I'm in Seattle for Dave & Ji-hye's wedding and have been enjoying a lot of quality time with the fam. Like right now I'm just kickin' it with my parents in the hotel room. Just now my dad tried on my mom's water-proof hat. "I love this hat!" he said. I told him it looked like a woman's hat. To which my mom exclaimed indignantly, "No, it's bisexual!"
The wedding reception was a Korean-church style buffet: delicious food served on paper plates by plastic-gloved ah-juh-mas, boreecha served in styrofoam cups, and dduk for dessert. It reminded me of eating in our church basement after worship service at KCPC. While my parents and I were eating, we were interrupted and ushered into a room upstairs to attend the pebek (traditional Korean ceremony). I saw the concerned look on my mom's face as we left our food. When we came back to our seats after the ceremony, I noticed that our dessert plate was gone. My mom, peeved, looked around suspiciously at the other Korean wedding guests. She leaned over to me and said in a low voice, "Stephie... church is not a safe place." Then she swiftly gobbled down the rest of her dinner.
Getting ready to go down for reception #2. Congratulations Dave & Ji-hye! and Chris... we miss you.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Phoenix and Frightened Rabbit
Last week I attended two very different shoes: Phoenix @ the Warfield in SF, and Frightened Rabbit @ the VooDoo Lounge in San Jose. Here are my comments about both shows.
So first, Phoenix. This French pop band was really fun to watch... or should I say, glimpse through the tiny gap formed between the shoulders of the tall people standing in front of me. My friend Jon and I were leaning against the wall towards the back of the lower floor level, which at first I thought was a really good place to stand. Right before Phoenix came on, I gave Jon some money to go get us a couple drinks. He disappeared into the increasingly crowded throng of mostly white YAs. As I waited for Jon to come back with the drinks, more and more people started swarming into the lower level. By the time the show started, I was pushed up against the back wall, flanked on all sides by a bunch of sweaty YAs who were dancing like those silhouettes in the iPod ads. In fact, as my coworker aptly observed, the crowd looked like the type whose musical tastes were influenced by Apple commercials (Feist, etc).
This one girl was getting really into it, shaking her head from left to right, causing her long ponytail to whap wildly back and forth. I had no room to move and didn't know how to ask her politely to stop whapping her ponytail in my face. Meanwhile, 30 minutes into the show, I didn't know where Jon was and suspected that he was deterred by the intense crowds and the strict security dudes yelling at people to clear out of the aisles. Finally I left the lower level and ventured out to go rescue Jon, expecting him to be unhappy and squashed in the corner. It turned out he was comfortably standing about 10 feet behind me and had drunk both our beers.
A few notes about the show itself. What is with Europeans and clapping to the beat? A few times throughout the show, frontman Thomas Mars encouraged the audience to clap along. Maybe I just have a hard time with audience participation in general, like at church when we sing songs that require interaction and movement beyond just standing there (like the dreaded "Deep, deep"). Anyway, don't mean to be a hater, but the clapping thing at a rock concert feels a little campy to me.
During the encore (which btw was fantastic and ended with my favorite song, Countdown), Mars went off the stage and then reappeared in the middle of the audience. It was a pretty cool magic trick and reminded me of when Matt Berninger did something similar at the National show last year. This led me to wonder if frontmen get bored just standing there singing, without an instrument to play or hold in their hands. All they really do is stand there clutching the microphone or maybe pace around the stage. Like during the Phoenix show, sometimes Mars would stand on this platform thingy. It looked a little unstable and served no real purpose aside from giving him somewhere else to stand for a few seconds before coming back down and pacing around some more.
OK, that's all I have to say about Phoenix. Great show, lame venue, fun crowd.
On to the catchy Scottish band, Frightened Rabbit. My friend Cyrus and I ventured all the way to San Jose since the SF show was sold out. No offense to those of you who love or are from SJ, but at least the area we were in felt really lame and surreal. People were dressed up in gorilla and monster costumes and running around the streets, handing out flyers. I'd like to think that they were just trying to get the word out about an upcoming Halloween party, or maybe that's just a typical Saturday night out in San Jose? There were also people dressed up like they were going to a fancy club, but we kept seeing them walking back and forth on the streets. Were they lost? Were they having a hard time deciding which club to enter? Very bizarre...
Anyway, the show itself was great. It reminded me of seeing bands in small venues during my UK days, like M83 at the Zodiac, or Sufjan at King's College student union, or Glen Hansard at Whelan's. I couldn't figure out what it is about Frightened Rabbit that appeals to me so much, but when I read this review I realized that it's the emo/self-deprecating/anthemic combo which I've discussed already. There is something so satisfying about loud, melodic, gut-wrenchingly nostalgic songs played by a sweaty Scotsman. Anyway if you haven't heard Frightened Rabbit before, check them out -- I highly recommend their latest live album.
