tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28959077575097964432024-03-21T05:19:06.379-04:00mix tape<center>our collective culture commentary: a collab blog that covers various aspects of pop culture -- <br>music, fashion, books, poetry, art, food, movies, and tv -- throughout the week.</center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger215125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-30008378277020989162012-02-17T18:41:00.000-05:002012-02-17T18:41:00.304-05:00Poetry 179: After Twelve Days of Rain<b>
After Twelve Days of Rain</b><br />
By Dorianne Laux<b><br /></b><br />
<br />
“I couldn’t name it, the sweet<br />
<span class="quote">
sadness welling up in me for weeks.<br />
So I cleaned, found myself standing<br />
in a room with a rag in my hand,<br />
the birds calling time-to-go, time-to-go.<br />
And like an old woman near the end<br />
of her life I could hear it, the voice<br />
of a man I never loved who pressed<br />
my breasts to his lips and whispered<br />
“My little doves, my white, white lilies.”<br />
I could almost cry when I remember it.<br />
I don’t remember when I began<br />
to call everyone “sweetie,”<br />
as if they were my daughters,<br />
my darlings, my little birds.<br />
I have always loved too much,<br />
or not enough. Last night<br />
I read a poem about God and almost<br />
believed it—God sipping coffee,<br />
smoking cherry tobacco. I’ve arrived<br />
at a time in my life when I could believe<br />
almost anything.<br />
Today, pumping gas into my old car, I stood<br />
hatless in the rain and the whole world<br />
went silent—cars on the wet street<br />
sliding past without sound, the attendant’s<br />
mouth opening and closing on air<br />
as he walked from pump to pump, his footsteps<br />
erased in the rain—nothing<br />
but the tiny numbers in their square windows<br />
rolling by my shoulder, the unstoppable seconds<br />
gliding by as I stood at the Chevron,<br />
balanced evenly on my two feet, a gas nozzle<br />
gripped in my hand, my hair gathering rain.<br />
And I saw it didn’t matter<br />
who had loved me or who I loved. I was alone.<br />
The black oily asphalt, the slick beauty<br />
of the Iranian attendant, the thickening<br />
clouds—nothing was mine. And I understood<br />
finally, after a semester of philosophy,<br />
a thousand books of poetry, after death<br />
and childbirth and the startled cries of men<br />
who called out my name as they entered me,<br />
I finally believed I was alone, felt it<br />
in my actual, visceral heart, heard it echo<br />
like a thin bell. And the sounds<br />
came back, the slish of tires<br />
and footsteps, all the delicate cargo<br />
they carried saying thank you<br />
and yes. So I paid and climbed into my car<br />
as if nothing had happened—<br />
as if everything mattered—What else could I do?<br />
I drove to the grocery store<br />
and bought wheat bread and milk,<br />
a candy bar wrapped in gold foil,<br />
smiled at the teenaged cashier<br />
with the pimpled face and the plastic<br />
name plate pinned above her small breast,<br />
and knew her secret, her sweet fear,<br />
Little bird. Little darling. She handed me<br />
my change, my brown bag, a torn receipt,<br />
pushed the cash drawer in with her hip<br />
and smiled back.”
</span>
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</tbody></table>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-35556135997856107622012-02-13T15:01:00.000-05:002012-08-25T13:07:05.904-04:00Movies 176: It's almost Valentine's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzchkse5Ht1qg5w35o1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzchkse5Ht1qg5w35o1_400.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Some may want to get to the romantic heart of the matter with THE VOW. True, it has some beautiful people involved, Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum. But not to worry, this story is neither THE NOTEBOOK nor DEAR JOHN. Its based on a true-life experience tale. The story is told mostly from the husband's point of view, Leo. Its as if Leo has vanished from Paige's mind after the car accident. She can only remember friends from high school and thinks she's engaged to someone when she was back in law school.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzc8jfvcvM1qjln6mo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzc8jfvcvM1qjln6mo1_500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
WOMAN IN BLACK is quite romantic. Especially, if you are in to Victorian Times. Daniel Radcliffe shines in this latest version. Those Harry Potter days are over. The movie has plenty of suspense with this old ghost tale. Even creepy old toys! This is truly a movie for a friends night out. It really gives you a historical perspective of the times.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzckllxzXh1rpz62uo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzckllxzXh1rpz62uo1_500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Now for those Anti-Valentines, there is CHRONICLE to watch. It has a very indie feel to it. Yet a remarkable premise that would be every high school boy's dream. What if you had super-powers? What if you'd been bullied all your life and you have super-powers? Dane DeHaan honestly steals the movie as Andrew. This is a movie that will keep you talking afterwards.<br />
<br />
Of course, you could always stay in and have a date with <i>Glee</i>. <br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_972984273"><br />
</a><br />
<a href="http://www.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10081846789891930288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-64452878765947910142012-02-10T12:00:00.000-05:002012-02-10T12:00:07.408-05:00Poetry 178: The Shrinking Lonesome Sestina<pre class="poembox"><b>The Shrinking Lonesome Sestina</b></pre>
<pre class="poembox">by Miller Williams</pre>
<pre class="poembox"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></pre>
<pre class="poembox"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Somewhere in everyone's head something points toward home,</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> a dashboard's floating compass, turning all the time</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> to keep from turning. It doesn't matter how we come</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> to be wherever we are, someplace where nothing goes</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> the way it went once, where nothing holds fast</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> to where it belongs, or what you've risen or fallen to.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> What the bubble always points to,</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> whether we notice it or not, is home.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> It may be true that if you move fast</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> everything fades away, that given time</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and noise enough, every memory goes</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> into the blackness, and if new ones come-</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> small, mole-like memories that come</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> to live in the furry dark-they, too,</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> curl up and die. But Carol goes</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> to high school now. John works at home</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> what days he can to spend some time</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> with Sue and the kids. He drives too fast.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Ellen won't eat her breakfast.