New Light

(post for Sunday)
Was late posting today because I was watching YouTube videos on how to pronounce basic phrases in another language. I almost squealed discovering the word for pastry shop. Tsk.

Check out these three artists who use landscape as their canvas.
The impressive large-scale beach drawings of Jim Denevan
German light masters Cenci Goepel and Jens Warnecke

Currently listening to: 7 Things - Miley Cyrus

Concert In the Sun and Toilet Paper

(post for Saturday)
What a beautiful day for a concert! Got to spend some time with classmates from this term. One of them was just at my next destination, so I got to pick his brain for tips. Yay! We tried some yummy food and listened to an amazing artist perform. The place was packed (like Hong Kong packed, or Singapore Computer Convention packed). I am glad I got my hands on some African (ambiguous) chicken jerk and pistachio gelato. Yum.

Check out Japanese architect Shigeru Ban's redesign of the familiar paper roll. The square shape recreates the kind of force and movement needed to pull the paper. Read more at AdBusters. Ban works with paper in many of his creations. I particularly like his reasoning for doing so - paper is cheap, easily recycled or replaced, simple, and doesn't create a lot of waste.

Currently listening to: Dancing - Elisa

Hardcore Dancing

Once in awhile I get really into a reality TV competition without actually watching the show (see American Idol, Britain's Got Talent). This time it is So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD). Never mind the dancers, the choreography on the show is amazing. My favorite group so far is Chelsie and Mark. Here is their contemporary dance (you may recognize the music from before). I love how she moves in that dress.

Their "hip hop" routine from this week. 01:17 is amazing how they get in every beat.


If you're interested in SYTYCD, also check out Katee and Joshua's hip hop performance. Super cool.

Blogging is a tough thing to keep up. If you've kept it up at least a few times each month and for over a year, then I think you've earned the title of being a blogger. The hardcore ones are those who post several times a day. It's a tough label to keep up and perhaps sometimes people don't want it. One Post Wonder, which is fittingly a blog, showcases those who have stopped after the first post. One entry, that's it. [Source: Neatorama]

Currently listening to: Lost - Anouk

Out of This Town

Had a fabulous last few days with an old friend. It's crazy how I always think things will change drastically and how little they actually do.

A bit pooped out after a long day. The drive back was quite peaceful. The city is beautiful in the morning with the faint mist pink-tinted from the moment before sunrise and clinging lazily to the skyscrapers.

Check out this puppy video. Too cute.

Currently listening to: Get Out of This Town - Carrie Underwood

Swedish Fish

(post for Saturday)
Hard to believe a week ago I was at graduation. These few days flew past!

Always loved Swedish Ikea's crazy furniture names? Make some up yourself with Blogadilla's Swedish Furniture Name Generator.
It is officially summer today, which also means plenty of traveling. Check out Forbes' list of the worst airports in the U.S. Midwest's Minneapolis and Chicago airports make it to the top ten. I am surprised that LAX isn't higher.

Check out Australian artist Ben Thomas' amazing miniatures. He has a whole collection at his site Cityshrinker.
Also wanted to feature Swedish artist Stina Persson. Her media varies, but I love her watercolors the most. You may recognize her work from Nike Women ads.

(the copy is pretty great for this ad, so click to enlarge)

The Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan, has been crowned one of the largest aquariums in the world. It houses four whales sharks, among other aquatic life. The tank's walls are 2 feet thick and hold 7,500 tonnes of water. Amazing. Read more and see some beautiful images at Daily Mail.
Last but not least, KOR has released a bottled water alternative that is visually and functionally more appealing than the Nalgene bottles that have long held their ground. The company that they worked with, Eastman, is also responsible for the Y Water and POM bottles, which I find so fascinating. Read more from The DieLine.

Currently listening to: The Unwinding Cable Car - Anberlin

Familiarity

I signed back into my poor Xanga site, long abandoned, only to realize that I've forgotten how to maneuver through it. I remember those days. Blogging was still painfully fresh and new to most of the world. I personally think Asia got cued in earlier (ICQ, anyone?).

I learned today about a theory on how we find the scent from our siblings unattractive and this supposedly helps prevent incest. As one person puts it, that's why our close ones stink, while strangers just "smell strongly." Read more about it here. Would love to hear thoughts if anyone knows more about it.

I bought a pineapple yesterday and it has been sitting there ripening nicely. I never ventured into fresh pineapple until last year and it's so yummy!
Check out Eddie Izzard's stand up on fruit. My favorite part is about the pears (around 06:23) because it's so true. (Warning: A little bit of colorful language so view at own discretion.)

Continuing my little obsession over super trendy baby goods, check out Dripta Roy's babyC crib for Puur Design Studio.

Currently listening to: This Love - The Veronicas

Wonder and Love

Check out Nike Savvas' piece Atomic: full of love, full of wonder (2005) made of polystyrene, wire, paint.
Today, as it has done before, the cost of living weighs heavily on my mind. More specifically, the financial cost of living. The fact that one cannot merely live, exist just as he is; there is always something that must be taken. The air we breath, water we drink, roof over our heads, food we consume. Living is expensive, and this fact is ground into me more so now than ever before.
But as I was discussing with a dear friend, thank goodness that we do not find our value and existence in money.
I rarely quote scripture on this blog (because I don't often do so word-for-word in real life), but Isaiah 55 (1-3) really spoke to me this week.

