Fundraising for Galing Bata After School Program in the SoMa District

LINK BELOW: 

Hey everyone! Please take the time to check out the fundraising campaign video I made with some classmates. We are trying to raise money for the after school program I volunteer at called Galing Bata. The Galing Bata After School Program is a bilingual Filipino American school program, south of Market Street in San Francisco at Bessie Carmichael Elementary. It's the ONLY Filipino bilingual after school program in the whole nation and they have recently learned that they are having their funds cut dramatically. We need this program because it serves the Filipino community and its generations to come. This program exposes and teaches these young children about their Filipino culture while living in the United States. It's so important, you guys... I really wish I had this when I was younger. Culture is everything!!! Thank you and please spread the word about our campaign for Galing Bata! Our goal is $500 on indiegogo.com and every penny counts!

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/fundraising-for-galing-bata-after-school-program

The Cold and The Color Run

Why is it so cold outside all the time? I think feeling cold is one of the worst feelings ever. It's all bad when I'm chilly. I've never liked it ever since I was a little kid. When I'm cold, I can't focus because I'm shivering too much, my body gets all tense and I get quiet because I clench my jaw. I was ranting about  this to one of my friends in my carpool today because it was misting outside and I was wearing cuffed khaki ankle jeans and a jacket with no hood. I am so glad I always have my Giants snuggie to cuddle with. I think it's made out of fleece. Why does fleece keep people so warm?! The mysteries of life.

BELOVED WARM GIANTS SNUGGIE

Speaking of life, IT IS AWESOME. I finally got into the swing of my semester schedule and I love it. I actually like going to school. I like sitting in class and learning things. I haven't been this excited about school in a long time. I raise my hand in class now and ask/answer questions. This is a huge step for me considering I've always had anxiety about speaking in classroom environments. I've incorporated going to my school library and getting work done into my weekly schedule now. I get out of class, I walk to the library, I rent a laptop, I sit down in a comfy chair and I GET SHIT DONE. Yes sir. I ain't playin'!

I recently did a 5k marathon called The Color Run and it was one the best experiences I've ever had in my life. What blew my mind (other than the amazingly fun color throwing) was that at the finish line of the 5k, there's a music concert where everyone throws colors at each other and dances their ass off. It was like running to a concert. WHAT. I couldn't contain my excitement so I ran around with a bag of color throwing handfuls of it on anyone I saw. And their response? "THANK YOU." You bet your ass I'll be there again next year.

Color concert at the end of the marathon

My awesome team: "The Hopeful Finishers"

PARTYING.

DONE PARTYING.

Stay Kla$$y my friends,

Kris

FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS

Lent begins tomorrow and I was thinking about what I'd like to give/take up for the next forty days. I always love Lent, it's different experience every year. It'll be hard but I decided to take up a couple and stick to them the best that I can manage. Let's see how I hold up!

THE SACRIFICES:

• No meat (fish is acceptable)
• No caffeinated drinks (my beloved coffee and tea... *sob*)
• Yoga routine everyday for forty days

It doesn't sound too bad but the first two... I consume EVERY. DAMN. DAY. I will be having caffeine withdrawals but I will soothe them with my sweet sweet yoga skills. 

The perfect Lent jingle (sing this in manner of song Last Resort):

"Meditation, no meatin', don't give a f*** if it's tea that I'm needin!" 

Papa Roach, you inspire me. Thank you, you will get me through these next forty days. And thank you Weird Al, because I imagined you approving of this jingle.

Papa Roach looking so hardcore whilst standing in front of a tranquil blue sea

I was THIS close to giving up desserts for Lent but then I remembered that Valentine's Day is rolling around the corner and I'm pretty sure I'll want to eat a lot of chocolate and sob uncontrollably enjoy a few chick flicks. So naturally, that wasn't going to be sacrificed! 

It is 11pm and I have school tomorrow but I just downed some Peet's coffee. Blueberry cocoa latte. I have been on a caffeine high while typing this whole blog. My last caffeine hurrah has resulted in shaky hands and some strange blogging material. I probably won't get to sleep in a while either. WORTH IT. 

Here's a dog showing off his sweet yoga skills. You go, dog.

Stay Kla$$y,

Kris

Getting Crafty, Sketchy And Sick

I'm sick. AGAIN. This would be my second time getting sick within the past two months. I went through Christmas being sick and I watched the Superbowl sick as well. *sigh* I came down with the flu last night and I've been hacking up a storm. My brain feels like it's about to pump out of my skull. No bueno. I'll be drinking hot tea, Emergen-C and will be bundled up in my Giants snuggie for a long while until I'm better again. And you read that right... I HAVE A GIANTS SNUGGIE. It's okay to have jealous emotions running through you right now.

