Bloggerstock: DO OVER! (totally gnarly, dude)

Hi everyone and welcome to Bloggerstock, an online festival of sorts.

My blog post for this collaboration can be found here. 

The following post is from a guest blogger, a lovely fellow by the name of Bret. I wanted a clever way to introduce my guest, perhaps a funny anecdote, but instead of sitting down and applying myself, I decided to watch a scary movie. It wasn't even scary, stupid IFC channel always showing horror films that are not horrific in the slightest. It was even mislabeled, the movie was supposed to be about two teenage girls who receive an ominous warning from their creepy step-mother, but it was some other movie about a woman with extreme agoraphobia who marries the man who makes a documentary about her phobia and then she starts seeing ghosts in her house. Don't you just hate it when they mislabel movie and television shows? Sheesh!

That blathering I just did up there should count as an anecdote, even if it wasn't that interesting. Whatever, I haven't had any coffee yet, just some Earl Grey tea.

On to Bloggerstock! Kick back, relax, and enjoy!

*************

Hello good Tsaritassamassa readers.  My name is Bret Staples and I also write a blog.  Of course, no one reads mine.  In fact, just you reading this sentence right now pretty much doubles my total readership over the last month.  So thanks.  If you are looking for her post, you can find it somewhere on here.

Anyway, you are reading this because Tsaracasa and I both signed up for something called Bloggerstock.  Bloggerstock  is a website for bloggers that challenges anyone who signs up to write a post with a similar theme.  Then those posts get posted on other blogger's websites, thus sharing and potentially increasing readership, except for the Tsaharasta of course, who is likely losing readers with every word I type.

Type. Type. Type.

It's a fun little thing to do, and if you have a blog you should sign up next month.  All Bloggerstock asks in return is that you link to their site about 50 million times.

If you want to read more on this, you can visit my blog to read a post from The Bear Monk.  Let me also give a sincere apology to the Tsaritsa; I know that posting this is likely the most humiliating thing that you have ever done.  If it makes you feel any better I am deeply ashamed of this entire thing.  I'm sorry for this scar on your blog.

This months topic:

“Do-over!”

    We all think about it all the time.  Hindsight is 20-20.  If you got one “do-over,” what would you do 

    differently?

Oh the many things in my life I wish that I could do over.

I suppose the most obvious would be my life.  Had you told me 10 years ago that I would be a fat, lazy guy with a low income job and questionable hygiene I would have been appalled.  Of course, my parents would have been impressed.  "What?  He has a job?  And his hygiene has improved all the way up to questionable?!?  We must be amazing parents!"  Indeed they are.  Whenever I take my usual every-third-day shower, I know that they are probably looking down on me from Heaven unquestionably proud.  That is if they have happen to be dead.  We aren't real close.

I feel like using my entire life as a do over would be cheating.  Instead I could talk about how I wish I could go back to when I was 4, and tell my mom my shoes didn't fit, so that maybe I wouldn't have strange crooked toes now.  Of course, sleeping through that Biology final was a very poor decision.  I have lived with some roommates whom are likely in prison.  I sure wish I hadn't accidentally downloaded those pictures of 14 year old boys; it turns out being defined as a "sexual predator" isn't a fun as it sounds.  Oh my God the many nights Taco Bell has kept me up and chained to the bathroom.  Clearly KFC was the better option.  There was also that horrible time at my Dad's bosses funeral that when his widow asked how I was, I responded, "I'm living."  Naturally, I also wish I could do over my decision to sign up for this Bloggerstock thing.

However, I feel that this topic requires a serious answer, and since this isn't for my blog anyway, here goes:

I hurt a friend many years ago.  I was young.  She was young.  She intended to save herself for marriage, or at least the right guy I suppose, and I knew I wasn't that guy.  Still, she liked me, and we were close friends, and, I don't know.  Maybe things did go a little far.  Maybe I could have stopped it from happening if I really wanted to.  Maybe I knew how naive she really was.  We aren't close today, but I know that I am forever a part of her history, and I am sure that she regrets it.  As for me I think about that night often.  Every single day.  I remember every second; I remember every movement.  I remember every touch, every feeling.  I remember the apprehension in both of us, and the feeling that we knew we had reached the point of no return.  I would love to have that night to do over.  I wish more than anything that I could give her virginity back.

