| (no subject) |
[Oct. 24th, 2011|11:53 am] |
So i'm trying to really keep track of what I consume. I don't want to be an over consumer even though i know i will always consume goods. Thats just a part of who I am as a human being. However, it bugs me when my consumption takes so many human resources. Plus it takes up so much space. I really need to work on getting ride of stuff in my closet. I have way to many tee shirts i've collecting over the years. I just need to tear them away from me. I'm really going to start keeping track of my recites.
My birthday was recently so I spend some money on gifts for myself. My aunt gave me 50 bucks and i will probably use some of it to buy a lithium battery charger.
Things i brought;
Nepali necklace
2 pairs of taper earrings
2 bars of soap
Those are the only things i really got myself this year for my bday. I really didn't buy myself a lot. I will however be going to the SPooky woods and the state fair and maybe some other fun events.
The spookywoods (Jacob and me) $58
Food for travel $40
Gas $40
train ticket $12
bus $10
Extra fair tickets $20
Fear Farm? $12
I think i'm going to estimate this all costing about 160. |
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| Haters |
[Sep. 29th, 2011|11:37 pm] |
Its soo human nature to focus on all the negatie aspects of our lives. Its amazing how easy it is to have a great night out ruined by one little thing. I saw a girl I knew from a while ago who was around for a lof of unpleasant drama in my life she acted as if she didn't know me. Even though in all fairness I didn't want to talk to her and probably gave up that same vibe. grr.
But I guess what i want to start doing is really addressing my reaction to some of the major haters in my adult life. I feel like more people loved me than have hated me but its amazing how much I magnify the haters. I want to make a list of people who love me and think i'm pretty neat versus my haters.
Haters:
Adrienne
Rachel C.
Mollie
Randy
Rachel W
Friends:
Jacob
Chris
Lena
VIridiana
Hajera
Greg
Mona
Maria
Monica
Angelica
John
Tommy
Matt
Matt
Mark
Tan
Kari
Karin
Leah
Todd
David
Rosene
See i guess that proves what i've been thinking, to almost every one person who i think hates me or hates on me 5 people love me! I just need to stop concentrating on people who dont' really matter and start being a blessing to those who love me. I mean i can still be polite and friendly to those who don't but i guess in this live u win some u loose some. Thats the way it goes. I also have to realize that not everyone is gong to feel confortable with my more "liberal" and "unusual" views and philosophy.
Not everyone might like the fact that:
I have such strong oppinions on certain issues and i'll tactfully tell u until you piss me off
I go days without shaving my legs or under arms
my shoes and pants have holes sometimes
I wear tons of mitch match earrings
Im a woman
I'm african american
I don't act like the stereotype |
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| and they gave us Birkenstocks! |
[Jun. 8th, 2011|07:06 pm] |
So i'm pretty excited about two things that the Germans gave us, Birkenstocks and pretzels! Birkenstocks are really quality sandals which can cost you an arm and a leg if you buy them full price. SOme of the sandals depending on the styles can cost more than 100 dollars! Crazy huh? I've been looking on ebay to try and find cheaper pairs and I was out bid. :( Next time I hope I can get myself a pair. I don't really have the money now. Well technically I do have money but I need to save it for Cornerstone! Cornerstone is in less than a month! I am soo excited! I would like a good quality pair of Birks though. Last year at cstone I brought a pair of rope sandals that cost me about 15 bucks. Usually they are almost 30! I really got a good deal! I hope they have more pairs in more colors this year at cstone!
But anyway back to the topic of birks. I hate the fact that all people associate them with is hippies and older middle class women. I love them! Not just because they are all hippish but because I have actually had a pair and they are soo comfortable! THey have amazing arch support.
On a totally different topic a few weeks ago i got a pair of FIVE FINGER Shoes! The shoes that are shaped like feet. I love them. I've had multiple people ask me about them. THey ask if they are comfortable or they say they have sons or daughters who have them. I don't see many people wearing them but I guess it depends on where you are. I wouldn't care if a million people where wearing them, I LOVE THEM!
