The Luu 2009 Year Review

I can't beleive a whole year has passed me by. Let's take a look at some of the notable posts from TLR.

January: I was unemployed and looking for work. I learned a lot about stocks, the housing sector and the economy. Oh and also, our first black president started work. His every move was watched very closely.

February: I learned a lot about revising resumes and job hunting. You'd be surprised how many scams are out there.

March: 24th birthday came and went. I apartment searched and learned how to spot a slum lord and read between the lines in postings.

April: I moved a whole lot closer to NYC. It was great and amazing to be so close to the city. There were varying ways to battle the budget bulge. I went to Mexico for the first time and happened to stay during the Swine Flu outbreak. That was really fun!

May: Summer started and I did another course for 3D animation. My sisters and I drove all the way to Canada to visit the grandparents.

June: Enjoying time near NYC and exploring my new town. Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcet and Billy Mayes left us. So sad; too soon; farewell.

July: Another long trip to Canada was tons of fun. Roadtrips are great if you have the right people and a good Sudoku/Trivia book. Went on a few dates but nothing panned out.

August: It rained a lot and i saw District 9. It was a pretty good movie. Transformers on the other hand was pretty predictable. It did keep me entertained for a couple of hours. I donated my car to the Childhood Leukemia Fund and wiped my hands clean of it.

September: Moved back to South Jersey and picked up where I left off.

October: Windows 7 emerged and everyone was a buzz! When the price drops I'll think about buying it, but until then I will stick with my Mac. My sis purchased a Wii and we thoroughly enjoy it. The PS3 is so neglected.

November: The Luu Review first aniversary came. Happy One Year TLR!!! A lot of retailers had some crazy amazing sales, but I was not too impressed.

December: I had a white christmas from all that snow that wouldn't stop coming down. One of my sorors came to visit and we spent the week reconnecting with friends and family.

It's been a long year and I'm hoping to make triple the progress in 2010. First on the list: get a job or go back to school. Who knows what the new year will bring; maybe fortune, love or just some more laughs.

STILLERSTRONG - Just Do It!!!

I was watching Conan O'Brien last week, who is hilarious by the way, and he had Ben Stiller on. On this visit Ben Stiller started talking about his charity called "Stiller Strong" in conjunction with Save the Children. It kinda goes off the Zoolander character he portrayed who wanted to open the "Derek Zoolander Center For Kids Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too". He spent this past summer in a school in Haiti. He was able to spend time with them and get to understand their needs. The money raised will go towards helping the school in Ceverine to build much needed classrooms, employ teachers, pay for school supplies, etc.



It's great to see a celebrity getting involved in an area, where my family's from, that doesn't get as much attention as Africa. It's so close to the U.S. and has so much heritage and history. On the site, you also get to see some funny videos of Ben Stiller trying to plug his charity and his Stiller Strong headbands. A few are pretty funny!

There are a few really easy ways you can donate. You can text 'stiller' to 85944. A $5 one time charge will be added to your phone bill and it goes towards the charity. You can donate using Paypal or a credit card. You can also buy a headband. You can get one for $15, 3 for $40, a limited edition yellow one for $100 and the yellow with an autograph for $300.

Check it out: http://www.stillerstrong.org/

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Now playing: Sweet Mickey - Oooh la la!
via FoxyTunes

Tunes Tuesday - "God is Going Get Sick of Me"

There's this song I've been listening to for a long while that I wanted to share with you all. It's called "God is Going Get Sick of Me" by Aberdeen City. This rock song really wakes me up and gets me moving. It's from "The Freezing Atlantic" album that was re-released in 2006.

The lyrics are a riot. I can't image someone being such a pain that God gets sick of them. The song was their first single that also won the "Local Song of the Year" award at the Boston Music Award in 2006. This Boston-based indie rock band consists of 5 members: Ryan Heller on the guitar, Rob McCaffrey on drums, Brad Parker on bass and vocals and Chris McLaughlin as the other guitarist and vocalist.

I think it's an awesome song, so check it out.

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Now playing: Aberdeen City - God Is Going to Get Sick of Me
via FoxyTunes

A Movie I'm Excited to See!

I saw this trailer and can't wait til it comes out in theatres. Turns out it's a remake of the George A. Romero film "The Crazies" released in 1973. The summary is still the same:

"Imagine living in a small town where everything is safe and happy... until suddenly it isn't. Imagine your friends and neighbors going quickly and horrifically insane. In a terrifying tale of the American Dream gone horribly wrong, four friends find themselves trapped in their hometown trying desperately to escape."



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Now playing: Gary Jules - Mad World
via FoxyTunes

Guilty Pleasures...

We all have guilty pleasures. Things that you eat or do that you wouldn't really tell anyone about. Maybe you still listen to the Hansons or walk around your home in the nude or even still love to play the game Candyland. Whatever it is, everyone has 'em, and I'm gonna divulge one of mine.

I was pretty one Saturday early evening and started flipping through the channels. Isn't that how it always starts. Any who, I stopped on Nickelodeon while iCarly was playing. I found this show, about three comedic friends who post live videos for their web show, to be hilarious (the opposite of low-larious, lol). Carly, Sam and Freddy are a great mix of kookiness, creativity and have personalities that's a mix of sweet, sour and gooey. The writers tickle all my funny bones. I guess I love watching it because I don't have to think so much, not like Law & Order.

If you're brain needs a break as well, check 'em out on Nick. A lot of repeats are played on during the week around 6pm EST. The latest show is "iQuit iCarly" where tensions rise between Sam and Carly. And yes, all the shows start with a small "i" like iMac. What are some of your guilty pleasures?

