spring habit.011 fat and sex

There was a poetry reading I went to in Oxford.  I couldn't stop laughing.  The reader more of a slampoet or lyricist, the way he broke out into verse.  Basically FAT and SEX were neurotically repeated the way the magazines bombard you at the grocery store checkout.  This magazine boasts of 25 ways to have better sex.  Wait! No!  Let me tell you all of his secret fantasies!  No, no they got it wrong.  Lose weight and feel better naked in 2 weeks!  Only two weeks!  What do you have to lose?

Your sanity?

I know my boss reads this.  That's what any good boss does: keep tabs on her employees' public information.  She's powerful.  Perhaps it's because she can run four stores and keep it all together, maybe it's that she is so stern with employees, but mostly she works her ass off, and encourages everyone else to do the same. She's curvy like me. My point is with all this is, please don't worry about your weight when there are far more important things to deal with.  Maintain a healthy weight, put on five minutes worth of makeup, and wake up!

Men don't worry about their weight half as much as women do.  They have more important matters to worry about than their beer gut, hopefully.  Recently I have to catch myself looking at my dimply thighs and realize ... why the fuck are you doing this? It's ten o'clock, finish what's on your to-do list ... and I'm happier that way.  I finish things instead of obsess and waste time.  Time that I could be earning money or enjoying a good book.

You look fine ... really.  I know I can't see you, but I know most of you don't art model.  We've got clothes for a reason and they should be altered to suit you, not the reverse. Perhaps this is my anti-beauty message, and perhaps it's what happens to you if you devote too many hours a day to beauty.  I kinda lost my peace.

Japanese Moon Viewing Parties

I don't know exactly what to think.  I'm teaching my friend to become an art model.  No, I'm not trying to convert anyone - just help.  Someone needs some spare cash and wants to feel better in her body I'm all for it!  In fact, art modeling was the important factor for my own self-image.  You see yourself in circus mirrors when you look at different renderings.  Or as a kind, wise man once said: reflections in a pond.  Only you can gaze at the moon.  You don't need the reflections.  Take them for what they are and you will know peace.  It's a full moon tonight.  If you're still up you should take a look...it's pretty.


photo via Andrew Calder

spring habit.010

It's Earth Day now.  I'm just up late thinking.  I rode the bus today for two hours.  Did I affect change?  Does it matter?  All the plastic I recycle at home, companies throw away without thinking.  To be quite honest I throw away so much at work as well.

Why do others not care?  That's not it.  As the status quo of my work area is now, we don't have the system in place.  I hardly have time to finish all the routine tasks let alone sort the plastic from aluminum...and that's basic recycling.  Systems are beautiful.  I know it seems odd, but think of ecosystems and the intricate systems of biology.  That said, we need more systems in place for the environment to make recycling easy and convenient, not a luxury for those who have time.

Tell me there is someone out there who cares, too. Enjoy your Earth Day 2010!

spring habit.009

"Do ya have a dollar, do ya have a dollar for me?"

I've been trying to keep up with the spring habit.  As you can see I'm on day 9, not the 18th by any means, but I'm still trying...and enjoying it.  Yesterday I needed it.  I needed to do laundry and generally clean.  It made me feel better.  A lady once told me that, "You can't control everything, but you can make your bed."   I know it sounds silly, but my world is very tumultuous right now, so doing laundry, washing the dishes and generally cleaning up makes me feel better.  I give myself a dollar coin every day that I clean my house/self/environment for two hours.  Lisa Mitchell will perfectly explain this.  She is soo cute!  Take care.

spring habit..easier on the eyes.

my version of beauty is kinda vague and very encompassing.  it's not just makeup and white teeth, it's everything. okay, that explains nothing. i mean simply that the bluebonnets on the highway are pretty and i want them to stay there for Lady Bird Johnson's memory. buses are amazing since using them is the best way to reduce air pollution in our city.  don't be scared of the homeless, if you know how to stare at your feet you should do fine.  plus it's fun to run into Leslie.

