I know, SORRY doesn't cut it.

Dearest Readers,

MY SINCEREST APOLOGIES for my serious lack of attention to the blog this entire summer. I actually have been interacting with people and spending time outdoors, away from my computer. How refreshing? And I'm hoping you all were doing the same (enjoying your summers outdoors, away from the computers)!!!

I'm very excited to return to Portland soon where some of my friends are really taking over (or perhaps creating?) their own little art/music scene. I'll be setting up residence in Alberta and am excited to discover all the new things about Portland that I missed in my first year exiled to downtown.

Check back REEEEEALLY soon for a post about my travels to Outside Lands Music Festival and my road trip (yep, I really did drive) to Houston, Texas. I'm also hoping to get Blair and Sam back on board for the fall, as well as adding some new contributors to the crew. I'm getting stoked, so hopefully you are too!

Peace,
Amy Albertson
Administrator, 4monthsatsea.com

Hipster Colleges

Blair pointed me towards this pretty interesting article listing the 10 Most Hipster Colleges. Of course both her school, UC Santa Cruz, and mine, Portland State, make the cut.

Hipster culture is a definite guilty pleasure for most. It is completely ridiculous and yet you can't help but be completely fascinated. Fanny packs, grandma couture, chain smoking, indie rock, boys who look kind of like girls—I'll never understand my fascination, but I admit it exists.

More Hipster-Themed Sites
Hipster Runoff
The Cobra Snake
Look At This Fucking Hipster
Fuck Yeah Indie Boys
Fuck Yeah Indie Girls
Pitchfork

Spacement Thee Basement

If you're in Portland you should check out this sweet basement show! A few of my friends are playing in it and Spacement is a pretty fun place! Take some photos for me :D

Bragging Rights

By Amy Albertson

Blogging has been slow, and this is why. For the last few months I've been hard at work on my Sophomore Design Portfolio. I can't help but show off the hard work I've been doing!










More photos here.

The Night In Photos

WALTER TV
RICO ALL THE TIME
RAISED BY TELEVISION

Spacement Basement

If you're in the Portland, OR area you should definitely come to this basement show in North East this Friday! Good people, good music, good vibes!

Spacement Thee Basement Facebook Page

If you're a band interested in playing some rad basement shows then get in contact with Jon and Megan. They're always looking for great bands to book.
spacementbooking@gmail.com

Academically Speaking

WEEK ONE, DONE! And a long week it has been. I'm taking 4 classes this term (Typography 1, Digital Illustration 1, Communication Design Studio 1 and American Studies), and believe me, it is a good load. So far my classes are all pretty interesting and seem promising. My teachers all seem nice, intelligent for the most part, and entertaining, which is always great. Although I haven't had TOO much work just yet, school feels like a drag already. Waking up to be in class by 9am four days a week is harder than you think, especially when you are used to getting up for noon classes or no classes. But despite my busy school days I've been managing to work the few, short shifts they give me at work and also make it to the gym just about everyday. Being able to do all of these "grown up" things successfully makes me happy.
I also manage to mix in a little fun. Lenae brought back the first season of Vampire Diaries, and I'll admit I'm pretty hooked. Can anyone say "guilty pleasure"? Yea.
Although I'm once again becoming acclimated here in the freezing Pacific Northwest, I realize I miss California and all the people and wonderful things there. In N Out burger, we shall see each other soon enough!

Music: My Body Is A Cage - The Arcade Fire

Take Your Medicine

On Wednesday night I went with Hanna and Sam to the Roseland to see my favorite Portland band, STARFUCKER! I'm not exactly sure why, but Starfucker is my favorite Portland band, which is crazy because so many amazing bands come from Portland. But they win because they sing my favorite song in the world: Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second. The song is my favorite for a few reasons. It leads in with some heavy bass beats at a mellow tempo; just right for swaying to the beat and bobbing your head. (I also like to add some arms waving around in the air, very hippie-ish). Then come the whispery vocals. I guess I just love how the song is really interesting but still just really easy to listen to and enjoy.

But anyway. The show was AMAZING fun. They dressed up in women's dresses with wigs and make-up. Everyone just danced like crazy!!! There are few things better than hearing some of your favorite music being played live, at high volume, and feeling it with an entire crowd of people.

