Beautiful, Isn’t It? - June ‘24-December ‘24
Noragami, 6/15 Fundraiser Show
hey!
The past few months have been stressful beyond words, but I’ve been able to see what truly makes me happy with more clarity than before. Whether it be watching my friends play shows with their bands, writing my own music, photographing my surroundings, or compiling everything in this magazine, I’ve realized how good the world has been to me. I have a wonderful circle of people who care about me, my inspirations continue to push my creativity forward, and I’m improving in the skills and hobbies I adore. I can recognize the beauty in it all, even through the uncertainty and overwhelm. That’s beautiful on its own, isn’t it?
I learned a lot these last few months and I am so excited to show you all of my findings! Here’s to a bright future for CAL EAR & FRIENDS!
With love, Claire
m u sic!
Featured: Atavan, Rec Affect, Noragami, Melodic Skullz
really, super, awesome people
June 15, 2024 — A couple weeks after the 2023-24 school year ended, I found myself scrolling on Instagram when I saw some of my favorite bands post flyers for an upcoming fundraisershowtheywouldbeplaying.
With the gig lineup consisting of Melodic Skullz, Rec Affect, Noragami, and Atavan, the proceeds fromthisshowwenttowardsalocalfamilyfacing hardship.
When I arrived at the venue, smoke from a nearby wildfire filled the air, so everyone rushed up the venue’s stairs before we inhaled too much smoke.Thisdidn’thinderanything,fortunately.
Iwenttothisshowonmyown,soIfoundmyself awkwardly standing in the corner, fiddling with my dad’s camera. I’m not the greatest at starting up conversations with people, but Scarlett (Noragami) saw me and struck up a conversation, and I felt more at ease. Everyone I’ve met in SCV’s music scene is super nice and welcoming and it makes me grateful to be a part ofitasbothafanandanartist!
Melodic Skullz was the first act on the setlist. I remember hearingalotofCharliXCX’s Brat (analbumthatreleasedjust days prior) in his DJ set. With dozens of teenagers taking up thespaceindancestudio-turnedmusicvenue,Iwanderedthe room,lookingforpeopletophotograph.
Rec Affect took the stage after. This three-piece alternative/punkrockbandcaughtmyattentionimmediately!
Their catchy guitar riffs, intricate bass lines, and their well-written,sometimestongue-incheeklyricsmademeafan as soon as they started playing. I haven’t been able to catch any of their gigs since then, but I’d love to watch them play againoneday!
Noragami was the third act to play at this show. I watched themplayforthefirsttimeatTryx2,andtheywerethe
main reason I wanted to attend this show. They performed a bunch of their original songs and I loved them all. They have this sort of energy they bring to the shows they playat,andit’ssomethingIloveaboutthem!SimilartoRecAffect,Ihaven’tbeenable to catch them at any of their recent shows, but I would highly recommend watching the band perform to anyone who enjoys screamo. Plus, they have really cool merch designs.Ihopetheyreleaseaprojectsometimesoon!
Atavan closed the show. I’ve seen Atavan play at three different shows: Tryx, Tryx 2, and this show, and I thought all of their sets were super fun to watch! They are very energetic, LOUD, and the only band I’ve seen where the band members switch instruments after almost every song. I like their stage presence; they really know how to gain an audience’s attention. They released some demos back in August and I’m excitedtoseewhatelsetheydo!
I haven’t been able to attend as many shows as I would have liked to this magazine cycle, but I think taking a break has only made me more excited about music! These bands and artists (as well as the ones I’ve seen and included in previous issues) have shown me what it’s like to be in a community of people with similar interests, but different backgrounds as well. I find myself cooped up in small circles, typically sticking to groups within my school or neighborhood, but spending time with new faces, and even just people I don’t get to hang out with on a regular basis, is a nice changeofpaceforme.
I tend to think about the person I was before I started finding local artists sometimes. While I was content with enjoying my music in solitude, I think I knew deep down that there was more to this little hobby. I didn’t know that there were so many people my age who found the same joy in the same music I likeduntilIfoundthesepeople,andI don’t know how I would have turned out without them. I can’t help but admirehowcooleveryoneis!
It seems almost silly that I thought I would only be able to find communities like these online, but I can’t verbally describe how happy I am to be wrong. Whether they know it or not, the people I’ve met here through music have helped me grow intosomeoneIamproudtobe.
Ihopeyouenjoythephotoshere!
i’m
always turning to santa monica!
From “cloonstrumentals,” to “it’s the same thing every time,” this beach somehow always finds its way into my concepting. But WHY?
As a young kid, I never would’ve expected that the beach would be one ofmybiggestinspirations.
Growing up, my family and I didn’t go to the beach very often. Having two small, whiny children, the LA traffic, and my mother’s distaste for the sand getting in everyone’s clothes (as well as mybrother’sandmyfearofsandcrabs) didn’t pair well with Santa Monica Beach. Eventually though, about years later, we started finding more enjoymentinvisitingthebeach.
When I was in ninth grade, I went with my family to the pier, where I took a photo of the amusement park area.I’ve always loved the bright colors of the ferris wheel, roller coaster, children’s rides, and the carnival games, and I was working on what would become “cloonstrumentals,” so I wanted to see if I could draw on the photo to make something interesting. I ended up making something I thought looked cool,butIdidn’tendupusingitforthe projectbecauseIthoughtIwouldcome back to create a more polished, final versionoftheproject(withlyrics).Idid not do that, but now the artwork is in the first issue of this magazine, which I thinkisprettyneat.
