Pop Circus

Happy Music: Give Me All Your Luvin' by Madonna (Feat. M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj)

2012-02-10T01:59:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone! It's so nice to be back in the ring after such a long break away from it all. Sorry I was gone so long. I didn't really plan it that way. At first, I was just distracted by some other project. But then, before I knew it, I'd realized that a whole month had gone by with the circus tent just sitting empty... Then two months went by... I guess I really needed the break. Whatever the case, my batteries have been re-charged and I'm back in the game!

Now, about this video... It's for Madonna's first single, Give Me All Your Luvin', from her forthcoming new album titled, MDNA (to be released this March 26th), and it's a whole lotta fun. I have to admit that I'm not too crazy about Nicki Minaj or M.I.A. being a part of the whole thing, but even they don't manage to spoil the uplifting, happy vibe that's going on here.

If you haven't already, go ahead and push play. I think you'll enjoy it!

Rumor has it...: Madonna & William Orbit, together again?

2011-11-18T01:22:00.000-08:00

I am sooo excited, everyone! Rumor has it that Madonna has been working with William Orbit on her next studio album. For those who may not be familiar, Mr. Orbit also collaborated with M on her hit album, 'Ray of Light'. He's largely responsible for its unique sound throughout, and I love it. That's why 'Ray of Light' is my favorite Madonna album of all time. It's not just Orbit's contribution that I love so much, though. M actually started singing with her REAL voice about that time, and it completely shines through (like a "ray of light")! Hee-hee! Seriously, she sounds fantastic. I think it had a lot to do with where she was at the time, spiritually, emotionally, etc. She was in a good place, and when listening to the album, you can feel it.

If the rumors turn out to be true, and the new album is even half as good as their first collaboration, I will be one-happy-camper-all-a-scamper! Pass it on!

Retro Book Fair: Walt Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland'

2011-10-16T17:25:00.000-07:00

As a child, this book was magical to me. And it still is, actually. There's just something about the artwork in particular. The colors... the painterly style... it all comes together and creates this perfect fantastical world. And I doubt it would've affected me the same had it not been a Big Golden Book edition. That big beautiful storybook enveloped me and took me to a place like no other - Wonderland!

Aside from the cover image, I've also included specific pages here which I can remember seeming particularly special to little Anthony. Pages that I'd tend to linger on just a little while longer than the rest, my imagination buzzing with colorful intensity.

Easily the most iconic moment

in the story, and my absolute fave!

For some reason, both the water

and bubbles REALLY fascinated me.

I loved getting to see

inside White Rabbit's house.

This page is awesome. I loved

how the thatch roof of the

cottage doubles as Alice's hair.

The garden of talking flowers...

Another beautiful and awe-inspiring

sight to behold!

Our brief trip through storybook Wonderland ends here, for now, folks. But check back periodically because you never know when I might decide to go again...

~ Unfortunately, no specific art or illustration credits are given inside the book. It's all just credited to Walt Disney Studios. If anyone happens to know names of individuals, please contact me. I'd like to give credit where it's due. ~

Coming Attraction: NEW Erasure album, 'Tomorrow's World'

2011-09-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

Have I ever mentioned my love for this band? Well, I've enjoyed them since their freshmen days waaay back in the 1980s. And they've never gone stale since, somehow managing to crank out album after album of fun, quality pop music throughout the years. In fact, they're one of my "sure thing" bands. You know, the sort of band that is so consistently good that you'll buy a new album sight unseen and sound unheard. Because you just KNOW it's gonna be that good!

Enter 'Tomorrow's World', Erasure's 14th studio album. Actually, it's not available until sometime in early October, 2011. Some sources I've read have said the U.S. release date is October 4th, while others say October 10th. Either way, it's right around the corner and I can't wait!

Freak Show Friday: Richard Simmons

2011-09-23T06:15:00.000-07:00

Where DOES one start with Richard Simmons? Hmm. I know, I'll just be blatantly honest. Okay, here you go... The man absolutely frightens me! I've NEVER liked his WAY over-the-top prancing about, or his iconic shorty-shorts and fancy tanks. And just his overall faggy presence gives me the creeps. I know that last statement must seem pretty harsh, if not a little confusing, coming from another gay man and all, but you must understand my viewpoint.

I'm well aware of what an incredible motivator he has been for lots and lots of overweight people for years, and that really is great, but at the same time I feel quite strongly that his mincing, prancing, and screaming only perpetuates gay stereotypes. And I can NOT stand anything or anyone that perpetuates gay stereotypes, especially when it's SO up in your face like Richard's antics are! When he's "on", of course.

Here, Mr. Simmons is covered in poof balls. Just

in case there were any lingering doubts...

Please, don't get me wrong. I don't hate the man, I just can't stomach him! There IS a difference, you know. But it can be a fine line at times.

Now, THIS is just tutu much!

"You are clear for take-off."

So, there you have it - another Freak Show Friday AND my brutally honest opinion about a famous old queen who so desperately needs your attention!

P.S. - I'll try and be a little nicer to my next subject. Maybe, if I can...

Kollage Korner

2011-08-20T01:36:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends! Sorry about the delay in posts. I guess you could say that I've just been exploring other creative avenues, lately, such as the fun and expressive pastime of collaging! I've dabbled with collage over the years in very small ways, but now I'm finally starting to work on a bigger scale. Ha! I say, "bigger scale", but for me that's only graduating to an 8-and-a-half " x 11" sized worksheet... Ah, well. You gotta crawl before you can walk, right? Maybe, someday, I'll be showing wall-sized canvas pieces in a gallery. You never know, it COULD happen!

That first piece you see up there I call, 'Moonlight Express', and the stars are actually all glittery (even though you can't tell from the scan I did). It's very simple, but that's what I was going for because it's also my most recent work, and I hadn't done any for quite a while previous.

This second piece I call, 'Vintage Rainbow', and in case you can't tell, those color bars are paint chips. I did it back in 2009 as part of an online contest/experiment thingy. Come to think of it, I don't think it was an actual contest because I don't recall a winner... Well, anyway, it was still fun just the same! And this remains one of my favorite pieces simply because it always makes me smile. The colors are cheery, and of course those vintage toys make me happy!

I plan to continue sharing my work with you here at Kollage Korner, so if you're interested, watch for it! Until next time... Keep on kuttin' up!

~ All collage images by Anthony See. ~

Monsanto: From chemicals and plastics to amusement park wonder

2011-07-06T22:21:00.000-07:00

Today, there seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding Monsanto and their practices. Perhaps there always has been, but I don't want to go into any of that here. I just want to focus on some of the company's more exciting achievements such as their creation of "NEW colors, NEW materials, and NEW designs for plastic housewares" as well as having sponsored two of the most beloved and sadly missed attractions at Disneyland.

Doesn't that ad up there make plastic look enticing? It's all just so COLORFUL and SHINY! By the look of it, I'd say marketing was certainly a Monsanto strong point. Check out what the text says in the ad. "LOOK... TOUCH... LIFT... and see what wonderful uses today's stylists and designers have found for plastic's lustrous lightness, fluid grace. Now plastic housewares are at home in every room of the house... reflecting the skill of craftsmen working with Lustrex, Monsanto's styrene plastic molding powder. Modern, exciting, durable, they are available in a wide range of colors, including crystal clear and the newest pastels. Look for these exciting new plastic housewares at your favorite store... you'll use them everywhere!" Well, wrap 'em up 'cause I'll take every last one of 'em! I'm a total sucker for slick talk and fancy presentations.

Speaking of presentations... Monsanto sponsored two classic Disneyland attractions. One was the big, plastic, walk-thru House of the Future which lasted from 1957-1967. And the other was everyone's favorite, the awesome Adventure Thru Inner Space ride. That one lasted considerably longer, existing from 1967-1985.

"Gee, but peeping in on the people

of tomorrow sure is romantic, Johnny!"

"Don't open the drapes, Delores.

I have a feeling we're being watched..."

Unfortunately, I was born a bit too late to have enjoyed the HotF first-hand. But, boy, did I enjoy me some Inner Space! I can remember being sooo fascinated with that ride, especially at the beginning where the HUGE microscope "shrinks" you down to atomic proportions. Of course, at a certain age it became obvious to me that it was all just an illusion, with tiny fake people. But up until then I was totally convinced. A little scared, even.

I'm probably in that line somewhere crying

because I'm afraid I'll soon be shrunken.

Riding along in your atommobile, there just wasn't

ANYthing else like it. Period.

Say what you will about the Monsanto of today. And I DO understand that plenty of people have much to say... I, however, much prefer the Monsanto of yesteryear. And I'll take it in a crystal clear, Lustrex plastic container, please.

This made me giggle...

2011-07-04T01:04:00.000-07:00

It really doesn't take much to tickle my funny bone, especially if it's the slightest bit suggestive, like this 4th of July greeting, here. Can you blame me?

Have a Happy, Safe and Sane 4th of July, everyone!

Oh, and "Happy 40th Birthday" to my dear husband! May you have at least 40 more in excellent health and good humor! I love you!

My infatuation with the 1950s housewife

2011-06-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

Just what is it about the perfectly idealised American housewife of the 1950s that so appeals to me? Yes, I'm gay, but does that really make much sense for a reason? I mean, wouldn't it make more sense if I was straight? I am, after all, attracted to images of women dressed in some of their finest wardrobe, cooking and cleaning to their heart's content.

