Sorry - Monsters Are Still Real, Kids.

Faneuil Hall - Boston, Massachusetts.

So... Yesterday, another insane person (or persons) perpetrated another horrific crime against innocent people, this time against those who were attending and/or participating in the Boston Marathon.  I needed a day to process yet another horrific event before I could comment on it. And here's what I think.

The first time I ever went to Boston, I was working for a facility which housed mentally and physically disabled people. It was what I thought I wanted to do with my life right out of school. The 'school' really turned out to be a place where rich people dumped off the children of whom they were ashamed, but that's another story for another time. 

Anyway, a client was going home for the Holidays and I and another 'Houseparent' were asked to accompany him on the short flight to Boston. We flew in in the early morning morning, dropped the client off with his family and had nine hours to explore and play before flying home again. We shopped at Faneuil Hall; we walked all around downtown and ended up in a seafood place because the young lady I was with (i have no memory of her name) wanted chowder. I hate clam chowder and I have no idea what I ate - probably a fried platter. But I liked the city's vibe and wanted to go back.

In college, my friends Terry and Marly and I drove up to visit our friend Brian at his grandparents' once state-of-the-art mid-century home in Amherst. The next day we went into Boston and I am proud to say that my 20-something self did pretty good navigating the insanity that is Boston traffic. There was also an infamous 'research' trip to Salem (we were doing The Crucible and we left on Thursday, the 12th, after Mary called my new job, weeping and saying she was my sister and that Grandmom had died, so I could leave early*) which is very close to Boston. Of course, my dear K has family ties to the area, and I've been there on more than one occasion with her. It's a good town, filled with college students; teachers and professors and businesses of every kind, just like any major city. There are good neighborhoods and bad ones; fun things to do and lame things to do; history, art, theatre; shopping; great bars - Boston has always meant a very good time, every time I've been there.

So please bear with me when I say that I can't imagine the horror, the pain and the suffering inflicted on people who were, up until that moment, also experiencing Boston as a very good time. The fear and confusion must have been so intense. And so much pain (both physical and emotional). Horrible!

And for what? As of this writing, we still don't know who or why. Of course, the why almost doesn't matter. Did 'God' tell someone to do this to advance a political agenda? Or did a dog claiming to be God tell someone to do this so someone will finally acknowledge his pathetic existence? Was a spurned lover out to kill an ex who was running in the marathon or in the crowd? Maybe an angry, disqualified runner from the past wanted to exact his revenge. It doesn't matter.

What matters are the people killed and maimed; people whose lives have been irrevocably and horribly changed. And whether this was the act of an organized group of religious fanatics or of a loner writing a manifesto in a woodshed, it was ultimately an act of madness. When we were children, our parents did their best to convince us that there are no monsters under the bed or in the closet or hiding behind the coats on the coat-rack. "Monsters aren't real," they told us. But they lied. While there may be no green-skinned bogey-men with fangs and claws waiting to rend us to pieces, there are other monsters who never fail to prove their existence. In schools, malls, movie theaters and major sporting events; on trains and in office buildings; in the air and on the the ground; the monsters keep shouting "I am here! I am to be feared! I am a Monster!" 

Here's the thing: Don't fear the monster. He doesn't deserve your fear. Find the monster and punish him, so other monsters may think twice. I know there are far more good people in the world than bad, just as there are more beautiful things than ugly things. There's great art and literature and philanthropists and scientists who are working to sure disease and end suffering. There are dew-covered spiderwebs spilling prismatic rainbows in the morning sun and exotically plumed birds wading in warm swamps; romantic sunsets; sparkling beaches; fields of wildflowers... you get the idea. And we all should be able to take time to revel in the good things about life, without worrying if a bomb is sitting in that trashcan on the corner or if the guy sitting next to me at the AMC24 has gun under his unseasonal coat. 

