Daniel

time

danielecho@gmail.com — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:27:27 GMT

i haven't written much lately. not that my life has been that mundane in the past few months, but i've been avoiding those sites that draw you in to never find your way out until days later. my life has simply become busier. running half dozen art & design schools, overseeing instructors and over 300 students is just the half of it. The FR*A agency has taken off and I'm now faced with more recording artists & clients than my team and I can handle...but I make due; mostly with a half pack of cigarettes and a few beers at night to mercifully nudge myself to an enervating sleep which is only broken by the incessant series of buzzes of my blackberry reminding me that the days and nights are simply just not long enough. I should move to Jupiter where time is irrelevant. perhaps in 50 years or so. or perhaps the timing is simply off.

FR*A on Pepsi

danielecho@gmail.com — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:36:25 GMT

My project, FR*A\Future Rockstars of America featured in the Pepsi viral campaign:
FR*A is: clothing, editorial, and agency.
www.futurerockstarsofamerica.com

Featured is Daniel Park, partner and creative director extraordinaire.
(click here to see the vid)

The Elementals Come Together. Pt 1

danielecho@gmail.com — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:10:51 GMT

whoo...what a weekend. Kirk visited the city of angels with the the Canadians, Howard and Alex, in tow. Or was it Kirk in tow. Regardless, they definitely brought their livers and their uninhibited passion for the bottle. Drinking began Thursday night, a mere half hour after they touched down at LAX at Mike Kang's birthday party on the westside. I took it easy, at the furious cries from my body to give it a break. For that night at least.

Friday night, we ended up at the infamous Velvet Room. Now, Alex has always seemed to have this curse of clearing out normally packed venues whenever he comes to LA. So I feared the worst and expected a club bespeckled with some security guards, a DJ, a few alcoholic girls taking advantage of the promo tables, and the Asian Voltron minus Rain and Paul (see previous post). The gods must have been shining down in favor of Alex this time, as the club was packed and brimming with club goers. Now, it's usually a very bad idea to put all of us together at one time. Normally, with a simple and seemingly innocuous combination of Paul, Ed, and myself, the situation could quite possibly, or actually, inevitably get out of hand. Add 10 more to the mix (Alex, Kirk, Howard, Ray, John, Diana, Debi, Natalee, Mark, Becky) and you've got pandemonium.

7 bottles of goose later:
Alex dancing by himself on the dance floor, Ed reproaching and denying every girl the poor waitress tried to bring to the tables to book the guys, Alex engaging in a staring contest with Heidi, Kirk getting blocked once more by Nat, Kirk rehabilitating from the repeated loss with neon tambourines, 23 songs sung at the norebang, and a Mr Brightside later, we were done. at least for Friday night. Why did I have to wake up in 4 hours.

--

Photos courtesy of Ed & Paul

Thursday Night: Mike, Daniel, Ray, Alex, Howard (Mac & Cheese)

Friday night: Debi's Beesh, Debi, Ed, Heidi

Friday night: Diana, John

Friday night: Kirk & Natalee. Kirk - repeated victim of blue balls. Perpetrator: Natalee

Friday night/Saturday AM: Heidi at Luxury

Fri night/Sat AM: Howard, Kirk, Ed, Diana, Heidi

Friday night/Sat AM: Alex, Kirk, Daniel (grabbing Kirk's hand so gently and softly, reassuring he's the only one for me. Goodbye my lover, goodbye my friend, you have been the one, you have been the one for me.)

Friday night/Sat AM: Kirk & Tambourine.

--

Saturday and Sunday.
to be continued.

--

Jumping, Take 2

danielecho@gmail.com — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 06:57:06 GMT

Jumping with Paul and Lara.

About. Saturday, March 29, 2008

Dog Fighting Ring

danielecho@gmail.com — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:40:33 GMT

My twinster just told me that I've been the subject of a vicious marketplace buying and selling friends as if they're just cheap pieces of commodity on Friends for Sale. Grace Su, holding an impressive amount of money, continues to buy me, regardless of the efforts of Karin and Akiko to purchase me and place me in a good home.

