Bollocks

"My work explores the relationship between the body and midlife subcultures. With influences as diverse as Kierkegaard and John Lennon, new synergies are created from both traditional and modern meanings. Ever since I was a student I have been fascinated by the theoretical limits of meaning. What starts out as vision soon becomes corroded into a hegemony of power, leaving only a sense of nihilism and the possibility of a new reality. As spatial phenomena become frozen through boundaried and critical practice, the viewer is left with an impression of the limits of our condition."

Artsy Bollocks Generator. Get your instant artistic statement with a mouse click. If you don't like it you can generate a new one.

Hat tip to Violins and Starships.

All This California Dreamin'

Seems that my waxing nostalgic and homesick has been put into something productive that's really struck a nerve for a lot of people.

Earlier this week I started thinking about the bands we listened to in my part of California—the counties of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo (wedged lovingly between the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas)—also known as the Gold Coast. I started remembering all the fun we had back then going to clubs and dances in our Sixties frippery and dancing to some of the best music coming out of the state. I decided to start a blog about it and in less than a week it has exploded!

Besides gathering research for the site, I've been corresponding with bands I'd forgotten all about as they send me their info and pictures for the site. They want this! How exciting!

Anyway, pay it a visit. Even if you're not from that area, it's a fun trek down Memory Lane for anyone of our generation. Just click the picture, or click here: California Gold Coast Dreamin'.

Message to Self

You just never know what'll be waiting for you in your email box each morning. Yesterday I awoke to find a letter from an old friend from my years hanging out with local bands in the Sixties. I've mentioned before that my first boyfriend Sammy was the lead guitarist of one of the most popular bands in our area. At some point around 1968 his friend (or maybe they're cousins, I can't remember) Ponce joined forces to create another very popular band. I sent Ponce a private message in Facebook asking for some information about their bands for an article I'm writing and I awoke to find an email from him containing this picture plus two others.

That's me on the beach at Malibu in 1971. Sammy, Ponce and I went there one afternoon to hangout in the sun a bit. Ponce was a photographer, but I had no idea he'd taken these pictures of me. Or at least I don't remember him doing so...

The Fool's Errand

"Blogs are whatever we make them. Defining 'blog' is a fool's errand." - Michael Conniff

When blogging was still new—say, about 60 million years ago—there were so few bloggers that it felt like a small community. A village, if you will, with the citizens meeting in each others' comment areas to discuss the different topics we were blogging about. It was a great way to gain inspiration for your next entry, to entice new readers, and to make new friends...

Keef Relief

There's a lot to be said for boring, uneventful days. After the two weeks I've been through, being grossly underwhelmed by life is the perfect way to spend a day, or a weekend, if I'm lucky.

I seriously hesitate to blame life's ups and downs on moon phases, energy vortexes and all that. I tend to follow a simpler truth: Shit Happens. And as the loyal Keefist that I am, I keep repeating to myself, "It's all in G, man."

So here's to a quiet, boring, drama-free weekend...

Happiness is a Blank Dry-Erase Board

Like a lot people, we have a dry-erase board on our fridge. Through the past decade it has seen everything from chives to light bulbs written on it, and it has been an integral part of caring for our family where groceries are concerned. In the last year or so it has gained even more meaning as it became a board of expectation ("I really need..."), of fear ("I'm sorry, no $ for..."), and hope ("I promise..."). For me, it has become a symbol of what needs to be fixed not only in our pantry, but in the country's economy as well. What's cool is that about once a month I can wipe that board clean, go to bed and let out a huge sigh of relief...

Homesick

The fact of the matter is, I'm just plain, old-fashioned homesick. I'm homesick for my state of California, my county of Ventura, my clan, my music, my life. I'm homesick for ocean and mountains, fewer bugs, lower humidity, broader-minded people, and fun. I'm homesick for my own kind. Say what you will about us Californians. I don't care...

Yes, Mum

My mother raised me on the words, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

In remaining obedient to the strong Irish guilt she still inspires in me, this is the extent of today's entry.

It Spread Like a Raging Social Disease!

It started out as most things like this do: innocent, private, sweet. I posted this status in Facebook last Thursday (click to embigiate)...

My 6 Stages of Shite

I mean, really. WTF is up with life lately? Big shite, medium-sized shite, little shite, and all the shite that falls between the cracks...

Ojai and Ventura View

Editor Joel Anderson has been so kind as to give me the feature article on the music page of The Ojai and Ventura View's May issue. The OVV is a local paper in my home of Ventura County, California. The article is about my memories of live music in the county from 1976 to 1986, an incredibly exciting decade in music in VC. To read it, follow the link, then scroll to page 12 and mouse-over the bottom right corner to enlarge. Thanks Joel!

Check out The Ojai andVentura View's Facebook page.

Put Your Head Between Your Knees and...

The recent tornado that sent us running for our closets has been classified as an EF-5, with 210mph winds. It is the highest possible rating there is. It was 3/4 of a mile wide, contained four vortexes, and traveled nearly 75 miles. Nine people died and many, many homes were destroyed. It has been named the Binger-Guthrie Tornado. If it hadn't receded back into the clouds about seven miles from here, Stillwater would have been leveled. Fortunately, before receding, it began to head north while a smaller tornado headed south. My son's dentist lost the entire top floor of his house to the smaller one...