I'm offering no solutions - that's for smarter folks than I to sort out. Of course, without bad things; without pain and suffering; we wouldn't be able to appreciate joy and pleasure, would we? Be glad for every day you wake up. Stop taking things so seriously. Smile.  Let the monsters know we're on to them and that we have no intention of letting them win.

Call me "Pollyana." Call me a cock-eyed optimist. Call me (gasp!) a Liberal. I really think Lennon and McCartney had it right:

Oh - I also think we really need to overhaul the mental heath care system in this country, ASAP. After Reagan dismantled it in the 80's, it's about time we overhauled and reinstituted comprehensive mental health care for those who may pose a danger to society.

More, anon.
Prospero

*Another trip worthy of it's own post.

You have read this article Boston / Fear / John Lennon / Love / Monsters / Music / Pain / Paul McCartney / Real Life Horrors / Sad / Scary / Terrorism / The Beatles with the title Scary. You can bookmark this page URL http://tammycross.blogspot.com/2013/04/sorry-monsters-are-still-real-kids.html. Thanks!

Augment THIS!

Google's "Project Glass" Augmented Vision Glasses

You may have seen the video from Google about their newest in-development hardware/software combo package called "Project Glass," which is basically computerized eye-wear that allows it's user to interface with everyday reality and their personal Google accounts.

As someone who has worn eyeglasses and/or contact lenses from a very young age, I find the concept both intriguing and frightening at the same time. It's bad enough that we have so many distractions on a fairly regularly basis as it is. Now imagine that everything you see is connected to the web.  Everyone you know; everything you read; everything you eat; everything you do... shared with everyone you know and everyone they know. Sort of a live-feed Facebook (or in this case, Google+).  In case you missed it earlier this spring, here's Google's video about the project:

Yikes! As much as I love the Internet and the connectivity it gives me to people literally all over the world, there's something decidedly Orwellian about Project Glass. I don't share everything I do online with everyone to whom I'm connected. Like most of you, I share only things of common interest with selected friends and family members. Just imagine sharing everything with everyone. No thanks.

Young filmmakers Erin May-raz and Daniel Lazo take it a step further and imagine a not-too-distant future in which everyone is connected by an implanted device called 'Sight' in their short film of the same name (via):

  Sight from Sight Systems on Vimeo.

Of all the possible futures Science Fiction can imagine, this may be one of the worst. Of course, using technology for personal gain is nothing new. But we have to draw the line, some where. And please don't lie to yourself - everyone has a secret they wouldn't want to share with anyone, let alone online, for all the world to see. The alternative? Unplug yourself. 

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Google / Privacy / Scary / Science Fiction / Secrets / Short Films / Technology / The Internet with the title Scary. You can bookmark this page URL http://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/08/augment-this.html. Thanks!

The Gayest and Scariest Things You'll See This Week.

Elizabeth Olsen in "Silent House"

So I'm sort of torn between two movies I very much want to see this weekend. First, I practically begged D to come see John Carter, which he less-than-enthusiastically agreed. Then I said "Unless you would rather see Silent House, then I'll see John Carter with K or Dale."

He replied "What's Silent House?"

Directed by Chris Kentiss and Laura Lau (Open Water), Silent House is a real-time, found-footage, single-take horror movie starring the very up and coming Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) in the American version of the Uruguayan horror movie, La casa muda (The Silent House). If it was indeed filmed in one take, I imagine rehearsals would have been pretty intense. And how many versions did they shoot before they got perfect take? Personally, I know of plenty amazing single-shot sequences (The Bird Cage and Children of Men come immediately to mind) but I don't think I've ever seen an entire single-take film. Here's both trailers:

So what do you think? I haven't seen the original, but I am so very intrigued by the whole thing and I'm dying to see how they pull it off.

