My Hodgepodge Life

New Blog Address

2008-09-08T08:58:00.000-04:00

I HAVE MOVED! Please check out

ChelseaBlacker.com

Thank you!

My B-day

2008-04-29T00:03:00.004-04:00

Cal sent my flowers, which smell divine and look amazing. Best part is, they come with a vase so I don't have to worry about using my little one :-). They make me smile every time I walk into the room. From my sister, I got silver hoop earings. And my parents got me a couple of clothing items for work.

At work they give out boxes of pop corn for B-days! There are 6 flavors including white chocolate peanut butter and caramel chocolate drizzle. Needless to say - very dangerous so it's important to share.

I returned to NJ for a night at mom made me my favorite dinner of pecan chicken (that's right - I ate chicken!), rice, and greenery. The desert was a masterful chocolate bunt cake I forgot to take a picture of. Oh - and when I took a train back to ny, it was double decker! I felt like I was in the Netherlands!

Olymic Torch, I Saw It!

2008-04-28T23:59:00.002-04:00

I forgot to mention I saw that torch with the little Chinese mafia men around it! First it drove by me, Cal, and his parents as we walked to the DLR - on a bus. Then it went across the Thames from Canary Wharf to erm, that dock at the 02 where the Clipper clips away from. I know you can't really see it but I swear, that's it! With the 5 boats around it.

Cody's Duck

2008-04-28T23:53:00.003-04:00

My poddle has a thing for quaking duck stuffed animals. We've given him buffalo, polar bears, and a beaver, but he only falls in love with the ducks. My mom says it's the quack. When he paws at Ducky, it goes "quack quack quack quack quack" - sometimes when I call home, I can hear it in the background; the thing really doesn't shut up. Below are two images of Cody with his most recently deceased (notice the torn out bill), and then his current yellow duck. (color, we have found, is not an issue).

April Images

2008-04-28T23:36:00.003-04:00

I've taken a bunch of pics this month on my phone, but failed to upload. Here are some highlights.

This art is dog scratches on paper. It's apparently famous and worth $$$$, residing in a lawyer's entryway.
My clothing supply in NJ is limited because most of my closet is in fidi with me, but I did pull out some toe socks when i was last home for my birthday.
These doors in the west village are the 2nd love of my life. they're huge, I'm guessing 12' tall, perhaps you can see the "mini" door (like cathedrals have) on the third panel to the left.
Me, eating a cupcake on the west side highway as runners jog past. I swear God put them there to make me feel guilty. I finished the entire cupcake, at least it was vegan.
Police ponies in east china town fenced in area.
Amazing poster store on Chambers st with tons of origional old movie& theatre posters for a cool $500 and up. Worthy note - the gallerina isn't a bitch!
One of those floraly trees (cherry tree?) in Tribeca. I love walking under them. My favorite spot is along Cole's Sports Center at Mercer and Bleeker.

Tans & Cosmo

2008-04-14T08:17:00.005-04:00

NY Times Magazine had 1 double sided glossy ad in the middle of its pages; each side has close up image of a model with very natural makeup, brunette, a little bit of a tan, and soft pink lipstick pouting at me. In white bold white letters side 1 reads: SEXY MEANS SHOWING YOUR TRUE COLORS, and side two reads: SEXY MEANS BUSINESS, with a fun fact below: LAST YEAR, COSMO READERS SPENT OVER $3 BILLION ON BEAUTY PRODUCTS WIHTOUT BLUSHING. HOW SEXY IS THAT?

Excuse me?

Sexy = business
buying beauty products = sexy
So...
business = buying beauty products?

(if you know which type of fallacy this is, please let me know because I forget)

Needless to say, the ad is shit. Why is purchasing lots of beauty products make women sexy? Certainly Cosmo magazine is projecting a certain type of sexy that can't be done without lots of makeup. Interesting target market, I find that most of the magazine recycles the same sex tips and has 1 articles burried in the back pages that's 1/2 worth readings always entitled "I was a sex slave" or "I have an arranged marriage" with a "As told to ___ by ___" under the title.

While on my beauty rant, another problem - tanning! Why are people obsessed with looking tan? At work, Marie pointed out that women have been wanting to be pale for centuries. Pale is beautiful. People of darker skin tones in Africa and India spent millions (billions?) of dollars on skin lightening products, and white people spend TONS of $ on skin darkening at tanning salons? This is weird. Why can't we all just be happy with what we have naturally.

I think of India Arie's song Brown Skin, and how in love she is with her color. And then I think "Why is she so confident, but I look at myself in the mirror and feel pressured to pull out the bronzer brush?" It makes me feel even more self conscious about my self consciousness. Now I just need to throw out my NARS Sunkissed powder.

And about these people who say a tan looks healthier and those tanorexics. A normal BMI and fit muscles look fit and healthy. A super tan does not make you look skinnier. It means skin cancer and in my humble personal opinion, you're really vain and have way too much time. But that's not to say I've not attempted to lie down in the sun during the summer, it just never really works out for me.

So actually, perhaps this is all just the backlash of a chronically pale woman attempting to deal with her issues.

Kelis' Excel Diagram

2008-04-11T10:21:00.005-04:00

Cal just sent this to me. I loved this song (Milkshake by Kelis), back in erm... 2003. God, that was so long ago.

Reputation Management

2008-04-11T09:48:00.004-04:00

I got a call last night from this guy who found me on Monster. His father committed a crime 15 years ago, and now when his name is googled, court documents regarding the event pop up first in the organic results. Not good for business (especially when slimy competitors actually tell customers to google his name). Plus, the guy that phoned me has the same name as his dad - and it's a distinctive name that not many people have.

At about the same time, Avi received a call from some real estate tycoon. The man started crying, saying he'd lost his fiancee and business was ruined, all because of archived articles from Fox 5 News, NY1, and other prominent news sources that pop up when googled. In short, he needs help getting this shit off the 1st page.

So look out - reputation management is coming! What an excellent opportunity for me to grow my seo skills. I've begun my research. ya!

Bryant Park

2008-04-11T09:39:00.002-04:00

Yesterday for lunch, it was so beautiful out that I walked to Bryant Park with my lunch (veggie panini & salad with tomato & guac). It was like a NJ mall the day after Thanksgiving! Totally packed, and I ended up sharing a table with a nice woman from Riverdale who worked at Reader's Digest selling ad space. We had a great time learning about each other's jobs & tamales.

My Spanx

2008-03-30T14:23:00.005-04:00

I, like many women, wear Spanx with certain outfits. Now, for people who know what Spanx are and who I am, this may come as a surprise (even Beyonce does!). I am not a mini-van owner or 40 years old. I have a slim BMI for my 6 foot frame. But even so, my trunk can jiggle so I rely on Sarah Blakely's beautiful invention for certain silky outfits (mostly semi-sheer/silky dresses, where even the thinest Hanky Panky will catch the fabric and show through).

Here are my measurements before and after Spanx:
Around my belly button: before- 31", after- 30.5"
Lower Hip: before- 36", after- 36" (no change)
Thigh: before- 22.5", after- 22"

From doing these measurements, the funniest part is that in pant sizes, I'm a 28" or 29" - but actually, when you take out a measuring tape where my pants sit on my hips is 34". Those dang marketers.

I always have been a fighter for seamless underwear - and am constantly testing new brands, with much help from the ladies at Le Petit Coquette(although on my most recent trip this butch looking Russian was a bitch to me). It drives me crazy when I see women in bras that don't fit, apparently 85% of women don't wear the right size! And it happens so much! The worst offenders by far, in my opinion, are the Italians. You think they'd be all euro chic but those women are busting out in all the wrong places like it's a job (think back fat %'s of Free Willy).

Megalomania

2008-03-30T13:00:00.001-04:00

Megalomania (from the Greek word μεγαλομανία) is a psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence - often generally termed as delusions of grandeur. It includes an obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions.

What did I do today?

2008-03-29T01:50:00.004-04:00

I had a very productive day. Went to class, worked out before class, appointment in west village, here are a couple images and videos from my adventure.

I ate a snack of pickles, 2 slices of jack cheese, and almonds. I know, I'm eating dairy again - so savage. I thought it looked pretty, so I took a pic.
Me and V were early to meet Alex Moo for an evening drink at Kettle and the Fish in west villg, so we stopped by NYU's carnival in Kimmel and were entertained by magic tricks for a couple minutes, played with stick toys, and took this picture.

After dinner at Hampton Chutney (hollar to Steeners), me and V visited Cat who was getting a tattoo on Ludlow and Houston. Very exciting! She didn't flinch, because she's a seasoned pro and this was just a little heart on her wrist.

