caitlinmarie:

Have you ever wondered in how many strangers’ photos you’ve appeared? You could be that irritating person who got in the way of an almost-perfect shot or just a wallflower in the background.

That chance capture of you could be in a frame perched on a mantle, or stuck on a refrigerator door, or sandwiched in the back of a book. You’ll never know.

Grab any one of your photos and there are bound to be some unknown figures in the distance, near or far. You’ve probably never given them much thought before. Yet, they are likely still out there… living, breathing and going about their lives not knowing that they have brushed with yours. You’ll probably never see them again. And if you did, you wouldn’t be aware of your connection.

It’s funny to think that when you have your own image reproduced, it means something. But through the eyes of a person who is unfamiliar, you’re rather indistinguishable. How far your image may have quietly traveled is a humbling thought.

I’d love to know to which corners of the world my photo has been carried. And I’d especially love to know what kind of story it accompanies.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

Korean version of Robin Hood

WAAAHHH I can’t believe I finished 24 episodes in 3 days.  I’m a bit sad that it’s over.  HGD is definitely one of my favorite Kdramas.  The first episode was kinda weird with the Kungfu Hustle effect, but the storyline is pretty interesting.  I laughed more than I cried, so thumbs up!  The ending still bothers me though.  I’m gonna miss Gil Dong (Kang Ji Hwan—new favorite actor!) and Yi Nok (Sung Yuri).

Highly recommended! WATCH IT!

heidelweiss:

10 Commandements for Total Happiness:

*1. Act Your Shoe Size. Whatever it was you loved doing as a kid, start doing it again.

2. When it comes to sex, listen to your body, but give your brain emergency veto power.

 *3. Preserve your little rituals:  9 AM cinnamon lattes, Sunday pedicures, August girls’ getaways.

*4. Miss no occasion where there will be great music and everybody dancing.

*5. Celebrate silly-versaries: your first paycheck, first kiss, first caviar.

*6. Manage your expectations. A galaxy-size gap between what you expect someone to do and what they’re capable of doing will only bum both of you out.

7. Have an in-case-of-emergency-break-glass outift in your closet - something that makes you feel appropriate and awesome.

*8. Fake it till you feel it.  Acting more confident, outgoing or enthusastic can make any wallflower bloom.

*9. Don’t try to fix everything or always have the answers. Just know how to listen.

*10. Be nice to mean people. Watch as they become confused!

(feat. Larry Saunders, Ledisi)

(Black diamonds and PEARLS)

[Intro - message continued from interlude]
“I’m just gonna read you a little bit of ?:
‘I like to start off by saying that prison is truly a living hell
It is a place where love and compassion are looked upon as weaknesses
And violence and brutality are worn like a medal of honor
Prison is a tedious task of survival that could shatter your dreams and ambition
The California Department of Corrections ISN’T designed
to help you rehabilitate yourself or even help you
to become a productive law-abiding citizen’”

[Chorus - Larry Saunders (Ledisi)]
(Black diamonds and PEARLS)
Keep on, keep goin’, march on, move on
Keep blowin’ it up
Keep ON, keep goin’, march on, move on
Stay strong, keep goin’, keep, blowin’ it up
(Black diamonds and PEARLS)
KEEP ON, keep goin’, march on, move on
Keep blowin’ it up, yeaaaah
Blowin’ it up, yeaaaaaaah

[Gift of Gab - Verse One]
Young leaders, little unsung heroes
You can run some meters, be a hoop or a track star
School teacher, scientist, or even
own your very own street, maybe even be a rap star
Times witcha, you could change whole pictures
Make a better situation, for your mother and yo’ big mama
Make dollars, own a ride and a house
Get it right, use your powers, getting’ everything you did want
Then the youth say, “Look at where I’m at now
Straight poverty, death is in my backyard
Dope dealers, get fifty G’s a pack
While my teacher don’t really give a damn about a black child!
And the grown folks say, ‘tell the truth’, then act fowl
Say ‘no’ to drugs, hidin’ all they crack vials
And talk all about peace and love and God
But then why are we at war, killin’ people in Iraq now?”