I know - I promised a Gayest Thing, too. Fear not. Perhaps this should really be called the 'Most Fabulous Thing,' because I promise you, it is Fab-U-Effing-Lous! I found the below clip earlier on Towleroad and since I'm rehearsing for Musical Theatre's second greatest drag role (Albin in La Cage is undefeated, though Victoria in Victor/Victoria is a close 3rd), I've been keeping my eye out for reference material and when I saw the clip I am about to share, it inspired me to give at least as joyous (though hardly as elaborate) a performance as the star of this piece. I wish I was sure enough of the clip's national origins to give proper credit, all around. My Spanish is practically non-existent. If you know, please let me know. 

Anyway - this is how you do drag, bitches!:

Talk about owning it! Am I allowed to say "You go, girl," as long I use it both sincerely and ironically,  like Chelsea Handler uses it?  I think (and hope) that person won that competition. And if (s)he* didn't win, who the hell topped that act?

*Don't judge; I have no idea how that person identifies (though if you do, please let me know).

And since we're already talking about performing in drag, I had my measurements taken while wearing the custom bra I'll be wearing in Hairspray. This Edna Turnblad is a 67 Triple F. Jealous, much?

Didn't think so.

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Drag Queens / Foriegn Film / Ghosts / Hairspray / Horror / Movies / Scary / The Gayest Thing / Trailers with the title Scary. You can bookmark this page URL http://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/03/the-gayest-and-scariest-things-you-see.html. Thanks!

A (Happily Minor) Health Scare

I will do my best not to get too graphic here, but I think it's just as important for men to check themselves for lumps as it is for women.

While showering last Sunday, I discovered a small lump a in place where there had never been a lump before. I was concerned, but not terrified. The lump was was smaller than a pea and not causing me discomfort or any functional problems. I noted it and decided to mention it to my doctor on my next regular visit.

That was until Thursday, when I awoke to discover that the lump had not only tripled in size, but was now painful to the touch. Cue full system panic mode! 

I got to work and called the Health Advocate to find a specialist, ASAP. If your employer does not offer Health Advocate services, ask them to. Health Advocate will (among many other things) find you a doctor or specialist who accepts your insurance, help settle medical bill disputes and even help find long-term care for your elderly parents. Staffed by polite, caring and discreet nurses who immediately make you feel at ease discussing the most intimate of health issues, Health Advocate has proven an invaluable resource for Uncle P in the past few years, especially now that I have reached a certain age. The amazing nurse Kathy at HA found me a local specialist who had an available appointment this morning. After a quick call to my PCP (Primary Care Physician) for a referral, I was on my way. 

The doctor they sent me to was not only competent and professional, but adorable. Not quite as hunky as the doctor in the above picture, but certainly someone Uncle P could appreciate on a non-medical level, if you know what I mean. After a thorough examination of the area and lump in question, I left his office with a prescription for an antibiotic and the assurance that what I had was nothing more than an inflamed cyst, something he said was quite common among men my age. He ordered a blood test and scheduled a follow-up in six weeks.

You have no idea the relief I felt upon leaving that office. Still, I am glad that I know my own body well-enough to realize when something's not right. And I urge you all to be just as aware. While my issue turned out to be simple and not at all life-threatening, it is so important to be aware of changes to any and every part of your body. Examine yourselves regularly and mention any changes, lumps and other anomalies to your doctor right away. What you find may well be nothing, but it is so much better to be safe than sorry.

While every doctor you see may not be as hot as ER's Goran Visnjic, he or she may well be the difference between nothing to worry about and something serious. 

Okay - lecture over. Back to my usual nonsense, tomorrow.

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Doctors / Health / Personal / Scary / TMI / Uncle P with the title Scary. You can bookmark this page URL http://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/01/a-happily-minor-health-scare.html. Thanks!

"AHS" by Request

Uncle P has only ever done one post by request before, and then it was simply a title that was requested. But when a friend publicly challenged me on Facebook, I felt I had no choice but to respond. So, here is the first content-requested post on Caliban's Revenge.

