Camus

World’s Apart

Going through these photos that I kidnapped from Helen's Insta page makes me realise how hideous South Jersey is. Imagine living near a place as beautifully serene as these photographs capture? My neighbourhood is nothing but storage facilities, office buildings from the early 80s, Jiffy Lube, and a porn shop. Helen is living in a Merchant Ivory film and I'm in a John Waters movie. Ha! As it should be, I suppose.

Summer 2019

Cozy to the Max

In my never-ending daydreams of my ideal life, this little book nook is so cozy and delightful. Oh to have unlimited cash and time and able to live in a home with something this lovely...

Helen's Great Britain

I do miss Instagram if only for the times that Helen would post beautiful and often haunting photographs of England. These two are from April of 2018 and I'm so glad I took a screenshot of them.

Tell Me, David!

Actually, I would sincerely love to hear all about the ocean of pure vibrant consciousness. Especially from David Lynch!!

Dublin on Lockdown

Oh to have been in Dublin during the pandemic...to wander that city and have the streets devoid of noise and humans. So beautifully peaceful. 

 

Jane Graverol

In September of 2022 I saw the below paintings on Instagram and thought they were absolutely stunning, especially the first one. Just gorgeous.

Country Dining Room

Oh to have a home with oodles and oodles of bookshelves from floor to ceiling!!!

 

(photo kidnapped from bugungunlerdenkitap Instagram account - September 2024)

I Like to Kick...

(video kidnapped from Molly Shannon's IG account - theofficialsuperstar - on 3 February 2018)

Care, dammit!

Michael James Schneider

#firstfriends

Ann Jillian on JeffreyMixed

In honour of Ann Jillian Day, here's a batch of screenshots from when JeffreyMixed did an It's a Living post on his IG account.

Grief

I tend to think of Amber around Mother's Day. She documented her experience on Insta of watching her Mom slip away and then the aftermath and how she struggled to cope with the loss. Amber's Instagram page was one of the best because it was food photos and pictures with her cats and her husband, but it was also about daily struggles. Sitting in a parked car and feeling drained and unable to even contemplate making the drive to work. Finding small pockets of glee in a lousy day, like a box of Milk Duds. Plus showing off her #signaturethumb because when she'd get a manicure, her thumbs would be two-toned on the diagonal. What impressed me most were the moments where she would share her feelings so boldly. It was like a string that connected us. Amber always seemed to want her audience to know the toughest and realest moments of her life, not merely the happy times at parties and living it up in Chicago. It was refreshing to witness her fearless vulnerability. Her honesty made me feel like I wasn't the only one out there having a difficult time. I took a screenshot of this on April 19th of 2019 and only just came across it while deleting un-necessary photos from my phone. Once again, I'm thinking of Amber today as well as Autumn, Molly, Heather, and Sean, who are dealing with their first Mother's Day without Maureen. 

I Loathe AI

I agree with Catarine’s response with every fibre of my being.

Textbook Gemini

I really need to learn more about my astrological sign. Any time I read something about how a Gemini behaves and thinks, it is always so spot on for me that it's scary. Here's a few things I saw on Instie-gram that fit me to a T.

(So watch out, boys!)

Consent

October 2018 - Michael James Schneider

Charming Hallway

(photo kidnapped from stamps and stamps IG page)

The Laughing Heart

I realise that it is just this side of pathetic to be obsessed with random humans that I will never meet, will never know, and who are wholly unaware of my existence. Be that as it may, I adore Tom Waits. He is my favourite male vocalist of all time. (Apologies to Nat King Cole and Lou Reed.) All of the clips I've seen of him in interviews leads me to believe that he is a genuinely fascinating and uniquely funny man. Late last year I saw him in an Instagram video that made me love him even more for introducing me to a stunning piece by Charles Bukowski. The way he reads it, enunciating each word with precision and care...it brings tears to my eyes and an ache to my chest. Especially when he says "You are marvelous...the gods wait to delight in you."

The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski

your life is your life

don't let it be clubbed into dank submission.

be on the watch.

there are ways out.

there is a light somewhere.

it may not be much light but

it beats the darkness.

be on the watch.

the gods will offer you chances.

know them.

take them.

you can't beat death but

you can beat death in life, sometimes.

and the more often you learn to do it,

the more light there will be.

your life is your life.

know it while you have it.

you are marvelous

the gods wait to delight

in you.

Voyage of the Rock Aliens

One of my favourite accounts on Instagram was JeffreyMixed. It was mega gay and very campy. I had never heard of this Pia Zadora "film" but when I saw Craig Sheffer's gorgeous puss, I kept watching. The comments, like always, did not disappoint.

Living Room Swoon

(photo kidnapped from IG account blissfully_eclectic -  4 May 2017)