⊹⊱✿♥ · Fräulein · Vienna · ♥✿⊰⊹

Both myself and sokkmonkey are huge fans of a band named ROME.
Their music softly murmured it's way into both our hearts when I first posted about my discovery of them, not long before he and I began our romance.
Their previous album Masse, Mensch, Material will always remind me of that first visit with him. The photo shoot at the Armory in San Francisco; our arms entwined in an embrace for the camera, while our hearts nearly beat out of our chests. The subtle roughness of his wool uniform through my silk blouse and on my skin, the glint of his medals and the way the brim of his hat made his blue eyes smolder even more on that June afternoon.
*der sigh*
Recently they released another album, after a supposed disbanding. Well, I'm happy to say they are back and what they have given us is even more astonishingly beautiful than anything I've heard from the neofolk/martial music world in a long time. Not since Death In June has anyone hit that sweet spot. And yes, while they do borrow a lot of elements from Death In June, they are able to separate themselves just enough from what came before, to make it something completely fresh and uniquely their own.
The first four tracks on their Myspace player are from the new release, Flowers From Exile.
I urge you to listen if you've never heard them before:

a little over a year ago, some of my live burlesque routines were filmed for a Seattle-based band's video.

Not sure if this is the absolute finished product for their video, but the footage was shot by Nick Harley of Decomposing Pictures.
Most of this footage was shot just a few weeks before I began to strip the black dye from my tresses last year...and almost makes me want to go back to black.
Ok, no. Not really ;->
Enjoy!

Titans, put down your swords...

The band is The Safe Passage Clause, and the song is called "Titans":
http://www.thesafepassageclause.com
http://www.myspace.com/thesafepassageclause

I bring you a gigantic dose of WTF!


Dude...I got nothing.

I've always been on the fence about Michael when it came to his excessively "odd antics" with kids, his own and others, but this news truly saddens me.
I'll remember him as he was before all the crazy surgeries, the adorable boy with the golden voice that could melt your heart. And when he became the gorgeous and talented man, beyond what most could ever dream. Instead of the negativity attached to him in recent years, I'll remember the magic he inspired in me as a child.
RIP Michael.

http://www.tmz.com/category/michael-jackson/

Today while having lunch with sokkmonkey and some of his coworkers, the topic of a certain fly swatting President came up.
PETA apparently got its panties in a bunch when Obama swatted at and killed a fly mid-interview during a taping with CNBC.
Now if you remember, not long ago PETA announced it was pushing to change the name of the animal the rest of us (sane) people describe as "fish", to "Sea Kittens".
The site (yes, it's a whole lot of WTF):
http://www.peta.org/sea_kittens/

So after hearing of this current story involving Obama and the fly, we were all like "so, what does that make flies according to PETA?"
I piped in with, "Poo Kittens?"

Seriously PETA, I think you have worse things you should be focusing on. Like Japan :-)
Personally, I sort of liked hearing our president state, "...I got the sucka".
Article and awesome video(!) here:
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE55H4Z220090618

I flew into San Jose to help a friend with some tailoring needs.
Little did we know that an innocent weekend visit filled with sewing, a photo shoot and tasty foods, would lead us to discover that our two quirky halves had finally found their match.
Today is what sokkmonkey and I like to call our "Scandalous Anniversary", since we hadn't truly begun 'dating' until that July.
That weekend's post:
http://vienna-la-rouge.livejournal.com/439709.html

I love you, Anders.
The last year with you has been one of the best, ever. Even the through the times that have been a bit rough, I've remained in bliss mode just knowing you love me too.
XOXOX

This photo gives me the hots.
It's either due to the fracking amazing model plane or her chic 1930s skirt.
Oh baby...

AAAHAHAHA!
This video might not be new to anyone, but it is to me.
I had a few of these dolls when I was little.
I'd won them at the state fair and I guess they're pretty collectible now.
So on that note, while this video is hilarious, the collector side of me is cringing just a little:

Today I finally removed all of my stepmother's CDs that were left in the car my dad had given me.
Most of it was stuff I would never in my right mind listen to, aside from a few tracks off the Chris Isak disc.
Before heading out to do a few errands, I grabbed a few of my own CDs from a box at random.
One of them was Neko Case's Blacklisted.
While I hate most Country music, specifically what is spewed out and labeled as country these days, the likes of Neko Case give me hope.
Lyrics and harmonies that haunt your waking hours and chill your blood until your eyes tear up.
While I like some of Nick Cave's forays into this arena, he doesn't even come close.

The hair on the back of my neck still stands on end each time I hear the song Deep Red Bells:

He led you to this hiding place
His lightening threats spun silver tongues
The red bells beckon you to ride
A handprint on the driver's side
It looks a lot like engine oil and tastes like being poor and small
And Popsicles in the summer

Deep red bells, deep as I've been done

It always has to come this
Red bells ring this tragic gun
Lost sight of the overpass
The daylight won't remember her
When speckled fronds raise round your bones
Who took the time to fold your clothes
Who shook the Valley of the Shadow

Deep red bells, deep as I've been done

Where does this mean world cast its cold eye
Who's left to suffer long about you
Does your soul cast about like an old paper bag
Past empty lots and early graves
Those like you who lost their way
Murdered on the interstate
While the red bells rang like thunder

Deep red bells, deep as I've been done

A live performance of the above song, but I urge you to find and listen to the album version from Blacklisted

