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Thursday, December 29, 2005
End of the year meme
OK, so there's this little meme going around where you take the first lines from the first post over the past year. I like the idea of looking back over the past year, so I'm going to do it. Here they are--the first lines of the past year, more or less.
January So. It's been a while since I updated. Come... sit... read... I'll update you on past activities. February I just thought I'd share a picture of the love of my life with my readers. March Now, let it be known throughout the land that I don't really care for Halle Berry. April It's Spring again, which means that I'm May I saw The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy on Friday. June The biggest news of the day: We know who Deep Throat is. July Today you get Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, which is usually called the "Pathetique." (That's pathetic in terms of "suffering," not in terms of "pitiful.") August Where did the weekend go? September Candy makers everywhere take note: while masturbation may effectively banish sexual desire, manual stimulation does not satisfy when it comes to food. October I was listening to NPR on the drive to work this morning, as usual. They were playing November Yesterday was Halloween, as I'm sure you all noticed. December I haven't posted anything personal in a while. (Afraid of Intimacy, table for one?)
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
...and God bless us, every one.
Christmas is over, thankfully. Not that I didn't have fun, but there is a limit to the amount of merry-making that I can tolerate.
Lots of amusing, blog-worthy things happened while I was out, but I'm very tired this morning and I don't feel like posting much. So I'm going to recap what happened quickly, for posterity's sake. Christmas Eve was spent with Jason's immediate family. A good time was had by all, particularly since Jay's brother-in-law had a bottle of gin completely dedicated to Jason and myself. Christmas day, I cooked like a mad man and had my family over for dinner. The highlight of the evening was discussing porno films with my mother, who was on her fourth Kahlua and cream by that time. I am not joking. The day after Christmas (Boxing Day), Jay and I drove to Adrian (a little town about half-way to Ohio) to see his mother's family. I had not met all of his cousins until this point in our relationship. And now, I can safely say that I'm OK never seeing them again. It's not that they were overtly rude (although some of them were), it's more that I dislike large crowds. I found myself weighing the enjoyment that comes from making everyone else in the room uncomfortable, and my dislike for large family gatherings in which I am the Unwelcome Sodomite. There were actually moments during which I could hear people whispering to one another, "How are we going to explain this to the children?" and "It's a good thing Grandma isn't alive to see this." I must admit, this filled me with a wicked sort of glee. (Note: For an equally snarky post about my family, go here.) Looking to the future, Jay's cousin is getting married on New Year's Eve, for some stupid reason. (Note for clarity: I understand why they are getting married; I don't understand why they chose to inflict their Heterosexual Privilege Ceremony on the rest of the family on the biggest party night of the year.) We are going to the ceremony, but not the reception, which seems like a good compromise. (Jay's brother-in-law asked me why we had decided not to attend the reception. I had a few drinks in me, and replied honestly: "Because we have better plans." He laughed and nodded, which means, in the shared language of in-laws, "I envy you." )
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Links
The funniest thing I've seen all week: CNN commentator explores the connection between Santa and Al Qaeda, and justifies the "War on Christmas". (The clip goes downhill from there, so feel free to close it early.)
Someone has offered Festivus poles for sale. Two students at the University of Michigan bring Pac Man to life. According to this story, Stalin attempted to cross apes with humans to breed a Super Soldier. Sounds a little too Lord of the Rings for me to believe it completely.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Review of New Candy  According to a Hershey's press release, Jay Cooper (Hershey's Vice President of Chocolate) says about the new Kissables: "They're just plain fun-able." I wish I had been at this press conference, because I would have risen up on my hind legs and asked, "Excuse me, Mr Candy Maker, but what the hell does 'fun-able' mean? And, if I can ask a follow-up question, why isn't Hershey's marketing candy by saying that it tastes good?" Since Mr. Cooper is unlikely to answer my questions, let me answer them myself. First, "fun-able" is not a word. And it doesn't bode well that the candy maker from Pennsylvania is making up words; it's hard to imagine Godiva of Ghirardelli making new words to market their chocolate. Second, Hershey's isn't marketing this candy based on its taste because... well, there's nothing new or interesting in regards to taste here. The little candies are obviously an attempt to compete with M&Ms. But Kissables don't taste like M&Ms--instead, they taste almost exactly like Cadbury's mini-eggs, a product traditionally available at Easter time. Cadbury is owned by Hershey's, so I can't help but wonder if this is an attempt to take an already popular candy and increase Hershey's sales. I really don't blame Hershey's for that. I think that the Kissables are slightly too sweet, which I think could be easily corrected by using darker chocolate to compensate for the sweetness of the candy coating. (Of course, Hershey's won't correct this, but hey--I have to keep my clinical skills fresh.) Other than that, I found them enjoyable.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Language
Sometimes, when I am in session with a client, I can tell that the client has been in therapy before. Therapists have a unique language; sometimes a client will say something that could only have come from another therapist.
