Coming Attraction: NEW Madonna album, 'MDNA'

March 26th, 2012 is the magic date, everyone! Mark your calendars, tie a string around a finger, write it across your forehead, do whatever you have to... For that is the day Madonna's NEW album drops, and you don't want to be left out, do you?? This is exciting stuff, people! Have I ever mentioned that I'm a BIG Madonna fan? Well, I am. Aaand it turns out that rumors were right about the William Orbit collaborative reunion, not on the entire album, but a good portion. So I'm quite happy about that, as well!

The top image is, I believe, the standard cover and the second image is an alternate (perhaps for the deluxe edition?). That might be totally backward, so don't quote me. Anyway, I think they're both stunning images. But then, with Madonna as your model, how could you NOT end up with something so striking and beautiful? By the way, have I mentioned that I'm a BIG Madonna fan?

Movie Moments: The Artist

My husband, Tommy, and I took my mom to see 'The Artist' for her birthday and, boy, were we ALL glad that we did. It was such a fun, up-beat (except for a portion near the second half), "feel good" movie that you almost want to see it again as soon as it ends. Yep, it was that good!

Being that it is a silent film, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the audience behavior wise. For example, I didn't know if people eating snacks would be too noisy, or whether people would be rude and talk? Fortunately, we didn't experience ANY of that. Although, I must say that the accompanying musical score probably did help a bit in that department... Speaking of the music, wow! It was absolutely beautiful, and I will definitely be acquiring the soundtrack soon.

Jean Dujardin as the always dapper
and incredibly charming, George Valentin.

Berenice Bejo as a very peppy, Peppy Miller.

The basic plot summary is as follows:
It's 1927. Arguably Hollywood's most admired movie screen idol, George Valentin, is enjoying the success of his latest picture, The Russian Affair. He enjoys his work and the adulation he receives by being a movie star immensely, as witnessed by how he hogs the spotlight during The Russian Affair's post-premiere bows. Peppy Miller is an aspiring young actress, who literally runs into Valentin at the premiere, which ends up being the launching pad to her Hollywood acting career. The advent of talking pictures brings a reversal to their fortunes as Kinograph, the movie studio where Valentin is under contract, is looking for fresh faces such as Peppy Miller to star in their talking pictures, while Valentin resists the entire notion of talking pictures. Peppy, who appreciates everything that Valentin did for her career, tries to help him as much as she can, but Valentin may have to decide on his own where and if he fits into the Hollywood machine, one where he doesn't think people want to hear him speak.


Now, like I said, that really is a very basic summary. It doesn't even make mention of "the dog", and he alone is so adorable he practically steals the show. One good thing, though. I just read online somewhere that the doggy actor (Uggie) who played the part actually won an award (like a Golden Globe, or something) for Best Canine Performance. How cool is that?! I can't help wondering if an Academy Award might also be in his near future? He certainly deserves it, in my book!

Adorable Uggie plays the role
of George's canine sidekick. 

These two are practically
inseparable throughout the movie.

John Goodman as the head studio
executive at Kinograph Pictures.

A young new starlet on the rise to fame and fortune...

In conclusion, let me just say that, "You NEED to see this picture!" It's a fun, light-hearted romantic comedy that I think even people who don't like romantic comedies would still end up liking. It's also fresh and different for these times. I mean, "feel good" movies of this magnitude and quality don't come along very often, so catch it on the BIG SCREEN while you can. You'll be glad you did!

The End

Photo 'a Go Go!: Yet, even MORE of my 365project

Yes, it's that time, again, folks. Time to shake and shimmy to the photographic stylings found only right here in the Pop Circus "Photo 'a Go Go!" gallery. Well, actually you can also view them on the official 365project website, but it sure sounds more cool and exciting the way I said it at first. Anyway, let's carry on with the show...

Kaleidoscope ball 

I really dig this water-filled bouncing ball with its

myriad of colorful little balls floating inside. I had

a feeling that it might make an interesting photo subject.

Super Mushroom 

I couldn't believe it when I walked out my front door

and found THIS sprouting out of the lawn! I sure did

a double-take. I even looked all around a bit furtively,

half expecting to see Mario or Yoshi peeking through

nearby shrubs!

I'm quite tempted to take a little nibble, just to see if
this real version of Mario's magic 'shroom provides
the same super-growth powers as the ones you find
in Nintendo's virtual worlds. Oh, heck! What's the
worst that could possibly happen, anyway? It always
works for Mario...

Water's edge 

I'm grateful to be living close enough to the ocean

that it's only about a half-hour's drive from home.

That's a real good thing since I'm using my camera

a LOT more, now, and there are so many different

types of photo ops to take advantage of at the beach.

Like my previous shot of the Balboa Pier which I

photographed several days ago, this too was taken

in the late afternoon sun. Do you find it as hypnotizing

as I do to watch the waves come rushing up the sand

and then slowly drift back out to sea, only to repeat

the cycle again, and again?

