother-sistafriend" mode."

Okay, scratch that. Jill's "The Real Thing" definitely puts her sexy side on full display. And I like. Was this frankness jarring? Sure. But in context, it makes perfect sense. She's 32, newly divorced, and rediscovering/claiming the full spectrum of her sexuality. Blissful highs to raw, rugged (even remorseful) lows. Definitely not for kids, by her own admission. And, really, not "stanky". How she manages to make "your diesel engine I'm squirting mad oil on" not sound as crass as something from Lil' Kim's playbook is beyond me. I mean, look at it. That's not poetry. Yet I've had "Crown Royal" on the mp3, looping, for a minute.

For n00bs, get the The Sampler, or check out the music player on her website.

My one quibble is that she needs to put more live instrumentation on her albums-- real horns behind "Hate On Me", a guitar solo on "Whenever You're Around" ala the Live version.

Or, hah, I'll just QMB and grab some concert tix next year (god willing).

Photoshop Class "Notes"

2007-10-10T21:41:00.000-07:00

Actually that class is worthwhile, since even w/ my extensive PS use, I haven't really explored CS3 and all the cool goodies. But, you know, can't. stop. drawing. Tho frankly, at least for me, if there are copious doodles on the sidebar of my notes that means that my synapses were firing, and I end up absorbing more than you'd think. However, if my notes are just writing, in all likelyhood the info went straight from ear to pen, like sieve, catching very little lasting info in me noggin.

Putting the "fine" in late fines...

2007-09-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

So, I've got a classmate who has a nice driver's license photo. She's giving a look which is definitely "hot librarian"-- looking down over glasses just so. Which course chaps my hide, since after a run of imho cute license pics, my last one looks like I've fallen out of an oil tanker on the freeway at 80mph, most of that on MY FACE. All kinds of greezy and tow-up.

Anyway, enough about that card (which I swear, I will conveniently lose and have to replace once my hair grows out), let's get back to the HotLib phenomena. When I was a "cubicle jockey" in The Bay when I was all about the slacks, pumps, slim jackets and such. And now that I've slipped into a uniform of graphic t, jeans and $10buckwannabechucks, I miss those chic-er, sleeker days.

Didn't know the extent of my longing until I saw these:

And the frugality persists, as the ones on the left are knockoffs. Hell-o!

I wish I could rock these. But I lack the occassion...and the nerve, frankly. Oh, and the gams. I got more calves* than a dairy, y'all.

I'm no fashionista. Yes, there are MUCH more important things in life, but sometimes I just feel like I need to "step up my game", for myself. As much as I love those first wonderful summer days, fall can't come soon enough for me. The kicky jackets, the boots, hats and leather gloves? Bring 'em.

*If you reading this, sweetie, I know you still digs them. God bless yer blind ass.

Hair Warrior

2007-09-14T12:09:00.001-07:00

As seen walking down the street near school. Like a black Marge Simpson. Fantastic.

Now, if they are training the next wave of "Hair Warriors"
at school, then I take back what I said earlier. Okay, they're still kinda scary, but I respect a talent for the audacious.

There was an episode of "The Pursuit of Excellence" on PBS about an international hairstyling comp. that *wasn't* hair wars, but entertaining anyway.(A team of born-again Christian hairstylists? Unexpected!). Did anyone watch this series? Basically one hour documentaries about competitions-- the synchronized swim team at Santa Clara U., Midwestern ferret shows, the aforementioned hairstylists. I tend to love this particular doc genre (and comedies in the same vein), mostly because the good ones move you beyond obvious humor to a place of respect... whatever weird thing they do, they love it, they want to be the best at it, or at the least better than they are now, bless 'em. Good stuff.

Sketches from Tahoe

2007-09-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Chipmunk & Squirrel.

Smithers, release the...chipmunks?

2007-09-11T15:26:00.001-07:00

As seen on my recent trip to Tahoe.

Went up to clear a fire-line around my friend's cabin. Good shots, kinda nice hike afterwards, but if I ever see a rakel and pine needles again I'ma gunna scream.

Sketches, of course, forthcoming.

ETA: Okay, I accidentally combined a "shovel" and "rake" which resulted in "rakel" above. Or "giant spork". Which frankly would be AWESOME.

Afrobellas...

2007-09-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

One good thing about trekking through campus is people watching. Saw this lovely lady getting a ride home from school. In the sea of jeans and t-shirts, she definitely stood out. That's the way to rock an end of summer look.

Another take. Full disclosure: there was no mp3 player. I'm just on a "drawing people with headphones" kick.

On a side note, I visit afrobella.com on the regular. Nevermind I'm not black. She's a good read, she features positive female role models, she's a Jill Scott stan (hello!), and in-between the make-up & music reviews she'll bring up news stories that haven't gotten mainstream coverage. You know how sometimes you pick up a beauty mag and you feel guilty about it afterwards? Afrobella's the antidote.

Is there an AsianBella out there?

Ch-check-checked it out.

2007-09-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

My Man and me (and his friends) caught the show two weeks ago.
Beasties @ Berkeley Review.

MCA is some kinda Mr. Rodgers Jr. And it works for him.

Ad-Rock came dressed as Kevin Pollack on Season 1's "Celebrity Poker Showdown."

Mike D. The Jew Fro. He's one house coat and 10 cats away from being her.

First hiphop show where there wasn't ENOUGH bass, at least to my ears all the way up in the The Grown Folks section (again). Oh, and props to the drunk old white dude who was dragged out of said section while yelling "Play 'Girls'!" over. And over. Nice.

Ima bout to cut a bitch...'s hair.

2007-09-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

Actually, I'm not sure what cosmetologists do (Is is hair, right? Make up, too?), but I do know that the cosmo students at my school scare the beeejeeebus out of me.

At least I hope they are cosmetology. Could they be nurses? "You'd better heal up or I WILL HURT YOU."

Young padudaaaaamn.

2007-08-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm not so much of a geek that I know if the Sith use a different word for "newbie" than the jedi. I do know that I'm really feeling this new Star Wars: The Force Unleashed title. Course, I'm rocking a DS, likelyhood of me playing this game is zip-to-the-o.

