BlogHer '08: It Was a Success!

I know I'm a few days late recapping BlogHer '08, but it's taken me a few days just to get back in the swing of things. I was not quite prepared for the three hours of sleep a night. But yes, it was all worth it.

My first experience at a BlogHer conference was amazing, to say the least. And to experience it with Trip was great. He was such a trooper! I have to admit, I signed him up as a volunteer without his full consent. But he is on summer vacation, so I kinda feel like he didn't have a choice. (I know, selfish and mean of me, right?) I'm so glad I did. Because he had just as good and an inspiring time as I did. And it didn't hurt that he was hanging out with about a thousand women. 

Because we were working so hard and running all around, we weren't able to sit in on too many of the well-planned sessions. But we were able to sit in on one, which couldn't have been more perfect for us: MommyBlogging: Blogging About Our Children with Special Needs (you can read a live-blog here). Obviously with Trip being a Special Education teacher, I hear about the challenges and rewards of working with these special students on a daily basis. But to hear the parents' side was... there really are no words to explain. It was so moving to see how these women have used their blogs to not only deal with their own difficult days, but to also help others who are just starting out on this journey with their child. These women were all so strong, so brave, so real, so optimistic. It was definitely a touching and humbling experience (that I cried through). Although that was the only session we sat in on, we were both able to leave the conference knowing we experienced a BlogHer conference as one should.

On a completely different note, Trip and I were also able to sneak a peak at the Rocco DiSpirito cooking demonstration. Now, neither of us watched his show The Restaurant, where apparently he was complete ass -- we've only seen him on Top Chef, where he was totally down to earth. Which is how I would describe the Rocco we saw. As soon as he entered the room, he quickly started comfortable conversations with all the lucky 50 women in the room. He really seemed genuine. Maybe he's a fantastic actor and had us all fooled, but my gut tells me he really is a super cool, laid back kinda guy. And we learned some great tips! Cook your veggies with your boiling pasta to save a step -- and a pan; be generous with the salt when you salt the water for cooking pasta; don't feel guilty about taking some cooking short-cuts -- eating well is what is important! 

And yes, he is just as attractive in person (maybe even more!). Sorry, the iPhone camera sucks.

Our favorite room, however, had to be the Sesame Street Suite. I wanted to stay in there all day! Between the recreation of the Sesame Street facade (complete with park benches), the beautifully decorated cookies and cupcakes, Abby Cadabby and GROVER -- I was in kiddie heaven. 

And of course there were the parties. Thursday night was the Newbie Mixer, where we got our first taste of how women would attack Trip to see his tattoos. (I know he loves it.) Friday night was Ruby Skye hosted by TNT, where an actress from their hit show The Closer partied alongside the BlogHers/Hims. (Trip and I ran out to Virgin earlier that day to find a CD for that party. It must have been a success, as by the end of the night, there was some serious gettin' down gettin' on.) And then the closing night ceremony at Macy's, where a few (okay fifteen), wine glasses were broken amongst the Marc Jacobs bags (it pains me to even type that), free samples of KY were giving out, and some yummy tasty treats were passed around. If it sounds like a good time, you're spot on. It was. (Trip ran off to the men's Macy's to do some shopping, so I know for a fact some of those 11% off coupons were used!)

And like a bride after her wedding, Trip and I drove home that night pleased, a little sad it was over, and completely exhausted. And now the planning begins for The Reach Out Tour!

For more on BlogHer '08, visit the live-blogs links on the BlogHer website. You can also check out Flickr for some great shots from the community.

R.I.P. M.C.

It was a sad, sad day on Saturday. My family had to say goodbye to a member of the family.

A few months ago, my sister's cat Marie Claire became suddenly ill. After trying everything they could to get her better, her little body just couldn't fight anymore, and she was ready to start a new adventure.

She lived an amazing nine years. Not many people can say they lived in San Francisco, Miami, Singapore and Hawaii -- let alone a cat. I was fortunate enough to visit her in each of these locations. We both agreed that Singapore was her mommy's best home.

