Papillon, Chaz-Style

I'm an Author!

2011-10-02T14:16:00.003-07:00

I had a guest post published this week! It was so exciting I couldn't sleep the night before, Lol. Pre-tay spiffy.

12 Most Fundamental Social Media Bio Don'ts

Hopefully a good portent for the future!

Odd Work Project

2011-08-21T14:00:00.005-07:00

So my boss is outfitting this truck to look all army-style, and he asked me to make a cool mesh gate for the back of it. Here are the pics of my process; although I don't have a pic of it on his truck yet.

The materials and an example pic of what he wanted

Trying to figure out the widths and lengths proportion-wise

My good friend Mili, without whose help I couldn't have finished the project; I had to sew it in his studio since I needed a wicked-heavy duty sewing machine to get through the layers of green stuff.

Mili has the coolest machine that would automatically cut the thread when you pushed the foot pedal backwards. I miss having an industrial machine to work on :(.

Almost done. Just need to finish the top and bottom edge. We ended up turning over the edge pieces to make a pocket for the rope to go through. Mili and I argued about this for awhile 'cause I thought the pockets were too tight, but my boss managed to work that rope through them.

Finished product

It was pretty fun to actually work on a sewing project for awhile and spend the evening with Mili and his wife Ivana. I even met with a client while my friends ran an errand and fit her for an alteration Mili will do for her! Nothing like hanging with your stitching family.

Soon I will be ready to start surveying people in an audience analysis study for my Master's Project (it has to do with sewing, which is why I associate it with this project). I'll post a link here for anyone interested. I. Must. Get. Going. On. This. Damn. Master's. Project.

Enough said.

Ode a-la Art Museum

2011-08-13T13:17:00.004-07:00

It's one of those days where I don't know exactly what I'm going to write until I write it, but the urge to vomit words onto a page is too strong. So I'm gong to write about my lunch-break excursion to the BYU Museum of Art.

Just entering the museum made me smile. I LOVE art museums. Other museums are interesting, but art museums are like the breath of life for me. Just envisioning an artist, a fine-art artist, engaged in laying paint on a canvas makes me happy. I see a wood floor studio with brilliant sunshine streaming through the windows and a large canvas at which sits the artist. Yes, this is what could be classified as a very Norman Rockwell-esque image* or an idealized portrait of the oil-paint artist at work, but it makes me happy.

On entering the museum my eye was caught by this:

An installation sculpture made entirely from paper hangars! Love it. And here it is caught more artfully from directly underneath:

My interest was then piqued by this piece below (this was after my attitude-changing-Mr. Rockwell experience; read about this at the footnote down south), tromp l'oeil art, which has always intrigued me every since my art teacher introduced me to it junior year of high school, so it was with fascination that I examined it (tromp l'oeil art captures real life in as life-like a manner as to be mistaken for the actual object):

And I love, love, love, the detail of playing cards. They fascinate me.

Then for the exhibit I really came to see: 83,000 lbs. of books in this installation, which was made purely for this space, is held by gravity only, and will be destroyed after this exhibit closes:

The exhibit is called "The Matter of Words" and is a metaphor for the landscape of words that we navigate every day (the artist also feels that western art and western life is about landscape and landscape art.)

BRILLIANT.

And Tuesday night (which was previous to my other installation experience but just as breath-taking) I wandered into a building on my Westminster campus to see a sculpture I had heard about: a papillon (French for butterfly, seeing the title of my blog? Yes, it's a theme) descending from the roof of the science building:

And that is my ode-a-la-museum as for now.

Perfume of the day: TBD as I have not yet dressed but am attending a break-dance competition tonight so I must find something appropriate. (I'm not sure I really have anything up to the underground breaker culture. The best I can do is Ed Hardy I suppose.)

Impossible things: School starts in two weeks. I am going to Vegas the weekend before classes start. Learning tons of new stuff at work. Feel lighter after a near-panic attack last weekend since I got registered for school, books ordered, and the Carmen-nine month deal sorted out.

*One of whose paintings I saw at the MOA in real-life, which regained my respect for Mr. Rockwell; apparently he can Really Paint and his magazine covers are but poor replicas of his work, which has a depth and texture and incredible force IRL.

Stages of Grief: Affliction of the Sweet Tooth

2011-08-01T19:59:00.006-07:00

I am, quite frankly, worried sick about my sweet tooth. No joke. I used to have marvelous cravings for rich, intense sworls of cream cheesey things and chocolate with fudge layered over it--now I just eat. I can't taste the fried goodness of a doughnut or slurp the chocolaty syrup that drips off a tall slice of cake like I used to. Is this one of the stages of grief? 'Cause it's horrible!!!

In my mind I think I crave things like the amazing creamy cucumber, tomato sauce layered on salmon lying on a bed of rice served up warm at the Dodo.* Or maybe some eggs scrambled with a good bit of cheese in the mix and hashed potatoes. But when I finally sit down at the table and bring that fork full to my mouth, it just doesn't deliver.

I cannot taste like I did once.

*Notice my use of the word lie here, which is often confused with the word lay. Do you lay down to sleep or lie? You lie down, of course; you lay down a package. (I really pray I used the proper form of lie rather than lay...)

Words, Words, and More Words

2011-07-25T13:58:00.018-07:00

I've been writing a great deal lately (I'm in grad. school. This is an overly obvious statement). I write for work, I write for school, I journal, and I write in my mind (only minimally crazy things, but sometimes they should be written down). As a matter of fact I am putting off writing sections of my Master's project as I write these very words (naturally, isn't writing about procrastination?). So, I have been writing much less on this blog. This is not an excuse (ok that statement is really not true, but it sounds good, right?); it is merely a statement of fact.

Fortunately I will not write this entire blog post. I prefer pictures and words together as a journaling/blogging method. And mostly what I want to express today is basically a love letter to Instagram (and possibly one other thing, but we'll see). I love taking photos (much to the chagrin of legallybrunette who just wants us all TO STOP taking photos ALL THE TIME), and I find that the photo filters on Instagram offer such expressive takes on photos. I am even considering this make-your-Instagram-photos-into-a-book thing on Blurb I like it so much. So, below are my offerings with witty captions simply as an appreciation of the places I've been lately.

The shade-maker over lunch at Guru's

The classic, black and white hat zfoxylady brought home one day

The roses I wish we had in our garden but we don't so I had to find and capture some elsewhere

The amazing graffiti art around town wanna'-be-Banksy style

ladylukeskywalker's INCREDIBLE wedding cake created by thebakess aka grannyspoon

My friend, ladylukeskywalker, at her wedding reception and the end of an era

For me pics do capture a thousand words, and words capture mood, essence, detail—as Marshall McLuhan said, in a very visual way. Paired together they are perfect: essence-makers, expression-purveyors, estuaries of emotion (K, that's a little over-the-top but we're just going to go with it).

This is what you've missed out on so far this summer Carmen. Someday you'll recede farther from my thoughts and then your own essence will grow fainter. Actually, truthfully, I won't ever forget you, but it would have been nice to for awhile this summer.

Not-A-Gnome Scavenger Hunt

2011-06-04T22:00:00.001-07:00

Friends koala, Y-O, and I went on a delightful scavenger hunt-esque drive today searching for the lawn "gnomes" created by various city residents for the Salt Lake City Art Center project Lawn Gnomes Eat Your Heart Out (I kinda' thought my name for the project, Not-A-Gnome, was a little better...). Quite delightful! I took several pics on that new-fangled app Instagram, which I really prefer to just plain camera pics. We had a great adventure. Here are the pics of the few we made it to though the website says there are 50 total in the valley.

Rings representing artists present and past

Flamingos in the beehive (one of our faves because of the, yup, flamingos)

Kitty condo

Inside the kitty condo, home sweet home

Artist Cordell Taylor

The Salt Lake Underground Guerilla Gardeners (SLUGG) planted boxes with edible and drought resistant plants outside a gallery on Broadway St.

Cello player: Singin' In Spring by Dennis Domingo

The family

Reclaimed reconstruction materials (I don't quite appreciate the realization of the concept, which was the effect of lawn mowers and other yard care materials on the environment)

Vessels enmeshed (and yes, those are tiny gnomes caught inside)

Skateboard inspired

Self portrait and bird bath in one (functional and fine art!)

Denizons from the prehistoric Lake Bonneville

It was a lovely afternoon and quite the treasure hunt!

Birthdays in the House!

2011-05-05T20:19:00.003-07:00

Spring, as zfoxylady says, truly is an expensive time of year. We start with legallybrunette's birthday, move into Lady Brass's birthday (not to mention mother's day sometime near or right on her birthday) and then, of course, my day of birth (most important). I have been wavering back and forth on how to prioritize my birthday list. Should I request the Chicago Manual of Style (look out, new collecting obsession: style manuals aka guides for writers), a frivolous potted plant in a vessel resembling a glass slipper, or simply an extravagant dinner out on the town? All sound good but the festivity deadline is looming and I'd better get serious.

Fortunately, I have already purchased Lady Brass's gifts (one involves, well, bling is about all I can say) and zfoxylady's were wrapped up in the Easter weekend that is past, so that leaves just one joyous occasion to focus on :D—mine!

In all seriousness I am more concerned about getting through the Lady Brass's events. Always, always, every single year the old man aka The Wilde Karrde manages to do something utterly urbane, hurtful, and demeaning. We are therefore going to attempt a different strategy this year: act like no major event is occurring and have a very minor and hardly mentioned affair. I shudder to tell you of stories past where certain gifts were not even wrapped or given so carelessly we all wanted to be elsewhere. Fortunately, The Wilde Karrde managed to do alright for legallybrunette. With cash one never can go wrong...

Here are some pics from the most recent birthday celebration. Legallybrunette specified a theme centered around red. I think part of the reason we enjoyed this dinner so much over previous occasions is that we didn't cook, just picked up take-out from Pei Wei. It was highly enjoyable, and true to our style, we took lots of pics.

And we danced to the best birthday song of all, "A very merry unbirthday, to you, to you..."

Orchid Fest

2011-04-17T17:58:00.001-07:00

zfoxylady and I attended an orchid show at Red Butte Garden a coupla' weeks ago. It was great timing since I had a few questions about orchid care for my own burgeoning greenhouse (actually just 2 orchids, though they are multiplying—they must be happy). It turns out I need to subject them to a little cool air for a few weeks inducing a dormancy period. Hopefully I will get to that eventually!

I discovered this lovely filter on photoshop which I now enjoy applying to every image I take, so the bottom 2 images are the stylized orchid pics.

It was good to get out of the house and go to the orchid fest; although, I am still exhausted on such a regular basis. The semester is winding down. I have my final due in 2 weeks and then I begin work on my Master's project!

Perfume of lately (I have been wearing it often): Kim Kardashian (I kid you not. Try it out for yourself.)

2011-04-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Carmen,

Hah! You thought you'd heard the last of me! Well too bad missy. I mostly wanted to tell you that I sent ladylukeskywalker flowers from us. That's right, she got engaged. And you weren't here to tell me about it! Not that I didn't want to get the call from ladyluke myself but I would have appreciated hearing some dirt from you. I admit it: I've felt cut off from the costume shop now that you are gone. So I did sign your name to the card with the caveat that you will be owing me some cash:D.

In other news, baseball season has started (I only know this 'cause Grandma Jinx is obsessively watching all the games and The Lady Brass, who is visiting her, is bored to death). Legally brunette is headed home soon for the summer. It will be another 3-girls-to-1-bathroom scenario when she arrives but I look forward to having her around the house.

Zfoxylady continues to hunt for a job. She has sent out dizzying numbers of resumes. I didn't even approach the amount of digital paperwork she has generated during my period of unemployment. And the Wilde Karrde continues to do his thing. Fortunately I don't see him much so we get along really well.

I just wanted to let you know that I miss you and stuff (we went to a great REAL Salt Lake game a coupla' weeks ago). And when you showed up in my dream a few months ago, the slap I gave you might have been subconsciously intentional but not consciously. Emphasis on the conscious. I probably wouldn't do it in person. Emphasis on the probably.

Take care for now.

chaz

Spare Mo'

2011-03-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hello anyone. I am happy to report a spare mo' in which I felt inspired to blog, though I have a massive editing assignment I could probably be devoting some attention to. Last night I attended Persuasion by Melissa Leilani Larson at my old alma mater, BYU and had the most delightful evening. It's really lovely to feel like I have a social life and want to have one as well, as commuting to work really sucks the juice out of me. It was so tiring to drive home last night and I am happy I made it (the show was in the same city as my current place of employment, but doing something extra in the evening before driving home does take up energy).

Also I took the time to edit some photos from December when I attended ladylukeskywalker's birthday lunch. Such fun. I love downtown art.

The Capital City o' Salt is so funkified.

In other, seemingly legendary, feats my Master's project proposal has been accepted: HALLELUJAH!! I just found out today. So I can move forward with my life on the planned timetable. I also think, in all seriousness, I may begin a punctuation society. The idea of punctuation appreciation seems very apropo at the mo'. Also I may have been inspired by this little video I tripped over on Facebook. DesignTaxi is a pretty amazing site. I also have the app for it, which is wicked cool.

