MBA + MFA = Astrid Phillips

My Own Private Neuromancer VII

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:47:00 +0000

View part VI here.

Inadvertent lessons I've learned from movies

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 02:14:00 +0000

CITIZEN KANE
If you're dating someone with no singing talent, for goodness' sake don't encourage them.

THE GODFATHER
Don't go for a massage when you know a Mafia don is mad at you.

CASABLANCA
Pianos are very handy for hiding legal documents.

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
Lying will take you far, but only if people like you.

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
Walking on the roofs of trains makes you look like a badass.

THE WIZARD OF OZ
Sometimes you have to put up with a lot of crap for a decent pair of shoes.

STAR WARS
There aren't very many women in space, dammit.

PSYCHO
Never trust a taxidermist.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Cover your mouth when you speak in front of a computer.

SUNSET BLVD.
If you're an aging Hollywood star, don't wear a turban. It doesn't do you any favors.

THE GRADUATE
Don't waste your time trying out SCUBA gear in a swimming pool -- it'll be really, really boring.

CHINATOWN
Jack Nicholson was hot.

SOME LIKE IT HOT
Guys go for ukulele players.

E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
If you need to forge positive diplomatic relations with aliens, try candy.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Never walk through a dark forest dressed as a ham.

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON
If you have to filibuster, bring sandwiches and a CamelBak.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS
The kiss of a prince is way more effective than anti-venom.

ANNIE HALL
If your significant other ever orders their deli sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise, you might as well break up with them immediately.

DR. STRANGELOVE
You have to maintain peace in the Pentagon's War Room.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Never trust your boyfriend's nanny, even if she used to be a nun.

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
New boots are never classy.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT
Be careful how you dunk your doughnuts. There's an art to this, apparently.

REAR WINDOW
Telephoto lenses can really come in handy.

TAXI DRIVER
Mohawk + mirrored glasses = awesome.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST
Mount Rushmore offers a slightly better foothold than you might otherwise imagine.

JAWS
Don't swim in the ocean at night. Also, small-town mayors are twerps.

AMERICAN GRAFFITI
American teenagers are twerps. Also, boring.

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
Men are not allowed to be furniture, only women are. Dammit.

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
Don't let prisoners have posters.

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
You don't need to moisturize cows to get supple leather from their hides, but human skin apparently needs a lot more TLC before harvesting.

THE APARTMENT
In a pinch, a tennis racket may be used as a spaghetti strainer.

SWING TIME
Black face is socially acceptable if you're Fred Astaire.

PULP FICTION
Any time of day is a good time for pie.

BLADE RUNNER
If you build robots, they will murder you.

TITANIC
Rich people are boring, until they decide to hang out with poor people. Poor people are always interesting, resourceful, and good dancers, much like elves.

My Own Private Neuromancer VI

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:54:00 +0000

View Part V here.

What the FBI taught me about Steven Paul Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:22:00 +0000

So, in case you've been living under a rock, the FBI just published this file about Steven Paul Jobs. Yes, that Steve Jobs. When he was nominated for a government advisory position in 1991, the White House asked the FBI to do a thorough background check.

According to this 191-page document (which I read in its entirety, because that's how I procrastinate), Steven Paul Jobs wasn't racist, didn't smoke, didn't drink, didn't use drugs (except back in college and in the very early days of Apple), lived within his means, associated with people of good repute, was never arrested, and wasn't a Communist. He had an apartment on Central Park West, in addition to his home in Northern California, which I find intriguing -- I'm pretty sure I've walked past his apartment building several times, totally unaware that a tech mogul was hanging out nearby.

For those of you who don't have the time or interest to read all the bits I liked, here's my summary:

- If you have a kid out of wedlock, don't ignore them. Especially if they could be kidnapped because of how ridiculously famous you are.

- When in doubt, delegate. Then delegate some more. (Except for parenting duties, of course.)

- It's great to be ambitious, persistent, and even show some tough love -- but if you lose your reputation for integrity, people will have no problem telling the FBI that you're a boogerbrain.

- Don't think that your wealth can bend reality.

