things never done

1) Portland

2009-05-26T15:10:00.001-07:00

I've become re-inspired by my internet moniker, thingsneverdone. Instead of focusing on all the Things (I've) Never Done, I've decided to switch focus to the end of Things (I've) Never Done: firsts. Perhaps it's just the flowers on the crab apple tree outside my window or Julie Doiron talking, but it seems like a fitting outlook on life.

NUMBER ONE: PORTLAND

This Spring Break, Nancy, JC, Margaret and I drove the little Yaris (which led to another first, learning to drive a manual car!) all the way to Portland, OR and back.

"Hi, Portland! Hi!"
"Hi, Kim! Enjoy your Pad See Ew!"

Squirrel charming in Washington Park.
Fact: Squirrels love burritos. Fact: So do we.

"Victory! Yeah! Yeah!"

Vegan Memphis Mafia Doughnut from Voodoo.
Margaret: "nom nom nom nom" eat it up, grrrl.

dreamy

2009-05-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Though I'm an avid reader of the horoscope section of the newspaper, I've never truly taken the advice to heart. Maybe if they were more like fortune cookies then I'd be listening a little more closely. You've seen Freaky Friday. Fortune cookies are full of pwr and mysticism and are not to be messed with. Either way, on one particular day, both of my horoscopes (cusp bbs, you know what's up) seemed too uncannily true to not listen to.

1) You're neighborhood will soon look different. Either you will move or something will happen to change your current one.
2) In the search for your dream home, visualize it and even draw it daily, hourly. Like a magnet, this house will come to you.

I'm not sure if checking Craigslist hourly counts as visualizing my dream house, but it seems to be working. Saturday we're going to an open house for the dreamiest house we've seen yet. But, just in case, horoscope, this should count for real:

The tip top of the roof, which shelters my attic bedroom

The stairs lead down to the main floor

Morning light in the kitchen through the bay windows

The f'real dream house

summer does not equal stagnation

2009-05-17T13:23:00.001-07:00

Perhaps this blog will be taking a new direction.

I love cooking. I love clothes. I love...a lot? In an effort to combine them all, I'm imagining this space becoming like a more in depth tumblr. As a child of the media age, I'm sure I've more than a mild form of ADD so that's probably the best I can manage.

Expect art, recipes, fashion, Etsy finds, DIYs, and anything else that strikes my fancy!

etsy update

2009-04-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

Two more items for sale in my etsy store!

{ things never done }

hocus pocus

2009-04-10T19:05:00.001-07:00

Just a small glimpse into my Spring Break '09 adventure!

Though we got an assortment of doughnuts from Voodoo, I only took a photo of the vegan Memphis Mafia. SO GOOD.

Portland, you are missed.

2009-03-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

Johns:Hirst::Oppenheim:Hirst

Meat After Meat Joy

nom breakfast quinoa nom nom

2009-02-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

Believe me when I say this, guys: Breakfast Quinoa is BOMB.

I cooked up this tasty bowl of goodness about a month ago (seriously, I need to get back in the blogging game) when I had a little bit of time before class. Those morning when you wake up before your alarm for no good reason are blessings in disguise. Just think of all the things you can do with an extra hour. Drink some tea, catch up on some reading, surf teh interweb, play Zelda, cook some quinoa...pretty standard things, basically.

The recipe I used was based on the one posted to 101 Cookbooks from Dr. John La Puma's book Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine. Heidi's blog is one of my favorites, and if you haven't already I encourage you to check it out. Hopefully you'll find her as inspiring as I do.

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa Recipe

I used a red quinoa here, but you can use whatever kind you like, white/buff colored seems to be the most common. Also, a few notes and tips from the book: low-fat soy milk may replace the low fat milk, blueberries may replace the blackberries, dark honey may replace the agave nectar, and walnuts may replace the pecans.

1 cup organic 1% low fat milk
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa, (hs note: rinse quinoa)
2 cups fresh blackberries, organic preferred
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
4 teaspoons organic agave nectar, such as Madhava brand

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving.

