Vent

On Allowing The Character

2012-05-28T00:00:00.000-04:00

I just recently watched the movie, Julie and Julia, and it never ceases to amazes me how Meryl Streep morphs into any character she portrays.

Because she’s an icon, you can’t help but see that it is Meryl Streep, but she also has the ability to make you forget that it’s her. She disappears.

As it was in her brilliant characterization of Julia Child.

After 10 minutes of viewing this film, I honestly thought I was watching Julia Child.

I haven’t seen The Iron Lady yet, but from the looks of it, Meryl has once again embodied the essence of the legendary, Margaret Thatcher.

In past posts, I’ve shared several experiences of what it’s like to be an actor, and the process you go through in getting to heart of the character you’re portraying.

I know this sounds strange, but my approach to acting has always been in allowing the character to become me, rather than “I” become the character.

I approach a character from the outside in; starting with their physicality.

It could be something as simple as the way a character walks with a cane, talks with an accent, wears eyeglasses, or a particular style of clothing. This is especially helpful if the character is from another time period, because clothing from another period will not only make an actor move their body in different way, but also feel a different way.

Once I get a grasp on even ONE physical characteristic, it opens me to the internal life of the person I’m portraying.

It’s an odd approach, but it seems to work for me.

I’m also one of those actors who does not like to think too much about my acting. I would rather abandon myself to a role, and then see where it takes me.

Acting is very much like living life. If you just get out of the way, life takes you where you need to go.

Many of my longtime readers know of my portrayal as the Wicked Stepmother in the musical version of “Cinderella.”

I had always wanted to portray a woman onstage and finally got my wish when I was hired by a professional children’s theater, whilst still living in Florida.

This was one of those roles in which I really needed to get a sense of the physicality, because a woman walks, talks, and sits differently than a man.

My costume for this role was extremely important, so I asked the director if he could get me a pair of women’s shoes and a rehearsal skirt as soon as possible because I needed to learn how to move in them.

Rehearsing for a show is a progression. You start symbolically naked, and then gradually layer the costume, makeup and hair, until you get to the final dress rehearsal, when everything culminates.

This is a photo me backstage as the Wicked Stepmother in full costume. The gentleman you see standing to my left is, Rick, who designed my wig and costume. He built the costume from scratch and his attention to detail was brilliant. I wore a female body mold under the dress, which included a waistline, hips, buttocks, and BOOBS. Also, (which you can’t see) I wore Little Bo Peep ruffled pantaloons, so that when I lifted my dress while walking onstage, they peeked out from underneath.

I created the makeup myself, which took over an hour to apply before each performance.

Once I had everything on, I WAS the Wicked Stepmother. And it’s funny, even when I wasn’t onstage, I still walked around backstage as the character because the costume made my body and soul feel like a real woman.

Magically, the Wicked Stepmother had become me…..

Work it, girl!

Photo Potpourri Of City Life

2012-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hola everyone!

I would like to conclude my posting this week with a potpourri of photographs I’ve taken over the past 7-8 months.

I will quite often take photos and upload them to my computer where they stay for a while, until I decide to tweak them a bit by cropping and sharpening.

Some of these photos date back to late last fall yet, when I look at them against the vivid blue sky, they appear as though they were taken during the spring and summer.

I can never tell what my eye will be drawn to when I use my camera. I think it all depends on the mood I’m in that day. Sometimes I’m in the mood to photograph shadows and reflections, people, unique store signs, and then other times simply the diverse architecture in this city.

So allow me to share an array of city images with you.

Please enjoy…

Lobby entrance to one of the office buildings in Center City

Tree branch shadows

View down a cobblestone street in Old City

Swarovski Crystal Store

Vetri, an Italian restaurant on Spruce Street

A bicycle stand made out of a drill and chain

Window reflection off the Old Stock Exchange Building

A rooftop terrace in Old City

If you look at this photo very carefully, you will notice that dog owner and dog have the exact same profile and body language. Is that not ADORABLE?

Graffiti on a building off Samson Street

Let's tiptoe through the tulips.

Wishing you a terrific weekend everyone!

And Happy Memorial Day…..X

Yes, I'm Going To Fly To Florida

2012-05-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

For the past several weeks, I have vacillated between taking a plane or an Amtrak train down to Florida, when I visit my family at the end of June.

As most of you already know….I HATE FLYING.

I’m a wuss, I know, but I’m scared SHITLESS.

And yet, I think it’s odd that I actually find ‘taking off’ in a plane exhilarating and enjoyable. But once I’m up above the clouds, my mind starts running a mile a minute; paranoid over every little noise I hear coming from the engines.

I’m one of those passengers who studies the emergency manual for the duration of the flight and rehearses the crash position, while clutching my rosary beads and praying to Mother Mary I won’t die by falling from the sky.

I’m also one of those passengers who when the plane experiences any amount of turbulence, I nervously start humming the Judy Garland song, “Happy”, to take my mind off the fact that what I really want to do is grab the person sitting next to me by the collar and scream, "SAVE ME!!!"

Yes, I would do almost anything to avoid flying. To the point, I’ve even considered coating my body with petroleum jelly and just swimming to Florida.

I’m not in any hurry to travel quickly on this trip, so I thought that instead of taking a short 2 ½ hr. flight, I’d I ride the rails for 24 hrs. so I could be on the ground rather than 30,000 feet in the air; enjoying the passing scenery.

I sincerely love train travel, but do I love it enough to sit on a train (in coach) for 24 hrs., not able to bathe, shave, or sleep properly; arriving in Florida and greeting my mother and brother at the train station looking like a cockroach that had just been squashed by a shoe?

I did quite a bit of research online, reading the opinions of people who have traveled Amtrak long distance and it was NOT a pretty picture. Their biggest complaints were long delays, grumpy train employees, noisy, overpriced meals, and unclean bathroom facilities. I thought of forking out the extra money and booking a private compartment, but for the upgrade in price I could have my teeth veneered. Plus, I also read that private train compartments are not all they’re cracked up to be.

And can you believe that Amtrak DOES NOT provide Wi-Fi service on their long distance trips? I mean how the HELL can I possibly sit on a train for 24 hrs. and not be able to get online to BLOG about it?

After mulling all this over in my mind, I remembered that 2012 was going to be a year of change, growth, and facing my fears.

So, I’ve decided to FACE my fear this year, and will be booking a flight to Florida.

Right now I feel calm and confident about my choice because this trip is over a month away. But as the date approaches for me to board that DEADLY aircraft, I know I’ll be FREAKING OUT; contending with sleepless nights and runny bowel movements.

In the meantime, I think I better start practicing my Judy Garland humming of “Happy.”

Oh, and I have a question for those of you who have flown lately….

…do planes now come with a built-in parachute?

On Tom Ford And Perfection

2012-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Over two years ago, I shared a post about visionary, Tom Ford.

And if you remember, the reason I shared that post was because one of my readers had asked me in an earlier comment, what my ‘physical type’ was in a man. And although I don’t have ONE type - because to me, attractiveness encompasses the whole package – if I had to choose a type based initially on ‘looks’ only, it would be someone like Tom Ford.

And truly, can you blame me?

*hubba-hubba*

Not only do I find this brown eyed, stubbled face man attractive on a physical level, but I also find him attractive in his ability to move from one creative endeavor to another, and that everything he creates is done with such passion and detail. I love the fact that Tom Ford is not afraid to try new things; stretching himself by taking chances. And it’s amazing, because everything he touches turns to gold.

Tom Ford is not only an interior architect and clothing designer, but also a fragrance designer, filmmaker, and now has his own line of cosmetics.

I just recently watched a fascinating online documentary on Tom Ford, which revealed so much about the man behind the brand. Honestly, if you have some time this weekend, please watch it because you will be glued to his every word. It’s a candid documentary about the inner and outer journey this man has taken so far in his life. He has a strong yet, gentle soul that will truly inspire you.

Tom Ford is notorious for his perfectionism.

I found this quote online….

“You know, the world might be a very scary place if it were only run by Virgos. Perfectionists — I don’t know if there are any psychologists in the room — are more prone to depression because perfection is not achievable. Imperfection is perfection but that goes so against the grain. Fashion has a lot of Virgos — Stella McCartney, Karl Lagerfeld, Carine Roitfeld — there are a lot of us. To really obsess about a millimeter on a shoe, it helps to be a Virgo.”

