I Love Ebay!

Thanks to maid of honor duties for Miss Helena, a very important one consists of picking out THE perfect maid of honor dress.

Because this is Helena we are talking about, no pastel concoction purchased from Macy’s will do (although if you did find your dress from there, kudos to you!). I decided to venture to Ebay for my shopping needs.

And I got hooked.

At first I wasn’t really sure how to use this complicated e-commerce site and ended up bidding on a whole bunch of dresses in the same color and style just because I can. And then I realized, “Oh crap! I actually have to pay for them!”

But I’m slowly growing into a sophisticated Ebay shopper, picky about my merchandise, savvy when bidding.

The best part would have to be when the package arrives in the mail.

So of all the things I’ve already bought on Ebay, (which is not a lot, okay? I don’t have like, a whole secret closet stuffed with lawn chairs, owl watches, and juicers) my favorite would have to be this:

Guess what this is! Guess what this is! Okay, I’ll tell you.

‘Tis a monopod!

This contraption holds up my iPhone and smaller cameras and I get to wave it around and film people!

Here is a ROUGH first video:

What do you think? Do I have what it takes to be the next Steven Spielberg? (And I’d just like to state for the record that the shakiness and the blurred video image is an artistic choice, okay?)

posted by Janice | Comments: 8 | Blog

Vancouver

Details of my trip here, here, here, and here. Enjoy!

posted by Janice | Comments: 1 | Travel

Thank Goodness It’s Thanksgiving!

My most memorable Thanksgiving took place two years ago, in a hospital, with a beautiful baby.

It was my first year out of college and my FUNemployment adventures led me to taking care of this adorable tot who taught me how short life is and how blessed I am.

Two years later, I look at my surroundings and I think about how even more blessed (if that’s possible) I am. I’m working as the assistant editor for Audrey Magazine — a job I’ve dreamt about since I was 12 – and I get the opportunity to shape Asian American lifestyle and culture.

In the mere 1+ year I’ve been working here, I’ve gotten the opportunity to meet and converse with many public figures I’ve admired. Not naming names but Mindy Kaling, JustJared‘s Jared Eng, Lisa Ling, and Kal Penn among the many.

Like this picture below. For years I would obsessively listen to the voice of Dia Frampton from the indie pop-rock band Meg & Dia. I still have their CDs in my car. And look, here I am being all buddy buddy with her at her most recent KoreAm Journal cover shoot!

When we’re not out on the field, I get to goof off work with some of the most interesting people on this planet: my co-workers. Some hi jinks include pampering my co-worker Peter’s skin and BBQ-ing in the rain.

When we’re not in the office, we STILL enjoy eachother’s company and often hold Happy Hours together. Here, some fine ladies and gents strike a pose with my Hello Kitty glasses.

Can I say I’m always 100% happy with where my career is headed? No. I’m a spoiled brat who suffers from the what if’s. “What if I made more money?” “What if I interviewed more relevant subjects?” “What if I had a job where I drove less?”

As our society gets more and more progressive, I’ve noticed — at least around many of my peers — that what we’re seeking are the jobs with the fattest paychecks, the positions that will enable us to climb the corporate ladder, the occupations that will make us seem the most stable, the most normal.

As important as all those things may be, I know that I will never be able to work in a place that I lack passion for. Never be able to handle a position where I feel the need to complain all the time. So I’m so thankful I’ve always been able to know when my time is up and I’ve had understanding employers that I can leave on good terms with.

And I’m super grateful with my position here and for these hooligans who are passionate about their jobs and what they put out into the world.

In addition to Audrey Magazine, other things I’m thankful for (in no particular order besides the fact that they came out of my head this way):

• *My family including my mother who stews delicious hot soup for me, my father who fixes broken car door handles for me, my abu who remind me everyday how lucky I am, my sister who worships the ground I walk on (keke) and every other kin in between for being so beautiful inside and out.
• *Jason for introducing me to Sovereign Grace where I get my brain kicked every week over how great Jesus’ love is and how deeply I sin.
• *My insatiable drive and my stubborn optimism. It makes me miserable a lot of the times but I know this is what’s going to take me to my destiny.
• *My awesome friends who are so frickin’ busy and so frickin’ artsy and so frickin’ loving to me, tolerating my ditziness/flakiness/big-mouthedness.
• *And of course, I’m thankful for youuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!! <3

posted by Janice | Comments: 4 | Blog, Friendlies, Inspirations, Job, Los Angeles, Magazine, Personal, Writing

Red Carpet Etiquette

Red carpets are a beast to work.

Filled with frantic PR people, confused celebs who are constantly being harassed and herded to this reporter or that photographer, it can be a crazy place.

I’ve done a fair share of red carpet work. Sometimes on camera, sometimes for print. A majority with Asian American events and one thing that I’ve taken away from it is seriously:

HAVE RED CARPET ETIQUETTE

This applies to every and all people on the red carpet — journalists, photographers, PR folks, celebs, the people walking the celebs down the red carpet, me.

I understand that the red carpet can be like a bustling marketplace, where all these players have all these different agendas but seriously, people can be so rude sometimes.

On the red carpet, most people seem to follow a “do whatever it takes to get what you want” strategy, whether that entails embarrassing other people or coming off like a jack*ss or a b*tch.

