tattoo talk part 2

So, I'm thinking of getting a tattoo... for real this time. In my previous post, I talked about getting a tattoo that looks cool, but doesn't really mean anything (and mentioned all the tattoos I wanted at one point). So I'm thinking that I'd like a blackwork tattoo. maybe some stripes, maybe something more complex. Something geometric and with straight lines and angles.

or... see Kinzoku from the Wet Moon comic

Tattoo talk part 1

People are usually both surprised and not surprised when they find out that I don't have any tattoos. Surprised, for obvious reasons, but then they quickly justify it with "Well, knowing you, if you had a tattoo, we'd probably see it." Yeah, probably true. I've got nothing against tattoos. I've always wanted one. But I never could decide of what.

In high school, I wanted a NIN tattoo. Also a barcode at the back of my neck. Later I wanted a "cut here" neck tattoo. Then I decided that the centipede would be my "totem animal" and wanted a HUGE centipede over my entire body. Then I wanted a biomechanical sleeve.  Then a pentagram. Later I wanted the words "All we have to lose is our chains" on my chest, and my favorite quote "I am the cat who walks by himself and all places are alike to me." Then, before I left Chicago, I wanted the Chicago flag on my arm.

This is what I'd look like if I had every tattoo I wanted (AND if I was a lingerie model!):

I'm sure I'm missing something. Also, the upper part of my forearm has both stripes and the chicago flag... wanted both at one point. I still kinda like the centipede. 

Plan for a trip! Week's worth of outfits in one small suitcase

Read about the challenge here.

So, I'd consider myself an expert at packing. I've traveled a bit (usually not for an entire week, but about 3 days at a time). I've been flying Spirit lately cause it's dirt cheap--IF and only IF you don't have any bags. So, I pack everything in a 16 X 14 X 12 inch "personal item" bag. It can be done! I also recently went to Florida: you can see what I packed in this post.

warm climates are pretty easy, cause summer clothes are small.

Wear this to the airport:

1. your sun hat--takes up too much space in your bag
2. warm thing--even if you're going somewhere hot. you want to be prepared. I know a few beach trips I went on where I ended up wearing only the one warm thing I brought. 
3. jewelry--you don't want it smashed up or lost in your bag. also (problems only goths have!) wear something that WILL get you past the security checkpoint!!! 
4. pants--always bring pants
5. your "suitcase" of course
6. if you are bringing 2 pairs of shoes on the trip, wear the larger pair.

Pack this:

1. all your underwear
2. sandals (you can pack less socks if you have sandals). Also useful if you're grossed out by hotel floors.
3. 5 shirts+2 bottoms, 1 dress, and whatever you wore to the airport are enough to get by for one week. If you can't make it work for some reason, hand wash something. I'd recommend something that's a blend of cotton/manmade or all manmade. natural fabric gets hard with handwashing. use shampoo.
4. fancy swimsuit that could also work as a club top. I just thought of this... if i had the money. 
5. else, a bralette that you could wear as a top too, if need be. that brings your bra count up to 2. Hand wash if need be.
6. chargers, toothbrush, phone. I usually buy travel-sized toiletries (or use the hotel's) when I get at the destination. I never pack them. Pack this shit in a smaller, everyday purse that you'll pack into your suitcase.
7. (not pictured) whatever you sleep in. 

Seriously, I've never had problems traveling with what's essentially a large purse for a suitcase. It's so much easier (and cheaper). You can store it in the seat in front of you (no check-in or overhead bins) and it's also lighter. What on earth are people packing that requires rolling suitcases!?!? With warm climate travel, you also actually have some room for souvenirs--that's been my problem in the past. 

Thoughts?

Trends I thought I loved, but now I'm not too keen on

Read more about the challenge here.

1. Leg warmers, short frilly skirts, goggles/gas masks with too much shit on them, hair falls. I'm pretty bored of it by now.

I used to LOVE LOVE this look--I used to wear this stuff every day--not just to the clubs. To show there's no hard feelings, here's an everyday look from me from 2002:

Trends I thought I would never get into, but I now love

Read about the challenge here

1. Nail art
Like everyone else hit in the recession/depression, for the longest time the only vain thing I could afford to buy was a new nail polish color. I used to do the nail art thing when I was like 12, and since then, I thought it was totally juvenile and silly... until a few years ago

my current "marble" nails. See #4 below. The transformation begins.

