Imma Art Geek too! – Arm Chair Tourism

With the advent of the internet, we art lovers have an amazing opportunity to travel to our fave countries, see our fave artists pretty much 24/7. Which is really brilliant. IMO
We can also follow along with our more local museums and art galleries to see what they have on exhibit this week and if this is the one where you want to be paying your ticket for. Especially if you don’t have that much time or money. Though most do have public showings that don’t cost much at all.

Or for a newb to see what is available and if that is their thing. You could find out what the local galleries are and follow their shows. Or you can go to some pretty world famous places like the Louvre in Paris. which is planning to celebrate 500 yrs since Da Vinci was alive, I see!

My best adventures in art began when I lived in Toronto or was visiting them for school trips, so today I will link you to:
The Royal Ontario Museum

and the Art Gallery of Ontario where Rubens is up! I wish I could go!

Imma Music Geek – Music History and Appropriation

Most of music that you hear today can be traced to a few influences you might be surprised by.

…..

Record companies started by:
Berry Gordy- Motown
Sam Cooke- SAR Records

….

the writings of Aleister Crowley – magician

…..

Baroque era

…..

Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound

…..

gothic romance themes

….

All woven into something that used to belong to peasant farmers and African American slaves. Where they’d have a bonfire when the day was done and sing together.
Or they’d clear a space and dance together.
It was their camp fire tales of spooks and love stories, and songs of their faith and life experience.

….

And now it’s the pop culture that people today think they can relate to.
But haven’t we actually committed cultural appropriation?
It seems so, when the biggest acts of our time use and misuse a people’s stuff to hit fame. And the artists who actually began the waves are barely remembered today. Those who do it “white” and/or “dance” make it big. And become stars for what is basically theft. And yet they are the ones who have estates, royalties and mega bucks. And the actual originators often die in obscurity.
So please, vote with your feet.

TV Trope – The Anti-Hero

There are several types of hero you see on tv. Usually a pretty decent human being, or even someone who is at least trying to be “good”, if not completely avoiding evil. But sometimes they lose faith…
Supernatural
But then there is the anti-hero. Someone who makes no claim to good behaviour, or even attempting it. They are happy misbehaving. Like the kind drug pusher or hooker. The errant cop or doctor. The ones who mostly follow the rules, but then they have this fatal flaw. Like sleeping with all their co-workers, or being an “Angel of Mercy”. Or being so messed up, it’s really hard to completely like them, and arrogant too.
House

They either think they’re doing the right thing, or they feel they’re entitled to doing hella whatevs they want! God-complex? Maaay-beeee! Or lack of moral code? I wouldn’t say complete lack, no. They just think differently! Right?
Cuzz when push comes to shove and the fate of the world rests on them, they step up. And fight demons, vampires, were beasts. From Dusk Till Dawn

Or instead of killing innocent people when they murder, they pick pedophiles or wife-beaters etc to protect the innocent.
Dexter

At the beginning of these shows, if you knew the end, you might not like these characters. Or you might love them more. Especially if they find the road to redemption in their heroic journey.

But that’s not the way it works, is it? And in the story, you get a version of their life that leads you to fall in love with them a bit. Or at least feel sorry for them. Maybe they lost their parents young, or were an abused child. Maybe they were misunderstood profoundly.
The Good Doctor

Or maybe they had a life issue you can relate to, in a really meaningful way? As in you have the teeshirt, the club membership you never asked for? And you kind of like following how this character deals with it. You like seeing yourself mirrored on TV.

Ultimately though, people are complex creatures. And if you knew the soul full of light and shadow, you’d find it hard to weigh them as Osiris does.

But it’s only on TV that you ever really get that degree of knowledge, isn’t it?

4 minutes ago

Love

Comment

dear Santa dommie – yunghungdom

Dear Santa Dommie ….

(yes I know but xmas is in 2 weeks, right? lol)

Dear Santa Dommie,

I want a subbie girl who comes to me innocent, wild for me and everything I dream of. And if I can’t have her, will you come to my house and spank me?

YungHungDom (if this is an actual nick here, let me know and i’ll edit it)

(Santa Dommie scratches her head….then forwards the letter to the Santa who answers men’s dreams and fantasies, with more compassion than she has. After all, they have a whole dept of responders and she sits here alone.)

Dear YungHungDom,

You have the wrong dept. This Santa doesn’t spank you very much. That dept has a heavy load at xmas, but don’t worry! They also have a big staff.

SantaDommie. Peace out!

Where is consent applicable?