For example, only therapists will ask "What does that look like?" when talking about emotions or behaviors. Client: I'm going to have to come to terms with this problem, but I don't know what that looks like. Therapist: OK. Have you ever addressed this in therapy before? No one ever talks about "transference" who hasn't been in therapy before, either. Client: I realized that I'm angry at my boss because I'm transfering feelings about my father onto him. Therapist: I see. Can you tell me more about that? And most people don't talk about the dangers of applying the words "must" and "should" to themselves, either. Client: I know, I know... I shouldn't must-erbate. Wait... I just used the word "should"... I'm trying to learn how not to should on my self, either. Therapist: And how long were you in therapy before? Anyway, I just thought I'd share that. Speaking of languages, I found an old English-German phrase book when I was cleaning out the basement last weekend. I thought I'd share some of the more choice entries with you. Actual Phrases found in my "English-German Phrase Book for Travelers" Identity card, please. Personalausweis, bitte. (PEHR-zon-al-os-vize, BIT-teh) I haven't done anything wrong. Ich habe nichts getan. (ish HAH-buh nikhts ge-TAHN) Where are you taking me? Wohin bringen Sie mich? (VOH-hin BRING-en zee mikh?) Don't touch me! Fass / Fassen Sie mich nicht an! (FAHS(-un zee) mikh nikht AHN!) Fuck You! Arschloch! (Arsh-lokh) Taxi! Taxi! (TAHK-see)
Monday, December 19, 2005
Texas? Only steers and queers come from Texas...
...and I don't see no horns on you.
 So Jay and I saw Brokeback Mountain on Saturday. [+/-] Brokeback spoilers are under the cut...Unless you've had your head under a rock for the last six months, you know that Brokeback Mountain is the story of two cowboys who fall in love while herding sheep in Wyoming. I expected that this would be a story about sexual confusion, frustration, and unrequited love. I was wrong--this is a story about love and loss. (Think Titanic for queers.) The movie shows the love between the two men in a very realistic way; they struggle with wanting to touch one another and yet feeling disgust and loathing at what they are doing. They alternate between gently caressing each other and exchanging punches, yet the characters' actions never feel forced or contrived. Of course, you know that this isn't going to end well. The movie begins in 1963 and ends in 1982, so you keep hoping that they will run away together and live happily ever after in San Francisco. Instead, Jake Gyllenhaal's character dies--beaten to death, in fact. Part of me was angry at the stereotypical way that the movie dealt with Gyllenhaal's death. Jason and I joked that one of the characters would either die of AIDS or be killed by gay bashers. This part of the story is depressingly formulaic. However, the movie goes on to describe how Heath Ledger's character copes with the loss. The scenes which follow are the most beautiful portrayal of painful loss that I have ever seen. The movie theatre was packed with people, but you could have heard a pin drop as Heath Ledger cries into Gyllenhaal's old shirt.  Surprisingly, I didn't cry. But I haven't been able to shake the feelings that the movie stirred up. The tag line on the movie posters is "Love is a force of nature." Brokeback shows us that, like a thunder storm, love is powerful and dangerous--and humans are all too fragile. I highly recommend Brokeback Mountain; for once, a movie lives up to its own hype. In other news, I changed the layout of my blog slightly. I changed from Internet Explorer to Firefox and found that my blog didn't display as I had intended. I hope the changes I made will resolve the problem. If anyone else is having trouble seeing the blog, please e-mail me at the address on the right. (Click where it says, "Tell me about your mother.")
