tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31996951671214395602024-02-07T12:00:07.302-05:00Ruffles Not DietsThe rants and raves of a goth lolita on feminism, fat acceptance, and frillsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-4499408488676202912012-07-17T11:18:00.000-04:002012-07-17T11:18:30.351-04:00The Liebster AwardHi Everybody!<br />
The lovely <a href="http://gothicphantomcat.blogspot.ie/2012/07/liebster-award.html">Phantom Cat gave me the "Liebster Award"</a>, which, in addition to being incredibly sweet, also gave me something convenient to blog about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7kWz0Txeeug8k-IKf0X5ERZEclog_mEeeBtM2N9ERaR04YNTnvXp6d-OY6i8j5CD6JB1MTBBl4Pf9u0a_yHOh6u1Zmws0QqdxtxQ7S1tc9Ash09k5C_Mt2fFl9Ja-kyNvLSl9_cXwj0/s1600/Liebster+Award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7kWz0Txeeug8k-IKf0X5ERZEclog_mEeeBtM2N9ERaR04YNTnvXp6d-OY6i8j5CD6JB1MTBBl4Pf9u0a_yHOh6u1Zmws0QqdxtxQ7S1tc9Ash09k5C_Mt2fFl9Ja-kyNvLSl9_cXwj0/s1600/Liebster+Award.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><u>The Rules.</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, verdana; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Each person must post 11 things about themselves</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, verdana; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Answer the questions the tagger has set for you</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, verdana; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Create 11 questions for the people you have tagged to answer</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, verdana; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Choose 11 people and link them in your post</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, verdana; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Go to their page and tell them</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, verdana; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">No tag backs</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, verdana; font-size: x-small;">As per usual I am going to be a rebel, sort of. I am so late in posting this and have seen this award going around and have not kept tabs on who has gotten it, so, if you are reading this consider yourself tagged! (that is, um, if you don't mind)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">11 Things about Me!</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">I technically own and regularly use three different e-readers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">Despite this I usually buy physical copies of all the books I really like (generally used though), because I worry about the longevity of e-books, the fact that I own a license to the content when I own an e-book, not the content itself, and whether or not I will be able to read them during the zombie apocalypse or wevs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">Yes, I think that during the zombie apocalypse my primary concern <i>will</i> be whether or not I have something to read, thankyouverymuch.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">I have black nail polish in every conceivable format (crackle, glitter, magnetic, nail art pen, transparent glaze), but regular nail polish.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">I am nearly 27, but did not realize until a few weeks ago when I started working on some videos that I have a slight lisp. I do not know what this particular lack of self-awareness says about me.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">I'm going to go ahead and answer one of my questions (see below) and say I like the internet, and given a choice between having a jet-pack vs the internet I want the internet.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">Actually given the choice between most things in golden age sci-fi and the internet I want the internet. I mean, who wants sentient robots (I'm having a hard enough time getting a job as it is without having to compete with someone who can be programmed to do my job perfectly and 24/7) or to go to Mars (it's super-cold there), and I don't know anyone I would trust with a time machine.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">I may not be the target demographic for golden age scifi.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">To shift directions radically, my current life goals legitimately involve living in a yurt.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">There are a lot of reasons for this, but the main thing that I keep coming back to is that, with some curved shelving, I could have 360 degrees of books! (well, like 352, minus the section needed for the door).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, verdana;">I am currently working on a novel that is a re-telling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" where instead of sneaking out every night to go to dance parties they are plotting a rebellion, and I am finding the hardest part is coming up with a decent title so the working title is just <i>Dance, Dance, Revolution</i>. I am kind of sad there is no chance of keeping that</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, verdana; font-size: x-small;">Answers to Phantom Cat's Questions</span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">Your first goth band? I actually started to listen to a bunch of goth music all at the same time, but the first band I got really into was probably Dead Can Dance</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"> New or early batman movies? I love the new ones. I am a little trepidatious about Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, but I am going to hold off judgement until I actually see it. I am really excited about seeing <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i> since I saw bits and pieces of the filming last summer (several scenes were filmed in and around my office building). Pittsburgh is Gotham now!</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">The longest you have ever gone without sleep? There were a few times in college when I stayed up all night (never for a good reason either), but I think probably no more than 24 hours. I have never been super into not sleeping, and actually sleep a good eight hours through most of college and all of grad school.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"> What are your phobias? I am very afraid of heights and somewhat of dogs. I used to be very afraid of dogs because when I was very young a nasty neighbor dog just bit me when I was in the middle of petting it, but now am really only afraid when they are barking at me.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Tea or coffee? Tea, I have a whole cupboard of different kinds.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">The one country in the world you would love to visit? currently I think Iceland tops the list but I kind of want to go to ALL THE PLACES!</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Is you hair natural or dyed? Dyed, naturally *wink*</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"> Any body modifications you would never consider getting done? Loads, scarification freaks me way out as does tongue splitting. I think I am to lazy to commit to the process of ear-stretching.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"> Your most hated tv show. I don't know. Since I don't have a TV I don't randomly come across shows, so I only watch things I like. My most hated TV plot-line is the now standard detective drama thing where the main male character and female character start out hating each other then fall in love then spend like five seasons not dealing with it. It worked (up to a point) for Mulder and Scully because their characters and plots were reasonably well constructed to explain why they didn't just kiss already, but it is officially played out.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">What book are you reading at the moment? <i>The Books of Lost Things</i> by John Connolly </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">What do you do to chill out after a long day? Mostly I dick around on the internet...</span></li>
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11 Questions for y'all (<a href="http://rufflesnotdiets.tumblr.com/post/22496118989/ive-been-tagged">I am mostly re-using questions from a similar meme on tumblr</a>) sure to peer into your <b>very soul</b>!<span style="background-color: white;">:</span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">You can only choose one book to take with you to go live on a deserted island, what is that book? (It can be an anthology, and it can also be a book on how to survive on a desert island but I am going to suspect that no one will pick that because then you’d be bored — with ceviche) </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">While I am at it, what is the best kind of nail polish and why?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Since I already went there, which MLP are you?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"> Would you rather be respected or generally enjoyed? </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Which is the most useless Pokemon?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"> Cake or Death?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"> Golden age science fiction predicted that by now we would have jet-packs, but not the internet, is this a good trade or do you want jet-packs? </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Speaking of, pretend you are James Tiberius Kirk, which alien species or hybrid is the most fun in bed (feel free to use species from TNT, DS9, or Voyager as well)?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"> What is the proper way to brew/serve tea? </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">The “Nevermind” baby is old enough to buy booze legally in the US, does this make you think: a)shit I’m old, or b) what is a nevermind baby?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"> Best Disney heroine (including but not exclusively princesses)?</span></li>
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PS: I am working on my video shooting and editing skills for a project, so I made a thing! It is a hair tutorial for side braids and a fancy bun, so check it out if you want:</div>
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/POI_GgMVGHY/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/POI_GgMVGHY?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/POI_GgMVGHY?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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It has some annotations that don't seem to survive the embedding process so you may wish to watch it on youtube.</div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/VarinaJones">Also, I tweet now. It's been entertaining, follow me if you wish</a>!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-69142497240696643092012-07-02T16:42:00.001-04:002012-07-02T16:42:49.494-04:00Clikcy-Links on Styles for Long HairCurrently I am in a phase where I am bored with all my normal hairstyles and want to learn more new ones. It happens periodically, but I thought I should turn this impulse into something useful and share some of my favorite resources with all of you.<br />
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I am a very visual learner, especially for things I need to do, like hairstyles or crafts, so I have been spending a lot of time on youtube. Here are some of my favorite channels, in order, from shortest to longest, of how long your hair has to be to do the average style on the channel. For me a good channel for hair videos is one with clear instructions, decent image quality, interesting an varied styles, with styles that can be done on yourself and don't require a lot of product or heat styling, and that shows what the finished style looks at the beginning so you don't have to watch a nine-minute video and then discover you don't actually like how it looks.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/LaDollyVita33/videos">Dolly-Tube</a>: She creates beautiful unique styles, often incorporating interesting braids, and gives clear easy to follow instructions. I also find it charming how she calls her styles "hair ideas" which I think sort of demystifies the whole process of inventing your own hair styles "oh, this was just idea I had and so I messed around with it". I am actually currently wearing this style:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/Loepsie?feature=g-user-u">Loepsie</a>: this channel features a good mix of contemporary/currently popular styles with historical or film-inspired looks. She has also recently started a series of historical makeup tutorials. The first one is about Ancient Egypt and if you can get over the lols of her describing what I would call weekday eyeliner "extreme" it's interesting and informative:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FI8ZYQ0SKrE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ArrowOdenn/videos">Arrow Oden</a> is my favorite for styles that are more suited for everyday wear that are attractive but easy to learn and do. I also find her speaking manner charming (although how much of that is my typically american tendency to think most non-chavvy English accents make a person seem more pleasant I don't know).</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z2QYT2QsAMc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Finaly 4ypn0tica, has much, much longer hair than mine so I can't make a few of the styles she does (or they just look completely different), but when I can these are really my favorites. They are clear and easy to follow, and generally have great music. So mostly it is my more "aspirational" pick.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ICNmKtqa4YM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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As far as non-Youtube resources</div>
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<a href="http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/style-index/">Rapunzel's Resource</a> has lots of good, relatively easy styles and good instructions.</div>
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<a href="http://ups-downs-hair.blogspot.com/">Ups and Downs</a> is another favorite hair blog, focusing on historical styles. She doesn't seem to be updating any more, but there is a pretty good sized archive to browse.</div>
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When you have a lot of time for browsing you can go through <a href="http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=8235">this ridiculously long list of hairstyle links.</a></div>
