Friday, April 30, 2010

Femininity: A Personal Intepretation

Childhood
My mother was a earthy, natural, butch-like woman. She dislikes fuzzy things. Everything had to be simple and crisp clear. When I was still a kid, my daily-life rarely consisted of any girly things. I begged for long hair, just like the dolls typical girl played with, forever. I envied my classmates from the all girls' catholic school, with their shiny straight hair braided, twisted, and decorated with blue ribbons that matched the school uniforms. My mother told me she did not want to braid my hair, and short hair made everyone's life easier. My sole way of displaying femininity, well girliness at that time, was stripped for convenience. You see I was never a happy kid.

Teenager
Finally I could manage my own belongings. I clad myself with silky long hair with curls that were perfectly styled, natural monochrome make-up, rimless business looking glasses, professional A-line skirts, and black pointy flats. Would people take me as an attractive yet mature young lady? I didn't want to be the sexy, but good enough for those developing young male adults to pay attention to me. Actually, I wouldn't care. They were so immature anyway, only daydreaming and fantasizing about other girls' lacy bras and thong underwear. Yet, I did not get why no one had ever noticed me. A shy, quite intelligent, artsy girl.

Late-teens and beyond
Over with the males. Questioning and conflicting with the morals, girls are apparently attractive too. Hmm, especially boyish butchy ones. They are much softer and more understanding than bio-boys. Also why not go against the majority's view on female attractiveness, and start binding the bosoms? They are really only functional during sexual play anyway.

* * *

I wonder if my life experiences had an effect on my current interpretation of femininity, leaving an impress on my obscure view.

I hate girly females, those ones dancing in the greens with mary jane pumps, flowy skirts and flying scarfs. I would never pity those who twisted their ankle or leg or whatever with their high heels. I think the women who tried to show off their curves are slutty. Yes, I said slutty. I don't care if you are doing this for yourself, or wanting to be objectified by others. I dislike those soft, weak girls that get freaked out and cry easily because of some small thing. Really? The whole act just looks stupid and so pretending to me. If you cry in front of males, maybe they will try their best to help, comfort, or protect you. Me? Go f*ck off. I don't give a damn.

On the other hand, I'm just as stupid as those girls I mentioned above. I am craving to find femininity that works with my own body and mind, and I know I still have a lot to figure out. I strongly discourage the act of being dependent, which is a popular and conventional method of showcasing feminine quality. But am I crossing the line where I'm really just complaining my discomfort because I'm lost? I felt like I have to resculpt the idea of being feminine while not totally trashing my past believes and experiences.

So, what is femininity?

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Story | Ctrl, Alt, Shift

Is eating vegetarian a way to have control over my diet?
Is binging my chest a way to gain power to control my body?

I can't control anything that's external, but at least I can make decisions regarding me and myself.
What else am I doing to try to grab control over myself?

I don't want to hurt my body, nor my emotions. Most importantly my heart.

.
.
.

I just want to walk out of the chaos.


2010/04/15

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

How to Survive under a Patriarchal Society

I actually got the following from a feminist article on Fridae.com (click here for the original article in Chinese). I've roughly translated the Chinese text into English - please excuse me if anything sounds a bit off, which I think it is weird in certain parts.


《如何在男人當家的組織中站穩腳跟》


1、別用男人的標準量自己,要從容不迫,保持個性。
2、胸有成竹再行動,沒信心時也要顯得鎮定。
3、別讓自己疲於奔命、費力不討好,要有尊嚴。
4、遠離蜚短流長,深入認識真相。
5、不要總當跟班,自己要有主意,重要問題別妥協。
6、不要害怕爭論,要據理力爭、以理服人。
7、遇到小人須冷靜,要不卑不亢,委曲求全只能讓對方得寸進尺。
8、不要甘當二等公民或者保姆雜役。
9、不要參與男人的遊戲,更要當心變成男人遊戲中的棋子兒。


How to Survive under a Patriarchal Society

1. Never compare yourself with men. Maintain your own distinctiveness and uniqueness.
2. Only act when you have full confidence to win. Even when you are not so certain at times, remain calm.
3. Don't wear yourself out. Keep your dignity.
4. Drift away from rumours. Go dig for the real truth.
5. Don't just simply follow orders. Have your own opinions. Never compromise on important issues.
6. Don't be afraid of arguments. Use facts to persuade others.
7. Remain calm while defeating sneaky people. Ask them for pity will only let their force grow bigger.
8. Don't volunteer to a second class citizen.
9. Don't get involve with the games of men. Don't be their chess piece.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Story | Black Daffodil

Years had gone by. Time flied.
That song ringed my the ups and downs in the last year of high school.
Hate and love faded.
Memory remained.

Am I still the same person as I was five years ago?
How have I changed, transformed?
What kinds of advice would I tell my 5 year ago self?


