Year In Rainbow

January 31, 2008

After work today I put on some lashes, my “evening”Rainbow Jumpsuit and met Lori at the 6 train at Canal Street and we went to the Museum of Sex opening of Sex in Design and Design and Sex. What a fascinating exhibit, there were lots of toys that I was familiar with that we carry at Babeland like the Nea, the Mini Heartbreaker, the njoy toys, and the flexi felix.
My favorite was the rainbow merkin!

A merkin is a crotch wig that can be used for pubic decoration, apparently it was for sex workers when syphilis was really rampant and they had to shave their pubic hair and needed something to cover up the rashes from the syphilis. But now it’s just a fun thing you’ll often see a burlesque performer wearing one!
Like me, here in this photo at my Big Burlesque Rainbow Show by Kevin L. Muth!

Anyway it was a lovely engagement I saw lots of people I knew and I even met some new friends, like Nicole wearing this black dress with rainbow sparkles on it!

And Amanda (New Friend), Molly Crabapple, and Miss Understood all lovely folks that I adore! This photo is by Lucien Samaha more of his awesome pics can be found at www.mondolucien.net

Just a lovely colorful bunch of people!

After Mosex I hopped on the train and went to Williamsburg for rehearsals for the Team Spirit Animal Show at the Trapeze Loft. Tanya Gagne really put together a great group of people! I can’t wait for the show tomorrow! And what a way to end this month of Rainbow!

January 30, 2008

Huh, why did I choose to do this project? It’s so affecting my dreams! Last night I dreampt that my friend Rebecca Weinberger and I were going on a road trip to my home town Mendocino. We were in a rush, but I had to drop by my house to get some things, I actually repacked my bag. I was kidding myself and telling everyone that I had “packed light” when I had a large duffel, my rolling suitcase and my computer bag. So I quickly unpacked my rolling suitcase, because I realized I had only packed things I couldn’t wear, like black shirts and brown things, and packed my bag full of rainbow clothes.

I didn’t remember everything, but I did go to Mendocino(my home town) in my dream, but somehow we( a troupe, a family, where did Rebecca go?) were in this really small hotel and after we got settled(why I didn’t stay at my mom’s house is beyond me, well it’s a dream you know!) Anyway after we got settled I was hungry so I went to get a ceasar salad from this restaurant I used to bus tables at in high school, they were in between lunch and dinner, and I was HUNGRY but they said they were only doing cold food, I thought “good, like salad” I ended up in a weird tiff with the hostess because she didn’t beleive I was going to pay for the food( I was getting it to-go) when I asked for some bread . . .weird I’ve been in New York so long that even my dreams have bad customer service!

Why a blog? Why every day? Why rainbows? These are questions I get a lot . . . I respond

It’s about the process.

It’s a journey.

I’ve always been obsessed with rainbows.

Why not?

Lori(my current house guest) grew up in Hawaii “The Rainbow State”, my dad is there right now. Hopefully he’ll send me a picture of a rainbow. Maybe I should go to Hawaii this year? Anyway Lori grew up there and always wished upon rainbows and one time she wished upon a rainbow and won $25 from a lottery ticket. So rainbows are like her version of a lucky star!

My new answer to “Why the year in rainbow.” will be”Because it’s lucky!”

Oh, yeah, I have a cold, yuck!

January 29, 2008

I kid you not, I saw the sun rise today, after going to bed at 2am! Yep . . .here’s proof of 7am . . .it’s beautiful innit? A rainbow almost, the closest thing I’ve seen to rainbows in the sky is sun rises and sun sets

I had work at 7:30am so that we could count products to keep track of inventory, I’m not 21 anymore it’s hard for me to function on four and a half hours of sleep, real hard. So I did ok, until about 10:30am and then I started to stare off into space like an idiot. Thank goodness I had the rest of the day off, well basically, I had a vag appointment at 4:30pm, so I didn’t want to go to sleep before my appointment . ..anyway I felt screwy and looked screwy! I watched The Wall . ..intense . . .I definitely hit the wall yesterday!

