"I'm only singing what life's been bringing"

Sunday

Today was a rare day where I did not work. Lately, if a day goes by that I do not work it is because there is something planned and I cannot work. Not today, though. I spent the entire day in a hammock with a book. It was wonderful.
I chose to read a book of poems by Charles Bukowski that I had bought several years ago. When I opened it, I noticed I had dog-eared a page because I liked it. I reread the poem and decided that I still do.


the strongest of the strange
you won't see them often
for wherever the crowd is
they
are not.

these odd ones, not
many
but from them
come
the few
good symphonies
the few
good books
and other
works.

and from the
best of the
strange ones
perhaps
nothing.

they are
their own
paintings
their own
books
their own
music
their own
work.

sometimes I think
I see
them - say
a certain
way

or
a quick face
going the other
way
in a passing
automobile

or
there's a certain motion
of the hands
of a bag-boy or a bag-
girl
while packing
supermarket
groceries.

sometimes
it is even somebody
you have been
living with
for some
time-
you will notice
a
lightning quick
glance
never seen
from them
before.
sometimes
you will only note
their
existence
suddenly
in
vivid
recall
some months
some years
after they are
gone.

I remember
such a
one-
he was about
20 years old
drunk at
10 a.m.
staring into
a cracked
New Orleans
mirror

face dreaming
against the
walls of
the world

where
did I
go?

ABDC - Episode One

Season TWO. Episode ONE.

This week America's Best Dance Crew started out strong with a routine by SoReal Crew.



Lil' Mama had a lil' trouble with one of crew member's names, though, referring to her as "Alien".




Sure, I can understand the difficulty in remembering the name Eileen...but making the jump to ALIEN?

Speaking of lil' M, I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, I really do, but the woman clearly relies on the other's opinions as a jumping off point. I get the most entertainment when she is called on first. Such as this moment when judging Xtreme:



Mama likey!!........until Shane said a ten year old could dance better.



Ooooooh crap....
If you listen closely you can hear the exact moment lil' Mama changes her opinion to agree with Shane in a faint off screen "it's true".

*one moment*
I haven't yet commented on the wonderful host of the show! Mario Lopez!



I'm sorry. Wrong photo.



There we go... Zach would be proud. Is the next song a MASTER MIX?

This week, JC's two blond statuesque "hot girls" were replaced with two dark haired statuesque "hot girls" and we all very much appreciate the variety.



Back to the dance crews.
I want to give a shout out to the home team who did well this week.


BOOGIE BOTS

with hard core fans in tow.



Hey crazed fan in the front row, I heart DC too! Sup.

Super Cr3w got the most praise and I have to admit they were my favorite, as well, this week. Not only was the song choice great, but the small details were wonderful. For instance, this little move where they pulled their pants legs up (to the beat) to reveal their red socks - LOVE.



This season's first elimination was between Fanny Pak and Distorted X.

Back to lil' Mama for one quick second because at this point in the show she actually piped up while Shane was speaking to stick up for Fanny Pak. YOU GO LIL M! And with good reason, too. Just look at this exorcist jonks!



Shane then beat the crap out of her for disobeying him.



Sadly, Distorted X was voted off. The tragic love story of Shane and distorted pretty girl has unfortunately come to an end. Personally, I think they were forced apart and thus the voting was fixed. Just look at how she is calling to him from the confinement of her crew!


"SHANE!"

t breaks my heart...

Good news, though! One of the members of Distorted X will be coming back next week as an ACTUAL fanny pack in the group Fanny Pak!



Overall, great first episode. I am looking forward to seeing where the season takes us. In the words of the great Shane Sparks - "I see potential".

ABDC - My One Reality TV Addiction

I finally got the chance to sit down and watch the pre-season audition madness for America's Best Dance Crew TWO tonight. This one looks to be as ridiculously fun as the first...with some interesting plot twists that couldn't be better if Mtv planned it...and that is something they would NEVER do.

First of all, it was good to see JC again along with his two strategically placed "hot girls" behind him. I noticed this happening last season, but he must have had them written into his contract or something because -poof- there they were again - two pillars of blondness surrounding him.




I imagine when he is finished judging for the evening that he stands up and holds out his arms, elbows bent, and they just step forward linking arms with him and all walk off together. Off to go be beautiful at another location...

Lil' Mama was back again, but she still has not brought her own opinions.


Here she is reminding the crews for the 18th time that this is season TWO and they all need to STEP IT UP. Got it. What's Shane saying? Ok now paraphrase.

Here is a shot of a group being told they made it to the live auditions. They are the first all latina group the show has seen. Their name is "Shhhh..." because while in line at auditions arguing with each other over what their group name should be (yes, this is the point that topic came up for the first time), someone told them to shut the F up. There you go.



