From Reference and Recipe to Garment and Garnish

I just watched Julie and Julia for the second time and I just loved it. The first time I watched it I had just finished cooking a delicious meal of mashed potatoes, sauteed asparagus and tuna casserole. I felt so accomplished and the instant feedback from my roommates (not to mention my happy tummy) made it so rewarding. After the movie was over I decided that cooking was a skill that I wanted to develop and so far, I definitely have. This semester I am tackling several Japanese dishes with a special someone and attempting to master the million ways of cooking potatoes on my own.

A while back I realized the similarity between cosplay and cooking. They are both physical projects involving raw materials (fabric and food), instructions (the reference and the recipe), and the end product. With cooking you don't have to be motivated for very long because there is gratification as soon as the meal is ready! Cosplay, as many of you know, is almost opposite. Why work on a costume that won't really fulfill you until months later? Why you know, I think I will just spend time on facebook stalking album after album of someone's trip to the Netherlands! I know some people can do the whole making things early thing but its just not in the cards for me unfortunately. I guess what I am getting at is that I want to rectify my inability to get down to business by adding in a source of daily gratification. I tried to do this on facebook with a cosplay progress album but it is not enough. I need to be held accountable. I need to conquer my fear of difficult work and start practicing the fearless lifestyle of Julia Child that Julie Powell undertook before me. I want to make progress every day and have people watch and give me feedback. I think I am going to take inspiration from their story and make things happen in my life. I am going to start a series of entries in this blog about my adventures with each costume I make. I will post photos and text daily and I highly encourage comments and questions. I'll sort the rest of the rules out when I actually start next week.

Please join me on my quest to develop good habits and ACTUALLY GET EVERYTHING DONE I PLAN FOR by reading my blog or, better yet, making a progress blog of your own! I'll read yours if you read mine!

I suppose its lame that I am 22, a Berkeley student, and still have trouble with motivating myself to work but whatever. I am doing something to better my life because I am fed up.

Are you?

(oh PS it was one of my new years resolutions to be an ACE pick of the month this year so that's part of my motivation for all this shenanigans)