- Everyone loves a visionary, even one who sucked at school and never got a degree in his chosen field.

- Having boundless energy is always an asset. Try cultivating it with exercise and a decent diet. Don't smoke or drink or take drugs, except for maybe a glass of wine once in a while.

- The more famous you are, the more prone you are to extravagant bomb threats. Make your life choices accordingly.

If you're still reading, here are all the bits of the report which jumped out at me -- and at every other reporter right now around the world.

My favorite 'Oh, snap!' moment:
"_____ [all names are redacted in this report] concluded the interview by stating that even though he does not consider Mr. Jobs to be a friend, he (Mr. Jobs) possesses the qualities to assume a high level political position. It was _____ opinion that honesty and integrity are not required for a position of trust and confidence with the Government."

Inspiring stuff I hadn't known before, since I never read any Jobs biographies:
"He stated the Appointee had undergone a change in philosophy by participating in eastern and/or Indian mysticism and religion. This change apparently influenced the Appointee's personal life for the better. He advised the Appointee lives within his means financially, however, based upon his newfound religious beliefs, the Appointee lives more of a spartanlike and at times even monastic existence. He added, however, the Appointee still associates with reputable people. He also advised that although the Appointee is not an engineer in the real sense, he understands . . . technology and technical jargon to the extent that he is an innovative force within the technical community, in terms of the contributions he has made."

"JOBS attended Homestead High School until June 15, 1972, at which time he graduated. He earned an overall grade point average of 2.65 on a 4.0 scale."

"The Appointee drinks occasionally, but only small amounts of wine. The Appointee was well off and had more money that he could spend in a lifetime and his chief concern was how that wealth would be used after he was gone. The Appointee liked brainstorming and was good at mediating. The Appointee understood the Japanese culture and had a great deal of contact in dealing with companies in the Orient."

". . . she verified that the Appointee was her next door neighbor. She described him as a quiet and unassuming individual who had never caused any problems as a neighbor and who visited her last week to ensure that some landscaping he was having done would not cause any problems with her and her husband."

"They had had the Appointee over for dinner and he didn't appear to drink or smoke. He was a vegetarian and did a great deal of jogging."

Creepy moments of already well-documented narcissism and lying bastardry:
"Several individuals questioned Mr. Jobs' honesty stating that Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals."

"Mr. Jobs possesses integrity as long as he gets his way . . . ."

"She added that a 1983 Time Magazine article by a MICHAEL (Last Name Unknown) provided a rather accurate description of the Appointee, in terms of his being a visionary and charismatic individaul who was at the same time shallow and callous to people in his personal relationships. She described his personal life as being lacking due to his narcissism and shallowness. She added at the same time that he had far reaching vision and can vitalize plans and goals much the same as what he accomplishes at Apple Computers. She also stated that his success at Apple which provided an enormous amount of power for the Appointee also caused him at times to lose sight of honesty and integrity and even caused him to distort the truth at times to get his way.

"He described the Appointee as an individual who was not totally forthright and honest and has a tendency to distort reality in order to achieve his goals. . . . the Appointee will twist the truth in order to achieve whatever goal he has set for himself. He therefore considered the Appointee to be a deceptive person."

"He stated that Appointee had met _____ in High School and they were high school sweethearts. He added that she and the Appointee had a baby girl out of wedlock, whose name was _____. . . . He added that _____ has been mentioned in many books which have been written about the Appointee but has always used assumed names so as to protect her daughter from the possibility of being kidnapped for ransom. He stated she would be reluctant to speak to the FBI, based upon her negative experiences with the Appointee, in which the Appointee basically abandoned her and her daughter; however, lately the Appointee has been more supportive of both of them and has even purchased a home near where the Appointee resides, for them to be close to him.

Lessons in leadership:
"He characterized Mr. Jobs as an honest and trustworthy individual; however, his moral character is questionable. . . . he considered Mr. Jobs to be a successful individual because he can delegate tasks to individuals. However, Mr. Jobs alienated a lot of people at ACI as a result of his ambition."