Serves 4.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree toaster oven for 5 to 6 minutes or in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

The changes I made included swapping the milk for soy milk, the agave syrup for maple syrup, and the blackberries for rehydrated dried cranberries and dried apples. Nom nom nom nom nom.

If it looks like a pretty big bowl of quinoa, that's because it is. I totally forgot that quinoa expands so much. In the end, I think I ended up with about 3 full servings...and...well...I ate it all! It was THAT GOOD. Or, bomb, if you will. Legit. Deluxe. I could wax poetic forever, but I'll spare you.

nom

2008-12-29T15:40:00.000-08:00

The Vegan with a Vengeance chocolate chip cookies are AMAZING, you guys. Really. Whenever I make them, they receive accolades from vegans and non-vegans alike quite passionately. Sometimes I find them a little too sugary, though (but that may be because last time I may or may not have added an extra cup of sugar on accident while talking to my housemate across the room...oops).

If you haven't already done so, run out and buy VwaV ASAP.

I received a number of other cookbooks for Christmas, as well:
Veganomicon
The Joy of Vegan Baking
Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen (really lovely approach to cooking local, seasonal meals in this one)

faux pasta

2008-12-08T18:57:00.000-08:00

Okay, you guys. I'm really excited about this "recipe." I'm finishing enjoying it as I type.

When I went home for Thanksgiving for a few days, my parents sent me back to school with a spaghetti squash. I was nonplussed, to say the least. I mean, some cookies would have been welcomed with open arms, or a sourdough baguette in the very least (can you guess where my true allegiances lie? It starts with a "c" and ends with an "arbs")

Honestly, it was my utter lack of food that led me to use it at all. Let us count the things lining my cupboard walls:

1) olive oil
2) approx. 1/4 cup dry red lentils
3) approx. 1/2 cup brown rice
4) 1/4 bag frozen spinach
5) 1/8 bag frozen bell peppers
6) flax seeds
7) baking powder & soda
8) whole wheat pastry & ap flour
9) Muir Glen crushed fire roasted tomatoes
9) ...vodka

Pretty pitiful, no?

Now, forget that phrase, "Dire times call for dire measures" because, obviously, dire times lead to delicious measures!

Note: I adapted this cooking method from this Emeril Lagasse recipe. I've taken the liberty to copy and paste some of the instructions.

Dust in the Cupboards Spaghetti Squash

(Apologies for the poor photo. This is definitely not pretty food, but black and white makes everything classier, right?)

1 spaghetti squash
sliced bell peppers (frozen or fresh)
spinach (frozen or fresh)
Muir Glen fire roasted crushed tomatoes
Italian spices

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add enough water to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a paring knife. Turn squash over and cover with foil again and continue to cook another 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender. Remove from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a mixing bowl.

Now, here come my additions.
Heat a skillet. Toss in how ever many bell peppers and handfulls of spinach you desire. If frozen, cook according to package instructions. If fresh, steam until tender. Add the spaghetti squash. Add a few spoonfuls of the crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle in some Italian spices and mix. When warm, serve and enjoy! Topping with some Parmesan cheese may prove especially delicious.

Alternatively, for a prettier plate, you may consider plating the seasoned squash then topping with the tomato/spinach/bell pepper mixture.

Once again, I apologize for the lack of measurements. Just make it up! Change your add ins! I trust you'll make it as delicious as I managed to.

I definitely see more spaghetti squash in my future.

just do it

2008-12-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

Have you read The Tropical Vegan's blog yet? If not, you should. I mean now. Go.

Theresa, vegan extraordinaire, recently turned me on to one of the more amazing things I've been a part of on teh interwebs.

The rules are simple:
I will send the first three people to leave a comment on this post a handmade gift within the next 365 days (that’s my kind of time frame!)
I am willing to post anywhere in the United States and Canada, so don’t let that stop you commenting.

The catch is that you have to have a blog and be willing to do the same thing....

