Animal Instincts

My Halloween costume this year is not quite as flashy as last year's, but it deserves an award for the effort I've put in to put it together. I only had 4 hours before the party to get everything I needed--namely the skirt, vest, and gloves. The gloves were the easiest to find--I knew that there were a few places that would have them. I've always wanted a pair of long leather gloves, so I'm glad to finally have them. I knew that I wanted something with a leopard print for Halloween, and I originally wanted a funky blue leopard print dress. However, it didn't come in my size, so I opted for a leopard-print skirt--which ended up working out better than what I had originally wanted.

The furry vest was the toughest one to find. I had originally spotted one at Zara, but I didn't feel like spending $80 on something that was nice but did not quite fit me the way I wanted. I hit Forever 21, H&M, and other fast fashion chains in search of a furriness that wasn't too shaggy, too fake, too loose, or too expensive, but there was nothing satisfying. As time was running out, I gave myself 5 extra minutes to hit other stores that I normally would not go to. If I didn't find what I was looking for when time was up, I was just going to have to do without the furriness.

At my very last stop for the day, I felt like I hit the jackpot. There were furry vests of all different sizes and colors. I finally nabbed the one that fits perfectly, and I was told that the style was 25% off. Woot! I rushed home, did the makeup, put the clothes on, and off I went to the party. I had a great time as Cruella DeVil: The Early Years.






[Vintage coat, BB Dakota furry vest, F21 skirt, Zara gloves, J. Crew wool tights, BCBG pumps with leopard print trim.]

As always, you can bet that the components of the costume will get remixed (two-tone hair not included). Stay tuned.

Forever 21?

[UPDATED 5/27/09--The whole thing came crashing down on a mistrial, which means both sides have to start the trial process all over again. In my personal opinion, I think the odds are slim for a second trial to go all the way to verdict, if it gets tried at all. Then again, people thought it wouldn't have gotten tried in the first place...]

Trademark and Copyright are definitely on the list of my favorite classes throughout my very long stint in academia (along with 20th Century American Literature, Shakespeare and, oddly enough, Physical Chemistry). They are loads of fun, but definitely not easy (copyright is particularly intricate). One of the topics we studied in Copyright was fashion, which, of course, got my attention. It was quite shocking to me that some things that seemed like blatant copying was not infringing, while certain uses of copyrighted materials, which resulted in some very different products, were infringing. Yes, it is that complicated. It really depends on how the issues are framed, and what the facts are, but generally speaking, it has been very difficult to prove copyright infringement in fashion design.

Forever 21 is an establishment that epitomizes "cheap chic." While it was not a case study in my classes, everyone pretty much knows that sooner or later, it would become one. It would have been very hard to catch the people who run it for copying designs alone under the existing state of copyright law, and so, runway- and red carpet-"inspired" styles have been made abundantly available to the masses at a tiny fraction of the cost of the Real McCoy. Most designers are irate about the inability to do anything about it (and rightly so, for the most part), and it seems as if stores like Forever 21 would be able to copy with impunity for, well, forever.

Until now, perhaps.

Trovata sued Forever 21 for copying its designs. This would have been just a splash in the pond, as Forever 21 predictably gets sued all the time for the same thing. What makes this stand out from the many lawsuits Forever 21 got involved in is the theory under which they were sued--trade dress infringement--and the fact that it got tried in the first place and went all the way to the jury. [Since I was doing edits for grammar anyway (I was tired when I wrote the initial post), I figured I'd go back to my old notes and find a definition of trade dress. It is defined as "the total image of the business." Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc., 505 U.S. 763 (1992). It includes the shape or general appearance of the exterior, the inside floor plan, color/color combinations, etc. (if you haven't guessed by now, Taco Cabana is a restaurant).]

I find that going after trade dress is an interesting and arguably stronger approach than plain ol' copyright infringement. Trovata claims that certain elements of their clothing, such as the buttons, stitching, stripes, etc. make them unique in such a way that people who see it would associate the clothing with the Trovata label. Hence, stealing the design is more than just stealing a design--it's almost like stealing or taking advantage of an established brand. (An oversimplification, but you get the idea.) I'm a total geek about this stuff, so I find it interesting, but I think some of the deposition testimony would be rather entertaining to the casual observer. [If you want to learn more, I found a very instructive and easy-to-understand white paper from the Morgan Lewis firm.]