Puppies! (more)

2008-03-29T01:47:00.003-04:00

This little yellow lab puppy follows me through the subways, isn't it cute? He advertises for Cottonelle, a TP brand.

Spying on Neighbors: The END!

2008-03-29T01:44:00.001-04:00

I do not bull shit, after my previous post, I came home today and checked about all my windows that face next door and the apt is def empty!

Puppies!

2008-03-27T21:55:00.004-04:00

This little guy was sitting across from me on the downtown 5 train ayer as I went home. Very exciting, he was like a hearty chihuahua looking doggy. And the old guy was a good looking old guy, with a great non-metro sense of style, i was very impressed by the whole package.
I was eating lunch the other day at Hale & Hearty Soups when... a westie in a pink sweater stopped RIGHT IN FRONT of me! I was so excited! I had to control myself and resist the urge to jump on the other side of the glass and pet it.

Spying On Neighbors

2008-03-27T00:56:00.003-04:00

Me and Steeners look across a 5 foot gap into the building next door, 25 stories up in the sky. The apartment next door is always DEAD during the day. And at night, a white girl and black guy take their seats at desks and work at laptops. Then, an asian girl pops out and works at a laptop too on occasion. We think she lives there because we see her in the attached bedroom from a window next to our elevator in the hall. The lights are on practically EVERY night, ALL night. And every horizontal surface in the room is covered with stacks of papers and books. What do you think they're doing in there?

My Rich Old Lady

2008-03-26T22:21:00.003-04:00

I have a game plan for moving to London and living in luxury.

Find a friendly old widow, with a townhouse in zone 1, and move into one of her spare bedrooms. We can eat breakfast together, and since old people wake up early perhaps she'll even want to make it for me. We'll both be very down to earth, and not require a chef, but perhaps someone to help with (my) ironing, laundry, cleaning. She'll have very fast wireless internet, huge flat screen tvs, and be slightly hard of hearing so I can play my music without bothering her. Like all nice old rich ladies, she will also have a pack of small dogs, to which I can gently suggest she add a couple of standard poodle. Then I will take the standard poodles on walks. She will have no family members alive, and look upon me as a daughter figure - not that I want her $ when she dies, just a reliable friend till she dies; and since we'll get along so well, I'm hoping she wont die soon.

Seriously, how do I go about locating my lady? In my brainstorm I've come up with an idea - I will pretend to be a church going Christian! Old ladies are either funny bitter aethiests or very religious, and since I can't find an athisflatshare.org, my approach is christianflatshare.org .

But in that I have found another problem - old ladies aren't the most internet savy bunch so unless their butlers are posting extra rooms online, I need to reach them another way. Perhaps going to a club meeting that targets my lady, such as the Miller's Academy or the RAC (which has cute little motorbikes on it's flag hanging over Pall Mall) will be good stomping grounds.

Then of course, there is Cal's flat. I could stay with him. But we're still debating this one - let you know when we figure it out.

Dossing Around SMALLEST apt EVER

2008-03-25T00:56:00.003-04:00

Today I did well, very little. I enjoyed my day of screwing off by
1) watching a movie
2) doing weights at the gym for almost 2 hours with Venice
3) playing with evite backgrounds

Stuff I got done:
1) Picked up my shoes from the shoe man
2) Got a check for my UK work visa from my bank
3) Figured out how to complete my Anime paper due next Friday

4) Visited Alex Moo's new apt! And helped him with editing cover letters. He is now living on West 14th St, great location. Watch the video tour! And take notes B&Ters - this is how hard core NYers do it. (please note: I'm way not hard core)

No, it does not have a kitchen but it does have a hot plate. No, it does not have a private bathroom, but it does have a 3rd floor toilet that gets cleaned for him. No, it doesn't have the internet, but there are plenty of wireless signals around. No, it does not have any outside space, but it does have roof access where people throw their old mattresses.

Simulacrum

2008-03-24T10:38:00.003-04:00

1.	a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance.

2.	an effigy, image, or representation: a simulacrum of Aphrodite.

Plural: simulacra
noun.

Cat in the Sink

2008-03-24T00:01:00.003-04:00

My cat in the sink. Mom would go crazy if she saw this. Niki also likes to eat all the flowers. So we only buy roses, because she doesn't eat rose stems.

Ski Video

2008-03-23T23:36:00.003-04:00

Me in some bowl in Alta.

The General's Dead

2008-03-20T16:48:00.002-04:00

I'm sitting here in the lodge lobby, and the entire staff was just told a guy nicknamed "The General" who had worked here for a couple seasons died last night. It's weird, to catch such an emotional moment between people. The entire staff got real quiet and these two employees playing chess next to me, one of them just started crying.

Whenever you're told someone is dead, at least for me - it's always really unexpected. And while I know it's sad, I've always wondered if something's a little wrong with me, becuase I don't cry that much (if at all). And then I feel a bit bad because I'm not crying. Stupid perhaps but I figure I just wont ever see them again, it's like they've moved away or are going on a really long vacation.

Anyways, that's it.

Ski: Day 1

2008-03-18T00:39:00.000-04:00

Today was tons of fun. But there were a couple small bumps. When dad convinced me to enter a ravine with huge rock walls, that had a very narrow ski area which…wait for it… was also rock infested! Or in the first run when he led me over a little edge telling me to ignore the double black gate – which surprise! Had a little 4.5 foot cliff I had to jump off of midtway through.

But I have a couple little tricks up me sleeve:
1. When turning I make little “grr” noises, this helps me stay down hill and aggressive. Plus, making grr noises is fun!
2. If dad says I should go down something that looks scary, I can just say no. Not that hard. Then again, dad has invested lots of $ in my education and it would be counterproductive for him to accidentally kill me so chances are, I’ll be safe on his route.
3. If I feel like I’m going to fall, just make a little noise that sounds like I’m having fun and it’ll be great (think hoot). It’s a bit like when toddlers fall, and they look up to see if the adults are looking concerned/sad or laughing with joy before they decide how to take their own tumble.

Ski Heaven

2008-03-17T00:34:00.004-04:00

I have just arrived at the Peruvian Lodge, sleeping soundly at the base of Alta. Next to being with Cal, this is as close to being in heaven as can happen on earth. Clear air. Friendliest people saying hi (it's those great Mormon influences). TONS OF SNOW. Skiers only. It's as if my planets have aligned. The only problems - not a poodle or Scotsman in sight.

Anyways, I'm so excited to begin skiing tomorrow in my new booties. Me, Dad and Drew have shared passes, so we can ski right into the neighboring mountain Snowbird, which has a huge back bowl. And the best news is - there's more snow coming! It just doesn't stop here.

Well, I'm tired so off to bed I go. Will give an update on my day manana.

My Man Sent...

2008-03-10T23:10:00.005-04:00

Look what my ~~boyfriend~~ fiance sent me!

Oh yeah, he got the chocolates to come too! Really really yummy chocolates. Venice and Steeners will agree I do think.

The Epic Event 2009

2008-03-09T00:53:00.002-05:00

My Color Still Life

2008-02-28T00:16:00.006-05:00

I'm taking NYU's Intro to Painting course. Last week, I focused on a little part of this still life combo; all student had to bring an object. I forgot one, so used my work shoe (not visible in photos). Please note, the above picture was only 1/2 done, but the troll still ended up looking like it was a torture survivor.

My Love Interest

2008-02-24T23:13:00.003-05:00

Funny as it sounds, I have a female admirer from eastern europe. She wrote me:

Hello !!!
My name is Julia, I'am 30 years old.
I have contacted with dating agency to find you.
They told that we approach to each other and
I have decided to write to you! I'm lonely and not
married cute girl! If you are interested to get acquainted
with me that write to my Email: julik.for.love@hotmail.com

Seriously, WTF? I'm not into girls like that. I like my girl friends, and I don't want her. I'm not an agist or anything, it's just that she doesn't speak with correct grammar, and that drives me crazy.

Who on earth sold my email address to her? I also got one from a fake gofish account too. Go Fish Dating is perhaps the most popular free online dating website in the states. So weird.

New Bag, reflections

2008-02-11T10:47:00.000-05:00

I understand that my beautiful Linea Pelle number (previous post) is made of leather. And yes, this has plagued me. I know it's two faced of me to not eat meat and then purchase leather goods, but it's so soft, and it looks so good. And lets get real, fake leather looks cheap. It does! Plus, I figure the cows are getting murdered anyways for the meat so I may as well take a little skin.
This is entirely unlike bunny fur, or racoon fur, which does not get eaten. Never the less, I'm still a bad person.

