FROM THE MIDWEST

always failing to remember why we came

2010-10-06T23:36:00.001-05:00

always failing to remember why we came
Originally uploaded by bleue marine

heh...

2010-04-14T22:33:00.001-05:00

for those who don't know, I completely moved to Tumblr:
http://milkaannddhoney.tumblr.com/
:)

-A

hey. it's me.

2010-01-25T17:20:00.001-06:00

Hello my friend, I see you're back again
Hello mystery, don't bother to explain

-A

Photo Shoot

2010-01-17T23:00:00.004-06:00

This post consists of my favorite unedited photos that I took of my friend Tania. So. A little bit about the photo shoot. Originally, hanging balloons and taking pictures underneath them was not the plan. But. It was fun. This entire project (decorating, dressing up, hair, makeup, and the photographing itself) lasted for about 9 exhausting hours and we were on our feet for the entire time. I'd like to thank Tania for this fun and tiring night. Without her, this never would have happened. This was my first photo shoot that was inspired by magazines like Elle, Vogue, and Nylon, and there will be more of these to come. When? I'm not sure. But I sure as hell love it.

(click for larger image)

More of my photography: http://www.flickr.com/photos/milkaannddhoney/

Tumblr

2010-01-10T19:41:00.001-06:00

last post for today.
I made a tumblr account. It's so much more straightforward than this blog; it's mainly just for my photography.
(link: http://milkaannddhoney.tumblr.com/)
yeah.

-A

Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2010

2010-01-10T19:19:00.003-06:00

sigh... whimsical and practical and traditional yet new.
these are my favorites from the Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2010 collection.
this post is really long.
buuuut
I love it.

-A

Versace Pre-Fall 2010

2010-01-10T18:52:00.006-06:00

these are my favorites from the Versace Pre-Fall 2010 collection.
I completely stole this from another blog but I really need to post it.
I am in love with it.

-A

PS I made my layout wider!! this is so exciting and good :) it will take a little time to adjust to though.

My dog is awesome.

2009-12-27T11:50:00.005-06:00

(please click for larger, clearer image)

He likes to eat snow.

-A

My dog...

2009-12-27T11:26:00.006-06:00

(click for larger images)

wow you can barely see his eyes in the first picture. so dark.

-A

New Years Resolutions

2009-12-27T10:48:00.006-06:00

Well now that Christmas just passed, it's time to focus on the next holiday celebration: New Years Eve. I've already come up with my resolutions:
1. work out every day for 5 minutes. (I say 5 minutes because once I start, I can't stop. 5 minutes is barely a commitment so it can easily be done... toned muscles = what I'm going for.)
2. don't judge others. every choice is a learning experience; let people do what they do.
3. hang out with friends (old and new) much much more often. this will be much easier once my college applications are finished.
4. do things out of your comfort zone... a lot.

any work out music suggestions? I have my songs but they're getting old.
2010 is going to be amazing :)

-A

uhh diary entry much?

2009-12-21T01:27:00.004-06:00

It's taking me a long time to realize what I really have in my life.
This realization didn't come from a touching advertisement about starving children in other countries, oh no. It also didn't come from the lectures about Jesus which have been shoved down my throat. Of course not. It came from a deep yet completely 100% random conversation I had with a grade school friend.
Today I had a heart-to-heart with my friend Smriti for the first time in years and we reflected on our lives since gradeschool. After speaking for about an hour, I realized that although I have always loved my friends, I have never fully and completely appreciate them to the extent that they needed to be appreciated. They have always driven me around, given me stuff, hugged me on a daily basis, and listened to my over-dramatic gossip stories and they deserve the best that the world has to offer. They have enriched my life to an extent that neither they nor I will ever understand.
Without them my life would be empty.
(it sounds cliche but it's true.)
I guess the only way to find the true meanings of life is to find it on your own.
It can't be forced...

-A

Chicago froze over

2009-12-10T18:58:00.006-06:00

and my window experienced it mucho.

(click for a larger / crappier view)

Please forgive the grimy contrast of these pictures; I had to take them when it was dark out (pitch black at 5 pm WTF) so I needed to contrast it for the ice to be visible.
I hate it when freezing wind whips across my face and causes my hair to fly in every direction possible. I hate fixing it. Not only is taking my mitten'd hands out of my cozy pockets a hassle, but the gloves always make my hair static-y.... which is definitely on the list of The Worst Feelings Ever. (It takes 3rd place after thirst and hunger. Just in case you were wondering.)

-A

P.S. I thought it was time for a new header, so I made one! How do you guys like it? I took the picture in Boston and I adore it. (I know, Boston is not in the Midwest, but whutevz.)

novels galore

2009-12-10T01:22:00.007-06:00

It's 1:30 in the morning on a Wednesday night and I have much to do at school tomorrow. Maybe I'm up because I took an accidental 2 hour nap, or maybe it's because I am greatly skilled at procrastination.
Lately I've been reading many non-school related books instead of watching late night shows with Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel. As of now I'm rereading Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris, and I just finished Twilight. I was one of those people who didn't care about Twilight; I wasn't a fanatic for or against it, I was neutral. But now I am in love with it and I can't stop relating it to my daily life. I never thought to read it until I discovered that one of my guy friends was in love with it. I thought, well, since this guy is reading it, it should be good. So I took the dust covered book from the top section of my bookshelf and read it within a week. 400+ pages is a long read for someone who almost never reads to begin with, but I read it with ease. It was exhilarating and emotional at the same time; I was experiencing what the main characters were feeling. It was pretty amazing; I'm not gonna lie.

As of now, the list of books I am reading all at once:
No Ordinary Time
There Are No Children Here
New Moon
Of Mice and Men
Paper Towns (I kept hearing about it from British youtube personalities; I wonder if it's any good?)
reread; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
reread; Animal Farm
reread; Me Talk Pretty One Day
reread; Funny in Farsi

So yes. The first two are for school, the rest I just want to read on my own with ease. I have to reread a lot of books, mainly because I completely forgot what they were about and I want to revamp my memory. I'm super stoked for it though.
I occasionally read myself to sleep.
I guess it's kind of comforting.

-A

Lady Gaga Interview

2009-11-25T23:28:00.006-06:00

Wow. I just watched this entire interview and my respect for Lady Gaga just shot through the roof. She talks about her past, her passion for art, and her views on gay people and celebrities. The interview as a whole is long, but it's worth the watch if you like her.
part one:

click for: Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.
enjoy!

-A

ack.

2009-11-25T17:31:00.007-06:00

For the last month things have easily overwhelmed me. Whether it be getting a B instead of a well deserved A, or failing to complete essays the way I want to, things just don't seem to be going right and I never have enough time for anything.
Now I have to do college applications.
This entire thanksgiving weekend is dedicated to writing essays for my college apps. Will I have a day to rest or have fun? No. I need a break from it all but it just won't leave my mind. My major problem is that with every application I fill out, there needs to be a portfolio or video attached. This is when I start to freaaak. I don't know what to include or what to put in and I seem to be on my own for this.
So far this month, plans have been canceled and things have been delayed all because of this college process that never seems to end.
I'm sure you think this sounds like some kind of death note. I can assure you it is not; I just have a melancholy view of it all... until I can find some kind of hobby or glimmer of happiness through something fun, I'll just have to keep trudging along. daaamn.

edit: naps help a lot :)

-A

AMAs in a nutshell

2009-11-22T21:09:00.007-06:00

I love Jay-Z
Shakira - how many people were on that stage?
Black Eyed Peas are always bad live. Will.I.Am wore a wig?
Rihanna... poor girl.
Lady Gaga's piano was on fire.
Gloriana = ?????
J.Lo fell during her performance.
MJ won two awards... that was sad to think about.
Eminem still exists?
Billie Joe Armstrong doesn't age. This is completely unrelated, but I think he'd be a cool uncle to have haha.
Taylor Swift won artist of the year.
Adam Lambert is a creep.
people don't know how to walk off stage.

-A

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance

2009-11-17T22:20:00.006-06:00

I'm not sure if I have professed my love for Lady Gaga on this blog, but this music video needs to be posted.

LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE OUTFIT CHANGES!!
I think this video was made just to show off all of the avant garde outfits she can work. Would anyone else be able to wear those clothes and look amazing? I think not. (picture Christina Aguilera trying to pull it off... um, no. sahrry.)
also, check out how different her face looks with each outfit - her hairstyle and makeup are different in every look which transforms her to a new person. I love it.
Videos like these make me want to go into film.

-A

song game!

2009-10-18T22:07:00.011-05:00

I did this on facebook a while ago but I felt the need to retake this music-game-quiz-thing and put it on here, just for fun. just to get the procrastination blogging ball rolling.

GAME:

Step 1: Put your music player on shuffle.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 30 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
Step 3: Italicize and bold the songs when someone guesses both artist and track correctly.
Step 4: For those who are guessing -- looking the lyrics up on a search engine is CHEATING!
Step 5: If you like the game post your own.

