i know it to be true.

“Every single person has at least one secret that would break your heart. If we could just remember this, I think there would be a lot more compassion and tolerance in the world.”
- unknown

my favorite.

if this doesn't make you smile...

you have no heart.

yes!

{via unicornology}

everyone needs to read this.

Last week, Salon interviewed gay Catholic Mexican-American (what a bio!) author Richard Rodriguez about Proposition 8. His response was breathtaking. I know I'm gushing, but his views on anti-gay sentiments are both innovative and refreshing. Rather than attribute the resistance to simple blind hatred, which isn't the best way to get religious people to "see the light", he actually analyzes why Christians (et al.) feel so threatened by gay marriage. I love it. Read it. Forward it to everyone you know. It is so, so important to women and gays and those who claim both labels and children and all of humanity.

Excerpts:

"The possibility that a whole new generation of American males is being raised by women without men is very challenging for the churches. I think they want to reassert some sort of male authority over the order of things. I think the pro-Proposition 8 movement was really galvanized by an insecurity that churches are feeling now with the rise of women.

"Monotheistic religions feel threatened by the rise of feminism and the insistence, in many communities, that women take a bigger role in the church. At the same time that women are claiming more responsibility for their religious life, they are also moving out of traditional roles as wife and mother. This is why abortion is so threatening to many religious people -- it represents some rejection of the traditional role of mother."

"We have to be very clear about male violence within the monotheistic religions. This is a failure within churches and we can't be casual about it. But we can't be casual about the importance of religion either. We need to be both respectful of religion and critical of religion. Otherwise I suspect we won't get very far at all."

Related:
Freedom Fighter in Life Becomes Potent Symbol in Death ("Milk" review by the New York Times)
Seven Weeks to Equality (A call to action for supporters of gay rights)

best song all year.

BAHAHAHAHAHAAHA.

obsessed with obi best.

I keep all kinds of lists. Things to do, books to read, music to hear and art to admire. I finally got around to checking out a name on my music list, Obi Best, and I'm so glad I did. I'm just gonna admit the obvious: I mostly love it because her voice resembles my other two favorites, Maura Davis of Denali and Ivana XL.

Lead singer Alex Lilly is best known as backup singer for Inara George in The Bird and the Bee. But dear god...a backup singer? Why? Her voice is AMAZING. She took 10 of her friends to create the band Obi Best and recorded a debut album called Capades. It will be physically released on February 24, 2009 but has been digitally available since August.

Of the six songs I've heard, this one's my fave. Hear more at their myspace.

Obi Best - Green and White Stripes

creepy and effective.

{via bonfire of the brands}

related: Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede

black friday/buy nothing day.

{via adbusters}

some thoughts.

"When asked to name the one person absent from her life that she missed the most, she responded, 'The person I hoped I'd be by this point in my life.'"

"I know it feels like you have all these options and when you make a decision, you lose a world of possibilities. But the reality is, until you make a decision, you have nothing at all."

{unicornology}

thanks giving.

Awkward. Lonely. Rushed. Unnerving. Dreaded. How was your Thanksgiving?

Both my parents are on vacation with the rest of their respective separate lives. I went to my grandparents house feeling a bit like I used to, like I might just have to cry in the bathroom for a second or two, just to get it out. I was terrified of showing up too early or too late, or that it would turn to politics. I'm sick of talking about politics.

It turned out okay. I have the best grandparents in the world, both 82 and kicking. My grandpa and I talked about backpacking through Europe, religion, poverty, and how I'll find a job. Mostly he talked, I listened.

As I get older I really miss holidays I experienced as a kid. It felt like a different world every Christmas eve. I would get so excited, not for the presents, but to get to go to my grandparents' house and play with my cousins and see how many stairs I could jump off without getting hurt and tell secrets and stage plays. Now I sit with the same people and stare at my knuckles. I'm so weird.

