the writing and photography of Neil Kramer

Category: Blogging and the Internet (Page 39 of 57)

Paranoia

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Normally, Sophia thinks I spend too much time blogging, but lately,  she’s been curious about other bloggers. 

“After all, I’m going to meet some in Portland,” she said.  

This morning, she brought her laptop into my room.

“Tell me who each of these people is who said happy birthday to me.”

“Each person?!”

“Who’s Hilly?”

“She’s from Orange County.  She’ll be in Portland.”

“We’re going all the way to Oregon to meet someone from Orange County?”

“I guess so.  In a strange way, it’s easier that way.” 

“And what type of name is Lizardek?”

“I have no idea.  She lives in Sweden.  Maybe it has something to do with Sweden.”

“It doesn’t sound very Swedish.  Didn’t you ever ask her?”

“No.”

“Aren’t you curious?”

“I guess so.  In the beginning.”

“Why don’t you ever ask her?  “Why are you called Lizardek?”  Or ask this Leahpeah “Why are you called Leahpeah?”  Does it have anything to do what onomatopoeia?”

“OK, I’ll ask them.  Better?

“It’s like you’re not even interested in your own readers.”

“I’m interested… up to a point.”

“How many Heathers are there out there?  There’s this Heather and that Heather and Heather B. and Heather C..  I’m getting all the Heathers mixed up.”

“Believe me.  Everyone does.”

“What the hell is a Jurgen Nation?    It sounds like some racist organization.”

“I think Jurgen is the dog.”

“Jurgen is the guy’s dog?”

“Jurgen is a woman.  I mean she is a woman, and the dog… I don’t know what the dog is.  She’s really a Stacy.”

“The dog?”

“No, Stacy is the blogger.”

“So, why doesn’t she just say she’s Stacy?”

“Am I my blogger’s keeper?  You’ll have to ask her some day.”

“But this Kapgar is a guy, right?  I remember sending him a photo from New York.”

“Right.  He’s in Chicago.  There is a whole bunch of bloggers in Chicago.  I don’t know why.  A lot of bloggers are in Chicago and Washington D.C.”

“And who is this V-Grrrl?  Is V for victory?

“Veronica.  She’s the one who sent me the statue of the Belgian pissing boy.”

“Is Whoorl the one who is married to the ex-priest?”

“What?!  I never said anything about any ex-priests.”

“Isn’t one of your readers married to someone who was a priest?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Who is she married to?”

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t you read her?”

“I don’t know every detail of these people’s lives!  I know Whoorl had a baby.  I don’t even remember her real name.”

“Of the baby?”

“No.  Of Whoorl.”

“Is the baby a girl or a boy?”

“Huh… jeez… Uh… uh… wait…. some other blogger had a girl.  I think she had a boy.”

“Do the other bloggers realize how little you KNOW about them?”

“You can’t get to know everyone that well through blogging.”

“Why not?

“It’s the wrong medium.”

“So, it’s the right medium to talk about your penis, but the wrong medium to ask a person’s name?”

“I think I actually did write a post once asking people their real names.”

“If I were blogging, I would know more about the other bloggers.  Who are they?  What do they do?  Who they are dating?”

“Why this sudden interest?  Are you thinking of starting a blog?!”

“No way.”

“Thank god.”

“But since I’m meeting some bloggers in Portland, why don’t you tell me who is coming?.”

“I don’t know all of them.”

“Isn’t Ms. Sizzle going to be there?”

“Yes.  She’s nice.”

“Is she the one who sent you a topless photo of herself?”

“No.  That was someone else.”

“Do you still have it?”

“It’s on my desktop somewhere.” 

“Where?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Why is this Portland thing just one night?  Shouldn’t it be like three days?”

“Three days?  Who has three days?  We all have to get back to blogging.”

“It just seems so silly to travel thousands of miles to have a couple of drinks for one night.”

“I think there’s someone travelling in from England.”

“You people are crazy.”

“Well, most of them are pretty nice.” 

