MORNING GLORY SECOND: LIGHT

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO WATCH BETTY'S MORNING GLORY FIRST: SNOW

EASTER BUNNY FLOW

[art: Aurel Schmidt]

EASTER. EGG YELLOW YOLK NUCLEUS CORE BEGINNING LIFE SPERM FERTILITY BLOOM BLOSSOM FLOWER ROSE PETAL VELVET SILK RED PINK BLOOD FLOW DRIP WATER RIVER BANK GRASS GROW GREEN SMELL AIR FLY SKY BLUE BIRDS.

EASTER. CHICKEN FATHER FEATHER COCK CREST CARMINE WAVE TREMBLE SPRING JUMP FORWARD MOVE SAIL BOAT HORIZON CLOUD WIND BREATHE LUNGS CHEST BREAST NIPPLE HARD.

EASTER. BUNNY PINK EARS FLUFFY CAGE HAIR SKIN SOFT WARM TENDER SWEET PLEASURE MELT SENSUAL SEX FUCK PUSSY CAT MILK WHITE.. SNOW!?? 

EASTER. BETTY SEXY KINKY SUNNY BLACK SMOOTH SHINY SPANK HIT LICK SUCK TONGUE KISS MOIST DROOL

 WET HARD OPEN STRONG TOUCH PUSH FULL STRETCH HUNGRY FEEL NAUGHTY TOO.

HUNGRY FOR STINK

CLICK THE ARROW AND LISTEN WHILE READING

BECAUSE EASTER IS NEAR AND SPRING IS ALMOST FINALLY HERE,

BECAUSE LIKE FOR MOST OF YOU, FOR BETTY TOO, THIS MEANS CONFUSION, RESTLESSNESS AND HORMONAL DISCOMFORT,

AND FINALLY, BECAUSE SHE NEEDS TO DIVERT HER ATTENTION FROM THE WIND OUT THERE AND THE COLD: 
TODAY BETTY WILL TRAVEL YOU IN TIME. 

BACK NINETEEN YEARS, SUMMER OF 1994, THE MIDDLE OF BETTY'S (VERY) HIGH SCHOOL. 
IT IS NOT A SECRET THAT BETTY WAS A PUNK ROCKER IN THOSE DAYS AND THEREFORE SPENT MOST OF HER FORMATIVE YEARS LISTENING TO MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF QUESTIONABLE MUSIC, TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY HER BASS GUITAR (NOT A NECESSARY SKILL TO BE IN A PUNK BAND, BUT BETTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NERD) AND DREAMING OF ROCKING THE WORLD WITH OUTRAGEOUS OUTFITS AND SUBVERSIVE STAGE ACTS.

ONE OF HER MAJOR SOURCES OF INSPIRATION, AT THE TIME, WAS THE WORK OF THE LOS ANGELES ALL-FEMALE BAND KNOWN AS L7.

ANYONE OF YOU OUT THERE WHO WAS YOUNG IN THE NINETIES AND DISPLAYED AN INTEREST IN ROCK KNOWS OF L7. 
FOR THE AMERICAN PUNK-GRUNGE SCENE, THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY CULT. THEY WERE REFERRED TO AS "THE FEMALE RAMONES", FOR A GOOD FEW YEARS THEIR SINGLES WERE HITS ON THE ALTERNATIVE CHARTS. THEIR WORK WAS SUCKED INTO THE SOUNDTRACKS OF MOVIES THE CALIBER OF NATURAL BORN KILLERS AND THE BAND MEMBERS' PERSONAS MADE THE HEADLINES OF MUSIC MAGAZINES WORLDWIDE NOT ONCE.

BUT SOMEHOW, THEY HAVE VANISHED.

L7 STARTED IN 1988 AS A PUNK-ACT DUO COMPOSED BY ELECTRIC GUITARISTS AND VOCALISTS DONITA SPARKS AND SUZI GARDNER. LATER, THE BAND WAS JOINED BY JENNIFER FINCH (BASS) AND DEMETRA PLAKAS (PERCUSSION) AND ENDED UP BEING TAGGED AS "GRUNGE". 
THEY RELEASED THEIR FIRST ALBUM, L7, IN 1988. TWO YEARS LATER, 1990, THE SECOND: SMELL THE MAGIC. THEIR REAL BREAKTHROUGH SUCCESS CAME IN 1992 WITH THE RELEASE OF BRICKS ARE HEAVY AND ANOTHER TWO YEARS LATER, 1994, THEY DOUBLED IT WITH THEIR FOURTH ALBUM, HUNGRY FOR STINK, WHICH, TO BETTY AT LEAST, REPRESENTS THE ABSOLUTE PEAK OF THESE GIRLS' MOJO.                  

[photo: L7 - Jennifer Finch]

[photo: L7 - Donita Sparks]

BETTY WILL NOT TELL YOU ANY MORE ABOUT THEIR MUSIC, BECAUSE SHE THINKS IT'S BEST YOU JUST LISTEN TO IT. 

BUT IF SHE WERE TO POINT OUT ONE MAIN REASON WHY YOU SHOULD BOTHER AT ALL, SHE'D SAY THAT WHAT MAKES L7'S ROCK SO EXCEPTIONAL IS THE COMBINATION OF TECHNICAL SKILLS, EDGE AND STATURE USUALLY HEARD ONLY IN MALE MUSICIANS, MIXED WITH MELODIES AND LYRICS THROBBING WITH EXTREMELY FEMALE, RAW, EMOTIONS.