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Now playing: Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - Opening Theme
via FoxyTunes

Tunes Tuesday - "Sleepyhead"

Perhaps you seen the Palm Pixi commercial. The flashing lights and music makes you feel like you're in a fairytale filled with pixies. Well, I had to find out what song they were playing... and I did. It's called "Sleepyhead" by Passion Pit.




This band of guys consists of their lead singer and co-keyboardist Michael Angelakos, other keyboardist and guitarist Ian Hultquist, Ayad Al Adhamy on Synth and Samplers, Bassist and Synth player Jeff Apruzzese and Drummer Nate Donmoyer. The band, started by Michael, was created as a project to create a few songs for his former girlfriend on Valentine's Day (how romantic "Chunk of Change" which has the track "Sleepyhead" debut September of last year. The song is so popular that it has played in Canadian PSP commercials, UK commercials for comedic movies and MTV's "What the Flip?". Their newest full-length album, "Manners", came out in May of 09. I hope they continue to rise into their own spotlight.
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Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
via FoxyTunes

Mmm, Twilight.

I gave in this week. I finally saw the "Twilight" movie, but only because someone borrowed it from the library. I was curious to see what all the hype and craze was about for the past year. While watching the movie, I was pleasantly surprised. The characters Bella and Edward seemed to work well together. Shy, antisocial students who don't mind being loners. I'm actually very interested to see the new movie "New Moon". But not in theaters; I'd hate to be the only person above 18 in the audience. I would still prefer "True Blood". It's definitely not for kids and more provocative.

On another note, Susan Boyle beat out Adam Lambert for highest selling album this week. I wonder if his performance at that award show had anything to do with it. Susan is the exception to the rule that you have to be really attractive to be a music artist.

Black Friday Madness

Black Friday is only 2 days away. It's the day where intense shoppers wake up before sunrise to fight for crazy deals. If this is your first time being one of those shoppers, here's a few tips to make the morning more manageable.

1. Make a plan. Make a list of the specific items you want to purchase. Sometimes stores will have a big ticket item discounted and claim they only have a few. You get to the store and, of course, they're out. so you end up buying a similar item that's either is more expensive or is cheaper and they need to get rid of them.

2. Have a budget of how much you want to spend on each item.

3. Drive in one car. Parking is a nightmare and outrageous. I was trying to find parking at a mall a few days ago and that was crazy, too.

4. Leave the kids at home. They'll only slow you down or get hurt in the overexcited crowd.

5. Avoid rain checks. If a store is out of stock of an item, they may offer you a rain check. However, if there are more rain checks than the store can handle you might be waiting months to get you product or not get it at all.

6. If you want to wake up later in the morning, make sure to get to the stores before 11 am. You don't all the good deals to be gone before you get there. Also, some stores are extending their Black Friday deals into Saturday. Nothing like extended store hours.

7. Stay home!!! There are still alot of good deal online as well. They may not be as great as a $3 toaster, but still pretty amazing. Plus some stores rely on Cyber Monday, the Monday after Black Friday, to sell more electronics.

8. Wait till after Christmas. The shopping season doesn't end because the holidays are over. If you're shopping for digital cameras or other electronics, wait till late January or February. That is when the fiscal year ends for foreign countries and the new models come out. The old models go on sale in the U.S.

TLR Animation Contest

I decided to re-post the animation contest with the winning prizes. I'm having an animation contest in honor of my first full year blogging! I can't believe it's been a year already. Here's the criteria:

1. The animation must be a minimum of 30 seconds but no longer than of 3 minutes.

2. It can be either 2D or 3D, and either color or black & white.

3. The theme is "winter holiday". That doesn't necessarily mean Christmas. It can be any holiday observed during the winter season (Dec - Mar).

4. And lastly should also include a cat, any Sailor Moon character and "The Luu Review" anywhere in the animation.

Be creative and think outside the box!!! The file should be saved as .mov or .wmv (a QuickTime or Windows Media Video file). If there's another file type you want to save it as, please emauk me first. Submissions can be emailed to lucy.pacius at gmail dot com. Please put "TLR Animation Contest" in the subject line.

The Winner will receive:

A $10 Amazon Gift Card
A 2GB micro SD card (also comes with the adapter to be used as a regular sized SD card).
The winning video will be placed on my blog for a month.

2nd and 3rd place will both receive an honorable mention and a $5 Amazon Gift Card.

The last date for submissions is December 26 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be picked and announced at the start of the New Year and the video will be posted on my blog. Prizes to be announced this Wednesday. Any questions? Post them here. So... START YOUR ANIMATING!!!

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Now playing: La Roux - Tigerlily
via FoxyTunes

Tunes Tuesday - Bulletproof

I saw this video the other day and the first thing I thought was "The 80s threw up all over her video." But once I got passed that, I couldn't help but to jam to the beat. Who hasn't danced to an old 80s song. I know I do whenever "Take on Me" by Aha comes on. You've probably already heard the song on an episode of "Ugly Betty" just before she dances by herself.

La Roux is an English electropop and synthpop group. The group is made up of Eleanor Jackson (singer) and Ben Langmaid (synth player, co-writer and co-producer). La Roux's music influences are Depeche Mode, Heaven 17, and other 1980s synthpop bands (surprise, surprise).

La Roux has four albums out including "La Roux" which has "Bulletproof" and a bonus track. The lyrics are telling and the beats are high spirited and fun.



It's definitely a change from all the other songs out there that kinda sound the same. Check out their site for more.
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Now playing: La Roux - Bulletproof
via FoxyTunes

TLR Animation Contest!!!

