Saturday, March 03, 2012

The Sound of One Rush Lip Flapping...



Dear Pasty White Old Men of the Republican Party and the Vatican,

On behalf of all women and their uteruses, i would like to ask you why you think you are qualified to determine what we are allowed or not allowed to do with our bodies. Don't you have enough to deal with walking around with that one eyed snake and two furry companions everyday? I bet most of you don't even know what the uterus does or where it really is. Do you really think that Bayer aspirin will work as an effective contraceptive? If so, then why have you not banned it for over the counter use? Do you even know where the ovaries are? What they do? Did you still think the Fallopian tubes are part of the internet invented by Al Gore? Or perhaps they are part of the Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska...

With all the attention and determination you have put into regulating the female body think of what you could really do if you focused that energy elsewhere. I am sure you could find better things to do with your power and money. How about starting by feeding the poor? Finding shelter for the homeless? Healthcare for those who cannot afford it. (Which is most of us in the lower middle class!) Stopping real crimes. I mean REAL crimes, like those crooks on Wall Street, Lobbyist, the Oil Lords, Drug Lords, and all those other holy men who think they are doing the Lord's work by molesting chidren. How about really making the world a safer place. A place where little old ladies can cross the street past sunset. Safe playgrounds, neighborhoods and schools. Find a real solution to global warming because no matter what you say.. it is REAL! (Is it hot in here or is it me? Oh wait it is 60 degrees today and it is March! A year ago today i was shoveling a foot of snow!)
Fix the broken tax system. (Or at least fix the damn pot holes in the street!)

When was the last time any of you boyz were pregnant? Had morning sickness? Bloated? Bled like a pig with debilitating cramps that had you curled up into a fetal position.... every month for let's say 30 years or so? Had a perpetual itchy yeast infection? Bladder infection? Menstrual migraine? Uterine fibroids? Breast cancer? Cervical cancer? Ovarian cancer? A tumor the size of a grapefruit nesting in your uterus? Can you even imagine surviving "The Oh My Goddess I Am Bursting Into Flames Hot Flashes" every day? How about night sweats? Don't even get me started on raging hormones causing acne, constipation, frizzy hair and weight gain!

If you are so concerned with the female body perhaps you could help us by promoting safe and healthy ways to stop our pain, excessive bleeding, bloating, hot flashes, night sweats, puking while carrying a large watermelon inside our bodies. Invent a way for us to be able to wear white pants every day of the month. Give every woman off with pay when she is menstruating or during menopause. Assign special parking spaces for pregnant women. (Do we really need 20 handicapped spaces at every grocery store?) Make acupuncture and alternative medicine available to all women and paid for by those slutty insurance companies that you are in bed with. (Speaking of sluts- may Rush Limbaugh reincarnate as a poor minority woman with 12 children, working at Wal-Mart who has been disqualified for welfare and lives with a perpetual burning, itchy yeast infection.)

Here is a link to boycott the sponsors of the Puff Toad Rush Limbaugh's show. CLICK HERE!)

And remember on voting day 2012..."Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" We are Woman ... hear us roar!

Visit the Planet Calamari Screaming Uterus Shop for politically humorous art at Click Here!

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Monday, February 27, 2012

Frida Kahlo Comes to Virginia!


FRIDA KAHLO: HER PHOTOS

The celebrated artist’s life revealed through personal photographs

Thu Feb 23-Sun March 25
Free


Artisphere Terrace Gallery

1101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington VA 22209
(703) 875-1100

http://www.artisphere.com

U.S. PREMIERE: Artisphere is the first and only venue in the United States of America to present this exhibition of photographs revealing moments of this extraordinary figure’s private life.

Free public opening reception: Thu Feb 23 / 7-10pm

"Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)’s extraordinary life and iconic biographical paintings have earned her international renown in the world of modern art. Upon Kahlo’s death in 1954, more than 6,500 personal photographs and items belonging to her and husband/artist Diego Rivera were sealed and put in storage. For more than half a century this great collection of personal memorabilia remained hidden from the public. In 2007 this collection was opened and Mexican photographer and curator Pablo Ortiz Monasterio inventoried and catalogued 240 images to create the Frida Kahlo: Her Photos exhibition.

These images reveal a little-known side of the artist and lifelong resident of Coyoacán, a Mexico City suburb and Arlington, Virginia's sister city. The collection of photographs in this exhibition reflect Kahlo’s tastes and interests, the experiences she shared with those close to her, and her complicated, but also thrilling, personal life. Viewers get an insider’s look, not only through who was behind the camera, in front of the lens or the anonymous nature of some of the work but also through the annotated writing found on the back of many of the photographs.