I too am a perfectionist. And that’s probably because my astrological rising sign is Virgo.

But I also think it’s because I’m creative.

Perfectionism is a double-edged sword, because it can be the motivating force that propels you forward to achieve the very best. But it can also wear you down, because as Tom Ford said, imperfection IS perfection, therefore you’ve got to sense when to stop or it will drive you crazy.

After I saw this documentary, I started thinking about all the inventors, artists, and visionaries who have contributed great things to this world; all of whom are/were perfectionists.

If you think about it, most creative-type people are driven to perfection.

And I have my own personal ‘take’ on why that is.

Creativity is something that does not really come from us. Creativity is something that comes through us.

You see, I believe in a Higher Power. Call it God, the Universe, or whatever you choose to believe. Therefore I believe that creativity is not really ours, but rather belongs to the Higher Power that uses us to create on its own behalf. And I think where our obsession for perfection comes in is that we follow our inner promptings to create on behalf; yet at the same time struggle with our human eyes as to what WE think perfection is.

Being an artist/creative person is not easy, because as an artist, we constantly wrestle with the balance of knowing when perfection is achieved. We are often nonconforming and determined. But that’s because we are all in our own way, visionaries.

And I’m so glad that there are people like Tom Ford in this world, because he shows us that striving for perfection is not a negative thing. And that if we don’t at least strive for it….

…we’ll never achieve perfect imperfection.

Wishing you a perfect weekend everyone!

I Wonder....Can People Read?

2012-05-14T00:00:00.001-04:00

It’s been an interesting journey, so far, learning about running ads on a blog.

I’ve tried using a few different advertising companies, one of which I was surprised even accepted me because they normal (and they even stated this in their email) only offer to run their ads on blogs that have a much higher page view than mine, but they decided to accept me anyway because they saw potential.

Ooooo….so I guess I should have felt honored, right? NOT!

I used their services for about two weeks and realized that it was just WAY TOO time consuming, because it involved A LOT leg work in bidding for ad pricing with other bloggers. Also, their whole set up and advertising system was just WAY TOO confusing. So, a few weeks ago I took their ad code off my blog.

After a few other attempts at working with online ad companies who offered to be the “middle man” in getting ads for my blog, I decided that I just wanted to do it myself and make it simpler by offering my own prices, and using an online payment liaison like PayPal.

I did, however, keep my account with Google Affiliate Network, because it enables bloggers to pick and choose the ads they wish to run on their blogs, unlike, AdSense.

I’m mean I’m happy to run ads that I approve of on my blog, and possibly make a supplement, but advertising is not something I want to spend THAT much time on. I mean if this works out to be something lucrative fine, but if it doesn’t, I’m okay with that too.

What I’m doing now (as you can read on the advertising page below my header) is that I’m offering ad space from month to month, and offering a discount on a two month ad run.

You can also read that I have included an advertising guideline on this page, so that potential advertisers CLEARLY understand what is acceptable before they contact me. One of the things I’m adamant about is not offering companies a link exchange or placing their business links within my posts.

It’s one thing to run ads or to OPENLY write sponsored reviews for a company on a blog, but it’s a completely different (and I feel unethical) thing to HIDE business links within my content, just so that advertisers get more TRAFFIC.

This brings me to my point in writing this post.

I wonder….can people READ????

Or do certain persistent businesses choose to ignore it and think that by offering me money to hide their links anyway; I’ll take their bait and bite?

I can’t tell you HOW MANY emails I’ve gotten over the past two months from companies who offered to compensate me for hiding their links, when I specifically say on my ad page that I DO NOT do this.

Last week, I got an email from a company who offered me money to place their link within my next post. And after responding to them by saying, NO, and that I clearly stated this on my advertising page, they had the BALLS to send me another email, requesting that I tell my other blogging friends about their offer in case they were interested in doing it.

OH. MY. GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t these people get the answer NO????????????????

So I’ve decided to write a post about it, in the hopes that they’ll better understand my English.

Advertisers:

I DO NOT OFFER TO HIDE YOUR BUSINESS LINKS WITHIN MY POSTS.

I repeat.

I DO NOT OFFER TO HIDE YOUR BUSINESS LINKS WITHIN MY POSTS.

I repeat.

I DO NOT OFFER TO HIDE YOUR BUSINESS LINKS WITHIN MY POSTS.

And after reading this, if you still insist on sending an email, compensating me for hiding your links within my posts, well then….

Note: And how much do you wanna bet I get another email today, asking me to hide their business link within my posts?

My Love Of Moonstruck

2012-05-11T00:00:00.001-04:00

I love the movie, Moonstruck.

And I love this movie for so many reasons. I love the story, the cast, the direction, and also the fact that it takes place in and around my favorite city on the east coast. Additionally, this film highlights some of the music from my favorite Puccini opera, La Boheme.

Moonstruck is without a doubt the most brilliant depiction of what it’s like to be part of an Italian-American family. It's PASSIONATE.

And what’s really ironic is that the screenwriter, John Patrick Shanley, comes from an Irish-American background, but has always held an affinity for all things Italian.

Every time I watch this film, I can actually feel myself inside the home of the Castorini’s having an acute olfactory sense memory of tomato sauce with garlic simmering on the stove. The house itself reminds me of the home in which my biological mother’s side of the family grew up in. Everything down to the old family photos sitting amongst the half full Chianti wine bottles, to the hand crochet dolies draped over the backs of the living room chairs. The house in this film truly reflects an Italian residence.

This is a film you can literally TASTE with all your senses.

Not only is Moonstruck a humorous, touching and charming tale that weaves three love stories together due to a night of a full moon, but it also gives an accurate underlining example of how the wife of an Italian household is a matriarch.

In many Italian families, it’s the wife who takes care of the family jewels. The husband may THINK he does because he owns the testicles, but it’s the wife who HOLDS them.

And trust me, back when I was a kid, on both sides of my family it was the women who ruled the roost.

But I have to tell you, it worked for them. Because the husbands were happy just going to work and bringing home the bacon and paying the bills; playing cards and smoking cigars with their Italian buddies on the weekends, while the wife took care of everything else. And that included most of the decision making.

Even though I thoroughly enjoy each and every character in this movie, the role of wife/mother Rose Castorini (portrayed by Olympia Dukakis) is my favorite. She flawlessly embodies her character; showing us every little nuance of serious concern over her husbands’ extramarital affair, but also garnishes it with humor. I also think the character of Rose has some of the best lines in the film.

She wonders, “Why do men chase women? And why do men need more than one woman?”

Only to discover it’s because they fear DEATH.

In the final scene, in front of the whole family, Rose confronts her husband telling him that she knows of his infidelity, sternly saying, “I want you to stop seeing her, Cosmo.”

Whereupon, Cosmo stands up, takes both his hands and SLAMS them down on the kitchen table, saying, “O-kay.”

Then Rose says, “And go to confession.”

Finito.

That’s all she had to say, and the problem was solved.

Because she was the matriarch.

*I would like to conclude this post by leaving you with a short video clip from one of my favorite scenes in the movie. And it was hard for me to pick ONE scene, because I love so many.

I give you….. “What the hell happened to you?”

Have a terrific weekend everyone!

And Happy Mother’s Day to all you awesome ladies!

Anatomy Of An Illness

2012-05-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

Today, I’m going to share some personal things about my mother and her recent diagnosis of cancer, and what she’s been experiencing on an emotional level. And just so you know, she has allowed me to share this post with you.

Let me say that what I am about to share is my own personal opinion concerning illness and emotions, and realize that it comes from a very different mindset than most people. Yet, through my own hands-on involvement as a holistic practitioner and volunteering with terminally ill hospice patients, and also those who have been infected and living with the HIV virus, I have come to witness the healing of an illness involving more than just the physical.

Being around individuals, who are either terminally ill or in the process of dying, is very enlightening. Oddly enough, being around these individuals has taught me about living because I find that when someone is facing their own mortality, they openly share things about their lives – things they would have done differently, and things they didn’t notice until they became ill.

When you’re faced with mortality, it seems you go through a ‘life review’; looking back on how you’ve been experiencing your life up until this point.

My mother never went through a period anger about being diagnosed with lung cancer because quite honestly, she’s been a heavy smoker most of her life, therefore she openly admits to having known the possible dangers.

