the Samhain...
is upon us. Happy New Year to my bretheren and kin who celebrate in our way. Happy Hallowe'en to you who don't.
How ever you remember the season, I hope it brings you the best of all things, especially a greater respect for the natural world that surrounds us, and that you may become closer with the Goddess and revel in her wonders.

pearls before swine...

karma repair kit...
1. latch onto something pleasant to think about and think about it.
2. hold something made of delicate glass, preferably a martini glass.
3. fill martini glass with a Stoley martini.
4. drink it.
5. repeat as needed.
6. all better now...
pearls before swine...

lunar eclipse tonight...
watch it with me... I will think of you...

---

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it..."
Yogi Berra, baseball player and philosopher.

---

Michael Meyers is one scary mofo...

---

we are having a green salad with grilled asparagus, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni for dinner tonight... Damn, go I live good or what?

---

"That's the thing I can't stand about Santa Clara... all the damned vampires..."
Grandpa, in "The Lost Boys".

---

I'll be right back, there's a cricket in the sink...
ok, one cricket extricated. they're a sign of good luck when they sing on your hearth, but not in your kitchen sink...

---

and, the Samhain approaches...

---

oh, and we might have a ghost. within the past few weeks, the Mrs. has been pushed in the back by someone who was not there and has been awakened by someone hitting her arm, rather hard from what she says... and, just this past weekend, something disappeared from in front of my eyes and when I turned away and turned back, there it was in plain view. a playful ghost, no doubt. I, for one, am not afraid of them, as they have been a mainstay of my family history and I've experienced their presence on many, many occasions, but the Mrs. is starting to get bit freaked out.
I refuse to burn any sage or work spells to get rid of him/she/them. I actually look forward to a face to face meeting sometime. You can't have enough friends...

---

time for dinner. I bid thee fair eve...

pearls before swine...

Marc Almond...

formerly of Soft Cell, the eighties techno-pop duo, is in the hospital in the UK, in serious condition after an accident. He was a passenger on a motorcycle that was involved with an automobile and was critically injured. His condition is stable as of now. Marc's career was going full on at the time of the accident, with several projects nearing completion, including a movie score and a live stage performance.
You can read more about this often flamboyant, but highly talented fellow by visiting his official web site, where you can also find an email address to send him your well wishes.
For those of you who aren't familiar with Soft Cell's music, their big hit in 1981 was "Tainted Love", which became the techno-pop anthem.
Please take a minute to send him your well wishes.
Thanks to Chris and Shana for posting this info on their page.
pearls before swine...

I miss my girls...
I'm happy that they're off having lives of their own, but I miss them a lot. I need to hang with them more often. Being around them makes me feel alive.
pearls before swine...

this old lair...
yep, it's another exciting chapter...
I've been successfully fighting off whatever malady has been trying to possess me with liberal doses of concentrated Goldenseal extract. The only liquid that will mask the rather unique taste is hot black coffee... it tastes like what I imagine a zombie's feet might... whatever...
anyway, I've spent yesterday and today putting up the pressed tin backsplash in the kitchen. It's actually going quite good, with only a few minor glitches. I cut the last piece to fit just a few minutes ago and discovered that I didn't have enough industrial strength exterior double sided tape to put it up. rats. I'll have to finish it tomorrow after work. The flooring should be arriving soon, so I guess I'll get that done before Thanksgiving. The countertops will have to wait until after then, but they will definitely be done before Christmas. I can't wait till it's finished so I can show it off. I've been taking pictures every step of the way, so I'll do a photo essay on it when it's complete.

---

I ate some sort of little gourmet pear this morning and had some sort of reaction to it. My arms got all puffy and itchy, I had to take off my watch and my rings before they got stuck. I took an Actifed and it helped a bit. I assume it was from the pear. I won't be eating any more to find out...