I've decided to have an animation contest in honor of my first full year blogging! I can't believe it's been a year already. Here's the criteria:

1. The animation should be a minimum of 30 seconds but no longer than of 3 minutes.

2. It can be either 2D or 3D, and either color or black and white.

3. The theme is "winter holiday". That doesn't necessarily mean Christmas. It can be any holiday observed during the winter season (Dec - Mar).

4. And lastly should also include a cat, any Sailor Moon character and "The Luu Review" anywhere in the animation.

Be creative and think outside the box!!! The file should be saved as .mov or .wmv (a QuickTime or Windows Media Video file). Submissions can be emailed to lucy.pacius at gmail dot com. The last date for submissions is December 26 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be picked and announced at the start of the New Year and the video will be posted on my blog. Prizes to be announced this Wednesday. Any questions? Post them here. So... START YOUR ANIMATING!!!

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Now playing: Aly and AJ - Walking on Sunshine
via FoxyTunes

The Luu Review - A Year Later...

It can't believe it's been a whole year since my first post ever. Wow, so much has changed. In honor of this, I thought I'd have an animation contest. Details and more info will be posted tomorrow.

On another note, there's a weird article floating around. Apparently, a cat got the H1N1 or swine flu. A couple came down with the swine flu and eventually their cat got it too. The cat was taken to the vet and everyone is fine. So, here are some tips for keeping your pets safe this flu season.

1. Don't sneeze on them! Probably common knowledge 'cause it's gross and rude. Cover your mouth and wash your hands often.

2. If your pet is lethargic, not eating and having trouble breathing take it to the vet. Those are some symptoms they may develop.

3. If you have H1N1, keep your pet out of the area just like you would a baby. Your pet will probably catch it sharing the same space as you. Keep them isolated to a room, wipe down and disinfect your home and wash your hands frequently.

If you have any other questions, you should contact your vet.
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Now playing: Lady GaGa - Bad Romance
via FoxyTunes

Halloween Scares and Candyman

Happy Belated Halloween, everyone. Hope it was filled with thrills and scares! Every year I watch a horror movie marathon in the spirit of All Hallows Eve. The channel AMC helped with their "2009 Fear Fest" all week. I got to see "The Shining" for the first time. On my list, I decided to add "Candyman". I couldn't remember what happened during the movie except for the old urban legend. If you stand in front of a mirror, say 'Candyman' 5 times and turn off the lights, he'll appear and kill you with his hook. If you haven't seen it, do please. There's also two sequels.

Well, apparently the movie talks about his beginning. He was supposedly a famous Black painter in the 1800s. Some rich, white, plantation owner commissioned him to paint the image of his virginal and pure daughter. He ended up falling in love with her and got her pregnant. Her father was completely outraged. The people of the town formed a mob and chased him into the town square. They beat him to the ground and cut off his limbs. Then they cover him with honey and release bees on him, which causes his death.

I get that his cut off arm is replaced with a hook, he's called Candyman because of the honey, but I find it hard to believe a white person from the 1800s would even let him near his daughter. For me, the only thing scary in the movie was that gang-ridden complex the woman visited. I grew up in a not-so-nice town, but it wasn't like Compton or Camden. But that building scared me more than that fearless white woman who kept investigating there like nothing would happen to her. I don't thin we should live in fear, but we need to be mindful of place that we don't belong. Just my opinion. What's yours?

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Now playing: The Black Eyed Peas - Meet Me Halfway
via FoxyTunes

Windows 7 is Here!

Windows 7 became available yesterday and tons of people are excited. Even I'm excited and I have a Mac. This new operating system is supposed to be better, faster and safer than it's predecessor Windows Vista. Some of the new features were borrowed from the Mac system, such as viewing multiple open windows, searching for files on with a few keywords, and a taskbar of programs at the bottom of the screen.

There are only 3 versions this time: Home, Professional and Ultimate. You can easily upgrade from Vista if you have it, but if you stayed with Windows XP you might have to purchase the complete version at a higher cost. It also requires a "clean installation", which means that it wipes the files from your computer. After the clean installation you have to reload all of your programs and files back to your computer. What a hassle. Hopefully, it's worth it.

If you're a student and have a college/university email address, you can purchase the upgrade version of Home or Professional for only $30. It's a promotion that I don't see a lot of advertisement for given the price. First you have to enter your email address to receive the email in order to continue. From there you click the link in the email and add Windows 7 to your cart. If you want Professional, in the cart click continue shopping or choose another version. Buy purchasing it, you'll receive a download link to upgrade your computer. If you would rather have the disk, you can purchase that for an extra $13. Still a pretty reasonable price.

I was thinking of turning my iMac into a Windows computer as well, and can't wait to purchase it. If it doesn't work out, there's always Snow Leopard.

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Now playing: Kylie Minogue - Come Into My World
via FoxyTunes

Superman in Gotham

I saw this really funny cartoon on another blog and thought I'd pass the funny along. It's about Superman and Batman working together... sort of. If you're a Batman fan, you might not enjoy the humor.





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Now playing: Mims - This Is Why I'm Hot
via FoxyTunes

Cat in a Box

Thought this was hilarious. I took this picture a while ago. I left a box in the living room and her cat hopped right in it. Maybe he thought it was a race car or wanted to be shipped somewhere. Either way, it'll be my phone wallpaper til I find something funnier. If anyone can think of a funny caption, let it in the comments section.

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Now playing: Jamie Foxx - Blame It( ft. T-Pain)
via FoxyTunes

Mmmm, sausages...

Earlier last week I tried my talents at cooking a new dish. I managed to make Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers. The first thing I learned is that you can precut the sausage because it's like ground beef. You have to cook it first so it becomes more solid. I wish I had known that before I started. Also, it helps not to cut the slices too big. You'll want to make sure they can cook all the way through without any problems. I think my sausages were a little pink on the inside but no one got sick, so I guess it's okay.