I've been sketching lately. Just some quick sketches though, no real projects. If I start a sketch one night, I have to finish it within the same night. I enjoy drawing portraits so I just take pictures that I've taken from my phone and sketch them out. I also don't use pencil with these, just ballpoint pens and charcoal in the one of my cousin so all of the mistakes are visible and I couldn't alter anything I messed up on. All of these are purely for the sake of me being able to practice and expand my technique. Here are some of them.

This sketch is taken from a picture of me and my younger brother on New Year's day. Worked in ballpoint pen. Took about one hour and fifteen minutes.

This sketch is from a picture that I took of my cousin when we were at a crepe cafe in Berkeley. Worked in charcoal. Took about one hour.

This sketch is from a picture of myself with the new headband that I made a couple of days ago. Worked in ballpoint pen. Took about one hour and fifteen minutes.


Hopefully I will be able to post more pictures of my sketches and such more regularly.

So, I knitted one thing before this school semester started. It's so sad but I usually can never knit anything when school is in session. My dad told me he gets cold when he goes out to exercise in the mornings.

Me: Do you want me to knit you a hat?

Dad: Sure!

Me: What kind of hats do you like?

Dad: I like the kinds with the earflaps. Something to keep me warm.

BOOM. YOU'RE WELCOME, DAD. 

Made in two days while knitflicking (definition of "knitflicking": knitting while watching Netflix. Made that term myself. You're welcome, knitters... You know what to call it now). I made my own knitting pattern with this one. Chunky yarn for the earflaps, providing extra warmth and double stranded the green body of the hat to provide extra thickness. Braided earflap strings for fashion sense. Aww yayuh. Ma daddy haz got to be fashionable.


It's time for me to sign off now. I'm getting hungry and being hungry and sick at the same time don't mix very well. Oh crap, I forgot I made myself a cup of tea and now it's cold. More first world problems. Let's make a meme!

This is me right now.

Until next time!

Stay Klassy,

Kris

Past Poetic Me And Crabby Claus

It's been a while since I've written some poetry, whether it be good or bad. I've been trying to get back into it lately, but I haven't really had much inspiration or "intense feelings" of any sort to drive me to do so. I remember in my adolescent years when I would write a poem damn near everyday... I filled books and books with poetry. You know those pre-teen years are the hardest, aren't they? So much angst, so little time.

How I looked when I wrote poetry back then. " GAWD, WHY MEEE...."

My old poems used to be about my desires and very emo feelings. They were about what I thought love would be like, what constant unrequited crushes felt like (which brings me to my next one)... whining about never getting the guy, and oh yeah, can't forget not being adequate enough for the parentals. Yeah, that was the gist of it. Except for the last one, that still holds pretty strong. Mehh.

Basically, most of the poems I wrote from back then make me want to slap past-tense me across the face and say "SUCK IT UP, EMOTIONAL WRECK. HORMONE OVERLOAD FOR YOU. You'll grow boobs one day and they'll help you have a slightly better chance in the love department... Ever so slightly. But not really. Sorry about the parents though, nothing to do about that."

I think about writing poems now and I find myself not wanting to write about sappy love or parental angst. That's what's interesting about growing up. What do I want to write about now? You may be thinking this question in your head (or maybe not, but you should be thinking it).

... SANTA CLAUS. That's what I want to write about now. I actually thought of this poem in the shower randomly. True story. My mind works in strange ways.

"Yeah, this poem about Santa Claus is going to be awesome."

My name is Santa Claus.
I have a pretty important job.
I send gifts after the turkey goes gobble gobble gob.
I live with elves.
Scratch that,
I'm a babysitter for elves.
But they're grown little men,
Why can't they take care of themselves?

When December comes around,
I work hard everyday.
It's a hard knock life,
I ain't got no pay.
My pay is cookies.... Milk and cookies.
I've gotten so fat,
Miss Claus won't give me nookie.

My old fat body can't take much more,
Can't fit through the chimney,
I'll have to knock at your door.
And people seem to forget that I'm a carnivore.
Put some meat out there!
I drink so much milk,
that's why I got white hair.

I think I have arthritis,
But I wouldn't know.
We don't have doctors up in the north pole snow.
But whatever.
I'll do it anyways,
Because a little joint swelling won't stop my magic sleigh.

