October 31, 2011

Being Maddow:

The Maddow Breakdown:

I think I decided I wanted to be Rachel Maddow sometime over the summer and it was pretty much decided.


 

I thought it would be hilarious to get a picture with the nun.
This woman actually gave me an awesome idea in what to do with my life.
I really hope the idea works out, it is truly right up my alley.
I went with my friend Brooke (another Maddow fan), who was Kesha-
 the counterpart to her boyfriend, Mustard.
This was another funny picture because I'd like to think that Kesha and Rachel Maddow would not pose together...but I could be wrong about that. 
She even gave me rabbit ears.
That is so Ke$ha, that bitch.


Of course, sporting Levi's with Doc Marten 1940's.



Blazer with light coloured shirt. I batted around the idea of a black shirt...
and doing the whole "I'm a guest" look.
I also contemplated going as her look from her commercials;


So I kind of did both.


Of course I had to sport my red watch!
(you can most likely see it in the video above)

What was under the wig:


Coiled up blonde hairs and one painful little scalp!
This did not take as long as anticipated.
I have extremely thick, medium length hair and it took me 20 minutes.


This the progression that took place. It was perfectly brush-able. Just huge.
Think Monica when they are in Barbados;



I am really glad I went to a Halloween party this year dressed up as someone awesome.
Normally I just come up with a costume idea, but don't have anywhere to exhibit it, so it never ends up happening. I got a lot of compliments and everyone was surprised that I didn't have short hair.
I had some really good conversations with people and ended up talking a lot of random smack about Republicans that was all in good fun.

OH. And this may or may not have happened;


I think the best part is when at the end, Sarah goes, "Someone get this girl a hot dog!"



. . .

Casual Friday Reports:



this is a close up:
skirt: H&M circa 2004? (I saw this glitter tulle tutu-thing and knew it had to be mine)
 tights & purple socks: Target, striped shirt: Forever 21 black tank top: acquired from mom


This was this past casual Friday. I pulled out the witch-y stops.
I was extremely disappointed to see that I was the only person to embrace the spirit!
This is one of my favourite days of the year.
I was so bummed to be at Target and discover they seemed to have packed up the Halloween stuff and have unveiled the Christmas overload.
I won't rock the look again today, but I will be in this kind of festive-look mode!

Tonight my counterpart and I will be headed around the South Side.
I'm taking the train in and am dying for some Argo Tea!!!
I have no idea what is in store, but I look forward to a good gin & tonic...
with four limes, and it's things like this that make me think I should dress as Maddow today.

My New Obsession:

Ceremonials comes out TOMORROW and I am debating about getting it on Vinyl...
EVERYONE MUST GET IT.


I AM SO REVVED FOR THE CHICAGO THEATRE SHOW!!!!!!
DEC. 4 I CANNOT BELIEVE IT'S HAPPENING!

October 26, 2011

The Boilerhouse: Katie Liddy

So last night at work we were listening to WONC, as always. If you're curious as to what WONC is, it's the local college radio station at North Central College, where they have a phenomenal broadcast program. It may also be the sound a duck makes if you step on his little foot, however, I cannot confirm the latter. I am a huge fan of the station and long to have my own show, but since I don't attend the college, that becomes a tad far-fetched. Anywho....



They feature a local artist on Tuesdays and have them play a few songs live in the studio before their show at The Boilerhouse on campus. Last night, they featured Katie Liddy. I thought that she had a nice voice and that she seemed really new to the whole game. Ingrid Michaelson would be the best way to describe the vibe.


That is the perfect time to see a musician, when the talent is still raw and not re-worked in any way. So it turned out that we had gotten out of work exceptionally early (7:10) and knew that even if I went, I would still be getting home earlier than anticipated. It started at 8, so I had some time to try to rack up a companion to check it out with me. So I tried to call up a few friends of mine, unfortunately, everyone had other plans going, so I just took the opportunity by myself. I knew that I would regret missing out on a free show and the chance to do something different.



She received this guitar from her Grandmother when she was 13.
The signatures represent the people who have played it. Very rad.

