quick and dirty sundries

[rm]

I need a good suit bag for airplane travel (specifically, I mean one of those luggage pieces where you basically hang the suit in a garment bag and then the whole piece folds in half and goes on your shoulder). Any of you have a recommendation? I shudder at what I did to my clothes packing for Boston last night.

Ah, email from Duchess sadly not "your stuff is ready" but just an update on their awesome. Which is pretty awesome. Granted it was more awesome when they noted that John Hodgman was wearing on of their suits when he was on Keith Olbermann recently and I was tired and thought it said they'd done a suit for Keith Olbermann. Okay, I'm weird, but that misreading made me squee like a little girl.

Okay, this two sports bra thing when I wear men's clothes is now officially annoying. Anyone want to recommend a binder? (since it's relevant, I'm arguably a 34B, but possibly a 34A or a 32C, depends on the bra).

Enough to Go By is coming along AWESOMELY. Also Kali and I are going to do another short little CoE tag when I get back from Boston, because I had an awesome idea. Also, yes, I am still working on those eight billion different stories I said I was working on both before and during CoE. Next week! Time!

Of course, next week, I also have a couple of essays due, so I need to get on that.

Packing the suitcase last night also meant unpacking from the last trip (I'm really bad about that) which was Lunacon. Apparently though, I hadn't entirely unpacked from Gally, as I found my vortex manipulator (I can't believe I'm even typing this sentence) in the bottom of the suitcase and it sort of gutted me. It also led to a hilarious moment with Patty as I brandished the thing and ranted about my absurdity before slapping it down on the bookcase and she was like "what is that?" and then I had to explain and then she said she had thought it was a sex toy or something. THIS IS MY LIFE, KIDS.

Dear Torchwood Fandom: http://phaenix-ash.livejournal.com/1339106.html (caveat: this is not an excuse for various varieties of the bad behavior going on including, but not limited to harassment, wank, self-harm threats, and misogyny. I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE TO SAY THIS. (Also, aside, I imagine she was talking about her actual life, not our silly programme, so don't go over there being all Torchwood! at her)).

Re-potted the basil last night (it was nearly all roots, no dirt -- LJ wins again for telling me what to do!)

Good news is that it's supposed to rain late tonight, which means less plant worry while we're gone, although herbs have been taken inside and everything else was watered this morning.

Good news is also that it's now not supposed to rain in Boston, which means that hopefully whale watching is go. THERE WILL BE WHALES.

We are spending so much time on the water this year, it makes me so happy. We're going to a party on a tall ship next weekend.

Are we really talking about the weight of the nominee for Surgeon General? Really? This is crap, because it's not about weight or health. It's about gender and race and it's OFFENSIVE.

Meanwhile, I was up super early to work before heading up to Boston, and the world was bright and beautiful and full of haze. It reminded me so entirely of the mornings when I was taking flying lessons (I was in the air by 7am), that I felt really nostalgic and desirous and the way I often feel when I think about flying now, which is wondering if I'll be able to hack it when I get back to it, but I suppose, like anything, it's a choice.

Over the last couple of years, I've learned a few things from all the crazy stuff I've pursued: like fencing, like flying, like horseback riding. I've learned that we all fight alone. I've learned that we all die alone. I've learned that, as bleak as it sounds, we all live alone too. I've also learned that jesus fucking christ, some things are impossible to manage if you don't have people to talk them through with though. When I first took flying lessons, I did it in a nearly secret vacuum. Same with horses. And fencing. And it forced me to ascribe the basic human irritations, frailties and politics involved in each of those situations to The Ordeal of what I was learning, when this was often inaccurate and distracting from the real work. My point being: I now know how to do it all better for next time, and that is one hell of a consolation.

Comments

[crimson-bride.livejournal.com]

Binding: go to Underworks (http://ftm.underworks.com/) and get a Double Front Compression Shirt (997) or a Tri-Top (983).

[meirion.livejournal.com]

What binder works does depend on how large you are. http://www.underworks.com and http://www.t-kingdom.com are the usually-recommended sites. I usually wear an 801 from T-Kingdom, although if I want to be really flat I wear two. I've tried another one from there without the zip and it was quite clear I would pretty soon have dislocated my shoulder if I'd tried to wear it on a regular basis. T-Kingdom sizes are on the small side (I need an XL and I was a 36C when I was wearing bras). I don't know much about Underworks, so can't provide any useful info there.

Don't your suits come with suit bags — that seems a bit of a shame! I know that when I go proper suit shopping (as opposed to just wearing the clothes that my housemate is too fat for these days — I've inherited full morning dress that way! —) I shall be expecting a suit bag. A propos of which I have just (like, literally ten minutes ago) set up a ftmdandy community (sadly no content as yet).

[rm.livejournal.com]

You rock my world, thanks.

[rm.livejournal.com]

They come with suit bags -- but not for airline travel -- I should edit to specify that's the issue. I'm flying a lot more these days, and more often than not a suit is coming with -- and folding it in the luggage is just a big no.

Anyway, brilliant. I'm usually a B cup, so this isn't major industrial engineering, but I've also found that the stuff that's all "oh, this will be fine for folks that are small-breasted" is usually not quite fine enough, and the 800-layers thing is starting to annoy (hi, it's summer, and I'm mad enough for wearing a three piece suit, but shoving two sports bras and a t-shirt under it? Yeah, not so much).

