"(S)He look-a like-a MAN."

A post before I go and bake a fantastically goopy carrot cake for Christmas!

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Growing up as a little dudette in L.A., I was constantly referred to as "sir" or "son."

"Um, Sir? Can you move out of the way of the forklift? Thanks?" BTW, who calls a 13 yr. old "sir"?

"Umm, son? That's the women's restroom. Ohhh, okay nevermind."

Why? I had delusion from grades 3rd to 7th, and a little bit of 8th... and parts of junior year in highschool,... and maybe again in my early 20s,  that I looked great with boy short hair.

Again with this photo, circa 1995-96. I was letting my hair grow out, that is until 1997, when I cut it short(er) again.

My inspirations?

Chynna Phillips (of the Wilson Phillips).

And that dummy, Angelina Jolie, via Hackers (waaaatch it. watch it right now. it's a culturally irrelevant movie, but it's the 90s at its zenith).

If you know my hair texture (thick, wavy, and lots of it), then you know that THIS IS THE WORST POSSIBLE HAIRCUT EVER FOR THIS HAIR TYPE.  

But I didn't care. I loved getting haircuts, and if it meant that I was mistaken for a dude, then soooo be it.

(**Sidenote: what probably didn't help was my tomboy phase. Can you call it "tomboy" if it just straight up looked like/was guy clothes? I wore hiking boots (while NOT hiking) with gross jeans and polos (typing that combo of clothes just made my mind explode); striped shirts with long undershirts with ugly Adidas sneaks; and denim short-alls with thick white socks and green Airwalks. Yeesssh.)

The greatest part, though? I was NEVER made fun of, picked on, or harassed about what can only be described as "a man dressing as a lesbian who's actually a women" style. 

Wellll, I was made fun of once, by a classmated who called me "Mushroom head" (my head looked like a mushroom), but I kindly returned the favor and called him "Watermelon head" (his head shape reallly look watermelon-ish to me) until he cried and we both got detention. 

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Annnnyway, I've ditched the man-cuts (for now), but I am totally delving back into man-style.

Look at me doing manly things, like putting tranny fluid into my "trusty" Corolla, affectionately named "Cooper Nielson".

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If I don't get around to this later today or tomorrow, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

donglover (aka Childish Gambino) @ The El Rey.

The past couple of days have been just CRAP.

+My TV pooped out on me.

+My new laptop battery is a bit of a dud (it only holds a full charge for less than 4 hours!).

+My supervisor is a dick and a dumbfuck.

The first has been taken care of (yaaay, new TV); the second problem is slowly being resolved (vetting out my hard drive); and the last problem... well, the only solace I have is knowing he is and forever will be a douchebag.

Also, so I don't accidentally have a mindfuck of a conversation with my dickbag supervisor, I've been listening to Childish Gambino's Culdesac on repeat. For those not down with the "donglover," that's Donald Glover, or Troy of "Troy and Adeb in the MORNING/STOP MOTION!" (ohh, and please watch the clip- "I knew there was some reason I couldn't do this today!" FUNNIEST EVER.) CLICK CLICK CLICK on the album title for a free download of his album.

Jaya and I went to see him perform at the El Rey and  IT WAS THE BEST EVER. You know who opened for Donald Glover? DONALD GLOVER. He started his set with his standup comedy, which included topics on why 80s rap is horrible, Michael Cera as Shaft, why we live in the best times ("sorry your family got raped and murdered, but that's what you get for going out at NIGHT."), and how man-rape is about being sneaky.

We met up Sakari of The Female Trouble!

Outfit Post: There's a couple of new pieces mixed in with my well-worn threads: A pixelated flower shirt from UO and a black body con skirt (which I L-O-V-E) from F21+. Oh, AND THAT FACE? It literally smelled like shit and vomit in that stairwell.

If you need further proof of the "donglover"'s greatness:

Sweetest song in life:

Did he just rapped about a "thick Filipina chick/ homemade bracelet/ her booty make her a rapper, she don't have to say shit"?? Is he watching me?!? (The chick who took this video: your singing over the rap is TURRIBLE, if it wasn't soo funny. "Woooo! Oowww!").

All Good Things Must Come To An End: Part II.

Part Two: A "Happy Thanksgiving" all around, more b-days, and "OMG, it's grade school all over again".

This past weekend was RIDICULOUS on all counts.

I ate toooo much.

I bought toooo many things.

I did things that I though I would never ever have to do.

First things first:
A Belated Happy Thanksgiving to all my US comrades! Here's pictures of a couple of things we made:

The full spread:

Jaya's delicious cast iron cornbread (with even delicious-ier honey and agave butter, not pictured):

Jaya and I made a decent replication of the portobello mushroom fries that we had at Bottega Louie. Not pictured, however, is our tasty cilantro+garlic aioli dipping sauce (oh, and please note the crazy strawberry plate pattern on crazier cherry tablecloth pattern):

Second things second:

A belated Happy Birthday to my Dad!

Here's half an outfit post of my FAVORITE and MY FIRST EVER THRIFTED/FLEA MARKET-ED dress. I wore it over the weekend and I wish I had a better and fuller picture of it. 

I got this dress at the PCC Flea Market probably about 7-8 years ago and it fits me like a glove. I remember putting it on for the first time and realizing, "I never have to buy clothes from mall stores ever again."

Ohhhh, can you see something different about my face? IGOTMEASEPTUMPIERCING! I totally force myself to conquer my crippling hate of "people talking to strangers" and... of NEEDLES. I went to the nearest (and best) piercing place after work a few weeks ago and BLAM.

Third things third:

Jaya and I met up with some GRADE SCHOOL classmates, ohhh, and our 7th grade teacher!, for a small 13yr. (ugggh) reunion and it wasn't terrible. I can't believe that I'm saying that: "IT WASN'T TERRIBLE." What's even more unbelievable is that everyone still pretty much looks the same- well, except for Jaya.

Since you don't care or know anyone from my grade school, here is one of my moooost favorite pictures of me. This is me, circa 1995-96 (taken @ Mono Lake).

Shitty teenage scowl? Multi-colored stripe shirt? Stupidly oversized hoodie? It must BE THE NINETIES!!!! You can almost hear P.U.S.A and the Empire Records soundtrack playing in the background.

Fourth things fourth:

To end this "most excellent" month, one of my co-workers told me, "You're being confrontational, Kaya, but I don't mean that in a 'bad' way." YEEESSH, thanks for being a Debbie Downer, Luis- like I can take that any other way.