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Open Thread #2

Since Open Thread #1 was a smashing success, here we go again!

First, you may notice some changes. I really like the new design/color scheme. I would’ve made more drastic changes, but that would mess up old posts and make for lots of weird clashing.

Second, I caught the new show Samantha Who? — surprisingly funny. Too bad the Hollywood writers’ strike will probably wipe out the rest of the TV season. That gives me a month to learn to love reality TV. Ooh, Project Runway starts soon. Bring on the bitchy-crazy! (Where the HELL is my chiffon?!)

Third, I’m totally behind on my drama-watching. I did not drop Mixed-up Investigative Agency, I’m just behind. Hoping to have a Mixed-up marathon over the weekend.

Fourth, someone asked in the last open thread what blogs I like to frequent. I’ve got a bunch in the LINKS page (the tab at the top) but I confess those aren’t necessarily sites I visit every day. On the other hand…

  • Cuteoverload.com :: This site melts my cold, cold heart and makes me feel human. Not just ordinary human, but fuzzy-wuzzy baby-speaky giggly girly human. Good for the soul.
  • Pop Candy :: Diverse and smart; it’s like the thinking man’s (American) pop culture blog. Skews heavily hipster-ese. (Virtual skinny jeans and Chucks a must.)
  • Go Fug Yourself :: Two witty, snarky, pop-culture-loving and talented writers rip on celebrities. Other sites attempt similar feats, but minus the writing skills of the Fug ladies (who used to write for Televisionwithoutpity.com).
  • Dooce :: Dooce is proof that you can make anything interesting if you have (1) a sense of humor and (2) wicked writing skills. She writes about her life, being a mom, and other everyday things — but rather than being narcissistic (like so many personal blogs), it’s entertaining.
  • Consumerist :: Valuable info for the modern consumer. Financial and life-management tips that are readable and relevant. Learning to manage credit card debt is not only for the older, more responsible Future You, who will curse younger, reckless Now You for ruining Future You’s credit. Do not piss off Future You.
  • PassiveAggressiveNotes.com :: Needs no further explanation.

As for Korea/kpop blogs, there seems to be a ton now. We probably visit some of the same ones, like Popseoul and soompi (I know, not a blog). But there are only a few that I dig that work the complete blog trifecta: well-written, well-chosen material, and entertaining. Lots of blogs are one or two of those things, but not all three. For that reason, I enjoy Korea Beat, which takes a “fun, curious slices of Korean society” approach to its entries, and Expat Jane because she’s an expat living in Seoul with funny and intelligent insights on the experience.

Am I missing any good ones? Open thread is now open for business. Comments need not apply to the above. Off-topic away!

SONG OF THE DAY

Kings of Convenience – “Misread” [ zShare download ]

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I like the new orange text instead of the blue. I used to think the blue were urls and would attempt to click them all the time. Stupid, I know...

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I also get confused when I saw javabeans reply all highlighted in orange colour. I thought hey what was that?! Turns out it was just her reply. Phew. Stupid #2.

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You know what..I like this open thread thing..
Even for the 1st post I did recheck several times because I want to see the new comments! :P
Samantha Who? ( have to find it )
I wish I could have many readers like you if I make my own off topic entry..but my blog has no topic anyway..:D

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Hey! Thanks for the shout out! I really appreciate it!

At least someone thinks I'm intelligent. ;)

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I'll have to check out those blogs your mentioned...

I also often frequent K-popped and ShenYue, but not nearly as much as here, soompi, and PopSeoul (all three are definite musts).

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I noticed you listen to DCFC and Stars. Any favourites?

Current favourite from Stars is Personal off their latest album. There's something about the lyrics that tug at my heart strings.

I really liked Transatlanticism from Death Cab but Plans just disappointed me. Felt like they'd sold out a tiny bit. The Photo Album is a pretty great one, my favourite DCFC album after Transatlanticism.

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Just caught the first three episodes of Samantha Who and I also enjoyed it! Looking forward to watching more.

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merriwether, I am a Death Cab fan but like you, I didn't love Plans. My favorite album is probably The Photo Album -- consistent quality and variety there -- although I also like We Have the Facts And We're Voting Yes. Transatlanticism is a great one for a rainy day -- a wallowing-in-melancholy-and-nostalgia album -- but i have to be in the right frame of mind to listen to it...

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So I'm guess you've been over at PopCandy and saw the YouTube links to the Vmars as FBI agent pilot? I know you soured on the show, but was just wondering what you thought.