IN A WAY, L7 DID TO HEAVY ROCK HISTORY WHAT SHIRLEY MULDOWNEY DID TO THE ALL-MALE DRAG RACING WORLD: THEY WERE COMPLETELY FEMALE AND YET THEY MANAGED TO KICK THE ARSES OF MANY, MANY, MANY, MEN.

THEY EVEN WROTE A SONG ABOUT IT.

  

OH, AND, YES.. IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THE PRODIGY, ON THEIR SUPER-HIT ALBUM THE FAT OF THE LAND, MADE A COVER OF AN L7 SONG, THE TITLE IS FUEL MY FIRE.

HEAR FOR YOURSELF.

GENIE OF THE LAMP

11.06.11 - 11.03.13

CELEBRATING 21 MONTHS

OF THIS:

I LOVE YOU HONEY!!!! 

:)

FOLLOW B

PERHAPS YOU HAVE NOTICED.

BUT THIS, IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND BETTY.

IN FACT, SHE BEARS A CERTAIN RESEMBLANCE TO AN OCTOPUS(SY?), AND THE MORE TIME GOES BY, THE MORE TENTACLES SHE SEEMS TO GROW.

IF YOU, LIKE HER, ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY, AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF HER WORK, THIS LINK WILL TAKE YOU TO HER FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM, WHERE SHE POSTS ALL HER LATEST PICTURES. 

BUT PHOTOS ARE NOT THE ONLY WORK SHE DOES, SHE ALSO SHOOTS ONE-MINUTE-LONG MINI-MOVIES, EXPERIMENTAL VIDEO-ARTS, WHICH SHE POSTS ON THIS BLOG REGULARLY. IN CASE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THEM ALL IN ONE PLACE, YOU CAN CLICK THIS TO FIND BETTY'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND ALL HER UPLOADS.

OF COURSE, LIKE EVERY ROCKSTAR WORTHY OF THIS NAME, BETTY ALSO HAS HER FANPAGE ON FUCKBOOK, WHICH YOU CAN FIND AND LIKE BY CLICKING THIS LINK.

BUT IF YOU'D RATHER FOLLOW HER MORE ANONYMOUSLY AND GET ACQUAINTED WITH HER NAUGHTY SECRET DIARY, YOU SHOULDN'T HESITATE: CLICK THIS TO SEE BETTY'S HOT TUMBLR MINI-BLOG. 

AND IF YOU WISH TO GET DOWNRIGHT PERSONAL WITH HER, GO AHEAD:

BETTYTOOO3@GMAIL.COM

WHAT SHE WANTS TO SAY IS.

DESPITE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT SHE IS FEISTILY OPINIONATED AND TOUGH, 

THIS WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE A MONOLOGUE.

IN FACT, BETTY HAPPENS TO CARE A LOT ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK, 

AND SHE IS GREATLY FOND OF INTERACTION.

SO, IF YOU AGREE WITH HER, IF YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO WHAT SHE SAID, IF YOU'D LIKE TO BRING HER ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU LIKE, OR DISLIKE. IF YOU DO NOT THINK LIKE SHE DOES, IF SHE PISSES YOU OFF AND MAKES YOU WANNA ARGUE, PICK A FIGHT, SHOW HER THE MIDDLE FINGER, OR WORSE.

SHORT, IF YOU WANNA FUCK WITH BETTY, 

DON'T JUST THINK ABOUT IT.

DO IT FOR REAL.  

,)

IMPOSSIBLE MEMORIES

ALL PHOTOS MADE BY BETTY

CLICK THIS TO FIND BETTY'S FLICKR STREAM AND SEE MORE OF HER PHOTO WORK ,)

LEFT TURN AHEAD

MASTER OF MY MAKE-BELIEVE

[ CLICK THE ARROW AND LISTEN WHILE READING :]

BETTY BELIEVES THE BEST WAY TO IGNITE A NEW WAVE IN LIFE IS A CHANGE OF SOUNDTRACK.

SOUNDTRACKS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO BETTY, SHE IS A MUSIC-MANIAC MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN A SEX-MANIAC, SHE JUST CAN'T BE WITHOUT BEATS PINCHING THE BACK OF HER THOUGHTS WHILE SHE SLIDES THROUGH HER MOTIONS.

FOR SOMEONE LIKE HER, AN EXCITING NEW RECORD TO DISCOVER AND PLAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS AS THRILLING A BUY AS A GRAM OF COKE COULD BE FOR OTHERS, AND, IF THE BEAT IS RIGHT, IT CAN KICK HER MIND JUST AS HARD.

THE POWER OF IMAGINATION, YOU KNOW.

A VERY OLDSCHOOL FEATURE INDEED.

PRECIOUS.

 

[photo: Santigold by Sean Thomas]

SANTIGOLD'S REAL NAME IS SANTI WHITE AND SHE IS FROM PHILADELPHIA, USA.

