Model Shelby Keaton is working it in this ancient style photo shoot; captured for Madame Figaro Greece’s December issue the cinematic layout in these pictures bring intrigue to every shot while telling a story that is synonymous with Greece myths.  I love edge edge edge, this Dimitris killed it!

Styling: Georgia X

Photography By: Dimitris Skoulos

IMG|SOURCE: FGR

VERDICT:
2/10 Jersey D-Bags

One of the most overrated movies of the ’90s.

Clerks is about a convenience store clerk in New Jersey who gets roped into working a day-long shift when he’s not even supposed to be there. He’s pissed off, he’s having issues with his girlfriend, potheads who hang out by the store harass him all day, yada yada yada, and that’s about it.

I know this is the “Generation X” poster child of sorts – right up there with Reality Bites (not bad) – and I’m aware that I might be blaspheming on some pretty sacred turf for some of you out there, but, man, this movie sucks. Look, I’ve tried to like this thing. I’ve gone ahead and watched this a good three times in the hopes that I might achieve a moment of clarity where everything finally clicks and I wonder to myself in a haze of delight, “You finally get it, Aiden. You finally get Clerks.“

But nope. Still don’t get it.

Here’s a short list summing up why:

- Necrophilia – still not funny.

- A cast of total asshole characters that I couldn’t give a shit about.

- Swearing for the sake of swearing – as annoying as it is in real life.

- It’s just not funny. Gross, definitely. Funny, definitely not.

Maybe it’s me, but I didn’t laugh once during this movie, I don’t think I even smiled, not even at the conversation about whether or not the Death Star carpenters were innocent victims. And there’s nothing wrong with sex jokes every now and again, but it stops being funny when it tries to push the envelope by testing your gag reflex every. single. time. It’s not stuff you can relate to and go “Oh yeah, I totally get that!”, it’s just nasty, like a whole conversation about “snowballing” (Google that at your own discretion). There’s a fine line between edgy and bad taste, and I’m not seeing a whole lot of edgy here.

Nonetheless, I still think Kevin Smith’s pretty solid. Yeah, this one blew, but I’ll happily stand by Dogma and Chasing Amy any day. The guy can write, the guy can be funny, the guy can be edgy, I just don’t know what the hell happened here.

Clerks gets two points for introducing the world to Jay and Silent Bob and that’s about it. Also thought the “Beserker” song was alright. Other than that, it wasn’t my thing. Pretty sure I’m in the minority on this one, but like I said, I tried.

God help me, I tried.

Cabaret (1972)
★★★★ / ★★★★

It’s very uncommon for me to be interested in musicals so it took a little bit of effort for me to finally decide to watch “Cabaret.” I wish I could have seen it sooner because it was fantastic. I loved Liza Minnelli as an entertainer in a cabaret who had a dream of becoming a famous actress before the Nazis took hold of Germany. She was spunky, edgy, funny, self-deprecating, and a little bit vain; but despite her bold personality, she was a damaged character who yearned to be genuinely loved–not merely for her stage persona–but her real self, something that she was still striving to get from her father. I also found Michael York as a British writer who taught English on the side to be fascinating. At first glance I thought he was the typical leading man who was supposed to come in and sweep the leading lady off her feet, but he, too, had his own problems such as his anxiety of getting into a relationship with women. Was he a heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, or simply a man who had taken a vow of celibacy? I desperately wanted to know. Minnelli and York’s character quickly got along and the film started off pretty light. However, as the film went on and a rich man (Helmut Griem) entered their lives, the dynamics between the two changed and the film became a little darker with each passing scene. I thought the film’s ability to balance between character development and commentaries about the relationship between the decadence inside the club and the reality outside was special because most musicals that I’ve seen do not even come close to reaching such a dramatic weight. The songs, in a way, were sort of the background but they were far from secondary because the musical numbers often connected the horrific events that were unfolding and the personal battles that each character had to face. Watching “Cabaret,” directed by Bob Fosse, was really quite compelling and I couldn’t take my eyes (and my ears) off the screen. I think it deserved winning the eight Oscars it received because it was as complex or perhaps more so than, say, a typical “dramatic” Oscar-bait movie. Watching the film made me want to visit a Kit Kat Klub–cross-dressers, cigars, androgyny, debauchery and all. I’ll be on the lookout for more dark musicals like “Cabaret.”

It was so beautiful that day but also very cold brrr… ! But i had a blast. I got to meet  these wonderful woman and we had a really good time. The make up was done by Amber Hodge www.amberhodge.com and my model was super sweet Kylie Collin who is a wonderful musician and a aspiring Model . This is what i absolutely adore about my job i do what i love and i get to meet all these wonderful people.

Having been on my new university course for 3 months now, and having made some really close friends who are generally a few years older than me (my closest friends on the course are 33 and 35), I’ve really been able to see how far I’ve come as a person.

Looking back at myself even 4 months ago when I had only started writing this blog, I knew myself, but myself was unsure and nervous.  I felt as if I was in a rut professionally after graduating with a good degree from a prestigious university, personally I had had “friends” who turned out not to be friends at all slander me and accuse me of things (theft, bullying) that I had and have never done, and would never do in a million years.  I took it all on the chin and just had faith that things would get better, but I knew in my heart that I didn’t know what would happen.  Would this careers guidance course be the right decision for me?  What was going to happen to me?  Had I peaked already in my life?

