Happy Birthday, Dan Levy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And We LOVE Your Closet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Several weeks ago, I showed you all Blake Lively's closet, which was a thing of wonder.   I then wondered about what men's closets I would like to see.  At the time, my first choice would have been Jake Gyllenhaal, but after my recent post....no THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        Then, I thought of Dan Levy, who always manages to look neat, clean, and fashionable.  I have NOT heard of him getting on the anti-bathing bandwagon, but I have heard of some  of  his  beauty routines, which means, like all us good girls, he takes care of himself.

                                           That's when I got the idea, for both straight and gay men, to get a look at Dan's closet.  So, on this, his 38th  birthday--Happy Birthday, Dan!!!!!!!!!!!--here , it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I am still  proud of mine, but, girls, there is no reason why your closets shouldn't be equally as stunning.

                                               The emphasis is on  COLOR, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, Jane Withers Was Mean To Shirley Temple, But Is Forgiven For Being A Wonderful Child And Character Actress, And A Humanitarian!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               Girls, I had not given much thought to Jane Withers recently.  Jane, even as a kid, was no fool; when she got the script of the 1934 film, "Bright Eyes," and discovered her character, Joy, was going to have to be mean to Shirley Temple, she knew the public would hate her for it.

                                                  But, as they grew up, they became good friends, sometimes appearing together, and  kidding about those childhood days.

                                                   Of course,  my generation, the Baby Boomers, knew Jane, growing  up, as Josephine, The Plumber, who endorsed "Comet" cleanser.

                                                     She made other films in childhood, and had a character role in the 1956 classic, "Giant."  She was also famous for  her  doll collection, some of which she gave to needy and sick children at hospitals she would visit, and, as an adult, she donated 800 books from her personal collection, resulting in the formation of  The Jane Withers Collection, at The Thousand Oaks Library,  in Thousand Oaks, California.

                                                      So,  it  was with  great sadness today I learned  of  her  passing away, two days ago, on  August 7, at the age of 95.  She had a good run.

                                                        Pete Seeger asked "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?"  With Jane's passing,  I ask myself, "Where Has All The Talent Gone?"

                                                         Rest In Peace, Jane.  You were a class act!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             

My Latest Reads, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   I have  to say, girls, my reading is pretty far ranged.  Themes and ideas may collide, but, all in all, I  try to maintain a varied selection.  Let's  take a look at some of my recent perusals.

                                                                                 

                                  "Later," by Stephen King--The only time I read him anymore is when the Hard Crime series publishes one of his works.  I loved "Joyland," and after this, I would like to get my hands  on "The Colorado Kid."  As for "Later--" Not "The Sixth  Sense," again!  Jamie Conklin, a New York teen  living  with his single mother, Tia,  a down -and-out literary agent, can see dead people!  Ho hum! What keeps this from being a travesty is Jamie's voice, insights  into  the literary life, and  Elizabeth  "Liz" Dutton, the most badassed female cop--and a corrupt one, to boot;  not  to mention a lesbian--with she and Jamie's adventures becoming the story's highlight.  King's best writing, that I can swallow, can be seen through this series.  The big reveal, while surprising, was unappreciated and unnecessary.  Girls, you will see what I mean.  Even those like me, who have given up on King, will  find this  diverting!

                                                                         

                                            "Open Water," by Caleb Azumah Nelson--As I have said before, girls, this seems to be "The Year Of The Debut."  Nelson's novel is "literary" with a capitol "L;" the prose is  almost  poetic, which works in favor of an otherwise ordinary story, set in London and Dublin, about a Black artist (male) and Black dancer (female) trying to find their way to each other, rising above the ordinary.  The novel  is  blessedly short; but, then, I don't take to even borderline verse.  No wonder I have yet to tackle "Pale Fire" by Nabokov.   The novel's author delivers promising talent and technique, but needs to learn the art of narrative flow.  Maybe on his next try!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                

                                       "The First Day Of Spring," by Nancy Tucker--Not since Alex Marwood's "The Wicked Girls" has a child murderer story disturbed me.  America certainly has no premium in this department; Marwood's tale was based on Robert Thompson and Jon Venables, who killed James Bulger, aged two, on February 17, 1993, while Tucker's inspiration was  clearly Mary Bell, the British child murderess who  killed two pre-school aged boys in Scotswood, Newcastle upon Tyne, back in 1968.  Tucker writes in alternate chapters and identities; "Chrissie" being the child chapters, and "Julia" the adult ones.  Like Mary, "Chrissie" was emotionally abused and neglected by a prostitute mother, subscribing to the idea that environment produces criminals.  Those who know me and my love for "The Bad Seed," which argues the opposite, might be interested, as was I, to discover this expression is often referred to, throughout the novel.  Chrissie often  calls herself a "bad seed," and the phrase is always italicized, which I think is code for Tucker reaching out to those, like I, who know  the William March work.   While the "Julia" chapters produce some  reader sympathy,  especially now that she has  a  daughter of her own, Molly, the "Chrissie" chapters left me full of doubt.  Mary Bell never killed again, and I don't think she will.  But, by the end of Tucker's novel,  I was less sure about Chrissie/Julia.

