you found me.

Read my blog about last night's The Fray/Jack's Mannequin concert here. 

I mean, if you want. Not forcing you to do anything here. 

two worlds, one summer.

The great thing about doing two internships in one summer is that you can compare and contrast. Especially when your internships couldn't possibly be more different. 

Internship A: LG CNS, Korea. Multinational Corporate Headquarters. 

Internship B: City Beat, Cincinnati. Local arts/entertainment/news weekly. 

The moment I walked into the City Beat office last Friday, I felt a gigantic tsunami of relief. Goodbye, buttoned-up, middle-aged corporate execs. Goodbye, office hierarchy. Goodbye, 9-6. Hello, alternative work environment, young, tattooed employees, and bringing your dog to the office (I played with three dogs during my short, 4-hour shift).

They handed me over to the assistant music editor, this scrawny, fabulously hipster dude in his young twenties who talks like a washed-up hippie (he favors the words "like" and "totally, man") and is fittingly heading to Berkeley J-school in the fall (I wasted no time confessing my passionate feelings for Berkeley and subsequent jealousy of him). My current job is to update music listings (see what bands and artists are performing at local venues and clubs and add them to the website listings). Which sounds fun, theoretically speaking, until you realize it's just data entry.

Meh, whatever. At least it's not contract translations and I can wear cut-offs to work. Plus, I get to blog for the website, and ya'll know how much I love that.

oh, harry. what you do to me.

It's T minus 24 days until the release of Half-Blood Prince, and I'm getting anxious. So far, I've restrained from indulging in any HP6-related promos, clips, trailers, etc. (in order to preserve the sanctity of the first viewing experience). But with less than a month left, my HP abstinence is beginning to tear at my insides.  

Just looking at the poster gets me all tingly inside.

Last night, as I scrolled through FrontRow's collection of movie trailers, I got dangerously close to letting my primal instincts get the best of me (my mouse hovered for an extra few seconds over HP6). 

So what did I do? Distract myself by watching  (almost) every single movie trailer in FrontRow... except for HP. It wasn't as satisfying as watching the HP trailer would have been, but out of my painful devotion to Harry Potter blossomed a great opportunity to catch up on movies (considering the fact that I've been isolated from the world for the past... forever). 

Here are a few that I can't wait to see this summer season (excluding HP, of course):

500 Days of Summer 

 Joseph Gordon-Levitt is delicious, and Zooey Deschanel is effortlessly cool, so this movie can only be deliciously, effortlessly cool. Right?? I love me an offbeat rom-com indie flick.

 Adam

 Another offbeat rom-com indie flick. Although this one bears uncanny resemblance to Dedication. I can never decide whether I like Rose Byrne or not; here's another chance for her to redeem herself.

 9

If you know me at all, you know I'm a sucker for animated films. And I love Tim Burton. So naturally, I'm intrigued by this movie... although it admittedly does look way creepy (even for Burton).

Away We Go  

More offbeat, rom-com indie flick fun. So sue me. Plus, John Krasinski... Enough said.

The Brothers Bloom 

Con films are always fun. And I've had a quiet love affair with Adrien Brody ever since The Pianist, so.

Transformers 2

So I wasn't totally enthralled with the first movie, but this one looks kinda insane.

Public Enemies

I have an inkling that Johnny Depp might quite possibly be God.

current obsession: fashion blogs.

Beautiful photography, sick fashion, day-to-day outfit logs (my fave), runway commentary, snazzy writing... what's not to love?

I've been a loyal follower of the Sartorialist for a while now, but after randomly stumbling upon some 15-year-old girl's amazing, sophisticated-beyond-her-years blog the other day (what was she raised on, tofu salads, nonfat lattes and Marni? more about her below), my fashion blog consumption has hazardously increased. 

Some sites of interest:

1. http://www.fashiontoast.com/

Lots of pretty, pretty pictures and crazy, crazy fashion. The blogger basically posts a billion magazine-worthy, scenic, modelesque photos of herself. Definitely not the self-loathing type. But maybe I'd do the same if I looked like her. Her style's a tad bit over-the-top (bizarre shapes, sky-high platforms, dangerous-looking jewelry), but definitely interesting to look at.

