tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31049117576097122392024-02-20T10:39:11.771-04:00I know you are but what am I?A Blog For The Cosmopolitan MindAllycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-8493890830821683582012-02-20T05:06:00.000-04:002012-09-07T01:39:14.762-04:00Clocks and Arrows<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Many times I've been told that love is not so much a matter of fate as that of timing. It's all about the when, not the who (that handsome or not quite that handsome but oh so sweet guy), not the why (he's so funny, charming, brilliant blah blah), not the where (oh the scenic backdrop to this fantasy must be something that either contradicts it or compliments it perfectly!), just the when. This perfect timing either refers to a particular point in your life where you're more likely to want a relationship, a particular seasoned age or in my case it could refer to a particular time of the day (read: when I'm full of food and happy).<br />
<br />
Mostly though, I think it refers to when the readiness of both involved parties are totally in sync. You're there? Oh shit well so am I. Let's do this. Basically. Otherwise we find ourselves in situations where we are completely exposed and vulnerable and likely to be shut. the. fuck. down. There has probably been at least one instance in your life where you put yourself out there for someone telling them how you feel and they either straight up rejected you or let you down nice and easy. And up until that point you were always of the "Just take a chance" mentality. Funny how the information we receive all comes back to us based on our situation at the time. When you're gearing up to tell this person how you feel (la vie en rose!) you remember things like "It's better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all" and "wear your heart on your sleeve" and the list goes on. You tell yourself, "what's the worst that could happen right?" then you say how you feel, the compulsory awkward silence progresses into you feeling like you may be experiencing a heart attack and then...words. None of which you want to hear but at least you know you're not indeed deaf from the silence right? And when you do start remembering how to speak the English language you start feeling the weight of this monumental rejection all but turning you into a pulpy mass of your former self. In short - the worst that could happen has indeed happened. Uppercut.<br />
<br />
Suddenly you remember the wise words of the prophets Pharcyde who said, "I guess a twinkle in her eye is just a twinkle in her eye." These and other relevant words which you've unconsciously recited time and time again suddenly begin reinforcing themselves in your memory. Too late. I've come to the realisation that this can all be traced back to the things we were taught growing up. We are at once being encouraged to be brave and be careful. To be open and be guarded. As such, we often mix shit up. We're careful when we should be brave and sometimes brave when we should have a seat. The same applies to love; you're too careful and you let an amazing person come in and walk right out of your life. You can never go back. And will likely never learn. Then you take a chance and fall flat on your face. Oh why wasn't I more careful that one time and save myself some teeth? And this will be the case again and again until yet another potential mishap happens at just the right time and then...tah-dah! Love. <br />
<br />
Mark Twain said, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."<br />
<br />
It's all just a hit and miss, not so?<br />
<br />
Your miss-miss-misser,<br />
<br />
Allycat</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Image from Andertoons.com</span>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-65961271405893579422012-02-10T13:50:00.000-04:002012-02-10T13:50:10.239-04:00Shit Mark Says: Take One<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is just a little look into the reasons why my friends are extraordinary (read: marginally sane and AMAZING) human beings without whom my life would be a meaningless and humour-free existence. My partner in shenanigan crime Mark and I, aka Probs and Mayhem, were out last night at it again. Nothing but ruckus trolling around the city mixing more drinks than we should have. Good times. Along the way I decided I should share with the world some of the ridiculous shit this clown says to me regularly. Keep in mind, everything he says below happened within 24hrs.<br />
<br />
<b>On film and literature:</b><br />
<br />
"You should get this book 'The Love Dictionary.' I highly recommend it. Oh and also watch 'The Troll Hunter'! I would give up good head any day for those two things."<br />
<br />
<b>On kah-rah-taaaay and fight tactics:</b><br />
<br />
"We should wear masks like ninjas. Definitely."<br />
<br />
"You should just be like, kick..." *demonstrates and accidentally kicks a guy who's walking past just then* Kicked him. Swear.<br />
<br />
<b>On music:</b><br />
<br />
Me: "I wanna learn to play the guitar. I'll be much less impressed with these niggas when I do. Like, 'Oh you play the guitar? Me too so gftoh.'"<br />
<br />
Mark: "That's a good idea. Clouding your mind with some wood and a few strings. Smh."</span><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>On my taste in men:</b><br />
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"Really? That nigga is one chromosome away from being a woman."<br />
<br />
Me: -_- </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
<br />
<b>On becoming ex-pats:</b><br />
<br />
"We can't be in New York together. Ever. We'll get arrested. We'll get deported."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">----------------------</div>And there you have it. <br />
<br />
Your keeper of the worst good company,<br />
<br />
Allycat</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
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</div></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-81200776836132852282012-02-04T21:11:00.000-04:002012-02-04T21:11:13.437-04:006 Signs You Need More Estrogen In Your Life<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Allow me to preface this by saying that if you know me/this blog you know that this is in no way going to be a scientific breakdown of the effects estrogen - or lack thereof - has on your life. If you're looking for science find a book. This is about me maybe morphing into a penis-less man (The best kind! Oh wait...). For whatever reason this year I have been surrounded by my male friends much more than my female ones. I don't know why and I actually don't mind it at all, the interactions are less complicated and I save myself a lot of explanation but this isn't to say that I don't love the banter with my girlfriends. I am however, noticing some side effects of said increase in male interaction.<br />
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Here is my list of 6 things to look out for as indicators that you need more girlfriends.<br />
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<b>1. Increase in Food Consumption</b></span><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Guys eat. A lot. And a lot of crap at that. With girlfriends you tend to make more conscious decisions about what you put into your system which is usually limited to home-cooked meals, salads, Subway and cute cocktail parties. I love food a whole lot as I have <a href="http://yourallycat.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-forever-loveto-you-i-owe-my-life.html">previously expressed</a>, but this is a major issue with me because exercise and I have been back and forth in a ridiculous beef like Common and Drake. Sigh. I guess we need to squash this amicably before it gets real gully. And by 'it' I mean my ass.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Birds Town and Birds All Around</b><br />
Every girl I know and have ever known is now a 'bird'. Even if I don't say it out loud, in my mind I'm thinking, "What's this bird going on about now?" I shit you not. This is because my guy friends address girls as such when we discuss them. It's too hard to keep up with names and such ya know?<br />
<br />
<b>3. Dick Repellent</b><br />
</span><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is actually a great thing for where I am right now but if ever I was in doubt of a man's power to cock-block it was confirmed on Wednesday at an event. He didn't even need to say a word, touch me, nothing. Just the fact that he was there ensured that all other men stayed away because let's face it - it's a crazy ass world we live in. Better to assume that's my man than chance it because niggas be trippin out. Which brings me to...<br />
<br />
<b>4. Bitches Be Trippin'</b><br />
I literally cannot stop saying this. In part because of my friends but also because it's soooo true! To hear the shit that we <strike>birds</strike> women do recounted to me by a guy makes us all seem like the most ridiculous, irrational ass creatures God ever thought of. I mean really, the whole going through the phone, Facebook screenings and whatnot - been there done that, never doing that again - and really we all need to stop that shit. Stop trippin' <strike>birds</strike> bitches! Do it for me so I can't truthfully say this.<br />
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<b>5. Ass, ass, ass, ass, ass, ass</b><br />
If you know <b>ANY</b> man, I need not say more. <br />
<br />
That being said, this also engages me in some slight lesbianism. Just a smidge. I'm not personally courting any females so don't exert too much energy raising a judgemental/sexually stimulated brow. You know how guy friends are always looking for the <strike>bird</strike> girl of their dreams and shit? Well I sometimes feel that I can locate said <strike>bird</strike> girl and so I find myself actually scoping <strike>birds</strike> girls for them as if I'm gonna walk up to this <strike>bird</strike> girl and say, "Hey, I have the man of your dreams do you want him?" Smh. Fem shit.<br />
<br />
<b>6. Talking About It</b><br />
"It". As in the way you used to say sex before you passed through puberty and assumed you were grown. I don't actually believe it's quite so simple to dismiss the myth that men think about sex all day. This is because I have witnessed with my very eyes and ears that they do - in some way or another - tend to think about sexual interactions VERY often. If it's not covert then it's blatant but either way, it's there. And now, 'it' is always on my mind as well. Look at that guy's back... Ooh look at that guy's lips that look like... That smile could easily spread... Mhmm. Thanks for the dick repellent though guys. Comes in handy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
Your girl in need of girls,<br />
<br />
Allycat</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/jdi/lowres/jdin516l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/jdi/lowres/jdin516l.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Image from <a href="http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/i/interacts.asp" target="_blank">cartoonstock</a></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-70144445913695283132012-01-31T20:37:00.000-04:002012-01-31T20:37:21.406-04:00Introducing Dolce<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine found a stray that she decided to put into a box and label "for Ally". Not literally but I got the call that she had this amazing splendid specimen of a kitten for me. Initially I was under the impression that we would "share" the cat but that was quickly clarified. So there I was with a teeny tiny flea infested starving kitten who was afraid of wind and made noise for no reason. Le sigh (as they say).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Within the first few days she turned my new gold and cocoa curtains into a restroom, peed on the couch, peed on the phone, peed on the floor of my entertainment room and continued to pee until I decided to be proactive and stop feeding her liquids altogether because the shit was getting ridiculous. No not really, but I put her ass in the porch. She got a nice little basket to sleep in, food on a regular and only gets let inside after I've witnessed some kind of excretion. That part is serious. No really - cleaning up after a cat is NO fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After the first week the little runt grew on me. She was supposed to be handed over to a cousin but I'm too far gone. I decided to stop calling her Cat and give her a real name. <strike>Since I'm not Audrey Hepburn</strike>. She's now known as Metta World Peace (How ridiculous is Ron Artest with that shit? My bro and I are almost seizing when we hear the commentators call him that. Yes, they actually have to call him that!). But I digress, her real name is Dolce. Which is a man's name yes, but a gay man so I think it now qualifies as unisex.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4P0UMlv0R0qQzGdbB8PVxh-gxxGSOpeV6LC7D_o8Kfy-GngEEvoTLwB2VWBJ5SLQQwBl4hQ72JNZVE45yxLlHw1Y1tJJ29v04Tq4GFgVbGc8G00IWrpLmDYboB36Jou6z8ZISdKju0u4/s1600/_MG_9328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4P0UMlv0R0qQzGdbB8PVxh-gxxGSOpeV6LC7D_o8Kfy-GngEEvoTLwB2VWBJ5SLQQwBl4hQ72JNZVE45yxLlHw1Y1tJJ29v04Tq4GFgVbGc8G00IWrpLmDYboB36Jou6z8ZISdKju0u4/s400/_MG_9328.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Currently Dolce enjoys lounging on the carpet, the couch, my bed and naps in her basket.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">She also enjoys horse play and has inflicted me with several puncture wounds on my toes and fingers. Case in point:</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvNxnuXemnPcQgWzB_S2Jp18UJ-lfQnkFMeyKrIkthdP8FmDFi-tpubrivImggBOs4OajoIHKxAZlJByEvauZKTENC4lg5S2iuI0mU-V3r3ktLBVwKWSCOER7JRItwTBPU7fLrV1wh3M/s1600/_MG_9354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvNxnuXemnPcQgWzB_S2Jp18UJ-lfQnkFMeyKrIkthdP8FmDFi-tpubrivImggBOs4OajoIHKxAZlJByEvauZKTENC4lg5S2iuI0mU-V3r3ktLBVwKWSCOER7JRItwTBPU7fLrV1wh3M/s400/_MG_9354.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I don't make it a habit of takin strays into ma house at all (<b>disclaimer: this is not limited to animals</b>) but...I'm experiencing a change of heart with this one.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Your yet-to-be-confirmed-as-crazy cat lady,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://crazytownmayor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Crazy-Cat-Lady-cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://crazytownmayor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Crazy-Cat-Lady-cats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Image from: crazytownmayor.com</span></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-18958038778614051572012-01-24T23:05:00.000-04:002012-09-07T01:41:15.590-04:00Thrills Sans Pills<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Getting my thoughts sorted and analysed by my secretary (read: therapist) has been awesome for the whole two sessions we've had so far. A <b><i>whole</i></b> two. I'm cured! Remember when I said I was afraid of becoming one of those "my therapist said" people? Well I haven't become one of those only because I'm far too preoccupied having discussions in my head about what my therapist would say about things I'm doing or worse - the shit that I <b><i>think</i></b> about doing. I'm on the fence as to whether that's better or even worse than what I was afraid of becoming to begin with. <br />
<br />