So then I could take it again.

Some photos...

... because I'm bored and because I have some new things to show off! I recently have started clearing up my office, organizing my stuff and sprucing it up so it's a cheerier place to hang out. It is where I spend my days, after all.



Awww... isn't this adorable? I have a framed photo of me and Ben on my desk:



My bulletin board! I've been wanting one of these things for a long time, and now I have one in my office! This is exciting for me because I love hanging up pretty things and now I have a centralized place for doing just that. Go ahead, call me a nerd!



I also got some sweet new t-shirts recently. The first one is by Secret Lovers and says "jawn" (a Philly slang word that means "thing") in the style of the Love statue near City Hall in Philadelphia. Check it out!







The other shirt is by Gangs of San Francisco and says "Butchers Est. 1868 Hunter's Point."



They have a whole assortment of t-shirts on the site, all based on San Francisco neighborhoods and the classic gangs that roamed those parts.



I also bought a shirt for Ben from the site for Jewish New Year (it's tradition to buy new clothes on the day), his reads "Devil's Acre, Barbary Coast" with a picture of a antique-looking demon holding a pitchfork.

Interview with a blogger

Image by tomswift46(Desire Contact with Galleries) via Flickr

I had been talking with Barloga from Barloga's Legend about doing some type of joint posting. We went back and forth through e-mail with different ideas of how we should collaborate when it was decided that we should just interview each other.

Perfect, I thought. I've always wanted to do an interview like this, through e-mail-- or rather, I've always imagined what it would be like to do an interview through e-mail. Usually, when I do a live interview with someone I will have a series of questions prepared for that interview, but I also rely upon asking follow-up questions based on the interviewee's responses. You can't do that through e-mail. Sure, you can send a follow-up e-mail with your follow-up questions, but the process isn't as natural as it is in a conversation. It's better to have your follow-up questions prepared in advance and anticipate the answer to get another answer.

Anyways, I was intrigued by this idea and came up with a bunch of questions that I thought would elicit interesting responses from Barloga. Looks like it worked... On to the interview!

What do you see yourself doing in the next ten years?

I see myself in some foreign country. I'd prefer a modest living sich. just doing my thing. I'd probably feel selfish if I didn't get my hands dirty in some sort of lofty project that involved bettering everyone everyone else. Haha, a Buddhist monk?

What do the arts mean to you? Describe your creative process.

The arts are pretty damn important in my book. If we didn't than what do we have in forms of expression? A a bunch of white collar suites? Yea man, I'm straight... I find myself lacking emotion and warmth as a person, then *poof* it hits me like a ton of bricks. I'm kinda clueless with my own emotions but in terms of my blog I like to try and capture what I'm feeling and use words, pictures and music as a medium. Sometimes I find my work to be really cool and other times I ask myself why did I do that?

What's the weirdest dream you've ever had?

This one left me with the sweats as well a major anxiety towards humanity. It was a lot like a scenario of a major city in ruins. Cash was worthless, the streets were on fire, just complete chaos. Families turning on each other, neighbors robbing the other. Riots. Like putting Darwin's theories to the test. Sad shit. It wasn't so much the fact that it felt real at the time it was more so that when I woke and thought about it a bit, it seemed like it could happen and just might. So maybe my aim is to prevent it and reverse the thought?

Why did you start blogging? What keeps you going?

Hahah, I always thought that a solid story would be pretty cool as long they where brag worthy. My very first article was about myself and couple buddies raising hell, boozing, smoking and placing offers on strippers. As time progressed, the idea of being a little shit head kinda got old. Something clicked, 'If I have an audience why not direct them towards the direction that will lead towards something that has never been done, like 21st century enlightenment haha?'
 Kinda a utopian dreamer at heart. Honestly, I like to think that I'm contributing to society in some sort of way.

How would you describe your blog to someone who doesn't know you?

Haha, I wish I had a solid answer. As of late Ive been finding my blog to be not only my closest friend but also my own worst enemy. I'm not really consistent on any sort of topic but if one wanted a glimpse into what goes on in my head, take a gander. Don't let the off beat writing intimidate, I'm really somewhat reserved in person until I open up then I'm pretty outgoing.

