Category Archives: personal

Late, Lame, But at Least Local

Posted on September 23, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m not even that late but thought I would throw that in, in the interests of alliteration (“In the Interests of Alliteration” would make a good title for a future blog post; I wonder if I will remember it).

It’s Friday, and I’m kind of glad it is, not that I expect the weekend to be any great shakes.  That’s OK, though, because I have been moving and shaking a bit too much on the weekends these days (see what I did there?).  However, I did a couple of things tonight to get my weekend started right.

First we went to a tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor.  I thought they were tasting 19 Crimes wine, one of my favorites, but it turned out to be High West Whiskey.  So we tried a little whiskey.  We had apple cider with Campfire Whiskey, lemonade with Double Rye, and American Prairie Bourbon all on its own.  I liked the last one best, but that may be because I prefer my whiskey straight, on the rocks or in a cup of coffee.

Next Steven and I went to dinner at Salvatore’s Pizzeria and Restaurant.  I had a Mediterranean Panini with eggplant, roasted red pepper, spinach, provolone, and pesto mayo.  Steven had a fried fish sandwich with fries.  Yum!  While we ate, we enjoyed watching the workers behind the counter making pizzas.  They were very busy yet so cool and competent.

I guess this is not a proper shout-out to either business.  Still, if I put in links, I think it’ll do.  What do you want from me on lame Post Friday?  Happy weekend, everyone.

 

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Now I Would Like a Drink

Posted on September 22, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sorry, folks, my malaise continues and I can’t manage any other kind of post than one with monster pictures.  I really like monster pictures.

Now there’s a man, someone who will carry you to the bar!

I stole this gem from Monster Movies and Creature Features, a Facebook group I enjoy quite a bit.  As I searched for others, I saw on one of the groups or pages I followed (can’t remember which one), somebody had posted about 50 times that it was Stephen King’s birthday.  He’s 70.  I don’t know if the person who posted it hit the wrong button or was just really, really excited about Stephen King’s birthday, but it was on there more times than I cared to scroll through.  I went on to a different monster page/group, but I thought, ooh, there’s a perfect excuse to post monsters: Stephen King’s birthday!

Only, I’m not a big fan of Stephen King.  Oh, he is an excellent writer, very skilled, very talented.  I have enjoyed several books and stories of his (I prefer novels to short stories, but I also like the novelettes).  I gotta say, the movies, not so much.  His movies were made in the bloody ’70’s and beyond.  I like the older, more circumspect flicks.  There are exceptions, of course.  As I trolled around looking for other pictures, I remembered I shared one recently from a movie based on a Stephen King novel.  Steven my husband (note the different spelling) and I pop in Carrie periodically.  It is a time-honored favorite.

My prom was so boring!

A movie based on a Stephen King novel which I did not enjoy was The Shining.  Yes, yes, I know many people love it.  One part I liked which was not in the book was “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy,” typed over and over, when Pathetic Wife thought he was working on his novel.  The other part I kind of liked, also not in the book, was the very end, with the haunting shot of Jack Nicholson in the ballroom

Ooh, it was in 1921. I love the ’20’s.

This is the cover photo from the group Haunted Ballroom.  Very appropriate, no?

As I was downloading that photo, I remembered there is another movie based on a Stephen King novel I don’t mind: Shawshank Redemption.  I reference that movie all the time.  As a result of spending too much time (for me) in dry, dry Arizona, I enjoy rain so much that sometimes I do Shawshank Redemption:

I usually have my shirt on when I do this, for which I am sure bystanders are grateful.

Full disclosure: after the flood of 2013, I did not do that gesture for a while.  I don’t do it every time it rains anyways, only sometimes for effect, for example, when we had rather a deluge after a Shakespeare performance in Little Falls last summer (perhaps you read my blog post about it).

Be all that as it may, this has been my Thursday Non-Sequitur post for the week.  I hope to see you all again on Lame Post Friday.

