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Fabric Dye and Hair

2012-01-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

It's been a very very very long time since I've posted but I really felt that this should go out there.

I love brightly colored hair. Blue, green, purple, red, fuchsia, teal, lavender, whatever. I have experimented with colors and methods for almost 20 years which means I've learned a lot and made enough mistakes to no longer have too much emotional attachment to my hair. I'll try anything. After all, hair just keeps growing.

The problem with those funny colors is that they only come in semi-permanent vegetable dyes. These dyes work by staining and often need to sit in the hair for a long while. Everyone I've met that dyes in funny colors, including myself, usually keep it in all day or over night. And then they fade with every wash. Every shampoo creates colored lather. I'm lazy, I don't want to reapply every 2-3 weeks.

So I had the bright idea for fabric dye. After all, it's used for wool, which is hair. And it's used on delicate fabrics. Next I need to find out if there's a fabric dye that doesn't require boiling water- there is! I chose Dylon Cold Water Fabric dye since it seemed the gentlest. I even found an instance of it being used on human hair extensions! This must be it!

My first attempt was to use it like regular dye. I made a 1"x3" section and "painted" the dye on, then wrapped in foil to "process" for 45minutes, just like I would with hair dye. All I got was a vague tint.

Weeks later I decided to I try it again as per the fabric dying instructions: submersion. I took that same section and dipped it into a jar that contained the dye mixture. Only about half of the 9" length was able to stay submerged for the recommended 45minutes. Holding a jar of dye against your face for 45 minutes is annoying.

When time was up and I went to rinse, I was amazed by the color! Holy cow, this is gonna be awesome! And then I touched it. I haven't felt hair this overprocessed and chemically burned since I tried to go from natural Asian black to platinum white in one weekend when I was in 9th grade!! I did my tried and true emergency measures of deep conditioning and protein pack, but it's useless: the cuticle is burnt off.
My test strip is mush.

Dying human hair with fabric dye is a BAD idea.

In hindsight it makes sense: in order to be a cold water dye it probably uses a mild acid to deliver the pigment into the fiber. Cloth is made of thread, which is made of bits of fiber tightly twisted. It's okay for those tiny fiber bits to get damaged because they're twisted into a compressed strand. My individual strands of hair never stood a chance!

Now I'm off to chop of the damage. Hopefully the rest of the hair in that area will be able to conceal the cut. Lucky me that i couldn't get the whole length into the jar!

Lesson Learned!

Dinner

2011-06-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

This is a refreshing meal to be served cold.

Spring Quinoa Pilaf - 15-20 servings
This is a delicious side that can also stand alone as a vegetarian/vegan main dish. It's also fantastic as a meal of it's own when you add tuna and drizzle with Sriracha!

1 c. quinoa
1 box Near East Couscous with Toasted Pine Nuts
2 c. broth (chicken or vegetable)
1.25 c. water
1/2 large cucumber, diced
1 c. cherub tomatoes, cut in half
1 c. corn kernels (canned, frozen or fresh)
1 red bell pepper, roasted and diced
4 tbs fresh dill, minced
4tbs fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 c. black beans (drained)
1 mango, diced
2 tbsp lemon juice

Mix all of the water, broth, spice packet from the couscous and quinoa in a large pot (at least 2qt) and bring to a rolling boil. Immediately take it down to a low simmer and cover with a lid for 15 minutes. Immediately mix in the couscous, remove from heat and leave to steam with the lid on for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, toss together the rest of the ingredients.

Turn out the quinoa/couscous mix into the bowl and toss briskly.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve chilled.

Zesty Mango Salsa - 10 servings
This is a very mild salsa that can be used for a variety of dishes as an accompaniment (great with pork chops, fish, etc) or just eaten with chips.

1 mango, diced
1 c. corn kernels (canned, frozen or fresh)
1/2 red onion, diced
6 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 c. black beans (drained)
1/2 cucumber, diced
2 tbsp lime juice

Dice everything to be about the same size as the kernels of corn. You want a uniform, smallish size. Mix in a big bowl. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving and always stir before serving (juices sink to the bottom).

