Thanks to my best friend for making my morning!
A few years ago, I had posted something about the then new ad for the Sony Bravia flat panel TV.
Other ad companies had apparently then started imitating and spoofing the commercial to great effect!
What makes it funny however, is not just the spoof itself, but the reaction it then garnered from the residents of Swansea, where the ad was filmed. See here. Thank goodness Sony didn't use fruit- I doubt they could afford to the incur ire of the entire city of San Francisco.
Enjoy!
**Update: Ok, it would now seem that this entire thing- from the ad to the Swansea residents' website was part of a larger viral campaign by Tango, the juice-maker! The campaign also included a spoof news website and ebay listings of things allegedly "broken" during the filming of the ad. See here.
Clever... :)
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Back in the kitchen
You know it's Fall in Ann Arbor when a bus ride that typically takes 20 minutes takes you 35 instead :( Yup, it's Move-In day at the dorms, which means huge big-ass SUVs on every corner and brand-new, shiny "here's your present for getting into college" BMWs and VWs... Note to self: stay at home on Move-In days from now on.
So we've been back for a couple of days and still reeling from the jetlag somewhat. I thought I was doing well yesterday until I rested my head on the pillow at 10pm (why? why? she asks herself...), and the next thing I knew, it was 5am. I decided to wake up, did some work, and then promptly went back to sleep until 8.30am. I'm sure that doesn't bode well for my general functioning today...
Something that did help me stave off the jetlag blues yesterday afternoon was cooking actually. I know, that sounds odd, but there's something in the rhythmic chopping, slicing and prepping that necessitated a kind of easy focus and attention from my mind that would have otherwise succumbed to the drowsiness. And so I spent the afternoon making a batch of stuffed zucchinis. It was a little labor-intensive, but like I said, I needed it, and it was somewhat therapeutic too. I miss cooking in our own kitchen- actually, I miss cooking. The thing about being home is never having to cook on our own- there's no shortage of local food to eat and lucky us, home-cooked food is always just a phonecall away... :) But I've also missed pottering around our kitchen, thinking up of new things to try, and bringing back old favorites that always satisfy.
Speaking of which, if you do have a couple of hours to spare, try this recipe for Stuffed Zucchinis. I adapted it from Simply Recipes that calls for turkey sausages. We didn't have any so I used ground chicken and seasoned it with fennel, paprika, red chili flakes and a generous dash of salt and pepper. And I used 5 regular sized zucchinis rather than the really large ones. Everything else was pretty much the same. I highly recommend the recipe- the zucchinis come out all succulent and flavorful, and because it's all veggie and lean white meat, it's healthy too! Just what we need after 5 weeks of abadoned indulgence!
So we've been back for a couple of days and still reeling from the jetlag somewhat. I thought I was doing well yesterday until I rested my head on the pillow at 10pm (why? why? she asks herself...), and the next thing I knew, it was 5am. I decided to wake up, did some work, and then promptly went back to sleep until 8.30am. I'm sure that doesn't bode well for my general functioning today...
Something that did help me stave off the jetlag blues yesterday afternoon was cooking actually. I know, that sounds odd, but there's something in the rhythmic chopping, slicing and prepping that necessitated a kind of easy focus and attention from my mind that would have otherwise succumbed to the drowsiness. And so I spent the afternoon making a batch of stuffed zucchinis. It was a little labor-intensive, but like I said, I needed it, and it was somewhat therapeutic too. I miss cooking in our own kitchen- actually, I miss cooking. The thing about being home is never having to cook on our own- there's no shortage of local food to eat and lucky us, home-cooked food is always just a phonecall away... :) But I've also missed pottering around our kitchen, thinking up of new things to try, and bringing back old favorites that always satisfy.
Speaking of which, if you do have a couple of hours to spare, try this recipe for Stuffed Zucchinis. I adapted it from Simply Recipes that calls for turkey sausages. We didn't have any so I used ground chicken and seasoned it with fennel, paprika, red chili flakes and a generous dash of salt and pepper. And I used 5 regular sized zucchinis rather than the really large ones. Everything else was pretty much the same. I highly recommend the recipe- the zucchinis come out all succulent and flavorful, and because it's all veggie and lean white meat, it's healthy too! Just what we need after 5 weeks of abadoned indulgence!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Field Recording 2: Singapore street auction
It's the seventh (ghost) month on the Lunar calendar and temporary stages have been erected all over Singapore. These stages typically host performances (if the clan or business association can afford it) or more commonly benevolent auctions to benefit charities. These auctions tend to be noisy affairs and street performances in their own right. The auctioneer is typically a professional trained in the art of handling a rowdy and drunken bunch. Also, conducting an auction by the side of a busy is no mean feat. This auction was recorded on August 23rd at about 10.30pm and was located outside the coffeeshop on the corner of Sin Min and Thomson Roads.
