2016: things I liked and things I didn't like

It's December 31, the last day of 2016. To say it has been an interesting year would be putting it mildly. I decided to put together a list of what I like and disliked about this year.

Dislikes:

The constant passing of celebrities. Never have I lived through a year plagued with deaths. David  Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Florence Henderson, Carrie Fisher AND her mother Debbie Reynolds within a day apart, and George Michael to name a few. I also lost one of my favorite FB friends this year Ben Lowe. Ben was only 35 and had a history of drug addiction (namely to DMX..dextromorphan) which led to him being on an episode of Intervention years ago. What really made Ben stand out was he was a genius and when I say genius I mean he had an IQ of 170. Despite the years of being bullied for being smart, Ben had a kind, gentle soul. Ben posted some of the most interesting links on FB, some serious, some weird, and some funny. His presence online will forever be missed. Thanks 2016! Not!

Seeing my dad go in and out of the hospital for some sort of bacterial infection. So frustrating to say the least. He went in to HCMC prior to Christmas and still in there. I talked to him today and he sounds pretty good. He won't be getting out until next week. Just tired of seeing him have to be hospitalized so much.

Politics. This past year I have come to loathe the entire political system. I have come to realization is that I hate both the Democrats and the GOP, the two party system, and the electoral college all in one fell swoop. Fuck to all of them and their supporters!

The month of November. What could possibly go wrong did go wrong for me during that month. I got a nasty cold which forced me to miss out on seeing Gabriel and The Apocalypse. I lost my cell phone on the city bus (yeah, that was real smart of me). Donald Trump winning the presidential election. Someone in my building walking off with my laundry basket. Shitty weather which forced me to skip The Jezabels concert at 7th St Entry.

Money does not grow on trees.

Having 3 dozen mosquito bites after one trip to the Eloise Butler Wildflower and Bird Sanctuary over the summer. Boy! Did that suck!

Game five of the WNBA finals. I also hate that the league is plagued with horrible referees.

Likes:

My two trips to Chicago. I love visiting the windy city. Got to go to the Field Museum and the Art Institute in April (should have stayed at the Field because the Van Gough Bedroom exhibit at the Art Institute was lame). My second trip was for the Lush and Belly concerts. Best concerts I had seen this year. So much fun. I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory and got to see another side of Chicago I haven't been to before. Can't wait to go back in the spring time to see the tattoo exhibit at The Field Museum.

Got four tattoos this year. I usually get two tattoos a year but this year I had the serious tattoo itch and ended up with four. I wasn't planning on it but it happened. I can't complain. I also discovered some dope ass tattoo artists this year via Instagram. Next tattoo most likely won't happen until 2018. I so want to go to Chicago to get some ink by one of the women at Black Oak Tattoo Shop in the Logan Square neighborhood. I have fallen in love with black and gray tattoos as well as hand poked tattoos. I also want to get work done at Tailorbird Tattoo shop as well.

Concerts. Been to some kick ass shows this year. Finally saw Loreena McKennitt again in this lifetime. I thought I would never see her in concert again. This time I spent $90 for a seat closer to the stage and that was worth every damn penny. I also got to see Belly and Lush for the first time. Definitely worth making the trek down to Chicago. I also got to see Autumn, one of my favorite local bands reunite and start playing shows.

Maintaining my blood sugar levels in the 5.0 range being diabetic and all, all this year.

Discovering new music (i.e Nyxx and Strvngers). 

