Geek in Heels - Page 104

Feb 13, 2011 • In Beauty, NYC, Photography

Model-Morphosis

I don’t follow fashion, so the only reason I was even aware that New York Fashion Week is currently underway is due to the Facebook feeds of my fashion-forward friends.

That being said, I stumbled upon a series of posts from the NYTimes Magazine Blog called Model-Morphosis and I couldn’t help but be intrigued.

Because who doesn’t like looking at before-and-after pictures?

Because who doesn’t like looking at before-and-after pictures of models, hoping that their “before” versions will at least resemble us mere mortals? (They don’t. They’re still gorgeous.)

Because what geek doesn’t like playing with sliders???

Perhaps it’s due to the fact that high fashion style is not always street-friendly, but in the majority of these photos, I much preferred the “before,” makeup-less looks.

This may sound hypocritical coming from someone who prefers to have at least some makeup on at all times, but it’s the truth. Anyone else feel the same way?

…And is anyone else having too much fun playing with the sliders?

I didn’t mean to offend anyone with my last post. I think I may have made a mistake by choosing to title the post “Keepin’ it Real,” because it was not my intention to imply that my blog is more “real” or better than any other blogs out there. Yes, this blog is real because the writings come from my heart and I do not censor my feelings. But other blogs that are full of sunshine and smiles may be just as real, because they all have REAL people behind them.

Additionally, I completely understand that we all have different outlooks on life — some people are more positive and optimistic, while others, like me, are more world-weary and pessimistic. And while I feel a kinship to those who wear their hearts on their sleeves, who struggle and suffer and open their bleeding hearts out to me, others may find this tiring and choose to surround themselves with positive, happy people instead. And that’s alright. Different strokes for different folks.

As more than one commenter has pointed out that they find me an overly pessimistic person, I have decided to go outside my norm and write a positive post about motherhood. Because as much as I may b*tch and moan about being a mother, I love my daughter with all my heart and I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

So here it is. My top five reasons to love motherhood.

1. Being a mother is helping me become a better person.

While J may have some objections to this statement 😉 — because let’s face it, he sees me at my worst and is often left to pick up all the pieces — I like to think that slowly but surely, motherhood usually helps women become better people.

I am now a more patient person. I am more sensitive to others’ needs, and I have never been less selfish. I now plan things out ahead of time but am also more flexible and open to change than ever before. And I am now a multitasking whiz.

I once read an article which argued that women should have children in their mid-twenties and only after their children start attending school should they start to really focus on their careers. The author of the article believed that not only is this model better for the mother’s health, but that motherhood will better prepare her for the corporate world through all the changes I’ve listed above.

At the time, I remember disagreeing with the author but now I tend to think that she has a point.

2. I now love my husband more than ever.

They say that some men never truly become adults until they become fathers, and this is soooo the case with J.

I will never forget the look he had in his eyes when he saw Claire for the very first time. How he held our newborn baby, rocked her and whispered soothing words to her as tears of joy flowed down his face.

J is so completely smitten by our baby girl that I imagine whipping sounds in my head whenever he holds her in his arms. He works long, stressful hours in order to support our little family. And when he comes home from a tiring day at work and I can only see fatigue in his eyes, he always heads straight for the baby and can’t seem to get enough of her.

Being a mother has brought out some of the worst in me. The crying, exhausted, forlorn kind. The extra pouch of fat on my tummy that I may never be able to lose, the stretch marks, the saggy boobs in the consistency of cottage cheese kind. Yet he has taken it all in stride and still looks at me with such love and desire, still makes me feel like I’m the most beautiful person in the world, that I cannot help but fall in love with him all over again.

A good father makes for one heck of a sexy husband.

3. My faith has never been stronger.

I have never been a believer more than after becoming a mother. The sheer amount of love I feel for my daughter…yet knowing that it is still imperfect love, really helps me realize just how much God must love us.

Every night as I give Claire her nighttime bottle, I pray to God to help me love my daughter as He loves us. That she will grow to love Him as well, and that I will be a Godly mother and wife.