Sometimes I feel like people are arguing about consent, as if it’s for one group and no one else. As if it can be used the same way across the board. As if all victims and protections are the same. I don’t think they are. So here is what I see:

• how young, innocent, frail, dependent on their good will and protection are you? Are they a parent, guardian? Or an occasional care giver? Or someone who is just in the periphery of your household? How independent are you? Could you be left to care for yourself? Legally? Are you capable of meaningful consent? Do you understand the ramifications of your actions and theirs?
• How invested are you in the relationship continuing? Are you dating/ playing together? Or are you in a long term relationship with them? Do you have property or a shared household? Do you have kids that rely on this relationship? Do you share finances? How quickly and safely could you leave if you had to? And could you take care of yourself and /or the kids if you had to?
• If this person has power/authority over you, does it extend beyond intimate roles? Do you receive money/a paycheck or allowance from them? Do they help you pay your bills or give you a salary? How much do you need their good will to forward your career?
• Is it just sexual or more? Is sex included? Does the relationship and it’s power extend beyond the bedroom or dungeon and sex?
• How much support do you have or need to change things so you feel safe?
• Is it manipulative, seductive, or harrassment? Or is it violence? Is the violence a one-off (unlikely) or an escalating pattern? (most likely) How often does it occur? How bad does it get? Is it worth blowing things up to avoid this?

As you can see, it’s a multi-faceted discussion, and applicable in many relationships. It’s no easy task to figure out where you are in this. And that is presuming that you are mentally and physically fit and can parse this out.

Abusers rarely slap you the first day you ever meet them. And it isn’t usually the first day that you end up in the hospital, almost dead.

You have many days of loving and needing this person to come to that day. And everything is tangled together. Like a ball of yarn after a kitten has played with it for a few hours. Wet and soggy with tears, saliva, peeing yourself with fear and desire. Feeling like crap and that you deserve it. Like you are the piece of shit they say you are. It takes unravelling the mixed messages you get and the ambifuous feelings you have.

It takes going from a place of immobility to racing time and energy to get to safety before they return.

See? Not so easy, and one size doesn’t fit all. IMO (having been there)

Imma Music Geek – Songs, Groups, Genres and Nostalgia

Most people pick what they like by their family and cultural influences, and what was in popular media/culture at the time they were teens. They have teenie bopper crushes on the cuties of the time, and the dance moves they learned then and who did them. And no matter how much older you get, those grab you.

My family had classical, country, and Germanic folk on. And of course gospel. My dad was the church chorister at their church.
My next older sister took private lessons in violin. She was considered a prodigy. Our family went to her performances with local orchestras and symphanies.
My kid sister and I were in a couple of community choirs. Gospel pop music.
And I was in HS in late 70s early 80s. So rock, metal, pop from that time is my R&R place. What was on the radio.

Then there are the concerts you went to, the songs you and your friends sang along to, and ones you shared with romantic partners.

I tend to hit world folk fairs and music (jazz, blues, rock, metal) festivals in the summers. But I have been to a few concerts as well. Aerosmith, Trooper, Cheap Trick, Helix, The Spoons, and The Temptations.
I have a few singer type friends from my days as a karaoke host, and we sang duets and group efforts to Eagles, Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, Neil Diamond and Barbara Streisand. I sang a lot of Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar, Carly Simon, Heart. Being a soprano.

But some people go beyond that and actually study music. Or even writing of songs. And they look around for other ideas, and influences.

I do have RCT Gr 9 music. But that isn’t that high. My family focused on my sister, rather than me. Other than the choirs, I have been a karaoke host. So I’m fairly famiiliar with pop trends.
I love originators, people who began the genres. Who walked the walk till it caught on. Before every blasted body was doing it. Pretty much every genre, except screamo metal (that is a voice thing!)
I was and am more focused on writing lyrical poetry. Most of which is offline, in my closet. lol
My fave writers are Robbie Robertson (BF and I bonded over his songs) John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan (hate his voice, love his words!!). I am very influenced by their styles and themes. But I do try various things.

And we hear songs that hit us in the feefees, and make a connection. Something we have gone thru and share with the song. Struggles with life, love and family. We all have those, right?

So that is how we build our library of songs that we listen to and really they make us cry or smile every time we hear them.

And much as we might think we have the same tastes as everyone else, our libraries always have a surprise or two in them for our visitors. lol

When I just want to chill at home, alone, I listen to sat radio, the Flashback 70s station on my TV. I’ve gotten so good at playing my game of “what song is this” that I can usually tell you song and artist before you hear the singer’s voice start. Just by the intro. It’s fun to play!

 

So “Miss Universe” is on TV Tonight….

On the eve of the Miss Universe Pageant on Tv, I thought it’d be interesting to see how feminism has morphed it. So here are some timeline factors of Miss America, and Miss Universe. You tell me, has feminism made a positive impact?