[Chorus]


[Verse Two]
Young sista had a child, still young herself now
And it’s others all around screamin’ turmoil
Ain’t done wit’ school, how are you gonna make it now?
Life is gonna be a little harder for you girl
Some how, she sees the face of a child
And on her face is a smile, and now it’s brighter up in her world
And makes her stronger now, she’s gotta carry on
And be a very good mama, this is life, let it unfurl
And she’s doin’ it, mother of the earth now
Found a blessin’ in the struggle through her first child
Kept goin’, kept growin’, kept flowin’
Kept strivin’, kept knowin’ God would make a way somehow
Live yo’ life, girl, show ‘em how it’s done now
I believe in you, so keep it movin’ ‘til the sun’s down
Never let them hold you back from anything you want now
Life is but a ride, so find the treasures that are unfound

[Chorus]

[Verse Three]
Young brotha, takin’ care of his mother
Makin’ bread, gotta hustle, ‘cause the table’s lookin’ thin now
Stress ridden as he walks his little sister
to her preschool, which is up the road just a few miles
Back at the house, his mom seeks magic
Through the pipe smoke travelin’ through her lungs out and back down
Worst part that breaks the young man’s heart
is he’s the one that’s supplyin’ it, he feels like he’s trapped now
‘Cause every time he says, “No”, then she’ll spaz out
Start shakin’, “Mama, please, where is dad now?!”
Guess he’s gotta be the home’s only man now
Left the life alone and gotta whole other plan now
Stacked enough to put her in a rehab found
Work and got a G.E.D., his sister’s in his hands now
And with support from other members in the fam
Gonna make it out this struggle, young people, here’s your chance, come on!

[Chorus and ad-libs]

Black diamonds and PEARLS

This is hard for me to write it’s difficult to express this
Its heavy on my shoulders and the weight gets relentless
The story of brothers and a beautiful friendship
And how relations get strained with pressure and tension
Who’s wrong, correct, so, so, subjective
You look back its hard cos the mind gets adventurous
Dates get mixed up facts disconnected
The only thing you remember is the feeling that you’re left with
It started as a blessing

Now you could write this off as luck or one of life’s coincidences
But at some point you think god damn what are the chances
People with similar interests and influences
Coming together at that moment to form a kinship
It’s like you knew that you was brothers before your conception
Even if you’re not a spiritual person I admit shit
At that point I wasn’t but at some point it sets in
It be foolish to dismiss this as coincidence
Now this shit is different, somewhere this is written
Be part of a mission, this shit is predestined
Closer than close like flesh is to tendon
Share my 50 cent bag of chips with my freshman
Half a half a gas station sandwich no question
Talking shit to me well then talking shit to him then
Family is sacred it must be protected
Family is sacred and it must be protected

Over time I don’t know what happens something got infected
People grow in different ways at different rates I guess
It ridiculous, little shit it suddenly gets big shit
Lapses in communication, glitches in the system
He said that she said what nobody said shit
But you’ll never know cos everyone’s passive aggressive
I sit down smoke pow wow how everyone said shit
People cease to make the effort to get to the essence
Peep this shit out though this shit is really twisted
Funny thing is that you and I do it every minute
We take it in rhetoric every time somebody says shit
Against us stock piling every little incident
What’s stupid is all the bullshit that’s circulating
Could be fixed in an instant with simple conversation
But you know how pride is
A bitch with her fist clenched
That mixed with the fat drama gets addictive
Wounds need dressing and they don’t receive attention
It snowballs and festers and creates resentment
People demonise each other brave discontentment
But nobody could’ve been prepared for the next step
The nature of the predator is calculated pensive
Waiting in the brush patiently revving they engines
Despite the colour that they got all they see is crimson
Waiting for they prey to become desperate defenceless
Outside is always over just beyond the fences
Today the gate is open though today they make an entrance
Friendly at first laughs jokes like we best friends
Slowly though you start to see they become hidden agendas
Nine to five one day insecure self perceptions
Shines a spotlight on all those paranoid self perceptions
Things begin to heat up everyone’s already stretched thin
How could you be well how could you be so deceptive
Any second now someone will snap like a bread stick
And what once was simply dissolves like a breath mint
Just like that you start to ask yourself questions
Is this really worth all the emotion and depressment
Do the benefits and perks outweigh the pressure
Let me step back give this relationship assessment

BURBANK, CA—(Marketwire - January 29, 2008) - Jack’s Mannequin founder Andrew McMahon’s battle with leukemia is the subject of the upcoming documentary “Dear Jack.”

Tommy Lee, who played drums on Jack’s Mannequin’s debut and forged a strong friendship with McMahon, narrated the feature film, which also chronicles the beginnings of the band, Andrew’s relationship with his now-wife Kelly and the immense impact both had on his fight with cancer.

“Andrew is such a hero and I jumped at the opportunity to help tell this incredible story,” Lee said.

