Kawaii - defined as cute or adorable. It's Japanese.
In the spirit of "forever young".
For the past while I have been obsessed with making these necklaces and, as well, turning pop culture icons into mardi gras type baubles that bubble over with fun, pink, and all things yummy - like wearing a birthday party!
Why, you may ask, am I turning to this in my 59th year? It seems pretty childish. Smiles that can be touched, worn and remembered, seem invaluable to me. Sooooo, I'm making smiles.
It took me years to find my inner PINK. And many thanks to Robert for encouraging me to do so, although in the end it was too much for him. Actually, me too...
Apparently, growing up is NOT a linear process!
Not gold, silver or diamonds.
Kawaii - the cutest and most adorable is yet to come!
Friday, February 22, 2013
MY LITTLE PONY
In August of 2009, I began to collect My Little Pony (MLP) - a whim precipitated by an infatuation with the plastic toys being put out by Kid Robot.
The ponies reminded me of the pretty plastic toys I had purchased for my niece.
The first couple of boxes arrived, without much notice, and sat piled up in the corridor of the already too small, but lovely, lakeside condo.
A friend passed along a notice for an art gallery exhibit of MLP redesigned by local artists. Coincidence? My curiosity grew. As they say, "timing..."
And so on-and-on the story goes… Once I was 10 years old, and wanted a pony. Who didn’t?
That these have now found their way back to me is sure proof that they, indeed, belong to me, as I belonged to that particular time.
(I B E L O N G E D S O M E W H E R E ) - no wonder they are so precious.
Little jewels of bubblegum colour, the glitter of symbols, coloured saran hair, the baby powder scent of plastic, evidence of a girls culture that I had paid no heed to, and that was so much under appreciated in times of that fostered modern vision of the “Strong” Woman.
The years have gone by and I am proud to say that I am strong Woman, and I collect MLP.
So, here they are, symbols shining with the magic only the very young may possess, a gift of love, I am thankful to remember, My Little Pony.
The ponies reminded me of the pretty plastic toys I had purchased for my niece.
The first couple of boxes arrived, without much notice, and sat piled up in the corridor of the already too small, but lovely, lakeside condo.
A friend passed along a notice for an art gallery exhibit of MLP redesigned by local artists. Coincidence? My curiosity grew. As they say, "timing..."
And so on-and-on the story goes… Once I was 10 years old, and wanted a pony. Who didn’t?
That these have now found their way back to me is sure proof that they, indeed, belong to me, as I belonged to that particular time.
(I B E L O N G E D S O M E W H E R E ) - no wonder they are so precious.
Little jewels of bubblegum colour, the glitter of symbols, coloured saran hair, the baby powder scent of plastic, evidence of a girls culture that I had paid no heed to, and that was so much under appreciated in times of that fostered modern vision of the “Strong” Woman.
The years have gone by and I am proud to say that I am strong Woman, and I collect MLP.
So, here they are, symbols shining with the magic only the very young may possess, a gift of love, I am thankful to remember, My Little Pony.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Note to Self
Letter to myself on my 60th
Well, it certainly has been a difficult year so far, but it's better now. You managed to find your way through all the turmoil and somehow emerge. You did okay. Time now to do better. A few good things - you lost 20 lbs or so...you can do that again. You are walking more and have returned to the world of shopping and busing. Okay - so you're not ready for dating. I get it - but you're going to have to get over that. So, for now, just focus on working hard on the things you love. Dedicate yourself to completing your vision - you have good ideas! You picked up a great deal of knowledge last year - too much to process. No worries, it will all come in handy eventually. Your world is a good world. For now, stay small and do what you can. They say "don't sweat the small things" - but sometimes that's all we have. Let what's inside flow out - life is beautiful. Even though it's a little crunchy...things will get better. I'm proud of who you are. You did good kid! Hugs, Laura.
Well, it certainly has been a difficult year so far, but it's better now. You managed to find your way through all the turmoil and somehow emerge. You did okay. Time now to do better. A few good things - you lost 20 lbs or so...you can do that again. You are walking more and have returned to the world of shopping and busing. Okay - so you're not ready for dating. I get it - but you're going to have to get over that. So, for now, just focus on working hard on the things you love. Dedicate yourself to completing your vision - you have good ideas! You picked up a great deal of knowledge last year - too much to process. No worries, it will all come in handy eventually. Your world is a good world. For now, stay small and do what you can. They say "don't sweat the small things" - but sometimes that's all we have. Let what's inside flow out - life is beautiful. Even though it's a little crunchy...things will get better. I'm proud of who you are. You did good kid! Hugs, Laura.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Fish Broth & Fasting
I don't often post about political issues...but here goes. Pls read this post by Leanne Simpson.
