There are many pros and cons to using Blogspot, however after careful debate, and much wringing of hands, I've decided to move over to the glamorous world of WordPress!
Sorry, my followers! If you would be kind enough to update your bookmarks, rss feeders, etc. to I would be much obliged!
See you in the glittery future!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Super Street Fighter IV! A Chubby Bunny appears!
The Street Fighter IV party I was so stoked about was pretty fun! I did a short writeup on the event over at my other, OTHER blog at Bubble Punch!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Street Fighter anxiety
Been a tad too busy to blog lately, lots of things going on with Chubby Bunny which I can't wait to announce! And, among other things, tonight I'm heading to the Super Street Fighter IV release party held by our friends at Capcom! Yee ha!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Dress Show, May 8th at Pehr Space, Los Angeles
I will be participating in "The Dress Show," a night celebrating clothing as art, curated by Dawn Anderson.
Dawn has embarrassingly chosen to throw me on the flyer... haha. Please enjoy my awkward gaze.
You can view the Facebook invite here!
LA Weekly will also be in attendance snapping photos and doing an article, so come on out and show your support! FOR ART! AND CLOTHES! AS... ART! Hope to see you all out there!
Dawn has embarrassingly chosen to throw me on the flyer... haha. Please enjoy my awkward gaze.
"THE DRESS SHOW"
A Conceptual Group Show
Saturday May 8th
7pm-Midnight
Curated By : Dawn Anderson
FEATURING ARTISTS:
Alexandria See
Amy Golden
Davina Garcia
Elissa Gennello
Jana Xen Rockwell
Ron Outlaw
Arlene Siordia
Michelle Nguyen
Pauline Lay
Dawn Anderson
Josh McCool
Leah Barber
MUSIC BY:
DJ Mike Bell (Lymbyc Systym)
Hot TV
Go West Young Man
A Conceptual Group Show
Saturday May 8th
7pm-Midnight
Curated By : Dawn Anderson
FEATURING ARTISTS:
Alexandria See
Amy Golden
Davina Garcia
Elissa Gennello
Jana Xen Rockwell
Ron Outlaw
Arlene Siordia
Michelle Nguyen
Pauline Lay
Dawn Anderson
Josh McCool
Leah Barber
MUSIC BY:
DJ Mike Bell (Lymbyc Systym)
Hot TV
Go West Young Man
You can view the Facebook invite here!
LA Weekly will also be in attendance snapping photos and doing an article, so come on out and show your support! FOR ART! AND CLOTHES! AS... ART!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Homecoming.
I was having a crappy day a bit ago, and a friend made a comment about how I am going to my "homeland" tomorrow, so I should cheer up.
She was actually very spot on. Actually, Japan and LA are the 2 places I feel I can call "home."
I lived in Japan longer than I've been in LA so far, but I'm about to pass that mark soon.
What is "home?" Is it just somewhere where you've been for a long time? Somewhere where you really felt like you belonged? I think I tried very hard to belong in both Japan and LA, and was successful in some ways in both places.
Living in Japan was a great experience for me, and while I was there, I made a lot of friends, had insane adventures I had never dreamed of, and brushed up a lot on my Sherlock Holmes skills. I was extremely happy with my social life, but after 3 years, I decided to move to Los Angeles. When I left, I did feel like it was about time to go, to search for my "career" in a way that was impossible for me to do in Japan. While there, I was only able to be an English teacher, an easy enough job, if a little frustrating, but with short hours, great pay, and flexible schedule. I didn't enjoy the job itself that much, as I felt that my real skills lay more in the creative and editorial field. So I left, with the promise of a job working for the Gothic & Lolita Bible in Los Angeles.
Photo from the Gothic & Lolita Bible blog on Tokyopop's website.
My work there was definitely more substantial, and I felt like I was building a real skill set, finally, other than prancing around a room saying "REPEAT AFTER ME! BANANA! BANANA!" to 3 year olds. However, we all know how that ended up. Tokyopop folded and laid off over 90% of its employees, including myself, though keeping me on for one more issue as freelance before they finally ended the magazine.
I went on to other jobs that didn't quite suit me, and which I eventually got laid off from anyway. I felt that I had moved away from Japan in vain. There was no "career" to pursue after all. I felt like I had no real skills, and was floundering in the job market here for quite a while. Ironically, it is not my full time jobs that gave me the most satisfaction, but my interests and hobbies which turned into paying gigs towards the summer of last year.
