Greg Louganis Back on Board

It's near impossible to have been an American alive in the 70s and 80s and not know of Greg Louganis. Obviously I knew his name growing up like so many other famous Olympians, but I really knew so little about him. I knew he was gay and had AIDS because I'm an ally in the gay community and also try to stay in the know about all things related to the AIDS crisis. I finally got around to see this documentary that I heard about back in 2017. It was available for free (yay!) through my library on Kanopy. I tend to be easy to please when it comes to documentaries because I love the genre but this was so, so good. I just love this man and wish for him endless amounts of health and happiness. He's such a class act and a true artist. His diving is off-the-charts phenomenal and his spirit is just gorgeous. 

(photo kidnapped from amazon)

Kristin in Huacachina

Kristin is in Peru and this pic from her Instagram account was too good to not share. I've always loved her photography, as is evident from her many photos hanging in my home.

The Tamarind Seed

After reading Julie Andrews' autobiographies I started to search for some of her films I hadn't seen. The first one was Our Sons which was a 1990s TV movie about her and Ann-Margret being parents to sons in a relationship, Ms. Andrews' son being Hugh Grant (nearly unrecognisable in voice as he had an American accent) and Ann-Margret's being Željko Ivanek who was dying of AIDS. I thought it was really good and geared up for my next Julie Andrews pick. The Tamarind Seed was streaming on Amazon, directed in 1974 by Blake Edwards and co-starring Omar Sharif. Then I saw the opening credits by Maurice Binder and music by John Barry. SOLD! I really, really enjoyed this tale of love and Russian spies. Julie Andrews was luminous in every frame and Omar Sharif smolders when he unleashes those seductive eyes with longing looks in Ms. Andrews' direction. Just fabulous.

(photo kidnapped from metrograph)

Gorgeous Convo Pits!

Look at these beauties!

December 2019 Books

Dead Man's Folly ¹ by Agatha Christie - I keep trying to like Agatha Christie's novels since I really love the TV series Poirot but I really don't like them. Aside from And Then There Were None and Orient Express, I really only liked listening to David Suchet. Oh well. Time to move on to another author.

* Betrayed by Arnette Lamb - This was one of the many historical romance paperbacks that Godmommy Gina gave me in November and it was pretty good. The first in a series so more on those in the next few months.
♥ Holidays on Ice ¹ by David Sedaris - To be totes honest, I really only like the first part of this book where David Sedaris recounts his time as an elf at Santaland in Macy's. I cracked up last year and it was no different this year. Too freakin' funny.

♥ Home Work ¹ by Julie Andrews - I was on a roll with reading Home in November and absolutely adored this follow up. I loved learning about Ms. Andrews' life with Blake Edwards and her kids and loved having her tell it all to me. One of the best audiobooks, full stop.

♥ Kisses, She Wrote by Katharine Ashe - I read this novella last year at Christmas and it was so cute I had to read it again and keep the holiday spirit rolling.
* The Sisters ¹ by Dervla McTiernan - This was a free short-ish story from Audible. I like that it was set in Dublin. I may not get back there until the Autumn of 2020 (if I'm lucky) and it was something to keep my daydreams alive. Brief summary on Audible stated: Two sisters climbing the ranks of Dublin’s criminal justice system. A murder case that could change their lives forever. It was good story but it felt cut off at the end. Could have used a few more chapters to wrap everything up, but I would absolutely seek out the author's other work. I should note that the cover photo on the audiobook is complete and total fabrication. The Ha'Penny bridge appears as the bridge in the background, which means that the bridge in the foreground would be the O'Connell Bridge and that is not what the bridge looks like. In reality, the trees on the south side of the Liffey River are sparse, not a freakin' forest like the cover would lead you to believe. Also, just past the trees on the left side you'll see a tall building and the dome of the Custom House. Um, that's on the opposite side of the bridge, on the north side of the river. I mean, how hard is it to take an actual photo of the correct view of this major city and get it right. Just a hot mess of a cover.

