the ch!cktionary

    31 May 2012

    Anatomy of an Outfit: Jacket by David Benjamin, Yearling Striped Sweater by Laurie B., Lure Skinny Jeans by Goldsign, Oxford Shoes by DV.

    The muddy paws are all Hamlet … with a bit of Provincetown muck mixed in. This is what happens when Dog challenges Swamp and Man intervenes so that Dog goes home alive at the end of the trip.

    On a sartorial note, I’ve noticed that I’ve started dressing much older over the past year. The above jacket, for example, was a vintage find picked up from Beacon’s Closet a lifetime ago (okay, maybe more like two years, but that’s eons when left unworn in a closet). And a couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have even given a second glance to the shoes, which I found on eBay a few months ago. No heel? No embellishments? A fucking Oxford? No way. But I’ve already worn these babies so much (and on so many inappropriate terrains) that I’m thinking of getting them resoled.

    I’m also quite enamored with the Laurie B. sweater I’m wearing in these photos (though you can’t see it that well under the jacket). The Yearling comes in a bunch of colors and I grabbed the dark grey version with black stripes last fall. I’d never heard of the brand before but I thought it was time for some versatile grown-up clothes and this was oh-so-comfy I didn’t even mind the high neckline. It’s getting too warm for sweaters these days, but it’s is still being sold at some online retailers (at a hefty discount) if you want to stock up for autumn.

    And so it seems I’ve moved away from the girly aesthetic that I practically caricatured in the past. As a result, I am no longer getting regularly mistaken for a high schooler.

    (I don’t, as a rule, read fashion blogs, because if I do, I will get sucked in beyond belief and never do anything with my life, but my friend Lingbo just suggested that I check out Extra Petite, which is written by another teeny Bostonian. There’s some great advice on how to look like you’re not 15 when you’re small and Asian. So there’s my rec of they day!)

    Photos taken by Patrick Hamm.

    29 May 2012

    Hamlet’s customary position after a long, active day. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into the living room to find the man and dog passed out in identical positions next to each other. (Would post a photo of the latter scene, but then the Roomie would have to commit homicide and I am rather fond of my earthly existence.)

    Hamlet’s customary position after a long, active day. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into the living room to find the man and dog passed out in identical positions next to each other. (Would post a photo of the latter scene, but then the Roomie would have to commit homicide and I am rather fond of my earthly existence.)

    Tags: hamlet.

    29 May 2012

    Anonymous asked: When will start posting on your blog again?

    This week? Next week? Next month? I don’t know! It depends on how quickly I make progress on my novel, since I want to complete the first draft this summer before I leave Boston. For now, I think it’s best to take it day-by-day and to not try to balance it with other writing. (Because sooner or later, this book will be completed, but all those other things, like this blog, will still be there.) I’ve also been trying to restore some semblance of normality into my daily life in the meantime - i.e. not going into full-fledged survival mode as Patrick did during the dissertation and generally recovering from lack of sleep/peace.

    I’ve recently been a bit thrown off by Patrick’s graduation and house guests and friends I haven’t seen in months, and I’ve noticed how much my textual output is impacted so much by my state of mind, diet, exercise, surroundings, etc. Some days I feel entitled to non-productive writing, but more often than not, I feel behind and antsy (like I should be typing away during every available second or something). My time anxieties aside, my brain is in this mode that redirects all my excess energy toward the topics related to the book - so I’ll be in the middle of unloading the dishwasher and will be pondering domestic labor or walking around Harvard Commencement taking mental notes on the pomp and circumstance. It’s so exhilirating to experience this book as something I need to write, an automatic impulse almost, and it’s clearly something I very much need to complete right now, which isn’t to say that I don’t think about or want to blog things anymore but rather that my priorities have been reshuffled for the time being.

    So yes, I’ve been neglecting the blog along with email and Twitter, and I’ve basically abandoned my online identity and offline social life, but this is probably the only way I’m going to finish writing. I decided a couple months ago that I’ve spent far too much time over the past few years subordinating my writing to everything else going on, so I need to start making it a priority again. This meant extricating myself from various obligations and eliminating all the less time-sensitive stuff. I think I’ll come out of this happier and a much better blogger.

    Also, spoiler alert: a much-needed blog redesign and relaunch will probably happen within a year, sometime after I move - so I have big plans for this space :)

    More burning questions? Ask Lena.

    Tags: ask lena.

    29 May 2012

    Anonymous asked: should middle school girls have anal sex to avoid pregnancy?

    Anyone who’s having anal sex should still be using condoms, regardless of their pregnancy concerns. I also generally think that it’s much likelier to be a positive experience if you engage in a sexual activity because you enjoy that particular activity, not because it’s a second best option. If pregnancy prevention is the only reason you’re at all interested in anal sex, then you might want to consider just going on birth control. And as with any type of sex, only engage in it if your partner(s) is someone with whom you’re comfortable :)

    More burning questions? Ask Lena.

    25 May 2012

    The above skates are totally fueling my ambition to one day skate roller derby. I’m actually pretty terrible on wheels of any kind (can’t bike, drive, skateboard, etc.) and the last time I was on roller skates was at age 8 and likely ended in disaster. Nonetheless, I’ve been looking into roller derby leagues in Berlin, because I’ve never played competitive sports with the exception of middle school volleyball and now that athletic activity doesn’t terrify me, I’m kind of looking forward to the adrenaline rush. Also, the hot pants. Let’s just be honest here. (No, I haven’t watched Whip It, but I’m an Ellen Page groupie.)

