Girl in the Suburbs.

This is no longer Giants Baseball - Congrats to Juan OooooooooooooUribe

2011-04-11T20:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, fine. I'm clearly avoiding giving my full attention to this blunder of a Giants baseball game. Who can blame me? The Giants are loosing their first game of this Giants vs. Dodgers homestand series... 5-0. I live with a Braves fan, who's hatred of the Giants is only a close second behind his love for the Braves, so this 5-0 situation is less than ideal.

On to better things...

Before the game tonight the Giants held a special on-the-field ring celebration for former Giants short stop, Juan Uribe. On KNBR this morning there was talk about doing a private ring-giving celebration because of sports-politics and the excuse of psyching out players before the first game of this heated rivalry. Yeah, it sure sounded like BS even at 7:30 am in the morning. It was good to know the Giants stepped up with a bit of class and gave Uribe his ring in a public way, for him and for fans.

I'll miss Uribe's inability to lay off swinging at those balls that bounce just before they get to the plate, nearly falling over with every swing, being so sure that thing was OUUUUTTTTAAA HEEEEEREEE!!!! But seriously... got respect for that guy, he was a good (pretty decent) defensive player and part of the Championship Team. He'll always have a special place in my heart. Each Giant on that team only added to the specialness of the TORTURE. I look forward to watching him strike out and fallin' over in that Dodger blue. Or better yet, hitting into all those double plays that you were famous for! TORTURE! Enjoy your 21 million!

And one last time, for old-times sake.... Oooooooooooooooooooooo-ribe!

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Okay... now back to hoping the Gigantes can score a few runs to make this game a little less pathetic.......

Goodbye Facebook... hello Blogger.

2011-04-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

I finally did it. I quit Facebook. Somewhere between reading about a close friend's relationship breakup, death in the family (in-laws) and getting into a superficial debate over the merits of Buffy, and lack of merit of Grey's Anatomy, something in me snapped. Facebook is horrible. Awful. Sure, I won't deny that there are benefits, but overall, it's possibly one of the worst things that's happened to human interaction and socialization, maybe, ever (debate is between Facebook and texting). So I've said goodbye to Facebook, at least for now. I don't know whether writing a blog is all that much better, but at least it affords me an inkling of skill-building practice through writing and storytelling. Not to mention I've spent way less time online, and when I am online I'm much more productive. So far today I've done my homework, taxes and bills paid. Here's to more blogging in the absence of Facebooking...

Dear Japan, it feels like 5 years since we first met

2010-11-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

(photo of a photo, Nathan and I at the bamboo grove, behind the Tenryuji Temple, Arashiyama, Kyoto.)

You know when you have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for a vacation to come that when it finally arrives it's over and done before you know it? Not only that, but you come back and jump right into life's chaos which makes your vacation feel like it was 5 years ago?

That's what it felt like after returning from Japan... which was just about a month ago that we returned.

A trip to Japan has always been a dream of mine, which after a few bumps in travel plans and years of making arrangements, my dream was realized. The trip was absolutely amazing! What a beautiful country, with the most friendly and humble people I have ever met. I promise more photos and stories along the way, but for now, I wanted to provide myself with a little reminder to stop and celebrate some of the amazing things that occurred this year. As far as occurrences go, this is at the top of the list.

So, thank you Japan, for making 2010 so memorable. I promise to remember the big things and stop sweating the small stuff...

Design blogs serve as a not-so-subtle reminder...

2010-11-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

Hello world! Remember me?

A few years ago I became obsessed with design blogs. I subscribed to a few dozen different ones and spent too many hours a day drooling over the mid-century designs in cute apartments and houses I could never afford. Since then I've scaled my reading to a handful of design blogs and only browsed them every few months.

Until now. Ever since my neighbors moved out a week or two ago I've been obsessed with the idea of moving (again). This happens quite often. I've never been too satisfied with my current apartment. It's a good size but the layout and design has never been very inspiring to me. It's always felt more like a placeholder and never fully like a home. That probably sounds sadder than I meant it to, it's still homey (at times), and my boyfriend and doggie definitely add to that, but it's never inspired me to really make it our home.

My boyfriend gently reminded me as I was pining over a cute 1920's duplex near downtown Willow Glen, that now is not exactly the ideal time for us to move. I guess packing up and moving a few weeks before Christmas, and at the end of my first semester of grad school when all my major papers and projects are due could be construed as less-than-ideal for most. Okay, terrible timing. Thus, I've thrown myself back into my design blogs, vicariously living in the cute apartments that taunt me as I scroll through post after post.

I've decided that in addition to my constant Craigslist "window-shopping" and design-blog scanning I will work on curing my mundane-apartment blues by purging the crap that clutters my house now, throw myself into deep cleaning mode, and pick up blogging again (that can be a somewhat creative, although heavily saturated, outlet). I figure this will at least make me more content in my current living situation, and mostly it will make things easier when we find that dream-home in early spring.

For now, here's a little inspiration for me:

Weekends are for play... thanks for the reminder.

2010-07-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

I've been attempting to put in a little time today/tonight on a work project, and things just really have not gone as planned. Which I'm not certain is such a bad thing. Lucky for me I have a nice boyfriend who puts movies on Netflix on demand, like the Proposal and Up to serve as "background" noise.

I know he genuinely does put these movies on to half provide me with background noise and to half provide himself with slight entertainment to keep me company. Unknowing to him, I think what it really does is give me a little reminder that weekends are supposed to be MY time, or even OUR time, but not friggin' work time!

Shout out to my guy, for being the Russell to my Mr. Fredrickson. Time to close my work document and sit back and enjoy a little of Pixar's Up before heading to bed for a decent night's sleep.

I'm baaaaaaaaaack!

2010-07-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

Auh blogger. Leave it to you to inspire a girl to make a return to her blog that she hasn't posted on in more than 6 months through a new template design feature. You had me at the books background image.

As I'm getting ready to celebrate my 29th birthday on Thursday, I decided it was time to get back to writing a bit. Part of that has to do with the fact that I'm starting graduate school at San Jose State in August and I'm a little freaked out by it. I realize blogging is NOT writing a research paper but it's a start.

I'm hoping that getting back to blogging will also motivate me to get back into photography. My big Japan trip is coming up in October and I've got to get some more practice in with the Nikon.

That's all for now... I'm stuck doing work from home again. I'm trying to prevent this from becoming a habit, because it's getting a little annoying.

More to come...

I take it back! I take it back!

2009-12-29T03:09:00.000-08:00

I have to point out my utter lack of experience with other job shifts when I wrote this.

Luckily in less the 14 days I will be back at a normal business hour job schedule. January 11, 2010: you couldn't get here fast enough.

Me + Standardized Tests = One hot mess.

2009-12-29T02:44:00.000-08:00

Here I am doing another graveyard shift at work, doing my best to stay awake and do something purposeful at the same time. My co-worker is snoring away and needless to say I'm quite jealous of him. I usually can't catch any zzzz's until the clock hits 4/5 a.m. Even then I constantly wake up because I feel myself falling out of my chair and am way too paranoid that someone is going to witness me doing so.

Thus, here I am doing practice GRE tests online (FYI- learnhub.com has some great sample tests). I have to admit, I rock something fierce when it comes to reading comprehension, sentence completion and even analogies. It's when we get to the math/quantitative sections that I have the major issues. Sure trying to figure out probability equations at 3 a.m. can give anyone ulcers or just fill one with indifference, but ayeyiyi, is it frustrating. Good thing my graduate program I'm applying for doesn't have much need for memorization of math equations. In fact, the professor who conducted the information seminar for the graduate program basically said if you have experience and good letters of support that the GRE scores don't weigh too heavily into the admissions decision. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

Back to work...

Things for 2010.

2009-12-28T02:46:00.001-08:00

What better way to catch up on my blog but with an ode to 2010, things to do. Here goes nothing.

1). Watch less TV, do more reading, writing, thinking.
2). More photography. Period.
3). Travel! Let's hope some job stability can enable this to happen, since I'm close to having 300 hours of time off.
4). Make use of my sewing machine. Seriously.
5). Make a happy + healthy home. Basically this equates to cleaning more frequently, organizing, donating, designing, utilizing, purging..
6). Walk more. Public transit more. (Again, new stable job should help this)
7). More family + friends time.
8). More date-dates with the boyfriend.
9). GRAD SCHOOL! (fingers crossed)
10). No more credit card debt.

Dearest Girl in the Suburbs Blog:

2009-12-28T02:36:00.000-08:00

I miss you. This past year I've neglected you, and have truly missed writing. Starting now I shall pick up where I left off and do my best to spend at least a few days a week catching up with (on?) you. I don't want to over shoot and say I will update it every day, so for now I will attempt at least a few times a week for updates.

It's been a long year. Here's to a great 2010!

Happy New Year, to anyone who might still read this.

- nicole.

The "Are You Fucking Kidding Me?" moment of 9.15.09

2009-09-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

This one comes courtesy of a blog posted up on Daily Kos regarding the joint session of Congress that today approved a resolution disapproving of Congressmen Joe Wilson's "You Lie" outburst during Obama's speech last week.

Seriously?

For real?

Fucking Democrats in Congress have time to dedicate to this bullshit? They are debating someones visceral, yet immature, response to something in a piece of legislation... instead of actually debating and working on the actual legislation? When I read things like that it makes me want to punch a wall. Or squeeze a banana until it bursts out all over the place (may seem random to you but I'm staring at a bowl of bananas). It makes me want to run to the top of a hill and yell "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?"

Speaking of which... I see a hill now! Be right back....

A good time in the suburbs [Part 2]...

2009-09-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

More fun from this weekend...

(From top left: summer blossoms on the tree outside our apartment, top right: the short dog wants to come back in side after a short sun bath, bottom left: me being a scrabble dork [I lost], a new recipe I tried/created for stuffed zucchini [we got at the Farmers Market] filled with rice, fresh basil, portabello mushrooms and topped with a little mozzarella + basil, yum.)

A good time in the suburbs...

2009-09-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

So I achieved most of what was on my weekend's to-do-list, although I still a few hours until it comes to a close so I will hold off on noting down any of my lack of accomplishments. Here's some photos of my weekend (guess you can see some of the things I was able to get done this weekend).

(Top left: bowl of fresh berries from the Mt. View Farmers Market; top right: me! watchin' the giants kick some booty; bottom left: Nate and I had game night on Saturday and had some coffee + fresh baked chocolate chip cookies; bottom right: our Sunday lunch of fresh french bread and roasted tomatoes from the Farmers Market with some mozzarella and topped with basil. There is also a little slices of baguette topped with olive brushetta)

Making a list, checking it twice.

2009-09-05T02:57:00.000-07:00

So last Friday I set some weekend goals that I hoped to accomplish. I did a fair job I'd say, but wasn't able to accomplish the full list.