I walk into her office and immediately the logical and more articulate version of myself decides to make an appearance. This woman must see that I am in fact not crazy and therefore seeing her recreationally to give her my money <strike>because I ball so hard</strike>. As I sit on the chair to face her, the disrespectful, cussin, brutally honest side of myself just decides to take a seat next to me and snicker while Doc marvels at my maturity and understanding. True story. I mean what kind of person would she think I was if I said, "blah blah blah and when he said that I wanted to reach through the phone and slap him hard enough to make his head spin because that's real fuckery." She may faint. Or die. And I'm sadly ill-equipped to handle that type of stress. Clearly, I'm seeing her for a reason.<br />
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Right now our relationship is a similar sensation to getting a new bff - any and everything that happens makes me think 'Ooohh I can't wait to tell Doc about thisssss.' I wonder if that happens to everyone...<br />
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Your psych convert,<br />
<br />
Allycat</span><br />
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<a href="http://writerunboxed.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ChallengeWinner_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://writerunboxed.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ChallengeWinner_002.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">toon from: writerunboxed.com</span></div>
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Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-43379628185005846232012-01-17T05:26:00.008-04:002012-01-24T23:09:12.412-04:00Shit Girls Say And Other Shit That Was Said<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Unless you live under a rock you're familiar with the 'Shit x say' trend in viral videos. Insert whatever you want at 'x' and it's probably been done. It all started with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/shitgirlssay">Shit Girls Say</a> and bring on the parodies thereafter. In all the mele there are a few videos I've come across that have literally left me either laughing hysterically or in tears. Seriously though, don't watch these back to back, you may die (DISCLAIMER).<br />
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1. <b>Shit Caribbean Moms Say</b><br />
Of course being a Trini, I had to start with this one. "DOH-TISH!"<br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2. <b>Shit Fashion Girls Say</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Being <a href="http://thefringes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">a fashion girl myself</a> I can say I've found myself saying some of this shit from time to time. It just happens. I <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/thefringesblog" target="_blank">tweet</a> and do net research on brands and designers all day and it really is kind of taxing but this is just hilarious.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3. <b>Shit Single Girls Say</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I've heard this so many times and said some of this too. But I'm glad the girls in my circle don't go on like this. Way to get an instantaneous slap from me.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">4. <b>Shit Liza Minelli Says</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I have often thought about how hilarious it must be to be a fly on Liza Minelli's shoulder as she just lives her life. What a class act that one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">5. <b>Shit White Girls Say...To Black Girls</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I can't understand why people would see this as racist. It's simple facts. You know how many white girls have walked up to me and touched my hair? Just asking because I've lost count. But seriously, there are black girls with long hair who don't wear weave but that doesn't mean you have permission to touch my head. She got every reference right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I've been thinking of doing one myself but I have so many ideas it's hard to keep up with which one hasn't been done yet. We'll see how that goes. Hope this made you smile today!<br />
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Your blogging comedienne,<br />
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Allycat</span><br />
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</span>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-83484347391372442952011-12-22T00:24:00.000-04:002011-12-22T00:24:35.799-04:00Why All Women Need At Least One Man<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Man friend that is. I'm not of the school of thought that men and women can't be friends because somewhere, somehow along the lines feelings are involved. I call bullshit on that. Perhaps that's because I don't go around crushing on my niggas but really, I value the thoughts if my male friends much more than my female ones. How could you say such a thing Ally? I mean, really women are more well-rounded with their thought process, don't you appreciate that? Like hell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Don't get me wrong, I'm as fragile and sometimes petty as the woman one seat over but I don't often care for the addition of female fluff to pad my issues. Your male friends will never pad. And I never pad for them. Or for my female friends actually... which explains why I have so few. It all boils down to this simple fact: bitches be lyin'. You're always wrong but not really wrong. And it's always, "who does he think he is?" and "i can't believe he did that!" I have the same convo with my male friends and they're all like, "you know you should've seen that shit comin, come on now." And then I actually have to stop and THINK. Psh. Men. Burstin women's bubbles since 500 B.C.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Anyhoo, tonight I was having a convo with a friend in which sex was briefly "discussed". I use the quotations there because men don't really discuss sex. For women any talk about sex could turn into a book, for men it can be narrowed to a simple sentence. Specifically when addressing casual sex. When is casual sex ever casual for a woman? Didn't Justin and Mila just address this?! So I said to him "sex is complicated" to which he responds, "it definitely is not" and goes on to break it down in man sense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For men it's basically as simple as a handshake, we're doing nothing but having sex - simple. That's a binding contract right there. For us it STARTS that simple and can turn into something else if we're attracted to the person outside of just the physical (insert fine print complication here). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We think, "maybe, just maybe this could be more and this will just be the funny tale of how we became mr. and mrs." (catastrophe pending!) Men think (in the words of my friend), "just don't fuck them like you love them. pull their hair and shit."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A female friend would interpret that as "ooh maybe he's just freaky" but this is why I love and appreciate ma mens. Because I know that if ever I were to enter into a casual sex arrangement and he pulls my hair I better just enjoy the ride and neatly pack my oestrogen riddled brain in my overnight bag. Simple life 101.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Your knowledge-seeking man hugger,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Image from: <a href="http://cartoonstock.com/">cartoonstock.com</a></span>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-64958185573876060512011-12-15T23:59:00.000-04:002011-12-15T23:59:13.321-04:00Therapeutic Gangster Rap<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">There's just something about Thursdays that automatically make me feel like shit. And what is it with random showers of heavy </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">ass </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">rain on a Thursday anyway? Basically, Thursday is an asshole. It was however, interesting to (tentatively) embark on my <a href="http://yourallycat.blogspot.com/2011/12/seasonal-resolutions-and-things.html" target="_blank">adventure of seeing a therapist</a>. There I was sitting in the waiting room expecting a frail-looking woman with round spectacles to peep from behind the wooden door and ask me - with a very Keanu Reeves monotone - to come in. Imagine my surprise and awkward facial expression when this bubbly adorable woman emerged smiling and chirping hellos. Ok Thursday...</span><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">There was no couch, no weird instrumentals fucking with my subconscious, and no one sitting across the table nodding and taking notes while randomly inserting an automated "mhm". She's almost as animated as I am, didn't outright gawk like my girlfriends but she reacted like a regular human being would and best of all she's HILARIOUS. Like, I think she may have been Eddie Murphy (a la Beverly Hills Cop not Pluto Nash) in a previous life. I. Love. Her.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">But of course this would not be a tale of my life if there wasn't something awkward amidst the interesting social interactions. I cursed. I cursed at my Christian therapist. Not my usual F (and MF...and C...and friends) bombs but I said shit and asshole <strike>a few times</strike>. I was actually quite proud of myself. What self control I possess! She was able to confirm my sanity (aaaaaahh!!!) and assure me that I wasn't in fact fuckin up. Did I mention she was awesome beyond all definitions of awesomeness?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Following the relief of my visit I was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to listen to gangster rap. Wu Tang Clan ain't nothing to fuck with. And neither is B.I.G. Thuggin Thursdays. It was perfection.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The saga continues!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Your Zen Master,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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</div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-23673050627137881092011-12-14T05:16:00.000-04:002011-12-14T05:16:55.647-04:00Seasonal Resolutions And Things<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Following my last awkwardly obscure post (all mobsters know snitching gets you murked) I decided to do a switcharoo for the blog. Every new year I say I'm going to write more, share my rants and other musings with the world while trying not to say too much about my actual life because oversharing makes me nauseous. Time to change that. Just a little.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In order to actually write more about my random and excessively theatrical life I will be sharing a little more of ME with you. This will include my most amusing interactions, loads of aliases, maybe some video, definitely some pictures, and interesting things I run into on a daily basis. The word daily as used in that sentence does not mean I will be posting daily however. But it's an improvement, yes?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This year was full of changes and overhauls for me and now that I'm decidedly less cynical but absolutely still a comedic case I'm going to let you into my head a little. Even my dearest loves (said friends who bitch slapped me out of my <a href="http://yourallycat.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-month-of-early-onset-insanity.html" target="_blank">quarter-life crisis</a>) are weary of the thoughts floating around in here. Enter at your own risk of course.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The adventure begins tomorrow with *insert drumroll and other suspense-inducing sounds here* therapy. Yes, therapy. Yes, <i>that</i> therapy where you see a therapist who takes notes while you lay on a couch and/or vomit because of the nausea induced by oversharing. This is an adventure for me because my friends outwardly gawk at the shit I tell them about my life and I always wondered what a therapist would say, so I'm going to test one. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I know right now you're envisioning an eye-twitching, awkwardly conspicuous psychopath but sane people get therapy too! Friends and family are generally biased (yes, no matter how much they try not to be) and at times you just need an independent party to tell you when you're fuckin up. God, if my therapist curses this will be the beginning of a very long love affair. She better not be one of those, "and how did that make you feel?" types because I won't be able to stop laughing and from experience I know that can be counter-productive.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So we begin a new chapter ahead of the new year and if 2012 brings the wrath of Armageddon upon us, I'll be at my cursing therapist's office drinking tea and discussing my absurd emotions. Here's hoping.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Your silly wabbit,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.toonpool.com/user/701/files/how_embarrassing_273265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://www.toonpool.com/user/701/files/how_embarrassing_273265.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Image from <a href="http://toonpool.com/">toonpool.com</a></span></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-32884474848545452292011-12-04T17:44:00.002-04:002011-12-04T17:54:53.467-04:00The Audacity of Closure<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Years of movies and regurgitated therapeutic rhetoric has lead us to believe that when things happen in our lives that hurt us no matter how much we try to move forward there is just one final piece of the puzzle that’s missing. This final piece that threatens to leave us “incomplete” forever is closure. Like many of you, I was of the belief that I would forever be labelled a baggage handler if I didn’t confront the person who wronged me. I somehow assumed that if I faced this person and asked the questions I felt I desperately needed answers to, all will be well in the world. Meh...</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Delving into those emotions past only sent me down a path that was better off barricaded (and surrounded by warning signs and booby-traps). The thing about emotions, particularly those dealing with love and other associated romantic notions, is that you can only wield so much control over them. Beyond that point they take on a life of their own. And so, in seeking nothing but peace of mind and the mythical being ‘closure’, I got lost. Not send-a-search-party lost but I definitely lost my bearings and spent a night in the wilderness.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">There is a reason this person is no longer a part of my life and despite not having gotten the answers to any of my questions (because as much as we like to see it movies, in reality dogs can’t talk) I was given so much more. I didn’t get the type of closure you see in movies. You know the thank-you-for-being-honest-I’ll-be-on-my-way-now-bless-you *cue the music* but I got the truth anyway. It’s not always as straight forward or simple as I would like it to be. Suffice to say, I can never get closure from someone else. They are the ones who have to deal with what they’ve done. My only duty is to forgive them and release myself of the burden so I can be happy.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">As enlightening and devastating as that experience was, it has strangely renewed my hope. I was always of the belief that at least once in our lives, no matter where on the timeline, we all eventually get the love we deserve. In retrospect, despite the soap opera melodrama of that day, I wouldn’t have done anything differently and I’m actually better for it. You never really see me discussing intensely personal things here, because it's hard to articulate my emotions that aren't humorous, so I’ll let my love Nina touch on the issue. Really she says it better than I ever could. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Your soldier of love,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CBuRBwURBEA/SZJhCeFlfRI/AAAAAAAABY4/mxv3lDxt9FI/s400/tumor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CBuRBwURBEA/SZJhCeFlfRI/AAAAAAAABY4/mxv3lDxt9FI/s320/tumor.png" width="314" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">What an appropriate description! :)</span></div><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-89388684381782812122011-10-21T09:45:00.002-04:002011-10-21T15:47:19.937-04:00October: The Month of Early-Onset Insanity<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mere days before my birthday I found myself sipping some wine and slowly but surely sinking to the bottom of the glass. My life, which was previously believed to filled with love and laughter and yes, <strike>many</strike> a few <strike>disastrous</strike> failures, morphed into a dry wasteland. I haven't done enough, seen enough, been disciplined or productive enough - it's not enough! What have I done with the last 23 years of my life exactly?!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Still unanswered, it turns out this enigma was brought on by a quarter-life crisis. I know, I also shook my head. This usually happens to people between the ages of 25-30 but of course in true Alicia fashion, I'm experiencing it at 23. It's essentially a phase where you begin questioning and over-analysing your life. It would appear that my introverted ways are catching up with me, thus causing this shit storm that wasn't due for another 2-7 years (sigh). Throughout the process I was able to maintain a substandard of sanity thanks to my spectacular <strike>and impatient ass</strike> friends who aided me through the bouts of depression <strike>and told me to stop my shit</strike>. I love them.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Symptomatic of this early-onset crisis I was introduced to (and overwhelmed by) loneliness, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">perhaps even fructifying the crisis more so than being a product of it. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Not only was I taken aback by this (finding myself using the word 'lonely' in conversation is <i>quite</i> the experience) but I am now submerged in it. Originally I assumed it was because I went from a long-term relationship to an ephemeral pseudo-relationship to now being absolutely singular. But despite being the girl who loves to go the movies alone, take long solo walks through the city and generally living the live of a seldom-socialised hermit - I find myself constantly on the verge of an anxiety attack. I still savour the time spent with my family, my brilliantly entertaining little cousins, my friends, my <i>friend</i>,<i> </i>yet I'm still aware of a void I can't currently fill.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">As recently as 4 days ago this void was a canyon, but as the dust starts to settle on 23 the downward spiral is becoming more of a startling dip into a pothole than me plummeting to my spinsterly death. As for the other aspects - an inactive social life, an even more inactive love life, my hatred of college, my <strike>lack of a</strike> career - I figure they'll all sort themselves out in time. For now I'm trying to focus on being ready for the great things I want to happen. That's a full-time job so technically I'm not a total bum.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I'm not sure how long these things last according to science but for now I feel like I've been through the worst of it and heading towards recovery. Hopefully this isn't one of those "calm before the storm" moments. Fingers crossed.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Your lonely beaver,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span><br />
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</span>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-55321728908174242552011-08-23T17:14:00.001-04:002011-08-23T17:15:21.909-04:00Her Majesty The Cynic<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I was once upon a time (yes, I just said 'once upon a time') proud to call myself a cynic. I would turn my proud cynical nose up at the optimists (the majority only briefly visiting the disposition) and laugh at their naïveté, mocking. Cynicism was a dose of reality that I had a tendency to <i>over</i>dose on. As I went through my many developmental phases over the years, I began scrutinising the cynical way I had honed for so long. The lingering taste of bitterness started replacing my saliva, like somehow being a cynic had turned me into something other than just an average human being. The Cynic took over, thus becoming Her Majesty.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Her Majesty ruled with an iron (albeit bejewelled) fist, seldom smiled and when one did appear it was oft a sarcastic smirk or pretentious greeting. Though glorious and splendidly irreverent at first, she soon became tart and inappropriate. When Her Majesty starts meeting the family, it's gone too far. Her Majesty is like the girl you take to bars and casual social gatherings, often introduced to acquaintances but only fleetingly socialising with friends. She's great company when you have nothing better to do and is a distant memory when your life is filled with more meaningful matters. She is never, under any circumstances to meet the family. And so, we parted ways.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Recently, I have been bumping into Her Majesty everywhere I go. And by recently I mean two days now.<i> Very</i> recently. She looks radiant and reminds me of our good times. She was a good friend. Loyal. But I still refused the offers to have a drink and drown my accumulation of sorrows. I told her that I fell in love with the most wonderful man I've ever known and she scoffed noticeably as if to remind me of the other "most wonderful" men we've known. I wanted to knock her teeth out but that's exactly what she'd like me to do so instead I took a deep breath and smiled, warmly. She seemed astonished. Bitch. That's what the old me would think anyway. I've been ignoring her calls, deleting her emails and yet, I look back on the times we've had and a part of me wants to believe that her scoff is accurate, that she is the kind of friend I should have in my life, instead of these fleeting bouts of optimism and faith (which she considers to be a legitimate illness) that I've clung to. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Perhaps her barbed wire exterior isn't aesthetically pleasing but at least intruders can't run in and out, stealing all her valuables. Not much is precious to her but the few things that are remain well guarded around the clock. I sometimes wonder if even she can still access them. Maybe there is something to Her Majesty's ways. She never smiles, or blushes, or laughs heartily, but she also never cries. Yet, despite the displeasure of tears (and snatty noses), I have decided to keep Her Majesty exactly where she is - in the far reaches of my mind. I never much cared for barbed wire.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Your Highness The Ephemeral Optimist,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">image copyright <a href="http://www.creativedisease.com/">http://www.creativedisease.com</a></span>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-23735000470408224422011-06-29T13:35:00.003-04:002011-06-29T13:43:00.065-04:00A Wise Man Once Said...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A friend of mine recently sent me the book 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho which I delved into this morning while having my first cup of tea. I was immediately intrigued but unsure whether my interest stemmed from the book itself or how relevant the book is to my current stage in life. Either way, it was simply written - in an elegant fashion, and a wonderful place to start my day. One part in particular stood out to me though, a story told to the main character in the book, that I feel compelled to share.</span><br />
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<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist: Part One </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"A certain shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">from the wisest man in the world. The lad wandered through the desert for</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">forty days, and finally came upon a beautiful castle, high atop a mountain. It</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">was there that the wise man lived.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"Rather than finding a saintly man, though, our hero, on entering the main</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">room of the castle, saw a hive of activity: tradesmen came and went,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">people were conversing in the corners, a small orchestra was playing soft</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">music, and there was a table covered with platters of the most delicious</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">food in that part of the world. The wise man conversed with everyone, and</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn to be given the</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">man's attention.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"The wise man listened attentively to the boy's explanation of why he had</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">come, but told him that he didn't have time just then to explain the secret of</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">happiness. He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">two hours.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">" 'Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,' said the wise man,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. 'As you wander</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"The boy began climbing and descending the many stairways of the palace,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">room where the wise man was.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">" 'Well,' asked the wise man, 'did you see the Persian tapestries that are</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">hanging in my dining hall? Did you see the garden that it took the master</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">gardener ten years to create? Did you notice the beautiful parchments in my</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">library?'</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"The boy was embarrassed, and confessed that he had observed nothing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">His only concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise man had</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">entrusted to him.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">" 'Then go back and observe the marvels of my world,' said the wise man.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">'You cannot trust a man if you don't know his house.'</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"Relieved, the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">the palace, this time observing all of the works of art on the ceilings and the</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all around him, the beauty of the</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">flowers, and the taste with which everything had been selected. Upon</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">returning to the wise man, he related in detail everything he had seen.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">" 'But where are the drops of oil I entrusted to you?' asked the wise man.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">" 'Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,' said the wisest of</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">wise men. 'The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.' "</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The shepherd said nothing. He had understood the story the old king had</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">told him. A shepherd may like to travel, but he should never forget about his</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">sheep.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> _______________________________________________________</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I need not comment, expound, or share my perspective on this story. I would just like you to think about this and hold on to it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Your wandering traveller in search of riches,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana, 'Lucida Grande', arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">cc licensed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana, 'Lucida Grande', arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jay_que/196204464/in/set-72157607347100108/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #996633; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">flickr photo by john_curley</a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
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</span></div></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-15262018526282953252010-11-15T10:07:00.001-04:002010-11-15T10:09:34.633-04:00Mirror Mirror on the wall...<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A few nights ago, in a taxi zooming through the streets of Port of Spain, I was lost in my mind taking in the drama and the noise of the city. I love town. It’s chaotic, filthy, unpretentious and alive. On pause for a few seconds at a red light, I stared at this vagrant who was very intensely staring at his own reflection in the glossy window of an establishment. He was standing there with a sac over his back that I can only assume was filled with his worldly possessions and treasures. I wondered what he was thinking. Was he looking at who he is now and wondering how he got there? Was he wishing he could retrace his steps back to where he used to be? Or was he just high out his fucking mind looking at his reflection thinking it was another man and trying to intimidate him? Of course I will never know which it is, but I felt in some way that I could relate to that vagrant.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Shouldn’t we all have that moment (or several) where we stop and look at ourselves and evaluate our lives? How did I get here? Where am I going? Am I happy with who/what I have become? I believe these moments of reflection and questioning are paramount to our development as we go along on this journey – for those of us looking forward to evolving that is. Some of us prefer to use the mirror solely to examine the wrinkles of worry that have accumulated over time.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">As we continue to deny ourselves these moments of pause do we risk becoming zombies, going about our routines void of any thirst and love for life, thereby condemning our entire species to non-existence? As it is, the degeneration has already begun. We spend so much time teaching our children to have discipline, compete, work hard, study, have manners, say this, do that but we never put enough emphasis on laughter, love, personal growth, caring for others and taking time to just do nothing but talk and develop their imagination. In some ways this works for the benefit of mankind, we now have more doctors, architects, engineers, artists, etcetera to propel us closer to the futuristic world we all had in mind since <i>The Chrysalids</i>. But now, there is also more violence, crime and suicide. Have we taught ourselves to sacrifice happiness for stringency? We are constantly going at a pace with our schedules and plans and plans to make plans.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">If there were no red lights to make us stop, would we?</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Just some thoughts.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Your aspiring traffic conductor,</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.seattletrafficlawyer.com/images/cartoons/snail_comic.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="http://www.seattletrafficlawyer.com/images/cartoons/snail_comic.gif" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Who said anything was wrong with moving at a snail's pace anyway?</span></span></span><br />