"She concluded by stating that despite the Appointee's faults, she believes he is an extremely bright and competent individual who would serve well in a position of trust and confidence by his sense of vision as she previously related along with his indefatigable energy. She therefore recommended him for a position of trust and confidence with the Government."

"_____ described appointee as an extremely intelligent individual, a true leader, who has made a difference in the computer industry and given the opportunity will make a positive contribution on the National scene. _____ stated that appointee is not an individual who can be intimidated; however, fits in and can talk with anyone. _____ further described appointee as an extraordinary person, who is an excellent business negotiator and recruiter of talent. _____ added that appointee is a demanding individual, expecting a lot from himself and others."

"Appointee has the ability to listen to the suggestions and ideas of others and will adopt them; however, an individual dealing with appointee must know what he is talking about and present a strong case or appointee will disregard the discussion and sometimes the individual. _____ added that appointee is very truthful and straightforward with people and usually says exactly what he is thinking."

"He stated that the Appointee alienated a large number of people at Apple, as a result of his ambition. He added that the Appointee is technically oriented but is in the opinion of many, not an engineer, since he never actually got an engineering degreee from College and has been successful in business by delegating tasks to people."

And now for a Die Hard moment:
"DURING MORNING HOURS OF THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1985, AN UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLER MADE A SERIES OF TELEPHONE CALLS TO _____, _____ OF APPLE COMPUTER, INC., 10201 NORTH DE ANZA BOULEVARD, CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, AND ADVISED THAT 'DEVICES"' HAD BEEN PLACED IN HOMES OF CAPTIONED INDIVIDUALS, _____ _____ AND ONE MILLION DOLLARS MUST BE PAID. CALLER ALSO STATED THAT A FOURTH BOMB HAD BEEN PLACED, BUT REFUSED TO GIVE LOCATION AND STATED THIS ONE WOULD GO OFF IF AUTHORITIES NOTIFIED.

"DURING ONE CALL, UNSUB [unknown subject] FIRST STATED THAT _____ SHOULD TAKE A BART TRAIN, BUT _____ REFUSED BEFORE UNSUB COULD ELABORATE.

"DURING SUBSEQUENT CALL, UNSUB STATED THAT _____ SHOULD GO TO THE SAN FRANCISCO HILTON HOTEL WHERE A TABLE IS LOCATED NEXT TO A CANDY MACHINE, AND UNDER THIS TABLE THERE WOULD BE A NOTE WITH FURTHER INSTRUCTION.

"CALLER STATED THIS MUST BE DONE BY 2:30 P.M. ON FEBRUARY 7, 1985, OR BOMBS WOULD GO OFF.

"FIRST TWO CALLS MADE BY UNSUB FOR _____ WERE TAKEN BY STAFF PEOPLE.

"DURING FIRST CALL, NO THREATS MADE AND UNSUB IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS _____, AND STATED _____ SHOULD CALL HIM AT (415) 877-9566 BECAUSE THERE WAS A FAMILY EMERGENCY.

"_____, _____, SUBSEQUENTLY TELEPHONED THIS NUMBER AND CONVERSED WITH UNSUB, WHO IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS _____. UNSUB INFORMED THAT _____ IN MEETINGS ALL DAY AND UNAVAILABLE. UNSUB STATED THIS WAS PERSONAL FAMILY MATTER. _____ TOLD UNSUB SHE NEEDED SOME IDEA OF PROBLEM IN ORDER TO INFORM _____, AND UNSUB STATED TO TELL HIM THAT THERE ARE "DEVICES" THAT CAN GO OFF AND THAT HE WILL CALL _____ BACK IN FIFTEEN MINUTES.

"UNSUB SUBSEQUENTLY TALKED TO _____ ABOUT DEMANDS PREVIOUSLY SET OUT IN THIS COMMUNICATION.

"_____ REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH UNSUB'S DEMANDS AND INFORMED HIM THAT HE FELT THREAT NOT A REAL ONE. CONSEQUENTLY, NO ATTEMPT MADE BY _____ OR FBI TO FOLLOW INSTURCTIONS.