There were a few moments where I thought: god, is this really my family? I guess all people feel that way every so often. Not that they're bad people, they are just so unlike me. They talk about gender roles I can't sympathize with. They gush about their babies, or worse, their investments. I used to identify my older relatives by which kid was theirs. Now I think, "Oh, that one's safe to bring up religion" or "Don't mention politics around that one". A few of my uncles are hardcore fiscal conservatives, and it makes me sad to see them say, as they did tonight, that some people don't deserve to be helped. I argue my point, that the largest percentage of the homeless are children, and I get a little shaky, a little red, and I feel bad, not good. I feel contrary and argumentative and radical and annoying. I wish I was apathetic or moderate rather than adamantly outspoken. But then I see my grandpa on my side, defending my point, knowing everyone in the room looks up to him, and I feel better. Thank you, Grandpa. You have no idea how much I love you.

all i want for christmas is...

a job.

your daily dose of awesome.

{unicornology}


{the cherry blossom girl}


{this is my heart. it is a good heart.}

Miami judge rules against Florida gay adoption ban.
{the daily what}


{lookbook.nu}


{i forget. forgive me?}


{unicornology}


{hipster runoff}

dance party usa.

The Pipeline has a feature on 25 perfect party dresses today, and I am so so so in love with the first one (available at Acne for 969 bones). The Kate Moss one is more...I wanna say realistic ($135 at TopShop if it hasn't sold out). Other faves:


{Andrea Buzyn ruffled collar dress, $318 at Oak}


{ArynK strapless dress, $80 at Pixie Market}


{Bensoni Flapper Wing Layered Dress, $586 at La Garconne}

See the rest here.

devotte boots.

For the person who asked, these are the boots that I'm selling. They're a size 6, never been worn, purchased from the lovely Sotto Boutique. I adore them, but I'm broke and they've just been sitting in my closet. I'm hoping I can find them a new home!

This is the description (again, from Sotto):

The Crushed boot is exactly what we need: a touch of antiquated severity to counter all that is femme, something that we can walk and romp in to our hearts’ delight (images of jumping into mountains of fallen autumn leaves comes to mind), something that will weather beautifully with time. I am convinced: as crushworthy as they come, these Devotte lace up boots are undeniably chic laced up or as they are nonchalantly folded down. NOTES: 100% leather. 1 inch heel.

Does anyone know how best to go about it? They were originally priced at $450, and while I understand that most things depreciate in value once pre-owned, I'd still like to make a chunk o'change off of them, especially since they are in perfect condition. I'm afraid if I list them on eBay, they'll sell for $9.99.

Thanks everyone!

{image via Sotto}

decoration vacation.

I'm not really a fan of "the Holidays". I like the idea of giving people presents, but I hate the agony of what to buy. Things have changed: it's probably easier to find good things now that I have my ever-reliable list of where to buy cheap art (Etsy is key!). But this year, I have no money. That means my family is getting framed versions of my photography prints. Suckers!

I used to adore Christmas, used to lie under the Christmas tree and admire it as it twinkled, used to relish in making cut-out cookies and anticipating what I might get from Santa. But every year, Christmas feels less special. I'm not Christian, so there goes the Behbeh Jesus thing. It seems like just another day, as all holidays now do, and it reminds me that my lack of enthusiasm means that I am getting OLD. (No, 23 is not old by any scientific standard, but I just feel like I'm so far behind schedule. Not marriage or kid-wise, as I don't even know if I want to go down that road, but as far as my career and, um, entire future are concerned. I have no job, no apartment, and most importantly, no money. Plus there's that whole lack of emotional maturity thing.)

I also hate all the consumerism around this particular holiday. I read that the reason Christmas advertising began so early this year was because of the economy, to get people to shop again. I know many people will max out their credit cards to pay for gifts and then spend the entire next year making up for it. I don't need gifts and I hate the obligation to buy them. Can't we take a year off? Do we really want people to go further into debt? I mentioned this to my best friend, this whole "no-gift Christmas", and he hated the idea. I suggested he give me money for my birthday, because that's all I really need, and it was as if I had spat on his mother's grave. I don't care if it's impersonal, a girl's gotta eat (Checkers!). I might just ask for Christmas money early and use half of it to buy gifts and donate the other half to charity so I don't have such a guilty conscience.

I also HATE tacky Christmas decorations. You know the kind: the ones you find at Hallmark with big fat cats and angels and Star Trek characters. Yes, I said Star Trek. Observe below. (It has sound and motion when you push a button!)




I also hate super-religious ones and those that combine Jesus with Santa (I didn't realize Santa was present at his birth in the manger!).