It's funny, but all along it turns out that it wasn't that I was failing in my job skills, it was simply that I needed to create the perfect position for myself. There isn't an "entrepreneur" nor "coordinating wizard" section on Craigslist or anything like that. Rather, by carving out these 2 businesses, I've been able to get real footing in this city for the first time since I've moved here.
Starting Chubby Bunny Accessories has been extremely rewarding, and has really shown me that I am not "talentless" after all. The concept for the bows started around spring of last year, and really came to a head during my collaboration with Sanrio for their Three Apples event in October of 2009. To my complete surprise, my red Hello Kitty bows were the best selling item of the entire 3-week event! I've continued a solid working relationship with Sanrio and have plans to come out with more collaboration products with them later this year.
Also, co-leading Bubble Punch with Yume Ninja has been hugely successful. We had been helping movers and shakers around LA add whimsy and fun to their events for over a year. Our reputation for outrageous outfits proceeded us, as we challenged ourselves to create even more glamorous and fun garments for every event we attended.
A short rundown of the outfits I've created/coordinated in the past 2 years since moving to LA:
"The Red Admiral." Photographed by William Bradley, retouching by True Mee Lee. This was the first photoshoot I'd ever styled for myself. This was for the MaruiOne photocontest, in which I placed 2nd.
Snow Queen outfit for Rococo Rendezvous, hosted by Zippercut.
For JapanLA's "Shiny Party" event at Royal/T. This also marks the 2nd time I'd assisted in retail display or their pop-up shop.
Circus Tent outfit for Zippercut's "Cirque du So Lame" party at Royal/T. This is one of my favorites. Mot photos don't show it, but the outfit has lights through the hat, "stage" area, and around the circular "tent" itself.
Battling True Mee at zippercut's Crusaders and Haters party. I took inspiration from villains from Japanese Sentai shows for this one. The little white circles are actually LED lights I installed on the costume.
After multiple appearances such as these, True Mee and I decided to buckle down and make a name for ourselves... literally. With the creation of Bubble Punch, we were able to put a name and organization affiliation to our unique projects, and give a reference point to anyone who wanted us to help at their events. Right after creating Bubble Punch, we found we had no lack of projects to keep us busy.
Bubble Punch's first "official" gig under our new company name. Helping Mandy of Zippercut at Japanology at Royal/T
Easily Bubble Punch's most successful event, Hello Kitty's Bats & Cats Masquerade boasted over 1,500 attendees. Photo of me fixing Kitty-chan's goth outfit, which I handmade.
Despite the insane amount of projects I am constantly juggling, there are 2 factors that are essential to my success:
1) My higher (if not sometimes floundering ) sense of self confidence I have gained over the years. Something found with age, I suppose, I am definitely a stronger woman now than I was 5, or even 2 years ago. I see some people who complain of their lack of success in a certain area, but there is a lot to be said for keeping a positive outlook and simply trying your best with the knowledge that it will work out. Losing that sense of positivity was something I had to cope with when I bounced from job to job after my layoff at Tokyopop.
2) The incredible support and love from my friends. This sounds like a cheesy Oscar's speech, but without the support of my friends, I would have no one to critique me on my work, no one to cheer me up when I was in despair, no one to yell at me when I began to give up, no one to help me finish projects when there was one too many tasks. The incredible friends I have found across my travels have helped me grow into who I am today, and I am forever grateful for that.
Tomorrow I leave for Japan for a 10 day visit to my old homeland, where I will be able see my old friends, visit my old haunts, and dust off my Japanese skills. I'm incredibly happy to go back and be able to tell my friends there that I didn't move away in vain, and that eventually, everything has worked out for me in the end.
I've been able to put away my shame at not being able to find a job that's a "good fit" for me. Instead, I am proud to say that my skills are better suited to being my own boss.
And I am happy.
She was actually very spot on. Actually, Japan and LA are the 2 places I feel I can call "home."
I lived in Japan longer than I've been in LA so far, but I'm about to pass that mark soon.
What is "home?" Is it just somewhere where you've been for a long time? Somewhere where you really felt like you belonged? I think I tried very hard to belong in both Japan and LA, and was successful in some ways in both places.
