29 Thursday Oct 2020
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Poor Jane Slater, a reporter for the NFL, got a Fitbit one year from her boyfriend for Christmas. She loved it, at first. They synched up their Fitbits and used it to motivate each other. Isn’t that sweet?
But one night, at 4 am, there was an unaccounted boost in his physical activity levels. Oops!
21 Friday Aug 2020
Posted in Love
I was on one of my favorite sites the other day when I came across a story about why men cheat on women. It was rather fascinating to read what men actually have to say about why they cheat on their girlfriends or wives.
My favorite had to be “all my girlfriend does is nag. I wanted to get laid without all the bitching”.
Seriously?! Are you kidding me?! I so wanted to slap that man.
Some of them are frustrating, like … “I don’t know, I guess I was just bored.”
Bored? You broke your girlfriend’s heart because you were bored?
Some are predictable, like the guy who said he created on his wife because she gained 40 pounds and then there was the guy who admitted he cheated because his girlfriend was paying more attention to Instagram than him. Ouch!
I decided to do my own survey and asked a few men I know if they have ever cheated, and if they did – why … and this is what they said —-
29 Wednesday Aug 2018
Posted in Love
Tags
Art, Expensive Paintings, Interchange, Leonardo da Vinci, Masterpiece, Nafea Faa Ipoipo, Painting, Paul Cézanne, Roy Lichtenstein, Salvator Mundi, The Card Players
In 1969, Irish artist Bacon painted his friend and artistic rival Lucian Freud as a distorted figure in a cage. Not once, but thrice in separate panels as a triptych. Bold, unsettling and strangely beautiful, the piece sold to Elaine Wynn, ex-wife of casino mogul Steve Wynn, at Christie’s New York for what was then a record-setting art auction price.
Austrian artist Klimt painted this vivid, Impressionist portrait of an industrialist’s wife in 1912. It was one of two formal portraits he painted of Bloch-Bauer, the first 1907 version from Klimt’s so-called “Golden Phase” being the more famous of the pair.
Both pieces were looted by the Nazis during World War II, then given to Vienna’s Galerie Belvedere museum after the war. Following a years-long legal battle, in 2006 the Bloch-Bauer estate regained ownership of the artworks and promptly sold them. The buyer of this 1912 portrait was Oprah Winfrey, who in turn sold it to an unidentified buyer in China. If you’d like to see the 1907 version, it’s currently displayed in New York’s Neue Galerie.
The French title of Picasso’s erotic 1932 painting of his mistress, Marie-Thérèse Walter, translates to “The Dream.” But for casino mogul Steve Wynn, his 12-year ownership of the artwork turned into a nightmare on one fateful Las Vegas afternoon in 2006.
Wynn had just agreed to sell his prized Picasso to billionaire Steven A. Cohen for $139-million. But first wanted to show off the painting to a few friends in his casino office. Talking excitedly about its provenance and gesturing wildly, Wynn accidentally thrust his elbow through the canvas, causing a six-inch tear that instantly devalued the painting roughly $55-million and negated the deal with Cohen. Among the stunned onlookers, that day was screenwriter Nora Ephron, who recounted the scene in a must-read blog for the Huffington Post.
Cohen eventually bought the repaired canvas for a hefty sum. And one can only guess how many times he’s taken a magnifying glass to the spot where Steve Wynn once punched a hole in a Picasso.
The newest entry on the list, Italian artist Modigliani’s 1917 modernist painting of a reclining nude set a new all-time Sotheby’s New York auction price record when it sold to a so-far anonymous buyer in May 2018. It’s not the artist’s most famed nude, which is “Nu couché,” but it’s bigger (nearly 5 feet by 3 feet) and features the entire female figure from head to toe, an anomaly in his work.
If you’re unfamiliar with the artist, Netflix the 2004 bio-pic “Modigliani,” starring Andy Garcia as the titular character. The historical facts aren’t entirely accurate, but hey, that’s Hollywood.
