Party over, oops, outta time!

Rock Band 2 was a hit with my classmates, especially with the addition of rockstar-attire, a star-shaped-purple tambourine, a feather boa, a tiara, taro-flavored birthday cake, chips, candy-corn, pumpkin-flavored beer, blueberry-flavored beer, Canadian Molson, cider, vodka, and red wine.



It may have also helped that we just survived another draining all-nighter for a doll-design assignment, so we needed to celebrate and let loose.

However, it did take a bit too long to download new songs, so we had to switch to Singstar & Karaoke Revolution to finish the night with more song variety.

We finally did get one noise complaint from downstairs, just asking us to not jump so much. We mostly obliged, but kept the singing going. (It was Friday night in NYC and not even 1am!! Jigga please.)

In other unimportant news, I have since discovered that you can shake branches on the game, Locoroco Cocoreccho, which makes the game so much more manageable!! My god. So I take it back; maybe now I do enjoy that game.

Also I'm really ambivalent about Halloween this year. Last year was a pretty lackluster experience. I might just reprise last year's costume, if I even decide to go anywhere for the occasion. Or I might be more subtle and dress as a certain Project Runway villain. Hmm.

This week, we start a new assignment about green-friendly toys. Finally, an eco-conscious toy project! I'm so relieved. Except the syllabus already looks intense, because we have to research and design a whole line of toys with different price points, with class reviews, critiques, and presentations, in about 3 short weeks. Ruh Roh.

Cute = good: not always true.

Last night I was reminded why I should really just stick to karaoke or rhythm-based games.

I downloaded this game called "Buu Buu Cocoreccho," which as you can see below, is exploding with cuteness:



It's a sequel to "Locoroco", which was made for the handheld PSP. But I hear that the PSP game is much easier than this PS3 game. After giving Cocoreccho a chance for two hours, I finally came to realize that I really just suck at it.

So after killing my thumb and cramping my hand for two hours that I wish I could take back, I'll be leaving that one alone for awhile.

In the meantime, I consoled myself today, by scarfing down a footlong Vietnamese sandwich in Chinatown and finding the last pair of really cute boots in my size in Soho.

Let's hope the arrival of my pre-ordered Rock Band 2 in the mail proves to be far more satisfying than this "Cocoreccho" nonsense.

A first

In my building elevator today...

Super: Well, what a nice treat to see you!
Me: ...
Super: I just saw your roommate and I was just telling her what a treat it is to see you two. You two always have a smile on, and man, there are a lot of grumpy people in this building...
Me: Ah, hahaha...
Super: Even my daughter, after she saw you, she said, "Hey dad, she's cute, you should date her!"
Me: Oh no! Ah, haha... ha. Haha.

Well that was my cue to exit the elevator. I mean, the super is a nice guy, and his daughter is really beautiful, but Holy Awkwardness! I am not living some kind of Ryan Reynolds/J-Lo romantic comedy, okay?

Also, I'm trying not to think too hard about how I am now old enough to have guys with pre-teen daughters flirt with me. Wow.

Can I just karaoke, shop, eat, sleep, dance, dominate word games, and design my toys in peace? Thanks guys.

Really?

Huh. Some people don't know when to shut up.



Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by the Project Runway finale. (Don't worry, I won't give away the winner here.) I think they did all do a nice job, but personality flaws aside, I really loved the collections by Leanne & Korto. And what an amusing treat to see the surprise guest judge!

I think my favorite was actually Korto's collection, which I didn't expect after seeing her messy wedding designs last week. I loved the colors and variety of dress styles in her final collection, and I even loved the hairstyle and music she paired with it. I do have a personal bias toward colorful summer dresses and tropical themes. In fact, it would go along really well with my toy designs from this semester: tropical themes, colors, and summery fans included!

BTW did you catch the cameos by two reality show models in the beginning of the episode? But it didn't look like any of the designers picked those models? Or maybe I was looking too much at the dresses.

Is that a Full Moon Out?

Cuz all kinds of craziness is happening!

1. I impulsively ran out to buy a Playstation 3 last Saturday for some emergency karaoke. Yes, in my world, there is such a thing as emergency karaoke. At least this time I didn't break my tooth doing it. Phew!

Like I told Lilo, you laugh at me now, but you will thank me later.

2. Not only does Dubbledubs know all the lyrics to Corrine Bailey Rae's "Put your Records On," but he sings it like a champ.



Like a real pre-teen girl scout champ.

3. My friends and I consumed 80 pounds of amazingly delicious food at Fatty Crab, and we were still hungry for dessert (at Chickalicious –so much more satisfying than Magnolia Cupcakes).

4. The Emotion Eric and my other friend Kawabunga came over and helped to get the Internet working on my new PS3. (It only took two days for them to figure it out, even though they supposedly work in "tech-no-logy.")

