Saturday, January 28, 2006

Shake That Thing!

A friend gave us two tix to a New Orleans jazz band performance held at Rollins College - the Preservation Hall Band.

You can hear them at:
http://www.rhapsody.com/album?albumId=4974518
I especially like the title track - Shake That Thing!

So amazing! The music was wonderful. The audience was made up of sexto - octogenarians. We were definitely the youngest there. We took Bella along since we got the tix on short notice and she bopped her lil self along to the music for most of the night, took a nap and then woke up in time for the closing song. Total fun.

The funny thing about the tix is that on my drive home Wed. night I thought to myself, " I really want to go out to a jazz club and wear a sexy jazz dress and just feel the music." Then on Thursday Mike calls me and asks me if I'd like to go to a jazz concert because his friend has two tix and instantly thought of us ( which while totally nice is weird since we haven't mentioned anything particular about jazz and then the audience were older folks), and then we went and had a fantabulous time. So, it just shows me that the power of thought is amazing! So start thinking good things and sending positive vibes out into the universe - what you send out comes back to you. Promise.

Erica

Friday, January 20, 2006

  • deja vu video




  • Which came first the chicken or the egg? Click on the images to see the videos, one is the "Such great Heights" music video and the other is for the Mac intel computers. Just as a side note, both are directed by the same person.

    Thursday, January 19, 2006

    No More PMI!

    Hurray! Had our house appraised and we no longer have to pay PMI -oh yeah, I'm doin' the happy dance! I'm thinking we can use that money towards the principal and pay down the mortgage a little bit faster! Yesterday I met Bella's new babysitter come February. Bel took to her like a fish to water - which was very comforting to me. The babysitter's place looks nice and clean and like a place where a baby can have fun.

    Photos Trick



    The other day (actually before yesterday) I found this
    Blog by S.Liu. They didn't have a profile or any reference on who they were so I will assume they are a hermaphrodite, so if I call them him or her I will be right about their gender. Anyways I found some photos the person took and I really liked their work. The pictures have a mysterious look and feel to them which I find fascinating. This prompt me to ask Matt (he is a freelance photographer for Disney) how those pictures were created. He looked at them and with a smirk he told me "Oh that's a Hulga picture", confused I thought It was a style develop by some lady called Holga. "Oh yeah? I told him, does she have a website?" Oh no it not a she it's a thing. Ok so it is a technique called Holga, how is this technique accomplish? With a very cheap lens. Then Dean came around and looked at the blog and said oh yeah that's her. Who? Hulga! Dean said, I have one of those. Really? Yup. Matt explain that he owns one too and brought it in one day and everyone in the office was captured by it's beauty and had to have one! He told me don't let this happen to you, stay away. He said to try lensbabies instead. You can get the same look but with way better results. So I ask you the reader, go try it!

    Good Story


    This blog's name was inspired by the radio program show "This American Life" by Ira Glass. I just change the name a bit but not by much, anyways as I was searching the programs by year and I found this story called "Middle of Nowhere" brodcast 12/5/2003. Act 1 is a story of Nauru, an Island country smaller than the size of Manhattan. In the story the reporter finds why this island has been in the center of attention when it comes to "bankrupting of the Russian economy, global terrorism, (and) North Korean defectors". The second act or Act 2 is about senior producer Julie Snyder and her ten-month battle with her phone company over a $946.36 dispute. She loses hope of ever getting this solve and Ira Glass comes to the rescue, sort of. What got me about that was that I have been there, when your talk to so many "service reps" that you can recite every word they will say before they can say it, argh!! I am angry and I don't want to take it anymore! During those time I feel like going over the phone and hiJacking the cubicle until my demands are met. hahah. But alas I can't so I don't :( . Oh well Just enjoy the show :)

    A session


    Photography by Christine

    I'd like to get a photo shoot for a present.

    Wednesday, January 18, 2006

  • American Idol for Graphic Designers


  • This cool hotel allowed several talented artist to create their own unique room. The result is marvelous! I also came upon this blog/site called cool hunting The site has neat little stories sort of like boing boing but more appealing to the designer eye.

    Friday, January 13, 2006

  • Famous people throughout time

  • This is what Tom Cruise might look like if he were from a diffferent time. There are more celebrity pictures in different periods at worth1000.com. Pictures are created by different photoshop artist, I must let you know some composites are better than others.

    Thursday, January 12, 2006

    Isabella's personality now






    Our baby at 10 months

    At 10 months, your baby may:

    Sensory/ Intellectual
    try imitating some everyday actions like brushing hair or talking on the phone
    Language
    learn the meaning of "no"
    Social/Emotional
    show a new level of attachment to Mom and Dad

    New Attention Grabbers
    Forget the toys. Babies are fascinated by everyday objects. Your baby would rather play with car keys, pots, pans and the remote control.

    And soon she'll take this fascination to a new level. At around 10 months, babies start imitating everyday behavior. So your 10-month-old may try to use the phone, brush her hair or stir her cereal with her finger. This is more than simply having fun. Your baby is learning through observation.

    Social Communication
    Most babies learn the meaning of the word "no" at around this age. And although your baby probably won't say it, she will understand it. Saying "no" firmly and clearly is a good way to set limits. Especially when your baby's safety is at stake.