I'm like, "ho ho ho."
My laugh is deep and heavy.
Watch out, Christmas,
'Cause you ain't ready.

Made: November 29, 2012

What better way is there to start off December but with a groggy poem about Old Saint Nicholas? I assure you that the content of this poem is probably better than all of the other poems I've written in the past. I hope you enjoyed it. Happy December, everyone. We'll be bringing in the New Year real soon!

Baby Santa is crabby and cute.

 I dare you to tell me you looked at that baby picture and didn't go, "Aww." 

TELL ME!

Stay Klassy and not Krabby like baby Santa up there...

Kris

Shells, Ice Skating And Thai Food In The City

At the BART station, a guy around his early to mid 20s approached me, my cousin and brother at the platform. He had a shaggy beard, curly blonde hair with a red flannel shirt and many travelling bags stacked on his hiking backpack. We shall call him "Shaggy." My other cousin that I was meeting up with called me to discuss that night's plans. I was still on the phone when Shaggy asked if we could spare a dime, nickel or quarter. Everyone said no except for me. Talking on the phone with one hand, I fumbled, reached into my pocket with my other hand and grabbed two quarters and a dime. I handed the change to him.

"Thank you." Shaggy says nicely. 

"You're welcome." I say, mid-phone conversation. 

Less than a minute later, he comes up to me again and gives me back the dime.

He says, "I don't think I need this much. Thank you." 

I smile and take it back. The shaggy bearded guy approaches me, in less than a minute again.

"Here you go. Thank you." He passes me back the two other quarters. 

Sooo, at this moment I'm thinking that's all the change I gave him so he really just returned the change and he gets nothing in the end. HMMMM...

I  just laugh and say thank you when Shaggy turns around and approaches me again.

"Hey, here's a shell." He says, with a sweet smile on his face. 

I'm still on the phone but I'm surprised by the token.

"Thank you! A shell! That's so sweet." 

It was so nice.  Now, I'm wondering where the hell this shell is from? Shaggy looked like a traveller (either that or homeless... maybe both, who knows), so it could be from anywhere really. Hmmm, I'd like to imagine that Shaggy recently travelled to Hawaii or the Caribbean and that's where it's from. And does anyone remember that episode of That's So Raven when she accepted a shell from a guy from a foreign country and in his culture, the shell was part of a proposal to marry him?
If that dude just proposed to me, then I guess we're engaged because this shell is lovely. Jaykay, gurl. But it really is nice.

All jokes aside, Why can't people be like this more often? Giving people change and receiving a pretty shell in return... If more people did that, the world would be a nicer place because I can say that the small gesture did make me feel happier. Feeling happier made the rest of my night more fun as well.

Small gestures = big impact.

We met up with my cousins and her boyfriend. We went straight at this place called King of Thai Noodle. Walking in, the first thing I noticed were purple walls with minimal decor and plain silver seating furniture. The ambience of this restaurant was very dry and stale, kind of like a cafeteria painted purple. The wait for our party of six was about 10 minutes and we were seated in the upstairs area.

Purple walls and art work

EVALU-EATIN': Looks like it's time for a restaurant review!

We ordered two orders of pad thai, Kao Prik Sod (sauteed beef with vegetables), chicken satay, Thai-style fried rice with pork and Thai iced teas. The food was not very good. I've definitely had better. Their portions at this restaurant were also pretty small even though all of the orders were a la carte. The chicken satay was in small portions, was dry and overcooked. The pad thai did not deliver in flavor. It also didn't come with the usual lime to mix into it (I LOVE MY LIME... I was throughly disappointed). The Thai-style fried rice was actually very good. The sauteed beef was flavorful, was soaked in lots of sauce and was cooked well.

Chicken satay, pad thai, Thai-style fried rice and a Thai iced tea

 I always try the Thai teas whenever I go to new Thai places. The quality of their Thai tea is what really interests me when it comes to Thai restaurants. It's such a basic beverage that's on every Thai restaurant menu but finds a way to have their own unique taste at every restaurant. It's kind of like searching for the perfect burger at different fast food joints, but instead, it's searching for the tastiest Thai iced tea. Their Thai tea was really good, I think that was my favorite part of the whole meal. My youngest cousin asked what I'd rate the place and i told him I'd give it a 6 out of 10.
After dinner, we decided on ice skating at Union Square. I must say that I was pretty uneasy about skating since I don't really know how to and because of my fear of falling on my ass... but we ended up having a blast!

