背著你我按停了時間

double complete rainbow all the way

2010-07-06T00:39:23Z

i need to be more enthusiastic about things like this guy

hello!

2010-05-06T14:10:13Z

+ vacation started tuesday and i am so happy that i'm not worrying about projects / due dates / crying from stress

+ going to start running everyday again

+ planning my weekend trip to the northeast for late october. how's the weather then?

+ vacation drama spree!

+ no summer classes!

lately i've become quite obsessed with cooking and really want to start doing it myself instead of relying on others to prepare food. it doesn't help that i saw "julie & julia" and i'm subscribed to cooking with dog, which makes preparing japanese food look easy (too good to be true? perhaps.)

party like it's... the 10th anniversary of the falling of the berlin wall

2009-11-11T17:18:40Z

i missed it. the day my journal turned 10 years old. 10! that's pretty much taemin's age.

and in other news, i've found how insanely attached i am to my icons...

21

2009-08-22T18:05:34Z

jen: *gasp* mel! today!
me: ... o_O?
jen: you're 21!
me: ._. crap.

somehow though, the loving kiss i got from my mom today meant more than anything else. hello 21st year of life. i'm off to buy a beer because i can now.

summer reading list... empty

2009-06-18T02:45:25Z

friday is my last day of summer classes. after my final exam, i’m heading towards the library to stock up on books for a long vacation. everyone, please recommend me a book! your favorite book or one you think i’ll like. i’m not that picky but i am partial to banana yoshimoto, if that gives you a clue as to my tastes.

anyone?

'tis open! the art-ish blog.

2009-03-11T02:58:33Z

notes.colorwalk.org <(^-^<)

Color Walk is open! Yeah, this is why I had that poll a while ago. I had been playing with the idea of a separate art blog for the large, image-heavy, art-related posts for the public and some of my photos since I was always concerned about destroying my flist's layouts.

I also wanted to focus on content so I picked a minimalist wordpress theme and, after a few customizations, it's been smooth sailing so far. Special thanks to zhoumi and allthingsgood for all their help :)

spring cleaning!

2009-02-27T20:49:59Z

Ah, the feeling of cleaning up things that sure needed them is nice. Kind of like the feeling of taking a shower and smelling your own hair afterward, or walking outside after an intense rainstorm. Feels good. I even had time to fix my bed (omg) and put away clothes that was everywhere (my room is disgusting during exam time, always).

I now have only one midterm to take left, History of Graphic Design, but that's after I come back from spring break so it's not exactly a priority. I took today to reflect on bigger things, like the fact that the school semester is at it's halfway point so quickly, and ep. 15 on Boys Over Flowers and ep. 10 of Akai Ito. And dude, Bourdain. Sri Lanka. ♥

2008 - The Year in Pictures

2008-12-31T17:15:08Z

Frankly, I'm not good with this end of the year, cliche "so another year has come and gone" farewell speeches. I ran into this link on Tumblr and felt compelled to share it with you guys, perhaps a little inspiration as January comes. From the New York Times, I've taken two from each category but you can see the full thing yourself (which would probably be a better experience).

The Election;

Hilary Rodham Clinton claimed victory in the Nevada Democratic caucus in January at the Planet Hollywood hotel in Las Vegas.

Florida Democrats cheered the opening moments of their convention in Denver.

The Economy;

Model homes sat vacant at what was to be a 750-home development in Rio Vista, California. Construction was halted in November.

Job seekers signed up to speak with recruiters from about 50 companies in Hialeah, Florida in November.

The Nation;

Surging water pounded the sea wall in Galveston, Texas as Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast in September.

In November, the shuttle Endeavor lighted up the sky during a night launching from Kennedy Space Center, on its way to the International Space Station.

The World;

A Boy in Gori, Georgia, stood near the remains of a medium-range Russian missile that crashed through his apartment during fighting between Russian and Georgian troops.