Inspired by comic book illustrations, Lichtenstein’s 1962 pop art piece has been called a tongue-in-cheek joke that portended the artist’s own celebrated career. “Masterpiece” stands alongside pieces such as “Whaam!” and “Look Mickey” as his most famous works. So it’s no surprise hedge-fund billionaire and noted pop art collector Steven A. Cohen paid through the nose to acquire it.
The piece, Modigliani’s most famous nude, made its public debut at the artist’s 1917 solo exhibition in Paris, which was promptly shut down by police over charges of obscenity. Flash forward to a 2015 Christie’s New York auction, in which it took an obscenely high bid to win the artwork for Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian, who reportedly paid with his American Express card.
Part of Picasso’s 1954-55 series titled “Les Femmes d’Alger” (“Women of Algiers”), this vibrant cubism tribute to artists he revered (Delacroix, Matisse, Renoir) found the master at the top of his game and fetched a pretty penny at the bang of a Christie’s New York gavel. The buyer was Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, former prime minister of Qatar.
Classic portraiture seldom fetches stratospheric sums, but when a pair of 1634 wedding portraits by Rembrandt came on the market, you better believe the Louvre and Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum (who jointly bought the artworks) stepped up with beaucoup bucks.
Art historians agree these masterful renderings of Dutch high-society newlyweds must always be displayed together, so the museums take turns hosting them. Newly restored, they’ll be hanging in the Louvre beginning in September 2018.
Painted during Klimt’s celebrated “Golden Phase,” in which his use of gold leaf lent to stunning work, this serene 1904 painting features curvaceous “water serpents” adorned with shimmering stars and barnacles.
The piece was one of many high-dollar artworks (including paintings by Gauguin and Rodin) that Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev purchased from infamous Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier. The two have since become entangled in a high-profile, ongoing fraud/art theft/money laundering/tax evasion imbroglio the art world has dubbed the “Bouvier Affair.”
Russian-American abstract-expressionist Rothko’s hallmark “multiform” paintings (two to three rectangular blocks of contrasting yet complementary colors) aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. But his profound influence on contemporary art cannot be denied. The sale of “No. 6” marked a late chapter in the scandalous “Bouvier Affair” (see No. 7 on this list: “Wasserschlangen II”).
This 1948 “drip painting” by Pollock not only commanded an eye-popping price when David Geffen sold it to Citadel billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin, it elicited the usual cries from Pollock critics whose gripe de rigueur is “Ridiculous! Even I could paint that mess!” Perhaps, but you didn’t invent a radical technique that’s been compared to putting a Miles Davis song on canvas. Nor are you arguably the most important American abstract painter of the 20th Century.
French post-impressionist Gauguin’s first-ever trip to Tahiti resulted in several paintings of its native women, including this 1892 oil on canvas that was met with critical indifference upon his return to France. The painting’s title translates to “When Will You Marry?”
In the fall of 2014, Sheikha Al-Mayassa of Qatar said “I do” to the piece — to the tune of more than $200-million.
One of five paintings in the French master’s 1890s’ series titled “The Card Players,” it features a pair of Provencal peasants seated at a table, immersed in a card game, studying their hands. Art critics have called it a “human still life.” A New Yorker cartoon poked fun at the notion by depicting the subjects playing not for money, but rather fruit.
This version of “The Card Players” was purchased by the Royal Family of Qatar and is not on public display. However, you can see other paintings in the series at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Philadelphia’s Barnes Foundation museum and Paris’ Musée d’Orsay.
Behold the priciest contemporary painting ever sold: Dutch-American artist Willem de Kooning’s famed 1955 abstract-expressionist work inspired by his surroundings while living in NYC. Does the piece speak to you? Or do you find it a colossal waste of cash?
Sold by the David Geffen Foundation and purchased by hedge fund billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin (of Citadel), the piece was part of a $500-million package that included Jackson Pollock’s “Number 17A” ($300 for the de Kooning; $200 for the Pollock), which ranked No. 5 on this list.
Want to see “Interchange” in person? It’s currently on loan and displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago.
A circa-1500 da Vinci painting of Jesus Christ holding a crystal orb representing the “crystalline sphere” of the heavens? Ka-ching! There are only a handful of the master’s paintings that art historians generally accept as the genuine article, and “Savior of the World” is one. At the time of its record-breaking sale, it was also da Vinci’s only work held in a private collection; the rest are in museums or churches.
