#personalnews

[kallmaker]

Transitions and Thank You

So many people have commented on my blog and social media posts sending love and kind thoughts for my mom and dad. My dad passed away very peacefully last Friday with my mom, my brother, and me near. My mom is doing just fine, though he will be much missed. Since he had advancing dementia, in many ways we’ve all been saying goodbye to pieces of him for some time, and this final goodbye – sudden…

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[kallmaker]

Life Happens - and Then Some

You’ll notice that there aren’t any fancy pictures in this post. I’m composing it on my tablet via a thin, very thin!, WiFi signal. The quick version: my father had a stroke almost exactly a week ago and is now in hospice care at home with my mom. My brother and I are here with them until his body decides its time to let go. That said, we were fortunate in one small aspect. My brother and I had…

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[therewasabrowncrow]

Finally! Here is the print copy of Your Body is Yours (Pic courtesy Bijal)

Written by Yamini Vijayan, this book talks about consent and is a really nice, affirmative piece on body positivity. Art directed by Sheena Deviah

I have posted the project here. This was one of the toughest projects to work on. (How do you illustrate consent??)

I hope my work is able to elevate Yamini’s text in this piece and create a visual language that is accessible. I look forward to more creative projects talking about consent and found illustrators like Elise Gravel hugely inspiring

[femi-cass]

Got a new haircut and I'm so happy with it! 🌈❤✨ Also, happy international woman's day. 💐☀🎉

[femi-cass]

i am me 2018 - jan 16th to jan 21

Seems like it’s somewhat weekly updates. But that that’s fine I guess. Also, I haven’t forgotten about the second selfie-challenge. We’ll do that separately because I’m unable to put it into a text-post. /D

Jan 16th

“Write down what you would have told your teenage self if you could.”

Rejection does not mean that you are worth less, or even worthless. It does not mean that you are not enough. In fact, it just means that you are too enough. So enough, that they can’t handle it. It means that you are actually too much - in a very good way.

Jan 17th

“FREEEE DAY FOR EVERYONES! TAKE A NAP, SHOWER, TEXT THAT PERSON, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.”

Jan 18th

“Write a love letter to your least favorite part of your body. Be honest about why you’ve had a difficult time with it in the past, but then get mushy about why it’s an amazing thing. What does it do for you, what does it allow you to do? Why are you lucky to have it?”

Okay, another difficult one. Because, to be honest, I’ve spent a lot of time not liking my body at all. And I’m still not completely over it. In fact, I just spent like 10 minutes thinking about which of the many part I dislike the most since sadly there is just so much. However, here we go.

“Dear face, Often, I don’t really like you. You’ve got a rather big nose, small eyes and a small mouth. The proportions don’t seem to match at all. Your skin is always red, irritated, a weird mix of dry and oily. Thanks to the messed up hormones, there’s hair growing in all the wrong places and breakouts happen constantly. Also, your expressions are a mess. No eyebrow movement happening and I’m dreaming of the day you smile properly in a picture.  We are really having a hard time getting along. Yet, it is so much fun painting you in all kinds of ways, breaking the rules, making people wonder. The shape of your eyes is actually quite nice and some people are so jealous of those long, thick lashes. The shape of your lips, too - especially when they are painted that dark, sinful red. I barely see you in a full belly laugh myself. But that one time a friend took a picture of it - my gosh, I didn’t even recognize you, it looked so radiant. Some of those silly faces are actually cute I have to admit. And last but not least, you are unique. What could be more beautiful?”

Jan 19th

“Think about where you spend most of your time. Now, REALLY LOOK AT IT.  Does it need to be cleaned? Dusted? Do you need to throw away some stuff? Wash sheets? Do it. (This can be done a different day, I just want you to clean up the area around you so you aren’t blocking the good vibes!)”

Cleaned the whole flat yesterday~

Jan 20th

“What are you having a hard time accepting? How would you talk a friend through the same issue?”

Right now, there honestly is no such thing. Nothing that I am actively struggling with or have no kind of solution for. Seems like I can consider myself utterly happy here! ♥

Jan 21st

“What were the top 5 things you were grateful for this past week?”

First of all, without a doubt, that amazingly sweet compliment I got from a friend that I haven’t even known that long yet. She also thought of me when finding some recipes concerning the use of herbs and brought me a copy! The next point would actually be university/being a student. It just gives me so much opportunities like free presentations about the LGBTQ+ community or fun Scottish dance nights with my subject department. Also access to a huge ass library containing SO MUCH knowledge and a lot of stuff is cheaper for students here, like theater or the movies. The third thing is having my own flat. Or rather, the chance to do so. I’m super grateful for my mum making this and my studies and me traveling and all this possible. ♥ Also, friends in general as a forth point. I am so happy to have made a few new friends over the last couple months and so grateful for the people I’ve known for years now sticking around. Having this kind of support is pure luxury and comfort. And number five: I am grateful that nothing bad happened. Like, no personal bad news. No too big international issues (no WW3 yet, that’s something). No injuries, no fighting. Just a relatively peaceful week.

[caille]

Catching up

A few other things I’ve been doing in my absence.

1) Publishing something in here. 

If you’re in San Francisco, I’m reading on Saturday at Dolores Park Cafe as part of Litquake. More info here. The upshot is it’s at 6 pm and I promise to wear a really pretty dress.

2) Writing something here about issues dear to me: the transnational drug war, Los Angeles, Mexico, El Salvador, cartels and the images we get of all of these things.

  3) Starting a seasonal TinyLetter. Sign up and I promise to keep it entertaining. 

Any announcements?

[greyeyeshazydays]

Me: is drinking and slips on ice and instead of grabbing onto friend for support punCHES HIM

[last-cherry-blossom]

I think my mom will be calling the Spanish embassy soon to inquire details about obtaining a Spanish citizenship. So I decided that if I'm eligible, I'm going to apply for one. I'll be dropping one out of my current dual-citizenship.