that said, it's easier said than done to devote 2 hours of your day to beauty. riding the bus kinda makes it easy: one hour there, one hour back = done. the day before that i sewed and finished a pretty bag, and right now i'm still working on my last hour for today.

i'll give you something prettier to look at; however, it is intricate to the deaths of those faraway sea birds. i speak of caps. #5 plastic bottle caps. "Plastic bottle caps are one of the top 10 items found during marine debris beach clean-ups and the second most littered item after cigarette butts" (Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii).  when looking at the photos of the Midway birds that's what i saw primarily. fortunately Aveda recycles them and because of that i'm switching my skin care regimen to their products. so today i am going to promote beauty with Aveda.  how's that for pretty?  stop by their shop at Barton Creek Mall and drop yours off.  have a good night, best wishes for a beautiful day tomorrow.

spring habit.002

I'm waiting for my nails to dry.  Beauty can be annoying in that it is so time consuming.  Ah well, multi-tasking works.

About a month ago I stumbled upon a tragic slideshow of birds.  It's a bit morbid, but needs to be seen.  Chris Jordan documents dead birds in a remote island in the North Pacific.  The birds decomposed before the plastic in their stomach did.  It's scary to see how our plastic garbage can end up in the vast stretches of our globe.



I'm definitely not perfect.  I use plastic and such, but if all of us do one thing each day to help...well...the world might be a prettier place.  Start with your toothbrush.  All throughout my life I've used regular plastic toothbrushes.  About 2 years ago I found a brush that has disposable bristles.  It's less plastic being thrown away every couple of months.  If you know how to recycle toothbrushes let me know, but for the time being: fuchs toothbrushes found at Whole Foods Market.  My boyfriend and I have been using them for awhile and enjoy them as much as you can enjoy a toothbrush.  Refills are here too on Amazon as well as the aforementioned.

spring habit.001

So today is the first day.001

I did my beauty routine slowly, enjoying it more than I would when I'm rushed.  I don't have chipped nails anymore and my dreaded bathroom is clean.  Beauty is a broad subject and for me. It encompasses the home, outside environment as well as physical appearance.  No worries, I'll talk about more interesting aspects of beauty as it encompasses so many faces.  Spoiler: recycling everything will be on the agenda.  See you tomorrow.

spring habit

I love cleaning. Some of my happiest moments were cleaning First Samples of Austin, Texas. I was a girl friday among other things, but mostly a janitor. The place was beautiful and full of hope: you can become a seamstress in this beautiful school. I miss it actually.

So this cleaning business. Humble, dirty, and devoid of respect, but I think it is important in my life. And so it shall be that I will devote two hours of each day to beauty. Whether it is my bathroom tile or my hair does not matter. I'm making April a trial run of this. Let's see if I can make it. I'm a supposed model writing you with chipped nails and dirty hair.

The inspiration for this is the Dalai Lama. I'm reading the Story of Tibet by Thomas Laird. His holiness devotes four to five hours daily to meditation. I can spare two for what I feel is important spiritually.

portrait by dorje-d

the first day of spring

It's interesting to see people talk about the weather. It was cold outside today and didn't feel exactly like spring, but it was its first day. I do it mostly to engage in conversation when there is nothing else appropriate to say. Kinda sad really, but you really see how people react to nature. Sometimes I wish I could say what's on my mind, but you can't always do that. So yes, it's sad but true: I am avoiding talking about what's really important to me.

How's that for an icebreaker? :laugh: I haven't written on this blog in awhile for various reasons, but mainly I hate editing myself for fear of losing my job. Honesty is sometimes inappropriate and will always be in certain circles. But here, I will write about beauty, the environment, Austin, modeling of course, and the resources we have at our disposal. I'll try to write more. Promise.

There will be no change for now.

I like snakes. Why? I could tell you a long story about pre-historic religions and the etymology of the word gerontology ... but we'll leave it at they're ever-changing.

