Black Hearts and Sakura Trees

1. photo post  Sat, Oct. 20, 2012
   

   beautilation:

   At Comic Con today, I went as Black Cat. This is a shitty picture and there will be better ones of my whole costume coming up but I just want to say something. 

   Black Cat’s costume has a fair amount of cleavage (conservative compared to many other female comic characters but a good amount as far as what I’ve ever shown). I guess I was not surprised to have a couple men ask to pose with me and then do some doofy “WHOA LOOK AT THOSE KNOCKERS” poses. I just make a really ugly face when I see they’re doing it. One guy with the social graces of a lemur said to me “I was this close to wearing that same outfit. My breasts are large and supple and I think it would have been nice.” Nope. Stop talking.

   But aside from guys being doofy and awkward (but clearly not foul-intentioned), I did have my first truly skeezy experience at Comic Con today. 

   And my first truly empowering moment as well.

   This group of men from some kind of Stan Lee fan club blah blah internet video channel blah blah asked to interview with them on camera about Comic Con. I said well okay, sure. Camera is rolling. The “host” is a middle aged, rotund dude. It’s an all-male crew and lots of people (mostly guys) were beginning to crowd around. The following is the interview as burned in my mind. Keep in mind that I expected this to be about Comic Con in general.

   • Him: I’m here with…
   • Me: Mandy, aka Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat
   • Him: ..And she is HOT. Do you think I’m hot enough to pull that off?
   • Me: Uh, I’m not sure, I’ve never seen you in drag.
   • Him: I’ve got a great ass. Go on, spank me.
   • Me: (look at his large ass, popped up mere inches away from me then look into the camera like are you kidding me . No thanks. I may hurt you, I’m a lot stronger than I look.
   • Him: Aw come on!
   • Me: No, seriously. Stop.
   • Him: Damn, alright! Well let me ask you an important question then…what is your cup size?
   • Me: (big talk show smile) That is actually none of your fucking business.
   • Him: Oh! I think that means to say she’s a C. 
   • Me: I actually have no breasts at all, what you see is just all of the fat from my midsection pulled up to my chest and carefully held in place with this corset. It’s really uncomfortable, I don’t know why I do it.
   •  Him: (to the male crowd) Aw, come on what do you guys think? C cup? 
   • —a few males start to shout out cup sizes as I stand there looking at this guy like this has to be a fucking joke, then look at the crowd and see that no amount of witty banter or fiestiness will stop making this whole thing fucking dumb. It was clearly a ploy to single out cosplaying women to get them to talk sexual innuendos and flirt with this asshole and let him talk down to them simply because they were in costume and were attractive. Whether I’m in a skintight catsuit or not, I’m a fucking professional in everything I do and I don’t need to play nice for this idiot.
   • Me: This is not an interview, this is degrading. I’m done. (I walk away)
   • Him: (clearly dumbfounded and surprised) ..Come on, it’s all in good fun!
   • Me: Being degraded is fun? That was unprofessional and I hope that isn’t your day job because you can’t interview for shit, my man.

   And the entire crew and the crowd were SILENT. NOTHING. SHOCK, HONEY. It felt like I was in a heated fog, full of rage and pride and I sashayed away feeling like the most badass motherfucker in the whole damn room, but kind of also on the verge of tears. A slow build of applause would have been appropriate, but from the looks on people’s faces, they were just completely not expecting me to do what I just did- which was really nothing more than speaking up for myself. It wasn’t something one should feel brave for doing but crazy for not doing when necessary.

   It’s because many people at these cons expect women cosplaying as vixens (or even just wearing particularly flattering costumes) to be open/ welcoming to crude male commentary and lecherous ogling, like our presence comes with subtitles that say “I represent your fantasy thus you may treat me like a fantasy and not a human in a costume”. And maybe that will always be how the majority of people see us. But that does not mean we have to put up with shit that crosses the line, it does not mean we owe them a fantasy, it does not mean we dress up to have guys drooling over us and letting us know that we turn them on. It is not all about your dicks, gentlemen. So I encourage cosplaying women everywhere to be blunt and vocal with their rights, their personal boundaries, and their comfort level at conventions. I actually encourage girls to be brashly shameless about these things, to not be afraid to speak up if you feel uncomfortable and to let the person doing it know that they are crossing the line. Don’t keep quiet because you’re scared of what they might say or think- because if you say nothing they will continue to see what they’re doing as OK. 

2. photo post  Wed, Sep. 19, 2012
   

   thedrunkenmoogle:

   Shinra Final Fantasy VII Etched Shot Glass
   by ScallywagDesign - $9.13

   (Source: thedrunkenmoogle)

3. video post  Wed, Sep. 19, 2012

   anji-beast:

   HND Kneejerk Webcam: WiiU (by HellNDamnation)

   Check it out!

