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• Chinese & Amsterdam Storeys
  by Maxwell Edward

  “Good afternoon Gentlemen. Our delicious Chinese restaurant serves some of the greatest Chinese delicacies. Can I take your orders?” J…

  “Good afternoon Gentlemen. Our delicious Chinese restaurant serves some of the greatest Chinese delicacies. Can I take your orders?” Jermaine takes charge as usual. “I imagine you can sir. Well my friend will have special fried rice and I will have special sweet n sour chicken. Could you make sure it’s especially sweet n sour though? Thanks sir.” People love to eat Chinese. More often the meals though…for the appetisers may prove too fattening over time. Neville and Jermaine have definitely had their share of fattening up over time. Neville is said to eat more Chinese than most Chinese and as for Jermaine, he probably eats more of most things than most people. “Jerry, don’t you think it’s strange how he mentioned they serve some of the greatest Chinese delicacies?” Jermaine who finds nothing short of highly unusual strange, makes a joke from anything less of great importance. “_Why_? What did you expect in a Chinese Restaurant, Indian food?” Neville who hears these jokes more often than not (but still not in appreciation of them) seems to always be misunderstood. “No, I mean, we’re not Chinese. I can’t see anyone in here that is Chinese…In fact I would say that the only Chinese this restaurant ever sees is on the plates. So, they could get away with telling us that this restaurant actually serves the greatest Chinese delicacies. Why would they not?” Jermaine’s opinion always went back to philosophy. “Some wise advice I have for you Nev. Never question the Chinese.” Something about the way the duo talked, it was utter enjoyment. The puns continuously employed emphasised it. A certain kind of pleasure whenever they accompanied one another was unleashed. “Oh Jerry, you got to hear about what happened to my cousin. _You’ll never believe it_…So Ben was in Amsterdam for some time, on holiday or something. Well on the last week he jumped off the top of a three-storey apartment balcony.” Jermaine who believes most things reasonable, but also hesitates in jumping to conclusions always feels obliged to question the situation. “Why the hell would anyone do something like that?” Neville started blushing. He was never as outgoing as Jermaine, even being questioned made him feel slightly insecure. “Well Jerry, you know my cousin Benjamin. No one questions him.” A certain kind of tension was building somewhere between Nevilles growing timidity and Jermaine’s pursuing nerves. “I think anyone thinking about jumping off the third storey of an apartment should be prepared to answer a lot of questions.” There was an uncomfortable short-lived silence between the duos. Neville thought of it as his responsibility to protect his cousin’s reputation, yet his loyalty had previously shown to lead to misdemeanours. Neville decided to break his loyalty for what his reason was telling him was sensibility. “Yeah Jermaine, agreed. Benjamin sure must be a moron hey. Oh, which reminds me, did I tell you he is going to become a lawyer?” The Chinese waiter had brought back the dishes. This is possibly the fastest time a waiter had brought out dishes (which were supposed to be quality cuisines). Then again, Jermaine and his friends always had their doubts about Chinese restaurants. Over their many meals they had discussed many things ranging from the health issues to the political and economic consequences of the different restaurant franchises. The Chinese waiter did not talk this time. He had a chilling frown cast upon his face. Perhaps he had heard their talking? Perhaps it was just the all-round atmosphere of working in such a demanding service. Jermaine and Neville dug into their meals, each choosing their pick of chop sticks and spoon respectively although ironically not in quite a disorderly manner. It was only lucky that Neville chose a spoon for the fried rice to prevent any more mess (if more mess were possible). “So Nev, back to the story; now that you tell me Mr. Benjamin wants to be a lawyer…that makes much more sense; their all lying bastards. This is one big story to you in order to gain your sympathy or something. It can’t really be explained, except that he is behind it all…” “Not true. I saw his bandages and cuts and sores; everything. That can’t really be faked.” “I’m sure for a lawyer, anything can be faked. Any kind of falsehood can be created and unleashed by those guys!” “No seriously. Okay here’s the story, he said he went to a party. He got pretty drunk knowing it was his last week. Who knows maybe he even did…goddamn man it’s Amsterdam! I don’t have to mention the possibilities, their limitless! Anything could have happened. Well anyway, he woke up and that is when the nurse told him what had been reported to her.” “You know what this sounds like? Chinese whispers. She said this; he said that, you say this…” Sceptical Jermaine could never let any possibility go. “Okay whatever, whatever.” Neville had enough. This sort-of-debate had turned into a sort-of-argument. It was time for him to try and change the mannerism of things “Hey Jerry, this kind of talking is probably not good for eating, let’s just eat okay. I mean just the other day I saw the scars and bleeding…well you know.” Eating continued. Polite (enough) slurping of Chinese tea and rice among other things died down the sound of thought. Than Jermaine continued speaking, but not where they left off. “Hey Nev, I’ll be back in a minute. Just have to convenience myself!” Neville sat there. Five minutes boring his intellect- no one to talk to! Jermaine returned. Back to his meal; back to messy eating and the hope of more polite interesting talk. Before Neville had seen it, Jermaine had finished the rest of his special sweet n sour. “Hey Neville, are you still feeling hungry at all?” Before Neville had a chance to reply Jermaine had beckoned the waiter over and ordered “Special Chinese fortune cookies”. The cookies came in no time at all again. It made it seem like there was surely something efficiently magical about this restaurant. “Hey Nev, can you tell me about this story a bit more. So would you get this, I actually heard about a story similar to his; actually two stories, exactly like his…they both sort of were like these crazy stories where these things happened to guys in…well Chinese restaurants actually!” Neville was only half listening, except the information was still unconsciously processing into his mind. He opened his fortune cookie. “No I do not believe it! Coincidences of such do not occur! Madness unleashed!” Neville started shaking intensely, trembling, his usual steady figure rumbling in what looked like fear; his skin pale and pupils dilating and goose bumps on his skin forming. Than he shoved his hands over his head and continued his fearful actions half-hidden by the table. Jermaine grabbed the little slice of Chinese paper, it must be not so fortunate whatever the fortune be he thought! “You will suffer falling three-storeys tonight. Do not question the Chinese” They both sat there; Jermaine seemingly doing and thinking nothing except watching the actions of Neville. Neville with his behaviour turning more and more intense and shocking as seconds progressed and turned into minutes. “Neville!” Neville took no notice, for a moment, to only a moment later reply, “What? Don’t you fucking get this? Can’t you see what’s happening?” Jermaine looked at his watch. Five minutes. Long enough…longer would be dangerous perhaps. “My good friend Neville. I have a confession. I put that note in your cracker…it’s to teach you a lesson really. But it’s also quite a cracker now too to think of it! You should have seen the look on your face! And my friend, I’ll tell you the moral of the story…Question anything with suspicion, even the Chinese, otherwise who knows what will be unleashed!”

