An "About me" entry.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Being blind to the imperfect. 

2. What is your greatest fear?

It used to be clowns, now I'd say needles.  

3.  What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I slouch, and I ALWAYS lose my keys.

4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

I have various pet peeves – most of which involve a lack of balance between traits (i.e. being TOO proud, or TOO controlling, etc.), I’d say excess materialism and/or insecurity get to me the most though. 

5. Which living person do you most admire?

Obama (not just for what he’s done, but for what he stands for)

6. What is your greatest extravagance?

Purses and yoloberry.

7. What is your current state of mind?

Lethargic.

8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

I think they all have their strengths, maybe pride (which, in my opinion, is a little more pretentious than confidence or dignity). 

9. On what occasion do you lie?

Sometimes when people ask me if they look ok (sorry!) 

10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I wouldn’t say I dislike it, but my profile (it’s quite flat)

11. Which living person do you most despise?

I’m not sure that I despise anyone at the moment. 

12. What is the quality you most like in a man?


Quirkiness 

13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Humor. 

14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?


“Yo” & “Peace” (they start and end all of my conversations)

 15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?

I’d say Kate Hudson and Natalie Portman

16. When and where were you happiest?

Lovefest comes close…soon to be topped by Coachella.

17. Which talent would you most like to have?


I’d LOVE to be an outstanding guitarist.

18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?


Magical powers, duh.

19. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

Myself….before I died. 

20. Where would you most like to live?

Pandora with the Navi.

21. What is your most treasured possession?

Strawberry baby, my diary box, and my movie book of answers (relics of my childhood).

22. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

What an intense question, I can’t even fathom what the actual lowest depths of misery feel like, but I’ll guess extreme regret and/or starvation. 

23. What would be your favorite occupation?

Food Critic with Yuko Edwards (to put to use our hours wasted and plates consumed in the DC)...However, considering I've killed off a good amount of my taste buds with hot sauce, I just don't see this working out.  

24. What is your most marked characteristic?

I’m easygoing, and I don’t go more than 10 minutes without laughing....literally.

25. What do you most value in your friends?

Humor, individuality, Trust (Also, I like them to be just a tad bit bizarre…mix it up a bit) 

26. What is it that you most dislike?

When people touch my knees, or when my knees touch each other. 

27.  What are your favorite names?

Tegan (Girl), Riley (Girl), Porter (boy), Channing (Boy) 

28. What is your greatest regret?


Not trying pineapple sooner.

29. How would you like to die?

I wouldn’t, thanks. 

30. What is your motto?

I have two:   “Live young. Laugh Hard.” & "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, its about learning to dance in the rain"

WALLS.

 After a two year break, the Shout Out Louds are back!  Their new album, Walls, is scheduled to release on  February 23, but until then, enjoy.....

"This song is like what you expect from the Dodos or Cold War Kids at their shiniest -- courageous in sound, but vague in message; swollen with catchiness." - Jenna Humphrey

Purely Procrastination.

Current Study Playlist:

"Moth's Wings" - Passion Pit

"Man of Devotion" -Fool's Garden

"Cosmic Love" - Florence and the Machine

"In this City" - Iglu & Hartley 

"Caught in the Crowd"- Kate Miller-Heidke

"Daylight"  (Troublemaker Remix) -Matt and Kim ft. De La Soul

"Where is my Mind?" - The Pixies

"Crown on the Ground" - Sleigh Bells

"Black Shoes" - The Films

"I'll Be in the Sky" - B.O.B.

"Love Lost" - the Temper Trap

"Good Grief" - The Southland

"Little Bit" - Lykke Li

"Chinese" - Lily Allen

"Stop the Wold" - The Big Pink

Lastly, the link I've posted - A Remixed version of "Comptine d'un autre ete" - Yann Tierson  (The video's weird, but I like the song)

The grass is always greener

I will admit, I have this envy for girls who are so gorgeous that high fashion designers deem them their “muses”.  I mean come on - the slim build that makes a casual summer dress look like a million bucks, the symmetrical face, pouty lips, etc.  How could someone not be jealous?  I’ll also admit, I have a picture of Karmen Cass as the background of my phone, Lily Donaldson on my computer, Kate Moss on my wall, and Sasha Pivovarova on my twitter because quite frankly, I think they’re fun to look at.  However, sooner or later, after glancing at one too many perfect faces, on one too may popular magazines, with one too many seducing captions, perfection becomes redundant.  Maybe the reason why people’s envy for this impeccably sculpted diva eventually diminishes is because flawlessness is boring, it lacks luster. 