If you’ve got a blog come and join in the crafty fun, I promise Il'l make something special! Leave me a comment and make sure to leave me a valid email address/link to your blog so that I can contact you for your address.

That's it! I've just outsourced Theresa's (with one exception...I can't afford international shipping!) rules because they seem fitting and lovely and doable and all that good stuff.

What are you waiting for?

etsy-fied

2008-12-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

I've officially a seller on Etsy, you guys!

After purchasing two items from eBay that were too small, I decided to try my luck at reselling them on Etsy. I've been a HUGE fan of Etsy since 2006, but have never bought or sold anything there. That is, until yesterday!

I listed:

These lovely Italian leather equestrian boots. They sold in one day!

This skirt is still for sale, if anyone is interested! Check it.

I wasn't looking to turn a profit on these items, just get the money back that I spent. I mean, without a job and an ever rumbling tummy, I gots to sell something. Word.

My Etsy Shop

the jury says?

2008-11-17T18:26:00.000-08:00

After making a list of my interests, I've come to a conclusion: I am profoundly uninteresting. Here it is:

architecture
bikes
blogs
food
j lieb
san pellegrino
peanut butter
cameras
vintage clothing
spending
social incompetence
kittens
thrift shops
walking
being warm
blankets
avoidance
procrastination
invisibility cloaks
craigslist missed connections
scooters
eating
post-rock
being dirty

2008-10-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

Ah, instances of brilliance like this are what I live for. After skipping out on class to sit at home, eat, and procrastinate, I walked into the kitchen with an idea in mind. Where did it come from? Who knows! Does it even matter? No! Not when the result is this delicious. Imagine a warm, comforting drink that is both creamy and spice-filled brimming with the taste of fall-- pumpkin.

First, you'll need:
Plain soymilk
Coconut milk
Canned pureed pumpkin
Maple syrup
Chai-like spices (I, however, only had cinnamon on hand)

Fill a mug about half way with plain soymilk. Add some coconut milk until you've reached your desired taste and thickness. Drop a few spoonfuls of the pumpkin into liquids and mix well. Stir in some maple syrup for sweetness. Add any spices you desire. Plop the mug in the microwave and let 'er rip! Drink up and enjoy.

This is by no means an exact recipe. It more of a smattering of ingredients thrown together in a hurried, inspired experiment. Next time I'll be sure to add some more spices and take a picture!

2008-10-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

I picked up a wonderful bounty at the farmers' market yesterday. Walking around with a few friends and running into a few more was the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.

The highlight of my trip was the loaf of Whole Wheat Four Seed Mix Sourdough bread from Companion Bakers. Straight out of Santa Cruz, Companion Bakers specialize in artisan sourdoughs. Right from the Companion Bakers' mouths, "Our sourdough loaves are rustic, European style, stone baked breads. We use seasonal organic ingredients and hand-mix all of our batches. Our loaves contain only flour, water and salt, plus whatever goodies we add to vary the loaves (seeds, herbs, dried fruit, olives, garlic, etc.)." Organic, vegan, and local--what is there not to love? However, at $8 a loaf, I doubt I'll be making this one a weekly tradition.

My wild card this week is the beautiful rainbow chard I picked up. True, I did set out to buy kale, but c'mon...who can resist those colors? Once I decide how to use it, plus the others things I bought, I'll be sure to post.

the odyssey

2008-10-19T17:42:00.001-07:00

Ants have made a graveyard in my bathtub. This is:
+ mind boggling
+ slightly disgusting
+ odd
+ not the first time
+ fitting, considering it's almost Halloween

I'm going to attempt to post here more often, but don't believe the hype, kids. I'm really not all that fascinating.

i love this

2008-09-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

LA city officials hire goats

A herd of goats has been hired by city officials in Los Angeles to clear wasteland earmarked for development.

