Taking Out The Trash (Final Project)

sound for Footle

Footle (final_edit1).m4v

Footle (edit one) without sound file


footle: verb- engage in fruitless activity; mess about
(origin: late 19th century: perhaps from dialect: footer [idle, putter about] from 16th century: foutre [worthless thing,] from Old French, literally 'have sexual intercourse with'

Pre-Production Package

1. SCRIPT (will be printed for class)

2.LOGISTICS:
a. Two actors:
-1. Hayley Fladeboe: female in her twenties will be visible in all scenes,
-2. Marcella Simien: voice narrating all scenes, will not be visible
b. Both actors in all scenes
c. One location- an apartment, different rooms throughout, bedroom, hallway, kitchen, bathroom and living room
One outdoor location- courtyard of apartment complex (for last scene)
d. no stunts necessary, the only special effects will be the narration that is being played while throughout the scenes
i will have some effects on my voice that will narrate the film.
e. clothing will be neutral, no indication of who this person is, the thoughts in the narration will develop her character
f. vacuum, kitchen utensils- foil, pots, pans,etc., cleaning supplies (unmarked bottles) sponges, dish brushes, broom and dust pan

3. LOCATION SCOUT:
*My personal apartment:
Midotwn Place Apartments
2095 Poplar Ave
Apartment 45
- sound quality: wooden floors, sheet rock in walls, lots of natural light
Kitchen- sheet rock in walls, two windows, overhead light, tiled floors
Hall- sheet rock walls, no windows, overhead light,wood floors
Living Room- sheet rock walls, one window, overhead light and lamp, wood floors
Bedroom- sheet rock walls, three windows, overhead light and lamp, wood floors
Bathroom- sheet rock walls, one window, overhead light, tiled floors

4. CONFRIRM LOCATIONS:
Images will be posted by end of class.
Three prong electrical outlets: two in kitchen, two in bedroom (those will be main sources of energy, all other outlets in living room and hall are only two prong outlets

5. STORYBOARD:
will be posted by end of class

6. Days shooting Thursday, November 11 beginning at 7:30pm- Sunday, November 14 ending at midnight

7. SCHEDULE:
10/11- Thursday- All scenes (screen testing at night)- 7pm- until- all actors
10/12- Friday- All scenes (screen test at daytime) - 10am- 3pm- all actors
10/13- Saturday- Which ever scenes had most problem areas and need the most work (either day or night shots)- 10am- 5pm
10/14- Sunday- Digitize early in morning and see if anything needs to be re shot (this is a tentative day for shooting) time-TBA

8. CONTACT:
Hayley Fladeboe: 434-989-5087
Marcella Simien: 337-356-1040
Justin Edward (sound): 901-573-3581
Jesse Davis (camera, lighting and sound assistance): 901-483-8210


leading actress, Hayley

SELF CRIT

1. Surreal Housewife of Memphis
2. A series of abstract vignettes of recollections of my past along with narration of poetry.
3. My inspiration has come from the numerous marks these life experiences have left on me and how it's effected my perspective on life as human at this point in my life. It also comes from my interest in discussing issues that people would usually take seriously, but in a lighter, less dramatic way. AT THE FRIST STAGE: for the first pitch:
I want to flash these shocking visual symbols along with some jarring language that will get people's attention. But instead of using these "on the money" shots where the narration directly correlates with visuals,

I'VE NOW decided to create more of a performance piece, i will shoot this "surreal housewife" character (representing myself) feeling trapped in the confinement of one's home, with the reminders of the past, doing simple domestic things to keep her busy. Some of these things that maybe slightly suggestive, while the twisted nostalgic poetry is narrated throughout. The story will be told in an abstract way and this woman will be recalling all these memories while doing her housework and avoiding to do housework. She will pace and go back and forth in a very natural, realistic way.
I will recite these stories of all the people this character has been in the past, through exaggerated and some even completely true... she will compare herself to: a loose cannon, live wire, a ruler, queen, princess, rebel, fuck up, dumb drunk, the greatest walking compliment, sweet cajun swamp trash etc.


