Real World #2

So, over the weekend, I was a part of an event called "Technology for the Turnaround." We were able to showcase all of the projects that we've worked on all semester as well as network with some very big names. One of these names was "StyleCaster" which is a site where expert trendsetters and top fashion influencers give users a personalized guide to styles. You are able to browse the site and pick out some of the styles that you like: fashion, beauty, accessories - and SC will update you on the latest clothes, beauty products, accessories that they think you will like the most.

I talked with Brandon, who I believe is the founder of SC, and he

mentioned them looking for a photography intern over the summer. LUCKY ME! It so happened that I was one of the photographers taking pictures at Saturday's event so I guess that one landed right in front of me. Another funny thing, the other day I received an email from career center about student housing for those attending school or interns in NYC. I took that as a sign. :)

I just sent my resume so hopefully I can go up there for an interview and maybe work for the summer. If I land the interview but not the internship, at least I'll get to see the city again.

Road Trip summer 08'

real world

So Moxie Interactive finally emailed me back and said they would set up an interview for me in May!

Let me tell you how stoked I am! This is the first step into the real world - though, temporarily while I'm out of school. Nonetheless, this is a BIG BIG name that I could potentially be working for. I'm hoping by getting my foot in the door that I could possibly work there after graduation.

I guess I shouldn't get ahead of myself. I do have a few more years in school.

You know, I became a little bit more determined to become a better photographer. Not that I wasn't trying my best, but I've been slowly researching ways to better myself and be prepared for all that's to come with the title of being a freelance photographer. Granted, anyone could call themselves a freelancer, but I want to be off the chain! (I really couldn't think of another phrase).

As much as the now-working-graduates claim how they wish to be back in school, I really think I'm ready for the real world. I know what I want to do and I plan on doing whatever I can to work and enjoy it. Too many people I work somewhere (medical, law, business, etc) for financial security (which is not always a bad thing), but they are miserable doing the job. Now, I know an art major is not at the top of this finance chart, but I think a balance is possible.

I may not love business, journalism, or advertising by itself, but partnering it up with art - graphics and photography will really help broaden your skills sets. Then maybe I'll be able to work in an office setting while doing the arts as well. Although, I know sometimes, it's easier said than done.

Maybe all of this is just wishful thinking.

interesting facts

Gotta keep these for reference. :)

1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair

2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish
3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes
4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair
5. Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any
6. Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea
7. Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water
8. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste
9. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!
10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too
11 Bee stings - meat tenderizer
12. Chigger bite - Preparation H
13. Puffy eyes - Preparation H

14. Paper cut - crazy glue or chap stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals)

15. Stinky feet - Jello!
16. Athletes feet - cornstarch
17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks vapor rub
18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet. (Wow, and we drink this stuff)
19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it!
20. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper
21. Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray
22. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby
23. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls
24. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch and watch them slide on
25. Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar!
26. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour in to an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!
27 Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak
28. Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and cup of milk of magnesia, soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many years!
29. A Slinky will hold toast and CD's!
30. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste
31. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.
32. To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.
33. Remove labels off glassware etc. rub with Peanut butter!
34. Baked on foo d - fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it. Soak overnight. Also; you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!
35. Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!
36. Dirty grout - Listerine
37. Stains on clothes - Colgate
38. Grass stains - Karo Syrup
39. Grease Stains - Coca Cola, it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries!
40. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax- sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.
41. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox, or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.
42. When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest, so you "squeeze" for freshness or softness? Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week? Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each day has a different color twist tie. They are: Monday = Blue, Tuesday = Gr een, Thursday = Red Friday = White and Saturday = Yellow. So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which is Fridays (almost a week old)! The colors go alphabetically by color Blue- Green - Red - White - Yellow, Monday through Saturday. Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the bread w rappers DO have different twist ties, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors. You learn something new everyday! Enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on the day you are shopping.

la maison en petit cubes

This animation is remarkable. It speaks directly to my heart.

It's a story of a man who lives in a city submerged by flooding over the years. He lives at this house alone - eating by himself, keeping himself company. As the water rises, he is forced to add additional levels to his home to keep dry and spends days working - in rain or shine. When he finishes the next level, he organizes the room and accidentally drops his pipe down the lower levels of his home.

He gears up in scuba gear and swims down, one level at a time. At each level, he pauses and a scene from the past plays. At each lower level, you will find him reliving moments of his life.

This is such an inspirational animation. Why didn't that man just pack up and leave his house like everyone else? What was his drive to stay there?

Sometimes we make these extremely rash decisions based on our current preoccupations and we fail to see the bigger picture. Sure, take the easy way out and leave everything. Simple enough; but is it really good enough?