The answer to that last question, now I see, is an emphatic NO! Obviously I was only 23 (now 24) and to paint myself as an underdog who had it all and then lost it was more than a little unfair to myself.  I now know that I have so much going for me, so much to offer, and I am not an ugly or stupid person no matter how much certain people may endeavour to make me feel that about myself.  I deserve the best, and with this new qualification, new friends who seem to value me for me from the jump, and new confidence, I feel that I can get the best.  Once again, I’m back on track, and more than anything I’m so relieved.  I may paint myself as confident and assertive – and I am those things – but underneath I still get nervous and insecure.  Now, I finally see that I really am worth more.

I guess it’s a part of natural evolution.  I’ve grown up a lot, and although it took pointing out, I am older than my years.  I don’t feel out of place hanging out with 30-year-olds, because we have the same mentality and experiences.  People generally have trouble guessing my age (I still get ID’d for buying cigarettes on the one hand – which makes Mike LOL and envious at the same time!; on the other hand, a couple of people on my course originally thought I was late 20s because of the fact I can articulate myself and hold my own in discussions), but although I may tease my colleagues at university about receding hairlines, wrinkles and old age, I don’t feel any difference between us.  Aaliyah really had it right – age ain’t nothin’ but a number.  Usually it correlates to maturity, but not always.  At the end of the day, people are people, and we are all human.

These are things that I already knew to be true, but having them held up in front of me has forced me to accept these things as positives about myself.  It’s finally really sinking in.  And the truth of who I am as a man, as a human being, is finally coming out.  This is what I wanted to write about really, but it took the backstory above to get there! (Sorry… but I always give you the main course – no snacks here!)  I thought that I was an adult after university (by which I mean my undergraduate degree at Oxford), but it took me a bit longer.  Working at the Perfume Shop gave me a taste of the hard grind, working for not enough money and being treated like I didn’t have a brain (the saving grace was superficially decent friendships and getting to work with fragrance and deepen my knowledge of it).  My newer job at the hospital has made me see how people can be valued in their work, both monetarily and in terms of being treated like an intelligent human being.  My new course at university has helped me see what I really want to do, and now having that thrust forward has completed me and erased some of my doubts (not all, but some is certainly a step forward) about my future and my life’s purpose.

As things around me have been moving in the right direction, so I’ve been able to spread my wings and become more of who I am.  I love smoking – I’m not a moron and I know it’s not good for my health nor my voice, but I enjoy the feeling from it, the fact it kills time, and the socialising aspect of it – I think it goes hand in hand with being confident and conversational, as you often get approached by people who want a light / spare fag, and you end up conversing with strangers because you share an appreciation of nicotine!  In turn, smoking has reduced my hunger (allowing me to stick to my no-evening-snacking policy) and I’ve dropped a waist size – people at uni have christened me “good looking”, “pretty boy” and lots of other complimentary things referencing both my physical looks and my fashion style. I feel more confident in and out of my clothes – although I’m such a perfectionist that I’ll never be satisfied!  But looking at my vanity and my past issues with my own body and self-esteem, I’ve come a long way.  I feel happier in my skin physically as well as emotionally – and I’m feeling more confident to express the edgier, darker sides of myself which set me apart from others.

After years of deliberation, changing my mind and refining my ideas, I’m finally set on getting tattoos!  One is a stylised A, which you can see here; the other will be above my left collarbone mirroring it, and will be a gun.  I’ve been inspired by Rihanna’s gun tattoo, but I want it because to me a gun is a symbol of strength and power, of aggression and conflict, of edginess and darkness.  These are all things that I embody – I am tougher than some people initially assume, and I want an emblem of that grit and fire.  I feel it’s applicable to me, and also quite exciting and sexy.  And whereas before I might have balked at the permanence of a tattoo like that, now I feel mature and comfortable enough in myself to be able to wear it and pull it off.  This is me – maybe I’m a good boy gone bad, but I still have a good heart; I have just spent too long in my life pleasing others, and now I’ve finally lunged for myself with this course and am reaping the rewards much more than I ever did listening to other people’s opinions on what was best for me, I believe in my own capacity to make decisions.  I’m not an angel, I’m not a good boy, and I’m tired of portraying that.  I am me and I have a good heart and an intelligent mind, but sometimes I enjoy being provocative or sexy or pushing the boundaries.  That is just as valid a part of me, and my new friendships embrace that part of me too and love me for it.  My infatuation with a married man who has become my best friend and is actively ok with my affection and flirting and actively returns it has been a revelation to me.  We understand each other, we can control our affections (he feels the same way about someone else) and be mature adults, but we also have fun with it – we accept each other and I never felt so comfortable to be able to be so emotionally honest with someone I knew would accept me for who I am. From him I learned what it is to be a good father, a good husband, a good man, and also that whatever I’m feeling, I am a rational person and I should never feel guilty for my feelings.  I should never feel stupid, and the sign of a good friendship is being able to admit how you’re feeling and that other person accepting you for it and not telling you it’s wrong or silly.  Again, these are things I superficially knew, but feeling and living them is a whole other revelation.  I hope that my friends can one day think of me in the same way.

So my embracing my dark side instead of being afraid of it; my becoming edgier is a natural emancipation, a natural evolution of me.  I am free to be who I am, and I am proud of who I am.  I’ve felt ashamed, even in small doses, for too long.  It took a long time to get here, and I’m sure in the future I will still make mistakes and waver, but hopefully I can come back and read this post and remember my feelings right now, and that’ll keep me going.  Once a good boy goes bad, we’re gone forever – but I wish I’d gone sooner and I look forward to where I’m going and whom I’m going with.

Do you remember the first time you had sex? Find the memory.  Put it in the front of your brain. Hold it there. Now let’s go in.

