Annabel Lee

Photo Courtesy of Dustfae

Very simply put, the title explains it all. Edgar Allan Poe may be long deceased, but he remains my muse. And because it was his muse, wife Virginia, who inspired this beautiful poem, this is naturally and easily one of my all-time favorite poems. Probably the only poem I can recite by heart. I've even bolded and/or italicised my favorite parts! (I'm such a dork.) If it doesn't give you chills, I don't know what will.

Annabel Lee

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea:
But we loved with a love that was more than love -
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.
And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her high-born kinsmen came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me -
Yes! that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud one night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we -
Of many far wiser than we -
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling -my darling -my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea -
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

Edgar Allan Poe

James Franco: The Gay Man's Actor

Franco Eight Ways? Coincidence?
Photo courtesy of advocate.com

     Yes, these magazines just can't get enough of James Franco. But we totally saw this one coming. The Advocate, too, has written their version of the actor's profile, but it has one focus in particular. Yes, you guessed it: is James Franco gay?

     The Advocate is an LGBTQ magazine focusing on all things gay. So it comes as no surprise that their profile centers around the actor's controversial tendency towards gay roles.

     "In addition to the two gay-themed poems he adapted for student films (Frank Bidart’s “Herbert White” being the other), Franco portrayed a 17-year-old swimmer dating an older man in the gay indie film Blind Spot and Harvey Milk’s lover in Milk. He also French-kissed Will Forte on Saturday Night Live, took a queer studies course at NYU, and created performance art pieces about gender and sexual confusion."

     He also is starring as gay poet Allen Ginsberg in the anticipated upcoming film, Howl.

     Some of the highlights? The writer, Benoit Denizet-Lewis, asks Franco why he is so inspired to take on gay roles. Franco: “In this history of cinema, there are so many heterosexual love stories,” he whispers. “It’s so hammered, so done. It’s just not that interesting to me. It’s more interesting to me to play roles and relationships that haven’t been portrayed as often.”

     Valid point. Franco seems to enjoy taking risks and challenging himself. If he were gay, he'd probably be the type to play straight just to push the envelope. Franco also approaches his roles with a ferocity that is almost unheard of with the exception of actors like the late, great Heath Ledger. Franco even admits in the profile that his intensity made it difficult to work with him, even going so far as telling directors how to do their job.

     “I used to approach acting with a very antagonistic [attitude],” he says. “I was very hard to get along with, and it made working in film very unpleasant. It also hurt my performances. Now I think about acting differently. I feel a little detached from acting, actually. I still work really hard, but for my own sanity—and everyone else’s—I’ve had to surrender the results.”

     My conclusion is this: James Franco is gayer than Lady Gaga but not quite as gay as those guys who say "no homo" after every sentence. He has a fascination with sexual confusion and homosexuality, not for entertainment purposes, but by merely accepting that "We’re all gender-fucked—we’re all something in between, floating like angels.”

     But how does this compare with the other profiles? Tune in soon and see how the three compare.

Why Didn't He Call You, You Ask?

Hmmm....

     Just because you're hot doesn't mean he'll call. Just because he didn't call doesn't mean you're not hot. You may just be annoying. If you wanna steer clear of driving your date away, take this advice from dating coach Evan Marc Katz. It's the five reasons why he didn't call you.

Reason #1: You talk, but don’t listen


Women are sharers. It’s culturally ingrained. You may talk to your best friend or mom five times a day and think nothing of it. Every detail is relevant, and nothing can be left out in the telling of a story. Problem is, men don’t generally communicate that way. So try to consider the ebb and flow of a normal conversation. If he hasn’t spoken in awhile, ask him a question (and not a vague “So tell me about you,” which will make feel self-conscious and put on the spot). If he’s telling a story, try doing a follow-up query instead of refocusing the spotlight on yourself (“You like to travel? Let me tell you about how I backpacked through the Amazon!”). And if it’s occurred to you that you haven’t yet learned a thing about your date, try listening for a bit. It’s not that we’re not interested in getting to know you, it’s that we’d be thrilled if you were interested in getting to know us, too.
 
