Eff you, Mickey

Doesn't Jackson look utterly thrilled to be sportin' this year's Halloween costume? Yeah, not at all.

Going Vegan

I've been a vegetarian for almost twenty years and sadly, I have not been the healthiest of such. I can't really cook and so I basically have survived these past two decades on fruit, pizza, chocolate, and Bishop's leftovers, which he always saves for me. I gave up fish about five years back and it just feels like the next step is to go full vegan. I'm hoping it will lead me to greater health and perhaps a new-found interest in my kitchen and its appliances. Most certainly I will feel that I am making a decision which will bring less suffering to my plate, and that for me, is the most important.

I never thought that being a vegetarian would be as hard as it has been. It's not the complete avoidance of eating any food with a pulse, as one might think. The most difficult part of being a vegetarian is the nearly complete lack of support in my decision from all those around me. Of course my closest friends have my back 100%, but I am, more often than not, met with a great deal of criticism. I would like to point out, that while I am extremely particular in what I will and will not eat, that I do not make the carnivores in my life feel like monsters for the choices they make. I have been told, to name a few, that I am both crazy and stupid for being a vegetarian. As if I ever asked for their opinion in the first place. I am especially annoyed when people say, "Well, God put those animals on this earth for us to eat." Usually I wanna respond with, "Oh, yeah? Who's the dumbass now because there is no God and the last time I looked you had the dullest teeth imaginable and I can't see you taking down a fucking steer with your bare hands and gnawing through it's jugular. Idiot." (Also, that "logic" doesn't seem to apply to all animals on Earth. I mean, when was the last time anyone had a lovely plate of Labradoodle?) But, I know that just as there is no way they will convince me that I need to eat meat, I know that they will never see the reasoning behind my own decision.

Over the past twenty years, there's never come a time where I've said, "Oh, man, I could kill for a Philly cheesesteak from Steve's..." but I do know that a day will come when I will think, "I would slaughter small children for a Krispy Kreme donut." But ya know, it's about time that I started leading a healthy life and if that means saying goodbye to Gruyere cheese and butter (oh my god, no more butter!?!?!?), well, I'd rather be happy forever than sated for a moment.

(special shout out to Kat and Marina for their love and complete support of my future vegan self!)

Far From the Madding Crowd

By the end of chapter one I was already enamoured of Gabriel Oak.

Lou

I knew the day would come, I just didn't know it would come so soon. The man who wrote and sang my favourite song of all time and who was one of the great artists this world has known is gone. I just can't believe it. What a true loss this is.

(photo kidnapped from pbs)

Pineapple Express

(photo kidnapped from cinema.theiapolis)

Finally hung out with my lil' brother and my sister-in-law last night and got a chance to see (and love) This Is the End. With all the references to Pineapple Express it was impossible to not reminisce about how that movie is also pretty damn hilarious. However, and frankly, I've no idea how I stumbled upon this, if you haven't seen Pineapple Express dubbed in French then you are seriously missing out on even more laughs. Few things are as strangely hysterical as hearing Danny McBride's character say the word "butthole" with a pitch perfect French accent. (Truth be told, I actually sneered the first time I heard this line, since it was one of the more crass moments and was really kinda gross. But in French? Oh, it's a god damn laugh riot.) I am telling you, I have seen this film at least a half dozen times and five of those have been in French. Do yourselves a favour and check it out.

Mateo the Tiger

Oh that face!!!! I miss this little nugget of pudginess so much that I can hardly breathe.

Edwina Sandys

Digital Daffodil - 2006

Core Woman - 1994

(hey look! that's me!)

Full Body Trio - 2011

Goddess with Dog - 1990

Eve's Apple - 2005

Jackson Meets Homer

Crummy Wednesday

So the past day or so I've felt blah. Ya know, those days that creep up on ya and all of a sudden you feel fat and hideous and unloveable and utterly worthless. I've had my fair share of these days over the course of my life and usually they last a while and then I can get over it. I was supposed to meet up with Ashlee tonight but sent her a text telling her I was down in the dumps and could we reschedule for Friday. Her response was pure and darling. I really am lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life.

Happy Bday, Ash!

 

 

I love you, ya know...