So what does this mean for bargain shoppers? I don't know whether Trovata's arguments would prevail, but if a verdict comes down in its favor, it might have a big effect on copycat fashion. But then again, the case may settle and the status quo goes on, or the ruling might not do much for designs that are not associated with branding. Either way, I think it may create a short-term situation in which retailers would be a little more cautious; even if the outcome is uncertain, it might not be worth the cost of slugging it out.

In the long run, it might not matter much. There will always be accusations of who is copying who, but in fashion, many creations are inspired by others, so there will always be a place for some copying (just not blatantly). From a business standpoint, a lawsuit might be a "cost" that copycats are willing to take if they think enough people buy the knockoff to offset it. There is certainly enough consumer demand for "inspired" pieces, since many people who want to look stylish can't afford to spend that much on "the real thing."

Personally, I don't think this whole brouhaha will affect me much. I don't have a particular interest in buying knockoffs just so I can dress like a celeb or look trendy; it is my belief that people in the know can always tell when it's not the real thing, so why bother trying to pretend? However, if something in Forever 21 happens to be "inspired" and I like it, I'll buy what I like. While I may find something that resembles the "real thing," I just won't seek out blatant copies.

What do you think?

Green Means...

A while ago, I made fun of trends in which one color turns into another color for the sake of trends and marketing. Well, green is ever the chameleon, and it has done it again:


The popularity of "being green" is great (I'm all for conservation), but the trendiness of it all is rather suspect. Are people being green because they're truly altruistic, or are they just doing it to look cool? Or is it something more insidious--are they simply being opportunistic?

It's nice that green brings in the greenbacks, since it incentivizes more responsible business and living practices, but sometimes it seems rather gimmicky. A lot of fashion designers are churning out "green bags," which are better for the planet because they replace plastic bags. However, doesn't the creation of all these bags require the use of more resources? Wouldn't this process invariably end up becoming more wasteful, as the bags fall out of fashion and become cast aside?

Lest I sound like a hypocrite, I better explain the bag you see above. I do think that it's great to have a few of these tough, reusable bags around. I keep two of them in my car, since one is not enough--sometimes I shop at a couple of different grocery stores on the same outing, or I'd bring a bag back up to my apartment and forget to bring it back to my car for the next grocery run. The cute, big $1 bag from Target is very durable and holds a lot of things. Now that a new grocery store has opened a block from my humble abode, I decided that it would be good to keep a bag in my apartment for trips there by foot. Loehmann's had the canvas bag on clearance for a ridiculously low price, and it fits my criteria--it's simple, it's easy to carry on my shoulder (especially if it's fully loaded), and it's a cheeky fashion accessory that doesn't cost an exorbitant amount (unlike the clever, initially refreshing, but infamously-overimitated Anya Hindmarch bag). This is the only "fashion statement"-type of a reusable bag I'll really need. I don't plan on getting suckered in beyond this one, but even the best-laid plans are not folly-proofed.

Last Minute Gift Ideas

[Edited because I used the word "thought" way too many times.]

I never thought I'd place myself in this position, but I haven't completely finished my gift shopping yet. That's what happens when I have to hunt down the bacon, drag it home, and fry it too. I'll be out the door soon to complete my mission.

There are plenty of heavy discounts in the retail sector as the stores try to court last minute shoppers, especially the stores slated to get the ax. The discounted items can be fairly eclectic, and I really like the idea of putting gift sets together--instead of spending money on just one thing, which may look dinky, the same amount of dollars can be stretched into something more. I am not kidding about this--this year, $40 got me a nice combination of things for 10 or 11 different people, which is a fraction of people I got gifts for, but every bit of savings helps. On top of that, a good amount of non-perishable deals can be kept for other gifting occasions later in the year.

-Fragrant candles with shiny caps look way more expensive than they are. Sometime last year, I picked some up for $3-$5. In fact, they look great enough that I am completely comfortable with giving just that one thing as a gift.

-Bath and body products are always useful, and they can easily be paired with other things for a themed set, like towels and candles and slippers for a luxe spa set.

