Random Thoughts / Muji Day

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I think it's amazing how I got to check out Muji a day after its official opening (though it would be amazinger if I got to blog about it right away lol). With Saizen (love the store), that japanese 85-peso-everything store, it took me so long—so long that my first Saizen experience happened at the second branch already haha.

Anyway, notebooks and pens and paper and supplies (among many other things haha) make my heart go doki doki. As soon as we entered the store (I was with Mike, Thysz and Karl), I looked for the supplies/stationary rack, died and went straight to Muji heaven. Wanted to buy so much but rationality prevailed (more like kurips) and settled for a coupla notepads (of which are still in my supplies cabinet and most likely will stay there till I buy another one haha). Oh I did buy this eco-friendly (but not so wallet friendly) bag too, thanks to Karl's effective coaxing. Had fun that day. I'm just glad that the store I saw only in pictures and online before is now here hehe.

Anyway, enough words. Here's what happened that day, in pictures.



☝ Mike

☝ Karl

☝ Thysz

☝ Me. Japan Japan lang






☝ Why are there flies in there? Of Course, it's muji!

☝ Another shot of what Mike called a 'Muji Fly'















☝ Grrr I should've used an apron (muji no less haha). That's Muji stain from the Muji ink. Mujilol




☝ Wolo long

Random Thoughts / Nikon D5000

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Dear D60,

Forgive me for I have been looking at other cameras as of late. I know it’s not even a year since we’ve been together…but I’m only human and I can’t help but take notice of this new beauty. It has everything you don’t have: live view…

large swivel-LCD screen, bigger built, and my favorite of all—video recording. HD, I think. Almost like D60+D90=D5000. Oh well. But worry not because I love you just the same. It’s a good thing that in cameraland, there’s no such thing as adultery, hehehe.  We’ll still be together, anyway. It’s not like I can just put you back in your box and get myself a new shiny D5000 anytime soon—unless I recover some sort of genie-in-a-bottle in our recycle bin, we’ll be together for quite a long time.

Cheers,
E

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Images via DPreview

Random Thoughts / Christmas Wishlist 2008: Books

A series of posts about what I want this Christmas holiday season, which I assume would run until after the new year week. Will post these things until it becomes a reality sometime after new year. :-) In random order.
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This Christmas New Year, I want:

• Books
  

Because:

• Sometimes inspirations (and information!) come not only in pixels, bits and bytes; they also come in different forms that can be touched, smelled, flicked, etc. It can collect dust too.

*All prices are estimates. It varies from store to store (I saw these books at the ff stores: National Bookstore, Fully Booked, Powerbooks) and depends on how I accurate I can remember...


GRAPHIC DESIGN NOW by Charlotte and Peter Fiell (Taschen), P735*
Profiles, Works and samples of different artists/designers. This one tops my list because of its value and affordability. I'd gift myself with this if I don't get it..hehe (Photo/Info)


CONTEMPORARY GRAPHIC DESIGN by Charlotte and Peter Fiell (Taschen), P2100-2500*
Basically the same book, just bigger, more shushala and has more stuff. I've been lusting for this book *thiiiiiiiiis* long. It's quite pricey but basing on what's inside, i'm sure it'd be worth it. It's so thick too; I have quite the tendency to base value on thickness and size..hehehehe (Photo/Info)


THE PRODUCTION MANUAL by Ambrose/Harris (AVA)
A very useful how-to book about the print/production world for budding and young designers like me! HAHHAHAHAHAHA!! Like me my @$$! LOL. (Photo/Info)


THE LAYOUT LOOK BOOK by Max Weber (Collins Design), P1500-2000* (+/-)
A showcase of different artists' works. I get a creative kick just by looking at the super inspirational works of others. (Photo/Info)


42nd PUBLICATION DESIGN ANNUAL by SPD (Society of Publication Designers)(Rockport), P2800-3000 (+/-)
A yearbook of sorts of the publication/editorial design industry; it shows works the outstanding works of different agencies/publications during the year 2006. I have been exposed to this industry (somehow, as my parents work in that environment, although not necessarily in the design area) ever since I was a child—that is probably where I can attribute my magazine/book obsession and print fetish (hah!). Or probably I just got bitten by the design bug and it developed from there. Anyway, this is a great book with loads and loads of inspirational works, page after page after page. (The featured works were so inspirational, so inspiring that one local publication here has a work that is very similar to the one I found on this book. Hmmmm!! Tsk, tsk. This is for a separate post..so stay tuned.) (Photo/Info)


TOKYO STREET STYLE: FASHION IN HARAJUKU by Tiffany Godoy (Thames & Hudson)
Avante Garde and full tokyo fashion inspiration goodness inside. Honestly, it's not exactly the pictures and stuff that made me lust after this book—it's the design/layout/typography!! Eye love!! The cover is quite simple compared to what you'll see inside. Amazing pictures+great design+cool type=love. (Photo/Info)


STYLE DEFICIT DISORDER by Tiffany Godoy
The only book in this set that I haven't seen and checked out in the flesh. I've only seen this online. It's form the same creators of Tokyo Street Style so probably it's just as good (maybe even better!!) (Photo/Info, Website)

That's all for now. I want to have all the design/fashion/culture/arts/architecture/etc books in the world but we all know that is quite on the impossible side. Santa, if you're reading this, it isn't too late and I am NOT too old—email me for my address. :-)

Random Thoughts / Needs vs Wants

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Magazines, and more recently, books top my list of weaknesses. My want/need meter fails miserably and stops working whenever I try to use it with mags/books/similar things. In my trips to bookstores/magshops/stands, I've collected a lot of quick snaps of books I'm planning to buy (or in case of super expensive for my student budget stuff, just dream). Then I keep a mental note of these stuff and their prices.. If I can only have it all..

I actually wanted to buy at least a book per month but oh well, so far I've only bought one (two months ago I think). I've tried to add all my recent magazine expenses and boy, I'm quite surprised how I made it. Really, if you'll allow me to be spiritual for a sentence or two, the Big Guy above has really been doing some serious blessing here because I was able to get the stuff I have now. And still eat a decent meal three times a day. And have ok clothes to wear.

Of course, aside from constant super prayer (give Edrick his daily bread and magazines...), I have made Erasmus' super quote my mantra.

Random Thoughts / TGIF!!

Click pictures to supersize
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I'm having a quite good Friday now and it's just exactly what I needed. I had a pretty tough week so yay for a happy day! Oh well, so much stuff and work had piled up already and I can't quite keep up! But I love this better than being stuck at home with nothing to do (although there are days I want to do that).

So why happy? First, I got Style: magazine today! I was thinking earlier today that I've set a sort of record for not buying a magazine (or anything for that matter) for a week. I mean for the longest time...this is a one super needed break. And besides, funds are really getting low and the to-buy list just grows longer and longer.

Another thing that made me happy is the news of H&M in my dear third world. Yes, friends, an H&M store will open here in the Philippines! (This is what I mean with that getting longer and longer list. Time to start saving...) Earlier today, I thought/dreamed/fantasized/prayed about having H&M here. I (jokingly) thought it would be funny if it would team up with SM. H&M/SM, get it? haha And it did. Super answered prayer much? hehe

The last thing is a new magazine coming this September (a few days from now...). Another budget-buster (which i don't mind! hehe): Garage in Semptember 08. Finally, a men's style magazine that is, how do I say this, quite more up my alley. But we'll see.

The rest of the August 08 mags coming up later. Better late than never ahahahahaha :-0