on a whim

NEWS: Moved to Wordpress

2010-04-03T17:41:00.000-05:00

Today, while I was avoiding doing reading, staring out the window and enjoying the gorgeous weather, I decided that I am tired of posting very tiny images for a blog that focuses largely on photography. So I am moving to Wordpress! Please continue reading there. Cheers.

Pisco Sin Fronteras: Environment Center

2010-04-02T00:45:00.000-05:00

I would say that working on the environment center was probably a few of my favorite days. Although it is hard to pick because every day was simply filled with memories and fun-filled laughter. By the beach in Pisco, PSF is helping build an environment center with a volleyball court, swing set, play structure and bird watching tower for the local Pisquenan children. For the first day, we spent

Pisco Sin Fronteras: Olga's House

2010-04-01T01:39:00.000-05:00

I was hoping to blog about my entire experience with a day-to-day recap, like I did with Guatemala, but the entire ordeal is proving more difficult than I thought because my extra curriculars and classes have truly thrown me for a loop this quarter. I have had the most difficult time picking classes and wrapping up small Peru things like the photo exchange, gifting and other potential

Peru: Parque del Amor, San Antonio's & Catacombas con't

2010-03-30T12:54:00.001-05:00

This was the lovely group of people I had the privilege of spending time with this break. Here's to Peru! And more random photos from the first day.

Peru: Parque del Amor, San Antonio's & Catacombas

2010-03-30T02:14:00.000-05:00

I'm back in Evanston and raring to go. Honestly, I don't really have much of a choice because my flight got in at 11 a.m. yesterday morning and I was sitting in a classroom going over the syllabus for Digital Art by 1 p.m. I skipped my first reporting class in three quarters, which I do not consider a great way to kick off the quarter, but I could have not asked for a better way to spend my

Rollin'

2010-03-14T19:43:00.002-05:00

How can you see these two rollin' around the Lakefill and not think, "Damn, I want to be their friends?"

Friendly faces

2010-03-12T13:23:00.000-06:00

I am so ready for this quarter to be over, to put things behind me and look forward. Drowning in projects and homework, I have recently forgotten the importance of setting things aside -- no matter how important and timely they may be -- to simply sit and just be. The thought reminds me of one of the baccalaureate speeches from two years ago. My memory has been failing me lately and high school

Gorgeous day

2010-03-11T19:27:00.000-06:00

How can someone study for finals when it looks like this outside? Sun, please don't tease me.

Are we there yet?

2010-03-10T17:43:00.002-06:00

I realized I posted this on the wrong blog. Woops: ----------------------------------------- The end of winter quarter decided it would be really fun to tackle me with Rod Blagojevich, Dance Marathon and final projects galore. My body has decided to retaliate by seducing me with sleep and the coziness of my bed. The combination of all of it has made for a rather overwhelming few weeks. But I have

Alice's Tea Cup

2010-02-12T23:47:00.000-06:00

It's been a whirlwind of a few weeks and I haven't been able to get my mind around things. Do you ever have that feeling? There is always so much to do and never enough time, and I am getting to that point in the quarter where not enough incentive will keep me motivated. Lately, I'd rather curl up in a bed with a hot cup of tea and a good book than talk about mindless things with large groups

2010-02-04T19:29:00.000-06:00

-------------------------------------------------------Round-up of recent NBN posts -- photography and interactive: Morty talks NU Sports Illinois primary election voter guide Mike Posner to perform at Enclave Club Ambulance shows up, ISA formal shuts down In photos: Northwestern beats rival Illinois, 73-68

One step over the edge.

2010-02-04T01:10:00.000-06:00

Somehow, these two images speak to me a lot right now. The past two weeks that I haven't blogged have been an emotional and academic whirlwind. It always amazes me how I can feel the stress almost boiling over the edge and then a sudden wave of calm rushes through me. It's like I'm hanging over the edge and still know that everything will be OK. That feels like some sort of paradox.

Shinto Temple in Hua-Lien

2010-01-14T18:57:00.002-06:00

Fish?

2010-01-10T22:38:00.002-06:00

There are a lot of them around...

Bugs bugs bugs

2010-01-08T10:00:00.000-06:00

Home to me...