And finally I did invest in two perfumes while on spring vacay visiting legally brunette in the happenin' (though not to legally brunette) mini-metropolis of Spokane. These two very valid perfume purchases were: Kim Kardashian and Covet by SJP. Love the Kardashian and admittedly haven't had time to experience the Covet—yet. All good things in their time :D.

Current Status:

2011-02-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yup. That was my homework, a short feature article edit, from 3 weeks ago. All those little call-out boxes are where I moved things around. And you can't even see all the text I added in. That's what those faint blue pointy things signify. This article was a sincere mess. I would never recommend the periodical Stu Nurse to ANYONE. Yup.

Mags on my bed when I arrive home. Maybe I get too many?

Fabu new golden yellow sheets. Who needs a bed cover? My room is never cold enough for one.

Perfume of the day: Issey Miyake

Impossible thing: delightful, politically hot chat with legallybrunette (to try and save her from a long, long, long, long mtg)

2011-01-30T17:31:00.002-07:00

Gettin' Back in the Groove

2011-01-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to report that this semester is going better than the last. I only have class 1 weeknight and a few on Saturday morning throughout January, so the stress level is decidedly lower! Working the 40 hr a week grind is a definite challenge, especially if you commute 50 min each way to work. But it's a job, right? I had to include these pics below because I found this vignette fairly entertaining while stuck in traffic a coupla' months back.

Yes, I have been avoiding blogging of late. I felt I needed to get a handle on a few things before I came back to the proverbial table. I wrote a blog for work about following the white rabbit down the rabbit hole, tying our New Year in to the Chinese Year of the Rabbit (which will start in a coupla' weeks) and I find that it fits my current state-of-mind. I am going down the rabbit hole, which, might I add, has been drastically altered since I last descended. I still feel a bit as though I have had the rug pulled out from under me and must figure out how to inhabit this new person that has resulted out of the last few months.

I also find that this last year's theme still holds for this so-called New Year: Impossible Things, "I try to think of six impossible things before breakfast..." For example:

I thought it quite impossible that I could even conceive of the New Year, but that is flying by.
I get up every morning which I always think will be impossible.
My newest perfume acquisition, Angel, is UNBELIEVABLE (you never know if that is going to happen when you buy something purely based on the packaging or the perfume's reputation).
Soon I will start work on my Master's project.
Advanced Editing class is, so far, slightly easier than Basic Editing.
I have reduced the number of books in my room (a never-ending process).

These things seemed impossible to me or near-impossible on a constant basis, so I am grateful that I am feeling muchier (you must see Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland to truly understand this concept) and that, perhaps, I am on the road to regaining my muchness.

2010-12-22T21:20:00.001-07:00

So, happy holidays. Can't say I'm feeling very cheery. The 'holiday spirit' seems to have skipped over me this year. I find that I resent everything at the moment. The urge to go postal about anything that goes wrong is so strong I can't believe it. I don't like to be nasty, but when I am pushed against the wall I find my bullshit'o'meter somehow undergoes a drastic spiral into a very low tolerance zone.

Dear Carmen,

I guess mainly I have figured out, again, who my actual friends are. That feels like such a horrible thing

to say, but when someone tells you, "you'll feel better after we have fun tonight!" you realize that clearly they have no concept of a. compassion, b. stress, c. life, d. the fact that some things take time to get over, and e. life is not all about them and having fun.

And I find that depressing. And yes, I am depressed and I think rather legitimately so. It's depressing to shop for gifts for friends who are now a close part of my life because of your actions. I don't resent this new bond and the fact that these friendships are now tighter than they were before, but I do resent the way it happened. I feel like I was manipulated and quite frankly and I don't appreciate it.

It hurts to think, "ah I'll just call ladylukeskywalker and Carmen..." and then trail off and try to switch thought trains at the station because YOU ARE STILL DEAD. It was a real laugh going through the, "but who will I go to ladylukeskywalker's birthday bash with?" Last year I got ready at your house and we were late, and I did the worst job shaving my legs ever 'cause I came to your house straight from work and borrowed this awful razor and you helped me put my blue wig on, and THERE ARE SO MANY DAMN STORIES AND MEMORIES coming out now that I have time to breath for a coupla' days. Who will go to Brewvies with me and not resent it when I say, "the last time I came here was with Carmen..." and what will I do for New Year's? Cause I can guarantee you that is going to be an all around depressing evening. I think we have spent more than one New Year's Eve together.

A friend said something about, "Oh, what will 2011 bring?" in a positive and optimistic and nice way I just wanted to snarl and say, "don't even talk to me about having to deal with another year." I just can't handle it. I can't handle going through the next year and thinking about all that shit that we did together and that we aren't going to do together anymore AND IT'S NOT EVEN MY FAULT.

And I feel bad "inconveniencing" some of the people around me, 'cause yes I am in mourning, and yes I don't get over things in 2.5 months, and yes I'm depressed, and no some half-assed, "oh let's have fun together" schmaltz is not going to make it better. If you were here, you would get that. That's why we were friends.

So dearie, I miss you and it sucks having to be depressed.

Just sayin',

chaz

Digital Photo Editing Final

2010-12-19T23:29:00.000-07:00

These are two of the three pieces I submitted for my final project. I was pretty pleased with all of them, although I had some printing issues, the details of which I prefer to remain forgotten. It was a good experience delving into my creative side. The family portrait at the bottom uses a pic I took five years ago of us and had wanted to clean up/cut out and mess with ever since. Just waited for the right time I guess! And that little thing called photoshop...

The chaz self-portrait as a jack of hearts was also bound to happen eventually (have I ever mentioned that I love to collect card decks, just for the images on them?).

Wishing you all a good holiday week, although for some of us who have emotional holes where people once were, nothing is quite the same.

2010-12-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Carmen,

Missed a counseling session in the costume shop yesterday about your/our whole sitch. Since I am now full-time at work, and this week is finals week, and I'm taking Thursday off I couldn't skip out on work. Pity really, I haven't had time to see my shop family or talk to them lately.

You would have laughed so hard at me Thursday morning. I got pulled over for speeding. It really wasn't that big of a deal, but on top of everything else, when the cop went to his car to write up the ticket I just started balling. It became throw-in-the-towel day. Then the cop, who was being very nice, informed me that there are three other peeps out there with my name who have warrants out for their address, but fortunately my birth date doesn't match any of theirs. If only I could have laughed, but I cried instead — a lot. He let me off, and not because of the crying since that started afterwards. Some of all this crap is mixed up with missing you, and some of it is just stress from driving and trying to remember homework (I can't seem to focus at all), and then there is my final project for my Masters. In the next 4 weeks I have to come up with a semi-feasible idea for a project for my Masters Degree capstone project, since I start the proposal writing class for it in the 2nd week of January or so.

I am not desperate about it yet, but can you imagine coming to the end of this semester and realizing it really won't stop? That all happened before I even got the hospital bill yesterday. I can't go into details, but my dad is actually going to take it down to lawyer'sville at work and look at it. Yah, it's that bad. And I'm still officially dropped out of the pop culture conference this year. Last night I was barely coherent enough to write my final and beforehand I met up with two of my other peeps who are also interested in the conference. We all feel our situation has achieved def-con 4 status (my description of our conversation) and that we should perhaps aim for submitting a paper to the conference in year 2012 rather than 2011. That does make me feel better. Maybe.

So I'm hoping the def-con level will decrease and I highly recommend the thinkgeek.com website for other unrelated happenings which I can't relate until after X-mas.

Other than that, you are on your own for now.

Tears,

chaz

Giddy Yup...

2010-12-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

So all I'm doing lately is chasing my tail, or at least it feels like that. I drive, a lot, and try to get homework done, which is difficult 'cause I've completely lost my focus. What really worries me is the Pop Culture Conference coming up. Originally I had intended to submit a paper and present it, but now it feels immensely overwhelming since I have been unable to decide on a topic/concept.

Moments from the week:

Gorgeous decorations at Spicy Korea down the street from the office.

David covered by a serape in Los Hermanos' new location (so love this photo)!

A wannabe Banksy in Provo, Utah.

And actual cool things that have happened:

My office space at work; I'm technically a full-time copywriter now for LIME Marketing.

My fancy business cards yo! Metal! Rather awe-inspiring...

Finals:

1- Communication Ethics final, even if I fail it I can still manage a low A- (heartening, yes?)

2- Presentation of final project in Project Management class, just finished the power point for the Tuesday presentation; it looks good, but will I survive until then? I wish I cared. Unfortunately these points matter more than Comm Ethics.

3- Final project presentation for Digital Photo Editing: I'm actually excited about this one. I have one piece down (I've assigned myself 3) and have a wicked cool idea for another, although I need to finish implementing it. Becoming addicted to photoshop fo' shizzle. I'll post pics soon.

P.S. Dear Carmen, A friend had to pick up a camera of your that was left at the soccer stadium. They tracked her down through the business card inside for Dorian Mirth (the friend's musical group). Strange moment for all. Did you realize when you offed yourself that it would affect us every week if not everyday for a long time?

Snapshot Friday

2010-12-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile, I know (invisible preface: another week busy as hell), but I only have time to post a few snapshots from this fall.

The best food I could come up with 2 days after my surgery: wheat bread pita, peaches, brown sugar, and low-fat chocolate syrup. Pretty tasty actually...

Calla lilies

Winter on campus

Halloween at the Gateway Mall (love this)

A card legally brunette set me after my surgery ("things may seem poopy now, but they will get better").

Impossible Things: 1 class left to attend, 3 finals

Perfume of the Day: N/A got up too late!!

2010-11-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Carmen,

Well, there have been another 2 deaths in my circle of peeps. Both completely unrelated and both from past chapters of my life. I feel like I have a greater understanding of death now, but it sure doesn't give me anything to say to those left here.

In other news, we had the most glorious T-day. We went to Carvers, as planned, and I got a Cider Maple Porterhouse Steak (at least I think that was what it was called) with apple chutney. Talk about delish! The old man actually fore-swore the traditional fare as well and opted for filet mignon. The Lady Brass got coconut prawns, her fav. and the girls the traditional dinner. We had a blast! True to our family style we discussed politics over dinner!! We seem to find that as a general subject, politics is actually much safer to discuss than our family life or related happenings. We are all less touchy about it, discussing everyone's different points of view, etc. The most unexpected was our discussion of capital punishment. You would be shocked at my opinion there...

Remember the film Gosford Park? Well, these political conversations remind me of those upper-class dinner conversations, primarily because there were so many affairs and touchy personal things going on amongst the persons sitting at the dinner table that politics and other intellectual topics were a much safer bet for dinner conversation as well. Hilarious much?

Anyhoo, I had decided to take some family portraits later on, after our naps, which I am still in the process of editing, so we had a pretty fab time dressing up and down and trying different poses, etc. Our best was our BAZINGA moment. Who ever thought saying Cheese was a good idea? Try BAZINGA (from Big Bang Theory, which of course you know all about). Afterwards we went to see Tangled. Tame, but still entertaining and the parents enjoyed it. As for the rest of the holiday, legallybrunette is busily making sure to hit every Utah place of dining she misses while in Spokane and zfoxylady prepped a basket of things for the family whose mother passed away on Monday and Tuesday; we are headed to that viewing tonight. What a strange, but good holiday.

I hope you are enjoying watching the festivities from your p.o.v. Do you miss T-day with your family? I know your dad told us that one year you designed several X-mas decorations, which he cut out and you both made together. You never told me about anything like that. Sounded really cool. I'm glad you had/have a good relationship with your dad. I always thought it was strained 'cause you didn't talk about him very often, but when I met him I saw he was quite like you! And they mentioned that he was more vocal about telling you to get it together and get a little help. Rather reminds me of my old man and his dad, sadly. Why is it we don't listen to the actually important stuff?

Well, I'd rather not end on a downer, so I'm off to brave the crowds at Costco. On Black Friday you ask? Yes, I have to pick up a prescription. Maybe I'll do some other shopping as well, who knows. The siren call of the consumerist American lifestyle is certainly a difficult one for me to resist these days (wish I could post a pic of the present I just ordered for zfoxylady today, PHENOMENAL!). Ah well, I shall do my civic duty for the economy.

Love 'n stuff,

chaz

Schnitzel, No Noodles

2010-11-21T00:21:00.000-07:00

Turns out schnitzel is this breadcrumbed, chicken-fried steak. Who knew?! I always thought it sounded like a pretzel of some sort. I discovered this revealing fact at the Bohemian Brewery where I enjoyed a delightful dinner tonight. Leilani and I were intent on catching a show locally, but rather misplaced ourselves and couldn't find the theater (we missed it by a mere 296 ft. Don't ask). I also drove home in the first grand snow of the season and got to shovel a path for my car into the garage through 6" of snow (15 feet from gutter to door; the night is turning out to be all about feet).

Since you are all dying to know, last week in photo editing we did a tutorial importing different brushes into photoshop. We had to take this landscape:

and layer/paint over it, kinda' like the collage assignments I've posted previously, achieving this loverly "painted" pic. It's funny to see how different people work. Some are intent on capturing the exact example shown in the book down to the direction of the strokes. Some put their own spin on it. Our professor was quite thrilled with this, and I could see why, except it still prints out in a 2-D print, and there is nothing like the texture and glory of an actual canvas covered in paint.