And I can’t wait to start teaching her about God, Jesus, and the Bible. That is perhaps the #1 thing I look forward to the most: my being able to be her first and primary spiritual guide. I know that I am not perfect, but I pray every day that I will be prepared.

4. Her laugh seems to be the cure for everything.

I can’t get enough of it. Have you seen this video? Here it is for you again:

And it’s a hundred times better when you know that you‘re the cause for her laughter.

5. She loves me the most!

I know that in just a year or two, she will probably start to prefer her dad over me. After all, I will be the disciplinarian, the one who says “no” and the one who will set the limits.

And I know that when she hits puberty she will probably disassociate herself from us altogether, and that we might even get some “I hate you!”s in the mix.

But at the moment, as an infant who is entirely new to this world and still learning to just be alive —

I, as her mother, matter to her the most.

I am the one she loves the most and the one she relies on the most.

I am the one she turns to when she is upset, and I am the only one who can turn a hysterical fit into smiles.

I know that my parents and sister love me. I know that J loves me, and that he relies on me and needs me as well.

But never has anyone expressed this sort of PURE love and need and attachment to me before.

And that makes it all worthwhile.

Keepin’ It Real

A couple of weeks ago, I posed the following question on Facebook and Twitter:

How do my internet mommy friends make the time to Facebook, Twitter, AND blog? I feel like I can only do one consistently without losing even more sleep.

Admittedly, I didn’t get as many responses as I had hoped.

(Sometimes I get paranoid that many people I consider my internet friends are not my friends, but actually dislike me and only remain in my social media circle out of pity/laziness/contempt. And one of the reasons I have been slowly pulling myself out of these sites is because I feel left out. There, I said it.)

But those who did respond helped me realize that we all have different priorities. For instance, whenever Claire is down for a nap the first thing I do is clean, because when the house is a mess I get stressed out and my mind can’t function properly. Meanwhile, other moms may choose to go on Twitter whenever they get a spare moment and leave the dishes for later, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s all about how we — as individuals — choose to prioritize our time.

While I managed to get the answer to the question I had raised, something was still nagging at the back of my mind…and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

Then, earlier this week, Jenna wrote a post titled “On Being Shiny, Happy, Hip” and I finally realized what had been bothering me.

The reason I had posted the question above, and the primary reason I had been withdrawing myself from our group of internet mommy friends, was because today’s generation of mommy bloggers make me feel like crap.

How do they all make it seem like being a mother is the MOST MARVELOUS and enjoyable experience in the whole wide world, gush about how much they LOVE their babies and how darn ADORABLE they think they are (and I have to admit, some of those babies are pretty cute), and make it seem like they spend every waking moment doing the things we, as mothers, are supposed to be doing, e.g., making organic baby food, taking the kids on playdates, and giving them the exercise and stimulation they need to be healthy and smart?

And this is on top of maintaining a beautifully decorated, meticulously clean house, having and honing über-creative hobbies, AND preparing healthy and nutritious home-cooked meals each and every day.

I love my daughter, but I hate being a mother to an infant and I CAN’T. WAIT. for her to grow up (yes, I even look forward to the teenage years). I even confess that sometimes — gasp! — I really miss my pre-baby lifestyle. I keep a clean house, yes, but our condo is full of generic furniture and is sparsely decorated. I hardly ever cook dinner anymore and I look like an extra from Night of the Living Dead most days.

According to the Salon article that Jenna talks about, the reason so many readers are attracted to these blogs — not just the Mormon ones — is because they serve as a means to escape our not-so-perfect lives. And I am sure that most of my friends who blog choose not to write about the negative stuff, or if they do, like Mandy, they put a comical twist to it so that it is easier to swallow.

Because who wants to read about all the bad stuff when our own lives are hard enough as it is?

…I do. (Raises hand.)

I wrote a long comment in response to Jenna’s post, and I admitted that sometimes I feel obligated to write about the bad stuff because everyone else seems so happy and upbeat and positive all the time.

And for this reason, I am sure that some of my readers must think I hate my baby.

