Halloween in the Blue Bubble!

Also known as my street, a haven of Obama signs in a sea of McCain supporters.



You can hear Jazz barking in the background!

Here we are wrapping it up and about to head out for trick or treating.



I love my neighborhood.

Happy Halloween!

I love these really clever pumpkins that some people are talented enough to carve. Ours are always cute as hell, but never SUPER clever like some are. For example, this kitty:

A skeleton:

This one has little windows with images:

Then some get kind of spooky, like this one:

Or this one, kind of:

And this one is really spooky:
But you must agree, this one is the scariest of all!
EEEK! Okay, it doesn't REALLY look like a pumpkin, though it's supposed to. Regardless, get out and vote on Tuesday, and keep this face nothing more than a Halloween phenomenon!

Happy trick or treating!

It's called karma, baby

I've heard the most DELICIOUS scoop, but I hesitate to go into too much detail because I've been sworn to secrecy. Um, yeah, right...

Basically karma has come around to bite Ugh in her gawky, flat ass. Pardon me for sounding so vicious, but as my faithful readers know, I went though an amazing amount of shit last year thanks to two very nasty people. Today the tables are turned, and I feel fabulously vindicated. I SO knew this would happen, and it feels wonderful.

Perhaps these same faithful readers will remember that when Paul and I hooked up four years ago, it was because his wife and he had "drifted apart" and she didn't support him and his music. She was cruel to him and he was aching for a woman he could really love. I was there for him to cry on my shoulder and I soon became that woman. When he took up with Ugh, I was the cruel woman he was suffering a relationship with, and she was the understanding shoulder who soon became the beloved one. He told her terrible things about me, and led her to believe that he was trying to break it off with me and I just "couldn't let go."

WELL! Guess what?? An old friend of mine in Athens and I were gabbing the other night and she told me "Oh! News! Guess who Paul's gotten involved with now?" My chin hit the floor. I'm not about to say who it is, cause Ugh is gonna have to find out the same way I did, but I couldn't stop myself from simply writing and saying HA! What goes around comes around.

Ain't life grand?

"If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger"

I've discovered a wonderful new blog called If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger, There'd Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats. It's not new, really, just new to me. The byline says "An Ongoing Series of Cultural and Personal Observations; by Tom Sutpen, Stephen Cooke, Richard Gibson and Kimberly Lindbergs." I have no idea who these people are but they've put together a pop culture skip through time that's well worth a gander.

Each entry is nothing more than a photograph from a different era presented within the context of a series, some with their original journalistic caption. With series entitled The Art of the Panel (on comic strips,) An Illustrated History of American Labor, This Week's Sargent (a John Singer Sargent painting, but not weekly by any means,) Broadcasters, Sex Education, Newspapermen, G Is for Gedney (photos by William Gedney) and Annals of Crime (my favorite. Surprise!) there's something for everyone. Here's an example, from the Gedney series:

It's entitled Nude model sitting on stool while photographer adjusts view camera (1972)

Here's one from the Annals of Crime series:

Youths Confess Murder of Druggist

Brooklyn -- This youthful quartet from the notorious Navy Yard gang confessed yesterday that they took part in the attempted robbery in which Paul J. Gillman, druggist, was slain in his store at Court and Amity Streets. Yesterday the youthful gunmen re-enacted the crime in detail, under heavy police guard, for Assistant District Attorney Wilson. They are left to right: Stephen Collins, John Keogh, William J. Evans and Frank Evans. (1922)

And another...love the umbrellas:

Police Suspect Murder and Suicide in Central Park.

New York -- General views of death scene in Central Park at 106th Street East early this evening. Bodies are those of Juanita Rivera and Luis Rizarry. Police suspect the man murdered the woman and then committed suicide. Time of death set at 4 p.m. A forty-five caliber pistol was the death weapon and can be seen in some of the pix near the man's right foot. (1952)

And one from the Old New York series:

Check it out.