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Your sister was going to come</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> but didn't have the time.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Some mornings at one or two</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> or three I want you home</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> a lot, but then it goes.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> It all goes.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Hold on fast</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> to thoughts of home</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> when they come.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> They're going to</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> less with time.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Time</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> goes</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> too</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> fast.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Come</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> home.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Forgive me that. One time it wasn't fast.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> A myth goes that when the years come</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> then you will, too. Me, I'll still be home.</span></pre>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-61820182899802712012-02-03T10:00:00.000-05:002012-02-03T10:00:02.919-05:00Poetry 176: Aubade by Philip Larkin<b><span class="f14px fntAri clr333333">Aubade </span></b><br />
<span class="f14px fntAri clr333333">by Philip Larkin</span><br />
<br />
<span class="f14px fntAri clr333333">I work all day, and get half-drunk at night.<br />Waking at four to soundless dark, I stare.<br />In time the curtain-edges will grow light.<br />Till then I see what's really always there:<br />Unresting death, a whole day nearer now,<br />Making all thought impossible but how<br />And where and when I shall myself die.<br />Arid interrogation: yet the dread<br />Of dying, and being dead,<br />Flashes afresh to hold and horrify.<br />The mind blanks at the glare. Not in remorse<br />- The good not done, the love not given, time<br />Torn off unused - nor wretchedly because<br />An only life can take so long to climb<br />Clear of its wrong beginnings, and may never;<br />But at the total emptiness for ever,<br />The sure extinction that we travel to<br />And shall be lost in always. Not to be here,<br />Not to be anywhere,<br />And soon; nothing more terrible, nothing more true.<br /><br />This is a special way of being afraid<br />No trick dispels. Religion used to try,<br />That vast, moth-eaten musical brocade<br />Created to pretend we never die,<br />And specious stuff that says No rational being<br />Can fear a thing it will not feel, not seeing<br />That this is what we fear - no sight, no sound,<br />No touch or taste or smell, nothing to think with,<br />Nothing to love or link with,<br />The anasthetic from which none come round.<br /><br />And so it stays just on the edge of vision,<br />A small, unfocused blur, a standing chill<br />That slows each impulse down to indecision.<br />Most things may never happen: this one will,<br />And realisation of it rages out<br />In furnace-fear when we are caught without<br />People or drink. Courage is no good:<br />It means not scaring others. Being brave<br />Lets no one off the grave.<br />Death is no different whined at than withstood.<br /><br />Slowly light strengthens, and the room takes shape.<br />It stands plain as a wardrobe, what we know,<br />Have always known, know that we can't escape,<br />Yet can't accept. One side will have to go.<br />Meanwhile telephones crouch, getting ready to ring<br />In locked-up offices, and all the uncaring<br />Intricate rented world begins to rouse.<br />The sky is white as clay, with no sun.<br />Work has to be done.<br />Postmen like doctors go from house to house.
</span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-83764861750788480292012-01-28T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-28T09:00:07.302-05:00Pipes, Lung Cancer, and Obituaries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g004Bzg2nCEwB_-vPyPxgw7CjS7fM0dBhDdEAwTsm2PNljkhWeLDoLnpumkp9xVdEVnGa_suWkLoAPbGvWqDwDoRYb3pbdxf9G4D0NRloqXCs5jvxLYzvTeHDbx6rq2yAzdapO9Q8cg/s1600/modern31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g004Bzg2nCEwB_-vPyPxgw7CjS7fM0dBhDdEAwTsm2PNljkhWeLDoLnpumkp9xVdEVnGa_suWkLoAPbGvWqDwDoRYb3pbdxf9G4D0NRloqXCs5jvxLYzvTeHDbx6rq2yAzdapO9Q8cg/s400/modern31.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Magritte's work frequently displays a collection of ordinary objects in
an unusual context, giving new meanings to familiar things. The use of
objects as other than what they seem is typified in his painting, <i>The Treachery of Images</i> (<i>La trahison des images</i>), which shows a pipe
that looks as though it is a model for a tobacco store advertisement.
Magritte painted below the pipe "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" ("This is not a
pipe"), which seems a contradiction, but is actually true: the painting
is not a pipe, it is an <i>image</i> of a pipe. It does not "satisfy
emotionally"—when Magritte once was asked about this image, he replied
that of course it was not a pipe, just try to fill it with tobacco.<br />
<br />
Magritte used the same approach in a painting of an apple: he painted
the fruit and then used an internal caption or framing device to deny
that the item was an apple. In these "Ceci n'est pas" works, Magritte
points out that no matter how closely, we come to
depicting an item accurately, we never do catch the item itself.<br />
<br />
<br />
I just finished TFioS recently, and I thought this was one of the most under-appreciated metaphors in the novel...<br />
(Just a hint to <i>Natalie</i>, who appears to be writing the review of the book)Isaachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06787899161708941704noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-28053213843242757972012-01-27T10:50:00.002-05:002012-01-27T10:50:42.599-05:00Poetry 175: How To Fall In Love by Susan Elbe<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wansoo/6158520068/" title="Post Raya : The Black Coffee by W M Soo, on Flickr"><img alt="Post Raya : The Black Coffee" height="333" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6191/6158520068_87cbf97f8b.jpg" width="500" /></a> </b></div>
<br />
<b>How To Fall In Love </b><br />
by Susan Elbe <br />
<br />
Start by leaving home. It’s not where the heart is,<br />
but where the hard edge is. When ice begins<br />
to ebb from shoreline,<br />
freeing mangy marsh grass,<br />
leave.<br />
And as you pick up speed, let your life arc out<br />
away from you.<br />
Realize that you don’t know where you’re going<br />
and that the weather changes often.<br />
Steer between the stars<br />
like songbirds coming back at night.<br />
Listen to the whirring<br />
of a thousand, thousand miles of dark.<br />
Remember you are ancient,<br />
that once you walked out of the sea<br />
and in the trees became another thing.<br />
Know you can again.<br />
Become three kinds of lonely.<br />
Light a torch.<br />
Leave a trail of handprints on the walls.<br />
Or start by staying put.<br />
Be a whisper looking for a mouth: <i>luna, luna, luna.</i><br />
Sit underneath the porch light.<br />
Eat walnuts and persimmons.<br />
Spread your red-edged wings.<br />
‘Calling time’ begins near midnight.<br />
Be hungry. Want.<br />
