Kawaii
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Vibe magazine folds
Sad...
Vibe Magazine—one of the biggest music magazines in America—is folding. The entire music magazine landscape is full of the dead and dying.
Wikipedia sums up Vibe unexpectedly well:
The magazine owes its success to having a broader range of interests than its closest competitors The Source and XXL which focus more narrowly on rap music or the rock & pop-centric Rolling Stone and Spin. It also differs from the more staid Essence, Ebony or Jet publications by attracting younger readers of many ethnicities.
It was essentially the black version of Rolling Stone, and its readership grew broader as hip hop became pop music. (Kind of fitting that their last issue had Eminem on the cover). But Vibe hasn't been doing well for a while now; in February, the magazine cut its circulation and frequency, and salaries. Now the music industry is crumbling, and the magazine industry is crumbling, and the music magazine industry is really crumbling.
The recent dead include Radio and Records, Performing Songwriter, and Blender. Vibe probably had the most demographically diverse readership of any major music magazine. Now, the hip hop magazine world is ruled by the shaky Source and XXL, with strong online competition; the trade music sector is still topped by Billboard, incredibly shaky as well; the pop music mag sector is ruled by Rolling Stone, which is a shell of its former self; and Spin, Fader, Paste, and everyone else are just trying to protect their own audiences from the free, and many times much better, online intruders. Hard times.
Vibe Magazine—one of the biggest music magazines in America—is folding. The entire music magazine landscape is full of the dead and dying.
Wikipedia sums up Vibe unexpectedly well:
The magazine owes its success to having a broader range of interests than its closest competitors The Source and XXL which focus more narrowly on rap music or the rock & pop-centric Rolling Stone and Spin. It also differs from the more staid Essence, Ebony or Jet publications by attracting younger readers of many ethnicities.
It was essentially the black version of Rolling Stone, and its readership grew broader as hip hop became pop music. (Kind of fitting that their last issue had Eminem on the cover). But Vibe hasn't been doing well for a while now; in February, the magazine cut its circulation and frequency, and salaries. Now the music industry is crumbling, and the magazine industry is crumbling, and the music magazine industry is really crumbling.
The recent dead include Radio and Records, Performing Songwriter, and Blender. Vibe probably had the most demographically diverse readership of any major music magazine. Now, the hip hop magazine world is ruled by the shaky Source and XXL, with strong online competition; the trade music sector is still topped by Billboard, incredibly shaky as well; the pop music mag sector is ruled by Rolling Stone, which is a shell of its former self; and Spin, Fader, Paste, and everyone else are just trying to protect their own audiences from the free, and many times much better, online intruders. Hard times.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Xavier Turns 3!
Went to celebrate my old pal Tania's son's 3rd bday today. Tania and I go back for about 10 years...we worked together way back in the days and just always kept in touch. Went to her wedding back in the days and we reconnected again through facebook and have been keeping up with each other since. This is Xavier's 3rd bday!
Golf themed cupcakes...dad and son like to hit the links!
Bday boy enjoying his bday cupcakes!
Dad and son are die hard Laker Fans....
right before he blew out the candles!
Golf themed cupcakes...dad and son like to hit the links!Bday boy enjoying his bday cupcakes!Dad and son are die hard Laker Fans....right before he blew out the candles!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
New gear for class
So in an effort to have at least ONE day a week of some good cardio....I have been taking a kickboxing class on Thursdays. Well...kickboxing is the last thing I should be doing as I have "bad feet." I used think I had gout but instead I have really flat feet that is now giving me problems. Anyways...so I need to lay off high impact stuff like running and jumping and even standing or walking for too long. But...I abuse my feet once a week to take this class...and got the last month I have been avoiding getting any sort of equipment for it. I just did not want to commit to it...but last week I had enough of the class' "stinky gloves" The ones that are available to use just were GROSS and SMELLY. I was done...so I have invested in my own gear. But bought some practice/bag gloves, some wraps and my cool shorts I got from Thailand in my last trip. If I go again this year I will pick up a couple more pairs. I love these things!So now the comedy is I will rock my new gear in class...knowing full well I am literally the worst student in class. I am un coordinated, my feet are shot so I cannot kick or run or jump and I probably punch like a girl. So...yeah the joke is always on me I will be the best dressed loser in kickboxing class.
All that matters is I get a good workout and maybe learn a thing or too right? Yeah...no more stinky gloves for me!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Reiko in super exclusive onesie!
KAWAII!
Look at Reiko as she smiles...and smiles! Why? Because her uncle Irving designed her a custom onesie!
During the baby show before little Reiko was even here, the hosts had all the guests submit designs for a special shirt for her arrival. I was very lucky to be chosen as one of the designs!
I am super PROUD my design was picked....and Reiko seems to like it too!
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