 

 

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Random Essay for Wuss-out Wednesday

Posted on September 21, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here is a little-known fact about a famous Shakespearean tragedy:  Romeo snored.  Of course, most of us snore at least sometimes, but the entire Montague family was known for their loud, incessant, obnoxious snoring.  When the whole family slept in the same castle, their snorkeling, snorting, gasping, grating, grinding, endless nighttime symphonies would have rattled the windowpanes, if they would have had glass windowpanes in the 16th century (I looked this up after I wrote that: glass window panes became common in the 17th century) (Phew!).

In fact, according to one source (OK, it’s me), that snoring was the original cause of the whole Montague/Capulet fracas.  The families used to be great friends, spending Sunday afternoons together.  One Sunday when Capulet was in the middle of a long, boring story (don’t judge; you’ve told them yourself, we all have), Montague fell asleep.  Capulet could never be brought to believe that the warm weather and heavy Sunday dinner were to blame, or that the ensuing noise was quite natural.  He always held to it that Montague was only pretending to sleep and made all that racket just to poke fun at Capulet.  Nothing could convince him otherwise, because all the Montagues were afraid to fall asleep in front of him after that.  Just imagine all the years of hostility that could have been avoided with a simple sleepover.

Romeo, naturally, inherited the tendency.  It is a pretty safe bet that Romeo and Juliet did not waste any time sleeping during the one night they had together.  This is unfortunate, as things turned out, because if Juliet had gotten a load of that honk, she may have been more amenable to taking Paris as a substitute.  I understand his family was rather gentle in their nighttime sounds, although Juliet would naturally have had no chance of finding that out beforehand.  I know, some of you are going, “Bu-bu-bu–” in your anxiety to get out a defense of True Love, and you know, they were married.  Yes, well, let’s leave the philosophical discussion for another day (perhaps Lame Post Friday, my traditional space for half-baked philosophy, and don’t try to tell me yours is fully cooked, I won’t believe you).

Incidentally, you may remember that Romeo’s mother died offstage before the end of the play.  Some have hypothesized that since theatrical companies at that time had only three boys who could play female roles, you could only have three women onstage at a time.  Well, that could be, but the fact of the matter is, she died from lack of sleep.  Being a Montague only by marriage, she just couldn’t handle the buzz saw.

 

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Hang In There, Me, It’s Almost Halloween!

Posted on September 20, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

So here I sat, feeling too tired and out of it to even make a Tired Tuesday post.  How pathetic is that?  I went running, thinking I could make another Running Commentary post, even though I just did one on Sunday.  It was a boring run.  You don’t want to read it, and I don’t want to write it.  I didn’t even feel like trolling Facebook for monster movie pictures.  Then I looked up and saw this cheerful fellow smiling at me.

Who could be uncheered by the ghost of a Jack-o-Lantern?

He actually wasn’t sitting there when he smiled at me, but when I went to take a picture of him, it seemed too cluttered.  After trying a couple of places, I put him on the stairs.  Brown carpeting, white wall, it seemed neutral enough.  Then I kept having the problem of him turning around.  You see, it is a pick, and I didn’t push the pointy stick into, say, a flower pot or piece of styrofoam, but just placed it in a little bottle we had on our shelf (it once contained Q brand of gin.  My nickname was “Q” in the army, so naturally I had to try the gin).

I recently purchased the decoration at Northstar Orchards in Westmoreland.  I know, I should write a blog post about the visit. How remiss of me that I have not.  I’ll try to get to it before the week is out.  In the meantime, I thought I would round out this blog post with a couple more pictures.  You see, Steve recently did some Halloween shopping himself.  Yesterday, I came home to find this waiting for me on the couch.

Actually, after coffee, I pretty much am a morning person.

Isn’t he adorable?  Yes, I like scary vampires too, like Christopher Lee or Bela Lugosi.  But I think this one is a sweetie.  As you see, I put it back on the couch to take the picture.  I will need to take the cute vampire out of the cup and use it one morning soon.  And here is the other decoration Steven bought.

I think he’s pretty awesome. Or is it a she?

I returned to the stairs for this shot.  And now I have run out of what little steam I had, but I see I am approaching 400 words.  I call that quite respectable for a Tired Tuesday.  I’ll try to come up with a real post tomorrow and forgo Wuss-out Wednesday for once.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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My Weekend: Ritz to GRAVE

Posted on September 19, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Me and my disreputable LiFT friends.