Women are locks. Men open them for doors.Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-86907912785154737042012-01-23T18:43:00.000-05:002012-01-23T18:43:11.845-05:00TV 175: Royal PainsAs quite the departure from <a href="http://mixedtapeofpopculture.blogspot.com/2012/01/tv-172-saturday-night-live.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span></a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1319735/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Royal Pains</span></a> is a USA original series centering on two brothers who run a concierge medical practice in the Hamptons. Don't be fooled by its labeling as a drama, though. The show does a remarkably good job of blending humor with intense scenes of heart-stopping action (literally, the patient's heart has stopped.) Imagine the earlier seasons of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412142/"><span style="font-style: italic;">House, M.D.</span></a> but without <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0491402/">the sarcastic, grumpy man with a cane</a>.<br /><br />The pretty scenery aside, this show is all about the unorthodox methods Dr. Hank Lawson (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0275417/" title="Mark Feuerstein">Mark Feuerstein</a>) employs while taking house visits to various wealthy clients, young and old. His loyal, competent assistant Divya Katdare (<a onclick="(new Image()).src='/rg/tt-cast/cast-4/images/b.gif?link=%2Fname%2Fnm2439805%2F';" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2439805/">Reshma Shetty</a>) accompanies to most jobs, often providing an alternative diagnosis. She can be often one-note, except now in the third season a subplot focusing on her life has emerged.<br /><br />The person who probably makes the show, though, is Hank's brother, Evan R. Lawson (<a onclick="(new Image()).src='/rg/tt-cast/cast-2/images/b.gif?link=%2Fname%2Fnm0182455%2F';" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0182455/">Paulo Costanzo</a>). He convinced Hank to start such a business in the first place, leaping in as the CFO. As you can imagine, this relationship between the two drives the show. Evan is incredibly endearing, mostly providing the -- sometimes much-needed --comic relief.<br /><br />There are a few other regular characters whose lives are explored, yet any further explanation of each would make this incredibly long-winded.<br /><br />I'm not sure what this show <span style="font-style: italic;">doesn't </span>have. I mean, they've had <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001857/">Henry Winkler</a> play the recurring role as Eddie R. Lawson, the brothers' deviant, dodgy father.<br /><br />You can catch it on channel USA Thursdays at 10/11 est.Lizziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15488844231027847623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-57455941831336182722012-01-21T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-21T09:00:04.231-05:00Visual 3: Kandinski - The Abstract Architect<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseKgSLOKS0su3vdaqwu7-ocj7E2ZCtHMpLiTiOOozwuTVgA4oEeRqkByxwfrpbHRiEjy4KBBCCzJ0rFn810dDzVzfiRe7tzkGLFjfx4XqGLav79hUegDiUADUpoP6G_LwCx1PnHzaveI/s1600/kandinsky.comp-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseKgSLOKS0su3vdaqwu7-ocj7E2ZCtHMpLiTiOOozwuTVgA4oEeRqkByxwfrpbHRiEjy4KBBCCzJ0rFn810dDzVzfiRe7tzkGLFjfx4XqGLav79hUegDiUADUpoP6G_LwCx1PnHzaveI/s400/kandinsky.comp-8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Wassily Kandinski is credited as the painter who created the first purely-abstract works.<br />
He began painting studies (life-drawing, sketching and anatomy) at the age of 30.<br />
<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_176750086">
</a>In 1896 Kandinsky settled in Munich, studying first at Anton Ažbe's private school and then at the Academy of Fine Arts. He returned to Moscow in 1914, after the outbreak of World War I.
Kandinsky was unsympathetic to the official theories on art in Moscow,
and returned to Germany in 1921. There, he taught at the Bauhaus school of art and architecture from 1922 until the Nazis closed it in 1933. He then moved to France where he lived the rest of his life, becoming a French citizen in 1939. He died at Neuilly-sur-Seine in 1944.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2OtV934096-wvSTghz0flm6brGGjabbB8F_bkRs0KPTjmEeYquBi_XA0QyvSU9QxAd4Ztus4CUobXLy_kS3ZHxWw1MMzZD9zkUV2_EdXIcksNQ-SjQbmYZpGC3XJOyN23ARGw9ea3Yw/s1600/kandinsky.yellow-red-blue.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2OtV934096-wvSTghz0flm6brGGjabbB8F_bkRs0KPTjmEeYquBi_XA0QyvSU9QxAd4Ztus4CUobXLy_kS3ZHxWw1MMzZD9zkUV2_EdXIcksNQ-SjQbmYZpGC3XJOyN23ARGw9ea3Yw/s400/kandinsky.yellow-red-blue.gif" width="400" /></a></div>Isaachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06787899161708941704noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-49305042220605339622012-01-20T18:32:00.000-05:002012-01-20T18:32:00.287-05:00Poetry 174: As One Listens to the Rain by Octavio Paz<br />
<b>As One Listens to the Rain </b><br />
by Octavio Paz <br />
<br />
Listen to me as one listens to the rain,<br />
not attentive, not distracted,<br />
light footsteps, thin drizzle,<br />
water that is air, air that is time,<br />
the day is still leaving,<br />
the night has yet to arrive,<br />
figurations of mist<br />
at the turn of the corner,<br />
figurations of time<br />
at the bend in this pause,<br />
listen to me as one listens to the rain,<br />
without listening, hear what I say<br />
with eyes open inward, asleep<br />
with all five senses awake,<br />
it’s raining, light footsteps, a murmur of syllables,<br />
air and water, words with no weight:<br />
what we are and are,<br />
the days and years, this moment,<br />
weightless time and heavy sorrow,<br />
listen to me as one listens to the rain,<br />
wet asphalt is shining,<br />
steam rises and walks away,<br />
night unfolds and looks at me,<br />
you are you and your body of steam,<br />
you and your face of night,<br />
you and your hair, unhurried lightning,<br />
you cross the street and enter my forehead,<br />
footsteps of water across my eyes,<br />
listen to me as one listens to the rain,<br />
the asphalt’s shining, you cross the street,<br />
it is the mist, wandering in the night,<br />
it is the night, asleep in your bed,<br />
it is the surge of waves in your breath,<br />
your fingers of water dampen my forehead,<br />
your fingers of flame burn my eyes,<br />
your fingers of air open eyelids of time,<br />
a spring of visions and resurrections,<br />
listen to me as one listens to the rain,<br />
the years go by, the moments return,<br />
do you hear the footsteps in the next room?<br />
not here, not there: you hear them<br />
in another time that is now,<br />
listen to the footsteps of time,<br />
inventor of places with no weight, nowhere,<br />
listen to the rain running over the terrace,<br />
the night is now more night in the grove,<br />
lightning has nestled among the leaves,<br />
a restless garden adrift-go in,<br />
your shadow covers this page.Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-54989632280985424622012-01-14T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-14T09:00:09.549-05:00Visual 2: Edgar Degas - Eyes and The Demimonde<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Perhaps more than any other artist associated with impressionism, Degas was a great chronicler of contemporary city life. What Degas wanted was artificial life, not natural life, which prompted him to step away from traditional subjects and nature. His works instead focused on a particular section of Parisian society known as the "Demimonde," or "Halfway World."<br />
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In the second half of the 19th century, Paris was the center of opulent and decadent society, from cafe life, the ballet, and even the circus. Degas was attracted to the circus and, in particular, to a Miss La La:<br />
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Miss La La stunned the members of the Demimonde when she joined Cirque Fernando and amazed Paris with her ability to hold a cannon on a chain from her teeth while hanging from a trapeze, earning her the name "La Femme Canon." (Doesn't actually have much to do with Degas, I just thought it was cool)<br />
