Pop Tart

faaaaaar rockaway

2011-07-05T00:03:00.005-04:00

The "A" subway line is really long. I live near the end of it in the north and today I rode it all the way to the southern end. hour and half later I ended up in.... Rock rock Rockaway Beach.

random

2011-06-19T00:10:00.003-04:00

naked truth

2011-04-11T22:44:00.005-04:00

"Pubic hair elimination. It's a small but itchy area of contention. Last month's Elle magazine and this month's Vogue contained long, unruly articles, by Avril Mair and Rachel Johnson respectively, combing through the various strands of argument for and against total pubic purging. The hot topic for winter 2011 is clear: to bare, or not to bare one's labia?

In a sympathetic mirroring of the melting Arctic glaciers, the hair around our vaginas is fast disappearing, propelled by a force even greater than climate change: pornification. First it was a light quim-trim. Then a narrow snatch-strip. Then the full-on Brazilian, plucked pudenda, Christmas goose look. Now, technological advances mean that women will soon be able to permanently annihilate their entire chocha bush and surrounding strands, for ever. Yes ladies: laser flange is here.

Women can now expose their pipi to the breeze from now until the day they die. Great.

Why would they want to? If porn told you to jump off a cliff, would you do that too? Porn has introduced a new aesthetic – perhaps as a joke or momentary experiment – and women have responded with unquestioning servility and breezy abandon. At least now we can confront the naked truth about women's submissiveness in all its stark, raw, bald reality.

Men in porn are often also fully waxed. You can see the spring branches of their willies and their little bobbling balls, outlined in their scrota like farm eggs in a chammy cloth. But men in the non-porn world are not dedicating themselves to full deforestation, writing about it in major publications as though it's a serious consideration, or putting pressure on other men to do it. Men are not as cowed, self-hating, obedient or biddable as women in this regard. They are not going to make the effort to do anything to please a woman, at the cost of their own comfort. That is something I have always respected about men. They are busy pursuing their own happiness, leaving women to fight through the thicket of their own Stockholm syndrome, perpetually pruning their pubic hair in a desperate bid to gain approval.

Will a woman really do everything she can to meet every passing fad, even if it's uncomfortable, time-consuming, irritating, expensive, troubling, humiliating? And look at the reward: intercourse with a porn-adoring male who actually loathes women's real, naked, hairy bodies?

Are women so ashamed of their bodies' natural beauty, so unaccepting of things as they are that they will do anything at all, even if it's degrading, to get some willy time? A man who withholds his attention and affection according to the follicle count of a lady's crotch doesn't deserve intimacy with a real-life woman. A man who likes a woman without pubic hair despises adult women so much that he wants us to resemble children. He should stay at home instead in front of a computer, masturbating alone to the hair-free images he reveres.

I worry about these men too, of course, those poor poonani-policing body fascists. They are now in danger of returning to a Victorian naivety. They may well believe that, like the hairless, passive and benign feminine allegories of grand masters' paintings, women naturally do not have any body hair. Upon seeing some real hair on a real woman for the first time they may well vomit or faint, or both. That is something I'd like to see: a man so dizzied by the shortfall between reality and his own ignorance that his brain can't take it and he loses consciousness.

As for the women, don't you have anything more interesting to do than dutifully coif your cassoulet? I got "cassoulet" from The Joy of Sex, by the way. It means "general musky pussy area". Check out the original 70s hand-drawn illustrations. The couple are as hairy as anything, but they look like they're having a lot of fun, fur and all."

article via The Guardian

painting by Courbet

garage explosion

2010-11-25T18:36:00.003-05:00

Part 1 of 3 part series on modern garage music. Dead Moon, the Oblivians, the Gories, Jay Retard all highlighted. nice film about musicans and the lifestyle and the motivation behind it.

I think the first part is the strongest that's why I'm including only it here. The rest can be seen at VBS tv.

ah...just what this tuesday needs

2010-11-02T22:42:00.000-04:00

random

2010-10-08T14:48:00.002-04:00

we live in public

2010-09-07T00:20:00.005-04:00

Just watched a strange & mildly depressing film, We Live in Public, about Josh Harris the supposed inventor of broadcast internet. Apparently Josh was a tv baby and grew up to be a mad genius. He's obsessed with fame and filming everything he does. In the late 90's he created an "art" piece called Quiet which consisted of a 100 people living in an underground bunker in Manhattan and having 110 cameras filming everything they do at all times. It was quite hedonistic and really base. The "party" was eventually shut down by police. He then did another art projected w/a claimed "pseudo" girlfriend where they lived together in a loft for 6 months with cameras positioned on them at all times (even inside the toilet bowl) and then people would follow on the internet and become involved in their life thru chat boards. Josh pretty much had a nervous breakdown after this (go figure) and moved to a farm (he's now back in society trying to get something called Wired City off the ground). I don't understand why anyone would want to film themselves 24/7 or why anyone else would want to watch or care, but it turns out there are plenty of people who share this affinity with him (ie chatroulette, reality tv). His prediction is that humans will no longer be able to function in an organic way and everything will be virtual and then eventually computers will take over and humans will become extinct.

random

2010-08-16T01:26:00.006-04:00

D.C.

do not touch

yertle the turtle

I forget his name

he's only 11 yrs old, still a baby.

lives at the American Museum of Natural History

old school upper eastside

space

ah oh

do you like my hair this way?

more shoes

2010-08-15T15:15:00.004-04:00

I started watching this thinking I'd only watch a couple minutes to see what its about, and an hour later I was still sitting there watching it. This subject matter is of personal interest to me. I travelled cross country, alone, in my early 20's. I didn't walk, alas, but I've been through the same emotions and thoughts that Lee presents in his movie. Inspired by an interview with Werner Herzog in which he said "forget film school, one should make a journey alone, on foot, for five thousand kilometers, "let's say from Madrid to Kiev". Lee quit his job and did just that, taking his camera with him on his travels. More info can be found on the vimeo site and his website.

get low

2010-08-08T00:27:00.008-04:00

So, I've seen yet another movie based on the concept of forgiveness, is this something in the cultural zeitgeist that I'm not privy to? Get Low is a nice summer movie (along with Inception) in that its lite fare that whisks you away to another time and place. Specifically Tennessee in the 1930's. The script is loosely based on a true story of a mountain man hermit who held his own funeral before he died. Its a cute concept, they try to add more weight to it by adding a mystery element of what the hermit had done to drive him into seclusion (this is ultimately anti-climatic). What's really great about this movie is the actors. Every principle actor in the movie is stellar and of course Robert Duvall steals the show. I also enjoyed it being a period piece. Maybe because its August in NYC, I enjoyed feeling like I was in the mountains of Tennessee in 1930? Its a sweet story filled with humanity and some lite comedy thanks to Bill Murray.

