I want to put together a happy kit. Something that I can carry with me (in my bag) that I can use to lift my mood quickly. I had taken an art class a few years ago and the instructor was very much into the tapping into your inner child thing and had us make toy boxes out of old cigar boxes. It was fun decorating them, but I’ve only touched mine once or twice since and mostly just to see what was in there. But a happy kit? That I can get behind.

So, what might be in a happy kit? Anything that makes you smile, laugh, dance, play, etc. I tend to get very anxious when I’m about to go to some sort of social gathering and I could see this kit idea coming in quite handy. Even when I’m at a party or something, I could duck into a restroom and access that happy!

Just some initial ideas for my own kit: A picture of my husband, puggyman and tabbycat. A sourball or other hard candy (peppermint!). Something soft or fuzzy to feel/pet, maybe a tiny plushie. Something to smell, like a peach or berry or citrus fragrance. I should really create a HAPPY playlist on my iPod, too. Maybe even a picture of one of those hilarious memes that always seem to be on the web. Something silly, ya know? And maybe a picture of Jessica! What Jessica?

This Jessica:

What else should be in there? Oh, Advil, Pamprin, Tums…things I may actually NEED! Ha-ha! A wet wipe! Practical stuff, like a Tide pen. What else?

What would you include in your Happy On-The-Go Kit?

Sunday night I was fortunate enough to attend Queer. Fat. Political.: “a flabulous star-studded, politically inspired evening of fierce fattitude and performance sponsored by the GLBT Historical Society’s Womyn’s Committee.  Commemorating the life and work of fat activist Judy Freespirit (who has an archive at the Historical Society) and will feature performance from the legendary FAT LIP Readers’ Theater, Jezebel Delilah X and others! Performances will be followed by a discussion/Q&A and is meant to create dialogue between generations of fat queer activists.”

It was one of the most powerful evenings of my life! It is right up there with the flesh mob I participated in for International No Diet Day. THAT GOOD! I was asked by Virgie Tovar to video tape the evening’s performances and little did I know that this would have such an impact on me. Did I already say “Wow!?” Because WOW!!! We’re talking about a room of radical feminists of varying ages, fat liberation activists from the 70’s, 80’s and now! But I don’t want to get into the who’s who and all of that…

I felt a great responsibility standing in the back of the room. A responsibility to do more, to be more out there and active and public and political. To keep fighting the good fat fight! The feminist fight! To liberate us all and create equality in a nation built upon the opposite. Heavy task, certainly, but I now feel more compelled than ever to organize and do more! These women created these huge radical, very public and very political actions! But I feel that this is something left behind and that pisses me off, for myself and for them. There is no second wave of fat liberation activism because nothing has changed! We’re still dealing with the same shit they did back when.

I love attending fat events. I LOVE IT! I look forward to them and after I am high on fat positivity! But then I go home, I work, I blog, I live. Nothing truly happened, ya know? But when I participated in the flesh mob for INDD? I changed! We made an impact on actual people!  I do feel that these more social events (performances, swaps, etc) are great for the uninitiated or for those who are intimidated or would like to reengage in fat liberation/fat acceptance. They recharge my batteries for sure. But what else? You eat cupcakes, maybe get some cool clothes, but no awareness was created, no waves made. We stick to online activism because it’s accessible, easy, fits into our collective schedules…and there is nothing wrong with that. I just want to do more!

The fire has been reignited and baby? I’m ready to start cookin’! Talking to Virgie and some other local fats all over the bay area, we all want to do more! It’s a fabulous feeling! So now we’re going to start researching and seeing what venues we can find and what things we can put together to keep people engaged, to become more accessible and to stay more political! I just couldn’t walk out of that building without having some sort of mission. I have big ideas, y’all! But I want some of yours, too!

What would you like to get involved in for fat liberation? Do you have a skill or talent or ability that may be useful or helpful for an organized fat action? Artists? Writers? Dancers? You name it! I wanna hear from everyone! What do you want to see happen to create more awareness? Do you think it’s all in vain? Do you think it’s bullshit? I wann hear it all! No judgment here! You know how I roll, honesty, baby, yeah! Ha-ha!

