Category Archives: Way Back Wednesday

All Lights, Camera, Murder! All The Time?

Full disclosure:  I would not have made a blog post this morning, but my attempt to walk was foiled by rain.  Yes, I know, some people like to walk in the rain.  I personally do not mind it but did not want to either change my clothes or show up for work in a sodden state, although in a general sense I am not especially fastidious (I just wanted to use the word “fastidious” in a sentence. How often to you get to do that?).

Where was I?  Ah yes, making a blog post.  I think I will begin with a plug of our latest murder mystery, Lights, Camera, Murder! to be presented Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Herkimer Elks Lodge for the benefit for the Herkimer County Historical Society.

May be an image of text that says 'HERKIMER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND CYNTHIA QUACKENBUSH PRESENTS LIGHTS.... CAMERA... MURDER!! CAN YOU SOLVE THE MURDER BEFORE MURDERER IS REVEALED? SATURDAY NOVEMBER 11th Elks Club 112 Mary St. Herkimer, NY Doors Open at 5:30pm Dinner at 6pm Basket Raffles & 50/50 Raffle Dinner catered by PK Pubs Tickets $40.00 per person Tickets are available at The Herkimer County Historical Society 406 North Main St, Herkimer 315-866-6413'

Wow, that turned out big!

I am a little embarrassed they put my name up there in big letters.  I think I should give my little murder group a name like “Q Mysteries” or “Murder for Non-Profit” for such situations.  We have rehearsal tonight.  Perhaps I can get a few pictures for blogging purposes.  In the meantime, why don’t I finish out this post as a Throwback Thursday (or late Way-Back Wednesday) and share a few shots from previous mysteries.

She is always fabulous.

Here is my friend Kim in Fabulous and Fatal in 2019.  She is in the new one, and I expect she will be equally as fabulous.  It is always good to have a tall, gorgeous blonde in the cast.

He is fine, too.   I need to get the other one in a murder mystery sometime!

This is not from a murder mystery but from Love’s Labour’s Lost presented by LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company in 2022.  That is local author C.T. Avis, who is cast as Jarod, the screenwriter of the movie in Lights, Camera, Murder!  He asked if he was being typecast as a writer.  I said that actually I gave him the role on the strength of his portrayal of the lovelorn Don Armado (he was in love with Jacquenetta, played by me, I add modestly.  It was so flattering!)

I will try to show a couple more cast members after tonight’s rehearsal.  I don’t promise any hints about the plot, though.  I want any local readers who decide to attend to be surprised.

 

Late for Throwback Thursday or Wayback Wednesday

Wednesday was a real Blogger’s Sick Day.  I had one of those migraines where the only thing I could do was lie around and have a headache.  For Thursday I have no excuse, unless it was my ongoing struggles with depression.  You would think I would be used to it by  now, and being a fairly high-functioning depressant (or do I flatter myself?) still be able to get things done.  At least more things.  I did do a couple of things but hesitate to list them because (1) there weren’t that many and (2) they were late.

Never mind all that, it is early Friday morning, and I need coffee.

A little blurry, but cool mug, yes?

I paused before getting coffee to take a picture of the mug I am using.  It was Steven’s mug (my late dearly missed husband, I add for anybody just tuning in), so I celebrate a memory as I sip.  I am, of course, using Halloween mugs this month.  I have too many coffee mugs in general, but NOT too many Halloween mugs!

They were a delightful couple.

I share the picture of Bridezilla and her consort, because I dreamed about her last night.  In my dream, I was telling somebody about the costume, and, as happens sometimes in dreams, we were watching it as I was telling it.  Only then she looked all different and was in a different costume, as also happens in dreams.  Don’t tell Dr. Freud on me!

He was looking good!

Bridezilla and the above picture were at a Halloween party at the Herkimer VFW in 2021.  We had a great time.  Another attendee told us me and Steve were the best couple.  How sweet!

She was the Woman of Many Hats.

Our friend Tracy was visiting at the time.  She dressed as herself:  a Woman Who Wears Many Hats, because she does, if you see what I mean.  Nobody took a picture of me.  I was just a common or garden ghoul.

One more scary picture couldn’t hurt, might help.

So I guess this is a Wayback Wednesday or a Throwback Thursday post.  We’ll see if I can be on time for Lame Post Friday, but no promises.

 

Post Headache Post

In my last post I said something about my blog posts suffering, but for the last few days, I have been suffering.  My seasonal allergies have kicked in big time with the result that I am lighted-headed and/or headachey, and breathing is not the easiest.  I apologize for whining about it; I only wanted to explain why I missed posting on Wednesday and Thursday.

I made it through work both days and through rehearsal on Wednesday, so there’s that.  Last night we did not have rehearsal, so I had a long sleep.  Oh, the sheer relief of waking up without a headache!  I hope that state continues.  In the meantime, perhaps I can manage some semblance of a blog post.

Clearly I am not buying what he is selling.