1. You've got to get better, said, it's all in your head. We can live through these letters or forget it all together.
2. With guilt that no man should carry, heavy enough to get me buried.
3. So now we see comes burying my burnt remains, these puddled clouds, oh I, I understand now.
4. Play me a sad song, 'cause that's what I want to hear. I want you to make me cry.
5. (title of song), it happened this weekend yeah, you promised me summer, you're giving me winter, and (title of song)
6. We can do it softcore if you want, but you should know I take it both ways.
7. It's not your face, or the color of your hair, or the sound of your voice my dear, that's got me dragged in here.
8. Turn up the music, let's get out on the floor. I'll let you move it, come and give me some more.
9. Call you on the telephone (she's not there), ya always leavin' me alone (she don't care).
10. I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.
11. Does he kiss your eyelids in the morning when you start to raise your head? And does he sing to you incessantly from the space between your wall and bed?
12. Whistle for the boys now don't be shy, give us all a song and a reason why.
13. Hey there, sugar baby, saw you twice at the pop show, you taste like glitter mixed with rock and roll.
14. You used to get it in your fishnets, but now you only get it in your night dress.
15. After school, walking home, fresh dirt under my fingernails, and, I can smell hot asphalt, cars screech to a halt to let me pass.
16. I'm leaving while you turn away, in the basement is where i'm gonna stay. There is blood in all the things I say, Will you hate me if I stay this way?
17. One, two, three, to tha fo, snoop doggy dogg and dr. dre are at the door.
18. Oh, kiss me. Lick that cigarrette then kiss me. Kiss me where your eye won't meet me. Meet me where your mind won't kiss me.
19. It's what you all been waiting for, ain't it? What people pay paper for, damn it.
20. I never bite off more than I can chew, but then she came and bit me.
21. This is a call of arms to live and love and sleep together. We could flood the streets with love or light or heat, whatever.
22. It's amazing what you'll find when you just open your eyes, sometimes love can leave you blind.
23. 'Cause he gets up in the morning, and he goes to work at nine, and he comes back home at five-thirty, gets the same train every time.
24. She said call me now baby, and I'd come a running. (x2)
25. I want to be rich, and I want lots of money. I don't care about clever, I don't care about funny. I want loads of clothes, and fuckloads of diamonds. I heard people die when they are trying to find them.
26. Let me tell you what I do when my day is over after picking the right clothes for about an hour.
27. Son you must go (title of song) go back your bags, take up your scythe, 'cause this world wasn't meant for us both.
28. What I'm searching for, to tell it straight, I'm trying to build a wall.
29. It was (title of song), it was acceptable at the time ... I've got love for you if you were born in the 80's, the 80's.
30. God that was strange to see you again, introduced by a friend of a friend. Smiled and said "yes, I think we've met before", in that instant it started to pour.

yes. hopefully this might work out?
good luck :)

-A

Story time.

2009-09-28T16:40:00.005-05:00

I've been waiting for this to happen to me since freshmen year and I'm sad that it finally did.
I was walking from Precal to Biographical History and I tried to sneak in a bite of my Special K Bar before my stomach would shrink to a size of a raisin. I didn't eat breakfast so I was utterly famished. I started to joke around with my friend when a teacher walked by and said hello to me. I said hi back with my mouth full and laughed hysterically (typical high schooler...). When I got to my class, I plopped my bookbag on the table and tried to sneak another bite of heaven while the teacher wasn't looking. After I did that I put my bookbag on the floor I saw a trail of black water on the hard wooden surface. Jaimie asked, "what the hell is that."
My waterbottle exploded in my bookbag.
I've always dreaded it when other people had accidents like this - it was always such a hastle to clean up and I was always terrified of the water somehow coming towards me. Now I was the one who had to deal with cleaning it all up.
Really? Really.
Karma.

-A

With school comes procrastination. With procrastination comes blog posts.

2009-09-27T12:45:00.009-05:00

I kind of miss blogging/looking at other blogs. I haven't done it in a long time and I think it will take time to get back in to the swing of things, but I'm willing to try... I guess it's one of my goals senior year - to better this blog thing. I think my friends have totally forgotten about blogger... hmm.

Random facts:
1. confession: I study fashion blogs before I go shopping so I have inspiration.
2. I'm going to be a zombie for Halloween. I'm not sure what kind of zombie though - hipster zombie? 80's jogging zombie? Squirrel zombie? hmm... I need ideas.
3. homecoming dress (in white):

4. Applying for colleges is killing me!! I still don't have my list of colleges down and ready. damn.
5. Thinking about college majors is killing me too!! I know I want to go into film/cinematography, but are there jobs out there in that industry??? Should I double major in film and psychology? I love both, but is it worth it? I'm so clueless. When I ask people about it I get a different answer every time.
6. I miss not having responsibilities and being able to have hours and hours of fun in just my backyard.
7. I want to live in New York City for at least a little bit.
8. I want to go to multiple Chicago Bulls games this season.
9. I watched Season 5 of Viva La Bam last night. I was obsessed with it in 8th grade but then I completely forgot about it. I thought I wouldn't like it (things that are awesome when you're young sometimes aren't that great when you're older), but it was actually pretty hilarious.
10. As of now, my favorite band is Röyksopp

-A

photography

2009-08-29T12:01:00.006-05:00

SPOILER ALERT

If you haven't been to the most recent exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and you want to see it, don't look at this post.

(click for larger images)

Ah. Senior year is going very well so far.

-A

please please please

2009-08-26T23:03:00.006-05:00

Dear shoe god,
I would like to have these shoes please.
(top - shoes from topshop. bottom - jazz shoes... I want them so badly. they would be destroyed in the city but it would sooooo be worth it.)

-A

Tell me why Friendly Fires is so adorable

2009-08-16T12:28:00.007-05:00

(click for larger images)

THEY'RE SO FRIENDLY!

Also I saw Julie and Julia yesterday. Although a lot of the script was tacky and the plot was generic, I learned some good values. Oh and Meryl Streep was absolutely wonderful in the movie - she hit Julia Child's personality right on.

-A

A day in the life of Aus P

2009-08-04T00:27:00.010-05:00

SUMMERTIME CHI
I'll just let you guys do the guessing.
(click for larger images)

-A

P.S. does anyone know how to make this column on my blog wider? I hate making these photos tiny :\

My favorite necklace

2009-07-31T21:06:00.007-05:00

I found it in the basement a while ago. The dog section is made of Porcelain. The chain is pretty long, and there is an oval shaped mirror on the backside (I took a picture of it... and it didn't turn out very well haha).

songs I'm listening to:
Evacuate the Dancefloor - Cascada
Paris - Friendly Fires
Radio - Beyonce
Knock You Down - Keri Hilson
Paparazzi - Lady Gaga
Cascade - Deluka
Rock That Body - Black Eyed Peas
this is totally a Pop/Dance summer for me

-A

shout out to the [female] bikers

2009-07-27T18:35:00.008-05:00

I was browsing through The Uniform Project's daily outfits and I found this fabulous piece of work:
The gloves and what seems to be a hat (cough... it's a biking helmet :]) are from a website which showcases fashionable womens biking gear. I think it's a genius idea. I always bike around Beverly and I usually feel like a dork when wearing a helmet. Sure, some people think the idea of fashionable helmets is the dumbest concept possible, but I think it's better to have a fashionable helmet rather than no helmet at all.
Full set:

(click for larger image)

-A

Friendly Fires - "Kiss Of Life"

2009-07-24T21:48:00.004-05:00

This is my new obsession. I love it. The bright colors, the outfits, the dancing. Everything.
And how cute can they get?!
they're at Lollapalooza in 2 weeks... can't wait :D

-A

Can I get a "Hoo-Ha" for looking good

2009-07-21T23:23:00.009-05:00

Today I went to work looking fly with a cute short blue dress, a black cardigan with pastel stripes, a black american apparel hoodie, and houndstooth flats. I had to walk a total of 4 blocks in the south side suburban-ish land of Beverly. During this 4 block walk, I was beeped at twice, I was hollered at (exact words = "HEY BITCH. NICE ASS"), and I got an employees discount at CVS from a man whom I've never seen before. Although looking good saved me $3, I really don't appreciate the south side's treatment of blonde girls who attempt not to look like trash. Were those insults really necessary? No. That's why a black woman with two kids screamed "WAS THAT REALLY NECESSARY?!? I'm sorry that you had to deal with that rude dumbass. People always ask why I can't trust men, and its people like that that give women good reason to stick together! John, promise to always respect women."
"Yea Ma."

