Happiness of the Week #2

- This print, by Barachan, of Lady Gaga in her Telephone video. I want to buy the 8x12 photo print (the default view is fine art mounted print, but just switch the option) and hang it in my house, for real.
- Little Boot's song Remedy, totally made me feel better during a week of being sick. Go check it out at iTunes!
- Archer. My brother's new favorite show and one of mine as well. If you're a fan of Adam Reed (Sea Lab), you'll like this too, that wonderful lazy style of recycled animation. And who doesn't love that it stars Jessica Walter??? (Lucille Bluth from Arrested Development) Just don't watch it at work...but why would you?
- Watching the old animated Transformers movie from 1986 last night and finally understanding the entire plot. This was a staple in our house when I was growing up, my brother and I watched this nearly every week, but as a young child I never quite got the whole thing besides good guys vs. bad guys. Now I understand the whole....trying to take back the home planet, spying, deception, slavery, etc. Yay for more complicated concepts working in my brain now. Also, I haven't seen the new movies, but I'm perfectly happy not to. This is the real Transformers movie!

My College Experience Through Music

Alright, so really there's 6 weeks left of it still, but I don't think that's any reason why I can't post a retrospective yet. I love making lists, no doubt, so here's my favorite artist that I discovered from each year of college I've had.

Freshman Year: Regina Spektor


Thanks to VH1's You Oughta Know Artist feature, I was introduced to Regina. She is all one could ever ask for. Her songs are storytelling, she paints pictures, instead of just singing about feelings like everyone else. Not only that but she does things with her voice that others can't and won't. If you haven't tried her, run to iTunes right now. I am delighted to say I have her entire discography, even the hard to find Songs album (got it from Amazon marketplace) and I love how every single song she has is so different from not only her own library but everyone else. There is none like her.
Top 3 Favorite Songs: Blue Lips, Braille, Carbon Monoxide

Sophomore Year: A Fine Frenzy


On my summer birthday before I went back to school that year I was lucky enough to see Rufus Wainwright in concert. It was amazing, wonderful, fabulous, etc. And opening for Rufus was A Fine Frenzy, who happened to not be a band at all but the girl by herself on the piano. She was wonderful live, and when I returned to school I sought out and bought her CD. She has a unique feel to her music, a sort of fairy tale natural forest quality that she says she likes to bring about in her music, and it really shows. It makes one want to go outside and be free as well. She's recently released her second album, which is also quite nice. Her music is lovely along with her voice.
Top 3 Favorite Songs: Rangers, Electric Twist, You Picked Me

Junior Year: Lady Gaga


I don't think anyone needs reminding on how amazing she is. This woman is the breath of fresh air we need. She's a revolution for pop and I want to ride the wave of change with her. Her costumes, her videos, her performances, all of it is, as she says, an art piece. If you haven't given her a chance yet, go straight to her album Fame Monster, my favorite of her two so far, but I so cannot wait for more. Please bring it on, Gagaloo.
Top 3 Favorite Songs: Bad Romance, Paparazzi, Teeth

Senior Year: The Bird and the Bee


I'd like to thank TamZin for this one, who played them several times for me before I couldn't take it any longer and needed to have them too. They have such a wonderful ethereal sound to them, both spacey and magical at the same time. If one could visualize the sound, I would say it's a whimsical combination of the retro and the futuristic coming together, sort of in the way that past imaginings of the future from the 50s and 60s look. I'm sounding weird, but what I love about them is the imagery that comes into my mind when I listen to them. It makes me want to draw so many things. Own their discography, I had trouble picking favorites from their many lovely choices.
Top 3 Favorite Songs: Again and Again, Polite Dance Song, Man

My Hopes Are Officially Up

I just learned about Microsoft Courier this week. The prototypes are amazing. Basically, digital sketchbook. Take a look:





Click on that last picture for larger view of a palette/mixer and brush picker possiblity. Also includes camera and internet browsing. So much more useful than the ipad. This is amazing. My hopes are up. Please keep it like these prototype ideas. Projected to be about 5x7 when closed. Go here to watch two videos of possible interfaces. They show other uses besides just writing and sketching. I like the idea that you have several different journals you can keep. I need that for my scatterbrained self. I love organizing things and drawing but I don't like using up paper on stuff that isn't that important. Do want. Doooo want. Projected for fall/winter of this year. Jess unfortunately reminded me that it's better to wait for the second generation of a tech product, but seriously, if it comes out like the prototype I don't think I could wait.

Butterfly Wreath

I stayed up late last night to make this, from Elsie's DIY Butterfly Wreath project.


I'm so happy about the colors. It matchs my bedroom. It took me forever to wrap the yarn, and it's all one piece of yarn because I kept throwing the yarn ball around and around the wreath form. I'm very happy with the result. I also added some little cloth flowers around as well.