~ Where Hipsters Hang ~

We are Going to See This Photo EVERYWHERE!!!

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:15:06 GMT

Enviable career ahead:

My advice to Michael Phelps:

Marry a girl with GOOD GENES and then you two will create a SUPER-BABY and future Olympic champion to carry on the crown into your future generations.

~ HE DID IT FIRST THOUGH ~

Stud Muffins...

LAMS

P.S.: Just think next week at this time the Olympics will all be over with and we'll have to be watching the Democratic National Convention. How anti-climactic is that? Hot sports figures in exchange for political figures. Bummer! NO! That is a MASSIVE BUMMER!

What is Going on at the Olympics This Year? PG-13 Entry

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:26:59 GMT

This is probably a questionable blog entry from me...

... so let's "dive right in" shall we?

I have been watching the Olympics for many years now and I am noticing something this year that I have not noticed in prior years. Now, granted, there have always been "lumps and bumps" on the male gymnasts and the male figure skaters with their tight little outfits and costumes. But this year there are blatant and distinctive outlines of men's parts and they're flopping around in rhythmic actions from one leg -- flop -- over to the other leg -- of every kind of peen you can imagine: Big, small, short, so-so, etc. I know I have not become a dirty old woman, and it even occured to me that I was becoming a perv. But I do not have X-Ray vision and I am not a total perv, and the things I'm saying I'm seeing are really there flopping around as big as life for all to see. It became crystal clear to me this evening that there is a new "trend" going on. I was watching the men's springboard diving event and this "tendency" seemed to encompass everyone competing. You cannot help but notice this with the camera angles they provide for you. I think that the media is doing this on purpose: To get that "money" shot. There is much evidence is you look. Here are just a few examples:

Germany's Jan Frodeno wins the men's triathlon.

Jan Frodeno of Germany wins the triathlon

Men's triathlon (I call this "the Peen Count")

Canadian diver Alexandre Despatie performs in the men's 3m springboard

Qin Kai of China competes in the men's 3m springboard diving semi-finals

PLEASE DON'T SAY, "OH LORI, ONLY YOU WOULD NOTICE THIS!" It is impossible to miss, don't you think so too?

Michael Phelps, the fish: That is the million dollar peen shot.

WHY ARE THEY GIVING ME FODDER FOR MY BLOG???

France's Frederic Belaubre competes in the men's triathlon (nothing here, he's just cute).

See? Isn't it nice to have a little something left to the imagination?

The women too are subject to crotch shots this year more so than prior years as well. The women have been well covered up with extra layers in the places that count. But then, it is my opinion that women are pickier about their looks, costuming and gear than the men are I believe. And certainly more so too knowing they are going to be all over the television. (The men are just a bunch of exhibitionists.) I have seen no cooch action thus far, but the press are definitely trying!

Viorica Tigau of Romanian long jump

Yumilka Ruiz of Cuba falls during the quarter finals women's volleyball against Serbia

So, back to my original question: Where are the jock straps or tape or some discretion coverup paraphernalia pads -- or whatever it is you use to hold yourselves in place. Don't the coaches direct their athletes to do this? Like, for instance, when they are practicing or training, shouldn't the coach say, "Hey, man, your dealios are flapping around way too much. Cover that stuff up, it's indecent!?" Am I missing something? Am I weird to post this peen and poon post? Are these athletes naive? Are we in such a society where the flopping peen from leg to leg for all to see is a good thing? I don't know. I mean... page down and look at that shot of Mark Spitz in his Speedo - there is NOTHING at all. SEE WHAT I SPEAK OF?

*Thinking and pondering*

*Wipes sweat off* So, anyway, I watched the Americans play China in baseball and it was full of old fashioned drama! First of all, they all had their "stuff" covered up properly. The Chinese pitcher threw the ball and hit our batter in the right kidney. Out batter glared angrily at the Chinese pitcher as he took his base. When our batter was coming into home base, he aimed at the catcher and TOOK HIM OUT (tackled him) in a big way. The catcher went FLYING with facemask and gear also thrown off and airborne. This prompted their coach (an American) to come running out and get in the umpires face. He proceded to bombard said umpire with a barrage of 4-letter cuss words and kicking up dust. After his tirade, he was ejected from the game. Then our next batter came up and the pitcher threw the ball and hit our batter in the head. He fell to the ground. He was taken to the hospital and treated for a minor concussion and is doing fine now. In total 6 of our players were hit by baseballs. America won the baseball game 9-1.

GO AMERICA'S BASEBALL TEAM!

It is too bad that they have cancelled baseball and softball from the next Olympics. It is being said that these sports are being cancelled because America's teams are unstoppable and no one can even compete with us.

GO AMERICA!

