Crimson Winds

Ew Penn!

2011-10-22T15:37:00.003-06:00

Why are Penn students always getting bad coverage in the news?* It has come to my attention that people online are now denouncing the Whartonites, alluding to Marie Antoinette's downfall with the line "let them eat cake," after a few dumb people in Huntsman Hall (that's the Wharton building) on the balcony started taunting protestors below. Taking into account the fact that you get a certain crowd of people posting their opinions on a site called "Think Progress.org," I am amused by how disgruntled some of those people have responded and how they immediately start blaming or insulting ivy league schools and their spoiled legacy brats. While I do not approve of those students' balcony act, I find it to be obnoxious and misleading when people start pointing the finger at the entire school's population and system and start drawing a difference between the ivy leaguers and the rest of the American population (whatever that means). So here's why people should stop giving us the stink-eye:

1) Financial aid- I believe there's a general decline in legacy students at Penn over the past few years. The general idea is that it doesn't matter how wealthy you are, because the school's going to squeeze as much money out of you as it is able to. So rich kids have to pay more and lower income families get subsidies from the government or school grants.

2) Seriously, most Penn students are working their ass off to find a job or go to grad school. Maybe I'm biased since I'm in the College of Arts and Sciences, and not Wharton, but most people I've spoken to after 3 years are quite passionate about what they do, whether it's starting a business or studying politics. Yeah, ok, there are the few who depend solely on sucking up to people and networking to get through their exams and getting an interview, but I think there's a balance between that sort of corruption (for lack of a better word) and genuine hard work. This is, well, part of life, right?

3) The article fails to specify who those people were, but goes on to talk about how most MBAs go on to earn a six figure income right after graduation, and how the school's connections are filled with the big names on Wall Street, implying that those people ARE going to earn the same amount, and will have the same connections. I think it's silly to assume this much, as it's very likely that those people will find jobs with long hours that pay the same rate as someone who's selling clothes. Everything's relative, and costs in NY are quite expensive.

And because I should be studying right now, I'm going to leave with the following comments:

For all the protestors out there, these are desperate times, but complaining in front of a school won't help. Most college kids are like internet trolls, and will probably say/do things that are hurtful or insulting because they think it's amusing, or because they feel needlessly attacked. Come on, it's not like all the state college kids saints. Oh, and a last note about the legacy students... while I'm not friends with any, I do think they are good for the school- not only because their families give Penn money and Penn can create fun stuff to do (or not :/ ) the students are so dumb, they lower the curve and thus increase my GPA. So yeah, they're important.

*Last year it was about how filthy Penn students are, and how they needed their parents to pay them personal maids to clean after their disgusting frat parties. And the pictures of their hovels were, unfortunately, proof of their general laziness and pure nastiness. NOTE that this is not representative of the entire school population.

Loud boogers

2011-09-25T14:40:00.005-06:00

Feeling a bit bitchy right now. One of my roommates had guests over Friday - Sunday, and sharing a dorm with 2 additional strangers (meaning tiny bathroom and kitchen) is taxing, especially when they tend to be of the chatty and cheerful type. The thing that creeps me out the most is that these people assume they can use whatever is around the dorm, who knows if they are wiping their hands on my towel or not blargh! Did I ever mention how much I dislike people sometime? I want to throw them in an icy lake. I mean, how do people usually handle situations like this without looking like the villain? Oh my god, why should I even care, I'm totally going out there and telling them to be quiet, because this is my fucking dorm too.

summer

2011-08-20T15:44:00.003-06:00

I spent my summer in a country where sites like Blogspot is blocked *ahem*.

Actually, that's a poor excuse because I had access to a crappy VPN, so if I really wanted to, I could have gone on my blog. Instead, I spent the majority of my VPN access on facebook.

Anyway, something I drew while overseas... the difference between this picture and some previous stuff is that this is done purely on photoshop (no pencil, no scanning), since I didn't have access to a scanner the weekend I started this piece. Inspiration: Fallout 3, WW2, World War Z, and the soundtrack to the cartoon Anastasia.

Cartoons II, college admissions suck!

2011-04-02T11:45:00.006-06:00

More political cartoons. They're pretty much all I draw nowadays. Some Founding Father caricatures, including Madison (or maybe Hamilton? I haven't really decided), Ben Franklin, Jefferson, and Washington.

In other news, I had my first interview yesterday. I'm not going to say what I really thought about it, but overall, it wasn't too traumatic- mitigated by the fact that I already have another internship. I'm not trying to brag- I have A TON OF STUFF to learn- but man do I feel relieved.

On a similar topic, I read in the NYT yesterday that prestigious universities are now accepting less and less students. One of the commentators brought up that young people don't need to go to an ivy league school to be successful in life. Generally, this should be true. However, I really wonder if times have changed. The examples people always bring up are previous generations (ie, people above the age of 30), and how they went to state school and then interned in Washington, then got accepted into law school or business school, and now they're a multimillionaire. Two things bother me about this argument (1) they don't take into account that most graduate/professional schools nowadays are more competitive (2) I don't have enough evidence, but intuitively, I wonder if that first job opportunity/your network is starting to depend more and more on name brands like Wharton and Harvard. So basically, just like how colleges these days are harder to get into, I wouldn't be surprised if future career opportunities depend more and more on where one gets educated.