ALTHOUGH SHE'S WELL IN HER THIRTIES, SHE IS A RELATIVELY NEW FACE IN THE MUSIC SCENE, WHERE SHE SUDDENLY POPPED OUT OF THE BLUE MAKING QUITE AN ENTRANCE, TOO. WITH HER DEBUT ALBUM, SANTOGOLD (2008), SHE STRODE ONTO THE WORLD STAGE WITH THE MAGNETISM OF A PANTHER, PRESENTING A VERY INTERESTING, JUICY COMBINATION OF ELECTRONIC SOUNDS AND TRIBAL VIBES. A PERFECT BACKGROUND FOR HER SURPRISING, SCRATCHY VOCALS AND LYRICS, WHICH IMMEDIATELY CONQUERED RADIO ATTENTION AND A SOLID FRONT OF DEDICATED ESTIMATORS, AMONG BOTH CRITICS AND PUBLIC.

BETTY IS CONVINCED THAT THIS MUST COME FROM THE FACT SANTI IS NOT A TWENTY-SOMETHING EX-MODEL WHO BARELY MADE IT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. SHE IS A GROWN-UP WOMAN WITH A HIGHER EDUCATION IN BOTH MUSIC AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES, SOMEONE WHO STARTED HER LIFE ON STAGE BY SINGING IN A PUNK BAND. SHE WRITES MOST OF HER SONGS AND LYRICS, SHE IS AN ARTIST WITH SOMETHING TO SAY, NOT A PERFORMANCE PUPPET.  

[photo: Santigold by Sean Thomas]

 

MASTER OF MY MAKE-BELIEVE IS SANTIGOLD'S SECOND ALBUM, RELEASED LAST YEAR.

AND, EVER SINCE BETTY FOUND IT UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE, SHE CAN'T HELP BUT THINK IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST THINGS IN HER WHOLE JANUARY 2013.

ALTHOUGH SHE IS A GREAT FAN OF SANTI'S FIRST RECORD, WHICH SHE LISTENED TO SO MUCH IT BASICALLY WORE OUT, SHE FOUND THE NEW ONE IS JUST AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER, DIFFERENT BUT COHERENT, VIBRANT, EXCELLENT.  

OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF MUSIC WHICH WILL APPEAL TO MOST (THANK FUCK FOR THAT), YOU NEED TO BE INTO SYNTHETIC SOUNDS AND UNCONVENTIONAL MELODIC TO FULLY APPRECIATE SANTI'S WORK, YOU NEED TO LIKE LISTENING TO MUSIC WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS COMFORTABLE OR POLISHED, THAT SMELLS A BIT LIKE A LITTERED SIDEWALK IN A JUNGLE, NOT TOO SWEET.

BETTY'S KIND OF TASTE.

SO, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A SEXY NEW VIBE TO IMPLEMENT IN YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES, IF YOU CAN APPRECIATE EDGY SOUNDS AND ARE NOT AFRAID OF WHERE THEY MAY TAKE YOU, BETTY SUGGESTS YOU RUN TO OR LOG IN THE RECORD STORE AND BECOME THE MASTER OF YOUR OWN MAKE-BELIEVE.

THEN KEEP ROCKIN' ,) 

"SO LET THEM SAY WE CAN'T DO BETTER

LAY OUT THE RULES THAT WE CAN'T BREAK

THEY WANT TO SIT AND WATCH IT WITHER

THEIR LEGACY'S TOO HARD TO TAKE

OH, WE SAID OUR DREAMS WILL CARRY US

AND IF THEY DON'T FLY WE WILL RUN

NOW WE PUSH RIGHT PAST TO FIND OUT

HOW TO WIN WHAT THEY ALL LOST

WE KNOW NOW WE WANT MORE

A LIFE WORTH FIGHTING FOR"

[Santigold - Disparate Youth]

CLICK THIS TO FIND SANTIGOLD'S OFFICIAL WEBPAGE

SCREEN PLAY 1.1

IMAGES 

BY BETTY

,)

COME HERE TO SEE MORE

YEAR OF THE 6

[art: GRIMGOR - Number Six]

IT'S FRIDAY NIGHT, GIRLS.

A PERFECT NIGHT FOR A BIT OF WITCHCRAFT.

AS FAR AS BETTY'S KNOWLEDGE GOES, ACCORDING TO NUMEROLOGY 2013 IS A UNIVERSAL YEAR NUMBER 6.

WHY? 

BECAUSE 2+0+1+3 = 6

THIS MEANS THAT, IN GENERAL, FOR OUR WHOLE WORLD OUTSIDE OF US AND, OFTEN, ALSO INSIDE, THE EVENTS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE, THE MAIN DILEMMAS AND THE EMOTIONAL ATMOSPHERE OF OUR EVERYDAY LIFE, WILL RESONATE OF THE VIBRATION OF NUMBER 6.

PERHAPS, IT IS NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT THE WORDS "SIX" AND "SEX" ARE SO SIMILAR. 

AS THE STRONGEST THEME OF NUMBER 6 HAPPENS TO BE, IN FACT, SEX. 

OR LOVE, EMOTIONS, THE COMING TOGETHER, IN THE FLESH, OF MALE AND FEMALE.

IT ALSO SYMBOLIZES THE IDEA OF FAMILY AS IN BONDS OF THE BLOOD, THE WARMTH OF A HOME, STABILITY, CARE, RELATIONSHIPS AND, WHAT ALWAYS GOES WITH IT, RESPONSIBILITY.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT, NUMBER 6 COULD BE A PRIMORDIAL GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF A PREGNANT WOMAN.

