Rumor has it...: Madonna & William Orbit, together again?

I am sooo excited, everyone! Rumor has it that Madonna has been working with William Orbit on her next studio album. For those who may not be familiar, Mr. Orbit also collaborated with M on her hit album, 'Ray of Light'. He's largely responsible for its unique sound throughout, and I love it. That's why 'Ray of Light' is my favorite Madonna album of all time. It's not just Orbit's contribution that I love so much, though. M actually started singing with her REAL voice about that time, and it completely shines through (like a "ray of light")! Hee-hee! Seriously, she sounds fantastic. I think it had a lot to do with where she was at the time, spiritually, emotionally, etc. She was in a good place, and when listening to the album, you can feel it.

If the rumors turn out to be true, and the new album is even half as good as their first collaboration, I will be one-happy-camper-all-a-scamper! Pass it on!

Retro Book Fair: Walt Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland'

As a child, this book was magical to me. And it still is, actually. There's just something about the artwork in particular. The colors... the painterly style... it all comes together and creates this perfect fantastical world. And I doubt it would've affected me the same had it not been a Big Golden Book edition. That big beautiful storybook enveloped me and took me to a place like no other - Wonderland!

Aside from the cover image, I've also included specific pages here which I can remember seeming particularly special to little Anthony. Pages that I'd tend to linger on just a little while longer than the rest, my imagination buzzing with colorful intensity.



Easily the most iconic moment

in the story, and my absolute fave!






























For some reason, both the water

and bubbles REALLY fascinated me.






























I loved getting to see

inside White Rabbit's house.

This page is awesome. I loved

how the thatch roof of the

cottage doubles as Alice's hair.

The garden of talking flowers...

Another beautiful and awe-inspiring

sight to behold!

Our brief trip through storybook Wonderland ends here, for now, folks. But check back periodically because you never know when I might decide to go again...


~ Unfortunately, no specific art or illustration credits are given inside the book. It's all just credited to Walt Disney Studios. If anyone happens to know names of individuals, please contact me. I'd like to give credit where it's due. ~

Coming Attraction: NEW Erasure album, 'Tomorrow's World'

Have I ever mentioned my love for this band? Well, I've enjoyed them since their freshmen days waaay back in the 1980s. And they've never gone stale since, somehow managing to crank out album after album of fun, quality pop music throughout the years. In fact, they're one of my "sure thing" bands. You know, the sort of band that is so consistently good that you'll buy a new album sight unseen and sound unheard. Because you just KNOW it's gonna be that good!

Enter 'Tomorrow's World', Erasure's 14th studio album. Actually, it's not available until sometime in early October, 2011. Some sources I've read have said the U.S. release date is October 4th, while others say October 10th. Either way, it's right around the corner and I can't wait!

Freak Show Friday: Richard Simmons

Where DOES one start with Richard Simmons? Hmm. I know, I'll just be blatantly honest. Okay, here you go... The man absolutely frightens me! I've NEVER liked his WAY over-the-top prancing about, or his iconic shorty-shorts and fancy tanks. And just his overall faggy presence gives me the creeps. I know that last statement must seem pretty harsh, if not a little confusing, coming from another gay man and all, but you must understand my viewpoint.

I'm well aware of what an incredible motivator he has been for lots and lots of overweight people for years, and that really is great, but at the same time I feel quite strongly that his mincing, prancing, and screaming only perpetuates gay stereotypes. And I can NOT stand anything or anyone that perpetuates gay stereotypes, especially when it's SO up in your face like Richard's antics are! When he's "on", of course.



Here, Mr. Simmons is covered in poof balls. Just

in case there were any lingering doubts...




























Please, don't get me wrong. I don't hate the man, I just can't stomach him! There IS a difference, you know. But it can be a fine line at times.




Now, THIS is just tutu much!



"You are clear for take-off."

So, there you have it - another Freak Show Friday AND my brutally honest opinion about a famous old queen who so desperately needs your attention!

P.S. - I'll try and be a little nicer to my next subject. Maybe, if I can...