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</span></span></span></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-55455923388718428262010-11-09T07:37:00.001-04:002010-11-09T08:15:43.007-04:00Spinning Webs of Wisdom<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">There are times I truly believe I have lost my mind. I don’t know when nor where I lost it, if it is entirely lost, but I am certain there are some fundamental chunks gone awry. The combination of life experiences – real, imagined and modified – have driven those parts of my mind to either vacate or mutate without warning. I wonder if I can grow and develop with what I have left and cling desperately to the hope that I will not be this way forever; the selfish, hot-tempered, and unfocused person who I am occasionally ashamed of. We’ve all been there. It’s all part of the vicious cycle of attaining the ever elusive “maturity”.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Playing Spider Solitaire (my new obsession – don’t ask) at 5am this morning I was (repeatedly!) informed that whether I quit and start a new game or restart my current game it will be counted as a loss in my statistics. Here is this game telling me that even I start over and ultimately win, the fact that I even had to start over means I’ve lost. </span></span><span lang="EN-TT" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Sipping on tea, legs crossed sitting with my laptop on my bed (very much like the illustration), it got me thinking about life</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">. Having been a strong believer in the dust-yourself-off-and-try-again philosophy, now I can’t help but wonder how many losses I’ve accumulated over the last 22 years of my existence. And exactly how important are those losses? It also made me think about shortcuts, as I – armed with a victorious smile – reset my current statistics. Oh the joys of a fresh start!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">But do we always have to accumulate losses to win or can we all just be winners? If we are always reminded of our “life statistics” will this make us strive for a better record, or just feel miserable and burdened?</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I’d like to think we all continuously strive to be better people, good people, and conquer the things we have been taught make us “civilised” and “respectable” adults. Whatever that means. Can we all be the she-has-her-shit-together lady, or are some of us just destined to be the helter-skelter types? I understand that reaching this place of emotional and intellectual maturity is a process, and I continue to trudge along in my journey, but I often wish I could just be the “new and improved” me without all the trials and errors. I’m running in circles like a puppy chasing its own tail when I would rather be the smart and cunning cat observing and taking note of life from a high perch, casually swishing my tail while I harvest my wisdom. When do we become the cats?!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Just some thoughts.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Your work in progress,</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLJt6hOIZD-jDoC_B0YQUmVigxIHYs2xJB8kjyflnCkyWG40tYJDDXS5C3EQtMeyMT6Opn8m-B-3WrirdE961Bq5tdIfwQLxYgyU7zk0zyBYSN8yguF2yK7BsRops5jAvu-WUev1Ve4E/s1600/Cartoon-girl-with-laptop-200x188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLJt6hOIZD-jDoC_B0YQUmVigxIHYs2xJB8kjyflnCkyWG40tYJDDXS5C3EQtMeyMT6Opn8m-B-3WrirdE961Bq5tdIfwQLxYgyU7zk0zyBYSN8yguF2yK7BsRops5jAvu-WUev1Ve4E/s1600/Cartoon-girl-with-laptop-200x188.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-74393985662338970362010-08-06T03:51:00.001-04:002010-08-06T03:57:06.143-04:00Fashion Internships: New York, Los Angeles and beyond<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">For all the latest info on internships in fashion and related fields you should all follow <a href="http://twitter.com/FASHIONISMYLIFE">@FASHIONISMYLIFE</a>. These are the ones she tweeted wee hours this morning, there's more coming so follow her! S</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">he tweets you the info with the quickness.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Instead of filling up your FB newsfeeds and posting repeatedly on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/yourallycat">my Twitter</a> (follow!) I made a listing of all the internships. Get to it worker bees!</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">New York:</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">RACHEL RACHEL ROY DESIGN INTERN (NY): Have experience in Design field or in school for design. Visit: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.jonesappearel.com/CAREERS">WWW.JONESAPPEAREL.COM/CAREERS</a>.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ARCHETYPE SHOWROOM SALES & PR INTERNS (NY): 3 days a week. Can start ASAP. School credit available. Resume & brief CVR Letter to press@archetypeshowroom.com.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">LOUIS VUITTON PR (NY): 3 days a week, full-time or part-time. Starts now. School Credit only. Experience in PR a plus. Send Resume & CVR Letter to r.singh@us.vuitton.com.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MARIE CLAIRE FASHION INTERN (NY): 3-5 days a week. School Credit only. Long hours. Send Resume & CVR Letter with start date and availability to </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MCFashionista@gmail.com with “Marie Claire Fall 2010 Fashion Intern” in the subject line.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">GLAMOUR MAG PR INTERN (NY): 2-3 days a week: Aug - Dec. Word, Excel, Internet research important. School Credit (must be in school). Se</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">nd an email telling a little about yourself as well as your resume to Samantha_Storch@condenast.com.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">TOPMAN PR INTERN (NY): Unpaid, 3 Days a week. Microsoft Excel & Word, verbal and written skills. Send Resume and cover letter to TopmanInternship@gmail.com.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MIGUELINA DESIGN INTERN (NY): 3 days a week. Photoshop, Illustrator & Microsoft Office. Can lead to full-time employment after 3 month review. Send Resume to sathya@miguelina.com.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MIGUELINA SALES & MARKETING INTERN (NY): Start now, must be available at least 1 day per week. Photoshop. Send Resume to heather.green@miguelina.com.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">Los Angeles</span></span></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THELOOKBOOK.COM INTERNSHIP (LA): Database updates, red carpet credits, social media. School Credit offered. Send Resume to thelookbook.internship@gmail.com.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ROMEO & JULIET COUTURE SHOWROOM INTERN (LA): Interest in Fashion a must. Send Resume in body of e-mail to rjcintern@gmail.com.</span></span></span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">Nationwide</span></span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BALL AND BUCK BIZ DEVELOPMENT: Needs interns for LA, Boston, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, DC, Marthas Vineyard Nantucket, Nashville, Austin, Dallas, San Francisco and Greenwich: Not afraid to sell. Commission based salary. Can turn into full-time employment. Send Resume to Mark@ballandbuck.com.</span></span></span></li>
</ul></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">Your fellow aspiring fashionista,</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">Allycat</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">Image from </span></span><a href="http://blog.vintageshoppingguide.com/?p=368"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://blog.vintageshoppingguide.com/?p=368</span></span></a></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-75717951452447830382010-07-21T23:23:00.004-04:002010-07-21T23:42:49.997-04:00City Gyal: A stroll through Port of Spain<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I like walking through the city after dark when the respectable citizens lock up their businesses and leave their jobs to go home and the notorious and otherwise entertaining characters emerge. People watching is one of my favourite things in the world to do. You’ll learn more than you will in any education institution. I felt like Jodi Foster’s character in “The Brave One.” I really love Trinidad.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I’m going to walk you all through the journey of my city stroll. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:20 – Walk from the beautiful Savannah down Dondonald Street, careful to avoid roaches on the pavement. Nasty bitches.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:23 – I hear music blaring behind me on the street and assume it’s a car but this band of bicycle riding teens pulled a fast one on me. There was one of them with a huge speaker attached to the back of the bicycle blaring Jamaican dancehall music. I laughed loudly and shook my head while thanking God that the music was so loud they couldn’t hear me. Don’t want to take any chances.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:25 – Walk past the strip club. Yes, there is a strip club sitting betwixt businesses and schools. Only in the city. The man asks me if I want to come in, I steups and keep walking. In my mind: </span></span><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I’m not a stripper you shit face.</span></span></b></i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-TT"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:30 – Walk past 3 guys talking and laughing on the other side of the street. One shouts, “Goodnight nice girl. I would give you anything you want, anything, a Benz, a X5, a big house on the hill, tell me what you want!”I laugh with my eyes but keep walking.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:32 – Slow my pace to walk behind two women with outrageous weaves who chatter and laugh loudly. They’re talking about installing kill switches in their cars while I examine their hair. I imagine them at the hairdresser getting it done and then leaving thinking they’re the flyest people on the planet. I imagine the other people in the beauty parlour endorsing this fallacy.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:35 – Listen to a vagrant ask a man behind me for money. Always money, not food. Never food. I see the hard and cracked soles of his feet in my mind and wonder what they were like years ago.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:40 – There is a man sitting opposite the casino in a Police Service t-shirt diligently polishing his shoes with a toothbrush and shoe polish. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*shhh – shhh – shhh – scoup polish – shhh – shhh – shhh*</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:43 – I look into the car park of a building and see fully costumed dancers saying prayers before their rehearsals. Two more steps: Tassa Drums. Hearing Tassa Drums always makes me feel like doing an African dance ritual.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:45 – Jehovah’s Witnesses. Too busy thinking about African dances and didn’t see them in time to cross the street. Smile politely and take the booklet. It reads, ‘Would you like to know the truth? Does God care about us? How can I find happiness in my life?</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">’</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> In my mind: </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Pay attention Alicia, damn.</span></span></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:49 – There are six old men avidly debating politics in the Square. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Go home and take your pressure pills na pops.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:52 – Stop dead in my tracks to avoid a roach touching my feet. Step into the street and inadvertently step on another roach emerging from the sewer. *CRUNCH* Deep breath to stop my skin from crawling. I drag my feet for two more steps to ensure the yellow gunk is removed from the sole of my flip flops. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Why the fuck are there so many roaches?!</span></span></i></b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:55 – Look into the showcase of one of my favourite stores from across the street and examine their layout marking things I approve of.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8:56 – Look into the showcase of the store I hate and scowl. Any merchandiser who sells low quality goods at a high quality price deserves it.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:00 – Heart of the city. Pass the nuts and newspaper vendors. Boldly cross the street and imagine myself being hit by a car if I was in another country. I am admittedly a wayward pedestrian.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:02 – More Jamaican music blaring. This time from a pirate selling CDs at the side of the street. I sometimes forget that I am in Trinidad and not Jamaica.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9: 05 – In a maxi (the equivalent of a small bus in Trinidad). The man next to me is holding a box of food. I imagine what’s inside. You don’t want to know.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:07 – Maxi stops and a girl with her hair in an afro ponytail sits in front of me. I imagine that they’ll honk if I squeeze them. Briefly wonder what she would do if I did. Flashback of that viral video of the </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNkcGWjzmz0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">white war vet beating that black guy on the bus</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">. Worse yet, </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NZtGz_7WI0&feature=player_embedded"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">‘Soulja Girl’</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> going crazy on grandma in ATL. No thank you.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:10 – Honking pom poms gets out the maxi and flashes me her pink and white striped underwear as she bends to pay the driver. Sigh and look away.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:12 – Close my eyes and savour the smells from the various Chinese Restaurants lingering in the air. I love Asian cuisine.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:13 – Fantasies of Asian food come to a screeching halt with the maxi as the driver almost hits a man crossing on the green light. They curse each other out. Life goes on.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-TT"></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:14: A car is overturned into a ditch at the side of the street. The driver smokes a cigarette and talks softly into his phone holding a beer. Wonder what happened?! The woman behind me promptly calls someone to relay the news. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">All Trini people are natural reporters.</span></span></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:15 – Another passenger gets out and flashes me her ass crack as she pays the driver. </span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Switch seats or keep your eyes to the window woman!</span></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:16 – Thankfully, I arrive at my stop. The driver speeds and has no regard for road safety regulations. I am also thankful that my outfit prevents underwear or ass crack flashing of any kind. Goodbye asshole, try not to kill the other passengers.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9:17 – Home. Flip Flops thrown aside, hair down, glass of milk. Possibilities are endless.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Your stripping, roach crushing street walker,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mba/lowres/mban1021l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mba/lowres/mban1021l.jpg" width="277" /></span></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-TT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Image via cartoonstock.com</span></span></span></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-54655675969635014252010-07-08T09:49:00.001-04:002010-07-08T09:52:53.230-04:00Walk It Out: A profile of footwear for the fashion forward<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Confidence is the key ingredient in making an outfit successful - how you wear it will determine how others interpret and ultimately imitate it. A must-have for a look that comes together perfectly is without doubt a wicked pair of shoes for you step in. While working through my insomnia last night I compulsively </span></span><a href="http://twitter.com/yourallycat"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">tweeted</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> images of shoes I'm currently too broke to afford but ambitious enough to desire. So instead of commanding the feeds of my followers I figured I would share with you all 12 shoes I think represent the brilliant artistry that is shoe-making.</span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Maison Martin Margiela High Tops (via </span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/women/shoes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ssence</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01188F132001_2_1.jpg" width="212" /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01188F132001_1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01188F132001_1_1.jpg" width="212" /></span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01188F132001_4_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01188F132001_4_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Beige leather made in Italy. Can be worn with practically any outfit - functional and fashionable. Need I say more?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. </span></span><a href="http://www.krisvanassche.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kris Van Assche</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Wrap Heels (via </span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/women/shoes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ssense</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01134F135001_2_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01134F135001_2_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01134F135001_3_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01134F135001_3_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01134F135001_4_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01134F135001_4_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Black leather made in Italy. 5" Stilleto Heel. It's basically sex on a 1" wooden platform. It's the business.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. </span></span><a href="http://www.jeffreycampbellshoes.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jeffrey Campbell</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Jackie Heels (via </span></span><a href="http://needsupply.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">needsupply</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/j/a/jackiedp_canvasheel4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/j/a/jackiedp_canvasheel4.jpg" width="256" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/j/a/jackiedp_canvasheel5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/j/a/jackiedp_canvasheel5.jpg" width="256" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><a href="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/j/a/jackiedp_canvasheel3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/j/a/jackiedp_canvasheel3.jpg" width="256" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Canvas bootie on 4" of fierce. The type of shoe you want to find an excuse to wear. Jeffrey Campbell (as you will soon see) is currently on my list of favourite shoe designers. I now follow </span></span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/JCShoes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the brand</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> on Twitter for continuous updates.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. </span></span><a href="http://www.f-troupe.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">F-Troupe</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Black Mesh Lace Up (via </span></span><a href="http://needsupply.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">needsupply</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/1/7/1747799_patentmesh3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/1/7/1747799_patentmesh3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/1/7/1747799_patentmesh3.jpg" width="256" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/1/7/1747799_patentmesh2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/1/7/1747799_patentmesh2.jpg" width="256" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><a href="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/1/7/1747799_patentmesh4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://needsupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/400x500/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/1/7/1747799_patentmesh4.jpg" width="256" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Jazzy flats made of mesh panels and patent leather detail. I love the Oxford look and they seem like that pair you go to first when leaving the house.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Style Adventure Boots (via </span></span><a href="http://www.modcloth.ocm/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">modcloth</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://static1.modcloth.com/productshots/0043/5351/14395-1.jpg?e3c201eee2b5c3976024cd0125625cd24e6b06de" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://static1.modcloth.com/productshots/0043/5351/14395-1.jpg?e3c201eee2b5c3976024cd0125625cd24e6b06de" width="224" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.modcloth.com/productshots/0043/5375/14395-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.modcloth.com/productshots/0043/5375/14395-5.jpg" width="224" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.modcloth.com/productshots/0043/5363/14395-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.modcloth.com/productshots/0043/5363/14395-3.jpg" width="224" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: These 4.5" heels are aptly named. It's cargo casual meets city chic. For the girly girl trying to tone it down.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Excalibur Flat (via </span></span><a href="http://www.modcloth.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">modcloth</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://static1.modcloth.com/productshots/0042/4179/13957-1.jpg?e3c201eee2b5c3976024cd0125625cd24e6b06de" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://static1.modcloth.com/productshots/0042/4179/13957-1.jpg?e3c201eee2b5c3976024cd0125625cd24e6b06de" width="224" /></span></span></a><a href="http://www.modcloth.com/productshots/0042/4185/13957-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.modcloth.com/productshots/0042/4185/13957-2.jpg" width="224" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.modcloth.com/productshots/0042/4191/13957-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.modcloth.com/productshots/0042/4191/13957-3.jpg" width="224" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Faux leather looks good on this pointed toe studded flat. A nice way to make a casual outfit look more polished.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. </span></span><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">United Nude</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Block Pump Hi</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1223_neongreen_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1223_neongreen_a.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1223_neongreen_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1223_neongreen_m.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"></span></span></span><br />
<div><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1223_neongreen_t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1223_neongreen_t.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1223_neongreen_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1223_neongreen_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Abstract 4.5" heel. Architecture for your feet. That is all.</span></span></span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. </span></span><a href="http://y-3store.adidas.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Y-3</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Natsumi Sneakers (via </span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ssense</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01138F132004_2_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01138F132004_2_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01138F132004_1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01138F132004_1_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01138F132004_4_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01138F132004_4_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Adidas revamped their game with the Y-3 collection and judging by what I've seen thus far, especially these insane leather high tops, I'm on board.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9. </span></span><a href="http://www.jeffreycampbellshoes.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jeffrey Campbell</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Biz Boots (via </span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ssense</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/92224F127003_2_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/92224F127003_2_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/92224F127003_1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/92224F127003_1_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/92224F127003_4_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ssense.com/photos/92224F127003_4_1.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Jeffrey Campbell snatched my heart yet again with these boots. I'm a sucker for a flat comfortable boot that reflects my punk/rock style and these hit the nail on the head. They are the Biz.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10. </span></span><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">United Nude</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Lo Res Heels</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1223_neongreen_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1523_magenta_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1523_magenta_n.jpg" width="320" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"></span></span></span></a><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1523_magenta_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1523_magenta_a.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1523_magenta_t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://www.unitednude.com/images/product_images/1523_magenta_t.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: As soon as I saw these for some reason I was reminded of the days when games like Mario Bros were blocky and distorted. It's a gem. Literally.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11. </span></span><a href="http://www.jeffreycampbellshoes.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jeffrey Campbell</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Foxy Platform (via </span></span><a href="http://www.shopnastygal.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">nastygal</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/b/037/052210s009__99170_std.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/b/037/052210s009__99170_std.JPG" width="213" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/m/026/052210s008__95056_zoom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/m/026/052210s008__95056_zoom.JPG" width="213" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/t/526/052210s012__32195_std.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/t/526/052210s012__32195_std.JPG" width="213" /></span></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Leather T-Strap Platform Sandals that really are probably the most comfortable type of high heel you could ever wear. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/JCShoes">Jeffrey, Jeffrey, Jeffrey</a>!</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">12. MMM Here Comes Trouble Studded Boot (via </span></span><a href="http://shopnastygal.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">nastygal</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></span><a href="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/p/672/1003150049__12718_std.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/p/672/1003150049__12718_std.jpg" width="212" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/x/717/1003150050__01239_std.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/x/717/1003150050__01239_std.jpg" width="212" /></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/e/108/1003150052__03051_std.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.shopnastygal.com/product_images/e/108/1003150052__03051_std.jpg" width="212" /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Info: Pow! What else could there be to say about these?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And there you have it. Ladies, wipe up the drool, get your shop on and stay fly.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your web-window-shopper,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Allycat</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div></span><a href="http://www.ssense.com/photos/01188F132001_2_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></div></div></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-37348238944511279112010-05-27T11:09:00.006-04:002010-07-08T05:59:42.581-04:00Love Zombie<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Rummaging through my house last week I found the movie “Edge of Darkness,” that new (ish) Mel Gibson flick where he’s an ex-cop and whatnot. The movie was ok because I like when there are no happy endings in movies. It’s often quite boring when the hero survives and ends up with the love of his life living happily ever after and all that Mills & Boon greatness. That may just be a reflection of my deep dark fear of happiness – or realism. Label it as you wish. In the movie there was a line that struck me as profound (more profound than it would have been had I not been lounging in a pool of depression and chamomile tea, which as we all know sharpens the mind).<br />