“Yes, it was very nice how they wished me a happy birthday.”

“Maybe I should email everyone back and thank them.”

“It’s not necessary, Neilochka.  You can do it on your blog.”

“But maybe it would be nicer if I did each person individually.”

“No. You don’t need to do that”

“Why not?”

“Because I already did it last night.”

“What do you mean?!”

“I sent everyone an email and thanked them.”

“You WENT on MY email and stole their addresses?!”

“No, silly.  Everyone’s address is on the blog administration page.   

“Wait… so you emailed them… FROM YOU?!  From your email address?!”

“Yes.  You are so odd.  Of course I emailed them FROM ME.  What are you getting all hysterical for?   I just wanted to thank them for their birthday wishes.”

“It’s going to confuse them.  They’re going to get all concerned!”

“Calm down…  Concerned?”

“Don’t you see?  You’re NOT REAL to them.  I’m the real one.”  

“And what am I?”

“You’re more… you’re sort of…  what are you doing?  Are you trying to steal my readers?”

“Why would I steal your readers?” 

“You’re trying to win them over to your side, aren’t you?”

“You’re PARANOID!”

“They can’t get to know you.”

“Why not, Neilochka?”

“Because… they need… they need…they…”

“Oh, I see.  …they need to only hear your side of every story?”

Six “Weird” Things You Don’t Know About Me

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  1. I live with a woman that I am separated from!
  2. I am travelling all the way to Portland, Oregon next month just to spend ONE NIGHT meeting a bunch of bloggers I hardly know!
  3. I am DRIVING all the way to Portland, a FIFTEEN HOUR trip!
  4. I am driving to Portland WITH this woman that I am separated from!
  5. I am driving to Portland without any real plans, other than taking 4-5 days to drive up the coast, and stopping at both Napa, California for some wine and Tilamook, Oregon for some cheese!
  6. Oh, and I LOVE naked women!

Totally weird!

Let’s see… who else is on the way to and in Portland? — Dagny, Leese, Buzzgirl, Jurgen, Chantel, Alexandra., etc. I’m sure this is exactly what Sophia wants to do on her vacation — watch me talk about blogging with some more bloggers!

Update: I just read this over again, and the proximity of my naked women joke and the mention of several female bloggers might wrongly give the impression that I want to see these bloggers “naked” as I am driving up towards Portland. That is far from the truth. Well, I mean, if I actually got to see another woman naked, it’s not that I wouldn’t enjoy it, but that isn’t my main reason for mentioning these specific bloggers. Maybe what I meant to say was that I enjoy seeing women “naked” in the sense of knowing a person’s “inner truth,” like a naked “soul.” Eh, maybe I should just stop now before I make things worse —

Thanks for Yesterday!

Yesterday’s Valentine’s Day Emergency Hotline was a lot of fun.  Thanks to everyone who participated.  The experience was also important to me because it helped clarify what I want to do with the rest of my life — become a CEO.  You come up with a decent idea, you have others do all the hard work, you pay them next to nothing, and YOU get all the credit!

Now this blog returns to doing what it does best — pontificating about racial issues.

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A Year Ago on Citizen of the Month:  Mom, Don’t Forget To Wear Your Hat

The Blogosphere’s Valentine’s Day Emergency Hotline

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(photo by sudergal, on flickr)

The Valentine’s Day Emergency Hotline at mister_valentinesday (Yahoo IM)

Are you alone on Valentine’s Day? Is the only Valentine’s Day Card you received the one from the supermarket with a discount coupon for Dannon Yogurt? Did you lie to your fraternity brothers, saying you’re not going out on Valentine’s Day because you just HAVE to watch “American Idol” live? Did your husband forget to buy you one of those cutesy stuffed bears from CVS Pharmacy that plays “Love Me Do” when you press his tummy? Did you just find out that your girlfriend is having an affair with her Pilates instructor and you’re going to your pre-paid Valentine’s Day dinner at some fancy restaurant with your mother? Did your father never say “I Love You” enough when you were a child? Have you been going to therapy for more than fifteen years because of “commitment issues?” Are you a perv who just can’t get enough loving? Do you sometimes wish you had two wives, one blond and one brunette? Would you leave your husband for George Clooney… in a New York minute? Do you believe that what the world needs now is love, love, love?

