BeautiFoul ©

Terrafugia Transition©: It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a...Car???...

2009-08-11T06:08:00.000-07:00

I remember when I was a wee tot, I always thought by the time I was a 'real' grown-up we'd for sure have flying cars...I think it's funny how nearly every generation of kids, from our parents on up, had that same belief...Anyway, it looks like perhaps I was kinda right....I introduce you to the Terrafugia 'Transition©', the world's first street legal airplane...According to the people who make this contraption, this unique front wheel drive 'vehicle' gives a pilot the opportunity to drive should he or she have inclimate weather by just folding the wings upwards...Wild and crazy and a plaything for the rich...At an estimated $194,000 to own this baby, us poor peons of the recession era will never get our hands on one...I'm just hoping to catch an up close glimpse at this awkward thing - so I can laugh at the people who were so wasteful with their money that they bought it, then subsequently cry when I go home cuz I can't have it...que sera sera...

.FIN

Rebirth Issue #5: Frank Lloyd Wright x Lego...

2009-07-24T07:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, I lied...Though this is architecture, this is not the dope architecture I promised in the post before this one...I say this because I am a dork so most people wouldn't find this nearly as interesting as I do; so I apologize...And two of the the things that I am a HUGE dork for - Frank Lloyd Wright and Lego - have joined forces to create a mini-scaled version of my absolute favorite FLW structure - Falling Water...Falling Water is one of FLW's most famous structures and its design puts modern designs to shame even though it was built in 1935...So yes, I'm excited...All my little nerdy-girl fantasies slowly come true...That is all...

.FIN

Rebirth Issue #4: Ouch if you fall...

2009-07-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

BeautiFoul© readers know that I have an intense appreciation for innovative design and architecture...On my quest today to find some new isht, I found a few cool things (One of which will be coming up after this post) but then I paused for a HOT second on the above beauty/doozy and could not figure out whether I loved it or hated it...Here's the verdict...Ouch!...I'm clumsy and can often times be found quite inebriated (see: Scriptedlibations©) ...This staircase could quickly become a tragedy in my fuzzy, stumbling state...So thurr ya go...A sexy piece of work for someone more responsible than I...Le *sigh*...

.FIN

Rebirth Issue #3: The fuck is this isht???...

2009-07-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gents, Scallywags and Geezers...I present to you the 'Loop-In'...The world's 1,695,350,253,972 example that people have waaaay too much fucking time on their hands and rich people are suckers...Apparently this genius apparatus gives people the continuous sensation of surfing SLASH skating on, get this, THE PAVEMENT....WOO HOO!!...Sidewalk surfing FTW!!...I'm kidding of course, since I love surfing and seriously doubt any sidewalk in the world will compare to ripping a wave...Sayin...But hey, to each his own...This contraption is merely a concept for now...And I hope it stays that way...Grab a longboard and get to it!

.FIN

Rebirth Issue #2: Failing fighting writer's block...

2009-07-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

As a writer, having writers block seems as terminal as cancer...I'm not fucking bullshitting...I've got 500,000,000,000 thoughts in my head and I'm at a loss for how to express them and how to choose which thoughts to express...It feels like I've never written a thing in my cot-damn life...And so I force myself to push out something; anything...And the below is what I come up with...A piece of shit, but it's something...I'm off to the country for a little while to hopefully get my head together because I think the city is only adding to the confusion...Wish me luck...

Turn off the stereo when you look into his eyes
Volume too loud to concentrate on two symphonies
The music in the ocean-blue of his sight is bursting my eardrums
Until I can hear only one tone
And as I raise my hand in protest of this irreconcilable difference
He purses his lips and mouths
“Doesn’t everyone deserve to be happy?”
My deaf tones yield more depth for the concerto of his existence
And he is as beautiful as I am dumb
.FIN.

Rebirth issue #1: Sprite gives girl facial...

2009-07-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

My boy Sean sent me this and damn it was right on time!...Those of you who know me personally, know that anything that involves sex is of interest to me - particularly if it is also includes blatant sexual innuendos...I'd like to thank Germany...You'll see why, after the jump...Ich Liebe Sprite!

.FIN

Unemployment: The rebirth of BeautiFoul...

2009-07-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

Back up in this bitch like WHOA!...Yep, it's been months...Ya'll probably thought I'd abandoned my little baby blog I'd birthed...Well, you'll be happy to know that I'm not a deadbeat Mama, and I've come back for my child...You see, a funny thing happened on my way to the forum - er...On my way to Corporate America...Corporate America dumped me and set me free...I have tons of time now to do the things that really interest me and this blog is one of them...So, you've been forewarned...The BeautiFoul bitch is back like crack (well, crack never really went anywhere but the rhyme fit so I rolled with it)!....Stay tuned for a bigger, better, faster, stronger, more action-packed and fun-filled blog within the next few days...Nahmean?!

.FIN

Le Billionaire Champagne: Exactly...

2009-04-06T07:26:00.000-07:00

Are we really in a recession?...Oh wait, that's right, WE'RE in a recession...But Richie Rich is getting richer...Apparently...Or else they wouldn't be making $2.5 million bottles of champagne...Dressed in fur and diamonds - yes, a bottle of champagne dressed in fur and diamonds...This champagne, made by Leon Verres, is limited to an exclusive count of 5 bottles (Though miniature versions will be made available soon - at $2,750 a pop.)...Four of the 5 have been purchased by Billionaires from Russia, China and Dubai; with the fifth bottle being auctioned off for charity after its' 'World Tour'...Yes, you read that right...The damn bottle of champagne is going on a world tour...And that's your recession special...

I'm really not sure what they're trying to sell here, but I must say, I doubt anyone is thinking about champagne...

.FIN

Rockwell by Parra: 2009 Spring Collection tees...

2009-04-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

Bitch you breakfast...Yeah, I've been told that before...I've also been told that "it looks like I have two fat, ripe Easter hams (Sidenote: What's a ripe Easter ham?) in the back of me just fightin' for attention"...But that's neither here nor there...Ok, so you're still stuck on all that I just said...Yeah, me too...That WAS a little weird but I promise you there's a point somewhere in this post...Oh yeah, there it is...So, bitch you breakfast...There's a dope contemporary artist by the name of Parra from Paris who also goes by the name of Le Le when he does musique - er, music...'Breakfast' is his breakout hit and it features his art...Parra also has a clothing company called Rockwell and the spring T-Shirts are out to party...If you're like me and you like, over-the-top, oversexed graphics, you'll LOVE these tees...You can purchase the t-shirts and learn more about Rockwell and Parra here...

.FIN

March Madness: 'Meatatarian' Edition...

2009-03-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's right, I'm a 'Meatatarian'...I admit, when the 'Bacon Explosion' hit the Internet; I salivated - EXPONENTIALLY, for at least an hour...I will also admit that sites like 'This is why you're fat' make me outrageously happy, and I relish one day trying these triple bypass treats...Get over it...The sites wouldn't be featured on CNN if we weren't on to something...Meat is King right now and I think it's safe to say you're pretty lame if you don't join the in crowd and grab a burger wrapped in a pizza, covered entirely in a basket weave of bacon RIGHT NOW...I'm just sayin'...Loser...Anyway, it's March madness...In case you couldn't tell by all the gut-wrenching bracket-following to win that office pool going on around you...So let's laugh and relax for a moment...I present, March Madness: 'Meatatarian' Edition, by Paul Lukas

Bracket mania: Meat is very good

By Paul Lukas

Face it: When it comes to food, meat's the treat to eat that can't be beat. Show me someone who doesn't eat meat and I'll show you me eating that person's pork chop. And please, spare me your vegetarian moralisms -- if we weren't meant to eat animals, how come they're all made out of meat?

Vote: Best of the meats

Hungy? Good, now go show your loyalty to your meat of choice. • Click here to vote for your favorite meat

Ah, but which meat is the best meat of all? With so many meats to choose from, it can be hard to single out the champion meat, the crème de la meat, the meat de la meat. Fortunately for you, I'm here to sort the whole thing out for you. So loosen your belt and let's get started (winning teams shown in bold):

Beef Region

First Round

(1) Porterhouse steak vs. (16) Steak-umms

Steak-umms are the foundation of a good Philly cheesesteak. That's nothing to scoff at, but it can't compare to a well-marbled porterhouse. (8) Smoked brisket vs. (9) BBQ beef ribsTwo classic Texas barbecue meatstuffs in a fight to the finish! Purists will opt for the brisket, but meat is always better if you can pick it up with your hands and eat it off the bone.

(5) Rib eye steak vs. (12) London broil

If they tell you that you can eat only one more steak before you die, a bone-in rib eye is the one you want. It's also the one you want if you're going to eat steak every single day for the rest of your very long life. Trust me.

4) Filet mignon vs. (13) Hanger steak

I hate to break this to you, but filet mignon is for chumps. Flavorless and mushy (not tender -- there's a difference), it's meat for people who don't really like meat, sort of like vodka is booze for people who don't really like booze. A hanger steak, meanwhile, is 10 ounces of beefy bliss. This is like a scrappy mid-major beating up on a lazy, overconfident conference champ.

(6) New York strip steak vs. (11) Short ribs

Wanna mark yourself as a food rube? Try saying "New York strip" in New York. Nobody here uses that term (we say "shell steak"), except maybe at the local Ruth's Chris outlet, which is only for tourists and losers. But I digress. The real story is that short ribs are the bomb.

(3) T-bone steak vs. (14) Ground chuck

A T-bone is just a junior version of a porterhouse, and no self-respecting meat should ever be a junior anything. Ground chuck, on the other hand, is the basis of a great burger.

(7) Pastrami vs. (10) Corned beef

A world-class deli meat matchup! Corned beef is swell, but you can't beat a pastrami on rye with brown mustard. Wait, make it half a sandwich and a cup of soup, because man cannot live on meat alone (but don't tell anyone I said that).

(2) Standing rib roast vs. (15) Pot roast

Who doesn't love a good pot roast? Mom, if you're reading this (unlikely, since you don't know how to use a computer), I love your pot roast. But c'mon, not even the best pot roast can offer more than token resistance against a rib roast.

Second Round

(1) Porterhouse steak vs. (9) BBQ beef ribs

Remember how Fred Flintstone ordered those giant ribs that were so heavy that they tipped over his car? I'll take my beef ribs just a smidge bigger than that, please.