She’s wearing a dress. That means it’s an occasion. Rosa doesn’t care much for prim and proper. She doesn’t care much about what your parent’s think or even so much care about what you think. She wants you to “get drunk and by photos” . The imagess in referenced are from the show Do You Rember The First TIme? I Can’t Remember A Worst Time.The word that comes to mind to describe Rosa and her work is is unapologetic. If her last name looks familiar, you are right. She is a descendant of the Greek god Mercury; so tells her parents. That may or may not be true. She got her first camera in Poland. Rosa is not from Poland.

The photo above is a man in a dress. Knees unshaven “Hot Pink Dress Up”. I liked talking to Rosa. She speaks in fragmented facts. Informative truths that end in periods as if there no possible way to doubt their validity. Similarly, her work it is undeniable. The show is about sexuality, gender lines, social norms, and men in drag. Rosa Mercuriadis is a walking talking middle finger to the status quo. Her photography is what it would look like for that middle finger to control a lens.

“Red Lipstick And Fur” are two things I like to see people wearing, but most often those people are women. This is not the case with the photo above. Each image is hell bent on teaching the lesson that we can do anything we think we can get away with. As if to say ” Go have sex with who ever you find attractive.” its not so much about what a guy or girl should look or be like moreso the expression of those things we think about but would never say to our co-workers. The things we watch at night on our little laptop monitors with headphones so our spouses won’t hear. Somethings we even shame our own selves for loving it.

“14 Year Old Sex Symbol” was the first picture I saw. All I said was “DAMN that model is hot,” then I read the title. I think Miss Merc forces us to ask ourselves what we are really feeling. What are we running away from everyday when we let society tell us what we can and can’t do. After I found out the model was indeed 14 I wondered if it were even appropriate to portray her as sexy. Right after that I learned that it was Rosa’s sister. The image captures you and makes you see this girl as you would in a bar or a music video and it slaps you in the face with the knowledge that she is so young. It is unfair to play mind games Rosa. Especially since I can’t call her for another 4 years. Seriously though, if there is one thing to take away from this show it  is not to view teenagers as sex symbols. It is to view yourself as you really are and not be a shamed to face your desires head on. You”ll get a better understanding of the person you are and how you want to handle what you discover about yourself.

Rosa Mercuriadis

“Do You Remember The First Time? I Can’t Remember A Worst Time”

Tallgirl3 recently heard that term used and boy did it get her attention. It brought to mind some of the facial and verbal reactions she witnesses when people first hear the name “Road Rage Jewelry.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote “People only see what they are prepared to see” couldn’t have said it better, and that is what Road Rage Jewelry is all about.

Stinking Thinking is a great term to use not only on yourself, but on others, although you may want to be within an arm’s lengh if you say it to a stranger.

According to an article written by Peter Clemens (July 23, 2008) at PickTheBrain an online blog site, there are eight patterns to overcome stinking thinking. They are:

1. “Overgeneralization

This pattern is characterized by broad, general conclusions based on a single incident or piece of evidence. Overgeneralization often takes the form of absolute statements and uses words such as all, every, none, never, always, everybody and nobody. For example, if you read too many personal development articles you may believe all television is a waste of time.

You can stop thinking in absolutes by using words such as may, sometimes, most and often. Saying some, or even most, television is a waste of time is far easier to take seriously than simply saying all of it is.

2. Polarized Thinking

This is black-and-white thinking, with no room for shades of gray. People and things become either good or bad, smart or stupid, brave or cowardly. President Bush’s declaration in the aftermath of 9/11, “You’re either with us, or against us” is a famous example of such thinking. And we all know know what has happened since….

Fight the urge to make black-and-white judgements by accepting people and things are too complex to be reduced to “either/ or” judgements. This is especially important in regards to judging yourself. Allow yourself some room to make mistakes without automatically labeling yourself a failure.

3. Filtering

Filtering can be thought of as a type of tunnel vision – focusing on one element of a situation to the exclusion of everything else. For example, you may write an article that hits the front page of Digg. But rather than focusing on this success, your thoughts are distracted by a handful of negative comments.

To break this pattern, make a conscious effort to shift your focus to the opposite mental theme. In this case, focus on the positive feedback and enjoy the moment as it is not every day your blog hits the front page of Digg (unless you are Arianna Huffington).

4. Mind Reading

This pattern occurs when you make snap judgements about others. You may, for example, assume a girl who is not paying attention to you is thinking, “He is not up to my standards”. This may be based on intuition, past experiences or a process called projection, whereby you imagine people feel the same way you do and react to things the same way you do. And while your assumptions may be true, often they will turn out to be completely wrong. Perhaps she is very interested in you but is simply shy?

One way to tackle this pattern is to treat assumptions about people as hypotheses to be tested and checked. Gather evidence before making inferences about people. And if you do decide to follow your intuition, be aware your assumptions may reflect yourself rather than the reality of someone else.

5. Catastrophizing

Catastrophizing occurs when your imagination focuses on the potential for tragedy and disaster. Just as Chicken Little worried the sky was falling after an apple fell on her head, you may fear swimming in the ocean after reading a news report of a shark attack on the other side of the world. Catastrophic thoughts often start with the words “What if?” What if I injure myself playing sport? What if this plane crashes? What if I lose my job? Such catastrophizing creates anxiety and can result in you missing out on some of life’s greatest pleasures.

The most effective way to deal with this pattern is to evaluate a situation in terms of odds or percent of probability. Are the chances of disaster one in 1,000,000 (0.00001 per cent)? Or, are they closer one in a thousand (0.1 per cent)? When it comes to sharks, there were 71 unprovoked attacks worldwide in 2007. Perhaps you should be more concerned about the car ride to the beach than swimming in the ocean….