So first, Phoenix. This French pop band was really fun to watch... or should I say, glimpse through the tiny gap formed between the shoulders of the tall people standing in front of me. My friend Jon and I were leaning against the wall towards the back of the lower floor level, which at first I thought was a really good place to stand. Right before Phoenix came on, I gave Jon some money to go get us a couple drinks. He disappeared into the increasingly crowded throng of mostly white YAs. As I waited for Jon to come back with the drinks, more and more people started swarming into the lower level. By the time the show started, I was pushed up against the back wall, flanked on all sides by a bunch of sweaty YAs who were dancing like those silhouettes in the iPod ads. In fact, as my coworker aptly observed, the crowd looked like the type whose musical tastes were influenced by Apple commercials (Feist, etc).
This one girl was getting really into it, shaking her head from left to right, causing her long ponytail to whap wildly back and forth. I had no room to move and didn't know how to ask her politely to stop whapping her ponytail in my face. Meanwhile, 30 minutes into the show, I didn't know where Jon was and suspected that he was deterred by the intense crowds and the strict security dudes yelling at people to clear out of the aisles. Finally I left the lower level and ventured out to go rescue Jon, expecting him to be unhappy and squashed in the corner. It turned out he was comfortably standing about 10 feet behind me and had drunk both our beers.
A few notes about the show itself. What is with Europeans and clapping to the beat? A few times throughout the show, frontman Thomas Mars encouraged the audience to clap along. Maybe I just have a hard time with audience participation in general, like at church when we sing songs that require interaction and movement beyond just standing there (like the dreaded "Deep, deep"). Anyway, don't mean to be a hater, but the clapping thing at a rock concert feels a little campy to me.
During the encore (which btw was fantastic and ended with my favorite song, Countdown), Mars went off the stage and then reappeared in the middle of the audience. It was a pretty cool magic trick and reminded me of when Matt Berninger did something similar at the National show last year. This led me to wonder if frontmen get bored just standing there singing, without an instrument to play or hold in their hands. All they really do is stand there clutching the microphone or maybe pace around the stage. Like during the Phoenix show, sometimes Mars would stand on this platform thingy. It looked a little unstable and served no real purpose aside from giving him somewhere else to stand for a few seconds before coming back down and pacing around some more.
OK, that's all I have to say about Phoenix. Great show, lame venue, fun crowd.
On to the catchy Scottish band, Frightened Rabbit. My friend Cyrus and I ventured all the way to San Jose since the SF show was sold out. No offense to those of you who love or are from SJ, but at least the area we were in felt really lame and surreal. People were dressed up in gorilla and monster costumes and running around the streets, handing out flyers. I'd like to think that they were just trying to get the word out about an upcoming Halloween party, or maybe that's just a typical Saturday night out in San Jose? There were also people dressed up like they were going to a fancy club, but we kept seeing them walking back and forth on the streets. Were they lost? Were they having a hard time deciding which club to enter? Very bizarre...
Anyway, the show itself was great. It reminded me of seeing bands in small venues during my UK days, like M83 at the Zodiac, or Sufjan at King's College student union, or Glen Hansard at Whelan's. I couldn't figure out what it is about Frightened Rabbit that appeals to me so much, but when I read this review I realized that it's the emo/self-deprecating/anthemic combo which I've discussed already. There is something so satisfying about loud, melodic, gut-wrenchingly nostalgic songs played by a sweaty Scotsman. Anyway if you haven't heard Frightened Rabbit before, check them out -- I highly recommend their latest live album.
Monday, April 20, 2009
i heart the running club
my latest artsy+crafty+designy project was making t-shirts for my running club. i designed the shirt, a friend provided AA shirts at wholesale prices, and another friend silkscreen printed the shirts. you guys are awesome!
we ran the santa cruz half marathon yesterday morning and finished the race at the beach -- tired, hot, thirsty, sweaty, and relieved that it was over. the night before, we had a giant carb potluck and prepped mentally for the race -- discussing various things like blisters, chaffing, power bars, potassium, ibuprofen, untimely bowel movements, dry-wick shirts, etc. i have to say the whole experience was worth it, and i'm starting to understand what people mean when they talk about "runner's high."
next up: the los gatos half marathon. who's in?
we ran the santa cruz half marathon yesterday morning and finished the race at the beach -- tired, hot, thirsty, sweaty, and relieved that it was over. the night before, we had a giant carb potluck and prepped mentally for the race -- discussing various things like blisters, chaffing, power bars, potassium, ibuprofen, untimely bowel movements, dry-wick shirts, etc. i have to say the whole experience was worth it, and i'm starting to understand what people mean when they talk about "runner's high."
next up: the los gatos half marathon. who's in?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
cell phone adventures
So I met up with a friend at the Ferry Building for lunch on Tuesday, and I guess I had left my cell phone sitting on a bench. I didn’t notice that my phone was missing until later that evening. I tried calling it a few times, but nobody answered. So I just figured it was long gone, and added it to the long mental list of things that I have either lost or gotten stolen: cell phones, ipods, credit cards, etc. I pretty much resigned myself to life without a cell phone, and was already starting to get comfortable with the minimalist lifestyle change. Although I will admit that at one point last night I thought I saw my phone in my bag, and I reached down for it excitedly, but then realized it was actually a shiny metal spoon that has the same color scheme (gold and silver) as my phone. It was a little sad.