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“It’s not what it is. It’s never what it is. It’s what it can be made to look like.”<br />
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Let the reality and pertinence of those words sink deep into your bones because I don’t believe I have ever heard more true words ever spoken in my life. What’s the first thing that came to mind when you read and understood it? Well, it made me think about love and how it can be so counterfeit and yet so real all at once. Prior to watching the movie my last few days were spent attempting to understand if love is real or imagined. I ponder whether it’s a matter of love being real enough to be truly attainable or just fantasised about enough to endure. It’s my most recent conquest, though I don’t think I’ll get very far. I’m too brainwashed. Like most of us.<br />
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I’ve been consumed with fantasies of love and its beautiful distress for as far back as I could remember. As much as I enjoy my own company and don’t long for that of others, the lifelong companionship of a “perfect” match is the ultimate goal in achieving well-rounded happiness. Whether or not we’re willing to admit that to ourselves (and furthermore embrace it). It’s one thing to have brief rolls on soft mattresses and have babies by a suitable mate, but it’s an entirely different matter to actually be happy and enraptured by someone for the rest of your life.<br />
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I can’t help but think the thoughts of Hollywood and Publishing houses have long become those of our own. Do we even actually believe in love or is it just what we were taught to believe in? Kind of like religion when you think about it (which is another matter entirely. God and I will work it out someday perhaps). I mean, love IS practically its own religion anyway. There are the sacred rituals like marriage, which is supposed to be consummated in LOVE, though I think marriage has long since been forgotten as loving or sacred. It’s now just something to do for most people. There are also things you do to demonstrate this love like having sex and giving gifts which I suppose (due to the insinuated regularity with which these things take place) can be compared to tides and offerings and well...prayers? I seem like such a heathen right now but, moving along.<br />
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My point is, before I further tempt the super devout SUPER-DUPER extremist Christians to crucify me, is love something we believe in and are willing to stand by (and perhaps be martyrs for) or is it just something we were taught to abide by through being forced to go to church and say prayers and go to bible study classes? I used to be sure. But now I’ve grown up, and after being dragged through the mud and being bruised by sharp stones along the way, I have paused for my moment of reflection and I’m forced to reconsider. I’m forced to face the reality that perhaps, like God (according to some), love is something that was invented to give hope and keep people believing so there can be happiness and kindness and, ultimately, securing the survival of the human race through procreation.<br />
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I always think the possibilities are endless. And it certainly isn’t impossible with all the elements for broadcasting we’re exposed to on a daily basis. The lucrative success of Valentine’s Day is a prime example of this. It’s quite a load of rubbish. In general terms. I still think it’s a nice day though. To see everyone walking around all smiling and kissing and basically it’s Paris, just ...everywhere. But I still ask myself, why is there a DAY dedicated to buying roses and chocolates and being romantic? I wonder who sat one day and said, “Eureka! I shall create a day where we will broadcast to the masses that they MUST give gifts of love and all sugary and cuddly things to the person they’re with for them to be happy and I will call this...Valentine’s Day. I am brilliant. Suck my toes for my brilliance bitch.” Ok that last part was random. Quite Rick James of me to even think it actually.<br />
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Once again, I digress. Let me not go along that red bricked road with Valentine’s Day actually because the argument could easily be expanded for practically everything we celebrate: Birthdays, Christmas, Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day etcetera, etcetera... Why just have one day for them all right? I’m working through this as I write, trying to make sense of it all so I hope you can bear with me and share your thoughts. Truth is I’m a hopeless love zombie. But I no longer want to be. I almost HOPE it’s all just a fallacy. Then all our failures in love won’t count because it was all bullshit to begin with. I don’ really know what to think anymore but I will acknowledge that both possibilities exist. If there were to be a battle betwixt the two I won’t know what side to fight for. I may just observe from a reasonable distance and allow my cowardice to bow to the victor.<br />
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Fuck it – it’s all gibberish. My brain is mush after this week. It’s a big herbal tea sap and you probably don’t understand a word I wrote but, I wanted to share my thoughts and hopefully in you sharing yours I will be able to gather information and come to a conclusion. Or at least seek solace in those of you who are still willing to be martyrs.<br />
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Your Allycat has been condemned to high treason in the Court of Love and will be imprisoned in a cell covered with hearts and filled with clichéd Valentine’s Day gifts. She will also be forced to view a chick flick every 4 hours and is also under the parsonage of Father John Mayer being taught to write love songs and poetry until further notice. </span> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">You WILL believe in love, you WILL believe in love...</span></span><br />
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</span></span>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-72080362035220837022010-03-13T09:27:00.001-04:002010-07-08T05:56:39.997-04:00Love is...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">After enduring yet another sleepless night this thought occurred to me: what does it really mean to love someone? Can you embrace all the things you love about them, you know those easy, loveable qualities that make you smile thinking about them all day and night as well as those stubborn, temperamental ways (like myself) that make you think about slowly wrapping your fingers around their throats? Is it truly possible to do both?<br />
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I’m not going to get all deep and philosophical on you with this one (not this time) I am far too traumatised by the dark circles under my eyes. This is just me barely scratching the surface but like a scratch and sniff, I want you to get a whiff, share your thoughts, and pass it around for a big open forum of opinions. So here it is.<br />
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The ever popular Bible verses I Corinthians 13: 4-8 says:<br />
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Love is patient, love is kind.<br />
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.<br />
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.<br />
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.<br />
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.<br />
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.<br />
Love never fails.<br />
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Sigh. Where do I begin with this perfect idea of what should be? Which is not wrong, it SHOULD be but we do live in a real world and I have always been of the belief that the bible provides you with a series of rules and stories some of which are open to interpretation and should not be taken quite so literally. One of my issues with Christianity but let’s NOT go there. All I have to say on those verses is this: we would like love to be all these things, but it is not. Love, when done right, makes us better people. It makes us strive to achieve the necessary patience, trust, truth and forgiveness as aforementioned but more often than not love temporarily turns you into crackhead. You can’t stop thinking about them, you want to spend every minute with them but you’ll probably end up killing each other if that were to happen, you try not to be rude but there goes this bitch again flirting with him IN YOUR FACE and you can’t help yourself, you try to always trust but there is that thing that sometimes prevents it, what is it called, oh right BEING HUMAN! I could go on and on and on but I like to think I’m dealing with intelligent people who understand by now and can complete the list themselves.<br />
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I have realised when it comes to love the quickest thing for us to do is to take the easy way out. I pose this (as many of may have experienced, done or seen): I love you. Your laugh, your personality, your fire, your big heart, your intellectual mind, your sexy body, your sex...but... I think I’ll just go for someone who may not have all those things but is less stubborn, less opinionated, less of a pain in my ass, less likely to have a temper, and less likely to amuse and love me the way you do. But hey, at least I’ll be sane (Sometimes I think sanity is so overrated, sane people act like robots).<br />
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What is it about love that always seems to produce the “but...” factor through every explanation of why that love can’t happen? I think we are all entirely too selfish, myself included. We are so wrapped up in our own lives and wants and needs that we can’t see and appreciate a good thing when it comes our way. We all want the good, ‘please Lord send the good man or the good woman and I’ll find something far too inadequate about this seemingly perfect match and begin my search all over again for EASY’. Yes she makes me laugh and is full of passion and interesting thoughts but damn I just want a woman who’ll cook some food, have sex with me and shut the hell up, where’s she at?<br />
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It’s kind of like those advertisements for Staples where they have the easy button. We all just reach for the easy button before we stop and think, maybe there’s another way to do this that, granted, may not be as fun as pressing that big juicy red button, but will also be effective and maybe even more thorough because the easy button will miss some things I need that aren’t on the list in my mind. What’s wrong with just going to the store and getting stationery the old fashioned way, testing the pens on that scrap of paper and eventually winding up getting a Dora the Explorer notebook for your baby cousin? I like the stationery store. But I digress.<br />
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Why are we obsessed with easy? We’ve seen it over and over in life and in movies, the girl and the guy, he’s great and she’s great but he’s broke and has little hope for the future so she marries the stiff ass accountant who doesn’t laugh, or play, or cook WITH her and (let’s be real) can’t, and doesn’t care to, make her cum. Skeet, skeet and roll over. It’s almost like we’re programmed to settle for fear of being alone. Because of course, that’s the worst thing in the world that can ever happen! It’s like 2012 the love edition, everyone head to China there are more than enough people to love there! Come on people. Wake up. There are too many people in this world for you to ever truly be alone. And it’s a modern time, if you feel the need to embrace promiscuity to satisfy the urge who’s to judge? Psh! Ok that was a joke people, calm down (but really though...)<br />
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All jokes aside (I could never stick to that), we all need to realise that we’re never going to get that perfect person. We’re never going to get someone we love EVERYTHING about. Not even in our closest friendships. My temper has my friends on EDGE thinking today just might be the day Alicia goes to jail. I’m sure it’s very uncomfortable for them to watch someone give me attitude of bad customer service. They probably shake their heads in the background looking around for police like, this is it. So much for ‘all jokes aside’ (told ya). There is NO ONE in the world who has everything you want. There is however, someone who has everything you need, and then some. You need to embrace what you love AND what you dislike about them because all those components put together make them who they are. And you fell in love with them in the first place because of who they are. Guess what? You’re not perfect either.<br />
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So deal with it and stop being a whiny bitch.<br />
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Your 9am wake up call,<br />
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Allycat</span></span></span><br />
