Rambled Opinions and General Snarkiness: The Real Z of the AGGIB, Gabby's Glorious Art Revolution, and Wellie Wishing and Dressing (oh and Those Two Damn White Kids Redux)

The Real Z of the AGGiB. And my vainglorious return to not sucking at blogging.

.....

aye, fam. Been a while, huh?

So there I was, middlish of March, doing okay if not my best because what is wrong with me, can I uninstall or suspend some of these apps that came with Human.¹ I was anticipating the release of Z and blogging about it, saving my funds for Nanea, about to post about what I got in the Secret Snarker--I'd even took pictures!--ignoring the Two White Kids in the fandom more and more every day, and staying firm on my position that permapanties were not Satan's Own Dolly Butt covering.²

And THEN.

Everything went to shit on a Broadway stage. We're talking Peak Neth Distress, fam. You ever see that old Bugs Bunny Cartoon "Little Red Riding Rabbit" where at the end, Red's ass is over a shovel of hot coals and she's holding a ton of weight, trying to keep herself from falling ass-first into the fire? This shot right here.

That was my April. And May. And the first part of June. I would rather not go into full detail but between several fannish dramas, severe friend worries, family issues, more drama, financial instability, travel distress, the TV dying right in the middle of an episode I was watching and me not realizing this for like 10 minutes because it was right after the show faded to black, yet more drama, some people not getting it in their head that intersectionality is not about white folks feels, news that my only good local roving store is shutting down, stabs in the back, and bullshit? I got boned.

Thus I had...shit, what is this, fifteen damn weeks since my last blog post? *uses Time and Date to calculate* Shiiiiit. Fifteen weeks of just not being able to pull off more than at little bit of functioning. No one Mage should have all these problems, but there they was. Oh, and working con which, while a stressor, is mostly the opposite of fucked up. In fact, being at con and talking shit through with other people and getting my energy back that way is how I've gotten my head back on straight and able to bring you another fine Nethie blog post.

Fifteen weeks since my last one. I'd apologize for the delays but fuck it, I've been through too much shit to say I'm sorry about not being able to put dolly/fandom blogging higher in my life. The Universe is being a total dick, and my queer ass don't need it.

So what have I not talked about in AG News? Um....shit, a lot happened since March. Fuck me running. Let's do as much as we can.

Then again, maybe we won't.

First of all, the whole permapanties thing. So that was snatched back faster than New Coke. In May--about three months after announcing permanent underpants on doll butts, while I was still in the middle of my life trying to crush me--American Girl saw the news was eating this shit up over the controversy, that people left and right were throwing fits, that drama was turning into llamas, and said "well that's going over about as well as swimming the English Channel with balls on chains tied to all our limbs." So nah, they actually won't be doing that. And they will actually be doing a one time free body exchange if you bought any dolls with the permadraws and just can't suffer another minute with a pink cloth butt with silver tape waistbands, by damn it!

And the fandom rejoiced! And then ignored anything else we asked to be heard or spoken up about like PoC representation and the minimizing of racist/bigoted elements in the fandom forever, because fuck any other representation or issues we're having when everything's safe now for dolls to sit bare-assed on toilets and wear pretty panties. Fine, whatever, I don't change underpants that much anyways.

The Reals and My Feels! I want the books.

Secondly: AG coming out with books not just about characters! Books about history! Books about people! Books about real people. Books about Hillary Clinton and Rosa Parks. My little broken heart is a little more healed now. I need like seven copies of the Hillary book, with at least one to put in a plastic sleeve and smack haters with.

Making it yourself!

 Thirdly: AG is gonna soon offer custom dolls. For the low, low cost of Two-Hundred Dollarydoos,³ you can get a doll you design yourself, an outfit and accessory set, a ~Fancy Keepsake Box~, a six-month subscription to AG Magazine which works out to three issues, and free shipping! So far I have not seen the travesty in the world that would be a white skinned Addy Mold. They do, however, appear to be doing a light Sonali mold, and ugh ugh uuuuuuuuuuugh c'mon son stop it. The Sonali Mold has very ethnic features. Who's ready for a flood of blondie blue eyed customs all looking the same but being super unique~ and teenagers on IG fighting that someone else copied their doll by ordering another blond one themselves? Not me. I'll probably get one later on though. After other things.