4. Ideally i want the audience to be able to identify some with this sense of a woman's journey and how she has gotten where she is, continuing on her journey.

5. A young woman, feeling confined in her home, and feeling like she's getting caught up in her past with thoughts going through her mind. These thoughts will mainly be memories of the past, but common daily reminders will also go through her mind and add to her worrying and stress. But in the end will find comfort in just walking outside of this apartment that she has been incubating in. She will find comfort in leaving the apartment and getting outside. Once she gets outdoors in the end all the happy memories will follow her.

6. Woman struggles with her past, daily responsibilities and daily tasks that cause stress in her life within her apartment. Woman ends up finding freedom when she escapes the confines of her apartment by going outdoors, outside of her apartment.

7. Problems mentioned in the classes feedback, are all dealt with in the following re-cap of my Journal notes taken during the critique:
-Does any of the images have to relate?
- maybe a little girl, old family footage style
- instead of stills make the viewer sympathize with this somewhat disturbing storytelling?
- will the structure be based on poetry?
- maybe the images that are coinciding with the narration shouldn't be "right on the money"
-could it be where this person is now?
- where are we traveling? what time is it? now or before? the time doesnt have to be linear
- doing domestic things in a house
- perhaps adding a performance aspect will make it clearer

ain't_no_movie.mov

OH MY GOD. PEOPLE NEED TO SHUT THE FUCK UP IN THE COMPUTER LAB, ESPESH WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STUPID BULLSHIT AND GOSSIPING ABOUT PEOPLE. Have some tact, be careful. you never know who's listening....

oh yeah this is the revised version of my piece. enjoy.

Revised Pitch

My idea is based on the emotional journey of a main character, a nineteen year old woman in the beginning of her journey as an adult. But this character will never be shown. The character will be represented as a voice narrating vignette style imagery.
Although it may not seem like it at first glance, I've led an eventful life and think it comes through in the poetry i write, i ran away from home for a brief amount of time when i was 16, got into just enough trouble without ever getting arrested, but the fact is i never really had any reason to be as rebellious as i was, other than i was a 16 year old.

This has been inspired by my interest and fascination with absurdity, ups and downs of life feeling fucked up one moment and great the next, satirically discussing things that would usually be taken seriously to others, off-putting topics and things that people avoid talking about, like my best friend gettin an std and asking me to tell her boyfriend for her, knowing prostitutes, gypsies, junkies. I like openly discussing how people's heart's getting broken, being exploited and used. I enjoy recalling memories of my personal past and applying those to other people..I grew up in the music industry with my parents and was exposed to a lot at a young age. And i'm at this point in my life where i'm feeling the after effects of my more rebellious part of my life.

Sometimes I recall memories of mischief and can laugh at it all now and sort of secretly relish in those feelings of being invincible and i find something very charming about that particular 16th year in someone's life, it's such a formative period and i learned some of my best life lessons during that time and still am. Although i have grown into an incredibly more thoughtful person at this point in my life, i think as a source of entertainment i tend to live vicariously through all these people i've been in the past and i tend to reference those versions of myself and exaggerate those memories in my poetry. I'm at a point in my life where i can laugh at the stupid shit i've done.

The only way i can see myself attempting to recreate these memories is presenting them in these brief shots. The shots will almost seem as though they are stills but there will be a brief moment of movement in the forms or figures shown to give them life, but just as quick memories.


Being a young adult living today, we're faced with so many different issues like choosing ones's sexual orientation, stds, responsibilities, The film will be a series of abstract scenes, like a photo montage or like vignettes of memories.



