tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78262806981649704302024-02-07T21:04:15.715-08:00Kissing StrangeA collection of photographs in which all on-camera subjects are a) strangers to each other and b) kissing.Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-36841647034139151472009-02-28T07:49:00.001-08:002009-04-28T05:51:27.458-07:00Pangaea Take Two (of Three)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:13px;">This blog post will be expanded up greatly, but for right now only the photos AND A PLEA FOR HELP.</span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">The sheets got a little shuffled around last night (i was drunk) and so i don't know who was kissing whom :)<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get in touch and let me know who you are and who you were kissing.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></span><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:13px;">j@kissingstrange.com></span><br /></div></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a night of unity at Duke last night. The Pangaea event brought us all together and focused on togetherness.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was also held in the library! <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I, along with my amazing assistant Jeanie (thank you so much!), stood in the center walkway between the two libraries where people were shuffling back and forth, catching some cool night air to take comfort from the sweaty dancing and drinking. Crowds of spectators were watching as complete strangers came together for a brief, and, as you will see, not so brief kiss. There was almost a manic energy of the Kissing Strange project last night as people were encouraging one another to kiss and Jeanie was handling all the admin as I snapped photos and talked about the project. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am sure none of them expected that an evening that focused on togetherness would be taken to another level but I am grateful to each and every one of you who stopped to be in a photo and hope to hear from you soon!<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Caitlin & Joe</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3511/3317689544_1b5607a026.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Chrissy and Andrew</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3403/3316865023_6f571f1130.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Jodi and ???</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/3316865893_b88269661d.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Christina and Daniel</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3556/3317692044_ba94b43abc.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Laura and Mike???</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3550/3317693690_5574c595ee.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Carolin and Abe</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3581/3317694948_41254d5bcb.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">John and Michelle</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/3317695944_613a0697d8.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Laura and Michael</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3316871401_9eb453c210.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Guillarme & Alex</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3316872347_70f2e85ec4.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Josh & Claire</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3605/3316873215_fd9f13bf6f.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">(i wish i had my wider lens for this, he swept her up off her feet and held her in his arms for this kiss. 100% class)<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ivan & Jodi</div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3373/3316874045_74263c26a6.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">x<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-j<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></div></span></span><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:13px;">Because we're all family</span><br /></div></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-48755837469254595222009-02-22T06:37:00.000-08:002009-02-22T14:23:29.914-08:00What a Little Moonlight Can Do<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I made my first foray into the night with this project yesterday and I have learned a few things. They are as follows:</span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-Remember to adjust your aperture when you switch between shooting existing light and flash (as you will see, I forgot and ended up with my aperture wide open when I thought I was stopped down).</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-People like the nightlife. (This is something I'd vaguely forgotten because I rarely go out anymore. I'm like an old [happy] married woman.)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-A 50mm prime lens is too tight a frame to easily fit kissing strangers into when you're in a very narrow, crowded bar.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-Alcohol RULES when it comes to Kissing Strange. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I know I could have gotten many more shots last night because, as I discovered, people are all kinds of warm, happy and willing to play for the camera when imbibed with certain liquids but the lens I was carrying, as I mentioned above, led to my dropping my pursuit rather quickly and joining everyone in drinking as well. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3299642841/" title="Nicholai and Gina by alexisstember, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3579/3299642841_bb72dc19ed.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Nicholai and Gina" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><table width="563"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Name</span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Nicholas</span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Gina</span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion<br />Country of<br />Origin</span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not listed<br />Not listed</span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not listed<br />Los Angeles</span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Occupation</span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not listed</span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Finance</span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political<br />Affiliation</span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not listed</span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not listed</span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Marital<br />Status<br /><br /></span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not listed</span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Married 50 years. Not true.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3300584488/" title="Dave and Erin by alexisstember, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3498/3300584488_d20a012a2a.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Dave and Erin" /></a><br /></span><table width="563"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Name</span></span></span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">David</span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Erin</span></span></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion<br />Country of<br />Origin</span></span></span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Jew<br />Not listed</span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not listed<br />Not listed</span></span></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Occupation</span></span></span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Attorney</span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Systems Administrator</span></span></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political<br />Affiliation</span></span></span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Independent</span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not listed</span></span></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Marital<br />Status</span></span></span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not</span></span></span></td><td><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not listed</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because we're all family</span></span><br /></div></span></div></div></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-43641625245855939542009-02-19T10:33:00.000-08:002009-02-22T07:04:53.886-08:00The WPA<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfdpdU83AJCxC8Q7Xjh3D9Tmu0ppQ-ynW5E19m_9r1OgFajnCKSp8yaZhsrk6AMG4QG9QfKI1_HHLuhiUNIeoGZvEm4ZGmwkwsb5kkq-MqY2X_SiPHzK-qw_2tWqvBUrNfzUH3moJQBAs/s1600-h/3b48728utif.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 289px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfdpdU83AJCxC8Q7Xjh3D9Tmu0ppQ-ynW5E19m_9r1OgFajnCKSp8yaZhsrk6AMG4QG9QfKI1_HHLuhiUNIeoGZvEm4ZGmwkwsb5kkq-MqY2X_SiPHzK-qw_2tWqvBUrNfzUH3moJQBAs/s400/3b48728utif.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304579199524098770" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps it is selfish but I hope Obama initiates a program similar to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_Progress_Administration">Works Progress Administration</a> (WPA) of the 1930s, created under Roosevelt and responsible for producing <a href="http://nutrias.org/photos/wpa/wpaphotos.htm">some of the most lasting images of the Great Depression</a>. I believe the arts are important<a href="http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/documents/publications/340.pdf"> culturally, socially </a>and even <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/miles-mogulescu/condoms-and-art-are-stimu_b_161660.html">economically</a> and that funding for it, while highly controversial, is a positive and important thing. <br /></div><br />x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Because we're all family</span>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-6501150546613286562009-02-18T06:01:00.000-08:002009-02-18T06:36:29.816-08:00Valentine's Day<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3286878145/" title="Untitled by alexisstember, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/3286878145_ceba080472.