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I hope that is useful for some of y'all. This is kind of a drive-by post, but I will be posting more soon. I have been working on a major project that hopefully some of you will enjoy, but it will be under wraps until August, probably.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-7690564378092865032012-06-05T11:26:00.000-04:002012-06-05T11:26:25.441-04:00Black with Red Accents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYa8fc8zZVKRnqBLR4hwAumolM85hxwfjkPZWHD2BV1nVHucGH7z9Z1PiHttSbylomV97wcumB0-vVBhtW4BIQshk1nbIj5dAU7m8yncIAqmpIjM5KFnX549J0eUP7RYiJB-CcdfQR9up/s1600/rbdress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYa8fc8zZVKRnqBLR4hwAumolM85hxwfjkPZWHD2BV1nVHucGH7z9Z1PiHttSbylomV97wcumB0-vVBhtW4BIQshk1nbIj5dAU7m8yncIAqmpIjM5KFnX549J0eUP7RYiJB-CcdfQR9up/s400/rbdress.JPG" width="238" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/search/label/Red%20and%20Black%20Week" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkTpfcDVOHpmgp1_QTSYehSUthMXOUaSTekz8WwMK8CDPkyYx2I8azaWWDKtByu5P4PikOVBrBNKUj3w_gA3VzbKiWRqoA44sq_-TDCpmDh54iCAjBEnisjt594XoKD1aJwnXyCNz_e4/s1600/red-black-week-icon.jpg" /></a>I bought this dress in a recent raid of the Target online clearance section. I wasn't necessarily expecting much from a 7$ dress, except being comfy and work-appropriate, but this turns out to be one of the most flatteringly-cut dress I own. The kimono sleeve is surprisingly flattering and the waist actually hits at just the right place for an empire-style. That's not something that happens very often when you are tall and somewhat busty. Also, just FYI, a huge amount of Target's plus-sized women's clothes are sold online only (which makes so much sense right, I mean, the average women's size in America is 16, so you clearly can't afford to keep them in stock in all your stores when they are a niche market...of half of all women..shut up, that's why), so if you never find anything interesting in the stores, check online. I decided to add red accessories and makeup for Red and Black week (and because I like the look of red accents with a black outfit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGjcTRtjf6ImjEX-ykoznMm6PbiAhYrKIOBlfU65WfJ80uXr6BD8O_Nnob8kC9Cw_0WPZQBx2508ulyPWfDachDYKZbz8sSg1FsW2i4gyVUK1v8i5cEOQyEqeCvwJHnhc4PVq6q1BuBYP/s1600/rbface.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGjcTRtjf6ImjEX-ykoznMm6PbiAhYrKIOBlfU65WfJ80uXr6BD8O_Nnob8kC9Cw_0WPZQBx2508ulyPWfDachDYKZbz8sSg1FsW2i4gyVUK1v8i5cEOQyEqeCvwJHnhc4PVq6q1BuBYP/s320/rbface.JPG" width="264" /></a>You'll have to excuse the somewhat bedraggled expression. I thought I was running late because I somehow didn't pay attention to the hour on my clock and rushed to get ready only to show up an hour early for work (which is not good if you are an hourly rather than salaried employee). I'm still not 100% sure what happened there. Anyway...<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIBh0t77s4p4F2id5R-LQXeGMExNEwif8OjAiKMDFp3Tw0_ooOLiw1mWM-nyICLBJgQRu_IBir7gseSRQAlhLfAXFO2sc_S3J10xj9-k1-V9NrjqVMrZNRF6tc7nkKrEU-Lbj4rhdK4G2/s1600/rbaccessories.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIBh0t77s4p4F2id5R-LQXeGMExNEwif8OjAiKMDFp3Tw0_ooOLiw1mWM-nyICLBJgQRu_IBir7gseSRQAlhLfAXFO2sc_S3J10xj9-k1-V9NrjqVMrZNRF6tc7nkKrEU-Lbj4rhdK4G2/s320/rbaccessories.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="269" /></a><br />
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My earrings and necklace are both from the A<a href="http://www.artofadornment.ca/catalog/index.php/cPath/24_47">rt of Adornment Sanguine collection</a>, a great source for all your red and black needs. The bead in the earrings looks dark here, but when it catches the light it is a deep, pure red<br />
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For my eye makeup I used <a href="http://www.geekchiccosmetics.com/bloodbond.html">Geek Chic's Blood Bond</a>, a semi-matte brick red, in the crease and<a href="http://www.shirocosmetics.com/item_11/Ganondorf.htm"> Shiro Cosmetics' Ganondorf</a>, an iridescent, almost black red along the line and under the lid, with my <a href="http://www.sephora.com/waterproof-smoky-cream-liner-P266500?skuId=1238534">trusty black creme eyeliner from Sephora</a>, of course.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLFLQ92Woh59E5lym-l6wXeJGD3WXn-_Xa4ZSQJ7qe8HYX2LOB_fBmjffDWLDtR-qbd5LBHIQDTdPzLh7-TAtoS9FYKjd6_qrv8EUxYEs3anT6BfX_C54UQ4wDGfY4FKUYut39xQTkLMd/s1600/rbeyes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLFLQ92Woh59E5lym-l6wXeJGD3WXn-_Xa4ZSQJ7qe8HYX2LOB_fBmjffDWLDtR-qbd5LBHIQDTdPzLh7-TAtoS9FYKjd6_qrv8EUxYEs3anT6BfX_C54UQ4wDGfY4FKUYut39xQTkLMd/s320/rbeyes.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-69466810215648199592012-06-03T14:58:00.000-04:002012-06-03T14:58:19.634-04:00Dyeing your hair with Henna and Indigo: a slightly abstract open to Red and Black week<a href="http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/search/label/Red%20and%20Black%20Week" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkTpfcDVOHpmgp1_QTSYehSUthMXOUaSTekz8WwMK8CDPkyYx2I8azaWWDKtByu5P4PikOVBrBNKUj3w_gA3VzbKiWRqoA44sq_-TDCpmDh54iCAjBEnisjt594XoKD1aJwnXyCNz_e4/s1600/red-black-week-icon.jpg" /></a> I recently started dyeing my hair with henna and indigo again after a short absence and had the idea of posting a probably overly detailed tutorial. I decided to save it for Sophitique Noir's wonderful Red and Black week because you use henna to dye hair red and indigo to dye it black, and I am abstract and a little cheesy like that. I promise there will be outfit posts to follow. I have dyed my hair this way for more than six years, with a short break because I thought I wanted to go back to my natural hair color, and then to make sure I wanted to go back to it (more on that later).<br />
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Why or Why not dye with henna and/or indigo:<br />
The benefits are that it is: not just not harmful but actually really good for most hair types, also better for your scalp, less toxic to you and the environment than chemical dyes, and can be fun! Additionally I have read that these dyes act as mild relaxers on natural African hair (but can't corroborate that from my own experience, obvs.) and are obviously much less damaging than chemical relaxers.<br />
The drawbacks: it really is potentially messy, kind of smelly, way more time consuming, and results are a bit unpredictable (no, you won't turn your hair green unless you have bought something that isn't really henna from an unscrupulous dealer). Personally, I enjoy the process, it's kind of like turning your hair into an extended science process, and consider it self-care time. The main thing to consider however, is that neither henna nor indigo can be bleached out and attempting to do so will fundamentally damage the structure of your hair (I had clumps of hair literally melt off in my hands). They will fade somewhat (indigo more so than henna), and you can always dye over them to get a darker color, but generally the only way to get rid of the color is to cut it out.<br />
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I have started dying my hair dark auburn and will explain that process in detail, then will add notes on how to get straight red or pure black hair. <br />
Supplies:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Enough henna and indigo (2:1 ratio) to cover hair (100 grams will cover the same amount of hair as a box of chemical dye, so guesstimate from there. I use 250 grams to cover bra-strap length, medium thick hair)</li>
<li>Lemon juice, purchased, hand-squeezed provides no benefit and must be carefully strained so in generally more trouble than it's worth for this. </li>
<li>A glass or ceramic bowl large enough to hold the mix (preferably glass as ceramic can stain)</li>
<li>a wooden or plastic utensil for mixing. I use wooden chopsticks (never use anything metal)</li>
<li>A truly ridiculous amount of plastic wrap</li>
<li>Optional add-ins that are worth your time: cocoa butter and/or shea butter, about 1/2 oz per 100 grams of henna to make the mix even more beneficial for your hair (I started using this after trying Lush's henna, which is mostly not worth it but adding cocoa butter was a good idea), and essential oils that blend well with the smell of henna, I like jasmine and ylang-ylang</li>
<li> Add-ins that are NOT worth your time: spices such as cloves and ginger which are supposed to intensify the color but do no such thing and can irritate your scalp, some people use many different liquids such as tea, coffee, or wine, in the belief that this effects the color, but they mostly don't. Wine gives the color a very temporary nudge in the direction of purple, but meh. Coffee and tea don't seem to do anything and since I leave my henna on overnight and caffeine can be absorbed through the skin....</li>
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Choosing a brand of henna: what makes a henna good or bad is the concentration of pigment (something you can't tell until you have tried it normally) and the fineness or coarseness of the sift. Most of the major complaints henna n00bs have can be attributed to buying henna that has a really coarse sift, which just makes it harder to get in your hair (especially if it is thick), harder to wash out, and generally give poorer results. Most of the kinds you can find in places like Whole Foods (Light Mountain, Rainbow, or Avigal brands for instance) are super coarse and terrible. In fact, if henna comes in colors, miss that brand, that is almost always a sign or crappy quality. Sometimes the best are the kind you get for a few bucks at an Indian grocery (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004IUN7JO/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00">or</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RLBTMA/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i01">Amazon</a>), Jamila is for instance high quality always, just make sure it says "100% henna" or "100% inidgo" and do a test swatch when using a new brand. Another reliable shop <a href="http://mehandi.com/">mehandi.com</a>, actually they have the best quality of anything I've used; I am just usually too cheap.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBp-1CJpyZRTwSrICeJfNfKa_QK7qAqjoyPci89MaTlqrh21yXGSfWYUUvyVOA1SyKIvt-fnLeP7NdL21NtToA1O7BiPywKrUpkJgnE5n_bIjZhu-IUaIgI4LL45-MJb-SDeEO4DNons_U/s1600/henndigostep1.2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBp-1CJpyZRTwSrICeJfNfKa_QK7qAqjoyPci89MaTlqrh21yXGSfWYUUvyVOA1SyKIvt-fnLeP7NdL21NtToA1O7BiPywKrUpkJgnE5n_bIjZhu-IUaIgI4LL45-MJb-SDeEO4DNons_U/s200/henndigostep1.2.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
Step 1: Mix henna with just enough lemon juice to moisten<br />
add a wee bit of water and allow to sit for a few hours to allow the dye to release. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1y_RwBvTeQFSWKtEW0zcspXYnRc32EEN5zKoI0MgWczpLeD9_L9A1_0Nlwh53OGR7mVy0Fp8vqnqFxUtQ7j2uB0x7Y1qCBKi2rBkgXXdeQnP5EgB2A-bIGRcpB5hObCP4BUF244aC4zeq/s1600/henndigostep2.2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1y_RwBvTeQFSWKtEW0zcspXYnRc32EEN5zKoI0MgWczpLeD9_L9A1_0Nlwh53OGR7mVy0Fp8vqnqFxUtQ7j2uB0x7Y1qCBKi2rBkgXXdeQnP5EgB2A-bIGRcpB5hObCP4BUF244aC4zeq/s200/henndigostep2.2.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYw_AX-HkzriU9xPqBApcmTt0ymBlxrIROvGdEZWYBvQxgvc98OFQr6ELOtmhbkKmZYaM3BhPusDnQ7m3_pSE_03ap6qt-5FuhY-1s_4_ZYoVDFdh6mPswOUfIX8ZeUfgYBH4G5yd112i/s1600/henndigostep2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYw_AX-HkzriU9xPqBApcmTt0ymBlxrIROvGdEZWYBvQxgvc98OFQr6ELOtmhbkKmZYaM3BhPusDnQ7m3_pSE_03ap6qt-5FuhY-1s_4_ZYoVDFdh6mPswOUfIX8ZeUfgYBH4G5yd112i/s200/henndigostep2.JPG" width="200" /></a>Step 2: Add indigo and cocoa butter then stir in enough very hot water (just below boiling) for the mixture to have the approximate consistency of sour cream<br />
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Step 3: Let cool for about half an hour, but less than an hour. Stir in any essential oils at this point.<br />
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Step 4: Rub petroleum jelly along your hairline, ears, and probably whole neck<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdAaTdWy4Gfp53O-4z_PeOKISrO-db5gK4IAPb1OAIH58HXcjsoJCb7lr0od4fSlWSJEwOf1CbfV6MtHOu16MmXXB7jEpZkRqnOLcaT-0RLxKDtOs2pkdM3JvBlym44PHS4eppivWBNzD/s1600/henndigostep3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdAaTdWy4Gfp53O-4z_PeOKISrO-db5gK4IAPb1OAIH58HXcjsoJCb7lr0od4fSlWSJEwOf1CbfV6MtHOu16MmXXB7jEpZkRqnOLcaT-0RLxKDtOs2pkdM3JvBlym44PHS4eppivWBNzD/s320/henndigostep3.JPG" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am a cone head</td></tr>
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Step 5: Put mix on your head. Generally just section out your hair and, starting from the bottom/ at the neck squish mixture into your hair. Make sure all your hair and the roots are well covered and pile your hair on the top of your head and cover with a crazy amount of plastic wrap. Mild heat helps the process so, if you can stand it, wrap a towel or something around as well. <br />
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Step 6: Leave in for as long as you can stand. Generally if you can't leave it in for at least an hour don't bother. Fours hours seems to be the sort of max time for really intense color and longer than that doesn't impact the color <i>that</i> much. I generally leave it on overnight, because that is the most convenient, and I have enough hair that the weight of it covered in henna paste is hard to deal with for any length of time in any position but lying down.<br />
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Step 7: wash out. I find that after an initial rinse out, adding conditioner to my hair makes the rest rinse out actually very easily. Dry and style as usual<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfVsHEbFYHD2xzoLncgzr2YcmZiCvFomA3Km4Z9fbC1882LntToZ_Htc2L86kkE6mYxMXyWCVoVbLqhJurOA7qoFtr6u09pnfX1JRnnJM_pqGwapbuiFhyaxQiWcyXUtgJU6sI66QPCXr/s1600/henndigoresults3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfVsHEbFYHD2xzoLncgzr2YcmZiCvFomA3Km4Z9fbC1882LntToZ_Htc2L86kkE6mYxMXyWCVoVbLqhJurOA7qoFtr6u09pnfX1JRnnJM_pqGwapbuiFhyaxQiWcyXUtgJU6sI66QPCXr/s320/henndigoresults3.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am modeling this hair with my Applejack Ketylo hairsticks to add something to the Red and Black theme)</td></tr>
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I ultimately want it redder than this but just as dark, so I may dye with just henna next time, but not necessarily. An important thing to know about henna is that the color builds so that the first time you use it, it may be a pretty mild color change, but do it a few times and it will be more intense. This is a few years of pure henna dyeing, and it was more atomically red in real life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lj6N8djwCuXehNjk6RHabf9VFE5a6_1Dxawrqrs5MnWkzmUtJp_W2SgU7pwiUhE-TPwaHiBMe6gHr5qyZOC28n124Wr4He0sryXFC0dH2MWmztZJKL4ZUlBtx56xxYcOxXMHUNYES6rt/s1600/varina.jones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lj6N8djwCuXehNjk6RHabf9VFE5a6_1Dxawrqrs5MnWkzmUtJp_W2SgU7pwiUhE-TPwaHiBMe6gHr5qyZOC28n124Wr4He0sryXFC0dH2MWmztZJKL4ZUlBtx56xxYcOxXMHUNYES6rt/s1600/varina.jones.jpg" /></a></div>