Thank you all for listening.


i've hung out with the best of 'em
the junkies, whores, lil mommies, big poppies,
the hippy fuckheads and the krusty, train hoppin gutter punks
playing spin the bottle with the 50 year old men
snorting coke on bathroom breaks during the ACT
totalled my car, now i ride my bike rain or shine

not_a_movie.m4v

Next project

RULEZ=
Under 5 minutes
No death, no guns, no roses


MA IDEA=
A Love Song
MUST BE: Written, produced and performed by myself

This is an original song that currently doesn't have a title
The lyrics are meant to be satirical in certain, obvious moments in the song
I am still working on this song, musically and lyrically. i can bring in a recording ASAP.

lyrics i have so far are as follows:

Last night i got loaded
I said meet me on the self-helpless aisle at Books-A-Million,
thanks-a-million!
Do you like my hair? i cut it
Do you like your voice? i cut you off

Pawing through the pages i find your autobiography
Do you wanna know what it's called?
it's called Love in the Time of Chlamydia
That's it, not Love in the Time of Cholera
But Love in the Time of Chlamydia

Now all i can do with my Southern pout is spit out a farthing
leaning on one hip-ass joint scoliosis
my body- a crescent moon when i sigh
Before tonight only the sun had it's way with me
Darkening me
Much like you had your way with me darkening me
Much like i had my way with you too, darkening you

Our production package is in a file folder called Simien_Exley_Brinker_Walker

on the server

To my group: A film about making a film. mock-umentary style.

Check out Christopher Guest's flicks

"A Mighty Wind"
"Waiting For Guffman"

AND

"Bowfinger" is a movie about making a movie

AND

"Drop Dead Gorgeous"

Remix

Revised version.

Pitch for Dealer's Choice

I would like to explore interviews of different types of anonymous people. With close ups of only certain body parts.
The faces of these people interviewed will not be revealed. Each person will tell a story. All will be very private, and it will be up to the person being interviewed to choose which body part will be filmed. It depends on how far they are willing to go. I have original music that can be used to add to the content.

Bogus To Bodacious.m4v

Assignment Write Up

The film shoot on Friday September 17 started off rocky but by the end of the night, went really well.
The said shot list was not followed exactly as prescribed above, but we found new direction as we started filming.
It was a very inspiring learning process.

After speaking with Jill after class on Wed., I came to some new realizations concerning the piece and it sparked new ideas.
Being without a vehicle I am limited with what i can carry on my bike, so getting a hold of certain resources is difficult, so i just work with what i've got; turns out i've got a lot! I went rummaging through my room to find tons of things to work with and help with character development for our main subject. Jill had suggested going to Target and buying lots of things to shoot with, then returning them after, which is a great idea, I just had limited opportunities to do that.

I found clothing, instruments, and all sorts of various objects that were representative of our ultra-feminine character. It was extremely satisfying to me, actually placing all the objects where they belonged and making sure they were just right in the space with the lighting. The lighting took up a lot of our shooting time. I'd say with preparation and shooting time the material we have on film took a total of about 6 hours to produce. Our actress we had schedule to be our main character flaked out at the last minute (literally didnt hear from then at all the day of the shoot. Call time was at 7:30pm, i was working hard to find someone around 6pm once i had heard from her. Someone who lived in my apartment agreed to do it immediately, but she wasn't exactly right for the part, but then i happened to stumble into another friend Delilah Heck who happened to have time. So she eagerly and willingly did all that Maggie and I directed her to do, which made it SO MUCH EASIER. All i could think the entire time of how much worse it would have been if we would have been stuck with some difficult actress who wasn't so congenial.

So the idea was pretty much solidified 2 weeks before hand when we first came up with the idea, but it was really interesting how the storyline seemed to grow and develop more with not only the actress we were working with, but the added elements (props, lighting,etc.). The actress Delilah, is a youthful looking 35-year old woman, which wasn't exactly what we had in mind at first, but ended up working better. The tight space in the bathroom was difficult to maneuver in at times with three people and set lighting, but we managed to make it work! I really enjoyed this whole experience. I feel very comfortable working with the all the equipment and am looking forward to doing it again soon.

How To Do Your Do

Concept: Our aim is to draw attention to the comedy and absurdity in a simulation of "beauty."