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One of the biggest things you can notice if you look over some of Degas' Series (such as his long stretch of paintings titled "After the Bath"), is that Degas seemed to loose a large amount of detail as his<i> oeuvre </i>(French for "I want to sound fancy") progressed<b> --</b><br />
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One of my favorite theories behind Degas' loss of detail (and, it's theorized, the loss of many impressionists' detail) was nearsightedness, and in Degas' case, cataracts. The timeline for the release of several of his works, as well as the progression from paintings similar to those above into those similar to those below, strongly suggests that Degas suffered from cataracts.<br />
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It's cool to think about what the world looked like through the eyes of such genius painters. Did Picasso really see the way he painted? Was everything lines and circles to Kandinsky? Was everything boxes and primary colors for Mondrian? Well, those are ridiculous examples, but it's interesting to think that even as Degas lost his eyesight he continued to paint the world around him...<br />
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Oh hey, speaking of Kandinsky...Isaachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06787899161708941704noreply@blogger.com1Paris, France48.856614 2.352221948.773036 2.1942934 48.940192 2.5101504tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-82388375088642882622012-01-13T12:00:00.000-05:002012-01-13T12:00:04.546-05:00Poetry 173: Masks by Shel Silverstein<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-13299592683028515732012-01-11T00:00:00.020-05:002012-01-11T00:00:06.526-05:00Style 1: Resolutions<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/99501472986920158/">pinterest</a>)</td></tr>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">For Christmas this year, I recieved a couple of books about style: Amanda Brooks' <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Your-Style-Define-Personal/dp/0061833126">I ♥ Your Style</a> and <i>Mad Men </i>costume designer Janie Bryant's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fashion-File-Inspiration-Costume-Designer/dp/0446572713">The Fashion File</a>. I've enjoyed reading them both so far, because I love learning about harnessing personal style.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">However, I've found that these kinds of books (and I have a number of them) tend to repeat themselves. In one way or another, so-called "individual" style is clumped into genres such as "Classic" or "Bohemian." Although I do agree that from first glance it is easy to make surface assumptions about a person's style, I believe there is much more to read into about their personality and history. (Perhaps this is just me trying to think like a costume designer though!) Take the photo above--elements of classic <i>and</i> bohemian are present in this all-around retro look.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">To me, style is something either meticiously formulated (which I don't do myself, but it works for many people) or innately apparent in every look you choose whether you're dressing up or down.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">For the new year, I challenge you to harness your unique style. Here are a few tips:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><ol><li>Look into your closet and see what you have. If you don't like what you see, do something about it!</li>
<li>Start thinking consciously about what kind of style you want to emulate while you are shopping for new pieces. I have lost count of the times where I've tried something on that I know looks great, but just isn't "Kaylie" enough to feel 100% right. Let it go. Believe me, it will save you money and regret.</li>
<li>When shopping, look for unique pieces. Thrifting is always the best option if you want to accomplish this. For instance, last time I went I found a handmade suede skirt with embroidered horses on it. I mean, COME ON. It will also make you feel cooler just owning something like that.</li>
<li>If you haven't worn something in the past year, good chance you will never wear it again. Get rid of it to give you space for new pieces that you will actually wear! </li>
<li>Don't be afraid to take risks. We're young. We will get a laugh out of most of our wardrobe choices in twenty years anyway.</li>
<li>Experiment with color blocking and prints. Have fun and make people smile when they see you. Unless your style is goth... Then by all means, paint it black!</li>
<li><b>Most importantly: Don't ever take yourself too seriously when it comes to style. The best style has a good sense of humor.</b></li>
</ol><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Happy New Year!</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-62154069230048677962012-01-10T18:35:00.000-05:002012-01-10T18:35:18.205-05:00Music 173: Lana Del ReyJust listen to her voice.<br /><br />1.) "Born to Die"<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Bag1gUxuU0g" allowfullscreen="" width="640" frameborder="0" height="360"></iframe><br /><br />2.) "Video Games"<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cE6wxDqdOV0" allowfullscreen="" width="640" frameborder="0" height="360"></iframe><br /><br />Fellow Americans can <a href="http://www.smarturl.it/LanadelReyEP">buy her EP</a> today!Lizziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15488844231027847623noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-3954304635042430742012-01-07T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-07T13:46:09.576-05:00Visual 1: Monet's Japanese FootbridgeThe only books I've on hand are about impressionism, so let's start there.<br />
To begin, Monet's Japanese Footbridge:<br />
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I think one of my favorite parts about analyzing Monet is that he spent such a large amount of his life painting at his home in Giverny, France. We actually get to see him revisit many of his favorite subjects several times over, especially in his paintings of poplars, lilies, haystacks, and the Japanese Footbridge. This footbridge actually stood on his property (though until recently it had fallen to termites), and Monet painted several series of the bridge during his stay at Giverny.<br />
One thing about I've always loved about impressionists is the way they can paint things so differently each time. The two paintings above were painted in 1899, while the bottom two were created over twenty years later, in 1923. I wish I knew Monet a bit better, but I would assume he made a return to Giverny those many years after.<br />
There are some theories as to why Monet's work became more vague so many years later, and I'll go into the main theory when I get to Degas and his dancers. I like to think that he just got better at capturing the essence of his subject - details didn't matter as much as the feeling of the scene.<br />
That's actually one of the points I always make for Impressionism. It's not about detail, it's about motion, essence, and feeling.<br />
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Next Week: Degas' Eyes and DancersIsaachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06787899161708941704noreply@blogger.com4Giverny, France49.081595 1.53350449.0607945 1.494022 49.1023955 1.572986tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-31409222505188175402012-01-06T16:30:00.000-05:002012-01-06T16:30:01.402-05:00Poetry 172: Fragments for the End of the Year<span class="quote">
<b><i>Fragments for the End of the Year</i> </b><br />
by Jennifer K. Sweeney <br />
<br />
On average, odd years have been the best for me.<br />