AND THAT IS, MORE OR LESS, THE SPIRIT OF IT.

[image: Estensi Tarot - 6 The Lovers]

FOR THE TAROT, CARD NUMBER 6 IS "THE LOVERS".

IN MANY DECKS, THIS CARD SHOWS A SORT OF GARDEN OF EDEN IMAGE OF A TRIANGLE FORMED BY A NAKED MAN, A NAKED WOMAN AND AN ANGEL ABOVE THEM. 

USUALLY, THERE ARE ALSO A TREE, A SNAKE, AN APPLE, WHICH COULD MAKE YOU THINK OF ADAM AND EVE.

BUT THE ENERGY OF THE LOVERS IS VERY OFTEN ALSO REPRESENTED WITH A SCENE WHERE A YOUNG MAN IS TORN BETWEEN TWO WOMEN. 

ONE BEING THE MOTHER AND THE OTHER BEING THE LOVER.

THIS, BETTY BELIEVES, IS A DEEPER WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS CARD.

BECAUSE, TO HER, THE CORE OF THE MEANING OF THIS MAJOR ARCANA, IS THAT OF, ESSENTIALLY, CHOICE. 

AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

TRY THIS: 

IMAGINE THAT EVERY CARD IS LIKE A PERFUME. 

THE MAJOR ARCANA HAVE A MORE POWERFUL SCENT, THEY ARE LIKE THOSE HIGH-BROW EXPENSIVE DESIGNER EAU DE PARFUM THAT STICK FOR DAYS, WHILE THE MINOR ARCANA ARE THE EAU DE TOILETTE OF THE SITUATION. 

EACH ONE OF THEM IS LAYERED. 

THERE IS A "HEAD" SCENT THAT HITS YOU HARDER, AT THE TOP, VANISHES QUICKLY, AND AT LEAST ANOTHER TWO LAYERS OF CORE AROMAS, WHICH YOU START FEELING LATER, WHICH NEED TIME TO UNFOLD.

SAME GOES FOR THE VIBRATION OF THE CARDS.

SO, YES, THE YEAR OF THE LOVERS WILL BE A YEAR WHERE OUR MAIN STORYLINE WILL CONCERN EMOTIONAL RELATIONS, FALLING IN LOVE, ESTABLISHING NEW FAMILIES, FRIENDSHIPS OR HARMONIES.

BUT THAT IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

     

MANY TEACHERS, WHEN LOOKING AT THE MAJOR ARCANA IN SEQUENCE, EXPLAIN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THEM USING THE METAPHOR / PARABLE OF "THE FOOL'S JOURNEY".

CARD NUMBER 0 IS THE FOOL, AND HE REPRESENTS THE PRE-BEGINNING OF THINGS, THE CHAOS BEFORE ALL CREATION. 

IT'S THE HUMAN SOUL RIGHT BEFORE IT ENTERS THIS WORLD, THE JOYFUL INNOCENCE OF A CHILD. 

ALL THE OTHER CARDS, NUMBERED FROM 1 TO 21, ARE SYMBOLS OF THE PHASES THROUGH WHICH THE FOOL WILL HAVE TO WALK, IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE LESSON HE HAS TO LEARN IN HIS LIFE-PATH.

FIRST IS THE 1, THE MAGICIAN, THE SYMBOL OF THE "I", OF THE YANG ENERGY, THE MALE POWER OF THE MIND, FIRE, LIGHT, THE BEGINNING OF IDENTITY. THEN, THE FOOL MEETS CARD 2, THE HIGH PRIESTESS, SYMBOL OF INTUITION, SUBCONSCIOUS, DARKNESS, YIN, FEMALE, WATER AND THE POWER OF THE SOUL.

AFTER LEARNING THE TWO COMPLEMENTARY FORCES AT THE BASE OF OUR UNIVERSE, THE FOOL MEETS HIS MOTHER, CARD 3, THE EMPRESS.

NEXT, IS THE FATHER, CARD 4, THE EMPEROR.

CARD 5 IS THE HIEROPHANT, AND TO HIM WE OWE ALL THE UPTURNINGS OF LAST YEAR.

THE HIEROPHANT IS THE CARD WHICH SYMBOLIZES THE GIVEN, THE ORGANIZED SOCIETY IN WHICH THE FOOL IS, WHETHER HE WANTS IT OR NOT, DROPPED. 

IT REFERS TO EVERY FORM OF ASSOCIATION, CULT, RELIGION, CLUB, PARLIAMENT, CODIFIED SET OF RULES AND IT TELLS US ABOUT QUESTIONS OF BELONGING, TO NATION OR A FAMILY ALIKE, TO A STRUCTURE.

OF COURSE, EVERY CARD EXPRESSES ITS ENERGY IN A 360 DEGREE MANNER, HAVING A MEANING AND ITS OPPOSITE AT THE SAME TIME. 

THEREFORE, THE HIEROPHANT MAY SIGNIFY MARRIAGE (THE SIGNING OF A LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT ALLOWS US TO FILL A PRE-DETERMINED ROLE IN SOCIETY), BUT ALSO DIVORCE (THE LOSING OF FORMAL BONDS). 