Here's what did & did not get done:

1.) ~~Call landlord about getting new storage key [thus enabling me to move the holiday boxes back into storage and out of the downstairs storage closet I've been attempting to organize].~~ Although she didn't return my call until earlier this afternoon! >:O

2.) ~~See "Inglorious Basterds." I have been trying to see this movie since it's release last week, Saturday matinee seems like as good of time as any to catch it.~~ Soooo so so good! Very enjoyable movie from start to finish.

3.) ~~Finish reading "Fool" by Christopher Moore [I've been reading this for far too long].~~ Although I think it was really Monday/Tuesday when I actually finished it. :]

4.) ~~Pulling some more clothes from my closet for possible sale/donation.~~ I managed to fill up three bags full of clothes to donate.

5.) ~~Review at least 2-4 cds for KSCU to add on Sunday.~~ I managed to get 5 done: Mew, Amy Millan, Dodos, Wild Beasts and Mark Mallman.

6.) ~~Grocery shopping +/or Farmer's Market. My CSA box subscription I was doing at work recently was canceled so I guess it's back to the Farmer's Market for now. :[~~ No Farmer's Market sadly, but we did get a tiny bit of shopping done at Trader Joe's.

7.) ~~Go through at least 5 old magazines so that they can be set aside for recycling/donation.~~

8.) Bake something. Unfortunately this one didn't get done. Although maybe that's fortunate for my waist line.

9.) Clean refrigerator. No luck on this one either. I did clear out some old food products but not the true cleaning that I had hoped for.

10.) Take some photographs [of anything]. It's been far too long since I've picked up my camera. Sadly, this one did not get done. I have too many hobbies!

---------------------------------------
New list for this 3-day weekend:

1. Bake something.

2. Clean refrigerator.

3. Take some photographs [of anything]. It's been far too long since I've picked up my camera.

4. Go on a hike/nice walk. I'm hoping to meet up with my sister and my dad for nice, easy hike somewhere between here and Sacramento. Suggestions welcome.

5. Cook something new.

6. Go to the Mountain View Farmer's Market (per Nathan's suggestion).

7. Discard another 3-5 magazines.

8. Blog at least 2-4 more entries.

9. Get to at least page 100 of the new book I'm reading, The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom, by Slavomir Rawicz.

10. Spend time researching Graduate Studies programs and map out a timeline for what I need to get done.

My graveyard shift diggin' for things to do days are over... [least for now]

2009-09-05T02:34:00.000-07:00

Yup. There has been some good news in my life this past week or two... and that is that I am going to be returning to my former job.

After getting demoted two months ago and being forced into a new job that was so different than what I had been doing the previous 10 years, I thought my world was caving in. I had white hairs for the first time in my life. Although there have been several issues with my new work situation [working in a 24-hr/365 days/year facility, huge pay cut, no job training and management issues], I learned an incredible amount in just two months. I had been working with a population I have never worked with, met some great co-workers, and understood a different field of work that I never had before. While I had been longing for a change in my job for so long [working 10 years in the same field and being only 28 is a long time to be in one place], it was hard being forced into change.

When all is said and done, as I'm winding down my last graveyard shift [okay its only 2:40 am and I'm not off 'til 7:30 am but I'm all for wishful thinking], I can't help and feel bittersweet about going back to my "old" job, where I supposedly belong. The job I've had the last two months as been interesting, exciting and at times, admittedly a little scary. I'm not sure I've thought those things about my last job in quite some time. Working here has opened my eyes to new possibilities for my career and definitely spawned me to aggressively think about my next steps of my career path. I suppose also, that my dad will stop subtly nagging me and will be more than pleased that I'm actively looking into going back to school for graduate studies.

I guess this is my way of saying goodbye, but just for now.

Weekend goals.

2009-08-29T04:39:00.000-07:00

Working a Friday night graveyard shift has really been eating up my weekend time these past two months. I end up loosing my Friday evening to nap attempts, and most of my Saturday disappears thanks to sleep catch-up. While I only have one more night of this shift [which thankfully ends after next Friday], I still would like to try and make the most out of my weekends. Here is a short list of somethings I'd like to accomplish:

1.) Call landlord about getting new storage key [thus enabling me to move the holiday boxes back into storage and out of the downstairs storage closet I've been attempting to organize].

2.) See "Inglorious Basterds." I have been trying to see this movie since it's release last week, Saturday matinee seems like as good of time as any to catch it.

3.) Finish reading "Fool" by Christopher Moore [I've been reading this for far too long].

4.) Pulling some more clothes from my closet for possible sale/donation.

5.) Review at least 2-4 cds for KSCU to add on Sunday.

6.) Grocery shopping +/or Farmer's Market. My CSA box subscription I was doing at work recently was canceled so I guess it's back to the Farmer's Market for now. :[

7.) Go through at least 5 old magazines so that they can be set aside for recycling/donation.

8.) Bake something.

9.) Clean refrigerator.

10.) Take some photographs [of anything]. It's been far too long since I've picked up my camera.

What I do when the rest of the world is sleeping...

2009-08-15T03:21:00.000-07:00

I guess I am a sucky blogger. What's the point of even having a blog if it doesn't get updated? I guess for me it's something for me to do during my one-night a week graveyard work shift.

Speaking of work, here are my top ten time killers for working in the wee-hours of night:

Reviewing cd's for KSCU. I get MANY of these done during this shift. Definitely helps pass the time.
Paying bills!
Social networking... + texting. It's basically the only time I bother to post on Twitter anymore. I also have weekly text chats with my good friend Leticia, who always lets me know she's up with me. :]
Books, magazines, puzzle books... you name them, I do them. Just long enough before I get too sleepy.
Work tasks for my "other" job. Yeah, the County has a sweet deal with me.
Going through my Google Reader... which adds up during the week since I never have time to go through them all, it's the perfect time to go through them all.
Eat. I usually bring some coffee + water, plus lots of fruit and healthier snacks.
Walk and do my rounds, and if someone is up they usually needs something--which makes time go by faster.
Go through all my emails... personal, kscu, oxfam... it's the perfect time to go through them all + respond.
Sleep. Right around the time the sun starts coming up is when it's the most difficult to keep my eyes open. I usually just "rest my eyes" for like 10/15 minutes.

I am hoping I'm not on this shift only one day a week for much longer. My body can't adjust to it. We shall see. Keep your fingers crossed.

Spring-Summer(?) Cleaning.

2009-06-01T14:32:00.000-07:00

Is it spring or summer? Time is flying by so quickly, I'm not sure if I missed the official first day of summer yet. Regardless, the weather has been so beautiful lately, it's hard to stay indoors to get some much needed cleaning done on the weekends. Thus, I will try to do little by little during the week so I can avoid weekend duties guilt-free.

I actually am bummed I fell so behind on my Google Reader blogroll and missed the Apartment Therapy Spring Cure challenge. Although, as I already have the book, and haven taken part in previous challenges, I suppose I can go through it on my own. Although, reading the blog posts from them usually was what kept me motivated for as long as I managed in the past--which sadly was never til the end of the 8-week challenge, but pretty darn close.

Here are links to my previous attempts:
Fall Cure 08 (Before) - which was as far as I made it--and frankly my house doesn't look tons different from what's in these pictures.
Spring Cure 08 (After)
Spring Cure 08 (During)
Spring Cure 08 (Before)

Hopefully in the following month or two I can post some more updated photos of all the work I WILL accomplish.

Is Pixar's UP one of my greatest fears?

2009-05-31T16:59:00.000-07:00

Saw Pixar's Up this weekend with my boyfriend, unfortunately, only in 2-D. We were cheap and wanted to use our AMC giftcard. Man. That first fifteen to twenty minutes of the film killed me. As predicted, I cried, like a baby. It was such a sweet beginning of the movie, and I am always amazed at how quickly Pixar is able to make an audience instantly attached to their characters (though I'm still waiting for a Pixar film with a female lead character, COME ON ALREADY). Any way, the beginning was so sweet and tender, and made you really reflect about life, and living each day in the moment; taking chances in life and really doing everything you want. Don't just wait until it passes you by, thinking, "there is always one more day." Cheesy. Believe me, I know it's beyond cheesy, but it's true dammit! It begs the question "Is Up my worst fear?" Meaning, am I living life to the fullest? Living in the moment, the here and now? It made me think about the things I hope to do and see and accomplish and feel in my life, and how much I already have. Seriously, go see Up. So you can feel as dorky as I do about it.

Here are some things I'm looking forward to in the near future:

* Seeing Death Cab for Cutie at the Hollywood Bowl for my birthday, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic!

* Finding the KogiBBQ truck in LA and getting a Korean taco of some sort.

* Coldplay outreach with my Oxfam peeps.

and whatever else life brings me.............

- way optimistic, nicole

P.S. Was anyone else very uncomfortable with that Sacha Baren Cohen / Eminem stunt at the MTV Movie Awards? Eeek.

Some of the things I miss...

2009-05-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

Lately I feel completely overwhelmed. I really need to learn how to say no to some things. Lately, it's my volunteer jobs (KSCU & Oxfam Action Corps) that are eating up most of my non-"work-work" time--not that I'm complaining. I love and value both of those organizations very much. BUT, that being said, there are some things I miss having time to do. Some of those things are:

* spending time with my boyfriend..
* lounging with my doggie watching lame, mindless & sometimes GOOD television
* reading for pleasure
* cooking
* my family... i miss the baird children, especially.
* taking photographs. how am i ever going to improve if i never shoot?
* clothes shopping. it's been... too long. lots of my stuff has holes! :/
* seeing movies
* exercising... my gym card has dust on it...
* working on my house. i don't even have time for basic cleaning these days.
* hanging out with friends, aside from just going to shows

Dear Blog:

2009-05-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

I am sorry I have neglected you for over two months. I am sorry I have been cheating on you with Twitter and Facebook and other lesser social networking sites. I am sorry I have been subjecting my writing to mere 140 characters, when I should be practicing writing actual sentences. I am sorry that I only post to you to say I haven't posted in awhile. I am sorry I let spam comments be posted to you (the sure sign of a dead/dying blog).

I will try and be better. I will.

- nicole

Is this blog dead?

2009-03-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

Yikes. I haven't updated this in a very long time. I just don't have the energy for it lately--too much other stuff goin' on.

Any way, the dj blog has some playlist updates! :D

-neeeeeeeeeeeecole

p.s. i am very excited about some upcoming prospects! more later.

To Mom: Happy Birthday. From: Your daughter, with love.

2009-02-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to give a special shout out to my mom on her birthday! I love you so much mom and I appreciate everything that you've taught me (and continue to teach me) in life.

I'm not really even sure my mom reads this regularly, but I'm sure I can count on my dad to show this to her. Right dad?

- Nicole

P.S. The above photo is still one of my all time favorites of my mom and I.

Sweet little request.