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To dye hair black: If your hair is light (let's say medium brown or lighter) follow the steps to dye with henna (the lemon juice, wait, add more water, put in hair), only leaving henna in for about an hour, rinse out, dry, then dye with indigo (mix indigo with just water, put in hair without letting sit) and let sit for as long another hour. The pure color or henna is red-orange, and indigo is green-blue. If you just use indigo on light hair, it will be green-ish (that's probably what happened to Anne of Green Gables, unless she had adulterated dye), so the henna cancels out that unfortunate tint to give a neutral black. If your hair is darker you may be able to skip the henna step for a dark, blue-black. Do a test swatch.<br />
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To dye hair red: Leave out the indigo (yeah, pretty obvious) otherwise following the above instructions and note what I said above about how the color builds. Since henna is good for your hair, if you want intense red ASAP there is no reason you can't dye it ever weekend (or day to be honest) until you get it like you like it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.book530.com/paintingpic/1226a2/-i-b-lady-godiva-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://www.book530.com/paintingpic/1226a2/-i-b-lady-godiva-b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my goal color, FYI</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-7688553053180235332012-05-25T20:02:00.002-04:002012-05-25T20:02:28.507-04:00OOTD: Casual FridayI am still trying to get back into regular blogging after my unintentional hiatus. I had gotten out of the habit of reading/seeing/buying/wearing something and thinking "my blog will hear about this" and am still trying to get back into that in order to have content and such. I am also starting to get ready to move and all my normal photographing spots are a mess. Anyway....<br />
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Since my office doesn't have a dress code at all we don't actually have casual Friday, but I've noticed everyone seems to informally observe one anyway. Also, as today is Geek Pride day* it seemed like a good time for one of my work-appropriate geeky t-shirts. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtUpfKo7NQeQxy4MBItVmkM1HbSBtAAOjg1RKxrDXc_2Bh-U6HQsWRZLCEAQXFzOOerQFLClW0mgt4DqRXG8zOWFj0MzBrfP6sRPgSTWpisnl-AZtQXptMMbBZ069DjEXRLDY85q8l-fl/s1600/casualfridayfunny.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtUpfKo7NQeQxy4MBItVmkM1HbSBtAAOjg1RKxrDXc_2Bh-U6HQsWRZLCEAQXFzOOerQFLClW0mgt4DqRXG8zOWFj0MzBrfP6sRPgSTWpisnl-AZtQXptMMbBZ069DjEXRLDY85q8l-fl/s320/casualfridayfunny.JPG" width="177" /></a></div>
The skirt is one of a few pieces I got from the relatively new online plus-sized boutique <a href="http://www.dominodollhouse.com/">Domino's Dollhouse</a>. If you haven't heard of them before I recommend checking them out. The styles are generally pretty gothabilly and punk and some randoms, kind of reminiscent of early Torrid, however totally unlike torrid the clothes are well-made out of decent quality fabrics (I have seen way to many polyester a-line skirts going for 50$+ at Torrid. There is a lot of discussion about the advisability of wearing dark colors in summer, but synthetic fabrics are the real enemy). I also recently got these grey and black striped tights (thigh highs, actually) which are really great subtle stripy tights. I included the weirdly moody photo below just because it was the only one where the tights showed up.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuejJe5VS9Nhb2nooW-PzCixPfzm4iUnQazEYxQ9aW0ZOzmxG3s3e2M1bdcRK4JEnyewNNwFyp0QscHYSPRZ9GuN43jcBqmehK7RSOzMqG9yME4U0NuV1ZNIxdDi9nHE0DPbSU1KCud81/s1600/casualfridayserious.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuejJe5VS9Nhb2nooW-PzCixPfzm4iUnQazEYxQ9aW0ZOzmxG3s3e2M1bdcRK4JEnyewNNwFyp0QscHYSPRZ9GuN43jcBqmehK7RSOzMqG9yME4U0NuV1ZNIxdDi9nHE0DPbSU1KCud81/s320/casualfridayserious.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="149" /></a><br />
Outfit Details:<br />
Shirt: Think Geek<br />
Skirt: Domino's Dollhouse<br />
Tights: Foot Traffic brand via Sock Dreams<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjeJC-cYEaaexHxs5GPjRFUAfBieFGWyQaihe2CPS-qaYXY_WPdvQopHh79EDxKT-J-rROYZDeirKObqrESDfe2UZ07FgbBIOc4oKHn9NtL7aDG7iuNtohucO8Ok-lsR4maUSzx_noR0R/s1600/casualfridaybun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjeJC-cYEaaexHxs5GPjRFUAfBieFGWyQaihe2CPS-qaYXY_WPdvQopHh79EDxKT-J-rROYZDeirKObqrESDfe2UZ07FgbBIOc4oKHn9NtL7aDG7iuNtohucO8Ok-lsR4maUSzx_noR0R/s320/casualfridaybun.JPG" width="254" /></a>I also wore my new favorite hairstyle: <a href="http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/inside-out-french-braid-bun/">a dutch-braid bun</a>. It makes it look like I have a huge amount of hair and is classic looking but still interesting.<br />
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*the combined holiday commemorating Towel Day, the Glorious 25 May, and the release of Star Wars and celebration of all things geeky. Towel Day may be my favorite but I have yet to figure out how to visibly incorporate a towel into a work appropriate outfit, so that's strictly after hours.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-61556628390893690192012-04-17T18:04:00.000-04:002012-04-17T18:04:44.129-04:00Dressing for an InterviewMostly how I am not sure how to do it. The world of job searching is full of all sorts of random, seemingly magical, and often contradictory advice, leaving a poor random recent graduate like me with no idea what is true. It is also largely geared towards the business world, which is not really my field. I've recently been able to cut out a lot of the noise with the site <a href="http://hiringlibrarians.com/">Hiring Librarians</a>, which is fantastic and simply a series of interviewers with the actual people who make hiring decisions at libraries. I know since I started reading it regularly my cover letters and resume have dramatically improved, but the question of how to dress for an interview hass, if anything, gotten more confusing. A huge number of the interviewees list dressing "too casually" as a common mistake, but what does that mean? Should I wear a suit? Crap, I don't actually own a suit. Then I will read someone saying a common mistake is "dressing too casually, like some people show up in flip-flops". Right, I wasn't really ever considering showing up to an interview in flip-flops. The most formal library staff I have ever seen still only dress in "business casual" wear, so I figure, slightly nicer/more conservative than that should be fine. I do however, have a pretty weak grasp on what normal people consider normal clothes. So, here are the outfits I am most strongly considering, your feedback and general comments are very much appreciated.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA64TU7lxq1BxuruBvTBBxIOtY-TdlzA2Z14zU81LyZztA11bRcd3kNMcjgOFbvPahrHUT22ypTB9BVXNqQAlKIY75Tn7dnjz8Xzraa5kIQKx1Kp5IRSEz6Fq4h_rcgfYZ1jOOG_31Tm0L/s1600/browndress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA64TU7lxq1BxuruBvTBBxIOtY-TdlzA2Z14zU81LyZztA11bRcd3kNMcjgOFbvPahrHUT22ypTB9BVXNqQAlKIY75Tn7dnjz8Xzraa5kIQKx1Kp5IRSEz6Fq4h_rcgfYZ1jOOG_31Tm0L/s400/browndress.jpg" width="373" /></a></div>
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />This is my personal top pick. It is dressy, but interesting and not at all revealing. On the left I wear it with a sweater since I may soon be interviewing in Maine where it is usually in the 50's this time of year. I'm wearing it with some earrings that have a bit of vellum from a medieval copy of the Justitnian Code. I don't know if the print is a bit too funky or the whole thing is too casual.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nQyzEORYMqjRHLzciPP146TZiz6G_jV6cm-W5A-_j5hA5p_yEdVCaI0a0GNwpoJihmPRvYl_zx79mxHBo1LYiPC44JDG8qYuNjh-2VwMU0g1Fj_5ReORVYqOU-D-81jWzRfUbZqxBbxH/s1600/greenandblack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nQyzEORYMqjRHLzciPP146TZiz6G_jV6cm-W5A-_j5hA5p_yEdVCaI0a0GNwpoJihmPRvYl_zx79mxHBo1LYiPC44JDG8qYuNjh-2VwMU0g1Fj_5ReORVYqOU-D-81jWzRfUbZqxBbxH/s400/greenandblack.JPG" width="221" /></a></div>
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This is a generally safe outfit. I wear it to work pretty regularly, but it is one of the nicer outfits I would ever wear to my job. I think it might qualify as "too" casual, but the skirt is fancy and I just really don't know.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi44mb-rhhB01ReLC5fh2c3AONDs1xyx6vi1oLW7J0TmCv-B-KMz67PscJzu0jr3FPk_y-XigKY21yh6Ko04FsGIYaaV7IAiPlIx-v4N_fHDdMQjmJGpS7JTdbug2HdwSliedEfxPsBwge/s1600/bluedress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi44mb-rhhB01ReLC5fh2c3AONDs1xyx6vi1oLW7J0TmCv-B-KMz67PscJzu0jr3FPk_y-XigKY21yh6Ko04FsGIYaaV7IAiPlIx-v4N_fHDdMQjmJGpS7JTdbug2HdwSliedEfxPsBwge/s400/bluedress.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
This one may be a little too odd, as a coat-dress it risks looking like I am just not taking off my coat, but in other respects it's very much the most conservative piece I own (I mean, it's even navy).<br />
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And shoes! I mean, obviously no flip-flops, but as someone who is nearly six feet tall, are high heels off the table? Here are my options:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9FDzz-m6LRofgjHwc9rLm0GGBz8E1KmyZ7CmZQ0SI7Ejp1FbqU1eKFBfz9Rq29hxzKcWxCNsmE-iO2PWHFAVSW5K9oASwDUQrS_PBTsJjKIyTJOkgFN3td_uBR3CnX8AuS8DiZ3i2Mft/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9FDzz-m6LRofgjHwc9rLm0GGBz8E1KmyZ7CmZQ0SI7Ejp1FbqU1eKFBfz9Rq29hxzKcWxCNsmE-iO2PWHFAVSW5K9oASwDUQrS_PBTsJjKIyTJOkgFN3td_uBR3CnX8AuS8DiZ3i2Mft/s320/shoes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I think the heels are the best option, otherwise maybe the boots? I suspect the glitter flats are not a good idea. My shoe collection seems to be failing me now.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-13672646990857270462012-04-05T21:38:00.000-04:002012-04-05T21:38:23.895-04:00I do silly things so you don't have to!Silly thing the First:<br />
For many years I have been studiously hiding the dark secret that I am actually blond. After layers of dye and integrating root touch-ups as part of my life I can almost forget this shameful fact..... Except those moments when I don't have any makeup and want to just put on pants and run the store for ice cream at 10 at night and realize that my eyebrows are several shades lighter than my hair and look decidedly weird. I could either take two minutes to apply brow gel or decide I don't care if the Giant Eagle stock boy knows my terrible secret. Not anymore! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfJxL2m5AgbKFn2OBBVEx_tdf7TmAY98kw07oXL5OLfBw29WmDDLifhhohxAb3jTRw68-lRXNC7kZWAgHGBDoZbq6pr_q71j63JtWRZAW2QzI5Cg509rmotyHFqEGkz00vrWYSijpIREm/s1600/brow2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfJxL2m5AgbKFn2OBBVEx_tdf7TmAY98kw07oXL5OLfBw29WmDDLifhhohxAb3jTRw68-lRXNC7kZWAgHGBDoZbq6pr_q71j63JtWRZAW2QzI5Cg509rmotyHFqEGkz00vrWYSijpIREm/s320/brow2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I spent a few hours like that yesterday to dye my eyebrows with henna. Normal dye is both more runny and toxic so, you know, you can go blind (even I am not so lazy at 10 at night to think it is worth it). The chance of going blind doing this seemed pretty low, but I am not a doctor, so you probably shouldn't try this at home. I ordered samples of Twilight henna and indigo from mehandi.com, mixed them up together into a fairly thick paste and left them sit while I was at work, then applied petroleum jelly around my eyebrows, applies the henna/indigo paste on the brows, and covered with saran wrap for a few hours. Apparently I killed the indigo by mixing it up to far before applying it, so they came out lighter than they should have.<br />
before on left and after on right<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcM9tAyFcAVRxLYP2-CA3Po_pBqascEzAu6zZlIivfeA_KRTCbE0j-q1Tlgq21FdKeSpw0AjwWXogzcrc3Jd-u2c94qXi2hh4nLCc8LZDkHh0zSDzC9XALRbTZpO-rZMTPQpMTZUQXnKxH/s1600/browbefore.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcM9tAyFcAVRxLYP2-CA3Po_pBqascEzAu6zZlIivfeA_KRTCbE0j-q1Tlgq21FdKeSpw0AjwWXogzcrc3Jd-u2c94qXi2hh4nLCc8LZDkHh0zSDzC9XALRbTZpO-rZMTPQpMTZUQXnKxH/s200/browbefore.JPG" width="200" /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDrL3WqU-VQQdZoxCTmVqDjD4OUlXCU13GwDS_d5X1YUgRWyxz1r9QIlRQpeh7FLvCIjdzvYlCKIBtmEv1vCgRumpi4udPMWkoz9DhcprkAk4rwsQeblyE6MrzSy_kj0jXtA6UkdJtbOL/s1600/browafter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDrL3WqU-VQQdZoxCTmVqDjD4OUlXCU13GwDS_d5X1YUgRWyxz1r9QIlRQpeh7FLvCIjdzvYlCKIBtmEv1vCgRumpi4udPMWkoz9DhcprkAk4rwsQeblyE6MrzSy_kj0jXtA6UkdJtbOL/s200/browafter.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDrL3WqU-VQQdZoxCTmVqDjD4OUlXCU13GwDS_d5X1YUgRWyxz1r9QIlRQpeh7FLvCIjdzvYlCKIBtmEv1vCgRumpi4udPMWkoz9DhcprkAk4rwsQeblyE6MrzSy_kj0jXtA6UkdJtbOL/s1600/browafter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
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</a></div>I don't think any objective assessment would allow me to conclude that it was worth the trouble, but I will probably still do it again, because I am stubborn and want to get the indigo thing right <br />
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Silly thing the second:<br />
I made a dress with no pattern and a sort of vague notion of how I should go about it. I think it turned out fine, but I had to remake several parts and keep adjusting the fit. Honestly, a really simple maxi dress really shouldn't have been this much trouble, and wouldn't have been had I spent ten minutes on google looking up maxi dress tutorials. Still, Gorey print maxi-dress:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-pMeFJeoJSrtqDkiUQIKPvRoTAgOT-mfoMkj31CJSsYtEFbQ1cztye8C6q6QBsCybYl0_3FOFFLRFP6YrU8GVEK-gZJiMhTfKQkpmiESyPN-3lUXNn0zw_cCDJVYNdNKhnODLSjpmD5h/s1600/ghastliesfrontalt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-pMeFJeoJSrtqDkiUQIKPvRoTAgOT-mfoMkj31CJSsYtEFbQ1cztye8C6q6QBsCybYl0_3FOFFLRFP6YrU8GVEK-gZJiMhTfKQkpmiESyPN-3lUXNn0zw_cCDJVYNdNKhnODLSjpmD5h/s320/ghastliesfrontalt.JPG" width="159" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg27-fKpA2b11lwzKdphOe8qKrMMIaYUBP8fAhmXgtLLfsPB8IOIwJqWdfmU_a5ip6K2Kw6lJrS0xT0oIGec-FoeXBqzPiDtSMBODCKONpRDhHZHF2QbjQidvP-XH1ZTVaKtj_uvUkORoG/s1600/ghastlyback.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg27-fKpA2b11lwzKdphOe8qKrMMIaYUBP8fAhmXgtLLfsPB8IOIwJqWdfmU_a5ip6K2Kw6lJrS0xT0oIGec-FoeXBqzPiDtSMBODCKONpRDhHZHF2QbjQidvP-XH1ZTVaKtj_uvUkORoG/s320/ghastlyback.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