But rather, my mother went through anger about how she was never one to speak up for herself. My mother is a very easy-going person; always giving others the benefit of the doubt. She doesn’t like upsetting the apple cart, thus most of her life she’s kept her mouth closed. She was raised at a time when children were taught not to talk back or speak up because it was disrespectful. She was also taught that other people knew more than she did.

Since being diagnosed with cancer, my mother has had some very interesting experiences with certain friends being controlling; trying to tell her what to do in a very forceful manner.

Also, prior to being diagnosed, she had certain medical professionals ignore her promptings for further testing because she could sense for a very long time that something was seriously wrong.

I guess because I’m someone who is very passionate when I get angry, it doesn’t make me uncomfortable when other people do the same, because I understand. When I’m angry, I’m angry, and I’ve have never had any reservations about expressing it. Throughout the years, I’ve learned how to express my anger in a more constructive way, but there is still no hiding when I’m angry.

Anger gets a bum rap because we’re taught that anger is BAD. But as far as I can tell, anger is like any other emotion – it’s there to be felt and expressed. Anger in itself is not harmful, however the underlining unexpressed reason for anger is.

And I guarantee that if you think back on times when you’ve been really angry, it’s been because you weren’t expressing something that needed to be expressed. Your boundaries were being encroached upon and you weren’t confronting it because you didn’t want to feel anger – which made you angrier.

For the first week after my mother got home from the hospital, she expressed a great deal of anger over the phone. It wasn’t directed at me, it was directed at how she couldn’t tolerate certain people telling her what to do any longer, and how her primary medical doctor’s office was making all sorts of mistakes with her appointments, prescriptions, and their overall neglect. At one point, she said, “I can’t get over how angry I’ve been lately, Ronnie. I got so angry in the doctor’s office today that I actually picked up a pencil and threw it across the room, and said, “No…you WILL get my prescription for me today because I need it NOW!”

And do know what I said? “Good for you…it’s about time you threw a pencil!”

I knew the reason for her sudden anger was because she was simply addressing the MANY years of allowing other people to push her around and that she had had enough. But I never mentioned it to her.

Yet it’s ironic, because one day she said to me, “This anger feels as though I’m letting go of emotions that I’ve never expressed before. Almost like getting rid of poison.”

And that’s when I said to her, “You’re absolutely right, so let those emotions RIP!”

Honestly? I think the reason that my mother is doing so well right now with her treatment of cancer is because she’s taken back her personal power; not allowing others to control her choices and speaking up about it.

Over these past few months, I’ve witness an amazing transformation occurring within my mother.

And even though she still has cancer, I’ve never seen her stronger, more confident, or more vibrant in years!

Through this illness….she is healing.

Touch My Food And You’ll Get A Fork You

2012-05-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

Today, I would like to share an out-and-out vent about one of my pet peeves.

Actually, it’s probably less of a pet peeve and more of a prehistoric DNA gene that goes back to when caveman had to hunt and protect their food.

Allow me start off by expressing that I’m one of those people who when I order something to eat in restaurant, it’s MINE. Meaning, I don’t like sharing my food with other people at the table.

I wouldn’t share my food with even Barbra Streisand if she were sitting across a booth at Denny’s having dinner with me while singing, “People.”

Okay, I lie. Barbra Streisand, yes. But anyone else, no.

You see, I have no problem eating dinner with a group of people; however I don’t want them eating MY dinner.

One, I’m usually starved when I eat; therefore I want every single morsel of food on my plate.

Two, I don’t fancy someone having their fork (which was IN THEIR MOUTH), or their fingers (which just came off from SCRATCHING THEIR NOSE) pokin' around in my food.

And just for the record, I also don’t fancy other people sample-sipping whatever I’m drinking either.

I can’t stand going out to eat with people who think that dinner at a restaurant is some free-for-all-taste-what-everyone-else-is-eating-event.

And I’m sure you all know who I’m referring to, right?

Those ANNOYING noodgie people who flitter around the table like Tinkerbell, with their fork hovering over everyone’s plate; curiously inquiring, “Ooooo….can I have a taste of what you’re eating? That looks good, I should have ordered it.”

Whereupon, I have no trouble saying…..” No! And get your FRIGGIN-ASS fork away from my food!!”

OMG…that pisses me off to no end!

It’s food rape.

This especially seems to happen whenever you’re eating Mexican food because some people like to take their nacho chips and dip them into YOUR guacamole. It also seems to happen whenever you’re eating a burger and fries because there will inevitably be someone at the table who is on a diet, but thinks nothing of grabbing two of your French fries and dipping them into your ketchup - even though they just consumed 40 points on Weight Watchers.

Look, I have a strict protocol when I eat with a group of people.

My plate is my own personal space, so DON’T touch it.

Or you know what?

Have a FLAWLESS weekend everyone!

Thank You, Gentlemen!

2012-04-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

No one can be absolutely sure as to WHO is reading their blog, but from what I can tell from the men who stop by and leave comments, you’re predominantly heterosexual, although I do have a few homosexual male readers and commenters as well.

Today, I would like to thank and dedicate this post to ALL the awesome men who read my blog.

But before I do, I need to tell you why.

--------------

I know it may seem that I am always going on about how much I admire and respect women, but that’s only because women were always my allies in my youth. Therefore, I have always just felt a natural closeness to women.

As I’ve written in the past, throughout my childhood I was verbally and emotionally abused by other males.

I realize part of that had to do with the fact that I never fit in with what boys my age typically enjoyed. And another part of that had to do with their suspicion of me being gay.

I sincerely know now that not all heterosexual males do, but there are many who have issues with homosexuality. Somehow the thought of two men coupling makes them very uncomfortable with their own sexuality because it feels like a threat to their masculinity. To them they associate homosexuality as something less of a man; therefore they lash out in anger because they fear it reflects them. They also, for some odd reason, believe that because another man is gay they are automatically going to try and put the moves on them; not realizing that just because another man is gay, doesn’t mean they’re attracted to every male.

Many heterosexual males also find it acceptable and even AROUSING the thought of two women being intimate. But the thought of two men sharing that same intimacy makes them very squeamish and uncomfortable.

And I know this because there are MANY heterosexual males who have openly admitted this to me.

But for this post, I want to focus on the heterosexual males, like you guys, who are secure enough in your own sexuality that you don’t give a shit that another man is gay. You know there’s no threat, because you’re secure and accepting in yourselves. Therefore, you accept others for all that they encompass.

Allow me to share with you very honestly, that because I was verbally and emotionally abused by men, I grew up most of my life not trusting men. Therefore, I spent most of my life avoiding the gender that I was attracted to because I didn’t want to get hurt. But what’s ironic is that when I DID pick a relationship, I always picked ones that hurt me, because psychologically and emotionally that’s what I expected.

It’s taken me many, many years to open myself to trust my own sex - and not only heterosexual men, but homosexual men as well because I always associated males with pain.

Hence, I spent a great deal of my life surrounding myself with only females because that meant safety.

Yet, there comes a time in your life when you realize that this is not working, and that in order for you to move past the pain and fear of male closeness, you have to be willing to open yourself to trust. And I’m not only referring to male intimacy, I’m also referring to simple male friendship.

And this is where YOU come in.

It’s funny how people who don’t blog can’t understand how you can form close relationships and learn so many wonder lessons from other people on the Internet.

I have to say that in the five years I’ve had this blog, I’ve met some of the most loving, kind, open, compassion, sweet, caring, and secure men.

And just through knowing you, you’ve caused that ‘wall’ which I’ve had so tightly wrapped around myself as a means of protection, to slowly come down and begin to trust and embrace my own gender. And in doing so, I’ve become more open and trusting of men offline too.

And YOU are greatly responsible for that.

So thank you, gentlemen.

Thank you so much....x

Let's Monkey Around!

2012-04-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my sweet, dog-loving blogging friend, Jeanne, I discovered a new online photo editing website that’s more fabulous than the day I had my first taste of Asiago cheese!

Thanks, Jeanne…x

Oh, and did I also mention that it’s F-R-E-E?

Well, it is!

It’s called PicMonkey. And it’s a great alternative for those of us who used Picnik.

Honestly? I think it’s better than Picnik because there’s more features.

Holy monkey.…ever since I found out about this place, I’ve been spending all my nights uploading photos and playing around until 1-2 o’clock in the morning. I’ll tell ya, it’s freakin’ ADDICTIVE!