The years went by, I walked back and forth on the Santa Monica boardwalk more times than I remember, and now I’mintwelfthgrade,senioryear,onthe cusp of adulthood whatever you want to call it. In the summer of 2024, my family went back to Santa Monica to escape the sweltering heat in our town. Itookarandomphotooftheshore,the sand full of people, to post on Instagram, but when I got home, I had an idea. I felt like I could pay homage to the original concept behind the “cloonstrumentals” album art with the photo,soIdoodledontopofthephoto. I remember being kind of bored of the monotony that was the last few years, soIdecidedtonamethealbum“it’sthe
same thing every time”—quite fitting forthebackstorynowthatIthinkabout it.
Spanning around thirty minutes, it’s the same thing every time, or ITSTET for short, tackles a lot of what I was feeling at the time. Boredom, retrospect, my nervousness towards growingup,endingfriendships,beinga teenager; essentially, this album was a reflection of who I was while I was writing and recording the album. Beginningwithare-recordedversionof “check your email,” a song originally released on the things to do EP, I wanted to prioritize having fun while recording this project. I often find myself dragging my feet through parts oftherecordingprocess,creatingsongs that I’m less than proud of, but I didn’t go through that during the making of ITSTET
Making this album was a very freeing process. I had so many built up emotions, whether it be from ending a friendship with my best friend of five years,myimmensefearofbecomingan adult without making the most out of my childhood, or whatever else I was dealing with at the time, but this project helped me come to terms with, and work through, these “losses” so to speak. Though these issues seem extremely trivial looking back at them now,evenjustafewmonthslater,Ifeel alittlemoreatpeace.
Though revisiting this project after its release makes me feel a bit critical towards the album, I think I notice improvements in my lyrics, which I am proud of. I remember having a conversation—albeit months after ITSTET’s release—with a friend (shout out to Mateo) about songwriting. Though I was being extremely unhelpfulatfirst,thisconversationwas really the first time I thoroughly thought about HOW I write songs. I toldhimthatItendtotreatwriting
songs as if they’re journal entries. I’ve always taken a liking to works written as a stream of consciousness. I find myself feeding off of this kind of momentum when I write, making me “throwup”mythoughtsandideasonto myNotesapp,andsomehowtheywork out.Imaybebiasedthough.
At the time of me writing this, my favorite songs on the album are “check your email (again),” “sled augustus,” and“inadream.”Ireallylikehowthese songs sound and I wanted to experiment with these kind of high-energy sounds in the EP that succeeds this album (but more on that later).
woohoo!
1. songwriting exercises (2:27) 2. The walk to your house (2:28) 3. lines to include somewhere (1:30) 4. the knife (acoustic) (1:51) 5. birthday cards 2:06) 6. 6 months (3:39)
go touch grass!
Morning walks and making art
Living in Southern California means that I have the privilege of experiencing the wonderful weather here, but I don’t think I’m takingadvantageofitasoftenasIshould.
I was never really obsessed with the outdoors. I’ve tried biking and going on hikes with my dad and brother when I was an elementaryschooler,butIneverhadaparticularinterestinthem (which sucks because I’ve been surrounded by a variety of hiking/bike trails throughout my life). This also applied to the sportsItookinterestin,havingspentyearstraininginkarateand taekwondo—bothofwhichareprimarilyindoorsports.
After my last taekwondo class in September, my mom suggested thatIgoontheoccasionalwalktoavoidbecomingtoosedentary, whichIthoughtwouldbeagreatopportunitytospendsometime outdoors.Ilovewalkingaround;ithelpsmeclearmymindifI’m overwhelmed, it allows me to see all the cute dogs in the neighborhood, and I get to simply explore my local area. I thought it would be fun to bring my mom’s old camera with me onmywalkstophotographthingstodrawon,andthatledtome creatingtheartworkfor“6months”andthe woohoo! EP.
It took me longer than usual to design the artwork for this project. I knew I wanted it to be similar to it’s the same thing everytime, butIdidn’twantmyartworktolookredundant.This EP and my last album are very similar in terms of the ideas I wrote about, but this project is more of me having fun and not focusing on carrying out a specific sound, so I wanted the cover art to reflect that. The title also reflects the thought process behind this EP. I struggled with coming up with a deep or meaningful name for the project, but eventually I thought woohoo! fit; it’s not too wordy, and it’s a positive exclamation, and many of these songs happen to be about letting go of negativeexperiencestobecomeamorepositiveperson.Hereare somestoriesandexplanationsbehindsomeofthesongs!
songwriting exercises — The title of this song is pretty self-explanatory. I came up with this song while waiting for my photos to upload from my SD card. I photographed a tennis match after school that day so I didn’t have time to play guitar earlier in the day. I didn’t have any specific ideas I wanted to write about, so I decided to create a song about songwriting, taking multiple ideas and combining them. I didn’t focus on making something particularly interesting, but I ended up with something I liked. Of the final tracklist, “songwriting exercises” wasthethirdsongIwroteandrecordedforthisproject.