* update: thought I would add some photos for good measure to provide some context to the field recordings.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Tempeh contribution
Sometime in April when we had the Cooks over for dinner, we made Tempeh Tauhu Goreng and then posted the photo onto Flickr.
Subsequently, we were approached by someone in the U.K. who manufactures tempeh who asked if he could use the photo on his company's website as well as have the recipe. The website's now up and so is the photo and the recipe. Here's the site's front page:
I gave them a modified recipe from the one I had used since they told me that most of their customers are vegetarians. Here's the vegetarian version of the dish.
There was no money exchanged in the process of course, but we got credit for the photo and the recipe, and it's just nice to know that our food pornography's appreciated ... :)
Subsequently, we were approached by someone in the U.K. who manufactures tempeh who asked if he could use the photo on his company's website as well as have the recipe. The website's now up and so is the photo and the recipe. Here's the site's front page:
I gave them a modified recipe from the one I had used since they told me that most of their customers are vegetarians. Here's the vegetarian version of the dish.
There was no money exchanged in the process of course, but we got credit for the photo and the recipe, and it's just nice to know that our food pornography's appreciated ... :)
Friday, August 17, 2007
881 Soundtrack: A review
After watching the movie, it was time to spend some time mulling over the music of course, and I have to say that both Jude and I have become rather taken with the soundtrack actually. While the film was a little long-drawn at parts, with the soundtrack, I was left wanting more. The renditions of ge-tai standards aside, all the songs written specifically for the film are truly exquisite.
There was a time in my junior college days when mornings were defined by my friend, Yvonne and I walking to school while humming popular xinyao songs (see Wikipedia entry here for this genre of songs originating right here in Singapore.) Listening to the 881 soundtrack has reminded me once again why I- thoroughly non-Mandarin speaking- had found this brand of Chinese songs so beguiling, and why I'm now beginning to rediscover that side of me that loved this music so much. I think there is something about the lyricism of the language that lends itself easily- with few words- to evoking rich images and hence complex moods and emotions. And it is this spareness and simplicity of the lyrics that make the layers of meaning even more profound.
Take for exmple "Black May" (身外物), my favorite track on the album. For those of you who read Mandarin, here are, in my opinion, the most moving lines:
身体和财富, 都是身外物.
都是暂时借来完成短促的演出.
人类是租户, 爱却是礼物.
哪怕物归原主, 爱也不会结束.
I don't admit to having a command of the Chinese language enough to translate this accurately, and even if I did, something is bound to be lost in the process anyway. But to give you a rough idea of the melancholy captured in just those few lines, a very rudimentary, very unpolished translation might read: Our bodies and wealth are merely borrowed for this short performance otherwise known as Life; we are but renters of these mortal possessions. But Love is a gift, and even if it is to be returned one day, it will endure.
Here's the video of the song, performed by Ngak, a popular pub singer/songwriter who performs in various local venues:
Another exceptionally written song, and also the unofficial title track of the album is "One-Half" (一人一半). There are several versions of it on the soundtrack and the album version is performed in a combination of Hokkien and Mandarin.
The lightly upbeat melody of this tune belies the heartbreak and sadness so palpable in the lyrics. Together with "Black May", "One Half" and most of the original songs on the soundtrack sustain a theme of waiting, sacrifice, and a tortured love muted and thwarted by circumstances. In other words, this is painful stuff, folks...
There was a time in my junior college days when mornings were defined by my friend, Yvonne and I walking to school while humming popular xinyao songs (see Wikipedia entry here for this genre of songs originating right here in Singapore.) Listening to the 881 soundtrack has reminded me once again why I- thoroughly non-Mandarin speaking- had found this brand of Chinese songs so beguiling, and why I'm now beginning to rediscover that side of me that loved this music so much. I think there is something about the lyricism of the language that lends itself easily- with few words- to evoking rich images and hence complex moods and emotions. And it is this spareness and simplicity of the lyrics that make the layers of meaning even more profound.
Take for exmple "Black May" (身外物), my favorite track on the album. For those of you who read Mandarin, here are, in my opinion, the most moving lines:
身体和财富, 都是身外物.
都是暂时借来完成短促的演出.
