Betty's Pub 20.1
Main Menu => Old inactive posts. => Topic started by: andyg0404 on December 24, 2016, 05:53:23 PM
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
I’ve had a busy day filled with minutiae. The morning was fairly nasty with rain but it ended around Noon and the sun came out which is pleasant. I’m grateful there was no snow today and none in the forecast for tomorrow as I will be heading down to the Jersey shore to spend Xmas with my friends. The Shop-Rite opens at 7AM and I am usually there around 7:20 AM. I go early to avoid the crowds. Sometimes this isn’t as helpful as you would like as there may be fewer shoppers but there may also only be one cash register open but generally I’m happy to be there when the store isn’t crowded. This morning it was considerably busier with far more cars in the parking lot than usual when I arrived. Consequently I got a late start into the City, missing the early bus I sought to catch. To add to my crankiness when I got back home I discovered that I had somehow lost my pedometer. I’m fairly confident I lost it at the bus stop this morning, I had it in an inner pocket and after I took it out to check the time I’m guessing it fell to the ground when I thought it was going into my pocket. I feel lost without it. I did a lot of walking today but have no idea what the total is. I will buy myself one later tonight.
I went into the City today not to see great art but to clear out my desk as this will be my last week with the Company. Remarkable the things that accumulate in the office over 17 years. When I left I had several bags and must have looked like a homeless person carting my belongings around. With Xmas tomorrow today is my day to bake which I have done. But I got started late so I’m currently waiting for my cake to finish baking so as to make my dinner which will be an hour later than usual for me. Hate to have my routine disrupted. Earlier I made the cinnamon almond sugar cookies and the cake in the oven is the Jewish Apple cake, a favorite of mine.
With only four more days of employment I confess to being both excited and nervous. It’s a little daunting giving up a steady paycheck but I’ve always been frugal and not one to spend money on frivolous things and I’m fairly confident I will be ok financially. And I am definitely ready to relax. I’m hoping my sleep patterns evolve; I’m also hoping my stress levels go down when I don’t have to think about the Company. Currently I go to bed around 9PM and usually wake up at 12AM or 2AM and have trouble falling back to sleep. I usually get out of bed around 4:15 AM and start my morning routine. When I am retired there will certainly be no reason to rise that early and I’m really hoping that I am able to sleep in until at 7AM. This will be a process but I’m sure I will fall into a new routine. The last time I was completely idle was in my early 20’s when I was on unemployment for about a year. Spent a lot of the time stoned on the couch listening to music and watching television. I expect to do the same except for the stoned part. I haven’t gotten high in about 35 years. I’ve never been much of a drinker either, had no real taste for alcohol or beer. The only alcoholic drink I thought pleasant was a Tom Collins and it’s probably equally as long since I had one of those. I did go to the local tavern every day for happy hour but that was because it was where my roommates and I hung out. 20 cent beers and free cheese and crackers. Am I dating myself?
I want to direct you all to two videos I found recently. I fell into this bizarre relic of a Frank Zappa appearance on the Steve Allen show from 1963. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MewcnFl_6Y It’s a very different looking Frank Zappa, but if you saw Andy G in 1963 I would look very different as well. I was fond of Steve Allen for many years until he reached a fairly advanced age and pretty much became a crank which really disappointed me. He was very funny and very talented and this clip is from his late night program that I used to watch on Channel 11, WPIX, when I lived in the Bronx. It started at 10:30 PM, as I remember, taking a jump on Johnny Carson which started at 11:30. The early starting time allowed me to see a good portion of it before my Mother would come in and tell me it was time for bed. When Carson took over the Tonight Show from Jack Paar it was an hour and forty five minutes long. The first 15 minutes were only shown in New York. After the first 15 minutes California signed in and the show started again. Over the 30 years Carson had the program he always battled about reducing his air time and getting vacation. The first compromise he worked out was that Ed McMahon would do the first 15 minutes and then Carson would start the show only once, at 11:30 PM. This worked until Carson resented the fact that McMahon was getting laughs so the NBC executives just did away with the first 15 minutes and it became a 90 minute show. Somewhere along the line it was subsequently reduced to an hour. I watched it a lot when I was a kid but then fell completely out of it. But when he announced his retirement I made a point of taping his last four shows which I expect to finally watch now that I am retiring. Assuming the videotapes still play. Yesterday I ordered a batch of videotapes from EBAY so I can do a little time shifting with my friends at TCM where I expect to spend a lot of time. My co-worker teased me about still having a VCR but I don’t care, as long it works is my motto. I should probably invest in a big flat screen television but the TV I have works perfectly fine. It’s just that it’s a tube TV and probably weighs 100 pounds so I am physically unable to move it from the top of the cabinet where it rests. The cabinet is a 1950’s television with the picture tube removed, something my Father did for my Grandmother so as to use it to store her good dishes. It’s been my television base for the last 40 years.
The second video I read about in the current issue of the Smithsonian. http://okgo.net/2016/02/11/upside-down-inside-out/ This is a link to the article which explains how it was made. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/ingenuity-ok-go-visual-arts-anti-gravity-180961102/ It’s only three minutes long and exhilarating.
And now let’s see what the Flickrs show on this first Flickr of the Winter.
Happy Holidays everybody!
Andy G.
Crossdresser ball
https://www.flickr.com/photos/maryanncd/29991711404/
Lucille emerges. ARCHIVE
https://www.flickr.com/photos/38745560%40N07/30187682173/
103H6L
https://www.flickr.com/photos/klarissakrass/30319338801/
2016 Mr. Easern Pageant
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eosc/30617871930/
Cute Monotone Girl_02
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mika_ayukawa/30776844405/
Skater
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanied/8502307055/
Wedding train**
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26002939%40N04/12325863963/
照片 141
https://www.flickr.com/photos/yammy_chow/29152606652/
MIA-12
https://www.flickr.com/photos/56258220%40N02/8703094112/
Krakow, Poland
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mayuko_vienna/28284270143/
One of my usual poses
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
Well, as of 4PM yesterday afternoon I am officially retired. After my long anxiety about it it’s hard to believe it’s actually here. Of course nothing has changed yet, my Saturday routine was the same as will be my Sunday routine. And with Monday being a Holiday I think the first week or two is going to be like being on vacation. Except it will be, hopefully a remarkably long vacation. As I’ve mentioned a number of times I’m hoping I can change my sleeping patterns, mainly staying asleep for longer periods at night. And while I expect to continue to be a morning person I hope that I will be a morning person who wakes up around 7AM each day rather than one who wakes up at 3:30 or 4AM.
Whenever I start to speak about retirement and mention Social Security I always start to say unemployment before I correct myself. They’re basically the same except the benefits don’t run out. Of course with the next administration that may not always be the case. I’ve been busier the last three weeks training my replacement than I normally was when just doing my job. My reading time diminished so I look forward to getting that back up previous levels and certainly going beyond. I’m ready to start watching television again, whether on the TV or on Youtube. I ordered videotapes from EBAY. I expect to have a long term relationship with Turner Classic Movies.
I was physically in the office on Monday and on Monday morning when I stepped off the elevator I was very surprised and very pleased to see my pedometer sitting on the floor in the hall next to our Wall Street Journal. Apparently my memory of the last time I had it was faulty if you remember me talking about it last week. And I was able to cancel the order I placed for its replacement so it was a good thing on all counts. On my last day of work I sent emails announcing my retirement to people I had been dealing with for many years and I was gratified to receive a number of nice responses from them wishing me well. I had a nice chat with my boss and with my co-worker and I’m pleased we’re parting on good terms. I hope to stay in touch with both of them and I think I will. My co-worker is married with two small boys and he said he’d like me to come over some Sunday for lunch to meet his family and we had often discussed them and I said I would love to do so and I look forward to it. Should be no problem scheduling it on my end, my calendar is very clear going forward. It seems a little odd not to be checking office emails and looking for items of interest to send out in news emails but as time goes by I assume that will go away. But I’ve always been someone who when they saw an article that I thought would interest one of my friends, either in the newspaper or online, would copy it and send it along in an email and I will continue to do that with the people at my former Company.
Today being Saturday I wanted to see some art and I thought I might like to see the Francis Picabia exhibit at MOMA. Picabia is an early 20th Century artist who wandered back and forth between abstract art and figurative painting. I checked the hours on the site and was pleased that this week the museum opens at 9:30AM instead of 10:30AM. I went into the City early and got there about 9:15AM. I was also pleased that there was no line for entry to the museum and I didn’t have to wait outside. I walked in and again there was no line so I went up to buy my ticket. I paid and the young woman said the café was open but the galleries didn’t open until 9:30AM. I asked what floor the exhibit was on and the young lady said six. Then she told me that it was only open to members until 10:30AM. I told her I had come specifically to see it and asked for my money back. She said, you don’t want to wait, and I said no. So she gave me my money back and I left. Annoyed. Not for the first time. This happened once before when I went specifically to see an exhibit; that time it was members only all day as it wasn’t going to open to the public until the following day. I guess I missed that because I had read a review in the Times the previous day and it hadn’t occurred to me they would review a show that hadn’t opened. The last time I was actually in the museum was for their Magritte exhibition. I got there and it was absolutely mobbed which should have told me not to go in but I thought it wouldn’t be too bad. I was wrong. A very long time in the cold waiting to get inside and an equally long time to pay once inside. Then the line for the coat check was so long I didn’t bother. I went upstairs to the gallery and there was a line waiting to get in. People had to leave before someone new would be admitted. I waited a while before being allowed inside and it was so crowded that I walked around and took a cursory look before I decided I just couldn’t take the crowd and left. It is my least favorite venue for viewing art. Several times I’ve said I would never go back and a show has caught my interest like the Picabia but I think going forward I should just resist the urge. I’m grateful that the art they specialize in isn’t the art I want to see on a regular basis. I guess it’s better that I ended the year on a down note than if I had gone tomorrow and started it on a bad note. I know that time is passing quickly for us but I was stunned when I realized that it’s a year since David Bowie died. Considering how anxious I was the whole year it seems to have passed in a minute.
And now let’s take a minute and pass over to the Flickrs.
Andy G.
IMG_7164
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133782802@N05/24737264501/
08 winter fashion
https://www.flickr.com/photos/saki_75153/3248282002/
2016-10-16
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27401732@N05/30243380602/
HK GRAND HYATT
https://www.flickr.com/photos/im-cindy/28168730404/
Sexy en ese vestido rojo de flores
https://www.flickr.com/photos/aylinemylove/25358870639/
What do you think?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60741642@N06/30978019411/
I'd love to be able to go out wearing something casual/smart like this.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/135749866@N08/30998973406/
Black and White (flashback) <3
https://www.flickr.com/photos/meagancrickett/25413051442/
Picture 649
https://www.flickr.com/photos/48779471@N04/11964201115/
549
https://www.flickr.com/photos/91894461@N07/30791282692/
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andyg0404 Yes reaching that day in your life can be a bit daunting. I have been retired for over a year now and I have to say I am enjoying it very much. I was very fortunate to have a good pension so no worries there. May I take this opportunity to thank you for your weekly posts, I always look forward to them. You have ended the year in style, what is it about the oriental boy/girls, they are so lucky.
Keep up the good work and enjoy and fill all your now free time.
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Well congratulations Andy in completing your final day of work and starting a new chapter of your life. I too had some anxiety about leaving the job after 42 years but in my case it was to care for my mother who still wished to live in her own home but was starting to suffer with Dementia among other things. I, like you was happy to see all my co-workers gather round for a final Goodbye and was surprised by the many gifts I received. I would come to miss them the most and not the work although we have managed to get together for a meal or coffee a few times. Like you I do not watch TV much but have a new habit of staying up late to watch Turner Classic Movies and then sleeping in till 8 or 9 AM. I am also on the computer a bit more than before sometimes late into the night on facebook with family in England, Australia or Malaysia or friends in the U.S. It did take me awhile to get used to monthly Pension deposits rather than a regular pay check and my spending habits changed also. Part of the family is Scottish so I watch my pennies and how I spend them so I can live to be 90 like my mother in some comfort. Not easy these days as gas and electric and everything else is always going up and the Pension stays the same but I am sure you will enjoy all your free time now to visit galleries, your brother and your friends so enjoy and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and all who visit here.
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Thanks to you both. As I said, it will take a little while to get used to but retirement is my full time job now and I expect to be good at it.
Andy G.
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Hi Andy/Congratuations on your retirement,i retired some years ago and now i am semi working helping my second family run their shops.I do only 3/4 hours per day checking stock in and out,and they/so called extra family looks after me and call;s me Uncle
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Thanks Samantha, glad things worked out for you.
