blueprints for the new decade

I write to you before I set off for an LA inspired New Years Eve celebration. Good night bright lights, palm trees, the Hollywood sign, and good company! Hello to a brand new decade! I'm updating my blog on the last day of 2009 to hopefully inspire me to continue blogging and to provide quality documentation of my life pursuit. Cheers to 2010!

good night capitol hill

i'm in love with city life and music again.

sleepless in seattle

after my meeting I'm off to listen to the Seattle Symphony featuring Ben Folds show. This is my dream outfit for an evening out. When I'm reacquainted with my sewing machine in san diego, this will be my winter project.

In believe in a thing called....pop culture.

Recently, I have accepted the fact that pop culture does make the world spin and not ashamed in accepting that. I've had conversations with people claiming that the recent deaths of pop icons, Michael Jackson & John Hughes, doesn't and shouldn't phase them. Or you should be more aware of the political realm and the legacy of Ted Kennedy is more significant. I agree with that to some extent but how can you deny the existence of 12,000 people in Mexico City dancing the choreography of Thriller? Or how the classic Christmas song, Carol of the Bells being eternally associated with Home Alone? I recently went to a pop trivia night in San Diego and our team came in last place that we left the last round. We didn't know anything about British television or classic superhero teams (well I got X-Men & Justice League). If we knew this type of knowledge, we could of been $151 richer. And are you consider intelligent by understanding world politics or the trends of society. My friend decided that comedians must be the smartest people because they have to be on the ball with social, cultural, and political trends. They are social commentators. So basically where I'm going with this post is that I'm defending the right to watch mindless television and read Jezebel because it is important. The purpose of people to create/invent things and that plays a big part in history. Especially things that we don't need to survive but keeps us going. What's the point of life if we can't enjoy these things?

sew unmentionable.

project: sew.unmentionable

concept: playing with the idea of being a semi-entrepreneur, I decided to name my undies project: sew unmentionable. I'm sticking to solely underwear for now. The style will be feminine, simple, and fun; relating to the idea that you can walk around your apartment in your underwear and feel pretty, not sexy.

packaging: comes wrapped in tea cups (since my name starts with T)

for now, just working on small personalized presents for friends.

so far my favorite moment for the day:

my friend posted a link on facebook which was this:
http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2009/08/03/guess-whats-in-the-picture-foodlike-substance/

My spoken reaction was how could someone eat this and my brother comes in and responds that's probably what your Chicken McNuggets are made of. I read the article further and....chicken nuggets.

I'm not ashamed of my writing.

I decided summer heat messes with my mind. I feel like I was watching myself live out the day. First, meeting up with a friend at her place, I parallel parked perfectly in the wrong neighborhood (even though I have been there thousands of time). Second, I had an awkward moment picking up my painting from a stranger's deck. Back story: My friend subletted an apartment in WindnSea this past summer and I lent her my current painting to make it feel more like home. Moving out, she forgot the painting and made arrangements for me to pick it up. The owner of the apartment left it out on her deck for me to fetch. This could of been very simple but I had to stop by at 1am to realize she was inside of her apartment with her door practically wide open and I decided to grab the painting and make a quick getaway before she thought some shady person was lurking around her place. Of course I had to freeze. And to be honest, I don't even remember driving home to Oceanside. heat or simply my exhaustion is catching up to me.

Trinh & Seattle:
She is listening to Sea and Cale radio on Pandora and updating her blog. She has packed three boxes of studio/apartment furnishings and her J.Crew wish list. She has no hopes in bringing her prized book and music collection and plans to 1) force them into her car anyways or 2) start an entirely new collection (which could be quite costly). She decided if her friends really feel her pain, they will send paperbacks (new or used) her way. She will be eternally grateful.

I'm starting to feel the caffeine wearing off (sidenote: Please don't think that chocolate milk and espresso is a "good" substitute for actual chocolate syrup in mochas) and no longer high strung, so I'm going to take advantage of this opportunity to try to sleep. Tomorrow I will accomplish an amazing playlist and continue to clean out my room.

Wish List

Despite my efforts to be a minimalist, I still can't help but lust after these:

1. Red Belt



2. Time piece pendant

off to see the wizard

Summer has been a whirlwind. Despite my attempts to slow down summer, I still landed in front of the doorsteps of August. I officially have less than a month to prepare for my relocation to Seattle, Washington, my Emerald City. Before following the yellow brick road up north, I can't feel anything but content about the quality of my life. Not only have I gained so much but I have shed enough to be balanced again. In one summer, I established stronger relationships with my family and friends, I made more amazing friends, I started painting again, re-invented my style, rediscovered my interests, and fully embraced the idea of solidarity. In remembering who I am, I have been able to cut out everything that brought me down. Now all I have to do is pack all of myself in boxes and transport it somehow to a different state (will figure that out) and still continue to slow down summer. The problem is I have so many things to look forward to:

1.Camping trip to Big Bear
2. Catching up with friends before I leave
3. Furnishing my new apartment
4. Starting my assistantship!

and many things about summer I'm going to miss:
1. Mini-excursions including dance parties
2. Making dinner with friends
3. girls' vegas trip
4. Syrah, Isabel's Cantina, and Cucina Urbana
5. seeing Wicked in San Diego
6. getting an iphone ;)
7. Having a good friend move back to SD for the summer
8. Coffee and happy hour dates
9. Good talks
10. sewing underwear
11. Getting addicted to video games and tv on dvd
12. getting to know Seattle by myself

When I get to the point of making lists, that means I need to update in here more. Stay tuned.