Sometimes I'm indecisive. Really indecisive. It's amazing that I have a tattoo and still like it. So there's this job and it's nice, and then there's this other job that doesn't pay well but makes me smile thinking about it. I chose the latter ... for the rest of my life. Would you like another tattoo with that, miss?

I change clothes like a girl or a snake. I'd love to get a snake tattoo, but I chose that I would change my skin like a snake. Models and snake tattoos don't mix - unless you've established your career already. So I change my clothes a lot as a model, and I love it. I finished a kimono in two days and it's beautiful. I'm up for a lifetime of making beautiful clothes and all that goes with being a model.

Image via Jon Todd

N'Qisate in Ethiopia

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

I am a novice ... even at Christianity. Although I was born into a Christian family, I didn't really go to bible study, or Sunday school for that matter. There is so much history, beautiful stories that lie within the Bible of which I know not. So when I speak of the Coptic Christians, please forgive me if I make mistakes. I welcome kind corrections.

Let me start with the proper name for the Ethiopian Church. Instead of Coptic Christian Church it is Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. That said, we are talking about facial tattoos again! Makes me happy. It's brave for someone to get a tattoo, much more so on their face. Ethiopian women acquire these tattoos from a young age to signify their Christian faith. The tattoos which are applied by needle are displayed on necks, wrists, and faces of women in Ethiopia. This tradition is called N'Qisate.

In most parts of Ethiopia one will see these tattoos, however, it is prevalent in Lalibela, Ethiopia as it is one of the country's most holy cities. In Islam being tattooed is not thought well of. Ethiopian Christians identify themselves distinctly with these niqisat even though they are a minority in the continent of Africa. It is seen as primitive, sadly. I personally think it is simply traditional and worthy of continuation.

Moko of New Zealand

I decided to start with where my Daddy's from: New Zealand. I've been lucky enough to visit relatives there and it really is a hobbit's paradise! Just kidding Aunties, you're not that short. Every visit I want to get my face done. Not makeup. Done. Little did I know that Moko is not temporary.

As a white girl with a lineage that came originally from Scotland, I would have Kirituhi. I find the skin art of the Maoris beautiful; however, since I am not related I would have this version of the facial tattoo done. The descendants of Maoris have facial tattoos known as Ta Moko. It is their identity and I do not wish to steal it. Kirituhi "deliberately does not make any reference to Maori symbolism" (Ta Moko Maori Tattoo).

Here are some images of Ta Moko. I wish my family were that colorful. My Dad took back the photograph of him wearing thick eye makeup. Sigh ...

Randall Hyman

Tatooine

No, I'm not a Star Wars geek. My boyfriend is. I just wanted to start this new series on a light note. Tattoos are the most hard core decoration of the body, or at least the most enduring. Seriously, they are more permanent than marriage - but you knew that.

I personally love tattoos and body modifications ... a lot. Anyone who takes the time to get their hair bleached and then dyed light blue has a special place in my heart. The only problem is the older society and offices that look down on what they call freaks. I love Kerbey Lane for encouraging tattoos. There needs to be more of that, especially in Austin. Anahata Katkin thinks so too.

We'll see how other societies tolerate or even encourage tattoos in this series. The only place we won't be going is Tatooine, unfortunately.

Animal Feet 2.0

I realize it sounds weird to think that people would try to imitate animals through footwear or clothing, but let me give some more examples.

Fur coats: Less trendy now that most people have a conscious and heating systems. But remember late nineties when fake fur was all the rage?

Feathers: Some like feather boas, some like feather hair clips. I myself own a very beautiful feather hair-clip. Think about angels. Would they be as beautiful and ethereal without feather wings?

Mermaids: Very hard to imitate on dry ground, but they've been sexy from Homer til today. They'll be in fairy tales for countless generations to come.

Skin-tight leather? Eh? I rest my case for today, but I'll leave you with a picture I wish I had a few days ago.

Post why you think humans mimic animals through clothing. I have no idea why. Oh, by the way, in three out of the four examples wearing the said item made the wearer sexier. Eek! I'm kinda scared to find out the answer now.