Cartoons I

2011-03-28T08:33:00.003-06:00

Some things for my school's student-run political magazine. Cartoons correspond to articles and don't necessarily reflect my own political views.

End of the Republic

2011-02-17T23:57:00.004-07:00

I totally forgot! Did this in December for a creative project. Now I have a poster print of this in my room, but I don't know what to do with it... it's a little too stressful to have on "the wall," since, well... I don't exactly like waking up to burning parliamentary buildings, Nazi rallies, and communist slogans. I like certain parts of it (like the Prussian flag, the coolest flag in the world), but not sure if I like the entire thing... this would be a good story, if there aren't already a million WWII/inter-war stories already.

Anyway, will be drawing a cover for a school magazine soon. I have noooo idea what to do.

sketch 004

2010-11-11T13:16:00.003-07:00

Last sketch from the summer.

sketch 003 + nutella dilemma

2010-11-02T14:43:00.009-06:00

Still uploading summer sketches...

sketch 003

I finally went grocery shopping and bought some oatmeal and vegetables, so I am no longer on a nutella and bread diet. And speaking of nutella, er... I'm not even going to try to explain this next thing...

Looks like someone's trying to make a statement.

sketch 002

2010-10-28T13:31:00.006-06:00

more summer stuff

Özil kicks, Özil scores! GÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖAL!

It seems like I see a different person wearing a German jersey every day. I really like their design this year. The jersey itself is deceivingly simple, but the quality and finer details are amazing! The Spanish crest, I will admit, is probably my second favorite, but their jersey is too flamboyant for my tastes....kind of like a giant tomato.

sketch 001

2010-10-23T19:34:00.003-06:00

Summer= short attention span= small moleskine sketches/doodles

Coming Home

2010-10-15T19:47:00.010-06:00

I'm going to take a break from my very busy life (whatever that means) and post on this blog. Art updates will be put up soon.

For now...

South Africa World Cup 2012

Last week, it was Germany vs Turkey in the Eurocup 2012 qualification rounds! Recently, there's been an ongoing debate about Germany's Muslim population, with arguments on whether integration is possible or not. Thilo Sarazzin created quite a stir with his controverial book, Germany Does Itself In, utilizing inflammatory language to cast blame on Germany's immigrants for social and economic problems,

From the very beginning, Sarrazin's choice of language has been unfortunate. He described problems with integration, which are indeed deplorable, but he introduced an element of biological determinism. He reflected on the inheritability of intelligence and speculated over a "specific gene" that "all Jews share.

According to Spiegel International, while there has been sharp criticism on Sarazzin, many people agree with his theories (though perhaps not his way of convey ideas). Of course, Spiegel tends to be a liberal magazine and internet source, but it does shed light on the tensions between "native German" (blame Fichte?) and its large Turkish population.

And what of the Turkish population? Regardless of who is to blame- whether government, mainstream society, or demagogic leaders, integration will not come easily. Such is demonstrated perfectly during the game last Friday.

Enter Mesut Özil, 21 years old, a quiet shy soccer player whose contributions to the German National team during the South African World Cup made him an international star. He is one of the few German players of Turkish descent who plays for Germany, rather than Turkey. Each time he possessed the ball, over half the stadium erupted in boos, not from German fans, but from the Turkish ones, blatantly signalling to Özil that they considered him a traitor. But is that really fair? It is interesting to see how strongly some are influenced by the idea of nationalism, and to what extent one can become a part of their new nation. It's the choice of the individual, whether they want to integrate or not, but one must not discount external factors that can make the process easier or harder. Whatever Özil's motivations are for playing for die Mannschaft, he earns my respect for staying calm and collected in the face of opposition, whether from unhappy Turkish fans or intolerant Germans against immigration. He works hard and has a positive public appearance. When he makes a mistake, he just gets up and continues. And during the second half of the game, Özil completed a crucial goal, putting his country safely into the lead (other two goals scored by Miroslav Klose, amazingly aggressive talent, Polish immigrant). Coach Joachim Loew is quoted saying, “Mesut Oezil is very strong mentally, he was very focused before this match, he was not afraid,” Loew stated. “Throughout the match, he took the ascendancy over his marker. I am very happy for him that he scored that goal.”

Against this backdrop, it's refreshing to see Özil and his teammates succeed. Maybe integration may not be at the top of the team's agenda, and sometimes it's more of a fairytale than reality, but it's better than nothing and to some may be a powerful inspiration. Commentator Stephen Glennon gracefully expresses the overall feeling of euphoria at the end of Germany and Ghana's match during the 2012 World Cup:

Mesut Özil received a pass from Bavarian born Thomas Müller in that vitally-important group game against Ghana, gracefully picked his spot and drilled the ball into the back of the net. He was congratulated by his teammates -- a Brazilian, a Ghanaian, a Polish-born German and a number of ethnic Germans. Millions back home in Germany went crazy.

It was a moment when any underdog -- whether Turkish, Polish or even Irish -- felt like they had come home.

