Why don't I ever get to sit by people like this on an airplane?
Nina Katchadourian has a new art project.....read on!
"While in the lavatory on a domestic flight in March 2010, I spontaneously put a tissue paper toilet cover over my head and took a picture in the mirror. Th image evoked 15th-century Flemish portraiture. I decided to add more images made in this mode and planned to take advantage of a long-haul flight from San Francisco to Auckland, guessing that there were likely to be long periods of time when no one was using the lavatory on the 14-hour flight.
I made several forays to the bathroom my aisle seat, and by the time we landed I had a large group of new photographs entitled Lavatory Self-Portraits in the Flemish Style."
Genius.
Is it just me, or do Princess Mary of Denmark and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia look a heck of a lot alike?
Princess Mary turns 40 this year, and Carrie Fisher is considerably older. However, Mary looks an awful lot like a young Carrie.
I attended yet another testosterone fest to watch my husband arm wrestle. The monstrous guy on the right emceed the event. There are sure a lot of tattoos at these events. I think Adam is the only guy there without them. He came in 3rd in the 242 pound left arm competition---it was his first time to compete professionally. The 2 guys that beat him were from out of state, so he was the strongest guy in his weight class from Texas. Yay, honey!
Here is Adam....oh, wait----that's just Pootie again. I didn't get any photos of Adam---it was hard enough just keeping up with a 3 year old in a swarm of people and try to not have contractions.
The event was LOUD and I only stayed for Adam's competition. Poor little Violet plugged her ears most of the time, but jumped up and down and yelled for Daddy at the right time.
There was also a bikini fitness/ body building competition. JUST what every super pregnant woman wants to watch, I tell you!
It was the Ronnie Coleman body building classic. These people are just.....bizarre. I mean, on one hand, I truly admire the dedication and hard work these people put into acheiving this physique. On the other hand, it's so extreme. And.... (I know this will probably get me a few nasty comments) ...so vain!
Don't get me wrong---I work out and try to eat healthy foods. I think most Americans could stand to work out more and eat less. I want to look attractive, and have a functioning, healthy body. Buuuuutttt.....there's making time for health and fitness, and then there is.....this. And (speaking only of the body building portions) it's not even for a sport, really---it's just to look a certain way. It seems like an odd thing to spend hours per day doing. Seriously, some of these folks work out up to 5 or 6 or MORE hours per day. That seems like more of an obsession. Heck, that's a part time job!
Adam has done arm wrestling and power lifting, but never body building. To be honest, I probably would never have dated him if he'd been the body building type. Those guys just seem so self-absorbed. I can relate to the first two events in that they're a sort of sport.
And, being married to a super buff guy, I have to say---being that strong comes in handy! I can't count the number of times that Adam has been able to do things at home I would never even have thought possible. He's like having my own personal team of movers. Pickle jars need opening? No problem for the rest of my life.
In addition, I think he's pretty dang cute. I'm glad he's not all shaved down and tanned and running around posing in a Speedo, though. I guess it boils down to this---I don't want to be with a man who spends more time on his appearance that I do.
Ah...the spectacle that is Tom Jones! Did you know he had his chest hair insured for $7 million?
Nice banana hammock, Tom. Hey---I hope you ladies will forgive me if I don't get a shot of my husband reenacting this photo with our soon-to-be-born daughter. Actually, that would be pretty funny. Adam's such a good sport he'd probably do it, too. He'd draw the line at that perm, though. That poor baby is all, "Oh, Daddy Tom....no! Maybe if I twist my head violently in this direction I can keep from getting chest hair in my delicate newborn nostrils."
I'm ashamed to say I've spent the last half hour watching Tom Jones clips on YouTube. That man was a piece of work, I tell you!
I've got to tell you...around 1:15, I started laughing uncontrollably. Like, hysterically, hurting my huge pregnant belly laughing. Smearing my mascara. Violet (already in bed) yelling, "Mama---wassa matter?"
For those of you around in his heyday, share some info, please. Was he hokey back then, or was he for real? 'Cause I get the idea that the ladies throwing their panties onstage at him in Vegas weren't joking. There is not one man in that audience. By the way, YES! I did just say 'ladies throwing their panties onstage'. It's not in this video, but apparently women would just pelt him with underwear and hotel room keys in Vegas.
Apparently, he's been married to the same woman since 1957, but has been one of the most notorious cheaters of all time. Even Elvira claimed to have lost her virginity to Mister Jones. Eeeeeek!
His heels....his heels! And his band's hair...gee whiz. Could Mister Love Machine's pants get any tighter?
Now, this song isn't one of my favorites, but the video is killing me. I'm not sure if this was a British version of American Bandstand or what, but this is easily some of the lamest-ass dancing I've ever seen. Treat yourself by skipping to around 2:00 minutes. Are these people on that proverbial brown acid? I've never witnessed more unapologetically awkward dancing in my life.
What the HELL are those pants made out of?