The documentary was directed by Corey Moss and Josh Morrisroe, two former MTV News producers who covered McMahon’s story for the channel, although much of the intensely personal footage was shot by Andrew himself.

McMahon, who was recently featured on the cover of Alternative Press’s “Most Anticipated Albums” issue, is currently finishing his second Jacks’ Mannequin album, again under the guidance of producer Jim Wirt (Incubus).

Jack’s Mannequin just performed at the Sundance Film Festival’s “Where Music Meets Film” event, and will appear at the Sire Records showcase at South By Southwest in March.

credit: http://www.sirerecords.com/news

This is the Vietnamese version of Cinderella with a major twist.  It’s more like the revenge of Cinderella. 

There were once two stepsisters named Tam and Cam. Tam was the daughter of their father’s first wife. She died when the child was young so her father took a second wife. Some years later the father died and left Tam to live with her stepmother and stepsister.

Her stepmother was most severe and treated the girl harshly. Tam had to labor all day and long into the night. When there was any daylight she had to care for the buffalo, carry water for the cooking, do the washing and pick vegetables and water-fern for the pigs to eat. At night she had to spend a lot of time husking the rice. While Tam worked hard her sister did nothing but play games. She was given pretty clothes to wear and always got the best food.

Early one morning the second-mother gave two creels to Tam and Cam and told them to go to the paddy fields to catch tiny shrimp and crab. I will give a yêm of red cloth to the one who brings home a full creel,” she promised.

Tam was very familiar with the task of finding shrimp and crab in the paddy fields, and by lunchtime she had filled her creel. Cam walked and waded from field to field but she could not catch anything. She looked at Tam’s full creel and said to her, “Oh, my dear sister Tam, your hair is covered in mud. Get into the pond to wash it, or you will be scolded by mother when you return home.”

Believing what her sister told her, Tam hurried to the pond to wash herself. As soon as her stepsister entered the water, Cam emptied the shrimp and crab into her own creel, and hurried home to claim the yêm of red cloth.

When she had finished washing and saw her empty creel Tam burst into tears.

A Buddha who was sitting on a lotus in the sky heard her sobs and came down beside her. “Why are you crying?” asked the Buddha.

Tam told him all that had happened and the Buddha comforted her. “Do not be tearful. Look into your creel and see if anything is left.”

Tam looked into the creel and said to the Buddha, “There is only one tiny bông fish.”

“Take the fish and put it in the pond near your home. At every meal you must save a bowl of rice with which to feed it. When you want the fish to rise to the surface to eat the rice you must call like this:

Dear bông, dear bông,
Rise only to eat my golden rice,
For that of others will not taste nice.

Goodbye child, I wish you well.” After saying this the Buddha disappeared.

Tam put the fish in the pond as she had been bidden, and every day, after lunch and the evening meal, she took some rice to feed it. Day by day the bông fish grew, and the girl became great friends with it.

Seeing Tam take rice to the pond after each meal the second-mother became suspicious, and bade Cam go to spy on her stepsister. Cam hid in a bush near the pond. When Tam called the bông fish the hidden girl listened to the words, and rushed to her mother to tell her of the secret.

That evening, the second-mother instructed Tam that on the following day she must take the buffalo to the far field.

“It is now the season for vegetables. Buffalo cannot graze in the village. Tomorrow you have to take the buffalo to the far field. If you graze in the village it will be taken by the notables.”

Tam set off very early the next morning to ride the buffalo to the far field. When she was gone, Cam and her mother took rice to the pond and called the bông fish. It rose to the surface and the woman caught it. She then took it to the kitchen where she cooked and ate it.

Tam returned in the evening, and after eating her meal took rice to the pond to feed her friend. She called and called, again and again, but she saw only a drop of blood on the surface of the water. Tam knew that something terrible had happened to the bông fish and began to weep.

The Buddha appeared by her side again. “Why do you weep this time, my child?”

Tam sobbed out her story and the Buddha spoke. “Your fish has been caught and eaten. Now, stop crying. You must find the bones of the fish and put them in four jars. After doing this you must bury the jars. Put one under each of the legs of your bed.”

Tam searched and searched for the bones of her beloved friend but could not find them anywhere. As she looked even further a rooster came and called to her.

Cock-a-doodle-do, cock-a-doodle-do,
A handful of rice,
And I’ll find the bones for you.

Tam gave rice to the rooster, and when it had eaten it strutted into the kitchen. In no time at all the elegant fowl returned with the bones and laid them at Tam’s feet. The girl placed the bones into four jars and buried one under each of the legs of her bed.