2009-02-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

I just got the cutest email to our Music Department account. It states the following:

Hi,

We are an all girl rock band outta Tacoma Wa and want to find out how to submit our original music to you for consideration.. We are 12 and 13 and play our own stuff as well as covers...
Thanks
Lizzy
Starstruck

How fucking cute is it that this little 12 or 13 year old named herself Lizzy Starstruck? I haven't even heard them yet but I'm already smitten! Plus I adore girl-groups!

Am I home from work yet?...

I wish this is what my day looked like today...

2009-02-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

(caption: "this is ur dog when i got home!")

Lately our dog has figured out how to get up on our bed. I say this as if it's confusing because our bed is up fairly high for a short little guy to jump up. Sometimes I get out of the shower to find him burrowed deep under our covers. Nathan sent me a text message with the above photo with that caption when he found him like that today. So cute.

minimalism flickr.

2009-01-31T10:20:00.000-08:00

Kinda cool minimalist version of your Flickr photostream. I hardly know her is the name of the site, and basically if you have a flickr your website would be www.ihardlyknowher.com/yourusername.

Pretty nifty.

365 Project Week 2 Wrap Up.

2009-01-29T07:32:00.000-08:00

Some self-portraits of sorts. Only six this week, since the previous week's wrap up included the first 8. I am debating switching to a more structured format, even though I didn't (don't?) want to. I think I'll wait until I've completed one month's worth of photos and join in to a structure at week 5. If anyone has any good theme 365's they are doing, please send me the link!

1. 9.365.09, 2. 10.365.09, 3. 11.365.09, 4. 12.365.09, 5. 13.365.09, 6. 14.365.09

Inauguration Day: A Girl Enamored.

2009-01-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm a tad obsessed, but these photos posted on the Boston Globe website are AMAZING. Click the below photo for the full set. You won't be sorry.

Flickr find.

2009-01-21T07:51:00.001-08:00

haight & masonic, originally uploaded by heather.

Amen.

Happy Inauguration Day!

2009-01-20T20:21:00.000-08:00

Wow. It has been an amazing and inspiring day! I can't stop watching the news coverage, it doesn't really get old now that this day has finally arrived. It feels like this day has taken forever, even since the election, but it's finally here and I couldn't have been more happy with PRESIDENT Obama's speech. I don't have much else to say that hasn't been said a hundred times over. Everyone will take something from this day--and hopefully turn it into something proactive to create positive change in this world. The day has been perfect.

We had a work celebration in the morning (see above shot). Here are some shots from the day.

But, first, video of PRESIDENT (never gets old) Obama's speech:

(Starbucks had special red, white and blue warmers. Displayed by my co-workers!)

(Jumped out from behind the camera for a quick capture for me to remember this day! As if I need it)

A petty complaint (on a day not meant for it)...

2009-01-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

I know it's not the day for nerd-complaints (and I'll get to the bigger stuff from the day soon enough), but What the EFFE!!!!!!!!!! So LAME!

from Angry Asian Man site:

keanu will star in cowboy bebop
It's confirmed. Last week, Variety reported that Keanu Reeves will indeed star as future bounty hunter Spike Spiegel in 20th Century Fox's live-action adaptation of the popular anime series Cowboy Bebop: Keanu Reeves set for 'Bebop'.Don't hate me for saying this, but I don't think this is an entirely bad idea. Keanu gets a lot of hate for his low-charisma surfer-dudeness, but in the right role, he isn't half-bad. For Spike, I'd argue the most important elements is cool. Can Keanu pull this one off? For now, I am willing to find out.The series follows Spiegel and a ragtag group of bounty hunters traveling on their spaceship, the Bebop. I've always thought that out of all the anime properties to be translated for the big screen, Cowboy Bebop has enormous potential, particularly because the series itself successfully borrows pop culture elements from a variety of other genres. What's most encouraging though, is the close involvement of Sunrise Inc., which produced the original series. Sunrise's Kenji Uchida and Shinichiro Watanabe will serve as associate producers alongside series writer Keiko Nobumoto. And series producer Masahiko Minami will serve as a production consultant. Will Sunrise's participation help preserve some level of Cowboy Bebop's badass-ness? Or will this just be another crappy Hollywood handling of a beloved anime series? (Let's face it -- that Dragonball movie looks and is going to be baaaaaaaad.) I guess we'll see, whenever this actually happens.
angrylink

365 Project Week 1 Wrap Up.

2009-01-19T07:39:00.000-08:00

Instead of posting each 365 photo every day, I've decided to compile a weekly mosaic to show you my weeks shots. I'll try to post them up on Sundays and make it a regular thing. This week's includes 8 instead of 7 since I couldn't get the size of mine right and had already posted the last photo. Click the mosaic for view the entire set on my flickr.

Saying no to corporate takeover.

2009-01-15T15:29:00.000-08:00

From the Indie 103 website:

Indie Activist:

This is an important message for the Indie 103.1 Radio Audience -

Indie 103.1 will cease broadcasting over this frequency effective immediately. Because of changes in the radio industry and the way radio audiences are measured, stations in this market are being forced to play too much Britney, Puffy and alternative music that is neither new nor cutting edge. Due to these challenges, Indie 103.1 was recently faced with only one option --- to play the corporate radio game.

We have decided not to play that game any longer. Rather than changing the sound, spirit, and soul of what has made Indie 103.1 great Indie 103.1 will bid farewell to the terrestrial airwaves and take an alternative course.

This could only be done on the Internet, a place where rules do not apply and where new music thrives; be it grunge, punk, or alternative - simply put, only the best music.

For those of you with a computer at home or at work, log on to www.indie1031.com and listen to the new Indie 103.1 - which is really the old Indie 103.1, not the version of Indie 103.1 we are removing from the broadcast airwaves.

We thank our listeners and advertisers for their support of the greatest radio station ever conceived, and look forward to continuing to deliver the famed Indie 103.1 music and spirit over the Internet to passionate music listeners around the world.

my new internet crush.

2009-01-14T00:40:00.000-08:00

for more.

nutella sandwiches.

2009-01-13T10:52:00.001-08:00

nutella sandwiches., originally uploaded by neeecole..

This is a reminder post to myself (sorry for the selfish post--but Flickr won't let me blog straight to my Tumblr).

I need to make these again soon. So delicious.

365.

2009-01-13T10:17:00.001-08:00

nikond40. [28.365], originally uploaded by neeecole..

I've decided to try and do the 365 Project again. I only made it 90/365 in '08. Here's to a better finish in '09.

(My 1.365 date was Sunday- 1.11.09). I will post them up today/tomorrow.

Stay tuned.

What's up for the next 1001 days...?

2009-01-05T22:51:00.000-08:00

I have updated my 101 in 1001 days Project. It had been quite awhile since I'd done any updating, although I have been keeping up with a lot of my 101 items. I still have some time so I'm not giving up on it yet!

Radio show is tomorrow. If you are up early in the a.m. listen to 103.3 f.m. in the Bay, or online at http://www.kscu.org/. Normally I go from 7-11 a.m. but every first Tuesday of the month is our work staff meetings so I gotta be outta there before 9. Unfortunately I wasn't able to do my show today. Had to go in earlier to work. Apologies! I promise to be there next Tuesday for my full show (7-11 a.m.)

Okay, time for bed.

Currently watching: Diners, drive-ins and dives- Real deal fast food episode.

Shorty and Me.

2009-01-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I finally made it to the end of John Grogan's, Marley and Me. It wasn't that the book required much time to get through, it's basically written at a middle school reading level (not a knock); it's that I found the book to be funny, honest, sweet, and very close to my heart--which was why getting through the inevitable ending was so difficult.

I realize this book was published in 2007, that I am probably the last person to read it and people care even less now that it's a movie starring Jennifer Aniston (why do people hate her so much?), but I just have to give a shout out to this book. Read it if you are a dog fan, if you've lost a pet, and if you know what it feels like to appreciate the little canine friend who waits patiently for you to come home from work every night just to get some belly rubs.

Yes, I am giving a shout-out to my little four-legged family member, Shorty (and my only other lifetime family dog--Scruffy [RIP], and my parents current dog--Penney, who both are/were great dogs). Back to Shorty: he's awesome. Sure he's got some naughty (typical) dog habits, like he chases squirrels, he barks at any door bell on TV (well he barks at a lot of things), he lays across the top of the sofa like a cat would do, he steals my spot every time I get up, he tries to bite almost anyone that comes into our house, and he lays by his food bowl begging for more even after he's just been fed.

But he also has the best qualities any dog owner could ask for: he gets so excited when we get home that he basically has a panic attack (wheezes), he loves being cuddly and snuggles with us on the couch, he's a good protector, he's extremely loyal, he's hilarious and he loves us unconditionally.

Which is exactly why dog people are dog people: emotional intelligence. The other night while I was laying in bed, finishing the end of Marley and crying uncontrollably, a little black fuzz-ball appeared at the side of my bed. Shorty was trying to comfort me because he knew I was sad. I lifed him up on my bed and he layed on my stomach wondering what was wrong and what he could do to help (I read it in his eyes). I don't even think my boyfriend is as intuitive as Shorty is when it comes to emotions. He hides when he knows I'm mad and he comes to comfort me when he knows I'm sad (OK--well maybe they are about equal).

Having a dog is amazing--yes they are a lot of work, and can be stressful, but in the end it's so worth it. You begin to realize how what you give them seems so little compared to what they give you in return. Reading the book made me think about all this and made me a little sad to know that there will be a day when Shorty won't be there to greet me at the door when I come home. (Although I'll have an awesome book to turn to when that day comes--which hopefully won't be for MANY MANY MANY years.)

For now I will enjoy every little bastard thing he does, and know that one day I will be looking back and laughing about it.

One more Shorty picture, just because:
Current music: clue to kalo + lily perdida (2009, mush) [this album is amazing!]

The most romantic movie of 2008:

2009-01-02T15:22:00.000-08:00

Yup. Although Slumdog Millionaire was pretty close, I have to say that I think Wall-E was the sweetest, most touching movie I saw in 2008. I cry uncontrollably every time Eve(-aaaaa!) sees the footage of Wall-E trying to wake her up. Loved it!

My year in writing.

2009-01-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

During the summer of 2008 I decided that I really missed writing. I was (am?) feeling stuck in my job and needed some kind of creative outlet, separate from KSCU. I decided to hunt on Craigslist and apply for writing gigs.

I started doing a couple assignments for an Oakland website called Evolution of Media and an SF music & mp3 download (legal ones) site called betterPropaganda. I was basically doing a series of album reviews and some record label spotlights. At first the reviews for Evolution of Media were chosen for me, but since I have easy access to new music through the radio station, the owner let me select my own albums to review. I was digging it so I decided to try out as a writing contributor/intern for Tiny Mix Tapes. Tiny Mix Tapes was a bigger gig (lots of readers), but I was doing music related news stories, not reviews.