and with a sweater!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9VT7_Qj82OmTmP1VO2Zwem6b0R5dSMf1AlQybOQFAK2uyBjEJNfPZ82yKUalDWNdwzBgHI22-rWYw9SWq-H-DKfljZKq29q02P92itpxG7xvyR9zEF8BZqgDsgabDHjrSd623G-OjutK/s1600/ghastlysweater.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9VT7_Qj82OmTmP1VO2Zwem6b0R5dSMf1AlQybOQFAK2uyBjEJNfPZ82yKUalDWNdwzBgHI22-rWYw9SWq-H-DKfljZKq29q02P92itpxG7xvyR9zEF8BZqgDsgabDHjrSd623G-OjutK/s320/ghastlysweater.JPG" width="154" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-87289029049971378432012-03-28T14:28:00.000-04:002012-03-28T14:28:48.524-04:00Random thoughts on The Hunger GamesSo I haven't seen the movie yet. As per usual I am waiting until it has been out for two weeks so I can get really cheap tickets. I did finish the books a few weeks ago, and between that and reading a lot of commentary I have found I have a lot of thoughts. Spoilers for probably the whole series, skip to the video to avoid.<br />
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Based on the hype and press surrounding the series, going in I thought I had a good understanding of what I was going to be reading: a post-apocalyptic novel with a scrappy girl hero who, after many trials, would overthrow her oppressive government (maybe with the help of a band of scrappy teen freedom fighters) and revolutionize the world! That's pretty much, more or less, the template for these novels. I was really unprepared for what actually happened (and actively fought it while reading, "No! Katniss is the plucky girl hero! She will not be a puppet for any government" {spoiler alert: yeah, she totally will}).which was actually a story about how incredibly hard that peppy post-apocalyptic YA story-line actually is; how those who try to change the world will find themselves co-opted, sold out, and having to make deals with the devil. Also, PTSD, and <a href="http://gingerhaze.tumblr.com/post/19805911824/hunger-games-comics-spoilers-maybe">super creepy coerced romance</a>. The Hunger Games series is not about a plucky girl hero saving the world, but about an admirably surly would be girl hero relentlessly ground down by the oppressive system, about surviving that system, and maybe managing to scrap together a slightly better life for you and yours. It possibly has the most depressing happy ending in Young Adult fiction. Once I gave into the fact that this is what the series is about, I was pretty impressed with the whole thing. Really it subverts so much we have come to expect from YA genre fiction (including having the <a href="http://gingerhaze.tumblr.com/post/8176727284/i-think-suzanne-collins-entire-concept-for-these">least interesting or relevant love triangle in fiction</a>. Pretty much every fan of the series is Team who-gives-a-crap). <br />
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That having been said, the quality of the writing takes a nose-dive between each book. The third book is just rushed and poorly written. See, by this book Katniss is supposed to be slightly unhinged, having constant flashbacks and barely able to keep it together. Unfortunately it's written in the first person, so she can't just say "yeah, I'm totes unhinged". If you can see into a character's mental processes they should probably not be so coherent if the character is supposed to be mentally disturbed. <br />
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Anyway, <a href="http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/gamesmakers-hijack-story-capitol-wins-hunger-games-again/">ever though it is kind of massively ironic</a>, I am looking forward to the movie. I just have to find someone to come with me who will put up with the inevitable gross sobbing that is going to happen when Rue dies. I am also really excited about the soundtrack. I am a fan of alternative country and was hoping, since the book is set in Appalachian coal country, for some good music, only to have it show up from the most unlikely source. Taylor Swift, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xg3vE8Ie_E&ob=av3e">who has a troubled past with regards to writing songs about literature</a>, wrote and preforms (along with The Civil Wars, who are awesome usually) a song that is actually completely perfect, appropriate to the narrative, dark and down tempo, with wisps of traditional Appalachian folk music. The video's really beautiful too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/RzhAS_GnJIc/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RzhAS_GnJIc&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RzhAS_GnJIc&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
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Also, for fans of dark YA genre fiction, my favorite series in pretty much ever, the Chaos Walking trilogy, is on sale for 99 cents each today only at amazon. <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knife-Never-Letting-Walking-ebook/dp/B0044UHVR2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332950435&sr=1-1">The Knife of Never Letting Go</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Answer-Chaos-Walking-ebook/dp/B0044UHVRM/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2">The Ask and the Answer</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monsters-Men-Chaos-Walking-ebook/dp/B0044UHVRC/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2">Monsters of Men</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-43715462245186922572012-03-24T11:18:00.000-04:002012-03-24T11:18:25.846-04:00One Lovely Blog AwardI am so sorry to have taken so long to write this up. I keep getting eaten by the job application process which, combined with the fact that I recently bruised my tailbone falling down the stairs and have had limited sitting upright time, has eaten all of my normal blogging time. Anyway, I was nominated for the "Lovely Blog" award from both Sal Kaye at <a href="http://stilldark.wordpress.com/">Still Dark @ Heart</a> and <a href="http://siouxsielaw.com/">Siouxsie Law</a>. Thanks so much! The rules are that an awardee must post 7 facts about themselves and nominate 15 more people. I believe everyone I would otherwise name has already been so honored so I will skip that part. I have tried to make my random facts the most interesting I could remember in order to make up for my tardiness.<br />
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<ol><li>I can say "where are my pants" in seven languages despite not generally wearing pants, or losing clothing in random foreign countries (or ancient Rome, since classical Latin is one of the languages).</li>
<li>I used to be a inveterate liar, making up elaborate stories about my past or strange incidents because in my youth I became fascinated by the fact that people would believe things you told them just because and because I seem to have never fully absorbed the idea that lying is bad. It was a fairly difficult habit to break, as lying is sometimes terribly convenient, but I do much better these days. I still have friends who beleive some fairly strange things about me.</li>
<li>The strangest thing that anyone believes about me is that I am a secret agent for the Chinese government. I am not myself actually responsible for that one.</li>
<li>I am not actually sure what my natural hair color is anymore. It's statistically unlikely that it is still growing out blond, as neither of my parents were blond as adults, but it's so much lighter than the colors I have dyed it that it's not really possible to tell. My eyebrows are light brown/dark blond, so probably that.</li>
<li>At last count I have moved around 2 dozen times and can fully unpack my apartment in under six hours.</li>
<li>I have 2 Garth Brooks songs on my mp3 player, and secretly love them.</li>
<li>I was obsessed with the <i>Little House on the Prairie</i> books as a girl but I was perhaps most captured by the chapters on pig slaughter and secretly wanted to roast a pig tail most of all.</li>
</ol>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-44618358622326323912012-03-08T17:18:00.000-05:002012-03-08T17:18:27.705-05:00Happy International Women's Day!Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I have had a nasty case of writer's block/ennui that just of course got worse as time spent not posting went on. Hopefully this quick note will jump-start my writing again.<br />
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Today is International Women's day, a holiday which has been used widely to celebrate women's achievements and highlight continuing inequalities. The <a href="http://www.internationalwomensday.com/theme.asp">International Women's Day website theme</a> for 2012 is "Connecting Girls: Inspiring Futures" which I think is a pretty awesome theme. Since getting two fantastic nieces I have started thinking more and more about how to help bring up girls to be strong, confident, and full of self-worth in a society <a href="http://www.missrepresentation.org/the-film/">full of so many negative message</a>s. I don't have any great answers (although I think buying a lot of Girl Scout cookies can't hurt) and sometimes it can be pretty demoralizing. Sometimes feminism can be just exhausting. Sometimes though, I try remember why I fight for gender equality:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6JiPQ0X80lQnbXOGq3lEPEAOMNWH0YECYO_azQq-esWGJHZ4OesK7CsAv1CxhcwvM-08C0TentY_hBXN-mZoRkm1RWhXt6eEXHfXEOmoAoVe4Boa9fCd4JAub45DiUk2FUZ4DIQsbbc/s320/268876_10101029686950970_7915111_71552736_2812935_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6JiPQ0X80lQnbXOGq3lEPEAOMNWH0YECYO_azQq-esWGJHZ4OesK7CsAv1CxhcwvM-08C0TentY_hBXN-mZoRkm1RWhXt6eEXHfXEOmoAoVe4Boa9fCd4JAub45DiUk2FUZ4DIQsbbc/s320/268876_10101029686950970_7915111_71552736_2812935_n.jpg" /></a>Because I want to see what these fierce girls can make of themselves in a world without limits.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhuhmHUmVO5cMriHEvz44mtwcZ3gC0tOWLsco84buMuwTwxb4tb4Cjc9CnB4spKZVzJZ81r0u2jQfUaX_fUZbAHvJJ32-JVyTMBC5iEoWSmzkkCpbmGyVeY-2I0Gd23XsexGDtknoCqw/s320/180680_496868621438_636636438_6148569_1165499_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhuhmHUmVO5cMriHEvz44mtwcZ3gC0tOWLsco84buMuwTwxb4tb4Cjc9CnB4spKZVzJZ81r0u2jQfUaX_fUZbAHvJJ32-JVyTMBC5iEoWSmzkkCpbmGyVeY-2I0Gd23XsexGDtknoCqw/s320/180680_496868621438_636636438_6148569_1165499_n.jpg" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-67058453579814154442012-01-06T12:23:00.000-05:002012-01-06T12:23:55.651-05:00OOTD: From the Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveVk33pl_ZBVLLFUDVex8GYjVCFOEMYOiLBzt6aT3HUAm_jznjC1NUdHpu_SA1cmpGQccYf4oJHISmQbkA0XI7u2TufleSUc84NHaLrWLg9jIPq7GXpJiRHyJAJprSnkXO8jkIOtYYWzF/s1600/greencardie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveVk33pl_ZBVLLFUDVex8GYjVCFOEMYOiLBzt6aT3HUAm_jznjC1NUdHpu_SA1cmpGQccYf4oJHISmQbkA0XI7u2TufleSUc84NHaLrWLg9jIPq7GXpJiRHyJAJprSnkXO8jkIOtYYWzF/s400/greencardie.JPG" width="195" /></a></div>I was looking through photos when I noticed this outfit, which I wore, oh sometime in mid-november and never got around to posting.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs687NeoY8Cv01aYmiOTlldx-ifHsE0brJ5jV2aNvGYumAsi7DhYMjwGUYf-LSVMggMWrRkqGf1iUr49jh1uifc3PIcJWqYIM2NNAYjT1BiRE0CsOyd8QtSfbdRzJ9Lrm7H6nvYxMdeHdw/s1600/greencardieback.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs687NeoY8Cv01aYmiOTlldx-ifHsE0brJ5jV2aNvGYumAsi7DhYMjwGUYf-LSVMggMWrRkqGf1iUr49jh1uifc3PIcJWqYIM2NNAYjT1BiRE0CsOyd8QtSfbdRzJ9Lrm7H6nvYxMdeHdw/s320/greencardieback.JPG" width="177" /></a>This sweater was not meant to be cropped, and I kind of don't understand why it is, but I decided I really like it. It looks a bit strange left open though, and once closed I realized it opened at the top in almost the exact shape/space of a lace insert on the top of this cami. <br />
<br />
Since I have always loved the look of green with purple I decided to stifle my tendancy to do incredibly matchy-matchy makeup and use purple in my makeup.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNos0oAFfhyphenhyphenn_w4ahff4fPQh777pOf7UNPEDr-CHixMjaPGtcn9k7ZghiC3McGyhZaTUS09GEfQkdWaKgJAlySX-bEPZeBYnEb6fJwD7NbDk_Tiyq5Q17CAUbLKOkVtVI7me8kiCMsFOBz/s1600/green+cardieface.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNos0oAFfhyphenhyphenn_w4ahff4fPQh777pOf7UNPEDr-CHixMjaPGtcn9k7ZghiC3McGyhZaTUS09GEfQkdWaKgJAlySX-bEPZeBYnEb6fJwD7NbDk_Tiyq5Q17CAUbLKOkVtVI7me8kiCMsFOBz/s320/green+cardieface.JPG" width="263" /></a><br />
Outfit Details<br />
Cami and tights: Torrid<br />
Skirt: In the Starlight<br />
Sweater: <a href="http://ravel.me/Sabayon/xvdj6">Handmade</a><br />
Pin: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/JujubePins">Jujube Pins</a><br />
Earrings: <a href="http://www.artofadornment.ca/">Art of Adornment</a><br />
Lipstick: Sephora<br />
Eyeshadow: Geek Chic Cosmetics, "Ambassador"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNos0oAFfhyphenhyphenn_w4ahff4fPQh777pOf7UNPEDr-CHixMjaPGtcn9k7ZghiC3McGyhZaTUS09GEfQkdWaKgJAlySX-bEPZeBYnEb6fJwD7NbDk_Tiyq5Q17CAUbLKOkVtVI7me8kiCMsFOBz/s1600/green+cardieface.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-67998844214127161402011-12-31T10:41:00.010-05:002011-12-31T19:17:22.593-05:00OOTD: ChristmasOf course I believe few enough things, but one thing is sure, that you can't open Christmas presents in anything but pajamas. That would be wrong. I even have a special Christmas morning shirt:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2M5od1GeK7s06o0SDqA_5EdRCqTSkSGnw0JyzE4IQheBE65atvML8f9SW4VZy5S6VRbxlz7MZOW2M1p5FM6_NsrUxJhs0qWUsvPHvkujKUh9ldAm152_qxG0nlmUimZwaZ6DbmMvBnW4/s1600/PC250005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2M5od1GeK7s06o0SDqA_5EdRCqTSkSGnw0JyzE4IQheBE65atvML8f9SW4VZy5S6VRbxlz7MZOW2M1p5FM6_NsrUxJhs0qWUsvPHvkujKUh9ldAm152_qxG0nlmUimZwaZ6DbmMvBnW4/s400/PC250005.JPG" width="257" /></a></div><br />