New Bag

2008-02-11T10:40:00.000-05:00

"Close your eyes as you caress your new handbag for the first time, picture all the looks of longing from your green with-envy-friends and bask in the perfection of your bag. This is your moment to shine. And always remember Kataphileo...Kiss passionately, live intensely"

The above message was attached to a handbag which was delivered by FedEx. I was watching it travel via tracking number from Louisianna to NYC. I love it, although at 19" long, it's not as big as I expected. Because 19" sounds huge, but it really isn't.

What to wear?

2008-02-10T21:47:00.000-05:00

I just got these shoes, they will be worn with a tight navy blue Norma Kamali dress made of a polyester spandex blend. That sounds uber tacky, but I promise the dress looks nice, with a low V-neck.

Q: What color tights do I wear? Grey, nude/skin color? Let me know.

Flowers

2008-02-03T23:34:00.001-05:00

My man sent me flowers. Again.

Eating Meat=Driving SUV

2008-02-03T23:10:00.000-05:00

I have decided I am not opposed to eating meat. It's the way we treat and kill it, and the huge quantities at which we consume it in America that I find disturbing. I could go research all these scary facts about what cow farts do to the atmosphere, but I rather let the Human Society of the US show you how animals are treated. Other interesting videos: where fur trim comes from (dogs/cats in Asia), puppy mills in Virginia expose or Paris Hilton's pet history.

Second, I've decided I will open an animal sanctuary when I have the time/space/$. Yes, that's a sanctuary for cows, pigs, goats, sheep, the whole 9 yards. And lots of chickens. It would be a bit like the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary where you can visit and meet the animals! I will start small because luckily, pigs come in mini sizes. I was thinking of naming him Bubbles or her Periwinkle.

So in the spirit of sustainable agriculture and eating meat that lived a happy life in a pasture and was killed in a relatively humane way (not neck stabbed like horses are in Mexico/Canada), I recommend finding local farms on this site, EatWild.com.

My Boyfriend the Superhero

2008-02-02T17:49:00.001-05:00

Apparently this is what Cal would look like if he were a super hero. Appropriately kilted, with his light saber from Selfridges & Co., and bunny slippers to make him "sensitive."

Stuff I Want

2008-02-02T17:17:00.000-05:00

I am constantly keeping a mental list of all thing material possessions I want (the other kind are already on the table: Cal, fun well paid job, good grades).
1. Burberry's Prorsum line (pronounced P-ror-sum) has made a spring patent leather sandal, complete with studs galore! I love them, even if they are a little drag queen bondage-esque. Read more about them.
2. The Opium necklace from YSL. It can be doubled wrapped for a choker effect.

3. A Bape sweatshirt. The Bathing Ape, a fashionable Japanese import with a funky edge.4. Nike/other brand, bright puffy high tops. I love them, they're funky and a new rendition on the traditional converse high top. Plus, they'll look great with my skinny jeans.
5. Vegan bag. I have yet to select, but I'm having trouble selecting my new spring bag b/c so little out there looks nice without being cheapy chesey, and uber fake leather. Here are some good options though. My favorite is mat & natt.

6. And of course, a horse! Yes, I want a white pony and I refuse to accept that I can't be a proud owner b/c I'm in a city.

Pink People

2008-02-02T17:16:00.000-05:00

I had an epiphany while at the gym today. White people are not white. As I watched myself do free weights in the big work out room, I noticed that me and the other white people are actually a lot more pink than white. We should be called pink people.

Vagina Couch

2008-01-23T23:29:00.000-05:00

I found this on the Best of Craig's List, being sold for $600 in "NoCal" as my roommate says.

My 1st Painting

2008-01-23T23:23:00.001-05:00

I used to be quite artistic in high school, but time and NYU bureaucracy have limited my abilities to take an art class. Yesterday, I attended Intro to Painting, a pathetically dumbed down course that doesn't even give us an opportunity to use oils; still, it's better than nothing. So off I went with my acrylics today, all the way to...my window. And I painted the Brooklyn Bridge :-). Here is the fruit of my efforts:On a completely different note, the big weight lift guys at Gold's talked to me today! And they weren't scary at all, they were actually really nice.

My Gym Fear

2008-01-22T23:56:00.000-05:00

So I've started going to Gold's and must admit, it's a bit fun. I love that I get my own TV on my cardio machine, and that the locker room looks fancy and has offers up free Q-Tips. The people who work there are also really friendly.

Right now, I'm working on my fear of the weight room. I've signed up for a couple sessions with dear Diana, and she's taught me how to use a bunch of the free weights in ways that make me look slightly less like an idiot. Yup, I'm in there with the big boys (and some girls) lifting huge weights, leaving a trail of machines on the "15 lb" level; it's like my "the pirate was here" mark.

My personal goal is to do 1 hr or 500 calories burned (whichever comes first, or a class) at least 5 times a week. I did it last week, and I'm on my way to doing it again this one.

Also, I love watching Bravo reruns as I sweat; the Real House Wives of Orange County are my work-out gal pals.

Testicle Ripped Off

2008-01-22T13:14:00.000-05:00

This is why open relationships don't work, people get jealous - even if they say they don't mind the openness - and then people get hurt! like, RIP OFF A TESTICLE hurt.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4253849.stm

Lock Out(s)!

2008-01-21T23:55:00.000-05:00

It all began with a tour of Tessa's apt after a late (11pm) b-fast at Around the Clock.

In case you can't tell, in the above footage the first bed I show you is actually a couch. And what I wanted to compare Tessa's "blinds" to was colored paper Kat placed on her windows to stop light from coming in.

The good news: Kat is in Germany right now and doesn't need her bedroom.

The door ended up being reopened by a couple of drunk girls a few nights later. We don't have any idea how they did it.

If this wasn't bad enough I then realized :
1. I lost my monthly metro card.
2. I locked myself out of my own apt, and must pag $20 to get the managers to get back in between 11pm and 9am.
3. The next morning I realized I lost my gym locker lock & key, I have no idea where I put them.

The good news:
1. I can report it to the MTA and they'll refund me.
2. I got to make a new friend with the night time building manager Sam.
3. I get to buy a new padlock that doesn't involve a key, which is hard to hold onto while working out.

Happiness

2008-01-21T23:47:00.000-05:00

"Married, extroverted optimists are happier than single, pessimistic introverts, and Republicans are happier than Democrats... it helps to be religious, sexually active and a college graduate with a short commute to work. The wealthy experience more mirth than the poor..."

It's in Iceland, The Secret to Happiness article in January 19th's Economist. If you exchange "married" with "in a relationship" and stretch the word religious a little bit, this helps explain why I'm such a bundle of joy.

My Deodorant

2008-01-17T16:17:00.001-05:00

Secret has made this great deodorant that I use. But as the consumer, I have a huge problem with how they rip me off.

When I open the box, I have to twist the bottom knob thing about 20 times till the white substance puffs out of the top. At which point, I have half the deodorant container with no purpose (my fingers show where the white stuff "starts" once the knob pushes it up to the level where it actually pops out of the container). Why not just give me a smaller container? It'll save plastic, or charge me less since it's not a full container.

162 St: The Adventure

2008-01-16T21:52:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I was looking for photos of Washington Heights for a Promediacorp project when I saw the Morris Jumel House. Built in 1775, it's one of the last remaining REAL houses in Manhattan (a couple are up at 215th St stop near Columbia Uni fields). George Washington stayed here during the fall of 1776 as the Brits ran New York City way down south.

Alicia Keys lives in one of these 4 brownstones, according to the MJ tour guide. They were some of the first homes built here for when the subway was extended to 162nd St.
Then I had to scale a cliff.
These homes on Sylvan Terrace were temporary housing for subway construction workers. Go figure, now they're historic landmarks made of shit wood that are apparently deteriorating quickly, according to our guide. But aren't they cute?

This reminded me of Somerset House's stone work along the arches facing the Thames. Except these ones are wood, and you can see brick to the left was painted over white. Not quite William Chambers quality.
This is Eliza Jumel, the clever gold digger who lived at Jumel Mansion the longest, about 60 yrs.
Hexagon shaped formal room, lets in tons of light. Loved it.
Eliza's bedroom. I wonder if this means it's not her 2 hubby's room as well.
Upstairs window door to balcony.
Tessa and I walked down to 126th St & Broadway, stopping to eat at Jesus Taco. Then west across 125th St and into Central Park, finally getting on the train at 96th St.

As expected, Washington Heights had a lot of Spanish speakers and Harlem had a lot of black people. What I didn't expect was two hair salons on every single block, a free hot chocolate from Dunkin Donuts on B'way and 162 (nice guys), nor so many men standing about on st corners at lunch time. It's nice they all get to go on break at the same time, I wish my friends and I could do that.