I thought if I led with a really cool picture, my readers would forgive me for another post where I ain’t got nuthin’.    Yes, I said “ain’t got nuthin’.”  A double negative, the word “ain’t,” and a phonetic spelling of lazy pronounciation.  Lots of no-nos!  Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! (That was my evil laugh, in case you did not recognize it.)

I had a busy, tiring weekend.  The above photo is members of LiFT Theatre Company participating in the Ritz and Ragtime fundraiser for the Landmarks Society of Greater Utica.  That was my Saturday night, and I spent a good portion of Saturday afternoon getting my costume back together and generally fretting about it, as I tend to do about such things.  We had a lot of fun and got to see one of the famous mansions at Rutger Place.  I’d like to find out more about the Landmarks Society and participate in future fundraisers.

Sunday was taken up with A G.R.A.V.E. Murder, the murder mystery fundraiser for the Herkimer County Historical Society.  That was a lot of fun, too.  We met at my house, so naturally I had to fix a few snacks.  We had a lot of laughs, too.  Now I must get on with learning my lines.  You might think I would already know them, since, you know, I wrote it.  But not so much.  Anyways, it will be easier than learning Shakespeare.

Expect to hear a lot about this in the next few weeks.

After A G.R.A.V.E. Murder, I may take a break from theatrics for a while (even from being a drama queen in real life, if I can manage it).   Many of my friends shake their heads or laugh and point when I say that, but I really need to work on some other things in my life.  On the other hand, if the Landmarks Society wanted to do a murder mystery fundraiser…

 

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What Does My Body Know, Anyways?

Posted on September 17, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I felt sick to my stomach this morning, so I did not feel like going running.  However, I’ve found that sometimes the counterintuitive thing is the right thing to do (OK, why is my computer underlining “counterintuitive,” one of my favorite words by the way.  I looked it up in Webster’s, it is so spelled right!)  (OH, computer wants me to hyphenate it, counter-intuitive.  Well, I’m not going to, so there.)

Where was I?  Ah yes, running, although my body seemed to be telling me not to.  Oh well, my body is a well-known lazy bum, as is my mind on many occasions.  Additionally, I wanted to work up a good sweat so a shower would feel extra good.  So I got ready to go.  No worries about being cold, as we’re getting a last little bit of summer before the equinox.  Oh, anybody who is going to screech, “TMI!” if I mention bras, don’t read the rest of this paragraph, because you know I don’t want to hear that.  I took the unprecedented step of wearing three sports bras.  The first two I put on did not feel secure enough, and I was too lazy to take them off and start over (others who wear D cups or above will understand).

It was grey and foggy out.  I like fog.  It’s so mysterious.  I headed down German Street toward Valley Health.  That is about the only hill I am up to these days, but I hope to build myself back up.  As I slowly made my way up, I reflected that at my age I can’t just jump on and off the running wagon.  It takes much less time to get out of shape and a lot longer to get back in.  By the time I reached the top of the hill I was seriously considering bagging the running and switching to walking.  Ah, long leisurely walks.  How pleasant would that be?  Other people stay in great shape by walking.  That could be me.  Then I thought of a few of my friends that run and felt that I really am not ready to quit that club just yet.

I had originally meant to run immediately back down the hill and around the sidewalks nearer my house.  Then a street that went downhill and ended in a cloud of fog beckoned me.  Of course I knew what was there:  it is a housing development I have run through many times.  Still, it felt like more of an adventure to turn.  I ended up not going down the hill (which I would only have had to run back up) but took the next left.  I admired some of the houses.  Many were ranch houses build into hills so the garage was in the basement.  That would be handy.

There are some major hills in that area (I call it “the suburbs,” although I know that is not strictly accurate), but I managed to avoid them.  Eventually I made my way to Lou Ambers Drive so I could stop and get a drink at the spring.  I looked up the hill to Herkimer College and sighed.  Another week, maybe two, and I might be ready for that one again.  The spring water tasted good, but I still had a ways to go to meet my goal of 36 minutes (I did 33 last week).  I’m sure those times don’t seem very impressive to some of you.  Well, it’s where I’m at, I might as well own it.