人类是租户, 爱却是礼物.
哪怕物归原主, 爱也不会结束.
I don't admit to having a command of the Chinese language enough to translate this accurately, and even if I did, something is bound to be lost in the process anyway. But to give you a rough idea of the melancholy captured in just those few lines, a very rudimentary, very unpolished translation might read: Our bodies and wealth are merely borrowed for this short performance otherwise known as Life; we are but renters of these mortal possessions. But Love is a gift, and even if it is to be returned one day, it will endure.
Here's the video of the song, performed by Ngak, a popular pub singer/songwriter who performs in various local venues:
Another exceptionally written song, and also the unofficial title track of the album is "One-Half" (一人一半). There are several versions of it on the soundtrack and the album version is performed in a combination of Hokkien and Mandarin.
The lightly upbeat melody of this tune belies the heartbreak and sadness so palpable in the lyrics. Together with "Black May", "One Half" and most of the original songs on the soundtrack sustain a theme of waiting, sacrifice, and a tortured love muted and thwarted by circumstances. In other words, this is painful stuff, folks...
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Royston Tan's 881: A review
Royston Tan's 881 opened last week on the 9th of August. The choice of the opening date was really strategic to the movie I must say - 9th of August was National Day and it is also right before the Lunar 7th month or Ghost Month begins.
In a previous post, we've exclaimed our enthusiasm for this movie. Apparently this enthusiasm was also shared by Serene's family and it was a big day out for everyone as I reserved an entire row of seats at the cinema.
The movie has been greatly hyped in the mainstream media and I was both surprised and glad to hear that Royston managed to get actual getai performers to act in this movie. Also, the dialogue of was filmed in a mixture of Hokkien dialect and Mandarin. This was of great interest especially to older Singaporeans (many of whom I spotted in the audience) as the vernacular dialects have been banned on most media channels since the early 1980s.
The opening of the movie was also not without controversy though. According to the Royston Tan blog, the director and cast member (Mindee Ong) were injured by assailants on motorcycles who pelted them with eggs. Read more about it (as well as the official press conference) here.
But did the movie live up to the hype? I would have to say that for the most part it did. The performances put in by the two main protagonists were stellar. Additionally, the visuals in movie were stunning and there was interesting use of CG especially towards the end of the movie. Everyone (this is referring to myself and Serene's family) enjoyed the songs and musical numbers so much that we were still humming a couple of the tunes after dinner. However, there were moments in the movie which would have benefited from tighter editing. There were points which I felt that Royston belabored and could have made more succinct.
We just managed to get hold of the soundtrack and are looking forward to listening to when we return to Ann Arbor and when home just seems a little too far away... :)
Sunday, August 12, 2007
New personal avatars - advice sought
We have been meaning to improve on our avatars for a while now. The existing avatars were created using a web application and did their jobs well until now. As the both of us are back in Singapore at the same time, we thought that we would ask our very talented friend Dominic Chang, who's a brilliant animator to help us with creating improved versions of our online identities and image. The result of his work can be seen in the image above. And below shows you how much work Dominic put into this through his process sketches.
What we were going to do with the final icons are to digitize them and then load them onto either Photoshop or Illustrator and fill in the colors. I'd appreciate anyone's advice on how I should go about doing this as this is the first time we are actually doing something like this. Hope to hear from someone soon.
Happy Birthday Dad!
After 4 years of not being around for my parents' birthdays, Jude and I are finally home in August and able to celebrate their birthdays with them this year. My dad's birthday today was a nice little affair, complete with a flower arrangement, a tower of cupcakes, a homemade meal of course, and the wonderful company of my uncle, aunt, and my cousins, Jill and Terri (who just discovered that yes, she can bowl, thanks to the Wii...)
I remember how special it was when my family were with us in Ann Arbor at my birthday two years back, so I'm really glad we're home this year for my parents'.
Happy Birthday Dad! And many many many many happy returns!! :)
I remember how special it was when my family were with us in Ann Arbor at my birthday two years back, so I'm really glad we're home this year for my parents'.