This is a  MUST, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                

                                           "The Other Black Girl," by Zakiya Dalila Harris--Oh, dear.  I know women in fiction, and especially Black women, are this period's literary flavor, and I get that, and both are certainly deserving, but this book was self-defeating in the end.  For  ninety-percent of its length it is a perfect New York publishing workplace character study, especially of women finding their way amid  male corporate ambition.  Perfect.  If only........Because,  when I reached the Big Reveal, I had to do a complete reassessment of  what had  gone before.  I don't want to give too much away, but let me  just say it suddenly switches from  reality to what might have made a good Rod  Serling  "Twilight Zone" episode.  What was Harris thinking?  In the end, she sets the BLM movement further back, rather than forward.   SO promising, but a big disappointment.

                                             And there you have it, dolls!  Hard to believe  I read all this in a single week!

                                             But then, as Cole Porter once said,  "Times have changed........!!!!!!!!!"

            

                                           

                                                                               

                                                                                  

Anti-Vaxxers Are A Danger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But Anti- Bathers Pose Other Kinds Of Problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Girls, what is going on, with all these celebs admitting to not bathing regularly?  Even Jake Gyllenhaal--JAKE GYLLENHAAL!!!!!!!!!!!--who is  one of our more attractive specimens  out there admits to this! It makes me  rethink him fast!

                                      Let me tell you something.  When I was on the market, during my spinster years, hygiene was a deal breaker for me.  If it was apparent to me someone did not take care of themselves properly, that was it.  The problem was there were,  and still are, people who go around looking as though they never take a bath!  They could, actually, be the most hygienic out there, but the appearance is so off-putting it would deter me  from any interest.

                                        Then there  is  someone  like  Gyllenhaal,  who may look attractive  but.......I know Jake keeps his private life private, which is fine, but, with this revelation, maybe the underlying factor is he does not have one, because, well, who wants  to get near him?  How about doing a  stage show with him, having to get  up close and personal every night,  live, or share a dressing room with  him?   I certainly would not want  to work  with this  type.

                                           Please  note I am  not  picking  on Gyllenhaal, personally.  It  is just that he is the most renowned  of these non-bathers, and, frankly,  I would  not have expected this of him.

                                             Alas,  and we don't know who else is out there!

                                            So, darlings, if you have a beauty routine, and I am sure most of you do, and it  includes bathing, stick to it!   You want to get somewhere, don't you?  And Jake has not been doing  much, lately.  Now, we know it is not just because  of  Covid.

                                              Stick with Blake Lively, girls!  She knows  what  to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               

                                  

It Is Not Too Late For A Summer Southern Sweet Tea Luncheon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          Girls,  we simply have to get together, before the season's end.

                                         Lacking a Victorian house with a wraparound porch, and a front lawn,  I guess we will have to do our  best,  and set up elsewhere.  But we MUST follow this color scheme.

                                          Tea, dainties, sandwiches, Southern cakes; what a perfectly enchanting way to  spend a lazy Summer afternoon.  I am  ready when you are,  girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Just pick a date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, It Is That Time Of Year, Again! Time To Watch For Our Met Gala Fashion Invites To Arrive, By Mail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     I mean, darlings, the Fall cannot begin, without it!

                                    Hey, ANNA, can you manage to get me  there?  And Baby Gojira, too?  He has the most fantastic  couture.

                                     Besides, I have some ideas I want to pitch, and  I need to do some networking.

                                      So, get that invite to me, ASAP.  I have to throw something together!

                                      And, listen, MY closet is  just as good as Blake Lively's! 

                                      It is a swathe of color!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

        

Today Is Friday, Girls! But Join Us For "Black Friday" Tomorrow Night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                Yes, darlings, Svengoolie is showing this seldom seen 1940 film, again teaming Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.  That alone merits it watching.

                                                The plot recalls "Frankenstein," where the wrong brain gets placed in a body, with disastrous results.

                                                   How that fares remains to be seen.  But if Karloff and Lugosi chew the scenery--and why wouldn't they??????????--it should be a fun evening.

                                                   So, join David and  I, Baby Gojira, Kerwyn, and our new friend, Pippin, for  all the fun, tomorrow night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!