The start of the year

Out with a bang

For those of you who have been reading along, you know I had a plan:

1. Leave the continent – Didn’t happen
2. Quit my job (10 years of state employment is more than a person should endure) - CHECK!
3. Take on a massive design project -  I call it life phase 2.0
4. Read more – I read a lot on the internet
5. Spend less money/time on home repair - CHECK! I sold that money pit over the summer.
6. Master Indian Cuisine -  Can one really master Indian Cuisine?

After writing this list I revised it to say that I was going to be the opposite of my breeder friends.  I was going to quit my job and focus on my art.  CHECK!  Some things fell into place a little later vs. sooner but, I managed to make it happen. I am thankful for the people that helped along the way.  Friends old and new.

Here’s my year in lists.

This year in live music: SXSW 2011 ( Theophilus London, Foster the People, Noah and the Whale, Portugal. the Man,  Charles Bradley and the Menahan Street Band,  TV on the Radio , Ellie Goulding, Smith Westerns,  Matt and Kim,  J. Roddy Walston and The Business,and Wanda Jackson.) Reggie Watts, Arcade Fire, Thermals and Matt and Kim, and Junior Boys,  Fun^3 Fest 2011 (Heartless Bastards, Thermals, Franki Chan, Big Freedia, Reggie Watts, Four Tet,  Public Enemy, Passion Pit,  T-Bird and the Breaks, Joy Formidable, M83, Lykke Li,  We Were Promised Jetpacks, Mates of State, MNDR, Austra, Ted Leo,  Architecture in Helsinki, Del the Funky Homosapien, Flying Lotus,  and Diplo)

This year in Sewing: Restoration work for Amelia’s RetroVogue,  participating in Vintage Vivant, Costuming for Riley Do Right and A Ride with Bob,  In-store seamstress gig at Frock on Vintage, and altering a few wedding dresses.

This year on the interwebs: A few site redesigns, getting to know social media.  Giving up on Gowalla.

This year in Movies: I joined AFS so I could see more new releases for cheap or free! . (theater) The Muppets,  Thunder Soul, Beats, Rhymes and Life: the Travels of a Tribe Called Quest , Cowboys and Aliens, White Material, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2,White Material Submarine, Everything Must Go,  WAR!: Women Art Revolution. SXSW (the Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye, Little Deaths, Documentary Shorts,  Being Elmo: A Puppeteers Journey, Super,  Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Narrative 2, Medium Cool, Something Ventured,  El Bulli: Cooking in Progress, Fambul Tok, Blacktino, Hesher, the Other F Word, Our Day will Come, A Matter of Taste: Serving up Paul Liebrandt, Outside Industry: The Story of SXSW, and PressPausePlay.).

This year in Books: Sadly not much time for reading this year… Goodreads

This year in kicking ass: I am officially DBA Spinsta.   I was a SXSW Crew Chief.  I got promoted to Bookkeeper/Money wrangler for BluesShout!, Refashionista, Fun^3 Fest Blogger, Apparel Surgeon, and baby whisperer.

Unfinished Business: Just before Christmas I got an email from my friend who is a stylist for Amazon.  He asked me to ship him some stuff to shoot.  We had been talking about it for awhile so I made it happen.  Stay tuned.

Plans for 2012 (in no particular order):

1. Seeing my favorite kiddos in SC
2. Collaborating with Savannahred and many more designers
3. Teaching sewing classes
4. Saving the lives of many more garments
5. Brushing up on ASL
6. I am thinking about guitar again or maybe accordion

Why was I reading that book, you ask?

I had originally planned to read it because of the upcoming film release. The other reason is because Keely had recommended it to me ages ago and I ignored her advice.

Anyways,  the book was a quick read and in a few hours I learned the sick, sad truth.  I have never been in a relationship with or dated someone who was into me.  That’s right, NEVER.  I have the journal entries to prove it.  My cat also falls into the same category.

So what now?  Apparently I am going to have to suck it up and deal with the painful truth. Even if being alone sucks,  it is better than being with some emotionally stunted/unavailable fucktard.  The book definitely didn’t offer the promises of Obama.  Nowhere did it offer hope.  It merely reminded you that there are more women than men on the planet and that most of those men were completely losers.  As far as change goes, it did promote a change in attitude/behavior for the ladies.

So I just finished reading “Sex and Bacon: Why I Love Things That Are Very, Very Bad for Me.” The book was amazing.  The author promised me a book on food and fucking and that is exactly what I got.  I stumbled on the book because I enjoy books written by sex workers and I have always enjoyed reading cookbooks.  This book was “Heat” with erotica mixed in. People like their bacon.  Indulge, because eventually we will all be dead (or too old to enjoy it).

Why would a vegetarian be reading a book about bacon?  It’s because I understand why people like it.  I just happen to not like it.  The smell makes me sick.  Bacon is the gateway meat for most people.  When people ask about becoming vegetarian I first ask them their thoughts on bacon.  If they can get past bacon they may be able to give up meat completely.  If not, then the shouldn’t even try.

Back to the book…I must say that there is nothing better than a really good meal and sex afterwards (I dated someone for awhile and the “relationship” was mainly sex and dinner.).  It feels incredibly decadent and rich.  I think the author did a good job of explaining it all.  If people are comfortable with food they are usually comfortable in their bodies and therefore they are ok with sex.  She also included a few recipes that are guaranteed to get you laid.

I stopped eating meat about 10 years ago.  The last time I cooked meat was probably five years ago (I remember making someone rosemary chicken).  I don’t do the fake meat products.  The meat texture and smokey flavors are what turned me off from the real thing.  Why would I want a soy-based replica?  They are also costly.  I would much prefer my protein in the form of tofu, nuts, cheese, eggs and legumes.

Just because I don’t eat meat doesn’t mean that my diet is based on raw veggies and karob chips.  Butter, cheese, and eggs are staples.  If I bake something rest assured it was cooked with butter and love (or maybe angst).  Nothing from a mix, everything from scratch (I wasn’t raised that way.)