---

dinner menu for this beautiful early fall evening: chicken breasts with apple stuffing, fresh steamed broccoli, tomato and mozzerella salad. by the gods, I really love food.
So, I'm off to make a before dinner Stoley Martini and relax a bit. I hope you have a wonderful evening.
later.

pearls before swine...

blech...
me sick. fever and chills. sore throat. gookey eyes. spaced out. headache.
gack. wuzza...
got some fun stuff for my birthday, though. special edition dvd of The Crow. dvd of Van Helsing. bottle of Stoley. and a gift certificate from my girls and the world famous Joe Bar for getting ink done... now I need to decide what I want and where I want it. I was thinking of "Nevermore..." on the inside of my left forearm. I'll let you know.
now I'm going to partake of some of that Stoley and find a nice warm corner to curl up in... I need to be coherent tomorrow so I can start putting up our pressed tin backsplash.
later.
pearls before swine...

this...
was passed on to me. I though I'd pass it on to you.
It's no wonder folks are confused...

Clinton awards Halliburton no-bid contract in Yugoslavia - good...
Bush awards Halliburton no-bid contract in Iraq - bad...

Clinton spends 77 billion on war in Serbia - good...
Bush spends 87 billion in Iraq - bad...

Clinton imposes regime change in Serbia - good...
Bush imposes regime change in Iraq - bad...

Clinton bombs Christian Serbs on behalf of Muslim Albanian terrorists- good...
Bush liberates 25 million from a genocidal dictator - bad...

Clinton bombs Chinese embassy - good...
Bush bombs terrorist camps - bad...

Clinton commits felonies while in office - good...
Bush lands on aircraft carrier in jumpsuit - bad...

No mass graves found in Serbia - good...
No WMD found Iraq - bad...

Stock market crashes in 2000 under Clinton - good...
Economy on upswing under Bush - bad...

Clinton refuses to take custody of Bin Laden - good...
World Trade Centers fall under Bush - bad...

Clinton says Saddam has nukes - good...
Bush says Saddam has nukes - bad...

Clinton calls for regime change in Iraq - good...
Bush imposes regime change in Iraq - bad...

Terrorist training in Afghanistan under Clinton - good...
Bush destroys training camps in Afghanistan - bad...

Milosevic not yet convicted - good...
Saddam turned over for trial - bad...

Ahh, it's so confusing!

Every year an independent tax watchdog group analyzes the average tax burden on Americans, and then calculates the "Tax Freedom Day". This is the day after which the money you earn goes to you, not the government. This year, tax freedom day was April 11th. That's the earliest it has been since 1991. It's latest day ever was May 2nd, which occurred in 2000. Notice anything special about those dates?

Recently, John Kerry gave a speech in which he claimed Americans are
actually paying more taxes under Bush, despite the tax cuts. He gave
no explanation and provided no data for this claim.

Another interesting fact: Both George Bush and John Kerry are wealthy men.
Bush owns only one home, his ranch in Texas. Kerry owns 4 mansions,
all worth several million dollars. (His ski resort home in Idaho is an old barn
brought over from Europe in pieces. Not your average A-frame).

Bush paid $250,000 in taxes this year; Kerry paid $90,000. Does that
sound right? The man who wants to raise your taxes obviously has figured out
a way to avoid paying his own.

pearls before swine...

better late...
than never... I added a link in the sidebar at the right... "An American Soldier".
Thanks, Matthew!
pearls before swine...

yummy, yummy...
I made my famous grilled chicken sandwich for dinner tonight: grilled marinated, thin sliced chicken breasts, grilled asparagus, grilled red peppers, grilled onions, loaded up on a huge loaf of Italian bread with sesame seeds, thick slices of Monterey Jack cheese, spiced with jalapenos, with a side of spanish and greek olives, marinated in olive oil with chopped up chili peppers. And a Beck's. And a cup of coffee and a cigar.

---

We had an invasion of blackbirds this afternoon. They're flocking, getting ready to head for warmer climes, and the decided to take a rest in our trees. They spied the rain water that collected in the pool cover and decended on it to have a bath. There most have been three or four hundred of them, splashing around, screeching and having a wonderful time. I was looking for Tippi Hedren...

---

I've been inspired by Sara's recent posting of Zen stories. Here's my favorite one;
An elderly Zen priest and his apprentice were walking to visit a temple in Shohan. The road they were travelling was full of huge puddles from a recent rain, causing them to detour around them. As they rounded a bend in the road, they came upon a young woman standing before a huge puddle that spread across the entire road. Without hesitation, the elderly priest waded through the puddle, picked up the young woman in his arms and waded back through, carrying her to the other side, where he put her down and bid her good day. He rejoind his apprentice and they continued to walk in silence for some time. Finally, the apprentice could hold his silence no longer and he said, "How could you have done that? You know we are forbidden to have contact with women!"
The elderly priest looked at him and replied, "Oh, so you are still carrying her? I put her down miles ago..."