Can I just take a moment to gush?
I love him, so much.
Nearly a year and I'm still, beyond words.
I don't care who reads this or if you're getting sick of hearing it.
Sometimes I'm more eloquent about it.
This is not one of those times (Just returned home from a 3 hour interview. My brain: a bit mushy at the moment).
I was just reminded today while listening to others relate stories of current and past relationships, how lucky I am to have met my other half. It was a long journey that included packing up my life and moving across a great distance, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat just to be with him.
Considering how much of a geek I am, much of that involving some pretty obscure stuff, it sometimes catches me off guard that I'm in love with someone so like myself, who loves me back with equally intense butterflies in the tummy.
It blows me away that some people will settle for someone that treats them like a doormat, or even abuse, in all it's forms.
Mr. A himself put it into perspective once when he said that in current media trends, women are made out to be nagging materialistic ditzes that whine about everything.
Men are made out to be lazy "I want to watch the game, babe" douche bags, who will commit adultery at the drop of a hat. Etc, etc.
People have become conditioned to settle, and to expect this behavior from nearly everyone they imagine having a relationship with.
Unfortunately, that behavior is sometimes a reality and it's excused as, "oh, men will be men", or "women are just gold diggers and nags".
They completely overlook the option of simply treating each other with respect and remove those preconceived notions of what men and women are.
Not as women, not as men, but as fellow human beings.
She gets upset that he won't get up off the couch to help take out the garbage, while he wonders what the hell he did wrong, and goes back to watching the game.
And they both settle for that, because it's what they saw on "Friends", and everything worked out ok...right?
LOL!
I'm just so damned lucky.

So anyway, on to the next subject; just returned home from the interview at Macy's.
I'm crossing my fingers that they give me a position at the Benefit counter, since this was specifically for the cosmetics department.
Oh, yes. The interview went well ;-)
Tomorrow at 1pm, I go in for a second interview.
If hired, the job will start out at part time hours that include training, and will work into full time. Not just in learning their general system, but in makeup as well. Paid training.
People have always asked me why I wasn't a makeup artist, and trust me I've thought about it often.
I enjoy makeup, a lot, and am comfortable doing makeup on others. It's not out of a need to cover anything up. I think of it as the opposite, actually. Like artistry in bringing out the different facets of people's personalities.
While I'm not a professional, I've often done makeup for photo shoots and film, including makeup for fellow burlesque performers.
Everything from subtle bridal makeup to vaudeville stage face, and I love it when people see how I do my own makeup and want to know how.
My response is usually a mini makeup lesson in itself.
So why I never seriously considered pursuing an actual career in cosmetics or as a makeup artist? I really don't know.
Perhaps it was due to other things going on in my life, timing, doubt and fear...too many pushy "friends" as Avon or Mary Kay ladies? (Which is a totally different area of the cosmetics industry, I know).
Over the last few weeks it's become a realistic and rather concrete option in my thoughts about the future.
While I have to start somewhere, perhaps this Macy's job can inspire me to move forward even further and become a certified MUA.
The world is my oyster, and I think I see a pearl ;-)

And on a unrelated note;
WTF. No. Just....no. Can we make this kind of behavior illegal? Seriously, get over yourself, grow up, and move along please.
*sigh*
So many people are completely out of touch with reality!
Wow!
That is all.

*Dies*

http://www.mozartloperarock.fr/prehome.html

This is amazing. A rather good pop/rock band with a total 18th century bent inspired by one of my favorite people, ever. I even pick up a heavy Queen influence in a few cases, which makes it so fun.
I will admit that even though they are French, for me personally, the whole thing would be a bit more believable if they could sing something in German. Heck, even Italian, in keeping with actual Mozartian themes.
But that's just me ;-)

and if you look closely in this vid. you can see two of the original masquerade masks worn in the film Amadeus; Wolfgang's unicorn mask and Constanze's swan mask. *SQUEE*!


A lot of decidedly non 18th century costuming in this one, but the inspiration is there, and I love it.

OMG BSG was out in force!
We ran into a group of awesome folks who had their kits done up dead nuts.
The flight suit was my favorite.
You may have seen some of these over at sokkmonkey's LJ, but I'll post a couple here too. If my hair looks a lot shorter than you're used to, it's because it is. I had sokkmonkey wield his mad skills and chop about 4" off. Not just for the Starbuck and Six costumes, but because it really needed it.
Photos taken by one of the BSG crew, Kathy S.
(Click to see full size)

Me with "Eggroll", his Viper crew callsign. They invited us to join their BSG group, The Colonial Fleet. My callsign; Freja ;-)
So yeah...mmm flight suit


Me with the "before and after" Saul Tighs, sokkmonkey and Richard


With the crew


And because I couldn't help it...

Baycon's annual Klingon Slave Auction.
All proceeds go to the Make A Wish Foundation, and I brought in the highest bid at $175, woohoo!
(Thank gods a friend of ours was the one with the highest bid, lol!)

Ascending the platform


Making sure they get "Caprica Six" right in the announcement


Showing off the goods ;-)

It was a good time had for a great cause.

Before I do a full on report, here's a few pictures I found on Flickr of me, Mr. A and our posse.
Plus, there's a couple we had taken of us in our off duty ODs by aislinfey

Saturday afternoon in Caprica City:


Goofing off:


The Battlestar Galactica party room (L to R Anders, Me, Julia, Eli, Dr. Who and missus):



More as I find them.

Found via bittergourd

Looks like it could be good, and I see a lot of familiar faces.
Once again, Earth as cattle farm for outsiders, yum!