We focus too much on the issues that we often forget the positive aspects of it all. In this case, memories of the better times and what you've learned in that span of time. When we actually take a breather and reevaluate our lives just for a moment, I think we can learn to appreciate our current stage in life.

Maybe I'm not making sense to anyone else, but at least I'm making sense to myself.

Enjoy life.

angel food

I decided to start my morning by redeeming a coupon at Smoothie King. I've run out of breakfast-like foods at my apartment and needed to find something cheap and sustaining. Well, I got my Angel Food smoothie for $1.99+tax. Nearly 50% off the original price. Whoo!

Angel Food smoothie

Today is an amazing day, but TOM came for an unexpected visit which is slowly starting to kick in. Bleh. I need some potassium.

Decided to skip my first class today since Pastor Paul is coming to visit for lunch. Cali n' Tito's! I haven't been there in ages! I need to buy a new point&shoot camera. I miss carrying a camera around everywhere. But I suppose my Exilim will do for now. :)

sunshine

my two sunshines

This picture made me smile. For one, it made me miss that cute face of Junior's, and the other is HJ's smile. Whatever he was watching must have been funny. Do you see that dimple? Hah! Got that from me. :)

About 3.5 weeks until finals. 2 weeks left to get all my new media work done. It's going to be rough! Luckily I'll only have one written final this year. Everything else consists of projects due the last official day of class rather than our exam period. I can't believe summer is almost here.

...

내가 많이 부족한 사람인걸 알고있지만 지금까지 내 모든걸 다 준거뿐인데.. 하지만 난 진실을 원해. 그런 진심 주기가 너무 어려우나?

death

Six years ago, early Friday morning. It was the last day before my 10th grade Spring Break. My family gets a call sometime around 4AM. I remember a rush of chaos filling my house - everyone scrambling to get dressed and take a breather to understand what was actually going on. I, on the other hand, had already assumed the worst...

... and I was right.


Bright flashing lights everywhere. It was déjà vu. Such a haunting scene had become all too familiar. Honestly, that shouldn't have been the case. It should never have been the case.

As I walked into the house, I couldn't help but to feel the chill all around. The first person to come to me was Jennie. She gave me a hug and through her tears she said, "He's gone."

Damn it.

My cousin, Johnny, was only 25. Why he had to take his own life, I never came to understand. He was a man striving to find God, looking for answers, wanting to help build back our family after his mom died. I should have known he was never over his mom being gone; but, no one could see through his tough facade.

He was only 25. I'm almost at the age when he died. The older I get, the more I try to understand why he did it. I still have no clue.

The more I try to forget, the more I remember. You know, I think I had to deal with a little too much during my teen years. For some it's inevitable, but no one should have to go through the pain of dealing with a deadly car accident or the suicide of a cousin.

Do you know what it's like? In some ways, I wish people did so I could have people that actually understand me. Then again, I hope they don't know what it's like because it's heart wrenching. That pain.

I bet that rose is still there with you. That's my love, my dearest cousin. I miss you.

I love you.

lunch

After I got home from my 1.5 hour workout, I spent the majority of my evening making a lunchbox for me and HJ. I kept forgetting things at his apartment so I just ended up cooking there. Inspired by the drama "꽃보다 남자", I decided to make 계란 말이.

Too bad I made it a bit too salty. Oops. Trial and error - though it's error more often than not. The more I try, the more I seem to fail. I guess that's almost a given.

note: not the lunchbox I made - but the one from "Boys Over Flowers"

Mine consisted of 밥, 불고기, 계란 마리, 반찬 등... 그리고 사과와 귤

I've always wanted to do that for HJ. Such a Korean thing, but I think the thought behind it is appreciative. Plus, it's better than having PB&J every single day, or so I'd think.


When I finished all that, I realized I didn't finish part of my project - which was to create some stamps. I finished at 2:30AM. Didn't end up sleeping until 3AM.

But I did wake up feeling slightly sore which means my gym time is actually doing something. Lost 4lbs so far. About 15lbs to go. Not really my ideal weight, but I just want to fit into my prom dress again (just to say that I can). :)


au revoir, mes amours.

winding down

I just registered for classes. Debating on whether or not to add weight training or racquetball to the schedule. My Tuesday's will be relaxing.

On another note, I'm wishing Junior were here with me. We're currently in this love/hate relationship, but man, he's a great dog.

On these rainy days when I'm alone at my apartment, I can't help but to think about this critter. Maybe I'll bring him back, regardless of the fact he may wreak havoc again.