Linda Martinelli

HALLOWEEN GHOUL

I used this really cool site to make myself a Ghoul - you really have to go and try it out for yourself - it's so much fun.

Where REAL Woman Create

 Just a couple of views of my Studio.  When I create, it's a big mess.  My whole studio is just filled with stuff.  Check out the video.

AIMEE MANN - Memories of the 80'S

Aimee Mann has got to be on my all time "Favorite" female recording artist list.  She was fabulous when she was in the band "Til Tuesday"  and then she broke out on her own in the 90's and about 10 albums later, she is still going strong and on Friday, I was lucky enough to be able to purchase two tickets to see her live in concert in Morristown, NJ.  It is a small theater which really lent itself to a more intimate, cozy atmosphere which is perfect for her music.  She decided to play "B" sides of her music and then take requests from a clipboard she kept passing around.  It was wonderful.  What a great big voice she has. It really brought back alot of good memories for me.

•Aimee Mann's show Thursday included "The Moth," "Nightmare Girl," "Momentum," "Build that Wall," "Par for the Course," "Save Me," "You Could Make a Killing," "Freeway," "The Other End (Of the Telescope)," "Coming up Close," "Lost in Space," "Ballantines," "Susan," "31 Today," "Little Bombs," "It's Not," "Wise Up," "Deathly," "Voices Carry (Encore) "This Is How It Goes," "I Can't Get My Head Around It."

 

MICHAEL JACKSON

Memories of Michael - "The King of Pop"

 I was reading my weekly "Entertainment" magazine and, as always, there is an article that catches my eye, this one was by one of my favorite writers, Stephen King.  He was writing a tribute to Michael Jackson.  Interesting, I thought.  I have read and heard so much about Michael in these last couple of weeks it's been hard to squeeze anything into any newpaper, newcast or magazine other than Michael Jackson.  It's amazing.  I have been a fan of his since I was a young girl.  I've gone to see him several times in concert,  and each time he has never/ever disappointed his fans.  The outpouring of sadness over his death is immeasurable and he will, no doubt, be very much missed.  But it's the way Stephen King worded this article about Michael that summed up my feelings about Michael in words that I could not find or did not know how to find so I will repeat them because he has summed it up so perfectly. Thank you Mr. King. 

 "This is a sadness that's all too common in people who possess talent in amounts so great that it has become a burden instead of a blessing.  It's worth noting that he was never convicted of anything in criminal court, and when I asked Mick - who hung out with Michael occasionally -  (Mick Garis -  directed Stand and who briefly worked on Michael Jackson's Ghost Video, later to be called the "Thriller" Video) he was emphatic in his belief that Michael Jackson was indeed innocent of the abuse allegations.  In the court of public opinion, however, he was found guilty of Weirdness in The First Degree, and ended up secluded in one haunted castle after another.  Finally, he died in one.  Strange man.  Lost man. And not unique in his passing.  Like James Dean, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, Heath Ledger, and a dozen others we could name, he just left the building far too soon. Because, man, oh, man, that guy could dance." Stephen King

IN MEMORY OF POP

So much has happened in the Month of June that if I had a cork on the top of my head, I'm sure it would have popped by now.  It seemed that everyday I tuned into the radio or TV a celebrity had passed on.  It got to the point I was scared to even turn the TV on. 

It was also an expensive month.  I have an aunt who lives in the two family house that my dad lived in before he passed.  It's an older home.  Her central air needed to be replaced.  She's elderly and it's not healthy for her to live without air conditioning so, of course, that needed to be replaced.  She had several trees in front of the house that were so overgrown they uprooted the sidewalk.  The City of Clifton was nice enough to have them removed, but it is our responsibility to replace the sidewalk, so of course, this was the next expense.

It's Summer time and the landscaping at our beach house really needed a good overhaul, let's put that on the list.  Our pavers also needed to be reset.  I do love the warmer weather, but it does seem like there is so much more maintenance on the outsides of our houses.  If you want curb appeal, it comes at a cost. Ron and I always figure that if you keep up with these things, in the end you'll be better off then having major problems happen all at once and that really adds up.  So we do a little at a time.  It seems to be working so far. 

