Journal

If I were an animal, I’d be a bird.  A crow, probably.  There aren’t many birds who actually walk on the ground.  Crows hang out in groups, they communicate, socialize and honestly, I can see they are comedians.  They have a sense of humor.  And what other animal, when gathered in a group is called none other than a ‘murder’.  A murder of crows.  Crows are so rock and roll.

It’s not that I wish I were a crow.  I kind of wish I were panther or dolphin or something other people think is magnificent and regal.  But I’m a crow.  So these are my wings.  For flying.  Bringing me creatively closer to my spirit animal:

graphic design by Stephen Newell

graphic design by Stephen Newell

Your favorite Video Game Reunion actors are at it again!  Star Squad, a Hunger Games fan film, announced cast and pre-production today.  Brendan Bradley (VGR’s Mega Man) directs and acts and Woody Tondorf (VGR’s Link) co-writes and acts.  You’ll also see Courtney Merritt (Lil’ P), PJ Marino (Luigi) and myself (Princess Peach) acting in the just-announced Star Squad film.

Rather than recreating existing Hunger Games scenes, Star Squad is an entirely original story about the trial of Katniss Everdeen and the rebirth of Panem after the rebellion.  Read Star Squad concept spoilers and production attack at our website.  The first character poster was released today: Tonya Kay as CRESSIDA.

I feel fine, but my box springs are lonely. They get separation anxiety and get clingy – its all I can do to tear the sheets off every morn.

I’ve got sass, but my passenger seat is insecure. Its making demands for new upholstery as if that will fill the hole. Some chrome would be nice too.

I’m fulfilled, but my skin aches. Starts asking to stay home from school. My skin stays in bed all day.

Don’t you worry about me. I’m fanfuckingtastic. I am thankful to be breathing, working, creating, so healthy. It’s my bed you should pay a visit to if you want to take care. Its my ride you should be seen in should you wish to reassure. Its my body that is crying, “Please take care of me.”

But myself, I’m all good with everything.

Bless the well-intentioned consumer. The biodegradable soap, the hemp backpack, the energy-efficient light bulbs—and all of the other “guilt-free” end products of conscientious consumption—are becoming far more popular and make us feel much better about ourselves. But in the final analysis, how much better, really, are these purchases for the environment?

The economic collapse has devastated my household, my community and my industry. Perhaps, however, this is just what we need. As I send ‘hang in there’ balloons and sympathy cards like everyone else, wishing the economy a speedy recovery, somewhere deep—in a secret, sadistic place—I hope it’s not over yet.

Your neighbors have replaced their light bulbs, but have they shut off their lights?  Your family’s traded in its SUV for a hybrid, but has it busted out the bicycles? The most economical choice is almost always the most environmental choice to make as well. Is our obsession with even well-intentioned consumption keeping us poor and environmentally destructive?

If we stopped all manufacturing right now and liberated what we’ve buried in landfills, what’s in each other’s closets and what is currently lining store shelves, there would be enough for everybody for a good long time—without another sweatshop hiring or smokestack puff.

While there is a lot of thought about what happens to our possessions after consumption (those not reused or recycled end up in landfills), if we want to make real change, we need to consider everything that happens before we consume as well. The manufacture and transport of new items, even 100% recycled items, is a far greater environmental threat than the items we don’t reuse or recycle.

We don’t just need better products, we need less of them. “Reduce” is first in the maxim “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” for a reason. Why do we immediately skip to the second or third item in the list? If we don’t purchase it, we won’t have to consider what to do with it after we are done.

There is only one thing better than being a green consumer and that is being a non-consumer. As a non-consumer, I can still purchase things, barter for things and gift things. I just take myself out of the manufacture/consumption cycle by purchasing exclusively reused and making sure my unwanteds get remade, gifted or resold.

No new item will have to be manufactured or transported to replace my purchases. No reusable or recycled item will wind up in a landfill. And, as a bonus, I escape paying sales tax, which saves me 10.25% here in California. What’s more economical than that?  I’m all for a better economy, but let this economic crash not mend until we learn how to value what we have now.

Some of my very favorite pics from The Lalas Burlesque Valentine’s Show at the Belasco (and this is just what happened on stage – you should have seen our Valentine’s dressing room antics!):