Merry Christmas
to anyone who stumbles across the blog!
I hope everyone gets something
they really want!
Friday, December 25, 2015
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
#TuesdayBluesDay 12.22.15 You Go To My Head
What's Playing at the Flamingo?
This week's #TuesdayBluesDay suggestion came from me!Please feel free to include your contact information in your submissions, along with the hashtag #TuesdayBluesDay so I know what it's for!
You can submit them:
Here on the blog as a comment!
On Twitter @nonsteader!
Through fan mail on Tumblr!
Email me at nonsteader@gmail.com!
Artist: Billie HolidaySong: "You Go To My Head"
Released: 1938
Chart: -
Label: -
Friday, December 18, 2015
Gaming is broken and we all helped break it.
What we have today is a guest post.
This one is courtesy of a fabulous blogger from the other side of the pond, Winkills.
I first ran across his reviews and insights on Twitter and soon discovered his website.
I could not escape that feeling you sometimes get where someone is saying exactly what you have been thinking but hadn't fully articulated yet. There's probably a better word for that in a different language, but you get my point. So, after a flurry of emails, he graciously accepted my deman- I mean request to give me a guest blog post. Please enjoy and don't forget to visit his blog for MORE!
This one is courtesy of a fabulous blogger from the other side of the pond, Winkills.
I first ran across his reviews and insights on Twitter and soon discovered his website.
I could not escape that feeling you sometimes get where someone is saying exactly what you have been thinking but hadn't fully articulated yet. There's probably a better word for that in a different language, but you get my point. So, after a flurry of emails, he graciously accepted my deman- I mean request to give me a guest blog post. Please enjoy and don't forget to visit his blog for MORE!
Who is to blame for the state of gaming right now?
Is it the developers' fault, for releasing broken game after broken game? Is it the fault of game media? I mean, let’s face it, they spend so much time in bed with game developers that you would think they lived together. Or is it our fault as consumers for putting up with it every year and still buying the same old games that we know are going to be a let down.
I have come to think that games being released broken is the norm now. This way of thinking has wormed it’s way into the fabric of gaming culture and is now - probably - the reason a lot of gamers have become jaded. You only have to look at online forums (such as Reddit) to see just how negative the gaming community has become.
The atmosphere around gaming at this time can only be described at toxic. Developers and the large companies they work for have done nothing to change people’s minds. Not a day goes by where you don’t hear about some shady practices like adding "pay to win" when you said you wouldn’t (Payday 2) or letting a game hit the shelves, knowing full well that it is fundamentally broken (Batman Arkham Knight on PC).
Firstly, the developers have to take a lot of the blame. They know how many people will buy the latest Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed game, even if it’s broken and full of glitches. Think about it. Why would they bother to fix the problems with the game when doing so could cause a delay which would probably hurt sales? Especially if the game is coming out just before Christmas. Developers tend to take the "alternative route" every time. They just put the game out there, maybe fix-it-on-the-fly at a later date (if they can be bothered) or if they think it's in the best interest of their bank balance.
Firstly, the developers have to take a lot of the blame. They know how many people will buy the latest Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed game, even if it’s broken and full of glitches. Think about it. Why would they bother to fix the problems with the game when doing so could cause a delay which would probably hurt sales? Especially if the game is coming out just before Christmas. Developers tend to take the "alternative route" every time. They just put the game out there, maybe fix-it-on-the-fly at a later date (if they can be bothered) or if they think it's in the best interest of their bank balance.
The big game developers and even some of the smaller ones are serving up the same old things to consumers, year after year, and we are just happy to buy it. We buy in the hope that the game will be worth the money we payed. I mean, every year, Call of Duty comes out and within a day or two gamers are complaining about how they never bothered to fix any of the problems that have plagued the franchise for the better part of a decade. Don’t worry though! Maybe they will have a go at fixing them next year? No. They will fix the problems when we all stop pre-ordering the games. Then, and only then, will they take notice - when their profits start to drop off.
Another large problem seems to be the way games are reviewed these days. For some reason, people seem to believe a lot of what games journalist have to say. In my opinion, this is a massive mistake. Let's be honest. These so-called critics hand out eights, nines and tens like a broken candy machine.
What does giving a game a number out of ten even mean anyway? Games are a subjective media just like music and films. The things I like - other people may hate and vise versa. I write about games and gaming from time to time and I have never given a game a score. In my mind, video games aren’t quantifiable. What does "Ten Out of Ten" even mean?
Nothing at all, because it comes down to the person. The real reason for games being scored is to fool people who don’t know what they want to buy. Mainly Mums, Dads and Grandparents who go into their local game store or supermarket and see Black Ops 3 getting "Tens" across the board with no splash and they think “Little Jimmy or whoever would love that game. It’s got a perfect Ten Out of Ten!”
But Jimmy hates Call of Duty. He likes to play Halo 5 or Destiny. I mean let’s face it gaming journalists can no longer be trusted. We have all heard the stories of paying for good reviews and arrangements between critics and developers that normal people would see as a conflict of interest.