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Kissing my man with the lens of my camera for Valentine's Day in Vermont.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:10px;"><br /></span>“I'm late, I'm late, For a very important date. No time to say ‘Hello.’ Goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!” The White Rabbit certainly knows how to speak my language. I always feel late, no matter the day or the hour. I can never seem to get all the things I’d like to get done, done, and by “most things,” I refer specifically to this project. I have taken a paltry two Kissing Strange pictures in the past two weeks. <br /><br />Valentine’s weekend presented itself as an ample opportunity for kissing shots but rather than taking the invitation to go to a large party where people would be well lubricated with libations and the impetus to kiss, I confess I instead went to Vermont for the long weekend to do some kissing of my own. Selfish but necessary. While I feel remorse for not having focused at all on this project over the break, my camera is now hot in my hands and ready to take aim. Here's hoping your lips have been busy these last few days and if they haven’t, email me: I’ll be sure to remedy that.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Because we're all family</span>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-37958232134635399762009-02-13T11:47:00.000-08:002009-02-13T11:56:18.485-08:00The Science of Kiss<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Copy/Pasted from </span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/13/kissing.science/index.html" target="_new"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">CNN/Health</span></span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (except for the photo)</span></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3446/3234759469_278292de0b.jpg" hspace="5" vspace="0" align="left" height="30%" style="text-align: justify;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- When your lips gently brush against the mouth of your beloved this Valentine's Day, it may feel magically romantic, or sloppily slobbery, or blissfully gentle, or perhaps too rough and toothy.</span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The science of kissing even has a name: philematology. Researchers are investigating the mechanisms involved.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Regardless, the practice of kissing is nearly universal. It is practiced in at least 90 percent of cultures among sexual or romantic partners, experts say. Now, scientists are investigating the biological factors underlying that ubiquitous expression of love.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The science of kissing even has a name: philematology. Research on the subject was presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science in Chicago on Friday.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Kissing is not just kissing. It is a major escalation or de-escalation point in a powerful process of mate choice," said Helen Fisher, professor at Rutgers University and author of the book "Why Him, Why Her: Finding Real Love by Understanding Your Personality Type." Visit CNNhealth, your connection for better living<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Research led by Wendy Hill, professor of neuroscience at Lafayette College, looked at how kissing affects the hormones oxytocin, related to social bonding, and cortisol, a measure of stress levels.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first experiment, which took place in a student health center, looked at college students age 18 to 22, and examined hormone levels in 15 heterosexual couples. In the control group, participants held hands and talked with their partner while music played. In the experimental group, participants were told to open-mouth kiss their partner for the length of the music -- 16 minutes.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The results showed that oxytocin levels in the women decreased after the session, but increased in the men. Levels of cortisol decreased for everyone.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A second experiment in a more romantic setting -- a secluded room with jazz music, flowers and electric candles -- looked at nine heterosexual couples and three lesbian couples.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Researchers found that the longer the relationship of a couple, the more the cortisol levels declined in those people. The heterosexual women, moreover, said they felt greater intimacy with their partners than the heterosexual men or the homosexual women did, while all groups expressed equal satisfaction in kissing their partners.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A person receives information about the person he or she is smooching by locking lips, Fisher said. A kiss transmits smells, tastes, sound and tactile signals that all affect how the individuals perceive each other and, ultimately, whether they will want to kiss again.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kissing "can really either escalate a relationship or really kill it," Fisher said.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Women tend to be attracted to male partners with a different immune system makeup from their own, Fisher said. They subconsciously detect information about a partner's immune system through smell, a sense involved in kissing, she said.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One study showed that more than 50 percent of men and women reported that after feeling attracted to another person initially, the attraction ended after the first kiss, Fisher said.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We feel such sensitivity to kissing partially because of the way our brain is structured, Fisher said. The somatosensory cortex, which extends from one side of the brain to the other, has a large portion devoted to picking up signals from the lips, tongue, nose and cheek areas around the mouth.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"You can really get poked in the back and not feel it very much, but just a feather around your lips and you really do feel it," she said.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for the origins of kissing, one theory is that kissing evolved as an extension of the way mothers used to feed their children. Early humans, who lacked jars of manufactured baby food, probably chewed up food and directly transferred it from their mouths to the babies', said Gordon Gallup Jr., professor of psychology at the University of Albany, who did not present at this panel.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Looking at a sample of more than 1,000 college students, Gallup and colleagues found that women also tend to emphasize kissing more than men, and are much more likely to insist on kissing before a sexual encounter.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">x</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-j</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">kissingstrange.blogspot.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Because we're all family.</span></div></span></span>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-59361928768598813162009-02-10T04:43:00.000-08:002009-02-11T10:19:16.777-08:00Ali and James<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">After a long and productive day of photography I went to the pub to have drinks with my fellow photogs and saw the two tables outside the bar occupied by complete strangers. While </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-lbIfaqm0U"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Love Rollercoaster</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> played from James' portable stereo I snapped this picture of two strangers blowing one another a kiss.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3388/3269447714_69a7eefaef.jpg" /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/3268627605_6279b4e95b.jpg" /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3514/3269448538_fd0f00f0c3.jpg" /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I crouched down for a quick interview with Ali and her friend Ellie (who incidently has </span></span><a href="http://mintdesignblog.com/" target="_new"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">a blog of her own</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> which has this </span></span><a href="http://www.mintdesignblog.com/?p=1274" target="_new"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">insanely adorable post</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> in time for V-day. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">J</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">: You weren't will to kiss a stranger at first even when I said it didn't have to be on the lips. You agreed once I said you could blow a kiss. Why is that?</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ali</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">: Because kisses are special.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">J</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">: Yea, but why?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ali</span></span>: Even when i kiss my mom it is still a love kiss, to physically touch someone with my lips. I am not going to do that with a stranger.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">J</span>: Not even kissing to say hello like the Europeans and other cultures do?<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ali</span>: Not even that way.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">J</span>: Why do you think we kiss then? Why is it part of our anthropological evolution?<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ali</span>: It is a special physical exchange.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ellie</span>: It is a non-verbal way to expression emotion either friendship, romantic or familial.