Thursday, June 18, 2009

10 things I want to do before I die ver. 1.0

Given things not included. I obviously want to get married, have a family, get a good job, nice house etc...these are my "out of the ordinary" dreams.

1)Circumnavigate the world
2)Participate in the world naked bike ride.
3)Play music/sing in front of thousands of people
4)Plant 100 trees
5)Have a small part in a major film (think, "These pretzels are making me thirsty.")
6)Swim in a bioluminescent lake.
7)See the Northern Lights
8)Visit a ton of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
9)Speak at least 5 languages fluently (Japanese, Spanish, German, Mandarin, Arabic?)

Monday, June 15, 2009

Hey! Get outta here!

I made a Christopher Walken T-shirt. DIY screen printing without the equipment and about 2 extra hours. The stencil took almost an hour and a half to cutout by hand. It was worth it, I think.

Stencil on the shirt


End result!


Planning on making a lot more of these. Any requests?

Friday, May 15, 2009

Anxiety






I finally understand Jackson Pollock.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Do Want

A pair of English Bulldogs








Sunday, March 29, 2009

6 of my favorite strange but still adorable animals

The Fennec Fox:



These guys are one of my favorite animals. They are absolutely adorable with their huge ears and little black eyes. I had the pleasure of meeting one of these guys in person a long time ago, but unfortunately he was accompanied by Jeff Corwin, who turned out to be kind of an ass. (who knew?)
These little buggers are from the Sahara Desert in Africa. Their huge ears aren't only the cutest thing in the world, but they function quite well as an air conditioning system for the Fennecs by getting rid of heat over their large surface area. They are also nocturnal and their huge, sensitive ears help them hear their prey at night. Some people like to keep Fennecs as pets, and althought I'd love to cuddle with one all the time, I don't think they make suitable companions. They are not domesticated animals and require a lot of special adaptions to properly take care of them. The above video shows how much energy they have, and the kid even mentions the fact that its midnight and they are just waking up. The video bothers me because that room seems very small, which doesn't give them nearly as much space as they need to release all of their energy, but it is good that he has more than one living together, because they are very social and would be miserable alone.


The Sloth:


Baby sloths are one of the cutest babies around, in my opinion. They always look like they have a smile on their face, and live life at such a slow, leisurely pace. Sloths are weird for a number of reasons, one being that they are so slow moving, algae is able to grow on their fur. They have a sort of symbiotic relationship with this cyanobacteria, because it gives the sloth a greenish color which helps to camouflage it in the leafy trees it lives in. Sloth's fur also grows in the opposite direction that most mammals fur does. They spend so much time hanging upside down in the trees, their "backwards" fur helps protect them from the elements. There are 6 species of sloths, all which are native to Central and South America.


The Red Panda:


Red Pandas (aka "firefoxes" or "lesser pandas") are only found in central Asia. They are mostly arboreal and are crepuscular, which means they are active mostly durning dawn and dusk. They munch mostly on bamboo, and they have to eat a ton of it too, since they can't digest cellulose. They are omnivorous, so they will eat whatever else they can find to add to their largely bamboo diet. Because their diet doesn't provide much energy, they don't really do much. These guys are so cute that Mozilla named their internet browser "Firefox" after them. Despite their name, Red Pandas are only distantly related to the more well known Giant Panda. They are considered "vulnerable" on the endangered species list, so don't let these guys go extinct!

The Axolotl:


Now these are some pretty bizzare animals. They are only found in Lake Xochimilco in Central Mexico. The reason they look so strange is that they do not undergo metamorphosis from their larval stage. All amphibians start out in a larval stage (i.e. frogs lay eggs that hatch into tadpoles, not baby frogs.) They lack Thyroid Stimulating Hormone which would normally cause the metamorphosis, but despite this, they are still able to reach sexual maturity and reproduce. They've got a pretty funky look with three pairs of external gills, and like the sloth, always look like they've got a smile on their face. Unfortunately they are considered critically endangered on the endangered species list due to their habitat slowly decreasing caused by human developments and expansions.

"I herd u lyke mukipz"....look familiar?


