Vintage Beauty

Nancy Carroll - by Eugene Robert Richee

Tags: actress, black and white, celebrities, film star, photographer, photography, vintage, vintage photo

What’s wrong with this picture monday, the pool vac

So I’ve been thinking about this for a long time.  I may do a grander version on The Pretty Life on Eye on Life Mag, but I thought I’d also post some of these here.

For our first “What’s wrong with this picture Monday” I’d like to introduce to you, “The Pool Vac”.  You see, this is a lovely pool.  In fact, I’d love to take a dip in it right now, wouldn’t you?  In the sunset.  Surrounded by adobe, a gorgeous deck, boulders and stones, various cactus greens, serene reflections…  And yet, there is something there that just spoils the whole dream.  Now I ask you, do you place your vacuum cleaner in the middle of the living room before you take that perfect snap?  No, no you don’t.  I rest my case.

This photo does, however, bring to mind quite a few story opportunities.  Something is happening.  Something is about to happen.  And it all stems from, in my mind, “who, exactly, put the pool vac in, where are they now, and what is going on in this house while the pool vac is running?”   Hmmmmm.

Photo writing prompt:  Anyone caring to tackle this possible story or snippet or poem, please feel free to add it to the comments, or on your blog with a link in our comments.  Nothing overly gruesome please, and nothing too sexually descriptive left in the comments, please.  Should prove interesting.

Moments

(Warning: A couple of bad words. Explicit moments referred to.  Note: fictional, but had to come out.)

Fuck you and those moments that I want so bad of yours; only mine when I’m in your face, begging, coaxing, making them happen.  All the while, there you are, not realizing the consequences of your actions.  Or do you?  Do you realize them?  Deep down, every fool does.

And you, fool, are choosing to play the fool, at the expense of the nobody girls that would love a piece of your moments, moments meant for me.  And there you are, giving away moments of yourself, moments you can never get back.  And you wonder why you get so lost.

Memories are made every moment.  The second you give away those moments, you have no hope or chance of recovering them.

Moments like tonight, make being struck by lightning a welcome pleasure.  Jerk.

I can tell you whole heartedly, that the seduction of the pouring rain feels so damn good, when the thunder claps and rumbles through the heaviness of the drops.  Better than your cum ever did.  Better because it is filled with pure, powerful, and thrilling energy.  And it comes from a place you will never reach.  It comes from a moment without you.  Never to be erased, never to be replaced.  A moment that came from a moment you chose to relinquish.

If I were never touched again, it wouldn’t matter, because it would never be so spur of the moment, so true, that power of nature enveloping me in a moment I thought I would rather be with you.

Stings, doesn’t it?  Stung me too, before the cumming of the thundering rain.

Work out the Frieda Babbley way

Marilyn Monroe Workout

There are many workout trends out there.  It’s hard to keep up with any one of them.  I know I for one do not have much luck.  I get bored, quite frankly. 

I have, however, found a wonderful workout that works out for me; better than any other workout, I might add.  Monetarily, anyway.

With this new workout, I don’t eat as much (I don’t really have time to) and I don’t drink as much, either, so I have dehydration on my side.  And of course when you’re dehydrated, you tend to get sleepy.  If you’re sleeping, you can’t eat.  Another wonderful thing about this particular workout is that you really have no choice in the matter, as it is a lifestyle.  A wonderful lifestyle.

With this new workout lifestyle of mine, I have found that I need to shop for clothes a lot.  Workout clothes are a must if you are going to be successful.

Now, I know, it’s the thing to say that your workout is a lifestyle, it’s a psychological slant.  But this really is a lifestyle, and one that takes up more of your time than any other task you may have.  Forget your family and personal life, with this workout, your lifestyle is your focus and all those that aren’t in your circle of workout buddies need to be second fiddle.

You may have guessed the kind of workout I’m involved in by now… Yes the Frieda Babbley workout is working out(side) of the home. Works every time.

Claudia Schiffer photo controversy

Dom Perignon – Stern Fotografie This does NOT look like “blackface” to me.  Blackface would refer to just a face, and for comedic value.

I love a good controversy, especially when I’ve got something to say about it, and when useful and logical information is given.  But this?  This should never have been a controversy in the first place.  Karl Lagerfeld’s vision should have been, instead, appreciated.