IT MAY MEAN BEING HIRED, OR BEING FIRED, RELOCATING TO A DIFFERENT COUNTRY, SOCIETY, IT MAY MEAN ELECTIONS, NEW GOVERNMENTS, IT MAY MEAN REVOLUTIONS.

AND OF THIS KIND OF EVENTS BETTY HAS SEEN QUITE A FEW, IN 2012.

THE NEXT CARD ON THE PATH, THE LOVERS, REPRESENTS THE MOMENT IN WHICH THE FOOL, AFTER HAVING TRIED TO MEET SOCIETY'S EXPECTATIONS BY FITTING TO THEM, GOES THROUGH A DIFFERENT KIND OF REVOLUTION, AN EMOTIONAL ONE, WHICH WILL BRING HIM TO QUESTION THE RULES OF OTHERS AND CHOOSE HIS OWN MORAL VALUES. 

IT'S LIKE WHEN THE TEENAGER WHO, AFTER SPENDING YEARS BALANCING BETWEEN WANTING TO BELONG AND WANTING TO REBEL, FINALLY PICKS HIMSELF A GIRL (OR A BOY), MOVES OUT OF HIS PARENTS' PLACE, AND NOW HAS TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE BY HIS OWN RULES.

IT'S THE MOMENT, IN A NUTSHELL, IN WHICH HE WILL HAVE TO STAND UP TO THE CHALLENGE OF BEING HUMAN.

AND THIS IS, BETTY BELIEVES, THE MAIN TASK AT HAND.

AFTER SURVIVING LAST YEAR'S EARTHQUAKES AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH EXTERNAL CHANGE, THE REVOLUTION HAS NOW MOVED INSIDE OUR RIB CAGES AND, THIS YEAR, WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND ANSWER FRANKLY WHAT (OR WHO) IS IT THAT WE REALLY LOVE AND CARE FOR, AND WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT.

THEN SHOW WE HAVE THE BALLS TO WALK OUR TALK.

THE LOVERS TEACH US TO BEAR IN MIND THAT THE ROAD TOWARD HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS PASSES THROUGH THE COMMUNION AND HARMONY OF OUR MALE AND FEMALE SIDES. 

WHAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON NOW, IS OPENING UP TO OUR INTIMATE NEEDS AND FEELINGS, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY AIMING AT HAVING A CONNECTION WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD WHICH, IF NOT EMOTIONAL, IS THEN, DOWNRIGHT, SEXUAL.  

AND BETTY, OF COURSE, IS QUITE FIRMLY DETERMINED TO DO JUST SO.

,)      

GIRL WALKING ON A DIRT ROAD

BETTY HAS THIS PECULIAR TRADITION.

THAT WHEN THE CHRISTMAS TIME  ARRIVES, SHE MAKES PRESENTS. 

TO HERSELF.

A TRADITION BORN AND ROOTED IN THE YEARS WHEN SHE WAS THE ONE PERSON TO WITNESS HER DECORATED TREE, ON CHRISTMAS EVE, AND THERE WAS NOBODY TO RECEIVE PRESENTS FROM HER, OR GIVE.

EXCEPT HERSELF.

BACK THEN, IT WAS JUST A CLEVER MANOEUVRE NECESSARY TO EMOTIONAL SURVIVAL.

NOW, WHEN SHE'S LUCKY TO SAY SHE HAS MULTIPLE PRESENT-RECEIVERS TO HER DISPOSAL, EVERY YEAR, SHE STILL REMAINS METICULOUS IN UPHOLDING THIS PRIVATE RITE.

NOT TO FORGET THOSE PAST WINTERS, WHEN HER OWN TWO SHOULDERS WERE THE SINGLE ONES SHE COULD CONSIDER LEANING ON.  

IT IS A REWARD. FOR HAVING BEEN THE ONLY ONE ALWAYS CLOSE. 

TO HERSELF.

[photo: Diane Arbus - A Woman With Her Baby Monkey - '71]

SO, THIS YEAR, SHE TOOK HERSELF TO ONE OF HER FAVORITE PLACES IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD: 
THE PHOTOGRAPHY MUSEUM OF AMSTERDAM.

THE FOAM.

WHERE SHE SAW AN ALL-ROUND MESMERIZING, HUGE, SOLO EXHIBITION OF DIANE ARBUS' UNSETTLING PHOTOGRAPHY.

AND IT HAS BEEN, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE STRONGEST, MOST HYPNOTIC, SHOT OF INSPIRATION SHE INHALED IN THE WHOLE OF YEAR 12.

[photo: Diane Arbus - Bishop By The Sea - '64]

[photo: Diane Arbus - Woman On A Street With Her Eyes Closed]

 [photo: Diane Arbus - A Young Waitress At A Nudist Camp - '63]

THE PICTURES ARE NOT BIG. 

THE SPACE IS ENCLOSED, CARESSING LOW LIGHTS.

YOU GLIDE THROUGH THE ROOMS IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF 

SUSPENDED STILLNESS.
BETWEEN CURIOSITY AND COMPASSION.

 

YOU BECOME A VOYEUR, YOU WITNESS 

A DAZZLING SHOWCASE OF STOLEN INTIMACY AND SHADED SPIRITS.

