Love Litas!

In my trip through the blogosphere, I have learned many things. Mostly, that there are way too many ‘fashion bloggers’. No offense, just not my bag. But through these fashion bloggers, I discovered Jeffrey Campbell, and, in turn, the Lita boot. Through that and a quick perusal of solestruck.com, I discovered them – the Cat Tapestry Lita. I knew that I absolutely, without a doubt, needed to have them, no matter what. And just a couple of weeks ago, I finally got them!

Reno helped unpack them.

The gorgeous box!

I love absolutely everything about them. From the packaging all the way to the fit and comfort of a shoe that looks absolutely ridiculous, I adore them more than I can explain. 

 

That.... and they go hilariously well with my Cat Lady vest.

7 Questions with Gentri Lee Link-Up! (#16)

This makes me feel like a little bit of a moron, but today, I discovered Gentri Lee's blog! I noticed that one of the blogs I follow, Adventures in Mediocrity, was doing a Seven Questions link-up, so I followed the link and found it myself! Since today was the first day of the linkup, I decided to do my own Seven Questions from Gentri Lee!

1. It's the first day of August - are you savoring the summer or ready to jump into fall?

Jumping in with both feet. I'm not partial to any particular season, but would say that fall is one of my favorites. It's when I start to see more knitting business, and I wind up in full-on craft mode to prepare for Christmas! Heck, I'm already there!

2. You need a quick and healthy meal, what do you make?

Ice cream! No, just kidding. Salad. I have ready to eat salad in the fridge ready for dressing most any time. I always feel great after I eat a huge salad for a meal!

3. You're at the mall, how do you shop?

Quick and dirty. I am not one to loaf around and go from store to store - I like to just go, get what I need, and leave. I really, really dislike the mall in general.

4. Would you rather buy a new house, or renovate an old one?

It's split, for me. I would probably lean more toward renovating an old one, though. There is something so wonderful about old architecture - and it's true, they really don't build them like they used to.

5. Long hair or short hair?

I am always much more comfortable with long hair. Not sure what it is, but I never feel quite right without it! Short hair suits others, but definitely not me.

6. Who is your oldest (not by age) friend?

Likely, Laura. I have talked about her a little bit here and there, but we have been BFF's for as far back as I can remember. She also recently started a blog! You can check that out here!

7. What is your favorite blog - currently?

So many favorites! But I will definitely say that Adventures in Mediocrity is one of my favorites, if only because it introduced me to this linkup!

Check back next Monday for another set of questions!

Changing perception day by day..

Once in a great while, you have a conversation that makes you think. It can be with someone you already know or a complete stranger, but it happens, and you can’t get it out of your head for anything. And you don’t want to.

Since I got my first tattoo at age eighteen, I have been viewed differently. Of course, one in three people in the United States have at least one tattoo these days, but there has always been a stereotype leading back to a negative connotation – bikers, drug addicts, and all around bad people. I am, of course, none of those things, and I know it. As I added onto the collection of color on my skin, I noticed more and more that I was being looked at in public, and these days it is not uncommon for a random person to make a comment to me, or reach out to touch my skin. For the most part, I don’t mind it. More times than not, they are respectful interactions.

I was probably 19 or 20 when this photo was taken. 

I am not writing this as some sort of sermon about how all people with tattoos aren’t bad people. Individuals who fit into the negative connotation still exist, and they are everywhere. What I am out to say, though, is that I am proud of myself. Proud of what I have been able to do with the life I’ve been given. I have a great full-time job, a home, and a relationship with someone who cares about me. I make enough money to live, and then some. I am supported by friends and family, and they are more protective of me than anything else.

Going with the negative connotation by the general public, though, I still notice things. I am stared at constantly at stores and restaurants, especially when I am with family. I have been followed around at stores in the past since I apparently look like someone that would steal (to the point that I had to get money out to prove I could pay for the things I was carrying). In order to interview for my current job, I wore long sleeves, wore my hair down, and removed the facial piercings that I could, just to not be judged.

And you know what? I got that job. And the one after it. These days, I hide nothing. I am accepted. I work each and every day just like everyone else, tattooed or not. What the general population still sees, though, is my tattoos, not me. And you know what? That’s fine with me.