Friday, December 16, 2005
Friday culture and a hot guy [+/-] Culture under the cut... On December 16, in 1770, Ludwig van Beethoven was born. (Well, he was baptized on December 17, so we assume he was born on December 16. But this is close enough.) Beethoven's father was, by most accounts, a cruel and demanding man. Beethoven showed talent early in life, and his father encouraged his talent by forcing his son to perform for friends under extreme circumstances--like while having his father burn his hands with cigarettes. Beethoven was supposed to study under Mozart; Beethoven's mother became ill, however, and while Beethoven was visiting her in Bonn, Mozart died. However, Mozart did remark, upon hearing Beethoven play, "This boy will give the world something to listen to." In 1798 Beethoven began to lose his hearing. He became increasingly reclusive and eccentric. By 1820 he was completely deaf; amazingly some of his most sublime works were written after that date. He died in 1827, and more than 30,000 people crowded the streets at his funeral. Listen to Fritz Steingger play the Rondo from the Pathetique Sonata. Also, Sean Bennett plays the third movement of his Appassionata Sonata. Today's hottie is Evan Karagas, a former pro wrestler turned actor and model. He's pretty.   
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Random act of kindness
OK, I'm starting something.
Why? Because I'm feeling generous this year, and random, and I want to see if I can actually start something. I'm going to give a Christmas gift to someone on my blogroll randomly. And I encourage others to do the same. So, I numbered my blogroll (There are exactly 50 blogs under the heading "Remember what Sartre said about other people?" How wierd is that?), and then I headed over to The Random Number Generator. I told it to select 10 numbers between 1 and 50. The first few blogs that the number generator choose didn't have wishlists. (I'm kind of glad that I don't have to send something to OhLaLaParis, since that would be shipping overseas; and I bet the boys at Wayward Puppy are kicking themselves that they didn't ask random strangers for kindness; and my friend Carrie is already going to get a Christmas gift, so I ignored it when her number came up.) But the power of Randomness is great, and eventually I found a wishlist. I choose the first item which I thought was a reasonable price, and sent it. Paid for gift-wrapping and everything. Who was the lucky blogger? Well, I'm not going to reveal that. Let's see if the person comes forward. Merry Christmas, boys and girls.
Hey there
I didn't blog yesterday, because I don't blog when I'm out of the office. I took the day off, and had a very productive day. Go me.
In the news, Dunner tipped me off to a list of the 50 most gay-friendly cities in the country. I would like to point out that the only city from Michigan on that list is... (drum roll)... Ferndale. Take that, Ann Arbor! In other Ferndale News, last week was the Holiday Ice Festival, so downtown is filled with ice sculptures. I love my hometown. I know. Kind of dull, huh? I'll make it up to you tomorrow. Probably.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Movie review: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Jay and I saw The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe on Saturday night.
Like many, I read the C.S. Lewis novels when I was a child, and I loved them. I was quite the devout little Southern Baptist when I was younger (Oh, how I have backslid since then!), and I ate up the Christian symbolism which seems a bit heavy-handed to me now. The Narnia stories were a part of my childhood. That is why I wanted so much to like this movie. But, unfortunately, I didn't. The movie is faithful to the book--which, ironically, is exactly why I didn't like it. It turns out that, as an adult, I find the behavior of the children in Narnia very peculiar. They don't act like real children; they are idealized, overly-wholesome versions(1) of what children actually are. The four main characters don't come across as real people; and in a story in which one finds talking lions and magic closets, it is essential that the humans be believable. The resulting movie feels stilted. And then there's the Christian symbolism, which is impossible for any person with even a passing familiarity with Western culture to ignore. The symbolism in the book is heavy-handed, as I stated earlier. When translated into a film, it just gets more intrusive. It's not that the movie is aggressively trying to win converts; its more that the spirit of the movie is so out of character with the allegory that the viewer is unpleasantly surprised when the movie takes a Christian turn. The effect is akin to finding a spider in your shoe.(2) The Christian Right has latched onto this movie like a social worker onto a baby. They find parallels between the evil White Witch and the supposed liberal movement to replace "Christmas" with "Secular Holiday Celebration," which is the particular bugaboo they think is lurking under their collective bed this week. I plan on playing into this little game completely, and so this is the  Anyway, go see The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe if you want. It's not terrible. Just be aware that this is no Harry Potter; it's OK for children, but a bit dull and preachy for adults. In closing, I give you a snippet of the review of the movie from The New Yorker, which was just too funny not to share. (3)
-- 1) As if The Bobbsey Twins were made British. 2) Even so, taking the Christianity out of Narnia would be like taking the strings of a violin. Oddly, that is exactly what might happen. HarperCollins plans on producing new Narnia stories, without Aslan the Lion. Would you like a side of hubris with your avarice? 3) Despite this little barb, The New Yorker gave a favorable review.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Friday culture and hotties [+/-] Culture is under the cut...Rita Dove was Poet Laureate of the United States from 1993 to 1995. She is currently Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia. She's won several awards, including the 2001 Duke Ellington Lifetime Achievement Award and the 1987 Pulitzer Prize in poetry. Here are two of her poems. Fox Trot Fridays Thank the stars there's a day each week to tuck in the grief, lift your pearls, and stride brush stride quick-quick with a heel-ball-toe. Smooth as Nat King Cole's slow satin smile, easy as taking one day at a time: one man and one woman, rib to rib, with no heartbreak in sight— just the sweep of Paradise and the space of a song to count all the wonders in it. American Smooth We were dancing — it must have been a foxtrot or a waltz, something romantic but requiring restraint, rise and fall, precise execution as we moved into the next song without stopping, two chests heaving above a seven-league stride — such perfect agony one learns to smile through, ecstatlc mimicry being the sine qua non of American Smooth. And because I was distracted by the effort of keeping my frame (the leftward lean, head turned just enough to gaze out past your ear and always smiling, smiling), I didn't notice how still you'd become until we had done it (for two measures? four?) — achieved flight, that swift and serene magnificence, before the earth remembered who we were and brought us down. I couldn't choose just one... so here are a few of the hotties from The Gauntlet 2.    
