Now don’t go gettin all riled up.

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Cuz this ain’t about politics.

I noticed these images on a couple of blogs yesterday, and followed some links. It’s amazing (and gratifying) how visual art, after several millennia, still moves people to all manner of emotions.

A gaggle of different feelings will serve as reactions to the following picture. (You know the Law, so I ain’t interested in what those particular reactions are for you personally, or why. Just be nice and play my little game for today, k?)

Maybe this evokes less of a “convicted” response. I think it’s funny, myself:

Art has been controversial for centuries, but there was a time not too long ago when it was the only commercial visual stimulus available, and much attention was paid to its viewing, criticism and social commentary. I like art history — especially the periods which coincide with music history (Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, Contemporary).

I won’t go into the whole of it, as I’d be writing all day instead of planning my glorious return to the school house, but imagine the shock of looking at this painting up close, when you hadn’t been raised on watching realistic reenactments of it on television:

Judith Slaying Holofernes, by Artemisia Gentileschi, 1618Artemisia (yep, a girl) painted several versions of this scene, over and over. Traditional misinformation classifies the painting as channelling the artist’s personal revenge against the men who humiliated her in her lifetime (she has an interesting story if you ever want to search it out), but in fact she maintained a closeness to the real story of Judith, who performed this grisly deed on an enemy general to scare his troops into retreating and leaving her people alone. Therefore, it’s more an indictment of tyranny than a kicking, screaming fit against the misogynistic ruling class of the day.

Interesting stuff.

Still, look at the determination on the women’s faces. Then look at Holofernes. How do you think the men of 1620 Italy reacted to it? And the women (though likely in secret)?

Did I mention I like visual art? It was the subject of one of my very first posts here at RtB. I could talk about it all day, really. Alas…

I found this quote from Artemisia herself:

An artist’s feeling is the white-hot core of painting…You’ve got to use your own emotions and paint with your own blood if need be in order to discover and prove the truth of your vision.”

If only we all felt that way about our own visions, eh?

FO

Wild Weekend

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I gotta get in shape or somethin.

When people tell you that grandchildren wear them out — believe it. It’s the good kind of worn out, though. I guess I should say they keep me young. Or wishing I was.

I think back to when Seamus and Lars were little and I wonder how I pulled it off, day after day after day. Then I go, “Ahhh…you were 24. No wonder it was easier.” A quarter-century later — not so good. Still, we loved every minute of Jake this weekend. We went to the park, played in the back yard, read a gazillion books, played the piano, took a walk, grocery shopped, chased each other around, antagonized Rousseau, and played cars.

At 10 p.m., he rested.

I’m upset that my photos of the Thriller’s birthday bash didn’t turn out very well. My Storm and the red walls of my dining room didn’t play well together. Shoulda used the regular camera instead. Suffice it to say that it was a fabulous feed, and the birthday boy got lots of great gifts, not the least of which was getting to spend several hours with the family, which we don’t get to do nearly often enough. Thanks to all the RtB fiends who wished him a happy birthday, too. I think he’s finding that 58 isn’t so bad after all, which bodes well for the rest of us. (Except if you’re RD, in which case you’ve been there and done that. :-))

Fink (I make “old” jokes whilst I still may because time’s running) out.

Timmy and J.D. at it again

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And it’s based on one of my all-time faves: Dark Shadows.

PK and I both saw the same article that quoted Burton confirming the rumor at Comic-Con last week.

You know, you either love TB/JD movies or you hate them. I’ve never spoken to anyone who had a resolutely ambivalent view. Maybe that person is reading this now — if so, feel free to weigh in. (Not that it will make me adore JD any less…)

Burton and Depp are pigeonholed lately; maybe it’s their own fault. Probably is. But why not do what you do best? People can yammer on about it being the “same old thing,” but let’s face it: these boys are wealthy beyond what you and I could likely ask or think, da? Somebody likes their stuff. So what’s the problem? Ah, I know. Everybody need a little schadenfreude in their day once’t in awhile. They want to see successful people fail.

Clearly, not everyone is a fan. I laughed when I read this comment on the above article:

Johnny Depp is a talentless egomaniac who makes puerile remakes of classic movies in a never-ending quest for the almighty dollar. Tim Burton is also a talentless hack, so the two were made for each other.

Personally, I could substitute any number of actor/director names – couldn’t you? It’s all good, and opinions are like…well, you know. Anyway, back to Dark Shadows.

I listed it as #9 on my Top Ten TV Shows According to Me post over a year ago. (Of course, that was before I started really getting into Mad Men.) If you read through the explanation of the Barnabas character over at Wikipedia, you will see what a complicated and unusual series it was for the late sixties/early seventies. I never missed a single episode if I could help it. It was great because it came on at like 3:30, along with other soaps. Fortunately, my mom’s soap operas were over with by that time, so Mavis and I came in from outside  faithfully every weekday to watch it. I’m surprised she let us, truthfully, what with all manner of evil and vampires and scary moments and zombies & such in every episode. I was like eight years old when I started watching it.