Anyway, enjoy this simulation demo (oh, wow, stormtropper AI... this ain't your grandma's puppet physics), and some concept art starts at the 3:19 mark.

1,2, OMG

2007-08-30T12:33:00.000-07:00

It really is.

I'm finding IT to be like a damn addiction I can't quit. Doesn't help that I've found another enabler. At this moment I'm looking at a ream of pre-punched animation paper and wondering if I want to "bounce that damn ball again". The f-ing horror. God help me.

So far to go...

2007-08-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

"The defendants have crossed the line in this case with their attempts to segregate white children into separate classes, with their attempts to attract white students and ultimately with their attempts to halt white flight in violation of the law," David Hinojosa, a lawyer with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said in opening arguments before a federal judge.

Parent Ana Gonzalez testified that her 6-year-old daughter received the highest score on the district's English proficiency test but was placed in an ESL kindergarten class that was almost all black and Latino.

Her daughter had no Anglo friends, felt different, and when Gonzalez asked the principal why she was in that class, she said she was told children were placed according to their national origin.

From MSNBC

Yah.

2007-08-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

I hate it already.

Puffer Fish Sold as Salmon

2007-08-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

"Unscrupulous vendors in Thailand have been selling meat of the deadly puffer fish disguised as salmon, causing the deaths of more than 15 people over the past three years, a doctor said Thursday."
AP via SFgate.com

Now what?

2007-08-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

Bye, "Aunt"

2007-08-21T19:36:00.000-07:00

Interrupted "visits" are annoying.

Tentacularity, Updated w/ Semi-Regularity

2007-08-21T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hey, Cephy? What's that? I added new finds @ Cephalophanalia.

It Can Only Get Better, pt. 2

2007-08-16T11:04:00.001-07:00

With much respect to Trent, the least venomous gossip blogger out there (and an unabashed Buffy fan, so how can I hate?).

This is the first, and hopefully the last, thing I'll say about this woman here: "God sakes, clean it up." Not just the hairstyle.

Why Ellen Barkin? When she was younger she coulda been...well, Brit's aunt or cousin or something. Seriously, look it up.

(Sienna Miller's hair on Brit's head. Ah photoshop!)

Aztec Archer

2007-08-15T19:04:00.001-07:00

Historical accuracy? Bah. :-P WIP. Dig.

I'm having fun, k!

Octo Girl 2 WIP

2007-08-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

Cropped snippet of upcoming paint, work-in-progress

Have you used your regulator recently?

2007-08-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

You should. Often.

It Can Only Get Better

2007-08-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

In drawing, as in life, it'd be better if I had a planned a little.

Yes, still have that movie on my head.

It's a whole lotta Q's and no U's here.

2007-08-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

Well, crap. Just like the titular scrabble predicament, I bought a bargain wanna-be wacom tablet that came WITHOUT A PEN. Wonderful chinese product! Well, given the recent history I guess I should be happy that it wasn't made with cardboard or gave me chemical burns. But, man, I'm still burned. Dangit. No pen. On the upside I actually got decent service from ONE Fry's guy. And decent's all you can ask for, y'all know. I'd love to see the frakkin training video at that store. It's gotta be akin to Dave Chappelle's Kinko's skit. Sometimes I think of getting a job there just to verify my suspicions.

On to other topics. I came across this most excellent article on wired: How to Soundproof an Apartment to Muffle Your Wife's Drumming. Is that NOT PERFECT for me? Well, except the "wife" and "apartment" part. Well, let's bookmark this badboy and hope it'll be perfect for me in the near future. At least I got the drums. Actually congas are pretty easy to play somewhat softly (save the slapping... "your wife's slapping kept us up all night!"), but I played a brazilian repenique for a nanosecond and that involved a drumstick, slapping AND hitting the steel rim. Which in turn meant me trying wrap the drum in a towel and sit it on top of my bed, which only marginally muted the skins. I was going to say "And what's the point of playing softly?" but that brings me to...

Matt Wilson. He played with good ol Wycliffe Gordon @ Stanford and was he ever fun to watch. Improvising, melodic use of a kit, more enjoyable to watch him solo relatively softly on a cymbal than endure some machismo laden kid try and kill his drum set. And the guy's body language... as much fun to watch him and here him. Love to see him live again.

Would also love to see this famoso drummer y chica (the OTHER lovely Rita) in concert, but that ain't gonna happen either. DVD's are out tho, hmm. Hello amazon wish list!

Let's hear it for the boy!

2007-08-03T18:40:00.001-07:00

I admit this looks like "young dentist fly in love" at first glance, but anyway a friend of mine is back in the "swang of thangs", and deservedly so.

Aren't we all.

2007-08-03T18:17:00.001-07:00

Ratatou-me

2007-08-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

Yah, I loved it. Yes, that's supposed to be me. Look, mah, I'm digipainting again.

Back from Vakay, OK?

2007-07-31T14:49:00.000-07:00

Hello, chillen, I'm back from the Bay again, after an almost TOO long stay. (No offense to the company, but heaven is one's own bed. Fah. Reals.)

As usual, twas great to see my "meng", my "brah", and the animation people again. Additionally, I was lucky enough to hang with my old old OLD college bud (muhah!), H. It's been over six years! Seems like he's doing well, still making me envious with his world travels (back from Italy and the Czech republic, that bastard!) Was great to catch up again.

Equally great to see? My favorite familia, LOS SIMPSON. Pre-movie I made my pilgrimage to one of only 12 Kwik-E-Mart's in these here United States. The place was packed, as it was opening day for the film (which, contrary to my fears, was enjoyable!). At the K-E-M, there was a line out door, line to register, including me with my box of d'oh-nuts and squishie in hand.

As I've mentioned to others, that day I was cruising at nerd factor 5.

Also had a chance to hit good ol' Castle Rock again, for short afternoon hike. No bouldering this time around, but still wonderful vistas of the fog-shrouded Monterey bay as seen from the backside of the mtn., and a tasty cool breeze pushing me along the trail-- much to the chagrin of my hiking bud, who wanted leisurely and got SPEED WALKING instead. My apologies. Piccies forthcoming.

