New hardcover~ glossy inside and out, desirous inside and out, and delicious… it feels good. A part of a history that I feel is presented with sexy respect. The first handheld device of information. The fucking fanzine.
The most challenging times somehow make me highly creative. My list is complete for now with what I wanted to create this season. My Chapbook Dark City Punks and the Original Ten-Year Anniversary Issue 1977 to 1987 the hardcover.
To open the cork and celebrate that special Flipside Fanzine Issue. It looks great and I am incredibly happy with it. A dream complete of a hardcover copy. Within time I will make obsolete the Paperback edition. Even though that was a grand accomplishment on its own.
It was a process and like most things done by the Flipside Fanzine crew we learned as we grew. Seven years since it was published again. Thirty-nine years since its original publication.
2027 will be 50 years since the creation of Flipside Fanzine. So, this is an early move into that period of reality of how fast time goes by.
It was not my ambition to preserve Flipside Fanzine, but I have accomplished a lot for that strange little rag created to get into shows for free from Whittier California.
My gratitude goes to the original creators, my mentors, especially the master mind X-8. Yet this history is shared in the three narratives LOS ANGELES FLIPSIDE FANZINE THE NARRATIVE DOCUMENTARY / FILM. EPEISODION ONE, TWO AND THREE. For free viewing on my YouTube channel.
The Chapbook Dark City Punks shares a whole perspective of what I went through to get here. Sometimes a very lonely journey. I wanted to share the fermentation of punk inclusion and exclusion of punk intimacy.
It may not be what you want to hear but it is honest. Are we not assholes, are we not human beings… yes, we are good and shady. I am tired of all these punk rock icons and legends. That is all bullcrap.
Click on image below to order your copy.
Both for sale now and soon on my Amazon Authors Page.
I was inspired today by watching the video below. The ideal of “CODE for the people.” Is a new concept for me but not an old one.
From acclaimed director Bao Nguyen (BTS, Be Water, The Greatest Night in Pop), Code for the People is a documentary short exploring the past, present, and contested future of the open web.
In this video so much of what I have always done and fought for was talked about. The growth of computers and the internet.
Years ago, I used Quantum Link with our Commadore computers at Los Angeles Flipside Fanzine. I had a group I met with called Midnite Mystics. We communicated across the USA.
My friends did not have a clue back then what I was doing. Yet it is a dinosaur to what we have now. My oldest son is an advanced computer engineer, and coding is a second language to him. Like my youngest son’s is math. Another language. Both beyond me but I do have my art. That is my source of communication between art and writing. My husband speaks so many other languages, but Chess is one that takes time to see and understand.
Symbols are my language and narratives. I was touched by this video, and it is some of the ideas shared that were like direct contact for me.
The fire of Promethius or Open Source as a way for the people to experience “the Freedom to be Free.”
I wrote about this in my new book Electric Honey and in the art of Attis.
I gathered this all together today to show us all that WordPress is a wonderous example of an open source to share our words, ideas, and art.
“He was shy. He did not talk much. We three sat together.
Saturn said that Pholus was pleased with my painting of him. Then Pholus kindly spoke,
“I often sit in my garden like you and watch the praying mantis.”
He told me the name “mantis,” has great value and meaning to him.”
“Small acts can unleash far-reaching consequences,”
7/3/2026
I had an active imagination last night. I imagined a female voice announce that Saturn would like to see me. I had turned him down a couple of days ago. Had a tough week. Yet last night I agreed. So, the lovely white horse with wings was waiting- then zoom I saw the rings of Saturn.
“How fast,” I thought.
We landed and I gave the horse some barley and oats. I tickled his whiskers on his nose.
I walked up to the large open ballroom with rounded door. I was given a lovely white dress to wear. Feeling silly I asked if I could just be in my regular clothes.
“You mean your bitchin’ pants and t-shirt.”
I turned around and there was my beloved Saturn.
He escorted me to an upstairs room. He told me there was someone who wanted to see me. He introduced me to Pholus.
Pholus held out his hand and I said,
“Hello.” I touched his hand.
He was shy. He did not talk much. We three sat together.
Saturn said that Pholus was pleased with my painting of him. Then Pholus kindly spoke,
“I often sit in my garden like you and watch the praying mantis.”
He told me the name “mantis,” has great value and meaning to him.
Pholus told me gently that he has a healthy healing potion for my foot cut. So, Saturn was there to help him put a small, exceedingly small drop on my cut…
I fell asleep.
Later in the morning I remembered the experience and softly said,
“Saturn and Pholus I am sorry I fell asleep. But I assume Saturn brought me back as usual.