However, this Christmas being a Sunday, I did have to get properly dressed for church and all.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4chfrtrUO90TXfYRiCuoR0QqXzzAalss8A1jDGmCFmbJItMRpFAap0jBxUcuvzSFlHT4BO8O3EVI71IsbOW86xsxduinROpXMeHKatRunKHZM9oL_NDH40foMjykEcNoQQrlv8AXhYqA/s1600/PC260010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4chfrtrUO90TXfYRiCuoR0QqXzzAalss8A1jDGmCFmbJItMRpFAap0jBxUcuvzSFlHT4BO8O3EVI71IsbOW86xsxduinROpXMeHKatRunKHZM9oL_NDH40foMjykEcNoQQrlv8AXhYqA/s320/PC260010.JPG" width="161" /></a></div>Slightly lousy picture, but I couldn't figure out the lighting in a new location. Anyway, at church I seemed to catch a fairly surprising amount of hostility. I slipped out to the bathroom in the middle of services between musical numbers and was given a couple of full body scans and scowls from the women standing in the back with irritated children. My sister goes to a Mormon church, but I was raised Mormon and am fully able to dress myself appropriately for church (and I had the shawl fully covering my shoulder actually in church). I don't know if standards have changed or if hopeless spinsters like myself are expected to be more mild and, I don't know, pastel. Perhaps the rumors we always heard about Utah mormons being more cliquish and judgy than the rest of the world, but that seems a little unfair of me to conclude with so little data. Oh well, I think I was fabulous.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PowrIvVtzOYGp77xI2ApzrVhct9rrCA9JKxRQwZl-Hvxcd23pQXupq76PLsgMGweCUA6LK_-DgVgutqmb1k2uK4R3To-h-83QJAz6DIzHsfymltRzg34vvWxNwN0Khyphenhyphen2UeEuE7lHxHPk/s1600/PC260011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PowrIvVtzOYGp77xI2ApzrVhct9rrCA9JKxRQwZl-Hvxcd23pQXupq76PLsgMGweCUA6LK_-DgVgutqmb1k2uK4R3To-h-83QJAz6DIzHsfymltRzg34vvWxNwN0Khyphenhyphen2UeEuE7lHxHPk/s320/PC260011.JPG" width="231" /></a><br />
Of course I had loud bright green eyeshadow (which lots almost subtle in this picture compared to the real-life equivalent) and red lipstick.<br />
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Outfit details:<br />
Dress: Target, a million years ago<br />
Shawl: shady-looking Pashmina market outside the West Nanjing Road metro station in Shanghai<br />
Shoes: Target, this season<br />
Jewelry: Art of Adornment<br />
Lipstick: Revlon, Certainly Red<br />
Eyeshadow: Shiro cosmetics: Link around eye and in crease, Bulbasaur below crease, and Outright Fabrication (white with subtle but fun specks of red glitter) above.<br />
<br />
Anyway, have a happy New Year! I have exciting plans involving a bottle of Cupcake Vineyards Prosseco and a large bowl of <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/ultimate-shrimp-and-grits-recipe/index.html">shrimp and grits</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-6520452985336959342011-12-30T09:53:00.000-05:002011-12-30T09:53:32.841-05:00Christmas!I just* got back from Christmas in Salt Lake City. It was mostly a good time. There were pretty mountains<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wEbIXwwzLu-0oFF7jsgsHWVTrVEeJF4-3UGFe0i_ZbPGfMe3zhsmiEifStYqydZ-n7183tgtksYYljhyphenhyphenj4gg3Pyf6k0Q7mpwFgvGE4jMifh_G4Kaor6gpJRnCwEQR7YEtAWIXY8VB_oC/s400/PC260013.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Olympus, which is apparently in Utah. No word on what the Greek gods think about that.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>and pretty lights:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oYA_5i9g5tXNKL2lEJHqNbmyaV6SM2ievacARW2NsjoiZahkc3ARXuzOdVGN331LzQQ7Gdn2KdydPqyL__14N-Vy8z9jR4tH45mDfCQ3NoSgaMC3sx1DTmQWlgWeTSsL3OH3XmDBKh4M/s1600/PC260016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oYA_5i9g5tXNKL2lEJHqNbmyaV6SM2ievacARW2NsjoiZahkc3ARXuzOdVGN331LzQQ7Gdn2KdydPqyL__14N-Vy8z9jR4tH45mDfCQ3NoSgaMC3sx1DTmQWlgWeTSsL3OH3XmDBKh4M/s320/PC260016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_wjaoiQNcGrKV15tENTxLdmCS0_lZWvMp-J3wnMJ7m5x01WUxmd3ccInWlmF00UXWBiB5C21PPI2G5KLAVjZTrR6veQAv1U_bQRmT_22aQqE8oa9YdcLuo0bDMLeTbV5G27XOzxDMQMj/s1600/PC260021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_wjaoiQNcGrKV15tENTxLdmCS0_lZWvMp-J3wnMJ7m5x01WUxmd3ccInWlmF00UXWBiB5C21PPI2G5KLAVjZTrR6veQAv1U_bQRmT_22aQqE8oa9YdcLuo0bDMLeTbV5G27XOzxDMQMj/s320/PC260021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrWRw-mx3rQ5l5nfuKlTS_qjMZdX_sKhhGXL8FOo6wIQ6xilf7K3GhAlDHEQY0pl4EzOR8kikDGuejNGrkaoFPRGa3Fhyphenhyphenc2E7kSnH2y2zXrcK2Q6FZHgGmIBYr_zR3E_4eTzlWyKeQtA4/s1600/PC260023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrWRw-mx3rQ5l5nfuKlTS_qjMZdX_sKhhGXL8FOo6wIQ6xilf7K3GhAlDHEQY0pl4EzOR8kikDGuejNGrkaoFPRGa3Fhyphenhyphenc2E7kSnH2y2zXrcK2Q6FZHgGmIBYr_zR3E_4eTzlWyKeQtA4/s320/PC260023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It might have even been the perfect trip except, as happens nearly every time we visit my sister, everyone came down with some horrible illness contracted fro the small people:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlCcoFLHK6Zuu6ybB_WVWK7mThqwmWuL-gztUmwKoKJAqi13rGtDpAHeqBLV__puIwDddDRHc0PeqLJGN5hZG_tb-ErCaU8LgJDYLKZ6X5Lfzlo4AzFbIhZmqByZp0vEjPX6hkG5PRdzg/s1600/PC25000911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlCcoFLHK6Zuu6ybB_WVWK7mThqwmWuL-gztUmwKoKJAqi13rGtDpAHeqBLV__puIwDddDRHc0PeqLJGN5hZG_tb-ErCaU8LgJDYLKZ6X5Lfzlo4AzFbIhZmqByZp0vEjPX6hkG5PRdzg/s320/PC25000911.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Plague rats enjoy their Christmas carnage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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*for certain quantities of "just"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-56209758901593377812011-12-24T14:39:00.000-05:002011-12-24T14:39:04.474-05:00Happy Holidays!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iquU7ooaPDU/TvYa_Ou_CaI/AAAAAAAACzg/BjH8ueQhdcg/s1600/11+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iquU7ooaPDU/TvYa_Ou_CaI/AAAAAAAACzg/BjH8ueQhdcg/s320/11+-+1" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1145540096/tt0364845">IMDB</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
How is everyone's holiday season going? I am in Salt Lake City having Chirstmas with my sister and having the unique Antropological experience of observing Mormons in their natural habitat (fun fact: even in Utah, you can buy beer at the grocery store, take that Pennsylvania!, but the tea selection is crap).<br />
Christmas is pretty much my favorite holiday: I love presents, getting as much as giving, peppermint-chocolate flavored things*, light displays, and gaudily combining red and green in my outfits (currently I have black nail polish covered with green glitter on one hand and red glitter on the other). <br />
I've been thinking lately about how all the winter holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid, and most overtly Yule) are about the ultimate triumph of light over darkness. While that may not inherantly seem like a very Goth-y sort of message; I would disagree. To me, the ultimate point of gothic subculture is to acknowledge that life isn't always sunshiney and bright, but to embrace the darkness in our lives and see the beauty therein. I think ultimately, that fits in with the winter holidays and the idea that while we may be in the darkest time of the year, that isn't permenent and within the darkness is beauty and a promise of light to come. <br />
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So tonight, I"ll be going to see the lights in Temple Square (which promise to be appropriately stunning) and tommorow I'll be woken up too early by a horde of enthusiastic children to open presents in my silly bat pyjamas.<br />
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I hope you all will of have had an excellent holiday and (in case I don't get back here before then) a wonderful new year!<br />
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<br />
* <a href="http://gfsinners.tumblr.com/post/12955626488/i-love-christmas-all-around-but-if-i-were-forced">Here is my super-secret recipie for gluten-free chocolate mint M&M cookies</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-57841149300619474132011-12-13T20:16:00.000-05:002011-12-13T20:16:53.621-05:00Monthly Homework: Comfort and, well if not Joy, let's say sanity<a href="http://gothicprofessor.blogspot.com/search/label/homework%20assignment" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOWrXLqL3DU/Tp7QtRvOg1I/AAAAAAAAA38/HmuZW95e0nM/s200/monthly+homework.jpg" width="200" /> </a> <br />
This month's homework assignment from our dearest professor is to talk about what we do to relax and seek comfort during the stress of the holidays and whatnot. Personally, I don't find the holidays stressful. I looove Christmas and all the Christmas-y business, but that "whatnot", well there's a real grade-A bitch.<br />
As a grad student I don't usually have finals, but instead final projects, which I find personally take a lot more time. Maybe I am too much of a perfectionist (when it comes to my writing anyway, not really anything else, <i>really</i>), maybe I procrastinate too much, probably both. Regardless I have been working on said projects pretty much constantly for the past month. I have a few rules to stay sane: if it doesn't get done before midnight it doesn't get done, always get a real night's sleep, eat three actual meals every day and take at least a half hour break to do so. The other rule is to occasionally (usually after finishing a project, regardless of how many are left) take actual, notable amounts of time to relax. So, what do I do during those times:<br />
1. Read: but here's the important part (I read all the time, obviously), read for fun. I always have something on the go that I am reading for fun. I usually only manage 10-20 pages a day, but it gets read. Currently I am reading <i>The Eyre Affair</i>; a delightful book of such insanity I wan't even try to describe it, but suffice it to say it has enough literature in-jokes to keep me giggling.<br />
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2. Knit: I tend to retreat into selfish knitting at these times. Don't get me wrong, I am a selfish knitter most of the time, but it's right before Christmas when most knitters are working full tilt on gift knitting and I ...well I have a stocking on the needles, it's nearly done and all, but what I have been spending most of my time on are heavyweight kicking around the house socks for meeeeee!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszo5uTU4WC-c7YRJmAD0YFscb9MMBIJEP32__Zg9kDy1a8t_EmDnpDwXVJhAlxf1nP0H4-hfrh6cwHam733pjy6V5jC6fhhsyA7_1dDbWMhLSrXKNq-QVU2_C7tFPJwovz7ICRETlsDpu/s1600/PC140005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszo5uTU4WC-c7YRJmAD0YFscb9MMBIJEP32__Zg9kDy1a8t_EmDnpDwXVJhAlxf1nP0H4-hfrh6cwHam733pjy6V5jC6fhhsyA7_1dDbWMhLSrXKNq-QVU2_C7tFPJwovz7ICRETlsDpu/s320/PC140005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Wool socks are an important part of my barely turning on the heater survival strategy, but these are especially satisfying because socks usually take me a 4-6 weeks but because these are thick yarn I should have them done in 2-3 with much less knitting time than usual. While I am knitting I like to:<br />
<br />
3. Watch TV shows (on Netflix, usually. I don't have a TV) or random youtubery. I can't talk myself into setting aside enough time to watch a movie, but a 45 minute break or two in the middle of a 16 hour day of writing is acceptable. My current favorite thing is Rebecca Watson explaining how lying to children is fun and makes them smarter, also how awesome and messed up Iceland is, great, neglected Christmas traditions like Krampus and the Yule Lads, and the murderous Feline fashion police. It is hilarious (if you are somewhat twisted) and very NSFW<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/wkXcbySuSvI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>4. If all else fails:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYxScoyNMdCe6et6u6DDH-RIlJWBIHlOB8PaiQwCKiu-apu_FB_iV94wyQNaxSFlaMAjzG2quxi8v5FQb0nvjp9Olh7_6Y6mciwGRmCdkK7rdmMXVlNSMOw0w7OoEKf1wQ4202cBhlKUi/s1600/PB300007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYxScoyNMdCe6et6u6DDH-RIlJWBIHlOB8PaiQwCKiu-apu_FB_iV94wyQNaxSFlaMAjzG2quxi8v5FQb0nvjp9Olh7_6Y6mciwGRmCdkK7rdmMXVlNSMOw0w7OoEKf1wQ4202cBhlKUi/s320/PB300007.JPG" width="312" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Remeber: Peppermint Mocha in the morning, Bonnard's Buzz at night</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-19715047858787734492011-12-06T21:05:00.000-05:002011-12-06T21:05:18.358-05:00Baby's First TattooWow has it really been nearly three weeks? It has. I have been thoroughly in the weeds getting ready for final projects, studying, and keeping up with the stupid f*%$#@*ing class discussion board of my most annoying class. I am popping my head up because I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and just because. Expect normal blogging to resume after the 17th.<br />
<br />
I just got my first tattoo tonight to celebrate/commemorate my impending graduation from Library school. I wanted a quote so I started looking for quotes on libraries, reading, and information. I found a few great ones, which I still may get, but I also discovered that when it came to quotes about reading and books, when the reader was male or gender unspecific they were all exceedingly positive, but if the reader was female then they were quite negative. There was this sense that books, especially novels, will ruin a girl for any sort of "decent" life. Perhaps the best expression of this sense is in Charles Warnke's essay "<a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/dont-date-a-girl-who-reads/">You should date an illiterate girl</a>", which says, among other things: "The girl who reads has spun out the account of her life and it is bursting with meaning. She insists that her narratives are rich, her supporting cast colorful, and her typeface bold. You, the girl who reads, make me want to be everything that I am not. But I am weak and I will fail you, because you have dreamed, properly, of someone who is better than I am.", and in this helpful Victorian infographic:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcP4trpjuK-8b81H9eCbbxD0tgS6nx3sc2zffvkdSMXTY3JXUZ5NBjYaC-HF9DRQYZxXNeFJEAmH6COdbWVheF3Z4Kirnav5i5upJ3wQ4MyWLb-Rkk6rpyNVAoaUu7XGqv-3WVe3UAqQg/s1600/2+paths+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcP4trpjuK-8b81H9eCbbxD0tgS6nx3sc2zffvkdSMXTY3JXUZ5NBjYaC-HF9DRQYZxXNeFJEAmH6COdbWVheF3Z4Kirnav5i5upJ3wQ4MyWLb-Rkk6rpyNVAoaUu7XGqv-3WVe3UAqQg/s1600/2+paths+b.jpg" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Look through these quotes long enough and you realize that the ruin dreamt </span> up for the girl who reads, especially novels, is the ruin of wanting more from life than is deemed proper, the ruin of expecting great passions, true love, and thrilling independence; the great an inexorable ruin of independent thought. Such things as are grand and virtuous in men, simply ruin nice girls. I consider myself to be a girl ruined in just such ways and so when I chose my tattoo I went with this semi-biographical quote from my homegirl Louisa May Alcott:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4aMNYKZLg_A/Tt7Ebw28RcI/AAAAAAAACwM/gB7C4Xqm08o/s1600/PC070032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="she is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain" border="0" height="261" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4aMNYKZLg_A/Tt7Ebw28RcI/AAAAAAAACwM/gB7C4Xqm08o/s400/PC070032.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Long before I got ahold of the mind-expanding and therefore obviously girl-ruining words of the likes of Audre Lourde, Carl Sagan, or, obviously, Sappho, I was already long gone. From Sophie in <i>The BFG</i> and Scout Finch I learned that girls can be brave and adventurous, from Chester the cat and Matilda I learned that it was okay to be smart and bookish, even a bit weird and that I didn't have to pretend to be otherwise and conform to the expectations of others, and from Huck Finn I learned to question every bit of received morality and to t<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2011/11/30/its-mark-twains-birthday-go-the-whole-hog/">rust in friendship and your own beliefs</a>, as your teachers and preachers may all be invested in a profound evil which they are too afraid to even question. That is just the corruption visited upon me in Elementary school. From there, it obviously got much worse. Therefore have books turned my brain. I might have been a normal girl; the kind that doesn't get excited by graph theory and has never tried to figure out a friend's Erdos number, but I am too fond of books, and so I went to grad school. <a href="http://www.gradshare.com/blog/gradshare_updates/2010/06/23/1277317012353.html">We all know what kind of decision that is</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-61547343381840850592011-11-21T19:49:00.000-05:002011-11-21T19:49:22.376-05:00Movie Monday: Downton Abbey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5945906797_6254203a36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5945906797_6254203a36.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>It is the end of the semester and that means deadlines all coming together in a rush, so I have been too busy to post anything or comment much in y'all's lovely blogs, but I thought I would quickly add a post for Movie Monday. I just had time to collect some screenshots from the internets and add commentary, so I thought this month I would feature my current favorite costume drama. <br />