Obama for America

We recorded this song that Molly wrote a few weeks ago. That's me in the Obama shirt at the beginning (I make another brief appearance later) and Nick on drums and on guitar at the very end. Also participating are Molly (natch), her son, Max (on guitar), her brother, Charlie, with a family friend whose name I've forgotten, and her dog, Petey. Sing along, and vote!

Mark Hollis

Since no one seems to be reading me these days, I'm gonna be totally self-indulgent. I give you part II of the "Men I'd Sleep With in a New York Minute" series. Here's who I'm in love with today...lots of day, actually:



I've written a lot about this band already (see here and here,) all I want to add today is that Mark Hollis makes me crazy. He's not particularly handsome, in fact many would say he isn't good looking at all. He's got a quirky face, big ears and he's skinny. But anyone who know me will tell you that a man with something strange about him (personality, music, humor) pulls me in more than anything else. And not only does Mark have the odd sometimes really attractive, sometimes really ugly look that I find so fascinating, he's amazingly talented. He put out however many records with Talk Talk, a solo album, then he faded into the English countryside, never to be seen or heard from again. Intriguing.




But mainly I love his voice. I can't put my finger on what quality it is that pulls me in, but there's something so haunting and sad in there.

By the way, Lee Harris, the drummer, runs a very close second for me.



He drums without a shirt on. With a ponytail. With black gloves. Ahem.

Anniversary

My sweet dad died two years ago today. I miss him. This picture is from his last birthday, March 23, 2006. He was turning 70. He left too early, and it's never been the same around here without him.

It's me in a nutshell...give or take...

Welcome to all you'd ever want to know (and more!) about me, the Pisces female. But don't believe all you read, cause parts of it are downright wrong...which parts I'll leave to you to decide.

Pisces The Fishes

February 19 - March 20

The twelfth sign of the zodiac is concerned with:

compassion, sympathy, love, altruism

dreams, the psychic, clairvoyance, sixth sense

illusions, magic, film, fantasy, make-believe

art, drama, music, poetry, prose, dance

unusual talent, memory, wisdom, versatility

sensitivity, intuition, humor, satire

secrets, fulfillment of life, eternity

Elemental Quality

Pisces is the mutable water sign of the zodiac. It can be likened to a warm, turquoise lagoon, twinkling in the sunshine, or to a strong ocean current rising from the depths to break over a rocky shore, smoothing the pebbles for all time.

Mutable means changeable, and water can change its form in many ways: rain, hail, snow, mist, frost, clouds, rainbows, warm pools, and puddles; thus, Piscean feelings can change a dozen times a day.

The Piscean Personality

These are the general personality traits found in people who are typical of Pisces. An unhappy or frustrated Pisces may display some of the not-so-attractive traits.

Positive	Negative
* Loving and caring	* Self-pitying
* Trusting, hospitable, and will help all in distress	* Gullible and will give all in a lost cause
* Shy	* Temperamental
* Helpful	* Dependent
* Romantic	* Escapist
* Creative	* Sensationalist
* Mystical	* Depressive
* Gentle and kind	* Can lose touch with reality
* Compassionate	* Too emotionally involved with the problems of others
* Understanding of others	* Tends to blame self for everything

Secret Pisces

Anyone who has strong Piscean influences is a person who has perhaps the most extreme choices of any zodiac sign. Pisces can accept the challenges of life and rise to the top, or can give in to the easy way of oblivion and sink to the bottom. This choice is symbolized by the two fishes. To help him or her swim to the top, the Pisces must find peace through beauty, music, and harmony.

The Pisces needs work which will enable him or her to achieve this. More than any other sign, Pisces has many talents which may be used to develop their character. Many work hard to improve the lot of humanity. Others bring their talents to film and entertainment, enlivening the lives of thousands.