2. http://childhoodflames.blogspot.com/ 

The 15-year-old I was talking about. So intrigued by her. Simple, understated, elegant. Perfect combination of vintage thrift store finds, mainstream Target/Forever21/H&M pieces and Nordstrom splurges. Also, she posts lots of creative DIY-stuff and fun collages. I think this might be my favorite one of the bunch (at least of the moment). 

Hi. You are 15. And perfect. K.

3. http://tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com/ 

Had to include this because the blogger is... wait for it... twelve. As in twelve years old. Yeah, WTF?! Can you please enlighten me as to how a seventh grader is able to serve up sophisticated, edgy, educated commentary on runway looks, designer collections, and up-and-coming fashion trends? At her age, I think I was still wearing OshKosh. There's also an amusing Teen Vogue interview here if you're curious.

HAHA. You're 12. What is going on here.

my life in three years?

Shopping, Thai food, and cocktails after work (at a tropically themed, sand-covered lounge sporting wooden swings as chairs): a not-so-bad glimpse into my future. There's nothing like an internship -- or what you do after-hours, anyway -- to give you a taste (pun always intended) of working life. 

a letter to an old friend.

Dear Asia,

You've been good to me these past few weeks, you really have. The shopping has been marvelous. The food, superb. And although I've occasionally had to question your intentions, you have (on the whole) been gracious to me, and I do appreciate it. But to be frank, I'm over you, and I would like a separation to commence. Immediately. (In other words: I WANT TO GO HOME!)

XOXO,

Your temporary prisoner 

(But for just one more week!!!)

love me some (asian) gangsta.

Title got you worried/confused? No need to fear, my friends. I haven't sold my soul to T-Pain or traded my flats for Air Force Ones... but Korea has. Sort of.

Apparently, Koreans have discovered their inner gangsta and they're not afraid to show it. Major area of exhibition: K-POP.

Everywhere I go, I'm followed/haunted by Korean pop music, which is blasted all over the place (in stores, restaurants, on the streets, etc.). A substantial number (like, all) of these K-Pop hits exemplify Korea's oddly entertaining love affair with all things hip-hop/gangsta. Three songs in particular will NOT leave me alone. The music videos take the cake. Watch them: I promise you will be entertained.

1. "Fire" by 2Ne1 - Would it be okay if I came back to the states looking like this? Because I'm really, really tempted. 

2. "Lollipop" by Big Bang ft. 2Ne1 - What could POSSIBLY get better than this??? This video wins in so many ways... the neon outfits, the funkilicious glasses, the space-age hairdos... oh, and of course, the song itself.

3. "Diva" by After School -  Love when they break out in rap. Also, love the ridiculously bouncy refrain ("diva!diva!didivadiva!"). Oh, and I almost forgot: their awesome outfits (the best part? I've seen actual people dressed like this on the streets).

Oh my Asian.

desperate times call for desperate measures.

This is what I look like between the hours of 9 and 6.

Except without Pam lovingly gazing at me from behind.

I've never had a real job before, unless you count my 12-hour-a-week job at the library junior year (I barely survived 5 months), or my unofficial but nonetheless lucrative job tutoring grammatically deficient FOB kids ($20/hour will get you through anything), so my internship at LG CNS has been a wake-up call.

A huge, blaring, annoying wake-up call ( like one of these).

Monday through Friday, I find myself in an exhausting battle against a stale office environment (there's not a single family photo or happy color in sight), the mundaneness of my job, and  the sheer monstrosity of the 9-hour work day. All day every day, I'm in the same exact place: sitting in my cubicle, staring at a computer screen, eyelids drooping, headache ensuing. 

I can now say I've experienced what it's like to be stuck in a job that I hate-- and believe me, it's not fun.

So what's a suffering employee like me to do ? Lots of things, actually.