(5) Rib eye steak vs. (13) Hanger steak

Sorry, scrappy mid-major -- this conference champ is ready for you.

(11) Short ribs vs. (14) Ground chuck

The only problem with braised short ribs is that they're perfect for fall and winter but don't really work in the warm-weather months. A good burger, however, is good anytime.

(2) Standing rib roast vs. (7) Pastrami

There's something so primal about a massive rib roast. Pastrami, as wonderful as it is, can't compare.

Round of 16

(5) Rib eye steak vs. (9) BBQ beef ribs

The sad truth: This one went into so many overtimes that I fell asleep on the couch. But when I woke up, there was a nicely marbled rib eye waiting for me.

(2) Standing rib roast vs. (14) Ground chuck

One of the many, many great things about a rib roast is that you can use the rendered fat to make Yorkshire pudding. Another is that you get to say "rendered fat."

Regional Final

(2) Standing rib roast vs. (5) Rib eye steak

The bad news about a standing rib roast is that it's only suitable for holidays. The good news is that serving a standing rib roast basically makes any day a holiday. Even the grandest steak on the planet can't overcome that.

Pork Region

First Round

(1) Bacon vs. (16) Hog jowl

Hog jowl is very trendy right now in certain foodie circles. Bacon, meanwhile, has been trendy forever among everyone. Next!

(8) Pork chops vs. (9) Deli ham

Want to make a really good pork chop? No, I mean a really good pork chop? Start with an inch-thick chop and season it with salt and pepper. Sear it in a super-hot skillet for two minutes on one side and one minute on the other side. Then reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for four more minutes per side. You can thank me later.

(5) Glazed ham vs. (12) Pulled pork

Glazed ham is soooooo overrated. Why put all that sugary coating on a nice piece of meat? Especially when you could have a good pulled pork sandwich instead?

(4) Roast suckling pig vs. (13) Boston butt

The funny thing about Boston butt is that it's not from the back end of the pig. It's the butt (i.e., short end) of the shoulder, which is at the front of the pig. And it's very good -- but it ain't no suckling pig.

(6) Pork tenderloin vs. (11) Scrapple

As Robbie Fulks sings in "The Scrapple Song," "Any old piece of the hog will do / The neck or the nipples or the toenails too." To my knowledge, no songs have ever been written about pork tenderloin.

(3) Crown roast of pork vs. (14) Canadian bacon

Did you know that 83 percent of the Canadian bacon consumed in this country is served on Egg McMuffins? Probably not, because I just made that up, but it sounds plausible, right? Anyway, slice me another chop off that crown roast, would you please?

(7) Prosciutto vs. (10) Cracklins

Good cracklins -- cooked pork skin, hot from the oven, a little salty and a little garlicky -- are one of life's most sublime pleasures. Good prosciutto is just good prosciutto.

(2) Spare ribs vs. (15) Baby back ribs

Quick quiz: Does the term "baby back ribs" refer to the ribs being (a) from a baby pig, or (b) small ribs? Answer: It doesn't matter, because baby back ribs suck. If you want a real rib experience, get a full slab of spare ribs and prepare for some serious bliss. (The real answer, by the way, is (b).)

Second Round

(1) Bacon vs. (8) Pork chops

Don't be embarrassed, pork chops -- there's no shame in losing to one of nature's most perfect foods.

(4) Roast suckling pig vs. (12) Pulled pork

This little piggy when straight to my plate. And if you play your cards right, maybe I'll leave a few scraps for you.

(3) Crown roast of pork vs. (11) Scrapple

If you really want to live high on the hog, use scrapple as the stuffing in the center of the crown roast -- the best of both worlds! But until that happens, the roast wins this showdown.

(2) Spare ribs vs. (10) Cracklins

Cracklins are a great snack, but spare ribs are a great reason to wake up in the morning. Cue Homer Simpson: Mmmmm, rrriiiibbbs.

Round of 16

(1) Bacon vs. (4) Roast suckling pig

Have you heard about the bacon explosion yet? Mildly intriguing, I suppose, but it seems like gilding the lily. Why turn bacon into such a production when it's already ideal on its own?

(2) Spare ribs vs. (3) Crown roast of pork

Little-known fact: Every Chinese restaurant in America is required by law to serve Chinese spare ribs with an exterior hue of Pantone 188. The ribs are also required by law to be the best thing on the entire menu. Interestingly enough, compliance is 100 percent.

Regional Final

(1) Bacon vs. (2) Spare ribs

Ask vegetarians what they miss most, and what tempts them to fall off the wagon, and most will tell you, "Bacon." There's a reason for that.

Sausage Region

First Round

(1) Bratwurst vs. (16) Bologna

Yeah, I like that Oscar Mayer song too, but let's be honest: Bologna is like boredom on a stick, only without the stick, and its primacy in our lunch pantheon is a sad commentary on life's very worth. A grilled brat, on the other hand, is what life is all about.

(8) Breakfast links vs. (9) Breakfast patties

Tricky choice here, especially since one's preference on a given morning can depend on so many variables (how much sleep you got, how hung over you might be, whether your favorite team just announced that it's going to be wearing history's most embarrassing sleeve patch for the entire 2009 season, etc.). On this particular morning, however, I say patties are sounding a bit more appealing.

(5) Italian sausage vs. (12) Merguez

I'm fond of merguez, an underrated lamb sausage that shows up in a lot of Moroccan cooking. But merguez is way too skinny to serve on a hero roll, which means it loses this matchup on that basis alone.

(4) Pepperoni vs. (13) Bangers

Bangers and mash is a quaint British dish eaten by quaint British people who wouldn't know a pepperoni pizza if it walked up to them on the Fourth of July and yelled, "In your face, Redcoats!" Not even a fair fight.

(6) Kielbasa vs. (11) Boudin

Bracket-buster alert! Unless you live down in southern Louisiana, you probably don't know about boudin, which is a shame, because those Cajuns know what they're doing when it comes to food. Take some pork scraps, some rice, some lard, maybe some crawfish, stuff it all in some sausage casings, and then give me a call when you wake up from your boudin-induced stupor. That's right, buddy, it's that good.

(3) Hot dogs vs. (14) Blood sausage

Yo, if I want a blood transfusion, I'll get in a car accident or something. Until that happens, keep that blood to yourself.

(7) Chorizo vs. (10) Andouille

We've got a multi-culti sausage grudge match here, with the Spanish chorizo barely eking out a victory over the French andouille.

(2) Salami vs. (15) Slim Jim

You realize there's almost no actual meat in a Slim Jim, right?

Second Round

(1) Bratwurst vs. (9) Breakfast patties

When are they gonna get around to putting a bratwurst illustration on the Wisconsin state flag?

(4) Pepperoni vs. (5) Italian sausage

Turns out Randall Simon isn't the only one who can beat up an Italian sausage.

(3) Hot dogs vs. (11) Boudin

Best hot dog of my life: a Kosher dog at the "O" in Pittsburgh in 1998. Love their fries, too. Only thing I can't figure out is why they bother to have salads on the menu (see the orange panel at lower left), since everyone knows salads cause cancer and hot dogs are good for you.

(2) Salami vs. (7) Chorizo

Until someone comes up with a chorizo version of this sign, salami's gonna win this matchup every time.

Round of 16

(1) Bratwurst vs. (4) Pepperoni

You know, the bratwurst song is even better than the bologna song.

(3) Hot dogs vs. Salami

Look, can you eat a salami at the ballpark? I rest my case.

Regional Final

(1) Bratwurst vs. (3) Hot dogs

OK, so I'm sort of oversimplifying here, but in many respects a brat is like a bigger, thicker, spicier better hot dog. Brats even take similar condiments. So why would you go with the smaller, blander version when you could have the bigger, tastier version? Two brats, please, with onions and mustard. Wait, make it three. And put another one on the grill, just in case.

Meatscellaneous Region

First Round

(1) Veal chops vs. (16) Deli turkey

Here's a good measure of how stupid we are as a nation: Our annual per capita veal consumption has been stuck at about 0.6 of a pound since the early 1990s. That translates to about one veal chop per person per year. Look, I eat about that much veal every week, and I'm sick of picking up the slack for all the rest of you!

(8) Chicken vs. (9) Osso bucco

I love me some good roast chicken. But I love osso bucco (braised veal shanks, an Italian classic) even more, in part because I can suck the marrow out of the bone in one big slurp. If that grosses you out, well, you probably stopped reading this bracket a long time ago anyway.

(5) Duck vs. (12) Cornish hen

I've never understood the complaint that duck has "too much fat" -- as if such a thing were even possible!

(4) Lamb chops vs. (13) Venison

I've tried really hard to like venison. The only thing I have to try hard to do with lamb chops is to keep from saying, "You gonna finish that?" to everyone else at the table.

(6) Lamb shanks vs. (11) Rabbit

When people say a particular food "tastes like chicken," it usually means they're too lazy to come up with a real description. But guess what: Rabbit really does taste like chicken. Braised lamb shanks, however, taste like heaven and a half.

(3) Chicken wings vs. (14) Turducken

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret: Turducken isn't very good. It's just a freak show masquerading as a meal. Chicken wings, on the other hand, are what made Buffalo famous, yee-haw!

(7) Turkey vs. (10) Veal cutlet

Y'know, there's a reason most people make turkey only on Thanksgiving. It's bland, it's a pain to carve, it's hard to cook it without either drying out the white meat or undercooking the dark meat, and the mere sight of it makes you instinctively think of the Detroit Lions losing yet another boring, lopsided game. Gimme a veal parm hero any day of the week.

(2) Leg of lamb vs. (15) Chicken tails

Here's another secret: The best part of the chicken is the tail. Equal parts crunchy, chewy and gooey, it's like a piece of candy, except it's savory instead of sweet. It's the chicken's secret weapon, and it's right up there with any other meat in this entire tournament.

Second Round

(1) Veal chops vs. (9) Osso Bucco

One of those hard-fought contests where it's a shame anyone has to lose. The favorite holds on to win, just barely.

(4) Lamb chops vs. (5) Duck

Why are lamb chops so often described as "fist-thick"? I don't know why, but it's an appealing comparison. And as much as I love duck, it has never inspired a cool metaphor like that.