Some months later the king proclaimed that there would be a great festival. All the people of Tam’s village were going to attend, and the road was thronged with well dressed people making their way to the capital. Cam and her mother put on their finest clothes in readiness to join them. When the woman saw that Tam also wanted to attend the gala day she winked at Cam. Then she mixed a basketful of unhusked rice with the basket of clean rice Tam had prepared the previous evening. “You may go to the festival when you have separated this grain. If there isn’t any rice to cook when we return home you will be beaten.”

With that, she and her daughter joined the happy people on their way to the festival, and left Tam to her lonely task. She started to separate the rice, but she could see that it was hopeless and she began to weep.

Once again the Buddha appeared by her side. “Why are there tears in your eyes?” he asked.

Tam explained about the rice grains that had to be separated, and how the festival would be over by the time she had finished.

“Bring your baskets to the yard,” said the Buddha. I will call the birds to help you.”

The birds came and pecked and fluttered until, in no time at all, they had divided the rice into two baskets. Not one single grain did they eat, but when they flew away Tam began to weep again.

“Now why are you crying?” asked the Buddha.

“My clothes are too poor,” sobbed Tam. “I thank you for your help, but I cannot go dressed like this.”

“Go and dig up the four jars,” ordered the Buddha. “Then you will have all you need.”

Tam obeyed and opened the jars. In the first she found a beautiful silk dress, a silk yêm and a scarf of the same material. In the second jar she found a pair of embroidered shoes of a cunning design which fitted her perfectly. When she opened the third jar great was her surprise when she saw a miniature horse. It neighed once, and grew to become a noble steed. In the fourth jar there was a richly ornamented saddle and bridle which grew to fit the horse. She washed herself and brushed her hair until it shone. Then she put on her wonderful new clothes and rode off to the festival.

On the way she had to ride through a stream flowing over the road. As she did so, one of her embroidered shoes fell into the water and sank beneath the surface. She was in such a hurry that she could not stop to search for it, so she wrapped the other shoe in her scarf and rode on.

Shortly afterwards, the king and his entourage, led by two elephants, arrived at the same spot. The elephants refused to enter the water and lowered their tusks, bellowing and trumpeting. When no amount of goading would force them on, the king ordered his followers to search the water. One of them found the embroidered shoe and brought it to the king, who inspected it closely.

Finally he said, “The girl who wore a shoe as beautiful as this must herself be very beautiful. Let us go on to the festival and find her. Whoever it fits will be my wife.”

There was great excitement when all the women learned of the king’s decision, and they eagerly waited for their turn to try on the shoe.

Cam and her mother struggled to make it fit, but to no avail, and when they saw Tam waiting patiently nearby the woman sneered at her. “How can someone as common as you be the owner of such a shoe? And where did you steal those fine clothes? Wait till we get home. If there isn’t any rice to cook I am going to beat you severely.”

Tam said nothing, but when it came her turn to try on the shoe it fitted perfectly. Then she showed the other one that was wrapped in the scarf, and everyone knew that she was the future queen.

The king ordered his servants to take Tam to the palace in a palanquin, and she rode off happily under the furious and jealous gazes of her stepsister and stepmother.

Tam was very happy living in the citadel with the king, but she never forgot her father. As the anniversary of his death came nearer she asked the king if she could return to her village to prepare the offering.

When Cam and her mother saw that Tam had returned, their jealous minds formed a wicked plan. “You must make an offering of betel to your father,” said the stepmother. “That areca tree over there has the best nuts. You are a good climber, so you must go to the top of the tree and get some.”

Tam climbed the tree and when she was at the top her stepmother took an axe and began to chop at the trunk. The tree shivered and shook and Tam cried out in alarm. “What is happening? Why is the tree shaking so?”

“There are a lot of ants here,” called her stepmother. “I am chasing them away.”

She continued to chop until the tree fell. Its crown, with Tam in it, toppled into a deep pond and the beautiful young woman was drowned. The wicked murderer gathered Tam’s clothes, gave them to Cam, and led her to the citadel. She explained about the terrible “accident” to the king and offered Cam as a replacement wife. The king was very unhappy, but he said nothing.

When Tam died she was transformed into a vang anh bird. The bird flew back to the palace gardens and there she saw Cam washing the king’s clothes near the well. She called out to her. “Those are my husband’s clothes. Dry the clothes on the pole, not on the fence, lest they be torn.”