In reflection:
Pholus was in the shadows, soft spoken, gentle, and filled with a goodness that was a wonder for me to behold. He asked if I would finish the right of the painting with yellow. I hope I got that right.
What’s a book, movie, or TV show that you wish you could experience again for the first time?
“Love is eternal. It has been the strongest motivation for human actions throughout history. Love is stronger than life. It reaches beyond the dark shadow of death.”
The film noir thriller Laura.
As many film noirs this one is always an amazing adventure.
Characters change, where good guys become bad guys, and bad guys become good guys.
Dana Andrews, Vincent Price and Gene Tierney were just a top selection of actors that I was beginning to know.
The first time! Every time!
Laura is always a deep wonder of shadows and delights.
The soundtrack pulls this whole film together.
I love a good detective film. Love and betrayal and overall, a deep side kick of audacity!
“Laura, you have one tragic weakness. With you, a lean strong body is the measure of a man. And you always get hurt.”
What I love about this global WordPress community is that it feels real. Even as countries clash and leaders create division, it is comforting to know that people around the world can still connect, share this planet, and exchange ideas through art.
The artist Vincent van Gogh said this:
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”
Fourteen years ago, I began this WordPress journey without knowing where it would lead.
Today I noticed a collection of WordPress achievements that made me pause.
Visitors from over 150 countries.
Readers from more than 50 countries.
Fourteen years of publishing.
Hundreds of posts.
A community that continues to read, follow, and encourages my work.
These aren’t awards in the traditional sense. They’re reminders that showing up matters.
I’ve never chased fame. I’ve simply tried to keep creating—painting, writing, publishing, and sharing what feels true.
Thank you to everyone who has stopped by, read an essay, looked at a painting, left a comment, or quietly visited from somewhere in the world. You are part of this story.
Punk Rock Colleague & Historian and Professional Consultant
Hudley Flipside
I want to apologize to the people who previously posted a flyer for this event. I denied it happened because I had completely forgotten about it. While searching through my old Flipside Fanzines for another show I thought I attended, I found this instead.
I was looking for a show Mike Patton posted today for The Starwood. An image of a Ticket February 3rd THE WEIRDOS, MIDDLE CLASS, AGENT ORANGE,
I know I was there but did not find the review in Flipside Fanzine. So many shows in an intense and brief time of our youthful rebellion. We are the seeds of a once blossoming culture.
Here is the review I found instead with images. It is an odd feeling to have a documentation of my youth. Things I have forgotten but cannot deny when they are right in front of me. No fake stuff here all authentic in 1980s time. From Issue 24 the Blue Jack TSOL issue. I was wearing my American Flag shirt I sewed up from a real flag but that is another story.
FLIPSIDE BENEFIT – MAY 8, 1981, at Vex Hall in Los Angeles
We’ll have to start off by thanking all the bands that played (or offered to play) and all the people that came to the show and put up with the heat and waited.
THE CROWD opened the show; to make a long story short, the band that was supposed to open SOCIETY’S VICTEMS couldn’t go on because they were supposed to use some of the GIRLSCOUTS’ equipment, and the GIRLSCOUTS didn’t show up (for whatever reason).
So instead of waiting,
The CROWD took the stage. Hud announced them as the Punk Beach Boys, which nobody likes (great joke), and they ran through their set. I was surprised at how well they played in the heat,
“We love summer, it’s like August here,” said Jim!
Despite the heat the audience danced, and the CROWD danced and it had to be one of the best sets I’ve ever seen the CROWD do, and they’ll tell you that.
After a long wait the band scraped up some equipment, SOCIETY’S VICTEMS
Steve from Flipside’s band, and Whittier’s one and only punk group came on. They did what they were supposed to do – 3 quick songs. They got quite a reaction, ranging from wild slamming to wild spitting, what can you say about a band’s first gig?
At about this time the Police made their first of three visits. They came in, did a quick head count, asked Joe about the capacity, and decided to close the doors to any more people – but the show could go on!!! Unfortunately, they chased away about 100 – 200 people that were still outside.
By now everyone was feeling the heat, and trips backstage or to the bar were common.
THE ADOLESCENTS faded into existence from sound check to actual set. I really don’t know when the set started – there were always people running around stage and Casey yelling for more drum monitor, anyways they played a frantic set. The heat didn’t stop anybody from going crazy, and the crowd seemed to eat up every song now that they know them by heart.
Mike Ness even got up to do the singing on ‘House of the Rising Sun’ – it was funny seeing him trying to wiggle like Tony.