Being heavily tattooed is wonderful in some aspects and a burden in others. Wonderful in that I have set out, from basically day one, to change people’s minds about heavily tattooed individuals. I do what I can to volunteer with free time to improve the lives of others. I field questions whenever I get them – my favorite is the “didn’t that hurt?” in response to my septum piercing – and just all around attempt to help improve people’s view of someone ‘like me’.

What this all comes down to is the conversation that I had yesterday. I was at a local Michael’s store, buying a bottle of Mod Podge to continue a project I’m working on. I was just about to the checkout, when there was a woman standing there asking the cashier a question. Instead of just walking away, though, she took one look at me and took me aside. “You are one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen.”

Standing there in my thrifted Rod Stewart t-shirt from 2007 and my bright purple corduroy shorts, I didn’t exactly believe her. She looked at my tattoos, made a comment about the Vincent Price portrait on my thigh, and asked to give me a hug. I didn’t exactly know how to take this sudden flow of positivity, but I just went with it. I hugged her and we launched into a conversation about who I am, what I do, and how much I appreciated her amazing comments. So often, someone makes a single comment and doesn’t say anything else.

2010.

She introduced me to her daughter, who, just by looking at her, reminded me a lot of myself in high school. Dark hair, a Joan Jett t-shirt, studded belt. A person I have been. In some aspects, likely outcast for not being the status quo, but also due to the help of her supportive mother, taking life by the horns and doing what she wants to do anyway – looks included. It was refreshing.

I was, and am, lucky to have the parents that I do. I have been fully supported in most every viable decision that I have made to get myself where I am today. The girl’s mother reminded me a lot of my own, and it made me happy to know that someday, maybe at my age, the girl would have the same attitude that I do about life and the world around her.

They told me they are working to put together a project centering on changing people’s minds about the tattooed community, and I was all in. I gave her my information, and we parted ways. She told me that she would call or e-mail me to keep in touch, and I hope she does.

Sometimes, conversations strike you at exactly the right time, and the words are exactly both what you need to hear, and what you need to say.

I wish life could always be that pure.

Guest Post: Shannon from Living With the Seat Up!

I have a great treat for you guys today - I decided to take part in 20 Something Bloggers' Blog Swap event, and have a guest post from Shannon over at Living With the Seat Up for you! Go check out her blog for my post, as well as all her others!

I would imagine not everyone was lucky enough to get to go to Disney World as a child.  I was very lucky as a child to get to go every couple years.  It became a place for all of our extended family to meet from their various locations they were living.  Thankfully, my grandfather felt this was important for bonding as a family unit, and I felt it was important for having fun.  Of course as a child you don’t think about the actual family bonding time you are spending, rather you just think about the fun times with your family.

As I said, I was very fortunate to get to go often enough, Disney World became almost like a second home.  One of the most fun memories I have is when my mother and aunt allowed my cousin and I to go to the Magic Kingdom theme park alone at 10 years old.  They loaded us onto the monorail and off we went with our hopper passes to the park full of thousands of people.  Let’s not be naive, I’m certain there were a few child abductors walking around there someplace.  It’s a good thing we were smart enough to stay away from them.

Our entire day there was spent riding all of 3 rides; Splash Mountain, Space Mountain and Thunder Run.  We ran between these 3 rides and a few times asked the ride attendants to just let us stay on for “one more round”.  We weren’t always lucky enough to be allowed this privilege, but once or twice they let us.  Of course, we pigged out on junk food and soft drinks, using our strong and robust child digestive systems to consume it all without being sick.

Looking back on it I see how crazy that is.  10 year olds these days (and probably back then too) are definitely not mature or responsible enough to be visiting large theme parks alone, without adult supervision.  But we made it out alive, and had a lot of fun.

A day alone without adult supervision, that’s my best childhood summer vacation!

And the winners are...

Last night, I couldn't hold back any longer and picked the winners of the scarf giveaway! Everyone has been informed already, but I would just like to take a second to give a huge congratulations to Alexandria M., Talon M., and Tam S.!

Thanks so much to everyone for entering the giveaway - I hope to do more in the future!