life during wartime

2010-07-25T23:25:00.011-04:00

Enjoyed watching Charlotte Rampling, Paul Reubens, Ally Sheedy, Michael K Williams in Todd Solondz new movie, Life During Wartime. A continuation of sorts of the previous movie Happiness but using different actors to play the characters. Its all about forgiveness and the theme of can you "forgive and forget". Laugh out loud dark humor and great to see surprising performances from the above mentioned actors. Best line from the movie....."I'm sorry I said you were shit and I was champagne."

dzi croquettes

2010-07-18T12:16:00.007-04:00

Dzi Croquettes, is an interesting film about a Brazilian gay dance theatre group, also described as an all male Zeigfield Follies. The subject was really interesting and original, the film itself from a technical aspect could have been better. I wish there was more footage on the group performing instead of tons of interview snippets from the same people recounting their experience seeing the group. But considering the Croquettes existed in the early 70's I guess there isn't much actual footage to be found. Its a shame as they were highly creative and original and it would be great to see more of their talent. The guys were incredibly sexy dancers with long lean torsos, thongs, hairy legs and chests and makeup and skirts. They really captured femininity without turning it into a caricature or mockery. At the end of the movie there's a line that goes "gays don't die....they turn into glitter" the whole audience roared with laughter.

over 400 sea turtles dead

2010-07-15T23:57:00.003-04:00

protect me from what I want

2010-06-29T23:39:00.001-04:00

no excuse for this

2010-06-11T00:35:00.010-04:00

A government panel on Thursday essentially doubled its estimate of how much oil has been spewing from the out-of-control BP well, with the new calculation suggesting that an amount equivalent to the Exxon Valdez disaster could be flowing into the Gulf of Mexico every 8 to 10 days.

The new estimate is 25,000 to 30,000 barrels of oil a day. That range, still preliminary, is far above the previous estimate of 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day.

-NYT

death set

2010-06-10T12:52:00.000-04:00

The Death Set "Far Weathered Friends" from Project Fathom on Vimeo.

loss for words

2010-06-10T12:38:00.001-04:00

Solvent - "Loss For Words" Video from Ghostly International on Vimeo.

random

2010-06-10T00:58:00.005-04:00

subway art wtf?

time warp

last day

ahhh, lil babies

how romantic

chicks with dicks

yep

Vivre Sa Vie

2010-06-07T00:21:00.005-04:00

I forget that I'm responsible, but I am.
I told you escape is a pipe dream.
After all, everything is beautiful.
You only have to take an interest in things, see their beauty.
It's true.
After all, things are just what they are.
A face is a face.
Plates are plates.
Men are men.
And life....is life.

dennis hopper

2010-06-03T21:24:00.001-04:00

random

2010-05-16T00:51:00.003-04:00

secret passage way in Grand Central Station

little brand new baby pine cones

a thousand shades of green

feet on the ground

zen rock

rain drops

gauntlet hair

2010-05-12T00:10:00.003-04:00

my current nonstop rotation:

(via Gorilla vs bear)

Lunchtime

2010-05-11T23:01:00.004-04:00

(via Harris)

random

2010-05-03T00:17:00.004-04:00

Can I haz cheezeburger?

2010-03-28T01:02:00.009-04:00

I know this is going around, but it is too HYSTERICAL not to post. A drunken post-St. Patricks day altercation in Texas at some fast food chain filmed by some rappers (talking before and after). what a bunch of characters.

David Cross and Will Arnett together again...

2010-03-24T22:54:00.008-04:00

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret is a new comedy written by David Cross and also starring Will Arnett and Spike Jonze. Its already premiered in the UK and now is coming to the States in the Fall thanks to an IFC rebranding campaign. The pilot is hilarious and I only hope this will somehow be available on the internets as I don't have cable.

TIPDOTM from sean ryan on Vimeo.

the 6th dimension

2010-03-20T23:57:00.009-04:00

yes! I just returned from a screening of the 80's camp musical The Forbidden Zone followed by Q&A with director Richard Elfman. The last time I saw the movie was many, many, many years ago on a friend's vhs tape and it was in black & white (as originally filmed) What a delight to find out tonite the film has been digitally colorized (Elfman's vision from the beginning, he wanted hand painted frames but it was too cost prohibitive) and it was on the big screen in vibrant color glory. Original, creative, surreal, musical mishmosh and a ton of fun The Forbidden Zone is a cult classic that combines animation, 1920's musical numbers, camp, yiddish jokes and is based on Elfman's stage show Mystical Knights of Oingo Boingo. He said he originally shot it in 16mm with a couple actors and "some crazies". Friends saw it and encouraged him to shot 20 more minutes to make a feature film out of it so he shot 20 more min in 35 mm with different actors and that turned out better than the original 16mm so he re-shot the original footage in 35mm basically making the film backwards. He was also friends with Hervé Villechaize who put his own money into the film and helped paint some of the sets. A bit of trivia, Hervé Villechaize and Susan Tyrrell, who is awesome as the evil queen, dated in real life and were split up at the time of the filming thereby creating "drama" on set. This film pre-dates Pee Wee's Playhouse and came out during the Reagan era, a solid contribution to cinema history. Also, for die-hard fans, there's a Forbidden Zone 2 in the works half of it being filmed in Ghana.

dream baby dream

2010-03-19T00:26:00.003-04:00

the longest month with the least days

2010-02-27T02:17:00.006-05:00

can you guess where I'm eating? (hint look in the reflection)

The Devils

2010-02-14T14:36:00.004-05:00

The Devils is a controversial and banned film made by Ken Russell in 1971. Based on the 1952 book The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley, it portrays the rise and fall of respected priest Urbain Grandier in 17th Century France as he is demolished physically, politically, and in the eyes of the public by the hunchbacked, sexually repressed Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave). Featuring lesbian nun orgies, masturbation, torture, and enemas its still censored and I believe the uncut version is not available on the market. I recently missed a screening at IFC of this wildly interesting film and so am left with youtube clips. I'll be keeping an eye out for the next time its shown.

la femme

2010-02-11T23:31:00.001-05:00

shadow objects

2010-02-02T23:11:00.001-05:00

frozen

2010-01-21T16:48:00.003-05:00

16 tons and whad'ya get...

2010-01-07T22:42:00.002-05:00

Anthony Bourdain (my fantasy bf) burning 6 tons of cocaine.

