Category Archives: Monstrous Monday

Spoiler Alert! I Give Away the Ending of One Monster

I am resorting to a Monstrous Monday post, because I fear if I wait till I leave my house and do something blogworthy (and there is no guarantee of either of those things happening), I will not post at all.  We can’t have that.

“Why can’t we?”

Regular readers may remember my favorite guy, Nosferatu, of the eponymous 1922 silent film.  It’s scary!  I love it!  I also love the song by Blue Oyster Cult, which I only recently discovered.  I think my vampire friend looks startled in this picture, or perhaps he is just trying to remember how to say grace.

She looks like I feel.

And here is the beautiful Candace Hilligoss in Carnival of Souls (1962).  I guess she is not looking her best in this shot.  Carnival of Souls is a great example of how you can make a very unsettling movie on a low budget.   One might argue that Candace is not exactly a monster, but I usually try to avoid arguments as I often lose them.

Another scary one!

These could be described as monsters of the human sort, but I believe they call themselves witches.  Does anybody recognize a young Christopher Lee?  I think I need to revisit some of these older horror movies I have on DVD.

A reformed monster.

I close with a seasonal monster, the Grinch.  I suppose this gives away the ending of the story.  I know what!  I’ll put in a Spoiler Alert in the headline!

 

Ghoulish Memories on Monstrous Monday

I had a problematic weekend, and the upcoming week doesn’t look much better.  And here I sit drinking hot coffee to make matters worse.

“Follow me! To the Graveyard!”

I quick threw in a picture to lighten things up. “Follow me!  To the Graveyard!” followed by an evil laugh is one of the things my Elliott Ghoul likes to say.  My late, dearly missed husband Steve and I picked up Elliott at a garage sale many years ago.  We used to put him in the attic November through September, then Steve used to at least turn him off when it wasn’t the season.  I leave him on year round, just for the sake of hearing a voice other than my own once in a while.

Where was I?  I just spent a ridiculous amount of time looking for a picture of Elliot Ghoul in my Media Library.  He stands in my dining room window, for the amusement of any passers-by who might notice.  He went off once behind me while I was on a video appointment with a VA doctor on the dining-room-table-top (long-time readers may remember it used to be a laptop).  The doctor asked what it was.

“Oh, that’s just my ghoul,” I was happy to explain.

And there’s my late sweetie-pie.

I add a picture of my late husband at a Halloween party, because it seems to fit the mood of today’s post.  I have 400 words of another post saved.  I started it yesterday, realized I did not know where I was going with it but knew it ought to go somewhere.  Will I finish it today?  Or ever?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my Monday.

 

I Make it Through Monday

It is late in the day on Monday (for me), and I think all I can manage is a Monstrous Monday post.  Has it been a Monstrous Monday?  In some senses, yes.  I had great ambitions for cleaning my house which did not come to fruition.  I mowed the lawn, actually starting the power mower myself, which regular readers may recall is not easy for me.  I did a little more yard work late in the day, but SO MUCH is still to be done!  I hang my head in shame.

This is a good boy!

If only I had Gene Wilder to comfort me thus!  This, of course, is a shot from Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, one of a very few perfect movies, in my not so humble opinion.

Maybe it’s Maybelline.

Why is my computer underlining “Maybelline”?  I looked it up!  Anyways, this is a shot from a less than perfect movie, but a perfectly cheesy movie which I love to watch, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.

In fact I did.

OK, this is not a monster but some find it good advice for a Monday.  I am not advocating alcoholism.  To me, the sitting down, pouring yourself a beverage, and relaxing is the point. Sometimes my beverage is seltzer and lemon.  Sometimes it is coffee or tea.  Full disclosure:  right now it is Chardonnay.  Happy Monday, everyone.

 

I’m a Sucker for Vampires

It has been a while since I made a Monstrous Monday post.  Of course that happens when I go days and days without posting.  I am trying to be better about that.  I am trying to be better about other things but with indifferent success.  One must persevere (one being me).

He’s scary!

I throw in a monster, before I get bogged down in justifying my lack of success and begin to wonder how hard I am really trying.  A nice creepy silhouette of Nosferatu from the eponymous 1922 silent movie will take my mind off my shortcomings.  I mean, my problems.  There is a new Nosferatu in theatres now, and I have been thinking about making a trip to New Hartford, NY to see it.  I know, I know, it is cheaper to stream, but I don’t know how to do that.  Additionally, it is more of an event to go see a movie on the big screen.  And there are some great eateries around the cinema, so one could make a day of it.  If only I still had a husband to drag along.  Oh dear, that sounds like I am feeling sorry for myself, which perhaps I am.  Quick, throw in another monster!