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Quote: "I’m ready to start watching television again, whether on the TV or on Youtube. I ordered videotapes from EBAY. I expect to have a long term relationship with Turner Classic Movies."
They don't make VHS machines anymore, they're impossible to find parts for, & the more you use that old machine the faster it will wear out.
Those tapes for sale are old or used stock. They haven't actually made VHS tape in a long time. What they're selling is stuff in warehouses, garages, storage facilties that's been sitting around for years, or used tapes. Those warehouses have little or no climate control. So most of them are regularly stored in places that are damp, get below freezing in winters, or over 100F in summers for long periods of time.
Those old poorly warehoused tapes can prematurely break, jam, get tangled in your machine & possible break it. They may at least cost you the time to take it apart to get all the tangled bits of tape out of it.
The old tapes are hardly worth the headaches, money, & poor quality picture. Indeed, for quality concerns, I went with super-VHS machines before they had invented recordable DVDs. S-VHS has DVD quality on VHS tape. They had VCDs in the day that would record 78 minutes video onto ordinary Cds, in slightly better than VHS quality, so to record a full 2 hour movie it would have to be split onto 2 CDs. There was SVCD (super VCD) in those days too which was close to DVD quality, but the larger bitrate meant you could only record about 36 minutes of video on a CD. So super-VHS was the only practical choice to record DVD quality. But my 2 commercial grade super-VHS machines haven't been used in many years. They sit in back in perfect condition. Nobody wants them, even if I try to give them away.
They make DVD recorders that will record & play DVDs, & the price is getting pretty cheap. If you're used to recording over the same tape over-over, if you use DVD-RW disks you can record over them too. Some of those DVD recorders come with built-in tuners. So they work just like a VCR. Don't worry about scratching your DVDs a little. Most minor scratches can be buffed out, & a disk can usually get pretty beat up before it won't play -- except for some poorly made brand-x disks, or on some really finicky crappy DVD players. Crappy players won't play a disk if it has a faint fingerprint on them. DVD players can be had for $29-$50.
But most people don't bother with disks either anymore. They just download the mp4, AVI, or MKV of their video or film, that will play on almost any computer or modern device. You can even burn them onto a DVD with your computer. If you don't have a DVD drive in it, you can get a DVD drive that plugs in your USB port for $29-$49. Just about any store that sells video & films will also sell you a download of it to keep on any drive or disk you want. The download is usually cheaper & better quality than anything but the best quality blu-ray disks.
I don't know what kind of TV setup you have, but with a small investment, you can make your viewing easier, cheaper, more pleasant, & watch better quality. It will be almost as fun as going to the movies. A modern excellent quality new 32" HDTV that you can plug a computer, laptop into to use a monitor or home theater only costs $99-$129. The speakers & sound suck on most modern TVs, laptops, & tablets though. So buy at least a $10 portable set of external speakers like I got that sound much better than most modern TVs.
Any old computer or laptop can be your primary media & video player to plug into your TV. But for HDTV video I recommend at least a 1.8ghz single core one, or any dual core or more one. For single core without any problems with frame dropping it should really be 2.2ghz or more, with at least 750mb (0.75) of RAM. Windows 7, XP, or Linux Xubuntu or Lubuntu installed on it works the best & efficient with multimedia. I even got a 1.3ghz single core Apple iBook laptop from 2005 to play HD video fine.
Just don't put a lot of crap software/programs in a computer, & they run smooth for modern media. Almost all modern computers off the shelf are overloaded with tons of useless crap, with some of it being sneaky or downright malicious to your computer, privacy, or security. Then the end user dumps more garbage into it with bad habits, not even realizing they're wrecking their machine -- you shouldn't click on, download, or install everything bright shiny link & app you see.
You can also get blu-ray players for $39-$79. Some of them have USB ports on the player. You can plug in a USB drive or USB flash full of all the video or movies you downloaded from a store (or wherever) into the player, & play them on the player -- no disk needed. Of course, blu-ray players will play DVDs too... even the one you burned yourself, or just burn your downloads on the DVD in their original format. They don't have to be in DVD format on most blu-ray players, they like ordinary mp4 video. I can fit about 14-16 VHS quality movies on 1 single gigabyte of space, or 14-20 DVD to HD quality movies on a standard single layer recordable DVD.
You can find lots or older movies & shows on DVDs at thrift shops & online used shops for pennies per disk.
Let me know what video you're looking for. I may have it already or know where to get it cheap.
A lot of the older stuff you like may be in public domain, or under Creative Commons license where as long as you don't try to sell/charge for the material & you give credit to the creators for public viewing, the material is free. Also netflix carries a lot of older & rare stuff for very cheap price. My sister watches netflix more than regular TV. When I first gave up cable & then later satellite (directv), netflix was a life saver until I got used to doing other tricks... back in the day it was only $7 for almost unlimited TV shows, & lots of older movies. I'll bet Turner classic doesn't have anything that netfix doesn't.
I have over 1,000 DVDs plus some hard drives full of video. Almost all of my DVDs & hard drives survived the fire. Tapes & CD didn't. So much of my years video & software collecting was not lost except the stuff still on VHS & VCDs. I probably have around 8,000 hours of videos on a single 2TB (2000gb) hard drive with 600gb of space still free. Most of it is just movies & TV shows. I don't tape a TV show anymore. Now I save the entire series if I liked it.
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You don't need to tie up your primary computer for movies & multimedia. You can take your old computer laptop to use on your TV & stereo, or pick up a used/refurbished one cheap. That dead or slow laptop may just need a repair disk put into it on reboot, more RAM, a newer faster drive, or just delete the poorly written or malicious software in it. Many of them have the cheapest Seagate hard drives they could find in those. Those drives wear out too fast. All these things can be fixed yourself it you spend an afternoon or evening on it while reading about your model, OS, & repairs from google or a friend.
I don't believe how many people go out & buy a new computer because they were getting slow. Some of these things only have 256-512mb of RAM in them. You can't do anything on 256mb of RAM except mail grandma. Get more RAM, it's really easy to do yourself. Just be careful, & look up the model you have on google about how to do it. It's easy enough to do, but just like changing a flat tire or light bulb, it may be very bad if you do it wrong. There's always a friend, neighbor, or relative that might know a little more about it that can help.
No, you will not get an electric shock or burn the house down as long as you unplug it first. Just don't get carried away with too much RAM. Too much RAM uses more power causing voltage & current to drop a little to the rest of the machine & processor. If the power supply gets too warm running all that extra RAM, it will turn the power down even more to stay cooler. At lower voltages the computer will run slower.
I surprised how many people don't even know what model their computer is or what brand it is, after owning it for over 10 years. It's usually marked on the bottom or back of the device & on the owner's manual. You should look up the model before you buy it anyway. Don't listen to the sales person, they're not there to help, they're there to make sales commissions. No wonder they have to buy a new one as soon as they encounter a problem. They can't even bother googling the model & problem as soon as they run into a glitch. You won't know what you can't do if you don't try.
A lady just got an EXPENSIVE Dell quad core laptop with a touch screen, & 32gb of RAM, with windows 10 on it last month. She complained it was buggy, glitchy, hard to work with. I looked up the model. It had a lot of bad reviews. It's not that the machine itself was too bad, but with W10 spyware, crapware, & other junkware in it, it needed 32gb of RAM just to barely putter along.
Meanwhile, because she got the new Dell, she sent me her 2009 laptop to see if I can make it better so she can have a back-up machine. These are her only computers. Before she just got the new Dell, it was her only computer. It was a HP/Compaq 64 bit, 2.4ghz dual core, with 4gb of RAM. But only had 32 bit Vista on it.
After saving her files & programs on a separate drive (except all the crapware), I put Windows 7 64 bit with associated drivers on it. Used windows 7 disks & licenses can be found pretty cheap these days. XP & Vista ones can be found free. Most good Linux is also free. I did most of my usual tweaks, customization, reinstalled her programs & files.
Within 2 days of getting her old computer back from me, she loved it so much, she returned her brand new quad core machine with 32gb of RAM to the store & got her money back. She said not only is the one I fixed better than it was when it was new, it was 10 times faster than the brand new one she just got. She said her friends thought she just bought another new computer because it's so clean & quick -- built in 2009 originally with Vista on it! No parts, RAM, or drives had to be put in it. I never had to open it up.
It was a little scuffed up & scratched from age when she dropped it off to me. I cleaned up the case & buffed out the scratches for her too, so it looked almost new again.
Another lady dropped off a single core 2.4ghz laptop with 2gb of RAM in it. That's the maximum it will run. Put Windows 7 on it & did my usual tweaks on it too. Hers was scary though. I found over 300 viruses in it, & over 400 other types of maleware on it. I had a hell of a time removing all the crap while still preserving all her old files & programs. The hard drive only had 600 hours logged on it in 8 years. It turns out she used her partner's Mac more than her own laptop.
Since she got it back she don't touch the Mac anymore, & the mac owner started using the windows 7 machine a bit too. Yes it will play 720p HD video & youtube fine. They can even play the videos from her laptop to their TV -- something they haven't been able to figure out how to do on the Mac.
Microsoft may have put out a lot of crap, & recently has gotten worse. But XP & Windows 7 are the best things they ever made. Windows 98SE was pretty good too. Some describe it as the beginnings of XP.
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Used, refurbished computers dirt cheap. Beware sometimes these ship with worn hard drives that may have a few bad clusters in them, but some don't. The worn ones were tested & should be good enough for typical use. But ones with bad clusters will only get worse over time, so should be replaced when you can get around to it. If they start making loud clicking sounds, replace them soon. Quiet clicking is normal on some drive when the drive is real busy though.
No need to add more RAM on these models. These should be fine as a home theater or primary computer. They will run better than many new ones. These were designed as heavy duty office & commercial machines, build to last through years of very heavy use. I've selected 64 bit dual core refurbs, that have decent on-board graphics for better HD video processing & performance. Beware these things sell fast so the links may not work once they're gone. Decide quick if you want to get 1 or 2.
HP dual 3ghz, 64 bit, 4gb RAM, Windows 7, $85
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883285672
HP dual 2.8ghz, 64 bit, 4gb RAM, Windows 7, $95
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA9SK53V1726
HP dual 2.93ghz, 64 bit, 4gb RAM, Windows 7, $103
I got 2 of these used for $79 a while ago. One drive showed some wear so I replaced it a few months later. The drive in the other one is still running perfect. They are now my primary computers. Don't be fooled by the specs. These are fast because they're solid, well designed & built machines, with better than average on-board graphics chips. I'm converting & compressing video in 1/4 to 1/2 the time it's taking other people on new fast 8 core machines, with 64gb of RAM, & massive expensive graphics cards. They'll quickly handle anything I throw at them & play any HD video flawlessly. Bigger numbers don't always translate into a faster better machine. I took a chance with these, but at the low price I paid I figure it was worth the gamble. They'll do fine competing against almost any brand new machines except for the ones made for the hardest core most serious gamers. I'm very happy with them. Turn of Windows updates. They try to inject W10 spyware & data mining into the machines, or force-upgrade it to Windows 10. Windows updates will hurt it more than help them. No extra graphics cards needed to play any HD video with these.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883284503
HP dual 2.8ghz, 64 bit, 4gb RAM, Windows 7, $104
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883281933
HP dual 3ghz, 64 bit, 4gb RAM, Windows 7, $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883282832
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883282859
HP dual 3.2ghz, 64 bit, 4gb RAM, Windows 7, $112
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883284320
HP dual 3ghz, 64 bit, 4gb RAM, Windows 7, $112
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883281918
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Laptops dirt cheap.
Curl up with a movie or e-book in bed or on the go. Once again, I focused on the ones that had better than average graphics chips, that were reliable, durable, & fast -- the most value for the money. Also the ones easy to find parts for cheap, for upgrades or an easy fix.
Being used, the hards drives may be worn in some of these, but should be good enough to last a while. If they start making lots of loud clicking noises though, it's time to get a new hard drive. Back up your files or copy the entire drive onto an external USB drive with free Clonezilla. Put in the new drive, & copy the system back to it. Easy Peasy as long as you can read the instructions. If you get confused, just google about it first, or ask me. I bought my newest laptop for only $79 used at NewEgg.com. But my $79 pair of HP DC7900 desktops I got used from Walmart. So you have to watch for the sales.