Here's to a new decade

2010-01-01T02:53:00.005-05:00

So today marks a new decade and to usher it in is a blue moon, (a blue moon signifies 2 full moons in the span of one calendar month) I am, however, unable to witness this phenomenon as its currently rain-snowing here. hopefully this is a good luck talisman for the decade to come. for me personally, the last decade has been neither good nor bad, brought about deep, lasting changes as well as stagnation and complacency, really the only definitive thing to happen is to age biologically, otherwise it is all relative. Still it is my hope that the next decade brings more growth and positive changes for myself and globally, but I'm sure stagnation and negativity will be mixed in there right along with it. Happy 2010!

Vertigo

2009-12-09T23:08:00.005-05:00

Ever wonder what its like to go down a long hill at fast speed with nothing but a thin piece of wood and 4 little wheels under you? well, here's your chance! this video was shot as a promotion piece for menswear designer, Adam Kimmel. 3 skateboarders dress in suits, get driven to the top of a long hill (in Claremont, CA) and proceed to hand a video camera back and forth to each other while filming their POV and each other. I find my body becomes rigid and I hold my breath when I watch this, meanwhile they're laughing, relaxed, fluid, and enjoying themselves. I can't figure out how they got the film to be so steady considering this is hand held. The coordination and ease at which they pass the camera around while going at very high speeds is impressive. (The action starts at 2:30 if you just want to skip ahead to the good stuff.)

Adam Kimmel presents: Claremont HD from adam kimmel on Vimeo.

Broken Embraces

2009-11-27T22:56:00.006-05:00

Watched the new Pedro Almodovar film, Broken Embraces. It was very enjoyable (not counting the woman with stinky perfume sitting next to me for over 2 hrs. yuck!) Back when she was trying to be an American star and was dating/married to Tom Cruise (?) I couldn't stand Penelope Cruz, but under Almodovar's loving lens and attention she really shines (although I thought she was good in Vicky Cristina Barcelona also) which is good because Broken Embraces is pretty much all about her. The film is layered with multiple characters and the storyline isn't linear which shouldn't be new to any fan of Almodovar's.

Here's a synopsis from the film's website:

The story of Mateo, Lena, Judit and Ernesto Martel is a story of “amour fou”, dominated by fatality, jealously, the abuse of power, treachery and a guilt complex. A moving and terrible story, the most expressive image of which is the photo of two lovers embracing, torn into a thousand pieces.

I'm a survivor

2009-11-24T01:03:00.002-05:00

Spacious Thoughts

2009-11-23T00:42:00.003-05:00

been running across really kool animation lately. this one has been making the rounds because of the music of Kool Keith and Tom Waits which is actually completely uninteresting in this video. for me, the merit is in the incredible future forward animation done by Fluorescent Hill.

freaky

2009-11-22T22:13:00.001-05:00

this is some sports I can get into

2009-11-14T21:49:00.006-05:00

This video is AWESOME. It's about Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher Dock Ellis and a game in which he pitched a no hitter while flying high on LSD and various uppers. Not only is it a funny story, but the animation by James Blagden, is just wonderful and fresh and exciting. A true pleasure to watch.

bellies full of plastic

2009-11-13T00:54:00.010-05:00

I came across these amazing photos by a guy named Chris Jordan of dead baby albatross birds. Apparently the birds parents feed them plastic, thinking its food, and then the birds die from obvious complications. the content matter is very sad and generates alot of thought about humans and their responsibility/impact on nature. if you detach from the content, the pix are visually beautiful in a strange exotic way. from the artist's statement:

These photographs of albatross chicks were made just a few weeks ago on Midway Atoll, a tiny stretch of sand and coral near the middle of the North Pacific. The nesting babies are fed bellies-full of plastic by their parents, who soar out over the vast polluted ocean collecting what looks to them like food to bring back to their young. On this diet of human trash, every year tens of thousands of albatross chicks die on Midway from starvation, toxicity, and choking.

To document this phenomenon as faithfully as possible, not a single piece of plastic in any of these photographs was moved, placed, manipulated, arranged, or altered in any way. These images depict the actual stomach contents of baby birds in one of the world's most remote marine sanctuaries, more than 2000 miles from the nearest continent.

random Fall

2009-11-02T00:30:00.007-05:00

I'm being watched.

this was right outside the subway entrance of my stop.

hilarious.

seems like just yesterday I was taking pix of the first burst of green

in Central Park and now I'm taking pix of everything dying. sads.

at least Fall is colorful that's the compromise I guess.

get ready for grey, grey and more grey for the next 6 months. yeah!

Animals

2009-10-19T00:13:00.006-04:00

The Animals consistently pumped out really soulful music that totally belied their ultra white, ultra square appearances. Some of these performances are so.... dull. The 60's, rockin. and it seems alot of the stage setups were some cheesy take off the "animal" name like circus and head mounted gogo girls. The music though, is solid.

and kinda unrelated I feel compelled to add this video of Paint it Black with Brian Jones rockin' the sitar. awesome.

the Tao of RZA

2009-10-16T00:01:00.002-04:00

the RZA aka Bobby Digital was actually on the Colbert Report. talk about culture clash. all in all I think the interview went well aside from the sunglasses and baseball hat pulled down low, but I understand.

ah, New York

2009-10-06T22:47:00.002-04:00

0))))))))

2009-09-20T00:02:00.009-04:00

my friend Nicole inspired this post by sending me this video:

now I can't decide if I should trek all the way out to mofo brooklyn to see the Sunn O)))/Earth show next week? tempting but, brooklyn, not so much.

Trash Humpers

2009-09-19T15:59:00.005-04:00

I dunno. This just looks scary. Its seems like watching Harmony Korine's new movie, Trash Humpers, would be like being trapped in someone else's nightmare. I'll probably see it one way or another just out of curiosity.

official statement?:

A film unearthed from the buried landscape of the American nightmare, TRASH HUMPERS follows a small group of elderly Peeping Toms through the shadows and margins of an unfamiliar world. Crudely documented by the participants themselves, we follow the debased and shocking actions of a group of true sociopaths the likes of which have never been seen before. Inhabiting a world of broken dreams and beyond the limits of morality they crash against a torn and frayed America. Bordering on an ode to vandalism, it is a new type of horror; palpable and raw.

and now for a brief musical interlude

2009-09-17T23:57:00.001-04:00

death is the theme lately

2009-09-14T23:06:00.010-04:00

Summer of Death™ (or is it fall now) has claimed another 80's icon.