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the very lovely Christmas trees you see way up above. They look so Tim Burton-esque, so slightly askew, and just perfectly quirky. Joanna Goddard found them in her search for Christmas decorations on etsy, and I just love them. Because creepy Christmas is okay, but creepy RELIGIOUS Christmas is not.

{Christmas tree set of three,$74 at Middleburg; image via Cookie Magazine's Nesting Blog}

truths.

1. I miss you
2. I am sorry that I did not keep in touch
3. everyone who might even resemble you makes me nervous and excited
4. I wish I could say hello again
5. It is getting easier and harder at the same time

{via this is my heart. it is a good heart.}

i told you guys.

{via fashionista}

NOOOOOO!

I hate Miley Cyrus. Not the person, because I save my person-hatred for the truly evil, but the persona. It's dumb, trite, not entertaining, and the girl can barely sing. I hate that my little sister idolizes her, I hate these expectations of purity and asceticism she will inevitably fail to uphold, and I hate that damn peace sign. But I really like this dress that she wore to the AMAs. UPDATE: It's okay, because Heidi Klum wore it first. Phew.



(Also, I really liked Rihanna's dress. But when I briefly channel surfed through the show, she was performing with a sparkley eyepatch on. Hilaaarious!)



{images via Jezebel}

D.I.E. part two

This coat is DIVINE. In my twisted universe, I would wear it everywhere and it would fit perfectly and I'd never take it off. Day and night, fall and winter, it would be my OUTFIT until it got insanely hot again and I could frolic around in miniskirts and tank tops. I want it so bad. Somebody give me $865 please, kthxbai.

(In reality, it's probably long and boxy on me. I guess it's better this way.)

latest purchase.

{from pixie market}

pretty much.

{via weheartit}

what type is your blog?

I have no idea if this means anything, but according to this site, my blog is an ESFP. That is, it's:

"The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

"The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions."

When I took a personality test ages ago, I was supposedly an ENFP, but I'm totally an introvert.

{via unicornology}

light show.

“These gorgeous shots are from Kuwana Japan’s annual winter light show, in their Nabana no Sato theme park. There are reportedly 4.5 million LED’s in the show!”

{via Miss Modular via Free People}

you can do it, little one.

{photo credit}

i've said it before and i'll say it again.

I was lucky enough to see the entire season of Summer Heights High over the summer due to my Australian "connections" (read: I worked with an Australian who just moved to the states and burned a copy for me on DVD), but now that it's on HBO, I'm hoping my telling you to watch it will be more effective. The show centers around three characters at a public school in Australia: Ja'mie, a private school snob participating in an exchange program; Mr. G, an overconfident drama teacher; and Jonah, a troubled kid from Tonga. All three characters are played by Australian comic Chris Lilley, and he's seriously brilliant. The show is both funny and poignant, a combination that is seriously lacking from most sitcoms. It airs on Sundays at 10:30 pm.

And now for some trivia: my best friend Justin attended the school where they filmed the show while he was living in Melbourne. How weird is that?

the arctic has no respect for fashion.

How on EARTH do y'all stay warm in winter? I know, it's stupid of me to ask. I'm 23 and have lived in Virginia my entire life. But every year, I freeze to death. I resist the urge to sensibly bundle up because I associate being warm with looking like this:



Sorry, but that's not a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Maybe if I wasn't so short. (Who am I kidding? Never!)

But this year I'm trying to bundle up more effectively. I've already bought two adorbz knit hats from softspoken (which, by the way, I highly recommend. I generally look terrible in hats and I've been stopped by strangers offering compliments AND been told that "This is the first time I've seen you look good in a hat" by a close friend!), a cuddly scarf from yokoo, and a pair of polar tights from Wolford. I'm still cold. What else am I supposed to do? Gloves with fingers are crucial, I've just realized. I thought, oh, fingerless gloves are cute and I can wear them while BLOGGING! But, unless they have a convertible mitten-flap (I refuse to call them glittens), they're pretty much useless when it gets super cold.

Tonight I took the dog for a walk and I wore polar tights, sweatpants, insulated boots, a black cardigan, my 1o-year-old sister's fleece jacket with a faux-fur collar, my wool jacket, a hat and TWO pairs of gloves. I was getting there, but my face was still freezing. I guess this is the next logical step:



{post title from a mighty boosh rap and a white lightning post.}

the feel good post.