The worst part of today was when I was waiting for my ride in the parking lot. I was sitting on the curb and a guy in a car more than 250 feet away decided to yell "HEY BITCH... HEY BITCH!!" Since I've run in to these situations millions of times before, I've learned just to ignore it. So I looked away. I ignored the intolerable asshole. I thought he left so I looked in the general direction of where the car would have been. He was still there. "HEY BITCH! COME OVA HERE!". That was when my ride pulled up (thank god).

once I was in the car I was freaked out a bit... but after I thought about the idea of how many people called me a bitch in such a short amount of time disgusted me. I first thought that women who were hardcore feminists were just over exaggerating, but now I see what they're talking about. Women are not to be treated like the Elephant Man, they are to be respected. at least a little bit. You can look, but you can't touch. or grab. or yell at.

Back to the story.

We drove to the safest place in my heart - downtown Chicago. We were in Grant Park watching a movie with 4500+ other people of all shapes, colors, and sizes.
Was I hollered at?
no.
Did any guy swear at me?
no.
Was I verbally abused by rambunctious idiots in cars?
no.
I was treated like a person should be.
thankgoodness

-A

I NEED SHOPPING

2009-07-17T21:29:00.009-05:00

I made a mix of blacks, purples, browns, and pinks.
can you imagine that big jacket on top of that dress with the arms scrunched up in a hot mess? sigh...
more of these collages to come xx

-A

Jaguar Love.

2009-07-06T20:32:00.005-05:00

I was a big fan of The Blood Brothers in middle school and I was completely devastated when I found out that they broke up. Of course, I found out about 6 months late due to the fact that none of my friends shared the common interest of screamo music. After the breakup, I found out about Johnny Whitney's t-shirt business (Crystal City Clothing - they made some awesome t-shirts for Panic! At The Disco as well as Thursday) and my love for The Blood Brothers kept thriving. Ten minutes ago, I found out about Jaguar Love - Johnny Whitney's new band. I kept hearing about the band through magazine articles as well as advertisements for Nylon's American tour but I never managed to get a good look at them. I had a HUGE epiphany when Nylon Magazine's youtube channel featured a video in which Johnny Whitney talked about his tshirt business as well as Jaguar Love. How was I so late in discovering his new band?? daaaaaaamn.

(Sold at Crystalcityclothing.com)

If you like The Blood Brothers or Johnny Whitney's signature voice, you need to check out their music here.
Check out Crystal City Clothing's website here.

-A

Letter to a Celebrity

2009-07-01T01:28:00.005-05:00

I wanted to try this chain-type-thing out to see if others would like the idea or not. The idea is to write a letter to a celebrity (any celeb - whether they're ultra-famous or not) and either spill your heart out to them, critique them, scream at them, do whatever you want. The only rule is that you can only pick one topic to write about.
My letter is to Adam Lazzara - the lead singer of Taking Back Sunday.

Dear Adam Lazzara,
You, my friend, are very cool, and I support almost all of your hairstyle choices. I understand that you had your emo-esque past, you know, the days when you accidentally almost killed yourself on stage with a microphone around your neck (I would have cried my heart out if that happened), but I honestly think... honestly, really... that you should never dye your hair. I saw pictures of you with blonde hair, others with maroon hair... please Adam! I'm begging you. No more dying hair. I'm sure you are over those phases now - you should be proud of your brunette locks of hair *(Refer to Fig. 1). They're gorgeous. That is all.

LUV UR MUSIK,
Ausrine.

P.S. I recently watched the music video for You're So Last Summer and ya'll were babies back then. Especially Matt! He looks 2.

(*Fig. 1 - WORKIN' THAT HAT)

Tell me why Little Boots is so adorable

2009-06-25T17:12:00.005-05:00

I'm glad she stuck with being Blonde.

-A

Brian Lichtenberg

2009-06-18T21:30:00.008-05:00

I went to The Modern Wing of the Art Institute with my friend Jenny. I have to say, I was amazed by it. I was fascinated by one exhibit in particular which contained paintings by both Dali and Picasso. During this fun trip, I kept referring to Brian Lichtenberg - a designer from L.A. - but then I realized not many people know who he is. So... I decided to make a collage of my favorite designs by him.This is my first fashion collage :) I love it. It's really messy, but it's pretty good for having not much time. I've seen collages on many fashion blogs so I felt the need to do one myself. I didn't put much emphasis on Lichtenberg's famous leggings - those are up to you to find ;)
(Check out his newest looks here)

-A

Terminator Salvation

2009-06-13T21:53:00.005-05:00

Has anyone seen it?? It was so much better than I expected. From the choice of male actors to having minimal romance, it's definitely a perfect action film. It would be so cool to see this movie in IMAX or in 3D.
and Sam Worthington - *SLOBBER*
why do I make everything so girly.

-A

Tell me why love is so adorable

2009-06-11T23:37:00.009-05:00

Sorry for the double post today.
My friend Lauren and I had an interesting conversation over facebook. I felt the need to make it public because it was so damn cute. I wasn't sure where I could post this; myspace - nobody will see it, facebook - everyone will see it, blogger - perfect.
it's kind of taken out of context. but.

Me: I wish she wouldn't fall for him so hard in the first place.
Lauren: Yeah
I don't fall too easily
Me: neither do I haha I don't think I ever have
I've had a shitload of lust all over the place, but I've never fallen in love
Lauren: I don't fall too easily, but when I do, i FALL.
Me: aww man
fuck
i've never fallen
will I ever fall?
Lauren: you will
Me: I hope so
Lauren: AND IT WILL TAKE YOU AWAY
promise you

thank you wise guru of mine

-A

Ahh, philosophy.

2009-06-11T14:22:00.002-05:00

(taken from a BBC documentary about Russell Brand traveling across the US...)

"The main thing that I got from this journey is that if you aren't governed by fear, you can live truthfully and you can find a kind of beauty... but if you're inhibited and fearful, you will live a prescriptive existence. ... Once you sort of get beyond the hedonistic first impulse of that philosophy, you find that you need to focus on something wider - more permanent and beautiful and valuable. That's what I've learned."

-Russel Brand

oh man. I totally agree.
-A

random update (in list form... like Ariel.)

2009-06-06T20:47:00.007-05:00

1.) I BOUGHT A BUNCHLOAD OF GLITTER TODAY
I am so excited. only inspiration (er.. and maybe a little distress) will come from it.

2.) I saw the movie 'Up' yesterday.... and I started to cry 10 minutes into it.
don't go into that movie expecting some kind of light comedy; the changes of anxiety/sadness/happiness exhausted me like no other.

3.) I also bought neon pink nail polish today - I see it so much on Karla's Closet, and it looked mega cute on her, so I thought it might look cute on me. maybe?

4.) I'm done with school. forever.
(forever = less than 3 months.)

5.) I might see Lupe Fiasco for free this month?
if you want to go, hit me up.

6.) Does anyone know where I can buy individual golden or silver Studs?
as in studs from studded belts?
I really need to decorate some things.
I also need a lot of sequins... hmm...

7.) anyone up for a game of frisbee?

update?
more like forum.
damn.
foiled again.

-A

Kids - MGMT - official music video

2009-06-03T23:37:00.005-05:00

FINALLY!! they made a music video for it!
I am completely in love with it.
Enjoy:

but the ending - what the hell?

-A

ACK

2009-06-02T17:56:00.007-05:00

I seriously am excited for this school year to be over. I'm so psyched for the summer. Mainly because I won't be forced to see people I want to avoid, and I can be a free bird in the city. As of now, I just want to be in a pod of... myself. nobody else. I can't stand talking about anymore drama; I want everyone to be mutual friends. I don't want any gossip. I don't want any lies. I don't want any hate. I just want more friends who are themselves and I want to ignore the judgments that people make about my friends and I. and I don't want to judge anymore. I just want to read books in peace. or something.
sigh...
I need to get back to studying.

-A

Bejeweled

2009-05-29T21:14:00.008-05:00

Banana Republic's tall beaded dress

Urban Outfitters' Geometric Necklace

Jewelry by Fiona Paxton

ah! Everywhere I go there are multibeaded accessories and clothing items like these ones, which mix long metal tubular beads with round and square beads. I love this beading idea because if you use it one way, it can look completely punk... but if you use it another way, it can look elegant.

Cheers for the end of the school year x

-A

note to self: Natalie Portman's Shaved Head last.fm radio station.

sigh...

2009-05-26T20:02:00.003-05:00

an update about myself. no specific topic.
just a list of recent complaints/accomplishments.

for the last couple days I've been really sore because of playing tennis and soccer and such for many hours. I absolutely love sports filled days and the feeling of being sore, it makes me feel accomplished, but a tired mind is something I despise.

I got an internship for costume design. I'm psyched. (1/3 internships I heard back from... stiiill waiting.) I might take some college courses on top of that and have a really busy summer <3

I have a huge craving for harry potter movies.

I need cash money for the summer.

