jeffrey + upstairsloft

In a creative atmosphere, I think we should aim to inspire rather than aim to impress. I feel surrounded by people who aim to impress by hyping up their “creative” output. Impressing and inspiring others might seem synonymous but its the attitude that precedes the intention. It seems the people around me love to talk up their ideas rather than just doing it and letting it organically and beautifully unfold for itself. We’re not quite in the environment that demands judgement on our work. There isn’t much of a point to sell just yet.

Often times when the expectation and the hype don’t live up to par, the other party seems to articulate this lengthy justification. I’m not saying we should all shut up and isolate ourselves to produce good work and take our audience by surprise by exhibiting work like a sneak attack of hard work and passionately derived presentations. I definitely think we should aim to inspire than to impress. Often times results don’t live up to their hype. Modesty is a trait we should all inhabit—we should all eat some humble pie.

People would much rather be a beneficiary of outstanding creativity than to be hassled with hype. Inspiring people benefits people. Impressing others benefits oneself. ‘ might as well stand in front of a mirror and rub your aureolas in circular motion—aiming to impress is ego masturbation.

If you take the o-v-e-r-n-m-e-n-t out of government and added a ‘d’ it spells god. And the reason why other countries’ governments do so well is because they’re god is stricter. We should teach intelligent design in schools in replacement of evolution. We should restrict abortion because it’s not Christian. The pledge of allegiance should be replaced with 2 Our Fathers and and a couple of Hail Marys.

Apparently selling your iPod, iPod shuffle and a couple of books can earn you a video iPod. I am a happy camper. 10gb of space for movies, 3 gigs for storage and the rest for music. I told myself I wouldn’t care for one but it was just too tempting and I tend to make impulsive decisions to do things like this. I’ll be watching Police and Coldplay videos while Kate tries on jeans. It’s a shame I got a black one. That thing is going to scratch like DJs who play rap music in da clubs shake yo bootie.

PICTURES POSTED & PICTURES TO COME
Yesterday, Kate, Paul, Vince, Rob and I spent over half a day in SF to chill, take pictures and shop. Those 12 hours definitely had its moments of inspiration and awesome visuals.

It was a Nikon Fest. I came equipped my LC-A and Nikon FE. Kate came equipped with her Holga and my Nikon FM. Vince and Rob came with their Nikon FMs and digital cameras. Paul came with his sketchbook (stupid art kid). Anyhow, I exposed a roll of 400tx that I gotta develop on Monday but Kate and I will scan our color rolls tonight. For the meantime I posted three rolls from the past month in the LOMOGRAPHS section.

We received a handful of hostile looks and stupid questions like, “Are you guys in a photo club?” They’re just jealous that they didn’t have a good time.

O yeah… I got my camo chucks for $29. Score!

This might explain why Target carries “Oriental furniture.” It might not be because there are a lot of Asians in the Bay Area.

>>> The Reason

I’m Living in Middle America?
What’s going on with the Asian-Bashing lately? Sure, I know, I often pair stereotypes with members of certain races when my car comes close to losing a fender or a bumper because of oblivious and reckless drivers. The Asian-Bashing I am talking about is spoken casually as if nothing were wrong with it.

This past weekend I overheard two grown white women in dialog. It started with an ignorant question, “Why’s there so many Oriental decoration here?” The other lady hastily replied, “Because there’s a lot of Asians around here now.” Her tone had a bit of annoyance.

True, there are a lot of Asians in the Bay Area, in California, perhaps more than you would find in 40+ other states. I won’t argue with that.

What griped me is if the ladies slightly turned their heads towards the right, they would see furniture with African motifs. Unless it’s Asian Black History Month, Target probably has a cultured theme to display their cultural furniture collection.

Everybody just needs to turn their heads slightly towards the right and realize there is much more than what they see in front of them.

I am at Border’s in Sacramento, a city that is constantly inflating with new developments, identity-less homes, Starbucks and an increasingly diverse population. I guess it’s minimum day for the high-schoolers and these three white teenagers were casually discussing why Asians have small eyes. Without any regards to theories that involve Mongolians, snow and high winds, one kid replied, “Because like God is mad at them for worshipping Buddha because it’s like a commandment to not believe in any other gods but God.”

Nazis.

Stick it to the man. $50 for a light tent + shipping. More like $15 for some pipes and a twin size bed sheet. I build a light tent today.