I thought this was an old controversy resurfaced, but apparently not (it must be deja vu or something), oh, no, it has resurfaced… two years after the fact.  I mean seriously people, why?  Anyway, why this is such a controversy, I couldn’t tell you.  But here it is… Again.  Via CNN and everywhere else at that. Can we not get over this and understand an artist’s vision?

Brief recap: Karl Lagerfeld, the genious behind this women of the world series, posed his highest inspiration, Claudia Schiffer, to represent a variety of women from around the world.  May I just say, the execution and end result was exquisite.  Not to mention the fact that it shows what an excellent model Claudia Schiffer really is; isn’t it a model’s job to go beyond, to showcase the limitless possibilities of fashion, its universality and uniqueness? She was playing a part, representing masses of women.

If this spread’s foundation and purpose was The Claudia Schiffer and all that she is and can be as a model and inspiration to the fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld, why then are we switching the purpose.  There is nothing about these photos that is comedic, in fact they are tasteful to an extreme.  Claudia is representing the black woman.  In fact at first glance one cannot tell that she is anything but.  Exquisite (have I said that?)

I think what I am even more discouraged with is the fact that this glorious photo shoot has been resurfaced two years later.  What, there’s nothing more important to talk about?  I’m thinking the reporter/journalist/professor (if you could even her either of those things) – I don’t remember what this woman is I just remember how stupid and uptight and wrong I think she is – has done herself a disservice.  And all those that followed in her footsteps by even considering this pathetic excuse for news and attention really ought to have spent their time with something more useful or entertaining.

So why do I bring this up?  It’s important for me to vent about this stupid situation.  Blackface, indeed.  Pahlease.

Claudia Schiffer Tries to Defend Blackface photo shoot – NPR results.

Dom Perignon – Stern Fotographie

Claudia Schiffer’s Red Shoes (British Poets)

Nikki Yanofsky, Tuesday Morning Jazz

Stars without makeup, but are they really?

A couple of weeks ago, there was a big to do about celebs going without makeup. It all started with Jessica Simpson who did an au naturale photo shoot for Marie Claire, saying, basically, that she was confident in her own self and didn’t care what other people thought. Personally, I think she is soooooo much better looking without her makeup.

The Today Show decided that they would go bare-faced for a day. And of course other celebrities have been sporting the natural look as well. Now, sure, this is not really a new thing, the going without makeup, but those who just simply wouldn’t (because of their television status) did. Kudos. Awesome. They handled it well. It was wonderful to see. And they got more and more comfortable as the show went along. And they also talked about other female celebrities that were and had been, doing the same and why.

Now, unfortunately, it seems to me that they didn’t exactly follow the rules all the way. The eyes and the lips told a different story to me; and in some cases I questioned skin tone. Now it could have been that they’ve been wearing makeup for so long that their eyelids and lashes and lips were stained. Or maybe their lips, lids, and/or lashes were tattooed (can you tattoo lashes?). Doesn’t really matter, and it was sort of sad to me that some of these women (one in particular) couldn’t seem to show her all the way bare true self, even for a morning.

What do you think? Am I just seeing things?

Betty White, Her Upcoming Movie Role, and SNL

Betty White hosted Saturday Night Live the other weekend and I can’t tell you how thrilled to pieces I was. I’d been looking forward to this since I heard about it on Facebook a couple of weeks before. If you friended me on Facebook, you would have seen my promotions of Ms. White and of the new movie “You Again” she is going to be in with Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Kristin Chenoweth (yeah, all faves of mine). It’ll be out I think in the fall. Long time to wait.

Anyway, guess who missed it? Saturday Night Live with Betty White, I mean (not “You Again” ’cause that’s not out yet). Yup. Moi. Thank goodness for the internet. I was able to watch it on line the second I remembered (which was the morning after it aired).

Thought I’d watch it again today, so figured I might as well share with you guys. I know there’s loads of Betty White and of Saturday Night Live fans out there, so whether you haven’t seen it, or have already seen it but want to watch it again or to share it with someone you know, here you go. Commercial free with no interruptions (except at the very beginning, and a couple of other spots, but limited to be sure). Who could ask for anything more? Oh, me! Me me me! Snacks. You can’t watch SNL or The Golden Girls, or Betty White, without… snacks. So get them out, get your drink, sit back, and enjoy.  (Cheesecake would be your best bet.)