I officially decided to establish a womens' leadership/development organization in Egypt next summer. It's like its written in stone...

Cup of Tea.

My sewing machine is back! My aunt borrowed it three weeks ago before she left for Egypt and Israel, so it has been held captive...until now. I'm completely frustrated with my paintings so I decided to move onto my other projects--the unmentionables. I know I promised all of you a pair of undies many moons ago but now I can get to work. Stay tuned.

i found my style.

I'm still a painter. That's something I haven't lost.

illusions

for the past few weeks, I challenged myself as a cynic. at one point of my life, i was clearly an optimist but old wounds sometimes catches up to me and i become a skeptic. walking in old shoes, i let myself be unguarded. But not completely. i wonder if it still counts if i still have the precaution of reality catching up with illusions. but i have learned to ignored it and strangely it has given me my confidence back. and of course this week reality (in more ways than one) has caught up with me and suddenly i realize my confidence is being tested. funny. i just thought i was daydreaming.

waking into your older self

four hours of studio time is absolutely NOT enough. It's almost midnight and I can't tear myself away from this painting. My former self, I have always considered myself a cubist painter. Perhaps it because I received the most praised from my art instructor when I paint everything in cubism OR simply I can't paint and that's why I paint everything abstract. Tonight is different. I think I finally came into the understanding of what cubism is. Actually I think its the combination of being drunk off of Cabernet Savnignon, listening to Iron and Wine, and burning lavender candles...

I conjured a playlist to inspire me to finish this painting:

Flightless bird, American Mouth- Iron & Wine
You and I Both - Jason Mraz
Sex on Fire - Kings Of Leon

Still in progress...

Float On

Bottom line: I want to be catch doing the things I love. Caught on the spot.

sharing is caring.

I'm currently taking hip hop classes at ATTD studio and the teachers and energy is amazing.

Femininity.

I'm not necessarily starting my own clothing line but I have started making my own dresses and lingerie inspired by Victoria's Secret's latest line.

Next week, I'm going to venture into LA for some French inspired fabrics and ribbons. My friend told me there is a free lingerie sewing class in San Diego so I'll add that onto my April/May projects.

http://www.sandiegocet.net/class-schedule/spring_class_details.php?crn=2877C&crse_no=CLTX620L

Let me know if you want me to sew you any panties!

March Projects

1. Attend dance classes (no slack)
2. Finish painting/mix media projects that instructor assigns
3. Read The Memorykeeper's Daughter, The Thirteenth Tale, and Best Non-Fiction writing
4. Sew a new dress (go with Raquel to LA for fabric)
5. Visit Seattle :)

lesson 1: you have to learn to love yourself.

But right now
everything you want is wrong,
and right now
all your dreams are waking up,
and right now
I wish that I could follow you
to the shores
of freedom
where no one lives

Joseph Arthur-honey and the moon.

Confession.

One of things I'm cooking for the dinner party needs spicy mustard. I don't want to buy spicy mustard so the other day I stole 5 billion spicy mustard packets from Wetzels Pretzels.

Please enjoy your meal Thursday.

Thanks.

what caught in the net today.

"Whenever I met a potential boyfriend, and we would be lying somewhere peaceful and sweet, I would ask him if he had ever felt himself existing, you know, in a serious way. (Like all time stops and everything in you becomes still though the rest of the universe keeps moving-and there you are, just existing along, and you can do anything you want to with is realization, anything at all.)"

Amy Cutler

My latest fetish: Amy Cutler (very through the looking glass-ish)

Sex on Fire- Kings of Leon

While waiting for my coffee order today I came across this quote,

"Even if Alan Levy had not confirmed my recollection, the story I had written was mine, as true as I could make it to my memory, whether real or partially imagined,"


I like to believe when I tell a story, I intend to give the best depiction of the events.

I realize I overlook the definition of "best depiction". I thought about the quote while driving back to the city in the rain. I decided my standards of measuring the validity of a story is based on the details and drama put into it. I am the type of person that runs away with the truth but what is leftover is not necessarily lies or tall tales. It's my truth. Think about it, how much energy do you put into a story if you intended not to have people believe you? I also believe that people sometimes get so carried away with ridiculous facts that it might as well be considered the truth, since its their reality. Real enough to write non-fiction.

Sidenote: After being drenched today by San Diego rain, I decided to invest in a raincoat for Seattle. Apparently, if you use an umbrella in Seattle, you are not consider a local.

The Best Creative Nonfiction

I despise pop culture sometimes. But at times, it has its rewards.

Yesterday, my friend and I went into Urban Outfitters on the way to Border's downtown. After browsing for a couple minutes, I made up my mind not to buy anything.

but.

A couple months ago, I admit I was in Urban looking through their book section and I noticed classic literature such as the Great Gatsby and The Heartbreaking Work of A Staggering Genius piling a mile high among the other "in" books such as PostSecret and the Cannabis Cookbook and I was annoyed. When did it become "trendy" to buy books to put on your bookshelf so you can say you have it? When did books become accessories? OR I could have a little faith in America and be elated that people are reading quality material during their spare time. Anyways, yesterday, I returned to reality when I discovered the Sales section was littered not only with Fitzgeralds and Eggers but also with Jonathan Safran Foers and Charles Bukowskis at $3.99 a piece. Not only was I amused that Urban Outfitters actually believed that they can spoon feed "taste" to the masses but I now have an assortment of new reading material on my nightstand.

Oh, I have a new fascination with Irenco Robert Bier and his antics.