Living in Japan was a great experience for me, and while I was there, I made a lot of friends, had insane adventures I had never dreamed of, and brushed up a lot on my Sherlock Holmes skills. I was extremely happy with my social life, but after 3 years, I decided to move to Los Angeles. When I left, I did feel like it was about time to go, to search for my "career" in a way that was impossible for me to do in Japan. While there, I was only able to be an English teacher, an easy enough job, if a little frustrating, but with short hours, great pay, and flexible schedule. I didn't enjoy the job itself that much, as I felt that my real skills lay more in the creative and editorial field. So I left, with the promise of a job working for the Gothic & Lolita Bible in Los Angeles.
Photo from the Gothic & Lolita Bible blog on Tokyopop's website.
I went on to other jobs that didn't quite suit me, and which I eventually got laid off from anyway. I felt that I had moved away from Japan in vain. There was no "career" to pursue after all. I felt like I had no real skills, and was floundering in the job market here for quite a while. Ironically, it is not my full time jobs that gave me the most satisfaction, but my interests and hobbies which turned into paying gigs towards the summer of last year.
It's funny, but all along it turns out that it wasn't that I was failing in my job skills, it was simply that I needed to create the perfect position for myself. There isn't an "entrepreneur" nor "coordinating wizard" section on Craigslist or anything like that. Rather, by carving out these 2 businesses, I've been able to get real footing in this city for the first time since I've moved here.
Starting Chubby Bunny Accessories has been extremely rewarding, and has really shown me that I am not "talentless" after all. The concept for the bows started around spring of last year, and really came to a head during my collaboration with Sanrio for their Three Apples event in October of 2009. To my complete surprise, my red Hello Kitty bows were the best selling item of the entire 3-week event! I've continued a solid working relationship with Sanrio and have plans to come out with more collaboration products with them later this year.
Also, co-leading Bubble Punch with Yume Ninja has been hugely successful. We had been helping movers and shakers around LA add whimsy and fun to their events for over a year. Our reputation for outrageous outfits proceeded us, as we challenged ourselves to create even more glamorous and fun garments for every event we attended.
A short rundown of the outfits I've created/coordinated in the past 2 years since moving to LA:
"The Red Admiral." Photographed by William Bradley, retouching by True Mee Lee. This was the first photoshoot I'd ever styled for myself. This was for the MaruiOne photocontest, in which I placed 2nd.
Snow Queen outfit for Rococo Rendezvous, hosted by Zippercut.
Circus Tent outfit for Zippercut's "Cirque du So Lame" party at Royal/T. This is one of my favorites. Mot photos don't show it, but the outfit has lights through the hat, "stage" area, and around the circular "tent" itself.
Battling True Mee at zippercut's Crusaders and Haters party. I took inspiration from villains from Japanese Sentai shows for this one. The little white circles are actually LED lights I installed on the costume.
After multiple appearances such as these, True Mee and I decided to buckle down and make a name for ourselves... literally. With the creation of Bubble Punch, we were able to put a name and organization affiliation to our unique projects, and give a reference point to anyone who wanted us to help at their events. Right after creating Bubble Punch, we found we had no lack of projects to keep us busy.
Bubble Punch's first "official" gig under our new company name. Helping Mandy of Zippercut at Japanology at Royal/T
Easily Bubble Punch's most successful event, Hello Kitty's Bats & Cats Masquerade boasted over 1,500 attendees. Photo of me fixing Kitty-chan's goth outfit, which I handmade.
1) My higher (if not sometimes floundering ) sense of self confidence I have gained over the years. Something found with age, I suppose, I am definitely a stronger woman now than I was 5, or even 2 years ago. I see some people who complain of their lack of success in a certain area, but there is a lot to be said for keeping a positive outlook and simply trying your best with the knowledge that it will work out. Losing that sense of positivity was something I had to cope with when I bounced from job to job after my layoff at Tokyopop.
2) The incredible support and love from my friends. This sounds like a cheesy Oscar's speech, but without the support of my friends, I would have no one to critique me on my work, no one to cheer me up when I was in despair, no one to yell at me when I began to give up, no one to help me finish projects when there was one too many tasks. The incredible friends I have found across my travels have helped me grow into who I am today, and I am forever grateful for that.
