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Posts Tagged ‘art’

More Music and Art & a Little Less Talk

Posted in Person of the Week, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 14, 2013 | 19 Comments »

I have another game. First, I have to tell you the answer to the previous game we played. The image in that post for the first game is a portrait of Marilyn Monroe. The music artist is Sheila E. Did the words of the song match up with her life a little? They did to me. Anyhow, Sheila E is one helluva drummer and always looks sexy while doing it. The E stands for Escovedo and her father is Pete Escovedo, also a musician. If you’re familiar with Prince, you may recognize the Minneapolis sound. If you don’t know Prince’s music, you have been terribly deprived and I feel so deeply sorry for you. Congrats to Linda, at The Good, The Bad, The Worse. She guessed everything right. She is one hip diva. Not that the rest of you aren’t. She’s just probably more hip or something like that. She probably takes diva pills or wears a patch. Who knows…

Anyhow, watch Sheila E perform Glamorous Life and do her thing on the drums in this video:

To go on with our game today, we’re recognizing another musical talent. I surely hope you haven’t been deprived twice. If so, I’m gonna have to write out a bootleg prescription for some Get A Life. I just had me some the other day. The low dosage, that is. It really should be easy, folks.  For the prize, I’m gonna blow you a nice little kiss.

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Some Souls to Keep

Posted in Flash Fiction Fridays, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 20, 2013 | 16 Comments »

ebookcoverI can’t seem to manage blogging with any amount of consistency these days. WordPress told me today that I had 5 days to renew my site or they were giving me the boot. I’m a little disturbed that in renewing, I can’t get that ad off unless I pay, when I was the one who volunteered to have the ads here in the first place. Why did I do it? ‘Cause everybody else was doing it. Well, maybe not you but somebody was, so I figured I should too. Now, I don’t want it anymore and can’t get rid of it without paying. Like a bad marriage.

But I won’t whine any longer. Today, I’m sharing a story from my beloved book of tales, Sock It to Me, Baby. I must also share the review George gave the book on Amazon. I never solicited her to do this but I thought you’d like to know, and I’d like you to know, what’s being said about me and my work (wink, wink):

Ms. Fomby explores the complexity of human interactions in well-drawn sketches  of her contemporary “Cannery Row” characters. The characters are presented without sentimentality and with their flaws and foibles intact. The portraits are often harsh, and always humorous. There are the down-on-their-luck folks and the self-indulgent swindlers, the lazy, the addicted, the hypocritical and the self-important. The sketches are boisterous, outrageous, funny and familiar. Ms.Fomby writes with a natural style that draws the reader in. She adopts the dialect of her characters throughout lending credibility to their voices. “Sock It To Me, Baby” is entertaining, hilarious, bawdy and entirely readable. A solid
first book.

I never properly thanked George for her well-written review. With her being the smart woman she is, I believe every word she said. (Wink, wink). Thank you much, George. You’re most appreciated, as well as the readers who visit this blog. Now, let me spin a little tale for you, folks…

Some Souls to Keep

What he felt and wanted to say to his dying mother was caught in his throat. She lay, closer to dust than life, and the most he could do was stand above her looking, the memories of faceless men coming and leaving her bedroom from way back. One even peeped in his door and stepped a foot in ‘til he heard her drunken voice calling about bringing some weed back from ‘round the block.

There were no mix of emotions. He felt nothing at all. Not even bitterness welled up. His sister walked in, filled with enough for them both.

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They Couldn’t Be Talking About Me

Posted in Everyday Shit, tagged , , , , , , , , , on May 4, 2013 | 16 Comments »

Chris Ofili's Holy Virgin Mary

Chris Ofili’s Holy Virgin Mary

You ever wonder what folk say behind your back? I don’t but I’ve very recently been told that I’m bourgeois and snooty. That’s hardly me and I don’t know why they say it about you but I understand why they say it about me.

