Toilets of the World . . .

List price $5,800 for this Aged Bronze Water Closet by Jemal Wright Bath Design

Ever since taking a dump in a hole in Mumbai, where I had to sweep up any miss-aimed matter with a primitive broom that looked like the kind witches fly, I have had a fantasy of writing a book called, "Toilets of the World." My visit to a famous shrine in Kyoto back in the year 2000 brought me to a Japanese toilet that had so many lights and buttons and electronic components that I was unable to figure out how to flush it. Years ago in Verona, Italy, I visited a subterranean ladies room with walls and partitions plastered with pictures of Italian and American movie starts. Just last year in a train station in Palermo, Italy, I almost soiled myself because I couldn't figure out how to shove a euro note into a kiosk so the a door would open and let me into a western style toilet complete with a toilet seat. Travel blindness aside, I had to blink twice when I saw this fixture for sale for anyone wanting a super fragilisticexpialadocius custom bathroom in which to void vegan or carnivore waste. And you can see it's a low flow flush. How environmentally correct!

Laying off of sugar . . . help!

Every now and then I vow to get off of "the white stuff." Not talking about white powder one sees in crime shows, I'm talking about dairy, sugar, flour, and all combinations of same. Time for my next cholesterol screening is approaching and I always do much better after a few weeks off the white stuff. Something about this picture of a reclining "Hello Kitty!" that I took at the Prudential mall a few days ago keeps haunting me and has compelled me to make a post featuring her in what appears to be a sated position.

Misogyny in the name of Fashion

Just read these words on a recent email introducing a new fashion statement (above), "The Giger collection is inspired by the Swiss artist H. R. Giger, particularly his visual effects work on the Alien movies. While Solo’s first line, Specimen, was extremely floral-driven, Giger is “a little more of me,” he says. “It’s darker and edgier.” Solo also looks to Alexander McQueen and other designers during his creative process, and says his exact inspirations are often hard to pin down."

Hard to pin down, alright, because these crippling new skyscraper heels are an invitation to abuse women! Maybe if the designers returned to the origins of these style cramping torture devices, they might be inspired to create something gorgeous and comfortable. Everyone should realize that the first "heels" were worn by men— butchers, centuries ago, as they sloshed through the blood and gore of slaughterhouses—the high heeled klogs keeping the blood off of their trousers!

I have been enraged for years at the limited supply of comfortable, yet stylish alternatives to these "inventions" by men that make women look "sexy," while guaranteeing that they stay the weaker sex. How can you outrun an attacker wearing something from the Giger collection?

On many of my summer jaunts of late, I've observed couples walking: the guy is casually and comfortably dressed, while the woman is bare-legged and hobbling in towering devices—I can't even call them shoes—with skirts so short—well I won't go there. As a yoga teacher, I watch the damage these weapons of female destruction inflict on a whacked-out pelvis.

Stilts might be easier to navigate, but please don't support these Giger torture devices.  It's time for a revolt! Let's see more walking shoes that look good, feel good, and keep men and women on an equal footing.

Is it a bird, is it a plane, no it's a super . . . unidentified sitting object.

On a recent stroll through the Prudential Center Mall, I saw this lovely being sitting all by herself, quietly looking out from beneath her wrapping. When I asked if I could photograph her she nodded permission. Pretty soon there was a crowd gathering trying to guess who she was and why she was there, but she did not utter a sound. If you click on her picture, you'll see more detail, especially the paws.

Painting for fun vs. "making art" — what's the difference?

How can it be "making art" when a whole class ends up painting the same picture? But then again, isn't that what I did in the 60s at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy? Then, each student was expected to render his/her interpretation of the live model—we were each painting the same subject but in our own individual way.
 
At the Paint Bar on Newbury Street, participants are guided step by step to paint the same subject — and they all paint it in the same way. Big difference from my days at the Academia.

But who cares if you're having fun and getting a little tipsy while doing it? And maybe the fun of doing it inspires someone to go on to paint "seriously." For a night out at The Paint Bar, there's no artist angst about what to paint. You sign up on line based on what scene you see on their calendar so you actually know what subject you'll be painting ahead of time! And this month is SOLD OUT!

As a long time struggling and often starving artist, this seems bizarre to me, but to all the participants at The Paint Bar tonight, it didn't matter one brush stroke worth, they were all having fun.

What do you think?

Boston Night Riders . . . buck naked!

They left their convening site at Boston Common Band Stand at 10 p.m. tonight, June 29, and hit the road on their Fourth Annual World Naked Bicycle Ride Boston to raise awareness! It worked. I was walking from the Kendall Sq. movie, just in front of MIT on Mass Ave., when a slew of nude cyclists flew by. I fumbled for my camera to catch some skin before they passed.

One guy was on roller blades with all his glory swaying in the evening summer breeze. Amazing the sights one can see for free around Boston and Cambridge!

Is there any meaning left to: It doesn't matter whether you win or lose but how you run the race? Go Boston Bruins!

If you click on this picture you can really appreciate the players