---

We had quite an evening last night. It was a goth family outing to a farm in Pennsylvania with The Bloodhound and his crew to go on a haunted hayride and get the crap scared out of us in the Haunted Barn and the 3D Alien Encounter thingy. We had to wait out a full fledged autumn thunderstorm, complete with ferocious winds and hail!
The hayride was fun, lots of bizarre folks jumping out at you when you didn't expect it, gory scenes and stuff. I think the highlight was the guy doing the Beetlejuice routine. Very funny. Scary guy done up like Freddy Kruger and another costumed like Michael Meyers. Those two care the crap out of me. After that we went into the Barn of Horror. Dark, winding halls with gruesome characters lurking in the shadows; the girl from The Ring, the masked guys from Scream, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the bloody bride, and various assorted ghouls and such. Judging by the amount of screaming, I think my daughters had a good time... I had a few good jumps myself.
The 3D Alien Encounter was fun, you had to wear the special glasses to see the effects. There was a rotating barrel room with a walkway in the center... it made you feel like you were spinning around and you hung onto the railings for dear life! All sorts of alien creatures hiding in the shadows and around every corner. Lots of fun! I love this time of year.

---

Well, I think that's about it... Oh, no, I actually finished the infamous pump room door! I completed refinishing the hardware and the antique lockbox yesterday and rehung it. It looks really great. Next on the list is the pressed tin backsplash behind the sink, range and the counter next to the range. We also sent for some flooring samples today so we can order it and try to get it done by Turkey day. The counter tops and the new appliances will have to wait until after then, I'm sure.
Well, my friend Richie just called, so I'm going to leave it here for now.
later.
pearls before swine...

housecleaning...
notice that all political stuff is gone. It is the eleventh hour... If you haven't made up your mind by now, I would suggest trying the old tried and true technique of flipping a coin. But flip your own coin.
pearls before swine...

really, now...
just in case you thought I was yanking one of your apendages, here is a photo of the jerk dressed like a tree...

Now, imagine, if you can, what a chorus of scorched cats might sound like. Got it? Ok, now you're there.
It's all in the ears and eyes of the beholder, I guess...
pearls before swine...

if you think...
that leaving important decisions in the hands of the United Nations is the way for the United States to conduct business in the world, then look at this...
I guess that since this poor African country really has nothing to offer the world, it doesn't matter... I mean, after all, what's the loss of seventy thousand human beings living in forsaken hell hole like that? What have they to offer? They'd probably die of starvation or AIDS anyway, right? Besides, it's none of our business, is it? No sense sticking our nose into something that really has nothing to do with our important little lives, huh? We're too busy worrying about other, more important things, things that really make a difference... like whether the Yankees will sweep the Red Sox, or how much it costs to fill up the tank of our Escalade. I wonder how quickly this horror would come to an end if it were discovered that they were sitting on a few hundred billion barrels of oil? Maybe if they could persuade the producers of "Survivor" that it's a great place for next season's show, someone might look into trying to stop the unrelenting genocide... at least while the cast and film crew are there.
When we will learn..?
pearls before swine...

and just what kind of meat...
are we talking about here..? Read this...
later
pearls before swine...

