Roske&Yang

2008-12-13T00:36:00.000-08:00

the time has come for immediate action; the mental mind must be stimulated; the heart must be listened to; the mind must work; chaos seemingly ensues and we must confront it--
for what is life without the terrible indecisions of lust, love, truth, lies-- embrace the fierce self-inflicted pain in struggling for the always unknown future, and once more you shall find freedom-- care not for the end, care for the means, and perhaps you will find the ride much more accommodating.
A new blog is on the way.
G

Election 08

2008-11-08T05:40:00.000-08:00

I respect George W. Bush for being our president for the last 8 years.
Whether or not we agree with his decisions concerning Iraq and other controversial issues, I realize that the office of the President of the United States of America is an extremely trying position to be criticized in. What information is exchanged behind closed doors is invisible to our judgement, and perhaps we are in no position to say what Bush should or should not have done. Would things have been better or worse with a John Kerry in office? It's impossible to speculate.
That said, I am eager to see the capabilities of our new President Barack Obama and excited to see how a nation pulls together through such difficult times.
Grace

Blogske

2008-09-12T01:28:00.000-07:00

WE are back but planning road trip.
R&Y

Last Day of Asia

2008-09-09T10:10:00.001-07:00

Asian Mullet. Tadpole boy's is slightly less extravagant, but in a way fluffier, and blacker.

Today, we went to the spahhhh for the last time. Did a ton of laps, said goodbye to pooltaker Tadpole boy (picture tall skinny unusually tan, with the sharpened end of his mullet carressing his ridges of spine, leading to a bright red tiny speedo) under our breaths as well as Mustache Man (cue balding but shaved-head muscular old man with a bushy mustache and a tiny black speedo, hanging out by the hot and cold tubs). Chilled most of the day-- packed, watched The Hills (everyone on that show is so good at being retarded... loooooovvveee it), and then Mean Girls...(quotes include "OMG danny devito, I love your work!!", "That's so fetch", "Your hair looks sexy pushed back", and much more)

It's been a great vacation! I loved it cos it was super relaxed (ten days is a lot) and we didn't have to talk to anyone we didn't want to, which makes for a great getaway. And don't even go into the shopping....

Goodbye, traffic, goodbye scooters... goodbye, 7-11's on every corner, goodbye Dante Coffee, goodbye badly printed English on everything... goodbye, squat toilets, goodbye Britney Spears playing in every store that had trashy shirts (Credit cards only... cash not accepted), goodbye food (not to the pig's brain soup, though), goodbye potstickers, goodbye hot and sour soup, goodbye noodles... goodbye soymilk, goodbye Taipei 101, goodbye metro. Goodbye 13th floor penthouse/studio with courtyard/garden, goodbye slow oven of an elevator, goodbye cockroaches at night, goodbye mosquito bites, goodbye Asians, goodbye crazy driving. Goodbye Daddy Yang, goodbye all those people I met that were his acquaintances, goodbye shopping malls with luxurious air conditioning and escalators galore, goodbye Eslite bookstore with 6 stories of pure ecstasy. Goodbye pandalize me, goodbye cheap prices... goodbye first two weeks of vacation. Goodbye blogging about Taipei, Taiwan... just wait til we hit Mexico.

Love,

R&Y

Damn Kids

2008-09-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

Pitch'as!!!

Temple ness
Sportin' a fly 'do
Scary ferris wheel

Fantastic Two in a Temple Abouve Taipei

Temple. Cool.

Family Scooting

Listening to: "Fix up, Look Sharp" Flii Stylz, Rize soundtrack

Today was ... a day. Filled to the brim.

Woke up super late-- we slept like the dead-- and went off to have lunch (pan-fried potstickers, fish soup, sweet and sour soup, and for dessert, mango and passionfruit smoothies. We then went to the large ferris wheel north of Taipei but we were all too freaked to get on (it was hot, the ferris wheel was large... and slow) so we walked around the mall beneath it. Almost convinced my dad to watch Batman in the Imax, but failed. So we motorscooted up a mountain to a nice temple, where the view of Taipei was spectacular and the architecture, awesome. After that we trained to Keelung, another city, and had dinner at a famous night market featuring only food delicacies, where my father proceeded to stuff us like Thanksgiving turkeys.

I guess it doesn't sound like much when I type it out, but it feels like it's been a long day.

We leave you with some videos for your pure entertainment.

Goodnite!

R&Y

Day Twelve

2008-09-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

Yang and Roske in motorcycle gear.

It feels like we've been here forever! in a good way. Taipei is super fun; public transportation is awesome and easy, so we can do whatever we want, whenever.
Before all this, though, check it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U
It is a must-see. You will probably melt with warm heartfelt feelings of goo.

Anyway, today we woke up feeling like shit (swimming=using muscles) because we didn't sleep very well. We ate some lunch, drove to the jade market and the temple, where we asked for our fortunes.

