Sweet Nightmares

I found these pictures from the Nightmares Fear Factory haunted house and I could not stop laughing. I wonder what makes us love being scared and scary movies. I don't particularly care for it, though Halloween is my second favorite holiday and I do believe it should be scary. Kids should go dressed as vampires, witches, and goblins, not Justin Bieber. Wait, that is kind of scary, never mind.  I did go to an amazing haunted house in Kissimmee, Florida called The Haunted Grimm House. It was a lot of fun and it's open year round. Plus there are some great restaurants and pubs nearby, I'd suggest eating after you go the haunted house.

Check out these pics from Nightmares Fear Factory. I wish I knew what was jumping out at them, my money is on some sort of demented clown.

Sweet Nightmares!

What Should I Drop My Paycheck on Today?

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have a line of luxury clothing called The Row. I admit, I watched the super cheesy show Full House when I was a kid, never fully grasping how absolutely obnoxious it was. I think it's pretty cool that the Olsen twins (I'm sure they hate being referred to as that, but I don't know them and they don't know me, so who cares) were able to avoid the curse of the child actors and create a very lucrative career for themselves. However, why do they make these "I'm so much richer and better than you piddly little minion" smirks on their face every time a camera appears? It makes me want to bang their heads together. Do they have bad teeth? Bad breath? No teeth? Can't they give a "I'm a kind person and it's nice of you to take an interest in me" smile. Is that so difficult? Seriously, try to find a smiling picture of them. This is the only one I found and they're probably just laughing at an inside joke about all of the "little people" buying their book.

But, I digress. Their fashion line, The Row, has apparently had their first item sell out and they report having a difficult time keeping up with the demand. What is this said gem? This...

This backpack retails between $35,000 and $39,000 dollars. (Yes, I know because I put the $ sign I don't technically have to write dollars at the end of the sentence, but it "sounds" funny if I don't. Yes, I also know I'm quirky. Carry on!) First and foremost, I'm not a fan of the backpack purse, it just reminds me of the 80s and middle school. Yet, to each their own. Secondly, who in the world can afford to drop that kind of cash or a backpack that will eventually find it's way to a public bathroom floor, a restaurant floor, or crammed in the trunk of a car. And Finally, isn't there something more productive you could spend that kind of money on? Even if I had that kind of cash flow I don't think I would spend it on a bag. Yes, I have expensive taste, but I know my budget allows for Target purchases, Express if I'm lucky. (Why did I go into Education?) Even if one day I find that I'm talented enough and lucky enough to be able write full time, sell some movie rights, and perhaps when a lottery jackpot, I still don't think I'd be able to bring myself to make such a purchase. This world is a crazy place indeed.   
p.s. Check out their site and you'll see another example of the Fugly Model trend. Igk.

9/11/01 - Never Forget, Never Forgive



Original Image Source: Honestly, WTF

I did not post on 9/11 and had not planned one. There's a dull fire in me that flares uncontrollably at any small thought or image of 9/11, it burns rage, it burns sadness, and it burns tears and I try to avoid the burn. Sunday I was on the road, driving home from visiting my husband (we live in two different states, sucks, but you gotta go where the work is I suppose). I managed to avoid the television and radio broadcasts and after giving my thoughts and pained heart throbs to those who died, but mainly those (especially the children) who still suffer through losing the people they loved most, I turned on BPM and danced with my son.

However, Monday morning I read THIS post by one of my favorite bloggers: The Bitchy Waiter. I loved it and felt that it was worth sharing.

Life's 100 Photographs that Changed the World

This weekend I read Life's 100 Photographs That Changed the World. What an amazing collection of work, it itself is a piece of art. The photos are inspiring, depressing, confusing, sickening, and most importantly, thought provoking.

I agree with the introduction, it's very difficult to pick a top 100, but the ones chosen do not fall short of their goal. If I still taught high school, I would develop not just a lesson plan, but an entire course section on this collection and concept. There are so many wonderful lessons that can be taught and learned from this book.

The "Society" section is what gripped me the most. Yes, these photos changed the world at the time of their publishing, but I do not think their purpose has come to an end. What affected me the most was the fact that all  of these photos, dating back to the 1700's still play a role in our society in many forms. I always thought the purpose of sitting through dreadfully boring, monotone history lectures (why can't teachers make it more like the History Channel?) was to learn from past mistakes, to continue to grow as people, as a deep thinking, caring, productive citizen of the human race. Many of these poignant photos demonstrate that we are not evolving. Our technology may be evolving, our means to an end may be evolving, but we continue to make the same mistakes again and again.

There are many beautiful aspects of people and humanity. People do possess the ability to care, to nurture, to be philosophical, and brilliant and creative and loving. Yet, they also have the ability to destroy others, to be cruel, arrogant, and evil. In fact, all the evils of society are the fault of the human race. I often feel the evil winning in society and find that I envy those who, no matter what is happening in their lives or the world, are permanently surrounded by sunshine. They must take amazing drugs.

I hope you find time in your busy schedule (who isn't busy these days?) to seek out this collection, find a quiet place where you can reflect on whatever emotion or thought you find provoked by these images and join me in contemplating how to make people see the the repetition of the evils of the past in our present.

Here are some of the photos.