Tony Romeo: Creative Director, Pastor and now a Comic

Thursday, November 06, 2008

I always thought my pastor from Advent Hope, New York was funny from the pulpit, but I guess he really IS funny in a general sense!

On September 23 and October 28, Tony performed at the COMIX Comedy Club on 353 West 14th Street. I wasn’t able to be there since I’m a whole coast away, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I can see it anyways! I just thought I’d get the word out and share some good stuff.

ROCK THE VOTE!

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Be part of history and go vote!

Did you do it yet? Did you vote? Man, I dragged my butt out of bed at 6:30 am to make it to the polls before work. THAT was painful. No one can say that I never sacrificed for my country. I got there at 7:00 am and there was already a line out the door. Lucky (for me) some people were in the wrong location, so the line shrank a bit. Sucked to be them.

Really though it only took me 45 minutes to get through line and vote. I felt so...so...CIVIC! Like a good citizen! It’s a totally new feeling for me. 

I hope you’ve gone or are in line or are going some time today. DO IT! The time is now! GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO!

Go Barack! You can DO IT!

(...and now to take lots of beta-blockers to stem the nervousness in my stomach!)

Gettin' Political

Monday, October 20, 2008

I think this is the first time in my life it’s been worth it to get political!

I’m registered to vote, and I’m actually gonna head over to the polling places instead of doing a lazy absentee ballot cuz who KNOWS what kind of shenanigans they’ll try to pull this year!

It’s the last day to register. Have you registered yet? Gonna vote? Huh? huh? huH? I feel slightly like a rabid squirrel with all this frenetic energy around the election. Someone is even going around the office today asking people if they’re registered. He’s got a ton of registration slips with him too. Go dood! Way to get people involved!

Did you all see this weekend’s Saturday Night Live? I have to admit that I haven’t seen SNL in YEARS. But they’re really milking this campaign for everything it’s worth. Amy Polar did a great job taking over for Palin in this rap she did for weekend update. You HAVE to check it out!

In the meantime, Go Rock the Vote!

Debt Be Gone!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

I *think* I finished paying off one of my student loans!

I put the “I *think*” in there because it all depends on my new surrogate bank not failing. So assuming that the financial world doesn’t completely collapse by Monday, I’ll have finished off one piece of major debt! And it was the private loan with a variable interest rate too! Though honestly, with the Fed cutting interest rates to nothing, I think my variable interest rate ended up being better than my fixed interest rate on my other loan.

Wow - I looked at what I just wrote and realize that a couple years ago, if I had read that, I would have had no idea who or what it was talking about. Truly, there’s nothing like economic crisis and the financial world going down the toilet to act as a quick tutorial on loans and savings! Woohoo! Truly, a silver lining to this ugly cloud! LOL

So now I have freed up some capital to put into....a mutual fund? My 401K? Buy stocks? Government bonds? Or how about some property? Oh shoot. I might as well just stick it under my mattress or maybe use it as toilet paper. 

CONFIRMATION: My new promotion *IS* killing me!

Monday, October 13, 2008

Well, it’s not completely the job’s fault, but I was definitely down for the count for 5 days.

I feel like such a weakling, but I guess lots of stress can lower your immune system. Whatever the reason, last Wednesday night I was having dinner at a friends place and was feeling perfectly fine. At the end of the night, I felt achy and developed a headache. In about an hour I had a high fever and was sweating and having chills all at the same time.

I pretty much spent the next 3 days in that condition, with the same headache refusing to go away. It kept me awake at night. During those night hours, random weird things would go through my head, for example, the name of my friend Duane’s favorite band, Automatic Music Explosion. It just kept repeating on loop with no respite. I seriously thought I was going crazy. The other night I got some strange combination of Project Runway, Harry Potter and The Redskins victory song. Totally bizarre.

By Saturday morning, it was pretty clear it was not going to get better on its own any time soon. Off to the hospital I went! During my 5 second office visit, I was prescribed some antibiotics and prescription strength Motrin. yay! Afterwards the doc asked, “Is there anything else I can do for you?” Part of me wanted to yell, “YOU’RE THE DOCTOR! YOU TELL ME!” Geez. What did she expect me to say? “Please give me a sampler pack of all your schedule II meds please! Thanks!” Despite the weird interaction with the doctor, I’m thankful I got my meds and got out of there.

