Bravo! pour le clown

Bienvenue, messieurs et mesdames.

Will not sit down awhile, listen to The Sparrow and join the circus with us?

Kings and Queens have to wait

Dear Whomever It May Concern, 


Charlene hasn't been able to blog because her body has been barraged with various illnesses. It started off with body aches and a sore throat. I was like, OK, I can deal with this. I'm a doctor. Then she came in with a runny nose that wouldn't stop running. I tried using that "is your nose running?" joke on her, but I don't think she appreciated it. She tried to stab me with a thermometer; it didn't go well. 


Now she just won't stop coughing. It's really gross. I was all, "hey I get that you're in the doctor's office, but you don't have to cough all over the place. Show some respect, damn." 


Then she tried to stab me again, this time with a tongue depressor. Let's just say that I'm writing with my other hand now. 


Anyway, Charlene is recuperating nicely with the heavy dosage of drawing and 90s bubblegum pop I've prescribed her. So she'll be fine. And I've since taken away all sharp objects from her. 


Totally from her real doctor,  

Dr. Pepper

Fun fact: I've been listening to a playlist called "FUCK YEAH 90s" nonstop now. It basically contains songs that may not necessarily be from the 90s, but are all from my childhood. Aw man.

This is pretty much my drawing process; start on something, feel stuck, start doodling nonsense things in the sidelines.

But wait! There's more!

Oh! Hark!

Shirt- Target  ::  Scarf- TJMaxx... I think?  ::  Leggings- HUE  ::  Gloves- Forever21  ::  Boots- Mom'd  ::  Lipstick- #435 Love That Pink

I'd say that this is a pretty accurate rendition of my glorious spring break so far. A lot of smiling and sitting on stone walls. You know how I do.

Oh gurl, I wish. Really my days insofar have been stuffed to the brim with tumbling and the new show du jour to obsess over (before it was Avatar: The Last Airbender, now I'm geeking out over that sassy girl detective Veronica Mars-- I have an active social life that clearly doesn't involve a lot of pajamas). So really, this is a complete fluff piece of a post where I'll just (politely) throw a bunch of pictures and a pretty song at you. Here, here is the pretty song that's perfect for those carefree spring days. Don't be alarmed if you keep on wanting to hit the replay button repeatedly: that's normal.

Pretty Young Thang

Bustin' out my best fake Michael Jackson move. I couldn't exactly grab my crotch in public-- I already do that too often. 

......

JUST KIDDING. really.

Sweater- French Connection  ::  Bomber- JouJou  ::  Leggings- HUE  ::  Ribbon- random magic witchcraft  :: Flats- Gap  ::  Jaunty Beret- Target?



Guess what today's inspiration was from?

Before you open up your eyes

It's officially dead week. This officially means that there's less than a week left till finals week. Which officially means that winter break is just a week after that. 


It also officially seals my doom. 


But. As long as I'm cuddling in this impossibly puffy and comfy jacket (which I was lucky enough to natch at half price!) and impossibly puffy scarf, I can pretend I can get as much sleep as I desire. Which is hilarious to assume when I'm hopping between two big projects and all-nighters...

Top- thrift store in Bronx  ::  Jacket- Silence+Noise  ::  Scarf- TJMaxx

It probably doesn't help that I recently got a tumblr, does it? Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhnaw. I try to refrain myself, seriously I do... oh look! What is that, a SONG?

It's very soothing and haunting to listen to this song on repeat when you're half awake. Furreal. 

Fall Uniform

Blouse-Target  ::  Skirt-Forever 21  ::  Belt-secondhand  ::  Boots-TJMaxx  ::  Scarf-from Pink (coincidence?)  ::  Jacket-gift from Korea

What's Lovely for October 21, 2010:

OMIGOD THIS SONG. I saw this musical tonight and must I say-- never have I enjoyed a musical that puts a little bits of chauvinism, stereotyping and pink more than this. No really, it won me over with this infectious song. I honestly think it's a disease that's burrowing a heart-shaped hole into my brain. But it's fine because TOTAL MAD PROPS I LOVE YOU GUYS. *squeals*

Omigod you guys caffeine makes me go ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Start wearing purple, wearing purple

Guess why I donned all purple for today?