My favorite movies of 2016

01. Arrival


02. Rogue One


03. Finding Dory


04. Suicide Squad

05. Star Trek: Beyond


06. X-Men: Apocalypse


Not a huge moviegoer to be honest. To be honest, I prefer going to concerts but from time to time I will spend a couple of hours at the theater to escape from reality. I really wanted to include films like Shin Godzilla, The Witch, and Inferno but those three films were deeply flawed. I didn't like how Shin Godzilla was more dialogue and less Godzilla. I also didn't like how Godzilla first looked. He looked butt ugly and gross. I will say that the film gave an interesting peek into how the Japanese government functions and its view towards the American government. Still better than the 2014 Godzilla movie America made. 95% of The Witch was fantastic. It really captured the feel of the paranoia of witches in that time period but then the ridiculously over the top ending ruined the movie for me. Inferno was a complete disappointment in the last 1/4 of the film. I hated the re-write and that Ron Howard and Brian Grazer would make the sole two people of color into stereotypical violent criminals. I also did not like the re-writing of Sienna Brooks in the ending of the movie. Good book, bad movie.

A lot of people hated the new X-Men movie but I was thoroughly entertained. It was great mindless fun. Not a perfect movie but I'll take this movie over the previous films I just mentioned. Suicide Squad was a ton of fun to watch. I think film critics need to lighten up. I also had a blast watching the new Star Trek film. My favorite film this year without a shadow of a doubt was Arrival. I am not a big fan on films with non-linear storylines but in this case I really enjoyed it. I loved that this film was not your typical alien invasion film.  There was no doubt that I would love Finding Dory, after all I adore Finding Nemo. Cute, fun movie. Absolutely loved cranky Hank the octopus. His interaction with Dory was very funny. Just saw Rogue One yesterday. It is a visually stunning film. I personally prefer that film over The Force Awakens. I definitely prefer Felicity Jones in this film over her performance in Inferno but then again she was stuck with a bad script in Inferno.

As for 2017, I am very psyched for the new Guardians of the Galaxy, Underworld, Star Wars, Fast and the Furious, Planet of the apes, and Alien films. 

My new tattoo

I finally did it! Finally had my appointment yesterday at Mpls Tattoo Shop to get my 19th tattoo of an arrow with the phrase "be brave" incorporated into it. I chose this design to make a statement post-election season. After going through the seven stages of grief as a feminist and a person of color, I decided that I wanted a tattoo that said something about the climate of this country and how I want to react to it even if I have a strong dislike for the incoming administration.

I will freely admit that I found this image on pinterest. Heather Kim worked her magic on my right forearm as I was hoping when I went into the shop last month for a pricing and appointment. I found Heather via Instagram and was completely blown away by her work. She is just as good as the artists at Jackalope but a lot more accessible to get in an appointment. Just like my experience with Mo Richards at Jackalope, Heather Kim proved to be a very easy going and friendly artist. We also found a lot of common ground in our conversations as feminists and as Asians. I really dug that fact here is an Asian woman who makes a living as a tattoo artist and to have her work on my current tattoo was pretty awesome in my book. I definitely want to work with Heather in the future.

As far as my experience with the needle went yesterday, it did not hurt one bit at all.  I chose to keep it simple and black. The entire process took about 40 minutes and cost me only $150 ($100 yesterday and $50 down payment I made last month). I also threw in $20 as a tip for Heather. People like Heather are providing a service and deserves to be tipped especially at this time of year. This was also my first time having a Saniderm transparent bandage instead of the traditional bandage (or worse yet a paper towel with saran wrap). I really liked the Saniderm bandage. I hope this becomes the norm at all tattoo shops at some point.

Like at Jackalope, Mpls Tattoo Shop is owned and run by women with a very chill vibe. I am starting to really like being in this relaxed environment as a tattoo enthusiast. Not that I had any problems with male tattoo artists but I am starting to enjoy getting tattooed in a setting that is all women. The vibe is completely different. At Saint Sabrina's where I have gotten the majority of my tattoos, it is so busy and chaotic which is a bit off-putting to me (good people at St. Sabrina's but the place is essentially the Walmart of tattoo shops) and pretty much why I have decided to move on and explore other tattoo shops in Minneapolis (and Chicago...at least for Black Oak Tattoo).