Recently I was on the red carpet and it started to get really crowded behind the ropes. Some of the other reporters started crossing the line to interview while ON the red carpet. Seemed like a good idea so I did just that as well. All was going well when this PR lady, out of nowhere and for NO REASON AT ALL– while I’m in the middle of interviewing her client — tells me, “you better get over to behind the lines. You better get behind there. Get there. Get there.” Then she raised the ropes and forced me to crawl UNDER it even though all the other reporters still stayed on the red carpet.

That was not cool, lady.

And then there are celebs who are super “over it” when they answer questions. They roll their eyes, make weird faces and generally act like unpleasant people who are asking in their heads, “are you seriously asking me this?”

At the end of the day, I just hope that all red carpet attendees remember one thing: you chose to be here. Whether as a writer, a cameraman, a PR rep, a movie star, you chose your profession. If you don’t enjoy the process, don’t do it.

I really admired how Kal Penn handled the red carpet at a Harold & Kumar screening recently. Unlike some of his shall-not-be-named cohorts, he was gracious and kind the entire evening, speaking to all the publications, answering questions with genuine care and thoughtfulness. I know this because even though he wasn’t the last celeb to arrive, he was the last to finish the red carpet because he would take his time with the press. I was set to interview him last and when one of the PR reps told me I could only ask him one question (say what? We hosted the event!), his reps personally reassured me it would be more than that. Then when Kal and I met face to face, he told me,

“Would it be ok if we talked while walking into the screening? I want to make sure you guys get enough time especially because you’ve always been so supportive of us.”

So sweet, right?! And he gives an awesome video intro.

Thanks Kal for being such a model celeb on red carpet etiquette.

posted by Janice | Comments: 2 | Interviews, Job, Los Angeles, TV, Writing

Insurance

After many years of living like a starving artist, I finally splurged on something that in actuality is priceless– insurance to take care of my health.

It’s important guys and gals!

posted by Janice | Comments: 2 | Personal

Look! Book

I’m not going to even try to deny it, I am not a stylish lady.

I mean, I try. Very hard. I always make an effort to brush my hair (okay, not really), match my socks (yeah right) and avoid wearing the belly-baring tops or the thong-revealing jeans (this one is true).

There are some people where dressing well comes so effortlessly. They look like they slink out of bed decked out in cashmere and perfectly matching accessories. I know they try hard but I’m betting I would have to try even harder. My editor in chief is one of them. Actually both my editor in chiefs are really good dressers but Anna, with her model-like physique and silky black hair, looks like she steps out of the pages of Elle Magazine everyday. It’s a real-life fashion inspiration board sitting next to me!

Lately I’ve been getting semi-obsessed with this LOOKBOOK site (yeah, I know, I’m like 5 years behind) and IT IS SO ADDICTING TO LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE POSE WITH PRETTY CLOTHES ON!

I think the appeal to this site is because it’s normal everyday people wearing clothes from their closet. Except they look fabulous. I sure don’t see these people walking around and posing for photos around my neighborhood.

The casual comfort this outfit exudes (not to mention that awesome tattoo) is something I always try to obtain when dressing. (Key word being try.)

So I hear color blocking is really hot this year. I know it’s just piecing outfits of different, bold solid colors together but this reminds me of high school chemistry — something I really sucked at. Pretty to look at when done right, though!

Seriously? Who walks around looking like this everyday?! Beautiful dress though. I’m loving the color, the cut, the accessories.

I had a screening to attend last week and it was my one chance to dress up. Trying to copy Inspired by the looks found on LOOKBOOK, I decided to ask my mom for something she loves to do: take pictures of me in my outfit!

Okay, so my poses are a little goofy and my outfit is pretty boring black but whatever! I will just leave the dressing and picture posing to other people and the looking to myself.

posted by Janice | Comments: 3 | Fashion, Inspirations, Look

Awkward Times with the Media Maid: Halloween Edition

It was Hallow’s Eve and all was a quiet…

Not a child was stirring, no candy was given…

Once my mom found out the date was October 31, she immediately said, “Ooh, we better turn off the lights!”

Near 8 o’ clock, I was expecting someone over and after they told me they were almost to my door, I turned on the porch light.

“Oh no, what if the kids come?” I even joked.

A minute later, the doorbell rings. I run to the door thinking it’s my friend. Shouting in an old lady’s voice, I cackled, “NO CANDY FOR YOU, NO CANDY FOR YOU.” I open the door and…

At my porch were two kids, one dressed as a robot and the other dressed as a fairy.

All three of our mouths were wide open in surprise and horror for a good minute. Then, snapping out of it, I ran to the kitchen to find them some candy.

“Candy! Candy!” I hollered to my mom like a crazy woman.

She frantically digs through our cabinets and come up with a pack of gum (which I’ll save for later, thank you very much) and some Chinese jelly candy.

I grabbed the jelly candy and ran back to the door. “Here you go, Happy Halloween!” I say. Their faces are still in surprise and horror.

My friend pulls up.

“You wouldn’t believe what just happened,” I yelled.

How was everyone else’s Halloween?

posted by Janice | Comments: 3 | Personal