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Monday 18 November 2013

Why comics are brilliant...

It's Hard To Speak About 

These Things In Public. 

So He Drew This Instead.

"I made this for folks like me, many of whom are still living with shame, guilt, and fear (many of the responses I've received have mentioned similar suicide pacts). I'm aiming to get this out into the public consciousness, because while most facts people know actually come from hearing them in stories, updated information takes decades to filter back into new stories, as most writers cover the same ground with what they learned from others' stories. Eskimos don't have a crazy number of words for 'snow,' sharks don't have to keep swimming to live, Mister Rogers wasn't a fighter pilot, and victims of child sexual abuse don't become offenders. We'd need a new word to out-class the present epidemic if they did because the incidence stats are horrifying."

— Dean Trippe

Taken from here


I grew up loving comic art in the recent years, appreciating comics more for their actual written contents and story lines but this one just captures the very reason why comics are an excellent medium to capture and explain those difficult and awful things such as abuse. I very much love and associate that feeling of an invisible gun next to your head, that whole "dead man walking " feeling...Just a brilliant piece and I salute Dean Trippe for the brave and amazing man he is.

Birdie Love
xxx

Thursday 14 November 2013

crazy, brave love

Every once in a while you come across a news story that you take in and simply wish the people concerned all the best in the world and wish you had just an ounce of the bravery they possess.

A beautiful 25 year old bride called Meredith Hendrix had posted her wedding shots up on Tumblr...nothing unusual so far until you learn that Meredith wedding was to her wife, Kat Jackson and the sad twist to the big day was Meredith had to walk down the aisle alone without her father or mother as her 'stoically religious' parents had refused an invitation to the wedding.

"A lesbian whose religious parents refused to come to her wedding has instead received support from tens of thousands of internet users after posting beautiful photographs of the day online." - daily mail
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2506861/Lesbian-bride-25-wedding-shunned-religious-parents-flooded-messages-support-posting-beautiful-photos-nuptials-online.html#ixzz2kfIlQ3xk 

Meredith's own sister and extended family were in attendance, and the sad absence of her parents however did not mar the day as these beautiful photos showed.


Happy: Hendrix thanked everyone for their support and acceptance after the photographs went viral


Stunning: Hendrix-Jackson said that out of all of the messages she had received online, none were negative


Together: Hendrix thanked Tumblr users for their support after she posted the pictures and said that not everyone had been quite so accepting - including her parents, who had refused the wedding invite


There are so many beautiful photos that capture what a beautiful day it must have been and so much happiness for the wedded couple. 

the beautiful touches...

Getting ready: The women, who met in college, covered their eyes as they reached the top of the aisle
they walked down the aisle with their eyes covered and only too off the blindfolds at the alter - how so very magical!

Style: The women, pictured showing off their shoes, met in college, where they both studied theater


Personalized: The wedding had unique details throughout, showing that the two put lots of thought into their day

and the smiles and moments of joy...

Married! Hendrix said of her wife: 'She's incredible... She's everything I never thought I deserved'

...tells me it was a beautiful day for them both. Just wow!  You two look so beautiful and awesome!

Here's what Meredith has to say...

"I posted these wedding photos because this was the most amazing day of my life. I’ve been married for about two months, and goddammit, it has been just the best, you know? Like, this woman, in these photographs? She’s incredible. She’s unreal. She’s kind and she’s thoughtful and she’s everything I never thought I deserved. She’s the woman who I get to spend the rest of my ridiculously lucky life with.
It’s so simple to me, to us.
But it’s so complicated to so much of the world. She and I can’t walk into the grocery store holding hands. I get tight-lipped when someone compliments my ring at work because I can’t determine if they are going to be “cool” with it or not. If they’ll report me for being “inappropriate” in our online survey. Again. My wife was fired from a job as a driver for a children’s occupational therapist because her boss saw us kiss at the mall— because she couldn’t have “that kind of person” around children. I walked myself down the aisle at my wedding because a church told my parents that it wasn’t possible for them to attend my wedding."
This story and the beautiful photos just stood out to me for the bravery Meredith and Kat have and the wonderful spirit they possess, in the face of all the things they have had to endure.  They are such a beautiful couple and I wish them all the best and joy. My only sadness is that Meredith's parents weren't there to enjoy such a wonderful day for their beautiful daughter. For me, family comes first no matter the religious beliefs.


I so admire the bravery of these two and it goes to show, love has many ways of simply 'being'. There is no right or wrong when its simply down to two people who love each other.  Love is just amazing for those who are blessed with it.

I wish you all the happiness and joy in the world Meredith and Kat, not that you need it judging by the look of things!

please check out Meredith's Tumblr here

link to article and pictures here


Birdie Love
xxx


Monday 4 November 2013

animation music videos


Now if you know me by now, you know I'm very partial to animation and of late, listening to music has allowed me to rediscover some excellent examples of animation and cartoons in music videos that span across the years!

The tunes are great but sometimes, the music videos are even better!




Eurythmics - It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)

Perhaps one of my all time favourite Eurythics song, this music video is so 80's, I can feel my hair turning into a mullet as we speak...!
Lennox looking positively...ethereal  in this!



Queen - A Kind Of Magic

Every music video done by Freddie Mercury is just sublime and amazing to watch, after all he is known for his flamboyant music videos in which he uses the opportunity to perform some of his dreams and personal wishes! Although this video isn't in animation, the use of it really elevates the whole video itself! Mercury, for me has epitomizes what immortality truly is about, even to this day, his looks and style in fashion, performance, vocals and videos are still imitated today and loved just as much now as back then.





Linkin Park - Breaking The Habit

I adore this song, to me this video and song and the overall ambiances up Linkin Park's early experimental and exciting years. The video is just stunning to watch, where the animated medium effectively captures difficult and controversial themes such as drugs, self harming, suicide and domestic violence. The overall effect just strikes you to the point you just keep watching. I love the scratchy animated style that adds to the tension and "breaking" as such. This is the video to watch!




Mark Ronson Feat. Lily Allen  - Oh My God

I wasn't a Lily Allen fan until this video came out, it just makes you sit up and listen to it as a Jessica Rabbit-esque animated Allen pops up on stage in all her chavtastic appeal and delivers what not a catchy tune but a well rounded video too. The drink and chair effects are brilliantly done as well as the audience reaction to "Allen" with her dangerous hips! From this point on, I has respect for Lily certainly if she could take a few laughs at herself!


There are loads more animated music videos out there that's likely to make another post one day!
In the mean time, is there any music videos worth a watch?

Birdie Love
xxx