But the very very worst thing that happened this month was the loss of the sweetest man that I have ever met; my father in law.  He had fought a long hard battle with cancer.  He had found out he had lung cancer about 15 years ago.  He had part of his lung removed and given the traditional radiation treatments.  Not too long after that, the cancer matstisized to his bones (elbow).  He had the piece of bone removed, a rod was inserted and he continued on as optimistic as ever.  He had his good days and his bad ones, but you would never know about his bad days, he never let on when he was in pain.  If you asked him how he was, he would always answer in the same way "Never Better".  He was such an inspiration.  The last year or so of his life he was living with congestive heart failure and a progressive slowing down of kidney function (they go hand and hand) - my dad died of the same illness. Your body is just shutting down.  It's tired and just has had enough.  This last year we had bought him a house in Maywood, NJ and made it handicapped accessible, there was a ramp in the back for the wheel chair and a roll-in shower.  We wanted him to be as comfortable as possible.  My sister-in-law, Terri,  stopped working to take care of her dad which was a huge sacrifice and one she will never regret. She was selfless and was there for her dad to the very end.  She made his last days on this earth comfortable and he died with family all around him.  I am sure he is in heaven with all that have passed before him and those who have passed in the month of June. I hope he is praying for all of us.  

God Bless You PoP you will be missed.

GRATITUDE LIST

One of my favorite novelist, Stephen King, occasionally writes a commentary in Entertainment Weekly Magazine.  His last commentary was quite amusing  whereby he lists things he is thankful for.  Since it is Thanksgiving, seems like a pretty good idea to make a list of the things I'm thankful for.  They are as follows, and not in any particular order.

Thanks for Adele  one of this years best female singers.  Her new hit "Chasing Pavements" along with her video has risen in the charts the last few weeks.  You have probably heard her songs in the background of TV shows and commercials and haven't even realized who was singing.  She is kind of bluesy and has a big powerful voice.  You should really give her a listen. Thanks for (of course) "Twilight" and Stephenie Meyers whole Twilight Series.  They said it was for tweens, but all ages fell in love with Bella and Edward, how could you not?  If you mix romance, vampires and werewolves, you can never miss. No Thanks to Andre Dubus III and his novel "The Garden of Last Days".  The novel was on the best seller's list for weeks, but never cut the mustard with me.  Couldn't wait till it was over.  Add in that pile, "The Gargoyle" by Andrew Davidson, once I got past the whole "Burn Victim" chapter, it was downhill from there, what can I say, things like that interest me.  So many Thanks to Chelsea Handler and her show on E "Chelsea Lately".  No matter how my day went - good, bad or indifferent, Chelsea is there at 11:30 to cheer me up with her useless "pop culture" gossip and wacky guests. A Big Thanks to two comedians, Lewis Black and Ventrloquist, Jeff Dunham and his skit with Achmed The Dead Terrorist No so much Thanks to The Love Guru.  I think that might be it for Mike Meyers.  Thanks for Mamma Mia (fun movie) and Sex and the City.  No Thanks and I've had enough of Madanna and Justine Timberlake,  not to be confused with Timberland. Thanks for Cold Play's Viva La Vida one of this years greatest albums.  Thanks for the following TV shows that are somewhat worth watching:  Life on Mars, House, Law & Order, CSI, Kitchen Nightmares, Cold Case, 60 Minutes, Bridezilla's, Clean House and So You Think You Can Dance. Thank You Amazon for "Kindle" best little invention yet, now I don't have to give or throw my books away. Thanks to Apple because I love my IPhone and my MAC, don't know how people live without them.  Thanks to all the talented artists that make my day everytime I go to my Google Reader to visit their blogs. What an inspiration they all are.

I'm sure there's plenty more to be thankful for, so I'll keep a piece of paper close by in case I want to jot them down since 2008 still has some life to it.

Happy Thanksgiving

Linda

PATIENCE

I am in the process of re-vamping my entire blog.  I've been unhappy with it for awhile now so I've decided to finally sit down and concentrate on changing it and I didn't want to pay someone to do it for me, I wanted to try to do it on my own (so it might take a little while longer).  I should be posting something soon.  Thanks for being so patient.