When times (at work) get tough... it's time to take action:

1. If I've learned one thing, it's that it's better not to fight extreme drowsiness. It will only result in you nodding off like a fool, typing unintelligible phrases (e.g. "lkajcorpoarte contsdactld adte"), and reading the same three words (overseas subsidiary management, overseas subsidiary management, overseas subsidiary management) over and over again. Instead, when your eyelids get heavy, slip out to the bathroom, put down the toilet cover, sit on the toilet (it's not that gross- I mean how many people a day do you think sit on the toilet cover?) and take a short nap. Toilet seat nap sessions can be conducted several times a day without anyone noticing (as far as I'm aware).

2. To moderately alleviate intense boredom, it can help to re-do your  hair over and over again. My personal record is 6 hairstyles in a day (a lot can be done with bangs and long hair). Not sure how this will work for the short-haired/bald/male, however.

4. Bring lots and lots of snacks (the crunchier, the better) and eat them constantly. The persistent jaw movement and loud crunching noise will keep you alert. However, be prepared to gain a few pounds ... and lose a few office friends (hey, it's not like I had any in the first place).

5. Stock up on Listerine Pocket Paks/ Mouth Spray. The sinus-clearing, refreshing, tingly sensation is guaranteed to give you a burst of energy just when you need it (they didn't even pay me to write this!). 

why, god, why???

NOTEWORTHY EVENTS THAT MADE TODAY THE BIGGEST FAIL DAY... POSSIBLY EVER (actual accompanying monologue enclosed in parentheses)

1. Turn off painfully loud cell phone alarm: 7 a.m. Actually wake up: 7: 30 a.m. ("Shit.")

2. Spill Frosted Flakes while hurriedly pouring them into a bowl ("Dahhh!"), spill milk on my skirt while hurriedly stuffing my face ("..Really?"): 8: 07 a.m. Realize I was supposed to leave for the subway station seven minutes ago ("Damn it.")

3. Get my daily Americano from a coffee stand. Spill the burning-hot liquid onto my hand/forearm as I hurriedly walk to work. ("OWWWWWfuckkkkkk!")

4. Arrive at work 5 minutes late but decide that nobody cares. Down three more cups of coffee (black) in a 15-minute time span. Don't have as much luck with my fourth: 1/4 of it somehow ends up on my skirt. ("Shit.") Discover 2 Shout Wipes and 1 Tide-To-Go stick in my purse. Utilize Shout Wipe # 1.

5. Go out to lunch with 7 suits, 6 of them middle-aged and male (1 middle-aged and female). Have the time of my life.. not. Get some kimchi on my Longchamp. Utilize Shout Wipe #2 + Tide-To-Go stick.

6. Spend entire day staring at Korean business contracts/press releases that I'm somehow supposed to decode/translate into English. Get a headache. Put head in hands and let out exasperated sigh/groan just as the company VP walks by. 

7. Get into elevator, look directly at the random man inside (suited business man, kinda familiar-looking, but then again he's Asian) and indifferently look away. As elevator stops on various floors, observe that everyone getting into the elevator practically shits his/her pants and breaks his/her back greeting/bowing (Korean custom) to him. Realize that he's probably someone important, I'm the only one who doesn't know who he is, and that he probably thinks I'm the scum of the earth. Then, observe his face smiling back at me-- on the flat screen inside the elevator, under the words LG CNS CEO. No wonder he looked familiar. Awesome!!!

7. Have dinner in a restaurant. Alone. ("THIS ROCKSSS!!!" Jk. Obviously, silence.) 

8. Spill some bright red soup on my skirt. ("Great.") Utilize Tide-To-Go stick.

9. Spill some kimchi on my skirt. ("... Are you kidding me.") Utilize Tide-To-Go stick.

10. Decide I need some retail therapy. Get happy/calm looking at pretty things. See some really cute flats. Discover I only have $10 left in cash. The flats > $10. Die a little inside. Go home.

Lesson learned: Always carry a Tide-To-Go stick... and multiple Shout Wipes. (I think my poor skirt might have suffered more than I did.) Oh-- and lots of cash, because you never know when you'll need retail therapy.