The Story of Galatica, The Big Girl

Hai. Tugger here. Ya'll have requested more from me so I have a little story to tell. Almost a year ago I was waiting at my shelter home to be adopted. I was tiny, man. So tiny they couldn't even neuter me. In fact I weighed just a little over one pound. The only big thing about me was my ears. So I had to remain at the shelter longer than usual, trying to gain some weight. As you can see in the photo above, I was picked on a little...I'm being plummeted by my cage mate to the right as my big lazy red brother sleeps in the background. Well the red neck ya-hoos in the cage next to mine all got adopted, except for one ole girl...she was black and white, extra mean, and she was HUGE. The shelter named her Galatica. Well Galatica was all alone and actin so pitiful, so the shelter angels got a well meaning, but not so brilliant idea and moved her mean self into our cage. She reeked havoc on us all. We screamed and fought back, but to no avail. Well, my forever humans witnessed the whole painful thing. So when I got to my forever home, they thoughtfully bought me a Galatica of my own. I carry her around with my fangs, dip her in the cold water bowl, and beat her up at least once a day. But the best part is....she still the same size, but I gotz BIG. Life is so good. Tugger

Here I am with Galatica catching a little shine on the belly... Ize like making her watch.

Know Your Ocean: Sweet Pea, The Adventuresome Manatee

"Man will protect that which he loves" Saint Jacques Yves Cousteau

Ahhhh.. the lovable, gentle cow of the deep, the manatee. What magic do these animals possess that makes us so automatically drawn to them? I think it may have something to do with that wrinkled nose and somewhat sad face...like a Sharpai puppy. And on a deeper level, they seem to have that same mysterious human awareness that we see in dolphins. It is a rarity and a concern for a manatee to be seen further north than Florida. They prefer water that is warmer than 67 degrees and would have trouble surviving in water under 60 degrees. But Sweet Pea evidently has quite the adventuresome spirit. He was discovered last Fall playing in Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant and spotted surfacing in Charleston Harbor. You would think that a robust creature like the manatee would be able to handle cold water with all the insulation they have, but their very low metabolic rate makes cold water endurance difficult. ( I have the same problem.) Manatees live to be 60 years old and in West African culture, they are considered to be sacred, thought to have once been human. Unfortunately, many contemporary imaginations are not fueled with myth, but anyone must have respect for an animal whose fossil remains found in Florida show they were inhabitants there over 45 million years ago. Who knows what magic this animal holds...recent reseach is showing that the manatee can mysteriously distinguish where a swimmer is, even in blackout conditions.

I will look for Sweet Pea again this summer. Any sightings of him should be reported to The Department of Natural Resources since he is an endangered animal. Even though protection efforts have been helpful, there are still less than 2000 manatees living in Florida now. And of course, nothing should be done to encourage Sweet Pea's visit since it is dangerous for him to be cavorting this far north. The unusually warm fall weather we had last year may have influenced his decision to visit the northlands. We may never see him in this area again. We can only hope that Sweet Pea knew what he was doing and he made the 4 mph swim back to Florida safely.

Sweet Pea having a drink from a water hose in Shem Creek. Manatees don't have the neck vertebra that most mammals have, so they must turn their whole body in the direction they wish to look. As tempting as it can be, if you see a Manatee, you shouldn't give them water or interact with them in any way. (You don't want to interfere with the natural order of things by encouraging them to stay-and they will stay around just to interact with humans.)

Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant. I think one of the most beautiful spots in the South. A little too busy for Manatees' safety, but dolphins do frolick here all the time.

Mad Men, They Smokin And Talkin

"I never knew that about you"

"That's interesting, we'll talk about it later"

"I know, but I can't help it"

"Really? Me too."

"that's because you are smart and beautiful"

".............."

"I'll take care of everything for you, sweetheart, don't worry"

"Sometimes, it's all I think about, the whole day long"

"we have some really awesome memories, don't we?"

"do you really think I would do that to you?"

"that's right and you may soon find out that some of it is true"

"help me to not think"

"You're the only one who doesn't bore me"

"you are the only one who understands me"

"that was the best day of my life."

"Absolutely. I didn't think you would ever ask"




Season 3 comes out today, headed for the Target...

The Beautiful Woman Without Mercy

I met a lady in the meads
Full beautiful, a faery's child;
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.

La Belle Dame Sans Merci
John Keats, 1819

The life mask of John Keats. Everyone should have one of these done.



I was thinking of John Keats after having a discussion about him with a friend in a bar on St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick's led to Ireland led to Scotland led to suffering led to Keats-and all this leads to my affection for Pre-Raphaelite artists who loved the inspiration of Keats. I came home and re-read Keats' La Belle Dame Sans Merci. It is late autumn, the location is England in the age of Chivalry, and a lovesick knight tells the story of a beautiful Faery's child he encounters. They cavort in a meadow, she lures him to sleep, then abandons him, leaving him forever doomed to remain on the hillside wishing for her return. Poor Knight is definitely associated with images of death, especially the lily on his forehead...I don't think there is much question that he represents the ailing poet. The question is this: is the Woman without Mercy, death herself, symbolic of the tuberculosis that Keats knew was draining the life from him when he wrote this poem, or is she the beloved friend, Fanny Brawne, his true love whom he broke his engagement with after learning of his disease, or maybe she is his conflicting other love, the witty Isabella Jones whom he met on holiday. Keats died less than two years after writing La Belle Dame, racked with tuberculosis which he caught while nursing his most beloved brother. He lived a short life, was penniless at his death, but the man knew love. I think La Dame may not be any of those named above, but love herself, lacking the mercy to go with him.

