The PopArtDiva Boomer Blog

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

STUCK IN THE SIXTIES - Old Hippies Don't Pass Away, They Tye Die

Harold peaked as a political protester in college. He never quite understood the Sixties had come and gone. You know him, you've seen Harold or someone like him while you were out and about. If you notice him at all your first thought is probably, "wow, still stoned after all these years" or "OMG! Look at that hippie - I thought they were all dead!"

Harold is one of those poor, time challenged people who pine for "the good old days". He still smells like stale Maui Wowie smoke and patchouli, his closet consists mainly of tie dye from five decades of street vendor shopping, his home decor is reminiscent of Haight -Ashbury head shops and, yes, he still drives a VW and it's not one of the new, cute ones.

If people feel anything for Harold and his kind, it's probably pity. Maybe a bit of disdain is mixed in with the pity, maybe not, and they certainly don't envy him. But I wonder if maybe Harold might have the right idea. Is it possible he's found a way to be happy in an increasingly chaotic and unexpected life?

To Harold the world is still a place of peace, love and trail mix, not a landscape of tumbling economies, increasing stress and fear of the future. Harold ignored the future and stayed in a time and place where he felt safe, comfortable and at home. Harold's maybe not so pitiful after all.

I wonder what I did with my tie dye tees and hemp sandals?

PEACE & HANG IN THERE, BABY.

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Thursday, October 29, 2009

1975 Was a Very Sunshine Year - Doris Day, John Denver and a Sunshine Medley

This week's Old School Friday is Songs that Make Me Smile. I came across this clip from The Doris Day Show from 1975 - it's a duet between Doris Day and John Denver.

I know a lot of people never cared for John Denver but there was something about his music that I always loved - I miss him and his music. Pairing John Denver with Doris Day is almost a "Sunshine" overload but this medley of Sunshine songs does bring a smile to your lips - if only at the end when you watch those two skinny little tooshies dance away from the camera in a happy little jig.

The set and clothing are predictably yellow, full of flowers and very Doris Day-Girl Next Door. You can almost count the freckles on Day's face (if it wasn't for the famous Doris Day lens blur you probably could!) Denver is a mop headed Muppet of a hippie with his round glasses and blond Beatles hair. The pair are almost a "happy overload" but it's still amazing to see both these singers again almost 35 years later and remember when . . .

Yes, 1975 was a good year - the Baby Boom Generation was still young, our lives were ahead of us and we basked in the warmth of youth. Those were the days when there was no guilt heaped on us for laying out in a bathing suit, lathered in coconut oil and soaking up the rays while we listened to the latest John Denver tune or Beach Boys hit. Those were the days before the worries of the world came to rest on us, the days of Sunshine on our Shoulders.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

THIRTEEN FUN HALLOWEEN RESOURCES TO SPOOK UP THIS SATURDAY

It's no secret that Halloween is my favorite holiday of them all. I look forward to Halloween even more than Christmas, probably because on Halloween you get to get out of your own life for a few hours every October 31st. It's a chance to become anything you want to be.

Most of you know that I house several different online personalities inside the Pop Art Diva - including The Martini Diva (where I've been posting Halloween Martini Recipes all month), The Diva of Tiny Foods (where I've been posting Halloween Appetizer Recipes all month) and The Normal Challenged Artist (my multiple creativity alter ego). Halloween gives me an excuse to create a few more - just what I need right? Muhahahaha!

For those of my fellow Halloween Freaks out there I've compiled a list of great Halloween websites and resources to Trick up your Terrifying Thursday, Frighten up your Freaky Friday and Spook up your Scary Saturday this week:

http://www.halloween.com/ (a good general Halloween resource)
http://www.pumpkincarving101.com/ (tips for pumpkin carving)
http://www.365halloween.com/spooky/halloween-websites (a few more websites to check out)
http://www.hauntinggrounds.org/ (Guide to and info on haunted places)
http://www.halloween-web.com/halloween.htm (some fun Halloween stuff)
http://www.halloweenghoststories.com/ (ghost stories!)
http://www.halloweentips.com/ (Halloween tips)
http://www.halloweenfonts.com/ (Halloween fonts)
http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/music.htm (Halloween Sounds)
http://www.komar.org/halloween/music-sounds/ (Halloween Music)
http://www.all-about-halloween.com/free-halloween-music.html (Halloween TV & Movie Themes)
http://www.kidsmusic.co.uk/acatalog/Free_Halloween_Songs.html (Free Kids Halloween Music)
http://www.spookmaster.com/pumpkin-carving-patterns-freebies.htm (Free Jack O'Lantern Patterns)

And of course you don't want to miss my Halloween Martinis that I've posted all this month at The Martini Diva and my Halloween Recipes at The Diva of Tiny Foods!

From my younger self of a Halloween in the very distant past:

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Check out The POP ART DIVAS - Original Miniature Paintings by PopArtDiva
Prices for originals starting at $20!
Check out MY LATEST ART PROJECTS at my ART BLOG

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Friday, October 23, 2009

Goodbye White Fang, Black Tooth & Soupy Sales

SOUPY SALES

January 8, 1926 - October 22,2009

Milton Supman (professional name Milton Hines) - more famously known as Soupy Sales - has passed away at the age of 83.

Soupy Sales was a regular visitor to my house when I was a kid. My siblings and I watched his show all the time and I remember first hand some of the stunts he pulled that later became legend (and a bit infamous.) I loved White Fang, which was basically just a big white furry paw - you never saw the rest of White Fang - who threw pies at Soupy. Black Tooth was the same only black and female and she gave Soupy big wet kisses.