It's not exactly fortune telling, but it's a fortune of sorts. What you have to do is take incense and introduce yourself to this god, Win Tsu Gong-- let him know your name, when/what time you were born, who was your father... where you live. Then you take these cashew looking toys, that if you put them together they look like a whole cashew? and they're each flat on one side. So you're suppoed to take these cashew things and ask him a specific question-- you ask him whether or not he can give you advice on something specific-- whether or not your boyfriend is a guy you want to be with, or if you should take risks in finance, etc-- and when you throw the pair of cashew halves down, there are three possibilities: if the cashews are the same side facing up, that means you have to ask again, and the answer is not clear. If the cashews are the same side facing down, same difference. If they are different-- one facing up, and the other one facing down, then that means a positive confirmation. After that, you draw a stick from a tub of numbered sticks, and you do the same process over again, this time asking if that is the correct numbered stick. If he answers negatively (cashews facing the same way), then you choose another one, until you throw the cashews and they come up facing opposite ways. Once that happens, you take the fortune labelled by the number stick you drew and he confirmed.
IT's crazy.
Both me and Sarah did it-- I had to re-do Sarah's because her ancestors and spirit aren't in tune with the Asian gods as much-- "communication problem", as my dad said-- but they were pretty interesting answers, considering what we asked. It was one of those things that made you think really hard, and second guess your own motives or decisions. Mind boggling.

After temple, we went home and chilled before we headed out to the waterfront. The metro was packed, because it was a Saturday, and everyone was out and about. Especially where we were going-- it's the popular waterfront park/nightmarket in north Taiwan, just north of Taipei-- Danshui, which means "clear water". Once we got there, we walked around, ate dinner, and then me and Sarah went shopping at the Shilin nightmarket again. Because it was the weekend, it was impossibly packed-- human traffic jams in the streets! We saw a bunch of white people and scowled at them.

After that, we were exhausted and headed home, but then we got super hungry. My dad had been waiting for us outside the apartment complex (as I predicted!) because we had returned pretty late. After hearing us whine about our pooooorrr empty stomachs we went out to eat. What a wonderful day...

Some cool dancing kids we saw at Danshui; those poor bastards were sweating like crazy! But they were awesome, in an Asian choreography kind of way. And they were sweating hard for complete strangers.

Beatie Boys have come onto my iTunes, so I'm off to chillax!!!

Over and out, chirren!!!

R&Y

ps: holla out to goth pagan witch, I miss u dearly!!!!

Day Eleven!

2008-09-05T05:11:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Me were at Dante's coffee-- a coffee joint which, btw, features a segregated smoking room-- chillin', drinking our vanilla lattes, and playing a doodle game. The game is where each player takes turns doodling, where their doodles are supposed to kill the previous player's doodle. I don't know what' it's called, but it's super fun, and here was the product of that evening.

It starts from the bottom left, where the little dude in the corner is a samurai.

1) Samurai with sword

2) Tara kills samurai with fire breathing devil capabilities

3) Cat allergies kill Tara

4) Mouse who ate Mario mushroom kills cat

5) A tornado kills the mouse

6) Al Gore, being the champion for people against terrible natural disasters, stops the tornado with his sharp rhetoric and his integrity (boosted by him being shafted in that election...)

7) Al Gore's mom kills Al Gore with a rolling pin

8) Death kills Old Lady Gore

9) Death is killed by the atom bomb-- because there are too many deaths to collect, so he quits sort of.

10) Lindsay Lohan realizes that her love for Samantha Ronson was a phase, and the world is right again

11) An extreme surplus of coke kills Lindsay Lohan

12) Amy Winehouse snorts all the coke

13) Amy Winehouse loses her powers as she recieves a haircut

14) Spencer Pratt of The Hills ruins everything, including haircuts.

In the meantime, we went shopping at Shilin nightmarket last night. Today, we woke up, ate, I went to the dentist *cringe* and then we went to the spaaaaaaa. It was deliciously relaxing, I did a bunch of laps and melted in the hot tubs, saunas, and steamrooms.

We are now super exhausted, but in a good way.

The election news continues!!! I can't wait to watch the debates; witnessing the twisted, narrow ignorance of the Republicans will frustrate me but in a strange way, will make me feel better about myself.

Go Obama! 08!

R&Y

Barack 08!

2008-09-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

The battle rages on!!!!
Sarah Palin Sucks!!!
R&Y

RNC

2008-09-03T09:30:00.001-07:00

Have any of you seen this???? DISGUSTING!!! What the hell???
I watched this while V for vendetta was playing in the background-- crazy coincidence.
What are people going to do about THIS???
Vote for your rights!!!
R&Y

DAY EIGHT??? WHO KNOWS.