I guess when it's put that way it does sound pretty gay, huh? Oh, well.

Show & Tell: Art Frahm's 'The Crossing Guard'

2011-06-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

While wandering through an antique mall over the weekend, I stumbled across this colorful gem of a picture hanging in a simple 8x10 frame. My eyes just about popped out of their sockets because, as my good friend Matt said, "It's sooo up Anthony's alley!" And if you're a regular Pop Circus visitor you know how true a statement that really was. So, of course, I snatched that puppy right up and took it home. But I was curious to know more about the artist. Just WHO was this Frahm person? Was this print out of a book, or was it one in a series? I had to know more. To the internet I went, and what I found was quite interesting...

Art Frahm (1907-1981) was an American painter of campy pin-up girls and advertising. He lived in Chicago and was active from the 1940s to 1960s. Today he's best known for his "ladies in distress" pictures involving beautiful young women whose panties mysteriously flutter to the ground in public situations, often causing them to spill their bag of groceries.

Frahm was commercially successful, and even his falling-panties paintings were later imitated by other pin-up artists. In fact, to this day the falling-panties art has a small cult following as mid-20th century kitsch, or even as fetish art.

In addition to pin-ups, Frahm created a series of humorous hobo-themed calendar illustrations. Another set of paintings celebrated traffic safety, complete with smiling, chubby crossing guards and schoolchildren. (Ding! Ding! Ding! Just like the one I have!) His advertising art included works for Coca-Cola and Coppertone.

Boy, talk about one extreme to the other, huh? Somehow, Frahm even managed to make an adorable pup look like a "horn dog" in the second picture. That's a bit TOO creepy. I think I'll just stick with the traffic safety series, thank you very much.

I so WANT that!: The Nintendo 3DS

2011-06-04T00:19:00.000-07:00

My poor husband. All he's heard from me for weeks, now, is how much I want the new Nintendo 3DS portable video game system. And if it were reasonably priced I might have one by now, but, unfortunately, it is NOT! You know what the thing retails for? $250.00!! Yep, you read that right. Pretty crazy, huh? That's the kind of dough you'd normally pay for a major game console. All things considered, though, I think it might be worth it... Read on if you're interested in what this baby can do.

3D without glasses, dude! I don't know how they do it, but it truly is amazing! I tried it out at a Nintendo display in a local store and I was blown away. A cool thing about the 3D is that there's an adjuster switch so you can fix the intensity for what works best with your own eyes. Or the effect can even be turned off completely, if you prefer. Aaand the 3D madness doesn't end there. No! There's also 2 (two) built-in cameras on the outside of the unit for taking photos in 3D (possibly video, too, but that hasn't been confirmed). How cool is that? What I've described here only scratches the surface of everything Nintendo's latest toy actually does. So if you're at all interested, I strongly recommend checking one of these bad boys out in person at a retailer near you. No amount of description could possibly do it justice - you HAVE to experience it first-hand in order to really appreciate it!

Maybe I'll do a follow-up post if/when I get one of my very own. That way, after spending more time with one, I could give a more thorough and educated review. Hear that, Nintendo?

The Worst Album Covers Ever!: 'Organ Fascination' by Dave Stephens

2011-06-02T07:03:00.000-07:00

Artist ~ Dave Stephens

Title ~ Organ Fascination

If you didn't know any better you might have thought

this album should have been titled 'Organ

Disappointment' from the look on the cover model's

face. However, you knew that it was an album of

organ music, of course.

Your mind can't help but wander when you can clearly see that this lady is "appreciating" the organ sans clothing...

~ Image and info taken from the book, 'The Worst Album Covers Ever!' by Nick DiFonzo. Published by Barnes & Noble, Inc. ~

Retro Book Fair: 'Young Reader's Color-Picture Dictionary'

2011-05-28T00:03:00.000-07:00

Hey, look, everybody! The Retro Book Fair has rolled into town, again! I wonder what neat, old book is being featured this time...? Let's check it out!

Wow! As it turns out, it's actually one of my favorite types of children's books! This one is the 'Young Reader's Color-Picture Dictionary - For Reading, Writing, and Spelling' by Margaret B. Parke, Ed. D. and illustrated by Cynthia and Alvin Koehler. That cover is great, isn't it?! Now, let's take a look inside...

Look at those end papers! That's some beautiful illustration, right there. And we haven't even gotten to the content of the book, yet. Moving on...

I can't even tell you how happy these old-fashioned illustrations make me. That apple... That dog! Oh, good, here comes another page.

Handy, Mandy, Jack-a-Dandy, huh? Well, whatever his name is, he'd better hurry up and eat his candy before I do because it looks mighty yummy! Look, another page...

That party sure looks fun, doesn't it? And those pets... Who wouldn't want one of those? Hey, check out this next page. It's totally different. It's from the back of the book, and it highlights parts of the human body.

Again, I just really can't get enough of this happy, idealistic illustrative style. Almost makes my teeth hurt, but I totally love it! What about you? Does this sort of thing "float your boat?"

Well, that about does it for this installment of 'Retro Book Fair'. Until next time, remember... Be nice. But especially be nice to your books!

SOUND + VISION: 'I Confess' by k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang

2011-05-12T05:18:00.000-07:00

Fun with Dick and Jane

2011-05-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

I love the innocence of things like Dick and Jane, but I also can't help twisting it around and corrupting it a bit. Here's a mere sampling...

Everyone was impressed with the size of Dick's package.

But, most of all, Jane was surprised to learn that Dick

had such feelings for her...

My work is already done, here.

I'm so immature... and I like it! What about you? Do you enjoy being silly and irreverent? If so, tell me all about it. I'm sure the rest of our readers would get a kick out of it, too!

XXX peanut butter porn!

2011-04-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I absolutely love peanut butter? Well, consider this my visual homage to that heavenly substance... Enjoy!

~ All photos via Google Images. ~

How lovely!

2011-04-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

I woke up to a pleasant surprise this morning... My good pal Maria over at Wub2Write left me a nice message informing me that she had an award waiting for me and to go check it out. So I did, and this 'One Lovely Blog Award' was what I found! How nice is THAT?! Of course, I do share the honor with 14 other fine bloggers, but that doesn't cheapen the prestige of it one little bit.

Now, this is the part where I'm supposed to announce my 15 successors, but I don't get out much (in the blogosphere) so my 15 is actually only 9. But, hey, it's a real sincere 9! Will the following people, listed in no particular order, please stand up:

You are all hereby granted with your very own 'One Lovely Blog Award'! Congratulations! Now, sit down and shut up! Ha, ha! Just kidding! Come on everyone, let's give them a nice, big round of applause. They deserve it! And as for those of you who aren't familiar with some of these excellent blogs, please, go check 'em out. You'll be glad you did!

In case you happened to miss this...

2011-04-01T00:20:00.000-07:00

Ke$ha - Exhibit A

Ke$ha - Exhibit B

Ke$ha - Exhibit C

Ke$ha - Exhibit D

Discuss.

Spreading the love...

2011-03-29T04:45:00.000-07:00

Both a big (((HUG))) and a "Thank you!" go out to my wonderful pal MoonDoggie for passing along this Liebster Blog Award to me. Evidently, it is intended for exceptional blogs with less than 300 followers and, boy, do I qualify. I mean that I qualify for the less than 300 followers part, not necessarily the exceptional part. I'm not THAT conceited!

As most of you other bloggers out there know, these little perks (awards) come at a small price. That price being the task of selecting a handful of successors to whom you'll pass along the award. Not that it's like a major chore, or anything. In fact, it's actually pretty fun! So without any further ado, here are my picks for the next Liebster Blog Award recipients:

Smells Like Library - Funny, interesting, entertaining, and informative blog written by a library technician who works full-time in the trenches of a Jr. high/high school library. Oh, and he happens to be my husband!

Gold Country Girls - Such a sweet, cozy place to visit. They're waiting for you, just up that hill...

Wub2Write - The lady who writes this blog is a real kick! She's young at heart, and she can really tell a story. Check it out!

Lisa Golightly - Fashion, art, beauty, vintage style... She's got it in spades!

So congratulations, everyone! Have fun bragging to all your friends! But don't expect to get a good table at Spago, or anything...

The Worst Album Covers Ever!: 'Joyce' by Joyce Drake

2011-03-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

Artist ~ Joyce Drake

Title ~   Joyce
                 Something about Joyce touches people, but
                 I'm not quite sure what it is. She seems to be
                 saying, "Don't be afraid! Let's get together
                 for coffee before my next hair appointment."

Well, if you ask me, I am afraid! Very afraid! There's something about our sweet, rose-adorned Miss Joyce that I do not trust... And it all begins somewhere around those dead eyes of hers! You know what they say about windows to the soul, and all. Only, I'm not convinced that one exists inside. And the hair! God knows what lies beneath that curly helmet...

~ Image and info taken from the book, 'The Worst Album Covers Ever!', by Nick DiFonzo. Published by Barnes & Noble, Inc. ~

What A Book!: 'Catalog - The Illustrated History of Mail-Order Shopping'

2011-03-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hello, everybody! Today I want to tell you about a terrific book I discovered. Whilst poking about the shelves of our local Border's book store, I stumbled upon 'Catalog - The Illustrated History of Mail-Order Shopping' by Robin Cherry. I tell you, this gem of a book is FILLED with wonderful examples of mail-order consumer products, and it is a visual pleasure to be sure!

