Ladybugs Are Lucky

(iTunes: off...listening to NPR)

My Mum always told me it was bad luck to kill them. By far my fave insect. I can't wait to be a Ladybug in October (hi Brian, Sarah and human in her belly)! Instead of being an Ant/Aunt I'm gonna be a Ladybug.

The Prologue

(iTunes: Kim Wilde, Kids in America)

Actually these are the Kids in New York. Just got in late last night. Full details, dish and adventures will be arriving eventually. Please keep in mind these photos were taken with my camera phone. The REAL STUFF will be coming late this week. In the meantime go explore This Day + Age:

thisdayandagemusic.com
myspace.com/thisdayandage

PS: To-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (aka steve) Did you hear Miss Universe collapsed shortly after winning? I bet Miss Japan could stand on her own. I'm sure she actually eats you know, food and stuff.

PSS: I would normally take this opportunity to go on a tirade about eating disorders but I'll take a cue from our pristine justice system and go with innocent until proven guilty.

My Kids - All Grown Up

(iTunes: Sabrosa, Beastie Boys)

Photo Disclaimer: I photographed Cnote but NOT the van the photos are on.

The closest thing I have to kids of my own are my photographs. Just like my parents had high hopes for me, when my photographs leave the nest I hope the images I so carefully crafted get taken care of, go onto bigger and better things and successfully thrive on their own. I guess maybe I would be the open-minded parental unit because when my photos get changed, cropped or altered in some way I don’t mind. If my photos want to dress in drag so be it! I pour my heart, soul, sweat and probably other bodily fluids into creating my images, watching them start out as just a small idea then grown into their own person. Oi vey! I am such a DORK!

(iTunes: Madness, Adrian Belew)

Roxy ROCKS!

(iTunes: in a gadadavida by iron butterfly)

I just found out recently (thanks papa) that Iron Butterfly was WAY high on LSD when they recorded that track. So much so that they couldn't properly pronounce the original title: In The Garden of Eden.

If I were to imagine what Eve might look like - this girl would be it. Porcelain skin, innocent with a side of sass and not a wrinkle of life experience appearing on her face.

Meet Roxy, self proclaimed southern belle meets girl next door! Roxanne Richards is an uber-talented country singer with a very radio friendly sound...and she's only 15 (turning 16 next month).

15...that is an age I wound never want to relive. I went to visit my best friend, my kindred spirit, my bosom friend, Anne this past weekend (miss me yet). Saturday was her 30th birthday. Its crazy to think that I knew her and she knew I when we were that young, that little, that naive. If Anne were the type to comment on a blog I'm sure she would bring up the story of me tasting my first strawberry in middle school. When I was Roxy's age I always perceived 30 as old...funny how perceptions change. My new benchmark for being old is this: You are only old when your heart, not your brain, says you are. That Brook Pifer original saying was inspired by none other than L. Frank Baum. A man that may be dead but is young in heart.

Anyway...check out this for more info on a pretty cool home girl who always represents...and knows too much about whales.

www.roxannerichards.com
www.myspace.com/roxannerichards

Archer’s New Rival

(iTunes: Save The Last Dance For Me, Sam Cooke)

An oldie but a goodie.

Photography - I think its beyond a simple crush or infatuation. Right now I feel borderline obsessively in love with creating imagery. These photographs of the strapping young chaps of ARCHER’S NEW RIVAL made me so warm and fuzzy…to the point where I’m starting to disgust myself. You see, I don’t really care for the mushy sentiments despite being a closeted (now outed) chick flick fan. Dare you to say that phrase fast three times…chick flick fan, chick flick fan, chick flick fan.

SERENITY NOW!

Once again I returned to a familiar haunt, The Ghetto of Orlando. No, it’s not the back streets of Oakland, the Hill district or even the Mexican War Streets on the North Side of Pittsburgh – but since I’ve been removed from living in a real ghetto for 10+ years now my fear tolerance has changed. Yes I know murder is on the rise in The City Beautiful but the ghetto here compared to dare I say real cities (really I do love living here) is kinda wimpy. And since it’s a woman’s prerogative to be contradictory…yes, shooting in O-town’s ghetto is still kinda scary. The house across the street had all their windows boarded up (“hurricane damage” my optimistic side chimes in) but for the duration of the shoot people were coming and going in 3-minute intervals thereby releasing what I ASSUME are fumes of illegal substances (crack, meth, dog poop, oh wait that last one is totally legal) each time the front door opens.

Orlando’s Finest pulled up to make sure we were “aware of where we are and what neighborhood we’re in.” I asked him to stick around but he declined.

Ah well the story goes. I instructed ANR and shoot crew that eye contact was a no-no, don’t get into lengthy conversations with crack-heads, focus on what we are here to do and play it kool-in-the-gang.

We didn’t get bothered at all (unless you count the mosquitoes). My theory about those blood-sucking fiends is that they prefer ethnic cuisine. My Asian husband always gets bit up and I normally walk away unscathed. The stylist and Krystal did get eaten alive. Funerals for their devoured carcasses will be held next Tuesday. It’s a shame really, Krystal had a great tan.

In conclusion – go check out ARCHER’S NEW RIVAL. These boys RAWK!

http://www.archersnewrival.com/