Here she is, "the large and in charge" version as represented by Frank Cowper- putting that hair back up after putting young Knight to sleep with her charms. I love the combination of the poppies and sleep. Sort of like Wizard of Oz... Tin-Man asleep in the poppy field.

The polite, "let's hold hands and then we'll take a long nap" Walter Crane version. Walter keeps it clean.. he was mainly a children's illustrator.

Whoa Nelly....The Frank Dicksee interpretation with a holding back, less willing Knight. "She put me under a spell and I had nothing to do with any of it"

The master, Waterhouse, demonstrating a little Avatar inspired "Haloing" with the hair. Waterhouse always gets it right.. and his knights are the best. Look at the bare (light) feet, the wild eyes, the faded purple in the dress, the Knights clenched fist, and look who's wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Hold Onto Your Lucky Charms...

Cause it's the world's largest Leprechaun and he's brought giant green beers for everyone.

The Perfect Brunch Hybrid: The Mc10:35

I love the unique creativity of hybrid foods. They usually come from those with the fun combo of big minds and big appetites. Some combos from such minds that I adore even though I rarely get to enjoy are: Cool Ranch Doritos crumbled on Subway sandwiches (having it Dor-way), McDonald's apple pie immersed in a vanilla shake (Ronald-a-la-mode), and cheap diner fries hidden in a cup of cole slaw (French slaw). Today I was introduced to an interesting food item that evidently has a cult following and involves a little scavenger hunt strategy to add to the fun: the Mc10:35. One must first arrive at McDonald's at 10:35, right after breakfast is served and right before lunch. Hopefully one encounters a helpful McEmployee who is willing to break the rules a little by serving a breakfast and lunch item at the same time. (I've been told some become hostile at the request). One orders an Egg McMuffin and a McDouble. Remove the Canadian bacon and egg from the McMuffin and add it to your McDouble...presto, you have the Mc10:35. Perfect time of morning and fat content for a hangover brunch and enough protein for a football team.

Gone to Supervise this Bad Boy

Gone for about a week to Sullivan's. This guy requires constant supervision...

Hai! I'm Tugger. My first name was Paco. They named me that at the shelter cause I looked like I had on a sombrero. It's the ears, man, can't help it. Got em from my dad. He was a traveling man.

These are the kindz of things I take care of when my humanz not home. I'm pre-ordering my iPad here.

Sweet Spencer's At it Again

Ah, Spencer Tunick is busy again, photographing large groups of nude people in public spots which he refers to as his "installations". Monday he gathered over 5000 bare volunteers to pose at the Sydney Opera House. He began his "naked series" over 10 years ago by photographing nude individuals, or very small groups of people, and in 2000 he traveled to every state finding volunteers and shooting them at significant spots in their state. The then unknown artist would often find his future-naked subjects on the street, in bars, or restaurants and begged on the Internet for homes to sleep in for the night. The shootings were usually done at dawn, and the possibility of arrest was always lurking. The result was a book and the wonderful HBO documentary, Naked States. Naked World soon followed and now he does mostly large groups in large places-tribal gatherings of exposed humanity. (An acquaintance of mine has his own Spencer inspired photo collection which he calls Naked Driveway.) It's more than it all seems and the documentary is extremely enlightening, to both viewer and subjects. When Tunick came to South Carolina, it was during the "females can't come to the Citadel" event, so he photographed two naked girls at the gates of the Citadel. Many of his earlier photos had a nice"so there!" atmosphere to them.

The Sydney Opera House shooting in Australia on Monday.

One of the largest group shootings of over 18000 volunteers in Mexico City Square. Notice the piles of clothes. I wonder if those same people you see dazed in parking lots searching for their cars would be wandering around naked after it is all over, forlornly looking for their pile?

I think it is time for Spencer to return to South Carolina for a large tribal shot. A couple of recommendations for installations:

Holds a record breaker, Spencer, and not being used right now.

Spencer, how can you resist this?

Peep Season Opens

Peep-a-tini

1 Marshmellow Peep-any color will do..suit your fancy and personal taste.
3 oz. gin
3 drops Martini extra dry Vermouth
Lemon twist

Stir Gin and Vermouth and pour into chilled glass. Add the lemon twist and the Peep. As peep dissolves (see above) all is sweet in the world and the warmth of Spring suddenly appears.

It's here before you know it! A friend loves to make these, along with Smeeps (Peep S'mores) beginning the first of March..a rite of Spring. You just have to be careful that you don't drink so many that you have to ride home in this:

The Peepmobile