Kollage Korner

Hello, friends! Sorry about the delay in posts. I guess you could say that I've just been exploring other creative avenues, lately, such as the fun and expressive pastime of collaging! I've dabbled with collage over the years in very small ways, but now I'm finally starting to work on a bigger scale. Ha! I say, "bigger scale", but for me that's only graduating to an 8-and-a-half " x 11" sized worksheet... Ah, well. You gotta crawl before you can walk, right? Maybe, someday, I'll be showing wall-sized canvas pieces in a gallery. You never know, it COULD happen!

That first piece you see up there I call, 'Moonlight Express', and the stars are actually all glittery (even though you can't tell from the scan I did). It's very simple, but that's what I was going for because it's also my most recent work, and I hadn't done any for quite a while previous.

This second piece I call, 'Vintage Rainbow', and in case you can't tell, those color bars are paint chips. I did it back in 2009 as part of an online contest/experiment thingy. Come to think of it, I don't think it was an actual contest because I don't recall a winner... Well, anyway, it was still fun just the same! And this remains one of my favorite pieces simply because it always makes me smile. The colors are cheery, and of course those vintage toys make me happy!

I plan to continue sharing my work with you here at Kollage Korner, so if you're interested, watch for it! Until next time... Keep on kuttin' up!


~ All collage images by Anthony See. ~

Monsanto: From chemicals and plastics to amusement park wonder

Today, there seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding Monsanto and their practices. Perhaps there always has been, but I don't want to go into any of that here. I just want to focus on some of the company's more exciting achievements such as their creation of "NEW colors, NEW materials, and NEW designs for plastic housewares" as well as having sponsored two of the most beloved and sadly missed attractions at Disneyland.

Doesn't that ad up there make plastic look enticing? It's all just so COLORFUL and SHINY! By the look of it, I'd say marketing was certainly a Monsanto strong point. Check out what the text says in the ad. "LOOK... TOUCH... LIFT... and see what wonderful uses today's stylists and designers have found for plastic's lustrous lightness, fluid grace. Now plastic housewares are at home in every room of the house... reflecting the skill of craftsmen working with Lustrex, Monsanto's styrene plastic molding powder. Modern, exciting, durable, they are available in a wide range of colors, including crystal clear and the newest pastels. Look for these exciting new plastic housewares at your favorite store... you'll use them everywhere!" Well, wrap 'em up 'cause I'll take every last one of 'em! I'm a total sucker for slick talk and fancy presentations.

Speaking of presentations... Monsanto sponsored two classic Disneyland attractions. One was the big, plastic, walk-thru House of the Future which lasted from 1957-1967. And the other was everyone's favorite, the awesome Adventure Thru Inner Space ride. That one lasted considerably longer, existing from 1967-1985.



"Gee, but peeping in on the people

of tomorrow sure is romantic, Johnny!"



"Don't open the drapes, Delores.

I have a feeling we're being watched..."

Unfortunately, I was born a bit too late to have enjoyed the HotF first-hand. But, boy, did I enjoy me some Inner Space! I can remember being sooo fascinated with that ride, especially at the beginning where the HUGE microscope "shrinks" you down to atomic proportions. Of course, at a certain age it became obvious to me that it was all just an illusion, with tiny fake people. But up until then I was totally convinced. A little scared, even.



I'm probably in that line somewhere crying

because I'm afraid I'll soon be shrunken.






















Riding along in your atommobile, there just wasn't

ANYthing else like it. Period.























Say what you will about the Monsanto of today. And I DO understand that plenty of people have much to say... I, however, much prefer the Monsanto of yesteryear. And I'll take it in a crystal clear, Lustrex plastic container, please.

This made me giggle...

It really doesn't take much to tickle my funny bone, especially if it's the slightest bit suggestive, like this 4th of July greeting, here. Can you blame me?

Have a Happy, Safe and Sane 4th of July, everyone!

Oh, and "Happy 40th Birthday" to my dear husband! May you have at least 40 more in excellent health and good humor! I love you!

My infatuation with the 1950s housewife

Just what is it about the perfectly idealised American housewife of the 1950s that so appeals to me? Yes, I'm gay, but does that really make much sense for a reason? I mean, wouldn't it make more sense if I was straight? I am, after all, attracted to images of women dressed in some of their finest wardrobe, cooking and cleaning to their heart's content.