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">[In retrospect it makes a lot of sense what they are saying and I should follow up these answers with "why is it so special, so reserved? why can't we share this with everyone and be closer?" If anyone wants to tackle this question send in an email or comment.]<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">J</span>: Tell me about your first kiss or your most recent kiss.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ali</span>: Do you mean like...<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">J</span>: It can be any kiss. It's a big open-ended question. I love those.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ali</span>: I love that I can kiss my mom. We don't live in the same area and when we do it is always so...casual...never a big deal, but it is only because we are so close that we can feel that way. She is the person I am most connected to. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">J</span>: And this gets back to the beginning of our conversation, what you are saying is that it is not possible to be "casual" with a stranger. I get that.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ellie</span>: My first kiss was when I was 16 and it was with a guy who was one of my best friends. I had a crush on him also. He was too drunk to remember, but we had a lot more kisses and it improved from there. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">ps. Ali is a painter. If you have a website, send it in. We love to see what our strangers do.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">x<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">-j<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">kissingstange.com<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Because we're all family.</span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-4003769135177832722009-02-07T14:20:00.000-08:002009-02-11T13:25:26.895-08:00The Strangers We Know and the Friends We Don'tI woke up this morning and decided it would be nice to take a little train ride to Brooklyn with my camera in tow. The streets of Brooklyn happen to strike me as being particularly photo-worthy and I hoped I might find some willing strangers to participate in Kissing Strange while there. After disembarking from the train, I entered a nearby Mexican restaurant that I'd never been to before. It was small and dark and as I stood in line to place my order, my mind labored over the question of whether I wanted a margarita or a beer to go with my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">huevos</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">racheros</span>. I grieve over such decisions if not properly made. My <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">tumultuous</span> reverie was interrupted when a man exiting the restaurant handed me a napkin in passing, telling me I'd dropped it. Quite certain that I hadn't, and far more worried about the question of margarita vs. beer than dropped napkins, I thanked him and dismissively placed the napkin on the counter. "No," he said. "Read it." Entirely confused between beer, wine, margarita and napkin, I opened the latter and saw the following scrawled in ink: <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />KISSING STRANGE<br />D</span>.*<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3260707641/" title="Kissing Strange by alexisstember, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3487/3260707641_8f211ae0d0.jpg" alt="Kissing Strange" height="333" width="500" /></a><br />It blows my mind that there are people out there who read this blog and know this project and don't necessarily know me or J directly. I find it exciting that technology allows for such unspoken conversations between people, sometimes turning strangers into friends or providing the light to show things the other way round. It can be humbling to read the writing of someone you think you know only to discover that their thoughts, passions and ideals are not what you'd presumed or imagined; that the person you think you know is someone you've perhaps overlooked or taken for granted so much so that the person you think you know is effectively a stranger. This again is part of the impetus behind this project: to bring people together and illuminate the gaps between them, even and particularly when they're not aware that they're there, for if we can't see the gaps, how can we bridge them?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3261533666/" title="Mike and Jamie by alexisstember, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3261533666_9c3db4849d.jpg" alt="Mike and Jamie" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /><table width="563"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td height="13" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Name</span></span></span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Mike</span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Jamie</span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Religion<br /></span></span></span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Democrat</span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">None<br /></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Occupation<br />Ethnicity<br /></span></span></span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Attorney<br />None Listed<br /></span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Assistant at a Theatre Agency<br />German/Chilean<br /></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Political<br />Affiliation</span></span></span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Democrat<br /></span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">None</span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Marital<br />Status</span></span></span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Married<br /></span></td><td style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Single</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3260783495/" title="Robert and Chel (?) by alexisstember, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3415/3260783495_740a2b18d5.jpg" alt="Robert and Chel (?)" height="333" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><table width="563"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Name</span></span></span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;">Robert</span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Chel</span>**<br /></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Religion<br /></span></span></span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;">None Listed<br /></span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;">Recovering Catholic<br /></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Occupation<br />Ethnicity<br /></span></span></span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;">Retired<br />None Listed<br /></span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;">Graphic Design + Illustration<br />Asian<br /></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Political<br />Affiliation</span></span></span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;">Democrat<br /></span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;">Liberal</span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Marital<br />Status<br /><br /></span></span></span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;">Married<br /></span></td><td><span style="font-size:85%;">Single<br /></span></td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>By the way, I find it interesting what people choose to list or leave out on the Kissing Strange questionnaire. I don't push them for answers; I just say they should disclose what they're comfortable disclosing. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><br /></span>I am off to see a puppet show!<br /><br /></span>x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Because we're all family<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />*D, J and I hope you won't be a stranger. Send us a note and say hi!<br />**I couldn't make out the name of the woman in the second picture. I believe it says <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Chel</span> but whoever you are, please drop me a line if I have listed your name incorrectly.</span><br /></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-50434979365231254722009-02-07T12:21:00.000-08:002009-02-07T13:32:11.572-08:00L'Etranger<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Recently on a flight to Chicago I read Albert Camus' </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">The Stranger</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">. Without giving away the details, it is a story that deals with how absurd humanity and existence is in the grand scheme of an otherwise indifferent universe. The main character at the end of the book is in prison and has an epiphany.</span></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:13px;">I too felt ready to start life all over again. It was as if that great rush of anger had washed me clean - emptied me of hope - and gazing up at the dark skies spangled with the stars and signs, for the first time - the first - I laid my heart open to the benign indifference of the universe.</span><br /></div></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">It is this moment of clarity where the main character accepts his fate and understands his place in this world "indeed, so brotherly". <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although his situation is rather bleak, the idea of embracing the world with all its inherent beauties and fallibilities ran through my head a lot last night. I thought of the two different conversations i had with my friends Eléna and Jenn about connections and about what we hope to accomplish in our lives, respectively. All this before I picked up my camera. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was stuck on the idea that, somehow, fleeting moments have the capacity to change a life fundamentally and, while the universe may be cold and indifferent, what remains is our ability to do more, to grow and accomplish things in the wake of these moments. In some way can we be the architects or auteurs of our own moments?