Steppa's Delight

This comes as a response to tensaibakapunk's post. I think a lot of us in our twenties are sort of hitting this point-of-no-return. Well, you only live once, so make the best out of it.

Comment back with your portrait, you other twentysomethings out there. Let us remember this time in our lives.

There's a Wii Fit demo happening downstairs in the main lobby.

It's really funny seeing old people in business suits trying to ski. :D

Headphones are on blasting music. I've got Photoshop open, and I'm tweaking some ad banners. And that's when I feel the rumble below my feet, thinking it's just a crew of people wheeling shit around the lobby, 'cuz that seems to happen a lot around here. Then it suddenly escalates – and I whirl out of my chair, straight to the underbelly of my desk. The shaking continues for another good minute or two.

It's a crisis!

Well... no. Nobody panicked – they just filed out to the lobby and turned on ABC News, reporting that there was just a 5.6 earthquake in Chino. In Chino! Pretty strong shit to have been felt this greatly all the way here in Burbank. Our crisis team members on the 2nd floor paraded by with picture signs asking us to follow them out the building. So Eeyore led me outside, across the street, into lazy sunlight for 5 minutes before returning inside, now back at my desk. I wish I'd taken my computer with me. It's very unreal how long it's been since CA's been hit with a large earthquake.

Wasn't the beginning of the end for us Angelinos supposed to happen about 20 years ago?

SOMEONE ON THIS FLOOR KEEPS FLOODING THE WOMEN'S RESTROOM, IT'S REALLY FUCKING ANNOYING AND GROSS

I will never order large sized drinks from McDonald's ever again.

Not as long as I drive my Cooper.

I just lost $2.37, a large iced coffee, a pint of gas, and an hour and a half of precious working time – ironically, all for the sake of getting some midnight fuel to do my final project (which I've not been able to touch all weekend, and is due in two days).

Hobbes can't accommodate large drinks in its cup holders; and unfortunately it was something I discovered AFTER driving out of McDonald's exit. One slight u-turn on the streets and crikey, there it went! The 76 gas station right in front of me didn't carry any paper towels, so by the time I sped back to the apartment to clean up a significant portion of the liquid had made its way deep into my passenger floor carpeting. Fortunately, the floor mat absorbed the majority of it, but that still wasn't enough to stop the coffee from getting into the sides. So now the car smells vaguely like vanilla ice cream, and I imagine it'll cook into one helluva stinker in the next couple of days; meaning, this weekend I'll have to trip it to Pep Boys and get carpet cleaner.

Guys, this depresses me. You know how I am with my Cooper. Fuck it, I don't know – I don't even, like, want to think about my final project anymore. Aaarrrgghh... I guess we'll see how I feel after a shower...

Kinkos SHOULD NOT have just ONE rotary cutter!

Damn... it took me two hours to cut 30 sheets of paper because one guy hogged the cutter for freakin' eternity, while I was standing off to the side trying to get a start cutting by hand with a dull knife. STEEWWWWPID~~!

Meanwhile, I was surprised to discover that the Kinkos around corporate-land are a helluva lot friendlier than your generic, neighborhoody ones. You walk into one and are immediately greeted by a big smiley "Hi, how are you doing?" And every now and then there's someone patrolling the grounds to see if anyone needs help with anything. That's trippy, man... But I guess that since this is corporate-land we're talking about here, any bad service given to just about any customer merits doomsday not just for the rude employee, but probably to the entire chain. HM.

It causes you to lose your one and only 2 gig USB flash drive containing not only all your course notes, but important work-related files that really shouldn't be left to the general public's discretion. All this, after 3 hours of uneasy anticipation in the musty classroom waiting to get the hell out as soon as possible.

-----------------------

I just hope that whoever cleared out the building was kind enough to find it and deposit it at lost and found somewhere... I'll have to make a trip back there tomorrow after work's over. D:

It is retardedly dumb break out with toprock moves right after you're out of the shower.

Because now I'm kinda sweaty again. D:

( Read More )

HAPPY NEW YEAR, guys.

I had to make an exception to 365 today for the crazy crap that occurred earlier. I can never say no to a slight adventure, can I?

I love you, rain!

Tim Allen – downstairs, in the lobby, casually strolling towards the crowded Starbucks. Looks much older in person. Thought I was hallucinating at first, but nope, the sighting was confirmed by other co-workers on my floor. Interesting.

No, but I was in the middle of conversation with Ann when we both heard a "whup!" sound, like an electric blowout, and I saw through the dining room window a huge blue flash. What the hell was that!

I gotta say, guys, I think those mini-marthons of Supernatural we've had are finally catching up to me, hah.

