Liana,

Hey there. How was your flight? I had a dream about you during my nap on the couch on this lazy afternoon. I found myself in a world of darkness and the only thing I gather that moment was that you here, right next to me. I reached for your hand and intertwined my fingers with yours and began walking in the void. I was comforted instantly. We didn’t talk much – we just enjoyed each other’s company… hands swaying… walking in-step. I stopped moving for a moment and you hugged me from behind – your arms around my chest and your warmth on my back. I felt your lips on the nape of my neck and I closed my eyes to experience it fully, hoping that if was a dream… I wouldn’t-

Wake up. *sigh*

Remember that picture? Man, that was such a beautiful day in California. I can’t wait until you get back. Miss you baby. Come back safely from China.

(And totally bring me presents!)

~Herschell

Pancakes with blackberry lemon syrup served in bed. Tulips that were too short. Hair through my fingertips. Kate’s cupcakes from a Seattle favorite for her and friends. An orange jacket left in the car. A trip to the taco truck, corporate-based burritos too. High fives. A couple old fashioned donuts. An afternoon on a sunny cafe’s couch, reading paperbacks (one fiction, one not). Booty dancing. A couple dressing rooms full of clothes. Exploring our new city. Some video games on big and small screens. Candied wallnuts. Laughing. A small clutch and a 3AM trip to IHOP. Arguing about Allez or Iron cuisine. A very brief walk around the lake. Flip flops in February. Duck with raspberry soy sauce at an undiscovered sushi spot. Eating perfect burgers with the sun on our faces. Brown tea. Mango tea. Vanilla soy lattes. Music from commercials and suppressed coughing. Straight up, unfiltered fun.

I love this girl.

*blush*

Happy Valentine’s Day sweetheart.

xoxo,

~Herschell

You know, I used to unleash my streaming consciousness on the Internets almost everyday. I would vent about life’s many frustrations, the trials it takes to heal from those problems and the funny things that happened along the way. I love this blog… whether or not anyone reads it or not. Hee hee.

After moving again, I realized that life is pretty much the same if you stay true to yourself. I still cook. I still love to iron my button-down shirts every morning. I still religiously dig through my drawers for the pair of argyle socks from J. Crew that are down to their last thread. I still brush my teeth AFTER I get dressed (which is the STUPIDEST habit I have) and I still try to match my boxers to the tie that I am wearing that day – if I could, I would have the elastic stick out to show everyone my uncanny fashion sense. LOL.

That being said, some things have changed. When I wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I now have to put the alarm back on snooze for someone else. I now make breakfast for two and plan out cleverly crafted lunches (if I do say so myself) in durable Pyrex containers which I stuff in a manpurse backpack and purse, respectively. I have now learned to plan things around Project Runway and America’s Top Model. I know what a “delicates” bag is. I live in an environment with hardwood flooring, by choice. I use (have permission) to use the highest quality of facial cleansers and moisturizers. I get into arguments on a regular basis, but not fights. I get into fights, but not irrational shouting matches. I get into irrational shoutin… ok not there yet. LOL.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that, I’m in REAL pajamas – not just gym shorts and a t-shirt, in a bed with decorative pillows – not just whatever was cheapest @ Target, on hardwood floors in a two-story townhouse, located in a quiet neighborhood sitting in an area right outside downtown Seattle…

…all while looking up recipes, reading game reviews, digesting tech news and shopping online on a neighbor’s “borrowed” wireless Internet on my laptop.

Like I said.

Some things change…

…and some things will always stay the same.

~Herschell

From Sunday, March 29, 1981, to Monday, June 25, 1984,

I’ve had 3 years, 2 months, 28 days of extra time to be on Earth. 1185 days to know the perfect time to hold your hand. 169 weeks to plan every word that I have (and will) whisper in your ear. 28,440 hours to think of things will make you laugh. 1,706,400 minutes to live up to your expectations. 102,384,000 seconds to grow into someone you have come to trust. And most importantly…

…I’ve had countless breathless moments that I tell myself…

…I like you for you.

xoxo,

~Herschell

I added LauLau as my significant other in Facebook today. It was a bit of an unnerving process. I actually had to RE-ASK her to be my girlfriend again. My palms accumulated sweat, butterflies spawned from my abdomen and hair started growing in new and different places ROFFLE my voice started squeaking frequently. LOL. Ok, maybe not that bad, but I had to wonder if anyone used Facebook as a primary means to confirm a relationship? Just think about it. HMMMMMMMmmmm….