Throwback Thursday or Wayback Wednesday on Friday morning, that’s the ticket.  This is my late, beloved husband Steve and me in Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre back in 2012.  What a fun show that was!

My most comfortable costume.

Here we are again in Splitting Issues in 2015.  Or was it ’16?  Anyways, it was the 2015-16 season.  I sit in that same chair in the current play I am in.  I love community theatre.

This gets me to 200 words, so I say, “Phew!” And I just hit something that made my screen ENORMOUS!  Oh dear.  I had better hit Publish before I really screw things up!

Wuss-Out or Way-Back, At Least it’s still Wednesday!

I might just as well admit I am having a bad patch of days.  I feel down.  I feel tired.  I have no energy or ambition to do anything.  So I guess this will be a Wuss-out Wednesday Post.  And I am kind of forcing myself to make it on Wednesday instead of early Thursday morning.

However, I have gotten a whole paragraph pecked in and have not backspaced it out, so there’s that.

I am the one in the purple cape.

I thought it would be nice to make it a Way-Back Wednesday Post as well so found this picture in my Media Library from August 2017.  It is the cast of The Tempest as presented by LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company.  It was a fun show.  I need a little more Shakespeare in my life.

You can see me better in this one.

Tomorrow I have my first real rehearsal for The Man in the Bowler Hat,  the one-act I am in as part of An Evening of Timeless Comedy at Ilion Little Theatre.   I do not know my lines yet.

Regular readers may notice that I am not at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort for music and food, as I often am on a Wednesday.  I actually fixed my hair and put on a cute outfit including earrings, but I just could not get myself out the door.  These things happen, I suppose.

In the meantime, I see I am over 200 words.  Not too much of a Wuss-out after all.

 

Oh Well! It’s a Post!

It seems that I am in a time warp.  I logged on to WordPress thinking “Throwback Thursday.  I’ll make a Throwback Thursday Post.”  It was not until I looked at my previous posts for the week that I remembered:  it’s Wednesday!  What the hell, me?  Earlier today I knew it was Wednesday.  Furthermore,  I am well aware that tomorrow is NOT Friday.  Sometimes I wonder about myself.

At least it isn’t Tuesday. Or is it?

All is not lost, I tell myself (although why I should listen to myself when I am clearly an unreliable source I do not know):  I can have a Way Back Wednesday Post (should Way Back be one or two words?).

Cheers!

Going back a few years to December 2019, here is my sweet husband, Steven, at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY.  That is Phil Arcuri in the background.  I would have liked to go to Fratello’s tonight, but I called and found out there was no music.  I know, I could have gone anyways for the food, but I decided against it.

Why not another picture of Steve?

I had to look through some previous posts to rememberwhere this picture was taken.  It is Beer Belly Bob’s in Ilion,  where Red Shed Brewery of Cooperstown and Cherry Valley was doing a tasting.  I recently saw their tap room in Cherry Valley and said, “Ooh, I have to go there!”   This could be a sign I should do it soon (preview of coming attractions).

Now my post is in a time warp.  Way Back or Coming Attractions?  Oh well, it’s a post.

 

Way Back to When I Was the Title Character

I was lamenting that I had nothing good to make a blog post about (it’s too bad I don’t do a work blog, because lately it seems all I do lately is go to work) when I remembered:  Wayback Wednesday!  I can look in my Media Library for older pictures and reminisce about when I used to have a life!

I did the part better with my own hair.

This is me as Roxalana Druse, a local historical murderers.  I was being her ghost for a tour of the 1834 Jail in Herkimer, NY.  I played her in Roxy by Jack Sherman, a play sponsored by the Herkimer County Historical Society at Ilion Little Theatre in 2015.  To explain the caption: I had longer hair then; for the Jail thing I wore a wig.  That is my husband, Steven, next to me.

A fun bunch!

My Waybacks and Throwbacks often involve theatre, don’t they?  This is the cast of Rubbed Out at Ruby’s,  an interactive , murder mystery presented by LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company. I was Ruby.  I believe those were the only two times I played the title character.

I wore those slippers out. 

This was not in my Media Library; I had to find it in my Facebook profile pictures.  I remembered I was kind of the title character in The Busybody, presented by Ilion Little Theatre in 2015.  The Title was a play on words, because while my character was a bit of a gossip, the plot also involved a disappearing corpse.

So I guess it was all about me for this post.  Then again, it is a personal blog.  Thank you for tuning in!

 

Wuss-out? Wayback? It’s Not Even Wednesday!

Yesterday was indeed a Wuss-out Wednesday.  I not only did not make my blog post, I did not do a whole lot else.  I went to work, I went to rehearsal for Love’s Labour’s Lost (perhaps you read some of my blog posts about the play I am in).  Oh, and I made Tuesday’s blog post before work (that was one of the posts about the play referred to in the earlier parenthetical comment).  I sat on the porch with my husband and enjoyed the evening, before and after rehearsal.  I consider that an important thing to do, even though it is not what one might call productive.