I think I quite literally spent 70% of 4 days in bed. Today, I’m back at work, and feeling a little not altogether here. Oh well. At least I’m still a contributing member of society. I contribute my sickness to the office! Enjoy everyone!   

I think my "promotion" is killing me

Thursday, October 02, 2008

A couple weeks ago, I got a promotion, but not in the usual way of things.

No, rather I got it because the person who was leading the design team got very tired of politics and other things and decided to step down. Upon doing so, he said, “good luck--you’re gonna need it.” And by this he meant, “you’re probably going to take this job, and it’s going to be difficult. Get ready.”

So when my bosses approached me about taking the position, I really had to think long and hard about whether or not I’d do it or not. You see, there is no extra pay involved. Just more work. More responsibility. More stress. So I guess it’s not technically a promotion, it’s a “promotion.” (It’s amazing what quote marks can do for the nuance of speech!)

So here I am, 3 weeks in, and I’m about to have a nervous breakdown. Mind you, there are other things in going on, but really it’s been a bit of stress. I’ve had a couple almost-breakdowns, most people have been asking why I looked so frazzled, and why are my eyes so puffy?

On the upside, the promotion has got me on an interesting project where I have a lot of input, so that’s great. I also get a lot of great visibility AND I get to be in the design world again! Yay! I must say, I’ve missed being creative in a visual manner for the past couple of years. So there are good things with the stress, and more responsibility means more experience, so I’m all for it.

All in all, I think it’s a good thing if I can just make it past this hazing period! Gentle reader, if you are the praying sort, PLEASE throw up a prayer for me! 

The Weekend that Redeemed Everything

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Suffice it to say, things have gone really well this weekend.

For those of you who know me, you know that the last couple of months have been pretty trying in one respect. This weekend, God moved and made all things well. My heart is bursting with thanks and joy. I can’t write much more about it in this public forum, but to all of you who have been praying for me and mine, THANK YOU! Our prayers have begun to be answered!

So *that's* why I wake up late!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Dabbling in Hair Again

Monday, September 08, 2008

Doesn’t that sound like I’ve coated myself with glue and rolled around in a pile of hair? No? Oh good.

Actually, it means that I’ve been messing with peoples heads again. Yes, as opposed to those oh-so-poor and somewhat tacky college years, my shearing skills have mostly been in hiding. But recently, due more to the need to embarrass my friend, I’ve delved back into the world of hair styling.

Poor Leslie was my guinea pig this time. He kept telling me how long his hair *actually* was compared to how short it appeared. “Well then!” I thought to myself, “there’s only one thing to do, and that is to see exactly how long it can get!” So he very willingly agreed to be my subject. So used the blow dryer to fro it out. Here are some of the resulting pics:

And then we got bored and decided to do something completely different! Yes, my friends! Welcome the Fro-hawk!

Ah yes, all in a days work. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Leslie and I are taking suggestions now as to what to do next. What color do you want to see it? I’m thinking we need to turn it into spikes with red tips. Add gold chains? “I pity the fool that doesn’t wear gold chains with his fro-hawk!” hahaha

Something You Say to Make Everyone Feel Awkward

Edward Tufte makes me heart analytical design

Friday, August 22, 2008

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go to a conference held by Edward Tufte, expert in informational graphics and information design.

I have seen books by Tufte, but never quite got what they were about. They are full of beautiful graphics, but I never stopped to read them. Not until my friend at work told me more about him and the stuff he does.

So I went to the seminar all revved up. The room was packed with almost 400 people! And while most people, I’m sure, were sent by their companies and seemed mildly bored, but I begged and pleaded to be allowed to attend. It was totally worth the groveling.

On one end, you could see how big a difference good design could make. Tons of complex data could be displayed in an easy to read and even enjoyable format! Bad design makes your eyes want to cross because its just information overload. It’s hard to describe without an example. I’ll take one example from his latest book, Beautiful Evidence. I’ll try to do it justice:

Below is a lithograph by Charles Joseph Minard depicting the losses in men, their movements, and the temperature of Napoleon’s 1812 Russian campaign.