So basically you cook up about a pound of sausage. Then when they're almost done, take 'em out and cut them. Continue cooking them with the slices of peppers and onions til they aren't pink on the inside anymore. When that is done, you pour on a bottle (26 oz) of pasta sauce (preferably a chunky brand) and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. I wish I could have found one with sun dried tomatoes. I love 'em, they taste so good!!! It's a pretty simple recipe that doesn't take long to prepare. I tried eating it with wheat pasta, then rice and I can't decide which is better. What do you guys think?
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Now playing: Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy
via FoxyTunes

Paranormal Stuff

So, there's this small movie sensation going around. The movie is called "Paranormal Activity" and it's about... well, paranormal activity. The movie has similar cinematic styles like the Blair Witch Project and follows a very familiar story line. A young couple moves into a house only to sense a disturbing presence that is most active at night. During their stay they set up a camera to see and record their experiences with this presence. This go from spooky to worse real quick and you might not be able to sleep if you're home alone. Can't find out what else happens until you see the movie.

It seems worth watching but it's only in select theaters. If you'd like to see it in a city near you, click here to the petition to demand it in a city near you. Paramount has already agreed to expand viewing to 20 cities:

Atlanta, GA
Chicago, IL
Dallas, TX
DC/Baltimore, MD
Denver, CO
Detroit, MI
Houston, TX
Los Angelos, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Miami, FL
Minneapolis, MN
New York, NY
Philadelphia, PA
Phoenix, AZ
Sacramento, CA
San Antonio, TX
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Jose, CA
Tampa, FL

Maybe a city near you is on this list. :)
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Now playing: Shiny Toy Guns - Burning For You
via FoxyTunes

Recession or Not?

In the past year, people have been cutting back on services and other expenses. You would think that in this supposed recession companies would be jumping at the chance to get your business. Nope, not the case with here. Recently my sister's backyard has grown wild and it's pretty embarrassing to be "that house" in the neighborhood. I always make fun of those people. Anyway, it was decided that we would have someone come and take care of the whole yard in one swoop. That's where I come in.

A list of landscapers in the area were gathered and I started with some calls. A called a number of places letting them know that I was interested in receiving quotes. Of all the places I called only one company returned my call. We then set up a time for him to pass by, examine the work to be done and write up a quote. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, it would have been had he shown up. He never came by during the time he said he would or even call to reschedule. Not a good first impression in my book. Feels like I've been stood up, but there are plenty of landscapers where he came from.

...After I wrote this, he finally showed up (3 hours late). I still probably won't choose him because his quote was pretty high.
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Now playing: Aaliyah ft. Timbaland - We Need A Resolution
via FoxyTunes

Lucy's Fall Lineup

The Fall season of shows has started, but with so many new shows and seasons, it's sometimes hard to keep track of what's good. So I'm making a list of a few of my favorites.

1. Solitary - Fox Reality Channel

I caught this show while I was flipping around one afternoon. This reality game show involves 9 contestants locked in individual octagon pods, 10 feet across, with no windows or contact to the outside world. They are at the mercy of the computerized voice, Val, who seems pretty emotionless. They have a variety of challenges to do and penalties for uncompleted tasks. When a person can't take it anymore, they can opt to press the red button. If they are the first person to quit they have to leave. However, the other contestants won't know when or if a person has quit. Some people have done challenges for hours to ensure they make it to the next round.

You'd think they're going against each other, but really they're going up against themselves, their endurance and their own will power. Some of the challenges include adding clips to their bodies, running on rocks, placing the weight of their opponents they've never seen in order. The reward is either food, an hour of sleep or exemption from the next challenge. It's funny to watch people's strategies and how much it takes for them to break down.

2. Fringe - Fox Channel

This science fiction show is like a younger "X-Files" mixed with "The Outer Limits". FBI Agent Olivia Dunham somehow gets roped into handling cases of an unusual kind. With the help of a former research (mad) scientist and his crafty son, Olivia tries to solve cases that deal with "fringe science" anywhere from teleportation, spontaneous combustion, psychic abilities, etc. Since it's co-created by J.J. Abrams, you are sometimes left with answers and wanna watch the next episode to find out more. I got hooked on the first episode especially with Joshua Jackson in it. The commercial breaks are only 60 to 90 seconds long and it is definitely worth watching every Thursday night.

3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - FX Channel

This show is hilarious. It's a cast of four self-involved misfits who run a bar together in South Philly. When alcohol's involved, calamity ensues. They get involved in some crazy money making schemes that end in illegal activity. Some on which include dressing as fake cops to score free hot dogs, trying to give a confused family a home makeover, starting a band and even trading places to see how the other lives.

They managed to get Danny DeVito who just adds to the comedy as Dee and Denise's dad who boast about his time in Vietnam (running a sweatshop). If you like good, clean, fun then this is not the show for you. It's gross, controversial and a must see. If you get a chance, check out their traveling play show. Too funny!!!


There are some other shows I can't wait to see, but these are my top three. i just noticed all three are on a Fox Network... weird. I guess it's because they'll air anything. Have one that's not on the list, post it here.
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Now playing: Fall Out Boy - Love Will Tear Us Apart
via FoxyTunes

A Whole Slew of Things

So much has happened in the past few weeks. I moved and I'm still unpacking. I have more things than I could ever imagine. I visited my grandparents staying in Canada one last time. Other than hitting a bit of traffic on the way up, the move went swimmingly. For anyone driving up there, head up at night. You're less likely to hit traffic, but you will need to find a way to stay awake. That's the hardest part. And I'm trying Blockbusters version of movies delivered to your home. I managed to find a great online deal that gave me six weeks for free. I have to say, if I were paying for it then I wouldn't be too pleased.

