Thursday, January 30, 2014

Of the Vintage Fashion Expo~~~~

Hello My Darklings,

Dear Lucretia and all, the information I have of the Vintage Fashion Expo is this---here in the San Francisco area it will be held on March 22 and 23 Sat. & Sun.

Now there are two priceings and two different open hours:

On Saturday---
Early Buy hours 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  admission is $25.00

General admission and hours same day  10:30 to 6 admission is $12

Sunday General admission is the same but hours are 11 to 5

Location is the Concours located at 635 8th Street, Corner of Brennan  in San Francisco

There is parking all around the area if you are driving, parking is not cheap, espeically in San Francisco and don't forget the bridge toll.

If you go to their web site www.vintageexpo.com/  (remember the two "e"s end of vintage beginning of expo)  you can sign up for their mailing list.

Now they do 3 shows in Los Angeles and two in San Francisco, but the September Show in San Francisco does not have a location site yet, because its possible that the Concours may be torn down, I hope its not held at Fort Mason parking is abmismal, Better to be held at the old Factory on Mare Island, the parking is great, the view is wonderful and the space is huge.

Right now when you go to the news section on their web site they are promoting and selling advance tickets for their February Los Angeles Show.

But you can get driving directions as well as public transport directions to get to the Concours, but if you take public transport go then on Saturday the buses run more frequently.

This is a big show, but another smaller one is held at the old Alameda Naval Air Station and is sponsored by Michaan's Auctions.   I will post that one when it comes up.

Must go I'm on my lunch hour.

Later Darklings 

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Of the President's Speech and Belladonna got sick~~~

Hello My Darklings,

First I want to reasure you all that Belladonna is now doing just fine, a little tummy upset, but Doyle was worried.  Truthfully he was freaking out as the youngsters would say.

Last night Sis and I were at the Film Noir Festival, and they were showing the films from Germany, I'm almost overdosing on all of this, but we were having such fun meeting wonderful people, and the films are marvelous.  So many people wearing vintage style, but what both Sis and I noticed is that the ladies really do not know that you are suppose to wear a proper foundation garment to help make your clothing fit properly, and the hair,  none of the ladies understand that to help make the hair do what you want it to do, a proper cut and a good perm is essential. 

With my back I need to wear a long line bra that not only does what its suppose to do in the front **wink, wink** but also give a light support to my spine so I won't re-injure it.  It saves a lot of pain.  Sis thinks I should be a vintage Fashion Divanesta...I'm beginning to think so.

Although I am looking forward to the Vintage Fashion Expo in March, a sensory overload, that I will enjoy.

We left Doyle alone at home, he had to work late for the last few days so he's been baby sitting the "doggie gang of two" and being a bachelor for a few hours.

But last night when we got home, no Doyle, no dogs, just a note that Weiner Dog was with Brian and Doyle had taken Belladonna to the emergency Vet.  Called him on his cell and he told us that Belladonna is going to be fine, just indigestion and he'd be home with the little darling soon.

So Sis picked up Weiner Dog from Brian, who said he did enjoy the doggie company, and admitted that he had never seen such a little dog be so down cast without his doggie friend, then when Doyle came home with Belladonna he filled us in.

Doyle came home turned on the T.V. to catch the news,  only to discover that the President was on, he was on every important station, saying (according to Doyle) the usual Blah, Blah, Blah, so Doyle decided to make his own dinner, eggs scrambled with hot links sauseges, I won't touch it, not that I don't like it but its too peppery for me, and he added some cheese slices to it---calling it scrambled mess---Well it's his choice of foods, how he doesn't have high chloresterol and high blood pressure I'll never know, but he doesn't.

Well as he was scooping it out of the pan some of it landed on the floor and as you know Dogs consider anything on the floor theirs---Belladonna got the bulk of it, with Weiner Dog only getting a little egg.  Doyle cleaned up the floor and then proceeded to enjoy his dinner.  He was thinking of popping in a DVD while the President was flapping his gums (Doyle's words), when he realized that the dogs needed to be let out.

After washing dishes and cleaning up he went to chose a DVD when Belladonna started heaving, and everything came up including some strange things that didn't look like what Doyle cooked, Doyle became concerned that the dog might have eaten something poisonous out back, there had been a strange person hanging around the neighborhood lately and Doyle got very worried.

He took Weiner over to Brians, wrote a hasty note, collected what Belladonna threw up, bundled the dog and the "stuff" into his car and dashed to the emergency Vet, with Belladonna vomiting on his car rug and seat.