(3) Chicken wings vs. (6) Lamb shanks

Conventional wisdom holds that there are two parts of a chicken wing: the drumette and the flat. But there's a third, overlooked part: the wing tip, located at the end of the wing. Most Buffalo wing recipes inexplicably call for removing the tip, but don't remove it -- it's the best part! Crunchy and chewy, it's a serious treat. Not quite as good as a chicken tail, but close.

(10) Veal cutlet vs. (15) Chicken tails

How good are chicken tails? So good that I plan to open a chicken tail restaurant one day. It will have an open kitchen, so customers can watch the staff chopping off the tails from the chickens and contemptuously discarding the rest of the bird in the trash. The menu will consist of two items: an appetizer-sized skewer of chicken tails ($27.95) and an entrée-sized skewer of chicken tails ($49.95). The only problem is that I haven't figured out how to incorporate chicken tails into a dessert. Yet.

Round of 16

(4) Lamb chops vs. (5) Veal chops

Easter is fast approaching, which means a lot of people will be eating lamb for the first and only time of the year. A pity, really, because lamb is delicious anytime. Then again, veal is delicious too. But all other things being equal, the redder meat always wins.

(3) Chicken wings vs. (15) Chicken tails

My chicken tail restaurant, incidentally, will be called The Pope's Nose, which is slang for chicken tail. And I will give a free dinner to any card-carrying pope! Which means the pope is gonna be racking up some serious frequent flier miles commuting from Rome to Brooklyn, because there's no way he'll be able to resist the lure of a free chicken tail dinner.

Regional Final

(4) Lamb chops vs. (15) Chicken tails

I know what you are thinking. You are thinking, "He's not really gonna take this chicken tail obsession all the way to the Final Four, is he?" Darn right I am, because chicken tails are this tournament's Cinderella story. They've languished in obscurity for too long, and this is their moment, baby!

Final Four

Semifinals

Standing rib roast vs. Bratwurst

There's something appealing about a brat's workaday, lunch-pail character, especially when compared with the upper-class aura of a fancy-schmancy rib roast. So brats make for a sexy underdog here. And like a lot of sexy underdogs, they get slaughtered once the game actually starts.

Bacon vs. Chicken tails

You know, most Cinderella stories don't have happy endings.

Championship Game

Bacon vs. Standing rib roast

In your heart of hearts, you knew it would come down to the king of beef against the king of pork. Let's try this the rock-scissors-paper way: Bacon covers rib roast (mmmm, bacon-wrapped rib roast!), but rib roast squashes bacon. Or to look at it another way, bacon is a perfect food but a rib roast is a perfect meal.

Paul Lukas has written almost as much about meat as he has about sports uniforms. His collection of vintage recipe booklets with the word "meat" in the title has been exhibited at the City Reliquary in Brooklyn, and his grilled chicken smells so good that it once convinced a friend to break her 12-year run of vegetarianism (prompting the friend's husband to say, "I think you just saved our marriage"). He doesn't really think salad causes cancer, but he has his suspicions about tofu.

Via ESPN.com

.FIN

Louis Vuitton x Infiniti 'Essence': Bossy...

2009-03-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

600 Horsepower...Hybrid Engine...Sexy sleek design that only Infinity could pull of in this fashion...And...Wait for it...Wait for it...............................................................................Custom Louis Vuitton luggage designed to fit perfectly in the trunk of this beautiful piece of machinery...BOSSY...'Nuff said...Peep after the jump...It's an orgasmic sexpot of a car...Seriously...

.FIN

Drake: So far Gone...

2009-03-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm on a roll this morning...A late roll, but a roll nonetheless...I say a late roll because, the mixtape I'm about to wildly encourage you to download came out quite a while ago...I've known about this artist for quite some time now through Colin Munroe, and some of you may even recognize him from Degrassi High (Yes, as in the teeny bopper show...He got shot...blah blah blah...Wheelchair kid...Forget all of that though...Shove it under your mental rug and forget about it...Put it in your pipe and smoke it?...I dunno, but this kids bad acting is NOT indicative of his rapping/singing skills)...Anyway, Drake is yet another Canadian artist who is exploding onto the scene via some really big names in the industry who have taken him under their wing (Wayne (What ever happened to Curren$y and Brisco?) and Trey Songs namely)...Don't get it twisted, this kid has ridiculous amounts of talent...He is probably one of only a handful of rapping singers (or singing rappers, what have you) that I respect for their unbridled talent (Cee-Lo and Andre 3 Stacks are 1 and 2)...With that being said, get Drake's latest mixtape 'So Far Gone'...There are so many guest artists on this that you actually want to listen to (Lykki Li, Santogold, Bun B, Lil Wayne, Trey Songs and more)...If you don't believe me, here's a few samples...These samples are subsequently my favorite songs on the mixtape...Peep...

November 18th

Houstalantavegas

Successful (Featuring Trey Songs)

.FIN

Single Ladies: Attack of the fat man...

2009-03-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

I'm over it...Seriously...Now I am back to being plain old annoyed with Beyonce and her woman/lady/power bitch/Sasha Fierce ass...I feel better despising her...Even though, when the 'Single Ladies' video hit the internetsssssss, even I swore to learn the moves...Learn them I did not...With the exception of a hand flitter and some provocative hip gyrations and a whole lot of unsyncopated two-steps...Oh and some hurr swangin', of course...Anyway, I put aside my loathing for the thing that brought me to such a pop culture frenzy, and searched for some calamity via debacles and butchering...And find it I did...The shining, jewel-encrusted turd of the lot...And here it is...For your splendor...You're welcome...

.FIN

Five Minute Poetry: 'Back'stabber

2009-03-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

I've got my back up against this wall and I'm traveling backwards

Bravado brain bored and bored into the thought of getting back to you

Backsliding and backhanding my own backbone

Backpedaling into the backwardness that is the backstage of my bereavement

While background music attempts to cover the backfired backlash

As I back away

Backless and taken aback

.FIN

Arcieri Kenessssssss: Fackeen Oresum....

2009-03-02T07:06:00.000-08:00

You know, it's always great to find out that there are some genuine ass blokes out there in blog world that have connected with you through blogging...You know, I've gone on many rants before about how the Internet is not real and blahzay splee...But I must say, I have proven myself (minutely) wrong...Arcieri Keness is a fellow a Blogger/Writer/Artist who really has some dope music, an ill blog and an upcoming book called 'Godspeed'...If you haven't yet perused through his site, you should...On that note, I would like to send out a HUGE GIANT MASSIVE GIGANTIC ENORMOUS thank you to Kenesssssss for being fackeen oresum...

.FIN

Epic Failure: Basic Reading...

2009-02-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

A reminder to stay in school...errr wait...

.FIN

In my absence: A rhetorical analogy...

2009-02-26T06:20:00.000-08:00

In my absence from this blog I've made several realizations and life has taken me in several different directions yet my feet are still planted firmly in the same place...I regret that I've not the time or perhaps lack the motivation to post as obsessively as I did previously...I am left to wonder what has changed so much that I no longer have the voracity I once had for blogging...This is not, by the way, to say that I have abandoned my efforts - just rearranging some things in the house of that which is my life...Being a multi-faceted; multi-talented individual bears much confusion...It makes you unsure of yourself because there are so many things you could be (or are) doing, that you can't possibly be excelling in (or completing) any of them...When I pour myself wholeheartedly into my writing, or my blogging, or my photography; most certainly there is another thing in my life suffering from a lack of attention...ADD?...Perhaps...Bad time management...More than likely, yes...But can any one of these things be blamed as the sole reason I am unable to succeed in doing all of these things simultaneously?...No...I find that I am such an emotionally driven person that my projects and interests are almost always based on a dramatic event that has happened in my life; catapulting me into the abyss of that which is my art...For instance, during my most recent heartbreak, in a effort to reduce the amount of thoughts dedicated to my loss, I became an obsessive compulsive blogger...As a direct result of my love of the nightlife and photos on Last Night's Party

and The Sartorialst

, I decided to resurrect my photography skills and led a full on assault with my lens...When I get frustrated and my mind fills with an unreasonable amount of words and theories, I write ravenously...When I have a combination of all of these things going on, I sit still and do nothing...Hence this moment...Head filled with the entrails of carcassed thoughts left behind yet holding on to some hope of revival...Heart memorialized in an urn of things I'm too afraid to say for fear of losing even the minute connection I have...And wanting to portray all of this through my art but unsure of where to start...And even as I write this, I realize I never had these problems when I was truly happy...With him...

Stay tuned...BeautiFoul™ will be back in full effect in the blink of an eye...

.FIN

Five Minute Poetry/Word of the Day: Denigrate...

2009-02-09T08:36:00.000-08:00

I love writing, and I've been on hiatus from everything AGAIN lately, but today my writing peaked and I am happy to present a new piece...Alliterative in nature and rather alluring...

denigrate \DEN-i-greyt\,
verb:to attack the character or reputation of; defame

I'm putting on my armor today as I feel the onset of an amorous assault

I assume I've a reason to assimilate to the asymmetry the asinine associations I've assumed

But today I'll bear the battle-axe of banishment during the funeral of my bereavement

And I swear I'll slay many slanderous soldiers with this sword

For fornicating fastidiously on the fulcrum of my fragile fort

I denounce the denigration directed distortedly, distracting me

And deny soldiers, surreptitiously daunting their deeds

Armor arduously aroused

.FIN

Superbowl Commerical: Careerbuilder.com (2009)...

2009-01-30T12:10:00.000-08:00

I cried laughing for the first time in my life...And yes, as a matter of fact I HAVE fantasized about punching an animal...LOL...Kidding PETA...Kidding...

.FIN

Colin Munroe x Vibe AND Allhiphop.com: Yep, he's IN THERE!!...

2009-01-27T11:11:00.000-08:00

It's Colin Munroe day on Beautifoul™ apparently...Meh...Can't say I mind spreading the word about one of my favorite people...So this month, Colin Munroe has been making steps towards making his name a household name all over the media...Two noted urban voices that have recently posted about Colin are Allhiphop.com and Vibe magazine...You can peep the stellar allhiphop.com write-up by clicking on the link after the jump...

