Shrink the Media.

A Most Amazing Directory

vee.chen — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:11:08 +0000

My job entails a lot of thinking, both creatively and strategically. On occasion, I get the luxury of doing (what I like to call) “inspirational research”- which is more or less googling some really random keywords/topics. You know, catch tidbits of info to get the brain juices flowing.

Today’s “inspirational research” led me to a great directory. Allow me to present, the Magician Directory. Per the website, “the Magician Directory is the largest definitive guide to the worlds’ magicians, allowing potential bookers to find the perfect magical entertainer for their function or special event, whether they are looking for a local entertainer or an international entertainer.”

Now, I’ve always had a liking for directories because it’s a one-stop shop for info on very specific topics. The best part is- there appears to be a “directory” for just about any subject under the sun (my find-of-the-day being a perfect example). So in case you’re ever in dire need of finding a magician, you’ll know where to look ;)

Happy magician browsing. There are some pretty hilarious/awesome bios + pics on the site.

Umm, my mom speaks ebonics?

vee.chen — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:34:39 +0000

In a recent conversation with my bro, it hilariously occurred to me that mom speaks ebonics. Holy shit! Mama Chen is street!! ;)

Obviously, it’s not that she’s into hip hop culture nor shoots the shit on street corners in Harlem. But the fact is, her understanding and use of the English language is actually very similar to street talk/ebonics. For instance, she tends to say “when we was young” instead of “when we were young.” Slap on a street accent to that very sentence, and you’ve got yourself a phrase that could have been uttered by any street kid.

This brings up an interesting point: some instances of incorrect grammar use are “hip” and widely accepted by mainstream masses, while other instances are not accepted, maybe even considered as a source of embarassment. It probably has to do with the ethnic origin of the person speaking the “incorrect” English, whether it’s a deliberate use of incorrect grammar or not, and whether the person is coming from a culture that is or has been trying to establish something as their own. So many factors at play here!

Guess this is one of those “ponderings in progress.” And with that, I’m signing off.

OkTrends- 4 big myths of profile pictures

vee.chen — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:33:48 +0000

This article is a gem: interesting, funny, stat driven. Definitely one of the best articles I’ve read in a while on dating/attraction between the sexes. The people behind major dating site OkCupid.com cataloged over 7,000 photographs and analyzed three key factors:

Facial Attitude. Is the person smiling? Staring straight ahead? Doing that flirty lip-pursing thing?
Photo Context. Is there alcohol? Is there a pet? Is the photo outdoors? Is it in a bedroom?
Skin. How much skin is the person showing? How much face? How much breasts? How much ripped abs?

After finalizing data with a pool of 7,140 users, the results are shared! Read on for a smile and a chuckle.

OkTrends.

A year in review

vee.chen — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:36:11 +0000

I must admit- I may be the world’s worst blogger ever (last post was in April. . . 8 months ago. . . ). But considering the sequence of events that have occurred, it may be somewhat understandable. I’ll let the people be the judge, but in a nutshell: went to Amsterdam back in February to scope the job scene, got a job, had TONS of Visa related papers/errands to run, and finally moved to the Dam in June. Since my arrival, it’s been a go-go-go non-stop work action scene. Plus trying to make new friends, practice DJing, get to know the city, etc etc. Sh*t’s been a little hectic, to say the least!

So here I am, taking opportunity of holiday time off, to write a final post for 2009. As with each year’s end, my brain can’t help but do a “year in review”, documenting the highlights (both good and
bad). All I gotta say is: 2009 has been one hell of a year.

In a mere 26.5 hrs, 2010 will be officially in gear. Can’t wait! Here’s a video to set the mood ;)

Smell the Fresh Air

vee.chen — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:37:40 +0000

Every so often, a product will have a name + description so amazing that it simply must be shared with the rest of the world. I present to you my latest and greatest product discovery: Poo-pourri.

Yes, you read it right. Poo-pourri. It’s like potpourri, but specifically designed for the toilet bowl. Here is the company’s product description (verbatim):

“Unlike most air fresheners that try to mask odor, Patent Pending Poo-Pourri is designed to be sprayed directly onto the toilet bowl water before you go! The all natural essential oil secret formula creates a barrier to embarassing bathroom odors!”

I don’t know about you, but this may be the best gag-gift idea I’ve seen in a while. Plus it has an equally hilarious website to match. Check it out here. Just love the picture of girl in weird daisy hat sitting happily on top of a toilet. Pure comedic genius.

Ok, I gotta go buy this thing now. Who can refuse a product that has “It’s neat to be discreet!” for a tagline?!