Happy Birthday Dad! And many many many many happy returns!! :)
Friday, August 03, 2007
Field Recordings: Singapore miscellany
For those of you who have been following our flickr site, you would know that I've sunk some money in an Edirol R09 digital audio/field recorder. I've just started using this device over the past couple of days and must say that I've been very impressed with the results. While it's not exactly difficult to use, getting the recorder going while you are on the move or in a tight spot can be a little involved. Also, I've not invested in external mics yet and have so far relied on the onboard mics on the device. I am still playing around with the settings to suit various use situations and I've included a sampling of how I've used the device below. It's also hoped that my audio captures can provide more context/depth to the photos that I am taking:
Sri Krishna Hindu Temple, Waterloo Street, Singapore
This snippet highlights the fact that I am still getting used to the recorder and also haven't really plucked up the courage to approach performers. I was standing outside the temple recording this. The audio would have been better if I tweaked the settings and actually went inside the temple.
Sembawang Beach, Singapore (08/01/07)
Sembawang is on the Northeast coast of the island. The beach that you see above used to be a British military wharf that has now been converted into a park. It's a nice quiet little beach that still hasn't lost it's rural and laid back air. However, there are still remants of the old wharves that are evident. I sat on one of these old steps and placed the recorder down to capture that waves lapping at the old foundations of the wharves.
Mercury Rev @ Esplanade, Singapore (08/02/07)
This was a rather strange night for me. The esplanade is now the preeminent venue for arts performances in Singapore. However, the venue has been also trying to reach out to a younger crowd by hosting a series of 'indie' and local acts in a month long event called "Baybeats". However, some of the acts in the event has a strong cultural clash with the identity of the Esplanade. It's sort of like hosting the Sex Pistols in the Lincoln Center. And this incongruity was starkly evident in the fact that the venue's ushers busied themselves throughout the performance by asking audiences members to remain in their seats and also to keep ensuring that there was no photography throughout the performance. It was a futile effort.
The audio captured here was in a live performance setting where I was seated 4 rows away from the stage and smack in the middle. The acoustics of the room were excellent , however, the recorder was in my shirt pocket and it may have captured some side conversations that I was having with folks that I attended the concert with. Beware though, I manage to capture quite a big chunk of the concert. As such, the file is rather large (136mb to be exact). Enjoy :)
Sri Krishna Hindu Temple, Waterloo Street, Singapore
This snippet highlights the fact that I am still getting used to the recorder and also haven't really plucked up the courage to approach performers. I was standing outside the temple recording this. The audio would have been better if I tweaked the settings and actually went inside the temple.
Sembawang Beach, Singapore (08/01/07)
Sembawang is on the Northeast coast of the island. The beach that you see above used to be a British military wharf that has now been converted into a park. It's a nice quiet little beach that still hasn't lost it's rural and laid back air. However, there are still remants of the old wharves that are evident. I sat on one of these old steps and placed the recorder down to capture that waves lapping at the old foundations of the wharves.
Mercury Rev @ Esplanade, Singapore (08/02/07)
This was a rather strange night for me. The esplanade is now the preeminent venue for arts performances in Singapore. However, the venue has been also trying to reach out to a younger crowd by hosting a series of 'indie' and local acts in a month long event called "Baybeats". However, some of the acts in the event has a strong cultural clash with the identity of the Esplanade. It's sort of like hosting the Sex Pistols in the Lincoln Center. And this incongruity was starkly evident in the fact that the venue's ushers busied themselves throughout the performance by asking audiences members to remain in their seats and also to keep ensuring that there was no photography throughout the performance. It was a futile effort.
The audio captured here was in a live performance setting where I was seated 4 rows away from the stage and smack in the middle. The acoustics of the room were excellent , however, the recorder was in my shirt pocket and it may have captured some side conversations that I was having with folks that I attended the concert with. Beware though, I manage to capture quite a big chunk of the concert. As such, the file is rather large (136mb to be exact). Enjoy :)
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
The Patriot
9th August is Singapore's National Day. And prime opportunity for what is now one of my all time favorite pictures of my dear husband :)
There are so many layers of humour and irony to this photo that I can't even begin to unpack... :)
There are so many layers of humour and irony to this photo that I can't even begin to unpack... :)
Friday, July 27, 2007
10 days later...
No, we haven't fallen off the edge of the world... unless you count sleeping at 10.00 every night and waking up at 5.00 in the morning as falling off the edge of the world. I don't think I'll ever be able to suitably deal with jetlag... If anyone has a good formula for handling this beast, do let me know. The upside is though, I've been sleeping like a baby :) I was clocking many a late night over the past week finishing my paper, so I've appreciated the deep, satisfyingly dreamless sleep since we've been back.