I need to seriously start cleaning out my closet. Have way to much stuff in it! I have old tee shirts, shoe and pants that i just need to get rid of. IT will be nice to get rid of some stuff and not feel like a spoiled brat for having so much stuff! I also want to get rid of more of my jewelry to people i think will appreciate. That and try to sell it! I brought some cool steampunk looking pendants today at the craft store. They are pretty neat.
Enough of my ranting. I love you! |
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| Sandals! |
[May. 24th, 2011|01:44 am] |
I think I am becoming more and more like my grandmother everyday. LIke my grandmother I share a deep love for nature, arts and crafts and sandals! My grandmother wore sandals like no other! My Mom said she used to buy my mother and her sisters TONS of good quality sandals. Sandals with wavy souls, or sandals that buried ur feet under an elaborate display of leather straps. I remember when my grandmother passed away when I was a child. I wore a pair of sandals she owned to school that year almost everyday. I wore them until the strapes got raw an started breaking at the toes. I loved those sandals. I never knew what happened to them. I think my Mom may have thrown them away because I wore them so much. (yes my grandmother had very small feet!)
THere is something about a good old pair of strappy sandals that make my feet smile almost as much as being barefoot. Flip flops are ok, i only have one pair, but they don't have the grip and the confort as sandals with extra straps. I have multiple pairs of sandals that I have collected over the years. Some are water proof, perfect for kayaking and other type of active activities such as hiking and walking long distances. Others are more "ethnic" and remind me of a nomadic trek through a harsh desert climate.
I have a pair of green chacos I got from a consignment shop i volunteered for years ago. Chacos are known for the durable rubber souls, and supportive water proof straps. They are kind of heavy at first but they are the best for water logged activities. I have another pair that are more outdoorsy that Jacob's Mother gave to me. they are Murrells I think. I haven't worn them a ton but I defienently will this summer!
I am in LOVE with my rope sandals! I have two pairs. A black pair I got from the Bargain Box thrift store in like 08. I found them when my best friend CHris and i were on our way to a nordic metal show. They were perfect! I also have a beige pair I got at Cornerstone last year which are really comfortable. I LOVE ROPE Sandals! i hope to get sage green pair and hopefully a brown pair. :) A woman asked me today at the beauty shop "where'd you get those shoes" I know she probably didn't REALLY want to know where I got them from but i just humored her and said a thrift store. I guess i didn't say it loud enough because she acted like she couldn't hear me. Sometimes with black folks I don't know whether them asking u "where u got something" is a compliment or an underhanded insult. But whatever I LOVE MY SHOES!
ANother pair of shoes I have are an off brand pair of birkenstocks. I know they aren't the real think but i've had them sense high school. THey are soo comfortable and i used to take walks in them ALLL THE TIME! I want to bring them back this summer and rock em out. I used to have a real pair of birks but I have them to a friend. Shes the one who introduced them to me ironically. Lol.
Like i said i LOVE SANDALS! I'm thinking about getting another pair this year. I can't decide whether i want a pair of Tevas, rope sandals, or water buffaloe sandals. I want to go to cornerstone first just to make sure they aren't going to sell rope sandals for cheap this year. I know this i soff the subject of sandals but I love the new shoes that are coming up that are shaped like feet! I saw a girl wearing them the other day and I WANT THEM SOO BAD! I'm going to see how money goes and i might just have to get a pair. I only plan on buying those two pairs of shoes and that is it. I really must stop consuming!