DFW 1962-2008

2009-09-12T23:02:00.009-04:00

This afternoon I just happened to listen to a podcast of David Foster Wallace reading a story about 9/11 at the Walker Museum. I had not even realized today is the one year anniversary of his death. sad. There is movie version of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men directed by John Krasinski (random) being released soon (I think). My copy of Infinite Jest is still sitting on my nightstand virtually untouched.

Here's a quote from Wallace from a speech at Kenyon College in 2005:

"learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed. Think of the old cliché about quote the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master.
This, like many clichés, so lame and unexciting on the surface, actually expresses a great and terrible truth. It is not the least bit coincidental that adults who commit suicide with firearms almost always shoot themselves in: the head. They shoot the terrible master. And the truth is that most of these suicides are actually dead long before they pull the trigger."

The Hunger

2009-09-09T23:45:00.016-04:00

What better way to commerate 09.09.09 than with a blog post? I recently watched The Hunger. Classified as a horror film, directed by Tony Scott (who did Top Gun and True Romance) in 1983, I found this to be a surprisingly delightful gem. Catherine Deneuve while always gorgeous, looks particularly stunning in this movie. She's a vampire (yes, this is where the cheese comes in) whose lover is the handsome, talented David Bowie, a cello player who is also a vampire thanks to Deneuve. From what I can gather, Miriam (Deneuve) then falls in love in Susan Sarandon, a sleep specialist, and when this happens David Bowie then starts to lose his immortality because it only lasts as long as Miriam is in love with her lover. He rapidly withers away (he is hundreds of yrs old after all) and soon there's some lesbo action happening btwn Miriam and Sarandon. Miriam infects Sarandon, confusion ensues, Miriam invites Sarandon to be her lover in everlasting immortality but alas Sarandon rejects her and hence Miriam then dies herself. Gothic rock group Bauhaus opens the movie, Ann Magnuson and Willem Dafoe make cameo apperances. There's some 80's footage of Times Square, Central Park, and upper east side. The sensuous atmospheric quality, cast, and hypnotic Deneuve makes this a surprisingly delightful film.
Its on Netflix and also looks like someone posted the whole movie on youtube.

destruction and devastation!

2009-08-23T22:52:00.013-04:00

Apparently a microburst rolled through Central Park last tuesday, (and I didn't even know) leaving a swath of destruction in its path. All of this was in the northwest corner of the park where I oft go to sit in the quiet shade of the trees. imagine my surprise and shock when I first walked upon those said trees to find them scattered all over the ground. there really was alot of damage done and they're still cleaning it up days later. I walk through the park every single day and I felt alittle sad seeing all the trees and surrounding areas destroyed, but I guess it will just clear out the area for some new growth. what a weird weird freak occurence. nature is fascinating.

from Central Park's website:

More than 200 trees fell, with hundreds more damaged. Tree canopies were simply wiped away. The most severe damage occurred between 90th and 100th Streets, including a 40" London Plane tree which fell across the East Drive. The Central Park Conservancy deployed 60 operations staff and 17 contractor crews to remove debris and secure affected tree limbs.
The staggering cost of clean-up is estimated at several hundred thousand dollars, but it is impossible to attach a monetary figure to some of the losses. "We had a wonderful chestnut tree at 100th Street and Central Park West," said Neil Calvanese, VP of Operations for the Central Park Conservancy. "Records indicate the tree was planted by the Park's designer, Frederick Law Olmsted, more than 150 years ago." The tree was devastated by the storm and will be removed.

evrbody know da hound

2009-08-23T12:04:00.001-04:00

totally digging hound dog taylor this morning. hellz yah.

more random

2009-08-22T23:09:00.025-04:00

central park feels like its just bursting right now

yoga in bryant park

summer nites

line for street meat

physical manifestation of the freezing cold air inside air conditioned buildings and the heat outside. I'd rather be outside.

confusion

where am I, ohio? no, prospect park brooklyn.

one of my fav things is misspelled or nonsensical graffiti.

got chased out of prospect park by an impending ominous storm. it caught me anyway and I got soaked. I dried pretty quickly though in the 150 degree subway stations.

on the way home at fairly early in the evening, I experienced the rare occurrence of being the only person in a subway car. while I don't enjoy packed subway cars, completely empty ones are fairly creepy.

You can't fool drool

2009-08-18T22:53:00.003-04:00

I love the 80's and crazy cat ladies!

Random

2009-08-15T22:41:00.011-04:00

weird looking bird

(fun fact: I recently found out that green stuff on the water is a plant called duckweed, also its a mosquito free zone since mosquitos are unable to lay their eggs in that water)

mating squirrels

what owl?

dead rat

pilings art

blinding light

nature in the city

super

pretty

phallic

Fire burn ya

2009-08-08T18:44:00.033-04:00

Visited Fire Island yesterday. Located off of Long Island, Fire Island is a well known, diverse vacation destination for locals and is particularly attractive for its no cars policy. Its possible to walk the whole island by foot if you wanted to. I however just went to a section called Sailor's Haven to see the Sunken Forest, a small (1.5 mi) 250 yr old maritime forest located between the bay side and ocean side of the island. It's nestled in btwn dunes which is said to give it a sunken appearance (although that was not my experience I didn't ever feel I was below sea level).
I missed the ferry to Sailor's Haven so I had to take the ferry to Cherry Grove instead and then walk about a mile down beach.
The beach was pretty empty. Which was nice. Its rare to feel a sense of space so near the city. I was really relishing the feeling of solitude.

My version of beach strolling. Notice the full covering of feet with socks. I'm not a big fan of sand. Why go to the beach then? I'm not sure. It always seems like a good idea, like, oh its summer I should go to the beach. Then I get to the beach and think, why am I here?

Someone's driftwood sculpture.

Arrive at Sunken Forest. It looks like the coast of California almost.

Apparently there is alot of deer on the island. How did they get there in the first place is what I want to know. Do deer swim?

Having grown up in Pennsylvania, I'm used to seeing white tail deer. I'm not, however, used to getting this close to them! It always freaks me out when wild animals don't run away when you get up close to them. If they don't run away it usually means they have rabies. This deer could care less about my presence.
Being able to be so close, I noticed how bug ridden and mangy it was. Look at those ears! I don't know if those are sores, or bites or what. (here's the answer). It was totally freaking me out though.
It had bugs all over its face and body too. Poor deer. I always thought of them as beautiful, graceful creatures.

Leaving. Bye Fire Island.

I now know why they recommend bug repellent when visiting forest. I got feasted on! On the ferry back it looked like I had chicken pox from all the red bites on my arms, legs and neck. yuck.

