Monday, February 22, 2016
Ophelia, or In Death, Let Me Have My Way
I came across this newspaper advert for a Japanese publishing company by chance this morning, and couldn't stop thinking about it all day. It's a very obvious photographic homage to Millais' creation (aka "the painting-that's-always-away-on-tour-when-I-visit-the-Tate"), with a few twists. In place of the young maiden driven to madness via heartbreak, a mature woman is floating, with an ethereal, dreaming expression. Instead of a robin redbreast, a bluebird is perched on a branch. The woman seems to be floating on a cape lined with crimson. The text of the ad says "At least, in death, let me do what I please". The smaller print says, "All people die, but oh, how the technology to grant longer life keep evolving, making it really difficult for us to do so. Instead of avoiding death or stressing over dying. I simply want to let go of each and every greed, and prepare for my finale. When people die, they become space dust. At the very least, I'd like to be dust that sparkles beautifully. That is my final greed." The model is actress Kirin Kiki, who has been openly battling cancer.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
New Year
"So this is the new year / And I don't feel any different" Death Cab For Cutie - "New Year"
Happy New Sixteen! I hope this year will be kind of like how it's depicted in John Hughes movies: funny, wry, somewhat sentimental, sweet, filled with youthful yearning, a sense of not quite fitting in that you share with everyone, a killer soundtrack for every scene, and somehow leaving it a tiny bit more mature than you were at the opening sequence.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Soda. Pop. Seltzer
I went to see "Sleeping Beauty" (by the Canadian National Ballet) a few months ago.
It was quite...trippy. Here are my takeaways.
It was quite...trippy. Here are my takeaways.
- Carabosse rolls with her own Insane Clown Posse. They have been haunting my dreams.
 |
| To the left, to the left!!! |
- The set design was stunning (moar tassels!) but the costumes need a serious upgrade. Everyone wore a feathered headdress (even the men) and they all looked like Vegas showgirls, and not in a good way.
- I'm pretty sure one of the fairies gifted Aurora with ADHD. At least that was the dance interpretation I took away.
- The "spindle" was somehow interpreted into gigantic knitting needles. At one point, the evil fairy enlists 3 street urchins who trick innocent townladies to the joy of knitting, causing these ladies to be manacled (uh-huh) when the king finds out that they can't stop knitting and purling. It was bizarre. Very bizarre. And as a knitting fan, I felt for those ladies.
- A for technique. The leads were very, very, precise. But I felt no warmth or chemistry between them, which was a shame.
- I bought a new ballet bag so I can bring it with me to practice. Woo, jewels!
Then I went back to the hotel and watched Steph Curry work his magic.
Over the weekend, I traipsed to NYC and spent a celebrity studded 2 days involving a play with my current crush, Dame Helen Mirren sightings, and consumption of delicious, divine, smokey salmon. It also involved quite a bit of shopping, which I will not list here for fear of admonishment. On Monday, I intended to go to Boston, but my luggage was too big and too late - I ended up waiting in the airport for 9hrs.
Once I finally got there, Boston welcomed me with misty rain and Dunkin Donuts tea, which was really strong and surprisingly nice (Assam FTW, I daresay). I also learned that there are different ways to refer to carbonated beverages. I tend to say "sparkling water", but in Boston it's "seltzer". I like to say soda for sweetened carbonated beverages (or fountain drinks, etc), but in Toronto it's "pop".
I also encountered a gigantic furry centipede that dropped from the ceiling of my brick hotel room in Toronto. In NYC I stayed at a very new, very quiet, very spacious room atop Times Square. It was interesting to have a view of rooftops that warrant a visit from Daredevil. Travel always knocks me off kilter a bit, like what I am experiencing isn't really real. Did I really get soaked head to toe in the most bizarre rainfalls? (yes) Did I really see Dame Mirren in the flesh? (yes) Was Bill Nighy staring into my eyes to ensure I realized that every line was directed at me? (yes...I mean, no...I mean, who knows?).
Over the weekend, I traipsed to NYC and spent a celebrity studded 2 days involving a play with my current crush, Dame Helen Mirren sightings, and consumption of delicious, divine, smokey salmon. It also involved quite a bit of shopping, which I will not list here for fear of admonishment. On Monday, I intended to go to Boston, but my luggage was too big and too late - I ended up waiting in the airport for 9hrs.