<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">---<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the first time i have included the full bios. Some of the answers are amazing.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3260637169_b301c62f30.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Anne: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Occupation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Graduate Student & Instructor </span></span></span><br /></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political Affiliation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> - </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> - </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ethnicity</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Caucasian </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Marital Status</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Single </span></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Clay: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Occupation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> I Do What I Want </span></span></span><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political Affiliation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Democrat </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Love Others </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ethnicity</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> White </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Marital Status</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Bachelor till Rapture </span></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3261463548_e2e57ca07e.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ian: <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Occupation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Student/Dishwasher </span></span></span><br /></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political Affiliation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Barry Obammy </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (Not) Jewish </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ethnicity</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> White As Hell </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Marital Status</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Single As Hell </span></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Eléna: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Occupation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Student </span></span></span><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political Affiliation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Democrat </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> - </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ethnicity</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> - </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Marital Status</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> - </span></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3260639241_007da8ded4.jpg" /></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Zvia: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Occupation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Student </span></span></span><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political Affiliation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> No Idea </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Jewish </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ethnicity</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> New Yorker </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Marital Status</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Single </span></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Agnes: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Occupation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Student </span></span></span><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political Affiliation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Democrat </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Catholic </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ethnicity</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Caucasian </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">Marital Status</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"> Celibate </span></span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">x<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-j<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">kissingstrange.com<br /></div></span></span><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:13px;">Because we're all family</span></div></b></div></div>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-69330008071315969782009-02-07T12:19:00.000-08:002009-02-07T12:27:15.865-08:00Predictive<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a short post, while i work on my big post from last night. alexis sent me a txt about something she is going to blog about a little later and when I wrote back i noticed that predictive text guesses the word 'lips' instead of 'kiss'<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i just thought that was really book - i mean - cool.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">x<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-j<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kissingstrange.com<br /></span></span></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Because we're all family</span></span><br /></div></b>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-4442944533423330352009-02-04T05:59:00.000-08:002009-02-04T06:09:06.646-08:00Forces of Geek<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT69yq5T6oJZH53pvlr4rLA24L_djkmco9o3qRzdKne1kTdVUWuH63io7W0OWbv8DmV62L2qVHvHFjSj-k5InbfHhZ_0EINzUR3CT1Y0vQurCjpNg0Svap1F3jF9jSqml8y-mxvrQpHVF/s1600-h/3125562901_1c4154e026_o.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT69yq5T6oJZH53pvlr4rLA24L_djkmco9o3qRzdKne1kTdVUWuH63io7W0OWbv8DmV62L2qVHvHFjSj-k5InbfHhZ_0EINzUR3CT1Y0vQurCjpNg0Svap1F3jF9jSqml8y-mxvrQpHVF/s400/3125562901_1c4154e026_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298943622472027730" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A special shout out is owed to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/13653437082747685445">Stefan Blitz</a>, creator of <a href="http://www.forcesofgeek.com/">Forces of Geek</a> (FOG), for putting up a lovely ad for Kissing Strange on his website. J (<a href="http://www.forcesofgeek.com/search/label/Meow%20Mix">Meow Mix</a>) and I (<a href="http://www.forcesofgeek.com/search/label/ob%C2%B7ses%C2%B7sion">Ob·ses·sion: Redefining Unreasonable Preoccupations</a>) are new contributors to <a href="http://www.forcesofgeek.com/">FOG</a> and look forward to lots of non-Kissing Strange related discussions over there but Kissing Strange will not be forgotten in any way, shape or form, we promise. :)</div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkG09FqN0YYoQ6yVRGuoaMKMAdzMTs1LuCHYWe1w_wBFY9InDXnpiHfjEEDIyuThRauRsnyH40ktWseX5Uclp8MB-Y4mivSoUJu31THb4VDkxfT0dsEvPSB3XfLVZqiGi6WdkkzBH1PW7v/s400/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298943720971410738" /><div><br /></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-68393162391672317452009-02-04T05:35:00.000-08:002009-02-04T05:53:23.958-08:00A Little Bit on Process<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3252685772/" title="King for a Day by alexisstember, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3252685772_70b5a5e326.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="King for a Day" /></a><div><br />Yesterday was another dark, snowy day, but it felt less playful than our first winter snow this year. It fell heavy and hard, suffocating the streets with the fullness of its body. When I am teetering on the edge between stress and a meltdown at work, I find myself far less capable of perceiving the world for what it really is. The world gets cloudy and claustrophobic and I find myself far less able to approach strangers for a kiss. <div><br /></div><div>I have to be in a certain place mentally and emotionally for the job, and I can almost always tell ahead of time whether or not my approach will be successful because it more often than not has to do with me than others. To get strangers to kiss, you really have to be a salesman, selling something to strangers that they think they neither want nor need, yet you have to show them that in fact it <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">is</span> something they want and need. They want to connect and they need the world to come together, lest we destroy each other in senseless warfare or factioning. </div><div><br /></div><div>If any small part of me doubts my own admittedly far-reaching arguments or questions my own faith in the project, the stranger I’ve approached will see straight through me and walk away, understandably convinced that they have better things to do with their time. If I approach with conviction and joy, on the other hand, I’ve found very few people are willing or able to say no. Call it politeness or a fear of disturbing the peace but whatever it is, joy and conviction can dissolve the walls and gets the job done.<br /><br />When I’m on a roll though, getting two strangers to kiss is still often an awkward process. I usually wander heavily traversed streets looking for faces, well aware of the fact that in reality, I'll take whatever I can get. A person that looks lost or someone who is waiting for something (a bus or cab) is usually the first one I try and talk to. I introduce myself, give them a one-sentence explanation of the project and ask if they would mind taking part in it. I skip over the hesitation of their obliging answer, thank them and immediately search for a counterpart. With one subject found, the second becomes much easier. There really is power in numbers.<br /><br />I’ll approach absolutely anyone who crosses the path of my first subject to see if they’ll join in as the second at this point, and most times the passerby will happily, or at least willingly oblige. Then it’s just a matter of taking the picture. I usually shoot three pictures without insisting on a kiss so people can get a bit more comfortable with each other. Almost no one will kiss in frame one. By the fourth frame, though, I reiterate what the project is all about and won’t fire until I see some kissing action. Once the capture is made, I thank them, ask them to sign releases, and learn a bit about their background before they go on their way.