When you sign up you have 3 options: 1, 2 or 3 dvds at a time then you can choose to add the option of exchanging dvds in the store. Sounds pretty cool, right? After you start adding movies to your queue, you'll notice that some can be downloaded to watch from your computer. There's a fee for that and you can also buy the dvd. The only downside is that you can't watch the movies online and the prices are a bit more than Netflix. All in all, if you don't mind heading to the Blockbuster store, then it's pretty good deal.

But after my free trial, I think I'll stick with Netflix.

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Now playing: Madonna - Into the Groove
via FoxyTunes

Do Nice Guys Finish Last?

I read this article on yahoo about why nice guys really do finish last and another one about guys who don't get second dates. The article basically explained that Nice Guys give up their "power" when dating a woman. I think they meant their "backbone". They cater to her every need and bore her to death. Nice Guys are just that... nice. They compliment you, open doors, answer every time you call, and will practically stop what they're doing at the drop of a hat for you. Who wants someone who acts as if they don't have anything else going on? Being courteous is great and all, but if that's it, a woman will toss your status into friend zone.

Here's where they tend to make their mistakes:

When it comes to internet dating, the first phase is getting to know the person emotionally. You send winks, read their profile, send email and converse through IMs and phone calls. Nice Guys avoid the online flirting. They might mention that you're pic is cute, but that's it. It seems great at first 'cause they're trying to get to know the real you. Once you've decided they are not a psycho and you two have a good amount in common, you plan to meet. At this phase, you're getting to know they more intimately or physically.

Of all the dates I've had, the "men" who scored second or third dates were the ones who were confident, risk-takers. They'd reach over to hold my hand, tell me how attractive (not cute) I look and flirt some more. Nice guys sit across from the table, barely make eye contact, have little to say, aren't sure how to flirt and/or keep their hands to themselves. It surprises me that when people go on an interview, they'll prep themselves by doing research about the company, think of questions to asks and other things to say. But on a date, people just show up and see what happens. Moving on.

Halfway through the date, a woman is accessing and processing all things going on and is measuring the physical chemistry level. By the end of a date, she has already decided whether a first kiss is in order. Many people have their rules and thoughts on kissing on a first date. My take is that if you don't want to kiss your date, then it ends in a hug. And if it ends in a hug, that person is in the "friend-zone" whether or not you realize it. I've had dates like that and the second meeting makes me realize more that those guys feel more like friends than anything else. And you don't ever end up being friends because how can you hang out with someone who obviously likes you more than that? In the end, every woman wants to feel desired and Nice Guys don't capitalize on that.

I'm perfectly fine with the amount of friends I have. The real question is "how do I repel nice guys?" I can't come up with a good solution. If you act like a bitch, then they leave you alone. But then you risk repelling all guys. The only possible solution is to identify them sooner so no one gets too attached. Anyone else out there dealing with this dilemma? Seems to be quite an epidemic.

(picture courtesy of The Frisky)
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Now playing: Green Day - Nice Guys Finish Last
via FoxyTunes

The Life of a Car Salesman: Part 2

Part two of this story is just as interesting. This undercover car salesman then works at a low pressure, used car dealership. There are a ton more women working there. Everyone is wearing polo shirts with the company logo instead of the basic white dress shirt, gold watch and slicked back hair. During the interview the manager lets him know that "... we won't ask you to do anything that conflicts with your core beliefs." (e.g., no more lying or cheating customers). Sounds great, right?

He gets offered the job and sent to a training seminar that talks about a different system of selling cars. It's called "Needs Satisfaction Selling" and a sales person would basically find out what the customer is looking for in a car. If it's safety, then they'll highlight all the safety features of a vehicle. Makes sense, right? I don't remember being asked what I was looking for in a car when I was car shopping.

Then the job begins. He spends most of his time waiting, even more so than he was at the other dealership. That's the main problem. You get to keep your morals and values, but you'll have a hard time bringing in the dough. The good thing is when you do help someone find the car of their need, you'll feel like you made a difference instead of cheating them and leaving them with payments they may not be able to handle.

If there's anything to learn from this it's don't:

1. Go car shopping if you're just looking. Sales people don't wanna deal with lookieloos.

2. Go without doing some research on the car you want. Make sure it's what you actually want.

3. Feel obligated to buy a car because you said yes to the deal or because the salesman sob story you read here. If you don't want it, aren't happy with it, just walk away.

If you already know the car you want and don't need a test drive, here's one simple method. Just find the invoice price of the car then call the fleet manager of the dealership to make a deal. Hopefully, this article will help people to save themselves a huge headache. Til next time...
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Now playing: *NSync - It's Gonna Be Me
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The Life of a Car Salesman: Part 1

So this morning I was getting dressed and ready to go out. I had my socks on, tied on one shoe and as I reached for the other I got spooked. I saw a "many legged bug" crawl from out of the wall and toward me. My reaction surprised even me. I screamed and jumped on my bed. Yup, you read it right. I acted like a 1950s housewife who just spotted a mouse. Except, I happened to have a broom near me and I killed it. I feel like the bugs around here found out I'm moving and decided to freak me the hell out!

On another note, I was reading an article about a former car salesman who worked undercover for Edmunds to investigate car salesman tactics. It was pretty long, but very informative. I definitely feel some sympathy car salesmen but it doesn't make me wanna stop at a dealership and feel ripped off. Basically, at high pressured dealerships, the salesmen are almost always men. Some of them were ex-cons or former cops, they had the typical sleazy slick backs and gold watches, and were fast talkers.