• if you're eating, you may want to put a pin in this
  by shawhouse

  In an effort to honor the terms of full disclosure, I thought I might tender an observation about the colonoscopy I’m scheduled to under…

  In an effort to honor the terms of full disclosure, I thought I might tender an observation about the colonoscopy I’m scheduled to undergo tomorrow. Yes, friends, a hose up the shawhouse keester, not a pretty thought. And, of course, the best part – with a CAMERA on the end of it. If I’d paid more attention in Lit classes I might even manage to draw some sort of irony from it. Nevertheless, the procedure is usually no big deal. Like Lit class, I’ll be sleeping through it. No, folks, it’s all about the prep. Hoofah! As I type this I’m drinking a liter of a prep concoction that’s equal parts seawater & drano – tastes like it, anyway – and waiting for the, ah, firestorm. The thing is, speaking of fires and storms, I’m writing this in Santa Clarita, California, ground zero for one of the most hellacious of the Southern California fires – still going great guns. As I listen to helicopters cruising overhead, I’m reminded that timing is everything and if, in the next few hours, police and fire officials come tearing through the neighborhood with their bullhorns telling us to get out, It’s occurred to me only now that I may bring an entirely new dimension to the term “mandatory evacuation.” Gotta run -

• Hair that's good enough to eat
  by Jo O'Brien

  Look at what thickblackoutline...

  Look at what thickblackoutline taught me to do during a brief but yummy visit to bubble HQ OK, it took me like, 50 tries to get it right, so I’m totally allowed to be proud.