After having a great experience with Heather, I am mulling over if I want to work with her again for my 20th tattoo or still go ahead with my plans to go hit Black Oak Tattoo shop (also owned and run by women) in 2018. I'll just see how 2017 goes  regarding my finances. I most certainly want to get ink done by Tine DieFiore and/or even Cloey Nathaniel (whose work is just freaking brilliant).

Just removed the bandage, washed it with soap and water, and applied a thin layer of ointment. Credit goes to @bunnyakahk at @mplstattoo . I will post a picture of it when it is healed. Love it! #tattoo #tattooed #tattoos #tattoosofinstagram #girlswithtattoos #inked

A photo posted by Erica Anderson (@eanderson1974) on Dec 22, 2016 at 2:58pm PST

More ideas

I'm probably thinking way too far ahead in the future when it comes to my 20th tattoo but I am definitely determined on going to Black Oak Tattoo in Chicago to have it done. The work I see by Tine and Cloey is bloody freaking awesome! Personally I want to work with Tine but I would be thrilled to work with Cloey. I know I should focus on starting to stash money here and there but the ideas have been running through my head constantly. As far as a timeline is concerned, I am thinking 2018, hopefully around April when hotel rates in Chicago are fairly decent. I am giving myself a year off from getting any more tattoos and to stash money away for my next tattoo since Black Oak is cash only.

One idea I thought of today was the iconic cherry on the spoon sculpture over at the Walker Art Sculpture Garden. The only issue for me is space. I would love to have it done on my left forearm but I am not terribly sure if there is enough space.

Another idea is to take one of my photos I have shot over the years at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, or just out and about in the Twin Cities. Right now I am going through my photo albums and I am seeing some really great ideas for tattoos.

I think this picture of this dead leaf with frost I took a few weeks ago would translate into a really interesting tattoo as a black tattoo. In the meantime, I have a tattoo appointment next week I am very excited about. I can hardly wait to see what my artist comes up with.

Frost from yesterday. Not quite hoar frost but still pretty. #captureminnesota #capturemn #capturestpaul #chooseminnesota #exploremn #mncomm #onlyinmn #igers #igphotography #igshotz #instagram #photography #phototag #nikon #nikond3300 #nikonphotography #teamnikon

A photo posted by Erica Anderson (@eanderson1974) on Nov 28, 2016 at 2:55am PST

My brain has been spinning

For the past 24 - 48 hours, my brain has been spinning on my next two tattoos (following my appointment on the 21st of this month). I really want my next two tattoos to reflect my Vietnamese heritage. My first idea that came to my mind is a lotus flower tattooed on my chest. Nothing too elaborate and big. The second idea I think is an outline of Vietnam on my left arm. I came to the United States in 1975 thanks in part of the late President of the United States (Republican) Gerald Ford as part of Operation Babylift. I really want at least two tattoos that is a reflection of my heritage. I do not want to forget my roots, I have spent way too many years as an adult caught up in my every day life. The older I get, the more self-reflective I have become hence my decision on my next two tattoos. 

As far as who will be the lucky artist to work on my next two pieces, I definitely want Chicago artist Tine Defiore from Black Oak Tattoo . Tine only works with black ink but her work is dope as hell. I could always use a good excuse to mosey on down to the windy city and to have Tine work on my lotus flower would be an honor. Considering her fantastic line work in the tattoos she has done, I definitely want her to do my lotus flower. For my outline of Vietnam, I am thinking of Tailorbird Tattoos' Alli Shelly, or Jackalope Tattoo's Mo Richard who did my No Face tattoo on the back of my left ankle. 

I am not sure when I will get my next two tattoos. It is all about money and timing especially since Black Oak Tattoo shop is an appointment only shop and their books is closed at the moment (they open in Feburary for April-June appointments). Considering that I have gotten four tattoos this year, I may go on hiatus to save up $$$ for my chest piece and trip to Chicago. 

So this is what has been on my mind lately. Tattoos, tattoos, and more tattoos. LOL! 