The Sugar Glider:


Aww, even their name sounds sweet. Sugar Gliders are often kept as pets, but are native to Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania. As their name suggests, they are able to glide from tree to tree with the aid of webbing between their limbs, which is good because these guys are arboreal. They are marsupials and live together in small communities in shelters such as tree hollows. They conduct their family business like an exclusive night club. Members of the group are marked with a scent by the dominant male and are allowed to come and go to the nest as they please. Outsiders interested in the action going on inside the Ol' Tree Hollow that don't have wrist bands get the boot, often quite violently!

The Fruit Bat:




Last but not least, the Fruit bat, or Flying Fox. If you ever read the book "Stellaluna" as a kid, you'll be more than familiar with these guys. When most people think of bats, they think of creepy, ugly, repulsive things that fly around at night. These bats however have a very cute face, akin to, well, a fox....and everyone likes foxes. If you don't like the little bats that fly around your neighborhood at night, then you won't like these guys. The largest species of fruitbats can have a wingspan of up to 5 feet. they are harmless though, only eating fruit and nectar. Unlike their microbat counterparts, fruit bats don't use echolocation (in most cases) to locate food, since they have a well adapted sense of sight, and simply for the fact that their food (fruit, duh) doesn't put up much of an evasion.

Friday, March 27, 2009

What's the Story

My Morning Glory Hibiscus bloomed this morning!

Last night:


When I woke up this morning:







Its gorgeous in person, I've been waiting a while for this! I wish I knew it was going to bloom this morning, I would've loved to watch it happen. It literally only took a few hours to fully open.

My venus flytrap is looking pretty fierce lately, too

There are fruit flies all over my room, thanks to the soil my plants were repotted in. The flies are bad for the plants, but hopefully my flytrap will take care of that for me.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Excited

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-03-22-wild-things-main_n.htm

:-/

What I have in my heart,





will stay in my heart.


If you know me well enough to know why I have such an obsession with "stomach issues", know how I broke my leg in 8th grade, describe one of the plants in my room, know a line from my favorite movie simply because I quote it so much, or have a memory of something special we did together, you'll be there too.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

10 little things I love, 10 little things I hate

Hate:

1)Jeans with no back pockets
"Do these make me ass look big?"
2)Hummers
"MY CAR IS SO FUCKING BADASS, ITS COMPARABLE TO A TANK"
3)Unnecessarily rude people
"Yo miss, you got any goggles I could use? No? Stupid bitch."
4)People who throw garbage out of their car windows
"I can't possibly have this empty McDonald's bag taking up space in my car."
5)Bad tattoos
"Yeah, gimme one of them tasmanian devils riding a rocketship. Might as well put some barbed wire around it while you're at it."
6)Dunkin Donuts
"We're all out of coffee? Well just mix whatever's left with some warm water, they'll never notice."
7)People who don't use turn signals
"Hmm, where am I turning? Not yet, not yet, not yet, HERE!"
8)Awkward silence
"....................."
9)People who spit on the ground when people are walking behind them.
"My mouth is producing this strange liquid substance. I better get rid of it."
10)People who stare
"What that ugly shit hanging from that girl's nose?"

Love:

1)Coffee icecream
2)The smell of my basement
3)Good tattoos
4)Chocolate sprinkles
5)When I realize that whole class also hasn't done the reading assignment
6)Talented artists, not just people who draw a line on a piece of paper and think its brilliant
7)People who have an open mind about a lot of things
8)Slip on Vans
9)Well composed photographs
10)Daylight Savings Time

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Work in Progress

It's a revelation, a moment of clarity,
and I am trapped inside this moment deadlines are left to die
And I guess I am truly free.
My brain was spent I worried as I fell in knee deep
where consequences and circumstances suffocated and I could barely breathe.
And by all means, this rain should be bringing me down.
Seattle is keeping me in tune with just right now
and a song that tends to be so oddly timed.
The city is cold and miserable but I am not.
All we are is all we've started. All could be gone.

So let's begin!
I often wonder if I'll ever finish all I've started, and the answer I have found is NO!
No, I will never finish all that I have started because life is about doing, the process
And not the result. Life is about doing whether you want to or not.

