10.22.2010

Fashion Friday: The Jean Jacket


In a jean jacket and spiral perm, my aunt looks away. The conversation between my great uncle and grandmother doesn't interest her anymore.

The Bible On Cassette


We have many copies of the Bible in our house. Most are stamped with the addresses of the churches my mother took them from. She believed in blessing each room with one, open to her favorite passages. She was secretly hoping that with so many open bibles, I'd have to look down and start reading. Then I'd succumb to their holy power. When she was sick, I drove her to church every Sunday and would mouth the words to the songs, just to fit in. While I refused to get baptized, she was glad that I was under God's roof for a short time.

For a while she believed that blasting Christian radio sermons through the house would make it holy. I found it impossible to tune out the monologues about armageddon. It was a kind of sound torture, my mother must have known. We came to a truce. She then only listened to Chinese talk radio. I'm thankful that she never blasted the Bible on cassette tape and only littered the house with the books. 

10.21.2010

The Survival Kit


Clockwise from the upper left: yarn rope made from a homemade loom (popsicle sticks glued on a toilet paper roll), Hello Kitty whistle, Hello Kitty origami paper, Sergio Valente zipper wallet, The Little Red Hen book with lenticular cover, Hello Kitty wind-up clip, Hello Kitty stamp, mushroom sticker dispenser, Goropikadon band-aids, Sanrio Vaudeville Duo band-aids, plastic letter stencil, glitter puffy paint, Hello Kitty gumball hair band.

When I'd come home for the holidays, I found it reassuring that I still had all my Hello Kitty crap and the Little Twin Star suitcase. It seems wrong that no one had made me get rid of these things and that as thirty something I could still "play" with them. As a kid, I put only the most important things in there. In the event I had to pick up and go, I'd have band-aids (two sets), reading material (The Little Red Hen), and something to sit on (yarn circular pad). 

I had never experienced natural disaster or political upheaval, but growing up Californian the earthquake preparedness drills at school must have really left an impression on me. Why else was I always assembling emergency kits? I made one for a wicker basket that had playing cards, marbles, vials of glitter, and Wrigley's Spearmint chewing gum. The glitter would be purely for aesthetic value and the cards entertainment. But gum was going to save my life! In the event I was stranded in a trench caused by an earthquake, I'd use the foil gum wrapper to signal passing planes for help. 

10.18.2010

Music Monday: Grandpa's Records, Bag #1


I found three bags of vinyl in my grandfather's box. Here's the first bag. I'll post more music on Mondays.

Bag #1


The feathered hair and a tilted "come hither" glance on what looks like a Chinese rollerderby queen.


It's the one record you need for birthdays and weddings. "Happy Birthday" is on Side A and "Wedding March" on Side B. 


It's a birthday cake and a handsome bride and groom. 


The Kingdom And The Beauty, the official soundtrack to the film. No, I've never heard of it either. 


The Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. "A Time For Us" was internationally loved.


"Around the World With Whistling Jack". Jack made an entire album of just whistling! I suppose whistling was the beatboxing of an earlier era. This could be very dangerous torture music if left on repeat.


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