Spirited Away

Today I had the immense joy of seeing one of my favorite animated films of all time Spirited Away in the movie theatre. The first time I saw the film in the theatre was at the Lagoon in Uptown a few years ago. Never saw the film when it first came out in 2001 but I have definitely made up for it over the years through countless viewings. The film is much more impressive on the big screen and I was quickly reminded of it today. The scene where Haku, Sen/Chihiro, Boh, and Yubaba Fly leaves Zeniba's house really took my breath away. The animation was pure eye candy to me. The entire film is visually stunning. I love watching the character Chihiro develop and become a stronger, more independent child through out the film.

Fun Fact about the film (from 15 Fascinating Facts About Spirited Away by Mental Floss): the film was created without a script.

Over the weekend, I have read that Fathom Events have added a third showing of Spirited Away because tickets have been brisk. You can buy a ticket at http://www.fathomevents.com/event/spirited-away. Next month, Princess Mononoke which you can buy them at http://www.fathomevents.com/event/princess-mononoke-20th-anniversary. Since I am car-less, I can't make it to Princess Mononoke which is disappointing.

My Favorite Instagram Pages For Tattoos

My current favorite activity to do on Instagram is perusing tattoo pages and getting inspired by the art work I see. Right now I am really into black and gray and geometric tattoos. There are some killer artists out there on IG. Unfortunately most of the badass artists out there are outside the US. No offense to my adopted country but the super dope art work I see is done in Australia, Russia, the UK and in any of the Scandinavian countries. Still I did include some local artists from the Twin Cities I think are super talented. I have also included a few pages dedicated to a particular style of tattooing as well as the occasional tattoo shop. So check out these pages!

Blackworkers_Tattoos

Silvano Fiato

Multistabber_Mo (She did my No Face tattoo on the back of my left ankle this past summer at Jackalope)

Black Tattooing

Katie Kroeck (one day I will have Katie from Jackalope do some work for me)

Black Veil Tattoo

Tailorbird Tattoo (Tailorbird is a fairly new shop here in the twin cities, judging by the artwork, I want to check out this shop in the near future)

Only Black Art

Mpls Tattoo Shop (this is where I am going later this month for my 19th tattoo)

Jackalope Tattoo (I hate how difficult it is to book an appointment in this shop

Dark Artists

Bunny aka HK (this is the artist I have made an appointment at Mpls Tattoo Shop later this month, so excited to have her do her magic on me.)

Teresa Sharpe

Aimee Cornwell

Black Oak Tattoo

Alli.Shelly

A little about me and tattoos

For those who know me very well, I am obsessed with tattoos. I am constantly looking at tattoos on Instagram. LOL!  I currently have 18 tattoos and have an appointment made next month at Mpls Tattoo Shop with the artist Bunny (my new favorite tattoo artist, locally and nationally). I discovered Bunny awhile back on Instagram and was truly impressed with her work. Last week after realizing pigs would sprout wings and fly before I could get in an appointment with one of the women at my favorite shop Jackalope, I went over to Mpls Tattoo Shop and booked an appointment with Bunny for next month. I am super stoked about it.

Originally I wanted to book a session with one of the women at Jackalope Tattoo but it is extremely difficult to get in for an appointment especially for new customers. I would have had to wait until mid summer just to book a session and I wouldn't even know how long I would have to wait for the appointment which is frustrating to say the very least. I will say that I am fortunate to have been able to go into the shop on one of their walk in events and had some work done on the back of my left ankle. I may just go into Jackalope whenever a walk in day for smaller tattoos. That might be the best way to go for me.

I have been getting tattoos for 18 years off and on through out the years. I did not plan on getting any tattoos when I was in my early 20s. I believe I was 24 when i got my first tattoo which was the WWF panda logo. I will admit that thing hurt like hell. LOL! Over the years with each tattoo, I found my tolerance for pain to go up. The more tattoos I got, the more comfortable I became with the needles.