2010-01-07T00:13:00.001-06:00

Going to my other grandparents' house is all about slipping on a pair of slippers, sitting down on the horribly uncomfortable, muted pink couches and sipping tea. We munch on freshly cut fruit and my grandpa pulls out both of their art portfolios. I love to see what they have been painting in their classes, and I realize that artistic talent goes way back...

The small things...

2010-01-04T16:30:00.001-06:00

I love my grandma. There are some cultural differences and occasionally some language barriers, but she's great and I learned this trip that she's so trendy. Just look at her! And I learned so much about my family. I am really grateful I had a chance to go back this break and see everyone.

The Outback Bowl, in photos

2010-01-02T22:30:00.003-06:00

From North by Northwestern coverage From the tailgate to the epic, jaw-dropping game, Katie, Colin, Blake and I had a great time covering the game. Sure, the downpour was a little more than we expected, but that doesn't stop us from trying to capture Northwestern playing at The Outback Bowl. We woke ourselves up at 6:30 a.m., headed out the door by 7:30 and began chatting up the tailgaters by

To a new year...

2009-12-31T00:48:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year, everyone! I'll be starting the year off with plenty of photos from Taiwan and more from the Outback Bowl. Off to Florida for the New Year's Day bowl game... But before that, cheers to a wonderful 2009. Here's to: Fabulous friends (old and new) Guatemala Sunset Good talks Getting myself out of sorority recruitment before I went insane Camping in Capitola Exploring the Bay Area

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-22T06:05:00.002-06:00

So I had a post with a cute holiday photo that I thought posted before I left for the holidays, but unfortunately technology failed me and it did not go up as I expected. Now, I don't have my computer with me as I sit in the "Promised Land" in Taiwan so all I can say to my fellow friends who read this right now is... Happy Holidays! See you in a week.

It looks like a blizzard outside...

2009-12-15T09:00:00.002-06:00

So curl up inside with a cup of peppermint mocha or gingerbread latte at Borders and hunker down for finals! Or at least, that's what we did after our trip to Xoco. Forget about studying on campus where there are friends to distract you and a packed library with very few open outlets. We hid from the wind and snow in downtown Chicago's Borders overlooking a busy Michigan Avenue, flipped through

A brief respite from campus life

2009-12-14T20:21:00.000-06:00

I'm finally back home, but here are a few posts from the end of fall quarter. Sometimes, it's so easy to get caught up in things to do that I forget to get off campus sometimes. There are always student productions, campus soirees, NBN work to do, Rotaract, catching up with friends, and of course academia. There aren't enough hours in the day and by the time there is even one minute to take a

On my birthday...

2009-12-08T23:34:00.000-06:00

This is me, and this is what I look like as a 20-year-old. And on this day, the town looked like this. My friends were absolutely wonderful and celebrated mine and Zheng's birthday for a full 24 hours from singing a hilarious and absolutely adorable rendition of Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" to lunch to presents to simple, sweet notes to FlatTop dinner. Here's to being 20. I'm not one

Zoolights in Lincoln Park Zoo

2009-12-07T19:29:00.002-06:00

All taken on our weekend trip to Zoolights at Lincoln Park Zoo (a brief break from our studies). Thinking about moving to a different blog site for larger photos, thoughts? And here's to the last few hours of my teenage years.

Light Painting

2009-12-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

And the last of this quarter's art projects: a light painting of a rainy city scene.

Inspired by Wayne Thiebaud: Coca Cola

2009-12-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

Construction

2009-12-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

Our project was to use unrecognizable objects such as trash and crumpled up paper to create a composition...here's what I came up with:

Landscape painting

2009-12-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

This was my least favorite painting of the entire quarter, but I thought I'd post it regardless...

Random acts of kindness

2009-12-02T00:00:00.003-06:00

A couple weeks ago, I started noticing these little people hanging around the hallways of Kresge as I trudged up the stairs to art class. Curious little things. In my mind, they are someone's final art project. In reality, they could simply be random acts of kindness. Tiny little notes someone put up to brighten up people's days.

