For those of you in TV Land just tuning in, I'm the girl formerly known as The Gothic Supermodel. I spent years traveling and modeling, and then started my own Modeling Referral service for punk, pierced, goth, glam and tattooed talent that I ran for 10 years, Wicked Talent.

I have made my share of mistakes and a city full of people who do not appreciate my lack of inner monologue. Partnered with sharp wit, unabashed honesty and the fact that my inner child is a 15 year old, prepubescent, horny, punk rock kid, my friends have thick skin and even better senses of humor. While I am trying to be kinder and gentler, afew things in this world still piss me off to no end. Cruelty for instance is one of them. I turned vegetarian in 2006 and haven't been happier since about this decision.

I guess you can call me a born again person. While I believe in no god, I do believe in the power of self change. I have ditched my penchant for saying things for the sake of upsetting others, my black hair and goth clothes, and my tolerance for cruelty in all forms.

I will be from this point on using this journal to post about what goes on with my Steampunk Clothing Company, Clockwork Couture, posting a good deed  a day, and occasionally my lunch menu in the hopes to inspire you to make small changes that make big differences.

My cat family is and has been steadily at 5 for some time now. When an elderly drops off, we get an abandoned cat and that brings us back up to 5. I've had to place my limit on 5. For the first time in a long while, we have two very young(ish) cats in the house at the same time, and three elderly who will probably all drop off around the same time. The dynamic in our house has shifted greatly and it's an unsettled home. Both our youngest are vying for the top cat spot, and this has left our newest member, Twitch at 1 year and 3 months old, out of sorts. He's not affectionate (cept at bedtime), cares less about humans 90% of the time and is fairly distant. I feel he would be happier in a home with fewer other adult male cats, where he can free feed instead of our strict diet schedule because of Jabba the Cat. At the same time, shelters are overrun with animals and we are a "forever home" family. We'll work through whatever problems that arise and do what we can to get through rough times.

I could never turn him or any of our family members into shelters, especially not now. This story is particularly heartbreaking. Shelters are euthanizing at high rates because they simply don't have the room for all of the abandoned animals. Kittens are being dumped into trash bins by the litter-full, people are allowing their pets to "simply walk out the door" or worse, taking them out to inhospitable areas like the deserts to be released, to die a very cruel death, instead of being responsible enough to take them to the local shelters.

I have decided that we should try to squeeze in one more soul into our small home. If we can save one more life, we would be doing so much. We obviously can't get another cat. The stress level here is so high that Fizgig is pulling his hair out. Literally!

So, we think maybe a small, young dog might fit in nicely. I want a Dachshund, I think Jozua would deal with a Yorkie because he used to live with one. I have a love/ hate relationship with them personally. My best friend growing up was a Silky Terrier, and my mom went onto breed yorkies that she didn't really take care of, but forced me to. I resented them and her for that. There are tons of Chi-ha-has but I actually kinda hate the way they act and look. I don't like animals that constantly question whether or not you are going to beat the living shit out of them every five seconds.

I've been contacting and speaking with various rescue groups. All the dogs we've applied for so far have $350-400 adoption fees. I can BUY a purebred for less! I realize the importance of being able to prove you can care for an animal, at the same time there's no need to strap someone to initially bring it home. Especially when the goal is to place an animal into a home, and save it from doom. Animal shelters charge $55 and you get the spaying/ microchipping/ shots/ registration with that.

Well, we'll see if we can open our home to someone soon. I prefer a female dog. Our friends dog who as much as I love him, comes over and sprays all the kids toys, which I have to then go clean before I can let them play outside again. I don't fancy that.

I also want a smaller dog, that is low on the shedding scale. Yorkies don't shed. A total plus. Dachshunds have short hair, plus there too. A friend found a Yorkie/ Doxie Mix named Tinker (how fucking perfect for my little steampunk workshop is THAT?) but alas, she was a $400 adoption fee. WTF?

Okay, off to peruse more sites.

Update 11/28/09: We are going to a shelter to meet a dog.
Update 11/29/09: I'm off to see a man about a dog. Maybe good news in two hours or less. Maaaaybe not!

And in the world of Donna:

http://www.orbitbooks.net/2009/11/21/new-york-book-show-09-winners/

This rocks. Even if it wasn't me involved, I really dig the fact that this mega-big company doesn't forget even the tiniest of people involved, and goes out of their way to include them during thanks.

That's really awesome.

Which reminds me, thanks again Evelyn :)

The stitch doll in the background looks like a molestation victim, attempting to hide his face in shame...