YOU EXPERIENCE THE EYE OF A WOMAN FASCINATED BY FLAW AND DAYDREAM. AN ARTIST WHO SPENT HER LIFE CREATING IMAGES OF IMPERFECTION, LIMITATION, OUTLANDISHNESS AND SHE DID IT WITH THE CARE AND WARMTH OF A MOTHER.

LIKE THE ALMOST-CASUAL SNAPSHOT WHERE A JEWISH GIANT, WHO BARELY FITS IN THE ROOM, BENT, IS CAUGHT IN A FAMILY MOMENT WITH HIS NORMAL-SIZED MAMA AND PAPA. IF YOU LOOK LONG ENOUGH, WHAT YOU REALLY SEE IN THAT NOT-SO-VAGUELY GROTESQUE IMAGE IS THAT, TO YOU, THE SIGHT OF THE OVERSIZED HUMAN MAY BE DISTURBING. 

BUT TO HIS PARENTS,  HE IS A PERSON, NOT A GIANT, AND HIS MUM LOOKS LIKE SHE'S WAY MORE CONCERNED WITH WEATHER HE'S NOT GONNA CATCH A COLD IN THEM SHORT SLEEVES, RATHER THAN WITH THE WAY HE LOOKS.

[photo: Diane Arbus - A Jewish Giant At Home With His Parents]

SHE IS FASCINATED BY WOMEN, GIRLS, YOUNG PEOPLE, BY FACES, MASKS, TRANSVESTITES, CREATURES LIVING IN THE GREY AREAS BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL LIFESTYLES, PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO FIND THEIR IDENTITY, A HOME.

EVERY GAZE THAT HIT DIANE'S LENS EXPRESSES A TENSION, A LONGING TOWARD BEING SOMEONE ELSE, SOMEWHERE ELSE, SOME OTHER TIME. 
SHE FINDS DREAMS AND TENDERNESS IN THE SIMPLEST OF SQUALORS, LIKE THE LOVING EMBRACE IN Couple Under A Paper Lantern, OR THE PLAYFULNESS OF THE Dominatrix With Her Client SERIES, THE Albino Sword Swallower At A Carnival, THE Girl Watching a Soap Bubble.

ALL HER FACES EXPRESS A SORT OF UNIVERSAL HUMAN DESIRE, AS IF ENCHANTED IN TIME, CAPTURED WITH A SIMPLICITY THAT MAKES EVERY IMAGE TIMELESS, ABSOLUTE. TRANSFORMING HARD FACTS OF THE HUMAN SOUL INTO A UNIQUE KIND OF ENIGMATIC, RAW, POETRY.

[photo: Diane Arbus - Transvestite With A Torn Stocking]

[photo: Diane Arbus - Topless Dancer In Her Dressing Room]

[photo: Diane Arbus - A Woman In A Bird Mask]























BUT, IN THIS WHOLE RICHNESS OF MASTERFUL PHOTOGRAPHY, THE ONE IMAGE WHICH STUCK TO BETTY THE MOST, ONCE SHE RELUCTANTLY WALKED OUT OF THE MUSEUM, IS PERHAPS NOT ONE OF DIANE'S MOST FAMOUS.

IT'S AN EARLY SHOT, PRIVATE, ALMOST ACCIDENTAL.
IT'S NOT YET IN HER SIGNATURE SQUARE FORMAT, 
IT'S NOT YET SO MASTERFULLY COMPOSED NOR CONSCIOUS.
IT'S A SELF-PORTRAIT THAT BELONGS TO A SERIES SHE DID TO SEND HER NEWLYWED HUSBAND, WHO WAS THEN A SOLDIER AT WAR.
A PHOTO TAKEN BY A BARELY PREGNANT GIRL WHO MUST HAVE FEARED HER LOVER MAY NOT LIVE TO EVEN RECEIVE THIS PICTURE.

A YOUNG BRIDE WHO COULD HAVE NOT POSSIBLY HAD THE FAINTEST CLUE OF WHO SHE WOULD BECOME, ONE DAY, IN THE LANDSCAPE OF FINEST WORLD ART. AND YET, IF YOU LOOK CLOSE, YOU CAN ALREADY SEE IT ALL.

  [photo: Diane Arbus - Self-Portrait Pregnant - '45]

THE EXHIBITION AT THE FOAM IS OPEN FOR ANOTHER THREE DAYS.
IF YOU ARE ANYWHERE NEAR AMSTERDAM OR CAN GET YOURSELF THERE THIS WEEKEND, BETTY VERY WARMLY SUGGESTS YOU DO SO.
OTHERWISE, YOU WILL HAVE MISSED 
QUITE SOMETHING.

CLICK THIS LINK TO GET DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE FOAM WEBPAGE AND FIND OUT ALL THE DETAILS OF THE EXHIBITION

    

  

BIRTH OF A TREE

YEAR: 2.13

(art: image found online)

BETTY TRULY HOPES YOU SURVIVED AND ARE ALL WELL.

SHE WANTS TO TRUST THESE DAYS HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH WARMTH, SPIRITUAL ABUNDANCE AND MANY SEXY MOMENTS FOR YOU, TOO.

SHE HOPES YOU FOUND PLENTY OF EXCITING NEW BOOKS, FILMS AND MUSIC UNDER THE SNOWY TREE.

AND IF YOU DIDN'T, GO OUT AND GET THEM, FOR YOURSELF.