"The story of the handful of hope that became a fistful of hell! "

2009-08-07T00:08:00.012-04:00

ah, Film Forum. I love that they screen retrospectives. Recently it was Nicholas Ray, one of my favorite directors. Although I have to give credit to MOMA for introducing me to the great director, I saw In a Lonely Place there when I was in art school and was immediately blown away. This time I went to see Bigger Than Life starring James Mason. Mason's Ed Avery is a hard working school teacher holding down two jobs to make ends meet. Suddenly he's hit with a heart affliction and given a pending death sentence by the doctors, unless, unless he takes this new controversial drug called Cortisone. It comes with severe side effects, and he's warned by his wary doctors to not abuse it. He dismisses them, anxious to get on with his life. At first things go swimmingly well and he's bursting with energy. manically so. Then he starts ranting. and raving. and becoming increasingly crazier. The (frustratingly) submissive wife stands by wringing her hands, desperate that no one find out how out of control her dear, perfect, 1950's husband really is. She hopes if she just closes her eyes and ignores it, it will all go away. Wrong! Instead his downward descent just spirals faster until he decides his child must be sacrificed because he is evil. He locks the wife in a closet while he ascends the stairs, knife in hand, to kill his only child. But! It all ends happily, because that's what the 50's were about. or were they? Nick Ray calls it like he sees it (which is why I admire his work so) exposing the false pretense that apparently so many people lived under at that time. Filmed in 1956, it has painfully outmoded social mores which at points are quite comical, and other times quite frustrating to watch. I think the main theme of the movie is denial. on various levels.

While I enjoyed the film, it falls lower in my favorites of his movies. # 1 is In a Lonely Place hands down, #2 the fabulous Johnny Guitar starring Joan Crawford in a bizarre western reversal of roles where the women duel and the supposed good guys dress in black. Its also filmed in some super hyper techicolor for extra fun. #3 They Live By Night film noir about a bank robber on the lam with his girl pre-Bonnie and Clyde, #4 On Dangerous Ground about a grizzled, jaded cop who falls in love with a blind woman while working a case, #5 Rebel Without a Cause, and then, so far, Bigger Than Life. Nick Ray's work mainly focuses on the darker, unspoken edges of life, mainly societal behavior. I love it.

I want to move to Europe

2009-07-26T00:22:00.003-04:00

France specifically. Because if this guy's blog post is true, this is my dream come true. Seriously. Is that wine $3 a bottle? a book nook for the rugrats? various pates to choose from? sign. me. up. why the hell can't American supermarkets be like this?

Is it summer now?

2009-07-13T00:13:00.007-04:00

Finally enjoying some nice weather here in the city! I took a ferry ride over to Governor's Island to check out a recent art exhibit over there and just generally enjoy the sun in a somewhat less crowded area. G.I. always reminds me of Maryland for some reason I can't put my finger on. Something to do with it being an abandoned military base I suppose. I kinda feel like I'm in the suburbs when I go there. There's lawns of grass to be walked upon, trees, hammocks to lay in, and small abandoned homes give it that extra creepy feel. I was thinking how easy it would be to squat in one of those houses and seriously contemplated the logistics of it for a minute. Its tempting–the ferry is free I would ride that to and fro the city and after dusk ferry service stops and I would presumably be the only person on the island. Ah, a girl can dream. Who knows what's really going on over there after nightfall. I'm sure G.I. has a secret life all its own. The city just recently bought the island and I think they have plans for making it a park. I think they are very very slowly making progress twds getting people over there but they still have far to go as far as making it aesthetically pleasing or interesting. I know half the island is under historic preservation for military forts and such, but the rest is not. perhaps all that housing will be torn down?

Captured

2009-06-28T00:42:00.009-04:00

I just watched this documentary, Captured, by Clayton Patterson tonight and it did not disappoint. I've heard about this doc for awhile and it filmed randomly here or there (which I never managed to catch) but now its on itunes and I was able to rent it. (did Anthology or IFC ever screen this? if so why not?) My point being this film deserves distribution. I'll watch anything and everything that features footage of nyc. I've always been like that, and its a contributing factor to my moving here, so of course this was no exception. Patterson has been able to preserve a nice slice of nostalgia focused on the Lower East Side. The main climax occurs during footage of the 1988 Tompkins Square Park Riots (which is in the East Village, were they all melded together then?) We are able to see that with his previous experience blending in, developing street creed, and learning to film action, it all culminated into being able to obtain this historical footage. Shit is off the hook. (although seemingly not as violent as more recent cop brutality footage ie. Rodney King, Hurricane Katrina, cops tasering people inappropriately etc.) This is in an era before cellphone cameras and twitter. That said, I can't imagine something like this happening today. It was bureaucracy vs the people. Not only did cops have a showdown at the park, but they took over the ENTIRE freakin neighborhood. And this is some raw, grassroots footage (no wonder he got jailed for it). The situation got out of control and the mayor, Koch, was off in the Hamptons for the wkend! How fitting. Its hard to form an opinion on all this as I wasn't around at that time and don't know what it was like, but all of it is unfathomable to me today. Patterson also has street footage of 9/11 which gave me goosebumps, his wife is on the tape saying "I want to get out of here, I want to get out of here". Towards the end he pines for the good ol'days of the LES. I understand his feeling of displacement, but I also think the city is vastly nicer to live in these days. I also understand the queasiness of the rampant gentrification thats been going on (which has slowed alittle in this economy). Hell, LES has changed dramatically since I moved here 7 yrs ago. I hardly even go down there anymore and it used to be one of my favorite neighborhoods. Now there's a lower, Lower East Side which I'm sure is creeping more and more onto the radar. I digress. This film is worth viewing if you live here, are curious about nyc, or like watching movies about nyc like I do.

Sugar Hill

2009-06-27T00:07:00.007-04:00

This place is right by my apartment. I knew it was built by one of the Barnum & Bailey circus guys but I thought it was still a functioning funeral parlor. I had no idea it was vacant and up for sale. If I had more than two nickels to rub together I'd buy this place. How kool is that spire! Its too bad its fallen into such disarray, maybe a blessing if anyone wants to restore it, that alot of original features are still in tact. But I have a feeling there's alot more work to be done than they're letting on. I mean the price went from $10mil to $3mil. But that could be a sign of the times also.

This blog has excellent interior pix from a walk thru.