To balance this whole thing out I will say that we as consumers need to be more savvy. We need to be smarter with our money because there are too many people who want to part us from it. We must not buy into the hype that surrounds some of these games. We must think for ourselves.
With all the tools at our disposal these days we have no excuse for making wrong or uninformed decisions. In the age of YouTube you don’t need to put your trust in so-called gaming journalists or critics: you can watch a "Let's Play" and make your choice on the grounds of gameplay; you can watch a livestream on Twitch and actually see the game being played by real people just like you who have no vested interest in lying to you; or as a last resort you could listen to me because I won’t lie to you or pull punches and I definitely won’t score a game out of Ten.
-Winkills
http://www.winkills.com/
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
#TuesdayBluesDay 12.15.15 My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time
What's Playing at the Flamingo?
This week's #TuesdayBluesDay suggestion came from an anonymous message on Tumblr!Please feel free to include your contact information in your submissions, along with the hashtag #TuesdayBluesDay so I know what it's for!
You can submit them:
Here on the blog as a comment!
On Twitter @nonsteader!
Through fan mail on Tumblr!
Email me at nonsteader@gmail.com!
Artist: Les Brown and His Orchestra featuring Doris Day on vocalsSong: "My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time"
Released: 1945
Chart: US No. 1
Label: Columbia Records
Saturday, December 12, 2015
This Day in Cats: #Caturday Issue Twelve 12.12.15
Today I'm just doing a sampling of the Cats of Tumblr. A bit of a crossover, you might say.
Happy #Caturday!
Happy #Caturday!
Friday, December 11, 2015
Bookstores
Does anyone here watch Bones?
I was catching up on the latest season when I heard something that really caught my attention.
"Bookstores are the hubs of true, complex critical thought."
Temperance Brennan has a point!
When I was younger, book stores were always a sort of magical place. You could learn things you didn't even know you were searching for. You could experience new things in rapid, rabid succession. There was a freedom in bookstores that didn't exist in the library.
Looking around today, there's only one bookstore and it's not really convenient to get to. Books are such an important part of life, it's almost impossible to imagine that some day we might not have access to these vital intersections of ideas.
I remember the first bookstore I ever shopped at was a small, second-hand affair in a strip-mall. It was dark and dusty and only had the one window at the front of the shop. You could buy books there, used of course, and then sell them back when you were finished for a ten percent return on the original cost of the book. It was the perfect revolving door of reading and I loved it. I would carry home brown paper grocery bags full of books, read each one, then take the majority back for someone else to enjoy. If I happened to fall in love with one, which occurred once out of every thirty books or so, I could simply keep that book.
The key really was the ten percent return. If I bought a used paperback for lets say ninety-nine cents, and it originally cost $4.99, I would get a forty-nine cent return on my original investment. Since the stock was always circulating, there was never a shortage of things to pick up and I really felt there was value in trading them back in for others to read. Of course, this trade in price only worked if you wanted store credit to buy more books. If you wanted to simply sell them for cash, you got ten percent of the actual price you paid for the book. It was a pretty great system.
I haven't seen a store like that in years. Where else could you find erotica stashed next to Shakespeare? What other place could you meet a wide range of people, even as a child? Where else could you have discussions, sometimes heated, over the change in authors behind some beloved franchise?
I really wish we could bring back the small trade-in friendly bookshop. Anyone still have one by them?
When I was younger, book stores were always a sort of magical place. You could learn things you didn't even know you were searching for. You could experience new things in rapid, rabid succession. There was a freedom in bookstores that didn't exist in the library.
Looking around today, there's only one bookstore and it's not really convenient to get to. Books are such an important part of life, it's almost impossible to imagine that some day we might not have access to these vital intersections of ideas.
I remember the first bookstore I ever shopped at was a small, second-hand affair in a strip-mall. It was dark and dusty and only had the one window at the front of the shop. You could buy books there, used of course, and then sell them back when you were finished for a ten percent return on the original cost of the book. It was the perfect revolving door of reading and I loved it. I would carry home brown paper grocery bags full of books, read each one, then take the majority back for someone else to enjoy. If I happened to fall in love with one, which occurred once out of every thirty books or so, I could simply keep that book.
The key really was the ten percent return. If I bought a used paperback for lets say ninety-nine cents, and it originally cost $4.99, I would get a forty-nine cent return on my original investment. Since the stock was always circulating, there was never a shortage of things to pick up and I really felt there was value in trading them back in for others to read. Of course, this trade in price only worked if you wanted store credit to buy more books. If you wanted to simply sell them for cash, you got ten percent of the actual price you paid for the book. It was a pretty great system.
I haven't seen a store like that in years. Where else could you find erotica stashed next to Shakespeare? What other place could you meet a wide range of people, even as a child? Where else could you have discussions, sometimes heated, over the change in authors behind some beloved franchise?