Still, I suppose it has possibilities.

Perfume of the Day: pomegranate

Impossible Thing: Having a few days off to recuperate! I am actually grateful T-day has almost arrived 'cause I need the time to rest myself. When your gall-bladderless side begins to complain that it is tired you know you have been pushing it too much. Hell, anyone who works 40 hrs a week and takes 9 graduate credit classes is crazy (on top of a 45 min commute, 1 way). Thankfully my work week will end on the coming Wednesday. By then I will have completed:

a case study (2-3 pg response)
a progress report (for final client project in project management class)
reading for PM class
a 5-7 pg paper on an interview conducted with a manager/ project manager
and presented a 10 minute opening for a debate

I dread waking up tomorrow 'cause then I will have to actually work on half of these things.

Ah well. Happy first snow Capital City o' Salt!

if they don't fit, I'll turn them into pillows...

2010-11-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

I have found a new muse, as has also every other truly stylish person, apparently. Her name is Iris Apfel and her philosophy is, "if they don't fit, I'll turn them into pillows..." Check out this unbelievable article and tell me you don't agree!

P.S. I clipped this pic out of a magazine, so the quality is a little grainy.

Perfume of the day: Gwen Stefani, it just matched my black and grey and citrusy green outfit, and I think it's my current fav for obvious reasons.

2010-11-14T00:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Carmen,

Hey dearie, it feels about time to write another note. I wanted to tell you that last week you were in one of my dreams. I had the distinct feeling that my mother, The Lady Brass, had died — like you. It felt more real than any other dream I have had lately and made me cry. That is one of my actual fears in life, how I will cope when my mom moves on to the next one. I worry about it off and on, so when you up and left I guess my subconscious was shaken. I was grateful I could wake up and post a status on my facebook page that I am so, so, glad to have my mom.

I also wanted to tell you that I haven't forgotten about you. I know they say (the proverbial they) that time heals all wounds and forgiveness is a blessing, but I don't want to forget. This Friday I automatically felt that deep sadness when I was driving home from work 'cause I couldn't call my weekend buddy, you, and hang out. When ladylukeskywalker popped by today we were trying to think of the peeps coming with us to the Harry Potter film next Friday and I couldn't help mentioning that you would be there if you were still here. I can't help it. You are still intrinsically part of my life. I can't not talk about you either. Maybe my friends are sick of hearing about you, but I will keep talking about you, not in a sad and pity-me sort of way, but in a you were/are still part of my life and I miss you.

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that it has been a tough coupla' weeks and I need you. I still can't reconcile myself to the fact that you are gone. Intellectually I know everything in your apartment is gone, and all you stuff in the shop is gone 'cause I helped clean it out myself, but I think it is just starting to sink in that you won't be popping by again. I have your tools here on my desk and some of your cds under my bed, but they don't replace you. How could you have left me? I don't think I entirely realized how much I needed you.

We were going to be roommates. At least in my hopeful plans for the future.

That's about all for now. Don't forget about me.

Laters,

chaz

Sport Support...

2010-11-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

The Real Salt Lake playoff game was fantastic! The Lady Brass almost didn't make it through the crowds to drop me off 'cause it was packed. The weather was also perfect, the last perfect day of fall. Rio Tinto stadium is really amazing; I would totally recommend going to a concert or sporting even there. Post-game I, ladylukeskywalker, and our other friends made a pact to study the rules of this soccer sport-thingey.

I must admit, I had philosophically-sober thoughts as I walked into the first sports stadium I have entered since going to a jazz game a few years ago with a not-so-beloved ex. Have we as Americans replaced our religion with sports? Actually that is placing unfair blame. You can pretty much substitute anything for the word sports and consider it America's substitute religion. These faiths include fashion, shopping, entertainment, books, pop-culture, music, gaming, even education. Can you tell I'm taking an ethics course this semester? We have been discussing different histories of communication methods such as the newspapers/the press, advertising, TV, and now the surging use of information to justify one's own opinions whether they are based on actual facts or not. It was fun to consider Aldous Huxley's predictions of our future in Brave New World, where anything serious and meaningful (like religion) have been replaced by pursuit of pleasure (and yes, I really am this geeky).

Afterward we attended to another religious ritual practiced by myself often, the sacred eating-of-hi-calorie-desserts to quench our post-game night: peanut-butter chocolate pie. Although I wouldn't recommend TGI Fridays per se, it was not quite as nourishing as I was hoping...

2010-11-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Carmen,

I know, you didn't expect to hear from me again so soon. Especially after that last heart-rending note. Ah well. Asi es la vida.

As I was driving home tonight I thought how great it would be to catch a flick with you and get dessert. You probably don't have much entertainment up your way, at least the whole US celebrity-worship-entertainment-is-our-number-one-export kind. Our favorite sort of evening, eh? The weather is perfect and you lived down closer my way, and maybe we could get ice cream... I guess I'm a little lonely.

Tomorrow I am going to the Real Salt Lake playoff game. Yah. I know. Yet another thing I didn't have time to do with you earlier in the summer when you were getting into it. That's why when ladylukeskywalker texted a few weeks ago (after you were gone) about tickets I jumped at the chance, homework be damned. I need to see ladyluke now, after everything you put us through. You left a hole dearie. How is our triumvirate supposed to work now? More than that you deeply affected ladyluke and Pirana Green. Finding your body hanging there kinda' put a damper on things.

Anyhow, I'm also watching this really cool tv series on netflix, Veronica Mars. You would totally dig it. You know how much I love women power shows. Might I add here that I still am unsure about Mad Men. Granted I have only watched maybe 2 total episodes, but seriously? It seems to be all about incredibly selfish people stuck inside a glamorous facade. Quite frankly I won't ever be able to hear about it again without thinking of you since you liked it so much. It probably should have been a warning flag to me when you said you hadn't been watching the new season. I think it started right around that time you opted out, didn't it? I can't remember exactly.

Anyway, waxing a bit morose here despite such a cheery post yesterday. Hope you're paying attention to what you are supposed to be learning up there. You can't undo what's done now so you better do what's left right 'cause I expect you to be there when I drop in.

'til next time,

chaz

Yay!

2010-11-04T14:41:00.001-07:00

Yay! Thank you friends of Carmen for contacting me! It was so good to hear from you!

And in other news here are my current projects:

Our assignment in digital photo editing was to create a box design in which an action figure for the film Ghost World would come. Our prof showed us this AMAZING filter that fits your image selections into a 3-D surface. Pretty wild, eh? We did it in class so we took the chance to look at each others' work. I was impressed by the multiplicity of designs. None were remotely the same. The Ghost World film is also based on a comic book series, interestingly enough. Guess I'll have to check it out.

Our prof also assigned us a project designing a movie poster for the Ghost World film not using any of the images available online. Here is what I am turning in tonight:

Not brilliant, I know, but at least the assignment is done. I have had an innumerable amount of things to do so's I just am skating by in some ways. The good news is I am going to reduce my school hours to part time next semester. It's just a wiser course of action 'cause I am hoping to have more work. Plus I need to stretch out my student insurance as who knows what will happen in the remote future, correct?

I also got a "clean bill of health" from my post-op doctor appointment yesterday. He was actually amazed at how well I am healing. Yes, as soon as my body got rid of that inflamed, near-rupturing gallbladder is was preeettttttyyyy happy. In addition, he told me the kind of stones I had are most likely an inherited problem as the gallbladder can work overtime in some people. I was relieved to hear that, although I am working on cuttin' back in the really rich and greasy foods a little. Take the motivation while you have it, no?

TTFN

Story of My Life...

2010-10-30T22:59:00.001-07:00

I feel so blissed out. What do I mean by that. Hm. Like I'm watching the days zoom by like automobiles on a Utah freeway.

Consider:

- In 1 year I will have a master's degree

This after 4-5 years of contemplation, tantrums, depression, seemingly vain talk, and frustration while trying to find the right grad program for me.

- The holidays are fast approaching meaning 2010 is almost over

(The Lady Brass has already secured us reservations at a restaurant for Thanksgiving. Whew! I much prefer this way of offering thanks may I say, supporting the local economy rather than 8–12 hrs. of kitchen slavery.)

- I have a job I like!!

Not that my previous jobs were bad, but I like copywriting and I like marketing.

- I still have my gran in my life (via text)

Since she refuses to be close to us, at least there is a way we can talk every day.

- I still don't have any regrets.

I think I "suck the marrow from life" so thoroughly (as a professor once told me) that I find my regrets are let go and left behind.

- I have my peeps, who are more important to me than the sum of their parts.

If you are an artist, that's nice. An accountant, cool. You are a mother? Parent? Aunt? Single? What matters to me is not what you are, but that you are. A lesson I was reminded of recently.

- If I never have the opportunity to create again or 'live the dream' it doesn't matter, because I have the chance to care about the people around me.

I used to think doing what I wanted would make me happier, true to myself, as it were. Now I know differently. To be most true to yourself you must be true to those around you.

I think I need a bit of mountain dew now.

2010-10-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Carmen,

Attended a luncheon all about you last Wednesday and got to meet your folks. That's the day I posted those pics of us on the blog. I thought about writing up details about it for my readers, but it doesn't feel entirely right. In essence this was your funeral for me. Let me just reiterate, it's not fair.

Yesterday a friend asked me about my Thanksgiving plans and I always get that twinge now, half guilt half can't-do-anything-about-it-nowness. I know you really wanted to road trip somewhere and I remember how your face fell when I told you I just couldn't make it this year. It was really hard to divide my time so that I could hang out with you on your "only us" terms and have to fill my responsibilites towards others like my family. As a matter of fact you took great pride in being belligerent and not "interrupting" or attending and I invited you to so many things. That actually hurt a little bit. Did you ever think that my family and I would have appreciated it? That it changes the chemistry in my house when The Wilde Karrde is acting up. It gives us something else to focus on.

You shouldn't have spent so much time alone. I said it before to The Lady Brass several months ago and I'll say it again to you, I tried to help, but you wouldn't let me in. You wouldn't let anybody in. And now I'm stuck with that. I'm not angry about it anymore, but I'm still left wanting for something. You effed up Carmen. You were/are an important friend and I needed you. Didn't you realize that?

I have a pair of your scissors and needle-nose pliers here of yours on my drafting table where I can see them everyday. I'm so glad your parents let me keep something tangible so I could try and deal with this. I keep reaching out, searching for some sort of contact, but I can't pierce through the veil that separates us.

Anyway, can't really think anymore about it now. Got homework and work and living to do.

Laters,

chaz

PS. That day I went to your memorial here I wore that Gwen Stefani perfume you really liked when you came over to my house the last time I saw you. I was going to try and get you some for Christmas, bugger the cost. Good job. You saved me the effort.

Orange, My Favorite Color!

2010-10-23T22:16:00.003-07:00

Alas, I missed the occasionally-annual visit to our local pumpkin patch, which is one of my absolute fav things to do in October, so I made the girls take pics for me when they went to acquire our pumpkins. I'm glad they did take charge 'cause otherwise I would never have made it there myself. Bit busy. (Side note: Carmen, we were going to carve pumpkins this fall...)

zfoxylady's carving turned out spectacularly:

Altogether we didn't do too bad a job. Below are all three of our endeavors. Back and left a poor attempt by myself to carve a chaz-portrait into the pumpkin. Yah. Oh well. The middle pumpkin was carved by non other than The Wilde Karrde, who, by the way, hovered offering advice non-stop, although he did know which knife worked best for carving. His pumpkin is a pic of a large sculpture that is being built on one of his client's land in S Eastern Utah. I'll explain all that later sometime (probably soon because the ratio pyramid (that's what it's called) will start being constructed in Nov). He did add eyes as well, which would have been better left uncarved, but you get the main silhouette of the pyramid. zfoxylady's carving was a tribute to our kitty Mardi Gras who died last September.

We do like lighting candles and things and then sitting around in the atmospheric dark and admiring our work. And of course we take pictures. We love holidays at our house. Especially when there is a Charlie Brown cartoon to commemorate it as well:D.

Salute to the Mad Hatter

2010-10-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

To my very dear friend Carmen Killam,

RIP 1980-2010

Save me a seat.

October Attire

2010-10-19T14:56:00.001-07:00

zfoxylady spent the weekend rather funkily attired. She attended a zombie-themed wedding. Really you ask? Yes. And she did it in style. Of course we would really expect no less. She took her inspiration from a photo shoot found in Italian Vogue, who took their inspiration from Tim Burton (clearly the end-all-be-all in these sorts of stylized projects). I must admit if I dress up at all this year it will be along the lines of her inspiration...

As you will also recall, I built two dresses for a show at Roger's Memorial Theater for ladylukeskywalker. She got me a few pics of the final pieces in the show and the loveliest I have posted below. You can not only see the entire dress but the pic is also quite like a portrait. A bit of the gathering detail just below the waistline on the right side is visible.