January 28, 2008

Interesting day, I was actually kind of stressed out all day. I just feel overwhelmed a ton on my plate and feeling full, like I can’t eat anymore! Definitely an abundance of life! Also I’m not going to lie, I am PMSing, so it makes regular stress, even that much more intense!

Muffinhead made and awesome flier for me, but used a retouched image of me, and I feel as if I look very different, but no one else seems to notice, it certainly was an ethical dilemma weather or not to print 1,000 fliers with an altered face, I’ve gotten nothing but complements, but I believe in realism, and I LOVED the original photo by Halston Bruce and others love the one she touched up! So here they are!

What do you think? I’d love to hear any stories about re-touched images or how you feel about them! Feel free to comment!

I went to rehearse with Alyssa and we took this picture for The Chosen Blog and their Schlep Totes. Also we are wearing our new costume that I finished!

Then I went home and ate a delicious dinner that Lori had made me(Awesome house guest!) And we went to Galapagos Art Space for Miss Saturn’s Birthday show!

This was my first time performing the Animal Crackers self titled act “Animal Crackers”, it was a blast, but the CD player didn’t want to play Saturn’s CD and it choked on my Ipod . . . all in all the night was wonderful . . .here we are performing Animal Crackers! Photo’s by Gorilla Bob
This pictures the comedy and joy of Eccentric Dancing!

This one is just a great shot of me and Saturn! I love it!

I did my Rainbow Connection act, I also did this act at Lucien’s birthday and my wig fell off, and everyone LOVED it! So I’ve now added that to the act!

We then did our act with Scotty the Blue Bunny aptly named “The Bunny” These two are my favorite, the first because we are all in the air at the same time and Scotty looks like he’s in the air too with his platforms!

This one is just Classic!!

Then we ate AMAZING CAKE that Aimee made(next to me), yum!

Then on our way home, we had a very new driver, we were his second customers of the night, he had no idea what he was doing and almost drove past our house when we gave him specific directions! Funny day for sure!

January 27, 2008

Today started with pancakes and hanging out with Maceo, I also found out that one of my roommates is moving out, she’s a doll so it’s sad for us. However she’s moving in with her boyfriend, so that’s VERY good for her!

Alyssa Came over and we worked on our new costume for an old act we’re rehashing for our Valentines Day Show called LOVE YOU!

Then I rushed over to the Trapeze Loft for rehearsals with The Animal Crackers, we’re performing tomorrow night at Miss Saturn’s Birthday Show Afterwards we went next door where Scotty, Anush, and Aidan were eating cake and hanging out. Scotty brought out this book for me to borrow, all about colors and chakras.

Then I went home and worked on my monthly mailer and waited for Lori who is staying with me while she’s working at Callen-Lorde she arrived and told me about her new act as Leroi The Girl Boi that is based on these ballroom robots!

It’s amazing!

Then I took my daily bedroom shot, with my house guest!

January 26, 2008

People get very excited by my rainbow outfits at work, I’ve heard

“Is this the uniform?” to which I reply, “No just my uniform.”

“I love your jumpsuit!”

“Your colors make me so happy!”

I didn’t get to many comments today, but these are some that I have heard. After work I went to have dinner with my friend Taryn. We used to work together, but she now works for an organization that educates school age kids about safe sex and also medical professionals about sex.

We ate at a DELICIOUS dinner at Moto, conveniently located in between our houses. I had some delicious muscles, yum, yum! It was cold as we were by the door, and they didn’t have one of those outer doors that prevent the heat from creeping in. Taryn wore her scarf over her head.

Yeah, it was THAT cold. . .and I took my usual picture at home!

January 25, 2008

What a lovely but cold day. Woke up early ate some oatmeal,threw some rainbow gear in my bag and went to work. Had a funny poof of tulle showing out the back, how does one transport tulle with out it getting wrinkled?