Eurocup 2012 qualifications, Germany 3, Turkey 0

hetalia meme

2010-08-18T11:01:00.002-06:00

Silly silly silly............. so according to this meme, I am most like...

The Axis Powers

North Italy (Vargas Feliciano)

[] You were bullied a lot in your childhood
[x] You adore pasta, pizza, cheese, and fruit.
[ ] You're very happy-go-lucky
[] You constantly have a dozy look on your face as if you're always away with the fairies
[] You have a long curly strand of hair that always tends to stick up
[x] You're a good artist (Does wanting to be count?)
[] You can be clumsy
[] You have a friend you always depend upon if you mess up something
[] If your life was in danger, you would do the typical Italian thing and say: "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I HAVE RELATIVES IN YOUR COUNTRY!"
[ ] You would surrender in a war situation

(2/10)

Germany (Ludwig)

[x] You're very stoic and serious
[ ] Sausages are your favourite foods.
[x] You like to walk dogs/your dog ( PUPPIEEEEES!!! <333333)
[ ] Your boss/principal/tutor/home-room teacher is a nut-case.
[x] You love rules and think they should always be followed to
[x] You think the world would be better if everyone played by the rules
[x] You work very hard too hard...
[x] Your alone time is your 'happy time'
[x] You can appear tough but be very considerate towards people
[x] You've had issues with money once or twice

(8/10)

Japan (Kiku Honda)

[ ] You're very mature
[ ] You think everything over before saying it.
[ ] You believe in ghosts but aren't phased by the experience when you see one
[ ] You isolated yourself during childhood
[ ] You became very successful in a short amount of time
[x] You are somewhat inexperienced when it comes to the outside world
[x] You can seem cold/aloof to other people
[x] You're good at practical tasks
[x] You need time to adjust to new people

(4/10)

The Allies

The United States of America (Alfred F. Jones)

[x] You love hamburgers
[x] You think you're awesome
[ ] You love to invent things
[x] You love going to the cinema/watching films/making films
[ ] You can seem to be very brash to other people
[ ] You have a tendency to stick your nose into other peoples' business
[x] You're terrified of ghosts
[ ] You know aliens exist
[ ] You tend to wear a bomber jacket all the time
[ ] You wear glasses

(4/10)

The United Kingdom of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (Arthur Kirkland)

[x] You like tea
[ ] You were quite tough and troublesome as a kid
[x] You're very sarcastic and cynical
[ ] Your cooking is awful
[ ] You love spiritual magical stuff, such as fairies, ghosts...
[ ] ...But you refuse to believe in aliens.
[ ] You have tried doing black magic before
[x] You get drunk quite easily.
[x] When you are drunk, you tend to be very unhappy
[ ] You're good at embroidery
(4/10)

France (Francis Bonnefoy)

[ ] You're very affectionate
[ ] You think you have a great fashion sense
[ ] You like wine
[ ] You're the master of whispering romantic things into peoples' ears
[x] You love red roses
[ ] When it comes to l'amour, you don't mind men or women
[x] You're very proud of yourself
[x] You love culture and the arts
[ ] You're very flamboyant
[ ] You say you're a gourmet

(3/10)

Russia (Ivan Braginski)

[ ] You had a very sad childhood.
[ ] You're very tall
[ ] You have a tendency to switch between personalities
[x] You wear a scarf all the time
[ ] You love sunflowers
[ ] You love vodka
[x] You can seem intimidating to other people
[ ] You're very strong
[ ] You have a big nose (Yes I have big nose TT____TT)
[ ] You have a strange laugh that can scare people

(2/10) OMG WTF But polish people like vodka too .

China (Wong Yao)

[ ] You're very mature
[ ] You're very superstitious
[ ] You're very religious
[ ] You love pandas
[ ] You love cooking so much that you nag if food has a certain pattern of tastes
[ ] You love Hello Kitty
[ ] You try to be a role-model for your brothers/sisters/whatever, but are never taken seriously.
[x] You work hard
[x] You're good at drawing
[x] You like sweets

(3/10)

And now for some other countries!

Austria (Roderich Edelstein)

[ ] You are very well-raised
[x] You're polite
[x] You love classical music
[x] You like cake
[ ] You have a mole on your face
[x] You dedicate your time to your hobbies rather than what needs to be done right away
[ ] You are a virtuoso/play very well on at least one instrument
[ ] You've composed music before
[x] You tend to call people 'morons'
[ ] You wear glasses

(5/10)

Canada (Matthew Williams)

[x] You're often ignored by people
[x] You look younger than you actually are ( NO I'M NOT *cry* )
[ ] You love hockey
[ ] You love polar bears
[ ] You hate fighting
[ ] You have one strand of curly hair, like Italy
[x] You often get mistaken for someone else
[x] You feel under-appreciated
[x] You're bilingual (I wish I was)
[ ] You always carry a bear with you

(5/10)

Cuba

[ ] You smoke
[ ] You're very physically strong
[ ] You've won a lot of fist-fights
[ ] In your social circle, there are two brothers - you get along with one, but not with the other.
[ ] You have very strong emotions about a variety of topics
[ ] You like hot weather
[x] You can be very friendly from time to time
[ ] You look very tough on the outside
[x] You make a very nice role-model
[ ] You don't let people get a word in edgeways

(2/10)

Hungary (Erszebet Hédeváry)

[x] You have a potty-mouth
[ ] You like to wear flowers in your hair
[ ] You used to be a very tough kid
[x] You're very reliable
[x] It's better to have you as a friend rather than an enemy
[x] You're very faithful
[x] Your speech and mannerisms can be considered very unladylike
[ ] You and your best friend go together like chalk and cheese.
[x] You are graceful one moment and grinning like a maniac the next
[ ] If someone yells that yaoi is going on somewhere, you will drop everything to run off to go and see it.