Congratulations to these fellas! I watched their race and it was a fun one! They finished an easy one, two, three. They made me smile during their interview. They were gentlemanly and articulate during their interview, and they all concluded that they are blessed and I liked that. Then when the interview ended, they broke into their fun, normal, everyday street gangsta selves... I don't know how else to word it properly. "Hey mama! Hey brotha, we comin' home!" etc... Like I said, they made me smile and that's not a bad thing.

Kerron Clement, silver, Bershawn Jackson, bronze, and Angelo Taylor, gold, celebrate after the men's 400-meter hurdles final on Monday

They did well and all, but note that they are rockin' the current "trend," for which this blog entry is about. Fortunately, there's a large American flag available for Mr. Taylor. Notice that I said large. OK... don't get mad at me for stereotyping!

Peace and Love from Lori LAMS

Tuesday afternoon update: Click HERE if you are interested in reading about bringing a sexier image to the world of women's table tennis. I guess that it explains a little bit about what it is I am seeing this year. Also, the Mexican sychronized swimmers have been barred from wearing sexy swimsuits with lights sewn in that makes them like a Christmas tree. It was deemed to have too much flash.

Tueday evening update: I just watched the men's springboard competition and do you know what? The NBC camera crew were much more responsible this evening in that they did not do what they did last night (and what prompted this entry): That is to focus or zoom in on the entire jump prior to the dive, then all can and will be seen. What the camera crew did this evening was pan in and out at certain moments. So when the "action" is happening the camera is panned out far enough away so you see the dive but far enough away to not see outlines and flopping. When the "visual moment" has passed the camera zooms in (where it was all yesterday) for the closeup of the dive and thereby bypassing the MONEY shot for their primetime TV audience. Don't be too disappointed, I'm sure there's photos aplenty splattered all over the internet.

Now, that is news isn't it? Moi.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidotious Is The Word To Use!

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:28:08 GMT

WHAT a day at the Summer Olympics! Mark Spitz's record has been shattered by Michael Phelps with his 8 gold medals. The announcers were wondering about appropriate words to describe this indescribable young man. I have the word and it is:

Supercalifragilisticexpialidotious!

CONGRATULATIONS to Michael Phelps, the PHISH! New FACEBOOK PHENOM TOO!

"WOW!" doesn't really seem to express the enormity of his accomplishment! Congratulations to the mega-olympian, phenom and phish, Michael Phelps. I suppose I have to eat my shorts now. And YES, I will use sauce.

Then I was watching the women's marathon. This woman, Constantina Tomescu of Romania (pictured below), had quite a lead over anybody else in the pack so the cameras were following her. With about 10 miles left, she reached into her bra, took out something (smelling salts, or something) and completely snorted it! Then you could see her do the nose suck in thing that people do after they snort something. She also reached into her bra and pulled out, according to the announcer, some kind of carbohydrate protein gel to chew on. I mean, I thought I was watching Amy Winehouse in action and not a potential gold medal champion! It seemed very strange and wrong.

Here's my problem: With the International Olympic Committee being super anal about any kind of doping or enhancements, why is this woman snorting and ingesting ANYTHING (but water) during the race? I mean, athletes can hardly even take cold medicine without being positive for some banned substance. Even the announcer commented that that was strange and that he'd never seen such a thing. Why wasn't this woman immediately ejected and disqualified for snorting something during the race? Why wasn't that container tested to see what's in it? No wonder she was so far ahead of anybody else. I do not mean to imply anything, but I'm just saying that to pull something out of your running bra and snorting it on TV doesn't look good, and I want to know why nobody else is saying anything about this.

I also wish to add that this is NOT FAIR to those other women runners who ran the race WITHOUT snorting up anything. If this woman has some kind of medical issue that requires snortin' up something, SHE SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING IN THE OLYMPICS. This is what you TRAIN for months in advance for. TAKE THE MEDAL AWAY DAMMIT! If the IOC took her medal the race would be: 1) Ethiopia, 2) China and 3) China. USA wasn't even close to medal, so that has nothing to do with this. I WANT IT FAIR -- THIS WAS NOT FAIR! NO ONE SHOULD BE SNORTING ANYTHING DURING AN OLYMPIC EVENT! You use JUST YOUR BODY with NO HELP. PERIOD. Plain and simple isn't it?

Constantina Tomescu of Romania crosses the finish line winning the Women's Marathon Final

(CHECK HER BRA!!!)

Does anybody else agree with me regarding sniffing something during competition? I mean, REALLY NOW, something's wrong with that.

Also this evening I was watching the women weightlifters as they were weightlifting, and they frighten me... uff they are big women. The weight they were lifting was like hoisting a refrigerator over our heads. They are massive, MASSIVE women.

One more thing: While scanning the city and sites of Beijing, NBC quickly scanned over a beautiful sculpture that I was immediately attacted to. Upon doing my research I found that it is called "Torch Relay." It is enormous and it dwarfs those standing near it. For instance, if we were standing next to it, we would come up to the calf areas of the runners. I'm impressed by the seemingly flowing fabric and fluid motion even though it's made out of steel or something.