From family pictures and snapshots taken with lovers to images that reveal relationships with Russian Marxist revolutionary Leon Trotsky and American photographers Edward Weston, Alfred Stieglitz, artist Georgia O’Keefe and actress Dolores del Rio, this exhibition provides a glimpse into Kahlo as never seen before.

This exhibition is produced in collaboration with the Frida Kahlo Museum, The Embassy of Mexico, the Mexican Cultural Institute, Arlington County and with additional support from the Rosslyn Business Improvement District. It was initially facilitated by the Arlington Sister City Association."

Friday, February 17, 2012

The Return of the Muse

I cannot remember the last time i saw my muse- she somehow disappeared while i was busy packing up my life and belongings during the Great Move of 2011. Perhaps i accidently folded her into the box of beads and art supplies where she spent the last four months in a dark damp storage unit. Or maybe she has run off again to Paris to sip Pastis 51 and hang out at the Louvre.

These past few months have flown by since the move from the Witch City to Virginia. Most of it spent unpacking boxes, the paralyzing reality of a sick father, caring for an old incontinent cat and the perpetual search for a job. A real job- if there is such a thing. After applying for at least 300 jobs online, i am pretty certain most are surreal at this point. That is 300 resumes, cover letters and tedious redundant applications required to be filled out completely including everyplace you have worked, addresses, phone numbers, bosses, salary and pretty much every detail except for a sample of DNA, which i am sure would be required if i applied for the government jobs my parents keep reminding me about. (No need to remind them that their daughter probably has an FBI file documenting the activities of her domestic terrorist cats along with her borrowing Motorcycle Diaries from the library during the Bush regime.) During my father's moments of dementia he will ask if i have applied to work at Bethlehem Steel. I must be in a Seinfeld episode. Perhaps i will work for J. Petterman or the Yankees.

The insane thought of going through the tedious and expensive process of getting yet another acupuncture license- this time in Virginia... or maybe DC plays in my head over and over. Do i want to start another acupuncture practice all over again... Be self-employed again? Or should i settle for that $9 an hour job? This is beginning to sound like a John Prine song.

My addiction to hunting for a job seems to have triggered an intervention from my husband. He has the patience of a saint most of the time. But everyone has their breaking point. "Enough- stop trying so hard and the job will appear!" And so i have promised to stop looking for a bit. Take time to chill and enjoy life. (Could someone please remind me how to do that.) I may need to find a 12 step program to keep me from searching the internet everyday for THAT job.

Will Craigslist, Career Builder, Higher Eds Jobs, etc. even notice that i stopped visiting them with resumes everyday, including weekends and holidays? Happy to say i will not miss Career Builder taunting me with emails of expired job listings. "Hi, I'm Elliot from Career Builder and NASA is interested in you. Please click below to apply for the job." And of course, i click- and end up on a "Sorry the listing for this job is expired." webpage. Who hires those people at Career Builders?

Last night after my first 5 hours of not even peeking at Craigslist for a job i saw a shadow out of the corner of my eye. ... there she was in her infamous harem pants with bells, Dancing to the music in the kitchen with the cats.
Later i noticed that she ordered colored wire, bells and beads online and sent me the bill. I am hoping somewhere there is a bottle of Pastis 51 with my name on it too.

Sly and the Family Stone DANCE TO THE MUSIC

Friday, February 03, 2012

i thank You God for most this amazing...


by e. e. cummings
(1894 - 1962

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes


(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Save Free Speech on the Internet!


Millions of Americans oppose SOPA and PIPA because these bills would censor the Internet and slow economic growth in the U.S.

Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business. Millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA.

The Senate will begin voting on January 24th. Please let them know how you feel. Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late.

CLICK HERE to read more and sign petition!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Happy Birthday Jane Austen

Jane Austen
16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." Mr Darcy
From Pride and Prejudice

Maybe this is not the best quote from the book, but it is certainly one of the most romantic Thank you Jane Austen!

Visit the Jane Austen website for more info at http://www.janeausten.org/

Sunday, December 04, 2011

Happy Zappadan
.. its the most wonderful time of the year!


“I never set out to be weird. It was always other people who called me weird.”
Frank Zappa


The festival of Zappadan runs from the date of Frank's death, 12/4, through the date of his birth, 12/21
. I did not make this up. You read more about this holiday season from an old post at the blog The Aristocrats

OK, so i do have a Zappa thing, just look at the hair. We were both born at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore. His parents were part Italian ....and Catholic. Mine were full blown Italian which requires one to be Catholic too. He too was the oldest child of four and he also had asthma. wheeeeeze gasp... pass that inhaler please.