**cue daydream sound FX intro**

Charles Paul Unger (CPU, GET IT?) goes on a date with Rachael Anne Matson (did you get that one too? LOL). They start going to dates frequently for the next few weeks and Rachael starts to get nervous about the “OMG WHAT ARE WE” topic. Charlie, being the non-confrontational guy that he is, nonchalantly sends Rachael a “GIRLFRIEND CONFIRMATION.” She accepts, and they live happily ever after. YAY. Crisis averted! (Well, until Charlie gets to be lab partners with Hanna-Daisy Dafne von Dashenbourg (HD-DVD, damn that’s a stretch) and they have a great “chemistry” together… in, and out of class).

**cue daydream sound FX outro**

So this is what she saw after I *gulp* sent her the notification. Isn’t it nice? I wonder how long her finger was hovering over DECLINE. LOL. I don’t know why the format of these two requests (pictured above) are different (not that it would matter anyway, its not like 1 person would see the both sides of the network connection), but they’re both cute with their accented hearts and “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” verbiage.

I have an Interne… er… real gf! YAY.

~Spec

Casual conversation like the openeing sequence of Meet Joe Black. Talkin’ business like Wall Street. Gettin’ around San Francisco just like The Pursuit of Happiness. Singing songs like Dreamgirls. Listening to old tracks like High Fidelity. Gettin’ geeky like Star Wars. Chatting online like You’ve Got Mail. Talking about retail like in Shopgirl. Cheesy like Office Space. Cell phone talk like The Matrix. Secrets like The Good Shepard. Partying like Kid n’ Play’s House Party. Vegging like the end of Notting Hill. Video Games like The Wizard. Cooking and Eating like Eat Drink Man Woman. Speechless, like those scenes in Garden State, Elizabeth Town and She’s All That.

Magic like The Prestige. More wonder than Amelie, Princess Mononoke and Pan’s Labyrinth combined.

Just like the movies.

~Herschell

Update: I seem to have killed the sappy mood by misspelling Hawaiian. Boo. Hee hee.

Lady Scarlet,

Here is a link to all of my Relationship posts that I told you about earlier. Please don’t judge… I was younger (two years) and more innocent (yeah right) back then. Haha. Oh, and please leave your adorable dogs in the garage, we’ll have a lot to talk about in the near future. Hee hee.

Two songs to play until the weekend:

***
[See blog post to listen to audio]
New Edition – Cool it Now

and…

[See blog post to listen to audio]
Nelly Furtado – Crazy (Gnarles Barkley Cover)
***

xoxo,

~Haste

Rho: you know the test tube girl?
Herschell / Special*Dark: Yup.
Rho: can you do one with a snowboard?
Herschell / Special*Dark: YES.

Rhoda wanted this girl (I finally decided to name her Autumn) on a snowboard. I got a little carried away with the drawing. Hee hee. I also felt like the “cartoon representation of me” (you know, the pointy haired guy) was being neglected somewhat… so I had him ski into a bad patch of trees. Which leads me to this true statement:

Skiing is a bad first date activity.

That is all.

~Spec

Larger (and more dithered view) here. Toby’s birthday! YAY. We beat the rush and had a “festive” meal @ Los Cantaros Restaurant. We all ordered too much and walked around Lake Merrit for a bit to aid in the digestion process. Good times, good times.

The picture above reminds me of those “Love is…” greeting cards.

It makes me feel all ewww cheeeesy warm and fuzzy inside. LOL.

~Spec

People hate on the Black Eyed Peas. Actually, most people hate on the *NEW AND IMPROVED* Black Eyed Peas (or BEP for short). That’s me. I’ve never bought into the Fergie thing… and the only picture that pops into my mind when she comes up in conversation is *THAT* pictures with *THOSE* pants on *THAT* stage. Gross. Real hip hoppers don’t mess themselves. Well, I’m sure Ol’ Dirty Bastard did, but he prolly had a REASON. LOL.

So anyway, I’m not into the new stuff. I’m tired of Timba (even though everything he puts out is insanely catchy as hell)… and I haven’t really been moved by anything under 105 bpm lately (Gnarles Barkley’s Crazy grooves happily on 112). BUT, that just means more time with the 90’s hip hop that I grew up with.

With that being said, I’ve been listening to a LOT of BEP’s older stuff, namely the Bridging the Gap album. I have a lot of memories of driving back and forth from home and college with this CD on full blast. It’s a fun album to listen to, especially if you want to chill out. Lots of clever lyrics and funky jazz samples.

So as I was taking a listen down memory lane, I realized that one of their songs really simplifies how a relationship is supposed to work. Granted, it’s only 2 lines, but you’ll know what I mean. Hell, I even set it as my default cell phone ringer.

Download here (Right-click and select “Save As…”) or give it a listen below (be mindful of the volume, the clip is a wee bit on the loud side):

***
[See blog post to listen to audio]
Black Eyed Peas – Lil’ Lil’ (That’s How it’s Supposed to Be Edit)
***

“Make a lil’ love… ’cause we can”

~Spec