As I was looking around for what this was I found pictures of the Olympic Sculpture Park, where this sculpture stands, and also the Olympic Gardens. I posted them in the new photo album up above and they will be there for this last week of the Olympics, then I'll remove them. But for this week, I hope you take a moment and enjoy the beauty of the art they have erected. I know if I were there I would have to visit these places!

"Torch Relay"

Well there you have it: My official congrats to Michael Phelps. A rant about the Romanian marathoner inhaling and ingesting weird things while racing. And, last but not least, the beauty of the Olympic sculptures and gardens!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Peace and Love from Lori LAMS

Yup, More Olympics Chatter

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 05:43:58 GMT

Congratulations to our women gymnasts, Nastia Liukin who takes home a gold medal in women's all around and Shawn Johnson who takes home the silver! They were (are) beautiful, daring and fluid in movement. They were almost error-free in their routines and THAT'S WHY THEY WON! YAY! China took home the bronze.

Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson

Nastia Liukin while performing on the balance beam

5'2 and 99 pounds!!! She has great form doesn't she?

SIGH... I was that size in like the 7th grade.

Can you imagine what the future holds for Nastia, Shawn, AND THAT FISH, Michael Phelps? All the endorsements that will be coming their way? Lucky them.

Tomorrow is the big Big-Foot press conference too. STAY TUNED YOU FELLOW CRYPOZOOLOGISTS!

And also on a personal note: My son, Stephen, daughter-in-law, Melissa and new grandbaby, Christian, whom I've never met, will be home at the end of next month! Stephen will be stateside for training and everyone is coming home finally! After training, he will take a much anticipated leave and visit everyone finally. I'm so excited!

Peace and Love from Lori LAMS

I wish I Were a Paleontologist or Anthropologist or Something: CRYPTOZOOLOGIST! YEA!

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:46:47 GMT

Or whatever it is called that studies strange animals (it is CRYPTOZOOLOGIST! VOILA! Thank you Adrian! The word just was not coming to me! I'M GETTING OLD!). So: I wish I were a CRYPOZOOLOGIST, because if you know anything about me you know I'm intrigued by the weirdness of life (in general) and especially the strange, mutant creatures that live among us on a daily basis.

The Chupacabra is one such creature. I don't think that it is anything other than a hybred between a pit-bull terrior and a manged wolf. Or it has something boar-like about it too. Maybe someone, somewhere crossbred a boar and a pit bull to see what would happen? It is obviously a carnivor. The interesting thing about this creature as you watch it running down the road: It seems smallish in nature, but then it turns it's head and his head is enormous! I have no doubt that this is what people are seeing, and now we can all finally see. If the sheriff had not had his high-tech video camera there, what he said would just be hearsay to the rest of us, and we all go, "uh-huh..." and roll our eyes.

You have to see to believe!

Now, if they could only do this with Nessie or Bigfoot! Well, not serving the heads up on a platter... but a good video would do.

Chupacabra

by guanabee

This creature reminds me of the dog in "The Mask" movies! After he'd put the mask on, of course.

Wednesday evening update: Three Bigfoot Hunters say they've found a bigfoot carcass and are planning an official press conference this coming Friday. Click HERE to go to their website. The thing is definitely ugly: What did I expect? Rock Hudson? Brad Pitt? George Clooney handsome looking things?

Friday afternoon update: THESE FOLKS are debunking the whole Bigfoot carcass as a HOAX. Today is Friday - the supposed day of supposed press conference. I have not heard a thing about it thus far. That thing in the box absolutely does look like a costume rental. The debunkers have some good points. I was wondering why a bigfoot would allow itself to be found or killed in the first place.

Both of the above linked to websites are experiencing heavy traffic and they may not open up or load.

It's Not the Triumph, But the Struggle - The 2008 Summer Olympics

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:37:28 GMT

Just in case you live under a rock, which isn't funny if you do, but then you wouldn't be reading this if you did would you? So, anyway, the Beijing Summer Olympics began today, AND I'M STOKED! I have always loved the Olympics ever since I was a wee child. Even when I had jobs that took me far away from television, I did my best at those times to find a television somewhere and check in whenever possible. These are the rare times when the entire world unites for a short, glorious time, and I just love everything about them!

I love it all: The spectacle of the whole thing, the athelets and atheletics, and I so wish I were there to witness it all in person! If I were there for the Olympics, then I'd be just a short distance from Okinawa, Japan and could just zip over there after Beijing. Then from there I'd just zip down to Singapore. Wow, what a dream vacation. But the cruel, hard fact is I'm at home, not in Beijing, and there is no glorious vacay planned.

BUT you betcha I will be tuning into the Olympics on my big ole' flatscreen TV and pretending I am there. This is the first Olympics with one of these television sets, so I'm super-duper stoked. As a matter of fact, I have the entire Olympics schedule taped onto the door of my refrigerator so I don't miss any of the action.