I will always remember Marie Claire as being the most beautiful cat I have ever seen. I took this picture of her with my phone on a day when I was caring for her. I just loved how, even though you knew she wasn't feeling well, she still posed for me. Always the lady.

Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Marie Claire. We are forever grateful. :)

When Warming Is A Good Thing.

Diane Ackerman's book An Alchemy of Mind:

"We safely trade bits of self with loved ones all the time. Couples pick up some of each other's mannerisms, accents, habits, ideas. But we also absorb people in more visceral ways. When we pass along a flu or cold sore, for instance, viruses pack some of our proteins and lipids in the viral envelope and release them inside another person, who will store some in his or her lymph nodes. Retroviruses - such as AIDS, for instance - can install pieces of someone else's DNA in one's chromosomes. But we're probably swapping gene fragments with people all the time, imperceptibly, through infection and lovemaking because 'over the course of an intimate relationship, we collect a lot of pieces of someone else... Until one day what remains is truly and thoroughly a mosaic, a chimera - part man, part woman, part someone, part someone else.' Little by little, as bits of DNA make it to our chromosomes, intimate relationships help shape the immune system's cameo of us, and modify the brain, altering the self whose continuity we cherish. We don't just get under each other's skin, we absorb people. Everyone we've ever loved remains with us, and we're invisibly changed for having known them. That will make some people feel queasy, I suppose, but it warms me."

<sigh>

I Like Circles.

I mentioned yesterday that one of my courses this summer is Motion Graphics 2. Well my other course is my last Liberal Arts class, The Power of Signs: Semiotics & The Visual Arts. If you are a fan of my blog from back in the day (ummm... like last September), then you might remember me posting about the History of Aesthetics class quite a bit. Well this is the same professor, and once again he's got my little wheels a-turnin'. Last week our lecture was on The Preferential Shapes Test, and as interesting as biosemiotics may be (bio-huh?), this was actually something I thought others might be interested in.

From the lecture:

The Preferential Shapes Test provides a window into individual experiences and needs, as well as clues to the direction of future growth. It is not intended as an index of character flaws. The processes revealed by the shape preferences are a part of everyone's experience. The potentials symbolized by each shape are present in everyone, although the shapes' expression within any individual is always unique.

I'm not exactly sure I can reproduce the entire test here, as I Googled it and only got references to a book. So to ensure not getting sued or anything ridiculous like that, I'll just pimp the book instead.

The "test" was created by Angeles Arrien, a cultural anthropologist and student of Joseph Campbell. Through cross-cultural study she identified five symbols that she says occur in art and decoration around the world with similar meanings. The five symbols are:

• Circle - symbolizing wholeness
• Equidistant Cross - symbolizing relationship
• Spiral - symbolizing growth and change
• Square - symbolizing stability
• Triangle - symbolizing goals, dreams, and visions

In the Preferential Shapes Test, she asks people to first draw the shapes and then rank them 1-5 with one being the most preferred shape and five the least.

The five ranked positions also have meanings:

1. where you think you are
2. your strengths
3. where you really are
4. your motivation
5. what you are avoiding or in denial of

The test interpretations are lengthy, but really interesting, if you're into this hippie dippie new-agey kinda thing like me. I found some pretty accurate, some surprising, and some quite insightful. I'm always down for some self-reflection, and if anything, this test encourages that.

Plus any test that only compromises of drawing a few simple shapes is awesome in my book.

I Love Me Some Big Glass Of Half Full

"Joy, where have you been?" you may be asking.

Well, with only six classes left at Academy of Art, I decided to tackle two of them this summer. Which is pretty crazy. What is normally a 16 week course is condensed into 8 weeks. Which means two assignments due a week. And being that one of my courses is Motion Graphics 2 (basically creating cool motion graphics in AfterEffects), equals the pretty crazy part. Actually, make that very crazy.

Add to that that the BlogHer annual conference is July 18-20 (1000 attendees; sponsors such as GM, Intuit, and TNT, to name a few; and a party at Macy's in Union Square) and well, you have me working pretty much non-stop.

Again, very crazy.

