Album Art

beautiful

my friend showed me this in relation to the previous post of the flyer

UCLA CEC does it again

this flyer is amazing!

es-o-ter-ic

I've heard this word so many times and for some reason I either never looked it up or just never remembered what it means. Ina Garten (of the "Barefood Contessa") referred to an esoteric herb today-- and I just had to look it up. There was no way I would go through life not knowing anymore!

Surprisingly, this is a perfect word for me, and one that I will now surely incorporate into my elocution. I dont know if elocution is the right word...

Newsfeed #1

Sometimes people pop up on my Facebook NewsFeed with some great stuff. I'm going to start "Newsfeed" posts to highlight them

• ‎"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart."- Kahlil Gibran
• if you hold your pride above everything, you're going to end up with nothing but your pride
• 
• She Wants Revenge - "Red Flags and Long Nights"

I realize this might conflict with my usual "Things that came up today:" endings. Hmm will have to work that out haha

OMG I'm Back!!

Welcome Welcome everyone! (Or am I just rewelcoming myself... hahah)

I took a rather long hiatus - with facebook, twitter, tumblr... I just felt like I was spreading myself too e-thin. And with the business of applying to med school, the drone of undergrad life that seems repetitive after the novelty that drove a lot of my earlier (and i mean EARLIER) posts somewhat wore off... I just fell out of the blogging habit.

I started a tumblr in the interim, which was actually never meant to be a "blog" nor do I still consider it one... I rarely write anything, its more like a dump of things I find, or capture myself, mostly visual. Somehow it got discovered, or maybe I exposed myself when following someone else's, and eventually that became my "blog" (ALTHOUGH ITS NOT). I'll try to find some way to sync that here, bec I feel like I'll continue dumping there.

Another reason I took a break from this blog was because I felt like I was lacking a consistent theme. But in my break, I realized, that's what I like about myself-- that I find interest in many things. And I trust that like my also very multifaceted friends, others do too.

SO I'M BACK. woop woop.

I like the water

I've discovered a new joy in life, and I was going to express it on facebook with the status update of: "Samiah likes the water"

If that wasn't obvious in its literal sense (I mean... I only created one of the first water appreciation groups on facebook... hahah)-- let me clarify, yes it is much more metaphorical in sense.

And then I decided I wasn't going to bog people down with metaphorical facebook statuses. My best friend and I despise those. Our first instinct, besides venting about it to eachother, is to immediately hit "Post Reply" and dispell a little KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid).

Rather, I'd write a haiku on my blog. =)


I change my shape so
Come on in, the water's fine
and still her true blue.

Whatever happened to?

Most people that know me well know that

if in high school I had studied models less and AP Bio more, that 4 would have been a 5.

But then I wouldn't have been able to say that I could name every model in your magazine.




Hahaha.
Today I pulled out my W magazines from 2005-- probably the peak of my interest in models and the whos who of thereof.

I don't know why I'm talking so much, all I really wanted to say today was--

what ever happened to Solange Wilvert and Polina Kouklina? If you know please tell me. I'm currently lazy.



Things that came up today:

• lunch at Mas' Islamic Restaurant (highly recommended-so good!)
• the best holiday in the world- 4th of July
• W Magazine
• apologies
• trying to be nice
• daring to be in love... but not courageous enough
  

So feelin' this song

That's what I said

except no one listens to me 'cuz my name isn't Steve Jobs. Yet.
;p

Anyways, well said =)


Things That Came Up Today:

• "Copa Mundial"
• Silk Brand Soy Milk
• a broken elevator
• everything that can go wrong, will go wrong
• smile anyway
  

Free Dessert.

I'm trying to get skinny

Not like

UGLY skinny. Fit skinny!

So I bought these pants recently: Silence & Noise Full Back Zip Cigarette Jeans


They're cool. Kinda tight.

Not like

UGLY tight

but there's always room for improvement.



So after deciding this, I...

ate one chocolate croissant, one semi-small plate of hot brownie fudge paired with vanilla frozen yogurt, and one lemon sugar cookie.


Yep.


There's really only a few things I fall prey to more than the taste of saturated sugar in my mouth. The first of them being Kanye West. The second of them being my relentless drive to continually serve others. (Insert medical school personal statement here)


So, I have made a resolution.


From now on, every time I fall prey to my overwhelming desire for the delicious antinutricious--


I will treat someone to dessert.


So first three to respond--


I shall treat you all.



Don't tempt me.