I ended up running faster as I neared the 36 minute mark, because I wanted to get all the way home and not run for more than 36 minutes (hey, don’t judge, I was tired!).  I almost ran too fast and had to go by the house or run up and down the driveway a couple of times (don’t judge, but you can laugh at me if you like, I do).

As I finished my cool-down walk, I realized I was still sick to my stomach.  At first I thought, so much for the counterintuitive solution.   Then I thought, hey, I’m no worse off.  My stomach may still have been upset and this way, I got a run in.  And now I’ve gotten my blog post written.  On the rest of my Sunday chores!  I hope you’re having a lovely weekend.

 

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More Fun with my Theatre Friends

Posted on September 17, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am sitting on my couch in my husband’s bathrobe (oh, don’t say TMI, just be happy I’m not sitting around naked!), waiting till it’s time to get ready for tonight’s adventure, which I wrote a blog post about two days ago (perhaps you read it).  I did accomplish one thing I meant to do: I emailed out character sheets and scripts to the cast of my next theatrical endeavor.

They put my name on the flier! I’m really on the spot now!

A G.R.A.V.E Murder is an interactive murder mystery dinner theatre.  I’ve done a few such in the area. Engaged To Be Murdered  and He Laughed Himself to Death at the Morning Star Methodist Church in Ilion were presented under the auspices of Ilion Little Theatre.  Who Shot J.S.?  was produced by and for the Herkimer County Historical Society.   Rubbed Out at Ruby’s was a slightly different interactive murder mystery presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls.   So you see, I have the bonafides when it comes to murdering people theatrically (my computer is telling me “bonafides” is not a word, but I don’t have time to look it up) (full disclosure:  I probably do have time to look it up; I’m just too tired and agitated).

Where was I?  Ah yes, A G.R.A.V.E. Murder.  G.R.A.V.E. stands for Ghost Retrieval and Verification Enterprises.  We are a company of ghost hunters, and our fearless leader was recently killed during a ghost-hunting expedition.  Were the evil ghosts he was hunting responsible?  Or was it one of his earthly colleagues?  Hmmmm…..

We begin rehearsals tomorrow (murder mysteries don’t take nearly as many rehearsals as full-length plays).  I have gathered a wonderful cast of marvelously talented people (I don’t say that just to butter them up; it is quite true and I’m sure they would agree with me).

My co-workers have been shaking their heads at me, reminding me that I had vowed to take a theatrical break after The Tempest,  yet here I am, pulling out Ruby’s long cigarette holder (don’t worry; they’re fake cigarettes) and writing murder mysteries.  But these aren’t full-length plays!  Tonight shouldn’t even really count, since I didn’t have any lines to learn.  All right, for the murder mystery I have some lines to learn (I’m not the dead body, after all).  Not too many!  Oh well, maybe after Oct. 14 I will take a real break.  If I don’t, you are welcome to say “I told you so.”  I will be too busy having fun with my theatre friends to worry about it.

A G.R.A.V.E. Murder  will take place at the Mohawk American Legion on Oct. 14 at 5:30 p.m.  Cost is $22 per person and includes a delicious roast beef dinner.  There will be a Chinese auction as well as prizes for some who correctly guess the murderer.  Tickets may be purchased at the historical society at 400 N. Main St., Herkimer, NY, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by calling 315-866-6413.

 

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I Like Monsters

Posted on September 16, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello, and welcome to Lame Post Friday.  I went running earlier, hoping to offer a Running Commentary Post.  Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, depending on how your tastes run, I just don’t feel like doing that.  I feel like posting pictures from monster movies.  Since I indulge myself on Fridays (and most other days when it comes to this blog) (don’t judge me), here is Bela Lugosi in a publicity shot from The Wolfman.

This is how I will look on Sunday, contemplating the approach of Monday.