Chipping away the years

2009-12-01T01:04:00.002-06:00

For those of you who don't come to this school, we have this thing called "The Rock" here at Northwestern. It's this obnoxiously large, obstrusive object that sits in a small plaza. We worship it, paint it for events and organizations, and proudly brag about it when it comes up in conversation. Yesterday, there was a group of students chipping away at the layers of paint. I asked one girl who

Sunset in Ogden Dunes

2009-11-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving in a Nutshell

2009-11-29T00:21:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Stephanie for letting me crash with her and her family the entire break! Thanks to both her and Bryan for a fantastic Black Friday and cheers to hot-tubbing, catching up on TV shows, trans-border sing-a-longs, and having a much-needed break from school.

Thankful for...

2009-11-26T12:04:00.000-06:00

In no particular order: 1. My family's support and love 2. My friends and their hilarious antics 3. Warm chocolate chip cookies 4. Hot tea, hot coffee 5. My camera 6. Random acts of kindness 7. The long phone calls with friends from back home 8. A good education 9. Being in Chicago for the break 10. Sleeping in 11. Big hugs. Not just any hugs, the kind where you squeeze the life out of others

Leaf Piles

2009-11-10T12:31:00.004-06:00

Enough said. Taken during the Teeter Totter A-Thon.

JRed

2009-11-08T13:16:00.014-06:00

It's been a while since I've actually taken out my camera with a purpose. I rarely sign up for NBN stories anymore. It's a matter of principle, not a lack of motivation or creativity. Honestly, I'm not satisfied with the system and some of the leadership as of late.So when my friend nudged me a month or so ago and asked if I can shoot photos of him, I happily, but hesitantly, said yes. When it

Run, run, run

2009-11-07T10:49:00.003-06:00

It was such a thrill to take part in this event, even if it was just as a mere press member whose camera could barely do her justice. I kneeled next to official Chicago Marathon photographers and NBC videographers with gear that I would not be able to fit into my complimentary Chicago Marathon backpack that came with the press kit.As a person who hates running, I could never imagine running an

ART 120: Self Portrait

2009-11-06T12:00:00.002-06:00

Thoughts? You're right...it doesn't look like me. During the span of this quarter, Basic Painting has reinforced the idea that we are more attuned to seeing objects as what we expect them to look like rather than their actual shapes. We know what a face is supposed to look like, so we paint it such. We know what a horse is supposed to look like, so we work more from our memory than from pure, raw

ART 120: Still Life

2009-11-05T12:00:00.000-06:00

ART 120: Shape & Value

2009-11-04T16:08:00.003-06:00

I have been a horrible blogger and I really have no real excuses for dropping the ball. After I finally got into the full swing of things, my camera has been tucked into my desk drawer, neglected and dejected. There have been plenty of beautiful things to capture around campus, but I simply haven't taken the initiative to do so. No excuses.I'm happy to share that my basic painting class is going

John Legend, Round Two

2009-10-11T14:56:00.002-05:00

Except this time, I was about a foot away from him -- so close I could touch him if I wanted to. I'm probably the most annoying John Legend fan ever and why would I say no to seeing him live again? But this time, I covered the show for NBN.Life has been busy at school and, as my friends can testify, I've been running around non-stop. But I promise for more updates and photos soon!

Home.

2009-09-17T16:53:00.001-05:00

Farewell to another summer. It's time to brace another school year, and I'm hoping for a year of experiences: good, bad, fun, full of laughter, full of tears. Hey, that doesn't seem like too much to ask for, right? I'm dreading the sophomore slump, but wondering if it's not as bad as people say. I guess we'll find out!

Tomato & Goat Cheese Tarts and Raspberry Gratin

2009-09-16T20:59:00.001-05:00

Jan was kind enough to let me crash with her for a few nights last week. We let all the sweat pour out of our pores in a couple sessions of Bikram Yoga, got our hair cut at SFIEC -- one of the Paul Mitchell Schools, and she was patient enough to let me help her cook! These two recipes were from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics and were absolutely delish! I vow to cook more this year at school and

Sunset Wrap-up

2009-09-09T13:25:00.003-05:00

Taken at the John Legend concert at Greek TheatreEven though Labor Day weekend is over, Free fun on Labor Day Weekend (it's actually every first weekend of each month).Paint-it-your-own pottery, in honor of two recent birthdays!The Treehouse Green Gifts, because I had so much fun thrift shopping this past weekend.