Photos by Sam Hackerson

Music: Starfucker

School Daze

Yesterday was my first day of classes at PSU. I decided to take a classic "first day of school" picture of myself since my parents obviously weren't here to do it. My classes weren't too bad. One of them (Computer Graphics for GD) seems a little behind my level but the teacher is funny/interesting and you can always learn new things from new teachers. The second (Intro to Communication Design) looks like it might kick my ass but the projects seem really cool. We are already beginning the steps to create our own typefaces. The teacher is super cool/cute and I am already formulating a mini crush on him (but he's married).


Today was not as fun. Environmental Science turned out to be a hybrid class and a lab science. That means we only meet once a week, have online stuff, and I had to add an 8am lab to my schedule. I tried to crash a French class and after 2 hours of frying my brain with basic French phrases I was let down and unable to add the class. Frustrated and tired, my new friend Erika and I went to Powell's (so I could do an assignment. Yes, my HW was to go to Powell's Books.) and decided to stop at VooDoo donuts along the way. Best idea EVER!!!! I got the coveted Bacon Maple Bar (exactly what it sounds like: Maple Bar with strips of bacon on top!) and Erika got a cute little VooDoo doll donut. Needless to say that cheered me up :D

Music: Yea Yeah - Matt & Kim

We had to make flickrs for my ART 120 class so you can check it out if you want. Its only my design stuff from that class so its good ;D
www.flickr.com/amyalbertson (link to the right)

The New School

Saturday I moved into my new dorm room at PSU. The move went surprisingly well considering there are 15 floors of frenzied students trying to cram all their junk into tiny, shared rooms. To my relief, all of my stuff (even my clothes) fit and I am pretty satisfied with my set up so far. The people here are really friendly, for the most part, and my roommate is really nice. Everyone on my floor seems to be eager to hangout and I'm feeling pretty comfortable even though it has only been 2 days. I've even found friends with a TV who share my guilty pleasure television choices. All quite a relief after my CCA experience. I look forward to starting classes and meeting even more people and exploring more of Portland!

I ran into a small problem while decorating my room. For some reason no types of tape would stick to my walls....but I tried again today and it stuck so we'll see. I cannot live in a colorless world! I need to look at beautiful things.

Today began what they call "Viking Days". Its a bunch of planned activities and information sessions which go on the first week. Unfortunately I missed a few this morning because I was too lazy to get up but I'm looking forward to doing some more stuff the rest of the week.

Music: Ashley - The Dodos

Today is Weird

LAST CALL FOR SACRAMENTO!!! Today's my last day. Tomorrow morning my parents are taking me to Portland and I'm moving into the dorms at PSU. I've been waiting about 5 long months for this. Part of me doesn't want to leave. Luckily a bigger part of me knows that this fresh beginning and new place will be great. I know it is up to me to make it amazing for myself, and that is exactly what I plan to do!

CALIFORNIA I SHALL MISS YOU DEARLY!

Music: Sleigh Bells and Best Coast

Double-Double

The past week I've been SUPER busy. Sarah and I went to Outside Lands Music Festival and then immediately the morning after my parents and I drove to Portland. I definitely went balls to the wall on that one.





Outside Lands was exhausting, but FANTASTIC! Friday night we got to see Tokyo Police Club (finally!!!) at Rickshaw Stop, a smaller venue, and then Saturday and Sunday we saw so many amazing performances!! Saturday: Tokyo Police Club, The Strokes, Cat Power, the Levon Helms Band, Langhorne Slim, etc. Sunday: Phoenix (who I've decided gets my Best of Festival Award), Al Green, Temper Trap, Kings of Leon, THe Soft Pack. It all went by so quickly, but I honestly had a really, really, really great time and am so glad that we got to go! And after 2 days of pretty much living off of the muffins, chex mix, and odwalla bars we brought, In-n-out Burger never tasted better. Such dedication!