I was a die-hard fan till the very last so I have to say, it was a bit bittersweet seeing V being as awesome as ever. Say what you will about the plot lines (the feminists were actually pretending one of their own was raped to pin it on the frats), Veronica was a character for the ages combining sass and wit, vulnerability under a tough exterior, etc. And I must say there is a such dearth of strong empowered female characters on TV, that I'm still missing her and her whole noir world.

On more Korean related topics, did you ever watch any more episodes of "I am Sam." I'm catching it on TV right now and I must say, quite funny if taken in a light-hearted way. Yang Dong Geun does a brilliant job. It doesn't even matter what his lines are, the way he delivers them makes anything he says instantly hilarious. I think the "Desapo Naughty Girls" bit was done on purpose to show how ineffective the teacher was, imitating something he had seen in a movie, but being unable to follow through and call the students' bluff.

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can we gossip on here? Javabeans, what's going on with Ivy and her sex tape? There's all these rumors flying around about her cheating on her boyfriend who is now stalking her and breaking her car windows. eek

anyways, does anyone on here watch Grey's Anatomy? I used to turn my phone off when I'd watch that show lol but now I just surf the net while it's on. It's not good anymore. I don't understand the whole George and Izzie thing.

Also, I wanted to mention last time that I love Pushing Daisies! I love the colors, the sets, the wardrobe, everything... the style is very "old" and fun lol.

And I'm also watching Samantha Who? You guys can watch it on abc.com if you missed it. haha It's always funny when there's flashbacks and it shows what a biatch Samantha used to be. And I like the guy who plays her ex-boyfriend... I forgot his name. I guess that means his show What About Brian was cancelled lol. Oh well, I never watched it anyway... but man, he found a new job fast!

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The Ivy thing is the latest news so it'll probably be developing over the next few days (read: a mess of contradictions and publicity spins). Frankly I don't really care if she has a sex tape -- but note that none of the media outlets (not the major, legit ones) are stating it's a sex tape. That's just what everyone is surmising given the circumstances. The cheating thing is also a rumor and smacks of fan sniping (to me). The official story is that her ex is blackmailing her for the tapes and pics (alluding that they're, uh, questionable in nature), and her management is denying the existence of any such materials.

I just hope she doesn't get crucified like that chick a few years back, because my blood pressure just isn't up for the indignation at witnessing such hypocrisy and double-standarding of someone basically being punished for being female.

(I hate Grey's. What a horrible show that gets passed off as great.)

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nice new layout, two side column looks neater...
by the way, i just noticed: your post title, if you try hovering over the longer title, you'll see part of them are underlined, and part of them are not (the part where background image is covering will not be underlined).. a bit weird
it actually looks nice in that position but if you don't want the title to be underlined, then probably should try #content h2.pagetitle a:hover {border:none;}
or if you want it to be underlined, then separate the #content h2.pagetitle and #content post-info and put the image (in post-info) as "repeat left top"?

but i like that you made your comments post so "differentiated" with the yellow background and pink(?) (thats pink isn't it) border

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Yay, it's Friday. Like your new layout; interesting combo of the yellow/orange/aquamarine color schemes. Haven't seen those used before.

Thanks for the blog site inputs. Glad to see that you've, too, frequented PassiveAggressiveNotes.com. Ha. It's like net therapy without subjecting to judgmental self-conscious analysis. Moreover, it's healthy and fat- free. Gawd, how i love New Yorkers' sense of humor.

I can totally relate to Heather Armstrong/Dooce (well, minus Chuck the doggy part). She makes suburban post-child life entertaining. Her flair for translating the "mommy's experience" is just hilarious. I love her self-deprecating take on the Halloween experience. It's exactly like mine. Her home office is just lovely. Mine is nowhere close.

You've gotta check out Amazing Race and Iron Chef. Project Runway is fabulous. Someone has to do something about Heroes (it's the sophomoric curse) and House, they're heading down the wrong direction (yawn!).

I don't get Daylight Saving Time. It's unnecessary; do you think Alaska really care?

Umm, question: What do you think about blogging future off-topic posts on an Asian-American's viewpoint about living in good-old-Southern-California? Or maybe one comparing K-dramas vs. US TV shows/movies? I think that would be an entertaining read (but feel free to ignore my musing). I know that there are plenty of blogs out there chronicling the experience, but few are done well with enough depth and the requisite deadpan humour. Keep the open thread posts alive, luv it!