I am not going to correct all of the slander designed to discredit Chief Spence and her hunger strike – my friends and colleagues have already done a fantastic job of that. Check out the work of Chelsea Vowel and Alanis Obomsawin’s The People of the Kattawpiskat River if you haven’t.
The past few weeks have been an intense time to be Anishinaabeg. There is a lot to write about and to process. ...I started to think a lot about fish broth. Fish broth and Anishinaabeg governance.
Fish broth has been cast by the mainstream media as “the cheat”. Upon learning Chief Spence was drinking tea and fish broth coverage shifted from framing her action as a “hunger strike” to a “liquid diet”, as if 32 days without food is easy. As if a liquid diet doesn’t take a substantial physical, mental and emotional toll or substantial physical, mental and emotional strength to accomplish. Of course this characterization comes from a place of enormous unchecked privilege and a position of wealth. It comes from not having to fight for one’s physical survival because of the weight of crushing poverty. It comes from always having other options.
This is not where Indigenous Peoples come from.
My Ancestors survived many long winters on fish broth because there was nothing else to eat – not because the environment was harsh, but because the land loss and colonial policy were so fierce that they were forced into an imposed poverty that often left fish broth as the only sustenance.
Fish broth. It carries cultural meaning for Anishinaabeg. It symbolizes hardship and sacrifice. It symbolizes the strength of our Ancestors. It means survival. Fish broth sustained us through the hardest of circumstances, with the parallel understanding that it can’t sustain one forever. We exist today because of fish broth. It connects us to the water and to the fish who gave up its life so we could sustain ourselves. Chief Spence is eating fish broth because metaphorically, colonialism has kept Indigenous Peoples on a fish broth diet for generations upon generations. This is utterly lost on mainstream Canada, as media continues to call Ogichidaakwe Spence’s fast a “liquid diet” while the right winged media refers to it as much worse.
Not Chief Spence, but Ogichidaakwe Spence – a holy woman, a woman that would do anything for her family and community, the one that goes over and makes things happen, a warrior, a leader because Ogichidaakwe Spence isn’t just on a hunger strike. She is fasting and this also has cultural meaning for Anishinaabeg. She is in ceremony. We do not “dial back” our ceremonies. We do not undertake this kind of ceremony without much forethought and preparation. We do not ask or demand that people stop the fast before they have accomplished whatever it is they set out to accomplish, which in her case is substantial change in the relationship between the Canadian state and Indigenous nations. We do not critique the faster. We do not band wagon or verbally attack the faster. We do not criticize because we feel she’s become the (unwilling) leader of the movement. We do not assume that she is being ill advised. We do not tell her to “save face.”
We support. We pray. We offer semaa. We take care of the sacred fire. We sing each night at dusk. We take care of all the other things that need to be taken care of, and we live up to our responsibilities in light of the faster. We protect the faster. We do these things because we know that through her physical sacrifice she is closer to the Spiritual world than we are. We do these things because she is sacrificing for us and because it is the kind, compassionate thing to do. We do these things because it is our job to respect her self-determination as an Anishinaabekwe – this is the most basic building block of Anishinaabeg sovereignty and governance.
“We respect her sovereignty over her body and her mind. We do not act like we know better than her.”
Fasting as a ceremony is difficult. It is challenging to willingly weaken one’s body physically, and the mental and emotional strength required for fasting is perhaps more difficult than the physical. So when we fast, we ask our friends and family to support us and to act as our helpers. There is an assumption of reciprocity – the faster is doing without, in this case to make things better for all Indigenous Peoples, and in return, the community around her carries the responsibility of supporting her.
A few days ago I posted these two sentences on twitter “I support @ChiefTheresa in her decision to continue her hunger strike. The only person that can decide otherwise, is Chief Spence.” Within minutes, trolls were commented on my feed with commentary on Chief Spence’s body image, diet jokes, calls for “no more special treatment for Natives” and calls to end her hunger strike. One person called her a “cunt”.
