Ravaged Love

“She is like the tide, she comes and she goes, she runs to me as in this stupendous photographic image. In my poor and tormented youth, I had always dreamed of this woman. And now when this dream occasionally returns, I extend my arm and she is here… by my side. If you have not met or known her, you have lost much in life.”

- Richard Burton wrote that on the back of this photograph of Elizabeth Taylor running towards him.

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor never really fell out of love with each other. Taylor kept the last letter Burton ever wrote to her before his sudden death in 1984 by her bedside. Until today.

Elizabeth Taylor
27 February 1932 – 23 March 2011

The last day of March,

My darling Sleeping Child, I am oddly shy about you. I still regard you as an inviolate presence. You are as secret as the mysterious processes of the womb. I’m not being fancy…I have treated women, generally, very badly and used them as an exercise for my contempt - except in your case.

I have fought like a fool to treat you in the same way and failed. One of these days I will wake up - which I think I have done already - and realise to myself that I really do love. I find it very difficult to allow my whole life to rest on the existence of another creature. I find it equally difficult, because of my innate arrogance, to believe in the idea of love. There is no such thing, I say to myself.
There is lust, of course, and usage, and jealousy, and desire and spent powers, but no such thing as the idiocy of love. Who invented that concept? I have racked my shabby brains and can find no answer.

But when people die, those who are taken away from us can never come back. Never, never, never, never, never (Lear about Cordelia). We are such doomed fools. Unfortunately, we know it. So I have decided that, for a second or two, the precious potential of you in the next room is the only thing in the world worth living for. After your death there shall only be one other and that will be mine. Or I possibly think, vice versa.

Ravaged love,

And loving Rich

-Richard Burton in a letter to Elizabeth Taylor (1973)

An extraordinary woman. An extraordinary life. An extraordinary love. Elizabeth is finally with her Richard.

He was right. We are such doomed fools.

Second Guess Me

Image: Flikr

Isaac Newton discovered gravity.

Charles Darwin discovered evolution.

Albert Einstein discovered relativity of time.

_____?_____ discovered the universe is made of hydrogen.

Cecilia Payne made that revolutionary discovery in 1925. Her thesis, "Stellar Atmospheres, A Contribution to the Observational Study of High Temperature in the Reversing Layers of Stars," proved the Earth and stars were comprised of hydrogen.

We never question how we know the things we know. Science and textbook are upheld as absolute truth which, in my books make them most dangerous of all.

Payne's findings contradicted the accepted wisdom at the time and was challenged by Henry Norris Russell who argued the composition of the Sun differed from that of the Earth. Four years later more evidence emerged disproving Russell who is nonetheless often credited with Payne's discovery.

Conventional wisdom fails to acknowledge English-American astronomer Cecilia Payne, who is hardly recognized for, "undoubtedly the most brilliant Ph.D. thesis ever written in astronomy." -- Otto Struve

Make an effort to think about those things you never think to think about in your life. Take nothing for granted. Remember that all life is illusion based on perception. And misperception is the leading cause of conflict and error in the world. We lie to ourselves more often than we lie to others.

Ask questions - even to yourself. Second guess all of it. Cecilia Payne - a woman - discovered everything. Who knew?

Walk the Line

"What June did for me was post signs along the way, lift me up when I was weak, encourage me when I was discouraged, and love me when I felt alone and unlovable. She's the greatest woman I have ever known. Nobody else, except my mother, comes close."

- Johnny Cash on wife June Carter Cash

Johnny and June were married for 35 years. He walked the line for her burning ring of fire.

Johnny died less than 4 months after June. He couldn't live without her love. It doesn't get any more romantic than that.

The flame of great love burns. Burns, burns, burns.

Fall in love.

Egypt Cries Freedom

Egypt: Today is day 5 of the protests in what has become the largest uprising in three decades. You have to watch this...




Image: Totallycoolpix

Punk Rock

Image: Egypt Protests

Possibly the most punk rock moment of the century.

RESPECT to this anarchist in Egypt who hurled himself into a crowd of military riot police and was likely beaten and arrested for it.

This guy is Jesus. He did it for us. He did it for freedom. And he's a motherfucking God for it.

Join a revolution at least once. Give a damn about something. Protest anything. Fight for your freedom. Stand up for what you want.

Don't surrender to your boss. Never listen to your parents. Ignore your best friend. And fuck your boyfriend. They're all full of shit.