Ed, My Palm Tree

2008-01-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

Some of you may remember Ed, my palm tree. He first came home from Ikea living in a pot I fashioned out of a black plastic Ikea trash bin in September 07.

I decided he needed more space, so me and my roommate Steeners went up to Kmart at Cooper Union and bought some cheap potting soil and a real (plastic, China made) pot with a dish thing to catch the water. (In the trash bin pot, Ed just dripped from the thin plastic container he came in, into the bottom of the bin, hence a collection of soiled water built up in the bottom).

I don't know what I'm more proud of, his growth, or that I transfered him into his new pot without any help. Ed in Sept 07 on left, Ed today on right.

Jesse of America's Most Smartest Model

2008-01-16T01:13:00.001-05:00

I'm watching late night trash TV on MTV; it's a cheesy date show called Next. I recognized this really feminine guy contestant who tells everyone on the bus he's a model, but couldn't place him.

After some thought, I figured it out scorlling down on this page. He's Jesse from America's Most Smartest Model! I'm so perceptive.

MacBook Air

2008-01-15T18:32:00.000-05:00

Why has Apple done it again? They just keep on rolling out sexier technology. And this piece I actually really want. It only weights 3lb! That's amazing, especially considering that my 15" PowerBook G4 (that's right, it's pre the MacBook Pro generation), weighs 6lb. It actually hurts to carry mine for long periods of time, lugging it to work, school, NJ, etc. But starting at $1800, it's no bargain. Just so thin, and light, and pretty. What struck me as much, was an engadget post about Axiotron's touch sensitive modbook. Why didn't Apple do that? Oh wait, no one really uses tablets. Anyways, my feelings are a little hurt the MacBook Pro isn't receiving any updates. Very uncool.

Dr. No

2008-01-15T11:09:00.001-05:00

NPR just did a long piece on Ron Paul and what it means to be a Libertarian. One of the editors from Reason Magazine, Matt Welch, was the primary source for all things Libertarian. (Total side note: in the picture of Matt on his page, the window reads "Toad Hall", which is a great bar on Grand St I would recommend everyone get to, for Soho the drinks are well priced although I'm not sure if the hops shortage has changed that). He mentioned a popular nick name for Ron Paul, "Dr. No" because as a Rep for Texas he has practically votes "no" to every piece of legislature, unless it's explicitly supported by the constitution.

One thing that upset me a wee bit in the interview was a question about college students simply jumping on the Ron Paul bandwagon because they like his policy to pull out of Iraq. And Matt's response was more or less a yes, there probably are many of those who haven't looked deeper into the issues Paul addresses.

WTF? Am I really that stupid? All I care about is bringing home troops, and nothing else on a candidates agenda matters to me? I agree with his premise to get rid of as much of the federal government as possible since those in Washington clearly aren't doing much to help me except increase my taxes. Restoring my faith in social security would be nice, because with $9 trillion in fed debt it's not like I'm expecting to see any of it when I grow old as of right now. And he doesn't care much for a war on drugs because, as revolutionary as this may sound to other politicians, it seems to be a waste of time and money.

I don't like his policy on closed borders, and this confuses me because I thought part of the point of being a Libertarian is keeping the market open so the best will rise, and everyone wins with competition. Then why not include Mexicans and others from S. America? Or his Pro Life stance, I prefer Rudy's "I don't support it, but it's each person's choice" concept instead.

Gold's Gym

2008-01-14T15:29:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I joined the Gold's Gym around the corner from me, coincidentally on Gold St & John St. I was a member last spring, and always scared to death to enter the weight room b/c the guys are huge! huge! It's like being in a movie, and I'm the weakling girl surrounded by Venice Beach wannabees. I know they won't eat me, or break me on purpose, but it's intimidating. At the same time, I'm not going to Curves! Women only gyms? Where's the fun in that? really.

So I have an appointment at 7pm with Diane, who will show me how to "sculpt" (her words, no mine) my fatty arms. Lord help.

Bad Attitudes

2008-01-14T00:11:00.000-05:00

Two events have happened recently that have made me think, "I really hope I never do that to someone else, and I really hope my friends don't either."

1. NJ Transit. 9pm Friday train to Summit. This guy chugging cheese doodles and Snapple was reading the NY Times across from me, and with every section he finished, he'd push it on the floor. At Millburn, he got ready to leave by pushing his cheese doodle bag onto the floor. As he got up, I politely said "Excuse me," he looked at me slightly confused, and then I asked "Are you going to clean that up?" He shook his head, and walked off.

What a jerk. He expects that at the end of the train line an illegal immigrant working for $4/hr will clean up after him. My first thought was "I hope none of my friends ever act like that", when it should have been I hope I never do that. Ok ok, my real first thought was "I can't believe what a waste of resources our real newspapers are" but you catch my drift.

2. I was talking to someone, when this woman who in the past has given me a hard time came over and in a very impolite way told me and the guy I was talking to to stop talking. I can't give details, but this chic gets such a power trip out of talking to me the way she did, it drives me crazy. I will never treat people the way she does, not only because her attitude has resulted in an online posse who write hateful blog comments about her, but because she is clearly uncomfortable with her position. If she was at ease, she wouldn't have to do things like that to get a fake "leg up" over a college student. Pathetic.

Stealing Plant: Shocking End

2008-01-10T19:43:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it but the flowers I planned on stealing were stolen from me. I walked into the Marriott Marquis 5th floor bathroom to pick up a blessed pot on my way out and poof! They were gone, replaced by these:
Perhaps they got wind of my plan.

Stealing a Plant

2008-01-10T13:20:00.000-05:00

I'm here at Inman News's Real Estate Connect NYC conference. And I have a dilemma. In the bathroom are three plants. I don't know what they're called, by my mom sent me one last valentine's day and it's still alive (a testament to it's inner strength & drought capabilities).

Yesterday, they were all droopy, very depressing. I felt the soil and obviously, it was dry. So I watered them, and did a bit of trimming, chopping off dead buds. Today, the flowers are up and they look quite happy.

But I'm worried about their future. Wouldn't at least one lucky plant be better off if I took it home with me today? I mean, it won't get watered here, or pruned, and I make sure my greenery is always happy at home. Such choices. To steal or not to steal?

A bit like those French NGO workers in the Congo (or wherever), who tried to remove 100 or so African "orphans" without documentation. They just got sentenced to like 10 years hard labor or something. And it was found out the kids weren't orphans either! I doubt the Marriot Marque will prosecute me though. After all, I'm just trying to get them a better home.

Job Market

2008-01-09T09:36:00.000-05:00

This is my final semester of college, and it's scary to think that I was a wee freshman of NYU, tucked away on 5th Ave in dear Rubin Hall just three years ago. I have begun my job search in earnest, and the outlook is positive.

But what really pisses me off like no other, is when people tell me the economy is looking bad, and my chance are nil. One such person reminded me again recently, and in my head I must confess, I was thinking "no shit sherlock, I've read the newspaper since last summer too!"

But I'm sick of hearing how bad everything is. How my $ is paling in comparison to the £, that the sub prime market needs our government to rescue it, that economic growth is limited.

Really, what type of attitude is this? Call me an unfailing optimist, but I just can't believe that it's soooo bad, that nothing can be done, and that I must simply languish in the winds of an economic downturn. As I write this, the cnnmoney.com headlines read "Bracing for Bad Bank Earnings, MBIA slashes Dividend by More Than Half, and Tech Stocks for Tough Times." My little brother was interviewing at an investment bank a few weeks ago and he was told "this is the worst time to try and get into this industry."

Why don't we all try to look at this as an opportunity? An opportunity to explore a couple less traditional options in the job market. Typically, I think most college grads go to work for a big company (bonus points if they have a recognized marketing campaign). How about trying to start a company? Working for yourself(myself)?

The Economist's holiday edition featured an article about Evan Williams, the accidental innovator. He lead a team in creating this very site/software/server thing I now work off of, blogger. He's also created Twitter. His key to practical, easy to use, products is radical constraints which "can lead to breakthroughs in simplicity and entirely new things." The reporter offers up Google, saying if you'd taken away all the ads on Yahoo's search page ten years ago you'd have the simply search box.

So I'm going to try to be an accidental innovator for the beginning of my own little career path (soon it will be big, no worries). Not quite sure what that means, but I'll keep you all posted.