Tonight's opening ceremonies begin at 1830 pm (6:30 pm) Central Standard Time. In OH... ONE HOUR FROM NOW.

Tonight's opening ceremonies are being reported as nothing less than amazing. Although the journalists are sworn to secrecy as to how the olympic flame will be lit, they say it is unprecedented and absolutely amazing.

I can hardly wait! They're finally here! YAY.

So, I guess you can all figure out what I'm doing this weekend, huh? I hope that yours will be equally satisfying for you!

I'm also working on some new paintings! I just sent 3 more to Perez, but I'm done bothering him now. It's onto my next victim. I'm going to continue to do this until I get famous for my art dammit...

And I just got a whiff of rain. So I guess rain is on it's way. I hope it doesn't storm and blow out the cable.

Peace and Love from, Lori LAMS

Enjoy the Summer Olympics!

(I will be.)

Muah!

---------------------------------------------

Sat Eve: DOES anybody else remember this guy?

HUBBA HUBBA zoot suit! Our fabulous Michael Phelps thinks he will break this amazing record set by none other than hunky Mark Spitz. PFFT. Never! If he does I will eat my shorts.

---------------------------------------------

Sunday Evening update: You totally missed out on a treat if you didn't see the men's 400-meter freestyle relay. USA totally rocked the house, and world records were easily shattered. The past records were literally blown out of the water. And the look on the French swimmer's faces of disbelief when they learned they had lost was priceless. The French couldn't believe we inched them out. God love 'em, but they should not talk so much crap. Pride before the fall ya know, pride before the fall. They deserved what they got handed to them, which was silver rather than gold! HA!

Mark Spitz says, "Get ready to eat your shorts, LAMS!"

Also, had I known years ago that badminton would become an Olympic sporting event, I believe I would have taken it a bit more seriously than I did at the time.

WHO'D A "THUNK" IT?

---------------------------------------------

2. 3.

YEOWZA!! --------------------------------------------- PHELPS IS A FISH!

PHELPS IS A PHISH!

HE'LL EAT YOU UP!

Tuesday Evening update: Just to say hello to the world while I'm updating my ongoing update. I am still thoroughly enjoying the Olympics on 3 or 4 channels simultaneously if possible. I wish that there were an Olympic event for just watching the Olympics - because by golly, I'D WIN GOLD = YES! *pumps fist and makes a jock noise.* (I'm doing my art too, as I have some deadlines coming up.) LAMS

---------------------------------------------

Thursday Evening 8/14/08 Update:

4. 5.

Saturday Evening 8/15/08 Update:

6. 7.

So, I'm eating my shorts! They're wonderful and I feel bloated. I have had fun with this Mark Spitz graphic. Thanks, Mr. Spitz.

*SPIT* ~ *PATEWY* ~ *SPITS* ~ *SPITZ*

You've been a good and hunky champion and icon for us, but on with the new!

P&L, LORI LAMS

Just a Dream...

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:25:17 GMT

I had the weirdest dream last night.

Scroll down to read it if you'd like.

Here's my dream:

I was there (I have no idea where "there" was... I was just there), and someone in my group (I have no idea who any of these people are, but in my dream I knew them well, and was comfortable with them) said, "Let's go to France." We all agreed and I had only 5 minutes to throw some stuff in a bag. So (in my dream) I just grabbed the still unpacked bag I had used while visiting my parents a couple weeks prior (I really have visited my parents lately). Since I was in a massive hurry I just grabbed a couple things and hastily tossed them into that unpacked bag so we'd be able to make our flight in time.

The next thing I know we have landed in France. I do not know where we are exactly, just that we were now standing in an airport in France somewhere. It was then that I realized that in my haste to throw stuff in a bag, that I had neglected to grab my passaporta (say that with an Italian accent please). Yes, true. I could not get beyond my point in the France airport without it, nor could I get back into the USA without it. As I dug viciously through the bag searching for said passport, I realized that MY MAKEUP WASN'T IN THERE EITHER!!! I plopped onto the airport floor and I was absolutely panicked at this point. No passaporta and no makeup... man, what an impossible dilemma (sarcasm).

Now, I ask you, does it get any worse than that??? In my dream I actually thought of that movie with Tom Hanks and I felt exactly like that in my dream too. Then at this point I realized that my unknown, but familiar "friends" were going to leave me because they wanted to go on and enjoy the city, nobody cared that I had forgotten my passaporta and was stuck in between countries and that wasn't going to stop their good time. I felt disappointed and wasn't sure what to do about my predicament.

Fortunately at this time, I woke up. I was sweating profusely and clingling onto my pillow.

WHEW.

When I think about it, I probably would have had all dirty clothes in the hastily grabbed suitcase too... since I hadn't unpacked and all yet.