6. Magnifying

This involves emphasizing things out of proportion to their actual importance. Minor suggestions become scathing criticism. Small mistakes become tragic events. Slight obstacles become overwhelming barriers.

To overcome this pattern, pay attention to the language you use. Stop using words such as disgusting, awful and terrible. Also, toss out phrases such as “It’s unbearable”. Guess what? It is bearable. History has shown time and time again that human beings can cope with almost any psychological blow and can endure incredible physical pain.

7. Personalization

Personalization can take two forms. First, you can directly compare yourself to other people, eg “He writes far more eloquently than I do”. Such comparisons may actually be favorable to you, eg “I am better looking”. Either way, there is an underlying assumption here that your worth is questionable. Consequently, you seek out ways to test your value and measure yourself against others. Personalization can also take the form of relating everything back to yourself. If you’re partner tells you she is bored or depressed, you may automatically think you are the cause of this feeling.

This pattern of limited thinking can be broken by recognizing most comparisons are meaningless. Each of us has our strong and weak points. Matching your strong points to other people’s weak points usually has little purpose except to feed your ego.

8. Shoulds

In this final pattern, you live according to a set of inflexible rules about how you and other people should act. You have a fixed view of what is right, and those who deviate from your particular values or standards are bad. And you are just as hard on yourself. Some common and unreasonable “shoulds” include:

•“I should never be tired or get sick”
•“I should always be totally self-reliant”
•“I should never make mistakes”
•“I should always be happy”
To overcome this pattern, try to have greater flexibility in the rules or expectations you feel compelled to live by. And when it comes to other people, it is important to accept their individuality and uniqueness. You should accept that other people won’t necessarily live according to your values. After all, your personal values are just that – personal.”

So I guess the lesson here is, when Tallgirl3 starts feeling “stinky” its time to get out the rubber gloves and lysol and do a little mental house cleaning.

Tallgirl3

Tallgirl3 recently heard that term used and boy did it get her attention. It brought to mind some of the facial and verbal reactions she witnesses when people first hear the name “Road Rage Jewelry.” Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote “People only see what they are prepared to see” couldn’t have said it better, and that is what Road Rage Jewelry is all about.

Stinking Thinking is a great term to use not only on yourself, but on others, although you may want to be within an arm’s lengh if you say it to a stranger.

According to an article written by Peter Clemens (July 23, 2008) at PickTheBrain an online blog site, there are eight patterns to overcome stinking thinking. They are:

1. “Overgeneralization

This pattern is characterized by broad, general conclusions based on a single incident or piece of evidence. Overgeneralization often takes the form of absolute statements and uses words such as all, every, none, never, always, everybody and nobody. For example, if you read too many personal development articles you may believe all television is a waste of time.

You can stop thinking in absolutes by using words such as may, sometimes, most and often. Saying some, or even most, television is a waste of time is far easier to take seriously than simply saying all of it is.

2. Polarized Thinking

This is black-and-white thinking, with no room for shades of gray. People and things become either good or bad, smart or stupid, brave or cowardly. President Bush’s declaration in the aftermath of 9/11, “You’re either with us, or against us” is a famous example of such thinking. And we all know know what has happened since….

Fight the urge to make black-and-white judgements by accepting people and things are too complex to be reduced to “either/ or” judgements. This is especially important in regards to judging yourself. Allow yourself some room to make mistakes without automatically labeling yourself a failure.

3. Filtering

Filtering can be thought of as a type of tunnel vision – focusing on one element of a situation to the exclusion of everything else. For example, you may write an article that hits the front page of Digg. But rather than focusing on this success, your thoughts are distracted by a handful of negative comments.

To break this pattern, make a conscious effort to shift your focus to the opposite mental theme. In this case, focus on the positive feedback and enjoy the moment as it is not every day your blog hits the front page of Digg (unless you are Arianna Huffington).

4. Mind Reading

This pattern occurs when you make snap judgements about others. You may, for example, assume a girl who is not paying attention to you is thinking, “He is not up to my standards”. This may be based on intuition, past experiences or a process called projection, whereby you imagine people feel the same way you do and react to things the same way you do. And while your assumptions may be true, often they will turn out to be completely wrong. Perhaps she is very interested in you but is simply shy?

One way to tackle this pattern is to treat assumptions about people as hypotheses to be tested and checked. Gather evidence before making inferences about people. And if you do decide to follow your intuition, be aware your assumptions may reflect yourself rather than the reality of someone else.

5. Catastrophizing

Catastrophizing occurs when your imagination focuses on the potential for tragedy and disaster. Just as Chicken Little worried the sky was falling after an apple fell on her head, you may fear swimming in the ocean after reading a news report of a shark attack on the other side of the world. Catastrophic thoughts often start with the words “What if?” What if I injure myself playing sport? What if this plane crashes? What if I lose my job? Such catastrophizing creates anxiety and can result in you missing out on some of life’s greatest pleasures.

The most effective way to deal with this pattern is to evaluate a situation in terms of odds or percent of probability. Are the chances of disaster one in 1,000,000 (0.00001 per cent)? Or, are they closer one in a thousand (0.1 per cent)? When it comes to sharks, there were 71 unprovoked attacks worldwide in 2007. Perhaps you should be more concerned about the car ride to the beach than swimming in the ocean….

6. Magnifying

This involves emphasizing things out of proportion to their actual importance. Minor suggestions become scathing criticism. Small mistakes become tragic events. Slight obstacles become overwhelming barriers.

