Anyone remember Freddie?

Well, she just started a new blog, to go with her "new life" where she's busy pretending but also trying not to be a real person:

Letters to No one: A post-grad story

I'm not sure if that's actually the name of the blog. Maybe it is.

2010: A year a lot of things happened.

A lot of things happened in 2010… and for posterity I feel like a year in review type of post is in order… and I hope I finish this post before 2011 but I still have a lot to do this year like shop for the party I am hosting tonight, figure out what I’m wearing, go to a friend’s dinner and remember to pay my January rent.  Part of me, however, wants to curl up in a ball on the couch and pretend that if I stay there 2011 won’t happen because as much as it’s approach excites me, 2011 marks my entrance into the most uncertain period of my life.  After 21 years marked by semesters, school, and classes, in June of 2011, I will finally be entering “the real world.”  But that is still 6 months away, I guess we will just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

That being said, a lot of pretty great (and some not so great) stuff went down in 2010.  Like, 2010 was the year I studied abroad in London.  That was pretty epic.

There is no way to even remotely begin to sum up that experience so I think I will just leave you with this.  Really I promise I’m not the only one singing.  Just, I’m holding the camera, so that’s why I’m louder.

Also see here for some pretty good summaries, with pictures, of my travels.  From an overview of my semester of travels (with pictures) to my walk to class that one time I took pictures of it.

Also abroad, I discovered my inner clown, and hung out with a bunch of other awesome clowns as well.

 

I caught the travel bug, and went to Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and Amsterdam (wow that sounds like a lot of places) even though  Eyjafjallajökull prevented me from going to Madrid and Barcelona.  When I got home, I still couldn’t sit still and ended up traveling to Evanston and Chicago, and then eventually Austin, Texas.

In 2010 I also said goodbye to one kitty, and hello to two adorable new ones. Casper

Darwin and Orwell

I watched a whole bunch of my friends graduate, turned 21, celebrated gay pride, got my picture in the New York Times, became a senior, moved into an awesome apartment, and played Rebecca in Our Town for the second time.

I also got some great new blogging tools which I hope to make further use of in the new year: A Cannon Rebel and a new Inspiron laptop.

I could probably go on about 2010 forever,  but instead I will just say that I hope 2011 will be just as great a year, if not better, and that I will strive to be my best and do my best as I make my way into that crazy place that some call the real world.

Happy New Year.

Regards,
Freddie

A New Computer, {almost} a New Year

So I got a new computer.  I suppose you could say it was for Hannukah/Christmas but really it was because I needed one… for the past 6 months or so my old laptop has been putt-putting along at frustratingly slow speeds, overheating easily, and the battery is “reaching the end of it’s useable lifespan” as it likes to tell me every time I turn it on.  Although I was reluctant to make the leap – it feels like such a big commitment, my dad basically said “just get one while I’m still willing to pay for it” and so after much deliberation I upgraded to the newest version of the Dell inspiron.  At the time I was worried that oh, it’s just the newer version of my old computer, it’s not really an upgrade but boy I can already tell I am wrong!  It is so shiny and sleek and new looking (though I’m sad to report they no longer make them in yellow – my new computer is red) and FAST  so FAST.  It’s going to take me a little time to learn Windows 7 but I can already tell I’m gonna like it.  It also comes with Windows Live Writer… all I do is click “internet”  on my desktop then “blog” and oh hey here I am writing this post right on my computer… maybe it will encourage me to become a more frequent blogger again.  I think I’d like that.  Anyway mostly I’m writing this to test out live writer, exciting stuff.

Here’s a picture (just to make sure I know how to insert pictures) from the adorbz windows “character” theme I’ve got going on right now:

 

And anyway if you’re looking for some real content I have been updating my tumblr a little bit these days.

Until soon I hope.

Regards,
Freddie

P.S.  I can even preview the post directly in writer… so cool!  … I also have a feeling I’m really behind the times on this whole blogging on your desktop thing, haha.

It gets better

A lot has happened since my last post.