Ah, but back to life, back to reality. Yes, people, I'm back on my projects. Sorry about lagging on the webwork. Also, I must return to the daunting task of getting back to school in earnest, sticking my tentative toes onto a new path. God flipping help me.

ITMT, sketching! I put in on the web, now the pressure of all those millions who will see this (insert Crabapplian "HAH!" here) will compel me to actually get back to creatin' again. Or that's the hope. Certainly seeing all the anim. school folks have energized me once again. Wish I had some local crew to share the fun w/.

And agian, in that mode of hopefulness, "SACRAMENTO ANIMATION 3D 2D SACRAMENTO ANIMATION FANS ARTISTS 3D 2D FANS ARTISTS SACRAMENTO ANIMATION 3D 2D FANS ARTISTS SACRAMENTO ANIMATION 3D 2D FANS ARTISTS" Think that'll get this blog some traffic and some info on the above request?

Me neither.

Labelling

2007-03-07T18:03:00.000-08:00

Hey, just a heads-up, I'm slowly labelling the blog posts.

Happy B-day Erykah!

2007-03-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

In my defense I made and posted this elsewhere on the web on her birthday proper, but am just throwing it up here today.

Common's "The Light"
Yes, Com again. He's fine. What? This is his love letter to Ms. Badu.

Mark Tatulli's Lio

2007-03-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

My new daily read.

Bout Time.

2007-02-26T18:53:00.000-08:00

I'm back.

2006-11-07T19:22:00.000-08:00

A teeny peak of stuff I'm working on.

I hate big bags and I cannot lie...

2006-10-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

The toe-tag sez DOA. I was sloppy in photoshop, sorry

Well, after some computer difficulty and the starting back @ work (meaning back to my 6am wakey-wakey. Lord.) I am back. What'd ya miss? Eh. Some sun, some fun, and a sudden month-long embracing of all things girly, which for me just means "I bought a new bag and some clothes".

Yah, that's as girly as I get. No worries, kids. Still find pink revolting. Same ol' me.

However, did need a larger bag. My tiny bare min. bag (wallet, lipstick, phone, PERIOD) wasn't cutting it now that I'm proud mama of a Nintendo DS and I likes to take mi querida blanquita EVERYWHERE. So off to buy my first new bag in a few years.

And what the HELL happened in those intervening seasons? What, exactly, is this? As in "I can carry a small hobo in this bag?". Crimmeny.

I managed to find someone decent at Ross. GOD, Ross. That place is magical if you are a "digger". Flip though the racks like a dj thru the crates and you'll find gold. She's cute, she's burgundy, she's cheap, and doesn't look like a cow killed by a bedazzler gun. Ay, enough with the leather&studs, designers.

Damn damn damn

2006-08-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

I've talked about this idea FOR YEARS. And someone made it. The fact that it's probably illegal in The States consoles me. A little.

IMdropping? Or Girls bearing Gifs

2006-08-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, how do I get a gig creating "audibles" for Yahoo messenger?

In the process of a YIM convo w/ My Old Friend, I started replying to his messages with spur-of-the-moment gifs(thank you photoshop and a wacom). Enjoy(?) them here, w/o explanation or context.

Tentacular!

2006-08-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

Back from Lake Tahoe, had fun, will hopefully either sketch about or have (gasp!) photos later.

Ways, for those who don't know I'm a bit of a cephalophan(tm Crashhappy). That's my term for a fan of celphalopods in all their tentacular glory. So, for all y'all shopping hella (yes, I'm on the West Coast, and apparently 12 years old) early...

Random Cephalophanalia!

(8)Gold"fingass!" (apologies to Shirley Bassey)

Crash realizes she's not made of money and decides to buy this instead of the previous item!

How I can reconcile this rather "Hello Octo!" side of my life with a constant "grow the f*** up!" chorus in my head, I'll never know.

GTFU! Can we introduce that into the Net-Lexicon? Because I know I can't be the only one saying that either to myself or others on a regular basis.

Gotta Get Up

2006-08-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

First the lyrics:
"I don't want to go to work today
I rather stay home and play video games
I rather chill for real
I don't know how you feel but sometimes I feel like I'm
Workin' for nuthin' tryin' to get sumthin'
Every where I turn there's a bill
Steady now
Swim the river, climb the hill
Complacency you ain't gone get me no no no no

. . .

I'd rather be in my space
I'd rather chill in my place
So I can go out and play all day I
I'd rather chill at home
I'd rather lay alone
True, but I got to work
I don't wanna go
I wanna play today
But what can I say
Bills to pay
I just can't get comfortable
Doing nothing"

Okay, not poet larureate material. However, two bits: it's over a 4hero jazztastic breakbeat. And it's Jill Scott.

Hah! Singer/poet/sista friend scatting about video game laziness. Wha?

For now, this is my FRAKKING themesong.

And Mr. Jackson

2006-07-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

Did those snakes deserve to die?

See? This is why the man carries a wallet w/ BMF on it FOR REAL.

More from ComicCon
Kevin Smith
I said it once, I'll say it again: the man's movies are quotable, but not watchable. But he gives good interview.

I'm sorry, Ms. Jackson

2006-07-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

I'm not feeling it.

(Yah, it's a music post. Deal with it.)

Okay. Despite the fact that one Halloween I dressed like Janet Jackson from the "Allright" video, I'm not her biggest fan. Still, out of curiosity I checked Janet's new video to see how "The emaciation of JJ" is going. Well if Mariah can come back...

Verdict? Blech. Hype Williams apparently rented "The Cell" recently. Speaking of Halloween, drop the costumes, please.
The song? Flaming pile of meh. Oh Ms. Jackson...

IMO, she does best on upbeat dance tracks w/(over)production that makes up for her thin voice, or here and here, where that softness is an asset, smoothing out over the down-tempo/chill vibe. That's how I like Janet-- clean and sexy. I hope some of that is in the new album.

But I doubt it.

And yah, Mr. Potato head is JD. It ain't right, but it's okay.

And now, My "Cathy" Moment

2006-07-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

T-4 days to the wedding, I tried on my party dress...