The last few weeks have definitely been a good lesson in time management. I'm trying very had to balance work and school with, well, a life. I guess this is always an issue for the working American. We live in a culture that seems to get off on burning the candle at both ends. When did this cultural shift happen? Or is that what this nation has always been about?

I guess I am partly to blame for the craziness. Had I not decided to become a rave bunny in the 90s, I would have finished my undergrad at Santa Clara in my early 20s. But when I start to think about what my life would have been, my head starts to spin. How could I even know. How could I even make a guess. It's one of those Sliding Doors kinda things. I may not have ever found out that I wanted to do design; I may have never met my husband; I may have never experienced all the bizarre and wonderful things that have made me who I am today.

So, in my 30s, and after a kick-ass winding road, I'm here working my ass off.

With a little life mixed in every chance I get.

01SJ Festival - Better Late Than Never

Last week marked the 2nd Biennial 01SJ Global Festival of Art on the Edge, and I really did have good intentions to blog about. Instead I went and enjoyed too much wine and forgot to. So, you get a recap instead of a plug.

In case you are unfamiliar with it, 01SJ is:

North America’s newest and largest festival of digital arts, and a great deal more. From a hip hop, multi-media meditation on Antarctica to robot art, from conversations with artificial intelligence to operatic performances of Google headlines about the environment, from avant-garde cinema to new musical forms - well over 100 artworks, performances, screenings, talks, and workshops will be featured at 01SJ. Festival organizers expect it to be a perspective-altering experience that entertains, enlightens, educates and involves attendees in a new understanding of our changing world.

Last Wednesday night was the opening ceremonies, and my friend Amii and I (who was my companion to the event last year), went to check it out -- specifically the lighting of City Hall's Rotunda. Of course we were both a bit hungry and thirsty when we got there, so started off the evening with some wonderful wine and appetizers at Bella Mia. Feeling satisfied and toasty, we then walked down to City Hall to meet up with our friend Mariah to check it out. I have to say, although there wasn't smoke and lots of lights projected everywhere like last year, this year's installation was much cooler.

Incursion 37:20:15.71” N - 121: 53:09.51” W continues Craig Walsh’s series of large-scale projection installations occupying specific sites and responding to contrasting environmental contexts. These urban interventions provide surreal visions of nature dominating architectural sites and altering their perceived function. This new project for 01SJ will continue this strain of enquiry whilst considering the impact technology might have on these simulated clashes between Nature and the built environment.

I got to take some really cool, interesting photos -- which is always a plus.

Friday night Trip, Amii and I went to SubZero, a huge block party on south First that celebrates unique and emerging arts movements ranging from contemporary music, street performances, Do-It-Yourself and interactive, on-the-edge art installations. As always Anno Domini was displaying an interesting artist, and I still love the huge mural they have on the side of the building -- something I shot a while back for a web site project. But it was the Fingerbangers turntablism (is that even a word? it should be) that provided the most entertainment, and the biggest draw.

Oh, I should mention that Friday started out with dinner at La Pastaia, in the Hotel De Anza. Absolutely fantastic meal with a lot of vegetarian options. I highly recommend the fried artichokes and the asparagus risotto to start, and the cappellini con salsa fresca for your main course. And the wine list was great :)

So if you didn't check it out this year, make sure you get out to 01SJ next year. Hopefully the City Hall Rotunda installation continues - and continues to progress - as it really is a very very cool concept.

Reason #386 Why I Love My Husband

Trip and I have been blessed with hummingbird visitors year round, mainly because they love our sugary-sweet hummingbird feeder concoction (and by "our" I mean Trip's). We've been talking for some time about getting a birdhouse, in hopes to keep them as permanent residents. So I was thrilled when I received an email from Design Within Reach today advertising a kick-ass birdhouse, and quickly forwarded it on to Trip. Our exchange:

ME: Oh my God I want it! $95, though.... :(

Close up of email

TRIP: and it makes a great home for tits! :)

ME: [laughing hysterically] you, sir, are HIL-AR-IOUS.

(End scene)

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

-They Might Be Giants