The Viscount's Tempting Minx - A light romance read for the holiday. Not super fabulous but still fun

* All My Life ¹ by Susan Lucci - Fr. Michael was besotted by Susan Lucci and so every time I see her face I think of his love for her. I don't really know anything about her and so I gave this one a chance. It was excellent and Ms. Lucci seems like a genuinely sweet person. Even though there was loads of praise for nearly every person she ever met, I really loved her style and class. Definitely a cool lady.

¹ - audiobook
² - abridged version
* - liked
♥ - loved
Any unmarked titles were, in my opinion, so-so.

Best Disaster Films

The Towering Inferno
Airport
The Poseidon Adventure
Dante's Peak
Everest
Twister
Independence Day
Dawn of the Dead
Titanic
Alive
The Birds
28 Days Later
Shaun of the Dead
The Thing
Avalanche
The Mist
The Blob
The Perfect Storm

Inside the Biddle Mansion at Andalusia

(Look! It's me and Anne!)

Warren

How is it possible that I've not blogged about this show yet? I watched it oodles of times in December and am totes dev that it won't see a second season. Oh my gosh, it's a complete and utter RIOT! Clunes plays a bastard better than just about anyone in the biz and his portrayal of Warren had me in absolute sutures. I just finished his earlier series, Men Behaving Badly, and I'm gonna re-watch Warren because it is that stinkin' funny. LOVE IT!

(photo kidnapped from whatsontv)

January 2020 Donations

4Ocean

How could I not get the first bracelet of 2020? Especially as it was designed to bring attention to sea stars. Plus it's really pretty.

The Sea Star Bracelet represents your commitment to the clean ocean movement. Every bracelet purchased funds the removal of one pound of trash from the ocean and coastlines. Wear it as a reminder to curb your plastic habit, live more sustainably, and encourage others to take action to protect what they love.

Australian Red Cross

Kind of impossible to not give even a little to help with the bush fires in Australia. Here's what the Red Cross teams have been working on: 

• supporting people at evacuation, relief and recovery centres

• registering people’s locations so their loved ones can contact them

• providing psychosocial first aid to reduce trauma and distress

• providing food, water and relief items to people cut off by fires in Victoria

• conducting welfare checks on the phone and in person

• providing $10,000 emergency grants to people who homes have been destroyed by bushfires

• providing $20,000 bereavement payments to next of kin of people who have died as a result of the bushfires

• conducting psychosocial needs assessments in some of the affected communities

• creating a tailored recovery plan to support families and communities for the next three years or more

Noise for Now

When Kathleen Hanna tells me to do something, I do it.

Followed the link in IG to Noise for Now's site and backordered myself a bitchin' Pro-Choice Tee. Here's what N4N is all about:

NOISE FOR NOW is a national initiative that enables performers to connect with, and financially support, grassroots organizations that are dedicated to empowering women and protecting women’s health and abortion rights. NOISE FOR NOW is the link between touring musicians, progressive promoters, and local feminist organizations in cities across the country.

Reproductive health care services, including access to safe and legal abortion, are under attack. NOISE FOR NOW is partnered with Planned Parenthood and the National Network of Abortion Funds to identify states that are most in need of funds to protect reproductive health care and abortion access. By organizing benefit concerts in these markets, NOISE FOR NOW provides a way for performers to use their talents to raise money and send a clear message that women’s rights are human rights.

Please join me in the Low Budget Philanthropy movement and help out your community and beyond in the simplest way - donating any amount to whatever charity or organisation that you care about!

Chillin' with Zach and Ash

My sister-in-law Mary snapped this pick of me and Zach relaxing with kitty Ash in December of 2018. Ash was definitely my favourite of all the kitties I've met in this life and I'm gonna miss his sweet face. Gone way too soon.

And here he is with his stuffed animal twin, looking slightly perplexed.

Godmommy Gina's Sunset

Little Literary

Little Literary on Etsy is so stinking cute! Check out the cut and sew book and figure for The Phantom of the Opera:

And lookit! It's Poe!

I really like the one for Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days, but it says that Phileas rode in a hot air balloon, which never happened in the book. It's super cute though. 

Clue

This week has been rough and I've been out sick from work for all but one day. Yesterday and today I sat in my recliner drinking endless glasses of H2O and mugs of tea in between coughing fits and trips to the peepod. The only thing that helped was watching Clue over and over and over all day long. I once posted the following and it's still so relevant.