the walk to your house — A few days before the first week of school, my friends and I decided to plan a get-together after school registration. We knew we would see each other that day, so we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to spend time together before the start of our senior year. We dropped off our heavy textbooks at my house, and we spent a few hours going to different stores in our neighborhood. Eventually, one of my friends had to leave early, and he forgot to take his textbooks from my house, so another friend and I walked uphill in the 110-degree heat to his house to drop of his books. I must say, it was not a very pleasant experience, but it’s very funny to look back on. This was the first song I wrote for thisproject.
lines to include somewhere — Idon’trememberwhenI wrote this song, but I wrote it while I was thinking about the ways people I used to know changed after we stopped being friends. I wrote it as a way to move on from everything that has happened within the past year or so. I findchangetobeveryinteresting,especiallywhenIcansee ithappeninrealtimeinpeopleI'vegrownupwith.
the knife (acoustic) — I came up with the main guitar riffforthissongmonthsago,butIcouldneverputlyricson topofit,oractuallyturnitintoafullsonguntilIwrotethis version. Lyrically, the song covers similar themes to “lines to include somewhere,” but the songs are about different people. I labeled this song as the acoustic version because I intend on recording a “full band” version of the song somewhere down the line because I think it has the potentialtosoundcool.Nopromisesthough.
Birthday cards — This was the last song I wrote for the EP,anditisoneofmyfavoritesontheproject!Iwrotethis songafterfindingoldbirthdaycardsfromoverthepastfew years, many of which were written by people who aren’t really in my life anymore. I always feel strange about throwingawaycardsfrompeople,whetheritbefromfamily members, teachers, current friends, former friends, and basically anyone else, but it also feels somewhat strange to keep them, so they always end up in a pile in the corner of one of my bookshelves. I wanted this song to be loud and almost obnoxious, and I had a lot of fun recording everything.
6 months — This was the second song I wrote from this tracklist, and I picked this track to release as a single leading up to the EP’s release. I wrote this song because I wasreallyannoyedwithsomeoneinmylifewhokepttrying to ask me, as well as other people, for favors. I tend to remind myself that I won’t have to interact with these specific classmates after graduating from high school, and thissongwaspartiallyaproductofthatconstantreminder.
When I came up with the intro riff for this song, the lyrics, andtherestofthesongingeneral,cametomequiteeasily.
Maybe it’s due to my recency bias, but I think this is the best song I’ve ever written and I’m really happy with how everythingturnedout.
I wanted this project to be exactly six songs for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted to see if I could keep my focus on creating high-quality songs over meeting the 30-minute albumtimestampItendtoreachforwhencreatingprojects.
This resulted in me writing more songs and replacing them with others until I ended up with something I was satisfied with.Ialsowantedtoendtheprojectwith“6months,”and havingitinaspototherthantracksixontheEPfeltwrong tome.
I’m really happy with how woohoo! turned out, and I hope you give it a listen! Because I tend to focus on making longerprojects,makingsomethingshorterwasareallynice change to my music-making process. Prioritizing quality over quantity is one of my biggest art-related goals, and while it does test my patience quite a bit, I think it’ll be betterformyworkinthelong-term.
living my youtuber dreams! (kind of)
I started making YouTube videos (albeit inconsistently) when I was in elementary school. I was inspired by myotherelementaryschoolfriendsand classmates who posted online videos and I wanted to share my passions on the internet. Dedicated to stop-motion animation videos, drawing tutorials, and speedpaints, the “Claire is Awesome” channel began the start of myinterestincontentcreation.
That channel went through as many as five names before I settled on the “animatedclairebear” name. This was the username for my art Instagram account,soIthoughtitwouldbefitting for this channel since the types of contentIpostedwereverysimilar.
I shared videos on this channel for many years, but then I eventually forgot about it. Over time, I began shiftingthosevideostojust
speedpaintswithnocommentary,andI became very bored with the formula I had. I eventually stopped posting on thischannel,andlatersetallthevideos toprivate.
I eventually started another YouTube channeldedicatedtomusic.Iwantedto record my improvement as a guitarist, filming covers and eventually original instrumental songs. Though I did go through a couple of usernames, this channel became the cal ear channel as weknowittoday!
I spent about a year posting on the channel before I even considered recording my progress as a singer. Though I was interested in using my voice in music and in videos, I never had the courage to do so until 2023. That year marked an important moment in the cal ear project: the year Igotmyhandsonmymom’sold
microphone, as well as an audio interface.
After letting go of my insecurities related to songwriting, I bit the bullet and started writing and recording original songs with lyrics, posting them to YouTube. People who watch my videos encouraged me to continue, resulting in me posting more original songs, as well as covers of my favorite emo and indie rock songs. I gained a newpartofmyselfandIwassoexcited toputittouse!
I always liked watching commentary videosonYouTube,whetheritbeabout internet drama, advertisements, products,movies,andofcourse,music, but I didn’t think I had what it took to make my own videos in that genre. I considered creating art commentary videos as an elementary and middle schooler,butIneverwantedtowrite
scripts, show my face on camera, or edit long-form videos, so I always refrained. Because of this, it took me years to look into making my own “talking videos,” but slowly, I worked up the courage to incorporate those kindsofvideosintomymusicchannel.