2008-09-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

HI PEOPLE.
We have some Skyy Citrus and Cranberry refreshers and lemonade. Its deliciousssss. I want to smoke a cigarette right about now on our beautiful balcony. Too bad there are mosquitos. And Sarah wants me to finish my drink before we do so. Because I want to share a cigarette with her.
Anyway, we are having a great time. We went shopping today. Today we had MCDONALDS. I had a happy meal (cheeseburger, fries, oj, and a cute anakin clone wars toy) and Sarah had a cool big mac. It was delicious albeit regrettable.
When people say they don't regret anything I feel like they are really saying "I'm glad to be who I am today" because there is no way you don't regret some mistakes-- i dunno, like sleeping with someone at a party when you were super drunk, or even spending money on something you don't need. I regret some mistakes but I am glad to be who I am today.
Sarah is sitting next to me in her heart shirt. We bought some cute stuff today and it will be awesome when we wear them. Hipsterzzzzzzz.
I hope people read our blog because I think we are cool and we hope you guys think so too.
Justin Timberlake is blasting on my comp; remember when he had a white fro? With bleached tips. Hawt. hahahaha
Love,
R&Y

Day Seven

2008-09-01T08:23:00.001-07:00

The previous post was WRONG. Ms. Roske mistook it for day six because she can't count and has too much Skyy Citrus in her (as Mr. Yang Jr. wouldl say, omgggggg~ she's so drrruuunkk!!!!) (she's not actually, it was just a mistake. We are, after all, a day ahead).
Breeze Center and AsiaWorld indeed. We had a grand ol' day even though it was rainy (acid rain!!! Don't go bald plz!!!!) It was QUITE relaxing. Quite.
After our ventures-- we walked a bit of ways-- we returned and, as my counterpart said, my father found some lovely dentures in the toilet downstairs. GROSS.
Post Mario Karts, we headed out for some din-din, where we encountered some lovely potstickerz (boiled, not fried; and dipped in soy sauce) and some authentic sweet and sour soouuuppp. Roske had some difficulty finishing her -ish, and my father gave her shit. I enjoyed it. We then headed out for some shopping! in the Wupenfu Fashion district and Tonghua nightmarket. Got some goodies; don't want to ruin the surprise of our hip and trendy looks, so just wait til we return! and debut our hipster selves.
ANYWYZ, I'll just post some picz for ppl to enjoyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sidenote: Britney Spears is god. She plays in every other store here.

Taipei 101. We stoled an entire bench and were journaling in front of Page One.

Climbing the mountain! We were utterly miserable!!!!

... we made it, but barely. Sarah is faking a smile. So am i.

A spider on the mountain. It's eating another spider. Savage.

Three person scooters are our life's calling. Lookit how cooooollll we are.

Attempting to wake up in the morning!!!! Our lovely A.M selves.

Taiwan protest against Mainland China oppression of Taiwanese independence. Fuck Ma! Fuck China!

With some policeman that were guarding the sides of the protest.

At temple! It was super crowded there, and incense everywhere.

Our adventures continue!!!!!!!! Tomorrow may be underground mall day! Who knows what we will see!

Love,

R&Y

Day Six?

2008-09-01T03:36:00.000-07:00

Walked to the Breeze center (another mall) today, but it's nothing compared to that evil mountain. Most of this trip can be summed up in stretching, walking and mariocart. Our new favorite taiwanese band messaged us back but unfortunatley their next show isn't until the 25th, which coincidentally is our return date. At the Breeze center I took advantage fo the 18+ drinking age and bought some trusty citrus skyy vodka and a carton of "cranbery refreshers." Suddenly my sore muscles melt away. The zebra striped mosquitos are viscious but luckily they don't have the refined taste for my white blood, only Grace's. She will kill me later for saying that, the bites make her irritable. When we got back to the apartment Mr. Yang Sr. was waiting on the stairs because he had locked his keys inside one of his apartments where a finicky toilet awaited him. A couple hours later he showed us what the problem was, a plaque ridden set of dentures:

The other day we also had the opportunity to attend a protest against China. Equipped with bright orange wristbands and powerfully obnoxious airhorns we raised our fists and sweated like never before. Here I was a celebrity being the only non-Taiwanese person so when approached by random old men they were happy to hear "China Bu Hao!" (No good).

I will let Grace tell you about Hiking because I really don't want to think about it.

Day Two

2008-08-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

This morning we woke up plenty jet-lagged.

It was a beautiful albeit cloudy morning; the heat went from scorching to a dull, thick air.

Played the Wii with Michael for awhile; Roske expressed her immense dislike for failure when we and Rainbow Road kicked her ass.

