I've posted 3 songs in 3 days.  I wonder if I'll feel like posting another song tomorrow...i wonder if how long my streak with last.

I'm almost done with the Twilight books...I've slowed my pace to prolong ending...but I figure I can always start reading book one again.  My full report on this guilty pleasure deserves it's own blog.  Stay Tuned.

love
nati

I'm doing a series of first takes...where I sit down and play and make up lyrics.   Oh, yeah...i made my dress.  I can make one for you too if you ask nice.

love
nati

The longest comment in blog history was left here at www.plushus.com in response to a recent entry entitled "the Obama...I mean Queen Latifa Effect" about Claude Steele's the Stereotype Effect.   His comment is below, Part 1 of my 2 part reply is above.

love
nati

TheAnonymousOne (March 11, 2009 6:09 AM)
Nati my dear - I have to take umbrage with your whole fat-prejudice platform. It's not that I completely disagree: Yes, fat prejudice is still an accepted prejudice among us today - and I for one want to see people's attitudes change regarding overweight folks - but I think you're going a bit far in trying to compare fat-prejudice to racism or sexism. No offense: but no one is going to take that message seriously. I am reminded of a Natalie Portman interview from two or three years ago in which she compared her own self-consciousness growing up to the "veil" as put forth by the renowned Black sociologist W.E.B. Dubois. She caught some flack for seemingly trying to identify with the Black experience. I'm not saying Portman's critics were right to criticize her, on the contrary, but I'm just trying to illustrate that by comparison, your statements about fat-prejudice being analogous to racism seems overtly gratuitous if not downright frivolous. Not to mention there is no historical basis of comparison between the two. Fat people have never been subject to the types of social & economic prejudices minorities have been subject to over the years I just fear that your message is going to (possibly) offend those who do not look kindly on those comparisons to their real struggles. Moreover, not all fat-prejudice is created equal. There is a definitive "preference" for some fat people over others - namely: Women. Women are by far more easily accepted for being pleasantly plump than men are. This may not seem to be the case among that class of emaciated New York Sports Club high-maintenance bottled-water-drinking debutantes, but certainly among many men and women. Women of your dimensions (and those of your fellow Plushus gals seen above) - are not necessarily seen as fat - you're "curvy" - "voluptuous" - "well-rounded" - in other words: your fat has padded you where it counts (i.e. T&A). Your particular caste of "fat" person can at least get a date on Friday night, even if you have self-esteem issues. Ask a few of your local roly poly fat guys if they get dates on Friday nights and I'm willing to bet most of them don't - not even from fat chicks. This is no secret really. Many of these plump gals are aware of their "assets" and readily exploit them to their benefit. Corpulent men on the other hand have no "assets" to exploit (perhaps with the exception of those who fetishize their body type) and on the contrary, negative stereotypes of them abound. So even among overweight folks there is definitely a hierarchy of prejudice. At least among minorities looking for racial/sexual equality - there is at least some semblance of solidarity. It's not the same for fat people, because obesity is neither cultural, racial, sexual or religious. It's not a lifestyle like being gay. While obesity isn't always a choice (there is definitely a genetic predisposition for some) it just doesn't fall into the same category as skin color or sexual orientation. Obesity is a condition - like dry skin. You either have it or you don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't say this to burst your bubble. I applaud your desire to get the message out and confront prejudice and negative stereotypes - especially those corporate messages intended to make people feel bad about themselves - I'm just giving you my opinion of what I think is the better way of going about it (and what to avoid). I would also feel more aligned with your views if you expanded your opinions on fat-prejudice beyond what I perceive as the the Queen Latifah - Jennifer Hudson Mason-Dixon line. These women are mainstream regardless of their weight or body type. You need to go beyond them and tackle "real" fat people - not just "pretty" ones.

www.plushus.com turns ONE YEARS OLD!!!!  This is the quiet celebration...just you and me.  I'm also opening up my first care package!  Thanks, Acacia!!!  You rock.

love
nati

You can now follow the Drunken Classy Ladies at Twitter and read our Blog for the latest on Brooklyn Brunching, Hat Wearing, Dress Making, and Classy Crafting. 

love
nati

I've been filling up my iPhone with podcasts.  My new favorite is Radio Lab.  The first show I listened to was The Obama Effect, based on an article the guys at Radio Lab read about Claude Steele's theory, The Stereotype Effect.  It got me thinking.  What if we applied the Stereotype Effect to Fatties? 