Hp 64 bit, Dual 2.53ghz, 4gb RAM, Windows 7 $130
Scratch & dent
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5WM2CZ1398
Hp 64 bit, Dual 2.53ghz, 4gb RAM, Windows 7 $140
I just had one of these in for repairs last year. It was force-upgraded to windows 10 by updates, & when he tried to turn it back to W7, the thing crashed & died. It was a W10 problem, not the machine's fault. Lightweight, good battery life, solid, fast, good performance. It's well built. Played all HD video smooth, even when plugged into the TV.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=1TS-000D-00439
A similar model just as good.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5WM3P67948
Honorable mention:
When one thinks about latops or tablets one doesn't think of RCA. Their electronics is weak, or below average. But that all just changed with 3 of the hottest budget tablets with removable keyboards that double as almost laptops. One drawback is, you can't plug it into the TV. But you can enjoy your video & reading right in your lap or curl in bed with it. Did you know an 11" screen 2 feet from your face looks just as big as a 32" TV does 7 feet away?
These things are getting rave reviews as the best budget tablet/laptops around this year. Quality & performace is amazing for this price range.
RCA 11.5" screen, 1gb RAM, 32gb memory, 1.3ghz quad core, detachable keyboard, & the newest Android 6.0. Up to 6 hours battery life. $80
https://www.walmart.com/ip/54458714#about-item
Their 10" model cost a little more but some say it's better. I can't understand the reason, they have the same specs & chips in them. $98
https://www.walmart.com/ip/54458714#about-item
Then there's their fantastic 7" little sister at an amazing price, & also has a detachable keyboard. This is the same size as my Digiland android I got for $36 (also sells under the Azpen name for $29-$49). It fits in most back pockets (if you don't mind the top sticking out) & coat pockets. I use my 7" for reading or watching video in bed, in the kitchen catching some video or news, or even propped up on the closed toilet seat playing a movie while soaking in a warm tub. But mine has no keyboard. Battery life is better than my laptop & is a lot lighter to carry around. A good Android touch screen is pretty easy to use as long as you don't try to write an essay on it. Andriod touch screen & apps are easier, & friendlier than Windows 10 ones. So if you kids like windows 10, get a nice android, that's what windows 10 is trying to imitate anyway.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-7-Tablet-16GB-Quad-Core-includes-Keyboard-Case/45804389 $58
And finally, Here's my tablet. I only paid $36 to have mine delivered right to my door, & mine is white & green. Amazingly, they still make it. Surfs the internet & plays all video well. It'll play movies brightly for almost 4.5 hours before the battery dies. I've made google voice phone calls & text with it via wifi. Rear & front cameras (for selfies). 8gb of memory. Has an SD card slot for up to 32gb. 1.3ghz quad core. But on my tight budget, I put an old cheap 8gb SD card in there.
Thanks to compression, 8gb is enough for about 130 hours of VHS quality video or about 65 hours of HD video. But you only need 360p video for it to look like HD on a 7" screen. The buttons feel too delicate & cheap on mine. It's a bit flimsy & the screen glass is thin, so don't drop it. I'm sure it's not water resistant so don't play with it in storm or humid bathroom after showering. Probably too fragile for kids. But for mature adults who take it easy with their stuff, it will probably last.
I bought mine for my brother to have to pass the time when he was in the hospital (loaded with new movies & music). After he passed away, they gave it back to me. I love this thing. Saves a lot on electric bills when I don't really need to turn on a big TV, computer, or laptop to casual surf, read an e-book, or watch regular plain ordinary video & TV. The speaker in this very thin tablet is about what you'd expect. It's usable, but not good. I use headphones or an external mini speaker plugged into it for music.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/digiland-7-tablet-8gb-watermelon-red/5280400.p?skuId=5280400 $40.
Better mini laptop & speakers:
Need better speakers for that, or a laptop? Here's my laptop & tablet speakers. I chose this model because it can be powered by 4, AAA batteries (I use rechargeable), or from a USB port with its included cord, or from any standard USB AC adapter (not included), like the one that comes with the tablet. That way, it will work for mp3 players on batteries, or powered/charged plug it into a computer or AC adapter. On my tight budget my stuff must be versitile, multifunctional/multipurpose, & cheap.
It'll run on batteries playing softly for 15-17 hours, moderately for 12-14 hours, loud for about 7-8 hours, & maxed out for about 4.5 hours. This is intended to be right near you, & has very weak bass. But you can easily hear it across the room without maxing out the volume. It sounds surprisingly well for it's very tiny size. 10 times better sound than any laptop & even better than many modern thin TVs. It draws only 0.24 watts when the volume is at the max so won't wear down your laptop battery much.
The drawback is the audio cord is only 7" long, but they make extension cords for the regular standard 1/8" audio jack if you need it. I found by opening it up & running the wire through the top, I gained about 3 more inches on the cord. Too cheap to buy an extension, I eventually soldered in a longer old cord I had laying around. The ugly front tray to hold an mp3 player is removable. I slid it out, & slid it back into the back. It's a foldable speaker that way. I got the version at Walmart. There may be slight differences in the other versions of the model/ $8
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008OPTJOG/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_20?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ARJB0OJ7553H5
https://www.walmart.com/ip/119208747
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035B855I/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_21?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A324BLMM6O8TAP
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010KTB86/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_22?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A324BLMM6O8TAP
wider player tray version
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A10KFY/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_23?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3IUSKQITKL0F8
TVs & monitors
Most modern TVs have all the connections for a computer monitor, & better sound than a monitor. Many monitors have no speaker so require a separate speaker. As bad as the sound is on most modern TVs, monitors with speakers are even worse. We're talking the sound quality of a 120 year-old wind-up Victrola record player. Also TV's offer more control over the images, have extra features, & pick up regular TV when the computer is off. There was a time when monitors were cheaper than TVs of the same size, but once you move to mid-size or larger ones, the TV is cheaper per size because they produce so much more of them.
A TV instead of a monitor gives you the ability to tune in cable or regular TV with an antenna to catch local news & programming too when the computer is off. Once you start using a computer to watch TV a while, you'll eventually cancel your cable TV services when you discover lots of better, free, or very cheap alternatives can be had. Your investment in a computer based entertainment system will have paid for itself in a couple months, without that big cable bill.
In the USA, almost every local channel in or near your area broadcasts sub-channels over the air, piggy-backed on their regular channel's HD signal. So if you can pick up a local channel with an ordinary TV antenna (ordinary rabbit ears work best for an indoor antenna), you can also pick up their 2-8 sub channels embedded in the same signal. A sub channel may be only DVD quality or as bad as VHS quality though. In my area on a good day I can pick up 45 channels, on a bad one only about 35. Most day's here in Buffalo, I even pick up at least 2 channels all the way from Toronto on my TV. After I block out the church, infomercial, & crap channels, I get 27-28 channels from the antenna even on a bad day. Setting the antenna near a window in a sweet spot, once adjusted to get the most channels or all the local ones, I never have to adjust it again. Lots of oldies & old movie channels on those sub-channels! When I had cable I discovered I only ever watched 18 out of all the channels I got. Now I use all 27-28 of them & they're free.
This is one area where I don't recommend buying an odd-brand used or refurb. The capacitors in many odd brand TVs, & quite a few popular brands are only designed to last a couple years. So used or refurb, unless they specifically said that they replaced the capacitors with better ones, may only last until the warranty runs out. You can replace the capacitors yourself for about $17 in parts. But it's a long tedious process of desoldering & soldering tiny parts very carefully. Depending on the model & your experience it may take half a day or a couple days. You can replace the whole power supply board or main board with the bad capacitors for about $40-$60, which is pretty easy. It's just a bunch of screws to turn, & they just plug in. No soldering.
Some TVs & monitors don't come with computer VGA jacks anymore to plug in a computer. Odd, because TVs still all have jacks in the back to plug in obsolete VCRs & old Atari video games. Newer computers made for the USA & UK markets use HDMI connectors to plug into a TV or monitor. But older computers, computers made in or for other markets, some other devices, games, video boxes, & unique gadget still use VGA.
If in the future, if you don't like Windows so you switch to Linux or some other OS, it may not support your graphics through HDMI, so only a VGA connector will work. If a company will no longer support drivers for your devices graphics, your VGA output may still work if HDMI fails. Some content providers with restricted or copyright materal can make your HDMI display only a low or poor resolution version of the content, or stop the content from displaying at all. VGA cannot be controlled by external forces, content providers, or hackers.
So you want to try to find a TV or monitor that has a VGA connector too, not just HDMI. But some computers have just HDMI & not VGA. So get a TV that has both. Get them soon. Monitors & TVs with VGA will become rarer as corporations & content provers decide what's more profitable for them than what may be better or more practical for you.
Here's my TV. I got it for almost nothing broken, because it was improperly in a closed in very hot space, & dirt (also lint & hair) clogged the vent holes to cool it. You want to keep your electronics as cool as possible if you want it to last long. It took me almost $60 in parts to fix it. 2 1/2 years later, it still runs & looks great. Weighs only 12 pounds. Draws about 36 watts when set at full brightness, 28 watts normal, & 18 watts at a lower brightness for most living rooms in the evening.
https://www.amazon.com/oCOSMO-CE3230-32-Inch-720p-60Hz/dp/B00HUGXOL4
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889610002
It seems everybody is putting those cheap Chinese capacitors with a 2-4 year lifespan in their TVs these days. So it's potluck if any brand of any new TV will last longer than a couple years. Nobody will fix that problem because it's right inline with what most tech companies want. They want to you to replace all your devices every 2 years. Phuck them! Fix it yourself or find somebody who can cheap. With good capacitors in these, they can last a decade or more.
However, if you only paid a little over $100 for a 32" TV that lasts 2 1/2 years, when you could have bought on the same size & picture quality for $500 or more that MIGHT last 5-8 years, it's actually cheaper to just buy another TV for a little over $100 every 2 1/2 years. It's just simple math. I would avoid ones with lots of reviews saying they only lasted a few months & most refurbished TVs unless you can replace the capacitors or boards inside yourself or have a friend to do it cheap.
Here's some other low priced TVs with VGA & HDMI so they can be used with any device.
This one is almost identical inside & out to my Ocosmo TV & made by the same company. Not a brand-x TV but not top of the line either. An amazing picture. Sound isn't great but better than average modern TVs. It has a sound equalizer settings that helps the sound a lot. It may last a couple years or it may last 10. Who knows? Mine is still working 2 1/2 years later. Avoid the refurbs of this though. They make a 40" version too. Watch for sales of it for $179 soon.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SCEPTRE-X322BV-M-32-LED-Class-720P-HDTV-with-ultra-slim-metal-brush-bezel-60Hz/25059351
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAA0X56N5786
Go big
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SCEPTRE-X405BV-F-40-LED-Class-1080P-HDTV-with-ultra-slim-metal-brush-bezel-60Hz/27608624
Go bigger
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-X505BV-F-50-1080p-60Hz-LED-HDTV/27678567
Go huge
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-E555BV-F-55-1080p-60Hz-Class-LED-HDTV/19527757
The home theater monster
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-U650CV-U-65-4K-Ultra-HD-2160p-60Hz-LED-HDTV-4K-x-2K/48874705
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
Very nasty day, it was snowing and 23 degrees when I went out earlier. It's still snowing in NJ and it hasn't warmed up much.
This is the end of my first week of idleness and it’s been somewhat like being on vacation. Although it’s clearly different as I haven’t made a point of going out every day and trying to visit an exhibition. I’ve changed my sleeping routine so that now I’m staying up until around 11PM and staying in bed until around 7AM. My sleep itself hasn’t changed though, still wake up usually 1.5 to 2.5 hours after I lay down but for the most part I fall back asleep. I am a morning person and will remain so, I enjoy the morning hours and it’s nice to be able to take my walks in the daylight now. Sunday was a good example of my new routine. Previously I would read the newspapers first thing in the morning then move on to other things but this past Sunday I didn’t get to them until late afternoon, early evening. I spent some time trying to make copies of oversize crossword puzzles to send my friend in Arizona. When I was working I would have been annoyed at wasting so much time with this but now it’s no longer an issue.
Betty, I never expected my innocuous comment to elicit such a long response. I appreciate all of your suggestions and will look back to them down the road. But for now I’ll stick with the VCR as, first of all I am a true creature of habit and second of all it works for me and it’s easy. And I have about 75 tapes of things I’ve never seen. But thanks for the all the time you spent and the input you gave me.