[crewgrrl.livejournal.com]

L.L. Bean makes a lovely foldable garment bag with large pockets (at least they used to, ours is a bit old). I think you can get something similar on wheels.

Many suits come with plastic garment bags (which you can also buy in CVS), but it does sound like you're looking for something more permanent.

[5251962.livejournal.com]

Two Loving Comfort binders- duct tape over the first, usually did the trick for me- I am not sure what cup size you are, in that respect but I was a 34C and that flattened me really well.

[5251962.livejournal.com]

They will run you about 15 bucks a peice, and yes, it's kind of a pain wrapping the duct tape around and you could probably just manage with the two binders- but I never tried it that way. If you need an affordable alternative to some of the more expensive binders, this works pretty well. :)

(Hit the darn button before I was finished. Bleh.)

[tearsinger.livejournal.com]

http://www.spanx.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2990088&cp=2992554.3010035&parentPage=family

From their size chart you would likely want a small or a medium. I am a D/DD and they flatten me enough to properly wear men's dress shirts and braces. It is definitely better than two sports bras and you can try it on in most department stores to see if it gives you the look you want.

[count-to-seven.livejournal.com]

JOHN HODGMAN!

Matt uses a suit bag that has survived overseas and domestic flights for going on 6 years, but I can't for the life of me remember the brand. I'll get back to you.

[gement.livejournal.com]

I am also approximately a 34B.

I wear the Cotton Concealer (978) if I want to be comfortable, and have it pass as a standard cotton undershirt. I wear the Concealer (998) if I don't mind it looking like spandex and I want the super-severe extra mashing.

I get the ones with sleeves because otherwise I get the giant bulges under my armpits. As I think of myself as a t-shirt undershirt kind of guy (as my father was, before he got tenure and switched to just t-shirts), it works for me even if I have to take my outer shirt off.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Ah, that's good info. I try, because I'm formal by nature, that if I'm in a button-down, I'm in a button-down and that's how it is, but summer is evil, and with all the silly vintage picnics and stuff we do, knowing I can do that would be nice.

[miep.livejournal.com]

does this fit the suit bag bill?
http://www.overstock.com/Luggage-Bags/International-Traveller-Jacquard-Garment-Bag/3836024/product.html?sec_iid=33969

also, this song keeps coming up for me when I think of you two going to boston, apropos of nothing:
http://www.timeriksenmusic.com/timeriksensolo/ click on "Boston"

kinda morbid, but so excellent.

[phaenix-ash.livejournal.com]

I don't post for weeks at a time and when I do I get linked to - ha! They're welcome to get all Torchwood on me, because, hey, my five year old has a crush on Captain Jack Harkness and I've already been spoiled for CoE. Bring it. ;)

That being said, sounds like what's going on is just another example of why I don't get too deep into any fandom.

[iamradar.livejournal.com]

Go on eBay and find "Abdominal binders" They have huge pieces of Velcro on them and what you do is lay the velcro flat on your back, and it's barely seen. A friend of mine flattened her 38DD chest with one!

[lachupacabra.livejournal.com]

re: surgeon general...
oh yeah its totally about weight too.
size discrimination is right up there with the rest of the lame ass excuses
we have for treating one another like shit.
:(

[gement.livejournal.com]

Oh, I forgot to say, I wear a small in both. But sometimes I need help getting the 998 back off. It gets stuck on my shoulders and I feel like a git.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

It's about gender and race and it's OFFENSIVE.

Also (bound in with them both) is class, from the sounds of things.

Glad to see the NYT thinks she's appropriate for the job. Interesting, though, that, now that we have a Sotormayor-esque nominee for the position, all the newspapers seem to be pointing out how little power the SG actually wields.

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

as I found my vortex manipulator (I can't believe I'm even typing this sentence) in the bottom of the suitcase and it sort of gutted me.

Dude, being able to type these sentences about actual goings on in one's life is the reason I still have faith in the wonky wonderfulness of humanity.

[marchek.livejournal.com]

We're going to a party on a tall ship next weekend

I just looked at the theme for said party, "Circus Freaks Set Sail!".
Are you going as Circus!Jack?

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

I'm reasonably sure the vortex manipulator has at least one or two sex-toy apps. Wearers probably modify them for their own purposes.

[rednwhiterose.livejournal.com]

I really liked that quote. Believe it or not, it was the answer I was looking for with relation to stuff going on in my life.

Thanks. :0)

[dsmoen.livejournal.com]

I'm loving this comment with this avatar.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

I've seen several things in the past few years about how people in the south are more likely to be obese, overweight, etc. While I think there are a variety of factors such are lack of public transport, failing school systems and poverty that account for a pretty significant chunk I would like to point out one other thing.

IT"S MOTHERFUCKING HOT.

Seriously, when the temperatures are over 100 degrees every day for a month on end, when "normal" weather means it is still close to 90 degrees at 10pm, it is not sane or healthy to be running around outside. I think this is an enormous contributing factor to why people may not get enough activity. If you can't afford an air conditioned gym or don't have a way to get to a pool/lake/river, what are you really going to do? My local paper just reported yesterday that a guy died from the heat after doing yard work a couple days this week. His body temperature was 108 degrees.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

i so so want to take flying lessons!

[phaenix-ash.livejournal.com]

This is exactly why I posted it, just on the off chance it might resonate with someone else as much as it did with me. I'm glad you found your answer :)