SHE ALSO HOPES YOU WILL SOON FIND THE ICE-RING NEAR YOU AND GO FOR A SLIDE, DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU NEVER DONE IT BEFORE. 

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET DONE IT, SHE SUGGESTS YOU PICK A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION, TOO.

BUT BE SMART, MAKE IT BE SOMETHING FROM THE WORLD OF DOABLE THINGS, SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

LIKE GOING ON AN ART-BINGE TO THE TATE MODERN, TRACKING DOWN A MUSICIAN YOU ADMIRE AND SEEING HIM PERFORM LIVE, OR FINALLY TAKING YOUR SPOUSE OUT TO A FANCY SEX CLUB. 

CAUSE BETTY'S THOROUGHLY CONVINCED THERE'S MUCH MORE TO LIFE THAN QUITTING SUCKING ON LIT CIGARETTES OR SWEATING ON TREADMILLS IN COMPULSIVE ATTEMPTS TO UPKEEP THE FACADES OF OUR BODIES. 

AND SHE TRULY HOPES YOU ARE PLANNING TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY NAUGHTY THIS YEAR.

CAUSE SHE IS.

BACK.

 

MORNING GLORY FIRST: SNOW

SHOWBIZ

OH, WELL.

MIDDLE OF THE DAY, BETTY SHOULD REALLY NOT SIT THIS MUCH.

SHE SHOULD RATHER BE ON HER WAY TO THE HARDWARE STORE, TO BUY A PLASTIC FOOT FOR THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

OR, SHOULD SHE?

SHE KEEPS HERSELF INSIDE, THEN LUSTS AND LONGS FOR WHAT'S OUT THERE.
LIKE PLAYING CAT AND MOUSE.
SHE NEEDS TO MOVE, BUT JUST KEEPS WRITING, IT'S DIARRHEA, SO PAINFULLY PLEASANT, UNSTOPPABLE SOMEHOW.

THERE IS A BICYCLE AHEAD, A TRIP OVER THE BRIDGE AND THANK FUCK FOR THE LACK OF ICE. 
THERE IS ALSO A LINGERING HEADACHE AND THE UNDERSTANDING THAT TEN MINUTES OF DOWNWARD-FACING DOG ARE NEEDED.
BUT NO ACTION IS TAKEN.

TUMBLERS AND TWITTERS AND FLICKERS, BLOGGERS AND TWO FACES ON FUCKBOOK, MAN.
WHAT HAPPENS IF NO-ONE READS?
NOTHING.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE INTERNET IMPLODES?
SHE'D GO BACK TO READING, SUPPOSE. BOOKS.
AND MASTURBATING TO HER OWN FANTASIES RATHER THAN SAD .MOV FILES.

BETTY REALIZES IT'S TIME TO WRAP HERSELF UP IN BLACK LATEX TAPE AND TAKE SOME PHOTOS.
BUT FOR THAT, SHE NEEDS TO SHAVE HER LEGS FIRST.

SHE TELLS HERSELF:
SHE WILL JUST START THIS MACHINE UP AND THEN IT WILL FLOW ON ITS OWN.
SHE WILL FIND A PLACE OF ABSOLUTE FREEDOM THAT WILL BRING HER GREAT FORTUNE AND FAME.
SHE WILL SOON BE RICH ENOUGH TO BUY THAT GORGEOUS WRITING DESK IN THE POSH FURNITURE STORE DOWN THE ROAD.
SHE WILL HAVE A PHOTO EXHIBITION, SHE WILL BE APPLAUDED.
SHE WILL WRITE THIS BOOK, TURN IT INTO A MOVIE ONE DAY.
SHE STILL HAS TIME TO EXPERIENCE A WHOLE WILD OCEAN OF THRILLS.
SHE WILL SOON HAVE A DEDICATED GROUP OF FANS FOR HER PHONE-SHOT MINI-MOVIES.
SHE WILL MAKE REAL CINEMA, TOO.

BUT BEFORE THEN, SHE HAS TO FINISH YESTERDAY'S TAKE-AWAY WAN-TAN, POP A PAINKILLER AND FINALLY CHANGE THE SEASON IN HER WARDROBE.

CAUSE THERE IS NO AVOIDING IT NO MORE:
SHE NEEDS WOOL, NOW.

FOOTAGE 1.1

HERE IS A SELECTION OF SNAPSHOTS BETTY TOOK

WHILE OUT ON WALKS

[ADDING CREATIVE OUTCOME TO THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF WANDERING]

AND HERE IS THE LINK TO BETTY'S PHOTOSTREAM, IF YOU CRAVE MORE ,)

FOOTAGE 1.0

WHEN IT'S TOO LATE

A WEEK AGO, BETTY'S GRANDFATHER DIED.

NOVEMBER NINETEENTH.

THIS IS A VERY SAD EVENT AND BETTY, DESPITE HER RATIONALIZING EFFORTS AND ADULT AGE, CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL 360 DEGREES ALL-BLACK.

