Weblog 129
July 27, 2008~ 12:15am
What things really creep you out? Are they specific things? Flashes of images? Disjointed images?
If you were reading my blog back in December you've seen a posting about an online application called 'net.art.generator' which is free-- and has a knack for coming up with the most arresting images after you type in a word or two.
Google sweeps the web and transposes 2 to 4 layers of images, you choose the number- and then uses various transparencies and graphic capabilities to come up with a startling conglomeration that is brand new. Often these results are startling to me, and many of them create a feeling of disquiet. I don't know why......but it's like dipping into a vast human brain- or the collective unconscious itself and scooping out what is seen to be relative...like detailed ink blots, and yes, some have the ability to make me squirmy. For instance.....I don't know why this image is like that
but it has that effect on me. I see a woman who is overweight but still voluptuous, and she seems to be unaware of the scary-looking demonic face peeking into the picture... so close- sharp featured... greenish, with yellow cat eyes and full red lips that look as though they've just eaten something- or kissed something bloody. The whole thing, even the color combination is disturbing to me. The woman's hairstyle reminds me of the 19th century, and the stair risers in the corner- where are they going? And that reminds of things that hide under stairs in the shadows- or in alleyways, and that whole series of thoughts make me think of Jack the Ripper... all from this surreal-looking, random picture. And this one-
it isn't frightening as much as it's sad to me. It's the sincerity and pain in the man's eyes, the way he's speaking earnestly into the microphone, and it's just a little rabbit who's paying close attention.
Reminds me of folks who find it hard to make themselves understood when they really, really need to.....and it also speaks to the way sometimes only animals 'get' us and understand we're having problems or we're in a low frame of mind. That's a picture of loneliness to me, and it speaks in a way my heart understands, by-passing the brain altogether.
The whole process is magical to me so I'll continue to post these strange, melded images fairly often: they wake up my mind in a very elemental way. Art always does that. It's good poke in the cerebral cortex, which then travels to the heart or the stomach at times, to twist or wrench thing around...and I've always been grateful for that.
July 27, 2008~ 8:00pm
Watched another movie rented from Netflix. "American Gangster", directed by the incomparable Ridley Scott who does tense action- in a muted palette, with lots of shadow- like no one else.
It may not be everyone's cup of tea- it's violent, it's unrelenting- but it has a soul, and that soul's name is Russell Crowe. It's hard to find a movie with a realistic true hero, but this one has it.
Crowe plays a cop with a personal life that's coming apart, and only his absolute faith in justice and right and wrong, see him through every crisis. The fact that the movie is based on actual events from the late 60's and into the early part of the 70's, make the story all the more remarkable, because it's a gritty synopsis of an era in American history where Vietnam was an ongoing national nightmare, but our presence in southeast Asia allowed for easy entrance of pure narcotics into the U.S. though the chutzpah of a black gangster entrepreneur, determined to cut out the middle man and sell the best product at the cheapest price.
Of course- cops involved in the Narcotics Department in NYC were as dirty as the day is long, and wanted their cut. They confiscated and sold junk back to the dealers. The Mafia itself makes for the fourth horseman of this apocalypse and all four entities-- a law enforcement federal task force, dirty cops, black street gangsters, and the Italian mob-- do clash finally, and end up in court facing prosecution, and all of this because of one man's refusal to take bribes or be dishonest, often at great personal cost, and to render justice wherever he could.
Crowe's character doesn't allow him to keep nearly a million unmarked dollars he finds early in the film-- an act that sets the stage for what we know about his character, and an act that follows him through life-- met with consternation and sometimes the grudging admiration of everyone who comes into contact with him.
The fact that Crowe finishes law school while he is bringing down the biggest drug cartel in U.S. history, and the fact that after the court case, Frank Lucas, the black drug lord played by Denzel Washington, is sentenced to 70 years, Crowe becomes a defense attorney and represents Lucas in his very first case, winning Lucas his freedom after 15 years served.
He's a man who doesn't quit till things are set right: Lucas cooperated with the drug task force to nail their real targets, the dirty cops- and Crowe is a man who pays his debts. He also gives up fighting for custody of his own son when his wife makes an impassioned plea for custody by saying he'd never been much of a father and his lifestyle was hardly conducive to raising a child. She was right. Again, it was something he could not argue against, because it was the truth.
We so rarely see real people with all their flaws and brokenness, trying valiantly to do the right thing when it takes real courage to do so. I love heros- but I love them most when they're real. Both Denzel and Crowe give magnificent performances, but Crowe stole my heart. And Ridley Scott kept the dark moral ambiguity as a backdrop to Crowe's internal true north in a way that made for a riveting study of a complex group of 'bad actors' at a time of remarkable moral lassitude in this country, successfully distracted by pop culture, and he did it perfectly. The most astonishing fact: three quarters of the NYC narcotics division were arrested, indicted and convicted in the wake of that court case. My mouth just hung open as that scrolled up the screen at the film's end. My God....