Tomorrow I leave for Japan for a 10 day visit to my old homeland, where I will be able see my old friends, visit my old haunts, and dust off my Japanese skills. I'm incredibly happy to go back and be able to tell my friends there that I didn't move away in vain, and that eventually, everything has worked out for me in the end.
I've been able to put away my shame at not being able to find a job that's a "good fit" for me. Instead, I am proud to say that my skills are better suited to being my own boss.
And I am happy.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Perfume, J'adore
I have some of their songs on my mp3 player I only use at the gym (great music for running), but it turns out their videos are pretty cute, too! They have a very "typical" style of dancing (Asianposes.com), but I really do enjoy the blocked colors and sort of throwback style of their videos.
Their new PV ("music videos" are referred to as "PVs," promotional videos, in Japan) below is their latest. Thanks Jamiroquai(had to google how to spell that)! The moving floor thing NEVER GETS OLD with me. Don't be hatin'! I love robotic/cheerleader style dancing and sequential waterfalls of movement. True Confessions: I was a cheerleader in 6th through 7th grade.
ナチュラルに恋して (Naturally/Normally Falling in Love)
"One Room Disco"
Cute concept with this one, but their choreography can get a bit weird/off. I like when they move to the upper levels. The lighting in this gets a little crazy as well. Good inspiration for solid-color design ideas, though.
"Secret Secret"
It's like a very peppy ad for Pino chocolates =0 They are cute Asian robots powered by Pino (Actually a chocolate shell with ice cream inside). I like the "cameraman's" outfit in this one the best.
Their new PV ("music videos" are referred to as "PVs," promotional videos, in Japan) below is their latest. Thanks Jamiroquai(had to google how to spell that)! The moving floor thing NEVER GETS OLD with me. Don't be hatin'! I love robotic/cheerleader style dancing and sequential waterfalls of movement. True Confessions: I was a cheerleader in 6th through 7th grade.
ナチュラルに恋して (Naturally/Normally Falling in Love)
"One Room Disco"
Cute concept with this one, but their choreography can get a bit weird/off. I like when they move to the upper levels. The lighting in this gets a little crazy as well. Good inspiration for solid-color design ideas, though.
"Secret Secret"
It's like a very peppy ad for Pino chocolates =0 They are cute Asian robots powered by Pino (Actually a chocolate shell with ice cream inside). I like the "cameraman's" outfit in this one the best.
Osaka, land that I love.
Recently, Will introduced me to JanneM's flicker profile. This man is a very talented photographer, as well as a neuroscientist of some kind, who now lives in Osaka, close to where Will and I used to live. his photos are making me EXTREMELY nostalgic. A lot of them are just plain beautiful. It took me 3 days to get through his entire Flickr set. It's really lovely, and I suggest putting aside some time to look at them, too, if you're ready for heart wrenching nostalgia to hit you fast. So excited to go to Japan! I'll be going there in a week to visit old friends, be nostalgic, and do a tiny bit of business..
My favorites:
Who needs sign twirlers? NOT THIS GUY. BTW Media Cafe Popeye is awesome.
Happy Drunken Salaryman
Cute asian children
Ridiculously overpriced Hokkaido melons. 15750 yen is about $180USD.
Late night ramen at the corner. I think this is the one on the edge of Dotonbori.
Cute girls selling Christmas cakes. Reminds me of Hagu.
Before Will and I started dating, he would come to the bar I worked at on Monday nights and drink there until it closed at midnight. Then we'd get some chu-his and pork buns from the convenience store and walk over to the river and sit right here and stare at the Don Quixote Ferris wheel at night. Good memories.
My host bros.
Sakura viewing by Osaka Castle.
So excited. Overly nostalgic.
My favorites:
Who needs sign twirlers? NOT THIS GUY. BTW Media Cafe Popeye is awesome.
Happy Drunken Salaryman
Cute asian children
Ridiculously overpriced Hokkaido melons. 15750 yen is about $180USD.
Late night ramen at the corner. I think this is the one on the edge of Dotonbori.
Cute girls selling Christmas cakes. Reminds me of Hagu.
Before Will and I started dating, he would come to the bar I worked at on Monday nights and drink there until it closed at midnight. Then we'd get some chu-his and pork buns from the convenience store and walk over to the river and sit right here and stare at the Don Quixote Ferris wheel at night. Good memories.
My host bros.
Sakura viewing by Osaka Castle.
So excited. Overly nostalgic.
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