Clue - Oh my lord Jesus, this is always, always my go-to movie when I'm sick. It is so freakin' funny and zany and every time I see it I just feel better. It instantly puts me in a good mood as soon as the first note of the opening music sounds off. Every character is brilliant and it's impossible to pick a favourite. Stand-out lines are definitely, "Flames...on the side of my face...." and "Our lives are in danger, ya beatnik!" Oh my god, so good.

(photo kidnapped from amazon)

Music Buttons

The Old Telephone Cubby

My grandparents' rowhome in Philly has one of my all time favourite home features - a phone nook.

Messy Xavier

Stumbled upon this photo of my little brother when he was just a wee babe and had to text it to his lovely bride. Her response was super-dooper cute!

Lou Reed Playlist

Lisa Says (specifically the version from the 1969 live album)
Coney Island Baby
Fistfull of Love
Oh Sweet Nuthin'
I'll Be Your Mirror (live with vocals by Lou)
Candy Says
Sad Song
Caroline Says II
Walk on the Wild Side
I'm Waiting For The Man
Love Makes You Feel
Vicious
Satellite of Love
I Can't Stand It
Hold On
Venus in Furs
Dirty Blvd.
All Tomorrow's Parties
Heroin
Femme Fatale
Perfect Day
Make Up
Sunday Morning
There She Goes Again
Pale Blue Eyes
Berlin
Ocean
This Magic Moment
How Do You Think It Feels
Sweet Jane

There are few artists I can think of who have written so many gloriously rich, inspiring, heartbreaking, and timeless songs. Lou Reed was most certainly one of them. As a teenager when I first heard the live version of Lisa Says I felt an instant connection to the author. That song became as close to me as my skin. It was 1995 and I only recently became free from the prison of high school, from constant put-downs and incessantly feeling shameful and embarrassed to be seen with myself. I was applying for a job at the Blockbuster Music in the next town over and they had a catalog on a stand where you could look up songs. I wondered to myself if anyone had ever written a song about a girl named Lisa. I found one by an old band called The Velvet Underground. Cool band name, I remember thinking. I went to the CDs and found the 1969: The Velvet Underground Live album which had Lisa Says on it. I went to the DJ booth and had them play it for me. I immediately felt a connection that I would not have had should I have selected any other version of this song. I started to look up more about this band and buy books about the members. Lou always came across as so kind and genuine. I liked knowing that he was once in a relationship with a transgender woman and that he wrote songs about women and gave them a voice that no other man had ever done. He was the sort of man I wanted to grow up and make my own. Someone who embodied so many characteristics that were atypical to the everyday man. I just loved him so much for that. He was an artist and a gift and he is missed beyond measure.

Karen Caught on Camera!

The People You Love

Mum
David
Stacey
Lucy
Wayne
Xavier
Mary
Syd
Zach
Jackson
Ashlee
Sean
Bailey
Avery
Amy
Bishop
Bryan
Terri
Juliette
Shane
Godmommy Gina
Aunt Berne
Lina
Anne
Kayla
Jaeden
Isabella
Natalia
Dr. Davis
Uncle Alan
Uncle Roy

Aunt Vicky
Uncle Phil
Rick
Karen
Maureen

Autumn
Maggie
Emily
Ana
Adam
Peter
Marina
Jason
Melanie
Lauryn
Nicole
MJ
MeMom and Pop
(honourable mention, since I don't know these famous people, but they still make this universe a wonderful place to live!)
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Martin Clunes
Kathleen Hanna
Bernie Sanders
John Waters

First Selfies of 2020!

Mama Rosie and I went to see Aunt Gina this morning and after eyeliner was applied, she let me take some silly selfies. These are the two best out of the batch:

The Old Family House

On my way to Baldwin's Book Barn (where I scored not one but TWO hugs from lovely Fred Dannaway who let me take Dominick Dunne's hardback copy of A Season in Purgatory for free because I donated a stack of books) I drove by Amy's first childhood home. I struggle to remember the exact layout of the inside, but honestly, we mostly just rode big wheels down her driveway and played on the swings and jungle gym out back. I was disappointed to see that the driveway is not nearly as steep as it was when I was a child. In my mind's eye it was always a near vertical drop and we'd go sailing down at top speed going all the way into the yard. It's still a lovely home on a quiet street and I was so glad to see it again.

