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“...built a temple to the human spirit. He saw man as strong, proud, clean, wise and fearless. He saw man as a heroic being. And he built a temple to that. A temple is a place where man is to experience exaltation. He thought that exaltation comes from the consciousness of being guiltless, of seeing the truth and achieving it, of living up to one’s highest possibility, of knowing no shame and having no cause for shame of being able to stand naked in full sunlight. He thought that exaltation means joy and that joy is man’s birthright. He thought that a place built as a setting for man is a sacred place. ”
-- The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Dominique Francon testifying at the civil trial of Howard Roark
What Ayn Rand’s character Dominique Francon says about the architectural work of character Howard Roark applies equally well to many of my models and the work they have created in themselves.

“This is an aspect of the subject so obvious that I need hardly dwell on it; and yet some wise men have tried to close their eyes to it. ‘If the Nude,’ says Professor Alexander, ‘is so treated that it raises in the spectator ideas or desires appropriate to the material subject, it is false art. and bad morals.’ ... And since these words of a famous philosopher are often quoted, it is necessary to labor the obvious and say that no nude, however abstract, should fail to arouse in the spectator some vestige of erotic feeling — even though it be only the faintest shadow, and if it does not do so, it is bad art and false morals.”
-- The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form by Kenneth Clark
The A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts, 1953
A personal comment on that... why is that the one emotion that occupies more of our time and life than any other, is so often considered not a legitimate subject for art?

“The Greeks perfected the nude in order that man might feel like a god, and in a sense that is still its function, for although we no longer suppose God is like a beautiful man, we still feel close to divinity in those flashes of self-identification when, through our own bodies, we seem to be aware of a universal order.”
-- The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form by Kenneth Clark
The A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts, 1953

“And he came. It was something like hot oil poured in cotton (cotton into flame; flame, out beneath water. Water and ashes and ashes washed through him);”
-- DHALGREN by Samuel R. Delany
This amazingly strange and complex book just came back into print after many years. If you are a fan of both science fiction and meta-fiction, it is definitely a must read. When you read the final words... turn back to the first page of the book and re-read the first sentence...

One morning, as I stepped out of the house on the way to have coffee with a friend, I watched a hummingbird hover on the edge of the spray from my sprinklers. It would dart into the spray for several seconds at a time and then back out, shaking off. Hummingbirds like morning showers too -- who would’ve thought?


		The Human Spirit “...built a temple to the human spirit. He saw man as strong, proud, clean, wise and fearless. He saw man as a heroic being. And he built a temple to that. A temple is a place where man is to experience exaltation. He thought that exaltation comes from the consciousness of being guiltless, of seeing the truth and achieving it, of living up to one’s highest possibility, of knowing no shame and having no cause for shame of being able to stand naked in full sunlight. He thought that exaltation means joy and that joy is man’s birthright. He thought that a place built as a setting for man is a sacred place. ” -- The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand Dominique Francon testifying at the civil trial of Howard Roark What Ayn Rand’s character Dominique Francon says about the architectural work of character Howard Roark applies equally well to many of my models and the work they have created in themselves.

		The Erotic and Art “This is an aspect of the subject so obvious that I need hardly dwell on it; and yet some wise men have tried to close their eyes to it. ‘If the Nude,’ says Professor Alexander, ‘is so treated that it raises in the spectator ideas or desires appropriate to the material subject, it is false art. and bad morals.’ ... And since these words of a famous philosopher are often quoted, it is necessary to labor the obvious and say that no nude, however abstract, should fail to arouse in the spectator some vestige of erotic feeling — even though it be only the faintest shadow, and if it does not do so, it is bad art and false morals.” -- The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form by Kenneth Clark The A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts, 1953 A personal comment on that... why is that the one emotion that occupies more of our time and life than any other, is so often considered not a legitimate subject for art?

		Our Relationship to the Nude “The Greeks perfected the nude in order that man might feel like a god, and in a sense that is still its function, for although we no longer suppose God is like a beautiful man, we still feel close to divinity in those flashes of self-identification when, through our own bodies, we seem to be aware of a universal order.” -- The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form by Kenneth Clark The A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts, 1953

		Most Poetic Orgasm “And he came. It was something like hot oil poured in cotton (cotton into flame; flame, out beneath water. Water and ashes and ashes washed through him);” -- DHALGREN by Samuel R. Delany This amazingly strange and complex book just came back into print after many years. If you are a fan of both science fiction and meta-fiction, it is definitely a must read. When you read the final words... turn back to the first page of the book and re-read the first sentence...

		On the Cyclic Nature of Art “I want to see again the truly timeless core of metaphor of all great public art restored to its preeminence: the human figure. ... We go back in history, not to hide the past, but to find a way to start over again, not to relive the past, but to find in the past what is timeless, that we may carry it into the future. We will find again what we have very nearly lost, the real nature of Beauty, and a great treasure which has been temporarily misplaced.” -- Frederick Hart, sculptor noted for Ex Nihilo at the National Cathedral

		Quickest Wit “Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was bound to happen. But isn’t it fascinating to think that the only laugh that man will probably ever get in his life was when he stripped off to show his shortcomings.” -- Sir David Niven, at the 1973 Academy Awards after a streaker flashed passed behind him, waving a peace sign, as the audence laughed.

		Monkey Boy Sex “...with ears that fill your thoughts with mad passionate nights of monkey boy sex.” -- a reference to very hot star J. P. Pitoc, in a review of the movie *Trick*

		Sign seen in a Montana Bar “Sexual harassment will not be tolerated on these premises, it will however be graded.”

		Hummingbirds Take Showers One morning, as I stepped out of the house on the way to have coffee with a friend, I watched a hummingbird hover on the edge of the spray from my sprinklers. It would dart into the spray for several seconds at a time and then back out, shaking off. Hummingbirds like morning showers too -- who would’ve thought?

		Thoughts on the Home “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” -- William Morris, prominent figure in the Arts & Crafts movement.

		Fortune Cookie Wisdom “It is easier for you to think in pictures than in words. You tend to express yourself poetically.” -- fortune cookie I got the evening before an important photo shoot

		On the Nature of Quality and Taste Ninety percent of everything is garbage. -- Heinlen’s law (Robert Heinlein, noted science fiction author) But taste in garbage does vary. -- LaSalle’s corollary to Heinlen’s law

		Fear to Liberty “Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be. You are a child of God; your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone; and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -- Nelson Mandela quoting from A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson in his presidential innaugural address

		Salut au Monde “Each of us inevitable, Each of us limitless-each of us with his or her right upon the earth, Each of us allow'd the eternal purports of the earth, Each of us here as divinely as any is here. ” -- Walt Whitman from Salut au Monde

		Divine Purpose “You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are!” -- Eckhart Tolle from The Power of Now

		Character “The best index to a person’s character is (a) how he treats people who can’t do him any good, and (b) how he treats people who can't fight back” -- Abigail Van Buren

		*Favorite Simpsons* Gag** “Grade F Meat: Mostly Circus Animals, Some Filler ” -- label on a box going into the cafeteria

		What Friend's Are For “This guy’s walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can’t get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up, ‘Hey, you, can you help me out?’ The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. “Then a priest comes along, and the guy shouts up, ‘Father, I’m down in this hole! Can you help me out?’ The priest writes a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. “Then a friend walks by. ‘Hey, Joe, it’s me! Can you help me Out?’ And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, ‘Are you nuts? Now we’re both down here!’ “The friend says, ‘Yeah, but I’ve been down here before - and I know the way out’ ” -- Leo McCarry to Josh Lyman from The West Wing episode Noel

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