Making Catrina Pt. 2

Facebook wins for quick upload (though you cannot bigify)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6949&id=100000083513885&l=7c5796e3d7

A friend (hi Emily) had a suggestion for the make up - to do a sort of charcoal effect - I was thinking like this:



But sans red beret - see facebook link for photos!

Making Catrina

I have never been a fan of Halloween. The whole holiday is a mystery to me. For years I resisted dressing up and, since I am a teacher, it is particualrly difficult to not seem "Scrooge-like" around the "holiday".

However, I in recent years have become enamoured with Dia de Los Muertos - probably because I am Mexican and can understand a celebration of death that is more jolly and less creepy. I love how Dia de Los Muertos celebrates the rememberance of the dead and how life continues after death. I really want to set up an altera this year and make some sugar skulls.

Since the local HP Alliance chapter (which I am a part of) is hosting a Halloween themed concert this year, I have decided to step up my Halloween costume. Last year I went as a Ravenclaw, but this year I want to dress up as La Calavera Catrina.

So, I am going to start my inspiration board here:

So - Catrina is a bit naked and since it is a family event, I don't think that will work. But, she is usually shown in some sort of early 1900s fashion. Like these gals:

I don't think I could rock (or wrock, har har) the wide brim hat or bustle, much less the heavy facepaint. I will have to teach all day the day of the concert.

So here is what I am thinking:

- Black dress that has a sort of 60's look or other black dress that has a 40's look

- Smoky eye make up and dark red lipstick (I have neither one and have no idea how to accomplish this)

- Lace gaunlets (I could probably make these)

- gorgeous green beaded necklace ($20 at Anthropolgie! Score!)

- earrings that look like little sugar skulls

- I have a red pillbox hat with flowers, but then I saw this halloween themed one at fireworks gallery, and felt inspired. I will try to make a black one with the same netting but decorate it in some teal green flower clips that I got at H & M that match the necklace

- I need a sexy, yet comfortable, black shoe; it will be october and freakin' cold and rainy and the school I am at has LOTS of stairs

More pictures to come soon! Suggestions are welcome :D

Der Ring des Nibilungen

I had this whole crazy blogging extravaganza planned with daily posts and pictures of outfits I wore to the 2009 Ring Cycle.

I neglected to notice that I was attending the Ring Cycle the first week back on the job.

Well, here is the one picture I took of me prior to going to The Ring.

Rather boring - but I was in a rush because I was driving from Bellevue to Seattle and then to downtown Seattle. Not a fun time.

I remember first watching bits of The Ring when I was younger. I didn't think much of it - I thought the music sounded very cool.

I was excited to go this time and the music was AWESOME. A singer must REALLY know what he or she is doing in order to sing Wagner and Speight Jenkins (director of the Seattle Opera) picked some amazing voices.

I loved Brunnhilde and Fricka - both the characters and the women who sang them (Janice Baird and Stephanie Blythe respectively).

The character of Hunding I did not like at all - I mean his best line to Sieglinde was "woman, fix me a drink then wait for me in bed." However, Andrea Silvestrelli's voice - oh my heavens. I thought I was going to pass out on the spot...seriously beautiful and super sexy voice. Like oozing sex.

Like I kinda felt dirty after.

Then some friends who my husband and I met up with during the intermissions told us that the singer who played Hunding in the previous production was even sexier.

How is that possible???

Richard Paul Fink sung/played Alberich. He was INCREDIBLE - I have never heard a voice like his!!! It was unbelievably rich and powerful; his character was creepy but you didn't want to miss one note that came out of his mouth.

There is one thing I didn't like about Der Ring - it was SO nihilistic and Nietzschian.

Basically the gods all die, and doubt themselves, and betray themselves, and get all incestuous. It is really creepy. Especially Siegfried who is the incarnation of the Nietzschian superman.

However, these underlying themes provided a lot of conversation between my husband and I.

The mythology is very similar the The Lord of the Rings and though Tolkien denied a connection, there exists a very strong connection between the two works. Both contain rings (dur), both contain superhumans who are fighting destiny, and both contain swords that are reforged.

However, Tolkien does not use Norse mythology to create a godless world, but takes what is true and beautiful to create a world that pre-figures a knowledge of God. Tolkien's work nods towards God and leads one to the true nature of God.

Wagner goes the other route. He deems the gods dead, he gives them that fate, and then creates gods with human frailties that it is hard to see how they are "gods" exactly. I did not understand how Wagner and Nietzsche ignore the idea, or deny the idea, of God's transcendence above time and space and anything our finite brains can understand.

God is Love - and while His Will at times is difficult to understand or comprehend, it is there. I never understood "Will to Power" - without God, I can do nothing.

Which is why I love how Brunnhilde and Fricka call Wotan on his $#*! - and also I want to be a Valkarie. I could totally rock a helmet with horns.

Banff 2009

Sorry Blogspot - Facebook wins in terms of being able to quickly upload and caption photos.

Check out our trip here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6339&id=100000083513885&l=2d4c73f06d

Or serach for me under "Lia Mey Seattle"

:D

DJ'-ing

I have so far DJ'ed three weddings and last night made number four.

I am used to playing a lot of swing and a few dance songs, but mostly slow songs because anyone can do a "walking hug". The group last night seemed really into "dance" music, or at least fairly fast paced songs.

I have never had a request for "Funkytown". Especially yelled at me in a fairly drunken manner.

Whatevers. At least four people came up to me and said that they enjoyed the music and that I did a good job.

But that one individual getting all bratty and huffy just leaves me with a sour feeling.

I did find it amusing how many folks thought I would show up with two turntables and a mircophone! I am just a girl with a laptop and a lot of music!

Still, people want specific songs and I simply do not have that capability - I can play something similar and in the same genre, but sometimes it is difficult to get to specific songs. And WHO the heck DANCES to "Smells Like Teen Spirit"???

I now own a copy of "Funkytown", should the fancy strike again. Perhaps it was the hangover, but I feel tainted owning it - as if I am letting someone else dictate what music I have in my library.

Regardless, our friends' wedding was beautiful and fun!