Once I finally got there, Boston welcomed me with misty rain and Dunkin Donuts tea, which was really strong and surprisingly nice (Assam FTW, I daresay). I also learned that there are different ways to refer to carbonated beverages. I tend to say "sparkling water", but in Boston it's "seltzer". I like to say soda for sweetened carbonated beverages (or fountain drinks, etc), but in Toronto it's "pop".
I also encountered a gigantic furry centipede that dropped from the ceiling of my brick hotel room in Toronto. In NYC I stayed at a very new, very quiet, very spacious room atop Times Square. It was interesting to have a view of rooftops that warrant a visit from Daredevil. Travel always knocks me off kilter a bit, like what I am experiencing isn't really real. Did I really get soaked head to toe in the most bizarre rainfalls? (yes) Did I really see Dame Mirren in the flesh? (yes) Was Bill Nighy staring into my eyes to ensure I realized that every line was directed at me? (yes...I mean, no...I mean, who knows?).
Lost & Found at Tokyo Disneyland
Just returned from a journey of multiple theme parks in humid Florida, and the experience was so jarring that it opened up a memory I've long forgotten. I figured I'd document it here in the lab as the worthy depository for all my RAMs.
There's a reason rides at these parks are called "attractions" - its mechanisms are designed to remind you of sex (if you're old enough to know). The loss of control, being tossed about in the dark, that moment of exhilaration as things accelerate, squeezing eyes shut at the intense bits...it definitely draws a parallel. Some rides you want to go on again as soon as it's over, and others you regret utterly. Some are just, well, meh. But I digress.
Once upon a time, I had a summer job working the lost & found at Tokyo Disneyland. I think I was a freshman or sophomore at university at the time. A close childhood friend of mine lived near the area, and she had an interesting living arrangement- she had her own apartment and her parents lived 2 doors down. We thought that a summer job at the "Happiest Place on Earth" might be fun, and since our families were close, it wasn't difficult to get permission for me to crash at her place all summer. We went to cast orientation, and since both of us were bilingual (we met in SF around 5th grade), we were assigned to the Lost & Found so we can accommodate non-Japanese speakers. This was prior to smartphones, so people needed to leave handwritten messages at the Lost & Found (i.e. Meet you at Cinderella's castle at 4pm), and people definitely left behind a lot of stuff. Wallets full of cash, keys, camera cases, purses, tags, hats, passes, etc. I was a bit disappointed to be in this position, because I really wanted to wear the outfit of the Disney Tour Guide . I mean, you get to wear a cape, riding cap, a kilt skirt, and on top of that, carry a little riding crop with a bell on it to point out the sights! Sadly, this was limited to full-time employees, and was also a much coveted position. So instead I wore the cardboard-colored floor length skirt and unsexy matching suit jacket and catalogued all the lost (and found) items daily. My favorite part was writing letters to children. Tokyo Disneyland would ship back any items that had names and addresses on them, and usually, if it's a child's item, we would add a little note along with it, with something along the lines of "Thanks for visiting! Mickey (or Pluto, or Peter Pan, or some princess) found this by the (insert ride or landmark) and wanted to make sure it's sent back to you. Come again soon!" on Disneyland stationary. It was fun to come up with 75 or so different ways to write letters every day (I love letters) and pick out the right stationary and stamps and envelopes. More often than not, the children would write back thank you notes which were pinned on the wall of the staff room. My friend and I would rush out after our shift using Twilight passes and ride the near-empty rides in the dusk, watch the moog enhanced electrical parade, and ogle the fireworks eating ice cream. It was a good (albeit super long and hot!) summer and I have fond memories of hanging out in the backyard of Disneyland with off-duty princes. I once ran into Mickey himself, and he shook my hand. It was soft yet firm, like having your hands enveloped in marshmallow (although probably less sticky). The most difficult thing is keeping the magic alive, every day, every night, and I have to admit they did an amazing job. I'm glad to have been a tiny speck of it for a short while.