The goats have been brought in to 'eat' the site clean and are a cheaper and greener alternative to human workers.

no paint allowed

2008-09-12T00:34:00.000-07:00

Having recently come into the possession of the largest room I've ever inhabited (plus the largest bed- it's a queen and giant and I can streeeeeetch all the way out, yet i constantly find myself curled into a ball with half the comforter of the floor), I've been daydreaming for a week now about how I'm going to furnish it. Having design on the mind, I thought to share a few of my favorite inspirations rooms.

I'm mad for maps. I've a world map and a Monterey Bay map in my room at home, and a globe and world map shower curtain in my new room at school.

Such pleasing juxtaposition.

This sheet is a brilliant way to center this room.

Light blue walls, mismatched frames, and odds n' ends. Perfect!

To be continued.

en bici

2008-09-11T17:01:00.000-07:00

I've been in a bicycle mania as of late. I spent a few hours today removing rust from my old hand-me-down (thanks again if you ever read this. I'm basically indebted to you for life) Shogun mixte and trying to figure out what basket and grips to get. I was leaning for the Wald 585, but it looks HUGE. The medium Wald from Rivendell seemed nice, but the side walls are so low. And then, to make matters worse, I read a very well put argument for the superiority of front baskets from CETMAracks so now the Wald 137 (plus a lovely Lemolo Basket Bag) is in the mix! Egads.

On the simpler side, I've recently acquired a Miyata Track frame. New project!

painting predicament

2008-09-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

For my new home in Santa Cruz, I need to bring all my furniture up with me or buy it there. I've been passed down this dresser that I need to paint before I go up, but I've no idea how to do it! Any ideas? The only thing I can think is to paint it a bright color with white over, then distress it so the bright color and wood underneath show through.

and no one wanted brownies

2008-09-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

Somehow, this has become the most viewed photo on my Flickr. It has 110 views, more than double my 2nd highest viewed photo. Someone please explain this mystery to me!

To do before Friday:
Sand and paint dresser
Buy comforter/duvet
PACK
Learn to drive the Expedition on the freeway...
Fight

halp

2008-08-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

Dear anyone who manages to find/lurks this space,

I have a quandary! A free round trip flight on Southwest is waiting for me to use. I can go anywhere SW flies, but both flights must be before October 9th of this year. I've narrowed it down to two cities: Portland and New York. Thoughts? Somewhere better? Help me choose!

Sincerely,
Kim

2008-08-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

Out with the faux-intellectualism and in with the vanity! My mind has obviously been devoid of anything blog worthy for months.

I took Eric to his first show. HEALTH at The Smell.

As you can see, he was not pleased. Potential reasons why:
a) I dressed him.
b) He was "tired."
c) I tore him away from his video game.
d) Out of his element.
e) Boring.
f) Would rather be playing Warhammer.

Sparky came for a week. We broke into Foothill.
Am is coming. We will most likely not break into Foothill.

diamonds!

2008-06-24T23:22:00.001-07:00

"Buy direct. The Jewelry Exchange in Tustin!"

I wished I was someone else, and I wished it was warmer

2008-06-12T22:33:00.001-07:00

I've been making mixtapes lately. Trying to make one that feels like this:

My emotions change so frequently that I have to keep starting over, so I keep making tapes for people that will never end up in their hands. I usually don't tell them, though, except one time. I burned the CD, scrawled cryptic allusions to what I was feeling that night in orange Sharpie all over the front, but it didn't feel right. I kept it to myself, as a diary of sorts.

Right now The Mountain Goats and Carissa's Wierd keep winding their way onto these mixes. Songs that feel like autumn. Songs that make my chest hurt. We'll see if I ever give this one to the recipient.

I doubt it.

In the Hidden Places -- The Mountain Goats

2008-06-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Concerning that last update:

I have learned so goddamned much this year. It's astounding the lessons you can learn in only eight months. This year I've had some of my greatest highs and my worst lows, I've met so many amazing people, and I've really started to come into my own. Before this year, the question of "Who am I?" constantly plagued my mind, but now I'm beginning to find out. I've made mistakes, and I've grown because of them. I've forgiven and I hope I've been forgiven. I've given, and I've taken. I've been used and I've taken advantage. Though sometimes I think I'd take certain things back, in the long run...I just don't know. I have regrets, and I've had remorse. But, you know, through it all, I'd like to never forget.