Fanfaronade

2008-01-09T09:31:00.000-05:00

[fan-fer-uh-neyd] - noun: bragging; bravado; bluster

When I don't know a word, i usually write it down and look it up. From now on, I will share my discoveries. dictionary.com

Nutcracker

2007-12-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

Left: The fountain outside Lincoln Center.

Since returning to the US in 2nd grade, I have seen George Balanchine's Nutcracker by the NYCB company every Christmas. That's 14 times. I can pick out the most minute changes they make each year (this year, the little girls at the dinner party got red corsages, all the other years, they've been green with little colored flowers).

Originally a story by Russian author E.T.A. Hoffmann, Nußknacker und Mausekönig (1816), it was turned into a Russian Ballet with score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. How very interesting. Now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense that Russians are good at ballet. They have to spend more of their time indoors b/c of the snow, they have to keep warm b/c of the cold by working out, and they historically are very poor, hence lots of starved ballerinas to choose from.

It is family tradition to go out for dinner and see the ballet, and none of us get truly into the Christmas mood until we've seen a crazed Dr. Drossemier, the pom-pom's quiver on the balenerina's hands in the snow scene, watched the chocolate do their Spanish dance thing, and rated the coffee's abs for the year. Then we're good to go.

This year, I had an especially hard time focusing on the Sugar Plum fairy because her fairyman, or what ever you call male fairies, had a very large erm... package. Honestly, as the music played I was making up naughty & very funny lyrics in my head (some of them even rhymed!), very hard to concentrate. The picture to the right doesn't give him justice.

My favorite was Dewdrop and the Flowers, because I like they're longer tutu's with so many shades of pink. Actually, my fav are the two lead Flowers, because they get to wear purple. Very cool.

Prior to the show, we went to Shun Lee Cafe. We've tried Shun Lee Palace, but seeing that the fam rarely does Dim Sum (never in fact), we thought it'd be fun. It was. Lots of vegi & crab dumplings for me! And those sesame balls are to die for. Every light was a paper mache cast of an animal with whtie xmass lights inside. To the right is a python hanging down into the room.

Please Note: I did not take any of these dance pictures myself, all ripped from ballerina websites. Without sources. My profs would be so disappointed.

Niki, A Tribute

2007-12-22T23:50:00.000-05:00

This is what I woke up to this morning. Below is footage of her attempting to leap into the flames last night (wait for my narration):

And yes, one more photo:

Summit NJ:Festive Tour

2007-12-22T01:16:00.000-05:00

Brought to you with narration by me and my mom. Yes, I know we're crazy.

Hilarious Photo!

2007-12-22T01:11:00.000-05:00

Seen in a photographer's window. Don't the baby and dog have similar eyes? I know I'm a horrible person for making fun of not-so-cute offspring but alas, I really couldn't help this one.

Bum at Regal Cinema

2007-12-22T00:39:00.000-05:00

Me and "S" (he's paranoid about being mentioned online, in anything, so this is me respecting his privacy) went to see Juno last night at Regal Cinema, Union Square. Quite possibly the most ghetto theater in NYC. After settling in and previews had started rolling, a man scooted into the roll behind us. And then it smelled REALLY BAD.
When I say REALLY BAD, i mean like a huge waff of uncleaned horse stable. But I figured, if the guy paid for a ticket, you can't complain. Then I looked behind me, the blond to his left was terrified and climbing over the seat in our row. The couple on his right left the theater, b/c there weren't any more seats together.
I thought, "he's probably homeless" but figured it was quite moving that he decided to spend his pan handling money on a film about a knocked up 16 yr old. But then I turned around to notice he was asleep. The whole paying $12 for a movie and instead just enjoying a warm nap didn't add up. So I told "S" to go complain. Always a gentleman, he did.
Regal Cinema staff returned, only to ask to see his ticket. He mummbled to them, never showed a ticket, and ignored their polite asking him to leave. They said they'd have to call the police.
What happened next? NOTHING. He stayed for the entire movie, smelling bad enough to actually have a large effect on mine, and other people's experiences. Stupid ass Regal Cinema didn't have the decency to actually get him out of there. Until after the movie, when an employee with "Security" on the back of his shirt, woke him up and escorted him out.

As you can see, he was a very small man. And moved extremely slowly.

So slowly, I have trouble figuring out how the ticket collector (pictured below) didn't notice him crawling by. Yes, he really is wearing a G-Unit sweatshirt. It's nice to know Regal Cinemas is "down" like that, letting employees express their personal style, especially when it involves celebrating gun culture, pushing drugs, and objectifying women.

I complained, and the manager did give me a free ticket. I honestly thought of trying to milk him for two, but I didn't. When I asked why this happened, the guy said they were understaffed at the ticket collecting point. This guy was collecting tickets from 9:30 to about 11:45 when I left, perhaps never having a break. Apparently, they were also too understaffed to get the paper towels into the dispensers, they just lay them on the counter. Cause that makes so much more sense when they get knocked over on the wet counter.

In short, don't go to Regal Cinemas unless you want a bad experience. And to wait about 20 minutes for popcorn because only two people work the entire concession stand.

Pay the Poor for Good Behavior

2007-12-19T23:34:00.000-05:00

Bloomberg's plan has apparently been a hit this semester in certain NYC public schools, where families get paid for ensuring their kids go to school, have Dr checkups, and partake in standardized tests. I can't find the NY Times article I read a couple days ago (Sunday?), but here is some other info on it program:

NY Post's breakdown of paying the poor.
New York Times article from March 2007.

I think it's great that Bloomberg is revamping NYC public schools, supporting pay bonuses for teachers who's students kick ass on standardized tests, and for firing bad ones (shout out to my HS sophomore history teacher). But paying people to do things that are a priviledges we reveive as American citizens (education, free library)? I'm not so convinced.

"The Poor" (which I think is a very negative/unspecific term for who recieves these benefits receive:
-$50 for signing up for a FREE library card
-$150 for having a full time job. If you're a parent, shouldn't that be expected for the sake of your kids?

I have friends with mountains of student debt who work about 30 hours a week to pay their own rent. Why don't private funds delivered via Bloomberg answer their calls? They don't have full time jobs and those student loans can cost a ton more than a kid does for a year. They could end up as prostitutes on the street if the government doesn't come to rescue them!

In short, as long as my tax dollars aren't going towards paying people to do things that I believe to be basic parenting responsibilities, rock on Bloomberg. But it's not my job to pay parents to raise their kids.

My Boyfriend

2007-12-19T22:45:00.001-05:00

My boyfriend is extremely romantic. He sends me flowers, cute cards, and wishes me luck before every big test, meeting, whatever. I am so very fortunate.Here is his xmass card. Complete with little westie dogs. I have a little obsession with westies, and poodles, so it was crazy that yesterday while searching the internet I found this:

Behold, the Westie Poo. Half westie, half poodle, the best of both worlds.

Hipsters & Humbolt St

2007-12-19T22:08:00.000-05:00

Saturday night I headed out to Brooklyn's Graham stop via L Train, otherwise known as the hipster school bus. I swear, I've never seen as many skinny scarves, over sized hats, black leggings, and scrunched down boots in a 51 ft by 8 ft area. This is Humbolt St on my way home around midnight (I returned to keep studying for my math final on Monday).

My purpose was Lisa's holiday party to which my roommate wouldn't let me wear a red and green ensamble because it was too cheesy. And definitely not cool enough. I met some nice guys from sunny side and her old co-worker from Orens Daily Roast.

I truly appreciated Lisa's snacks; especially her little vegan ginger snaps. Very yummy.

I Took A Walk

2007-12-14T15:36:00.000-05:00

First I went to Andrew's Diner for some pancakes and enjoyed the NY Times.

Then I walked along Pearl Street and found this old bit of brick building, being held up by a huge steel wall behind it. And a garage entrance under it. The surrounding lot is currently vacant.

Then I spent some quality time feeling festive on Wall St.

Followed by an uplifting moment in Trinity Church, where Wall St meets B'way.

Then I strolled over to a sunny Ground Zero, via Century 21's Cordlandt, and walked home via Maiden with a stop in Borders.

Xmass Lights in NJ

2007-12-14T15:31:00.001-05:00

Mom shows off her handy work with the lights and garland. Isn't it beautiful?

American Greetings Marketing2Race

2007-12-14T14:24:00.001-05:00

It's a smart idea, and I never noticed it before visiting Duane Reade today, but apparently American Greetings has been marketing cards toward specific ethnic groups for years (I found corporate news from 2001 as earliest documentation). This line is called "In Rhythm," and celebrates Black History Month which I just learned is January.

American Greetings has another line geared towards African Americans called Baobab Tree. A Baobab is what Raffiki lived in in The Lion King, I think; from Madagascar, it has a really fat trunk (swollen with water) with disproportionately smaller branches. Before 1995, the line was called was called Black Impressions (source).