Tiny Mix Tapes was a nice change from just doing reviews but I soon realized I was taking on way too many things at once (all this while working at my real [paying] 8-5 job). Unfortunately I slacked off on Tiny Mix Tapes and stopped doing weekly stuff for Evolution of Media. I am guessing many real freelance writers have this same problem of overwhelming themselves--although I'm sure if I were actually getting paid for any of my articles it wouldn't be as big of an issue.

I'm still doing some writing for betterPropaganda, as I really like what they are doing with the site and seem to have some direction and structure, yet still offer us writers tons of freedom.

I've compiled a list and links to all my stuff the was "published" for the year.

Tiny Mix Tapes:
New Pornographers Tour Article
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Tour Article
Lykke Li Tour Article
MusicFest NW Article

betterPropaganda:
Mush Records Spotlight
Atmosphere- When Life Gives You Lemons... Review
Morr Music Spotlight
Azeeda Booth- In Flesh Tones (Album Review)
Astralwerks Spotlight
Her Space Holiday- Sleepy Tigers EP (Album Review)
Polyvinyl Records Spotlight
Kill Rock Stars Spotlight
Murs: 3:16 - The 9th Edition (Top 100 Albums of the Decade - #84)
Ladytron (Top 100 Artists of the Decade - #59)
Air- Talkie Walkie (Top 100 Albums of the Decade - #53)
Postal Service- Give Up (Top 100 Albums of the Decade - #28)
TV on the Radio (Top 100 Artists of the Decade - #27)
Caribou (Top 100 Artists of the Decade - #24)
OutKast- Stankonia (Top 100 Albums of the Decade - #22)
Boards of Canada- Geogaddi (Top 100 Albums of the Decade - #18)
M83 (Top 100 Artists of the Decade - # 11)

Evolution of Media:
Gigi Pellegrino- Passion in the Mirror
Stephen Peppos- Vertigo
Mates of State- Re-Arrange Us
Subtle- ExitingARM
Lemuria- Get Better
Hercules and Love Affair- Hercules and Love Affair
The Hold Steady- Stay Positive
Bitter:Sweet- Drama
Beck- Modern Guilt
Brazilian Girls- New York City
Obi Best- Capades
Mr. Meeble- Never Trust the Chinese
Shugo Tokumaru- Exit
The Botticellis- Old Home Movies
----------------------------------------
Geezus. Now that I see the articles compiled all together, I can really see just how much time I spent writing last year. This doesn't even include all the other album notes I made for new music for the radio station, or all the other blog-writing I was doing. Sometimes it's good to create lists of things you've accomplished. If anything it'll make you feel less lazy.

Current music: daedelus + exquisite corpse (2005, mush records)

For this 2009 New Years, I resolve:

2008-12-31T20:00:00.000-08:00

As the year of 2008 is winding down to it's final few hours, I am left thinking about the inevitable changes we all fixate on changing for the better in the following year. That's right, New Years resolutions. To do, or not to do? I always make half-assed attempts at creating a list of things I really do want to change from the previous year. Sad attempts, meaningful hopes & dreams that somehow never, well, resolve. I am tempted to just forget writing any of mine down, or not even say any out loud for fear of total and complete utter cliched failure. Oh--fuck it. Below is my meaningful, half-assed 2009 New Year's Resolutions.

to enjoy more fresh fruits & veggies
to spend less (which leads to): end magazine subscriptions, buy secondhand, be selective
to enjoy the outdoors more (spend more time hiking, playing, gardening)
to use more public transportation
to travel!
to enjoy my gym membership more often.
to do it yourself! (DIY it up! sew, make, paint, create!)
to read the books on my shelves before buying/checking out from the library.
to back up my computer files (don't want a sad mac/did you back up moment! only w/o the mac)
to indulge in pampering myself: manis, pedis, massages, oh my!
to do even more writing (make my blog posts more like articles rather than... you know.)
to attach my camera to my hip and make it my new best friend.
to get prints made of my photos and actually put them in photo albums (tho not scrap booking)
to spend time with the ones i love...
to have more nicole time.

That's all 15 of them. Many have followed me over from the previous year's resolutions but that's okay. Did you notice my clever attempt at being asset based instead of deficit ("enjoy more fresh fruits and veggies" and my personal fave, "enjoy my gym membership more often")? We'll see how many of them show up again on my '10 New Years resolution list.

Until then... HAPPY NEW YEAR! Be safe and have fun.

My Crazy Afternoon.

2008-12-31T15:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, sue me, I am really not getting much work done today. But what do you expect--it's New Years Eve! So, I was bored at work just now (okay, all day), so I decided to Google my name + blog when I discovered a link to one of my old websites (via the old Bay Area Ska website! The person running the site was an acquaintance and she linked me!).

Visit it here. It's awesome! I created it sometime in 2000 and then last updated it in 2002. Through that site I also located mine and my friend/old co-dj, Teshia's DJ website. Check that out too. We were djs cinnamon toast crunch & trix, and our show was called "The With Milk Show" (on KSCU, 103.3 f.m., of course).

I realize this is one of those things that is only interesting to people who know me (maybe not even them), but luckily for me, about 90% of the 10 people who regularly read this know me! So if you wanted to know random tidbits of my likings from back in '00-'02 then check it out. In my journal there is also some blog posts leading up to 9/11... when I was supposed to be going to New York for CMJ for the first time on 9/12. But really most of it is just random musings from a younger me.

Sometimes I miss those days in my late teens/early twenties, but mostly I don't.

Enjoy.

The Year in Music: 2008.

2008-12-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

2008, well you have not exactly been my favorite year in music. Nothing very exciting happening, more of the same ol' same ol'. Lots of mediocre albums, but a fair amount of good songs. Which makes me happy I'm a college radio DJ because radio is all about songs. As a music fan though, 2008 sucked. No albums to get REALLY excited about--and I'm not sure Chinese Democracy finally coming out counts. (Though if you ask the boyfriend he'd say otherwise.)

Notes/Comments/Rants:

Kanye West: Where did you go? Get your arrogant ass out from behind that vocoder! Your raps suck even more because now I can actually hear them because your production is horrendous too!
Coldplay: You aren't, and will never, become the next U2! (and I'm as much of a Coldplay as is possible)
Axl Rose is really cra-mazing! (Don't wanna get into an argument w/ the BF on New Years!)
Killers: You will never, ever, EVER be the next Joy Division/New Order. You are from LAS VEGAS. Start acting like it.
Fleet Foxes Fans: What the fuck? Really? You actually, REALLY like this bullshit? Most overrated album of the year.
Vampire Weekend (and XL Recordings--yes I made the above image in Paint to illustrate my love!): Thank you for making music in 2008 more tolerable.

For more songs that I really enjoyed this year, take a look at my Best of 2008 Beet Farm Playlist from my radio show yesterday.

Things I'm looking forward to in '09: new DJ Signify record, new Animal Collective (which is said to be the least weird they've ever been), avoiding the latest "Guns N Roses" tour, new Neko Case & AC Newman albums.. because the last New Pornographers album just didn't suffice, and loads of things that will hopefully surprise me; to make up for one of the most uncreative years in music. Yeah that's right 2008, I'm talking to YOU!

How I will spend my NYE 2008 (2009?)

2008-12-30T18:44:00.000-08:00

I never know whether you call it New Years Eve of your current year or the year it will become. Oh well. So, there's always a lot of hub bub over New Years Eve plans. Where to go. What to wear. Who to go with. What you're willing to spend. Who will drive?

Well I always say screw trying to answer all those questions, there is a really easy solution to them all--stay home. At least that's what I enjoy doing, what I will be doing. I have no desire to figure out which party or concert I want to spend 5x the normal price to attend. I have no interest in spending more money I don't have on a fancy outfit just to get drunk and sloppy in. Frankly, I barely have a desire to even stay up until midnight--nevermind the fact I have a terrible time doing that as it is--since becoming a granny and all.

Of course, part of the reason is that I have a nice boyfriend and a nice little dog to stay home with. I take extreme joy in the fact that while everyone else will be stressing out about how best to avoid getting a DUI and what remedies to use to nurse their hangovers the following afternoon, I will be having a relaxing stress-free night at home in my pj's, with a nice meal of pizza and beer in the comfort of my cop-free home.

The bigger question is how I am going to spend the entire day, you know, before all the new laws and regulations kick in. In California, on January 1st, drivers can no longer text message while driving--something I know WE ALL have been guilty of at one time or another. Thanks, though, to the awesome advertisements up and down the highways in California announcing that as of January 1 no text messaging while driving (nevermind not doing it now)--I got a brilliant idea for my NYE plans.

Recently I've been trying to be good, limiting my text-messaging-while-driving to stop lights and really slow traffic. Tomorrow, I will go all out, texting on the freeway while applying my make up, taking photos of the world and sending them to my nearest and dearest friends and family, all while speeding down Highway 17 on the way into work. I might even go over to Valley Fair during lunch so I can text all up and down the parking garages--not to mention mass texting on the Steven's Creek/880 exit--talk about a goldmine.

Lookout neighbors and commuters, cuz I will be texting all up in this bitch!

Signed, I heart texting-while-driving.

Post Christmas wish.

2008-12-29T16:50:00.000-08:00

Me want!

addicted to tumblr.

2008-12-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

http://neeecole.tumblr.com/

well it's a new addiction.

my favorite joke of the day.

2008-12-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

james franco got nominated for best supporting actor in a comedy for pineapple express.

AHAHahahahhahahahaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaa.

ha.

seriously?

seriously?

..................................

seriously?

seriously.

and dark knight couldn't muster up a best picture nod.

lame.

Prop 8 - the Musical

2008-12-04T16:11:00.001-08:00

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Too bad this wasn't done before the election! Still helps the cause, and is funny as hell.

Chinese Thanksgiving.

2008-11-27T20:22:00.001-08:00

everyday's fortune, originally uploaded by Mini Anna {Munandar}.

Nathan and I went back to Tong Soon on El Camino Real for our Thanksgiving dinner this year. We went there two years ago when due to an illness in the family we missed having a traditional Thanksgiving on the actual Thanksgiving Day (though we celebrated traditionally a few days later). Since we couldn't have turkey and pumpkin pie and gravy and mashed potatoes on the actual day, we decided on something completely different. We drove around for an hour or so until we finally discovered Tong Soon. Definitely recommend!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Currently watching: the Cardinals get jacked by the Eagles. Hella boring football day!

When life gives Shorty lemons, he paints that shit gold!

2008-11-20T19:47:00.001-08:00

shortypees4, originally uploaded by neeecole..

A loving (quiet?) moment.

2008-11-20T09:54:00.001-08:00

I LOVE this photo from photographer Callie Shell. This is from a feature done for Time about the campaign called Travels with Barack. It's a great feature, check it out.

I swear these images I discover lately are from randomly going through my Google Reader/Flickr, and not my intense excitement and obsession over this election & transition. ;D

Currently listening: Forum w/ Michael Krasny (KQED). [he's my hero!]

Election night history.

2008-11-19T15:41:00.001-08:00

2008, originally uploaded by presta.