That being said, I had to reacquaint myself with my VCR, something that amuses my friends no end. Betty too I guess. Like Betty, they have all moved on to newer technology but I don’t really see the need to do it now. The VCR does exactly what I want it to do. I hadn’t used it in some time and the first thing I had to do was set the time, something I know how to do. Except I couldn’t get the command to come on the screen and the manual wasn’t any help. Finally the penny dropped and I realized I had to change a setting on the television itself which then allowed me access. I remember the comedian Billy Connolly in one of his HBO specials many years ago talking about what a great invention the VCR was, letting him tape anything, and how he had taped all of these wonderful movies BUT IT WOULDN’T LET HIM WATCH THEM! Happily I haven’t run into that problem. I taped and watched Cast Away with Tom Hanks and The Martian with Matt Damon. Most enjoyable. And I watched The Band Wagon with Fred Astaire on Youtube which was wonderful. I really have a lot of catching up to do. I was pleased to discover that Youtube has a large trove of the Burns and Allen television programs and I watched the pilot episode. I also came across this Buddy Hackett joke that he told on an old Johnny Carson show. Carson roared and so did I. Hackett’s Las Vegas act was supposed to be very “dirty”, that is, he talked about sex at a time that standards weren’t like they are today. So when he appeared on the talk shows he would tell the same jokes but they would be filled with euphemisms, innuendo and double entendres. And screamingly funny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFv-Py_S1YU
As for art, I went back to the Met twice this week, both times to visit shows I had previously seen and discussed. On Friday I saw the Fragonard drawings and today I visited the Valentin de Boulogne. Both shows are closing in the next week so this was basically my last chance. I misremembered the Valentin being on the first floor where the Beckmann is. I don't know what made me say this but I stopped a guard and asked where the Bouguereau was. Amazingly she said, Valentin?, and sent me to the second floor. Both shows were just as good the second time if not better. For Valentin the gallery was empty for more than half of my visit leaving me alone to enjoy the paintings. More people arrived but it wasn't crowded when I left. I'm glad I was able to go back for both of the shows, exactly what I envisioned being retired would be like. There was a review of an American Art during WW1 exhibit at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in yesterday's Times which looks very nice. As I was contemplating a visit I was very pleased to see that it would travel to the NY Historical Society in May. I’ve put it on my calendar.
I think that’s it for this week so let’s walk down the hall to the Flickrs and see what’s new.
Andy G.
Snow White 16
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8670524@N05/4792206393/
I was a cowboy!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kandien1/22643933794/
Super skirt
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulasatijn/31270116255/
DSC03751
https://www.flickr.com/photos/glamoroussamantha/31182134816/
wow is it 2016
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124219044@N07/24103776795/
DSC08138
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mimo-momo/27666757593/
TM_LG_Mint01
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tiffmich_2000/7561609498/
Okay this is becoming an obsession...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74475326@N08/19964017459/
Back to life - back to sissiness
https://www.flickr.com/photos/taniasissygirl/29569415581/
Candy 2016 October
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101366775@N04/30342943030/
130615s00005
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sissy_chastity/9052911228/
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Betty, I never expected my innocuous comment to elicit such a long response.
Because so many here know I'm a tech, I'm frequently getting a lot messages on our messaging system here or in my mail from our users with tech problems & questions. Indeed, I get more posts from Betty's users in my mail & our messaging service here in a week than we get posting at stories & here.
Sometimes I wonder if a lot of the traffic we get here is just to message me for tech help.
Your mention of a VCR, is common of the people from here who regularly contact me with their tech problems. Your solution that it still works for you is only very temporary. Putting old stock, or worn used tapes in a very old VCR will work & wear it harder. Even at your age, you will outlive that machine once you start using it much with old tapes.
I agree that one must not have to immediately move onto the next newest thing. But when your 4-5 stages/layers behind the tech, or 20 years behind the newest thing, it's time to look at something new, even if it means just moving up to 1999-2007. Indeed, the stuff I recommended is not the newest thing. You have to buy it soon before it's phased out by the next newest things. The next newest things are on the high wave of profitable data mining spyware, & restrictions. They're also designed to last only a couple years so you have to constantly buy new stuff. Damn, if some of these corporations had their way, they'd charge for or restrict the air we breathe, & put a camera in every room to sell your habits & data to the highest bidder.
You can't even buy a new Windows computer without it having keyloggers installed in it that send everything you type to Microsoft, it's partners, some governments, & anybody else willing to pay MS for the info. They can also turn on any microphone, or camera in it or on your network. And contrary to what the windows 10 fans/promotors say, you can't shut it off. You can set a button that says it's off, but it's not really. All that does it hide & slow down the spying a little so you don't know about it. It doesn't matter what you set anything for anyway. W10 will set it back their way with the next update which can happen secretly with no warning anytime.
Don't tell me different, W10 fans. I had W10, & had many W10 machines in here to fix. I thoroughly checked & tested them. I just put the newest W10 on a test machine last month. Damn, it's even worse that it was last summer. Nasty shyt!
You don't actually believe you need a quad core 32-64gb RAM machine just to surf the net, watch youtube or netflix do you? You need it to deal with all the crap they secretly put in it, & they constantly try to dump more crap into it all the time. Everybody wants their hands in your machines & data.
So my reply wasn't actually specifally addressed to just you, but to all the people from here who regularly contact me about their tech stuff. The long posts are actually a copy & paste of many of my private replies to many of our users in the past couple months. I just sort of edited it all together into a general info post for all the countless people here regularly contacting me about the same issues... including a couple with VCR (LOL) problems.
The point I'm trying to push is to get the good tech now, while it's still easily available cheap. The newest wave of tech is more like big brother watching you, with the corporations & governments actually hacking you, your data, & your home, flooding you with advertisements on every device they can get into. Can you trust everyone who works for the corporations & governments with your personal, private, & financial information? And what if their database on you was hacked by the Russians or anybody with a bag of tricks?
There is a certain amount of info necessary to interact with anything, but they don't need to get every little detail about us every minute of the day, every day. They're collecting & storing it on their machines, without our knowledge or permission. It's overloading our internet, & phone connections, & slowing down our computer so much that we need to buy a bigger computer to handle all their meddling in the background.
Too many people who sometimes disappear from here for months or more, had their only computer fail, or when it crashed they lost all their passwords to get in anywhere. With most communicating digitally these days, computer & digital contact is more important than a phone. I only get 1 or 2 phone calls a month, but get dozens of personal messages, texts, & emails every day.
Those cheap alternatives I mentioned offer a cheap way to get online on a second spare machine, that can double as replacing your VCR, DVR, DVD, cable TV, & home theater. So it pays for itself in just a couple months. You can copy & save your browser profile so you never loose your links & passwords again. You can transfer that profile with the links & passwords to a new browser or another computer. Or just make a cloned copy of everything on the computer to an external disk or to another computer. No matter what goes wrong, you can just put the cloned copy back into the computer.
2 machines are better than one. In case one has a problem, you got another. The spare one can be your entertainment center & home theater as well.
You're retired now. Shouldn't you try to enjoy more & better quality entertainment now, while you are still able to, can afford it, & have the time? Why would anyone turn down a crystal clear image or movie for a dull blurry one?
As we get older, eventually we move slower or it becomes harder to get around. When you become home-bound more with age (it will happen to all of us some day), how often will you be able to watch those same tapes over & over, because you can't get more, or until they break? Meanwhile as we get older, meds, & medical treatments increase. Your insurance won't pay all of it or fails someday. They change you pension or social security payments, or it's not enough just to survive the basics anymore. You have to shut off your cable, & go to a lower tier internet connection.
Now the VCR died. Your only computer in the house died. Suddenly with more limited entertainment, it feels like you're in prison in your own home. You've been reduced to eating rice & ramen every day as the bills pile up. You may have became disabled enough where there's very little you can do to change anything. Upgrade at least to 1999 while you have a chance, have the ability to do so, & there still some good affordable tech out there left. That cheap second machine will be good as a backup, & easily can be a nice home theater system. You won't like some newest tech available after the good stuff is gone, & it will probably be too expensive anyway.
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Update: Another robust refurbished commercial-grade office machine just went on sale. This model is almost like mine... actually a little better. Great performer for at home. Will play any videos or intense overloaded sites you can throw at it. Probably won't play the most intense 3-d graphic, most modern hard-core action video game smoothly, but they do make "small form factor" graphics cards for these if you must play the most resource hungry games on the planet (for under $100). 64 bit, 3ghz dual core, free shipping. Easily put a bigger drive in these. There's 2 full sized drive bays inside if you want a 2 drive system. Comes with W7, supported until at least 2020. Keep your antivirus, firewall, & browsers updated, & you can run W7 safely/smoothly until 2024 or longer. But it will run any windows or Linux made. The 7900s & 8000s are some of the best performing, longest lasting desktops they ever made.
These things are designed to work, run a long time into the future, & take a lot of abuse. Fully easily upgradable, but unless you want a newer & bigger drive, they're fine just as is. These are used though, with used hard drives, so they should be bought with the consideration that you should buy a new drive for it someday. For most people, you'd use much less than half the 4gb of RAM in these most of the time. You don't need more for these to run everything smooth.
Bigger numbers don't always translate into the best performance. A good, robust, & efficient design will do much better than bigger numbers. These & the software in them are well designed for heavy duty, fast, commercial use. They exceed expectations for home or theater use. With the fast efficient design, circuits, drivers, & 7200rpm drive, you'll swear it's running an SSD inside. Just plug it in to any TV with a standard VGA or a display port, or get an HDMI adapter. $89 -WOW!
https://flash.newegg.com/product/9SIAAJ24AK8397?
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
The weather continues to be very variable here from day to day. Yesterday was rather mild with a breeze but today it’s cold with a chance for a dusting of snow. I am cheered to read about Pitchers and Catchers in five weeks as anything that has the word Spring in it makes me feel a little warmer.
I continue my new found hobby of movie watching, at least one movie every day. Last night I watched Sisters with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. I had never seen either of them before although I know who they are. I confess I didn’t much care for it. They are two very talented ladies but the whole movie seemed to consist of them trading clever lines back and forth and neither of them played particularly sympathetic characters. And a long time ago I stopped watching movies that entail mindless destruction of the sort that takes place in this one as part of the plot. The only time I laughed was as the credits were rolling and they ran the outtakes. This morning I watched the Alfred Hitchcock film Stage Fright with Jane Wyman and Marlene Dietrich. I had confused it with Witness for the Prosecution, another Marlene Dietrich picture which I plan to watch the next time it runs. I taped it from TCM the other night; it has a surprise ending. Imagine my surprise when the tape stopped before the movie did. As you may guess I was not pleased. I have a movie encyclopedia so I know how it turned out but I wanted to see it. So I went to TCM online to find out when it would run again. And I was very pleasantly surprised to discover TCM on demand, something I was totally unaware of. Because I get TCM through Verizon I can watch any movie on the schedule, on the Internet, for one week after it airs on television. So I found Stage Fright and got to watch the last ten minutes on my computer. It was a very enjoyable film. The best recent movie I’ve seen is Brooklyn which was really very good, an intelligent plot, well written and well-acted and deeply moving. I regret that I never got around to reading the novel it was based on.
Early in the week I took a walk up to the Guggenheim Museum to see the Agnes Martin exhibit. I’ve written many times about the fact that I just don’t understand abstract art and decided to see this exhibit to find out if I could draw something from it that has been lacking in all my other viewings. It was this review in the NY Times that made me decide to go as the opening paragraph speaks about the problems many people like me have with abstract art. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/07/arts/design/the-joy-of-reading-between-agnes-martins-lines.html?_r=0 All of her work is very abstract and the star of this show was a series of 12 paintings referred to as The Islands. There are many illustrations in the article and one of them shows several paintings from the Islands series.
I have to confess it still eludes me. I stood in front of them and walked back and forth between the twelve canvases of Islands and I did see slight variations in the color and noted the differences in the panels but it didn’t say anything to me. I don’t have any sense of what the artist was trying to display. I don’t have any concept of what the artist wants me to feel when I stand in front of them. I was going to say they just exist but all art just exists. I can’t see the beauty within them. I am not an unimaginative person and I can appreciate Mondrian’s geometric patterns but perhaps that’s because they have color while many of Martin’s canvases are monochromatic. Part of it may be my vision, lacking depth perception I had to close one eye so as not to see double. But I believe great art should move me in some way and these canvases just don’t move me.
When I emailed my brother, who is a fan, with my thoughts this was his reply:
Well the Islands paintings are certainly the most resistant. I decided to skip them when I went through and I found that as I walked up the ramp, the paintings, particularly after the 4th ring, became steadily more interesting and beautiful. The last ring or two were the most rewarding. But I agree, she’s a difficult sell. In some ways seeing a lot of her work together is better than seeing any individual piece.
So I replied:
What do you see in these paintings, the ones on the upper levels that you find interesting and beautiful. Can you put it in words?
And this was his response.
No, it’s a Zen experience. The paintings are immense and calm, they envelope you, and then you become aware of the subtle differences and of the immense control that went into making them by hand. You need to give them time but it’s like having an out-of-body experience. Or not, as the case may be. Crowds do not help. And the Island sequence is, frankly, not the best way to experience her work. From what I can tell, the show has been a big success, on free evenings the lines wrapped around the building.