I feel like the feet shoes would look cool with my cargos, a spaghetti strapped shirt, a neat head band and some wild jewelry! I love thinking about new outfits in my head! Its soo exciting! |
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| Dressing black??? |
[May. 19th, 2011|06:52 pm] |
So, i'm not even going to pretend its not there. I'm just not. Even though people want to disprove stereotypes and say that there isn't a way that a certain ethnicity dresses that is just plain naieve. Even though there are many exceptions myself as an example black women in the United States are associated with having a certain way of dress. From fresh hair straight from the salon, rolled, flat ironed, twisted, and elaborate a lot of us sisters got it going on. We sometimes wear larger than life hoop earrings, fresh skin tight jeans, tight shirts to show of our curves and acrylic nails to show off our graceful fingers. Now I must say I am not bashing this style. I have nothing against it. I have no problem with the "urban" culture and style because I believe that all are free to dress how they please. Sometimes I wish the style wouldn't focus so much on sexualizing women but uplifting them. But then again its the wearers choice not mine.
My only real beef with this way of dress is sometimes i feel like the "blackness" of black people who do not have this style is questioned. Personally I have little to no interest in the "urban" style of dress. Not because there is anything wrong with this style I just have other preferences. I wear a lot of earth toned colors such as tan, brown, green, and beige. I wear a lot of hand made jewelry made from recycled materials such as puzzle pieces, soda tabs, animal bones, clay beads and old gears and skeleton keys. I have a deep passion for learning about other cultures and my style reflects that with the many "ethnic" pieces i have collected. I would say Andean, west African, and Mexican style clothing and jewelry are some of my favs. I love outdoor sandals such as Tevas and Chacos. OF course i've never actually paid full price for either, mostly scored some sweet deals from thrift stores.
My point is I do not WEAR MY BLACKNESS ON MY SLEEVE. (or my feet) My blackness does not magically fade away when i opt for a pair of Birkenstocks over a pair of Nikes. I feel people should be comfortable in their skin no matter what they are wearing. Your clothes do not define you as a race your color DOES! You are black no matter what threads you chose to wear that day! I am a proud black female and more importantly a proud human being!
So my message to blacks scared of not looking "black enough" you should stop and ask yourself why wearing a certain style of clothing defines us as a people. If you decide in the end that the more urban style is the style you like than shoot for the stars, go for it! However if you are only wearing this style of clothing because you're afraid of loosing you blackness than you are dressing for all the wrong reasons and you will never be happy. Try not to make it so important what other people no matter what race thinks. Be your own. You are a beautiful person. Make your own descision and don't worry about the oppinions of others because "those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." (by Dr. Suess) |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 19th, 2011|06:22 pm] |
So I kind of want to make a fashion blog. Just a blog all about the things i love to make, things i've bought that i really really love that are unique handmade or fair trade. At first I thought writing something like this would be kind of shallow but the more i'm thinking about it if I go about it a certain way it might really be a good informative blog. I plan to write about articles of clothing, jewelry and accesories that come from other countries. This could be a pretty neat educational blog. For example the Andean and Himilayan pants I have can be something I can write about as far as their origin and what they are made out of. I am pretty excited! I also want to write this blog to keep up with things that I buy so i can eventually start buying a whole lot less.
Things I loooooooove!
Andean striped pants- so cozy with their drawstring waists and soft breathable fabric.
Himilayan pants- They are similar to the ones from Ecuador. Its really interesting how pants from different parts of the world can be so similar
Chinatown shoes- i have a plain black pair of mary janes, a pair that have a Chinese traditional print
Plain, soft earthy tee shirts - i have a brown one with a pocket, and some others they are so practical and comfortable |
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| Enjoying my 20s: Awesome things i've done in my 20s |
[Mar. 4th, 2011|12:57 am] |
1. Went to college
2. Had a variety of roomates from really preppy pastel colored covers, to cheer leaders
3. Studied Abroad in QUITO ecuador which was possibly one of the best times of my life!
4. Went clubbing late at night with buddies from all over the country when i studied abroad
5. Roomed with an art major
6. Lived with six other girls
7. Worked at a summer music camp for three summers in a row - taking the bus to work and sometimes walking, and living in a house with almost 5 other people.
