foto friday: read it and weep

1607 University Hall - 11/19/09

delusions of the opposite of grandeur.

For the amount of crap I have left to do this semester, specifically writing (a 10-pager, a 13-pager, and a 20-pager), I'm surprisingly upbeat and optimistic. I give it a week before I start to deteriorate.

Then a week after that, I'll rise from the ashes like a phoenix, as a new man. A man who will take the following month to catch up on all sorts of things. (Mostly television.)

november mixtape.

• Give It To Me Right - Melanie Fiona
  
• 90210 - Wale
  
• Simple As... - KiD CuDi
  
• 22 - Lily Allen
  
• I See You - Mika
  
• Airstream Driver - Gomez
  
• I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked - Ida Maria
  
• Streetwalker - Delta Spirit
  
• Daylight - Matt & Kim
  
• Until We Bleed - Kleerup (f. Lykke Li)
  
• Moon & Moon - Bat For Lashes
  
• Alligator - Tegan & Sara
  
• Teeth - Lady GaGa
  
• Keep It Goin' Louder - Major Lazer (f. Nina Sky & Ricky Blaze)
  
• The Beat Is - Alphabeat
  
• Men In This Town - Shakira
  
• Manos Al Aire - Nelly Furtado
  
• Happy - Leona Lewis
  

(Listen on imeem; Track list on iTunes)

how to augment your lexicon.

Being an English/Spanish bilingual is not just job security. Okay, it's mostly that. But it has other benefits as well. One that I love, for example, is that knowing Spanish vastly improves your English vocabulary. I find myself constantly noticing (and often making use of) six-dollar words that are Latin-based.

Some are pretty straight forward, such as:

diablo: devil >> diabolical: of, relating to, or characteristic of the devil
pescado: fish >> pescatarian: one whose diet includes fish but no meat
útil: useful >> utile: useful

But others are much more fun, like:

arruga: wrinkle >> rugose: full of wrinkles
nublado: cloudy >> obnubilate: becloud, obscure
sacerdote: priest >> sacerdotal: of or relating to priests or priesthood

And, if you ever want to compare something to an animal, don't fret -- it can always be done:

águila: eagle >> aquiline: curving like an eagle's beak
ciervo: deer >> cervine: resembling deer
cuervo: crow >> corvine: resembling a crow
oveja: sheep >> ovine: resembling sheep
puerco: swine >> porcine: piggish

You get the idea. So I may be pretentious, but please don't ever think that using an expanded vocabulary is a consequence of it. Blame Spanish. (The conservative right would.)

foto friday: cupid's span

The Embarcadero, San Francisco - 3/26/09

to-dos day.

Growing up my mother always dedicated Saturday to doing her cleaning, errands, et al. I never understood it. Why would you sacrifice almost an entire day of your weekend? Sleeping in, watching TV, being an utterly worthless bum -- that's what Saturdays were for. (And still are, as far as I'm concerned.)

Well I didn't understand her mentality until now. Because now I have Tuesdays. I love Tuesdays. They're my productive day. Laundry, dishes, errands, tidying up, organizing anything and everything... you name it and Tuesday is the day to do it. The grocery store is empty. No one is getting their haircut. It's as if Tuesday was made for these sort of things. And once those things are done, that high of productivity more often than not flows into my academic work. (How or why, I'm still not sure, but I just roll with it.)

Sure, there's that one pesky class in the afternoon, but it doesn't intrude too much. At the close of Tuesday, I always have an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. It's the one day a week where the Dones outnumber the To-Dos. So thanks again, Tuesday. I'll see you next week.

foto friday: on wisconsin

Memorial Union, Madison - 6/14/09

tofu or not tofu, that is the question.

I made my first homemade tofu dish the other day it was nothing short of amazing. I've been literally craving it everyday since I made it. So I guess this whole vegetarian thing isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

i read you loud and clear, universe.

First, Friday night I was denied access to the after-hours bar because the bouncer wanted a second form of photo ID. (Excuse me for being six plus years older and 100 plus pounds lighter than my freshman-year self.) Then, Saturday night I managed to lose my wallet... yet again. (Onesies aren't exactly chock-full of pockets.)

Both events led me to getting more sleep, drinking less, and spending less money. So I guess Halloween was... a success?

And I can really only say this because my wallet was promptly returned to me Monday due to a very kind Samaritan, so a subsequent "my life is in a whirlwind" freak-out was not necessary. However, I do think a grounding is in order.

foto friday: not-quite-yet november rain

UIC Campus, Chicago - 10/23/09

optimalist, optimist... potato, potato.

My Wednesday night class (Advanced Syntax) has been giving me an intellectual high lately. It's a cool feeling, being so cerebrally stimulated and satisfied. I think this is what grad school is about.

Well... it's about that and this insomniac sleep schedule I've been keeping. Seriously, what gives, body? Let me pass out.

let the wild rumpus start.

Guess who has his Halloween costume ready.

foto friday: okey dokey

Ukrainian Village, Chicago - 9/20/08

october mixtape.

• Never Forget You - Noisettes
• Pull My Heart Away - Jack Peñate
• Girlfriend - Phoenix
• Crying Lightning - Arctic Monkeys
• I & Love & You - The Avett Brothers
• Wolves - Phosphorescent
  
• Crystalised - The xx
• Love Long Distance - Gossip
• Plastic Jungle - Miike Snow
• Hold The Line - Major Lazer (f. Mr. Lexx & Santigold)
• Done Done - Frankmusik
  
• Aha! - Imogen Heap
• Hurricane Drunk - Florence + The Machine
• Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare - Matt & Kim
• Blame It On The Girls - Mika
• All Is Love - Karen O & The Kids
• Help I'm Alive - Metric
  
• I Go To Sleep - Sia

(Listen on imeem; Track list on iTunes)

bryan bueller's day off.

I'm in my pajamas enjoying a nice cup of coffee. I should also mention that it's after 6 o'clock... PM, that is. My Thursday class was canceled today so I decided to cancel everything else in my life. Doing any work... canceled. Going to the gym... canceled. Showering, or even dressing for that matter... canceled. After three presentations in three days, I'd say I deserved it. Back to reality tomorrow. Until then, bottoms up.