How My New York "Thing" Got Started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         I am often asked this question by people, who are surprised by my answer.  While it is true, I wanted to play the Winter Garden on Broadway, and be the next BARBRA, live in the Dakota, and have "Breakfast At Tiffany's," my drive to New York was unintentionally started by my own mother.

                                            I can still recall snippets of my pre-school days.  There I would be in our sun porch, (what we called the living room) sitting at my little play table, with the TV blaring children's programs and sitcoms--"Captain Kangaroo," "My Little Margie," and, of course, "I Love Lucy!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                              When the commercials came on, often a Disney movie would be advertised, to which I would yell out, "I want to see it!"  Each time, my mother would answer, "That is in New York," as though it was verboten to go there.  The more I heard this statement, the more I wanted to see New York.

                                                  The first time I did, driving into the city with my parents in the car, in between them, thanks to a car seat, and we emerged from the Lincoln Tunnel, I knew this was so different from where I had come from, at that age, I just knew I had to be a part of it.  Long before I discovered I was gay, in which case I felt there was no other place for me.

                                                     But I must credit my mother for starting me on my journey to New York.

                                                     Maybe she already knew some things I did not!

Happy Candlemas Eve, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     This is the first big event of this small month.  It is the night when the witches of Whitewood, Massachusetts, mock the rituals of the church, and sacrifice a virgin!!!!!!!!!!!  All under the leadership of Elizabeth Selwyn, who seems to be happy, even while being burned at the stake.  Well, she is a witch, you know!

                                    But that virgin requirement is getting more and more difficult to fulfill.  And now, with Covid, what chance has a witch got?  I can tell you Selwyn will get nowhere with this house, girls!

                                      In case there are some virgins--maybe spinsters--lock your doors, and put out some wolfbane, and stay inside.  You don't want to be the star of this banquet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Happy Candlemas Eve, everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Welcome, February!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Isn't this photo gorgeous?  I decided to welcome in this romantic month with a warm shot, to commemorate the romantic feel that surges through this month.  Valentine's Day is just the beginning.

                                         February is also the shortest month of the year, which is a good thing, bringing us closer to Spring, which is when I begin to finally feel settled and comfortable in the new year.

                                          So, a happy, warm, and romantic February to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                         

Can You Believe We Have Made It Through One Twelfth Of 2022??????????????????????????

                                       I always start feeling better the end of January.  We start with a celebration, watching the ball drop, some Veuve Clicquot, and then the seasonal magic stops.  The decorations have to be taken down, and then I have to transition through a period where I keep seeing them mentally.  Some time, at a later point in the month, this stops, and I always know I am on the mend when I can see my home normally.   I have crossed the first hump.

                                        I know I am settled in, trying to live up to my resolutions, as I struggle through the pandemic.  But knowing I--and David--am doing all I can. Same with Baby Gojira and Pippin.

                                        I had Svengoolie, and loads of fun with him, to help ease the transition.  Now, there is February to look forward to, and though short, it is packed with so many events! Just wait and see.

                                          I always heave a sigh of relief when January is over.  But one question remains unanswered.

                                            I was born two months premature.  I arrived in November 1954, when I should have shown up in January of 1955.  Had I kept that date, would I feel differently about the month?

                                               What do you think, girls??????????????????????

Darlings, You Would Not Believe The Available Merchandise, Connected To This Movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                    Those readers having been on here long enough know how much I love Universal's 1957 film, "The Deadly Mantis."  Girls, I am telling you, you have to see the scenes of a mantis, up against a micro slide, flying through the air, going "Zzzzzzzzz!  Zzzzzzzzzzz!"  I mean, do mantises really do that???????????????

                                                       The hoot is when it scales the Washington Monument, which has to be one of the most attacked buildings in this film genre.  Beside here, it also gets clobbered in "The Giant Claw," and "Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers."

                                                          It was my hunch that if there could be Mrs. Voorhees doll, there would be something connected to "The Deadly Mantis."  I was hoping for a plastic model of the creature scaling the Washington Monument, but no go.  However, if you look, there are posters, T-Shirts, Coffee Mugs, you name it!  I want a T-Shirt (yellow or orange) and a coffee mug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                             Enjoy coffee in mantis garb or mug while watching this film.

                                                              The only bug you will want in YOUR house, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                                 

Reading News--The Year Of The Challenge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Before last year ended, I had made up my mind I would approach reading differently in 2022.  I have two vertical shelves of books I have never gotten to--some have been there for years--so I resolved to clear as much of them as possible.