End result was that Belladonna's stomach cannot handle hot links and cheese, as a matter of fact, cheese, like chocolate and alcohol is not good for dogs, and the strange stuff was grasses that Belladonna ate to vomit.

The Vet gave the little thing a mild sedative to prevent more heaving, and to make sure she had plenty of water.   She had not been poisoned.  A costly bill for Doyle but he said it was worth it, and went outside to clean his car rug and seat, while Sis and I crooned over the little sick darling and Weiner Dog licked her ear in joy.  Brain saying that since he was up went out to help Doyle.

We were too wound up to go to bed and asked the men what they thought of what the President had to say.
Brian said that at least he talked about improving wages but was concerned that by increasing the minimum wage it may prompt businesses to let people go because business is really not all that great, what with cheap products coming from over seas.  Doyle said that is fine to increase the minimum wage but should also increase the jobs as well and not have large companies farm out jobs overseas, bring manufacturing and jobs in general back here.  He said he is sick and tired of having to call someone find out that they are overseas and their English is not all that good, he's had that happen too often.  Some of what he's said is true, we should be an exporter of goods not an importer, if we cannot make our own goods then we are in trouble.

Is there an answer?  I do not know, but I feel that when a person has to work two jobs just to make ends meet, something is wrong.  When there are 100 people vieing for the same job, something is wrong.  I feel that the answer is a combination of things, create more jobs here, stop farming them out, and yes increase the minimum wage, and look at what big corporations are harming, we have sustainable products and devices but they are not being put to use.  Why use corn to make an additive to oil, when other products work just as well---that is one example, we need to adapt.  Yes there is Climate change but it is largely cyclic although the human interference is not helping and only increases pollution, we need to adapt to these changes, like in 700 AD wheat grew in Greenland because the land was warmer than it is now, that is a cyclic change---but I know most people won't believe me.  They'll belive Al Gore the alleged father of the internet (as I snort in derision).

I'll leave that subject, and instead nag my Congress person.

I still have to laugh at Doyle's reaction that the president was on every station of importance.  Sis remarked to me "Remember when we were young and how upset we'd get that we couldn't watch our programs because the president was making a boring old speech?"   I think Jeff Foxworthy said it best----"The President's on!!!   He's on EVERY Station!!!!   We're Gonna miss FLIPPER!!!!"   (Flipper was a t.v. show about a smart Dolphin that did rescues like the Dog Lassie)

Oh I laugh at that thought, and then I reminded her the time she was staying with me in between one of her trips and we sat down to watch "Diagnosis Murder" with Dick Van Dyke, it was about a magician and murder and right in the middle of it the news cut to the slow speed chase by the police of O.J. Simpson in the white bronco, and he was threatening to shoot himself,  I said to her and asked her "And what did you say when that happened!!"   She at least had the courtesy to blush and admit that she yelled at the T.V. set saying  "So PULL the (G.D.) Trigger and get back to Diagnosis Murder!!"

She never lived that down....We are a sick minded group (not really)  

Brian looked at her and said "I never knew you could be so blood thirsty!"  Well both she and I we were trying to have a relaxing evening and just did not need to deal with that, it was in the police's hands as far as we were concern.   But we admitted that the News is like the Gladiator Games, lots of times it really isn't about reporting the news but having us watch a "train wreck" while its happening.  Although in that instance NOTHING happened.

And then Belladonna looked at us and gave a big yawn and sigh and settled into my arms to sleep.  For us it was a signal ---time for us to go to bed.

Tonight we'll be going to another viewing of Film Noir, now I just have to select which "Deadly Dame" outfit to wear tonight.

Later Darklings

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Of More on Film Noir 2014~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well I guess you thought I had abandon you,  I have not.

I have been enjoying the most marvelous Film Noir Festival YET!  And all very international.

It started off opening night with two classics, Journey into Fear and Carol Reed's "The Third Man" with Joseph Cotton and Orson Wells, that long walk by Valli, towards Joseph Cotton, will she, won't she, will she won't see---I'm not going to tell you the ending if you haven't seen it.

Saturday was an exhausting viewing day but exhilerating, a triple Matinee Bill from Mexico, then with just enough time to grab a bite to eat and back to see the restored film of "Too Late For Tears" with Lizabeth Scott and Dan Duryea, and the Hitch-Hiker.