Be bad-ass. Be yourself. Live your life and to hell with the rest and consequence.

To Egypt: Power to the people. Fight the fight for your political freedom. Long live democracy.

To the Virgin Radio 106.9 host who quit this morning with a rebel yell: Fuck yeah! That was punk rock. Long live The Bear!

To You (you know who you are): You always loved my passion and admired my anarchy. I could be a pacifist and give you what you want, but I won't. I'm going to pay you back in kind and let you reap what you sow.

And to the rest of You: Know your rights. You've many. Always go out with a rebel yell.

A Gentleman's Goodbye

Image: Elizabethtown via The Always Gentleman

Reblogged from The Always Gentleman

How do you say goodbye?

I’m the type of person who just doesn’t let anyone in his life because I really hate seeing people walk away or just lose communication. I actually don’t do goodbyes, you’ll just realize that I’m not there anymore.

So I guess that’s just the way it will go. I just received some news concerning my health. It has reached to that point where I had to make some decisions. Haven’t slept for a day thinking of what to say.

So yeah like I said I really am crappy at goodbyes haha I’ll leave with what my grandfather told me before he died:

The word impossible should never exist in your life. Treat everyone with respect. Love only one girl and even through the bad times stay with each other, show her that your love is forever. Smile whatever you’re going through. Be well mannered and well dressed. Have Love and Hope in your heart, always.

Michael

For those of you who haven't been following... in a twist of fate, The Always Gentleman (Michael) survived a motorcycle crash a few weeks ago only to discover he was dying of cancer.

He is only 23 years old.

From his latest blog post, things are looking bleak. Michael hasn't much time left. And yet, even as he walks in the shadow of death, The Always Gentleman demonstrates more strength and courage than any man I've ever met - save one. The man is a marvel.

I send you love, Michael. Love.

... I miss you like crazy, Nanu. My grandfather was a brave soul. I am still in awe of him.

"So you failed. Alright you really failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You think I care about that? I do understand. You wanna be really great? Then have the courage to fail big and stick around. Make them wonder why you're still smiling."

- Kirsten Dunst, Elizabethtown

The Tide

Image: Devenirgris

“She is like the tide, she comes and she goes, she runs to me as in this stupendous photographic image. In my poor and tormented youth, I had always dreamed of this woman. And now when this dream occasionally returns, I extend my arm and she is here… by my side. If you have not met or known her, you have lost much in life.”

- Richard Burton wrote that on the back of this photograph of Elizabeth Taylor running towards him.

Smokin'

Image: Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Love that licks and crackles... Smokin' hot.

The Always Gentleman

Image: The Always Gentleman

Reblogged from: The Always Gentleman

This story touched me. I'm a fan of The Always Gentleman and I sent him a note and prayer. I hope you send him some of your love...

Hello

After a week of questions, encouragements and everything. I think its time to clearly tell you guys what I need to say.

January 6 I was riding my motorcycle and a car decided to overtake on the oncoming lane and collided with my bike. I was fortunate enough to be wearing my full gear. I left the accident without any grave external injury. The doctors still insisted that I get tests and scans done to see if I broke any bones or had internal bleeding. In the night of January 6, after the tests and scans, I arrived in the hospital with no major injuries but I was a 23 year old that walked out with cancer.

The doctors have been honest with me to say that the only reason they’re optimistic is that I am young and that they are willing to put me under severe treatment and higher dosage of medication to cure it but it will also come with the risk of killing me. Cancer is spreading at an alarming rate, it is a deceptive and deadly disease. I am doing my best in prevailing over it. Even so, we have to accept that this is a part of life that I have to face that’s why I said I may not be coming back. We now know the cause and its effect and the two different kinds of results that we can get.

Thank you for the encouragement, prayers and wishes of good health. Thank you for reaching out and supporting this stranger. I am forever grateful and humbled to what everyone has done for me and you are always in my thoughts and in my heart. The outcome may not be what we want it to be, but I already owe you all so much. You guys know who you are Thank you for that with all my heart.

- The Always Gentleman

What The Always Gentleman said when he found out he had cancer: "Fuck cancer."

Remarkable!

He seems so very brave. He reminds me of my grandfather. I've lost many family members to cancer and... it's not so easy to be brave. It's easy to feel defeated. But this man is no ordinary man. He is always the gentleman.

I hope his story becomes a blessing in disguise.