"TELEPHONE NUMBER (415) 877-9566 DETERMINED TO BELONG TO PUBLIC TELEPHONE BOOTH IN PARKING GARAGE AT SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

"IMMEDIATE COVERAGE AFFORDED SAN FRANCISCO HILTON AND TELEPHONE BOOTH WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. NO NOTE LOCATED UNDER TABLE AS DESCRIBED BY UNSUB.

"TELEPHONE TRAP PLACE BY TELEPHONE COMPANY ON VICTIM'S OFFICE TELEPHONE IN THE EVENT FURTHER CALLS RECEIVED, HOWEVER, NO FURTHER CALLS MADE TO DATE BY UNSUB.

"SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA SHERIFF'S OFFICE CANINE UNIT MADE SWEEP OF VICTIM'S RESIDENCES AND AUTOS, AS WELL AS BUILDING HOUSING OFFICES OF _____ AND NO DEVICES LOCATED.

"_____ VOLUNTARILY FURNISHED INFORMATION TO LOCAL NEWSPAPER AFTER MEDIA INQUIRED OF UNUSUAL ACTIVITY.

"SAN FRANCISCO MAINTAINING CONTACT WITH APPLE COMPUTER IN EVENT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEVELOPS."

Restoration Hardware, now with extra Edward Gorey!

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:42:00 +0000

Did you know that Restoration Hardware is starting to look like an Edward Gorey emporium? Seriously.

Carved wood plinth

19th C. timber calipers

Collection of German carnival noses (set of 7)

Cast iron dumbbells (set of 4)

1920s French bowling set

Cloche with babies

1950s iron traveler's trunks

Industrial chain pulley

1949 French desktop globe

Conservatory model

Scales of justice

Roman capital

Bust of Napoleon

Cast iron fleur-de-lis

Hand-woven rope (gives whole new meaning to the phrase 'money for old rope,' har!)

Vintage leather sports balls

Zinc urns

English garden finials

Trophies (apparently sold out)

1920s hand-blown wine bottle

Preserved boxwood topiary

Aside from the outrageous price tags for all of these objets (which really are called "objets" on the website), I just have to say: CLOCHE WITH BABIES?! No, really: CLOCHE WITH BABIES?! And in case you doubt my outrage, here are some more interrobangs: ?!?!?!?!?!?!

Restoration Hardware, you are all sorts of crazypants. If it weren't for your outrageous prices, I'd probably own most of your objets by now. Except, of course, for the CLOCHE WITH BABIES. Eurgh.

Some serious unseriousness

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:55:00 +0000

I was reading an article which used the term "shaggy dog story," despite the fact that the rest of the article had nothing to do with dogs. What, I wondered, is a shaggy dog story? Wikipedia came to the rescue, explaining that it's a form of humor I've loved for years: a winding tale with tons of irrelevant detail and random tangents, culminating in an anti-climax that is hilarious precisely because it is so non-hilarious and completely unrelated to the rest of the story.

Eager for more, I decided to head to the "See also" section, where I clicked on "No soap radio." Again, I was floored to learn that there is a term for something I've experienced for years: a joke with a non-hilarious punchline (typically the words 'no soap, radio?,' but not always), told between a couple of people who are in cahoots with each other to laugh no matter what. The point is to tell the joke in front of a third person, and see how they react: do they try to conform and laugh along with the first two, thus looking like a birdbrain? Or will they be understandably confused, opening themselves to ridicule from the two jokesters? Needless to say, this is intimately related to "anti-humor."

As I read about this, I had a flashback to eighth-grade English class. Our weekly assignment was to learn twenty new assigned vocabulary words, and then create analogies for the class where the vocabulary words would be the answers. Pretty straightforward stuff, until one time a couple of guys decided to have some Dada-esque fun. One of them announced the following analogy to the class:

"Stoplight is to Marilyn Monroe, as carpeting is to...?"

The class sat stupefied for a moment, until the second guy gleefully announced "Varnish!" which, as you may have guessed, was one of our vocabulary words for the week. They clearly had rehearsed this, and were having a fabulous time.