I really love costume dramas; the more repressed and British the better. Of course there are all sorts of great reasons for loving British costume drams: the inevitable sweeping, subtly expressed romance, the thoroughly polite but venomously bitchy matriarch, servant drama!, and beautiful scenery, but its pretty obviously mostly about the costumes. The best costume drama I have seen in ages is Downton Abbey. It has everything you want in a costume drama, and is executed perfectly. There are even two bitchy/polite matriarchs and they are at war with each other! The costumes are gorgeous. The first episode of the first series has them all in mourning so there are elaborately jet-beaded gowns as far as the eye can see:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9sLkzg9AJdZGf5NRU8iBQ6Z41ClgnAa_dA5h0jyQ0ksLMmgnJCh5tVn-qiqWyfRq-9t0st5SIqV_98tLjbaSEs8QSOMig9zZu_X1AKBIzX5z1gyiHwQHrHAZSm3VRO33pg8iUEc7FOrb/s1600/85717739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9sLkzg9AJdZGf5NRU8iBQ6Z41ClgnAa_dA5h0jyQ0ksLMmgnJCh5tVn-qiqWyfRq-9t0st5SIqV_98tLjbaSEs8QSOMig9zZu_X1AKBIzX5z1gyiHwQHrHAZSm3VRO33pg8iUEc7FOrb/s400/85717739.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Above you see Dame Maggie Smith claiming "no one wants to kiss a girl in black". One doesn't like to contradict a peer of the realm, but, well... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4E4Pi49jJ_193g6K_I78LTZkNc2h1U5Obxjy-uLf6Osb2MyMaL3WwQcYdVgPkgkMBVJMIaMCtbJXrZTJAYcpbFRef8A5PybxSvg7xl3V5e5OWm22U2QxTvYHGpraSzNnYkdu79yJWkOs/s1600/downtonabbey_3_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4E4Pi49jJ_193g6K_I78LTZkNc2h1U5Obxjy-uLf6Osb2MyMaL3WwQcYdVgPkgkMBVJMIaMCtbJXrZTJAYcpbFRef8A5PybxSvg7xl3V5e5OWm22U2QxTvYHGpraSzNnYkdu79yJWkOs/s1600/downtonabbey_3_thumb.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No one wants to kiss these girls, obvs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Downton Abbey earns extra costume drama points for having lots of scenes of the characters dressing, which are always fascinating to me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The accessories are also fantastic. I was drooling over their wonderful hair forks, but couldn't get any good pictures, but..</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjce2k3ceaynWr8Go-Z49VZ0IGtrEx-sWGoeD6kn3oUJUCAUZFlx0R70nUTWKWDM1cmLfJy69M70o7B-p2i0IWn-xGPwHyaXbimdyWGnAKYMWErSfJ0U8yAEvSCgYBAiLdti0G7Mv3pmcAZ/s1600/downton_abbey2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjce2k3ceaynWr8Go-Z49VZ0IGtrEx-sWGoeD6kn3oUJUCAUZFlx0R70nUTWKWDM1cmLfJy69M70o7B-p2i0IWn-xGPwHyaXbimdyWGnAKYMWErSfJ0U8yAEvSCgYBAiLdti0G7Mv3pmcAZ/s1600/downton_abbey2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't you want to reach into the screen and snatch that necklace right off.<br />
I need a necklace like that.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As is historically appropriate the older women, especially Maggie Smith's character, the Dowager Countess, dress more late Victorian than Edwardian<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBxFd3JA65GcH3vaIzb39Ww8LjguoEON2HplFQaQ_sKQEI-Kq-IUK-nQ0dtEx7mCmY4ECnd2TFkkkC5RQ51KcK9NAxPBYZjTXtM9BGO32Qh-FSrsMnlDm0lFVH-0tjYjPHAfqpJCwyeci/s320/article-1315779-0B51D3BC000005DC-106_472x309.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also the hats! All the hats!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Finally, more jet-beading! And the meeting of the warring old Ladies!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbRQlQvorq_s8bso9Sl8wqVuVp3jhJZY-okgUOqReE0SmWOlOHV08BnjvlxJhxGGFv2YxVOWZgg024zOSIPE62wsgPSNQc26Jcqee7UqYPDVpBij4HglNDrcB7ZT4pjTqp_LMZeaWmHHZ/s1600/downton-abbey-episode-5-550x3841.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbRQlQvorq_s8bso9Sl8wqVuVp3jhJZY-okgUOqReE0SmWOlOHV08BnjvlxJhxGGFv2YxVOWZgg024zOSIPE62wsgPSNQc26Jcqee7UqYPDVpBij4HglNDrcB7ZT4pjTqp_LMZeaWmHHZ/s320/downton-abbey-episode-5-550x3841.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also found this great video for anyone attempting to replicate the amazing hair in the movie without the benefit of a proper ladies maid</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/mXqv1Mq7Kek?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-47457590922154668122011-11-12T22:00:00.000-05:002011-11-12T22:00:08.994-05:00Naked November: Makeup and Sensitive Skin care<a href="http://gothicprofessor.blogspot.com/search/label/homework%20assignment" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOWrXLqL3DU/Tp7QtRvOg1I/AAAAAAAAA38/HmuZW95e0nM/s200/monthly+homework.jpg" width="200" /></a>I am going to get all sorts of interesting search engine hits off of this I can tell already.<br />
<br />
This month the fabulous Professeur Gothique gave out a homework assignment for us all to show off our unmade-up faces to the internetz. By crazy random happenstance the very day she announced this was the one where, inspired by <a href="http://gothicprofessor.blogspot.com/2011/10/un-gothing-goth.html">her previous post on makeup removal</a> and Ultimate Goth Guide's Amy's <a href="http://ultimategothguide.blogspot.com/2011/07/gothing-up.html">post on getting read</a>y, I shot a crazy amount of pictures doing and then taking off my makeup. I have a real homework assignment that required me to edit together a video composed of images, so I used this as practice.<br />
<br />
This shows my sort of standard makeup look for work. I vary what particular shades I use almost every day, although it is purple of green a lot, and yes, I do have 5 different eye-shadow brushes.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="360" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LcAGjqxEA04?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LcAGjqxEA04?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br />
My skincare routine is pretty unorthodox, but also really cheap. I have extremely sensitive skin and I used to have moderately bad acne. After years of experimentation I learned that the less I messed with my skin the less and less acne I had. Now I get maybe 1-2 zits a month (of course both when I was shooting this video) and my acne scars are starting to heal. It's all about gentle care. I use nothing to clean my skin but water (I like the rosewater as it smells nice and I spend 3$ every 2 month or so on it, so that seems worth it) and a microfiber cloth, and use pure oil on damp skin as a moisturizer. The kind I use, kuki nut oil is non-comedegenic, rich in vitamin e and folklorically considered to have <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi6msJnLZEwpZVf2YamzK3XvXL8s9MYrVE53JFt_q6A1aWLYmfroZyN6Nn1WJF2-Q5TlcF_GxLYUDNz7NtqZYhUmNEzj96Z5J9xAK4ouvxXhZadF0PFtnYLpgk4XOZCbcH1ESj6_kOumj/s1600/PA200055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi6msJnLZEwpZVf2YamzK3XvXL8s9MYrVE53JFt_q6A1aWLYmfroZyN6Nn1WJF2-Q5TlcF_GxLYUDNz7NtqZYhUmNEzj96Z5J9xAK4ouvxXhZadF0PFtnYLpgk4XOZCbcH1ESj6_kOumj/s320/PA200055.JPG" width="181" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My outfit for the day. It was a<br />
school not work day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>skin healing properties yet to be confirmed or denied by empirical evidence but it seems to be working for me. I use a tiny amount and have had the same 8 ounce bottle for over a year (kept in the fridge). I use light flavored olive oil to remove my eye makeup. It dissolves pretty much everything and seems to be good for my lashes and eyebrows. I do not keep this in the fridge as olive oil hardens at lower temperatures, but use it fast enough to not matter. The only skin care product I use that couldn't be an ingredient in a zesty salad dressing is sunscreen because it is really important. I normally buy Clinique city Block SPF 25 as the SPF 40 has some chemical sunscreens and the SPF 25 is only titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. I accidentally grabbed the wrong tube when shopping in the Clinique kiosk in the airport. I only use quality mineral foundation for similar reasons. I is a bit pricey, at least compared to drugstore stuff, but it also lasts longer. After "mineral makeup" became a huge fad a bunch of cheap knock-offs made mostly of talc (which is a mineral, but not one that is good for your face) flooded the market. Avoid these. You should expect to pay at least 20$ for 1/4 of an ounce. I can be less strict with what I use on my eyes. So that's good, because I enjoy some pretty crazy eye-makeup.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-60321701867087106162011-11-10T15:37:00.000-05:002011-11-10T15:37:20.683-05:00OOTD: Darkly Purple<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMcBQs27koKG6B6gqt5bHxrcUhJM-HzAS-PWhQygLCJFuAWx1J_qrPfNm6KKRsT_wSMntFcN-hZf_uMwfzmtWUGpOeb2V6qH0Sbk4PyLjQ9JDyj2mRflprrKvdFUcePNPB2JLCNrfBAFg/s1600/fasttrack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMcBQs27koKG6B6gqt5bHxrcUhJM-HzAS-PWhQygLCJFuAWx1J_qrPfNm6KKRsT_wSMntFcN-hZf_uMwfzmtWUGpOeb2V6qH0Sbk4PyLjQ9JDyj2mRflprrKvdFUcePNPB2JLCNrfBAFg/s400/fasttrack.JPG" width="185" /></a></div>I have an online class this semester (yes, I hate them, but it was only offered online) and the way those work at my school is that once a semester everyone meets in person for class. Of course this in person session was scheduled right in the middle of one of my normal workdays. I decided to off-set the annoyance of this hectic day by wearing a fun outfit. I generally don't wear this skirt to work as the lace tails tend to get tangled in the wheels of my office chairs.<br />
The short sleeves at this time of year are courtesy of my work building's ridiculous over heating. I hate over heating so, so much. I think it is totally reasonable to expect to wear a sweater or other warmer clothing indoors during winter and do not know why so many places heat their building to 70+ degrees. I personally keep my apartment below 60, and it's fine. I have sweaters! I understand public buildings need to accommodate people of varying heat tolerances, but wouldn't 65 be totally reasonable? Not only does it waste so much energy but it makes getting dressed really annoying. I can't wear sweaters or long underwear and such because I will be too hot inside, but that means being too cold outside. It's ridiculous and a major pet peeve of mine. I do, however, love this shirt and it is in constant rotation in my wardrobe. I am kind of astounded it hasn't shown up here yet.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLc8E0atq8D4rnUPARBSVfuJAo7xh1gHNlxH2Eh5OBrWoB8_8Z0DLzG0ghxyJ-7bIFHpBfnUaIPTELRvUIouD5MfWBnb-ETHbZwYBW1ZedP23Sgft3uqJthcoR-M5qowuSIin1wB0ZjP8/s1600/fasttrackalt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLc8E0atq8D4rnUPARBSVfuJAo7xh1gHNlxH2Eh5OBrWoB8_8Z0DLzG0ghxyJ-7bIFHpBfnUaIPTELRvUIouD5MfWBnb-ETHbZwYBW1ZedP23Sgft3uqJthcoR-M5qowuSIin1wB0ZjP8/s320/fasttrackalt.JPG" width="176" /></a></div>It perfectly matches my plum and black striped socks which are great and I love the stripey socks peeking out of the lace handkerchief hem. They do, however, require sock glue to stay on, but that's not a huge burden. I am also wearing my new purple lipstick, from Sephora #RA24 Bewitch Me, which may be my holy grail dark purple lipstick.<br />
Outfit Details<br />
Shirt: Old Navy<br />
Skirt: <a href="http://www.rosemortem.com/">Rose Mortem</a><br />
Socks: <a href="http://www.sockdreams.com/_pages/index.php">Sock Dreams</a> Extraordinary longer thigh highs<br />
Boots: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/20twentyvintage?ref=top_trail">20Twenty Vintage</a><br />
Necklace: Things Celtic in Austin, TX<br />
Earrings: <a href="http://www.artofadornment.ca/index.html">Art of Adornment</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLy5sU1eTqdHgo62MV7TsuBBmugwI5DWZ6hrq6gFmFdQB0tQtdQd4FmoM1fKTRzI5Ywvp8uUSWCrtjgTzULNsWqoVSzeu84sIOwA2Rl2jkR-WoCL0rCxhjDJboT1qiS-lWvyLZmzrDp3I/s1600/fasttrackface.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLy5sU1eTqdHgo62MV7TsuBBmugwI5DWZ6hrq6gFmFdQB0tQtdQd4FmoM1fKTRzI5Ywvp8uUSWCrtjgTzULNsWqoVSzeu84sIOwA2Rl2jkR-WoCL0rCxhjDJboT1qiS-lWvyLZmzrDp3I/s320/fasttrackface.JPG" width="268" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-48457029935565205642011-11-05T16:12:00.000-04:002011-11-05T16:12:20.181-04:00Updos for Work (Extremely picture heavy)I wear my hair up practically everyday. Partially this is to keep my hair out of the way and protected from snagging on things or tangling, and partially it is so much faster to just throw my hair up in a bun than it is to engineer it to be de-frizzed or non-static-y and wavy through a full day in a humid in the summer, cold and dry in the winter climate. Most days my hair is the last thing I do and most days I am running late by the time I get to it, no matter what I do, so most hairstyles I regularly use take 2-5 minutes or less. Now it takes some practice to get down to that time, but not really a huge amount. My hair is about arm-pit length, but some of these styles work for shorter hair as well. I made a video attempting to demonstrate these, but be warned I have a terrible camera.<br />
