New Found Duct Tape R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

Wanna help a high schooler win a $3000 college scholarship? Vote here for your FAVORITE prom outfits MADE OUT OF DUCT TAPE! Who woulda thought duct tape would come in so many colors? I was TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY by the creativity and talent of all the contestants and how game they were for wearing their DTs to prom. There were over 200 entries! I showcased my faves below. I especially loved the ones with a theme. Entry #252 got my vote. Which one has yours? Last day to vote is July 2nd. [Update: Peacock Costume below won 1st place.]

Vote for #252!

BRING IT!

4th of July Plans & Lessons Learned, etc.

week-end is fast approaching and unlike past Independance Day celebrations, I'll be doing the local scene instead of hitting the road. Should prove to be a fun-packed holiday week-end! A formal gala at the US Embassy on Thursday. Picnic and fireworks show on Friday. Red,White, & Blue margarita PAR-taaaay on Saturday. Rooftop BBQ on Sunday. And on Monday!!!!!!! The "Broadway Musical Review" will be at the Cairo Opera House performing popular musical excerpts from "Grease" and "West Side Story". Whew! I'm already tired. LoL. So, what are your plans?

LESSONS LEARNED:

As I close this, I'd like to share with you valuable lessons learned that I gleamed from past Independence Day week-ends gone awry: 1) When applying sunblock, don't forget your feet! Nothing's worse than having to put on shoes on puffy blistered Fred Flintstone feetages. 2) Do not play in the ocean right after sucking down chili dogs and cherry koolaid. Unless of course, you like the color red. 3) When admiring fireworks, do not sit directly under them as they come raining down. 4) Refrain from substituting gasoline as lighter fluid for your charcoal grill! Happy 4th of July!

Rest with Angels, Moonwalk in Peace

I went to bed last night mourning the death of Farrah Fawcett, and woke up this morn mourning the death of Michael Jackson. What?!?

I'm still in shock. Me. A lover of popculture icons. Dead. Two of the world's most recognizable P.C.I.'s gone forever.

I don't want to dwell on what they died of, who they left behind, or what controversies trailed them. Instead, I want to focus on the feel good memories that they gave me in my youth.

Farrah Fawcett (1947-2009). For me, I want to remember her at her most beautiful. THE poster girl in the red swimsuit, flashy smile and sumptuous mane that 70's gals wanted to be and guys just wanted. Her image was everywhere. Posters. T-shirts. Mead notebooks. Lunch boxes. Basically, any printable surface.

Catapulted to fame on the first and only season of her stint on Charlie's Angels, I remember arguing with the girlfriends of my youth because I wanted to play Jill, but got talked into playing Kelly (Jaclyn Smith) instead because I had dark hair. Sigh. It sounds so silly now, but I remember wanting to be someone sooo incredibly beautiful.

And then there was the larger-than-life icon of Michael Jackson (1958-2009).

His legacy of music will live on forever. Forget the eccentricities of the man, and scandals that plagued his adult life. I play his songs and get transported back in time when I'm dancing in front of my parents' console tv.... trying to copy the moonwalk, but failing miserably. Proud of the fact, however, that I taught my then 9 y/o brother to do it. So proud, that with my hard earned babysitting savings, I dressed him up like a MJ-Ken-doll by buying him the "Beat It" ensemble of black parachute pants, t-shirt, and "pleather" facsimile of the "Beat It" jacket that he wore to school on his first day into the 4th grade. LoL.

I want to remember them in red; the color that tied them to their success and iconic image. Her in her infamous swimsuit. Him in his notorious jacket. Together these images help heal the sadness I'm feeling today and allow me to embrace their lives... and what they made me feel, along with the rest of my generation when we remembered a time that was more simple and devoid of adult worries. Yep. That's how I want to remember them....

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I just finished reading "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows; a fabo read from the get-go. I so wanted to dive into the book and meet all the delightful characters in person! It was funny, quirky, dramatic, historical, upbeat and romantic. More importantly, it was a revelation of the human spirit.

The year is 1946 and England is recovering from the grim repercussions of WWII. The book is a compilation of letters centered around writer Juliet Ashton, who receives a letter from a stranger from Guernsey - one of the Channel Islands located between England and Northern France that fell under German occupancy during WWII. What inocently begins as a chanced correspondence, becomes a series of letters that introduces Juliet to the cast of characters of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society". These eccentric, but charming islanders, share heart-warming, courageous, and humorous stories that beckon Juliet to Guernsey.... and consequently bring her laughter, tears, intrigue and love.

Despite the harsh references of German occupancy, the members of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" were as colorful as its title, and were the key ingredients for a delicious read. The Society's spirit, courage, and staunch support of one another became fodder for which the heroine writes about and invariably embraces - introspect, drama, happy endings, et al.