• if you're eating, etc. UPDATE
  by shawhouse

  The Fires: The winds have died down in my area, so, locally anyway, we’re breathing a group sigh of relief and hoping for the best for ou…

  The Fires: The winds have died down in my area, so, locally anyway, we’re breathing a group sigh of relief and hoping for the best for our neighbors in Cali.. Extremely touched by your expressions of concern and for the personal notes. Classy joint, redbubble. Now, from the grim to the ridiculous: The Fire Down Below: The tushy procedure went off without a hitch – I’m clean as a whistle. In fact, I suspect that in a high wind I would whistle. I’m back home and just strolled blithely past the bathroom, dismissing it with a sneer and a merciless “As if!” The bathroom, needless to say, was too nonplussed to respond. What inarticulate oafs inanimate objects are! What a difference a day makes! Big thanks for everyone’s good wishes, and to those of you who found my trials so AMUUUUSING, I’m here to testify that aging with dignity is a load of crap, so to speak…

• oh what a beautiful morning
  by susan davies

  oh what a beautiful morning, do you know why? its because my photo does it fit was voted in the top ten of the eating out challenge with…

  oh what a beautiful morning, do you know why? its because my photo does it fit was voted in the top ten of the eating out challenge with the candid photography of friends and family group. / A huge thank-you to the hosts and for all the lovely members who took time out not just to vote on mine but on everyones, its sooo appreciated. diolwch sue

• My Greedy Mantis Einstein
  by funkyfacestudio

  I thought I would post this for anyone that might like insects. I thought about posting some of the pic’s in my gallery but I’m not sure …

  I thought I would post this for anyone that might like insects. I thought about posting some of the pic’s in my gallery but I’m not sure that they are very appealing ;) He’s a greedy little bugger isn’t he ? I was happy to give Einstein his dinner but I can’t say that I didn’t feel bad because I’ve never really looked closely at a cricket before and their faces are really cute Awww.

• You Know All These Years I’ve Been Eating With The Wrong Fingers…!!
  by freebornman

  David, my ex-pat London lawyer friend had a visit from his parents this week….. …….Lord and Lady something or other…… ‘Loads-a-Money’ I …

  David, my ex-pat London lawyer friend had a visit from his parents this week….. …….Lord and Lady something or other…… ‘Loads-a-Money’ I think……man have they got serious cash ……I once visited their huge mansion in Bath, England…. monstrous place, even their chauffeur has a chauffeur. They’ve got glass hand bells for summoning servants and sporting trophies in a cabinet. / He says to me “my parents are here why don’t you come round Friday after dinner” …….We’re just worlds apart. He’s had a a long and successful career… I come from Dagenham in East London. People who live there don’t have careers they‘re well pleased just to have jobs. / It’s not twinned with anywhere that’s for sure. It hasn’t any strange attractions which must not be missed, or an information centre…… nobody wants to go there…. It has got an escape committee and a suicide pact with Stevenage. / Our house was really pokey….. two short strides and you were half way up the stairs. The walls were so thin if the television wasn’t switched on you could hear next door’s budgie talking to itself. Mind you these days the budgie would be more entertaining…..Television has proved that people will look at anything rather than look at each other. If I settle myself in front of the T.V. for, I don’t know, ten minutes. I am in serious danger of remaining there for ever!!……… I cannot drag myself away!!!. I sit there and watch the most crappiest movies into the wee small hours , eyes bulging out of my head. I know where the remote is …. It’s on top of the telly but I can’t be arsed getting up to get it!! / I was addicted as a kid……… / I loved the cowboys…..Hopalong Cassidy, Rin Tin Tin ,The Lone Ranger, The Cisco kid…………. I’d spend hours in the shed afterwards slapping me chaps…………………………………......as cowboys did !!!!!!!! / I arrived at David’s, knocked on the door he opened it wearing a dinner jacket and bow tie saying….” I thought I told you to come round ‘after’ dinner” …..I said “That’s what I have come round ‘after‘…… (know what I mean ….worlds apart.!)………. / Have you ever been for a stuffy tea in the house of the rich….they have fish knives and cruet sets. I’ve never seen a fish knife in my life. Come to think of it that’s not strictly true ….my old dad had one that he used to scrape out the chicken shit from the nesting boxes. …… I’d spot him a bit later spreading butter on his toast………… same knife!!!………………… / David’s mother said ”Do you mind if I sit on your right hand at dinner?” …(you’re ahead of me I’m sure..) I said…” I guess so………. But I might have to use it!……….( not a smile ..not a crack …. Not even a grimace.)… I thought some Friday night this is tuning out to be. I know the dying process starts the minute we’re born but somehow it accelerated this night. We started with consommé …. It tasted like someone had left a bowl of warm water and a piece of meat in the same room together….. and NOTHING is less important to me than what fork to use… / She said “ I have no concern for the common man other than he should not be so common”…. I said” Go take a flying fuck at a rolling donut!” and it was all down hill from there………..