Pisces needs to turn his/her private, mystical dream world of love and compassion into a reality. The only other option for a Pisces is a life of illusion and, ultimately, a sense of failure.

Ruling Planet and Its Effect

Jupiter and Neptune rule the zodiac sign of Pisces, so anyone whose birthchart has a strong Piscean influence will tend to bring benefit to others through their sensitivity. In astrology, Jupiter is the planet of expansion, optimism, and generosity. Neptune is the planet of dreams, sensitivity, the unconscious, and the world of unreality.

Colors:	violet, light green, blue
Plants:	opium poppy, lotus, water plants
Perfume:	ambergris
Gemstones:	pearl, amethyst, beryl, aquamarine
Metal:	tin
Tarot Card:	the Moon
Animals:	fish, dolphin

The Piscean Look

People who exhibit the physical characteristics of Pisces look more clumsy than they actually are.

They give off a feeling of otherworldliness, and usually have very sensitive, caring eyes. They may have a trusting, eager look or a quality of empathy and nonjudgement exclusive to those who truly understand human sorrows and failings.

The Pisces Female

If a woman behaves in a way that is distinctive of the personality associated with the zodiac sign of Pisces, she will have a tendency toward the characteristics listed below, providing there are no influences in her personal birthchart that are stronger than that of her Pisces sun sign.

Appearance

The typical Pisces woman:

* is normally slim, but tends to put on weight in later years

* has large eyes and an oval face

* has clear, soft skin, whatever her color

* has an air of feminine mystery

* has a very warm, charming smile

Behavior and Personality Traits

* does not try to dominate her partner in any way

* often appears vague and dreamy

* is subtle and, while appearing to be helpless or incapable, gets things organized and manages the finances extremely well

* protects her emotional vulnerability with humor or a sophisticated exterior

* needs to belong to someone

* has a warm, sympathetic heart

Pisces At Home

For a typical Piscean, home is a place where he or she will need to feel loved. Home can be a palace or a hovel, but it must contain people toward whom he or she is drawn emotionally and who love him or her.

Typical Behavior and Abilities

When at home, a Pisces man or woman:

* will often enter a fantasy world

* will feel safe to explore his or her imagination

* will probably have no fixed routine

* is likely to be untidy, although he or she may have a sudden urge to tidy everything to avoid confusion: this can happen at any time

* should keep a large, clear clock

* will need a space for personal privacy

* will make the home itself into a wonderful world of art, music, design, and good food and wine

Pisces as a Parent

* can happily accommodate all the fantasies of childhood

* will allow a child plenty of imaginative freedom

* may lack discipline

* listens with understanding

* encourages personal development

* may have to teach the children punctuality

* is warm and loving and rarely uses harsh words

* may tend to spoil the children

* will probably have a very personal and unusual set of rules to which the children must adhere

Pisces and Love

To Pisces, there is no difference between love, affection, and romance. A Pisces needs all three. A Pisces who feels unloved is an unhappy person to whom life seems very gray. Love revitalizes Pisces.

Behavior When In Love

The typical Pisces:

* is romantic

* eager to please

* adapts to the demands of the relationship

* appears to be helpless, delicate, and vulnerable, but being loved enables Pisces to cope very well with a range of difficulties, problems, and tragedies

* is emotionally involved, to the point of not recognizing when he or she is being deceived or treated badly

Expectations

The typical Pisces expects:

* to have his or her dreams valued and to be protected from harsh criticism

* to be cared for romantically

* to have children (Pisces love children)

* to be frequently reassured that they are loved

* all birthdays and anniversaries to be remembered

Pisces and Sex

When a typical Pisces makes love it is an act of romance rather than of carnal pleasure. Typical Pisces is less interested in sexual activity than in the expressions of love that come before and afterward. Piscean energy is more often used up in the emotional experiences of love than in the sexual act. This does not mean that Pisces in not interested, indeed he or she may seek several partners, but this is for reassurance rather than personal pleasure.