It was Michael and Mrs. Yang's last day in Taipei. We took the Taxi to the Taipei Metro, then took the metro to XiMinding, which is this shopping area. Total hipsters and school kids ga-lore; the arcade is near there so the gamers were crawling about. We played DDR (mine was on lame so I was pretty... lame...), Mario Karts arcade, and air hockey. It was a totally different place; most of the kids who went there spend a lot of time there-- it's in the middle of a mall tucked away in a building of random boutiques-- so everything was serious. The first DDR machine we tried to line up for was for serious DDR players-- and so they had card slots and everything that queued up songs and stuff; transient players had to get in line electronically. Ridiculous.

We went shopping afterwards; the people watching there was awesome because of all the teens hanging around.

We found an photobooth store, where Japanese photobooth machines with complex settings and choices were lined up and ready for the mobs of schoolgirls that swarmed the place with their friends, flashing cheesy peace signs and what-not. I made my parents, Michael, and Sarah go in for a photo session, and the results were spec-tac-u-lar:

After that, we found a fantastic store to shop in, and then we headed home to eat a delicious canton-style dinner at a nearby restaurant (roasted duck, pork, beef, ginger soup, shrimp scramble, and garlic sauteed chinese lettuce). Sent Michael and Mommy off in a Taxi, and now are nesting in our studio, sipping iced tea and nibbling on guava.

LIFE IS GOOOOOODDDD.

R&Y

Arrivals Gate

2008-08-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

Reporting live from Taipei TaoYuan International Airport, Roske and Yang.
We have arrived safely after a gruesome 12 hours of dry, static-y air and tinny noises of engines, stewardess voices sickly sweet with practice, and the dreaded wails of unhappy babies.
Other than the usual grit of travel, our trip went quite smoothly-- no delays.
Right now, we're waiting for my parents to scoop us up-- it's 5:23 am in the morning here. Asian men with hairy moles and rumpled clothes are passed out on the couch, one with a trolly of "Peacock biscuits". People are exhausted, and the heat of the day hasn't even passed yet.
As soon as transportation arrives, we'll be driving to the apartment in the city, and get settled. The whole day is ahead of us.......!
R&Y

ethnicity

2008-08-07T14:49:00.001-07:00

Especially working at an Indian restaurant-- the diversity there is surprisingly existent-- the question of "Where are you from" always inevitably comes up.
Sometimes if I'm in a non-crowd pleasing state, I say Chicago and make them struggle in trying to connect an Asian ethnicity with a Chicago "heritage". Eventually I just agree that I'm Chinese, although the more PC term I suppose would be Taiwanese. If I'm really annoyed, I say Asian and leave them guessing. Once in awhile I proclaim my intention to exist as a global citizen.

In any case, I was thinking about what a roommate said about being asian. Before I enter this discourse, I want to make it clear that I think stereotypes are based on cultural effects. To automatically assume that groups of characteristics define individuals is wrong; to be aware that individuals may share these groups of characteristics but are not defined by them is where I want to be.

Asian girls are depicted as meek, usually compact in size, and submissive. I feel like it is general opinion that Asians may reflect a weaker physique, which they make up in studying skills. To be someone that is depicted as so is something so interesting...

For example, as an Asian "woman", engaging others of the opposite sex feels like the same old formula. The question of ethnicity-- "What kind of Asian are you?" seems to be a concern. Also, whenever an Asian woman engages others of the opposite sex that are potential candidates for courtship, it seems like either the man is a closet fetishist (the corporate men at the Hotel WXX) or one that prefers the non "exotic" route. If a man becomes interested, is it because of ethnicity? Is his evil, dark crimson lust poisoning the very basis of our interaction? The submissive "Asian persuasion" cultural concept implies a number of sexual activities and innuendos.

Asians stereotype asians. Koreans are reported to have the most cosmetic surgery ever EVER-- and tend to form smoking groups during high school recess. The Japanese are either model asians-- precise, hard workers, their intelligence knowing no bounds-- or crazy "Harajuku" types that dress in extreme fashion statements (literally, a baby doll, a geisha, dark gothic). The Chinese are loud and arrogant. To tell them apart, we often read their facial features-- Koreans have smaller eyes and broader, wider faces. In general, their facial features are smaller except for their wide cheeks. Their language as well is phonetic and is mostly a soft murmur of a's and o's. Japanese people a) love to accessorize-- see Sanrio (although Koreans have the same amount of fascination with cartoon accessories) and b) dye their hair blonde. Some people say I look Korean, but I don't see it at all. Likewise, my Korean friend Heidi has been labelled as Chinese, even Taiwanese. Again, these stereotypes are not meant to be offensive-- I am addressing them because that is how Asians label other asians.

Being an Asian woman in a professional atmosphere blatantly sucks because of the whole closet fetishism I discovered in the world of white corporate management. There are those asian woman who are still culturally and traditionally asian and are high up in a department such as accounting; I feel as if these woman face barriers and distasteful images as spinsters. Their cultural difference becomes a gap between the people they work with; however, perhaps that is best as the people they work with would probably just revert to perverted fetishism. Who knows?