• Black Tees - Good enough to eat!!
  by thickblackoutline

  Are you hungry for some luscious designer black tees, crisp with colour and flavour? If you’ve answered YES (and lordy, so you should!...

  Are you hungry for some luscious designer black tees, crisp with colour and flavour? If you’ve answered YES (and lordy, so you should!) then do I have a treat for you!! / / Here we see the delectable delights of Icy Snow by thickblackoutline which comes packaged ready for you to devour! Not included are the bamboo placemat, felt wasabi and ginger, nor the soy sauce – but with everything else you see here, all for you to feast upon! Be sure to savour, the excellent print quality, with the overtones of rich creamery cotton goodness, of an American Apparel Tee! Be sure to spoil yourself, and not your lunch, with a black tee today. / You know you want to. ;)

• Stay Smart...Eat smarties Featured Again!! whoohoo
  by tuffcookie

  wow Here we go again! I log in only to discover another feature! whoohooo! I’m feeling th e love today. Stay Smart….Eat Smarties was ju…

  wow Here we go again! I log in only to discover another feature! whoohooo! I’m feeling th e love today. Stay Smart….Eat Smarties was just featured in the Selective Coloring group. The same image was featured yesterday! Such an honor to be featured once again! Thank you everyone for you wonderful comments! warm hugs. I’m humbled and honored once again! thank you so much to the hosts of Selective coloring and the other groups that have featured this piece :)

• BUBBLEWORLD VOLUME 4
  by Steven Novak

  Welcome to the fourth installment of a series of three panel strips I’ve aptly titled “Bubbleworld!” This weeks edition is a wee bit …

  Welcome to the fourth installment of a series of three panel strips I’ve aptly titled “Bubbleworld!” This weeks edition is a wee bit late, but hopefully you’ll think it’s so incredibly funny that all will be forgiven. (Hopefully, but not very likely). The goal with the “Bubbleworld” is to showcase the work of some of the people I’ve met during my first three or four months on the site, and to show my appreciation of them, and admiration for their work in the only way I know how… By poking fun at them. (Because complimenting people is so darn awkward.) On the chopping block this week is the unstoppable force of nature that is PINKYJAIN. Not only is Pinky the very first person to ever add me to her watchlist her on Redbubble, but she’s a heck of a talented artist to boot. The thing I love most about Pinky’s work is the unpredictability of it. (Despite the fact that my strip focuses on one specific thing…go figure.) (For a larger image click the picture) Take a moment out of your day and take a browse through Pinky’s portfolio. I really dig the vampire series myself. Here are just a few examples of her work that I used as a direct inspiration for the above piece. (Click for a larger image) Volume 5 may or may not be coming next week as I’ve got a lot on my plate at the moment, but if I can’t get one up next week there will be one the week after. Steve!

• T-shirts you can eat
  by community

  ...

  Discover Thomas Dodd, this month’s featured artist in the People & Portraiture Group Consider eating pine cones in the most exciting edition of Stitched ever where onetonshadow tells us all about limited edition t-shirts Get your daily dose of Vector Goodness over in this blog – an artist initiative to promote the awesome vector artists here on RedBubble. Love your work!

• Alrighty then, I can eat now...
  by Lenny La Rue, IPA

  After almost 8 straight hours of work in here, I’ve created galleries with the best of my work categorized for easier… (uh, what word d…