    Don't be surprised if your 10-month-old starts shaking her head from side to side when she doesn't want to do something. This head shake is one of the earliest gestures babies make.

    Separation Wariness
    This month your baby may start acting a bit funny around strangers. What happened to your sweet, affectionate, outgoing child? "She's not usually like this," you say when she cowers and cries around relatives or friends.

    Parents often feel embarrassed and anxious when their babies get "clingy." But stranger wariness and its twin, separation wariness, are actually healthy signs. The fact that she's experiencing them means your baby is learning the difference between familiar and unfamiliar situations.

    She's also learning about object permanence. Meaning she's beginning to understand that things continue to exist even when she can't see them.

    Separation wariness occurs because your baby knows you're out there somewhere and she wants you back.

    Brain Teaser
    Did you know...
    …development in the brain's frontal cortex is associated with solving problems and controlling emotions?

    Monday, January 09, 2006

  • Nice Robotics


  • I found this movie at Interpolated while I was surfing the net. Although this is not a design site I felt I should share it with everyone. It was created by the embassy who also made this, an example of what the new Transformfer Movie might look like.

    Friday, January 06, 2006

    Pictures from Epcot 1






    We arrive at Epcot happy as a hippo to enter and check out "Holidays around the world", which takes place in the World Showcase. Also we wanted to check out Soaring, Epcot's new ride from California Disney.





    Few people know this but Disney World has an elite Mickey Police Force on patrol and checking everyone's moves with in the park. God Bless those boys (and let us not forget about the ladies) in blue!





    Ah, we finally arrive but wait, where is Mike?





    Erica and I in front of the ball.





    It seems like everytime I go to Epcot they have new ways to entice people to pay for some memorial of their vist to Epcot. I recall before they had people put their names on a brick and those bricks were place at the entrance. Now they are printing your face on a metal sheet that goes on a stone as shown above.

    Pictures from Epcot 2







    Pictures from Epcot 3















    Pictures from Epcot 4

















    Pictures from Epcot 5

















    Pictures from Epcot 6



















    Thursday, January 05, 2006

    Día de Los Tres Reyes Magos



    I admire the three kings for being willing to look to the stars for answers and being able to follow their hearts in search of wisdom. -erica

    THE ORLANDO SENTINEL
    Three Kings Day, Treasured Tradition
    by Maria T. Padilla
    January 2, 2000
    Copyright © 2000 THE ORLANDO SENTINEL. All Rights Reserved.

    For Orlando's Hispanic community, the holiday season isn't over until the Three Kings arrive.

    That takes place on Jan. 6, the day that, according to the biblical story, three wise men bearing gifts for baby Jesus followed a star to his manger.

    In Hispanic countries, Three Kings Day marks the climax of the holiday season, the day when children receive the most gifts.

    Jose Francisco Roman, owner of Plaza Gigante grocery in southeast Orlando, agrees. "Christmas has passed for Americans, but Hispanics can go on until octavitas," said Roman, referring to Jan. 8, the last day of celebration for revelers.

    Roman said customers are buying more traditional items, including cider, candy, coconut milk for eggnog, and rice and pork.

    Puerto Ricans, who make up half of Central Florida's Hispanics, are the likeliest to celebrate, said Sanchez, who is from the Dominican Republic.

    But Three Kings Day is not just for Hispanics.

    The holiday also is celebrated as far away as the Philippines and France. The French bake a cake with a surprise inside, a tradition also maintained by Mexicans and Spaniards. In the Philippines, people display star lanterns on their windows.


    John H. Hopkins, Jr. (1820-1891)
    http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/e/wethree.htm

    We three kings of Orient are;Bearing gifts we traverse afar,Field and fountain, moor and mountain,Following yonder star.

    Refrain

    O star of wonder, star of light,Star with royal beauty bright,Westward leading, still proceeding,Guide us to thy perfect light.
    Born a King on Bethlehem’s plainGold I bring to crown Him again,King forever, ceasing never,Over us all to reign.

    Refrain

    Frankincense to offer have I;Incense owns a Deity nigh;Prayer and praising, voices raising,Worshipping God on high.

    Refrain

    Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfumeBreathes a life of gathering gloom;Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

    Refrain

    Glorious now behold Him arise;King and God and sacrifice;Alleluia, Alleluia,Sounds through the earth and skies.

    Refrain

    Wednesday, January 04, 2006

  • Oregon Catch
  • Well as Erica and I were in Epcot. My sister & brother in-law left to Oregon to visit his family. While there they took these pictures. I don’t know what this picture is about but apparently what goes up you must catch before it hits the ground. I try to find out more information soon.


  • IsaBelly's first Christmas!
  • This year we celebrated Christmas for the first time with our daughter Isabella. She loved all the presents she received especially the gift-wrapping paper. It was so joyful watching her play most of the day with the torn up pieces of paper. Isabella also received clothes and toys. The gifts of clothing were my favorite; since she is growing up quickly we have not been able to keep her wardrobe up to date with her size. Posted are some pictures we took that eventful first Christmas day.


    Belly finds a present!


    Belly wonders what is this?


    Finds toy and clothing but likes paper better.


    She wants to play!

    Enjoy and please post any comments you have by clicking on the “comment” link below next to the pencil.

  • Your Picture on a Stamp
  • Photo.Stamps.Com
    Create your own legal postage here with your own cool pics! But don't try this . They will be on to you!