"In 'Catalog - The Illustrated History of Mail-Order Shopping', Robin Cherry traces the timeline of these snapshots from American history and discovers along the way how we dressed, built and furnished our houses, worked, played, and got around. From corsets to bell-bottoms, from baby-doll dresses and Doc Martens all the way to iPods, the history of these catalogs is the history of our lives and our culture."

With a book like this, you hope for more images than text, and, fortunately, this one really delivers! And guess what? I selected some of my faves to share with you. I'll bet you didn't see that coming...

Montgomery Ward, 1930

Men's Flannelette Pajamas

Boy, they must've felt REAL manly

wearing their "flannelette" pajamas.

Sears, 1928

Women's Hats

Ladies, measure your

head size carefully...

Sears, 1971

Men's Body-hugging Underwear

Ssssexy!

J.C. Penney, 1974

Women's Polyester Bell-bottoms

Wow.

Sears, 1959

Erector Set

Consult your physician if you

experience any toy creation

erect longer than 4 hours.

Sears, 1958

Dolls

Be a doll, would you?

Johnson Smith & Co., 1940

Novelty Toys and Masks

Holy crap, that Hitler mask

gives me the willies!

Sears, 1961

Play Kitchen

Now, get in there and fix my dinner, bitch!

Sears, 1971

Shag Bath Carpet

All this talk about "pile" makes

me have to use the toilet...

Sears, 1961

Aluminum Xmas Trees

Aluminum-minum-minum!

That'll do it for this edition of 'What A Book!'. I sure hope you had as much fun as I did. But if you didn't, well, lighten up, would ya? See you next time...

Retro Book Fair: Corinne Malvern's 'Mother Goose'

2011-03-17T02:30:00.000-07:00

It's that time once again, folks...

Yes, come with me and "get your book on"!

Today I'm sharing a children's book that is chock full of colorful and charming illustrations. It's Corinne Malvern's 'Mother Goose' and it was published/printed in 1953. The book's condition is pretty awesome, too, when you consider that it's almost 60 years old! I'd love to frame a few select pages, but I wouldn't dare separate them from the original book. That just IS NOT allowed! Did you hear me? NOT allowed!

So, anyway, check out the great cover, below, followed by a few of my fave nursery rhyme/illustration combos from inside...

As if the cover wasn't cute enough,

it actually wraps around to the back

with even MORE adorable characters!

I love the colors, here, and all

of the care-free romping. Do

kids even "romp", these days?

"She whipped him, she slashed him..."

NOT much of a lady in my book!

You and I both know that MUST

be a cubic zirconia she's holding...

This one's my absolute favorite!

It's really cute and just a tad creepy...

There are many, many more within the book, but I wanted to keep things short and sweet. I did a pretty good job of that, huh?

Just sayin'...

2011-03-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

This woman SCARES the CRAP outta me!

I'm just sayin'...

SOUND + VISION: 'Upside Down' by Paloma Faith

2011-03-13T03:01:00.000-07:00

Attack of the "B" movie posters!

2011-03-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I really love a good, bad "B" movie! And I love 'em even better the worse they are... Yes, I'm one of "those" people. I can't help it. I enjoy over-the-top schlock, bad acting, and low-budget special effects. I find all of it quite humorous and entertaining. My husband... not so much. He only sometimes sees the humor, and even then his patience wears thin way quicker than I'd prefer. Oh, well. He's such an awesome man and husband in countless other ways, I guess I shouldn't complain. Instead, I'll share with you some of my favorite "B" movie posters I found pictures of in one of my neat, old books! Sound like fun? Oh, good!

'Youth Runs Wild', 1944

Tires + youngsters = TROUBLE!

'I Was a Shoplifter', 1950

Might I suggest casting Winona Ryder and
Lindsay Lohan in a modern-day remake?

'The She-

Creature', 1957

I've known one or two of

these in my time...

'The Man From

Planet X', 1951

I like this poster SOOO much!

The dude from Planet X is

quite spooky, no?

'Terror From the

Year 5,000', 1958

Note to self: Need not worry.

You will be long since dead

come the year 5,000...

Everyone else can suck it!

'The Brain

Eaters', 1958

Yummm!

'Ghoulies', 1985

Get it?!

Well, I had fun with these, and I hope you did, too. Do YOU have any favorite "B" movies that you enjoy watching again, and again? My all-time fave "B" movie to watch would easily be 'This Island Earth' from 1955. Check it out if you've never seen it. It's got an awesome space monster... Bye, bye!

Photo 'a Go Go!: Even MORE of my 365project

2011-03-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

Hello, everybody! It's time, once again, for another installment of everyone's favorite photo-viewing pastime... Photo 'a Go Go! [APPLAUSE]

Folks, it's been so long since I last shared any of my 365project photos with you that I thought I'd go ahead and torture you with some more, now. You knew I was gonna sooner or later, so I might as well, right? Thus far, I've been making a point to present my photos to you in the same order they've been taken for the project, so I figure I'll just continue on with the same method. Let's jump right in, shall we?

Happy toy [2]

I felt like I had to revisit this one, photographically.

It's just so colorful, and the first shot I took of it

for the project didn't even show the dial or the

receiver/handset! So I think I'm finally satisfied.

I think...

Verdant growth along

the old weathered fence

I've always liked this sort of juxtaposition;

something young, fresh and healthy set against

or alongside another that looks old, run-down

and has some character. I'm also happy with

the textures here, even though the fence IS

mostly out of focus.

The Great Stromboli

Marionette Show

I spent a fantastic day at Disneyland with

my husband and two of our dearest

friends. We spent 12 hours there filled

with laughter, screaming (on the rides, of

course), great food (Blue Bayou) and

even better company! It just doesn't get

much better than that.

While in Fantasyland, I spied a wonderful

window display of Stromboli's Marionette

Show from the animated Disney classic,

'Pinocchio'. Both Jiminy Cricket and

Pinocchio, himself, were also "dancing" on

the stage of this wee puppet theatre, but I

was particularly taken with the pretty little

lady, above. I'm guessing that she's

supposed to be Heidi, or a close facsimile?

Beautiful imperfection

While walking along some unusual

shop windows, I came across this

attractive copper bust and instantly

knew that it must be visually

documented. Isn't she/he lovely? I

was especially drawn to its color,

along with all of the scuffs and

imperfections. AnyTHING, or

anyONE, that shows this sort of

aging character truly IS beautiful to me...

A few of my favorite things

Since I enjoy both photography and board games

a whole lot, I thought I'd get creative and figure out

a way to combine the two subjects, visually.

And so... Voila, this was what I came up with!

My father's hippo

About a week ago, my mom dropped by to give

me something very special. It was an old porcelain

hippopotamus from somewhere around the 1950s

or '60s. But that's not why I think it's special. It

was my dad's, and he kept it on top of his bedroom

dresser. The body is hollow, so my dad mostly kept

pocket change and other odd 'n' ends inside of it.

Plus, that awesome gaping mouth was the perfect

place to rest his glasses for the night. Or, maybe,

even a few business cards from his day at work...

My dad died 21 years ago, and after all that time,

I'd completely forgotten about his hippo. That is,

until my mom just appeared with it one day, and said

I should have it. I'm quite touched that she held onto

it for all of these years.

I didn't receive this priceless knick knack with any of

my dad's old pocket change, business cards, or

ANYTHING inside. But what DID come with it was

some wonderful (temporarily forgotten) memories of

my dearly departed father.

Starship Victoria

Sinking into the plush, red velvet cushioning of

my chair in a most fearful anticipation, I stared

out through the huge, glass viewing-sphere and

watched as our magnificent spacecraft approached

the foreign surface of planet Zebulon.

1958 Murray Champion

This is a miniature reproduction of a classic,

kiddie pedal-powered car, like they had

back in the 1950s. It's made real well, too.

In fact, it has a bit of heft to it because it was

made out of some kind of heavy-duty metal.

I received it as a gift years ago and I still really

dig it! The color combo is perfect. That shade

of blue is my favorite, and I've always liked

red. If only I could shrink down to the

appropriate size in order to ride it... Just

imagine how much money I'd save on gas

AND car insurance!

"Like sands through

the hourglass..."

I'm real pleased with how this shot

turned out! I always find the seemingly

random patterns of light reflection that

you can capture within different types

of glass to be very fascinating, so I do

like that element. But the thing that

really made me giddy about this photo

was that I managed to capture lots of

individual grains of sand falling through

the center of this hourglass!

How cool is that?!

Hello, my BUZZZY bee-like friend!

I almost feel as though most of the credit for this

wonderful photo should go entirely to the magic

of serendipity. My original intent was only to snap

off a few macro shots of this dandelion, I wasn't

planning at all on trying to catch an insect in any of

my compositions. But then, as I was focusing this

shot and about to take the picture, that nice little

flower fly zoomed down into the frame only long

enough for me to press the shutter release, and then

it quickly buzzzed away! Like it was flying by, saw

what I was doing and thought, "Hey, I can help a

brotha out... I think I'll just swoop down there for a

sec and pose for the guy."

Peering 'neath the pier

I absolutely love being at the beach.

