Writing

I often hear people say “Writing is hard.” Hell, I say it. But I think this statement is often wrong. Or rather, it’s not what is meant.

Writing is hard but it’s a skill that can be learned. It’s never been the actual writing that I find hard. In fact, I find it enjoyable.

Yet, I’ve written post after post and scrapped them all.

Obviously thinking about writing.

Why?

It’s not a lack of confidence (I think I’m the fucking bees knees, thank you very much). It’s not that I dislike what I’ve written or what I’ve chosen to write about. No. It’s a fear of exposure.

It’s fucking stage fright.

Not because I’m afraid that someone might criticize my work. I’ve been through college and have participated in public performance. I even keep an active Instagram (@thehalfwingedbatkid follow that shit).

But there’s something so much more personal about writing. It’s not just pictures of shit I think is cool (like my face hurr hurr hurr). It’s my voice. It’s me.

So why am I blogging?

Because I want to write. I have thoughts, opinions, and stories that I want to share. Isn’t that why we write in the first place? With every post (despite them being few and far between) I eat away at that stage fright so I can get down to what I really enjoy. And maybe I’ll write something that is helpful or that you enjoy, too.

Oh, you’re still here. =D

Well then. . . .anyways!

Time

Well, less than a year between posts this time. I really want to be better at this.

Every time I feel like I’m getting settled something else happens. Apparently I’m now a business owner. I also have a niece on the way in two weeks on top of a multitude of other things.

Every time I think of something I want to post I’m not on front of a computer or I’m too busy to write anything anyways. But enough excuses!

It needs to rain more. I feel more productive on days where the New England fog takes over and I can wrap myself up in layers of fabric.

But the weather is already turning here and soon even the sunniest of days will mean sweaters and scarves.

Recently I’ve become more inspired by gyaru fashions (still heavily a grungey dark mori kid though). I saw this outfit in from an Ageha spread while looking for officewear ideas and just had to recreate it

I have really similar pants from JCPENNEY so I threw those on with a loose tank and a black long cardigan. Normally I wouldn’t have pair these pants with the long cardigan but it really worked. To my surprise  I got a lot of compliments on my outfit. More importantly it was super comfy (and warm since my office is kept at a balmy 15 degrees fahrenheit) while still being work appropriate.

Perhaps I’ll take pictures of that outfit at some point and post it here. Fingers crossed.

the batkid

Slumber

It only took a whole year to post again! I’m hoping to get back in to this now that I have more time.

Last year was very full for me. The other half and I bought a house, added to our fur family, reclaimed my birds that I couldn’t have in my apartment (my wonderful mom did a great job babysitting her grand-birds, thank you thank you), and a whole bunch of other stuff that just generally kept us busy.

My plan is to do a post on cubicle-decorating in the near future and then some fashion inspiration posts (dark mori/strega focused).

I hope everyone’s 2015 had as many good memories as mine. Remember to relish the not-so-good ones too though. You can’t grow crops without rain.

 

 

Late New Year

This might be a bit late since January is almost over but the opening of the year was especially hectic for me. Yaaay for working in accounting…..xp.

I had the best holiday season I think I’ve ever had. The other and I went to see our families in the beginning of December to do gift exchanges. We made baskets to present to everyone and gave them a rustic coastal Maine theme. They were a big hit.

I wish I had taken the time to take better pictures of our Christmas tree. We got a real one that made the apartment smell wonderful. We also got a wreath and decorated it. It’s so pretty we haven’t taken it down yet.

(I’m using my phone for this but I’ll add a picture later)

Christmas day we stayed in and listened to music and spent time cooking and just being happy. There were presents too. I love well thought out gifts. (*˘︶˘*)

….I actually might enjoy giving them more though. I always put waaay too much time into my gifts. Even if they’re  just little.

For New Year’s the other took me to the beach. There was a big bonfire where everyone burned their Christmas trees and drank hot cocoa. After a bit they had fireworks! It was beautiful. I love fireworks. It felt really special to watch them on the beach in winter.

I know it’s corny but while I watched the smoke from the trees spiral up into the night sky I couldn’t help but see it as happiness and good cheer, absorbed into the wood during the holidays. I imagined it travelling, maybe to places far away, to where other people needed it more than we do.

To me, that’s what the holidays are about. It’s not about getting the fanciest gift but about sharing happiness and hope. So with that, and I know it’s a bit late, I hope you had a great holiday and I wish you the best New Year.

Tattoos

Hello.

The weather has been perfect. Just the right amount of chill to turn the leaves and send the bugs away so my other half and I can take nice long hikes.

Last Sunday we visited nearby Bradbury Mountain. http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=12

It was so lovely but also very crowded. The view from the summit was still gorgeous, despite all the people, and the park is so big that once you’re on the trails you rarely come across other hikers.

We plan on visiting again in the spring. The mountain is supposed to be a great spot to watch hawks then. I guess they like to mate there. I can understand why. Seriously, it was super beautiful.

I love hawks. They are supposed to be very loyal and friendly birds. They have long been hunting partners and companions for people, much like dogs.

I like what they represent as well. They’re known for being keen-eyed and observant. This has translated into them symbolizing insight and perceptiveness. It is my dad’s spirit animal.

I’ve been wanting a hawk tattoo for some time. A couple years actually. I almost have the design I want pinned down. Maybe I should save up and plan to get it after I see them in the spring, as a kind of commemoration.

Early Mornings

I think the thing I love most about moving to New England is that (so far anyways) almost every morning is blanketed in wonderful fog. My morning commute is beautiful. My apartment is on the river along with these gorgeous old factory buildings. So that’s the first thing I see on my way to work. Then I drive through a cute town and towards the lovely salt water swamps that my office is next to.