Epic Love

Image: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor

The last day of March,

My darling Sleeping Child, I am oddly shy about you. I still regard you as an inviolate presence. You are as secret as the mysterious processes of the womb. I’m not being fancy…I have treated women, generally, very badly and used them as an exercise for my contempt - except in your case.

I have fought like a fool to treat you in the same way and failed. One of these days I will wake up - which I think I have done already - and realise to myself that I really do love. I find it very difficult to allow my whole life to rest on the existence of another creature. I find it equally difficult, because of my innate arrogance, to believe in the idea of love. There is no such thing, I say to myself.
There is lust, of course, and usage, and jealousy, and desire and spent powers, but no such thing as the idiocy of love. Who invented that concept? I have racked my shabby brains and can find no answer.

But when people die, those who are taken away from us can never come back. Never, never, never, never, never (Lear about Cordelia). We are such doomed fools. Unfortunately, we know it. So I have decided that, for a second or two, the precious potential of you in the next room is the only thing in the world worth living for. After your death there shall only be one other and that will be mine. Or I possibly think, vice versa.

Ravaged love,

And loving Rich

-Richard Burton in a letter to Elizabeth Taylor (1973)

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor never really fell out of love with each other. To this day, Taylor keeps the last letter Burton ever wrote to her before his sudden death by her bedside.

Dance!

The Sonics



James Brown, Godfather of Soul.

Like Audrey Hepburn

Image: Audrey Hepburn by Bob Willoughby

Bob Willoughby's Audrey Hepburn. Photographs: 1953-1966 comes all wrapped up in vintage Tiffany blue. This limited edition book costs a whopping $700, but you can view the online version for free at Taschen.com.

I watched Breakfast at Tiffany's for the first time when I was 11.
And so began my affair with love.

I've been sick like Audrey Hepburn ever since.

Demimonde

Image: The Telegraph

I came across this article about a demimondaine who left her Parisian flat for the south of France before the Second World War and never returned.

70 years later, Mrs. de Florian's untouched apartment is an art collector's sleeping beauty fairy tale. But I'm far more fascinated by the extraordinary tale de Florian lived when she left the 9th arrondissement behind.

Time stood still. She didn't.

I am leaving my Westboro apartment behind this week to begin my own demimonde adventure.

God Save The Queen

Don't be told about what you want. Don't be told about what you need. There is no future for you in other people's dreams. Don't live your life at Her Majesty's pleasure. Be bold and be free enough to choose your own future. And God save the Queen.



At Her Majesty's pleasure is a term originating in the U.K. that is used to describe detainment in prison for an indefinite length of time. A judge may rule that a person be "detained at Her Majesty's pleasure" for serious offences.

Je t'aime... moi non plus

The year is 1969. Serge Gainsbourg meets Jane Birkin. The most passionate and creative marriage of all time ensues. He as mentor. She as muse. Together, so fucking beautiful. It really doesn't get any better than these two.

Je t'aime... moi non plus is the sexiest love song ever made. The duet was originally recorded with Gainsbourg's then-lover Brigitte Bardot who was unhappily married to German millionaire Gunter Sachs. Bardot went back to her husband who demanded Gainsbourg not release their recorded version. A broken hearted Gainsbourg complied. Later that same year, Gainsbourg met and fell in love with the love of his life, Jane Birkin who replaced Bardot in the re-recorded version.



The release of Je t'aime... moi non plus caused a wicked scandal. The song was denounced by the Vatican and banned for its salacious lyrics and ecstatic moans that are intended as an imaginary dialogue between two lovers during sex.

So what happens to the great love story? Well, Gainsbourg sweeps Birkin off her feet on an all-night whirlwind nightclub tour of Paris. Bardot and Sachs soon divorce. Gainsbourg and Birkin marry. They have a daughter, the remarkably talented Charlotte. Their love affair lasts 13 years until Birkin leaves Gainsbourg when pregnant with her daughter, Lou by film director Jacques Doillon, whom she later marries. Bardot's recording with Gainsbourg is released in 1980. Gainsbourg dies of a heart attack in 1991. Bardot remarries Barnard d'Ormale in 1992. Fin.

Spoken Word

Image: Howard Zinn, August 24, 1922 – January 27, 2010

The remarkable Howard Zinn died yesterday. Historian, political science professor, author and playwright, social rights and anti-war activist.