But that’s not the case at all. It may seem like I do a lot of complaining on my blog, but the truth of the matter is that I am growing to love Claire more with each passing day. We have our bad days, sure, but we also have those transcendent moments that more than make up for the tough times.

Claire only JUST started reaching for toys last week.
Here she is with the adorable giraffe that Girl on the Park got for her.

I do not censor myself. Aside from the very few topics that J understandably asks me not to blog about, I write things as they are. I keep it real. And that has been the one thing that my readers thank me for every day.

Because before I got pregnant, I wish someone had warned me that round ligament pains may be more painful than labor pains (which in my case ended up being true). Before I gave birth, I wish someone had told me that it’s perfectly normal to not immediately fall in love with your baby. Before starting nursing, I wish someone had told me not to supplement with formula in those crucial first days (or at least use a supplemental nursing system) so that my daughter would not have gotten nipple confusion.

Before becoming a mother, I wish someone had told me how DIFFICULT motherhood can be, and that it’s okay to admit to this and not love every minute of it.

And now that I’ve written about it, I hope that my readers can benefit from my experience.

My blog is definitely not shiny nor happy — at least not all the time — but it’s a reflection of the Geek in Heels brand: keepin’ things real with a dose of geekery. It’s a reflection of my sarcastic, pessimistic self (my nickname in high school wasn’t Daria for no reason).

My “keepin’ it real” style is admittedly in the minority and not for everyone. But I hope that my mistakes, troubles, and small triumphs will help those who — like me — often feel like failures among today’s mommy bloggers.

Chalkboard Wall Calendars

I immediately fell in love with this chalkboard wall calendar by the vinyl wall art company Simple Shapes. Oh how I wish I had an office I can decorate with inspired and functional pieces like this!

You can even order the chalk ink pen through their Etsy shop. Apparently, the stuff’s been around for a while but I had no idea it even existed. (But the idea of chalk without the messy white powder is simply irresistable to me!)

Check out their chalkboard and dry erase page to see their other wall calendar designs. No, scratch that — check out their entire selection because you’re sure to find something you like!

Via Nerdlike.

Class of 2011: The Social Media Yearbook

Via Flowtown.

Monopoly Live: A (Evil) Reboot of the Classic Game

Coming this fall, Hasbro will release a new version of America’s favorite boardgame.

An electronic version.

Complete with its own all-seeing evil tower (hark the Sauron references!).

According to the NYTimes, the tower uses infrared light to surveil the entire board. It calculates rent, whose turn it is and where your piece is on the board, and knows exactly how much money you have. It even rolls a virtual dice for you (complete with sound!),

The new version of Monopoly also has some new games like a horse race, auctions, a gas tax and the option to upgrade your utilities so they are green.

There’s no more paper money because everything is stored in a bank card. Gone are the days of hiding your $500 bills under the board (or under your butt, as my friends and I used to do). Gone are the days of blowing on your dice for good luck, or even penalizing a player for his/her dice rolling off the board (yes, we used to do that — didn’t you?).

And worst of all, gone are the individuality from its players. Gone are the cheating, the disputes, and the back-alley deals that made the game so addictively fun.

Monopoly Live will retail for $50 when it is released. But for the rest of us who prefer to do it old-school, the original version will still be available for $15.

Via Gizmodo.

The NFL’s Official Facebook Page During Super Bowl XLV

Via Sports Pickle.

Seven Deadly Sins Wine Bottle Design

Designed by Sidecar Publicidad of Spain, these wine bottles which each represent one of the seven deadly sins are…well, sinfully tempting!

Gluttony

Pride

Greed

Sloth

Lust

Wrath

Envy

Via Packaging of the World.

Transformers: Cars to Decepticons Infographic

Remember the Cars to Autobots infographic which left me wondering when the Decepticon version will be released? Well, the wait is over, as the good people at http://www.carinsurance.org have followed up swiftly:

It is regrettable that not all of the art was available as is stated at the bottom of the chart. It also sucks that Megatron is not depicted because he does not transform into a vehicle. (But he deserves a special place on the infographic as leader of the Decepticons, no?)