We being a bunch of bored eighth graders, the whole class burst out with some mild laughter. We were all set to shrug off the nonsense and move on, until our teacher said shrilly, "I don't get it. I just don't get it!" So we laughed some more.

But our teacher started having an honest-to-goodness meltdown. "I'm serious! I don't get it! SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME AT ONCE." She may or may not have stomped her foot in consternation.

We were all howling by now.

The classroom madness lasted for several minutes, with our teacher getting more and more shrill, and the rest of us laughing harder and harder to the point of challenging our bladder control. The two guys, meanwhile, were both grinning like Cheshire cats and waiting to see what would happen next.

Anti-climactically, a gal (NOT I) quietly explained to our teacher that the two guys were being humorous dopes, and there was nothing to get about the joke -- it was hilarious precisely because it was non-hilarious.

"Well, I think you're all crazy," our teacher declared. Needless to say, she was never one of my favorites anyway, and this occasion pretty well confirmed my opinion.

P.S. Look up "Snowclone." Like the word "philtrum," I'd never realized a term existed for such a thing until fairly recently. I feel so much smarter now.

Images I adore of various fashionable gals

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:40:00 +0000

Warning: there is a veritable torrent of photos by Lillian Bassman and Louise Dahl-Wolfe below, mixed in with everything else. What can I say? They are/were both brilliant.

But first:

I love this girl's bow, her glossy ringlets, and her totally stylin' tricycle. In terms of grace and verve, she easily holds her own with all the other women below.

This gal isn't quite a woman yet, but you can see that she already knows how to balance a boho look with her naturally pre-Raphaelite beauty. The only thing that bothers me about this image is that she looks rather sad. Whomever she is, I wish her the best.

Golden Sixties retro done well. Hooray for Emma Watson!

Mia Farrow was the original Emma Watson. Luminously wonderful. How did she manage to successfully balance a freshly-scrubbed, girl-next-door look with a self-aware, existential anxiety? More importantly, can I be Mia Farrow when I grow up?

O, Nineties androgyny! I love you so.

Magical. Her back sets off her earring and vice versa. Love the contour of her back echoed in the contour of the chair's back!

Fruffly, dark glamour with random production assistants lurking in the frame. Her dress is a miracle of tulle.

I love the geometry and the colors here! SO much fun.

Reflections of dark glamour everywhere. And her eyebrows are splendid.

Nancy Drew's hep older sister? I've always loved the look of redheads in green, especially where flippy hairstyles and red lipstick are involved.

Pierre Cardin is a god, and this Mod goddess (Moddess?) wears his work magnificently.

Her hair and the dress's neckpiece blow me away. I am proud to share a planet with both.

This photo is sheer perfection, right down to her facial expression which seems to convey "Yes, I am wearing a dress with a propeller in it. Shuddup."

Louise Brooks was total gorgeousity. TOTAL. GORGEOUSITY. If I can't be Mia Farrow when I grow up, I'll happily be Louise Brooks instead.

She's got it all figured out. And by 'it,' I mean 'hats made of black Frisbees.'

Any more glowiness, and this lady would be radioactive. I normally hate bad posture, but her posture really sets off the dress perfectly -- and vice versa.

Swanlike grace.

An ancient Greek Muse in Times Square. Fabulous.

It's Frisbee Lady again! And her silhouette in this image is SUPERSPECTACULAR. I think I'll start wearing gloves and striking poses like this, perhaps at my local Gelson's.

And last, but definitely not least, we have this calculating lass in an ostrich feather and metallic eyeshadow. Maybe we all need a few more ostrich feathers in our lives.

Music I found yesterday

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:44:00 +0000

When I vanish down the rabbit hole of YouTube, clicking on related videos and meandering through endless genres, this is what happens.

My Own Private Neuromancer V

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:19:00 +0000

View Part IV here.

actors who look related, part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:04:00 +0000

Also see part 1. All entries below are made regardless of whether or not all actors involved are alive or famous.