To overcome this pattern, pay attention to the language you use. Stop using words such as disgusting, awful and terrible. Also, toss out phrases such as “It’s unbearable”. Guess what? It is bearable. History has shown time and time again that human beings can cope with almost any psychological blow and can endure incredible physical pain.

7. Personalization

Personalization can take two forms. First, you can directly compare yourself to other people, eg “He writes far more eloquently than I do”. Such comparisons may actually be favorable to you, eg “I am better looking”. Either way, there is an underlying assumption here that your worth is questionable. Consequently, you seek out ways to test your value and measure yourself against others. Personalization can also take the form of relating everything back to yourself. If you’re partner tells you she is bored or depressed, you may automatically think you are the cause of this feeling.

This pattern of limited thinking can be broken by recognizing most comparisons are meaningless. Each of us has our strong and weak points. Matching your strong points to other people’s weak points usually has little purpose except to feed your ego.

8. Shoulds

In this final pattern, you live according to a set of inflexible rules about how you and other people should act. You have a fixed view of what is right, and those who deviate from your particular values or standards are bad. And you are just as hard on yourself. Some common and unreasonable “shoulds” include:

•“I should never be tired or get sick”
•“I should always be totally self-reliant”
•“I should never make mistakes”
•“I should always be happy”
To overcome this pattern, try to have greater flexibility in the rules or expectations you feel compelled to live by. And when it comes to other people, it is important to accept their individuality and uniqueness. You should accept that other people won’t necessarily live according to your values. After all, your personal values are just that – personal.”

So I guess the lesson here is, when Tallgirl3 starts feeling “stinky” its time to get out the rubber gloves and lysol and do a little mental house cleaning.

Tallgirl3

I absolutely adore this new necklace by Anna Maria Parescu. It’s available exclusively through 20ltd. It is limited edition as there are only 10 available in whole world! I love it! It is, however, £350. Bit pricey for me, unfortunately.

Loves it!  So fierce!

Fame (1980)
★★★★ / ★★★★

Students with talent when it comes to acting, singing, dancing and playing music were accepted in New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts and those who lack such talents were rejected. The very intense audition process was only the first scene and it really showed me that “Fame,” directed by Alan Parker, was going to be a very different musical compared to the ones that have been released in the 2000s. Throughout the film, it had a certain seriousness to it. It started off showcasing naive characters who want to “make it big” but as years went on, some of them made it while the others’ dreams were crushed because they either succumbed to the pressure or they simply didn’t have that extra “thing” to make them stand out. Some of the students that the film focused on were Irene Cara (who wanted to be a singer), Maureen Teefy (who wanted to act), Barry Miller (who wanted to follow Freddie Prinze’ footsteps), and Lee Curreri (who wanted to make and play music that was different and progressive). Throughout the film’s 130-minute running time, the spotlight was eventually under each of their respective struggles and we get some ideas on what made them the way they were. I also liked the fact that none of the actors looked like typical actors or had features that most would deem “beautiful.” In fact, all of them looked kind of geeky or nerdy so that spice of realism really helped the picture to become more than another forgettable musical. As four years went by, the characters matured (while some were fixated) in both overt and subtle ways and their problems had more gravity. Granted, the pacing became a little slow (and somewhat depressing) toward the end but I was more than willing to forgive that flaw because there were a plethora of memorable scenes and fun dance sequences. I wish that Cara had more scenes, however, because I really did love her songs. I wished that the film showed more of what personal events and experiences inspired her to write. This movie’s remake is to be released this year (2009) and I can only hope that it is able to retain some edginess and realism that this one had. I also hope that the remake would not lose sight on this picture’s theses–that talent is a good template but far from enough to be successful; and those who attain fame are not necessarily safe because it’s a constant challenge to rise above the pressures. The movie’s ability to take the audiences back to the 1970s was a bonus.

I was talking on the phone to someone last night, while he was looking through pictures of his past friends. He looked at them and started saying things like, ‘damn, I used to know this guy back then. he was a loser. he didn’t look like this. and now he’s hooked up with that girl? damn’. and I was like ‘really? how was he back then?’

…we ended up talking for hours, about his past friends, his ex, and even his ex’ mom. yeah, one hell of a conversation it was.

The next morning, while I was looking for my past documents to renew my passport, I found papers and post cards I’ve kept in my cupboard. My stacks of achievements, scripts that I wrote, posters that I used to stick on my bedroom wall, and a pile of Film School brochures that I kept, just in case I have enough money to apply to one of them. I was like ‘wow, I used to dream about going to film schools and do stuff.’ I then spent another 15 minutes to reminisce a little about them all, and decided to close my cupboard, and have some drinks.

there’s just something about old pictures and sentimental things that we keep. they have this ability to draw back all of those memories of how things were, how things are, and how they could’ve been and should’ve been.

be it your childhood dreams, your highschool crush, and just about everything you used to treasure.

the reason I closed the cupboard immediately was because those memories had started to distract me. They stimulated regrets, all the should’ve been’s and could’ve been’s, and in split seconds, that feeling of being incomplete because of the absence of those things I remembered. (my past dreams,not my past flings and lovers okay,I’m cool with them).

but you know what, this life is a one-way trip. you just can never go back, not even to the second before you read my blog.

so whatever the state you’re in right now, however condition is, whoever your friends are, whatever your job is right now, good or bad, satisfactory or pathetic, wealthy or poor, you just gotta go on with them. and no turning back.

let it all be a lesson, even if you fail the next second after you read this. don’t worry, just go on.

and as one of my favourite bands Switchfoot said, ‘just pretend like you’re immortal’

i just think this photo is epic. by mr. Suliano

“Gone, like Frank Sinatra, like Elvis and his mom, like Al Pacino’s cash, nothing lasts in this life. Hey Bono, I’m glad you ask. Life is still worth-living” — Gone by Switchfoot

This is a editorial for Black Magazine shot by Paul Empson it stars Marloes Horst who looks completely stunning, I love the shoot it’s edgy, fierce as hell, b*tchy, and super fresh, the perfect ideals we need to look forward to in the new year. Featuring designs by Chanel, Christian Dior and Azzedine Alaïa, the clothes are amazing, each piece is wardrobe worthy while seasonless so can be mixed and matched to work with whatever all year round. Another Great shoot.

