jeffrey + upstairsloft

Three different days. Three different cameras. Three different films. Three different themes. I posted three sets of “lomographs.” XA2, LC-A and Nikon FE.

It’s been ten years since my grandparents on my mom’s side were murdered and ten years ago I was a less stable and young. 7th grade was the worst year. We’ve had quite a number of deaths in the family since. A few of them were brutal and as sinfully wrong as you can get. Others were natural and a few were accidents.

As expected, my lola on my Dad’s side is breathing her last days, while my dad,for the third time in 14 months, packs up to head over to the Philippines. I’m pretty beat up about it. For the past few days I’ve been swaying back and forth, finding a balance in all of this. This is going to be another loss in the family that will significantly affect me.

I admit that I’ve mentally prepared myself for this one. She hasn’t been doing too well lately and the last time I saw her was my last visit to the Philippines in 2004-05.

This time, I am almost 23, experienced, more educated, more insightful and I’m in better relations with what’s around me. This time I feel responsible to cater to my parents during this. They’ve always carried me on their wings and I feel I should do as much to help them through this instead of combing my hair sideways, dressed in black, and lamenting over this with a whiny voice.

Before the bad news was delivered, I had two awesome nights with friends and family. This is what I am most thankful for in the last few days. On Friday, we went clubbing. In fact, it was lounging and dancing to music. They played the good stuff. Saturday night, my closest friends came over and we chilled and did stupid stuff like taking makeshift studio pictures with my brother’s huge painting as the backdrop and a kajillion watt halogen worklamp with a bed sheet as a diffuser to light up the living room. My parents even participated.

In the pictures, my parents look warm and comfortable in front of this freakishly huge painting of my brother. June looks the happiest I have ever seen him. Kate, the classic polaroid of Kate, is just absolutely hilarious. Paul, well, he’s my friend.

>>> Polaroid Fun [html]

I updated my Tackboard.

Spring Break pretty much begins today. I should probably go out to Mexico’s America and contribute to demeaning women by encouraging wet tee shirt contests, BUT, we have enough of that going on. This gives me a chance to work on my projects without much rush, work extra hours and chill with a few friends. Here’s some school projects from the past 6 weeks.

Type II: A novel cover with one typeset chapter. My chosen three qualities to convey are action, liberty and courage.
>>> Novel Cover [jpeg]
>>> Book Contents [pdf]

Production Management: This is essentially a lesson in preparing files for press, nonetheless, design is involved.
>>> Stationery System [jpeg]
>>> Style Guide [pdf]

Remember that show Smart Guy? Tahj Mowry… Tia and Tamera’s (Sister Sister) little brother… Well, Tahj Mowry goes to Sac State. Because his crazy fame, he had to change his name. He goes by Rob Martin.

>>> Rob or Tahj

Once, Kate did an impression of Jesus. It was golden. You had to be there. I remember Jay, Kaye, Rich, Jun and Paul were crackin up. She just raised her two hands in front of her chest and let out an angelic “Ahhhh.” Out of nowhere.

Yeah… I think we were laughing more at her than with her. She had the straightest look on her face afterwards. She didn’t mean to be funny. She was just being Kate.

Kate is comical genius. Will Ferrell even.

While project one came to an end, project two was assigned—to design an experimental typography poster off a song as long as it has lyrics. There’s a wide open door for exploring typography in every sense.

What song did I choose? Well, immediately I thought Incubus’ Sick Sad Little World since it is one of my all-time favorite songs. But I also wanted to do The Shins’ Girl on A Wing, John Frusciante’s Wednesday’s Song and a couple of Police songs. During class yesterday, the one song I would have loved to do popped in my head and I had to do it. It just made so much sense for an experimental typography project. I came to class with The Shins queued for play and written on the board while Claire and I discussed all the stupid possibilities that we would have loved to do. 80s songs, smash hits from Spice Girls, Macarena, Lil Jon and whatever ridiculousness you can think up. Then it hit me.

I dashed to the board, violently erased The Shins and frantically wrote Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4. I ran back to my desk, jumped over Claire, hopped over a view fences, dodged a couple of bullets and my new song was set.

Not only does that song ooze awesomeness, it… dude. It’s 70s. People experimented. People claim that song is about being pressured to writing a song and the title alludes to the time on the clock that was hanging in the studio. Maybe if you’re the kind Christian who loves Chicago and orders free Green Prosperity Handkerchiefs. Be real. That song is about crack or LSD. One or the other.

Plus, the vocals, the guitars, the drums, the bass, the feeling… Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4 originated the Crunk movement. Come to think about it, Sick Sad Little World and 25 or 6 to 4 ooze that same kind of upbeat, I want to kick and punch air, break yo’ neck, kind of vibe.

Kate is currently on the crapper singing “Somehere Out There,” the Fievel version. She was singing that “Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow” song before that. Now she’s singing Sandy Cheeks’ Texas song from Sponge Bob.

I might marry her.

…