I guess when it's put that way it does sound pretty gay, huh? Oh, well.

Show & Tell: Art Frahm's 'The Crossing Guard'

While wandering through an antique mall over the weekend, I stumbled across this colorful gem of a picture hanging in a simple 8x10 frame. My eyes just about popped out of their sockets because, as my good friend Matt said, "It's sooo up Anthony's alley!" And if you're a regular Pop Circus visitor you know how true a statement that really was. So, of course, I snatched that puppy right up and took it home. But I was curious to know more about the artist. Just WHO was this Frahm person? Was this print out of a book, or was it one in a series? I had to know more. To the internet I went, and what I found was quite interesting...

Art Frahm (1907-1981) was an American painter of campy pin-up girls and advertising. He lived in Chicago and was active from the 1940s to 1960s. Today he's best known for his "ladies in distress" pictures involving beautiful young women whose panties mysteriously flutter to the ground in public situations, often causing them to spill their bag of groceries.

Frahm was commercially successful, and even his falling-panties paintings were later imitated by other pin-up artists. In fact, to this day the falling-panties art has a small cult following as mid-20th century kitsch, or even as fetish art.

In addition to pin-ups, Frahm created a series of humorous hobo-themed calendar illustrations. Another set of paintings celebrated traffic safety, complete with smiling, chubby crossing guards and schoolchildren. (Ding! Ding! Ding! Just like the one I have!) His advertising art included works for Coca-Cola and Coppertone.


























Boy, talk about one extreme to the other, huh? Somehow, Frahm even managed to make an adorable pup look like a "horn dog" in the second picture. That's a bit TOO creepy. I think I'll just stick with the traffic safety series, thank you very much.

I so WANT that!: The Nintendo 3DS

My poor husband. All he's heard from me for weeks, now, is how much I want the new Nintendo 3DS portable video game system. And if it were reasonably priced I might have one by now, but, unfortunately, it is NOT! You know what the thing retails for? $250.00!! Yep, you read that right. Pretty crazy, huh? That's the kind of dough you'd normally pay for a major game console. All things considered, though, I think it might be worth it... Read on if you're interested in what this baby can do.

3D without glasses, dude! I don't know how they do it, but it truly is amazing! I tried it out at a Nintendo display in a local store and I was blown away. A cool thing about the 3D is that there's an adjuster switch so you can fix the intensity for what works best with your own eyes. Or the effect can even be turned off completely, if you prefer. Aaand the 3D madness doesn't end there. No! There's also 2 (two) built-in cameras on the outside of the unit for taking photos in 3D (possibly video, too, but that hasn't been confirmed). How cool is that? What I've described here only scratches the surface of everything Nintendo's latest toy actually does. So if you're at all interested, I strongly recommend checking one of these bad boys out in person at a retailer near you. No amount of description could possibly do it justice - you HAVE to experience it first-hand in order to really appreciate it!

Maybe I'll do a follow-up post if/when I get one of my very own. That way, after spending more time with one, I could give a more thorough and educated review. Hear that, Nintendo?

The Worst Album Covers Ever!: 'Organ Fascination' by Dave Stephens

Artist ~ Dave Stephens

Title ~  Organ Fascination

                If you didn't know any better you might have thought

                this album should have been titled 'Organ

                Disappointment' from the look on the cover model's

                face. However, you knew that it was an album of

                organ music, of course.

Your mind can't help but wander when you can clearly see that this lady is "appreciating" the organ sans clothing...

~ Image and info taken from the book, 'The Worst Album Covers Ever!' by Nick DiFonzo. Published by Barnes & Noble, Inc. ~

Retro Book Fair: 'Young Reader's Color-Picture Dictionary'

Hey, look, everybody! The Retro Book Fair has rolled into town, again! I wonder what neat, old book is being featured this time...? Let's check it out!

Wow! As it turns out, it's actually one of my favorite types of children's books! This one is the 'Young Reader's Color-Picture Dictionary - For Reading, Writing, and Spelling' by Margaret B. Parke, Ed. D. and illustrated by Cynthia and Alvin Koehler. That cover is great, isn't it?! Now, let's take a look inside...