Check out more shots after the break:

*EDIT* – NUDITY 

Styling: June Nakamoto

Photography By: Paul Empson

IMG|SOURCE: FGR

Man Who Wasn’t There, The (2001)
★★★ / ★★★★

“The Man Who Wasn’t There” was about a man (Billy Bob Thornton) so bored by the ordinariness of his life and so into his head that he one day decided to spice things up by blackmailing his friend (James Gandolfini) after he gets an offer to be a business partner from another man with great ideas. One decision triggered certain events that caused a giant fracture in the lives of the people Thorton’s character had something to do with such as his wife (Frances McDormand), a lawyer (Tony Shalhoub), a girl who played the piano (Scarlett Johansson), and others. Since this was an Ethan and Joel Coen picture, I expected to be astute in its observation of human nature as well as the ability to show its audiences how it was like to be in the main character’s unique perspective. It was more than able to deliver those qualities and beyond because the story took turns that I didn’t expect. Each scene was crucial and it constantly evolved to make us feel for a man who made very bad decisions. While the signature Coen brothers humor was certainly there, it had a certain edge and darkness to make it more than just a film about consequences. I also liked the fact that this was shot in black and white because I thought it reflected the main character’s mindset. I noticed him always considering the very extreme of things, especially when he narrated the picture, and his weakness was that he was partially blind to the (morally) gray. The black-and-white also worked because this was essentially a noir movie. I loved the night scenes especially the ones shot indoors. The angles and composition of the shadows really made the experience that much more engaging. The atmosphere of the time period was also very well chosen because the Coen brothers were able to inject interesting (if not somewhat unexplored) mini-storylines involving extraterrestrials and the craze about them at the time. That one scene when Katherine Borowitz’ character knocked on Thornton’s door and told him certain bits of information about a hidden plot gave me serious goosebumps because it came out of nowhere. “The Man Who Wasn’t There” was full of surprises and I definitely consider it as a must-see for fans of the Coen brothers, or even for people who just want to observe what lengths characters living with the ennui are willing to go through to make their lives more vibrant and regret it afterwards.

Hello everyone!

This tutorial will be about how to make a colorful, gorgeous look.

• First,  start off by applying an eye cream to moisturize and protect your eyes.

• Then apply eyeshadow primer. If you don’t have this: liquid foundation or moisturizer works too.
• Apply a light blue eyeliner up to the crease of your eye.  I used one from Sephora. It makes all my eyeshadow look more beautiful when layered.

• Next pick out a bright blue eyeshadow.

• Next, apply the blue to the outside of your lid, closest to your ear (this is sort of hard to explain) using your iris as a guide.

• Next pick a green color. One with a little bit of sheen is the best. It will look better than a matte green over the blue liner.

• Apply the green next to the blue and blend the line between them a bit.

• Pick a bright matte yellow!

• Apply the matte yellow from the green to the inner corner of your lid.

• Next, using the matte yellow you picked, mix it with a little bit of gold. This somehow makes it really bright. It also adds some sparkle to it (and sparkles rule!).

• Next, apply liquid eyeliner and wing it to make a cat eye.

• Now, pick a purple cream eyeshadow. 

• Next, with an angled brush or Q-tip, apply the purple color to your lower lids below the waterline (the way you would eyeliner).
• After you do this, pick a hot pink eyeshadow and apply it over the purple to the middle of your lower lid.

• Next, take a matte yellow and mix some gold into it (like earlier ) and apply it the rest of the way over the purple eyeshadow. Be sure to blend it with the pink!
  

  Mix it into the corner too.

• Next, curl your lashes and apply a white eyelash primer to them. The white coat of that comes with mascara is perfect for this. Quickly while it’s wet, using an eyeshadow brush, dust white eyeshadow over your lashes. You’ll see why I included this step in the next part. [TIP: When you want a lot of volume for your lashes: apply two or three coats of mascara. Then, before it dries, dust on translucent powder. Then put one more coat of mascara on and separate your lashes with a clean applicator or a lash comb.]

• Next apply a blue mascara (haha that’s why we made out lashes white).

• We’re done!

For foundation and blush, keep it simple. The eyes are the main focus in this tutorial. A pale pink matte, or a nude lipstick looks best.

If you use gloss, don’t put it in the corners of your lips; this will help your lipstick not to run.

Go crazy with your cute new look! I made the bow. If you want me to make you one just email me with details of what you want. I love making them for people!

Thank you for reading! You can use any colors that you want. My tutorials are meant to inspire. Also, sorry about the low quality pictures. When I was taking them it was getting dark out (I used natural light to get the most true color).

Thanks dears! xoxo

LeeLovely

P.S. Whats your favorite look to do? What look should I do next?

