Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Mr. Handsome

I just love this photo by Andif. Go, big fella, go!


AndiF said...

And in spring Mr. Handsome's thoughts turn to ... well you know. [LINK]

Morning all.

Jen said...

I have a nomination for YouTube video clip of the day because it has made me weep openly and repeatedly, in the good way: Ms. Susan Boyle singing "I Dreamed A Dream" on Britain's Got Talent.

This vid has been smoking around the 'net because Ms. Boyle has a truly stunning voice, and because the television franchise upon which she performed has a notorious reputation (on both sides of the pond) for using humiliation as a platform for large aspects of its entertainment (which is why I don't watch American Idol; humiliation makes my skin crawl). So when Ms. Boyle strode out on stage and engaged in a little pre-performance banter with the judges, there was a palpable expectation for her to fail spectacularly due to her average everyday looks and working class/slightly awkward social presentation. Which made it all the more delicious when she opened her mouth and immediately shook the entire audience and all three judges half out of their seats with a performance that would've made me buy her album immediately, if she had put one out yet. :)

AndiF said...

Jen, I'd seen that clip already and it is wonderful. I'd like to think that someone on that show was actually being subversive -- that they knew exactly the kind of reaction she would get and they were looking to show people they ways in which our prejudices cost us -- that there have been any number of Susan Boyles who never got their chance simply because of how they looked (I'm convinced that Patti Smith would never have a prayer of getting recorded today because all women musicians are required to be conventionally attractive). I loved watching the scorn and amusement turn to true shock and awe.

Jen said...

Andi, yeah I guess video has been trying to kill the radio star for a while now, huh. We'd likely never get Cass Eliott today, either, nor a list of other talented performers who were burdened merely by not occupying the ideal body type/personality presentation for their specific contexts.

I'd like to say my emotion over the subject is altruistic but I don't like to lie. You've met me offline and you know that I am both goofy-looking as well as socially awkward so it's all very personal to me. This is a large part of why I dread publishing and am coming to it so late; if I succeed in getting myself into even a small spotlight, people are going to be horrible to me, there is no way around that, there is only working until I am as good at writing as Susan Boyle is at singing, and trying to rise above it.

Lisa M said...

Thanks Jen, I needed a lift and that was a great one!!

Andi, Cue the music. I'm hearing...what is it? Captain and Tennille. Yes, that's it Muscrat Susie and Muscrat Sam getting plenty of Muscrat Love.

Anybody got lyrics for our tortoise love?

Wonderful Weds. To All

AndiF said...

Jen, we will have to disagree. I found you very attractive and absolutely charming and came away with my big blog crush thoroughly replicated IRL.

Lisa, since I don't want to even think about muskrat love for a nanosecond, you forced me to find some sort of replacement. So ....

Maria Lima said...

Hi, Peeps! Grey, icky rainy day.

Jen, I saw that clip and was extremely proud of Susan Boyle for being exactly who she is and knocking their socks off. I dislike the humiliation factor of these types of shows. I don't know if you remember a similar one a couple of years back - a roundish Welsh man blowing them all away with his operatic voice. Also brilliant.

In a bit of a funk today, a longtime friend from mystery community, Sandy Kurman, suffered a fatal heart attack in Shangai on her post-retirement trip. I'd known her for about 10 years - she was one of the first people I met at a mystery convention.

Life is too damned short, y'all.

::gives each and every one of you a ginormous hug::

You are all gorgeous winners to me.

Beth said...

I saw that video the other day and cried, too. Way too much emphasis placed on the perfect look in our society these days...I hope she's wildly successful. And I saw the Welsh singer, Maria - interesting that they both were from the British show, not the US one.

Early-morning sun shining on the river outside my window. Getting ready to take the boys to school, then pick up a new rescue horse. My twin leads a much busier life than I do!

I'm so sorry about your friend, Maria. It's too true - life is too short. Savor each second. Big hug back.

Off to the ranch. Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

Jen said...

Maria, I am so very sorry for your loss.

FARfetched said...

Mrs. Fetched and DoubleRed saw the vid on TV yesterday evening (rerun?) & were talking about it at supper. I guess that's what they were shouting about.

Daughter Dearest and Sasquatch brought home a guy very similar to Mr. Handsome over the weekend, and painstakingly constructed him a habitat with a 30-gallon fish tank and some other goodies. He spends most of his day either floating or paddling around in the water. According to some info Sasquatch looked up, we should put a goldfish in there so he can get some exercise… but he seems to get all the exercise he wants. I'm not sure why they named him "Trevor," but at least they talked themselves out of "Donatello." :-P

Jen, don't sell yourself short… get yerself published and worry about the rest later. If Nancy (and Kimber, and Maria, and Kelly) are any indication, you'll mostly be dealing with small friendly groups. From my own experience in church, once you've stood up in front of people a few times you'll wonder what the big deal was. As for goofy-looking, I don't think that's going to hurt you much. Hell, Stephen King is goofy-looking, and look where he is.

Kelly McCullough said...

Very nice pic!

Jen, humiliation makes my skin crawl exactly this. Which is why there are a whole bunch of films and shows that people are baffled that I can't watch and why I really don't like April Fools day.

Maria, big old hugs and much sympathy {{{Maria}}}

Plus friendly waves and big smiles for everybody else.

Kelly McCullough said...

Oh, and Jen, what FarF said. The publicity part of the deal is wholly manageable in a number of different ways, including not doing any of it, which works for several writers I know.

Jen said...

Thanks for the support, y'all are great.

including not doing any of it, which worksKelly, as I feel more confident about the quality of what I'm producing, it is increasingly likely that I will attempt to go the JD Salinger route if I can make it work. My monogram is already 2/3 there; I'm also JD. ;)

maryb said...

Maria I am so sorry for your loss. Life certainly can throw a curve ball can't it?

Jen - I'm with Andi, when I met you I thought you were attractive, poised, articulate and and all- around fun person to know. I think you'd come across great in an interview. But I completely understand your whole antipathy towards the idea of doing publicity.

Lisa M said...

Hugs to Maria and Jen.
One for loss and the other for confidence.

JD--I'd add a G, Jen--Just Damn Great. BTW looks are overrated. Some of the biggest jerks I've met over the years were very good looking. It was like they felt like their looks excused their horrid behavior.

Andi--Major laugh about Yertle the Turtle. I figured that nasty love song I mentioned would raise somebody's hackles.

Maria, we must often be reminded to enjoy today, this moment.
Nice to remember someone that inspired you and sorry to see her gone.

Beth--Horse rescue--now that sounds interesting.
Enjoy Twin Time.

Waves to MaryB, Kelly and Farf (and others to come)

AndiF said...

Maria, I'm sorry about your friend. Losing goods friends is as painful as losing family members. A long-time friend died earlier this year and I still don't quite believe it.

Nancy P said...

Oh, Maria. I'm so sorry.

Beth said...

I'm with you, Kelly. I think making fun of people, belitting them, making them look foolish, is just awful. I'm disgusted with so many of those TV shows. See why I stick to sports?

Lisa, many of her rescued horses are from Texas, believe it or not. Way too many people in the world abusing animals - luckily there are folks like my twin who rescue them, nourish them, love them, and teach them that people don't always mean pain.

Lisa M said...

Beth--Texas has plenty of fools that buy things they can't or won't take care of. Sorry that it has to be animals. There was a lion rescued a few weeks ago.
Horses are an expensive critter and in this economy it's more likely to be left without food and not taken proper care of.
Lucky horses that find their way to your twin.