<br /><br />I would love to start taking more time with people to interview properly but this 10-15 minute dance usually takes place on my way to work in the morning and sadly, I am often as rushed as my subjects are to get where I'm going. I’d like this to change for the weekend. This weekend, I would like to slow this whole process down and get more information about each individual because the true pleasure of this project is living its mission statement day in and day out. The pleasure comes from getting to know a little bit about each person, getting to know all the things you share and ways you differ, folding their story into someone elses and folding that story into my own. That is what it’s all about. That is what keeps me going when I’m teetering between stress and a meltdown on a snowy day in New York City- the fact that I can walk away from a stranger and sincerely say, “It was a pleasure meeting you.”<br /><br />x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Because we're all family</span></div></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-20087353105285668022009-01-31T15:34:00.000-08:002009-01-31T21:43:04.555-08:00Catherine and Anne<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3242630515/" title="Catherine and Anne by alexisstember, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3402/3242630515_acc208f97a.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Catherine and Anne" /></a><br /><table width="563"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Name</span></span></span></td><td>Catherine</td><td>Anne</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion<br /></span></span></span></td><td>N/A<br /></td><td>Don't Think So<br /></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Occupation</span></span></span></td><td>Waiter/Musician</td><td>Production Assistant</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political<br />Affiliation</span></span></span></td><td>Liberal</td><td>Liberal 'til Death</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Marital<br />Status</span></span></span></td><td>In Love</td><td>Probably</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because we're all family</span></span><br /></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-73363778196744028852009-01-30T23:19:00.000-08:002009-02-01T10:35:51.847-08:00Various Artists - A Party of Special Things To Do<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:13px;">UPDATED: Become a "fan" of the project on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kissing-Strange/52722630635">Facebook</a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ps. you Divinity School kids know how to throw down.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:48px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">It was an incredibly productive night for Kissing Strange. As was pointed out in the comments, Alexis and I seem to be playing to our comfort zone at this moment. This seems true to a certain extent as most of the people kissing, especially in this set, are the same age. Physical attributes like Age, Beauty and Ethnicity are the "instant gratification" aspects of meeting a stranger, beyond that it's anybody's guess. On the surface it may appear that we are making the obvious connections, if you look behind the curtain there is something altogether different.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I did an interview with Matt Brandau (married) who refused to be photographed.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">J</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">: Why won't you kiss somebody? It doesn't have to be on the lips. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Matt</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">: It is simply not okay. Cheating is defined by the significant other and until you get the okay...don't do it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">J</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">: Even blowing a kiss to someone in a photo?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Matt</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">: Well, what does that mean to an outside observer? Blowing a kiss to me is like love. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">J: But not all kisses mean love. I see what you are saying though, it is going to depend on the person. What does a kiss mean to you?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Matt</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">: A kiss is a symbol of love and affection. It is something personal and sensitive - and it can be passionate- but it should be reserved for the person you are "with."</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">J</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">: How about the person you are with, tell me about your first kiss with her or your first kiss ever.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Matt</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">: You are going to love this. I was 12, playing spin the bottle and [laughs] she totally dissed me. I was a 12 year old boy and she was a 12 year old girl which means we were like 10 years apart. The bottle landed on us and I leaned in for a peck and then there was more than just a peck. She said to me "Damn you don't know how to kiss...I gotta teach you." 18 years later and we are married.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Matt and his band <a href="http://www.theoldceremony.com/">The Old Ceremony</a> are playing <a href="http://www.catscradle.com/">Cat's Cradle</a> on Valentine's Day.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">You can see the big versions on </span></span></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/-drj/sets/72157612992652433/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My Flickr</span></span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></span><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Valeria and Dan</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3533/3240043411_01ab3df803.jpg" /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Dan: I got sprayed with beer and then I got to kiss a pretty girl. Not a bad night. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Warren and Aleksandra</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/3240047425_ab347d9628.jpg" /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Warren: I'm gay, but you are beautiful. I will definitely kiss you. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Nicole and Julie</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/3240885774_324108c764.jpg" /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">J [to Julie]: I know you asked me to find a boy...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Jeanie and Bobby (<a href="http://djbobbyhadzor.blogspot.com/" target="_new">blogspot</a>)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3422/3240895388_b7d3443534.jpg" />.</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Jeanie: I'm engaged, but you have been making me dance.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ashley and Julian</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/3240916384_8e72b33c3b.jpg" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Julian: Let me see the [first] photo. No no no. We have to do that again. </span></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Amy and Nathan</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3240101101_597dcb4789.jpg" /> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">J [to Amy]: ...It doesn't have to be on the lips, it could be an air kiss, kiss on the forehead, eskimo kiss...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Friends: ESKIMO KISS!!! [Amy is from Alaska]</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Amy: Okay. Eskimo kiss.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">*Party Erupts*</span></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:13px;">Send us your thoughts. <a href="mailto:kissingstrange@gmail.com">kissingstrange@gmail.com</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">x</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-j</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">kissingstrange.blogspot.com</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">www.kissingstrange.com</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because we're all family</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-80888236881454360242009-01-30T09:02:00.000-08:002009-01-31T09:20:09.369-08:00Stefan And Stephanie<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I love the names. </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3239413264_198fa4c9dc.jpg" /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I had an opportunity to interview Stefan about a few things. He was really enthusiastic about the project and mentioned his brother lives up in NY so, if all goes to plan, we can get Stefan's brother in the book too. Small world.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></span><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">J</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">: Tell me about your first kiss.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></b><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Stefan</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> I was 17 and a freshman in college at Swarthmore. I had just come from a non-competitive hockey game where I was manager. I came back to campus with a beautiful Bulgarian sophomore from the team and she and I kissed on the whispering bench.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></b><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">J</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">: I love those. The acoustics let you talk to each other from across the room with only a whisper. Now the big philosophical question...What is kiss? Why do you think the kiss is part of our culture and social evolution?