My life! A constant work in progress and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Take a look back. Is that what you wanted?
Chances are that it's not what was intended to be, because it's gonna be better than everything.
Everything, you will see, comes together in it's own ironic kind of way, so live in just today.
In my eyes I hold a vision in contradiction of what once existed.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

This is all about me

Life's tough. Am I strong enough to fix myself? I didn't know there was anything wrong with me, but I've been told by a highly regarded professional that there is. It wasn't put so bluntly, however.

Lets see, where am I?

Well, I'm still a lifeguard. And I complain. Still. I've seen a hell of a lot, though. I hate/love to say I've been doing this for about 4 years now and I haven't ever had to do a major save. (knock on wood) At least I can say I like my fellow employees. The Maloney triumverate is unbeatable.

I guess I'm an anthropology major. It's not official. I am really torn about this. I don't want to go into detail, but I'm half really interested in it, and I half am really turned off by the idea of studying human beings/evolution/achaeology. I don't know why. I still have dreams of just living on a farm with a bunch of animals and horses (Kirsten? are you reading this?) In all honesty, if I got the opportunity to ride or work with horses again, I'd take it in a second. I just don't have the money to do it. I feel weird getting back into it, the last time I was on a horse must've been 10 or more years ago. Anything with animals/plants/nature would make me happy.

I'm also "unoffically" minoring in Japanese. Its getting really hard, but I love it. Maybe I could be a professional translator? If I major in linguistic anthropology and learn a bunch of languages, I think I could have a decent career. Sometimes I feel like I know so much of the language, but when I look ahead to what I still need to learn, I get really let down. Basically, if I was stuck in Japan, I'd be able to ask people about what kind of house they live in, whats in it, ect.

I'm in a weird spot in my life right now. I feel like I'm supposed to be transitioning, but I don't know what I'm transitioning from or what I'm transitioning to. I don't like to think of life in that way, either. I don't like to think there are steps or stages that need to be overcome to move on to the next part of your life. I like to think its more fluid and flexible than that. In the words of the Gallagher brothers, you've got to roll with it, I guess. I know I'll have a different outlook in things when I wake up tomorrow. My purpose and perspective are constantly changing, or so it seems.

I had a tough day. I've had a tough week. I'm pretty down, and I think I should write about some things I feel. There's so many memories from my past that are haunting me, even good memories. I miss them. There are many things that I'm happy I've put behind me, but there are many things I wish could come back. There are so many wants and desires, but I guess thats normal. Only time will tell. Tempus fugit.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Just felt like posting some old photos I've taken over the past couple of years. I'm in a summery mood.


Can't wait to grow a nice garden again this summer! Summer 2008?


My hair! I look so different with long hair, this was only taken a few months ago!Summer 2008


Draft horse at the Durham fair, Fall 2007?


Oscar :) Spring 2007


??? beetle, Spring 2007


When I really loved art, Summer 2007


Cape Cod, my sister's footprint on the left, mine on the right, Summer 2007


My mom's flower garden, Spring? 2007?


" "


Birch tree in my backyard, Summer 2007?