Covering SF Outside Lands for Venus Zine

2009-09-02T23:58:00.005-05:00

Venus Zine's coverage of San Francisco's Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is finally up with contribution from yours truly.It was one hell of a weekend. I got in trouble from ticket validation problems on the same Caltrain that proceeded to break down causing utter festival-going chaos. I learned that being late for even one minute is not acceptable because then you've missed your chance to

San Francisco: Local Tourist

2009-09-01T00:23:00.002-05:00

I haven't gone to SF as much as I liked, but when my friend Paris stayed with me for a week, I gave myself the excuse to put aside the to-do list and enjoy my "hometown." I'm wrapping up my last week at Sunset, and I'm sorry to be leaving so soon. I also have photos and write-ups from SF Outside Lands going up on Venus Zine in the next couple days, so more outtakes coming soon!

Words

2009-08-19T18:21:00.005-05:00

It's funny how powerful words are. Frankly, its power scares the shit of me sometimes. Day to day, we speak with such conviction and confidence, making proclamations and hard-boiled statements in a manner that suggests we actually know what the hell we are talking about even when we don't.Does that seem a little messed up to you?Words, written or spoken, have always been an intriguing concept to

Missed Connections

2009-08-13T22:51:00.019-05:00

photo from Missed ConnectionsI'm re-posting something my fellow intern Natalie posted about on her blog, "Live in the Layers": Sophie Blackall's Illustrated Missed Connections, because this new blog that's going into my Google Reader subscriptions truly romanticizes the quick, seemingly unimposing interactions between two strangers on the street. On one hand, it's kind of unsettling and creepy --

Putting pen to paper

2009-07-29T23:47:00.003-05:00

Chookooloonk's post today about writing in a journal really made me think and struck a chord. I have always had trouble writing in a diary or a journal. The thought of writing to myself never really worked and reading the mandatory diary entries I wrote in elementary school still makes me cringe to this day. When I write, I prefer to create a conversation and, hopefully, make people think. Maybe

Renegade Craft Fair makes a stop in SF

2009-07-28T09:20:00.001-05:00

Prepare yourself for a huge image overload. Sunset home writer Jess, fellow intern Natalie and I (and many other Sunset-ers) made our way to the Renegade Craft Fair last weekend and posted a few of our favorites here. I loved the entire fair and I have several "outtakes" of other stores that I fancied. It was truly inspiring and amazing to see all these entrepreneurs and creative, talented

Traces of the Molten State

2009-07-23T00:48:00.004-05:00

I was trying to pick which randL notebook I wanted and came across Chika and Jean's blogspot.I had to repost this beautiful video of Etsuko Ichikawa creating her gorgeous pieces of art by burning paper with molten glass.Absolutely inspiring.Traces of the Molten State from Etsuko Ichikawa on Vimeo.

Obon Festival

2009-07-21T23:34:00.004-05:00

I suddenly want to learn more about the Japanese culture of ikebana. What do you know?Rachel and I headed to the annual Obon Festival at Mountain View Buddhist Temple and had a blast eating spam musubi, trying to wear cozies on our (really just her) head, and watching a local taiko group perform. Rachel and I shelled out a dollar to play a shooting game. A proof of my skills? Nothing. A proof of

DIY Crazy!

2009-07-20T16:58:00.003-05:00

I'm suddenly really interested in learning how to sew and make useful and incredibly adorable crafts. Sure, I've knit my share of scarfs and that pair of legwarmers and bought books on turning plain gray t-shirts into trendy halters, but I'm always on the lookout for more brilliant ideas! So I'm glad that I came across this Web package at Sunset.com that compiles twenty fabulous ideas, most of

Days as Sunset consist of...

2009-07-20T02:15:00.003-05:00

Love the free stuff.-----------------------------------------------------------------------You can also see my very first post on one of Sunset's blogs, Home by Sunset. I'm looking forward to more projects, more stories and tons more delicious food and wonderful experiences!

Pacific Garbage Patch

2009-07-08T15:49:00.003-05:00

Call it a shameless plug if you want. I would prefer to call it sharing my great excitement that a new friend/fellow intern of mine is going on a one-month long maritime journey to cover the Pacific Garbage Patch and may be published in the New York Times.Learn more about her trip here: http://www.spot.us/pitches/238She even got Gawker talking, which I thought was an intriguing discussion about

As Dan says...