CIRCLE JERKS were the last band to go on and did more than an adequate job of being the end to a great show. They played very intensely; the only time I’ve seen them better was at their own Birthday Party Gig, but tonight it was special because they debuted a bunch of new songs – so new Keith had to read them in the paper. And they are good ones too – songs about the RCP and such!!!
A great set, a great end. Lastly, we’d like to thank Joe for letting us have the show at his club, and all the bouncers who were really cool and had a great time celebrating Bam Bam’s (BIG bouncer) birthday.
Long ago we took our kids to bookstores. Finding their favorite books was a big treat for us as well as for them. Today we had a good pint and meal and a walk. The local bookstore is still there where it has been for a long time now.
Bookstores have disappeared over the last few years. I am happy that Barnes & Noble is still moving along nicely and was filled with characters and other book lovers of all kinds.
I was on a mission to find one book by Alan Watts. And I searched all over and found none. Below and above this two-story store. I was focused on the Philosophy section. I did look elsewhere yet no luck. Then youngest son said,
“How about we try it again on the second level.”
The three of us went up the escalator but no dice. Husband was gone for a brief time.
Coming back to us He asked,
“What section are you looking for”?
“I am thinking Psychology but cannot find that section.”
He said,
“It is behind this shelf. See, what would mama do without me?”
The very top and the furthest away turned towards the window I found a short group of books in the Psychology section. Behind another section that had another topic.
There was a peculiar man sitting in a chair. There were only inches to walk by him.
He seemed introverted and looked down. I then said,
“Excuse me!”
Looking at books at the very bottom in the back corner.
“Oh, there is his book, the only book?”
To my surprise, the book bore Alan Watts’s name and was titled The Book. It was a small volume, and I’ve often found that my favorite books are the little ones. I then said kindly to the man,
“Thank you, I found my Alan Watts book.”
He looked at me and smiled and mumbled words I did not catch.
Unexpectedly on the way out I was inspired and found myself walking out with other books not so small. A lovely book about Alchemy & Mysticism including a few illustrations by William Blake!
A second book entitled Native American Legends Illustrated with an image of White Buffalo and a story.
Lastly, a Carl Jung Psychology Test in a box with a deck of cards.
I was enthusiastic to learn that Alan Watts held a master’s degree in theology and a Doctor of Divinity. It helped me understand why his work may be drawing me back to a path I stepped away from some years ago.
Thanks to husband who dropped the honey to look back, in the backside, and in the corner nearby the peculiar man.
I almost gave up. Finding a book on Amazon is easy but this was as mystical, peculiar and wonderful as Alan Watts seems to be.
“This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.” ― Alan Watts
A week before Easter and a week after I spent two weeks in Hospital. I almost died from a colon blockage. It has been a month since I have been out of hospital recovering.
Squirrel the Brave is here “our family garden.”
Tomorrow will be my last day of taking a time released steroid which I have slowly decreased as recommended by my gastrologist doctor.
I am still on a soft food diet.
I still feel like I am recovering since the steroid is like an elixir.
An immensely powerful drug to heal inflammation. I also started receiving infusion of a drug that will help my immune system to stop attacking my body. I was given plenty of antibiotics my first week. And a more powerful steroid the second week.
I am blessed with excellent healthcare from Kaiser. I am incredibly grateful but like anything else I also must be my own advocate. I pay attention and ask for things or ask for advice. I am that artist or perspective, or interval to disagree… if it is worth a new perspective or evaluation from a doctor.
So far, I have listened to my original hospital team and my gastrologist.
My potassium is stabilizing but my cholesterol is up and that very well could be due to the steroid. The powerful elixir steroid from the second week did make my blood pressure become truly angry and my heart felt like it would fly away.
Now my blood pressure is particularly good, and my heartbeat is comfortable again. As I start a normal diet and focus on healthy eating as usual, I hopefully will see that cholesterol go down.
Nacho Flower is here “our family garden.“
Due to a past unbelievably terrible experience with steroids from 2018 to 2019 I do have a type of traumatic experience when it comes to steroids. Some call it PTSD.
It is the beast I face and this time it was not different.
This time I had a wonderful experience with a nurse who touched my heart and made me release the healing that was going on in the process. At that moment I learned to use my years of Jungian perspective and alchemical processes which are to change the base metals into gold.
I did this by creating art, cleaning, and keeping a balanced perspective even though the beast pulled at my dark soul and amplified that strange unknown grief.
Now I am feeling in my belly the warm embers of a once unbearable raging fire.
I was shocked by my face with death. How close I was.