"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;
and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David."

You are so good, Father.

Currently listening to: Lord of Lords - Hillsong United

Revolving

I am not sure if I'm ready for this next chapter of my life. It takes so much out of me every time. Taking a deep breath and going under.

Orange continues its streak of inventive online advertising with The World's First Internet Balloon Race. Choose and name your balloon and watch it gain points by racing through different web pages. The competition is set to start next week. I'm interesting to see how big this becomes.
Check out artist Esther Coombs' beautiful tea sets. I like the style of her sketches. It reminds me of what I am trying to go back to.
Also wanted to feature the work of Xenia Taler. Fantastic watercolor-like glaze effect.
YouTube has changed its interface look yet again. There is even a little plug for Euro08!
Edge of Love comes out in the UK this Friday. Although billed in a "Atonement but better" vein, I am hoping that the movie makes its own waves. It will probably take a few more months before it plays here.

Currently listening to: Deathbed - Relient K

Back

Congrats to the Celtics for kicking the Lakers' butts today. Woot!

Just got back from a crazy fabulous weekend. It was so wonderful to spend time with good friends and be back at C~. The weather was beautiful and I had forgotten how nice it is to see old familiar faces again. I got in a couple hours of highway driving, my first tow truck experience, and some coffee cake I've been waiting three years to try. What a big blessing.

M~'s blog cued me in on these great Thai Insurance ads and I spent the next 15 minutes bawling my eyes out. Great copy. I shake my fist at you for making me feel, Advertising!


Today I was dismayed to find out that the facial cleanser I use is bad for the environment, because it, like many other face washes, contains those little plastic "exfoliating" beads. According to the article, these are often not filtered out and can find their way into the bellies of sea life. I am not sure what to do with my half used bottle. Throw it out? Read more about it here.

Great clean, simple package design from We Love Jam. [Source: The Dieline]

Currently listening to: Careful Hands - Sleeping At Last (beautiful song)

Manual Labor

I realized today how hard it would be to deliver water for office coolers. Obviously, lugging those big jugs of liquid up flights of stairs is no easy feat, but what makes it worse is that you're sweaty and thirsty after that big excursion. Here you are hauling a truck full of water and can't drink any of it! I'm sure the workers come prepared with their own bottled water, but I found it a bit ironic.

Or like semi truck drivers staying up through the night to make a delivery of bed mattresses. Heh heh.

I was shocked to see how early Home Depot is open. 5 or 6 am during the week. And open until midnight. Crazy. If I ever need plywood and some drill bits at an odd hour, I'll know where to go.

NPR this morning was talking about loss when you have a child. Not the loss of money, time, sleep, but rather the loss of that moment. The writer spoke about how one hour in an adult's life was just sixty minutes, but for his newborn daughter it's her entire lifetime. The next hour after that would be half her life. Each moment he holds her is then gone and lost forever, never to be had again.

I just found these cringe-worthy banner ads for Venus Embrace. Shudder.

Currently listening to: I'm Only Me When I'm With You - Taylor Swift

Cute, Cool, and Comps Revisited

This week is whipping by fast! I am looking forward to the weekend but at the same time trying to drag these last few days and make them last.

Planning for next month has gotten a bit overwhelming in terms of expenses. I feel like I'm being swallowed up by bills. Sighs. Such is the life of a student.

I am about to keel over and fall asleep on my keyboard, but wanted to post about artist Meghan Murphy's Kawaii Not, or, more aptly described as Cute Gone Bad. My brother always thinks that there is an obsession with making things look cute - attack of the cuteness, as he calls it. Murphy's cartoons take cute illustrations and spin them bad. Buy the book or check out her site here [note: some drawings are a bit cruder than others, so be forewarned]. Click on images to ready copy.
I almost squealed with delight when I stumbled upon The Dieline today. It is a blog about new packaging design. So exciting! Throws me back into my compsing days. Reflecting on my project a couple of years later, one thing that I have learned is to not buy bottled water. The eco-side of me hurts every time I use a plastic bottle. My two year younger self would be in disbelief at what I'm about to say next, but do not buy Fiji or Evian water. They are the worst in terms of exploiting and unnecessary environmental waste. I guess a lot changes in two years.
Check out Bunnyshop's eco tips if you need a green dose of the week.

Currently listening to: This is Home - Switchfoot

Elopement, Anyone?

Back from my short hiatus. This weekend was very busy. S~ and I scoured the city and poked around different haunts. We did our fair share of walking and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

For those of you Regina Spektor fans, her song The Call is featured on the CoN Prince Caspian cd. Check it out here.

And if wedding planning hasn't scared me enough as it is, check out The Curious Shopper's article on the craziness and regulations involved in a seemingly simple dress trying excursion. I had fun reading her thoughts.