Spicy Mango Shrimp Tacos - 2-6 servings
Fast and easy but can't really be made ahead of time.

approx. 24 shrimp (4 per taco)
1/2 can black beans (drained)
1 large jalapeno, diced
4-6 tbsp Major Grey mango chutney (I like the Patak brand)
Smart Balance cooking spray (or whatever you prefer)
6 corn tortillas

Turn on oven to 300 degrees. Place tortillas directly on the wire racks (unless your racks are dirty, in which case: ewww! clean those things!) to warm up.

In a hot pan, begin to cook the shrimp. Keep them moving. After a minute, toss in the chutney and jalapeno. Keep it all moving. Once the shrimp is done cooking, add the beans and stir until everything is coated with the chutney.

Place about 4 shrimps on each taco and evenly distribute the chutney mix across the rest.

Put it all together and you have a refreshing summer meal, most of which can be made up to a week ahead of time.

Wardrobe Essentials.... PTHTHTHTHTLT!!!!

2010-12-28T06:14:00.000-08:00

I have been told many times in the past that I am "stylish" or "fashionable". I have been asked by folks where I've gotten this or that item. But I am not, in fact, fashionable OR stylish. I am, in fact, gaudy and cheap. It just so happens that my flavor of gaudy and cheap appeals to people. I also hit jackpot in the genetics lottery. I'm tall for a woman, with slim Asian bones and muscles stretched out on a Western scale with wide shoulders and hips giving me an hourglass framework. This is why I look nice, this genetic jackpot, not the clothes.

Take a closer look: My faded green thermal shirt has little holes on the side and back where the cat fought with it. My slacks are a half-size too loose or tight and there is a strange puckering at the hip where I hastily "repaired" a hole. My men's sweater is unravelling at a cuff but is still warm. Except for a handful of items I've tried to care for, much of what I own is second-hand, faded, worn out and coming apart. Some have permanent paint, ink or bleach stains. But I'm cheap so I can't bring myself to preemptively toss them out and replace them. I've gotten pretty good at layering stuff so that the worst is covered and the rest appears "artistic" and intentional. I like bright colors which is always appealing. I have learned that, with good posture, bone structure and confidence, a woman can make any outfit look good. But it would be nice to have stuff that's not literally coming apart at the seams.

Thanks to the holidays I've got money for new clothes and, by golly, I'm gonna spend it on new clothes! Since shopping usually spins me into anxiety attacks I've decided to figure out the ingredients for a functional wardrobe. This is, so far, a mistake.

Every article lists the humble white button-up shirt as the holy essential grail. It's dressy, it's relaxed, it's comfortable, it cures cancer and can make you fly!!! I own cats (one is black and loves being hugged). I "get my hands dirty" at the spur of the moment. I'm clumsy. I don't wear light clothes. Plus, most light shades make me look sickly. The button-up shirt also makes me look like a waitress for a nice restaurant.

Next on the list is usually a black skirt, trench coat, Little Black Dress, etc. This is when it dawns on me that I am not the target audience for these articles. None of them mention color; everything is white, beige, black and grey. None of them seem aimed at people who are perpetually cold. Slacks are thin and non-insulative. My poor thighs would be icicles after a day in a 70* office wearing a solitary layer of slacks! Who the hell every thought that 3/4 sleeves are a good idea when they leave your forearm cold or bunch up at the elbow. Ballet flats = might as well be barefoot for all the comfort and protection they afford.

All of these lists are desperately trying to channel Audrey Hepburn. She was a lovely-looking woman to be sure, but it's not the 60's and I'm no gamine. I'm a juggernaut with power tools, a geek and biker, an office worker and foodie. It's 2011-ish. I have no business wearing what she wore and to do so would be a farce.

So now I have to design my own "wardrobe essentials" list. Hopefully it will be as attractive and appealing as it will be comfortable and practical.

1) Long johns- the kind that are silky on the outside so they won't catch the fabric of your pants. Three of them should be enough. All in black. Better make it four.