AllHiphop.com: "Why the Unsung Hero sings"

You'll have to pick up the February Issue of Vibe on stands now to see the Vibe article

.FIN

Colin Munroe x Wale: 'Will I Stay' Rehearsal Footage

2009-01-27T11:01:00.000-08:00

There really isn't much to say here since I'm sure by now you know that these are two of my very favorite artists and I pounce at every opportunity to soak up their talent...Particularly A/V displays of such...For your auditory and visual pleasure...

.FIN

Why I wish I lived in LA: Kaws Exhibition...

2009-01-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

Honor Fraser will host “A Long Way Home,” a new collection of work by Kaws beginning on February 21, 2009. The exhibition will include paintings and sculpture. “A Long Way Home” is Kaws’ first solo show in LA.

Honor Fraser

2622 La Cienega BLVD

Los Angeles, CA

I'v egot to make my way to the left coast soon, all of my favorite contemporary artists show there...I smell a hiatus in LA soon...At least if I go missing, you'll know where I am...

Via Highsnobiety

.FIN

Aja's morning commute iPod playlist: 01.26.2009

2009-01-26T06:18:00.000-08:00

Bjork - All is full of love

LCD Soundsystem - All my friends

TV on the Radio - Province

Alanis Morissette - Ironic

Fiona Apple - The first taste

.FIN

Five Minute Poetry: Utopia...

2009-01-23T09:56:00.001-08:00

I'm at a standstill and yet I should be happy knowing that I am standing...Still...Stoic and viscous...Steady and sturdy...Yet lopsided and lewd...Serpent-like and slithering slyly towards a singular sight I've sought for far too long...And I'm finding my full feelings frighteningly far-fetched...Fascinated, I reach as if though thoughts could be thoroughly attained by just thinking them to be truth...Ah, I am foolish and far too fastidious to the foul-mouthed fantasy that is the Utopia in you...

.FIN

Inauguration Celeberinjam: 18th Street Lounge...

2009-01-23T06:44:00.001-08:00

.FIN

Aja's morning commute iPod playlist: 01.23.09...

2009-01-23T06:13:00.000-08:00

Thom Yorke- And it rained all night

Charles Hamilton - Brooklyn Girls

The Ting Tings - Great DJ

The Knux - Cappuccino
.FIN

Inauguration Celeberinjam: The big event...

2009-01-22T20:24:00.000-08:00

Before you view these photos, you should know that I saw NOTHING...Meaning I saw none of the inauguration, but I heard it mostly and got to experience the diverse crowd...I was a part of history just as every American living...Here are some photos of what I saw during my Inauguration' adventure'...

.FIN

Inauguration Celeberinjam: Out and About...

2009-01-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

.FIN

Inauguration Celeberinjam: Stussy 'Historic' Party...

2009-01-21T19:36:00.000-08:00

Wale (Ovechkin), Bun B (Coolest dude EVER), 9th Wonder (Fave producer), and Charles Hamilton ('Brooklyn Girl'!!), great crowd...It was HOT...Literally and figuratively...

.FIN

01.16.09: Hell Commute iPod Playlist...

2009-01-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

I'm an eclectic gal...And I know most of my readers are too (or else you'd find my blog gravely uninteresting and *gasp* dare I say? WEIRD??!!...Aaaand scene)
...With this being said, I've noticed my iPod playlists reflect the diversity that is Aja, so I've decided to share my daily playlists with you via video...Enjoy some of my favorite artists, and give suggestions/feedback...

Sven Vath - L'Esperenza

Kenna - Say Goodbye to Love

Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman - Timewarp 2008

DJ Assault - Ass 'n' Titties
.FIN

Teriyaki Boyz x Bape: 'Work That' Pack...

2009-01-14T08:32:00.000-08:00

Though ridiculous, over-the-top and mostly in Japanese, 'Work That' is a brilliant, bangin' new track (And Album; featuring Pharrell and Chris Brown) from the Teriyaki Boyz...To commemorate the release of said album, Bape has decided to release a pack that consists of a T-Shirt donning Teriyaki Boyz vinyl figures dressed in Bape hoodies, AND the 'Work That' CD...Not sure on a release date or availability, but stay tuned to the Bape site for more details...So you can 'Work That' like I always do...

Peep the Video for 'Work That' here:

.FIN

Random Photos: Horrible and Pointless...

2009-01-13T14:46:00.000-08:00

Detroit...It's where I'm from...Here's some random not-so-good and meaningless (to you) photos of things and people from/in Detroit...There were 350 photos taken...There are more to follow...One day...

'Lil dude 'Sparky' named after my Father Brian 'Sparky' Lawson...

You don't know nuthin' bout a Lafeyette Coney Dog...

The homie Uncle Jason...

Random shot my camera took on it's own...She's mean muggin' Shepard Fairey's Uncle Sam...Get 'em girl!...

Granny's creepy tree ornament...En rouge...

.FIN

Stussy DC x Commonwealth: "Historic" Tee Collabo and Event...

2009-01-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

DC is abuzz with so many happenings for the upcoming Inauguration on January 20th (duh, loafer) and Stussy DC and Commonwealth are, as usual, on the scene...To commemorate the Inauguration, Stussy DC and Commonwealth have teamed up to create a must-have tee and throw a must-go-to party on the 19th...The tee features Commonwealth and Stussy logos as well as the now iconic Obama "O"...The special edition "Historic" tee will be released at the Pre-Inauguration event featuring Wale and Bun B (You will be reminded to attend this event again somewhere between tomorrow and Monday - and you will OBEY!!)...See details of the tee and the flyer for the even after the jump...

.FIN

Colin Munroe: Piano Lessons A/V Crack!!...

2009-01-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know...Colin Munroe is one of my favorite emerging artists and I do everything I can to promote his talent...His sound is innovative and his talent is incandescent...and I am forever grateful to him for making a video of my favorite song on his mixtape, 'Colin Munroe is the Unsung Hero'...'Piano Lessons' is produced by Black Milk (another one of my favorite emerging artists) and features Joell Ortiz...The dopetastic video was directed by Philip Sportel...For your listening and visual pleasure:

.FIN

Sex Pixels: Simulated Legos never looked so good...

2009-01-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

This is kind of great to me...Legos are amazing conduits for childhood creativity...Naked women are amazing conduits for teenage and adult male masturbatory practice...Put the two together and you've got...Well...A sex-driven, titillating creative piece by photographer Jean-Yves Lemoigne called Sex Pixels...Brilliant I say...Brilliant...The shots were taken for the third issue of Amusement magazine...And can be seen after the jump...Warning: These are the sexiest pixelated beauties you'll ever see...

.FIN

Louis Vuitton x Stephen Sprouse: The Second Coming...

2009-01-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, it's safe to say I'm excited again about fashion...My adoration for the fusion of street art and fashion has been well satisfied by the second collaboration of one of my favorite luxe brands and one of my favorite graffiti artists...I used to be a Louis Vuitton girl hella hard until I realized that they were lacking an urban edge and I grew tired of the Technicolor and drab brown colorways...Then in 2001, they did a collab with Stephen Sprouse that changed my perspective and I bought into it...Til I got broke...Then I grew bored again...Now, my appetite is whet and the neon colorways sealed the deal...This Thursday is the launch of the Stephen Sprouse collection at the Louis Vuitton Flagship store in SoHo...There is a preview for some of the collection after the jump...A few things to note:
A)Neon...Neon...Neon!! (Handbags, Sunglasses, Leggings, Shoes...Oh my!)
B)Stephen Strouse's signature rose pattern on wallets and handbags
C)Graffiti skateboard deck in a monogram skateboard trunk (Retails @ just over $8,000...Send your donations now)

Find out more about Stephen Sprouse and preview more of the collection here...
.FIN

Aja's on Hiatus: Back in 5...

2009-01-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

Sorry ya'll...Like, for serious sorry...Please believe I've noticed how much of a loafer I've been over the past couple of months (I attribute this to the craziness of that which is my life)...I've also taken a keen note to the fact that I've been lacking material of much substance or regularity, and I have a keen sense on just how bad my typing skills are (if you've been messaging me lately, you catch my drift)...Anyway...I'm figuring out how to skin this cat, so to speak...I hear there's more than one way...And no, I don't mean literally...I haven't lost my mind completely...yet...Back in a flash my ninjas!...

.FIN

*Photo courtesy of Lady Glock*

*Photo edit courtesy of Donna*

Five Minute Poetry: Pregnant with Promise...

2008-12-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

Everything old is new again...Last winter I became pregnant with promise and birthed 12 infantile begin agains...I binged on them for a while and purged them when I saw there was no promise in them at all...Illegitimate children...Bastards of my own ignorance and numerous misnomerings of things that did not deserve numbers nor names...And as a new winter presses on, I find myself pregnant with promise again; bracing myself for an embrace that will erase the old things that abated and bate me...

.FIN

Memories: By Chira Martin...

2008-12-18T08:28:00.000-08:00

Chira is my best friend...She's the best friend a gal could have...And before I turn into a soggy-eyed sap, I'll end this by stating how blessed I am to have so many talented people in my life...

MEMORIES

They flow over and downwards and pool where thoughts have crossed only to be misunderstood. Their overture to an audience yearning for pleasure incites revulsion instead. Abruptly, they cease and are held in reserve until sensibility revisits the senses.

You can check out more of Chira's talent on her blog, 'Through Shyra's Eyes'

.FIN

Five Minute Poetry/Word of the Day: Gaffe

2008-12-17T08:40:00.000-08:00

gaffe \gaf\, noun:
a blunder; faux pas

I've garishly made a gargantuan gaffe

And I'm scoffing at myself as I make calculated moves

Towards finishing this thing off

By thing I mean the thing I thought thoroughly thoughtful enough

To not belittle me in my bereaved stature

Head hanging and hollowed out

Tongue dripping with the secret secretions

The taste of you has left behind

And steadfast in making a return

As if to war

.FIN

Christmahannukwanzakah: Revisited...

2008-12-16T12:29:00.001-08:00

I've been told I have a rather odd sense of humor...That being said, I found this video classically humorous...Seeing as it's the holidays, it deserves a replay...Laugh your face off...If you're odd like me...

.FIN

Five minute poetry: Mental challenge at my desk...

2008-12-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

I gave myself five minutes to write this piece...This is a new experiment I'm doing to push myself further and see how ambidextrous my brain is...If you understand what I mean, you're my hero...If you try it, you're my idol...