What's Lovely for October 20, 2010 (10/20/10!):

In continuing my penchant for finding things in unexpected places, I'd like to point out this heart made out of ... space fabric wrapped around heater. Screw Valentine cards, nothing's more romantically sweet than this.

Life and death in a Wal-Mart checkout lane

What's Lovely for Friday, September 17, 2010:  Ending a raucous night of partying with a short walk in the dark that leaves me feeling like a "beautiful girl" 

What's Lovely for Saturday, September 18, 2010:  It's a tie between a) feeling like a true college student by being sore all day from sleeping on a futon or b) enjoying a slice of both little Mexico and Korea through food

What's Lovely for Sunday, September 19, 2010:  Feeling grateful (yet at the same time, strangely guilty) for the life I have... also wondering how I can change it

Shapeshift and Trick

What's Lovely for September 3, 2010: Feeling good back in the saddle (unfortunatelythisisonlyfigurativebecauseIhaven'triddenahorseinmanyyearsbutthatsoundslikeitwouldbefunheywhenwasthelasttimeyourodeahorseliterallyorfiguratively?)

Entering the Empire State of Mind

What's Lovely for Saturday, August 14, 2010: The overwhelming relief that you're headed on a plane towards that city with the Big Apple

Little Italy proved to be as delicious as they say. Heavenly bread and cannolis? Yes, please.

If you didn't if you haven't but you were and you did

What's Lovely for Friday, August 13, 2010: Facing one of the hardest truths-- admitting that you were really all sorts of fucked up wrong

Hodge Podge, Schmodge Podge

I always feel guilty when I'm behind on my What's Lovelies. Let's amend that in a backwards manner, shall we?

Play all day in the country

This is the first song on the first mix CD Tangerine gave me. I love how someone set this song to HIMYM-- WIN.

What's Lovely for July 23, 2010: Planning an (almost) impromptu trip to see a friend in a city you've never been before

I'll be away for the weekend doing an activity that'll probably garner me more ungodly mosquito bites than necessary. I'm looking forward to it. :) Happy weekend, everyone!

tangerine memorabilias in the indigo way

What's Lovely for July 22, 2010: Awesomefantabulouslovelyamazingandotheradjectivesthathaven'tbeeninventedyet package from...

I can't tell you how excited I was when I saw this bright yellow box on my front porch. How excited? THIS EXCITED!!!!!! Though I wasn't literally jumping up and down, I was wide-eyed as an eight-year old kid on Christmas day. Only it's better, because it's Christmas in July. Christmas in July is amazing in every way except one (Santa will be throwing off his snowsuit for a pair of boxers, yeesh).

My, I got sidetracked.

We've been planning this package exchange for awhile-- and now, with the blissful emptiness that is summer, it has become possible. Not only is getting mail exciting, but mail from blogger friends who live far away? Priceless. And since I have several questions from Indigo that I need to answer, this post shall be entirely Tangerine Umbrellas on an Indigo Day theme!

Look at how neatly and prettily Indigo wrapped up her gift! All purdy like, I tells ya.

1.If you were to change your name, what would you pick?

I actually like my name, is that too vain to say? Charlene isn't a name you hear every day (though I have called it the name that only 50-year old women in menopause commercials have). But I have thought about this before-- if I had to change my name, I'd go with Irene. Boring, right? It rhymes with Charlene. I'm like the poor man's poor man's Shakespeare.

Out of the magnificent menagerie I've been blessed with, one of the most unusual(ly awesome) were the pig popper and a pink feather.

2. If you had to decorate your house floor to ceiling in one pattern (wallpaper, furniture, picture frames, sheets, as if your name was Olive Snook...) what pattern would you pick?

I'd definitely go with varying shapes and sizes of stripes. Pinstripes, fat stripes, you name it. Can you imagine how streamlined and ridiculous my house would look like??

Cami enjoyed the pig popper (hopefully I'll share a video of her playing with it later) immensely, but wasn't amused when I tried to put Tangerine's gift of the pink feather in her collar.

