KODACHROME

It's been awhile.

KODACHROME taking off.
Loop Pedal.
Curtains.
Christian Singles.
Need polaroids.
Medium Cheese Pizza.
GDES kickin' my butt.
CS MODERN.
Teaching.
New times for old times.
Snow night, power outage, snow day.
Blair witch adventures in the power outage of Biggs.
Black Ice.
Dryer Fixed.
California in 2 days.

I need some enlightenment.

N*E*R*D Concert

We are to the left & mainly stay in the front. Can you see me spazzin' out, doin' choreo,
having one on one moments with Pharrell, & just goin' buck wild?! Hehehe.
Video Credit to http://www.mercurymixtapes.blogspot.com


WE EXPLAIN EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN OUR VIDEO:






Khloe has a red beanie in her hand & I'm reppin' a TIP$ shirt (it has a red graphic on it).
I know all you see is my hair in my face.
Photos courtesy of the BBC Ice Cream Blog





These are screen shots of the 2 video snippets that Nona took.
Thanks to Nona for recording/posting on Facebook!
Links to her video snippets:
Snippet 1
Snippet 2


OVERALL, AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!!
I can't believe I got to dance on stage with N*E*R*D with one of my best friends.

CHANGE

I'm here in D.C., anxiously waiting 6AM.

We will layer up, walk to the national mall, and stand in the blistering cold.

Today marks one of the most monumental moments in history:

Barack Obama is inaugurated into office.

May we become the change we want to see.

I believe that from here, things will only get better.

Keep Breathing

I want to believe in more than you & me.

But all that I know is I'm breathing.

All I can do is keep breathing.

All we can do is keep breathing now.

- Ingrid Michaelson

All But One Saint

This overwhelming thought

is knowing what I took back

My memory tangle the knots,

forgetting what shouldn't be forgot

This is my formal hello,

my way of letting you go

Now you know that I am in the wrong

that I'm capable of with my hands

Someday she'll whisper my name

See here, listen closely...

She may never speak it again

- Jeremy Larson

Thankful

My parents

My grandmother

My brother & sister

My friends who are there unconditionally

Being alive & healthy

The opportunity to go to school

The talents God has given me

Having countless blessings

For every moment, good & bad, for they have 

contributed to the person that I am, as well

as made my life something to be proud of

The Moment That it Stops

I think a change is what I need. 

I thought you needed someone you knew you could trust entirely.
I've always been fine on my own.
I thought that you were growing tired of always feeling alone.
These days drag on; I'm losing faith.
You said we'd work it out together but you're pushing me away.
Well I'm here but I fear my heart is not.
You said your heart would follow me until the moment that it stopped. 

The moment that it stopped...

- The Narrative

Free Cup + VOTE

A simple yet impacting message and beautiful typography+animation. 

I expect nothing less coming from Starbucks. Haha.

ROCK THE VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH.

Obama/Biden '08

Kanye's Verse

We lost a four leaf clover

Don't ask my shorty be over

News flash, shorty, we over

We like Def Jam and Hova

We like  Bobby and Whitney

Except without the kiddies

Just like Pamela Anderson's career

Except without the titties

We had some good times didn't we?

I know I won't forget that

But we had some bad times and

That's time I wish I could get back

But I love you, I can't let go

Now I just, I just don't know

You been around me long enough

To know that now it's over

John Legend (feat Kanye West) - It's Over

Liberating Ones Self

So, late Tuesday night after seeing Land of Talk and Broken Social Scene live at Toad's Place, I cut my own bangs. They were so long -- they were down to my chin already. I was so mad at that and that I had no money to get a nice hair cut that I took a pair of scissors and just cut straight across. I've been wanting straight bangs for awhile now, thanks to Rachael Yamagata. Haha. Anyways, it really was a liberating feeling to just do it myself spontaneously.

Land of Talk and Broken Social Scene live = true definition of Amazing.