I know its a bit after the fact, but my friend Steve-o got some really great photos on Election night. Check out his set. I always dig his photos, but these are real special!

Currently listening: Why?- Alopecia.

Shorty paints Los Gatos yellow.

2008-11-19T12:11:00.001-08:00

shortypees2, originally uploaded by neeecole.

Here's today's shot. A nice fall capture of nature, in all of its forms.

Previous Shorty captures are here, and here! As long as Nate keeps up his shots, you can probably expect this to become a little daily feature. :)

Chinese Democracy. It is finally here.

2008-11-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

So the release of the insanely infamous Guns N' Roses album, Chinese Democracy is four days away. This is an album that is 15 years in the making; an album that I've been hearing about nearly every day for the past few years from the boyfriend; an album that jokingly has made a number of the previous years "Top Ten Best Albums of the Year"-lists from various mags and websites, an album that is already legendary.

We'll be picking the album up on Sunday in Bakersfield, as we'll be down there for an early Thanksgiving Basque dinner with Nate's family. On our drive back up Highway 5 we'll be listening to the over-thought vision of one Mr. Axl Rose. A guy I can't help but appreciate and enjoy now because of Nathan's endearing devotion to him, and G'n'R. I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan, or that I listen to their music when Nathan isn't around, but I do definitely look forward to heading into Best Buy and blasting Chinese Democracy on our drive home past the cows.

I won't be reviewing the album, or probably mentioning it at any length in the future, so I will leave you will this very funny, fitting and brilliant review of Chinese Democracy, written by Chuck Klosertman, courtesy of the Onion AV Club.

"Thanks to this fucking stupid security, I'm going home!"--Axl Rose.

Joke time!

2008-11-14T15:26:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of my prize from my Cracker Jack box:

Why was the frog happy?

..................

...................

...................

wait for it

...................

...................

...................

...Because he ate everything that bugged him!

Oh Cracker Jacks, how you crack me up! Haha. Puns! Yay!

Any way, Cracker Jacks have really gotten cheap over the years. The prizes are just lame paper things and in my other box I only got ONE PEANUT! Everyone knows the peanuts are the best part of Cracker Jacks! Oh well. It's a low-cal snack (only 120 cal/box), so beggars can't be choosers!

Happy Friday everyone!

Currently listening: A Block of Yellow- Do I Do

Catching up on oh so much stuff.

2008-11-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

I've been beyond internet lazy lately. I don't keep up with my Google Reader and have way too many blog posts to sort through. I haven't written a true blog post on here FOR-E-VER. I haven't updated my Flickr in eons, and I missed a couple playlists on my DJ blog too. (Typing up four hours worth of playlist is time-consuming!) I shouldn't even mention my half-assed Beer Blog and 101 in 1001 projects! ACK! I try to take on too much and my follow through is for shit.

I've been doing quite a bit lately, in between fighting a really nasty cold that had my throat feeling like razor blades sliced it. Here's a quick list form of news & notes:

Went to LA w/ Nate this weekend for his cousin's wedding. They had it at the Disneyland Hotel and the circular ballroom was BEAUTIFUL! (pictures soon).
I got stung by a bee at said wedding and that sucked! Especially because I put my arm down on the bee to write a note for the Bride & Groom and the sucker stung me! What a lazy SOB!
Saw Rachel Getting Married w/ Berenice this week. The movie was really depressing, but fairly realistic and raw stuff about dealing with recovery of addiction. I liked that Robyn Hitchcock was in it too! Decent.
Looking forward to seeing The Secret Life of Bees, Milk, and Quantum of Solice! Woo Bond!
My dad and I saw Beverly Hills Chihuaha, which was totally silly but fun!
I went to a couple shows; Lykke Li & Friendly Fires @ the Independent. Friendly Fires were GREAT! One of the best albums and bands I've seen this year. Lykke Li was good but too into her get-up and stage show... cut too much into the music which suffered. AND last night went to Port O'Brien & Crooked Fingers @ Great American Music Hall. Port O'Brien's electric stuff was fun and pretty good, but sometimes they are too rustic for me. And then for Crooked Fingers I was just too tired to enjoy it, so I left after about four songs.
I did get to have dinner with my friends Ryan & Michelle though--who I haven't seen since their wedding (and as they informed me last night), it's been about a year and a half! We went to this little Thai place near GAMH that I liked (Thai Stick 4.0--pumpkin/tofu stirfry is GOOD!).
One of my oldest and dearest friends, Leticia, moved to Vegas a week ago and we spent about a month giving her lots of "going-away parties and gatherings". I wish her lots of luck in Vegas & look forward to visiting her sometime next year!
I went to APE w/ Jocelyn! I hadn't been in a couple years and it was cool to return. The weather SUCKED though and I didn't really end up buying much. Did lots of browsing but nothing really popped out at me. Though I met Jaime Hernandez, so that was cool!
We are moving offices at work... all my stuff has been packed up since Friday, since we were supposed to move Monday of this week. Then on Friday we were informed we weren't moving for another two weeks. AWESOME! Now what do we do? At least our new building is really nice & modern!
Oh and yes, the CRAZY ELECTION SEASON IS OVER! Mixed feelings of extreme excitement and complete disappointment! (Still boo-ing California haters!)
I've been doing a lot of reading lately... trying to finish up the library books that I can no longer renew. They are up on my Good Reads... one is a Kennedy bio called "Sons and Brothers" about the whole relationship between Jack & Bobby (and Joe in the beginning). It's good, just taking me a while to get through because the flow of the book is all over the place. Also trying to finish M is for Magic, a collection of short-stories compiled by Neil Gaiman.
Oh and how 'bout those Sharks, eh!? Looking forward to going to a game in December.

OK. That's all for now.

Currently listening & enjoying: Shiny Toy Guns- Season of Poison.

Taking Part! (too nervous to add more than that)

2008-11-04T17:28:00.001-08:00

snuck this picture while at the polls of my ballot! i was so excited! all for now--back to being obsessed w/ tv and news coverage!

Expired food.

2008-10-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

So I thought I would be good and order a fruit and walnut salad from McDonald's this morning. I got to work and got it out and saw that sadly I cannot enjoy this salad. As I would have needed to eat it two days ago, where my final enjoyment date was Oct 14. The grapes were nasty and I just tried eating an apple and it was nasty too. I think I will just eat the walnuts. Oh joy. I even left the date from my camera phone picture as the file name, in case you don't believe me.

McDonald's bastards.

... town hall... debate? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

2008-10-08T00:46:00.000-07:00

Good evening My Friends,

Which of you thought the "town hall" debate tonight was a big snooze-fest? "Yes or no? Do you think that Russia under Vladimir Putin is an evil empire?" Come on now! What the fuck kind of question is that! Brokaw, I respect you but you are too old school and this was completely not a fucking town hall meeting. It looked like a public access channel press conference.

Obama looked poised and collected. McCain did okay, as McCain usually does just that, okay. No major blunders, although the "That One" comment is being toted as a blunder. Let me also mention that McCain truly has no understanding of what needs to happen in terms of health care insurance reform. I give him props for mentioning electronic charting systems (my health care plan is a good example of poor coordination), as well as advocating for community clinics, BUT what the hell is a tax break going to do for folks who can't even get coverage due to "pre-disposed" illnesses or when someone is unfairly being dropped by crooked insurance companies! Where's the accountability?

Has anyone else noticed the complete lack of discussion around education reform? And I don't just mean paying for college, I mean in the many many years leading up to college. What's the deal with that? Maybe they are saving that for the final debate?

And as someone at Daily Kos pointed out... both sides were guilty of reminiscing (not looking forward) about their Senate record. It's like watching Vader and Luke reminisce about THE lightsaber battle in The Empire Strikes Back. McCain the crusty old Vader, Obama the young, earnest and less experienced Jedi (the good vs. evil argument could be made here to). We all love to see the actual battles but who the fuck wants to see them fucking talk about that shit now? Move forward people! Guess that's what happens when you have two sitting Senators.

Obama wins the debate (not to mention the election). Rarr. Is it November 5th yet?

In honor of my pissed off feelings of both sides of politics in general (and specifically w/ this "economic crisis" aka: recession), I bought this t-shirt from Threadless tonight:

a day or two to myself (+ a beagle).

2008-10-06T23:05:00.001-07:00

I'm about to catch some Zzzzz's after a night of house-sitting at my folks place. I'm doggy sitting while my mom has a training up in San Francisco. It's nice to have a night to myself, although I do miss Nathan and my doggie Shorty. Any way, I'm trying to catch up on my blogging and other updating that are way over due. Including updating my Flickr, Good Reads and my 101 in 1001 blog. Check those out.

xoxo,

nicole.

October 20 is the last day to register to vote in California. Do it people!

2008-10-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

Doesn't Jonah Hill look even more like Seth Rogen in this video?

Live in Santa Clara County? Somewhere else in California? Or somewhere outside California?

REGISTER and please people VOTE!

"esssspn. an all sports network, that's a terrible idea. that'll never work"--ron burgandy.

2008-09-30T09:28:00.001-07:00

sharks 4., originally uploaded by neeecole..

One of my photos is being used with this story about the NHL annoucing a deal with Asian television. Funny that ESPN won't even show hockey here. Lame. The original photo I took from last year's Sharks vs. Calgary game 7 playoff game is above. They won that game, but not surprisingly the Sharkies suffered their usual fate in the next round.

Anyway, here's to a better season!

Debate Watch '08: Canned Newcastles and hella BS.

2008-09-26T18:32:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here prepping my bomb ass potato salad for a BBQ tomorrow in Sacramento with my family... getting ready to try out a new cookie recipe... and then make some miso-glazed salmon. I'm happy it's Friday, drinking some nasty canned Newcastle cuz it's in the 'fridge. And I got my channel tuned to PBS and ready to get my debate '08 on.

So I'm about half an hour into the debate. Let me start by saying BLESS Jim Lehrer and PBS. And let me end with saying, this debate is fucking annoying. Why does John McCain insist on talking in sound bytes? In the words of Miss Sarah Marshall (of Forgetting Sarah Marshall--funniest movie of the year), mostly all I hear is: "Boo-shit, booooo-shit, booooooooo-shit!"

Now, I've come up with a McCain drinking game, every time he mentions the word "Maverick", "I wasn't Miss Congeniality in the Senate" or any reference to his age or being a POW, you drink. As it's about half an hour in, I do have a nice buzz going. To be fair, if Obama mentions his not voting for the war, I'll drink too.

I'm gonna try get some blog roll going here as I continue watching the shenanigans...

Lastly- Thank you Obama for finally mentioning the elephant in the room... that's Iraq. Easiest way to cut spending.
----------------------------
Update: Obama opposed the war 6 years ago.