 
Reason #2: You use conversation as therapy


Talking about your evil ex-boyfriend. Talking about your hatred of your job. Talking about your strained relationship with your mother. It’s not that the bad stuff is irrelevant, it’s that it’s inappropriate. Being negative might be an effective way of winning an election, but it’s not exactly endearing on a date. Even if you feel compelled to touch on such subjects, consider your tone when doing so. And consider how you’d feel if a man were to share his inner turmoil with you too soon.


Reason #3: You’re a little too enthusiastic about him

It’s normal to get excited about a date with potential. It’s normal to consider what kind of husband that date might be. It was also normal to write your grade school crush’s name on the back of your notebook… but you wouldn’t show it to him, would you? Of course not! There’s an unwritten rule in dating that governs the energy flow between a man and a woman: when one party tries too hard, the other party pulls back. If a stranger has ever bought you a costly gift on the first date or called you seven times the day after you had coffee, you know what I mean. We’re not saying you should act cold; just don’t get carried away in front of him. Keep your projections to yourself until you have a better idea whether your affections are reciprocated or not.


Reason #4: Your idea of chit-chat is politics, religion and other heavy topics

So you don’t complain about your ex, your boss or your mom. But you have a bone to pick with the President, the U.N. and the Pope. Hey, if your date is up for a surprise appearance on Meet the Press, that’s cool. Just know that not everybody likes to swim in the deep end of the pool so early. Sometimes, you’re better off sticking with banter about favorite travel spots or good movies or even funny online dates from the past. It’s not that intellectual topics should be off-limits, but until you know where someone lands on the political spectrum, you may want to tread lightly.


Reason #5: You’re not relating to him — you’re testing him

Dating should be fun. Getting to know a fascinating stranger, sharing information about yourself to an interested date… these are the things that keep us optimistic about the process. Where it all goes wrong is when you inadvertently turn him into a defendant and yourself into the prosecuting attorney. “How long was your last relationship?” “Where do you see yourself in two years?” “Do you want kids someday?” The answers to these questions are really important — they may well determine whether you choose to see him again — but great dates do not occur on a hot seat or under a microscope. Try reading between the lines instead of asking him these things point-blank.


Ahem, now back to Franco.

Octo-Franco (James, That Is)

Classy. Perfect. Yum.

     Esquire Magazine has caught the Franco Fever and decided to one-up New York Magazine with a multi-dimensional feature of James Franco, appropriately titled, "Franco Eight Ways." The feature is comprised of eight different genres of work centered around Franco and his multi-dimensional life.

    The first is a series of five short videos made by Franco's brother, Dave, that show Franco behind the scenes, speaking and laughing very intimately with him.
   
    The second is a snapshot profile of Franco (which, compared to other Franco profiles, is slightly forgettable). Don't let this piece deter you from continuing, because it only gets better.
   
    The feature continues with a short, fictional, risible story entitled "Keep Doing What You Are Doing, James Franco," in which James Franco executes every role. (James Franco watches James Franco on television, reads about James Franco delivering a baby, defusing a roadside bomb, making love to five women. James Franco's roommate, James Franco, comes home from a four-minute mile run, smelling like cologne, and immediately begins multitasking. Humorous. Sends a clear message.

    The third part is a HILARIOUS poem by a person who knows nothing about James Franco, and insists not to be told anything about him.

    Part number four of this feature is called "Four Introductions to James Franco," written by Bill Hader of Saturday Night Live. Hader recalls four different occasions when he was introduced to James Franco. Need I tell you that you will be laughing?

    Next are visuals from Franco's first solo art exhibition. Not quite as interesting as the others.

    The Living Art Exhibit is the seventh part, where Franco is takes part in performance artist Marina Abramovic's live exhibition where she sat in a chair every day for seven weeks. Across from her was an empty chair where anyone could sit for as long as they wanted. Franco stops by and participates for just over a minute. (And, damn, does he look good sitting there!) Included also, is a clip of him in the documentary for the exhibit. Interesting.