For me, I love the idea of using my body as a live canvas. Many of my tattoos are pop culture related like Garfield the cat whom I have always loved since I was a child. Garfield to me represents my childhood. I also have the skeleton holding the martini glass from Social Distortion because SD had a huge musical influence on me as a teenager. They got me to stop listening to that crappy hair metal shit. Still one of my all time favorite bands. Being a big fan of Miyazaki films, I have both Totoro and No Face on my legs. My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away are two of my favorite (animated) films ever. Of all my tattoos, Totoro attracts the most attention. Who doesn't love Totoro?  My personal favorite tattoo is that of a xenomorph from the Alien films. I went to Saint Sabrina's to have Bleach Methane work on my right calf. For a 2 1/2 hour session, that went pretty fast for me.

As far as negative experiences, I just have one but I won't say what. where or who. I will say it was one of my most painful experiences while getting it done as well as during the healing process. It left a pretty sour taste on my lips and I have no desire to go back to the shop where I got the tattoo.

Shops I would love to check out (not sure if I can get to them):
Black End tattoo Atelier
Tailorbird Tattoo
The Holy Mackerel Studios
Lowbrow Saints Tattoo Collective
4 Points Body Gallery
Twilight Tattoo
Steady Tattoo and Body Piercing

I love my tattoos. I take pride in them. I have no regrets. I get tattoos for myself. If people like them that's great, if not, that's not my problem. I did not get them for approval. That is my story.

My 10 favorite pop songs

In general I am not a fan of pop music. Well at least today's pop music but I do think not all pop music is atrocious (like Justin Bieber). So I am currently listening to one of my favorite playlists on Spotify. It has some pop songs that has really stood the test of time and I can never get sick of hearing. I thought I would post my 10 favorite pop songs.

10. Billy Joel: Piano Man


09. Sarah McLachlan: Vox


08. Belinda Carlisle: Leave A Light On


07. The Bangles: If She Knew What She Wants


06. Bette Midler: The Rose


05. Cyndi Lauper: All Through the Night


04. Air Supply: All Out of Love


03. Williams Brothers: Can't Cry Hard Enough


02. Lauren Christy: Steep


01. Sophie B. Hawkins: As I Lay Me Down

My current favorite band: Autumn

Normally I would post this in my music blog but I already posted today's blog post so why not post it here?

Last night I went to the Day Block Brewing company over on Washington Avenue for to see a couple of local bands UZZA (which is pronounced "ah-zuh") and Autumn. It was a great show. Hung out with some great people, had a few drinks (beer and gin and tonic do not go hand and hand), and saw some great live music. The room was really packed for UZZA but by the time Autumn went on the room totally cleared out which irritated me a bit. I found it disrespectful. I was talking to a friend last night at the end of the night and how underrated the band is which inspired today's post. Since I have a couple of blogs, I thought I would take the time to give them some free publicity. After all the band has been around for 20 years. They deserve some credit and respect, and if this is what it takes to give them some exposure, so be it.

Autumn. This band is so grossly underrated and overlooked in the local music scene. By the time they went on last night, people started leaving. Damn shame! #autumntheband #postpunk #darkwave #goth #minnesotamusic #localmnmusic #concert #concertphotography #livemusic

A photo posted by Erica Anderson (@eanderson1974) on Nov 19, 2016 at 4:04am PST

My favorite photo of Julie from Autumn I took last night. #autumntheband #darkwave #goth #postpunk #minnesotamusic #localmnmusic #concert #concertphotography #livemusic #igers #igphotography #igshotz #instagram #phototag #photography

A photo posted by Erica Anderson (@eanderson1974) on Nov 19, 2016 at 4:09am PST

I have been a fan of Autumn since 2009 at their final show at the time for Faith and The Muse. That was the very first time I had heard of the band and their wonderful music. At the time I had heard nothing like their music in my own little corner of the world. The band reminded me of Cocteau Twins and The Sundays but darker. After the concert, I had to scrounge around online for their music. I was able to find a cheap ass copy of their second album Return To The Breath. I definitely was not disappointed.