(6/10)

Lithuania (Toris Lorinaitis)

[x] You're very loyal
[ ] You feel like your best friend drags you around a lot, but you both have a great time together
[x] You're very serious
[x] You have a lot of patience
[ ] You think too much about philosophical stuff
[ ] You get depressed when questioning the point of existing/the universe, etc..
[x] You're not very confident
[ ] You were quite rebellious as a child
[ ] People tend to walk all over you
[x] You're a born worrier

(5/10)

Poland (Feliks Lukasiewicz)

[ ] You're very flamboyant
[ ] You're quite hyperactive
[x] You can be quite goofy
[ ] When you're depressed, you tend to rise out of it like a phoenix
[x] You're very wary of strangers
[x] It takes you ages to come out of your shell
[x] However, when you're used to someone, you're very chatty
[ ] You're very forceful and stand at one end of the argument when it comes to your opinions
[ ] You love pansies and corn-poppies
[x] You get up to lots of crazy antics

(5/10)

Prussia (Gilbert Weillschmidt)

[x] You're quite mean-spirited
[ ] You're a bit of a hooligan
[x] You're very loyal
[x] You're very good at tactics
[ ] You hate Russia
[x] You love to fight people
[x] You can avoid marriages quite well
[x] You're not always taken seriously
[ ] You like drinking
[x] You want to become stronger

(7/10)

Germany, Prussia, and Hungary... Why Prussia?

Frustrated

2010-07-26T21:30:00.003-06:00

It's frustrating how I have no time to myself. The only time I have privacy is when I'm sleeping, and sometimes not even then. Ugh. How am I suppose to complete any personal projects? For example, after a day, I once tried to do some reading. However, people sitting at the table started to have a one-sided conversation with me. It is extremely obnoxious hearing someone blabber on like you are paying attention, when you are clearly not engaged.

Purikura

2010-06-16T22:10:00.012-06:00

I stare at the selection of glitters, hearts, and stars to decorate our photo.

Me: "Geez it's so garish!"

Sarah: "It's supposed to be that way!"

Me: "Er... okay."

So I'm not a stranger to purikura, but I think both of us have developed an addiction to the cute, hyper, sugar-coated, and all-too-Asian photo booth. Now, what would make us pay $12 for a sheet of minuscule photographs all decorated in rainbows from Candy Mountain? I guess the ridiculousness and laughs are worth it. And for pictures taken in about 3 minutes, we don't look bad.

"I want your leather-studded kiss in the sand"... tribute to Lady Gaga :P

request

2010-06-12T15:50:00.005-06:00

A request from a friend, who wanted an angel with long, curly blond hair. I was hesitant at first because it's easy to fall into a trap in this case and draw something very trite. Well, I tried to avoid that, and was inspired by Mucha, various Renaissance artists and for some reason reminds me of the rococo style as well. I also learned a new way to color to make the picture appear vibrant without looking extremely over-saturated. In any case, at least this picture will make a nice Christmas card.

classes

2010-06-07T13:23:00.004-06:00

Picking classes requires a lot of decision making on things you don't have the slightest clue, so it's a lot of guesswork and calculations on confusing requirement worksheets and checking department websites, and so on and so forth. In the past, some of my favorite classes were stumbled upon, and classes that I should have liked felt, to say the least, a bit forced. It's like the lottery! After two years of college, I am still surprised by how much a professor can make a difference, and unfortunately, how inaccurate the online review system is.

I think next semester I should just go to every class I am interested in and see if I like the professor/TA or not. Usually this pays off pretty well. On a random note, I remember sitting in class one day furiously jotting down notes from a professor who talks at 70 miles per hour and hear her say something along the lines of, "This class isn't supposed to be motherhood and apple pie." Note, this was the week before finals and in my head, I was considering how nice it would be to have a class like "Motherhood and apple pie", though it was not a serious consideration on my part. Note, this is also the week I buy bags of Dove chocolate and end up with a nice pile of wrappers with cheesy encouraging notes by the end of my hourly study sessions. Note, for this particular class, I have pulled a few all-nighters, where during the next day I seriously feel as though I am experiencing some sort of organ malfunction. Motherhood and apple pie? My professor might be glad to know that her class is far from it! (Though aside from the sleep deprivation, her class is probably one of my favorites, as I have gained much experience from it, not to mention her TA is hands down THE BEST).