All the tactics were pretty cut throat. Everyone who walks into the dealership is forced into buy a car. If you go in and wanna discuss the total cost of a car, you get roped into focusing on the monthly payments. That's where they get ya. They usually start with $300. I remember when I went car shopping and guy told me the payments would be that much. I was shocked. When I did my math the actual amount should have been around $250. So then he offers to lower the price to please me. He wrote down $298 and I felt like I was being treated like an idiot. Most people who don't do their research beforehand might have settled for the $300 and paid $2,000 to $4,000 more than the invoice.

Of course, his manager comes over to see how things are going after I show my disapproval of the cost. This is another tactic. A newer salesman will have a "closer" to help them seal the deal. If you ask they'll also appraise your car. Doing that is like going to your campus book store instead of half.com to sell you book. It's always less then it's really worth. Once you agree, then comes the test drive. They tell you how great the car is so that you feel excited and wanna take it home.

You get inside and head into the F&I (finance and insurance) office. By then you might feel surprised by the total cost including the warranty, interest rate, and other fees. You might also feel obligated to pay it all because you already said yes, but don't be. Apparently, you can say no to the deal up until you leave with the car.

These kind of salesmen mostly make their money off of the commission from each sale. They spend their mornings standing out front waiting for a customer to drive in. They'll call people who've had their cars serviced at the dealership and even those who brought cars there only five years ago. To top it off they have a boss breathing down their neck about a lack of sales. Sometimes, the guys in F&I change things around so the salesmen end up with nothing. It's tough, but there's still more to read. Tune in for the next part of "The Life of a Car Salesman".

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Now playing: Michael Jackson - P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
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Monday Morning Bleh

Y'know, everyone has fears, but they don't always come true. This morning was not the case for me. Ever since I saw arachnophobia, one of my many bug related fears would be that a spider would land on me in the shower. And this morning it happened. I was drying off, when something dark hit my arm and landed in the tub. Noticing what it was by my feet, I freaked and my flight response kicked in. I swear, I almost broke my neck when I leaped out of the tub and onto the slippery floor. While holding on to the sink to brace myself, I remembered wet feet and smooth tile floor didn't mix. I'm still in one piece, the spider's dead but everytime I get in the tub that moment is gonna run through my head. What a crappy way to start the morning. I hope the rest of my day turns out better.

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Now playing: Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me
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The Lunch Thief

I was telling one of my housemates about a really funny yet disgusting story. It happened about a year ago when I had an office job in a large 3 floor building. It was early in the morning, still breakfast time. I decided to go down to the cafeteria and purchase one of those bottled smoothie drinks. About an hour passes and I'm getting ready to go down again for lunch. So, I toss my drink in the communal fridge. It was already open and had a straw that I chewed on inside so I figured it would be fine without my name plastered all over it.

I get back from lunch, head to the fridge and look inside to find that it's missing. You can just imagine the look of confusion when I keep poking my head in there. Then I thought "maybe someone threw it out." I looked in the empty trash and didn't see there. Some disgusting and desperate person actually drank it. They maybe forgot their lunch, didn't have cash on them, saw it was open, had a chewed up straw and thought, "what the hell, it's still good." I will never forget that day. I never used the fridge since then.

There's usually about one person in every office who pilfer their coworkers lunches. These people are down right rude and have mooching and boundary issues. The worst is when they complain about how it taste, like they ordered it and it wasn't made to their liking. Anyone else out there dealing with a lunch thief?

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Now playing: Michael Jackson Feat. Will.I.Am - PYT
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On The Move... Again

Can't believe after 5 months living across Manhattan, I gotta move again. I've exhausted my saving and have to move back to good 'ole South Jersey. What a headache to have to pack again and reorganize another room. It won't be too bad because half of my things are still in bins and boxes.

I can't tell you how many resumes I flooded inboxes with, made copies of and revised. I applied almost everywhere: 3D studios, Web Design companies, internships, retail and even office/receptionist jobs. I'm pretty sure I must have sent out at least 40 resumes a week (which is insane). I actually did an online app for JCPenneys and apparently I don't have what it takes to fold clothes, ring up customers, and answer simple questions. RIDICULOUS! Anywho, I have a new plan to break into the 3D Animation field:

Plan A: Create 3 more projects to place in my demo reel. Send them out to specific companies and see if they have any internships or entry level position, or anything that would suit my skills.

Plan B: Take another 3D Training course to further my skills and talent. Then follow Plan A.

Plan C: Win the Lottery (it could happen).

I'm really hoping on Plan C to work out first. How awesome would that be. Speaking of 3D training, Saturday is my last day. My final project, the dancing M&M is due. You all will be able to see it then. I did much better than the first time I tried to make an M&M dance. It looked more like a robot than anything else. I'm happy with the way it turned out.

I actually a little glad that I'm moving. I'll be heading back to where things are more familiar and less Korean. Did I mention I live in Koreatown? Yup, nothing but noodle shops and Korean barbeque restaurants. At least I can say I tried. I moved and tried to make my dream of working in the city happen.

Don't worry, I'll save up and try again next summer. Anyone else out there trying to fulfill their dreams in this rough economy?

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Now playing: SUITE CHIC Feat. AI - ''Uh Uh......''
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Obama Not-So-Birthday Bash

So, a few days ago was President Obama's birthday (August 4th) and it came and went without all the hub-bub. They made a big deal about everything else. I guess this means people aren't all that excited by Obama anymore. His "new toy" feel has worn off. We were so focused on his first Presidential speech, his first trip outside the US, his first poop in the White House, etc.