I need to stop emphasizing that I'm Lithuanian... it's getting kind of annoying even for me. (at least I don't play the ethnicity card like some people I know. example:
person 1: I'm going to eat some cheese.
person 2: what kind?
person 1: I think it's some type of jalapeno cheese.
person 2: did you say that because I'm mexican?
person 1: no... I...
person 2: RACIST!
person 1: (angry/frowny face)

That is all.

-A

Top 7 Favorite Bands

2009-05-19T21:01:00.012-05:00

Originally I wanted this to be a top 5 post, but I just couldn't choose. There's no specific order... these are just the top 7 bands I've been listening to a lot lately.

MIIKE SNOW
-I'm still an animal

BEIRUT
-I might go to Pitchfork this summer just for him.

BON IVER

-How do you pronounce Bon Iver?

FISHERMANS

-Check out their myspace at myspace.com/fishermansUSA. Okay Great.

NATALIE PORTMAN'S SHAVED HEAD

-Do you like my ponytail?

LITTLE BOOTS
-she's so cute.

VAN SHE

-hmm... M83 vs. Metronomy vs. Hot Chip vs. The Killers

-A

DID YOU HEAR?!

2009-05-09T12:53:00.003-05:00

It's coming to Chicago on June 15th
(PATRICK WOLF!!!!!11)

-A

escuela

2009-05-07T21:53:00.004-05:00

When I was a freshman, I remember being terrified when sophomores talked about having a 3 hour workload of homework every night.
3 hours a night really isn't that bad.

-A

21 Questions

2009-05-03T00:07:00.010-05:00

I was asked what my favorite movie was and without a thought I said 'The Darjeeling Limited'.
When I was asked what the movie was about, I had trouble.
I didn't know what to say after 'It's about three brothers on a train in India'.

I decided to watch it again and I've come to the conclusion that The Darjeeling Limited is like Donnie Darko; you can only describe the setting and nothing else. If you add any other details, some sections of the movie might be ruined for the people who are virgin to it. But I guess that's how all of Wes Anderson's films are.

Every time I see this movie I love it more and more. I discover something small slash clever yet important.
This movie makes me want to travel to India. It makes India seem so welcoming and clean and good-feeling... India most likely is all of those things already, but I feel the movie enhances it.

Sigh.

-A

These are a few of my favorite things

2009-04-27T22:50:00.030-05:00

Caution: there are many pictures in this post. Apologies if it takes a long time to load it!

Spanish Moss Vintage is an online store that sells vintage clothes through eBay. A plus is that they sell vintage items for an incredibly low price. The only problem is that they sell it on eBay... which means other people can bid for the same item, and you have limited time to find out about/buy the item.
Another thing that can be either a blessing or a curse is that they only sell one of everything.
Blessing: nobody else has it. Curse: one size only.

I picked my favorites from what they're selling this week:

(try to guess what decade each piece is from!!)

I highly advise clicking for larger images

royal blue gold stud quilt jacket blazer

strapless party dress

vintage baby blue dress

sequin jacket

military mini blazer

ivory silk blazer

crochet mini dress

bronze metallic ruffle party dress

bleached stone wash denim mini jacket

If you want to check out any of these items, go to the Spanish Moss Vintage ebay store by clicking HERE. Some of these items are off the market in about 16 hours, others will be gone in 9 days. Good shopping :)

-A

welcome home

2009-04-26T10:28:00.010-05:00

Spring finally showed it's arrival when it was 80 degrees on Friday. I took these photos while I was on a boat tour for one of my classes. I'm glad that these pictures look decent... I used a terrible camera. lovelovelove.

On a depressing note, (I'm a debby downer) it's been raining nonstop for the last day and a half. The weather forecast for today: thunderstorms with a high of 82, and a low of 64. And according to the same weather provider, the temperature right now is 44. WHAT WEATHER FLUCTUATES LIKE THAT?!

-A

http://www.futureme.org/

2009-04-20T17:50:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite youtubers, Nerimon, is doing a project this month called Vlog Everyday in April.
He decided to talk about http://www.futureme.org/ today. On this website, you can email yourself in the future. Basically what you do is fill out a box with the message you want to send, select a date on which you want to send it, ... and wait. I guess.

It's kind of dorky, but I decided to send myself an email 2 years from now... when I'm in college, probably stressing out about my last days in school, i'll receive an email from myself from today. I listed my current interests regarding youtube, music, college majors, television, etc. and I want to see how much I've changed... I will want to know what I wanted to do, what I liked, who I was going out with, literally 2 years before the day I receive my email.
Fascinating.

-A

P.S. school has tired me out like no other, so apologies if this post doesn't make much sense :\

Joel Madden Vs. Caleb Followill

2009-04-19T15:48:00.013-05:00

Recently I've discovered that Joel Madden from Good Charlotte and Caleb Followill from Kings of Leon look similar... when wearing fedoras.

Example:

Vs.

Fedoras are a touchy thing in fashion. Either people pull it off really nicely, or they just shouldn't wear them whatsoever.

The question is,
who pulls it off better?
Answer: Caleb Followill.

Joel just isn't working the fedora. Instead of mixing colors or patterns or textures in the rest of his outfit to make it work, Joel decided to stick with a plain black sweatervest, black tie, black pants, a white collared shirt, and most likely some converse high tops or vans to finish his outfit. That might have been really cool... i don't know, 4+ years ago... but I feel he just doesn't have the right outfit to compliment the fedora.

Caleb here is looking like a hot mess, but he's doing it fiercely (I wish Christian Siriano read my blog). He looks intoxicated with his spouse, but he's rocking the fedora. The flawlessity (?) of his outfit comes from the layering of the leather jacket, longer cardigan, and tucked in t-shirt. Caleb's outfit as a whole is completely up to par in the rockstar world while Joel's is... not. I guess.

-A

NPSH & Lily

2009-04-12T23:35:00.005-05:00

I saw Natalie Portman's Shaved Head and Lily Allen tonight. I highly recommend seeing them live!! NPSH is just fun all around, really fun to dance to... and Lily Allen is just a piece of work.
She smoked during half of her set, and she closed the performance with 'Womanizer' by Britney Spears. Great closing... that's all I gotta say.

music video by NPSH:

natalie portman's shaved head - sophisticated side ponytail from thatgo on Vimeo.

-A

Photos & Spring Break

2009-04-11T14:15:00.007-05:00

(Click for larger images)

baahh. Even though it's spring break, I've only had one day of fun and relaxation. At the moment I'm trying to complete a portfolio for an application for a paid internship at a local arts center, and it's taking forever to complete. I'm so excited for it but it's super competitive (this internship accepts applicants ages 16-21, and I'm only 16... so I'll be competing against college students). I hope I'll get it. If I get it I'll be the happiest girl in the world.
wish me luck!

-A

Donnie Darko Sequel

2009-04-08T15:27:00.003-05:00

This is the trailer to the Donnie Darko sequel, called S.Darko.

I love Donnie Darko so much but I'm not sure if I will enjoy the sequel. It might destroy the mystery of the first film, or it might enhance it... and the mystery is what makes Donnie Darko intriguing.
I will be severely pissed off if the character donnie darko makes an appearance as a ghost in the sequel. SEVERELY PISSED.
(I am clearly part of the donnie darko cult ha)

-A

tell me why Mika is so adorable

2009-04-05T21:31:00.007-05:00

(click for slightly larger images)

Yes yes, I know... Mika is overly popular and I usually try to stick with people who some might not have heard of, but I felt that I needed to post these wonderful pictures. His clothing style is so simple and attractive.
-A

stopped at DSW today...

2009-03-29T22:31:00.003-05:00

I ended up staying there for 2+ hours looking at shoes.
I bought a pair of black platform pumps with a silver snakeskin-looking finish (for prom), some awesome brown/peach/white pumas that look somewhat like nikes, and a pair of the most comfortable running shoes I've ever had (asics with the gel insole. AHHH try them if you need a new pair of gym shoes!).

I was searching for some flats for school, but could never find anything in my size. My shoe size ranges from 10 - 10 1/2 (woaaah nelly. so big.) and it's always so hard to find shoes that are my size. It's the worst thing in the world.
I found this amazing pair of heels that I wanted so bad... but it only came in 8, 8 1/2, and 6 at the store... and even online it doesn't come in my size; only in 9 1/2 and 11.
This is the pair of shoes:

apologies for the crappy photo.
but can you imagine how great they would look with skinny jeans?
or a dress?
*sigh*

-A

p.s. new layout change. like it?

Metronomy - A Thing For Me

2009-03-28T22:01:00.002-05:00

Short post.
My friend Imani sent me this music video and I instantly fell in love.