Okay, so I have figured out that I may have 3 free classes if I do things right (meaning I select enough classes to fulfill requirements this year). Do I see an art class in the future?!?!?! Of course, I have to consider the fact that they are extremely time consuming, and I also want to take more classes in the humanities. Then of course a friend recommended Negotiations and another recommended Legal Studies or Marketing. And should I take 4 classes instead of 5? I'm caught between wanting to explore as many classes and I can and spending more time and doing a better job on the classes that I have. The thing I find obnoxious about taking 5 classes is that even though I am interested in a topic, I end up giving the class less effort that it deserves due to time constraints. I don't know. The last thing I want to do is want the semester to be over after the first week of school.

stuffed animal repair

2010-06-03T12:22:00.002-06:00

http://fuzzyrepairshop.com/index.html

Seem to provide good service, although a lot of stuffed animals return looking suspiciously different.

Today

2010-06-01T20:20:00.004-06:00

Today I attended my first professional conference, on the 47th floor of a glass building (we got a great view of Denver), with leather seats, conference calls with NY, free coffee and water, and a room full of attorneys. I felt rather awkward sitting there, trying to engage in their legal jargon, the only person in the room who had a notebook rather than a legal pad. Hmmmmmm. Okay, this might be silly, but I didn't know lawyers ONLY used legal pads. I mean, that would seem too obvious, wouldn't it? I've volunteered for this group for a month, and I have never seen a single lawyer use a notebook. As far as the conference went, everyone was very amicable and funny. Afterward, I found my dad, who happens to work downtown, and made him buy me lunch at an Indian Restaurant. Then we wandered around a souvenir shop, where I spotted a rack full of coon hats. By the time I arrived home, I fell asleep on the floor because I didn't want to dirty my bed.

WHY?!?

2010-05-31T17:08:00.000-06:00

The title says it all.

Before the Storm

2010-05-19T18:04:00.006-06:00

(click on picture for larger image)

...not sure which layout is better...

Drew this before finals and decided to color it once I got home. In theory, this was a good idea, although it's a bit awkward in execution. And yes, I'm guilty of drawing the same subject all the time, but it's also a work in progress where I'm interested in finding the changes in each picture over time.

Inspired by Jean-Leon Gerome, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, How to Train Your Dragon, bad haircuts, and walking one too many times through the wind tunnel. My favorite part is definitely the scarf, which is based on one that I got in New York for $5.

Music:

Orientalist Spring

2010-05-15T23:28:00.009-06:00

Every year or semester I go through phases where I am intrigued by certain artists, kind of like how fashion circulates through the years. Much of this depends on the classes I take. I remember for spring of '09, the topic du jour was Vermeer mostly because I had to copy his Woman Holding a Balance, c. 1664, in Drawing I (I probably spent over 20 hours on it, and tragically it was destroyed by maintenance... I vow to redo this mastercopy some time in the future!)

This spring semester's artists have not only been inspirational in my drawings, but their topics have also floated around in my mind. Aside from the Second World War, I think the myth of the Orient seems to be articulated in some fashion everywhere, in Montesquieu's Persian Letters and Edward Said on Orientalism, and even video games like Assassin's Creed (it was so cool to be able to scale the Temple Mount). Of course I disapprove of imperialism and it's been made quite clearly that the Orient in popular Western culture is grossly romanticized and stereotyped, but the aesthetic of this myth is rich and tantalizing. Jean-Leon Gerome's art is no exception. His use of lighting creates a painting that looks almost like a photograph, yet its subject is perhaps too fantastical or dramatic to be true. It's difficult selecting a few favorites from Gerome's collection...

Napoleon and His General Staff

Harem Women Feeding Pigeons in a Courtyard

View of Cairo

Napoleon in Egypt

Sleepy Sloth

2010-05-14T16:34:00.004-06:00

I have made three discoveries, if you will, that makes me happy.

1) Apparently I am 2 centimeters taller since the last time I measured my height. I guess those days of trekking many blocks on campus and some sun exposure really paid off. Now I can be more imposing to my future minions.

2) Youtube apparently has a National Geographic channel. I stayed up until 6 am Eastern Time going through their list of video clips and full-length episodes. I think I was just watching a biography on George Washington around midnight, and then it went downhill from there. I ended up clicking on a bunch of side links ("Oh wait, this one's only 3 minutes, after this I will go to bed... Oh wait, there's another one..."). But hey, now I know how to shrink a human head ("Ugh... I need to watch another video to get that out of my mind!"). And apparently, people are researching sloth sleep patterns to better understand human sleep. The thing is, they have have to pick wild sloths out of trees, shave their heads and stick trackers onto their bald, monk-like craniums. The end result is rather ridiculous with already pathetic-looking limp sloths wearing what is like a fez of some sort. See Sloth Sleep Study.

3) Grades are up! All the studying and efforts to improve seems to have worked. I am particularly happy about Anthropology 004. My friend and I both agreed that it was an easy survey class, but there was A LOT of information to cover and facts to memorize. I ended up studying three days for that class and didn't sleep much either. I'm also pleased with how I ended up doing in my political science classes, especially Modern Political Thought. I prefer being a tactician, not a philosopher... Overall, I was not feeling well during finals week, so I'm surprised I managed to pull through with a higher GPA.