*************

In other news, I would like to send a shout-out to Kate at Simply Kate for passing along a One Lovely Blog Award to me. Sweet! I appreciate it, Kate!

And now to pass the award on to some other worthy blogs:

- Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time
- Tsada Kay
- More is Better
- A Pre-Life Crisis

If I have given you this award, congratulations! I think your blog is pretty sweet and you deserve some recognition. Please feel free to pass this Lovely award on to five blogs that you enjoy, and don't forget to hook a Tsaritsa up and link back to this blog.

If I haven't given you an award, I still think you have a lovely blog but everyone can benefit from a little housecleaning every once in a while. I'm kidding. You know I love you, and there's always next time.

Two things...

Image via Wikipedia

So, earlier this year a sex scandal of sorts started to surround action star Steven Seagal (no, I didn't plan to use that much alliteration, but I decided to just roll with it). Supposedly, Seagal forced himself upon a newly hired assistant and asked her to commit lewd acts. A lawsuit was reported in the news, along with an update that Seagal's show, Steven Seagal: Lawman, was getting canceled by the network.

Being a Seagal fan myself, I was intrigued by this story and I followed it closely in the news. I found the ex-employee's claims to be dubious, especially because she was on Tyra Banks' show bragging about how she is a master of manipulating men. Yeah right, that's a reputable source for you *rolls eyes* Just another fame whore trying to make her millions the easy way.

Well, I guess all of those allegations were false because the case was dismissed in July and a new season of Lawman starts in October. Hooray!

Note to idiot model wannabes: lying about an accomplished celebrity will put your name in the news, but nobody will remember it. We'll remember how you publicly made a fool of yourself while simultaneously downplaying the seriousness of victims who have actually been sexually assaulted. You're a jackass!

*******

Another thing: I am obsessed with this song. I don't know why. I'm not really even sure what the song is about I have been informed that 1-4-3 is a pager reference, and 1-4-3 means "I love you" in pager speak. You learn something new everyday.
 


1-4-3!!

What's really good/not so good

Here's what's really good:


- Loofahs. It's a misconception that white people don't use washcloths. I used a washcloth every time I bathed from infancy to high-school, where I switched to loofahs for extra exfoliation.




- A clean apartment. I rest a lot easier when my house is clean. Vacuuming and dish-washing are soothing to my soul.




- A new season of Law & Order: SVU starts tomorrow! Hells yes!!




- Apple cider, mmmmm :) Drinking apple cider reminds me of autumn and October (my birth month) and just makes me feel happy inside. It's an indescribable sensation. And it's friggin delicious.




- Getting excited about Halloween and my seasonally themed zine! If you consider yourself a writer or artist, or if you know any creative people, please consider submitting something to my zine. It's a cool way to get a little exposure and get your shiz published.




- Ghost Adventures is back! I love this show. It's not even a guilty pleasure for me, I proclaim my love for Aaron, Nick and Zac's silly show quite openly. I'm even a fan on Facebook.




Here's what's not so good:

- Weezer. I really used to like this band when I was in high-school, and I still dig their first two albums, but all of the work they've been putting out recently is utter garbage. Their performance on Jay Leno last week is proof of their lack of imagination and inability to write interesting songs (musically and lyrically, their songs are terrible regurgitated pop nonsense) anymore.



- Being sick. I woke up this morning with a throat full of phlegm and an aching body. This sucks. I was sick not too long ago, maybe a couple months back. I blame it on this crazy San Francisco weather.

- Waiting. I mailed my application for an internship at Mother Jones magazine today, and now I must wait. I can only imagine how many other hopefuls' resumes are piling up in their office, waiting to be read, rejected. I can only pray now that a person reads my writing and likes it enough to give me a shot at an interview.

Fingers crossed!

Image via Wikipedia

I've been stressing over writing this cover letter, for an internship at a magazine, for a few months now. I finally have a final draft printed and tucked under my resume. My application form is filled and I have two writing samples I've printed out, one from this blog and another from my Examiner.com page. I even have a letter of reference from my friend and colleague, Amy, who I worked with after I graduated back in Philly. Everything is set. My dad called as I was gathering all the materials together and we started talking about resumes and what it takes to stand apart from the crowd when applying for a job.

