Don't call it a comeback

The Wrestler has a strange subject matter, but it's Mickey Rourke's performance that really makes this movie soar. The supporting cast is also incredible but Mr. Rourke's portrayal makes his character universal to everyone, not just wrestling fans.
I love this interview with Mickey Rourke and Charlie Rose. Mr. Rourke comes across as so honest and vulnerable, it makes me feel a great deal of respect for him. I really hope to see more work from him in the future, but word on the ethernet is that he's already on board for an Iron Man sequel and is getting flack for being a sell-out. I'll wait and see for myself.

He sold his first painting to Lady Bird Johnson when he was in the third grade.

I was standing on the corner of 55th and 3rd the other day waiting for the light to change, thinking to myself, am I a masochist? When a bus drove past me and I looked in the windows and there was Joe Coleman. Joe was one of my favorite painters years back and I even have an autographed copy of his book, Original Sin, that my dear friend bought for me in Baltimore. I also got to see him give a performance with Hasil Adkins at the Baltimore Visionary Art Museum. The first time I saw Joe in NYC was walking up 3rd ave near 14th st about a year after I moved here. It was one of those surreal ny moments when people you've always admired suddenly pass you on the sidewalk or you see them in a bar or restaurant. Joe paints insanely detailed paintings usually portraying the dark side of the human psyche. He describes having to rigidly order his paintings through the use of miniscule detail and borders within borders in order to provide some form of structure against all the anxiety he feels in life. I haven't been keeping up with his career lately although from a quick Google search seems like he had a show just last year. He also still has his Odditorium and now lives in Brooklyn apparently. I wonder why he was heading up to the Upper East Side then? If you're curious to know more about Joe, I highly recommend the documentary Rest In Pieces by Austrian filmmaker Adrian Pejo. It provides an honest, in-depth look at Joe's life and philosophies.

(pix from Mark Berry Flickr)

When in Rome, do as you done in Milledgeville.

Recently travelled to Georgia with my friend Nicole to visit the birthplace of one of our favorite authors, Flannery O'Connor. Our first stop was Savannah to see her childhood home. We had a great guide who gave us a private tour and told us a funny story about Flannery regularly going up to the attic and "beating up" her guardian angel by spinning around and punching her fists in the air. You had to be there, it provided a great mental image. We went to a reading by Brad Gooch who was out promoting his new biography on Flannery. We kept running into him throughout our trip. Savannah is a kool sleepy little southern town known for Savannah College of Art and Design and Paula Deen and also that cemetery where they filmed Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The weather was nice and mild for the end of February and the best of our 5 day trip. From there we drove to Milledgeville to visit Andalusia the farm where Flannery lived with her mother after she developed difficulties from lupus. We were lucky enough to arrive at the farm in glorious sunshine after driving thru "tornado alley" that morning. We saw Brad there too and it was actually a bit crowded what with fans and all. There was a lone donkey who seemed kinda sad and dirty we couldn't figure out why he was there and wherest he came from. There are no peacocks on the farm any more, the last one died a couple years ago. We also managed to find her grave and appropriately mark the occasion with a photo. There is an extensive collection of Flannery's writings and various ephemera at Georgia State College which is also located in Milledgeville. From thence we drove on to Macon, Ga, of which I have no comment, and then northward back to Atlanta to catch our respective flights home but not before driving through a blizzard!

Hello

I've started this blog to track the passing of time, collect my thoughts, and share my interests and finds with all of you. Looking fwd to starting this journey with you.