  After almost 8 straight hours of work in here, I’ve created galleries with the best of my work categorized for easier… (uh, what word do I want? I really should stop right now and look it up but I’m just a bit too tired to figure out how to rephrase that train wreck of a first sentence. And it really bites when you’re a writer and you can’t figure out how to write cuz you’re so tired from constant typing, dragging and dropping, editing, re-editing, re-titling, and not eating or drinking all day. It used to be like this when I was composing and recording an album but those days were supposed to be over when I got older. LOL! Just look at me now. Well, actually, don’t look; I’m appearing rather shabby at the moment. I think I shaved, tho I’m not quite sure where. The sun must have risen and gone down like it usually does. The world had its births and deaths, fire and ice, earthquakes and…insert something else contrasting or interesting here for me, OK?) The galleries. Yeah, that’s what I was going to talk about. They aren’t actually done yet but I’m announcing them anyway so I can get off the floor and try to wash enough dishes so I can try to eat something on them. I think there’s a half jar of sweet pickles in the fridge. Does that count as food? It might if I eat the whole half. Hey, I won’t even need to do dishes if I can find a plastic fork. I get a lot of them from fast food places just in case I want to eat a pile of pickles instead of washing a REAL fork. Besides, California’s in a drought so I really shouldn’t wash dishes and waste water until I REALLY REALLY REALLY have to. I think I’m dizzy but I can’t tell while I’m sitting down and I’m too tired to stand up. That’s OK cuz I can crawl to the fridge and feel around for the sweet pickles. That could be a bit dangerous because I don’t know what else is in there and it might reach back at me. (sigh) I think I’m going to say I’m on a diet for today and go to sleep. I’ll probably dream of fractals teasing water-covered wildlife under a bridge at the faire while birds watch movies of Weedy Field. Ugh.

• Roughly Speaking 10
  by RoughDiamond

  Oh boy. It’s 11:11pm Thursday night and I’m just sitting down to eat my dinner. At the computer. Where else. This afternoon’s lit…

  Oh boy. It’s 11:11pm Thursday night and I’m just sitting down to eat my dinner. At the computer. Where else. This afternoon’s little jaunt to the School Gala was nowhere near as eye opening as I thought it would be. It was freaking eye POPPING!!! I spent 3 solid hours snapping constant moving heads, torsos, arms, legs, flying missiles in the shape of blown up toys, dodging running kids dodging other running kids, my own kids asking for more money cause “but muuuuummmm I didn’t know that I wanted one of those until I saw Jeremie had one” ... crouching in the strangest places, standing atop chairs photographing sizzling snags (sausages for you uncooth ones) and looking rather out of place with all my equipment hanging off me among pram pushing, hamburger eating parents and teachers. I took 400 odd photos … not a lot for 3 hours, but I did get every painted face, every special event, Strawberry the clown, my own kids hitting other kids with blown up missiles, and a very lost looking little kitten (picture to follow eventually). This is a prelude to a 6 day event I’m possibly doing next March. The Gala was 3 hours. I got there at 5.30pm … I’m eating at 11:11pm … I’d do the equation but I’m hopeless at maths. I have a feeling it wouldn’t be a pretty number anyway, something like get there at 8am Monday, eat at 3:36am the following Sunday morning. This overnight success business is hard work.

• wow a second Saturday Feature
  by tuffcookie

  Wow I crawled out of the basement ( organizing and cleaning and working on setting up a workable studio :0) ) and low and behold I disco…

  Wow I crawled out of the basement ( organizing and cleaning and working on setting up a workable studio :0) ) and low and behold I discovered another feature. ” Orange Julius” has been featured in the group ” A beautiful blur! Thank you so much to the moderators of this wonderful group :) I’m so thrilled and honored. thanks everyone /

• stay smart.... 6th place
  by tuffcookie

  Ok the coffee is kicking in and i just discovered that ” Stay smart….eat smarties has placed 6th inThe Most Colorful Work (Photograph…

  Ok the coffee is kicking in and i just discovered that ” Stay smart….eat smarties has placed 6th inThe Most Colorful Work (Photography) challenge. / woohoo thats gotta make ya feel good! thanks for all the votes everyone. /

• ~~ ANNOUNCEMENT ~~ WOW! 'The rabbit died' and I'm having a....
  by Lenny La Rue, IPA

  ...group! Wheee! Yeah, I know that was abominable but I made you look, didn’t I??? :-D Seriously, Kerirose and I are having/host…

  ...group! Wheee! Yeah, I know that was abominable but I made you look, didn’t I??? :-D Seriously, Kerirose and I are having/hosting a new Red Bubble group called Rabbit, rabbit!. It’s mission statement is “Everything rabbit and we do mean EVERYTHING!” That means, you got a rabbit photograph? Bring it on down. You’ve got a rabbit painting? Drop in and show it off. You have a favourite rabbit scene in a movie? Fatal Attraction, for example??? :-O Share it in the forums. Bunny stories, recipes for rabbit stew, mythology, history, hunting interests? Feel free to share them all. Have a position on the usage of rabbits in health care and beauty products’ testing? Here’s the place to share it and get all sorts of viewpoints, hopefully from someone in the industry. Basically, Rabbit, rabbit! is going to be a rather unique place in Red Bubble where opposites can both have fun, learn something, and share art – with the emphasis on ART. :-) I’m inviting anyone who reads this to come in and look around at our initial membership. Tons of T’s! Reams of rabbits! Hoards of hares! No matter what, the focus is on our bigfoot furry friends (and NO, I’m not talking about ANY country’s soccer team!) Be well, all!