Sunday it was Japan, but we had a choice of seeing the afternoon showings or evening, and we chose evening, Sis wanted to go to Niles to the Antique stores and do a little shopping.  Going to the Antique Stores in Niles is DANGEROUS for me, I always find SOMETHING and we were already dressed in our vintage clothing, but I wore flats for comfort walking (well they were cute flats).

And I saw IT, yes my Darklings, IT a wonderful in deep Maroon late 30's early 40's hat, made in Paris, with a raised brim that frames the face, and a bit of gold chain for decoration, with a bit of pleating for effect.  The minute I put it on I KNEW I wanted IT.  My Sister also found a hat in beret style but on a frame, in black velet with a Maroon velvet top, and it looked PERFECT on her,  if we weren't careful we would have bought out the shop.  Decisons! Decisions!

But we couldn't stay too long if we wanted to be at the Castro Theatre in time for the 6 p.m. showing of Drunken Angel  followed by Stray Dog, both directed by Kurosawa with Toshiro Mifune in both of them, these films were done in the late 1940's after the war, Stray Dog was rivienting and showed a post-Hiroshima Japan.  At bit sobering but wonderful films.

Now I'm going to join my sister for tonights presentation from Germany  "The Murderers are Among Us" and "Berlin Express" both filmed just after the war. 

I tell you My Darklings, if you are into Goth you must also be into Noir, the study of human folly, the dark side of the mind, as presented internationally is so eye-opening, to see what was thought of in the human mind espeically in those countries Germany and Japan after World War II.

Eddie Muller and the Film Noir Foundation are educating the masses.

Oh and for those of you who love the twistings of Hannibal Lecture, he's coming back on Feb. 28---happy late Valentine's Day. 

Now I must go, I don't want to be late.

Later Darklings 

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Of Film Noir 2014 and other things~~~

Hello Darklings,

Oh squeezing this in on my lunch hour, thank goodness I get off work at 4:30 it has been insane.

But I've been telling my supervisor that I will get off early in the afternoon because I have the Passport Pass for the San Francisco Film Noir Festival which starts tomorrow.

A wonderful chance to wear my vintage clothing, and feel like someone being a femme fatal spy during the 1940's and 50's, but this time internationally, with noir films from all over the world, France, Germany, Norway, Japan as well as restored films such as "Too Late For Tears" and classics like "the  Hitchhiker" and "The Third Man".

From Jan. 24 to Feb 2, to have the fun of being in an alternate world of darkness and suspense, of seeing other's motives of greed, revenge, seeing the worse of behaviors and also the confusing best.  

Doyle is going to miss the first few days of it, but Sis is joining me, and then Doyle will fly back on Sunday from visiting his family.  I've missed him.  His steady presense.

Sis has also wondered if we want to go to the Horror Fest at the Regency Ballroom the following weekend, there will be a pannel of several of the children of some of our favorite horror film stars although this will be more about music---I understand that Exodus, a Thrash metal group will be performing one night, I'm not sure I can take the sensory overload, but we can buy tickets at the door, I would love to hear the panel speakers.   And Sis is interested in the people in general.  

So that is something we'll have to think about.

I know I haven't talked about last weekend espeically about Coralline's thoughts, but I have to admit I've been busy, both at work and home, so its been hard to sit down and write.   But once I have a breather I will.  Must go and get a bite to eat.

Later Darklings

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Of "Sleepy Hollow" and RV's~~~~

Oh My Goodness Darklings!!!

Did anyone see the finalle of "Sleepy Hollow" last night----what a cliff hanger!  Crane is buried alive in a grave, Parrish is his and Katrina's son and has gone to the dark side, Abby is trapped in a doll house in Purgatory, Katrina is taken by the Headless Horseman, Abby's sister lies either injured or dead on the road and Captain Irving is in Jail for 2 murders he didn't commit!!!  Talk about a "Perils of Pauline" ending!!
Who is going to come to their rescue??!!

Breathe, breathe....

I'm at work and will be here all day, a long day I might add after having a holiday.  Coralline was with my sister and I all weekend and it was such a fun weekend and we had her for the full "Sleepy Hollow" last episode of its season, with a promise of it to return in the Fall,  of course Coralline can't wait, and we told her that she has to, just like one has to wait for Christmas. 

Doyle called me last night from his son's house in San Diego (he waited until after "Castle") and said to me "We've got to buy the Series---no if's or but's"  and he's doing well by the way, he'll be back next Monday, and his children are doing fine.