This was the year I finally decided to diversify my YouTube channel. After thinking about the artists that shaped my music taste during the COVID-19 pandemic and inspired me to make music, I knew it was time to try my hand at these kinds of videos. I wrote a script in my Notes app on my iPad, opened the Photo Booth app on my laptop,andstartedtalking!
The first talking video I made was about Jimi Somewhere. I talked about how I looked up to him as a musician and as a graphic designer, and uploaded it to my channel. Not expecting it to get many views, I made an announcement on my Instagram, tagging Jimi on the story post I made. Though I wasn’t expecting much, Jimi actually watched my video and said he likedmywork!Healsoaskedtoseethe magazine because I mentioned it in the video, so I sent him the link to the website.
We had a discussion about selling magazines, and he told me about how he used to print and sell his old magazines, which was incredibly helpful and I am very appreciative of hiswords!
Being inspired to create more, I posted another talking video about boy pablo, anotherartistwhoinspiredmetomake music during the pandemic. Having an outlet to actually use my voice to recount my experiences was freeing. I’ve always had a little bit of trouble orallyexpressingmyself,whichiswhyI tend to stick to writing when telling stories, so having a new way to express myself not only expanded my methods ofself-expression,butitalsoprovideda way for me to tackle a challenge I’ve been struggling with for about as long asIcanremember.
These two videos became installments of my series, Artists That Defined My Teenhood. Soon after, I started coveringothertopics,likealbumsI
liked, bands I love that don't have nearly enough attention, and even booksIreallyenjoy!
Though I hated the idea of editing videosbackwhenIcreatedspeedpaints pre-pandemic, I can’t help but laugh now because I really didn’t have much to worry about. I edit all of my videos on iMovie, and my editing is very bare minimum; I combine a bunch of clips, paste a bunch of images onto the screen, and I’m basically done. It’s reallysimple,butIthinkthatsimplicity iswhyIlovethisstyleofvideo.
I’ve learned a lot while making these talking videos. I’ve learned how to formulate my thoughts in a clear and concise manner, I’ve improved the clarityofmyspeechalittlebit,andI’ve learned a rudimentary amount of video editing! I find picking up new skills to be so much fun, and I think my past self would be pretty impressed with whoI’vebecomeasacreator.
My YouTube channel is still teeny tiny in the grand scheme of things, but 593 subscribers is bigger than anything I could have imagined as a fifth grader. I’ve gotten to talk to so many cool people because of my silly posting habits, and I’ve had a wonderful time sofar!
I’m very much looking forward to whateverelseI’lldowiththislittle
profile of mine. I’m always asking “what’s next?” in regards to my channel. Maybe I’ll start vlogging a little more. Maybe I’ll talk more about my interests. Maybe I’ll find more artists to highlight in my videos. I’ll definitely use my channel to post more songideasthough,that’sforsure.
The internet is such a vast, sometimes intimidating place to share work, but I’ve been able to interact with so many
me! me! me! making my mark though doodling
I think I know myself pretty well. I know that I love drawing characters with giant eyes. I know that my biggest art inspirations are the musicians I listen to, the Scott Pilgrim comics, and the manga and anime I grew up with. I also know that when I’m in the middle of a creative block, the only way I can draw is by doodling in my sketchbook withthemechanicalpencilIuseformy calculushomework.
Doodling has been one of my favorite ways to calm myself down, to let go of the overthinking I do when I want to makeart,andtonavigatemyemotions. I’vealwaysstruggledwithtalkingabout my feelings, so I’ve found ways to express them that work for me, and doodlingisoneofthosemethods.
Mydoodlingstylehaschangedoverthe years, but I’ve always found myself doodling self portraits and little characters I create. I have a lot of retired characters I use for doodling: Carrot Girl, the Flower Kids, Green Bean, Chad, and other unnamed characters from my childhood. I have two characters that I incorporate into my work now: Doug and the Sun. I draw them in my sketchbook, on my album covers, on school whiteboards, ontherippedupenvelopescoveringmy desk—just about everywhere. The Sun is the main logo for all things cal ear-related,likethismagazine!
I like doodling myself because I think I can capture my essence pretty well. I always doodle myself with a giant face; it gives me lots of space to draw facial expressions(andhumongouseyes).
I love how carefree doodling can me. It’s a great way to unwind, especially since I don't really need a reference to draw my own characters or capture how I’m feeling in that moment. I find comfort in repetition, and these doodles definitely fall into that comfort zone. As much as I love trying new things in my art and exploring the limits of my creativity, scribbling on pieces of paper with random pencils or ballpoint pens, or on my arms with Papermate flair tip pens feels like home.
When I’m not drawing Doug, the Sun, ormyself,Iliketomakelittlecomics.
I got back into making comics two years ago. I realized that I can make comics that aren’t very detailed or dedicated to an ongoing series. I realized how fun it can be to write and draw out my feelings in this bite-sized medium.It’sfuntoseewhatIcancome up with using a limited amount of space.
I’ve been trying to be more positive lately. I do a lot of thinking in silence, and one day, I realized how much of a haterI’vebecomeandhowgrossitfeels to be so full of negativity. I know it comes from a place of overwhelm and anxiety about the future, as well as feeling unable to control my circumstances,butIrememberedthatI have ways to not bottle up my emotions. I remembered that I can change my mindset, and making comics has helped me navigate my emotions in a way that works best for me! I’ve been trying to find the beauty inthelifeIgettolive(hencethetitleof this issue), and I made this comic to remindmyselfofthebeautyof
perseverance.