Girls...Shhhh.....you didn't make it past the first show...


Favorite so far:
A.S.I.I.D.



Not only is one of the members completely deaf, but the silliness and friendship between them was fun to watch. Not to mention they can really dance.



This crew was being judged and laughed at from the second they stepped foot on stage.



But when they danced they shut everyone up



Even JC admitted he was judgemental and "slapped in the face"...he then quickly added another hot chick to his posse.

Oh, and about that little not-planned plot twist I mentioned earlier, turns out Supreme Soul beat Jabbawockeez in a BATTLE before Jabbawokeez won the first season...and here they are on season two. Already talkin' smack. Lil' Mama ain't ganna be havin' that!


SUPREME SOUL



JABBAWOCKEEZ

Another favorite and nice tricks:


SUPER CR3W

I will close by saying keep an eye on this hot onscreen flirtation -





There's something there - I'm callin' it.


1 WEEK! SEASON PREMIERE! MORE TO FOLLOW...

The Stranger Project

As a photographer, my favorite things to shoot, by far, are portraits. I am lucky to have beautiful and interesting friends who are more than willing to pose for me. This has given me the freedom to be creative. It has also let me practice my technique and work on my directing. I am very thankful to those friends.
Although I may not be perfect at them, I am comfortable with the portrait sessions of my friends. I am now looking to be stretched in different ways. The thought of walking up to a stranger on the street and asking to take their portrait scares me to death. This is why I've decided to start this project of photographing strangers. This is why I know I'm heading in the right direction.

I unofficially started this project about a month ago. I went out one evening to the mall and walked from the Washington monument to the Lincoln memorial with one goal: get one photograph of a stranger.
I did not meet this goal...because of fear. With every interesting person I approached came an excuse...(what if they say no...what if they don't speak English...what if it's just really awkward??) I have to get over this fear.

Today I took my first portrait of a stranger. I will be the first to admit that I may have taken the easy road with this one - I was already at an event I was being paid to shoot, so me being in the environment with a camera was already accepted and comfortable. However, Jay is blind. So maybe this was the perfect stranger to be my first because He couldn't see me and anticipate the photo and I felt a little less intimidated that he couldn't see me.

This is Jay. He has worked at BAH for over 13 years. He was standing alone with just his seeing eye dog, Coojah, eating a burger and boardwalk fries. I approached him and introduced myself. He said he would shake my hand, but his hands were messy from the fries. He said this as he fumbled with a red napkin in one hand. He never put down that red napkin the whole time I was there. We talked for a few minutes and then I asked if it was ok if I took his photograph. He said yes. Even though he couldn't see me, I was still very nervous and I rushed as I composed the shot. Looking back, I don't know why I felt this interaction was an imposition to him. Throughout the day I came across many people who saw me coming with a camera and turned away suddenly or quickly covered their face - and I wasn't even approaching these people personally. Jay was alone and in complete darkness and was more than happy to let me take his picture.
Afterwards I thanked him and Coojah and went back to documenting the event I was there to do. It may have been just a baby step, but it was a step towards something new.

In Regards to the Assult and Robbery

First let me say that I am touched to have friends who care enough about me to react to my facebook's "headline" in such a way that several have.
As I have already explained a few times, leading me to just post a note, I tend to exaggerate for the sake of a laugh from time to time. Exaggeration and Sarcasm are probably my two favorite past times.
Recently someone my office hired altered their offer letter (which I had written) and forged my name at the end of it only to be caught and fired. The story told in my words is that my identity was stolen. Much more exciting, isn't it? I might even get a gasp and a "Oh WOW, really?"
No, not really.

Last night as I was shopping at the Arlington Teeter, I foolishly declined to carry a basket, therefore I was juggling 18 items in my arms. Maybe it was the 18 items, maybe it was the pint of ben & jerry's smores ice cream that was numbing half of my arm, but I dropped my wallet somewhere in the store.
When I realized it at the check out counter, I retraced my steps and then found that someone had turned it into customer service. They did, however, take my cash first. I'm sure they thought that if they knew it was my wallet and had brought it directly to me, I would have certainly given them all of the cash in my wallet as a reward. Why not.

So, facebook friends, that is what really happened. I was not assaulted during the robbery...I wasn't even present during the robbery.

I will try to be more clear on the details from now on so I do not cause worry, but that just means they will be a lot less exciting.
I'm sorry,

Angie

The Bachelor

I just watched the bachelor season finale and then immediately puked on Harley.
He was a little bit upset, but not as upset as I was for putting myself through that vomit fest for the past two months...


aaahhh...and it's over. Andy and Tessa sitting in a fake reality non love tv show tree.

tomorrow night is the special episode of the reunion.

I've already got it set to record...