This is not a complaint. I am not complaining about being asian-- I enjoy it because of some certain freedoms. When I don't curl up in a corner with a book or wear inch thick glasses, it surprises people. It's great. On fourth of July, there was the nerve of some boy to say that I was the coolest asian he had ever seen. Seriously, because have you seen those other asians...? Perhaps my friends can say something like that to me, but from someone who I didn't know to imply that the entire race of Asians were socially doomed because he doesn't know how to communicate with them? What an idiot.

R&Y

The Elusive Happy Medium

2008-07-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

Alanis is screaming in the background about irony.

Recently, we have taken to disposable cameras due to the tangible delight of reviewing developed pictures with terrible color and print quality. It has become an art. Ironic as we do have access to a digital camera.

There's always that thing where people are fascinated by what is not in fashion-- polaroids are expensive and not very practical when it comes to print quality but because of this people have come to associate polaroids with "good times to be had"-- a technique of storing memories that is different and therefore awesome and therefore makes the memories even more awesome.

Blogging and internet accessibilities have left the tangible senses of old traditions dusty, fading away in our memories. I have become more aware of the texture of a pen or pencil scratching across paper. The feel of a page covered in the small studs of black letters and the glue holding the book together. The slow grainy scrape of scissors cutting. Even the untangling of dollar bills becomes a new sensation after using credit cards is unfamiliar and new. I hestitate to grow up and find the world a strange place.

R&Y

Waaahhhhh

2008-06-28T23:41:00.000-07:00

1) Joke Off Club
I joke off by the river.
I joke off with my friends.
2) thecobrasnake.com
3) Castle Ice catcall victims
4)NO WORK
5) scentmap.com
6) buttonz
7) long shirt, bowtie not tied
8) postsecretcommunity.com
9) Paul Janka
10) David Sedaris

Coast.

2008-06-11T23:03:00.000-07:00

Dude, I'm tired.
Summer vacation is right around the corner! What is in store for us this year? Je ne sais pas!
Will blog more later.
R&Y

Fun fun fun 'til Seattle takes the sunlight away...

2008-06-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

Our room is cozy.
It's become very much lived-in and comfortable, with the usual messes haunting corners and shelf-ends (a promotional Indiana Jones cup has Shia LeBeouf perched on his motorcycle, greasy and glaring a boyish angst; the banana print Andy Warhol/Velvet Underground poster peeling at the corner, swaying; a clutter of perfume-bottles colonizing the top shelf). Moonlight sonata trembles through the speakers and wavers in the air. Roske is taking a power-nap. She's like a cat, just nests where she pleases and falls asleep so peacefully.
My English take home exam is tedious. Right now, I am on Jacques Derrida The Exorbitant: Question of Method. I should have attended class more often. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I weren't tired-- post modernism is actually interesting.
R&Y

Kodachrome Gives Us Those Nice Bright Colors

2008-06-07T21:29:00.000-07:00

Erik Satie-- Trois Gymnopedie.

It is a favorite of my high school orchestra teacher. It is one of my favorite classical pieces. Unfortunately, I dislike my high school orchestra teacher so much as to be cautious about the things we have in common. An interesting fact: Erik Satie was cuh-ray-zee. I learned in Reading Poetry that he only ate white foods. Way into Modernism/surrealism/abstract art. For him, it was a lifestyle. Art was a lifestyle.

I suppose we can point and laugh-- the idea of eating only white foods is slightly ridiculous-- but you must admit, the man has conviction.

Today, little Johnny Jackson, 10 years of age, died of secondary drowning during an afternoon nap. His mother went to check on him when she found foam coming out of his nose and mouth. He died of cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital. He was diagnosed with autism and ADD, but none of these were factors in his death.

RIP, little Johnny Jackson. Maybe you'll find Mr. Erik Satie and he'll give you some white food (rice? an egg white omlette? vanilla pudding? Sea bass filet?) and play some pretty music.

R&Y

Honky Dory.

2008-06-06T15:16:00.000-07:00

It's raining, raining, and super cold. Why is it not summer yet? is what the citizens of Seattle wake up grumbling on this unforgiving and overcast Friday morning...

Inside, we are drunken with warmth, lazy and sloth-like. Everything soft is a pillow to lean on. The doldrums have hit.

Finals are coming up but I have recently embraced my procrastination and agreed with myself to be fanatically pro-final-active during this week-end. So, the weekdays are filled with bags of crunchy Tim's chips, microwaved apple pie and Breyer's natural vanilla ice cream. Delish.

Rosemary Clooney's voice hums through my speakers. It doesn't help move the waking-dead ambience, but solidifies it. Oh well.

Taipei is in two and a half months.

It is my 3rd day at the restaurant. I'm slowly getting the Indian accents down so I can understand the cooks. Slowly.

It is Roske's day off so she has an excuse for languishing in bed.