I really wish we could bring back the small trade-in friendly bookshop. Anyone still have one by them?
Thursday, December 10, 2015
#TechThursday
I have been struggling to find great content to post on Thursdays. It's such a dull day.
In the past, I've done #LifeSupportThursday, just funny things to get you over the last hump before Friday. I've done other random stuff. I think in the future I'm going to designate it as something completely different.
However, this week, I'm going to be doing a fun new thing called #TechThursday.
Now, normally you would think a post with that heading would contain either advice, or news about some sort of new piece of tech. Not here!
At the NonSteader blog, we like technology. We really appreciate it. With that being said, we're all completely broke. So today we will pick one item from the ever-expanding list of technological innovations that we could never afford, and show it to you.
This week:
In the past, I've done #LifeSupportThursday, just funny things to get you over the last hump before Friday. I've done other random stuff. I think in the future I'm going to designate it as something completely different.
However, this week, I'm going to be doing a fun new thing called #TechThursday.
Now, normally you would think a post with that heading would contain either advice, or news about some sort of new piece of tech. Not here!
At the NonSteader blog, we like technology. We really appreciate it. With that being said, we're all completely broke. So today we will pick one item from the ever-expanding list of technological innovations that we could never afford, and show it to you.
This week:
DJI T600 Inspire 1 Quadcopter with 4k Video Camera with Controller
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
#TuesdayBluesDay 12.8.15 Baby, Won't You Please Come Home
What's Playing at the Flamingo?
This week's #TuesdayBluesDay suggestion came from J.H.!Please feel free to include your contact information in your submissions, along with the hashtag #TuesdayBluesDay so I know what it's for!
You can submit them:
Here on the blog as a comment!
On Twitter @nonsteader!
Through fan mail on Tumblr!
Email me at nonsteader@gmail.com!
Artist: Frank SinatraSong: "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home"
Released: 1957
Chart: -
Label: Capitol Records
Monday, December 7, 2015
Wolfe on Women
"It has been many years since any woman has slept under this roof. Not that I disapprove of them, except when they attempt to function as domestic animals. When they stick to the vocations for which they are best adapted, such as chicanery, sophistry, self-adornment, cajolery, mystification and incubation, they are sometimes splendid creatures."
- Nero Wolfe, The Rubber Band (1936) pg. 94
"Not like women? They are astounding and successful animals."
-Nero Wolfe, Too Many Cooks (1938) p. 107
Wolfe has always seemed remarkable to me. I've been enthralled with the way he views one whole half of the species. There is a second, better example of this train of thought, in a later book. I'm working my way through another rereading, this time meticulously hunting for that quote.
I finally found it but forgot to write down which book, "Orchids were his concubines, insipid, expensive, parasitic and temperamental." I think Archie actually says it, but the thought is the same: Wolfe has flowers so that he can avoid having a woman.
The main impression that you get from Wolfe is that he doesn't hate women, he merely disapproves of their abilities insofar as they interfere with his life. Even his cleaning staff are a troupe of males. I was recently reading Over My Dead Body and it was such an interesting avenue for his disdain to explore. Now that he has a "shapely responsibility" to consider, he doesn't seem to change his thoughts in the slightest. It probably doesn't help that this particular example is a walking example of his prejudices.
In any case, this mentality just fascinated me since it was obviously designed by a man who didn't appear to hate women (Rex Stout). More so, this came about in an era where women were not often seen as capable of anything, certainly not something complicated like mystification. This was such a unique view to have at this point in time, because even though it is clear that Wolfe wants women nowhere near his home, he still respects their inherent danger.
This led me to have a really interesting thought, on the nature of women as Wolfe might see them in the light of the 21st century.
Women are feline by nature. If they are born with domestic inclinations, then they may be quite happy with a domesticated existence, much like the indoor house cat. They might enjoy the freedom of being an outdoor cat, running around before always returning home to familiar surroundings. If they are born feral, you will only get yourself hurt trying to capture them. If they are born wild like a lioness, they can never truly be domesticated. They can have their spirit broken and become even more dangerous. Once you have failed to dominate this apex predator, you can never turn your back on them.
- Nero Wolfe, The Rubber Band (1936) pg. 94
"Not like women? They are astounding and successful animals."
-Nero Wolfe, Too Many Cooks (1938) p. 107
Wolfe has always seemed remarkable to me. I've been enthralled with the way he views one whole half of the species. There is a second, better example of this train of thought, in a later book. I'm working my way through another rereading, this time meticulously hunting for that quote.
I finally found it but forgot to write down which book, "Orchids were his concubines, insipid, expensive, parasitic and temperamental." I think Archie actually says it, but the thought is the same: Wolfe has flowers so that he can avoid having a woman.