Day 5: A Picture of your Morning
This is a picture of yesterday morning, at the hotel in Portland. We woke up at 6 to drive home from Portland. The reason for the quick trip was for orientation. It wasn't what i would call fun, but a lot of business got taken care of. I registered for classes and figured out all the shit i need to do in the next 4 years. This last semester was so lax and weird that i was reminded of all the hard work i'm going to need to do. It's half exciting and half scary. I hope I haven't lost it.

Music: Last Nite - The Strokes

By the Sea

Tomorrow I'm leaving for family vacation in Mendicino. My family has a house there. I'll be back on Tuesday and then Sarah and I are leaving on Friday for San Francisco. We're going to Outside Lands Music Festival. Immediately after that, on the next Monday, I'm heading to Portland with my parents for my orientation. I'll try my best to blog about this string of adventures as they happen.

Music: The Harrowing Adventures of... - Tokyo Police Club

Spring Break List

This past week was my "spring break" which really kind of meant i did what i usually do minus go to class. Although, i have to say it wasn't too bad of a break. I got to spend some unexpected quality time with one of my best friends (which did prevent me from really sleeping in too much) and i did appreciate the 4 days of not going to classes. I only wish that i might've gotten to go to my beach house.

Spring Break 2010:
1. Tennis Racquet Research (brought to you by Brian, of course)
2. reading lots and lots of magazines
3. homework, homework, and still not even done with my homework
4. Spring Cleaning
5. official acceptance to PSU!!!

Music: Taylor Swift, Brand New, and Rude Boy - Rihanna

all around P-town

last weekend i visited Portland, OR to see my friends Sarah, Elise, and Jonathan and to see PSU, which will most likely be my future home come this fall. Portland is really an interesting and beautiful place. the streets are as immaculate my dentist office and there are various pockets of wilderness. PSU is nice. i like how it is very urban and integrated in to the greater downtown. food carts, Powell's Books, and Stumptown coffee are also really fun. although i didn't get to go to any house shows, i'm very excited to experience more of the musical culture when i live there.
Highlights of the trip (in list form, duh):
1) seeing Starfucker unexpectedly, for free, and dancing on stage. (seeing Elise)
2) awesome chill time with Sarah in her dorm room. i love our good laughs and miss them a lot.
3) seeing An Education with Sarah.
4) guest hosting Jonathan's radio show.
5) Mad Libs and the Olympics with Sarah and her very normal friends. Mara gave me a sweet fake tattoo.
6) taking forever to remember there is no sales tax. (OR's one superior characteristic over CA)



i didn't take nearly enough pictures.

smile, you love us

i realize my only posts this month have appeared very "woe is me". i'm not unhappy. i am happy, in most respects anyway. things could be better but alas they could also be much, much worse.

this evening i am flying to Portland so my next post will be very long and full of amazing pictures and stories from my adventure!

Music: City Middle - the National

winter musings

with this terribly stormy weather the past few days i've been nesting on my ikea futon for more hours than is probably good. however sad that might seem, there have been a few fun developments:

Weardrobe 100 i think that everyone should visit this fun site. it is 100 people with great wardrobes. lots of bloggers, models, photographers and students. i hope to be as fabulous as them someday (soon).

i started a tumblr for my more ADD, everyday (or multiple times a day), undeveloped thoughts. a link can be found to the left (next to all the cool things i think you should check out that i'm checking out).

i booked my trip to visit Portland! i'm going thursday Feb 11th in the evening and returning monday Feb 15th. i won't be in town for Valentine's day but that shouldn't really be a problem i hope. i never liked the (fake) holiday and don't think i really want to be a part of it now. although the economy is pretty shitty, so lovers, GO BUY STUFF!

Music: Albert Hammond Jr., Lady Gaga - Alejandro

Community

today was the first day of the next 16 weeks of my life. in other words, i started at sac city college. thank god my last day of freedom was good. but yea, basically i hate it but that probably has something to do with the fact that it was pouring down rain and ridiculously windy for the entire day or that my first day also happened to be a Tuesday (i have 4 classes). luckily i was added to the 2 classes i was wait listed for, including my Illustrator class. city college might be the economical thing to do when you want to go to college but for some reason or another able to go to a four year institution but it is just not the place for me. I CAN'T WAIT TO GO TO PORTLAND!

Music: Xiu Xiu, Lady Gaga