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My number one go-to hair style is the<a href="http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=40856"> Orchid bun</a>, it is secure all day and looks radically different depending on the specific way I pin it or what hair accessories I use. It can be secured with pins (generally I use Goody Spin Pins for this), hair forks, or giant clips like<a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ficcare-maximas-hair-clip/2941274?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_ite=ficcare_'maximas'_hair_clip:188708&cm_pla=hair_accessories:women:hair_accessories&cm_ven=Froogle&mr:referralID=NA&mr:trackingCode=A1950868-1968-DF11-9DA0-002219319097"> Ficcares</a> or<a href="http://www.flexi8.com/"> flexi-8s</a>. My hair is only just long enough for this style. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCBn0buFxq28kE-Ff485xL91W7ML1vFiX0K68wyE68sfAQ9Btv95kAjKW4-8_3NqhQqCjn5osqiNezL5GrwQTfAC3nWE01Rp3NOK9H49VHOhMhuMomfOtDhaC96g4ltWcawH8jLUvey2x/s1600/Hairorchid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCBn0buFxq28kE-Ff485xL91W7ML1vFiX0K68wyE68sfAQ9Btv95kAjKW4-8_3NqhQqCjn5osqiNezL5GrwQTfAC3nWE01Rp3NOK9H49VHOhMhuMomfOtDhaC96g4ltWcawH8jLUvey2x/s320/Hairorchid.JPG" width="295" /></a></div><br />
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If I have more than a minute, but less than two, I do a flipped braid. For this style, just braid hair down the center, fold the ends towards your head, then fold at least once more and secure. This can be done with much shorter hair, and indeed my hair is getting a bit long for it, as I have to fold it over 3-4 times. It can be secured with a big clip or barrette of some kind or a hair stick.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2p9WzEE3NUINQT42zYrt0fOr5DVEeoR39aIMrEm7QulWa0rJJjhcnFuJ2TvJFCTzsZ6wvItsKojXOTUaA7eISCHOw3ReZtKj63MR996IJWWMaW4gz7gbpT9Cz70Xjh1uob1koqt8dOCEB/s1600/hairflippedbraid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2p9WzEE3NUINQT42zYrt0fOr5DVEeoR39aIMrEm7QulWa0rJJjhcnFuJ2TvJFCTzsZ6wvItsKojXOTUaA7eISCHOw3ReZtKj63MR996IJWWMaW4gz7gbpT9Cz70Xjh1uob1koqt8dOCEB/s320/hairflippedbraid.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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With a little more time I will do a figure-8 or Infifity knot, usually the figure-8 though as for some reason it seems to be more secure on my head. <a href="http://longhair.livejournal.com/2014065.html">The best tutorial for these ever is here</a>. I usually use Amish pins to secure this, one piercing and attaching the top coil, and the other going from the tucked in end up. The top one can be replaced with a hair fork or stick. This is another which my hair is just long enough for.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioc7XdSFU067cMJRXPEoWl9kFCZMib9ow3mJTGW4cm83VLPVHpdWQjDLMrDq9THMdWzLmwBCkVmIFqNHwXt2qEUmlhZ9_A6NEQzd5iboSlmZyLwDxt1ZtkcgFXwaEchU-hcJzf1YjOa39B/s1600/hairfigure8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioc7XdSFU067cMJRXPEoWl9kFCZMib9ow3mJTGW4cm83VLPVHpdWQjDLMrDq9THMdWzLmwBCkVmIFqNHwXt2qEUmlhZ9_A6NEQzd5iboSlmZyLwDxt1ZtkcgFXwaEchU-hcJzf1YjOa39B/s320/hairfigure8.JPG" width="241" /></a></div><br />
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If I am feeling slightly more fancy and not wearing a necklace with a particularly tangle-y clasp I like <a href="http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=80">this style</a>, inspired by one worn by Yvaine in the<i> Stardust</i> movie. To make this, roll the hair along both sides of your head and gather into a low ponytail, pull through elastic twice, then only pull through half way, creating a loop-bun with a length of hair outside the loop. Twist the length of this hair, then coil around the ponytail and secure either with pins or a hair comb. For shorter hair, leave the bottom section of hair outside the ponytail then twist and coil that.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwAFBJUx6VaPil4Ffgbqx12H-9wLIu8NHOerGF2uV7WSLU7bBHmhgez5GUd6T9KzLOWCyOniF0-o7oFEnZpBGPEhqlZXJC0MZQFVApnBwkoZ7PX-6CSd1A-YTdFZCNoT6hIelZXgdPO2dy/s1600/hairrolltwist.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwAFBJUx6VaPil4Ffgbqx12H-9wLIu8NHOerGF2uV7WSLU7bBHmhgez5GUd6T9KzLOWCyOniF0-o7oFEnZpBGPEhqlZXJC0MZQFVApnBwkoZ7PX-6CSd1A-YTdFZCNoT6hIelZXgdPO2dy/s320/hairrolltwist.JPG" width="262" /></a></div><br />
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For extra fanciness I will do a crossed bun. For this, divide the top and bottom sections of your hair, twist the top and make it into an infinity bun, then twist the bottom half into a figure-8 bun, pulling the top coil over the middle of the previously made infinity bun. To secure, I use 3-in long Amish pins, on in through each bun. This is a particularly messy version, usually it looks more elegant.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SoYNC_AvUXkUy5eCTlvVsfox_aCDV12XtbiWXfhpdSyPUIxLHrRXz1NlXJ7TUxPtkU5mtS9yn3F5CfWMWhrkGYxpkNAakkrc3kNPVfQvuQcj2gjbn3o8KSVK5cRWN2sX4cr1irM1_WEe/s1600/haircrossedbun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SoYNC_AvUXkUy5eCTlvVsfox_aCDV12XtbiWXfhpdSyPUIxLHrRXz1NlXJ7TUxPtkU5mtS9yn3F5CfWMWhrkGYxpkNAakkrc3kNPVfQvuQcj2gjbn3o8KSVK5cRWN2sX4cr1irM1_WEe/s320/haircrossedbun.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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If I have actual time I will do <a href="http://orchidgrey.blogspot.com/2010/09/hair-do-how-to-5-heidi-braids.html">heidi braid</a>s, which are not in the video because they take awhile, but I think everyone knows them. Braid hair into pigtails, cross on the top of the head and pin. They tend to work best if your hair is long enough that the braid over lap by at least 2 inches on the top of your head.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAcVr7iDQc8mE80fv8oLmKp6W-uJyckcuA_3UZ8orLn7gE2xxAMoKHcI4CHssPYbsH6xGPMgcsL5gEuLxE6QZsh_YdW3Gxxk3CJZtorlpVT84Dzjn5NNGbP9k3HcdI3JZd0_yMyKTGt1E/s1600/hairheidibraids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAcVr7iDQc8mE80fv8oLmKp6W-uJyckcuA_3UZ8orLn7gE2xxAMoKHcI4CHssPYbsH6xGPMgcsL5gEuLxE6QZsh_YdW3Gxxk3CJZtorlpVT84Dzjn5NNGbP9k3HcdI3JZd0_yMyKTGt1E/s320/hairheidibraids.JPG" width="277" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is the instructional video, featuring my latest musical discovery the German Electro-Medieval (best combination ever) band Helium Vola, and played in double-time (no meth was used in the creation of this video)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/rdSbz6QfhIM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-46015749306280832362011-11-02T22:25:00.000-04:002011-11-02T22:25:46.416-04:00OOTD: This is Halloween!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3377/5756536506_497f1e5c9f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3377/5756536506_497f1e5c9f.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmDjsxFXTeJpMmcscpHU-DtUCI_1Mn_06TnuwKfb-wfAuG2Arq4Ljo1XqPRjOTVwgyhjlQjLqwNSIX7oN-rHegafl9TDectAB5XUFcMvbPlsmd0zhL40pHaGJ_v2vv0PJakHsY0Ivsh1D/s1600/halloweenday.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmDjsxFXTeJpMmcscpHU-DtUCI_1Mn_06TnuwKfb-wfAuG2Arq4Ljo1XqPRjOTVwgyhjlQjLqwNSIX7oN-rHegafl9TDectAB5XUFcMvbPlsmd0zhL40pHaGJ_v2vv0PJakHsY0Ivsh1D/s320/halloweenday.JPG" width="156" /></a>One of the best things about Halloween is getting to dress much more spookily for work without getting any funny looks. I wore my pastoral skeleton skirt, which is so wonderfully subtle. I love wearing it and watching people's reactions once they realize that those are <i>skeletons</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVfnbtvB-paHuLPNp7BDC0f0jvc9SDBNbyB8NGB117mkVa8769L87Hdq9UXVYMtXvr4HJ9RJsWuiw0qRJxr3k89wzaejEFdZIvvqwUIcL7zwCvXmBEdvT6jyKbF8nMVHpVW8Ns4GM_E1w/s1600/halloweenmakeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVfnbtvB-paHuLPNp7BDC0f0jvc9SDBNbyB8NGB117mkVa8769L87Hdq9UXVYMtXvr4HJ9RJsWuiw0qRJxr3k89wzaejEFdZIvvqwUIcL7zwCvXmBEdvT6jyKbF8nMVHpVW8Ns4GM_E1w/s320/halloweenmakeup.JPG" width="234" /></a><br />
I tried to replicate this <a href="http://gothiccharmschool.tumblr.com/post/5646751916/delicate-subtle-spiderweb-eyeliner-very-nice">subtle spider web eyeliner</a> pattern but had not practiced it and my eyeliner is drying out and has been a bit chunky so I ended up smearing it and covering with black-purple eyeshadow. I also wore my favorite spider necklace and bat earrings.<br />
I did my nails were done with half a set by OPI and a generic black crackle polish (I found a set with the black polish already stolen out of it and talked the manager into giving me the other polish for 2$ as it was basically un-sellable) made to give a vaguely zombie-ish look with translucent jade green peeking out from cracked black.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRxmmGTwxYnfIRGWS4CCiu3tSNeiduhkVkGemdxhEYM_k_qy8eGSLHbuyj_lLQtaeKh2qomuaw8CCGkdmVs6SpyFmTRBXcqIRsxJrNDkIXNoDENA9RQUVD6J5rBGkZgzHbK0tt_v4b7Ow/s1600/halloweennails.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRxmmGTwxYnfIRGWS4CCiu3tSNeiduhkVkGemdxhEYM_k_qy8eGSLHbuyj_lLQtaeKh2qomuaw8CCGkdmVs6SpyFmTRBXcqIRsxJrNDkIXNoDENA9RQUVD6J5rBGkZgzHbK0tt_v4b7Ow/s320/halloweennails.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
I had a fairly long day of work and class, and in fact was barely home before trick or treaters started coming around. I had vague plans for a generic witch costume, but discovered too late that my witch hat was missing. I was able to convince one girl that it was a<a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/features/pratchettbooks/description.aspx?isbn=9780060586621"> hat made of sky</a>, but that's because she was awesome and dressed as Coraline. Needless to say she left my porch with candy, her very own copy of Coraline (she had been borrowing the school library's over and over) and a list of further reading, because I am a sucker.<br />
<div>So really, I just threw on a ruffly cuffed shirt and corset on and called it good enough for the inevitably tiny number of kids that actually came.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQv8_3qfWZN2yj6JAFugyFxv8dgc0FN4I0tiB2UcknhyukQaWA1V0Ky7cYGWBU-aU1bSIPksMmQRrNVWrT1a8D79gwBYNngcUd17wivsNJVZUid-dkLT60Q87Iew39a95PZ1yOFHscwLT2/s1600/halloweencandy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQv8_3qfWZN2yj6JAFugyFxv8dgc0FN4I0tiB2UcknhyukQaWA1V0Ky7cYGWBU-aU1bSIPksMmQRrNVWrT1a8D79gwBYNngcUd17wivsNJVZUid-dkLT60Q87Iew39a95PZ1yOFHscwLT2/s400/halloweencandy.JPG" width="217" /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcs5YTtt5ZTptEIGs8MlSMYpmLG_ogdopa6xFo2Oak69wwpBn1ghkM_sYt6cDnDUCLR7qsQbJ1QG_-3MLU2bi2hWFn6sKwerQWfhDOZrQbDXeA7cAbcNUtR6snmYISdERcMg9TL_szgGf/s1600/halloweennight.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcs5YTtt5ZTptEIGs8MlSMYpmLG_ogdopa6xFo2Oak69wwpBn1ghkM_sYt6cDnDUCLR7qsQbJ1QG_-3MLU2bi2hWFn6sKwerQWfhDOZrQbDXeA7cAbcNUtR6snmYISdERcMg9TL_szgGf/s400/halloweennight.JPG" width="243" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-13064986440484969232011-10-31T13:27:00.000-04:002011-10-31T13:27:54.581-04:00Goth Blog AwardI came back from a weekend away from the internet (or even cell service)* to discover that I had been given the Goth Blog award but none other than the fabulous Siouxsie Law whose own blog is one of my favorites. I am extremely chuffed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd5rinyPlrkuR-2FJSrE7cWv5XxtALVEQ56cOOPHYLQEcQvGqXZNAN3wfxDPTMg8yScN-mBT9d7QcGSfEr_6X-dKVotX4oLElMk-18PoONYto-do4BvV1tA93biqe-P0wm4RRhLaVhO4F/s1600/gothicblogaward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd5rinyPlrkuR-2FJSrE7cWv5XxtALVEQ56cOOPHYLQEcQvGqXZNAN3wfxDPTMg8yScN-mBT9d7QcGSfEr_6X-dKVotX4oLElMk-18PoONYto-do4BvV1tA93biqe-P0wm4RRhLaVhO4F/s1600/gothicblogaward.jpg" /></a></div>The rules are that once awarded one must pass it on to three other goth blogs which one enjoys. I had quite a time selecting only three, although the field was considerably narrowed by deciding to not re-award any of the brilliant blogs already so honored. Anyway, my selections:<br />
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<a href="http://gothicphantomcat.blogspot.com/">The Phantom Cat's Otherworld</a>: The Irish Phantom Cat writes on everything from fashion and makeup to music and books, but my favorite posts are when she writes on Irish legend and history with a Gothic twist. I loving reading about other cultures and places and her writing gives a real sense of place and mood.<br />
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<a href="http://stilldark.wordpress.com/">Still Dark at Heart</a>: this blog to me exemplifies the best of a personal blog, reading Sal Kaye's blog feels more like checking in with a friend. Her discussions on reclaiming goth identity as a professional are also extremely relevant to me as I enter the professional world.<br />
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<a href="http://linusinkorea.blogspot.com/">Black-Clad in Korea</a>: They don't post often, but the posts here tend to be in-depth and extremely interesting, and cover such topics as teaching troubles, classic gothy TV shows, and zombie walks. It also often makes me nostalgic for my own time as an English teacher in China, for while those are very different countries there are plenty of similarities, the experience of living in a culture radically different from your own is similar. I tend to just lurk there and rarely comment, because I am weird sometimes.<br />
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PS: Happy Halloween! If you haven't done so yet, check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAXMtUCcp7o&feature=youtu.be">amazing Halloween light show</a> featuring music from Nightmare before Christmas, and read <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/nov/04/television-simon-pegg-dead-set">Simon Pegg discussing why fast zombies </a>are just plain wrong.<br />
