the economy

Fuck what you heard. We are all broke ESPECIALLY my dumb ass. It really ain't nothing without money. Just waiting for the day when I am stress free.

MILK

"His life changed history. His courage changed lives."

The film is based on the true story of the struggle and achievements of Harvey Milk.

After moving to San Francisco, the middle-aged New Yorker, Harvey Milk, became a Gay Rights activist and city politician. On his third attempt, he was elected to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors in 1977, making him the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the USA. The following year, both he and the city's mayor, George Moscone, were shot to death by former city supervisor, Dan White, who blamed his former colleagues for denying White's attempt to rescind his resignation from the board [imdb].

This film is TOO GOOD and it's definitely a must see. The cast was perfect and the acting was just amazing. Overall the film did the subject justice and was very visually moving from the way it was filmed.

[James Franco HOTNESS]

Milk was filmed on location in San Francisco. Many of Mr Milk's real-life surviving friends and former associates participated in the making of this film, several appearing on camera.

As I stepped out of the Castro theatre after watching the film, I felt the change that took place at the exact same spot I was standing. This is where history happened and the struggle is not yet over. The film and its message parallels the events that are happening today with the whole Prop 8. During the film, the gays where fighting for their civil rights during the 1970s...decades later we are still fighting for that same right as well as the right to marry. It takes time...it takes time. So as we wait for that time to come...what will you do?

prop. 8 musical

hahahaha so true. Totally hilarious.

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

couples

My assignment to photograph couples using a two-light set-up:

Joey & Vanessa

Maihien & MJ

More on my flickr ----->

single ladies

Haha! Justin Timberlake is HILARIOUS ... lovers him!

SNL skit:

Dia De Los Muertos

Here's a couple of shots that I took from Dia De Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead down in the Mission on September 2. Interesting how I thought this was a vastly Latino celebration but from what I saw ... was more whites than people of color celebrating it. More drunks than people chillin' and remembering their dead. I don't know, I just felt like it was another excuse for people to party in the Mission [I swear I saw at least a couple of folks on something] or another form of what gentrification is doing to this neighborhood.

To end the night, I had to walk around for an hour trying to find my car. Found it when my classmate had to drive down to the Mission to pick me up and drive me around to look for it ... it so happened to be parked only a block away. WTF Trina!

Angry Black White Boy

Last night I was taken to see the play "Angry Black White Boy" at The Intersection for the Arts on Valencia. Boy was it great! I enjoyed the old school hip-hop references to the racism message. The beat-boxing, dancing and rapping was off the hook that it made me bob my head like I was at a hip-hop show. The play was a great turn out that they extended it for one more week so I definitely recommend you all to go see it while it's here!

Info on the play at The Intersection for the Arts

If you're a hip-hop head, you will mos def enjoy the show. TRUST.

remember the 4th of November

The 4th of November is history in the making, the passing of the torch from one generation to another, from the old white folks towards the young and people of color. It took one hell of a time but it finally happened. You can see how our nation is changing, developing and how we as a country came to this point to bring forth a president of change. Barack Obama is not just a president of color but rather a symbol that represents a multitude of things to the people in this nation.

He has one fuckin' load to deal with once he's in office so don't complain when you don't see the change he promises right away. Come on people, it's not going to take one term for everything to change ... we just need to work our way out of the damn mess that the fool put us in with his eight year reign.

I admit, I got a little too emotional when I was folding my laundry and watching the election. As soon as Obama came on stage with his family, I knew everything was already different. A family of color on stage in front of the world, ready to become a leader of one of the most powerful countries ... wow. No surprise now if a woman becomes our next president. I watched how people from all over the country reacted to the news ... you can actually see the hope in people's faces. Oh and can you say CELEBRATION?! The Mission, the Castro and I'm sure all over the world people used this victory for an excuse to party. Amazing.

[photos taken from flickr]

As a journalist, I stood outside the Salvation Army Hall on Valencia Street on the day of the election asking exit polling questions. From white to people of color, from young to old, people poured into the Hall to vote and have their opinions matter in this year’s election. Choosing who is going to be our nation’s next president was not the only important issue to vote for, but propositions like 4 and 8 were among the most important ones for residents in the Mission.

“There’s a lot of big issues in this year’s election, but personally for me, it’s Prop. 4 and 8,” said Kevin Schuter who lives down the block from the Salvation Army Hall. “Everyone has a choice and everyone has a right for equality.”

People in the Mission felt strongly about Prop. 8 and believe that everyone should have equal rights, which brought many supporters of gay marriage to the polls.

“No on Prop. 8. Why? I’d like to stay married,” said Joe as he raised his left hand to reveal a wedding band.

In the end, there was no hesitation in people's expression and answer when asked whom they voted for.

“Obama of course,” said Joe with a satisfactory smile.

** Hey if you find a news paper for Weds, Nov. 5 .... can I buy it off you?!

family portraits

Here's a few of my family. Oh how we are crazy ... oh so crazy. <3

the cuzzo

the lil' cuzzo

Mamang

I have one hell of a family on my dad's side, but I love them. Never a dull moment.

don't vote

Once again...