Family an friends mourned the victims of a school collapse in Dujiangyani, in Sichuan Province, after the earthquake.

Iraq & Afghanistan;

In January, an Iraqi man awaited transfer to a military facility after being stopped in an area southeast of Baghdad by American forces who said he had tied to Al Qaeda.

British troops and a United States marine watched as pallets of water bottles were dropped by NATO planes to a forward operating base in southern Afghanistan in April.

The Region;

In Harlem, 129th Street was closed to traffic one July day as part of a Police Athletic League program to let young people play in the streets.

A double exposure of a jet descending toward La Guardia Airport and the Flushing neighborhood it passed over.

Sports;

Part of the spectacle of the opening ceremony of the Games.

The Giants earned a ticker-tape parade from Broadway.

Arts & Entertainment;

Rosy Garner, a production assistant, and the actor Charles Edwards worked with shadows in the play "The 39 Steps," a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film.

The Naganuma Dance Company performed at Battery Park this summer.

Aaaand please take my apparently most listened to song of 2008: 王力宏 - 我們的歌 (Wang Leehom - Our Song) :)

BTW! Under things to look forward to for the new year is the spiffy new season of No Reservations! Psyched I am. Flaily I've become. And I always seem to be in a state of hunger for food and travel after watching this show. Sneak peak for the curious.

portfolios!

2008-10-17T20:41:11Z

I've been trying to work on a portfolio but it's rather difficult so I've been looking through a lot of online portfolios. Here are some images from my favorites:

Andrea Chu
portfolio

Aya Brackett
portfolio

Dorothy Hong
portfolio

Nanako Koyama
portfolio

Oh and a few notes on fandom before I disappear for a few weeks again.

❤ Leah Dizon's announcement of her pregnancy and recent marriage out of frickin nowhere! (How many times have I said that fandom explodes when I'm gone? I'm cursed I tell you!) I'm really happy for her though. I love that she told her fans at a concert before the press found out. And I hope the best for her now and after her baby is born (next spring! :D)

❤ DBSK's ~~biggest~~ cutest fanboy ♥ Is he not the cutest thing you've EVER seen? I don't care if you're not a DBSK fan. You need to see that boy at least once. Check out his aunt's channel for more fanboy love.

retro is yummy

2008-08-16T18:09:10Z

So I was digging through some of my older things that haven't seen the light of day in the last few years and stumbled on some Kirin Beer Retro Poster Collection postcards. They were a gift from an old friend of mine five years ago that I've had in the back of a drawer kept away from anything and everything.

workspace the first

2008-06-22T20:21:46Z

So I was inspired by firefadesaway's post and decided to post a photo I took of my room last month on one of its better days. Actually, I really like the colors in this picture. I wish my room looked like this every night. It's a bit more cluttered now. Sadly, my little nook has become more of a storage space than a workspace. It's full of portfolio's, sketchbooks, paintbrushes, and film canisters.

Anyone else watching the diving Olympic trials? I love the Olympics but I slightly prefer the Winter Olympics because I used to figure skate as a tween and love snowboarding (I really want to learn, it's just hard in Florida). In fact, I hope to go to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada. I usually watch the diving in the summer Olympics so the trials make me giddy.

Many of you are starting to feel the summer creeping in. Unfortunately, in Florida you start feeling summer in late February but now the weather is just unbearable, especially for me who can't be exposed to the sun for too long. The only thing that makes me happy this time of year are the softer thunderstorms that I find quite relaxing. Apart from that, summer is my moping season.

さくらももこ

2008-06-21T20:23:41Z

I've recently stumbled upon my old copy of book 9 of Chibi Maruko-chan that I've had since I was 11. I forgot how simple and cute everything is. I've been thinking about doodling some comics here and there but was frustrated since I don't know how to draw anymore! This makes me smile since the drawings don't have to be all @_@ super cool manga-like.

