DANCE: Billie Eilish - you could see me in a crown

Choreography: Yazia Alexandra

via Yazia Alexandra 

Album Cover: Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast

Album Cover

Album: Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast

Released: March 22, 1982

Cover Art Work: Derek Riggs

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.discogs.com/master/18742-Iron-Maiden-The-Number-Of-The-Beast

Vad Mehta

I came across a beautiful article by Sage Mehta in The New Yorker regarding her father, Vad Mehta,  a prolific American writer, who passed away January 9, 2021.

Ved Mehta's life and work defied conventional limitations. In The Sighted World, his daughter, Sage Mehta, reflects on growing up with a father who, despite being blind since childhood, navigated the world with precision and confidence. She describes how he structured his home environment so meticulously that he rarely needed assistance. His blindness, though a defining aspect of his life, was something the family seldom acknowledged. Outsiders often marveled at his ability to move without aid, yet his independence was the result of rigorous adaptation and an extraordinary memory.

Born in Lahore on March 21, 1934, Mehta lost his sight at age three due to cerebrospinal meningitis. Determined to receive an education, he moved to the U.S. in 1949 and attended the Arkansas School for the Blind. He later studied at Pomona College, Oxford University, and Harvard, where he developed his literary voice. 

His career took off when he joined The New Yorker in 1961, writing extensively on philosophy, politics, and culture. Over three decades, he crafted a distinctive narrative style that blended memoir with journalism, culminating in works like Fly and the Fly-Bottle (1962), which explored intellectual debates among British thinkers.

Mehta’s Continents of Exile series—his most ambitious work—spanned 12 volumes, chronicling his life and the experiences of his family across multiple continents. Beginning with Daddyji (1972), which detailed his father’s life, the series wove personal and historical narratives together, capturing themes of migration, displacement, and belonging. 

Despite his literary success, his personal relationships were complex. His dependence on young assistants, known as amanuenses, sometimes led to discomfort and allegations of inappropriate behavior. Sage Mehta acknowledges both his brilliance and the challenges of being close to him.

As he aged, Parkinson’s disease gradually diminished his physical and cognitive abilities. His once sharp mind became clouded, as if retreating into the past. When he passed away in 2021, his family scattered most of his ashes in places that had shaped him—Maine, Oxford, and India—but some remained in a wooden cube called the “Statesman” in his wife’s new home. 

His legacy endures in his literary works, which continue to offer insights into identity, exile, and the resilience of the human spirit. 

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/10/14/growing-up-with-the-writer-ved-mehta

Christy Carlson Romano

Acting Appreciation

Christy Carlson Romano is a name that sparks nostalgia for anyone who grew up watching Disney Channel in the early 2000s. As the whip-smart and perfectionist Ren Stevens on Even Stevens, she brought comedic brilliance to the screen alongside Shia LaBeouf’s chaotic energy. Then, she became the voice of a generation—literally—by bringing Kim Possible to life, proving that teenage superheroes could juggle crime-fighting, high school, and a beeping communicator -- which I admit-tingly have as a ringtone -- at all hours of the day. With her charm, wit, and unmistakable voice, Romano became a beloved figure in the golden era of Disney Channel.

Beyond her Disney fame, Romano has had a career as versatile as her many talents. She’s graced Broadway as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, voiced the fan-favorite Yuffie Kisaragi in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, and even dabbled in directing. 

While she’s no longer fighting Dr. Drakken or putting Louis Stevens in his place, she’s stayed connected to her roots through YouTube, where she brings back old Disney stars for nostalgic cooking sessions. Her podcast, I Hear Voices, co-hosted with Will Friedle, lets fans geek out over animation and hear stories from legendary voice actors.

In recent years, Romano has been candid about her struggles with fame, mental health, and the pressures of Hollywood. She’s turned those experiences into a platform for honesty and growth, inspiring her fans in new ways. Whether she’s running her podcast network, PodCo, launching a new business venture, or simply reflecting on her Disney days, she remains a dynamic force in entertainment. 

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://hotnessrater.com/infinite-scroll/770/christy-carlson-romano

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Christy_Carlson_Romano

Welcome Spring!

 

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: "Beware the deadly Shewok 🐻🔪"

Model: Lisa Mancini

Photographer: Nathan Weir

via Lisa Mancini

Wine Rings

I'll admit, despite my parents' best efforts to gift me coasters over the years, I never really saw the point—until I met my wife. Back in my bachelor days, most of my furniture was wood-plastic composite, so water rings weren’t much of a concern. But once I started using some of the older, inherited pieces, those pesky rings started showing up like unwanted guests.

Moving in with my wife meant I had to step up my coaster game. She takes furniture protection very seriously—let’s just say ignoring coasters wasn’t an option unless I wanted to mysteriously disappear. 

Of course, I eventually came around, and now I’m practically a coaster evangelist. It turns out, they do serve a purpose beyond gathering dust in a drawer!

Juan Astanio, The New Yorker, Feb. 10, 2025