Into the Madding Crowd

25 Random Facts about me from Facebook chain note. 

1. I have an extensively detailed fantasy-fiction world existing in my head. I’ve been developing it since the 5th grade, ever since I fell in love with “The Neverending Story” [book & movie]. I have all the characters and the mythology worked out. It would probably take hours to explain it to anybody. One day, it will be written out on novel form. . .I hope anyway.

2. I always cry when I watch the movie “Farewell My Concubine,” sometimes two or three times, especially during the Cultural Revolution scenes.

3. I wear heels exclusively because 5′2 is a sad state of existence. Even my so called “flats” have at least 2 inches.

4. Even with my hair tied up, I always make sure to leave a few strands around my face to mask its roundness. I call my face a pancake face, it’s round, flat and retarded-looking.

5. My family operated a Chinese restaurant 7 days a week for 17 years. My dad cooked, my mom waited the tables. I was washing dishes and running the cash registers at 10 years old while my grandmother worked as the fry cook. When I was three, the four of us were living in one cramped bedroom in an 2-room apartment shared with 3 other immigrants. We basically scrimped and saved our way to a middle class status.

6. I could not read or write until the late into the first grade because I spoke Cantonese at home. I was actually held back for awhile in kindergarten because I couldn’t talk to my teachers.

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Ryan Seacrest, in all his amber waves of perfectly gelled hair, asks the question du jour of his co-host Giuliana Rancic: “Where were you when he was sworn in?”

“I was actually in hair and makeup. I was listening over the blow dryer,” replies the unnaturally tan, orange sundress donning Rancic.

Missing no step, the American Idol host pulls the patronizing-hand-on-shoulder trick, “I was on the radio…”

Leave it to Seacrest to find some way to plug his radio show on KIIS-FM during E! News’ inauguration coverage.

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Interesting note: Plane completely circumvented N. Korea on the way to Seoul, where I am currently located btw.

Can’t type long, standing at a computer kiosk at airport. Flight long, fun,

You are officially a travel blog. Dost thou compute?

In about 9 hours, I will be on my way to Hartsfield-Jackson, overstuffed suitcase, laptop and purse in tow. After a frantic search for my DVD set of It’s Always Sunny, I’ve finally finished packing. [Turns out, it somehow got shoved under a rug and regrettably stepped on. Luckily, only the box suffered topical-squashedness.]

Odd to think that by the time I get back, classes will be back in session. It seems that my Christmas vacation has barely begun and we’re already at the climax. Kind of premature, it feels like. Regardless, it’s always nice to return to the motherland. Gives me waves of Amy Tan-like inspiration. Perhaps I’ll be inspired to begin my book. Not my epic fantasy tale of derring-do and adventure, but my other one: a sentimental, culturally-significant collection of semi-fictional immigrant stories swirled in with East Asian mythology, written with a magical realism touch. Yeah, that one. So far, all I have is that one of my characters writes fortune cookie fortunes for a living.

My major objective this trip around is to take a lot of cool pictures, show off my white boyfriend to my extended family and document the trip in as many online mediums as possible. I’ve got a Twitter, Tumblr, blog, Facebook and print journal to keep up with. I am not to be trifled with, people. This Julie Abroad 2.0-style. I’ll probably spend more time documenting events than actually experiencing them.

When I say “show off my white boyfriend,” I mean, show him off like an alien specimen at a 5-cent freak show. I expect lots of hair-touching, oggling and overall awkwardness and uncomfortableness. It’s going to be awesome.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRzTfgds0UI]

On that note, I wonder what ridiculous, but fatally cute situations I can put my hamster, Lenny, in.

From when we first purchased them at Petsmart

This was his life partner, Dumbledore.

Back in the younger days

Sadly, Dumbledore died this past fall at the ripe age of three. Given that Chinese dwarf hamsters only have a life expectancy of one year, three-years-old is practically Biblical in hamster terms. So it leads me to wonder, how is it that Lenny is still alive? My only conclusion is that he is some carnation of a Highlander hamster. That would explain how he and Dumbledore suddenly began attack each other after two years. We eventually had to separate them into different cages. Even now, months after we discovered Dumbledore’s prostrate little body, Lenny is better than ever. Could it be that I have an immortal hamster?

I’m on my worst caffeine overdose trip since two semesters ago when I downed those 5-hour energy shots at 1 a.m. for a final. Ended up so jittery, I started cleaning my room long after my studying was done.

Either way, If you’re interested in seeing what has consumed my life over the past week or so, check this baby out!

I designed this bad boy over 2 sleepless nights for my new media capstone class. We held our presentation last Thursday afternoon to an audience of mobile media professionals [and potential employers?]. I consider the entire affair missiona accomplished, since I got a handful of business cards in the process and encouraging feedback on “Dissed in 90 Seconds” 

Speaking of my baby, check out Episode 4. This time, written by my co-host. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crURFGBsR64]

The best thing about Thanksgiving Break this year is the extra week I have off to get all my projects done. 

The worst thing? The complete lack of motivation to do it. 

I say that, but I did get at least two things done thus far. Two projects for my Writing for the World Wide Web are done. Check out my new online portfolio, www.madaznmedia.com! That’s right, I’ve purchased my first domain from GoDaddy.com AND managed to make it work! 

My next domain purchase will probably be for “Dissed in 90 Seconds.” That is, if we can continue to work in the NMI soundbooth weekly, next semester. I’ve got the rough draft of another episode up on YouTube, check it out. All it’s actually missing is the intro, which Ross, my co-host, has:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxfDd8CsRo]

Anyhow, about to head off to the High Museum of Art to check out some clay soldiers. Don’t let me forget to gab about these things later: Rock Band, Lives of Others, and MGMT.

What I wouldn’t give for some word-smithing ability a la Spektor and MIA

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This blog is +5 awesomeness, -5 productive: 

failblog.org

Also, the rough draft for Dissed in 90 Seconds is up for your perusal! Feedback always appreciated. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED4q1cj_xkg]

At long last, my Web site is complete! Well almost, I still need to upload some R&B ads for my design section. But regardless/nevertheless/either way, I’m pretty dang proud of it. 

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Sunday night = 5 hours

Monday night = 2 hours

Tuesday night = 9 hours 

That, my good people, is my sleep schedule to date this week. No wonder I’m oversleeping 98% of mornings. You know how Veronica Guerin had her speeding problem? My schtick is my chronic bum-rush to get to class on time. I make it, but not before panicked tooth-brushing; Special K bar consumption while driving; speeding and sudden braking; and running down the hill. 

True story, happened twice this week. 

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Dissed in 90 seconds coming to you soon with 3 more episodes! Get excited for the pending verbal assault on cinematic gems such as, Forbidden Kingdom, In the Name of the King, Never Back Down, 10,000 BC, and Beowulf.