Character: Gladys Faye Jones(1985), a young woman we meet in her home. She wears pink fuzzy slippers, a bathrobe, and she's an all around hot mess.

Prop List:
1) hairspray
2) combs
3) curling iron/rollers
4) pedestal
5) glitter
6) pink fuzzy slippers
7) bathrobe
8) fruit
9) pencil
10) other junk
11) makeup-brightly colored, dramatic stuff

Location: Bathroom at Marcella's Apt

Shot List:
1) Scene opens with Gladys waking up-we see her feet getting out of bed and slipping into the pink slippers.
2) Fuzzy slippers shuffle down the hall and into the bathroom.
3) Fuzzy slippers are shown as Gladys sits on toilet (granny panties).
4) Gladys gets up and stands in front of the mirror-this is when we first see Gladys' face (slow shot from feet up to face.)
5) Upon looking in the mirror, Gladys winces and looks distressed.
6) Then she looks at her vanity. The camera focuses on certain grooming items. Some of these items are random and insignificant but there are combs and a bottle of hairspray-essential to the development of the film.
7) Gladys gets an idea-this is apparent on her face-the scene is shot as if the mirror is the camera, looking at her.
8) We see Gladys' idea-a glorified image of hairspray on a golden pedestal.
9) Gladys then looks in the mirror with the hairspray and comb in both hands. The camera is behind her right shoulder, looking at her, looking in the mirror.
10) She then begins to mess with her ratty hair, pulling things out of the nest on her head: gum, pencils, condom, an old piece of fruit.
11) Gladys begins to brush her hair, occasionally finding more treasures in her locks.
12) Once brushed, she begins to tease her hair.
13) If hotcurlers available, she uses those and sits around reading a book. If not, she just curls her hair.
14) Back to combing and teasing.
15) Random glitter is thrown into the shot and Gladys is pleased. She continues to poof her hair and incorporate the glitter into her do.
16) Gladys picks up hairspray and a fog begins to grow around her.
17) Fog clears (lens should be fogged as well-with steam) and Gladys has a finished product. In addition to this, her makeup is somehow magically done.
18) Gladys smiles at herself awkwardly in the mirror and the scene cuts.

....iNSPIRATION

revised first assignment

Self Critique

1. When I'm Alone
2. Sense of my own personal place- the world i create in my bedroom
3. My initial intention was to focus in on certain parts of my personal space that revealed different aspects of myself. In this video i am specifically focusing on an environment where one feels completely comfortable, where there are no pressures to put yourself in any particular "place", other than your own. A place where you know where everything goes and you are in control of where it belongs.
I am concentrating on one's personal living space or bedroom. The way that people keep their environment reflects on who they are.
4.i wanted to expose my tendencies to be a slightly neurotic and indecisive dreamer. I waned to try to add relatable aspects, like getting dressed and collected items to connect with the audience. The things i have are not entirely for me, but partially for the public, for guests when they visit my room to elicit another idea of who i am, by the things i own.

5. Set in a sort of "fly on the wall" perspective, I open the film with my accordion playing because it is an important part of who i am, and it is a sound one may hear through the door before entering my room, so it was a very realistic element to draw the viewer into my environment. Then a series of shots of myself, intentionally unidentified, doing other habitual things. My hand lights an incense and slipping my feet into sandals. i find myself going back to certain things, playing accordion, then going to my closet trying to decide on clothing to wear, looking up at my walls. There are empty envelopes pasted on the wall, i start to look at certain ones, because they remind me of people and places. Being a nostalgic and slightly sentimental person, that is exactly why they are hung on my wall. I glance at my encyclopedias, the maps on my wall to elicit myself day dreaming and staring off into space. Then i light incense again to try and do something productive to pull myself out of my dream world. I try listening to records, looking into my trunk full of shoes to maybe pick out a different pair of shoes. Then once i start to feel lonesome i listen to a recording of my grandfather and grandmother's voices on a cassette tape to feel some sort of comfort. I glance at my bed, so's maybe to get in it and take a nap, but i restlessly pick up the accordion instead to play a song again. Then i return to bed. The second to last shot is of the dream catcher to symbolize sleep. I close with the lit incense still burning to leave the viewer with the idea that the cycles of my normal day are never ending.