Perfume of the day: Bvulgari. Rather sweet, but not sickly so. I really like it, but I think it has lost a little umph as it is about 2 years old. One of zfoxylady's friends keep all his cologne in a mini fridge for preservation. (!!) If only there was more room in our garage fridge...

Self-Portrait

2010-10-10T11:56:00.001-07:00

Our most recent assignment in Photo Editing class was a self-portrait so here is mine!

I have to say that I love it, although when it comes to justifying my design decisions I simply don't know what I will say. Originally I had thought of doing something really desperate and despairing looking a la Frida Khalo:

This particular portrait is named something like "Frida Cutting Her Hair," which she painted after her divorce from Diego Rivera. Rivera was a devoted womanizer and told Frida before they were married he did not intend to give up this hobby. Frida accepted this (sort of, there were Many jealousies between the two), but divorced him after he slept with her sister. That was too close to home.

To convert this into a self-portrait of myself I would need to find an actual image from the library so that I could scan it at a higher dpi (dots per inch) for print purposes. Pics on the internet have a much smaller resolution for the screen so that they load with the webpage faster. Images you actually want to print must have a much higher resolution to assure quality. Now that I look at it I could actually fit the chaz head onto Friday's body with the suit really nicely. I will have to try it.

I have some apple cinnamon fat-free muffins just out of the oven. Hooray! Food is never far from the mind when on a diet. I must say I am saving a lot of money not going out to eat so often. The Lady Brass actually mistook me for zfoxylady when she came home today since I had lost a little weight (not that zfoxylady would be caught dead in my pjs).

As for my other constant companion, the suicide of my friend, it is never far from my mind. I feel just fine when I am at home, except for a few down times when I think of it, but I find every time I go out I feel incomplete. I don't know if it is because I am alone (took my first solo car trip yesterday) or if it is just because everything has changed and now I have to face it once I exit my sanctuary, but it will be with me for a long time.

Last night I spoke with one of my friends/coworkers (V) who found her and it was deeply saddening. How do you ever make peace with that image? V said she thought victims of that circumstance would try to take it back if they could. I agree. I don't think they near imagine what they cause. I don't think Carmen had any idea how angry we would be with her, or maybe it actually was part of that F-off that she wanted. I have a hard time believing that, but I only really saw her good side.

Thus a week that I could hardly see past has passed and I am now discouraged by my homework load. Oy vey. A paper to proof today and another to write. Send me good thoughts.

PS A shout out to Mrs. Jenkins who sent me a very nice email which I greatly appreciated. Thanx so much for your devotion and support. I appreciate it.

Back in the Game. Sort of.

2010-10-07T13:38:00.001-07:00

First, a bit of hilarious news: Johnny Depp surprised a nearby elementary school with a visit as Capn' Jack Sparrow in response to a letter by a "budding pirate: Love this guy!

Second, Food news of course! Had apricot chicken for lunch. YAH BABY! I can totally do this...

Third, How do you like the below portraits? It was project in digital photo-editing class where we over-layed layers on the original photo and colored in sections making our own sort digital portrait of the girl. I enjoyed the activity immensely so I included the process shots so you could see how it went.

You can see here the layers where I painted over the photo.

Portrait with out the photo underneath. I was pretty pleased.

Fourth, My friends are at the funeral today in Iowa:(. I spoke with them last night and there is a lot of Carmen's family there (you're gone now so I'm gonna' damn well use your name in my blog). The family is very distressed at where the suicide happened and are so concerned about my Costume Shop. Thank you. So glad we are in this together.

Unexpected

2010-10-02T22:47:00.001-07:00

The events of this week were unexpected and horrifyingly shocking. I had emergency surgery on Wed and on Friday I found out that a very good friend and colleague of mind had committed suicide. So here are the quick and dirty facts.

On Wed, after arriving at work, I started to have abdominal pain so bad I couldn't move. The attack (that's what I call it now) passed, but when it was followed by a second one, I knew I needed to go to the emergency room. Essentially it felt like my whole abdomen had expanded to the point that it restricted my entire torso. My friend from work dropped me at the emergency room and I checked myself in, feeling rather silly the entire time because I was no longer so uncomfortable. I was wheeled down to an ultrasound room and during the procedure snuck a peak at the screen. The 3 or 4 red circles on the screen indicated, at least I thought, that I might have some sort of something going on. I also figured something was going on 'cause the technician took several pics. Once back in my little emergency room my sis and my mom found me. I had texted them (zfoxylady and The Lady Brass) that I needed rescuing. The doctors came in pretty quickly to tell me I had gallstones and that my white blood count was high. Because of this they recommended I have surgery pretty much immediately. I responded that it would fit into my schedule best on that day, Wednesday. The doctors did not find this very funny. The nurse who prepped me for surgery was one of those absolute battle-axes (although she was wearing this highly-enjoyable orange uniform top with a halloween print). Things like: "Strip off all your clothes and put on this surgical gown," were said and a few others that I won't mention.

The longest wait was in the surgical prep room. I have had surgery once before when I was 8 so I was pretty confident I wouldn't remember anything after anesthesia. Also my friend The Tailor had had his gallbladder out a few years previously and he had shown me his incisions so I knew that the surgery would be done laproscopically. Quite frankly, I was raring to go. As I began to think about it I realized I had had two previous gallbladder attacks. One last summer which I thought was the flu, and one 4 years previous, which I had also thought was the flu (mid-hike to the Delicate Arch:p). It turned out I had a mightily inflamed gallbladder with what looked like a coin purse full of stones (they were kind enough to provide me with pics after my surgery). I also had the happy experience of being hi on valium. Definitely prefer that to anything else!

I will not dwell on the hospital experience. You never get any sleep, you have to work your tail off as a patient measuring out your urine in a special toilet apparatus, walking at various times, get your vitals taken every 2 to 4 hours, overly cheery nurses yapping at you when you would rather sleep, being assigned respiratory exercises. Needless to say, I was happy to push for my release the next day after lunch (at least what qualified as lunch). Here I should note that my experience is incredibly uncommon in that my pain tolerance is so high I have hardly experienced much pain. Secondly I have been blessed with an incredible body. I have to remind myself to slow down and not move so fast so that I don't damage anything. The primary problem with this whole surgery recovery is the diet! All non-fat or low-fat foods. Seriously?

Food already craved: brownies, buttered toast, mountain dew (no surprise there), and chocolate

But on to other things less easy to make light of. On Friday I found out that I had lost one of my best friends to suicide. I saw an online posting alluding to it which I thought was a joke and immediately called the costume shop. It turned out she had been found there. I cannot tell you the details of her death because I still cannot reconcile the horribleness of it all. I replay in my mind over and over how it must have happened and what she was probably thinking. Funny thing about knowing a person so well, you start to get a little idea of how they think.

I can't really express how this has devastated us. Our costume shop is a family and much of our time is spent together. This particular friend was really family. Of all my friends she was the only one who had a standing invitation to come to my house at any time. We would have put her up in our empty bedroom had she had the least need. One of her primary characteristics, however, was pride. She would not allow anyone, and I mean anyone, to help her. You cannot dig yourself out of a hole if you don't have help. I have been very seriously depressed and am fortunate not to have had those thoughts associated with suicide, but you cannot shut other people out. You must seek help. You must be willing to open yourself up to the care of others.

Quite frankly, I am very angry. As the costume shop family and I compared notes we found that each of us had tried regularly to talk to her, to get her to open up, but she became so defensive and angry we stopped trying. I am not going to write more about it tonight as it is time for bed and I am going to try and cheer up before I sleep. This single event, however, has changed my life forever. I have no doubt that it will become less painful and my life will change and still be happy, but this person, my friend has had more negative impact by her actions than almost positive. I am still in such shock. I cannot express.

Final Class Assignment: Triptych

2010-09-25T15:27:00.000-07:00

Ironically, I'm really not sure this filled the assignment as there really aren't three focal points therefore making it ineligible for triptych status. Weird eh? But I really like it and that's what counts. Right?

Dress Details...

2010-09-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

I though I'd show you a bit of my process constructing these dresses (Ms. White's dress for the production Clue at Roger's Memorial Theater). Below is what my cutting table usually looks like. I find having mountain dew and my phone at arms length makes for a good working atmosphere. I must also apologize for the quality of the photos. Lighting is not really optimal in the basement studio...

Here you can see I really do most of my cutting on the floor 'cause the average size cutting table sold in stores is just not big enough. These particular dresses had large skirt pieces with two asymmetrical fronts so I wanted room to consider them on the fabric as well. The pattern pieces are actually opposite directions from each other because the fabric did not have an obvious up or down direction. If this is the case you don't need as much fabric, however I totally screwed up cutting out the first two skirt-front pieces backwards! Fortunately the fabric was not directional so I could get a third front out of the length. Whew! Also I use dvds for pattern weights (!!). I used to use videocassettes, but decided to cut down on the clutter; having both dvds and videos in the studio was a bit much.

This particular fabric totally needed a finish along its edges. All garments should be serged inside on their raw edges. If you don't have a serger consider french seaming or, if you are desperate, a zig-zag stitch.

You can kind of see a little bodice detail in the below picture which shows the bodice front pieces. The bodice also wraps right over left with the detail work on the left; however, I liked the tucks on the bodice left so I laid that piece on top.

Calliope is holding up the finished product. It is difficult to see the detail 'cause of the shine, but they turned out really well. I got word tonight from ladylukeskywalker that they fit the actresses well, although she has to reduce some of the gathers on that left side. I hope those design alts aren't too stressful, but you never know entirely how a garment is going to work until you fit it.

Really not to shabby a job considering I had to size the pattern down from a size 20 to a size 12. I also had to make one dress slightly longer for a girl pretty much the same size, but slightly taller. I did a little guesswork because their torso lengths on their measurement sheets were the same, although the taller girl's arms were longer. Plus I'll admit I plain old forgot to add length into the bodice. Whoops. Glad it worked out ok.

The total project took about 15 hours. Five hours of pattern altering and cutting time and 5 hours each in construction. That is actually pretty damn fast! If I hadn't been watching tv I might have made it even faster...

Ascension Adventure, Sneak Peak...

2010-09-19T22:46:00.002-07:00

Many more to come...

Project...

2010-09-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

Making this gorgiferous dress for friend ladylukeskywalker's show Clue happening at Roger's Memorial Theater (I have to say I'm wicked impressed with their website...). Thing is I hope I can get it done in time 'cause I am employed now rather than just taking custom alterations and tailoring work! Wish me luck...

fabric for Ms. White's dress

Hmmmmm.

2010-09-12T22:00:00.000-07:00

A try at my triptych assignment for digital photo editing class. I can't be deep on this one, hard as I try. I want my art to be light, whimsical. I also don't want to talk about it or explain it or verbalize it, just create intuitively. The assignment is to have a piece with 3 focus points. If I use this altered photo I have yet to solve it somehow. I don't know how.

Here are the pieces it has come from:

2010-09-11T14:07:00.001-07:00

Just received my 3rd Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier handbag in the mail, which confirms that I'm obsessed. This one is the prettiest (and most expensive) yet. It's all purple and silvery. I wonder if there is a way I could work it into the triptych assignment we have in my photo editing class, only maybe that would be what my professor was talking about when he said, "pick a topic with a little depth, not just things you like..."

But enough about accessories. How about some odd little quotes? I was researching tailoring websites for a project at work, and came across a few interesting tidbits:

The ideal look, as you claw your way to the lower middle rung,

is that of a hip funeral director… To the delight of your boss,

your sartorial restraint will signify a comforting subservience —

SIMON DOONAN, Author

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society. — Mark Twain

Besides being useful against colds, stiff necks and tooth ache, a Necktie enables one

to know more about the person who is wearing it.. -- Emil De L´Empese in 1818

Couldn't have put it better myself. Below: portrait of The Lady Brass. You are PDC mums (pretty damn cute).

2010-09-09T21:11:00.000-07:00

Found a new great greasy spoon. Not only do they serve fry sauce (essential Utah product), but they also have sweet potato fries. That's what I'm talkin' about.

Other than that the weathervane is spinnin'. Feels like a storm is brewing around my very self. I registered for 3 classes this semester thinking that I wouldn't have a job. Then I manage to land one on a trial period in a matter of 48 hours and suddenly life is whizzing by. I had also promised some friends to do a few projects in the studio for them, alterations, costumes, and the like. Now I'm starting to frazzle! It will all come together I'm sure.

Perfume of the day: none. I was so preoccupied with getting things done I was lucky to smell showered. And then I spilled that nail polish remover acetone stuff on myself. Pooh.

Impossible Thing of the day: Beautiful friends who pay you unbelievably well for a few alterations. Thanx so much battleangel I appreciate it.

Some of My Favorite (Unrelated) Things

2010-09-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

1st unrelated favorite thing: Party decorations for zfoxylady's birthday (notice fantastic use of shocking pink and black 'n white).

2nd unrelated favorite thing: There is a woman who fascinates the fashion world, or at least the readers of W Magazine, her column having been regularly featured on the last page of W every month. Recently she passed away at the age of 98 and I was intrigued by the whole persona that was Countess Louise. A little research yielded this article, "Louise's Last Year" on the W site exploring her

ja nois se qua.