On this strange journey I found a gift, Alan Watts.
I guess I knew about him, but he arrived today with a random synchronicity. I have been called on this strange journey before. A vision quest.
As gentle as the softest elements of existence yet simultaneously imbued with a profound ability to uncover deeper truths.
I will take him as I do honey in my coffee. A little at a time. Maybe a book on my shelf for a while before reading. To feel that presence he so often writes about.
I pray for all who do not have the good health care I enjoy.
I advocate universal healthcare for everyone.
We are here, as I am here… we all deserve healthcare.
A fine singing bird is here “our family garden” where nature and humankind coexist.
Urania is often associated with Universal Love. Sometimes identified as the eldest of the divine sisters, Urania inherited Zeus’ majesty and power and the beauty and grace of her mother Mnemosyne.
No truth so sublime but it may be seen to be trivial to-morrow in the light of new thoughts.— Ralph Waldo Emerson
My Rue plant.
Magic courts us and surprises us sometimes.
A place where it comes into your life.
When the time is ripe.
A past life comes a calling.’
When an old myth advances her head?
As it did for me
Materializing history and beauty
In my home
My oasis.
I was studying the idea or symbol of a key. I had a dream where Saturn gave me a key to study. It took me on a real-life journey of study. Books, myths, histories, and ChatGPT. All the older and modern tools of education, information, reflection, and human discernment.
Ancient design based on the Rue Plant.
Forming ideas and written words in my soul, mind, and feelings.
I came upon a charm with a key on it. It is called a Cimaruta.
I ordered a book and then the necklace. The day the book came I was out with the cats in my backyard. It was a moist morning with some intense clouds in the sky. I looked up over my home due west. I saw a perfect thunder bolt come down from the sky. It was amazing.
Then within a few hours the book arrived. While reading I looked outside and saw the strangest thing. Black kittens coming down from the back fence. Four black kittens and two black acting mothers. They have since adopted us.
Wild like the wind they are. Yet we do make love eyes.
I call them my Rues, standing at the Threshold.
“Beginnings are always delightful; the threshold is the place to pause.”
~ Goethe
The story of these black cats is years ago someone abandoned a mother cat and her babies. I have seen them roaming the neighborhood now and then. Yet we were not close, and they rarely came to my yard.
It seems as if now since I received this charm, it has become a part of their and my mythology, intertwining our stories in a way that feels both profound and magical. This charm carries with it whispers of ancient tales and forgotten secrets, reflecting not just my own experiences but also the shared narratives of those before me. I believe more than this too; it serves as a tangible connection to the past, a reminder of the bonds we forge through belief and the powerful symbols that shape our lives. Each time I touch it, I feel the weight of history and the possibility of new adventures, inspiring a deep sense of purpose that transcends the ordinary.
Receiving this Cimaruta—a potent Italian folk charm is a wonder to me. It is associated with protection, feminine power, and magic. To get it on the same day as the black feral cats indicates a notable synchronistic alignment. It appears that the forces invoked by the Cimaruta were making their presence known.
The key on a Cimaruta has been associated with unlocking mysteries, revealing truths, or opening portals to hidden knowledge, particularly knowledge related to lunar or feminine symbolism. It may also be interpreted as representing a threshold, suggesting that something in one’s life may need to be opened, entered, or addressed.
“I embrace the ancient crossroads,
Sacred throughout all time,
And the teachings there once told,
I claim and now make mine.
I hear the call of light,
That dissolves the dark of night,
Phantoms flee with harm’s intent,
From rays of light like arrows sent.
~ Page 43. The Cimaruta and Other Magical Charms from old Italy. By Raven Grimassi
Once while outside before they ran away. The two mothers and four kitties were there before me. The kittens four were formed into a perfect mandala. Weaved together with four faces looking up at me. The sweetest thing I ever saw. I will try to catch my mind’s image in a watercolor painting,
Punk Rock Colleague & Historian and Professional Consultant
Hudley Flipside
I wanted more light in the kitchen corner. To light up the roses as well. I had to move the refrigerator next to it to put in an extension cord. That is the dynamo effect of light. You put light on anything and so forth it wants to illuminate everything. I had to clean up behind the Frigidaire. Now all is cleaned up, and the roses got their illumination.
A song is like this too. It has an illumination or dynamo effect that kind of brings things together while cleaning things up. This song spoke to me today. A wonderful wise way or magnetic field of lyrics, singing song and instruments.
“Come on, with just a little bit of soul right now, baby Lord, everything is gonna be alright One more time, just one more time, baby Don’t it, don’t it sound pretty good right now, sugar? Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah, baby I need a little security right now, baby Come on, come on.”