This year is one to remember.
It's remarkable, really.

2008-06-08T10:36:00.001-07:00

From PostSecret.

YEAH. OH-KAY.

2008-04-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

This just in (for me, at least).

Lil' Jon, rapper known for his extremely verbose lyrics and exquisite grasp of the English language, is marketing his very own wine label, Little Jonathan Winery.

"I'm not no 'drink wine every day' kind of dude," he said in a telephone interview. "I'm not like an expert, so don't ask me no questions ... I just like the taste."

"My full name is Jonathan," the Atlanta-based artist said. "The wine is more nature: I wanted to not just have a direct connection, but make it just a little bit more upscale than regular 'Lil Jon.' ... This is not no ghetto Boone's Farm; this is some real wine."

Count me excited, because this is clearly some classy shit. Clearly.

overly sensitive

2008-04-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

And then Americans got all huffy and had the advert pulled.

halp

2008-04-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

Help me with my Johari Window.

Clicky click.

plz.

vintage style. modern commodities.

2008-04-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

View the entire user submitted collection here.

give your love to a cowboy man

2008-04-04T19:35:00.001-07:00

Apparently, this is the Canada's straight answer to the Village People.

Skatt Bros. My new favorite band.

(Yes. I said straight.)

amazing

2008-04-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

If I a) had money and b) liked soda, then some of these would be in my fridge at this very moment.

hhhhhhhhhhhclickhhhhhhhhhpophhhhh

2008-04-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, whilst in the middle of attacking one another via foot jabs on a swing set, the idea of turning common playground objects (such as a swing set, slide, see-saw, merry-go-round, etc.) into energy generating tools was thrown out there for discussion. It seems like some smart ladies and gentlemen out there could come up with a way to do this, right? The spinning of the merry-go-round, the back and forth motion of a see-saw or swing, or the friction from a child going down a slide could all be turned into energy somehow. Granted, I know basically nothing about this subject but it seems like a pretty good idea.

Well, hey. Turns out it wasn't all that far fetched.

It's called the PlayPump. Installed in more than 1000 African communites, just by "spinning on the merri-go-round, clean water is pumped from an underground well into a 2,500-liter tank which is built seven meters above the ground." Neat. It's not quite what we had in mind, but it's sort of the same deal. Plus, it's clean water (which is so super important that I can't even get into it...okay, maybe it's just because I'm lazy. Either way, clean water = important). And I mean, look how much fun they're having! Hands in the air, pumping water, smiles...But then again, despite the obvious benefits of the PlayPump and surely future inventions in the same vein, what's the point of a playground if there is a point?

Also, if you really need to kill some time. Like, we're talking major time and intense boredom levels here. Only mildly bored? Try harder, you can find something better to do than listen to this. Thanks to the Alfred Wegener Institute's autonomous research observatory PALAOA, you can listen to all the exciting, adrenaline fueled, hardcore action underneath Antarctica. Like, totally rad, man. You can just, like, chill out to the constant undersea static hiss while eagerly anticipating every click and pop that's coming your way, bro. I'm twenty two minutes in already. Time flies when you're under Antarctic ice.

newport

2008-03-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

One of the few exciting things I did over break (The rest would be: organizing my room, dreaming of haunted portraits, not planting the vegetables I was supposed to, eating two boxes of cereal in four days, baking peanut butter muffins, getting a decent amount of sleep, spending too much money on records, and the activities pictured in the previous post).

Sam, Eric, and I went to the Irvine Farmers' Market, bought Mediterranean food, then had a beach picnic. The ankles on my pants were too tight to roll beyond my calf so I couldn't go in the water, but eh?