Halloween 1981

My brother Dave was Luke Skywalker while I finally got a chance to wear his old C-3PO. My oldest brother Wayne was some scary psycho killer. How truly horrifying that I had to wear my costume over blue pants and a white hoodie with those hideous shoes. But you can totally tell from the twinkle in my eyes that I am overwhelmingly happy to be wearing a store bought costume. Even though that god damn mask cut into your mouth and under your eyes and you were totally uncomfortable the entire night. It was still worth it because my childhood was nothing if not all about Star Wars.

Halloween with the Twins!

Here is Miss Terri with Skunky Shane and Fifi Juliette on Halloween 2008. Oh they are so stinkin' adorable!

 

Bill Cunningham New York

I guess it was late 2011 or early 2012 when I saw and fell in love with this documentary. It paints a portrait of an incredible man who leaves you in awe by the time the credits roll. He is humble and that is such a rare characteristic. I just wanna sit in some crummy two-bit deli with him and chat over sandwiches and coffee. Bill just comes across as so genuine and sweet. My mum bought me a copy of his book Facades for Christmas last year and every page holds a photograph more gorgeous than the last. Bill Cunningham, I adore you.

(photo kidnapped from impawards)

Look what Ashlee got in the mail...

Oh my god, what a relief! Not that we wouldn't have her passport in time to go abroad in March, but it's one more thing we can check off our lists. Next up I have to book the flights. Dublin, London, Antwerpen - watch out, cause we are so comin' yer way.

 

Norma's Place

(i can seriously see norma desmond descending these very steps... - photo kidnapped from pinterest)

Best Halloween Ever

It was West Chester, Pennsylvania at Mark and Maggie's in 1983. I was a baton twirler, Dave was a Rubix Cube, and my best friend Amy was a cat burglar. But the best costume by far was Amy's mother, Maggie, who was dressed as a witch - complete with black widow's peak, cloak, and giant pointy hat. There were a ton of friends and family there and we all piled into our respective vehicles and headed out to the pumpkin patch. The most memorable moment for me was that we were in the car behind Maggie - who was driving with the witch hat on - and a man driving in the opposite direction saw her and did the best double take that I have ever seen.

We got to the farm and went on a hayride, which at age seven is the absolute greatest thing in the universe. Us kids had the time of our lives, but little did we know that the fun had only just begun. We got back to Mark and Maggie's and discovered that they had set up the basement as the coolest haunted dungeon of all time. Fog and scary music with black sheets and flashing lights, cobwebs and people grabbing your arm in the dark and whispering, "Woooooo...." It was spooky but safe and Amy and I went through it a hundred times. Then it was upstairs to eat a giant chocolate brownie shaped like a pumpkin with orange icing decorated like a jack-o-lantern. All these years later it still the bestest Halloween ever!!

Lady Miss Kay

On Sunday I spent the afternoon in my old neighbourhood in Philly taking a slew of pictures of my niece Kayla. She is a stunning looking girl and so easy to photograph.

(i SO love kay's fashion sense - the rainbow suspenders to show her gay pride - the crazy ripped jeans with cool patterned stockings showing thru - the fun coloured handmade bracelets and red nails. oh, and i'm partial to the converse all stars she's sporting - cause i have one's just like 'em!)

Hangin' with Those Abington Kids

Over the weekend I got a chance to cross the bridge and visit my cousin Jenny and her three fabulous children - Bella, Johnny, and Logan. Logan is kind of a genius and when I want answers I automatically turn to him. At eight, the kid knows pretty much everything. After our greeting, I got right to the point. "So, Logan," I said, "what can you tell me about the debt ceiling and this whole government shutdown." Any average boy his age would roll their eyes and laugh or screech, "How should I know?!?!?" Not our Logan. He went on to tell me the three branches of the government - Judicial, Legislative, and Executive - and went into great detail about what each branch does and how it operates. Okay, so he didn't answer my question but it's like you could totally see his mind at work. I asked about the government and he dug into the file cabinet in his brain and told me everything he knew about how our government works. Then he showed me how he can make an igloo out of Jenga pieces. So, he is still a kid at heart. Bella, Jenn, and I went shopping and got a chance to gab and then we went to pick up John. He had been off scoring his aviation badge and could not stop talking about the flight and everything he saw from above. I'm telling you, I am so unbelievably lucky to have all these brilliant and fantastic kids in my life.

(ps - johnny is usually all smiles but i told him, "gimme a surly angry teenager face." oh he sure did deliver.)

Bishop's Homage to Music