Year One

One year ago this month. One year ago this month, on June 1st 2009, to be exact. I started my first job out of school. Between proofs of my book, editing sessions, final submissions, applying for post-graduate programs, a part-time job and life in general, I was also job searching. Viciously.

One year ago this month. One year ago this month, on June 8th 2009, to be exact. I was at Convocation Hall, U of T. My mom, dad and brother. All proud. Beaming even. I was happy until I realized that my pictures didn't turn out the way I wanted while I was in the hall. I was crabby- maybe it was a release from all the pressure and anxiety that four (almost 5) years builds. I still don't quite feel as though I've graduated. Regardless, I held on to a piece of paper worth the price of a decent car. A week later, my dad bought me my U of T frame to neatly place my degree in. The feeling of having to take that day off work to convocate was amazing because I was working in my field. Happily.

One year ago this month. One year ago this month, on June 9th 2009, to be exact. We made books. We planned the launch. The lighting, the presentation, the gift, the venue, the menu, the guestlist. It was one of my favourite nights of my life. Surrounded by friends and family. What was supposed to be just about books ended up being a great way to end my undergraduate career. I was elated.

Now a year later, June 10th 2010 to be exact. I've moved on from my first job to a job that is an extension of my field. I've started my next book/venture and for the first time in a long time, the same people around me at the book launch are still around.

June 2009 was a good month. 2009 was a good year.

Don't call my name...

I'm back, bitches.

After a much-needed hiatus, I'm back. I've always had an online presence - Twitter, creeping you on Facebook or lazily posting embarrassing things on my Tumblr (rafayagha.tumblr.com), but now I think I'm going to launch an online onslaught. You wait. Just fucking wait.

Anyway, "me me me" aside, Gagaloo released an amazing video yesterday at noon. Needless to say, I had a lunch date and my eyes were glued to the screen for almost nine glorious minutes. Steven Klein took what he does and married it with Gagaloo and David Fincher. The result is blasphemous, sexy, gothic, homoerotic and rings of Nazi/military imagery. I wonder if having all these 'mos in Mo wigs was intentional? Probably.



For lighter fare, La Coacha also did a great job, putas. Watch it or I think I'll have to shank you.

Oddity

Gaga will be wearing some of these soon - I can promise you this.

ISABEL MASTACHE Fall Winter 2010 / 11 Cibeles from NEOMODA on Vimeo.

My opinion? It's like a less sophisticated Vivien Westwood. Some stuff is kinda cool. Other is just straight out of design school.

RIP Alexander McQueen

Fashion great, showman and creative genius, Alexander McQueen, 40, was found dead in his London home today. No details have been released outside of the fact that he committed suicide. I am speechless. I love McQueen's work and this is a huge loss. Rest in Peace.

M.I.A. + No Doubt = Rude Boy

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Just sayin'

Tenth grade staple

The Club Monaco Crest is back! After almost a decade (omg!) the athletic crest is back for die hard fans. I remember owning a Club Monaco sweatshirt in high school. Truth be told, I still have mine in my closet. I'm ecstatic because I thought the sweats were gone for good once the company got sold to Ralph Lauren. I thought wrong I guess. The crest is back and I will be stopping by the Yorkdale or TEC (the only ones carrying it at the moment) and pick up a few items. Starting at $29.

Blogs are so 2009.

No, but really. They are. Thanks to Twitter and Tumblr and even the social media grandpa, Facebook - web publishing by way of a blog is passe. Maybe tl;dr syndrome has limited our capacity to read blogs longer than 140 characters.

I think I have to repurpose this blog to remain relevant. Otherwise, ya'll/y'all can just follow my Tumblr for the random snippets of my brain.

So many things I need to post (and and even greater amount that I missed...) that maybe I should start up again as though there never was a gap anyway.

Thoughts? Is anyone even there?

The only music videos that mattered in 2009

No other videos mattered this year...impressive because one of said videos came out in October of 2008.

"Shoulda put a ring on it,” entered our pop culture lexicon and proclamations of being “a free bitch, baby” littered everyone’s News Feed.

Spawning a slew of spoofs since the '08 release, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it) became the video that wouldn't die (Even the Chippettes did their own take). Beyonce took the ‘less-is-more’ philosophy and ran with it…err, danced with it. A sound stage, three leotards, one mechanical glove and three “single” ladies later—voila! A hit is born. Perhaps the most effective mainstream viral music video ever? I think so.



On the other end of the pop prism, Lady Gaga’s ‘more-is-more’ Bad Romance took advantage of a season’s worth of Alexander McQueen, razorblade sunglasses, a hairless pussycat, latex costumes, a busy Russian bathhouse filled with mobsters, product placement, crystal headpieces, a fur wedding dress, fire, Illumunati symbols (lol) and a personal orbit. Between the visuals and the lyrics, the references were just as random and varied: Nosferatu (and vampireism), Hitchcock, the twist, Bollywood, evolution and the sex trade. Well, she certainly isn’t boring.