I wish I could go into the questions Coralline was asking of us but right now I don't have time, my brother did come to pick her up, he said that he and the boy's had fun watching the 49'ers, but were so disappointed at the lost, so just to be "mean" I said to him "Whiner, Whiner Forty Niner, Go Broncos!"  and he said "YEAH!!!"   Coralline, (sweet child) just rolled her eyes and I said "You can stay with your Aunt and I during the Superbowl game, we can chase Doyle out to a friends house."  

Then my Brother made a Big Announcement, he and Monica (and the boys) had been going to the RV show this last weekend and since their house is almost paid off, (it will be by Spring) they bought an RV.  It has enough space to sleep all 6 of them, and can tow a small car behind when they travel, it had been a dream of theirs for sometime and they had been working towards it. 

Coralline asked if she could sneak a snake into her brother's bunks in the RV but her Dad said no it would freak out her Mother.  I love how this child's mind thinks.   He started waxing enthusiasticly about it while Coralline feel asleep on the couch, frankly I think it is for them a good thing, they love to travel even on weekends besides going to games, and I know Coralline likes to go and see new places and to do so in comfort is good and it will be good for the boys to learn how to handle an RV.

For me, give me the comfort of a 5 star hotel, with comfortable beds and gourmet meals, although as a child we did go camping so sleeping in a tent is no stranger to me.

And now its back to work.  More Anon.

Later Darklings

Friday, January 17, 2014

Of "The Black Queen" and other thoughts~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Oh my!  Did anyone see "Criminal Minds" this last Wednesday (U.S.)?   The Character of Penelope Garcia as the hacker "The Black Queen" in all her corested Gothic Beauty.   Doyle called me during a commerical break for a quick check in with me, he said even his eye's popped out when he saw her. 

I did enjoy the episode, it gave more background to the character as well as solving a case, but I loved what Penelope wore as "The Black Queen".

It gave me thoughts on clothing----I've on occasion receive e-mail news letters from PINUP GIRL Clothing, and I decided to see if they had anything I'd be interested in, and I have to say if you are into Retro Goth, or even Retro, this web site has a lot to choose from, and if you are plus size you can look sexy and wicked in their clothing. 

They have a couple of evening bags that I like that I'm going to order, but I love some of their lipsticks in their retro cases, all cruelty free and made in the USA. 

Early last evening my niece Coralline called me, it seems that her parents let her and her older brother watch "Criminal Minds", but not the twins,  Monica was supervising the viewing.   I asked wasn't that past her bed time and she replied that as long as she has done her homework and has her clothes ready for the next day and completed her chores she could stay up till 10 p.m.  not every night, but if something was special like "Sleepy Hollow"  Coralline likes the Penelope Garcia character so her mother gave in, unless it got too gruesome.  

Coralline asked me about the two sides of the character and I said everyone has two sides a light and dark, the trick is to balance the two, but in Penelope's case she is more light but since she has seen the dark she uses it to her advantage to help solve crimes.  The main trick is to not fall "into the abyss", which I said some people unfortnately do.  

Coralline asked her Mother if she could stay with me this coming weekend, since the "Boys" are going to be focused on the 49'ers game, I said it was fine with me but I wanted to talk to her Mother, Monica said it was fine, so Coralline will be coming over later this afternoon and we'll do our ususal things,  Sis is looking forward to seeing her too.

But I have an idea that Coralline is going to be asking the both of us a lot of questions.   It will be interesting to see what road it is taking.

Later Darklings  

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Of "Frizzel", Nail Polish, Clothing and flu shots for an Elder Goth~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well I could not believe it but we had "frizzel" on Saturday----O.K. so what is frizzel, well its less than drizzel but more than fog and with enough of it, it can cover the wind shield so you do have to use the wipers and at least cover your hair.

It helps clear the air and freshen everything, and it seems to keep the heat in the house, yet dampen bus benches so you better have a coat to cover your bottom.  Orchids and Redwoods love it.  And if you're in a cemetery it is very atmospheric.   But Weiner Dog and Belladonna do not like it, "oh yuck, wet stuff, no no mummy I's not take bath"  at least they act like that.

But I do love frizzel, except when I'm driving my car.  Oh well can't have everything.