I’m at a point where everyone I meet looks like a version<br />
of someone I already know.<br />
Without fail, fall makes me nostalgic for things I’ve never experienced.<br />
The sky is molting. I don’t know<br />
if this is global warming or if the atmosphere is reconfiguring<br />
itself to accommodate all the new bright suffering.<br />
I am struck by an overwhelming need to go to Iceland.<br />
Despite all awful variables, we are still full of ideas<br />
as possible as unsexed fruit.<br />
I was terribly sorry to be the one to explain to the first graders<br />
the connection between the sunset and pollution.<br />
On Venus you and I are not even a year old.<br />
Then there were two skies.<br />
The one we fly through and the one<br />
we bury ourselves in.<br />
I appreciate my wide beveled spatula which fulfills<br />
the moment I realized I would grow up and own such things.<br />
I am glad I do not yet want sexy bathroom accessories.<br />
Such things.<br />
In the story we were together every time.<br />
On his wedding day, the stone in his chest<br />
not fully melted but enough.<br />
Sometimes I feel like there are birds flying out of me.</span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-64070091674367932452012-01-02T17:43:00.004-05:002012-01-02T22:59:46.408-05:00TV 172: Saturday Night LiveAs the new year begins, billions of people will be making changes to their lives. Changes like a new workout routine or drinking more water. The list goes on.<br /><br />I urge you, however, yes <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">YOU</span> reading this, to put aside your list of new year's resolutions for a minute and think about what will remain the same. This exercise is not meant to bum you out, just make you think realistically: what's going to keep happening? Where's the continuity? But then you might stop to ask yourself: how will <span style="font-style: italic;">I</span> know if you're actually doing this? Great question. Ever read<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>George Orwell's<span style="font-style: italic;"> 1984</span>?<br /><br />Okay, I know this post has a point. Oh yes, let me reference the title. Television. Okay, cool. <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span>. Wait, what? Stay with me here.<br /><br />Once every blue moon when I reflect abut TV's past, it strikes me how many shows have been on the air for stretches of many, many years. Take <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083399/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cheers</span></a> for instance. A sitcom about an ex-Red Sox pitcher turned bartender Sam Malone (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001101/">Ted Danson</a>) and his regular friends that came to the bar lasted eleven years. There are several reasons for this show's longevity, obviously popular success the main factor. Which makes me wonder, though. How can a single show stay in the hearts of its viewers for so long?<br /><br />The answer is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072562/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span></a>. By brilliantly concocting a consistent format of comedy sketches with a renewable cast, they ensured it coul withstand the test of time.<br /><br />With that in mind, it is hard to describe precisely what it is. It <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> a medley of comedians and writers addressing current issues satirically. It <span style="font-style: italic;">is </span>always hosted by a celebrity with a featured musical guest. Most of all, it <span style="font-style: italic;">is </span>a way to be guaranteed a laugh or a least a chuckle. So what isn't it?<br /><br />Some will argue that it shouldn't be as long-running as it's been. That this show has already reached its prime, back when it featured the talents of Will Farrell<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>and Chevy Chase. That's fine, everyone's entitled to their opinion, but I think they are losing sight of what a monumental accomplishment this show has achieved. Ratings have never been low enough to take it away from viewers and that's gotta mean something.<br /><br />What it boils down to, I suppose, is how in this new year, a show from the 1970s can still have the audience it does. Of course, with the world ending this year, I suggest we enjoy it while we can. Perhaps put it on your list of New Year's Resolutions.<br /><br />Probably my all-time favorite sketch:<br /><object width="512" height="288"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/PvZcMs_bQiCoJyfv8ZOzoQ"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/PvZcMs_bQiCoJyfv8ZOzoQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="512" height="288"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Have you ever seen SNL?</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />What are some of your New Year's Resolutions?</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Any improvements you think </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">mix tape</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> should adopt for the new year?</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Interested in being a contributor?</span>Lizziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15488844231027847623noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-81535204033681830272011-11-25T11:00:00.000-05:002011-11-25T11:00:01.397-05:00Poetry 171: It Was Winter by Czeslaw Milosz<div class="post_content" id="post_content_13002808835">
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<b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/luciecamp/4182148392/" title="Untitled by lucie camp, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="331" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2563/4182148392_76fb82fa9c.jpg" width="500" /></a> </b></div>
<div class="post_title">
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<b>It Was Winter </b></div>
BY CZESLAW MILOSZ <br /><br /> Winter came as it does in this valley. <br />After eight dry months rain fell <br />And the mountains, straw-colored, turned green for a while. <br />In the canyons where gray laurels <br />Graft their stony roots to granite, <br />Streams must have filled the dried-up creek beds. <br />Ocean winds churned the eucalyptus trees, <br />And under clouds torn by a crystal of towers <br />Prickly lights were glowing on the docks. <br /><br />This is not a place where you sit under a cafe awning <br />On a marble piazza, watching the crowd, <br />Or play the flute at a window over a narrow street <br />While children’s sandals clatter in the vaulted entryway. <br /><br />They heard of a land, empty and vast, <br />Bordered by mountains. So they went, leaving behind crosses <br />Of thorny wood and traces of campfires. <br />As it happened, they spent winter in the snow of a mountain pass, <br />And drew lots and boiled the bones of their companions; <br />And so afterward a hot valley where indigo could be grown <br />Seemed beautiful to them. And beyond, where fog <br />Heaved into shoreline coves, the ocean labored. <br /><br />Sleep: rocks and capes will lie down inside you, <br />War councils of motionless animals in a barren place, <br />Basilicas of reptiles, a frothy whiteness. <br />Sleep on your coat, while your horse nibbles grass <br />And an eagle gauges a precipice. <br /><br />When you wake up, you will have the parts of the world. <br />West, an empty conch of water and air. <br />East, always behind you, the voided memory of snow-covered fir. <br />And extending from your outspread arms <br />Nothing but bronze grasses, north and south. <br /><br />We are poor people, much afflicted. <br />We camped under various stars, <br />Where you dip water with a cup from a muddy river <br />And slice your bread with a pocketknife. <br />This is the place; accepted, not chosen. <br />We remembered that there were streets and houses where we came from, <br />So there had to be houses here, a saddler’s signboard, <br />A small veranda with a chair. But empty, a country where <br />The thunder beneath the rippled skin of the earth, <br />The breaking waves, a patrol of pelicans, nullified us. <br />As if our vases, brought here from another shore, <br />Were the dug-up spearheads of some lost tribe <br />Who fed on lizards and acorn flour. <br /><br />And here I am walking the eternal earth. <br />Tiny, leaning on a stick. <br />I pass a volcanic park, lie down at a spring, <br />Not knowing how to express what is always and everywhere: <br />The earth I cling to is so solid <br />Under my breast and belly that I feel grateful <br />For every pebble, and I don’t know whether <br />It is my pulse or the earth’s that I hear, <br />When the hems of invisible silk vestments pass over me, <br />Hands, wherever they have been, touch my arm, <br />Or small laughter, once, long ago over wine, <br />With lanterns in the magnolias, for my house is huge. <br /><br /><em>Berkeley, 1964</em><br />