2010/04/15

Monday, April 26, 2010

Quote + Art of the Day

Quote from Craig Thompson's Blankets. (No, I haven't read the the book. I just found the quote from somewhere.)

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Story | Chimneystack Road

The sunrise shoots eye-glaring light into the awakening world.

Trees masked. Numerous arms casting their soft darkened shadows onto the green.

A child banged on a building sign pole. Creation of Clear pure tones, echoing withing the appeared to be harsh and cold metal tube.

First day of ballet flats after prolong seasons; the feet are touching the blemishes and scars of the eroded pavement, a souvenir left by the winter.

My stoned heart is slowly chiseling into pieces.

Morning walks had never been so pleasant before.


2010/04/14

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Binders

When people hear the term binder, most would think of the folder with rings or clasps for organizing loose paper.

For me, what comes in mind is a garment that binds my chest into a flat landscape... and I am hoping that it will symbolically organize my thoughts on the meaning of being a female.

* * *

If an individual looks ambiguous at the initially look, majority of people would stare down on the person's chest area to see if there are female second sexual characteristics, or boobs, so they can label the person as female or male.

There is also another type of people that would aim straight to female bosoms. Those disgusting perverted men. Those who tried to stare right down your neckline, ripping the shirt open mentally.

* * *

I feel very uncomfortable when people oogle at me, especially my upper body. Yes I have lady lumps. No, I don't want to show them off. Go buy a Playboy magazine and satisfy your visual experience. I don't even want to reveal my curves at all. I only want to keep them for play with my partner in our room in private. For the rest of the time, I just want to keep them neatly binded flat.

* * *

I cannot stop thinking why I think like this. Am I obscurely brainwashed by the awkward believes and culture that I was brought up with? Why am I binding my chest just because I don't want other to look at it? But isn't that just oppressing myself and not being a feminist? Isn't that a trap, and patriarchy is taking its chance to suppress me?

What about the society's view on females not having significant upper chest areas? Does that mean those women are unattractive? But all those high fashion models are pretty much flat too. Will I get alienated if I say I want to be identify as female, but I want a chest flat? Am I abnormal? What is normal anyway, the say of the majority?

Yet on the other hand... what is the purpose having breasts actually? Are they for display, for pleasure, or for what?

Friday, April 23, 2010

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Story | Asylum

Just let me die. It is very horrible to go through all of there experiences. So many things to dump on you, to make you miserable, to kill you. Please just let me go. I beg.

I want to see nothing.

I want to heard nothing.

I want to say nothing.

Is there a place where nothing need to be considered? Is there a land of totally freedom, where no worries nor oppressions ever existed?


2010/04/12

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

(Re)claiming Public Spaces

All public spaces are assumed, or assigned, to be hetero spaces. They were never meant to be for queers. Buses, parks, streets, subways, cinemas, shopping malls... are all for heteros only. Queers are redirected to present in alleyways, the dark hidden corners of the city.

Queer individuals are not supposed to publicly display their affections to each other in this hetero-sexist city. Their actions of love will scare and piss off the self-elevated majority, the normals.

Now how sad is this? When can we end the exile journey of the queers?

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Quote of the Day

Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.
- James Baldwin

Monday, April 19, 2010

Story | Pinhead

The headache is painful. There are millions of drills digging into the sponge, sending vibrations back and forth between the walls of the skull.

I had wished I have more sleep. Sleep usually cures everything.


2010/03/26

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Story | It's a Small World (After All)

Our bubble is tiny. I know you and you know her and she knows me.

It's a world of laughter, A world of tears. It's a world of hopes, And a world of fears. There's so much that we share, That it's time we're aware, It's a small world after all.

It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small, small world.

There is just one moon, And one golden sun. And a smile means, Friendship to every one. Though the mountains divide, And the oceans are wide, It's a small world after all.

It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small, small world.

Creepy.

Well, I guess goodness does spread around.

However I think I will run to asylum instead.


2010/03/23

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Quote of the Day

How satisfying it is to leave a mark on a blank surface. To make a map of my movement - no matter how temporary.
- Craig Thompson, from the graphic novel Blankets

Friday, April 16, 2010

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Story | Come back please

Torn. Torn torn apart.

The sheet of paper is being crushed and crumbled and teared into pieces.

Down into the drain, with the flush of rain.

I hope you return to me soon. Without you my external communication to the world will be gone forever.


2010/03/22

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Story | It's not too late

There are too many regrets, too many missed and wasted opportunities in life.

I just want to cry all day long, grieving over chances that I had neglected and ignored.

What can I do now? Time had solidified as history, and spaces were long gone into memory.

Try to chase back the missing pieces that slipped away. Catch up with the current and flow with it.


2010/03/21

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Story | Beautiful

Modern ruins are beautiful.

Abandoned love are beautiful.

People who are left behind are beautiful.


2010/03/21


**For more visual representations, please check here: http://www.thecoolist.com/abandoned-places-10-creepy-beautiful-modern-ruins/

Monday, April 12, 2010

Quote + Art of the Day

Wonderful quote from Andy Warhol.