I think I'mma post on Monday too.
-A

I experienced an Epiphany today

2009-03-25T22:06:00.009-05:00

My friend Chris and I were analyzing things today. It went from life philosophy, to relationships, to just girls vs. boys in general. We came up with the idea that all girls around the world do the following:

Girls want what they can't have.
if a girl miraculously gets what she wants,
she suddenly rejects it cold and doesn't want it anymore.
then in some cases,
months later, she wants what she rejected because she misses it.

and then it goes in one of two ways;
1. she gets what she misses again and falls in love with it.
OR
2. she gets it, but rejects it again, and finally gets over what she thought might be another chance to get what she wanted (run on sentence much?)

this might be a little confusing. let me give an example using the 2nd ending:
A girl has a crush on a boy for months. He finds out that she likes him and starts liking her back. She is surprised to find out that he likes her, and thinks that the relationship is not what she thought it would be like. She rejects him. He is heartbroken. Months later, she misses him. She calls him to find out what he's up to. They hang out, his hopes are up... but she realizes that there still isn't a flame and never was. He, again, is heartbroken.

I might be a little sexist in this post, but I guess it could also go the other way around.
This post also brings me to another idea;
the reason why playing hard-to-get works out so well is because of the fact that people want what they can't have.
does that make any sense?
hmm.

also - if you might have noticed, there's a new blog I've created with this profile, called Frea Sitti (free city). Right now it's private so I'm not sure if you guys can even see it, but it will be up and running by the summer. I plan on blogging just about chicago, including events, possible concert or restaurant reviews, and many many photos. There might be partners involved (?) so I'll keep ya'll posted.

-A

I Found My Prom Dress :)

2009-03-20T20:49:00.006-05:00

Junior Prom is coming so early this year and I found a perfect dress.

These pictures do not do this dress justice.

I'm getting this dress in white.
It's definitely not the traditional prom dress... I mean it's not a long, silk-draped, bejeweled dress.
But it has hidden pockets and I find it adorable <3
Once I buy it tomorrow, I will put up better pictures.

-A

QUIZZZ

2009-03-18T22:01:00.005-05:00

why are these so addicting?
*AACK*
Open your player and:

Total number of tracks: 1335

Sort by song title:
-First song: Abandon - French Kicks
-Last song: 88 - The Cool Kids

Sort by time:
-Shortest song: Guitarmy - The Blood Brothers (0:37)
-Longest song: Tereza And Tomas - Bright Eyes (25:47)

Sort by album:
First song: Armageddon - Against Me!
-Last song: Welcome To Heartbreak ft. Kid Cudi - Kanye West

Top 15 most played songs:
1. Get Up and Go - Broadcast 2000
2. Angels And Weathermen - The Mommyheads (which was a mistake)
3. Razz - Kings of Leon
4. All I Ever Wanted - Basshunter (that's embarrassing)
5. Pull Out - Death From Above 1979
6. Four Kicks - Kings of Leon
7. Day 'N' Nite (Crookers Remix) - Kid Kudi
8. Sleepyhead - Passion Pit
9 .Blood On Our Hands - Death From Above 1979
10. Nighttiming - Coconut Records
11. Balloons - Foals
12. For Emma - Bon Iver
13. King of the Rodeo - Kings of Leon
14. Say Aha - Santogold
15. Smile - Lily Allen

First five songs that comes up on Party Shuffle:
1. Steal My Sunshine - LEN
2. I've Been Eating (For You) - Bright Eyes
3. Little Motel - Modest Mouse
4. Error: Operator - Taking Back Sunday
5. Ambulance Vs. Ambulance - The Blood Brothers

Search ....
"sex", how many songs come up? 15
"love", how many songs come up? 63
"you", how many songs come up? 201
"death", how many songs come up? 20
"hate", how many songs come up? 14
"wish" how many songs come up? 1 (and it was Swisha by Ratatat. I found that funny.)

Tagging People:
Skeldy, JenJen, Mckinley (for you to start your goddamn blog)

-A

Shopping

2009-03-15T11:40:00.004-05:00

So I was looking through all of my old posts and came across a few drafts from the summer time.
Here's one of them:

I don't like certain stores just because of the decor...
maybe it's the teenage thought process, but I truly find stores with plain white walls and floors and fluorescent lighting incredibly unattractive. so unattractive that I can't even think about shopping there.
Examples? Filene's basement, Marshall's, Kmart, etc. etc..
I don't mind target though. Target is like the Urban Outfitters of everyday stores. well, minus the large prices... and the hipsters... but you know what I mean.
My favorite store is Urban Outfitters.
Mainly because the clothes are magnificent.
maybe because the big prices make me feel special. (that's sad. but it's nice to buy expensive and nice things.)

WOW have things changed since I wrote that post. Sure, I still love Urban Outfitters, but wow. I am not that closed off anymore.

also - my favorite song right now is 'For Emma' by Bon Iver.
ya'll should check it out. It's so soft but it's soooo good.

-A

Kanye West

2009-03-10T20:07:00.009-05:00

While waiting for the train today, I purchased a magazine with Kanye West on the cover. I didn't realize it was a mens magazine until I got to the LaSalle station, where every advert in the magazine was either for mens cologne or high class clothing companies, and the only fashion tips were for men. No worries - fashion = good, and there was a large / historical article on Kanye, which is why I bought it in the first place.
I love Kanye.

I'm only halfway through the interview but I just felt the need to put up a few excerpts:

For example, I [the interviewer] ask about his infamous "I am the voice of this generation" quote: "If not me, then who?" [Kanye] says. "Someone could be a better rapper, dance better. But culturally impacting? When you look back at these four and a half years, who's the icon at the end of the day? Who broke down color barriers? What other black guy would a white person use as a fashion reference?"

"First beat I did," [Kanye] recalls, "was in seventh grade, on my computer. I got into doing beats for the video games I used to try to make. My game was very sexual. The main character was, like, a giant penis. It was like Mario Brothers, but the ghosts were, like, vaginas. Mind you, I'm 12 years old, and this is stuff 30-year-olds are programming. You'd have to draw in and program every little step—it literally took me all night to do a step, 'cause the penis, y'know, had little feet and eyes."

on another note
I kept smelling the scent of this one guy I know the way home from the train station. It was raining, I don't know where it came from.. It kept fading away and reappearing at the most random times, it could have been anyone.. but it smelled so good.

-A

Faux Friends

2009-03-10T00:08:00.009-05:00

Faux Friends are the type of people who are acquaintances but are in need of each other on a daily basis. This relationship usually starts out with a full-blown heart-to-heart discussion and ends with a facebook chat about how they need to meet up again. But do they meet up? oh. never.

During conversation, these kind of people either reminisce about the few good things enjoyed together days/months/years ago, or create small talk about the latest gossip. Their conversations almost never get past that. They don't talk about philosophy or religion, or anything else touchy like politics. Instead they stick to the same old monotonous ideas over and over again.

There are two ways this relationship between Being #1 and Being #2 can go; Being #2 rejects the 'HEEEEY YOU' in the hallway, or Being #2 accepts and praises the 'HEEEEY YOU' daily as if they were best friends. The second option lets Being #1 know that Being #2 has given in to the Faux relationship, which yields to the mutual adding of each other to their Top 8s on Myspace.

Speaking of the internet, these Faux Friends always include each other in online quizzes and chain emails, but they never hang out out of the required areas they are forced to be in or the events that they can't back out of. They are always there for each other at awkward situations, like finding a seat on the first day of a new class, or sitting together at a large assembly where they have nowhere else to go. They are there for each other when they are with odd people and need an excuse to leave, like an important text or call, brought to them by the other person. They need each other but at the same time they are meaningless.
I guess you could call it a mutual using of one another.

We all need Faux Friends at some point; they are there for comfort. for us not to feel deserted in a crowd of people. or when we're "all alone at a table of friends" (thanks Bright Eyes, for that quote).

I sound really depressing in this post.
Realistically, I'm quite the opposite at this point in time.
I've just been analyzing things way too much lately.

-A

Tell me why Mark Ronson is so adorable

2009-03-03T21:44:00.006-06:00

(Click for larger/better quality images)

I think I'm going to do these kinds of posts more often. I listen to so much music but I rarely look at the musician's photos. It makes listening so much better.
Mark Ronson's sense of style is absolutely wonderful. I wish more stars dressed like him. Also, he needs to smile more often in photos - look at how adorable he is in that last photo! SWOON.
He and Lily Allen would make such a cute couple
(were they a couple already? I have no clue.)

-A

Ah, let's skip our work. Shall we?

2009-03-01T21:01:00.004-06:00

Today I found out that multiple friends of mine have blogs on this website. This sounds pretty dumb but I never expected people from the real world (vs the internet world) to find this blog. It makes me feel like I have to limit my posts, or censor myself... which is an option that shouldn't even be in my head according to 'Muckin', a friend of mine. Now I feel that I have a different audience. I didn't even think about having an audience when I started this blog, but now people are finding it through other places and I find that pretty interesting. The idea that anyone can find anything you post on the internet finally hit me square in the face; I believed in that idea but I never took it seriously. It's kind of scary... I wonder if my family is reading this. How awkward would that be.

