Ahhhhhhh The McKee to My Heart

Andy McKee playing Tight Trite Night (written by Don Ross)

Pattonanagram

I just found an online anagram server! (Anagram: a word, phrase, or sentence formed from another by rearranging its letters)

This means you can bypass lengthy and mentally exhausting 'anagramizations' of words previously done by hand, by typing those words into the server and being presented with the 'anagramical' outcome! It's so easy! I knew there was software available that did the same thing, but I didn't want to pay for it! So this is good news for me.

Click HERE to visit the server. I'm definitely bookmarking that website. The website states something interesting that I'll share here too:
"Did you know that parliament is an anagram of partial men? Or, Clint Eastwood an anagram of Old West Action?"

The more I learn about Anagrams, the more I realize that anagrams really do tell the truth, whether we like to face it or not. Some people say it's a science. Well, it's fun and interesting to boot!

My favorite musician, Mike Patton, had some great anagrams displayed after I typed his name in. They're so fun I wanted to post some here. This picture of him goes well with it I think...



1) Ape Tit Monk

2) Teapot Mink

3) Tampon Kite

4) Man Poet

5) Pink Teat

6) Atom Kept In

7) Ant Poem Kit

8) At Tempo

9) A Kitten Mop

10) Tank Mite

11) Eat Pot

HA! This cracks me up

Ceramic Room Door

My grandparent's home has a ceramic room. This is the ceramic room door. The last photograph is the original picture taken. The first two I show the results of some Photoshop work. I look at this door, and see my childhood. Running out of the kitchen after eating a fresh slice of homemade apple pie my Nonna made from apples she grew herself...past the long blue ceramic room curtains, to this door. Which led to the lively backyard where pear, peach, and cherry trees stood elegantly next to swing sets and a magical clubhouse built by my father. I also see this door and think of my grandfather Leo, who is in Spirit. It reminds me of days when he'd drive out to purchase rye bread and ingredients for his zucchini pie. I miss you Grandpa.

Happy Valentines

I made this yesterday. Kaleidoscopic image that created hearts! How fitting! :)

The original photograph I created this image from, was a pic of my bookshelf. Interesting...you can see some writing on the light green background but I can't tell what it says. Almost looks like something from an atlas. What I like most about the Kaleider software I have, is that you can create thousands of different images from just one uploaded photograph. Hours...days...of fun. It's taking over my free time.

The Mind of Zander; Zanderworks, Zanderiffic

"The best review I ever got was not from a music critic, but from my father. He was 94 years old at the time and completely blind. He attended a Master Class I gave in London and sat there in his wheelchair for about three hours. When it was over, I went to speak with him. He lifted up his finger in his characteristic way and said, 'I see that you are actually a member of the healing profession.' It seemed to me the highest accolade."
- Benjamin Zander



I love how Benjamin Zander thinks, and sees his world. He's been the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic since 1979, he is also a teacher at The New England Conservatory of Music, speaker, guest conductor, lecturer, composer...the list goes on. These 20 minutes with him were some of the most inspiring I've ever spent with anyone. I'm already a lover of classical music, but now I can hear impulses and understand what 'one buttock' playing is...do you???!!! You must watch to find out. Oh, and try containing your tears while watching this...just try I dare you :0)

Mr. Zander also studied alongside one of my favorite classical composers. Benjamin Britten. Mr. Zander eventually learned music theory from Mr. Britten's assistant, who was the daughter of composer Gustav Holst!!!! Another favorite of mine. I tell you, I'd be in heaven if I could've witnessed this amazing trio at work. Seriously, heaven.


Britten is the tall one. Zander is on the left.

I Won I Won I Won Part TWO!

If you didn't read my first "I Won I Won I Won!" post, you aren't aware of a special secret. I won a prize drawing for an artistic creation from none other than Peng Peng herself! She makes 'vintage' sock monkeys, teddy bears, art prints, and now Buddha Bear figurines. I'm a happy girl now that my little Buddha Bear has arrived and he is so amazingly friendly and adorable. Plus, he came packaged very beautifully...
He took to the place right away, revealing a keen sense of humor through his antics.
First he cuddled up close to Cashmere, the cat. He was drawn to her warm fur, as it was quite a chilly day!


He decided then to journey onto African Safari! This was when he announced to me that his name was Chesterton. Chesterton Wendelbum.

Then suddenly, without a word, he disappeared! I found him hours later with my family of Russian Dolls, quoting Goethe and waxing poetic about his many travels for being such a young fellow...

It was then on to fun and games! He placed himself strategically upon my chess board, and began practicing in his boldest voice, "CHECKMATE!"