There was a point in the concert where Kevin Drew wanted us to scream -- scream for all the emotions built up inside, for the people who have hurt us, who we have hurt, who have died, who are alive, for life. It was such a therapeutic release. It felt so right too just because I was in a room filled with people doing the same exact thing. I squeezed Melissa's hand so hard and screamed as loud as I could. Then Malaika turned it into humor by mocking the Hippies Crying Over Dead Trees video we love on YouTube. 

Live concerts really do keep me high on life. They inspire me beyond belief. They convey meanings of realization and epiphanies. I want to write music, I want to do better in my designing, I want to be like the dancers I see on YouTube, I want to get out into the real world and travel to see everything that there is.

It made me really happy to be alive and thankful that I am so blessed by God. 

So please, don't do drugs. Go to live concerts instead. Hehe.

"We've seen how sick we were, but I've got you for my life...and I'll love you like I'll love you when I die."

64 East

So today, Khloe got rear-ended by an 18 wheeler. (She was rear ended 3 weeks ago, the whole point of her going home was to get her car fixed and get a rental car for the time being). She had told me while I was driving home, so I ended up seeing her on the side of the road. It's weird that an accident that caused so much traffic involved one of my closest friends.

Usually, around the Williamsburg area, cars abruptly stop because there is bumper to bumper traffic out of nowhere. Khloe was already stopped. Apparently, the 18-wheeler didn't realize everyone was stopped, therefore, rear ended Khloe, causing her to bump into the person in front of her. She is fine. As for her car, the bumper is messed up and the license plate on the front is falling off. Earlier tonight, she asked me to take her to the clinic because her father was making her, but she ended up going to the Portsmouth Naval Hospital with her brother.

Then, around the Virginia Beach exit, there was a car on fire in the HOV lane. Good thing I didn't take that, I was about to.

What is up with drivers these days? I feel like it has gotten a lot worse in these past few years...

I Can't Hear You

I'm still standing all alone, but upright still
& I wonder what do you think about it
Did you get what you wished for?
Was it as much a disaster 

as you made it out to be?
& you know that I can't read you
You're not a short story 

as much as you'd like it to be
& I won't change
I'm not like the weather 

as much as I'd like to be

It's true, you know that 

I can't hear you when you say
"Our words they come out wrong"
It's true, you know that 

you can't hear me when I say
"Our worlds they come apart"

- Spitalfield

Forreal?

Cheating is never okay. Never. I don't care who you are. What kind of person are you, fully knowing the consequences of your actions? Have you no guilt? And how can you continue to do so even if you start to feel bad about it? REALIZE what you do.

Note to self:

Sharmaine fell & broke my styrofoam cooler. Khloe was weak on the floor, crying, as well as Sharmaine.

Blink, blinkblink.

FREE YOUR MIND 

IN ANY SITUATION

Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart

Today (October 9th) I received Rachael Yamagata's newest album.

I was supposed to receive the vinyl on October 7th, but due to shortage of vinyl production. they sent a CD in the meantime. So basically, I got the vinyl AND CD in one! Amazing.

Rachael Yamagata is amazing. As a musician, performer, and as a person. She really does light up the stage with her personality and talent. She and Regina Spektor are probably the only artists that have made me cry at a live concert. I can relate so much to the stories that they sing through their melodies. They give me hope in life and in my dreams to make music part of my career. 

"Oh and you've been lost

and I've been saved

is that what comes from giving away?

Maybe in time you will wake up to find you're free

So I grow up longing for another

with the windy city left behind to my lover

Will you ever know the way I cry?

You were gone that day, so you may have missed

my goodbye

Oh, and sometimes in my dreams I hear you say

'If you really care you won't go away'

What if I leave?"

- R. Yamagata

Listening to her brings me back to bittersweet nostalgia...I can really feel the heartache through the piano and strings...

RIP Nigel

You lived for 5 hrs. 

I guess the white tupperware 

made you commit suicide. 

I'm sorry. Rest in Peace.

10 Minutes

"Let's call ourselves 10 minutes, because that's how long it takes us to get things started."

Bye Bye Bye by N*Sync -- Acapella/Ballad version by Jessica, Maureen, Richelle, & Sharmaine. Catch it at the Charity Awareness Concert on Saturday, October 4th from 12pm-5pm in the Commons Plaza.