... and encountered the Ghosts of BBQs past.

(After looking at this entry again I'm totally back to the "Quit Your Bitching." mindest, so screw it. I'm a proud member of team jelly belly. Big frakking deal!)

Miss Cosplay 2006

2006-07-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Miss Japan, 1st Runner-Up in Miss Universe contest (yes, on the LEFT*). If the winner, Miss Puerto Rico, "fails to meet her duties" due to apparent sepuku...

In other news, Capcom mulls Miss Universe fighter videogame. Features may include hair- pulling attack combos, unlockable outfits & accesories, highly unrealistic "bounce" physics.

RIGHT, image courtesy of Capcom's Onimusha 2.

CUT!

2006-07-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

I got a haircut. Finally.

My vietnamese (cuz they are good!) hairstylist tilts my head up, gives a look then asks:
"You missing something?"

The hell? My wallet? My brain?
Me:"You not full asian are you?"
She:"OH, yes, I'm filipina. Ohhhh! 'Am I mixed or something?'" [Laughter from both]

So endeth that awkward moment, only to be quickly followed by another.

Me:"Can you cut another inch off?"
She:(Sigh)"Okay, I cut your hair second time."

Woah, shoot, now, I don't want to piss off no vietnamese lady with shears to my head. I could tell I hit a nerve. With a bit of coaxing, find out last night right at closing time(9pm) some woman came in asking for "a simple trim" then halfway through changed her mind and wanted something "fantasy!" and essentially got a whole different haircut.

Me:"What kind of style?"
She:(eye roll)"Some stupid simple style."*

Insult to injury! We had a good laugh over that. I jokingly threatened to ask her to cut my hair for a third time. She threatened to give me The Rachel she'd alluded to earlier.

That exchange was worth a nice tip. Cut? Good! Convo! Good!
You don't have to be my therapist, nor gossip with your coworker while cutting my hair. Little chat, little cut, dunzo.

Hell, she could be stone silent as long as I got this haircut. Third week of 100+ degree weather. Yay.

* "You missing something!" and "Some stupid style!" will be my go-to insults of the summer.

2006-07-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, kinda busy so don't have a doodle. However, here's your daily dose of cute:
"Hug" Salt and Pepper
Ka-waii!

This site's pretty tight, as a lot of their stuff is recycled. I'm digging the typewriter key necklaces as a gift for any of your writer friends.

Okay, back to the catcave! (aka my dark home office where the 10lb sac of rotato is hiding from this too hot day)

2006-07-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

KWDT Part the 6th
"Cat with ear mites"

and 7th

2006-07-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

The Crappiest Place on Earth

So I'll regale you with how niiiiiiiiiiice my 4th was soon. ITMT my friend just came back from LA, and reports that Disneylandia has gotten ghetto. And don't start-- "ghetto" crosses all colors, so across the board kids are acting rowdy and wrong. Man, if I was a parent I wouldn't stand for that mess. "ACT RIGHT, child! This is DISNEYLAND, this ain't Six Flags!". Course, now that Six Flags is going up on the sale block (because the crowds are more dangerous than the rides), guess where they'll end up going: The "happiest" place on Earth.

Anyway, as I listened, aghast, I hatched a plan for all the national guardsmen and women who might need temporary employment after their tours end.

"I'm secret service."
"For The White House?"
"No, The Mouse House."

2006-07-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Big Leg Girls of the World UNITE

AH summer, I'm loving it. Run and hide, skinny b!tches!

In the cans: Fela Kuti

2006-06-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

KWDT Part... where are we? 5 now?

Kids supposed to write about cat with "ear mites".
Begin!

*No, a kid didn't write the bottom one, but that's where my mind went next.

In other news, how's this for Nintendo's ubiquitous marketing machine: My MOM mentioned Brain Age to me.

HUH? Wow.

2006-06-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

KWDT Part 4

As in "the cat was vishush".
Not that is not a cat. That's a bit of Naruto sneaking in. Wouldn't that be a kickass ninja power. Very handy in the movie theater.

2006-06-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

Kids Write the Darndest Things - 3rd

2006-06-27T22:35:00.001-07:00

Kids Write the Darndest Things - 2nd in a series

I am guessing they meant "mauling".

2006-06-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

Kids Write the Darndest Things - 1st in a series

Inspired from student essays. That's all I can tell you. In my defense I recreated my ~~doodles~~ notes at home from memory. They are about an inch tall IRL, and I've got pages full of them. AND I still manage to get my job done. Thank god.

Wow. I'm getting paid to draw. Kinda. Be careful what you wish for, cuz God will give it to you, one way or another.

2006-06-12T23:15:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Herr Doctor.*

*Someone wants to watch Young Frankestein again.

2006-06-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Nodding off!

I'm nodding my noggin so much w/ the new toons I should be a bobblehead.

Ways, I'm figuring out how to balance my gnarly 6am work commute sked w/ my at home freelance work. At least that means I've been able to get back on the net a dig up some new tunes to work to. Yah, it's probably the same ish you've seen floating around the web. I'll link when time permits... or figure out how to set up a radioblog.

Joi - Dance with Yesterday

Must thank one soulful negro for this. I have a couple of Joi tracks from the mid-90s that I was "meh" on, but this Prince-inspired track (Happy belated birthday, you sexy MFer) brings back good memories. And I'm feeling Joi's new album (check cdbaby.com)-- that woman is DIRTY. In a wonderful way.

ASIDE: why isn't there room in the hiphop landscape for a smart + stanky singer? By "stanky" I mean raw sexy. Ferile drive, furtile mind. Female rappers seem to get their thang on, but there's little balance. It's all wannabe pornstar, and bedroom skills bragadocio, but if they flipped in on the next rack and spit real about love, you wouldn't buy it, literally or figuratively. On the other hand R&B Beyonce-chics sell a safe "sexy" that never gets gritty-- the real funk that can come from a grown ass woman's relations, both sexual AND emotional. Maybe it's the "woman" part. You have to live it to some extent to put it on wax, and no 18 year old with middlin' pipes can convey that. Joi has that experience. AND still fiercly holds on to her sexuality, unlike her peers Erykah and Jill, whom I both love, but are of the "sensual-earthmother-sistafriend" mode. Now I'm not saying Joi's perfectly fills this void between the two extremes, but she's close.