Pins from Pier 1

I worked at a Pier 1 in South Jersey for about a year then transferred to one in Ardmore, PA for another year-ish. Both stores have long since closed and I read recently that the company will more than likely be gone soon. In my opinion, a lot of the furniture they sold was lovely (the Harlequin collection was always a favourite of mine) but very poorly made and way overpriced. The best thing they sold was their Cranberry Balsam candles. I remember vividly that once Thanksgiving would approach we would have people start asking when they would be in stock again. Permanently discontinuing them was a huge mistake. The best thing about working at each location was the people that I met. Loads of great memories.

What I Love About Godmommy Gina

- She is the real deal. There's no fake bullshit with Aunt Gina. Everyone knows exactly how she feels about you. This is a remarkable quality to have because when you feel like Gina loves you, you know for damn sure that she really and truly does.
- The bookend of her sister Berne, who we all considered the "fun aunt" whereas Gina was the "cool aunt."
- She is a ridiculously gifted Reiki Master and an intuitive Tarot card reader. She's a true healer.
- As a child, sleepovers with my Godmother meant sleeping in her spare bedroom in her super rad apartment in the city. We would stay up and watch Star Search and she served my milk at dinnertime in a wine glass. So fancy.
- Her laugh is completely infectious, especially when she gets going on a rip-roaring laugh and ends up doing a full-on pig snort.
- Among many other things she is mostly made up of  the following:
thoughtful
kind
caring
compassionate
warm
fun
hilarious
- She is genuine. Never is anything ever done for show or praise or any ulterior motive.
- Gina has always been considered the tough one in the family since she would never, ever let anyone walk all over her. In the early 90s Mum and I were dealing with a difficult situation, I'm thinking it was to do with a mechanic or someone who was condescending. We needed to call them back and mentioned the story to my father, hoping that he would call since men are always taken seriously by other men. True to cowardly form, Da said, "Geez, that's awful. Ya oughta get Gina to call him. She's the real butt-kicker."
- A fellow historical romance novel junkie!
- Adventurous in the kitchen and can cook up a storm. She loves nothing more than discussing, in depth, the latest recipe she wants to test out.
- Was the first person I ever knew that used popcorn and cranberries as garland on a Christmas Tree and I still think it's pretty fabulous.
- Is fairly tolerant but Xavier and I discovered that once pushed past her limit and into dangerous territory, her tolerance will actually carry over that danger zone. Example: in the 1990s on the first weekend in December, Aunt Berne, Alina, Xavier, Aunt Gina, and I would go to Windridge Tree Farm. Once around the time that Xavier and I were hooked on The Drew Carey Show, there was one episode where Craig Ferguson's Mr. Wick gave an odd gift to Drew which he (in his Scottish accent) said it was a "cubicle in a bot-tle." Xavier and I got on a weird tear in the fold of normal rational thought and started putting everything we could think of in a "bot-tle." We kept trying to one up the other and after at least 15 minutes Gina told us that was enough. We could tell she was annoyed with us and that it wasn't funny anymore. I don't know which of us said it but the next thing everyone heard was "it's an angry woman in a bot-tle" which made her crack up laughing all over again.
- She can talk to anyone and is super friendly.
- Un-apologetically who she is, love her or leave her.
- In the late 80s she saw an ad on TV about orphaned children in Romania. Most people would have thought, "how terrible" and maybe at best donated money. Not Gina. She was a regular single working-class gal but she put in motion the steps to get our Alina. Even though Lina doesn't like sweets or desserts of any kind (this is what truly sets her apart from the rest of us) she is the perfect fit in our family and it was one of Gina's best decisions.
In closing, I wish I'd spent more time with Godmommy in my 20s and 30s, just us, but I tend to think people will find me boring and dull and this kept me from spending quality time with a lot of people. Regardless, I have oodles of wonderful memories with her and plan on making more.