Never mind all that.  It is time to make another Some Post, Any Post (is that a category?  Perhaps it should be).  How about some Mid-Week Monsters (oh why isn’t it Friday, I lament).

Isn’t she sweet?

I combine Wuus-Out with Wayback by sharing a picture from 2016. OK, not very way back.  We got this lovely witch at Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY, one of your favorite places to go in October.  Full disclosure: this witch is still on our porch from last Halloween.  We dressed her as an angel at Christmas time.  Alas, we did not take a picture of that.

A good place to obtain monsters and other Halloween stuff.

Here is a picture of the main building of Pumpkin Junction.  They are only open in the fall. I will no doubt make at least one blog post about them at the time (preview of coming attractions).

I see I have somehow gotten over 250 words.  Score!  I need to go eat breakfast and fix my lunch.  Happy Wednesday/Thursday, everyone!

 

Wayback Walk after Wuss-Out?

So yesterday was a true Wuss-out Wednesday as I neglected to post at all. In my defense, shut up, explanations are tiresome. I am sitting at the dining-room-tabletop prior to five Thursday morning, and my main feeling is gratitude for coffee. I went for a half-hour walk so am torn between making a Pedestrian Post and a Way-back Wednesday Post. Since I would like to retain the option of making a Throwback Thursday Post later, I shall attempt the former.

I do love flowers.

Full disclosure: I still have not upgraded my WordPress account so cannot add new pictures. Here is one from a walk I took in July 2017, making this a Way-Back Wednesday as well as a Pedestrian Post. This is the extent of my ability to multi-task (unless cleaning my oven while I sleep is still a thing) (older readers get that). Fuller disclosure: I did not see this on this morning’s walk, although I did walk by this building. For one reason, it was still dark. However, if I had troubled to look, I could probably report on whether the purple flowers are there once again. I did not. Judge me if you are so inclined.

Teehee!

Here is a funny from a walk in July 2018. It was actually a cool-down walk after a run, just to make me feel a little sad to remember I have not been running since May. I found it on the sidewalk and took it home, taking this picture, because it amused me so much. I told my husband Steve it was probably for him, and his girlfriend had left it there for me to deliver.

I see I have not yet said anything about today’s walk. Oh well, it wasn’t such a much anyways, and I am almost at 300 words (that sentence put it over). I feel oddly pleased with this post, but perhaps I flatter myself. No matter. It’s time to get myself a little more coffee.

PS. Now it is 5 a.m.

What Kind of Wednesday?

How about a Wordless Wednesday Post? Oh yeah, as if I am ever wordless. I have always had a tendency to talk too much. Sometimes I have entertaining things to say, others not so much. Let me try for the former, with illustrations.

I wish!

We have enjoyed warm temperatures these last few days, and tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer. I am hoping to see some crocuses soon, although I’m afraid my lawn has too many of last year’s leaves in the way. However, I see brown leaves in this shot from March 2021, so I hold onto hope.

This doesn’t bode well.

Moving back to March 2020, I found several pictures with dark clouds. How appropriate for that benighted year. Benighted, by the way, is one of my favorite words.

That was as far as I got last night. I was looking for a picture from March 2019 and wondering if I shouldn’t bill this as a Wayback Wednesday Post (even a year ago can seem like way back) when my Media Library ceased to cooperate with me. So it became a Wuss-out Wednesday Post. It is early Thursday morning as I finish this, without coffee, by the way.

Suddenly I want to go for a walk.

Finally accessing March 2019, I find only one nature photograph. Bare tree, blue sky. I like it. It is symbolic of my brain, largely bare these days, yet retains that bit of optimism with the blue sky. I, too, strive to retain a bit of optimism.

At the beginning of this post, I hoped to entertain. I hit publish with the optimistic thought that I have (or once again, do I flatter myself?) and adjourn for a cup of coffee.

Will There Be Monsters?

As I continue to trudge and stumble through my four day week (YES, I am grateful it is a four day week! I can’t help it if I trudge and stumble; I am tired and clumsy! Sheesh!) (And at least I continue to move in what I hope is a forward direction) (But I digress)…

Where was I? Ah yes, Mid-Week Monsters. Or should this be Way-Back Wednesday? In either case I intend to share a few pictures, type in a little nonsense, hit Publish, and hope for the best. It has worked before, I think it will work again. Here goes.

Scary!

I quite frankly do not remember adding this picture to my Media Library, although I obviously did. I also do not remember the movie, yet the title is familiar. I must look through my DVD collections of cheesy movies. There are so many.

Not so scary!

Here is a Way-back Monster photo, although not really so far back. It is my front porch in Halloween of, I think, 2019. I went to the photos on my Tablet, since I am having such trouble with my Media Library these days. They are not dated, and I did not scroll slowly enough to keep track.

Scary again!

Here is an authentic Way-back Monster: Nosferatu from 1922. It is one of the few movies I can reliably remember the year of, because 22 is my favorite number and Nosferatu is my favorite monster.

I think that is a pretty good note to end on. Here’s hoping for a non-monstrous rest of the week!