After a rewarding (on his part) and challenging (on my part) game, Chesterton asked if we might sit awhile and have a small indoor picnic. Get to know eachother, etc.

My new best friend.

Real Businessmen Are Boring Enough!

This guy was giving me the cold shoulder all afternoon. I even tried turning the page for him, and he didn't allow it. He didn't respond to a thing I said, or look me in the eye...what a turd.

Then I figured, I could dust the snow off his hands. That was when I realized he was cold as ice. It took me awhile (4 hours of rambling to myself) to come to the conclusion that this man wasn't real. Ha, yeah. Thanks cameraman, you really made me look like quite a fool.

But wait a second...why would there be a sculpture of a businessman reading a newspaper, sitting on a bench?? How drastically boring. Well it turns out the grandson of the man who founded the company Johnson & Johnson is an artist. And the city of Carmel, Indiana wanted to accessorize their downtown 'arts' district with this man's take on Rockwellesque realism through bronze medium. Yawn.

Here's what J. Seward Johnson Jr. has to say about it. He's the artist behind the madness. The bland, gray-suited, newspaper-reading, bench-sitting...madness.

"Realism has the capacity to reach everyone; there is no age barrier, no culture barrier. As the breadth of communication expands, so does the potency of a particular work.”

Of course it has the capacity to reach everyone. It is THE capacity to reach everyone. The prime example of playing it safe...why risk making someone think, engage, or interpret something that might not be constrained or limited to societal norms?

He also says...

“I use my art to convince you of something that isn’t real. You laugh at yourself because you were taken in, and in that change of your perception, you become vulnerable to the piece and intimate with it in a certain way.”

Vulnerable?? Yes, maybe. The urge to take a big crap on that businessman sculpture does make me feel quite vulnerable. But at least there would be an aesthetic there.
Intimate? Yeah, can't think of anything more intimate than taking a dump on something.

Oh, and here's the topper. The name of this sculpture, that resides in Carmel, Indiana is "Confirming Predictions".

What??!! My goodness people. Confirming Predictions?? Can you PLEASE consider supporting a local team of artists who actually have something of value to contribute to something as seemingly important as your new and improved 'arts district'?????????????????

Thanks. but no thanks.

Ok then...boy I have a way of beating around the bush. I have to move on to what this is all really about. My feathers don't get ruffled over such silly things...the truth must come out.

I despise the Johnson & Johnson Company. OK, THERE I SAID IT!

And not only because the so called 'baby' friendly products they design contain petroleum based ingredients. Oh yeah, here's my new baby...put toxic chemicals all over her please. YHECK!

More importantly than the topic of smothering a delicate child with petrochemicals, is that of animal abuse... Ha ha?

Here are some interesting (disgusting) truths regarding companies who test their products on animals. i.e. Johnson & Johnson

Info provided by Claire Gargiulo & Jennifer Messick of The Petition Site

"Every year, between 17 million and 22 million animals are used in laboratory testing. Many of these animals came from shelters, where they had opportunities to be adopted out to loving homes. Not only are rats and mice used in animal testing, but dogs, cats, horses, monkeys, hamsters, rabbits, and many others are subjected to this cruelty, as well.

Animal testing is not only unethical and inaccurate, but is also not required of these companies by law. These tests are not just done topically, but many animals are forced to ingest chemicals, as well. They are forced into restraints, their eyes are burned out with chemicals, skin is cut off, fur is burned, muscles are cut out, large tubes are shoved down their throats and into their nasal cavaties, they are pumped full of different substances and keep in mind, these animals are not given anesthesia or pain killers so they won't feel the effects. They live out their lives in small, metal cages with no other contact except when tested. Many animals have more nerve endings in their bodies than humans do, and those nerve endings are far more sensitive, and so they feel the painful effects of the testing much more than a human would. None of these animals have the exact same anatomy as a human's and therefore, the testing cannot be deemed accurate.

Furthermore, there are plenty of companies that do not find the need to test on animals and still manufacture quality products and are very successful. These are the companies who should be receiving our business, for not only providing us with the goods we need, but being cruelty-free at the same time. Visit www.caringconsumer.com to find out more about humane companies that you can support and feel good about your shopping experience at the end of the day!"

Does the future look hopeful? Even the slightest bit?

"...the drug industry is on its way to finding alternative methods to animal testing. Medical institutions, such as Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD, are developing programs dedicated to creating such methods. Methods such as computer-based testing are rapidly becoming available and do not cost innocent animals, or anyone else for that matter, their lives. Computers can be programmed to recreate the exact anatomy of a human, and again, this would be much more accurate than testing on an animal whose anatomy differs highly from humans."