3. You are trapped in a room filled with rising dough with only an apple, a handkerchief and a non working toaster. The walls are soundproof and there is a door, but it is locked, and it is 15 feet a way and the dough in front of you is already 6 feet high. In two minutes the dough will have risen so high that it will suffocate you, how do you escape?

I'll obviously realize upon polishing the non-working toaster with the handkerchief that it's in fact the Brave Little Toaster who's just sleeping. I'll lightly smack him to wake him up, and though he'll be a little perturbed that I slapped him awake, he'll be more than glad to help me. He'll then dive into the rising pile of dough and use his toaster powers to electrify the dough and then summon millions of toast that we'll both use to crush the dough into a corner. The Brave Little Toaster will allow me to use some of his inner wires to fiddle and open the locked door and in our triumph we'll both share the apple. And if all that doesn't work, I'll use magic and then eat the apple. The end.

Tangerine sent over these beautiful Chinese paper cut-outs that were so delicate and fragile that I felt like I was holding a real butterfly.

4. You are offered the job of your dreams. What is it?

It's always been a problem with me to focus on one set career path, and the number of choices has always daunted me. However, at this point, I'd love to be offered as a graphic designer/artist at a fashion magazine or be a part of the making of film and television title design like this. Of course, there's always that dream I once had to be a singer on Broadway. Ah, pipe dreams, don't we all have them?

5. What, in your opinion, is the best thing since sliced bread?

No offense to sliced bread, but you know what, there are a fecking ton of things that can beat it. For example, this package. It's fecking awesome and it's full of love. Is a bread full of love? No, it's full of bread and carbs. Though I love carbs, so whatevs.

I keep all my letters, postcards and miscelleneous things with writing on them in this box. It's gradually yet surely getting fuller.

If I may be so bold, I have one more thing to say.

The second song on Indigo's CD (Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco") was playing when I read this comment over at Ruby Slipper Journey's blog-- "It makes me so happy that someone is considering taking up sewing, possibly partly inspired by little moi!"

That's when it hit me (albeit softly).

Blogging brings us all together. If it weren't for blogging, then that blogger wouldn't have been affected by the other blog. If it weren't for blogging, then I wouldn't be listening to this Andrew Bird song (he's currently trilling his violin and whistling, of course). If it weren't for blogging, then my room wouldn't be littered with many treasures and I wouldn't be quite so full of thanks, grace and a little bit of guilt (mind you, there's only a bit of guilt because Tangerine and Indigo are so generous to give such amazing gifts that I feel like I don't deserve this at all).

This is when the music swells, figuratively if not literally.

When I really stop to think about this, I'm overwhelmed. My chest feels heavy with feeling, but it's not overbearing. It's light yet has a steady weight at the same time. It's hard to put how happy and thankful I am quite succinctly into words that aren't blatant signs of flowery poetry, but I'll try. Thank you, Tangerine. Thank you, Indigo. Thank you, blog. Thank you, followers and blogger friends. Thank you for supporting me and replying to my neverending questions. You like me, you really like me (and this is when they drag me away from the stage).

Contrived melodramatics aside, I'm happy. It's enough to make you want to laugh, cry and hug a puppy all at the same time. But that sounds a bit too hazardous to try at home. Thanks y'all.

PS: I got what-- five?!?!-- mix CDs total. And they're all amazing. I really should share them with the rest of you guys in future posts. Last time thank yous and bear hugs for Tangerine and Indigo! :)

I've got Soul, but I'm not a Soldier

Oh my, it's been awhile since I've updated, haven't I? Well... time for.... marathon What's Lovelies, ready set GO.

What's Lovely for Saturday, June 19, 2010: Combination of a moon bounce and brownies. Both are lovely, lovely things.

What's Lovely for Sunday, June 20, 2010: First day on the job = WHEW

Since it was raining outside , we had to make do with the stove. Which may or may not have set some of our food on fire. woops.

What's Lovely for Monday, June 21, 2010: Indoor roast of weenies and s'mores (with dark chocolate, no less)

What's Lovely today, June 22, 2010: Long talks. Whether on the front porch or under the artificial stars, long talks are great.

Grooveshark, where have you been all my life???

I love this dress-- it's so versatile and light. I could (and did) wear this from work to play.