After work I jetted on the J train over the Williamsburg bridge to Lucien’s 50th Birthday Party! At this beautiful, colorful, at-the-edge-of-nowhere-place called Glasslands. It was a really inspiring art space and a really lovely size too, not too big, not too small! With rainbows everywhere!

Lucien is a really sweet man, so happy to have met him, he’s a relatively new friend, but someone I look forward to spending more time with. He is working on a series of photos called, “Cheek to Cheek” and this is for him! His photos are really inspiring I recommend checking out his web site www.mondolucien.net

I enjoyed myself immensely, I got to watch Paige and Amber Perform for Lucien. Lots of lovely friends were there and then afterwards it was the Tingle Tangle Club here are some pictures and more here.

So much happened and I took a ton of photo’s here is one of my favorites, La Johnn Joseph’s Belt!

So, I walk with Tangerine Jones to get a cab on Broadway, we find two cabs in a row! Lucky us!! I get in a cab, it smells like DELICIOUS maple syrup coffee and its a lovely man by the name of Davidson Garrett it was the most pleasant ride I’ve ever had! I didn’t feel threatened or judged, just understood and comforted! Thanks Davidson, thank for inspiring me to write and all your encouragement all in a ten minute ride!

Davidson is a poet, and he reminded me of third and fourth grade when i wanted to be a poet when I grew up. Poetry definitely helped through my emotional childhood and I’ll write it occasionally, but I guess burlesque is similar to a poem short and sweet and beautiful! Maybe this project is like one long poem?

Year In Rainbow Presents
GREEN WITH ENVY BURLESQUE!
February 11, 2008
10Pm at Galapagos Art Space
70 North 6th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY!
Tickets & info: yearinrainbow.com

GREEN WITH ENVY BURLESQUE!

THE VALENTINE YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE!

GREEN WITH ENVY BURLESQUE is a tribute to those who desire something more from Valentines day, those who wish the valentines colors were not red and pink but green and chartreuse. February is the green month in THE YEAR IN RAINBOW, every act in the show will deal with the color Green and the emotion of Envy! Even the cast makes you GREEN WITH ENVY; Miss Exotic 2006 World Julie Atlas Muz, visiting from the green cliffs of Seattle Miss Indigo Blue, Exotic World 2007 most Innovative Burlesque Nasty Canasta, Darlinda Just Darlinda and more greenery than your envious heart could desire!

A YEAR IN RAINBOW is burlesque performer Darlinda Just Darlinda’s foray into the “living art” milieu. From August 1, 2007 to August 1, 2008, Darlinda will explore the colors Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple both individually and together as a six-colored Rainbow. On even-numbered months (August, October, December, etc), Darlinda will wear a single color for the duration of the month, and produce a show inspired by that color. On odd-numbered months (September, November, January, etc) she will wear all rainbow every day.“A YEAR IN RAINBOW is about collaboration and exploring new mediums through color and human portrait,” says Darlinda, ” But it’s also an art/social experiment to see what kind of reactions I get from the public at large when I wear one color or rainbow for an entire year.” Darlinda will record her experience via daily photographs and journal entries on her website www.yearinrainbow.com.

A YEAR IN RAINBOW kicked off on August 1st, 2007, when Darlinda started her spectrum with the color Red. The first live performance of the A YEAR IN RAINBOW series was on August 20, 2007 at Galapagos Art Space, where Darlinda produced a show called “The Red Self-Centered exploring the powerful, generous, egotistical (yet inspiring) ways of the color red and those born under the astrological sign of Leo. October 12, 2007 was the “Orangeacle Oracle”, December 19, 2007 was the “Yellow! Blond! Invasion!”, and January 14, 2008 was the “Big Burlesque Rainbow Show!”
January has been dedicated to the Rainbow; The rest of the year will play out as follows; February: Green, March: Rainbow, April: Blue, May: Rainbow, June: Purple and July: Rainbow. A YEAR IN RAINBOW is inspired by Linda M. Montano’s “14 Years of Living Art”, via Morty Diamond’s “Year in Pink”.