So, the next time you flip through a magazine and ask yourself “why cant that be me”, remember each side has its silver lining – yes, she may be beautiful, and yes she is “perfect”, but even with all that (and I know this is a stretch) maybe she’s asking “why can’t I be that girl, reading my tabloid, living the life I dreamed of”.

“What you need is a face. If you have a face you don't need height or a voice. Models know this; that's why the good ones don't need to talk much." -Karl Lagerfeld

why COACHELLA is a MUST.

Growing up, my mother incessantly engraved the importance of dance and music.  At first, dance was my priority; I loved expressing my thoughts, my worries, my passions through my body.  However, as high school approached, and my flexibility deteriorated, music began to take over.  I became one of those girls who attached themselves to their i-pods – under my hood in class, walking in the halls, driving to school, falling asleep, reading a book, out with my friends – I know at times it was obnoxious, but I literally created a soundtrack to my life, it was ALWAYS playing.

Now, when you listen to something so excessively, it slowly becomes a part of you.  Music, in my head, was my style, it helped shape my personality.  I always searched for the newest things, and I began to associate certain songs, and certain artists, with certain points in my life, and more importantly, certain people.  A song is not just a series of waves that form a melody; it’s a memory.  You name a song, I’ll name a happening (regardless of it’s significance to my life), i.e. 

"Police on my Back” – The Clash – when my best friend, Anna, and I got stuck in the rain for a 3 hour walk and I got back to my house so cold that I broke out in this ridiculous full body rash, couldn’t stop shaking, and actually thought I was going to die of hypothermia, (seems like a disaster but we treat it as nothing more than a good laugh and a great memory).

“They Never Got You” – Spoon – There was a short period in high school where my group of best friends split.  Now, I know this may seem like some stupid high school girl drama, but it was pretty traumatizing losing someone that close to me for the very first time.  Writing in my diary, evaluating the situation, this song came on, and I listened to it on repeat that entire week.  Consequently, I decided I would never subdue myself to the endless drama’s of cliques.  I promised to stay pure and not be that girl who screwed her friend over. 

“Caring is Creepy” – The Shins – driving to Corina’s house in my old Jetta, new license in hand, getting ready to be the “D.D.” for my very first time. 

“In This Home on Ice” – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! –Piedmont, I think that word has enough explanation in itself, for me at least.

The Entire 500 Days of Summer Soundtrack - the moment Nicky and I stepped out of that movie we agreed that it would be one of those movies we would watch an endless amount of times, with 500 copies of the dvd, and 500 visits to the movie theatre.  But on top of that, I bought the soundtrack and immediately fell in love.  Not only did it introduce me to a couple new bands, it brought back my undying love for Regina Spektor.  

“Anecdote” – Ambulance LTD – driving in Michelle Baker’s car, sitting in the passengers seat with Addi in the back stating – “Rei, you started dancing when that song came on….and didn’t stop moving till it ended…you do know that we’re in a car, right?”

“El Manana” – Gorrillaz – A certain special summer adventure in La Jolla that involved a cross, a beach, and so much more.

“AM 180” – Grandaddy – watching some stupid zombie movie (I cant remember the title because it was THAT bad) and recognizing Grandaddy’s voice in the soundtrack, downloading the song, and listening to it in 2^nd period, Mrs. Tassano’s Advanced Algebra class…and getting asked to stay late (for my very first time) after getting caught with my headphones in.  

A-Punk- Vampire Weekend – my first summer day at the Russian river, hamburger and soda in hand, so excited for the freezing cold water amidst a smoldering hot day.

“Prog” – Pinback – my very first all nighter in college, and a reality check on what a commitment it was going to be to excel at this school.   

“Shadow” – The Southland – MONTANA.