(pix from dotdotPC)

Moonwalking into the afterlife

2009-06-25T22:52:00.013-04:00

What a weird day, first Farrah and then quite unexpectedly Michael Jackson. When I was around 8 yrs old or so I started a Michael Jackson fan club with my next door neighbor. It entailed wearing pins, trading stickers and I think we might have written letters. I can't recall all that went on in the Michael Jackson fan club except that this was right when "Thriller" came out and we were hooked. The fan club lasted a whole summer (a long time when you're 8) and then I lost interest, and I never liked Michael Jackson again after that. I guess I moved on in my musical tastes (to Prince) and never went back. As an adult I've had no idea what to think of him. He was a white woman trapped in a black man's body? He married Elvis' daughter? He has 3 white kids, one named Blanket (what the heck is going to happen to those kids now? hopefully intensive psychotherapy), not to mention the pedophilia and the subsequent escape to Dubai. I don't know. He just turned inhuman to me, not even a caricature, just not of this world. But who on the planet (over the age of 10) has not heard of Michael Jackson? His name is synonymous with Pop Culture and of course pop music. Its almost weird to imagine he died, he was mortal? I can only imagine the onslaught of media in the days to come and will be curious as to what the funeral will entail. But tonite, I will think back fondly to that summer of Thriller and Billie Jean and Beat it and P.Y.T. and Don't Stop Till You Get Enough. RIP.

Amorphophallus Titanum

2009-06-22T23:53:00.007-04:00

Its name means giant misshapen penis, it smells like a rotting corpse, and its over 10ft wide. What is it? A flower of course! The wonderful smell attracts "flesh flies" to pollinate it. "Studies have shown that the inflorescence also generates heat during flowering. This combination of odor, colour and heat effectively imitates a decomposing mammal, earning the plant the common name of carrion flower or corpse flower." Where can this beauty be found? Indonesia (It is found in the forests of Sumatra, an island in Western Indonesia to be exact). How do I know all this? A great site called Atlas Obscura for all your bizarre, esoteric travel curiosities. awesome.

Day Dreaming

2009-06-11T23:17:00.012-04:00

XLR8R magazine just posted a most delightful, wonderful, special mix of music that I just feel compelled to speak about it! It was put together by Alfred and Laura Darlington, who I've never heard of, but boy do they know how to put together a playlist. The tracks are pretty straight forward but something about the way its all put together and floats above your head, it's just as the title implies very dreamy, ethereal, bright, lite. I don't know how to put it directly in this post so I'll just direct you to xlr8r or go to itunes.

The way god intended...

2009-06-09T14:59:00.003-04:00

Excellent commentary on general society's hypocrisy from the Daily Show.

Weave Brows

2009-06-02T22:33:00.001-04:00

"And just remember that when haters laugh and throw leaves at your worm brows it's just because they are JEALOUS!"

Franklin

2009-05-30T12:55:00.007-04:00

A friend of mine from way back, lives in Colorado and owns a ranch where she raises horses and donkeys. Being a city girl, I know nothing about such matters so I was excited to get a recent email from her documenting the birth of a new donkey named Franklin. Apparently Jaime had gone out to feed the animals right as this birth was happening, so she was there to witness and assist. She had to do a "umbilical dip" which entails putting iodine on the cord or else it will become infected and the animal will die. All of this is pretty interesting I think, as I've never witnessed a birth of any kind. I asked her to explain the process to me, so here is the story in her own words:

donkeys are unlike horses in that they are a more "wild-type". Basically, that means they will not physically show pain until the end is near. There are all manner of things that can go wrong with equines, but donkeys are more fit for survival in an un-domesticated environment (ie if they show pain, they are a target for predators). Horses have been so domesticated & selectively bred, that they are much more honest when it comes to showing pain.
When donkeys give birth they basically lie down, shoot the kid out & get it over-with as soon as possible. Again, it's the "wild-type", survival instinct sort of thing. Since the Jennet (mother) gets up right away (to protect the baby & save herself from potential predators smelling the grossness) the umbilical cord is broken. She still has the placenta inside her & will pass it as she is caring for the kid. Now, this is what's amazing. The kid was standing (wobbly) & the placenta was passed within 15 minutes. (I am assuming that's because the mother, Aimee, knew it was a safe environment.) I've heard stories about delayed birth that make me extremely nervous. So as soon as the kid gets up you have to be sure it nurses. The mothers milk has colostrum which contains antibodies & all manner of things that will help protect the baby & boost it's immune system.
The other thing I have to do which is a bit nasty, is check the placenta once it is passed. I have to make sure it is in one piece & has 2 horns & lalala.....If the placenta is retained, it can be managed in horses, but donkeys (especially Sicilians-what I have) are difficult, because they are so small. A retained placenta creates a toxic enviroment in the body which causes havoc systemically. It can cause inflammation in equines hooves resulting in a conditon called Founder. They can't stand or walk. It is horrifically painful. So you have to make sure of this nasty placenta business.
The iodine dip is necessary for domesticated animals. No matter how clean you keep a stall, run, or any kind of enclosure there will be bacteria. In the wild, the kid will have to be moving pretty quick & there will not be the concentration of urine, manure, or whatever else there is in the ground or bedding. So it should be safe from infection.

Music Blogs

2009-05-26T02:03:00.006-04:00

So I listen to/discover alot of new music through music blogs (and also EVR which I'll write more about when they finally upgrade their website ahem). One of the sites I've been to before, Tofu Hut, has just compiled the most extensive, comprehensive list of music blogs, categorized into genres, that I've ever run across. I recognized more than a few he's mentioned so I know he knows what he's talking about. I suggest checking it out. And then go to PEEL and download (buy) their application that let's you collect all the mp3s from these blogs (kinda like itunes) and you'll be good to go! Happy Discovering.

*and of course support the musicians!

Conquest of the Useless

2009-05-25T02:16:00.004-04:00

Harpers ran a short selection of journal writings written by Werner Herzog during the filming of Fitzcarraldo in 1982. Its an interesting, surreal perspective of life in the South American jungle, including an account of an albino turkey copulating with a beheaded duck. Check It Out.

Lay Down in the Light

2009-05-24T23:00:00.008-04:00

My friend Nicole bought tickets to the sold out Bonnie Prince Billy show this past wednesday for my birthday present. It was at Santos Party House and marked the first time I've ever seen Mr. Oldham live. He did not disappoint. Also the first time I've been to Santos which seems to be replacing the Knitting Factory in that neighborhood. They have a giant heart shaped disco ball suspended from the ceiling. I think the sound system could have been better, but it is a bar, not Lincoln Center. If anyone saw him the following night at the Apollo theatre I'd be interested to hear what that was like.

I couldn't find any video of his new york visit but this is a video from N. Dakota a couple months ago.

“Joy and woe are woven fine.”

2009-05-16T00:54:00.009-04:00

"Only with patience and tenderness might a person surrender his barbed armor for a softer shield. Perhaps in this, I thought, lies the key to the good life—not rules to follow, nor problems to avoid, but an engaged humility, an earnest acceptance of life’s pains and promises."