Check out the first few seconds then scoot along to 1:02. This very attractive lady is seriously ogling him---it's just killing me. This guy must have been crawling with everything from crabs to bed bugs. I bet he single-handedly spread VD across the western seaboard.
Does it totally gross anyone else out that the ladies want him to wipe his sweat on a handkerchief then give it back to them? And does is creep you out that he repeatedly kisses women from the audience on the mouth? Check out the above video at 50 seconds for some classic movies and a lady almost pulling her hair out. Pulling it out.
Be warned....he's still out there! Shaking it for the ladies.
Wales must be so proud.
Leslie, possibly the most famous 'weirdo' of Austin, Texas, has died-he was 60. (Here's his Wikipedia link.) He was a bearded transvestite that traveled about in a thong and bikini top, often topped off with women's evening wear and accessories. He ran for mayor several times-one time he came in second!
When I lived and worked in downtown Austin, I spoke to Leslie on many occasions. He was a constant fixture in the city, frequently seen driving his bike-mobile around covered in signs. He asked to try my high heels on once. I politely declined.
I've heard he was a very intelligent man that had a fairly severe motorcycle accident in Colorado when he was in his thirties. Perhaps that accounts for some of his quirks. Yeah, he was weird. Really weird. However, he was a harmless, friendly, happy guy, and he'll be missed in Austin.
"I'm back, Ladies."
Pootie got himself re-elected (like we didn't see that coming), so it's time to get your swoon on!
"When I ride little horse, I look much bigger, yes?"
Does anyone else find Vladimir Putin's recent 'sexy campaign' hilarious? I realize he is the leader of a huge foreign nation, but this marketing ploy makes him come across as a nutso egomaniac. I hope he never stops, though. These photos make me laugh like nobody's business.
"Chuck Norris? Bah. He is nothing. I wrestle tigers with my bare hands."
In the past year or so, he's been cramming this Putin virility campaign down the Russian media's throat. We've seen him shirtless and riding his horses what seems like every other week.
"The big animals, they go crazy for my manly sweat." Maybe I could send him a shirt.
"I make big smack with hammer. I am hot and steaming and strong like this metal."
He's also been doing photo ops riding a submarine to the bottom of Lake Baikal and attaching a tracking device to a whale. Add to his manly list of deeds popping wheelies with a local biker gang. Don't forget he can co-pilot a fighter jet and shoot a tiger, ladies.
"I make fast driving. Vroom."
"I drop you to floor like little girl."
Ah....it's going to be a good few years of photos, don't you think?
This is fabulous. It's a badgermin....a theremin combined with a taxidermied badger.
Skip through the annoying 'Keep playing, mister piano man!' segment and watch the 2nd lady playing it. Boy....how I would love to have that thing in my living room!
If you aren't familiar with my army of jars, click here for the back story.
The last jar.....was empty. I feel kind of verklempt, do y'all? In fact, there were multiple jars left, but they were all empty. I tried to pick them randomly, but maybe I should have saved a 'good one' for the end.
I'm sure there's something profound in here about the last jar being empty, but I'm not seeing it yet. Maybe it's good to enjoy things as you go and not have preconceived expectations? Maybe life is best lived fully in the moment, not hoarding the good stuff for a rainy day?
I just wanted something spectacular in the last jar---maybe I'm not feeling philosophical enough today.
I can't believe I'm done sorting through these crazy jars. I'm going to miss cracking open a new lid every Wednesday.
It seems like a long time ago (September 2010 to be precise) that I started this project.
It was our anniversary and Adam and I took a Texas back country road trip. We were driving down a country road and saw this sign.
I still remember how my breath caught when I saw this barn room full of old pickles jars. They each seemed like they could hold a whole world of secret treasures. Adam kind of shuddered and went to wash his hands.
The nice old guy having the sale was retiring and moving. I think he was tired of messing with the barn sale and told me I could have all the jars I wanted for $5.00. Five DOLLARS! I made my poor husband fill up the back of my Explorer with them. Violet was barely walking and stared with wide-eyed confusion at the jars stacking up around her.
People have asked what I'm going to do with the jars. Lots of the contents were trash-worthy, but many have been sorted into collections. Several people have asked for the things in them, and I've happily shared them.
As for the jars, I'm washing them all and using them to organize stuff for the studio. It will be a while before everything is done, since the studio is still under construction. However, I will be photographing them when they are in their final home.
You've been good to me, Jars. I'll miss you!
Jar #39
Lotsa junk.
Did you roll your coins as a kid? I remember cramming lots of pennies into these paper wrappers.
Man junk. Thankfully, the Band-Aid tin was empty.
Little metal baby spoons!
Cocktail umbrellas, ugly magnets (check out the creepy baby pig with a bottle), and random cupcake toppers. There are 3 obscene toppers (Vegas, maybe?...Can you find them?)
Here are oodles of gumball machine rings. I think I told y'all, but---someday, I'll have a Mermaid and Pirates party, and all these trinkets will come in handy for treasure boxes.