But speaking of clean or dirty laundry: For my birthday a few weeks back, I received some new underwear. They are black with little writing around the wasteband. I was reading what the writing said and it's actually some quite good advice I would like to share with you.

Life's rules according to the birthday panties:

Agree with your imagination;

laugh at the rules;

color outside the lines;

let yourself daydream.

So there you have it. Rules of the panties. By the way, I do these things all the time so it has to be good advice! P&L, LAMS

The mind is like a parachute.

It doesn't work unless it's open.

~author unknown~

This is Amazing Art: da Vinci in Nails

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:54:36 GMT

I have to share this amazing artist's work with you. I have never in my life even conceptualized such a thing as this type of art. The results are astounding and very beautiful - and very large!

What do you think?

It kind of makes me want to try it. However, I can't even hang a picture without whacking my thumb a few times and hitting the nail so hard that it embeds into the wall and I have to dig it out with a screwdriver and then try it all over again in a different spot because at this point all I've accomplished is making an unstable hole in the wall. Maybe this art form is left for others, yes?

Amazing effort of work, don't you agree? And his subject matter is none other than Leonardo da Vinci. I mean really - it's hardly a simple subject matter anyway.

A great big thank you to "YO..." Adrian for the pictures that he knew would appeal to my artist within.

I hope that everyone's summer hammering along in a fine manner.

Peace and Love, from Lori LAMS

P.S. A great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my friend Tom, who has been reading my blog, and vice versa, since we began this blogging journey three years ago now. Happy Birthday, Tom! Hugs and butt-pats to you dear friend!

Also, and this is huge:

Happy Birthday, Christian! I love you! xoxoxo

Happy 4th of July and My Painting on PEREZ HILTON (Love Him)

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:24:55 GMT

First of all ---

Secondly, you must click HERE.

I'm so excited to see my painting of Teddy Hilton in Perez's video - and I get a mention too! YAY! Chalk one up for the home-team! By the way, GREAT job so far on the diet Perez and I love the new hairdo! You are indeed a true chameleon - which is why you are so fun to paint! (I have a new one to show you all one of these days. It is Warhol inspired and really is quite good. I think it is probably my best work thus far.)

I have to admit that during my unfortunate "mood" of last weekend Perez's "redo" portrait met an unfortunate demise. I indeed had a true diva moment and/or Oscar-worthy fit of some sort - .... um.... er, - but hey, now it's all better. They say 3 time's the charm! Well, that seems to be true as my 3'rd attempt at this particular portrait is turning out quite well. The moral of this story is: DON'T QUIT. Just keep on keepin' on. I hope to send Perez at least 2 more paintings in about 2 weeks time. I've done his "portrait" so many times now that this time it feels quite easy to do and I'm in the right flow (however, I've said that before). I make a lot of mistakes when I do art - I think that that is part of the process of creating something, like a piece of art, from a blank canvas. It's all about going with it and fixing and making it work. Adjust and overcome (and that goes for everything in life).

In case you think I am obsessed and deranged... well, perhaps I am. But fear not! Thankfully, I am in control of this part of my personality these days.

And since I am blowing my own horn today, I'll continue a tad bit longer:

If you would like to see this video click HERE. You get a better view of my painting during the last half of the video, when Perez decides to move over (finally). And that other artist's rendition is outstanding and seems very much in my style of painting things too.

That other artist and I should have a show somewhere together... along with RON from Morocco (Moroccan Dreams) who has this style in his paintings as well. I think that that art show (if it ever occurred) would throw all of our senses into overdrive and be complete and absolute eye candy. I also think that we would sell alot of art.

But anyhoo, my paintings are beginning to be seen by Perez's very large and expansive audience. Actually, I was too shocked to see my painting behind him on that day that all I could do was muster up this crappy screen shot.

Well, today is is Independence Day. I'm having a quiet day as that is really what I want to do. I would like to especially say a great big THANK YOU to the military personnel serving everywhere in the world to ensure that we continue to celebrate our independence and freedoms! Your service and dedication to our country are greatly appreciated.

Please have a wonderful AND safe weekend everyone.

Peace and Love from me, Lori LAMS

A Mood

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:07:45 GMT

I am in a "mood" today. I hate it (mood) and just being IN THIS MOOD is making me more moody. I hate my art and I'm ready to hurl it all off the balcony and scream like a banshee, even though I have a couple show-worthy pieces sittin' here. It sucks to be me sometimes. I'm sure that it sucks to be you sometimes too. I think that this is a human condition that everyone must endure occasionally. Maybe it is so we enjoy the good times more and not take them for granted when they do occur.

I should NOT have watched Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet yesterday. It is that which started this entire mood thing as it stands now. I don't know why this movie got to me this way with this particular viewing. I have seen it several times before. I think that maybe I have finally grown up and can now see the true sadness of this story. I am not hardened by youth anymore, but rather, I have softened with age. Yes, it is true: I have become a sentimental old softy.