Look at those end papers! That's some beautiful illustration, right there. And we haven't even gotten to the content of the book, yet. Moving on...

I can't even tell you how happy these old-fashioned illustrations make me. That apple... That dog! Oh, good, here comes another page.

Handy, Mandy, Jack-a-Dandy, huh? Well, whatever his name is, he'd better hurry up and eat his candy before I do because it looks mighty yummy! Look, another page...

That party sure looks fun, doesn't it? And those pets... Who wouldn't want one of those? Hey, check out this next page. It's totally different. It's from the back of the book, and it highlights parts of the human body.

Again, I just really can't get enough of this happy, idealistic illustrative style. Almost makes my teeth hurt, but I totally love it! What about you? Does this sort of thing "float your boat?"

Well, that about does it for this installment of 'Retro Book Fair'. Until next time, remember... Be nice. But especially be nice to your books!

SOUND + VISION: 'I Confess' by k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang

Fun with Dick and Jane

I love the innocence of things like Dick and Jane, but I also can't help twisting it around and corrupting it a bit. Here's a mere sampling...

Everyone was impressed with the size of Dick's package.

But, most of all, Jane was surprised to learn that Dick

had such feelings for her...



My work is already done, here.









































I'm so immature... and I like it! What about you? Do you enjoy being silly and irreverent? If so, tell me all about it. I'm sure the rest of our readers would get a kick out of it, too!

XXX peanut butter porn!

Have I ever mentioned how much I absolutely love peanut butter? Well, consider this my visual homage to that heavenly substance... Enjoy!



~ All photos via Google Images. ~

How lovely!

I woke up to a pleasant surprise this morning... My good pal Maria over at Wub2Write left me a nice message informing me that she had an award waiting for me and to go check it out. So I did, and this 'One Lovely Blog Award' was what I found! How nice is THAT?! Of course, I do share the honor with 14 other fine bloggers, but that doesn't cheapen the prestige of it one little bit.

Now, this is the part where I'm supposed to announce my 15 successors, but I don't get out much (in the blogosphere) so my 15 is actually only 9. But, hey, it's a real sincere 9! Will the following people, listed in no particular order, please stand up:

• Dumbwit Tellher
• A Townhouselady's Life
• Storybook Ranch
• Atomic Tea Party
• MoonDoggie
• Gold Country Girls
• Lisa Golightly
• Lenorenevermore
• Sixpence and a Blue Moon

You are all hereby granted with your very own 'One Lovely Blog Award'! Congratulations! Now, sit down and shut up! Ha, ha! Just kidding! Come on everyone, let's give them a nice, big round of applause. They deserve it! And as for those of you who aren't familiar with some of these excellent blogs, please, go check 'em out. You'll be glad you did!

In case you happened to miss this...

Ke$ha - Exhibit A

Ke$ha - Exhibit B



Ke$ha - Exhibit C



Ke$ha - Exhibit D

Discuss.

Spreading the love...

Both a big (((HUG))) and a "Thank you!" go out to my wonderful pal MoonDoggie for passing along this Liebster Blog Award to me. Evidently, it is intended for exceptional blogs with less than 300 followers and, boy, do I qualify. I mean that I qualify for the less than 300 followers part, not necessarily the exceptional part. I'm not THAT conceited!

As most of you other bloggers out there know, these little perks (awards) come at a small price. That price being the task of selecting a handful of successors to whom you'll pass along the award. Not that it's like a major chore, or anything. In fact, it's actually pretty fun! So without any further ado, here are my picks for the next Liebster Blog Award recipients:

• Smells Like Library - Funny, interesting, entertaining, and informative blog written by a library technician who works full-time in the trenches of a Jr. high/high school library. Oh, and he happens to be my husband!

• Gold Country Girls - Such a sweet, cozy place to visit. They're waiting for you, just up that hill...

• Wub2Write - The lady who writes this blog is a real kick! She's young at heart, and she can really tell a story. Check it out!

• Lisa Golightly - Fashion, art, beauty, vintage style... She's got it in spades!

So congratulations, everyone! Have fun bragging to all your friends! But don't expect to get a good table at Spago, or anything...