I conclude this moment with the concave confines of my copious complexity

I've been a bit recluse and recklessly rekindling the reconnaissance of restlessness rendered ruthless

So to appease myself I made it less apparent that I am an apparition to his appetite

Writing waxed, willing and woven words into

Manuscripts that melt magnificently on the tongue...

.FIN

Mr. Turner - FUCK THE GOTDAMN SHIT...

2008-12-16T08:30:00.000-08:00

.FIN

Aja x Washington Post Express: Funny...

2008-12-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

SO I'm at the Clipse Playcloths Event a wee bit tipsy and such...There's cameras everywhere and oddly everybody wants a flick (I think it was the company I was keeping - Carolyn is gorgeous!)...Next thing I think, there's a reporter from the Washington Post asking me to answer a question...I gave my best, honest, spontaneous answer...Like to hear it, here it go...

Question: Which star should have a clothing line?

"Colin Munroe. He's such an intellectual, different individual"

I dunno, I was half drunk and had to answer on the fly - at least we had the smiles right...In all honesty though, I really really dig Colin's style and would love to see what he could conjure up for a clothing line...I'm sure he could pull it off...
.FIN

Colin Munroe - LA Viper Room: Unsung Hero Tour Footage...

2008-12-05T06:35:00.001-08:00

Safe to say I'm jealous I couldn't jet set out to the Viper Room (One of my favorite venues) to see Colin Munroe (One of my favorite people/artists) perform...But I'd like to give a big Beautifoul™ thanks to Mario Rangel @ Illroots.com for posting the footage right after the show...Peep Colin's talent then go download his mixtape IMMEDIATELY...I command the masses!!...*Evil cackle ensues*...
Parte Un

http://vimeo.com/2429258 from Mario Rangel on Vimeo.
Parte Deux

http://vimeo.com/2430369 from Mario Rangel on Vimeo.
.FIN

Word of the Day: Intrepid...

2008-12-04T12:30:00.000-08:00

intrepid ..in-TREP-id.., adjective:

Fearless; bold; brave; undaunted; courageous; as, an intrepid soldier; intrepid spirit.

I find your intellect quite interesting

And I'm intrepid enough to try and interpret your interior

Undaunted, I sailed your radio waves

Petrified, you capitulate to my discovery

And I'm sitting on the edge of your sanity

Holding all your precious knowledge

And laughing jovially

Because the feast of your thoughts

Fuels my intrepid nature...

.FIN

Clipse: Playcloths x Mixtape Launch...

2008-12-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

I'll be there...You should too...Salubrious I'd say, but not sober yet slightly dubious too...That's what she said...Curious?...You should be...
.FIN

Colin Munroe Mixtape: Download that isht NOW!!...

2008-12-01T12:36:00.001-08:00

'Colin Munroe is the Unsung Hero' is full of classics...I've been telling you about this phenomenal Canadian artist for nearly a year, and now's your chance to see what all my hype was about....With tracks produced by Black Milk, Dallas Austin and Colin Munroe himself, you're bound to have an epic mixtape - and boy does Colin have one...I love the mixtape so much that I can't even choose my one favorite track...I literally love them all, but I hold an oldschool personal space in my heart for 'Will I Stay'...Download 'Colin Munroe is The Unsung Hero' today...Or be square...I mean that...

And you wanna see a phenomenal show by the man himself, put your face in the place at one of the venues listed on the flyer below...

And if you want some more of Mr. Munroe PLUS Wale PLUS Mark Ronson PLUS Cudi Kid PLUSSSSSSSS Yours Truly (as a spectator, bien sur), then shimmy your way on up (or down or side-to-side) to NYC...

.FIN

The fragility of solitude...

2008-11-24T11:37:00.000-08:00

My sanity sits on a thin line as it holds hands with literature and scripture…A line so fragile one word could break it and send everything tumbling into an abyss of uncertainty…And so I develop this nervous habit of writing to forge some false sense of fortitude…As my tongue obliterates the taste of abandonment by saying words that sabotage my solitude…So as to not break that which is at it’s most fragile…Me…

.FIN

McDonald's: Blantant Racist Stereotypes...

2008-11-19T18:35:00.000-08:00

Wow!...I can honestly say McDonald's has crossed the line here...For me, it all started with the "Green is the new black" commercials...Use your imagination, but I take it as McDonald's found out that they could make their money off of the Negroes by marketing themselves with that particular demographic in mind...I managed to suppress the hatred for said marketing long enough to forget about it and order myself a Filet-o-Fish (Extra, extra cheese)...THEN they came out with 365black...Yes, they went too far, but I see what they were going for...Honestly, I'm pretty sure droves of black folk didn't run out and buy McDonald's after that campaign; but meh, they tried...So now comes this monstrosity of a racist debacle...See for yourself...And, if you dig it, go buy an extra value meal - and be ashamed of yourself...

Yes, I may be a little sensitive here, but I've had enough...
.FIN

Self Portrait: Black and White, Part Deux

2008-11-16T14:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've photographed anything, and I was reminded today by one of my readers of that fact...I've got a slight hangover today so I figured that was great timing for photographing myself at my worst...Why not?

I call this one "Get that fucking thing out of my face"...

Cyclopes...

Don't eff with the Aja...

Clearly, I bore my'self'...

Yes, I WAS trying HELLA hard to get the new tat in this shot...Om Mani Padme Hum...

Yesterdays makeup, yesterdays make up...

Why not, everyone else has one...

Obligatory Aja photo...Me and that damn tongue...

Excuse me?...

Close your mouth...

My fav...

.FIN

Stussy x One Warm Coat: Good Cause...

2008-11-14T13:13:00.000-08:00

You know you've got a gently used coat stored somewhere... Come out to Stussy DC between tonight and November 21st to donate yours PLUS get 15% off a new Stussy jont PLUS get free dranks (yes, DRANKS) and stuff from 8-10pm tonight...See, charity is easy people...And Obama says it's time to pitch in and help our fellow American...Do as the man commands...See you there...
.FIN

Soulsquad x Obama: Yes We Did...Get Yours...

2008-11-12T13:30:00.000-08:00

My boy Damon, Owner and Proprietor of SoulSquad T-Shirt Printers, is always on top of the viral tees...Here's his latest masterpiece...Go cop one NOW dammit...You'll be glad you did...Also, support your local vendors and get your next T-Shirt Designs and Printing from Damon...Trust me, you'll be glad you did...

SOULSQUAD T-Shirt Printers
4553 Rhode Island Ave.
Brentwood, MD 20722
202.905.4143

.FIN

Bmore Museum of Art: Magnetic Poetry...

2008-11-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

Man oh man do I love poetry or what??...That's a rhetorical question...Obviously...So imagine my excitement when, at the end of the Franz West Exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art, there was an 'Interactive Room' with an entire wall of GIANT magnetic poetry...Yes, I was CISED...So much so, that my cousin and I spent an hour being creative there...Here was my best line:

"Awkward insecurity exaggerates candy-colored neurotic elegance...Supersize your uncertainty"

.FIN

Sartorialist: Real People Fashion Fotog...

2008-11-12T06:08:00.000-08:00

I want an apprenticeship with Scott Schuman, the creator and photographer for the Sartorialist blog...Yes, I AM a little old for that...No, I DO NOT think he's the greatest fotog of all time, but I admire the realness in his photography...Real people walking down the streets of various couture cities, showing their individual style and captured for our viewing pleasure...Catch a glimpse here...

And as a reminder, for the best party fotos like the ones after the jump, shake that laffy taffy over to Last Night's Party...

.FIN

[Insert Caption Here]...

2008-11-10T13:32:00.000-08:00

Personally, I favor the right side...I've had more than enough of the other...

.FIN

Equality: Yes We Can!!...

2008-11-06T12:14:00.000-08:00

Our future is not lost...It is only at it's nebula of bright beginnings, and it's incandescence can be seen in this photo...

.FIN

President Barack Obama: Yes We can...

2008-11-05T11:30:00.000-08:00

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."

This won't be a long post...I've got too much to say about the historic event that happened at 11:02 pm, November 4th, 2008...As a result of this virtual cornucopia of thoughts and praises, I'm left with not much to say yet tears in my eyes and pride in my heart...A pride I never really had for my country...But now, reflecting upon all the struggles of those who came before me and the promise we have for our future; I can honestly say I believe in my country and I am proud to be an American...Barack Obama accomplished what some would say is the impossible dream, and yet it was made possible by the desire for Americans to want more for ourselves and the struggles of those who came before us who suffered through pain to make things better for our generation...I spoke with my Granny last night and she just sobbed on the other end of the phone...Without saying anything, I knew what those tears were all about...She'd lived through those times when it was illegal to drink from the same water fountain as those just a shade or two lighter than her (she's a light brite) and NEVER did she think she would live long enough to see a black person hold the most executive level position in this country...She is proud to be an American now too...I see this could be a novel soon, so I'll end it by asking you to watch President-Elect Obama's acceptance speech once more and to always remember: YES WE CAN...

"Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House -- a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn -- I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too."

"So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers -- in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people."
.FIN

Halloween-y Poem: Nosferatu's Nefarious Nature...

2008-10-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

Man oh man...IT'S HALLOWEEN!!...It's officially the day when you can literally be anything you want to be no matter how silly or stupid or scary or sadistic...You can get away with it without being called a "freak"...It's also the time when we celebrate vampires and ghouls...In commemoration of the aforementioned I decided to write something...Nosferatu is both the title of my favorite silent film and the name of the villain in it...I seriously suggest you see this film...It was SUPER creepy and engaging; not to mention the fact that it was made in 1922...Anyway, I present some new ish...

Nosferatu came to me in my nocturnal state and drank of my nectar
Naturally, I tried not to knowingly surrender my naïveté
But his nefarious nature was quite nurturing, to me
And my neck became needy
And I became naughty
Nearly naked, my nectar exposed
And Nosferatu nestled and napping in my nymphomania
Needing nothing

Epic Failure: News Headline

2008-10-31T09:36:00.001-07:00

Uh oh, gay (or extreme cougar) pedaphiles, they're already naked and waitin' baby!!...You sick bastard...
.FIN

Literary Brain Fart: Shit

2008-10-31T06:43:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to be entering a poetry contest for the Baltimore City Paper today...My ex - *sigh* - suggested it, and I thought I might fancy the idea...Unfortunately, I'm stuck...Can't find the right words to write new material, and suddenly hating all my latest material...I've nothing in my mind....Nothing but...

