Weblog 96

December 9, 2007~ 2:00am
One of my favorite things is to browse through vintage pictures- to feel myself being pulled into faces and times not my own, but so intimate and immediate, I begin to feel a sorrow for times and people I never knew. This happens because of the immediacy of photography itself, and because it allows for close inspection of particular moments in ways that are impossible in real life, as they are happening. Take for example this picture of a suddenly shy female



Are you not drawn into the subtext of this photo? What are the circumstances of this snapshot being taken? It looks like the woman's dark blouse or sweater is drawn up to her shoulders, so perhaps a lover or husband wanted to snap an image of her boldly showing her naked breasts, but at the last second she chickened out and covered her face in embarrassment. The subject and her photographer are probably long dead, but this moment-- this one lives on, and continues to be as alive and provocative as I'm sure it was when first taken. Take heed of the hairstyle-- the room furnishings-- even the Art Deco picture on the wall behind the subject-- I believe this image was shot in the late 1940's at the advent of the Polaroid camera. No need to take the film to be professionally developed- no outsiders involved, no shame...and yet.........she was. How very human.

If you too are interested in old photos and in wondering about the stories behind them, this is a wonderful little site. These pictures are sent in from all over the world. Sometimes the family name is known, most times not, but all of the faces and the circumstances-- the high hopes, the youth, the sorrows-- all of it shows part of our larger story and world's history. I guess it's all our 'family' after all... and perhaps that is what compels me so.




December 10, 2007~ 6:15pm
Here I am......



in my present state, feeling the full weight of what it means to have been off for six days and returning to work tomorrow. Let me tell you.......it's ghastly. I have successfully pulled off 6 days of utter sloath, going against the grain of what it means to most people to be alive (i.e.- "accomplishment, something to show for it, photos at least.....a ragful of sweat for having done a lot of stuff and able to brag about it")- no, I've done absolutely nothing but Christmas shop online, rest up from my cold, sleep, eat and read. Period. Simply heaven. And guilt-free.

Tomorrow I shift gears and join the lemmings once again, feeling the old acid in the stomach, the traffic, the phone calls, the backed-up work, the yakking of other people that I have been blessedly outside of for nearly a week. This has been my Christmas gift to myself. I intend to do it every year. Cocoon myself before the countdown to the holiday itself and curl up inside.... no schedule at all, days and nights the same, whatever suits my whim. The best vacation ever.




December 15, 2007~ 3:00am
I have found what may be the ugliest Christmas ornament ever. Want to know what Santa would look like with liver disease? Want to see what a jaundiced eye he might have beside that finger he's laid aside his nose before up the chimney he goes?



Whew! That feller's creepy! This blown glass Czech ornament is being offered at Ruby Lane collectibles, as well as a fine display of fire-hazard hot bulb lights circa the 1950's. Hell, if yule logs are fun.....why not burn the whole damn house down?

You know what? I think that homely Santa needs a friend. Might be man's best friend or er............m-m-maybe.......a c-c-cat.......or......ah......er......well......come to think of it, maybe Santa's just eaten his ears off is all. (We can see the evil eyes. We have no idea what the teeth may look like!)



Then again, perhaps that St. Nick is so freaking scary, the thing just doesn't want to come when he's called. This unknown animal is being offered on EBay. Snatch him up now! You know he won't be around for long, a lovely thing like that...





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