Here is my slightly annotated version so you can see what these things mean. The yellow box indicates the zoomed image below.

You can visually see how the army gets thinner and thinner as they march toward Moscow. They started with 422,000 men. By the time they reach Moscow, they are down to 100,000. The black line shows their retreat. The cold of winter takes its toll and the troops keep dying. At one point, half the army is lost when they break through the ice on one of the rivers.

Here you see the comparison of how many started and how many survived the Russia Campaign.

422,000 men down to 10,000. That is incredible. And incredibly clear with this informational graphic.

Call me a nerd, but this kind of stuff really excites me! Lots of information isn’t to blame for overload. It’s bad design that’s to blame! For every situation, there must be a solution, not just any solution, but an AMAZINGLY clear and simple to read solution.

I know what to aim for now. I guess I’ll add that to the already mile high pile of “life callings”!

My apologies: I am alive still

Monday, August 18, 2008

I think this is the longest blog-break I’ve taken in awhile. SORRY!

Things have just gotten a bit hectic. I’m taking on more projects than I can really handle, am preoccupied with my human relations (wow that sounds like a cyborg talking!), and have the inability to say “no” to hanging out with friends. This all makes for a whirlwind of activity that has kept me from you, my adoring blaudience. You like that? I just made it up. Blog + audience = blaudience. You think people will pick that up? Yeah...probably not…

I have to say that I have been so blessed with the tons of people that have been a huge support out here. The peeps I hang with are hyper-social and fun to hang out with. I was just remembering back to less than a year ago when I had almost no friends locally for almost 2 years. I think I died a little inside. But things are different now!

Everything in the works is building towards something great in the future that I can be proud of, from the relationships that I’m building to the jobs I take, to the projects I invest myself in. I guess I’m feeling pretty good right about now. A far cry from my last post.

Once again, I apologize for my absence, but trust me: great things are in the works.

Spiritual Warfare: Hard Words to Say

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Sometimes a warrior’s words are her only weapons and her only salve.

Respect, love, honesty and tact have always been in a precarious balancing act in my life. This week in particular, that balance has been challenged more than ever. There are things that must be said because they are just and right. But there are words that must not be said because you love and respect that person.

And sometimes I end up saying nothing at all.

It has been a hard two weeks. For two weeks, I have been pummeled in this spiritual warfare that is taking place all around us. I don’t know how feel about that concept, but I believe that there are forces of good and evil battling for our souls. As a Christian and a follower of Jesus, I know where my strength and salvation come from. But I also know about attacks and why they come. And now I’m under attack.

I wish I had the right words to for every type of attack that came my way. The enemy is really clever, and it always shows up in ways you would never quite expect. The only way I can recognize them is that they always point toward the same message: You’re worthless, you’re not a good person, you’re a failure, you might as well give up. Sometimes I don’t even have an answer to these accusations. All I can do is cry.

But I know where my help comes from. He will give me the words and the strength to keep fighting. He will shield me and protect me. He will keep his warrior alive.

Lakers vs. Celtics Game 4 = CHICANERY!

Friday, June 13, 2008

I can’t BELIEVE that Laker’s let go such a huge lead to lose Game 4! Grrrrrrrrr!

This is my chance to use my new favorite word: chicanery. According to Merriam Webster, chicanery is “deception by artful subterfuge or sophistry.” Cool! How often do you get the word subterfuge to describe your actions?

Anyway, I think that there was some trickery involved for the Celtics to magically make up a 24 point lead. I didn’t even get to see most of the game but I did catch the end, right when they were tied at 75. And then they LOST IT.

It was such a heartbreaking moment when they lost. It’s over. Coming back from a 3-game loss is almost unheard of, except ironically in Boston with the Red Sox. It’s like having someone break up with you. Well, not really, but it IS kinda disappointing.

I guess I’ll hang on and still watch the rest of the series, but I’m already bracing myself for the worst.

Blast that chicanery!

GO LAKERS!!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

It’s been awhile since I’ve been into basketball, but with the Lakers in the finals, how could I ignore my team any longer?