It says NO SMOKING, but he is smoking hot, yes!

Here is a different vampire, Blackula.  I rather enjoyed that movie.  I once started to watch the sequel, Scream, Blackula, Scream.  I do not remember why I did not see all of it.  Perhaps it was a DVR malfunction.  Alas that it has never come my way again.  I really must learn to navigate Roku TV.  I would imagine there are any number of movies I would like to see available for free (I am a widow on a fixed income, you know) (yes, more whining; judge me if you are so inclined).

Somebody offer that vampire a napkin!  And some Visine!

I searched my Media Library for another vampire and found the incomparable Christopher Lee.  He looks as if he was interrupted mid-bite.

The man that set the standard.

I felt I should include Bela Lugosi, who many consider the quintessential Count Dracula.  My late husband, Steve, always found this movie a little slow.  I see what he means, but I enjoy it.  I guess I’m just a sucker for vampires (see what I did there?).  Ooh, that would make a good headline!

 

Yes, It Is Monday

Here I was wondering what I could offer for a blog post when I realized today was Monday.  Monstrous Monday!  Many of us are confused by what day it is between Christmas and New Year’s.  Others are only too well aware. I cannot worry who knows what.  I can only make what blog post I can.  Full disclosure:  I have had a couple of glasses of Chardonnay before posting.  Judge me if you are so inclined.

Is this how I look to myself?

Since I confessed to indulging before blogging, I thought  this blurry mirror image was appropriate.  In fact, I am not seeing double, in the mirror or as I look in the distance.  However, this is a good monstrous image from Carnival of Souls,  a delightful low-budget scary movie.

Nice side eye!

OK, this does not have a lot to do with the previous picture, but it is a favorite of mine from The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, an excellent cheesy horror movie.

Why are you looking at me?

For a third picture, I show Nosferatu  of the eponymous 1922 silent movie, looking startled that we are zeroing in on him.  Regular readers know I love Nosferatu.

I guess this is not much of a post, which you will have on occasion.  I will try for something better tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope your Monday is just as Monstrous.

 

Make Tea and a Blog Post and Call Me in the Morning

It seems I last posted early Thursday morning.  It is now mid-afternoon on Monday, and I could use a cup of coffee.  Or something.

Pause while I acquire a caffeinated beverage.

I made tea, but I found the Dyn’s Cider Mill mug.  I thought I could just about manage a Monstrous Monday post and perhaps get into some better blog posts as the week wears on.  I am feeling exceptionally useless lately.  I suppose the solution to that is to do something useful as say, “There!  What about that!”  Well, I did a load of laundry earlier and tried to clean out a tote in which I had thrown a ridiculous collection of things.  Perhaps tea and a blog post will revive me.

Some chicks don’t dig skinny guys.

Here is a shot from House on Haunted Hill, which I re-watched recently. It is a perennial favorite.  I refer, of course, to the original, produced by William Castle and starring Vincent Price.

“Hang a shining star upon the highest bought!”

I thought I would throw in a more seasonal monster with the Abominable Snowman, affectionately known as Bumbles, from Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  I though he had lost all his teeth by the time he wanted to put the star on top of the tree.  Just another continuity gaffe.

OK, he can call me a ho.

And another seasonal monster.  I need to find a Santa hat to put on Elliott Ghoul, who stands in my dining room window.  I put one on the Ghost that acts as a living room light.

Perhaps over the next few days I will complete my meager Christmas decorations and take some pictures for the blog.  I know some regular readers are interested to see Bonita’s Yuletide garb.

 

Late But Making with the Monsters

Oh dear, it feels as if it has been days since I make a blog post.  Time is so weird.  Part of me is wondering how it got to be December already while another part feels it has been at least three weeks since Thanksgiving.  However, that is half-baked philosophy more suited to Lame Post Friday than a late Monstrous Monday post.  Let’s make with the monsters, shall we? (We shall!)

Creepy, yes?

I thought I would open with a monster seldom used (is that like the road less traveled?  Discuss amongst yourselves).  I have no idea where I got it; I downloaded it back in 2017.  I would like to make my front lawn look like this, although I do not have a similar amount of space, nor as much cool stuff.

Quite the fashionable skeleton.

I thought I should get a little Christmasy, since it is December, as noted earlier.  This, as regular readers know, is Bonita, our skeleton who likes to dress for the season.  She does not have her Christmas togs on yet this year.  I’ll have to work on it.

Now there’s a Christmas monster!