Now I can't say that I adore every one of the Countess's stories, or that I have perused everything she has ever written, but I enjoy the presence that certain people can project and that can be channeled through various media. Rather a bit like being photogenic. It is a charisma or an energy or an intensity that can be expressed in the various media of the artist, the writer, the physicist (Albert Einstein). Every aspect of creativity or really of intelligence has a piece of this inescapable quality. I have so often had people say to me, "I am not creative." and I want to say,

"Quit selling yourself short! It's not about comparisons! It's about finding where your particular creativity happens to lie."

So find your ja nois se qua or a least someone who inspires you: your very own Countess Louise.

3rd unrelated favorite thing: A series of thoughts or a theme has been running thicker than a mere thread through my mind of late. It expressed itself in a brain-storming/ free-think session in my photo editing class this week: the plight of women. I am always reading something about women: suffragettes, modern feminist figures, female biographies, feminist theory, etc, and I find that what started as a small stream has grown into a full-blown river. I want to embrace art about women, books and ideas by women, find ways to assist women and ways to enable them to help themselves. I was recently reminded of this when I came across an interview in the New York Times Magazine of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, an ex-Muslim from Somalia. Here is the answer she gave to a question asked in the interview:

That is the difference between the position of Western women and the position of Muslim women. A Western woman is not her brother's or her father's property. She's just herself. She can choose her own lifestyle. But in a Muslim family, the honor of the man is between the legs of a woman. What they think is that she has to be chaste so that their honor can be preserved.

While this quote isn't evocative of the most positive aspects of womanhood, the "plight of women" it depicts is indeed something that intrigues me and leads to my interest in women's studies. When do we realize that others suffer more than ourselves? When do we realize that the way we treat others determines the outcome of how others treat each other? When do we realize that we are all interconnected and interdependent?

Can't Help Myself...

2010-09-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

So I thought that I wouldn't really care about the red carpet at the Emmys and nothing extremely interesting has been happening anyway (the Oscars this last year were boring as hell; it's like nobody wanted to be labeled fashion road-kill so they all picked out something uber-conservative which made for BORING), But! Lo and behold, there was some good stuff! Below: January Jones in Versace (and I really like the name January BTW). Isn't that texture incredible? It seems almost like feathers. And the whole cone-shaped bra thing, both zfoxylady and I have noticed that it is back on the radar for sexy ladies.

And Kelly Osbourne in Tony Ward. I am so not kidding you. I think she looks 100% stunning. I am absolutely blown away. Yay Kelly!

And I had to include this picture of Heidi Klum 'cause it made me giggle. Remember on Project Runway last season when Anthony said "If it's short and tight, Heidi likes it." There you have it is ladies and gents!

Preview...

2010-08-30T22:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend marked the birthday celebrations for zfoxylady. The Lady Brass initiated a pink and white theme, which morphed into a full-on black and white juxtaposition with "shocking" pink. These first pics are the pre-party collection/collage as we worked out what to put together and how.

legallybrunette had tasked me with the wrapping zfoxylady's present in her absence, and here they are wrapped circa 1 am the day of the party:D!

Oh, and this is just a bit of bling I picked up which happened to match my glitter mani that day :D. You can tell this photo was taken at work because you can see the obligatory can of mountain dew in the background...

More pics of the party and menu to follow!

Perfume of the Day: Guerlain's Insolence, as I felt rather annoyed with having to attend class tonight.

Impossible Thing: The battle for insurance coverage for those of us deemed "uninsurable" due to health problems that we choose to acknowledge (as opposed to others who slip by with fantastic health insurance because they never admit they have problems thus making the lives of those around them miserable. Let me tell you how I really feel).

Heavy Lifting...

2010-08-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

I have to say that lately I feel like quite the gossip columnist. Every blurb I write has to do with the movements of the sisters, or the hapless mistakes of the Wilde Karrde. Alas it is not going to change anytime soon. Just thought I'd warn you; there are too many interesting things afoot...

Just finished the Hunger Games series today with the final book Mockingjay. Quite the story, among other things. A very emotional read for me and satisfying, although still elusive in that I can't quite let go of the feelings of loss that accompanied the ending for me. But all the best books are bitter-sweet in my opinion. Having lived a mostly bitter-sweet life I feel that you loose a little tang yourself if you can't understand the flavor both sides of the coin bring to the mix.

I am also obsessed with the song "Poker Face" as sung by Glee cast members rather than Lady Gaga, although apparently Gaga did the slower arrangement as well. I wasn't sure what to think when I first saw it, but now I LOVE IT. It's something about the ah, ah, ah, p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-poker face. If it were jazz you would call it scatting, but I'm really not sure what this technique would be referred to as. Still diggin' it.

And by way of gossip I bring you the newest development, zfoxylady was laid off yesterday. I was a bit shocked when I heard her voice in the house at 9:30 in the am. She decided to move her gear home from her rented apartment so we spent yesterday moving her back to the homestead. As legallybrunette said in response to a comment made by our uncle in some surprise that we had handled all the heavy lifting of furniture up and down stairs, "we [girls] do all the moving in our house." It's the truth on so many levels.

Finally, I am most pleased to report that The Lady Brass is in possession of a new vehicle, one that completely suits her named the pearly girl. We shall be having a christening ceremony shortly. While my relations have not changed with the Wilde Karrde, at least he pulled it together enough to do this.

Thank you.

P.S. My uncles and aunts recently traveled to "the Continent" and their tour included the Louvre. They saw the Mona Lisa and snapped a few shots of it. Funnily enough I didn't bother to track her down myself while at the museum a few years back and felt rather like I was seeing it myself in their pics. It is much smaller in person, you know, fronted by some kind of plexi-glass, and apparently the most globally known painting to exist, and therefore priceless. There are some interesting stories attached to her, which I will explore at a later time, but her gaze seemed as though it fit tonight.

Perfume of the Day: Juicy Couture, summer, teasing and definitely juicy, and so much better than the straight up Juicy Couture perfume... just a little review...

2010-08-22T17:52:00.001-07:00

Bit of a change... whadya' think?

All that Glitters...

2010-08-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

legally brunette arrived home last night to find these lovely Toms sent by zfoxylady. What a fantastic gift to come home to! I was very impressed with zfoxylady, crafty...

Before the leave-taking occurred zfoxylady also treated us to some tasty cuppy-cakes from a local place, Sweet Tooth Fairy, of which I was unaware. Lovely atmosphere. I highly recommend it.

Apparently this gem was also graced in an episode of Rachel Ray's show. If that isn't good for business I don't know what is. I haven't watched her television program of late, but I still remember the episode featuring food in Vegas, and a particular 24-hour wedding cake shop, as in you could go any time of the day or night to buy your slice of wedding cake. Even though cake is generally not at the top of my lists, I would love to check it out...

With Love, from the Capital City O' Salt

2010-08-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

Well all,

I am pleased to report the Wilde Karrde may have cracked and might be purchasing the Lady Brass a newer car. I say newer because they might go with something used, but anything is better than the Great Gray Whale with no air conditioning that is her current mode of transport. Also concession by the Wilde Karrde that the 15 year old whale may not live to be 20 is progress.

Incidentally, I have been thinking of calling a temporary truce with the Wilde Karrde in order to get some things done on the property. The deck needs to be re-finished/sealed and there is some sort of cement sealant that is supposed to be put on the driveway every so often, which hasn't been done for awhile. I am mighty ambitious in my week and a half off from class:).

Meanwhile the other Brass Women have been wicked busy. legally brunette and Lady Brass headed up north to deposit legally brunette and her car at law school for year #2. Of course legally brunette has made law review (very prestigious so I'm told) so this will somehow involve even more work than last year, however, I rely on our web cams to help us get her through the next few months until T-day. We are very proud of our 2-L. She managed to convince Lady Brass to drive 3/4 of the way there on day 1 by bribing her with ice cream from a local place the Lady Brass adored last time she passed through town:

zfoxylady and I have been on the hunt for this feather earring featured on some chic named Aria, I think, on the show Pretty Little Liars. We have determined to try and make one. It's all very hippie-esque, don't you think? It will also soon be birthday time for zfoxylady, so I've got to come up with some convincing gifts!!

The hat pictured below was purchased at the Salt Lake Arts Fest, which unfortunately I could not attend due to paper-writing angst, however, zfoxylady and legally brunette both purchased graffiti hats, painted while you watched.

Other than that, the weather has been smashing: hot, hot, thunderstorm and massive rain, and hot.

Take care,

charliechaz

P.S. In chaz's world of perfume there have been recent additions. Stay tuned!

We Remember You.

2010-08-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

Hey little brother, 'cause that's what you acted like, even though we made you wear a dress for this photo. We still remember you. We will never forget you.

3 years today.

Tuna, Roast Beef, & Chicken Forever.

Loves,

your girls.

Baked Goods Get Ugly...

2010-08-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

zfoxylady has been up-in-arms of late. The offender? Pillsbury Doughboy. Not the Doughboy himself, but rather the masterminds behind Pillsbury threatening a legal suite against a local Utah business called My Dough Girl. General Mills, owner of Pillsbury claims My Dough Girl is a threat to their trademark. The above illustration as compiled by the Ends of Earth blog seems to illustrate a striking difference in branding rather than a threatening similarity as alleged by the suite.

Granted, this story broke about two weeks ago and I am blogging about it rather on the tail end, but that doesn't mean you can't still support the plight of a local business owner against a large inhuman company whose public face resembles a marshmallow! Will large companies continue to dominate an economy supposedly friendly to small business? Isn't that the point of a capitalist economy? Competition?

I think that life in the baked goods arena is about to get ugly...

Projeeeeect Runwaaaaaay!

2010-08-13T15:24:00.001-07:00

If you haven't started watching already, it's time. Season 8 of Project Runway started 2 weeks ago and YOU WANT TO WATCH IT. That's not even subliminal messaging 'cause you totally do. I think this season's crop of designers is definitely a funky mix. On first impressions I was a little overwhelmed by their presentation, but now I am starting to get a grasp of their capabilities. Check it out!

And not to give anything away from the second episode, but the billboard on Times Square!!! with COCOA ROCHA!! I swear one of the only models I like is Coco Rocha, I mean I actually know her name (gushing here)!!! It looked

FANTASTIC!

Mexican Art

2010-08-10T20:25:00.002-07:00

I went to see the Mexican art exhibit and the Pablo O'Higgins print show at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts this past last weekend with friend koala. The Mexican art exhibit was disappointingly small, to tell the truth. It did, however, include some beautiful prints as well as two Diego Riveras (also small) and a Jose Clemente Orozco (I love the way that name sounds). I suppose though that it was a good summary of Mexican art history. The exhibit I really dug was the collection of prints by O'Higgins. Apparently he was originally born in Salt Lake and migrated to Mexico where he studied art under Diego Rivera. His pieces have a beautiful sense of movement to them and a fantastic grasp of character. Go see it if you get the chance. It runs through Sept 19.

Fashion as Photograph

2010-08-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

"Fashion doesn't have to be something people wear, fashion is also an image,"
Victor and Rolf, 1999 (fashion designers)

Yup. That pic is of Lady Gaga. I posted it here to show how fashion can be an image. You can't purchase the fashion shown here, yet this costume piece would still be considered fashion. This is an introduction to the subject of the paper I wrote for my Rhetoric class that sucked the life out of me this summer. The paper is about fashion imagery if you couldn't tell. I used two images from Marc Jacobs 2010 ad campaign and discussed what kind of narrative they were telling. Then I cited evidence as to how those ads supported a cultural hegemony. For anyone unfamiliar with cultural hegemony it is a Marxist idea that the most powerful social class determines the ideals and cultural values of all other people, lower classes, etc. and the other people affected by it are unaware that their values or ideals come from the upper echelon. Basically Marx was saying that those in power control even how we view ourselves and the ideas we believe in. I cited evidence taken from the stories I found in the ads to support this idea that the ideals communicated supported an ideology created by the brand Marc Jacobs. Basically I tried to say that fashion brands still have great effect on what we think about or believe in today.

One source I used called Fashion as Photograph is a series of essays/critical scholarly analysis of fashion photography edited together by Eugenie Shinkle. It had some wicked interesting things to say, namely that most critical or scholarly analysis of fashion imagery can only be found in museum catalogs; it is hardly ever discussed in scholarly journals or forums despite its prevalence in society. I myself am fascinated by the analysis of fashion from a scholarly perspective. What are these photographs or presentations such as catwalk shows trying to say?

The study of rhetoric or rhetorical analysis is a study of the persuasive strategies used by the storyteller or rhetor to convince others of their viewpoint. It is essentially a way of analyzing what the "artifact" (photograph, performance, speech, etc) are saying! It can become a very fascinating tool to analyze how others communicate their messages. For example, advertising is heavily constructed to appeal or "create desire" to us as consumers to persuade us to buy products. We are all aware of that, but identifying the specific strategies used is another matter.

Anyhoo, that is my intellectual lecture for the day. I hope to present a paper at a pop-culture conference next year, just to have the experience and this is the field or genre of subject matter I am thinking of exploring. Food for thought. Fashionista thought!