I do wish though that we'd start having rain, not gully washers but rain to soak the ground, and fill the resevoirs, many are below 50 percent, and the entire state is on high fire watch, the hills should be green but instead they are dry and brown as if it were August.   Already there is a fire on one of the islands in the Sacramento Delta, and I pray we don't have a fire like that which occured near Yosemite.  The rain can come any time now.
I've been having fun with the Essie nail polish line,  they seem to come out with lovely colors, that one could almost paint with them, and such lovely names like "Power Clutch", "Chinchilly", "Sand Tropez" etc.

Now I did talk about nail polish for the Elder Goth and to avoid dark colors that make the hands look very old, I still believe in that premise, but sometimes one just had to have a fling and enjoy it.   I mean Darklings, why should the Baby Bats have all the fun.  So if you can wear a dark color and get away with it, then do it Darklings, just do it.

But I still reserve the opinon that at work, one must always present a very business-like appearance and not go too over the the top with a bright tropic blue or green, but save that for fun times, which means re-doing your nails Sunday Night or going over the bright color with a conservative dark color.  Unless you're wearing Gerainium, then have fun at work.

I was trying to make up my mind, last Sunday evening after the Frizzel had left us,  should I go with "Wet Cement", "Chinchilly", or something else, the reason behind that is now we are into winter---bleh! Winter!  And after all the holiday fun, but now it's winter---now if you're back east with all the snow I can understand the "Bleh!"  But here in California we are having days of 70 degree weather AND high fire Danger, Why?  Well Darklings if you've been following the weather reports, no RAIN, not a drop, all because of a High Ridge that won't move, we maybe into water rationing soon. 

But still it is winter, no special events, no holiday celebrations, except for Martin Luther King Day, but nothing to really "sparkle" darkly about.  So I've decided to wear nail polish of the dark tan or brown hue, but I still have to have some sparkle so I've gone with Essie's "Over the Knee" which is a browish copper with a bit of shimmer to it.  It's perfect for even a corporate environment and still have fun going out.

I was thinking about Revelon's "Stormy" but the minute my eyes saw "Over the Knee" well that was it.

On our "Frizzel" Day Sis and I went over our wardrobes,  our regular wardrobes, I leave the vintage things alone except to check for wear, tear and freshing and updating.

But we do the same with our regular wardrobes as well,  things to be mended, things that are outdated, if I haven't worn it in two years I'll never wear it,  what works well together what doesn't, and we weeded out a lot of things, some to be donated, and some we'll take to the consignment shop to see what sells, what doesn't sell will also be donated.

I've also done that with my costume jewerly (not the vintage stuff) and shoes and purses,  one thing I've discovered is that we seem to always fall back on certain classic favorites, so I was looking at the items that were just flash in a pan stuff or impulse buys that didn't work out.  We did it with clothing, shoes, purses, jewerely.

Doyle decided to hide down stairs with the dogs, he thought it was safer that way.  So after hours of trying on, and taking off, deciding, sorting, bagging,  Sis and I looked at each other and we laughed at how disheveled we were,  then we realized we had not prepared dinner.  HORRORS!!!  NO DINNER!!

We kicked around idea's until Brian came over to the house and announced he had coupon's for Papa Murphy's take and bake Pizza---Fresh made there, take home and bake and hot out of the oven here,  Doyle said "That's Dinner---Pizza and Beer!!"   Beer??   Oh well the men were paying for it, so we surrendered to Pizza and Beer, well after all Doyle had been stocking up on specialty ales and such, so why not.

And we ate family style in the kitchen with Belladonna and Weiner Dog begging for "Pizza Bones"  the rounded cooked edges of the pizza---but we had to be careful, no cheese or tomato sauce, didn't want upset doggie tummys.  

Afterwards Sis and I made plans to first take our consignments and donations next Saturday to the shops and then with lists in hand go clothing shopping---I said I wanted to see what Dress Barn had on hand,  I did see on line some lovely work dresses, but nothing above the knee please, anything skirts or hem lines above the knee is so inelegant, clunky and awkward, fine if you are 5 years old but not for anyone older, and even if you're a 20 something hemlines about the knee shows too much thigh fat, or nobby knee's,  even Mae West once said about short skirts that it was better to be wearing a long slinky evening gown because it hides a multitude of "shins".   And I have to agree.

I still say that Dress Barn's clothing focus on the upwardly mobil woman, espeically in the corporate world, that store has the best selection in an afordable range.  So it has always been my first go to clothing store, then I go to Macy's, Nordstrum, Neman-Marcus, Saks 5th Avenue.

