(insert adjective above).

“a mystery” was what a former co-worker once called me.  true, i may not be too keen on self-disclosure, or having my life be an open book, but i’ve always been taught to keep professional lives separate from the personal.  though i never intend to seem aloof or, worse yet, something that falls under more disfavorable titles; life experience have taught me certain defense mechanisms. regretfully, under certain amounts of stress, these are amplified, and a side that is not characteristically me sometimes manifests…

no, not in the jeckll-and-hyde sense. 

more in a “energy-preservation” sense, i become an exhausted version of myself. drained.  sometimes its cognitively after some odd hours of intense exertion where i emerge with delayed reaction times (_so_ awkward when i can’t even formulate the word, “hi,” instinctually).  more often, its physically as well—i’ll sleep for hours on end to catch up on my missed and beloved “zzzz.”  until i can fully rest or eat, i’m like the walking dead, minus that whole carnivorous-flesh-eating-zombie aspect and constant muttering of “braaain.”

i even miss  the undergrad days, which i would’ve never guessed to be easier than the last couple of years.  what a sprightly, naive little thing i was then, virtually carefree. i feel aged now, and not in a good way like the best-ever mitica.

luxury to me, these days, is an 8-hr sleep and a full day of leisure.

and, of course, maybe a little… ;)

(Disclaimer: The author of this piece does not endorse anything guessed to complete the last line or as substitute of the winking emoticon)

theatlantic:

In Focus: Chinese DIY Inventions

One visible sign of China’s recent economic growth is the rise in prominence of inventors and entrepreneurs. For years now, Chinese farmers, engineers, and businessmen have taken on ambitious do-it-yourself projects, constructing homemade submarines, helicopters, robots, safety equipment, weapons and much more. Some of the inventions are built out of passion, some with an eye toward profit, (some certainly safer than others), and a few have already led to sales for the inventors. Gathered here are recent photos of this DIY movement across China.

See more. [Image: Reuters, AP, Getty]

humansofnewyork:

When the world gets tough, a girl’s gotta keep on pushin’.

RE:Generation

A Grammy-sponsored documentary chronicling different musicians as they endeavor to produce a piece outside their familiar genre.  Gotta give my love especially b/c Premo was in it… and of course it wasn’t surprising that he excelled in the Classical scene, the mastermind he is.  Whenever I listen to anything he’s touched (and as far as sampling and producing goes, “Above the Clouds” is my most favorite for all its intricacies), I get lost in the depth of layers and all those subtle surprises.  Those very same elements can be said to parallel Classical music… and other genres as well, after all, all music is art, in any form it may take.   So , it goes without saying that Ronson, Pretty Lights, Skrillex, et al., with their like talents, would similarly excel in unfamiliar territory also.  I particularly liked the collabo w/ LeAnn Rimes.  She’s always been an amazing vocalist w/ this texture in her tone that complimented the dark undertones of Pretty Lights’ track.  Reminded me of something RZA would do for Tarantino.

http://regenerationmusicproject.com/

~s3t

neurosciencestuff:

“I’ve been in a crowded elevator with mirrors all around, and a woman will move and I’ll go to get out the way and then realise: ‘oh that woman is me’.”

Heather Sellers has prosopagnosia, more commonly known as face blindness. “I can’t remember any image of the human face. It’s simply…

theatlantic:

The Sublime Cluelessness of Throwing Lavish Great Gatsby Parties

Yet so many people seem enchanted enough by the decadence described in Fitzgerald’s book to ignore its fairly obvious message of condemnation. Gatsby parties can be found all over town. They are staples of spring on many Ivy League campuses and a frequent theme of galas in Manhattan. Just the other day, vacation rental startup Airbnb sent out invitations to a “Gatsby-inspired soiree” at a multi-million-dollar home on Long Island, seemingly oblivious to the novel’s undertones.

It’s like throwing a Lolita-themed children’s birthday party.

Read more. [Image: Universal]

humansofnewyork:

Ball Busters

humansofnewyork:

“Don’t look to other people for validation. Your birth was your validation.”

theatlantic:

Even Candy Land Isn’t Safe From Sexy

When our kids play with toys that we played with, we assume that they are the same as they were when we were younger. But they aren’t. Not at all. Our girls (and our boys) are now bombarded from the get-go with images of women whose bodies range from unattainable to implausible (Disney Princesses, anyone?).

Read more. 

humansofnewyork:

He didn’t speak English, but his son described him as ‘extremely chillaxed.’