DRINK!
----------------------------
Ohh sschnapp! McCain just made a good point that Obama should stop bringing up the very voting record he said we should all look at fifteen minutes ago! He said he straight up needs to focus on what people (okay, people = the potential president) has to focus on what's going on now, rather than the fact he opposed the war 6 years ago.
----------------------------
Done with beer 2. Heading to the fridge. More booo-shit, booo-shit, boooooooos-shit going on in the background.
----------------------------
Oh man. More fundamental differences over Pakistan. McCain says you don't say things out-loud. Hmmm. I vote transparency.
----------------------------
I find it funny yet more frightening that McCain and republicans think that "dealing w/ the Pakistan issue" is interpreted as "we will be attacking Pakistan." Precedent?
----------------------------
Another drinking game rule... drink anytime a Republican (John McCain in this case) pays homage to Reagan.
----------------------------
Too busy to make any more peanut gallery comments....

It's almost Friday, and I am already there.

2008-09-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm asleep with my eyes open. Today is a slow day. I have much blogging updates to post and I promise to do that soon--starting with a Seattle/Portland trip wrap up (w/ lots of photos!).

I'm very excited about NBC premiere night of the Office and My Name is Earl. They are both hour-long episodes! (Or two half-hour double shots.)

Happy Fall. For now, I leave you with this awesome photo of me w/ my 90210 premiere party cookie creation (more on that party later):

"Oh gawd!"- My response to Burton/Depp pairing for Alice in Wonderland.

2008-09-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else tired of Burton's predictable film choices and actor choices? His shit is so overdone, each time he makes an announcement about an upcoming project I just roll my eyes. Let me guess, Helena Bonham Carter will play the Queen of Hearts and Danny Elfman (fallen off) will score the movie.

So many people are gonna eat this shit up. Gimme a break.

For my guy!

2008-09-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

couldn't resist just one more.........


	Make your own at MoreCowbell.dj

I got a fevah!

2008-09-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

This is AMAZING! Check out this More Cowbell DJing website.

My first creation (which is 47% more cowbell and 6% Walken) is here:


	Make your own at MoreCowbell.dj

----------
*Sigh* Clearly I'm going to be wasting a lot of time on this today. But for now, gotta finish up my Kill Rock Stars spotlight piece for Better Propaganda.

Amen.

2008-09-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

From the Daily Ko s site, live blogging during the RNC, better known as the hella old white Washingtonites clan-err-I mean, convention.
-----------------------------------
War Porn Gets Standing Ovation From GOP
by Hunter
Thu Sep 04, 2008 at 06:16:52 PM PDT

Congratulations, GOP, for the tackiest, bloodiest bit of propaganda devised in recent memory. Using footage of everything from the Marine barracks bombing to 9/11 in service to a vile, crass, ham-handed, historically botched propaganda piece for your convention.

And their little "film" didn't even make a bit of logical or historical sense. It was just the worst Republican masturbatory fantasies about how the world works, said in a grave voice while they showed pictures of people dead and dying. On their watch.

What trash these people are. Piss off, cretins.
-----------------------------------
Couldn't have said it better myself.

All in a days work.

2008-08-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! Enjoy the three-day weekend, I know I will!You can spot my little portable radio that I listen to npr/kqed on. (And check out my cute little Payless shoe score!)

Media & journalistic lazyness in regards to women.

2008-08-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

It's 2008. We almost had the first woman Democratic Presidential Candidate. We have the first ever woman Speaker of the House. But with the wonderfully sexist media coverage of both Hillary Clinton's campaign and what's starting to become similar coverage of presumed VP nominee Sarah Palin, it's no wonder that women find themselves empathizing with very unlikely candidates. Pun hella intended.

Especially, and while this is somewhat funny, you have stuff like this:

(image via the Wonkette blog)

I mean, really? I get it, he's old [McCain] and she [Palin] was a former beauty pageant runner-up. They're both dead now (old dude & Anna Nicole). I get that it's making fun of both of them. I do. But it's fairly offensive to me as a woman. I may not like many, okay--any, things about Palin's short political career, but is she really a brainless dumb blond?

And check out the insightful tidbits that Yahoo! has for us on the front page:

Beyond VP pick's politics

Sarah Palin's interesting family, Vogue photos, and beauty-pageant days are piquing people's interest.» Details

Her workout, eating habits WSJ.com

WOW! Thank god for knowing that information! Have we ever seen this immediate kind of "reporting" about any other MALE political candidate? No. Sure political candidates are easy fodder for cynics and political commentators/comedians, and I'm no stick in the mud, I laugh along with it too, because it's funny.

But when does it start to become unfunny? I can tell you that I was a long supporter of Obama, and even I started secretly hoping Hillary could pull out the nom just to say "FUCK YOU" to the media conglomerates for all the unjust grilling!

And it's not like it's only on entertainment sites and gossip blogs, I'm talking about a Wall Street Journal blog about it, not to mention the above workout regimen.

The first thing my co-worker said was, "Rarr. She's a cougar."

Maybe I'm already getting overly sensitive about it, and maybe I should laugh more about it, but the reality is I can already see where this is going.

Is it November 4th yet?

And because I'm having such a wonderful day, let the hilarity continue...

2008-08-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

I'm serious about the wonderful day. Really. I'm not being sarcastic. Today is great Friday!

---------------------------------

Dave Barry: On protesters, politics and bird porn

NO NEWS, BUT WE DID SEE DARYL HANNAH

By Dave Barry
Miami Herald

Article Launched: 08/28/2008 01:31:54 AM PDT

DENVER - I will resume my coverage of the Democratic convention (current theme: "Yes, It's Still Going On") as soon as possible, but first I need to address a disturbing issue that we all need to be more disturbed about: bird porn.

I found out about this issue while hanging out at the convention center with my fellow journalism professional James Lileks. We were doing what journalists do at major news events, namely, whine that there is no news, when James got a text-message tip that there was a bird-porn protest going on in downtown Denver.

"Bird porn?" I said.

"I have no idea," he said.

We immediately hailed a pedicab. Pedicabs are rickshaw-style vehicles pedaled by fit young people who offset your carbon by pedaling you around Denver in exchange for tips. Our pedaler was named Keiren Valentine. She had a nose ring but was otherwise kind of like a regular taxi driver, in the sense that she got annoyed when pedestrians got in her way and forced her to stop.

"Are you relying on inertia?" she muttered at them. "Oh no, that's just me."

After we had gone a few blocks another pedicab driver, Colette Valery, zoomed up looking excited and said to Keiren, "I'm on my way to pick up Daryl Hannah!"

James and I looked at each other. This was a moment of decision, a moment we had been preparing for, as journalism professionals, all our lives.

"Belay the bird porn," we told Keiren. "Follow that pedicab!"

So we zoomed off after Colette, who stopped several blocks away at a hotel, and out came Daryl Hannah. Probably you want to know what she is really like, as a person and as a human being. I would say, based on gawking at her from a distance of two feet, that she is quite attractive, although, of course, not in the same league as my wife

Hannah and a man got into Colette's pedicab, and they took off.

"On to the bird porn!" we said to Keiren.

Minutes later, we arrived at a busy street corner where a woman was holding up a sign that said "DEMOCRATS STOP BIRD PORN!" She was with two men, one with a bullhorn, who were handing out leaflets that said "BIRD WATCHERS ARE VOYEURS!" and "LEAVE THE BIRDS ALONE!"

I spoke to the sign woman, Anaida Krok, and the bullhorn man, Ed Brenner. Their position, if I understand them correctly, is that bird-watchers are perverts who enjoy watching birds have sex and this must be stopped.

I asked Brenner what was so bad about watching birds have sex.

"If you're sitting at home, making love," he said, "would you want somebody peeking through your window at you?"

"Sitting?" I said.

"But what if you're making love on your lawn?" said James. (He was making the point that birds have sex in public, not that he, James Lileks, makes love on the lawn.) (As far as I know.) (He is from Minneapolis.)

I know what you're thinking: You're thinking that the bird-porn protesters were just pranksters having a big old goof. And you may be right. However, they seemed quite earnest, plus they have a Web site, www.stopbirdporn.org. (And you know how hard it is to get a Web site!) Krok also told me that if I went on YouTube and searched for "bird porn," I would see many explicit bird-sex videos.

It was at this point that James and I realized that, despite being seasoned journalism professionals, neither one of us really knew how birds have sex. Like, do the males have organs? If so, where do they keep them?

I pressed Brenner on the mechanics, but he did not want to talk about it. At this point, a pair of civilian bystanders in the form of twin brothers Will and Travis Sheive of Houston, who had been listening in, offered some insights.

"Eagles have sex while flying, I know that much," Will said. "I learned that in Boy Scouts."

"I've seen sparrows going at it," Travis said.

When I got back to my hotel, I searched for "bird porn" on YouTube, and sure enough, there it was: Eliot Spitzer.

No, seriously, there was explicit footage of birds being explicit. So we know two things: The problem is real, and the Boy Scouts are involved. And yet this issue has not been addressed by a single speaker at the Democratic convention. At least as far as I know. I've been pretty busy.

Dave Barry is a nationally syndicated humor columnist.

Because today I'm feeling 'bitter'...

2008-08-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

I feel somewhat bitter, though probably more amused when...
* McCain decides to insult women's capacity (and intelligence) to make a good decision when he picked Palin (hello!? Hillary supporters, no matter how angry and frustrated, will never vote for a pro-lifer)

* McCain attempts to steal Obama's thunder and reports are labeling the VP choice 'historic'? She may have made lame comments during the race, but anyone remember Geraldine Ferraro?

* Alaska? Haha. Have fun with your three electorates Senator McCain!

* It's the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, so while the folks that survived the devastating hurricane are down there in their super-awesome (har) FEMA trailers, we'll spend exactly 24 hours (maybe) talking (not really caring or doing anything) about it.

I'm a scavenger! I mean, just look at my art!

2008-08-28T17:10:00.000-07:00

So I just signed up for an art design project! Eep. I also paid for it & the book that will potentially publish one of my photo/creations!

Information you are lacking from my vague post is here:

From the Art House website, "We're making a book and we need your help! We're going to send you a list of 24 things which will end up being the 24 chapters of the book. Each chapter is a reference to a moment, scenario, or item and we need your help visually representing each item. Every participant who sends back their images will be guaranteed at least one published photo in the book!"

Or you can just click the photo or this here link to get the information straight from the horses mouth.

Sounds like a case of the Mondays...

2008-08-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

Can I just say, I think 8-5 jobs are not for me!

A little bit of blue adds a smile to my face!

2008-08-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

I didn't go into work today because the plumber needed to work on our shower and I had an optometrist appointment (did my contact lens fitting!). So I spent most of the day getting useful stuff done: grocery shopping, cleaning the bathrooms, giving the dog a bath, all that fun stuff. I also had spent part of the weekend working on putting up drapes in the kitchen because I H-A-T-E vertical blinds and the room was in desperate need of some color. Below are the results and I'm very happy. The photos make the room seem darker than it is.