The Roots - Don't Feel Right
Honestly? I kinda agree with the title. You'd think the "Jungle Boogie" sample would work, but they don't do enough with it. Still, it's The Roots. Support quality hiphop *.

YMCK - Does John Coltrane Dream of a Merry-go-round?
WTF? If Mario, Luigi, Coltrane. It's strangely wonderful. Also, OMG why do I want a DS Lite so much!?!?!

Christina Aguilera - No Other Man
Yah, I know between this and the Nelly F. confession I've lost my cred. Listen, the horn section feels ripped from a boogaloo joint, and that is a good thing. Also, when Christina has to work w/in the confines of an uptempo song she cuts back on the melismarama, THANK GOD. Now if she'd just step away from the bleach bottle and this nth generation Jane Mansfield look...

Sidestepper - Paloma

Must. See. Them. Live.
I haven't been to a good danceable latin show in a minute. Fingers crossed I'll check them in the city at the end of this month. Need to get my sweat on. Tu sabes!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
Bombombombombombombomb dehdun dehdun dehdun dedum.

*Says the girl who can't afford to see them in concert tonight. GRRARGH.

2006-06-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

Suburban Petting Zoo: 1st in a series

My commute takes me from suburbia to these country backroads (the freeways are too busy-- this once "small town" now has a LONG rush hour). So I spend an hour in that weird transitional landscape, where wild animals, powerlines and car exhaust meet. As seen mere feet from my window, backlit jackrabbit ears glowing in the sun.

OH yesterday was Prince's birthday. Once I figure speedyshare, I'll upload something tomorrow in his honor.

2006-06-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

What my cat, Roro, looks like sitting at my feet right now...

Getting a little pudge-y.
ETA: Poopycat, that is

2006-05-30T12:21:00.000-07:00

My not so X-cellent adventure

I had a nightmare that I was X-Men:3/(plz not-another)Rush Hour director Brett Ratner's talent agent/bodyguard/babysitter for what had to be the longest club crawl of my life. More frightening: I was wearing a miniskirt and legwarmers. Seriously.

More @ defamer. Celebrity sludge: I'm soaking in it.

2006-05-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

There goes my music cred...

Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous" has been on repeat in my mp3 player for a minute. And NO I'm not gonna buy the album. The track is worth everything I paid for it. What? It's almost summer: the season of aural junk food. Yum.

2006-05-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday: "Cake"

Don't keep the "cake girl"* waiting, or else she'll eat her way out.

Shoot, I would.

(Okay, this was supposed to be my first submission to Illustration Friday, but in the interest of putting my "best foot forward" I should probably offer up something that 1)took more than a couple of minutes and 2)wasn't all BAM! with the skin.)
Ah, what the heck. I'm in.

*Do they even have girls pop out of birthday cakes in real life or is that some weird "only happens on TV" convention? I've never seen it in person. Do guys ever pop out of cakes? Hahah, wouldn't that be a surprise.

2006-05-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

It's official. Dan Brown p0wnz the world.

As seen in San Francisco last week-- homeless woman reading DaVinci Code.

2006-05-22T22:27:00.000-07:00

So tonight I hung with my mom and did "BONDING BONDING" as my dad would say (what is it about saying something twice for emphasis in this family? In this culture?). We spent quality time with Miss Oprah, and per our usual ritual, talked over the proceedings for the whole good hour. Highlights on this end of the screen:

"Pfft. I'll trade one Ashanti for Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, please."

"Ashford will always be Black Jesus to me."

"A Wayans? How the hell he crash this party?"

"Why is she crying again?"
"Please! Everytime Oprah drops a tear, a dollar drops in her wallet."

"The hell is Alicia wearing? That girl needs a new stylist."

"You better speak Angela's (Basset) name. She still looks like she could kill you if you didn't."

(Simultaneously)"Why don't I own any Gladys Knight?"

They should just send Oprah to the middle east. If she can bring my moms and me together...

Next time, doodles from the wedding reception wkd.

2006-05-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

That Penguin Movie

Seriously, I don't understand why people lost their ish over this movie. A two hour episode of "Nature". A good one. And yet I dozed off 2/3's of the way through. I tried, folks.

Also, people are completely mistaking "reproductive imparative" for "love". I think applying that man-made construct to this movie is incorrect. Projecting much?

That said, a number of those shots were amazing.

2006-05-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

Chocolate and peanut buttter!
Battlestar Galactica + The Simpsons.

2006-05-09T10:16:00.000-07:00

Oh, right, there are supposed to be drawings here. Okay, eventually. I finally got the comp/net situation fixed, so I'll be able to easily scan images again. I know y'all have planned your lives around this momentous return... Scanned, sealed, delivered...

Ways, finally attended the first BBQ of the season, a family joint, and it was swell. Good food, karaoke, mahjong, and a little too competative game of badminton. Sh!t, if you haven't figured out we're asian, that description nailed it there. Ain't the normal "pork and too much beer"-fest, because we had youngins' in the house. Ah, summer's just started, plenty of time for such adult party shenanigans.

Speaking of party, ah the concierto, mis amigos... get a taste here. Had fun with M.O.F., holding up behind the railing in what we dubbed "The Grown Folks Area", while the college kids (and younger?) posted up by the stage. "Come Close" you say? Naw, Com, I'm good where I am. Those days of jockeying for position and trying not to get a stilleto heel in my foot are over, thank you. I'll just head knod over herr, meng.

(Truth is I probably couldn't handle being close to the stage. Can't stand near the sun. HOTNESS! Ahhh. I just turned 15yrs old for a minute there. Sorry.)

Anyway, good show, considering I expected it to be a phoned-in* afterthought, post Coachella. Mostly from the new album, a preview of the next that I can barely remember, plus the "Love of My Life" wayback trip with Snoop, Eric B & Rakim (I think?), and Pharcyde tossed in. Ah, I have that last one on tape somewhere.