I understand we need to be positive, I do. We also need to continue telling the truth. The racism, sexism and disrespect that has been heaped on Ogitchidaa Spence in the past weeks has been done so in part because it is acceptable to treat Indigenous women this way. These comments take place in a context where we have nearly 1000 missing and murdered Indigenous women. Where we have still have places named “squaw”. Where Indigenous women have been the deliberate target of gendered colonial violence for 400 years. Where the people who have been seriously hurt and injured by the back lash against Idle No More have been women. Where Ogichidaakwe’s Spence voice has not been heard.
Ogichidaakwe Spence challenges Canadians because no one in Canada wants to believe this situation is bad enough that someone would willingly give up their life.
Ogichidaakwe Spence challenges me, because I am not on day 32 of a fast. I did not put my life on the line, and that forces me to continually look myself in the mirror and ask if I am doing everything I can. This is her gift to me.
Idle No More as a movement is now much bigger than the hunger strikers and Bill C-45, but it is still important to acknowledge their sacrifice, influence and leadership. I want my grandchildren to be able to live in Mississauga Anishinaabeg territory as Mississauga Anishinaabeg – hunting, fishing, collecting medicines, doing ceremony, telling stories, speaking our language, governing themselves using our political traditions and whatever else that might mean to them, unharassed. That’s not a dream palace – that is what our treaties guaranteed.
We now have hundreds of leaders from different Indigenous nations emerging all over Mikinakong (the Place the Turtle). We now have hundreds of eloquent spokes people, seasoned organizers, writers, thinkers and artists acting on their own ideas in anyway and every way possible. This is the beauty of our movement.
Chi’Miigwech Theresa Spence, Raymond Robinson, Emil Bell, and Jean Sock for your vision, your sacrifice and your commitment to making us better. Chi’Miigwech to everyone who has been up late at night worrying about what to do next, and then who gets up the next morning and acts. I am hopeful and inspired and look forward to our new, collective emergence as a healthy and strong Anishinaabeg nation.
Opinion
Fish Broth & Fasting
Posted by Leanne Simpson on Jan 16, 2013 in Opinion
A year ago, after the community of Attawapiskat had been dragged through the racist lens of the media for more than a month, I began to write about the situation. I wrote two pieces. One that was published in Briarpatch magazine that was political, and one that was a spoken word piece using the music of Cree cellist Cris Derksen. I am not from Attawapiskat and I’ve never been there. I wrote because I felt a strong sense of solidarity with community because like most Indigenous Peoples, I have personal connections and history that links me to all of the same issues. I felt a sense of responsibility to speak out not only in the way the issues where playing out in the media, but in the response of Canadian society. I feel the same way again this year.I am not going to correct all of the slander designed to discredit Chief Spence and her hunger strike – my friends and colleagues have already done a fantastic job of that. Check out the work of Chelsea Vowel and Alanis Obomsawin’s The People of the Kattawpiskat River if you haven’t.
The past few weeks have been an intense time to be Anishinaabeg. There is a lot to write about and to process. ...I started to think a lot about fish broth. Fish broth and Anishinaabeg governance.
Fish broth has been cast by the mainstream media as “the cheat”. Upon learning Chief Spence was drinking tea and fish broth coverage shifted from framing her action as a “hunger strike” to a “liquid diet”, as if 32 days without food is easy. As if a liquid diet doesn’t take a substantial physical, mental and emotional toll or substantial physical, mental and emotional strength to accomplish. Of course this characterization comes from a place of enormous unchecked privilege and a position of wealth. It comes from not having to fight for one’s physical survival because of the weight of crushing poverty. It comes from always having other options.
This is not where Indigenous Peoples come from.
My Ancestors survived many long winters on fish broth because there was nothing else to eat – not because the environment was harsh, but because the land loss and colonial policy were so fierce that they were forced into an imposed poverty that often left fish broth as the only sustenance.
Fish broth. It carries cultural meaning for Anishinaabeg. It symbolizes hardship and sacrifice. It symbolizes the strength of our Ancestors. It means survival. Fish broth sustained us through the hardest of circumstances, with the parallel understanding that it can’t sustain one forever. We exist today because of fish broth. It connects us to the water and to the fish who gave up its life so we could sustain ourselves. Chief Spence is eating fish broth because metaphorically, colonialism has kept Indigenous Peoples on a fish broth diet for generations upon generations. This is utterly lost on mainstream Canada, as media continues to call Ogichidaakwe Spence’s fast a “liquid diet” while the right winged media refers to it as much worse.