As a matter of fact, I'm way, WAY too sensitive for this life. I feel like a typical MOODY artist today.

Bloody hell.

Special note to Carol Lu: I cannot respond to your message because of how you have your communication preferences set.

It is the weekend and everyone have a wonderful and safe weekend ahead. I shall try not to destroy my art whilst I am in this unfortunate state of mind a/k/a this funky old mood.

LAMSSIE POO

Update: G'day Mates; Howdy Pardna's; Whazzup? It is Wednesday evening and it's a lovely summer's night.

Just an update to say, yes, I am out of that awful moody-mood. I won't watch that movie again... since becoming all sensitive and all...

I'm working on an official Fourth of July/Canadian Day entry, but I don't know if I will get it published in time. Blogging certainly is alot of work isn't it? If I do NOT get it published in time, PLEASE EVERYONE HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY!

Peace and Love from a Hippy Chick, LAMS

Coffee - the Fountain of Youth!

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:48:33 GMT

This is great news for coffee drinkers everywhere!

If you like to drink coffee, drink more. Lots more. It probably won’t hurt you and may even save your life, especially if you’re a woman.

Coffee has always been a pretty benign drug for most people. Now it turns out that it may actually reduce the risk of death from heart disease and other causes.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health studied the histories of 125,000 men and women who reported how much coffee they drank between 1980 and 2004. The more coffee they drank, the less likely they were to die from a heart attack or cardiovascular disease. That was especially true for women. Compared to those who didn’t drink coffee, those who drank 5 to 7 cups per week had 7 percent lower risk for death. The real coffee addicts (upon which, I, LAMS, am a member) who drink 4 to 5 cups per day had a 26 percent lower risk of death (so... "YAY!). The lower risk was mostly related to heart disease, but cancer deaths in women were lower, too, the researchers found.

It’s not the caffeine that does it because they found a similar pattern in the people who drank decaffeinated coffee.

So what’s going on? Antioxidants, they think. Like blue berries, green tea and chocolate, coffee contains antioxidants. Those are the chemicals that bond snag the free-floating molecules in our bodies called free radicals. Free radicals, created by the body’s natural metabolic processes like breathing and digesting food, are culprits in aging and disease. In particular, they are related to the inflammatory process that causes plaque to build up in our arteries, causing cardiovascular disease.

The authors of the research study, published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, say it doesn’t prove coffee is the fountain of youth. It could be something else about coffee drinkers that contributes to their longer lives.

But never mind that. If you’re reading this with a cup of coffee at your side, just think about how how all those antioxidants are running around your bloodstream picking off those nasty free radicals to keep your arteries wide open. And enjoy.

Story by Josephine Marcotty. Click HERE to be directed to the original news item, which this came from. But I LOVE COFFEE AND THIS IS WONDERFUL NEWS for me. I think coffee helps maintain your appearance as well. This is why I look 30... and not how old I REALLY AM... he he, which you will never know. But anyway, I just know this is true just by looking at myself.

It is 5:45 pm Central Standard Time and you know what? I'm going to go and have a cup of coffee! Straight up black coffee. So YUMMMY and ZERO CALORIES.

So now you know, INDULGE. They are also saying that just the mere smell of it will reduce stress. I love the smell of freshly brewed coffee. You know, I have been drinking coffee my entire life, so therefore, I should have no antioxidants in my body at this point... right?

Dive right in and enjoy (my/our) favorite beverage!

Adrian sent me this cartoon and it was so cute and silly that I just had to share it with you.

And with that, I wish you a wonderful week ahead.

Peace and Love from Lori a/k/a LAMS

"SLURP!"

My Self Portrait

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 04:19:27 GMT

SO...

One day, not too long ago, I decided to paint a self-portrait of myself to see if my watercolor paper would behave or misbehave as it did with Perez's portrait. Sadly, the paper misbehaved and misbehaved horribly bad at that! I am glad that the picture was only of and for myself rather than for someone else. I am going to retire the rest of that bunch of paper and use it for things other than large paintings. The good news is there's new stuff (paper) coming.

My new paper is being shipped via UPS and arriving to me one of these days when UPS decides to be proactive in their residential delivery duties. My paper has been sitting in limbo for two days. TSK TSK.

My new self-portrait ~ LAMS ~

You might recognize this cropped shot better as this is my public profile picture.

Do you recognize me? How do you think I did replicating myself?

Update: It is Monday and I am home from visiting my parents. I showed mother my self-portrait, and she immediately did the "oh no... uh-uh," shaking her head "no" thing. I said, "Doesn't it look like me, mother?" She said yes, in some kind of way that it does, but that I did not do justice to myself at all. She said that in reality I am much prettier than my depiction. Well, "YAY!" to that and also, "huh?" I said, "Mother, I don't know what I look like really!" She said I need to pretty it up a bit and she thinks I messed up my lips. So there you have my mother's professional opinion on my self-portrait and my looks. He he.