So yes, what little action has transpired from my last post 10 days ago: we only just managed to endure the 18 hours flight over 3 continents and the Pacific Ocean; I finally submitted my second prelim exam yesterday after spending 10 hours just on citations and references (!!!); we've managed to already stuff our faces with a good variety of local food; and best of all, snuck in some good quality time with family :) The weather's humid as usual; I'm completely exhausted by 6pm; but we're home, and that's what's really matters :)
So yes, what little action has transpired from my last post 10 days ago: we only just managed to endure the 18 hours flight over 3 continents and the Pacific Ocean; I finally submitted my second prelim exam yesterday after spending 10 hours just on citations and references (!!!); we've managed to already stuff our faces with a good variety of local food; and best of all, snuck in some good quality time with family :) The weather's humid as usual; I'm completely exhausted by 6pm; but we're home, and that's what's really matters :)
Monday, July 23, 2007
We caved in and bought a Wii ...
There are those of you in Ann Arbor who know that I've been lusting after the Wii for a while. In fact, a number of you have reproached me for actually picking up and then putting down a Wii that I found in Best Buy. So with Serene's help in tracking down Wii shipments, we finally caved in and got one ... but not for ourselves. Rather we got the Wii for my parents.
The rationalization process goes as follows:
- We have been playing with Rick and Emilee's Wii over the past couple of months, and have been really impressed with the games, the lack of "gamer specific" skills, and family friendly level of interaction afforded by the Wii.
- Besides, we've begun hearing about how the Wii is currently being used in hospitals to help patients with low impact physicality and also to burn a few calories. Also, there has been talk about the Wiis as a way to rehabilitate the stroke patient's brain activity. Trust me when I say this, the Wii sports games do help me break out into a healthy sweat.
- My dad is in his 70s and has never really taken to the computer yet. I am thinking of the Wii as a way to ease him into technology and the Internet. I think the he watches way too much TV now and the Wii might help him stay active (he used to bowl a lot, and the Wii Bowling interface is awesome). Also, he might like to be introduced to the Internet via the Wii www browser. For those of you who haven't tried surfing the web via the Wii, you should definitely try it. The Wiimote is a nice input device and the fact that you can get the Internet on the large TV screen are big pluses.
- My mom is in her late 60s and she's taken to the Internet like a duck to water. And she loves puzzle games, especially the online word games. But her eyes have been giving her trouble and the laptop screen might not be ideal for her.
- Lastly, if my parents don't use the device, I can always find a use for it myself ;)
What do people think about the benefits of using the Wii? Have I made a good case for it? Or have I overjustified the purchase to myself ;)
The rationalization process goes as follows:
- We have been playing with Rick and Emilee's Wii over the past couple of months, and have been really impressed with the games, the lack of "gamer specific" skills, and family friendly level of interaction afforded by the Wii.
- Besides, we've begun hearing about how the Wii is currently being used in hospitals to help patients with low impact physicality and also to burn a few calories. Also, there has been talk about the Wiis as a way to rehabilitate the stroke patient's brain activity. Trust me when I say this, the Wii sports games do help me break out into a healthy sweat.
- My dad is in his 70s and has never really taken to the computer yet. I am thinking of the Wii as a way to ease him into technology and the Internet. I think the he watches way too much TV now and the Wii might help him stay active (he used to bowl a lot, and the Wii Bowling interface is awesome). Also, he might like to be introduced to the Internet via the Wii www browser. For those of you who haven't tried surfing the web via the Wii, you should definitely try it. The Wiimote is a nice input device and the fact that you can get the Internet on the large TV screen are big pluses.
- My mom is in her late 60s and she's taken to the Internet like a duck to water. And she loves puzzle games, especially the online word games. But her eyes have been giving her trouble and the laptop screen might not be ideal for her.
- Lastly, if my parents don't use the device, I can always find a use for it myself ;)
What do people think about the benefits of using the Wii? Have I made a good case for it? Or have I overjustified the purchase to myself ;)
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Pitchfork 2007 video captures :)
I know that Serene said I would be waxing lyrical on this blog about the various performances we caught at Pitchfork last week. However, my travel schedule has been really crazy. And also, I thought that I would let the performances speak for themselves. Below you'll find clips of my favorite performances at Pitchfork 2007 with a little blurb from me about them. Our Panasonic Lumix LX2 camera actually took very high quality wide-aspect ratio video captures of these performances. But in order to get them on youTube, I had to reduce the quality of the videos and trim some of them down.
"Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth
This was the opening to their ATP/Don't Look Back performance of the Daydream Nation album in its entirety. It was a real kickass opener I must say and got the capacity crowd on its feet as you can see. While I really liked the idea of watching a band performing its (seminal) entire album live, I have to admit to losing concentration about an hour into the show. Not because the performance was bad, but not all the tracks on Daydream Nation lend themselves to an outdoor live festival performance well. The band admitted as much towards the entire of their Daydream Nation set by saying "Ok, we're finally on Side 4 now. Home stretch..." Their encore set comprised of songs from their latest album, Rather Ripped and this was very well received by the crowd (the bulk of whom I am sure were only toddlers when Daydream Nation was released).
"Atlas" - Battles
I was not able to secure a good position in the audience for this show, as you can tell from the video above. And rightly so, because this was essentially the most anticipated act for a lot of people. The band was tight and extremely skilled at what they were doing. However, the performance was plagued by technical issues- wires were plugged into wrong sockets it seemed. And this somehow sapped the energy of the performance and the second half of the set was a little lackluster. However, I was really impressed with John Stanier's drumming - he looked like he was about to have a heart attack given his very physical style.
??? - Grizzly Bear
This band easily gets my vote for the best performance on Saturday. I wasn't expecting much from this Brooklyn band's performance because I thought their sound would be hard to translate to a live outdoor festival venue. However, they really blew me away with their set. I'm not sure what the title of this song is as it isn't on their album, Yellow House- the only album of theirs that I own. If anyone can help me with the title, it would be much appreciated. Also, I have two more video clips of their performance that I captured. You can get them here and here.
"Teen Age Riot" - Sonic Youth
This was the opening to their ATP/Don't Look Back performance of the Daydream Nation album in its entirety. It was a real kickass opener I must say and got the capacity crowd on its feet as you can see. While I really liked the idea of watching a band performing its (seminal) entire album live, I have to admit to losing concentration about an hour into the show. Not because the performance was bad, but not all the tracks on Daydream Nation lend themselves to an outdoor live festival performance well. The band admitted as much towards the entire of their Daydream Nation set by saying "Ok, we're finally on Side 4 now. Home stretch..." Their encore set comprised of songs from their latest album, Rather Ripped and this was very well received by the crowd (the bulk of whom I am sure were only toddlers when Daydream Nation was released).
"Atlas" - Battles
I was not able to secure a good position in the audience for this show, as you can tell from the video above. And rightly so, because this was essentially the most anticipated act for a lot of people. The band was tight and extremely skilled at what they were doing. However, the performance was plagued by technical issues- wires were plugged into wrong sockets it seemed. And this somehow sapped the energy of the performance and the second half of the set was a little lackluster. However, I was really impressed with John Stanier's drumming - he looked like he was about to have a heart attack given his very physical style.
??? - Grizzly Bear
This band easily gets my vote for the best performance on Saturday. I wasn't expecting much from this Brooklyn band's performance because I thought their sound would be hard to translate to a live outdoor festival venue. However, they really blew me away with their set. I'm not sure what the title of this song is as it isn't on their album, Yellow House- the only album of theirs that I own. If anyone can help me with the title, it would be much appreciated. Also, I have two more video clips of their performance that I captured. You can get them here and here.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Until next time...
Taking a break from what is going to be some of the most harrowing days of my life as yet, a.k.a. trying to finish my second pre-candidacy paper. Technically, it's not due till the middle of August, but I'm hoping to finish it before we leave for Singapore so I'll have one less thing to think about. I don't think it's undo-able, but it'll just mean a lot of discipline and focus, of which I'm not sure I have enough. That and unplugging the TV and resisting the urge to go online for no rhyme or reason...
And so, I suspect this blogpost will be a placeholder of sorts for the next week or so. Unless something profoundly incredible happens that we absolutely have to blog about, I think we're going to give ghetto of our mind a modest reprieve. Nothing extended, don't worry (and who knows? my self-restraint might cave in and I'll blog about something completely inane tomorrow), but I really need to finish this paper, and Jude's busy at his conference in New Jersey. We'll probably check in again after we've settled down a little at home.
And the prospect of that is sweet sweet comfort to me right now... :)
And so, I suspect this blogpost will be a placeholder of sorts for the next week or so. Unless something profoundly incredible happens that we absolutely have to blog about, I think we're going to give ghetto of our mind a modest reprieve. Nothing extended, don't worry (and who knows? my self-restraint might cave in and I'll blog about something completely inane tomorrow), but I really need to finish this paper, and Jude's busy at his conference in New Jersey. We'll probably check in again after we've settled down a little at home.
