Lazy Blogging 101

In reading over some correspondence that I have exchanged with a friend, I came across this and thought it might be a good time to recycle it on my blog. I hope that friend will forgive the repeat here. You know who you are.

Since Halloween will arrive soon, and it happens to be one of my most favorite times of the year, I thought I'd reminisce a bit.

Out of the four children in my immediate family, I was probably the most shy as a child. While I loved playing with friends and especially my favorite cousins, being alone in my room with a book didn't bother me in the least. My parents also soon discovered that I enjoyed watching horror movies, alone, late at night. My two older sisters probably thought I was just a weird little kid who was trying to get on their nerves. Sometimes, I was. Mostly though, I just wanted to see a cool old movie.

Halloween was the best time of year for watching horror movies. The three major networks, which were the only channels other than public television that we could pick up, always ran a "Spooktacular" marathon. All of the classic horror movies were featured at that time, one right after another. The Mummy, The Werewolf, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, and of course, anything else the networks could dust off and foist off on their viewers. If Vincent Price, Lon Chaney, or Boris Karloff were in it, I was determined to watch it.

Of course, getting permission to stay up alone and watch a horror movie was not always easy. I had to assure my mother that I would not get scared. Well, of course I would get a little scared, but not so scared that I would ever admit it to anyone. I also had to promise to not make noise and disturb everyone. My dad was the one who usually capitulated first, and then later, would try to scare me by crawling on his hands and knees and then suddenly grabbing my ankle or shouting. He never could surprise me, which I think actually surprised him.

Later in bed, after watching something that didn't really scare me, my imagination would run wild and I would end up scaring myself worse than any movie possibly could. As I lay in bed, I would begin to think about which movie 'monster' I personally considered the scariest and also, which one I would rather have chase me.

Dracula was always at the top of my list of monsters that I felt I could 'reason' with and possibly escape. If I found I couldn't escape and was attacked, I told myself I would be a 'good' vampire. After all, the guy wore a cool cape, and he could change into a wolf, a bat, and a vapor, right? Plus, there was the whole mind-control trick he had. All that would be mine if I were a vampire...a 'good' vampire, that is.

Next, I pondered The Werewolf. What a tortured soul he was. I figured that I really didn't want him to chase me because chances were, he'd just completely tear me to pieces and who wants to go like that? Besides, while changing into a fanged and clawed monster could come in handy some day, it had to be a bit inconvenient at times. My childhood fear of dogs probably figured into this as well. I hoped that should The Werewolf ever actually be after me, I could outsmart him. He was just an animal anyway. Maybe I could get him to chase a stick and then I could run the other way or something. Or I could give him some dog biscuits laced with 'knock-out' medicine. Also, I could use the option of just hiding somewhere safe, like a house, until he changed back.

Frankenstein's monster was a weird combination of pitiful creature and scary monster. I hoped that by being nice to him, maybe he wouldn't hurt me, but then figured I would just have to be fast and run away because he might accidentally hurt me.

The Creature from The Black Lagoon was really not part of my musings. I didn't think there was a chance that he could actually come after me, considering how far way the nearest large lake was from my house.

Ah, The Mummy. This was the one that probably scared me the most. The one who was single-minded in pursuit, and the one who did not appear to ever give up, even if he had to come back the next night. Yes, this monster was the monster I least wanted to come after me. I didn't feel like I could reason my way out of danger, nor did I feel I could just hide until it went away.

So lying in bed, with all of these things running throuh my mind, I would begin to sweat and need to push the covers off. Well, not knowing what exactly might be out in my room or further, in the rest of the house, I couldn't just throw my only protection off, right. No, I had to pull the covers up over my head and then turn on my side and make a small opening near my face so that I could breathe in the blessed cool air in shuddering gulps.

I have never told my dad this but if only he had waited for a few minutes after I had gone to bed to attempt to scare me, he would have had a glorious victory.

Today, I still enjoy watching horror movies. Slasher movies are not really what I enjoy as they are too obvious. The ones I like the best have an element of psychological horror built in, and allow the viewers' imaginations to provide a little of the terror. Something that goes bump in the night, a creaky old house, a mysterious loner, an element of the impossible, all are part and parcel of a good movie for me.

One of my daughters, the oldest, seems to be following in my footsteps and enjoys watching scary movies. Alas, I fear she has jaded herself far too soon by trying to jump into viewing the type of movies that only came along after I had learned to enjoy a somewhat campy classic movie. My youngest, however, is a gentle soul and quickly draws the line as to what she is willing to watch. Hayley can chant, "Tailey-bone, tailey-bone...who's got my tailey-bone!" and Troi will put her hands over her ears and yell, "Mo-oo-m!" One morning, I teased Troi a little and said, "Controlly pad, controlly pad, who's got the controlly pad?" She giggled.

That reminds me of another memory: The Red Skelton Show. At first I liked him because I thought his name was "Skeleton". But then, I grew to enjoy him as the fine comedian and actor that he actually was. "The Fuller Brush Man" was truly a hilarious movie. One time, he was telling a ghost story on his show (or on a special), but I had already been banished to bed even under my protests. When I heard him begin to tell the story of The Golden Arm, I cree-eeped down the hall on my hands and knees and crouched outside the den to listen. He told the tale well and as a result, I had a nightmare later that night. But, I did get to hear the story. I believe my parents knew I was there listening, but for some reason, they acted as though they didn't know.

