I miss this.

I've started to miss blogging again lately. I stopped because I felt like I didn't have much to share (and I think things like twitter and instagram took the place of some of it). Lately, though, I've been feeling the urge to get back on here. I think because this blog represents my feminine, creative side in some ways. My job is great, but it is very analytical and involves writing code all day, and I've always needed pretty, tangible, right-brain sorts of things to balance that out.

I'm not really sure how to get back into this. I really miss cooking and baking more interesting things (ie. not the same things I cook every single week), but it's hard to find the time and creativity now that I'm out of the habit. Life always feels so busy and overwhelming, and I keep hoping it'll settle. But maybe this year really has been a busy one.

Since my last post in September 2013: I got a new job at a statup - less "cute" than working at ModCloth, and there is pressure to work a bit harder, but the work itself feels more natural to me. I feel so respected and trusted by all of my coworkers, from the very beginning, and that means so much. In February, I took a two week trip to London and Paris, then got back and finally found a home to move to after over a year of searching. Post-move, work got really busy for a couple of months - incredibly tiring, but also awesome in terms of my career and self confidence, and I needed that little career boost so badly! The move meant that I could finally get a puppy, and that took lots of research and waiting and impatience... But finally, as work settled down to a more normal pace, I found a corgi pup who is coming home to me on August 19!

While I'm sure life won't be calm after that, I'm hoping I can get back into a routine, and maybe my time at home can be spent with Tumbles the pup and exploring my creative side a bit more: decorating our relatively new home (although it already feels more homey than our previous one of 2+ years), cooking and baking and creating recipes, perhaps dabbling in more crafts and art and maybe even web design - this blog could sure use a facelift.

I'll never have the time to explore everything I want to, but here's hoping I can prioritize just a bit better and feed that longing to create.

In the meantime, here are pictures from my one visit to Tumbles, when she was four and a half weeks old. I can't believe the next time I see her she'll be twice as old and coming home with me forever!!

How To: make a big t-shirt fit

If you're a woman, especially one in the tech industry, I'm sure you've gotten your fair share of men's t-shirts, which are usually too big in some places, maybe tight in others, and generally not flattering. (There's a great write up about why this sucks and how "unisex" shirts aren't that over on the Geek Feminism Wiki.)

I decline or get rid of a lot of these shirts, but there are a few that I'd love to keep, such as my MagmaConf shirt, but they fit so badly that I don't even care to wear them around the house. Honestly it kinda sucks to have to bust out the sewing machine just to comfortably wear a t-shirt that was made for the guys that attended whatever event I went to, but it's also nice to know that I can.

So! In case others of you are interested and don't know where to start, here's a pretty easy DIY. You need a sewing machine and basic knowledge of how to do a simple stitch (or a needle, thread, and a lot of patience). There are a lot of steps, but honestly it's pretty straightforward, and stretchy t-shirts make it pretty forgiving if you don't get it perfect.

Before / After

1. Turn your shirt inside out!
   
   
   
2. Cut the sleeves and neckline out.
   
   The neckline is optional but I think it gives it more of a casual feel. You just want to make sure the seams are gone - you can stay really close to them or add an inch or two around. The biggest thing to watch out for is jagged edges, so be careful and try to cut a smooth line around.
   
   
   
   If there are any inner seams sticking out, like below, trim these diagonally so the ends don't show through the sleeves.
   
   
3. Put the shirt on (still inside out) and grab a sharpie or fabric pen. Go down each side and pull the excess fabric out from your body (if the shirt has side seams, it helps to keep that centered where you're pulling). Do this in about three places (armpit, waist, hip) and mark where the fabric hits your body. It doesn't need to be skin tight, but enough to give you a general idea.
   
   
    
4. Take the shirt off and connect the lines with your marker. (I switched from silver sharpie to black - neither shows up great for photos.)
   
   
   
5. Sew! I usually use thread that's about the same color as my shirt, but I'm using white here. Sew a long, slightly curved line down your drawn-on line, and make sure to go up through part of the sleeve opening, too.
   