Things I Learned When Ice Skating at Union Square:

• When my brother skates, he moves his arms like he's swimming through water. Very fun to watch.
• My youngest cousin is bad at ice skating. He fell on his ass several times and later complained of his ass hurting later that night. LOLLL.
• My cousin's boyfriend is a good skater. 
• My cousin that didn't know how to skate at all ended up being a good skater. 
• Boys and younger guys get excited and/or try to show off and end up trying to skate really fast even though they don't even know how to skate properly. 
• Boys and younger guys tend to be the ones who fall on their ass while ice skating. 
• I almost fell and my cousin saved me, so I think we're a pretty good team.

 I always feel like a baby learning to walk when I try to ice skate. I also dislike when people are great skaters and zoom past you like Apolo Ohno and I'm looking like I just shat my pants on the ice. I suppose old people that walk slower feel this way all the time. Life for them must be a constant ice skating rink where they are being overtaken by a ton of Apollo Ohnos.

Damn you, Apolo Ohno. Damn you.

We ended the night by taking photos in a booth and walking around Union Square while everything was closing for the night. We went our separate ways when my cousin and her boyfriend suggested we get off the S.F. streets and hop on BART before the crackheads came out. I was like, "Thanks for the advice. We bouncin'. PEACE." Because my ghetto comes out when I'm in defense mode. Can I just say how much I love my friggin' family? GOOD TIMES.

We really did randomly scream at the same time.

There was a party in that photo booth.

Stay Klassy and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

GOBBLE GOBBLE NOMNOMNOM,

Kris

Zombie Food and Late Night Art

My cousin gave me a piece of candy that she got from a swap on the East Coast that I found to be absolutely intriguing. It's a chocolate novelty treat called, "Zombie Food"by Skybar. I've neither heard of the chocolate's name or whatever Skybar is and anyone that knows me knows that I love to try new foods. Another awesome thing that got me pumped to gobble this is that it's zombie-themed. Again, if you know me... You should know that I love horror movies, the zombie genre being one that is greatly appreciated. So, let's take a peek at the description. In case you can't read the contents from the picture, here it is: "Milk chocolate covered assortment of brains, feet and hearts filled with oozy red caramel."

How disgustingly cute does that sound??? Naturally, I needed to open this thang up. I was so excited that I decided to do a food blog critique and take pictures of my zombie food experience. 

Nom nom nom

The Unwrapping and Presentation:

Upon opening the package, it looks like this:

... It's a heart! I initially assumed the chocolate would be in the shape of a zombie head for some reason.

Taking a bite out of it and splitting it with a knife, the center looked like this:

It's "blood", A.K.A. red-colored caramel. Cuuuuutteeeeee. From the description, I actually thought there would be little body parts combined inside with the caramel but I'm guessing that the chocolate mold is different depending on what kind of organ you get and all are filled with the caramel. 

The Taste:

The milk chocolate is not the best that I've tried. It has a bit of a waxy taste and texture to it, kind of like shortening. Despite the description on the packaging, the red caramel is not oozy. When I think of oozy caramel, I think of those World's Finest chocolate bars filled with caramel. YUM. Those are forrealz oozy. But the red caramel in this was pretty stiff and held up like toothpaste. 

Texture and consistency of the caramel

The caramel had a soft grainy type of texture and didn't really taste like caramel. Can't explain what the caramel tasted like but I can say it did taste creamy.

This treat is definitely not the tastiest thing to eat, it's less focused on the candy's quality and more focused on it being a novelty type thing to buy because it's zombie-themed. Personally, I don't care too much about a fancy looking presentation. As long as whatever I'm eating TASTES good, then I'm completely satisfied.

 I can say it's fun to eat so it'd be great to give to kids. I know I probably would've gone ape for a chocolate treat like this when I was a kid. I did get a kick out of eating this as my current 20 year-old self though. It's such an adorable treat.

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Later on in the night, I was in a drawing mood after browsing through a bunch of art on Pinterest so I decided to whip something up and exercise my creative side. I took two photos: one without flash and one with flash. I used a blue ballpoint pen and a black Sanford T.E.C. Sharpie. Everything is freehand, except for using a pencil to get the proportions correct for her face and going over it with the ballpoint pen.

This is drawn on thick sketching paper from my small spiral sketch book that I received as a gift. This whole piece was drawn within a one hour time span. It's untitled. I wanted to focus on different patterns and details and how to go about incorporating them in one piece.

Without flash

With flash

Stay Klassy,

Kris