Boris Karloff is the ONLY Grinch for me; I don’t care how many re-makes they do.  I also like to watch movies where Karloff uses his real voice (as opposed to when he is Frankenstein’s Monster, who is fairly inarticulate).  He says all these creepy things, and I hear in my head, “Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot…”

And now I have babbled on for over 250 words.  Score!  Will I try for a Mohawk Valley Adventure to write about later today or stay home and clean the house?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my morning.

 

Maybe I Should Write About Monsters

Yes, it is a Monstrous Monday post, and I am mostly happy that I am making it on Monday.  I had thought to do a Running Commentary post, and narrated in my head during most of my run this morning.  Then I neglected to make the post until now, Monday evening.  Judge me if you want to be that way.

Poor guy. What if his nose itches?

The first monster picture I found in my Media Library was this shot of Frankenstein’s Monster.  I say “Frankenstein’s Monster” for purists who don’t like to shorten it to just “Frankenstein.”  But if Dr. Frankenstein was his father, wouldn’t the Monster’s name be Frankenstein too?  We could argue this for days, but I am no hand at argument.

Are you calling me a monster?

Thanks a lot, Franz, for the compliment!  In fact, I am writing, if you can count a Monstrous Monday blog post.  I suppose Truman Capote would say, “That’s not writing, that’s typing.”  I did write some notes on a novel earlier, and did some reading on what might turn out to be a play.  Also I wrote a letter.  I like to write snail mail letters.

I’ve been called worse.

To conclude:  there are various kinds of monsters.  Some are created by mad scientists out of spare body parts.  Some we create ourselves by not fulfilling our destiny.  Ooh, didn’t that sound profound?  I should save such half-baked philosophy for Lame Post Friday.  Or is that more of a Monday Middle-aged Musing? Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

What Happened to Sunday? Now It’s Monstrous Monday!

I logged on to WordPress, then spent some time on Facebook, scrolling down and wondering what my problem is.  Then I think, it does not matter; I can make a blog post in spite of problems.

Oh dear, another pause and the urge to backspace out what I just typed in.  Quick, throw in a picture!

Not what he expected to find in the hold.

I randomly picked June 2021 in my Media Library and found my favorite guy, Nosferatu, of the eponymous 1922 silent movie.  It is Monday, so I may as well make this a Monstrous post.  I completely missed making any kind of a post on Sunday, but I got a few other things done, so there’s that.

Masquerading as a monster.

Since we are soon to enter the Christmas season (I try to hold out till after Thanksgiving, with greater or lesser success), I share my Santa who often spends all year on my front porch.  Here he is dressed for Halloween.  Sometimes I dress Witchypoo as an angel.  Both Witchypoo and Santa are inside now.  I acquired a few new plastic decorations yesterday, because a friend was getting rid of them.  So I may be decorating for Christmas soon (preview of coming attractions).

One who set the standard.

I close with one of our most famous witches, Margaret Hamilton from The Wizard of Oz.  I was too lazy to keep looking for a picture of my own Witchypoo, dressed as an angel or otherwise.

I have been having a few Mohawk Valley adventures that I mean to blog about, but am I going to be one of those people who make promises and never deliver?  I hope not.  In the meantime, at least I have made a Monstrous Monday post.  On with the week ahead!

 

I’m In The Mood For Monsters

I’m In The Mood For Monsters

Hello and welcome to another Monstrous Monday post.  Yes, I have at least a couple of things I can blog about.  It is Veteran’s Day and would be appropriate for me to make a post thanking our veterans.  In fact, I am a veteran and I say you’re welcome.  Sometimes I say, “No problem; any time!” just to be self-deprecating.  In fact, my service was not such a much, but I did try to make my contribution.  Never mind that:  I am in the mood for monsters!

Gotta get me a jacket like that.

I open with my favorite, Nosferatu, of the eponymous 1922 silent movie.  I suppose it might have been nice to share a picture of a soldier turned monster, but I do not have one.

I have a little less brain than this today.

I am feeling a little guilty about not making a Veteran’s Day post, but I really do not have the brain power to do so.  In these cases, I always like to show a picture of The Brain from the Planet Arous.  Sometimes I felt that I had very little brain in the army, but I did the best I could.

That’s giving him the side eye!

Speaking of brains, here is The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, one of my all-time favorites.  As regular readers know, my brain would and often does die.  No matter.  It usually comes back to life the next day, sometimes in time for me to make a blog post.  In the meantime,  I am over 250 words, so I will hit Publish and call this a day.  Once again, thank you for tuning in.