a little of this...
a little of that...
It's Wednesday. Hump day. When I was younger, that may have meant something else, but I don't remember.
I'm almost done with the infamous pump room door. One more coat of finish paint tomorrow night and I should be able to rehang it on Friday. Yea! One more thing to cross off the list.
We went flooring shopping Saturday morning before we went to dinner with The Bloodhound and Mickie and had picked out two patterns we really liked. Then I found a place to order flooring on line and they have about a million different styles to choose from, so now we are back to where we started. Mrs. Sad Old Goth has her heart set on flooring that looks like slate. I want long, thin strips of bleached maple, like they have in restaurant kitchens. The debate continues...
Of course, the final choice will effect the color and style of counter tops. This is going to be one hell of a kitchen when it's done. I was hoping to have it complete, with the exception of the new appliances by Thanksgiving, but that rapidly dissolving. But it will be done for the Solstice/Christmas/New Year holidays, if it kills me, which it might.
My birthday is Tuesday. I will officially break the half century mark. It feels strange. Stranger yet when I take a good look at myself, both inside and outside.
It definitly concentrates the mind...
I've been drinking cheap Polish vodka this evening. It has the desired effect. It tastes like potatoes marinated in grain alcohol. I tried mixing it with some Sprite, but that didn't work. It's ok with lots of ice. Most things are...
I wish I had something witty and profound to say about the passing of Christopher Reeve, but I don't. He was a pretty good Superman. He was a pretty good actor in everything I've seen him in. I think mD said it best... "Superman can never die..."
If this gets any more disjointed, it's because the debate is on. Interesting note:
both candidates are wearing dark suits, white shirts, red ties with a dotted pattern and American flag lapel pins.
Kerry thinks he can make the country a more secure place by forming bonds with other countries like FDR did... John, dude - that world is gone. It's every country for itself.
Sorry. No more politics. I just have to say, Bush rocks. (oh, shit, here it comes...)
Have you ever noticed how much Kerry looks like Lurch from the Addams Family?
I have to go make something to eat.
later.

pearls before swine...

I am alive..!
Barely...
Man, I haven’t hit the ground since I got up for work on Friday morning. After work, I tripped into Philadelphia, picked up my daughter and went to a concert in the basement of a huge church in downtown Philly. I was actually interested in only one of the bands (The Magnolia Electric Company / Jason Molina / Songs:OHIA, et. al.), but really enjoyed the first band, which, unbeknownst to us, was comprised of two of her friends and some other really talented folks. Nice stuff, very rocky/spacey… The second band, whose name escapes me, was a quartet from San Francisco. The music wasn’t too bad, kind of folksy-country, but very sappy lyrics. Third up was Br. Daniellson… ok, dig this. This band has about seven or eight members, all dressed in kelly green polo shirts, kelly green headbands, white Dockers… the lead singer (Br. Daniellson, I presume) is dressed up like a huge tree… we decided to hang around for one song to see what this was all about. It started out ok, but then turned into a bunch of high pitched screeching by four women playing various odd instruments and the guy in the tree sounding like a pit bull got him in the balls. We decided to partake of the night air during this set. If I ever go to another show where this guy is playing, I’m going costumed as a huge beaver with a chain saw…
Jason Molina / The Magnolia Electric Company was great. I have to say that I was expecting them to sound like their cd’s, which are pretty dark and moody, but the rocked out. Very, very talented bunch of guys. I’ve been a fan of his for many years and it was great to finally get to hear him live.
So, that was Friday night… I got home at two in the morning. Grabbed a few hours sleep, got up and did some painting, then got ready to go out to dinner with The Bloodhound and Mickie… back to Philly we went. After dinner we went to Nightmares on Broad Street, a horror/haunted walk through set up in the old Spectrum sports and concert venue. What a hoot. There were six or seven sets to wander through, all different themes, with great lighting, sound and fog effects, fantastic character actors in costumes jumping out from the shadows to scare the crap out of you. (Yep, they got me a few times…). Got home around twelve thirty Sunday morning, grabbed some more sleep, then got up and did grocery shopping. The Mrs. made a huge pan of baked ziti, salads and bread and we then tripped back to Philly yet again to hang out with our daughter and the Mrs. dad, eating, drinking and watching football. After the game, we headed home and got in around six thirty.
Around eight I decided I needed some serious down time, so I went to bed. Before I did, however, I set the alarm for five, just to get an extra half hour’s sleep. Something strange occurred, though. I fell asleep, only to have the alarm wake me up. I look at the clock and it said 5:00 AM, just like I set it. I stumbled into the bathroom, took a pee, then trudged downstairs to put some coffee on to brew. As I was pouring the water into the machine, I looked up at the clock on the microwave… it said 12:15 AM. "Well, that’s weird", I thought. I then looked at the clock on the cable TV box and the kitchen clock and they too said 12:15 AM. I think I must have f’d up the alarm clock when I set it… nice. So I fixed the clock, crawled back into bed and tried to fall asleep again, which took an hour. Needless to say, I not only look like the walking dead, I feel like one.
So that’s my story and I’m sticking to it…
later.



pearls before swine...

yet another...
has slipped the bonds of this mortal coil...