Cute Washington Lottery piece. The commercial doesn't seem to fit as well with the brand (the end was a bit of a let down), but it is really fun nonetheless.

Not sure if this is the real deal or not, but greenKarat boasts about having green (eco-friendly) wedding rings. The diamond industry really has a firm grip because not only are diamonds expensive, they are rarely resold (meaning an influx of new ones) and have become a mandatory component for engagement rings. Going green for rings isn't a bad idea.

If you want to see a somewhat creepy but amazing technology, check out BigDog. Amazing how it can recover from slippery ice and being pushed over. Go to the YouTube link to read more about it.

This weekend S~ and I were finally able to try FitFlops for ourselves. S~ actually cued me in on these new "gym-in-a-shoe" sandals a few months ago. They supposedly work your legs as you walk, optimizing the amount of exercise you get as you stroll. Verdict: S~ considered buying a pair, while I found the slight wedge-heel a little too uncomfortable.

Since today's theme is on wedding industry cynicism, check out Sarah Bareilles' Fairytale mv. Gorgeous art direction and interesting lyrics.

Currently listening to: Green - Brendan James

City Hopping

Syria can now accept the crown of having the world's largest restaurant - Damascus Gate, seating 6,014. Read the article here.

Had a long day at work. S~ and I are struggling over some of our projects. Just hard to wrap our heads around them. We had our first partner tiff today, which, as he put it, says a lot if it took 9 weeks for that to happen. Our brains bounce off each other well.

Threadless (which is having a huge sale, for those who don't already know) fans may also want to check out Neighborhoodies.
Attended Pecha Kucha tonight. The event, which takes place in cities all over the world, is basically a series of talks given by creatives. The catch is that each presenter gets 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide. That makes for a fast turnaround. No listening to longwinded, boring 15 minute speeches. Tonight there were some hits and some misses. Pretty cool concept and experience though.

Learned about the gorgeousness of Norwegian city Tromso. Couldn't post too many photos due to copyright issues, but check out these below. I want to go! [Source, Source]
A friend sent me this and it definitely brightened my day. Too cute!

Currently listening to: Call My Name - Third Day (such a good song! new album Revelation comes out July 29)

Ridiculous

It's been so long since I've picked up a book for leisure reading that I've forgotten the feeling when you can't put it down. I've been staying up till odd hours of the night (and paying for it the next morning).

Although Japan is labeled as one of the most energy efficient countries, the government recently issued a report encouraging speedier showers and baths quickly one after another (so that energy isn't lost reheating the water). Hot water usage makes up a large portion of Japan's energy consumption. Read the Reuter's article here.

Epson released the Epsonality Test, which asks you three questions in order to match you with your perfect printer. The end is a bit of a let down, but listening to the test questions is worth sitting through it. Hilarious.
JetBlue also uses its quirky brand image in its new online personality tests.
Just because we're in the industry doesn't mean that we don't poke fun of it. Always fun to see advertising making fun of itself. This tongue-in-cheek TVC is for an upcoming Australian show The Gruen Transfer, which looks into the world of advertising. [Source: Adverblog]

Happy half birthday to someone special! I was a horrible friend and didn't properly post on your real birthday, so I hope this makes up for it. Happy half, T~!

Currently listening to: Leave Out All the Rest - Linkin Park (new mv!)

Silliness and Sorrow

Improv Everywhere is at it again. You may remember the Grand Central and No Pants stunts. YouTube has helped to increase their fame, and this time they are breaking out in song. This reminded me of a friend of mine who has always wanted to do a musical of her life.

In a more advertising-geared guerrilla act, lastminute.com (a brand I worked on the last two quarters) did the same in a London airport.

Currently listening to: Yesterdays - Switchfoot ("Every lament is a love song, I still can't believe you're gone")

Fresh Start

Happy first day of June!

Congrats to Britain's Got Talent's recent winner, George Sampson. Check out his video below if you haven't seen his performance.
His routine may have been inspired by the incredible VW Golf GTi ad that I posted about last year.

An old colleague introduced me to Babelfish, which will handily translate text to/from different languages.
Last but not least, happy birthday to a special someone! Wish I could be there to celebrate with you.

Currently listening to: Yes You Have (Leeland cover) - Jason Acosta

A Smattering

Happy last day of May! This month really flew past.

The weather today finally feels like spring! I tried to be productive but kept finding ways to distract myself.

Wanted to post a few pictures from work. The first is of S~ showing me the cool floating paperclip trick. As I've said before, work is never dull! The second photo is of the shark mascot at the zoo, who S~ fondly coined "Sharky." I just want to go up and hug it. Much respect for the person under the costume. Those things are super stuffy and heavy!
Check out this fun new Yves Saint Laurent Y-Mail Clutch.
Wanted to feature Dutch photographer Jan Welters. The trend seems to be movement and black-and-white throughout his work, although I appreciate his occasional splashes of color.
If you watched the Cannes Online Short Film vid that I posted earlier, you'll understand how hard it is to write an effective "Homeless, please help" sign. To some degree, this is advertising in its rawest form. I thought this guy did a pretty good job.

Currently listening to: What I Cannot Change - Leann Rimes