In other news, I find that I have to break a new habit: looking at the last square in a comic strip before reading it completely. I keep doing it and it ruins the surprise for me! I mean, how am I supposed to enjoy a Sunday comic strip when I keep ruining the ending for me? I love Foxtrot. and Baby Blues. and Especially Zits, but I keep messing up the order. Comic strips remind me of fmlife.com.... both of them contain rather bland stories with ironic twists at the end which make them beyond amazing.

-A

Marc by Marc Jacobs fall 2009

2009-02-19T23:37:00.002-06:00

wow wow wow.
the 2009 fall line for marc by marc jacobs is amazing.
am I right?
I think I'm right.
my favorites:

So the models do look a little creepy, but when they're moving the clothes come to life. I tried to cut down as much as possible on this post but it was just so hard! all of the looks are beautiful.
Also - the mens clothing he made is to die for.... ohh my goodness. maybe I'll post some photos in a later post.
-A

woop adverts

2009-02-13T21:30:00.006-06:00

I was on the nylon website, reading about customizing watches, and I decided to go to the Nixon website. I found myself lost in the advert for their company at the top of the page:

(click to enlarge)

I am completely fascinated with this image; I keep questioning whether the paint in this photo is an actual photo, or if it was just 100% photoshopped. They did a very good job either way. Although I never thought about getting a Nixon watch, these ads are kind of convincing me.
oops :)

-A

Pet Peeves

2009-02-09T20:47:00.002-06:00

One of my largest pet peeves is when people think they own the rights to being the 'first listener of (name of a specific almost unheard band placed here)'

Some people get pissed off when other people start listening to their favorite 'never heard before' band. I don't understand why - shouldn't they be happy that others are listening to that band? I mean, wouldn't you want the best for your favorite band? The best being more fans, which would bring in more money, which would give them more motivation to write another album, and eventually go on tour to get more fans, more money, and more motivation to write another album to go on tour yet again. It's a cycle bands need to go through to be successful.

I also think these people are hypocritical. How did these people who rave about their underground band hear about them in the first place? Did they meet them in person and help get them off the ground? In most cases no, and if they would have been in that position, they would want more people knowing about this specific band. This know-it-all-underground-band-geek probably heard about this band from some magazine which called it one of the most 'unheard/underrated' bands of the month on an indie blog.
ay ay ay.

let's end this with an adorable photo:

Aw Santogold. I used to fear you, now I think you're the best thing since... toast (??)

-A

YAAAAYY

2009-02-07T12:27:00.007-06:00

oh man I'm in such a good mood just because of the weather
It's 56 degrees in Chicago!
What a change. It was 0 a week ago.
This summer feel means it's time to break out the poprockesque music (keane, mika, maroon 5, etc.).
I'm so happy it's cardigan weather :))))))))
It's so nice to hear all the construction going on outside, and it's so nice to have the windows open without having the fear of bugs flying in, and it's so nice to see couples holding hands and walking outside.

oh and check out how awesome these ice cubes are:

-A

Double Demon

2009-02-04T21:54:00.012-06:00

I got double detention at school today for using my phone in the cafeteria. I know it would be logical to get detention if I was flat out using it during school in front of many teachers, but today I was using it after school... at 5:30. Apparently, if we're in a doorway (heading outside) while making a call to anyone we want we will not get detentioned. Also, if we're in a select square area in some random corner of the cafeteria, we are also allowed to call/text people from there. But if we receive a call from our parents wondering where the hell we are hours after school ended while sitting at a table, it is mandatory for the lady in charge to not only give 2 detentions but also to take away the cell phone and kill our social lives (which is caused by a lack of communication to the outside world via texting and calling).

You may ask, how do the students get their phone back?
Students can get it back the next day by dragging their parents up the wooden staircases with an apology, paying up some golden coins, and having a makeup-filled teardrop forming in the corner of their eye. This is a large hassle for the teenagers who drive themselves to school every day. Why? Because not only would they have to bring their already busy parent to school, the parents would also be large and inconvenient (inconvenient: taking up too much room on the staircases and not being efficient with their large coats and disorganized purses) when they'd tag along with the teen. Also, they'd be an embarrassing hazard because they don't know what staircases are 'Up' staircases and 'Down' staircases (if we go Up the 'Down' staircases, we get another detention). It's almost as if high schools want parents to hate their children.

Honestly though, this detention business regarding phone calls after 3:00 makes no sense.
Do these people realize that lack of communication with parents is bad for children and causes unruliness as well as drug abuse?
That would definitely happen if we weren't allowed to call our parents.

augh high school.
this situation reminds me of this little piece of dialogue:

Dwayne: I wish I could just sleep until I was eighteen and skip all this crap-high school and everything-just skip it.
Frank: Do you know who Marcel Proust is?
Dwayne: He's the guy you teach.
Frank: Yeah. French writer. Total loser. Never had a real job. Unrequited love affairs. Gay. Spent 20 years writing a book almost no one reads. But he's also probably the greatest writer since Shakespeare. Anyway, he gets down to the end of his life, and he looks back and decides that all those years he suffered... those were the best years of his life... 'cause they made him who he was. All those years he was happy - you know, total waste. Didn't learn a thing. So, if you sleep until you're 18... Ah, think of the suffering you're gonna miss. I mean high school? High school-those are your prime suffering years. You don't get better suffering than that.

Little Miss Sunshine

-A

Fabric from the East Coast

2009-02-01T13:45:00.013-06:00

When I was in NYC with my family, we had to try to find the right set of curtains for my sister's apartment. We went to China Town and looked in several fabric stores, and this one was the first one we stepped into.

click for larger (and better quality) images

-It was a complete mess! It was pretty shady but we got fair deals. Good trade?-

-Yes, this is a spool of Where's Waldo cloth, right next to Dora The Explorer cloth.-

You'd think I'd take pictures of, say, touristy things when I was in New York. You know, ginormo buildings, and monuments and such... but I clearly didn't.
woop.
-A

Ratatat music video 'Shempi'

2009-01-25T16:46:00.011-06:00

Like Foals, I've been listening to Ratatat for a while now. They came out with a new album over the summer, which is absolutely wonderful, so I highly recommend you check it out.
I saw them live with my pal Jenny in late August (or was it mid September?) and they had crazy/outstanding visuals which were incredibly trippy.
I looked up a music video of theirs and I don't think I'll ever look at them the same:

no, this isn't some crappy fanmade video, this is the official video by ratatat... incase you were wondering.

with Foals, it was a positive effect when I saw photos of them.
with Ratatat, I'm completely weirded out after seeing their music video.
I'm assuming it's really cool if you're on drugs?

if you haven't listened to them before, the song 'Mirando' is my favorite. go 'n get it!
-A

tell me why Foals is so adorable

2009-01-19T21:50:00.007-06:00

(click for slightly larger images)

I have been listening to them for months now, but I never realized how vibrant they looked.
I have some photo projects I've been working on; more to come, from the East Coast.

-A

In NYC...

2009-01-18T22:43:00.004-06:00

Will post soon...
When I have internet access instead of my sister's iPhone...
-a

Everyone needs a new pair of shoes

2009-01-09T21:25:00.008-06:00

I... Just had to post this..
My room is a mess.

-A

Stressstressstress

2009-01-01T17:28:00.003-06:00

It's 2009 and I only have a weekend before school starts.
Why am I so stressed?
Because I procrastinate too much. I have a photography project due on the 5th, the day we get back, and I have nothing done. I know I should have started it a month ago and worked on at school (which I did but everything seemed to turn out crappy), but I didn't work hard enough and now I'm screwed.
What am I to do?
I can only use digital on two photos, the rest need to be B&W prints from film.
I need to find a dark room this weekend (almost impossible to find without paying $100 a month) and a mounting press on top of that. Why don't people have mounting presses anymore?
Argghh.

-A

Hi there! What's your name?

2008-12-26T17:41:00.008-06:00

Oh hey.
I haven't updated in a while. It's been busy busy busy.
In case you all didn't know, winter sucks.
Yeah yeah yeah, snow is grrrreat during the holiday season, but we have no salt in The Chi so we're driving on ice all the time.
Remember when everything was nice during fall, when your biggest worries were piles of leaves?
In case you forgot...

I found these pictures I took on my computer and needed to use them somewhere.. hope you enjoy it

-A

Tagged for the first time :D

2008-12-16T19:52:00.007-06:00

Tagged by: Monika Marieee!

Rules: Answer all of the questions with a word that begins with the same letter that either your name begins with.

1. What is your name: Aussie
2. A 4 Letter word: Apes

3. A Boys Name: Art

4. A Girls Name: Aubrey

5. An Occupation: Architect
6. A Color: Amethyst
7. Something you wear: A Cardigan

8. A Beverage: Apple Cider
9. A Food: Artichokes. mmmmmm.
10. Something found in the bathroom: Athlete's Foot Creme?
11. A place: Athens, Greece.
12. A Reason for being late: Asking for directions.
13. Something you shout: AY AY AY!