& if you've also friended my little sister, you know how much we throw the word "fierce" around in our house. My dad called and our conversation went something like this:

Me: Hello?
Dad: Hi~
Me: Hey pops! How are you?
Dad: Fierce...

^^;

9 things

2008-04-19T03:06:14Z

I've completely emptied out my profile and left a link in my bio to a very beautiful short film that I encourage everyone to look at ♥

& this was the most fun meme to do. Tagged by peach_heart, I'm sorry it took so long for me to do this.

Create an image of 9 things you currently really like, explain the things, and tag others so they can share some inspiration and positive vibes too.
allthingsgood; commoi; essyllus; jessyluvsorange; jeenbeans; dalpaengi; pereuda; youdoit_too

nine; kim jae wook

I became a fan of his after watching Coffee Prince, like a majority of his other fans. The man's bone structure is amazing (guh... those cheekbones) and I have a thing for his lips. Just look at him moving.

eight; girls with short or long hair

Something about girls with very short or long hair fascinates me. I think it's because growing up, my mom always made me get medium hairstyles even though I've always wanted to chop it off like a boy. Now I've come to hate medium length hair and although I have relatively long hair, I still really want to chop it off. Plus, any girl with hair longer than mine deserves a brownie, as long as it looks nice.

seven; naturally lit bright interiors

I'm easily distracted by windows, especially big windows that let in lots of light. I think when I move into my own house, it will have very big windows throughout and light interiors so it can always be bright. I would love to have white floors too.

six; sorbet

Or sherbet. Whatever floats your boat. I know I've raved about the deliciousness that flan is. But sorbet is absolutely mouth-watering. I can't get enough of the stuff.

five; photobooks

I believe a photography student should read photo books the way a literature student reads books. Not only can you get inspired, but it's also just awesome to have photo books. I always oogle at them while I'm in Barnes & Noble.

four; out of focus photos

They always tend to draw me in. I think that if it's done carefully, it's successful. Too much of it is annoying. I've done it a few times for my homework and I always get marked off for it (even when my professor praises it, he still marks me down. go figure). Hopefully I'll get better.

three; muted colors

My favorite colors are the ones people tend to overlook. They're my favorite to paint and I also love them in photographs. Something about their toned down effect that make me stare at it longer.

two; aoi yuu

Isn't she beautiful? I always end up falling in love with every character she plays and quickly became a fan after watching Hana & Alice. Her characters always seem quirky and lovable but also insecure? I don't know, I think she's brilliant.

one; hankyung

I think when a fan first gets into Super Junior, their crushes start changing until it lands on one and sticks. Hankyung is that for me. I admire him so much. He's such a hard worker and went through so much in Korea, a lot of it that I'm sure he doesn't tell the media. He's so talented and tries his best in everything. Plus he's the only man that makes me smile and my heart beat with any little thing he does. I can't explain how I feel for Hankyung in a paragraph. Sorry.

& I leave you with one of my current favorite songs:
Rachael Yamagata - Meet Me By The Water

music post numero dos

2008-03-31T02:50:12Z

So it's (almost) the last day of this month. As you can tell, I want to upload my favorite Korean and Japanese album/single of the month at the end of each month but this really does take time so I don't know if I'll do it for April, especially with a pending move in May. But whatever. Here's my favorites of March :)

& I know I suck at reviews.

NOTE!!! There is only one "preview". The rest are youtube links to their music videos. Box.net is limiting me today and I want to get this entry done with T.T

album; Key [2008]
artist; 一青窈 (Hitoto Yo)
genre; pop
language; japanese

tracklist; personal favorites marked with a ♥
1. Key ♥
2. 空中ブランコ
3. 宙ぶらりん ♥
4. つないで手 ♥ [YT]
5. 幻月 ♥
6. シャンデリア
7. moonlight
8. ひとりでに ♥
9. doorway ♥
10. ドミノ ♥
11. 受け入れて ♥ [YT]
12. 茶番劇
13. 栞 ♥
14. ただいま (inside ver.) ♥

review; I first heard of Hitoto Yo a while ago but never tried her out until recently. After hearing this, I really want to buy her other works. I especially like the introduction and insert songs. Her music video style is very unique too.