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</span></span><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs463.ash1/25425_362203133940_515603940_3597311_5588242_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs463.ash1/25425_362203133940_515603940_3597311_5588242_n.jpg" /></a></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-7057347278229635092010-01-06T13:21:00.005-04:002010-03-22T10:39:37.816-04:00My 2010 "resolutions"...and then some<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">So the new year is here! I'm a bit late (as per usual) with adding my flavour to the mix of all the new year rants and resolutions. Bring on 2010 and whatnot and so forth.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Happy New Year to you all. I wish you a year filled with love, opportunity and adventure. Just what I would hope for myself :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I don't have any distinct resolutions, I don't find it necessary to wait until a new year begins to decide what I want to change about myself and/or add to my roster of things to do. HOWEVER, I will say that I am going on crazy ass cooking and health rant this year. So when I blog about what I'm cooking and what I'm currently salivating over, don't wonder if someone else took over my shit. It's me. Julie and Julia style, sorta. Not really. But I </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">am</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> expanding my horizons regarding my previously expressed (</span><a href="http://bit.ly/4Evsga"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://bit.ly/4Evsga</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">) love for food. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I'll be going to restaurants and sampling dishes from every culture (though I've already ruled out sushi thanks to Benihana. Ugh!). I'll be cooking (gasp!) and I'll also be posting some recipes I tried that blew my mind for you guys and gals to sample.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">But I'm not going full fucking Betty Crocker on you guys. *Says "but wait there's more!" in advertiser voice* I'm also going to be (drumroll please) leaving Trinidad and Tobago for the first time! Yay me. No set plans yet, I'm actually going to renew my passport this week (or next) so I can get the ball rolling. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Desired destinations: Jamaica, Japan, NY and Barbados. Now, I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to do that yet considering my bank acct balance is $0.00 and my pockets match that BUT, where there's a will there's a way! Right? Hopefully. Maybe I'll just keep playing the lottery just in case.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">So from Barbados, Jamaica, Japan (DYING to go!) and NY, I'll be bringing you the goods in video, pics and blogs. You're practically travelling in my tote. It's something I always wanted to do but never thought I'd have the means to do anytime soon. But I'm going to make my means possible and update you as I go along.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I also need to blog a lot more this time around. And do some videos so you can actually put a face to the crazy person. Before, my issue was not having a laptop and having limited internet access, NOW my issue is that I have a laptop and no time to really use it outside of work. That's one lousy aspect of journalism. Doesn't give you time for much else. But I need to make the time because I find myself feeling like I could just yank all my hair out when I can't write in </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">my</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> style and say what I really want to say. So I will now. At least twice a week.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Other plan: Get a fucking car!!! About damn time. Well first I need to get my driver's license so I could drive </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">legally</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> (yawn) then I could move on to the car part. Oh these rules of society! I can't wait to have my own little gas guzzler and beg friends for contributions to foot the bill to the beach. Ah yes, I can see it now.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My dream car, since I've always loved jeeps and old model cars, is a Suziki Jimny. Also known as the </span><span style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Suzuki SJ, Suzuki Samurai, Sierra and Holden Drover. I absolutely <3 it. Can just see myself in one. Picture it...</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And then picture me in it...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I know right? Sigh. Dream come true. When I get it you'll see how I actually look in my jeep in case you don't have my amazing foresight.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Well, that's it for now folks! Until I blog about cooking later this week that is! *wink* So, in the mean time between time, I have work to do so later!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Your 2010 globe trekker to be,</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span></span><br />
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</span></span>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-2353358544559075062009-12-01T02:05:00.001-04:002010-03-22T10:21:34.554-04:00The Real Deal: Behind Closet Doors<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"For a long time I was in love</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Not only in love-- I was obsessed</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">With a friendship that no one else could touch</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">It didn't work out</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I'm covered in shells</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And all I wanted was the simple things</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A simple kind of life</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And all I needed was a simple man</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">So I could be a wife</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I'm so ashamed-- I've been so mean</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I don't know how it got to this point</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Oh I always was the one with all the love </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">You came along</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I'm hunting you down</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Like a sick domestic abuser looking for a fight</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And all I wanted was the simple things</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A simple kind of life</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">If we met tomorrow for the very first time</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Would it start all over again?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Would I try to make you mine?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I always thought I'd be a mom</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Sometimes I wish for a mistake</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The longer that I wait the more selfish that I get</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">You seem like you'd be a good dad</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Now all those simple things are simply too complicated for my life</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">How'd I get so faithful to my freedom?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A selfish kind of life</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">When all I ever wanted was the simple things</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A simple kind of life</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A simple kind of life..."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> -Gwen Stefani, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Simple Kind of Life</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">We focus so much on these simple things that life, and all the complexities that come with it, inevitably bends us over and gives it to us in the ass. Sans vaseline, Oz style. Bring on the bandages.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I sat here, doing research, reading, listening to music, trying to relax. However after spending some time on the phone, the music suddenly became heavier. Everything got heavier. My shoulders are suddenly strained and hurting, whereas I was originally sitting upright I now hunch over my laptop, my eyes struggle to remain open. And Gwen's beautiful melody (one of my favourites) washed over me. *ahem* > Washed fucking depression all over me. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here it is, I thought, something's wrong with me, why am I feeling like this, why am I thinking like this? And Gwen just comes and sings my thoughts right back to me. In a better voice and probably wearing something more vogue than a big orange t-shirt of course. We all grew up wanting these 'simple things.' Husband/wife, children, a nice house, a nice car, money. Comfort.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And in our quest to achieve this comfort we have been slapped silly and hospitalized by reality. Those things aren't simple. Not by a far fucking stretch. Even more so when you add broken fragments of a heart, collected along the way, to the equation. Everything becomes substantially more difficult. The simple things are now the complicated, near inaccessible, things.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Who has successfully overcome that? Who hasn't, in the pursuit of these 'simple things', lost almost, if not just as much as they gained? In this modern society we seem to think that people don't still want these things. That we have "evolved" beyond that conventional old think; women are "independent", men are "bachelors" and the time spent in the club or the bar amounts to more than the time spent at home, with friends or with family. I too have been in denial about the things that I want, the things that I've always wanted, the things that I fight so hard not to want because of what it could mean if it all goes wrong. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">What is left? If we cannot safely harbour the innate desire for these things, and are instead content to live the life of promiscuous bachelors and crazy cat ladies, what is really left for us? I almost despise the fact that I still want these things. The idea of marriage? Husband, kids, the boring routines of parenthood occasionally shaken up by a doctor's visit or pregnancy scare (not another one!), the arguments, the acquired resentment, the struggles, the life. Blah. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Though I love children, I am (for some strange reason!) very uneasy about having them grow inside of me, give me gas, upset stomach, 20 extra pounds and stretch marks to finally emerge screaming out my vagina. Uh...thanks for the opportunity Mother Nature but I pass for now.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Even if your plan is not to include the husband/wife, the kids, we all still want the money, the nice welcoming house and that car. We all still want this life that allows for the illusion of comfort and simplicity.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I leave you with this: throughout your journey to acquire 'things', is it important to have someone to hug you and tell you sweet lies about the world being a beautiful place, the child with that innocent and adorable version of your face who wets your bed and mispronounces words, the home that makes you feel like maybe, just maybe you should spend more time there? If you can honestly say that these things have never occurred to you, that you have never had the more than occasional longing for them then I say kudos. You are officially a Martian. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Your closet conventionalist,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span></span><br />
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</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://www.snapshots.net/cartoons/00988-funny-cartoons-marriage-book.gif" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Don't be such a goat!</span></span>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-27195541896108129852009-11-16T14:26:00.002-04:002010-03-22T10:14:06.940-04:00Available for Hire: Will Work for Cash<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Name: Alicia Viarruel</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Occupation: Uncertain</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Financial Status: Nothing to declare</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The Mission: Make money to get a new laptop, a jeep and a fully functional cellular phone</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The Plan: Sheer Foraging</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">I've never consciously taken into account how important financial security is. I am willing to admit that I have always taken for granted the fact that I'll get what I want no matter what. Whether it was mom, dad, my favourite aunt or uncle, granny. I ALWAYS got what I wanted. Until one very sombre day when my forehead smacked into that withered and worn pavement that is adulthood. I now have to earn what I want (for the most part) and I find myself continuously wondering (sometimes aloud), "what the fuck happened?" Adulthood has ruined my youthful carefree spending habits. Oh how I miss the old days! Though my boyfriend would disagree and say that I'm a spoilt little runt who is completely void of the ability to spend prudently. He's totally wrong of course, however I have had to cancel a visit or two as a result of the purchase of some cute dress, scarf or must have handbag.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">The fact of the matter is that I am a hopeless spendthrift living above and beyond my means. Always. I know it's easy for the first thing to be, "get a job like everyone else." And though I have seriously thought about it, that's as far as it ever goes. A stray thought running through my mind every so often whispering 'get a job', but it's very easy to ignore when you really consider the options. Offices, offices, offices. I absolutely loathe the office environment. From the suit that must be worn, to the building, to the desk and computer that i have to sit behind ALL DAY, to the cut throat hypocritical coworkers. Yikes. Majorly devastating and not to mention destructive for my free spirit and creative mind.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">But now, at the stage of seeking desperate measures, I find myself actually considering purchasing some office clothes for my closet (the act of shopping is intensely more appealing than the items being purchased in this circumstance). Sitting behind a desk, typing, filing, talking to people with attitudes on the phone while desperately trying to remain calm and professional, the boss. Ugh. Aargh! I apologise, the act of leaving my comfortable bed, my comfortable house, to step into a more than UNcomfortable environment is inconceivable. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">However, this is a point in my life where drastic times call for drastic measures. Literally. I found myself circling (in purple ink no less) a job to work on a farm. Yes. Me, Alicia Viarruel, even slightly interested in working on a farm doing questionable duties for an even more questionable salary. If ever you were unsure as to the context in which to use 'wtf', this would be that time to blurt it out (fake dumb blond accent and all). Though I comforted myself by saying that at least I love animals so it could be fun...Maybe. I also looked at options like:</span></div><ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Experienced Painters wanted :- Since I've painted my grandmother's house for the most part, my own house (alongside dad) INCLUSIVE OF the redesigning of my bedroom. Twice. There's some experience for your ass.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Maid between 25-30 years old for East Indian family. 2-3 days a week:- If it's one thing I know how to do and do well, is clean. *Has a "hi mom" moment like those kids on MTV* And I figured, how hard could it be? Unless there's a diaper-less baby running around urinating, shitting, and vomiting I think I'll be fine. And I love curry. Maybe I'll even learn how to make a roti. Why not! AND I get 2-3 free days for the rest of the working week. Shit! Only minus there being that I'm 21. Gosh darn!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Supermarket workers needed :- Who doesn't love the supermarket? Hello! All that food and you don't even have to hold any of it, you just get to push them around in a somewhat cool cage on wheels. Get the fuck out of here! That job could be majorly cool, throw in a free Coke every 3 hours and I'm game.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Hiring now. Females to do massages. Training available. Attractive salary :- In my defense, this one did seem a little questionable so there is a big purple asterix next to it. Not too sure if I'm quite willing to venture into this physical contact services. Though the mention of the attractive salary did seem...attractive. Schemers! Next!