It's just about my favorite place of all, next to

Disneyland. But I don't enjoy going there to

sunbathe, or for a dip in the ocean. I just enjoy

being there and absorbing the peaceful energy.

You know, the powerful crashing waves, the

wonderful distinct smells (SOME of them), and

the unmistakable euphony of sounds (i.e. seagulls,

buoy bells and ship horns). Not to mention the

visual aspect of nature's oceanic beauty... Of

course, the only times that are best for appreciating

any of those things are either in the early morning,

or late afternoon/evening. It's pretty hard to feel

connected with the ocean's calming energies during

the middle of the day, when there's hundreds of

people sunbathing on the beach, kiddies building

sandcastles and teenagers surfing and/or boogie

boarding.

I'm glad that I shot this late in the afternoon, so

nobody else was around to walk into my frame.

What you see is the underside of Balboa Pier in

Newport Beach, CA. What you don't see, thank

goodness, is me tripping and falling down in the wet

sand as waves washed over me (shortly after I took

this shot)!! Aaand, as if I hadn't suffered enough

indignity, my friend, Matt, immediately busted out

laughing! But it was okay because I laughed pretty

hard, too.

Innocence

I sure hope y'all have enjoyed this latest edition of 'Photo 'a Go Go!'. Stay tuned for even MORE of them in the not-too-distant future... 'Til then, we'll see what other trouble we can get up to around here! So make sure to check back often. Bye-bye!

~ All photos were taken by Anthony (AKA antvision), and are not to be used or reproduced without written permission from me. 'Photo 'a Go Go!' dancers were found in a back alley, behind Google Images, playing Connect 4 and drinking Earl Grey tea. Clearly, they needed something to spice up their lives. ~

SOUND + VISION: 'Born This Way' by Lady Gaga

2011-03-01T00:11:00.000-08:00

My 100th Post Give-Away Celebration! (CLOSED)

2011-02-25T04:11:00.000-08:00

Wow! 100 posts, already? Doesn't seem possible on one hand, but on the other it's like, "What the hell took ya so long?!" I started up this li'l circus back in 2009 just as a sort of experiment, so I really am kind of amazed that I've kept it running this long. Don't get me wrong, I love doing it. I always have. It's just that it isn't always as easy for me to whip out a post as it is for the next guy (or gal), mainly due to my ADD, but also because I lack confidence in my writing ability. That's why my posts tend to be short and sweet. But I will say that since I started blogging 100 posts ago, it HAS helped to boost my self-confidence and feeling of self-worth like nothing else. Blogging gives us a "voice" in this crazy world we live in, and in a way, even a sense of place. You know? Like, I always enjoy spending time at my circus; I feel that I belong here. And when people who visit happen to enjoy something enough to leave a comment, it's like icing on the cake. In other words, I plan to keep on bloggin'... at least for another 100 posts!

Now, to the FUN part... the GIVE-AWAY! Of course, if it were not for the wonderful, kind, and totally awesome people who I lovingly refer to as my Captivated Spectators, I'm sure that I would've given up on all of this, completely discouraged. But most of you, at some point or another, have left me such great comments and positive feedback. And many even continue to do so on a regular basis! So I'd like to thank you by giving a little something back. Unfortunately, I really do mean "a little something" because, let's face it, times are TOUGH! However, I did pick something whimsical and fun... Take a look, below.

The official WINNER of the drawing will get both plates, (1) Mr. Food Face and (1) Ms. Food Face, as well as total permission to PLAY WITH THEIR FOOD! Hee!

GIVE-AWAY DRAWING OFFICIAL RULES:

Only one entry per person.
Entry must be submitted as your name and email address sent to onefunant@yahoo.com with the Subject line titled, 'Pop Circus Give-Away'. If selected, you will be contacted via email and a shipping address can then be given.
All entrants must also be official followers (or Captivated Spectators) of Pop Circus. So if you're not already, make sure to become one, or your entry will be invalid.
All entries must be received by 11:59pm PST on Sunday, February 27th.

Thanks, again! And good luck, everyone! Remember, there'll only be ONE winner, so make sure to get your entries in! I'll divulge who the winner is on Monday, February 28th, unless of course it turns out to be YOU in which case you'll be notified sooner via email from li'l ole me. Bye, bye!

"Bras and panties and briefs, oh my!"

2011-02-22T23:00:00.000-08:00

Hey, everyone, it's time for a party! And the attire for this shindig is nothing but your skivvies, so if you'd like to peel everything else off and join the fun, go right ahead! Though, you might want to draw your blinds and curtains first...

These old ads for men's and women's unmentionables are quite a hoot to look back on nowadays. However, not only good for a hearty chuckle, they're also interesting examples of classic advertising methods. Come take a look, won't you?...

Something tells me these three

just participated in something

completely satisfying.

Ooh, la la!

See, no matter how badly you

want to rip those shorts off of

another man, you can't tear the fly!

I can't believe that's not a

vagina stitched onto the front...

Men, hide your dix

in Globe-tailored Slix!

Just place them, press them

and forget them? I'd love to

see that lady play an entire
game of tennis with those
booby cups on...

No equal for... GAY.

"Stick 'em up... and WAY out!"

Well, if it isn't a million he's feeling like,

he's obviously feeling "something"

quite special...

Now, wouldn't you say this is

taking Casual Friday just a

little too far?

That about does it for this Pantie Party, or Skivvy Soiree. I hope you all had fun! And don't forget to put your clothes back on BEFORE you re-open those blinds and curtains, unless you enjoy that sort of thing...

~ All images taken from the postcard books, 'Brief Encounters: Men's Underwear in the Classic Age of Advertising' and 'Brief Encounters: Women's Underwear in the Classic Age of Advertising'. Both published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

I just didn't Ga-ga-get it!

2011-02-15T00:44:00.000-08:00

Okay. First of all, let it be known that I am a BIG Lady Gaga fan. And up until Sunday night's Grammy performance I pretty much thought she could do NO wrong... But then she arrived in that giant egg, ala Mork from Ork ("Come in, Orson"). However, I will admit that I was just as intrigued as everyone else was by the elaborate stunt. I mean, that WAS a pretty great way to make an entrance! It did beg all sorts of questions, though. Everything from like, how did she get in there? And, how is she breathing? To, what if Gaga's gotta poo-poo? Surely, her team thought of such things ahead of time and took the necessary precautions. Right? Let's hope so.

What?! I do NOT get the hat.

When it finally came time for "Gegga" to hatch, I felt it was a bit anticlimactic. At some point between the time she'd made her grand entrance and when she appeared onstage, Gaga obviously traded in her previous mode of transport for one with dramatic, interior track lighting and a sliding moon roof. Thereby allowing her smooth "eggs-it" and transition into her number, 'Born This Way'. But when she stepped out, WHAT was with the big yellow hat?? I expected Curious George to come crawling out after her! And the Madonna 'Blonde Ambition' ponytail... Puh-lease! She sure worked THAT into the dance choreography! I swear, she swung that tail around so hard and so often that I thought for sure it was gonna fly off and hit Aretha Franklin in the face! And she wasn't even there!!

Ugh, that ponytail...

I must say, the Lady has a pretty slammin' body, and it was quite evident thanks to her tight, barely-there, latex wardrobe. But WHY did she (and all of her dancers) have to sport that weird, pointy, body modification look? The sharp shoulders and jagged facial features just seemed over-the-top to me. And besides, isn't 'Born This Way' supposed to be an anthem about being proud of WHO and WHAT you REALLY are? The way you were BORN, not the way you try and MAKE yourself for whatever reason? Don't get me wrong, I'm ALL for creativity and drama. That's what drew me to the Lady in the first place! It's just that I think she's sending out mixed messages, here, with this one. You know?

Love those glass pipes, but what's with the multiple
heads on the organ? Again, with the mixed messages...

When it was all sung and done, I couldn't help feeling like Gaga had phoned the whole thing in. The performance just hadn't seemed Grammys-worthy to me. And after having shown up in an EGG, I think lots of people were probably expecting something a bit more FANTASTIC. Overall, I'd say this egg turned out to be pretty rotten!

~ All photos via Google Images ~

Retro Book Fair: 'Vision - How, Why, and What We See'

2011-02-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

Hello, all! I know that it's been quite a while since I've written a legitimate post, so I thank you for your patience and loyalty. You know how life can be sometimes... It can really make it hard for us ADD afflicted to focus on ANYTHING, let alone a blog! But enough about that!

I'm excited to share with you a new (old) children's book that I recently got at a local used bookstore. The book is titled, 'Vision - How, Why and What We See' and it is one in a series of books called the 'Golden Library of Knowledge'. 'Vision' was printed in 1962, and I think the charming illustrations (by Weimer Pursell) depict that. Here, take a look at some of them, beginning with the book's cover...

I really dig this cover!
The combination of the colors used
and the stylization of the image make
it very pleasing to the "eye".

Outer organs of the eye serve a primarily

protective purpose.

The convergence of the telephone lines, the decreasing
size of the poles, and the haziness of the more distant
buildings help to create perspective.

Why does an apple look red? First of all, you are

probably looking at the apple in good light. If

you look at it in very dim light, the apple will

look black for the sight-receiving cells in the

retina that "see" color are the cones, and cones

are useless in dim light.

To see red, you must have good color-sensitive

cones. Many animals and some people have

cones which are able to see small details distinctly,

but cannot recognize some or all colors. They are

said to be color-blind.