You see, when folk want to know you or want something they can’t get, they get to name-calling. I call my sister big head but I don’t say it on account of not being unable to get something. It’s a simple fact that she’s got a big head. My mother has a nose so sharp, it could cut diamonds. Another simple fact and I’m not trying to get anything from her either. I have physical proof of these things. Therefore, I’m not being judgemental. That’s not the case in my case, however.

The fella who told me that my neighbors called me bourgeois is supposed to be my friend. He didn’t agree with them at the time they said it but during our discussion, he agreed with them. He then went on to tell me some other things about me that he’d been thinking all along, as if I cared to know. I know myself better than anybody and if I didn’t, I don’t reckon I’d be asking him. Traitor!

Now, if you were to tell me that I’m opinionated after spending time reading my blog, I couldn’t rightly disagree with you but I probably wouldn’t agree either. If you said, “That damn Totsy is loud and her paintings look like shit,” well, I know I sound rather loud and country as all get out but how I paint is a matter of opinion I couldn’t argue the point on. After all, your opinion belongs to you and I really don’t care to take it away from you.

It’s easy to argue the physical ’cause the evidence is clear but even that can be subjective, unless I did some Chris Ofili painting and actually had shit on the canvas. Now, as far as I’m concerned, I’m not into trying to dispel anything folk think about me. My time can be better spent. Besides, I don’t see my neighbor being in the write-up of folk I left behind when I make my final transition. I’ll just enjoy the fact that anybody’s thinking anything about my ass at all.

On a side note, do any of you folk remember this painting by Ofili and the stink it caused?

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Blame It On Me

Posted in Totsy's Sweets, tagged , , , , , , , on April 29, 2013 | 19 Comments »

I know. You don’t have to tell me I’m showing you work you’ve seen already ‘ cause I’ve already told that to myself. I just felt like making a video and I totally promise you the next video will be all new pieces. I’m feeling kinda sorta so-so, so what’s in comes out I reckon.

I’m actually working on a simple concept now but it’s taking me awhile to complete and I do hope to present you with another video later in the week. On second thought, let’s make that next week. Prom weekend’s coming up and Little Totsy is trying my nerves and worn thin all of my patience.

Anyhow, I really am gonna do some things different around here, which you shall be witness to next week. Plus, I’m gonna start being a good girl on here and not run my mouth so much. I hope that doesn’t make you do a hip-hooray dance or nothing like that.

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It’s Friday and 100-Word Story Day

Posted in Totsy's Sweets, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 26, 2013 | 8 Comments »

Gather around in a circle folk and hold hands. You can even snuggle up and suck each other’s toes if you want. I won’t tell a soul. Now, I need absolute quiet ’cause I’ve got me a little story to share with you today. Hence, I won’t be sucking toes myself since I’m doing the storytelling.

I’ve done little in the way of promoting my eBook. I will, however, share a story from the book with you today. It’s a repeat for those who bought the book  but that’s okay, I hope. If not, well, this too shall pass and come again, when I do another promo.

You see, I was too bogged down to promote and this summer, I’ll spend time with you in that way. I hope you don’t mind, ’cause I don’t.

Coroner’s Report

ebookcoverGeorge was a good man, Least, everybody always talked about his devotion to his wife, children he’d sent to college and church. Had a distinguished baritone in the choir that made women folk wet and ready to drop their drawers.

A few of them had too. As good and normal of a man George appeared, he only desired a few sniffs between their legs. Just a closet weird ass.

The last one he was smelling, George up and died. A smile on his face and the smell of twat on the tip of his nose, according to the coroner’s report.

Story from Sock It to Me, Baby, 2013.

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When Are You Most Vulnerable?

Posted in Woman in the Mirror, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 12, 2013 | 19 Comments »

I met a woman some weeks ago who works for a funeral parlor. Her world was turned slightly upside down on account of not receiving a pair of pajamas for her mama’s 80th birthday. I could expect this from a child but not a woman of fifty-something years.

That she worked in a funeral parlor got me to thinking if I ever worked in one, which would never happen on my watch, but if in the next, if there is one, and I was wearing a different watch with a different mindset that landed me to get paychecks from a funeral parlor, I’d kinda be humbled to damn near silence while I’m living.