They also have many lines in Spanish, obviously geared towards hispanics called Spanish Soft Touch, Momentos de Inspiracion, intuiciones, Karlitos Koala, and Design Studio ... En Espano.

Now on some level, I must admit I'm a bit jealous. I checked many of the cards, and most of them have cartoons or images, although I'd estimate about 1.5/10 have a white person. So if I'm looking for a card and want a person in it that looks somewhat like me, I have to shuffle through all the cards because there isn't a designated section for Caucasian cards. Perhaps it the line could be called "Fantasy Suburbia" or "English Oak."

That being said, I applaud AG on working their overpriced pieces of paper into niche markets. (Did you know cards can cost like $5?!). But why have they lost so much steam online? Their website has no spanish speaking option; their are no In Rhythm oriented e-cards, and when I searched for "Baobob" tree it asked me if i meant "boob."

Does this mean AG thinks the minorities they are courting in stores don't have enough weight to justify an online presence among what feels like hundreds (thousands?) of e cards?

People With Aids Plaza

2007-12-14T14:17:00.001-05:00

Last night I was walking home from the 6 train at Brooklyn Bridge and look what I found. It's located between Beekman Street and Spruce Street on Park Row's park side.

NYC Birds Are STD Free

2007-12-14T14:10:00.001-05:00

Good to know Petco on Union Square is protecting me from STD's! Oh sorry, I mean "STI" (I=Infection).

Matilda is Sexually Active!

2007-12-14T13:41:00.000-05:00

Matilda saying goodbye via slobber kiss to a Cliff Street resident after spending the night. Then heading out for the Fulton Street subway.

These have been many sightings at NYU's Cliff Street dorm of Mara Wilson, or "Matilda" from the movie based off of Roald Dahl's book. She got into my elevator with a scrawny looking sophomore guy, but I didn't even know it was her because she wore a hood. In the elevator.

Even weirder, my opening elevator door interrupted their make out session, then they stood on opposite sides of the elevator. She got signed out by the guard, and followed by another sloppy kiss outside before she trundled away.

Perhaps what's oddest about her, is how un-pretty she is. As me and Steeners walked outside, she told me it was the Matilda girl, and my response was "she was kind of not good looking!" to which Steeners responded "that's what everyone is saying!"

50 Things to Know About Film Production

2007-12-13T19:45:00.000-05:00

The following list was created by Tisch School of the Arts (NYU) Professor Maureen Ryan. You can find her email here.

1. Feed your crew every 6 hours.
2. Never assume anything.
3. Always hire the best crew you can afford.
4. Everone wants to be a part of something. This is often more important than money to the right person.
5. Leave the Attitude at home.
6. If you don't know something, ask.
7. There are only so many hours of daylight in a given day. PLan accordingly.
8. Delegate to competent people.
9. Work hard on set. Work harder off the set to create a balanced life.
10. When everone is doing their job and working towards the same goal, anything is possible.
11. Love what you do, it's too hard otherwise.
12. Explaining what you have planned to all the crew members. They'll buy into it at the beginning of the day adn everything will be easier, better, smoother.
13. Be curious. You can't know everything, so ask for advice/help.
14. Treat your crews well and they'll recommend you for jobs.
15. Talk to your crew if you might have to delay lunch, or else face meal penalties.
16. Gaffer's tape can repain anything. (cars, appliances, rental equipment, but not a broken heart)
17. Negotiation is a conversation. Everyone needs to keep their self-respect and feel they are being considered.
18. Always record 60 seconds of Room Tone before moving to the next set.
19. Pre-production is everything.
20. No yelling! Ever!
21. Mutual respect is the only way.
22. Decency trumps talent every time.
23. Return phone calls within 24 hours.
24. Email whenever possible or you don't need an answer immediately.
25. No animals or children on set - if at all possible.
26. It always takes longer than you think. Schedule accordingly.
27. Craft service is the last bastion of civility.
28. Every action has a consequence that affects so many others.
29. The Golden Rule rules!
30. If you get behind in teh schedule, figure out what you can lose, or find more money for overtime.
31. Figure out teh director's "throughline" - it will make your life a lot easier.
32. Pad your budget.
33. Never say "no" to the director or a crew person. Always say "let's see"; this way, they know they've been heard and never feel shut down.
34. Listen AND look.
35. Build it all up. Wait for it to fall apart. Then build it all up again.
36. Do what's best for the project, not your wgo or some other agenda. It keeps it all simple and "clean".
37. Don't put the chocolate out on the craft service table until after lunch.
38. Hang out at the back of the Grip Truck if you want to know what really is happening on set.
39. Casting is 90% of the work.
40. Change your shoes after lunch. Your feet will thank you.
41. Figure otu your own strengths and weaknesses and then hire others to fill out your areas of weakness.
42. Always watch and listen to audio playback a few takes into the shoot.
43. If there is one bad apple, get rid of it.
44. There are no problems, only solutions.
45. Always actualize the budget after ti's compelte. It gives you a wealth of information.
46. Pay all outstanding invoices in less than 30 days.
47. Don't always go with the lower price - there's more than just money to consider.
48. Get a good caterer. it makes for a happy and productive crew.
49. Inspire others to join the cause by your own example.
50. You can only have 2 out of the 3, pick which ones you need: FAST, CHEAP, or GOOD.

Linkbait

2007-12-13T13:06:00.000-05:00

Linkbait is content you make for your webpage in the hopes that other people will link to it. This will create link juice and boost your website’s organic rank. This content can be video, images, blog posts, newspaper articles, anything that catches people’s eye and creates traffic to the designated webpage.

Web communities including Stumble Upon, Reddit, Digg, and Del.icio.us are dedicated to sharing quality content with other members via user submissions, followed by voting. Content with the most votes gets the most attention and voilà! Your link bait has gone viral.

Another option for creating link bait is submitting relevant content to popular blogs. For example, last week Avi snapped a couple low resolution images on his iPhone of a new public toilet being constructed in Madison Square Park. Nothing special, just a couple of guys placing finishing touches on a little hut to pee in. The commuter then submitted the images to curbed.com, a popular blog about real estate in NYC. Curbed posted it, with a link to Avi’s website promediacorp.com. Then New York Magazine caught wind of it, and also posted it on their site too. Now, promediacorp.com is basking in the glory of inlinks & a high CTR, all from a couple toilet pictures.

Another strong example of link bait is myheritage.com, a sleepy site that created a fun celebrity look a-like tool. They made the tool into a facebook application and myspace add on, creating a lots of links back to them.

Some tips for creating viral content:
1. Write a “Tops” list. Everyone loves a tops list. Some interesting ones I’ve seen today include “Top 10 Worst Fast Food Advertising Campaigns” or “10 Great Gaming Inventions in 2008.”
2. Network your web community connections, don’t abuse them. As you gain a rap for submitting exciting content, you can add more “big time” friends who will actually remember you for quality, people who are top Diggers or Stumblers, etc; they will further spread the word.
3. If it’s just clicks you’re after, you don’t necessarily need content related to your original webpage. Toilets and SEO won’t sleep together, but they got the job done for promediacorp.com's clicks.
4. SE Roundtable reminds us to rock the RSS feed, “all sites should sport a little organce button if they want to spread the word” says Debra Mastaler.

Interview with the Janitor

2007-12-13T12:33:00.001-05:00

Last night my prof said he had a special guest for our final class. It was the guy who keeps the 6th floor clean, and it was a life changing experience. I will never forget Eric's talk, for as long as I live. Stay tuned, b/c i'll write about it tonight.

My Wish for Viral Videos

2007-12-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

Lots of youtube videos have little websites printed on, as the material plays (see "darejunkies.com" in Club N video below). but wouldn't it be great if those little web addresses could actually link to the pages? I have very little idea how this would actually be done, but i would like to make it.

Pole Dancers at "Club N"

2007-12-11T17:06:00.000-05:00

A couple of NYU graduates just trying to get by, these girls wanted to win darejunkies.com's dare for best public pole dance for $10,000. Needless to say, they did. Aren't NYU graduates talented? And so resourceful.

And this is the article Daily News published today.

Sex, Money, Pets

2007-12-10T15:45:00.001-05:00

"Sex, Money, Pets, these are the reasons people move" - I will xplain later.

Review: The Namesake

2007-12-09T10:37:00.000-05:00

Herald & Kumar's Kal Penn gets serious as Gogol Ganguli, a 1st generation Indian American, dancing between his parent's Bengali roots and assimilating into a north east American lifestyle.