• Roughly Speaking and stuff
  by RoughDiamond

  Well I’ve got a ‘real’ job now as a Graphic Designer so I’ve been very busy. I’m hoping to upload some new stuff soon, so come back and …

  Well I’ve got a ‘real’ job now as a Graphic Designer so I’ve been very busy. I’m hoping to upload some new stuff soon, so come back and visit please :) While you’re there, buy something, I need to eat this week …..... x / Joelle / RD / RB

• Eating Your Spinach
  by jcmontgomery

  You know. Like Popeye? Remember what would happen when he did? Oh yeah, nice, big strong mus-kles. Well, consider some of these exerci…

  You know. Like Popeye? Remember what would happen when he did? Oh yeah, nice, big strong mus-kles. Well, consider some of these exercises like eating your spinach. Except it will hopefully taste a whole lot better and not have the lovely side effect of getting stuck between your front teeth for all to see and yet no one says a thing. So you don’t find out until you go to brush your teeth that night and wonder what kind of friends you have that they would allow you to go around with green herbage protruding from your gums. Not that this has ever happened to me. And if it did, that I am bitter over it. The following have been taken from Naming The World edited by Bret Anthony Johnston: Spend 5 minutes describing: how the color blue would taste, smell, and sound. an eighth dwarf to go along with Snow Whites seven Spend 10 minutes describing: a time when you felt elated, without using the word happy a childhood memory you wish you could forget Spend 20 minutes writing a scene that involves: the dining car of a train sitting on a porch at night According to Mr. Johnston he uses “these warm-ups the way musicians practice scales, th way boxers work a speed bag, to heighten concentration and to awaken creativity.” I agree and hope that some of you will think of trying one or all of these whenever you feel stuck or unmotivated. If these prove to be popular, I will post a new set every couple of weeks. None of these exercises need to be posted. But if you would like to, and are a member of the Writing Workshop, you are welcome to submit your work. Just be sure to tag it with DWU (Daily Warm-up) so I know that it fits within our group guidelines.

• Eat My Jam !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  by Tania Rose

  Yes, you too can eat this delicious Marmalade, but be warned…it’s not for the faint-hearted. Only for REAL marmalade lovers!!! It’s …

  Yes, you too can eat this delicious Marmalade, but be warned…it’s not for the faint-hearted. Only for REAL marmalade lovers!!! It’s a true Seville Orange Marmalade, made with nothing but Seville Oranges and sugar, lovingly made in the Tania Rose kitchen, with lots of daydreaming and brainstorming thrown in for good measure over the pan as it bubbled. So, how much is a jar of gorgeous golden love worth? Well, how about you bubblemail me an offer. You choose the price, but you must be prepared to enjoy every last morsel, so only true Marma-lovers please. / ....mmmmmmmmmmm

• Eating Stars
  by Empress

  News! You can now read me in the BITES section at Sputnik57 This is what they say: *Alluring, ta…

  News! You can now read me in the BITES section at Sputnik57 This is what they say: Alluring, tantalizing, whimsical, When Stars Falls is all that and more…take that first sip of Kate Smith’s ‘Angel’ series, and look out for more to come. I love being called whimsical.

• Save the Whales, Eat Hello Kitty Instead
  by littleredplanet

  The other day my 9 year old daughter was expressing her disgust at the idea of using ‘research’ to kill whales (yes, she’s a budding gree…

  The other day my 9 year old daughter was expressing her disgust at the idea of using ‘research’ to kill whales (yes, she’s a budding greenpeace activist!). She said “why can’t the Japanese do ‘research’ on Hello Kitty instead?”. After the Hello Kitty sushi gags, she went away and later returned with a design she said she wanted to put on a T-Shirt. The rest, they say, is history. Here’s the official Save the Whales, Eat Hello Kitty T-Shirts designed by my daughter Juniper. Any profits from sales will be directed to Greenpeace.

• New JPG Magazine Submission
  by David Lay

  I have a new photo submitted to JPG Magazine’s ‘Delectable’ theme. Check it out!

