Anonymity Project

3D Projection Gives Building Fantastical Undulating Skin

555 KUBIK_ extended version from urbanscreen on Vimeo.

My Acne Could Kill Me

Ira explains it.

'got to see ISS, Endeavour, and Progress last night!

The Cruelest Show on Earth

Here

Kiss and Tell One, Two, Three: America's Got Talent

I am fortunate to have such talented friends. Friday night, friends and I met at a concert to hear a friend's band. The next day, our same group, met for a poetry reading, where one of the group was the featured poet. Afterwards, we lunched at a nearby seafood restaurant. I was wowed by a friend who made a necklace during the car ride in the less than ten minutes it took to travel from the poetry reading to the restaurant. He had just purchased beads from the bead shop where the poetry reading was held. By the time we arrived for lunch, the AB pattern necklace with a pendant was complete and smartly displayed around his neck. I rate that performance at ten! During our meal, I sat around the table and noticed that I was surrounded by more artistic talent. To the right of me, an internationally known poet, who was invited to an extended stay in Taipei to share her acting, writing, and musical skills. She was such a success, they asked her to move to China. Across the table from me, one who is a songwriter, musician, playwright, and filmmaker. Also at the table, her daughter who is aspiring filmmaker who, this past spring was awarded second place in a citywide film making competition.

My horoscope states that I seek aesthetic beauty. I always have been drawn to visual creativity , as far as I can remember. As a child I spent a great deal of my time hanging around the beauty salon my mother ran. Mother was also a milliner and Dad, in his spare time, a carpenter who designed furniture. I excelled in art classes and made jewelry. In high school, I excelled in technical drawing, interior design, and architecture, and was a proud member of the Clothesline Fashion Club. Later, in college, one of my paper mache projects was prominently displayed in the UT Art Department main office for years after I graduated. In grad school my final project for my Creativity class included a ballet with the music of This Mortal Coil and readings from Anne Rice. Even though, I married an engineer, I have dated one fashion model, two fashion designers, three painters, and actor, a dancer, a writer, a sculptor, a singer, two musicians, and a partridge in a pear tree. STOP counting; three of the aforementioned had more than two talents. For example, J was a dancer, actor, singer, and designer. The fashion model was also a sculptor and designer. Too bad I was not around during the time of George Washington Carver.

Happy Birthday Mick Jagger

I Really Tried

I try not to be political on this blog, BUT, after several days of trying to hold my peace, I just had to comment.

Powerful: Holds a Ph.D. from Ivy League University
Powerful: Professor at an Ivy League University
Powerful: Internationally known author
Powerful: A scholar of Wole Soyinka
Powerful: Home in an affluent neighborhood
More Powerful: "You are under arrest."

For more commentary, see Field Negro's blog.

How to Embed a Digital Clock on Your Blog or Wiki

Online Clock Desktop Weather

Go to Respectsoft.com. Chose the design and color. The application automatically saves it to your clipboard. Next, just copy the code to your html page.

The "Beverly Hillbillies of Texas"

Another book recommendation:The Big Rich: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes

Listen to the podcast interview with author Bryan Burrough.

Read "Is the Era of the Texas Super Rich Over?" interview with Burrough.

The Man I Should Marry

Review of Jude Law in Hamlet.

A couple of months ago I completed an online quiz and the result was that I should marry Jude Law.

The Girl Can't Help It

Frenchy's Celebrates 40 Years

This is my once-every-other-month guilty pleasure. I know that I am a pescetarian, but, I just have to have "my Frenchy's" every once in a while. It is not just a craving for any fried chicken, but a need for Frenchy's. About twice a month, I pick up Popeye's for the family and I never even taste it. Thank you Frenchy's!

R.I.P. Frank McCourt, Recession Challenge #4, Reading Recommendations,Kodachrome, & Happy 40th Apollo Moon Landing!

Part I
Frank McCourt’s (1930 - 2009)passing inspired the subject matter of the first part of today’s blog.
When I was growing up, my family often took car trips to Mexico. We did not go solely for just across- the-border shopping trips, but for actual family vacations. We drove from Houston to Tampico or to Mexico City. Dad always insisted on taking the out of the way minor roads, rather than the main highways. He wanted his children to see the way people lived in the small towns and impoverished villages. Once we arrived at our final destination, a beach front resort or luxurious metropolitan mecca, our wise patriarch was assured his family knew how fortunate we were. Now, whenever I sense that I am falling into that self absorbed downward spiral of lamenting about being middle class, instead of a Rothschild or Kennedy, I find something to lift me up to reality. Rater than spending almost a trillion dollars to gas up the vehicle to travel to a neighboring country, rule Texas, or even a Houston ghetto, all I have to do is turn to a good book. The following is a combination recession challenge and reading recommendation.

Read a borrowed library book or DVD instead of going to the movie theater. Stay home from the movie theatre. You CAN wait to see The Half Blood Prince when it comes out on Netflix (only $15.99 a month; better fee than cable), DVD, or broadcast television. Unless you can walk or bike to the theatre, staying home will save gasoline, too. Reading the book will also save electricity used by the television and DVD player. Most neighborhoods have a public library branch within walking or biking distance. Re-read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince; no money out of your pocket. Instead of complaining about the recession, unless you have lost employment, cancel your pity party and check out a good book to draw you back to reality. Suggestions for you and kids (from age 12), too.

Books with characters who deal with poverty:
Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt
The Good Earth, Pear S. Buck
Ellen Foster, Kaye Gibbons
The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
Fat Kid Rules the World, K. L.Going
Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens
How to Steal a Dog, Barbara O’Connor


Part II
Memories of Childhood Past

Dentists Fair Well During the Recession

What people are buying during the recession

Recession Challenge #3:My top five recession remedies during the past month:
1. Cut mani/pedi and beauty salon visits by 50 %.
2. Visit Whole Foods less often; Fiesta will have to do for now.
3. Left that fourth pair of Sam Edleman's in the store.
4. Mended a blouse and a handbag, rather than a trip to the dry cleaners and shoe repair.
5. Tried store-brand allergy medication.

Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela! : RIP Walter Cronkite

90th Birthday, July 2008

Today is Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday.


Yesterday, I bought tickets to Aerosmith & ZZ Top in Dallas. HappyNelson Mandela's Birthday to me.


"And that's the way it is", July 17, 2009
Walter Cronkite was never "Uncle Walter" to me. Even though he was three years older than my father, I considered him as the "Grandpa" that I never met. Maybe it was the hair. I remember rushing home from school to watch the news to see what our "first anchor" had to report. During the summer of the Watergate coverage, I could not comprehend why my peers: other eight/nine year old kids, were not glued to their television sets. During that time of my life, growing up with my "Grandpa Walter" was like having my own private teach-in on current news events. I think that my love of "Wait. Wait. Don't Tell Me." stems from Cronkite's "It's News to Me".

My not so imaginary ties to Walter Cronkite include church and state. Walter Cronkite's father helped found the church I attend. Mr. Cronkite donated the land where the original church was built. Walter Cronkrite is also a fellow Longhorn.

Most of all, Mr. Cronkite not only fostered in me, at an early age, my love of national and international news. He helped me to develop my life-long desire of using media to learn. The world bids goodbye to another great icon and human. Rest in peace Walter Cronkite.

Crossing the Path of Moodafaruka Since the '80s

My friend's band plays tonight. So strange; I first heard founder Rom Ryan play at a party at his house in the '80s, then in 2007 Terrance played for a holiday party at my job. Then in 2008, I mentioned Terrance's performance to my friend Adam who is a percussionist. At that time, Adam he told me that he knew Terrance and Rom. Now my friend Adam is also a member of Moodafaruka . Although, I have heard Romulus, Terrance, and Adam play live separately, and I listen to their CDs; I have never heard Moodafaruka play live. I cannot go listen to them tonight because another friend has a birthday party across town. For sure next week!!! Why don't you go and tell how you like it.




Adam, do not feel too bad. I shall see you next week. I am also going to miss Stayin' Alive: One Nite of the Bee Gees at Miller Outdoor Theatre and ZZ Top and Aerosmith at the Woodlands. I'll also miss Mixers and Exlixers at Museum of Natural Science. Wow! How could one make it to all these in one night anyway? This is reminiscent of my "It Girl" days.

"New Credit Card Rules" from CNN

Video

Gift From a Friend

This is from my friend Judy who moved from Houston to New York. She brought this on her last visit to Houston. Isn't it beautiful? In the background I placed a Chinese silk print with gold embrodery. I like the gold and delicate silver combination. The next time I wear it, I'll wear it with gold. Thank you Judy!

Happy Le quatorze juillet !

Pictures of Bastille Day NYC, 2008

In the News Today

Michael Jackson's This Is It tour was to start today at London's O2 arena.

Judge Sotomayor's Confirmation Hearing
9:00 AM CST
CNN Live
Here

Fifth attempt to launch Space Shuttle Endeavour

"...and it was good " Also

Occasionally, I post links to organizations or individuals who IMO are socially conscious. This is my second post. The last post was "...and it was good"

Oxfam International

The Climate Project

All Michael Jackson Charities Web page created in 2002, BEFORE June 25, 2009

Network for Good

The Galveston Bay Foundation

Wendy. Oh, Wendy!

Here is another wish list. See previous post of Wish List #1

1.Wendy Brandes Nertifiti Poison Ring

2.Wendy Brandes Onyx Skull Ring
3.Audra Jean's fashion sense.

The Psychology of Restaurant Menus

Dollar signs

The Business of Food from Bigmoney.com

RRFM Houston 2009 & REALLY Free

Really Really Free Market comes back to Houston, July 11 @ Watershed Studios, 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. 5703 Cornish, 77007 map
Speaking of "free" and frugality, the video below shows the belated Summer Solstice present I bought myself. It is an even better bargain, because I kept it for exactly 19 hours and then returned it. Yep! Money back. When I first saw it, I fell in love with it. After, I arrived home with it, it did not go with the two suits and three of the four pair of shoes I thought it would. The fourth pair of shoes are uncomfortable. Bye, Bye Tocsa Blu!

Only Once Ever in History

Hippy Gourmet reminds us that only on July 8, 2009 comes the moments (after midnight and after noon) that can be called 12:34:56 7/8/9.

Michael Jackson's Memorial

This service, just like Michael's talent and outlook on life moved me on so many levels. Thanks to the Jackson family for sharing Michael by allowing a public and televized service. The service was more than I expected. It was nowhere near a circus; far from flashy and flamboyant. What a classy, diplomatic, and dignified celebration. Michael's three children have a lot of loving arms surrounding them! I send love and light to family and other mourners and fans. The world is a better place because of Michael Jackson!

Inside the memorial program book from AC360

We Are Texas

Sunday, Bloody Sunday: Tribute to Iranian Protests

U2 360 Opens in Barcelona



'got my ticket for October 18 in Houston! Bono rocks!!!!

Get Your Eagle On

Fourth of July Fashion

Photograph from Runner's World

I Am Fashion

fashionmefabulous

whatiwore2day

Gypsy05 Wonen and Kids

Ralph Lauren Flag Polo

DIY Patroitic Style

Forever 21

Wendy Brandes Jewelry

Closet Culture

Fashion Police

China Blue

Find Out Where Your Jeans Come From

Michael Jackson, June 23

June 23 rehersal from CNN

Cast Your Vote

Cast your vote for the Independent Lens Audience Award!