White light entering a prism breaks

down into the colors of the spectrum,

as seen above. It is possible for an

inverted prism to recombine the

spectrum into white light again.

Color-blind people are unable to see

the red O and purple X, above.

Many birds have keener vision than we have.

The hunting birds - vultures, hawks, and

shrikes - can spot very small animals on the

ground hundreds of feet below them.

The Snellen Eye Chart, above, was

designed to aid all who train in

testing distance vision against an

accepted norm.

So did you have fun learning tidbits about vision in the Golden Library of Knowledge? I thought you might! Be sure to come back next time Retro Book Fair stops by the circus... I have a pretty good feeling even more vintage fun is in store! Meanwhile, have a wonderful weekend, everybody!!

~ All images taken from the book, 'Vision - How, Why, and What We See' by Janette Rainwater. Illustrated by Weimer Pursell. Published by Golden Press, New York. ~

Guilty Pleasures SOUND + VISION: 'Shampain' by Marina and the Diamonds

2011-02-06T18:17:00.000-08:00

Guilty Pleasures SOUND + VISION: 'Hollywood' by Marina and The Diamonds

2011-02-05T00:04:00.000-08:00

Guilty Pleasures SOUND + VISION: 'Oh, NO!' by Marina and The Diamonds

2011-02-04T00:28:00.000-08:00

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Ovaltine'... To wake up GAY in the morning!

2011-02-01T05:33:00.000-08:00

"Why be content to waken tired, listless, or low in the morning - when you should be gay and radiantly alive? Why not follow this simple plan thousands are using for sparkling morning freshness? Just drink a warm cup of Ovaltine at bedtime each night."

So, where's the disclaimer that states side effects include an increased desire to participate in same-sex frivolities before lunch?

~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Who, me? I got an award?

2011-01-28T06:26:00.000-08:00

I'm sending a great big (((HUG))) and a "Thank you!" out to Lisa, aka Tikimama, over at Atomic Tea Party for this very flattering award. It's so nice to get awards like this periodically because aside from reader comments, you really don't know how you and your blog are being received. And it just feels really good knowing that someone thinks I'm "a great read!"

Show & Tell: Our Playmobil Victorian dollhouse, a Christmas tradition.

2010-12-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned before that I never really outgrew toys, right? Well, here's even more proof of it! Yes, this beautiful Playmobil Victorian dollhouse has graced our home for the holidays, proudly displayed by, or near, the Christmas tree for almost 18 years. And it is certainly one of my favorite Christmas traditions!

When it isn't out at Christmastime, it's tucked away up in a closet the entire rest of the year, so you can imagine how dusty it gets. I actually kind of enjoy the whole process of taking it down, meticulously cleaning it (inside and out), and then, the BEST part of all... placing the furniture and people inside!!

The following photos are a somewhat goofy gallery of interior shots (plus a few exterior) just to give you a closer look. Btw, for some reason, I had a devil of a time getting the lighting just right. So if they seem a bit funky, that's why. Enjoy!

Here is the back side of the house, with
"handy" access to all rooms and floors.

These lovely ladies are relaxing in the living room and
enjoying a command performance by the pianist
on the left (you'll see his piano in the next shot).

Here is the artist at work, on a piano that really plays!
(Well, technically, it's just an electronic tune when
you press down on the keys...)

One of many maids, Sophie arranges place
settings at the formal dining room table.

Meanwhile, out in the nearby moonlit forest, a small
family of deer is seen grazing along the barren, icy floor.

Jane, the kitchen maid.

Jacques, the house chef.

Maxwell, the family dog.

Grampa enjoys his newspaper next to a toasty fire.

Unbeknownst to Grampa, a fiendish
imposter lurks in the shadows nearby...

Look out, Grampa... She's right behind you!

Between the den and the veranda lies one of the
bedrooms simply referred to as the Flower Room.
(Notice the detail of the chamber pot sitting on
the floor, next to the bed. Sign o' the times!)

Out on the veranda, a professional photographer
takes a lovely holiday portrait of a fine couple.

Here we see the other bedroom, aka the Red Room,
and it looks as though we've caught a young couple
just settling in for a nice, long Winter's nap...

Yet another maid, Louise, ensures that sanitary
standards are upheld at all times in
the house's one and only bathroom.
(It ain't a fun gig.)

As we progress up the stairs to
the attic nursery, we can see both
kitties AND kiddies.
(Har, har! Get it?)

Like typical children, this close to
Christmas it's real hard to go to sleep!

Well, folks, that concludes our tour of the Playmobil Victorian dollhouse. Sure hope you liked it! Until next time, I wish everyone a very merry Happy Holiday and a shiny New Year!!

~ All photos property of Anthony See. ~

"Hey, Santa! Whatcha sellin'?" - The jolly old elf in advertising.

2010-12-06T06:48:00.000-08:00

How can anyone say "No" to a face like that? Besides, it's freakin' Santa Claus! And WHO doesn't like him?? Well, if YOU don't, go play on the freeway. You're dumb! Plus, you'll probably get coal in your stocking...

Anyway, for the rest of us who DO still like good ol' Saint Nick, I've compiled a gallery to display just some of the finer examples of his contribution to advertising. This would also be considered an "old skool" edition, mostly because I don't think any of these ads date past the 1960s. Oh, and F.Y.I., these are only the tip of the iceberg. As I continue to sort through and find more gems, I'm sure the urge to share will be much too hard to resist! So, for now, please enjoy what I've collected below.

I really like how colorful this is! And how great is it that
the "train" is actually one of the Christmas crackers?!

I think the detailed artwork in this is very
impressive! Love the lettering font, too!

As if Santa wasn't already huge enough with
everyone, here he's quite literally HUGE...
He's a GIANT! Just look at how he towers
over those rocky mountains beneath him!
And I'm sure it's because he eats lots and
lots of Sunkist Seedless Navel Oranges!

I can't even tell you how MUCH I absolutely
LOVE this image! It just makes me HAPPY
in all sorts of ways! Even just the name
"Ribbon Candy Rocket" makes me giddy...
Yep, I'm gay.

I like this, but what I DON'T like is how
Jack and Betty just demand, "Bring us
Tinker Toys." WHERE, may I ask, is the
"Please" in that request? Hmm? I think
Santa ought to skip their house!

Isn't this great? I just hope that was the
LAST house on Santa's route...

Again, another very pleasing one to me!

I don't know about you, but a Thermos has
NEVER been on MY Christmas wish list.

It'd sure be a shame if all Santa was carrying
in his bag-o-tricks was Colgate products, huh?
He'd BETTER have some toys in there, too!

Not sure if this is from the 1950s or '60s, but it
rings early '60s to me, for some reason. Is Santa
actually demonstrating that the television is
slightly narrower than his own waistline?
Could that really be a selling point?

This is quite nice.
It reminds me of Santa's Village!

Well, that'll do it for today's gallery, kids. Check back again, real soon, to see what else is NEW at the circus! In the meantime, try to relax and enjoy the holiday season. "See" you later!

~ All images taken from the book, 'Christmas: Vintage Holiday Graphics'. Edited by Jim Heimann. Published by Taschen. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Lifebuoy Health Soap'... The soap of considerate people.

2010-11-13T04:20:00.000-08:00

"Peggy, did you catch a whiff of Fran?"

"Oh, my. I thought I smelled something, Helen. But, you know, I'm not the least bit surprised. The other day, we were at the supermarket together and I couldn't help noticing that she had some cheap, off-brand bath soap in her shopping cart..."

"Tsk, tsk. What some women won't do to save a few pennies!"

~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Bile Beans'... To be attractively slim, and to ensure regular daily elimination!

2010-11-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

While Bile Beans were initially pitched as a cure for biliousness, the influenza epidemic of 1899 was too good an opportunity to miss. Horrible though the flu was, a lot of people would recover after a week or so anyway, and it was an easy matter for quacks to point to cases where the recovery coincided with the taking of their medicine.

A leaflet enclosed with the Beans stated that they were also a cure for cirrhosis of the liver, blackheads, and all "female complaints" (Sorry about that, ladies), and later they were mainly targeted at women, using glamorous pictures that now appear incongruous with the unattractive product name. Although the leaflet said that the Beans did not include mercury, bismuth, or aloes, they did contain aloin - an aloe extract with laxative properties that is no longer considered safe because of its potential side effects. The other ingredients were cardamom, peppermint oil and wheat flour, with a black gelatin coating. Yummmy!

The story behind the Beans went that an Australian scientist, Charles Forde, had discovered an ancient aboriginal remedy. The actual inventor was a Canadian called Charles E. Fulford, and the story about the aborigines was completely made up. Although this was revealed during a 1905 court case where Fulford sued the proprietor of an imitation product, the Bile Beans became very popular in the 20th century and were still on sale in the 1980s.

~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. All info taken from thequackdoctor.com. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Scott Tissue'... When peculiar, private itching breaks concentration.

2010-11-07T02:42:00.000-08:00

"When I asked Mary what was the matter she complained of an itching. I asked a friend's advice at Mother's Club that afternoon. She said it was probably caused by harsh or impure toilet tissue, and recommended Scott Tissue." Those were the days when advertising still used some level of discretion. Boy, nowadays we see animated bears dancing around on the T.V. with toilet paper confetti stuck on their rumps! I suppose the people who are marketing that particular product think they're being subtle, but come on... Those damned poo bears are pretty blatant! And I guess I just find it somehow more disturbing since it's trying to be all cutesy-cartoony about bears pooping and the toilet paper sticking to their dirty butts. It's just gross, you know? Not that I'm a prude, because that certainly isn't the case.

