Six Word Memoirs

Kind of a new Post Secret, people are asked to describe their life in six words. There's a cool NPR segment on it.

Never really finished anything. Except cake. -- Carletta Perkins

Changing mind postponed demise by decades. -- Scott O'Neil

He wore dresses. This caused messes. -- Josh Kilmer-Purcell

I still make coffee for two. -- Zak Nelson

Topless dancer, circus clown. Spy. Writer. -- Susan DiRende

Yes, you can edit my biography. -- Jimmy Wales

Wasn't noticed so I painted trains. -- Mare 139

From Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure in Smith Magazine edited by Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith, 2008

Tattoos

Tattoos are seen as a pretty modern thing. Well, either modern or related to small, indigenous villages in African and South America. The oldest tattoo was found on a 5300-year-old mummy, Oetzi, who was frozen in the Alps between Italy and Austria. He has tons of tattoos of horizontal and vertical lines all over his body. Nobody knows exactly why they are there.

The first permanent tattoo shop in New York City was established in 1846. Most tattoos were adorned on military men who served in the civil war. From there, tattoos gained popularity within circuses. Circus-goers loved to see the freaks covered in tattoos.

According to the 2006 Pew Research Center's phone survey, 36% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 were tattooed, as were 40% of peopled aged 26-40 and 10% of people aged 41-64. In 2008, Harris Interactive estimated that 14% of all adults in the US are tattooed.

Textsfromlastnight.com

(417): He has such a weird drunk-voice.
(1-417): dude, he's deaf.

(810): So would u like to explain why you ate all my pickels and took my 1800?
(1-810): About that, i have your 1800 on my desk with intentions of returning it but theres nothing i can do about the pickels

Basquiat

Basquiat is my favorite artist. He was a young, homeless, reckless artist in the New York City 80s. His work expresses his tensions with his personal identity as reflected through his understanding of NYC. It is somewhere between fine art and graffiti. Even more interesting than his art is his life story. He dated Madonna, struck up a close friendship with Andy Warhol, and became swept up in the chaos of being The New Cool Thing in the city's art scene. His life and art truly encompasses a specific era of New York City, and fits into the history of modern art.

For Fellow New York Lovers

This is probably one of my favorite blogs:

http://www.scoutingny.com/

It's written by a guy who works as a film location scout in NYC. He gets paid to find interesting and eccentric spots in the city. His latest two posts were not very exciting, but his archives involve often over-looked buildings, sculptures, and oddities. Check it out.

Craig Needs a Friend

Craig, I will be your friend. For the whole list of fantastically awkward signs, go here
http://www.funnyordie.com/blog/posts/14305

Superhero Store

It's in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
"This concept store is the brainchild of literary Dave Eggers and like all of our favourite comic book heroes - it has a dual identity. In reality, the store is a clever front for the non-profit (youth orientated) creative writing and tutoring centre, 826NYC. To enter 826NYC, you actually have to go through a swinging bookcase in the BBS store. Proceeds from the BBS store fund 826NYC directly to help young people with their creative writing skills. Amazing. Marc Jacobs and Kenneth Cole have both designed crime-fighting outfits for fundraising events here."

Goncalo Mabunda

Goncalo Mabunda is an African artist from Maputo, Mozambique who uses discarded weapons to create art. After the Civil War in Mozambique, seven million weapons were disabled and hidden in the countryside. In an effort to recover them, the government offers farming tools in exchange for all found weapons. These guns are then handed over to artists who create artwork with them. Mabunda uses on the symbol of the chair to comment on the Western World's obsession with "authentic African art" and the chief's throne.
Find more information here:
http://www.goncalomabunda.net/