Imagine the life gone clean outta you and you got somebody like, say me, and I had to make you ready for burial. I wanna think I’d be nice to you but say if you were bitching at me the way that woman was, through something I had no control over, I might be slightly inclined to thump you on the head or some other silliness. Though I think what would stop me is the fact that I’d end up getting that thump back come my time to get dressed to the nines to be taken under.

Folk are most vulnerable when they’re dead. I know. They have no idea that, say that sicko who’s forty-something and living in his mama’s basement, is fondling them or some other nasty behavior.

I don’t like being vulnerable but in this case, I’ve got no choice. Therefore, while I might entertain the thought of something wickedly silly, I wouldn’t thump you upside the head or paint you up to look like Bozo the Clown. More than likely, if I knew you really well and you were a constant bitcher or existed in some other unfortunate way, I’d feel sorry that you left the world bitching over nonsense. I’ll also pray for your safe return, should you be so fortunate to have multiple lives like the Buddhists, and hope I don’t run into you again. I refuse to give you countless times to show your ass on me. Being that I don’t know in which life you’ll finally get it right, I’ll pass you on to somebody who’s more deserving than me.

Well, Dearly Beloveds, thank you so much for your time. Be extra nice to folks today. Even if it kills you.

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The Rush of Spring

Posted in Everyday Shit, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on February 22, 2013 | 32 Comments »

Spring is near down here, folks. With that comes a lotta pollen. Then rain and those mean ass thunderstorms and tornadoes. I’m not looking forward to that but the warmer weather, I am. I never got to show you one of the few sandstorms I saw when I was in Saudi Arabia last year on account of it not showing up real strong on my camera. I’d prefer one of those any day compared to the tornadoes here.

If I knew you like that, I’d impose and invite myself to your house ’til this rash of tornadoes passed but you don’t know me like that either, which would make for real strange company. But I’ll tell you this. I was in the National Guard and after sleeping in the freezing cold woods back-to-back with my foxhole buddy, I could damn near sleep anywhere. Well, not anywhere, when I really ponder worse circumstances than that but you know what I mean. Not to say that you’re sleeping anywhere but like I said already, you know what I mean. Pretend you do anyway ’cause we gotta move on.

In the meantime, it’s still nippy some days down here and well, the weather’s pretty much what one talks about to fill dead air and while I very much appreciate you allowing me to waste your time, I won’t hound you with redundant talk about the weather anymore. I will, however, think Spring…

"Tree House" Mixed Media on board. Copyright 2013. Totsymae.

“Tree House” Mixed Media on board. Copyright 2013. Totsymae.

"A Little Music on the Side" Mixed Media on board. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

“A Little Music on the Side” Mixed Media on board. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

"Red Bikini" Acrylic on paper. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

“Red Bikini” Acrylic on paper. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

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Inventing New Blog Awards

Posted in Totsy's Sweets, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 15, 2013 | 41 Comments »

You know I stopped accepting blog awards awhile back, right? Well, I was sitting around here thinking of some awards since I don’t have much else to talk about. Now, these awards don’t have any criteria or rules whatsoever. You simply give them out and set your own rules, which I personally tend to do. I have  a brief description, just so we can be real clear about who’s deserving of what.

Ladies and gentleman folks, The Totsymae Foundation (currently operating as bootleg and proud)  presents you with awards to share among your blogging buddies…

Ms. Stay -At-Home Mama Blogger  – She really should be doing the laundry and cooking dinner but she’s not interested. One fine day, she discovered the world of blogging and she became instantly hooked. She talks about her hubby and kids all the time and belongs to every social network related to folk just like her.

santaknocks

oooOOOooo

I’ll Chew and Spit You Out Blogger  - This blogger lives up to their name. They drink a lotta caffeine and will cuss you the hell out. They’re virtual agitators and will go on other blogs to bitch about topics they only have surface knowledge of and don’t wear underwear.