Father: Tony Curtis
Son: Sylvester Stallone

Father: Mikhail Baryshnikov
Son: Daniel Craig

Sisters: Amy Adams, Isla Fisher

Younger sister: Ellen Page
Older sister: Valerie Hurt

Live action man: Jim Rash
Animated alter ego: Dr. Rusty Venture

My Own Private Neuromancer IV

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:27:00 +0000

View Part III here.

PRISMA 1666 - Interactive Installation from Wonwei on Vimeo.

Illustrating MBA-Speak: Synergizing Back-End Convergence

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 18:02:00 +0000

People sleep in the darndest places

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:30:00 +0000

From Boston.com's The Big Picture:

I can honestly say that sleeping in the trunk of a car never occurred to me -- I'd be too worried about the trunk door slamming down on me, and the emergency escape handle snapping off. It blows me away how comfy this lady looks. And I now feel like a boring person for only having slept in sleep-appropriate places.

Fun with movie trailers

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:35:00 +0000

I hopped onto IMDb for a little research, and somehow got sucked into watching a lot of the featured HD trailers.

Here are the movies that I'm suddenly looking forward to seeing in the theater:

A Perfect Host
Why: David Hyde Pierce playing a charmingly insane person, out-insaning a runaway criminal? Sign me up.

The Ides of March
Why: Practically everything Clooney touches turns to gold, and I do enjoy political thrillers. I've always had a thing for stories about intelligent people battling themselves, or battling a massive social system, and this one certainly promises at least one of those.

50/50
Why: Joseph Gordon-Levitt is my hero, plus this seems to be a smart film about dealing with cancer which isn't irritatingly maudlin.

Puncture
Why: Man versus himself AND big pharma. The David vs. Goliath thing is overdone where corporate thrillers are concerned, but this also looks darkly humorous. I get the sense the filmmakers originally wanted to cast Robert Downey Jr. in the main role.

The Darkest Hour
Why: Looks like the good kind of sci-fi where people can use logic to defeat the bad guys...or, in this case, bad energy blobs which apparently have vision based on one of my least favorite Photoshop filters.

Here are the movies I'm looking forward to seeing when they finally make it to TV:

Moneyball
Why: Logic saves sports -- maybe! I always enjoy a jocks vs. geeks yarn where it looks like the geeks prevail.

Love, Wedding, Marriage
Why: Smart woman battles personal demons, set against a frothy backdrop of romance. Hijinx ensue.

Midnight in Paris
Why: I also like stories about people stumbling into alternative lives and having their perceptions expanded in intelligent, fun ways.

Movie I'm on the fence about, which means I'll probably never see it:
Anonymous
Why: Another movie about Shakespeare? Really? Bleh. If only this were based on reality, I'd consider seeing it.

Movies I'm sorry I haven't seen yet, and hope to rectify the situation soon via Netflix:
Limitless
Why: Smart person battling personal demons, and exploiting a system for his own gain until his temporary strengths run out. Flowers for Algernon on steroids.

Hanna
Why: I usually hate violent films, but this one has a strong female protagonist. More importantly, it looks like it might pass the Bechdel test, hooray!

Moon
Why: Looks like intelligent sci-fi, where 'intelligent' means 'not enough blood to make me lose my lunch.'

Movies I'm pretty sure my parents will insist that I watch:
Win Win
Why: They love practically everything with Paul Giamatti.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Why: They love John le Carré. I'll probably see this one because, hey: Gary Oldman and Colin Firth! Plus everybody running around in this looks like they're battling personal demons and a massive social system -- in this case, the world o' spying.

Man, I'd make a rotten spy. I'd be constantly huffy, saying, "Guys, snap out of it! You're all a bunch of lousy children!" My entire wardrobe would weigh a ton, since everything would be made of Kevlar, plus I'd look like a dope because I'd always be wearing protective headgear. And I'd be super paranoid about everything I ingest, bringing my own food to restaurants and living off-grid so no one could tamper with my water supply. And the instant any spy threatened my family or friends, I'd blurt out every government secret I know. Good thing I only work in marketing, where nobody ever lies and you never have to worry about a competitor eating your proverbial lunch at any minute.

Evolution of the Hipster

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:17:00 +0000

Ah, satire, I love you so.