There's a reason rides at these parks are called "attractions" - its mechanisms are designed to remind you of sex (if you're old enough to know). The loss of control, being tossed about in the dark, that moment of exhilaration as things accelerate, squeezing eyes shut at the intense bits...it definitely draws a parallel. Some rides you want to go on again as soon as it's over, and others you regret utterly. Some are just, well, meh. But I digress.
Once upon a time, I had a summer job working the lost & found at Tokyo Disneyland. I think I was a freshman or sophomore at university at the time. A close childhood friend of mine lived near the area, and she had an interesting living arrangement- she had her own apartment and her parents lived 2 doors down. We thought that a summer job at the "Happiest Place on Earth" might be fun, and since our families were close, it wasn't difficult to get permission for me to crash at her place all summer. We went to cast orientation, and since both of us were bilingual (we met in SF around 5th grade), we were assigned to the Lost & Found so we can accommodate non-Japanese speakers. This was prior to smartphones, so people needed to leave handwritten messages at the Lost & Found (i.e. Meet you at Cinderella's castle at 4pm), and people definitely left behind a lot of stuff. Wallets full of cash, keys, camera cases, purses, tags, hats, passes, etc. I was a bit disappointed to be in this position, because I really wanted to wear the outfit of the Disney Tour Guide . I mean, you get to wear a cape, riding cap, a kilt skirt, and on top of that, carry a little riding crop with a bell on it to point out the sights! Sadly, this was limited to full-time employees, and was also a much coveted position. So instead I wore the cardboard-colored floor length skirt and unsexy matching suit jacket and catalogued all the lost (and found) items daily. My favorite part was writing letters to children. Tokyo Disneyland would ship back any items that had names and addresses on them, and usually, if it's a child's item, we would add a little note along with it, with something along the lines of "Thanks for visiting! Mickey (or Pluto, or Peter Pan, or some princess) found this by the (insert ride or landmark) and wanted to make sure it's sent back to you. Come again soon!" on Disneyland stationary. It was fun to come up with 75 or so different ways to write letters every day (I love letters) and pick out the right stationary and stamps and envelopes. More often than not, the children would write back thank you notes which were pinned on the wall of the staff room. My friend and I would rush out after our shift using Twilight passes and ride the near-empty rides in the dusk, watch the moog enhanced electrical parade, and ogle the fireworks eating ice cream. It was a good (albeit super long and hot!) summer and I have fond memories of hanging out in the backyard of Disneyland with off-duty princes. I once ran into Mickey himself, and he shook my hand. It was soft yet firm, like having your hands enveloped in marshmallow (although probably less sticky). The most difficult thing is keeping the magic alive, every day, every night, and I have to admit they did an amazing job. I'm glad to have been a tiny speck of it for a short while.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
I'm Only Blogging When It Rains
I have returned to the land of smoked butter and...surprisingly pleasant weather. Unlike my last visit, I no longer need to check the weather every hour to see how it schemed to torment and (eventually) kill me. It's been overcast and occasionally rainy, but not full-on stormy. People told me a thunderstorm occurred on the night I arrived, but I was dead asleep through my double-glass windows. Thanks to warmer weather, I am much more happier walking around and wandering, and doubly pleased that I somehow remembered how to return to some of my favourites from my last trip (here's looking at you, Thoroughbred and Monkey's Paw).
The team I work with doubled in size. It's a proper team now, but with sadly, the worst chairs in the biz to work from. Every single person (new/old) told me about how much they want a decent chair to work in, to the point where I feel like starting a fund for them.
Most people are surprised that a lumpy old lady like yours truly enjoy watching sports. This week's been an embarrassment of riches (FIFA Women's World Cup, NBA Finals, Giants regular season), and I find myself glued to the bar counter of my hotel almost every night. Thankfully, the hotel is rooting for the right team, and we found ourselves commiserating over the tight game on Sunday.
The team I work with doubled in size. It's a proper team now, but with sadly, the worst chairs in the biz to work from. Every single person (new/old) told me about how much they want a decent chair to work in, to the point where I feel like starting a fund for them.
