Sally Kemp (1933-2017)

I met Sally in the summer of 1994. my friend James Broughton was visiting Santa Fe. one nite another friend threw a big party for him at which "The Bed" was screend. Sally was there with her housemates at the time -- John & Karen Ericson. I took this picture of her with James.

she had a long career both on stage as well as in film & tv. one of my favorite roles of hers was in Tony Richardson's "A Death in Canaan."  it was such a small part that all of it is in this You Tube clip. but as you can see she makes such an impression you remember her thru the whole film -- & even after.

when she left Santa Fe to reboot her career in NYC she had a yard sale. I helpd. & for that she gave me some items that didn't sell -- including a large pot & a throw given to the crew of "Cagney & Lacy." every time I use them I think fondly of her.

in addition to the spark she always brought with her I'll also never forget that she was the one who introduced me to Bernique Longley. I've written abt that before but it deserves retelling. she knew both me & Bernique well enuf to know we'd adore each other.  it says so much abt Sally that she was able to share friends in such a lovely way.

protesting

last nite I went to the gathering of One Million LGBTQ in Action. this Palm Springs contribution to the nation-wide protest against the "president" was feeble bbut heart-felt.

then this morning Judith Gollust King sent me another of her remarkable photographs documenting the history of Kent State University.

I must say I look all too dapper for a protest march. but there I am -- flanked by Patrick Cullie & Peggy Freemon. Judith thinks this was taken on 21 apr 1969. the crowd looks robust.

the first time I was in a protest was as a child when I joind my striking father to picket General Industries.

"Rolling Stone"

hard to believe it'll celebrate its half century mark this year.

& harder still to know that I had a poem in its pages 47 years ago.

return to Borrego

continuing the X journey

Sherin Guirguis
"One I Call"
Whitewater

Glenn Kaino
"Hollow Earth"
Indio

Armando Lerma
mural
Coachella

Will Boone
"Monument"
Rancho Mirage

p. s.

at Hedy Lamarr's house

a story instead of a shimmy

I know someone in town who lives in the house that once belongd to Hedy Lamarr. we may be doing something together tomorrow. so he was on my mind. & as my mind is it weaves hither & yon with comfort & ease.

& a tale returnd to me. I had a redneck uncle who had a sister who smoked. I disliked her. once she was visiting Winckles St & in the course of her rambles she lookd me in the eyes & utterd in a slightly desultory manner "I remember when you were a boy & dressd up like Hedy Lamarr."

I was startld because I have zero memory of doing drag as a child (except at Halloween). but I was not to be one-uppd by a hillbilly. so I quickly responded: "you're wrong. it was Betty Grable." then I stood up   turnd my back to her   put my hands on my hips & lookd over my shoulder with a glower for the ages.

wild flowers

everyone is talking abt the "super bloom" brought on by all our winter rain. so some of us went to Borrego Springs today to see what it's all abt.

welllllll... it's just beginning. I suspect it'll be in fuller glory in another week. but I was happy to be introduced to the desert lily.

also the Ricardo Breceda sculptures are fun.  here I am with a section of his "Sand Serpent" (2011).

more X

Doug Aitken
"Mirage"

actor Udo Kier

Dennis DeGroot photographing me

Desert X

Claudia Comte
"Curves and Zigzags"

Phillip K. Smith III
"Circle of Land and Sky"

Lita Albuquerque
"hEARTH"

among the graves

the big thrill (after picking my own spot) of yesterday's visit to Hollywood Forever was paying respects to Judy Garland. her name isn't on her crypt yet & it isn't available to the public. but I was able to see it thru glass doors.

another new grave was that of legendary casting director Marvin Paige who was such a big part of the Palm Springs Film Noir Festival.



other new-to-me resting places were those of a couple of beautiful men -- Christopher Jones & Dirk Shafer.

there was a time

when I wantd my ashes thrown from the footbridge near my house into Arroyo Chamisa. then I moved.

that made me rethink this whole eternity business. I realized I've always loved cemeteries.  so I decided perhaps I shd pick one for myself. & quickly I got the idea for Hollywood Forever.  altho I've never physically lived there I have imaginatively.

today my friend Gary Sielaff drove me thru those gates. I met with lovely Noelle Berman who introduced us to Tyler Cassity -- long a hero to me for his role in preserving this famous cemetery. then she took us on a tour showing me possible locations.

Gary & I then went back to look while I made up my mind.  I cd've had a spot directly under Holly Woodlawn but decided no.

before we went back to Cathedral Masoleum I stopped at the grave of young actor Anton Yelchin. his mother was nearby & when she approachd we shook hands & I offerd my condolences.

then I pickd my niche. I'd walkd past it often on my way to see the grave of Rudolph Valentino. it felt like an appropriate place for my last act.

on the rocks

hiking was an important part of my life in Santa Fe. in the 9 months I've lived in Palm Springs I've been too busy to add that to my repertoire here. but today I joined some of my old New Mexico hiking buddies & others for a 6-mile hike in Joshua Tree.

the downside was it was much too windy. the first hour was especially unpleasant.  but toward the end the wind was at our backs & that old excitement returnd. 

friends from the old days will recall I always had my picture taken on or beside rocks. so I continued that tradition today.

& my pal Ed decided to walk across this skinny train track. the wind was so bad it threw him off balance & he ended up crawling.  but he's safe & it's a fun story.

resist

publisher William Allegrezza is sending a copy of each of our chapbooks to the White House. I'm sure no one there will read a word. but with luck they'll get to Comey so we'll all be on the FBI's shit list.

I took the cover photo at Santa Fe Pride a few years ago.

& it's so appropriate that this was publishd today -- the day of the Stonewall rally.

atheletic support

there was news last year that I didn't get til today. Bike jockstrap has been discontinued.

some reading this won't care. you may click off now.  but I have a hunch a good many others will.

the jockstrap was inventd in the late 19th century & Bike was the original brand. it has served well over the years to protect -- & often titillate -- generations of boys & men.

in this photo taken at a party in Santa Fe a couple years ago I'm wearing the black Bike jockstrap that has appeard in several of my pieces. I refer to it as "the Canyon Club jockstrap" because that's where I found it. it has layers of meaning for me & now takes on even more importance with this sad news.

vest

Marconi Calindas took this of me at his gallery last nite. my first wearing of the painting I commissiond.

Marta Becket (1924-2017)

in just one week

the new president has turnd the White House into an outhouse. he must be thrown out immediately.  he's done too much damage already.

year of the cock

happy Chinese New Year

on my new kitchen wall: Bernique Longley's rooster painting & a wooden piece from Mom's collection

& this was the kitchen shelf on Winckles St which held part of her chicken collection. I gave  a box of them to Geri & John Burroughs.

not sure

which is worse: State Department resignations or Mexican fiasco. but coming on the same day it underscores the need for the Trump presidency to end now.

problem -- shd be go to jail or a mental hospital.