Last night LA came back from 2 sucky games in Boston with bad calls all over the place and some difficulty adjusting to Boston’s defense. But last night, they took it all the way! W00t! I haven’t felt the basketball bug in forever, and it’s kind of nice to be back in it.

I was even more amazed when i realized that there are enough white guys on the team to have an all white team on the floor. Shocking! hahaha

I’ve also noted Paul Pierce’s vague resemblance to an Angler Fish.

There there’s Kobe, who has rat-like features, Fisher who looks like a bulldog,...I’m trying to put animals to other players. Rondo reminds me of some kind of weird elf. I suppose this isn’t very kind of me, but it’s hard not to make some connections…

All comparisons aside, all i can say is “GO LAKERS!”

This won't hold up in a court of law

Saturday, June 07, 2008

My New Theme Song: Little Superhero Girl

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

This song is by Corrinne May and I’ve adopted it as my theme song. 

I’ve been following Corrinne May, a Singaporian-born singer/songwriter in LA, for about 4 years now. Reuben introduced me to her. But I was not a very consistent fan. About 2 months ago, I went to hear her play at a venue that was really close to me. I had no excuse not to go!

She had one song that I just really loved called, “Little Superhero Girl.”

L I T T L E S U P E R H E R O G I R L
written by Corrinne May Ying Foo
Copyright 2003, Corrmay Gourmet Music (ASCAP)

I feel like a little girl
Trying to conquer the whole wide world
Everybody wants a piece of me
And I just don’t know where to turn
I’ve got work piled up to my head
All I want to do is jump into bed
And wash away my troubles
with lemonade
Play hide and seek
with the boy next door
Take a trip to Singapore and
Imagine how I’ll make the world
a better place

All I need is a good disguise
One where nobody can recognise
That I’m feeling so small
All I need is a secret weapon
I’ve gotta have faith
Zapping monsters into outer space
I’m gonna be a Superhero

Na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-
Yeah

If I were a little girl
Trying to clean up the whole wide world
I’d kick the bad boys back to school
Teach them fighting’s just not cool
I’d give every kid a teddy bear
Turn starving people into millionaires
Break glass ceilings with dynamite
sprinkle a little sugar and spice
Turn the bullies that terrorize
Into pink poodles that bark,
but don’t bite

All I need is a good disguise
One where nobody can recognise
That I’m feeling so small
All I need is a secret weapon
I’ve gotta have faith
Zapping monsters into outer space
I’m gonna be a Superhero

Na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-
Yeah

Little Superhero Girl
Little Superhero Girl
Save me
Little Superhero Girl
Little Superhero Girl
Save me from myself

I feel like a little girl
Trying to conquer the whole wide world

You can hear it on her website, CorrinneMay.com and follow the directions below:

She’s playing a concert at my church (Hollywood SDA Church) this Thursday, May 29 @ 7:30 pm, so please come and hear her! It’s a free concert!

Pics of my New York Vacation!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

I finally uploaded them yesterday. 

I took a ton of pics. Luckily you won’t have to see ALL of them. Just the few I uploaded. I’ve broken the albums up into days so you can follow my wonderful journey through time!

Day 1: Church, the Met, Central Park

Day 2: Brooklyn with So-Young and Ian

(Note that day 3 is myseriously missing!)

Day 4: Aneta’s graduation party

Day 5: Central Park and the Upper West Side

Day 6: The Cloisters with Aneta

Day 7: The MOMA

Day 8: Church, kids and karaoke

Okay, now back to work for me! Enjoy the photogs!

Why is vacation always so short?

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Really, this makes me believe in the Theory of Relativity.

Ok, well that’s actually a lie, since i’m not sure exactly what the Theory of Relativity *actually* states. But what I’m trying to say is vacation went by WAY too quickly! It was so nice and relaxing and it was so great seeing everyone...I’m so sad it’s all over now. I’m having one last brunch and them I’m heading out on the 4:30 pm flight today.

In vacation mode, I totally forget everything about where I was at work and what I was doing with everything else. I suppose that’s the good thing about being able to live in the moment. On the other hand, unaswered emails, voicemails and facebook messages are piling up. I’m scared to get back to normal life when I actually have to start answering some of those! hahahah (And if you called/texted/emailed during this time period, I’m SO sorry...I’ll get back to you soon!)