Fall break happened, and I went to Austin, Texas to visit my best friend where things like this really exist:




Then I got off the plane in Ithaca and I could see my breath.

Then a whole lot of beautiful LGBTQ youth comitted suicide (are are still doing so!) because bullies are mean and awful and the media decided it was time to finally cover shit and then a whole lot of cool and important people tried to tell them, IT GETS BETTER.

Some of the videos made me cry:

{really, watch this one.}
Some were made by some of my favorite peoplez on the interwebz.




Then this pretty lady also talked about it.

And then Hillary and Obama talked about it too. (How come I/we call Hillary Clinton Haillary and Barack Obama Obama? I don't know. Probably there's something sexist lying in there too...)

And then some Broadway stars decided to sing about it, which, in my opinion, always makes everything better.


Then a lot more school and rehearsal and other things like that happened and finally last night I kicked my wines prelim in the butt (no, ok, actually it kicked me in the butt but then I got to go home and actually drink wine instead of study it so that made me happy).

Then today I felt like taking some silly outfit photos mostly because I wanted to show off the cool belt I got in Texas (I have cool booties to show off at some point too) and therefore this post happened, but also because I wanted to share the it gets better videos because it does and I think this stuff is so important, for reals.



When you're a jet you're a jet?
{H&M blouse and hat, j.crew sweater, second hand skirt, ? tights, boots from london, vintage/second hand belt from Texas}

Also blogger photo resizing changed and is weird and making my body slightly squished/out of proportion I think. I tried to fix it. Oh well.

Wish I could have taken these outside but did I mention it's getting kind of cold out...? It gets better folks... but it also gets colder. Seriously, by my next post Ithaca is gonna look like this:


But first since I'm still in college, Halloween starts this weekend (eek it's my last college Halloween, what!?) so I need to come up with a costume or four.

Regards,

Freddie

On again off again...

That's the kind of blogger I am.

But that's ok with me, because I suppose then I know I'm not doing it to please anyone but myself. (But your comments are always appreciated too!)

And it does seem a shame not to put my gorgeous new camera to good use.

My pretty baby looks a bit like this:

Anyway, school started. And I seem to be keeping myself pretty busy for only having a 13 credit schedule (the lightest ever of my college career). Hey, sometimes you've just got to be a senior. But this year I have a car, which opens up a whole new realm of possibilities in Ithaca (as does being 21) and I'll also be doing a show (though I didn't get the part I wanted... I will be reprising the small role of Rebecca in Our Town which I played at 14, but I'm going to make the best of it!) which I suppose adds a credit, as well as taking horseback riding lessons. I am so very excited. I have never ridden a horse before! My first class of that is on Saturday :)

Anyway, I did want to share some of the photos I took on my bike ride around Ward's Island that one day this summer. The light was just so glorious. These are just a small handful of favorites. (Click for larger versions)




On my way to Ithaca, we stopped at my Grandparents house to see them and to get my car. Grandpa had just received a shipment of day old chickens. He fancies himself a bit of a farmer and also has a blueberry patch, guarded by a wolf-man, as well as some ducks.

Here the chickens are about 3 days old.
(again, click to enlarge)



This past weekend, we had labor day off and I had one of my lovely bffs from home, Helen, up to visit. Together we attended Ithaca Brew Fest where we very seriously and scientifically sample some of the finest brews from all over.



We also paid a visit (my first, but most certainly not my last) to the Ithaca farmers market to pick up some produce (as well as some blueberry wine!) to fuel my latest cooking experiments. They've been fun and tasty, but not always so pretty. Most recently I cooked up polenta (first try! It was instant... but still tasty) with roasted veggies, including some farmers market beets. Nom nom nom. I definitely want to continue cooking this semester - our kitchen is pretty great for a college kitchen. I need to do an apartment photo-tour sometime, our place is really pretty great.



And last but not least, for good measure, an outfit post. I do wish I could have shot this in better lighting, but you win some you lose some. Also, it's been so long since I played around with layers and frames instead of doing things like reading Riders of the Purple Sage or Wines for Dummies. Did I mention I was taking a wines class this semester?