As I’ve aged my tastes in art have changed and I find myself enjoying things now that previously didn’t move me but I just don’t see that happening with art of this nature. While I was there I enjoyed revisiting the Impressionists in the Thannhauser gallery, it’s been a long time since I visited the museum, a search of my emails shows it was back in October 2012 for Picasso Black and White. There is a very large Camille Pissarro painting on display, The Hermitage at Pontoise, which is truly a brilliant painting. I stood admiring it for some time and went back for a second look before I left. https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/3465 There were lots of other wonderful paintings by Gaugin, Cezanne, Manet, Monet and Picasso among others. You can see a selection at the Guggenheim site here https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/special_collection/thannhauser-collection.
While I was visiting, there was a troop of small schoolchildren in the museum and I thought it was a very odd show to bring an 8 year old to but perhaps they got something out of it that I didn’t.
Well, let’s move on now from the abstract image to our Flickr images.
Andy G.
Toyra_FrenchMaid_8409pre
https://www.flickr.com/photos/toyra/173372300/
Snapshot_20110424_5
https://www.flickr.com/photos/40171643@N08/6011918223/
Wedding Dress Fun
https://www.flickr.com/photos/25488909@N03/30414696593/
Jen & Rachel
https://www.flickr.com/photos/boyswillbegirls/21202570319/
2016.09-62
https://www.flickr.com/photos/samyoliver/31062615652/
Chloe in leopard print
https://www.flickr.com/photos/125838995@N04/30819915512/
Posing for Miss Lisa
https://www.flickr.com/photos/142312951@N04/31370785766/
how to curtsy...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/25488909@N03/31051286241/
1977 Miss Travestí
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gonzalvo/4461157868/
I am such a shopaholic! But is the top nice btw?
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
When I was thinking of things I would do when I retired one of the first things I thought I would do was clean my kitchen as it really needed it. Two weeks in and I hadn’t found time in the day and I confess I really wasn’t motivated to do it. I finally decided enough procrastinating and cleaned everything including the microwave and stove. Turns out they’re white! I’ll try to be more attentive to them going forward.
I continue to watch movies every day, all of the ones this week were from TCM and I’ll mention two. An American in Paris with Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron and Oscar Levant which was absolutely sensational. The dancing by each of the leads singularly and together was really special. Just a great, old fashioned musical. And Stormy Weather with Lena Horne and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, along with Fats Waller, Cab Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers, among others. This was also filled with singing and dancing, many iconic tunes like the title song and Ain’t Misbehavin. This was rollicking good fun. The film ends with Cab Calloway doing his act in a nightclub and the last part features the Nicholas brothers, tap dancers extraordinaire. Here are two four minute clips of the brothers dancing. And these guys can really dance.
Cab Calloway & Nicholas Brothers Fayard Nicholas Harold Nicholas On Stormy Weather
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBb9hTyLjfM
Nicholas Brothers - Down Argentine Way (1940)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9kiqd38kvQ
Early in the week I went to MOMA to see the Francis Picabia exhibit. I really didn’t know much about him at all. It was an enormous installation and it was really like seeing six different artists as he changed genres a number of times, starting out as an Impressionist, then moving back and forth between abstract and figurative art, and going through phases of Cubism, Dada and soft core pornographic works. I found it a fascinating show and there were a number of things in it I really liked. I wish MOMA posted all the objects on the website like the Met does. I found it interesting that he not only signed his paintings in large letters but inscribed the title as well in many of them. Afterwards I wandered through the permanent collection and saw my old favorites, Van Gogh, Matisse, Monet and the wall in the corridor with Wyeth, Sheeler and Hopper. I was disappointed that Hopper’s Esso station wasn’t on view, it wasn’t on view the last time I was there either and I’m surprised as it’s such an iconic picture. Perhaps it’s still out on loan somewhere. The museum wasn’t mobbed but there were certainly a lot of people visiting. I’m really not fond of MOMA, I went the week before last and after paying I had to ask for my money back when they told me I wouldn’t be able to see the Picabia show for another hour and a half. But I went back as my brother, who is a member, sent me a guest pass. I just don’t find it a particularly inviting venue, give me the Met any day.
Here’s the NY Times review of the exhibit, like the Agnes Martin review I mentioned last week, this review made me want to see the Picabia exhibit and I’m glad it did.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/arts/design/francis-picabia-the-playboy-prankster-of-moderism.html?_r=0
This is a link to the museum website description of the show. There are several videos available and I recommend watching the second one, How to See Francis Picabia with a MOMA curator. It’s a five minute guided tour of the installation. https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/1670#slideshow
And this is MOMA’s Twitter feed with lots of illustrations from the show. https://twitter.com/hashtag/picabia?lang=en
On Friday I took the long walk up to 72nd Street and York Avenue for Sotheby’s Old Masters preview. No blockbuster paintings in this collection but, as always, there were many beautiful things to look at. There were lots of attributed to, follower of and school of, as well as paintings that were identified as being the work of the famous artist and his school. A number of rather beautiful Botticelli’s with this designation. Below are some of the items I was particularly taken with.
Orazio Gentileschi HEAD OF A WOMAN – It doesn’t appear so on the website but when I was standing in front of this painting it appeared to be back lit and luminous. I saw a wonderful exhibit at the Met many years ago of paintings by the Gentileschi’s, father and daughter, Orazio and Artemisia. I don’t believe many come up in the auctions.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/master-paintings-n09601/lot.38.html
ROSA BONHEUR TWO RECUMBENT TIGERS – I haven’t seen many Bonheurs either and this is a lovely watercolor of two tigers at rest.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/old-master-drawings-n09603/lot.117.html
JEAN-AUGUSTE-DOMINIQUE INGRES PORTRAIT OF THE SCULPTOR CHARLES DUPATY – I was pleased to come across this pencil portrait by Ingres, one of my favorite artists. Again, something that he must have knocked off quickly but that fully caught the essence of the sitter.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/old-master-drawings-n09603/lot.118.html
Johannes Cornelisz. Verspronck PORTRAIT OF MARGARETHA DICX (1634-1697) – The Dutch were well represented and this portrait of a well to do woman is simple, spare and beautiful. Her lush coat and understated jewelry and her contented posture and mien were well captured.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/master-paintings-n09601/lot.19.html
Jacob Isaacksz. van Ruisdael WOODED LANDSCAPE WITH FIGURES ON A ROAD – Another Dutch painting, showing a woods with a bright blue, though cloudy, sky.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/master-paintings-n09601/lot.22.html
Francis Cotes, R.A. PORTRAIT OF ALICE, COUNTESS OF SHIPBROOK – I had never heard of Cotes until I was in the Frick several years ago and they put his two full length portrait paintings up on view. Not the most attractive woman but a sympathetic portrait.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/master-paintings-sculpture-day-sale-n09602/lot.271.html
GEORGE ROMNEY PORTRAIT OF LADY GEORGIANA SMYTH - Romney is in the Frick and this is very much like his other portraits, and with a boy in a dress.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/master-paintings-sculpture-day-sale-n09602/lot.273.html
FRANÇOIS BOUCHER VENUS AND ADONIS – And finally, two offerings from Boucher, another artist in the Frick. This mythological painting, according to the website, was painted when Boucher was about 17 years old and still a student. A very precocious one. His talent was evident at this early age.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/master-paintings-n09601/lot.48.html
FRANÇOIS BOUCHER RURAL LANDSCAPE WITH A YOUNG GIRL LEANING ON A FOUNTAIN – This drawing is another example of art that I think to myself how pleased I would be to wake up every day and see it hanging on my wall. Serene and calm are the opening comments on the website describing the drawing.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/old-master-drawings-n09603/lot.87.html
These are links to the full lists of items offered for auction.
Master Paintings & Sculpture Evening Sale
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2017/master-paintings-n09601.html
Master Paintings & Sculpture Day Sale
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2017/master-paintings-sculpture-day-sale-n09602.html
Master Paintings & 19th Century European Art
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2017/master-paintings-19th-century-european-n09600.html
Old Master Drawings
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2017/old-master-drawings-n09603.html
Well, that seems to be it for this week. I think the lights are beginning to Flickr now.
Andy G.
WOTV Vol12 No7 1991
https://www.flickr.com/photos/98798811@N07/31003363320/
DONTBOXIT Quince - IMG_0290
https://www.flickr.com/photos/36227588@N02/30815487131/
Office uniform 1511_1_03
https://www.flickr.com/photos/akichan980/28489671345/
PICT0007
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mysteytv/4450251831/
Very Red
https://www.flickr.com/photos/46288322@N08/31043461510/
pretend to be a model (a dreaming girl_♥︎)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/saki_75153/18984519003/
Looking for sisters in nyc local area
https://www.flickr.com/photos/28411168@N08/20576583515/
Venus Belle ´″°³♡
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cross_dresser/30060378896/
照片 110
https://www.flickr.com/photos/yammy_chow/29226489486/
Mia-01
https://www.flickr.com/photos/56258220@N02/6784295108/
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
We’ve had a couple of mild days but as the weatherman said this morning, it feels like January today. Cold and windy, but at least it’s not raining. Which is especially pleasing to me as I am meeting my brother for dinner this evening. We didn’t plan it this way but it turns out it’s the Chinese New Year and we’re having Chinese food. I’m looking forward to it.
I continue watching two movies a day and this week among the movies I watched was It’s Always Fair Weather with Gene Kelly, Dan Dailey, Cyd Charisse and Michael Kidd. It was very enjoyable. A real old style musical with wonderful songs and dance numbers. Here are two scenes from it. The first has Gene Kelly dancing on Roller Skates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgAmXb5UZlY
The second has Dolores Gray singing and dancing with an ensemble of male dancers doing acrobatic dance steps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7k38rIGjxI
I’m always amazed when I see someone do a standing back flip which the dancers do in this sequence.
Last night I watched It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World from 1963, a comedy with just about every popular comedian active back then, in addition to Spencer Tracy, the nominal star. It’s a film that I know I wanted to see as a kid but never did. It’s too bad as I’m sure I would have enjoyed it then. I really didn’t care for it at all now. It was too long, Ethel Merman screamed throughout the picture rather than sing, and it was filled with mindless destruction of the type that really turns me off. It had a load of comedians that I like but I didn’t find it funny in the least. It got a good review in the Times and was successful so I guess it’s me.
I mentioned last year that one of the things I looked forward to in retirement was that I wouldn’t have to choose which auction preview to attend when Christie’s and Sotheby’s had their competing auctions. And this is my first chance to put that into action. I wrote about the Sotheby’s auction preview last week and this week I can write about the Christie’s. Unfortunately Christie’s website isn’t as nice as Sotheby’s, the illustrations are smaller and don’t enlarge in a user friendly way. I was going to link to a page where you can download the catalog but I just checked the site and they no longer offer the catalog now that the auction has taken place. I’ve listed several things I liked below but I’m also including these links to the two webpages with all of the items in the two auctions.
Old Master Prints
http://tinyurl.com/z5rn5va
Old Master Drawings
http://tinyurl.com/h676otu
It looks like this was the star of the auction, it went for more than three times the low estimate of $500,000. A very busy painting with a lot going on.
Peter Paul Rubens - Scipio Africanus welcomed outside the gates of Rome, after Giulio Romano
http://tinyurl.com/gs24xqb
Bellotto was the nephew of Canaletto and both painted views of Venice which I very much enjoy, great details. This has been removed from the Christie's website but I found it at ArtNet
BERNARDO BELLOTTO - Vuë de la Grande Place du Vieux Marché, du coté, Dresde
http://tinyurl.com/ztmjrqa
I mentioned seeing an edition of this drawing at the Met recently and here it is again, it tickles me.
JEAN-HONORÉ FRAGONARD - L'Armoire
http://tinyurl.com/zb3al3l
Last week I mentioned Bonheur’s tigers at Sotheby’s and here’s another animal drawing of cattle, an independent work rather than a study for a larger painting according to the website.
ROSA BONHEUR - Salers cattle in the Auvergne
http://tinyurl.com/jb9vvhy
There were multiple offerings for Goya, Tiepolo, Durer and Rembrandt. I’ve chosen one of each here although I confess it’s a fairly random selection as everything I saw I very much enjoyed.
FRANCISCO DE GOYA Y LUCIENTES - El famoso Americano, Mariano Ceballos, from: The Bulls of Bordeaux
http://tinyurl.com/zslq9d4
GIOVANNI DOMENICO TIEPOLO - Two plates from: The Flight into Egypt
http://tinyurl.com/zd3a2x9
ALBRECHT DÜRER - Saint Jerome in his Study
http://tinyurl.com/zkpkkyf
REMBRANDT HARMENSZ. VAN RIJN - The Blind Fiddler
http://tinyurl.com/zmmfwph
And now I think it’s time for the Flickrs.