</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></b><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Stefan</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">: I guess in a way it is all about closeness and comfort. The mouth is intended for clean things and so to be close to someone your mouth becomes an indication of how you </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">are</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> with a person you are kissing. In a way the kiss is a manifestation of your inside or outside self, in the philosophical sense, the more you are comfortable and close with someone the more you let them inside and the mouth is a conduit for that. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">x<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-j<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">www.kissingstrange.com<br /></span></div></span><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because we're all family</span></span><br /></div></b>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-71209682735729891452009-01-30T07:23:00.001-08:002009-01-30T20:58:59.226-08:00Amy and Donald<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3238380175/" title="Amy and Donald by alexisstember, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3497/3238380175_88b7d9b787.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Amy and Donald" /></a><div/><br /><table width="563"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Name</span></span></span></td><td>Amy</td><td>Donald</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Religion<br />Country of<br />Origin</span></span></span></td><td>Dreamer<br />USA</td><td>Jewish<br />Los Angeles</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Occupation</span></span></span></td><td>Actor/Dancer</td><td>Kids Dentist</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political<br />Affiliation</span></span></span></td><td>None Listed</td><td>Conservative</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Marital<br />Status</span></span></span></td><td>Single</td><td>Married 45 Years</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because we're all family</span></span><br /></div></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-53525087107926843042009-01-29T07:26:00.000-08:002009-01-30T08:47:17.803-08:00Gloria and Mohamed<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexisstember/3239034914/" title="Gloria and Mohamed by alexisstember, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/3239034914_a91f1dde0c.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Gloria and Mohamed" /></a><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">At 8:46am, in the frigid cold of the morning, Gloria and Mohamed came together under the scaffolding at Prince and Mercer streets in NYC to bridge worlds.</span></span></span></p><div align="left"><table width="563"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Name</span></span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Gloria</span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mohamed</span></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Country<br />of Origin<br />Religion</span></span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Peru<br /><br />Muslim</span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Nigeria<br /><br />Catholic</span></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Occupation</span></span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">House Cleaner</span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Security Guard</span></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Political<br />Affiliation</span></span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">"I clean the houses and babysit<br />sometimes, too."</span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Democrat</span></span></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td height="13"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Marital<br />Status</span></span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Laughs: "I am still looking."</span></span></td> <td><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After an uncertain pause: "Single."</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because we're all family</span></span><br /></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-53828549091436027822009-01-28T15:46:00.001-08:002009-01-28T16:44:25.435-08:00I Feel The Rain And It's Telling Me To Go Far<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A rainy and dismal day in Durham, i hoped for snow that never came.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I was really tired this morning after staying up all last night waiting for an email from a Vogue Hommes Japan about printing my recent </span></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/-drj/sets/72157612878012926/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Animal Collective</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> photos in their upcoming issue. I started my morning with my radio show (</span></span><a href="http://www.wxdu.org/plmanager/world/printplaylist.php?show_id=10512"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Meow Mix</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">) on </span></span><a href="http://www.wxdu.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">WXDU</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and did a photo shoot with Tiffany directly after.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Maybe it was the fatigue or the fact that I had a camera on me, but I began seeing everyone as a possible subject. So I stopped at whole foods and started "shopping". Eventually I was successful, but I had to ask a few people first.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A young woman who seemed genuinely interested in the project until I mentioned the kissing and she claimed "to have a headache". A mother of two adorable children seemed perplexed at first and then refused because she said she was not photogenic (untrue and I tried to convince her otherwise). A middle aged man who wished me luck but refused on account of his "very jealous wife". I explained that the kiss did not have to involve physical contact, but he still refused. I sent a text to alexis that read "it is much easier to convince people in a bar to kiss".<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yet, I think rejection is something Alexis and I need to get more accustomed to because we are asking people to let their guard down. In a way I wish I could capture the moment on people's faces when I say "but in our photos, the two subjects are kissing". Maybe we lack credibility at this moment because we don't yet have our </span></span><a href="http://kissingstrange.blogspot.com/2009/01/mini-moo.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mini Moo's</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> or we are unpracticed on delivering what the essence of our project is. Both will come with time.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I eventually ran into Gillian (No Profession Listed) and Walter (Physician's Assistant). Gillian made it clear </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">i will not put my lips on a stranger</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The two of them blew an awkward and yet endearing kiss to one anther in the produce department.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/3235489114_2c55a27cd8.jpg" /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/-drj/3235489114/in/pool-972672@N24"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">view flickr</span></span></a><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/-drj/3235489114/in/pool-972672@N24"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I know both were rushing to finish their shopping and didn't have time to stop and do an interview, so to Gillian, Walter and everyone else who might be reading this blog, write to us at </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="mailto:kissingstrange@gmail.com">kissingstrange@gmail.com</a>. We would love to hear your thoughts on why the kiss is so important or what your favorite kiss has been or the story of your first kiss.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">x</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-j<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /></span></span></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because we're all family</span></span><br /></div></b>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-1552774518549595972009-01-28T04:59:00.000-08:002009-01-28T15:03:39.460-08:00Snow Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfXR7xv1fFQtoGwLsJ1jAMsbKb5ZxeBQanM0HPQiLCpozqrX742OqojcDpncu6RYpbxBmO3C0eHWnWR1eab18Sg36nFUqhQnognw6jTA-vlHS4gCb1bSwAD2uDAXOyS_2_eWmXyu7g_j_/s1600-h/emie_splash.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfXR7xv1fFQtoGwLsJ1jAMsbKb5ZxeBQanM0HPQiLCpozqrX742OqojcDpncu6RYpbxBmO3C0eHWnWR1eab18Sg36nFUqhQnognw6jTA-vlHS4gCb1bSwAD2uDAXOyS_2_eWmXyu7g_j_/s320/emie_splash.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296338164240002562" /></a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Photo by Cig Harvey</span></div><div>It is Wednesday, 7:59am, and I am sitting at my desk in my apartment, thankful for the moment I have here before the day hoists itself upon me with the weight of wet clothes. There is a beautiful snow falling in New York City. It's amazing how snow seems so instinctively to represent childhood for so many people. Perhaps it's because it is simple and light. Perhaps it's because, if only for a moment, it forces even the most hurried of people and cities to slow down. It is nice to slow down. <div><br /></div><div>Like snow, <a href="http://www.cigharvey.com/">Cig Harvey</a>'s photography forces one to slow down. It is delicately arresting in its childlike imagery. While a very proficient commercial photographer for clients like Kate Spade, it is Harvey's personal work that really captivates me. In it she features the softer side of life with her colors and compositions. I like nostalgic looking pictures and nostalgic ways of life and Cig emulates both, as shown in her work (<a href="http://www.cigharvey.com/pages/portfolio8.html">An Archeology of Distraction</a>) and her home (her new series <a href="http://www.cigharvey.com/pages/portfolio10.html">350 Main Street</a> is shot in around her Maine farmhouse). </div><div><br /></div><div>While I definitely gravitate toward the nostalgic- Eggleston, Strand, etc.