Besides offering their basic photo editing stuff like, resizing, cropping, exposure, sharpening, and color adjusting tools, it also offers the coolest special effects, framing, and touch up features.

It’s almost like owning a copy of Photoshop!

Today, I would like to share several photos that I edited with PicMonkey. But what I decided to do this time was to show you the before and after photos because one of my other sweet blogging friends, Babs, suggested it in her comment on my last photo editing posts and I thought it was a GREAT idea.

Thanks, Babs…x

So here they are, folks! Please enjoy....

Stunning Philadelphia architecture

Interior of the retail store Anthropologie

Upper level of Anthropologie

A flower shop on 19th Street, between Walnut and Chestnut Streets

An old home in the Chestnut Hill area of Philadelphia

And old English pub on 18th Street, between Walnut and Chestnut Streets

An old abandoned coffee house on Sansom Street

Have a monkey-fun weekend everyone!

Losing Power And Intermissions

2012-04-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

After reading this post, you’ll understand my 26-hour absence from blogging this past weekend because that’s exactly how long I was without power in my apartment building.

From 8:00 AM Saturday until 10:00 AM Sunday….ZILCH….no electricity.

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Scene: My dark apartment
Time: Saturday, April 21, 2012, 11:45 PM
Emotion: Pissy

I wish you could all see me sitting here with one candle illuminating my apartment and praying to God Almighty that the battery on my laptop stays charged until I finish writing this post because for the past THREE hours I’ve been using this computer to play Solitaire because I’m BORED out of my mind. And this is after working all day, eating dinner out because all the food in my refrigerator was destroyed, and then climbing 21 flights of stairs, and taking a shower in the DARK.

Last week will probably go down as one of the most annoying yet, enlightening weeks of my life. Between the TWO false fire alarms that went off in my apartment building on Wednesday, and the TWO Philadelphia power outages (one time for 2 hours, the second time for 26 hours), I was so irritated I could spit thumbtacks. It was a week of electronic maladies.

And isn’t it something how ‘we' bloggers panic when our Internet service is interrupted because our immediate thought is, “OMG…I can’t get online to BLOG!!!!!!”

It’s as if our ‘connection’ to the rest of the world has been taken away; leaving us with no lifeline.

I even tried placing my laptop on the edge of the windowsill and pointed it in the direction of the hotel across the street in the hopes of stealing their Wi-Fi.

*Ooops….I’m getting ready to lose the charge on my laptop, so I’ll have to finish this post tomorrow. Bye!

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Scene: My electrically charge apartment
Time: Sunday, April 22, 2012, 10: 25AM
Emotion: Happy

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay….the electricity is back on!!! Well, a lot happened after the battery on my laptop died last night. Initially, I got more pissed off and frustrated because the Philadelphia Electric Company told us that the power would be on within 3 hours (and that was at 7 PM, Saturday night). But as you could tell from my words above, we still had NO power at 11:45 PM.

Finally, at about 12:30 AM, I decided to throw in the towel and just forget about ever using electricity that night and go to bed. But before I did, I sat on the floor and practiced some mediation and deep breathing exercises to calm myself down.

Suddenly, a light bulb went on in my head! I thought to myself, “Why the hell are you getting so upset, Ron, it’s not the end of the world?”

I mean so what that I couldn’t get online to read emails or respond to comments or blog for 26 HOURS. And so what that I couldn’t use my phone or my DVD player or my stove to make COFFEE. Yeah it was a bummer, no doubt, but I think there was a symbolic lesson for me to learn here.

It’s ironic how when we lose electrical power, we panic because it literally feels as though we’ve lost our power. No phone, no Internet or computer, no lights, no NOTHING.

We feel totally lost and out of touch.

Here I was freaking out over something I had no control over and getting upset was making it worse. It wasn’t a matter of life or death; it was just a temporary inconvenience.

Instead of using this time to just be in the moment and take it for what it was – a time to just be STILL and simply do NOTHING – I was worried about stuff that had no serious importance. Because eventually the power would be restored and life would resume as usual.

Life will always be full of intermissions - things that disrupt our everyday patterns - things that often cause us to see things differently.

I have to say, I think I acted very selfishly during the time of this power outage. All I kept grumbling about was how it was affecting ME. Not even thinking about the electrical workers down on the street, underground, who were working their asses off for 26 hours (in the pouring rain) to get the power restored. Nor was I thinking about the many elderly people who live in this building and were unable to leave their apartments because they couldn’t climb the stairs.

I also realize something else.

It’s good to have intermissions from computers, phones, TV’s, and electronics now and then because it clears the mind. It forces us to be quiet and just do nothing except BE, which is not easy in this technical world of ours.

Oh, and here’s one more thing I learned from this experience.

I’m addicted to BLOGGING....

My Passionata For Olives

2012-04-20T00:01:00.013-04:00

Have I ever told you guys about my passionate love affair with olives?

I love all kinds of olives: black, green, Greek olives, pitted olives, garlic stuffed olives, you name it. And I can eat a TON of them. I will sometimes open a jar or can of olives and just sit there while watching a movie, eating half or ALL the container.

I also like them in salads, on pizza, in pasta, and in a sandwich; especially a hoagie.

And even though I only drink red wine, I’m tempted to try a martini just for the green olive.

Also, considering that I only just found out this week that olives are a fruit and not a vegetable, I wonder how they would taste with a banana in my morning bowl of Cheerios?

Yes, I eat so many olives I’m surprised I don’t have them coming out of EVERY orifice in my body.

Oh, and btw, you can also use olives for decorative purposes, did you know that? When I was a kid, I loved to take black olives (especially the LARGE ones) and place them on the end of my fingertips. Yeah, I know a lot of you probably did that as kids, but I did it for my own specific reason. I did it because it made me feel like I was wearing a set of Lee Press-On Nails. I would sit there at the dinner table and secretively imagine that I was actress, Vivien Leigh, all deck out in an evening gown and long red-polished fingernails; attending a Hollywood Gala Dinner, just after I won the Academy Award for Gone with the Wind.

I had so much fun doing this. But it was also very awkward because every time I tried to pick up my fork, the olives would POP off my fingertips and land on the kitchen floor.

Luckily, we had a German Shepard named, Ginger, who also loved olives. So she would leap up and gobble them off the linoleum.

About three days ago, I went to Traders Joe’s and purchased a can of black olives because I wanted to make some homemade pizza. But the sad part about it was that while I was getting stuff to put on the pizza, I forgot fresh basil leaves.

Major BUMMER!

But I made the pizza anyway, by adding more of the other toppings to make up for the lack of basil.

However, before I placed the olives on the pizza, I decided to have a little fun with them.

After you see these photos, you will most definitely have the right to call the Bellevue Psychiatric Ward and have me committed.

*Here’s their phone number: 212-563-3455

I honestly don’t know what possessed me to do this, but I did.

And no…..I did NOT eat these olives after I did this.

Okay, are you ready?

Allow me to present to you…..

Olive Orifice.

And this last one makes me look like a stuffed PIG!

Just call me…..Olive Oyle.

Wishing olive you a wonderful weekend!

Ta-Ta....A New Vent!

2012-04-16T00:38:00.007-04:00

Hi everyone! Hope you had a wonderful last week. I missed y’all very much!

Okay, first, I have to warn you that this is going to be a post with a lot of information and explaining, so grab a cup of coffee and sit back for 760 words.

Sorry to have to do this to you guys on a Monday morning, but this new template needs explaining so that you’ll understand how it works.

Second, I want to thank web designer, Chica Blogger, for providing me with this AWESOME free template. If you’re on Blogger or Wordpress and are looking for a blog makeover, please stop by and check out her website. She’s faaaaaaaabulous! She was even so sweet as to return an email I sent her asking a question about something, AND she responded promptly. So thank you, Chica!

This new blog design is brighter and more animated than my previous design, and that’s exactly what I was going for. I wanted a design that would be colorful, inviting, and entertaining.

Besides, I’m gay. And you know how some of us GAY MEN are….we’re colorful, animated, and DRAMATIC.

The biggest addition to this new template is the content slider you see under the header on my home page. Normally a slider is used to highlight featured posts, but I chose to use it to feature 5 out of the 9 categories I’ve added on this blog. And the cool thing about it is that when you run your cursor over any of the image categories and click, it will you take you to that specific category.

Note: the slider is only visible on my home page.

Additionally, I installed a category widget on my sidebar with all 9 categories listed, so that you can navigate through them from any page.

