MsGeek.Org v2.0

The ongoing saga of a woman in the process of reinvention.
Visit me at my new blog, MsGeek.Org v3.0
http://msgeekdotorg.blogspot.com/



Heard the Word of Blog?

Monday, July 31, 2006

It's been a while. Yes, the article is up on ToonMag.Com and I'm pretty proud of it. The weather has finally gone from being godawful hot and sweaty to just being humid-sweaty like San Diego was. And I'm just marking time waiting for school to start.

Richie's got some new music, and we mastered some of it this morning.

I still have tons of computer shit to deal with before I have to go back to school, but sometimes I just can't kickstart myself to do it.

We'll be replacing the DVD player tonight, at least. The APEX finally bit the dust a few weeks ago, and this has been a long time coming. The new one will be able to play DivX/XviD, at last. And VCD of course. The fact that the APEX couldn't play VCD was pretty lame.

I should be getting a DVD recorder, but I have to make baby steps for Richie's sake.

This Israel v. Hezb-i-Allah/Lebanon situation is still bugging me, but I can't do a goddamn thing about it so I'm just going to not waste the stomach lining over it.

I'd better do the laundry tomorrow. That's a given. And the guinea pig cage.

Monday, July 24, 2006

Back from Comic-Con...got lots to report at http://www.toonmag.com/ but it will take me a little while to accomplish as I'm still recovering. Stay tuned for the big article.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

I'm off to San Diego tomorrow. Am I ready?

I'm not sure. But ready or not, here I come.

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Had Enough?

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Fuck. The Israelis are unleashing Hell again.

I am not saying that they are not without a leg to stand on in this current conflict, but the sheer overwhelming show of force is like going after a mosquito with a sledgehammer. And no matter what I think about Zionism, any time this happens I die a little. Because I was born to two Jewish parents.

I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place: I was born Jewish in America. I feel like I've got two strikes against me now.

Israel does not speak for me. I do not approve of their handling of the Palestinian Question, and I do not approve of what they are doing now. Neither do I approve of the things the US Government is doing in my name in Iraq.

I have been walking around like a zombie all day, depressed over this. I'm also depressed because of other things, but this is weighing me down like a millstone around my neck. I don't like the world I'm living in. Ever since 9/11, things have just continued to get uglier and uglier.

Fuck Israel, fuck Hizbollah, fuck Hamas, fuck Al'Fatah, fuck all of you fuckers. And fuck Dubya and Cheney and fucking Iraq. And double fuck you to the fuckers in Al'Qaeda. And fuck Dubya again for giving up on the hunt for Osama Bin Forgotten. Fuck the whole lot of you. Leave me alone.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

OMG WTF BBQ...first Kenny Boy bites the big one, now this cat.

A banker questioned as a witness in the Enron case was found dead in a London park.

I don't think I was the only person who was suspicious when Ken Lay bit the big one. And there have been suspicious deaths surrounding Enron previously.

There were several people spreading the meme of a Clinton Death List during the Clinton presidency. These all make me wonder, however, if these weird deaths could all be traced to George W. Bush, or more likely, Dick Cheney. Cheney Death List, anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

More apropos now than it was in the '60s

Stephen Bosustow's Freedom River.



Watch...and think.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

A few words in Italian...

Congratulazioni, Italia sulla vincita della il Mondiale 2006! Sono sicuro che ci è oggi gente felice molto nel vostro paese pieno di sole. L'America e l'Italia hanno un rapporto vicino, grazie alle generazioni sulle generazioni degli emigranti italiani. Forse mangerò la pizza da celebrare stasera.



If this is screwed up, don't blame me, blame Google Language Tools.

Saturday, July 08, 2006

I forgot to mention here that I got my sewing machine back from Sewing Machine Warehouse, and it sews like a dream now. Apparently the bobbin mechanism was *not* attached correctly to the rest of the machine, and it worked itself loose. It's on for good now. Basically it had gone out of the factory with problems and I was so ignorant I couldn't understand that it was not in working order.

Here's what is finished with the Jedi "habit," as I call their garb in my fic, from head to toe.

* Khaki cotton sateen headwrap with braided color accent in khaki, olive/brown and brown.
* Olive/brown mottled cotton "dickie" (false shirt front) to give the illusion of an inner tunic, made according to Simplicity pattern #5840. The fabric is not camo, it has a pattern that looks more like the variegations you sometimes see on a leaf.
* Khaki cotton sateen outer tunic, made according to Simplicity pattern #5840. Has green leaf appliques attached, inspired by the placement of crests on Samurai kimono, haori and kataginu.
* Black (no, the Rebel Legion and Jedi Assembly won't like it, but I could care less) lightsabre belt, made by Pan In The Box, Singapore. I had black belt pouches, including my camera pouch, and it just made sense to go with a black belt.
* Brown ankle-length skirt, purchased at a plus size store in North Hollywood. It was perfect so I snagged it.
* Brown hooded cotton over-robe, started at Anime Los Angeles 2, 2006. Finished 6 months later.
* Brown suede "Earth boots." Sort of like the Aussie boots but not as furry. Closes with an elastic wrap-around band that makes it look very Star Wars-like. They are low boots, not high boots. But you wouldn't see high boots under the skirt so why bother with them?

Here's what remains to be done:
* Brown vest-like, chanchanko-like tabard with attached obi. Unlike the chanchanko I linked to, this will be open at the sides, closed only with the obi. It goes over everything but the over-robe. And it won't be quilted. But it will have a kimono-like collar, made with that cool olive/brown mottled fabric. The dickey will eventually be replaced, but I love that fabric and want to perpetuate it in my costume. In traditional Japanese clothing it's actually customary to do a contrasting collar on a chanchanko.

Future improvements:
* A real inner robe. I have the fabric for it, I just don't want to kill another pattern to do this. I want to trace the pattern before I use it: it's a pattern McCall's doesn't print anymore. The Simplicity pattern was not a problem to cut up: #5840 is a current pattern (and recommended for all looking to do a project like this!) and next Thursday-Saturday Jo-Ann's is selling all Simplicity patterns for $2.
* A winter-weight over-robe, made with the same directions as given at A-LA2. I also have the fabric for this (Espresso-brown non-pill fleece) and since A-LA is held the last weekend in January it would be appropriate to do this. Los Angeles *does* get nippy in the winter, and I can also see wearing this in a non-cosplay context. It's impressive and beautiful and flows so nicely.
* Utility Hakama. I still want to make a dark brown denim Utility Hakama, complete with cargo pockets going down the sides. However, the pleats are intimidating.

I'm still a Padawan Learner but I'm starting to get comfortable with this sewing stuff.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Desecrating our symbols, part 2006

OK, let's make it simple, shall we?

THIS is my flag.


Not THIS.


This is the Statue of Liberty.

(You can click on this and print it out on cardstock for your very own Statue of Liberty if you like.)

Not THIS.


I am absolutely beside myself about the arrogance of the Christian Dominionist Right.