All-American Manufacturing, Not So All-American Style

Today my Aunt was very happy to see that I was wearing a previous Christmas gift she gave me a few years ago. I wore it because it is one of the few long-sleeved t-shirts I own. She loves it more than I do and in fact would’ve bought it for herself at the Metropolitan Opera House Gift Shop if they had one in her size. It has a fun screen print design, rather Art Nouveau. I enjoy Art Nouveau & Art Deco… I guess I prefer each one depending on if I’m in a more organic or a more geometric mood. It is rather comfortable and American Apparel. I find American Apparel rather interesting, I do admit that I did not know much about the brand until I moved to Miami. You can pull American Apparel in Miami. For being called American Apparel, it definitely has more of a specific urban international following than American.

I can’t imagine….. Hmm…

Well, I can imagine walking down my sweet little southern town decked in tight /short American Apparel.

In fact, I’ve almost been there, done that

When I decided to go shopping

In Spandex leggings

I mean they weren’t even liquid Spandex

I was getting all kinds of stares

Old ladies talking about me behind my back

I know they were jealous

I gathered bits & pieces

I wasn’t even in heels or anything

I just came from the gym

I was in tennis shoes

Maybe that’s the reason for the stares

People don’t go downtown without makeup

In Miami, people love leggings

And wear them all the time

Whatever shows off your butt better

Hahaha…. I remember a few talks we girls got

From a Georgia Peach from Buckhead

She tried to convince us that leggings are not pants

She wore them under skirts & dresses

Like you do tights

We were all shocked

What!

One of my classmates worked in the South Beach location

She wore American Apparel everyday

Must’ve got a discount

I think they are a bit pricey

Especially for starving artists

Unless the starving artist lives off his or her parents

In Miami, you also see American Apparel ads everywhere.

Great photography & composition

A little racy

But whatever

Grabs your attention

It’s interesting that they manufacture everything in L.A.

Good to have a company setting an example in textiles

No little kids working in sweat shops in Thailand

Loved their website too,

Very clean

Very descriptive

Very open about everything

Well, I guess I’d consider them pretty open anyway

In almost every sense of the word

Levi's from unbuttoned to fixing bony butt

I happen to be wearing Levi Strauss Jeans today

I also wore them yesterday

They are practical

They are still holding up

Even though my sister gave them to me

After she tired of years of wearing them

Or maybe her butt got even bigger

They've been practical since.. 1873 or something

Now days they are trying really hard to be sexy

They have the whole risqué "Unbuttoned" thing going on

I have a few of their ads on my Youtube playlist

I like Levi's "Dangerous Liaison"

History is sexy

Well, maybe I'm just nerdy enough to think history is sexy

Also, they never actually are able to to take off the pants

The mystery and frustration are sexy

But then there is Levi's 501 "Secrets and Lies"

I was kinda surprised that this came on T.V.

But then again it was 10:00 at night

"Secrets and Lies" I guess makes a good fantasy

Plenty of people have these types of fantasies

I suggest they don't attempt to fulfill them in real life

Being lied to and manipulated in real life isn't very sexy

Not a good example... not that you would follow it.

Mental and physical health are at risk... not a good idea.

I read that since Levi's has decided to take on sexy

That they've decided to try to make even make my flat butt sexy

Yes, I inherited my sister's jeans, because I have a bony butt

No junk is in my trunk. None.

She got the dance moves

And the butt

So Levi's has three different butt cuts

Called "Curve id"

For the flat, the curvy and the pear shaped.

Great idea... I'm tired of the saggin' flat back.

I'm sure someone else is tired of bustin' seams.

Well anyway, here is all 3 videos, Enjoy!

Hitchhiking with Art Supplies

Last night, the manager of Utrecht stopped by one of our art classes to talk about some of their products and I started thinking about my relationship with Utrecht. I am sorry to say that while I have mostly positive feelings for Utrecht, our relationship has been entirely based on location. Hahaha... memories are starting to flow over me like an ink wash, swept across the page with a medium bamboo brush!

Two years ago

I had a hard time

Finding Warehouse 10

I asked for directions

Even university employees

Didn't have a clue

It's the back side of Campus

Where you don't want to be

Especially at night

Even if you have the code

Especially when you have

To carry a 30lb pad of newsprint

Along with a giant folder

And a giant bag of supplies

Especially when

You don't have a car

I was given a list

A list

That is too long

A list

That is too expensive

A list

That is too confusing

A list

That requires a trip

I planned

Every outing

Down to every

Detail

You have to

When you take

Terrible transit

9:15 - Leave apartment

9:30 - Catch bus #24

If that bus doesn't come...

10:30- Catch bus #24

10:25- Arrive at Metrorail station

10:28 - Metrorail Leaves

If you miss the train...

10:40- Metrorail Leaves

Then walk

Walk underneath

The train tracks

Listen to rush, rumble, tumble above you

It won't last long

Mind Your Own business

Ignore the homeless

Ignore the cat-callers

Ignore the old men

Wait for bright light up sign

Look for cars

Hope the cars stop

Hope the cars stop

With right on red

Long enough to cross

One, two, three, four, five, six

It might be lunch time by now

Luckily, McDonald's is on this corner

Finally, Utrecht

Pearls was further away

Find everything I need

Nice store

Helpful staff

Student Discount

Now the hard part

Getting Back!

Sailing down

A1A

In the sun

Big drawing board

Sways in the breeze

I sway under the weight

Drop it

Pick it up

Drop it

Pick it up

Zooming Zooming Past

Truck!

Move out of the way

"Hey, girl"

Stare

"Hey, You look like you need a ride"

Stare

"Look"

"Here is my license"

"See my name"

"It's the same name on my truck"

Stare at the truck

"See it's also on my shirt"

Stare at the shirt

"This is my business"

Penetrating Stare into face

"Well, Ok"

"You can take me to the Metrorail station"

Next Year

Bus #8

One bus

Bus #8

Jerry's Artorama

Cheaper

Can't find anything

No one to help

No one knows

Oooohh! So is it like a magic wand?

I moved into a historic Victorian apartment recently, that was previously inhabited by a smoking auto mechanic. I'm all about affordable! The previous renter left a trail of oil up the stairs and into the living room. I can tell exactly where the Lazy Boy sat. Therefore the place required a thorough cleaning. Also, the place smelled like smoke until I doused it with Pine Sol. Now it smells like the woods! Since I had to watch the kids (my sisters are "the kids") I decided to occupy them by putting them to work. All was going well, until I realized that I needed my favorite cleaning product the Magic Eraser. Forget paint, my walls could be salvaged by Mr. Clean. I wish Mr. Clean was a real person. I definitely wouldn't mind having a fit, trustworthy man around to change my light bulbs, take out the trash, clean the bathroom, do the heavy lifting, ect. And it would be soooo convenient to just pick him up at Walmart whenever I needed him. So that day, before heading out to Walmart I explained to the kids that I needed to get a Magic Eraser. They looked up at me with wide eyes and said "Oh a maaagic eraser!! Is it really magic?! Is it like a maaaagic wand?!!" I responded, "Well sorta" it'll get the scuffs off the wall. So we headed out to pick up the cleaning tool that's straight out of Harry Potter and came back to remove scuffs... and I put them back to work.