- what I love about Kissing Strange is that it has no temporal limitations. It is boundaryless. This is another wonderful aspect of collaboration: you are guaranteed to get a taste of many flavors, times, ideas, styles. I am very excited by Jay's photo of <a href="http://kissingstrange.blogspot.com/2009/01/lisa-and-adam.html">Lisa and Adam</a>, for example. It is a flavor I would not have discovered on my own and something about it, this student and this Army man, really touches me. While I am deeply mired in some very stressful, very frenetic pre-pre-production at work, I hope to create a touching moment of my own out in the world today, bringing two strangers together in a kiss, somewhere in the snow.</div><div><br /></div></div>x.<div>a</div><div><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Because we're all family</span><br /></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-73751866625035518532009-01-27T13:00:00.000-08:002009-01-27T13:26:58.608-08:00Winter's Embrace<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Alexis and I have been receiving an outpouring of support for this project in recent days. I am really humbled by all the kind words. I hope that any of you that find this project inspiring/crazy/wonderful that you will check back to our blog/flickr page frequently and will pass on the website address to a friend or, even better, volunteer to be part of the photodocumentary project. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"This is a brilliant, beautiful idea. And what a perfect moment in history for a project like this. Many congrats on this!" -Richard L.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Since some of you may never get a chance to meet Alexis or I in person, I think it would be a great idea to utilize this blog as a means to capture </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> thoughts and feelings about the kiss. Every so often we will post a new (open-ended) question, like the one below, and we would love to hear from you, just drop us a line at </span></span><a href="mailto:kissingstrange@gmail.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kissingstrange@gmail.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> (please sign off with your FULL First name and First Initial of your Last Name).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Tell us about your most memorable kiss.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">x</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">-j</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';">kissingstrange.blogspot.com</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Because we're all family.</span></span></span></div>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-49747155424088495582009-01-26T20:28:00.000-08:002009-01-27T09:44:26.870-08:00Lisa and Adam<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';">This is my first photographic contribution to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Kissing Strange</span> and it is, without a doubt, perfect. A milestone for the project. The first image of many. If the enthusiasm I felt from the first group of subjects is any indication, this project will be a huge success. I am sure there will be down moments, but right now I am soaring.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lisa (Student) and Adam (Army)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/3229991389_2af56e8ab4_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295835475426373810" style="cursor: pointer; width: 600px" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/972672@N24/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">view flickr</span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I talked to some of Adam's friends who were incredibly supportive and interested in the project and I asked them the "big" open-ended question....What does a kiss mean to you?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In one way or another it is a connection. Be it friends or foes...I've kissed enemies, but ultimately it is about connecting. -</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Andria L. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Short interview 01-26-09/</span><a href="http://www.bullmccabesirishpub.com/" target="_new"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Bull McCabe's Irish Pub</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (Durham, NC)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">JC</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tell me about your first kiss.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lisa P. [Beaming] I was 18 and in the UK in a town near Cambridge at the School of English. There was this guy from Barcelona - [Lisa herself is from Spain] - in the class and we started flirting and on one night, with a full moon and stars everywhere in a garden by the manor house we started kissing slow at first and then more and more and more and more and it was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">great</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. I am still friends with him.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">JC: How about you, Adam, when was your first kiss and what was it like?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Adam M. [Red in the face and being teased by his friends a little]. I was twelve, no, 13, and her name was...what was her name?...Leah! We were hanging out at church and we snuck off to the back room and made out for a while. It was sweet. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I am hoping that once Alexis and I hit our stride with this projects and the venue is suitable, we can get more extensive interviews, but even short ones seem to tell the tale -- an intensely private and important moment in their lives, one they have not probably thought about in years. In some respects I did not need their answers, their fidgeting and almost electrified body language was more than enough.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:lucida=;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">To reiterate what Alexis wrote in </span><a href="http://kissingstrange.blogspot.com/2009/01/mini-moo.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">her last blog post</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">To all of you, I am moved and extremely grateful. Keep spreading the word and if you or anyone you know would like to participate by being on camera, please reach out. J and I are on the boundary-breaking hotline. We can be found by clicking our pictures below the About This Project box to the right, or you can just email us at kissingstrange@gmail.com.</span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">x</span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-j</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">kissingstrange.blogspot.com</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because we're all family</span></span></span></div>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-90567258224230912932009-01-26T18:58:00.000-08:002009-01-26T21:25:13.880-08:00Here, Have a Mini-Moo!There are many things that move me in life- the Four Seasons by Vivaldi, dark skies before a Midwestern storm, water lapping against the hull of a boat anchored in a lagoon- but nothing moves as much as one human being moving another. To that end, thank you Ari Folman for <a href="http://waltzwithbashir.com/">Waltz with Bashir</a>. <div><br />I haven’t spent much of my time pondering this point but it is an observation that has crystallized for me in the making of this project, evidenced by my reaction to the comments and feedback J and I have received since announcing Kissing Strange. People I know from my hometown in Iowa; people I don’t know from towns I've never heard of in Croatia; people who have been lurking in the woodwork of my past here in New York; they have all crawled to the fore to express support and appreciation for the objectives of this work. To all of you, I am moved and extremely grateful. Keep spreading the word and if you or anyone you know would like to participate by being on camera, please reach out. J and I are on the boundary-breaking hotline. We can be found by clicking our pictures below the About This Project box to the right, or you can just email us at kissingstrange@gmail.com.</div><div><br />So the status update for today is as follows: I realized that the next month of my life is going to be absolutely hectic. I’ve been given an inordinately minimal amount of time to produce 2-5 television commercials shooting in Los Angeles in the coming weeks. While under normal circumstances this might frustrate me, it presently excites me to no end. Think of all the kissing strangers I will encounter! And think of all the good weather! I'll have every crew member kissing every extra and/or passing gawker I can find, believe you me. <br /><br />In an effort not to come off as a perverse voyeur who just walks around setting people up for awkward shots, J and I have, quite wisely I think, decided to invest in some business cards- mini-moos, as explained later- to give the strangers we approach a taste of what this project is all about. I like to think of them as Mentos- refreshing, minty ice breakers. "Here, have a mini-moo!" </div><div><br /></div><div>We hope these cards will buy us some legitimacy when we pounce on people from the backs of public park benches and such. The beauty of the internet is that one minute you can say, "Hey, I want some business cards with a picture on it to disarm those I pounce on in public parks!" and the next minute, you can have it. It is for this same reason that I can say with certainty that regardless of whether a publisher backs Kissing Strange as a book, it will absolutely one day be a book. Self-publishing is just that easy now a days. All we can hope is that you will buy said book, but more on that later.... Back to the cards.<div><br /><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuImNo1VGte1_y63_9Nvqeltkxhucz7vcX8_XK4VmRIsZDjIK601otbAZu-IU9XxWFugC_o1UKRovem8BMFBt63R1ZnsBY0cwtmhb9TdrV6dvtvOLBeLLNR3I16V2He1YcxoM5T5esXpc/s320/front.