My mother's
"handsome" cat

This is Handsome, my mom's friendly little
feline companion. As you can see, he's an
attractive long-haired kitty with piercing eyes
and wonderful markings on his coat.

I miss having a cat of my own, so it's nice to
be able to visit with Handsome whenever I go
over to see my mom.

(Psst! It's also nice never having to clean out
his litter box, since I'm not his owner!)

There's our Matt, again!

Ya gotta love this guy 'cause he's just so
odd in all the right ways. Here, Matt is
proudly modeling his 'They Might Be
Giants' fez that he got at one of the band's
concerts, years ago. Interestingly, Weird
Al Yankovic was at the same show, and
for some admittedly strange reason, Matt
felt compelled to buy a second fez that he
could personally give to Mr. Yankovic
with his compliments... so that's what he did.

The End.

Premonition

Once I was able to excuse myself from the
others, I immediately went upstairs to the
attic so I could take another peek through
the window that was not there before. What
I saw when I pulled back the little curtain
was disturbing in ways that I cannot fully
describe. I knew about the alternate
dimension that lay just outside this mysterious
window because I had already made that
jarring discovery the first time I peered through
it. No, this was something entirely different.
What I saw and felt as I strained to focus my
gaze out amongst the pine trees in the darkness...
well, it was... WRONG. Somehow, I just knew
that deep within my bones. But this wasn't the
only knowledge I had gained that night.

A delicate-looking green insect landed on the
window pane before me, and I swear it was
actually whispering something to me. As I stood
there entranced, and concentrating on every tiny
whisper from the strange bug, it suddenly
disappeared. It was only a moment or so later
when I realized the damned thing had actually
reappeared inside my head! Once it was digging
around in there, it was no longer a struggle to
understand what it wanted me to know - Evil was
coming to pay us ALL a visit, soon. Very soon...

Knothole

I've always felt that one of the best aspects of
photography is how you can focus in on what may
seem like an everyday boring subject/object, such
as a knothole in an old wooden fence, and the
results can be fascinating. I like these rough textures
and subtle colors, but most of all, I like how you
could almost (maybe?) be convinced that this was
an entrance to a cave, somewhere...

If you didn't already know better.

Kewpie doll bubble jar

Here's another shot inspired by something I made
(assembled, really) and gave to my husband as a gift.
The subject matter is a clear glass jar filled with
dismembered Kewpie doll parts floating in blueish-green
liquid. All I did was simply shook it up a bit to create the
bubbles, and then turned the jar on its side so I could
see this little cutie looking back at me. She looks fresh
and clean... and happy to indulge my (slightly twisted)
photographic tendencies.

Green

This is my first attempt at doing a water droplet shot...
I'm pretty happy with it. Not only do I find simple,
natural beauty in the droplets, I'm also fascinated by
the detail seen in the rich green leaf on which they sit.

Canna, or can't I?

Continuing with water droplets, here's another shot
taken of some clinging to the leaf of a plant. This time
it happens to be a vibrantly colorful Canna plant.

One bad penny

I was taking a nice morning walk with my mother-in-law
when I happened to look down toward the ground and
spotted this wonderfully beaten up, scratched, and
repeatedly driven over penny. At least, that's what it
looked like to us.

The first thing I thought, and said was, "Oh! I could take
this and shoot it with my macro lens for the 365project!"
And with that, I shoved poor, defiled Lincoln into my
front pocket, anxious to retrieve him later for his
photographic close-up!

Fiery red

This is a Canna Lily that I found to be exceptionally
vibrant and beautiful in the late morning sunlight.





Are you still with me? I know that was a lot to share, and I appreciate your interest. Truly. Unfortunately or fortunately, however you happen to see it, that is all for today's 'Photo 'a Go Go!' gallery visit. Thank you for coming, everyone! And, please, remember to retrieve your coats and umbrellas upon exiting.


~ All photos were taken by Anthony (AKA antvision), and are not to be used or reproduced without written permission from me. ~

Happy Music: Give Me All Your Luvin' by Madonna (Feat. M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj)

Hello, everyone! It's so nice to be back in the ring after such a long break away from it all. Sorry I was gone so long. I didn't really plan it that way. At first, I was just distracted by some other project. But then, before I knew it, I'd realized that a whole month had gone by with the circus tent just sitting empty... Then two months went by... I guess I really needed the break. Whatever the case, my batteries have been re-charged and I'm back in the game!

Now, about this video... It's for Madonna's first single, Give Me All Your Luvin', from her forthcoming new album titled, MDNA (to be released this March 26th), and it's a whole lotta fun. I have to admit that I'm not too crazy about Nicki Minaj or M.I.A. being a part of the whole thing, but even they don't manage to spoil the uplifting, happy vibe that's going on here.

If you haven't already, go ahead and push play. I think you'll enjoy it!