Otakufest 2021 - Cosplay Music Video

 

FD Sedano https://youtu.be/YPaNsON5p2o

Ty Pennington

If you are my age, you probably remember the ABC reality series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. You know. The one where that guy yells "Move that bus!" before revealing a renovated home. That guy is Ty Pennington. He led an eight person design team to renovate family's homes and the show ran for 10 years.

Born on October 19, 1964, Ty started his career as a model for J. Crew, Diet Coke, and Levi's, to name a few. He later became a set designer. 

In 2000, Ty joined TLC's Trading Spaces as the show's  original carpenters. He then picked up a role in an independent film, The Adventures of Ociee Nash, before being selected for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The show ran from 2003 to 2013.

During that time, I remember shopping at Sears with my family and seeing the Ty Pennington Style line all over the store. You couldn't escape it. I think we bought a few bedding and home decor that had his name on it. 

Ty was everywhere. Even in kid's shows. He played Ty Ty the Tool Guy on Wow Wow Wubbzy and appeared in Phineas and Ferb. 

Source: Wikipedia

Otakon 2021 Cosplay Music Video

 

Flannel Ninja https://youtu.be/bijJaaPx2lE 

James Tissot

Art Appreciation

Jacques Joseph Tissot, aka James Tissot, was a successful French painter and illustrator, best recognized as a genre pinter of fashionably dressed women and biblical events.

Born on October 15, 1836 in Nantes, France, Tissot was influenced by his merchant father, designer mother, and his hometown. 

He traveled to Paris to pursue an education in art, enrolling at Ecole des Beaux-Arts to study under Hippolyte Flandrin and Louis Lamothe. He became acquainted with other artists such as James McNeill Whistler, Edgar Degas, and Edouard Manet. 

In 1859, Tissot exhibited in the Paris Salon, where he showed five paintings of scenes from the Middle Ages, many depicting scenes from the tragic play Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. 

After Paris Salon, his work was exhibited at the London gallery of Ernest Gambart, an art publisher and dealer that dominated the London art world.

Tissot moved to London, after serving during the War of 1870. His popularity quickly developed as he became known for painting elegantly dressed women in fashion. His paintings were sought after by wealthy British industrialists. 

Later in life, he began making paintings depicting Biblical events. And while many French artists were moving towards Impressionism, he moved towards realism in watercolors. 

Jesus retrouvé dans le temple 

La Frileuse (1876)

La Japonaise au bain (1864)

Sources: Wikipedia, Williamweston.co.uk

Jessica Drake

Updated: July 3, 2022

You probably recognize Jessica Drake as one of the women who alleged former President Donald Trump made unwanted sexual advances. 

Or if you are like me, you recognize the name from adult films.

Texas native Jessica Drake was born on October 14, 1974. She worked as an exotic dancer in El Paso while attending college. 

In 1999, Jessica entered the adult film industry acting in her first film, Modern Love. She then did North Pole #9 which featured her on the box cover. 

A few years later, she received her first AVN Award winning "Best Tease Performance" for her role in Shayla's Web.

In 2004, she gained headlines with her comments during an HIV outbreak in the porn industry, "working without condoms in the industry is less dangerous than going home with someone who you just met randomly in a bar." 

I remember her comments and the way I interpreted it was that she was implying it's more riskier to hookup with a random person and not wear a condom than it is to perform in a sex scene with someone who is not so random.

Not only is Jessica Drake an actress, but she is also a director, writer, producer, sex educator, and a online business owner. She is also a philanthropist. 

In 2016, represented by feminist civil rights Gloria Allred, Jessica Drake became the 11th woman to accuse Donald Trump of sexual misconduct. It was seventeen days before the 2016 presidential election. She explained that she met Trump at the Wicked Pictures booth during the American Century Celebrity Gold Tournament in Lake Tahoe in 2006. Trump denied knowledge of Jessica. 

Jessica Drake isn't shy to share her opinions. In 2017, she criticized August Ames' tweet regarding concerns of crossover performers in porn. Unfortunately, Drake's tweet started a movement that eventually led to Ames' suicide.

Sources: Wikipedia, IMDb, LAWeekly

Mariotto Albertinelli

Art Appreciation

Born on October 13, 1474, Mariotto di Bindo di Biagio Albertinelli was an Italian Renaissance painter known for his chiaroscuro, and intimate compositions. His work shows influence of Leonardo da Vinci.

Albertinelli was a pupil of Italian painter Cosimo Rosselli, who was known for painting large frescos. While learning under Rosselli, Albertinelli met and formed a partnership with Baccio della Porta (later known as Fra Bartolomeo). 

It is said Albertinelli lived as a libertine, in his younger years, and experienced financial problems.  

Birth of Christ (1503)

Madonna and Child with Saints Jerome and Zenobius (1508)

Creation and Fall of Man (1490s)

Source: Wikipedia, Britannica

Deborah Foreman

Deborah Foreman is best known for her starring role in the 1983 teen romantic comedy, Valley Girl. 

Born on October 12, 1962, Deborah entered modeling at the age of 13. She started modeling for Maybelline.

A few years later, she got into acting and did a few comedy pilots and TV episodes. In 1983, she appeared on Family Ties before picking up a starring role of Julie Richman in Valley Girl.  

After Valley Girl, she appeared in other comedies such as Real Genius and My Chauffeur, as well as several horror films such as April Fool's Day and Waxwork. 

My Chauffeur was a favorite of mine. Deborah plays a free-spirited super cute young woman who lands a job as a chauffeur. 