There's an interesting article in The Atlantic this week on happiness and the elusive search for it. Its not different than most articles on the subject in that it doesn't provide an answer (surprise) and there are alot of contradictions. The article is about a Harvard study which follows a group of men throughout their lives since the study's inception in 1937 until their deaths. Through the peaks and valleys, their lives are followed and meticulously recorded in an attempt to figure out what constitutes a happy productive life. The article is grey throughout without any definitive outcome, but its an interesting conversation about what life is and isn't, expectations, hopes, doubts, and disappointments and who navigates all this successfully (but what is success?) or not. and why or why not.
Its worth perusing.

Let's get ready to rumble!

2009-05-15T23:02:00.005-04:00

Saw a crazy kool interesting movie at MOMA last night, Gaea Girls, a documentary by Kim Longinotto. Filmed in 2000, its about professional female wrestling in Japan (at least one group) and it is no joke. These chicks are serious, and they don't mess around. Its like WWF, but real. The film centers on the training and new recruits of GAEA, a team from the professional wrestling world. It is shot almost entirely at their gym in rural Japan and the grueling training and lifestyle they live in order to achieve their dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. One of the main focuses is a young recruit, Saika Takeuchi. She tries once to pass the test to become accepted into the group and fails, miserably. She gets beaten and bloodied (think double footed sidekick to the mouth) and ultimately denied. She tries a second time and after another annihilation, is finally accepted. The founder of the group, is Chigusa Nagayo, a serious butch female and relentless, sadistic disciplinarian. She's an unapologetic abuser and is in fact proud of the way she treats "her girls". She views herself as their mother and tries to impart her philosophy of anger and revenge down to them. She was severely abused herself by a military father and has spent her life becoming tougher than him. And she is. I would go nowhere near a ring with that woman. The documentary is at turns funny, revolting, violent, and perplexing. This a glimpse of yet another fascinating aspect of Japanese culture.
(a more comprehensive summary.)

Watch GAEA GIRLS DOCUMENTARY in Educational | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Fight Club

2009-05-11T23:54:00.004-04:00

I encountered these birds outside my building. At first I thought they were mating, it is spring after all. But on closer inspection I think they were having a vicious fight! They were rolling around and making squawking noises, I was standing really close and they didn't seem to care. As you can see from the pix they had their claws on each others faces and legs. They'd roll around and then get tired and just lay there. I watched them awhile and then got tired myself and moved on. I wonder what they were fighting about?

Cafe Disco

2009-05-10T02:51:00.006-04:00

This week's episode of The Office was so much fun. Michael turned his former office/closet space into a disco cafe where workers can take a break and dance and drink espresso. This is a great idea! Someone should seriously turn this into a business. I would love to go somewhere on my lunch break and dance and drink espresso, fun!

The Limits of Control

2009-05-10T00:39:00.009-04:00

So, I had no idea Jim Jarmusch had a new movie out. I went to the theatre tonight resigned to see just about anything because I just felt like sitting in a movie and the only one playing around the time I was there was The Limits of Control. Let me see what this is about I thought. I read the little blurb....from acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch.... that's as far as I got. Holy shit. So of course I bought a ticket amazed it wasn't sold out or there wasn't a line. The theatre was pretty empty actually. Until a woman and a man came in late and of course had to sit next to me. As the movie was playing the woman had to rustle through her plastic bag, and not being able to find what she wanted, she felt free to rustle away till she found her chips or whatever food she had to eat. Then was drinking out of a glass bottle that she proceeded to drop, luckily it didn't break but it made some nice loud clinking and banging sounds on the way down, and then finally as all this activity exhausted her, she feel asleep and was audibly snoring. The man never bothered to nudge her awake. So yeah. Oh, how was the movie? Eh. There was very little dialogue, very little action. Alot of silence and long film shots (cinematography by Christopher Doyle). It seems almost Lynchian except without the anxiety and neuroses. Perhaps I wasn't in the right frame of mind and will like it better on second watching, but this seems self indulgent and lacking some of the raw energy of some of his other movies. I don't like all of his movies after all (re: Dead Man, Coffee and Cigarettes) so this might be added to the list. The title is borrowed from a William Burroughs essay but has nothing to do with the movie's content. The film centers on The Lone Man, a calculated, controlled killer who is never distracted from his mission. The camera follows him the whole movie while he meets various connections to collect obscure, cryptic clues. The viewer remains in the dark throughout. We're supposed to focus on the "characters" and music and panning film shots but I don't think its interesting enough to sustain attention. At least for me tonight. I should probably give it a second watch before officially giving it thumbs down.

It exercises your brain, and makes it smell like rubber.

2009-05-06T23:58:00.009-04:00

I ran across this documentary, The Rain Man Twins, and find it fascinating. Its about Flo and Kay, the world's only female, identical twin, autistic savants. They can remember every single thing that has ever happened to them in their entire lives and are particularly genius w/music, dates and math. They grew up in unfavorable conditions shrouded in misunderstanding and ignorance. Only after their parents died and a younger sister took them in did they really get to experience the world (and be discovered by it) and thrive. They've been obsessed with Dick Clark since the first time they saw him on tv and consider him their savior and substitute father. Amazingly Dick Clark calls them every year on their birthday. Which, I think, is an incredibly touching gesture. In a way they are really lucky to be twins as they can keep each other company and are able to share their perspective and experiences with each other. I imagine, its a little less lonely considering they are the only people in the world with their characteristics.

Survival Guide

2009-04-25T10:57:00.007-04:00

So, my family is coming to New York to visit me and I've been looking up stuff do, when I ran across this. Its from an old article, but I thought it was pretty funny.

Amy Poehler’s 8 Simple Rules
For being a civilized New Yorker.

1. Be nice to everyone, especially people wearing hospital bracelets.
2. Don’t ask white girls if they “left their ass at home.”
3. If you have to bring your baby to a movie, make sure he laughs at appropriate times.
4. Don’t eat Cheetos and then sit down at a fancy hotel piano.
5. If you are in Central Park and think you are getting mugged, first check to see if maybe you’re just part of a student film.
6. If you see Oprah at a fancy function, don’t grab her wrist and ask for money. Quietly sneak up behind her and whisper, “You give me that money, Oprah. You hear me?”
7. When walking on a New York street, try not to spit, litter, bleed, or take a crap.
8. If you need to do any of these things, try to do it between two parked cars.

Musical notes do not have meanings like words do.

2009-04-25T00:15:00.005-04:00

Harper's ran a 6 page article on John Zorn.