I'm currently occupying our art director's office on the 4th floor while she's on leave for the next 3 weeks. The giant window in here overlooks the 134 freeway going westbound, and in the distance I can see the hills and mountains.

Everyone knows about the CA fire, right? Since morning I've discerned a layered discoloration in the distance by those hills and mountains. It seemed like the fire died down somewhat at first. But now... NOW when I look over it's like a volcano erupted without causing an earthquake. I'm asking myself how much longer this is going to last, and just how much more damage will it unleash before it's had its fill. Authorities estimate they'll have to let it take its course for another 2-3 days. WTF.

It is insane how far that fire has spread since yesterday. More and more people have started evacuating, and even one of my co-workers who had her last day on Monday last week IMed me saying that people were forced to hit the road 10 min. north of her in Ventura county; and that supposedly the fire might even hit Six Flags(!!!)

Well... since all I can do from here is spectate while back-and-forthing in Photoshop, here are shots from my crappy phone camera so you can be an eyewitness, too:



closeup:

I thought I just heard one of my co-workers from another room shout out "poo!"

Did she? Did she?!

...Maybe she meant "whoo."

*edit* I just realized that the color scheme of our office cubicles is complimentary: purple and yellow.

*edit* Correction: purple and a "pukey" yellow.

Nobody died when Clinton lied

...Was the bumper sticker I read on the bottom-right of the black BMW suv in front of me in 101 South traffic. I mulled it over for a bit during this time of idleness. I'm not fond of politics, but I felt it was something I had to share.

Was what my brother and sister once told me prior to boarding China Airlines earlier last November when we were flying out to Taiwan. Every time you were about to step into a plane you were supposed to gently pat the side of the hull next to the doorway three times. I never understood where this habit or myth originated from, but apparently it's always been a standard between the two of them.

Well, so here I am in Tokyo for the time being during my 2-3 hour layover. You know, it was actually pretty frightening for me at first to leave LAX; I mean, it's the first time ever that I've flown internationally completely on my own. And when you're completely on your own the plane ride just feels longer. But ironically enough, it's not so bad. I mean, for me I was seated in the middle seats squeezed between 3 quiet Japanese businessmen. Although we never spoke a word to each other besides the occasional "excuse me" or "sorry," it almost felt like a weird kind of comradery, given the fact that I shared 12 hours flight time in their silent company. That initial fear I had while still hanging about LAX immediately dispersed the moment the plane took off.

Now in Narita International Airport, I'm sitting in the walkways between gates staring out the giant windows at the planes; and right in front of those windows is a long row of deluxe massage chairs that'll massage you for 10 mins for 200 yen! I'm TEMPTED to give it a shot, especially since I found a bunch of loose change in yen while packing two days ago.

So.. maybe I'll go do that first to loosen up my stiff muscles. I'd nearly forgotten the horrible effects flying long-distance would do to a person; my ass feels pretty sore, and my legs are a lil' numb. Before I get too carried away with the computer I probably should walk around... Actually, maybe I'll just kill the rest of the time walking from end to end of this area, haha.

ALSO, to the Japan-ders, I had this brilliant idea to further kill off my loose change by randomly calling all ya'll. Except, where I am right now I see no phones, meaning I'd have to trek back a ways to probably find one. Secondly, I have no one's phone numbers, so... YEAH, LOST CAUSE.

I'd post whatever random photos I've shot thus far, except I just remembered I left my camera cable in the check-in luggage, so no go. You'll have to wait when I finally get to Shanghai (hopefully I don't crash before posting them!) D:

To conclude, now that I'm actually in the process of doing it -- traveling on my own -- I've thought to myself, "Well hey, I could get pretty damned used to this!"

Anyway, to everyone back home I just wanted to say I'm going to miss all of you and hope everyone has fun this year at AX! Keep me updated on the happenings, PEACE!

*EDIT* OMFG THIS MASSAGE CHAIR IS AWESOME!!!!!!11 HOOOLY SHIIIT!!!!!!!!!

So I'm eating at Northcampus right now while browsing the web and whatnot, minding my own business, when suddenly the guy at the table across from me starts laughing about these squirrels outside. I look out to my left and there are two squirrels on the nearby jacqueranda tree chasing each other and... having sex. OR AT LEAST what looks to be them having sex.

It doesn't last long, since they keep running all over the place and repeating it (looks more like they're fighting and then getting it on); the odd part is that they take turns being the pitcher.

(shots from phone last night circa 11pm-12am, with Dan and Amanda.)



( I stuck around work for an extra 2 hours... )

And now... I really should be sleeping. I have to meet my supervisor at her place by 6:30 a.m. (holy shit, little over 3 hours from now!!!). There's a big photoshoot happening today somewhere around Hollywood area for Murs, so I've got to go with her to help out on the set. This is going to be crazy.