I Love Halloween

You might wonder why I was raving (talking in a very enthusiastic manner, like a crazy person) about westerns. Actually it's because I am reading a book of 4 western horror novellas (a novella is longer than a short story, but shorter than a novel; it might be anywhere from roughly 60 to 150 pages) by 4 authors that I like. So although crossing (combining) the western story with a horror story is somewhat of a rarity, for me they are definitely a marvelous treat.
And this is the perfect time of year for horror stories, being as Halloween is only 3 days away.
I fell in love with horror when I was about 10 years old. It was the first time I read a really scary story. I remember being alone in the living room reading on the couch. I got so scared that I picked my feet up off the floor because I was afraid something might be under the couch.
Ever since then I have loved reading horror stories and novels, and of course seeing a good horror movie. And I don't mean "slasher" movies with some maniac killing people in all kinds of brutal and graphic (visually explicit) ways. I'm talking about an atmospheric and supernatural horror movie that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
And Halloween is a wonderful time of year for scary stories of any kind. It's getting colder outside, as well as getting darker earlier. There is still some great color to the foliage (leaves on the trees and ground). All this adds to the "spooky" climate that makes Halloween one of my favorite times of year. And, of course, I probably don't need to tell you, Halloween is one of my 2 favorite holidays, even though it isn't considered a holiday in the strict sense of the word.
So what could be more enjoyable than a book of western horror stories, particularly at Halloween? You know, I can't think of a darn thing.

The American Western

If you really want to understand American culture, you need to understand the American western. Movies like, High Noon, Tombstone, Wyatt Earp, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Man From Laredo, etc. etc. The list is endless, and many of the titles I don't remember. But the western represents something essential about American spirit. A man standing on his own against forces (usually criminals or evil men) larger than himself. High Noon is a very famous western, and one of my favorites. Many westerns glorified the west. That is, they made that time (1840-1910), and the people of that time, appear (look) to be much better than they actually were.
For instance, there were many movies made about Jesse James who was a bank robber and was reputed (known by reputation, or thought to be) to be a killer. Yet, many movies made him out to be a folk hero (a hero of the people, like Robin Hood). One of my favorites, when I first saw it, was called The Long Riders. It was about the James Gang, which included Jesse and his brother Frank, as well as the Younger Brothers, who were also famous outlaws. The movie didn't make Jesse out to be a wonderful man. But then again, it didn't make him out to be a terrible man, either. And it did make you sympathize with him.
Another of my all time favorites was a very gritty (no glorification here) western called McCabe and Mrs. Miller. It was about a con man and a prostitute who went into business together. It was perhaps the first western I saw that seemed true to what the reality of that time must have been like. The movie starred Warren Beatty and Julie Christy, who were truly amazing together on screen. They starred in many movies together after that, although I think that was the only western they did together.
I don't know exactly why, but I have always liked westerns. And I will say, that if you can understand and appreciate a western, then you have learned something about American culture.

The Lonely Comment

There once was a lonely comment. It really wanted to be spoken, but nobody would. It wandered alone through the minds of many, and the hearts of some. But still, no matter how many minds and hearts it traveled through, it could not get anyone to utter it aloud.
Now, some comments have a very limited lifespan, and can only remain unspoken for so long before they pass on as just another unspoken thought to be completely forgotten. Where these unspoken and then forgotten comments and thoughts go, well, I have no idea. But one thing I do believe I know. And that is, that an unspoken comment can never be happy, because comments are only happy when they are spoken aloud (or written) so they can be shared.
This a tribute to all those poor unspoken comments that disappear into the ether, alone and forgotten. Their's are truly sad stories.
So, please, if a comment floats across your mind, don't let it die a lonely death. Speak, and share it, so it might live a happy life, even if only for a brief time.
Any questions?

Where Am I At?

Sorry, people. Time keeps passing while I'm looking the other way. Let me know if you get that.
I've been reading a book about an alternate history where people travel from London, England to another planet, where the ancient city of Babylon still exists, simply by stepping through a gate. It's a good story, but I really like the idea of being able to walk through a gate and instantly being somewhere else. It would make long distance travel something I could do with ease, as well as painlessly.
Some of you might know that I have an inner ear problem, which is why I can't fly. Once a passenger jet gets up to cruising altitude, the cabin pressure causes me unbearable pain. Plus I tend to lose the hearing in my left ear for about a week or so. Needless to say, I haven't flown in roughly 25 years.
So, you can see why I would be interested in being able to travel instantly through a gate to anywhere. I would be able to become a world traveler. I could wander through Europe and Asia. I could go with my Chinese friends to visit China, and stay as long as I like. The world would be my oyster. Ah, the possibilities are endless.
So, if anyone stumbles across instantaneous gate travel please let me know. In particular, keep an eye out for one that leads directly to Bora Bora. I have a long vacation that's waiting there for me.

Where you at?