It doesn’t matter if you are single, in a relationship, married, divorced, whatever — you still can yearn for more love. Can anyone have too much love? And Valentine’s Day just adds pressure to us all. You might hate it, but this supposedly romantic day is in your face for half of the month of February, like a red zit. You want to feel that certain glow, that special romantic feel you read about in books, but how? Hallmark Cards are so old-fashioned, and so corny. We live in a fast-paced world, and sometimes we require some care and tenderness NOW — WHEN WE WANT IT.

And now it is a possible… at least on Valentine’s Day. Through the combined efforts of internet technology and the generous time of regular bloggers like you, we are proud to introduce the Valentine’s Day Emergency Hotline. During February 14th, any time you are feeling the need for a little Valentine’s Day boost, just go to mister_valentinesday at Yahoo IM, and a real live Mr. Valentine and Ms. Valentine will give you some love. These are not recorded messages, like the type you would get if you tried to contact Microsoft or Verizon. These are real live people who want to make your Valentine’s Day extra special.

Feeling down because the woman at the next cubicle got a bouquet of 48 red roses, and you have NOTHING on your desk other than paperwork? Are you sad because that sexy English grad student doesn’t want to “be your valentine?” Are you just looking for a little extra romance in your life?

Go to the Valentine’s Day Emergency Hotline at mister_valentinesday (Yahoo IM) on February 14th and FEEL THE LOVE!

Special thanks to Buzzgirl, Hilly, Retropolitan, Mo, Girl and Dog, PocketCT, Teahouseblossom, Ms. Sizzle, Alissa, Atomic Bombshell, Journey to Blissville, and Jurgen Nation.

Hours of operation: Valentine’s Day — 9:00 AM EST/6:00 AM PST to 3:00 AM EST/12:00 MIDNIGHT PST

Anyone who wants to cover Europe, Asia, or any other time zones – E-mail me.

We Are

The New York Times hates us because we don’t fall into their “demographic.”  The Los Angeles Time doesn’t even acknowledge our existence.  We are not the mainstream.  We don’t fit into an easy niche.  We are not even the mommybloggers or the dating bloggers or the hipster mommybloggers or the “dating but hip” dating bloggers or the “literary knitting” bloggers who may or may not have bipolar disorders.  They don’t like us because they are afraid of us.  They hate us for being “different,” “eccentric” or even “freaks.” 

But we dismiss all labels.  We are who we ARE.  And we are united together by the blogosphere.  Through this electronic culture we have grown into an independent group of bloggers.  We are strong.  We laugh at your disdain and contempt.

Yes.  Finally, there is a blogging circle created especially for US.   Do you fit our description?

We are men.  We are Jewish men.  But we are not just any Jewish men.   We are Jewish men who live in Redondo Beach with their separated wives and talk to their penis from time to time and have mothers who mispronounces blog as “blodge.”  I invite all bloggers who fit this description to please join our group. 

Together we can MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Join now and remember to put our inspiring graphics and buttons on your sidebar!

Addendum:  Members of this group tend to be too lazy to actually make any graphics or buttons.

The Ideal Man and Woman

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sorry, Fabio, you were voted off.

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model for Mr. “Valentine’s Day”

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model for Ms. “Valentine’s Day”

OK, we’re on for Valentine’s Day! I’m in the process of emailing out tentative time slots now (read here to learn more).

We will be open for business from 9AM EST until 3AM EST! Anyone who is lonely or needs some Valentine’s Day cheer can IM mister_valentinesday on yahoo IM and get some lovin’ from a real live person. I gave myself the last late night slot, thinking that this will be the time when most single women will be drunk and desperate. Ha Ha –I’m not stupid!