In a witch hunt, the witches have feelings, too.

2009-04-24T22:49:00.005-04:00

HERE is a scathing, well written critique about New York Magazine and its accused money culture. More specifically their headline article this week about how mad bankers are that they're not making as much money and therefore we should have sympathy for them. I read New York Magazine (get it for free) but I didn't read this particular article, precisely because I'm burned out on bank and money talk and could care less about these people or their culture. (There is an excellent article about Dolly Parton though.) The critique, written by former staff member Chris Lehmann, brings up alot of good points about said people/culture as well as dishing some dirt on his former employer, bold move.

Like watching the 700 club and the Weather Channel at the same time

2009-04-20T23:07:00.006-04:00

The Colbert Report is one of my favorite tv shows. I regularly watch it on Hulu since I don't have cable. They aired this spoof last week that I think is hilarious and spot on. Its making fun of a real tv ad that used paid actors and ultra cheesy nonsensical dialogue to pose an opposition to gay marriage. Colbert's take on it brilliantly shows off their talent for satire.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The Colbert Coalition's Anti-Gay Marriage Ad

colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

NASA Name Contest

Central Park

2009-04-16T01:46:00.004-04:00

The bursts of color popping up over the grey city is infectious.

A homeless woman was telling me to watch out for her raccoon. Then she said to the raccoon, "stay there sweetie, I'm going to go get you a chocolate bar, actually stay right there, I'm going to get you a sandwich. don't go anywhere....."

I think this goose was sick. poor goose. he seemed sad.

Then & Now

2009-04-15T00:53:00.008-04:00

New York Magazine has an interesting article this week about what the island of Manhattan used to look like back when it was still, you know, natural. They have 2 great pictures juxtaposed each other, one how the city looks today and the other a computer simulation of what it used to look like when the Lenape "the real people" used to live here. I keep staring at the two photos side by side trying to grasp this concept. I wish I could go back in time and see the island as it originally was. According to the article

"there were more ecological communities per acre than Yellowstone, more native plant species per acre than Yosemite"

Pretty amazing to think about. and look at it now. kinda sad, but inevitable I guess. I wonder what it is about this little stretch of land that has drawn man to it since it was shaped by glaciers 14,000 yrs ago? The whole raison d'etre for the short article was to promote an upcoming exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York opening in May about this very topic. I am surely going to check it out.

Gloomy Tuesday

2009-04-15T00:41:00.006-04:00

wet, cold, spring day here in new york. but I managed to have some fun on my lunch break today.

relief

2009-04-11T22:18:00.003-04:00

I went for a much needed massage today. My neck and shoulders have been uncomfortably tight and stiff. My massage therapist, who I've been going to for about 3yrs now, took good care of me. I completely trust her and she knows what she's doing. There is a world of difference between getting a massage from any generic place and getting a massage with a licensed therapist. I've experienced both and they can't even be considered the same really. During a generic massage they randomly knead your flesh like ground meat and just squeeze and rub. Its painful and totally ineffective. A licensed therapist on the other hand, uses multiple techniques, pressure points, is focused, and productive. I had two hard knots in my back by my shoulder blades (due to my poor posture at the computer which I constantly sit in front of) she applied strong pressure on certain points of my back and shoulders along with general swedish massage strokes. I left feeling lighter and looser. Sometimes I get massage for depression, which is a whole different set of points and techniques, and when I leave I feel like I'm high. I have to keep reminding myself I'm completely sober! I find massage and acupressure (and acupuncture) to be amazing things and highly recommend to anyone, even if its just for a general tune-up.

i heart Guy Bourdin

2009-04-06T00:46:00.003-04:00

I absolutely lurve the photography of Guy Bourdin. Famous for his fashion photos from the 60's thru the 80's, his sense of composition is impeccable. He has a very graphic sensibility and uses color and light to its full, heightened effect. I think its accurate to say his work is surrealist (in fact he was a protege of Man Ray) with underlying sadistic sexual desires. Looking at his fashion photography I always thought he over exaggerated the objectification of women to make a point against the fashion industry, taking it to such extremes as to point out the absurdity of it all. But the more I read, the more it seems this was personal, coming directly from his life and own misogyny than some statement about the fashion industry. But he was very private and guarded about himself so much of his reputation is shrouded in mystery and based on speculation. Credit is owed to French Vogue for giving him absolute freedom, and daring to run these pictures in a mainstream magazine. "In his introduction to ''Exhibit A,'' Luc Sante writes, 'For Bourdin, beauty never appeared without its accomplices death, filth and laughter.'" But apart from his personal issues, it is the sheer beauty and genius of these photos that take my breath away. I can stare at one photo just soaking it in and marveling at the composition, color, light, and mischievous deviance of it all.

Jumping off the margins of the map

2009-04-04T20:36:00.011-04:00

I recently watched the movie Encounters at the End of the World, by great German film director Werner Herzog. I think this is so far my favorite film by him. The cinematography is spectacular and the subject matter is engrossing, and of course you get the unusual characters and engaging voiceover by Herzog. He got the idea to go down to Antarctica after seeing film footage shot by Henry Kaiser (who is also a guitarist and just put out a new experimental noise cd with Weasel Walter of all people!) Herzog was stunned by the footage he saw, rightly so, and applied for a grant to go down and shoot film himself and the result is Encounters. The DVD is also rich with extra features including really interesting behind-the-scenes commentary by Herzog and Kaiser. Herzog became more known to American audiences recently with Grizzly Man, the film made of found footage from Timothy Treadwell's bizarre life (and death) with Alaskan brown bears accompanied by Herzog's occasional voice over narration. Up until then Herzog was mainly an underground art house darling little seen outside of Germany and mostly shot films with the notorious actor Klaus Kinski, who Werner immortalizes in the film My Best Fiend. But Herzog's most mainstream release to date was Rescue Dawn w/Christian Bale and his famous emaciated performance (which is excellent btw). Its actually a film based on another of Werner's films, Little Dieter Needs to Fly. Given its major star and visual effects, this is the most "hollywood" movie Herzog has made. I've just now read though, that he's re-making Abel Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant with Nicholas Cage to be filmed in New Orleans. What?! Does anyone know if this is true? Anyway, for the time being, if you haven't seen Encounters, its worth watching!

I have no words

2009-04-04T20:26:00.004-04:00

none.

Don't call it a comeback

2009-03-26T00:53:00.009-04:00

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.

2009-03-23T01:19:00.011-04:00

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.

2009-03-22T23:02:00.011-04:00

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

2009-03-22T22:55:00.003-04:00

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.