Obamafy Your Photos!

vee.chen — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:43:04 +0000

This plug-in for Photobooth app (if you have a mac) is a lotta fun. Instantly create the Shepard Fairey-for-Obama look for your photos! Download the plug-in here: http://www.dubster.com/obamafy/

And here’s a sample pic of me giving the peace sign ;)

A Subscription for Food?!

vee.chen — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:22:08 +0000

I’m a fan of this e-newsletter called Tasting Table, which provides food-related news (restaurant updates and meal suggestions in your local area). Super useful considering there are so many new eat spots sprouting up in NYC- all the time.

Today’s newsletter covered a really interesting concept: buy shares of a food supplier’s yield and get delivery of produce to your door. Brilliant! Here’s the full post:

Sharing is Caring
Alternative CSAs bring meat, dairy and more to your doorstep

Nothing says springtime in New York like community-supported agriculture. But before you re-up your regular share of mixed produce and call it a day, consider this new crop of other foods now available on a subscription basis.

The basic concept is the same: You purchase a full or half-share of a supplier’s upcoming yield and receive scheduled food deliveries in return. This allows small-scale suppliers who need up-front capital to get in on the action. And because a number of these alt-CSAs also offer home delivery, there’s no concern about missed pick-ups. Here are four worth the investment:

Meat The Brooklyn Kitchen is bringing monthly deliveries of pasture-raised chicken ($5.50 a pound; $10 deposit required) and half ($11 a pound, $75 deposit) and whole lambs ($10.50 a pound; $150 deposit) from upstate New York’s Awesome Farm (pictured) to its Williamsburg shop. Pick-up begins June 20.

Bread This summer, Hot Bread Kitchen will partner with a handful of local CSAs to offer bread shares ($180). Shareholders can expect to receive corn tortillas, artisanal loaves and the bakery’s crispy lavash nine times during the season.

Seafood Upper Meadows Farm in Montague, New Jersey–which supplies the Hell’s Kitchen CSA–offers wild-caught seafood (clams, scallops and assorted fish) from local fishermen to premium shareholders ($845 for CSA membership, plus $105 a week). Non-premium shareholders can purchase fish on a per-order basis.

Dairy Though it’s not a CSA in the traditional sense, Manhattan Milk nevertheless delivers farm-fresh cheese, eggs, milk and yogurt from local farms to your doorstep every Wednesday. No subscription necessary; delivery service begins April 21.

Rube Goldberg + Java/Flash = Pure Website Entertainment

vee.chen — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:25:09 +0000

Who doesn’t love a good Rube Goldberg machine- you know, those complex devices that perform simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways. Think “Breakfast Machine” from Pee-Wee Herman’s Big Adventure:

Anyway, I stumbled upon a website that’s essentially a Rube Goldberg machine made from all the items on the homepage. It’s the website of a Dutch department store chain called HEMA- check it out at the link below. Pure Java and Flash genius. It’s such a simple, creative way to engage/entertain the consumer. Definitely made me want to purchase the ‘ghettoblaster’ on the site!

http://producten.hema.nl/

Alexander Calder: The Paris Years

vee.chen — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:15:24 +0000

If you haven’t seen the Calder exhibit at The Whitney, do it soon. It closes Feb. 15th (this Sunday!).

The exhibit showcases Calder’s transformation as an artist while living in the quintessential city of art and romance. Here’s a great summation from The Whitney website:

“When Alexander “Sandy” Calder (1898–1976), arrived in Paris in 1926, he aspired to be a painter; when he left in 1933, he had evolved into the artist we know today: an international figure and defining force in twentieth-century sculpture. In these seven years Calder’s fluid, animating drawn line transformed from two dimensions to three, from ink and paint to wire, and his radical innovations included openform wire caricature portraits, a bestiary of wire animals, his beloved and critically important miniature Circus (1926–31), abstract and figurative sculptures, and his paradigm-shifting “mobiles.”

The ‘Circus’ mentioned above is fascinating- here’s a clip of it:

I know it looks a little kooky, but the exhibit really brings it to life. You get to see all the actual circus figurines on display, along with beautifully crafted children’s toys (which Calder’s was commissioned to design) + more.

Really, I can’t say enough about the exhibit, so just go see it- totally worth it.

The Reason for Absence

vee.chen — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:05:33 +0000

So. . . it’s certainly been a while since I last posted. What can I say- life simply gets a hold of us sometimes. But all excuses aside, the main reason for my absence is due to the purchase of a pair of Technics 1210 MK-5s. And yes, they are B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.

I’ve literally been spending all free time hanging with my ‘boys,’ as I fondly like to call them. I’m learning tricks of the trade from DJ 3D of the Underground Railroad, who has been an amazing mentor. I get a lesson from him about once a month, complete with homework assignments and verbal progress reports. It’s almost like being back in school again!

I will, of course, try to post on this space more often. But if I’m not on the blogosphere, you’ll know what’s keeping me occupied.