July 29, 2008~ 7:00pm
I have always depended upon the kindness of strangers...(and co-workers)
That's the Blanche *Dubois side of me talking. (*du-bwah´-- for those who say it right, and *DOO´-boys --for the folks from Pittsburgh. LOL!) It's the side of me that just loves to be the recipient of something truly unexpected and wonderful-- this time from a gal I work with.
I'd admired a purse she had hanging in her cube last Thursday.....I fairly gushed about it. I loved the many pockets, the schmooshiness of the leather, the roominess-- the whole look of the thing. (My purses always tend to be 'pouch-like'. The one I've been using for the last 8 years looks like a dark brown leather saddlebag, and I love it. It's seen me through all kinds of stuff- and I pack it till it's easily 30 lbs. Let me say--- it sets off the airbag light on the passenger side of the car....lol. So it's an old buddy, and a hefty one.) But Paula's light creamy-colored purse just made me want to hug it- or eat it- or something..(yes, I am that weird) and on Friday she came to my desk with the purse cleaned out, and was handing it to me.
"Here. You like it so much I want you to have it. Remember that umbrella you gave me because I liked it? Well, I'm returning the kindness."
WOW! It was mine! And here it is....
Ain't it grand? I know it was a BIG HIT with the grandkids on Saturday. (They too love those secret compartments.) See that vertical-looking braided piece hanging down right in front? Well, it's a compartment with a silver, metal snap lid. Perfect size for a Bic lighter. (..or mints. That's what I had stashed in there on Saturday, and the kids just ate it up!- (loved going into the secret hideaway place.)
Thanks, Paula! You're a sweetheart!
July 29, 2008~ 7:20pm
I almost forgot! Another thing that made me happy today- two emails that were delightful. I thought I'd share 'em.
Picture of the moon from an airplane --- Breathtaking!
Rarely do all the factors line up...lighting, distance, clarity, composition, etc. so that a terrific picture is taken. This is such a time. A spectacular view of the moon from an aircraft.
And....didya ever wonder, WHERE DO OLD TELEPHONES GO?
Every one of these sheep is made from telephones and cords . . . . . . . . . check out their feet!!!
There, see?
I bet I made ya' smile. :)
August 1, 2008~ 5:10am
"Pay Attention To Safe"
Click to discover the charms of 'Chinglish'....another thing that brought a smile to my lips. Language is wonderful...
language trying its damnedest to be understood is even wonderfuler!
As one side of the world tries to speak to the other, creative comedy is the result.
***
(Return To Weekly Archives)
What things really creep you out? Are they specific things? Flashes of images? Disjointed images?
If you were reading my blog back in December you've seen a posting about an online application called 'net.art.generator' which is free-- and has a knack for coming up with the most arresting images after you type in a word or two.
Google sweeps the web and transposes 2 to 4 layers of images, you choose the number- and then uses various transparencies and graphic capabilities to come up with a startling conglomeration that is brand new. Often these results are startling to me, and many of them create a feeling of disquiet. I don't know why......but it's like dipping into a vast human brain- or the collective unconscious itself and scooping out what is seen to be relative...like detailed ink blots, and yes, some have the ability to make me squirmy. For instance.....I don't know why this image is like that
but it has that effect on me. I see a woman who is overweight but still voluptuous, and she seems to be unaware of the scary-looking demonic face peeking into the picture... so close- sharp featured... greenish, with yellow cat eyes and full red lips that look as though they've just eaten something- or kissed something bloody. The whole thing, even the color combination is disturbing to me. The woman's hairstyle reminds me of the 19th century, and the stair risers in the corner- where are they going? And that reminds of things that hide under stairs in the shadows- or in alleyways, and that whole series of thoughts make me think of Jack the Ripper... all from this surreal-looking, random picture. And this one-
it isn't frightening as much as it's sad to me. It's the sincerity and pain in the man's eyes, the way he's speaking earnestly into the microphone, and it's just a little rabbit who's paying close attention.
Reminds me of folks who find it hard to make themselves understood when they really, really need to.....and it also speaks to the way sometimes only animals 'get' us and understand we're having problems or we're in a low frame of mind. That's a picture of loneliness to me, and it speaks in a way my heart understands, by-passing the brain altogether.
The whole process is magical to me so I'll continue to post these strange, melded images fairly often: they wake up my mind in a very elemental way. Art always does that. It's good poke in the cerebral cortex, which then travels to the heart or the stomach at times, to twist or wrench thing around...and I've always been grateful for that.
July 27, 2008~ 8:00pm
Watched another movie rented from Netflix. "American Gangster", directed by the incomparable Ridley Scott who does tense action- in a muted palette, with lots of shadow- like no one else.
It may not be everyone's cup of tea- it's violent, it's unrelenting- but it has a soul, and that soul's name is Russell Crowe. It's hard to find a movie with a realistic true hero, but this one has it.