Post Your Collection: Earrings

So, I was switching out my earrings and thought to take a few pictures of the earrings I had... and then it turned into taking pictures of my entire earring collection. I do this periodically. Last time I did this was 4 years ago. For scale, each of the long industrial barbells are 1-1/4" inches.

My piercings, so these make sense to you: 4g lobes, 8g lobes, 18g lobe left ear, 14g industrial right ear. 16g lip, 18g nostril.

4 years ago, this was my collection:

you can see that some of the bone hasn't yellowed yet completely, and the bloodwood earrings (far left) are a pretty vibrant reddish color.

tagged post

D'aww I can't believe I've actually been tagged in something! Shout out to Deux Ex Machina for tagging me! I just started following her not too long ago and she's got a lot of content-heavy posts (not that I don't looove OOTD posts, cause I do) that are well written and inspired.

Rules:

• Link back to the person who tagged you.
• Tag 5 blogs with less than 200 followers.
• Get them to tag more bloggers and keep this thing going.

5 things you need every day:

1. My phone, equipped with Spotify. Gotta listen to something on the train!
2. Gawker.com -- it's where I get my news
3. A real human being to talk to, even if it's just to BS with
4. Tea. I'm not fussy about it either! 
5. Something to look forward to. 

5 books you would recommend: 

1. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. There's a reason why this book won the Nobel Prize in literature. The entire human condition in this book. If you are boy/girl when you start, you will become a man/woman when you are done. Love, life, family spanning generations and activism too. It's easily my favorite book. If you can't get past the first 100 pages (which are a little slow) or the book is too long, read CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD by the same author. This is a dark humor piece about a man whose death could have been stopped a million different ways but didn't.
2. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood. For the sake of feminism, force yourself to read this. The most frightening book I've ever read. The stuff of nightmares. If you like dystopian futures, this is for you.
3. The Elements of Style, Strunk and White. The best book for writing clearly and concisely. I'll back this with my work history and educational background.
4. First Break all the Rules: What the World's Best Managers do Differently by Marcus Buckingham.  If you haven't already, one day you're going to start your career. It's going to be a lot of failures and missteps and bad managers--you need to know why. While this is aimed at managers, it's still infinitely useful for you, especially for interviewing and for when you get the job. I know business books aren't fun to read, but I highly recommend this.
5. The Dresden Files series, by Jim Butcher. C'MON it's a wizard who solves supernatural crimes. It's got vampires and werewolves and demons and magic and takes place in my hometown, Chicago! It's fun and such a page-turner!!!

5 materialistic wishes for Christmas presents:

1. The moonstone ring (with the two claws) from this post
2. My own bathroom so I don't have to share it with a boy!!!!!!
3. A new apartment
4. a steampunk outfit
5. jewelry-making classes

5 places you wish to visit: 

1. Antarctica--actually I almost went there for field study in college. Personality fit is important when you are sharing a tent in the middle of the arctic, and, well, the professor and I did NOT get along.
2. The American Southwest. I've never been to a natural desert--and I love desert plants! I'd love to see an actual natural desert. 
3. Tokyo! Because I was an anime freak once, and I'm still dying to visit Harajuku!--------ME TOO!!!
4. Montreal, Canada. Hopefully I get to this year! We are making plans for Labor Day. 
5. Iceland--I want to go on the first day of winter, for almost 24-hour darkness and Northern Lights. 

5 Adjectives that describe you: 

1. Fearless
2. Rational
3. Indecisive
4. Stubborn
5. Helpful

5 things you'd say to people about life: 

1. Be nice to people--it always helps you in the long run. Sure there's petty people who will tell you to exploit, cheat, thieve, and lie for short-term gains. The RIGHT people will notice your acts of kindness, and that's what matters.
2. Everyone suffers in their own way. Life is hard enough--don't make it worse for those around you.
3. The only thing we have to lose is our chains. Don't let the company you work for fuck you over. One day, my generation is going to be the managers and owners of these companies--and we're going to do things right and stop exploiting people. 
4. Don't tolerate sexism, racism, classism, ableism, and the other isms. 
5. Work hard, and you'll get what you want. Don't be afraid to dream big. 

People tagged:

hmmm... and now to tag people who haven't been tagged yet...

1. Milking the Rolling Cow
2. Clockwork Mice and Toy Spiders
3. From the Crow's Beak
4. Style and Graphite
5. Daughter of a Jaded Era