There is one problem left. Yesterday, I was talking with a blogger, and she said, “I like Stacy from Jurgen Nation and all, but I’m not sure I really want to log in and chat with her on Valentine’s Day and have her think that I’m a Valentine’s Day loser.”

Let me make something clear. All the people who are doing this experiment with me are hand-picked exactly because they are as miserable as you in some aspect of their lives. Think about it. What type of NUT would volunteer to participate in this? These are EXACTLY the type of people you want to chat with in order to feel good about yourself on Valentine’s Day.

And remember — you are NOT chatting with some anonymous blogger or Stacy from Jurgen Nation. You will be chatting with the very handsome and romantic Mr. Valentine’s Day or the glamorous Ms. Valentine’s Day, depending on who you want to be YOUR VALENTINE.

But we still need your help. We still need to create these wonderful personas — Mr. Valentine’s Day and Ms. Valentine’s Day. What are their characteristics? Since Valentine’s Day is supposedly about romance, I think these icons should have the traits of the “ideal” man and woman. Your input is essential in helping us “understand” our roles. Like Robert De Niro, we want to BECOME the characters. This means if I am on IM duty and a man shows up, depressed because he didn’t get any Valentine’s Day cards, I should be ready to immediately jump into the role of Ms. Valentine’s Day and “make his day” by telling him he is “my valentine.”

So what are the characteristics of the ideal man AND woman, so we can all better play one on Valentine’s Day? Attractive? Romantic? Honest? Sense of humor? Great ass? We need to hear from both men and women.

Mister Valentine’s Day

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A year ago this week, I wrote a post titled, “Today, We Are All Valentine’s Losers.” In it, I made a offer to my readers. If they revealed in the comments that they were a “Valentine’s Day” Loser (meaning the only card they get is from their mother), I (OR Sophia) would send them a personalized Valentine’s Day email on February 14th in order to give them some love.

It was a great success.

Afterwards, a friendly blogger asked me why I chose to spend my time caring for others who may be less fortunate than myself.

Hold onto your seats because this is going to shock you — I have not always been so lucky to have a beautiful woman at my side on Valentine’s Day (that is if she doesn’t kick me out by next week). Yes, I’ve been there in the past. I clearly remember the shame and misery of being alone on Valentine’s Day.

But times have changed for me. Yes, sir! Now, Valentine’s Day is not about sadness and isolation. It is all about STRESS and INSECURITY. Do you know hard it is for me to deal with Valentine’s Day AND Sophia’s Birthday all in the SAME WEEK?! And I’m always doing something to screw things up. I mean really, what’s wrong with getting flowers on February 15th when the prices are 40% less than the day before?!

Still, I would like to do my part and reach out to those who get down on themselves this time of year, even though the unattached should should be celebrating that you DON’T have to go to some overpriced restaurant. But I understand human nature. The grass is always greener.

I was going to send emails again to whoever wanted it, but I changed my mind. I’d like to do things differently this year.

And I need your help.

Although I recently said I hate IM, I think it also has potential for good, so today I registered for the Yahoo IM account mister_valentinesday. It will only be open for one day, Valentine’s Day. On that day, any lovelorn person can come by and get an “I love you” from a REAL LIVE PERSON, sort of the equivalent of “V-day customer service,” or a “suicide hotline for depressed single people on February 14th.”

But I can’t do it alone. I can’t sit on IM all day. What if no one shows up? But being a generous soul, I still think it is worth it, even if it is just ONE person. But I can only give three hours of my time. So, I would like MORE bloggers to volunteer to take three hour shifts that day on mister_valentinesday. That way, ANYONE who gets too depressed at ANY TIME from 8AM-5PM, can come and get some real live love.

Imagine the scenario —

It is February 14th. You are in your cubicle, your eyes bloodshot from crying all night after you heard that your ex-boyfriend is getting married to your former best friend. Meanwhile, all the men in the office are flirting with the blond in the cubicle next to you and giving her Valentine’s Day cards. Several of her suitors have even sent her bouquets of flowers, and even the delivery guy from FTD asks for her phone number. Cute stuffed animals are all over her desk. And what’s on your desk? — paperwork, a diet Coke, some donuts from Krispy Kreme that will put you over your Weight Watchers point level for the next three months, and a photo of your ex-boyfriend who is marrying your former best friend.