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Hi,
I've been a fan of yours ever since I developed an unhealthy obsession with korean drama!! We also have the same tastes in music - I really loove king's of convenience!
I like your headers (Luv is great!) and your new layout. The only thing that doesn't really work for me is the capitalized titles...

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I can't stand Grey's either. Characters are way too self absorbed for me. Especially Grey herself.
The Ivy thing is ridiculous. It's not news that humans have sex.
Not that note, I just recently watched Park Chan Wook's I'm a Cyborg But That's Okay and just wanted to say that I LOVED it. It's a typical Park film arty, weird, explosive use of colors, etc, I love all his movies btw but what really caught me by surprise was Rain's acting. I must say, he is quite the actor and charmed the cavity of where my heart use to be. I actually wish he'd just concentrate on acting after watching Cyborg....though, I haven't watched any of his Kdramas yet...maybe I should give Full House a try? Or perhaps I shouldn't as I'll probably end up becoming Rain-obsessed...I'm not ready for that kind of a commitment yet.

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toya, thanks for pointing that out. i'm using firefox so I didn't notice anything wrong, but opening it in IE showed the issue you're talking about. should be fixed now!

geekgal, i've refrained from veering too off-topic, but if ppl are interested in more off-topicness, that's something i can get onboard with. just didn't feel like cluttering up the site if people just wanted their news and drama fixes. ;) i don't have any plans for personal riffing topics currently but i'll keep my mind open...

mimi23, thanks for the feedback. i tried switching the upper-case titles to upper/lower to see if it looks better. i'm not sure which style i prefer but this one's not bad.

Tee, vmars died in my heart in its second season, lol. it just couldn't recover from the coma-baby-awkward-evil-mastermind and fatal-fighting-Fitzpatricks??? absurdity...

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Thanks for recommending some blogs...I'm also reading KoreaBeat and PopSeoul as well - it's hard to find quality blogs these days I think. And yea can't wait for Project Runway ~ bring on the drama!

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Oo to those who are talking about Grey's Anatomy - I thought the first season was amazing...I think I couldn't stop watching it the first few months - I had watched it on TV and then downloaded and made everyone on my floor watch it (freshman year). But after the whole.."he's married." thing I just stopped - it wasn't as funny anymore but great show none the less I guess.

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I used to enjoy Greys too but then the storyline just blew up and turned into a pile of crap so I stopped after the first season.
I left you a message on your headers page about possibly making some headers for you. Contact me if you're cool with that. =)

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Javabeans....do you know why I read your site last after my daily stroll through other sites? It's because I save the best for last. I savor your critiques, your insights, your competence, your creativity, your skillful writing, your catchy vocabulary. Your criticisms are mature; you don't bash nor ridicule like Popseoul. Your site is comfortable, like coming home to a knowledgeable friend who shares with warmth and humor. I just wanted you to know this. Merci beaucoup infiniment.

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P.S. I also enjoy your readers and their meaningful and informative comments.

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waiting for video streaming to load, so glad there is a literal forum for me to contribute idle thoughts in the meantime.

You know why Grey's started sucking/being ridiculous? I was even ok with all the dumb love/sex "stories" (too strong a word?), but what really got me was that the whole context of the show is entirely unrealistic. Same reason I stopped watching ER. I mean, I get it's a TV show, but it's just a pet peeve of mine. Seriously, how many insanely interesting cases can they get over the course of a few days? (pipe through two people, girl with weird bent spine disease, woman with muscles that turn solid, smashed pregnant amnesia victim, etc.). Like with ER, how many train wrecks/helicopter crashes/bombings/etc actually happen in Chicago? annoying.

I think what's wrong with heroes is they changed the format. What made the show so freaking maddeningly suspenseful was that they only focused on each character for like, two minutes every week. Now they are giving them more time and leaving some out each episode, which isn't working nearly as well. But I still love it.

When I first saw Pushing Daisies I was convinced Tim Burton was involved, but he's not. But it has that feel, doesn't it?

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Just wanted to thank you for introducing me to Soulmate. That's such an amazing kdrama! I totally see how it can compare to Coffee Prince in terms of music selection.

The best thing about Soulmate was it's quirkiness and very non-traditional/recycled plot lines.

How I wish they'll make a Season 2!

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what is your occupation? I'm just so curious about you! Also, I love all the website you visit.

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what? i think grey's is alright. dont watch it much anymore, just the 30 minutes after the office, but i guess it has a sorta trying-to-be-touchy-feely thing to it. i dont think it's horrid.
but i love house. it's sorta weird now, with the candidate/interns, but i love the unexpectedness. and plus, it was always weird because the diseases are 1-episode-solvable, so by looking at the time, you knew when they would be cured.