Golden Lotus Feet

I am just as culpable. The pain that women put themselves through to achieve the beauty of the Golden Lotus feet, I myself would probably do too. Chinese bound feet immobilized women. I believe I do the same thing to myself when I wear my 6" hooker boots. There have been times at parties where I sit on the kitchen counter because my feet hurt so much. Do you think I could take a stroll in the park in those shoes? Eh? So I am just as culpable. Thankfully, the affect for me is not permanent as it was for Chinese women who broke their feet in the beauty process.

I am so glad flats are in style. Late feminists would smile if they could see that. We are not exchanging beauty for health. Ie. High heels for Birkenstocks. It's good to see feminists revel in beauty, but also understand women's obsession with it.

Last week I heard news that I was picked for a music video. Eeek! I am so happy, but with this I will now be obsessed with beauty and knowledge. I don't want to see what happens if I lose the latter. My goal is to be like Inara from Firefly. If I can achieve that, my life is complete.

Animal Feet

Hi. I learned something new today. The cow-toed looking shoes are called 'tabi.' I love the flats and even the heels, yet I know not of how painful the heels would be. I'm not so interested in the boots however practical they were/are to ninjas. They look dorky to me.

Why do I love painful shoes? To be honest, it's more of a longing than a requited love. The most painful shoes I own are my beautiful 6" black hooker boots. I want the line of shoes in John Galliano's spring 2009 fashion show. Why? They're odd...and strangely cute. I think that's the aspiration of every designer: create products that are new, different, and cute.

Let's focus on the why I adore these kind of shoes, though. The tabi shoes out in stores now, albeit limited, differ from ones worn in Japanese courts. They're made for an international audience. I found out about these kind of shoes through a Bjork photoshoot, and wanted them because they strangely make human feet look like an animals. Why do hooker boots garner so many compliments? My theory is they make my foot look like a horse's hoof - especially with leg warmers or long trousers. So yes, you have my confession of why I like tabi shoes. Try to figure out why you love or hate a certain style yourself. It really gets you thinking.

I leave you with hulder maidens, beautiful women with cow tails. I learned about them in D'Aulaires folktales. According to another scholar, the hulder maidens are "the best wife a man can have" (Bok).

Get yourself an education!

I've been listening to M.I.A. non-stop, so I thought I'd add a bit of her in here. There's a cute skit where she says that. Anyway, painting my nails orange is high on my agenda today. :laugh:

Thought I'd refer to you some books on beauty since beauty magazines are trash. Really. "Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly," Baz Luhrman said once. But books, oh lovely books educate you and are not subsidized by advertisements. They are free to tell you things that will not profit the beauty industry. So here, I'll include a few about Japanese beauty. Enjoy.

PS. Beauty Up, Laura Miller

Inner Peace, Outer Beauty; Michelle D. Leigh

What matters.

I call him Beautiful, cuz he is inside and out. He says the same for the same reasons. It's wonderful, to wake up in the morning eyes half-open and hear, "You're so beautiful, darlin." Makes me feel wonderful...knowing my face could get hit by a tractor and he'd still say, "Mornin' beautiful!" Brings me to tears knowing I got a love like that.

So beauty, elusive beauty. Women hurt their feet with painfully high heels, extend their necks with brass rings, corsets have come back into fashion, and just little things like plucking our eye brows and shaving. Why? A guy would get beaten up if he shaved his legs and armpits, and that's half of what we do, sometimes. We feel confident when we're beautiful. I at least feel better knowing I have makeup on even when I realize there is a minute difference.

I think Cindy Crawford had the best motto: put on makeup for five minutes and get on with your life! She likened makeup to clothes [that only women wear], to go without makeup is to go naked. Clothes bring confidence. I am an oddity with my viewpoint on that, but it's true with most people. I believe this elusive, physical beauty is important to our self-confidence, but worry about it for only 10 minutes in the morning. No more. There is shitloads to be done in the world...and there's a guy out there who loves you and could care less.