I republished over 50 posts from my other two blogs, so there may be new posts that some of you haven’t read yet. Mainly, I migrated these posts from my review blog, so there’s a lot of new things pertaining to product reviews, advice, and how-to’s. Feel free to browse through those two categories whenever you wish because you might find some helpful and cool stuff there. I also added some photos from my photo journal blog in the photography category.

Another big change is that my posts are now displayed in a read more feature. I wanted this feature so that it would be quicker to view and navigate through my archives. It’s also more efficient for some of my readers who like to wait until I publish 2-3 posts and then stop by to read them all at one time. Just so you know, anytime you come to my blog the most recent post will always be on the top left-hand side corner.

Note: You can either click on the read more button or the post title itself, to open the post.

You’ll notice, too, that I’ve added and subtracted a few pages from my navigation bar below the header. I had to add a disclaimer page because I am now sharing my opinion and advice on product reviews; therefore I have to legally COVER MY ASS.

One of the things that this new design has which I missed having on my previous design is a footer, because it frees up space on your sidebar. So if you scroll down to the very bottom, you’ll find my blog roll and affiliate buttons.

I will most likely continue to republish posts from my other two blogs a little at time for the next couple of weeks, so you might see these on your feed reader. I’m weaving them between my other posts, so the dates you see on these posts will be dated backwards.

For now, I am going to continue posting twice a week on Vent, but will probably be moving to three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). I haven’t definitely figured all that out yet, so please bear with me as I come up with a comfortable schedule for myself.

This blog will be a work in progress.

So there you have it, folks….the new Vent! It was a BITCH of an undertaking, but I’m SO GLAD I did it because I learned a lot. I still have some tweaking I need to do, but I'll be doing that in the next couple of days.

*Please let me know if the font is easy to read because that's important.

Thank you for your patience while on my break from blogging, and also for your supportive and encouraging comments on my last post.

((((( You )))))

I do hope you will enjoy taking this new journey with me.

Have a SUPA’ week!

X

Change

2012-04-09T00:01:00.011-04:00

Well….

…remember when I shared with you right after New Year’s that I could sense 2012 was going to be a year of change for me?

Well….it is.

Starting with my mother getting ill, and then experimenting with advertising on this blog, and then changes at work, this year has started out with A LOT of change.

But that’s okay, because I had a feeling it was going to happen. I could sense both an inner and outer shift getting ready to occur.

And honestly, I feel open to it.

I feel ready to stretch myself - and in many directions – creatively, educationally, emotionally, and spiritually.

This is going to be a year of learning and expanding.

Some of it will test my faith, no doubt, but that’s where trust comes in.

I’ve always been one to follow my intuition, knowing that it is the guiding force which navigates where my life is meant to go, and the steps I’m supposed to take in getting there.

Which brings me to my first point of this post.

I’ve decided to make a HUGE change on Vent because I’m tired of blogging on THREE blogs, sharing all my varied interests. So, I’ve made a choice to consolidate my interests into ONE blog with 4-5 categories; allowing you guys to choose whatever you wish to read and comment on. Like a smorgasbord!

Some of the categories I’m thinking of are: my usual commentary, photography, product reviews and advice, interviews, and my You Tube videos.

I would also like to start using this blog to help promote other bloggers and entrepreneurs; talents that I would like to highlight.

Also, I will be making a HUGE graphic design change on Vent. I found an AWESOME template that requires MAJOR customizing. A lot of HTML code needs to be customized to make a very special feature that’s on this new blog, work. However, this new template does not accommodate Bloggers Template Design Feature, so if I want to add or change anything, I have to do it solely through HTML.

You’re gonna LOVE this new design because it’s bright, cheerful, inviting, and easy to navigate. It's FUN. The second I saw it, I knew I wanted to use it. However, I had to try it out on my practice blog first, to see if it worked properly before I committed. The only thing I haven’t tested it for is to see if it works with DISQUS. And if it doesn’t, I can’t use it because I WILL NOT give up my Disqus. But I’m pretty sure it will work.

Which brings me to my second point of this post.

I will be taking this whole week off from posting and blogging because I’ll need the time to focus on making this change happen. I have a great deal of prep work to do to get it ready.

Once I get the blog up and running next Monday, I will then slowly start moving some of the posts from my other two blogs over to this one. I may even start doing that this week, so if you see me publishing posts on your readers, just know that I’m merely transferring and republishing posts to this blog.

I was initially going to make this change in June, but since I will be going to Florida this summer to spend time with my mother and brother, I wanted to get this new blog design going, so I could get use to working with it.

I have always believed that a blog takes on a life of its own; moving the author to where the blog wants to go.

A blog can’t stand still. It has to morph.

Because a blog is like life.

It moves forward.

You just have to go with it. And take a chance.

Have a WONDERFUL week you guys! And know that I will be missing you VERY, VERY much. But I’m also VERY, VERY excited to unveil this new change to you on Monday. And just to let you know, towards the end of this week, you may see graphic changes happening before I officially launch it.

See you in 7 days everyone!

I share Peace, Love, and Sunflowers.....

Update on my mother: I wanted to let you know that my wild and crazy mother is still doing very well. She’s strong and positive, and will be starting her chemo treatment soon. So thank you for all your prayers, good thoughts, and love. It’s working….x

All Creatures Great and Small Finale

2012-04-06T00:01:00.017-04:00

Okay peeps, here it goes….the finale of All Creatures Great and Small!

Once again, allow me to thank you for all the AWESOME animal photo submissions.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Now before I share your photos, I have a quick story to tell you.

For the past week, I’ve been wondering what photo I was going to use for the opening of this post. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to use a picture off the Internet, or a photo of my own.

Well…

…two days ago, I was sitting in my favorite park sipping a tall Starbucks coffee and eating a granola bar, when all of a sudden I looked down at my feet and saw a squirrel just staring at me. As most of you already know, I ADORE squirrels. In fact, I adore them so much that I would love to pick them off the ground, and kiss and hug them.

However, I haven’t ever tried that yet because I don’t fancy having my eyes scratched out and my lips bitten off, and then rushing myself to Jefferson Memorial Hospital; trying to explain to the ER nurse that I got this way from KISSING a squirrel.

I think the thing I most LOVE about squirrels (beside the fact that they’re so damn cute), is that they have no problem asking for what they want. The squirrels here in the city are very people-friendly and have no fear. They will hop and scurry right up to you, stand on their hind legs and telepathically say, “Oh, please, please….do you have any nuts, cookies, crackers, fruit, or chicken dinner leftovers? I’ll take anything, ANYTHING!”

So, what do you think I did because I just couldn't resist?

Yup….I shared my granola bar with the squirrel you see in the photo.

And as gratitude, he came up close and allowed me to take his picture.

God love him!

Anyway folks, permit me to share the remainder of your photos with great pride and pleasure.

Lights! Camera! Animals!

Dianne: "Birdie Brunch"

Peg: "Chorizo using Poe for a Pillow"

Mark: "Sidney Standing Guard Over Daughter"

Jen: "A photo of me at a horse show near Chicago with my mare, Gem."

Pamela: "Naptime Compromise"

Jay: "Jeffie at agility class, getting distracted at the top of the A
frame!"

TJ: " This is of our beloved little cat named, "Poot", aka. "Pooty", "Pootylicious", "Pootzilla", "Sweet P", and the list goes on..."

Chrissy: "Doggie Sundae"

I leave you now with a short video clip I found on You Tube, entitled, Gordito’s 5th Birthday. The expression on this dogs face is priceless!

Have a picture perfect weekend!

4 More TMI Things About Me

2012-04-02T00:01:00.023-04:00

Over the past five years, I’ve shared a lot of TMI on this blog, but it occurred to me last weekend that I left some stuff out.

I just want to warn you that if TMI makes you cringe and turn away from your computer monitor, you might wanna put both hands in front of your eyes and look through the cracks of your fingers while reading this post, because it’s TMI at its BLUNTNESS.

Are you ready?

Okay, here goes…..

1) I poop faster than anyone I know.

I realize that many people consider taking a poop a monumental and time-consuming event. But for me, I poop at least twice a day (sometimes three), and can do it faster than Houdini could say, “Hocus-Pocus.”

When I’m ready to go, I’m ready to GO.