{dress from a Berlin flea market, h&m tights, Zac Posen for target tuxedo jacket,
boots from a random London Camden town shop, ? black flower pin}

The weather here has been super bi-polar. Yesterday and parts of this weekend pushed 90 degrees though I have no photo proof of that. We shall see.

And finally (really) for fun -- a zoom-out of where the outfit photo was taken. You can see most of my great wall of hats. And yes, I am standing in a corner made by 3 doors - the one behind me is my bedroom door and on either side are two of my closets. I have three of them :o

Regards,
Freddie

I suppose that wasn't completely true

I suppose I have bought some new things this summer. And I know I can still put together an outfit when I set my mind to it.

Kater recently wrote a nice post about "saving outfits" and I think that is exactly what I do. I don't want to "debut" an outfit without feeling like there's a purpose, sure I dress for myself first and foremost but it's nice to think that someone will see what I'm wearing and appreciate it as well, and lately there just haven't been too many such occasions for me. I go from gym clothes to my funny work uniform and it often seems a waste of clothing (especially with how lazy I am when it comes to doing laundry...) to put something different on in between.

I suppose I felt the need to pull this particular outfit out again to photograph because I have tried to "debut" it twice in the last week and failed. The first time I was on my way out to dinner (all you can eat mussels at The Flea Market Cafe... not sure I can remember that last time I was that full, good grief!) with a friend and dropped my mascara brush down the front of my outfit while I was getting ready. Smooth. Luckily I was able to save the skirt completely, and after much labor the stain on the shirt is just barely noticeable any more, but obviously I had to change clothes for that evening. The second time I was supposed to meet a friend at a bar and just as I arrived she told me she had suddenly gotten sick -- food poisoning or an allergic reaction perhaps! -- and couldn't come. I puttered around a bit and did end up running into someone else I knew, but all in all only stayed out about an hour, not long enough to feel that I really did the outfit justice.

Anyway, for my own personal records if nothing else, here it is. These were also supposed to be the first outfit pictures taken with my DSLR but the darn thing was out of power (I must have left it on or something? ... I plan on sharing the scenic pictures I took last time I used it soon) and I wasn't about to file these clothes away yet again, so out came the point and shoot. (Ironically I'm not sure where my point and shoot's charger is and it's almost out of batteries too!).

And of course the sun came out all bright and shiny as soon as I was done with my little outfit shoot.





Wind always poses a bit of a challenge on the roof.




{vintage skirt, h&m shirt and glasses, urban renewal belt, BC sandals,
vintage watch, Essie nail polish in body language}

The skirt was a lovely vintage find from my semester in London (only £10!) but was previously about a foot and a half longer than this. I didn't have a sewing machine abroad so I filed shortening the skirt away as a summer project... and then took over three months to get around to it. I'm glad I finally did.

The shirt was an H&M purchase from early this summer and is something I have been living in. It works great with jean shorts and sandals for my lazy, non outfit creating self. The sunglasses were purchased at H&M around the same time.

The shoes too are new this summer (though also from a while ago) from shoegasm, one of my favorite shoe stores, and were bought in an attempt to replace an old, falling apart pair of summer sandals. Unfortunately I can't really rock a heel on a daily basis (though I'm starting to wish I could). Though as far as heels goes, these are pretty easy... and I ended up with the clarks I love since these didn't work for every day. So I do suppose it was a win win though I'm still sad about the demise of those old sandals.

Also the time is an hour off in that last photo... haha, whoops.

Anyway, time to pack up my clothes for work and be off. Hope to be doing some more blog reading and writing soon.

Regards,
Freddie

Disillusioned with Style

Lately I've been feeling rather disillusioned with style, or with my own style in particular. I feel like I just don't care that much about it these days. I can attribute this partially to the fact that half the time I leave the house I know I'm going to have to change for work - I'm waitressing at a Mexican restaurant (Diablo Royale Este) this summer and our uniform is the kind of torn up band shirt you probably thought was really cool and "punk" in middle school (or maybe that was just me?), black bottoms, and beat up converse -- my hand studded pair are serving me well here at least (remember when I really wanted black converse to put studs on? Well I finally did it and lived in them all semester in London).