You are at your lowest.

You overhear the phone conversation of some male co-worker sitting nearby, talking to his wife, saying, “I love you honeykins, my little muffinhead… I love you more than the whole wide world!”

You decide your life is worthless. You’re never going to find your soul mate. Even your cats have begun to ignore you. You decide to go into the women’s bathroom, tie a bunch of pantyliners together, and hang yourself with them.

But wait — didn’t you read on Citizen of the Month about some IM address that will be available ALL DAY where someone LIVE will say “I love you” to cheer you up? A yahoo IM address of mister_valentinesday?

“I have a reason to live” you yell, standing at attention. “Someone does love me!”

If WE can help just one blogger on Valentine’s Day, our work will be done. Any volunteers who want to donate three hours of their time?

Short Tales of the Weekend

1) The Tale of our Cellular Service

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About two years ago, my mobile service was ATT. The service was pretty bad. At some point, ATT were bought out by Cingular. Although Cingular seemed more organized, Sophia and I were stuck on the old “ATT” plan and Cingular treated us as second class citizens. Their customer service was rude to us on the phone, saying that we weren’t “real” Cingular customers. Eventually, we settled in with Cingular and their spotty service in Redondo Beach, and we were finally accepted as “real” Cingular customers.

On Saturday, we found out Cingular was merged with ATT and the company would be now called ATT again. WTF???????

2) The Tale of the Roomba

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Sophia is always complaining that I’m trying to get female readers to love me for my sensitive side, but here’s an example where my sensitivity went too far:

My mother-in-law’s Roomba wasn’t working well, so on Saturday, I brought it home to clean. Sophia decided to test it on our living room floor. She put on the power and then followed the Roomba around as it did its job. There is something addictive about watching the robot as it curves in-and-out under the couch and the chairs. As the Roomba headed for the patio door, it got stuck on the little shag rug we keep in front of the patio in order to wipe our feet. The Roomba kept trying to release itself. It would move forward for a second, bump its head on the glass door, then move back to repeat the same action again and again. Sophia stood there, watching, waiting for it to unravel itself.

It was too much for a sensitive soul like myself.

“Sophia, take him off,” I cried, “He’s HURTING himself!”

3) The Tale of the Car Trunk

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Last night, Sophia and I took a walk along the beach. On the way back home, we passed a parked BMW. I noticed that the trunk was slightly ajar, as if the owner didn’t slam it closed hard enough.

“Should I close it for them?” I asked Sophia.

“Sure,” she said. “It’ll prevent people from stealing something.”

Two or three blocks later, I noticed an uncomfortable look on Sophia’s face.

“What is it?” I asked.

“You know, maybe the owner was beaten up and THROWN into the trunk, and now we just suffocated him.”

“You watch WAY TOO MUCH TV,” I said at the time, but I had nightmares all night about the Sopranos.

4) The Tale of the Nice Blogger

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Fitena of C’est La Vie send me these beautiful little gifts from Mauritius!

Thank you, Fitena. You are so sweet. One day, I would love to come visit you in person.  I saw on the package that you sent it on December 20th, bu I didn’t receive it until yesterday, February 3rd!  Let’s hear it for the Mauritius and U.S. Postal Services!

5) The Tale of the Super Bowl

Sophia is over at a Super Bowl Party. I’m blogging. Do I have to make believe I care? But I hope Chicago wins for Kevin’s sake. You know someone is a crazed fan when they change their header photo to their favorite team.

A Year Ago on Citizen of the Month: The Photo Shoot

Traditionalists

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Erica from Sarcastic Fringehead and I have decided to communicate via email using a combination of the old and new — scanned in hand-written notes.   I took a handwriting analysis class in college and the way that Erica signs her name clearly tells me that she is a “freak” in bed.  Anyone else want to reveal their handwriting?