Another part of the ad text that I find interesting is where it goes on to share how experiences like Mary's "are common. Harsh tissue can cause serious inflammation. Women and girls especially, because of their peculiar requirements, need a soft, highly absorbent tissue - such as Scott Tissue or Waldorf."

Evidently, those "tissue issues" can mean some serious "sh*t" for the ladies. Or so they'd like us to think...

~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Listerine'... Because halitosis makes you unpopular.

2010-11-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

"Don't fool yourself! Since halitosis never announces itself to the victim, you simply cannot know when you have it." Ya gotta love that sales tactic! Nothing seems more effective than fear or paranoia to really push a product. And if that doesn't work, surely knocking down people's self-esteem by telling them they'll be "unpopular" should do the trick! If you click to enlarge the advertisement, pay particular attention to the FACTS in the lower right-hand corner. I love that they're relying on what 68 hairdressers had to say about their clientele, "many of them from wealthy classes". And, after all, "Who should know better than they?"

~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just what the doctor ordered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Vintage Drugstore Carnival: 'Grove's Tasteless Chill Tonic'... Does a body good!

2010-11-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

In this chill tonic, which came out in 1878, Edwin Wiley Grove found a way to bottle a quinine (only known malaria medication of the time) mixture that would eliminate the bitter taste. This tasteless tonic, which some claimed wasn't all that tasteless, was quite an improvement over taking straight quinine for fever and chills caused by malaria. A sweet syrup and lemon flavor was added to the quinine, along with cinchonine and cinchonidine, which were the main ingredients in crystal form within the tonic. The chill tonic was so popular that the British army made it standard issue for every soldier going off to mosquito infested lands and, by 1890, more bottles of Grove's Tasteless Chill Tonic were sold than bottles of Coca-Cola.

So much success... All achieved with a marketing campaign like that one??!
Boy, have times changed.

~ Image taken from the postcard book, "Just What the Doctor Odrered": Health and Grooming in the Classic Age of Advertising. Published by Prion Books Limited, London. ~

Trick 'r Treat!

2010-10-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

"Boo", everyone!
Please, enjoy this gallery of happy Halloween hijinx...
if you dare!

I can hardly stand seeing this pic. Guess
I just don't have the stomach for it...

What you can't see here is the small print
which reads, "Butcher knife sold separately."

Alright. As far as I'm concerned, these pumpkins
are sooo hideous that they're actually "cutting edge!"

Holy crap! If these kids were walking down
MY street, I'd find me a baseball bat QUICK!

Nothing funny, here. I just like the soft
candlelight from the jack-o-lantern. Plus,
I think she's a pretty lady.

...And then eat ALL of their candy
once they've gone to bed!

Happy Halloween! And remember, don't open your front door if the Trick 'r Treaters are so tall you can see their eyes through the peep hole!

~ All images taken from Jim Heimann's book, 'Halloween: Vintage Holiday Graphics'. Published by Taschen. ~

The Worst Album Covers Ever!: 'Marcy Sings to Children' by Marcy Tigner

2010-10-29T02:11:00.000-07:00

Artist ~ Marcy Tigner
Title   ~   Marcy Sings to Children

                    Marcy Tigner was an aspiring gospel singer whose
                    career was stymied by her high, childlike voice. She
                    finally found fame after learning ventriloquism and
                    inventing her "Little Marcy" character. She released
                    dozens of records in the 1960s and '70s and was
                    wildly successful.

As far as I'm concerned, this is a perfect album to share this time of year! It's just so darn creepy, don't you think? There's something about that little doll singing on that little stage of hers... I know, I know, it's all supposed to be nice, innocent fun. But did you happen to notice the second song title on the first side of the record? It's 'When Mr. Satan Knocks At My Heart's Door', for corn sake! Now, if that doesn't at least seem creepy to you...

~ Image and info taken from the book, 'The Worst Album Covers Ever' by Nick DiFonzo. Published by Barnes & Noble, Inc. ~

Advance to Hollywood! My on-camera MONOPOLY interview with documentary filmmaker, John Wellington Ennis.

2010-10-14T02:27:00.000-07:00

Imagine my surprise upon receiving an email from a young, accomplished, and well-respected independent filmmaker from Beverly Hills. Now, imagine how I felt after reading that he wanted to sit down and interview me, on film, about my knowledge and enthusiasm for the game of Monopoly. I just about flipped my board! But seriously, I was more skeptical about the whole thing at first, than I was excited. I mean, why would this Hollywood filmmaker want to talk with me about such a commonplace game in our regular, everyday pop culture?? However, after some correspondence with Mr. John Wellington Ennis, I finally understood where he was coming from. It's simple, really. See, what interested John in the first place was my original post on Monopoly I wrote back in July of 2009. He said he not only liked how informative it was, he also really liked my enthusiasm for the game and thought that my energy could be good for his film.

So that explains why John was interested in talking with me, but it doesn't tell the whole story... The bigger picture in John's film, PAY 2 PLAY, consists of using the game of Monopoly in a symbolic way to help illustrate "the cycle of how political campaign costs breed corruption, making candidates beg, borrow, and steal." It also "shows how" we can "take back the election process and hold corporations accountable." And it also happens to be a sequel of sorts to his previous, critically acclaimed doc, Free For All!, which detailed the corruption of the 2004 U.S. election.

John, behind the camera, and li'l ol' me in front of it.
Man, are those camera lights bright!

Needless to say, I was pretty nervous come interview hour, never having done anything like it before in my life! But I must say that John was so professional and so good at directing me that I almost instantly felt at ease in his hands. I had a total blast talking about one of my favorite board games of all-time! I just hope that I didn't make a total fool of myself on film, you know? I have yet to see any part of what John shot, so it'll be quite interesting when I finally do get to see it...

The project is in post-production as I write this, and in desperate need of funding to complete. So if you're at all interested in donating to this wonderful cause, please, check out the information below. You can also click on the attached link to view a preview of the film! You should really look into it, whether donating, or not, because john is a brilliant, witty filmmaker who infuses his work with plenty of intelligence and humor. I'm telling you, I believe in this guy. And I'm not just saying all of this because he's putting me in his documentary, but rather I think his films are good enough to actually make a difference.

Here's another shot, from a different angle, of John setting up his
camera equipment. FYI - I only LOOK calm, cool, and collected...

Yet another shot of the set up, however, I think John
might've already begun asking me questions, here.

At this point, the main interview was over and John was curious
to see what different variations of Monopoly I owned, so I
busted out a few and set 'em up for the camera. John was such
a cool guy, I sorta wished he had the time to stay and play an
actual game... Of course, that easily could've taken hours!

It's a wrap!
Me, and John Wellington Ennis after a successful afternoon shoot.

~ All photos taken by Tommy Kovac, and property of Anthony See ~

Guilty Pleasures: Kanye West on SNL

2010-10-05T01:51:00.000-07:00

First off, I'll have you know that I do not like rap. Not. One. Bit. Secondly, I must say that I cannot stand Kanye West's arrogance. Not. One. Bit. It bugs me so much that I usually refuse to even look at him, much less listen to any of his music. So the fact that I actually enjoyed watching his performance last Saturday night, on SNL, has me completely baffled.

Particularly his second act of the evening, 'Runaway', had that "something" special about it. I'd almost dare to describe it as "beautifully artistic, with an edge". And whether the lyrics are heartfelt, or not, the song does convey a certain amount of humility (which is quite a foreign concept to Mr. West). I guess that's why it grabbed my attention and didn't let go. I mean, as he sings he basically admits to having been a jerk, an a**hole, a douche bag, etc. which is, after all, pretty satisfying.

But all pettiness aside, I enjoyed the spectacle of it. I liked the song; it was pretty great, even with the rap. The ballerinas were awesome. It all looked beautiful flooded in that bright white light. And dare I admit it... I actually thought Kanye was fricking fantastic!

Take a look for yourself, and enjoy the show!

Retro Photo: Old, family album snapshots

2010-09-25T02:15:00.000-07:00

By far, the most valuable material things in my world are photographs. Sure, I love my old toys and games a lot, too, but nothing is as priceless or irreplaceable as an old family photograph! That's why I'm so pleased to have borrowed a few of my family's old albums from my mom; I can scan and make copies for my own collection. Plus, now I can share some of my personal favorites with you. So if it sounds like fun, just grab a seat next to me and we'll get started...

This is my mom and dad on New Years Eve, 1969,
"sealing the deal" in a Las Vegas wedding chapel.
They made quite the handsome couple, if you ask me!

Here are the stylish newlyweds, again! Look how
very dashing my dad appears in his suit, smoking
a pipe. And check out my mom's HAIR! Wow!
Actually, it's interesting to note that my mom
was about 5 or 6 months pregnant with me in this
photo because if I didn't know better, I'd swear she
was carrying ME under that HELMET of hers!

Not sure WHAT I DID to deserve THIS... But at
least I look happy. And I should, just look at the
bottle of port they threw in there with me!
Here, I'm about 1-year-old and happy as a clam.
A drunken clam.

Did I ever mention that my grandparents were robots?