                                         Thus, I have only read 7 books this month--which for me is low.  I am not consciously shooting for 100 books this year--having set an all-time record for myself last year, with 124, which I am currently inputting, and will eventually post--but if I do not reach 100 this year, I promise not to look upon it as a moral failing.

                                              Just so you know, the seven books I have read are--                                                                                      1. "The Witching Hour," by Anne Rice                                                                                                           2. "The Liar's Dictionary," by Eley Williams                                                                                                 3. "Autumn," by Ali Smith                                                                                                                             4. "Winter," by Ali Smith                                                                                                                               5. "Spring," by Ali Smith                                                                                                                                     6. "Summer," by Ali Smith                                                                                                                             7. "The Tenant," by Katrine Engberg    

                                                 This is a low total for me, but there is a method to my madness this year, and I found it in Jonathan Franzen.  But before going there, let me tell you outright--Skip the Ali Smith Seasonal Quartet.  Overrated, pretentious, and who gives a shit?  But remember, that's me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

                                                                           

                                                 This is the book I am currently reading--"Abel And Cain," by Gregor Von Rezzori, with an Introduction by Joshua Cohen, author of "Witz."  Recently, when all this fuss was made over Donna Tartt's alleged escapades at Bennington--which is none of OUR business, darlings--she mentioned her fondness for The New York Review Book Classics.  I have been copying the list, A to Z, and plan to read as many this year as I am able.  This novel, which is 961 pages, consists of two novels, "The Death Of My Brother Abel," and "Cain."  The first book is longer; right now, I am on page 352.  This is not a quick read.  Nor should it be.  And this is where Jonathan Franzen comes in.

                                                      He maintains, and I agree, that hard books/novels are more of a challenge because they require work.  When he sat down and read "The Recognitions," it was over at least a ten-day period, with Franzen reading six to eight hours a day.  And I am trying to follow this regimen, with "Abel And Cain."

                                                    Back in 2002, when he went from struggling writer to Literary Icon from the publication of his now signature work, "The Corrections," he wrote an essay in "The New Yorker called "Mr. Difficult: William Gaddis, And The Problem Of Hard-To-Read Books."  The focus of the piece is on Franzen's experience of reading Gaddis' first, blockbuster 1955 novel, "The Recognitions," which clocks in at 956 pages.  This book, I must say, has stared me down in bookstores over the years, daring me to read it.  After reading the Franzen essay, I confess I just may have to.

                                                        But before going on, let me alert you to the books Franzen has picked up over the years, and has been unable to finish; some I have read, others not, and some surprise me.  The ones I have read are "Moby Dick," by Herman Melville, "Mason And Dixon," by Thomas Pynchon, "Remembrance Of Things Past," by Marcel Proust, and "The Golden Notebook," by Doris Lessing.  Those I have not read, but fully intend to, are "The Man Without Qualities," by Robert Musil, "Don Quixote," by Miguel de Cervantes, "Doctor Faustus," by Thomas Mann, "Naked Lunch," by William Burroughs, and "The Golden Bowl," by Henry James.

                                                            I certainly have my work cut out for me.  If these are good enough for Franzen and Tartt, then I am on their page.  Those on here who are readers are whom I have written this post for, just to let you know what I am up to.  I cannot wait to get back to "Abel And Cain."

                                                                However, this does mean that my whole year is going to be like reading for comps.  I have my eye on a recently published book, "Devil's House," by John Darnielle, which deals with a man who spends the night in a house where some unsolved murders took place.  If there is anything I love, it is unsolved murders.  So, you know I should have fun with this one, even if I was not crazy over his 2017 effort, "Universal Harvest."  Even serious readers have to get their fun somewhere.

                                                                    So, that's it for now, folks!  Right now, I am going to tune out, and curl up with "Abel And Cain."  I will keep you posted on my project periodically, and if I hit any books I think should be skipped, I will be sure to let you know.

                                                                       Hell, there is a remote possibility I may get to Joyce's Ulysses," this year!

                                                                       Happy Reading, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                      

                                               

Girls, Any One Of Us Can Be A CoverGirl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         You have to admit Niki Taylor looks fabulous.  She can barely be set apart from her 1998 CoverGirl mag pose, or her current one on television.

                                          Now, not all of us can look like Niki, but there is no reason, if we want to, that we cannot be our own CoverGirl.  Even if one has to cut the center of a mag, and photograph said face poking out through the cover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           I mean, hons, one must do what it takes.  But, for those serious thinking gals, here is a tip--

                                       Simple makeup from CoverGirl.  That's all it takes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!