Thesecomics,anddoodlingasawhole, show me that imperfection is inevitable, but it doesn’t necessarily take away from the actual content or message. It’s like people in real life! We’re all flawed, but most of the time, those flaws shouldn’t get in the way of ourabilitytoloveourselvesandothers.
I love how art can archive these imperfections. I love flipping through myoldsketchbooksandseeinghowmy art has changed over the years. It reflects how I’ve grown and changed over time, my inspirations, my struggles, and my perception of myself. I’m learning to embrace the changes that come my way, and I think my art shows that, whether it be my doodles, more refined drawings, music, and eventhismagazine.
Change and imperfection are inevitable and necessary, and I’m happy that I’m finallycomingtoacceptthat!
“Hope,”
November 6, 2024
making
After I finished releasing and promoting Issue #4 of CAL EAR & FRIENDS, I stopped thinking about makingmagazinesforacouplemonths. Finals, AP exams, and preparing for college applications took the forefront ofmybrain.
After school ended, I had my wisdom teethremoved,andIspentalotoftime resting. That was when I started brainstorming for the fifth issue of this project. I knew I wanted to photograph the bands at the 6/15 show I planned onattending,Iwantedtotalkaboutmy triptoJapan,whichwasaboutamonth away at this point, and I wanted to talk about my own art projects (like usual). As the months passed by, I accumulated a lot of photos, I put out two cal ear projects, and I had a numberofstoriesIwantedtoinclude.
There was one issue though: I didn’t have very many visual art projects to talkaboutinIssue#5.OfcourseIhada few design projects from my graphic design class at school, but I didn’t have a lot of personal work. I’ve been in a funkwithmostartmediumsforthelast fewmonths;Ican’tgetmyselftocreate fully-rendered digital art pieces and I’ve been struggling with creating full-colored, polished drawings and paintings. The one thing I’ve been able to draw with, however, is the single mechanical pencil I keep out on my desk.Withit,I’mabletocreateallsorts of doodles and sketches, so I thought, why not talk about that in the art sectionofthemagazine?
After I completed that spread, I had onemoreemptyspaceinthisissue:the space this story takes up. I didn’t have any other projects I wanted to talk about,soIspentsometime
brainstorming, when I realized that I could simply talk about the making of thisissue!
When I begin working on these magazines, I end up being completely immersedintheproject.Ialwaystryto do something different with each issue, and this magazine was no different. While I liked the ideas I played with in Issue#4,IknewIcoulddobetter.
First, I wanted to alter the logo a little bit. I designed the main cal ear logo in mygraphicdesignclass lastyear,butI haphazardly added the “& Friends” on Procreate before adding it to the magazine cover. I don’t hate it, but I wanted something cleaner, so I typed out the “& Friends” for this version of thelogo.
I also wanted to put my face in this magazine more than I’ve done in previous issues. Though this magazine is mainly about me, I haven’t really put my face in it beyond opening pages. I don’t usually have my photos taken by other people since I’m typically the one photographing others, so I thought it would be fun to take some photos of myself!
I used this really old tripod that has been in my home for as long as I can remember. I used to use it for my old YouTube videos from when I was in elementary school, but my mom ended up putting it away when I stopped using it as frequently as I used to. Though it takes some trial and error to get the camera positioning right, I love the independence I get from using this tripod, and it brings me back to when I usedtomakesillyartvideosasayoung kid!
For cameras, I used my dad’s Nikon (I don’t know the model, but it’s the cameraIbringtoshows),aswellasmy grandma’s old Canon Powershot SD1400IS.
I also finally learned how to use Adobe Lightroom!Ialwaysfoundtheprogram intimidating, but I had to learn how to use it for school, so I was able to bring those skills to this project. I think I’m finally starting to enjoy editing photos; itonlytookmefiveyears!
I used to spend no more than three days putting together issues spanning the whole school year, but over time, I’vebeenusingmoretimetocovereach semester.Thoughtheprocesscanfeela littlebittimeconsumingnow,Ifeellike I’m putting in more thought and effort into designing each magazine, so the extratimespentfeelsworthit.
I wish I could spend all the time in the world working on this! CAL EAR & FRIENDS is the epitome of a passion project for me. I’ve learned so much just by working on these magazines, from design, to the kinds of stories I like telling, to navigating Google Slides (yes, I use Google Slides to put these issuestogether).
o &aboutut
7/15 Kobe
Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway
baby’s first trip abroad!
A Summer in Japan
During the month of July, my family and I went on our first trip abroad. We spent twelve days traveling around Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and more. Visiting the country was a dream come true as I’ve grown up on Japanese pop culture, food, and travel vlogs, but it was also my parents’ dream to experience everything Japan had to offer! Through the heavy rain, the numerous Don Quijote stops, the Google Maps detours, and the late-night convenience store runs, I had a great time in Japan!
Herb Gardens: WhilewewereinKobe,wevisitedthe NunobikiHerbGardensanditwasoneofmyfavoriteplaces wevisited.Isawsomanyprettyplants,coolbugs,andthe viewwaswonderful!Inthecablecar,Iwasabletoseeevery partoftheherbgardenanditwassoawesome!Theyalsohave acafeandnumerousseatinglocationsbothinsideand outdoors.WhenmyfamilyandIvisited,itbegantorain heavilyneartheendofourvisit,butdespitethat,Ihadavery pleasanttime.