This reminded me of a conversation I had on the phone yesterday with Alexis about people submitting videos of themselves talking about their good qualities and why they should be chosen for the job. I don't want to do all that! Do employers really hire the people that send a vlog in place of the standard format? I know I watched something about this on CNN, but that trend has got to be a cliche now. Who knows? I joked with my dad that I've never had to submit anything like this before for a job, and he told me about a time years ago when he wrote his resume out in the style of a comic strip. It didn't land him the job, but I think he was just ahead of his time.

I really hope I land this internship! I've been doing my best to stay busy while on unemployment, but I want a job. It's time. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

A Bawdy Blog

Image by San Diego Shooter via Flickr

This morning I checked my Twitter page and found out that I have been presented with a challenge. This one comes from Mei and Lizzy and I am to write about the topic below and then challenge two other bloggers to also write a post on the topic. So what's the topic?

The Topic
What lesson have you learned from a one night stand?

What have I learned from a one night stand? I've learned that a one stand stand is not as simple of a concept as it sounds. He may want to see you again afterward, which could be problematic if that was never your intention (though it's totally your fault for giving him your phone number in the first place, you big dummy!). Some people just get the wrong idea. I actually realized this when working as a cashier at the local Whole Paycheck where I was required to interact with the customers and make conversation with them as I checked their groceries out. Well, some people (lonely people, I think) would completely misinterpret my pleasant nature and courtesy as romantic interest-- and a messy situation would unfold.

I was 19 years old at the time, just working my way through college and living at home, and would have 50 year old men coming back hours after I had waited on them with notes in their hands that they would hand to me silently, or would wait in line with the other customers just to say a few mumbled words of "Would you like to get coffee..." while staring at the ground. This would make me feel so uncomfortable because I was just trying to do a good job and be a good employee, and I would have to turn them down kindly while other customers waited in line with their groceries behind the poor sap. My dad, after telling him about my weird old dude posse, told me I should reply the next time I was asked out, "Well, I can't go out because I'm helping my dad clean the shotguns tonight." Ha! It's funny, but I never said that. I would do my best to turn him down as nicely and quickly as possible, without causing too much of a commotion.

I'm rambling, I realize, and you may think this has nothing to do with the theme. But it does. My point is this: you may just be looking for a good time, drunken or otherwise, but he may have another idea entirely. Or vice versa-- whatever. People catch feelings easily and if it's not reciprocated then feelings get hurt. Which is why you should be fully prepared to deal with a situation like this if you're going about seeking easy lovin. Understand that rewards don't come without consequence and you may have to break a heart and let the poor sap down gently, before you can move on to the next person in line. Like how I did that?

Then again, a one night stand can turn into a relationship. When I met my boyfriend two years ago I didn't think it would be anything more than a chance encounter, but lo and behold I packed up my life and moved across the country to be with him. I'm still here.





The Challenge
Invite two blogger friends to play along.

The two bloggers I choose to carry on this challenge are Sara from Sara Swears A Lot and Hipstercrite. Enjoy! And I look forward to reading what you've written.

ALSO...

Are any of you other ladies fed up with the sexist double standard regarding one night stands? I read a few other blogs on the same topic and was surprised when I read a comment that basically said "I will never make the mistake of having a one night stand with someone, but I don't think I would be too judgmental if you had a one night stand." Why is it such a big deal? So long as you're being smart about what you're doing and don't expect anything more than what you're asking for, I do not see an issue.

I think a lot of women are still so worried about being called a "slut." By whom? If anyone calls you a slut then you have every right to call them a "fuckless wanker" and "sexist prick who isn't getting any," before telling them to go "back to the times of the Puritans." Obviously it's a personal choice and if you're planning on saving yourself for marriage then maybe you shouldn't be reading this blog. My thoughts on the subject are it's better to know what you're getting into before signing a legal contract-- if you wait until you get married to have sex, how do you know if the parts are going to fit correctly? What if you're incompatible? What if he has a really little wiener? It's best to know what you're getting into.

Suicide Girls, and pen-pals

UPDATE: I considered doing Suicide Girls for a hot minute, but decided I didn't really want photos of my naked bod all over the web. My boyfriend didn't like the idea and reminded me that what goes on the net can always come back to bite you in the booty. Suffice it to say, I never completed the application.