Although I sport a small bias, I think JD will be equally dreamy and creepy as Barnabas Collins. So what if it’s another remake? Haters, anyhow.

Hey, Jake and I had a ball yesterday. He loves his alphabet computer game. Such a lil genius…

Mavis comes over today, and we’re starting the lasagna for the feast tomorrow night. Like me some Italian food. Thank the gods it’s Finkday — have some fun this weekend, fiends. Happy Birthday to the Thrilla….

Photo credit: Jeff Vespa, WireImage

RNF XXIV

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Random Neuron Firings

Nicotine, arsenic, tanning bed. How do you want to die?

Last night, I read about the latest report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which states that they have now upgraded tanning beds from “probably carcinogenic” to “carcinogenic” to humans. So I guess there really is a downside to lying under those lights. Or not. Mayhap most folks won’t mind eventually having Donna Versace skin (click at your own risk). This girl minds, which is why I never ever tan, indoors or out. I’ll take my Casper the Friendly Ghost-ish pall over melanoma any day. But hey, me no judge-y. It’s your thing; do what you wanna do. I can’t tell you who to sock it to…

Truthfully (and admittedly snarkily), I know a few people who would look down on smokers, but would never give up their tanning appointments. Still, I guess anything’ll kill you after awhile, so I really don’t view anyone as reprobate — unless you’re the front office staff of the Cleveland Indians, who, for the second straight year,  just traded away a Cy Young Award winner. But we shan’t go there today.

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This made me laugh. From the LA Times:

A comprehensive review of research comparing the nutritional content of food that was organically raised with food produced with the use of synthetic pesticides has found no significant differences between the two.”

Innat just the way? Spend all that extra money for organic food (its sales rake in an estimated $23 billion per year) just to find out it’s not healthier after all. However, the study is a *trifle* misleading, in that it doesn’t address the pesticide issue. Obviously, foods grown without chemicals are probably better for you than those grown with them, ja? Still, it bites that the pretty food isn’t any better for you nutritionally.

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We get Jake all day today. Fun! Tomorrow is the Thriller’s 58th birthday. I’d tell you what I’m getting him, but, you know, that would kind of give it away. Not that you’re dying to know or anything…

ANYWAY. Have a great Thursday.

Fink out (the door to pick up Jakey).

Feels like Monday

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…and I am full of hates. Yes, hates — not “hate” or “hatred.” Right, you get the point. Moving on.

arat2

  1. I hate having a headache in the morning; don’t you? What a lousy thing.
  2. I hate motorcycles with big fat ol’ loud crackly engines, whose drivers wait until they’re right in front of your house to open up the throttle and take off, bat-outta-Hades. It makes me mad. I want to chase them down and give them a piece of my mind. I just can’t spare one at the moment. *SigH*
  3. What is the opposite of empathy? Initially, I’d say apathy. Antipathy, even. But bottom line, what we’ve got here is a failure to walk in another’s shoes or imagine what it would be like to be in somebody else’s situation:  egocentrism. I hate that. If I ever come across [because acrost is NOT A WORD] that way to you, flog me for it.
  4. I hate it that, while watching the news during dinner last night, I saw two glaring spelling/usage errors; one in a commercial and the other in a weather forecast. Does no one care to proofread anymore? Are editors extinct? Don’t nobody give a rat nowaday? But just to prove I ain’t no grammar diva who thinks she’s perfect…
  5. I hate it that I’ve gone along all these decades thinking that the word “err” is pronounced “air.” (It actually rhymes with the word “fur.” To err is human, I suppose, but it brings up interesting prospects for the word “error.” Ur-ur?)
  6. I hate hospitals and stupid expensive tests.
  7. I hate it that my key/phone/receipt/shopping list/money/Chapstick/whatever is always, always, always in the other pocket.
  8. I hate that the summer has gone so fast (apologies to my nine-to-five fiends — I don’t expect you to feel sorry for me!).

But hey, why all the negative energy today? Let’s have us some good news as well.

Check out the dessert I had at the International Buffet inside Greektown Casino. A luscious, sugar-encrusted devil’s food mini-cupcake, filled with sweetened cream cheese and a cherry, and topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings:

Black Forest decadence. They were small, so I had to have two.

~

Then, when we got home, we couldn’t believe our eyes. My brother-in-law Ray had culled every single weed from every garden in my yard, front and back. Im ready for my fall bulb planting now. Is he great or what!?

So yeah. In spite of items 1-8, life is dandy indeed — even if it does feel like Monday.

FO