So true, so true. Nothing can go wrong, in fact everything can be perfect, in all fantasies.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Story | Commitment

Why are all of us afraid of commitments? Is it because we don't want to hurt others, and don't want others to hurt ourselves?

I think that is why neither of us are doing anything productive, not willing to risk.

Let's hope one day both of us will be willing to step up, risk being hurt, and commit to various things.


2010/03/21

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Story | Quadruple Sigh

There are just things in the world which we can never get.

She is fluent in your native tongue, where I only knew maximum of three words in your language.
She is soft and passive and pretty. I am none of the above.
She is close to you, within reachable distance. Me? All the way across the pacific ocean.
She has a similar background as you, at least there won't be a cultural difference. Us? Maybe the next life.

I just realized I am no good.


2010/03/15

Friday, April 9, 2010

Story | Things are funny isn't it IV

I simply stepped into your shoes, at the exact same position. I made the same mistake that you had made on me a while back, to someone else.

I dislike the fact you were so serious and well-planned for our future, while I was really just going with the flow, unsure of what would happen. And now, I had turned into you, having my plans well organized. She became me, who was quite paranoid by the non-shared believes about the future.

I hope you are doing well. I hope I will be doing well too.


2010/03/11

*Read the previous stories, Things are funny isn't it III, here: http://threequartertranslation.blogspot.com/2010/03/story-things-are-funny-isnt-it-iii.html

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Story | Reoccurance

I thought I was done with that. However now there is this.

MESS.

I never used to think that I would bring in so much distubance to my little suburb life. You know, no working overtime, no one bothering you at home, no nothing. Yet things just spark up themselves. The mind of thought. The mind of wondering things that do not matter.

I should stop myself, before I decide to do things that are even more hurtful to the soul in order to cure the previous traumatic incidents.


2010/03/11

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Story | The Haircut

Who do people have to care when I decided to cut my hair? Does it even matter? I don't want it long, or in fact, medium length. It bugged me, okay? You might miss my hair, but I don't. I want it to be shorter so I can fool people. So I can make other people think I'm strong, rational, and rigid. I want people to believe that I'm a powerful individual who doesn't give any shit on things that can harm or destroy me.

Hair cutting is a symbolic act of letting go of the past, leaving certain memories behind, dropping baggages down at where they supposed to go, and heaing oneself to the whole.


2010/03/11

Monday, April 5, 2010

Story | Transformation of Dreams

Funny funny funny.

Last night I had a dream about you sneaking into my house, surprising me in the bedroom with a hug. You had convinced your parents about your decisions, and finally came here for me. Even my parents knew about it, just not me.

Tonight, you told me we should just be friends. Nothing else. What? Are you serious? Did I push you too hard?

But yes, things that happened in dreams do happen. Except most of the time they occur in the opposite way. Like positive will turn out to be negative.


2010/03/10

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Story | I know you hope this is not true

You should of expected this. You knew it all along. Didn't you learn from experience? This would never last. It won't go beyond the ambiguous stage. Stupid idiot. Why can't you just stop yourself from doing so? You know it would cause trouble. Stabbing gazillions of pins into the little red heart. I mean, HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW THIS? I don't feel sorry for you, you stupid moron. Trying to game in the world hurts while you can't afford to take whatever the consequences are. You knew it at first that you are not this type of people. But you still stuck your entire body into the mess. Poor you. But I still don't have any sympathy for you. YOU ARE STUPID to get yourself into this type of trouble. Are you really prone to them? They are bad for you! WAKE UP. Where is the smart rational emotionless girl that I used to see everyday? Common. You are do better. You are a desirable attractive person, wanted by people. It's just... you haven't discover them yet. Spend more time finding the nice persons, and not indulge yourself into things you can never get. I can only offer you a hug but that's it. See the reality.


2010/03/10

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Story | Sponge that was made out of glass

It hurts a lot.

It feels like a big sharp knife jamming right into the center of my beating heart, with huge drops of lemon juice and vinegar dripping onto the cut...

I wish I can take everything lightly, and let go of things I cannot control.
But I am programmed to function in jealousy, under the constant disturbance of imaginary enemies.

I need to calm my heart. Freezing it to protect it from all harms.


2010/03/10

Friday, April 2, 2010

Revenges might be positive afterall.

Sometimes I wonder if I did all of this just for the purpose of revenge.
But I don't even know what or who am I revenging against... myself perhaps?

Actually this is okay. The whole event or incident might started off as some sort of revenge, as a coping skill to make yourself feel better, but eventually it will become a part of an adventure in your life time. Experiences rule.

So where ever life brings you, it should be at least interesting, if not eye opening.
Enjoy the moment and live out the best.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Quote + Art of the Day


So stop worrying about things that are beyond your control.
Work on how to cope, how to make yourself feel better, or how to alternate the situation with your own effort.