Image by NKDBY via Flickr

I don't know where the idea came from, but I went on the Suicide Girls website yesterday to register to be one of their models.

If you don't already know, Suicide Girls is an online community for "alternatively beautiful" women to feature their pin-up style photo sets and get some exposure (haha, silly pun) for their modeling careers.

I guess some models have gotten famous from the site, and I wouldn't mind posing for some pictures, so I figured "What the heck?" I'm not a model, but I'm not really doing much else right now. Plus, I have hella tats, which is apparently a bonus for a Suicide Girl.

I filled out a brief form and attached some photos of myself and this morning I got a reply saying "You look perfect for our site, and you've now passed the first stage of the application process" now here's some more forms to fill out.

I haven't completed these yet because I'm not totally sure if I want to go through with it.

Being a pin-up model sounds fun, but I'm a little worried about any sort of possible backlash, particularly regarding employment options. Will posting provocative photos of myself for Suicide Girls impede me from getting a great job? I surely hope not.



image source

Have any of you had any experience with this website, and if so was it positive? I'm really curious. I think I have what it takes, and I even have some ideas already for a photo set. I won't divulge now, but it's going to be awesome if it comes out how I'm imagining it.

For Day 16 of the challenge I've been neglecting, I am to "tweet" someone not in my state/country.

Since I've already addressed my friends in Philly, my family, my cat back home, I'm not really sure who to write this one to. I'm starting to feel like taking on this challenge wasn't the best idea, and thirty days is feeling like a huge commitment. But I will carry on...

Okay, so I have decided that this tweet will go to the pen-pals I've had over the years. I love writing letters, and like receiving them even more, so I've had a number of pen-pals in my time. Writing letters to friends back home kept my sanity in check when I was living overseas and provided a great way to spend time, when I wasn't busy reading or writing papers. So pen-pals, this one's for you.

@PenPal: I haven't written in a while, guess I've been busy. Thanks for keeping cabin fever at bay and sending me those funny drawings. Still have em

Above photo: Some little things I've collected and kept from pen-pals. Also some found art. My old bedroom wall.

The "Horror" issue...

Dear writers, artists, poets, and creeps: the next issue of my zine is fast approaching and I want YOU to submit!



HELLO! that means you, silly buns. You know you like to get your creep on!

Send me your favorite scary stories, the things that creep you out, and your most spine-chilling drawings. All of the information you need to know can be found on my zine page.


Please submit before October 1st October 15! 

E-mail me at alexandra.naughton@gmail.com!!!

Spotted in San Francisco.

Ben and I went to brunch today at Foreign Cinema with a bunch of friends and had a beautiful time. Guess who we saw eating together? Craig Ferguson from late night and Adam Savage from Myth Busters. They're seated against the wall, and Craig is leaning on his elbow looking intensely at Adam. It appears as if they are in deep conversation. Isn't that adorable?



Ben snapped this photo with his iPhone. Our table must have been causing a stir or they caught us gawking at them, because I noticed that they started to duck down in their seats before they slipped out entirely.

My tattoos, and t-shirt #2

Image by Clintus McGintus via Flickr

I got an assignment the other day from Mei at Diary of a Fair Weather Diver and also Sara Swears A Lot and woke up early this morning to complete it.

The task was to create a video documenting seven things about myself that I wished to share. I was stumped at first, but as I was laying in bed last night I counted and realized that I do have seven things to discuss: my tattoos.

So I don't know what programs other (normal) people use to record their vlogs, but I use the free application that came with my computer, Photo Booth. It's fine, except it sucks. For some reason, the videos kept cutting out in the middle, or Photo Booth would only save 90 seconds of the six minute long video that I thought was recording.

[By the way, if you have any advice for making better vlogs on Mac, or a program you'd recommend, please let me know!!!] After several attempts I gave up and did an on-speed version. Enjoy.




Now, you people out there! I want YOU to make a vlog about seven things for this seven things meme. It doesn't matter what the seven things are, so long as there are seven of them. Post a vlog, link me up, and pass the assignment along to seven other unwitting victims. GO!

Here are my seven lucky winners...