</span></li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Of course throughout all this purple pen circling I wondered how many of these people I'd actually call, but hey, I made an initial effort at least. That's step one. I think. Not too sure how "job hunting" goes. Every job (out of all 4) I've ever applied for I've gotten. Not that this helps my image but hey, let the truth be told. Two out of those 4 were office jobs (Blech!) and I despised them. Quit one and was fired from the other. Good riddance! And the salaries, all $3000 of it, were spent on clothes because I had to make myself feel better after being in that shitty office, and I would not be me if I couldn't shop for clothes and bags. I'd surely perish. The other two were in fashion. Duh. And newsflash: Jobs in fashion don't pay unless you're the designer, the model, or the photographer. Go figure! </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">So, in my broken degenerate state, I need to figure out a way to get some fast funds. With prostitution and pimping out of the question, I am still in search of quick reasonably earned cash to get my laptop first, my jeep second and a working phone last but certainly not least. The quest begins! I vow to circle AND call and figure it out. I'll be sure to keep you guys posted on the process. Wish me...RICH blessings and financial restraint. Tomorrow will mark day one of this journey to purposeful (and gainful) part-time employment to help me achieve or acquire the aforementioned items. So we'll start a countdown and make it interesting by setting the deadline of January 31, 2010 for the laptop. We'll work the rest out when that deadline is met. Now, excuse mu purple pen and I. We have business to conduct.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Your unemployed degenerate,</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Allycat</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><img id="myphoto" src="http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs084.snc3/15160_177926473940_515603940_2874828_5741831_n.jpg" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I think I'll use this in my next interview</span></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-70313507676391910282009-11-09T16:30:00.002-04:002010-03-22T10:11:32.672-04:00Fight the Power: Don't Worry, Be Happy<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I've never understood even the bare basics of this world. If you're good and an overall nice human being you get bitten in the ass by the angry pit bull that is the rest of the world. You are betrayed by friends that you've been nothing but good to, taken advantage of, robbed and beaten. Life tries to beat you down into the ground. Well, I correct myself, PEOPLE try to beat you down into the ground (sometimes quite literally though thankfully I've been THUS FAR spared the personal experience). If you walk the straight and narrow path be sure to keep your eyes peeled for boobie traps and manholes because they're always there to fuck you up.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The road is straight and narrow after all so preparation is best as they're near impossible to avoid. It's like being ahead in Monopoly then you're suddenly plundered into poverty by the card where you have to pay for each house and hotel or imprisoned by the go to jail card ("go to jail, go directly to jail, do not pass GO, do not collect $200," we know that bitch of a card well). You're done for. You get those cards in life too except that it isn't a game. You can't afford the luxury of being the sore loser and calling it quits to go watch tv instead.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">When it's good, it's so ridiculously good that you find yourself being scared shitless at the possibility that something terrible is going to happen. And... it does. The good people in the world always go down hard. They endure more broken hearts than should be allowed any one human being. Sometimes, they may pass along some positive attributes to those smart enough to pay attention. Otherwise, they don't live long and, to be honest, die quite tragically. On the flip side, by all appearances, it pays to be a bitch! The really bad people of the world live long and hearty, get to be fat and happy, affect more lives than most good people get to (whether its through other people's ungratefulness or lack of opportunity) AND they die with a big smile on their wrinkle and blemish free faces. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Though through all of this, the thing that really irks me about being good in this life is that you really can't please anyone! If you're smiling people are disgusted or annoyed by how happy you are. If you're generous and helpful people are skeptical and always seem to think you're up to something. If you're beautiful people are jealous. If you're quiet and sensitive you're mocked and abused. If you're nice to everyone people think you're pretentious. If you're shy and keep to yourself people say it's superciliousness. People, people, people! See a trend here?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I had this way of always saying that the world is shitty but throughout the years of making my own mental notes I've come to the conclusion that people, this thing we have so inaccurately labelled humanity (the act of being human or otherwise defined as the act of being humane which is the ability to have consideration and compassion for others, which should in all actuality go hand in hand regardless), is what makes existing on this earth such a task. We've done this, created this mayhem and set this "standard" of mediocre living for ourselves. One by one we all did it. Ain't that a bitch?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">These past few weeks, after experiencing these very issues I have been dwelling on the hopeless state of it all. I have been battling against crossing over to the dark side and becoming the biggest bitch you dare to know. For my own protection rather than just to be spiteful. Over the last 10 or so odd years I've become very familiar with the bullshit associated with being too nice or too trusting. I have hardened to fight against said bullshit, though still desperately trying to stay true to the me that is an absolute clown and loves to laugh and make others laugh. The me that is truly not hard at all. Like most of us who have had to go through this process, I had lost my way. I don't smile like I used to, laugh like I love to, help like I want to. People upset me. The nature of human beings upset me. I find myself angry all the time at the way the world has become.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">No one smiles at you in the street, people barely so much as mumble a "good morning" or "good day". I lost my burning passion to live, TRULY live, to be as I was when things were simple and innocent, to give in to that thirst to just walk down the street smiling from ear to ear simply because I'm alive. I lost myself in the sea of shit and was drowning in it. I allowed the fucked up people who entered my life to fuck ME up rather than counting my blessings that I'm nothing like them and moving along on my mission to laugh until I die. Literally, I want to die laughing or in my sleep (because I LOVE to do both). But I know that in the attempt to protect myself from the evil people of the world through the method of acting like them, I am adding to the problem and not contributing to a solution for days ahead. I forgot to positively affect the lives of the people that I encounter on a regular basis. It's odd to miss your own self, be your own worst enemy for what you've become. As it turns out, the sacrifices we make in life, though logical, may not always be best.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I had a debate with a friend of mine about whether or not there is a middle ground between logic and emotion. And I said, "there must be something in between, there's always something in the middle that's why the word "maybe" exists. If there's middle ground I'll be sure to write a book on it and let everyone know. 'Chicken Soup' style." And though it was funny at the time, I reflect on it at this wee hour of the morning when I think best and I realize that there really is no middle ground. The word 'maybe' exists so you don't have to commit to either a 'yes' or a 'no' even if you already know the final answer. 'Maybe' is the word that allows procrastination, it was created to cater to the indecisive nature (or attempted mystery is you will) of human beings.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I admit to myself, and to you, that I was backsliding and forgot how to live. I can't remember what it's like to not try to control my own destiny, to just let go and laugh and not let PEOPLE get me down or angry. There will always be that asshole and that bitch and those who will call your name in matters that don't concern you, those who want to defame you and can't help but attempt to dirty your crystal clear waters. People won't always appreciate your brilliant light and some will want to out it just for kicks. Fuck them. Life is too good, the sky is too perfectly blue, the clouds too mesmerizing and puffy, the sun too hot and marvelous for you to be taking on the people around you and letting them fuck with you. I always like to say, if people want to exit your life wave them adieu and get the fuck on skipping down your yellow brick road. Let the wizard deal with them when you get to the top. It's going to take a while, but one by one the same way it started it can end, if we all just smile a bit more each day, say more hellos and good mornings hopefully it'll catch on and stick like herpes. Though that is a bit fucked up. Maybe.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Your obscene cynic turned...well, obscene optimist,</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Allycat</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KEP2DhK3Q4mYZ9MJHvO1CPvnZQhXypQClEGdEDdFvyF9EoGJcvFGMGRn2FuJ4XSgH694rX3GThmueqbTiTkIf7vHXd8c1d7L9kC4S6qvOab4FnNUekgy2mmRrmEZjmHVpDctIx0o8TA/s400/WhySoSerious%5B1%5D.jpg" /></span></span></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104911757609712239.post-24901965058392676072009-08-05T21:24:00.003-04:002012-02-02T16:56:01.484-04:00Vision vs. Vixen: Kid Cudi gives hope for a hoeless future in music<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><object height="339" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x8fge6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x8fge6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="339" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x8fge6">kid cudi - day 'n' nite</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/75_prod">75_prod</a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kid Cudi, born Scott Mescudi, stepped on the scene, at first discreetly, with a feature on Kanye West’s ‘808’s and Heartbreak’ album on the track “Welcome to Heartbreak.” Not many knew who he was at the time, and not many more cared since he wasn’t busting out with the latest “dance craze” or rapping about Bentleys and breasts. But I believe he secured a place in the minds of hip hop fans everywhere with his debut video “Day N Nite” which premiered on BET’s 106 and Park on February 19, 2009. The video and the song completely connected. And in a time when artistes get more recognition for having the hottest club smasher over strong lyrical content and having a message, Kid Cudi takes a step up by actually focusing on the craft. He takes me back to the days where music was about talent and not all talk. I yearn for those days. I dream of the day where music will go back to its roots and make...MUSIC!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For me, Cudi really struck a chord on my favourite track ‘The Prayer’ off his debut album when he said:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I’m thinking God made me special,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Here on purpose, so all the while till I’m gone,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Make my words important so if I slip away, if I die today, </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The last thing you remember won’t be about some apple bottom jeans with the boots with the fur”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even the hook for this song makes me feel like the music is about the art and the love for the fans:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“If I die before I wake I pray the lord my soul to take,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But please don’t cry, just know that I have made these songs for you.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ve listened to this album several times, on good days and bad days and it always makes me feel happier with the mere thought that there is hope for music. Of course we have the greats like Rakim, Nas, Jay Z, Common, The Roots, Tupac and the other rappers who paved the way and set the standard for the forward movement of hip hop. But, let’s face it, they probably won’t be making records in 10 – 15 years because they’ll be old with families, settled down and resting easy on their contribution to the music industry, and maybe doing other things like charities, acting etc. The people who’ll be making records in 10 – 15 years are hopefuls like Kid Cudi, J. Cole, Gym Class Heroes, Kanye West, among others. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It’s time for new musicians to recognise that they will set the tone for the quality of music in the future. I don’t think some musicians understand that just as Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Prince influenced them, they will serve as influences for other aspiring musicians. So please stop making shit like “Stanky Leg”, “Get Silly” and all other variations of filth filtering onto our airwaves. Make music that means something. If you don’t have the talent then get a day job and stop making me despise the radio! I really wonder how people get record deals sometimes. For the “music” that I’m hearing now, I could get a damn record deal and talk about a bunch of shit and look cute and make money. When did it become all about the glam and the gimmick? There’s too much beef and chicken heads in the kitchen. Get your shit together people! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now, on to one of the main reasons I like Kid Cudi. Hoeless music videos. I can dig it. The ‘Day N Nite’ video – hoeless </span><span style="line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(though there was a remix video where there was a white girl cop stripping down and 2 back up girls dancing, but you can tell it was for fun, that’s the difference)</span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">, the ‘Make Her Say’ video – hoeless. I must say, I have a great appreciation for the lack of scantily clad “video vixens” and the lens is finally refocusing where it should be, on the ARTISTE. The spotlight is actually not on the girl in those black boyshorts who could make her ass jiggle like jello or about making it rain on them hoes. I hope this is an example that other rappers will follow. I look forward to the hoeless future of music videos. I understand that video vixens have their place in the world of music videos. But I prefer that they are used in a more theatrical way to tell a story. Hip hop needs to take tips from some R&B videos like Ne-Yo’s new video ‘Part of the List’ and Maxwell’s “Pretty Wings” video which is VERY sexy and guess what? No one’s half naked with breasts and ass hanging out! Yay! Kid Cudi, kudos to you. Please don’t make me have to take that back. Keep the focus on the craft and don’t get lost in translation. You’ve got my ears. </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Your real music advocate,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-TT" style="font-size: xx-small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Allycat</span></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12gMPsWVBYqClVegYBZdyXMqUJ61CJ2e3c1bsAUp2a0Ci0yTLWXlsCP-aJLnftvRYb9SODDhnDO8RcTSJBNuSsWcq2xcIQO4XUnIih-BgZwLbFHSzMvJa3-LeLfiWw1QIEDm17Zi7lcA3/s320/I_Love_Hip_Hop3.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></div>Allycathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137137668005019788noreply@blogger.com2