And the prospect of that is sweet sweet comfort to me right now... :)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Pitchfork 2007 (non-music) recap
Cities smell and sound different. And I'm not just talking about the pollution; on a hot summer day, you can virtually smell the heat emanating from the concrete, the asphalt of the roads, the palpable scent of the energy of people jostling about, the rings and grinds of public transportation, and just all the sounds of a city doing what it does best- bustle. It's the same in Singapore too- not better or worse than a little town like Ann Arbor, just different. And it's always quite exhilarating...
Jude's going to tap into his music-journalist mojo and blog about the festival itself, while I just do the usual what-we-saw-ate-bought-ate-shopped-bought-and-ate-some-more recap ;)
Some highlights:
1) Virtually delaying one Pink Line "El" train from moving on when the driver kept talking to us about the concert line-up as we were exiting the station. His utter derision at the prospect of Yoko Ono performing was particularly hysterical... :)
2) Thanks to Ms. Libby Hemphill, discovering the BEST EVER! burrito and tacos we have ever consumed. People, don't mess around with beans, rice and sour cream in your burritos- La Pasadita dresses their carne asada burritos and tacos simply with just cilantro and queso, and you get the most amazing $5 you will ever put in your mouth. We weren't even halfway through our first order before Jude just had to put in an order for two more tacos. Yes, they are THAT goooooood...
3) Being reminded once again about how enlightened the whole notion of public transportation is. Just being able to hop on and off without worries about parking and payment was actually very liberating.
4) Managing to get a swanky hotel room at the Hilton on S. Michigan Ave. for a steal on Priceline (I swear my husband's an Internet deal genius...). Although it was a little disconcerting to think that we were (in)directly fueling the partying foibles of the Hilton sisters...
5) Feeling profoundly old at Pitchfork as we stood among teens and tweens who all seem to either shop at the same thrift/ vintage/ retro/ second-hand store, or hand-make each others clothes from their grandmother's 1950's dress patterns.
6) Scoring a deal for a year's subscription of ReadyMade for only $5!
7) Having hush puppies for the first time at Harold's Chicken Shack #62. I don't know what I was expecting, but these ones didn't really blow me away. Now the fried chicken on the other hand, is another story altogether...
8) Hearing Ace of Base's "I Saw the Sign" on the radio as we were driving through Indiana. Nothing like a '90s flashback and the defining song of my first year in junior college to perk me up while driving at 12.30 in the morning...
Our two-day trip in all its 76-photos glory here.
Jude's going to tap into his music-journalist mojo and blog about the festival itself, while I just do the usual what-we-saw-ate-bought-ate-shopped-bought-and-ate-some-more recap ;)
Some highlights:
1) Virtually delaying one Pink Line "El" train from moving on when the driver kept talking to us about the concert line-up as we were exiting the station. His utter derision at the prospect of Yoko Ono performing was particularly hysterical... :)
2) Thanks to Ms. Libby Hemphill, discovering the BEST EVER! burrito and tacos we have ever consumed. People, don't mess around with beans, rice and sour cream in your burritos- La Pasadita dresses their carne asada burritos and tacos simply with just cilantro and queso, and you get the most amazing $5 you will ever put in your mouth. We weren't even halfway through our first order before Jude just had to put in an order for two more tacos. Yes, they are THAT goooooood...
3) Being reminded once again about how enlightened the whole notion of public transportation is. Just being able to hop on and off without worries about parking and payment was actually very liberating.
4) Managing to get a swanky hotel room at the Hilton on S. Michigan Ave. for a steal on Priceline (I swear my husband's an Internet deal genius...). Although it was a little disconcerting to think that we were (in)directly fueling the partying foibles of the Hilton sisters...
5) Feeling profoundly old at Pitchfork as we stood among teens and tweens who all seem to either shop at the same thrift/ vintage/ retro/ second-hand store, or hand-make each others clothes from their grandmother's 1950's dress patterns.
6) Scoring a deal for a year's subscription of ReadyMade for only $5!
7) Having hush puppies for the first time at Harold's Chicken Shack #62. I don't know what I was expecting, but these ones didn't really blow me away. Now the fried chicken on the other hand, is another story altogether...
8) Hearing Ace of Base's "I Saw the Sign" on the radio as we were driving through Indiana. Nothing like a '90s flashback and the defining song of my first year in junior college to perk me up while driving at 12.30 in the morning...