Summer vacation is in five days.

R&Y

FUELforcoffee

2008-06-02T00:54:00.000-07:00

We are here in the cove, tucked away. Beastie boys are perfect! So you like to party not drink bacardi. WE ARE GONNA GET DOWN

R&Y

Absolutely.

2008-06-01T22:18:00.001-07:00

People watching.

Today I took my half hour break at my last day at the Westin. I spent it heckling people in their cars on our driveway. It gave me much satisfaction.

There is absolutely nothing poetic about being in an office, and therefore it becomes sort of a curious art--- office supplies, the click of a mouse is so different then the clicks on a keyboard, or the abrupt chirp of the touchscreens. The rigid lines, everywhere-- bookcase, box, box, computer, monitor. Walls, windows, walls, carpet, tiles. Staples, paper, labels. Monotony. So you start looking for the interesting bits-- a piece of tape rolled up on its corner, collecting dust and skin. Writing scrawled on a piece of paper-- "1808/2 shrmp c., wings, quesa, burger/well". Fluourescent lighting makes things stale, and harsh. Reminds me of the aftertaste of coffee coating my teeth. Gritty--like.

R&Y

It is Thursday...

2008-05-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

... and I am watching Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring at 10.30 am while eating veggie scramble and sipping watered down grape juice.
Our glorious lives continue.
R&Y

Lacan's mirror sucks and does nothing for me

2008-05-28T00:02:00.000-07:00

To the millions of fans we have out there, we thank you for your patience.

I return with an equal amount of flummox-ology crammed into the tiny space where my brain is supposed to be.

Things have happened quite unexpectedly lately. Life is slightly fast forward-ing, but maybe that's just me in slow motion.

What I've realized: we always think about the now. No matter what-- memories are in relation to now. Well of course they are, because they're called memories and you recall them from the point of "time", but I mean our rotation of our universes and lives around the concept of NOW.
Everything we remember, we recollect by imagining our selves in that situation, in the moment of circumstance. Imagine if we remembered things omnisciently. How amazing would that be? And seriously, how much more would we learn when we remember our mistakes?
Maybe that's how we should approach things. Realizing all sides of the story. Instead of holding grudges. Do people really try to understand the other side of the story? Do they appreciate the other side of the story? It feels a lot like most people don't care. Perhaps they do not realize the full power of being empathetic.

There was an article I read a long time ago about elephants, and how incredibly intelligent they are despite the fact that they walk on all fours and don't read the New York Times over eggs benedict and orange juice every morning. The experiment was placing a mirror in front of animals and studying their behavior/response to determine whether or not the animal knew it was a reflection of itself. For the animals that rode the tiny short bus to school (i.e. rodents and beta fish), the animals reacted as if it were a different entity. For elephants, they realized that the image in the mirror was themselves-- and science dubbed that realization empathy. A small but solid connection to the sentient, wise homo homo sapien sapien (in anthropology class, we learned that we are indeed homo sapien sapien, but I thought we had to balance out the term with another pair, it just looks more pleasing to the eye). On an elephant! This task was incredible- the ability to feel and think beyond physical appearances! An elephant! And yet... our own practice of empathy is taken for granted. What a mere ability, on humans.

Sometimes it sucks to write about these things just because it's ridiculous. Am I really going to find an answer to any of my questions? Probably not. But that's okay.

I may write again later, but for now it's aaaaiiiiiiiight.

To the unfortunate victims in Myanmar and China, I regret that I feel no formidable compulsion to go there immediately. I wish you the very best of luck and all the help you can get despite the worst of times. I wish your loved ones well, and I hope for a better future. Myanmar and China has made me appreciate my family and friends just that much more.

When Munchkins Rule the White House

2008-05-04T00:13:00.000-07:00

Good friends, bad friends. Would you see them in a cafe? Would you talk on the phone? Would you talk with a friendly tone? Would you, Could you, in your house?

So, basically, Life=?

This week has been something. Started out with being a slacker (bad case of the skip-classes Mondays); had a nightmare about Hotel WXXX And the people in it which FREAKED me OUT the entire day. Then it was weird because I was freaked out by my dream, and in English 202, we discussed Freud and possible latent/manifest content in dreams.

Thus, the agenda today is: Dreams. Dreaming. I dreamt.

I truly believe they have a purpose. If a dream brings you about this alternate reality that occurs when your eyes are closed, and this happens every night, there has to be something substantial behind the ritual. I'm not concerned about the R.E.M cycle etc., but mentally. Or spiritually. Do dreams evolve when you age? Do blind men dream? What would a dream be like if you did die in your sleep?

And when you do completely forget a dream when you awake, and the dream hits you like a 20 ton truck barrelling down the highway while you're tranquilly sipping your coffee, and unknown emotions start bubbling up in response-- panic, fear, confusion, or just plain being overwhelmed-- what does that do? It's amazing how a little detail can bring so many feelings and memories back.