It's Still Summer...

2010-08-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

Dear All,

It's still summer her in the Capital City O' Salt. There's a spot of rain on tonight and a good lightening 'n thunder storm that has been brewing all day. Makes for a pretty sunset. The Old Man (otherwise known in this blog as The Wilde Karrde) called from Israel to say he had lost his glasses in the Mediterranean Sea. The Lady Brass had to fed-ex out his old ones. Darn $600 out to sea, so to speak. Will be headed back down to work in the morning on that rat race. The traffic is madly head-long as usual and I attempt to pilot the Firefly defensively every time I venture out.

Actually did a little paper work last night. Still have a lot of student debt. Still have a year left of grad. school. Still need to find a full time job. Still have that list of chores. But my classes are done for the semester. To tell you the truth, I'm losing track of the days already. Get up, drive, eat, work, drive, TV, sleep. Repeat. If it weren't for the happenings of those around me I might never surface from this strange paradyme.

Anyhoo, got to mosey off to bed. Wish you were here:D. My love to your family.

Cheers,

chrliechaz

P.S. Perfume of the day: SJP also known as Sarah Jessica Parker: Covet; unless, maybe that was yesterday. Oh dear...

A Little Late... (SPOILER ALERT, EXCUSES HERE)

2010-07-31T14:09:00.001-07:00

I realize there is really no excuse for my actions. I am late blogging important thoughts, many of them. It's just that it was the final end of summer semester and the dread Rhetoric class. I had a 20 page paper to write and a final presentation for my PR for Non-profit and Government Organizations class, and well, the internet went out. For a week. I know. Try submitting final papers and assignments with that to deal with! I feel that I have really accomplished something coming through it. And I also feel empty, trying to restructure my thinking to fit a little time off.

So. I am headed to Tar-get with legally brunette to look for material goods I don't need and I'll be back with renewed vim and vigor in about, 2 days. Really. I do have some good pics and a lot has happened this semester. Rhetoric class has changed my life. Scary, eh?

TTFN.

Perfume of the Day: TBA

Impossible Thing: Semester's end. And I hope to have A grades next week.

More Summer Moments

2010-07-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

zfoxylady took this at the Utah Arts Fest. this summer. Sadly I was writing a paper that weekend so I missed out:(.

I always enjoy seeing this sign for free bling on a billboard or something as it is a great advertising campaign, however at the gas station where I got my fill-up I thought the Apply Today! bit was an especially nice touch (the other fill-up areas had some sort of company you could apply to for jobs, but not this one!)

The Lady Brass always enjoys decorating for the holidays and I think she came up with something striking for the 4th of July.

My gorgeous pedi. Favorite colors of the mo': orange and purple.

Highlights and Lowlights...

2010-07-14T21:48:00.002-07:00

Chaz is needing an Alice-Infusion this week. A few highs and lows:

High: first mani-pedi with the sistahs last weekend (orange was color of choice)

Low: 30 second degrading conversation with Old Man (also known as The Wilde Karrde)

High: no longer on speaking terms with Old Man

High: grade on 2nd rhetoric paper = A!

High: only 1 rhetoric paper to go

Low: My preparation for my Tuesday class sucked (ie I didn't actually do the homework, and it showed)

Strange. My highs seem to out number the lows, so I am grateful. It is a good reminder of how much I have.

Just a Minute...

2010-07-10T16:20:00.001-07:00

Just a minute, let me think about it. Okay I thought about it. No. No. no no no no no

NO.

When will you stop pushing my buttons old man? When will you stop pushing me around. I am busting my ASS to get through my classes this summer, and commuting to Provo for my temp job. At the very least I don't need to consider bigger grad loans at the moment so YOU CAN QUIT YOU JOB IN ORDER TO "SERVE A MISSION."

I have only two words to say to that. And out of courtesy for my readers I won't write them here, but I think you get the general gist.

Purely Pictorial...

2010-07-08T18:31:00.000-07:00

Taken by my friend koala at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. She said "Yes you can post it. Tell them I took it on vacation" Like I need you to remind me...

And no this post isn't really "Purely Pictorial," but that's definitely how I'm feeling at the mo'. More writing? Let it be Pictorial...

Retro Great Salt Lake

2010-07-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

View of Salt Air on the Great Salt Lake in Utah once upon a time. Isn't this postcard fantabulous! This area certainly doesn't look as classy now. As legallybrunette pointed out to me, the lake rises and falls so drastically that a spa such as this was is not able to get a really good touristy thing going on (this one burned down, or got flooded out, or something like that). But it is true, once bathers came to Salt Air to float in the healing waters of the Great Salt Lake. It's all about the salt!

Impossible Thing: 3 weeks until the semester is over (and this is impossible because I don't know how I will get everything done!)

Perfume of the day: Marc Jacobs, which I did not realize was a subconscious choice influenced by my paper topic which I finished writing at 11 pm last night to turn in at class tonight!

Costumes, Opera of Course

2010-07-02T09:34:00.001-07:00

Playwrite Leilani sent me this link and I had to share:

Teatro Alla Scala Costume Exhibit

Perfume of the day: Calvin Klein one, summer

Impossible Thing: legally brunette becomes a judge and I cry at her swearing in and then watch on proudly as she engagees in serious smackdown...

Summer In the Capital City 'O Salt

2010-06-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

When Fashion Tries To Hard

2010-06-27T16:54:00.003-07:00

Fashion has been on the brain consistently for the last week. I am determined to write my rhetoric paper on some aspect of fashion, so I have been looking at magazine ads, thinking of ways to apply narrative or fantasy themed rhetorical theories. I started with the topic of Chanel no 5, but finding that someone had previously written a paper for my prof's class about it I recanted. Now I am looking at the Marc Jacobs advertising campaign, but more about that later.

Whilst browsing amongst my magazines I came across an article in Harper's Bazaar called "When Women Try Too Hard" by Christopher Brooks. Now you must understand that Harper's Bazaar's strength is more in its visual layout and design as opposed to its articles. Of course, if you are looking for info about current makeup trends, or cosmetic surgery procedures it is the mag of choice, but the other articles can at times be very special.

So, back to this little article. The author says, "Obviously all taste is subjective, but there are certain themes and conventions that do women no favors: bangs, eyeshadow, wedding dresses, capri pants, polka dots, harem pants, stripes, tentlike dresses, bows, hats, poufy shapes, flats, painted nails, foundation...I don't think a ball gown has done anything for anyone since 1959."

Wow! What a statement! Thank goodness he said taste is subjective 'cause otherwise I would want to wail! Needless to say I disagree immensely with Mr. Brooks' feelings about flats. Bring 'em on down is what I say! And capri pants! Just because you feel comfortable showing all of your legs in public doesn't mean the rest of us do. I love the Robinson Crusoe style myself. The attack on bows, hats, poufy shapes, etc makes it clear this gent has no idea the beauty of period costume. Clearly there is a manner of putting these things together, but this Mr. Brooks appears to live in a very narrow fashion world which revolves around the form fitting, the high maintenance, and the punitive. Which is fine for him.

Of course I actually agree with him in some areas. For example, bangs. I have never been able to wear bangs and perhaps that is where my deep bang despisal comes from. I was forced to wear bangs for many (punitive) child hood years, and when I discovered life without them, boy howdy. I also dislike the mullet, or shag haircut. It's a facial elongator and can do less as opposed to more. I also agree with his opinion on tentlike dresses, although there is a reason for these things. If one must wear them for certain physical or emotional reasons I think you should by all means. But I wax long. And I wanted to get to my own dishing on some of my least favorite fashions.

First off, take a good look at the heels pictured above. Are they gorgeous? Yes! They also look punitive. You know, the kind of shoes that leave you limping for the next day and a half after you wear them. Or that leave large holes in the heels of your feet. Below are some of my other personal fashion-pet-peeves.

Nude shoes. Yes they extend the leg line. But where are your shoes? I like a stopping point as opposed to a, well, accessory-less foot.

Peekaboo underwear that is so much more than peekaboo. What in heavens name makes this fashion? (sorry Madonna - don't buy into your cone bras either)

Elegant gowns that are too long. If you have to wear it on the red carpet you'd think your expensive couturier would at least fit the hemline to make it mobile.

And this piece! Well, this piece is perfect. I knew it was especially perfect when I saw the price-- astronomical. It turns out that it is a Versace design. I couldn't help lifting the pic to post though while I was at it...

Impossible Things: Sunshine! Here in Utah!

Perfume of the Day: Issey Miyake

Work, work, and more work...

2010-06-23T19:44:00.001-07:00

Y'all know that until recently I worked for the Utah Symphony & Utah Opera ticket office. My last night there while working a concert I took a pic of all the tickets waiting in will call to be picked up. I think that is the only moment I felt any nostalgia. It's good to have a bit of a break from the company I have devoted the last 4.5 years of my life too.

Although more than anything I did love working the shows. What can I say, I'm a backstage girl at heart. It's all about the support crew. We are what makes it happen.

Isn't this sign cool? I am becoming more and more addicted to ancestry.com's website as the days go on (I mentioned that this is my current place of work, right?). Just the "collecting" so to speak of ancestors and their records onto a database. It is a driving energy! And seeing their signatures written on those records, proof that they actually existed, is like getting to know them in the only way left to me (for now that is).

That said, I am worried about the future. When this job, which is only temporary, is over I will be set adrift. The opportunity to work at ancestry was too good to pass up, resume building and all. What will I do next? I am sure we all wait with breathless anticipation to see...

Rockin' Under the Stars!

2010-06-20T14:28:00.003-07:00

It's summer time and we all know what that means... outdoor concerts!!!

This here pic is of Red Butte Amphitheatre, one of my all time favorites in Capital City 'o Salt valley. I just caught a hint of what I like to call golden hour where the light mellows everything right before the sun began to set in earnest. Friend koala and I saw Joss Stone in concert here and what an amazing voice! Apparently she started performing professionally at 15 and today is 23. Can you believe it!! It's all about the soul music for me with an undying beat. Yah baby!

Now this was a makeshift set up at Library Square for the Utah Arts Festival kick-off concert. The festival is next weekend; I do hope to attend. But, more importantly, the band playing at said concert was none other than Cake. I LOVE CAKE! Ever since that month in undergrad when I listened to a tape of Cake songs (album Comfort Eagle BTW) for a month straight I have been a total fan. It's about the lyrical style, the fantastic beats, and the snake rattle (and there is, of course, a song about an opera singer...).

Fuzzy, I know, but you get the picture. It was an incredible night...

Salute

2010-06-14T18:16:00.003-07:00

I missed posting on Memorial Day and I wanted to salute my Grandfather (on the left) who went to war for the US of A in the South Pacific in World War II. Because he had some college education he was able to study morse code in the army. He used to tap out that same morse code on the dining room table and I distinctly remember when he showed me on a globe where he had been in the South Pacific. If only I could recall it exactly the way he said it.

While I haven't found your dog tags yet Grandpa, be assured I will. Thanks for your service to our country. I will always remember it.

The Fool's Cap World Map...

2010-06-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

Check this out! I did some research into map making yesterday for a databse description and discovered this wicked cool pic. It's based on some ideas by Ptolemy who was the "pinnacle" of Greek map making.

Love, sweet love...

2010-06-09T17:51:00.000-07:00

I spent almost all of my birthday money in one fell swoop. That's right, no regrets. These two gorgeous perfumes leapt off the shelf and into my arms, seeking a good home.

The L.A.M.B. Eau de Parfume at left by Gwen Stefani has a fruit scent to it. I later read online that it contains some pear. It is an intriguing combination of fruit and something else, I'm not sure what.

The Issey Miyake Eau de Parfume at right is sleeker, cleaner. It has just as much presence but feels very contemporary.

I love the way quality perfumes smell better than that stuff my mom bought me long ago for a tween-age birthday. I love that there are so many of them and that the packaging continues to intrigue me! I love, sweet love, perfume *ecstatic sigh*.

Impossible Thing Achieved!!: I now have an online inventory of my perfumes and can record what I am wearing everyday:D. To join me in this dizzyingly delightful endeavor sign on at Fragrantica.com and look for me, chrliechaz.:D.

P.S. If you register with Fragrantica you can enter a drawing for Thierry Mugler's Womanity!! Trust me, you want to enter the drawing.

Top Five

2010-06-06T21:18:00.009-07:00

TV shows that is... in no particular order:

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

I first really came across this show in college. My background know-how in tv

and pop culture was non-existent. We owned a tv, and we watched said tv, but not

exactly what everyone else was watching, if you catch my drift.

The first episode I ever saw was the season 2 finale episode. For those of you that
are familiar with it, what a killer! It remains hands down my favorite episode to
watch when I get depressed. Why you might ask? There is that bit towards the very
end where Angelus essentially says to Buffy, you've lost your friends, your family,
your life, what've you got left? And in that moment she realizes it, "Me" she says.
Yah baby!

Ugly Betty

What a show! The "ugly" duckling grows up into a swan. Ahhh the melodrama, and the whimsy! Sigh. There aren't any fashion-fabulous shows on tv like this one. Perhaps some of those WB shows think they are all that, but Patricia Field costumed this little number (Patricia Field - the highly acclaimed costume designer for Sex and the City?) and it doesn't get any better than that.