This kind of took me over today seeing how bands take a song being inspired to do it themselves is interesting to me. What is particularly interesting is the recording of Ottis Redding at the Whisky A GO GO. A global phenomenon of a song. And it is how I experience it. With the Saints coming to California this November this highlights my enthusiasm to see them. SO much mod podge sticking to my heart of experiences blended with punks, skins, mods and also the idea of Australia. Slade, The Saints and Otis Redding
A song can grab you and shake you. This song always has but now maybe a little bit more.
Otis Redding – Security Live at the Whisky A GO GO.
The song Security was written by Otis Redding and was first recorded and released by Otis Redding in 1964. It was covered by Lyres, Donnie Elbert, Chocolate Factory [DE], Mavis Staples and other artists.
Slade in their skinhead phase in 1969
Slade in their skinhead phase in 1969 and interesting read about their history briefly stated.
By 1966, this new version of the ‘N Betweens had recorded a promo single of the Otis Redding track “Security” and a self-penned song, “Evil Witchman”, released on Highland Records. A further single, “You Better Run” was released on Columbia Records and produced by Kim Fowley.”
The Saints
Prehistoric Sounds is the third album by the Australian punk rock group The Saints, released in 1978 via Harvest. This was the final album to feature founding lead guitarist, Ed Kuepper
“Satire is strong irony or sarcasm—”in satire, irony is militant”—but parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing.”
Growing up during the 1960s and 1970s I was often in an existential world. Between nature, school social pressures and a time of civil rights and the women’s movement. It was a time where health clinics were available as well as birth control having planned parenthood available in all of our cities. For my generation we had a brave and independent future as young women.
Now so much has been taken away from women in general. Health clinics are under attack as well as health care.
The worst-case scenario is that a woman due to incest or rape gets pregnant. They are required by law to give birth to a human being without having health care. How is this done? Prenatal care is so important as well as health screening throughout the pregnancy.
Women’s creative spaces and voices are increasingly threatened, often suppressed by corrupt and patriarchal systems of power.
I have experienced this over the last few years in general. The guts it takes to stand up and tell the truth is never easy. Ford and Carrol did, and I am so grateful that they did.
They inspired me to tell my stories and stand up to injustice even in my own world. I hope it inspired others as well.
For me it was saying how the documentary Punk The Capital: The DC Scene took my interview and information and marginalized me and the material. Ripping off my original creative ideals. James, Ian and Henry edited me out of the film. It was due to Henry not financing the documentary with me in it. Can I say how bad that made me feel? I once looked up to these people and supported them in a punk scene when many did not.
As a woman, confronting sexism, marginalization, and betrayal is challenging, particularly when these issues come from something I once believed in.
Yet anytime you stand up and tell the truth you do not always win.
Christine Blasey Ford
Ford’s testimony highlighted the lasting psychological impact of trauma, underpinned by her professional expertise. It brought national attention to the treatment of sexual assault survivors and challenged institutions to rethink how they evaluate credibility and power dynamics -Vogue.
Impact of her testimony
Her emotional and technical testimony resonated widely, serving as a catalyst in the #MeToo movement. It sparked the #WhyIDidntReport hashtag and prompted many to speak out about past abuse—though Kavanaugh was confirmed by a narrow 50–48 vote. -Time
In March 2024, she released her memoir One Way Back, detailing her experiences during and after hearing.
E. JEAN Carrol
I
“I write the ASK E. JEAN column in ELLE magazine. Incredibly it’s the longest, currently running advice column in American publishing. I live in a little cabin on an island (it’s about the size of a mattress) in upstate New York. I used to write for Saturday Night Live and was a contributing editor to Esquire and Outside. I have noticed one thing about writing: when I get stuck, I find that walking into the kitchen sixty or seventy times to eat something really helps.
She became a prominent journalist and advice columnist. Her “Ask E. Jean” column ran in Elle magazine from 1993 to 2019, famed for its candid and witty guidance.
Beyond advice, she contributed first-person gonzo-style features to major publications such as Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Playboy, and wrote for Saturday Night Live in the mid-1980s.
2025, she released her memoir Not My Type, exploring her legal journey and personal reflections.”
~The Guardian / Wikipedia
Carroll’s case was the first to result in a civil judgment against Trump for sexual misconduct.
Both women are featured in my strong women Postcard Series.
“Being put down and called a cow by some man when calling out those who are cruel and abusive. Even if it is in the usually subtle manner. I was told that meant double bitch.”