   
   
6. Before you take scissors to it, try it on! I just leave it inside out for this part. Look at how it fits and where the seams hit. If something looks off, you can take a seam ripper to your stitches and resew (if it's too tight) or just sew a new seam within the first one (if it's still loose). Mine's usually pretty close on the first try - the lines I drew earlier help!
   
   
   
   
7. When you're happy with the fit, cut the excess fabric off of the inside (it's ok to leave 1/4"-1/2" of extra), flip inside out, and voila!
   

Side, before and after (with the terrible faces I was making cropped off):

Inspired by Katie's tutorial on Skunkboy Blog

If you want something easier and no-sew, check out this DIY on Twinkie Chan's blog (I tried this and it didn't look quite as cute on me as on her blog, probably because all the excess fabric is still hanging around.)

Good luck!

MagmaConf

I normally don't consider myself much of a tech conference person. I love the work I do, but it's not my whole life, and I can get overwhelmed if I'm expected to spend full days talking tech without direct tie-ins to the products I work on. (I like learning new things as it applies to something I'm excited to make, not just for the sake of learning the cool framework of the week).

However! ModCloth sponsored MagmaConf in Manzanillo, Mexico this past week, and I was able to go along. I was a little nervous/homesick at first (I've had some lonely experiences traveling without close friends/boyfriend), but by the end of the trip, I was literally crying at the thought of leaving Mexico. Not that sleep deprivation didn't play into it a bit. But honestly, it was that good. An insanely fun, educational, cultural experience unlike anything I've ever done before.

The conference talks were great, but what really did it for me was the people, the culture, and even learning more about some of the foundations of ModCloth (ModCloth has always had really close ties with Crowd Interactive, the organizers of the conference).



I've left the country before, but not often, only to Canada and western Europe, and I've never gotten to truly make friends or spend time with locals anywhere outside of the US. I felt so welcome and taken care of from the moment I stepped foot in Manzanillo, despite only speaking a little Spanish (side note: I WILL learn more before I go back). The food was amazing - fresh, filling, delicious, and local. The city was completely gorgeous with perfect beach weather, which obviously didn't hurt. And I got to spend time with super smart people (engineers and not) from Mexico, the US, and all over the world. 

It was great to be able to put more faces to the people I know of from ModCloth's work with Crowd, and everyone from the company was so great to be around. It's hard to put my finger on why, but I just can't imagine a San Francisco tech conference having that level of friendliness, welcoming, and lack of pretention. Successful investors, founders, and keynote speakers were happy to hang out with everyone down to the most junior developers or people more on the sidelines of the tech industry. Non-native English speakers were happy to switch over when one of us wasn't able to keep up with the conversation. Delicious food was had (like REALLY delicious), drinks were always flowing, and the hospitality was just on a level I've never seen before.

 

I think the best example of this was when my coworker Mariana told her friend Mercy that I was hoping to try some chicken mole, which is hard to come by in Manzanillo (where the specialty is fantastic seafood). Mercy got ahold of her mom in another city, who made from-scratch mole (served alongside the best ever tortillas and mexican-style rice). This meal. I can't even describe it. The chickens were slaughtered that morning, and the mole was so delicious, rich, and perfectly balanced between sweet and savory. Before I left, I thanked Mercy again for everything, and she told me to give her a heads up before I come back so that her mom can make more mole.

I stayed up late, woke up early. I hung out with former coworkers and met some that were before my time. I ate super fresh seafood under umbrellas on the beach. I really enjoyed light Mexican beers - usually not my thing, but perfect in that weather, especially with local Colima limes and salt. I can now say that I have friends in Mexico, and I really hope that I can visit more often than once a year. I came out knowing more Spanish than I went in with. I got to know my (US) coworkers even better. I jumped from the second floor of a boat into the ocean without a life jacket. I ate at some hole-in-the-wall, outdoor taquerias that put the Mission to shame. I danced at a club where a crab walked across the dance floor (and everyone stepped aside to save it). I somehow became an extrovert for about 5 days and survived with next to zero alone time and about half my usual sleep. I learned things that will make me better at my job, and I came back inspired to work better. I had one of the best, most memorable weeks of my life.