buy; CD; CD+DVD
download; MEGAUPLOAD

album; 여우비 - 2007 Mini Album [2007]
artist; J-Walk
genre; pop rock ?
language; korean

tracklist;
1. 여우비 ♥ [YT]
2. 외사랑 ♥
3. Focus
4. 여우비 J-Beat Mix (feat. 명준)
5. 외사랑 Acoustic Ver. ♥

review; J-Walk is a duo. I really love their vocals, especially in the main song 여우비 (Fox Rain/ Sun Shower). It's a slower song with a steady background beat to bump your head to. Try out the youtube link. If you like it, I highly suggest downloading. I forgot to rename the songs to hangul so it has the English translations on the filename but the Korean on iTunes/whatever else you use. Sorry about that, didn't realize until after I uploaded the zip file, so there was no way I was going to fix that.

buy; CD
download; MEGAUPLOAD

Also, if you missed my previous music post, it's here.

And uh, ~~comment~~ common courtesy. You guys know the drill. Also, do sample these. If you really like what you hear, buy it! (That's why I've included their YA links.

Wow, I really should tag my entries :D

p.s. Flist, I really am catching up on your entries. I promise ^_^

d-d-d-digital?

2008-03-22T17:14:04Z

I found this little guy in my car tire. Dead obviously. They're everywhere around here and sometimes we find a gecko in our house. I usually take it out because everyone else is too chicken to do so. I personally find them adorable but I hate finding dead ones in random places. In our garage, we opened a window and found a skeleton on its feet looking right at you. Too creepy to take a picture of though.

And the sky was really lovely yesterday evening. These are actually my first digital shots posting here but I highly doubt I'll post anymore. Shooting with a little point+shoot really made me confused. So many darn buttons and settings. I was like "Me needs color film for my simple Nikonz NAO!" I'm too old fashioned.

I went and bought film for photo. Once again, Kodak TMax 400. The lady told me I really should use Ilford or... another one *forgot* I'm so tired of shooting in black and white for class. Our next assignment is night photography but we can't focus on light. So I'm thinking about how I'm going to do this. I need to finish it before Monday too *dead*

This week is going to me massively killer for me. I have a 10 hour drawing project, two paintings, a photo assignment, and two exams to do sometime between now and Thursday so I'm announcing that I won't be reading your journals. Don't defriend me though! I'm actually doing homework so cutting me is just not kosher.

image dump :]

2008-03-21T01:39:36Z

Here's a little preview of my experimental photo assignment. But uhm... it's not really experimental (whoo!). The photo that was the "most successful" according to my prof. isn't on this strip. I don't get them until probably next week. I think around that time I'll finally start my flickr account (after how many years of having an account there? =_=)

I locked myself in the storage room with my little sister and beamed a little flashlight at the end of a keychain. I kind of wish I had shot this in color because the light was blue and her skin was paper white. It looked really cool while I was shooting it. The photos... not so much.

And this is 1/3rd of a painting I finished today for Color Theory. But uh... I don't really like the rest of the painting so I didn't include it. I think I'm going to re-paint this but in black and white.

1. Your name/username.
2. Left-handed or right-handed?
3. Favourite letters to write?
4. Least favourite letters to write?
5. Write "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog".
6. Tag 6 people

Do it if you want to lovies! I didn't want to limit this meme to 6 people. I love looking at other people's writing.

doodles

2008-03-12T14:27:21Z

I'm painting her tomorrow. But I'm going to fix her scarf first. I really don't like it. But I kept everything else really light on purpose. I hope to finish her by the weekend, yayyy.

Oh and I've finally come up with one idea for my experimental photography assignment. I hope I can pull it off. I'm going to try a photogram. It's just the photographic paper and light, no camera involved :O. I'm just having trouble deciding the subject.

