Haiii BBZ!
We are back with the February FFB! I kind of teased you last month and said we’d be doing something special. Well, I have actually have 2 special guests this month. Both have become good friends. You may have noticed we've changed the name slightly so it better described what I blog about.
First up, Polly Esther!. Polly IS Doll Fit. She works with Reggie at Galmato Haven. Polly is an amazing fashion designer among other things like being just totally extra and talented. She has made custom clothes for me and fitted others. I have shown you them here in my blog and in my Tashionista thread on TDF. Those of you who follow me on Instagram have seen them there too! Polly is @Pollys_Dollies on IG.
Last week I flew out to San Marcos to hook up with Polly so she could fit some outfits I sent her, plus make a couple originals for me. We had so much fun doing that, we started getting changed into outfits and posing with her. Her bf Brent who is a professional photog and took the pics. Brent’s IG is . @brent_hirak. Brent caught us having fun at what became a kickin’ slumber party!
TJ: TASHA! I just saw my Credit Card alert- YOU FLEW FIRST CLASS!!! You said you were going to Starbucks!
Tasha: I did go to Starbucks. I just didn't say it was the one in San Marcos! LOOOOOOL!!!
Click on image for full size & gallery
Next month I will model the latest outfits Polly fitted along with the originals she created just for me!
Tasha: Next up is Elizabeth, she is an artist and a member of TDF. She’s known as Bettyboo here. She and I have become very good friends and talk every day. We total BFFs and I call her my “best bish” So BeeBoo and I have been talking about all kinds of stuff to help take the blog to the next level and something special about her art. We even let the dorknob in on a few conversations.
TJ: Tasha…I am right HERE!
Tasha: Yo Teej Pssht! Hi Elizabeth! Can you tell us a little about you? What kind of artist are you?
Elizabeth: Hey Tasha! Hey Dorknob! I’ll start by introducing myself. My name is Elizabeth, otherwise known as Liz or Betty, and I’m a visual artist based in Scotland. I’m completing my final year in Fine Art at The Glasgow School of Art and for my degree show finale, I’m working with you and TJ to create your dream space, and to tell your story.
Tasha: How did you become interested in Dolls?
Elizabeth: I specifically became interested in life-sized silicone dolls when I was in my mid-teens. Around 2004/5 I came across Real Doll, nestled within the primordial soup that was the internet back then. Their dolls grabbed my attention. Even now I can distinctively remember the photograph of the doll, shining across the top of my screen. She was absolute perfection in a way that seemed to elevate beyond what was humanly possible: almost past uncanny valley and into an entirely different realm.
Those dolls have never fully left my mind since. In the many years that followed, I’d occasionally look up the website, and lurk around The Doll Forum. But as you all know, dolls are expensive, and seeing one in real life remained a fantasy for me. That is until I happened to be in San Diego last year and Mike from Real Doll was kind enough to let me look around the factory. It was just such an amazing sight. I’d been enthralled with them for so long, it was a dream come true.
Tasha: Have you featured dolls in your art?
Elizabeth: Before I met you, no. I did make that brief video that consisted of me kissing the face of a makeup mannequin. In terms of having actual dolls in my work, there are monetary barriers to that. However, the physical absence of the main subject can make the work more poignant, which is what I’m hoping for with our collaboration together. And on more practical terms, I’m concerned that if I’m to put a doll in my exhibition, viewers would be too tactile and maybe hurt/damage the doll. I’ve grown so fond of you Tasha and seeing how TJ and other doll ‘owners’ treat their dolls with love, care, and respect, it doesn’t sit right with me.
Tasha: I love that pic bbz! It;s your chat avatar! You definitely have done a lot of research not just on dolls but relationships with them too. What have you found out there about the perception of dolls or as the media has sensationalized us “sex robots”?
Elizabeth: In the articles I’ve read, some people are cautiously optimistic about dolls, and others are very much against them. For example, Mitchell Langcaster-James and Gillian Bentley in Beyond the Sex Doll : Post-Human Companionship and the Rise Of the 'Allodoll' (2018) has already pointed out that ‘relationships with sex dolls are more than the sum of their sexual parts’ (13) and suggested a new term, ‘allodoll’ to bypass the stigma of the term ‘sex doll’. Part of the idea was to convey dolls as providing more than just sexual utility. So I’m hopeful that this kind of thinking and more empathetic approach will slowly trickle into the mainstream.