Most people are surprised that a lumpy old lady like yours truly enjoy watching sports. This week's been an embarrassment of riches (FIFA Women's World Cup, NBA Finals, Giants regular season), and I find myself glued to the bar counter of my hotel almost every night. Thankfully, the hotel is rooting for the right team, and we found ourselves commiserating over the tight game on Sunday.
I've had to change my habits a lot lately. This seems to be the theme for 2015. I'm a little shaken by the recent hospitalization of two of my colleagues, not to mention my own demon to battle now with my recent diagnosis. It's sobering, and frankly, a fucking pain, to not be able to live like you want to, but I'm lucky I'm at a point where things are manageable. It makes me conscious, more alert, and I guess, more deliberate and less flip about things.
I'm sitting next to a Cavs fan. This is going to be a long night.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Things I Learned During Common Congested Cold Week
- Pineapple juice is a better tasting cough suppressant
- If you are a child born and raised in 'merica, you prefer hamburgers to udon even when you're ill
- Personally, I'd choose high fever for 2 days over 5 days of persistent low grade fevers
- Pharmacies are depressing. Even their card section has "Loss of sister" "Loss of husband" and other sad, sad sections I wouldn't wish to ever have to buy for.
- Health is wealth.
- You do get bored of TeeVee. You even get bored of the interwebs!
Monday, February 9, 2015
O'Canada!
Canada has one of the most satisfying anthem to sing (even though it seems to not care if their daughters have patriotism). There's that dramatic rise from the get go (starting with an interjection is always a great idea), and then a proclamation at the end ("O Canada we stand on guard for thee!"), and you can sing it in French if you so desire. Awesome.
It's also really empty as a destination on a weeknight in the dead of February. I was the only non-Canadian on the flight and got through customs far before my luggage made it. When I arrived at my small hotel, the receptionist greeted me by name, and was the friendliest ex-New Yorker I've ever met. He even gave me a free carbonated water from the bar and did not accept payment! He told me he hates the snow, though, and parted with a great bagel store recommendation (yes).
It's almost midnight here, so I am typing this to burn off some excess Californian jet lag. I've noticed that the city looks generally the same (last visit was about...5..6...years ago?). The currency has definitely been upgraded with the new plastic transparent ones, which is really neat. I love how some countries print non-politicians or rulers on their currency (Swiss Francs has Le Corbusier and I will forever keep that bill), oh wait...I'm checking out my bills and it's prime minister, prime minister, Elizabeth II, prime minister, prime minister...nevermind they're just colourful politicians. I initially thought they were burnt until I realized that the transparent part is high tech cellophane (or polymer). The back of the bills are far more interesting - space, trains, and medical innovations like insulin.
I haven't been outside in the below freezing weather for more than a minute yet but I did step on slush. Mr. Ex-New Yorker hates the cold and the snow, but for Californians, Adventure awaits! I must walk like a penguin to survive the long 1/2 block walk to my work tomorrow!
It's also really empty as a destination on a weeknight in the dead of February. I was the only non-Canadian on the flight and got through customs far before my luggage made it. When I arrived at my small hotel, the receptionist greeted me by name, and was the friendliest ex-New Yorker I've ever met. He even gave me a free carbonated water from the bar and did not accept payment! He told me he hates the snow, though, and parted with a great bagel store recommendation (yes).
It's almost midnight here, so I am typing this to burn off some excess Californian jet lag. I've noticed that the city looks generally the same (last visit was about...5..6...years ago?). The currency has definitely been upgraded with the new plastic transparent ones, which is really neat. I love how some countries print non-politicians or rulers on their currency (Swiss Francs has Le Corbusier and I will forever keep that bill), oh wait...I'm checking out my bills and it's prime minister, prime minister, Elizabeth II, prime minister, prime minister...nevermind they're just colourful politicians. I initially thought they were burnt until I realized that the transparent part is high tech cellophane (or polymer). The back of the bills are far more interesting - space, trains, and medical innovations like insulin.
swiss francs
| The Queen is green |
I haven't been outside in the below freezing weather for more than a minute yet but I did step on slush. Mr. Ex-New Yorker hates the cold and the snow, but for Californians, Adventure awaits! I must walk like a penguin to survive the long 1/2 block walk to my work tomorrow!
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