-Some may say that gift cards show a lack of thought, but I've always been an advocate of them--the recipient can get whatever he or she wants. However, the downside is that the person will know just how much you've spent. It shouldn't matter, but in reality, sometimes it does to some people or their family members, especially when everyone are at the same gathering. I usually get around that dilemma by pairing it with something inexpensive but complementary, like popcorn and candy with a movie gift card.

-CDs and DVDs require some understanding of the recipient's tastes, but I think it would work out just fine even if there isn't enough time to do homework. Since it's free for the recipient, he or she can experience something that he or she wouldn't have picked out for his- or herself. Who knows? You just might open that person's eyes to something new and exciting.

-Make-your-own gift baskets much less expensive than the pre-packed variety. It also shows that you've given it some consideration and effort. This is probably the ultimate last-minute gift--places like CVS and Walgreen's are typically open even on the holidays, so you can literally wait until the 11th hour (though I'd advise against it) and still be hailed as that sweet and caring person you really are, but just didn't have time to express.

-Mani/pedi set. You can get a set of $1 nail polish of all different colors, and maybe throw in a nail file and some foot cream. Yet another last-last minute gift that can be put together by heading to your local 24-hour drugstore.

-Lastly, something as simple as a thoughtful handwritten note or a handmade work of art can mean more than any gift on the market. A jar of origami cranes or stars is colorful and very affordable. Once I made a bunch of origami cranes, in fairly large sizes, and used them as cards on which I wrote my thanks to each individual recipient; it was very well received and proudly displayed by the recipients, even by those I did not expect to find it moving. At the end of the day, even the ol' cynical me truly believe that it's the thought that counts.

Happy Holidays, everyone. I hope you will enjoy this season wherever you are and with whomever you keep company.

Visions of the Future

As I mentioned last time, my costumes have always been comprised of things that I can wear during other parts of the year. As a fan of futuristic design, I had quite a few things on hand to assemble into something a little out of the ordinary.

The centerpiece of my costume is a silver tank dress I picked up from Old Navy's several months ago. It was something that I would wear during any particular time (though many others seem to disagree, as they were abundantly available on clearance), but I knew that I wanted to wear it on Halloween. Subsequently, I had a few months to figure out what exactly I was going to dress up as. The idea coalesced somewhat within the past week, but it did not completely solidify until 4 hours before the party started. During the workday, I completely concealed the shiny dress underneath a cardigan and long A-line skirt. I left the knee-high boots in the car; I was not entirely convinced that the color of the boots would go with the dress and other parts of the costume. I brought 2 pairs of sunglasses that could potentially work, but I hadn't decided which pair would work better.

After my work commitments were completed for the day, I went to the mall to find the little things to complete my costume. Luckily, I happened to be located across the mall that day, so getting to the mall wasn't that much of a hassle. The first thing I looked for was a pair of electric blue tights. I've always wanted it, but never got around to buying a pair until now. After walking into a couple of shops and not finding any, I was beginning to wonder if I was a little too last minute. Fortunately, the salesgirl in one shop that *didn't* have the tights told me that I can find that color in Express, and Express did indeed have exactly what I was looking for.

The next thing I needed was a broad white hairband. That was easy enough to find--Claire's had one.

Having located the tights and the hairband, I continued strolling around the mall to look for a pair of white boots. It was pretty difficult--many pairs I came across were not anything that I would continue wearing, so the costs are not justified. When I finally found a pair that would be great for everyday wear, I realized that white boots were too bright and would take attention away from the dress and tights. Hence, I abandoned my bid for white go-go boots.

The last thing I needed to complete the costume was a prop. I wanted a cheap and futuristic looking gun. That was supplied to me by KB Toys. The little gadget lights up and makes noise (a little too much) when I pushed the button. It was simply perfect--now I won't have people asking me who the heck I was dressed up as.

The choice of eyewear was a game-time decision. I tried on each pair of my sunglasses for a guest at the party, and picked the one that both of us thought worked the best.

Without further ado: my Fembot costume. I also threw in a few shots of the fly eyewear for good measure.

[Claire's hairband, Donna Karan sunglasses, vintage lucite bubble necklace designed by me, Old Navy dress, Express tights, Target boots, toy gun from KB Toys]

Costume in Disguise

Halloween is just around the corner. With the economy being the way it is, a wear-once-and-toss costume probably isn't the wisest idea. At the same time, we can all use some fun and levity to forget about the stress for a while.