Firefly

I don't even know what to say about this series, and movie (Serenity) and all around universe. It's that fabulous. If you haven't seen it, you haven't seen good tv.

Big Bang Theory

A bunch of science nerds and the hot girl next door. I haven't laughed out loud this much since, well, ever. Thank goodness the network didn't cancel it.

Fringe

Man, I love a little freaky. This show is essentially The X Files crossed with Alias.
I haven't watched all of the X-files, but I've definitely watched all of Alias, and it is kick-&$*%. Anyway, my favorite dynamic is that between the crazy father and
neglected son. Watching their relationship change and deepen is what keeps me
involved.

Perfume of the Day: Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. Eau de Parfume

Impossible Thing of the Day: Lead to a possible full-time job after my temp gig
splutters out...

The Perfect Birthday Present

2010-06-02T19:59:00.002-07:00

My dad, The Wilde Karrde gave me a copy of this foto for my birthday. :DDD. I love this foto. On the second to last row are two of my great grandaddies. They were arrested for being polygamists. And they are wearing 3-piece, striped prison suits. Isn't it amazing?

2010-05-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

I feel that my blog has been somewhat filled with pictures of late, so how about a few words? I am taking a pause from my rhetoric paper dissecting Harvey Milk's "Hope Speech". BTW, I have to complain a little here, why did the MLA have to release a book of new publishing standards last year, thus forcing me to buy yet another handbook in order to correctly cite things? I really enjoy paging through other people's bibliographies, but when it comes to compiling them myself it is rather busy-workish...

With my work schedule over the weekend and the closing of all necessary organizations (like the library) over Memorial Day I was rather flummoxed for sources. Fortunately there is quite a bit that can be gleaned from the internet. Can you imagine not having the net in your life? I find it is impossible for me to think about my life without it. Like having an appendage severed. It reminds me of the character Ender in Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game who has a friend that is essentially a sentient version of the internet named Jane (although this would be in the later books and not in Ender's Game itself).

Saturday was my final day in the Utah Symphony & Utah Opera ticket office. I wasn't really sad. I will miss the good seats and working shows (that is my fav part of the gig) and the peeps, but it is time for a new experience. At least it feels like time right now. Tomorrow, when I am in the midst of my new experience may be a different story, but I'll keep you abreast of the situation. I will officially be a content copy writer for the Ancestry.com website. I know! An international organization hired me and is going to pay me more money in a temp position than I have every earned in any other job I have had to date! Perhaps this is saying something: I am moving up in the world. I sure hope so. I'm ready for a place of my own...

Impossible Thing: Finishing said paper and getting an A

Presenting...

2010-05-28T22:00:00.001-07:00

I'm working on a paper for my rhetoric class. A classmate and I presented a Neo-Aristotelian critical view of the "Hope" speech by Harvey Milk and now I am trying to put down some of that on paper. Whatever your view on homosexual politics, there is something very wonderful about this speech.

Birthday Day...

2010-05-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the most brilliant day. There was actually sun, so I could wear my gladiator sandals.

When I exited my door my mum had left me a round coke :D (you are all aware of my fixation on fantastic product packaging as well as unusual variations...).

My friends took me to The Blue Plate Diner where I had a most delish home-cooked meal.

And I had the chance to ogle a Christian Dior saddlebag, which I have always wanted ever since seeing it on the runway in 2007. It was at a fabu consignment shop called Name Droppers. Only $700, used of course.

Impossible Thing: Owning said Dior saddle bag...

Ergh.

2010-05-24T11:59:00.001-07:00

Sample fabric of the dress I am sewing for Lady Brass. Did a first fitting yesterday and it looks pdg (pretty damn good).

Also experiencing writer's block. Ergh.

Celebrating tomorrow's birthday tonight! Huzzah chaz!

Impossible Thing: snow in the desert in May (technically we have had snow in June before - anything is possible before Memorial Day weekend).

Can you believe it?

2010-05-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

Five major paintings were lifted today from a Paris museum including the above Modigliani; can you BELIEVE IT? $123 million $$$s! Can't exactly sell those on the black market or anything... Nothing like this has happened since that museum in Zurich was hit in 2004 and Edvard Munch's The Scream (below) got heisted. Apparently it was recovered. Ugly little sucker...

2010-05-18T13:10:00.005-07:00

As usual, the Brass Women have been exceptionally busy. Lady Brass went up to law school to drive back to the Capital City o' Salt with legally brunette for the summer. They toured Manito Park while they were at it (making me jealous of a seemingly vacation-esque trip) also taking that gorgeous pic above.

Meanwhile, I have been preparing for the end of the Symphony & Opera seaso n. Last night I attended the last opera of the season Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicci, two one-act operas. They were fantastic. I was a bit skeptical of Suor Angelica, but found the music (both pieces are composed by Puccini) to be absolutely amazing. The opera also received a great review from The Salt Lake Tribune and The Deseret News. The highlight was, of course, "O Mio Babbino Caro", Puccini's most famous aria.

Impossible thing: I have a temp job copywriting. More details to follow.

Odds 'n Ends

2010-05-14T22:31:00.002-07:00

Odd #1: Y'all know I'm crazy about sewing, dress-making, fashion, costume design, you name it; well, a while ago a friend of mine in NYC helped design and sew a wedding gown for her friend, which was featured on a major blog, Style Me Pretty. You can see her specific piece here. Wicked impressive and so ingeniously simple!

Odd #2: I picked up a journal, along the periodical lines, called Communications Arts that zfoxylady had given me 2 years ago (yes, I'm only just getting to it now...), and it is AMAZING! There was this link to a site called Trend Hunter... This could keep me busy for months. Too bad the internet is so slow at work (not to mention circumcised of anything remotely interesting).

End #3: Last weekend, at a Symphony concert I heard my favorite pianist to date: Orli Shaham. Technique, confidence, touch, the girl had it all. After the first movement she reached for a handkerchief to wipe her hands and accidently hit the keyboard with her elbow. Without losing any composure she turned to the audience and said "that's why I don't reach for it during the piece". What a way to work the audience and keep it cool! I was immensely impressed, and incredibly grateful to my supervisor who allowed me to sneak in to the concert for this piece. Wicked impressive.

Impossible thing: I had a job interview yesterday. It's a temp job, but one where I would be copy-writing. Keep your fingers crossed.

Been Thinkin' Bout...

2010-05-11T16:23:00.001-07:00

Fashion Flash: Left, cameo/bling necklace purchased for legally brunette's birthday. Right, bib collar necklace - been on the radar for quite some time...

Below, Ikat print dress, keep thinking about the Ikat print. Granted it's trendy, but you can also do so many things with it...

Impossible Things:

-reading for class, Finished!
-I will adopt a new kitty
-I will get a full-time job with benefits...

Words, Words, Words

2010-05-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

Some people are obsessed with words. I like words. I like their trips and slips down the tongue. I like that I can be either profane or inane simply by the vocabulary I choose. According to an article by Grant Barrett of New York Times Style Magazine, some of the words that appear highest on word-beautiful lists are:

sky

love

mother

defenestration (I have no idea why)

lollygag

and JRR Tolkien's favorite:

cellar door (for some reason this is thought to be particularly melodic... )

Tolkien was a mean philologist, that is, a student of languages. Or perhaps master would be more accurate...

My fav. words at this moment:

sky

bibliophile

philologist (now that I have discovered it)

spinner

atrocious

shocking

galumph (a Lewis Carroll creation)

jaberwocky

tremulous

Lovely, delightful, delicious, tasty. Impossible. Word.

Beauty in Form

2010-05-06T23:22:00.000-07:00

I was meandering back to my car after work and stopped by The Salt Lake Art Center to visit a friend (previously my most glamorous Style Wars model) and saw this fantastic sculpture exhibit called Launch 11. It is constructed by young artists/graduates who won a national sculpture competition. I was blown away by the beauty in form.

Apparently some lucky intern got to cut out little paper bits to go under each wax hand sculpture; the staff had to set in place each hand in at least a 12' by 12' space. The lighting made it look so cool!

This piece blew my mind. It is a welded metal sculpture -- the curves!

Impossible Things:

-Desert is the most important meal in the day

-Our day is planned around dessert

-I own the most beautiful whirly-gig sculpture to post in my garden

Piracy

2010-05-03T21:08:00.001-07:00

I've been reading a lot about finances lately. What with all the Wall Street shenanigans and the government cleanup, we've all been reading a lot about it. Personally, I favor more regulation of Wall Street, banks, corporations; you name it (The Lady Brass has informed me that I have now focused my repressed anger towards corporations :D).

Quite honestly I truly believe that organizations which harvest a huge profit are creating a negative balance in our communities. Once a company's profit margins begin to rise, no one is satisfied. In business, moderate gain is never enough: it's all about profit and yet more profit. The major defect of this system is that it creates a class that is extremely wealthy and a class that is direly poor.

Our prosperity has made us pirates.

So Tired...

2010-04-30T23:16:00.004-07:00

I apologize, fair readers for my longest absence yet. Finals are over (as of my final reflection essay submitted tonight, 12:13 am), the condo where I was a guest for three weeks is spic and span, Hank has been well brushed and left to the mercies of his mother. Tomorrow I work The Temptations performance. I'll let you know how it goes...

Cheers!

Chaz The Exhausted

An Exhausted Stupor

2010-04-24T22:30:00.003-07:00

We have been working wicked hard, as you can see, on our final projects. They are all due Monday and Tuesday of next week. Wish us luck as we finish up!

Such difficult working conditions...

A preview of the website design for my technical-writing class project. It's not done yet, but imagine my absolute delight when I was able to build the basic home page in about 2 hours! I am learning something from my classes!

What-ho!

2010-04-22T13:33:00.002-07:00

I've been tremendously busy with finals and what not. Below is the cover pic for a brochure I am working on for Spectrum Designs Intermountain (same company I am designing the website for). Everything is due next week and my fingers are running over the keyboard as quickly as possible!

Occasionally I work to the melodious comedy of Jeeves and Wooster. The fantastic greeting "What-ho" is as synonymous with Wooster as "What-up" is with us today (or perhaps just with me...). I am quite enjoying the greeting variation. Ta-ta for now.

Zfoxylady, LA Edition

2010-04-18T22:29:00.003-07:00

Well. Certain of the Brass women have been very busy yet again (and, lucky for them, not with homework). Apparently zfoxylady has been on the waiting list to see Dancing With The Stars for quite some time and received that fleeting phone call last weekend! She and a friend rushed out to find appropriate fancy-wear and away they flew. The chica in the pic below with the flower is zfoxy. Some peeps get all the luck.

While in LA, the lucky girls also took a ride to check out the local scenery. As for the rest of us, legally brunette and I have been holed up doing homework, with not even time to web cam. The Lady Brass has been madly doing genealogy after a coincidental facebook meeting with some sort of cousin, who has related materials. And Hankie, my current house-feline, has been played with extensively by his devoted (and exhausted) housemate. Below, more of zfoxy's weekend pics.

I would definitely class zfoxy's weekend as an impossible thing. Certainly not something I'd have thought of before breakfast however...

Spring is Sprung... Again!, #2

2010-04-15T17:04:00.002-07:00

There is a multi-family yard sale going on this Saturday April 17 to raise money for a family whose home has been foreclosed. Stop by if you have time:

3281 E Millcreek Road (3525 South)

8 am - 1 pm

And in regards to spring sprunging #2, see below:

Above, tulips shot in the morning light (outside my temp digs).

My (temporary) housemate whom I see in both morning and evening light.

And in the evening light, the gorgeous flowering tree in the yard.

Spring is Sprung... Again!

2010-04-13T17:56:00.001-07:00

Leilani Productions is currently showing A Flickering at Provo Theatre Company. I have heard the show is excellent -- check this Deseret News Review.

Also, some profile pics from the show and a note from the playwright: A Flickering.

Bling and All Things Related

2010-04-08T15:58:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was that momentous occasion, The Bead and Gem Faire. Every year I send out the information to anyone I think might be remotely interested in spending far too much money on baubles and bling. It's brilliant!

Funny Anecdote: At our house we send frequent mobile phone picks to my Gran, Jinx, 'cause she likes to receive fotos to look at. So The Lady Brass took the above foto to send out. When I received it I thought, "where did she see that? It's brilliant! I wonder what booth that was in..."

Speaking with her later she told me that she had staged this foto since she had forgotten to take more at the actual faire. And then it hit me. These blingey things have sat on our coffee table for at least a year. The two "gems" zfoxylady has used in displays for her work and the beaded necklace was brought back from Africa by The Wild Karrde. Seriously?! The situation rather tickled my funny bone.

These are my take-homes from the faire this year:

The two rings I ADORE. The beads I bought with some gifts in mind for friends, and the pendants, well, who can own too many pendants...

Spring is Sprung...

2010-04-06T14:52:00.003-07:00

zfoxylady was wicked busy over Easter weekend make little flower clips. You all know our love of accessories, so we enjoyed her crafty mo'.