Also. When you're the one with all the cameras, no one ever takes any photos of you. Hm.

climbing fences

2008-03-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

Being on my own for the majority of last week, I took it upon myself to rediscover a few of my childhood haunts.

the post in which the dangers of my extreme penchant for tea finally reveal themselves

2008-03-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

Against my current timidity concerning putting this up, I promised certain people that it would eventually surface from the jumbled mess that is my hard drive and make its appearance on this very site. Where this modesty disappeared to on Wednesday night, I've absolutely no idea. This is what four massive mugs of tea will do to you.

Episode One of Things Never Done.

So there it is. Happy? Now you can listen to Sam and I mess about for an hour and eight seconds any time you want.

1. Time to Pretend -- MGMT
2. Hyperballad -- Dirty Projectors (covering Björk)
3. Black Panther -- Crystal Castles
4. Young Marks -- The Mae Shi
5. Moonage Daydream -- David Bowie
6. Bullets -- Tunng
7. Feminine Effects (live on MPR) -- of Montreal
8. Fatalist Palmisty -- Why?
9. Strawberry Letter 23 -- Shuggie Otis
10. Figure 8 -- Elliott Smith

As I sit here, drinking my Adina Gin-Jah and wondering when Santa Cruz got so cold, I'm begging you: please don't download this. Owe me a favor? This can be it! Feeling altruistic? Like you just haven't done enough good deeds in your life? Skip out on this mp3 and consider it an act of kindness for all of humanity.

Please?

Star Wars the UAE shall be come

2008-03-13T00:34:00.000-07:00

Dubai is getting a Death Star.

Ras al Khaimah is too.

Both via OMA.

of goats and red rain

2008-03-12T23:55:00.000-07:00

Scary.

I've heard of raining cats and dogs, and even real-life cases of raining frogs and fish, but the idea of red rain sounds altogether freakier than amphibians falling out of the sky. Red rain makes me think of the closing scenes of the world's all-time scariest movie, Carrie. And that's not a good thing at all. The molecules in this picture, however, have nothing to do with Sissy Spacek, or pig's blood - at least, as far as we know. They fell from the sky in 2001, in Kerala, India.

Between July and September of that year, showers of blood-like rain poured from the heavens, staining clothes and scaring the bejesus out of the locals. There were also reports of yellow, green and black rain. Just to make the downpours even creepier, they were preceded by thunderclaps and flashes of light. And more creepy still, leaves on trees apparently shriveled and fell to the ground.

Theories on what was going on started to fly around. Was it fallout from a meteor that flew past the earth or burst nearby? A dust cloud that had been sucked into the passing storm? Airborne spores from algae (trentepohlia) that had grown abundant during recent rains? Blood from bats that had been sucked into some kind of climatic vortex? Or best of all, could they be extraterrestrial cells falling from space?

"In 2003, two scientists (Godfrey Louis and Santhosh Kumar) at the Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam suggested that the red rain was made up of cells from a living, possibly extraterrestrial, creature. Could this be alien bathwater? Blue ice from a UFO? The jury is out on whether the particles contained DNA, but it doesn't seem to be beyond the realms of possibility.

"Perhaps the thunderclap was a sonic boom caused by a small comet exploding upon entering the earth's atmosphere and carrying spores of alien lifeforms? No-one knows for sure, and specimens gathered from another reported red rainfall last year have yet to be examined. Exciting stuff. RM

Images: Dr Godfrey Louis

http://www.been-seen.com/article.cfm?id=10577

And on a moar cuter note...

Here's a story that's hard to believe at first, but is so well-documented that there's no doubt it's real. Goats that climb trees. Tree-climbing goats. Yes, really. In southwestern Morocco, it seems, goats have a soft spot for the fruit of the Argan tree. So much so that they'll climb these rather spindly-looking branches to get hold of them.

Apparently this tree-climbing activity benefits everyone (though there is some talk of the poor trees being overgrazed). The goats like the fruit but can't digest the pits, which they either spit out or, erm, excrete. Then the farmers collect these to make argan oil. Something to remember when you're next in Morocco - don't sit under an Argan tree.