  I have a new photo submitted to JPG Magazine’s ‘Delectable’ theme. Check it out!

• Picture Imperfect: A Portrait Journey of Eating Disorder Recovery
  by Erin Kroll

  Picture Imperfect Maine photographer paints a more / hopeful picture of eating disorder recovery / PORTLAND, ME- Photographer,...

  Picture Imperfect Maine photographer paints a more / hopeful picture of eating disorder recovery / PORTLAND, ME- Photographer, Erin Kroll, has a lot in common with the images she captures. A sense of stillness and depth lights her eyes as she speaks about her battle overcoming anorexia and how courage came unexpectedly through the lens of a camera. Eating disorders, like anorexia, are serious illnesses with a biological basis that are often influenced by emotional and cultural factors, making recovery even more difficult. “There is so much silence and shame around eating disorders in our culture.” says Kroll. “When I was sick I just wanting to literally disappear, a wanted to be invisible.” And Kroll isn’t alone, according to the National Eating Disorders Association, nearly 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life-and-death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder. Without recovery, Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Kroll speaks candidly about her struggle, with the same tender grace that comes across in her work. It’s from this authentic and vulnerable place that she inspires. “I stopped shooting when I stopped eating”, says Kroll, “I didn’t touch my camera for two years. I was consumed by fear, anxiety and self-doubt…I starved myself of everything that could possibly make me happy and fulfilled. My eating disorder pulled me away from myself and all the things that gave joy and meaning to my life. Unfortunately, photography was one of them. There was no passion, no purpose, and no voice. I was totally empty. “ Kroll says that her road back to health began with wanting to be more than empty. “People always ask me how I was able to ‘let go’, I don’t really have this elaborate answer.” Kroll mentions that it is common for people with eating disorders to contemplate recovery. Tragically, the majority of those who suffer continue to be affected throughout their lives. “There’s no such thing as shotgun recovery,” says Kroll. “There is no external cure, no pill, no self-help book that can free someone from the illness that they have created. In the beginning, I put my recovery in the hands of someone else. It was exactly like riding shotgun off a cliff with no one at the wheel. I crashed horribly.” “In the end, we are each responsible for our own wellness. Loved ones can encourage and validate, but they to have to learn to let go, they can’t save you if you don’t want it and you have to want it- you have to want to get better! You have to think about what you’ve lost and decide what you want recovery to mean for you. I was sick and tired of just existing, of being completely defined and governed by my eating disorder. I wanted the things it took from my life; I longed for fullness. Most importantly, I wanted to live! I saw a glimmer of something more in me and that was enough-I truly wanted to get better.” Kroll’s journey led her to the New England Eating Disorders Program at Mercy Hospital in Portland . “I was reluctant and terrified, but I was out of options. My life was spinning out of control. My body was shutting down. I knew I had surrender fully to recovery and I needed to be in an intensive treatment program to do it. The months I spent at Mercy were the most challenging and rewarding in my life!” Kroll explains that combined with intensive group therapy, weekly art therapy sessions helped her reclaim her voice and rekindle her creative spirit. Slowly she began to shoot again. “I felt like I was seeing everything for the first time. I felt more connected with the world around me, more patient and open. I felt alive. Each click of the shutter was a moment to celebrate life. It was amazing.” Celebrating life and exposing unexpected and often overlooked beauty is a common theme in Kroll’s photographs. As she works to cultivate her own inner beauty and self-worth, she strives to capture in her work, what she calls the aesthetic of imperfect, “It’s not easy” she says, “photography, by nature, can be such a superficial art. I find the more I appreciate myself, the more I am able to draw substance and soul into my images.” Drawing inspiration from Zen Buddhism, eastern philosophy, surrealism and the graphic design, her photographs convey a subtle but important message,. “I spent years chasing the impossible dream of ‘perfect’ and it nearly killed me.”I was unable to grow as an artist. I was always trying to create the perfect piece, take the perfect shot, and wait for the perfect light, use the best equipment. It just wasn’t happening. I continued to feel like a failure. Failure doesn’t exist in an imperfect world. Until I learned to let go with grace and dignity and accept imperfection, I simply could not appreciate the authentic beauty within and around me.” In a little less than a year, Kroll has transformed her life and the lives of those around her. Last winter, she launched Pink Dragonfly Clothing, an inspirational t-shirt company that supports eating disorder awareness and education. Seeing a tremendous need for Eating Disorder Outreach in her community, Kroll has set out to establish a non-profit that will offer free, recovery-based, support services and educational programs in Southern Maine . Kroll hopes to be able to offer the model nationally in the future. “Anorexia starved my spirit and silenced my voice. For fifteen years I hid my illness from the world and myself. I lived in shame, secrecy and denial. Picking up my camera again, returning to my creative roots, has freed me from the silence. Now all I want to do is engage, educate and inspire.” In a media culture that is overrun with harmful images, icons, and ideals of beauty, Kroll says that as a photographer contributing to the media landscape, she has a responsibility to produce work that inspires hope and represents courage. “Somehow, it’s become socially expectable and expected of artists, especially photographers, to document tragedy suffering and the grotesque, as a means to validate authenticity in the image and human experience. I am not discounting the value that painful imagery have in our media , and I’m not denying the existence of suffering, I just want to people to understand that there is another side to it all, another story to tell.” Telling the ‘other side of the story’ is exactly what Kroll is doing with her latest project, Hope/Full: The Warrior Portraits. As traveling interactive photography exhibition with a companion book, Hope/Full will tell the inspirational story of people who have recovered from eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, celebrating the fullness they have found in health, their passion for life and the people they have touched along the way. While still in the early stages of production, Kroll says that she has already received requests from people across the country eager to sit for portraits or support the project, but she says that many more are needed. “There is strength in numbers. The more representation and diversity I can bring to this project the more powerful the message will be.” She encourages anyone who is interested in participating to contact her. In bringing the exhibition into communities and schools Hope/Full will engage a new dialogue about eating disorders, self-esteem, and body image, ” one you won’t find in the media or popular culture” says Kroll, and inspire hope in those still suffering in silence and solitude. # # Resources & Information For more information about Hope/Full: The Warrior Portraits Project call 207-615-2283 or email Erin Kroll at erinkroll@yahoo.com or visit www.erinkrollphotography.com Body Positive Outfitter, Pink Dragonfly Clothing Co supports self-esteem and eating disorder awareness, helping fund research and educational programs. Visit www.pinkdragonfly.org for more information About the Artist: Portland native, Erin Kroll spent the majority of her childhood scribbling crayon on her bedroom walls. Naturally, a camera seemed like a better alternative. Kroll studied photography and design at the Harrow School of Communications and Creative Industries at the University of Westminster in London . She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Goucher College in Towson , Maryland . In 2004 she returned to Maine to pursue a career in marketing and advertising. When not looking through a camera lens, Kroll enjoys traveling, exploring the Maine outdoors, and giving back to her community.

