New Look

Photo taken by myself using the Samsung Galaxy S3

Updating my layout.

Black  & White

Simple  & Clean

FRESHH

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Illustrations

A few rough sketches I've done recently for no reason in particular.

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FOLLOW UP: Gangnam Style

Since my last post about Psy's viral Korean hit single "Gangnam Style", the track has continued to spread globally and gain even more media attention!

Psy has become the first Korean artist ever to rank #1 on the U.S. iTunes Chart. He also ranks #1 on iTunes in various other countries including Canada, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand and more!

Check out Nelly Furtado dancing to the track and singing a bit of it during a recent concert in Manila! Thanks to @Littl3Madam on Twitter for sending me the video!

Britney Spears and Ellen Degeneres are even learning the dance! Psy made an appearance on The Ellen Show to teach them the dance, introducing himself as "Psy from Korea", showing his Korean pride.

Keep on paving the way for asian artists Psy!

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Korean Music Breaks Into U.S. - Gangnam Style

I'm not Korean, but I've been a huge fan of Kpop since I was an early teen. One of my best friends that lived one house down  was Korean and got me into it, starting with BoA*'s hit single "No. 1" in 2002.

Through the years, Kpop groups have tried to break into the U.S., including BoA* and more recently, girl group 2NE1, however this has proved challenging for them, and for most groups, they fail to make a splash in the U.S. music market, no matter how big they are in their home country.

However, one Korean musician has become a viral phenomenon, surpassing 100 million views on YouTube.
This has happened in a very short period of time and has created such an international buzz that many big musicians only dream of creating in the U.S.

South-Korean rapper Psy was not expecting his video for "Gangnam Style" to gain so much attention, especially internationally. In a recent interview, he explained that the video was only made for the Korean audience and he never expected it to grow to such magnitude. Katy Perry has even tweeted the video saying she's "addicted".

From what I hear from friends and family back home in the D.C. - Maryland - Virginia area, the track has been played on main radio stations including HOT 99.5. 

This is a huge break for a Korean artist. Can Psy retain the U.S. audience? Will he be accepted and taken seriously as an artist? Or is Gangnam Style just another funny video that's gone viral through YouTube.

Only time will tell...

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Let The Games BEGIN!

Photo courtesy of Mauro Girini

So the Olympic torch has been run up and down the streets of London, with crowds of fans chasing after it to get a glimpse. My housemate Mauro managed to get close enough to snap this photo of the torch yesterday.

Today is the Opening Ceremony and everyone in the office is chatting about it.

To welcome the prestigious games, Boris Johnson has prepared an Olympic welcoming speech.

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Seeing Is Not Always Believing

Will the vision-impaired chef be the victor in this seasons US Master Chef?

Christine Ha has had me hooked since her emotional first audition. She is not only an inspiration, but a very talented chef who has beaten the competition and made it to the final 8 so far. Throughout her journey, she has tackled numerous challenges including cooking with a live crab, which pierced her finger, and a live sea urchin with poisonous spikes.

Check out her audition video below. If it doesn't stir up any emotion in you, then you may need to get your head checked.

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Heat Wave

I'm sure Londoners have noticed the drastic heat wave that has hit us.

Here's a list of a few things you should get your hands on in preparation for enjoying the sunshine:

Sunscreen. Protect your skin and prevent premature ageing. UV rays can harm your skin, even in cloudy weather, so imagine how much damage can be done in direct sunlight! Try a cream with Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a natural anti-oxidant, prevents premature ageing and also prevents any environmental stressors from getting into your skin.

The last thing you want is skin like leather(cringe)!

Sunglasses. Protect your eyes and get stylish while you're at it! Make sure you find the pair that's right for you. Round lenses are in at the moment. Taped lenses...not so much.

Deodorant. Please people, I beg of you. Buy deodorant. Use deodorant. Love deodorant. Carry some with you in your bag just in case. Hot, cramped trains are already bad enough. We do not need to inhale your...essence.

This will help set those nasty smells and pit stains at bay, and save you from a lot of nasty looks.

 A Kindle reader. In this heat, the less you're carrying, the better. These have become so widespread since they first came out. I see at least 5 people a day using one. Now you can read 'Fifty Shades of Gray' without everyone judging you!


And, you won't have to carry those big, bulky books around anymore!

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