</div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-67297406233422981932011-11-21T23:39:00.005-05:002011-11-22T01:39:43.952-05:00News 170: Occupy Wall Street<center><img src="http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/212091463671093601_L1vTPbzc_c.jpg" width="400"></center><br />Momentum for <b>Occupy Wall Street</b> has been building upon itself for years now as the public becomes informed of how this society is run, how this system really works: realizations that the elite 1% of the United States now own 42% of the country's wealth, that 25,000 people around the world die every day from very preventable poverty-related causes (that's like 6 9/11s every day), that this current system we live in isn't a real democracy at all but an oligarchy consisting of elite bankers and CEOs buying the power of the government. <br /><br /><center><img src="http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/105482816241923066_tZ8BSrHg_c.jpg" width="400"></center><br />I started following this leaderless movement on Facebook almost when they just began congregating in New York back in September of this year and it has been both inspiring and heart wrenching to watch and read about. Unfortunately, so much negative attention has been given to them through the mainstream news media, yet another tool of the wealthy. This is why the internet is such a good thing, because it is free reign to find out other sides of the story and come up with your own conclusions. <br /><br />Occupy Wall Street is a peaceful, nonviolent movement meant to protest social and economic inequality, high unemployment, greed, debt, corruption, and the influence of corporations over government. Yes, that sounds like an awful lot of things to be complaining about in one protest, but they're all connected because of the problem of money. The protest in New York has expanded to activism all over the world including Spain, Belgium, and Germany, and to many major cities in the United States: Occupy Portland, Los Angeles, Boston, Minneapolis, Chicago, San Francisco, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Oakland, and many many more including college campuses across the country. <br /><br /><center><img src="http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/161144492886397078_8P2MpVR7_c.jpg" width="400"></center><br />If you haven't heard much about Occupy Wall Street, then there's a lot of back story to know about before understanding just how important this movement really is. I recommend becoming informed with documentaries as they are probably the quickest and most thorough way to learn about this society and how literally every problem branches from a single source: money. <br /><br />Resources:<br /><br /><b>Zeitgeist</b> film series (free online viewing): <a href="http://zeitgeistmovie.com/">http://zeitgeistmovie.com/</a><br />A step by step breakdown of what is really going on and how to fix these problems over the course of three films. These do go into some conspiracy theories in the earliest film regarding money and war (a very angering and inspiring part of the film), but the rest is very informative about how the economy works and why it isn't working, what could replace this system, and how it's possible to. <br /><br /><b>Inside Job</b> (rentable on Netflix): <br />A film about the stock market crash in 2007. It's very slow going, but it shows how this government is more of an oligarchy than a real democracy.<br /><br /><b>Sicko</b> (rentable on Netflix):<br />An incredibly revealing film about the current health care system and a very good representation of the inequality of this society and the greed of those in power. <br /><br />If anyone else has more suggestions that are relevant to the cause, please leave a comment! If you support the movement, spread the word on your own blogs and find out about local activism communities surrounding <a href="http://www.occupytogether.org/">Occupy Together</a>. We are the 99%!<br /><br /><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BRtc-k6dhgs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-2577853473321144132011-10-03T00:42:00.054-04:002011-10-03T00:42:00.211-04:00Movies 165 : Abduction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsg9urD4vI1ql107po1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsg9urD4vI1ql107po1_500.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Now this isn't a movie for everyone. But I'm pretty sure Taylor and his Dad knew what they were doing when they got together to produce this film. Perfect timing too. Everyone on Team Jacob awaiting the new Twilight film got an early snack.<br />
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So Taylor gave his fans what they wanted. A film staring him. And a lot of him.<br />
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The movie has a fantastic cast. Sigourney Weaver, Maria Bello, Lilly Colins, and Jason Isaacs. Also Taylor does most of his stunts too. And of course, we get to see him shirtless.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn02.okcdn.okmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Taylor-Lautner-Lily-Collins-Kiss-Sept6ne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://cdn02.okcdn.okmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Taylor-Lautner-Lily-Collins-Kiss-Sept6ne.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taylor and Lily are no longer dating.</td></tr>
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Fans who have grown to love him in the Twilight series, will surely get what they came for when they see this movie. And I'm sure will buy their own copy once its to DVD.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsg6duD6bU1qas0n5o1_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsg6duD6bU1qas0n5o1_500.png" width="622" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They have a history. Maybe they'll get it right this time.</td></tr>
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On the other hand, the story is a bit predictable. And perhaps some will wish the plot had been a bit more than what it is. But in truth, this is a movie for Taylor's fans. If you're not a fan, you'll want to avoid this movie.<br />
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STORYLINE: Nathan, a teen, along with his friend, Karen finds a website that has photos of children who are missing or believed to have been abducted. They decide to age one of the photos and discover that is of Nathan as a child. He contacts the person who placed the photo to find out what's going on. The person on the other end only wants to know info about Nathan so Nathan hangs up. The person then contacts someone in Europe and shows him a photo of the one who called. He then heads for the U.S. Nathan then wonders is it true, was he abducted. He tells his "mom" who then tells him she and his "father" will tell him. But before they can, two men claiming to be cops show up wanting to talk to Nathan, and when he isn't found they pull guns and demand Nathan be given to them. His parents fight them but are killed. Nathan runs but remembers that he asked Karen to come over...<br />
