Geek in Heels - Page 169

Nov 22, 2009 • In Art/Design, Blogging, Web

A New Manifesto

Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day.
~ Thornton Wilder

Last week, a friend posed the question Why I Blog. (Why Do You?) The post was perfectly timed, because I had been struggling with the premise behind this blog for the past few weeks.

Technorati’s 10 most popular blogs as of November 22, 2009

Lately I have become disenchanted with the blogsphere, by the mere corporatization of the blogging world and its community.

I no longer consider the top blogs blogs. I consider them internet magazines, run by staff, featuring multiple writers, subject to corporate scrutiny, and driven by profit.

Little by little, I found myself glancing over their headlines, ignoring them, then unsubscribing to some altogether.

I began to work hard to discover “the little guys.” Mind you, they may have massive followings and make a pretty profit from ads and sponsors. Or they might be an obscure writer publishing under the default WordPress theme, unbeknownst to the world save a few lucky souls who happened to stumble upon their blog one day.

The only difference is that these bloggers write of their personal lives and innermost thoughts, bearing their hearts out to the world. They have no niche. And while millions may fit this mold, what makes these bloggers rise above the rest is their ability to draw the reader into their lives merely by their superb storytelling and writing prowess.

I want to be like them.

The problem lies in the fact that my writing ability is nowhere as great as these scribes. With 133,000,000 blogs in existence, how can I set myself apart from the rest without becoming commercialized?

The answer is simple.

Create a great written AND visual experience.

I have been told I am a decent writer. Why not add my eye for design into the mix?

This post is the start of a new direction, and I will continue to introduce visual changes to this blog. From this day forward, I vow to do the following:

Showcase my best work in each blog post. Take hours to write that one post. Read, re-read, and only publish the best. Take the time to include additional visual stylings. Take a clue from the bloggers featured in The Death of the Blog Post, and make each blog post a separate work of art.

Categorize each blog post. Written works will take on the format above. When I want to share a product, picture, video, hyperlink…even a tweet or a Facebook status, I will do so under a separate, appropriate category. And yes, each category will be styled according to its purpose.

Establish myself as a brand. Sure, I may not have a niche, and my life may not be too interesting. But what this blog represents is myself. I am my own brand. Let this blog best represent who I am as a person because who else can do a better job?

I once read that it is harder to get 500 subscribers than 1,000. I see this in action every day not only in the blogsphere, but in all facets of social media. The popular keep getting more popular while the smaller guys struggle to gain even modest growth.

Perhaps this change is what Geek in Heels needs to finally push it over that 500 mark.

Star Wars: In Concert

Yesterday J and I attended Star Wars: In Concert at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ.

It was…SPECTACULAR. I loved it.

We recorded a video of the opening number. I loved how they included the THX and 20th Century Fox music at the beginning, just like at the movies!

Here is J’s Flickr set for the event. He’s quite the photographer, don’t you think?

One of the best parts about the concert has to be that Anthony Daniels (the actor who played C3P0) narrated the entire event! He was the perfect choice to chronicle the musical journey, second only to John Williams himself.

Star Wars: In Concert only just started its tour, so go check out the tour dates and experience the magic for yourself!

(A huge thanks to J for putting up with my humming the Star Wars theme on the way to AND back from the concert! What can I say, I was excited!)

Steam Perm

My natural hair is stick straight and has the tendency to hang straight down with no body or movement, as you can see from this photo of myself at 16:

The Asian glamour photos that were so popular in the 90s.

No matter how short I cut my hair, how much layers were cut in, how much products were used, my hair refused to maintain any body and sat plastered to the sides of my face.

When I entered my 20s, I decided that a perm might be the answer. I had heard that the new perms developed by Japan and Korea were different from the frizzy, kinky puffballs of the eighties. The curls were looser, they lasted longer, and were less damaging to the hair.

I took the plunge with a “setting perm.” Soon, the “setting perm” was replaced by a newer, better method called “digital perm” which was then replaced by the “wood perm,” “smooth perm,” “cold perm” (who comes up with these names?), so on and so on.

With various types of perms. Don’t ask which is which because I honestly can’t remember.

Although the perms were a definite improvement over my stick-straight hair, I didn’t like the fact that they were high-maintenance. I usually needed to apply products, then twirl and crunch…and continue to twirl and crunch until dry, to each curl its shape.

So after years and years of searching for the perfect perm (does it even exist?), I am happy to announce that I finally found the closest contender: the steam perm.

Last month I decided to go visit the famous Jay at Hidy II in Fort Lee, NJ. Apparently, he is so good with perms that he has clients flying in from Chicago just to get their hair permed by him.

After discussing and studying my hair, he suggested that I get a steam perm. According to Jay, not only is the steam perm ideal for hair that has already been permed, it also produces the loose, wavy curls that I had been searching for all this time.

See the results for yourself:

Please excuse the noise in these pictures; the texture of my dark hair wouldn’t show well on lower ISO.

I couldn’t find a mirror big enough for a back shot, so here’s one from the side.