Andy G.
IMG_5315
https://www.flickr.com/photos/katy-caitlin/29727973892/
Emasculated Sissy Mark
https://www.flickr.com/photos/142312951%40N04/31570226941/
20160903_124
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sissymaidjoslyn/31337789201/
2016 FOLSOM STREET FAIR
https://www.flickr.com/photos/92404199%40N00/29737971760/
69661ade
https://www.flickr.com/photos/driftwooduk/10112132785/
Photo shoot selfies
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dollylovesbeingagirl/28645888003/
Maid 7
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37097125%40N08/3511266360/
DSC09972
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122472945%40N05/29758028393/
tumblr_n5ih0yh5AD1s8ie0wo1_500
https://www.flickr.com/photos/miss_megancdcd/14250063801/
DSC06431
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122472945%40N05/18644731940/
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
Chilly day today, 16 degrees on my thermometer this morning when I went out for my first walk. The sun was blinding but didn’t shed any warmth. But it was clear and it looks like it will warm up a little over the next few days.
I lost a battle with Verizon last month about keeping a promotional discount, the first time it’s happened. So I was leery when I spoke with them this morning about the second discount which expired on Feb 1st. But I was pleased that they agreed to reinstate this one and bring my bill back to its original bottom line, something I successfully negotiated last year. Of course with Verizon you always have to wait to actually see the bill to know if you’ve really won or not. I’ve had to go back after receiving a new bill and make them understand that they weren’t living up to what they had agreed to. With Verizon, never accept an increase, always call them up and try to negotiate a better deal. If you get someone who is inflexible just hang up and then try again with the next agent. I’ve done well over the years with this philosophy.
I watched a bunch of musicals this week, the best being what is considered the greatest musical of all time, Singin’ in the Rain which for me really lived up to its praise. I was surprised to discover I had never seen the entire film, just several famous scenes like Gene Kelly actually singing and dancing in the rain. Sick with a temperature of 103 degrees while doing so according to Wikipedia. If you remember the plot, the movie is about the changeover from Silent films to talkies and how the actors and actresses voices came to be important. Jean Hagen plays a popular star whose voice is close to unbearable. She and Gene Kelly make the film and it’s booed because of her voice. To save the film, unbeknownst to Hagen, Kelly, Donald O’Connor and the movie studio boss have Debbie Reynolds dub in her voice speaking the lines as well as doing the singing. Interestingly it turns out that Jean Hagen had a wonderful singing voice and in one of the scenes you see Jean Hagen lip syncing, while Debbie Reynolds is supposedly singing, when actually it is Jean Hagen’s voice being dubbed in. At the opening of the redone film Jean Hagen makes a speech and the audience doesn’t understand why she doesn’t sound the way she did in the movie. When the audience clamors for her to sing she blackmails the studio owner into having Debbie Reynolds stand behind a curtain and dub her voice as she did in the film and stipulates that Reynolds will have to continue to do her dubbing for her five year contract which would effectively stall her career. Reynolds, after urging from Kelly, Donald O’Connor and the studio head, agrees to do it. While Hagen is "singing," they raise the curtain revealing Reynolds as the talent and then announce her as the real star of the film. Everyone in the film was brilliant. My brother thinks the real star of the film is O’Connor who does a tour de force job on the musical number Make Em Laugh. This is from the IMDB website speaking of the act:
For the "Make Em Laugh" number, Gene Kelly asked Donald O'Connor to revive a trick he had done as a young dancer, running up a wall and completing a somersault. The number was so physically taxing that O'Connor, who smoked four packs of cigarettes a day at the time, went to bed (or may have been hospitalized, depending on the source) for a week after its completion, suffering from exhaustion and painful carpet burns. Unfortunately, an accident ruined all of the initial footage, so after a brief rest, O'Connor--ever the professional--agreed to do the difficult number all over again.
And this is a link to a video of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SND3v0i9uhE
As I’ve mentioned there hasn’t been much going on in the way of art but I’m pleased to say there are three new shows that I expect to be going to in the next month. This week I visited the Frick museum for a small show of objects, Pierre Gouthière: Virtuoso Gilder at the French Court. The exhibit is in the two rooms on the lower level of the museum and contains 23 items, incense burners, candelabras, firedogs, a desk, a clock, a doorknob and other things. They’re ornate and beautiful but for me not overly emotionally satisfying like a wall painting. This is a link to the Frick website description of the exhibit. http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/gouthiere/introduction Off to the left are many more tabs with details about the artist and his works. The Visual Index link http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/gouthiere/all illustrates all of the items in the exhibit. It’s hard to see the details on many of these items but they really are remarkable when you stand in front of them. This is a link to the New York Times review of the exhibit with illustrations that are blown up to show more of the detail. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/22/arts/design/gouthiere-at-the-frick-gilding-the-lily-and-everything-else.html?_r=0 As I wandered through the rest of the museum saying hello to old friends I came across a small painting by Richard Parke Bonington that I don’t believe I’ve seen before. It’s a beach scene and you can see it here http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/loans/bonington Be sure to enlarge it. The Oval room was closed for installation of a Turner exhibit which will open towards the end of the month, another one I’ve been waiting for and look forward to seeing.
And now I think it’s time we visited the Flickrs.
Andy G.
20161101_165104
https://www.flickr.com/photos/97984316@N07/30597978832/
Tiffany LTU S4-2
https://www.flickr.com/photos/97867932@N05/25302367035/
cakedecoration
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jandebs/4426222635/
Poser
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rubberneko/4370373556/
IMAG4666ed
https://www.flickr.com/photos/41248331@N02/23365835590/
Happy New Year ma fwiends! :P
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144640902@N04/31667794230/
100_7653
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75502057@N06/31989273436/
french maid
https://www.flickr.com/photos/136587301@N08/32007530245/
15 929w
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mariaclare/23339183679/
DEC2016 FAVSHALLOW16
https://www.flickr.com/photos/antoniomale/31135116390/
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
A veritable smorgasbord of weather this week. Wednesday it was around 60 degrees, Thursday we received about 10 inches of snow and Friday the temperature was in single digits when I awoke. Today it’s mild again. I guess this makes sense in light of the fact that one groundhog said six more weeks of winter while the other groundhog disagreed. I just keep telling myself there’s lots of baseball in the newspapers which means Spring is coming. I’m definitely ready although I really shouldn’t complain, this was our first significant snow of the season. Hope we don’t have another one. Thursday was so miserable that for the first time since I retired I didn’t go for my walks. I heard the wind howling all day. After I did my exercises I looked out the window and the wind was blowing the snow sideways and I decided it just didn’t make sense to go out in. I took an extra 30 minutes on the bicycle to try and make up for it. My foot has been bothering me and I think I’m going to continue the second bicycle ride and give up one of my walks in an attempt to let the foot calm down. With the snow and ice walking was fairly treacherous anyway. I was in the City early in the week and decided to stop by my office to say hello. When I walked in my co-worker looked at me and with a smile on his face said I looked different. I said, you mean I look happy, and we both laughed. I confess I am happy not to be working any more.
The reason I was in New York was to visit the Morgan Library for their just opened exhibit, Treasures from the Nationalmuseum of Sweden: The Collections of Count Tessin. It was excellent. The Count was an 18th Century diplomat and art collector. He was friendly with many of the great artists of his day such as Boucher and Chardin and he commissioned their work. He also bought art and during his term as ambassador to France, in Paris, purchased an enormous collection of drawings and paintings at the 1741 auction of the Pierre Crozat former collection. Subsequently he returned to Stockholm and realized his collecting had left him in financial disarray. The Swedish Government stepped in and purchased a large amount of his collection which became the basis for the National Gallery of Sweden. There are 14 paintings and over 60 drawings in the exhibit, really fine things. This is the Morgan Library press release for the exhibit. http://www.themorgan.org/sites/default/files/pdf/press/NationalmuseumPressRelease_0.pdf and this is an excellent recap of the show with many illustrations. https://tinyurl.com/gvujjr9 I especially enjoyed the two Boucher paintings, The Triumph of Venus and The Milliner and Chardin’s Morning Toilette and Young Student drawing. Wonderful drawings by Rembrandt, Watteau and others and a really splendid chalk drawing with watercolor, a self-portrait of Hendrick Goltzius. I will definitely go back for another visit.
Afterwards I walked up to the main branch of the New York Public Library at 42nd Street to see an exhibit that’s been on my calendar for some time, A Curious Hand, the prints of Henri-Charles Guerard. Guerard was a 19th Century artist and print maker who worked with Manet among others. He created original and reproductive prints of artists like Rembrandt and Hokusai, the Japanese painter of those wood block prints I enjoy so much. One in particular in the show is The Assault of the Shoe which shows a troop of tiny Japanese men climbing over a western woman’s shoe. Another is Blind Men with an Elephant. There are images of his dog Azor, a still life showing a death’s head, a color etching of his son at age six and cartoon like images which he used to create calling cards for men. The exhibit closes in two weeks and if I hadn’t gone to the Morgan I probably would have missed it and I’m so pleased I didn’t as everything in it was beautiful and charming. This is a PDF of the actual brochure that was handed out at the exhibit and there are illustrations of all the items I speak of. https://d140u095r09w96.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/guerardbrochure_final_rev_1.pdf
I think it’s time now to check out the Flickrs.
Andy G.
182-Halloween 1998 Sonya & Dave Robichaud
https://www.flickr.com/photos/146075758%40N02/32725035895/
Kissing 2017
https://www.flickr.com/photos/maria_christina_68/31211602944/
Santa's little helper
https://www.flickr.com/photos/juliapanther/30987990684/
Moulon Rouge New Years Eve Ball....
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cindyhants/31207295944/
Ella
https://www.flickr.com/photos/80033576%40N05/15893972070/
Starting the new year in Pink!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahbright45/32025230465/
sissybonnet
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallulahhh/7681973410/in/pool-2077774%40N21/
110Q1L
https://www.flickr.com/photos/klarissakrass/31660176565/
if pink is for girls - count me in!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/knessia/4687038292/
well what would you expect
https://www.flickr.com/photos/52912530%40N04/31377165633/
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
It was a blustery week, cold and windy, but today it’s absolutely beautiful. I just got back from my final walk and all I wore was my flannel shirt as it was 63 degrees. Saying that reminds me of one of my favorite Soupy Sales jokes. He made an appointment to meet a friend and said, I’ll be there will bells on. And if it’s cold I’ll wear a hat! Ba dum bum.
Monday I went into the City for a gallery show at Richard L. Feigen & Co., THE HUMAN IMAGE: FROM VELAZQUEZ TO VIOLA. Walking up Fifth Avenue to the gallery the wind was so strong it kept pushing me back and made my eyes water. But it wasn’t raining or snowing so I guess I shouldn’t complain. The gallery is on 69th Street, off Madison Avenue, an area I’m quite familiar with as my father had a grocery store on Madison Avenue, just off 69th Street, some 50 years ago. As a kid I worked in it for a number of years. Directly above the store was the Stephen Radich Art Gallery. This was during the Vietnam war and Radich displayed anti-war art behind his big plate glass window which fronted Madison Avenue. One artwork attracted the attention of the New York police department which cited him for casting contempt on the American flag. It went to court as a case of artistic expression and after losing the case he brought it to the Supreme court which ruled in his favor. I remember my Father getting a call one night to come down to the store as someone had thrown something through Radich’s window and broken it. I remember Radich as being a nice guy.
There were some very nice things at the gallery, this is a link to the website with a discussion of the exhibit. http://www.rlfeigen.com/exhibitions/
These are some of the items I enjoyed. I had to do some searching on the Internet to find the images as the gallery didn’t post illustrations.