So is that all the news? Okay. To the stuff.

I managed to get the pictures at Z's release, back at the end of April. And then at this new one, before my camera battery died, got stuck in my camera, and when Bae removed it found it had swollen, thus destroying my camera nice and proper but the SD card was saved.

...Oh, yeah. That happened too. So I barely got these pictures up for everyone.

God damn it. To the stuffz. Oh and some good shit. Today I'll cover Z's release, the Two White Kids, Gabby, and the Wellies. Next time--which will be within the week, I will do my best, promise--I'll do the new Truly Me shit.

The Real Z of the AGGiB: Why Friends are the Best and So is Z

Laying in the grass.

So at the end of April, Z came out, and I was able to go take pictures but couldn't get her because of aforementioned financial issues. Wanted her. Coveted her. Would have, if I'd had my druthers, picked her and her box and her accessories up and paid for her and loved all on her. The First Korean doll, the first named fully Asian doll that isn't just a side kick to a white girl, the character from my now home town that isn't McSeattle. Yes, that all added up to me wanting her. But then money said "no" and I was denied.

But you have her, Neth, you say, because the pictures you're showing are a Z that is clearly not staged at AG place.

Okay.

So.

STORYTIME.

Memorial Day Weekend, 2017

My friend, ButWhatIf: omg come with me to AG Seattle this Friday? I'm getting Z!
Me: Yay, I will be there with pants on!

*me arrives at AG Seattle that Friday, Friday, Gotta Get Down on Friday*

BWI: Yay! 
Me: Yay! BWI you're getting Z! Let's pick yours out!
BWI: And so are you!
Me: ---!
BWI: Surprise. Go pick out your own.
Me: *am struck dead fucking silent for like five minutes before hugging BWI so hard I pick her up off the floor* 

Fam. Fam. Fam. 

She got me Z. I will openly admit that I cried like a bitch at her generosity. And squealed to my husband and squealed all over the store.

So welcome Suzanne Audrina "Suzie/Z" Yang, the Real Z of the AGGiB. Z⁴ is thirteen years old, likes K-pop, anime, Harry Potter (she's a Hufflepuff), camera work and film studies, tech, movies, video gaming, Handbags of Holding, polka dots, wild clothing combinations that other people may not, cosplay, vlogging, and selfies among some things. She and Gabby are getting along like a house on fire, and she's got vision issues where she doesn't always have to wear her glasses but she likes to, especially when working on the computer.

So I will later be reviewing her and her meet outfit, once I set up photo shoot space. And I don't give a single fuck that she's wearing permadraws.⁵ She is not getting a body swap. I put some polka dot fancy pants over them and we're all good. I love every inch of her.

Onward to her stuff and the pictures I took before she came home. Z debuted with not a large collection, mind, but larger than Felicity "we're getting a new outfit and a hat."

Z Under Glass, along with Popcorn.

Z's Meet Outfit: Z arrives in a blue short sleeved t-shirt with a camera over lay and orange text,⁶ a grey denim skirt with no pockets because pockets are clearly not for femmes, blue mock-denim leggings, and the Sparkle Sneakers that totes got swiped from the Truly Me Line. They're hers now. You can't have em back. The whole outfit is as mix and match unique as she is, and I love it both as her outfit all together and as the components being mixed up with other stuff. Here this is the only "Z" outfit she has right now, but we can fix that later.

Z's Accessories: Like everyone else in this crazy hats sold separately fandom, Z's hat comes separate. She's got a slouchy beanie with beads and charms--along with a white jacket that she wears when the weather's nice enough, an orange striped infinity scarf because that's the new hotness around these places, and glasses. The accessories finish her wild and crazy kid's look and mean she can see. And also the Sweet Peach Glasses are hers now and like the shoes, you can't have em back.