- Freckle on the Nose of Life's Complexion

- icantbelievable

- Without Obsession Life is Nothing

- Trailer Gypsy

- Beyond Passing Time

- the tiny tincan

- I am your blog

If you don't have a webcam, or if you don't feel like videotaping yourself (I know, we can't all be so narcissistic), then feel free to do whatever you'd like. The vlog option is fun, but I can understand why some people wouldn't be so into it.

Anyway, if you do complete the task (and I didn't choose your name and you still want to do it, go for it!) give me a holler in my comment box! I can't wait to see what you all come up with!!!

If you're curious, here's one of the other videos I made (in which I get cut off by Photo Booth). Fun!




In other news, I started a new t-shirt reconstruction project. It's a yellow tee which reads "South Philly for Obama." So far, I've cut the sleeves, make a corset in the back, and bleach-stained and shredded (with a steak knife) the shirt for a punkier effect. I'm thinking of picking up some fabric dye and changing the color of the shirt (it's EXTREMELY yellow), perhaps a gray or darker color... Here's what I have done so far:



I'd appreciate your feedback!

Girlll, you cut it up! part 1

Yes, I know that my hair is fuzzy. So what?

I used to do this in high-school, but I've been inspired to make more lately. What am I talking about? Cut-up t-shirts, of course. When I worked at a bagel store in high-school I had to wear this horrible t-shirt as my uniform. Not only did it have the smell of cream cheese forever embedded in it, but it was also baggy and awful-looking. I ended up cutting it up into a cuter ensemble by slitting the t-shirt up both the sides, cutting little tabs into the cut sides, and then tying those tabs together to get a more fitted, rock-n-roll type of look. It was still an ugly gray t-shirt that stunk of lox and maple syrup (no matter how much I washed it), but at least it wasn't baggy anymore.

Anyway, I found a bunch of videos on Youtube with different techniques of t-shirt cutting. The video I followed last night was Kat Von D's official t-shirt cutting class and the process was easy enough. It took about an hour to ninety minutes from start to finish. If you make one yourself, I would love to see how it came out! Or perhaps you have your own special technique for making an old tee into something new. Let me know!

I have this shirt that my dad bought for me when I was traveling to Big Sur with my parents earlier this summer. I saw it in a store and thought it was hilarious. It says "Allergic to stupid people." It's a little too big for me, but I like it and want to wear it. I figured cutting it into a cuter fit would definitely get it some more wear. I have another t-shirt that I'll cut up tonight in a different fashion. I'll post the results tomorrow.


From the front.


From the back (with Sookie, who kept squirming to try to get away from the camera).

It's funny because as I started working on the shirt last night, I was listening to Big Boi's Speakerboxxx album on random and the song "Bowtie" (in which the first lyric is "Girlll you cut it up!") came on as soon as I started cutting. What a funny coincidence!



What do you think?

Substance award, the un-hippie, and message to Skippy

Image via Wikipedia

My sister called me this afternoon. Today is her birthday and I left her a message on her Facebook wall but I didn't call because I figured she'd be busy gallivanting around Philly with her girlfriends, excited by the fact that she can finally use her real ID to buy drinks. I guess it was still too early for that, so we chatted a minute while I munched on some chicken wings. "What have you become?" my sister asked and added jokingly,"Gnawin on a chicken bone!" Since I moved to San Francisco two years ago I have started eating meat again. And with a vengeance. I don't eat it very often, but I do enjoy me a good steak every once in a while.

I was actually a vegan for a long time, and before and after that a vegetarian. Around the time that I met my boyfriend I suddenly started eating red meat again, for the first time in YEARS. I guess my body was feeling iron-deficient, or perhaps I tapped into a craving that I had been ignoring, but regardless I haven't looked back since.





My sister's comment is funny because, in a way, my newly found relationship with meat is a sort of reaction to living in the über liberal Bay Area. While I could sort of be considered hippieish back in Philadelphia, I have been distancing myself with that sort of thinking over here because I feel like that crowd is too extreme (and too PC). Don't get me wrong, my political leanings are largely unchanged-- I'm still a pro-choice, pro-public education Democrat who believes in the death penalty and legalizing marijuana-- I've just realized recently that comparatively speaking I'm quite conservative. Maybe I never was a hippie, after all.





