Month: October 2015

A Fearsome Tradition

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I’ve been carving pumpkins each year since my mother first trusted me with a knife.

Before

Before

After

After

I carved these fellas this afternoon. Normally I would keep them all around and have 3 or 5 on my front porch. Alas it is a Saturday night and we are going to meet friends out on University Avenue for dinner. We have a table reserved front and center to watch the goings on. So two are being given away, one to each of my nearby neighbors and one will stay here to light the room later as The Better Half and I watch a holiday movie upon our return from dinner.

Years ago, in my all but not too distant past, I would have been among the throngs being watched. We have done our share of elaborate group costumes attracting attention and having a blast. Don’t get me wrong, we aren’t necessarily done and have not become fuddy duddies, it’s just this year we will spectate.

I’ll leave you with the most Fearsome of all of Transylvania’s Transvestites as I am escaping to the bathroom to turn Fearsome black. We will be spectating as Superman. If Superman were to have Fearsome on his face, Fearsome would be black. No worries it’s only temporary!

Get a jolt from my electrode

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Check out this American Bandstand clip from 1964, my is Dick Clark young. Continue watching to see how artfully Bobby Picket stays in charachter.

Being a child of the 1960s this classic was always a Halloween favorite. Did you have a favorite tune for the holidays in your youth? How about now? Do you plan to get into costume this year? Fearsome has yet to decide what he might be this year as it’s hard to top his Wonder Woman from a few years back.

Off with your head!

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Fearsome loved this episode of Glee. Obviously because it took him back to one of those defining moments of his youth. He was but a young and somewhat scraggly beard at the time. He did not know he wasn’t thick and full yet, he just knew he was a beard.

He spent his high school youth in the very early 1980s leading the marching band for two seasons as Drum Major. Thanks to him I was known all over southwest Virginia as that flamboyant Drum Major with the beard and big diamond earring. Beards were not in at the time and neither were men with earrings.

Every Friday evening of the fall football season was spent entertaining rowdy high school crowds during half time. We loved our white satin corps style uniform complete with gold pleats, gold ascot and Aussie hat adjourned with the long gold feather. We led the band onto the field, directed them as the music energized the fans in attendance and danced our ass off on that little platform in front.

After graduation we continued by teaching drill team to area high school band camps each summer, coreographing field shows and inspiring those students that followed behind us. It was enjoyable summer work to help pay our way through college. All the while as I grew into adulthood, Fearsome grew into a fuller, thicker and more mature  beard. We even had the honor of witnessing the joy in our students eyes as they won awards in field show competitions. Those students won those awards themselves through hard work and dedication. We only gave them the tools, they are the ones who used the tools and proved they could excel.

When we first saw this episode we couldn’t help but re-live the experiences of our youth. In honor of the fall season and Halloween we felt this an appropriate video to start up the holiday weekend.

Full screen is even better!

Twenty Five Years Ago

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I thank Joe Jervis over at Joe.My.God for making me aware of this anniversary.

Joe’s post is HERE.

I first wrote about this tune HERE.

I have many emotions tied to this tune. I consider it part of a  defining moment in my life. It evokes both joy and sadness when I hear it. I loved and lost so many in it’s era. It’s lyrics tear at my core while reminding me of the joy, love and laughter that we all shared. The Pet Shop Boys gave me and many others like myself a gift with Being Boring. I thank them for it.

I dedicate this post to Greg. Although you are now missing, I will never forget the love, joy and tears we shared as we danced to this tune as the wind enveloped our bodies as it blew in off the ocean that beautiful evening at Tea By The Sea, Atlantic Shores, Key West. We were never Being Boring, we were never being bored.

It’s alright

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Never having been one that catches movies at release nor necessarily when there is a “buzz” about them, I miss a number of them. I usually catch my flicks on coast to coast flights.

Last week on the trip east I did catch one that I wanted to see, Antman. I wasn’t familiar with it until right before its release when I caught the trailer for it at Comic-Con. I liked the trailer and finally caught it on a flight. Now I wish I had caught it in the theatre. Hindsight really is 20/20 vision sometimes. Good flick.

Yesterday on the trip west to get home I was privileged to catch The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I had avoided this one. I remember a little buzz about it when it was released. I ignored it. Yesterday when presented with United Airlines personal device entertainment I watched a number of previews, but for some odd reason decided to watch it. I remember the little voice in my head saying ” go ahead, it’s free and you can switch to any one of the other 100 movies on here if you don’t like it, it’s not like you will ever rent it”. I can now tell you I will not rent it. I will now buy it on iTunes for a second and third viewing. Beautiful film.

Fearsome believes in feeding his mind positive information as well as positive entertainment. Being a contemplative beard, he believes that good leads to good. Personal growth and beard growth go hand in hand.

While there are many positive messages to share from this oddball flick, the obvious one comes to mind. We leave it here to share today: “Everything will be alright in the end…so if it’s not alright, it’s not the end.”

Waiting for Dad

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The crew:

The crew: Nina, Patsy, Gilda, Virgil, Abner & Mitzi

Home.

Home isn’t the 95 year old two story craftsman house we live in. Home is the love we share within its walls. Tonight I’ll be back sharing the love in person with my husband of 25 years and our crew of six. I’m so blessed and so grateful.

Don’t be afraid, just turn me on!

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It’s time to kick off the week of All Hallows’ Eve!

I’m winding down my trip east and fly back to San Diego tomorrow. It’s been a good trip. Mom is doing well. Things are winterized around the house and most all of Dad’s affairs are either settled or in fairly good order. It’ll be good to get home and back to work.

Recently another blogger mentioned an earworm of a tune that he had stuck in his head. He knows who he is. I remember that tune quite well, it was a funky tune by Wild Cherry. I love a good earworm and always enjoyed this one….

Go ahead, click and play it! Full screen for even more fun! You will not be disappointed in the music, style, dress, dancing or even in the decor. Yes it’s like they shot this video in a bad 1970s living room one might find over on Luriddigs (WARNING : NSFW home decor review blog). Scary setting, great tune and a wonderful earworm for this week.

Yes Scarlet, Halloween is coming this week. Don’t be afraid of no Boogie Man, just turn him on!

 

“Honey, it’s gonna be OK”

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I’ve had a good trip so far. Mom is doing well. We were able to get several things accomplished yesterday. We had a most enjoyable dinner with her long time (58 years) next door neighbor, Mrs. Wade, last night.

As we were ending our evening together Mrs. Wade asked me if I had seen this speech given by Vice President Joe Biden yesterday. I hadn’t. I had heard the news, but not the speech. She commented at how moving and inspirational it was. I told her that I’d look it up and watch it myself. I thank her for pointing me to it. His words are truly with the listen.