Z's Dog: Z keeps taking everything the moddie line had first, and has swiped their dog as well.⁷ The Dalmatian Puppy has given up blandom for fandom and now comes with a movie clap board and is named Popcorn. My feelings on Dalmatians vary. They're lovely looking striking pets, but they are also high-maintenance neurotic animals that need and should not be bought as pets just because your kid watched the movie and asked, buy them a toy instead, if you don't have space and time don't do it. But for Z? We'll get her her doggie. Also posable pets rock.

For people big enough.

Z's entire arrival meet outfit (sans shoes) is available in kid sizes, including a new version of the Z.Crew Tee Shirt that just swaps logos. A size 16 shirt does not fit me. Otherwise, yoink.

Booking it!

The Real Z:Z comes with her own meet book, putting her miles ahead of Nogan. I haven't read it yet. Shit, I've been so stressed out I haven't read Gabby's two books yet.⁸ But I will. Soon. She's adorbz.

Vroom vroom, peanuckles!

Z's Sightseeing Outfit: Z cannot very well go skootering across the wild streets of the Fremont area and down to Pike Place Market to go watch the fish throws in some casual cargo shorts and a t-shirt. What do you take her for, some chick from Eugene? She walks about buying flowers and visiting the Donut Cats⁹ booth in a wild print dress, a fresh tank top to put over it, another scarf because scarves aren't just for hipsters, and slip on orange sneakers because colors are a suggestion. The scarf is only okay for me, and the shoes are only okay, but I will probably pick this up and mix it with her meet a lot. I love that dress way too much.

Z's Filming Accessories: That's right, Z started life as a vlogger. And she's gotta have stuff to vlog and snap with! That would be a camera for snapping cool pix, a camcorder for filming her wild exploits, a smartphone for uploading to Instagram because all the kids have them now and she needs one to be talking to folk, and a tripod that goes to a headstand wait no that was my gym class in like 5th grade. Oh, and of course, her bag she carries it all around in. For only $28 dollars? That's some fine items! I've seen this set in pieces a lot on IG¹⁰ and I plan to, when it's feasible, grab it for Z. She needs her tech.

Z's Scooter: We don't do single style Lindsey Scooters anymore. If characters are gonna skoot, they're going to be three-wheeled scooters that allow for stability and balance. I'm not big on scooters, I never got the prior version of the Sporty Scooter. This one does have the safety stuff not sold separate, but still. If there's a piece I might not get, it'd be thi--wait. Is that a go pro on her helmet. Oh why don't i just give up right now.

Z's desk is cooler than my own, I swear.11

Z's Easy Breezy Outfit:  Continuing the "rolled out of bed, looking how I want" look, Z has this set: plaid shirt, blueish jeans, the elastic headband that we do now that is better than most plastic ones, and some really cool sneakers that I didn't get a solid pic of. Which is okay. Because that plaid shirt is everything I never knew I needed and I'm getting this.

 Z's Desk Set: ...sweet mother of god. It has her laptop.It has a pin board. It has a cabinet to tuck all kinds of super cool books and things in. It has a lamp shaped like a spotlight. It's so so wonderful and fancy and shiny and the chair is lacking but we can replace that desk desk desk desk--

Ahem.

So that's all we have for Z right now, and it's possible she might get more. But she's wonderful and nerdy and sweet and omg she's part of my gang because my friends love me. 

Now to the stuff that came out this month and not two months ago.

Lift Gabby Aloft On Her Pretty Cinnamon Roll Wings

Our Babby Gabby did not get a lot in this release or the last. But what she got is so wonderfully delightful that I want it all, and you know it.

Chilling like a villain in a Panama hat.

Gabriela's Chair and Ottoman Set: After a long day of outselling Tenney-Sue two-to-one,¹² Gabby kicks her feet up, leans back in her papasan style chair, and gives zero fucks. She's got her tunes on her mp3 player, and her snacks. She resting good. She will be later on here.
 