    The above skates are totally fueling my ambition to one day skate roller derby. I’m actually pretty terrible on wheels of any kind (can’t bike, drive, skateboard, etc.) and the last time I was on roller skates was at age 8 and likely ended in disaster. Nonetheless, I’ve been looking into roller derby leagues in Berlin, because I’ve never played competitive sports with the exception of middle school volleyball and now that athletic activity doesn’t terrify me, I’m kind of looking forward to the adrenaline rush. Also, the hot pants. Let’s just be honest here.

    (No, I haven’t watched Whip It, but I’m an Ellen Page groupie.)

    Reblogged: hello-kitty

    24 May 2012

    Taken on the Beech Forest Trail in Provincetown. It’s been great to be spending time outdoors with the dog lately. My trips to the Cape and to Vermont finally offered some quiet, a much-needed respite from city living. It’s too bad the more scenic parts of New England get so much tourism during the summer. Between all holiday weekends, Back Bay foot traffic, and Harvard commencement (today!), I’ve had my fill of crowds. One day, I’ll have to try zip-lining, apple-picking, and all those traditional autumn activities…

    Taken on the Beech Forest Trail in Provincetown. It’s been great to be spending time outdoors with the dog lately. My trips to the Cape and to Vermont finally offered some quiet, a much-needed respite from city living. It’s too bad the more scenic parts of New England get so much tourism during the summer. Between all holiday weekends, Back Bay foot traffic, and Harvard commencement (today!), I’ve had my fill of crowds. One day, I’ll have to try zip-lining, apple-picking, and all those traditional autumn activities…

    Tags: travel. snapshots.

    21 May 2012

    “That woman looks like Yoko Ono.”

    thecurvature:

    Chances the woman actually looks a little like Yoko Ono: .1%

    Chances the woman just happens to be Asian with long, thick hair: 70%

    Chances the woman is just Asian, sharing no other personal appearance traits with Yoko: 29.9%

    Can you imagine if every thin white blonde woman “looked like Gwyneth Paltrow”?

    I think I’ll start pointing to random white dudes with gray hair and saying “Wow, he looks just like George Clooney.”

    Replace “Yoko Ono” with “Lucy Liu” and that is the story of my life.

    Reblogged: thecurvature

    Tags: Asian. race.

    17 May 2012

    Wish I could put up an electronic version of a Gone Fishin’ sign. (Well, I guess that would be a vacation auto-responder ….) Anyhow, I am spending the week in Manchester, Vermont with the roommate and the dog. We’re doing some post-dissertation hiking before his entire German family descends upon Boston for commencement festivities. I can’t believe half the year is already over and I am still not done with this damn novel. Bostonians: any good recommendations for cafes where I can jab at my keyboard for hours undisrupted? Wifi totally not a must.

    Wish I could put up an electronic version of a Gone Fishin’ sign. (Well, I guess that would be a vacation auto-responder ….) Anyhow, I am spending the week in Manchester, Vermont with the roommate and the dog. We’re doing some post-dissertation hiking before his entire German family descends upon Boston for commencement festivities.

    I can’t believe half the year is already over and I am still not done with this damn novel. Bostonians: any good recommendations for cafes where I can jab at my keyboard for hours undisrupted? Wifi totally not a must.

    Tags: travel. snapshots.

    7 May 2012

    My friends and I do this thing where we celebrate all major events/reunions by making pies. Mostly, this is because we have an expert baker in our group who single-handedly produces pie spreads like this one. I, on the other hand, can only make one type - key lime! - which I argue is the best kind, though some people dispute its status as a pie given its short baking time (blasphemy, I say!). I have produced key lime pie for a myriad of special occasions, including my dog’s birthday and finals period. Given that it is also Kennedy’s favorite, it seemed appropriate for the festivities :) P.S. I use the Pioneer Woman key lime recipe and top off the pie with no whipped cream and a ton of lime zest.

    My friends and I do this thing where we celebrate all major events/reunions by making pies. Mostly, this is because we have an expert baker in our group who single-handedly produces pie spreads like this one. I, on the other hand, can only make one type - key lime! - which I argue is the best kind, though some people dispute its status as a pie given its short baking time (blasphemy, I say!). I have produced key lime pie for a myriad of special occasions, including my dog’s birthday and finals period. Given that it is also Kennedy’s favorite, it seemed appropriate for the festivities :)

    P.S. I use the Pioneer Woman key lime recipe and top off the pie with no whipped cream and a ton of lime zest.

    Tags: snapshots. kennedy.

    7 May 2012

    In DC visiting one of my besties from college. Folks came from six different states to surprise the birthday girl :) I’m in town until tomorrow and then headed back to Boston where I need to get many life things in order. (Yes, Kennedy is wearing an 80s prom dress. This is because she is awesome.)

    In DC visiting one of my besties from college. Folks came from six different states to surprise the birthday girl :) I’m in town until tomorrow and then headed back to Boston where I need to get many life things in order.

    (Yes, Kennedy is wearing an 80s prom dress. This is because she is awesome.)