And what happens when you mix dreams and reality together? Is there really a difference? Because there is no way that you can personally prove that our reality exists while you are asleep. When I close my eyes, that is my reality, and I cannot confirm the existence of what physically surrounds me now without opening them. What if the world turned off like a lightbulb and went blank whenever you blinked?

Questions, questions, but never answers. it's like brewing day old coffee again and again.

Let's see if I remember tomorrow morning. Whatever I dream.

R&Y

Ages Ago

2008-04-27T01:37:00.000-07:00

II'm a poetic scholar of some sorts, if you will. Why watson, why are your boxers on my head? Where in the Devil's crotch is my whisky???
The bed glows with beads of light, the shiny grey metal glinting and buzzing with sparks. Pray for us, pray for shine purrs the music.
It is Night.
She's sitting there, and she reads. She reads, and she realizes. The girl blinked. There is less than a month where I get to be a teenager. The only, utter instance where she would be defined as a teenager. Time does not repeat itself often. Time occurs but never twice.
She felt so insignificant. What have I done? She asked herself.
Pray for us, pray for sunshine.... the music purrs again. "the only thing that makes any sense/ Please don't blow it..."
Nothing, it feels like yesterday I was in kindergarten, she thought. Shit. This sucks.
And what have I done in this past fucking decade? Anything awesome? No. She kicked herself, mentally. Time is so fucking sucky.
Am I going to feel this when I'm thirty? Will I go "Where the fuck was I these past years? Why haven't I done more?" She groaned inwardly. Who the fuck wants to be 20?
I"m such a tame one, so tame, so lame. Why is it that life is so awkward? What inspires it to be so awkward? Why are people so hilarious, and why are animals so wildly patient? If I were God...
She flexed her toes. Well, I'm not doing much right now either.
Nick Drake purrs. Coulda beennnnnn one of these things....
She smiles. The end. She smiles and her stomach tightens nervously. But she smiles.

Un siesta por favor

2008-04-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

Bonjour. Hola.
Este semana no ha pasado mucho. Tenemos escuela y tarea (aunque, la verdad es que no hacemos todos que debemos hacer...) y tambien, trabajo. Sarah tiene un poco problema con los chicos, pero todos saben que ella es un mujer de podres misteriosas (especialmente sobre los chiqitos).
El tiempo en Seattle esta SHITTY.
Estamos esperando para tiempos mejor. Luego, voy a uploadar un pocas fotografias.
Entonces, adios.
R&Y

No Woman, No Cry

2008-04-10T23:25:00.000-07:00

Andy O is sitting on the couch, poised with his black helmet hair and asian smile. He strums merrily, merrily whistleing on the "s"s of his words, slurring into jolly twang once in awhile, a whisper of an s above the layer of strumms. Sarah crouches, steady, and stands up and declares "lets Hope I survive!" and clomps out happy happy happy. Pausing, pausing, strumming, strumming. Tiffany clomps in. "TEACH ME... ANDY GUITAR!!!!" "ummmm...." Strumming, brumming humming, strumpet! strumming.... "TEACH ME!!!! IF you're not too high..." "Ummmmm"" Strumpet! strum, tum hum, gummm.
"oohhhhhh how d'you switch? How...?" Tinwunli repeats repeats again. CUHRAAZYYYY
conversation no ha show offha
"Did they hav eall the cords online?
Yeah i's just how you put your fingers...
How ...s trum correctly?
you.... Strumming sturm strum strummm
down ... beat when yous trum, you go like this down liek every time
youse arm.... youse wrist.
"STRUMMM! STRUM STRUM STREM STREM"
"WAIL" how do you strpi switch so fast??"
Aohhhoaohhh AOhhhh how switch so fast? Asian lady oooo
"Switch to hter chord sso i just don't play two"
"Strummmming, strum sturm sturm
What? Yr rilly hi artn you?
StrAM SARAM STRAM STRANG!!!!! ANG ANG!!! ANG---weird ANG ANG
There ya go
Still blokcing. yeah my finger... oh good
ang ang... strang ang strang strang strum strum strum...ang
do... it wrong? One more you should learn... this one reach arm over her arms down to fingerboRrd
Oh streng stremg stremg
scratching my head he scratches his tiffany strangs and cackles hi hi
i guess
ho.. ow/?
coat where'd you get that?
i don't know, some store. On sale.
Jack johnson.
Streng strang ang
bye
bye
ye
y
e
e

Licky

2008-04-07T18:11:00.001-07:00

Nothing to report. Discovered Princess Superstar's "Licky". Check it outttt

Oh my blogogog!

2008-04-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

So... trying to survive normal life again. New York City was too short in our lives.Coping with actually going back to school everyday and being responsible is hard. Like a rock.