ABOUT DARLINDA JUST DARLINDA
Darlinda Just Darlinda has been working as a Burlesque Performer in New York since 2003. She coined the term “Polyester Performance”, an inspiring mixture of Burlesque, Modern Dance, Performance Art, Psychedelic Happening, Comedy Sketch, and Drag Queen Ballet. She holds a degree in Teledramatic Arts and Technology from California State University, Monterey Bay. In this program Darlinda was given the tools to integrate many art forms, theater, Film, Video, New Media, and Radio. Focusing on live performance she’s produced many Burlesque events in New York City and California. She debuted “I love Dr. Nina Simone” at Galapagos Art Space in August of 2005. This show integrated modern dance, burlesque and performance art in a loving tribute to Nina Simone. She has continued to produce shows at Galapagos, most recently “THE BIG BURLESQUE RAINBOW SHOW” in January of 2008. The Village Voice calls Darlinda a “Mastermind of Bizarre Extravaganza.” www.darlindajustdarlinda.com

For up to date information and larger photographs from GREEN WITH ENVY BURLESQUE email darlindajustdarlinda@gmail.com

January 24, 2008

On my way to work I saw a woman who sells amazing colorful hats on Mercer street, she complemented me on all my color and I gave her a card. I got my tea(with my last dollar) and a man was begging and asked if I could “Donate to the united Negro Pastrami Fund” I wished I could of but the “United Rainbow Fund” is a little bit cashed out at the moment. Speaking of cash, as I walked down Mercer I saw Sara Jessica Parker posing for a photo shoot on the street doing her signature “stiletto heel run” wearing nothing but a over sized sweater and white stiletto thigh-high boots, and of course the over sized bag in tow. Ah fame . . .

Speaking of fame everyone is talking about Health Ledger, it’s just sad when someone dies so young, I mean he’s only a year older than me, makes me shudder. The reason I bring it up, is that I was taking a cab back from work on an errand, and we passed his apartment building, there were huge lights and barricades, the press just loves it, it’s a bit disgusting if you ask me. Can’t a man die in peace? He did accomplish quite a lot in his short life, and that is amazing and inspiring.

I went to visit Amber Ray to buy some flowers, and she gave me some amazing rainbow stuff including this “rainbow lion carnage” art piece. Both Lions and Rainbows are my spirit animals . . .so it’s a perfect fit!

I came home and jumped on the computer to look for this shoe that Pinkie Special told me about called the Chelsea Shoe by Betsey Johnson, ah it’s wonderful! Ah my dream shoe, just not for right now, there will be a time when I can afford this shoe!

Of course then I was curious as to what other rainbow shoes where out there, and then I found THESE!

Then it was time for my photo shoot!

January 23, 2007

I awoke remembering my dream, I was with a friend and they weren’t happy, I chased them around to get them out of their sadness, also we were in the Tuscan seaside and there were pirates on their way. The Pirates arrived and we had dinner with them, even though they were ghost pirates. The reason I tell you about this dream is that I called the friend I don’t talk to them very often and they were in some need of cheering up and inspiration. I hope I scared away the ghost pirates from their life.

Also we had our house dinner today, Maceo is cuter than ever and is now exploring his sense of smell and also his imagination. This is very funny when someone farts, because he really has an intense reaction, it’s truely upsetting to him!

It was a lovely dinner with my wet lasagna, Sharon’s delicious apple tart, Christopher’s crisp fennel salad, and Sara’s yummy minestrone. Also Christopher told a great story about a rather rambunctious monkey in Guatemala.

Here I am on the phone with my friend, I’m really glad I called them, its time for some big changes. It’s time for some big changes for me too, it was double inspiration. . .