Wednesday, August 26, 2009

girls, girls, girls


Oh Mother! Where are we now? San Francisco, honey.


Madonna's song 'What It Feels Like for a Girl' barely touches on what it is to be a girl. It describes a girl who is barely there. A girl who, for lack of better words, behaves and abides by the status quo. A status quo that Madonna herself would never adhere to, because she is strong. I bring this up, cuz we're in the city of men wanting to be women and vice versa. For now I am going to focus on MTF because I know what it is to be a woman, and revel in it.


I love putting on makeup and sewing beautiful clothes for myself. My apartment is a temple to Gianni Versace although my closet has a ways to go before it has his style. Really, I was trying to avoid that play on words. I realize that I'm just one girl, and that's it. This does not apply to all females around the globe. Good feminists will acknowledge that, bad ones will talk about their life and apply that structure to women who don't have safe drinking water let alone a college degree.


But what I really wonder is...why do humans look down on men who are effeminate? The intro to 'What It Feels Like' is a sample from Ian McEwan's Cement Garden. Julie, or rather Ian, is the first person to so concisely put the whole genre of homophobia into clarity. We, women, are the second sex at least in a man's point of view. Excuse me, most men secretly think this. Anyone who acts like a woman is instantly degraded. Do you disagree?


Why else would cocksucker (what I as a woman do all the time) be an insult? The third sex, I wish it weren't this way, but we are talking about popular culture and my opinion is small compared to it. The third sex, transgender or transexuals is lower than women. When I was looking for pictures of Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful,' I found drag queen tagged to her photo. We all know that is an insult. One that her video, 'Beautiful,' challenges.


"We are beautiful no matter what they say...words won't bring us down."


Be yourself no matter what that entails. Damn that's easy to write, but so hard to put into practice. Just know that there are places you can be yourself. The world is huge and there are safe havens in different cities. Thank you San Francisco, and thank you Harvey Milk.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Time Machine


So we're ready for our journey, much like Nellie was back in 1889 except we need one more thing. A precious time machine. If we don't have it there is no likely way we could discover all the intriguing mysteries around the world! I do apologize, but I've been reading a children's novel all afternoon. Well, too bad we'll use our imagination...it can get us anywhere. It's true!

Nellie Bly was a journalist in New York, and started her journey there heading off to Great Britain and so on around the world. However since we are going into the past I thought it would be fitting to have her itinerary backwards as well. Today, 2009, we'll travel to San Francisco first and onwards around the world. Til then!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Nellie Bly

I introduce to you Nellie Bly. She was the journalist who ventured around the world solo in a time when women were usually chaperoned. In fact, she beat the fictional Phileas Fogg's record of 80 days by over a week in advance: 72 days 6 hours and 11 minutes. Nellie Bly will be our tourguide of the world in the days to come, but for now, we're packing.

Nellie Bly traveled lightly. She carried a bag that's dimensions were 16 inches wide and 7 inches high. Inspired by her I bought a really pretty, but tiny duffel bag. It is long like hers and about the same dimensions aforementioned. I carry it on long trips like Nellie, but for the most part I use it for modeling.

Hmm...what to wear? Yes, you all know the answer to that when it comes to my work. But I do bring cloth(es) to work. There is the sitting mat which I have, because not all the places I model launder the cushions I sit on. My robe is also packed and a case of CDs. When all are in use, my clothes stay concealed. Believe me, it's really awkward fishing out your business card with underwear in the same bag. Hence the second bag. Well, it's getting late. I should finish packing. G'night!

Monday, August 10, 2009

To question...


My daddy's a scientist. When I was young he told me, "to question everything!" Everything. We'd go to museums and national parks during the summer, and how I dreaded the long pondering of why x was that way. When you are little an hour seemed like a lifetime, and so did his lectures. Perhaps lectures is the proper term, but rather they were him thinking aloud. Now his lectures are interesting for me since I can debate with my father, but then...sheesh!

I question culture: systems and structures of society. I can't travel at present moment, so I read about different peoples of the world. It's fascinating to me. The reason why I am so curious is because another society can function on a totally alien social system and work. It gives me the understanding that x doesn't have to be in our culture. In other words, "that's just the way it is," holds no bearing for me.

Thank you father. I'll give you a ring later. All this is leading up to is I will look at different beauties around the world, question and understand them. Take care til then.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

without



Hey, I'm back. I've been without internet for about two weeks. It's a bit odd for me. I bet it would be odd for anyone in urban America to go without internet for a half a month. Just makes me think of Earth Hour. Have you heard of it? It's an hour where the whole world turns off the lights.

I remember making my father participate in it last year. He wanted to go to a movie, but I insisted that we play chess by candlelight. I felt a bit mean, but it made us realize how dependent we are on electricity. If you like, participate in it next year. It's March 28th of each year.