One simple costume I've worn for a party this past weekend was a pirate costume for a pirate-themed party. It was an outfit I put together literally at the last minute, since I didn't know if I would finish my work in time and be able to go until, well, the last minute. It's all very simple, and you probably have some if not all of the items in your closet--one top with thin stripes (preferrably in dark colors), one pair of wide-legged pants, and a large scarf wrapped around and tied behind my back. You can add a cheap eye patch for an extra-piraty touch, or add a few tats with an eyeliner. You can also throw on a few beaded necklaces as booty. Yar!

If you don't want to fuss over the clothes, go crazy with the makeup while wearing something quite ordinary; it'll be a rather shocking contrast. Liberally and creatively apply your reddest lipstick for a bloody frightening effect. Go goth with lots of black eyeliner and a $1 tube of black lipstick...Halloween is the one time you can live out your Goth fantasies without repercussions.

Current events also offer a lot of inspirations. Turn your vision of Joe Sixpack into a reality. If beer gut isn't your thing, it's easy to pull off a Joe the Plumber look, too--overalls are in no short supply at thrift stores, and most people are bound to have a wrench around the house; just add a "Hello, My Name is Joe" sticker and you're ready to go.

I'll most likely be at a deposition on Halloween, and thanks to the typical LA traffic, it'll be hard to have time to get ready. It'll be a challenge to convert my costume into something business-like during the day and wear it as-is when I head straight to party. I think it's possible...

Do you have any ideas for costumes with common things around the house and closet?

Au Contraire

Very few recreational activities are free anymore, and given the bad economy, I take it that a lot of people are cutting back on movies, travel, and such. A New York Times article, which includes a feature on the always-witty Winona of Daddy Likey fame, says it all. Because gas is so expensive, people are either limiting their vacation travel by budget and/or distance, or they're foregoing vacations altogether.

That might explain the inordinate number of people I saw in the Malibu Creek State Park today. My lazy butt was dragged out the door for some exercise today, courtesy of some dedicated friends who planned the outting. It was a really hot day, and the park was packed. Most people were having fun in the sun, either fishing in streams that used to be rivers, doing cannonballs in a lake, or picnicing on sandwiches made with value-packs of white bread (yes, I did see someone carrying it as they walked by). My group, however, "hung around" in the shade. No sun for us, thank you very much. After enduring the exhaustion of "hanging around" (which was tiring indeed, because sometimes we would go around and around and around), it felt really good sit around in the shade, like a lazy summer afternoon should be.


When we picked up/dropped off one member of the group today, I spotted the most curious institution at the corner of the street. There are many outfits that do all of that under one roof, but none with an appellation so striking and contradictory vis a vis its multidisciplinary practice:

Surprisingly, "divorcios" seems to be more prominent than "casamientos." Hmm...

This tidbit has nothing to do with the normal discourse of this blog, but I figured it would be amusing. Enjoy the weekend, folks!

Foot Soldiers

I usually don't care for tabloid magazines or shows, but a couple of nights ago I just had to watch "Access Hollywood." No, it wasn't so much for the latest celebrity gossip. I was wondering if all the paparazzis stationed all around the courthouse that morning (including those working for Access Hollywood, which left a microphone lying around in plain view) got the shot they were looking for.

I was already running behind schedule that morning, so I really wasn't happy to see the throngs of camera people milling about. I was even less thrilled when I came upon the atypically long security line at my favored entryway today. But something caught my eye. There was a disproportionate number of "fashiony types" in line. Not to say that those of us from the local bar are not fashionable--it's just that we don't wear a whole lot of flashy colors, and even if we do, there are only so many ways we can wear them. I mean, I was standing there in my beige skirt suit, powder blue shirt, and black patent pumps from Payless. One young woman a little ways in front of me was wearing a bright coral top, a pencil skirt, and bluish-teal slingback pumps. Someone standing behind her wore a cute little outfit with a shruken vest. Given that the regulars wear dark or neutral-hued shoes, they clearly stood out. Interestingly enough, Access Hollywood's little feature on Denise Richards, who apparently was the person all the aforementioned photographers were after, took enough time out from its "legal analysis" to focus on the fashion. Denise Richards was wearing a pair of greens shoes in a springy green to go with her black dress.