Then she flew to the window of the king’s room, singing as she went. The bird followed the king everywhere and he, who was missing Tam greatly, spoke to it, “Dear bird, dear bird, if you are my wife, please come to my sleeve.”

The bird sat on the king’s hand and then hopped onto his sleeve. The king loved the bird so much that he often forgot to eat or sleep, and he had a golden cage made for it. He attended to it day and night and completely ignored Cam.

Cam went to her mother and told her about the bird. The woman advised that she must kill it and eat it, and make up a story to tell the king. Cam waited until the king was absent then she did, as her mother had instructed. She threw the feathers into the garden afterwards.

When the king returned he asked about the bird and Cam answered, “I had a great craving for bird meat so I had it for a meal.” The king said nothing.

The feathers grew into a tree. Whenever the king sat beneath it the branches bent down and made a parasol to shade him. He ordered a hammock to be placed under the tree and every day he rested there.

Cam was not happy about this, and once again she sought her mother’s counsel.

“You must cut down the tree in secret. Use the wood to make a loom and tell the king you will weave some cloth for him.”

On a stormy day Cam had the tree felled and made into a loom. When the king asked her about it she said that the wind had blown it over, and that now she would weave. cloth for him on the loom made from its timber. When she sat down at the loom it spoke to her, “Klick klack, klick klack, you took my husband. I will take your eyes.”

The terrified Cam went to her mother and told her of the loom’s words. “Burn the loom and take the ashes far away from the palace,” she told her daughter.

Cam did as she was bidden and threw the ashes at the side of the road a great distance from the king’s home. The ashes grew into a green thi, tree and when the season came it bore one piece of fruit, with a wonderful fragrance that could be smelled from far away.

An old woman, who sold drinking water at a nearby stall, was attracted by the scent and she stood beneath the tree. She looked at the fruit, opened her pocket and called longingly, “Dear thi, drop into my pocket. I will only smell you, never eat you.”

The fruit fell into her pocket, and she loved and treasured it, keeping it in her room to look at and to smell its fragrance.

Each day, when the old woman went to her stall, a small figure stepped from the thi fruit and grew into the form of Tam. She cleaned the house, put things in order, cooked the rice and made soup out of vegetables from the garden. Then she became tiny again and went back inside the thi fruit.

The old woman was curious and decided to find out who was helping. her. One morning she pretended to go to her stall and hid behind a tree near the back door. She watched through a crack and saw Tam emerge from the thi fruit and grow into a beautiful girl. The old woman was very happy and rushed into the house and embraced her. She tore apart the skin of the fruit and threw it away. Tam lived happily with the old woman and helped her with the housework every day. She also made cakes and prepared betel to sell on the stall.

One day the king left his citadel and rode through the countryside. When he came to the old woman’s stall he saw that it was neat and clean, so he stopped. The old woman offered him water and betel, and when he accepted it he saw that the betel had been prepared to look like the wings of an eagle. He remembered that his wife had prepared betel exactly in this fashion.

“Who prepared this betel?” he asked.

“It was done by my daughter,” replied the old woman.

“Where is your daughter? Let me see her.”

The old woman called Tam. When she came the king recognized his beloved wife, looking even younger and more beautiful. The king was very happy, and as the old woman told him the story he sent his servants to bring a rich palanquin to carry his wife back to the citadel.

When Cam saw that Tam had returned she was most fearful. She did her best to ingratiate herself and asked her stepsister the secret of her great beauty

“Do you wish to be very beautiful?” asked Tam. “Come, I will show you how.” Tam had her servants dig a hole and prepare a large jar of boiling water. “If you want to be beautiful you must get into this hole,” Tam told her wicked stepsister.

When Cam was in the hole Tam ordered the servants to pour in the boiling water, and so her stepsister met her death. Tam had the body made into mam, a rich sauce, and sent it to her stepmother, saying that it was a present from her daughter.

Each day the woman ate some of the mam with her meals, always commenting how delicious it was. A crow came to her house, perched on the roof ridge and cawed, “Delicious! The mother is eating her own daughter’s flesh Is there any left? Give me some.”

The stepmother was very angry and chased the bird away, but, on the day when the jar of mam was nearly empty, she saw her daughter’s skull and fell down dead.

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Sweet story

“Akira SHOCK!”
“Nobuta power, enter!”
“Bye-bye-cycle!”

I freakin’ love Akira character! =D

Yep, I am addicted to Jdramas and a bit obsessed with Yamapi right now.