6. I discovered that there were too many ideas competing throughout the piece. The theme was not cohesive enough to really even discuss any further.

7. The strengths are that the viewer does get a sense of a person being in a place, but the shaky camera work and other technical aspects of the piece are distracting. I have a lot of different ideas to draw from, which is helpful for future work. I think it was interesting having the accordion as the main character for the piece. The shot of the shoes was interesting and mysterious because it was difficult to decipher what it was exactly.

8. The piece overall is too staged. And my shots are too long and boring. I got suggestions to use the accordion music continuously throughout the piece, and to include more mundane objects to have a different kind of balance.

9. The alligator head was kitchy but could be used in a more effective way to maybe show the misconceptions or mass produced ideas of what society or people outside of the Louisiana culture think "Creole" is. It was tough maneuvering the laptop camera to shoot things in front of me. I need to distill this film and widdle it down, create more of a focus. i need to pay attention to my use of sound and rhythm, i need some structure throughout and continuity through all the shots.



712 words

statement on When I'm Alone

Emplacement is an extremely broad and compelling idea. In this video i am specifically focusing on an environment where one feels completely comfortable, where there are no pressures to put yourself in any particular "place", other than your own. A place where you know where everything goes and you are in control of where it belongs. And living in a world where we feel overwhelmed by the idea of emplacement and putting one's self or other's in a place or category to seek some sort of order, it is empowering to know that you have a level of control over your own surroundings.

I am concentrating on one's personal living space or bedroom. This space can reflect on their personality, tell about their cultural background, and what kind of people they are. The way that people keep their environment reflects on who they are. In my bedroom i know i am the empress of my domain, it is my kingdom, my sanctuary. It is where i can do no wrong. It is where i keep all my relics and clothing. Being a sentimental and nostalgic person i tend to hold onto things to preserve memories. i have a wall of envelopes collected over the years from dozens of different people in my life. I have maps of my favorite places that i've collected and cut up to create my own maps. I have drawings, records, masks and encyclopedias. i have my accordions and cameras that i've acquired. My room is for me to be free to do what i want in it, i change clothes, i cry, i sleep, i try to decide on which shoes to where, i listen to records, i play my instruments, and i dream there.

I intend to expose my tendencies to be a slightly neurotic and indecisive dreamer. I constantly find myself, going back to things and doing them over again, or drifting off and starting to do something else. I find comfort in looking at certain things in my room. My room is personal, but ready at all times to be public. The things i have are not entirely for me, but partially for the public, for guests when they visit my room to elicit another idea of who i am, by the things i own. Don't get me wrong, these things do not make me who i am, but certainly do contribute to my life through stories and memories.

When I'm Alone from Marcella Simien on Vimeo.

Free writer'n For Freud

1. Place? Freewrite in your blog or on paper a min of 5 minutes. If you use paper scan in and post to your blog.
What is freewriting? A writing technique where the author simply writes down whatever thought comes into mind.
Free Association is a psychoanalytical technique developed by Sigmund Freud based on the technique of free writing. Freud would analyze patient's thoughts and dreams by having patients speak freely, often rambling on, about any thoughts that would come to mind.

HERE GOES....


Honeycomb kindness
Every Sunday we sing
our spiritual
our cyclic ritual
You come on strong
for the first few bombs,
but now we ain't talkin bout nuthin
Straight trippin daddy-o,
Skit skat skiddaddle
I can sho nuff do that well,
damn good & gone well

I'm sick, not well

I'm just another Surreal Housewife of Memphis, TN
whatchu know bout me?
I Bissell while i twurk
I rebel from your southern Baptist boy Bible beatin needs
beatin meats
butcher'n shit
beatin meat
just for fun
on your mind i'll forever be
my southern pout, Creole broken French callin out your name
broken wench
oui oui!
mais oui!
may we
be re-introduced ?
maybe this could be prettier than it has become?