TECHNICALLY THOUGH, IT IS ARGUABLE THAT THERE IS ANOTHER ANGLE TO IT, AND IN FACT, IT SHOULD BE A REASON FOR JOY THAT SOMEONE YOU LOVE LIVES TO BE ALMOST NINETY YEARS OF AGE, TWENTY OF WHICH HE WON OVER TWO HEART ATTACKS. HOWEVER YOU LOOK AT IT, HE LIVED A LONG LIFE, A GOOD ONE TOO, AND WHEN HE WENT IT HAPPENED QUICKLY, SOFTLY, WHILE IN GOOD HANDS. 

EVEN IN PASSING, THE MAN HAS BEEN LUCKY.

BETTY TRAVELED ACROSS TWO COUNTRIES TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL.

TO WALK IN A WHITE-TILED ROOM AND GASP AT WHAT LOOKED LIKE A MEDIOCRE WAX REPLICA OF HER GRANDDAD, IN A BOX, STUCK STIFF IN A BLACK SUIT AND MAKE-UP.

TO TOUCH HIS YELLOW AND REALLY COLD HAND.

TO WITNESS THE COFFIN BEING LOWERED ON ROPES INTO A HOLE IN THE GROUND, 
TRYING NOT TO THINK THAT THIS IS WHERE HER GRANDPA IS GONNA BE, FROM NOW ON.

IN A WOODEN BOX BURIED IN A GRAVEYARD.

REST IN PEACE.

BUT BETTY HAS TO ADMIT THAT, IN ALL THIS GRIEF, SHE HAS BEEN LUCKY TOO.
HER GRANDFATHER WAS TAKEN INTO THE HOSPITAL ON A SUNDAY EVENING.
"NOT THE FIRST TIME", THOUGHT EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY AND, FOR SOME MYSTERIOUS REASON, 
"NOT THE LAST" THEY THOUGHT TOO. 
EVERYONE BUT BETTY.

EARLY ON THE MONDAY MORNING, WHILE SHE WAS BUSY WITH SOME ROUTINE-LIVING ACTIVITY, SHE WAS SUDDENLY STRUCK BY A VERY BAD CHILL. NOT KNOWING ANY BETTER, SHE DROPPED WHATEVER SHE WAS DOING, PICKED UP HER PHONE AND DID SOMETHING QUITE IRRATIONAL: SHE RANG HER HALF-COMATOSE GRANDFATHER'S CELL.

MIRACLE WANTED THAT A NURSE WAS STROLLING PAST HIS BED AND PICKED UP THE CALL.
"WE HAD TO REANIMATE HIM AN HOUR AGO, BUT HE IS STABLE NOW", SHE INFORMED.
"STABLE? IS HE CONSCIOUS? CAN HE TALK?", BETTY'S VOICE TREMBLED IN THE PHONE.
"YES, HE IS CONSCIOUS. WAIT... SIR? SIR, IT'S YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER, SHE'S ON THE PHONE". 
IN A FLASH, BETTY FOUND HERSELF IN THAT ROOM. 
SHE SAW HER GRANDDAD'S TIRED HEAD TURN ON THE STERILE PILLOW TO FACE THE BENT NURSE IN TURQUOISE OVERALL. 
SHE ALMOST FELT THE SMELL OF IT.
"MADAME, CAN YOU PLEASE TELL HIM THAT I'M THINKING OF HIM ALL THE TIME. PLEASE. AND THAT I LOVE HIM?...", BETTY PANTED TO THE STRANGER ON THE LINE.
"SHE'S THINKING OF YOU, SIR. SHE WISHES YOU ALL THE BEST AND LOVES YOU.", THE WOMAN REPEATED WARMLY.
AND THAT'S WHEN BETTY HEARD THE LAST WORDS SHE WOULD EVER HEAR FROM HIM, 
HIS DISTANT VOICE MURMUR A SORE "THANK YOU, HONEY".
THREE HOURS LATER, HE WAS NO MORE. 

YOU SEE, BETTY COULD FILL WHOLE NOTEBOOKS WITH MEMORIES OF HER GRANDFATHER, GOING BACK DECADES. 
OF CHRISTMAS DINNERS AT HIS TABLE, OF MUSHROOM-HUNTS IN THE WOODS AROUND HIS COTTAGE, POKER LESSONS BY THE SEA.

SHE HAS HALF A MILLION OF SUCH MOMENTS ON THE HARD DISK OF HER MEMORY, SAMPLES OF HIS VOICE, FRAGMENTS OF HIS FACE, OF HOW HE KISSED HER WELCOME WHEN SHE CAME TO VISIT, OF HOW HE MADE HER LAUGH.

BUT WHAT WILL NEVER, EVER, NO MATTER WHAT, FADE OFF HER MEMORY IS THE ECHOING SOUND OF THOSE THREE LAST WORDS SHE WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HEAR: 
THANK. YOU. HONEY.

SO, WHAT BETTY WOULD LIKE TO SAY, IS:

IF YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN KEEP POSTPONING ACTIONS AND PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE TO A CONSTANT "SOMEDAY", OR "EVENTUALLY",
IF YOU THINK YOU STILL HAVE MOUNTAINS OF TIME TO DO ALL THE THINGS YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO,
IF YOU THINK THAT YOUR FUTURE OR YOUR PAST ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE DAY YOU ARE ALIVE NOW,
AND IF YOU, FOR ANY REASON, THINK PEOPLE AND THINGS ARE ENDLESS,
THEN PLEASE THINK AGAIN.

CAUSE THEY ARE NOT.