Tell Me What Thy Name Is on the Night's Plutonium Shore

I have rediscovered Edgar Allan Poe. I tried reading him as a child starting with Fall of the House of Usher. Apparently that language and vocabulary for that one was a bit too much to grasp. When I was a teenager and getting into goth, I tried again with some of his short stories and quiet enjoyed them, and we studied the poem Annabel Lee in school and I quite enjoyed it's tone of both pride and despair.

I also couldn't forget watching Vincent Price reading "The Raven."

Later on, I took a liking to his classics, "The Black Cat," "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Masque of the Red Death." I'll never forget the Masque of the Red Death because I never knew it would the starting point of an incredible discussion with a blue eyed model at a club outside 3am. I couldn't compete with the other babes in terms of having hot legs but when it came to Masque of the Red Death--I could definitely score points.

Then I discovered this absolutely delicious 2 disc album "CLOSED ON ACCOUNT OF RABIES" which has Gabriel Byrne reading "Masque of the Red Death," Diamanda Galas reading "The Black Cat," Christopher Walken reading "The Raven," Iggy Pop reading "The Tell Tale Heart" and the late Jeff Buckley doing "Ulalume." This lovely volume has kept me company on many a late night walk.

Just this year I found these lovely books in the children's section of Fully Booked--Edgar Allan Poe's stories superbly illustrated by one of my favorite book illustrators (along with Brett Helqvist, Edward Gorey and Tim Burton) GRIS GRIMLY. Again, I found and enjoyed my favorites as well as some new ones like "The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether" and "Hop Frog."

Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7, 1849 at the age of 40. But he left stories that, at least with me, never grow old.

Scorsese Rolls With the Stones

Scorsese Rolls With the Stones

Before Shutter Island and after The Departed—there was an interlude in the Scorsese – DiCaprio love affair: a project called “Shine a Light.”

“Shine a Light” is a full-length concert film slash documentary directed by Martin Scorsese featuring the legendary rock band, The Rolling Stones. An IMAX version was released in the United States.

With a director like Martin Scorsese and a band like the Stones, I was probably set my expectations too high. I was looking for something epic. I was hoping for more storytelling or a reveal of some incredible new insight about the band.

What I got for the most part was incredibly shot footage (18 cameras) of two fabulous shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre in autumn of 2006. This, interspersed with a few scenes of pre-show discussions in hotel rooms and interviews from as early as the 60’s.

I’ve always had a theory that it’s not expensive plastic surgery—fake noses, liposuction and stretched out skin that keeps you eternally young: it’s a passion for rock and roll and a sense of humor. Just look at these guys: Mick Jagger was 63 when they shot this, Keith Richards was 62, Ronnie Wood was 59 and Charlie Watts was 65! And they’re playing their hearts out con mucho gusto as if they were 40 years younger. They’re still skinny as ever, with Jagger being the wiriest of the four, prancing, dancing, shaking and moving about in his skinny black jeans and shiny tight black t-shirt riding up and down revealing zero body fat in the abdominal area.

The wrinkles are there in all their glory—untouched by scalpel and suture sculpture artists of Los Angeles and Miami. Save for the Watts, their hair is dyed a deep rock and roll black. But they’re all incredibly fit with the stamina to pull off show like this.

Here comes Keith Richards wearing the eyeliner and shiny black scarf with dingles and dangles tied around. And then you see where some of Jack Sparrow’s style came from.

While Mick Jagger is clever and articulate, I couldn’t help but laugh at Keith Richards’ answers in past interviews: Q: What do you tell yourself before you go out and play for a hundred thousand people? A: “You better wake up.” Or, Q: What is the question you get asked most often? A: “That one you asked me.”

When Richards gets introduced at the end of the show, he says “It’s good to see you all” he pauses for a bit and continues, “it’s good to see anybody” and then laughs.

Being a huge Jack White fan, I absolutely enjoyed him coming on stage for “Loving Cup.” Bluesman Buddy Guy came on for “Champagne and Reefer,” when Christina Aguilera came out I thought, OK, this looks like “ASAP” now.

There’s footage of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards after they were arrested, and a forum between Jagger in a loose flowing tunic top meeting with a British Jesuit, paper editor, a Lord and few other esteemed representatives of polite society. Ah, they’ve been accused to being rebels and rabble-rousers but look who’s the big fan boy at the Beacon show? Two term US President Bill Clinton who brought along Hillary, Hillary’s excited mom (87 at the time), Chelsea and a 10-year old nephew.

Like any concert, there are highlights and a few parts I (shame on me) forwarded through having seen a good deal of past footage and shows by the band. Watching this however has made “you’ve come a long way, baby” seem like an understatement for the band. Whatever the destination is, “Shine a Light” shows the Stones, nearly half a century later, are still furiously rolling.

Princesses Sunshine, Absinthe and Mercury Escape the Asylum for a Mexican Meal

One day, in The Asylum, Princess Mercury suggested borrowing the traveling bathtub from the miscreants Lock, Shock and Barrel. Princesses Absinthe and Princess Sunshine agreed. They left their tiaras and little princess crowns but put on their gowns for a night on the town.

Mexican food the agenda was, so they all headed over to Ristra's.

This is Princess Mercury in her signature slippery metal colored gown,

Princess Absinthe in her green fairy ensemble

and Princess Sunshine in her bright beamish happy dress.

And this is the food they conquered, while listening to Lady Gaga songs.

Princess Absinthe danced to the tunes "Papparazzi" "Poker Face" and "Bad Romance" behind the glass window while Sunshine and Mercury puffed at post dinner smokes like happy little dragons.

This is the fate suffered by the tacos Princess Absinthe ordered.

After some chocolate, the girls were back at the Asylum by the stroke of midnight, traveling bathtub returned. Their prefects and wardens none the wiser.

BURP.

Hello Blogosphere! I am back and blogging again. My old blog, www.milkandblood.blogspot.com is still alive but I can't access it anymore as my old email address died.

I still have my blogs at www.nazgulqueen.multiply.com but for now this is yet another home for my thoughts, musings, rants, strange ideas and prescriptions.

I've been wanting to do this for so long, to just write what I want to--about tenterhooks, dark chocolate concoctions, party pirate rabbits, mardi gras beads, vaccinations, human folly, relationships, tentacles and tall black boots. I love writing for the paper (though I'm just limited to film and television there) and the comic (we're down to its last issue) and this girl just needs another outlet.

So welcome aboard, it's another busy day in the real world so I'll check in with all of you later.