I hope everyone had a lovely enough weekend. I am absolutely exhausted after my weekend. My parents WEAR ME OUT! (End of Update.)

ANYHOO...

In recognition of the fact that this is Father's Day weekend, accompanied by the fact that I am intrigued by the strange and spooky creatures from the depths of the oceans, I could not resist combining the two for my Father's Day entry.

So please take a look at the thing in the next picture. It is called a male weedy sea dragon. NOW, isn't that a strange looking sea creature?!

Note that this is the male of the species and HE - the guy - is responsible for caring for the young which are those round things on his tail. There are approximately 70 fertilized eggs attached for him to care for, and he will give birth in mid-July.

Click HERE to be directed to the original Yahoo story regarding this strangeness from the sea. Actually, this one is in the Georgia Aquarium and not the sea. If you think it looks like a seahorse you are correct in that they are in the same family of species. This looks like a spikey, little ole Nessie if you ask me... however, everything looks like a Nessie to me. I figure if there's a little one of these in an aquarium well, it just makes sense that there's a big one in the black depths of the vast oceans (one of these sea dragons not a Nessie but then YOU JUST NEVER KNOW).

Why are the males, the dudes, the guys, the men, the studs of the world becoming biological moms? It seems backwards somehow to me, and I find it is disconcerting in some "end of the world as we know it" kind of way.

Happy Father's Day brings on a whole new meaning this year doesn't it? Especially when I say it while sandwiched between these two pictures of expectant males. Will they celebrate Mother's Day then as well?

And maybe you are not pregnant, but merely look like it (like this next fella here - at least I don't think this one is preggers)... well, Happy Father's Day to you dads too!

OH MY THAT IS ONE HUMONGOUS GUT!!! I wonder how he can even breathe. This is clearly too much beer.

Whatever your pleasure is I want to wish all the moms, dads, parents and any caregivers a,

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

I will be going home for the weekend to visit my mom and dad. I will probably over-eat too.

Have a Great Weekend!

Peace and Love from Lori - LAMS

And, yes, I like to color with crayons - it's great no-mind activity for me. I do not have that huge, massive set of crayons that contains colors which I've never heard about before though. I just have a basic, run of the mill set. And this was probably the dumbest piece of personal information I have ever published in here.

Muse Moment Mania!!!

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:00:35 GMT

Hello World,

I have mentioned before that I am becoming obsessed with producing artwork. Well, I'm trying to step it up a notch in my own little way these days for the main reason that these will live on long after I'm gone from this world. My aspiration is to become the new Grandma Moses... I hope I make it! I figure if I continue to just continue and work it, I will eventually make a minor success of myself and my artwork!

This is what I have been up to regarding my painting of timeless and classic pop art. Again, I feel I must mention that in no way do these photos do justice to these art pieces. Also, all of these are 18X24 in size as well.

This is adorable Teddy Hilton.

I initially saw Teddy H online HERE. I think Teddy is absolutely handsome, adorable and choked full of personality! Since I feel I can knock out a pretty good rendition of your pets, I thought I would do one of Teddy and give it to Perez. Fortunately for me, Perez loved this portrait of his baby, Teddy!

That success led to another - this next rendition of Teddy with his hot pink flourescent Perez inspired hair. I incorporated about 500 crystals in his hair and he sparkles excessively and very nicely. This rendition is to be considered as modern pop art and it was a fun, FUN piece to make! That also makes Teddy one of my muses. Anytime I can do two different pieces of one character must be considered as "muse" material.... ( ).

Hollwood Teddy Hilton

Well, what with two different portraits done of Teddy and none of Perez, I just had to do one for him (Perez) too. Of course, I had a bunch of trouble with how THAT ONE particular piece of paper acted for me. It creased a lot and I could only do small bits at a time and then press it often. This happens so very rarely - I can only think of two other instances this has happened to me. But when it does, I: 1) Finish the piece as best as possible, because I never discard and endure setbacks for weeks or months in time. And; 2) Offer to do a redo and do it again (which I am going to do) and also at that point, try to do a better job.

It is hard to tell by this photo, but I have pearl paint in his hair, so it glistens. Also his tie tack is crystals. I honestly don't know what he thinks of these two paintings yet. He was fun to paint and I'm glad that I stuck my neck out to do something a bit extraordinary for myself.

Perez Hilton

The prior three art pieces are now IN HOLLYWOOD AND HOW COOL IS THAT!??? Well, let me tell you, it's so very cool.

Also, a personal note to Perez: If ever you do not like anything you receive PLEASE feel free to auction them off to the highest bidder and give the proceeds to one of your very worthwhile charities. Never any hard feelings... but just make lemonade from lemons, etc. Also, please remember about Rue and Betty!!!