(I don’t think I’ve ever had a constipated day in my entire life)

I remember on Sunday mornings after my family would have our after-church breakfast (eggs, bacon, scrapple, and toast), my father would traditionally take the Sunday edition of the Philadelphia Inquire into the bathroom with him, and stay there for almost an HOUR reading it from front to back, while doing a poopie. Well, I certainly didn’t take after my father when it came to that, no. I poop so fast that I can’t get beyond the first two sentences in the first chapter of the book that I’ve had in my bathroom for the past year, before yelling, “BOMBS AWAY!”

And after a YEAR, I still don’t even know what that book is about.

2) I can’t eat a banana without thinking of the word fellatio.

Yes, you heard me right! There is something about eating a banana that always makes me feel like Linda Lovelace in the movie, “Deep Throat.” I’m sorry, but there is no way to eat a banana, other than breaking off pieces and placing them into your mouth without it resembling PORN. Whenever I bring a banana to work to eat as a snack, I crouch down on the floor behind one of the cosmetic counters, so that no one can see me ‘going down.’

3) I manscape my chest hair.

I know in the past, I’ve confessed to shaving my kiwis, but I also manscape my chest every month. I don’t shave or wax; I use an electric clipper with a guard to prune my overly abundant hairy pecs. Because if I didn’t, I would need a flashlight and a pitchfork to FIND my pecs. I have so much hair on my chest that it stands out about three feet from my body. If I ever fell out of a 50-story window, my only hope is to land on my chest because it would cushion the blow like an air bag and probably save my life.

4) I wear bronzing powder.

Look, don’t laugh, because REAL men eat quiche and wear bronzing powder. Well, at least SOME real men do. Like me and Boy George. In fact, I’ve been wearing bronzer for YEARS. Now I don’t wear mascara, lipstick or eyeliner, but do like a bit of color on my face to give a subtle and healthy glow. The only problem is that I have to watch HOW MUCH I put on. There have been some days when I got a little heavy-handed, and ended up looking like a bronzed Elizabeth Taylor in the movie, "Cleopatra."

So, how was that for some blunt TMI?

Okay, you can uncover your eyes now…..

All Creatures Great And Small

2012-03-30T00:01:00.017-04:00

First, allow me to thank all of you who submitted photos for this post.

Once again, the turnout was faaaaaaaaaaaabulous!

As each email came in, I eagerly anticipated what I would find in the way of all creatures great and small.

And the really cool thing about it is that you each submitted such a wonderful variety of animals, which is what I was hoping for.

You have no idea how much fun I had putting this post together!

Today, I will be sharing the first half of this photo submission, and next week I’ll conclude with the second.

So, without further ado, allow me to present….All Creatures Great And Small.

Lights! Camera! Animals!

Barbara: "My favorite neighborhood cat. (S)he comes in our yard and greets me or my hubby. An absolute doll; a very cuddly and friendly kitty".

Jeanne: "Beemer"

Bijoux: "Woody: Our Backyard Pileated Woodpecker"

Jaffer: "This picture was taken by my brother from the car near Al-Shifa mountain just south of the city of Ta'if in Saudi Arabia. This man was earning his living by giving camel rides to visitors."

Susu: "Love Me Tender"

Valerie: "Maxie the Dog"

Babs: "This is a hedgehog that came wandering into our garden and let me get right up in its face to photograph him."

Herman: "During our last visit to the zoo we spotted this guy. Apparently, elephants like to rub their tusks against hard surfaces, and sometimes this damages them. It happened to this elephant. Veterinarians were forced to perform a pulpotomy, which is like a root canal for elephants, after which they covered the tusks with stainless-steel caps."

Have a picture perfect weekend everyone!

X

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To help feed dogs and cats in animal shelters across the country, please click on the link below the graphic. Once there, simply answer the trivia question, and whether you answer it right or wrong, you'll be donating 10 pieces of kibble to animal shelters. Thank you!

Free Kibble

On Observing Myself

2012-03-26T00:01:00.020-04:00

I took the photo you see above several months ago.

Isn’t it funny how you’ll sometimes take a photograph of something that catches your eye, but you’re not quite sure has to WHY you were drawn to take it?

Later, a life experience happens to you, and then you look at the photo again and suddenly realize that it perfectly matches the way you feel while having that life experience, after you took the photo.

And then it dawns on you that the image was precognitive of a lesson you were about to learn – again.

I’m sharing this post as a reminder to myself.

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In the past, I’ve written about the ebb and flow of life, and the importance of embracing and accepting them regardless of how challenging they are. However, even though I know and believe this I still find myself at times struggling.

And a perfect example of this is what just transpired with my mother.

I think it may be because of both the actor and writer in me that I can experience something, and at the same time stand to the side; watching me experience it.

I’m an observer. My natural tendency is to have an experience, and then automatically go into my ‘observation mode’, taking note of how I’m reacting to it. I believe that many of us who are artistic and creative have this ability because as an artist, we develop a ‘third eye’ that allows us to recreate the experience in detail through our art – whether it be acting, photography, painting, dance, or writing.

We artists often use our ‘life experiences’ to create our art.

And we do that through observation and feeling.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been observing myself, noticing how I react when my life or the life of someone I love, unexpectantly takes a turn down a path of the unknown.

I initially panic, because I suddenly feel out of control. My mind immediately starts projecting into the future; thinking of what might take place and how I’m going to handle it. Thoughts of the worst case scenarios creep into my mind.

Although, I inevitably realize that I can’t think myself through it, I have to live myself through it.

After I heard of my mothers’ diagnosis, I did in fact, panic. I worried for her, and in all honesty I worried for myself. Then several days later, I realized that in order for me to be of the most valuable help to both my mother and I, I needed to center myself and begin focusing on the light. And that’s not easy while you’re listening to someone over the phone struggle to breathe and talk.

Yet, after I began to focus on the light, everything seemed to fall into place. I found myself stronger, calmer, and more able to support my mother much better. I suddenly knew what to say and do, when I needed to say and do it.

Going through a challenging experience is very much like the photo above. It’s as if you’re walking down a dark alleyway. You can see a light at the end, but you’re not quite sure as to how you’re going to get to it.

So you just keep walking, allowing the journey to teach you what you need to learn.

And for me, it’s usually about my ability to surrender and have faith; trusting that I will have the means to move through it.

Realistically, I know that I can’t always control what happens in the way of life experiences, nor can I always be sure of the outcome. But I do know that if I accept and embrace them, even though it may seem dark at times, I will be always be supported and guided by light.

Always.

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Note: When I spoke to my mother over the weekend, she wanted me to convey to all of you how much she appreciated the prayers and light you sent her during a very dark and scary time. And she believes without a shadow of doubt, that it’s what carried her through. I’m happy to report that she’s doing miraculously well. So, THANK YOU from my mother.....X

Photo Submission: All Creatures Great And Small

2012-03-23T00:01:00.018-04:00

Earlier this week, I suddenly got the idea of hosting another photo submission post because the last one was so much fun!

Only this time I decided to give it a theme.

And the theme is: All Creatures Great And Small.

Since there are many of us here who LOVE animals, I thought it would be kinda cool to give them a post all their own; celebrating the animal kingdom.

Your photo can be of your own pet, or any photo you’ve taken of an animal. It can be of a dog, cat, insect, goldfish, bird, horse, or any creature.

And remember, this is not a photo contest. I’m simply doing this to share and open the floor to you, your camera, and your love of animals.

So, are you ready to submit?

Okay, here’s how it will go…..

*Please read these photo guidelines carefully:

-Send only ONE photo. If you have several pets and would like them all featured, just be sure they are included in a SINGLE photo or collage.

-I like to use BIG photos on this blog, so your submissions can be up to 600px wide (but no bigger). I ask that if you need to reduce the width of your photo, you do it before sending it to me. If you need a place to resize your original photo, I recommend going to Lunapic.com, where you can upload your image and resize it fast, easy and free, by using the 600x600 drop down setting.

-Please feel free to use your own watermark if you wish.

-Pretty please do not send two or three photos and then ask me to choose. I ask that you choose.

-If you’re sharing a photo of your own pet(s), please include their name(s). If you’re sending a photo of an animal in general, please include a photo title.

-Include your blog name and URL in your email, so that I can link the photo back to you.

-You will find my email address on the contact page below my blog header.

-Deadline for photo submissions will be: Wednesday, March 28th at midnight.

-Depending on how many photos are sent, I will most likely post your images on two separate posts, like the last time. Photos will be posted in the order in which they are received.