The main impression that you get from Wolfe is that he doesn't hate women, he merely disapproves of their abilities insofar as they interfere with his life. Even his cleaning staff are a troupe of males. I was recently reading Over My Dead Body and it was such an interesting avenue for his disdain to explore. Now that he has a "shapely responsibility" to consider, he doesn't seem to change his thoughts in the slightest. It probably doesn't help that this particular example is a walking example of his prejudices.
In any case, this mentality just fascinated me since it was obviously designed by a man who didn't appear to hate women (Rex Stout). More so, this came about in an era where women were not often seen as capable of anything, certainly not something complicated like mystification. This was such a unique view to have at this point in time, because even though it is clear that Wolfe wants women nowhere near his home, he still respects their inherent danger.
This led me to have a really interesting thought, on the nature of women as Wolfe might see them in the light of the 21st century.
Women are feline by nature. If they are born with domestic inclinations, then they may be quite happy with a domesticated existence, much like the indoor house cat. They might enjoy the freedom of being an outdoor cat, running around before always returning home to familiar surroundings. If they are born feral, you will only get yourself hurt trying to capture them. If they are born wild like a lioness, they can never truly be domesticated. They can have their spirit broken and become even more dangerous. Once you have failed to dominate this apex predator, you can never turn your back on them.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Saturday, December 5, 2015
This Day in Cats: #Caturday Issue Eleven 12.5.15
I follow a time-honored tradition that happens to fall on December 5th...
Day of the Ninja!
Now, we all know ninjas are awesome. Cats are awesome. So, today we celebrate Day of the Ninja Caturday! Enjoy.
 |
| Happy Caturday! |
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
An Honest Plea on Behalf of Women's Hats
I know some of you may have stumbled here by accident. Some may have just been curious. Others might have more personal reasons for finding this post. Whatever the circumstance, I welcome you. This might be a little bit weird, but try to withhold judgement until you've heard me out.
There I've said it. I don't know why this is such a provocative statement, but apparently it is. Now, I know there will be outcries of inconvenience, of feminism, of suffrage, of hair-styling. Women worked long and hard to be able to have freedom in how they dress. To be free from "antiquated - unrealistic - uncomfortable ideals" of beauty. Given the rates of eating and anxiety disorders, I don't think we've really won. But I really don't understand the absence of female brims in the cyclical drama of dressing! Why have they been suspiciously absent since the early 60's?
Whilst I have never had an existential crisis about fashion, I do understand that it can be fraught with tension. It can be a passionately defended dogma. Please save any yelling for the comments.
Men can still wear hats in most cultures around the world. Even in Western cultures like the UK and the US, there has been a resurgence in the range of fashionable toppers. The fedora enjoyed a brief renaissance before being ruined by hipsters and pick up artists. The same can be said for the classic top hat and more recently the bowler. Even the humble pork pie was making homes on the glossy strands of the male songsters for the last two decades.
What did women get out of this period in time? Trucker hats. Beanies. Furry things with ears.
None of these were formal or classic. They were comfortable, and I guess sometimes fashionable, but they didn't really elevate our outfits. We also got the fedora, but by the time we started wearing it, it was already trending downward. The only place you can routinely spot beautiful millinery in the United States is at the Kentucky Derby. And even they are being overrun with fake celebrities (who ruin just about everything) showing up in monstrosities because they heard that having the biggest hat wins. No amount of true feminine class could compensate for these venomous style vultures!
Some will correctly point out that France, Britain, Russia and even parts of Australia and Canada still regularly display formal caps at prestigious events. This is true. Japan also has a very demure attitude toward hats, and their Empress Michiko displays hers beautifully!
We had a lovely British royal wedding a few years ago, which should have heralded the rise of fancy formal hats. Instead we were treated to sculptural pieces disguised as headgear! The obvious exception there was the Queen, who clearly knows how to display a classy chapeau. She was raised in an era where it was just another accessory; where learning how to wear it properly was vital and routine.
I didn't want to make fun of the younger royals, at least they were trying to honor the tradition. I just wish they hadn't tried to modernize it. God may save the Queen, but we should have been saved from "Fascinators" - or what I like to call Hat Fraud. They are basically headbands with things attached. They look like awkward hair accessories. They were a terrible compromise and an insult to genuine hat appreciation.
Hats can occasionally be works of art, rather than just a functional, fashionable item. Those pieces are for very special occasions like gallery openings or red carpets. They serve the express purpose of attracting attention for the attention-seekers who wear them. They can also showcase a designer and their talents, all of which is laudable. But they are not what hats used to be. These new breed are the equivalent of wearing an outfit straight from the catwalk to Costco. These are just not everyday kind of headpieces!
I have illustrated why I believe hats have been relegated to the fringes of our fashion lives. They were either too weird, too unwieldy or too fluffy! We are left with the same terrible hat choices like baseball caps or slouchy beanies. We wear them to hide our hair on bad hair days or keep our ears warm in cold weather. We may find the odd "fashion" hat at older department stores, but they often look sad or oddly shaped, like they are trying too hard.