…..the Miss America pageant

began as a marketing scheme. Held in Atlantic City just after Labor Day, it started in 1921

• talent competition was introduced in 1938
  the pageant chose to limit eligibility to single, never-married women between the ages of 18 and 28.
• “Rule 7,” was abandoned in 1940, that stated that Miss America contestants had to be “of good health and of the white race.”

When did Miss Black America start?
August 17, 1968
Vanessa Williams first black Miss America 1984

• 1968 uprising was conceived by a radical feminist named Carol Hanisch, who popularized the phrase, “The personal is political.”
  Smithsonianmag.com
• Miss America no longer has a swimsuit or ball gown segment
  marketwatch.com

….Miss Universe started in 1952

as a marketing stunt by a California clothing company, Pacific Knitting Mills, after the winner of rival pageant Miss America refused to wear one of its swimsuits.

• There are similarities between Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss America though. All require their contestants to be single, never have been married, and never have given birth to a child or parent a child. Generally, winners are also required to be single during their reign.
• In 1959, Japan’s Akiko Kojima became the first Asian woman to be crowned Miss Universe.
• The first black Miss Universe was Miss Trinidad-Tobago Janelle Commissiong in 1977
• In 1960, an interview portion was introduced to the contest.
• the women wore their national costumes
• Miss Universe announced that it would allow transgender contestants in 2012 after a lawsuit, but it wasn’t until 2018 that it saw its first contestant
• The first transgender contestant in Miss Universe history made her debut . Angela Ponce, Miss Spain, was favored to win the entire competition.
  business insider.sg

Prison Buff (a story)

Prison Buff

You can tell when someone is from the wrong side of the tracks, when they know the term “prison buff”. Someone who has done a good stretch inside is trying to do two things: stay busy, so they don’t go mad, and protect themselves from other inmates; either by staying in the supervised gym, or being buff enough that people don’t exactly pick them to hassle. But there is a fine line between that and being so fit they feel they have to earn their bones by challenging you.

And in my hood, you knew who had been inside recently by how fit they were. Because nobody had enough money to have memberships in this area. There were some factory workers, minor clerical workers, some aides and orderlies at the local homes, and day labour for some ragtail, cowboy construction firm. Nobody special came from our neck of the woods. Ever.

And Dave was at that stage. His abs so hard, he got paid good coin to let people at the bar he hung out at punch him in the stomach. He didn’t really want to piss it all away by letting them buy him beer. Though he knew some did. He had a hard time keeping a job and a roof over his head. But he kind of worried that one day he’d get that wrong punch. And wind up really hurt. He’d had to tape up a few times from getting a busted rib and was constantly tender from the bruising.

The side benefit though was he could have his pick of the ladies ar the bar. He was seen as the guy who could protect himself, and them. Little did they know he couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag. He could punch the shit out of a hefty bag, and he could lift weights. But that was about it.

He was right in that section of the prison populace who were buff, but not challenged.

Dave was a nice guy, but his head not working right got him into trouble, and got him caught. But he wasn’t violent. He just didn’t think things thru right. And he didin’t plan or run fast enough to avoid getting caught. A little dim maybe?

But so were a lot of the guys in this area of town. Maybe the difference was that Dave knew that as truth about himself. And kind of joked about it, with his mates.

Some might say he was crazy, but it’s not like he thought he was Jesus, or an alien. So he figured he was at the high end of the prisoners’ row. I mean, do you know how many Jesuses there are in the prison system?

He tried to do the “being saved” shtick for the probation and parole people, or take courses to show he was “using his time”. He went to the programs too. But most of them said he didn’t really need them, cuzz he wasn’t angry or crazy. So why’d they waste their funds on him? And he wasn’t that great a fake or liar. He just couldn’t put it together enough to keep a story consistant. Good liars can.

You could say he fell between the cracks. And if he had a rich family, he’d have been fine. No need to keep food in his belly, no need to keep a roof over his head.

So he kept doing stupid stuff, when he was broke. And getting caught. Esp in the winter. The prisons were his hostel.

What do you do with a guy like Dave? Build a revolving door in the prisons? Yeah, they already have one. Or two.

Imma Music Geek – The Q of Covering Other Artists’ Songs

As the title says… Imma music geek and love to chat about which genres, which artists, and why I adore them There aren’t any genres that I don’t like something about. And there are things within each that I could live without.

And a big issue I have with music is cover songs. If all you’re going to do is copy someone else’s work so you can make a few bucks trading on their name? IMO you suck!! Go to karaoke! I mean even good karaoke singers can manage to make a song their own, at least as much as the tape allows. #amiright??

There are exceptions. I like it when something is overproduced and they strip it down, so it’s an actual song. Or they change the genre and make it fit that. Groups like TransSiberian Orchestra or Il Divo who do operatic versions of pop music and make it transcendental experiences.

