Chillaxing Gif of the Day. . .

It's a 1980s paradise.

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Chillaxing Gif of the Day. . .

You ready to activate all of your chakras? Check out this colorful and chillaxing mandala.

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Self-care. .

I hope you take a page from our feline friends and indulge in some self-care this weekend.

Go get a massage or massage yourself (happy ending optional); paint your toenails or lie by the pool; read a book for pleasure or cook something healthy and tasty;  go to the gym or the beach or buy something you want and need.

Whatever you do to unwind, remember that your body and mind and soul have all been working in concert to keep you alive and help you thrive. And that, my friends, is remarkable.

Song of the Day: "Walking Barefoot" by Ash

Here is a lovely love song, perfect for the summertime. It's "Walking Barefoot" by Ash.

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The cutest bug in the world award goes to. . .

the Rosy Maple Moth. It has the coloring of a strawberry banana flip, is super fuzzy-wuzzy  and, while its staring at you, is clearly neither intending to bite you nor to judge you.

I think it might be wondering if there's some way you can be shrunk to just the right size, so it can take you on a magical ride to the land of kawaii.

Yes, please!

Song of the Day: "Unsatisfied" by The Replacements

I've been on a the Replacements kick. Could a band be any more elegiac? Currently savoring, albeit moodily, the song "Unsatisfied."

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Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

Let go of all of your tension.

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Heading for the homestead.

Heading for the homestead
Aching for the bedstead
Radio’s preaching ‘bout
Eating off God’s bread

But you ain’t heard
A word he’s said
Too busy talking ‘bout
Nascar point-spread

Which cowboy
Gonna bust his head
And which cowboy
Got rodeo street cred

And I ain’t heard
A word you’ve said
I need some time
To rest my head

It’s a two-state cheapskate
Double-header
I’m running my life
Through a paper shredder

The view’s real pretty
When you quiet down
I bet they got a name
If you ask around

For the times when the same wind
Blowing my hair
Makes the clouds so thin
They’re hardly there

I like this drive
You like it, too
I like the feeling
Sitting next to you

—Sarah Torribio

Song of the Day: "Punks in a Disco Bar" by Beach Slang

I'm spamming you with songs today, but I've had time to play with my favorite social media outlet to do with music and have had good music in my earphones and on my mind.

I've got a brand-new favorite tune. It's "Punks in a Disco Bar" by Beach Slang. Its sound and ethos are reminiscent of The Replacements song "Bastards of Young."

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Song of the Day: "wow" by Beck

"Wow" by Beck is one of his coolest singles ever, and that's saying a lot.

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I love the layered vocals of The Naked and Famous. Here's their "Higher."

Song of the Day: "One Hundred Stories" by Alkaline Trio

"One Hundred Stories" by Alkaline Trio is my Song of the Day. The band touches on lots of dark matter but is irresistible.

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Gratuitous cute cat photo of the day. . .

Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

I am so ready to swim in, and potentially live in, this building. A chillaxing gif courtesy of Kevin Burg and Jamie Beck of Cinemagraphs.com.

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Progress continues apace. . .

Progress continues apace on my kitchen garden. I will update my progress when it's far more fabulous and soon be blogging on my bead gardland, pipe cleaner/chicken trellis weaving and rock-painting projects.

Etsy Shopping Find of the Day. . .

How cool is this? A double-plate light switch cover made from an old wafers tin.

I love the color and the beautiful design. Such care was taken on household products back in the day. It's $34 from the TinCanSally shop on Etsy.

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Eye Candy of the Day. . .

A photo of 21-year-old Theodore Roosevelt from the My Daguerrotype Boyfriend site on tumblr.

Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

You are getting very hungry.

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Song of the Day: "Mediate" by INXS

Sometimes I forget how very cool INXS was. Here's their "Mediate."

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Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

Chill out to this Cinemegraph created by Superwhite!

Eye Candy of the Day. . .

Doesn't Jeff Goldblum look absolutely elegant in this pic?

Song of the Day: "Hard Times" by Patrick Wolf

The drama and musicality of Patrick Wolf is unbelievable. Here is his video for "Hard Times."

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I so need this. . .

Writing Tip of the Day. . .

Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

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Deep Thought of the Day. . .

Me with my girlfriends. . .

Chillaxing Gif of the Day. . .

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Song of the Day: "The Veldt" by Deadmau5

"The Veldt" by Deadmau5. Pretty song referring to a creepy short story by Ray Bradbury.

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Body Positive Moment of the Day. . .