You told me how you wanted to draw me

Has it been five minutes of free writing yet?
Sheesh, i never looked at the clock in the first place.
exercise one, Digital Cinema: FAILED

F+

2. Look up the dictionary definition and etymology of the word place – respond to the information - blog further


Place: In a particular position or point in space. Used to refer to an area already identified. A particular point on a larger object or area. A building or area used for specified purpose or activity. A point in a book or other text reached by a reader at a particular time. A portion of space occupied by someone. A portion of space available or designated for someone. a vacancy or available position. the regular or proper position of something. somewhere where it is appropriate or prudent for someone to be or for something to occur. a chance to be accepted or to be of use. a person's rank or status. a right or priviledge resulting from someone's role or position. the role played by or importance attached to someone or something in a particular context. a position in a sequence, in particular. a position in a contest. the second position, esp. in a horse race. any of the first three or sometimes four positions in a race. the degree of priority given to somethinG. the position of a figure in a series indicated in decimal or similar notation, esp. one after the decimal point. a square or a short street. a country house with its grounds.



EACH OF THESE DEFINTIONS EVOKED SOME VERY CLEAR IMAGERY TO ME AS I TYPED EACH OF THESE SENTENCES.

->the position of a figure in a series indicated in decimal or similar notation, esp. one after the decimal point.- MRS. STEWART MY PRE-ALGEBRA TEACHER IN 8TH GRADE. APPLE PIES, SOUTHERN ACCENTS, DRAB COLORED SUITS.
->a square or a short street.- AN ANIMATED PHOTOGRAPH IN MY FRENCH BOOK IN 8TH GRADE. MUCH LIKE A "WHERE'S WALDO" ILLUSTRATION
->a country house with its grounds.- LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRARIE PAPER DOLLS FROM MY CHILDHOOD. ANN OF GREEN GABLES POP UP BOOK.
->A point in a book or other text reached by a reader at a particular time.- FIRST CHAPTER BOOK I EVER READ WAS THE BOXCAR CHILDREN...IT HAD A RED COLORED, PAPER BACK COVER, TORN EDGES, SOFT PAGES, LARGE FONT TYPE
->a vacancy or available position. A FILTHY MOTEL ON THE NORTHSIDE OF MY HOMETOWN, SEEDY, WHERE ALL THE PROSTITUTES GATHERED, POW WOW'D, TOOT TOOT'N HORNS, "PRETTY VACANT"- SEX PITOLS SONG, VACANCY- AIRPLANE BATHROOMS....


ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD PLACE:
NOUN:
O.E. "open space in a city, market place, square," from O.Fr. place, from M.L. placea "place, spot," from L. platea "courtyard, open space, broad street," from Gk. plateia (hodos) "broad (way)," fem. of platys "broad," from PIE *plat- "to spread" (cf. Skt. prathati "spreads out;" Hitt. palhi "broad;" Lith. platus "broad;" Ger. Fladen "flat cake;" O.Ir. lethan "broad"); extended variant form of base *pele- (see plane (1)). Replaced O.E. stow and stede. Wide application in English, covering meanings that in French require three words: place, lieu, and endroit. Cognate It. piazza and Sp. plaza retain more of the etymological sense. Broad sense of "material space, dimension of defined or indefinite extent" is from mid-13c. Sense of "position on some social scale" is from early 14c. Meaning "group of houses in a town" is from 1580s. Place-kick is from 1845, originally in rugby. All over the place "in disorder" is attested from 1923.

VERB:
1540s, from place (n.). In the horse racing sense of "to achieve a certain position" (usually in the top three finishers; in U.S., specifically second place) it is first attested 1924, from earlier meaning "to state the position of" (among the first three finishers), 1826. Related: Placed; placing. To take place "to happen, be accomplished" (mid-15c., earlier have place, late 14c.), translates Fr. avoir lieu.