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hey In soon is pretty is out already right? can you blog about it if you like the show? :D thanks so much!!

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cheremaman -- that is quite possibly one of the loveliest compliments i've ever been given. thank you! i'm so glad you enjoy my site.

okay, i admit "horrible" may be harsh for grey's... it's not a terrible, F-quality show. it's decidedly mediocre. and i also really enjoyed its first (half) season, until McExwifey showed up and all of a sudden it was so DRAMATIC and SENSATIONAL! the reason i call it horrible, though, is because it seems like such a travesty to call it wonderful, and yet so many do -- so, for a show that gets nominations and awards and treated as brilliant, it's pretty horrible.

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I came across this today- Super Junior fans staged a sit-in or sit-out, pick which one you want, to protest the addition of another member to the pop group. Now am I crazy, or do young people nowadays have too much time and freedom? My mama would have whipped my behind if spent time to protest for something as mindless as this. I found this protest ridiculous and funny at the same time.

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A Korean blog I follow is Marmot's Hole (http://www.rjkoehler.com/). It is more politics and current events than pop culture, but I like it as a balance to all the pop culture I get from my drama addiction. I love the comments, which at times can be offensive and anti-Korean culture, but there is always a counter-view. With big news stories, such as the Korean hostage crisis or the recent visit by the Korean president to North Korea, I really appreciate the insight from Seoul. For K-pop tho, this blog is number 1!

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avonmarissa, I agree. Shouldn't they be studying or something? After school sports? What's with harassing their idols? I don't get it. Where are their parents when they do all these things?

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lol, that was my reaction to the suju fan revolt too. HA. it made me relieved that i've never been that devoted to any fan cause before, because imagine all the time i would've wasted doing pointless things like PICKETING about a BOY BAND.

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Thank Javabeans for posting the song Misread by Kings of Convenience. I listen to some of your songs choice and absolutely loved it. I don't listen to music much so I'm kinda backward in my knowledge of the music industry. So thanks Javabeans for the great introduction.
I didn't really like Grey's either and always have this feeling like they are trying just a little bit too hard, well that's my opinion only. Viewed Pushing Daisies the first time and fell in love with it immediately. A bit kinda quirky like some of Tim Burton's work but the colors makes me feel warm ... like some old movies. Love the way it was narrated, a bit long winded sometime but its a laugh. Thanks Javabeans, you're a doll.

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wow!!! expatjane was here!!! dramabeans you made it!! lol.. I enjoy both your blogs and i got a tingly sensation when i saw her post... oh yeah... lol

so just watched some of tonight's ''samantha who'' and it was HILARIOUS!!! god, too bad i barely ever watch tv, cuz this seems like fun show...but i'm kinda skeptical still, because this kind of shows can easily become a caricature... theres a fine line between humor and complete mess, and i hope they don't cross it....

lol at the super junior mess... people have too much time on their hands, to that I say teachers give them more homeworks cuz they obviously don't have enough...

people whats new in the drama world? i need something fresh, something that hasn't been discussed about a 1000 times in different blogs....i even found myself watching variety shows for 2 hours today...wow...the me from 5 months ago is frowning...maybe i should take my own advice and go do some homeworks... lol

another question... is schooling expensive in korea? i mean colleges in the US range between 20,000 - 40, 000 $ right?... and how is the living expenses there in general?

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thanks for the links. i love dooce's entries--hilarious.
any good fanfics/novels/mangas, especially asian-related?
since i've been suffering from tendy-korean-drama withdrawal, lately (hoping the one with kim hyun joo will be good, though she annoyed me in her last project), most fanfics make me feel like an old maid going through a premature mid-life crisis because i'm reading juvenile romances about high schoolers. i mean, i don't mind reading about people of a different generation, but the mary sues and prince charmings are so 2D that i'm starving for a little substance and intelligence. i know, i should just read a newpaper or classic but they arent' quite as entertaining (does that make me shallow? probably).
i was wondering if anyone could recommend some WELL-WRITTEN, witty whatevers for thinking adults (well, those who don't prefer to spend their time reading newspapers), especially Asian drama/manga related. i have recommendations of my own--cat street (also about high schoolers but love the slice-of-life character development) and walking wounded by curdled-milk on fanfiction.net. i've recommended this fic to a few just because it's the best hana yori dango fanfic i've read (caveat: liberal pairings appear).

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