Here were the list of songs she played;
1) See Through (original)
2) Honeybee (Zee Avi)
3) Too Young (original)
4) Autumn Fallin'
5) I Wish You
6) Skinny Love (Bon Iver)
7) Cross My Mind (original)
8) Each Night Comin' (Iron & Wine)
9) Barfly (Ray Lamontagne)
10) Grey (original)
11) Reasons To Love You (Meiko)
12) Day To Dream (original)

  



Here are the original versions of the covers she played;







I am so glad that I ended up going. She put on a great little show, was very nice, and it was nice to interact while she played because she pretty much knew her crowd. It was super intimate and was nice to meet some of the DJs that I hear all the time. I just like that crowd of people in general. Of course there was plenty of free schwag to swipe. I scored two CD's, along with a licence plate holder, and a sticker! I felt like I was 5 again.


Misty Boyce: The Syndicate
Crime In Stereo: I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone


Hit up The Boilerhouse on campus Tuesday nights 7:30/8-9.

October 25, 2011

the tick that bit.







My cousin and I get together every so often and head off into the woods for a good hike.
He lives in an area of the burbs with some sick forest action and we always go off the beaten path. So yesterday we were doing all sorts of climbs, creek leaps, log crosses, and then we came across this sweet stone bride. I was like "Yeah, I'm going to need a picture on that bridge." It just looked too magical to pass up.

So if you want to be grossed out to the extreme, I can go ahead and lay this on you;
Yesterday I mentioned a little something to him about ticks as I discovered I was covered ass to ankles in those sticky bushes.
"I better not get any ticks out here"
. . .

So fabulously enough, I wake up this morning to an itch or some odd scab on my side.
Cue to me seeing something like;


AHHHHHHHHH!!!!
TOTAL BLACK SWAN MOMENT!

I was bloody horrified and a little bummed out to see it wasn't a feather.
It was one of these jerks;


I pulled that sucker out, not sure if I got the whole thing.
I'm sort of freaking out if the head is still submerged in my skin even after trying to gently tweeze it out for what seems like forever.

::freaking out::

hopefully things like this don't start happening:


EEK-tastic.

So that's my tick story.
I hope you didn't throw up on your hands.

October 21, 2011

The Bucket List

I was tagged by one of my girlfriends, not just in blog-world, but in real life too, to do a blog post about my bucket list. In order to provoke this, she did one about her's and I did the same. So here goes!


 1).
Sing on a stage:
 ...Auditorium style. I want to straight up grab the mic in a packed auditorium (probably stealing some kid's spot in the variety show) and belting something out, like 'Something To Talk About' or 'Like The way I do'. See, here's the thing, I can sing these in my car. Alone. I have done karaoke on a stage, in a crowded bar, that one of my favourite artists had just performed on and it went well, I suppose. However, if the whole auditorium thing went poorly and I screwed up on stage, I'd likely throw the mic into the face of a front-rower. Everyone wins!


OR


this one is a good one....I wish this was on a karaoke track.

 2).
Do something artistically as a career:
 ...and to some extent, I do, but I mean something where I am on my own, making money to support myself. Whether that be jewelry, glass blowing, cake decorating (big tymer style), fashion stuffs, coaching figure skating, etc. All of those things hold appeal to me, it's just deciding the right time to pursue it. But is there ever really a "right time"?




 3).
I want to go back to Malta:
...and cry into the Mediterranean once more.. I took a walk by myself one day (I went with a group for a field study) and I had purchased In Rainbows for the trip. I sat alone on these little stone steps right by this little inlet by the sea. A million things were going through my mind and I just kept listening to 'Weird Fishes/Arpreggi' over and over. I cried endlessly (at least that is what it felt like) and ended up walking around in the shallow part of the sea and I loved every second of my mixed emotions of sheer happiness and realization coupled with uncertainty and change. I never wanted to leave and I think that was my little parting day with it all. I loved that little bit of land so much. I just cannot believe I boarded the plane to leave. Now that was just silly!


this is me walking in Gozo. I was running up and down and jumping all around. 
This was during our first few hours there.


This is at Dwerja, the next day. I loved this place and could have literally sat here all day.
I sat on the ledge of these huge rocks that hung over the sea and the huge waves that were crashing were just barely touching my feet. It was amazing.