I'm Tagging Melanie, Ariel, Grace, and to see if he'll actually do this, Jazza.

eeeeeep!!!! cuteness all over again.

2008-12-14T22:35:00.004-06:00

Lately I've been wanting to get my hair cut and I found the perfect haircut that I'm aiming for:

I love it! It's so hippy and urban. I'm just wondering if it will fit the shape/style/gravity? of my hair/head

-A

I love me some Jazza.

2008-12-09T18:59:00.010-06:00

He makes a good point in this video. I feel the views on this topic might be a bit different in America; all I've been hearing about is that the future of the US is in our hands and that the older are looking forward to it... possibly because America is in economic hell at the moment (GDP is lower than in 1982... oh dear) and everyone is just looking for some optimism.
I might just be over optimistic.
Opinions?

ALSO.
"Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents for what U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald called a 'staggering' level of corruption involving pay-to-play politics in Illinois' top office." (Read More Here)
Anybody else incredibly happy?

-A

I bought a new hat

2008-12-07T01:19:00.010-06:00

and some made fun of me for it at a party tonight. But I like it.

-A

Once Again...

2008-12-03T14:19:00.005-06:00

I'm sick.
is this the 4th time in the last couple months?? I think I should live in a bubble.
I skipped school today. I always feel so guilty when skipping school. Truthfully I'd rather die at school than stay at home sleeping...
but luckily I'll get to watch Brad Pitt on Ellen and Christian Siriano on Tyra today.
swoon!

-A

She's adorable!

2008-12-01T20:34:00.010-06:00

aaaahhhh if you haven't seen a video on youtube by Julia Nunes, you're seriously missing out.

Another thing - time is flying by tooo quickly. It was almost a month ago that Obama won the election. It feels like it was only last week... I'm psyched for christmas.

-A

Mi nombre es...

2008-11-21T20:47:00.006-06:00

I've come to realize that I slightly despise my name. Some have come to love my name and sing it to me whenever they see me, but others who don't know me seem offended when I tell them they pronounce it wrong.
My name is Ausrine. ohsh-rrih-neh in Lithuanian, oh-shuh-ree-nuh in American... I guess.
When people ask what my name means, I tell them "morning star and goddess of beauty". There are only two ways people respond to this; they either

respond positively and say "oh what a beautiful name!"

or...

quietly laugh to themselves and think "wow some arrogant hippy definitely named this child some word they made up... probably to make a statement that they're hippies"

when I went to tennis camp my roommate called her boyfriend and said my full name and yelled "ISN'T THAT NAME SO COOL?"
his response: "does she get made fun of?"
awkward moment...

they happen every day of course.

the only problem I'm thinking about is getting a job in the future. from so many books I've read, names can change whether you get a job or not.
I envy people with simple names.

-A

DIOYY?

2008-11-17T20:18:00.009-06:00

Does It Offend You Yeah? posted a bulletin on myspace with this picture:

The title of the post was "sshhhhh." Could it possibly be a hint towards a new album in the works?

hmmm... whatever it is I'm excited.

Also, I've just rediscovered Death From Above 1979. I listened to them nonstop for the last week and now they're ranked Number 5 in the most listened bands on my Last.fm account. Too bad they broke up; they must have been wonderful live.

-A

eleven x2

2008-11-11T17:20:00.009-06:00

After school Sarah and I went from extracurricular to extracurricular taking pictures for the yearbook. We went from improv to ping pong to the animal rights club to classics club to the art club and back to ping pong.

I played a match of ping pong against Kristin and it was great, 3 people were watching (EPPIIICC). The score ended up to be 6-11...

I lost.

With cheating.

We decided to leave the school at four. It was raining so Sarah and I plus two others sprinted outside to get to the car.

I was shotgun.
I was manning the iPod and playing with Sarah's new google phone (it comes with PacMan. Extra Epic).

We stopped at an intersection due to a red light.

So we were sitting there, right. I was looking at the Google phone, Sarah was looking forward, and the music was loud.

Next thing you know, 2 cars collide and one does a 360 toward our car. Sarah and I were waiting for the car to hit us. We anticipated a devastating crash to take place so we both tried looking away but we just couldn't tear ourselves away from watching. Luckily the damaged car stopped 3 feet away from our red & white mini cooper.

close one...

Halloween :)

2008-11-01T17:14:00.006-05:00

This Halloween was great. I went to see kings of leon and they were absolutely wonderful. The opening bands were The Stills and We Are Scientists, and each band dressed up.
The Stills sported white faces with black wardrobes (I don't know what they were...?)
We Are Scientists all dressed up as ghosts. They took what seemed like large plastic table cloths and cut holes for the eyes but those costumes didn't work out very well... at all.
kings of leon... well, Jared dressed up as what looked to be a zombie. his face was white with blood dripping from his ears. Caleb was a cute vampire. He wore regular black clothes with a little cape and had blood all over his mouth. Nathan dressed up as a person from jail, and Matt put black facepaint on his eyes.
there were many teletubbies in the crowd (2) as well as many iron men (I think 2) and vampires (23712).

as we left, we passed about 23987 bars. all were packed with halloween costumes. I think my favorite had to be a pack of basketball players; there were guys on stilts wearing uniforms with blue afros. it was great.

I wonder what other really good costumes people saw last night...

-A
ps although "facepaint" and "leon" were underlined for spellcheck (spellcheck is also underlined), "teletubbies" wasn't...

what's in your wallet?

2008-10-24T16:58:00.006-05:00

Thanks Matt G.

1. Summer ID from Columbia College
2. Super fruity 5 gum
3. Bus Card
4. One way ticket for the train
5. Friend's number and safety pin (I might need it one day...)
6. Awesome Sephora card with a mirror on the back
7. Proof I'm a youngin'
8. My wallet with an unfortunate ink stain from when my pen exploded.

What's in yours?

-A

dinner in the trump building

2008-10-19T22:00:00.006-05:00

When I got off the elevator, I was very impressed with the decor near the entrance of the restaurant called "16" in the Trump building downtown. Cleverly, it was placed on the 16th floor, where the view of the city was in between decent and pretty nice. There were walls of wine holders and candles lit everywhere; it was sort of modernistic yet very heart warming and home-ish. When I was lead to my table I felt displeased. Not only were there no people in the dining area, the decor was just not appealing to my eye at all. It seemed they were going for a modernistic look, but they failed. It was modern enough but they needed creativity. The colors in the restaurant were a typical creme, white, silver, maroon, glass, and black. Also, the decision to put a chandelier in the middle of the dinning area was a good one, but the decision to stick a pale yellow one from the 80s in the center of the place wasn't nice. This one didn't even have lights on it. I expected that since Donald Trump has so much money, he'd invest some into a good designer.

Fail count: 6.

Not only was the decor a trouble, the food was overwhelming. The menu, of course, made everything seem appetizing. The words I couldn't pronounce sounded fabulous, so I ordered some pig belly for an appetizer (an overwhelming 19 or so dollars) along with some duck and prune something (I'm assuming somewhere around $43) with a dessert of chocolate mousse something with something with granny smith apple sorbet ($14). With the prices being so high, I expected something wonderful. Something light and soft and rich and crisp all at the same time, like all other fabulous restaurants are made. My expectations were crushed. I have to say the only good part of my meal were all of the additions to the things I ordered. The risotto with the pig belly was delicious, the duck was cooked just the way I like it, and the granny smith apple sorbet was magnificent. The rest could have come from any other hotel. I could see the effort put into it, but the taste was on a different (lower) level. Everything I ordered was either too bland or too sweet. It's not that I have an incredibly snobby taste pallet (which is pretty good for the age I am, I'm not going to lie), it's just that the food wasn't made correctly.

fail count: 32

Other than those complaints, I'd have to say the waiters were great. All of them were super nice, decent looking, and well trained, so I give Donald Trump a thumbs up for that. Other than that, I'd tell him to rethink his options and actually taste the menu for himself.

-A

Adorable Much?

2008-10-16T17:45:00.004-05:00

I found this on SeeSaw Designs. I plan on filling one (or even a couple) of these out in the near future.

-A

Guess who's sick again?

2008-10-13T22:17:00.004-05:00

After being SO close to getting rid of my previous cold, it rained when I was walking home from the train station... and now I'm sick. Again.
Oh, don't think that the rain that hit me in the face while walking home was a light drizzle. It was full out pouring and I had to walk six blocks in my stupid hounds tooth flats which offered no support. It was like walking barefoot... with a little strap of leather tied to the bottom of my foot. Comfortable? Not in Chicago rain. I also didn't have an umbrella thanks to lack of the weatherman's warning of rain that day.
Why is it that whenever I'm sick one nostril feels like it's completely clogged up and invading my brain while the other nostril is so dry it hurts to breathe?