Song of the Day: "The Wind" by Cat Stevens

"The Wind" by Cat Stevens is so lovely, and adds a touch of grace to the "Rushmore" soundtrack, compiled by Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo fame.

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Imagine. . .

Can you imagine what if feels like to be Bill O'Reilly? The sheer power of knowing he is right and others are wrong. It's almost magesterial.

Bite-sized Autobiography: "No white home"

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The first time I learned that Mexican people weren't considered white was when I was in third or fourth grade.

 I used the word "puta"—which in Spanish means prostitute, in polite terms—around one of my sister's friends. My sister Andrea and her friend, who was named Lucy, were two years older. Lucy turned to me and asked, "Where did you hear that word?'

To tell you the truth, I don't know where I first heard that word. Perhaps growing up in West Covina, which had a good-sized Hispanic population, it was inevitable. 

Feeling caught, I felt compelled to provide an answer. "It was written on the bathroom wall," I fibbed.  

"What bathroom wall?" Lucy demanded. She was Mexican. She was also one of those kids who is somehow an adult at age 11.

 I was digging myself into a hole. 

"At a park," I said, or something like that. 

Her sage reply spoke volumes: "I know you didn't find that written on the bathroom wall of no white home."

—Sarah Torribio

Writing quote of the day. . .

By me this time:

"A writer's job isn't to be a camera. A writer's job is to be a darkroom." —Sarah Torribio

Song of the Day: "Perfectly Aligned" by Milo Green

"Perfectly Aligned" by Milo Green is rhapsodically melodic.

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#Lifegoals

I'm saving money because I want to become part of the tiny house trend.

Writing quote of the day. . .

“Good writing is remembering detail. Most people want to forget. Don't forget things that were painful or embarrassing or silly. Turn them into a story that tells the truth.” 

—Paula Danziger

Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

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Quote of the Day. . .

Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

Anime fireflies and a sprite-like little girl. Now that's chillaxing.

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Gratuitous Cat Photo of the Day. . .

Song of the Day: "Shut Up Kiss Me" by Angel Olsen

"Shut Up Kiss Me" by Angel Olsen is the bomb. It is my jam for the day, no doubt about it.

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Epigram of the Day: "Hooked on Feline" by Sarah Torribio

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Song of the Day: "Veranda" by Cillie Barns (RAC remix)

I love the RAC remix of "Veranda." by Cillie Barns.

It's about that moment when—oops—you fall in love with your boyfriend's best friend: "If you'll just tell me what I gotta do/To get next to him standing next to you/What's a girl gonna do?"

It's a perfect summer tune.

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Epigram of the Day: "Facebook friends" by Sarah Torribio

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Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

Cinemagraph courtesy of From Me To You












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Happy 109th birthday, Frida Kahlo

What an affecting video, posted by Hint Fashion Magazine—taking us into the past and into the life of an extraordinary woman. Everything she touched she made vibrant with color.

Happy Birthday, Frida Kahlo. You make me proud, astrologically speaking, to  be a Cancer.

New word poem: "Stelliferous

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Chillaxing gif of the day. .

This chillaxing gif actually has a bit of a back story. It was created in 2007 by Abby Brown of the Torrey Pines High School MathematiClub. Way to go, Abby!

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Song of the Day: "Luna" by Bombay Bicycle Club

I think everyone's head hurts today from all the bad news in America and the world. I have discovered that "Luna" by Bombay Bicycle Club is particularly soothing for the HSP (highly sensitive person) nearing overload. Great band.

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Gratuitous Cat Photo of the Day

Everyone who thinks they know the way toilet paper should be displayed is all wrong.

Party Game of the Day. . .

I've invented a new ice-breaking party game. It's called "Rap name, clown name, military title."

FRIEND: "Think fast: rap name, clown name, military title."

ME: "Big Struggles, Lady Haha, Major Lee Pissed."

Okay, blogosphere homies. Your turn.

Song of the Day: "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

"Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is a remarkable rock song. Karen O is gorgeous and amazing. Wow! Wow. Wow.

*An interesting tidbit. I just learned she is half-Polish and half-Korean and was born in South Korea.

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Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

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Laugh of the Day. . .

This comedy video by Key & Peele has made me laugh each of the five times I've watched it in the last two days!

Song of the Day: "Sweet Jane" by the Cowboy Junkies

Oh, the languorous beauty of "Sweet Jane" by The Cowboy Junkies, a cover and yet a radical departure Lou Reed's version.

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Gratuitous Cat Photo of the Day. . .

Epigram of the day: "The artist" by Sarah Torribio

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Chillaxing gif of the day. . .

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Song of the Day: "Call It What You Want" by Foster the People

Please be patient with me if my song of the day preferences seem heavy on Foster the People lately.