Unfortunately the band's first album is not so cheap online. I probably will still buy it eventually. I do like listening to CDs still despite the fact I stream a lot of music nowadays.


Both The Hating Tree and Return To The Breath are excellent darkwave albums. Right now The Hating Tree is my personal favorite of the two albums. "How It Came To Be This Way", "...of Moondrop Tears",  and "Desert Winds of Jezebel" are my personal favorite tracks.

At the moment the band's plans are to continue working on new music which will be out next year and possibly tour during the summer according to their Facebook page. In the meantime, go listen to their music. Their music is awesome! 

Riding the bus

I swear riding the bus becomes more challenging the older I get. This week I have had to deal with people talking loudly over their phones, fail at comprehending on how to push open the back doors on the bus, or behave obnoxiously during the ride. The lack of manners and common sense is driving me insane.  If you need to talk on the phone, that's fine but make it brief and keep the volume of your voice down. I don't enjoy listening to your damn phone calls on the bus.

After going to the eye doctor and making a trip to the grocery store this late afternoon, I got on the 6U and there were a group of unruly teenagers whose manners was sorely lacking. I really didn't like that the bus driver allowed these teenagers to behave like they were on the playground.

I will say this about riding the bus, boring it is not. Personally I rather take boring over the bullshit I have to put up with lately.

My 5 favorite albums to help me cope with current events

It hasn't been a full week and I am still rocked by the fact that Donald Trump is going to be the next commander in chief. The more I read about him and the potential candidates for his cabinet, the more depressed I become. Lately though I have found great comfort in music. Music has been my saving grace for me in what is going to be a very long four years. I thought I would share my favorite albums I have been helping me cope with the current events.

Right now I am a big fan of the new Leonard Cohen album You Want It Darker. I first listened to it on Friday night after reading about Leonard's recent passing. I immediately fell in love with the album. I bought a copy yesterday and have been listening to it constantly through out the entire weekend. His vocals, lyrics, and music is so beautiful. I have been taking great comfort in this album.

The same can be said about Tracy Chapman's greatest hits compilation from last year. Absolutely love Tracy Chapman. Her song "Change" really resonates with me at the moment. This country definitely is in for a change come January and for me not in a positive way.

Call me weird but I love ABBA. Been a fan since my college days in Milwaukee, WI in the '90s. Their brand of pop music is a good distraction. Sometimes I just need to some music that is less serious and a little more silly to get my mind off last week's election.

American IV: The Man Comes Around is my favorite Johnny Cash album. Like Leonard, I take great comfort to listening to the man in black sing. He gives me the same fuzzy, warm feelings as does my favorite pair of pajama pants.

I have been a fan of Sarah McLachlan since high school. I recently listened to her album Solace. This will always be my favorite album by Sarah. Such a beautiful album. I think that and Touch are both her most underrated albums.

Self-Care and the importance of taking care of one's body, mind, and spirit

I don't listen to a lot of podcasts but the one podcast I listen to is the feminist podcast Another Round. Tracy Clayton and Heben Negatu are two black feminists are both highly intelligent and hilarious. On their podcast, both women often talk about self- care. You can read about what self-care at this link. 

For me, self-care plays a huge important role in my life especially as a single, working woman with no children. It is imperative for people to take care of him or herself which is what Tracy and Heben emphasizes on Another Round which I really appreciate hearing them say. I think it is good to take care of one's body, mind, and spirit, if not one will burn out and end up in not so good of a place. If people do not take care of their body, mind and spirit, it will affect not only them but others around them. When one person is happy, everyone is happy. If one person is upset, everyone is upset.