"Suits" like me would rarely get away with that. I have many a pair of colorful sneakers, pumps, and flats. And then I have quite a few pair of black pumps specifically for court dates. There's an obvious dichotomy here. In my mind, colorful is fun, and black is serious. Which brings me to a challenge--making black a little less serious to wear.

I recently bought a pair of black sneakers from DSW. Darker sneakers could conceivably be worn with a pair of long, dark, widelegged pants, and no one would really notice that sneakers were being worn. They're much more discrete than those white tennis shoes that office folks wear during lunch or commutes. I've only worn them for casual outfits, but I can see the potential.

Another pair of hardly-austere black footwear I acquired recently is a pair of black leather Sigerson Morrison gladiator sandals. Gladiator sandals are popular year in and year out, and I've been wanting a pair for quite a few years. The tough look can work quite well with shorts or girly dresses. At the same time, it's nice to have a flat sandal that is a little dressier than flip-flops. Trouble is, finding a pair I love has been difficult. I don't like it when sandals have too many straps, especially when they are rough and cut into the skin (like cheaper pairs tend to do). Besides, too many straps = too fussy for my tastes. When there too few straps, it's not really a gladiator sandal anymore. Luckily, Loehmann's had a 40% off clearance sale. And more luckily still, it didn't take me long to find the sandals.

There was only one pair left, and they happened to be in my size. The leather upper is so soft that I don't have to worry about having strap marks or cuts on my feet. They look fairly sophisticated for a casual pair of sandals, and they look sleek and uncomplicated. They can go with everything, ranging from casual to a little dressed-up. I thought they were especially striking in this stark black-and-white contrast of an outfit.

[dance club t-shirt (free, since I caught it), Forever 21 skirt, BCBG bag, Sigerson Morrison sandals]

At just under $80 including tax, they're over 75% off, but they're not cheap. However, since the style is recurrent without being trendy, I know it's a sound, lasting investment (a rarity amongst investments these days). Interestingly enough, a week after I bought these sandals, I found the knockoffs at Target. To me, the design is virtually identical. You can see for yourself.

This is probably the first time I own something that has been knocked-off, and it's a bit strange. Mine is way better in quality, and I enjoy having the "real thing" for once because I didn't have to sacrifice any arms and legs for it.

And the bands played on...

I just got home after a day full of work and fun. After dealing with work, errands, sample sale, and more work in the first half of the day, I spent a good chunk of the afternoon catching a number of free shows in Pasadena. Too bad time was limited and I missed some that I really wanted to see, but it was pretty fun nonetheless. The first band my friends and I went to see was Dengue Fever. It was really fun. When we first got there, the crowd was a bit thin...


...but the streets filled up really quickly soon after I took this picture. Good thing we got there early, because we had the best standing room in the house (or rather, just outside of the Pasadena Playhouse):

As evidenced by the lead singer's expression, it was quite hot. And she said so. When someone from the audience shouted, "No, you're hot!", she reiterated that it was the weather. And they've got the water bottles on stage to prove it.

So I relocated to the side. Muuuuch better. I was in the shade, and the view was still great.

The funny part was how me and my friend both noticed the singer's shoes. Check them out!

It was a really good show for an hour, and after that it was time to hop over to the next one. After much walking in the blazing sun (which followed much standing in the blazing sun), we got to see the Raveonettes, with a stand-in singer for the pregnant Sharin. The music was thumpin', but the heat had already drained me by then. The place was filled with young scenesters/hipsters. I think I would have enjoyed the music more if I was up closer, but that would have put me in the sun again.

Since we were all beaten by the sun, my group headed to a bar for a bit before heading off to see Meiko. I've been looking forward to this, and it was well worth the wait. I really enjoyed the set, and it helped that it cooled down by that point.

It seems like all the female performers I saw wore dresses. Good call, because unlike the audience members, they can't really duck and hide in the shade when they feel like it. It also looks more glamorous, especially the long dress (I love the print). I, on the other hand, went with shorts and a loose top that I bought at the aforementioned sample sale. It was just perfect for the occasion--loose enough to keep me from overheating, and it just seems like something one would wear to a concert.