~ The world of being a woman, Hudley Flipside
Women were significantly affected during Trump’s first presidency. Conservative Supreme Court judges overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision that is not discussed often today, but I continue to address its implications. This action represented an assault on women’s autonomy over their reproductive choices, leading to widespread uncertainty across states and healthcare institutions. It also resulted in challenges for doctors and organizations like Planned Parenthood.
So, a woman in some cases must have her child even in rape and incest, and now the conservatives want to take away any help to these women who may lose their healthcare soon enough? The cruel irony of these soulless politicians, fascist religious blazers and dammed evil monsters are well documented and so unreal.
It was at a planned parenthood clinic in Santa Cruz California where I got my first Aides test, and a pregnancy test to find out I was pregnant with my first child in the 1990’s. The pay was based on a sliding scale. At the time it was extremely helpful. Even though I was working full time as a Home Health Aide with a Nursing Agency they did not have health care for their employees who were only hired per diem. Imagine that?
Which gets me to the point of my two shared images today. As a woman I have experienced being taken advantage of, due to my kindness, in my scene many times. A knife to my throat so to say. It is not easy overcoming being patronized and treated poorly as an experienced woman who is often devalued.
I got my voice in the original and growing punk rock scene. It was then that I encountered many other women with extraordinarily strong voices and some sang like angels.
American musician Annette Zilinskas is one of those women who is well known now in our music world. She is down to earth and very conscious. SO, when I get the feeling of inspiration I put it to watercolor.
“Change takes courage.”
~ Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Then the female politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is another attractive woman who is also skin deep beautiful. She speaks of true liberty and equality for all and for a woman’s right to be heard especially.
They have that rare quality these days called audacity.
I will lasso this bold essay about bringing light to my art from my dark closet by saying,
“I am utterly amazed how well Tennessee Williams knows the female psyche. He honors her and addresses her unique qualities and so gives wings and light to her struggle.”
The times we are living in is a crazy time. A woman’s right to choose was our first blow, an alarming signal of the eroding freedoms we once took for granted, and now we face terrible violations of our rights that seem to multiply by the day.
Across the globe, women are rising up, reclaiming their voices in a world that tries to silence them. From the streets to the digital platforms, they demand equality, respect, and justice.
Each story shared fuels a collective fire, igniting change and inspiring hope, reminding us that we are not alone in this struggle.
Yet, amidst the chaos, there are still some women that whisper in my ear for justice, their strength echoes in my heart, serving as a reminder that resilience and courage can pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.
“And lend your voices only to songs of freedom No longer lend your strength to that which you wish to be free from Free your mind of mental slavery and you shall lead a life uncommon.”
Whiskey Pete’s Hotel and Casino is a place that mom and dad always tried to get me to go to. Yet the years I endured Vegas as a kid made me repugnant to go.
Ya thin red roast beef with horseradish sauce, and Roquefort cheese dressing on our salads was a way to make us happy. But did not hide the truth from us kids, it never masked the drunk dad or overindulgence of his gambling. Alone in Hotel rooms waiting for mom to find dad. The next day endearingly covering him with newspapers to keep him from a sunburn as he naps near the pool. We kids became happily lost as we swam in the beautiful blue pools sipping on Coca-Cola.
I booked punk rock bowling in February. My first one. Then this nasty cold took me over. I keep waiting after two weeks for it to blow… but it is a nasty one. So, I had to cancel yesterday in order not to have to pay. I did and though I am part of the “Old Man Bar” punks… I will have to remember sweetly my punk days and watch from my safe place at home.
Here are a couple of funnies I did over the years, redundant, making fun of the punk scene… yes, I was willing to compromise and go to a really big show.
In truth my compromised perspective was not me… I would not have been happy at the punk rock Disneyland….
Making fun of punk bowlers “trophy whores” and bouncers or “Good Sherpas” … and all the stuff that is part of Big Punk Rock Las Vegas Style.
“Break out and leave this life behind Break out and see what I can find Might lose I’m going to try my luck Might win don’t really give a fuck I gotta..”
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD PUNKS
The Flopside crew all have a Spring chest cold. Coughing and pain in the upper torso, so what is more soothing to discomforts than left-handed endeavors?
With a cocktail in one hand and coffee in the other, Mr. Fuck and Mr. Dang dive into that project or idea that’s been just sitting there on the back burner for way too long.
So, Mr. Dang did most of the work … so many angles to the dangle, pencil, ink, watercolor… then Photoshop, layout, and Adobe Acrobat.