Hendrick Goltzius – Vulcan – I mentioned a self-portrait of Goltzius in last week’s discussion of the Count Tessin collection. This Vulcan radiates power.
http://www.artnet.com/magazine_pre2000/features/stern/stern3-24-1.asp
Portrait of a gentleman, attributed to Diego Velázquez – At the gallery it did not have the attributed note so it’s possible its provenance has been confirmed.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Velazquez-Portrait-of-a-Gentleman.jpg
Mary Cassatt - The Banjo Lesson, 1894 – Very nice pastel counterproof.
http://www.artnet.com/artists/mary-cassatt/the-banjo-lesson-a-NCdL6kwdZo8IAkY9gLRB6g2
Max Beckmann, Portrait of a Turk, 1926 – I also wrote about the Beckmann exhibit at the Met and this certainly could have been on display for that.
https://travel4foodnart.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/img_2028.jpg
Self Portrait With Palette - Marc Chagall – I’ve seen many Chagall’s and he’s not one of my favorite artists but I thought this was quite splendid.
https://www.wikiart.org/en/marc-chagall/self-portrait-with-palette-1917
Egon Schiele - Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer – I’ve seen a lot of Schiele, mostly at the Neue Gallerie, but I think this is a particularly fine work.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schiele_-_Bildnis_Elisabeth_Lederer_-_1913.jpg
Thomas Eakins - Major Manuel Waldteufel – Eakins is always wonderful.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_Eakins_-_Major_Manuel_Waldteufel.jpg
Among the many movies I watched and enjoyed this week was Kiss Me Kate. Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson play the leads with Ann Miller in a supporting role. Bob Fosse, Bobby Van and Tommy Rall play Ann Miller’s suitors in the play and the four of them, along with Carol Haney and another female dancer, dance like crazy in the song and dance routine, From This Moment On. I had never heard of Rall who was a ballet dancer, who also appeared in films. Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore play two comical gangsters who do a wonderful song and dance routine, Brush up on your Shakespeare. The trivia for the film has this to say about their performance:
Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore neglected to rehearse their "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" number more than once or twice because they thought it was silly. When it came time to shoot it they made numerous fumbles and mistakes which the director thought was on purpose. He later complemented them on making it look like something a couple of thugs would perform. They never told him the truth.
The movie was absolutely brilliant from start to finish. The score was by Cole Porter and was outstanding. Below is a link to the routine From this Moment On. Off to the right are links for the other musical numbers in the play which are equally good, especially Ann Miller’s Too Darn Hot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTBrVuEvZbg&index=1&list=PLpBJEGOc88LnlG9z80LPVpDzVVXMVaNLR
On to the Flickrs.
Andy G.
Juliette109
https://www.flickr.com/photos/noirjuliette/28483326542/
On Display
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stacycuk/11605089836/
2016.11-30
https://www.flickr.com/photos/samyoliver/31339735374/
s95
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gemmalove2/14201006700/
P1012680
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alicccia/15499364593/
DSC09658
https://www.flickr.com/photos/anakin_skywalker/31620280225/
New Lacy Top
https://www.flickr.com/photos/129523200@N04/16920011880/
3 to the power of 3
https://www.flickr.com/photos/soniav/31409298244/
Happy New Year 2017
https://www.flickr.com/photos/65226966@N05/31960911921/
Elhielodelosinfiernos7
https://www.flickr.com/photos/akaren/16081653922/
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Thanks again Andy for the art lesson and gallery tour. I always enjoy it as much as your picture finds that follow. I hope our warm spell is a sign of spring around the corner as we have been lucky here not to have had much snow. Our temps have been up and down so any snow we get is almost gone in a few days and then it gets cold for a few days then warms up again. Probably why so many are sick here, well that and you do not see many people wash their hands too often.
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
I have enjoyed our Spring like weather this week but the weatherman tells me it’s back to winter tomorrow. And I’m not pleased that it will be raining for my ride back from the Jersey shore later this evening but I expect to have a nice day visiting friends.
This week I went to the Met to see their new exhibit, Seurat’s Circus Sideshow. Although it revolved around the eponymous painting, the exhibit had only that and one other painting by Seurat along with 16 of his drawings. But the rest of the show was very eclectic. One of the most remarkable items was an enormous painting on five panels measuring 7 feet high by 20 feet wide by the artist Fernand Pelez, Grimaces et Misères. Les Saltimbanques
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernand_Pelez#/media/File:FernandPelez-Saltimbanques.jpg
This is a link to the NY Times review of the exhibit which also has illustrations. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/arts/design/cirque-du-seurat-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art.html The Met website didn’t have illustrations of all the items so I found myself searching the web to find a number of them. Several were from the Met’s collection so I was able to get them from the website. The exhibit was in the Lehman wing downstairs and it filled the circular galleries on both sides of the gallery. These are some other items I liked.
This is the painting that gives the show its name, Seurat’s Circus Sideshow.
https://tinyurl.com/zb4nwo7
And this is his other painting, The Models, a smaller version of one that’s in the Barnes Museum.
http://www.scaruffi.com/museums/seurat/seurat4.jpg
When I said eclectic I meant it as I was very pleased to see a Japanese wood block print included - Kobayashi Kiyochika - Fireworks at Ikenohata
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/712976
As well as a Rembrandt etching - Christ Presented to the People
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/360048
Paul Signac, another pointillist represented by Place de Clichy. This is a small painting, very colorful and I like the way he has left the large open area at the bottom and put the action off to the sides.
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/459120
Leon Dehesghues - Fete De Neuilly – I’m very disappointed that I can’t find a good reproduction of this painting as it was one of my favorites. It’s a very large painting so there’s so much that you can’t see in this tiny reproduction. It’s a large crowd in the audience and a group of players on the stage and the cigarette being lit by the performer is really striking as is the ember of the cigarette the man in the audience is smoking.
http://www.oceansbridge.com/oil-paintings/product/48585/fetedeneuilly
Picasso – Fairground Stall – Very early Picasso
http://www.bcn.cat/museupicasso/en/collection/mpb113-113.html
Henri-Gabriel IBELS - Theatre program: Le Grappin and L'Affranchie, I like this as it is so reminiscent of Toulouse Lautrec.
http://artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail.cfm?IRN=147500
Honoré Daumier - The Strong Man – An oil painting as opposed to the many drawings and etchings I’ve seen.
http://blog.phillipscollection.org/2014/02/26/happy-birthday-honore-daumier/
And now, the Flickrs.
Andy G.
take my breath away (Berlin)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/55377997%40N05/13135395773/
Pink-Blaues Ballkleid 3
https://www.flickr.com/photos/88956597%40N08/30754032566/
Sarah Wales
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahwalesxxx/32105884685/
Seated
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144380692%40N07/32147481536/
Another full length mirror selfie.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jaminheelz/32331287952/
shemale school
https://www.flickr.com/photos/125740224%40N08/31626544733/
Collage5
https://www.flickr.com/photos/maryanncd/32295113492/
Corset Sissy Maid
https://www.flickr.com/photos/phillymichaela/32204340912/
satin morning :)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144050910%40N04/31967776822/
Ruby Nightdress and half slip
https://www.flickr.com/photos/28016424%40N07/32441025885/
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
It’s been a fairly schizophrenic week for weather as the weather gods have alternated between spring like weather and fall like weather. It was warm enough to walk around without a jacket one day and then cold enough to need the winter coat another day. I just got back from my final walk of the day and there is no doubt it is winter today, the temperature never rose much above 30 degrees and the winds have been blowing at 20 mph. Not a good day for long walks.
As I mentioned last week I drove down to the Jersey shore on Saturday for a visit with friends. About two thirds of the way down I lost the clutch on my car. When I say I lost the clutch I mean that the clutch pedal went down to the floor and didn't come back up which prevented me from changing gears. I lifted the clutch manually and put the car in second gear, then started it up and pulled back onto the highway and was able to get into higher gear and proceed to my destination. The Parkway wasn’t a problem but the last 8 miles are through towns and that was certainly an adventure.
When it happened I pulled over to the side of the road, the car stalled and the Check Engine light came on. I sat there for a minute being forlorn and debating what to do. I figured I had two options, turn back or keep going. I decided to keep going for three reasons. I really wanted to visit with my friend, I didn’t want to come home with a cake and a tray of cookies and I wanted to find a garage to see if the car could be jury rigged to work better until I got home and could take it to my mechanic. I didn’t use my cellphone but I was glad I had it.
I managed to get to my destination and my friend and I walked over to a nearby garage that was unable to help me but who were very nice and called another one a mile away who agreed to look at it if I could drive it over. I was able to do so, albeit haltingly, and their mechanic checked it out and then took it for a ride. When he got back he told me that he just pumped the pedal up and down and it came back to life so we drove back to my friend’s house where we spent the afternoon together but agreed I should leave while there was still light. I left around 4:30 PM and got home without further problem just before it started to pour. I consider myself very lucky, just finding a garage that was open on a Saturday, especially after Noon, was remarkable.
On Tuesday I brought the car into my mechanic and was told that the rubber seals had hardened forcing air into the line causing the problem. He said it would cost $410 to replace the two cylinders and he wasn't sure either of them needed to be replaced. The only way to find out would be to disassemble everything and he didn't want me to spend the money as he felt the car would be fine now that the seals had softened again. I also consider myself lucky to have such an honest and reliable mechanic right in my neighborhood. So I'm going to continue driving it to see if the problem reoccurs. If it does I should be able to just pump the clutch pedal and be able to continue driving but if it does happen again I will spend the money to have the seals replaced.
I’m finally finished with my dentist, but not completely done with doctors. On my final visit my dentist pointed out that I had white spots on my tongue, something she noticed back in 2010 according to her records. I went to an oral surgeon then and he suggested monitoring it. Apparently they can come and go as she’s checked my tongue each time I’ve visited over the years so this time she suggested I revisit an oral surgeon which I did. The doctor said he didn’t think it was anything but the only way to be sure would be a biopsy so I agreed and he took the sample. I go back next Tuesday for the results and a follow up visit. But I’m annoyed at myself as when I made the appointment I was going to ask if the doctor accepted Medicare but didn’t as I wasn’t sure Medicare would cover it as they don’t cover dental. But I was very dismayed to discover when I arrived at the office that they had opted out of Medicare which means I can’t be reimbursed at all. It was a very large amount so you may imagine how annoyed I was. I see that in the future, no matter what it’s for, if I have to see a doctor I’ll have to find out beforehand if they accept Medicare. I was asked if taking the sample was painful and I said that was easy, the only pain was the large extraction from my wallet.
I walked up to the Frick Monday morning and was very surprised when I got there and was told it was closed. I guess I knew it wasn’t open on Mondays but I definitely forgot. And I have to laugh as I decided to walk up to 79th for the exercise and then walk back down to the Frick. So when I couldn’t get in, I had to walk back up to 81st to visit the Met. I saw a very nice exhibit of a rather obscure artist, Hercules Segers, a 17th Century Dutch etcher and painter, who was well regarded by his peers, Rembrandt collected his work. This is a rave review from the WSJ. https://tinyurl.com/j38sj28
I enjoyed the exhibit but I commented in emails to friends that some of them were so small and obscured that they were hard for me to see owing to my poor vision. But the ones I could make out were very good, especially the larger landscapes and ruins. Unlike the Seurat exhibit which didn't illustrate most of it on the website, the Segers was fully represented with all the objects illustrated in addition to an informative video and a bunch of comparison graphics which showed the different stages of certain etchings. It was very nice to see the Rembrandt superimposed over the Segers so you could roll back and forth to see the changes.
Unlike the Seurat exhibit the Met showed all the illustrations on the website which you can see at this link, https://tinyurl.com/jlx6hea
This is another link that shows a few of the prints in detail and comparison. As I mentioned, this one shows how Rembrandt took the engraving plate for Tobias and the Angel, which he purchased, and altered it to become his etching, The Flight into Egypt. Rembrandt owned a number of Seger’s works. http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2017/hercules-segers/segers-closer-look This is a link to the Overview page with the 3:50 video discussing the artist which I found interesting. http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2017/hercules-segers
On Friday I went back to the Frick and finally got to see the JMW Turner exhibit, Turner’s Modern and Ancient Ports: Passages through Time. The Frick owns a number of Turner paintings and the exhibit is built around two of the them, Harbor of Dieppe of 1825 and Cologne, The Arrival of a Packet-Boat: Evening of 1826. These are complemented by three paintings from the Tate and one from a private collection. The paintings are, of course, brilliant but the stars of the show are two dozen of his watercolors which are really special. This is a link to the Overview webpage http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/turner This is a link to all the objects in the exhibit, with the oil paintings listed first. http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/turner/checklist
I especially enjoyed these watercolors.
Shields, on the River Tyne – A wonderful full moon shining down on men loading coal on the boat. https://tinyurl.com/jjfqc9j
Dover Castle from the Sea, 1822 – There’s a lot going on here, the white cliffs of Dover, the boats in the sea with the churning waves and the backdrop of what appears to be a castle. It’s hard to see but if you enlarge the frame you can see the men in the boat off to the left are engaged in an animated discussion. https://tinyurl.com/zj4snut
Scarborough – A lady in the foreground glancing back at her dog, I always enjoy seeing animals represented in paintings. https://tinyurl.com/zum2b6u
Definitely check out all of the items, enlarging each one as it’s a really special show with items from private collections which won’t often be exhibited. This is a link to a review of the exhibit from the Bergen Record which has illustrations, https://tinyurl.com/hj6aztk
A very worthy week for art.