Dress&Flats- Thailand : Purse- TJMaxx

Sorry for the blurriness... and the bad posture.... and... everything? These were taken in a hurry, double woops.

Summer Song

What's Lovely for June 17, 2010: Unearthing a new song that you just find absolutely, thrillingly perfect for the summer

I was fortunate to find this over at Flattery's blog. She said it was her new favorite song, and ever since I clicked "play," it has been mine too.

The first time I listened to this song, I would liken it to seeing an impossibly tantalizing new boy who catches your every interest, like how a prism catches light and blinds you. You're thrilled the first time and try to not-so-surreptitiously catch his attention again and again, just to listen to him. And because it's summer, you think anything's possible. I mean... what? It's just a song. But that's what I feel. Am I the only crazy one? I probably sound like I'm either under mild drugs or trying too hard to be like Hipstercrite (Lauren, please don't hate me, I think you're fantabulous).

The point is, I think I found my summer song, the tune I want to listen to so many times that someone might assume the player is stuck on replay. My summer song last year was anything by Brooke Waggoner (who is honestly one of my most favorite singers). In the summer of '09, this was the song that caught my attention and gave me that wanderlust to go search for a vast field of soft grass and spin around until I'm dizzy with wildly calm.

Do you have your "summer song?" I want to hear all about it-- I want everyone to share their favorite song for the summer, the one that you want to play in the car while driving, the one that makes you just so stupidly happy. New and old commenters, hark! I want to hear your voices!

(Speaking of wanderlust, mentioned before... I seriously want to take this opportunity during the summer to meet fellow bloggers. Preferably from the US, but if you're willing to jet here from Yemen, I'd be more than happy to meet you.)

And now, in honor of Toy Story 3 (who else is excited?!???):

I keep playing this clip over and over, and it never gets less funny. I'm a headcase.

Sunny side up, please.

What's Lovely for Friday, June 11, 2010: Bright yellow + Interview + "PARKOUR" = a good day

Yes, this bug bite is one out of many resulting from last post's escapade.

Say hello to the latest addition to the slowly-yet-steadily growing Charmalade choe (pronounced "shoe") family. Mom was a fierce opponent to these babies, but I was aching for a dash of bright yellow for the longest time. And these fun, summery (not to mention fairly comfortable) wedges were the answer. As it turned out, it started to rain on me right when I arrived home, and I saw how perfect the two sunny shades (oxymoron?) went together. So I made lemonade out of lemons ("balls, whyyyy is it raining nowwww?! grumblegrumble"), so to speak.

Not exactly singin' in the rain, but I have a feeling that standin' in the rain will be a new classic.

Tee- Old Navy : Shorts- gift from Thailand : Wedges- Bandolino via TJMaxx

Thank you all who responded and gave me fashion advice for my job interview! I want to give you all a big hug and perhaps a puppy. I only seem to have beagles and greyhounds left, is that OK with y'all?

I decided to go with what Elaine suggested and wear a skirt instead of slacks. Not only was it humid outside, but I wanted to wear this skirt for slightly auspicious reasons. This is the same skirt that my mom wore back when she was a teacher in Korea, but I never knew just how to wear it. It's very good quality and I love the tulip design, but it hits at a length that I'm not used to. In hindsight, I was worrying too much about what I was wearing more than I should've... not to say that I thought my outfit was the most important part of the interview, but dressing well puts on a good impression, right? Well the manager must've also liked tulip skirts because I was hired for the job! Huzzah, champagne and puppies all around.

Blouse- Violet & Claire via TJMaxx : Skirt- Mom's : Belt- Thailand : Shoes- Gentle Souls via TJMaxx

What's Lovely for Sunday, June 13, 2010: Pretending to be on the Broadway stage by belting and howling classics like "Don't Rain on My Parade," "Rose's Turn" and "Maybe This Time." What can I say? I love musicals.

(Saturday's What's Lovely shall come later)

Though this isn't what you call show tune material, I've been playing this song on repeat-repeat-repeat over and over today.

I usually don't like the phrase "no one's ever gonna love you more than I will" because it sounds so selfish to me... but I still love this song.