Thursday, December 08, 2005
I could be reading the classics or organizing vegan potlucks... but I'm watching TV instead.
First, I have to confess that I had been slapping my arm like a junkie knowing that Real World Versus Road Rules "The Gauntlet 2" was coming up. I should know better, but just I can't get enough of this shit. Take all the little drama queens that you remember, make the do random shit for money... and magic happens. I saw the preview for this season's show, and let me say that it you are not watching it, you might want to start. Let me give you two good reasons why:
 The other broadcast that is sucking my life away is Project Runway, season two. The first Project Runway was very, very cool. Again, you've got your crazy drama and your insane contests ("Design an evening gown using trees, spit, and chewing gum"). What makes Project Runway so cool is that these people are actually pretty talented. I'm waiting for the rest of the season with bated breath. 
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
I feel like I've been taking crazy pills.
As if you needed another reason not to buy a Ford. I'm sure that you all have heard that Ford Motor Company agreed to pull ads from gay-themed publications, officially as a way to cut costs, but likely as a result of the boycott from the American Family Association. (I sent an e-mail to Ford earlier this year about this...remember?) I'm not surprised that Ford took this step--the truth is that the automaker has a long history of bigotry.
So, somehow, when I heard about Ford's financial problems, I can't bring myself to feel sorry. (Yes, I am aware that the people who will be laid off are not the people who make these kinds of decisions, but still. I'm sure I'll be more sympathetic as the weeks go by, but for today, I'm an asshole.) In other (right)Wing Nut news, Michael Reagan calling for Howard Dean to be executed. Dean's crime? Speaking out about the Iraq war. Reagan called Dean's speech "treason." Hearing Michael Reagan--the son of Ronald Reagan--call Dean's criticism of the war "treason" makes me think that I've fallen into some kind of crazy parallel universe. Ronald Reagan, for the record, sold weapons to Iran, so that Iran could bomb Iraq, and then took the proceeds from that sale and funded an insurrection in Central America--an action that Congress had specifically forbidden. All the while the Reagan administration was secretly funding and supporting Iraq against Iran, and encouraging Iraq to step up the war. Oh yeah, play both sides of a war for profit and they name an airport after you... but say that it's unlikely that America will actually achieve victory in Iraq--that's a crime punishable by death. I have to go now. I feel faint. But I'll leave you with this:  Yes, that's Donald Rumsfeld, who was the special envoy of Ronald Reagan, shaking hands with Saddam Hussein in 1982. And, if you're paying attention, you will remember that Saddam Hussein is currently on trial for crimes against humanity committed in that same year. Hey, Mr. Rumsfield--did he get blood on your hands?
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Links
What's a Frappr, you say? Well, it's this little map (that I discovered thanks to Chip) that lets you see where everyone who reads your blog lives. Go over and add yourself to my Frappr... it will take all of 3 seconds. Go do it now.
Links: A collection of media from World War I. Check out the "Vintage Audio" mp3 files... very cool.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Holiday Chocolate Guide
A couple of readers of this blog have asked for recommendations on the subject of excellent chocolate. I don't want to disappoint them; plus, I do love talking about chocolate. So, I'm going to give my opinion on the best buys for chocolate. I'm calling it a "Holiday Chocolate Guide" because it's near the holidays--and who wouldn't love to receive a gift of chocolate?