• Not exactly dieting, but...
  by BlueKnot

  I sit at a computer all day at work. I almost always feel hungry or thirsty; and if I have a snack (such as chips) its “hand to mouth” t…

  I sit at a computer all day at work. I almost always feel hungry or thirsty; and if I have a snack (such as chips) its “hand to mouth” till it’s gone. And snack might come from the vending ($1.25 for a coke; $0.90 to $1.25 for chips or candy.) I almost always get one or two (diet/zero) cokes and at least one ‘snack’ per day. Sometimes I go across the street to the base ‘convenice’ store (yes, there’s a sign spelled like that) where small to full-size bags of chips or candy are available for $0.90 to $3.95. Always seemed to ‘get hungry’ for a snack around 10:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Fattening. And expensive. Also available to me: one small fridge I share with my team, and a water cooler. So here’s what I did: I got a 12pk of diet coke for about the cost of 3 vending bottles. I got some of those ‘crystal lite’ (and WM generic) drink mixes and teas. They have about 0 to 10 cals each, mixed w/ 16 oz water. I got a HUGE bag of tortilla chips and a thing of salsa from Sam’s, about $5. And some cans of Slim-Fast. Also: saved one old coke bottle; got some small gladware tubs. Put salsa in the tub and brought it to work, put it in the fridge w/ 1 or 2 cokes and a slim fast per day. Drank 1 coke and a lot of flavored water all morning. When the 10 o’clock hungries hit, out came the salsa. More flavored water. Slim fast at lunch. More water w/ taste. Maybe another coke. And never got hungry in the afternoon. Did this all week. Looking back, not only was what I took in all day a WHOLE lot healthier (Salsa is fat-free, for one thing!), I didn’t put one nickel in the vending machine or visit the little store across the street. ($$$!) Not exactly a diet… but a definite improvement. :D