2009-07-05T23:54:00.002-05:00

"No strange forces, no true love, no nothing mystical like that."Thoughts?Apologies for the lack of photos. I just got back from a camping trip, so there will be an update soon enough! Some photos from the office as well.

Feasible?

2009-06-28T23:24:00.001-05:00

http://www.cleveland.com/schultz/index.ssf/2009/06/tighter_copyright_law_could_sa.htmlWhat do you think?

NEW WEBSITE!

2009-06-21T22:52:00.005-05:00

Sorry for not updating in a while! Between lugging home three large suitcases packed full of clothes and gear, unpacking three large suitcases packed full of clothes and gear, settling in back home, catching up with old friends, and starting my internship at Sunset Magazine, I haven't had much of a chance to pick up my camera.BUT, I have finally bought a host and registered a domain with the

Fireworks, Dine & Cheese

2009-06-14T21:12:00.006-05:00

It was like any Saturday night, but we had big plans. The weather was chilly, biting enough that we needed a coat but warm enough that it was only a light jacket. We rode our way into downtown Chicago, stopped at Grand and walked the short two blocks to Buca di Beppo, reliving a previous dining experience I unfortunately could not take part in. Dressed in a simple dress, I shared large plates of

What do you have to do?

2009-06-07T21:42:00.006-05:00

Dan, Stephen, Peter and I hopped on the chance to get dollar crepes, taking a well-deserved break from our studying and paper-writing. On our way there, we came across the words, "What do you have to do?" on the ground. Beneath these words, there were a list of numbers, with number one filled out as "food!" I picked up the small piece of blue chalk and began writing. The four of us filled out the

The 195 and consider this...

2009-06-04T16:48:00.008-05:00

I just wanted post on a new site that came to fruition from our wonderful Medill students' multitude of ideas. Check out: the195.com. There are some great writers who are going to wonderful places.I only hope I will have as many stories to tell after my four years here at Northwestern.--------------------------------------------------------My fellow dormmate, Shuling, made a documentary for her

Dillo Day

2009-05-31T13:46:00.000-05:00

Thankfully the weather was beautiful yesterday or else Dillo Day would have been moved into Patten. The day was eventful, to say the least. Personally, the Decemberists did not do it for me, but Estelle, N.E.R.D. and Mike Posner rocked the crowd. It was wild. What a great day.I can't believe it took me until the end of the year to realize how relaxing the lake fill is. I always stay on the West

Give it a whirl and more

2009-05-28T11:21:00.005-05:00

So I have my list of daily reads, as shown on the side. The list keeps growing and I can spend over an hour just perusing a series of links and pages connected to each of the bookmarked pages sitting on my toolbar.Here is just a list of thingsAndrea at Superhero Journals is inviting friends to feature as guest bloggers and Jen Gray's video inspired me. I am sitting in Global History right now

Expiration Dating

2009-05-27T21:25:00.004-05:00

North by Northwestern published its new Spring 2009 quarterly magazine (an online version here). Read page 12 - 17 yourself and take what you can from it. Some of my friends did not enjoy it, but I absolutely loved it. Perhaps it's because it hit home.But it's interesting to see how people are put on the back burner when, at the end of the day, they are what matter the most.I would write more

05/22: Lincoln Park Zoo

2009-05-26T15:07:00.003-05:00

There is something about zoos and aquariums that always get me excited. I don't know if it's nostalgia and a reminder of my childhood or the simple excitement of seeing all the animals. While small, the Lincoln Park Zoo was such a blast (and free!). Unfortunately, the weather was not consistently warm enough for some of the larger animals to be out, so I missed out on my favorite polar bears. The

05/22: Matt's birthday

2009-05-25T10:25:00.002-05:00

It was Matt's birthday on Friday and after coming back from a great day at the Lincoln Park Zoo, we decided to hang out and watch the Blackhawks playoffs. We took a detour at Whole Foods and Emily found this epic cake -- so fitting for a guy who loves Burger King. We had to get it, even if he told us he already had cake and did not want anymore. Hell, who doesn't want more cake on their birthday?

Tulips?