2) Long-sleeved, square-necked thin-knit shirts that can reach the waist or lower. Since women's pants and tops usually refuse to meet I need base layer pieces that will cover my butt-crack when I bend. Long sleeved for warmth and square-necked so they won't show in other necklines. I have a green one, next I'd like teal, purple, blue and grey. Maybe black. All told, at least four of these.

3) Brown shoes. I have colored shoes and black shoes but no brown shoes. I should get some so I'm not embarrassing to be with in public.

4) Long-sleeve cardigan/jacket-type thing. Slim fit so it can be worn under jackets and coats. Long enough to overlap pants. I have one of those exercise outfit jacket things that currently serves this function but it's black is quickly turning grey. This is obviously a useful item so I should have more than the one. Two or three should do.

5) Pants- This is probably the most frustrating bit. I know exactly what I want and need and I'm gong to have a hard time finding them. Pants that extend above my hipbones, aren't skin tight AND are made of a spandex-blend are rare. Todaye a woman can usually wear jeans into the office as long as they are dressed up. The article itself is ubiquitous and few will dare tread on a woman's sense of fashion so it's often allowed. Still, I do realize I need slacks that fit well, even if there are long-johns underneath. And I need to remember to reinforce the hem since that's usually the first thing to go. I've already got the denim covered so I need slacks... let's say three.

6) Nice tops. This is the decorative outer shell that is seen peeping from within the jacket or sweater when it's cool, and standing on it's own when it's warm. Preferably without buttons or other 3D embellishments that will pop off and of a single jewel-toned color. Four of these.

7) Skirts- not likely.

Generally, everything should be slightly slippery so they will not catch each other when I'm layering for warmth. Buttons and embellishments should be at a minimum since I usually ruin them, lose them, or neglect to repair/replace them when necessary. Embellishments also betray the age of the item- something to be avoided when one goes shopping once per year.

Everything should be made of fabrics that will age gracefully (ie: contain synthetics) or be so resilient (ie: denim, canvas and leather) that, as it wears out, it will retain it's shape. Everything will be made of wrinkle-free materials: knit, jersey, denim, spandex-blends, etc. I'm a shoddy clothes keeper. Things on my hangers are haphazard and, often, inside out. Everything in my drawers are senselessly jammed together. Some may have been folded once but I can't keep them folded so often give up. Wrinkle free means I will still look nice when I get out of my motorcycle gear.

The bright colors will be accessory enough since I seldom wear jewelry because it catches on stuff. I have my utility bag for every day and a purple purse for dressing up. I've rocked the "color as accessory" thing long enough that I've got it mastered and I can now pull off a purple purse with anything.

So there it is: I now know what I need and there's enough wriggle-room that I'm sure to find something that fits the bill. Now it's time to take more cold medication and go shopping! (4 long johns, 4 long sleeve layering shirts, 1 brown shoes, 2 cardigan thingies, 3 slacks and 4 tops)

Hair Stupid

2010-11-22T10:41:00.001-08:00

Historically I let my hair run feral. The agreement is that I don’t try to humiliate it every day and it won’t strangle me in my sleep. So I’ll go for years letting my hair grow longer and longer until I’m overwhelmed then sashay into a salon and have them hack it all off. By the way, if you tell a stylist to just cut it all off then they’ll get very uncomfortable. It will take rounds of encouragement and ensuring them you aren’t the litigious sort before they agree.

And for the first three months I love my sassy new hair. It’s an adventure of buying various hair goops and no regular brushing! But I get bored; don’t want to get a re-cut, and accept that I don’t know what to do with “fibre wax”. Usually I just ignore it for another year or so and then the cycle begins again. But this time I had my grown out pixie cut “cleaned up” due to my ongoing search for unemployment. The girl gave me something called a “fractured bob” or something else that sounds like my hair should have a handicap placard.

This new cut seems to require blowdrying. If I don’t then it sits on my head like a betrayed puppy. But if I use a dryer it goes berserk, also like a puppy but this time it's being attacked by a blowdryer. I don’t know how to use the damned things so I end up with a puffball. Luckily, if I brush my hair and then ignore it for a while, the puff eventually settles down for a nap and looks okay.