    The feature concludes with a short story published by Esquire in March 2010, written by Franco himself. The story is titled "Just Before the Black." The story was panned by some critics, who called his writing amateur. The story is about the moment right before you die, and is really not bad at all, considering that it seems to be written in stream of consciousness narrative mode. It seems that critics might have some trouble looking at the dreamy actor as a serious writer, and that may be adding some bias to their opinions.

    The conclusion: It's a good feature. Look at it. Pick up the issue. Rip out his pictures. Put it on your wall.
   
   

An Untiltled Poem

I like to write poetry. I wrote this one a couple of months ago, but it's definitely one of my more recent ones. It's about a boy. A boy who has me like no other, but whom I have yet to possess. So I pine for him through my aching words. And though I typically share my poems with no one other than the voices in my head, I am simply too lazy to write a legit blog today. It has no title. It just is.

Broken Heart Scan by Fabu

To hear your voice is a selfish indulgence
That I deserve only so I may be tortured.

To see your face is a wicked blessing

That passes me by in an instant.

My walls crumble from the smite of your touch

Which leaves the impression that they have been

Sweetly penetrated by your glorious will.

There are frequent times in every single second

When my mind is consumed with thoughts

Of you, and you alone.

You give me your hand, and I'll give you

The world in return.

I'd tear the very flesh off my bones

To shield you from all detriment.

I fear nothing the way I fear you.

Every day I die just to be in your arms,

And yet nothing makes me feel so alive

As the promise of your presence.

I tremble at the possibility that

I could never call you my own.

And at the thought that she could make you

Happier than I.

Although I know that she could not appreciate

The masterpiece that is you

For that is a gift only true lovers possess.

Now Playing...Hooverphonic

I'm crazy about this song. It's called "Mad About You", by Belgian pop/rock group Hooverphonic. The trippiness and dramatic organization of this song almost makes me feel like I'm in some surreal forbidden love story, and I want the whole world to know about it! The song is from 2000, but we definitely need some music like this in the mainstream. The video's a bit creepy, but that's just how I like it.





"Trouble is my middle name, but in the end I'm not too bad. Can someone tell me if it's wrong to be so mad about you?" If I thought it was anything less than cherry, I wouldn't suggest it.

Young Black Hollywood

     As many of you might have heard, seeing as it is kind of old news, Vanity Fair's March issue featured what they referred to as the stars of "New Hollywood." The cover featured nine beautiful actresses supposedly on the rise, but there was only one problem...it seems they took the word "fair" quite seriously.

     You see, it just so happened that all nine of those gorgeous ingenues were white. They represented the ideal physical beauty that Hollywood is known to perpetuate: young, fresh-faced, fair-skinned, and thin. Actresses Abbie Cornish, Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan, Amanda Seyfried, Rebecca Hall, Mia Wasikowska, Emma Stone, Evan Rachel Wood, and Anna Kendrick were apparently the only ones that Vanity Fair could think of. Some of these actresses I completely understand. Kirsten Stewart is everywhere, Carey Mulligan was exceptional in "An Education," Amanda Seyfried has made quite a name for herself, and Evan Rachel Wood is never too far away from America's conscious.

     But the magazine neglected rising stars like Gabourey Sidibe of "Precious" and Zoe Saldana when conjuring up their list. As I was reflecting upon this in disappointment, I wondered how long it would take for a major magazine to strike back with a cover full of ethnic, diverse women.

     Well, in August, someone finally decided to strike back. Publicist Arian Simone came out with her own, exclusively digital publication called "Fearless Magazine." On the premiere cover are eight of the most insignificant actresses in Hollywood.

     I know that may seem harsh, but they could have done wayyyy better. Lauren London, Monique Coleman, Tia Mowry, Tiffany Hines, Naturi Naughton, Kyla Pratt, Jennifer Freeman, and Chyna Layne are the eight black actresses gracing this cover, and only a couple of them are actually relevant. Many of you may remember Jennifer Freeman from the hit sitcom "My Wife and Kids," and most recently for abusing her NBA husband. I haven't seen Kyla Pratt in years, nor has Lauren London appeared in a film since giving birth to Lil Wayne's baby...you get the point. The point is...we failed to make a point with this retaliation.


  Who do you think should have been on Vanity Fair's cover?