Images: Remo Savisaar

http://www.been-seen.com/article.cfm?id=10579

dear lord

2008-03-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

"Japanese 'Mega Pizza'
This Pizza Hut monstrosity, exclusive to Japan, brings America to Asia. The crust is made of hot dogs wrapped in bacon and rolls of molten cheese. The center is built with hamburgers, cheese rolls, sausage, bacon, ham, bacon bits, mushroom, onion, pepper, garlic and tomato sauce. The pie also comes with two toppings -- ketchup and maple syrup -- and a world of shame once you're done."

If this isn't a sign of impending apocalypse, then I don't know what is.

See the rest here, but really this is all you need to see.

2008-03-11T15:54:00.000-07:00

Songs on repeat comprise my days, my weeks, my months...my life, I suppose.
Over and over and over and over into my headphone covered ears, a mood is created, deepened, and expanded.

In third grade it was "Don't Speak." Age eighteen was "Between the Bars." With nineteen came "We Were Born the Mutants Again with Leafling". "Jezebel" marked this week. We can't all be original all the time.

The songs we listen to on repeat remain endlessly fascinating to me. It's like a 3 minute glimpse into someone's soul that little else can give you.

2008-03-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

you make my heart stop

i feel exhausted and perfect

from a softer world

highlight of the week

2008-02-28T22:13:00.001-08:00

It was a sunny day, so an exploring side trip was in due order. It was short, sweet, and simple, like some of the best things in life.

too young, too old

2008-02-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

Oh and by the way...

I'm twenty.
Thanks to all the people who helped make it a good one.

what i've always wanted

2008-02-22T11:35:00.000-08:00

studying

2008-02-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make...

I'm addicted to blogs. Food blogs, to be exact. On my Google Reader I'm subscribed to 161 blog feeds. 120 of those are food related blogs, 13 of those are design or architecture related, 8 of those are music related, and 6 of those are fashion related. The rest are randoms.

One hundred and sixty one blogs.

I have over 500 recipes saved on my hard drive from all these food blogs.

Oh, the things we do to pass the time...

Maybe analyzing my dreams would be a better way to do that. We all know I've a plethora of those.

Golden Pandas, too

2007-12-06T18:24:00.001-08:00

These are all over campus...

...and they're making me feel really uneducated because I have no idea who it is.

(Doesn't Golden Panda sound like the name of a Chinese food joint? I call dibs on that name)

Totes gnar

2007-11-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

Czech itttt

Possible addition to the list of things never done

2007-11-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

Optimism transforms into a deepening pessimism within an instant.
It's all rather spectacular, really.

Spectacular for whom? I've yet to determine.
Her, perhaps.

(calmdowncalmdowncalmdowncalmdown)

Hipster refugees?

2007-11-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

This happened to catch my eye over in the Social Science 2 building last night...

Hipsters...simply refugee chic?

Spam mail say whaaaaat?

2007-11-06T00:09:00.000-08:00

Henry Rollins keeps frozen things in his freezer.

2007-11-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

Skip to the end of this.

Fog of mind

2007-11-05T17:25:00.001-08:00

Craaafty

2007-11-05T16:51:00.001-08:00

The wall was naked.
It's since regained its decency, as well as an added bonus of utter sophistication. It's an upper class wall now.

Overheard in Santa Cruz

2007-10-30T22:51:00.000-07:00

"Maybe if you weren't such an effing B we wouldn't have had an earthquake!"
-Guy to woman/friend working Cowell Coffeeshop

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT, YOU FUCKING WHORE?!"
-Homeless man to me on Pacific Ave.

"I don't want to talk about the goddamn sparkles!"
-Guy outside window at approx. 10:17 PM

"*smack* *slurp* *mnep* *smack*"
- My fucking roommate eating ice cream on her bed

2X -> Xpro?

2007-10-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

I've undertaken a double exposure experiment.
Stay tuned for further details.

Dreams analyzed puts it all into perspective.
As does no longer being in the possession of a car, here or there.