I'm going to focus on mass-market chocolate. That means that you will be able to find these confections without too much hard work. Here they are: The best chocolate candies, ranked from best to worst. 1) Lindt Excellence Bar  This is, in my opinion, the best mass-market chocolate bar out there. Lindt, whose full name is "Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli," is a Swiss company that has been making some of the best chocolate in the world since the mid-1800's. In general, you can't go wrong with Lindt--however, I advise that you stay away from their "Lindor Truffles," which aren't as well made as the rest of the company's offerings. The Excellence Bar comes in three varieties: milk chocolate, 70% cocao and 85% cocao. I recommend that you steer clear of the milk chocolate and go with the 70% cocao. If you have serious chocolate conniseurs on your list, go ahead and give them the 85% cocao bar. But for most people, anything more than about 75% cacao tastes a little too bitter. (For the record, the percent refers to the ration of cocao to sugar in the candy. 70% cocao is therefore 7 parts cacao, 3 parts sugar. Obviously, the more sugar in the chocolate, the sweeter it will be. The cocao portion of the chocolate is made of up cocoa solids and cocoa butter, and this ratio is also variable. More cocoa butter makes for smoother chocolate, but more solids makes for a stronger chocolate taste. Different manufacturers will have different ratios.) 2. Dagoba Organic Dark 59% Bar  Dagoba is a new company, founded in 2001 and based in Oregon, and their chocolate has already won several awards. Dagoba is also easy on the conscience, as the beans are organically grown with a sensitivity to biodiversity. But this chocolate isn't noteworthy just because it's eco-friendly; Dagoba is excellent. It has a complex flavor--spicy and mellow at the same time, with a wonderful aftertaste. The bars are crisp and smooth to the touch as well. Dagoba makes a range of fantastic chocolate, and everything I've had from them is quality. I'm recommending the Dark 59% bar as a wonderful all-purpose gift. If you have a serious chocoloate lover on your list, consider giving my personal favorite, Dagoba's Eclipse bar, which boasts an amazing 87% cocoa content. But be warned that 87% cocoa isn't for the faint of heart--all but the most dedicated chocoloate lover will think it tastes like baking chocolate. Other note-worthy products from this company are the Lavander bar (Lavander and chocolate is a surprisingly refreshing combination), the Roseberry (made with raspberries and rosehips) and the Xocolatl (which is 74% cocao, chilies and nutmeg). 3. Godiva Gold Ballotin  Godiva is what most people think of when they think of fine chocolate, and for good reason. For a brief period in the 90's the quality slipped a little, and Godiva fell out of favor with Those Who Know Chocolate. Now, however, the company has gone back to making consistently excellent products, and it's OK to like Godiva again. Want to really impress your friends? Pronounce the name properly properly: Say it as "Go" (as in "Do not pass Go") and "Diva" (as in "Maria Callas"). Godiva is a Belgian company, and the Belgians have been making the best chocolate in the world for centuries. Godiva hand-makes most of their chocolate, and the result is full-flavored without being too heavy. Godiva makes everything from chocolate-dipped strawberries to hot cocoa. I recommend that you go with the iconic Gold Ballotin Box, or hand select assortment of truffles. The Godiva chocolate bars are also quite good. However, the chocolatier from Brussels really excells at truffles. The chocolate shells are crisp, the fillings are perfect, and the shapes are eye-catching. 4. Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Bar  Dispite the foreign-sounding name, Ghirardelli is an American company. Founded in the late 1800's, Ghirardelli makes a big deal about using a different roasting process for their chocolate. I'm a little skeptical: I'm more interested in cocoa percentages than in roasting procedures, personally. And on that front the Ghirardelli Dark doesn't dissapoint, weighing in with a hefty 60% cocoa content. Not as much as some of the other bars mentioned above, but that's OK--the Ghirardelli Dark might be a better choice for the people on your list who like their chocolate a little sweeter. (By the way--Ghirardelli is actually owned by Lindt, but the facilities are separate, so the chocolate is noticably different.) I'm recommending the Dark Chocolate Bar, but the truth is that any of the candy that Ghirardelli makes is good. They also makes those lovely little individually-wrapped squares that you've probably seen at your local Border's--a box of these would make a nice present as well. Oh, and if you have any baking to do this holiday seasion, it is worth noting that the Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa Bittersweet chocolate chips are the best that you will find without going to a specialty store. 