What's important to me? The constants (God, fam, true friends through thick & thin, goals/dreams). Without them, I don't know how I would get through. This year hasn't had such a great start. Okay, I take that back. It started off good, but it's slowly declining. But I will keep my head up because there's no room for whining. I have nothing to complain about at all. I just need to stay focused. I can do this.

Off into a tangent --

- You can't  be in a successful (anything) unless you are content and happy with yourself.

- Keep a close group of friends, that's way more satisfying than a large crowd of acquaintances.

- Don't let the bull shit phase you, because you really don't need that in your life.

- Karma. It exists.

- Sleep is for the weak.

- Life really is short; don't let anything/anyone hold you back. Make the most of it.

- It really is no surprise, but I was hoping it could be proven wrong.

Rachael Yamagata is so amazing live. I love her as a musician and as a person. I'm really glad and relieved my parents were okay with letting me go. It meant a lot to me.

I'm going to start recording YouTube videos. It really is the only way I can try to become famous.

CA this summer? Khleang & I are researching internships. The most interesting ones I found were Disney & WMG (Warner Music Group). I really want to be involved with the music industry. Combining design + music would be amazing.

VA State Fair tomorrow...I mean today. First time, can't wait. 

Busy weekend, should be good.

I bid adieu. 

Granted

So, I've been cooking a lot these past couple of weeks. I can cook 3 types of chicken dishes: deep fried chicken (my lola's recipe), chicken stir fry w/ sweet chili sauce (thanks to Khleang & Tida), and baked chicken glazed with homemade teriyaki sauce (thanks to allrecipes.com & Tida). It's been fun learning, and I'm definitely enjoying the satisfaction of knowing I CAN cook. I have my own fried rice - soy sauce, onions, mixed veiggies. Ah, so good [: I just need to keep learning. Oh yeah, I also baked a fudge marble cake for Richelle's early birthday celebration. I put chocolate frosting on it with sprinkles ... everyone seemed to like it. I hope my lola and mom are proud of me...

School has been intense. I guess I'm having a complete designer's block this year. I'm creatively drained and exhausted. I'm getting through, though. All I want to do is to graduate, get a job, and travel the world. This summer, I would like to intern somewhere, whether NY or California. Most likely NY since that's where most graphic designers are and where most jobs are...but I'd like to be different and get away from the city. ALSO, I would love to take some dance classes from the noted choreographers I see on youtube. That would be so amazing and fulfilling for me. I definitely want to learn how to dance from Shaun Evaristo or Mariel Martin. Lyle Beniga is in DC ... maybe I could intern somewhere in DC and live with my sister. Well, whatever I do, I definitely don't want to waste my summer away. 

I can't believe I'm a junior in college. It all goes by so fast. I can't wait to be completely independent, but at the same time, I love this age and never want to grow old. That's just how it is though...that's life. 

My parents were completely cool with me going to UVA. I'm pretty excited about that. I don't want to stay there or go to the party. I just want to come back to Richmond and chill. Haha. Tuesday though, RACHAEL YAMAGATA. I need to tell them I'm going to NOVA. Hopefully they'll be as understanding as they are with UVA...This is how I'm going to put it. "Dad, if you found out the Beatles were playing about 2 hrs away from where you live, wouldn't you travel to see them? And also that's the closest venue they will be playing at?" He even enjoys Rachael Yamagata, so hopefully they'll be alright. I'm really trying to be honest with them. I want to show them that I AM responsible.

With all that said, I bid goodnight because I think my laundry can be put into the dryer now. I needed clean underwear. Ha.

Transmitter Failure

there's a lot of words in the English language
& I'm just getting started, baby
we could be here all night
we could be here all night
we could be here all night

you say
"I don't wanna know how you were"
you say
"I don't want the pieces
I just want the break-up"

there's entire words that will carry the meaning
& I keep stumbling on the first one
we could be here all night
I could put you to sleep
we could be here all night

you say
"I don't wanna know how you are"
you say
"I don't wan the pieces
I just want the break-up"

- The Robot Explosion