Or practically anyone can sing Bob Dylan’s material better than he can. But he is a good writer and somewhat of a philosopher. I just don’t like his voice!

I do like contests like The Voice when they coach young artists and get them to identify with the songs they pick and develop their “sound”. As long as they actually can sing when they get up to perform. Which is why I’m not a fan of American Idol . Some people actually make it to the top, whose purpose is for everyone to mock them. Or because they’re cute and they like to watch them dance about.

And being somewhat of a geek, most people think that means you have to hate hiphop/rap. I don’t. I think sampling and mashups are fun. And they’re harder than most’d think to write. I’ve tried! (in my home projects that is)

Most of the people who do covers are just singing and playing what they heard and it’s a waste. Because 99% of the time, the OG artist did it better. It was their song, they put the journey and emotion into it. So it was their story.

At least that is what I think… Do you agree?

TV Trope – The Making of a She-Werewolf

The Making of a She – Werewolf
Hayley Marshall- Vampire Diaries, The Originals
Elena Michaels- Bitten

Is there a big difference between how a female werewolf is portrayed on TV? Well the pack is a lot more protective of the women-folk. But that tends to just be a thing. Of human (anthropomorphism) and wolf nature (zoomorphism). From whichever direction they view their nature and extend it. Don’t you think? So it makes sense that they’d translate that to werewolves.

And then there is how they become the grander version of themselves too. By their love of their mate? By their willingness to go beyond the traditions of the pack and it’s leadership, in an all or bust version of change? Then end up being part of the pack hierarchy, because they were able to oversee the change? Even if it costs them almost every member of their pack? And are still viewed as the heroine of the story… I mean if I went in to a battle with 10 people and came out with 2, I’d see it as a loss.

Then there is the importance of the “secret”, the life and death need to not have humans know about the existance of werewolves. They isolate themselves on huge estates, parks, farms, … countryside estates where they can change form as needed and run without humans detecting them. Where they can be wild and feral.

But realizing that humanity is getting closer, in the form of hunters and just the world getting more crowded, their human-self learns to live the urban life. In some artistic, avante-garde, bohemian way. So they live outside/inside. One foot in both worlds.

And that need for secrecy wears on them. To the point where they seem depressed. Which the leader of the pack doesn’t get in the same way. Because they are out on the estate. Which may be why, when they get to be part of the hierarchy, they don’t want to maintain the secret, the traditions for it. Certainly not to the point of killing humans who become aware of the werewolves.

….Did the shows portray the female werewolf fairly?

It seemed to be a rare thing for a female human to become a werewolf. Even if bitten, they only can if they have werewolf in their genes. And when they do, it’s far more about the pack or their mate and their relationships with them taking them over, than it is about them being a woman or a female werewolf. And as humans this often causes severe depression. It’s important to keep something of yourself going. So you can give to others.
So they have to find a way to be their own person, and keep all these balls juggling. And to find a path between traditions and modern life that works for them and the people they love, want to protect.

Did they? I’ll leave that to you to decide.
Sometimes you have to shut off the feminist training to watch TV, but sometimes it’s fun to actually trigger that and assess the show. And these two characters made that possible. So worth the view IMO

… the story of a were-beast

the myth vs the TV or movie portrayal
Live Science
history.com
Greek – Zeus
Norse – Loki

were-wolves, were-foxes, were-dogs (China) , were-tigers, were-snakes, were-hares, were-bears and even were-crocodiles.

Are they shapeshifters? Do they shift their body, their mind, their astral body? Awake or in dreams? Are they spirit guide and human united? Are they trixsters, gods or demons in animal form? Are they cursed by witches? Do they have a magical totem or herb that changes them? Are they delusional humans, as an individual or a superstitious group? Is it an illness, like having light-sensitivity and/or excessive body hair? Is it real, or a “cover” for a serial killer? Are they changed, due to cannibalism? Does the full moon cause or contribute to their feral nature? Are they a witch’s familiar? What can put them down? Do they hunt humans to eat? Or to mate/have sex with them? (which would be important, if like the TV show Bitten, they are far more often men and not immortal. How else would they have the next gen?

Where and when did they originate? Possibly the Middle East?
They are mentioned in the story of Gilgamesh , from ancient Mesopotamia. And from Greco-Roman myths.
Possibly Native Americas? They have stories about trixsters and windigos.

Have you heard of the werewolf trials of 1521?
the first recorded instance of anyone being accused and convicted of lycanthropy occurred in Poligny, France in 1521. As the story goes, a supposed wolf attack led authorities to the home of Michel Verdun, who, after being arrested and tortured, confessed to being a werewolf, along with two other men, Pierre Bourgot and Philibert Montot.