"Now, what??"
Here, I'm about 2 or 3 and quite
obviously less than impressed.

Grandpa

Sheesh! You'd think that riding HUGE turtles
and carousel horses would make all the little
boys smile, but NOOOO, not this kid...

Viva, Las Vegas!
I think my mom looks WAY cool, here. She's totally
rockin' that retro look and vibe... only it WASN'T
retro back THEN! It was the real deal.

"Allo. Parlez-vous francais?"
This shot cracks me up every time I see it!
And it makes me think of Pepe Le Pew,
if he were a little boy and NOT a skunk.

Well, I hope all of that didn't bore you too much, folks. In fact, thanks for indulging me! Until the next 'Retro Photo' session, remember... Today's snapshot could be tomorrow's priceless treasure.

~ All photos property of Anthony See ~

Movie Moments: 'Bigger Than Life'

2010-09-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

I don't usually buy a movie sight unseen. In fact, I'm pretty sure this is the very first one. Back when VHS tapes were so common, and therefore so relatively inexpensive, my mom used to buy movies left and right that she'd never even seen because to her it made more sense than going through the "trouble" of renting them. Forget that it wound up costing her much more in the long run. Much more. Not to mention the fact that most of those movies were never even liberated from their original shrink wrap! Oooh, I could go on... But what was my point to all of that? I know! It was because of my mother's whole weird, illogical movie collecting obsession that I swore to myself I'd never buy a movie I hadn't already seen and felt I had to own. Well, I stuck to that until just recently. After all, rules were made to be broken... Right?

Enter 'Bigger Than Life'. I can't really remember how it came across my radar, but once I heard about it, I just knew I would dig it. It was released in 1956, it's full of melodrama, and it was filmed in dynamic CinemaScope. Those few details alone pretty much sold it, but it was this plot summary that really drove it home for me:

"When a friendly, successful suburban teacher and father (James Mason, in one of his most indelible roles) is prescribed cortisone for a painful, possibly fatal affliction, he grows dangerously addicted to the experimental drug, resulting in his transformation into a psychotic and ultimately violent household despot. This Eisenhower-era throat-grabber, shot in expressive CinemaScope, is an excoriating take on the nuclear family. That it came in the day of 'Father Knows Best' makes it all the more shocking and wildly entertaining."

Now, how could I have possibly passed that up?? Once I knew that I wasn't getting it for my birthday (it was on my wish list), I ran out and got it for myself. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Well, actually, I did expect James Mason's character to be a bit more violent, but I think that's only because times are so much different now and I've become just as conditioned (or jaded) as the next person by today's high level of violence in almost every form of entertainment. Still, even with little to no physical violence, this flick gets pretty intense anyway! Most of the intense drama happens because of the psychotic mood swings of Mason's character and the resulting chaos. And what's not enthralling about watching a squeaky-clean, upstanding citizen (who's also a father and a school teacher) become an entirely drug-addicted psycho monster?? It's good, wholesome Family Film Festival fare, I tell you! No, not really...

Here we see Ed Avery (James Mason) at work,
grasping at the back of his neck in severe pain.
It's one of the first early signs we see that Ed is
going to need some serious medical attention,
and that something awful is about to start...

Here's Ed as a patient in the hospital. Looking on
quite concerned, is his wife Lou (Barbara Rush),
son Richie (Christopher Olsen), and Ed's two
attending doctors.

Now, this was a cinematic moment!
After returning home from the hospital, Ed (Mason)
expects to continue being pampered like he was by
the nurses. After about the umpteenth special
request he asks of his wife Lou (Rush), she just loses
it and she's the one who flies into a rage,
slamming the medicine chest so hard it shatters!
Needless to say, Lou's actions leave Ed a bit stunned,
and he takes a moment here to "reflect".

Did I mention mood swings?
Fortunately, the movie isn't just an intense downer.
It also has happier moments, like the one we see
above, when Ed happens to be experiencing an
upswing sort of mood. I love this scene because it's
so iconic, you know?

This is another great, happy scene. At least, it
is at first. See, Ed is treating Lou to a shopping
spree and it's all very exciting until... Lou thinks
about what it's all going to cost and that they really
can't afford it. The cinematography here is
just awesome!

I will not spoil the end for you, but I will tell
you that's a Bible and a huge pair of scissors
Ed is holding...

If you like drama and movies set in the 1950s, I'm almost positive that you'd enjoy this gem! Also, if you do decide to search it out, make sure and pick up the Criterion Collection version as it's absolutely pristine looking due to a high-definition digital transfer restoration. Plus, the DVD has all kinds of Special Edition extras!

Until next time, movie buffs, I hope all of your moments are happy ones!

~ All photos via Google Images ~

My BIG 40th BIRTHDAY circus celebration!

2010-09-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

August 22nd, 2010 is a date that won't soon be forgotten (not by me, anyway). My dear mother-in-law, aunt-in-law (?), and husband all threw a fantastic circus-themed 40th birthday party for me that just about blew my socks off! They thought of everything, and they did it all perfectly. The food, the decorations, the cake, the music (circus band, natch)... It was all totally wonderful! Even the pinata (yes, I had a pinata for my adult 40th b-day party) was incredibly circus-y.

An intimate gathering of 15, everyone was either close family or friends. A good, fun time was had by all, and people kept saying how impressed they were by everything.

I was told this is the latest and greatest
pinata available on the market, today... Well,
of course. Would I rate anything less??

Here's a good shot of some fun party favors: Barnum's
Animal Crackers, various noisemakers, and peanuts
(masquerading as popcorn).

This was my wonderful birthday cake! It not only
looked festive, it was delicious, too!

"Smile, you're on Candid Camera!"
This is my good friend, Matt, amused by something, as
other party guests march into the kitchen to get their
fair share of lunch.

Being that I was the piggy, err, I mean guest of honor,
I was given the first spot in line for grub. And, boy, was
it good grub! Barbara and Wanda really know how
to prepare a tasty spread!

Okay... How cute is this??

Many colorful circus posters, like
this one, were hung up as decorations
throughout.

My bff, Lisa, and me.
F.Y.I. - In case you happen to be
familiar with the blog, Atomic Tea
Party, you might find it interesting
to know this is the same Lisa who
hosts that wonderfully kitsch soiree.

Me, my mom, and my husband... ready to eat!

Gift time!
I absolutely dug all of my gifts, but
some did stand out from the rest. Like
this one, for example. It's a vintage,
Fisher-Price cow named, "Bossy Bell",
and both her tail wags and bell rings
when you roll/pull her across the floor.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen...
It looks like Wanda and Barbara are finally getting
to fill up a few plates of their own. Thank goodness!
I'd swear I didn't see either one of them sitting down
during the party, they were so busy being such
excellent hosts.

Pinata time!
Here, my mother-in-law, Barbara, is blindfolding me
so I can take the first few "whacks!"

"Alright... Now, what?"
I swear, I wasn't really that clueless.
But it sure looks like I was, huh?

Many tried before him, but only he knew the sweet
taste of victory! Yep, that's my husband bangin' the
bejesus (and all the goodies) out of my beautiful birthday
pinata... Oh, well. Someone had to do it!

The birthday photo gallery could go on, and on, and on... but I think I've tortured you long enough, now. Thanks, if you managed to stick it out this far! Also, "Thank you, again!" to Mom, Aunt Wanda, and Tommy for all of your hard work and dedication which made the difference between a regular old party and a fantastically fabulous 40th! I love you all!

~ Birthday Clown via Google Images. All photos property of Anthony See. ~

Art Attack!: Dadadreams UPDATE

2010-08-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share with all of you this nice token of Michelle Lanter's (aka Dadadreams) appreciation that I recently received. She sent it as a "Thank you" for an earlier post I did exclusively featuring her and several examples of her unique body of collage artwork.

I'm pretty sure the collage piece is simply titled, 'Elephant Girl'. I totally adore her, and she's a great addition to the growing circus family around here!

What do you think? Pretty cute, huh?!

Thanks, again, Michelle! You're a cut ('n' paste) above the rest!

Coming Attraction: NEW Annie Lennox album, 'A Christmas Cornucopia'

2010-08-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

This November 22nd, 2010, Annie Lennox will be releasing her first Christmas album titled, 'A Christmas Cornucopia'. The album features Ms. Lennox's unique and personal interpretations of some of her favorite Christmas carols as well as a completely new, original composition entitled, 'Universal Child'.

Here's what Ms. Lennox had to say, regarding the album:

“I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Island Records on my upcoming recording,” stated Ms. Lennox. “This album is something I’ve wanted to do for many years. It’s a true labour of love, and I feel very fortunate to be in partnership with such a cutting edge team, especially when I’m at a stage in my creativity when I want to diversify, and pursue my passion in my own individual way. I’ve never been part of a “mold,” and Island are really supportive and appreciative of where I’m coming from. I want to make timeless music that people will love in many years to come...and I’d like to think that 'A Christmas Cornucopia' is going to be of those recordings.”

I don't know about you, but this is very exciting to me! After all, this takes both Annie and Christmastime, two of my favorite things, and rolls them into one! What's not to love about that?? I've long imagined the awesome possibilities for such a winning combination. Now, I'll finally get to see and hear it come true! This is very good news. Very good news, indeed!