When it premiered last month, I immediately fell in love with FX's "American Horror Story," though a few folks took some time to warm up to it (Mr. Romano? I'm talking to you). As the story has progressed, the mysteries have only deepened, though we have been given more and more information about the house and its history with every episode. We know who the last owners were (who knew Zachary Quinto would be so good as a bitchy queen?) and have some insight into the first owners (a drug-addled abortionist and his status-hungry wife). We've learned that the alternately frumpy/sexy maid was murdered by the next door neighbor and that a pair of nursing students were killed by a psychopath who hated nurses. We've watched psychiatrist Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott) slowly lose his mind; bury his former lover under a gazebo he built to hide her grave and drive the most boring woman in the world to attempt suicide. We know that his wife Vivien (Connie Britton) hates him; is pregnant with a child that is... (well, we'll talk about that in a moment) and is desperate to sell the house. We've seen their emotionally disturbed daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga) cut herself to relieve her emotional pain. And we've seen their possibly insane neighbor Constance (the incomparable Jessica Lange) make cupcakes laced with Syrup of Ipecac (among other unpleasant things).

This week's episode gave us all kinds of answers (while asking more questions). We now know that Ben's patient Tate (Evan Peters), perpetrated a Columbine-style school shooting and is actually one of the many ghosts haunting the house. We also know why the ultrasound technician fainted; that Tate is/was another of Constance's children; why Constance told Moira "Don't make me kill you again" and (maybe) why the house is obsessed with babies. Of course, we haven't been told who (or what) the 'Rubber Man' is or what the fang-toothed, long-clawed monster lurking in the basement may be. And what of burn-scarred Larry and the truth about his back story? This week's most disturbing moment? Well, that had to be the scene in which Vivien eats a raw brain with relish, only to find herself puzzled at having done so. Of course, the subplot involving Ben's latest patient ("Modern Family" alum Eric Stonestreet) as a man terrified of urban legends, ended with a deliciously ironic "Twilight Zone" twist ("Here, piggy-piggy-pig-pig!"). And we now also know that Vivien may actually be carrying a demon child.

Referencing classic horror movies like The Haunting; Psycho; Rosemary's Baby; A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween (among others) while adding it's own twists, "American Horror Story" pushes the envelope unlike any other show on television. Disturbing; creepy; gross; sexy and just plain weird, "American Horror Story" may actually supplant "The Walking Dead" and "Fringe" as my TV favorite show. If you are a regular reader of Caliban's Revenge and aren't watching "AHS," you should be.

It has already been reported that "AHS" has been picked up for a second season. I only hope the showrunners can maintain the creepy and often terrifying atmosphere they've managed to create in these first few episodes.

 
More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article American Horror Story / Ghosts / Horror / Hot / Scary / TV / Weirdness with the title Scary. You can bookmark this page URL http://tammycross.blogspot.com/2011/11/by-request.html. Thanks!

Seasonal Acclimation; Obviously Insane People; Dutch Advertising and Other Random Nonsense

Photo Via

The absolute best thing about living in the Northeast is that we get to experience the change of seasons. Winters here suck and summers can be brutal, but our springs and falls are actually quite lovely. I'm still in a bit of shock that it is already fall, but sort of glad it is. It means I'm closer to this year's 2nd JTMF show and that Halloween isn't too distant in the future. My allergies and sinuses don't always like the falls or springs here but they sell magic potions down at the alchemist's for that kind of thing. There's amazing fall foliage right in my own backyard; the air drys out and is cool in your skin and it's just so deliciously comfortable.

Of course, the fall also means elections. You all know my politics by now. I wear them on my sleeve, collar, waistband, crotch and shoes. There are very few things that actually scare me at this point in my life. The current state of American politics is one of them. She Who Is Insane isn't the scariest among them but only because she keeps shooting herself in the foot every time she sticks it in her mouth (man I hope I'm the first one to mix those metaphors when talking about her). Frothy Mix is still crazy, but never stood an ice cube's chance down Dolly's cleavage. The two who really scare me are the craziest of all. You've got Spooky Mormon Hell Dream -- I forget who, but some comedian said the LDS was the only religion founded as an excuse for having an affair with a waitress. We know how much the LDS just loves the LGBT community. I put Mormons with Scientologists; Jehova's Witnesses and Zoastrans at "High" on  the Religion Looniness Scale (And just so you know - there is no "Low" on that scale.) Then there's the scariest Repugnican candidate in history, He Who Has No Soul. The anti-Obama incarnate, the unctuous Texas governor has shown a blatant disregard for the separation of Church and State. His anti-LGBT opinions are well-known and he panders to the fears of the uneducated. Doesn't the Bible say something about many being fooled by those who proclaim to follow Christ?  I do love this, though:

Michele Bachmann chooses STD's - watch more funny videos     

Now that was funny.

And so is this: My sister sent an email yesterday.

"HEMA is a Dutch Department store. The first store opened on November 4, 1926 in Amsterdam. Now there are over 150 stores all over the Netherlands.Take a look at HEMA's product page (catalog). Just wait a few seconds and watch what happens. DON'T click on anything in the picture; just wait... This company has a sense of humor and great (web-designer), who has too much time on his (or her) hands."

I changed "computer programmer" to "web-designer, because this is definitely the work of a very talented and creative web designer. I also added "(or her)" because there's no indication of the artist's sex just by looking at the page.

My sister's email then instructed me to "Click on the link below." I did and was just delighted by what I found there. I shared this on Facebook earlier, but want to you to see it, too. It's perfectly safe for work and kids -- in fact, kids will probably love it. Please enjoy the HEMA product page.

Finally, this trailer for a movie I'm just not sure about, We Bought a Zoo. I love the cast (the little girl is freakin' adorbz), but really? Director Cameron Crowe (whose films I usually love) transplants the memoir of British author Benjamin Mee to southern California in story about a man who gives up on the rat race and  'accidentally' buys a zoo. It could be an amazing family film from one the best directors working today, or it could be a treakly bit of twaddle from a director who should have known better. You get no help deciding which from the trailer:

What do you think?

More, Anon
Prospero

You have read this article Catalogs / Movies / Nonsense / Politics / Retail / Rube Goldberg / Scary / Trailers with the title Scary. You can bookmark this page URL http://tammycross.blogspot.com/2011/09/seasonal-acclimation-obviously-insane.html. Thanks!

Seriously... Is It Just Me?

"No, Michelle. You gotta relax your jaw more..."

Okay, the 2012 Presidential election may be over a year away, but the Republicans are already making me crazier than usual. Michelle "(being gay) is of Satan" Bachmann has won the Iowa Republican straw poll. But, not to be outdone, Texas Governor Rick Perry announced his own candidacy the very same day, taking away a bit of the loony bitch's thunder with his own brand of Right Wing Christian insanity. Perry, you may remember, organized a 'Christian' rally in his home state last week. Both candidates have been linked to a particularly scary fundamentalist movement known as Dominionism, which posits that Christians should rightfully rule the world.

Hmm... that sounds familiar, somehow... Oh, I know! It's the same concept as Al Qaida has about Islam ruling the world. And just like Hitler had about Aryans ruling the world. Or any other insane fanatics who think they should rule the world. It seems to me that the Republicans may as well promote Ernst Blofeld as their candidate. Oh, wait. Rick Perry just announced. Never mind, they already have.

Here's the thing - Religion has no place in the White House. That's not to say that POTUS can't be a religious man or woman. Far from it. If he or she wants to believe that the Earth sits on four elephants resting on the back of a tortoise, who am I to argue with that? But, thanks to the well-known and revered concept of Separation of Church and State, those elephants better not have anything to do with his or her national policies and decision making. In other words, your God has absolutely no say in how I conduct my life. Only I and my god (if I choose to believe in one) have that power.

The fact that Republicans continue to make sexual orientation, religion and personal choice part of their campaigns, says they are completely out of touch with the majority of Americans. Yes, those "values" may speak to people in the rural Midwest and South, but the majority of the population live on the coasts and have long ago made their peace with the realities of the 21st Century. I think it's high time that the Republican party did so, as well. We cannot allow a bunch of backwater hicks and superstitious rubes turn the clock back on Human Rights and Equality. If we allow people like Bachmann and Perry into office, then we all deserve what we get.