 4).
I need to see:
 Radiohead, PJ Harvey, David Byrne, Nine Inch Nails, & Florence and the Machine (again) before I leave this earth. I feel that this isn't asking a lot. I've seen Thom Yorke with Atoms for peace and I've seen Florence twice now, but these artists need to make their own little festival...with other fantastic artists, of course. They are just too good to not see live.


  5).
I want to perform:
 ...Dance. Something elaborate. Something either I choreographed or something insane that was choreographed for me. I was born to use my body artistically and I know this because I will strive for perfection and am so dedicated when a goal is in reach.
I swear I could have played both swans....
When I was a skater, I worked at it so, so hard at it. Dancing is amazing and it means so much to me. I want to perform. All the time. I was to be on SYTYCD! But I will NEVER EVER NEVER EVER NEVER EVER do anything like that, I just want to be choreographed by these people.
::cough cough:: Mia Michaels ::cough cough::



 6).
I want to go to NY fashion week:
 ...at least once in my lifetime. I feel insane for not attending this past year, seeing that one of my best friends forever lives in New York. I've loved fashion for too long to not attend events like this.



 7).
I want to go back and be formally educated once again.
 I love a classroom setting, I love the people I encountered, and it only betters you in so many ways. Although I don't agree with a lot of the curriculum in this country, you have to embrace it and educate yourself while interacting with others and passing requirements. On the same note, I want to use this in a career that is respected and makes adequate money to support living.

Okay, so even though this is what was happening last time I was in college, I swear the last semesters I really shaped up (I always did fairly well in college, but, ya know...)

I studied to this song quite a bit;


 8).
One day I want to see what's really going on inside my head. 
Sometimes I just don't like what's happening, but am useless in preventing it.


 9).
I want to go skydiving ASAP.
I feel this needs no explanation



 10).
I need to go storm chasing.
I have been in love with weather and have been such an enthusiast for the greater half of my life. Tornadoes and severe weather have always fascinated me. They have wonderful opportunities at the local college, but I can't strum up the money. One day, the money will be strummed, my friends. And I, Tessa, will be tailin' the tornadoes! 


The wind noise on this is just awful, however, there is some awesome footage. I took a class with the professor leading this trip. C.O.D is phenomenal for meteorology.


I want to listen to this while I'm watching a tornado roll across the ground.


 11).
I'd love to meet the people who have had a big impact on my life:
 and personally thank them. It would probably be ultra creepy, but really? If you did something professionally and people loved it and truly admired your work, wouldn't YOU want to hear about it? These people include; Florence Welch, Sasha Cohen, Rachel Maddow, Natalie Merchant, Terri Hemmert, etc.

Florence Welch

This is one of my favourites by Sasha Cohen. I love the straight-line footwork, the sprial sequence, her dress, and most of all her timing and consistency! 





Read more about Terri Hemmert [HERE]


 12).
See a play on Broadway.
 I've seen off-Broadway plays, but I'm so inspired each time. I always grew up thinking I would be on Broadway. I was entertaining at such a young age and was singing and dancing along to The Phantom of the Opera soundtrack at age three. I just think it's inspiring to the point of overwhelming to see those people come together to create something so marvelous.


 13).
I want to work with the elderly.
 After reading so much Advanced Style, I just feel that we have so much to learn from them. This is not a recent discovery, but I am so glad that the field study previously mentioned was with ladies and gents over the age of 50. That was such a treat. I loved hearing about their travels and their views on politics. It was such an enriching experience. I could only imagine the stories you would hear over time. Trust me, by no means is 50 or 60 considered even close to "elderly" in my eyes. I was just lucky that it wasn't a bunch of 20 year olds. I enjoy the older crowd. I'm such an old soul and enjoy hearing about the past.

Now, to accomplish!








October 20, 2011

Tessa in a Turban.


It's Turban Time, kids.

 

Trying this look out today;


Jean [part one of the blog Idiosyncratic Fashionistas] seems awesome. I want to meet these women of [Advanced Style] ASAP.


October 19, 2011

I don't have a title.