Things that came up today:

• Like A Virgin - Madonna
• Alexander Wang Resort 2011 (my favortie look after the juuuump)

House Party

Let's talk MUSIC VIDEOS!!

It's obvious that I love them, going from sporadically posting video stills as Facebook userpictures to dedicating an entire blog to some awesome music video moments.

This post isn't meant to do anything groundbreaking except just share a few of my very simple and straightforwards thoughts on some songs/videos that have been on my mind as of late.

First off--

Katy Perry's "California Gurls." (...girls? or girlz? maybe its gurlz... it's spelled differently everywhere I see it!)

I just cannot WAIT for this video to come out! The funniest thing is that I have nothing to go off of for this utter excitement, no production stills no previews, no paparazzo shots courtesy of justjared-- nada. I don't even know if they've started production on a video at all. All I have to go off is simply, the song. I won't elaborate, it's not that critical, but quite simply I can just feel a video in this song. I can see it being so fun and entertaining. And Katy Perry is just bomb-- and Snoop. Really? What can go wrong. I will be utterly disappointed if it does. But until then, I really cannot wait for this video-!

I really wonder how often people get excited over video releases anymore. I hope it's all the time. Yes/no?

Speaking of videos I can't wait for-- "Put It In A Love Song" by Beyonce and Alicia Keys. This one, man, they had the pre-production publicity out and everything and then...

?

It's been over three months now so WHERE (the FLIP) is your video!?! And all of a sudden Beyonce's video for "Why Don't You Love Me" comes out of nowhere. (I just bet Beyonce pushed back Put It In A Love Song so that she could come out with her solo and thus obviously more important video first.) She would. So, as great as a video I'm Put It In A-- sure it will be, I'm over it already. California Gurls can we get this show on the road!

Next on my video spill- yea I have my own language but you already knew that- is David Guetta & Chris Willis' (and Fergie's and LMFAO's) "Gettin' Over You" (after the jump).

Obviously, there are GOOD music videos. (MJ anyone?) The videos I tend to enjoy the most however, pretty much always have two things in common--

1. a loooong house party scene or general house party theme

2. hot young dancers

These aren't necessarily by any means the best music videos I've ever seen, I mean how much can you really do with a room full of people dancing (actually...hahah) but they are my favorite, maybe even for their simplicity. These are the videos that really always just make me wish I was there, or that I could live some sheer spontaneous blissful moment like that. You know, with people breakdancing in your living room (L.O.V.E. - Ashlee Simpson), getting wrapped up in Christmas lights and humping a plastic whale or two (Just Dance - Lady Gaga), someone dressed up in a turtle costume and a mattress flying over a balcony (I Love College - Asher Roth) or just, you know, Justin Bieber... (Eenie Meenie - Sean Kingston ft Justin Bieber)

I love those.

The more hot dancers the better. Dancers in general will add my appreciation for the video tenfold. I love dancers. Their swag, their style, their reckless abandon but their quiet control-- I love dancers. Madonna's "Hung Up" video-- all. over. it.

So anyway, this brings me to David Guetta and Chris Willis' (and Fergie's and LMFAO's) video for "Gettin' Over You." I love this video! A recording studio gets taken over by a mob of young dancers, who are followed by a parade of then more hot young dancers down the street, some on skateboards (I really appreciate those in videos too-- holler out to Pharrell's "Frontin'"!)

which then culminates into a block party entirely consisting of dancers, and Fergie, and THEN-- THE JABBAWOCKEEZ SHOW UP!!

Really. And people are even playing ping pong. Like how can you not want to be there right now.

So. Yea... I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I would have liked it more if it was, like I specified, a house party-- but whatever. JABBAWOCKEEZ.

I'm tired now so I will post all videos later. But yeah, all artists should have a house party themed videos at some point in their career.

Things that came up today:

• responsibility
• guilt
• Strawberry and Cream flavored tea courtesy of Coffee Bean
• Invertebrate Morphology
• Christina Aguilera's "Fighter" video
• I learn the hard way--but I learn.

Good Morning World

a song:

and I'd like to do this to my hair:

Things that came up today:

• lots of green tea
• favorite words
• nice voices
• people inconsiderate of my time
• the fickle nature of my mind

Half-steppin'

Yes so I was beginning my day as I do every day listening to "Can't Be Tamed" by Miley Cyrus, you know, my daily morning mantra...

Just Kidding.

Actually I woke up and played (yet again...) that new Kanye song thats been leaked. (Thanks bro.) What a raw piece of beat to charge yourself for the morning with right?

