Updated website!

You're welcome!

The show went really well... as well as one's first show could go, I suppose. I was almost immediately aware of things I'll do differently next time (ie- one extension cord wasn't enough to get my lamp where I wanted it, and lighting was a serious issue where my table was located). I sold 3 items, but pretty expensive items, and I saw many people take my card. I'm eager to see if/how the show changes the number of hits I get online.

Big, giant thank-you/shoutouts to everyone who came out, with honorable mentions of Lisa, Aron, Anna, Vanessa, Kim and Kevin. My sister Lisa and her boyfriend Aron have been an indespensible part of undeadclothingco from the very beginning; from it's inception as an idea, Lisa's encouragement and Aron's business-sense have put me where I am now, especially with regard to the website and graphics. Anna, Vanessa and Kim hung out with me at my table and kept me from going totally nuts (even though I came close a few times). Anna helped me decorate my doggy-bags, replete with bat-winged hearts and the words "thank-you!" or "merci!". Kevin snapped a bunch of shots of my display, which I'll have up here and/or on my website shortly. This brief list of things people did for me doesn't even cover the fact that their mere attendance meant a lot to me last night, as it did for everyone who bought their rather expensive tickets from me (including my parents, Kristina and Lizz). Hearts all 'round!

Now that the show is over and done with, I have to focus very seriously on my thesis. I received a rather ominous email from my supervisor the other day, which leads me to believe I have less time than I thought to complete a draft in time to defend this summer. Defending this summer is of such desperate importance... I can't even articulate.

As such, June will be the official thesis month with sparse smatterings of fun every here and there. I have roller derby tryouts, some birthday parties and some pretty serious Top of the World parties to attend. I also have a vacation to plan, which appears to bleed into July at this point... we'll see.

Show tomorrow!

I could stay up late and frantically make more stuff. I could go to bed now and get up early to go to the Glebe garage sale (I won't call it great- not yet). I think I'll take the middle path and watch a movie before hitting the hay. I'm allowed.
See you tomorrow

"womanhood" - mini-rant

We don't get cable at my house, but we do get a few channels off the antennae; most of which are french. As such, I'm often watching something I don't really want to watch. Today, for example, I sat down to my mac-and-cheese lunch (eaten out of the pot, of course) and watched that bitch* Martha Stewart cook something amazing in under twenty minutes.

After Martha Stewart, there was this new talk show called Steven and Chris. Steven and Chris are very obviously gay, and their show (which I've seen a couple of times before) centers on classic stereotypical gay/female topics such as interior decorating, hot new fashion trends (gag) and fitness.

Today, they were discussing the findings of a recent survey where women were asked what they would do to lose weight. Some reported that they would shave their head to lose 15 lbs, and others would go so far as to spend a week in jail. Still others would be willing to have a 6th toe or lose ten years off their life. These findings are repugnant, but it's not what this rant is about. This rant is about how Steven and Chris talked emphatically about these findings and discussed where they fit in with the findings as if they were women.

Straight women and gay men share two things: sexual attraction to men, and (only in some cases) identification with traditionally feminine gendered stereotypes. That being said, being sexually attracted to men and identifying with traditionally feminine stereotypes A WOMAN DOES NOT MAKE. I'm not trying to lynch these guys for their gender identification, or the fact that they are successfully hosting a show aimed at a predominantly straight female demographic. I'm more irked at how I'm seeing womanhood conceptualized lately.

Recently, someone close to me revealed that they were seriously considering getting breast implants. She had lost most of her breast size due to having children. When I expressed my concern as gently and un-judgmentally I could, she confessed that she didn't "feel like a woman" any longer... despite the fact that she has kids! To me, the ability to give birth is among the most fundamental aspects of womanhood! Not to say those who are unable/unwilling to procreate are not true women. I count myself among this group. The point is that if woman is defined in opposition to man (which is almost always is), that's the biological difference. That's it. I'd much rather see womanhood reduced to biological difference than sexual orientation toward men, or obsession with losing weight.

*- I love Martha. She's still a bitch.