   Gotta love the Anji rages, lol

   (via wingedbeastieanji)

4. photo post  Wed, Sep. 19, 2012
   

   fyeahff:

   Evolution of moogles.

5. link post  Wed, Sep. 19, 2012

   The Little Philosopher.: 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

   thelittlephilosopher:

   1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
   2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
   3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.
   4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
   5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you likeeveryone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
   6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
   7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
   8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
   9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
   10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.
   11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
   12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
   13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
   14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
   15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others are doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
   16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
   17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
   18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
   19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
   20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.
   21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
   22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
   23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.
   24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
   25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
   26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
   27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.
   28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
   29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
   30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

   (via brainiac13)

6. video post  Wed, Sep. 19, 2012

   adventuresofcomicbookgirl:

   karlathecockblock:

   rougemarionette:

   juvjuvychan:

   The Women of Miyazaki

   When people say movies, shows, books, etc, with female leads can’t sell and/or don’t have a market in mainstream media I simply shake my head and think of Miyazaki.  I think of his movies and how a majority of them, over the course of many years, have all starred female leads and are considered classics.  

   Some people seem to think that women want the world when asking for female characters in mainstream media that aren’t; stereotypes, love interests, or sex objects.  These people seem to believe we’re asking some sort of impossible task and yet again I’m left thinking about Miyazaki and his amazing movies starring these amazing women.  

   It’s not impossible, and we’re not asking for the world.  We’re asking for women, in our fiction, to be characters, to be presented as people.  Not as the love interest, not as the prize the male hero wins at the end of his struggles and rides off into the sunset with, not as a collection of body parts contorted to be sexy for the male gaze.  We’re asking for women to be good, to be bad, to be gray, to be heroes and villains, and morally in between.  We’re asking for women to be people. To be shown as such.  

   When I watch Miyazaki’s films starring these women I see that.  I see women, or young girls, being strong, weak, capable, hurt, upset, smart, powerful, cunning, dreaming, struggling, women who are able to drive their own stories, make their own decisions, and be the heroes of their own tales.  

   I see women who are presented as people. 

   If you need an outline on how to write women, well, take some notes from these films and learn something. 

   I just want to add that when I saw Hayao Miyazaki at SDCC when Ponyo came out, one of the questions he received was from a girl who asked why the main characters in his stories were female.

   He smiled and responded with, “Because women are strong and beautiful.”

   Though, doesn’t Miyazaki have some fucked up stances on when women grow older? I recently listened to an ANNcast episode with Helen Mccarthy on it where she mentions that he beleives that girls indeed haved unlimited potential, and therefore they should use that all when they’re young and then go off to the corner to be housewives and such? I mean, I haven’t been able to watch a lot of the guy’s movies recently(I really need to get Castle in the Sky so I can re-watch it) to see if this argument holds up based on his works, but I do recall older women in his recent works being mostly shown as evil to some degree if they do not fit into a motherly or housewife role.

   Until there’s a REAL source I’m going to call total bullshit? If only because there was a kerfuffle a year or so ago where he’d APPARENTLY said women shouldn’t work especially in animation and it turned out to be a complete mistranslation/someone making shit up, I did some detective work and found he’d actually said the opposite. I don’t know why people want to make this stuff up, everyone’s reaction to the clearly false rumor were “oh he’s old and Japanese so that makes sense” which wow, it’s like they really want to believe Japanese = inherently sexist stop it people.

   And it seems like bullshit since there are several older career women in his movies portrayed heroically. In Castle in the Sky there’s that old pirate lady, there’s the late-20s single lady in Kiki’s delivery service, all the working ladies in Princess Mononoke, all the working ladies in Porco Russo and Ponyo is his most recent movie and it has a working mother who straight up leaves her kid at home so she can go back to her job and it’s not even portrayed as a bad thing.

7. video post  Wed, Sep. 19, 2012

   grrspit:

   this-is-not-native:

   With Halloween just around the corner (yay!!), I figured it was time to bring back this rad campaign from Ohio University.

   There are endless cute, sexy, funny, even offensive costumes that don’t perpetuate racist stereotypes. There is really no excuse.

   Bringing this back with Halloween approaching.

   (via wingedbeastieanji)

8. photo post  Sun, Aug. 26, 2012
   

   (Source: ttrevv, via goddessofcheese)

9. video post  Sat, Aug. 25, 2012

   escapetothemoon:

   “The thing about Doctor Who is that it’s very hard to explain and not sound like a lunatic!” [x]

   (Source: finnnelson, via ohhyesdavidtennant)

10. photo post  Sat, Aug. 25, 2012
    

    anji-beast:

    queennubian:

    blackbeatnik:

    deederzb:

    This really bums me out. RIP.

    Looks like I’m crying myself to sleep tonight :’(

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! OMG!!!!!

    Rest in Peace, sir.

    (via wingedbeastieanji)