It’s another one of those sunny, beautiful days or whatever and I’m driving down a bit of winding mountainside interstate, which is generally quite fun because I like to race my beast of a Camry across down the curvy highway, weaving in and out of cars, all that jazz. It’s been a while since I’ve driven through mountains and I’m pretty pumped about this. So I crank up the Neil Diamond, whip out my faux-Wayfarers, and  put the pedal to the metal.

Everything is going great.  I even roll down the windows because it makes me feel like I’m driving faster. I mean, this is becoming a truly exhilarating drive. I’m whipping around this curve and all of a sudden I’m hit in the face with a major bummer. There’s a big-ass tractor trailer chugging it’s way down the mountain ahead of me. I know I have to pass the thing, but these situations always scare the shit out of me, knowing that Mac boy has the ability to easily smash my girly little Camry like a bug or some gum under a shoe on the sidewalk. (Actually, now that I think about it, the gum analogy is probably the best one because I can absolutely see myself–with a wrong turn of the wheel–becoming a permanent fixture of the underbelly of the truck.) I’ve got a real dilemma here, but I realize that I can’t just keep putting along at a measly 55 miles per hour behind this guy.  So I take a breath, push the pedal harder, and try to pass my travel-buddy as quickly as I can. I’m about half way around this monster, shrouded in the darkness of his infinite shadow, and I begin to notice him moving towards my lane. As you might imagine, as soon as his tires touch the white lines, I fucking lay on the horn, but this tank keeps on moving towards me.  Inch by inch by inch, he is absolutely in my lane at this point. This big truck is about to rape me and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it.  I slam on the breaks, break my arm on the horn, and suddenly realize  I will become a barnacle on this truck’s hull in about 3.579 seconds.  I clamp my eyes shut and duck as low as I can, because I know that this will make hurt less. And then, fucking BLAMMO!

I get rear-ended by some motherfucker in a Hybrid Prius. The trucker rolls back into his own lane, putting along his merry way, while pissed-off and dirty-diapered old me is colliding into the concrete median.

What a fucking letdown of a drive.

(editor: i wrote this a while ago. but its funny. and jennifer aniston is semi-naked. again.)

I watched Jennifer Aniston on tv this morning.

I’d like to say ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ if  it would assure me to be as fit as she is at 40.  Or should I? Sometimes it seems all shes having is alot of walks on the beach sandwiched around public breakups and rom-com movies with sadly ironic titles.

 If I were her I would probably be ecstatic about the day when I could finally do an interview without wondering if the audience is holding their collective rubber-necky breaths thinking “Ask her about Brad! Ask her what she thinks of Angelina’s ovaries! Ask her if she cries alone at night  into a tub of Ben&Jerry’s! Do it Robin Roberts! Do it for us all!”
Could I be her and not be bitter? Could I keep it classy and such? The best response, I think, goes right along with the teachings of Captain Bongodrum. (omgWhatthehellishisname?? He’s in that Dolce&Gabana cologne ad? He’s from Texas. He’s always running on the beach and is seemingly allergic to shirts??*) Ugh. As Whats-his-face would say: ”just keep livin” and I think that this is the best response.
Otherhandwise, the best revenge is to live well.

To keep going and ascending.To maintain a sixpack at all costs. To have healthy and highly publicized relationships with extremely attractive, younger men.

(see: Halle Berry – Eric Benet + Gabriel Aubry or

Demi Moore – Bruce Willis + Ashton Kutcher.)

And to NOT TALK ABOUT YOUR EX.

She's saying: 'Give it a rest, already!', right?

But could I keep it classy and keep it moving as she seemingly would like to do?
I ask myself this because this could totally happen to me.
Not in the way that Jennifer Anniston is supposed to be this American girl-next-door-ish everywoman.
A little bit more because  her birthday is 2/11 and mine is 2/1 so I emphathize with my astrological sign sister. But mostly because  that is the kind of shit that happens to me relationshipwise without fail.

I’ll be cruising along, comfortable in the relationship, my guard down like automatic windows. And then, seemingly  out of nowhere the whole relationship will come to a screeching, burnt rubber halt.

Dude will stop the forward momentum, turn to me and say he’s just going to walk the rest of the way from here on, thanks. And I can keep the car and that soundtrack to the Breakfast Club in the cd changer… Wait, what? Can you turn the radio down and repeat that?