Not Chief Spence, but Ogichidaakwe Spence – a holy woman, a woman that would do anything for her family and community, the one that goes over and makes things happen, a warrior, a leader because Ogichidaakwe Spence isn’t just on a hunger strike. She is fasting and this also has cultural meaning for Anishinaabeg. She is in ceremony. We do not “dial back” our ceremonies. We do not undertake this kind of ceremony without much forethought and preparation. We do not ask or demand that people stop the fast before they have accomplished whatever it is they set out to accomplish, which in her case is substantial change in the relationship between the Canadian state and Indigenous nations. We do not critique the faster. We do not band wagon or verbally attack the faster. We do not criticize because we feel she’s become the (unwilling) leader of the movement. We do not assume that she is being ill advised. We do not tell her to “save face.”
We support. We pray. We offer semaa. We take care of the sacred fire. We sing each night at dusk. We take care of all the other things that need to be taken care of, and we live up to our responsibilities in light of the faster. We protect the faster. We do these things because we know that through her physical sacrifice she is closer to the Spiritual world than we are. We do these things because she is sacrificing for us and because it is the kind, compassionate thing to do. We do these things because it is our job to respect her self-determination as an Anishinaabekwe – this is the most basic building block of Anishinaabeg sovereignty and governance.
“We respect her sovereignty over her body and her mind. We do not act like we know better than her.”
Fasting as a ceremony is difficult. It is challenging to willingly weaken one’s body physically, and the mental and emotional strength required for fasting is perhaps more difficult than the physical. So when we fast, we ask our friends and family to support us and to act as our helpers. There is an assumption of reciprocity – the faster is doing without, in this case to make things better for all Indigenous Peoples, and in return, the community around her carries the responsibility of supporting her.
A few days ago I posted these two sentences on twitter “I support @ChiefTheresa in her decision to continue her hunger strike. The only person that can decide otherwise, is Chief Spence.” Within minutes, trolls were commented on my feed with commentary on Chief Spence’s body image, diet jokes, calls for “no more special treatment for Natives” and calls to end her hunger strike. One person called her a “cunt”.
I understand we need to be positive, I do. We also need to continue telling the truth. The racism, sexism and disrespect that has been heaped on Ogitchidaa Spence in the past weeks has been done so in part because it is acceptable to treat Indigenous women this way. These comments take place in a context where we have nearly 1000 missing and murdered Indigenous women. Where we have still have places named “squaw”. Where Indigenous women have been the deliberate target of gendered colonial violence for 400 years. Where the people who have been seriously hurt and injured by the back lash against Idle No More have been women. Where Ogichidaakwe’s Spence voice has not been heard.
Ogichidaakwe Spence challenges Canadians because no one in Canada wants to believe this situation is bad enough that someone would willingly give up their life.
Ogichidaakwe Spence challenges me, because I am not on day 32 of a fast. I did not put my life on the line, and that forces me to continually look myself in the mirror and ask if I am doing everything I can. This is her gift to me.
Idle No More as a movement is now much bigger than the hunger strikers and Bill C-45, but it is still important to acknowledge their sacrifice, influence and leadership. I want my grandchildren to be able to live in Mississauga Anishinaabeg territory as Mississauga Anishinaabeg – hunting, fishing, collecting medicines, doing ceremony, telling stories, speaking our language, governing themselves using our political traditions and whatever else that might mean to them, unharassed. That’s not a dream palace – that is what our treaties guaranteed.
We now have hundreds of leaders from different Indigenous nations emerging all over Mikinakong (the Place the Turtle). We now have hundreds of eloquent spokes people, seasoned organizers, writers, thinkers and artists acting on their own ideas in anyway and every way possible. This is the beauty of our movement.
Chi’Miigwech Theresa Spence, Raymond Robinson, Emil Bell, and Jean Sock for your vision, your sacrifice and your commitment to making us better. Chi’Miigwech to everyone who has been up late at night worrying about what to do next, and then who gets up the next morning and acts. I am hopeful and inspired and look forward to our new, collective emergence as a healthy and strong Anishinaabeg nation.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Another New Year!
A New Year, another chance to get it right. Not that much has really changed. I still care as much, l love the all the same things, I'm still goofy about the same ridiculousness. Still, somehow, I am completely sure this year will be different.