8. Joined a Mennonite Church
9. Went to a week long music festival with circus tents, music ranging from metal to folk
10. Met my first real boyfriend
11. Graduated from college
12. worked at a community learning center
13. Got an awesome internship at Stop Hunger Now
14. Dumpster dived for food
15. Learned interesting ways of making jewelry from clay, newspaper, seeds, and other interesting things.
16. wandered around Asheville NC at late hours of the night
17. Stayed up late writing last min papers and sipping on blueberry tea
18. Joined Americorps NCCC and became a nomad for 10 months
19. Worked for Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans
20. Worked at three different state parks in New Hampshire
21. Worked at a nature camp with inner city kids from the boys and girls club
22. Worked in Camden New Jersey painting murals, teaching ESL and GED classes
23. Planted trees in the inner city
24. Wandered around Philadelphia PA at ridiculous hours in the mourning with Art major friends
25. Crashed at their houses
26. Got asked if I wanted to go to a fetish show by two women dressed up as bunnies in New orleans
27. Saw fire spinners in NOLA
28. Traveled countless hours to Lorado, Texas on the MExican border in College
29. Volunteered in Iowa gutting houses after a tornado
30. Did dry wall in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina
31. Ran around aimlessly in Philly around halloween night trying to catch a ghost tour
32. Cleaned out scatter houses in Camden, NJ
33. Picked up used drug needles in Camden NJ parks
34. Cleaned out a trout pond with years of foliage
35. Camped in a tent for 2 weeks with 5 other girls and rain
36. Lived in a house with 5 other girls with a broken shower and large spiders
37. Traveled from High Point to Greensboro, and Greensboro to Raleigh, and Raleigh to the beach in a veggie bus with two crusties and a dog
38. GOt stuck on the side of the road in Indiana on the way to a music show
39. Drove all the way to Ohio from KEntucky to go dumpster diving at Trader Joe's
40. Had my eye brow pierced twice once in Ecuador and once in the US
41. Had my nose pierced after my senior sem in college
42. Got midley drunk
43. Drove a 15 passenger van in NOLA |
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| EsTiLo InTerNacIonaL |
[Feb. 25th, 2011|11:16 pm] |
SO if you know me you know I looove studying other cultures, religions and ways of life. I also looove jewelry, and fashion from other countries I think they are soo creative. Lots of times my style is pretty eclectic and includes a lot of elements of different cultures. The love clothing that is inspired by Mexican folk art (especially Dia de Los muertos), west African, east African (Massai beading), Andean, South Asian (Nepali, Bhutan, Tibetan, some Indian), celtic jewelry, middle eastern (Palestinian scarves, olive wood).
Sometime i like having a theme to the style i wear. Today I went with a whole Middle Eastern Theme. I started out picking out a white tee shirt that was made by a union in Palestine, sent to the US and a Jewish peace group put a tree shaped like a Menorah. Its really awesome. I wore an olive tree necklace, and black rope sandals. To top it off i wore my beloved Keffiyah (Palestinian scarf), and my evil eye ring (from Turkey). I really liked my Middle Eastern style today! It was a lot of fun to put it together! I don't have a ton of Middle Eastern inspried things but i would like to get some more olive wood jewelry. I do have five keffiyahs that vary in colors mostly earthy tones.
When I want a MEXICAN FOLK art look I always go for:
*my home made jewelry which includes plenty of clay skulls, and the mayan inspired day of the deady necklace i made
*earthy peasant tops
*catholic saint bracelet
*tiny skull earrings
*rope sandals (they can go good with middle eastern style too)
*ecuadorian pants (they are not Mexican are similar in style)
When i want some ANDEAN FLARE
*brown alpaca sweater
*tagua nut and choco seed jewelry
*ocrarina necklace with alpaca
*catholic saint necklace
*Ecuadorian pants
*Ecuadorian/Andean earrings
*coconut earrings
*red bead seed bead bracelet
I don't have a ton of East Asian more oriental style clothing but I do have
*Asian print flats
*and a cat necklace (Japanese good luck charm?)
My African princess style
*African necklaces: Most are from Kenya Kuzuri beads, kenyan couple necklace
*African rings: unk ring,
*African Bracelets: Massai bracelet, coconut bracelet
*Ghanian shirts
I really need to get more African stuff!!! I want to figure out a cool place to get it!
