Happie1

Zombie Makeup Class at Temptu

Here's more from the fabulous Special Effects FX makeup class I took at Temptu in NYC Friday.

In the first photo dark violet concealer was applied beneath the model's eyes. 

Contouring was added in bruised blue.

The overall effect was elegant and realistic.

Much, much more convincing and realistic than grease paint.

Below our instructor Danni is airbrushing a deathly blue white pallor all over the model's face. 

Danni used Temptu's alcohol based Dura line which comes in an incredible range of water resistant, durable deathly colors including rigor mortis and old blood.

She could have stopped right there and had a very scary look.

But NO!  We wanted more gore!

The next step was adding spots of 3-D, a fast setting silicone product that allows you to make realistic cuts, gashes, and sores quickly and easily.

Then the gashes were hand painted with blood colored Dura and the adjacent areas airbrushed to match the face color.

Next, Ben Nye's old blood is added to the gashes with a pallet knife for added realism and horror.

The shiny blood was really creepy.

The goal of the class was to teach us how to do realistic special effects that work well with HD cameras in film or television.

 

Our instructor, Danni Fonesca, is a skilled artist with a Fine Arts degree.  Her artistic talents made us squirm in class.

The finished job was horrifying!

The classmate who volunteered for the demo rode home on the bus to New Jersey in full Zombie makeup!

Copyright © 2010, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Explore Make Happiness YOUR Habit!

Makeup Bruises, Slashes, Burns and Zombies at Temptu

Temptu's Special Effects FX Makeup class is excellent, great fun and very reasonably priced. 

We learned how to create four very realistic, gorey special effects for HD cameras: bruises, cuts / slashes / gashes, bad burns and corpses (Zombies). 

A wide range of Temptu's alchol based Dura palettes and liquid airbrush makeup, 3D silicone sculpting compound, Ben Nye's dried blood, plus many other special effects products were included in the price of the class.

Beware - alcohol based makeup like Dura should not be used close to the eyes or for foundation on the face.

Successful gorey special effects wounds accurately reflect the story. How did the wound occur?  When?  How old is the wound?

Google: bruises and gash images and try to copy what you see. 

"Don't make it look too pretty" our instructor Danielle Fonseca repeatedly warned us. We were urged to create ugly, irregular shapes to portray real wounds realistically.

We learned how to use 3D, a two part silicone product to create gashes and burns.  You can mould anything you want on the skin and the 3D dries in five minutes.

For the burns, Danielle filled in the open sores with a old blood red Dura color from a palette before airbrushing the area with an ashen black and adding additional red, yellow puss and Ben Nye dried blood.

The Zombie corpse makeup was the grand finale.

It's an incredible class! Great fun, we learned a tremendous amount that opened up huge new realms in our makeup skills and capabilities.

If you want to learn how to create great special effects wounds, take this class. See http://TemptuProm.com

Copyright © 2010, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Explore Make Happiness YOUR Habit!

Godzilla Guides NYFD

 

Yes, that's Godzilla - three of them mounted on top of a NY City Fire Truck!

Godzilla is their mascot.

Godzilla even appears on Engine 5's official seal.

Note NYFD's Godzilla spews water, not fire from his mouth. 

A NYFD fire engine with a huge set of Texas Long Horn horns on top has also been spotted - it was moving so fast I couldn't get a good photo.  I won't ponder or discuss the meaning of that one.

 

Copyright © 2010, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Explore Make Happiness YOUR Habit! 

The Happy Store

I was thrilled to see The Happy Store on 8th Avenue in New York City! 

On closer inspection it turned out to be a gay adult DVD / bookstore complete with a Boy Butter display in the front window.

Happy has new meanings in NYC!

Copyright © 2010, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Explore Make Happiness YOUR Habit! 

Kunta Kinte - Annapolis

Thanksgiving - Annapolis, Maryland

"Things don't ever get better unless you make them better."  Kunta Kinte - Alex Haley Memorial, Annapolis

A captivating Alex Hailey storytelling statue crowns the park in historic Annapolis. 

It's a beautiful reminder that everything wonderful we enjoy today we have because ordinary people decided to fight for it.  As a result of their fight, they became extraordinary people.

Nicholas Kristof's Thanksgiving Heroes describes an illiterate Pakistani rape victim who refused to give in to wrong doing.  She fought for what was right and she made history. 

If an illiterate Pakistani rape victim can do it, so can any of the rest of us.

The U.S. Naval Academy has not always been kind to Afro American midshipmen. It's a fitting twist that the best and brightest Hope to lead our nation today is black.

Stupidity doesn't learn from its mistakes.  Lets stop the Hate Campaign that causes so much division in our nation.

Thank God for small favors!

Happie1 - Michele Moore and the Happiness Habit On the Road in Annapolis, Maryland

Movies on Blackberry

Free movies and encoder for your Blackberry - http://www.seabyrdtech.com/bbsamples Free Blackberry Video Encoder - http://www.download.com/Blackberry-Video-Converter/3000-2140_4-10619884.html

Blackberry MUST HAVE's !!!

If you have a Blackberry –
BE SURE to check out these links!