[my own Granny Smith Rocks earrings, Ella Moss top, an old pair of Fossil shorts, Payless wedges]

There should be more of these shows during the summer at both Pasadena and MacArthur Park (near Downtown LA). With high gas prices these days, it's a pain to pay for parking and gas on top of concert tickets. But with these free concerts, you won't have to--both locations can be reached with the Metro Red Line and Gold Line, respectively. Now, that's a real bargain.

Free and Freely

My brain gets hampered by great limitations when it comes to writing for long stretches of time, but tonight I must surpass those bounds. I have to finish something for work before dawn's early light, but after working really, really long hours for the last couple of days, I just need a little break. So, of course, I break by doing more writing. Makes perfect sense.

It's starting to get very hot these days, and it's getting tougher and tougher to wear suits. After getting soaked to the skin yesterday in a collared shirt, I opted for a light, stretchy sleeveless top underneath my suit jacket today. It's nice to wear things that lets me move freely, particularly when my day is far from being free.

This weekend I'm going to treat myself to doing something fun. In the morning, I'll head to the Splendid/Ella Moss sample sale in Downtown LA. Due to my work schedule, I hardly ever go to sample sales anymore. This would be a good one to hit for me. Ever since I got my Ella Moss dress from that same location for the work Christmas party, I've wanted to get more light, flouncy, playful yet graceful (and wearable-under-suits) pieces from the line. Unfortunately, they usually don't come cheap, so I'm glad this opportunity came up. I also like the basics from the Splendid line, since they're soft and colorful; they're easier to come by at Nordstrom Rack for a pretty good price, but a sample sale saves me the trouble of having to dig around. The sample sale will be in the 8th floor of the Cooper Building (860 S. Los Angeles Street) in the Fashion District this Friday and Saturday from 9 to 4.

In the afternoon, I'll hit the free Make Music Pasadena event in Pasadena. A number of awesome artists are going to be there. It's been a while since I got to go to a concert, so I'm pretty excited. Plus it's free!

Six Things

Finally, I'm back from the long business trip (no more flight delays and getting home at 1 a.m.--yay!). I still need to go one or two days here and there, but I can pretty much stay put. It's just nice to be home. Haven't had the time to hit the grocery store yet, but I feel like cooking up a storm after having to eat out all the time.

Hebden has tagged me to reveal 6 random/quirky things about myself. I have way too many quirks to count, yet when it comes to putting it down in writing, I find myself struggling to catch 6 of them. But here goes:

1) Ever since I was a kid, I like to eat all the vegetables and meat (if any) in my bowl of ramen before eating the noodles themselves. I wouldn't say that I hated veggies, but I wasn't a big fan of them. I guess I wanted to get rid of them before hitting "the good stuff." I like veggies now, but I continue the practice for some odd reason.

2) I can do the hard things well, but not the simple ones. For example, I can do multivariable calculus (used to anyway), but I have a hard time adding and subtracting.

3) Sports on TV really stimulates my thinking on complex tasks; guess my parents were wrong about TV being a distraction from school. Laker games on the radio used to get me through my calculus homework quickly, and World Cup soccer games (in Spanish, on Telemundo) in the middle of the night provided the white noise I needed to stay awake and pound out papers. Sometimes I still do my work from home in front of the TV when a game is on.

4) I probably would have become a chemical engineer if I didn't hate physics.

5) I used to enjoy reading mysteries, but now I seem to only read non-fiction works (yes, I've picked up reading again as a product of waiting out flight delays).

6) Whenever I cook, I have to make a meat dish and a vegetable dish. Or something with both. I just can't stand making one without the other.

In the spirit of randomness, I'll make the tagging process completely random--you can list your quirks/randomosities in the comments, or leave a link if you choose to blog about it. Salut!

Democracy at Work

Thanks everyone for your comments on insurance and the car rental. After reading your comments and thinking about the limitations of my regular car insurance coverage, I decided that it's best to either stick with the full coverage or go one step down. While I don't remember what my policy covers with regard to rentals, I do know it has a number of limitations, which is why I sprung for the full coverage. If my own car gets a dent, I probably wouldn't mind driving around with that. But when a shiny rental gets dinged, that's a different story.