I need to stop complaining.

-A

NEW of Montreal

2008-10-11T19:11:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure whether I should be annoyed or incredibly amused by this video

This is how they open their shows now. The dramatic aspect of their live shows has increased from 30% to 89% in the last year.
Imagine how they close their performances...

-A

A question to all of you

2008-10-03T19:44:00.004-05:00

If you're having a bad day, is there a specific thing or action that makes your day instantly better?
If so, what?
I'm really curious.

-A

my favorite youtuber

2008-09-29T16:22:00.006-05:00

Lately I've been liking more and more youtubers who aren't from the US. I've been watching Canadians like AndrewBravener and MattG124 for example, and MANY British youtubers, like RhymingWithOranges, Daveyboyz, BenLoka, etc. etc. etc.
But my new favorite discovery is corporalcadet. He's from New Zealand:

great, huh.

-A

update

2008-09-23T18:32:00.004-05:00

this weekend I went to a concert called The Block Party.
Ratatat and Neko Case and The New Pornographers were there.
as well as Black Mountain and Tim Fite and Dan Le Sac & Scroobius Pip.
they were all very good.
well, Neko Case was okay.

The "random facts and new likings" list:

Doesn't the drum beat from Tim Fite's song "It's All Right Here" sound familiar? hmm.... maybe because it's from Ratatat's song "Crips". I feel Ratatat pulled it off much better (durr) but mad props to Tim Fite for using Ratatat's shhiiznit.
Ratatat is amazing live.
Kings of Leon on Letterman tonight.
most of the time I'm pretty chill... but if you've made me anxious or annoyed, you're doing something wrong.
KINGS OF LEON'S NEW ALBUM CAME OUT TODAY
I have a strange liking for musicians with incredibly long hair. when I say liking, I mean attraction... I mean, even if they're not attractive, I'm still attracted by long hair.
I also find beards and scruff attractive.

-A

ps musicians with long hair and/or scruff:

you can't see their eyes... but trust me, they're mysterious and filled with wonder.

so many people don't find him attractive.
I didn't either, until I heard him speak.
he's greeeaat.

First band pictured x2.
I think I find them so attractive because they're so amazing live.
the one on the right looks like Jesus... ohhh hhhot.
(just a bit creepy)

Bad example of a beard.
Although he has an amazing british accent and clever antics, he can't work it.
sorry scroobius.

more bearded/scruffy men to come!

todai

2008-09-18T20:18:00.012-05:00

I found that my new mens cardigan is delightful when I need to carry tissue around school. It has two dandy pockets in which my little packages of tissue fit nicely. Although the cardigan is comfortable, having a cold is the worst feeling ever. This morning it felt like a big ball of fire was lodged in the depths of my throat and I was breathing out the hot fumes through my nose. Now, it feels like there's a surplus of acid in my throat... which is tearing apart my vocal chords and is seeping from my nose. I'm sure soon it will feel like I've been smoking for years when I'll cough up mucus (gruesome, yes. but we've all been through it.) and I'll have that forever taste of straw on the back of my tongue for a week, even when I brush thrice a day.
oh dear.
I wonder how my weekend will end up. I'm sure it'll be just a cough then. Hopefully a dry one?
Just as long as I keep drinking my delicious tea...

On a brighter note, my home tonight is very relaxing. I've just been sitting in front of the computer, messaging ariel and drinking my amazing earl grey tea. I've been finding myself liking herbal teas instead of fruity ones... I remember as a child my nanny would mix strawberry jam with hot water and I drank that ALL the time.

-A
ps. I quizzed ariel on the names of the people from kings of leon today during lunch. she always got nathan right (due to his long locks of hair), but she always seemed to mix up caleb with everyone else...
just a test - guess their names in order from left to right (the four guys are matthew, nathan, jared, and caleb followill.)

[pictures removed because KOL is invading my blog...]

NEW KINGS OF LEON

2008-09-17T21:36:00.006-05:00

guess what I just found out!
You can listen to Kings of Leon's entire new album here. most are full length songs, others are previews.
Their album "Only By The Night" comes out September 23rd, so you'd be mega cool with all the indie kids if you talked to them about how you listened to the entire album that hasn't come out yet.
Their sound is incredibly mature now. Caleb Followill isn't afraid to show his voice, unlike KOL's older albums where he mumbled most of the lyrics. Their newer songs are more melodious and I can only seem to focus on Caleb's voice. I guess I have to listen to it a couple times in order to listen to the songs as a whole.

other kings of leon news
they're on the cover of this months Spin Magazine.
get it get it.

also,
Their single "Sex on Fire" made its chart debut at Number 1 in the UK, only through digital downloads. Pretty fierce, right?

other facts:
It is due to be released on September 19 in the Republic of Ireland, Germany, Australia and Belgium, September 22 in the UK and September 23 in the U.S. There's a limited edition album in the UK, but I'm not sure if they're releasing it to other countries. I don't think they will.

-A

ps I'm so super excited. I'm going to their sold out concert on october 31st. biiitchess!!

kings of leon play tennis

2008-09-17T18:50:00.001-05:00

as ya'll might know, kings of leon is doing this youtube project where they upload a daily video until september 23rd, when their new album comes out.
this is their latest video:

-A

if you like music

2008-09-13T11:17:00.004-05:00

notice the bean next to chicago.
that makes me feel special.

-A

hipster update

2008-09-10T18:35:00.003-05:00

click here if you're a hipster
just thought you guys should know about it.

-A

Tyra Banx

2008-09-08T16:23:00.003-05:00

I got home at 4:00 today (which is incredibly early!) and I'm watching Tyra.
oh how I miss Tyra.
Today they're talking about body sizes and women copying celebrities and LOSING... it's not as good as the sex tips episodes, or the makeup tips episodes. I miss those...
Wednesday on Tyra - African American women bleaching themselves and their children because they don't want to look dark.
intense much?
too bad I'm missing it.

-A

PS I need a woman fashion idol. (not tyra.)
PPS why doesn't anyone watch tyra?

Today

2008-09-05T22:47:00.005-05:00

Today was pretty exciting.

Well, mass was pretty dull because of the guy who talked for about 7 hours, but other than that, today was exciting.

I went to the gallery district tonight (near Union Park, where Pitchfork took place this summer). Tonight was the night that most galleries had their opening shows which means they put up their best work. I wasn't impressed with a lot of the work I saw, but I was impressed with the surplus of hipsters I saw. At the first couple galleries there were only older adults. My friend Sarah and I walked to some more galleries and the hipsters just started trickling in. At these galeries, I saw the average hipster man wearing skinny jeans and sweaters. Then we turned a corner and we found a crowd of about 200ish hipsters outside of 2 galleries - one across the street from the other. All of these people were either incredibly fashionable or strived to be. It was wonderful. Many women were dressed in dresses with colored tights and high heels, many others stuck with jeans, leather boots, a shirt and some type of jacket or vest. I saw a lady who looked exactly like Christian Siriano.

This is Christian Siriano:

I saw a lot of this:

and a lot of this:

as well as a lot of this:

aaaand this:

I went into one of the galleries and it was like a mosh pit without any jumping. I tried squeezing through a crowd of Them in a hallway but I couldn't get through, so Sarah and I went to a different floor. We finally got into a room and it was incredibly humid. It was as humid as an of Montreal concert at the Metro (we could see the steam near the ceiling, everyone was incredibly warm). It was nice because I brushed up on some nice looking hipster men...

Then Sarah and I could not stand it any longer, so we decided to go an Indian restaurant. Actually, my mother made that executive decision. Neither Sarah or I like Indian food. In fact, we slightly despise it.
We had to wait for about 20 minutes, so Sarah and I sat at the bar and had a friendly chat with the bartender who had nothing to do. He talked about UIC and how he gets around by riding bikes. He was incredibly friendly. I wish I remembered his name. He gave us a free Indian drink called Limca, which was deeelicious.
We finally sat down at a table and ordered food. Sarah and I didn't know what to order, so the waiter basically decided for us. It turned out pretty delicious, but I realized I still really dislike Indian food no matter how great the restaurant and waiters are. All of the different tastes were just overwhelming. Usually when eating dinner, I mix up my foods. For example. If I had a thanksgiving dinner, I'd eat some turkey, then some mashed potatoes, then a bite of turkey with cranberry sauce, then stuffing, then pineapples, then turkey, etc. etc. etc. I cannot do this with Indian food, it just makes me sick.

I listened to The Postal Service and The Scissor Sisters when we went home.
I miss those bands, I haven't listened to them for years.

That was my night.

-A

another note: I think the main reason why all of these hipsters went to these galleries wasn't just because of the art, there was a LOT of FREE wine... which you could get easily without an ID.