Most new hats I could purchase right this minute look terrible. But that does not mean that all hats are bad! The solution? We should go back to what works. There are hundreds, thousands, of TV shows and movies across the globe set in the period between about 1920 and 1961. They are often set in America or the UK or someplace that people think of as modern for the time. In truth, fashion spread with the advent of newsreels and motion pictures. People all over the world probably agreed on more than they disagreed with in this period of time, at least when it came to hair covering.
What's truly amazing is if you happen to stumble across a vintage hat now - and I do mean vintage, not a reproduction that's been "fixed up", etc. - they look great with everything. They are as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans or fluffy boots. I am not saying that every hat from that era fits everyone perfectly, everything has to be suited to you: your features, your style, your hair, your personality, everything.
But once you find a vintage hat that becomes you, makes your face look amazing, highlights your hair, shows off your neck or your cheekbones or a million other tiny details that you will appreciate instantly, it is one of the most sensational feelings in the world.
I know women who continuously search for that perfect pair of pumps that go with everything, and this is no different. Only in this case, almost no one knows they should be looking! Magazines and starlets and designers probably want to "invent trends" or "make money" and there's hardly anything to be gained from used hats, I'm sure. Worse, the ability to create them properly has been lost to some degree, simply from lack of demand. Fashion schools probably do still offer courses but how many people are alive to teach them? I refer to professional milliners who learned and apprenticed in a shop with a master? Much like handmade leather shoes, there seems to be few who can afford such a luxury item, as it would doubtlessly now be seen.
When hats were created in the past, they had to be made on a large scale, so they were hardly all custom jobs. I really do compare it to the perfect pair of jeans. Yes, some people spend thousands, but some find their perfect pair at a thrift shop or for twenty dollars at a department store. Hats used to be that common, and I think they should be again. Not only for fashion reasons, but also for historical purposes as well.
Hats are the only fashion accessory that I can think of (that didn't kill or maim, and no hatpins don't count!) to not make some sort of comeback or be refreshed in popularity. Women have reclaimed everything from corsets to high heels to men's clothing, and at least one of those used to be deadly! We have sacrificed for beauty. Yet the proper everyday hat remains stubbornly absent from our wardrobes.
So I will end with a plea. If you happen to see a hat for sale that looks a bit used or worn, but is clearly well made, try it on. I know you may have to practice new hairstyles that will work with it, or learn how to wear it properly. I know not every hat will be a winner. But try them all. When you find one you like, please buy it. Help preserve the heritage. Then we will at least have examples of how it should be done properly. Wear your hat with confidence. If you already have a budding collection like I do, wear them proudly and often. Let's bring the hat back from obscurity and back into fashion.
I think we should bring back the hat.
There I've said it. I don't know why this is such a provocative statement, but apparently it is. Now, I know there will be outcries of inconvenience, of feminism, of suffrage, of hair-styling. Women worked long and hard to be able to have freedom in how they dress. To be free from "antiquated - unrealistic - uncomfortable ideals" of beauty. Given the rates of eating and anxiety disorders, I don't think we've really won. But I really don't understand the absence of female brims in the cyclical drama of dressing! Why have they been suspiciously absent since the early 60's?
Whilst I have never had an existential crisis about fashion, I do understand that it can be fraught with tension. It can be a passionately defended dogma. Please save any yelling for the comments.
 |
| Look at those options! |
What did women get out of this period in time? Trucker hats. Beanies. Furry things with ears.
 |
| This thing? |
None of these were formal or classic. They were comfortable, and I guess sometimes fashionable, but they didn't really elevate our outfits. We also got the fedora, but by the time we started wearing it, it was already trending downward. The only place you can routinely spot beautiful millinery in the United States is at the Kentucky Derby. And even they are being overrun with fake celebrities (who ruin just about everything) showing up in monstrosities because they heard that having the biggest hat wins. No amount of true feminine class could compensate for these venomous style vultures!
Some will correctly point out that France, Britain, Russia and even parts of Australia and Canada still regularly display formal caps at prestigious events. This is true. Japan also has a very demure attitude toward hats, and their Empress Michiko displays hers beautifully!We had a lovely British royal wedding a few years ago, which should have heralded the rise of fancy formal hats. Instead we were treated to sculptural pieces disguised as headgear! The obvious exception there was the Queen, who clearly knows how to display a classy chapeau. She was raised in an era where it was just another accessory; where learning how to wear it properly was vital and routine.
I didn't want to make fun of the younger royals, at least they were trying to honor the tradition. I just wish they hadn't tried to modernize it. God may save the Queen, but we should have been saved from "Fascinators" - or what I like to call Hat Fraud. They are basically headbands with things attached. They look like awkward hair accessories. They were a terrible compromise and an insult to genuine hat appreciation.