Most are NOT included in the
obvious Blackberry documentation.

Be sure to visit Blackberry's Hidden
Mobile Site - Lots of Great FREE
software downloads!!! 

You MUST access it with the BB:
http://www.mobile.blackberry.com

NYTimes Mobile -
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/bb_faq.html
Install NYTimes.com BlackBerry Shortcut, click:
http://mobile.nytimes.com/bbinstall
All the News That's Fit to Print:  http://m.nytimes.com/    
It's Free – An Absolute Must HAVE!!!!

Five Blackberry MUST HAVE's  - Great Resources for BB downloads & recommended links: http://www.rimarkable.com/5-must-have-free-blackberry-dowloads http://www.rimarkable.com/5-more-must-have-free-blackberry-downloads http://www.rimarkable.com/google-local-for-mobile-blackberry-style

OperaMini – Great browser - http://www.operamini.com/download/ The wonderful tech support rep at VZ's Atlanta Howell Mill store solved the mystery – you MUST hit the BB MENU key to get the User Agreement to install OperaMini – that's what was tripping me up!!!  OperaMini now works fine, it's a good browser. I like the mobile version of the NYTimes much better.

More Opera info: http://forums.crackberry.com/f61/internet-browser-verizon-8830-a-6998/ http://forums.crackberry.com/f61/mini-opera-1755/ http://forums.crackberry.com/f35/mini-opera-verizon-8830-problems-4986/ http://forums.crackberry.com/f61/opera-mini-verizon-7170/'

YouTube.com - http://m.youtube.com http://forums.crackberry.com/f69/youtube-13110/ http://blogs.bnet.com/businesstips/?p=1100 http://www.blackberryforums.com/general-blackberry-discussion/111868-you-tube-clips.html

More support: http://www.blackberryforums.com/rim-software/3921-blackberry-internet-browser-faq-html-web-images.html

Telephone Directory: Berry411 http://www.thebogles.com/blog/projects/berry411

Google Aps - Get Google's Blackberry Options!!!! http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/mobile/ http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/users/mobile.html http://www.blackberry.com/devicesoftware/entry.do?code=gtalk http://www.google.com/talk/whatsnew.html http://www.blackberrycool.com/2005/10/27/001019/

Many thanks to ALL the contributors!!!!

Norton Firewall Security

This is NOT Personal, Political, Pointed or Provocative, but it certainly IS HELPFUL. Friends have asked me to post these for easy reference.  Let us know what you think - comment below.  

If you’re running Norton InterNet Security with Vista, it’s important to remember that file sharing security is handled through your Firewall.

Here are instructions for Norton InterNet Security, it took me a while to find them in the Norton documentation. Blocking Windows File Sharing is especially important if you use WIFI!!!

Norton Internet Security => Settings => Select Norton Internet Security Options at bottom of the page

Select Personal Fire Wall => Advanced – review list to ensure there are no dangerous permissions

See this Norton Description of Options: Note ORDER OF OPTIONS IS IMPORTANT!

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sunset-c2002kb.nsf/pfdocs/2001023451590766?Open&docid=2001023451590766&nsf=nip.nsf&view=pfdocs

BLOCK Windows File Sharing - Prevents other computers from accessing shared files that are on this computer. Also prevents other computers from using shared printers that are attached to this computer.

When this rule is moved up in rules list so that it is applied before other rules regarding file and print sharing, this rule provides an easy method to turn file and print sharing on or off.

ICPM In/Out - Leave Enabled - Allows Pings to be sent and received

DNS In/Out - Leave Enabled - Removing this rule causes DNS to fail. To increase security without removing the rule, change the rule to allow the computer to send DNS queries only to the user’s primary DNS server.

In NetBIOS Name - DISABLE - Prevents NetBIOS requests from finding the name of the local computer. NetBIOS cannot find the computer name by sending a query to the local computer.

Bootp - Leave Enabled – allows for static IP addresses.

Outbound Netbios - Leave Enabled – allows you to view shared files on other computers.

Inbound NetBios - DISABLE – prevents other computers from accessing your files.

Microsoft SMB - BLOCK – SMB is a Microsoft Windows feature that can be used to provide an alternate method for file and print sharing. This rule prevents SMB from being used to permit file and print sharing.

Loopback In/Out - Leave Enabled – allows the computer to send messages to itself.

EMAP Block – ENABLE BLOCK - EPMAP is a protocol that can be used by one computer to change the configuration of the services that are running at another computer. This rule prevents EPMAP from modifying the services that are at the local computer.

UpnP - Leave Enabled - Universal Plug and Play

SSDP - Leave Enabled - Simple Service Discovery Protocol – discovers plug and play

LLMNR - Leave Enabled - Local Link Multicast Name Resolution

Reset the Firewall and make these changes. Check your system often to see if hackers have altered them or if unauthorized changes have been made!

BLOCK LIST: Order is important, move up the most important

BLOCK Windows File Sharing - Prevents other computers from accessing shared files that are on this computer. Also prevents other computers from using shared printers that are attached to this computer.

When this rule is moved up in rules list so that it is applied before other rules regarding file and print sharing, this rule provides an easy method to turn file and print sharing on or off.

