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

In the last few days I went to a fashion show, a documentary screening, and the ballet.  Most of which was free or at a discount.

The fashion show- Wednesday I took time out of my evening to check out the Fabricker pre-sale event and  Savanahred’s fashion show.   I had to set an alarm to make sure I left on time but it was definitely worth it to support a local designer and the glimmer of hope that is a new fabric store in Austin.

The documentary- It has been a while since I went to an AFS screening. Thursday night I went to see Thunder Soul.  It played SXSW a few years ago but I missed it.  Jamie Foxx picked up the project so hopefully it will see a decent nationwide run.   I treated myself to dinner and a movie.

The ballet-  I heard about Ballet Austin’s Mozart project on the radio yesterday and completely dropped the ball on procuring tickets. I lucked out as a surfed Facebook this afternoon.  Someone had an extra matinee ticket.   The project involved 3 acts: Classical, Updated, and Remixed.  Graham Reynold’s section was my favorite, musically.  But the DJ Spooky remix section was a multi-media explosion.

I think I spent a grand total of $7 ($21 if you include my dinner).  Not bad at all.

Whether you are 34 or 14 it isn’t any easier telling a boy that you like him.  I did so this past weekend (via email because I was too chicken to say it out loud).  It was that or be stuck living the life of Watts in Some Kind of Wonderful (One of my favorite John Hughes films.  I have a thing for gingers.).  I had a hunch that I would not get the same ending as the movie (below).  Instead I had a panic attack related to the “I like you” email and ended up day drinking with Meg and Chris. Then there was the long wait until that evening when the let down email arrived.

With all the stress affiliated with the sale of the house, I look back and think that I was more stupid than brave to take this on.  I now had one less person to lean on.  But at the same time, I really needed to rip the band-aid off or risk an even bigger let down when he found someone else.

So here’s our girl Watts snagging the hot ginger.    I am off to figure out what plan B is.  So far it involves Speed Dating on Saturday evening (hopefully I end up with more than a blog post after this one).

After prepping and enduring a crazy weekend of work (2 garage sales back to back for 2 different people along with an extremely last minute custom job). I decided that it was time for a break.  I was NOT working this weekend.   If I were magic, I would have managed to get myself out of a work trip to Texarkana as well.

The week moved quickly. Bridal fittings, Texarkana, planning my outfit for a wedding over the weekend.  The light at the end of the tunnel was the midnight showing of Cowboys and Aliens.  I am not a big fan of alien films but I do enjoy a good western.  Since she show just came out, I will not give out any spoilers.  Just know that the action starts 2 minutes in and keeps you on the edge of your seat.  It could use a few plot adjustments (or maybe a less tired version of me viewing it).

Friday I wrapped up a few things related to changing my address.  Then it was off to the very fancy Violet Crown Cinema.  Front row seats (best seats ever) to Beats, Rhymes and Life: the Travels of a Tribe Called Quest.  Yay for 90s hip hop and documentaries. Part of me wonders if they will be touring or releasing an album in the wake of the film.  Only time will tell.  IN the meantime, check out the trailer.

Life is busy as usual.  But if it wasn’t, why get out of bed in the morning?

As I try and figure out what I want to be when I grow up, I’ve been working more hours on things that aren’t my day job in the hopes of keeping my options open.   I’ve even taken on a few bridal clients, but in between these jobs I managed to have some fun projects roll though.

A friend of mine asked me if I could make a Harry Potter robe.  I asked if it was for HP7.2.  He said yes, but it was also for life in general.  I laughed and decided it would be fun to make that happen.  I made his robe and then I gave in to the HP hype and made my own robe (Ravenclaw of course).     Then we joined the rest of the fans at midnight to see the show. It was good to have a night off.  Life is short so why not make the most of it (even if it means wearing a polyester wizard robe in 90 degree weather).  I don’t plan on discussing the movie.  Other than OMG! Neville got hot.

The next day I got word that a friend of mine had passed away.  She had been sick for several years but you always try and hope for the best in situations like these.  It was a strange day.  I felt like I was on autopilot.  As much as I wanted to be of help to her family and friends, I wanted to be selfish and revel in what I had.  I ended up spending the afternoon with Meg.  Then I drowned my sorrows in the world of Harry Potter (The Highball threw a great party to mark the end of an era).