Why (you may ask)? Well, so many things, that I've cared a great deal about, have been stripped away. There are just too many broken pieces. I MUST begin anew.
Usually I LOVE beginnings, this one is different. It's painful and weird - not in a good way. I count my blessings - and I have many. I am sure my angels have not deserted me...well, at least not all.
I've heard that goodness will often come from the most unexpected places...and so I patiently await.
Why (you may ask)? Well, so many things, that I've cared a great deal about, have been stripped away. There are just too many broken pieces. I MUST begin anew.
Usually I LOVE beginnings, this one is different. It's painful and weird - not in a good way. I count my blessings - and I have many. I am sure my angels have not deserted me...well, at least not all.
I've heard that goodness will often come from the most unexpected places...and so I patiently await.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Got mess?
You know what it's like when the power steering stops working in the car? That's what it's like. By force (or farce) I've been trying to steer my life back-on-track. I'm soooooo tired of moving furniture around the apartment... Well, it looks like I finally have a good shot at a return to normalcy. The roommate is moving in at the end of the month, taking up some of the slack.
I was talking to a prospective date... and TV shows came up..."No really, I don't watch The Big Bang Theory" - WHAT? No canned sitcom TV for me - No thanks!
So what DO I do? Well, happily (for me) I have my mess to tend. Hard to explain to someone who has never had their own mess. My mess is like a rare plant requiring my constant care...sometimes it blossoms for me, most of the time it just keeps me busy landscaping...moving ideas that have turned into rocks to more favorable aspects, skirting brainstorms that threaten to wash away less established root systems.
Mostly I am happy with my mess, afterall I made it...or maybe it makes me? You know, that person who doesn't watch so much TV? My mess includes my piano. I soooo wish I could follow the dots and lines that music teachers have so patiently explained to me. That way lies the straight and elegant. But oh no, I must follow my own path, sans dots and lines...I'll write my own notes and leave them on the kitchen table.
So, another lonely weekend...a cancelled date...furniture to move...cats to clean up after...and the cultivation and introspection of my own personal mess...Got Mess?
I was talking to a prospective date... and TV shows came up..."No really, I don't watch The Big Bang Theory" - WHAT? No canned sitcom TV for me - No thanks!
So what DO I do? Well, happily (for me) I have my mess to tend. Hard to explain to someone who has never had their own mess. My mess is like a rare plant requiring my constant care...sometimes it blossoms for me, most of the time it just keeps me busy landscaping...moving ideas that have turned into rocks to more favorable aspects, skirting brainstorms that threaten to wash away less established root systems.
Mostly I am happy with my mess, afterall I made it...or maybe it makes me? You know, that person who doesn't watch so much TV? My mess includes my piano. I soooo wish I could follow the dots and lines that music teachers have so patiently explained to me. That way lies the straight and elegant. But oh no, I must follow my own path, sans dots and lines...I'll write my own notes and leave them on the kitchen table.
So, another lonely weekend...a cancelled date...furniture to move...cats to clean up after...and the cultivation and introspection of my own personal mess...Got Mess?
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Happily Everafter...damn it!
I feel like I'm in the washing machine, twisting, turning, scalding, a purging of the grim and grime. A necessary, but not happy, process to be part of.
I would love to SNAP all the pieces into place...and get my life back, wait, this IS my life....sigh.
Dating Sucks...A guy actually posted to let me know there is no "happily everafter" - hey, thanks for posting, nice to meet you too - but, I'm the one writing the story here.
There WILL be a damn "happily everafter"!
Well, despite the fact that I have been sliding miserably when it comes to getting my rooms rented out - a valuable source of income - it looks like its finally gonna happen. The movers are bringing in a new sofa bed and TV this weekend. Room is ready to go.
And so, Mush on ho...towards What?
Well, for now, let's just call it...."happily everafter". Damn it!
I would love to SNAP all the pieces into place...and get my life back, wait, this IS my life....sigh.
Dating Sucks...A guy actually posted to let me know there is no "happily everafter" - hey, thanks for posting, nice to meet you too - but, I'm the one writing the story here.
There WILL be a damn "happily everafter"!
Well, despite the fact that I have been sliding miserably when it comes to getting my rooms rented out - a valuable source of income - it looks like its finally gonna happen. The movers are bringing in a new sofa bed and TV this weekend. Room is ready to go.
And so, Mush on ho...towards What?
Well, for now, let's just call it...."happily everafter". Damn it!
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