And WELL WORTH it, as I was then able to download Singstar karaoke videos of Spandau Ballet's magic hit wonders, "True" and "Gold," as well as "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips for our eternal singing pleasure.



Jealous, no?

5. A sleazy weirdo from my long-ago past commented on my recent entry about sleazy men! Funny, disturbing, or ironic? Maybe all of the above. (Sorry Nick, just bein' honest there. You're not gonna change my mind on that one.)

6. My 2 classmates, Jee & Lilo cannot get that stupid "Beep-Beep" song by PCD out of our heads. Thanks, KP. Bum-bum, BUM-BUM, bum-bum-BUM!

(BTW, karaoke-ing to this is so much better if you replace the beeps with "crotch," "boobs," "butt," and the like, as demonstrated by Lilo.)

7. I passed on drinking cider and playing speed-Scrabble at home with my roommate and out-of-town friends just so I could study 3 problems for an open-book math test. WTF is wrong with me.

8. I took that math test, in which I calculated the number of Parsecs away an object is in outer space from earth, based on its positioned angle between the earth and the sun, also known as a stellar parallax. Oh yes, say it with me: SOH CAH TOA!

9. Two couples I know got engaged. I think Princess Tater & Prince Dodger started a trend! Congrats to Amy & Mark and Kevin & Coley!

10. Oh, one more thing: dogs can walk like people.

Big Trouble in Little Chi-beca

I had a bit too much last night. A bit too much, being glasses of Prosecco, Malbec, chocolate beer, a Tom Collins, and a Bud. My mistake was that when I started on the beer with new Tribecans (mostly folks also imported from San Francisco), I forgot that I had wine earlier with some ladyfriends. I also forgot that the chocolate beer came in a large bottle (as the bartender had warned me).



Anyway, I noticed that the room was spinning after I got home, so I knew I was in for a rough morning. The other ridiculous thing was that I had just finished my laundry before going out, but I hadn't made my bed. So I had to make my bed in a drunken stupor.

So today, after trying to sleep the day away to cure my hangover, I walked to Chinatown for some sustenance. On the way there, I saw policemen escorting a woman in cuffs to a car. Then I saw a Rastafarian in sunglasses, passed out, half-in-the-gutter, with an open-&-scattered dufflebag, alongside a parked car. All the Chinatown New Yorkers walked by like this was nothing new. Should I feel bad that I found this amusing?



Finally, I got to "Tea-riffic" and had a hearty pork & rice dish and a mango smoothie. As I finished up, a Taiwanese parade started outside, complete with dragon dancers, marching bands and such. I was happy to see all the Taiwanese flags but I didn't know what it was about. Is there some kind of Taiwanese holiday?



I was still worn out from the hangover, and I still had to tidy up for my Californian guests, so I just went home. But I appreciate that New York can still entertain me when I've mostly tried to hole myself up at home and head out for a quick bite of food. I think I quite like this neighborhood on the edge of Chinatown & Tribeca, or as my new roommate has called it, "Chi-beca."

The Mad Men of 2008

Today I got an email from a personals service, with the subject, "5 Ways to Wow a Guy."

Excuse me? Are you saying that I don't have enough to wow a guy? Okay, so I like to sleep in, and maybe I have a belly, and I've got a messy room and I haven't cooked in ages, but I am not about to fall for that demeaning marketing email shit for a second.

I don't think you understand the problem here. You need to start finding some guys who can wow me.

The last two responses I received for my online ad were from a married couple who wanted to propose a threesome ("Not your cup of tea? Well hopefully you will take it as flattery" is how they put it), and an actor/bartender (albeit a hunky & cute one) in an open relationship.

Well at least I am getting some colorful responses, instead of the usual guy who doesn't know what they want (other than someone cute and local), or is just kind of not attractive or boring.

And just to add to my growing cynicism about men, I found out through the gossip grapevine (see tip #6 in the last blog entry), about how one of my teachers ruined his marriage (shortly after having their baby) in a profoundly sleazy and retarded manner, involving making a wildly inappropriate move on his friend's girlfriend (who was left shocked, traumatized and crying).

This also surprised some of my classmates, because they assumed he was gay anyway. (This does not mean he is cute. At ALL. And if you are a Toy Design student, dying to know who I'm talking about, feel free to ask me in person, but I won't reveal it here.)

And recently another friend revealed her own damaging affair, with a manipulative man who continues to take advantage of women by professing his love to them, especially whilst cheating on another woman. And he's not even CUTE. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN??? I'm not going into the sordid details, but I'm just relieved to hear that my friend came out of it alive.

Ladies, listen up. Sleazy, deceptive, selfish, irresponsible dickheads come in all kinds: cute, sweet, handsome, ugly, hunky, lanky, meek, cocky, rich, and poor.