So then last night I got an email from my mom, saying that some man called her from my phone and was holding onto it for me. I called her right back and got more info. She said the guy’s name was Boris and sounded kind of gruff on the phone. I asked her exactly what did he say? I guess he was like “Hi. I have a phone.” And my mom was like “WHAT?” -- all confused. Then he was silent for a few seconds, and then repeated himself: “Hi. I have a phone.” Her impersonation of Boris was awesome. I cannot imagine how he was finally able to convey this confusing situation to her, but somehow she was able to get his home phone number and gave it to me.
So this morning I went to a pay phone and called the home phone number and my own cell phone number, but no answer. I got to work and tried calling a few more times; no answer. I tried again — this time when I called my cell phone, somebody answered but didn’t say anything and just hung up. I called right back and the same thing happened. I wanted to say “Boris! Is that you?! I know you’re there...” Finally the third time around, he answered with a tentative “Hello?”
We arranged to meet outside of Peet’s in the Ferry Building around noon. I brought my coworker with me, in case he was a criminal with some warped plan to coax me into a deserted alley. When we arrived at Peet’s, I kept staring at random men who might look like a “Boris.” In college I knew a guy named Dimitri, so basically I was looking for somebody that looked just like Dimitri. Finally I saw a guy leaning against the wall across from Peet’s. He was slightly overweight, wearing jeans and a jean jacket (or jean vest? Can’t remember...I just remember there was a lot of faded denim going on). I think he was also wearing a khaki-colored hat. Not really what I expected. “Are you Boris?” I said. He was very kind and handed the phone over to me. I offered him $20 and he took it hesitantly. “You don’t have to do this,” he said a couple times. I have to admit, even though I was grateful to him for not stealing my phone, I was also very cautious and felt a little weird about it all. Anyway, all this to say that I guess there really are honest people out there in the world, and I’m grateful that I got my phone back.
So then last night I got an email from my mom, saying that some man called her from my phone and was holding onto it for me. I called her right back and got more info. She said the guy’s name was Boris and sounded kind of gruff on the phone. I asked her exactly what did he say? I guess he was like “Hi. I have a phone.” And my mom was like “WHAT?” -- all confused. Then he was silent for a few seconds, and then repeated himself: “Hi. I have a phone.” Her impersonation of Boris was awesome. I cannot imagine how he was finally able to convey this confusing situation to her, but somehow she was able to get his home phone number and gave it to me.
So this morning I went to a pay phone and called the home phone number and my own cell phone number, but no answer. I got to work and tried calling a few more times; no answer. I tried again — this time when I called my cell phone, somebody answered but didn’t say anything and just hung up. I called right back and the same thing happened. I wanted to say “Boris! Is that you?! I know you’re there...” Finally the third time around, he answered with a tentative “Hello?”
We arranged to meet outside of Peet’s in the Ferry Building around noon. I brought my coworker with me, in case he was a criminal with some warped plan to coax me into a deserted alley. When we arrived at Peet’s, I kept staring at random men who might look like a “Boris.” In college I knew a guy named Dimitri, so basically I was looking for somebody that looked just like Dimitri. Finally I saw a guy leaning against the wall across from Peet’s. He was slightly overweight, wearing jeans and a jean jacket (or jean vest? Can’t remember...I just remember there was a lot of faded denim going on). I think he was also wearing a khaki-colored hat. Not really what I expected. “Are you Boris?” I said. He was very kind and handed the phone over to me. I offered him $20 and he took it hesitantly. “You don’t have to do this,” he said a couple times. I have to admit, even though I was grateful to him for not stealing my phone, I was also very cautious and felt a little weird about it all. Anyway, all this to say that I guess there really are honest people out there in the world, and I’m grateful that I got my phone back.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
examen
For Lent this year, my roomie NH and I want to try praying the examen every night. This is a practice that our church did over the summer for forty days, and which I am (supposedly) doing every night while on my thirty-week Ignatian retreat. I say "supposedly" because I don't actually pray the examen every night, even though it's only supposed to take 5 minutes or so. What can I say, sometimes I just feel like falling asleep while watching hulu.com or reading a book (that is not the Bible or some other Christian literature).
But at least for Lent I'm going to try to be more consistent about it. And to aid in that process, I put together a little examen journal last night and gave one to each of my roomies for us to use. Here's the cover, which is meant to be folded in half, and is based (roughly) on NH's mixte:
But at least for Lent I'm going to try to be more consistent about it. And to aid in that process, I put together a little examen journal last night and gave one to each of my roomies for us to use. Here's the cover, which is meant to be folded in half, and is based (roughly) on NH's mixte:
thank you card from kimmy
I received this lovely handmade thank you card from Kimmy last night. She used paper that she had made from scratch, and the "THANKS" was cut out from her Lykke Li concert ticket. HOW COOL.
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