SUJU FRIENDING MEME
be there or be square!

And hello to the lovelies from the meme ♥

leap year ♥

2008-02-29T23:14:10Z

It's February 29th and since this day isn't going to come around for another four years, I went out and pigged out. Stupid excuse for junk food but I'm happy nonetheless. Anyway, I wanted to do a little something for the flist so I've uploaded my favorite Japanese and Korean album for you guys to enjoy.

album; 少年アリス (Shounen Arisu/ Boy Alice) [2003]
artist; 坂本真綾 (Sakamoto Maaya)
genre; acoustic pop
language; japanese, english

tracklist; personal favorites marked with a ♥
1. うちゅうひこうしのうた
2. ソラヲミロ ♥
3. スクラップ～別れの詩
4. まきばアリス! ♥
5. 真昼が雪 ♥
6. KINGFISHER GIRL (The Song of"Wish You Were Here")
7. ヒーロー
8. 夜
9. CALL TO ME ♥
10. 光あれ
11. ちびっこフォーク ♥♥
12. park amsterdam (the whole story)
13. 03 ♥♥
14. おきてがみ

review; I have all of Sakamoto's albums and out of all of them, this one (and another) really stand out. Although known as a pop singer, she does a lot of work with musician Yoko Kanno (& if you know who she is, then you wouldn't think of Sakamoto as a pop singer). She has a very pure voice that flows very well with acoustic songs. Definitely someone who doesn't need a lot of backup instrumentals-- just her voice is more than enough sometimes. If anything, listen to Chibikko Folk (track 11) as a sample. It's my favorite song out of the entire album (I've heard it like 19385 times).

download; MEGAUPLOAD

album; Dear Cloud [2007]
artist; 디어 클라우드 (Dear Cloud)
genre; rock
language; korean

tracklist;
1. 너에겐 위로가 되지 않을
2. 얼음요새 [youtube]
3. 그럴수만 있다면 ♥
4. 넌 아름답기만 한 기억으로 ♥
5. 안녕, 보물들
6. 꿈 ♥
7. 같은 사람
8. 그 다락방이 그립습니다. ♥
9. Cloud Avenue
10. Words
11. 가시
12. Fly Fly Fly ♥

review; Like a lot of Korean rock bands, Dear Cloud is co-ed with a female vocalist, not that I'm complaining. She's not Whitney Houston but her voice is powerful in its own way. Since I don't know that much Korean, definitely not enough to understand what they're saying, the songs come off as really sad lullabies that tug at my heart strings. I had so much trouble deciding the sample song but ended up with the fourth track. Give it a listen if you're still reluctant.
Here is the Soompi.com review of the album. I'd definitely check it out since I fail at reviews.

download; MEGAUPLOAD

*phew* two albums take a lot longer than expected O_O I have a whole new appreciation to music communities now. Those are some hours. And I officially hate megaupload.

BTW, comment to let me know if and what you're taking. If you guys like these albums, I'll gladly upload more. & don't pass these links off as your own. This took hours and that would be kind of mean ;_;

i don't know blake dollahite

2007-10-11T19:57:13Z

One thing that I'll give Florida is that there are many beautiful houses near the ocean. I love looking at beach houses. Sometimes I'll take pictures of them so that I have some idea of the type of house that I'd ultimately like to live in. As much as I love lofts and city living, ideally I'd like a place where I can hear and smell the ocean every morning, not cars honking and cigarette smoke.

So I've been looking online for beautiful interior design with that feel that I love. I've found things that are really nice to look at. These are photos of Blake Dollahite's house (I don't know who he is, I just love his house). You can see them here. These are my fave's.

I love the natural light.

The way the photos are arranged = love.

I'm still on the lookout for design ideas. I've been visiting a lot of design blogs and websites but I still haven't found "it", if you know what I mean. Here's hoping for the future.

背著你 我按停了時間