If a man is ballsy enough to profess his love for you, you could be that lucky special one, orrrr... he could be full of shit! Just make sure you know the difference.

Wait, I don't think I've known anyone who dated a mean guy. Maybe I should. Maybe they're at least honest.

Oh, right. I don't like mean people. Guess that won't work.

Well, at least I feel like I'm not missing out anymore while I'm busy with school!

So my cute little nephew's prospects of getting any cousins is growing dim. I'll just have to spoil him with toys to make up for it.

Welcome, Class of 2010!

Hello Juniors! It's come to my attention recently that at least one of "the new class" has been reading my blog. I haven't met you all, but so far you seem like nice enough folks. And it's apparent your drawing skills are ridiculously good. Your drawing teacher basically flaunted your summer work at us like we were inferior morons. (We don't take it personally. Well, I don't at least.)

If you've read my entries from the last year, I guess you've gotten a nice preview of your life ahead. I hope it hasn't worried you too much. I'm still in the program, and despite my blogging about all the work, lost social life, lack of sleep, toxic chemicals, ridiculous schedules, physical injuries, emotional breakdowns, crazy demands of teachers, rants about quitting school... wait, where was I going with this?

Oh yes, it's still a lot of fun and you are learning some really great skills.

As you have found out by now, first semester (plus Winterim) of the Toy Design program can be, how can I say it? Grueling? Crazy? Yes. It is a test of your patience, persistence, listening ability, resourcefulness, creativity, and willingness to learn. But just think! If you can just get past those few months, school will get just a little bit more manageable. And you will sleep regularly again in 2009. I promise!

That said, I will offer some general advice; sorry if it came too late:

1. Do what you can.
Improve as much as you can, and do as much work as you can, but don't stress that much about the grades. (–Especially don't worry about getting A's in drafting class. It's best to just be happy with a passing grade there.) Yes, you can lose some sleep, but we all hit a wall at some point. Just brush yourself off (when you wake up) and keep going!

2. Ask Questions
Sometimes the faculty likes to mix it up and try something new. This can lead to confusing assignments and guidance. If you are confused, just ask! That's what they're there for. Some teachers, are a bit reserved and will require you to be a bit more pro-active.

Or if you have a classmate that seems to be good at something, ask them how they did it or what tool they used.

Also, we "Seniors" are generally nice folk and would be happy to answer questions about what to expect. We definitely have some goofy weirdos, as I'm sure you do too. But don't be afraid. We will try to be honest and helpful, as much as we can.

And of course, you can always ask the Internet for answers.

3. It's about the TOYS!
Some of you know this already, but do not take criticism personally! Your concept teacher is wise and is just telling you what the real world will tell you about your work, but he says it in a much nicer way.

He is not talking about you, he is talking about your design and whether it'll sell on a toy store shelf. Listen and learn. Focus on what you can do to make your toy more appealing, easy-to-use, unique, accessible, and fun!

If you need to vent, just perform the necessary impersonation of whichever teacher amuses you the most, all Project-Runway-Santino style (not in front of the faculty, of course). I always thought of our concept teacher as our own Michael Kors. Have a laugh and move on.

4. Watch your health!
Okay, you're going to lose sleep, but it doesn't mean you can dismiss the rest of your body's needs. Drink lots of fluids, take vitamins, and remember to eat your meals! Don't touch the subway with your hands. Wash hands, carry sanitizer, and don't share cups and food. You do NOT want to get sick. Falling behind is a bitch.

5. Nobody likes a sycophant or a smart-ass.
Being a smart-ass is not cute to the faculty, and being a kiss-ass will irk both the teachers and your classmates.

6. Try not to annoy each other.
Be considerate of other classmates, apologize when you've offended them, and let bygones be bygones. Don't copy other peoples' ideas! The class itself is a small group, in a small space, and you are spending most of your waking hours with these same people for at least TWO YEARS.

Even after you graduate, you will enter a small industry, and stories of your being an ass will come back to haunt you! Especially now with the INTERNETS! So be respectful to each other!

Better yet: watch out for each other. If someone's missing from class, check on them, see if they need a missed assignment. Someday when they are VP of Hasbro, they'll remember what a nice person you were.

7. Give your brain an occasional reboot.
If you are freaking out, or you're really stuck on a design, you probably just need a short break. During my all-nighters, I would turn on my dance playlist and jump around for 5 minutes and then maybe grab a snack. Or a blueberry beer. Or a short nap (but make sure someone's around to wake you up).

We each have our own methods of coping. Don't do the booze if it you are a lightweight, because it will put you to sleep. Some of my classmates sing. If you're at home, have a short IM chat with a classmate to vent, then let them get back to work, because you should finish that rendering too.

8. Get your head out of your butt.
The rare moments that you get away from class to see friends, relatives, meet new strangers, or just see the city are also valuable for inspiration.