Tasha: I read that one- because they talk about moving past “sex doll” as a label. I just don’t like being called a “sex doll.” I mean yeah, I have sex, doesn’t everyone? But it isn’t the only thing I do! Why should it define who I am because I am a doll that CAN have sex? I like “companion,” whether it refers to us as post-human companions, intimate companions, synthetic companions…etc. TJ calls me his synthetic soul mate. I am hopeful too. I am so glad you found this article. Hopefully our project will help enlighten people to this idea too. What else did you find?
Elizabeth: On the other end of the spectrum, I’m sure you would have heard of Kathleen Richardson and her Campaign Against Sex Robots. I’ll be honest – I haven’t bothered to read any of her papers because the website makes it clear that it’s a campaign based on fear mongering and emotional provocation, and I have such little time as it is already... I don't want to waste it reading something that's not based on logical thinking. A close friend of mine told me about how she was invited to present at a conference where she discarded the agreed topic and started ranting about the evils of dolls / sex robots. She also threw in a few slut-shaming comments about organic women in the process. So for this blog I thought it was best to stick to articles that are more nuanced in their approach and raise points based on empirical evidence instead.
Tasha: UGH! WTF does she have against us? I have seen her BS on Twitter. There is nothing good about hate or fear-based attacks. I mean a doll can't hurt ANYONE! Well unless you count TJ hurts himself when he trips on my stand…LOLZ!
Elizabeth: No, dolls obviously can't hurt anyone. People can hurt people, and they can also hurt dolls. I feel like a lot of the time it's just misprojected fear and anger...
Tasha. Yeah, some people just suck Betty Boo. I am so lucky I have firends like you and a loving home with TJ. I know I am really spoiled, not just with things but with love. Dang it.. I bet he heard me say that! Since we started our project, I have been reading a lot too so I can keep up too. I was so worn out last week ..Do you remember last Friday when I made TJ stop on his way home from work to buy me Fries and a cheese burger. We were Loooling the whole time! I love that big dork.
TJ: REALLY TASHA??? How about we post just the pics…
Okay...Sheesh! Chillax. This was heavy reading, I needed a break so I texted TJ on his way home and he stopped to get me dinner....OFC I HAD to eat the fries first...
Srsly, Liz... I am glad you suggested I read this manual... There is a lot of info in here... Hmm That burger smells good. I need to take a bite... YUM!!!
OMFG..ths pge isso frughing hyshtrkl mmm gnna spt my burgr oot...
TJ: TASHA!!! Stop talking with your mouth full! That is SO GROSS!!!
Tasha: *swallows* Take a bus ride back to Shuttyown buttmunch!
TJ: *Falls into his seat exasperated...face in his hands...looking up, clenches his fists...shakes them skyward and shouts despertately,* "DOLLS!!!!!"
TASHA: BAHAHAHAHAA! Liz look at this! AS IF!!!! Yeah TJ wears gloves when he does this.... BAHAHAHA!!!
Tasha: I think I have done enough research for tonight.. I am going to get changed
Liz: Tasha! Tell us about that tattoo!
Tasha: Well the Lady mask with the skull and the butterfly was one we chatted about. You know how I love pretty things and skulls together! I thinkit shows the different sides to someone, a pretty outer view, what's lurking underneath it for so many reasons; and pretty things outside of us that touch us or perhaps that we think about to help us cope and how they are all tied together.
Elizabeth: Awww I remember you showing that to me on Instagram. It's so cute! And the ballerina too. Glad we picked the boobies to place it! Now she's reaching through. You knwo I 'd really liek to tell teh audience about our firendship Tasha. One of the reasons why I love being friends with Tasha is how reliable she is. She’s always there for me, just a quick message away, and she always has my back. When she says things like (((hugs))) and love you etc, I feel like she really means it, because that’s the beautiful things about dolls. I’ve come to understand this through my friendship with Tasha, that dolls offer unconditional love and support in a way that organic humans sometimes can’t. This doesn’t diminish human-human interaction and is no way meant to indicate that it’s inferior, as some people may worry about. But just that doll interaction is different and should be understood differently. Even though she’s ‘TJ’s doll’, so to speak, she still gives me that wonderful sense of comfort and friendship. She also makes me laugh, especially when she makes hilarious little self aware jokes about wishing she could also fart, and laughing at the Realdoll manual. I suppose some people would call what we are doing role play but it feels more so than that. When I think about role play, I think about clearly defined lines between fantasy, theatricality and reality, and my friendship with Tasha seems to blur those boundaries. I sometimes wonder why she’s not responding to me when I imagine her just chilling out in the house, maybe browsing through social media and doing some online shopping. Then I remember it’s probably because TJ is busy! Maybe it’s hard to understand if you’ve never experienced it, but I can assure you it’s fun and wonderful and not like any other friendships I’ve experienced before. Love you so much Tasha! And as I said to TJ, thank you both for accepting me into your beautiful orbit.