Today’s Tank Top Tuesday submission comes from Katie Koumatos!

I, like my mother and grandmother, have copious arm fat.  In the rad world of fatty activism, we call them “Hey Baby’s, because that’s the part that wiggles when you wave and yell hello to your friends.  I have learned to love my arms, appreciating their size and interesting shape.  But I have not always been this chill about my arm fat.  For many years I wore ill-fitting t-shirts in the summer, staring jealously at tank top clad girls who seemed so svelte and comfortable.  About five years ago I finally took the leap.  My first tank top was covered in glitters and sparkles, in hopes that folks might be dazzled by it and completely miss my giant naked arms.  I wore it out and surprisingly, no one threw rocks or even insulted me.  I felt beautiful and even more importantly, cool in the hot Sacramento sun.  Years later, more than half of my summer tops are tanks and I don’t even think about it.  It was one of those first steps on the road to body acceptance and I am so thankful I took that risk!

Sometimes, no matter how tired, you just gotta drag your ass out the door to have some good old fashioned fun! Last Friday night I did just that. I’d had a complete and total shit-week and had plans to go out dancing with two fabulous babes I’m fortunate enough to call my friends. I was dead-tired, but excited none the less. As per my usual I was inner-panicking about what to wear, how to do my hair/make up, etc. I do get worked up over this stuff, I tell ya. I didn’t end up taking a nap as planned, but instead worked on my mother-lovin’ eyeliner! Woo! Ha-ha! I have always struggled with eyeliner. ALWAYS!!! Yet somehow, magically, I worked that shit out this time! I hadn’t ever pulled of wings successfully. I totally did the fist-pump-YES!!!-thing. Ha-ha! Also, I decided I needed big hair to lift my spirits. I haven’t had big hair, well, ever. I did the big bangs thing back when, but not all-over big hair, ya know? FUN! I wasn’t even sure I could do it, but I have this Tresseme` 24 hour body hair spray (which really only held the volume for about two hours, but who cares) and it worked out well, I think. I mean, Look: That is some bigness! And I was laughing my ass off as my husband snapped a few pics, insisting I look shocked at the hair on my head…or something. Ha-ha! So, hair & make-up done, I quickly dressed (ha-ha! NOT! more like I panicked and tried on 6 outfits.) and headed over to meet the ladies, had a cocktail, piled into the car and made it to the club for a night of drinkin’, dancin’ and just general babin’!!! With these gorgeous babes:So much fun! I encourage any and all to try to attend a BBW club or other such fat events. “Good times, ain’t we lucky we got ’em?!” Got home around 3AM and decided I couldn’t sleep with that much hairspray in my do. Ha! Dragged my ass to work the next morning (too early!!!) and had a fantabulous weekend with my husband and our BFFs, P& J! Sometimes, no matter how hard it may seem, it’s totally worth it to step (or dance or jump) outside your comfort zone and have a friggin’ blast! Woooooooooooooooo!

This weeks Tank Top Tuesday submission comes from Jessica in Mastatal, Costa Rica hand grinding freshly roasted cacao beans.

My body is not an embarrassment that I need to cover up.  My physical comfort is more important than someone else’s discomfort about the size or shape of my body.  Don’t like what you see?  Then don’t look at me.  I don’t need permission to wear a tank top.  There are no restrictions or exclusive use rights provided to smaller people.  If it’s hot and humid, I have a right to bear arms!

As far as websites to plug:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/139268062780619?ap=1
www.naafa.org
http://www.sizediversityandhealth.org/

Awesome! Thanks Jessica! You look fantastic, but more importantly, happy! Woo Hoo!

I am taking submissions from anyone who wants to exercise their right to Bare Arms! Email your pics here: notblueatall@notblueatall.com, please include the name you’d like included in the post, a blog or etsy shop you wanna plug, your thoughts on bare arms or other fatty philosophies. It does not have to be in a tank top, so long as your arms are bare. Have fun with it!

🙂
Jess