I don't know if it's still true, but in New Orleans (pronounced Noo Orrlens when you're in that "neck of the woods"), it used to be that instead of saying How you doin', or What's up? They would say, "Where you at?" I like that.
So, Where you at? Have you been reading a book, watching a movie, fishing, eating, losing money at the casino, or maybe, making money at the casino. If you are making money at the casino, it means you work there.
Time is still flying. I keep trying to slow it down, but the more I jam into it (the more I try to do in a day) the faster it seems to go. The Rolling Stones (a rock'n'roll group) might have time on there side (they sang a song called Time Is On My Side), but I sure don't. It's ok. There'll be time to rest on the way to the next life.
My conversation group for those brave English learners who came to the library today was a wild crowd. There were a couple of women from Puerto Rico (mother and daughter), a Canadian French woman, 4 Tibetan men of whom one is a Buddhist monk, and a Chinese woman. I enjoyed myself immensely (a very large amount). Hopefully everyone else did, too.
Two very important parts of learning any language are, one, you have to try to understand the culture of that language. The other, and maybe most important, is that you have to enjoy yourself while you learn. Life is short. Whatever you do, it is much better to really enjoy it than to make yourself and everyone around you miserable.
Besides, a stressful environment is really not conducive (helping to cause or produce) to learning.
And, for pete's sake, stay out of trouble!

Flexibility in Time & Space

I have many authors (writers of books) I like. One of them, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., wrote a book called Slaughterhouse Five. The main character becomes "unstuck in time." He doesn't travel in time, but moves back and forth to different times in his life. Not in his mind, like many of us tend to do, but actually in the flesh (physically), so to speak. He does not have control over when these "shifts" (movements) in time happen, nor does he have control of where, or rather when, he ends up each time. Sometimes he ends up in the past, and sometimes he ends up in his own future. The only thing that is certain, is that "whenever" he ends up, he will only stay until he becomes "unstuck" again.
It would be a very unusual way to experience life. I wonder if any of us, if put in that situation, would be able to remain sane.
I have enough trouble trying to remain flexible in all my day to day, sometimes mundane, and sometimes chaotic, but very linear (straight line) in regards to time, travels and experiences in life. It's not that I would change much about my life. But I would change a little about myself. I would throw in a good bit more of patience, which the lack of might someday get me in serious trouble, particularly when I am driving, but also at other times.
And I would definitely add in some flexibility. As someone once said, it is better to bend in the wind, than to break.
I would also be willing to pay much to have my "worry gene" surgically removed.
For better or worse, however, we must cope with our shortcomings, and make the best of our circumstances.
But all things being equal, it would be nice to be living on Bora Bora.

Slow Recovery Taking Place

Am I talking about the economy? Nope. The slow recovery I'm referring to is energy. My energy.
Last week I aided and abetted (to help and aid someone in an illegal activity) some good friends in their efforts to flee Connecticut to the safety of Pennsylvania. No, they really hadn't committed a crime, or done anything illegal. They were just moving their family in order to start new jobs.
Now, I was very happy to help, and I am glad I was able to do so. It was, however, a very exhausting experience for me. Although, in it's own peculiar way, it was quite an adventure from beginning to end.
I went along, not so much as an english translator, but as more of an interpreter, since my friend Pamela's english is not always easy to understand. She is originally from China. Anyway, each errand had a bit of an epic experience to it. They didn't seem to come to an end quickly. For instance, we had to pick up her baby daughter's medical records and at the same time cancel a later appointment and vaccination for her. After leaving the first time, we barely made it out the door before going back because Pam had more questions. The second time we made it to the parking lot before going back. The final time, we actually were driving away before turning around and going back. When we left, Pam had re-made the appointment for the baby, and had cancelled having the medical records sent out since she would have to come back in November for the appointment anyway. And that, was just one of a handfull of things we had to do that day. All being unique experiences that would be difficult to explain, and possibly hard to believe.
But as I said, even as tiring as the overall week was, I was very happy to be able to help. They are wonderful people, and good friends. I am very lucky to be part of their lives. I am only sad because they are so far away now, and I will see them very rarely.
But the only thing that is certain in life is that things change. So we do what we have to do.
Be well, my friends. Look out for each other.

Where Am I?

I have lost an entire week of time. I was on my way home thinking about the new post I was going to write on this blog, when a curtain of shimmering light appeared in front of my car. The last thing I remember was driving into this strange phenomenon, and then, poof! The next thing I know, I am sitting in my car outside my apartment, it is a week later, and I have no memory of what happened between the time I drove into that curtain of weird wavering light and then sat in my car outside my apartment.
Now I know this is probably very difficult to believe, but the only explanation I can come up with is that I must have been abducted by aliens. I don't even want to think about what they might have done to me during that missing week. It's just too horrible to contemplate.
Anyway, I seem to be back, although I don't know where I was, or how I got there. But I do seem to have all my necessary body parts, hands, feet, etc., and that is a good thing.
So, once again, I will try to keep you up-to-date on what's happening in my world on a more regular basis. Of course, that is assuming the aliens don't come back for me.
As always, thanks for your support.
And PLEASE! Whatever you do, stay out of the curtain of Shimmering Light!

It's All Greek to Me

Learning another language is far from easy. Not as difficult as passing a camel through the eye of a needle, but difficult all the same. Luckily for me, there are some rather slow learners in my Chinese class, so if I just want to get by (to just get by is an expression that means doing just enough work to pass a class, or keep your job) it's a piece of cake. At least at the moment.
The problem, however, is that I want to do more than just get by. I really do want to learn Chinese. But, like learning English, it is a slow process. There's no magical way to learn fast, and no pill I can take in order to be able to speak Chinese by tomorrow morning. Wouldn't that be nice. Of course, if there were a pill, we probably wouldn't appreciate the ability to speak a new language as much, because it took no work or effort on our part. So, we can take pride in learning. I believe that's mostly a good thing.
Anyway, it is a beautiful day here in Connecticut. A good day to get outside for awhile, go fishing, have a picnic, go for a walk, or read a book under a tree. So enjoy, be well, and stay out of trouble if you can!