]]> http://bellekarper.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/omg-what-was-i-thinking/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:26:22 +0000 S. Belle Karper http://bellekarper.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/omg-what-was-i-thinking/

(Save it, Baby! Count me in!)

So, it goes like this . . .

Well, I just don’t know how this happened…

I don’t know what I was thinking really…

It seems tonight that I have about 80 people coming over for a parent meeting for my son’s wrestling team.

AND, I have my Annual Holiday Ornament Party Saturday as well… but which I do not know how many people are coming… quite a few.

How could I have possibly booked two large events at my home in the same week?

Am I a glutton for punishment?

Do I like stress and tranquilizers?

How many times do I really want artichoke dip?

These are the questions that I ask myself.

Well, as always, when the coach was looking for somebody to step up to the plate to offer their home for a parent meeting… nobody raised their hands.

So, it’s sort of like I was standing still and the team stepped backwards.

I get to do this by default.

Although, I have to admit that the house looks stunning in preparation for the annual ornament party.

How I can call my annual ornament party and “annual party” is beyond me, since last year I didn’t even put up one single tree… and as I go through the house, I count a mere 18 (not a typo) decorated trees in our home from 10-feet tall on down.

Not to mention all of the doo-dah on the banister and the along stairwell…

or the decorations in the den…

or the decorations in each bathroom…

or… or… or…

That’s a lot of tinsel, baby…

Well, I don’t know what I was thinking but now my brownies are burning and I have to get back to them.

Holy crap… I’ve got a lot of partying to do!

I’ll check in with you after tonight’s devastation… I mean meeting. 

xoxo

Be well,

Belle

  A 78th Annual Writer’s Digest Award Winner

S. Belle Karper, Author, Speaker www.BelleKarper.com
THE WIDOW WEARS BLACK - An Edgy Memoir from an Outspoken Survivor
Check out S. Belle Karper’s – Beauties and Beasts – Blog! Baby! Blog!
and Belle Karper Face Book & the popular Twitter-Belle - all on Website
Save it, Baby! Count me in!

as i am getting older, i am realizing i am getting more emotional. more sensitive to things. it really does frustrate me. does that mean i am caring more about what others think. i also find it has something to do with how busy i am, or how much fun i am having. if i am bored and tired i retaliate a bit more. if i spend a lot more inside, i get edgy too. so, i wonder if that is just changing or if it does come down to being outside and realizing once again that the world around me is bigger than me. maybe, that’s what it takes, get involved in something you are passionate about, call that home for a while and see how things change.

Hello all!

Ello my loves! <3

My name is LeeLovely (but my real name is Michelle C.)

I realized that there isn’t a whole lot of blogs dedicated to teenagers.  I want my blog to be about anything and everything.  I want it to be for to teenagers and those who are young at heart (adults can enjoy too!) Some topics:

My loves:

Makeup (tutorials coming soon!)

Music (I aim to write some reviews on albums and articles about artists that are new, popular, or just simply amazing.)

Things I covet (and things that my gorgeous readers covet )

Anything and everything that my readers want or that I’d love to share with you!

I love the idea that I can inspire others and share my thoughts and ideas with wonderful people.

Feel free to email me ideas, things you love, or just say hello! Who knows, maybe I’ll write about you and/or your great idea!

PunkheadJones@Gmail.com

Wanna chat?

AIM: PunkheadJones

Thank you for reading my loves.  I’m exited to have a blog and to hear from you.

(Save it, Baby! Count me in!)

So, it goes like this . . .

So people want to know what my pumpkin goo is…

Well…

Pumpkin Goo is my interpretation of pumpkin pie without the crust. I bake it for 5 hours until the moisture is almost completely gone, and then I force my family to eat it with Cool Whip and tell them it’s actually pumpkin pie.

I think they bought it…

Can you believe that I got compliments?

I am a horrible cook.

I really don’t even know why I try sometimes, but my husband… my husband is incredible!

Super yum.

I would love for him to cook every single day, not only for the fact that he is an excellent cook but also for the fact that then I wouldn’t have to be in the kitchen.

Boooo-ring.

I can’t help it that I am not a Martha Stewart kind of girl.

Have you ever seen one of Martha Stewart’s television shows?

Like I would want to party with her.

It would be much like sleeping, but only awake… and on a bountiful table of sun-toasted greens and mixed hay on a a bed of sea salted crusties.

Snooze-ville.

So, yeah… my family is used to my own interpretations of many holidays.

I am not bound by tradition.

I draw outside the lines, baby.

Always have, always will.

It is not a mistake that my family loves my Pumpkin Goo since they have been raised on cripy black hot dogs, blue-box mac-and-cheese, and Albertson’s Monday Chicken Meal deals from the market.

Frankly, they crave my Pumpkin Goo since it is the closest thing to home-made food… once a year…   

… that is not burnt.

I’m a really great person for love, though.

Got tons of love.

Never out of love.

I am the Queen of Love.

But… cooking… how you say… not so much.

I do believe that Thanksgiving is about Food AND Love.

So… One out of two isn’t bad. A 50% success rate is not too shabby on a day that has some serious cooking in it, right?

That is the essence of Thanksgiving to me… my Pumpkin Goo, and someone else making all the rest of the great food, and lots of love.

Yeah, like ample amounts of love.

Like my mom crying when she says how much she loves us…

And, then at that vulnerable moment I throw some more Pumpkin Goo on her plate…

Just kidding.

I also sneak on some more Cool Whip.

It’s all good… including the Pumpkin Goo.

And, the love.

And, the yelling that the rolls are getting burned.

Yelling is a big part of Thanksgiving.

Loud love.