Some may say it's a bit of a drag, but I actually found it fast paced for narrating the life story of two generations of a family. His name, Gogol, is his family's pet name for him, and as Gogol spends more time with his white friends, at Yale, and as an architect in Soho, he assumes his formal name Nikhil. Even his uber yuppy girlfriends calls him "Nik." But after some dramatic family events, he ends up with a nice Bengali intellectual; they marry, but just because she's indian doesn't mean she's going to be a perfect house wife, and they split.

In my mind, his mother is the other significant character. She moves to Queens after meeting her husband for a few days; she yearns for her warm homeland, finding the people here cold. Luckily, her husband is very supportive as she struggles to adapt to her new life. As the family grows, she continues to be the voice of "well back in India..."; but with good reason, and instead of rolling eyes, I ended up sympathizing with her.

In short: 4/5 Stars.

Review: Moonstruck

2007-12-09T10:24:00.000-05:00

Me & Steeners knew not what to expect from this movie, both recalling only ever seeing Cher in that film where she has the ugly faced kid. Moonstruck is about a widow in Little Italy/Brooklyn engaged to a pathetic but sweet hearted man; he asks her to invite his family outcasted brother to the wedding while he is gone to Italy, she falls in love with the little brother.

Things I learned: before all her plastic surgery, Cher was actually quite beautiful. Nicolas Cage, even with a wooden hand, is extremely hot.

The plot seemed to us like an play, there was plenty of symbolism about the moon, a small cast, and other family members also struggeling with their romantic relationships. Cher and & mother, Olympia Dukakis, were so believable Steeners wondered if maybe that is her real mom. My favorite part was that Nicolas Cage loved the opera, personally I've never been and don't really care (although ballet is a different story), but it was extremely romantic.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Dad is NOT My Date

2007-12-09T00:37:00.000-05:00

It's always happened, but sometimes I feel more acutely aware of the situation. Normal circumstances are:

1. Nice restaurant
2. Dinner table of only one sex
3. Polite waiters who don't say anything

My sister had a squash tournament on Friday at L.A. Fitness. While she finished up reffing a match, Dad and I ran out in search of a place for dinner.

Down the block we found East River Cafe, a great mellow spot with a piano player and older 35 to 65 crowed. As I followed my dad to a table, I looked up to see an older woman staring me down as she spoke. Her eyebrows raised a tad, and she kept speaking to her dinner companion. We crosser her line of vision and her companion then had the view of us. The younger woman eyed me as I sat, then responded to the older woman.

Then there was the office dinner party happening next to our table, with all the men at the back end of the long table. As I sat at a table (for four people! My sister and mom weren't even there yet), all of the men's eyes looked to Dad, and then to each other, and then muttered a little something before continuing to chug their beverages.

I'm sure someone reading this is thinking, you're paranoid as heck and then add some odd bit about Freud. But in NY, there really are 50 year olds courting women in their 20's, and it freaks me out that people think that about me! I would never go over 10ish years, and I certainly have never gone under 5yrs older. Personally, I think 5 to 7 yrs is the perfect different, but that's a whole other post.

New Booties

2007-12-09T00:23:00.000-05:00

As you can tell, I have new ski booties from the experts at Sure Foot at 69th St and 3rd Ave. No better boot makers exist, I do believe.

The process of selecting and making my boots took 2 hours in total; it began with multiple foot scans, analysis of my ski level/style and what shell I should use, moved into building my pads, then they put me on a ramp and shot foam through the boot's pads via tubes to make it meld to my feet, and ended with shaving off 2mm at my left toe b/c it was a bit close.

Needless to say, they are a beautiful baby blue (or maybe periwinkle, i haven't decided), and fit like a glove. I am SO excited to try them out. An east coast ski weekend is now desperately needed!
Below: a picture of a cute boot for the little skiers hitting up the slopes.

Drugs & Utah University

2007-12-04T22:05:00.000-05:00

Learn about drugs from mice, without hurting any real mice! Credit for finding this site goes to Scott in the office.

Dressage Riding at it's Best

2007-12-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

This amazing & beautiful & I highly doubt any of my readers (aka 10 to 20 close friends) will have the patience to watch the entire thing but it's great:

Reminds me of the Lipizzan horses I first saw perform as a little girl when on a family holiday in Spain. Last fall 2006 I was fortunate enough to see them again at Wemberly Park's mini stadium for a second time, with my mom in tow. Even the Queen came, and we all had to stand up when she entered, which I found rather silly.

Not that I'm tooting my country's horn but...Americans did rescue the Lipizzan horses from Hitler & Co. in World War II. I've read they even had special stable bunkers for when bombs were dropped.

$20

2007-12-04T14:22:00.000-05:00

Two very interesting facts about $20:

First, there's a conspiracy theory which I believe someone with way too much time made up.

Secondly, there used to be a $20 coin! Minted from 1838 to 1933, these one ounce gold coins were finally recalled in 1933 to be melted down. Now they go for about $100 on eBay. But I haven't figured out why the government melted them in the first place.

My Class's Critque

2007-12-04T11:15:00.001-05:00

I just had my website critiqued in class. I don't want to post a link here b/c it's got a bit too much personal info for right now, but let me say: one of my classmate is an ass hole. A couple guys had suggestions and they were nice about them, but there's this one guy who tells everyone how their site "doesn't work" for him. He said my site:

1) looks like a template I got from yahoo (I made it all myself, thank you very much)
2) the flowers create a springtime theme which is very stereotypical
3) my selected fonts stink and don't coordinate
4) my rollover states, which were shade below the fonted button, were boring

What a little ___ (you know what). I can't wait to critique his page. I'm all up for critique, but at least say one nice thing before ripping a person's entire work apart.

Vegan Reviews

2007-12-03T19:27:00.000-05:00

I've tried tempeh tonight, according to the package it's Indonesian. According to me, it taste like yuckyness. Gross. I chopped it up to fry (2nd image) with some soy sauce and nothing can help the bark like taste tempeh exudes.
Below, on the plus side, is Trader Joe's microwavable Pad Thai. It's so good, I can't believe it only costs $2.99, because I could order the same thing from Lemon Grass Grill for $9.00 and it wouldn't taste any differently. I love Trader Joe's, so must cheaper than shitty Jubilee down town here in the financial district.

My Daemon!

2007-12-03T17:42:00.000-05:00

This is my daemon, Aenad, and he's a tiger! I'm happy because last time I took this quiz over the summer I had this ugly little monkey thing. Cal got this cute little sexy looking kitty, I was a bit jealous. But now I have a big, fluffy, lovable tiger with stripes, who can run really fast (or "pad" along), and has very sharp teeth. But still very huggable, look at those gentle eyes. My only problem is that my profile says I'm "shy" and "outgoing", I would have to agree with only the latter.

You all should take the quiz, let me know what you get! And of course, you should all also read the book The Golden Compass/Northern Lights by Philip Pullman (the first in the His Dark Materials series).

XMASS!

2007-12-02T21:35:00.000-05:00

It's officially Christmas time because:
1) I'm feeling more broke than usual.
2) I have tons of final assignments/tests due.
2) There's snow on the ground!
3) My lobby has a christmass tree & menorah. And the Japanese maples outside has lights too!

Times Square

2007-11-30T18:11:00.000-05:00

The brightest, Disney-esque part of Manhattan is called "Times Square." But have you ever noticed that when you say the intersection of 7th Ave and B'way out loud you pronounce it "Time Square" ?

Originally the site of a former NY militia soldier John Morin Scott, who served under George Washington, the property was bought by the Astor family, and then the New York Times built their headquarters at the downtown edge of the intersection; soon be addressed "One Times Square." Todays iconic light displays have their origins in 1904, when a local bank at 46th St and Broadway put up their first electric sign on the corner.

And apparently some plays happen around there too, but they're way out of the student budget so I only go on a TKTS ticket :-)

Cutest Post Ever

2007-11-29T16:33:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite bloggers, who I occasionally check in on is Brooklyn Lad. This post is about his son Billy learning to go to the bathroom. Call me crazy, but I think it's cute as hell.

Prada Pumps

2007-11-29T14:37:00.000-05:00

This office manager in my office was just given adorable black patent leather pumps. They're even Prada. It was a gift from a friendly, small dog toting, gay man who seems surprisingly down to earth.

I want my gay pal (attn: Alex W.) to drop by with designer shoes on occasion, and let me pick up his dog (attn: not your real dog, he's too heavy to hold).