My mental is clouded with mucous filled nothingness

And I'm wet from the sticky green boringness its' bored into my soul

I'm trying to trust myself enough to trust my voided mind

But running in the wrong direction...

.FIN

Heroin & Cigarettes: My new song...

2008-10-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

Intrigued?...You should be...After a long songwriting/Studio hiatus, I've finally gone and relieved the absence of both (though the project is not nearly complete)...'Heroin and Cigarettes' is a hardcore, raunchy and sad version of what I imagine I feel like on the deepest parts of my inside and where possibly I might be, had I not the integrity to push through this breakup...*GASP!*...Yes, the breakup...That dreaded thing that put me on my ass for far too long...I suppose this song is part of my healing process...Guess we'll just have to wait and see...Anyway, the finished product should debut here in a few weeks after ad libs and mixing and mastering...Perhaps a verse from one of my uber talented lyricist friends...Stay tuned...

.FIN

Royal Fam SBTG: Dead General edition custom Dunk Hi

2008-10-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

In correlation to the relaunching of their website, Royal Fam SBTG is debuting it's new 'Dead Generals' line...The line will feature some great new military inspired apparel as well as some SUPER dope custom dunks, aptly dubbed 'Jackal and Hyde'...The dunks feature salvaged denim, zippers above the laces, and gold or red crossbone and banner lace locks...Jackal and Hyde just became available on the new and improved Royal Fam SBTG website yesterday...You might wanna hurry though, as these customs are SUPER limited quantity and I suspect they won't last long...

.FIN

Stussy Japan: SS Link Rag Mat

2008-10-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

I thought this was dope (And somehow I picture Dizzy already having this; he's always on top of things)...This mat is a recent collaboration with Japan's Gallery 1950, and is available exclusively at Stussy Harajuku...You can see more collabs Gallery 1950 has had recently, after the jump...

Fragment Design

Original fake

.FIN

Converse x Barneys NY: Swanky Chuck Taylor

2008-10-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

Chuck Taylor, the quintessentially universal classic shoe of every bodega, hood and suburb alike...This classic sneaker has been one of my favorites since a wee tot, but I always wished there was a pair I could wear when I play 'dress up/dress down'...Voila!...That dream chuck has arrived with Converse's collabo with Barneys NY to create a perforated, premium patent leather, Chuck Taylor Hi...It's available now in three colorways you can see after the jump...I suggest you cop at your earliest convenience...

Oh yeah, and don't forget about the Lupe Fiasco x Product Red joints releasing in February 2009...

.FIN

Butt-On: Come on baby light my fire...

2008-10-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a great night light concept by Ashish Chaudhary for all you ass-obsessers out there...Dubbed the 'Butt-On', this aesthetically pleasing version of a night light also provides tactile pleasure with it's soft, silicone materials...Pinch on, pinch off, the Butt-On (*pinch-pinch*)...No worries, you won't get slapped in the face for it...

.FIN

Thoughtful Gesture: Random Flowers...

2008-10-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

It's safe to say I had a bad day today...Feeling quite worthless and unlovable, wallowing in my own sad sorrow...That was until...I came to my desk and saw these mysterious beauties...

See...SOMEONE gives a damn about Aja...I gave them a nice ghetto vase...

And had an overall, nice day...Off to cook some dinner!...
.FIN

CameraFone Perspective: Art Through TeleFoney

2008-10-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

I'm random...If you deduct anything from BeautiFoul™, it should be this fact...Also, you should be able to note that I (heart) photography through shitty lenses...Here's a new experiment...Shitty CameraFone Pics...I 'Art' random...

I am truly amazed I took this flick with my Nokia 6102 Cell phone with a VGA cam...

Dusk...

Mary x Jesus x Tattoo = My Kind of Party...

The luminescence of 'La Lune'...

.FIN

New Tattoo: Om Mani Padme Hum

2008-10-20T14:04:00.001-07:00

Here' 'tis...Finally got it...I feel more at peace now strangely...I know shitty camera phone pic sucks, it'll be replaced tomorrow...Until then, here it is...
**That is my ARM, by the way...Gotta love my ambiguos limbs...**

.FIN

Dancin' Kim: How to do the Cabbage Patch...

2008-10-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

Is she for real??...As if the dance itself wasn't ridiculous enough...

"We're doing this AWESOME dance that's totally RAD!!" - Dancin' Kim
"Now let's do the cabbage patch with my rad dancin' friends!!" - Dancin' Kim
"Put your shoulders into it to really get some cabbage patch action going!!" - Dancin' Kim
.FIN

Word of the Day: Expeditious

2008-10-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

This word has been revealing itself to me constantly via television, email, radio and text message for the past three days...And this morning, my 'Word of the Day' email from Dictionary.com is 'expeditious'...I'm really not sure what the hell I'm supposed to do expeditiously, but for now, I'll interpret through a literary piece dedicated to the word...

expeditious \ek-spuh-DISH-uhs\, adjective:
Characterized by or acting with speed and efficiency.

I've been meaning to expound upon some things lately...Mostly myself...More morose than most, I've been meticulously meandering through my mentality...Making calculated, non-copulatory, callous criticisms of my'self' to try to get out of the confines of this conundrum of self-cauterization...Somehow, I slowly sever my severely solemn, sullen solitude with the serrated knife-edge of serenity...And amazingly, I've accomplished this all while remaining arduously yet acrimoniously allegiant to my amative and altruistic nature...I am an exponentially existential example of how a person can expeditiously extract excrement of mental warfare and exonerate emotions to be overt to life...

I swear to you, I've got a mental block...I've been writing pure shit, and honestly I'm pretty frustrated...Everything I write is a depressing chasm in both time and my mental capacity...Never quite a reflection of who I am or what I'm thinking or feeling at the time...And yet, it's all I seem to be able to write...And not the good kind...It's all been just horrible...I do apologize for subjecting whosoever reads this trianwreck of a literary piece...I am reading and drawing more, hoping to gain some sort of creative inspiration...Until then, look for more crap by Aja on BeautiFoul™...*sigh*

.FIN

Epic Name Failure: Le - a

2008-10-16T06:08:00.001-07:00

I was both perplexed and perturbed when I read through this and the true pronunciation and justification of such was explained...You'll see what I mean...

How would you pronounce this as a child's name?...Leah?...No...Lee - A?...No Sir, guess again...Lay - a?...Nope, not even close...Lei?...Guess Again...Are you resorting to tongue clicks yet??...It's pronounced "LeDASHa"...Oh yes, you read it right...The 'dash' is NOT silent...This is the name of a real child who lives in Livingston Parish, Louisiana...Le - a's (haha!) mother is irate because everyone is getting her name wrong...When the mother was asked about the pronunciation of the name, she said "the dash don't be silent."

If you ever see this again, for the sake of Le - a (I can't hold back my laughter at the sight of this name) and her creatively ignorant mother, please don't forget to pronounce the 'dash'...
.FIN

MacBook Event: Disappointing to Consumers and Investors Alike...

2008-10-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

It looks like there will be no low-end Apple laptops despite the wide-spread speculation that there would be an entry-level MacBook starting somewhere near $800...There IS, however, a MacBook with an introductory price under $1,000 but you can expect it to not include any of the semi-cool new features Apple has added to the new 13" MacBook (Starts @ $1,299) and MacBook Pro (Starts @ $1,999)...Here's a breakdown of what you'll see in the new models, available now online:

*Casing is made from a single piece of aluminum

*Mouse is replaced by a glass track pad that can handle multi-touch gestures much like an iPhone

*Enhanced graphics performance via an NVidia graphics chip

Yeah, lackluster...Cool, but not exactly the big "Wowee" we were all looking for...And the disappointment was reflected in Apple stocks yesterday as the company's shares dropped 5.6% after 4 p.m. yesterday; this, after Apple stocks are already down 45% this year...This is not to say, however, that Apple stocks are failing...Apple shipped nearly 30% more computers already than it did last year and this years laptop sales topped that of Apples iPod and iPhone sales with 62% of total sales...**End nerdy psuedo financial guru Aja rant**...Though I am disappointed that what I had expected from Apple did not come into fruition, I am glad that Apple continues to be a front-runner in the 'PC' industry and always seeks ways to improve upon it's already near perfect (in my own personal opinion - relax) product line...

*Gizmodo has a video breakdown of the MacBook Pro that can be seen here*

.FIN

Architectural Technologic Innovation: Moving Building...

2008-10-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

I'm speechless...For once in my life, I've no words to describe how enamored I am with this design concept...I'm even more amazed that this is not, after all a concept, but instead is a reality that will be in Moscow and Dubai soon...A rotating building??...This is the stuff of futuristic 1960's childhood dreams, of a time when we'd surely be 'driving' flying cars by the year 2000...But alas, in 2008 we've advanced so far technologically that we can design and produce a building that rotates (the full rotation can take up to 3 hours and is voice commanded)using only solar and wind power with more energy to spare for surrounding buildings, should they need to borrow some...This $700 million structure dubbed the 'Dynamic Tower' is designed by Italian Architect , David Fisher...Amazingly, most of the structure is prefabricated at a factory in Italy (Side note: Building them this way makes it possible to install a floor in only six days, whereas building it on-site can take up to six WEEKS per floor) with only a core being built on-site...The core will house the elevators, which will not only move people, but cars too - directly to their floor!...I am both happy and terrified to live in this day and age...The technophile portion of my soul embraces all these advances to further enhance and make more efficient human life as well as environmental conservation in correlation to these advances...The nostalgic fibers within me start to wonder though...Have we advanced so much that the simplicity of life and actually 'living' within this world in its more natural sense has been lost forever and we can never truly 'live'?...Food for thought...Anyway, you can expect to see these buildings in 'real life' as early as 2010...And if you're nouveau riche enough to afford a floor at $3,000 per square foot, you can get in on the innovation too...

.FIN

See Video HERE

Epic Failure: DVD REWINDER...

2008-10-12T18:45:00.001-07:00

There's not much to say here...Hopefully you're smart enough to catch the utter uselessness of said product...Man, I really need to rewind this DVD...Yo!...Lemme hold your Rewinder ma dudey...

.FIN

MacBook under $1000???...Tune in October 14th...