#2Better Safe Than Sorry

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For some reason, Better Safe Than Sorry copied Erica’s note, then added her own signature at the end, indicating that she is usually the submissive one in her BDSM relationship.  The “loops” of her “B”‘s and “T”‘s make me believe that she cheats on her taxes.

#3Roadchick

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Roadchick is almost too easy to analyze.  The way she underlines words for emphasis and her use of exclamation points mean she thinks a lot about one thing — threesomes!

#4Deezee

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Deezee of Confessional Highway has the handwriting of a Zen master, calm and poetic.  The even spacing and the dotted lines show a person who is both emotional, yet focused.    Even when she makes a spelling error, she is careful to point it out to the reader, showing strong ethics and concern for the community.   The flow of the “z” in Deezee indicates a passionate woman, but forget about ever making love to her on the kitchen table!  She is much too much of a neatnik.  Look at those anal-compuslve perfect margins!

#5Caveat Emptor

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Sound the bells, ladies!  I think we found the male lover exemplar in Scott of Caveat Emptor.  Look at the gentle rhythm of his cursives, and the way he manipulates the “L”s and “O”s with a flick of his pen.  Have you ever seen a more sexy LOL?   I am so jealous of his skill.  My handwriting just flies all over the place, frequently missing the mark.  His penmanship just oozes Latin lover, and just reading it reminds me of an old Pointer Sisters song:

I want a man with a slow hand
I want a lover with an easy touch
I want somebody who will spend some time
Not come and go in a heated rush
I want somebody who will understand
When it comes to love, I want a slow hand

(Note:  Later on, Sophia called him a cheater.  She says it’s Edwardian Script ITC.  Typical man!)

#6Not Faint Hearted at This Journey (Becky)

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Becky’s handwriting flows unevenly, expressing some insecurity about herself.   The intensity of the dotted “i”‘s betrays a deep yearning for adventure and sexual freedom, as if she’s a caged tiger needing to be set loose in the jungle.   Ironically, the words “high school” appear like one world, indicating a highly sentimental view of the past.  Clearly, this is a woman who still remembers her “first time” like it was just yesterday.

#7Catharsis Queen

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Mo’s handwriting is controlled, but playful.  She likes to include little hearts and “love and kisses” symbols, giving her handwriting the style of a young schoolgirl.   But the strength of her exclamation points show that she is NO schoolgirl.  She is ALL WOMAN.  And when she writes “Love Always,” she means “Love Always,” even if that means some day finding a dead animal in your bed for not returning a phone call.

#8Leezer

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Leezer is a woman of few words.  The staccato nature of her consonants and her slanted vowels indicate a woman of action.  She doesn’t want talk.  She wants ACTION.  And she’ll give you ACTION — any place, any time, anywhere!

#9Ms. Sizzle

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The pleasant curve of the “h” in the word “handwriting” reveals a creative and talented woman who longs for romance, flowers, and long walks on the beach.   The precise loops in the word “swell” illustrates a great love for being spanked.

#10Paperback Writer

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Paperback Writer has what we call in the handwriting analysis business as “comma fever.”  Her sentences run on forever, connected with methodically-placed commas.  This is a woman that is like the Energizer bunny, filled with energy, but unfortunately, can never be satisfied by one man. 

#11Hilly of Snackiepoo

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Hilly’s note is unique in that the two sentences seem to have been written by two different people.  In the first sentence, the script has a great flow, fluency, and vibrancy, but in the second sentence, the lettering is condensed, and filled with intense exclamations.   This disparity can mean two things:  Hilly is either having PMS or she is a high-maintenance woman who demands a lot of role-playing in the bedroom.  God help her husband.

#12Gorillabuns

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Gorillabuns’ handwriting is very clear and concise, almost architectural in formation.  The large spaces between each word reveals a hunger for physical and mental space, almost as if she has young children constantly running around the house needing her attention.  The unique ampersand in her note is very telling, indicating a nostalgia for the days before motherhood when there was lovemaking in the house 5-6 times a week, which has now been reduced to a once a month quickie in the closet while the kids are watching Saturday morning cartoons.