What I will change for sure, however, is the gas option. It turns out that I got a pretty bad deal by prepaying for it because (a) I won't get credit for the gas left in the tank, and (b) I ended up not driving around as much as I thought I would (visiting people, that is) because of scheduling issues. I learned the hard way, but the lesson sticks.

In the meantime, enjoy my snapshots from a tour given by a Capitol insider. The best part about these trips is that I get to visit my favorite people whom I otherwise wouldn't have been able to see...airfare is so expensive and free time is seriously lacking.

Apparently the Govenator is the first to put his name over the office door.

...the "Coffee Hill" in the said insider's office.

And finally, my favorite: I couldn't stop laughing when I saw this. Yes, I'm weird. I was told this used to be the Coastal Commission...how did it morph to this?

8 Things

Yulanda tagged me to do this survey. Now that I've given it some thought, here goes...

8 things I'm passionate about:

1) Social justice
2) Conservation
3) Making things
4) Food (both cooking and eating)
5) Dancing
6) Living life to the fullest
7) Fashion
8) Trying new things

8 things I want to do before I die:

1) Fly in a hot air balloon
2) Travel around the world
3) Learn tap dancing, and salsa too
4) Have a giant block party with all of my family and friends, especially the ones I haven't seen for a long time
5) Learn to sing
6) Learn to sew
7) Climb the Half Dome at Yosemite and then Australian-rappel back down (I only know how to rappel down the easy way)
8) Bask in the Tuscan sun and fill up on authentic pasta afterwards

(There's a lot I'd like to learn, that's for sure.)

8 Things I say often:

1) Ya know what I'm sayin'?
2) How's it going?
3) Cool
4) Bring it (when the going gets tough, that is...it's not like I like to go out looking for a fight)
5) Thanks
6) I need a nap
7) Oooh, pretty!
8) Hmm. Weird.

8 Books I've read lately:

Sadly, I haven't had the time to read lately. I used to love to read...nowadays it's down to newspapers and magaines, but here goes my list of "recent" reads...

1) A Civil Action
2) The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
3) How to Be a Budget Fashionista (read it for a book review)
4) The Darwin Awards II
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude
6) The Bonesetter's Daughter
7) and 8)--I honestly can't remember. Must be something law-related.

8 Songs I can listen to over and over again:

1) Minor Swing -- as played by my friend Jonathan Stout
2) Temptation Waits -- Garbage
3) I Will Survive -- as performed by the Puppini Sisters
4) Paper Bag -- Fiona Apple
5) Shake Ya Boggie -- Mocean Worker
6) Four Trucks Sitting in the Snow -- Paper Airplanes
7) Paper Planes -- M.I.A.
8) Jet Lag -- Joss Stone

8 Things that attract me to my best friends:
1) kindness (to one and all)
2) intelligence
3) humor
4) loyalty
5) honesty
6) shared interests
7) thoughtfulness
8) strength of character

I'm tagging...
Ambika
Eli
ThatBeeGirl
Bernie

Bye Bye, Kitty...

After working hard for a couple of weeks, it was nice to get a chance to run some errands and buy some stuff. I've been looking for a second frame for yet another fancy piece of paper to go up onto the office wall. To maintain a cohesive look, I wanted a frame that differs from but matches the frame for my degree.

Lucky me, Target was having a sale on frames again. So I got a sleek one for about $12.

And then I went wandering through the aisles for some good clearance deals. I hit the sewing machine aisle because I've always wanted one, and if I can get one cheaply, all the better. I saw a Singer machine on sale for $69, a discount of $20. That's a decent price, but...I don't know. I'm not sure I want to spend money now when I don't have a whole lot of time to learn to sew. Then I moved a couple steps to my left. Holy smokes! The Hello Kitty sewing machine was $25! I knew how expensive this machine was, and I read good reviews for it, so if I could really get one for $25, that would have been great. Sure, there's a Hello Kitty on it, but if the machine is functional, I could care less; it's not like I would carry it around with me on the street.

Alas, there was no more other than the floor model. Even the Target employee who tried to help me track one down marvelled at the price, since his friend spent a pretty penny for it. I then asked Customer Services for help, and they gave me a list of a couple of stores that supposedly had a few left. I called all of them, but nope, they're out. On the next day, I went to a Target store near work. They didn't have one either.

