♥ Stuff The Transcender Likes
These conglomerates help me make my own culture and who I am today. MAD props if you know some of the things on this list (not including the mainstream one though). And if you’re looking for a wishlist, you can’t go wrong with any of these.
James Bond
On Her Majesty Secret Service was my favorite Bond movie because it showed Bond as the romantic and sensitive lover he is when he’s not a cold and heartless assassin. Also, I must admit George Lazenby is the most fashionable Bond yet to date. Bond is so debonair and is the type of man I respect, but so not ruthless or misogynist.
Bruce Lee
This man has done so much for the martial art world, that it’s often unappreciated. He was such a powerful figure and force to be reckon with…and still remains today as a strong role model for Asian American boys and men to look up to. Not to mention his physique…Mmmm…We can only try.
Michael Jackson
This man has done so much for the pop culture, that it’s ridiculous. He took up the dance floor and made dancing the iconic symbolism of expression that it is today. This man was versatile…singing about Billie Jean, smooth criminal, to not being a lone, to world poverty, to the man in the mirror. It’s unfortunate to see such a talented performer missed out on childhood because of the life that he had to lead…and for people for judge him for something they don’t even know for certain about…And like all great artists, he was unappreciated until he passed away… The world that we live in…
Fred Astaire
This man can DANCE. Finding out about Fred in the summer of 09 is one of the best discovery I have ever done. So smooth…so elegant…so classic. If you can make another human being move that Fred does and croon the way he croons…oh boy. You’ll get all the people swooning after you.
Sam Sparro
Black and Gold will forever be one of my favorite song of all time. I give props to Sparro for being outed as a proud gay man and still be as successful as he is. I love his style, voice, and song lyrics.
Big Bang
I love how this Korean pop/hip hop/trance/infinity group is so versatile. The got mad style and mad skills. I love how each of the group has an important role that helps the group as Big and their Bang is. For example, it’s not just a group of pretty boys, but a group of boys that have individual skills…and a group that can appeal to many audiences…You got the rapper, the leader, the crooner, the pretty face that can smooth talk, and the R&B persona, the instrument player, whatever. They can change their style as quickly as you change underwears—and still be successful at it, like a boss. One minute, they’re a bunch of club bangers, then a group of backstreetboys, then a sad group of love song, then a japanese emo group. Whoever their stylist, I gotta give it to them because they always bring it fresh…it’s impeccable. Their video quality never cease to amaze me.
Royksopp
Only This Moment hold a special place in my memory because it got me through the hard year of 2007…and helped my girlfriend and I get together.
WHAM!
George Michael and the other’s guy name. It’s really just George Michael though. Anyways, they have a lot of songs that I grew up with while I was growing up in Cambodia. Careless Whisper is a song about cheating and breaking up, but ironically, it has helped people make more babies than anything else. I think “Careless Whisper” is one of the sexiest song of all time.
Gankutsou: The Count of Monte Cristo
I have not read The Count of Monte Cristo but because this anime is based on this book, I can only contemplate that it’s an amazing story. All I know is that Gankutsou has some big twists where it’s put in the future, etc. I can’t emphasizes enough how the graphic in this anime is absolutely breathtaking. Maybe it’s because the art design is by Anna Sui. I don’t watch a lot of anime…but I am so glad I saw this one, and I’ve tried to watch for any other anime that is state-of-the-art like this one…but none else compares.
Prince of Persia: The Sand of Time
This video game was so amazing. The setting of Persia makes me wish I was born way long ago when there were things left undiscovered yet. It’s really interesting the way it plays game with your mind—how you can control your life if you can control time—that is rewind when you die, forward so that you can speed past time, pause time, etc. Very interesting concept. I haven’t had the chance to play video games since middle school…and when I do again, I hope to find more video games that invokes my mind the way that this game does. I’m really not looking forward to seeing the movie because it does not compare to anything that this game has to offer. I really love the plot romance between the Prince and Farah. This sad romance story has stuck to me for years now…
Daft Punk/Interstella 5555
Daft Punk make genius beats and lyrics. End of story. On top of that…Interstella 5555 makes me nostalgia for vintage anime. Something about us is my favorite track in this anime.
Shenmue
This game is the most unique game that I have ever played. Role-playing as Ryo in the 80’s of China…going from industrial and then to the beautiful backdrop of China’s hidden mountain valley. The graphic is amazing and the slow-paced story plot really intrigued me. I’m just hoping that there will be a Shenmue III one day…
JetSet Radio Future
This game is so badass, I can’t even lie. Future, Radio, Rollerblades, Shibuya, and Graffiti…punks…mad fun. Perfect childhood memory.
The Snow Queen
Asian dramas are cheesy and it’s easily predictable. But the Snow Queen made me cry like no other. This sad tragedy is one of the most beautiful drama that I have ever seen. On top of that, the script is so intricate…the work of genius…to incorporate Han Christian Andersen’s Snow Queen into a modern day Korean culture. Mad props to the screenwriter. This tragedy romance still ring to my ears.
Nonstop 4 (Korean)
This Korean sitcom really helped me through my senior year of high school where I really looked forward to all the fun that I will have in college.
Lychee
So fucking delicious. If I can only have one food in the world to survive, I pick lychee. The only thing is, their season is so short…
Coconut
I grew up drinking coconut…it’s the taste of my childhood.
Rambutan
Rambutan + Lychee are the most delicious fruits in the world. All you kids that have never tried any of this, are seriously missing out on heaven.
Men’s Health
Because I really don’t have a men figure in my life, I look to these men’s magazine for some advices. Of course, I won’t allow to get myself brainwash to thinking that being a man is only about sex, penis enlarger, viagra, women, money, power, etc, because that’s what is often are advertised in men’s magazine. I just read it for the practical workout guides that are very useful for me in the gym.
Gentleman Quarterly
GQ style is nice, I won’t lie. But I feel that you make up your own style. I truly believe that style is whatever you put on your body that makes you feel comfortable and sexy…if that’s a t-shirt and jean…and if you’re truly happy with that, then that’s style right there!
Dan Brown’s all 5 books (Solomon’s Key is missing in picture)
Dan Brown’s books always make me think and his mysterious always surprise me and I love it. I don’t like predictable mysterious and Brown is good at what he does.
Harry Potter Series
I read Harry Potter, when I first came to the US, before everyone else start reading it. I really grew up with Harry and whether I like it or not, it’s a big part of my childhood. JK Rowling has an amazing skill of story writing…and I think she is brilliant. I love all the books in the serious, the only thing I wish she didn’t do was the epilogue…for such a gifted writer…it really killed it.