Until she stops from the egregious acts against my rights, I will own her beloved boyfriend, Daniel Park, place him into the world of dogfighting. He will be trained to fight and kill. He will be conditioned to forget about the human attributes in life such as love, hope, friends and family. He will forget about Grace Su. And he will become the ultimate dog fighter.

It has begun.

newness

danielecho@gmail.com — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:52:38 GMT

after carrying around the massive flop of hair on my head for the past 5 months, i've finally cut the coiffure which now strangely resembles that of a korean male hooker.

here i am with my beeshes.

Weekday Joy

danielecho@gmail.com — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:22:04 GMT

Jump for joy, Monday's gone, Tuesdays passed, were onto Wednesday.

Title: Drunkie TuesWednesday
Photographer: Eunice Lim
Date: 3/5/08
Subject: Daniel Cho

two

danielecho@gmail.com — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:56:21 GMT

So much has happened in the past 2 months. If it's possible to inject 2 years of time into 2 months, I've just experienced it.

one or nothing.

danielecho@gmail.com — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:37:05 GMT

it's been almost a month since I've written. It's not that I haven't wanted to, but it's been a bit daunting finding the time to focus on anything to write about.

So what do I write about? Let's start with relationships. That's always a good one.

I can't say that I've ever been in love with anyone in the length of life I've lived. Sure, I've loved, but I've never been in love. At the tender age of 27, perhaps that should've been an asset I should have experienced and had by now. How do I know I've never been in love? I take things formulaically, as my dear friend Sheena said over drinks last week.

When I meet a girl, and she just happens to be attractive, intelligent, personable, and someone who piques my interest, what do I do? I close my eyes, I take a breath, and try as much as humanly possible to remove myself from that very situation where limerance begins; you see, I must remain objective, to my heart, as it has no idea what it's doing, but responding to the heightened levels of hormones coarsing through every vessel and vein in my body.

I resist it all.
The transformation of faults into virtues, amplifying of the virtues, ignoring the faults, the quicker rates of heartbeats when thinking about her, the constant thoughts of her, the constant thoughts of being with her, self-projection and application with her. So what am I left with? I guess a formula which, by default is a bit more complicated than 2+2=4, but less complicated than a derivative. So where do I stand? I stand in moments where I deny myself of living, denying myself of the core value that makes us human, passionate, and virtually flawed.

I describe love as a polynomial equation. I always strive for a variable that is unknown, trying to figure out that value, to eliminate the unknown, to be absolute in my actions moving forward. But again, I deny myself much of what is part of being human, making those mistakes, but moreover, taking those bold chances.

Why do I do this? Sheena insists that I've been burned too many times. I actually haven't gone through biting heartbreaks or breakups, that I've seen in films, show, of my family or friends. Yes, I am devoid of the experience and pain that accompanies it in tow.

So if I haven't been burned, am I simply jaded and apathetic and been relegated to no course of action other than the contrived process I go through every time I smell a scent of a beautiful woman? I can only say, I do this to avoid those poignant moments of which I wish never to experience.

But again this is a formula and where am I back to? Square one, or perhaps nothing at all.

Music video - Common, I Want You

danielecho@gmail.com — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 18:48:18 GMT

The music video of the day: Common - I Want You
Featuring: Common, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Derek Luke, Sophia Luke, Serena Williams, and Keri Washington.

The video depicts the struggle and conflict inside, of heartbreak, breakup and moving on. Keri Washington directs the video, and stars as a former girlfriend, ruefully reminiscing and clinging onto nostalgia, grieving over the breakup. Common plays the former boyfriend, who has moved on with Alicia Keys, and finds himself reflecting and revisiting the past and his decision.

addict

danielecho@gmail.com — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:16:03 GMT

as of 6:00 pm today, i am addicted to halo.

I thought about what I will do tonight. This was my thought sequence.

Drive home
Take a shower
Play Halo
Sleep

This is a Friday night, when I normally would go out with friends, obliterate my liver with rounds of drinks, and dance like Chris Brown at the VMA's. What has happened to me?

I blame Paul (naka_chan), Mark, and Ed (caffeineguy). Well, not Ed, but I didn't want to leave him out of the baseless plenary blame.