You can hear the show online or you can download it onto your iPod or iPhone for free from the iTunes store.  The first part of the vlog is me venting over the 50+ spam comments I get a day here at www.plushus.com.  I need captcha. 

love
nati

This movie used to play on Saturday afternoon with Anne Bancroft and Dom DeLuise (oh how I loved the Dom).  Cable and VHS didn't hit the market till I was 6 or 7, so most of my movie watching was done on weekend afternoons, but I never looked at the TV guide, so I'd just catch the ending.  I think I saw the end of Coma like 5 times.  Fatso was like this, I've seen it so many times, but I'd always catch the scene when he goes to get fast food for the whole family.  The passenger seat filled to the ceiling with greasy hamburgers and fries and he'd pull over to finish the whole thing...then sit and cry.  There are so many scenes in this movie that are right out of my childhood.  When he cuts into the birthday cake on the way to his brother's party and his sister throws a fit.  My mother used to have similar fits, made me feel SO guilty about it.  This is the only movie I've ever seen that really explores the drama of being fat.  I think I'll write fatso the musical...and make myself the lead character.  I really miss Dom DeLuise.

love
nati

A very orange colored Donald Trump was a guest on Jimmy Fallon's new Late Night Show featuring THE ROOTS as house band!

The Roots = cool.
Donalt Trump glowing neon orange from hair to chin = NOT cool.

This takes me back to a Jessica Simpson rant...do these people have friends?  If they do, these alleged "friends" should tell them they look ridiculous.  You'd think that with money comes skin color that exists in nature.  I'm poor and I've never had a Tang-Tan.

love
nati

Living healthy on a budget.  If it's free, it's for me!  I'll also talk about COFRA again...I may have changed my mind about Dare To Show Your Face.

love
nati

I was getting off the 2 train last night and I saw this billboard for a new play Reasons To Be Pretty.  I was a little leery it might be one of those afterschool specials "LOVE ME! fat people rock!!", but then I saw it was written by Neil LaBute.  In the Company of Men is one of my most favorite movies.  RTBP is about a regular guy who really loves his girlfriend but notices a few of her physical imperfections and when he mentions them to her all hell breaks loose.  

I love it!  Let's all go.

love
nati

I really don't like these grand declaratory campaigns to show people how awesome fat girls are (consisting of nothing but telling people how awesome fat girls are). But the first 44 seconds of this video is cool. I mean, come on, who doesn't love stop motion???  AND!  I found out this girl, Lindsay, actually posted some cool You Tube videos, check out her channel.

COFRA, the Coalition of Fat Rights Activists, invites fat girls to join the YouTube group DARE TO SHOW YOUR FACE. I guess you just make a video and talk about how cool it is to be fat.  Well, I make videos all the time (they're called vLogs).  These vLogs always show my face and I'm so damn cool, I don't need to say it.  That's why I'm less inclined to participate at this point.  But I totally suport the effort.  The girls really are gorgeous, and I do love to see them talk about themselves!

With that said, I don't get COFRA and these other organizations of fat girls fighting for "status" in a shallow society, yet doing nothing truly creative to carve out a niche.  My suggestion is that COFRA and other fat acceptance groups put their money were their mouth is and make a change as a group of consumers.  Why don't you spend an ungodly amount of cash on innovative plus designers? Because right now fat people are the majority, yet plus designers with vision and creative guts go out of business every day.  My opinion?  Your money speaks louder than your fat face on YouTube.  Boycott LaME Bryant and spend spend spend on the cool designers at Lee Lee Valise's boutique in Brooklyn.  If you are at a loss, there are all kinds of data bases to help you shop smart.  Like Lisa over at Beauty Plus Power.  Or you can send me a message.  Talk to you soon!

love
nati