So who won the most expensive artwork ever sold at its headline-grabbing Christie’s New York auction? The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, who purchased it on behalf of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism. In September 2018, this Renaissance treasure goes on public display at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
11 Friday Dec 2015
Posted in Love
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I was flipping channels tonight and came across an episode of Catfish which basically reveals people that have been lying about their identity online, either via dating sites or Facebook, or whatever.
The question is, why do people do it?
And even more importantly, how are people still falling for it?
If in 7 months the person you have been talking to hasn’t let you meet them in person, or Skyped with you, THEY ARE LYING TO YOU.
I mean come on, you have to get that by now, right?
If you meet someone online, you want to know that they are the person they claim to be. After the first 3 or 4 weeks, I can understand if they don’t want to Face time you, or video chat with you via Skype … they don’t really know you either that well in that time. But anything beyond a month you really need to ask yourself why this person isn’t willing to connect with you in a real way?
Don’t accept excuses. Don’t fall for them. After the first couple of times they make excuses, it’s time to stop talking to them.
Don’t just accept pictures.
Demand to meet them in person or to video chat with them. If they won’t do it, or keep making excuses MOVE ON!
20 Monday Jan 2014
Posted in Love
Are you in love? Do you wonder if he will marry you? This old gypsy spell might be able to help. The ritual takes a full day and must be done in order during the specified time to work. All you need to find out if the person you are with is the person you are going to marry is 1 small lemon and the next twenty four hours.
When you wake take a small lemon (do this as soon as you wake up tomorrow morning), and peel it. What you want are two equal pieces of the peel, each one should be able the size of a half-dollar. You should peel the lemon by hand.
To find if the one you love will become your spouse, do the following. Place the two pieces with the insides together and the peel sides out, and put them in your right-hand pocket. You need to leave them in there all day.
At night, when you undress for bed, take the peel from your pocket and rub the legs of the bed with it. Then place both pieces of the peel under your pillow and lay down to sleep.
As you close your eyes think about this person. You want to picture their face, the way they smile, the way they smell and something they have said to you in the past.
When you fall asleep, if you dream of your love, then this is indeed who you will marry.
11 Tuesday Jun 2013
Posted in Love
Tags
Absolutely Unforgivable, Billy Snow, Book, Book Trailer, Fiction, Jeromy Fagen, Literature, Romance, Romance Novel, Stacy Keller, Tracy Tegan, YouTube
I noticed today a new trailer has been released on YouTube for Absolutely Unforgivable so I thought I would share it with you all. If you haven’t read this book yet, you don’t know what you are missing.
Of course I’m a little biased since my friend wrote it but considering some of the great reviews others have been posting, apparently it’s not just me who loves the story.
“I love that because you can’t predict what will happen next. The flow of the novel is balanced and not forced, so it really made for a very enjoyable read.”
“I gobbled up every word of this book. The writing is breezy and sexy. Stacy is a realistic character and is well written. There is lots of fun in this book, along with some very edgy themes. A very satisfying read.”
“Absolutely Unforgivable is an absolute must read. Definitely enjoyed it!”
“Absolutely Unforgiveable is a treat of a romance. All the characters in here are realistic and great, and there is an emotional rollercoaster to be felt when following them.”
“Tracy Tegan’s `Absolutely Unforgivable’ is one of those romance stories that will sweep you off your feet within the first few pages and will not let you go until the very last page. It’s compelling, sexy, and in the end, deeply satisfying. If you’re looking for a nice romantic book to read on a weekend, `Absolutely Unforgivable’ can be your best bet.”
29 Monday Apr 2013
Relationships can grow stale if you don’t make an effort to freshen or liven things up. My friend told me the best idea. It’s simple, very low cost and very unique.
What you have to do is buy a package of glow in the dark stars, the kind made to stick on your walls (google Glow in the Dark Stars to easily find them very cheap). Now stick the stars on your ceiling above your bed and spell out a message like “I Love You” and that night when you turn off the lights your message will be revealed.