2009-05-20T23:57:00.002-05:00

It's really funny how I never associated tulips with Spring back in San Jose. Now, they are everywhere I turn. On Michigan Ave. when Dan and I are going to pick up our hats from Lids. On the patches of grass and shrubs around campus. In the planters around Evanston. They're starting to grow on me.

A snake biting a hawk

2009-05-19T20:06:00.002-05:00

Today was OASIS-organized Spring Carnival on Norris East Lawn. ISRC had a face painting table tucked away in the far corner of the lawn, but we had a lot of traffic. Children's creativity and imagination always amaze me. We had girls who wanted the simple heart and butterflies, but then boys came and wanted their faces painted entirely. Others wanted a football on their hand. One kid wanted a

Poetry Mondays

2009-05-18T22:51:00.007-05:00

On NBN, we have Poetry Mondays and my friend Dan wrote a poem yesterday, reprinted below, that really struck a chord in my heart.You said you would read thisBy Dan Camponovo To the best of my abilityI can only rememberthree girls I write aboutin the second person.I say

Avedon

2009-05-14T12:18:00.003-05:00

I wish I could be in New York to see the Avedon Fashion.

Go Cubs Go

2009-05-14T11:33:00.004-05:00

Feat in North by Northwestern.Unfortunately I only had my point and shoot, which in the dark shadows did not do me justice. It was a great game though. After I started losing hope in the third inning with Padres winning by 2 - 0, the Cubs tore the field up and hit some amazing home runs.Great game.-------------------------------------------Note to self about potential future:"Recognize that the

NU Day at Wrigley Field

2009-05-12T11:21:00.002-05:00

Taken at a NU Baseball GameToday's NU Day at Wrigley Field and I am pretty excited. The Cubs are playing the San Diego Padres. Lately, I have been reminiscing about going to A's games with Anthony, Matt, Ankur and whoever else came along. For some reason, I find baseball pretty fun to watch and there is something about just sitting in the stadium and eating a hot dog that just brightens my day.

Ask yourself

2009-05-07T11:17:00.001-05:00

I feel myself evaluating my actions constantly and yet reminding myself that I shouldn't think to hard, that I should just enjoy life and go with the flow.What keeps you going? What motivates you to do what you do?

Evening Escapade

2009-05-03T00:32:00.002-05:00

My friend Tom kindly taught me how to design a Web site, so hopefully I will be informing you of www.emilychow.com sooner or later (realistically, later). We were walking back to my dorm from McTrib when both of us realized the flowering tree outside of ISRC. I imagine that the flowers did not bloom overnight, but this is the first time I really looked at it. As photography freaks, both of us

Infinite

2009-05-01T10:41:00.002-05:00

Every once in a while, my suitemates and I will drop all our work and just hang around, doing the most random things. I saved some henna from the fall quarter Indian social and my roommate pulled it off my desk after a cleaning flurry and insisted on getting henna.I drew this one for myself. I think, if I ever had to get a tattoo, this would be it.

Breaking Tweets Entertainment

2009-04-29T12:34:00.002-05:00

Just a slight plug: I am now writing for Breaking Tweets Entertainment, so please go check it out!"Breaking Tweets Entertainment was founded April 20, 2009 as an affiliate site of Breaking Tweets. In contrast to Breaking Tweets, which focuses on world news, BT Entertainment compiles the latest entertainment news and Twitter feedback on that news.BT Entertainment will cover four main areas of the

Random Note...on journalism

2009-04-23T22:13:00.003-05:00

I have been doubting my career choice as of late. I'm not worried about the money or whether or not I can even get a job, I am more worried about the reputation and the implications associated with becoming a journalist.I recently had an incredibly compelling discussion at the Hinman lunch table where my friend and one of our ISRC fellows talked about their personal ideas on the media and what

03/17: Jam Session

2009-04-22T18:26:00.003-05:00

Quote I found on a friend's blog:"If logic is telling you one thing, and yet you're torn, it's because your gut is telling you the opposite."-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Antigua

2009-04-19T13:30:00.000-05:00

On our very last day in Antigua, we stood in the heat under the glaring sun to experience the procession that people rave about. It was absolutely gorgeous. Religiously unaffiliated, I personally noticed the greater sense of community that pervaded the entire ceremony.These beautiful designs were made out of colored sawdust and the procession eventually just trampled over the entire design, which

