Monday, October 23, 2006

Check It

Its worth your time. Wait for it to load fully before viewing.

http://www.bravia-advert.com/paint/thead/

Boston, or as some say, Bahstin.











So much has happened in the past two weeks, it is enough to give me material for many entries. However, as the story usually goes, I get so overly excited when great things happen, that if I am not able to put it into words that adequately express how I feel/felt, I tend to shy away from writing them down. I am a very emotive individual, and perhaps those who know me best would say that this can be a fault at times. Excitement and a tendency to laugh a lot may occur on a daily bases. This characteristic was displayed in extreme range last weekend (Oct. 13-15). Midterms were over, and I could finally relax the tension in my shoulders...we were given a whole weekend off (how generous) and Rachel, Silas, and I decided a trip to Boston would be the remedy we needed. Our trip officially started Friday morning, but Thursday night was the beginning of a fantastic vacation when Rachel treated us (the trio previously mentioned) to a steak dinner, courtesy of Warren Simonsen, and please believe me when I say that the steak was a life-changing experience. Perhaps it was so utterly delicious because my New York diet has consisted of considerably meaner fare, or it could be attributed to the end of midterms and a fantastic night out, and it most certainly WAS because it was at no cost to myself, but whatever the specific elements were, when i took a bite of that steak (medium-well, seasoned to perfection) I was tasting a bit of glory, hallelujah.

With Boston on my mind, I almost could not sleep. To some, this is excitement once again taking its reign a bit too freely, but Boston had always sounded so important, so romantic, and so New-England to me that to be on the East Coast and not visit would be nothing short of a crime. Friday, early afternoon, we boarded the Fung Wa bus in Chinatown for a round-trip ticket of $30 and settled into the charter bus seats for a 5 hour ride. The trees and the countryside that opened up suddenly after leaving the city was enough to make you cry. Trees in the most vivid shades of orange and yellow, serene lakes, and wide fields (I had forgotten they existed) swept past us. In moments like these, I can never seem to be rid of the ridiculous smile that creeps and stretches across my face...i can't! And if you know me at all, you will not be surprised that my ipod was in my ears with music appropriatley picked to give a soundtrack experience. And if you know me at all, you will not be surprised when I say that I imagined a great many wonderful and fantastic things on that beautiful drive. And if you happen to know Rachel or Silas at all (and if you don't, just think them as personified characters of sarcasm and practicality) you will guess that they teased relentlessly about my "soundtrack" and made comments regarding the general content of my thoughts, and you will also guess that I tried to defend myself but in the end admitted to the accusations, and you are right, because that is what happened.

Now to write out all that we did would take far too long. That is why bullet-points were invented. (or astericks in my case)

* enjoyed clam chowder after arrival
* walked around the city (albeit at night)
* made trip out to Gordon College (a free, two night stay with friends)
* Saturday: amazed at the campus...that campus is enchanted i'm pretty sure.
* took a 2 hour walk to a beach, the road leading us past forest, sleepy towns, and Captain Dusty's (the ice creamery. though I am not sold on that name)
* small picnic at the beach (but a genuine brisk, New England beach equipped with couples wearing jackets, scarves, and walking dogs)
* Sunday: church...let's be honest, the service was a tad cheesy. Skits are always a risky factor.
* tour of Harvard. and here i might divulge.........i never said i was good with the bullet points

Harvard, and this is regardless of who you are, has a way of making you feel A) that you are not quite smart enough to really REALLY be there, B) and at the same time you feel collegiate and are jealous of Harvard-ites, C) a part of (though microscopic) of a history both intriguing, elite, and slightly romantic in its idea. After our tour of Harvard, we walked to Longfellow's house, situated a few streets down. The house, to say the least, was enchanting (there goes that word again). His gardens, still maintained, were the picture of a perfect garden. No wonder that man was such a great poet, i would be too if I lived in a place that inspiring.

The cold air inevitably drove us into a chocolate shop known for their hot chocolate. To say no would be self-denial and i see no reason for that practice. Especially when we are talking about the best hot chocolate this side of heaven. This tasty beverage would have turned any pessimistic person, any rude, awful, mean person into the kind of person everyone becomes at Christmas..are you following? It was so good that afterwards to frown on the world would mean you are the type who has no heart and is therefore an incurable cynic deserving no pity. Harsh I know, but it was just that good. Life-changing. And on that note, I will not talk too much about our trip home...the depression of once again going back into that urban landscape.

It was the exact thing I needed, and I was able to spend time with Rachel and Silas, without mentioning the A word all weekend, and getting to know them just a bit better. Although I have to say, Silas has endured so much merciless teasing at our hands he will undoubtedly be glad to get back to Biola......


(most photos borrowed from Silas)

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Eye Candy, Vol. 2

These are a few really great websites of illustration and design. Thought i would share.
http://www.chelseacardinal.com/
http://www.jennydupont.com/
http://www.slap-press.com/index.html
http://www.paulryding.com/portfolio/
http://www.tuhru.net/elina/index.html

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Eye Candy


And I am not talking about some hottie. I went to a Warhol show yesterday featuring many of his works on Mao. They were so lovely...like bright frosting. Someone even asked which my favorite Mao was, which made me laugh. Warhol took this image of the dictator and created something comical and beautiful, even absurd, especially those which looked like he was wearing lipstick. The showcards were gold lettering printed on red leather. You bet I pocketed one.

I finally made it over to the Met, and I think I hyperventilated a few times. However, if I have to hear "no flash photography, no flash photography, no flash photography...." because some stupid tourist is taking their obnoxious photos (seriously, you can find most of these works online) I might just take someone out.