couple

oooOOOooo

Retired and Looking for Trouble Blogger – This blogger is blogging ’cause their spouse is tired of him scratching his balls in the kichen while she’s cooking.

teedoff

oooOOOooo

Mr or Ms Freshly Pressed Blogger – After two months, this blogger is freshly pressed for three straight weeks and now writes about what others can do to become freshly pressed. This instant virtual fame causes them to lose sleep at night ’cause they’re thinking about that bestseller they can’t seem to finish.

mrgoodfoot

oooOOOooo

I’ll Catch You When I Can Blogger  -  This blogger pretends like they’re so busy, they don’t have time for you. In reality, they’re going through shit you wouldn’t believe and wouldn’t want to know about. They will often rush to the keyboard breathless and type out some nonsense about being so busy and may have a touch of ADD.

Walking the Block

oooOOOooo

I’ve Found My Life Calling Blogger – Something dramatic just happened to this blogger and, often a woman, she has the need to talk about it to folk who don’t know her. She often rambles about not having a theme for her blog and asks a lotta questions to the three folk who are following her.

surrender

oooOOO000

This Tastes Better Than it Looks Blogger  -  This blogger is always trying to cook. Has the nerve to take photos and display them too. She watches the Food Network religiously ’cause it’s the ‘in’ thing. Deep down she knows her cooking skills will never measure up but she’s always wanted attention, so here she is.

momma

Know any of these folk? Pass it on…

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He Told It on the Mountain

Posted in Person of the Week, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 3, 2013 | 31 Comments »

"James Baldwin" Watercolor on paper. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

“James Baldwin” Watercolor on paper. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

I used to read James Baldwin in high school. I didn’t understand much about what I read but I did with time and age. I’d long before discovered other African-American writers in 7th grade. When I came upon them, because they weren’t introduced to me early on in school, I thought I came upon a gold mine.

Now, Baldwin was quite eloquent with language. I thought I was smart for reading his work. He was also the writer to challenge Maya Angelou to write her biography as literature. She met the challenge and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was born.

My aunt, whose husband was in the military, met Baldwin in Paris, where he relocated. He was downright tired of the racism in America and lived out his days in France. I don’t know if my aunt was at his apartment or where she was when she met him. I knew that must’ve been a treat for her because she was sharp and worked at the Library of Congress where folk register their titles.

If you think you might delve into Baldwins’ work, try If Beale Street Could Talk, which I found to be an easier read than his later works. You may also be interested in his essays. Folk who read essays are real smart, I think. I read them sometimes, therefore, I’m smart some of the time too.

I’m not sure when Baldwin appeared on this particular episode of Dave Cavett’s show. He was, however, speaking for the time. Not only was Mr Baldwin a novelist and essayist, he also wrote plays. One was entitled Go Tell It on the Mountain.

You can learn more about James Baldwin at Biography.com.

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I’m the Daddy’s Baby

Posted in Person of the Week, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 1, 2013 | 13 Comments »

"Otis Redding" Monochromatic Watercolor on paper. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

“Otis Redding” Monochromatic Watercolor on paper. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

Did I ever tell you Otis Redding was my daddy? That’s ’cause he’s not.

Anyhow, I used to see Otis’ younguns at the skating rink when I spent my summers with my paternal grandparents. I never met his boys or ran over them in my skates or nothing of that nature. However, I used to hear Otis bellowing out this music on Saturday mornings in our little abode. I used to wonder about my mama, Why is she playing that old music?

Well, Otis, I felt even then, was a real demanding kinda singer. You couldn’t help but pay attention to him, whether you wanted to or not. Naturally, I began to like his music. And now that I’m a grown folk too, I can appreciate his gift. Maybe taking that music appreciation class helped me out. Shit, a lot of classes have on a good day.

Anyhow, Otis is from Georgia, which makes him extra special. Hint, hint. Every now and then, I like that ole school stuff. Maybe ’cause I also feel I should’ve been a 60s wild child but when I?really ponder the 60s in the south, I feel pretty satisfied I came along when I did. If you can feel me on that, say Amen.