Yes, I said "tape". Where's my walker? MAN! I'm feeling old. Getting to the point where on one hand I had old skool pride @ knowing the all the lyrics to "Passing Me By" and singing along when the DJ spun "411" era Mary J.(pre-cinanbon hair, woman!). On the other hand I bemoaned my dessicated, ancient state ("Somewhere in that crowd is the kid I gave up in high school!" YES I'm joking, crimmeny.)

Hell, I'm closer in age to the fool on the stage than the audience, so I had no reason to complain.

Fun show, great company, and no service fee on the tix. That, my friends, was a good day.

*Although the cell phone bit with Talib and Mos calling? CORNY!

2006-05-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

Went to see Common in concert last night. He brought the goods. More on that soon.

2006-04-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

Highlights from my part-time gig. High school science students who write about "PRETATOR and prey relationships".
Which got me doodling.

Also from that page, Jill Scott.

Wonder why... certainly wasn't listening to her. Got Gnarls Barkley "Crazy" on loop (youtube'd video).

2006-04-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

World's smallest sketchcrawl

SOOOOO Miss Mickey and I could not get our collective sh!t together. Actually, that's not true. I stayed up too late last night, and woke up groggy as crap and therefore we couldn't make it down to the SF sketchcrawl in time (11am).

So I schleped to the local university's Earth Day celebration and saw the world's happiest aikido instructor (grinning as he danced and dropped his partner), vaguely goth bellydancers (say what?) and a local capoeira grupo. Their maestro might be holding some batucada workshops in the future.

Oh, the scanned sketches. Btw, a big girl doing capoeira is pretty awesome.

ETA: This reminds me, I was trolling telefutura, milking my three years of spanish for what it's worth, and caught this cheesy Marc Decascos movie (redundant much?), Only The Strong. Mr. D sporting that 90's mushroom hairstyle that 90% of my brown brothas had (you know the one), shirtless, doing capoeira to the goofy strains of what up to that point was The Mazda song, but turns out the full chorus is "zoom zoom zoom ohh capoeira". Gaaawwwd. That scene! Everyone's so fricking happy-- like beach blanket bingo only with martial arts and no girls. To quote the simpsons, it's horrible... horribly entertaining. I can't fricking see another mazda commericial without thinking of of Mr. Iron Chef America. Decascosssss!

2006-04-22T00:19:00.000-07:00

Since this past monday was Tax Day, a little Marvin G.:

Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have nots
Money, we make it
Fore we see it you take it

Oh, make you wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
This ain't livin', This ain't livin'
No, no baby, this ain't livin'
No, no, no

Inflation no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die

Oh, make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life

Hang ups, let downs
Bad breaks, set backs
Natural fact is
I can't pay my taxes

Oh, make me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Yea, it makes me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands

Crime is increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God knows where we're heading
Oh, make me wanna holler
They don't understand

2006-03-13T13:37:00.000-08:00

10 kinds of cool, in my nerdy opinion

GOD I'll update this soon. I'm up to my arse in 3D. Damnit.

2006-02-15T14:41:00.000-08:00

Otherwise known as Feb. 15th, the day after valentine's day. Celebrate it with someone you love-- yourself!

2006-02-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

Ski Trippin'
Disclaimer: "can't stand" is an overstatement...

Gentleman Jack

2006-02-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

So this morning I did a warm-up/speedpaint of my "next lifetime" boyfriend, Common. Had a fricking teeny a$$ 75px wide image as referrence. Damn.

(Yah, I'll be over him soon.)

Then I caught Dave Chappelle on Oprah (that is one
thoughtful, eloquent, paranoid brother) and he's got a
new documentary coming out March that I *have* to
see.
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Trailers here

Look at that lineup-- Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Mos
Def, and Common. Shit, I didn't even see Common in the
footage he showed on Oprah but I *knew* he was gonna
be there. And directed by Michel Ghondry. I have no
idea how he got hooked up with hiphop (having just shot the Kayne vid mentioned in a previous blog entry), but I like it.

I am so psyched to see this, you don't know...

God, back to your regularly sked'ed doodles soon.

p.s.
For those who guessed correctly, yah, I'm over at DA, too.

2006-02-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

A recent memorable barista.

Done time behind (coffee) bars? Email me. :-)

2006-01-13T12:13:00.000-08:00

How un-PC of me. No offense meant! This is a thumbnail of an illo I'm working on for a videogame. God, 2006, the year of "Git 'Er Done", I hope. Focus on work.

Apropo of nothing, another cool puppet blog: Puppet Vision. God, I want this Audrey II. How fraking cool!

Yes, fraking.

ETA: OMG! Glove & Boots' Green Jello. Maybe it's the coffee kicking in, but I was ROLLING.

2006-01-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

Monterey Sketches #4

"The sea otters use rocks and other items as tools."

2006-01-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

Monterey sketches #3

I love octopi. I'd get a octo tat if I wasn't borderline diabetic and thus a horrible candidate for tattoos.

2006-01-07T13:57:00.000-08:00

Monterey Sketches #2

According to "Plankton Guy", a docent at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the aquariusts installed a "bubble wall" on the huuuuge Outer Bay exhibit because the recently introduced school of sardine kept hitting the "invisible" tank wall.

Outer Bay, sans bubble "screen" Now imagine a constant, gentle stream of rising bubbles emmenating from jets set all along the glass tank wall.

Something about the size of the Outer Bay tank and the new curtain of bubbles makes everyone get loud and giddy-- the space encourages that animated response, whereas the preceding space, with its low ceilings, balletic jellyfish, and ambient plinky-plink Nature Company soundtrack, nurtures a church-like reverence. It's just as fascinating for me to analyze the design of the public space as much as the wonders featured within said structures.

2006-01-06T19:12:00.000-08:00

Monterey sketches - first in a series

The holy trinity of Fisherman's Wharf:Carmel Apple, Newcastle, and Clam Chowder* in a breadbowl**

* That's Chowda, Frenchy!
**burning bowl of fire

2005-12-23T18:46:00.000-08:00

Turkey Tummy Bomber?