So now all I have to do is ignore it again, but this time I’ll get a trim when Dave tells me that things are looking way too bad to leave the house. He usually lets me know when I’m not fit for public consumption and, usually, I listen to him. Do I have makeup smeared on half my face from when I took a nap? Am I dressed like a cross between a crazy Asian granny and a clown? No problem! Unless I’m really comfortable and I don’t think where we’re going warrants effort (I’m looking at you, Target and Wal-Mart!) in which case his words fall on deaf ears.

I am a treat dispenser

2010-11-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

We got the cat treats because I was starting to worry about Bossy-Cat's teeth. Not for any real reason, just dawned on me he had teeth and they should be cared for. Bossy is also pretty picky so I wasn't all that sure he'd even be interested in the treats but I knew that the retarded Fatty cat would eat anything that Bossy didn't.

Bossy loves the treats. I give him a few and he'll scream at me for 15 minutes to give him more. He's convinced my fingertips magically dispense the treats and huffs them noisily. I've hidden the treat bag because he's starting to equate rustling as an indicator that my fingertips will begin dispensing treats.

He doesn't even chew! Just swallows them like the delicious choking hazards that they are! At most we've seen three chomps before the gulp but I swear half the things are just swallowed like benzos. Which I think defeats the purpose of feeding him tooth cleaning cat treats. Unless they're like those foaming drain cleaners, triggered by kitty stomach acid, filling him with dental cleansing foam. But since he hasn't looked rabid lately I'll assume that's not the case.

He's so loud and obnoxious afterwards that I almost don't want to give him any more but then feel guilty about his old bossy teeth. He yells and grumps, following me around the house till he gives up. That's when he melodramatically falls onto his side with a great sigh as if all the joy in life has died.

Now every time I go to the kitchen he pokes his head expectantly around the corner and I swear his meow sounds like "whatchadoin?" Once he sees I'm only washing dishes he sighs and goes away. I'm almost afraid to try and eat chips around him.

I'm a moron

2010-11-18T07:04:00.000-08:00

For the last three and a half years I've been living in San Francisco. During this time my primary and only vehicle was my motorcycle. Now that I'm back in Texas I also have a car and it's taken some getting used to but it's nice to no longer worry about getting wet or having a bug splatter itself against my throat.

The other day, while visiting my local motorcycle shop to pick up some stuff to clean my chain with, I noticed a police patrol car circling me as I parked. While I gathered myself to exit the car he pulled alongside me and rolled down his window.

"Hello, ma'am. You seem to be missing your registration sticker."

My brain froze. A what? Wasn't that the little thing on my license plate? I got out, circle my car, returned to my starting point and stared at the officer like a retarded puppy. I swear I almost tilted my head. As we stared at each other I watched the subtle change in his face as he obviously experienced an inner facepalm.

He got out of his car, walked over to me, and tapped the windshield.

"This is your inspections sticker," he said as if talking to an especially slow child. "This tells me that the car is safe for the road. That it's lights, brakes and such are in good working order."

I was growing more and more embarrassed and he was embarrassed for me.

"Now around this sticker, either above or to the side, is usually another sticker. It's called a registration sticker. Do you have this sticker somewhere?"

My mind raced. And then I had a flicker... maybe that thing we got in the mail. The thing that confused both myself and the Fiance!

"I think it's at home. I'm sorry, I've been riding nothing but motorcycles for years now and I'm not used to car... stuff... anymore."

We stared uncomfortably a bit longer. He let me know that these stickers were important if I wanted to avoid tickets in the future and I should get it on there as soon as I could. I thanked him and felt stupid as he drove off.

After picking up the cleaning stuff, I drove home wondering where the thing in the mail might be. As soon as I walked in the door the damned thing stared me in the face from the top of the little foyer cabinet.

First I'd like to state that I am, in fact, not utterly stupid. When Fiance and I received the registration paperwork and license plates, we thought everything was fine. The plate had it's little registration sticker on it, obviously peeled from the bottom half of the paperwork. This bottom half also had a larger sticker but for some reason we agreed that this must be some sort of optional sticker. I swear, it wasn't just me. Fiance thought it too!