A new HP printer is getting past its hazing days of demand. Learning the ways and sounds of a green horn printer is part of the key. Ink looks great.
Hudley was around somewhere getting the crew drinks and making up some sandwiches and chicken noodle soup.
Punk Rock Colleague & Historian and Professional Consultant
Hudley Flipside
A reflection of my turmoil and my search for peace in the midst of the storm
Last night was a dark one, filled with palpable heaviness that lingered in the air. As the planets Pluto and Neptune danced in their contrasting orbits, I felt their influences swirling within me—conflicting energies that stirred both my body and my psyche. It was an unsettling experience, as if I were caught in a cosmic tug-of-war that left me disoriented.
In the depths of my mind, dreams—some eerily prophetic—unfolded like delicate petals blooming in the night. They whispered secrets of the heart and echoes of long-forgotten desires, blending into a arras of haunting beauty. Yet, there was Pluto, that enigmatic force, reaching deep into my being, pulling at my very essence with an intensity that felt almost invasive. It was a reminder of the darker sides of transformation and the raw, sometimes painful, nature of rebirth.
Amid this turmoil, as I finally drifted into a state of fragile sleep, a fleeting glimpse of clarity surged through the chaos. It reminded me of a particular song that resonated deeply within my soul. The melody and lyrics intertwined perfectly with the essence of the night—a reflection of my turmoil and my search for peace in the midst of the storm. It was strange how music seemed to emerge from the depths of my consciousness, illuminating the shadows and giving voice to the inexpressible emotions that flickered in the corners of my mind.
This song has a way of capturing the essence of what it means to navigate the complexities of life, especially during nights like these, when the celestial bodies collide within and around us, leaving us to decipher the meaning of our own existence.
“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” is a ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for the Hollies later that year and also a hit for Neil Diamond in 1970. It has been recorded by many artists in subsequent years. The Hollies’ version was re-released in 1988 and again was a major hit in the UK.
As 2025, 1969 was an interval of time in our American history as is now. Seems sometimes a dark part of our American psyche shows its ugly face. Absurd politics, greed and power. Like some awful rouge wave that manifests for a rift of time in our history.
It is a constant here and we just have to know this. We all know this.
“If I’m laden at all I’m laden with sadness That everyone’s heart Isn’t filled with the gladness Of love for one another.”
Don’t let them find you stashing your Flopside cOmics PUSS!
Bound to the hospital bed for 7 days. No food, only moisture from an I.V. and a tube in my nose taking moisture out of my belly.
I thought about the Oceanids watercolors I did during our California Fires only a week earlier. It was so terrible.
I thought upon Prometheus and fire. Zeus bound him to a giant rock… yet it was the Oceanids who trembled and came to his side to hear his stories. Furthermore, to comfort him.
Again, I thought about these amazing creatures so when I was in hospital craving a drink of water, the nurse gave me a small cup of shaved ice.
I did a ritual and put it on my legs, arms, and face. I could not drink it, but I sure could enjoy the bliss of moisture on my body.
The day I got out I felt the rain on my face. Two weeks later I finished my project with a place for the Oceanids … yes, it is good, and we are expecting more rain.
The anthropomorphic Praying Mantis is part of this wild story of water, nymphs and moisture. Praying for fog, rain and moisture we can call upon the Oceanids. A mystery, mythology and now a bubblegum Flopside cOmics.
Tethys
Tethys is a Titan goddess of freshwater and the mother of the Oceanids and the river gods. She is the daughter of Gaia and Uranus, and the wife and sister of Oceanus. Tethys is a nurturing mother to many of the more popular gods, including Hera, the grandmother of Athena.
Moon of Saturn
Tethys is a moon of Saturn with a diameter of 1,066 km (662 miles). It was discovered in 1684 by Gian Domenico Cassini and named after the Greek Titan goddess.
Tethys is known for a fissure that circles most of its circumference. It orbits Saturn every 45 hours, while its moons Telesto and Calypso maintain stable positions in its orbit.
Thalassa
THALASSA is the primordial goddess (protogenos) of the sea. Mingled with Pontos (Pontus), her male counterpart, she produced the fish and other sea creatures.
Thalassa is the literal body of the sea and in the fables of Aesop, manifests as a woman formed of seawater rising from her native element.
Poseidon and Amphitrite, the anthropomorphic king and queen of the sea, are the rulers of the elemental Pontos and Thalassa.
Thalassa is depicted in Greco-Roman mosaics as a matronly woman, half-submerged in the sea, with crab-claw horns, seaweed for clothes, and a ship’s oar in her hand.
Thetis
Thetis is a figure from Greek mythology with varying mythological roles.