#13 — Ash of Stitched in Holland

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Expansiveness is the keynote of Ash’s handwriting, and is also the cornerstone for her social relationships.   She thrives in company and hates being left alone.   Her loops are gentle, almost like the flow of water down a river.   Water is important to Ash, and the weak “y”s indicate a woman who is difficult to really know, much as the oceans are dark and mysterious.   However, many of her “relationship problems” with her husband can easily be solved with the purchase of a large “water bed,” where Ash can truly be in her element. 

#14 — Pearl of Pearlies of Wisdom

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Pearl’s handwriting shows a playfulness that is very attractive to the eye   The delicate strokes and the even spacing reveals a woman who likes to laugh, takes life lightly, and likes playing practical jokes on people.   The elegant signature is different from the rest of handwriting, and shows a strong need for “alone time.”  Pearl’s fantasy life is very important to her, particularly the fantasy where her new rabbi turns out to be none other than Fabio.

#15 — Lefty of Long Relief

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Lefty’s handwriting is difficult to decipher, and I might need more training for this one.   The chaotic space indicates that he is an impulsive man who lives for the moment.   Perhaps the most intriguing element of his writing is the secondary comments that he adds to his loops, such as “revenge,” “die die die,” and “torture small animals.”  While I’m not sure exactly what the subtext of all this means, it shows that Lefty has many interests and hobbies, and is probably a good friend.

#16Charming but Single

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Charming’s rapid-fire loops and blunt “t”‘s reveal that, at the time of writing, she was suffering from mild stress. This may be temporary, for example, if she was upset, tired, or working against a deadline.   Another possiblilty is extreme arousal, as exemplified by the sensual, curved question mark.   Handwriting professionals call this type of arousal “subject transference.”  This occurs when a writer becomes very sexually stimulated by writing about a certain subject or person.  The result is an intensity of the handwriting that isn’t normally there.   Although I am not at liberty to reveal who this note is addressed to, it is apparent that just thinking about this person is bringing this female writer “over the edge.”

#17 — Danny from Jew Eat Yet

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Danny’s use of green ink is very interesting, showing ambition and an insatiable need for money and power.  The exaggerated spacing between the words is common to many type A-personalities writers who don’t care how many bodies they have to walk over or how many associates they have to stab in the back to get one of their pieces accepted in the New York Times.  Danny’s signature contains a tiny bit of Asian typography, signifying Danny’s well-known attraction to the model-thin Thai waitresses at Chan Dara Restaurant in Hollywood.

#18 — Claire from Taller Than Average Tales

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In her note, Claire is kind enough to “link” to an exhibit of illustrated letters from the Smithsonian (currently at the Norman Rockwell Museum), but Claire’s handwriting is a fascinating specimen itself.  The erratic nature of the slants shows her to be overly-concerned with concealment.  She is attempting to cover up, and keep aspects of his personality or private life hidden from view or cloaked in mystery.   Ironically, the overly-dramatic loops of the “y”‘s reveal a secret attraction to exhibitionism and nude sunbathing. 

(check out some of the cool illustrated letters from the Smithsonian.  Thanks, Claire!)

Missing!

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Missing:

Cheesy spiral notebook with the Los Angeles Dodgers logo on the cover. On the first three pages of the notebook is an unintelligible (to anyone but me) hand-written blog post about “Neil” and “Sophia” meeting via email. This notebook was last seen sitting under a chicken burrito at Wahoo’s Fish Tacos on Pacific Coast Highway in Manhattan Beach. The notebook was bought for 99 cents at the 99 Cents Only Store. It has no value to anyone other than the owner, who HATES nothing more than writing something TWICE after he loses the original.

The blogosphere awaits the return of this important blog post, which is key to understanding the complicated and utterly confusing relationship between Neil and Sophia!

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