Femmenism

There's this weird idea that you can't be a feminist and be interested in fashion, or be a cheer leader, or a makeup artist. It's as though people think being interested in aesthetical things must mean you're doing so to try and please men. It's the stupid stereotype that feminists are man-hating, lesbian, bra-burning, over powering characters who refuse to shave their arm pits- which is so painfully false. Feminists are anyone who advocates or believes in women's rights and equality.
"Femme is about being a babe inside of your own brain.It’s about feeling like you are taking care of you.It’s about knowing that you have assembled a team of experts – friends, partners, chosen family, lovers, mentors – to go through your life with. People who will see you the way you see you, and who aren’t afraid to set you to rights when you need a talking to.Femme is about trusting your own conceptions of beauty, power, pleasure, and generosity.If “femininity” is defined according to (sexist!) social expectations and separated entirely from “masculinity,” then Femme is looking over its shoulder and laughing at all those rules."
- On being a babe inside your own brain (Bossyfemme.com)

When I meet people who are against feminism, it seems really odd. I mean as far as females go, I can't understand women not believing they are equal to men (and I guess that leads to the idea some people have that feminism is preaching that women are better than men, rather than its message of equality.) And I'd like any male against feminism to explain to his mother or girlfriend why he doesn't believe she is an equal.  

Teen dreams of Lisa the Lizard queen.

Lisa Simpson, Dream Grrrl. 

As if a cooler, more inspiring and smarter young female cartoon character has ever existed. At just 8 years old, Lisa is a feminist, environmentalist, vegetarian and supporter of gay rights (I mean she even enters a movie to Sundance). There seems to be a common theme in cartoons (think 'family guy') of caring and often smart women marrying and spending their lives around males who are misogynists, extremely unintelligent and rather selfish. Like one particular episode of Family Guy where viewers are meant to find Quagmire's "rape machine" funny and  not offensive. While The Simpsons isn't as guilty of the pro-male/anti-female vibes, it's still apparent. Lisa's character is an obvious break free of this typical portrayal of female and male roles.

" I love Lisa" and "She of Little Faith" are some of my favourite Lisa oriented episodes. Check them out.

Boy Romantics- movies

Lars and the real girl (2007)

Ryan Gosling plays the painfully awkward and shy Lars Lindstorm who brings home his new girlfriend, Bianca. Only problemo is Bianca is a sex doll Lars customised and ordered off the internet, however he doesn't want sex,(Bianca is 'very christian') more so company and a relationship. He truely believes she is real, and as advised by the small towns doctor, the people of the town go along with it and pretend his new love interest is real. With his eyes set on Bianca, Lars doesn't pay much attention to the cutie, Margo, at work who is obviously interested in him. 

The movie was really funny, and I personally really liked it, but there were some kind of slow parts that might not be your thing if you're into action packed movies. Ryan Gosling played Lars so well, and it was kind of nice to see him in a roll where he wasn't playing the heart throb, dangerous or badass character. Kelli Garner is ridiculously cute as 'Margo', and Patricia Clarkson (love the lady, I'm a big fan) is brilliant as Lars' doctor. 

High Fidelity (2000)

John Cusack plays Rob, the thirty-something year old record store owner whose recent fights and breakup with his girlfriend, Laura, inspire him to look back over his past relationships, reviewing his "top five worst break ups". (The list is a theme throughout the movie, as he and his two colleagues at work often make top five music lists). Upset by his breakup, Rob looks at his past relationships to see where he went wrong, in the mean time Laura starts seeing the sleazy Ian 'ray' Raymond. 
The movie is brilliant, and I absolutely loved it. This was probably 30% thanks to the music throughout the film. The record stores stocks excellent bands and the soundtrack is equally as good. The combination of the three guys at the record store, Rob, Barry (Jack Black) and Dick (Todd Louiso) is perfect. Barry plays the sex driven male character, while Dick perfectly plays the sensitive soul, and Rob fits somewhere in between. Definitely worth a watch, the perfect mix of sad, funny and interesting.

Dad appreciation post.

