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)