Soooo, I received my third blogging award, this one from Ms. Smarty Pants at Happy Dying Sun. I feel very flattered! I am happy to send the love along to five awesome bloggers who deserve some recognition.

Here are the rules for the award:

1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you and link their blog in your post.

I did this when I first received the award. Thanks again, Ms. Smarty Pants!

2. Sum up your blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience using five words.

Real, honest, intelligent, hopefully funny.

3. Pass it on to five other blogs which you feel have real substance.

Hmmm, the five substance-y blogs I wanna pass this award onto are...

Sara Swears A Lot

Ordinary in Indiana
 
Christina in Wonderland
 
Barloga's Legend
 
Alabaster Cow

If I chose you for an award, congratulations! I enjoy these awards because I think it's a great way to get some exposure for your favorite blogs.

I have been neglecting my 30 day challenge for a while now, though I do have some good excuses (busy with the zine, we've had really beautiful weather lately, laziness), but I'm going to start back up again today. For day 15 of the challenge I am to address the person I miss the most. Geez. I really have no idea. All right, since I already addressed a bunch of people and I'm determined not to do repeats, I'll give this one to my cat back in Philly.

@LordSkippington: You are a very handsome cat, but can also very naughty, like when you settle on my lap to snuggle and then hiss at me. XOX Mr. StinkyPants!

Skippy is a pretty good cat, though he's very territorial. I've been a cat-lover all of my life, but didn't get my own kitty until senior year of high-school. He really is a doll, you just have to catch him in a good mood. He's not a fan of company, but he does like certain people (just not my Aunt Brenda, who doesn't understand why Skippy is mean to her). Skippy, I miss you!

Fruits of the Zine Fest

I worked the information table at the San Francisco Zine Fest yesterday and had a fun time, despite having to point the direction to the bathroom a million times and explain what a zine is to pretty much every other person who walked through the door. "What's a zine?" they would ask, pronouncing "zine" with a long "i," as if it were a lyric out of Ein zwei polizei.

Here was my pre-recorded answer: A zine is a mini magazine, made and printed by an individual without the help of a large publishing company. It can be on any topic, and can come in any shape or form.

This information was helpful to some people, though I did get quite a few baffled looks which I responded with: "Why don't you go look around? It'll give you a better idea."

I brought a box of my zines to sell, but at the tail-end of the fest I realized no one had bought any. I talked to a few people at the fest about getting rid of my zines, and they said I shouldn't really expect to sell too many for the first issue, that I would find more success if I gave them away. Taking a break from the info table, I grabbed an armful of my zine and walked around the convention, looking for cool zines to trade. I traded a lot more than I expected. Back at the booth, I displayed my box of zines on the table and wrote on the front "$3 or trade!"


Here are the zines that I took home through trades. I have a lot of reading to do!

I also spotted a print that I just HAD to have-- a painting of Detectives Goren and Eames of Law & Order: Criminal Intent in the style of pulp novel cover, by artist Ben Walker. It's fantastic and I cannot wait to frame it and hang it up in my apartment. Goren looks like a total brute in the painting, and I love the shoes on the feet that are about to be tranquilized. It's the perfect combination of beautiful and creepy.

Launch party!

So last night's launch party was a success! We went to the Ha-Ra Club in the colorful Tenderloin of San Francisco to meet up with a bunch of cool people for drinks, fun, some dancing, but most importantly to give out copies of the first issue of BE ABOUT IT. It was a great turn-out, and a bunch of zines found happy new homes with my friends.

The owner of the bar, Rick, was really nice and served up pretty strong drinks at for super cheap! I was sipping on an Italian lemon-infused vodka that Rick said he bought a case of for a customer who said she liked it, but then shortly after she went on the wagon and Rick was left with a case of unpopular vodka. We heard a lot of stories while sitting at the bar. I liked the drink (it was called Zone), and turned some of my friends on to it as well. It was smooth, with just enough sweetness. I love lemon-flavored things, and I especially love fruit-infused vodkas.


Here I am trying to box with my friend, Angelo. Rebekah brought up the topic of taking a boxing class together, which made me want to pretend-fight. Bekah caught this photo on her phone.