Today was just the right kind of day to listen to Zaz. Her first self-titled album came out in 2010, but I recently started listening to more of her. It is the perfect listening on a rainy day, that and Radiohead, but the problem there is that you may just end up only in the mood to contemplate what shape your soul is.
If you know what I mean...

[monday]


Proenza Schouler Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear Proenza Schouler Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear

Sweater weather is here and I'm pretty excited about it seeing that I have a slew of funk-ass sweaters for this time of year. This sweater reminded me of something that came off the Proenza Schouler Fall 2011 line.The problem is that I tend to get excited about a burst of cold air, until I'm smack dab in the middle of January complaining up and down about the awful weather that belongs to this city. This shot was just before work. Unfortunately I have a horrid dress code I have to follow; black/khaki pants, white/black shirt under the worst polo you have ever seen. I know I make it seem pretty exciting, but don't be fooled, once I got to work, it was all-black time. 

[today]

 
sweater: Goodwill socks: stolen from my mom's sock drawer long ago



I love these leggings and tend to incorporate them into a lot of my outfits like the two other pairs I scored at Uni Qlo while in Japan. I picked this out in two seconds and guess I was feeling a blue mood. I am so enamored with this sweater and cannot believe I scored it for so cheap. It's really thick and soft and "ha ha ha!" I just looked and it's a Casual Corner sweater. That's funny for a slew of reasons, but none of them need explaining. For whatever reason I like this shot. I know, it's pretty lame.

This is one of the last things I decorated last night. We've been getting out at midnight lately, so I've been getting home ultra late;











October 15, 2011

"I feel Heaven, stay for the sound"

[Casual Friday Recap]

scored these at the thrift my mom showed me, Savers $2.99
they had a whole gaggle of them, pumpkins, cats, vampires, bats...
but these best matched the shirt I had just ordered.

I want to say I got this jumper at Target....of course.

woot shirt! $10
this is definitely a spot to check out everyday.
Free shipping on everything & they normally come out with some awesome t-shirts.

I got these suckers at Target (I had no idea how much shit I owned from Target or how much I really wore it, good god) after some additional walking around to convince myself they needed to be mine. I got these last year and I knew I couldn't pass them up. I want to say they were $8.99 or some small price that doesn't really require "convincing", but oh well. They are mine now with no regrets.

As stated a million times over, Casual Friday is my day. Especially when those Friday's fall in October.
I have a decent amount of Halloween funk at this point and I love putting it to use. I wasn't too enthused about fake holidays (Sweetest Day + Boss's Day) keeping us at the work establishment past midnight, but my paycheck will be rollin' fat. There were some good laughs for sure and that always makes it worth it.

[Today]

today, I am admitting, the bright skies were nice.
This is probably because it was definitely sweater weather.
FINALLY.

See, here's the thing. I am all about nice weather and an Indian Summer, but once it drops below 55º, let's keep it that way. Once it is sweater season is in, I want to keep that momentum going because it seems in those few short days where coats and sweaters aren't necessary, the ability to layer well leaves my brain.


I got this sweater at Goodwill last year around this time and I love it. It's ugly in just the right ways.
I'm really drawn to the colours in it.


I call these pants my "Rock Star" pants because they are basic, thick in material, and just the perfect black pants to wear anywhere. Unfortunately, they are a tad big. They were originally cropped, but I undid the seams so they were longer. Gap $50




...Because the weather was so dashing, I did the usual routine and headed out for a walk.
I walk past the park that's almost always wide open and if the swings are free, I always snatch the opportunity. I love swinging, always have. I was that asshole 5'th grader that had a swing everyday even though "it was so unfair" (this is why you have to run to the park during recess, kids). 



So today that opportunity was present and I took it for a good half hour. My iPod is a great accompaniment on the swings, but sometimes I miss those middle school conversations and those times where the swings served as a destination, that was "going out" on a Saturday night when I was 13. Keep in mind, I was kind of a huge loser. So today some great tunes came across on shuffle in my "Recently Played" list that's a good 400 songs wide; ah, I love all of these songs. All for very good, but different reasons, but they were just what I needed to hear today. What a great to sport a funky sweater and soak up some sun...through that thick...sweater...


Hopefully you dig 'em and head for the swings soon while you still can!