April 7, 2012
Hi Everyone,
I felt it is time to write a Taurus theme related blog. Jupiter the planet of luck and expansion is in Taurus. I ‘m a Taurus with my Jupiter in Taurus. I ove anything to do with film,food, fashion,art, nature, beauty and the unusual. I think you will find this blog entry funny,insightful and interesting. Also due to the fact that I haven’t written one of my long blogs in a year, I will be writing and publishing several around the same time. This is part one of ALL THINGS TAURUS.
I just finished a wonderful memoir titled The Shocking Miss Pilgrim: A Writer in Early Hollywood
by Frederica Sagor Maas. Ms.Maas recently passed away last year at the age of 111 (this alone would make her note worthy). Ms. Maas was one of the few female screenwriter in Hollywood during the silent era. THE SHOCKING MISS PILGRIM is Ms. Maas’s autobiography of her life from birth to age fifty. This wonderful book chronicles the harsh realities of Hollywood and the film industry in general including sex scandals,corruption and greed. It makes one realize that while time goes on, people are just people. The same things that are happening today happened back then too. Ms. Maas struggled to keep her integrity in a place where morals are not sacred. Ms. Maas’s journey has many layers. On the one hand, it is about Hollywood and the way the studio system used to work. On another level, it is about Ms. Maas’s personal life. Ms. Maas penned this book when she was in her eighties ( third Saturn return). I mentioning astrological terms here because it is interesting to note she met her and married her husband Ernest Mass during her first Saturn return. Changed careers during her second saturn return. Then her late 80s was rediscovered by film historians who encouraged her to write her story (third Saturn return) and it was published. The title of the book refers to the most notable screenplay Ms. Mass wrote with her husband in the 1940s starring Betty Grable. The Shocking Miss Pilgrim (1947)
I have not seen the film but after reading this riveting autobiography, I’m compelled to seek out Ms. Maas’s work. Her account of the depression f is horrifying and heartbreaking. This is a must read for any filmophile. Ms. Maas was not a Taurus but a Cancer ( the two signs are pretty similar).
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On New Years Eve ( 2011- going to 2012), I stayed home and stayed in bed. As I scanned the Comcast Movies on Demand, I noticed a new documentary on Halston Ultrasuede: In Search Of Halston
The cost was $6.99 and I was a little hesistant to download it. I hesitated not due to the price but because I had just seen a very boring documentary on another famous designer ( I won’t mention who). I was reading Cheap Chic: Update
simultaneously as I hit the “buy” button on my remote. Sucking on my favorite Sees Candies Lollypops
, I began to watch the documentary by Whitney Sudler- Smith and for the first ten minutes I thought I had made a huge mistake. Mr. Sudler-Smith seemed to be an imbecile. Here he was lunching with Leon Andre Talley and asking him ignorant questions about Halston which evoked harsh chiding from Mr. Talley. He then was seen in Liza Minelli’s palatial apartment questioning her about her close relationship with Halston. She seemed to be frustrated with Mr. Sudler- Smith’s questions and follow up responses. I was about to turn it off. Thank God I didn’t. Suddenly, Mr. Sudler- Smith switched from clueless to hip and then to fantastic. The tone of the documentary transformed into a dynamic view of the 70s disco era,Studio 54,NYC and Halston’s role in the age of debauchery.
Roy Halston Frowlick was a Taurus ( Born April 23, 1932). He tragically died of AIDS in San Francisco in 1990. His artistic vision drastically changed the fashion world. He was a regular at Studio 54 and best friends with Liza. He brought simplicity to high fashion. His over indulgent lifestyle contributed heavily his downfall. He was a man of excess. I pretty sure Halston was Louis the XIV in another lifetime. I loved the documentary so much that I watched it two more times in the 24 hour rental period. O.k. here’s the thing. Watching the documentary was like taking drugs for me. I don’t do drugs but I have a very rich fantasy life ( obviously!) Unexpectedly it took me back to a place in my head that I hadn’t been to since the age of thirteen. At that point in my life I was obsessively playing the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever
and dreaming of moving to NYC so I could become a disco queen at Studio 54 ( yes it is funny). Although Studio 54 is long gone, this documentary makes you feel like you were there; even if you weren’t . The dvd version isn’t coming out until May 29, 2012 but you can watch it on demand. Rest assured, I will have my own copy of this incredible documentary to watch over and over.
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It is no secret that I have an addiction to refined sugar. Most Taurus people have a sweet tooth. It is the one addiction I struggled with all my life. I love candy. This past winter, I ended upindulging in too many Sees Candies Lollipops. My favorite is See’s Candies Cinnamon Lollypops
I love anything containing cinnamon. It is a good thing the company only produces this candy during the winter months. I am working on weening myself slowly off refined sugar and candy. I recently purchased Newman`s Own Sour Cherry Licorice Twists
and Newman`s Own Sour Strawberry Licorice Twists
This licorice is fantastic. I wish it didn’t taste so ood but it does. No red dye no. 40. If you feel guilty about eating this candy, just think about the fact the money you spend is helping others.
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I recently went on a Dennis Potter binge. Mr. Potter was a Taurus ( May 17th) and a highly regarded British playwright. For decades I heard about his work but had never seen any of his work. I was anxious to iew his two most popular television mini series Pennies from Heaven 
and his most revered work The Singing Detective
(Starring Michael Gambon). I thought PENNIES FROM HEAVEN was incredible. Bob Hoskins is a great actor and this mini series is definitely worth watching. The famous songs featured are all wonderful and from the 1930s. The songs provide the sharp contrast of light to the dark and heavy story line. Several soundtracks exist but this one is the original from the BBC miniseriesPennies From Heaven Soundtrack 
I found THE SINGNG DETECTIVE to be confusing and disturbing. I watched the bonus dvd which featured profiles on Mr. Potter and interviews with him. I figured if I understood the man, I would totally ” get” THE SINGING DETECTIVE . Mr. Potter was a man of many contradictions. Although he was married and a “family” man ( most Taurus people are loyal), he claimed to one journalists to have been with 137 prostitutes. Someone who knew Mr. Potter dismissed this number as being ridiculously high. Mr. Potter seemed to have such a rich fantasy life that he was able to freely explore in his writing. Sadly, Mr. Potter dealt with a horrible debilitating skin disease during most of his life and tragically died of lung cancer at the age of 59.
**********************************************************************************************Can $11 change your life? My life ( or I should say my personal grooming) became a whole lot better and easier when I realized I had been putting up with crappy toenail clippers all my life. I discovered Mehaz Professional Wide Jaw Slant Edge Toenail Clipper
and the difference in clipping my toenails is night and day. These clippers cut through thick toenails and are easy to use. They are great for older folks. Think about how many times in your lifetime you have nought toenail clippers. Three,four or five times? You probably thought they didn’t even work well. This will be the last pair of toenail clippers you ever buy because they WORK and they have a lifetime guarantee. Now I know toes are not part of the body associated with Taurus ( the throat & neck are). But Taurus people continue to struggle and do things the hard way. I spent over four decades struggling to clip my toenails with an instrument that didn’t even work. I have found an easy and helpful product and want to help everybody. Check out my cool merchandise on Zazzle. It is the ultimate Taurus store.
Well this is it for All Things Taurus Part One. Happy Spring Everyone!