*****Truly, a 5-Star Read! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Pilobolus

Here's an oldie but goodie seen at the 2007 Academy Awards that Ellen Degeneris hosted. The Pilobolus Dance Troupe were fantastic! Their unique imagery of movies nominated for an Oscar that year were superbly performed behind a lit screen. It's amazing what art and the human body can create!

Double Trouble

Um.......

Isn't there a law against this sort of thing? Barring aside every fashion penal code violation of course.

JUST SAY NO TO POST-IT BULLYING!

On one hand this helps promote the campaign to stop Post-It bullying worldwide, on the otherhand it promotes waaay too much time spent away from productive work time. LoL. Regardless, this creative expression is hilarious!

Paper Heart

Charlyne Yi is a 22 y/o actress, comedienne, and musician, whom many of you have probably never heard of or recalled seeing. Her film debut in Knocked Up was so small, I doubt you remembered her as one of the medley of livingroom stoners. Quite frankly I hadn't heard of her either, until I started stalking "cutie in the hoodie" actor Michael Cera. Call it my inner geekdom, but I really like that kid. He has an understated charm that can't help but make you like him despite his nervous awkwardness. Although he's not widely known, he does have a recognizable face... but most folks have to stop and think about where they've seen him until films like Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Superbad, and my all time Indie fave, Juno, comes to mind. Why am I devoting an entire blog on these 2 geeky, but adorable people? All because of a li'l award winning 2009 Sundance film that comes out in theaters on July 24th called Paper Heart; a film that added "screenwriter" to Charlyne's repertoire of talents. In the movie, Charlyne (playing herself) makes a mockumentary across America in search of answers to the quintessential question - "does true love exist?". She interviews people from all walks of life and locations to get their take on the age-old question. On her journey she meets fellow actor Michael Cera (playing himself) and falls in love. Sounds like my kind of chick flick. Take a look of the trailer and see if it'll be something you may want to see too.

Update: New limited release date for Paper Heart is August 7, 2009.

Go Girl Power!

Now You See It .... Now You Don't!

OUTSIDE VIEW

Here's an innocent photo of a smiling woman entering what appears to be a boxed-like mirrored structure (which, btw, can be found on a sidewalk in downtown Houston). Can you guess what she's stepping into?


INSIDE VIEW

Guess no further! It's a public toilet with 2-way mirrors on the inside. You can't see in, but you can see out! Could you "conduct your business", if you could see people walk closely past you? Or worse, have them stop and look at themselves while you're still whistlin' Dixie? I shudder at the thought. LoL.

Jennifer Aniston, An American Gothic?

Am I the ONLY one that sees the striking resemblance of

Jennifer Aniston and the farmer's daughter in the classic 1930's

"American Gothic" oil painting by artist Grant Wood?

MOONWALK BAAAACK TO THE 80's

Doesn't this

book say it all?

These images are so evocative as they carry me back to an era that was new wave, neon, iconic, and loud. MTV helped rock a new generation!

80's brought on an avalanche of trends

that put faux pas on the map!

Like gag me with a spoon!

No Duh!

TOTALLY!

MC brought the pants and the hammer time.

pink and green....

add-a-bead necklaces....

navy blue and kelly green....

topsiders....

penny loafers....

chinos....

argyle sweaters.

Madonna was Like A Virgin....

and bands were as famous for their music as for their hair.




New Wave. Old School Rap "Sugar Hill" Style. Glam Metal Bands. All Thumping !!!!

You take the good,

You take the bad,

You take them both,

And then you have.....

THE FACTS OF LIFE!

Tom Cruise.... when he was cool. Aviator Ran-Bans. Pumpin' hott torsos... bare... playing volleyball. Sexy fighter planes. TOP GUN... the quintessential 80's movie for BOTH sexes.

Parachute pants perfect for swishing when you walked.... but best swishing backwards to the moonwalk.

Members Only jackets.... Beat It jackets.... Chucks.... Vans.... Frankie Goes to Hollywood. RELAX!

"I pity the fool"

who didn't like

the 80's!





Hate or Love it. Who cares? It was Flock of Seagulls Hair!

Adopt A Cabbage Patch Doll!

Diary Excerpt circa 1988: "Dear Diary, I was almost late for school today. It took me a whole hour to achieve 6 inch bangs! My hair was like TOTALLY rad! Like ferr sherr... Like I wonder if the new boy noticed?"

I loved my Caboodles make-up case!

I hear my inner child calling....

Jeri Curl.... do ya think it'll ever come back???

Ahhhhhh.... 80's accessories.... Wait. "Wear" are the jelly shoes?

My Favorite 80's Toy E-v-v-e-r-rrrrr!

I leave you on this nostalgic walk on the fading images of two iconic John Hughes' classics. He butted teen angst with popculture humor like no other.... and captured boy-meets-girl moments like a fine, fine wine cooler.

I so wanted to be Jake Ryan's girlfriend!



Yes, Way.