Our two-day trip in all its 76-photos glory here.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Pitchfork 2007
So we're off tomorrow on our annual pilgrimage to Union Park, Chicago for the Pitchfork Music Festival. We actually have tickets to the entire weekend, but with Jude's crazy travel schedule, we're only going to stay till Saturday. Which means we're sadly going to miss the New Pornographers, the Sea and Cake, and Of Montreal, BUT we will see Iron and Wine, Voxtrot, Yoko Ono, and one of the main reasons we bought tickets in the first place, Sonic Youth playing Daydream Nation in its full glory. Jude can't wait to revisit the guys who he so unceremoniously thrust a karaoke mike under those many years ago (and for those of you who faithfully follow our blog, you'd know that his anticipation has been growing for the past four months).Me, I'm looking forward to the entire heady atmosphere of an outdoor, weekend-long music festival, and to DEPART-ment, the on-site bazaar for all things handcrafted, from jewelery to clothes to book covers. Then there's the Flatstock 13 Poster Convention where Jude & I are hoping to find just one more silkscreen poster to fill that gap on our wall. We got a couple of great finds last year- let's hope we'll be just as lucky this year :)
Watch this space- I predict (no, guarantee!) a euphoric Sonic Youth-induced Jude post coming up in a couple of days!...
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Oh how they have grown...
We have tickets to the absolute first showing of the Order of the Phoenix tonight (although Libby will argue that the 12.05 IMAX 3-D showing is technically the first show while the 12.10 non-fancy one is a mere close second...). We're definitely going to be bringing our camera- if there were people in Spiderman pajamas on the movie's opening night, you can be sure we'll be seeing wizards and witches tonight... :)
And check out this awesome class photo if there ever were one- you should definitely see it large. There's something about the composition and lighting that's most befitting of the narrative.
[click for large size]Down below
I'm typing this as I sit in our basement on a makeshift work-table, previously incarnated as the patio table, picnic table and all-round multi-use furniture. The house is just too hot to be working anywhere else. Our bedroom was just about bearable till lunchtime, when all the leftover cool air from the air-con dissipated. Don't even get me started on the rest of the house...
Yup, that's Ann Arbor for you- blistering frost in January/February, oppressive heat in July/August. We've taken to making sure all the blinds are drawn in the day to keep the sun out; that and eating copious amounts of ice-cream. But a dark house and consuming decadent calories only help somewhat, and in the latter case, while easing my sweat glands now, will only hurt my arteries in the long run... I told myself to work in school or anywhere outside whenever I can so I don't feel tempted to switch on our air-conditioning but I had to be home today so it's the basement for me till tonight. We're trying not to use the air-con except when we're sleeping- our little bit to save the frog :) Besides, the basement really is nice and cool, plus the wireless works here so it's no problem at all.
And on that topic, here's a nice article about Al Gore's Live Earth event on Saturday. It was gooood!
Yup, that's Ann Arbor for you- blistering frost in January/February, oppressive heat in July/August. We've taken to making sure all the blinds are drawn in the day to keep the sun out; that and eating copious amounts of ice-cream. But a dark house and consuming decadent calories only help somewhat, and in the latter case, while easing my sweat glands now, will only hurt my arteries in the long run... I told myself to work in school or anywhere outside whenever I can so I don't feel tempted to switch on our air-conditioning but I had to be home today so it's the basement for me till tonight. We're trying not to use the air-con except when we're sleeping- our little bit to save the frog :) Besides, the basement really is nice and cool, plus the wireless works here so it's no problem at all.
And on that topic, here's a nice article about Al Gore's Live Earth event on Saturday. It was gooood!
Monday, July 09, 2007
Damn good party idea - Powerpoint Karaoke!!!
I came across this simple and fun idea from heathervescent's blog. Apparently it was something they did at BarcampLA. The idea behind it is simply ingenious - to have someone present for 5 minutes with powerpoint slides that they have never seen before. Check out the little excerpt from BarCampLA below:
heathervescent details, step-by-step, how to put together your own powerpoint karaoke event in this blogpost. However, in her event they had someone program a powerpoint randomizer. An interesting side-project that miht require too much programming overhead. A nice workaround may be to use Slideshare and select from one of their existing categories - "Latest", "Most viewed", "most zinged" (???) etc.
A fun night may be had for all with Powerpoint karaoke ;)
heathervescent details, step-by-step, how to put together your own powerpoint karaoke event in this blogpost. However, in her event they had someone program a powerpoint randomizer. An interesting side-project that miht require too much programming overhead. A nice workaround may be to use Slideshare and select from one of their existing categories - "Latest", "Most viewed", "most zinged" (???) etc.
A fun night may be had for all with Powerpoint karaoke ;)
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