Why Didn't I Think Of This?

Things That Go Bump In The Night

Did you know that 51% percent of the public, including 58% of women, believe in ghosts? (This according to a Harris Poll survey conducted online between Jan. 21-27, 2003.) Personally, I think the number is higher, but people aren't willing to admit it... until something happens to shake them up.

Like what happened to my own family when we moved into a rental house back in the mid 90's. My stepdaughter came to me one morning with a fantastic story about a bathroom door that opened by itself, and a ghostly figure who peeked in on her while she was 'indisposed'. She was sufficiently freaked out for me to take her seriously, so I did some snooping into the background of the house by calling the realtor who'd rented it to us.

Imagine the chill that went down my spine when I learned the place had been the scene of a murder/suicide. Imagine the deeper chill went I went to the library and found the actual newspaper clippings that told the whole story: the owner of the home had been a bit of a 'player', who unfortunately for him, pissed off one girlfriend too many. Imagine the goosebumps when I read the details of the murder and discovered he'd been shot to death outside the bathroom door, right where my daughter had seen a 'ghostly figure'. Imagine the rumble of the moving truck as we left that house behind less than a month later.

Yep, that experience was enough to make a believer out of my skeptic husband and daughter. Me... I was a believer already, but that's another blog. :-)

Anybody else have any 'goosebump' moments?

The Perfect Man is Not Perfect

This picture cracks me up:



I sent it to one of my sisters a while back (she’s been divorced for a while, is a size 4 who looks great in red, and has a little dog). Unlike the poor stiff in photo, my sister is a very attractive woman, and she’s had her share of dates, but her pickiness became a family joke – “He’s too short, he’s too old, he’s losing his hair, he didn’t open the car door for me, he can’t spell (seriously-she rejected some poor ‘schmo because of his poor email skills), he talks too much, he talks too little, he has teenagers, etc., etc., etc.

And then, a few months ago, she met Mr. Right. She’s head over heels in love with a man who fits NONE of her previous requirements – he’s short, graying, has a very strong Brooklyn accent (we’re from the South, ya’ll), has a teenage daughter, and spoils his dog more than you’d ever believe possible. In short, he’s wonderful.

The point here is that the 'Perfect Man' is in the eye of the beholder. While we teased my sister mercilessly about her pickiness, it turns out she was right to wait. What turns you off in one person can be irresistibly attractive in someone else.

Here's to pickiness! Women of the world, don't settle for anything less than the Perfect Man... who, if he's truly perfect, won't be. :-)

My Den of Iniquity

It's hurricane season in paradise, and we've just survived our first brush with bad weather, otherwise known as Tropical Storm Alberto. A false alarm, luckily, but our cupboards are stocked and emergency supplies laid in; the bottled water, the batteries, the pet food, and most importantly... the merlot. ;) The storm has passed us by this time, but what about the next time? The National Weather Service will be calling the next storm of any note 'Beryl'. With a name like that it'll be hard to take anything above a Category 4 storm very seriously.

One 'hurricane preparedness' suggestion is to take pictures of your house and your belongings, in case disaster strikes and you need proof for the insurance company. Cheerful thought, hm? Anyway, my husband took this picture today of my office.



"Step right up, folks. You, too, can see the spot where demented tales from the dark side are devised..."

And yes, that is a dancing monkey on my computer screen, thank you very much.

Does This Blog Make Me Look Fat?

I spent most of my day today redesigning my blog, and despite the extreme 'pinkness', I love the new look. I needed a break from writing, though I'm very happy to report that the first completed draft of WHERE THE GHOULS ARE is finished! My creative urges were still bubbling, so I switched gears and dusted off my HTML skills. As a former computer geek, old habits die hard, and I find it easier to teach myself how to update my web stuff than to get someone else to do it. :-)

I'm also re-doing my website with a new pink and black color scheme, but that isn't finished yet -- another few days should do it. Then my brain should be ready to go back and do more revising on the latest manuscript.

In the meantime, I'm thinking pink. And black. (I'm wearing them, too.)