Lots of loud love.

Lots of love…

Hope your day was over flowing!

xoxo

Be well,

Belle

  A 78th Annual Writer’s Digest Award Winner

S. Belle Karper, Author, Speaker www.BelleKarper.com
THE WIDOW WEARS BLACK - An Edgy Memoir from an Outspoken Survivor
Check out S. Belle Karper’s – Beauties and Beasts – Blog! Baby! Blog!
and Belle Karper Face Book & the popular Twitter-Belle - all on Website
Save it, Baby! Count me in!

I LOVE THE WHOLE SHOOT!!!!

Katie Shoots Them All, it’s hard, edgy, gritty, b*tchy,  fierce, all in one I hate using that last word but it suits the profile perfectly. Theres this Russian secret agent, kgb type vibe I’m getting from the cover which looks fantastic in black and white. Overall the spread is just as good as the cover, very high fashi,on, looks very slick, I think I might have to pick up a copy for my collections.

Styling: Belén Casadevall

Photography By:  Txema Yeste

IMG|SOURCE: FGR

posing in edgy photographs, looking like effy stonem without trying too hard (ehm well, maybe not) in gorgeous clothes. heck yeah.

photographed by andres suliano

wardrobe by lisa evasari

more to come, I so believe. stay with me, darlings.

VERDICT:
7/10 Vegemite Sandwiches

Just one more reason why I need to get off my ass and make my own damn movie already.

Not Quite Hollywood is a documentary about the revolutionary Australian genre exploitation movies that came to rise in the 1960s but never quite made it to the big time and have since been all but forgotten. This isn’t Baz Luhrman and Peter Weir we’re talking about, this is gratuitous sexploitation romps, grisly C-grade horror movies drenched in karo syrup, and some of the most badass car chase action movies you’re likely to ever see.

It’s a pretty fitting title for one utterly insane look back at a whole slew of groundbreaking movies that Hollywood wouldn’t even go near, not even by today’s standards. Chances are you’re in the same boat as me and haven’t heard of 99% percent of these movies outside of Mad Max, but that doesn’t matter, because if things go according to plan, you might just find yourself with pen and paper in hand ready to write the names of these suckers down.

Then again, I can see how this one might not necessarily go according to plan for a lot of people out there. Not only is this a movie about movies you’ve never heard of, but it’s only really catering to all us cinephiles/nerds in the audience as it more or less boils down to people talking about movies for two hours. And while those are two hours I’d gladly spend, I’m not gonna delude myself into believing that this is gonna convert anyone that’s not already part of the congregation.

So for all you out there who are still reading and still interested, here’s what the movie breaks down to.

Not Quite Hollywood is split up into three sections that all provide the audience with a look into what was really going down in Australia when the rest of thought it was all boxing kangaroos and dingoes eating babies.

The first part covers the whole sexploitation genre, and who knew those Aussie’s were such horny bastards. Can’t say that I’ve ever seen such a constant barrage of full-frontal nudity in a movie before, so much so that it could easily pass for softcore porn after a while, so…way to go, Australia, I guess. It gets to be a little much after a while as it’s not exactly glorifying the female body as it is exploiting it, but, man, times were different back then. Pretty interesting in light of the Australian censors nowadays, something that could be said for the next two sections as well.

The second and third parts focus on the horror and action genres. The horror stuff has this early Sam Raimi vibe to it, and even though there’s not a whole lot going for this section, it’s interesting to look at these movies in contrast to what America was putting out at the time. But the action genre…wow. If you’ve seen Mad Max, you’ll understand what I mean. They still don’t make car chases like the Australians did back then, and boy howdy do they stand the test of time. No special effects, overtly dangerous camera angles, complete disregard for personal safety, tons of destruction, super high-octane, and enough badassery to go around to make Vin Diesel piss himself running. Fast and furious my ass.

It’s all really interesting for the most part and some of the commentary had me laughing out loud, but after a while it gets to be a little overwhelming. There’s a lot going on with these movies and in between trying to catch what everyone is saying and the total overstimulation of it all, Not Quite Hollywood sort of ends up being its own worst enemy. And some of us can only listen to people talk about B-movies like they’re golden oldies for oh so long.

Recently I read an interview with one Rob Zombie where he said that Hollywood has turned into a “scared town” that is too afraid to back original movies in lieu of financing another shitty remake that’s going to be box office gold. And you know, Rob is right. As someone who’s had it up to here with all the bullshit that gets released in theaters nowadays just because a frightening amount of people are more than ready to dish out their money on movies that fucking suck, I take a look back on the movies showcased here in Not Quite Hollywood and I think, “What the hell happened?”

Sorry if I’m going off on a bit of a tangent here, but this is one of those movies that gets you thinking, primarily about how ridiculous the so-called “limitations” are that have been put on amateur and veteran filmmakers alike by the producers who only have eyes for the Benjamins. It’s very fitting that Quentin Tarantino is one of the main commentators here, because this is a guy that truly loves movies regardless of their budget and is living proof that you can make effing great movies as long as you just go out and do it.

To say that movies in general have changed a good deal over the course of 40 or 50 years is one disheartening understatement. This is a celebration of filmmakers who had balls, of guys who just went out there and did it regardless of their budget, of movies that are unabashedly lewd, horribly gory, and unanimously crazy, and considering how much green the new Transformers sequel raked in this year, these are indeed qualities to be celebrated. Not Quite Hollywood isn’t for everyone, and sorry for the long review, but if you’re a total movie geek like me and are interested in this kinda stuff, it might just be right up your alley.

Good on ya’!