I found a some suspicious frozen Thanksgiving leftovers and threw them in a tortilla, then threw that down my gullet. Hopefully I haven't accidently exacted revenge on myself on the behalf of the sacrificed Turkey. If you don't hear from me for the next couple of days, you know what happened.

That, or I'm uplugged and actually enjoying Christmas. Let's hope for the latter.

Btw, my old fave Project Runway was is back, best reality TV on (what is that saying?). My bf is also a "creative", so we digs watching these contestants "make it work", because it is the closest thing to our work we'll ever see on the tube, I reckon. Or just to the commercial creative process.

And it's always nice to find geekism where you'd least expected it.
Fashion Geek. Represent, sister. I hope for good things.

2005-12-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

Reindeer Games

Illo for this year's Christmas cards... have fun sharing your toys and good times w/ your friends & family!

And now, a verrrry late Halloween related posting.
The Fandango Costume. Actually check the rest of his costumes. Very cool. The Jenga, too. Check the related images from The Castro. The Ba'ath party shot made me laugh out loud.

2005-12-13T10:33:00.000-08:00

Streets of London Pub is aces. Really a "public house": toddlers, old folks, college kids, 30-somethings. There's a fireplace, random card games, darts, and 'course foosball-- at which I spanked much ass on the "field". Ah, still gots the office foosball skills. (cough beat my friend playing one handed, no sh!t, cough)

Excellent brews, generously portioned good grub (I spies the white whale and it's batter fried on my plate, argh!). Go on a Sunday afternoon. Sat's are too crazy.

Kasbah was also a zoo on Saturday. But chill Sunday. more here (my $.02 at the bottom.)

Thanks to Senor Skullwell for catching my coding error

2005-12-09T17:56:00.000-08:00

Best. Ornament. EVAH.

2005-12-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

Is this why they call it a winter "wonderland"?
As in "I wonder why the only thing left is extra-small?!?!?"

I hate holiday shopping.

2005-12-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

I heard heard em say...3d ain't the way.

I was watching TRL (channel surfing while my bf was taking his sweet time getting ready to go out-- another myth, shattered!) and caught Kayne West's new video animated by Bill Plympton. While I am not apesh!t over this vid (as my b.f. succintly put it: "paycheck" i.e. the only reason Bill did it, and it shows), at least it's a great, welcome change from booty bouncing, pimp cups, iced grills and Godfather homages. AND Kayne's got another video for same song by Michel Ghondry.

Dude. Just days before had intro'ed M.O.F. to the wonderful world of Michel Ghondry music videos and lamented the fact that Ghondry, Spike Jonez, et. al. work primarily for alt/rock/electronic bands. Well shut my mouth, cuz Kanye (and Luda) recognized their quirky talent. Finally!

Getting back to the Kanye vid, he said he chose 2d because (paraphrasing here) 3d is played.

Huh.

I agree. At least the photoreal 3d. There's a reason I read Comic Brew. How sad, eh? I have diminishing love for my chosen profession.

2005-12-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

Kickass music.

I might change this blog from crashhappy to slaphappy what with all the drumming news lately (slap is a hand drum technique.) First there was me finally keeping up w/ the aptly named "Elation" track, then Tito Puente's "Para Los Rumberos"(and my left arm didn't fall off nor spontaneously combust.) Seriously, both these tracks have kicked my ASS in the past, but now I can return the favor ;-)

Then via a classmate I found out about a local drum circle*. And from said drum circle leader got word of a MONSTER percussion event this Saturday @ the local university that I hope to attend. THEN later that night, my teacher's band is playing a gig at a local salsa club and even if we don't make guest-list I'm gonna pay cover and get my "fake" salsa skillz on.

Man, I'm so psyched about the wkd and it's only monday. Meaning something sh!tty is going to happen b/t now and then, as is my luck. Oh d'oh! So here's to hoping the week's work doesn't kick my ass.

*God help me I hope "drum circle" is NOT code for "hippie woodland smokeout" cuz I am looking to learn, not d*ck around on drums and scare bambi.

In the cans:
Bata Ketu (featuring Michael Spiro, who'll be there Sat.)
Konono no1
Antibalas
Tito Puente
Cal Tjader and Eddie Palmieri
Poncho Sanchez ("Claire O'Casey, Senior", lol!)
Smokey & Miho
The White Stripes
Morcheeba

2005-12-03T15:38:00.000-08:00

I can play to Willie Bobo's "Elation". Woohooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(requires real audio)

That is all.

2005-12-02T11:31:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, ahi and other reasons to be thankful.

Sufficed to say, Sunday was a wonderful reminder of all I have to be thankful for. Dance, music, friendship, passion, free speech, fabulous food. Kudos to Tapa the World-- serving the best ahi tuna and kobe beef you'll find in any spanish restuarant.

Take a minute to digest that.

Two rounds of jamaican beer, salty spanish olives, sweet heirloom tomatoes, and japanese style meats, barely kissed by the grill, their ruby flesh glistening and moist... and I need to by a waterproofed keyboard to catch my droolage.

It was tasty, satisfying way to cap off one of the better days of my life. And the price was decent-- MUCH better than a certain bay area Cuban place which has illogically gotten worse with its increasing popularity. Worst. Lechon. Evah.

Thankfully the company was excellent at both dinners. M.O.F., yer peachy keen!

2005-11-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Tryptophan Hangover Day!
(aka the day after thanksgiving)

From a the brine/flavor injector recipe I just sent My Old Friend:
"Shoot that bad boy like a gangsta -- twice in chest, once in each leg."

Let us now pray for St. Tom (Turkey). He died for our sinfully delicious dinner.

Actually I did say a little prayer before I put him in the oven. After two years of accidental turkey jerky, we finally got a decent bird. Amen!

The recipe, for those who care:

14 1b turkey

Flavor injection
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 T pepper
1/2 t cayenne
2 T dried oregano
1 T garlic powder
1 T sage

Optional:Grind dry ingredients in spice mill before
adding to oil. Combine, stir until salt dissolves. Let
sit while turkey brines (at least 4 hours).

