Vivien Leigh

i came across this picture of vivien leigh, taken in 1958.

i cannot stop looking at it.

it was taken by roloff beny.

she was 45.

she had won 2 oscars.

one for playing scarlett o'hara

and one for playing blanche dubois.

she transcended some overwrought material

(sorry margaret and tennesee) to create characters

who became immortal.

by the time this photo was taken,

she had lived a life that was sadly more

dramatic than any character she played.

she felt handicapped by her beauty,

and beny was masterful at

photographing majestic ruins.

worked out well for this photo.

if you want to read more about her,

here you go.

ttyl.

Adventures in Sobriety

hey there.

i've been away for awhile.

from the blog that is.

today's topic is drinking. booze.

i don't drink.

i bet some of you are surprised.

i used to drink.

like most people who don't drink.

when you don't drink, you see lots of funny things around you in the drinking world.

well, not always funny "ha ha" but funny "odd odd."

these are some random things i've learned about not drinking:

1. it makes not smoking a lot easier.

2. just as some people didn't like me when i drank, some people don't like me because i quit.

3. some people, when i tell them i don't drink, must say to themselves, "wow, she must have been really bad" as they sip their 19th beer.

4. bars are gross and dark and smelly when you aren't one of their flies.

5. people are so much less funny than they think they are when they're drunk. and they repeat
themselves constantly.

6. i don't ever miss it. i think of this as sort of a miracle.

7. i don't miss waking up and wondering wtf i said the night before and why.

8. it amazed me that some of my friends said they never thought i drank too much. now i think it's hilarious.

9. in mexico, ordering a margarita without tequila is abnormal behavior.

10. people look at you funny when you say you don't drink. suspiciously.

11. one of my good friends, who drinks often and with great zeal, always says in conversation about my non-drinking: "again, why?" "once again, what is the point?" and it makes me laugh every time. at least she doesn't pretend to understand.

12. another one of my good friends, who is quite a bit younger, used to call me to pick him up when he was too drunk to drive. he always said he didn't know one other person he could call in this situation. i know this is true and it's really kind of stunning.

13. i was usually the most fun person in the room, and the most drunk. i like to think i still am the most fun person in the room. this too is kind of a miracle to me.

14. fortunately i don't have one of those hideous stories to tell about the day i hit bottom.
i just decided to quit one day and did. it was 3 days before 9/11/01. so i think it's funny to say some people thought hell would freeze over when i quit drinking, but instead new york blew up. even though that in itself is so not funny.

15. i grew up thinking that parents who didn't drink were weird. and square. and couldn't possibly be having fun. in fact, i think only one of my friends had parents who didn't drink. and they were such fantastic people. they taught me a lot. my parents had the party house most of my childhood and had insane friends who were hilarious and taught me a lot as well. as they got older, it really wasn't funny anymore. my dad stopped drinking all together in hopes that my mom would. she never did however. she also hated it that i did. it really pissed her off.

16. i don't know what's up with the margins in this post but i can't fix it. pretend you're drunk.

17. it bugs me when some people i know drink, and i don't mind a bit with others. i cannot
explain this at all. it drives my husband nuts.

18. i love the book and movie postcards from the edge and relate completely to it. when carrie fisher/meryl streep says, and i'm paraphrasing--"thank god i got sober just in time to really feel the shitty things that were about to happen to me..." well, that's me.

19. thank god i got sober in time to feel the really shitty things that were going to happen to me. i think of my wisdom gained as yet another miracle.

damn. i meant to try to be funnier here.

maybe next time.

trust me, i can be frikkin hilarious when it comes to talking about drinking.

Just Folks

while in santa barbara, one place i wanted to visit
was a shop/gallery dedicated to folk and outsider art.
it's in a beautiful town a few miles beyond sb called summerland.
two women, marcy carsey and susan baerwald,
both from the tv/show biz arena--seriously, google them--decided to turn their shared passion for american folk art into a shop that would display their wondrous collection
in a custom built setting.
they called it just folk.

the collection is an event.
wander through the gallery and see american history through the eyes of people
with such imagination, perserverance and spirit.
the materials used to build the space are so creatively blended with the art,
the result is a tranquil, happy place to spend an hour or two.

what exactly is folk art?

from the just folk website...