I suppose we're moving on to other things, more important things. Like "who's gonna get MJ's kids" or "will Kathy Griffin ever get off the D-list?" On a good note, the unemployment rate is slowly dropping. Apparently, most of the mass layoffs have already taken place. Which means pretty soon jobs will be looking to hire again (fingers crossed).

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Now playing: Trailer Theme - Fast and Furious 4 Theme
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I was reading this other blog posting about having a quarter-life crisis. It's where you feel you're told old for some things but too young for others. It's also a time where you're transitioning from a student to a self-sufficient adult. I definitely feel like that some days. I don't yet feel like an adult quite yet. I can't possibly afford my own car anytime soon, or even my own place, and I'm only a teeny bit closer to my dream career than I was a year ago. I decided to make a list.

Things I'm too young for:

Singles events (people in their 30s+ usually show up)
eHarmony (same reason as above)
Renting a car
Getting married
Having kids (I'd like to continue spending money on myself)
Settling for a divorced guy (or settling, period)


Things I'm too old for:

Six Flags (especially the runaway train)
Half my waredrobe
Books with pictures
Nickelodeon
Twin beds

Though, I'd have to say "it could be worse". I could be drowning in student loans, or living with my mother. Not that that is an option; she would probably drive me insane. I did take those 3D online classes and moved closer to NYC. I've accomplished a little something at least. Anyone else out there having a quarter-life crisis? What are some of the things you're experiencing? Post 'em here.

Blankets, Cosplay Costumes & More

So, I found out that yesterday was National Thread the Needle Day. Seems like a weird day to observe but a useful one nonetheless. Earlier this week, I sewed up a blanket that had tears in it. It started off as a small rip, then I washed it, then there were more. Next thing I know it's filled with rips and I never got around to fixing it. Finally, a year later I took care of the problem. I could have just brought a new one, but it wasn't in my budget just yet.

So, if your clothes or sheets have a rip or a tear, take half an hour out of your day to sew them up. And if you're still working on your cosplay or costume play outift, take some time out for that, too. Here's a picture of the one I made a few years ago of Anthy Himemiya from Revolutionary Girl Utena.





















I still can't believe I made an entire outfit without a pattern book, prior skills or common sense. Now that I think about it, it wasn't that hard. Making a skirt is fairly simple. The shirt was sleeveless so that made it even easier. If you're thinking about cosplaying at your local convention, just keep a few things in mind:

1. The weather - If you're going to a convention in NY around February, it won't make sense to wear a bikini-like outfit.

2. Durability - You'll wanna make sure your costume can last a whole day with you walking around, climbing stairs and taking the escalator.

3. G-Rated - Keep in mind cons are attended by all ages. So, keep it tasteful.

4. Ease of Creation - chose a character whose outfit is simple and made of cloth. You'll thank yourself later.

Have any other cosplay suggestions that I might have missed? Post them here.
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Now playing: Teriyaki Boyz - Tokyo Drift (Fast & Furious)
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Kiss from a Rose

We all know and love (at least I do) Seal's song "Kiss From a Rose". I recently heard a new rendition by the multi-talented Kiyomi "Angela" Aki. It's a lovely mix of piano playing and female vocals, although there are some parts where her voice is slightly strained in my opinion. The song is mostly in Japanese and then in English towards the end. I wouldn't say it's better or worse. It's just nice to hear it in a different way.

Angela was born back in September 15, 1977 to a Japanese father and Italian-American mother. She started playing the piano at age three. At 15 she went to school in Hawaii, and after graduating she went to college at George Washington University. She studied political science though she never forgot about her dream of singing.

In 2000, she released her first Indie album "These Words" in the U.S. After graduating college, she job a secretary job in D.C., but soon quit to pursue her singing career. She sang in nightclubs and composed a few tracks for Dianne Eclar. After doing some commercials, she decided to move back to Japan. She continued to perform in small venues and wrote over 100 songs. Finally, in May 2006 she signed with Tofu Records. It wasn't too long before she released "Home" and performed at Nippon Budokan Hall, an arena for large-scale venues. Her dream had finally come true.

Check out some of her other songs and albums.
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Now playing: Angela Aki - KISS FROM A ROSE
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New Revalations

Being unemployed these past few months has made me realize what I really want from life. As much as I love the whole 3D animation thing, I think I love making $$$ more. I think I spent the last year searching for high yield savings accounts, surveys and online services that pay cash, point systems where I can earn gift card, and doing little errands for my sisters for moolah. Boy do I love money! I'm not saying that I'm a gold-digger, 100% materialist, or that I'm only care about the green bills. Who can honestly say that they don't like to be able to buy whatever they please without having to worry if they've paid all their bills first. And what person likes eating away at their emergency savings instead of watching it grow.

I wish I had majored in business or something else lucrative back in school. Is there anyone else out there who wishes they had gone a different career route? In this economy, many people who were unhappy at their former jobs were glad to be laid off. The reason being that they were able to try that one thing they always wanted to do or to go for that career that truly put a smile on their face. It's time for a change and that change is now :)

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Now playing: 浅倉大介 - Super Drive
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Short Tasks 101

There's this site I found on some other job site called "Short Tasks". It's a new take on craiglists job postings and very simple. There are solvers and seekers; The seekers are those posting tasks to be completed and the solvers are the ones answering the posts. Once you register, you can begin searching through all the possible tasks listed. Then you accept the tasks and the timer begins. There are some that require you to do a google search and record the link, others want you to post on a forum or even your twitter page (which sucks for me 'cause I don't have one). Once you finish the tasks and the seeker approves, you receive payment to your account.

