Hello folks! I just wanted to showcase some Halloween related treats and of course, the DIY Rey costume I mentioned earlier! However, it will not be much of a tutorial. Although I had so much free time to work on the outfit and take photos of the process, I really lagged right until the week of Halloween. Basically, I procrastinated & rushed the heck out of it! I only made the belt, tabard & headwrap -_- Anyway, I bought most of the material at the discount fabric store, while the belt and other accessories were made by recycling old bags and buckles.

This Halloween, I actually had two costumes lined up because our plans entailed a night of dancing & inebriation at a "block party" (reality: club event) within the House of Blues in downtown--Rey's drapey tabard simply wouldn't hold up well! After attending a family-friendly costume party, I changed into yet another super-last-minute DIY Star Wars costume: Padme, "battle" attire. It's an unbelievably easy outfit so I literally bought everything--aside from my shoes--at a thrift store two days before Halloween.

My boyfriend, Jeffrey, had initially planned to dress up as Zero from The Grand Budapest Hotel & we even found the perfect material for his bell boy jacket! However, just a week before Halloween he opted to dress up as Han Solo since Zero was not as recognizable (+ I may have urged him a bit). Boy, his costume & DIY skills seriously surpassed mine!! You'll see in the photos. Anyhow, our friends' costumes were also really awesome! Nearly everyone had made their own costume and had a hint of nerdy flare, too. It was also the first time in ages where plans made in our grouptext thread actually pulled through. Everyone showed up! Anyway, I honestly didn't take as many photos as I wanted, but alas, we were too exhausted from crafting and all we wanted to do was party with friends. Photos should always be secondary.

On that note:



Jeffrey & I made some matcha green tea sugar cookies & I brought them to the OT clinic where I volunteer at! I didn't take photos of the cookies, but I should have because they were so hilariously ugly. We tried decorating them with Frankenstein's Monster, Ghosts & Pumpkins but we have no skill in that department... On a good note, everyone thought they were delicious.







I bought "Gauze" cotton fabric to emulate the kind of flow-y and wrinkled look of Rey's tabard, but it was only recently that I found the materials/fabric list of the original costume. In the movie, it was actually made of viscose! Doi, Ashley. Oh well, this worked just as well.



He made the holster, belt, gun, pants' detail and shirt all on his own! Legit cosplayer or what!? hahahaha.



Geeks. I mean, Han Solo and Rey... Solo?!






These nerds dressed up as Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z and a Titan from Attach on Titan! (the Titan's girlfriend dressed up as Mikasa! D'aww, so cute, they'll always try to annihilate each other)





Star Wars, Dragonball Z, Mario Kart, historical/fictional characters, Attack on Titan, and even a modern hip hop star, the Weeknd--I'd say we all did pretty well this year!

Anyway, now that it's over, I had all this left over fabric & other materials taking up space... I am thinking of actually finishing up Rey's costume and possibly make the props so that I may wear it to the premiere of The Force Awakens. Hahah! Don't judge me. It's a little embarrassing, but I want to dress up! Of all the years of going to Comic Con and being into fandoms, I have never actually dressed in costume--as in "cosplay." It's not much of my thing, but hey, we'll see how that goes come December 17th! :)

This is about my everyday endeavors, while being a woman.

Recently, I completed my first two lead climbs ever--outside at some beginner crag in Mission Gorge. On top of that, just the other day, I realized I could now do full-on pull ups. I was so excited about my progress, however slow it's been.

Now what does this have to do with being a woman? Well there are a number of things, but it's primarily about being recognized for doing these types of feats for what they're worth, WITHOUT comparison to a man or any belittling of [my] efforts. Some comments or reactions I've received concerning my personal "outdoor accomplishments" and everyday deeds have left me perplexed and even a little resentful. For example, upon hearing about my lead climbs this week, some dudes at the climbing gym looked excessively surprised and even had to ask twice if I actually led the route (as in, not on top-rope). Sure, this reaction is not a huge deal in itself. But it never really stops there, does it?

Last week, Jeff and I manufactured our own wooden corn-hole set, and to everyone's delight, it turned out amazing. I mean, of course! We had worked so hard on it. Key word: we. Yet, the common reactions were "Jeff made this thing!... oh, and his girlfriend. Well, she made the bags!" This was a such a peeve because, I will tell you all now, I literally did tons of wood cutting, sanding, drilling and assembly/drilling--in the LEAST. It goes without saying that Jeff did a great and tough job, but so did I. Even he admits I probably spent more time working on it the project. Still, majority of folks' expectations were that I only helped him.* Seriously?

Okay, I know it sounds like a bunch of complaining, but what really triggered this post today was a text from my dad asking how my mini home "fumigation" was going. When I said that everything was going as planned, his response was simple: "Good job, you could be a boy."

Whaaaattt.

This isn't new. I've heard "You're strong enough to be a boy" or "Ashley is the adventurous one, too much for a girl! I think she would be stronger than So-&-So if she was a boy." It goes on.

I mean, okay, I get it. These folks are praising me in their own way. Still, the accumulation all of these microaggressions ultimately insult me, and women like me, doin' our thang. Why must it be so hard to believe I am capable of these things? Why should I be compared to a "boy" because I did something well?

Also, when I post about things--climbing, crafting, hiking/camping, whatever--it is not my intention to just show off an activity I hardly participated in. I understand it can be far too easy to take an image simply for what it is: an easy-going smile after a hike or a climb, an erasure of the struggle I most likely experienced while attempting to ascend. But, really, if I show a photo or tell you about something I've done, you can bet I was not merely "there" in amongst a sort of natural backdrop. That is NOT the backstory to my photos. If there is something I choose to showcase, it is because I am proud of the sincere effort I've put into it.

Personally, performing tasks or even living a certain way that is "unconventional" for a woman has almost always resulted, first, in a slight skepticism. After that, acceptance or "approval" is conditional--"She did it! But she had a lot of help" or "It's easier for her because she's smaller" or even, "It was a just a fluke." I know I'm not alone as a victim of this type of subtle misogyny. There are many other women who can and do much more jaw-dropping, inspiring things, and I'm sure there are those on the sidelines still doubting their efforts.

Why this consistent skepticism is pressed onto me, I can't be entirely sure. In my case, maybe it's just because I am a woman--who can pass for a much younger girl--or maybe because I'm shorter in stature, or because I am Asian or simply because I just don't "look" the part. Or, another "more reasonable" explanation can be that in our culture, we hold specific expectations of women and girls, and we have all been guilty of perpetuating it, unconsciously even: Women are the weaker sex. Men are adventurous. Women who like to explore are manly. Men who are emotional are a bunch of pussies.

Whatever the case, I don't think I need to change or fit anyone's expectations--though admittedly, I need to remind myself of this frequently. A woman can be feminine, shy, demure AS WELL AS strong, or adventurous, or outdoorsy or geeky--and this can change depending our mood. Duh. A woman should be able to be recognized for her accomplishments and not limited to common expectations based on our sex, lifestyle, dress, stature or physique.

You'd better believe [we] put in work. If you're seeing a bunch of exceptional women these days, it's new a phenomena, and it's not necessarily non-conformist. Women have always pushed limits. The mold they say women are breaking could never contain us anyway.