-Again, I ask that you read these guidelines carefully. Thank you….x

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me in your comments.

So go ahead folks, don’t be shy. Send a photo of your pet or an animal; sharing it with others.

Have fun and enjoy!

Oh…and here’s my own silly photo submission.

It’s entitled: “Doggie Movement Concerto in B Flat”

Wishing you a smooth move weekend everyone!

On Nude Beaches And Nudity

2012-03-19T00:01:00.011-04:00

Alert: This post contains talk about nudity and hard-ons. So if that offends you, you might want to come back on Friday, when I share about something more gentle and sweet-smelling, like a post on Snuggles fabric softener.

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For as vocal and blunt as I am in talking about ‘private parts’ on this blog….I’m actually a very shy cocotte when it comes to my own nudity.

You’re talking to a man who’s pee-shy in a public restroom, let alone exposing myself at a nude beach.

I talk a good game, yet when it comes down to actually doing it myself….I’m chicken shit and two-faced.

Having lived in Florida, I’ve been to nude beaches several times, however never participated in going commando, which actually made me stand out more because I was the only one on the sand with my private parts covered.

I don’t particularly mind LOOKING at certain people in their birthday suits at a beach (especially with a pair of high powered binoculars), it’s just that I don’t want everyone looking at MINE.

I don’t want my jewels displayed in Tiffany’s window for the WHOLE world to see.

To me, my jewels are a private collection; only to be viewed by some.

On the other hand, I use to have a friend who felt completely the opposite. Anytime he had the opportunity to take his clothes off, he JUMPED at it. Whenever he and I would go to a pool party, he'd say, "Oh...do you think they'd mind if I took all my clothes off?" And I'd say, "Yes...so wait until they've had a few drinks first." He had absolutely NO inhibitions whatsoever. If it was legal to live his life NAKED, I swear to god, he would.

His jewels were open for AUCTION 24/7, with a no return policy.

And he even offered layaway.

Last week, a few of my friends and I got on the topic of nude beaches and how comfortable we felt in taking our clothes off in front of other people.

Most every single person said, “NO WAY!”

Yet, there was one guy who said, “YES WAY!”

And he explained to me that exposing yourself on a nude beach was not a ‘sexual thing.’ So as a guy, you don’t ever have to worry about getting a HARD-ON because it’s not about that. It’s more about the freedom of going au naturel.

I explained to him that it wasn’t my concern of getting a hard-on, but rather a concern of exposing my SOFT-ON.

This discussion got me thinking how many of us are coy about our nudity.

Is it something we’re taught in our childhood, or is it something we develop as adults; becoming shy about our bodies?

All I know is that for me, I won’t be peeling my clothes off in front of anyone except a ‘select few’ in the privacy of my own boudoir.

Oh wait, and also for you guys on the Internet…..

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Note: I can’t thank you ALL enough for sharing your energy, prayers, and love within your comments, emails, and phone calls this past weekend. Your support at this time has been BEYOND appreciated by my mother, brother, and I. My mother is now home and extremely stable. I promise to keep you posted on her well-being.

It never ceases to amaze me how much tangible power there is, when people come together in the blogging community; sharing their support. Therefore, I believe that my mothers’ stability has had much to do with YOU.

*bowing my head*

Thank you.

You guys are the BEST…..X

The Most Difficult Post I’ve Ever Had To Write

2012-03-16T00:04:00.010-04:00

A lot has been going in my life right now concerning my mother, which I haven’t shared with you because she, and my brother and I, were unsure as to what was going on with her health.

In the past several weeks she’s had a battery of medical tests in the hopes of finding out what the problem was. She hasn’t been feeling well for a few months, experiencing breathing problems and several other things.

It would take far too long for me to tell you all the details of the various ups and downs she’s been through, and the runaround she got from her primary doctor. But let’s just say that the doctor was not proficient. Therefore, by the time they got around to sending my mother to a specialist, her health began to decline rapidly.

Monday night, my brother had to call 911 because my mother was having an extremely difficult time breathing. Then Tuesday afternoon, I got a call from my brother telling me that my mother had been diagnosed with cancer.

And it’s the tough kind.

The doctor told her that there may be a chance of miracle, but they give her anywhere from 4-6 months if she accepts chemo – which she has.

When I spoke to my mother on Tuesday night, she was very direct, saying, “Well…this is something we just have to accept and deal with.”

Honestly, I have a million things going through my heart and head right now.

One minute I’m fine, the next minute I’m sobbing like a baby.

Part of me believes that, yes, a miracle may occur. Yet another part of me is very scared, that there may not.

As you all know, I love my mother very much, and can’t imagine what my life would be like without my best friend.

I truly can’t imagine.

But for now, I’m just going to take one day at a time, openly walking through this journey with my mother; trusting that it will be as peaceful and gentle as possible.

I am keeping in close daily contact with her and my awesome brother, staying updated on what’s going on. I am also preparing myself for the time when I will need to fly to Florida and be with them. I don’t exactly know when that will be, because everything is uncertain right now. We’re just taking each moment as it comes.

I’ll intuitively just know when I need to go.

She is currently still in the hospital until they can stabilize her well enough to come home, which should be sometime this weekend. And believe it or not, her spirits are up and she’s as feisty as ever.

You know, this is one of those times in your life when you wish you would wake up and discover that it was just a dream.

But it’s as my mother said, “Well….this is something we just have to accept and deal with.”

And that’s one of the many things I love and admire about her….she’s not afraid to see what’s in front of her and face it, even though she might be afraid.

She’s a hit it head-on kind of gal. And taught me to be the same way.

But in the meantime, if you could all just send positive and loving energy to my mother, I would greatly appreciate it.

You see, I believe in the power of energy. And know that it can reach far and wide.

Thanks a bunch, you guys!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Wassup!

2012-03-12T00:01:00.009-04:00

Today I would like to share with you ladies and gents, what’s been going on with my forward move into offering advertising/sponsor space on my blog.

Since you’re ALL part of Vent, I think it’s important that I fill you in on the various changes I make.

Because as the Sister Sledge, said, “We-are- fam-i-ly!”

So let’s see….where do I start?

Well, when I began investigating the process of setting up ad space on a blog, one of the first things I learned is that it’s very important to have a blog design that accommodates a variety of ad sizes. I decided that I wanted to start off by offering a simple 125x125 ad banner on my sidebar, but discovered that I didn't have the proper widget on this blog to do that. Initially, I thought I was going to have to change my whole blog template, which I didn’t want to do because I really like this current design. As an alternative, I searched the Internet and found a customized 4 slot 125x125 ad widget that I could just install myself. And luckily, my sidebar was wide enough to accommodate the widget, so I pasted the code into my blog, and viola, it worked!

I found a free 125x125 graphic that I could use as an “advertise here” button, and then hosted it through my Photo Bucket account.

*if you look on my sidebar, you will see the finished results.

The one ad you see in the widget (Netflix) is part of Google Affiliated Network, which I signed up for last week and was accepted. I will also be signing up for other advertising affiliates within the next couple of weeks; experimenting with various ads each month to see which programs work best for me.

I also created a new page on my navigation bar below my header, which contains my current advertising/sponsor fees, blog stats, and guidelines, so feel free to check it out. That too, was something I had to investigate and decide what I wanted to charge, and how I wanted to present it.

Additionally, I had to set up a PayPal account, which my good friend, Jen, helped with me with. So thank you, girl!

Allow me to interject here, that having a blog hosted at Blogger is very challenging because it does not presently offer enough variety for those of us who wish to move into a more professional theme. However, it’s taught me A LOT about the technical aspects of web design because I’ve had to do a great deal of research on self-customizing, thus I’m learning some valuable lessons. I am not yet ready to move over to another blog hosting platform, nor am I ready to self-host, therefore I am trying my best to make the most of Blogger.

One of the most wonderful things I’ve discovered through having this blog is that there is so much available to us online in the way of education, if we are just willing to take the time to investigate it. I’m one of those people who enjoys leaning through research. I find that if I self-investigate, I tend to learn better. I’ve made COUNTLESS mistakes by learning this way, but I’m willing to make mistakes, as long as I do it myself.

So there you have it folks! That’s wassup with me, right now. It’s been challenging trying to figure out all this stuff about advertising on a blog, but it’s also given me a great deal of enjoyment and knowledge.