Hats can occasionally be works of art, rather than just a functional, fashionable item. Those pieces are for very special occasions like gallery openings or red carpets. They serve the express purpose of attracting attention for the attention-seekers who wear them. They can also showcase a designer and their talents, all of which is laudable. But they are not what hats used to be. These new breed are the equivalent of wearing an outfit straight from the catwalk to Costco. These are just not everyday kind of headpieces!
 |
| Like this, but on your head. |
I have illustrated why I believe hats have been relegated to the fringes of our fashion lives. They were either too weird, too unwieldy or too fluffy! We are left with the same terrible hat choices like baseball caps or slouchy beanies. We wear them to hide our hair on bad hair days or keep our ears warm in cold weather. We may find the odd "fashion" hat at older department stores, but they often look sad or oddly shaped, like they are trying too hard.
 |
| You know who you are. |
Most new hats I could purchase right this minute look terrible. But that does not mean that all hats are bad! The solution? We should go back to what works. There are hundreds, thousands, of TV shows and movies across the globe set in the period between about 1920 and 1961. They are often set in America or the UK or someplace that people think of as modern for the time. In truth, fashion spread with the advent of newsreels and motion pictures. People all over the world probably agreed on more than they disagreed with in this period of time, at least when it came to hair covering.
What's truly amazing is if you happen to stumble across a vintage hat now - and I do mean vintage, not a reproduction that's been "fixed up", etc. - they look great with everything. They are as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans or fluffy boots. I am not saying that every hat from that era fits everyone perfectly, everything has to be suited to you: your features, your style, your hair, your personality, everything.But once you find a vintage hat that becomes you, makes your face look amazing, highlights your hair, shows off your neck or your cheekbones or a million other tiny details that you will appreciate instantly, it is one of the most sensational feelings in the world.
I know women who continuously search for that perfect pair of pumps that go with everything, and this is no different. Only in this case, almost no one knows they should be looking! Magazines and starlets and designers probably want to "invent trends" or "make money" and there's hardly anything to be gained from used hats, I'm sure. Worse, the ability to create them properly has been lost to some degree, simply from lack of demand. Fashion schools probably do still offer courses but how many people are alive to teach them? I refer to professional milliners who learned and apprenticed in a shop with a master? Much like handmade leather shoes, there seems to be few who can afford such a luxury item, as it would doubtlessly now be seen.
When hats were created in the past, they had to be made on a large scale, so they were hardly all custom jobs. I really do compare it to the perfect pair of jeans. Yes, some people spend thousands, but some find their perfect pair at a thrift shop or for twenty dollars at a department store. Hats used to be that common, and I think they should be again. Not only for fashion reasons, but also for historical purposes as well.Hats are the only fashion accessory that I can think of (that didn't kill or maim, and no hatpins don't count!) to not make some sort of comeback or be refreshed in popularity. Women have reclaimed everything from corsets to high heels to men's clothing, and at least one of those used to be deadly! We have sacrificed for beauty. Yet the proper everyday hat remains stubbornly absent from our wardrobes.
So I will end with a plea. If you happen to see a hat for sale that looks a bit used or worn, but is clearly well made, try it on. I know you may have to practice new hairstyles that will work with it, or learn how to wear it properly. I know not every hat will be a winner. But try them all. When you find one you like, please buy it. Help preserve the heritage. Then we will at least have examples of how it should be done properly. Wear your hat with confidence. If you already have a budding collection like I do, wear them proudly and often. Let's bring the hat back from obscurity and back into fashion.
 |
Who doesn't want to be a little more mysterious and alluring? |
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
#TuesdayBluesDay 12.1.15 Feeling Good
What's Playing at the Flamingo?
This week's #TuesdayBluesDay suggestion came from John by email!Please feel free to include your contact information in your submissions, along with the hashtag #TuesdayBluesDay so I know what it's for!
You can submit them:
Here on the blog as a comment!
On Twitter @nonsteader!
Through fan mail on Tumblr!
Email me at nonsteader@gmail.com!
Artist: Nina SimoneSong: "Feeling Good"
Released: 1965
Chart: -
Label: Philips Records
Note: This is from the later years when Archie Goodwin could be taking dates to the Flamingo. The dinner and dancing era was starting to wind down by 1968. Rex Stout wrote until 1975, and Archie is probably dancing even now.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Experience, Guided By Intellegence
I have read the new Nero Wolfe novels, which continued the story after Rex Stout passed away. They are interesting stories, and anyone who loves Wolfe wants him to continue having adventures, but it's just not quite the same.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote Sherlock Holmes, and he was brilliant. Millions of others have borrowed him since Sir Arthur made him public domain, and he remains brilliant. I believe this is because as smart as Holmes was, he was not smart about people. Writing a character that understands humanity and chooses to keep himself insulated through staff, blubber and scheduling requires a passionate love for not only the character but his fellow man as well.
Wolfe is not thorny because he hates, he is thorny because he loves. He often comments that his pounds are insulation against feelings. He must remain aloof because his romantic nature would drive him to ruin, and likely has in the past.