These artists have produced, from the depths of their own personalities (for themselves and no one else) works of outstanding originality in concept, subject and technique. They are works that owe nothing to tradition or fashion. They are linear or dimensional expressions of inner worlds. In some way, we can say they are “unfiltered,” which implies pure, honest and unique visions. We feel that is why they speak to us in such a singular way. That’s how we define folk art.

here's the outside--why didn't i take a better pic? now you have to go see it yourself.

brian cearnal and his associate, adam cunningham

were the architect and designer of the award-winning structure.

we were so lucky to meet fernando giron and deirdre gerry,

who were running things that day--and we soon

were chatting away

like old friends.

our conversation ran the gamut from earrings to funerals.

they truly were the two friendliest people we met all weekend.

they encouraged us to wander around and enjoy the space.

for some reason, i didn't think i could take pictures of anything but them.

i now realize that was ridiculous--

but also i wasn't distracted by taking photos.

here are some things we saw, photos and info courtesy of their website.

WHALERS OIL TRADE SIGN

Early 19th Century, from Bedford Massachusetts, hand-carved wood with hand-forged chain.

Alvin E. Friedman-Klein collection.

32" x 17.25"

FOLK ART DOG

Circa 1920, found in New Jersey, wood frame with wrapped canvas, leather belt made into collar, hand painted chocolate and beige.

41"L x 33" H

RED GOAT WEATHERVANE

Two-sided sheet metal weathervane, lovely patina.

31.5 L" x 27.5 H"

AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY

Circa 1950, wood, hand carved and hand painted. Signed “ARW"

4"-6" tall.

PELICAN #13

Enamel, marker on board. Howard Finster.

23" x 17.5"

COBBLERS BENCH

Handmade, pine cobblers bench, small seat with nail heads, many drawers for tools.

46" L x 25" H

WOOD SHINGLED HOUSE WITH TURRET

Wood house with front porch, stone chimney and shingled roof.

18" high.

ABILENE BANK

White painted house modeled on a bank in Texas.

Incredible detail. Tan wood shingled roof with glass windows.

32" high.

TRAMP ART WALL SHELF

A unique tramp art carving with hearts and horseshoe motifs,

two drawers with hidden cubbies throughout. A truly original piece.

37" x 20"

BLACK BEAR AND TROUT

Carved wood and hand painted, 1992. Leroy Archuleta.

53"L x 30" H

being able to absorb the energy and passion

present in this space

truly gives one perspective--

these handmade

expressions of human spirit

deliver a world that is both personal and universal.

thanks again, deirdre and fernando.

thanks to all who created just folk.

Footprints

While in santa barbara the first week in April,

my husband went out for an early Sunday morning walk.

He walked to the beach closest to us, at Stearns wharf.

There, he was stunned to see

hundreds of crosses in the sand, row after row of them.

Symbols of lives lost in Iraq.

This monument, constructed in the sand once a month,

is the work of the Veterans for Peace organization.

They've stopped at 3000 for now, because of space issues.

He spoke with one of the people there and learned

the crosses had names on them,

and a directory was provided

to help you find someone you might know.

He looked for someone from his hometown.

This young man was the 11th Iowan killed in Iraq.

He found the cross, put a memorial there,

and kept a card with the young man's name on it.

When we returned to Iowa, he called the man's parents,

just to tell them what he'd seen,

in case they didn't know this amazing memorial existed.

The man's dad told him he just happened

to be calling on the fifth anniversary of his son's death,

April 6, that day.

They talked about the son for awhile.

A wise friend I told this to said it was a little miracle.

I like the idea of miracles being out there for the taking.

Recently Seen in Santa Barbara

Beauty is the norm.

i chose an orange lipstick

Happy Easter,

Here, I simply took off the hat, and changed my jewelry and lipstick.

Check it out.

note: since i posted this, it was removed from youtube. but there's this anyway.

ps

Snake and jeans are a great look.

ps 7-3-09

why is everyone googling orange lipstick all the sudden???

don't tell me it's the happening thing?

The Original Mrs. O

In case you were wondering how to dress

if you ever find yourself in this situation.

First Lady Jackie Kennedy and her sister

Lee Radziwill on official visit to India and Pakistan, 1962.

don't look in the basement

ok, do.

hug

look around.

no doubt there's someone who needs a hug.

just do it.