Subtlety in Excess: November 2008

30 November 2008

Still Obsessed: AA Jewelry

I spent the last few days collecting images of Alcoholics Anonymous jewelry. Not sure exactly why, I guess it was a continuation of my earlier obsession with AA Medallions.

These pendants are all available for an ebay store called Enlightened Expressions. I guess there something about the lexicon on 'The Program' --the slogans 'One Day at a Time', "Easy Does it', "Keep Coming Back' the triangle, the camel, the butterfly--that fascinates me, the secret society aspect of it, commemorated in 14 karat gold and available on ebay.

I ended up seeing Rachel Getting Married last night with out any idea that it would have so much to do with 12 step programs. The synchronicity was heightened being that my companion was someone with a personal connection to the program, and we both felt like the film explored the culture in a way that was both real and unromantic.
The film is great, intense, introspective, beautiful and left me with a desire to attend a unconventional multi-ethnic wedding. It could definitely put into a cluster with the Jennifer Jason Leigh trifecta of Georgia, Margot at the Wedding and perhaps The Anniversary Party in terms of dealing with issues of sisterhood, dysfunctional families and parties and yet it approaches those issues with a warmth not found in the other films.
It also left me obsessed with with Debra Winger who doesn't have much screen time but whose chilling performance lingered with me afterwards. I am queuing up a bunch of her films now, I'm sure there will be screengrabs to follow. And one more obsession, the screenwriter Jenny Lumet, daughter of Sidney Lumet of Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon fame, granddaughter of Lena Horne. Just sayin'...

TOTAL FOX!

I Heart Bart

Started this post about Bart Davenport a while back but for various reasons I never got around to posting it. Do you know about how much I love Bart Davenport? You probably do, but still.

These photos are from a show in August at Piano's.

Chris has a really cool peace sign tattoo.

I am actually not naked in this photo but whateves.

This is not a new song but listen to Miami Afternoon.
"Subtlety is gonna be my best friend, gotta big fetish for tiny things."

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The video is sorta new.

26 November 2008

Past obsessions: Eggs

I used to be obsessed with eggs, breakfast, breakfast for dinner, fried egg shapes, metaphors about eggs, stories involving eggs.

I was particularly fixated on anything having to do with love and eggs, the Russian proverb "Love and eggs are best when they are fresh", the the concept of putting all your eggs into one basket, being weary of counting your chickens before they are hatched, the comfort in knowing that you have to break an egg to make an omelet and of course the "I need the eggs" joke from Annie Hall:
"y'know, the, this... this guy goes to a psychiatrist and says, "Doc, uh, my brother's crazy; he thinks he's a chicken." And, uh, the doctor says, "Well, why don't you turn him in?" The guy says, "I would, but I need the eggs." Well, I guess that's pretty much now how I feel about relationships; y'know, they're totally irrational, and crazy, and absurd, and... but, uh, I guess we keep goin' through it because, uh, most of us... need the eggs."

Hit or Miss

Just sayin...
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UPDATE: R.I.P Odetta.

20 November 2008

Elizabeth Peyton at The New Museum

The late addition to Live Forever Elizabeth Peyton's show at The New Museum.
I DIE.
When I was younger I had this J.D. Salinger quote on my wall that I had cut out from somewhere. "Some of my best friends are children. In fact, all of my best friends are children."
After I read At Home in the World Joyce Maynard's account of her bizarre relationship with Salinger as a young girl I started to feel kinda creepy about it. But lately, with all the posts I have been writing about kids it seems fitting again.

And just cuz....

p.s. I went to see her read on campus at UC Santa Cruz when the book came out and she signed my copy and drew a cute stick figure girl. I wish I could scan it.
p.p.s What was up with me going to see weird women authors read in the 90s.