What you should know about my hair in these photos is that I didn’t do anything to them. I washed, patted dry with a towel, and let it air dry. THAT’S IT.

The steam perm was pretty pricey at $260, but the convenience is worth it in my opinion!

In Two Hours, I’ll Be Waiting in Line…

No, not for Twilight (err, New Moon? Pale Moon?). I hate Twilight. I thought the book was so poorly written that I found the movie — which I downloaded to watch one night while battling insomnia, then trashed immediately after viewing — to be better because at least all the pages full of “staring longingly into each others’ eyes” were gone.

“Both Rowling and Meyer, they’re speaking directly to young people…. The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good.” -Stephen King, in an interview with USAWeekend

Instead, I will be waiting in anticipation to be whisked away to a galaxy far, far away…

Star Wars: In Concert

It is a geek’s wet dream.

Have a nice weekend!

The Black “Bee” of the Group

Being accepted as a blogger for Weddingbee has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have forged amazing friendships, learned a great deal about blogging (and being a better person in general), and have found a treasure trove of inspiration for all aspects of my life.

That being said, I sometimes get annoyed that the internet community only seems to see me as “Mrs. Peony from Weddingbee.” Readers follow this blog, or subscribe to my Twitter, expecting to see wedding/crafts/DIY/newlywed updates…and leave when they see that this is not the case.

Then there are those who I know in real life, who see me as a wedding-obsessed freak just because I blogged for a wedding site.

I am sure my fellow Weddingbee bloggers can attest to these emotions, and I am thankful that I have a group of people who understand where I’m coming from.

However, I sometimes feel like the black sheep of the Weddingbee clan too. Okay, maybe not as extreme as a black sheep. Perhaps the term I’m looking for is “sticking out like a sore thumb.”

I am not a fan of Etsy and I find Anthropology a bit too frilly. I have never bought anything from sample sale sites like Gilt Groupe or Rue La La (because even their discount prices are often too expensive for my tastes). In fact, I don’t like shopping in general…even online shopping!

The object of many women’s delights. Unfortunately, I am not one of those women.

My personal style tends to lean toward the minimal, with a preference for muted solids — no patterns or bright colors for me. My home is all beige, grey, brown and black (I just realized while typing this that even the dog fits into this muted palette!) with pops of red here and there. We don’t have much decor in the house and the walls remain free of art or photos.

Even when planning my wedding, I kept a safe distance from the ever-so-popular bird cake toppers and Paloma’s Nest bowls. They just seemed too cute and kitschy for my tastes, and there were even times when I questioned my style (or lack thereof). Is there something incredibly wrong with me?

I hate the outdoors. I prefer cash over other gifts. I have a vulgar and immature sense of humor. Most people find me a bit stand-offish, blunt, and socially awkward. I am nothing like the charming, well-mannered ladies of impeccable taste that comprise Weddingbee.

Sometimes I am glad that I applied to blog for Weddingbee back in 2007, when the site was just starting to gain popularity on the web. I’m pretty sure that my application would be rejected if I were to apply today.

ETA: I sat on this post for a few days before deciding to publish it, because I was afraid some of my fellow Weddingbee bloggers may find it offensive. Please know that this post is not an attack on your style and preferences at all — I am merely stating that my likes & dislikes seem so different from that of the majority of the Bees. I love you all. Really, I do. <3

The Bloodstain on the Couch

Yesterday I got my first period since losing the baby. From reading other women’s experiences, I knew that it would be heavier than normal. I knew that it would more painful than normal. I had prepared myself for it…or so I thought.

The pain was excruciating, and my usual go-to remedy of Midol only dulled it some. Within the first few hours, I soaked through an entire pad and a tampon. The blood leaked right through my pants and onto our sand-colored couch.

Scrub. You failed as a woman.

Scrub. You failed as a mother.

Scrub. Your baby is dead.

No matter how long I soaked the stain, no matter how hard I scrubbed, it refused to come out.

The painful reminder of my failed pregnancy was set, fully visible right smack dab in the middle of the living room.

As if that weren’t enough, I received an email from an acquaintance asking how the pregnancy was going. “You must really be showing by now!” Delete.

Three women I know are due next month. Nine others next year. As happy as I am for them, I can’t help but feel saddened as I look down at my empty womb. I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t become one of those women — the bitter ones whose sorrows overshadow others’ happiness. But as time go by, I am finding myself more and more like one each day. With each belly shot, each photo of baby purchases, I am reminded of our loss and I die a little bit inside.

The memory of that last ultrasound haunts me every night. The images of the fully formed body. The head, the limbs, even the tiny hands and feet…

And I have a horrible feeling that I will look at our future children and ask myself, “Why were they able to survive when our first didn’t?”

Yesterday I got my first period since losing the baby. Yesterday I lost my baby again.

Be Sure to Keep Next Monday Night Free…

Because the next legend…wait for it…dary slap will air on HIMYM!

Earlier this year, I read an article on TV.com which stated that How I Met Your Mother has taken the throne once occupied by Friends as this decade’s defining sitcom. I couldn’t agree more!

Is anyone else as big of a HIMYM fan as me?