Still at a loss for words...

I am still at a loss for words of what happened last Friday. It was totally senseless and tragic. I am still fighting back tears.

Mood: Sad  : (

Happy Thanksgiving!

Things I am Thankful For...

I am thankful for my family, friends,and my cat Spot.
I am thankful that I have a roof over my head.
I am thankful that I still have a job in this economy.
I am thankful that I still have my good health.

Veterans Day

This article from today's Virginian Pilot, is about those who fought in the Korean War, a war which my late father fought in. He was a Marine who fought in the Chosin Reservoir and barely made it out alive. Veteran's Day is a day of remembrance for those who have fought and are still fighting for the freedoms that we often take for granted. In honor of my father and all veterans.


 http://hamptonroads.com/2012/11/unforgotten-war-never-ends

Action figures and Lego Mini Figures

Over thirty years of collecting and still going strong.

On the top of my computer sits a massive array of action figures and Lego Mini Figures. I first started collecting action figures when I was about six or seven. I took an interest in the Star Wars action figures, because everyone at school was so into them. I had figures from both Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back, which I played with constantly. Around the time Return of the Jedi came out, I kind of lost interest in action figures and seemed to care more about Care Bears, Hello Kitty and sticker collecting. Three years later (1986), a Masters of the Universe action figure caught my eye: The Sorceress. I would watch both He-Man and She-Ra after school. She-Ra was okay, but He-Man was cooler. I especially liked The Sorceress and it was rare to see an action figure of her, so I bought her with my allowance money.

For the next eleven years, my action figure collecting was dormant (I had other interests: clothing, alternative music, art, and I was going to college). Around 1997, new Star Wars figures came out and I wanted to collect again. I snatched up Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Yoda, Boba Fett, and other characters. Sadly this collecting was short lived, due to tight funds (I was going to grad school) and other things going on in my life.

Over the past several years, I started to collect action figures again-primarily female action figures. I always liked comic book heroines (i.e. Wonder Woman), they took me to far away places. I ended up with a giant sized Wonder Woman and various D.C. Comic heroines such as Black Canary, Supergirl, Big Barda, Wonder Girl and Hawkgirl. I also have Marvel heroines including Psylocke, Spider Woman, Scarlet Witch, Phoenix, and Storm. I am still on the lookout for female action figures, but they are hard to find in a male action figure dominated world.

Recently I have taken a liking towards Lego Mini Figures. I have been buying them at Walgreen's, Wal-Mart, and Five Below. They come in a mystery/surprise bag, so you don't know what figure you are getting (I have gotten duplicates and triplicates in some instances), but it's the fun part (what figure I am going get? I hope it's Poseidon.) I bought my first one (a computer geek) at Walgreen's two months ago, after I had a stressful day at work. I have not stopped since: I have twelve mini figures.

Why I am I compelled to collect? I think it's because it gives me a sense of solace and comfort, it's something that calms me down and even brightens my day. It reminds of the King of the Hill episode where Hank volunteers to take his mom and her friends to Port Aransas, where they go see the miniature museum there. Hank can't understand why his mom has always been into miniatures, the miniature artist explains to him that "women are often times sad and lonely and that miniatures are sometimes the only thing that prevents them from losing their sanity." I will always collect whether it is comic book heroines or mystery Lego people.

Cat sings the Game of Thrones theme song

Even though I do not watch the Game of Thrones, I thought this video was cute:

Mood: Tired

Background noise: A/C blasting, thundering outside, and snoring cat

Mom...

If my Mom took better care of herself physically and mentally, I think she would have been here to celebrate her 80th birthday today. My relationship with Mom was full of ups and downs, mostly the latter. There were some good moments, but very few. She did do some good things for me, such as assisting me on filling out the financial aid forms for college. She was a very good cook and talented artist. In the final years of her life, we did not get along well, and I had a nasty falling out with her two months before she died. I only got to talk to her on the phone three days before she died, but she was half asleep and I could barely understand what she was saying. This upcoming October will mark twelve years since she passed.

Like I mentioned before, she was a good cook. My favorite dish she prepared was, barbeque chicken and coleslaw. In honor of her, I prepared some barbeque chicken and coleslaw for dinner earlier tonight. Happy Birthday Mom, I miss you.

Mom, 1957.

It's just hair!

In recent news (or what would be called news), Miley Cyrus shorn her long blond locks for a close cropped pixie cut. Comments regarding her new do have been ranging from positive to downright nasty and negative. It seems every time when a woman (famous or not) gets her hair cut very short, she is derided for being too masculine or butch looking.

Two and a half years ago, I decided to cut my hair short in a boyish/pixie style. I did it on a whim one Saturday afternoon after I got sick of hair falling in my face during silver jewelry-making class. Even though I had worn my hair over thirty years in a variety of lengths: long to medium to pageboy bob and back to long-I have always wanted to get a short haircut, but was always afraid to. Reasons ranged from fearing it would not look good on me, that others would hate it, and I was always told by my late mother, that long hair was a "woman's crown and glory." I took the plunge anyway, and it looked good.

I got a lot of positive comments saying that my short haircut made me look younger and that it uplifted my facial features more. And of course, I did get some negative comments saying that my short hair made me look too much like a boy or I looked "butch." I did get called "sir" several times too (both unintentionally and intentionally), but I did not let it bother me. It's just fucking hair, one should wear it any length they want without being criticized for it.

I kept it short for over two years. Last summer I even got a buzz cut-the shortest I have ever worn my hair and it looked and felt good (especially on those 100 degree days).  Recently, I have decided out of my own volition to take a break from hair cuts and grow out my hair. One of the drawbacks of having short hair, were the razor bumps on the back of my neck from the hair clippers, which were really irritating. And having my hair cut every other month was starting to strain my tight budget. Despite all that, I have no regrets in getting my hair cut short.

Right now, my hair length is still considered short, but my hair is growing out in feathery waves and is curling at the back of the neck. Whenever I shake my head, my hair bounces. I don't know if I will grow out it to medium length or even have it long again (I have been thinking of ponytail length though). It's just hair-your hair, not anybody else's: it can be worn any length you want-long or short, it will always grow back.