<3

2009-04-15T20:29:00.002-05:00

Life has been a huge whirlwind these days. After months of discouragement, the internship search is finally looking up! But I don't want to say anything prematurely.Big news though. You are reading the posts of NU Rotaract's new web manager! I plan on doing some crazy and drastic changes to our currently outdated website so that everyone can stay up-to-date with our events and we can reinforce

Punx and Twitter Con't

2009-04-13T12:46:00.004-05:00

I remember sitting in our little white short bus in Guatemala, staring at the graffiti sprayed on the battered walls. For some reason, this is the shot that caught my eye. Maybe it's the heart. Maybe it's the Punx, or the juxtaposition of it all. I wonder: did one person write all of this? Are these simple short phrases and symbols somehow related? There's always a story behind everything. That's

Twitter

2009-04-12T13:04:00.002-05:00

You can now find me on Twitter.I'll admit that I am a little embarrassed to have one because I have my doubts and concerns about the entire trend, but I'm keeping my eyes open and dipping my toes into new media. More importantly, I am looking into contributing to Breaking Tweets and figure I would try my hand at Twitter.

Happy Birthday

2009-04-11T10:04:00.000-05:00

And happy birthday to my dad. I'm sorry I can't be home for your birthday, but may your part of the world be perfect today.

Hours in the day

2009-04-11T09:44:00.003-05:00

There are not enough of them. I wish I had more hours in the day to do what I want to do and what I need to do. Sorry I have not updated in a few days. I have a couple more posts about Guatemala, but I have been busy catching up on reading, looking for a summer internship and applying for school-related things. My happy balance of work and play is a little precarious as of late and I really don't

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

2009-04-09T09:03:00.004-05:00

A break in Guatemala news, I recently went to a concert with a friend from NBN. She is the concert review intern at Venus Magazine and needed a photographer because the original one canceled. I happily jumped on the opportunity because: 1. Concerts are always fun. 2. I love photography, simple as that.You can find her review and a couple photos here, and here are a couple other shots.Note to self

Thursday, Friday 3/26 - 3/27 On our feet

2009-04-08T15:05:00.008-05:00

Firstly, here is the link to the Mayan Water Project for more information.The rest of the week seemed like utter chaos in the best way possible. A few of us fell sick in Panajachel and 12 out of 14 of us slowly dropped like rocks, staying in at nights and popping pills to speed up the recovery process. Unfortunately, more than half of us came back to the states still feeling the effects, but we

Our hotel in Antigua

2009-04-07T18:50:00.003-05:00

Albeit tight quarters, the hotel we stayed at was quaint and comfortable. I felt like I saw something beautiful or intriguing every time I turned a corner.Burnt edges, crooked placement -- I wonder if it's intentional.I snapped this photograph thinking about an older post.

In Aldous Huxley's words...

2009-04-06T23:29:00.005-05:00

"Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing," writer Aldous Huxley once said.I, for one, have not seen Lake Como, but do agree with Huxley when it comes to Lake Atitlán. We took a boat ride from Panajachel across the lake to Panabaj, where we met

Tuesday, 3/24: Mayan Water Project

2009-04-04T11:39:00.014-05:00

We packed up our bags early in the morning and took a long, windy and bumpy ride to Panajachel, where Rotary president Juan Carlos gave us the opportunity to build water filters for the local community. It was probably one of my personal favorites. These water filters were made out of industrial plastic. Essentially, we stacked two buckets, screwed in 2 corn-cob sized white filters and put a

Monday, 3/23: Rotaract of Guatemala Sur

2009-04-03T19:08:00.006-05:00

After visiting Benito Juarez and seeing the few sights of Guatemala, we went to a special Rotaract meeting where my host, among other new friends of ours, was initiated into the organization. Rocio and Lauren also gave a presentation about our Northwestern division and I realized how much more we could be doing by attending the meeting.I learned that these are worry dolls. When you have worries,

Monday, 3/23: Benito Juarez, National Palace, Cathedral

2009-04-02T23:43:00.016-05:00

First, apologies. I realized that my dates were one day off, but I corrected my mistake.On Monday, we went to Benito Juarez (Centro Educativo Rotario), a school dedicated to teaching children with high intelligence quotients from low-income families. For a good hour or so, we visited each individual classroom and talked to the children. I remember walking into the fifth grade classroom. Eyes