Nara Deer Park: ThoughI’veseenanodddeerortworoaming aroundmyneighborhoodovertheyears,Ihaveneverseenthis manydeerinasinglelocation.NaraDeerParkishometoover 1000deer,manyofwhichwillfollowvisitorsaroundinhopesof beingfed.Whileitwasaveryuniqueandinterestingexperience,I can’tsayIwasn’tslightlyafraidofthedeer.Oneofthembita holeinmyshortsandI’mstillnotoverit!
Mt. Fuji: VisitingMountFujiwasaveryfun experience,too!Wehadatourguidewhotookusfrom ourhotelinShibuyatoFujiyoshida,wherewewalked aroundArakurayamaSengenPark.Wewereverylucky toarrivebeforethecloudscoveredtheviewofMount Fuji!WevisitedKamiyoshida,OishiPark(theyhad reallygoodicecreamhere),andtheFujiMotorsports Museum.MyfavoritepartwasgoingtoOishiPark becausetheyhadsomanyflowersandbigbumblebees! Big,fluffybumblebeesaren’tacommonsightwhereI live,soIcouldn’thelpbutwatchthempollinatethe flowersbecausetheyaresocute!IboughtthisMt.Fuji keychainoverthere,too.It’scurrentlymissingafoot, butit’soneofmyfavoritesouvenirsfromthistrip.
Tsukiji Market: WestayedinGinzatwiceduringour trip,andwestayedinhotelsthatwereashortwalkaway fromTsukijiOuterMarket.Everycornerweturnedwas filledwithavarietyofstreetvendorsservinganything fromfreshproduce,tosushi,tomochiandotherdeserts, towagyu,andmore.MyfamilyandIatebreakfastata gyudon(beefricebowl)placeinthemarketcalled Kitsuneya.Itwasoneofthemostmemorabledishesfrom thistrip.Thisstallhastwomenuitemsandaverysmall standingareaforcustomerstoeat,whichmatchedthe energyofthisfast-pacedandbustlingenvironment.
knick knacks & doo-hickeys
Souvenirs from Japan!
I love cute stuff, and Japan is chock full of the most adorable character designs! From plushies, to figurines, to guitar picks, and more, here are some of my favorite pickups from my trip to Japan!
Plushies: Beforeweheadedtotheairport,mymomtoldusnottobuy anystuffedanimalsbecausetheywouldtakeuptoomuchspaceinour luggage,butobviously,thisrulewasnotenforcedandIreturnedto CaliforniawithSukobururu,TokyoSkytree’sdogmascot,andUsahana, themulti-coloredbunnyfromSanrio’sextensivelineup.Ithoughtthese charactersweretooadorabletoleavethecountrywithout,soIadded themtomycollectionofplushtoysinmyroom!
Capsule toy collection: I’vealwaysbeeninterestedincapsuletoy machines,soIpurchasedabunchofitemsfromthesemachines!Ibought theHelloKitty,Mofusand,andJamestheRedEnginetoysinOsaka,the toriimagnetfromNaraDeerPark,theCinnamorollandSumikkogurashi pinsfromTokyoSkytree,andtheUsagihairtiefromTsukijiMarketin Ginza.Ifeltlikealittlekidagainanditwasgreat!
SUSU by Ikkyu Nakajima guitar picks: IboughttheseintheFender FlagshipstoreinShibuya.Thestoreitselfiscomprisedofseveralfloors andIfeltlikeakidinacandystoreperusingeachsection!Asforthepicks themselves,Ifoundthemwhilelookingthroughtheguitaraccessories sectionofthestore.IamahugefanofNakajima’swork,especiallyinthe bandTricot,andfindingthiscollaborationandbeingabletopurchaseit wasadreamcometrue!Ilovethedesignsonboththeguitar picksand thepackagingsomuchandIstillhaven’tseparatedthemfromthe packaging.
bringing it back!
WhenIbeganworkingonthefirstissue of CAL EAR & FRIENDS at the end of my freshman year, I had a few spreads dedicated to the photos I took of my classmates on my Instax Mini 9. Now thatthismagazinehasneweyesonit,I thought it would be fun to bring back mylittleinstantfilmproject!
For context: I received this camera as a birthday present from my old friend, Nicole, when we were in fifth grade. AfterIusedthefilmthatcamewiththe camera, I didn’t take photos on it for a few years, and eventually, it began to collectdustinadrawerinmyroom.
Idecidedtopurchasemoreinstantfilm in ninth grade to document my life, my friends, and my time in high school. With around thirty photos I accumulated throughout that school year, I decided to create a magazine to puttheseimagestouse.
I carried this project onto my second issue of the magazine with the remaining film I had from the variety pack I bought for the first issue, but after that, I took a break from the project,mostlybecauseIdidn’twantto spendabunchofmoneyonfilmforthe following issues, and I also feared that having such an extended project could becomeboring.
Ithoughtbringingbacktheinstantfilm project for my fifth issue would be fun because there’s something I love about tangible media. I’ve spent a lot of time working digitally, whether it be on Google Slides for this magazine, photographing everything on digital cameras, or spending hours on GarageBand, but having something I can hold in my hand is a completely different experience, whether it be a physicalcopyofCALEAR&FRIENDS, my notebook I use for journaling, or obviously,theseinstantfilmphotos!