It's just that the genius of Mark Foster—whom I had the pleasure of seeing in concert about a year-and-a-half-ago—is newly emphasized to me with every listen.

His music is funky, weird, witty and, on occasion, profound and beautiful. It's a true electronic wall of noise that, I sense, will forever sound futuristic. And FTP's videos are always interesting, albeit with moments that (spoiler alert) can be shocking or disturbing.

If you were wondering, Mark Foster is a Pisces. I have a habit of figuring out the astrological signs of everyone I admire.

I give you "Call It What You Want" by Foster the People."

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You go, Rose McGowan!

Wow! Rose McGowan has penned a letter defending Renee Zellweger, who has been cruelly skewered for her appearance in recent years. 

Who knew she was such a bad-ass? 

And her point is well-taken. Actresses are constantly put in a damned-if-they-do, damned-if-they-don't position, criticized for aging gracefully or for taking measures to fight the aging process. 

The new cry in the tabloid news—which, as the lowbrow individual I am, I follow—is that so-and-so is "unrecognizable." 

Recognize this: We all change with time and even from year to year. 

I am fond of a phrase Jane Austin sometimes uses regarding one of her heroines who, in Edwardian times, was considered a spinster, i.e. past 25 and unmarried. 

The woman—whose spirits and physical glow have been dampened by disappointment and time—has a "second bloom." She moves again to the height of beauty and health. 

It happened to every woman's favorite protagonist Elizabeth Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice," a story on which "Bridget Jones Diary" is loosely based. Proximity to fresh air and the excitement of matching wits with Mr. Darcy put some color in her cheeks. 

With 42 looming, I'm ready for what I figure will be my seventh bloom! Here's to me looking recognizably unrecognizable.

Rose McGowan Pens Response to Critic of Renee Zellweger's Face: "Vile, Damaging, Stupid and Cruel" (Guest Column)

On June 30, Variety published a column by its new film critic Owen Gleiberman titled "Renee Zellweger: If She No Longer Looks Like Herself Has She Become a Different Actress?" The critical piece offered Gleiberman's take on plastic surgery in Hollywood, an issue he wrote about after watching a trailer for Zellweger's new film, Bridget Jones's Baby.

Chillaxing gif of the Day. . .

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Chillaxing Gif of the Day. . .

Dig on this mesmerizing gif by David Pope!

Song of the Day: "Not Fade Away" by Buddy Holly

My mind is a radio station with little concern for genre. Right now, it's tuned to "Not Fade Away" by Buddy Holly.

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Song of the Day: "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles

This song, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles—which was the first video ever played on MTV, I'm told—is special. I

t came out in 1979, so it as a truly pioneering composition—mixing the technophobia of a Gary Numan with the new romanticism of, oh let's say, Thomas Dolby's "Europa and The Pirate Twins." Listen to the lyrics sometime. It's one of the most plot-heavy songs ever.

Back to "Video Killed the Radio Star":
I can't help but sing along, first to the verses as sung by lead vocalist Trevor Horn, a mixture of computer-age robotic and wistful: "I heard you on the wireless back in '52/Lying awake intent at tuning in on you/If I was young that didn't stop you coming through."

Cue a trio of female back-up singers providing a hiccuping, yodeling, Betty Boop-ish exclamation that says nothing and everything simultaneously: "Oh, a Oh."

The chorus is delicious, with those dulcet female voices giving a post-mortem of the golden age of radio. As it turns out, and as the song indicates, it's video that killed the radio star.

And then there's the best part. You might want to take out some of the bad-tasting over-the-counter vocal spray that smooths the throat of someone who is beleaguered by touring or by overdoing thei Harvey Fierstein impersonation. Because you will need to lift your voice like an angel, with a vibrato for wings, as you sing that upward lilting affirmation: "You are/the radio sta-a-a-a-a-a-a-r."

What's not to like? There's a reason this song is a classic.

You may remember that the novelty band The Presidents of the United States covered this song many years later. The rendition was pretty faithful but the soul was sucked out of the song. It neither adds to or detracts from the legacy of the Buggles original.

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True Confession of the Day. . .

Sometimes I take pleasure in purging "basic bitches" from my Pinterest feed. Sometimes I'll just unfollow one un inspired and boring and culturally-indoctrinated board. Other times I'll unfollow the poster altogether.

I know it's mean-girl talk. And so my true confession of the day is that I have a little mean girl in me. And maybe a lot.

*Also, it is entirely possible that someone has taken in pleasure in purging me from their Pinterest feed.