There are so many fun memories around Halloween for me. It's just an all around fun time for kids and adults like myself. Too bad some people have to try and ruin it by carping on what a demonic or satanic holiday it is. Funny how we went to church every time the doors were opened and yet no one ever told us way back then that Halloween was "of the Devil" and should be avoided. Heck, we even trick or treated at the preacher's house.

That's today's tale. If you kids are good, maybe I'll recycle the Story of the Exploding Egg, or perhaps The Day That Peach Waxed the Bathroom Floor with Vaseline.

Okay - It's Either Me, or This Chair!

And I mean it. This chair is the wrong height, it hurts my fanny, and it isn't even an office chair fer cryin' out loud! First my wrists hurt. Then it was my hip. Now it's my shoulder. Enough already! It's time to make a change for the better.

That's about it for this entry. I suppose I could mention that we had broiled flounder, sesame-ginger seasoned whole green beans, brown rice with mushrooms and onions, and iced mint tea for dinner tonight. Tasty.

Hey, maybe I'll get to go see a movie on my birthday (October 15)! There are at least four that I am interested in: The Forgotten, Cellular, The Bourne Supremacy, and Team America.

I wonder if the goat that lives at the Pakistani house down the street will be joining them for Ramadan-din-din later in the week? "I see a baa-aaaad moon a risin'..."

I think I'll end on that note.

Coffee Talking

This is a school-free day for me today so what am I doing? I'm sitting here in front of my computer and enjoying a big ol' cup of coffee. Real cream here people.

The class I'm taking started on the 8th of September and will end on or around December 14. Prior to my new schedule, it was my habit to check my favorite websites first thing in the morning (before taking the young geniuses to school) and then I would periodically check in all through the day while I did this, that, or the other thing. This allowed me plenty of access to breaking news and usually I was pretty much on top of things. These days, when I get in my vehicle for the drive home after class, I feel as though I've been on some deserted island and I'm desparate to hear the news.

When I discovered late in the day yesterday that there had been a bombing at a resort in Egypt where many Israelis were vacationing, I was pretty agitated that I had not been aware of it before. Here again we see a deep, visceral need for violence and murder being demonstrated and perpetrated by islamists against who else? Israelis, of course. Oh and any others who just happen to be in the vicinity when the damned murdering cretins set off their bombs and killed innocent people just for being who they were.

And what is with the Egyptian authorities preventing ambulances from approaching the scene? Where they just so disorganized and unprepared for emergency situations that they got total brain block or something? Hey, move those opposeable thumbs (if you have any!), work the walkies with your supervisors and get those emergency vehicles in there on the double, you morons.

My prayers and condolences go out to those who lost friends and family members and to those who were injured in the blasts.

Those who continue to maim and kill innocent people because of years of ignorant hatred, they are more doomed than they will ever realize. Every time they dance in the street because more innocents have died, they slide even further backwards into the primitive mud. Every time one of them straps on a bomb belt and blows up a bus, or a cafe, or a hotel filled with people, they kick the people behind them right back down. Religion of Peace? Take a closer look. They have truly made their religion a stinking, bloody death cult and they are never going to drag themselves out of that muck and into modernity because they can't change the way they think.

In case Emunah stops by, Hello! and I apologize for the misspelling over at Minus's place. I don't know how I managed to get Eumanah out of Emunah.

The EZboard forum that was started up a couple of weeks or so ago has been discontinued by its owner/administrator. The place wasn't moving as quickly as originally hoped. I am still hopeful that at some time in the future, there'll be another forum so that the "gang" can congregate and discuss things. I do appreciate all of the time and hard work that the owner put into the place and I'm sorry it didn't work out. Until such time as another likely forum is found, the Yahoo group will be the fallback option.

Good coffee just doesn't last long, you know? This would be a good day to catch up on things that have fallen by the wayside around here except.....what I really want to do is go to the Library or the bookstore and load up on some science fiction/fantasy/horror books. I want to get sucked into a story. What to do...what to do.

Maybe just one more cup of coffee.

If You Were My Keys

Just where would you be hiding now? When I got home from class, I unlocked the door, walked straight through, right into the bedroom (I thought) and put everything down in one place. Now I can't find my keys. It isn't a catastrophe, but it is darned inconvenient and a puzzle that I long to solve. Come out, come out, wherever you are.

The weather is turning cooler now and feels more like Fall weather should feel. I just love this time of year. I love the way the leaves change colors. There is a beautiful dogwood tree on one particular road that we travel frequently. That tree is shaped just perfectly and every Fall and Spring I look forward to enjoying the colors of the leaves and the blossoms. Just last week though, I saw where the power company had butchered that tree by topping it. I almost cried. There was no way it could have interfered with the power lines but someone obviously thought it would and gave the go ahead to ugly it up. The lines of the tree are no longer perfect but I can still enjoy the deepening red of the leaves.

I particularly like to see leaves falling and blowing everywhere. Don't ask me to explain, because I can't. Just take my word for it. We've got a ways to go before Thanksgiving but trust me, I will be disappointed if there are no leaves blowing around at Thanksgiving. There must be leaves falling and blowing across the road at that time of year because...well, because that's the way it was when I was a kid and that's what I expect.

The smells and scents in the air change in the Fall too. Apples, woodsmoke, dry leaves, the last time the yard is mowed for the season, and more, all just seem to thrill me. The scents aren't usually sharp like Spring, but somehow are muted and deep...all at the same time.

It's still just a bit warm for this but I can't resist. I think I'll go get some apple cider. It should taste really good with a cinnamon stick.

Maybe I'll find my keys too.