Just a note to all companies who abuse animals for the sake of furthering product research: If you have to burn the eyes out of a living breathing creature, destroy its muscle tissue, suffocate it through fumigation or flushing its esophagus with Liquid Plumber ... you're messing around with ingredients that I don't want in ANY PRODUCT. Get it through your sick minds. You sick, sick, sick, sick, SICK people.

*I checked the J&J website just now. Under "Product Safety & Quality" I find this vague and 'manufactured' statement:

"Sophisticated tools and systems help us to identify factors that may affect product quality, efficacy and safety. With this knowledge, we continually improve our product design and manufacturing processes.The safety and quality of ingredients and materials is essential. Our companies use advanced technologies to bring the best and most effective health care products to our customers and patients. They also work with regulatory authorities around the world to ensure patient safety and that the environment is protected."

I can hardly resist their smooth approach. I trust that they have everyone's best interest in mind...oh, don't you? Ah hell, I'm going to bed.

Fun with Photoshop - What is IT?

I created this in Photoshop last night. I had uploaded free brush presets from a site called www.artomatic.de and figured I could at least try them out. The collection I downloaded are of images of city lights down on Earth as captured by a satellite. I drew two different sized circles (to act as 'planet' and 'moon') and gave them gradients and an outer glow. I then dabbed around with the presets on top of the planet and moon, and gave the moon a drop shadow. Not really realistic in that sense but I was only messing around. Thought it had a nice cosmic vibe so I decided to post it.

Dermatic Effectz Babay

For Christmas I made my dad a fake gift certificate to a tattoo parlor. He bought it for maybe...4 seconds, and then looked at me and my sister and said something like, "This can't be real."

But if it were, I wonder if he would have used it...

No. Definitely not.

I still laugh at the name I came up with for it: Dermatic Effectz
but no one else seemed to think it was clever. Hah. Poo on them. And the purple snake?? With red eyes?? Come on, I'd get a tattoo there if I could! You join me! :0)

Kaleidoscopic Progressions #1

I'd like to create flip-books in the future, of kaleidoscopic images that I create. I would probably make the images more intricate than the one posted here. This one is just a simple practice, but I still love what can be created in the Kaleider program.





The original image I used in order to create these kaleidoscope forms was actually one of my drawings you can view here.

Sunday is Cirque Du Soleil !

I've never been to see a Cirque Du Soleil show, but that will soon change! Next Sunday papacitos...
I'll be seeing the Cirque's longest running show, called "Saltimbanco" (saltare in banco = "to jump on a bench" in Italian)

And then hopefully on to some other new things ;)

Quick Quote Before Work!

"True glory consists in doing what deserves to be written; in writing what deserves to be read; and in so living as to make the world happier for our living in it."

Pliny the Elder

Sunday In The Park with Fujiya & Miyagi

I went to the park today to play! to play! Visited the nature center too, and saw cute chickadees and petted super soft rabbits!

I made this video tonight, using footage from today's excursion in the park. Music by the band Fujiya & Miyagi of Brighton, England. The song is called, "Sore Thumb". The two main players, David Best and Steve Lewis, created their band name from a Japanese brand of speakers: Fujiya ...
and a character from the movie "The Karate Kid": Miyagi

This video is quite flawed, please understand that I'm really trying here! But try and watch for my snow angel that I made ... it's in the video!

Oh, and yes to all you Sondheim fans out there. The title of this post is a play on "Sunday in the Park With George" :0)

Not to get off topic or anything ... but I want to post a snippet of the song "The Day Off", from that musical. Fitting, as today was Sunday and I had the day off. I love it!

"...Bonnet flapping.
Bustle sliding,
Like a rocking horse that nobody's been riding
There's a daisy,
And some clover,
And that interesting fellow looking over...

Who you drawing?
Who the hell you think you're drawing?
Me?
You don't know me!
Go on drawing,
Since you're drawing only what you want to see,
Anyway!
One eye, no illusion-
That you get with two
One for what is true.
One for what suits you.
Draw your wrong conclusion,
All you artists do.
I see what is true..."

The Angel of Synchronicity Swoops Down Again!

I created a snow angel in the park today. I haven't made one in years and years. It felt good, I think the snow appreciated it too. Funny thing is, when I got home and read through my emails...there was one from my friend Zach asking

"Have you made any snowangels during the past week?"

Hmmm...yes Zach, I can confidently say I have. I sent him the above photo of my snow angel. I think he'll get a kick out of our co-incidental timing!

Can One Heart Heal Millions?

Yes.

ONE!



Click here to read my other post on Paul