Blammo.
Something unseen went down probably started by a butterfly wing blowing a blade of grass or me watching music videos over his shoulder during dinner or  me playing the same song on the radio over and over even tho’ I know he hates it or something…

(maybe i was sleep when we hit the speedbump shaped like a co-stars vagina?) 

but just
blammo. Its all oh-so-over
and I’m sitting looking around at this confusing wreckage that is my lovelife saying,
Damn.  Will you look at that.
And only a creepy, jealous, insecure harpy would blame just the man for the mess. And a worse kind of woman would still be talking about it– especially if it had been years (and years and years) later. So you’ve got to stiff-upper-lip it. And not bring it up.  Even if it is eating away at you. And especially  if you can see it  eating away at  the studio audience with their semi-pitiying faces wanting to bring the torrid shit up just to watch the emotional trainwreck that they assume will ensue.

(you know, becuause everyone has a studio audience)

What is wrong with Jennifer Anstion’s media karma? In a scenario that happend a  zillion hollywood years ago involving  herself and two other people she’s the only one that’s not allowed to move on?
Granted, this is me looking at it not only from the outside but from the checkout line in the Duane Reed as I run in to get a protein bar and a bottle of water for the gym or whatever.
She could very well be over it and it’s the tabloids that wont let it die.

But watching Jennifer Anstion’s  being  interviewed by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America (sidenote: the most addictive tv show ever for me right now, btw)  about a movie that may in actuality  end up being OK  or in fact,  be the steaming pile of I-can-never-get-those-two-hours-of-my-life-back   that I think it will because her main costars are that guy with the nose (who I like) and A DOG.
A FLIPPING DOG for christcryingoutloudsakes a DOG! All you can really think about is A) Damn. This movie has a dog in it  and B) starts with a ‘B’ and is commonlaw married to Angelina Jolie.

And so Jennifer Aniston and Robin Roberts  are discussing life on set with her costars and what it is like to work, no, not with Owen Wilson who is a living breathing human being who can communicate in actual words but with the DOG who, for the record shits outside and then buries it and probably licks its own arsehole…
and then there is a side bar of ‘Gee, Jen  you sure look amazing at 40’
specifically
here in this [airbrushed?] photo of you on the cover of a men’s magazine wearing naught but a smile and a necktie. And in the article therein which regales you for your good humor and hello, your 90% nakedness.

I am on the fence about all of this. The seminaked spread (no pun intended) may or may not shriek ‘Hello, I am desperate. Look at me please! Lookatmelookatmelookatme!‘ It may or may not. I’ve not decided. And desperate ploy or no, I repeat empatically that if I look like that at 40,(and I will, dammit!) it will be a good thing indeed.  And if so/when that time arrives I may very well be publicly naked 45% of the time, too.
The interview continues and it did not once address the 300lb gorilla in the room. Nor his 68 kids. Or the otherworldly hot humanitarian woman he left Jen for a zillion years ago and how she allegedly still can’t get over it.
No, none of that.
I wonder, if afterwards she looks back on how the interview went and remembers that they spent two of its 10 minutes talking about dog hair  and feels some kind of way about it. 
I wonder, did she look around her dressing room not really seeing it, more seeing snippets of moments of her life that had just passed which had’nt seemed so bad at the time but assuredly  didn’t seem like it would lead up to well, this confusing wreckage. Causing her to scratch her head and say
damn, will you look at that?

Blammo.

Le sigh.

All of that rant because I identified w Jennifer Aniston this morning and she’s in a movie with a dog.
Yeah, I know. I probably should be worried.

*Matthew McConaheywhatever. Dammnit.

Life’s been running like a roller-coaster lately; hard, fast, topsy-turvey and steel everywhere. I’m on some sort of Mr. Toad’s wild ride where the turns come so quick, I can’t tell what’s around the bend but it doesn’t stop it from coming… not by a long shot.
I feel as though I’m finally starting to come into my own, like the Universe said, “Well guys, she’s ready. Let’s throw her some LIFE!” and BLAMMO!

It’s been a long time since, I’ve been this happy with my life, my creativity, my friends and this whole crazy nutshell kind of world…
On a side note: I am making smoothies and they are SO incredibly delicious!

A couple of my favorite people, Happy and Maquette are getting married on July 4th; they’re having a Victorian Steampunk wedding… How cool is that? I’m still trying to figure out what in the world I’m going to wear, I’m sure I’ll think of something just right. They are the first of my good friends to get married and I am so excited for them! It’s also (obviously) got all kinds of thoughts swimming around in my head like, “What kind of wedding would I like to have someday?” and “Am I really such a silly girl as all that?”