I really wish that antiduckface.com was funny, even as funny as I am (not saying much) because there are some epic awesome pics on there like this beaut above. Whoever wrote for cattygoths.com, please go take over.

kthnxbye

1. WANTS to work
shows up on time every single day
leaves drama behind
is willing to work extra hours, especially closer to the Christmas season
knows that they cannot take time off from here until January 5th

2. FOCUSES on work
does not text while on the clock
takes their breaks so they can come back refreshed and focused

3. is detail oriented
does not send out the wrong items to customers
pays attention to my instructions and carries them out

4. is interested in staying
wants to grow with the company, with the ability to move up and move into other roles
enjoys being treated with respect

Anyone? Need someone who can focus, no drugs, animal friendly since the cats seem to think when the workspace is open it's free range petting time, is extremely trustworthy, leaves drama at home, is punctual, honestly likes customers and wants to please them and wants 30+ hours in the LA/Burbank area.

Hurray! Someone has been hired!

Too much going on for a real update, and yet, so little. Life has taken a stand-still to Clockwork Couture and I struggle daily with the balance of work and family. I did however find two fantastic employees to take over shipping and customer service which has allowed me weekends off. Spent the entire last two weekends with my children out and about and having a great time together. Such a relief...

Sales went beyond October expectations which is just wonderful and then nothing but silence the day before and day after Halloween. Looks like it's picking up again and we expect the Solstice Season to be nuts. Don't know how to break it to the gals I'll be putting cots in the workroom :)

Must find time this week to go shopping for fabric. Our samples are done and I can't wait to unveil the new ensemble we have for CC. It's unlike anything I've ever seen and oh so grand.

We're going to get talked about by press which tickles me fantastic and here is the pic I think I'm going to share with them...


By the always fantastic Tiny Dragon Productions. I can see we'll be working together even more in the future.

Hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Halloween.

I leave you with a giant cicada attacking downtown Burbank, taken by my husband:

creating an eps file...

how?

I ask because I made a psd file and then saved as an eps file, but the printer I use insist that it's only a jpg saved inside an eps file.


Baroo?

halp?

Clothes for your time and knowledge? Or Cookies? Absinthe? Anyfing?

Truly, I am flattered, blessed, overjoyed and just beaming with this:
http://www.orbitbooks.net/2009/10/13/cover-launch-changeless/

Been out all morning and just logged onto LJ and read this http://gailcarriger.livejournal.com/108176.html

Seriously, I love Gail. That was a lovely thing to run across.

guess I can share it now too...



It is the second novel in this series:

Which hit stores two days ago.

http://www.amazon.com/CONTROL-CHRISTIAN-MARRIAGES-PRIESTHOOD-CHILDREN/dp/1425992609/ref=pd_sbs_gro_8

IT IS TEH AWESOMEIST EVER. I NOW KNOW I SHUD NAUT PUT ON CONDOM AND GO MAKE MOAR PRIESTHOOD BABIES

I was borne Ricci, but my brother's father, whom my mother remarried after I was borne adopted me and I became a Carpenter along with my other siblings of only one of whom is actually a Carpenter (hard to follow that eh?). Fast forward 13 years, I meet my father for the first time, Albert Ricci and his daughter, Karen. Her children Kim and Summer I also get to meet.

Turns out I worked at the same place as Summer and so I saw her every few weeks after that, and my half sister Karen a handful of times after that too. My father and I kept in touch via phone calls when he left Burbank and moved to Portland. He died soon after that so I never saw him again. I had also lost touch with Summer and Karen but thankfully through the internets, found family again.

I'm about to meet my nephew Nathaniel for the first time in about an hour. So strange to think I have a family beyond my very small one I have always known.

On my mother's side that I've grown up with, my brother passed away 8 years ago and my other two siblings are much older, and have children in their late teens and twenties. We don't keep in touch much. I'm without grandparents on both sides and that's really about it. My aunt was adopted and honestly bat shit crazy.

Ugh. Families are complicated, but hopefully good.

I did legally change my name back to Ricci some years ago. I understand the guy who we all share a surname with, Seth Carpenter, was an abusive jerk so I was happy to take my real father's surname.

Dear Burbank Unified School District Supervisor,
I was horrified to go to my daughter's "Family Fun Night" tonight that was a fundraiser for the school.  Tickets could be purchased to play games like bowling and the dreaded "win the fish in a cup" game. I went over to take a picture since I couldn't believe life was being trivialized only to see the boy running the game was placing a cup over the goldfish flopping on the bare cement saying "I'm gonna kill it. It deserves to die, it bit me."  

I rescued the fish and put him back in with the many dead fish in the bucket beside him.   I am truly angered that just 20 buildings away from Disney where we've all been taught that fish are friends that we use them as prizes with no more thought that stickers and plastic rings.  

Most bullies and yes, murderers start by abusing and torturing small animals, working their way up. You are allowing the wrong message to be sent when you allow children to “win” live animals to take home to parents unprepared to take care of them. How many people do you think had water conditioner, bowls, food or the desire to have an additional pet? Chances are the few who will survive the shaky drive home will die or be flushed alive.

Whether or not you believe they have pain receptors, you are supporting cruelty in the school to allow such events and even sending a strong message that it’s perfectly okay. You are my daughter’s teachers and that’s what examples you set?  

I want a solemn promise that the message will be sent to Burbank schools that live animals are NOT prizes.  

-Donna Ricci-Watts