But looking at it now, in the harsh glare of humiliation, I saw the bright red boxes encircling the sticker, screaming in bold caps: FOR WINDSHIELD.

I swear they weren't there before. Long story shortened: I put the sticker on. Felt stupid. Told Fiance so he could keep me company in feeling stupid. He did and I felt better.

Marchesa's Newest Offerings

2010-09-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

Marchesa has done it again with elegant drapings, mind-bending structures and amazing use of color! Their ability to combine ethnic influences in romantic/classic styles with explosions of modern shapes, make then one of the most innovative fashion houses today.

2010-03-17T15:36:00.001-07:00

How to Dance K Pop Style 2008

2010-03-03T15:05:00.000-08:00

2010-02-08T10:45:00.001-08:00

I would buy this man an ice cream cone if I met him

2009-12-31T12:15:00.001-08:00

Bless you, internet, bless you!

Rock on, Lolita-bass-man!

um....
oh.... my.......

2009-11-27T18:20:00.000-08:00

In 1958, on Leave it to Beaver, there is a scene at the end of an episode in whihch the father is reading a letter- here's the letter!

Kinda neat!

2009-11-26T21:05:00.001-08:00

Amazing Places

2009-11-17T21:39:00.000-08:00

2009-11-09T10:59:00.001-08:00

How to Bypass a Ducati Monster Kickstand Cutoff

2009-10-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

Apparently Ducati thinks that it's perfectly reasonable to have a rider sit on their bike, twiddling their thumbs, for the eternity it takes to warm the bike up. Since I think I could better spend that time putting on my gear, closing my gate/garage door, or anything else I did a bypass for the kickstand cutoff.

Now, the easiest thing would be to disconnect or jumper the kickstand so the bike thinks it's always down. The downside to this is user error. I'm not a morning person and I'm guilty of trying to ride off with my kickstand down. This inevitably results in that heart-stopping moment when the stand hits the ground. If you're lucky (90% of the time) the stand will pop right up and out of the way. But you can't be lucky all the time and eventually that stand will bite the ground and send you cartwheeling through space.

The glory of this bypass is it's built-in safety. If the stand is down and the bike's in neutral, it will start. If the stand is down and you pop the bike into gear, the engine will turn off. No more riding away with your stand down!!

My method was cobbled togethor using what I could find on the Ducati Monster Forum. Unfortunately the pictures/diagrams I hoped to find had long since expired so I did this. Enjoy.

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What You Need:

Left to Right: Some sort of quick connectors (it really doesn't matter what kind, I had these lying around from a turn signal swap), these squeeze connectors allow you to tap an electrical line without having to cut anything (18 - 14 gauge should work with Monsters), 3amp barrel diode (MUST HAVE).

Not seen: an extra couple of feet of 18 - 14 gauge wiring (better too much than too little)

Left to Right: Needlenose pliers; wirestripper (I couldn't find mine so I used a knife), wire cutter (the ones on my pliers were dull), heatshrink tubing (not necessary, but awesome)

Cold wrap: like electrical tape, but extra stretchy and sticks to itself wonderfully!

Tap the Kickstand:

From the left side of the bike: look at the top of the kickstand and you'll see a little wire coming from it, moving towards the front and up along the engine inside the frame. This line ends in a weatherpack/connector thingy.

Here's a closeup of the weatherpack/connector thingy. (I've already added the splicing connector in this pic)

If you look at the splicing connector, you'll see that it has two "channels" in it: on that runs all the way through and one that has a little barrier. On my bike the ground is black and the live wire is green/black. Run the live wire through the channel that runs completely through. Now close the connector LIGHTLY and push your added wire into the channel with the barrier. It should be in far enough so when you close the splicer all the way the knife/fork thing contacts the added wire, thus making a connection. Because the splicer had a hinged door that secured the splicer, i just ran the ground cord in the hing so it would all be a tidy package. Ignore the ground.