His most famous stunt was the time he told the kids in his audience to sneak into their parents bedroom, rummage through their wallets or pants, take out a dollar (which he described as, "funny green pieces of paper with pictures of U.S. Presidents") and mail it to him. He then told the kids that they would get a postcard from him from Puerto Rico for it. The dollars started rolling in, Soupy tried to explain to the angry parents complaining that it was a joke and the money would be donated to charity, but he was suspended from the show for two weeks. When kids started picketing Channel 5-WNEW it just served to increase Soupy's popularity.

Of course, we've all heard about the "topless dancer behind the door" stunt his crew pulled on him. Remember he would open a door on the set to reveal a celebrity guest or just an arm he would joke with? Well, to Soupy's surprise, his crew once positioned a topless dancer behind the door during the live broadcast (out of range of the show camera but covered with a few strategic balloons).

I didn't find out he had a Twitter account until I read the news of his death - I certainly would have followed him. One of his last tweets was, "Did you kids catch me at the Oscar ceremony last Sunday? Neither did security! KAPOW!" Typical Soupy humor.

Goodbye Soupy, thanks for all the laughs.

Lunch with Soupy, 1959: THE TOPLESS DANCER INCIDENT:

Soupy, White Fang & Pookie:

Soupy talks about those "green pieces of paper":

Read more about Soupy Sales at Wikipedia

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

THIRTEEN STUPID CLICHES - Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Thirteen Cliches That REALLY Irritate Me
Sorry, but it's been a really hard week and I'm madder than a hatter, grumpier than an injured mama bear and angrier than a hornet's nest.

(Please indulge me a bit this week in this rant. Yesterday I lost another very dear friend to the evil of cancer and I'm feeling a bit like life is cruel and unfair. My friend battled this disease so bravely for the last several years, always keeping her spirits up and even making plans to help others in the same situation.

Kathy was an extremely talented artisan, a great person to have as a friend and I am feeling the loss of her presence greatly today.)

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. B*ll Sh*t! Imitation is simply another person stealing from you because they are too boring or lazy to think for themselves.
A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned. A penny isn't even worth a penny in this world anymore and usually a penny earned is spent on rent or food before it will ever see a savings account.
When God closes a door he opens a window. Great - does he want me to jump out that window after he slammed the door in my face?
Money doesn't buy happiness. Believe me, not having money will not buy you happiness a lot faster!
Everything happens for a reason. Maybe - but if I die before I find out the reason what difference does it make? And just because there's a reason doesn't mean I have to like it any better!
No one buys the cow if they get the milk for free. Holy Crap, no one buys the cow these days anyway - with the divorce rate it's more like a short term lease. Oh, and I am not fond of being compared to a cow.
This hurts me more than it hurts you. You know, if you're hurting me I don't really care how you feel but if it does then GOOD!
God never gives you more than you can handle. Then why are there so many people babbling in rubber rooms?
Better late than never. Next time the ambulance gets to your house late while you're having a stroke or a heart attack I'll be happy to repeat that to you - unless you died before they get there.
Good things come to those who wait. Honestly, I don't have the patience for this.
Two heads are better than one. What? On a circus geek? And I'll bet they disagree with each other.
This too shall pass. Really? And what good does that do me NOW?
You'll Survive. Guess what, in the end none of us survive!

Whew. I feel so much better now.

Happy Thursday Thirteen

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

MEET THE POP ART DIVAS - Original Pop Art Paintings by Pop Art Diva

I have started painting "real world" again! For the last few years I've concentrated mostly on digital art such as my illustrations, product designs and graphics and I found myself missing the enjoyment of actually moving paint around with a brush.

I wanted to do something that I could paint in my somewhat limited spare time and decided to do a series of miniature original art works called The Pop Art Divas - a style of retro sixties style pop art cartooning that I love to do. I'm doing these as a series of women's faces with a kind of Cirque du Soleil inspiration.

Read more about them and what they are and how I create them at The Original Art of Pop Art Diva.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

13 SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN PARTY RECIPES

Halloween is just two weeks away so this week I'm posting my 13 favorite Halloween Recipes from The Martini Diva and The Diva of Tiny Foods - these are the cocktails and appetizers I would serve at my own Halloween Party:

The Slimy Eyeball Martini - How can you not love something you can stick an eyeball in for a garnish??
The Smashed Pumpkin Martini - this martini actually tastes like pumpkin pie!
The Nose Picker Martini - Yes, it's a really good tasting coconut, banana, melon martini but, guys, my favorite part is the name - be good little goblins and drink you boogers, LOL!
The Count's Bloodtini - This is a tomato based martini that really tastes good and it looks like you're drinking blood - perfect for the vampire lovers out there!
The Jack-O-Lantern Martini - This is one of my favorite martinis - all the rest of the year I call it the Orange Julius Martini but, hey, it's Halloween so toss in a Pumpkin Peep and get your ghoul on.
The Spider and Snake Martini - Come on, how can you not love a martini made with Blavod Black Vodka and garnished with gummy worms and spiders?
Mad Science Soup Tubes - This is such a fun food - it's basically cold gazpacho soup BUT the kicker is you serve it up in test tubes and display them in a bucket with dry ice - so fun and so tasty!
Nose Booger Pickers - Eeeuuww - such a gruesome name for simple grissini (skinny bread sticks) dipped in green colored cheese - they go great with the Nose Picker Martini!
Worms in Black Ooze - A gory name for a really delish black bean dip - the worms? chow mien noodles!!! Oh, this one is just fun!
Cheezy Finger Food - Yup, cheese molded into severed fingers, hope you're not queasy!
Eerie Eyeball Eats - These look like eyeballs but they're tasty mozzarella and olive appetizers.
Oh, Dem Bones, Dem Bones - Tender and tasty bone shaped bread sticks - great alone or for dipping with #13.
Slimy Green Goo - Spinach Dip, what else? Serve it up in a hollowed out gourd for added holiday flavor.