THIS TUESDAY people! NOV. 4

trick or treat

Halloween cupcakes and m&ms for my food still life assignment. Decided to go with the upcoming events and have some sweets that I can eat after the shoot. Happy Gruesome Halloween folks! 

an annoying stand for prop. 8

I wouldn't be surprised if it passes. But I guess it takes time for change ... "like the civil rights movement".

NY Times article

I still don't understand why the church won't allow the spread of love! That's all we doing right ... making a commitment because you want to spend the rest of your life with another human being.

Christians say people should love their neighbors, do good in this world, treat others the way you want to be treated ... blah blah fuckin' blah. That whole spill will go down drain if they don't allow people the right to love their partners. Lets see how Christian you can be now.

FYI, this is a new era ... the queers are taking over the world.

blink

We need to respect the fact that it is possible to know without knowing why we know and accept that - sometimes - we're better off that way.

Google's G1

Lookie, Google is coming out with a phone that matches the iphone. T-mobile will be the provider [mine] but I don't know. It doesn't look as appealing as the iphone but this is the first of its kind ... so maybe wait it out a little longer for newer versions.

NY Times article

I still want a 3g! Fuckin' Steve Jobs and his super cool lookin' apple shit. It will totally complement my imac and ipod duh.

b-boy at ocean beach

Jan Ferrer break dancing at Ocean Beach for my photo assignment. Picture me holding an umbrella, aiming my camera and hoping to get a good shot ... was so freakishly windy.

so who has plans?

Again, if you're still not clear on who to vote for this coming presidential election ...

NY Times article

... and again, tell me why it doesn't matter on who we should vote for.
Thanks McCain for giving us a reality check.

Connecticut is in!

Connecticut just legalized same-sex marriages! Three down, 47 to go!

NY Times article

The Navy Blue Angels are in town. Check them out zooming around San Francisco this weekend.

don't vote

Just had to post this because my future ex-wifey Natalie Portman is soooo gorgeous. Oh and I heart Sarah Silverman.

LoveFest 2008

It felt like God cleared the day for LoveFest. Fearing that it was going to rain on us that day, we all went despite the obvious weather. To our surprise ... it totally cleared and ended up being a bomb ass day for good love and music!

No afterparty this year but I could of gone after hearing that people were able to just walk in. 

San Francisco + drank + herb + beats + good vibes = SCORE! <3

VP debate

So I was hoping Sarah Palin would prove me wrong and walk into the debate and literally surprise the fuck out of us. Guess it didn't happen but I'm not going to start bashing on her. You can say she did alright for being a newbie even if the answers to the questions constantly consists of the words "energy" and "maverick". Or that her sentences goes off into nowhere!

Overall, I am pleased with Barack Obama's pick with Joe Biden. Whatever Obama lacks [experience], Biden makes up for it [35 years in politics]. Haha, I actually like the guy.

"Say it ain't so, Joe." - Governor Palin

Palin on foreign policy

Foreal foreal now? What an idiot.

snowboarder

Thanks Mia for wearing my snowboarding gear. More on my flickr---->

weekend test

Testing out my new camera this weekend. Random shots but I did get some work done as well. Thanks to the Regulators for being my last minute  models! While I'm at it, might as well post a couple photos of yours truly =P  Check out the flickr for more shots. 

my CherryBoo

republicans

And you want to vote for another one? They can't even agree within their own party.

NY Times article

Obviously by now you can tell I'm going to vote for Obama. Not because he's a minority, or he's "cool" ... but the fact that I rather have him [the man who pushed questions in the bailout meeting] than McCain [the man who barely said shit].

... and HELL NAW to Palin!

Ok so don't vote if you don't want to. But FUCK YOU if those two become the leaders of this country.

new toys

Here's to my new toys. Oh the wonders of lighting equipment ... bleh, I'm hella broke now. Still not enough ... I want another stand, softbox, boom, and more lights. Plus I would like a backdrop ... ok fuck it, I want a studio. haha.

Aye! snowboarding season is coming up and I'm still in need of a snowboard! Shit I want, shit I can't get.

Oh and I suppose I didn't mention to you all that I got a new baby ... Nikon D300.

I am officially content with my non-existent love life because of my new toys. All the energy that I would pour into someone is going towards my photography. Good shit. I swear, I'm not just being lazy. Like Jay-Z said, "I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one."

I'm livin' the life of a broke ass mothah fuckah goal getter.
But, I woudn't mind meeting my Ms. Independent.

VERJ

Had dinner with a home-girl from Germany last night. Catching up with our lives and found out she's actually going to start-up her own clothing line called VERJ, aiming for urban street wear. After we all graduated from HS, she left for a fashion school down in Italy while the rest of us moved to Cali [when I thought my ass was going to be a computer scientist]. Well, her mom actually created the designs she made while she was in Italy and now she's having a fashion show back in Germany. We decided that in the future, there is a possibility of us working together. So look for us, we be coming at you BIG.