Brine
2 G lukewarm water
2 c kosher salt (maybe less?)
1/2 c sugar
1 T garlic powder

Mix in pot until salt dissolves. Should taste like
Pacific Ocean waves. Yah, not a common measure but if
you know, you know. Not aggressively salty.

Rinse bird, place in plastic garbage bag (I know,
getting all ghetto up in here), pour brine, twist bag
closed, then put THAT bag in another bag, fill with
ice, twist closed. Place in cooler for four hours.

After remove bird, pat dry, shove a halved lemon and
some celery tops in his cavity, load up injector w/
the top layer of flavor-infused oil which by now has
seperated from spices (avoid getting spices in
injector, as they'll clog the needle.) Shoot that bad
boy like a gangsta -- twice in chest, once in each
leg. The oil will ooze out in a pleasingly disgusting
way. Use that ooze oil to baste the turkey. Baste with
more flavored oil if desired. Put on roasting rack/pan,
and pour broth or just water in said pan to catch
the drippings which will eventually become your gravy
base.

~4 hours @ 325 till breast is 180
10 minutes on broil to crisp skin
Remove from oven and for the LOVE OF GOD, DAD! let it
sit for another hour before serving.

* * *
So that's the basics. You really could do one or the
other-- brine or inject 4 hours ahead-- but I was
trying to cover my ass so I did both. And you could
feasibly go to town on the injection with a more
daring spice mix, but I'd leave the brine pretty
simple.

2005-11-24T13:01:00.000-08:00

Other alternate titles:
Old
Dated
Awkward
Silly
Catchy*
525600 minutes (Movie's Runtime)

From the moment earnest-documentarian-guy-who's-name-I-can't-even-recall started singing on his bike, my friends and I just exchanged knowing looks and burst out laughing. Oh, I feel sorry for the obvious Rentheads seated before us, who smiled in anticipation as the first notes of "Seasons" were sung. And worse yet, in the last reel, when my friend blurted out "I figure one more person dies and this movie's done."

Yes, asshole factor 5 on her part. But crimmeny. What a missed opportunity. The only movie ever to tell you what to do instead of dropping $10 for a ticket: RENT.

F#CK (ooh, another alternate title), everything was so off about this movie. Who to blame? I applaud getting the original actors instead of the latest flavors from the"Now: That's What I Call Crap" CD collection, but they seem so very long in the tooth. And I even know people who live the bohemian lifestyle, for whatever that means, that are well past their 20's and this still seems wrong. And the performance art scene. GOD. I've been to painful performance art protests, and this was an even more masochistic exercise. Seriously. Filmboy should thank his fricking lucky stars to be rid of Maureen.

And the dancing at Bucca De Beppo (sorry, I'm no New Yorker, I don't know of Life Cafe)... did they name check Sondheim in the list? Blasphemy. The music in Rent is adult-contemporary "rock" at it's finest, and the lyrics are equally as predictable and cliche.

Maybe it'd resonate more on stage, with all the dialogue sung ala (sorry here it comes) Le Miz. Why is it that post 50's, film musicals seem to work better if they have some device that contextualizes the singing? Taking place in a performance setting, ala Caberet, or a dream sequence ala the reworked Chicago.

And speaking of gritty cities, again, I'm not a New Yorker, but nothing about this film's NY felt either stunningly stylized, or grittly(?) authentic. Actually, nothing about this film looked good. Who the hell was the cinematographer? He shoulda been canned for the Bonnie Tyler/Bon Jovi music video segment from Santa Fe ALONE. Lord. Much as I bitch about Baz Luhrman's "theatrical cinema"-- seriously, take two dramamine before each screening-- at least his Moulin Rogue has a clear, cohesive visual style. Oh composition, where art thou?

Sigh. That said, MAN, did we have fun tearing that movie apart over dinner. And yes, I think I might get used copy of the Broadway soundtrack for my friend's holiday present**-- the one who heckled the film-- but genuinely liked the songs. She's weird that way.

**Yah, with all the leftover holiday ducats I got chinging in my purse.

Cuz I'm broke.

The shirt's coming to cafepress, look for it.

*Fricking "Seasons of Love". We were singing it to each other in the parking lot, mockingly, but damned if it's not stuck in my head to this day.

2005-11-23T14:48:00.000-08:00

One of the conversational detours from this wkd.

Some of you might recall a couple years ago when scientists where successfully "growing" human transplant parts on animals. A mouse with human ear popping out of it's back, yadda. So, why the hell can't they grow chickens with nuggets on them? So this isn't even cross-creature experimentation-- this is what? A chicken with huge warts? Tasty, tasty warts? Just mutant growths that farmers shave off? Like wool to sheep, so nuggets to genetically engineered chickens.

Come on. It could happen. No chickens killed! Just... harvested!

(Actually I think I read on boingboing.net that they'd taken the animal out of the equation and started cloning and growing chicken meat. In a pietry dish. Kinda eww, ne?)

2005-11-18T12:28:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was illogically happy to find a non-starbucky cafe in downtown Sac w/ free wi-fi, free jazz, and fre-aks behind the counter. Okay, couple of dudes w/ gauged out ears and a goth girl. Felt like a little bit of the Bay Area in my new/old hometown.

Seemingly "deviant" dresscode aside, seriously, I live in Mall-landia, so finding any independent buisness w/ actual customer service is a rarity. And tell me when's the last time you dragged your tired ass into a chain java house and they took the time to suggest what you might need? My involuntary yawning at the counter yielded a helpful recommendation: "Citrus infused oolong? Aromatic, not too much caffeine?"

I know, I'm tripping on a bag of tea, but swear to god I got better attention to my well-being there than the last time I saw my doctor. "Wham bam thank you ma'am! Another patient out in less than 10 minutes!" Fricking jiffy lube approach to healthcare. I know I've used that carshop analogy earlier, but it still works, people.

Wow, my brain was at 50% when I first wrote this

2005-11-17T19:06:00.000-08:00

What's up, G?

Aw very sweet! Musta found me thru Friendster via M. Teresa. Good people, them.

(Well, this beats the usual spam subject line mish-mash of breast+hot+health+viagra...)