In NetBIOS Name - DISABLE Prevents NetBIOS requests from finding the name of the local computer. NetBIOS cannot find the computer name by sending a query to the local computer.

Inbound NetBios - DISABLE – prevents other computers from accessing your files.

Microsoft SMB - BLOCK – SMB is a Microsoft Windows feature that can be used to provide an alternate method for file and print sharing. This rule prevents SMB from being used to permit file and print sharing.

EMAP Block – ENABLE BLOCK - EPMAP is a protocol that can be used by one computer to change the configuration of the services that are running at another computer. This rule prevents EPMAP from modifying the services that are at the local computer.

LEAVE ENABLED LIST:

ICPM In/Out - Leave Enabled - Allows Pings to be sent and received. 

DNS In/Out - Leave Enabled - Removing this rule causes DNS to fail. To increase security without removing the rule, change the rule to allow the computer to send DNS queries only to the user’s primary DNS server.

Bootp - Leave Enabled – allows for static IP addresses

Outbound Netbios - Leave Enabled – allows you to view shared files on other computers.

Loopback In/Out - Leave Enabled – allows the computer to send messages to itself.

IPV6 - Leave Enabled – no dramatic warnings.

UpnP - Leave Enabled - Universal Plug and Play

SSDP Simple Service Discovery Protocol – discovers plug and play

See also: Auditmypc.com

Devotion Dedication Determination

The Emperor Penguins featured in The March of the Penguins movie inspired the world with incredible images of devotion, dedication and determination to survive and overcome amazing difficulties.

Most of us had no understanding or appreciation for their strength, their determination, the rigor of their lives or their elegant beauty before we saw the movie.

Perhaps it will prompt us to see and appreciate instances of incredible devotion, dedication and determination close to us that we have overlooked. 

Unlike the cheeful characters in Disney's Happy Feet, the Emperor Penguins have no other alternatives.  They can't simply decide to do things differently or take take off for warmer climates.

It's also a chilling reminder of the cold, desolate bleakness of a world without options, that is dictated and controlled by forces beyond our control offering no freedom, flexibility, creativity, compromise or appealing alternatives.

Embrace their elegant beauty, delight in their devotion, admire their determination and dedication.

Celebrate, appreciate and guard our freedoms to choose, to change and to create without constricting dictatorial restraints. Be grateful we can have Happy Feet ourselves!

Copyright 2008 by Michele Moore All Rights Reserved.
Comment on this posting below.

Chicken Vegetable Soup Supreme

Pressure cook 4 – 5 lb chicken ( or equivalent) 45 minutes to 1:15 hours (if frozen) covered with water seasoned with:
garlic (powder works fine)
fresh rosemary (four - six sprigs from your neighbor's mailbox )
2 large carrots cut up
black pepper corns (or red pepper flakes) and some cloves

if the chicken is NOT frozen 45 minutes – 1 hour should do it. Chicken legs & thighs fine.

Cool – strain broth – clarify the broth with three egg whites & shells per the standard chicken bouillion clarifying procedures. Strain through a handy wipe or a large strainer while the broth is warm to keep the fat from mucking up the filter. No need to do final straining – the vegetables and chicken cloud the broth.

Separate chicken from the bone, discard the vegetables, bones and skin.

Put chicken broth in a very large pot (mine is 300 oz) bring to a boil and add:
6 large carrots cut up in bite sizes (1-2 lbs)
1 12-13 oz. box of whole wheat spiral pasta
1 large onion sliced

boil until the past just begins to cook and the carrots are slightly tender.  The soup continues cooking after you turn off the heat.

Turn off the heat and add:

6 large stalks of celery cut up in bite sizes ( a half to a full large stalk bunch)
chicken cut up into bite size pieces*

season with: dried crushed red (hot) peppers garlic powder salt add water so the chicken broth is not too strong – fill it up to 300 oz (I add about at least two quarts, sometimes a gallon)

* You may have chicken left over to munch on! It does NOT take all the chicken unless you want a really chickeny soup.

Cook ONLY long enough for pasta to begin to cook (8-10 minutes). The soup continues to cook after you turn off the stove. Onions, carrots and celery will be fresh, bright colored. Or you can bring it to a boil, turn off the heat and then add additional water to stop the cooking to keep the vegetables fresh and green.

DO NOT OVER COOK!

Cool and freeze – Yields ten 25 oz servings (Glad Wrap containers) plus another small pot.

Shopping List: (I like my chicken soup heavy with meat and vegetables so I add to these amounts) Chicken – (4-5 lbs.) legs & thighs work fine Celery – 1 large bunch Carrots – a 5 lb bag from Sam's is fine for 2 batches with plenty left over Onion - 1 - 2 large Eggs - ½ dozen Box 12 – 13 oz. whole wheat spiral pasta – Heartland from Kroger is GREAT!

Granulated garlic, fresh rosemary sprigs (from someone's mail box), cloves, salt, dried crushed red (hot) peppers (like what's on the table at some pizza places)

It's incredibly delicious and freezes well!!!!

Michele Moore's favorite recipe