Baby Napoleon

2010-04-18T19:50:00.003-06:00

I was on Youtube and came across this random msn advertisement. What I am most amused by is their random pictures of people, and what I love most is that they have a kid dressed up as Napoleon Bonaparte. Words cannot describe how adorable it is! Kind of random for msn though... I mean, do they know that it's Napoleon? And I wonder who thought of this, because whoever did is my new favorite person of the week.

Here is a screenshot. OMFG SO PRECIOUS. :<

Dealing with stress

2010-03-29T13:38:00.005-06:00

From familydoctor.org

Tips for dealing with stress

* Don't worry about things you can't control, such as the weather.
* Solve the little problems. This can help you gain a feeling of control.
* Prepare to the best of your ability for events you know may be stressful, such as a job interview.
* Try to look at change as a positive challenge, not as a threat.
* Work to resolve conflicts with other people.
* Talk with a trusted friend, family member or counselor.
* Set realistic goals at home and at work. Avoid overscheduling.
* Exercise on a regular basis.
* Eat regular, well-balanced meals and get enough sleep.
* Meditate.
* Participate in something you don't find stressful, such as sports, social events or hobbies.

That's nice, but college is SO different.
For example:
1. Don't worry about things you can't control.
So should I worry about things I can control? Or could have controlled had I been more adept? Because there are so many situations that I could have controlled and screwed up on.

4. Try looking at change as a positive challenge.
I don't know about this one. Sometimes I don't even realize when things have changed; it's difficult to pinpoint what changes are because it's so easy to look back and think, "Wow, last year was so much better, how did it come to this?" Maybe I'm just not a big fan of change because adapting to new situations is hard for people who need time to learn.

6. Set realistic goals.
I feel like I am always behind schedule. It is such a precious thing to be on schedule!!!! I have so many planners, calendars, and lists of things to do... they help me keep track of my life. I think the hardest part is prioritizing, especially since sometimes it's hard to figure out what truly matters. I could do my homework and be antisocial, but maybe ten years down the line I'll regret losing a friend (uhhhh okay, now that I'm writing it out, I think that's kind of ridiculous). I don't know why, but I feel like a lot of people I know can either make you or break you and relations matter! Curse you networking!!! Then there's always that threat of ending up living by myself in a lonely apartment with 10 cats.

7. Exercise on a regular basis.
I think I'll go to the gym this weekend. Or maybe take a run down the Schukyll? I have to figure something out.

8. Eat well-balanced meals and get enough sleep.
Okay, this is HARD in college! I never know what to cook and sometimes what I cook tastes terrible. Sometimes I don't have time to cook good food, but I want to save money, thus no eating out unless it's an emergency week. Getting enough sleep is also hard because of time management and the amount of studying/reading I have to do... not to mention my roommates who have different schedules than I do. The slightest noise freaks me out and I get more and more agitated as the night goes on. I hate it when my roommate's boyfriend comes over for the night because I hate the sound of his voice when I'm trying to sleep. Nothing personal (he's actually a close friend and I really care about him), it's just certain past experiences have shaped the way I feel about certain things. I can't tell him that because both my roommate and he will take it personally.

9. Meditate
No. My ex-boyfriend used to try to meditate and he was batshit crazy. Not doing it.

10. Participate in something you don't find stressful.
I like drawing... maybe writing. I like creating things because I feel like I've spent my time wisely. Watching movies and spending time with friends is nice, though at times rather escapist because I feel like my problems are still going to be there. When drawing, such feelings do exist, but I feel like I'm in a better situation because at least I have a tangible result.

update on drawings

2010-03-17T14:56:00.009-06:00

This was supposed to be an art blog of sorts, but I haven't uploaded much stuff. I intended on uploading a while ago, and I suppose I never got around doing so.

March 2010

Fanart of Assassin's Creed II. I admit I've never played ACII, but I am extremely impressed with their designs and use of color, so I had to draw the main character from the game. In my anthropology class we talked a lot about metacultural representations, and I must say, ACII is probably a really awesome product of metaculture. I mean, you're running around in Renaissance Italy on a vendetta, and you get to buy art, climb cathedrals and, get this, Leonardo da Vinci makes your assassin gear (at one point you get to fly in one of his flying machines). Sounds like a historical interactive dramatization to me. But if anything, the graphics are absolutely stunning.

January 2010

Inspired by Alfred Mucha and WWII propaganda posters (I don't know...). My favorite color to paint with is red.

March 2009

Drew this before going to the Smithsonian. My favorite museum, besides the art museums, is the Air and Space Museum. I love WWI and WWII planes, especially their replica of Richthofen's Fokker Dr.1 Triplane.

November 2008

Drew this during my first semester at college. Being in Philadelphia definitely made me romanticize about home in Colorado. My neighborhood isn't really a mini Kansas, there's pretty much a Starbucks in every shopping center (I love how Starbucks has become a yardstick to judge how metropolitan a place is) and instead of fields of golden wheat, we have fields of... gray roof thanks to the booming housing economy of the 90's. Nevertheless, home is a place of big skies where you can smell the rain coming in. That openness was something I missed.

