Hey kids, do you like museums? Did you know that the Asian Art Museum has a blog? Not like, just any ol' blog, but a pretty dang good one, with lots of fresh updates written by all kinds of passionate people that work there.

You might think I'm just shilling for this pseudo-new bundle of joy of ours, but in all sincerity, it's all quality AND quantity, and you do learn a lot of cool stuff. Do you know what it takes to actually assemble and display a real samurai armor? Or that there's a umbrella with a sword handle? That our Bhutanese monks went to a baseball game (and Disneyland)? That our own director dressed up as a samurai for a staff meeting? Or how about the fact that before even the former main library was built (it's the building the museum is in now), they burned tons of opium pipes on the site? Sometimes the posts are enlightening, and sometimes they're just silly.

Take this video, for example. We worked hard to bring you the best in hammy, silly entertainment, all in the name of good humor and samurai exhibition promotional buzz. Please watch it, and go here to watch the other two companion video clips. They're super short! If you watch the other two, leave a comment so I know you were there!

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i’m pretty sure this is an extremely accurate rendering of me. derek did this awhile ago when i was in my occasional manic ranting and raving mode wherein i derail every other minute on tangents.

if you're a friend o' mind you'll know i'm batty for bats. so i want to share perhaps one of my alltime favorite images ever. thanks every so much to hell hell for introducing this to me. imagine, a zombie me in bed, rheumy-eyed while i groggily check my phone (it's my routine now), and this being the first thing i get in my email. what a great way to wake me up!

big props to anyone who can track down any information regarding this photo. i've tried a variety of google search terms but with no luck. hellen found it on this site but there's no backstory or context whatsoever.

i wish i were the guy holding this adorable creature.

ps – this picture inspired a silly theme for a series of drawings i’d like to do if i ever get the time

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this sort of thing helps get me through the work drudgery

we’ve all been there.

this is my dear friend brigid (a san ho) with her gorgeous, adorable lil’ girl elliott skye. she was born on christmas eve! elliott is brimming with personality and is a real thing of marvel, already armed with a million different facial expressions. i look forward to my auntie training with my first “niece.” she is so amazing.

got the SFIAAFF program in the mail a coupla days ago, and i already got into my obsessive ritual of printing out a blank calendar, grabbing a pencil, and gettin cozy with the program to plot out a robust movie-watching schedule. srsly, there’s no way to plan for this unless you have a chart or calendar system to visualize how the days play out.

so i sent my mom and sister a tentative plan of what films we should watch when the fest has its share of screenings in san jose.

this is mom’s reply:

i called my dad twice last night, no answer. this morning, he calls at like, 630am. i’m too sleepy to pick up. i get to work, sit through meeting, do things, then check my phone. NINE MISSED CALLS FROM DAD. of course i panic, fearing something happened to my grandma. i call him immediately. the conversation goes something like this:

me: dad why did you call me 10 times today? is everything okay?!

D: i was worried about you! you called me twice last night and this morning i kept calling

me: what do you mean, why were you worried? it wasn’t a big deal i just called last night cuz i had a question to ask.

D: well, i thought something happen to you. i thought you died! you didn’t answer phone.

me: /breakout laughter/ why would you think i died?

D: allergies are very bad right now, your allergies are bad. and you have asthma, and sometimes…asthma…can make you go to heaven.

hahahahaha

and bonus, here’s a quaint txt msg from my mom (who is on the road):

we are in the middle no where thanks for you girls nice gift GPS we are feeling more secure and safe

followed by another text:

we safe arrive to desert spring now *:-D

SO GOOD and AWESOME. in my fantasies of our dreamboat head of state, this would totally be 100% factual:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/obama_disappointed_cabinet_failed

choice nuggets from the article:

"Later, the defense secretary attempted to find common ground with Obama by making casual references to the comic book Spawn. But the 44th president reportedly brushed him off with an abrupt laugh, saying, "no one in [his] administration likes Spawn."

"When asked by the press corps if this week's hiccup has caused him to rethink any of his appointments, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton interrupted the president to assert that she and her colleagues have already begun educating themselves about comic books, and will soon be "an invincible team of Supermen and Wonder Women working to save America." "Wonder Woman? That's not even Marvel," Obama responded before storming out of the press room. "Who are you people?"

"Obama said during a press conference. "When I tell my cabinet that getting bipartisan support is exactly like the time Conan got Taurus to help him steal Yara's jewel, they need to understand what I mean."

See the full gallery on posterous

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an email from my mom, but first, some backstory. she wrote me something, and it smelled like typical guilt-inducing sarcastic fare, so i reacted snarkily. she responded that she was being sincerely nice and that i was overreacting. i explained that i my harsh reaction was due to experience. and then she wrote this hilarious gem:

Dear Jennifer: Don’t be so up tight. Mom’s happy to see you finally can relax.

For your information, lately mom’s conversation always like mini skit, short and get to the point.

Your information and experience is old and out dated.

Love always and forever,
Mom
(1/21/2009)

two of the best xmas gifts in the world were bestowed upon lucky ol’ me last night…

(my new walking outfit!)

a fleece glow-in-the-dark dinosaur onesie. those elements by themselves are all wonderful things, but combined together into one entity, you get an extremely exciting and practical bundle.

fleece cuz that’s your number one ticket to keeping warm; a onesie that actually fits, since “adults” (if that’s what you want to call me) need to feel nurtured and comfy too; soles with grippy stars; and well, dinosaurs AND glow-in-the-dark pterodactyls?! ‘NUFF SAID. and bonus — body pillow! been talkin’ up the need for a body pillow for quiet some time, and apparently my gift-giver listens (or wants to escape the constant onslaught of my repetition). finally, i can sleep better, treat my back right, and spoon something (for the nights peg isn’t there).

behold: exemplary comfort and warmth!

pic by peg

thank you peg. these gifts RULE. i’m gonna make sure that at least the onesie stays in the family for generations to come.

ps – neva and jeff should prob get credit for tipping us off to this fine, fine piece of art in the first place