Rodney Dangerfield passed away this evening...
I remember watching him on television with my father when I was a kid on the Ed Sullivan show and the Jack Parr show (yeah, I'm that old...), a skinny, frog-eyed guy doing his "I don't get no respect..." schtick, and we always laughed so much we cried. He became one of the funny men that I would take time to see when ever I had the chance.
He was the master of the "everyman" style of comedy... he made us laugh at the stupid, frustrating and often mundane things that plagued us every day. He stayed away from the hi-brow stuff and made us laugh with him and at ourselves. I think that his movie, "Easy Money" is one of the best comedy films of the modern era. He was also dedicated to helping young comedians get exposure and encouragement on his various "Young Comedians" specials on cable TV and in his comedy clubs.
If there's a heaven, they're probably rolling in the aisles right now. See you, Rodney, and don't worry, you've got our respect, and then some.
Knock 'em dead, pal.
pearls before swine...

mortality...
once again rears it's head...
Janet Leigh, the original scream queen, passed away today.

(photo from IMDB.com)
Psycho still scares the living crap out of me. Anyone who's had the pleasure of ascending the center staircase of Stately Sad Old Goth Manor in the dark will know why...

The Professor, Scott Muni, a favorite dj of the classic New York rock scene passed away the end of last week from complications of a stroke.

(photo of Scott interviewing John Lennon from ScottMuni.com)
When I was a little goth to be at the age of 13, I discovered FM radio (in 1967) and Scott Muni was one of the dj's on WNEW-FM New York, the first east coast station to play the album format. It was so astounding to find out that there were songs out there that were more than two minutes, thirty seconds long and not sandwiched between endless, ridiculous commercials, and there were dj's who weren't screaming maniacs, but who were more like tour-guides on a wonderful, musical adventure. I don't think I can ever explain how enlightened I felt, having my ears and my mind opened by what these guys were doing on the radio.
Thanks, Professor. You did something for me that I could never repay... you helped make me what and who I am today.
Farewell transmission...

pearls before swine...

yummy...
we had a nice salad with mixed greens, roasted red peppers, hard boiled eggs, onions and tomatoes with grilled portabello mushrooms for dinner. and a Guinness. Life is good.
pearls before swine...

here's Tiger the Cat...
doing what she does best...

sleeping in the sun. This is why the mice aren't worried...
pearls before swine...

i'm tired...
it's been a hell of a week. stress at work. helped the Bloodhound and Mickie move their stuff into a new apartment wednesday night. got caught up in traffic last night and my usual ride of just over an hour turned into an almost three hour event, highlighted by starting out in beautiful weather than driving through a monsoon. plus i've started walking about two miles every day at lunchtime, so there are certain muscles in my legs and nether regions that are revolting against being exercised.
i did manage a quick trip to the new little music store the Bloodhound turned me on to and got three new cd's: a used copy of a dj's promo cd of new stuff by The Tragically Hip; a double cd of mostly live and unreleased stuff by Pavement and a used copy of a compilation of singles by the godmother of goth, Siouxsie and the Banshees. all very cool. as a matter of fact, i'm listening to The Tragically Hip as i'm writing this. i have to say that this particular collection has a slight taste of The Smiths to it. nice stuff.
the cold weather is coming, so it's time to turn to music and movies again to get me through. i've been stocking up on cd's, dvd's of old b/w horror and mystery movies and lots of great books to curl up with before the fire and wile away the long winter nights. i'm planning on going to a lot of concerts this winter, as well. i'm going next friday night to philadelphia to see Jason Molina and the Magnolia Electric Company/songs:Ohia with my daughter, Gillian. i'm really looking forward to hanging out with her and hearing some good music.
other than that, life is pretty much what it is every day... except that the days and nights seem to have picked up a certain edge lately. i'm not quite sure what or why that is, but they have. maybe i'll think on this a bit and come back later to expand and expound for your amusement and amazement. or bore the shit out of you.
later.
pearls before swine...