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<a href="http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/abduction">tumblr </a>ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10081846789891930288noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-29529844680092898712011-09-18T17:07:00.000-04:002011-09-24T17:36:50.870-04:00TV 164 : CW's Secret Circle<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrm94pJYV11qe2uwg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrm94pJYV11qe2uwg.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The “Secret Circle” series follows 16-year-old Cassie, who moves from California to live with her grandmother in Chance Harbor, Washington after her mother dies in a murderous fire. As soon as she arrives strange things begin to happen to her. She is eventually told by her “new friends” that her family is part of a legacy. One of 6 families of witches. Now that she is in Chance Harbor she completes the circle making them all very powerful. The real sinister plot in the series are the parents of the teenagers who have an agenda of their own. </td></tr>
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What better way for Must See Thursday night TV than to have vampires and witches. <i>Secret Circle</i> is by the same author (L.J.Smith) and people who do VAMPIRE DIARIES (Secret Circle is on right after the Vampire Diaries). It stars Britney Robertson as Cassie who comes back to New England after the firy death of mother. Little does she know the secrets that six families hold back in the old town by the sea.<br />
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With every good TV drama comes a wicked villian, and <i>Secret Circle</i> definitely has one. This has to be Gale Harold's best role as of yet. He is splendid as Charles Meade. Would anyone suspect what he's up too?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lroz1sggLX1qfkbfbo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lroz1sggLX1qfkbfbo1_500.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In the secret circle of witches is the wild child Faye Chamberlian (Phoebe Tonkin from H2O) who so happens to be the principal's daughter. She has her own way of pulling in Cassie to their group. And she knows they need her in the circle so they can be stronger.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrqf4ye0uZ1r2seq8o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrqf4ye0uZ1r2seq8o1_500.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Of course, Cassie takes the clique as crazies, but she has a yearning for Thomas Dekker's Adam who is Diane's (the so called level headed leader of the bunch played by Shelly Hennig) boyfriend. Together, Adam & Cassie can make magic in the forest.<br />
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Louis Hunter as Nick and Jessica Parker Kennedy as Melissa play supporting roles in the circle. One might wonder if Nick will make a play for Cassie since he has the power to look inside her bedroom window. And is Melissa more than Faye's sidekick? Its been said that Melissa and Nick will get their flirt on for each other in the coming episodes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrqbe8eYXa1qkuemyo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrqbe8eYXa1qkuemyo1_500.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><br />
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The first episode offered special effects and a cool foundation of the characters to get the story started. It left viewers wanting more. The soundtrack is rather infectious too. With a cast like this, one is eager to find out just how powerful the <i>Secret Circle</i> will be.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7njNsF4KIIIEQp21pfrl-7ZM1P0E1wNKDVEb5f5B_0HnkJiUK-S2-NzFmpJvgCEaNmIKkWfz08Fmo5ZrRKXHRrsKnw4mknaJXLm_EElcZoUlSCUKK1f7G45k1C9WZ1Jlr3jaLe9dfqk/s1600/sameschoo..JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7njNsF4KIIIEQp21pfrl-7ZM1P0E1wNKDVEb5f5B_0HnkJiUK-S2-NzFmpJvgCEaNmIKkWfz08Fmo5ZrRKXHRrsKnw4mknaJXLm_EElcZoUlSCUKK1f7G45k1C9WZ1Jlr3jaLe9dfqk/s400/sameschoo..JPG" width="342" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That awkward moment where the <i>school</i> from The <b>Secret Circle</b> is the <i>same school</i> from The <i>Vampire Diaries.</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>-<a href="http://katefgmp.tumblr.com/">kate</a> </i></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/secret+circle">TUMBLR</a>ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10081846789891930288noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-7043851743632009632011-09-16T09:00:00.001-04:002011-09-24T17:37:01.211-04:00Poetry 163: This Is Not A Poem<div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/feathered/5460424500/" title="251|365 by still got legs, on Flickr"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/yesterdayssun/4739257109/" title="Untitled by Bahar Özdemir, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4739257109_d19cc84f11.jpg" width="500" /></a> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>This Is Not A Poem</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">By David Butson</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I’m not going to say anything about bridges. or horses. or sky</div><div style="text-align: center;">ripped apart by birds. there are no fires. in this poem. no lips<br />
trailing smoke. no rearview mirror eyes. <br />
I’m not going to compare her eyelashes to flags waved from departing ships. <br />
or her eyes themselves to rain through dusty winter windowpanes. <br />
her lips to wine stains. her fingers to Japanese paper napkins. <br />
that’s not my image anyway. you won’t find any scarecrows <br />
between these rows of words. no train whistles in the vowel sounds. <br />
no silent movies reflected in her sunglasses I’m not going to say <br />
that her syllables are arpeggios of surrender. or anything like that. <br />
in fact. my poem girl’s breath is nothing like the sweet of night’s earth. <br />
her ribcage isn’t rattled by the angry bird I call her heart.</div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-88719023776668204992011-09-09T11:11:00.000-04:002011-09-24T17:37:01.211-04:00Poetry 162: Funeral Blues<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyesofab/5651745289/" title="Untitled by eyes of ab, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5023/5651745289_b301c14714.jpg" width="500" /></a> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Funeral Blues</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wystan Hugh Auden </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone.<br />
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,<br />
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum<br />
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.<br />
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Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead<br />
Scribbling in the sky the message He is Dead,<br />
Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves,<br />
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.<br />
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He was my North, my South, my East and West,<br />
My working week and my Sunday rest<br />
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;<br />
I thought that love would last forever, I was wrong.<br />
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The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,<br />