Tropical colors are especially enticing to zfoxylady.

Chaz was busy to. I uploaded my first web site to the net. You can see this designs at www.spectdesintm.com. It's clearly not complete yet, but boy howdy! What a lot of work!

Birthday Help...

2010-04-03T21:21:00.001-07:00

legally brunette, who is visiting for Easter weekend, has submitted her birthday list for our perusal. She has always greatly enjoyed creating a birthday list, which the lady brass instilled in her at a young age, to keep her distracted from other things. The one flaw in this system is The Wild Karrde. He insists on buying things in this manner, "I just happened to be driving past a garage sale and thought I ought to get you a birthday present..." (this particular occasion was the birthday celebration of zfoxylady. The gift was not well received and currently resides in Chaz's room).

So. Tonight I was at the magical Target with the sisters, when I found the perfect thing, a Charlie Brown comic made of mosaic fotos 1000 piece puzzle! As we drove home I was struck by yet another brilliant idea. When I walked in the door I said "Dad, I have found the ultimate birthday present that you are going to give me". Sheer brilliance I tell you. This upcoming birthday I await with anticipation. I will be getting exactly what I picked out! At least I hope so. With The Wild Karrde you never know.

As for legally brunette's present, well, I'm still working on that.

Easter Approacheth!

2010-03-30T22:16:00.001-07:00

The lady brass adores baby animals. When her sister emailed these pics, we quite enjoyed looking at them. Spring is springing. It certainly makes one feel muchier.

zfoxylady, Weekend Edition

2010-03-28T17:14:00.003-07:00

zfoxylady attended the annual Holi Festival at the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork. Although the weather was cold, it was clear as you can see.

Welcome spring!

New Look?

2010-03-26T19:23:00.003-07:00

Above is a web page design I've been working on for my flash media class. The basic page stays the same, just the content changes. Whadya' think? Certainly is a much more suave chaz, no? I love the colors, though not so much the background image, I will probably change that. Still, it is fun to play.

Impossible thing of the day: eating a stale Easter peep. I'll shall elaborate later.

Can't Help Myself...

2010-03-24T19:29:00.006-07:00

GOP. Do you know what those initials stand for? It took me awhile to grasp that they are simply another name for the Republican Party, although I still didn't get how they related. Do you really know what GOP means? The Grand Old Party!!! I mean seriously!!! I nearly fell off my chair when I discovered that something so conservative had as silly a name as the Grand Old Party.

I really can't help myself: I'm going to share a few points gleaned from a fantastic article in Rolling Stone: The GOP's Dirty War by Tim Dickinson (and if you question my source check it out for yourself - Rolling Stone prints some pretty hard-hitting articles).

#1 The GOP has "promised to fix everything that is wrong with Washington - despite having waged an all-out war to make government appear as broken as possible."

-they voted against the stimulus package even though it offered the largest tax cut in history (aren't tax cuts what Republicans hold most dear?)

-they blocked pay-as-you-go budget rules, which would force the government to make spending cuts to pay for new federal programs (doesn't the GOP contain some of the most fiscally conservative peeps ever?)

-they rejected any efforts by Obama to create a bipartisan deficit commission (pretty much the same plan introduced under Bush - and talk about fair play, has a Republican ever wanted to play fair, bipartisan play fair?)

-most of the Republicans I know assume that there have been no benefits from the stimulus package

But I ask you this, peeps, would we be able to maintain the stasis we have now if it weren't for the stimulus package? Wouldn't many more people be laid off without it? Just because we don't see a huge upward surge in the job market doesn't mean the plan isn't doing it's job - it's maintaining what we have come to expect everyday. Things could be A LOT worse.

Banana, Banana

2010-03-20T15:37:00.011-07:00

legallybrunette sent me this foto, so I had to share; we all know how I ADORE product packaging. She especially pointed out the Papillon lettering. Question: how would you fit the word papillon onto a license plate (my current plate is a variation on Firefly - for reasons involving Joss Whedon)?

Now in other adventures, more like gastronomic pleasures past and future, I introduce to you, Banana bread! Nothing new, just goal finally completed. I have had this desire, since college to take any bananas that go soft and smushy in my household and make banana bread from them rather than throw them out. Back in the day this meant that these ufos (bananas, often posing as unidentified frozen objects), which flew out of the freezer upon opening the door where they were placed for storage until an unforseeable future time to engage in banana bread making was decided upon, amassed in great numbers. More recently, however, I found a recipe on the net, tried it, and Success! It is really delish!

I also discovered that this stuff is really pretty amazing for the digestive system. I won't elaborate on that, but will be making it again fo' sho'.

Here is what you have been waiting for, the details:

Ingredients:

-3or4 ripe bananas, smashed

-1/3 cup butter

-1 cup sugar (I reduced this to 3/4 cup and made it brown sugar)

-1 egg, beaten

-1 tsp vanilla

-1 tsp baking soda

-pinch of salt

-1 1/2 cups of flour (Question? Does anyone understand why the phrase all-purpose flour is always mentioned recipes? Is there another kind to use?)

-3/4 cup chocolate chips (mmmmmm)

Anyhoo, the instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (unless you are like me, my oven heats so fast I wait to do this until later).

2. With a wooden spoon mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large bowl. I mashed the bananas with the spoon into the butter as pictured below. It seemed to work well.

3. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.

4. Sprinkle baking soda, and salt over mixture and mix in.

5. Add flour last, mix.

6. Pour mixture into buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour (I did about 55 min).

7. Cool on a rack.

and wallah! You end up with delicious, and not overly-bananish bread. Fabu. Bon Appetit!

2010-03-17T16:22:00.005-07:00

Quick link to candid fotos of fashion divas on the way to last month's fashion shows.

If you are patient enough you can see Anna Wintour...

2010-03-14T21:18:00.002-07:00

The Knave of Hearts, he stole some tarts...

Impossible Thing 3.14: strawberry tarts made by myself and impossibly delightful.

Perfume of the day: Lanvin (I don't know the name of it, but it is aqua colored and rather fresh smelling).

Six Impossible Things

2010-03-12T18:52:00.006-07:00

I was so busy soap-boxing last post that I forgot to announce my new theme for the year! It just discovered me as I watched Alice last weekend:

I often think of six impossible things before breakfast.

This is uttered as a statement of fact to the Mad Hatter who responds, "that is a very good practice, but perhaps just now you should concentrate..." (you'll have to go see the film to figure out how this applies...)

So here are my six impossible things for today (although rather well after breakfast):

- I own a red mustang (interior of gorgeous new red 2009 mustang pictured above)

-animals can talk, especially my kitties

-my kitties who have passed over will appear and evaporate as the Cheshire Cat

-my walls are built entirely of shelves which invite the acquisition of more books

-I always have a perfect view which corresponds with my mood (right now breezy Mediterranean)

-My Dad steps out of his self-created reality for just a few hours.

Alice!

2010-03-09T17:14:00.009-07:00

I attended the lovely Alice in Wonderland last weekend, twice as a matter of fact, and enjoyed it immensely. I was surprised to discover that some friends found it "boring" and not fitting their ideas of a "Tim Burton film". This has given me an excuse to launch into some musings on the art of film and the responsibility, or failure to own responsibility, that occurs in the visual media world today. If you are wondering how I arrived at this morality lecture from the lovely jaunt that is Alice, let me say this: a well-designed, well-presented film is shown in theaters; it is attended by people of all ages, especially children, yet older, more jaded viewers feel let down. Why is this? Why does our ADHD need be indulged every moment? How often do we mistake titillation for quality?

While finishing a book for my Visual Rhetoric class last semester, I found in it expressed the exact same thoughts I had had previously about a certain film. The text is Visual Intelligence by Ann Marie Seward Barry. The exact section I found so illuminating is titled "Media Images and Violence." It discusses Quentin Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction. For any of you who have seen Pulp Fiction, you know what I am talking about: casual violence. Here is the revelatory comment I found in Barry's text, "Those with media savvy found the film delightfully funny; those without it were deeply disturbed at the new attitude as much in evidence in the audience as in the film itself."

I remember a friend saying that within the context of the film the violence of Pulp Fiction was meant to be funny. I thought about that and still rejected it as a poor excuse for the content of the film. How On Earth is that sort of violence justifiable? It just isn't, even if it's pretend.

A few years later I had a similar experience after viewing a film called Fight Club. "It's quirky. It's amazing. The production design is incredible." I wanted to apply all of those justifications to my personal review of the film, but mostly all I remember feeling was disturbed.

So if you go out to see Alice, or any film, think about what you are watching. Film footage that includes incredibly fast cuts from scene to scene and ever-escalating violent and sexual acts are incredibly stimulating, not to mention well-practiced hooks used to gain ratings and attract viewers.

Are you controlling what you watch? Or are the corporate media conglomerates? Do you find yourself more paranoid after watching certain films or shows (a question asked by Barry in Visual Intelligence)? Do you find that you are desensitized towards escalated acts of violence committed in the name of entertainment? I certainly have.

Food for thought.

Busy, busy, busy...

2010-03-07T13:28:00.004-07:00

The Brass women have been excessively busy. zfoxylady arrived in L.A. yesterday to work the swag fest at the Oscars. She sent me some of her fotos. On arrival:

Out in the Hills, Beverly Hills that is...
Enjoying the atmosphere, think there is enough crystal?
And the swag booth for MonaVie looks fantastic!

Meanwhile, Lady Brass has been traveling across the western United States with Grandma Ginger headed to a special ceremony honoring all members of the Plumber's and Steam-fitters' Union who passed away last year (ie my Grandpa, Charlie Brown).

I have been receiving a regular string of texts (translation of Lady Brass terms and accompanying Chaz commentary in parenthesis) from the travelers:

-BK stop (breakfast) -- a Mexican dive with multiple split booth seats, no tp (toilet paper), and no cockroaches I hope! No cell service towers yet either... (cell phone towers a must for two women who enjoy the gift of gab...)

-Tractor crossing next 8 miles?!

-Just stopped at Cactus Pete casino in Jackson Hole!

-Nevada signage: Vote for anyone but Harry Reid-- Give Henry hell!

-Rolling through Boise. Yahoo a whole forest of cell towers! A whole sky of rain too.

-Went to see the old cabin site in Sumpter. It is just past the new Mosquito Flat Fire Station on what is now called Huckleberry Loop Road. The Sumpter Nugget is closed down and for sale (the Grandparents had a string of favorite cafes where they were regulars when occupying certain locales).

-Super 8 -- super sad place: burned out light bulb in overhead fixture, broken dresser drawer, filthy wall and carpet... all for $5 difference from the wonderful accommodations the previous night (note the sarcastic tone here)!

-Dust basin next 40 miles -- yup we're gettin' close to home!

-P U got behing a truckload of Walla Walla sweet onions crossing Columbia River at McNary Dam into WA.

And then I think they finally arrived at the Red Lion Hotel. When they made it out to the old homestead Mum said it looked run down but the house had held up well. Of course the old place is built of freaking cinderblocks...

And that's it for now. I pray my sore throat of today goes away...

Papillon, Chaz-Style

I'm an Author!

Odd Work Project

Ode a-la Art Museum

Stages of Grief: Affliction of the Sweet Tooth

Words, Words, and More Words

Not-A-Gnome Scavenger Hunt

Birthdays in the House!

Orchid Fest

Spare Mo'

Current Status:

Gettin' Back in the Groove

Digital Photo Editing Final

Giddy Yup...

Snapshot Friday

Schnitzel, No Noodles

if they don't fit, I'll turn them into pillows...

Sport Support...

Yay!

Story of My Life...

Orange, My Favorite Color!

Salute to the Mad Hatter

October Attire

Top 3 Stories for a Friday Evening

Self-Portrait

Back in the Game. Sort of.

Unexpected

Final Class Assignment: Triptych

Dress Details...

Ascension Adventure, Sneak Peak...

Project...

Hmmmmm.

Some of My Favorite (Unrelated) Things

Can't Help Myself...

Preview...

Heavy Lifting...

All that Glitters...

With Love, from the Capital City O' Salt

We Remember You.

Baked Goods Get Ugly...

Projeeeeect Runwaaaaaay!

Mexican Art

Fashion as Photograph

It's Still Summer...

A Little Late... (SPOILER ALERT, EXCUSES HERE)

More Summer Moments

Highlights and Lowlights...

Just a Minute...

Purely Pictorial...

Retro Great Salt Lake

Costumes, Opera of Course

Summer In the Capital City 'O Salt

When Fashion Tries To Hard

Work, work, and more work...

Rockin' Under the Stars!

Salute

The Fool's Cap World Map...

Love, sweet love...

Top Five

The Perfect Birthday Present

Presenting...

Birthday Day...

Ergh.

Can you believe it?

Odds 'n Ends

Been Thinkin' Bout...

Words, Words, Words

Beauty in Form

Piracy

So Tired...

An Exhausted Stupor

What-ho!

Zfoxylady, LA Edition

Spring is Sprung... Again!, #2

Spring is Sprung... Again!

Bling and All Things Related

Spring is Sprung...

Birthday Help...

Easter Approacheth!

zfoxylady, Weekend Edition