3. Things to think about and respond to:
What is "a sense of place?" What does it mean to be a person in a place? How do people shape places, and how are they shaped by them? Can places be in our minds as well as etched in the physical landscape? Are our identities a kind of place, in and of themselves? Blog further

What is a sense of place?
- a feeling of being somewhere, belonging there, feeling a part of something, feeling incorporated, adhered, added, a position

What does it mean to be a person in a place?
- it means different things depending upon the environment one is from, currently in and wants to be. all those factor into how and why the person is who they are, why they identify with certain people, places and things. cultural background and customs effect peoples perspectives and are ultimately drawn to similar or "like" qualities in all aspects of their life because ultimately it is in our nature to seek comfort. and home is comfort and many different places, people and things can either evoke or BE home for you. It is entirely up to the person. you make it what you want.

How do people shape places, and how are they shaped by them?
- I think people connect to places by feelings, memories, nostalgia, and all the five senses. and i think that people make places what they are by building them, altering them and destroying them. we all contribute in obvious more literal ways and in less obvious, more ambiguous, abstract and even subtle ways that we are unaware of, because everyone is effected by things differently. It's finding that common thread and common idea that brings people together.
THE LITERAL WAYS WE SHAPE PLACES:
physically- destroy, litter, poison, walk on things, crush things, drop things, break things, cook things, swallow things neglect things, forget to water your plants, forget to wipe your feet on the rug before walking into your house, we leave things behind for people to find, we leave smells behind us sometimes
THE ABSTRACT WAYS WE SHAPE PLACES:
we look at things differently .....


Can places be in our minds as well as etched in the physical landscape?
-yes definitely

Are our identities a kind of place, in and of themselves?
- ABSOLUTELY. this is one of the greatest questions i've ever heard posed.... very thought provoking. I'm going to try to explore this more next time i sit down at the computer, for now, i've kind of worn my mind out a bit and i don't want to just keep typing mindless, garbage, psycho babble, feelin a lil disillusioned, ma peoples. do forgive me. signing off for now.

recited at house show extracted from "I Got Loaded" medley

Last night i got loaded
I said meet me on the self-helpless aisle at books-a-million
thanks-a-million!
Do you like my hair? i cut it
Do you like my voice? i cut you off
Pawing through the pages i find your autobiography
Do you wanna know what it's called?
it's called Love in the Time of Chlamydia
Yes that's it, not Love in the Time of Cholera
But Love in the Time of Chlamydia

Now all i can do with my Southern pout is spit out a farthing
leaning on one hip-ass joint scoliosis
my body- a crescent moon when i sigh
Before tonight only the sun had it's way with me
Darkening me
Much like you had your way with me darkening me
Much like i had my way with you too, darkening you

(then i went into Beyonce's "If I Were A Boy" en francais)

si j'étais garçon,
je pense que je pourrais comprendre,
comment il se sent pour aimer une fille,
je jure je serais un meilleur homme

If i were a boy,
I think i could understand
How it feels to love a girl,
I swear i'd be a better man

haven't figured a melody yet, or a title.... it feels really jumbled, i don't mind feedback

You and i stand where the east meets the west
i likes you the best, you likes me the best
and the stained words exchanged in the early morning night
are now spoiled and supine in our cradle of the day's light

This was never about love

You got pain in your eyes and whiskey on your breath
I could try to empathize but i ain't got no energy left
I got whiskey on my lips and panties on my hips
not a care in the world, i'm simply that kinda girl

High on romance'n when you took my hands'n
led me to your lips, that took me on this trip
now im left feeling stripped and sick

This was never about love

Queazy, ill, the turning in my insides
how can this sickness turn into satifaction so fast?
this all right there next to me
But everything i'll ever need is here inside of me, not in the person next to me