I tried a couple of tasks that were under $0.50 and they were quick and easy. The only drawback is that some solvers ask you only do one tasks of theirs. I also noticed that some of the Afilliated Service posts asks you to go to Employment Crossings and post a comment either in their forum or somewhere else. I've been on Employment Crossings and I wasn't very happy with the results. It's basically a site that advertises that they have the most job postings and that you would find a job within a few weeks. This was not the case with me which is why I cancelled my membership. All I ever got were emails with jobs that required more than I could do, and links to long-winded and boring articles about John Simpson himself. He seemed to have a hard time getting to the point which leaves me to believe that no one ever proofread his work.

Paying someone to make a post about a service they haven't actually tried is false advertisement and just plain shady business. Most of the post seem to be for bringing traffic to a site and not really doing a real job. I kinda expected there to be some posts to edit pictures or articles, etc. Keep in mind if the job requires you to go to a site and send for more information, expect to be called or constantly emailed. Might be worth the $0.20 or might not. Also, you have to wait til you amount to $50 to withdraw your money. I say give it a few months when more seekers are posting, hop on and give it a try.

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Now playing: Muse - Take a Bow
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Farewell, King of Pop

It's so weird to think that we'll never hear another hit song from Michael Jackson again. I remember leaving TGIFriday's in the city and seeing the news report that Michael was in a coma in LA. Like most people, I assumed he'd be alright after some time. But by the time I got home, I heard the tragic news. I think I'll always remember his mini-movie videos, especially "Thriller" and "Smooth Criminal". C'mon, you know every Halloween when that song comes on you try and do the dance moves. And when that scene from "13 Going on 30" plays, you just can't sit down.

So many people were inspired by his music from Justin Timberlake to Alien Ant Farm to Weird Al (who people thought was dead for awhile). For those of you who really wanna remember him, hop on your couch and watch the Jackson 5 and Moonwalker.

If this isn't bizarre enough, Billy Mays past away yesterday. I didn't always believe everything he pitched would actually work, but I was very tempted to try them. I gonna miss that clean, cut hair, neatly trimmed beard, and most of all that mezmerizing voice. Doctors thought he received a head injury during a rough plane landing, but that has yet to be determined. He did have an underlying heart disease that may have contributed to his death, though. So sad losing him. Now we'll have to listen to the dull guy who was attacked by a hooker he hired endorsing "Shamwow". Watch the "Pitchmen" marathon, then the season finale tomorrow at 10pm on the Discovery Channel. Or...... watch this remix.

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Now playing: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Eat It
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Now playing: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Fat
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Just got back from a super long drive to Toronto, Canada, and I'm going to be doing it again in a couple of weeks. It was about nine hours in a Honda Civic, seeing nothing but farmland, trees and cows. Somewhere in New York, though, I did get to see those huge, white, wind turbines up close. They looked really amazing and I was just in awe at their size. But, they weren't moving or turned on. I was able to grab a couple of pics with my phone. They didn't turn out so well :(

The main reason for the trip was to see my grandparents. I haven't seen them since I was 12, which is over a decade ago. They finally got their expensive visas to leave Haiti, and stay with my auntie in Canada. So, I got to see them, my aunt and cousins, and more of that country to the north. All in all, the long drive was worth it and I can't wait to go back.












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Now playing: Fergie ft. will.i.am - Fergie Ft Will.I.am Here I Come
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Quick Cash, the easy and legit way...

Wow, I can't believe I let a month pass by without a new post. So much has happened since coming back from Mexico. I started taking classes again, I've been on a few interviews, and found new ways to make some quick cash. That's what I want to share tonight.

I can't remember if I was sent an email or clicked on a link, but I found this site called "Inbox Dollars". It's pretty simple. Once you sign up you start filling out your profile, then the emails start coming. I probably get about 3 a day maybe. You get two cents for every email you confirm, 0.50 cents or more for surveys, a varying prices for items that you can purchase through the site. You can also get paid for playing games but you have to have Windows not a Mac :( You can watch your money add up, and when you reach a certain amount you can "Request Payment" (Pretty Awesome).

I've gotten to the point where I wait for these emails more than anything. The surveys aren't too bad and sometimes you might not qualify. I'd consider buying some of their products if my wallet wasn't so tight. If you'd like to sign up, you can click on the image to the right.


Here's another picture from Mexico. It's the Ruins of Tulum. It was hot, but we were lucky enough to get a breeze from the ocean and shade from the trees. I so wanna go back.

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Now playing: t.A.T.u. - All About Us
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Mexico Trip: part 1

So, it's been a week since I can back from Mexico sans swine flu, and I wish I had never left. The weather was awesome. It was warm, sunny and there was always a warm breeze in the air. I never had to carry a jacket except when I was indoors. The view was gorgeous and the food was delicous. But I can't believe I left Jersey's bad weather and came back to bad weather (I mean non-stop rain).

The first thing that was memorable about the trip was the money conversion. The U.S. teetered between $12.50 and $13.75 pesos. Having $200 pesos feels like a lot of money, but in reality it's actually only $15 USD. There are these buses that run up and down the hotel zone and into the city. But don't be surprised if you realize later that you were ripped off. The buses are 7.50 pesos but they'll take 1 USD... Anyone out there doing the math. If you paid with a dollar you just lost 5.50 pesos; and don't expect any change from your American money.

On the night we went to the clubs, there was a couple heading back. The guy gave the bus driver 50 pesos and got back 5. Even though he was tipsy, he knew the math was amiss. I guess since it was pretty late, the bus driver was evading his questions, he gave up. The lesson there: give exact or close to exact change whenever possible. If necessary, charge it! Credit card companies usually charge you a small fee of $1 or $2 for every foreign transaction.

Stay tuned for more Cancun memories.