Fuck it.

Why why why

2007-10-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

Why why why dear lord why

Focus on the tip of your nose...

2007-10-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

PLEASE HELP ME HAVE A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE.

Danny had one while sitting right next to me.
I keep daydreaming. Considering of possibilities. Acutely aware of the right side of my body. Thinking about how I'm not supposed to be thinking. For a moment I was there...I was on that plateau..and then it was gone.

A Cartographer's wet dream?

2007-10-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

Or nightmare?

So, I've named "Exploration Officer" for Athiza, which basically means that I have to draw up a few maps. "Yeah, sure, easy. This will be fun," I thought to myself when initially presented the challenge. But now, a week later, I'm going insane considering all the factors that wield influence over this planet. Climate patterns. Atmospheric circulation cells. Ocean currents. Tectonic plates. The list goes on, it's really quite mad when you think about it.

I need to draw now.
My arms are shaking from the three mugs of chai I just consumed (with one more to go).
A pencil sharpener would be nice.
As would Paul being here to help me discover this world, because I'm not sure I can do it on my own.

Fact:

2007-10-19T15:29:00.000-07:00

Fact: Boredom leads to both a cleaner me and a cleaner world.

On days when I'm feeling particularly bored, I've been known to indulge in not one but two showers AND clean my room. Boredom = nature's ultimate motivator? Or is that hunger? Necessity? I'm not a scientist, shut up.

Learning how to use my new/old 35mm has been somewhat of a challenge, but I think I'm figuring it out slowly but surely. I'm so used to the instant feedback that I get from digital so the transition has been a little frustrating.

L.E.O.

2007-10-18T19:49:00.000-07:00

I'm creating a world inside my head.

Athiza.

Contemplating the nature of the beast whilst becoming the ghost I never set out to be.

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter II says that I'm a INFP. Introverted Intuitive Feeling Perceiving. An Idealist. I'd have to agree.

Also, come Oct. 31th I will have completed my transformation into a unicorn. One night only, limited time offer.

Also also, I've recently made friends with Spiderman. Be jealous.

Musica Libre? Pshyeah!

2006-10-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

(Disclaimer: I do not speak Spanish, so if the above statement means something more along the lines of "I will eat your firstborn child" than "free music, I apologize and unquestionably will not eat your firstborn. Thank you.)

While pathetically stalking the Urban Outfitters website this morning (yes, procrastinating), wishing I actually had money to spend on poorly made expensive clothing, I decided to check out their Playlist setion. For kicks, you know. And you know what greeted me there? Another eMusic ad! I swear, I see those things everywhere. And yet today, in the spirit of procrastination, I actually decided to check the site out. It couldn't hurt, right? Plus! I got 50 FREE songs, just for checking it out! Sweeeet deal. The booty:

Godspeed! You Black Emperor- Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

Múm- Finally We are No One and Summer Make Good

Mogwai- Mr.Beast

M.Ward- Post-War

Amina- Animamina

Clearly, I've been in a slight post-rockish mood lately, or less as of late and more as of...the last three months. That's probably a little more like it, haha.

Speaking of music genres, I hate them. So. Much. I mean, "Baroque Pop"? Please. That just screams pompous. Ughh. I mean, yesss...I guess they do help...maybe a little.

I'm pretty sure

2006-10-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

Yeahhh...I'm pretty sure.
a) Blogger hates me. Change the format? Ignored!
b) I just ate my roommates cookies. A bad person?
c) I am the sorriest college fresh(wo)man ever. More than pretty sure. Very sure, borderline downright positive.

I went to see the Science of Sleep last Saturday with the now cookie-less roommate. Wowza. Seriosuly, this movie absolutely gorgeous. Michel Gondry, you own my life. I was so wrapped up in the storyline for the entire movie that nothing else mattered outside of that darken theatre, as strange as that may sound. Sheesh, and Stephane? I saw myself more in that one character than any other before. After the movie ended, the roommate and I went out and ate Thai food. In silence. Reeling.