Most of these photos were taken at school. There aren’t really any interesting stories about behind most of these photos; I mostly took the photos when I remembered to. A coupleofthesephotosdohavedifferent backstory,though.
I took the photo on the left of the bottom row at Dockweiler State Beach. Peopleinmygradefromallofthelocal high schools planned a bonfire to celebrate the start of our senior year. None of my close friends were interested in going, but I thought I would be able to get some photos for thismagazine.
When I arrived at the beach, I didn’t exactly know what to do with myself. I don’t usually go to large gatherings like this, so I felt like a fish out of water for the first few minutes. I eventually ran into Sarah (left). We’ve known each other for a year or two since we’ve shared certain classes at school, and neither of us really had anyone to talk to, so we, along with Avery (right), decided to spend our time at the bonfire together, and it was a lot more funthanIexpectedittobe!
The middle photo on the bottom row was taken at my school’s Senior Sunrise, a tradition where high school seniors gather at our football field to watch the sunrise. I got to school at around 5:15 in the morning, and, Luc andTuna(pictured)andourother
Instax project’s return to the mag!
friends arrived a little later. Though I had to wake up way too early for this, I hadalotoffunwithmypeers!
IbringmyInstaxcameratoschoolwith my every day. It sits at the bottom of my backpack in the same pocket as my lunchandwaterbottle,whichobviously soundslikeabadidea,butI have nowhere else to put it. This did not work in my favor when I forgot to properly close my water bottle in the morning, so it spilled water all over my bag. I remember being in my English class and noticing a large puddle underneath my backpack, and the mini-heart attack I had realizing that my camera was inside the sopping wet backpack. Though wet, my camera survived, which I’m very relieved about nowistooearlytobepartingwayswith suchaprizedpossession!
Instantfilmphotosmeanalottomeas an artist. I’ve always loved documenting the world around me, whether it be through my art projects, or by accumulating over 11,000 photos and videos on my phone, so having another medium to archive my life that I use more sparingly, or shuffle in my hands because of its physicality was a nice change of pace. I’ve been riding a wave of nostalgia lately, thinking about howmyarthasdevelopedovertime,as well as how I’ve changed as a person throughout my time in high school. From my freshman through junior years, I found myself FREAKING OUT about growing up, and how nervous I was to be an adult. I turn 18 in March, and as I sift through college applications, worry about my Calculus grade, and try to breathe through it all, I still feel very nervous about my future, but I don’t feel myself wanting togobackintimeasoftenasIusedto; I think looking through my photos during that time is enough. That has to besomekindofgrowth,right?
our last halloween as kids!
where’s your childlike whimsy?
As high school seniors, post-high school life, adulthood, and in general, the future are at the forefront of our minds. Speaking from experience, as I prepare to graduate, I try to remind myself of my current position; While adulthood is right around the corner, I am still a child, meaning I can still unabashedly enjoy “childish” activities, liketrick-or-treating!
I went trick-or-treating in a friend’s neighborhood for the first time when I was in fifth grade, and it soon became oneofmyfavoriteholidaytraditions.It was a fun way to stay up late on a schoolnight,hangoutwithfriends,and ofcourse,collectfreecandyfromallthe neighbors!
In seventh grade (2019), I purchased a Halloween costume that I would wear every single year. The costume was a box of crayons, and now, five years later, I have a bit of an emotional attachment to it. I could never find a costumethatIlikedmore,soIthought, whynotkeepwearingit?
This year, I knew I wanted to go trick-or-treating one last time, but I didn’t know who I wanted to go with. I considered tagging along with my brother and his friends, but then I found out my friends were available, so wedecidedtogotogether!
After a day and a half of trying to plan ourantics(weareawfulatcoordinating events), we finally decided on a time andlocation.Paulodressedupasaboy onhisfirstdayofschool(propellorhat, $13 lollipop, and all), Luc as a man in an orange shirt from a stock image we found the day before, and Tuna (not pictured) was Joy from Inside Out, but onlyforthefirsthalfofthedaybecause itwaswaytoocoldforsuchacostume.
The first neighborhood we visited had very little Halloween spirit this year, which was unexpected because many, many more houses decorated in the years prior, which was disappointing. After about an hour and a half of mindlesslywalkingaroundthedead
neighborhood, we switched gears and ended up in Tuna’s neighborhood, which was much more lively, and we receivedlotsofcandy!
Later that evening, we found ourselves in my family friend’s neighborhood, describing our disappointment and satisfaction with the neighborhoods we visited to my parents, watching the groups of trick-or-treaters and plotting ournextmoves.
We ended the night by stopping for boba,butwespentthewholecarrideto and from the shop blasting the most obnoxious music in the car and singing (screaming)along.Itfeltgreatknowing that we didn’t have the school the next day!
As the weather changes from blistering hot to cold and windy, I find myself looking forward to what’s next, but I’m cherishing every moment in the meantime.
keeping a journal!
I’ve been consistently journaling in this little notebook since around mid-September. Here’s how it’s been so far:
(the notebook in question)
thank you so freakin’ much!
