Thinking out loud

Flickhead, a Thinking Blogger

Journey to the center of the mind

I was touched to find that Kimberly at Cinebeats named Flickhead among her five selections for the Thinking Bloggers Award. While I’m not crazy about the so-called ‘meme’ — aren’t these things terribly cruel to those sensitive souls who aren’t among the chosen few? (now there’s something to think about) — Kimberly stoked my ego and offered proof that at least someone’s out there reading and enjoying my work.

That’s the bait, here’s the hook: in the spirit of the ‘meme’ (gag me with a spoon, daddy), I’m supposed to jot down five blogs which tweak what’s left of my mind and deem them fit for this coveted medal. The first quandary is, of course, Kimberly. As I do visit Cinebeats regularly and it does provide food for thought, logic would dictate that turnabout would be fair play and she’d be among my sacred five. But if that were the case, if all recipients were so gracious, wouldn’t this whole ‘meme’ have swallowed itself by the tail long ago? Gee whiz, dudes, that’s just too much to think about!

As anyone who’s been around the block a few times will tell you, thinking is vastly overrated. And taxing. But I suppose I should play fair. According to the headmaster of this mishegas, I’m supposed to list and abide by the rules. I hate rules. I hate authority figures. But, in this case, I’ll humor the alleged brain trust:

Thinking Blogger’s Award Rules
1. If, and only if your blog is one that is tagged on my list below, you must write a post with links to five other blogs you like that consistently make you think (hence, the Thinking Blogger’s Award).
2. Link to this post so people will know whose good idea all this was. (see above)
3. Proudly display the “Thinking Blogger Award” logo with a link to the post you wrote.

With that aside, let’s see how far I can cram my foot into my mouth. My five choices, in no particular order:

Trouble in Paradise
Ah, the dilemmas of blogging: does one want to ‘think’ about the metaphysical ramifications of Godard films…or ponder the face of Carole Lombard? That’s right, I’m shallow, give me pictures. Trouble in Paradise is an ongoing album of Hollywood stars, most of them gorgeous women from another dimension.

Potrzebie
Arcane tidbits of esoteric info, Wally Wood, jazz, Wig City.

Self-Styled Siren
Our tastes generally gravitate toward the same kinds of films, and Siren and I share an appreciation for the beauty to be mined from material that others scoff at. She gives me hope that I’m not the only one who gets dizzy on the final frames of The Fountainhead or Duel in the Sun. Recently she’s been giving Chabrol a try, and I’m looking forward to whatever she may have to say about his quirky oeuvre.

Esotika Erotica Psychotica
Here’s an interesting situation: I’m constitutionally incapable of sitting all the way through eighty percent of the films covered at this blog (predominantly Euro horror), yet the folks there make them fascinating to read about. There must be a kind of genius in that.

A Girl and a Gun
George Fasel was one of the first professional writers to welcome me to blogging. He enjoyed my work, as much as I enjoyed his. He passed away in 2005, but there’s a considerable amount of his work still on view at the above link.