Jannine and Nathan have been great as we have hung out and ran about the city all week. Oh, and they housed me. ;) Here’s a shout out for you. YOU GUYS ROCK!

The time has come to leave. Farewell New York! I shall miss you and your inhabitants! 

NYC: Everything Changes/Nothing Changes

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

This is a quick post while on vacation in NYC, as I go running around the city in a haze of nostalgia.

I’ve pretty much done nothing touristy. I’ve just been wandering about, visiting my old haunts. It’s been great! It’s been a real effort trying to get myself to relax. I spent one day pretty much just reading, and that was some effort! While Harry Potter is a truly addictive series, it was hard to sit and read because I kept thinking, “I should really be doing all kinds of ‘New-York-ish’ kinds of things!” Really, what I needed (and still need) is some thinking space where I’m not focused on work or extra projects. Phew! So it’s been great.

It’s funny, about this city, I kept looking for my old favorite restaurants and hangouts and found that a lot of them have moved or closed! Even Washington Square Park is totally uprooted right now because they’re renovating it or something. The Vegan Dosas guy who has his cart by the park wasn’t their either. The restaurant, RICE, moved, and even my bank had some emergency that required 4 emergency vehicles screaming in just as I was about to withdraw some cash. In the end, I still had Bruno Bakery. Phew! One can always count on their high-calorie, oh-so-yummy treats! Even their normally bad service was missing! I was amazed!

The Upper West Side, unlike NYU’s neighborhood, has not changed at all. It was all so familiar. So stable. So...boring. Hahaha just kidding. I also got to run through the park to take some photographs. The new header is from Central Park. I do miss that place!

I’ve gotten to see a lot of friends like Ian and So-Young, Jan (my professor), and all the church peeps from Advent Hope. I’ll post pics next time. That’s all for now. So far it’s been great! And really relaxing! Ah, could you ask for anything more?

Spring2008 b

A Photog-full Weekend

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

On Friday last week, I got a new lens for my Nikon D-80!

Ever since I met Ben Ho at work, it’s been a dark spiral downward into the world of super-consumerism of photographic equipment. What i really mean, is suddenly i *need* all kinds of stuff I never needed before. It’s amazing!

One of these purchases that I needed and had no idea how much I needed was my new lens: a Nikkor AF 50 mm f1.8. I never knew what I was missing until I met you, o beautious lens!

So promptly spent the entire weekend photography anything that would move. I took about 6 gigs of photos. W00t! Here are the links to the photogs that I shot:

Worship at Hollywood SDA Church
People up on stage, people in the pews, and people chowing down! I LOVE potluck!

“Kodomo no Hi” - Boys’ Day
I went to Irvine to celebrate Boys’ Day with my little nephew Joshua and his new friend Brandon. And by new, i mean brand spanking new! He was just born!

Saturday Night: Shootin’ the Breeze
After returning from Irvine, a couple of us got together just to talk, have rootbeer floats, and half-heartedly play card games. Most of these shots are actually by Kimi. I was too busy eating ice cream. Yum!

Kimi’s Photoshoot: Part A
Sunday was an all day photoshoot for Kimi. I’ve only been able to upload the first part, which were the outdoor shots. The theme was “The Neighborhood Artist.” (I’m not sure if Kimi even knew that since I just made that up on the spot! haha). The second part is a studio shoot. Thanks to Rommel, he brought all KINDS of lighting equipment! Most of them I don’t even know what they’re called! A beauty dish, a reflector, an umbrella, a snoot, backdrop, etc. My apartment could barely hold it all! I haven’t finished post-production editing on those yet, so stay tuned for more of those. You can see some of Rommel’ shots here.

Phew! What a fun weekend! I can’t wait til i get more equipment! Oh noes! I’m hooked!

Ah, motherhood...?

Friday, April 25, 2008

Photoshoot: Marci

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

This was the most recent photoshoot from this past week. A little impromptu, but still good results!

Marci has been my friend for a very long time. This weekend I finally got a chance to photograph her. Using my normal “ghetto studio” tricks, we managed to get some very nice shots. In some of them, I think she almost looks like Jodi Foster. She has really soulful hazel eyes that just grab your attention.

