Happy iDGAB New Year!

It's a new year and I've finally been resurrected from my blog death! Yes, I know, I haven't updated in ages... I've been going through quite the transitional period to say the least. Given this, I needed a little break from the e-world, amongst other things, to get my head on straight and prepare for the new year! I'm happy to say, I feel as if I'm on the right track, for the most part.

I'm extremely excited for 2011 and the changes that shall accompany it's coming. Though there are many serious and meaningful life changes appearing on my list of New Year's Resolutions for 2011, one of those changes is a little less serious... my hair color! I went from an array of rusty reds and golden browns to a stark shade of jet black blue. Over the years I've learned that when you feel like you're stuck in a rut, make a drastic change! This usually comes in the form of a new cut/color, the rearranging of furniture in my room, or something of that sort. It's the quickest and easiest way to switch it up and shake the ennui.

What are your New Years Resolutions?

Dreams

I've recently been inspired by sleep, dreams, and nightmares. Lately, my imagination has been reeling in my slumbering state. My dreams, which I typically don't remember, have become increasingly vivid and seem to remain with me after I wake up. This has been happening every night for a few weeks now, and every morning I feel like the recollection of my dreams becomes progressively realistic and detailed, almost to the point of lucidness. Lucid dreaming has always fascinated me. Apparently, a strong ability to recall dreams is the first step to being able to lucid dream. I think I'm going to start a dream journal to track the nightly journeys I embark in my mind.

Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
Now here I go again
I see the crystal visions
I keep my visions to myself
It's only me who wants to wrap around your dreams and
Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?

Sleeping Lessons - The Shins

And glow

Glow, melt and flow

Eviscerate your fragile frame

And spill it out in the ragged floor

A thousand different versions of yourself

We Used To Wait - Arcade Fire

I used to write

I used to write letters 

I used to sign my name

I used to sleep at night

Before the flashing light settled deep in my brain

Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare - Matt & Kim

Ahh ahhh ahh ahh

Like a good ol’ fashion nightmare

Ahh ahh ahh ahhh ahhh ahhh ahhh ahh

Sleep Tonight - Stars

We dont want to sleep tonight

Still young like that I count the lines

Beside your mouth that smiles now

My arms reach up as you go down

With buried heads we both forget

All of the past and its regret

Wind picks up, the window shakes

We wont hear the morning break

Sleepyhead - Passion Pit

And you said

It was like fire around the brim

Burning solid, burning thin the burning rim

Like stars burning holes right through the dark

You gave fire like saltwater into my eyes

You were an inch from the edge of this bed

I drive you back a sleepyhead, sleepyhead

Dreams - The Cranberries

And oh, my dreams

It's never quite as it seems

'Cause you're a dream to me

Dream to me

Home-Away-From-Homesick

Who knew I'd miss Santa Barbara so much once I came back home to LA for winter break? It's great to see my family and friends and all, but I have definitely grown a strong attachment to my daily Santa Barbarian routine. Discovering the plethora of photos from the last quarter that I never posted has rendered me immensely nostalgic. Here are some pictorial representations of certain things I miss about my home away from home.

I miss the smoothing scent of burning incense that floods our tiny cupboard sized apartment and creates delicate little wisps of smoke that hover above the glowing amber tips of each crimson stick.

I miss the cute little creatures of Isla Vista, including my next door neighbors precious kitten and of course my sexy baby Sasha. Our apartment unit has a strict "absolutely no pets allowed" policy... obviously we are all super obedient tenants. But in my humble opinion, cuteness knows no apology. :)

I miss chilling out and listening to Anthony, aka DJ Mizu, spin anything from some Massive Attack trip-hop to that old school Sam Cooke in the psychedelic atmosphere of our humble abode. Who needs to go out to parties or clubs when we can create our own audio/visual shows right at home?

I miss the hair experiments Anthony and I have been conducting in an attempt to get more in touch with our "earthy" side. So far, I've dreaded his entire head, and added a few of my own here and there. It took months but I'd say they're turning out pretty good for an inexperienced first time stylist! In addition, I've been frequently playing around with fabric, string, feathers, and beads to create personalized hair wraps. I put one in for Anthony and always seem to have a couple in my hair. 

[P.S. If anyone in the Santa Barbara area would like one, I'm gonna start selling! Contact me at idgab@rocketmail.com if you're interested!]

I miss biking over to Manzanita, the oceanside dormitories, to visit my friends who live there, have mini photo shoots amidst the aesthetically-pleasing architecture, or just walk along the beach and cliffs that "Manz" resides beside.

I miss roaming around Isla Vista with my photography partner in crime, Alec, to discover scenery that will adequately tend to the click of our shutters. But most of all, I miss Alec's beard >^.^< Yes, I must admit, I am a beardfanatic!

Clearly, we are seriously stoked to see Crystal Castles in March! I can hardly contain my excitement!

Oh! You Pretty Things

Look at your children

See their faces in golden rays

Don't kid yourself they belong to you

They're the start of the coming race

-David Bowie

Rainbow In Technicolor

My roommate Anthony and his band from high school, Rainbow in Technicolor, had a reunion show last Saturday night in Pomona, CA. It was in this art gallery in downtown Pomona called P.B.&J. It was quite possibly the smallest room i've ever seen a live act preform in, we're talking garage status. But I guess that made it all the more intimate slash ridiculous once the moshing ensued :p It's difficult to describe what genre of music they play, to say the least. As Anthony and I were putting together the lighting details of his robot costume (don't ask haha) some guys approached us and asked him what it was for, followed by "What kind of music do you play?" In the end, all we could come up with was ..."Robot Rock" I guess that'll just have to do :)

& then came the debauchery...

Shaking them dreads and screaming into the mic, Zack de la Rocha style?

'Twas quite the crazy / fun / wild experience.