Anyway

as a joke on my brother I decided to follow up to "Power" with "Can't Be Tamed" (I'm actually still fairly impressed that is what they are using for the NBA Final commercials...)

and then I noticed how that Previous semi-circle link button was placed right at the spot where the rest of Rihanna (iloveyou)'s fabulous derriere was cut off.

Only I would probably notice anything like that, but I thought it was pretty funny/clever/amusing/befuddling... whether or not it was intentional. Everything usually is.

OH OH

speaking of fabulous ways to start your morning-- this chick is my ABSOLUTE (current) FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WORLD:

Things that came up today:

• once in a while, fries animal style
• the best song I've heard in a long time-- Kid Cudi - All Talk ft Chip Tha Rapper & Christian Bale (after the jump)
• LAMP at RSS
• a homemade chocolate chip cookie
• autotune is our way of life
• "finesse"
• "I feel ya creepin' I can see ya from your shadow" (after the jump)

I thought Vespas were cool

"My motorbike is a MOTOBECANE
50 CC 2 speeds (1939)"

Things that came up today:

• Kanye West fresh off the track YUM
• water gun
• is it the end of the world and how should we live it
• laundry cart
• "Beat LA"
• bp

I don't wear halter tops

but can someone that does BUY THIS DRESS PLEASE?!

I just think it is so cute-- and so much potential. Please don't let it go to waaaste.

KIMCHI BLUE MARILYN DRESS

$39.99(was $58.00) at Urban outfitters

I do however-- do plenty of headwear. I'm diggin this interesting wrap-- gonna start workin' it after I get mine and learn how to get it the heck like this...

I swear there was something else I was inspired to enact but I can't remember. Will remember soon.

I realize that on the header info thing I have atop the most recent posts, I have a "what I'm listening to" mention.

I realize this is highly irrelevant because I'm not that much of a music enthusiast. I'm rarely listening to music and if I am, it's one song that I'll repeat for at least a week on end-- which I'll just list on the side panel under current fixes.

What WOULD probably be more relevant for me to update on the "what" is "what nail color I'm sporting"-- because that changes much much more often than the songs I listen to hahah. You all know this.

Anyway. I can't remember the name of what I'm wearing but it's by Milani (I'll figure it out soon)-- layered over a basic white and it looks like this (but cooler):

(that's rumi from fashiontoast btw). What she's putting on is "jizz" (wonderful) by bleachblack. that costs 12 something at needsupply.

Let me save you some money for lunch.

Just get some Revlon "White On White" (it's just white nailpolish no trippin) and then go over it with the Milani "Dreamy Cream" (I remembered) ...

It pretty much looks like that jizz genius stuff though after you've layered it

Yup and then wala you are dooone.

Next thing I would like to say.

"I transcend awkwardness"

hahaha that is not the actual next thing I would like to say. That is just what I happened to say to someone who I've been having random fbchat/text encounters with to ease his worries that we weren't at an "awkward" stage in our relationship. he liked it. i do too.

"whats it"

thats another thing i said that we both found amusing.

But what I really wanted to say-

Some recent style blogger mentioned something about what her closet essentials were. Black skinnies, white button-down, blah blah... (no offense but were black skinnies "essential" back when "flares" were "in"? A classic isn't a classic unless it's a classic. --You can quote me on that. But whatever. Essential nows I guess is what she meant.)

My closet essentials? Here's one.

A feather headdress.

The necessity became obvious to me after Rihanna's "Disturbia" video:

To me essentiality doesn't need to equate practicality. It's essential if it always magically makes you feel good. This does. And if you can work it anywhere. You can.

Casual:

Chic:

Casual:

Chic:

Get it??

I got really excited when they appeard in the element spring 2010 lookbook:

assuming that they would actually be available for sale... I was painfully disappointed.

Anyway. You should get one.

Things that came up today:

• This video still I made of Sutan from ANTM that I found while looking up these pictures on my hard drive. He's working this hat I've been searching for decades for. I need to meet a hatmaker. Any takers..?
• This awesome fiddler cap by Brixton that I cannot wait to get in the maiiiiiil

Sweat baby sweat

A lot of SHIT has been going down in my life recently.