Crowe plays a cop with a personal life that's coming apart, and only his absolute faith in justice and right and wrong, see him through every crisis. The fact that the movie is based on actual events from the late 60's and into the early part of the 70's, make the story all the more remarkable, because it's a gritty synopsis of an era in American history where Vietnam was an ongoing national nightmare, but our presence in southeast Asia allowed for easy entrance of pure narcotics into the U.S. though the chutzpah of a black gangster entrepreneur, determined to cut out the middle man and sell the best product at the cheapest price.
Of course- cops involved in the Narcotics Department in NYC were as dirty as the day is long, and wanted their cut. They confiscated and sold junk back to the dealers. The Mafia itself makes for the fourth horseman of this apocalypse and all four entities-- a law enforcement federal task force, dirty cops, black street gangsters, and the Italian mob-- do clash finally, and end up in court facing prosecution, and all of this because of one man's refusal to take bribes or be dishonest, often at great personal cost, and to render justice wherever he could.
Crowe's character doesn't allow him to keep nearly a million unmarked dollars he finds early in the film-- an act that sets the stage for what we know about his character, and an act that follows him through life-- met with consternation and sometimes the grudging admiration of everyone who comes into contact with him.
The fact that Crowe finishes law school while he is bringing down the biggest drug cartel in U.S. history, and the fact that after the court case, Frank Lucas, the black drug lord played by Denzel Washington, is sentenced to 70 years, Crowe becomes a defense attorney and represents Lucas in his very first case, winning Lucas his freedom after 15 years served.
He's a man who doesn't quit till things are set right: Lucas cooperated with the drug task force to nail their real targets, the dirty cops- and Crowe is a man who pays his debts. He also gives up fighting for custody of his own son when his wife makes an impassioned plea for custody by saying he'd never been much of a father and his lifestyle was hardly conducive to raising a child. She was right. Again, it was something he could not argue against, because it was the truth.
We so rarely see real people with all their flaws and brokenness, trying valiantly to do the right thing when it takes real courage to do so. I love heros- but I love them most when they're real. Both Denzel and Crowe give magnificent performances, but Crowe stole my heart. And Ridley Scott kept the dark moral ambiguity as a backdrop to Crowe's internal true north in a way that made for a riveting study of a complex group of 'bad actors' at a time of remarkable moral lassitude in this country, successfully distracted by pop culture, and he did it perfectly. The most astonishing fact: three quarters of the NYC narcotics division were arrested, indicted and convicted in the wake of that court case. My mouth just hung open as that scrolled up the screen at the film's end. My God....
July 29, 2008~ 7:00pm
I have always depended upon the kindness of strangers...(and co-workers)
That's the Blanche *Dubois side of me talking. (*du-bwah´-- for those who say it right, and *DOO´-boys --for the folks from Pittsburgh. LOL!) It's the side of me that just loves to be the recipient of something truly unexpected and wonderful-- this time from a gal I work with.
I'd admired a purse she had hanging in her cube last Thursday.....I fairly gushed about it. I loved the many pockets, the schmooshiness of the leather, the roominess-- the whole look of the thing. (My purses always tend to be 'pouch-like'. The one I've been using for the last 8 years looks like a dark brown leather saddlebag, and I love it. It's seen me through all kinds of stuff- and I pack it till it's easily 30 lbs. Let me say--- it sets off the airbag light on the passenger side of the car....lol. So it's an old buddy, and a hefty one.) But Paula's light creamy-colored purse just made me want to hug it- or eat it- or something..(yes, I am that weird) and on Friday she came to my desk with the purse cleaned out, and was handing it to me.
"Here. You like it so much I want you to have it. Remember that umbrella you gave me because I liked it? Well, I'm returning the kindness."
WOW! It was mine! And here it is....
Ain't it grand? I know it was a BIG HIT with the grandkids on Saturday. (They too love those secret compartments.) See that vertical-looking braided piece hanging down right in front? Well, it's a compartment with a silver, metal snap lid. Perfect size for a Bic lighter. (..or mints. That's what I had stashed in there on Saturday, and the kids just ate it up!- (loved going into the secret hideaway place.)
Thanks, Paula! You're a sweetheart!
July 29, 2008~ 7:20pm
I almost forgot! Another thing that made me happy today- two emails that were delightful. I thought I'd share 'em.
Picture of the moon from an airplane --- Breathtaking!
Rarely do all the factors line up...lighting, distance, clarity, composition, etc. so that a terrific picture is taken. This is such a time. A spectacular view of the moon from an aircraft.
And....didya ever wonder, WHERE DO OLD TELEPHONES GO?
Every one of these sheep is made from telephones and cords . . . . . . . . . check out their feet!!!
I bet I made ya' smile. :)
August 1, 2008~ 5:10am
"Pay Attention To Safe"
Click to discover the charms of 'Chinglish'....another thing that brought a smile to my lips. Language is wonderful...
language trying its damnedest to be understood is even wonderfuler!
As one side of the world tries to speak to the other, creative comedy is the result.
(Return To Weekly Archives)
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