Gabriela's Loft Bed: Finally, her Big Ticket Fancy--a loft bed. A really kick ass loft bed. Not only is it nice and up, but it has expressions of her art--sketchy books, pencils, places to put it up, all that. I want it, I've asked Bae for it for my birthday, I'm loft living even if I have to keep the bed part stored and only have out the extras to start. And anyone comparing it to McSeattle's bed can eat almond shells. Y'all the kinda people that walk into a college dorm room, see two matching beds and matching dressers, and wonder what this copycat furniture is about. Shut up. Let Gabby live her life.

Reading is cool and good.

Books: Gabby continues her book offerings with book two of Gabriela Speaks Outand a fancy craft book, Express Yourself with Gabriela. I have picked up book 2, but not yet the craft book. Because I'm hoping, like Lea and Grace, she'll get one of the super fancy ones at Costco and other big old box places. But with a lot less fail. (I'm still mad at Lea's book. I will always be mad at Lea's book. Lea's book encourages play-acting with an aspect of my faith and I'm never going to get over that.) 

Dance the night away.And don't put it on the pale dolls.

Gabriela's Take Flight Performance Outfit: Wow, look at this bad ass, cool as hell, fresh and fly color blasted dance outfit that in no way people on Instagram should ever ask to have it be put on someone's light doll so they can decide if Kirsten should wear it instead Gabby who should keep it all to herself.¹³ I love it, even though the high low hem will have to be corrected in some form and the butterflies remind me slightly of my ex-girlfriend. But butterflies are cool and I can have them all I want. I debated between this and another outfit, but I held back on this. I will get it the very next opportunity I can for Gabby Babby.

Now in big people sizes!

Gabriela McBride's Case and Gabriela McBride's Hair Accessories: Why yes, American Girl, I would like to own my own version of Gabby's Showtime Kit, and put all my dolly hair care stuff in it, and even some nail polish and fancy smaller bottles of braid spray. Thank you for asking. I will buy it later.

Listen in, peeps.

Gabriela McBride's Headphones: Why yes, American Girl, I have thought about buying my own version of Gabby's Headphones, to wear and listen to my hot jams on. Thank you for offering. But I am not a child and don't like volume limited headphones, and need headphones big enough to fit on my head. Yes, I've got hearing app errors already. But I have no use for extra headphones.

But the rest?
...

Gimme all the Gabby stuff.

Tenney and Logan: Ugh, You're Still Here

Fine, but don't expect me to like that you exist. I heard your music, Tenney, and I am not impressed.¹⁴


Tenney's Sparkling Performance Outfit: So she's performing her Seed song (or whatever) wearing a black A-line dress with sparkles, silver sandals, and a velvet jacket. Oh and a barrette. I like the jacket. That's really it. It better show up at Kohl's and allow me to burn Kohl's cash so I'm only really paying for the jacket, or I don't care. I got the banjo and the Spotlight outfit the same way and I'd do the same to this.

Logan's Performance Outfit:*steals this entire outfit for the butch girls of her gang to wear, replaces with a pink moto jacket for that soft byke aesthetic* Nogan who? 

Song cues.

Tenney's Music Cartridge Set: ...so lemme get this straight. These are music cartridges for Tenney's speaker. Which only come with that huge stage. So if people want to play Tenney's music cartridges, they have to buy Tenney's Big Ass Stage, and then jam these in the speaker that only comes with the big ass stage, in order to hear that authentic Nashville sound she's singing. Otherwise, they're just big chunky backstage passes.

...

Combine the two or eat chicken feet.

A floppy hat. And some extras.

Tenney's Floppy Hat, Tenney's Charm Bracelet and Tenney's Musical Necklace: Why yes, American Girl, I have thought about buying my own version of a hat and necklace that cost 18 bucks, as well as a bracelet for my least favorite character this year. Why yes I have.