Yet, I am the least bit upset. I wanted to share why that is, and maybe everyone else can find that strength. The strength to

a. not sweat the small stuff

b. turn it all into small stuff

c. embrace a little sweat

I ended up writing a poem, which I realize isn't the best way for me to really SHARE anything, because I am absolutely in love with writing convoluted poems. but I do think this came out much louder and clearer than usual.

what if i'm the only one that even thinks my poems are cryptic... anyways,

from the mountain top.

from the mountain top

there is one way left to go

down to "death valley"

and reap what you have sowed

in this place between two mountains

in the lowest of the lands

yields the fullest harvest

if that's conviction in your hands

if that's reflection in your sweatdrops

and a lesson in the stains

then thats wisdom in the wheatfields

and promise on the plains

and harvest was but a moment

of just fruits and germination

even the weeds you sowed will feed you now

as you make your greatest ascension

Things that came up today:

• a poodle
• a best friend
• a flirt
• an invitation

just kidding

we're back to formafunct.blogspot.com

reverse reverse

is actually supposed to be a reference to the "cha-cha slide" song-- who's with me!

anyway what i meant to say was

inverse inverse!

as i go in and out of phases-- photography, to graphite, back to photography, to oils... etc etc

this can happen within mediums too.

during one of my photog phases i was obsessed with cross-processing post processing.

now i've met someone new.

THE INVERSION

i love it.

I'd have to thank the girls over at BLEACHBLACK for the inspiration:

i can't wait to inverse color!!

not to mention

i would love to own those shoes.

Things that came up today:

• The Break Up (movie)
• Chinese omelette (yum)
• Eamon - "(Fuck It) I Don't Want You Back" (after the jump)
• sleep
• a craving for red bean topping at YogurtLand
• Boston, Massachusetts
• wedding photography
• Chicago, Illinois
• more sleep.

we have moved!

and are still to be unconventially yummy at

http://unconventional-yum.blogspot.com

Rejected.

It's 1:46 AM so I'm not so entirely inclined to go into illustrative details as usual ;p but basically, I sent in two or three secrets to PostSecret some good long months ago-- they never appeared on there. They probably won't.

Well I was incredibly disappointed and wondered how many people shared that sentiment, if at all. After all, some people use PostSecret like some sort of Magic 8 Ball and it's like a game, waiting to see whether or not your secret will show up. They'll send in secrets saying things like, "If this is on PostSecret, I'm going to propose to you!!"

Yeah. Because the fates decide who your soulmate is through PostSecret.

Sorry to break it to you -- Frank Warren isn't Fate.

And why would you want to put that kind of pressure on Frank?? Hahaha... to each their own...

On the other hand (so I guess I am going into detail after all... inevitable me ;p ) for others, its not so much a chance for "fate" to reveal some truth to you, as you attempt to reveal your secret, but it's a little less, and less is more. For some, it's the opportunity to reveal a secret, to anyone who wants to listen, to relate, or just bask in the creativity with which one wished to convey the thoughts they held dear, near, in fear, or just to get their conscience clear.

Anyway. I guess the point of this is, I'm not trying to step on your toes or anything Frank, but some people really just need to see their secret in a public yet anonymous space-- not because it's not enough just to have shared it with you, but because it's like you say, when someone reads a postsecret, they're not reading about one Rando's (refer to my lexicon on right panel) isolated anecdote, but rather, we actually in some way find that we are reading about ourselves. Everyone who sends in a postsecret, I'm almost positive, has faith they aren't alone in their secret, and seeing their secret published is not just a symbol that they have been set free since now they have set their secret free, but that by sharing their secret they have now validated the sentiment for anyone else with the same story. That's why you call it a "community" art project, right?

Anyway. Point is. I'm annoyed and I'm going to start a blog where I will post ALL OF YOUR SECRETS!!! The only problem is, I'm not that comfortable giving out my address... we'll figure that out later. In the mean time, here's my friggin out-dated secret which never made it on to the website, but which I thought was really cleverly presented and hella effin cute, and I'm sharing now because, well, I know someone out there can go, "Me too."

Ok and I kind of like to be a smartass sometimes... (only sometimes...) So... here are some of my "favorite" postsecrets this week from the actual site . . .

Frank didn't post my secrets... so I posted my own!

For me, it didn't. But if you send me your secrets... it will!

Or you could just send them here.

Things that came up today:

• Marina and the Diamonds - I Am Not A (L.A.) Robot (after the jump)
• an annelid dissection
• compliments
• a spinach diet (that's a new one)
• invitations to drink tea with the boys
• boys that drink tea...
• Owen Pallett - Peach Plum Pear (after the jump)
• Bjork
• the cooler sibling
• Subway sandwiches at midnight
• Noir
• & stress.