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun.<br />
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;<br />
For nothing now can ever come to any good.</div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-70535568681313793782011-09-05T02:08:00.000-04:002011-09-05T02:08:00.667-04:00Movies 161 : Crazy, Stupid Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqzuhcE64A1qbl9qro1_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqzuhcE64A1qbl9qro1_500.png" width="275" /></a></div><br />
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Here is a comedy with a lot of drama. Its the story of a man's marriage breaking up. Yet another about a boy who's found his soul mate. But then there is the 17 year old girl, head over heels for the older man. In the mix is the man at the bar who knows the art of getting the woman, but does he really know what love is?<br />
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I wasn't that crazy about the first part of the movie. It was quite a stretch in places. Sure, its awful how the wife Julianne Moore (Emily) springs<i> I want a divorce</i> on her husband Steve Carrell (Cal) who takes it the only way Carrell knows how to take it with his straight man comedy silliness. Then Cal meets someone like Ryan Gosling (Jacob) in a bar and hands over his credit card, practically willing him to make him over. Yet as the film grows, there are connections that make one smile and even laugh.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Analeigh Tipton retired from pair skating at 16. She plays the babysitter in the movie.</td></tr>
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The movie has its moments. Emma Stone's conversation about Conan O'Brien with her girlfriend was amusing. And to find out how smitten she is with Josh Groban (her boss at the law firm). Yet it was the little surprises I liked best in the twist and turns of the humor. Jonah Bobo's performance as the son Robbie was genuine and sweet. Even better, the performance of Analeigh Tipton as the babysitter. She's awkward yet delightful.<br />
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Although, Ryan Gosling is buffed and suave, I've seen him in at his best in other characters. Perhaps I've seen Emma Stone in far too many movies this summer. Honestly, I have mixed feelings about the movie. Still, there is a lot to love about this film. And some amazing bit parts by Marrissa Tomei and Kevin Bacon.<br />
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STORYLINE: Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore) have the perfect life together living the American dream... until Emily asks for a divorce. Now Cal, Mr Husband, has to navigate the single scene with a little help from his professional bachelor friend Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling). Make that a lot of help.<br />
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<a href="http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/crazy+stupid+love">tumblr </a>ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10081846789891930288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-69793093179905797192011-08-26T10:37:00.001-04:002011-08-26T10:37:50.088-04:00Poetry (Sort Of?) 160: Date A Girl Who Reads<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Book Antiqua; font-size: 18px; padding: 2px; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/moleskineart/5884731743/" title="Hacking GTD into Traveler's Notebook by Patrick Ng, on Flickr"><img alt="Hacking GTD into Traveler's Notebook" height="334" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5070/5884731743_6d59170849.jpg" width="500" /></a></b></i></div><i><b> </b></i></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Book Antiqua; font-size: 18px; padding: 2px; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Book Antiqua; font-size: 18px; padding: 2px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Date A Girl Who Reads by Rosemarie Urquico</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><small>(In Response to Charles Warnke’s <i><a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/dont-date-a-girl-who-reads/">You Should Date An Illiterate Girl.</a></i></small><i>)</i></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Buy her another cup of coffee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s <i>Ulysses</i> she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She has to give it a shot somehow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the <i>Twilight</i> series.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Or better yet, date a girl who <i>writes.</i></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15962106717375135503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2895907757509796443.post-81217001638116905412011-08-22T14:08:00.000-04:002011-09-24T17:36:50.870-04:00TV 160 : ABC Family's Lying Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lq9vi9lv9C1qgc50co1_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lq9vi9lv9C1qgc50co1_500.png" width="400" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great way to end summer with a new show!</td></tr>
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ABC Family was so successful with PRETTY LITTLE LIARS that they decided to bring another Sara Shepard story to the small screen. But will it work? PLL keeps us guessing with plenty of eye-candy to go around and parents who were once hot on TV a decade or so ago. Also, fashionista characters who hopefully figure out the mystery, which of course, keeps us coming back for more.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does Emma have the drama for this?</td></tr>
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This go around we have soap veteran actress from AS THE WORLD TURNS, Alexandra Chanda who gives off a bit of Nina Dobrey vibe from Vampire Diaries. Still Chanda has that doe in the headlights look, and she's not only one character, but two. Emma a good hearted foster kid on the run from her own problems and Sutton the poor little rich girl..Twins separated at birth.<br />
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We get to see how Emma (who doesn't even know her rich twin) act like she's Sutton, while Sutton goes off on a quick trip to L.A. to find their real parents. So the suspense rises as Emma plays along. Sutton's parents find a much nicer daughter. She really embraces the family. Her fake boyfriend too, who she finds is definitely faking it. Sutton is also a tennis champion, as well. Emma finds her self up to the mental and physical challenge.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blair Redford finally gets a main role. He's been seen on Switched at Birth and 90210.</td></tr>
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This time around wonderful Helen Slater plays the adoptive Mom. Blair Redford is to the rescue as Sutton's real boyfriend, Ethan Whithorse.<i> General Hospital's</i> Tyler Christopher plays Ethan's uncle who is the law around.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madeline Rybak & Charlotte Chamberlin star in this series as Sutton's besties.</td></tr>
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Its hard to say yet if the girlfriend pack will be as genuine as on <i>Pretty Little Liars</i>, but it has a mystery to unfold. Sutton's not back and Emma is stuck in her role. Its off to a good start.<br />
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STORYLINE: The show follows Emma (Chando), a kind-hearted foster kid who cant catch a break. She finds out she has an identical twin sister...<br />
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<a href="http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/the+lying+game">the lying game </a><br />
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ivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10081846789891930288noreply@blogger.com4