Photo of the day, and a weekend update.

2008-08-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

I liked this pic of Nate and the Short-dog! Anyway, had a great weekend. Got some stuff done around the house today and yesterday spent the day in San Francisco with my family. I have been updating my 101 in 1001 project, so check that out for more photos!

What a beerutiful night.

2008-08-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

Nathan and I updated our beer blog, to include our latest refreshments. Take a look. I've decided each picture with include Shorty one way or another. At least it's getting me back in the habit of taking photos.

Feel free to suggest some new beers. Nathan has been hitting up the Bev Mo! by his work in Sunnyvale, selecting a pint + some in consecutive order from the last one he chose. Hence all the ales from Belgium.

OK. That's all for now.

Another day, another blog.

2008-08-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

I know, I'm blog crazy. I can't even keep up with this little personal one. Nevertheless, I started yet another blog.

101 in 1001 days. That's my latest.

Enjoy!

I have a crush on Julia Rothman.

2008-08-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yes that Julia Rothman, the illustrator/pattern maker awesome Julia Rothman. Well actually, I'm mostly in love with her blog, Book By Its Cover.

I find myself bookmarking and making notes to get a number of the books she's covered in her blog. The illustrations on most of them are really amazing. She highlights everything from sketch books to graphic novels.

And what's great about the design of her website is that you can search her posts by book type (comics, childrens, fine arts, etc).
-------------------------------------
And speaking of writing, below are some links to more of my published articles/reviews:

New Pornographers Tour (Tiny Mix Tapes)
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Tour (Tiny Mix Tapes)
Astralwerks Record Spotlight (betterPropaganda)
Azeeda Booth- In Flesh Tones review (betterPropaganda)
Her Space Holiday- Sleepy Tigers review (betterPropaganda)
Brazilian Girls- New York City review (Evolution of Media)
Beck- Modern Guilt review (Evolution of Media)
Bitter:Sweet- Drama review (Evolution of Media)
The Hold Steady- Stay Positive review (Evolution of Media)

Now if only I could get some paying gigs!

Rarrrrrr beware of roaming Sasquatch!

2008-08-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it was the AWESOME (har-har) video footage of the Sasquatch in the news recently; or maybe Nathan's ongoing fascination with the hairy beast, but whatever the reason, I felt inspired enough to purchase this poster for our house:

The poster was done by Will Staehle, and he has tons more awesome prints at his online store, Lonesome Blacksheep.

If I had to eliminate a single profession it might be credit collectors!

2008-08-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

I understand the need, really, but I fucking hate credit collectors. I hate the fact they are so secretive. I hate the fact that they blindly try to charge you for something without giving you any information! I hate the fact they only try to reach you once and don't bother trying to follow up (even when there's multiple contacts)! I cannot stand the annoying pre-recorded phone messages urging you to call "them" back regarding "very important personal business matter". Who the fuck is "THEM"? And what fucking "PERSONAL BUSINESS MATTER"?! I just cannot stand them!

Really I think I just hate anything to do with personal finances.

Speaking of personal finances, I am trying to sell my truck so if you know anyone that wants a 2001 Ford pick-up truck, let me know!

Oh and Nathan and I purchased our very first BRAND NEW sofa this weekend! We were sick of hand-me-downs & thrift-store fixer-uppers (though thankful for them always at the time!), so we bought us a new Macy's Corona sofa. I really wanted the one I saw at Therapy (in the Mission, SF), but this one was more affordable. Here's a picture of it:

It arrives in ten weeks! Woo! Then I feel like I can really start to transform our apartment and make it homey! 'Cause we went to Ikea this weekend and I got depressed because I couldn't really buy anything until we had a couch. Now I want this rug! :D

To hipster my travels, that is the question!

2008-08-10T00:46:00.000-07:00

I haven't mentioned this before but our (mine & Nathan's, and his family) Japan trip is off. Well postponed. There is some serious health issues going on in Nathan's family and it just wasn't right to go if it didn't include the entire group. There are just more important things to concentrate on, ya know? So while it is disappointing for everyone, Japan will still be there when everyone is well, and maybe even a trip in the spring is possible.

In the meantime, though, Nathan and I are planning a trip up the Northwestern Coast. We already booked our flights (thank you Southwest!) up to Seattle for mid-September. Booked a hotel as well and I'm trying to figure out a quick two-night Portland getaway. Train tickets aren't bad at all ($100 for 2 round trip), but hotels in Portland are a bit pricey! My dilemma is whether I want to stay at the pretentious Ace Hotel. The price is right, kinda, if you go for a shared bath. I really think my days of hostels and shared bathrooms are over, and I don't know if dealing with uber hipsters is worth $140/night. On the other hand the rooms look really cool--with turntables and stacks of vinyl in some of them, and the location is completely ideal. Anyone stay there before, or anywhere else that you'd recommend?
...........................
Up kinda late tonite. Searching travel stuff, watching lame television (Olympics coverage is done for the evening), and surfing the networking sites.

Oh & Nathan and I started another blog. I know, I know. But this one at least has a self-serving purpose. Check it out here.
.............................
I saw the Pineapple Express on Friday and it was totally disappointing! I actually started getting really bored throughout the whole middle hour of the movie, to the point of nearly falling asleep. The ending action scenes were really fucking hilarious though. I think my problem with it was that they actually needed more characters, because James Franco's character didn't have enough to carry the full movie with Rogen. The stonered out scenes where they were talking was trying to be very "Rogen vs. Rudd--you know how I know you're gay" kinda thing but less coherent and way more boring. ALL the action stuff was rad because it was more out of the ordinary and totally believable in that what do a bunch of stoners (or just regular dudes) know about ass-kicking, which is why they kept getting caught. Aww well, still better than some other movies but the most disappointing of all the Rogen/Apatow related flicks (and I'm a huge fan). Sorry Rogen.
.............................
Sad about Bernie Mac. :(
.............................
Time for bed me thinks. Later.

Is that a frog in your throat Mister Christian Bale?

2008-08-04T21:53:00.001-07:00

I've said this very same thing since Batman Begins, and here it is coming via AP Movie News. The Dark Knight is of course, still one, badass motherfucking movie though.

Proof of previous comment via old Myspace blog post from June 2005. Link is here!!!!!

- Nicole (taking a break from credit reports & car loan shi-at!)

Monday Movie Buzz: Bale's Batman voice too much?
Sunday August 3
1:44 PM ET

Though "The Dark Knight" has been a bona fide cultural event, boasting rave reviews and boffo box office, it hasn't been immune to criticism. Some have quibbled with its political undercurrents, and others have criticized a muddled theme.

But here's the critique most widely held: Why does Batman talk like the offspring of Clint Eastwood and a grizzly bear?

Donning the costume for the second time, Christian Bale has delved deeper into the lower registers. As Bruce Wayne, his voice is as smooth as his finely pressed suits. But once he puts the cape on, the transformation of his vocal chords is just as dramatic as his costume change.

Particularly when his rage boils over, Bale's Batman growls in an almost beastly fashion, reflecting how close he teeters between do-gooder and vengeance-crazed crusader.

"The Dark Knight" hauled in $43.8 million to rank as Hollywood's top movie for the third straight weekend, fending off "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" which opened a close second with $42.5 million. It has earned $394.9 million in just 17 days, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Though much of the voice effect is Bale's own doing, under the guidance of director Christopher Nolan and supervising sound editor Richard King, the frequency of his Batman voice was modulated to exaggerate the effect.

Critics and fans have noticed.

"His Batman rasps his lines in a voice that's deeper and hammier than ever," said NPR's David Edelstein.

The New Yorker's David Denby praised the urgency of Bale's Batman, but lamented that he "delivers his lines in a hoarse voice with an unvarying inflection."

Reviewing the film for MSNBC, Alonso Duralde wrote that Bale's Batman in "Batman Begins" "sounded absurdly deep, like a 10-year-old putting on an `adult' voice to make prank phone calls. This time, Bale affects an eerie rasp, somewhat akin to Brenda Vaccaro doing a Miles Davis impression."

Before the similes run too far afield, it's worth considering where the concept of a throaty Batman comes from.

In his portrayal on the `60s "Batman" TV series, Adam West didn't alter his voice between Bruce Wayne and Batman. Decades later when Tim Burton brought "Batman" to the big screen in a much darker incarnation, Michael Keaton's inflection was notably but not considerably different from one to the other.

But it was a lesser-known actor who, a few years after Burton's film, made perhaps the most distinct imprint on Batman's voice. Kevin Conroy, as the voice of the animated Batman in various projects from 1992's "Batman: The Animated Series" right up until this year's "Batman: Gotham Knight," brought a darker, raspier vocalization to Batman.

Conroy has inhabit the role longer than anyone else and though animated voice-over work doesn't have the same cachet as feature film acting, there are quarters where Conroy is viewed as the best Batman of them all certainly superior to Val Kilmer or George Clooney.

The animated series are notable because they drew on the DC Comics of Batman as envisioned by Frank Miller, whose work heavily informs "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." (Bale and Nolan were unavailable to comment for this story.)

As Batman has gotten darker, his voice has gotten deeper. As some critics suggest, Bale and "The Dark Knight" may have reached a threshold, at least audibly.

My heart belongs to Beulah.

2008-08-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

"If we can land a man on the moon, surely i can win your heart" has to be THE BEST pop-love song title EVER. The song ain't too shabby either.

I've been revisiting the rather small Beulah catalog since hearing the new Her Space Holiday- Sleepy Tigers EP--because it completely reminds me of Beulah. (Which is amazing!) I've been in such a sentimental mood all of July and I'm sure it will carry on even more into August, so Beulah is the perfect company. I miss Miles! I miss Bill! I miss all my little pretentious Beulah boys! Oh okay, only Miles came off pretentious but who cares! Haha... his Myspace profile is pretty ridiculous... check it out. Oh, did I mention Miles has recorded new music?!?!?!?!?! So excited! It's really fucking good too--as you'd expect. (Well I've only heard the one song, but still!)

Also, check out the video below of "Gene Autry." LOVE LOVE!

Back then I was a little g... now I'm a big G.

2008-07-31T20:02:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here on my couch watching "From G's to Gent's", which pretty much rules and tops anything anyone else is doing at this moment. Let's just say it's been a really long work week, with really long hours and lots of stress that has come to pass as of exactly 5:00 p.m. today. OK, we just had a large report due and it's submitted and basically I can just relax, eat crap food and watch crap television. Long live America, eh?

Sadly I had to miss Oxfam outreach at last night's Bloc Party show at the Fillmore because of work. Aww well, the things you do to make a living and keep a roof over your head.

Comic Con was A-MA-ZING! Details to follow, I promise. In the meantime, my photo album of Con photos is available here; just click this very link. Or just click my favorite photo of the Con below.

Woot Woot! Street cred through the roof yo!

Alright, that's all the time I have for blogging tonight folks. More relaxing is in my futures, and that future is now.