But one thing an Elder Goth  must always do is maintain one's wardrobe, no tossing clothing on the floor, no, when one undresses, at least drap it over a chair until it can be hung up, check shoes and purses for scuffs and wear and fix them.   WHY?  Its so obvious Darklings---you are WORTH IT!

Now flu shots---well Sis did not get her flu shot, so Monday afternoon I took her to her medical clinic for the shot, she thought it was going to hurt, but she didn't feel the needle at all, her arm felt a little sore but it soon wore off by the next day, however within an hour she felt sleepy, and it was a good thing she did not have any clients, so picking up a double order of War Won Ton Soup I took her back home and put her to bed to sleep.   Doyle wasn't going to be home until very late, and Brian was visiting friends, so it was just us,  even I felt sleepy and napped for a while after picking up the dogs.

Now Darklings if you have not received your flu shot You Should get it,  just in our area alone there have been 19 deaths of all ages from the flu,  the H1N1 is back and its a killer, it is always important for Elder Goths to maintain their health, not only important but vitally essential.

But tonight Darklings, I am going to have fun watching "Criminal Minds".  Why?  Well Penny Garcia is going back to her hacking roots and oh my Dears I WANT to see her in her Corseted Goth Best, if the glance I saw is any indication,  she is going to be WOW!

Later Darklings

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Of "Hell Freezing Over"~~~~

Hello Darklings,

I'm quickly posting from work, I know, I shouldn't do this, but I'm on my coffee break, so there....and my sweet co-worker has brought me another cup of Hazelnut Latte with extra whip cream.  He is sweet.

Last night I was numbly watching the news, I'm afraid that the news appears to be repeating itself, with robberies, bycicle riders not riding the correct way and running into trucks, fires, murders, horrible traffic accidents all agony stores...I know Darklings it seems that I do not care, that I'm numb, but the truth is I do care, it is at times, sad, tragic, horrible and in the case of some people a totally stupid thing to do.  And it is LIFE, just like the psalm and the song says "To Everything There Is A Season".

But last night I heard it, I couldn't believe it, I laughed at it and said to myself "If I have an excuse to use it I will".

Well this morning I got my excuse----

Our Great and Glorius Fearless Leader, aka The Boss, was a little bit ticked off, he was asked by certain powers that be,  to look into something, which really is a part of his job but he hates to do it and tries to delegate it, if he can, but he said  in front of me, the other staffers and in a fit of pic to the representative from the Powers that be--- "I'll do that when Hell Freezes over!"

And I remarked  "Hell has frozen over, Dear Boss."   He looked at me as well as the other staffers and the Rep. and I continued   "Hell, Michigan that is,  said so on the news that Hell has been frozen over, showed pictures of it too."  And I smiled sweetly at him. 

He looked at me, and fortunately started to chuckle and surrendered. 

So now, thanks to the Polar Vortex that slipped down to our upper states, I can honestly say that I know the day that "Hell froze over."

Must go, I am at work.

Later Darklings

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Of Updates on crop circles, skulls and family~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well, Well, Well....It seems that the Crop Circle that appeared on Dec 30 in the Salinas Valley near the town of  Chualar was a marketing ploy!

A very clever one I might add.  A company called NVIDIA did it as publicity in regards to the release of a mobile processor used in many devices.  It is a new Tegra K-1 graphics chip.

Brett Murray a marketer for the company and his team brainstormed the idea to promote it.

The farmer who owned the field was in on it.  The you tube video was done by Murray and another NVIDIA employee, then they called news stations and the whole thing went global.  Cropologists and UFO researchers are extremely upset by the hoax but NVIDIA stock has risen quite a lot.  Some people did guess it was man-made but to quote Murray he understood why the story attracted so much attention "This is like Santa Claus"..."People want to believe". 

Murray and his team agreed with the farmer to mow down the circle to avoid any one getting hurt.  So far the Sherriff's dept is not sure whether to bill NVIDIA or not. 

It reminds me of Orson Wells' Halloween stunt in the late 1930's "War of the Worlds".  Where people who tuned in late heard the first part of the broadcast which sounded like news broadcasts of an invasion and people panic.    I have a framed poster of a space ship with the words "I want to believe" when the T.V. program "X-Files" was popular, it's stored right now but Doyle wants it for his "Man-Cave" that we are going to build out back---Why Not?

Coralline and her brother's called me and were very disapointed that it wasn't really real, and I said to them that "It's not to say that everything is a hoax, there are strange things out there that still have not been solved, greater mysteries that defy explanation, so do not be disapointed."