And now some art of a different sort, let’s visit the Flickrs.
Andy G.
Violetta 001
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138292951@N06/32320990671/
aIMG_5420
https://www.flickr.com/photos/the-girl_within/5739489602/
IMG_3580_pp
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mariab74/31697267853/
First Event 2017 - Marlborough, MA.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stephaniewardlow98/31759138414/
Green Lady @ The Green Lady
https://www.flickr.com/photos/misskellie/29895280586/
No... I'm NOT a sissy (I just like PINK!)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gentv2000/31442880134/
BB look
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75757976@N06/16188798273/
P1012680
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alicccia/15499364593/
Studio Grandbois,Shinkiba
https://www.flickr.com/photos/129106849@N08/32345528712/
Forced into satin & frills
https://www.flickr.com/photos/125838995@N04/14579297035/
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
Well, weather wise this week looked pretty much like last week. Thursday was a beautiful day, warm enough for just the flannel shirt with the sun shining. Friday it snowed but it only stuck to the grass which was a bonus. Today it’s bitter cold and the forecast for Tuesday is for a major snowstorm; the weather site calls for a 100% chance of snow. I really don’t like those odds. I’ve been cheering myself up by telling myself that Spring is only nine days away, at least on the calendar. Hopefully in a few more weeks things will be more temperate on a regular basis. I knew daylight savings was coming but I wasn’t sure when so I Googled it this morning and was surprised to discover that it’s here. When I go to bed tonight I will move all the clocks forward. And for the first time in my life, the clock in my bedroom, which was my alarm clock for work, will not be set 20 minutes ahead. I’m going to keep it at the actual time, another nod to my retirement. I know this will confuse me for a while when I wake up and think it’s 20 minutes earlier than it is but I think I’ll be able to adjust.
On Thursday I gave a friend a day out. We went to the Montclair Museum to see their current exhibit, Matisse and American Art. We arrived at Noon when it opens and there were only two people aside from us waiting to go in. There were very few people visiting and one of the employees commented that it was unusually slow. Which was fine as we were able to wander through the galleries and get up close to the art. It was a lovely show that had eight of his later cut outs as well as several of his iconic paintings of odalisques and rooms.
Montclair is another venue that doesn’t illustrate their exhibits online but I found several of the paintings that both of us very much enjoyed. A wonderful painting of a woman at a piano with two children playing chess, https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f8/3a/00/f83a004b4201ceea06605d3d44d7feb4.jpg An odalisque, https://i0.wp.com/www.njarts.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/MATISSE_Yellow-Odalisque.jpg?resize=336%2C404 And Nude in Wood, https://uploads.thealternativepress.com/uploads/photos/c9/best_b08530b5179d2df3036e_DSCF2270.JPG This is a video, just under three minutes, that interviews Gail Stavisky the Montclair curator who discusses the show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k9lI72hIGg In it she speaks about Mark Rothko, an abstract artist I’ve never been able to comprehend. She explains how Rothko was inspired by Matisse and draws parallels between one of his all red paintings with Matisse’s Red Room. This appeared in the main exhibit although there was also a complementary exhibit by other artists inspired by Matisse.
The museum has a large permanent collection of the American landscape painter George Inness which they display in the George Inness room. The last time I visited the museum was for a George Inness exhibit which I greatly enjoyed. It was a nice selection they had on display and we both very much enjoyed it. My favorite was Winter Moonlight as I’m a sucker for paintings that show the full moon brightly lighting up the sky as this one does. https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/7631b5f90578c8d5_4-2968/traditional-prints-and-posters.jpg My friend thought them wonderful and I’ll take her to the New York Historical Society in the next few months as there is an exhibit of the Hudson River artists opening which I plan to attend.
I mentioned a Vermeer exhibit that’s coming to the National Gallery in Washington, DC in October, it’s currently running at the Louvre and when it closes it will come to the Gallery. There was an article in the NY Times the other day on the crowds that have been going to see it and how badly the Louvre has handled the situation. They hung the exhibit in their basement in galleries that can only hold 250 people at a time. Two percent of their guards went on strike to protest the colossal chaos that resulted. They’ve now changed visiting to timed admission which they say has reduced the wait time for visitors. It’s not a policy I particularly care for but if it makes it easier to navigate through the gallery I guess I would put up with it. I don’t believe this will be a problem when the National Gallery has the exhibit as they have large open spaces for special exhibitions. You can read the article here, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/09/arts/design/vermeer-louvre.html
The results from my visit to the oral surgeon were negative, that is, the biopsy didn’t show anything to be concerned about. The doctor told me the medical term for the white spots but I forgot it almost immediately as it was five medical terms. Basically my tongue has hardened from age. It’s something I can certainly live with and I’m grateful it wasn’t anything serious. In the next few weeks I need to go back to my internist for another round of blood work to see if lowering the dosage of my statin has affected my cholesterol. I’m not really anxious to do this as I don’t want to start another routine of false positives and more procedures. I guess this is what we can expect when we age.
I think it must be time for the Flickrs now.
Andy G.
my pink and cream dress – Hi Samantha, pretty dress!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sissysamantharebecca/32360132903/
Pink Lady
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128258339%40N07/19051207892/
★161009_Jamie-35-Edit
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134551354%40N03/30132193622/
P8740498
https://www.flickr.com/photos/44815144%40N07/31873601884/
Tilcajete Carnaval Bridal Party Oaxaca Mexico
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ilhuicamina/33052053442/
61/365 Henrietta
https://www.flickr.com/photos/darrenpye/32370127534/
velvet off shoulder top, black lace ruffle skirt
https://www.flickr.com/photos/adrii06/31848128603/
I am such a shopaholic! But is the top nice btw?
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Hey Andy, a pretty good post this week except the bit about the weather. Ours has been bad also and freezing temps. today with snow flurries. Made a quick trip to the store for tea, bread, coffee cream and the newspapers before coming home to hibernate again in front of the fire. Almost got knocked over by a quick exiting kid running from security. Not sure what he took but he was tackled by the guy and held by some other younger men while police were called. I think he took something from the Pharmacy but it was more than 15 minutes for Police to arrive and the station is five blocks away. Three cars and officers arrived and went inside while I finished up and they were still all there 20 minutes later when I passed coming from the local coffee shop. Anyway I liked the gallery visit but Matisse is not one of my favourites although I feel if I started painting again my art would look similar but not as good. As usual I enjoy the pics and the one of the Boy in a Dress is good and I am jealous of him.
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Hello everybody and welcome back to My Weekly Flickr.
While it wasn’t the blizzard they predicted, we got a fair amount of snow on Wednesday, probably 7-8 inches. The weather website had been predicting 8-12 inches so it wasn't that far off for my town and certain areas did get a lot, although it appears it was overblown in Manhattan. I got dressed to take my walk and went about a block when I realized it was a mistake to try. There were no cars or pedestrians, the snow was deep and the wind was blowing the snow sideways so I turned around and came back home. I rode the bicycle again for 40 minutes. I was a little surprised the Port Authority suspended all buses in and out of the City, they seem to be quicker to do that in recent times than years ago. On my way back to the house I did a good deed and let someone waiting at the bus stop know that no bus would be coming.
On Thursday I went out for my first walk of the day and it was not easy. Took me 90 minutes instead of an hour due to the frozen surface and my forgetting to wear my cleats, a very big mistake. A lot of sliding around and I fell once although I didn’t hurt myself. The wind kicking in and out certainly didn’t help. It’s been very cold. For my second walk I wore the cleats and it was much easier to navigate although the wind was still blowing. My final walk of the day proved really annoying as both my cleats broke and when I arrived home I only had one shoe still wearing it. I ordered another pair which I hope will be more durable. Things are not made to last any more, the quality of so many items I buy is just very poor. I’m hoping I won’t need them again this season what with Spring being two days away, at least on the calendar. But I remember a massive snowstorm on March 30th one year so I will make no predictions. I do wish it would warm up but it looks like it’s going to be at least a few more days before it does. My hope is that it starts to really warm up by mid-week so the snow in my backyard melts enough for me to turn my car around. Not anxious to attempt backing out of my long driveway which has led to me damaging my car twice.
I walked up to the Guggenheim museum on Monday for their latest exhibit, Visionaries: Creating a Modern Guggenheim. I wasn’t expecting to go back so soon after my adventure with the Agnes Martin abstract art but this exhibit displays objects from their permanent collection, many of which haven’t been on display for some time. I found it enjoyable, especially the Impressionists who I love. It’s always wonderful to see Pissarro’s Hermitage which I mentioned last time. I confess I start to lose interest with the cubist and abstract paintings but when they have geometric form and bright colors I can admire them, like many of the Kandinsky’s. There were a number of artists I was completely unfamiliar with which isn’t surprising as they were 20th Century abstract painters. There were four Penrod Centurion ink and watercolor compositions which were very nice, very colorful and geometrically interesting. He is certainly someone I had never heard of. Couldn’t bring it up on the website though. I’m surprised they don’t own a Rothko, at least there were none on display. It was so cold out that when I walked in my glasses fogged over and I couldn’t see the guard who wanted to wand me. The Impressionists were unsurprisingly the things I most enjoyed. Here are a few of the items I enjoyed.
Georges Seurat - Peasant with Hoe – I recently wrote about the Seurat exhibit at the Met and this is a beautiful pointillist painting of a man at work in a field
https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/3914
Vincent van Gogh - The Zouave – Vincent is one of my favorites and this is a pen and ink drawing of a French infantryman. The Guggenheim has many of Van Gogh’s letters which he illustrated and one of them was on display as well.
https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/1487
Pierre-Auguste Renoir - Woman with Parakeet - Another favorite, this painting done in what the website describes as proto Impressionist is a realistic portrayal of one of his models, a woman who was also his companion for six years.
https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/3699
Edgar Degas - Dancers in Green and Yellow - A colorful pastel painting of the dancers Degas was famous for.
https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/1009
Vasily Kandinsky - Composition 8 – The exhibit starts with a number of Kandinsky’s and there are a few others on the upper levels. To reiterate, these are abstract and not especially appealing to me but I can enjoy them for their size, color and geometric forms and shapes.
https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/1924
Modigliani - Yellow Sweater (aka Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne) – One of Modigliani’s iconic portraits with a long neck; this one of his final lover.
http://www.modigliani.org/yellow-sweater.jsp
And I’ll end with Jackson Pollock’s Alchemy, not because I like it but because it was a star of the exhibition, the last item on display at the very top of the spiral. The drip paintings are the most abstract paintings that I can imagine and they elude me even more than the single color paintings of Rothko and Martin. I have absolutely no sense of why this is considered such a great piece of art. Nothing in it calls out to me, I don’t see any form and certainly don’t find it pleasing to the eye, one of Duncan Phillips reasons for admiring a painting. But the critics clearly disagree with me.
https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/3482
I went to Christie’s for the Chinese auction preview on Monday and while it was 20th Century Chinese art some of the hanging scrolls were very beautiful, very much similar to the ancient ones I admire. It was fairly crowded which surprised me, especially in the room with treasures from the Fujita museum which were objects for the most part. But they also had samples up for other upcoming auctions. Very lovely Mary Cassatt, Childe Hassam and Paul Signac. Also a portrait by Alexej Von Jawlensky, the artist currently on exhibit at the Neue, an exhibit I plan on attending assuming I don’t forget like the last one. But the interesting thing to me is that the portrait up for auction is from Greta Garbo’s collection. That must add a certain cachet for a collector I would think. Unfortunately I’m unable to find any of these images so we will have to wait for their actual auction previews in the next few months. Christie’s seems to be having a lot of website issues, if I was rich enough to be bidding on these items I would be extremely annoyed. I can’t show any links as they won’t open when clicked on which is frustrating. You’ll have to take my word about their beauty. I’ve written to Christie’s and advised them of the issue but haven’t heard back. I would think in their business they would be interested in hearing when their website isn’t functioning properly but you never know.
And now, the Flickrs.
Andy G.
Womanless Beauties
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sciatfsu/32517219664/
the legendary Tom Harbin
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trannilicious2011/31985919430/
Kazumi Takahasi
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27401732@N05/28502655433/
DSC03972
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mumu_js/21379375171/
Flickr Flasher
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hello_monique/11460165773/
IMG_3373
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessateves/32618595862/
Show your frock, Alice. And don't be so shy.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/debbie_lewissmith/32434969331/
Christmas Fairy 1
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8670524@N05/9560251698/
DSC_2385_pp
https://www.flickr.com/photos/48779471@N04/32720750975/
Sophie's April 2009
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lucyhamilton/4236167107/