one fish, two fish

Mickey is gonna have babies

Friday, February 6, 2009

Here and Now

What is your favorite food?
All kinds of sushi.
What is your favorite drink?
Cold water, or cherry/vanilla Coke/Dr. Pepper.
What is your favorite movie?
Forrest Gump
Who is your favorite actor and why?
Tom Hanks, becuase he made Forrest Gump great, and he's done an awesome job in every movie I've seen him in.
Who is your favorite actress and why?
Scarlett Johansson becuase shes the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.
List your favorite colors in order from most liked to most hated:
Blue, yellow, green, red, indigo, violet
What is your favorite season?
Spring, because everything is getting greener, and flowers are blooming. Fall too, because the leaves are pretty, Halloween is my favorite holiday, and the weather is great.
What was your favorite age and why?
17. Things were easy. I was having fun and being myself. I had a blast. I went to shows and actually had fun. "dreamy 17!"
What is one personal thing most people don't know about you?
I feel a very deep, hippie-like connection with nature.
What is one funny thing most people don't know about you?
I used to tuck in my stuffed animals before I went to school so they wouldn't get cold.
What is one sad thing most people don't know about you?
I always feel inadequate.
Who is one famous person you admire and why?
Famous? No one specific. Anyone who has done something heroic I admire.
Who is one non-famous person you admire and why?
My dad. He's been through a lot. He's seen a lot. He can build a house and fix a helicopter.
Where is your favorite place to be?
On top of a mountain, in the woods, by the ocean, with friends and loved ones, or warm in my bed.
What is your favorite thing to do?
Anything as long as I'm happy.
Name ten hobbies/interests:
1)Gardening/growing plants
2)playing guitar
3)being a total video game nerd
4)hiking
5)making stuff...out of anything
6)taking photos of things and pretending like I'm going to post them on a photoblog. I will one day, I swear.
7)Taking care of/being around animals. I wish so bad I could ride horses and hang around a barn again.
8)Learning Japanese/as many languages as I can.
9)Learning a little bit about everything
10)aquariums
What is one memory you have of getting physically injured?
Breaking my leg snowboarding. Everyone's heard that story about a million times.
What is one memory you have of being embarrassed?
Running heard first into a wooden board, then falling into wet cement.
Name one song that makes you feel happy.
"Better Things" cover by the Bouncing Souls
Name one song that makes you feel sad.
"If I Were a Boy" by Beyonce, haha...gets me everytime
Name one song that gets you pumped up.
"No Apologies" by Sick of it All

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Xiphphorus maculatus, Hymenochirus boettgeri

So I finally got a fishtank! I used some money I got for my birthday, so I guess this counts as my birthday present. Melanie came to the pet store with me to help pick everything out and set it all up, thanks Mel!

The tank


I got two Platys:

My mickey mouse platy, Mickey


My tuxedo platy, Phinneas


They are best friends. Or lovers, I'm not sure yet. I guess I'll find out when there are a bunch of babies swimming around.


and my three African Dwarf Frogs:

Liam


Winky


and Dexter


As for their names, Mickey's name was obvious. Phinneas because he's got a huge dorsal fin, and because I thought it'd be cute to be able to call them MickeyPhinn. Winky after Winky the frog in Donkey Kong Country, Liam after Liam Gallagher from Oasis (he's the darkest one, and is really obnoxious to the other frogs, very rockstar like) and Dexter because thats a nerdy name, and the other two frogs leave him out and treat him like he's a dork (awww)


I hope they all live. I'm attached already. I'm thinking of adding another fish, but I'm going to wait a couple of weeks to see how well the guys I already have do.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Saturday, January 10, 2009

I love this language (私の日本語はへたですでも一つの言語は決して十分ではない)

My prize winning, A+, top of the line speech for my oral exam in Japanese. Lots of mistakes, all in hiragana because thats all I know. I don't want to forget this hahaha, its pretty embarrassing.


はじめまして。わたしのなまえはKaitlynです。わたしはあめりかじんりゅうがくせいです。だいがくはとうきょうだいがくです。にねんせいです。わたしのせんこはきょいくがくです。わたしはMeridenからきました。Meridenはちさいまちです。わたしのりょのへやはちさいりょのへやです。せまいへやです。ちゅごくじんのりゅめっとがいます。りゅめっとのなまえはえいみちゅです。えいみさんもにねんせいです。えいみさんのせんこはけいざいがくです。


Nice to meet you. I am Kaitlyn. I am an American exchange student. My university is Tokyo university. I am a sophomore. My major is education. I am from Meriden. Meriden is a small town. My dorm room is small. My dorm room is cramped. My roommate is Chinese. MY roomate's name is Amy Chu. Amy is also a sophomore. Amy's major is economics.



おやすみ

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Monday, January 5, 2009

Some of my favorite Simpsons moments

"Its a pornography store. I was buying pornography"


"She's faking it"


"No TV and no beer make Homer something something"


"Hello? anybody home?"


"KWYJIBO"


"Oh yeah? Well I won the belching contest at work!"


"Hugh Jass?"


"Like you buy 'em all the time"


"I don't know what you've got planned tonight, but count me out."