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For the curious: I was on a knitting retreat deep in rural Pennsylvania (and yes, part of the driving directions included, "turn off the paved road") and spent the weekend doing nothing but knitting, watching zany movies, having absurd conversations with friends, and drinking various mulled beverages. We were even snowed in; it was brilliant.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-73115640913196926362011-10-28T16:04:00.000-04:002011-10-28T16:04:40.226-04:00Take Back Halloween!So, I am sure most all of you have your Halloween costumes sorted by now, but I found this great costume resource and project that I couldn't help but share. It is called <a href="http://takebackhalloween.org/about/">Take Back Halloween!</a> and offers suggestions and how to guides for making amazing costumes based on various goddesses, queens, and notable women. Their point is that Halloween costumes for grown up women in stores tend to be pretty exclusively limited to Sexy Whatever, and while sexy is fun and good if you feel like it, that shouldn't be the sum total of Halloween costume options for ladies. I would also point out that the version of sexiness offered up by mainstream costume shops is pretty limited and ludicrous. There is a whole lot more to being sexy than showing as much of your breasts as possible and it's kind of a shame that this doesn't have wider cultural acknowledgement. Also, <a href="http://www.partycity.com/product/adult+sexy+chinese+take+out+costume.do?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=ProductSearch&utm_campaign=GoogleMerchant&extcmp=GoogleMerchant">Sexy Takeaway box</a>? <a href="http://www.halloweencostumes.com/sexy-screamin-green-crayon-dress.html">Sexy Crayon</a>? How about, if you want to dress in a sexy costume don't go as a crayon, can we make that rule? Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, so Take Back Halloween has great ideas. Here are some of my favorites:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPMnlaJAujHdyUrI-1C33GsalWcjbaLH5Ns4DfqCRzHnqNOC4V7LvgZJVHnSY-pajMo-8iu25Wbrmh46T3BwSfP3B-mmb9s21TLKKN9HPCvt1px0UzWK9UqGdjQI7u6R5L3oHNppDu_Mq/s1600/persephone2011_illustration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPMnlaJAujHdyUrI-1C33GsalWcjbaLH5Ns4DfqCRzHnqNOC4V7LvgZJVHnSY-pajMo-8iu25Wbrmh46T3BwSfP3B-mmb9s21TLKKN9HPCvt1px0UzWK9UqGdjQI7u6R5L3oHNppDu_Mq/s320/persephone2011_illustration.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://takebackhalloween.org/persephone/">Persephone</a>, they even tell you where to get black roses with skulls inside, which I think I just need in general. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iYso4JPYc74Lu4Raq1qRcYVPvrtP2g74jsmkzzuUbAnbouf-Yva632Q7zMYJJwqPhHaChSXH06HTfqiUaCjfc1Hj8aqiIIoZnRW4BzC2awV0zdku0kZ-TUmK4pSosJCyrxK1raAOUXpb/s1600/pele2011_illustration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iYso4JPYc74Lu4Raq1qRcYVPvrtP2g74jsmkzzuUbAnbouf-Yva632Q7zMYJJwqPhHaChSXH06HTfqiUaCjfc1Hj8aqiIIoZnRW4BzC2awV0zdku0kZ-TUmK4pSosJCyrxK1raAOUXpb/s320/pele2011_illustration.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://takebackhalloween.org/pele/">Pele</a>, because what's more badass than a volcano goddess. I also think I need those pants in general.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm38Vfk2aZB6YsbbFwJV0pNLEkLP-qDCHPFCP1jI5DexEAIpL3Rwh0K23_iv-grMF6n52vMT_uFy5_9f4T6btKX7_XNYzTgydB7apDKZukaqBLWSpooqBAX7N_6Dqaui6mN3fE8SfMDBdw/s1600/josephinebaker_comp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm38Vfk2aZB6YsbbFwJV0pNLEkLP-qDCHPFCP1jI5DexEAIpL3Rwh0K23_iv-grMF6n52vMT_uFy5_9f4T6btKX7_XNYzTgydB7apDKZukaqBLWSpooqBAX7N_6Dqaui6mN3fE8SfMDBdw/s320/josephinebaker_comp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Josephine Baker who is fantastically glamorous and beautiful (and pretty sexy in a non-cheesy-porno kind of way).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzROXGiZ-0BzaYuD-kmXnqYId87L1Nilw7D3G1HgUOSenOTNVRcnWcN9iLIRkbuWh4iDvS0KI5fHHz4ak9Lq_wm1E-3LctC6Op3efu434JNuLRDnTnxiXgy-R2J_Two7v_wHNiUTxfhEba/s1600/boudicca_composite_comp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzROXGiZ-0BzaYuD-kmXnqYId87L1Nilw7D3G1HgUOSenOTNVRcnWcN9iLIRkbuWh4iDvS0KI5fHHz4ak9Lq_wm1E-3LctC6Op3efu434JNuLRDnTnxiXgy-R2J_Two7v_wHNiUTxfhEba/s320/boudicca_composite_comp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://takebackhalloween.org/boudicca/">Boudicca</a>! Because there is no amount of fake blood that is not appropriate for this costume.<br />
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So what are you all dressing as for Halloween? I am currently thinking of some sort of gothy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus">Miss Fizzle</a>, but I actually have left my costume planning to the last minute and may have to fall back on Generic Witch, since everything I need for that is already in my normal wardrobe.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-24971043320331780342011-10-24T22:22:00.000-04:002011-10-24T22:22:27.557-04:00OOTD: Very Pink<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcpc9J3tYmTCXkz3ApihB1RuGmZOcr00LRSN2FSMdnXkqgCuQ3CVYFnv05enGXYaL5pUc4gOeQp2_5YBAIyoDSfNasE-CfaAs6UFcO_YwiKLRCaY0T4wTx5IKw-b1HLHjVXen0DneC4kT/s1600/Ppink1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcpc9J3tYmTCXkz3ApihB1RuGmZOcr00LRSN2FSMdnXkqgCuQ3CVYFnv05enGXYaL5pUc4gOeQp2_5YBAIyoDSfNasE-CfaAs6UFcO_YwiKLRCaY0T4wTx5IKw-b1HLHjVXen0DneC4kT/s400/Ppink1.JPG" width="223" /></a></div>As soon as I saw this sweater on the (virtual*) clearance rack last year I knew I had to have it. The color name: Parton Pink. Dolly Parton and Miss Piggy were pretty much my original style icons, and I will always admire their uncompromising confidence and panache. Altogether I think it is a good color to be named after Dolly Parton, it is a really full bleed PINK sort of pink, not at all baby-ish, or shocking neon, assertive but strangely orthodox.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziOzG_-i9ADw3BXaP73lhDfsUqjBx5RxEz3jV91KPdZpq2qKssodsBxMvv1Cc89BtCgiIm5sip_1ACsfPFBXiNQTegNC_yLjlm_jnQIoN7bGUjTtMKTvrOh1GZfznBG4-yqgd7t1LgVlt/s1600/Ppink2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziOzG_-i9ADw3BXaP73lhDfsUqjBx5RxEz3jV91KPdZpq2qKssodsBxMvv1Cc89BtCgiIm5sip_1ACsfPFBXiNQTegNC_yLjlm_jnQIoN7bGUjTtMKTvrOh1GZfznBG4-yqgd7t1LgVlt/s320/Ppink2.JPG" width="173" /></a>I want to get new buttons for the sweater, the pearly shell ones it came with are boring. I am thinking small jet beads would be perfect.<br />
I also discovered that these socks match almost exactly. I just realized this despite having both for nearly a year, anyway... I wore them with lace leggings, which combined powers to be surprising warm. Perfect for an afternoon spent failing to get <a href="http://lovinghut.us/pittsburgh_01/about.html">Vietnamese vegan cult buffet</a> (cultists have no work ethic) on a brisk fall day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjTfByACZsNQ0ABRaQKcOIeGigwOkVN3It3zcwTlod7GKbwOPUw6VNQQllDU65tmWnb9ezYode6y7i-ZAbWGx7d7qXOhm_Pz6AVTyPfOCm01oR1bufB4mxlm0lK5iMdMtKNMl6S-DFwhJ/s1600/Ppinkface.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjTfByACZsNQ0ABRaQKcOIeGigwOkVN3It3zcwTlod7GKbwOPUw6VNQQllDU65tmWnb9ezYode6y7i-ZAbWGx7d7qXOhm_Pz6AVTyPfOCm01oR1bufB4mxlm0lK5iMdMtKNMl6S-DFwhJ/s320/Ppinkface.JPG" width="253" /></a></div><br />
Outfit Details<br />
Sweater: Old Navy online<br />
Leggings: Jessica London<br />
Dress: Target, years ago<br />
Jewelry: Target, this season<br />
Socks: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Sabayon/diamonds-and-cables-socks">handmade</a><br />
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*Old Navy only sells plus sizes online. I mean, they can't have fat people actually showing up in the store, obvs. They have free returns shipping so sometimes I like to order things in like four sizes, you know, to try on. Too bad I couldn't just go to the store...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3199695167121439560.post-50234732960026907092011-10-22T09:40:00.000-04:002011-10-22T09:40:15.181-04:00Proctor & Gamble study proves gender-based discrimination, fails to noticeRecently the always interesting Siouxsie Law<a href="http://siouxsielaw.com/2011/10/16/an-open-letter-to-procter-gamble/"> wrote a letter to Proctor and Gamble</a> about their garbage study (in partnership with Harvard, so yes, money can buy credibility) that allegedly proves you need to wear makeup to be perceived as a serious business professional. Of course, media reporting on science-y things always turns all vaguely ridiculous and so I thought maybe that isn't what the study said. It was published in a PLoS journal so is open-access so you too <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0025656">can read it here</a>. Indeed, the study doesn't say what <a href="http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52087-p-g-harvard-study-reveals-cosmetics-alter-instinctual-perception">P&G claims in their press release</a> mainly at all and has even less relation to the problematic portrayal of the study in the media which Siouxsie already wrote well on. <br />
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Okay, here is what it claims to prove: makeup production and use functions as an extended phenotype to overlay our natural traits to make an individual's features more in line with facial features which humans seem to have an intrinsic preference for (you know, assuming your makeup is normally applied by professional makeup artists under the direction of beauty scientists, differences which are heavily glossed over in the literature). Or, in slightly less science-y speak, we use makeup as an evolutionary strategy to be pretty and people's positive reactions to makeup are intrinsic. There is a large body of research on traits which are intrinsically attractive (all of which nonetheless demonstrates a wide range of variance by individuals). This study used four women of different ethnicities, made them up at three different makeup levels: light, moderate, and heavy, but the same general palette and styling was used for each level. They showed pictures of with either no makeup or with the three levels, in one condition for 1/4 of a second and in another for an unlimited time. Results (mostly, not sure what happened to moderate makeup):<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0025656.g002&representation=PNG_M" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0025656.g002&representation=PNG_M" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>From this they concluded, surprisingly considering they were sponsored by a cosmetics company, that yes makeup does function as an extended phenotype to make people like you more (well, find you hire-able and bangable, only light makeup makes you likable or trustworthy)!<br />
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I could spend several not very happy hours de-constructing the discussion section alone which is just filled to the brim with gendered assumptions (lol your suggestion that that naturally attractive people are nice, but ladies who wear a lot of makeup to fake attractiveness are probably shallow and promiscuous*), but instead I will just make a general point.<br />
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It's moments like these that I think back to all the times any of my hard science friends made fun of anthropology, sociology, or psychology and think, yeah, this is why my field is just as valid as yours (<a href="http://skepchick.org/2011/10/ai-revisited-totally-crotchin-prize-round/">crotches</a>) and we should probably interact like people from different but equally valid specialties which occasionally touch on each other normally do. These results are completely expected and explainable by anyone remotely versed in social construction of gender theory. First, let's talk about how this study used adults from similar cultural backgrounds, obviously you have to use adults to rate these specific traits, but the reasons psychologists in this area generally use babies is in order to filter out the profound effect of encultured beauty standards. Without that filter their studies would have been totally non-compelling *coughnudge* and close to meaningless. The alternative to babies is generally cross cultural research, which is not perfect, but a huge improvement. They do actually have a line about that in the discussion that says: "our study included only North American subjects; we do not know if such effects will be found in subjects from other cultures". Or: Hey our study proves nothing outside of our own cultural assumptions, but yeah perceptions of makeup are totally innate.<br />
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So now, to the study authors: In case you are wondering, this cultural beauty standard and the cultural construction of cosmetic use on women perfectly explains what you considered to be the deeply anomalous result of the profound difference between the rating of trust, likability, and attractiveness for women with glamorous makeup depending on how long study participants looked. While 1/4 of a second is only enough time to register a vague impression of an image, when given the opportunity to look harder study participants could see clearly that those women were wearing a lot of makeup. Wearing a lot of makeup is pretty culturally loaded (the fact that lots of makeup is more culturally significant than natural makeup also explains the profound differential between short and long looking times for "glamorous" vs. "natural" makeup), because it is perceived as aggressive and slutty. We often associate aggression with being good at business, and sluttiness with being bangable but unlikable and untrustworthy. So what I am saying is, all you have proved is that socially constructed beauty standards expect women to alter their appearance through makeup, but too much alteration, while still being more attractive, will cause them to be judged more harshly. So, congratulations Proctor and Gamble you just proved Naomi Wolf right!<br />
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Also, what exactly is this studies' justification for only using women? Seriously? I just can't....<br />
Shouldn't the fact that men don't use the apparently brilliant evolutionary strategy of makeup being kind of a big red flag. I'm starting to think Harvard's Psychiatry cirrulum doesn't include any Foucault at all.<br />
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*No seriously, it says that: "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #303030; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 21px;">In general, there is less agreement about whether beauty invariably signals social cooperation, with some studies suggesting that there is a ”dark side” to beauty characterized by vanity, immodesty, or greater likelihood to cheat on a partner</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #303030; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 21px;">. Our findings suggest that it may be fruitful to disentangle the effects of beauty from beauty enhancement,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #303030; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 21px;"> or phenotype from extended phenotype here [</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 21px;">lol, how? how do they suggest that?]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #303030; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 21px;">. It may be that natural beauty or natural appearing beauty leads to positive inferences of social cooperation, where more obvious beauty enhancement may lead to neutral or even negative inferences."</span><br />
Okay, so technically it just says that naturally beautiful people are assumed to be nicer whereas heavily made-up people are assumed to be lying whores, it doesn't say they actually are...it just implies that if you have read the research they are referencing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2