I remember years ago I was getting ready for work, I didn't have to go in until 12 noon so I took my time getting ready,  I was almost dressed and applying my makeup at my vanity table, I had turned on the radio to catch the news but I was only half listening to it, it sounded like a radio reporter was talking about a ship that was (I thought) coming into San Francisco Bay, he described how majestic it was, so I thought it must be a huge passenger liner, remember Darklings I was only half-listening to the program, when all of a sudden the reporter announced that the ship had exploded, burst into flames, and he was trying to describe the disaster.

 I  stopped putting on my mascara and looked at the radio and was listening intently wondering why did this ship explode, I was becoming very alarmed and well using the word concerned is too mild for what I was feeling about unknown people injured and killed, but you some how want to just rush out to do something is that type of feeling.

I heard the radio reporter crying and being very emotional and I was thinking this must be very horrible and then I heard him say a very important phrase  "Oh the Humanity"

That is when I realized the radio program was playing the orginal  Hindenburg Disaster broadcast,  after a bit an announcer came on stating that they were playing this recording on the aniversary of the Hindenburg Disaster....but I use that experience to illustrate how I,  a more "sophisticated" person, was taken in by an old radio broadcast because at that moment it seems real, I had missed the opening announcement that was the reason for the broadcast.   But in those few seconds I had been briefly taken in just like people had been in the 1930's by Orson Wells "War of the Worlds" broadcast. 

And it can still happen today here and now in 2014.

About the Skull that was found up in the Oakland Hills on New Years Day, the latest word is that it has been given to a forensic anthopologist to determine its age and finally confirm if it is or isn't Native American.

I told the children about that---which sent shivers up their spine.

Sis is happily settled in her at home office, she still has clients she has to drive to see, but now she can have more of them come to her in far more comfortable surroundings.  By next Fall much of the painting, wallpapering and gardening will be done.  Currently her office, kitchen, downstairs full bath and upstairs full bath, are done, as well as the living room and entrance hall, the dinning room is being worked on and the stair well, she's going to have the stairs carpeted this weekend.   Then on to the upstairs bedrooms, her laundry room is finished as well as the large basement area, but her back area that faces the back garden is going to take a little time,  she has a decorator who understands what she wants and has done some design ideas for her bit of 1950's Hawaii without it being tacky.  The decorator suggests a large aquarium placed in an area where any client can easily see it and have it as a relaxing visual aid.   Especially if my sister chooses to work with clients in that area.

When her master bedroom is done she will eventually have professional movers move her furniture from my house to hers, but at this time she is not in a great hurry.

I've been putting in some long hours at work, but I'm going to be working half-days tomorrow and Thursday and have a nice 3 day weekend as things are slowly going back to what passes for normalicy.

Sad to say (well sad for me) Doyle is going to be flying down to San Diego this weekend to see his family, he'll be gone for two weeks, but I know he'll be calling me.  He has friends down there as well that he hasn't seen in some time.  And his oldest grandson is announcing his engagement to a very lovely hard working young lady, they had been dating for some time and Doyle was wondering when the young man was going to pop the question.  But they are not going to get married right away, she is finishing her Master's Degree and he has just started a new job so they want to get all that settled.

Weddings, new grandchildren, new things happening, new changes developing.  And that is how it should be.

Later Darklings 

Friday, January 3, 2014

Of a Crazy End to 2013 and a Crazy Beginning to 2014~~~~

Well Darklings,

I don't know about you but I have a feeling that if this last week is any indication I feel that 2014 is going to be a crazy year, bizarre, unbelieveable, strange and well I don't have any more discriptive words come to mind at this time but I'll think of a few.

First on the Family front----nothing insane or crazy Thank Goodness!   We took Coralline home on New Year's Day after having a very nice breakfast after mass.  Traffic was very light, reminds me of what traffic was like back in the 1950's (yes Darklings I'm THAT old).

My brother was having New Year's dinner at his house, family and friends coming over, the games banished to the Garage, my sister-in-law's doing, she was going to have sanity in her home, while dinner was cooking, of course the men folk had to drift in and out because the garage is Not heated,  then the rule was when dinner is served all games are off and not put on afterwards, she even unplugged the portable T.V. sets and locked the garage, which meant that the men folk Had to make conversation and use their brains.