Turns out, I am. I am just as silly, goofy, romantic, tee-hee-hee as the rest of them. Also bad-ass. Always also bad-ass, but I suppose that doesn’t come out as much when is mushy girlie situations.

I’m going to go eat my delicious lunch now: Hefeweisen pork sausage with grilled onions, sauerkraut, horseradish (I am a good Rusyn girl) and grilled rosemary russet potatoes…. and peach, berry, banana SMOOTHIE!

Becoming a parent really changes things. You learn about the little things. Like for example, even though a squeal of delight from the other room is always incriminating, sometimes the absence of a squeal, or even stone silence is just as bad.

You would think it would be the opposite. But in our house, when the boy is not making his usual noises, it means he’s up to no good at all. Case in point: The Silent Dismantling of Blueberries, which he was supposed to be eating.

ELKHART — Sarah Erickson, daughter of John and Bobbe Erickson of Goshen, and Cory Reitmeier, son of Jerry and Rita Reitmeier of Goshen, were united in marriage Oct. 25, 2008, in First United Methodist Church by Pastor Don Reed.

Vibe Photography and Vibe Productions were there to capture the sights and sounds of the wedding and also at the  reception which followed at The Grand Event Center and featured live music by Blammo.  The whole day was a great success and highlighted by a fun reception with great food and music for all, (including a special song by Sarah to Cory).  I’ve included a link to some video of the band as they were exceptionally good and I would recommend them for anyone considering a live band at your wedding reception.

Also in this post I’ve added video from a photo session by Vibe Photography outdoors near downtown Elkhart.  This is a great couple minutes of Cory and Sarah posing for the camera and having fun even though it was a bit cold!

Nike unveils the new Nike SB’s available for March 2009. Look out for the Blazer Low Hybrid, Dunk Low, Blazer High, P-Rod II and the Air Classic. Check out more fresh items from nike skateboarding here.

Source: highsnobiety

Check out new Official’s “Neu Mesh” adjustable snap-back hats. They come in three styles, “micro-lumberjack”, “eratic chaing gaing” and “8 bit check-bit”. These are scheduled to drop for Spring/Summer 2009.

Source: C’est La Vie

Available now is this fly silver Puma sneaker. This one’s called “Crete Sheen” for the ladies that’s a must have this summer.

Source: vagant

These dope shades are from “Blammo – Nowayfarer Sunglasses for the ladies available now.

Source: vagant

På Borgholms Outlet kan du välja mellan ca 30-40 olika motiv av strumpor från Blammo. Strumpor finns både till kille och till tjej. Mixa hur du vill, ta chansen och köp ett par strumpor till din älskade, barnen, mormor, farfar, eller varför inte till din granne! Överraska någon med ett par strumpor!

!!!

5 par strumpor från Blammo kostar 100:- på Borgholms Outlet.

Blammo Sonnenbrillen sind das Accessorie für deine Augen. Die coolen Styles im Wayfarer oder Retro Look von Blammo sind relativ neu auf dem Markt und der Geheimtip wenn es um Qualität und Preis geht. Zu unschlagbaren 24,90 EUR bekommst du eine Brille die modisch absolut im Trend der Zeit liegt und auch mit teuren Modellen mithalten kann! Blammo gibt es nur bei einigen wenigen deutschen Händlern wie z.B. bei Coutie!

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Blammo
Blammo startades 1997 av Johan Graffner. Det är främst ett accessoarmärke som med sin bredd och variation erbjuder schyssta produkter till ett bra pris. År 2001 såg Blammo en lucka I strumpmarknaden ; det fanns helt enkelt inga prisvärda strumpor med bra kvalitet och hög modegrad.

Sedan dess har Blammos strumpkoncept utvecklats och dom har fortsatt att släppa strumpor inspirerade av musik, mode, film, klassisk stil och politik, alltid med en originell touch.

Nei bei Coutie: abgefahrene Sonnebrillen vom schwedischen Style Label Blammo. Die Brillen von Blammo sind kunterbunt und in allen aktuellen Formen, wie die Wayfarer Brille.