I want to get more of a style from South and Southeast Asia.
*Nepali style pants (that look oddly enough like Ecuadorian and Guatemalan pants)
*Tibetan sweater (those things are soo warm and will keep me warm in the coldest winters with my love)
*more Indonesian gauges |
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| Photo ops? |
[Aug. 29th, 2010|07:38 pm] |
I want to experiment with more aspect by aspect photos that can be really cool and very creative. I get so tired of pictures that are so posed and staged. SOme pics are cool when posed when appropriate but i just love the natural state of things! I want to do a lot more with creative jewelry and aspect by aspect photo taking! Here are some ideas i have!
*Carnivals/Fairs/Theme parks
-ferris wheels- structure of them against, against blue sky and night sky
-fun houses- capturing the beauty of this 3-D art
-Food stands- I love taking pictures of lighted up food stands against the darkness
-Rides!- neon lights against the darkness with some movement captured on film
*Halloween/Fall!
-Decorations- I just love taking walks in neighborhoods and taking pictures of people's creative halloween decore
-ART! - snap shots of my colorful skulls and day of the dead accessories!
-Trees!- yellow, orange, and red against a blue sky! What more could u ask for?
-Cemetaries in the fall!
*Nature
-water with the sun reflects off of it
-trees from cool angles |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 29th, 2010|06:48 pm] |
Brother, Sister,
So i know its been forever since i've written but i have such an awesome idea about a journey that Jacob and i want to go on that combines both our interests. It will involve his love for good quality coffee and the coffee shop atmosphere along with my love of art and photography. The project will be to go across NC and find coffee shops, take in the atmosphere ie the type of people who work there, the type of people who go there, the origin and mission of the coffee shop if it has one and maybe even the demographics of the town the coffee shop is in. Jacob wants to use this opportunity to go preform his "gonzo" type of journalism writing about what happens as it happens in uncensored straightforward detail. I'm looking at it more to see the origin of the coffee shop, make note of a coffee shop that has a unique or unusual mission (Fair trade, anarcho, indie etc). I'll break it down like this.
Goal: to discover and observe coffee shop counter culture by visiting eccentric and unique coffee shops around North Carolina
Cool things to learn: the origin and history, any unique or eccentric mission the coffee shop has, the kind of people who work there, the people who go there, the type of town or setting the coffee shop is in. Seeing what kind of interesting people we met. ;)
Speciments: sampling coffee, smoothies, frappes, and also collecting a logo or something from each coffee shop.
I'm interested in how each coffee shop expresses it self with art, background music, and the types of mugs and buildings. I am soo excited for this project and i want to do it after my Americorps year which will wear me out like crazy!
I've always been somewhat turned off by coffee shops because i thought they could be pretty snobby and pretentious especially the ones in Raleigh that I was used to. Since opening my mind up a little i have gotten to go to coffee shops that weren't as snobby indie culture and more accepting of everyone. Jacob's favorite coffee shop called "beanstalk" was kind of the snobby place that made me kind of weary because the guy behind the counter had this "higher than thou" attitude and wasn't very personable. I must say my favorite coffee shop is in High Point North Carolina a little place called Debean coffee shop. It has the best green tea blue berry smoothies i've EVER HAD! They also share a building with a very awesome andean and antique gift shop. I'm going to save a lot of money for this little project.
Jacob wants to go all the way to Wilmington and start there but i think the most practical thing to do would be to start in Raleigh and go west and maybe go back east another time. We dont' have TONS of time. Raleigh has sooo many coffee shops that are extremely close together. So far i know there are:
Raleigh- Two Cups of Joe, Port city java, Coffee Haven, Third Place, Helios, Turkish tea/coffee shop, Global coffee shop, and I know there are MANY MORE! I think Durham would be an awesome place to go as well.
Greensboro- Green Bean, Tate Street Coffee House, The coffee break, |
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