I get to have fun on occasion

Sleeping? Wha? That's for the weak. And for that one Beauty who needed some dude on a horse to wake her ass up.

Anyway, if you were in the know, the big news of this past summer in between me freaking out about turning 25 and re-evaluating my life was to return to college. I began my higher education studies as a freshman at SFSU in 2002, and still do the same things I did then: go to a ton of shows, move every year since landing in the city, eat at random nooks. But about two and a half years ago I became disenchanted with my studies; I wasn't feeling like I was doing what I was supposed to, and didn't want to continue to attend school knowing my heart wasn't in it.

More or less, I took off. I traveled to crazy ridiculous places in the world (if you've tried busing from Mexico to Guatemala before, you know what I mean), I worked full-time at a non-profit for homeless families rebuilding their lives into permanent supportive housing, and I started freelancing more seriously for music publications. I kept busy, as I am prone to do; I wanted to experience life a bit (which also included taking a break from this here blog; I hope it's not still mad at me).

But getting my education was important, and still is for me too. In August, upon finding out I was seven classes away from two degrees (journalism and fine art photography, respectively), I decided to quit my job and come back to finish. It hasn't been easy, nor has it been hard; a good amount of my friends have asked me what it's been like to return to midterms and notecards, and all I have to say is this: shit is still hard, but I can appreciate what the value of learning is, and feel like it was the right time to return when I did.

I don't get personal very often on this here ye blogge (well, okay, sometimes), but my schoolage definitely has impacted the way I have managed my time - hence, me getting all reflective when I should be in the printmaking studio right now finishing 17 million editions due Wednesday.

But seriously, you only come here for the photos I shoot anyway:

Day 1 of the Treasure Island Music Festival (day 2 going live tomorrow)

dd/mm/yyyy @ Bottom of the Hill

Metronomy @ Bottom of the Hill (more of a review)

Expect some more boomswagger from me in the following months. 

He's getting down to business

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One of the best eras

In the midst of answering email from this week (102 unread since Monday night), I stumbled across this rad mashup of Michael Jackson's "Remember The Time" and Telepopmusik's "Just Breathe." I have a whole list of MJ songs I love, but "Remember The Time" is personally a favorite because of the dance routine I performed with my high school class for our junior year F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C.S. skit where we used toilet paper as mummy bandages. We were classy.

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I wish I could go see La Roux on Sunday, but sadly I will be covering the Treasure Island Music Festival this whole weekend (I know, woe is me). We pulled the La Roux interview from the archives for your reading pleasure over at POP OFF.

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[Causerie] La Roux

Since you guys just got off a UK tour with her, is Lily Allen as horrible as she’s made out to be? She’s played our club before.

Do people think she is horrible? (laughs) To say what we think…like, when everyone else does that in their friend group, they’re not seen as bad. But when it’s written down and the facial expression is done, then it gets taken out of context. If one of your friends said it, you wouldn’t even remember if it sounds horrible or botchy. She’s really not like that at all. But you have to know it to understand it. Someone went on my Myspace and left a comment that said “You’re such a bitch!” And that really hurts, because really, really really really I’m not a bitch, but now I can’t change your mind because you think I’m a cunt. [more...]

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This is my first piece with the tag "NSFW." Future employers, is that OK? Because I think it's kinda awesome.

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SCENE AND HEARD

LovEvolution in San Francisco (NSFW)

Stay gold

PHOTOS BY JENZ » It’s true that San Franciscans will never pass up the opportunity to don a costume. Halloween, Bay To Breakers, Critical Mass, SantaCon. If there's a hint of holiday, you can count on someone to go topless or outfit themselves in a Gumby costume... [more]

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Oh, honey

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I think this is one of the funnier interviews I've done:

JL: We all work on it together, put together over time, and see if it works. It’s a collaborative effort.

TM: Actually, we just keep doing it like the Greeks. (lowers voice) And doing it. (lowers voice even lower) And doing it like the Greeks. (returning to normal decibel) Man that’s gonna sound so weird in print.

This is how all photoshoots end for them

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Junior Lauren Crabb is itching to put her shutterbug finger to use - internationally.

"Really, anything to get me out of the country," the 20 year-old says with a laugh.

Crabb, a San Diego native currently attending school at San Francisco State University,  made the decision while in high school to be in the journalism profession as a photographer. She says her intrinsic need to visually show her values of being "idealistic" come out in her pictures.

“I like the idea I could take pictures that impact people,” Crabb explains. Complimenting her photojournalism major is her international relations minor. Her ideal job would be to complete coverage on international conflicts, such as war, politics, and environmental issues.

“I’m happiest when I’m holding a camera,” she says. And as for why she thinks she's cut out for an industry that currently is morphing faster than anyone can anticipate, she cites being able to grow as she goes along.

Crabb in class

"I can always improve."

(This is an exercise for J395, introduction to online reporting.)

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I think me and the blog are gonna be on hiatus for a bit. I think I need to take some time in real life to see where things are going for me. You can add any level of emo to this post as you see fit.

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"Hip-hopera" at its finest

Did you know "Trapped In The Closet," chapters 1-12, was nominated for a Grammy in 2006?

Shit's weird, I know.

(That so did not stop us that summer when I lived on campus to watch it religiously. VH1 aired chapters 1-6 every night back for a whole week, and we totally parked it on my sofa armed with beer to wash down all those bad puns.)

Once word got out at work today that this used to be my cell phone ring, we started poking around the internet and found out there is gonna be an installment of Chapters 23-32 (yes, you read that right) released this summer. We are so having a screening party for this.

I actually just tried to find his PR agency's information to email them and find out the right date, but then was reminded that he, like, you know, totally messed that up for good. Oops.

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No, this isn't some hokey April's Fool joke gone horribly, horribly wrong (or, gone horribly right...ILU Trent Reznor). I just realized I have been a horrible Internet mama and need to nurse my bloggy back to health.

Besides, there's still much to be said about Justin Timberlake, so, you know, priorities.

Anyway, I'm still doing Tripwire stuff, and going a little lighter on Mezzanine stuff, and always with popscene stuff, so I've been a busy bee. I caught Emiliana Torrini on Sunday, and she might be more funny than Bjork. Maybe. (She definitely has the facial expressions.)

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Emiliana Torrini In NYC And SF

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