Earlier this week, Alex aka lexxy_pie wrote:
Have you guys tried that "sex" stuff? It's even funner than video games!

sigh.

18 or so

danielecho@gmail.com — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 02:27:11 GMT

i used to write here ever so frequently, but lately it's been braking to a slow crawl. See, I've become so busy lately.

See, I have 18 girlfriends. I used to love all of them the same but over time, as time usually has it, fades away your interest and passion for every blink your eyes make, every breath you exhale, and every second that ticks through the hourglass. But I'm not someone who walks away and quits. that's why I haven't quit smoking. My mom didnt raise no quitter. Plus, I need them as much as they need me, or that's what we constantly have to remind each other.

How many times do we start relationships so excited and filled with a breathtaking and holding sense of urgency only to lose that feeling suddenly after a night's sleep, hearing something about the person, driving and reflecting, or simply by seeing someone else who might just be a better fit for you.

How many times do they call and nag and complain until it becomes a torrential rain you just start calling the nag? Many have suggested, maybe you should move on, but I can't. I feel strangely compelled to stay and I, throughout it all, enjoy their company. So here I am, stuck, jailed, shackled to 18 girlfriends demanding all of my time, all of my attention, and all of my life.

I'm not crazy and I'm not out of my mind for having 18 girlfriends.
You'll see why.

future rockstars of america

danielecho@gmail.com — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:01:28 GMT

Future Rockstars of America.

Music. Arts. Culture. a future lifestyle awaits.

support and click through.

black to grey

danielecho@gmail.com — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:52:49 GMT

i'm making my way back from black to grey baby.

I have been invited back to the supper table in my parents home.

black sheep

danielecho@gmail.com — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 02:44:16 GMT

when the hell did i become the black sheep of the family?

now, I somewhat suspected and joked about it with my family and some friends.

Initially, I got calls from my parents asking me to meet them at a restaurant, to which I'd ask if I should call the other kids. "Oh, yeah, they're already here". is that food your masticating!? I hear you chewing.

Then calls started coming from the siblings. "hey, whatcha doin. do you want to come eat? Oh, yeah, i'm here with mom, dad, sam and sarah. and edwin." damn, edwin. he's not even in the family.

then the calls just stopped coming. I was relegated to calling and finding them out together already, at the movies, at the beach, at dinner or lunch, or most recently, the 3rd Street Promenade, just yesterday. "Who are you with" I asked my sister. Oh, i'm here with the "family". Now, I put quotations around "family" because family isn't family, in the absolute definition without me in it, right? Ergo, it's just family avec quotations. Family sans daniel is "family" in my book.

Well, I should have just accepted the fact that I have become a pariah of my family. ostracized, and casted out; the black sheep.

To have this confirmed by something as public and stalker-ish as facebook is a bludgeoning blow to my sense of self worth and existence. apparently, my twin sis felt compelled to confirm it in her facebook graffiti app which she is strangely addicted to.

Note, i am the black sheep, on the outskirts of the grazing lands.

now, who the fuck is erin? seriously. no, really.

I have no family member named erin, and erin is automatically jettisoned into the family? and edwin, her damn boyfriend? what is this? when one is casted out, one is brought in? it's okay for I shall wear the amazing technicolor dreamcoat.
beyotch.

i hate facebook and the graffiti app.

My First Music Video

danielecho@gmail.com — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:12:25 GMT

A couple weeks ago, I got a call from Macy Gray and her manager, Bobby Collin talking to me about making a a music video for a song off her album. I loved the concept and got started on a treatment and started working out logistics. Before I knew it, I was a producer.

I called my buddy Josh Kameyer, who has been shooting behind the scenes footage and cutting videos for us, and asked him if he would shoot the video, to which he wholeheartedly accepted. We were on our way.

After a few stressful days trying to find money, a quick pre-pro later, the shoot date finally came, where we booked it down to the Santa Monica Promenade and shot. It was intended just to be a simple online video with a viral aspect of video responses to it, but it became much more.

will.i.am ended up coming with Macy to our weekly staff meetings with the head honcho of Interscope Geffen, Jimmy Iovine, to present the video with me. There's nothing like the support of Grammy Award winning artists to excite people. Last week I got an email letting me know it would be added to MTV and VH1. I got an email today saying Rolling Stone would write an article breaking the video.