You start with that talk about the color of my eyes
I like your five o'clock shadow against my three o'clock thighs
and the way our eyes glaze over when we say our "Goodbyes"
Still smell the liquor on your lips from neck to hips
Now i can't detour this trip

This was never about love

Sometimes i feel we're both lose'n our mind
i say "look out above them lies you been hide'n behind"
Your passionate gaze, was once just a passing glance
We both got skeletons in our closets
if we gonna let 'em rattle, we might as well let 'em dance

This was never about love

We're both dizzy from our drinks
and your bright eyes now sink
into the depths of mine
Now look at where your armor lies,
not against your chest
but at your side

I'm bored ain't got no place to go 'cept follow you down this road
I'm afraid i'll lose track, end up feel'n trapped and never return back

This was never about love

It was like nothing i'd ever know, you're just a child and i'm full grown
These things change, while those stay the same
I mindlessly let you, this child, reign and have forgotten my name....

...someone tell me...
who's refereeing this game?
Equation left unsolved, do i even fit in this puzzle at all?

This was never about love

off the mark

May this year heal those who've been hinderd by their little mental wounds
heart on your sleeve, heart on my sleeve
No cufflinks could hold back this heart, no brain could change my mind
Resolution for the old years was to let it loose, this year's to reel it back in

Always Landing On Your Feet (artist statement April 2009)

Graceful, gliding, stepping, strutting women....The species that have the ability to carry themselves as delicate pieces of machinery. A work of art, masterpiece on stilts, a dynamic element of what looks like soft, fragile equipment. She’s fully equipped with a heart capable of loving, an organ able to birth human life, a magical entity in heels, climbing up through her entire journey of life, always on the ups, erecting, growing, progressing, and evolving up her “tree of life.” Its an aging, yet classic truth – the beauty and wonder of a woman’s grace. But don’t be fooled by the look of fragility. A woman is a strong, sturdy machine to boot. Heels like boots for climbing, kicking, and stomping like giants. But the kind of giants that are clever as cats, and like cats, always landing on their feet.(please enlarge or zoom in to view detail better)

stormy love

a frantic moment chanting under diamond light together

This ain't no poem, 'tis a perrrrum babay

"Look at my life!" you say "right here in Low Definition on my big screened plasma!"
give plasma for an extra buck, to buy ya them drugs

send back that money, cause you know you never SPEND it
send back them clothes, cause i know you never WEAR them
send back the runny nose, cause you know you never WIPE it
____________(fill in blank)____________________shIT

you wipe me out
sky diving backwards through my insides

"Look at my life right here on the table for all y'all to observe and make your judgements"

make your bets, you rookies
make your bids, you bookies
make your bed, you slut

This soulstice

I wrote him a "John, Dear" letter
after he plowed through "it"
on that witless, winter morning
I wrote it in my sleep

Jus befo ya broke ya back pelvic thrustin' 'cross zat flow
Girl, ya done had one too many red, plastic cups

This soul-stice was a good one to try it

Many moons have appeared and reappeared
since i last let my heart lead me
That sound of stimulation's
most desired, by design
Thanks a heap, Dame Nature!
I went to sleep early, so i could wake up late

I see beyond your pupil, further than your retina, your cornea's growing in my field
Got to talkin to the moon
inarticulate, understood clarity
You and I left with moonshine
on our tongues and our eyes

This solstice was a good one to try it

You weed me out, i lead you in
Lookin full these days, filling up
at the filling station i petrol myself
lighting up, gasing up, chaperoning
dans ma chapeau, of which i own
Chapeau-owning

Je suis
Je suis
malade, désolé
On va au cafe?
let's grease up our inards with that stuff

This solstice was a good one to try it

-"Look ma! No hands!"
on my own, that look of independence
-"Ce n'est pas grand chose"

-"Look ma! No bra!"
on my own, that look of independence
-"Ce n'est pas grand chose"

Je suis
Je suis
la chanteuse
i chant, rattle, ramble, and hum

This soulstice was a good one to try it