Wait, I mean No. No, I haven't. That is money I could be using to buy WellieWishers stuff.


Tenney's Journal Kit: People everywhere can write things in the style of Tenney herself, with a version of her notebook and things! I will not be one of them. I just bought a notebook and it's got Hamilton¹⁵ and that's much better for note booking, because it doesn't have lined paper.

So are we done with these two? Are we done for now? Professionally?

k den BYE.  *Scampers over to the WellieWisher Section*

WellieWishers: The Most Adorable Elementary Schoolers You'll Ever See Again

Other than the moddies, the Wellies got the most in the June 22 release. And help I love so much of it. It's a good thing I only have two of them right now. Speaking of which, there's news that AG is going to release a TRU only outfit for our favorite 14 inchers. So gonna have to haul buns to a TRU for that.

Nighty-night!

Fantastic Firefly PJs: So I know I bought the other Wildflower PJs when I got Kendall a year ago. And I know I said those were hers. But those are gonna have to be Emerson's now¹⁶ because this is super cute and the sock slippers rock and this is what I want my Kendall in now. Fight me.

Stand in the place where you are. Now Face Cute.

WellieWishers Doll Stand: "Hey," said the AG design crew, "how about instead of trying to cram our Wellies into stands too tall for them, we make them their own? With flowers? And felt leaves? And make it look like a tree stump?" And they did! And was glorious and cute and I don't even like doll stands but for this I may make the exception. Wow, wasn't that a great story?

Owl Sleepies. And some of the Tent stuff.

Night Owl Sleeping Bag: I'm not big on sleeping bags that don't separate into lay out blankets or look like I'm sleeping inside a polar bear or a Tauntaun. So thanks but no thanks. I do hope it's big with the kiddles, however.

Camping time!

Sweet Dreams Garden Tent: I took a picture of it all in the box because it was hard to get a good shot on the shelf. Maybe next time when I have a working camera. Anyways. The girls are hanging out in a campout in the garden, I assume, and they have a very pink tent to sleep in, a real working lantern and all the stuff for making s'mores including a stick. Minus the fire. Where they're roasting the marshmallows is unspoken. No fire allowed for younger children's' toys. Adult supervision required. I don't care for the pinkness of the tent but I adore the lantern. Let's juggle hands.

It was a baby tooff~*whistles*

Tooth Fairy Pillow: Hey, parents! Are your small children losing their baby teeth as their adult teeth develop right underneath, shoving the milk teeth out of their skulls as they grow underneath in a macabre display of human body horror? Take the freshly cast-off mini-bone of your offspring, put it or them in this huge pillow shaped like the WellieWisher Playhouse so you don't have to stick your hand under their head while fumbling in the dark for something small and hard, and then when they're sleeping exchange the teeth for money and say a fairy did it. Or you can make up your own mythology about why you're swapping teeth for quarters, or just exchange it and tell your kids the truth.¹⁷ Look, I'm not a parent yet but should I get to be one, I'll handle the Tooth Fairy/Santa/The Easter Bunny/All that at that time. And I will probably not buy pillows that I could make, that aren't based on characters even if Kendall is absolutely precious. But we'll burn that bridge when we cross it.

No Trunks out that I saw.

Dress-Up Trunk: Kids like to dress up. It's a fact, like they like to eat sugar, jump on the bed, and fight bedtimes. So now we have a set just for that activity among the Wellies with skirts and capes and wings and masks and wands and various bits and bobbles, and the gang can enjoy themselves. The cardboard box is probably the weakest part of the set, but the amount of glitterati stuff you get pushes it into interesting. Maybe on sale. I'd rather design my own, some.

Birthday twirls for boys and girls and others.

Twirling Tulip Costume: It's time for Willa to have her fancy dress! It's yellow and fluffy and she's wearing what appears to be half a pineapple on her head. Whatever, Willa. Put on whoever you think looks best in yellow. Like Kendall. Let's put it on Kendall.