The first music video I produced ended up being an extremely successful one thus far. I wish life could always turn out like that; first love, first job, firsts. If only.

Well, without further ado, here is:

Macy Gray - Everybody
Video responses from Common, will.i.am, Lauren London, and Baron Davis. Please add your own message.

this morning

danielecho@gmail.com — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 23:12:07 GMT

This morning.

Vibrant images flashed through my eyes. Beep Beep Beep. My left hand hit the snooze button, and my eyes, blurry from the night’s dream and haven, rests on a pool of yellow. The image comes into focus, revealing the corrugated edges brilliantly shining through the natural light of the sun. closer, crisper, the colors separate from the silhouette and I see a simple flower. A sunflower. I close my eyes as I did the night before, the photograph illuminating the darkness and the last memories of the reflection of your eyes, lips, face and body, transcending all that exists.

If it was possible to feel a smile, this is what you would comprehend.

real hip hop

danielecho@gmail.com — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 21:59:26 GMT

are you hungry?
are you hungry for real hip hop?

HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO SUPPORT REAL HIP-HOP IN IT’S PUREST FORM!

FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS WE’VE ALL BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE LACK OF SOCIAL COMMENTARY IN THIS ARTFORM THAT WE CALL HIP-HOP AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL DISAPPOINTMENTS FROM MCS THAT WE’VE CONSIDERED OUR FAVORITES WHO HAVE PUT OUT MEDIOCRE MUSIC PUTTING OUR CULTURE TO SHAME!

NOW YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THIS BY SUPPORTING A TRUE PIECE OF ART IN COMMON’S SEVENTH ALBUM FINDING FOREVER.

MAKE A STATEMENT THIS WEEKEND AND MAKE REAL HIP-HOP # 1 ON THE CHARTS AND LETS SHOW ALL THE
INDUSTRY NA-SAYERS THAT THE PEOPLE STILL WANT REAL MUSIC AND WILL GO OUT AND SUPPORT!

Check it out.

color

danielecho@gmail.com — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:29:29 GMT

I was born with a twin sister named Christine Lara Cho who syphoned off all the essential nutrients and space I needed in order to become a football player. Ergo, I am living my entire life wishing to be the 7 feet tall God intended for me.

Flash forward to 8 years. I finally win an art contest against my sister. The contest was based upon creativity sponsored by Korean Air. She drew something fairly pretty. I drew something bordering on crazy. I won.

I gave up art to rollerblade professionally. My parents disagreed and I was relegated to SAT's, music and studies. I'd give up my national merit scholarship for an ESPN X Games Gold any day. That gets the girls. Scholarships don't.

Well, I ended up at Emory University and ended up in the "work" path in life. The White House, Rock the Vote, TBWA Chiat Day, MECA, and Geffen Records.

Flash forward to today.
I just confirmed that I am color deficient with a couple tests done by my sister. damn her. I guess i can't see brown or pink or whatever color it was that made me fail the test. Turns out I won the art contest when I was 8 because I colored everything wrong and they inadvertently interpreted as thinking outside the box and pushing the creative envelope. I was just coloring the best I could.

Some are born great. And some are thrust into greatness. I am thrusted into greatness and I shine, probably a metallic orange or green, because I am color deficient.

the akahoshi

danielecho@gmail.com — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 05:34:51 GMT

Mark and I were in a NY a couple months ago and Kirk Akahoshi was our venerable host. Amidst the partying and drinking reaching ballistic levels, the Akahoshi Double Mochi Triple Spam Musubi Roll was born.

Here are our nights in NY.

Lifehouse & Viral Video

danielecho@gmail.com — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 05:28:46 GMT

These guys are my favorite artists I have ever worked with.

The inspiration for the concept came from Ed Mun, associate creative director of Team One Ad Agency and I while drinking with them at their LA show a couple weeks ago. I was looking for a bottle opener to open a bottle of newcastle, and Bryce, the bassist says, "yeah I can open that for you." He proceeds to show us all of his bottle opening techniques. Voila, a viral video was born.