Watch kids play, look at what's going on in museums, window-shop, ask what people like, how things work. Play with gadgets, take a video game break, browse the Fashion Week coverage. Surf your favorite blogs. Look at cute animals. This all works for inspiration for toys. It comes in handy when you do actual research for your portfolio (during Winterim and Senior year) and future work.

9. Que sera, sera, whatever will be will be.
You may not want to hear this part.

I hope this doesn't happen, but the reality is that there may be a few of you that will not make it through the semester. It may be too much. Even with all your hard work, they may tell you that you aren't improving enough. Maybe you just don't have the discipline for it now. Maybe you've got too much else going on in your life to focus like this.

As the oldest person in my class, who has had a previous career and has witnessed many friends switch careers and endure quarter-life crises: your life is not over.

For one thing, you don't need a Toy Design degree to work in toys. Secondly, there are lots of other ways to apply your love for creativity and design. Whether or not you decide to stick with the toys may require some soul-searching. Listen to your gut.

If for whatever reason you don't stick with the program, you are not a failure. It's just a bump in the road, and you will find another success. If it's meant to be, you will come back to the world of toys. Just keep exploring what you can and like to do and something great will work out!

10. Have fun.
Who knew Toy Design school would be so hard!? But just remember: YOU GET TO DESIGN TOYS. Your friends outside of school are jealous, right?

This sounds cheesy, but when I ride the subway to and from school, even when I'm tired, breaking out, dateless, getting fat, cramped up, covered in clay and sawdust, and have too much to do:

I think about how I am one of the luckiest people on earth, to have this opportunity to live in New York City, to hang out with other creative, smart, and funny people, to draw, to make things with my hands, and to learn how to design toys!

Sometimes I even smile about it, like a secret joke, and people on the subway probably think I'm crazy or in love.

Best of luck! Now get back to work!

Welcome back to New York!

Congrats to Princess Tatertot and Prince Big Bird!



They threw one of the most fun and touching weddings I've ever been to, and I'm not just saying that because I was a bridesmaid. Also kudos to the Maid of Honor who designed the beautiful invitations, programs, etc. And kudos to the Best Man who did a nice job in his first time as a wedding officiant.

Aside from the hairdresser burning my head, I had a fantastic weekend in surprisingly warm and sunny San Francisco, playing tourist with my L.A. friends.



Then I took a red-eye flight back to NYC (complete with a free Great Lash mascara sample from Jet Blue!?), only to be welcomed back with a day of fiascoes:

1. The building super informed me that he had to tear HOLES in the walls of my apartment to fix a plumbing leak. Later this was determined to be the result of our faulty laundry machine which I told my landlord to replace ages ago.

2. My cable bill which should have been transferred to my name was still emailed to my old roommate, but with my name spelled as a completely crazy and unfathomable name.

3. My Canadian bank account (from my summer job) sent me a money order to close my account, but they printed my last name as "Smith." FYI, that's not my last name. It's not even CHINESE.

4. Due to the economic crisis, one of my accounts was frozen without warning, right when my advisor placed some investment purchases, resulting in a crazy-negative balance on my bank account!!

5. I still have a pile of homework to catch up on, plus unpacking to do. And I didn't really sleep well on my red-eye flight, even with the nice sleeping mask and earbuds that Jetblue gave us.

So I started to take care of some of this, but by the afternoon, I started to fade. My landlord came over to supervise the Super, because she doesn't trust him. So I just went to sleep and figured maybe when I wake up, things will be much better.

After I woke up:

1. The holes in the wall were filled, and the leak was fixed. (but they still have to paint and clean it up.) But hey, this means the landlord will finally get us that new dishwasher she promised us! (Or we will be living w/ a big gaping hole in our kitchen)



2. Ehhh I'll deal w/ the cable retards later. It's just tv. Oh, and internet. Hmm.

3. I sent the money order back to the Canucks, who promise me they'll get it right this time. (I also picked up a delicious Mocha at the Le Colombe on the way to the post office. And I discovered that I live across from an awesome photography supply shop called K&M Tribeca. And the new shoe store beneath my apartment is nearly ready to be open.)



4. My financial guy had me fill out some forms and said it'll get resolved very soon... I trust him! It'll all be good!

5. I checked the mail and got a brand new digital camera in a pretty brown color, from my brother!

And today, I got an adorable pink camera case to go with it.



Then I got my credit card bill, which was surprisingly tiny. I checked the details and realized that a chunk of my tuition got refunded! That means my application for New York residency went THROUGH!

Yep, it's true. I have a New York driver's license, I'm registered to vote here, and now I'm a true New York resident. YAY!

Oh, about that homework... Um, after some compulsive Facebooking with all the adorable wedding photo updates, I need some more sleep now. I'll deal with school in the morning. I needed my recovery time after my flight anyway. It all works out somehow.