So. Being the music lover that I am and feeling a little ole school today, I wanted to share Mr. Redding with you.

You can learn more about Otis Redding and his music at his official site.

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Portrait of a Blogger

Posted in Person of the Week, tagged , , , , , , on January 30, 2013 | 31 Comments »

"The Obamacrat" Watercolor on paper.

“The Obamacrat” Watercolor on paper.

The Obamacrat allowed me to paint him. If you don’t know The Obamacrat, you should visit www.theobamacrat.com. I get a lot of news there. I learned about National Service Day there and grabbed me up a coupla kids, mine being one, and we painted walls at a mental health facility.

I don’t remember how I came upon his website. Oh, I know now. He was rambling off on somebody else’s site and I went over to visit with him. He loves art, politics, sad love songs and is a professional chef. He tells folk off when necessary and since I get my news from there, he’s also well-informed. He supports other bloggers with re-blogging and has a whole lot to say. A WHOLE LOT. From my experience with Chicagoans, they speak their mind like nobody’s business and if you visit The Obamacrat’s site, you’ll find out exactly what I mean.

Thank you Obamacrat, for the commission, the energy you put into blogging to keep readers informed and those pretty dishes I’ll probably never learn how to cook. Me being the visual person I am, that’s about all I can say on the food part.

And thank all of you blogging folk.

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A Practical Reality

Posted in Holiday Stuff, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 1, 2013 | 27 Comments »

"Colors l" Watercolor and Ink. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

“Colors l” Watercolor and Ink. Copyright 2013 Totsymae

Happy New Year to you, folks. I hope life is treating you kind and you’re doing the same for it, meaning all living things and folks out there. And I really hope that’s not an effort on your part but I know everybody’s got their personal challenges, special needs and what have you. Hell, that’s all a part of living, so we have to work with what we’ve got.

Now, I’m not doing what I did last year and tell you I’m gonna do this and that for my resolutions. Shit, I didn’t resolve half of what I set out to do last year, so I won’t sit here and lie to myself again. Matter of fact, I don’t even remember half the things I said I’d do. That fine list of Gonna-Dos faded into glory, quite frankly, a week or so into the 2012 new year. I had to hunt the list down and called myself typing it up and checking off my accomplishments but I’ll be damn if that wasn’t work. To this day, I can’t remember the name of the document or where I saved it on the computer.

Now, I do recall a coupla things I’d put on the list – that I wanted to learn how to knit so I could stitch caps for folks with cancer. I’m so very, very embarassed folks. For all my good intentions, I flew off to Saudi Arabia and couldn’t remember where I put the damn knitting needles when I got back. I don’t think I bought the right yarn anyhow. I could say I’d do it this year but that may sound too much like a resolution and if I do what I did last year, which was nothing, I won’t knit the caps again, resulting in another lie and I’m not supposed to be a good liar but looks like I could very well be better at it than I think, which is no consolation to me.

And you know the thing about resolutions, it’s really sad when you have to resolve to do something you should already be doing. You see, I had to redirect this from me to you so it wouldn’t look as though I’m beating myself up. Or at least so I wouldn’t feel alone. I mean, who likes to be alone? Like, you really should be exercising and losing weight, especially if the doctor’s told you you need to shed some of them pounds. Better yet, why would you even wait for somebody to tell you to lose weight? Or stop wasting money? Or whatever, whatever…

Now. I already know I won’t be wasting my money at a fitness center. Since I know I won’t go, there’s no sense in me acting like I will. I don’t feel special or whatnot in having a fitness membership card. For me, it’s like, oh hell, I’ve wasted myself some money. I just don’t like working out in settings like that. And let’s just cut through the chase. I don’t like working out period. It feels good when I do but between you and me, a fitness membership is gonna be a real hard sell for me; however, the up side is I won’t be wasting money. In that way anyhow.

Here’s to you and the new year, folks. Have a good one.

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