Hello There

Few words about the picture. Few posts ago, I took a shot of paper pieces of the London Eye, or the ferris wheel, Eiffel tower, and if you could've made it out from the photo, the Opera House. It was for this greeting card. It's quite silly when I think about it. I was making greeting cards without the intention of, say, greeting people. But to be fair, I must say I was tired of greeting cards that came with pre-etched greeting lines. Happy birthday, happy anniversary, congratulations, thank you, and so on. Same boring lines, just different days. So the piece you see in the picture is one of my attempts at creating a card that conveys much broader usage in whatever the occasion, or even occasion-less, but without losing the details and sensitivity towards endearment that cards are meant to portray. Or so I hope.

Well, everything's almost over. For those who know, I'm shuffling through applications. I'm applying for master of architecture. I'm also in the process of moving. I'll be working in Daejeon, Korea, from January to June in a research facility. Oh! Something funny.

So, the place I'll be working is called KRIBB, or Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology. But there is a couple of spelling errors. The name itself has one error, and name on the website has another, different error. Can you spot what they are? Koreans and their fobbiness, ha-ha.

I thought it was cute.

I'm also doing last minute studies for the GRE, Graduate Record Examination, which is part of my application. I'm also trying to get my portfolio ready, which by the way, the above piece is part of. You didn't think I would make greeting cards for fun, did you? Of course not. My ideal leisure time mostly goes onto watching black and white movies, mainly because I've ran out of good movies in colors to watch. Or take my camera for a stroll, or shred on my guitar, or watch fashion show runways for those occasional half-naked women in lingerie, because fashion is not merely subject of a corporeal examination but a highly intellectual artistry that requires sophistication of the senses and the personification of skilled individualists, expressed through its interplay of threads.

Ha-ha, I'm kidding about the fashion thing. The latter part, that is.

But, yes, in conclusion I am busy. And I suppose I will be very busy in the future as well. So I'll take a short leave and say bye for now. Bye! But I'll say hello as well, for next time. Perhaps, it'll be next year by then. Who knows? But by saying hello now than then, I'll feel more obligated to come back sooner than later. Well, not obligated per se. A sense of anticipation I suppose. So without further a due!

Hello there.

Enter Reminiscence

My nights are filled with vitamin water and Stewart's root beers. I dared drinking the limited edition of Jone's cola with picture of Obama my friend gave me, but I couldn't in the end. I still have faith in him. Sleepless nights, one after another. Caffeine, caffeine, caffeine. Unnecessary, but fascinating and interesting each night, I feel as though I'm picking up new hobbies as if I'm collecting pennies. From reading about fish to reading about success stories of screenwriters, from looking up stocks for no apparent reason to looking up recipes, I seem to be searching for something. Maybe it's in the 6-cylinder engine of a Porsche 911, or perhaps it's in the new trend of utilizing bamboo in industrial designs. Fashion. Looking up women's dresses, browsing through men's suits, shoes, watches, belts, shirts, ties, cufflinks, down to the details of materials and patterns. Styles varying from urban chic to hobowears. Rolled up sleeves, rolled up pants. Gadgets, reviews on Googlewave, articles on copyright warfare, Sarah Palin, TED videos, the best nail-guns, submarine designs, more heavy metal.

What could I possibly be looking for?

It's nearing 4 months of stay at my new place and nearing 3 months of bachelorhood. I liked the sound of it in the beginning, but no. Living alone is not as cool as I thought. But I did learn a lot, about myself, practicing my freedom, chores, making to-do lists, housekeeping routines, planning portions for my grocery shopping, and adjusting my food portions, always keeping a mental note of how much food I have in my fridge and when they'll expire.

Few lessons I've learned living at this apartment. Let's see if I can list them out, in no particular order.

One, always keep spare fuses. Few weeks ago, 3 blocks of my neighborhood had a power outage for 8 hours. Being simply annoyed, I went out to study at a cafe and when I came back the power was back on. But 2 of my 4 house fuses had been blown and at the time I didn't have any spare fuses. The 2 fuses were my heater and the room electricity. It was a very, very cold and long, sleepless night.

Two, loneliness tends to reveal your character more dramatically. Generally, people are nice, so when they're lonely they're nicer to others. But some people are meaner than others, and it shows more explicitly. I guess I'm the former.