I'll confess I am having a little fun with this uniform because in some ways it's like I'm putting on a costume - I get to be a slightly different person at work than I usually am. I mean, I would normally never wear anything like this out of the house (I generally wear something different and change when I get there, but I'm lazy with what I wear there because I do know I'm just going to change.) I suppose I could say it helps me get into "character." And I have a lot of fun chatting with people at tables in a way I don't think I could do in any other sort of situation.

Anyway, speaking of putting on a costume - I was also just in a show, yet another thing to have to change clothes for. It was a tiny, experimental project (the show was this past Thursday and one night only) but somehow we ended up in the New York Times! If you feel inspired to read about it, please be my guest.

That's me all nice and shiny in the back with the mask on.

So this stuff has kept me pretty busy which I suppose has contributed to a lot of quick throwing together of outfits as I run out the door in the morning (I spent a lot of last week out all day bouncing from rehearsal to work and having to carry multiple "costumes" with me at all times). I never would have thought that I, the girl who almost cried when she learned her job last summer required shorts (no skirts or dresses) and closed toed shoes, would this year self-impose a summer uniform of jean shorts and a tee, or maybe a flowy blouse when I'm feeling fancier. I mean, I sometimes dress like this even when going out, and in some ways it feels great, it's nice to not care so much, but at other times I'm just getting so bored with my wardrobe and my outfits.

I do finally have a great (and comfortable!!) pair of sandals though.

However, other than these, I've been doing very little shopping this summer - trying to save money and all that - which is, of course, contributing to my boredom. It has also been DISGUSTINGLY hot and humid the past few weeks -- though it's gotten much nicer over the past couple of days -- making comfort the top priority. I guess I'm just not sure what my style is anymore, and that's ok... but I do really want to get re-inspired. Maybe going back to school will help with that? There are only 3 weeks left of my long and somewhat lazy summer after all. I return to Ithaca for my final year (scary) on August 21st and I will confess I can't wait.

In other news, I thank those of you who expressed your concern and support after my last post. My aunt was in a terrible bike accident -- no one knows exactly what happened but she went over her handlebars going very quickly down a trail on a mountain or hill. She has been out of the critical stages for a little while now, and my mom who spent about two weeks at her side is now home, but she has aphasia and has a lot to re-learn - it will be a long road. However, wearing a helmet saved her life. So please, don't be too cool and fashionable to wear a helmet. I used to think I was and didn't wear one but never again. It's sad it took something like this for me to realize how silly my vanity was, but I just bought a pretty blue helmet from nutcasehelmets.com.

If you buy one today you can enter code "OPRAH" for 30% off! (haha, thanks Oprah!)

They also have some pretty adorable printed ones but they were out of my size in my favorites and I decided maybe I should get something that will still feel appropriate for me to wear in a couple of years? Though I may very well have ended up with one of these if they hadn't been sold out of the Small/Medium:

And I fully encourage purchase of a fun, colorful and silly helmet... as long as you wear one!

This girl also hand paints some really gorgeous head-protectors but they are a bit out of my current price range.

Anyway, I don't mean to preach, but long story short: do get a cool helmet, but don't be too cool for a helmet.

Maybe (probably) I'll do another bike related post at some point, but if you want some more bike candy for the time being, check out this shop.

So I suppose that's all for now on this odd two-topic post... I'm still here, floating about, and I suppose we'll see where the rest of the summer takes me fashion-wise. I do have a bit more free time now that my show is over, and I'm only working about 3-4 days a week. Perhaps I will allow myself to shop a little? We'll see.

Oh, also I got a hair-cut that I'm not thrilled with (it's about shoulder length now) ... yet another contribution to my current fashion blasé. But I know, I know, hair will grow.

Regards,
Freddie