{via smosch}

These blog posts, pictures and links have lifted my spirits in the past week.

"How to Crawl Out of a Hole" {via A Cup of Jo}

"How Are You Guys Feeling Today? And Here's a Happiness Trick...." {via Smitten}


{via unicornology}

The bartering-with-a-spider-drawing-to-pay-your-bills technique. UPDATE: Man sells spider drawing for $10,000 on eBay! (At least somebody has $10,000 lying around.)

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: "The Nightman Cometh" {via Jezebel}


{Obama joins Chromeo, via hipster runoff}

This beautiful photoshoot of Vain and Vapid's Winter 08/09 collection, shot and styled by Alyson Graves.

This Flickr group.


{illustration by quentin blake, of roald dahl fame, via unicornology}

Act One of This American Life #61: "Opening Night"

SNL Digital Short: "Natalie Raps"


{via booooooom}

Cat Rides a Roomba {via The Daily What}

Obama Wins Prague...and Pittsburgh {via Countdown to Victory}


{via unicornology}

You know that streaming shiba inu puppy cam? This is like that, but not as cute.

Kitty chases leash around toilet. (Exactly how it sounds.) {via The Daily What}


{via it starts here}

Tim Steer's photographs.

Real live Photoshop.

And lastly, this:

i'm sorry, little blog.

I've been ignoring you! I have a sinus infection. Regular posting will resume next week.

um, NO.

my mind is blown.

For a Brief Time Only… is a purchasable exhibition of 24 artists available at a photo developer near you. You can find it at any store that allows file uploading via the internet (including most major US drug-stores). The image files will be sent to the closest location near you, and within minutes you will be able to walk in and pick them up as prints. Check out the website here.

{via lost.net.au}

nostalgia.

So I guess we’re all growing up now and we’re not anything like what we used to be and we’re not anything like the pictures of us that our parents took when we were five and splashing around naked in the blue inflatable kiddie pool that our dads blew up with their mouths and filled with cool hose water but I don’t want to move on because I liked the way I was when I was a toddler and I liked the world the way I saw it when I was little. I want to be truly excited about the ice cream man again and I want to think I’m rich when I find a quarter on the ground and I want to go back to the time when bubble baths were acceptable forms of bathing and I want to find shapes in the clouds again and love rolling down the hill and I want to be able to put my baby teeth under my pillow for quarters in the morning and I want to once again love the glow sticks my parents bought for my brother and I that we would keep in the freezer so they’d last longer and take out every night and stare at them under our bed sheets until we fell asleep and my parents would sneak in and put them back in the freezer for tomorrow and I want to spend hours trying to catch butterflies and I want to make mud pies and wear little tiny rain boots and splash in puddles and I want to believe in Santa Claus again and I want to be excited about getting goldfish at the pet store and I want to trade candy with my brother after a night of trick-or-treating and I want to fit comfortably under my bed and I want to get lollipops when I get my hair cut and I want to diligently make leprechaun traps that never work and I want to get eggs from the Easter bunny and I want to finger paint and I want to sing the alphabet song and not understand how to tell time and I want to be tucked into bed at night and I want my nightlight with Winnie the Pooh on it back and I want to cry about skinned knees and laugh about knock-knock jokes and really truly love Dr. Seuss again and not fake-trying-to-be-cool loving it but this-is-the-same-book-you-read-to-me-every-night-of-the-year-but-I-want-you-to-read-it-to-me-again loving it and I want to fear only the monster under my bed and I want to not care how I look and not care what people think and I want to be excited about jigsaw puzzles that are too easy and I want to be able to spend ten hours drawing monsters on the concrete with chalk and not notice that a whole day has gone by and I want to have to learn to tie my shoe again and I want to not know that my race is different from your race and I want to be able to cry whenever I want to and I want to know that everything is always okay and that there will be someone watching ready to pick me up when I fall and brush off my hands and put band-aids on my knees and hold me and hug me and whisper in my ear that it’s alright and that I shouldn’t cry and that it’ll stop hurting soon and I want to ride my tricycle with the orange handles and black bars and the little glow-in-the-dark beads that my dad and mom helped snap on the spokes so they clacked when the wheels spun.