I’m very curious to see where this new addition takes me. And as I shared in my past post when I first told you guys about my interest in possibly doing this, I said that I’ll never know unless I try it. So, we shall see!

And I’m hoping that by sharing this process with you, you’ll learn things too. Because we’re all in this together.

Thank you for taking this experimental journey with me everyone!

Have a faaaaaaaaaabulous week!

Hot Stone Therapy Review

2012-03-10T00:24:00.000-05:00

I first heard about hot stone therapy back in the 90’s. I had read several articles about this modality way before I ever got involved with bodywork, but to be honest with you, I thought it was ridiculous. I mean the thought of someone rubbing hot rocks all over my body seemed silly and not at all comfortable - so I never really gave it another thought.

However, several years ago I met a massage practitioner here in the city. I had called her to see if she was interested in using my reflexology services in her massage practice. When you are seeking employment as a body worker, it’s protocol to show your ability by giving a sample session of your work. So we set up a time to do a “swap.” I gave her a session of traditional foot reflexology, and then a week later I went back to receive a Hot Stone Reflexology session.

I had heard about using stones for body massage, but never reflexology. Let me give you a quick foot note on hot stones.

* Hot stone work involves the use of Basalt stones. These stones are formed from hot molten lava cooled, and contain a high percentage of iron/magnesium content, which makes them extremely dense and gives them an awesome ability to retain heat for long periods of time. They also have energetic properties which gives added benefit to bodywork.

Hot Stone Reflexology uses the same principles of reflexology, however hot stones are used instead of the practitioners fingers. Oil is also used (applied to the calves and feet) which is not the case with traditional reflexology.

Anyway, about 5 minutes into the session I realized that the heat from the stones was causing me to become incredibly relaxed (like I was melting). And what was even more incredible, was the fact that I could feel the heat from the stones on the correlating part of my body that she was working on.

For example: when she ran the stone along the spinal reflex, I immediately felt energy and heat along my spine. I was fighting not to fall asleep because a part of me wanted to be conscious, so I could observe what she was doing. It was as if the stones had become an extension of her hands. I honestly couldn’t feel the difference between the two.

After the session was over, I asked where she got her training and how I could sign up. I was flabbergasted! Me….like this? Needless to say, you know the rest of the story.

This just goes to show you…..never say never!

And if you can find someone in your area that practices this modality, please check it out.

*There are certain health contraindications that must be observed when receiving hot stone work, so be sure to ask your practitioner about these.

Hot Stone work is available for a complete body massage, as well as for foot reflexology.

And trust me…

…you’ll love getting stoned!

For more information on Hot Stone Therapy.

I Am Soooooo Not A Car Person

2012-03-09T00:01:00.014-05:00

I owe my inspiration for this post to Pamela, over at Harts Beat, when she commented on my last post about her feelings on city life versus suburban life. And although she adores visiting a city for many reasons, Pamela prefers to live in the wide open space of the suburbs. I understand and honor her feelings because we're all drawn to reside in different environments according to our soul.

Pamela’s comment got me thinking about one of the main reasons why I enjoy living in a city; thus this vent.

So thank you, dear lady!

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I know this post is going to sound odd for many of you because you probably have a car, right?

Well, one of things I cherish about living in this city is that I don’t need to have one.

How can I say this other than just coming out with it?

I DESPISE HAVING A CAR.

In fact, I despise it so much that I would almost rather have a proctology examination from a doctor with a hangnail, than experience the PAINFUL and UNENDING responsibility of having a vehicle.

Most people feel that a car gives them more freedom. I, on the other hand, think of a car as crazed monkey on my back that has an unquenchable hunger for BANANA’S.

Do you have any idea how much money I no longer fork out by not having a car?

Things like: car payments, car insurance, car inspections, gas, and repairs. Because as you know….ironically nothing is EVER covered under the warranty except for something stupid, such as, windshield wiper blades.

Yet, I do know a few people who live in this city and still choose to own a car, always worrying about where to park it and whether it will be vandalized.

No, I would much rather rent a car or use something like, Philly Car Share, if I need a set of wheels to travel a long distance for the day. Other than that, I walk everywhere, but will sometimes use public transportation.

It’s not that I’m not a responsible person mind you; I’m just not responsible when it comes to having an automobile.

I simply do not contain the mental capability to take care of a car. I’m one of those people who actually forgets to put gas in the tank, let alone noticing when to take it in for an oil change, tire rotation, or tune up.

I remember a time while living in Florida, when my car suddenly started smoking out of the tail pipe. And when I say smoking….I mean SMOKING. My car looked like a scene from the movie, The Wizard of Oz, where the Wicked Witch of the West flies across the sky on her broom, writing, SURRENDER DOROTHY. It was so embarrassing to sit there at a red light watching all the other people coughing in their cars around me; quickly rolling up their windows in fear of being asphyxiated from BROOM smoke.

Luckily, I was able to get to a gas station before my car blew up. However, when the mechanic looked under the hood and examined the damages, he said, “Let me ask you a question, when is the last time you checked the oil in this car?” I responded, “Um…like a year ago?” “Well, you don’t have a drop of lubricant in this engine, did you know that?” I inquisitively said, “Whoa…really?!”

Anyhow, needless to say the car was unsalvageable because the lack of oil destroyed the whole engine.

So, do you know what I had to do?

Buy another broom.

See, that’s what I mean….I don’t have any iota as to how to take care of a car. Nor, do I have any interest.

I much prefer to use a car for a few years until it blows up and then buy a new one. Which ends up being MORE of an expense.

No.

I am soooooooooo not a car person.

It’s like a monkey on my back….

Have a SUPER weekend everyone!

Creating A Staple Kit Of Essential Oils

2012-03-08T12:31:00.003-05:00

Like certain food staples, I always make sure I'm fully stocked with certain essential oil staples.

The following 6 pure essential oils are always within arms reach because I have found them to be extremely beneficial in countless ways.

My suggestion is to start with 2-3 oils and then gradually build your kit.

When purchasing any essential oil, be sure they come from a reputable source.

Lavender
Calmative, sedative, antiseptic, anti-fungal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory

Eucalyptus
Balancing, antiviral, decongestant, expectorant, analgesic, antiseptic

Rosemary
Mental stimulant, antidepressant, antibacterial, analgesic, antiseptic

Tea Tree
Anti-fungal, analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant

Peppermint
Antiseptic, anti-infectious, mental stimulant, expectorant, decongestant, insect repellent

Bergamot
Antidepressant, antiseptic, calmative, sedative, antibacterial, household odors

Care and Storage

Essential oils are living things that should be treated with reverence.

Pure essential oils should always be kept in dark glass bottles (amber/cobalt) and stored away from both artificial and natural light, and heat. Ideally, a small wooden, ceramic or metal box with a secure lid makes a great home for these precious gems!

Shelf Life

Pure essential oils (if stored properly) have a shelf life of 2-3 years with the exception of all citrus oils. These oils will typically last 6-8 months.

Caution Care

*Essential oils are highly flammable, therefore should be kept away from any open flame.

*Should not be used close to eye area.

*Only certain gentle essential oils should be used on babies.

*Should not be used internally.

*Homeopathic treatment is not compatible with essential oils.

*Avoid sun exposure when applying any essential citrus oil to the skin. Citrus oils cause the skin to be sun-sensitive. Also, avoid using any citrus oil while taking a bath.

*When using essential oils topically, a carrier oil is highly recommended.

Recommended Carrier Oils

Jojoba Oil - this oil is not actually an oil. It’s a natural, soluble wax which gives it an excellent shelf life. It’s virtually “scent free” and is quickly absorbed into the skin.

Excellent for skin and hair.

*This carrier oil is my own personal favorite.

Grape Seed Oil – this oil is light in scent and texture. It is beneficial to the skin and is quickly absorbed.

Sweet Almond Oil – this oil is light in scent and medium in texture, and has many valuable natural health benefits.

Measuring Guidelines

For large areas – use 10-15 drops of pure essential oil to 2 ounces of carrier oil.

For small areas – use 2-3 drops of essential oil to 1 teaspoon of carrier oil.

When essential oils are used wisely and respectfully, they have the amazing ability to provide natural and effective health and beauty results.

Enjoy!

Recommended pure essential oil sources: Young Living and Hands-On Aromatherapy

Recommended book on essential oils: The Complete Book Of Essential Oil & Aromatherapy