2008-10-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

Well well well, it seems our man Steve Jobs may be feeling the pressure as the PC industry is aggressively dropping prices on laptops as new mini-laptops and affordable tablet PCs hit and potentially will dominate the market...Not to mention our failing economy...People can no longer afford to dish out minimum $1,100 dollars on an Apple and I'm pretty sure people eyeing to invest in Macintosh are paying attention to that too...It appears as though this may change...There's buzz around town that on October 14th, during the MacBook Event, a 13.3" MacBook will be unveiled with a price point more than likely under $1,000...Some even believe the price will bottom out around $800...This is exciting news for all those who've wanted to be a Mac snob but never could afford it...If this rumor comes into fruition, I will be one of the first to purchase...You should too...before Steve Jobs changes his mind...

**More updates on October 14th**

.FIN

Soundwave: Vinyl Fights Back!!...

2008-10-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh...Vinyl...A lost art only coveted by old-school embracing DJs...I was almost horrified when the first CD, subsequently followed by all digital turntables, emerged on the scene giving lazy DJs who don't appreciate the true essence of music in all it's raw glory, a venue to even scratch the music we all grew to covet...So now is the time for Vinyl to fight back...To regain its stance in the music world as the great deliverer of aural enlightenment and the greatest manipulator of sound...Fight back soundwave...I've got your back!...Ok , enough of that, this is actually a sculpture by Jean Shin that's on display at the Manhattan Museum of Arts and Design through February 15...I'll be going to see it next weekend...Any more lonely art/biblio/photogra-philes care to join moi?...

.FIN

Reality: Social Networking does NOT equal real life...

2008-10-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

My MySpace status update today states: "Aja says the internet is not real life nor does it define anything within it"...This is my food for thought today as a turn of events happened in my life yesterday that made me reevaluate just how out of control the internet has gotten...People truly catch feelings based upon very superficial, childish and empty things that occur through text behind a screen...This computer and this internet can protect the person who is on the giving end of things, but what of the person on the receiving end? ...Left emotionally distraught with open-ended promises or unanswered anguish only left to guess and build upon their own emotions based on this uncertainty...This creates a cornucopia of false pretenses and conclusions drawn so early they haven't even become a thought yet...Then suddenly things become ugly and people are no longer sworn lifelong friends, and middle America young ladies are killing themselves over the loss of a prospect of love that was never a real prospect at all or being raped by online predators...And broken hearted men and women are aimlessly mulling over that last text message sent by the love of their life and relentlessly trying to decode the encryption within it in order to reach some false sense of closure...And in all of this, there is nothing...And all time and love and ultimately all people...Are wasted...And yet we continue to base this thing we call social networking, the internet, and cellular communication and all the rancidness of its' nature as all that is meant to be taken seriously in this world...The insecure nature of those who dwell behind the security blanket of a screen of communication are seen solely by those individuals who know that things are not always what they seem...A manipulative nature can only be reciprocated by those smart enough to recognize that manipulation is a game that can be easily played by being still and ignoring ignorance...This shit is not real people...Believe that, and you will be much happier...
(Random Rant).FIN

Register to vote damnit...

2008-10-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

Here's the deal...Register to vote today if you aren't registered already...Why?...Because if you don't you WILL NOT be able to participate in this historical and monumentally important Presidential Election...I'm going to make it really really easy for you too...You can go to Rock the Vote and register online...I just found out something really great today too that made me smile...DC and Maryland are now allowing ex-Felons to vote in upcoming elections...This is a step in the right direction to giving people with a record more of a chance to regain a normal life and recapture their dignity...I am all for more rights and more chances for these people since the world likes to close doors in their faces regularly...But yeah, go to Rock the Vote and register...Tell all your friends to tell a friend or two...It is, indeed, time for change and our votes DO make a difference...

.FIN

OMFG!...That was the BEST 'BIRF'DAY Celeberinjam EVER!

2008-10-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'll post pics once they come my way (I took the night off as fotog and let others take their perspective)...But for now I'd like to thank the 19 people who showed up to my birthday dinner/80's dance party/Almost stage performance...
-Donna
-Liselle
-James
-Dwynn
-Vernon
-Cliff
-Malik
-Elijah
-Shannon
-Q (damnit I always forget your daggon name, but it starts with a 'Q')...(Quartez)
-Doug
-Steph
-Cavan
-Darren (Wow, that was seriously a GIANT surprise)
-BMarz
-Johnny
-Cant Remember your name guy#1 with the mad Trinidad garb on who was super dope! (Junior)
-Can't remember your name guy #2 with the two-tone dope ass jacket on who was super dope! (Naaim)
-ASHLEY!!
We had so much fun and this literally was the best birthday I've ever had...You all came out to show your support on a day you all know is very tough for me even though it is a celebration of my own life..I LOVE YOU ALL...Real love, from the bottom of my heart...THANK YOU...
There IS one person whose presence would have made my birthday PERFECT though...*sigh*...
.FIN

Happy Birthday Deshaun Holton aka Proof aka Dirty Harry aka My Heart...

2008-10-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

Something you all may not know about me because I don't speak on it much as it is still a great sadness in my heart...There is not a week that goes by that I do not think about this great man and there is not a week that goes by that I do not shed a tear for him...His name was Deshaun...I always refused to call him by his rap name 'Proof'...I have so many lovely memories of this man and I guess that's part of the heartache too...He was my one and only love and my number one mentor...He taught me how to be a better person and how to fight for what you really want out of life even if it hurts so bad you want to quit...HE taught me how to write...I am more than grateful to him for this lesson alone...HE taught me how to read the dictionary to expand my vocabulary...HE taught me how to challenge my own mental capacity...He taught me what love is and how it hurts...He is the reason I am the woman I am today...The good and the bad of who I am...But mostly good...He is the epitome of love...He is greatly missed by me but I know HE walks by my side all day, every day...I find comfort in the fact that, as he promised, he never left my side...And he never will...Today is the celebration of your born day too DeShaun...And tonight I'm gonna party like we always did...In true Libra fashion...We are so proud to be who we are and we never falter for anyone...HAPPY BIRTHDAY DESHAUN, I LOVE YOU UNTIL THE END OF TIME...

I wear this proudly...

.FIN

Guess who's having a birthday thing tomorrow...

2008-10-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

This girl!!

Email me for more info
I figured I'd extend an invite to those of you who've become faithful readers of ye olde blog...
Basic Info: 8:00pm Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 @ a secret location (I've always wanted to say that)...
.FIN

Vote for my great friend DONNA!!...NOW!!...

2008-10-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Isn't she lovely (wipe your drool...I see you)?...Vote for her to be featured in the 2009 KIS Models Calendar...And when she wins, buy the calendar please...Donna has been on her grind in the modeling world for as long as I can remember, and (pardon me while I use the gay mans obligatory fashion terminology) she's FIERCE!!...Vote here NOW!!...

Thanks for supporting my friend!!

.FIN

[Insert Caption Here]...

2008-09-30T12:55:00.001-07:00

I can't decide whether this is utter ridiculousness (Yes, I ALWAYS add 'ness' on the end of words to create ghastly improper English emphases - although 'ridiculousness' is an actual word) or if it's pure innovation...You be the judge...

.FIN

Be still...

2008-09-30T11:36:00.001-07:00

I am only as multifaceted as a single moment in time...And so I analyze this moment with utmost scrutiny and realize I am not as alone as previous thoughts provoked me to think...Be still, and you will see how much you've grown...

.FIN

Paris: Solar Triangulation...

2008-09-29T09:22:00.001-07:00

I'm simply amazed by architecture in general, particularly older architecture...Lately I've been keeping tabs on modern architectural innovations and stumbled across this beauty...Dubbed 'Le Project Triangle' ('The Triangle Project' - duh), this seemingly massive triangle is said to cast no shadows on buildings around it and allow for maximum amounts of solar and wind power to be generated...

Surprisingly though, the size of the building is an optical illusion and actually resembles a shark fin...

Look for this building to be built by 2014 in the Porte de Versailles area of Paris, France...

.FIN

When I'm all Grow[ed] Up...

2008-09-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

I want to be THIS ill with the lens...I present to you...Candid photographic genius...

For more, slide through here

.FIN

My Hands hold hindered thoughts of misery...

2008-09-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

New piece I wrote today...I'm a wee bit emo...Meh...

I've been holding my hands tight, clutching to the very essence of that which is myself...A semi-automatic muse of meandering souls seeking some sort of solitude through making a miser of me...And I am miserably traveling through the burroughs and bodegas of my own city of lost love and yet cannot seem to find the restitution of my heartache on any corner...No solitary solidified rush of contentment...Only recluse renditions of rotten refuge...Nothing...Just a sullen girl...Seething in sorrow and writhing in pain as she holds her own hands to try to hinder thoughts of truncation...

*Geez, that's effing depressing now innit?...Must be the rain...*

.FIN

Colin Munroe ((Heart)): Will I stay...

2008-09-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

Check out Colin Munroe's new video for his song 'Will I stay'...If you have no idea who this phenomenal Canadian artist is; well, then you better ask somebody (ME)!!...He stepped out onto the scene with THE BEST remix to Kanye's 'Flashing Lights' I've heard called 'I Want Those Flashing Lights' and quickly gained MAJOR attention...Colin is currently wreckin' shit over at Dallas Austin's Rowdy Records...This guy is a good friend of mine and a talent that should be closely watched over the coming months...
For the new 'Will I Stay' video, more info, music and news on Colin Munroe, click here (TRUST me, you won't be disappointed)
.FIN

Crude Oil of a 15-year-old's brain...

2008-09-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

I feel like sharing some of this today...It's been a strange mix of emotions and I'm not sure exactly why...In order to calm myself some and find some sort of peace, I started to comb through and organize some old blogs for the book...Here's an entry in which I did a little bit of appreciating my writing abilities and reminiscing on my past...Yes, I was a depressing kid...Life wasn't easy...

