Continuing from my last post, I would like to describe what artists would contribute to a typical playlist for me. Take a look:
Chantal Kreviazuk
John Mayer
Eva Cassidy
Norah Jones
Michelle Branch
Dido
Live
Indigo Girls
Weezer
Indian music (YES I like it, so go ahead and laugh. Or beat me up.)

So, am I cool? Or a tool?
Ehh... lame joke. I'm not even sure what it means to call someone a "tool." Not Californian slang, I bet.

Anyways, I have no intentions of offending anyone with my last post. You like the music that you like. I just thought it was an interesting observation, and perhaps it doesn't apply to most people. Maybe it's just the people I know, or the Bay Area. You know how there are 2 particular college towns in the Bay Area that are anti-corporate America.

Actually, I remember back at Cal that I was talking to someone about the music I liked, and I mentioned Chantal Kreviazuk and the Indigo Girls. After hearing this, he asked me if I was lesbian. Maybe people perceive people who listen to Lilith Fair-type music as ultra-feminist pros and/or lesbians. Geez, and just because they're female singers? What gives.

Observation #1:
It seems like a faux pas to be a fan of mainstream music. You're deemed cool if you listen to music that's considered eclectic/independent/small/jam/by a band that almost nobody has ever heard of, or deemed legends of a particular genre that have never been too popular with mainstream American music. You might not be as cool if you listen to bands that everyone knows but by definition aren't sell-outs (yet?), such as Coldplay, Radiohead, Audioslave, DMB, but if there's some eclectic and never-heard-of bands mixed into your playlist, then you've saved yourself. However, anything mainstream and reeking of corporate record labels is something to be loathed.

A "cool" playlist has music from artists such as:
Dashboard Confessional
Ocean Colour Scene
Fischerspooner
Boards Of Canada
DJ Shadow
Portishead
Tenacious D
Jurassic 5

An uncool playlist has songs from sellouts or overhyped untalented singers such as:
John Mayer
50 Cent
Goo Goo Dolls
Norah Jones
Justin Timberlake/NSYNC
Matchbox 20
Jewel
No Doubt

*Disclaimer: While I do not think any of the artists in the latter list are without talent, I am just using them as examples of artists who have been snubbed by others because they either became sellouts to their true genre (this may apply to No Doubt), were put together by some old man who is a big kahuna music exec or were formed through TV shows like Making The Band or American Idol , or were shoved in everyone's faces by big wig corporate labels. I actually like most of the artists in the latter list, and only a few from the "cool" playlist. I guess I'm not very cool.


Observation #2:
There are A LOT of Asian female/White male couples at Valley Fair. Seriously, I have never seen so many in one place! Of all the couples I saw, that particular combination significantly outnumbered all others. Why at Valley Fair?

Observation #3:
When I was walking from Valley Fair to my car, there was a family to my right walking back to their car as well. It consisted of a dad and his 3 little boys. The boys (and the dad) looked like the rough 'n' tumble type who do Little League, soccer, like video games, very BOY boys if you know what I mean. They look like they're at the age where they despise anything even remotely girly. Have a picture in your mind? Well, here's something they said to each other while walking back to the car:
Kid #1: Are we gonna see a movie tonight?
Kid #2: No, we're gonna watch (chime in Kid #3 and the dad) Trading Spaces.

Trading Spaces?? Since when are little boys interested in redecorating and interior design?? What a funny world.

I've been feeling a lot of stress this week. It's strange because the physical effects of stress always take over after the stress-causing situation is done with. It's as if my body was holding on as long as it can to get me through, then just lets the stress take over once it doesn't need to be strong anymore. But that means I'm like suffering for a few days afterwards. Fock!

I WANT A DOG!!

I don't get it. I spend all freaking day in front of a computer, which is NOT good for my bad wrists and my shoulder. Yet I come home from work, eat dinner, and then what do I do? Plop down in front of my computer and go at it some more.

Here's a funny conversation I had with my supervisor awhile ago. I was telling him about this episode of "Inside the Actor's Studio" w/ James Lipton on the BRAVO channel that I watched. In this particular show, James Lipton was interviewing the cast of The Simpsons and I commented on Dan Castellaneta who does Homer. Be sure to click on the link that Joel includes:

clee: homer's voice looks like homer
joel: really?
clee: bald and tubby
joel: wow, you are right
joel: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0144657/
clee: HAHAHA

I like gelato.

Gelato... Mister Roboto... Domo arigato, Mister Roboto!

Hehe, ok weird. Back to work.

Hard to believe it's been two years since 9/11. I remember when it happened-- I was getting ready for class, and my roommie was watching the news on TV. I remember her calling me into the living room to watch and she said that 2 planes had crashed into the World Trade Centers. At the time, I thought it was some freak accident and didn't get to finish watching the news because I had to go to class. Some people mentioned in class and the prof did too, but none of us realized what exactly was going on. The full force of what happened finally struck later that day, when all the TV channels and websites were plastered with blazing headlines of "TERROR," etc. I called my friend's mom to see if my friend (who lives in NYC) was okay. Luckily, she lives many blocks away.

To the survivors, the fallen, and the men and women in arms- you are all heroes. God bless you.

Is this for real?? HAHAHAHA!
Disgruntled Asian Tattoo Artist Inks His Revenge