A Habi Family

I've been back at school for a week now, startled a bit by being placed so suddenly amongst everyone again and doing school work regularly, but life is SO GOOD.  I've reunited with friends I haven't seen in 8 months, I'm President of our ASIA club (Asian Students Intercultural Association) and resuming activity in other organizations, and simply having a blast.  Rather than a dorm, I'm living in a theme house that's still considered campus property-- the Habitat for Humanity House!  There's 5 guys and 3 girls with me, and it's the work hard, party hard kind of lifestyle that I can get down with.  It also helps that the library is a two minute walk away because I'm determined to stay on top of my classes!  Last night we went to the Asian buffet in town because my room mate turned 21 over break and wanted to do sake bombs.  I couldn't participate obviously, but things were pretty rowdy and just continued when we came back to campus.

 Trying to look super-Asian with our ridiculous Chinese waiter that definitely enjoys getting college students hammered.

 

I've spent the entire afternoon doing work, so I can't wait to hang out with the 'family' tonight... Ohhh boy!

Proof of a Productive Winter Break part II

And, here's my second painting project that is partial redemption for not completely the other things that I said that I would do while I've home since December 16th :D. Haha! Well this one is an actual photograph taken by my mom while we were at Boca Grande Beach in Florida last May. She practically begged me to paint all summer, but I didn't start until This past Monday :B. I finished Thursday, though! Amidst about 13 hours of frustration, mainly due to those darn light houses and their tiny, straight columns. Again, I utilized some artistic editing to make the composition more appealing. At least now my mom has her painting. What have you done this winter?

And I am SUPER STOKED because after 8 months, I am finally heading back to school today! I can't wait to resume my college life!!! CHEERS.

Proof of a Prodctive Winter Break

Well, these have been a ridicously fast five weeks. Maybe winter break was so bare able this year because I didn't come home in the fall (not that I could have). And although most of my studious expectations fell apart, I did complete some of my desired tasks, like painting!! This is a portrait of a model from the Chanel Spring/Summer 2011 campaign. It was about 13-15 hours worth of work over five days. It's now hanging in what little wall space we had left in the living room. And yes, I purposely didn't paint the neck strap. Gotta live artistic editing!!!

Dream Menagerie

I love National Geographic because the photos are awe-inspiring and the articles full of depth.  I just read a short bio about the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey!  They inhabit the high (at 10,000 feet) mountains of Central China, enduring harsh winters with their shaggy coats.  Their faces are almost alien-like, especially with the blue, and I can't help but thinking of mini Saskatchewans!

 

Just another reason for me to study abroad in China in the coming years :)

And this odd sea life wasn't in Nat Geo, but I've always been intrigued by the ocean sunfish, or Mola Mola.  They are recorded to be the largest bony fish in the ocean, appearing like one of the first prehistoric fish, though according to oceansunfish.org, they are one of the more recently evolved fish!  There are a few species, but the most common Mola Mola have enormous, disc-like bodies with planar fins and sand-paper scales covered in mucus.  The name was derived from their habit of sunbathing at the surface of the water!  The average sunfish weighs over 2 tons, (the largest ever caught weighed 3.5 tons) is 6 feet long and 10 feet tall subsisting off a diet of jelly-fish.

 Photo courtesy of Mike Johnson Marine Natural History Photography.

 The mysterious ocean sunfish is a very docile creature. The only violence they've ever caused is when they jump out of the water and land on people, effectively squashing them :B.  And I'm pretty sure this Pokemon was modeled after it...

courtesy of The Pokemon Wiki :D

Okay, and I just have to point out that I love manatees.  I just want to give them a hug, they're so ridiculous!  The poor things used to be mistaken for mermaids by sailors, and today they are rare in the U.S., threatened by boat motor accidents, habitat destruction and slow reproductive rates.  I've had the fortune to see the shadows of a few in the Gulf of Mexico, and they appear to be lumbering blobs!  These mammal herbivores reach lengths up to 13 feet and 3,500 feet (like that giant mola!) and can live to be 60 years old.  Facts courtesy of manatees.net.

 

 

I WANT TO PET ONE.

Alright, that's enough Animal Planet!  I had a lovely afternoon with one of my best friends from high school and exercised my consumer power (of Christmas gift cards) at the mall.  Score for "End of Season" sales!

Here's a video to leave you with;  another one of my idols, Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, reinterpreting Drake's "Take Care".

The Perks of Being... On Break

I just devoured Stephen Chbosky's novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
It was published in 1999 but this summer the movie was filmed and should be debuting soon this year!  I have to say I'm thrilled because Logan Lerman and Emma Watson are incredible actors and  being their age seems to make things more relate-able.  The book is an easy read--only 200 pages long--yet the naively contemplative letters from the protagonist Charlie are addictive and emotional.  What can I say, I am a fan of the coming-of-age genre.  Also, Charlie is incredibly awkward but accidentally wise because of his ability to observe, but I'm curious as to if he is perhaps autistic as well?  In my opinion he seems to exude mild characteristics, yet it's true that freshman year of high school tends to be a bizarre experience, socially.

Emma Watson, reading the novel and a blurry self-portrait of Logan Lerman. He had posted these on his twitter! Below is a photo on set; it should be interesting how Emma interprets her character, Sam.  And did I mention that I want to be Emma Watson (see side bar)?  She's an inspiration.

Photos courtesy of cambia.com

I haven't had the chance to enter The Hunger Games craze (blasphemy, I know), so this what I'm looking forward to for now!  I'm going to re-read it too, in order to make sure I didn't miss any of the good details in last night's late 3 hours.

When I came home from France it was pretty exciting because I had 4 Amazon book deliveries.  I already read one, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, which was a beautiful story.  Although, I couldn't remove Robert Pattinson's face from my mind as the protagonist, Jacob, because I had watched the movie first on my flight to France at the end of summer.  Nonetheless, I think the movie is a just adaptation of the novel.  In fact, I preferred how the film fused Uncle Al's character into August-- it just made him all the more menacing and complex as the owner of the circus.

It's been a few months so I can't remember well enough to critique any of the actors, but here is Reese Witherspoon who plays Marlena, and Rob Patz as Jacob. I remember reading an article about Rob's relationship with the elephant, how fascinated and practically enamored he was with her personality and abilities.

 

In other news... I don't think I have any!  Whoo, it's 2012! 2011 was quite the year for me and I hope this positive trend continues.  I spent a low-key evening with a few friends making fools of ourselves with Just Dance 3 and now I'm trying to make my break a bit more productive.  I'm studying up on Spanish (but I need to be more pro-active), reading and writing regularly, working on a knitting scarf-project and painting again!  And of course, blog posting.

So, my friends, I leave you with this lovely song/video and wish you the healthiest of brightest of New Years.

... Because it's supposed to end December 21st, right?