I actually had been scrolling down Facebook trying to talk myself out of my monster movie picture cop-out when I saw this picture of Bela and I just couldn’t resist.  I went on to see what else I could find, skipping around to my favorite movie groups and pages.

Icons in coffins, what’s not to like?

I believe this is Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Vincent Price and Peter Lorre (in the back).  I’m almost sure I’ve seen this before and cannot believe I have not used it in a blog post yet.  If I repeat myself, well, some things are worth repeating.

This is probably what he would look like riding a subway.

When we think of monsters, especially movie monsters, naturally we would think of Frankenstein’s monster, one of the first and one of the best.  I shall conclude with a less literary monster in another publicity shot.

I never knew that magazine had centerfolds.

Full disclosure:  I am not that familiar with the Planet of the Apes movies.  I think Steven and I watched the first one once, but I don’t remember that much about it.  I think we saw the remake and were unimpressed.  Then again, one could argue that these movies are more sci fi than horror.  But why argue on Lame Post Friday?  I’m going to have another glass of wine.  I hope you’ll tune in again for my other weekend posts.

 

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Ruby But Not Rubbed Out

Posted on September 15, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

What an awesome poster!

I thought I would use today’s post to plug a fundraiser I will be privileged to participate in on Saturday.  “Ritz and Ragtime” will benefit the Landmark Society of Greater Utica on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Roscoe Conkling House, 3 Rutger Park.  There will be food, drinks, and entertainment.  I will be part of the last mentioned.

I’m in the red dress, being strangled.

Longtime readers may remember a little event called Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, which was presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls.  I wrote it and was featured as Ruby Van Rensselaer, a rich society lush, uh, I mean lady.  I am going to reprise the role on Saturday.  We aren’t going to present the murder mystery, or even a real story.  We just get to dress up and interact with the crowd in 1920’s character.  It should be fun!

I’m not sure how many of the original Ruby’s cast will be there, but I know some of us are really looking forward to it.

We are rather a suspicious-looking lot, aren’t we?

I wonder how it will be to mingle in character and not have to be dropping clues or even talking about the murder.   I’m sure my improvisational skills are up to it (in other words, I like to make shit up).  And if I miss the dead body, I’m sure there will be other murder mysteries. In fact, I may have a blog post about one soon (preview of coming attractions).  In the meantime, here’s a chalk outline to dream about:

Alas, no chalk outlines on Saturday!

 

 

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I Think the Word was “Conflict”

Posted on September 14, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is Wuss-out Wednesday, and it is going to be a Wuss-out Wednesday blog post, and you can read it and enjoy it or ignore it.  You can do that as a reader.  As a blogger, I have to post (“The blog must go on!” I say in a dramatic tone of voice, posing in a half swoon, with one wrist to my forehead) (THAT’S IT!!! It’s Wrist to Forehead Wednesday! Damn!)

OK, now I’m getting silly.  I just searched WordPress blogs for Writer’s Block and find that I am not alone.  Oddly enough, not one of the posts I looked at claimed that “there just ain’t no sech animal” as Writer’s Block, a contention I have heard on many occasions (with or without the hillbilly wording).  They may have something at that, as I see I am over 100 words already.  It is almost never impossible to write SOMETHING.  But to write something good?  As Hamlet once emoted, “Ay, there’s the rub!”

I spent my breaks at work trying to work on a project which ought to have been done by now (I dare not tell you what project, because I don’t want people who know about it to know it is not yet finished) (in fact, already I’ve said too much).  I couldn’t do it!  I managed to write some notes, which is more useful than it sounds.  Then I started to write another note and completely blanked on a word.

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ALL ABOUT???  I asked myself.  Have I gone senile?  Is it early onset Alzheimer’s? Yes, I am a self-dramatizing fool (see wrist to forehead pose in the first paragraph).  I daresay I’m no stupider than I was yesterday (cue jokes about how that is quite stupid enough).   Still, it is upsetting when one cannot think of a word or even a reasonable substitute.

I think I like it better when I share pictures from monster movies on these days when I just don’t have a blog post.  I may do that tomorrow on Non-Sequitur Thursday.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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