Finnish fashion

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:11:00 +0000

This gal's style blows me away.

The sad part is that I'm not sure I'd have the nerve to dress like this. The cool part is that I already own most of these wardrobe elements already. Perhaps when the weather gets a bit chilly again, I'll try this out.

My Own Private Neuromancer III

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:25:00 +0000

View Part 2 here.

My Own Private Neuromancer II

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:50:00 +0000

See part 1 of this post here.

Handmade movie camera!

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:41:00 +0000

I'm in love....

And look at its output!

Dreaminess. Total gorgeosity. ::Want::

Thoughts about indoor airspace

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 03:54:00 +0000

I can't decide if this place is awesome or terrible:

Gorgeous windows, gorgeous furniture, yet the scale seems all wrong and I'd hate to see the heating bill.

Is it just me, or should they hang a taxidermied whale from the ceiling? If you want to be a tad more traditional instead, maybe hang a few gigantic paper ball lanterns? Such a shame to have all that wasted airspace....

If I ever direct my own film version of Neuromancer....

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 06:35:00 +0000

...it'll be inspired by these elements. I'll keep adding to this blog post over time as inspiration strikes.

The awesomeness of Googy

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 21:42:00 +0000

I discovered the series "Googy" on Channel 101, and I may be in love -- it seems to be a blend of Pee-Wee Herman and SpongeBob SquarePants, with a dash of Captain Underpants, which means it's a work of genius. Here's the first episode, enjoy!

Cleansing my text msg inbox II: Electric Boogaloo

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 21:16:00 +0000

As before, my text-messaging inbox on my phone is nearly full, so it's time to clear it out. Since I can't bear to part permanently with these amusing, charming, poetic, or simply bizarre messages, I'm committing these to the Web for posterity.

9/3/10, 12:23am
Sorry I haven't called but dealing w/ my friends is like herding cats. With ADHD. Have a headache from it. Let you know when I can. - KH

10/16/10, 5:52am
It is just too early for an ophthalmic symposium. - JM

11/6/10, 3:59pm
This room has a pencil sharpener! WTF! - JM

11/21/10, 1:23pm
So sorry havent be en in touch. Call soon. At louie bottega this morn. Liam calls it pizza galouie. - PL

11/21/10, 6:41pm
Happy late birthday from the bottom of my argyle soul. -KH

1/12/11, 4:49pm
Had [professor's name redacted] behind me on the way to class. He had a total Astrid rocks look on his face - JM

2/9/11, 8:04pm
Get your parents to watch tonight's Nova. All about talking animals. :) - JH

2/23/11, 8:57pm
I saw your prof in the bathroom but still missed your break! - JM

5/12/11, 8:16pm
Just discovered the awesomeness of eating my peanut butter cookie and chocolate cookie at the same time. - JM

5/12/11, 943pm
Get yourself a nice pinot gri until the proles show up :) - JM

6/8/11, 12:10am
I ruined yet another relationship! Booya - PV

6/23/11, 9:27pm
Yeah there's some extreme oystering going on - JM

6/25/11, 3:56pm
Find a good seat so I can gaze at you longingly - JM

7/2/11, 1:04pm
It's not the cosplay that boggles the mind, it's the crossdressing cosplay :) - JM

How to build a free social media dashboard

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:30:00 +0000

Seriously, check it out. It's not often I repost things about social media, since it seems to me that most articles are either thinly veiled ads or too obvious to be useful, but this one officially blows me away. Very, very handy if you want to track anything...including what people are saying about you, you narcissist! (Don't worry, we all do it.)

Because FFFFOUND is so ffffab

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid Phillips) — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:12:00 +0000

FFFFOUND is wicked rad, if you enjoy typography and random photos. I've been keeping various browser tabs open with the neat stuff I've found on the site, but I think I've hit the point of too many browser tabs, so now I'll just dump the stuff here. Enjoy!

And because I just discovered the magnificent Dana Tanamachi through FFFFOUND:

I feel cleansed. And my browser looks relatively uncluttered now, too. Hooray!