Howard Zinn was The Truth. He was Integrity. He was Authenticity. This is the man that dared to be left. He changed the way we understand history and view authority. The only war he believed in was the war against war. His far-reaching influence and the list of people he inspired is neverending... From Noam Chomsky and Bruce Springsteen to Ben Affleck and Bob Dylan.

One of Zinn's last writings was an essay, published last week in The Nation on the first year of the Obama administration. This is what he wrote:

"I've been searching hard for a highlight," adding that he wasn't disappointed because he never expected a lot from Obama. "I think people are dazzled by Obama's rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president — which means, in our time, a dangerous president — unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction."
- H. Zinn, 2010.

Long Live Zinnism.

Love can mean many things

Music video director Emmet Malloy's rock documentary, The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights, explores the unusual push/pull relationship between extrovert Jack White and introvert Meg White on their 10th anniversary 2007 Canadian tour.

From what I've seen, the cinematography is beautiful and the footage is intimate. Performance footage, backstage interviews, and vignettes portray the personal relationship of a divorced rock couple who once claimed to be siblings.

The film opened at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival and is scheduled to be released as a box-set with an accompanying live album on March 16, 2010.

Are they lovers? Are they friends? Or are they siblings? Love can mean many things. I think that's what this rockumentary is all about.

The Gypset

gypsey + jet set = gypset



Images: Julia Chaplin, Elle Magazine

I've always wanted to live like Hemingway. Or like Gainsbourg and Bardot. To live a glamorous bohemian existence that endlessly fascinates. (Lust!) But realistically, I've always lacked the cash flow. Until now. I've found a third way. It's called, the gypset.

For me, it began with the realisation that I didn't want to live a conventional suburban lifestyle. But the alternative also didn't appeal. I didn't want to live a hippy lifestyle of the commune variety either. I wanted something else. I realised what I wanted was to have style, not labels. (There is a difference). I wanted to live glamour, not buy it. I wanted a creative home, not a suburban house. I wanted technology and comfort, not trendy and tacky. I wanted to be part of society, but I wanted to escape it. I wanted authentic, not superficial. I have a nine-to-fiver, but I didn't want it to define my life. I wanted to wander. I wanted culture. I wanted to create. I wanted to experience. And most of all, I didn't want to have to compromise on any of this. Enter the gypsetters.

The gypset is a counterculture of wanderers that fuse the wild and unconventional ethos of a gypsy with the sophistication and speed of the jet set. They are the next generation of artists and creative types who want to contribute to society, but on their own terms. They are artisits, musicians, fashion designers, photographers, and bon vivants who favour a hard to reach high-low mix of people and culture that is off the beaten path. The gypset follow in the footsteps of the Victorian era adventuresses, the lost generation, the beatniks, and the hippies. (I told you it was glamorous!)

So I've been trying it. In the past few months I have been creatively mixing the gypset's high-low aesthetic in a way that is just flexible enough to work for me. (Think laid-back meets city girl glam). Since I'm not independently wealthy or a celebrity, I have had to make some concessions on the gypset lifestyle. (I will have to keep my day job for now). But I'm not alone. Working professionals around the world are changing their lifestyles to become gypsetters to varying degrees. (Just like me!) For me, this blog is part of it. My life plans for the next year are part of it. I am guilty of wanderlust. I live for art. I'm a gypsetter. Are you? Bon vivant!

"Money, the right clothes, and even location doesn't make you a gypsetter. Buying luxury and checking into a five-star is not itself glamourous. Gypset glamour is about turning a rooftop into a supercool compound by painting the walls fuchsia, and firing up some votive candles for light." - Julia Chaplin, freelance writer

Different

Images: Julian Casablancas

What I love the most about New York Mag's Julian Casablancas interview is the theme: Jules stuck at an impasse of knowing what he wants to do and what he feels like he has to do for other people. From his music to his lunch, he refuses to settle. It's down to earth relateable. He just is. Is what? Effortless cool. New York style. Raw talent. And he is such a Virgo!

I can't wait for the next Strokes album. But in the meantime I'm happy listening to his solo work off Phrazes for the Young. I like his rock-synth mix sound. It's different from everything else... Just like Jules.

Howl

Image: James Franco as Allen Ginsberg and Todd Rotondi as Jack Kerouac in the Ginsberg biopic Howl.

“America I’ve given you all and now I’m nothing.”-- Allen Ginsberg, America (1956)

Sometimes the rambling stream of my own counsciousness is the only thing that makes any sense. Ginsberg taught me that. I can't wait to see Howl!