I’ve been doing a lot of retrospection lately, partially because I need to recount memories for this magazine, but also because it’s my last year of highschool.Mytimeinhighschoolhas beenabitofarollercoaster,butdespite itsbadparts,I’vehadagreattime!
CAL EAR & FRIENDS has reinforced my love for documenting everything: the good, the bad, the mundane, and whatever else happens in and out of school. I always look forward to bringing my cameras to school to archive the antics my friends and I get ourselvesinto.
This project has helped me develop my graphic design skills outside of the classroom, giving me an outlet to exercise full creative control on a project.WhileIlovethesenseof
structureIgetfromin-schooldesign assignments, I love having the flexibility to compile whatever I want into my personal projects. This magazineisnowherenearperfect,butI think that imperfection allows this publication to accurately reflect who I amwhenIworkoneachissue.
This magazine had brought back my love for storytelling. As a young child, I always wanted to create stories, whether it be attempting to write a book (and quickly losing interest), or trying my hand at creating a comic series (this also didn’t work out). CAL EAR & FRIENDS has become the perfect outlet for me to tell my stories in a way that’s authentically me—and it’s so much fun! I thought I lost my passionforwritingduringmyfreshman and sophomore years, but working on this publication reinstated my love for it,andovertheyears,I’vebecomemore and more excited to work on these issues.
I tried a lot of new activities and experienced so many new things this magazine cycle and it has been such a wonderful last six months. There was a point in my life where I felt afraid to experiencethenewandunfamiliar,and looking back, I realize how much I missedouton.Istillfindcomfortinthe familiar (most of the time spent on working on this issue was spent in my bedroom), but making new friends outsideofmysmallcircle,exploringthe worldoutsideofmyhometown,
and learning when and how to form boundarieshaschangedmyperspective on life. It’s almost embarrassing to say this because I know there is so much ahead of me and so much to learn, but it’s true! I think I’m finally learning how to break out of my shell, and I thinkI’vetakenmorethanenoughtime todothis.ThebestpartisthatIfeelso much happier! Even when everything feelsbleakandimpossibletoovercome, I’ve learned to find joy in the boring, almost insignificant parts of life—the quiet mornings on the weekends when Iwakeupearly,accidentallycomingup with fun riffs on my guitar, matching t-shirts with random people at the grocerystore,myafternoonnaps.
Issue #5 would not be possible without so many people. My family has always been so supportive of my creative endeavors, this magazine included. They’ve take me to shows, they deal with me loudly singing and playing my instruments, they support my dreams of doing all of this for a living, and more. They’ve been inspiring me to persevere since day one, and I’m forevergratefulforthat.
I wouldn’t be able to have most of this material in the magazine without my wonderful and awesome friends. It has taken me some time to find a group of people that I truly feel comfortable around,butIthinkIfinallyhaveasolid group of friends that respect and listen toeachother,shareasimilarsenseof
humor, and actively seek to interact witheachother,evenoutsideofschool, whetheritbeinpersonoronline.Ilove being able to loudly sing the worst songs together, send strange videos to one another, get into our odd debates, talk about our classes and home lives, and just exist together. I finally feel seen!
I also want to mention one of the people online who have inspired me. I’ve practically grown up online, and becauseofthat,I’vebeeninspiredbyso many visual artists and musicians who share their work online. It’s crazy how theinternetcanconnectpeoplefromall over the world—people who would likely never meet otherwise. One of the main reasons I chose graphic design as the art form I want to pursue in the futurewasbecauseofJimiSomewhere. Hehasbeeninspiringmetoimprovein music and visual art since I was in middle school. After he saw my YouTube video about him, he shared theoldmagazinesheusedtomakewith his friends when they were seventeen years old. As a seventeen year old myself, these magazines are both relatable and beautiful. Seeing how Jimi and the other talented people in themagazinesfeltaboutadulthoodand moving on from their childhoods was comforting. I could relate to their fears about growing older, and seeing that I’m not alone in my anxieties. It also helps seeing that these people grew up, found ways to live off of their passions, and now feel comfortable as young adults. I still feel like a little kid, but seeing that everything seems to get betteratsomepointmakesmefeellike
I’m right on track to be “successful,” whatever success may entail. I’ve been spending so much time worrying about the future that I forgot to live in the moment. I love being a kid, and I want to spend as much time as I can doing justthat.
thisprojectwillgrowinthefuture.
Thank you for getting this far. Stay safe, and I hope you stick around until nexttime.
I’m so grateful for all of my teachers who have made me feel comfortable in their classes and have even encouraged me to pursue my passions. For the longest time, I never really had super strong connections with my teachers, but this has changed within the past two years and I’m really glad! I look forward to going to class because of them. I admire the passion they have for what they do and it inspires me to give everything my all. They’ve shown mehowfunlearningisandIhopethey know that they are changing lives (mineincluded!).
Finally, I want to thank YOU for reading CAL EAR & FRIENDS. Whether you’ve been keeping up with themagazinesinceIssue#1in2022,or thisisyourfirsttimebeingapartofthe “cal ear nation,” having eyes on my creative projects inspires me to keep photographing everything, to keep telling my stories, and to keep creating in every sense of the word. Though I make most art projects for myself, it certainly feels good to have other eyes onmywork!
This is the most fun I’ve had working on this magazine so far, and I am so excited for what’s to come! This publication seems to get better with eachissueandIlookforwardtohow