Is this really the person we want running the country? God (Yahweh; Allah; Ra; Odin; Zeus; An; Baal; Inti; Shiva; Apistotooki; Jupiter; Isis), if He or She exists, must be laughing mighty hard at this idiocy.

Sigh -- another political rant over. Hopefully there will be some less serious nonsense to talk about tomorrow.

More, anon.

Prospero

You have read this article Nonsense / Politics / Ramblings / Scary with the title Scary. You can bookmark this page URL http://tammycross.blogspot.com/2011/08/seriously-is-it-just-me.html. Thanks!

The Fall of Western Civilization

There we all go, right down the crapper. I've thought it was coming for quite a while now, but some recent events have proven me right - Western Civilization is doomed. Doomed, I tells ya.

First was the recent financial debacle in Washington, where a group of supposed adults who should know better all acted like petulant children and refused to sit down and rationally discuss the problem. Instead, our "leaders" (and I use the term quite loosely) squabbled like a bunch of pre-schoolers over whose turn it was to use the red finger-paint. Hardly "Government for the People." The result? A downgrade in the country's credit rating by the S&P (the first in history) and a world-wide stock-market plunge. And the worst part is that the Tea Party a-holes who caused the whole mess actually seem to be proud of what they've done. Disgusting.

Next, a total breakdown of human decency in London (of all places), where the third day of rioting by hoodlums has led to one of the single most repulsive things I have ever seen:

Isn't London supposed to be one of the last bastions of civilized behavior? I hope the IOC is seriously reconsidering their choice for the 2012 Games.

Then today (via) comes news that the sub-human wretch who goes by the name Ann Coulter has aligned herself with the oxymoronic conservative Republican gay PAC, GOProud. First of all, how can any gay person align themselves with the Repugnicans? These are the folks who want to deny civil rights (no matter how loudly Lincoln is spinning his grave) by enforcing DOMA and trying to repeal the repeal of DADT. Second, have any of you GOProud morons actually listened to Coulter's hateful rhetoric? She makes the Mormons look like Episcopalians, for Christ's sake. I'm actually trying not to throw up, just thinking about her. She may well be the worst human being in modern history (just slightly above Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot).

Still, worse than any of that, is the increasing popularity of the clearly insane Michelle Bachmann and her ilk in their bids for the US Presidency in 2012. Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Bachmann all seem to have forgotten the whole "separation of Church and State" thing and are running their campaigns (yes, I know - Perry hasn't declared yet, but he will) on "Christian values" platforms. I may be a skeptical agnostic/secular humanist but my sister is a rather devout Christian who knows a hypocrite when she sees one (of 'Christians' who attend church regularly, she says: "You can sit in a garage all you want, but that doesn't make you a car.") She is as appalled as I am by these hate-fueled, fear-mongering liars.

Honestly, I just want to know how we came to this point in history when clearly unstable people are seriously being considered as candidates for President of the United States. As recently as the 1990's, anyone as loony as Bachmann would have been dismissed as a "fringe" candidate with no hope of winning even he smallest of districts. Have things gone so wrong that we're willing to let lunatics run the asylum? I truly fear for the future of our country. Surely the framers of the Constitution (and all of those who have given their lives defending it) wouldn't want to see it trampled on the way the Tea Party and modern Republicans are attempting to do. 

"But Uncle P, how can we stop them?" Simple. Vote. Vote to keep these dangerous lamebrains out of office. Vote as if your very lives depend on it -- because they do.

Okay - another political rant over. Back to regular nonsense in my next post.

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Idiots / Nonsense / Politics / Ramblings / Scary with the title Scary. You can bookmark this page URL http://tammycross.blogspot.com/2011/08/the-fall-of-western-civilization.html. Thanks!