October 20, 2005 Thursday 1:50am

Ideal Steel...an old poem revisited.... Current mood: morose

So, I've been really lonely and kinda down lately and something this morning in my inability to sleep; beckoned me to my old journal...I started writing at a very young age as a release of some of the feeling I had inside of me that I knew couldn't be any good for me...yeah, I've had emotional issues since a very young age for reasons those close to me already know...I pride myself on always being a smiling, happy and positive person despite all the bullshit that's really fucked up that happens in my life daily...the reason I'm able to do all of this is the talent God gave me to cope through writing...I am truly blessed in this sense...and no, I'm not tooting my own horn here, I'm really grateful I can write like there's no tomorrow and it's somewhat of a good talent...My writing skills really came to head in high school when I was a loner/awkward/painfully shy/extremely ugly/geek...underneath all of this teenage nightmare was a really fucking good writer...now, the shits always a bit disturbing and morbid, but well-versed nonetheless...I thought maybe as a way to revisit these feelings and teachings through writing, I'd share the thoughts of a teenage mind on a regular basis through blog...I had a journal that I kept all through high school and wrote in religiously...here's a poem I wrote when I was 15....as a side note, "Ideal Steel" was the company my brother was working for at the time and we were passing it on the freeway...

Crude oil drips

Through my vainless veins

Black as love

Hardened my heart

Like Pharaohs'

The slave of slavery

Oppression of the perfect drug

End the pleasant pain

To be a cover girl

Pornographic memories

Embedded in the plate

Rubber bullet to the head

45 caliber thoughts

Semi-automatic feelings

Oil

Thick as sin

Trickle and flow

Think nothing of nothing

Peer inside

The window to eternity

Gears shift

Sparkle and fade

Rust Away

Rustoleum in hand

Things fall apart

Not lost in oblivion

Lost in exhibition

Salt from the ocean

Salt from your lips

Determined to destroy me

Written in the end

Obituary of the bitch

A soliloquy

By Shakespeare

Would've loved Van Gogh

Severed ears

For slippery love
Killed the android

Alien of the species

Foreign objects

Lodged in forever

Could've ended silently

If I were the ideal steel...

*BONUS POEM...My First Alliterative Piece

Many men migrate meticulously minute medians

Mixing malevolence more maliciously

My misalignment mortifies me

Maybe my mischievous moniker misnomers me

Mirrors may minister many misunderstood minorities

Mixed mistakenly massive myriads, mostly mirages

Morose mirages mainly metamorphasized my misfortunes

Motels-Mitigations-Masturbation-Motivation

Men move many millenniums more monetarily

Misogynistic, malignant men, moving mountains

.FIN

Wing, sweet Wing...How I've missed you...

2008-09-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

THAT monstrosity of a broken phone was my TMobile Wing I've had for several months broken like that as I was in a bitter battle betwixt myself, my insurance carrier and TMobile...FINALLY I've got a new one...Today is a good day, I can now text at will =)
.FIN

Happy Birthday VirLibran...

2008-09-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

Today is considered the last day of the Virgo/Libra cusp...Some will even argue that the cusp day ends on September 23rd...And that those born today are true Libras...I still consider today a cusp day...In light of the celebration of the last cusp day and the ushering in of the greatest astrological sign there is, here's a little bit of insight on astrological aspects of those born on the Virgo/Libra Cusp:

Virgo/Librans are happiest when they're in a relationship. They are seductive and attractive, and their cultural awareness and talkative nature help them shine in the social situations they so enjoy; although at times they can be prone to being superficial due to their love of beautiful things. They tend to explore subjects deeply and are very good at understanding the deeper meaning of what others say. Many Virgo/Libras have an excellent head for business, relying on logic rather than ego or emotion to make their deals. They are reliable, practical, diligent, self-possessed and rational.

Brief Personality Overview

-- Possesses the discriminating and rational traits inherent in Virgo --

-- Possesses the social traits inherent in Libra --

-- Tend to be obsessed with beauty and sensuousness --

-- Prone to be very attentive and concerned with details --

-- Tend to lack depth in the intuitive and emotional spheres --

-- Need to try and not be overly-concerned with outward appearances --

-- Need to avoid becoming jaded, trendy, impulsive or compulsive --

-- Need to keep the nervous system under control --

I knew a VirLibran man once, so I'd say MOST of this is true...Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY...Now bring in my lovely sign!!...Yes, I LOVE being a Libra!!!!!
.FIN

Mental and dexterous challenges in toy form!!...

2008-09-23T11:43:00.000-07:00

A challenging toy you say?...I'm soooo down!!...Mobius PLAY is a toy/puzzle by designers Paul Sandip and Suhasini...It challenges manual dexterity and mental concentration...The toy constitutes a continuous mobius ring having its ends permanently joined together and a dual snout magnetic roller...Basically, you hold the mobius ring in one hand and try to move the magnetic roller along the track...I strained my brain just now trying to think about how that would work...OUCH!

.FIN

Oh my Jesus!!...Winos of the world UNITE!!...

2008-09-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

I may have died and gone to wino heaven...Seriously...I am a fan of fine wine and $3.99 wine alike (I don't discriminate against ANYTHING...Not even my wine, sometimes you're broke enough or down enough to want the bottom of the barrel...I'm just sayin'...)...I'll be honest and say I'm not the best keeper of good wine which is why I typically lean closer to the $25 bottles of wine (If I can get a bottle to last more than a night that is...LOL)...The problem is that good wine should be served at and stored at the proper temperature or else it's not at its' full flavored and bodied potential...This is a difficult task to achieve at home...This is where this sleek and technologically perfect (at least by wine standards)store and serve contraption from Skybar steps in to assist you in accommodating and pouring your wines without compromising on appearance and function...dubbed the 'Wine Preservation and Optimization System', this cabinet houses three variedly chilled chambers to serve three different wines which are chilled to perfection...You can set the temperature yourself or choose from nine preset chilling options...Another innovative feature is the vacuum technology that helps to preserve wine for about 10 days without any change in its taste...You also won’t need a decanter, as this cabinet is equipped with a smooth pouring technique that decants a perfect glass of wine...The price is a little steep for my tastes at $1,000...But still a worthwhile investment for winos of the world like me!!...I got 5 on it!!
.FIN

Wiimote x Google Maps: Yep, Tokyo, here I come!!...

2008-09-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

This isn't perfect, but oh my how I LOVE the concept...This Nintendo Wii User connected his Wiimote to Google Maps and was able to create a simulated jog through the streets of Tokyo (DOPE!!)...The flaw is that it doesn't create a fluid video, but instead is more of a frame by frame view...Still, it beats Dance Dance Revolution now, doesn't it?...

Try to run on the google street view like a jogging game of wii fit from katsuma on Vimeo
.FIN

Le Violon Rouge (The Red Violin)...

2008-09-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

Again, another one of my all time favorite movies...I am partial to this movie as I am a violinist...But the story of the journey of this violin built on the fundamentals of true love and perfection personified by a violin is beautiful and brings me to tears to even think about it...I've loved many people and things like that and lost nearly all of them...*tear*...However, I like to think that those most perfect things and people that were loved by me that have gone away are on a beautiful journey of their own...That brings comfort to a weary soul...Watch the movie and you'll know where I'm coming from...

This is one of the best solos in the movie (played by Joshua Bell):

I regain more closure as I keep my composure and consciously confiscate the composition of my cerebral concerto...My vigor lives vicariously through the the virtuosity of my fingers upon my violin...

.FIN

Smorgan aka Adams Morgan

2008-09-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

Wow...'Epic' is probably the best way to describe Saturday night in Adams Morgan/Dupont for my cousin James and I...I took a chance by stepping out in the place that most reminds me of 'Perfection' and I'm kind of glad I did...Anyway, Here's some fotos...Keep in mind, we were HELLA drunk so these aren't epically artistic or anything...Just good clean fun...Shout out to Wyck and everyone at the rooftop party!...
Delectable Madame's Organ Food...

This is the culprit that lead to an 'interesting' evening...

Bikes are apparently my 'thing'...This guy was cool...Ironically named Brian...

Yes, it's THAT intense...James loves his beer...

Things start to get fuzzy right about...NOW...

Ok random Aussie guy...We get it already...James, what the eff are you doing?...

Apparently I was unamused, bothered or too drunk for emotional expression...

Hmmm...A familiar look...

Oh wait, nevermind...I got my swag back!...

Wyck...The maker of all epically random fun...

.FIN

Autumn and I...A photographic study, Part 1...

2008-09-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

Autumn...Love it...I'm from Michigan where the leaves are plentiful and lovely...I was born in the Autumn...I'm not a very good liar, so...Autumn is for lovers too...I can be honest here since this is my blog...I really wish I still had mine to revel in the glories of Autumn with...*Sigh*...

There is beauty in obscurity...

It begged me to photograph it...I swear ye...

This was a great moment of the past...I hold it close...

Georgetown at dusk...

One last goodbye to the Summer...Silly, sullen, solemn and soaking...
.FIN

La Cité des enfants perdus...

2008-09-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies finally arrived in the mail yesterday...GIANT smiles ensued when I opened up the package at work... I invited DMVernon over to watch it with my cousin and I and share in my nerdy French-speaking delight...Got some Checkers for the first time in forever (more GIANT smiles - Doesn't take much to make a piggy pig pig happy)...*OINK*...Sat down with a glass of wine and started watching one of my all time favorites (though I wish they would have let me watch it in French)...I love this movie and could go on forever about how great the cinematography and story line are, but I'll just suggest you take my advice and rent it and see for yourself...As some incentive...Here's the trailer:

*Side Note*: Costume design by Jean-Paul Gaulthier

.FIN

My new Tattoos...Coming soon to an Aja near YOU!!...

2008-09-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Mental journeys and soul searching have occurred and I am much more enlightened now...I'm not much of a religious being, but more spiritual than anything - gathering the fundamental theories from various religions that most make sense when applied to my mentality...In my quest to find symbols of inner and outward peace, I was reminded of a Buddhist mantra I've highly regarded since my 9th grade world religion class...Om Mani Padme Hum...The Dalai Lama describes these six syllables as meaning:

"...that in in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of Buddha..."

I interpret this as meaning through wisdom (in all its' capacities) one can truly learn to be at peace with oneself and the world, therefore becoming a more 'perfect' person...What a lovely way to be!

The Six Realms of Existence:

Om - Meditation (Purifies: Pride/Bliss)

Ma - Patience (Purifies: Jealousy/Lust for entertainment)

Ni - Discipline (Purifies: Passion/Desire)

Pad - Wisdom (Purifies: Ignorance/Prejudice)

Me - Generosity (Purifies: Poverty/Possessiveness)

Hum - Diligence (Purifies: Aggression/Hatred)

.FIN