Aren't they cute: Perez and Teddy? My plan is to do a new one of Perez. Something new and avant-garde. But, you know what? It is entirely possible he mistakes my gumption for obsession and weirdo-ism. I'm just an artist, darling dears... just an artist. And incidentally, he and his assistant, Barbara, have been a true pleasure to work with. They have been a class act as far as I'm concerned.

Now, onto my next "victim..." he he he... ANOTHER "MUSE MOMENT" COMING UP!

Meaghan in the Flower Garden

My little muse, Meaghan. This is my second painting of her as well. (The first is her feeding a white swan at the lake.) I could do many, many more of Meaghan as well. Anyway, in the original photo, her flower garden is less floral than this portrait depicts. I take quite a lot of artistic liberties and had a great time painting all those flowers in the scene. Also, to embellish this piece I adorned her sun-glasses with crystals and glitter. I also added some glitter to the binders holding in her pig-tails. That way they look quite real.

Under the Butterfly Tree

Under the butterfly tree is just some fun with feather butterflies I had laying around. I used a yellow glitter background to depict a sunny, summer's day. It's so very whimsical and pretty that it is now framed and hanging in my living room.

~CECILIA~

Cecilia is the queen of something -- somewhere. There is approximately 200 crystals on this piece including teeny-weeny almost microscopic crystals lined over her eyes as eye-liner. I also used gold leaf on her cap and gown.

She represents the Queen in all of us!

Moroccan Flowers

Tulips and Violets

This was created just because I love the bright, bold colors of Morocco. I don't exactly know why I call it this title either... The flowers are tulips and violets (hardly Moroccan). There is a little bit of work left to do on it yet however. Update: Moroccan Flowers is now Tulips and Violets and the new, larger picture is how it looks complete.

Where the Red Flower Grows

Where the Red Flower Grows is a piece done with a variety of dried flowers accumulated from different places around the world. However, I believe most of these are from Singapore. The red flower in the middle naturally comes in a bunch and I carefully picked out just one perfect one for this piece. The background is a watercolor gone awry, and when I was looking at it to see what I could salvage of it, I saw a decending mountain slope. So I incorporated the exotic flora and this is now "Where the Red Flower Grows." It's probably supposed to be in Tibet or somewhere equally exotic as that.

Early Morning Wildflowers

This is an awesome piece of art as far as I am concerned. I am so attracted to it that it's a bit funny. The field is supposed to be wildflowers or daisies and the sparkle and the shadowing are almost spot on. I have run out of frames at this point in my house. This one is just taped onto my entertainment unit now (no, I do not have art taped onto my refrigerator - yet).

After the Storm

This is kind of funny. That guy in the painting started out to be Jesus walking with one of His children. He is protecting and directing the child from the threatening storm overhead and explaining that after every storm there is a beautiful rainbow beyond.

That was the premise anyway. I modernized Jesus to the point where he looks like a cowboy now. So, it's possible that now that particular guy is just some everyday, normal father and his child. The everyday father, however, is still directing his child.

Also, I felt that the rainbow was so boring that I spiced it up with every color of glitter I could round up. And there you have it.

On the Bay

I did this piece to practice my trees... that is all. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE makes perfect... eventually anyway. It's funny, I could do one tree perfectly -- then completely screw up the NEXT tree - all squared off with right angles, etc.

The practicing of trees is why I did this next one:

Early Morning Sunshine

In addition to practicing painting trees, I was practicing having the sunlight streaming through tree branches and subsequent shadowing. You should want to walk into the picture and follow the path into the distance and see exactly where it leads!

Quincy E

Well, I started this entry with a picture of a puppy, and now I am completing this entry with a picture of another puppy. Quincy is a little champagne colored, miniature poodle I did for a couple. I met this puppy and he is a very cool and dignified little puppy.

As always, the photos do not show exactly how lovely these can look. Also, I KNOW that my art instructors, teachers and professors as well as my "old art crowd" would be shaking their heads at me these days for my whimsical and frivolous artwork! But you know what? I DON'T CARE: Shake your heads all you want... it is my STYLE AND I'M EMBRACING IT.

By the way, my particular art "style" has been getting "corrected" for the past 30 years now (i.e. "hold back on that, be more fluid, just slap on the paint...") PFFFT. I have been bucking the "technically correct theory" for several years now, and you know what I have to say about that? "DAMN THE TORPEDOS, FULL SPEED AHEAD!" That's about all that I have to say about that.

I have no more photos of artwork to comment on so I better go make some new art so I can have more to share with you. Yea?

I hope you have enjoyed meeting my muses (Teddy, Perez and Meaghan). Again, Perez, thank you for allowing me to PUSH my way into your world and being so very gracious with me. It's been a thrill for me, really.

Everyone, please have a lovely and colorful week ahead!

Peace and Love, from Lori = LAMS