The newer books lack this heart. They are pastiches, wonderful pastiches, and credit is due to anyone who takes up the mantle of a character they did not create, and therefore cannot know intimately. I often think that is why Sherlock is so easy to scribe for. We did know know him well, and thus, he can be the shell for a variety of fillings.
Wolfe does not share that expansiveness. We know him. But we do not know him as well as Rex Stout did. The same problem applies to Archie. New efforts have made Archie sound false. In reading the prequel story, all I could think the entire time was, "No. This is not Archie." I just feel that the Wolfe we read in the new novels is a zombie. The body is there, the actions correct, the schedule maintained, but the heart, the life, is missing.
I hesitate to mention brains so closely after a zombie comment, but I think that's the other problem. Rex Stout was a genius and a chameleon, living many lives during his time on this planet. He could write Wolfe because he knew, intimately, how Wolfe, a difficult genius, would behave. Writing the life of a genius is a difficult task, but writing for a genius that is not your own creation may be impossible. I believe that is why the newer novels focus so heavily on Archie Goodwin, the 'every-man' character. And while Archie is a great foil and narrator, respectfully, he is not why I read Nero Wolfe.
Author's Note:
I want to end with a statement that this is in no way a criticism of the new author that took over the Nero Wolfe novels. I applaud the effort and I am thankful Wolfe is allowed to live on, regardless of how. Please, read these books if you get a chance, they are definitely worth your time. This post was merely trying to explain a certain sadness I felt recently when reading the newer work.
http://ow.ly/U751u
Saturday, November 28, 2015
This Day in Cats: #Caturday Issue Ten 11.28.15 Special Edition!
I'm sure everyone who participated in Black Friday and survived is proud of themselves. For those of you who had a rough day yesterday, and probably slept most of the evening last night after getting up at 2 or 3 AM, you may feel a bit rough today as well.
#Caturday is here to help.
This week I give you...
Black Friday
Emergency Rescue Kitties
of Extreme Cuteness
This will strip away the gloom of Black Fridays past and prepare you for next year's battle. Or Christmas shopping or maybe just Monday... Either way, this should help.
First, our kitties wanted to go shopping. So they asked nicely, left the house and then there was a bit of a pile up. Luckily no one was hurt and everyone got to take home a bag or three!
The kitties played and played and shopped and shopped and there was a bit of a problem. They had tired themselves out! So they called in the Police, the Fire Department and the Doctors and Nurses! Everyone was given a clean bill of health, and sent home to rest with their purchases.
Finally, our kitties made it safely home! They were all sleepy. They put away their bags, cuddled up with each other and fell asleep. They had lovely dreams about next year's adventures!
The End. For now.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Black Friday
I really hate Black Friday sales. Mostly because they force me to leave my house and interact with strange people.
You should also pass this book along as a gift to anyone in your life who has an addiction to Pinterest or Instagram or any sort of visual discovery website. Or if they have a love one who is afflicted. Laughter is the best solution to stress, and the holidays can always use a few more giggles.
So, in honor of that, I'd like to present the perfect solution! My book will be free Black Friday and the following Caturday in order to promote sales that don't make you leave your house.
But if you do have to go out, at least this will give you something to read while you're waiting in lines!
You should also pass this book along as a gift to anyone in your life who has an addiction to Pinterest or Instagram or any sort of visual discovery website. Or if they have a love one who is afflicted. Laughter is the best solution to stress, and the holidays can always use a few more giggles.
Grab your copy today!
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Happy November Holiday from NonSteader!
We don't do the old holidays.
But Happy November Holiday!
Feel free to celebrate this holiday any day in November that is convenient for you!
Here's an excerpt from my book, available free for Kindle Unlimited!
November’s Newest Holiday Tradition
This is the most important day in all of November. I know some of you are wondering what happened to that other famous holiday, something with turkey, and I have no idea. From here on out, November shall always be known as my birthday. I don’t mean one specific day.
No, like the old, forgotten holiday this day shall be flexible. If your family and friends are available on a Tuesday, celebrate it then! The first Saturday of the month is open? Perfect! The best part is that there are already greeting cards, wrapping paper and other celebratory items like plates and cups and napkins imprinted for this holiday. When everyone else is trying to find old-holiday-themed nonsense, you will make out like a bandit with plenty of Birthday Loot ready to go for your autumnal celebration of my birthday!
Now some of you may think I have selfish reasons for doing this, but I actually have a perfectly legitimate excu- I mean reason! The former holiday from this month was the most egregious offender of all the holidays.
Not only were we bombarded with recipe suggestions and tips, but it really seemed to be the most perfectly crafted homesteader holiday. I mean, it was a day memorializing the very way of lifestyle choices and behavior that the homesteaders are trying to bring back. Since I honestly find the whole thing to be a scary waste of time and money, I protest by removing that holiday from the calendar, and replacing it with my birthday.
We Non-Steaders will, from this day forth, continue the great traditions of eating too much and watching some sporting event no one cares about after watching a parade* we can’t remember the reason for watching –if we happen to celebrate on that day - and then we will all pass out before 6 pm!