Frank and his family ended up in San Diego in 1955ish depending on which bio you read. (I eventually moved there in 1981) You can read more about Frank's early career at wiki

It was not just the brilliance of Zappa's music that made me fall in love with him. He was a rebel. Outspoken. Blunt. A genius... a real one with a high IQ. He was a smart bad boy with a sense of humor and an inhaler. Oh take my breath away. And he had no problem being odd, different or weird. He did not even try. I can relate to that- though it took me much longer to accept that about myself. Some of us are just born that way. It pisses some people off, confuses others and stuns the rest. Rest assured, most of us freaks are harmless, just scary to watch or understand.

He was oh so very handsome in that ugly-sexy rock star kind of way too. Of course i think if i ever had kids i would have thought of better names for them than Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen. (Diva is a beautiful name without the pigeen muffin.)

So in 1993 Frank Zappa died on my birthday of prostate cancer. (Bill Bixby, of the Courtship of Eddie's Father had just passed away a week before with the same disease.) What a shitty year for good guys. I remember that day vividly, what i wore, ate, drank and the tears. I took it as an omen that it was going to be a very bad year. (And yes it was THE year that sucked- but it also was the year that sparked many big changes in my life- death of my dear friend Edie, the death of a bad marriage, moving to new apartment alone with terrorist cats, a sick dog and starting acupuncture college. And i am certain it sucked much more for the Zappa family.)

It has been 18 years since all that has transpired. My terrorist cat will be 19 in April. I can't even believe how old i am today. I feel young inside. Old in my joints. My inhaler is still in my purse, tho since moving to Virginia away from the coal dust of Salem, i no longer need to puff on it as much. So..when i learned of the holiday season known as Zappadan started on my birthday a few years ago, i took it once again as an omen, but this time as a good one.

So today i will floss, not eat yellow snow and celebrate my weirdness. It's my birthday and i'll floss if i want to. (yes i did live in Montana for 9 months too!)

Thank you Frank!

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Happy Birthday Divine Miss M!



Happy Birthday Bette Midler!
Thank you for your sense of humor and outrageous talent!

Visit Bette's website at www.bettemidler.com

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Magical Earrings Arrive
on Planet Calamari Etsy



See more fairies, devas and angels on the Planet Calamari Etsy Shoppe

Free shipping on Cyber Monday. Use code CYBERMONDAY11 when checking out.

Wishing you and your loved ones a magical holiday season!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Support your local indy business!


For art to wear, greeting cards and gifts you will never find at Walmart or the mall please visit the Planet Calamari Art Shoppes


And do you really need to stand in line at midnight to shop at Walmart after Thanksgiving dinner for a bunch of imported crap from China?

Friday, November 18, 2011

Happy 83rd Birthday Mickey Mouse!


"I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing...
that it was all started by a mouse."

—Walt Disney, Disneyland; October 27, 1954

It was love at first sight the very first time i saw Mickey Mouse. Those ears, the gloves .... and the voice. What is it about him that makes him so special? Well first off he is so graphically correct. All those circles perfectly drawn into a jovial mouse. Very simple. Maybe almost zen? Therapy via cartoons.

I think Mickey Mouse's birthday should be a national holiday, with pay. Put on your mouse ears and sing along with the Mickey Mouse Club

Learn more about this infamous mouse at wikipedia

Thursday, November 17, 2011

50% Off Blowout Planet Calamari Zazzle Shop

Friday November 18th 4 Hour Blowout Sale

Visit http://www.zazzle.com/planetcalamari



Get a jump on your holiday shopping on Mickey Mouse's birthday. Unique designs inspired by acupuncture, Eastern Philosophy, Yoga, Meditation, and whimsical characters. Featuring the new Screaming Uterus Collection for ladies only.

Use code: FFHSHUGEDEAL
is applied at checkout on or before November 18, 2011 4:01pm PT.

Happy Holidays- no matter which ones you celebrate from Planet Calamari Art Galleria featuring one of a kind art by artist/acupuncturist jeanie mossa.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Happy Happy Hysterectomy Greeting Cards

Is your uterus screaming? Painful menses? Hysterectomy scheduled? Ovarian cysts? You won't find a Hallmark card for those symptoms! On Planet Calamari we share your pain and have designed art for you and your uterus.

To see more cards,gifts and shoes for the menopausal woman visit the Planet Calamari's Screaming Uterus Collection on Zazzle.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sages Artists and Lunatics



"Those people who recognize that the imagination is reality's master we call sages, and those who act upon it we call artists or lunatics." - Tom Robbins