Before I begin my rant.  I need to tell you all to go out and see Submarine.  It’s a film, not a movie.  Another great performance by Noah Taylor and a surprisingly good soundtrack.    I was a bit shocked when I found out that Alex Turner (front man for the Arctic Monkeys) was the man behind these songs.  But, I think that is the point of indie films.  Showcasing new/underused talent.  The last time I saw a film with a soundtrack so shockingly perfect was “Dan in Real Life.”

…and now for the rant portion.  Hopefully my rant is not as bad as this stuff is… (more…)

Just a movie title,  I am not getting rid of my stuff.  Unless you count my latest attempt at selling my house…

This week I became a member of the Austin Film Society. Tonight I enjoyed my first FREE screening (you know I like my free stuff).

Check it out when you get a chance.  It is not what you would expect from Will Ferrell.  Hopefully this film will be his ticket to serious film.

Yet another reason I should become an AFS member.  So, I can screen more movies like this documentary.   Not only did it showcase a major portion of women’s art that is missing from the art history curriculum of most universities, but it gave a lot of insight on the feminist movement.  Art was a major part of how activists were expressing themselves.

I’ve been in a funk lately.  Around my birthday I declared that I was going to focus on my art and do something radical.

The director of the film, Lynn Hershman Lesson said the following during an interview with Women in Hollywood:

I was trying to tell the story. When people started talking to me in the late 60s the feminist art movement wasn’t even named. We were just trying to find a voice. My hope is that this tells a story nobody knows and I hope it inspires people to have courage to be fearless in their convictions to put into the world the things they need to say.

Hopefully this message and the inspirational works in the film (and the extra footage posted here) will get me out of my funk. I realize that I should be patient.  It took Lynn Hershman 40 years to make this film.  In the meantime she was an artist, a struggling artist.  She didn’t give up.  Neither did the rest of the women in the film.

This was year 7 of volunteering my way to platinum. I I took 2 weeks off from work and this time around I stayed at my own place (Yay for living close to downtown!).

(You should go back and read the daily recaps. I put this stuff out on the internet for you, little readers)

Total # of bands: ~11 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.

Total # of movies: 19 ( 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.

Total $ spent: ~61 tips, 2 dinners and a Go Local card.

Carbon Footprint: I biked at least 58 miles (from my house to downtown is about 7 miles round trip).  The car was used once during the two week period (I was lazy and drove to the Alamo Lamar).

And now for the Rants/Raves (mostly rants though). (more…)

Yesterday morning I was so tired that I debated if I wanted to finish out this race.  I made breakfast, wrote for a bit and decided to see my 18th film.  It was the documentary about SXSW.  I was surprised that the machine has survived all of these years with the amount of growth.

Since it was the last day, I decided that I should go see some music and attempt to find M (I think I hung out with her once in the last week).  Wall to wall people and no bike parking (People go home, I would like my city back).  Luckily the line for the party at Stubb’s moved quickly in comparison to the hunt for something to lock my bike to.

I walked in during the end of the Bravery’s set (not a fan).  I grabbed a beer and found M. The next band was really good.  J. Roddy Walston and The Business.  M saw them the night before and said I should check them out.  I stayed for Wanda Jackson.  I was curious if she had given into the machine and altered her sound.  Nope.  She was the same as always, sass, jet black hair and a fringed jacket.

After Wanda’s set and 3 beers I headed back to the ACC for air conditioning and a film.   PressPausePlay.  Netflix this one.  It talked a lot about the film and music industry being diluted with artists who make art because they have the tools, but most of them just don’t have  the human aspect.  My thoughts exactly. There are a lot of bands out there that have made a name for themselves on the internet but they just can’t put on a good live show.  This is why I spent most of this SXSW in the movie theater.  I wanted to feel something.

I made another pass at Style X.  This time it was the fashion show.  I was curious to see if there was anything new and innovative.  Other than the awesome boots from Helm, the only thing that I liked was a yellow jacket (I need to find out who the designer was).

I checked in with M after the show and headed to Bar Congress for dinner with 2.0 and his friends from out of town.  After dinner I made the executive decision to bike home.  I wanted to shower and wash the SXSW out of my hair.

Free stuff: 3beers

Money Spent: $3 on tips and $23 on dinner