>>> My New Light Tent
>>> My First Light Tent Photographs

I also posted some stuff in my Tackboard section.

I have hours of experimenting to do. I love light. Superb lighting makes plain brilliant.

I just finished a handful of errands that I would be extremely irritated of doing if I were in Sacramento. I woke up at nine, drove to Fremont to get a oral checkup on my wisdom holes (I laughed there too), drove back to Milpitas, went to Target, filled up on gas, went to the bank, shopped for some groceries and ate cereal on an empty sidewalk in front of some real estate loan financing gig sort of thing.

I even took my time driving, cruising at 70mph, 37mpg, circled Target a bajillion times looking for photo albums, which they apparently don’t have. This would take a day’s worth in Sacramento—driving and working your way through a throng of hostile, inconsiderate beings who are potential mental patients, felons or prima donnas.

When I moved to Sac 2 years ago Sac people claim that they are more chill than the general Bay Area population. I see otherwise. Because of the vast amount of land Sacramento covers, people seem hasty to get from one place to another. Drivers stomp on their pedals to 50 mph only to be greeted with a red light 1000 ft ahead. Drivers swerve through 8 cars, 4 lanes, only to find themselves one car ahead from when they were originally settled.

Here I am, at 11:53, about to post my blog, that I kinda, sorta, meticulously read over, while chatting with Paul online, who just had his wisdom holes poked. I need something to do.

In Response to Kate’s Blog

So there is this bay song by Mistah Fab dude or something. He has this “Bay Area” song called Stupid Dumb and Hyphey. Why do I like it? Because it’s pure mindlessness. Kate makes it seem like I like it because it’s Bay Area. Riiight.

She says: it makes us look like a bunch of idiots to the rest of california

When did Bay Area music not make us look dumb? Shock G wore a golden nose. E40 is related to Porky Pig. Too $hort was supposed to retire a year ago, 2 years ago, 5 eyars ago, 10 years ago. So a rapper with laryngitis (Keak Da Sneak), a rapper who released 26 albums in 3 months who “spits” verses about feelin’ himself (R.I.P. Mac Dre—Nation of Thizlam) and a rapper who is the first Mexican to ride the yellow bus… well let’s just say that isn’t too big of a leap from past and present.

All in all, there has always been terrible music. Great music is out there. Some just have to strive harder than others to get their ears on it. My Li’L Jon Crunk Juice infatuation balances that that Chicago, Zero7 and Coldplay stuff. Contrast. Plus, Chicago started the Crunk movement. 25 or 6 to 4.

Stupid Dumb and Hyphey. Why do I like the song? Not because it “reps the Yay, homie.” Because it’s hawrd. Nuff said. Half dollar, fiddy, or whatever his name is, he ain’t hawrd. Li’l Jon—he’s hawrd.Ask Krystle; they party all the time in Miami. Crunk Juice bitches. Crunk Juice.

Go dumb.

Somehow fees, wages, deductions, delays and people seem to sneak up behind me and yank funds out of my pocket. Sac State is charging me $22 bucks after I appealed for a citation they issued me in December.

I parked a few inches over the boundary line. When I parked that morning there was a car parked crooked, without a carpool permit. To my left is a tree. I parked inches over the line towards the left. I guess Sac St. issued me a citation for the inconvenience I may have caused for any elves that were living in that tree. Officer Newsome of Sacramento State UTAPS is a dick. My parents are saints.

22 years and a half of dealing with their kid with a horrible attitude and they still put in any effort they can to relieve me from unnecessary stress. I often feel like I should be bound in straitjacket and my parents should sit at the right of Jesus. I need to learn to cool down.

Just the other day… ehh. I won’t get into that. Those punkass teenage girls will get what is coming to them with their wannabe diva, “I doo wut I wawnt” attitudes. I want away from them all.

That is why I want to live in the big cities. So much goes on there and a bad attitude is only a spec of the chaos that happens; people are too busy directing traffic in their own lives to give a damn about strangers.

Strangely enough, I feel the most isolated in larger crowds; that’s how I want to live—in tune with myself in a better surrounding, blissful ignorance.

In response to Kate’s blog, I was the good one. Sure, I blew chunks, but at least I knew when to. Plus, I was quiet throughout the whole trip while Paul incessantly chattered away. I constatnly told him to “Shut the fcuk up.” Ketel Red Bulls are not your friends. They get you two hours later.