Please embed this video on your MySpace pages, LiveJournals, TagWorlds, Xangas, etc.

Common

danielecho@gmail.com — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:29:44 GMT

Common Exclusive Yahoo! Live Performance in LA 7/16

Posted 7/9/2007 by Geffen

Want to be a part of an exclusive event with Common?

Yahoo! Music and Geffen Records want you to join us when Common takes the stage for Nissan Live Sets in West Los Angeles, CA.

July 16, 2007

7 pm

Location: West Los Angeles

The first 200 fans to email us at mailto:Invites@YahooLiveSets.com?subject=Common Yahoo! Live Sets
will get in the doors for this exclusive taping. Plus you get to bring
a friend. Please email us your name, your location, and tell us how
much of a fan you are of Common! We will contact you if you are chosen
to attend.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND MULTIPLE EMAILS

You must be at least 13 years old to attend. Fans under 18 must be
accompanied by an adult. You must provide your own transportation and
accommodations (if necessary).

This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

This invitation is not transferable, without the express permission
of Yahoo!. Yahoo! reserves the right to rescind any invitation, at any
time, in its sole discretion.

i was seeing

danielecho@gmail.com — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 19:37:41 GMT

i was seeing this girl for about 2 or 3 months. we broke it off amicably. over email.
yeah, over email. how can an email provide any closure, answers and reflection for the end of a relationship?
sometimes it can. sometimes it can't. it all really depends how much you really care to get all that.

in this case, i really didn't. sometimes a lack of closure is okay. it lets us know that the world provides us with a myriad of moments where the absolute simply isn't possible. and we find tranquility in knowing that, and not by finding that absolute.

--

i haven't really written about my life or escapades in detail in the past couple months. it's all been just too much for my mind to articulate onto the tiny key presses into words onto the keyboard and into digital code. so optimus prime, leave you with a couple pictures. I've named my journal optimus prime, in homage to my favorite film of the summer, transformers.

Optimus, if you think I'm copping out by omitting a verbose entry and inserting photos;I leave you with one thought.

photos are more than meets the eye.

From March 1st to May 1st.

With Perez Hilton at his birthday.

She's mad at me. I'm faultless.

Hudson Bar in NY. I love Lilyan.

in a hyundai in manhattan. bobby & kirk.

macy's show.

PM lounge for macy's afterparty with christina chung. unbelievable singer/songwriter.

you've got something on your face. oh, it's just drunk on your face.

not the most masculine of photos, i'm at the view with macy.

i passed out and woke up in barbara walters dressing room.

my girl dj shy.

koream. gil, mike, paul

prelude to my birthday. birthday pictures are omitted.

reception for the klaxons.

my family at geffen records.

klaxons are funny.

see ya.

First Time

danielecho@gmail.com — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:10:09 GMT

Shot in the studios in Burbank and the streets & shore of Venice Beach, California, the video for Lifehouse's First Time captures the essence and urgency of being in love for the first time.

If you've been in love before or never been in love before, it resonates that amazing undeniable feeling of falling in love. Everyone wants to be loved, and to love. As the Beatles said, "All You Need Is Love". cue, arpeggio of trumpets and trombones.

Lately, I've been echoing that sentiment in my poignant wishes as I fall in and out of sleep. I hope to love and be loved. And if I am lucky enough to find it, this will be the First Time for love for me.

Here's First Time.

I believe the Summer

danielecho@gmail.com — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 22:45:24 GMT

I believe the Summer started last week. Not because it was officially deemed Summer by the Summer Solstice, but indicative from a barrage of activities going on that just made it feel like Summer.

Beginning last Sunday, began the best time of the year for me. Sunday kicked off with the Lifehouse & Goo Goo Dolls show at the Greek. It continued with the Nelly Furtado show on Wednesday at the Greek, Nelly in Vegas on Saturday, her after party at Pure with Nelly and my brain trust, Ed, Paul and Ray (separate journal entry on the debauchery and devastation to come)

Great weather coupled with activities that capture the fun and essence of nostalgic childhood memories is all I ask from Summer.

This is my anthem.
Where Did Your Heart Go Missing.