Back in the day: Kaiserslautern Germany

[yup that's me lol]

Tribu

My fourth assignment for photo IV was to use bounce strobe in a restaurant. All thanks to my Bff's boyfriend who use to work in one. Tribu in San Bruno scored major points for their Bagaong Rice!

Try it.

announcement

Them two are way too sexy. My goodness ... major steez. 

"yeaaah this is hip-hop baby"

Beezies who dance like that in the video = hot.

on the way

I can't run from John Mayer forever. He knows me too well. Sing it Mr. JM ... perfect songs for the soundtrack of my life. The answer to all your questions on "why Trina, dammit why?!" 

"I'm done with broken people, this is me I'm working on ... I've been lonely but I know that I'll be OK, good love is on the way."

we're fucked

Our economy seems to be fucked. What to do, what to do. 

NY Times article

"We are in a major crisis. This election is of importance for many reasons. You are the ones that will get us out of it." - V. Wagner - Department Chair, School of Journalism

dancer

My third assignment for photo IV was to photograph an artist under different types of found-light. Of course I did it at the last minute before I had to pick my parents up from SFO and I only had one location [my apartment] in one time of day [evening]. Here's Amanda Lee, a sister of mine, who has been dancing for five years. 

[these photos are better enlarged]

bump and grind

Ok so I was looking at my itunes and realized that my "freaky fuck" playlist [don't lie, you know you got one too when you be gettin' it] is a lot longer than any of my other ones. LOL wtf.

Daaaaamn I got some hella old school shit too. Remember them lap-dance days? R. Kelly, Keith Sweat and 112! I'm about to make me a projectplaylist with all baby makin' music ... see if ya'll get your freak on with my page in the background haha!

Wow, ok. Listening to this is makin' me all ... naw, I'm just still drunk. haha. Officially taking my lazy ass and going to hollernation. Time to start hollerizing "hey girl hey".

Sooo anyone down to listen to the songs...in my room? No? Yes? Maybe? haha

I remember

The day when the world changed. It's been seven years and we can still feel what we felt seven years ago. Today in my Ethics in Journalism class, we watched a live airing of that day. We all took turns telling our story of what we remembered.

I was in Germany, a sophomore in high school. Over there it happened during the afternoon so the first plane hit when I was still on the bus going home. My uncle was visiting for a week because he was stationed in Aviano, Italy. I walked in with him glued to the TV and was curious to know what movie he was watching [many of us thought it was a movie]. Then I saw it...the second plane crashing into the second tower... I didn't know what to say, what to do ... then it hit me, call dad, call dad. I phoned my dad but I couldn't get through and I remembered, he's ok. He's here in Germany, not there anymore. I was panicking because he was recently there in New York the week before. Then my mom called. She said the bases are going to be on lock-down and she wouldn't get home for awhile. So I just sat there...watching the people in debris and smoke with my uncle until my parents came home. School was cancelled for us for four days. The bases were on lock-down for those days, meaning high security. Very difficult to get in or out and it was like that for awhile.

So that's what happened in that time, in that part of the world for me. It is not yet history, and we are all still suffering from that day in many ways than one.

vegas

Always crazy, always fun. Total hour of sleep for three days = 5.

"shake 'em dice and roll 'em!"

note: never let your home boys make hard-boiled eggs for an 8 hour road-trip. 

sunset

My first assignment for photo IV was to go out and find a stationary object or scenery to take a photo of during different times of the day. I chose the view and the tower of Twin Peaks. I've always wanted to take a photo up there but never had a chance to. Now here it is. I also took that night shot of the city in my banner. It took me three trips: one during sunset, two during sunrise and three during mid-day. It was amazing being up there watching the sun go down and then up again at 6 in the morning. I love San Francisco. 

08.31.08

Fuck. It's hard wanting what you can't have. 

thanks

Thank you for the comments on my playlist on MySpace, Downelink and Facebook. I appreciate your praises for my music taste...meaning you guys have one hella of a taste too. Yes, my playlist is hella random but that just means I can't get enough of everything. I love music PERIOD. Growing up as an only child made me of course, pretty lonely at times. I always had to find something to keep me entertained and music was at it's best in the 90's. It also helped that my parents are young and was jammin' to Janet, Madonna, WHAM! and all them fools. Once I got older, I went through my phases. Goth, punk, hip-hop and trance. Now I'm just taking it all in, listening to whatever that can make me groove to the beat but it's all about that old school shit ya dig. Jimi Hendrix is a fuckin' god.

Also, thanks to those who followed me to my new spot and is still keeping tabs with my [not so interesting] life and opinions. Totally appreciate the comments. You guys are awesome. HEART.

FYI. The heat is making me all hot and yeah....haha being on campus is not too bad during this weather.

Oh, try to catch Obama's speech tonight!

shot of love

The photos are up from the casting call of A Shot of Love 3 on www.aidasecret.com. Yes, there has  been changes and it's not going to be Tila as the bisexual bachelorette for the season. Some chic at the party came up to tell me it's going to be one of the girls from Danity Kane but nobody knows for certain who. Hmmm? I have no clue who the individuals are in that group so I'm not too excited.

 Best photos are up on my flickr ---------->