MARTHA APPROVED

I’ve always sort of admired/feared that crabby old magnate Martha Stewart, the woman is a force to be reckoned with. Her (evil) empire spans magazines, merchandise and broadcasting.

She’s been in jail for insider trading and ended up redecorating her cell while serving time, that’s pretty fierce.

The thing that fascinates me about her is her obsessive compulsive, anal and often plain angry approach towards everything from linen to cake making. Her website is oddly addictive... there are millions of tips concerning everything cooking, entertaining and keepin house and while often helpful, after a while it makes you a little 1950s housewife-valium-poppin-crazy. There are even origami-like diagrams available to print out that demonstrate the correct folding methods for various items and fabrics. It’s intense, the level of detail and the extreme emphasis on perfection. It’s all very WASPy and chintzy… but sort of good too.

Anyway, today Gawker had a story regarding Martha implementing strict rules on her publishing division’s employees new Kevin Sharkey designed “work spaces”. Basically, employees have been "instructed" to work in a bare empty cell with no ability to personalise it alongside strictly regimented stationery. This is meant to “reset” the working environment and “articulate” the company’s new direction.

So today’s prize for taking OCD to a whole new level goes to Martha Stewart, you crabby ole nutcase dictator lady!

BAD MOTHER

I've really neglected this thing lately, but I'm suffering from a general end of holidays malaise and it's all a bit hard. Blah.

Ladies and Gentleman, The Fabulous Stains was released on DVD late last year and I can't wait to get my paws on it. The cult 1981 film stars a baby faced Diane Lane (she was like 15 when they filmed it) and Laura Dern as punk rockers who start a band called The Stains. They sort of sound like a demented-Hollywood version of The Raincoats mixed with The Shaggs or something. The film even features appearances from Paul Simonon, Steve Jones and The Tubes (the lead singer OD's in the film, which then actually happened to him in real life).

It's corny wannabe riot grrl stuff but it's a wonderful little document of the era nonetheless.

And anyway, the Stains look amazing... makes me want a two toned undercut and some red eyeliner. Stat.