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295812718536944194" /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWU53KHueglm7eED7SVNmJ0TF7k-boS-aYTW9K7ioVXEG3TnI-RAMh4gTG-Yu3yIZyz5DpHVgBG_sfxfUZfy47CllRtkFYLD0C5rpyjh7QhNj7gMiJbpMegELUi31MX_SjLjAMOJ7IbjUe/s320/back.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295812807100338978" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After a test printing I did some time ago with moo.com, J and I went ahead and ordered a few, or a hundred, <a href="http://www.moo.com/products/minicards.php">mini-moo cards</a> from them. (In the name of full disclosure, I'll add that J and I in NO WAY receive ANY KIND of ANYTHING from moo.com, outside of the cards we actually order, and pay for. When they start paying us, we’ll know we’ve made it and we'll be absolutely sure to rub it in your faces.) Above is the design of the first printing of cards I ordered. It's pretty much what you see on the site. More exciting will be J's printing, which will feature one of his fine photographs, a photograph that, if we're lucky and if the little text message fairy is right, may also be revealed on the site later tonight. </div><div>Stay tuned!<br /><br /><br />x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Because we're all family</span></div></div></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-85177510266705341632009-01-25T21:35:00.000-08:002009-01-26T20:25:42.093-08:00Taking ShapeIt’s been an exciting few days as J and I have begun fleshing out this project. It’s a rare and wonderful thing to find someone with whom collaboration is so effortless and whose every artistic idea resonates so fully with your own. I have had that good fortune with J. When we start bouncing ideas off each other, the energy is engrossing, inspiring and infectious, which explains why I am up writing at midnight when I was supposed to be sleeping an hour ago. Two of the many concepts circulating in our conversations of late are those of subject identification and both written and recorded documentation. By subject identification, we draw our inspiration from <a href="http://www.leviward.com/wp/?p=87">Levi Ward’s "At Work" series</a>.<br /><br />I came across Ward’s site because he was lovely enough to <a href="http://www.leviward.com/wp/?p=332">credit me when using one of my photographs on his blog</a>. As I wandered through the content of his other posting, including his At Work series, my eye was caught by the captions that went with his photographs, each telling of his subjects’ various professions. It was a small but captivating detail, one that both J and I felt would greatly further the aims of our own project.<br /><br />Kissing Strange is about dissolving borders and boundaries through the act of strangers kissing. By definition, the stranger you kiss is someone you know nothing about: their background, persuasion and social standing are all a mystery to you. How wonderful then for both viewer and subject to discover that a Christian had just kissed a Muslim, a rich man kissed a poor man, a Democrat kissed a liberal, a heterosexual kissed a homosexual, etc.? How wonderful to see each person momentarily step out of the box that defines them? While these interactions will never be forced or manipulated, I suspect we brush up against those who, on paper, we believe we have nothing in common with far more often than not, which goes to show that sometimes our humanity is all we need to have in common to co-exist. Sometimes humanity is enough.<br /><br />At its heart, this is a documentary project, "a means," as J put it, "to understand the kiss as one of the most important features of human behavior." As much as I hope our photographs will accurately illuminate each individual story and interaction, it would be a shame in a time of such technological accessibility to rob our subjects of their own voices. With that in mind, we will also do our best to collect as much oral documentation by way of interviews and actualities as possible to accompany these photographs and help better tell their stories.<br /><br />With all that said, it is officially way past my bedtime.<br />Merry blogging to all, and to all a goodnight.<br /><br />x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Because we're all family</span>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-32502952476078053122009-01-24T06:41:00.000-08:002009-01-26T20:25:51.386-08:00Frame Of Reference: How Kissing Strange Came To Be (J's Account)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">As it was a few days ago in the city with Alexis - and as it is now - caffeine is taking away the dull sting in my head after a long night. It is those moments of clarity between unconsciousness and waking, sobriety and sloppiness, where this project was born. I have known Alexis for years and this co-authored project is a long time coming.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Kissing Strange, not even in its infancy, started as a drunken text message exchange on NYE, one where we promised to inspire one another more in 2009 and, weeks later, as the haze of an amazing night was lifted, we suddenly realized that this was the project that we were meant to do. Our disparate geographical locations - she in liberal New York, me in quasi-conservative North Carolina - is perhaps the most interesting and challenging aspects of this project. While the backdrops of our photos may be instantly recognizable, my expectation is that the subjects will be universal, from complete willingness to do something for art's sake to curiosity paired with awkward reluctance, and all things in between. The fact that we are different sexes will also likely impact the project; will people be more willing to pose for Alexis because she is female or because she is in Manhattan? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Our educational backgrounds are also key to this project with Alexis leaning heavily to the artistic endeavors and me having been a scientist most of my life. My scientific training is in understanding animal behavior, and so I am partially viewing this project as a means to understand the kiss as one of most important features of human behavior. We know how connected we feel when we kiss someone, when a child falls we kiss it better, when our lover leaves we kiss them goodbye, when two people are married they kiss; there are countless examples of how the kiss connects us when there is already a level of familiarity. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">We are stripping that familiarity away and taking a reductionist approach to the human condition: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">can a kiss connect two strangers?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic;font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'lucida grande';">x</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">-j</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">http://kissingstrange.blogspot.com</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Because we're all family</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>J Caldwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12422974513829024041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826280698164970430.post-81293319728198679492009-01-23T18:46:00.000-08:002009-01-26T20:25:58.425-08:00Kissing Strange: How It Came To Be (Alexis's Account)Yesterday morning, my friend J and I met for breakfast. J, a scientist who studies the molecular genetics of mechanosensation signaling in North Carolina, was up visiting New York City, where I work as a producer at an advertising agency. We met at <a href="http://www.lepainquotidien.com/">Le Pain Quotidien,</a> a restaurant with communal tables where we could sit nursing coffees in the too early morning and talk about one of our many shared passions: photography. <div><br /></div><div>Both new to the craft, we spoke about our favorite artists, websites and equipment and somewhere along the way, J mentioned a series of photos he'd seen on <a href="http://www.coolhunting.com/">Cool Hunting</a> by a photographer named <a href="http://www.renaldi.com/">Richard Renaldi</a>. The series was called <a href="http://www.renaldi.com/photographs/tstrangers1.html">Touching Strangers.</a> The concept? Get two strangers to pose together for a photograph. Simple enough, but add to that the instruction that the strangers must to touch and the equation becomes quite a bit more challenging, yet somehow Renaldi managed, in each of the resulting pictures, to capture an ease and familiarity in the posture and relationship of all his subjects. <div><br /></div><div>To touch is to be vulnerable and vulnerability is not always a welcome quality in American society. As an American, I'm plagued by this resistance to be vulnerable, to touch or be touched, but I am equally if not more plagued by the why behind this resistance. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why it is difficult to touch, to cross this invisible boundary of space? And what if, instead of being asked to touch, strangers were asked to kiss? Would the strangers assume that they must kiss on the lips? Would they kiss cheek to cheek? Or blow a kiss across a room? The mention of a kiss often conjures elements of sexuality, but why? We kiss our parents and children all the time - why should it be awkward for strangers do the same? Are we not all from the same human family, after all?<br /><br />The Dalai Lama once said, "Compassion can be put into practice if one recognizes the fact that every human being is a member of humanity and the human family regardless of differences in religion, culture, color and creed." What if the answer to war, greed and destruction is as simple as a kiss; a kiss of agape or philia; a kiss that recognizes that we are all in this thing called life, on this thing called earth, together?<br /><br />These are the thoughts behind Kissing Strange.<br />Now let's get kissing.<br /><br /></div>x.<br />a<br /><br />kissingstrange.blogspot.com<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Because we're all family</span><br /><div><br /></div></div>Alexis Stemberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13022977778802181444noreply@blogger.com0