 

Dating During COVID and the "End Game"

I started dating this wonderful woman before the start of COVID, literally. 

Our first date was in late January. We went on a few more dates, and then COVID hit.

We've been together since. Through the pandemic. 

We were in lockdown together, but as we slowly emerge from COVID reality is starting to emerge. Granted, I suspected this would occur three months into the pandemic: what's the end game?

Fast-forward to tonight. 

We had a lovely evening eating at Sushi Zushi at the Domain in Austin, Texas. The weather was perfect -- not too hot and at all cold. Perfect.

Being an epidemiologist, she is super cautious of exposures. Add to that: her son is getting married in a couple of weeks so spread of virus is absolutely on her radar.

During our meal, I expressed my concerns regarding my kid. "She, will be with me," I explained, "It has been bothering me because she comes first. I'm conflicted," I admitted, "because for me I need to be 'dad' when she is with me."

She didn't take it lightly. I figured it would bother her. I felt berated. Later that evening, after things cooled down, I expressed my feelings of being scolded and added that a relationship, to me, was one of being honest and open. I added that I was more looking to share my feelings with my companion and it was received negatively. 

The whole thing was soar, to be honest. 

Later in the evening, at a different location, she brought up dating after COVID and how we were at that point.

I kind of knew where this was going. It was something I brought up earlier in the year. 

Being me, I herded the conversation in my direction.   

I explained that in my point of view, I felt that people are placed in other's lives for a reason. It is up to us to determine and decided whether to follow them. For me, a higher being brought an epidemiologist into my life during a pandemic. And for me, an catastrophic outage during a winter storm caused her to be with me.

Later in our conversation I added that we are on borrow time. We have to appreciate the life before us as in the now. We can't hold grudges. We have to find comedy in life. We can't find the negative in things. 

I went into this relationship because I wanted to live. As a grounded individual who cares so much for his offspring, I felt it was important to rely in someone's knowledge. And I did. Still do.

I wouldn't trade it in for anything less. 

When I dropped her off after our date, I felt she was thinking a little more about this situation. I'm sure she was contemplating all the other elements revolving around her head.

In isolation, dating each other worked. We had each other. We depended on each other. But for how long? When's the 'end game?'  

Waldemar Kazak

Art Appreciation

Russian surrealist artist Waldemar von Kazak is best known for his illustrations and drawings depicting sexually-charged and bizarre characters. 

Check out his other digital art HERE.

The Moth via boredpanda

Only Love via boredpanda

Aphrodite via waldemar-kazak

Sources:

http://www.waldemarkazak.com
https://www.facebook.com/waldemar.vonkozak/
http://waldemar-kazak.livejournal.com/
http://waldemar-kazak.tumblr.com/
http://waldemar-kazak.deviantart.com/
https://conchigliadivenere.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/waldemar-kazak-1973-russian/
http://www.boredpanda.com/dark-controversial-illustrations-waldemar-von-kazak/

Getting to No Debt

After my divorce, I was broke.

I didn't know what I would do. I was stressed.

My marriage was good. I felt comfort, or I thought I did. There was love, but it was directed more to our child and not ourselves. 

My marriage allowed me to experience life outside of Texas. Ironically, during the early years of my ex-wife's career, I had to comfort and encourage her on her business travels. She traveled for work a good majority of our marriage.

But there was a trade-off which she was eager to share with us. I appreciate that and will never ever think less of that decision we made together. It was a trade off.

In reality, the trade off worked but there was ramifications towards my finances. I subsidized the expenses with my credit cards. 

Like a coward, I didn't share it with my wife. I thought I could handle it. I tried. Really. But our toddler needed things. And I wanted my wife to be happy and maybe show interest in me again.

Things started to fall apart in our home, our vehicles, and our relationship. But I thought maybe paying for things I couldn't afford could somehow show strength. 

Eventually, I met my low. I got divorced. I was in debt. I was depressed. I lost it all. 

I'm not that religious. I wish I was--it would make this story so much better, really. 

I met a wonderful girl, so I thought. I fell in love, quickly. She was it. She was the one. She was the perfect... Oh.

She is ill. Mentally. 

My life collapsed. 

I wanted a life with her, I decided. But I couldn't have use get pregnant. Not now that I know it wouldn't be right, I thought. I got a vasectomy. 

I loved her so much. I could spend anything for her. And I did.

We travelled to visit her grandparents--a few times. It was all worth it, really. I would do it again, many times. I felt loved. This was my family.

I was in debt coming home.

Life changed and a breakup happened.

I was devastated.

Seasons changed and I began to turn a new leaf. I dated. More debt. Dated more. More debt.

Then the pandemic hit.

Lo and behold, it was as if nature was cleansing itself.

A silver-lining. I met this wonderful girl. We enjoyed dining at home almost everyday during the pandemic. If there wasn't food, we improvised. Actually, she improved.

Within a year, I closed my Discover Card with a zero balance, and I owed less than $4,000 to Visa now, something I can actually pay off.

I guess, the moral of the story is that I had it somewhat easy--the pandemic. I say that lightly, but really, if you feel struggling with expenses and feel there isn't a light at the end of the tunnel, use me as an example. I was in debt close to $30,000. In five years, I was able to pay it off. It can be done.

How? Don't be afraid to ask for help. First, call the credit card companies. Negotiate a reasonable APR. Second, destroy your cards. Get rid of them. Pay your due amount but more. Be straight forth with your partner. Don't hide something that will surface eventually. More importantly, stay positive.