Here are some of the shots from that day:

I really like this photo even tho it’s a little blurry and the lighting is weird. Mostly because her smile is so natural. Too bad it’s not in focus.

Josh the Poo Bazooka Gets a Cleanin' from Auntie Kat

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Would you believe that before today, I’ve NEVER changed a diaper before?

Yeah. Pretty amazing. I’ve managed to escape cleaning baby bottoms for 30 years. But now, with the advent of Josh, my time has come. My number was called. There was no escaping.

Luckily, it wasn’t what people keep calling a “blow out.” Doesn’t that just sound like tire trouble on the freeway? I think it was Dan who described one such blow out where it managed to escape the diaper and explode out all the way up the child’s back and into her hair.

...Like I said, I’m lucky Josh didn’t have a blow out. I think that would have stopped any future “bazooka cleaning” excursions.

Anyway, it wasn’t nearly as horrifying as expected. I’m not saying it wasn’t traumatic seeing stuff that looked vaguely like curried cottage cheese all up in the diaper, but there were thankfully many layers of “stuff” in between it and me: diaper, wipes, another diaper, latex gloves, goggles for eye protection (in case of said blow out), smock, rubber apron, those yellow full-body protection suits + helmets they had in the movie Outbreak… Yeah, I was ready!

So now I’ve officially wiped a baby’s bottom.

And boy do I feel accomplished.

Now why did people want me to do this so badly again?

Kick. Push. Coast.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

I just bought a skateboard. I’m not sure why. I just wanted to. 

The only problem is that i have no idea how to ride. Yeah, that’s right. NO IDEA. Anyone want to teach me? I’d love for someone to help me *not* crack my skull open. I don’t want to do anything fancy; just to ride and not fall off. No crazy aerials or anything.

Then Lennox sent me a link to Lupe Fiaso’s song, “Kick Push.” Just thought I’d share:

Lupe Fiasco: Kick Push

And please, somebody teach me how to coast!

One of the Job Options They Never Mention in School

Friday, April 04, 2008

My cow-orker, Larry, told me about a job called “Chick Sexing.”

I know what you’re going to say! “What kind of dirty thing is she writing about?” But I say NAY my friend! It is nothing dirty at all in that manner in which you think it is dirty!

According to wikipedia, Chick Sexing or Chicken Sexing “is the method of distinguishing the sex of chicken hatchlings, usually by a trained person called a chick sexer or chicken sexer."

So if you have children who really want to broaden their career opportunities, tell them about this new job I’ve found! And when you ask little Timmy, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” you’ll be prouder than punch when he says, “I want to be a CHICKEN SEXER!”

Care to Search Through?

Thursday, April 03, 2008

I’ve finally done it! I’ve added a Search feature to kathykhoo.com!

I don’t know why it took me so long to add a search on this site. I mean, doesn’t *everyone* want to be able to search my personal history?

...Actually I do know why I didn’t add it. I had no idea how to do it, even through really, in retrospect, it was right in front of my face.

But THERE! to your right, BEHOLD the new search function! Go ahead, try it! The Google one works well enough but the search results are somewhat inconsistent. The Advanced Search is a sure fire way of finding what you want. It’s strange really having enough content on a personal blog to warrant a search.

It’s funny because I really do use this blog as a sort of diary. Sometimes I don’t remember things until I read them again on my blog! So I suppose the search function is really only for me. Oh well. I’m sure you’ll find a use for it some way or another.

NOW when will get to updating MORE of kathykhoo.com?

The New Mantra

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Finally a different look at sakura

Friday, March 28, 2008

Spring2008 a

I loves the funny funny transvestite

I know Eddie Izzard is a well known comedian, but I just found him recently. And he’s HILARIOUS!

My friend Sean passed me this link to Eddie Izzard’s “Dress to Kill” on audio so you can listen to it from your cubicle at work. Ah, bless you people who work for the entertainment of us who work in Cube City. This has definitely helped pass the time as I wilf about at work. I mean, while I work REALLY REALLY hard at work.