All he wants for Christmas

2007-11-29T11:13:00.000-05:00

Some guys like year long Playboy subscriptions, others a video game, event a console, but not my boyfriend. He's made his wish perfectly clear:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/28/optimus-maximus-in-minimus-sub-1000-configurations/

Second Life: Dressing Avatars for Success

2007-11-26T19:32:00.000-05:00

As if flipping non-existent real estate and working in an virtual office weren't enough, Second Life is getting even more realistic with job placement! Employers like Verizon, HP, & Microsoft are having Second Life career fairs and interviews!

I once had a Second Life avatar, but Victoria (I honestly forget her last name) became such a huge part of my day I had to stop signing on because I needed to retain a real life.

Read Anjali Athaveley's WSJ article.

Free Rice & Affiliate Marketing

2007-11-26T17:00:00.000-05:00

Affiliate marketing runs wild on freerice.com . When you scroll along the bottom, you will notice that links go to click.linksynergy.com/morecrap .

Recall your SAT vocab words and donate 10 grains of rice for every correct answer!

Tofurkey Reflections

2007-11-25T17:58:00.000-05:00

Below: the uncooked tofurkey. With stuffing underneath. A certain poodle looks on in the background.

It tasted like crap. And quite frankly, I think it looks a bit like it too. The lesson I learned is this: buy fake meat, don't try to recreate it yourself. Better yet, don't cave into the pressure to create fake meat in the first place.

Below: Out of the oven, almost on my plate. The "gravy" however, was delicious.

My Tofurkey Recipe

2007-11-21T20:44:00.000-05:00

I'll be sure to take pictures. This recipe comes from allrecipes.com .

PREP TIME	15 Min
COOK TIME	50 Min
READY IN	3 Hrs 5 Min

INGREDIENTS

1 pound firm tofu
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried savory
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (12 ounce) package dry bread stuffing mix
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup soy margarine
1 slice bread, cubed
1/2 teaspoon sage
2 tablespoons water
5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 teaspoon barbeque sauce
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon orange jam
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Drain and rinse tofu; in a food processor or blender, process tofu until smooth. Stir in salt, marjoram, savory and pepper. Line a sieve with 2 sheets of paper towel and place over an empty bowl. Place tofu in lined sieve and press against sides to form a deep well in the middle. Place 2 more sheets of paper towel over tofu and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat combine stuffing mix, 2/3 cup water and margarine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes and fluff with a fork. To the stuffing add bread cubes, sage and 2 tablespoons water.
After tofu has chilled for 2 hours, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). With 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, grease a baking sheet.
Remove the top layer of paper towels from the tofu. If necessary, again press tofu against the sides of the sieve to form a well. Spoon the stuffing mixture into the well and smooth the surface with a spoon. Invert the tofu mold onto prepared baking sheet. Remove the remaining paper towel layer and shape the tofu with your hands if it has cracked or lost its shape.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by combining barbecue sauce, mustard, orange jam, orange juice, sesame seeds and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. After tofu has baked for 30 minutes, brush or spoon the glaze over it. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes more.
Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tofu is browned and crispy.

4 Legged Family Members

2007-11-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

Today my sister caught this on her mobile. The beginning of my return home for Thanksgiving, just like it always is... Niki (my kitty) and Cody (my poodle) fighting it out. Actually, Cody is a peace loving fluff ball but Niki ("the little one" as my mom calls her) is "Trouble" as my dad has renamed her b/c she is just that.

Goal #4

2007-11-20T12:52:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me probably knows that I'm very goal oriented. Defining the next thing I want to accomplish keeps me focused. As my roommate will attest to, I keep this up by posting note cards above my bed, around my desk, with current goals in bright marker colors.

Right now they are:

A's, A's, A's - I have to get A's in school. No exceptions this semester, I decided over the summer I'm too smart for a B.
$XX,000 - a slightly more private goal, I already know my salary for next year. My mother thinks I'm crazy, but I know I'm that valuable. (hello there future employer!)
Vocab! - I have an extremely limited vocabulary. I like to shovel this blame onto my parents because as a youth I never learned "fancy" words, my parents in turn blame the California public school system, for not inspiring their everyday lexicon. Every time I hear or read a word I don't know, I write it down and make a note card for it on my coat closet doors.

NEW GOAL #4: by November 20, 2008, I will have a speaking position lined up
at a SEM event.

I have lots of work to do to even make this feasible, first, I may want to start actually writing SEM related posts on a new site that doesn't mix my personal life in quite so much.

SMX London, searching for women

2007-11-20T12:13:00.000-05:00

One observation I must mention, which didn't impress me at SMX London, was the lack of women speakers. I went to 8 sessions, each with 3 to 4 speakers and out of those 28 people (8 x 3.5) I recall 2 women.

The first was SEO Chicks Lisa Ditlefsen, which sells brilliant green SEO Chicks tshirts and did an equally brilliant Leveraging Social Media Networks presentation talking about a sleepy site called myheratige.com which went crazy viral with a celebrity lookalike widget. The second was Jane Copland of SEOmoz who, besides wearing a great lip color, had great slides for her Linkbaiting & Viral Serach Marketing Tactics presentation.

I highly doubt this lack of women (7.14% by my count) has anything to do with Chris Sherman and Danny Sullivan holding a bias against the fairer sex, but simply reflects a lack of women in SEM. At least, from my limited experince at networking events in NYC, this seems to be the case.

I intend on helping to change this trend.

SMX London, Reasons to go

2007-11-20T11:44:00.000-05:00

1. Although the guys still look like they're computer savvy nerds, the accents make them a lot more attractive, dare I say some reach sexiness.
2. It's the only place you'll actually feel bad for Microsoft; when the main sponsor's Windows Live presentation doesn't work b/c their version of an adwords account fails to load the presenter's log in name properly.
3. They manage to suit every interest randing from a "Fundamentals Track" to "advanced Organic Track"
4. Great food. So much better than other conferences I've attended. Fancy deserts you don't want to eat b/c they look too pretty, grilled salmon with a crusty erm...crust over it, yummy noodles & tons of salad.
5. Networking - I met many a friendly face from in-house SEOer for John Deere tractors to a couple friendly women in Atlas's London office.

Plagiarism & My Sweat

2007-11-14T00:54:00.000-05:00

I have been working on this great idea for a web series. Without disclosing details (although the name does give a preview), it's called College Bound. For my class Producing Essentials I had to select an investor, I decided upon Kaplan - a popular test prep company in the US.

After turning in 75% of the project last week, I was researching Kaplan's site over the weekend and found THIS. Check out the second half of the right hand column.

My idea was so good, it already existed. Granted, mine has a number of better features including video instead of just audio, but the principles, the selected advertiser, and even the NAME are the same!

I couldn't hold it in, so I asked to speak to my prof after class and explain the situation to her. She was incredibly understanding, and told me not to even worry about rewriting my proposal for another investor nor renaming my project! This made me very happy, because I've put a ton of work into it and lost sleep over the ordeal of being thought a plagiarist. (is that a real word?)

Then she asked me "So have you considered pitching it to them?" I looked at her all confused and said, "like, actually suggest they do it?" (my brilliant response); she went on to say I have one of her top 3 favorite ideas in the class (60 people), and that I should seriously consider shopping it around to relevant investors.

Now I may know what to do without a forth course next semester...

Final Uni Courses (Spring 2008)

2007-11-12T10:34:00.000-05:00

I am staying on at NYU for an extra semester, so as to satisfy my parents intense need to sit in Washington Square Park and watch me graduate surrounded by leafy green & lots of other students in caps and gowns. Since I am complete with all requirements for my major and minor, I have decided to expand into some less obvious areas of study:

Anime - East Asian Studies (EAS) department gets together to watch series and films. I love the EAS, Neon Genisis Evangelion (tv series, never saw alternative ending movie), and that wolf princess chick wasn't half bad so I figure it'll be interesting.
Intro to Soviet Cinema - taugh by "the most russian man i know" according to ratemyprofessor.com, I loved the Communist films & filmed ballets from my Gender & Radicalism in Modern China course, so why not migrate to the other half of the continent? Less dragons and red, more alcohol, guns, and men with beards.
Intro to Painting - my first art class since high school. very excited to get my hands dirty!

Out with the Old (Emails) In with the New (Dress)

2007-11-10T00:48:00.000-05:00

I just took 3 hours to clear out 449 emails with 232 new emails. And that's just my uni account. I'm scared to look at my work account right now. I also erased almost all of the 154 email addresses I had in my address book. I'm so wild when it comes to a Friday!

Today I went crazy running around Chelsea and the West Village trying to find a dress for this Celilidh I'm going to with Cal next Friday. All I have to say is it's navy in color, and sexy as hell while being uber conservative all at the same time. I love it. I love it!