Birthday Cart and Treats Set: Hoppy birdy to whichever of the Wellies is having a birthday, inching them ever closer to being part of the moddie collection if they grew older that way, which they do. Gifts--well, the illusion of them--and a crown for each of them with a fancy cart. The crowns are probably the best part and I could do that myself.

And then Kendall stole my heart in her overalls.

Outdoors in Overalls Outfit: So I got one thing from the new release. Just one. And it was for Kendall who hasn't got anything new since she arrived because I've been lax. Well, she got Emerson and I bought all their books but. I saw this set and it was adorable and I got the outfit. The shoes are plastic like all the Wellie shoes are, but then I paired them with her boots and oh noes my heart. Yep, Kendall's our sweetie with a hammer and a can-do attitude. And what is she putting together today?

Mix and Match Garden Pets: She's taken old cans and stuff and turned them into pets! The bits can mix and match and mush around as much as you want to make either "realistic" creatures or whatever funky fun you desire. Yes, I'll get this later. Anything that is even remotely Kendall related is part of my future obtainment.

More links for the charms.

Charms: Two more charms: A present like the cart and a watering can like the pets. Cute. I hope this bodes for more books coming out. I really do like the books. They're written for a younger audience but, unlike some kids books, they aren't condescending suck.

*~*~*

Next time on AG Outsider: The All New Moddie Stuff, including new Dolls and New Meet Outfits and A Damn Hotel.

And I promise not to take fifteen weeks to get to it. Or even more than a few days. I have a lot to say.

--Neth

¹ There appears to be some malware I didn't ask for, and several systems can't run their .exe commands worth shit. I need some updates.
² Sweet tea, however, is God's own delicious ball sweat. Look, it's a long, writerchat story. 
³Tobias!
⁴ Also here? She's gender fluid, leaning a little ambiguous, hence the nickname Z. She still uses She/Her pronouns, and she allows select people to call her Suzie, but she prefers to be called Z--in part because it sounds like the neutral pronoun "zie/ze." 
⁵ All the Zs came out with them. Which prompted a lot of people saying they would get her but the panties are so bothersome, they just couldn't support buying her with permapanties, it was just too much. So now that she won't have them soon (and if you buy one with pink butt, you can just get her body swapped), y'all gonna do the right thing and buy her and support Dolls of Color? You're not going to use that as an excuse, as many people were and have done even as they were buying white dolls with permapanties? Yes? Okay. I'm glad we had this talk in the footnotes.
⁶ That actually existed before as a Z. Crew style shirt.
⁷ Quit whining, moddies. You got so much in this new release that I'm giving you your own post Friday.
⁸ I'm so fucking far behind I haven't read Lea's books yet. Just fuck me up, fam.
⁹ I'm going to buy her a tiny one. And a Honey Bunny. Those pets are too cute.
¹⁰ A lot of times without Z. Y'all, meet me back in the footnotes. Go buy Z. I know the teens in fandom love acknowledgement of AGIG (as long as it doesn't remind you that you have been supporting bigots and racists) and have been taking a doll camera as such, but go buy Z. 
¹¹ Plz to note Tenney-Sue photobombing in the background like a punk.
¹² I will believe what I WANT.
¹³ Why yes, I am referencing something I saw someone say on IG to one of my homies, thanks for asking.
¹⁴Me: *on hold with AG customer service dealing with a minor issue*
Music: *is Tenney singing about being a seed or something really twangy*
Me: *slides out of chair while silently screaming* WHY ISN'T THIS ZAC BROWN BAND'S "THE WIND" OR SOMETHING GOOD IN COUNTRY
¹⁵ It is the cutest notebook and I love it. It says "why do you write like you're running out of time" and the artist, a sunny disposish, is wonderful. Buy things from her. Support artists.
¹⁶ In the books they belong to Willa, and right now Emerson is my faux-Willa.
¹⁷ I bet you came down here expecting a pun like "tell them the tooth." Look, that's too easy. I have to occasionally have standards. But since I've got you down here, go buy Z and Gabby. Thanks.