I just thought I’d share this link with all of you because I enjoy it so much. There are more movies available for a listen, but I think stand-up comedy really works best for this kind of mind-occupation during work. Random “bang! bang!”, dialog that centers around action, and random sound-effects don’t really make for that enjoyable of a listen. Then again, if you’re REALLY bored, that just might do the trick…

"She shoots...She SCORES!"

Thursday, March 27, 2008

I played basketball last night. NO, not just shooting around, I mean I PLAYED!

You have no idea how exhilarating it was to actually be playing a pick up game in a park near my place! I think it’s been about 2 years since I played at all. I wasn’t good, but I was good enough to be happy about how the game turned out. So I’m a little clumsier than I wish, but at least I stayed on my feet AND I scored a couple points.

The people we were playing with were very cool - 3 random groups coming together. Jay came out to visit, Susan is on Spring break, and so we wandered from park to park until we found a free court. 3 other guys were also there, and then a couple showed up and we had a little 4 on 4 action!

AND, thanks to Jay, I have my shot back! What a great night! And then we topped it off by walking to a Thai fusion restaurant. I love my pedestrian neighborhood!

Just thought I’d share my joy with you, world wide web!

Questions and the Conversation

Friday, March 14, 2008

It’s all about asking the right questions.

Recently I have had several conversations that made me wish that someone would ask me the questions that would allow me to tell them what I’m really all about. Maybe it’s because I’m a woman, and I need to talk, but there is something very special about being able to express who you are, not just what you think or what you did. I want to believe that someone takes interest in who I am, and is curious enough to probe and find out.

As I was pondering this wish to be drawn out by insightful questions, someone point out, “You keep wishing that people would ask you the right kinds of questions to draw you out. Don’t you think God feels that way sometimes about us?”

It was an odd concept. I had never thought of it that way before. God wants ME to draw HIM out? I thought of our past conversations: true enough, I don’t think I ever asked anything beyond, “What do you want from me?” Not exactly the warm cuddly question that makes someone want to expose their true heart to you. I had never asked God, “what makes you happy? What do you think about this particular issue? Is this something you might like?” It’s even more than what kind of questions but the *intent* behind them. I don’t think I was that interested in knowing what God thought before. I just wanted to know so I could do it, do the “right thing,” and get on with my life. “Yeah yeah, just tell me the rules so i can follow them begrudgingly.”

I’ve decided I don’t want that kind of relationship with God anymore. Maybe I’m making God too human, but I will try to talk with God as I would a human - trying to find out what makes Him laugh, what makes Him happy, sad, angry.  It’s a new approach for me. And if I don’t know the right questions to ask, I think I’ll ask Him, “what questions should I ask so I can draw you out and get to know you better?”

It’s definitely a question worth asking.

Project Runways Season 4 Finale

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

I’m so excited! Tomorrow is the Finale night for Project Runway Season 4!!

I’m not entirely sure why I love this show so much. Maybe because, even though it’s a reality show, it’s not about the fights and cattiness that happens in the house where they all reside. It really IS about design and creativity. I don’t think any other show really captures that as well.

There’s also something very familiar about the critiques. Something about working and being in design definitely gears you towards that breakdown of what makes things work and what doesn’t.

So tomorrow night at 10 pm is the final showdown on the runway at Fashion Week. Be there or be out of fashion! lol

Go watch it! It’s on Bravo and it’s totally FIERCE (to quote Christian, one of the finalists).

Gogogogogogogogogogogogogo!

Mixed Up Analogy

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

A Question for You of the Web World

Do you know anything about online groups and emailing lists?

I’m trying to find an online group application that keeps track of several emailing lists.

I want one main list, and then several sub-lists that the user can sign up for.

Here’s a hypothetical example:

There is a group of people who really like basketball. They start a group online (like Yahoo! groups or Google groups) as a way of sharing their passion for the sport. The admin of that group wants to email the whole group about an upcoming tournament.

The admin then wants to email all the Point Guards *only* and tell them information about a Point Guard practice happening next week. The admin also wants to email all the Centers to tell them about their own practice that will happen this week.

When a new basketball player joins the group, she wants to sign up for the main emailing list as well as the Point Guard list. She adds herself to both groups.

Is there a web app out there that does this? I’m not even sure where to look. So I’m asking YOU! (yeah, YOU!)