Three, I am not as much a meat-lover as I thought I was. Most of my grocery expenses go on vegetables, or fresh produce. Even making a direct comparison between vegetable and meat spendings, I spend about twice as much on vegetables. And I noticed I put mushrooms in everything. Any kind of pasta, stir-fries, noodles, or even just as side dish.

Four, I really don't like it when more than 10 percent of the apartment is covered with furniture. I wish I can get rid of the piano, the closet, the kitchen table set, and the couches. I'd rather live on the floor with a floor-table. The only thing I wouldn't mind covering would be the walls and windows. But they have to be unobtrusive.

Five, teas are communal and ceremonial drinks. I'd much rather share tea with someone than to drink it by myself. I find myself drinking water and coffee more than I drink tea. It used to be the other way around.

Six, I can survive with a 20 dollar phone plan. I don't have much use for a phone. I'm quite diligent at picking up my phone; I have always have been, but I can survive without it. Right now, I'm paying too much.

Seven, water has healing powers. I bathe much more frequently now, and one thing I realized was that just taking a dip in steam-hot water can go a long way to relieve your stress.

Eight, I do things better when I'm by myself. I'm more self-motivated and diligent. I just don't have anyone else to blame for my shortcomings or failures. So I probably try that much harder.

Nine, I'm not good at administrative tasks. This includes signing sublease forms, contracts, school forms, applications, e-mailing requests, sorting out costs, paying bills, etc. I overlook things too often and I get stressed over small tasks easily.

Ten, loneliness is a fatal disease.

The Story of Polo the Rabbit

Once upon a time there lived a rabbit whose name was Polo. He had brown eyes, snow-white fur and a pair of long elegant ears. Did I mention he had a cute butt? He looked like any other rabbit and if you were to pick him out of the crowd, it would've been just as hard to spot another rabbit. He was ordinary-looking, or maybe a tad more handsome than other rabbits? He went about his days like eating carrots, running races, and going to school like any other rabbit. But the similarity stops there.

You see, he had no friends. He was a bizarre one. He was, to say the least, different. Growing up he didn't get along with other rabbits. To be fair, Polo was nice and he was always eager to help those in need. It's just that no one really understood him. When other rabbits were going to school, he'd skip classes to take a walk, watch the clouds, or study the rivers. He was a curious soul and he was genuinely innocent to the point of being fearless. He didn't care much for toys, the race and the rankings, or even grooming or rabbit beauty products. It would be safe to say that Polo was more in tune with Mother Nature than the rabbits, or his kind.

Polo was also particular in that he liked to talk to the insects such as the bees, the butterflies, or the centipedes. Mind you, the rabbits were an awfully proud race. They ruled over all the other animals in their village including the squirrels, the turtles, and the mice. The rabbits were in charge of rationing the food, setting up regulations, and other social works that concerned basic animal rights. But Polo wasn't like any other rabbits. He befriended the insects just as much as he befriended his fellow rabbits, or any other animals. And because of that, he was often made fun of and he slowly became an outcast.

It was one rainy spring but with lots of sun. The crops grew and grew. They towered over the rabbit village and all the rabbits marveled at their harvest. Among the crops were the carrots, the rabbits' only food. They saw how much carrots they had and they rejoiced. They harvested in joy. They quickly piled up and rationed among the rabbit families. They left none for any other animals. The first night, all the rabbits gathered up and had a feast. They played, ate, ate, and ate. The second night, they had another feast. The third, the fourth, the fifth.. This continued until there were no more carrots left. Yet, it was only the middle of summer. Such foolish rabbits! How could they eat all those carrots before the season is up? So they were forced to go back out in the fields and this time, they harvested the leaves as well as the roots. And by the end of fall, most of the roots in the field were gone. They were quickly depleting and at this rate the rabbits would've exhausted all their resources. Polo became concerned. He told the elder rabbits about the problem, but they were too stubborn and would not listen.

Polo, being a rabbit, could not travel too far because he knew beyond the village and the hills, there were foxes and wild-dogs. So he pleaded the Queen Bee to help him locate a plot of land that he could use to farm. And in return, he would help the bee colonies detect bears with his long years and take shifts on watch. So the Queen Bee found him a hearty acre of land to farm his carrots. Polo gathered up all the carrots he had and planted them. He also started saving up little of the carrots he received and farmed them as well. Polo quickly became exhausted but he continued night after day.

I wish I could tell you that the next spring Polo became a savior and all the rabbits loved him. But such a fairytale-like story belongs in fairytale books.