August 2008

Perspective practice. I do enjoy the steampunk aesthetic. Tastefully done, it should be like a sip of Cabernet Sauvignon... not necessarily fancy or expensive, but flavorful enough and reminiscent of the past.

advice

2010-03-16T21:58:00.006-06:00

I had a chat with an acquaintance of my mom over spring break and I think one of my favorite things that she said was, "It will behoove you to follow these tips..." or something along those lines (it's been a few days, and I am a terrible auditory learner... I can never recall exact words and I never successfully quote movies! I mean, sometimes I find it easier to think in images, not words...). Anyway, I thought her use of "behoove" was very charming. She gave me some advice on furthering my search for a job, which I thought was very gracious of her.

One thing that she stressed on was that it was crucial for me to be excited about what I am doing. Funny, I feel like THAT particular idea, no matter how gimicky it sounds, has been brought up by several people I look up to. This idea is also a bit frightening to me because I don't know what I am passionate about. I mean, what if I'm wrong? There are so many paths to choose from, it's difficult to know exactly which is the best route. On the other hand, what I'm passionate about is very well contingent upon its costs and benefits. Here's a shallow but true story: I will be more inclined to learn in a class that I am doing well in!!! Because here's the thing- I freak out about things I think I'm bad at and I feel a vague sense of distrust towards the subject, as if the subject has taken life and is challenging me. This brings me back to the days of math in my elementary, middle school, and high school days. I was bad at it and didn't seek help because it was much easier doing the things I felt confident in. Come to think of it, why didn't I seek help? It would have saved me a lot of trouble later on in life... Maybe it works like appeasement during the 1930's, where artificial solutions were made to cover underlying issues of a more sinister nature (though my tasks are not nearly as grave as world war)!

Last semester of school has tested my tolerance for difficult subjects and my ability to get over... cowardice, shall we call it. I think though I am my worst enemy at times, I am also able to overcome psychological fears when I really get down to business. To be able to do so, I have to have a genuine, if clinical, outlook towards what I am trying to learn and obtain- which is possible to adopt in times of need. The ironic thing is- I really begin to LIKE the subject that I once feared after I have entered this mode.

The point is, although it behooves me to do things I am passionate about, I realize that many times, the subjects I am excited about change according to chance and circumstance. Perhaps it would also behoove me to be more decisive. As a spoiled grade grabber in high school, I guess I should also remember not to give up so easily on tasks when not given instant gratification. I think somewhere along the way I forgot I'm still learning and now I'm rediscovering the fact that the person I am today won't necessarily be the same in the future, and I can change that, for better or worse.

flatware pet peeve

2010-02-08T14:04:00.006-07:00

I have a problem. Being somewhat of a pack rat, I recently realized that I have a particular fondness of flatware. Now, I didn't notice this before because at home, I everyone uses the same kind of flatware and it's not like my brother would steal the spoons or forks. In retrospect, I did tend to only use my favorite types of spoons, forks and knives and give the other members of my family flatware that I was ambivalent about. Part of the eating experience is feeling the texture of everything that enters your mouth, and the flatware that goes with it is important! Good flatware makes everything taste and look better. Think about it, when people have dinner parties, they put out their best flatware.

Lately, I noticed that one of my college roommates has been using my favorite spoons and forks. So no big deal, right? For some reason, it's driving me insane like any proper pet peeve. I mean, why doesn't she use her own flatware? Why doesn't she use Margaret's? Maybe because Margaret's spoons suck and hers look like they're made from aluminum.

The reason I'm bothered by this is that if you think about it, it's like someone taking something very personal from you and getting their saliva all over it. And it's not like flatware is free. I would have to spend $10 on a single teaspoon and if my kleptomaniac roommate doesn't want to buy spoons, maybe she should steal plastic ones from the cafe instead.

I bring this up because I can't find my teaspoon. $#!%^@%^

I looked online and the Oneida website sells my exact spoon, so maybe if I'm feeling particularly ocd, I'll buy a set.

The one I have is apparently called 'Paul Revere'.

They have a lot of elegant designs, but perhaps getting the 'Michelangelo' might be slightly overkill for a college dorm.

a two-front war and Luxirare

2010-02-04T20:29:00.004-07:00

I wanted to get a head start on finishing my history homework today. After reading about 100 pages of Keegan, I wrote my blog of the week and finished it before a dinner date with some friends. Right before posting the entry on blackboard, I noticed a slight discrepancy. Rather than Feb 4, The Eastern Front, the discussion board was labled The WESTERN Front. I blinked. Wait a second. The hundred pages I meticulously read was clearly about Barbarossa, Stalin, Greece, Crete.... the EASTERN front! So why were the posts of my classmates on the Western front and the Battle of the Atlantic? Then it dawned on me that I had read a week ahead. Fail.

Well, I managed to put together a last minute post, but so much for feeling prepared.