 I went out with my Dad for some tea and lunch at Rolardor in Hamilton today. I've never appreciated someone as much as my Dad. As far as older folk go, he is the coolest person over the age of 50 I've ever met (sorry Robert Smith, I still love you I promise.) To be honest he probably is one of the coolest people ever. We talked about high school relationships, mental health and drugs, and I got to have the biggest rant of my life which I really needed to have. He said I could have had his old creepers if they didn't have holes in them, and recently I raided his wardrobe for old psychedelic shirts. He brings me home new Cd's, vinyl or DVDs (most recently 'high fidelity' which I loved- and might post about later). We go to concerts together, some people think that's kind of lame and not very good, and to those people I say 'fuck you'. We've been to Blonde Redhead, Arcade fire, New Order and a joy division 'unknown pleasures' tribute concert with Peter Hook (he's quite the dancer, and always throws me up into the air at concerts.) He brought me up listening to the Smiths and The Cure and Joy Division, and has always encouraged me to have my own opinions, to voice them and be an empowered and strong willed female. His degree is in Sociology, so he's always talking about the most interesting things and hasn't got a naive view of the world and teenagers like some parents. Really if I have half as much knowledge as he does when I'm older I'll be ecstatic.

Disney park, 'Wonderland', abandoned in China.
I've always loved theme parks, and there's nothing I'd rather do than go on rides all day long. Generally within a week of meeting new people I ask them whether they like going on rides. 9 times out of 10 they don't. All I want is some one to go on the giant drop with me.

Promarkers

I bought two twin tip permanent markers while in Sydney at a very cool art supply shop off Oxford street. They're excellent, especially seeing you get a free felt tip attachment lid that effectively gives you three different thicknesses (which is handy because I wouldn't be able to do much without the finest one). I got "pastel pink", which was a little bit of a let down because the colour on the marker was not at all the colour it came out- I wanted a really really pale light pink. But regardless, the colour it is nice. I wish I had of bought more, I'm going to go on another trip to Sydney to buy some. ('Meadow green', here I come!) I've been doing loads of these little drawings, they take around 5 minutes each!

Guilty pleasure

This gal, this song, this video.
Wuthering Heights- Kate Bush

Sick

I feel so sick at the moment. I spent the past week of the holidays in Sydney at the National school of art doing a life drawing course. It was really helpful, and I've learnt lots, but it's not really the kind of art I'm interested in doing. Being home feels weird and since being home things haven't been going so well. Straight away I was confronted with the worst kind of people on public transport. Obviously I know racism is a major issue and still unfortunately common, but I've never really witnessed such malicious and direct attacks on someone because of their race. I'm not much fun to be around at the moment and don't feel like doing much. I'm going to keep watching secret diary of a call girl and resist the urge to spend all my money on nice underwear.

Abandoned houses

100 photographs of beautiful abandoned houses taken by Kevin Bauman,
Click through to see them all.

Valentino

I watched 'Valentino: the last emperor' again last night and my god everything was so beautiful I wanted to cry. Since Valentino has left I think the brand itself has declined a lot- which was really inevitable. The really defining features of Valentino's designs are slightly missing, they aren't as intricate and are strangely less feminine.

The Valentino Fall 2012 collection breaks my heart. I think it's way too harsh with the black thick leather being included in most pieces. Maybe I just fell too in love with the sheer and light fabrics Valentino brought back during the late 2000's, but the silhouette of these are really unflattering and to be honest leave me imagining the matrix rather than haute couture. Even when they do manage to add laces and a more feminine look (spring 2012 collection pictured on the right), it still doesn't quite hit Valentino's standards- The neckline and sleeves give a kind of boxy look, and the material in the opaque parts of the dress seem too think. They've got a hell of a lot to live up to, trying to continue the brand without the original designer, and while the new designs can be beautiful in them selves, I inevitably find myself comparing them to Valentino's and the new ones lose, ever. single. time.

Dream time

One of the only reoccurring dreams I have also happens to be one of the weirdest dreams in existence. It started when I was around 5. I'm walking through a shopping center with my dad, when I run ahead into a bakery. The walls of the bakery are lined with children chained up who are going to be baked into croissants and all kinds of bread. In the far left corner there's a big old black iron oven, and through the bars a strange blue face stares back at me. I go to leave and run away, but it turns out the bakery is run by the spice girls, and baby spice and scary spice run after me. Their heads kind of morph into sharks and they eat a chunk out of my back. As far as reading into dreams go, I don't think it could say much other than a fear of the spice girls and bakeries, but I have the same dream at least once a year.