LACMA's BCAM Opening

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

I know it looks like just a jumble of letters, but it was really an exciting event!

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has just recently opened up it’s new wing, the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM). And thanks to my cow-orker Jeffrey, I got a chance to go to the members-only Opening Night Gala. Woooooooooh!

What an exciting event! I wasn’t even sure what to expect. Or what to wear! I kept thinking, “Is this one of those events where people wear evening gowns?” Thank goodness I didn’t. But who knew what or who I’d see? And now that I’m looking around at all the other websites that covered the event, I should have been looking for celebrities! Silly me didn’t even notice them at all though. I actually went and looked at the exhibits themselves. We even almost missed the catered food and free drinks and the jazz trio in the reception tent. It was very cool - it had a lighted runway and psychedelic light patterns moving across cubes overhanging each table.

Here are some pics:

Urban Light installation in the front of the BCAM entrance

The view of the back stairwell into the museum.

I even got a refresher course on contemporary art, as Jeffrey is very knowledgeable about such things. It really made the art more relevant to have someone there with whom I could discuss each piece. Honestly, I don’t *get* a lot of contemporary art, and it’s intriguing to listen to someone explain why a piece was relevant or conversely why an artist might be considered a “charlatan” or why the artist is “genius.” (Or at least considered so by those who decide what is Art [with a capital A!] and what it kitsch.)

Check out the BCAM when you get a chance! The Serra pieces are awesome to wander through and I’m sure you’ll love the Kruger elevator. Not so sure about the 3 basketballs floating in water, but hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? So go behold!

New Year's Can Now Officially Be Celebrated!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Because my 2007 Photobook is FINALLY finished!

The tradition of creating a photobook featuring the photography from the previous year started as an idea to replace Christmas cards, because I’m horrible about that. But as procrastination would have it, I ended up not getting it out until New Years. That was fine and good, because New Years is definitely worth celebrating. And then last year, it didn’t make it out until the end of January. And this year just tops off how late I’ve gotten with this. Mid-February. Not just February. MID-February. *sigh*

Oh well, it’s done and now I can feel like I’m starting a brand new year! I mean, the lunar new year wasn’t so long ago, so I’m really only a couple weeks late, right...?

You’re welcome to download this *highly anticipated* photobook by clicking the image below:

Enjoy!

Happy VD!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Ah Valentine’s Day, the day of Obligatory Love!

Usually on this day, I greet people by saying, “Happy VD!” As you might guess, there is a bit of ire against this holiday. Whether you’re with someone special or not, this day has always irked me because it just becomes a big pissing contest between women, and men get caught up in the aftermath.

Woman 1: “What did *your* boyfriend do for you?”

Woman 2: “Oh he took me to Paris and bought me a new wardrobe and finished it off with a fabulous diamond ring!”

Woman 1: “Oh.”

Later, she yells at her boyfriend for the thoughtful gift he made her because it wasn’t made out of diamonds and wasn’t delivered to her in Paris.

I dunno, it just seems that the whole thing is so obligatory. So...NOT about love. And yet, you have to participate. No matter what. Because if you don’t participate because you’re taking a stance against the commercialism, well, you still kind of suck because someone is gonna end up getting hurt in that scenario, and it just might be you and your lower jaw after she hits you with a solid uppercut!

Wow, I think this is actually turning into a rant!

Anyway, I just wanted to inform all those who have adopted the “Happy VD” greeting that we are horribly horribly outdated! For some reason, I thought venereal disease was a specific kind of sexually transmitted disease, like herpes or something. But NO. I was an umbrella term used in the same was that STD is currently used! Thanks to my health educator friend, Cary, I’m now in the know!

But what the heck is a venereal anyway? Apparently the word “venereal” has something to do with love and specifically sexual love. Who knew? My best guess was that it had something to do with another “v” word that was located somewhere in the nether regions…

The bottom line is, if we wish to continue using this greeting, we’ll have to update it to “Happy STD!” which, while it may still be applicable on Valentine’s Day, does not have nearly the same impact or word-play fun as “Happy VD!”

You know what? I don’t care if I’m outdated! I think I’ll stick with VD. Won’t you?

Rambo and Theology, Together at Last

Monday, February 11, 2008