Even stressful events can affect a person's physical and mental well being, in this case this past week's election. The results of this past Tuesday's election was not one everyone wanted. I had a couple of friends who were beyond devastated. Me? I felt like I was kicked in the stomach several times. To say I was shocked is putting it mildly. As time went on this week, my shock slowly wore off but my anger remained.  What has helped me get through my anger and other emotions from Tuesday's three ring circus is listening to music at work and focusing on my job at hand. I found focusing on my job while listening to some politically inspired playlists I created on Spotify acted as a form of therapy for me in some odd way.

Yesterday I decided that this weekend I would go out to my favorite art museum and to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory (with my DSLR camera) as my external forms of self-care. I find doing activities like going to an art museum, movies, parks, or zoos are great stress relievers. Reading and coloring are also my favorite activities that I enjoy that relieves stress. I almost forgot to mention that I love a good hot bath before bed. I like to gather my thoughts at the end of the day with a good hot bath.

I hope in times like Tuesday's election, people will take the time from their day to just chill. Listen to some of your favorite music, turn off all electronic devices, and chill with a good book or mediate. Taking care of yourself is important. No good comes out of ignoring your own well-being and happiness.

My thoughts on last night's election

Today I decided to create a blog to post my thoughts on current events and whatever else is on my mind.

Since I work 6-2:30 and work out in the 'burbs, I went to bed last night before knowing the final results of the 2016 presidential race. I am not going to pretend that I am a huge fan of Hillary Rodham Clinton. I find her character deeply flawed. I took issue with the fact that she had taken campaign money from the private prison industry and money from Wall Street. I also didn't like her ability to flip flop on issues and inability to tell the truth. For a long time I swore I wouldn't vote for her but as the campaign went on, I found myself loathing Donald Trump more passionately than Hillary Rodham Clinton. I really do dislike voting based on the lesser of two evils premise. I really do. I have in the past voted by conscience but this year, this year was different. I am not sorry for voting for HRC. Yeah she wasn't my idea candidate by Johnson and Stein wasn't any better. Stein lost my vote and respect when she started pandering to the anti-vaxx crowd. Johnson? Well the only thing I liked about him was his stance on marijuana but that is about it. Am I sorry or have any regrets for voting for Hillary? Absolutely not! I do though have absolutely contempt for the DNC for the way they have treated Bernie Sanders and sabotaging his campaign.

I came to this country in 1975 as a six month baby  part of Operation Babylift, a program created by late Republican president Gerald Ford (RIP) to bring orphaned children by the war (many of them fathered by US soldiers). If it wasn't for Gerald Ford, I would not be a naturalized US citizen. I have no idea what my life would be like had I not been dropped off at a hospital outside of Ho Chi Minh City (i.e Saigon) by my biological parents (or parent). I have no doubt though my life would have been more difficult had I remained in Vietnam. I take pride that I am an immigrant to this country and when Donald Trump began his presidential campaign by ragging on undocumented workers in this country, I took great umbrage towards his insults. I have never been so turned off by rampant xenophobia than during this horrible election cycle. The mean spirited comments and actions of Trump and his supporters is absolutely vile and despicable.

As Trump's campaign continued on, I really found his temperament to be unsuitable for presidency. Being president is not the same thing as being on a crappy reality tv show. This is an utmost serious job that requires a lot of patience and maturity which Donald Trump has demonstrated during this campaign that he has neither.

As a woman AND feminist, Donald Trump's comments about Hillary and women have been a slap in the face to me. Then there are the allegations and charges of sexual harassment and rape. I don't take those very lightly. How any woman in this country could forgive Trump for being a misogynist is beyond me. Most of these women I should note are white, few women of color. This man does not respect women. He does not deserve one vote from any woman but yet women still voted for him.

I won't even get into the fact that Trump NEVER served in the military (he avoided the draft) or worked in politics. WTF?! Being the commander in chief of this country is not one of those jobs that you can learn on the job nor a reality show.

So when I woke up this morning to find out that Trump had won the presidential race (and the GOP gained control of both house and senate), I felt like I just got kicked a couple of dozen times in the stomach. I am still at a loss for words. The next four years are going to be the four longest years of my life.