Sunday, 3/22: Mt. Pacaya and Club Guatemala

2009-04-01T19:35:00.006-05:00

We climbed a majority of Pacaya's 2500 meters. One of 25 volcanoes in Guatemala, Pacaya is considered the smallest volcano, but I still thought it was quite a climb.This Guatemalan mountaineer, Jaime Viñals, guided us up the volcano. He is the first Central American to climb Mount Everest and is planning to come the 50 highest summits in the world in the next year. He said that National

Saturday, 03/21: Playing Dentist

2009-03-31T12:53:00.004-05:00

It's weird to be back in the states after such an eventful spring break. Sorry I did not updating earlier. I dived into the first day of spring quarter with a lot to do, but here's the first of many updates. The big idea of the trip? We did a lot of service, had a lot of fun and came back with plenty of stories to tell.After settling in with my host Carmen, we went to a local elementary school in

Jetsetting...

2009-03-19T11:08:00.003-05:00

The colors make me stare. I usually think of flowers as vibrant and bright, but the tone of this photograph makes me look twice.In 24 hours, I will be sitting on the Kiss n' Fly with 13 of my fellow Northwestern students and flying off to Guatemala to help with the global water issue. Hopefully I will have pictures for all! With a 50 mm, I am hoping to get some great photos, but also miss out on

Frisbee on South Beach

2009-03-17T17:50:00.005-05:00

70-degree weather? Almost unheard of here in Evanston. I think the beautiful weather today makes up for the bitter cold winter. Not quite, but close. I THINK I LOVE IT.A bunch of us went to South Beach Monday for a little study break. I can't even describe how refreshing it is to be able to relax outside for more than an hour and not freeze. People played Frisbee. A couple thought it would be a

A Taste of Spring

2009-03-16T13:59:00.004-05:00

From the first two quarters in Chicago, I have learned that the weather is fickle, especially come March. One day, it will be 60 degrees and sunny. The next, gray clouds and heavy rain. The fickle weather calls for mood swings.But the sun is back for the week, so out comes the sandals, skirts and dresses! How I've missed my open-toed shoes.Skirt courtesy of my lovely roommate!

03/12/09: Thursdance

2009-03-15T15:31:00.006-05:00

The week before Valentine's Day, my dormmates cleverly coined the term, "Thursdance." Thursday nights always seem like the night to stay up in our dorm. The night when we plan an event a little bit more exciting and out of the ordinary -- a break from our busy studying and working, to say the least. I will spare publishing the details of the first Thursdance online because: 1. I was not there and

Our First Loves

2009-03-14T11:42:00.004-05:00

My friend, Tom, recently just finished this journalism 300-level class where the students were given a project and told to create an online, interactive multimedia Web site from scratch.Please check it out: Our First LovesIt is absolutely inspirational to see the skills and talents of Medill students come together on one site. The design is simple, the vision -- fitting. Everyone has a first love

Gestures.

2009-03-10T18:04:00.004-05:00

This past weekend was insane, to say the least. Unfortunately, I misplaced my card reader while packing for Dance Marathon, so I cannot share photographs of DM with you right now.Before DM, I excused myself from the crazy social life that is my dorm and found places to study for my personality psychology exam. On Wednesday night, I found myself in McTrib (McCormick Tribune Center) studying while

Pressure on NBN

2009-03-06T00:39:00.003-06:00

A lot of new articles with photographs from yours truly have gone up in the past month, but I haven't linked any. Here is the latest one and the last one for winter quarter: Pressure Billiards & Cafe. Now off to do work, sleep and 30-hours of dancing. Wish me luck!The weather today? 60 degrees. You heard me, 60 degrees. People shed their heavy winter coats and pulled their open-toed shoes out of

Future?

2009-03-02T11:54:00.010-06:00

The San Francisco Chronicle reported a little less than a week ago that Hearst may put the paper up for sale. What does that say for the 200 students sitting with me in Medill? What does that say for those who are seeking internships this summer?It's a frightening thing to think about. What business model will replace the traditional business model to create a remotely successful industry?Every