We will not give those homesteaders the satisfaction of allowing them to sully this great day with color-coordinated table laying events and jars of something with cranberry in it (Seriously? Again with the mason jars?). Or way too many pictures of food and food accessories on InstaHam! This is a day to be thankful that someone worked enough to buy whatever we are lucky enough to eat, and we shall remember that every November. On a day of our choosing.
*My Birthday is actually the second if you want to be specific about it, but there isn’t a parade that day usually.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
The Cinderella Laptop
I have and it was a nightmare.
As in all things, I am incredibly picky about what I want in a laptop. Yes, I know my desktop is for processing power and has a bigger screen, etc. But lately I've been toying around with a kids book idea and a few other things that require long hours. I don't like sitting at the computer for that length of time and it's actually quite a poor angle for drawing.
With that in mind, I went searching for a replacement laptop. Mine recently had an accident with a cat that left the fan broken and the hard drive disconnected. Luckily the cat was completely fine, which is really what matters. But I was out a laptop and I thought now would be the perfect time to start looking! Black Friday, Cyber Monday, plenty of other oddly expanding sale days, how hard can it be, right?
It's a miasma of despair and hopelessness. I don't want Windows 8 or Windows 10. We all know they are awful and I hate them. I want my old reliable Windows 7, because I'm a bit of a gamer sometimes and I like my OS to not fight with my gaming choices, or worse deem them "unsafe". For anyone who is about to list a laptop on eBay or a similar site, leave the OS alone! If the customer wants to upgrade they can do that when they get it, you are losing customers who are specifically looking for a machine that hasn't crossed over to the dark side!
I want at least 6 or 8 GB of RAM, but would prefer 12 or 16, because I'm using several graphics programs that require being able to do lots of things at once. Plus, the aforementioned gaming.I know the AMD A-Series processors are slightly better than the Intel i7, if you have dedicated graphics, which I would also like! I'm fine with accepting a hybrid graphic build, if that's the only option, as I'm not doing any 3D gaming or hooking up an Oculus Rift. I promise to supply extra cooling power to compensate for the potential heat-sink issues.
I do not need a huge hard-drive! I don't plan to really save anywhere but the thumb drive I'm working on, so no, I don't need a terabyte, not even for extra storage, I have a secure external storage drive for that, and it's already got more TB than I could ever need! Honestly, I could live with 250 GB or less and no, it doesn't have to be a solid state drive, I promise not to handle it roughly or let it leave the house and ride on mass transit.Everyone talks about how size is the most important thing. I don't care! It can have a 17 inch screen. It could have a tiny 13 inch screen because I just need the general concepts. It could have a 7 inch screen and it would still be better than trying to do everything on my cell phone, which is where I'm at now. Don't even get me started on that. I don't care if it's big or small or heavy or light, none of that really matters. It will be set on a mobile computer stand that I'll be dragging around from room to room when I feel like
moving around a bit or need to be somewhere to supervise something like heating repair or whatever.
I would like it to have a CPU speed of 2.3 ghz or better because again, program switching and various browser tabs and such, I need it to be zippy! I would obviously prefer something over 3 ghz, but I don't think it's entirely necessary.Given my criteria, my wholly unreasonable list of wants, you would think it might make sense for me to just
build it myself. I tried that. They were so unbelievably expensive that it was immediately out of range. I'm not spending two grand on a laptop. I didn't even spend that on my desktop! I don't think I've even spent that on a car! Cannibalizing the parts doesn't work either, as very little is cross-compatible. Plus, we've discussed my inability to "make" things. No one wants to repeat the great Toaster Fire of '02! So, I pretty much have to buy a used laptop, which is fine. If I could just find one. I'm starting to feel a bit like Prince Charming.I guess what this really boils down to is a plea for help. If anyone knows someone, anyone, who has a computer that fits this description, please let me know. I will travel the breadth of my kingdom, speak with all in the land, or even pay reasonable shipping and handling charges.
Maybe there's someone out there who sees this blog who knows how to upgrade laptops and could help me form a plan of attack, or even just build one. I'm really pretty desperate. I'd take something close. The evil sisters would probably be close enough at this point.
💘 Hope
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
#TuesdayBluesDay 11.24.15 Careless Love / Wabash Blues
What's Playing at the Flamingo?
This week's #TuesdayBluesDay suggestion came from me, since I didn't get a submission this week.As a result, we get a fun two-fer! The Wabash Blues is a particular favorite of mine for Chicago commutes!
Please feel free to include your contact information in your submissions, along with the hashtag #TuesdayBluesDay so I know what it's for!
You can submit them:
Here on the blog as a comment!
On Twitter @nonsteader!
Through fan mail on Tumblr!
Email me at nonsteader@gmail.com!
Artist: Shirley BasseySong: "Careless Love / Wabash Blues"
Released: 1957
Chart: -
Label: Philips Records
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