Hier noch etwas über Blammo: Blammo wurde 1997 in Stockholm, Schweden Gegründet. Blammo ist reiner Accessorie Hersteller, vorrang haben hier die Brillen. Ob Wayfarer Style oder Retro Look, was von Blammo kommt ist garantiert aktuell und verrückt. Und obwohl man bei Blammo den Preis eher schlicht hält, gilt das nicht für die Qualiät. Denn die ist immer hervorragend, jede Sonnenbrille ist aus stabilem Material und mit 100% UV-SChutz ausgestattet. Bei uns findest du die beste Auswahl an Blammo Sonnenbrillen für Damen und Herren.

Blammo 2
by Noah Van Sciver
Self-Published

In Blammo 2, Noah Van Sciver promotes his favorite bands, tells crude jokes, and mouths off about irritating trends polluting Denver, CO. It’s a notably zine-like comic for all its variety, education and filth – and it’s kind of a hoot.

Noah Van Sciver, it must be told, is the brother of mainstream comic artist Ethan Van Sciver. It’s a funny notion that two brothers could be the yin and yang of comics – one serious, straight and published, the other comical, expressive and indie – and that’s just what Noah seems to be. He’s making indie comics so quintessential in form, they seem entirely opposed to what’s mainstream and completely illustrative of the underground with all its rage, comedy and wince-inducing details.

The book contains four real and imagined conversations with Van Sciver’s favorite artistic heroes, including Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Kristin Gundred of Grand Ole Party, Joe Matt and Bob Dylan. The Joe Matt interview is hilarious, since it’s mostly three pages of Matt’s well-known rambling style prompted by a hand-held microphone. The Matt interview covers such topics as collecting things, the importance of Bob Dylan, and taking drugs at Comic-Con ‘87.

Some of the book tackles Noah’s real-life situations, which are awkward or irritating, but not very funny on their own. It’s clearly supposed to be a fun comic book, and when he distorts reality or writes fiction, that’s where his talent is best expressed. Most of the book is fictional, including stories about strangers or strange haunted sofas or a bagel guy who hates his job or a bothersome homeless guy, but he also includes letters to the artist and the interviews – so it’s really a mixed bag in terms of content. Artistically, though, it’s obviously all coming from the same place. Personally, this is my favorite alternative to books penned by a single author and illustrated by multiple artists. The common style helps visually to tie everything together.

Noah’s pages are full of boney, bedraggled misfits that fill square panels on gridlocked pages. The drawings are cross-hatched and spot-colored with grays and everything feels very urban and filthy and underground. It’s a really nice style for the kind of stories he tells, it just fits. What’s better, is that for as packed as the square panels are, the drawings and text fit soundly together. They don’t tend to knock each other around and compete for space, which creates problems in other comics. The style and stories and design of the thing are really in harmony. I think the best step for Noah to take now is to further stretch the truth to create even more filthy and fictitious stories. Writing fiction’s a talent, but writing filthy jokes and stories is kind of a master realm of comics, where the respected legion of cartoonists dwell, and Noah’s on his way there.

The book is 6.5×10.25″, 32 pages long and available for $4 on Noah’s website.

- Sarah Morean

Another quickly-forgotten Sheffield band is remembered here

In the early 90s I remember Blammo! playing quite a bit live in and around Sheffield, but it was only when they changed their name to Speedy that the band properly caught my attention.

Most memorable for me was the promotional campaign for their Boy wonder single. The artwork for the release featured a striking illustration of a boy in his Boy wonder pants and if I recall correctly it was plastered on lampposts all over the city centre in the run-up to its release in 1996.

This was just around the peak of Britpop when guitar bands were getting top 10 hits, but for Speedy this wasn’t to be. Despite the promotional campaign, Boy wonder failed to break into the top 40 and a couple of years later they split, with their debut album recorded but unreleased.

I saw them at Music in the sun in 1997 and they were great, holding their own on the bill alongside Longpigs and Baby bird (Stephen Jones was in a very irritable mood that day though). Speedy stood out as a good guitar band and were described by Sheffield music journalist Martin Lilleker as “lyrically clever-funny”.

This website has more information including a discography, which for some reason is presented as a PDF, plus there is more information on Blammo! on karllang.co.uk and in this thread.

Boy wonder did make it onto Polygram’s Shine 7 compilation album, but you can also listen to it here, courtesy of elbondo.com:

Boy wonder (1996) record sleeve,
taken from elbondo.com

Fotade en outfit i dag som jag tyckte kändes lite Ed Banger.

Jacka: Second hand

Byxor: Otvättade Cheap Monday

Tee : Revolution

Skor: Vita Chuck Taylors

Strumpor: Blammo

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