Pisces can be the least prejudiced and most compassionate of all the zodiac signs. Pisces will show a deep and real love for a partner who has problems or physical abnormalities, or has to face a tragedy or business disaster. Sex will be one of the expressions of love given by a caring and devoted Piscean spouse.

Pisces and Partner

The person who contemplates becoming the romantic or business partner of a typical Pisces must realize that Pisces will expect to be supported -- emotionally or financially. Given this, the person who partners Pisces can expect loyalty and sensitive understanding.

The Pisces woman will want a partner who will support her in every respect. To many men, Pisces is the perfectly feminine woman. She may appear to be a helpless, fluffy person but once in a relationship she will feel secure, and her reserve of talents and abilities will pour out in every direction.

In business, a Pisces woman will be best in creative positions and in public relations, but should not be expected to do the routine office jobs.

Pisces and Friends

In general, Pisces likes a friend who is useful and reassuring. In return, they will give unprejudiced understanding and loyalty to their friends.

Positive Factors

Pisces are emotionally attached to their friends and will rarely take notice if the friend is taking advantage of this involvement. Pisces are friendly, humorous, and caring friends, even if there are long periods of time between meetings.

Pisces will always think up something interesting to do and will enjoy any kind of artistic ventures.

Negative Factors

Pisces can be a confusing person, so arrangements may be difficult to make.

Pisces can sometimes seem to be cool and offhand. This is usually temporary and due to a moment of insecurity.

Pisces needs a hero or heroine to identify with. If a friend happens to be the chosen one, this can be pleasant enough but may become a nuisance when Pisces gives the friend talents he or she hasn't got and expects them to be demonstrated!

Pisces does not find it easy to conform; friends with conservative attitudes may find this a difficulty.

Piscean Likes and Dislikes

Likes

* seafood, champagne, and organic foods

* romantic places, sunsets over the sea, mountain vistas, waterfalls, ponds and waterlilies

* background music, poetry

* people who need their understanding

* mystical settings, candles, incense

* being loved

* freedom to drift along from time to time

* privacy

* colorful food

* personalized gifts

* presents wrapped in magical paper

* new books

* diamonds

Dislikes

* bright, noisy, crowded places

* dirty, ugly objects

* being told to get a grip on things

* stiff clothing

* authorities

* people knowing too much about him or her

Piscean Health

Typical Pisces are healthy people so long as they feel loved and have an outlet for their dreams. Unhappy Pisces are vulnerable to problems arising from turning to drink, drugs, or other ways of getting relief from what may seem unbearable emotional insecurities.

Pisces often has to work hard to swim against the current that would pull him or her under. The constant effort of avoiding being sucked into oblivion is the cause of much distress to many Pisces, who, consequently, may suffer depression and other emotional problems.

Types of Sickness

Pisces may become forgetful when illness is about to strike. They may also suffer from the effects of too much wine or too many drugs. The sensitive Piscean psyche suffers greatly in times of stress and has little to draw on by way of personal resources.

A relaxed Pisces is the happiest person on earth. A chance to lie back, sip wine, listen to music and let the imagination wander is perfect bliss to Pisces.

Famous Pisceans

Sidney Poitier, Frederic Chopin, Meher Baba (mystic), Joanne Woodward, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minelli, Albert Einstein, Rudolph Nureyev

****

"Dislikes...dirty, ugly objects." Indeed!

La poésie volée

It's an anniversary today. I just felt it was appropriate to mark the anniversary of my finding out the truth about the man I was planning to be with the rest of my life. The change in the weather that has come with this date brings it all back on some level. I'm happy in my life now. I'm glad I will never see him again. Everything - from my work to my relationship with my children and with myself - is better with him far away from me. But I was still hurt and betrayed beyond belief one year ago, and there are parts of me that won't forget, that refuse to forget. I think that's both good and bad. All I know is I've got some pretty serious scars, and right now I just feel sad about it all.