{via group hug and some tumblrs. sorry i forgot which ones.}

it's my birfday.

I'm 23 today. No plans yet, but I want to see this.

Also, would anyone be interested (or know any interested parties, or have any advice for me to generate interest) in buying some never-worn clothes of mine? I have recently-purchased Frye booties and Devotte pirate boots in size 6 that I've never even touched and would love to keep if I wasn't unemployed.

straight against hate.

This Saturday there is a nationwide protest against the passage of Proposition 8. This is something I feel very strongly about, so I'm definitely going. It starts at 1:30pm and you can find your protest location here.

As great as it is that we elected Barack Obama, there is still lots of work to be done. I don't know if protesting will do any good, but when I think of the alternative (sitting around, feeling guilty for not going), actually making an effort will totally be worth it.

My protest location is the U.S. Capitol, and this is one of the few times I realize how fortunate I am to live near DC. It is culturally barren (sorry DC-ers), but one of the most important places in the world nonetheless.

For more information, Join the Impact has everything you need to know.

video roundup.

These are the best videos I've seen all week.

First, Comedy Central has been on fire this entire election season. Colbert is ever-adorable, but Jon Stewart's a sassy little thing. Behold his (uncut) interview with Bill O'Reilly:



Here's Stephen Colbert amazingly ridiculing the black-voter blaming for the passage of Proposition 8 AND displaying his cultural awareness with a hipster shout out:



The trailer for Charlie Kaufman's newest movie, which I'm dying to see:



My latest favorite female singer:



And the cutest kid EVER:


Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

{Capucine video via Jezebel and about a hundred other blogs. If I ever have babies, I'm naming them Capucine and Etienne.}

amazing.

I've been following all these adorable little tumblrs with romantic photos and quotes and they make me feel so otherworldly. Look at this, by Emma Redeskog. I think she's a fashion designer, but she might be a photographer (too).

{via unicornology via miss modular via tatielle}

theee cutest!

This girl looks amazing!

{via lookbook.nu}

jkao

I am obsessed -- OBSESSED -- with Taiwanese designer Jen Kao's Spring/Summer collection. If I was a cartoon character and only one outfit every day, it would be by Jen Kao. I don't know how much her stuff is, but I just read this comment on Refinery29: "Love it, but not her prices. It is way more expensive than most contemporary designers, and IMO should be priced much lower, in the Alexander Wang/Helmut Lang/Phillip Lim range."

If Alexander Wang is cheap, I will never in my life be able to afford Jen Kao.

Read more at Refinery29.

more on mike&chris...

From Racked,

"We've just got some breaking news across the wire about Mike & Chris, the Cali label that didn't show up for their NYC sample sale this morning, and it isn't good. Rumors fly that the company is going belly up. And while we reached a sales director who denied this claim, a Racked source says some employees at the company haven't been paid.

"No one is picking up at the brand's New York showroom, but the sales director we spoke with at their California showroom assured us that the company isn't folding. Instead, she says that the company is "restructuring." Ominously, all contact information has been removed from the Mike & Chris site. If anyone from Mike & Chris corporate would like to issue a statement, our tipline is open."

But Mike & Chris sent them this:

"The allegations made in your posting are absolutely, 100% not true. Mike & Chris is very much still in business, now and moving forward. The sample sale was canceled due to a very unfortunate error in shipping and will be rescheduled within the next 4-6 weeks. They are incredibly sorry about any inconveniences by those who went to the sale. The statement about Mike & Chris employees not being paid is absolutely incorrect, all employees have been paid. Your 'source' is gravely mistaken in reporting that."

So which is it? OMGZ, fashion drama!

Read more here.

the perfect shorts.

From Complex Geometries' Spring 09 collection. I emailed them to find out when they'd be available, and they very-nicely-and-quickly told me that they'd be available at Creatures of Comfort (and maybe Oak) next February. Yay!

sadface!

Mike & Chris broke up. Or, um, the label is donezo, according to fashionindie.

heyyyy...

I'm very excited to announce the opening of my new etsy shop where I will sell prints of my photographs. Go check it out!

captive subjects.

I went to a local park and took a lot of pictures of the foliage. You can see them at my photostream, if you're interested.