~ Image and info via official Annie Lennox facebook page ~

Freak Show Friday: Fashion Faux Pas (EXTRA) SPECIAL!

2010-08-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls... It's BACK by popular demand... I give you the ONE and ONLY original Freak Show Friday: Fashion Faux Pas SPECIAL! But, of course, this time it's a whole NEW mix of freaky-deaky fashion don'ts for you to enjoy... Have fun!

Megan Fox

This 2-dimensional, 1-trick
pony is gettin' old, people.
You can only rock the whore
act and look for so long before
it starts rotting.
Oh, her outfit? Yuck.

James Lipton

For the famous host of 'Inside
The Actors Studio' to walk a
Hollywood carpet event dressed
for an African safari really is
quite surprising!

Ke$ha

Look! Here's our pungent li'l
darling of the air waves, again!
But just WHAT is that she's
got stuck in her teeth? Is it a
bit of broccoli, or a bean skin?
The poor dear... Someone
ought to tell her. And while
they're at it, they should let
Ke$h know that $he left her
$hopping cart double-parked
in a 'No Parking Zone'!

Michael Jordan

Does he have a starring role in
the upcoming 'Smurfs' movie
that no one told me about?
Brotha Smurf, perhaps?

Paris Hilton

Eww!
Just... Eww!

Alicia "Lecy" Goranson

Hey, look! It's Becky Conner
from the 'Roseanne' show,
everybody! And, boy, did she
go all out for this, or what?
I think what must've really
happened was Alicia literally
rolled out of bed and just
kept on rolling down the road
to this event!

There you have it, folks. Just another short & sweet parade of bad celebrity fashions and the criminals who keep getting away with wearing them! Hope you enjoyed it.

Have an awesome weekend, everyone! F.Y.I.: Somebody we all know and love is having a significant birthday party on Sunday... I promise a post w/pics and details is sure to follow, soon!

~ All photos via Google Images ~

The Worst Album Covers Ever!: Rope Jumping for Boys and Men

2010-08-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

Artist ~ Charles Roy Schroeder, Ph.D.

Title ~ Rope Jumping for Boys and Men

In 1970s United States there was an entire

industry of 'gym class' records to be played

during the school exercise period. Most of

them seemed aimed more towards keeping

a class full of restless kids busy for an hour

than at promoting healthy exercise.

This is just odd. I can't help wondering what could've made this rope jumping record so special and exclusive to boys and men only? And what must occur when, say, a girl or woman happens to overhear a bit of the recording by accident? Does her head explode, or something?

~Image and info taken from the book, 'The Worst Album Covers Ever!' by Nick DiFonzo. Published by Barnes & Noble, Inc.~

Freak Show Friday: Fashion Faux Pas SPECIAL!

2010-08-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

Come one, come all, ladies and gentlemen! The time is nigh, once again, for freaky fun. Only, this time we have filthy displays of freakishly shameful fashion on offer for your ridicule and amusement! Shall we begin?

Johnny Weir(d)

Okay, what is with that hair?!
It looks like a tiny friend of
Johnny's might just pop out
of it, as if it were one of those
BIG, cheesy birthday cakes...
"Thurpriiithe!"

Lady outfit + lady shoes = Go home.

Snooki

I don't even know where to begin
with this troll! Did I just type that
outloud? Oops. But, seriously, look
at what is happening all over this
bloppy excuse for a reality "star".
And WHO, I wonder, told our darling
Snooks that her sausage legs looked
good squeezed into those atrocious,
mismatched* knee-highs?

*I know that it's "a look", but on her, I'd
rather not!

Ke$ha

"Woo-hoo! I'm so fun and fancy
free! I do whatever I want, wear
whatever I want... I don't even
take a shower unless I'm feelin'
it, y'know?"

Um, yeah, we know. We can smell
you from here.

A.J. McLean

Help me out, here...
Is that really the aging former
Backstreet Boy, or is it just
Strawberry Shortcake on a
REALLY BAD day? The adorable
stockings are throwing me off.

Rihanna

Now, she MUST have been
auditioning for the clown act,
here, at Pop Circus, right?
All she would've needed was
a little bit of face paint and a
big red nose!

That's all for now, folks. "Short and sweet, in and out... Leave em' wantin' more!" Somebody said that at some point, somewhere. Don't ask me who, though. See, that's how I leave you wanting more. Good, eh?

Have a terrific weekend, everyone! I'm sure you all deserve it!

~ All photos via Google Images ~

Introducing, Esther... Our NEW circus dog extraordinaire!

2010-08-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meet Esther, everyone!

She's a 2-year-old Chihuahua mix that Tommy and I recently rescued from the county animal shelter, and the latest addition to our circus family. Since we lost our beloved 14-year-old Mr. Scoots back in February of this year (R.I.P.), we're VERY happy to, once again, have a little animal friend roaming around the house (and fairgrounds).

Aren't those BIG ears great?! Maybe we'll find out she can fly, just like Dumbo! Or, maybe, we'll soon discover that all she can really do is receive satellite radio with those dishes. Even if Esther has no special talents to speak of, we'll love her regardless. Besides, we already do... BIG TIME!

Art Attack!: Acclaimed artist/writer, genius... Graham Rawle

2010-07-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

Graham Rawle is such a neat guy... I know, because I've met him! And right before I got to meet him and request to have a quick snapshot taken (about which he was very gracious, btw), I attended a presentation Graham gave discussing his latest work, 'The Wizard of Oz'. The text of the book is actually L. Frank Baum's original story, but all of the imagery is 100% classic Rawle.

Here, take a gander...

This beautiful book cover only hints at
the visual delights that await you, inside!

It looks like Toto is about to be a bite-sized
snack for the Cowardly Lion, here. But we
all know that's not the case, not with his
BFF, Dorothy, around. Besides, even if
Dorothy wasn't nearby, that little dog could
"Toto"-lly kick Lion's ass all by himself!

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily...
Oz is but a dream.

(Or, IS it?)

Here, we see a scene with a completely
different take, Rawle's take, on the
Wicked Witch o' the West's flying monkeys.

(I really dig Graham's sense of humor!)

And speak of the devil, here's
the WWoW, now! Weird as
she looks (and despite how we
expect her to appear because of
the MGM classic movie), my
understanding is that this is
actually much truer to how
she's described in Baum's
original book.

That was but a Whitman's Sampler, if you will. The rest of it is just as yummy for your eyes! So if I've piqued your interest, go ahead and pick up a copy of 'The Wizard of Oz', illustrated by Graham Rawle. You won't be disappointed.

Another creation of his, that I absolutely dig with a passion, is his book, 'Woman's World'. He both wrote and illustrated it, however, most of the "illustration" inside of the book is actually all cut 'n' pasted text and embellishments from old women's magazines of the 1940s. If you can believe it, Graham spent 5 years working on this book, and most of that time was spent cutting, collecting, organizing, pasting and basically assembling every word of the story... one by one. Hearing Graham talk about the process in his presentation was absolutely fascinating. I mean, the organizational system, alone, which he devised for the project was so impressive (if not a bit confusing) you could tell that this guy isn't just arty; he's also a smarty. I guess one could say he's an "arty-smarty"! Well, I will anyway...

Check out some of the stuff I'm talking about, below...

This is the cover for the
hardback edition.

(The one that I have.)

And this, here, is the wonderful
paperback/graphic novel edition.

(I want it, too! That cover appeals
to all of my kitsch-y sensibilities!)

This is just a glimpse into the madness...
Graham spent an average of 17 hours a
day, 7 days a week for 5 years sitting here
clipping 'n' pasting. Altogether, a total
of 40,000 fragments of text from vintage
women's magazines was assembled to
tell this unique and strangely charming
tale.

And, here, you can see the fruits of
his obsessive, slave-type labor.
You might suspect that it would be
hard to read, but it isn't! In fact,
Graham worked at figuring out just
the right formula, or words-to-page
ratio, that would be easiest for a
reader to tolerate. And it works!

As for the story to this intricately composed novel, let me share with you what the dust jacket says. It gives away just enough to set the scene and pull you in...

"Norma Fontaine lives in a world of handy tips and sensible advice. Whether it's choosing the right girdle or honing her feminine allure, she measures life by the standards set in women's magazines. But Norma discovers that the real world is less delightful-and more sinister-than the one portrayed in the glossies. When dark secrets threaten her brother's blossoming romance, Norma must decide whether to sacrifice life in a woman's world for the sake of her brother's happiness. As her decision is slowly revealed, readers realize that, like life in the magazines, Norma isn't quite what she seems."

Intrigued? Good.
Now, go find a copy and read it!
I think you'll be glad you did.

Look! It's Graham with
little ol' me! Like we're
"buds", or something.

(Yeah, right... I was lucky
he agreed to stand next
to me for the photo.)

I don't want to go on FOREVER (and believe me, I could), so I'll cut this one kinda short. I didn't even get to talk about Rawle's 'Diary of an Amateur Photographer' (one of my top faves), or his long-running 'Lost Consonants' series. Oh, well. I guess I'll cover those in a follow-up edition... Really, this man's work is quite prolific, plus everything he does is smart, clever, and funny! I just can't seem to say enough good things about the guy.

I know, how's this sound?
Graham Rawle... ARTISTIC GENIUS!

Yep, that about covers it.

~All pics via Google Images, except last personal photo of Anthony w/Graham, courtesy of Tommy Kovac.~