I don’t know if it’s the fog or that they have trees EVERYWHERE, but nothing seems big here. Or really little either. In New York, everything had scale. You either felt smothered and stagnant in a tiny town, or crushed in the cold rush of the city. It was hard to find a comfortable balance between being close to nature and friendly faces or being somewhere you could get a job.

Here, it’s different. Even the largest city still feels like a sleepy town and everyone is warm and welcoming. I’m never far from the forest and I love living on the coast and being able to see the ocean any time I want.

And the leaves have finally turned. I’m so excited to visit the beach once the snow starts to fall. Until then, we plan on squeezing in a few more hikes. This is the best time of year for hiking.

When will the leaves change….

It’s just about the end of summer already. I’m sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the leaves to turn. The weather here in New England has already started to cool off. The days are getting shorter. I have heard talk of a warm September though.

Androscoggin State Park-lovely place to visit for a hike and picnic

 

I for one am not excited.

I want my sweaters and scarves and thick socks back. I’ve been working on cleaning out my closet and this has required taking a look at my style. I am definitely a winter girl. I like layers and comfy cozy drapey clothing. I love sweaters. I like being toasty and warm.

 

Just not summer sun warm.

 

The kind of warm that comes with with piles of fabric and a cup of hot tea after coming in from the snow.

Though I suppose summer is nice too.

 

So although it’s been cooler I’m not getting my hopes up until the leaves change. 

 

 

Monday Munchie

Today I think I will share a recipe. The weather has been kind of crappy since I moved into the apartment which makes me want to try cooking new things. I’m not sure why. But it looks like it might actually start to get nice outside (of course I’ll be too busy working to spend time at any of the bazillion beaches I live right next to. . . XD)

Anyhoooo. This recipe is for an awesome sauce that I made to go over filet mignon. I suppose it would work well with most things, but I like it best over red meats.

I originally referenced it from here: http://www.thedragonskitchen.com/2012/10/steak-with-coffee-sauce.html

Seriously. . .this lady is so bad ass she calls herself Dragon.

I didn’t take a picture of the final result for this (I was too hungry) but with my recipe it will come out a nice medium, creamy brown color.

You will need:

About 2 tblsp Butter

Some Red Wine (I used a blend on the sweeter side by Middle Sister)

Fresh garlic (I used about 3 for two filets but I loooooove garlic)

1/4 Cup Coffee

1/8 Cup Cream

Black Pepper

Salt

Drippings from the meat (if using meat)

 

Instructions:

If you are roasting your meat or it needs more than a few minutes to cook then cook it first and let it rest while you make the sauce. However, for this recipe I’m going through what I did for filet mignon (which I like on the rare side) so I waited to cook it until last.

Melt your butter and lightly fry up your garlic in it over low-medium heat.

Up the heat to medium-high and splash in some red wine. Enough to just barely cover the bottom of a medium sized pan.

Let the alcohol evaporate (about a minute or so).

Add your coffee, then turn down the heat to just under medium and add your cream and seasonings.

Let this all simmer for a bit, adjusting the heat if necessary for your stove, while you cook up your meat. Then plate your meat and scrape the drippings into the sauce and let it come together while your meat rests for a minute or two.

Pour that glorious stuff all over your meat. And possibly your potatoes if you have them.

 

Enjoy! =D Let me know how my recipe turns out for you.

 

 

Mori Girl Monday

To make things easy I’ve decided to start with a themed post. Today’s theme is Mori Girl Monday!

I’ve been really inspired by mori girl fashion and the whole idea behind it lately. I grew up in a home nestled amongst the trees on a mountain so this fashion really speaks to me. Honestly, it wasn’t until very recently (maybe December?) that I knew it was a thing.

I was trying to make sense of my style and started searching the interweb for inspiration and organizing tips. Somehow I came across mori girl and my brain instantly wanted to take it and darken it. Then I saw this:

It’s posted to DollOfTheForest’s tumblr. (Link: http://dolloftheforest.tumblr.com/post/58781276023/putting-together-a-mori-kei-outfit)

So now I suppose I’ll go over one of my favorite mori girl inspired outfits. I don’t actually have a picture of me in this one. . .but I’ll break it down using similar images. I wore this outfit a couple of times during the winter months. It was really warm and comfy.

Inspiration:

Outline of my Coord: Black Turtleneck, Gray Bubble-hem Dress, Black leggings or Black Maxi Skirt (sometimes both), Black Cardigan, Scarf (Usually black or black with a gray skull print), Boots, Gray Legwarmers (sometimes)

The Dress:

Example 1 is from ebay (no longer listed)

Example 2 is by Mihara Yasuhiro (http://www.lyst.com/clothing/mihara-yasuhiro-grey-bubble-hem-dress/)

 

My dress is somewhere in between these two I suppose. The material is really soft, more of a cotton flannel. . .It kind of looks like two pieces and has cap sleeves and a V neck. By two pieces I mean. . .It looks like a fitted gray t shirt dress under a loose bubble-hem halter dress. So instead of pockets it has more of a big ol’ pouch. It’s really neat.

Anyways!

That’s one of my favorite winter mori inspired outfits. Probably the first one I wore as well. I miss winter already and it hasn’t even gotten warm here yet despite already being May.

Oh well. . .Feel free to comment! I would love to hear about how you got into mori fashion and if you can remember your first mori style outfit.

Begin at the Beginning

Good evening. =D

My name is Jackie.

I am currently a student…though that will be ending for awhile in less than two weeks. My passion is to study history and other cultures. I quite enjoy fashion, video games, and cooking as well.

I’m starting this blog to share and explore my passions and maybe connect with others along the way.

With that being said. . .feel free to leave comments!

I shall leave you with a relaxing sunset photo I took last summer of a lighthouse off the coast of Maine.