She mainly appears as a sea nymph, a goddess of water, and one of the 50 Nereids, daughters of the ancient sea god Nereus.
Styx
STYX is the goddess of the underworld River Styx and the eldest of the Okeanides (Oceanids). She is also the spirit (daimon) personification of hatred (stygos).
Styx is a firm ally of Zeus in the Titan Wars, who brought her children Nike (Victory), Zelos (Rivalry), Bia (Force) and Kratos (Cratus, Strength) to stand beside the god in battle. Zeus rewarded her by making her stream the agent of oaths which bound the gods.
The River Styx is s also a corrosive Arkadian (Arcadian) stream which allegedly flowed forth from the underworld.
Styx is sometimes identified with several other chthonian goddesses, including Demeter Erinys the wrathful earth, the oath-protecting Eumenides, and Nyx the darkness of night.
Telesto
Telesto. In Greek mythology, Telesto or Telestho (/tɪˈlɛstoʊ/; Ancient Greek: Τελεστώ means ‘success’) is an Oceanid, one of the 3,000 water-nymph daughters of Titans Oceanus and Tethys. She is the personification of the divine blessing or success. Hesiod describes her as “wearing a yellow peplos”.
Thoosa
Thoosa. In Greek mythology, Thoosa, also spelled Thoösa, is, according to Homer, the sea nymph daughter of the primordial sea god Phorcys, and the mother, by Poseidon, of the Cyclops Polyphemus.
Triteria
Triteia is a sea nymph and the daughter of Triton, the sea-god. She was the lover of Ares, the god of war, and they had a son named Melanippus.
Melanippus named a town in Achaea after his mother, and sacrifices were made to both Triteia and Ares in the temple of Athena there.
Tritonidis
Tritonidis / Tritônis is the goddess-nymph of the salt-water lake Tritonis in Libya, North Africa. In the story of the birth of the Libyan Athena, Triton–a Libyan Sea-God sometimes identified with Poseidon–and Tritonis are the parents of two daughters named Athena and Pallas.
I do not often show my religiosity training. Be it from university or experience or the blending of the two.
In the 1980s I had a long correspondence with the Poor Clares of Long Island New York, who led me from the Anglican Church to the Episcopal Church. Yet in my heart I was hearing a call from the Franciscans who are members of a Catholic religious order.
I explored the concept of Episcopal women serving as Priests after reading “Womanpriest: A Personal Odyssey” by Alla Renee Bozarth.
I liked them all in their essences of spirituality and integrity of faith, believing in something beyond themselves. Yet it is always the dogma of the church that makes me wonder off.
Professor Hap at university was an Episcopal Gay Priest who would talk about synchronicity and Fellini’s Satyricon with an odd look on his face. We both knew, recited and prayed the Rosary.
Yet my esoteric past held me at a place that could not be bound by dogmas.
“So nigh is grandeur to our dusk,
So near is God to Man!”
~ Ralf Waldo Emerson
“Though the individual fact there ever shone for him the effulgence of the Universal reason. The great Cosmic Intellect terminates and houses itself in mortal men and passing hour. Each of us is an angle of its eternal vision, and the only way to be true to our Maker is to be loyal to ourselves.
“O rich and various man!”
he cries,
“though place of sight and sound, carrying in the senses the morning and the night and the unfathomable galaxy; in thy brain the geometry of the city of God; in thy heart the bower of love and the realms of right and wrong.”
Pg. 1121, Address at The Emerson Centenary. William James.
Mariann Budde A new postcard part of the Brave and Strong Women Postcard series.
“In thy heart the bower of love and the realms of right and wrong,” and this is what she calls to all of us, it is the ability to discern the willingness of compassion or the lack there of. I think so.
We need more of “the effulgence of the Universal reason.” Effulgence means radiant splendor or brilliance. It can also refer to the state of looking exceptionally beautiful or being full of goodness!
Compassion is the “splendor of brilliance.”
The beauty of a flower resembles Mariann Budde, who embodies the connection between “the great Cosmic Intellect and mortal [woman].”
As Mariann Budde said,
“But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurudwaras and temples. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here.”
In the late 1980s I read “Womanpriest: A Personal Odyssey by Alla Renee Bozarth.” Alla talks about her triumphal cry and about her courage… she had to go on in life after great loss. A lovely biography and what was special is how she said she danced to this song barefoot… it was her song of liberation… let’s hope for the liberation of all who are struggling right now around the world… and hope for the good hearts of our leaders to grow stronger with compassion and mercy in the dim times that we now face.