5. Neuhaus Classic Collection  Another Belgian company, Neuhaus was founded around the same time as Godiva, in 1857. Neuhaus is a little harder to find than the previously listed candies; it is available at Neiman-Marcus and Macy's. Much ado is made about Neuhaus--and those who like it will sing the praises of the green and gold boxes for hours. Personally, I find that Neuhaus leaves a small, but still noticable sticky aftertaste that I don't much like. Additionally, the choice of fillings is often old-fashioned. (By which I mean that 50% of the assortment will have hazelnut in it somewhere.) But even so, the chocolate is high-quality and satisfying. I would rather receive Godiva than Neuhaus, and since the two are priced similiarly, my recomendation would be to go with Godiva. However, there are many people who disagree with me, and if you have a chocoholic on your list who is looking for something different, Neuhaus might be the ticket. 6. Frango Spoonerbridge Cherry  I wasn't going to include Frango on my list, mostly because it isn't as widely available as the others: If you don't have a Marshall Field's near you, then you probably don't recognize this company. Frango was founded in 1918 in Seattle, but it was quickly purchased by Marshal Field's and moved to Chicago. Personally, I prefer dark chocolate bars and truffles, and this list reflects that. But this would be my number one pick for lovers of milk chocolate confections. Frango's recipe is a secret, so we can't talk about cocao content here. Frango's claim to fame is it's texture. The candies consist of a firm chocolate shell filled with a velvety chocolate filling--it is reminiscent of a very smooth fudge. The most popular flavor of Frango is mint; take my advice and skip it. Instead, go with the Spoonbridge Cherry. When it first was debuted, this candy was named after the Mackinac bridge in Michigan. Whatever the name, the candy in the blue box is good. Chocolate and cherries are a very common combination; Frango's version is a refreshing new take on the old classic. And, as a public service, I'm going to give a list of the worst chocolates out there. These are the chocolates to avoid, listed from worst to less bad: 1) Russel-Stover/Whitman's/Pangburn's  These are all the same companies, and the chocolate all tastes gritty. Additionally, the chocolate confections are usually overly sweet and leave a sticky aftertaste. 2) Brach's  Ugh. Consistently bad, greasy chocolate. Don't give this to anyone you love. If case you're interested, Brach's is owned by Barry Callebaut, a Swiss corporation that once made better chocolate than it does now. How the mighty have fallen. 3. Fannie May  This is the kind of chocolate you would eat if you wore pearls while you vacuumed and called your daughter "Kitten." This is the kind of chocolate you bring to a bridal shower in 1961. This is the kind of chocolate that you eat if you think that pizza is Italian food. If you like Ike, you'll love Fannie May. In other words, this company is a relic from another age, and it shows. Once (reportedly) a great candy maker, Fannie May's candies are overly sweet and overly fussy by today's standards.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Friday culture and a hot guy [+/-] See it...Chuck Close is an American photorealistic painter. "Photorealism" is pretty much what it sounds like--something which is like a photograph in its representation of reality. Close is known for his large portraits, which he creates by deconstructing and re-imagining photographs of his subjects. Close became a quadriplegic in 1988, continuing to paint by holding the brush between his teeth. Since then he has regained some movement, and now he paints with a brush strapped to his arm. Here are some of his works.  Maggie  Self-Portrait  Here is Close at work.  Nancy Today's hottie is Cael Sanderson. Sanderson was a wrestler for Iowa State University from 1997 until 2002, where he earned all kinds of honors and titles. Sanderson also won the Gold in the 2004 Olympics. He's featured here because of the wide smile he wears while beating his opponents. Very hot.   
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Thursday indeed
I haven't posted anything personal in a while. (Afraid of Intimacy, table for one?) There's just very little to post. I go home from work, I sit on the couch, and I read or I watch TV.
I just finished reading Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman. Neverwhere is the story of Richard Mayhew, a young businessman in London who falls into an alternative reality. The book parallels Paradise Lost and The Wizard of Oz in a post-modern and humorous way. I highly recommend it. And I'm getting in touch with my inner child, who happens to be a 13-year-old girl, by watching Veronica Mars. (I'm such a dork--I could hardly wait to download the alternative ending from last night's episode.) I love this show. It's kind of Nancy-Drew-meets-Melrose-Place. It requires some suspension of disbelief, but it's easy to see why Joss Whedon, the King of Cult TV, called it Best. Show. Ever.. Plus... well, the male leads are hot. And that counts for a lot in my book. In other news, everyone has heard Marguerite Perrin, the God Warrior from Trading Spouses, do her little freak-out by now... that's old news. But have you heard the God Warrior club re-mix? |