On another note, my friend introduced me to a fashion blog called Luxirare. The author is a creative genius, and really puts my craftsmanship to shame. I love her various food ventures, although while her taste is exquisite, I can't help but think it can be at times rather clinical. I dunno. Maybe it's my love for the homespun aesthetic, but I prefer my food to be more Martha Stewart than haute couture. Nevertheless, I've got to give her major kudos.

http://luxirare.com/macarons-chocolates-scorpions/ (here's a blog I particularly like)

Pretzels

2010-02-02T14:49:00.004-07:00

I was browsing through Anthropologie's February catalogue and low and behold, a clean-shaven non-sketchy male model! Except he works for the circus, so does maybe that makes him a bit questionable...?

Meh, he's kinda cute :D

Last week my friend Barbara and I made pretzels. Barbara's turned into this nice golden brown color while mine remained pasty white, as if mine had been locked up in the basement for a year while hers got a nice tan. Nevertheless, they were delicious.

Look how cute Barbara's pretzel turned out!

Wisdom teeth surgery

2009-12-31T22:18:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I had my wisdom teeth taken out. It was one of the hippy-dippyest experience I've ever had. One hour before my surgery, the doctor instructed me to take a sedative. I've never had surgery before, taken any illegal drugs, and only have gotten drunk once so I was slightly troubled when on our way to the doctor's I started seeing two cars instead of one. I think my mom tried to have a conversation with me, but I started to ignore her and focus on the double cars, thinking to myself "whoa, this is weird!". Then I'm not sure what happened. My next memory is walking into the office, my mom saying something like, "Sorry we're late... she's being really slow", and the nurse saying something like, "That happens." Next I remember them placing me to a chair. The doctor wrapped a tight band around my arm and told me to squeeze a rubber ball.. which was for the IV.

I remember them sticking the tube in my arm and how nice it felt, not like what I had expected, so I started smiling.

I put my music on, and from then on... it was all smooth sailing.

Wow... strong medications. The next time I "truly awake" was when I was in bed. Now I have no idea how I managed to be in bed in my pjs, with fat pieces of gauze between my teeth. My mom must have had to haul me out of the car into the house. When I was up though, my mouth was in a lot of pain; I tried to talk, but couldn't. I failed to communicate with them so I had to write "get my medicine and instructions!" on a notebook.

classes

2009-09-16T22:08:00.003-06:00

School life is in full swing again. Today I was sitting in Accounting 101 wishing that I was back in my dorm, finishing, of all things, homework. Must be the weather. Of course, it didn't help that microeconomics- an hour and thirty minute class that I had after my accounting class- lasted like what felt like a million years.

Meanwhile, it is just me, or did my school increase the number of war and strategy-related courses? If so, I wonder what prompts the sudden interest in understanding battle. As my War, Strategy and Policy professor notes, the course is not about "how to stop war" or "causes of war", but rather, topics relating to how to engage in battle and different methods and theories of warfare are discussed. So this week I have to read about 100 pages of Clausewitz. Though I do like the Prussian military strategist, his work On War is a pain in the ass to read and understand. I swear the guy repeats himself over and over throughout each chapter and across chapters. But I digress. Could shifts over the last few years in the world balance cause unrest among the peaceful denizens dwelling behind the ivy-covered walls? To look back in fifty years, I wonder what people will think of my generation. This is my vague and fanciful musing for the night.

dean's list

2009-06-28T12:33:00.003-06:00

I found out today that I am put on the Dean's List! Apparently that means I am a good student with a nice GPA. Haha, what a surprise! My dean even signed the letter... well, maybe it's electronic, but it's the thought that counts.

Something else wonderful also came into the mail- my little red sewing machine! I plan to sew skirts and dresses this summer, and maybe make an apron or two.

Yay! I'm just a happy little squeeerelle today. Okay, now I should go work on my paper.

bring me paradise

2009-05-29T18:08:00.004-06:00

I wasted an afternoon watching the cheesiest movie, Vanhellsing, for the second time. Why? Ah well, summer. However, I made up for my loss by swifering and moping the kitchen, and finishing the drawing I have been working on since February. It's not that it's super time-consuming, it's just that college has kept me busy with other priorities. So here it is,Seriously, I think I need to give Katherine more expressions than just looking downcast. She's the redhed, btw. (Katherine and Kaori are the two main characters in Aramus Inc.)

Pensicola

2009-05-29T14:18:00.005-06:00

I'm glad I got to enjoy a calm week at the beach. It was amazing how close the condos were to the ocean, and of course, it was even more amazing walking in the sand and feeling the salt water rush between my legs. There's something very cathartic about it. I also liked how relatively quiet the trip was and how uncrowded the area was. We played games, went out on walks, watched movies, and read. Good times.

teacup and saucers

2009-05-09T13:40:00.004-06:00

I bought this small gift from Anthropologie for the lady who will be storing my college stuff over the summer. Ever since I saw the ad on their website, I've been charmed by the delicate yet colorful teacups and matching saucers. I really wanted a cute set for myself, but I guess I never got around buying, and plus I don't really have a use for it. Anyway, I hope she finds this gift as charming as I do. Or she could regift it and make someone else's day. :)

hello

2009-05-02T09:14:00.002-06:00

Hello, I'm trying out blogspot because I thought the layouts were more attractive than livejournal's. Hmm, I should be studying for finals. Yup.

Anyway, look for more in the future.