Before Polo could tell the rabbits about the plot of land where the carrots grew, other rabbits already informed the elders. The credits went onto someone else. And Polo grew weary. He was growing tired of this world and the foolish rabbit ways. He wished he could travel and explore the world beyond the hills, but he also knew that his deeds weren't without purpose. He was helping hundreds of the rabbits stay alive.

Polo the farmer rabbit continued this deed years after years. Polo lived till 9 years, which is a long stretch in rabbit years, but until his last breath he continued to farm without recognition. He did what he did because he believed in his deeds. He loved the rabbits nevertheless and continued to enjoy his life among other animals and insects. As his relationship with the bees deepened, he had the honors of chatting with the Queen Bee which no other rabbit had ever done before. He continued to help the bees out on their bear-watch. He also befriended lots of other insects such as the centipedes, the spiders, and even the fish. But among all the animals, Polo had a true friend that he always talked to. And that's the willow tree at the top of the hill. And it's the same willow tree that housed Queen Bee's hives and colonies. Polo loved to come under the shade of the tree and just share a chat or his dreams with the tree. Sometimes he would come to seek counsel and the tree would give him advice. Polo was a good rabbit. Although not a properly accredited hero, Polo was a hero in his own right. And I'd say there was a sense of joy in Polo's life as well. Actually, I'd say his life was richer and more blessed than any other rabbits I've ever known. And believe me when I say that Polo truly lived his life to the fullest.

Goodbye Polo. We'll all miss you.

Midnight Blues

This is a picture of one of the udons I made. I prefer to have udons in cold, winter midnights with a comfort blanket. And watching anime. Well, anime's the traditional way to do it, but I mix it up a bit now and then. Classical music's cool, too. Nowadays I enjoy listening to Liszt's heavily melancholic pieces, sometimes sounding as if the devil wrote the pieces himself but with poignant sense of beauty, pure essence, and fantasy.

Ah, everytime I listen to classical music I get the urge to pick-up my violin again. And I should. I would like to play few concertos before I die. Too ambitious? Maybe I'll buyout an orchestra just so I can play few pieces with them. Or bribe them. Ha-ha.

Elgar, Brahms, Dvorak, Schumann, Rachmaninov. I like.

Sometimes I like to just lie down after a meal and picture a wine in my hand (because I don't want to really drink and get drunk 7 in the evening), and wave with my other hand as if I'm the conductor and the invisible baton's really just a paintbrush, but for painting sound.

Mmm, I remember when I was still a kid I used to trace the raindrops on the car windows as if I were moving the water with my fingertips. And I would occasionally leave a mark or a signature of some kind after I blew steam onto the window, as all kids do.

Mmm, I must finish this essay before the midnight dawns on me. Schizophrenia as a topic anyone?

Durab Inc.

Just in time for Christmas; a comic from Perry Bible Fellowship, a website for comics that have nothing to do with the Bible. None whatsoever.


Link to source

Dear President Obama

Is is true that tomorrow at 8pm you plan to go to West Point and announce that you're increasing the troops in Afghanistan? Are the rumor and speculations true? Is it true that you're going to take the advice from General McChrystal and decide to spill more blood of the innocent and soldiers alike? I understand that there's pressure to comply with the extreme Right-wings who have always been hostile towards you, so of course you'd like to be mindful and show favor, but that can't be the main reason, can it? I also heard that the CIA and the World Bank were fundamental benefactors of the poppy seed plantations before the Taliban gained control of Afghanistan, but that has nothing to do with this, right? There are less than 100 Talibans left and with the WMD now understood as a myth, there's no more need to stain this sacred Earth with the blood of more innocent civilians, soldiers, and more soldiers that's rumored to be sent, right? It can't be true that you're going to turn a blind eye and ignore the majority of American citizens and believers around the world who had so much faith in you when you first came into presidency, right? With this single speech, you have the power to turn the young, hopeful generation, such as myself, into disillusioned cynics and once again prove that the world cannot change. But this is all just a rumor, right? Please, tell me it's not true..

It's not true. It can't be true, right?

It's true after all. Why, oh why..

Photo taken from google

Lego Matrix

'The Matrix' is my personal favorite sci-fi film, and I rank it among other great sci-fi films such as 'Alien' and the recent 'District 9'. So when I saw this lego remake of one of the classic Matrix scenes, I was very, very thrilled.

Bitrebels.com did a coverage article on this video and apparently the video took a stunning 440 hours to make!