“Dead End” – The Format – spring quarter, sophomore year, my life at the pool.

"Forever Young" remake - Youth Group – crying in bed with Jen after safe and sober grad night about how scared we were to grow up, and how much we missed high school.

“A Movie Script Ending” – Death Cab – Colla.

“White Daisy Passing” – Rocky Votolato – crying on my 18^th birthday, alone in my dorm room, because for the very first time since moving to Davis, I was homesick.

 “Where does the good go” – Tegan and Sara – my first broken heart.

“If I ever feel better” – Phoenix – my realization that a broken heart is transient…it comes and it goes.

I know this post may seem pointless…but in conclusion…one time, as I was aimlessly writing in my diary (which I tend to do), I decided upon 15 or 20 bands that I wanted to see before I die, a life goal I guess you could call it (and one thing you should know about me in high school, I HATED to make life plans)…but these were bands that I suppose meant THAT much to me…and about 8 of them are going to be at Coachella 2010.  Now, I know the tickets are expensive, and I know I’m just some broke college kid…but I’ll get my ticket, and I’ll make it over there because that’s one life goal that I’ll be fulfilling, and three days I’ll never forget. 

 

sense nature

smell it. touch it. see it. feel it. hear it. sense it.  explore the world around you.

Recently I was asked to go on a 2 hour hike around Pheonix lake, in Ross, CA.  I glanced outside, observed the hovering rain clouds, sensed the cold, musty air, and imagined my soon to be sore and aching feet, and instinctively declined.  However, after much persuasion (and some physical pestering), I picked myself up, put on a hefty winter coat, and was on my way.  Although I had to hike the entire thing with my sweatpants rolled past my knees (looking like a fool), mist blowing in my face, and a continuously parched mouth, I'm grateful for every moment that I spent on that trail.  After all, there's nothing better than getting out of the house, detaching myself from the outside world (if only for an instant), and delving into nature.

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."

Favorite Quotes

Go back and read one of your favorite children's books.  You may be pleasantly surprised to find hidden life lessons within the text, behind the pictures, or between the lines...here are some of my favorites:

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don't much care where-" said Alice.
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.

~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland


'Men have forgotten this truth,' said the fox. 'But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.' -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” -Lewis Carroll

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." 

- Dr. Seuss

"Tell me who admires and loves you, and I will tell you who you are" - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

-- Dr. Seuss

"Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop."  ~Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

"Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it happened" - Dr. Seuss

"We're all mad here" - Lewis Carrol.

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye" - Antoine de Saint Exupery.

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men." -Willy Wonka

"Let the Wild Rumpus Begin!" -Where the Wild things are

....I AM SO INCREDIBLY EXCITED FOR ALICE IN WONDERLAND....March 5, 2010.

An Explanation for my Title

If anyone here has read Human, All-too-Human: A Book For Free Spirits by Friedrich Nietzsche, you can probably easily identify my title "The Hour Hand" from the 586th statement in the 9th division of his first book...but, considering a lot of you have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll explain here ... as my first blog entry. 

"The Hour-hand of life - life consists of rare single moments of the greatest importance, and of countless intervals during which, at best, the phantoms of those moments hover around us. Love, the Spring, every fine melody, the mountains, the moon, the sea - all speak but once fully to the heart, if indeed, they ever do quite attain to speech. For many people have not those moments at all, and are themselves intervals and pauses in the symphony of actual life".  

This quote illustrates the ease at which individuals accept their destiny as a "human-being", not a human-achieving, not a human-reflecting, not a human-excelling, but instead a pause, an interval of existence. Now, just to clear things up, so people don't consider me pretentious...I'm not trying to say that I'm excelling in life, or some sort of over-achiever. However, I do think that maybe we should start appreciating every little thing that happens within these pauses. Although achievement is quite the subjective construct, I consider the the term synonymous with success. Moreover, I consider success an outcome of happiness -one's ability to dance with life, to sense everything it has to offer. So, my blog, along with many others, is intended to bring a certain contemplation or appreciation for life. It will consist of a compilation of "human-reflecting" moments that hopefully, in one way or another, will mean something to someone. After all, although there really are only several moments of the greatest importance, who ever said that the small things cant count?