I Really Like my sister-in-law.  But it made the evening so very nice and people re-discovered the art of conversation, my Cousin Louise also came and it was good for her to re-connect to some of the family, Brian had been invited over to some friends house for the day and my Sister wouldn't be home until sometime Thursday morning.

But the house when Doyle and I returned home was a little quiet when we got in,  my brother and his family were going to visit and stay for a few days at a Aunt's house of my sister-in-law whom they hadn't seen in some time, and were up there in years, and the children start school next Monday. 

But the next Day Sis came home and immediately went to her old office to pack up her files and other more fragile things and move them to her home office,  I was at work all that day helping staff catch up on the back log and put in a very long day, Doyle was at his office as well also putting in a very long day and seeing about assignments,  so when I had a chance to call Sis I said "no cooking, we'll have our old stand by.."   (Yes Darklings---Chinese take out).

Sis had a chance to tell me what she'd had completed and asked if I could help today, of course I said yes, so today, early we were back at her office, the movers showed up and moved her office furniture to her house and got it settled in, it wasn't much and they were very efficent and it made better sense to have them handle it as we knew we couldn't do it and Brian and Doyle would be working. 

So now Sis's home office is set up, we're taking a break right now and then back to it to put her files and books and such in order and exactly where she wants them.  And on Monday she will be working from home, it took time and paper work to set it up but already I can see that she is much happier about it.  It is her own space, and designed the way she wants it.  Even I can see that it is a big improvement.

Brian is still going to be renting a room from her given that her house is almost as large as mine, she has enough space to have her children visit and it not be crowded.  I am very happy for her and she can still drop over anytime she wants, since I've given her a key to my home and she's given me a key to hers.   But she did need her own place and this is perfect.

Ahhh but about Crazy Endings and Crazy Beginnings----well Darklings I'm talking about UFO's, Twins and Skull's.

Just the day before New Year's people from all over California from Sacramento, Stockton, Auburn and as far South as the Hollywood Hills reported seeing possible UFO sighings of a formation of 6 objects flying in a triangular formation, hovering and then suddenly zooming off at a high rate of speed.  The FAA of course said that there was no unusual aircraft activity in those area's but people had captured video and cell phone shots of these unknown objects.

Then the day before in the Salinas Valley a photographer in an air plane spotted an unusual and intricate Crop Circle that seemed to spell out the numbers in binary code 192,  the farmer didn't have clue what was happening until he saw people with ladders near his field taking photo's,  two men had been driving near the field late at night and saw flashes of light over the field and took a video of it before the crop circle was discovered the next day.   After a day or two the farmer had enough and immediately harvest the crop to prevent damage and any injury by on lookers.

Twins were born only a few minutes apart but in different years,  the first baby a girl was born just a minute before midnight Dec. 31, 2013 and her sibling a brother was born a minute or so after midnight Jan. 1, 2014.   The parents say that each child will have a separate birthday party.   I think an astrologer is going to have fun with that.  And the sister can rightfully say "I'm older than you are..." nyaa, nyaaa. 

But the strangest was the discovery of a human skull in the Oakland Hills, just off of Grizzly Peak Blvd.   The skull was found sitting on a paper plate surrounded by beads (possibly Mardi Grah type beads).  The police had received a tip about the location of this bizarre find and found it to be where the tipster said it would be.  The skull is said to be old, but not Native American----there are here and there and espeically in the Gold Rush Country old abandon cemeteries it is possible that it could have come from there. 

Now this is the 2nd skull to turn up in over 6 months, the first one was found in a Oakland re-cycling center and nothing further has been found in regards to that earlier find, and now this.  Also over 6 months ago, some sort of voodoo ritual involving a pig or lamb's heart was found in a cemetery in Colma, pinned to the heart was a picture of a young couple---a curse?  Who knows.

All of this just tickles my dark gothic heart,  I think of Anton LaVey was still alive he'd find it most amusing.

I mentioned this to Sis and she has found it to be absolutely fasinating.  And tonight a new episode of "Dracula" will be on T.V.  I'm not sure how this show is going to develop but I'm also said that the last 3 episodes of "Sleepy Hollow" will be coming to end it's first season,  I find that the writers are having a lot of fun with early American history and old legends.  I must add "Sleepy Hollow" to my collection. 

And my Sister is calling me, she wants to have her office ready, so I think I'll call Doyle to pick up our old standby again.

Later Darklings and may you have an interesting 2014.
This is the crop circle that appeared just before Dec 31, 2013 in Salinas Valley.