The effort I put up to find a Hello Kitty sewing machine is rather amusing. And silly. But it was kind of fun, too. On that last trip, I ended up picking up something more grown-up for my office. I'll give it a bit of a test ride and will provide a good report next time.

Shopaholism: nature, not nurture?

Shopaholics, rejoice! You might be able to blame the inability to resist purchasing useless things on your brain chemistry.

An fMRI study conducted by Stanford U. revealed that images of coveted items activate the dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens, which responds to the experience or anticipation of pleasant things. Conversely, the insula of your brain is activated when you see something bad (like a hefty price tag). When your insula is a weakling, you end up buying that neon pink elephant lawn ornament.

Before any of you tightwads start feeling uppity in the face of the impulse shoppers' (naturally?) weak resolve, get this: the study also shows that tightwads aren't any more rational than the spendthrifts. Bummers. There goes my sense of superiority.

You can read John Tierney's NYT article and blog for more. I just summarized the article above, but both are really fun reads.

Law of Sales

Ah, I wish this post was really about going to sales, but no. I'm going off topic again. Remember how I said I decided to save some money by not buying a statutory supplement for my commercial law class? That's because the materials I need are available online. Clicking and cut-and-paste is so much better than flipping through pages.

Here's a look at why I'm been slacking-slash-blogging. If you had to look at these all day (and I do mean that literally), wouldn't you start to lose your mind too?

Victor & Rolf for H&M --> Hungry & Merciless Fashionistas

I got a message today from a reader regarding the upcoming BCBG warehouse sale, which reminds me of how crazy things were last year. Shopping at crazy sales is kind of like going to war, and a sense of camradarie does emerge from the survivors. One girl from school recognized me at the sale, and even though I didn't see her there at the time, there's that "special bond" that comes from knowing that common experience.

All that reminiscence reminds me of things that happened at the Oxford H&M in the UK when the Viktor and Rolf collection came out. Shiny Shiny and Susie Bubble recounted their experiences, and man, that made what went on at last year's BCBG sale look tame in comparison. Check out the videos!

Senioritis

Hope you guys voted today! It's been quite an interesting night watching election results and working out while I was at it. Yeah, I know I'm supposed to be studying, but I didn't have much sleep last night, so I took it easy tonight.

I know I've been experiencing a serious case of senioritis, which I have never felt until now. And as I'm about to finish school, I'm starting to feel old. But when I got my mail today, nothing prepared me for this:


Wow...I thought I'd have to wait at least a few decades before I'd be able to save money this way.

How NOT to get rich, part 2

One of my earliest posts was on how NOT to get rich by attempting to catch money flying around on the freeway. Here's another one: don't write a book about your job if you know it's going to get you in trouble. Blogging about the workplace anonymously is dangerous enough, and when your name is plastered on printed volumes that are readily available at the bookstore near you, you're just asking for it. This one is mainly for my lawyer friends out there, but you don't need to take Ethical Lawyering to know that it's a stupid career move.

If the link expires by the time you get to read this, here's the low down: a California prosecutor got disqualified in a drug-and-rape trial. Why? Because she was accused of using the case to promote her novel, which has a plot too similar for comfort. Lawyers in the private sector have to follow certain rules before writing their books, and government lawyers are held to an even higher standard.

The drama is kinda entertaining, but needless to say, the court was not amused.

Soccernomics

I should be working right now, but I've read enough horrid papers for the day and need a break before reading what I think will be a really good one. This post isn't related to shopping at all, but since I blog about financial matters on occasion, it's not entirely irrelevant...

I bet employers around the world must be breathing a sigh of relief now that the World Cup is coming to a close. Millions of dollars in lost productivity probably resulted from tons of slackers who watched games online or followed play-by-play "live blogging." People may think that the soccer-disinterested American workforce is immune, but at least one employer would beg to differ.

Soccer also has a ripple effect on the economy beyond labor terms. This seems like a whole lot of BS, but there are countries where "football" IS the economy, and troubles in the market might be viewed retrospectively as portents of defeat on the pitch. Even countries that are hardly soccer powerhouses could not escape serious socioeconomic costs incurred through World Cup Fever.