Via Geektyrant.

WordPress for the Everyday Blogger:
Part 3 – The Header

Prelude
Part 1: Setting Up
Part 2: Set the Bare Bones

Another great thing about the ET-Starter theme is that it allows you to easily set your header and background — whether it be an image, a color, or both. Just navigate to the “Appearance” menu on the left side of your WordPress admin page, and you can choose “Background” or “Header” and make the changes accordingly.

If you are happy with just uploading a header, you can stop right here.

If you want to know how I managed my header, read on…

My header is actually a combination of two images —

A background image that is 1px wide and 350px high, repeated horizontally:

And the actual header image that is 900px wide and 350px high, layered on top of the previous image:

Why the layering? It’s because I do not know the screen size, or the screen resolution that a visitor will be using. So if someone is looking at my blog from a 30″ screen set at the highest resolution possible, it is very likely that the header image will be cut off at the ends. By layering a repeated, 1px-wide image below it, the visitor will be under the impression that it is one, wide header image.

(You can also choose to make the header image 3,000px wide or another width that is similarly high. But generally, we try not to do this as it will create an image with a big file size.)

Now in order to do this we have to adjust the style.css file. Find the body element (line 16 in the original file), delete what’s already there and add this instead:

body { height: 100%; margin: 0 auto; padding: 0; background: #FFFFFF url('/images/header_bg.jpg') repeat-x; border: 0; }

And in the highlighted portion, insert the URL to your own 1px-wide background image.

Next, find the #container element (line 48 in the original file) and replace what’s there with the following:

#container { width: 870px; height: 100%; margin: 0 auto; padding: 0 50px; background: url('/images/header.jpg') no-repeat top center; }

Again, replace what’s in the highlighted portion with the URL to your own header image.

Note that what’s really important in these CSS snippets are the background attributes. You can substitute your own margin, padding, height, width, etc according to what your own theme calls for.

Now save your style.css file. Let’s see what your theme looks like now…

But wait — why is the old header image there?

You can see our intended header image peeking out from the bottom, so you’re on the right track. What we need to do is to remove the call to function in the header.php file that “calls” the ET-Starter theme’s header image.

Open the header.php file. If you are familiar with HTML, it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out.

Take a look at the first few lines that come right after the <body> tag:

<div id="header"> <h1><a href="<?php echo get_option('home'); ?>/"><?php bloginfo('name'); ?></a></h1> <h2><?php bloginfo('description'); ?></h2> </div>

<div id="headerimage"> <img src="<?php header_image(); ?>" width="<?php echo HEADER_IMAGE_WIDTH; ?>" height="<?php echo HEADER_IMAGE_HEIGHT; ?>" alt="" /> </div>

The first section calls for your blog title (name) and tagline (description), while the second calls for the theme’s header image. Once again, if you know HTML, this shouldn’t be too difficult.

So in order to get rid of the theme’s call to header image, all we need to do is delete that second section. That’s it!

Save your header.php file, and your theme should now look like this:

While we’re at it, let’s get rid of the call to site title and tagline too, since I won’t need it for this theme. (But if you want to keep them for your theme, you can style it accordingly using CSS.) So delete the first part of the code snippet shown above from your header.php file.

Lastly, let’s move down the sidebar and blog content so that they’re not overlapping the header image. To do this, go back to your style.css file and edit your .content.content-two-columncontent-right and .primary-sidebar.content-two-columncontent-right elements (remember those from Part 2?). All you need to do is to add some margin to the top by adding the following line to each element:

margin-top: 300px;

Save your style.css file, and your theme should now look like this:

As you can see, we’re really starting to get there!

Next up: styling the rest of the header elements. Please let me know if you have any questions along the way!

Model-Morphosis

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Class of 2011: The Social Media Yearbook

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The NFL’s Official Facebook Page During Super Bowl XLV

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Seven Deadly Sins Wine Bottle Design

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Transformers: Cars to Decepticons Infographic

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WordPress for the Everyday Blogger:
Part 3 – The Header

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