Peace.

Preparing to brave the masses for my return to San Deigo Comic-Con.

2008-07-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

Leaving tomorrow morning bright and early for beautiful (but conservative) San Diego. I think the last time I went to Comic-Con was in early 2000's. I'm definitely looking forward to this year, even though it means sold-out days with thousands upon thousands of sweaty, hairy and costumed folks.

Not too blown away by the huge panels this year (way too much random TV, Prison Break?), which is great because it means less stress about getting into the room of choice and less worrying about planning too much ahead. Also instead of being able to just lineup for autographs from folks, there is some sort of drawing/lottery thing going on which means I won't be bothering with any of that (sorry Nate--I might have to stalk Mewes to complete your Chasing Amy poster). It also means that I can spend a lot more time SHOPPING! I knew my work promotion came at the best possible time!

Things I'm looking forward to: Watchmen panel, BSG panel, Kevin Smith (in a number of appearances), stalking Lee Pace(!!!), SHOPPING!!!!!!, cos-players/costumers (for those who don't speak geek), hanging out with good friends, and tons more that I will discover once I go home and fully absorb the programming schedule.

Before I go,

More of my recent writing links:
* Morr Music Spotlight (better propaganda)
* NW MusicFest (tiny mix tapes)

I'll be back next week with my Comic Con '08 Report, because I'm not going to be a total Twitter-nerd, logging my every step, thought, breath, etc. There are plenty of other sites for that. Wish me luck!

- Nicole

Currently Listening: Georgie James- Places (Saddle Creek)

What will you do when your suntan fades?

2008-07-17T18:27:00.001-07:00

Man. I really haven't written anything in a really long time. Pretty lame. Lots of stuff going on since I last posted, although I'm way to exhausted and spacey today to write about most of it.

I did celebrate my 27th birthday last week though (on July 8). It was kind of a cloudy week with some bad news and disappointments. Keepin' cheery though and working through the times.

I've been doing some freelance writing lately. Nothing that pays but I've really been enjoying it. I wish I had more time to do more of it. Here are some links to a few of the pieces:

OK. That's all for the time being. Off to Los Angeles this weekend to spend some time with Nathan's family. Then next weekend it's my return to the infamous San Diego Comic Con. Crrraaazy. Crazy.

Is anything better than a Friday off of work?

2008-06-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

I took the day off today so my dad and I can check out some of the exhibits for the 01SJ Festival. There's also First Friday's happening today which coincides with 01SJ to form Subzero- a SoFa Street Fair of sorts. I actually have a couple (4) photos up at South First Billiards for tonight's event. My childhood best bud, Leticia, is hosting the activities there and encouraged me to put some stuff up. Super self-conscious about it--but--what the heck? Right.

So any way, I'm just relaxing upstairs watching one of Dame Helen Mirren's greatest roles of all time--Mrs. Tingle, in Teaching Mrs. Tingle. Classic.

We finally have Comcast On Demand in both our upstairs office and living room downstairs. For some reason there was about a 3-week difference in getting it in both rooms. Weird.

Nathan and I are going to stay up in Oakland this weekend. Looking forward to getting out of the South Bay and spending some time up there--too bad we just missed the Alameda Antique's Flea Market. Wah! Next month--maybe. Depends on the cash situation. We are going to the A's game Sunday which is really rad. Does anything beat a Sunday afternoon baseball game filled with a hot dog and a beer? Doubtful.

Ok. Gotta get back to doing nothing. :)

n.

Kiera: My one-name-only baby model niece.

2008-05-30T16:48:00.001-07:00

My sister entered (basically just posted a photo of) my niece on the Parents Magazine website. They are looking for their next "cover baby/child". If you feel so inclined, vote for her by clicking the photo.

p.s. The dress she's wearing in the photo on the lawn is one I bought for her! :)

Ready to spend an evening with my four girls...

2008-05-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

Yup, those four girls. Like many, many, many, many, MANY other groups of women, I will be spending an evening with not only my own group of girl friends, but my other four fictional girls as well. I haven't read any reviews and I've been ignoring the rumor mill as much as possible; I just want to sit back, sip my portable cosmos and enjoy the silly girl-gabbing, the serious girl talks, the fashion, the flair, the men (gay & straight) and (of course), the sexiness that is Sex and the City.

Despite only working three days this week, I am feeling beyond ready for the weekend. Even though lots of cool things went my way this week with some potentially really cool opportunities in the works; I do feel a bit drained today.

Only a bit longer 'til work is over & the relaxing can begin.

Yay.

Holiday from blogging...

2008-05-28T21:17:00.000-07:00

So it's been awhile since I've posted anything new. There isn't really a reason other than I've been pretty busy lately and taking on way too many projects, etc.

Here's a quick update list:

Saw Indiana Jones, Baby's Mama, Iron Man and loved all three. Highly recommend them. :D
Been applying for some freelance writing gigs (most don't pay). Currently doing some music reviews for one company.
Still trying to get the home in order. Making progress on the "man room". Got a new desk & created a better work station. I actually really like to hang out up there now.
Going up to Sacramento this Saturday for an early (like two months early) birthday party for my nephew. He's turning THREE and I cannot believe it! They grow so fast.
Super excited for Sex and the City opening night! Planning a girls night out to the movies.
Trying to plan for Comic Con. Finding a room this last minute was a BI-ATCH, but mission is finally accomplished. Now just need to get my con tickets. Kinda excited and kinda anxious since the last time I went was like 4 or 5 years ago and it's just exponentially growing every year. Should be a lot of fun though.
Been doing some advocacy with Oxfam around their Climate Justice campaign. Had a really great meeting with Congressman Honda's aide this week. Really looking forward to getting deeper into the campaign.
Looking forward to checking out the 01 (Zero One) San Jose Art & Technology Festival. I went last year for a couple days and it was really cool. Plus I'll get to hang out for the day with my dad which is always awesome. We also want to check out the Robot Exhibit at the SJ Museum of Art.
Been devoting some time to the Wii Fit, which is completely awesome! I've got my fitness goals set up and I really enjoy doing the Yoga & Strength Training exercise. But dayam is that thing mean when it tells you how overweight you are! Bastard.
I've been doing lots of music reviews for KSCU and getting back into lots of new music, which is never a bad thing. Some new albums I've really enjoyed are: Ed Harcourt, the Submarines, M83, Lemuria, Dirty on Purpose, Okay, Mates of State, Subtle... definitely lots of cool stuff.
Been falling behind on my 365 project (egah!). Actually I think I only missed one or maybe two days of pictures but still. I definitely feel apathetic about doing it lately. I think I'm just working on too many things at once. I'm gonna try to focus more on it though starting next week or even this weekend (this includes updating my Flickr).
Trying to work on designing a new layout for my Trapped in the Suburbs wordpress blog but I'm struggling to understand how Wordpress even works. I switched over so that I can have multiple contributors (team blog), and Wordpress offers way better options in terms of doing that than Blogger does. But Wordpress seems way harder to customize than Blogger. So... gotta devote some time to that as well.
And in general... I've just been having lots of fun with Nathan & the little Chiweenie & family in general.

I'll try to get back into my regular 5-7+ blog posts a week. Though it was definitely nice to take a short break.

xoxoxo,

2nd Beet Farm Theme Show airs tomorrow!

2008-05-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Don't miss out on the 2nd theme show of the Beet Farm: KSCU Staples. Call in your KSCU favorite!

Wednesday, [tomorrow!] from 7-9 a.m.
KSCU, 103.3 f.m. in the South Bay!

Call up: 408.569.KSCU!

One step closer to Lee Pace.

2008-05-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

So my friend Julie who lives out in Minneapolis just added a comment to this blog post I wrote last week, which made me giddy.

Really, for no good reason at all.

Observe:

2 comments:
Julie said...
lee pace is one of my mom's best friend's sons! i went to the waterpark with him when we were like 13. my mom went to all of his high school plays. i never did because i was too good for that. now i wish i had! i love him too =)
May 13, 2008 3:09 PM

n. said...
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ehheeeeheeee. *me giggling like a little school girl!*um.... introduce us! :D
May 13, 2008 3:34 PM
-----------------------------
I know. Complete dork.

:D

Things younger than John McCain blog.

2008-05-13T14:52:00.001-07:00

Just discovered the Things younger than Republican Presidential candidate (oh, and did I forget to mention “war hero”?) John McCain blog. It's hilarious!

And did I mention it's scary too?

Some of the things younger than McCain: cobb salad, the Golden Gate Bridge, and yes, the chocolate chip cookie.

:D

(source: Serious Eats blog)

Reminder: Vote for the next theme show!

2008-05-13T14:19:00.001-07:00

Voting for my next KSCU Beet Farm Theme Show is (has been) open! Voting will close in a day or two so please take a moment to visit my DJ Blog and vote!

Pretty please? I have three votes total and they are all for different themes so I need some more folks opinions. Ya'll have them right?

Mr. Dwight Schrute will come after you if you fail to help me out in this endeavor. Don't disappoint!
photo from bbc.co.uk/comedy.

Live Now Benefit Posters

2008-05-13T13:43:00.001-07:00

Read about these great posters on the Design Crush blog. The poster project was created by Eric Smith & the story behind them is:

"I was recently diagnosed with cancer and have begun down the treatment road. I have learned to saturate each moment in front of me with all of my energy, as well as many other tremendous lessons. I decided to create a poster series with some quotes that have driven close to my spirit throughout this whole ordeal. Proceeds from the sale of these posters will be donated towards the Live Strong Foundation. Please purchase one, or three, and spread words of hope and inspiration. They are 11"× 17" and printed on a nice recycled matte paper."

I was inspired after hearing the story to purchase a poster--although I liked them well enough as is and the story just pushed me to buy one now. :) And although I really feel that this one touches closer to home with me falling out of love with my job:

I went with the one below instead. It would apply every day and felt more inspirational for my home--which is where I'd like to hang it.

The "machine" poster would be most appropriate at work--though inappropriate at the same time. :D

Carrie Brownstein has a blog on NPR!

2008-05-13T09:54:00.000-07:00

Carrie Brownstein, former Sleater Kinney rocker, has a blog on NPR.org. How rad is that?!

A whole new domain.

2008-05-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

FYI, I bought up my own domain so I can drop the "blogspot". So my new address is, www.girlinthesuburbs.com. YAY!

365 Project: Playing catch up.

2008-05-07T23:40:00.000-07:00

I was pretty behind on posting/uploading my 365 project photos from the last week or so, but I took care of that tonite. And before I head up to bed, wanted to just post one of the photos from the bunch, instead of the entire week's worth. If you click the photo it'll take you to my 365 set and you can view all the stuff. I admit I got a little lazy last week and have fallen from my theme, but I will try to get back on track.

Here's my little berry babies:

White Space Wednesday.

2008-05-07T21:34:00.001-07:00

My White Space Wednesday photo this week. Of course, of the--my little Chiweenie.