I ran my added wire up (inside the frame) between the airbox and the battery. You can run it however you wish.

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Splice the Neutral:

Now go to the right side of the bike and look behind the rear wheel at the engine. You'll see the port for neutral. Follow the line from it and you'll find another little weatherpack/connector thing. Mine was attached to my frame.

It's smaller than the one for the kickstand and only has one wire going into and out of it.

Do the same splicing thing here using the other end of the wire that you threaded through. I have lots of wire so I gave myself a LOT of slack to work.

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Fun with Diodes:
Snip the wire you threaded through the engine in a way that will allow it to be nestled back in without having to bend the diode part we're about to make. Since I threaded mine between the airbox and battery I made my snip about 3 inches from where it emerged on the right side of the bike. This allows the diode part to be nestled against the battery area under the tank.

Now strip an inch or so of the wiring from the kickstand half of the wire.

Note: I'm not going to pretend that I know what a diode does and, truthfully, I'm not finding myself caring too much. The diodes come with extra long wire thingies coming from their ends. You'll want to trim these so they'll make a solid connection inside the terminals, but not so long there's an excess. When I put mine on I could see the end of the diode's snipped wires in the channel of the terminal. I threaded the diode-wires into the terminals and used the pliers to squeeze the hell out of the openings to make a solid connection (ie: I gave tugs and wiggles and the diode didn't slip out).

Double note: It doesn't really matter if you use the male or female parts for the diode. Heck, you don't have to use them at all (just wrap the stripped part of your wiring around the diode-wires, solder, then wrap in tape). The reason I used the terminal connectors is because I heard that sometimes the diodes dies (some say 3 months, others say 3 years) and I wanted to be able to swap mine out easily.

I used the male connectors for the diode. I then attached the female connectors to the wiring. I left myself enough wiring so I could work easily and have some spare in case I messed up and had to cut off a few inches to start over.

This is what it looked like afterwards. Make sure the gray end of the diode is pointing towards the neutral port.

Here it is all plugged together.

And with the heatshrink tubing. My tubing was too big so ended up a bit loose.

And heatshrunk down (notice it's not a tight shrink)

So, because the ends weren't weathertight, I added the trusty coldseal tape.

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Tape and Paranoia:

I'm a spaz when I wash my bike. The pressure's too high and I end up pointing the hose every which way. Therefore I want to make sure my weatherproofing is extra thorough to combat my stupidity.

From the kickstand

From the neutral connector

For added protection I got some tiny, black zipties and zipped the ends of the tape down so they won't unravel.

Afterwards it's just a matter of tucking in the wiring and ziptieing down wherever it's needed.
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Because I had some of this stuff lying around my immediate out-of-pocket for this was about $10 USD.

There's a bunch of kits available from $20 - $40 but I;m a cheapskate.

Enjoy

2009-09-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

2009-09-11T17:12:00.001-07:00

Test

2009-07-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

WWJD?

2009-07-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

What Would Jackie Do?

He'd sing the "I'll Make a Man Out of You" song from Mulan in Cantonese while shoing off some of his amazing, technically perfect yet gracefully organic wushu and kungfu.

Is it any wonder that this man is often treated as royalty in the countries he visits?

Carolyn Tillie

2009-07-06T12:17:00.001-07:00

Beautiful and fun jewelry from Carolyn Tillie!

2009-07-02T20:23:00.001-07:00

2009-07-02T20:10:00.001-07:00

2009-07-02T20:00:00.001-07:00

Gobelins - Annecy 2009

2009-07-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

From Wiki: Gobelins L'Ecole de L'Image or Goblins School of the Image is a Parisian school dedicated to the visual arts. A consular school funded by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, it provides training in various formats at a variety of different costs. It is best known for the Cinéma Department of Animation, founded in 1975 by Pierre Ayma, who brought the school into the spotlight. It acquired an international reputation, producing numerous talented individuals and teams which found their place within studios as prestigious as Disney, Universal Studios, Hanna Barbera, Pixar, Dreamworks and Warner Bros.

This is the Gobelins entry for the 2009 Annecy International Animated Film Festival.