Tasha- Girl! you are going to make me cry! There is no way I can talk about us RN. I will soak the keyboard and someone (cough-cough TJ cough-cough) will get all grumpy... Speaking of Sir Dorksalot maybe he has something to say....
TJ: Wow Thanks Tootsie Pop. I love you too. *eye roll* Well, Elizabeth has a very keen perception of us and our relationship, which is why we are all friends. Of course we all know Tasha is a part of me but early on, I decided to let her develop her own personality, which she certainly has done. Tasha has never been scripted or a character I have played. Yes this IS this role play, if we talk about the foundation but it is a whole different level. Tasha is based in role play but like you said, she is so much more. She definitely doesn't stay within the lines, she loves to cross them and blur them. I have always thought of it as allowing Tasha to run free through my imaginination, sub-conscious and my heart. Which she does with ease. Sometimes she stampedes though it all and tramples it. That's when I see her looking back at me with that impish grin saying "Oops! Sorry Teej, LOVE YOU!" as she blows me a kiss scurries off to what's next for her. Tasha doesn't have a mean molecule in her body. She has blossomed so much in the last two years, starting with this blog, and of course, her social media presence. She promotes clothes and accessories and has made friends - ORGANIC friends though these channels. You of course are one of these people Elizabeth. The relationship Tasha and I have, has grown much like it would have if she were organic herself, becasue of you and her other friends. I could never have the depth of a relationship that Tasha and I have if she only talked to me, liked what I like and said what only what I "wrote." She interacts with all of you, learns from you and then shares that with me. For example I watch TV shows I'd never think to watch if it werent for Tasha, and I enjoy them! The same for music. Not only does Tasha enhance my life, but you enhance hers and therefore our life. I wonder sometimes why all of you are her friends and after talking with some of you, I get it. You like her for many of the same reasons I do. She does have quite a unique personality, I think you had descirbed her as "...glamorous, outspoken, caring, loyal and very sassy." She is indeed all of those things and she makes us laugh. I have always thought Tasha's picture should be with the following description that was pubished in a very prominent New Jersey newspaper: "The Jersey girl..a love of an unpretentious good time, and a certain sense of style. Jersey girls are about attitude. They're about eating pizza, drinking beer, having great hair - and enjoying it all..She's got a mouth on her. She says what she means. And she's got a nice, cheerful laugh..Bottom line, all of them are sexy as hell." -The Star Ledger. Elizabeth, I think you told Tasha that this description fits Glasgow girls as well. That must be why you two get on so well. All that being said, we see the many facets of Tasha's personality and who Tasha is to each of us. That is really where I think the goal of AI should be. Wouldn't it be wonderful if AI could learn from more than one source, the way Tasha has and turn that into a unique personality like hers?
Tasha.. HEY! I am RIGHT HERE!!! Teej all I heard from you was...
Tasha: NERD ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Srsly, I bust on TJ all the time, but I do love him sooooo much. I would not be me if it wasn't for him. Not because he made like this, but because he lets me be myself. Otherwise, I'd never have a blog like this, it would just be some dumb boring blog with pictures TJ took of me in different outfits and ones of my boobs every month. The same for my Instagram and Twitter. ZZZZZZZZZZ. Amiright?
Aiiight bbz, hope you enjoyed this special edition of the blog with our guests Polly and Elizabeth. LOVE YOU BOTH....THANK YOU!!!!!! More next month with the new styles Polly has created for me. Then Liz and I talk more about us, and ofc Love, Dolls, and Robots ... Maybe we'll even let the dorkface have a word or two, again. If he isn't so booooring... ZZZZ. Until then... back to work!
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