Right now Roske and Yang are at the Hotel WXX and just chillin'.It's a pretty chill night, our clients have not seen fit to throw any tantrums yet. Let's hope they stay that way.

Lately, we've been harrassed with a number of issues. Roske's had a rough week with her car and whatnot, and I've just been trippin' on forgetting where I put EVERYTHING. I just got my permit in the mail like, two weeks ago and I've already lost it. The last time I saw it was at Deep Roots when I got my targus pierced on Friday. Roske got her left cartiledge (the inside, the upper sort of shell) pierced with a 10 gauge barbell. We'll have pictures up eventually.

The reality series of Hotel Wxx continues in our head. We have thick tensions and everything. I just want to work somewhere where people are just nice and have common sense. You would think the people that go to this upscale hotel would respond a little more educated then they have been. Angry soccer moms terrify me.

Well, we shall write when we have more to say.
Gotta go pretend to do hw now...5 more bloody hours to go!

R&Y

R&Y Hit New York City Like It's Nobody's Biz

2008-04-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

Scene of the crimez:

Sarah's graffiti:

The Roske and Yang Gang:

Some Super Cool Power Sneaks:

Party in a car:
The Trip Back:

Much happened. We were shuttling in between White Plains and Manhattan. In Manhattan, we stayed with my sister in the Lower East Side, and in White Plains, we stayed with Roske's friends at Manhattanville College.

For a night we did stay in the projects in Yonkers. This evening involved a blackout, a fried sampler plate (cheese chicken nuggets, fries, and chicken strips), the Matrix Reloaded, and a family feud. And also two snoring men.

The first day in New York City Roske got yelled at for being white. Yang left her backpack at a subway station once, but miraculously recovered it moments later. We spent an evening being hooligans in Central Park. Crazy things, my friends. And we're returning sometime in the summer.

A new trip to come, however, is Taipei, Taiwan. Get ready.

R & Y

It Never Ends!!!

2008-03-19T01:25:00.000-07:00

To our loyal and nonexistent readership!

I apologize for my absence. We have been colorfully busy.

Here's evidence:

Sarah Roske & Thinking Glasses

Bipolar weather! The 520 looks crazy!

Grace Yang and (sexy) Librarian Glasses

Koura and Yang

Roske and Yang Strike Again!!!

Much drama has ensued at Hotel WXXX. Crazy. People are disgruntled and grumpy.
Why can't people just chill out?
Also, finals week is upon us. But sooner rather then later, Roske and Yang will be taking NYC by storm.
Get ready!!!!!

R&Y

PS: Glasses are so in. So Sexy....

Parties and whatnot

2008-02-21T19:31:00.000-08:00

So, we had a mini adventure yesterday. Went to the 'Quah to check out some of Roske's junk and lug it back to the apt. Errands. And such.

Our apartment is poppin'. It sort of smells like garlic right now because someone cooked garlicky stuff last night, but at least it doesn't smell like the damned hamster....

I'm at the 'brury right now, chillaxin' with Villian Grace. She's tight, yo. She's so hood.

She's actually not that trashy. We wanted to see her black, so we photoshopp'd her.

R&Y

EH?

2008-02-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

Those of the male persuasion are ridiculous. I'm sorry. We're sorry. They just are.

Lately, we've witnessed many many counterstereotypes of male behavior. To discuss this, let us at first define the stereotypical male behavior: 1) eat 2) mate 3) sleep.

There's not supposed to be room for emotions, deep thought, and paranoid accusations. Jealousy is supposed to be reserved for women. This sounds terrible and sexist, but I really do hope people understand where I'm coming from. I just want to have fun. I guess what I'm trying to say is, the guys that my friends and I have been dealing with seem to be much more emotionally challenged then girls with PMS. At least girls with PMS are bitchy, and get over it.

Boys with PMS... well, there's never a good excuse for it to end, is there?

It's awful. In any case, to boys out there, why can't things be more chill? We're in the northwest. There isn't a caste system or pressure to reproduce in order to survive.

People need to take things easy. Roll with the punches. Dodge those bullets of insanity. I would also direct this to girls, but you know how we get, with our mood swings and mind games.... it's definately survival of the bitchiest sometimes.

And on that note, we'll leave you with a picture to take your mind off such ridiculous issues.

R&Y

Escapades

2008-02-11T13:53:00.001-08:00

This past month has been crazy with school, work, and conquering the world.
Parties galore.
In any case, being 19 is glorious. Especially if you're a girl.
We do what we want.
Treasure hunting is a hobby. Thrift stores are endlessly filled with magical things.
Check out those face masks from Redlight, they're super illy (term provided by Chris Johnston, lead chef at the Hotel WXX).

Who loves thrifty? We love thrifty.

R&Y

WHAT WE ARE

2008-02-09T19:32:00.001-08:00

ARE YOU READY?

R&Y