The Gypsy on Adventure

Happiness is the true beauty weapon. -Susan Sarandon

OHDEARGAWD I am SWOONING!

Why didn't some one tell me this EARLIER! I am so HAPPY! This article is dated: Friday, 27 July 2007 Link and YESTERDAY a new post you can find here!

The thought of this is just so damn YUMMY!

Some forty odd years ago a soap opera began its run, which would eventually take it to 1245 episodes by the time it went off the air in 1971. But this was no garden variety soap opera. This was "Dark Shadows".

Did you think Joss Whedon was awarded the patent for the vampire with a soul tormented by its own nature by virtue of his television shows "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel"? No, of course not. You'll slam that Anne Rice tome on the table with a smirk worthy of a US president. But before there was a Louis or a Lestat, there was Barnabas Collins. 

It wasn't until episode 210 that the show really took off and racked up increasingly better ratings. That's when the petty criminal Willy Loomis, indulging in a spot of grave robbing to augment his pinched finances, released the vampire Barnabas Collins, played by the Canadian Shakespearean stage actor Jonathan Frid, from the Collins family mausoleum, where he had been imprisoned since the late 18th century.

Originally the character was only meant to be one in a series of villainous protagonists over a hundred or so episodes. But when ratings skyrocketed and fan-mail started pouring in from smitten viewers plans were hastily redrawn. Looking older than his 43 years at the time, and hardly what you'd call conventionally handsome, aside from playing what was still a rather clearly evil character, Frid was an unlikely candidate for romantic heartthrob. But viewers had obviously caught on to the undertone of tragedy which he had brought to his portrayal of Barnabas Collins.

The character created by Frid and Curtis, the angst ridden vampire anti-hero with genuinely tragic dimensions, doomed to forever struggle with his own nature and seeking redemption, would become the model without which such later works as Anne Rice's vampire novels and Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" might never have been.

Besides vampires, the show, on a budget you could fit in a smallish piggy-bank, ran through the gamut of Gothic plots, creatures and things that go bump in the night and knocks over the cardboard sets. It was laughable, it was over the top, it was fun, and surprisingly often it was heart-wrenchingly moving.

It managed the feat of being self-consciously goofy and dead serious at the same time. And it introduced house-fraus, and geeky kids like Tim Burton, to the heady brew of undiluted grade A Gothic Absinthe.

Two subsequent attempts were made to revive the show, with less than stellar results. And with the death of orginal producer Dan Curtis last year, it looked like the the crypt door had finally slammed shut on "Dark Shadows".

But according to trade magazine Variety, via Filmstalker, Johnny Depp's  production company Infinitum-Nihil, GK Films, and Warner Bros. have signed a deal with the estate of the late Dan Curtis, and secured the rights to develop a feature film based on the show. Depp and Graham King will produce with David Kennedy, who ran Dan Curtis Prods. until Curtis' death. There's no word on who would direct, and indeed no word on whether Mr Depp would take on the signature role of Barnabas Collins himself. But it would seem the obvious choice, especially considering his personal attachment to the character:

Depp has said in interviews that he has always been obsessed with "Dark Shadows" and had, as a child, wanted to be Barnabas Collins, the vampire patriarch of the series. (Swoon! I should never doubt WHY I love him!)

Well today hasn't been much better...my computer printer won't work...then there was some thing WRONG with my computer and WGB had to fix it for HOURS...but I did get some journaling for the watercolors  done...while watching Dark Shadows...and pouting and eating baked goods we got yesterday...Lazy Sunday. I did get some knitting done on my Noro Hat and it is going better...I don't feel like such the idiot now...at least there are definite ROWS happening!

                                                                                            I am GRUMPY today...VERY grumpy! I don't know if it is hormones or just because I am in a bad mood. I was even grumpy driving through the beautiful areas up Highway 38 to San Gregorio Beach, except when the WGB bought me the cute Lip gloss of Betty Boop! ...through Highway 1 to Pacifica where we stopped at a really crummy Denny's, it was so dirty and yucky I didn't want to stay, but I wasn't in the mood to put up a fight. And the food sucked along with my mood...poor WGB could do nothing right...Giggle...I could have smacked him today...I was so irritated but hormones suck! It is terrible! When months ago I asked the doc if my thyroid was outta whack...oh no! your normal...I said anxiety is NOT normal...sure as shit...I was right!!!! Six months into my thyroid meds being too high! Gee wonder why I have the roller coaster of hell happening inside my body! LOL

With all the driving I just walked ...2,027 steps...  which I was surprised because I thought it would be more...but we did do a lot of driving.

I was able to get some landscape shots and stand at a picnic table and sketch in what I wanted to do with the water color! SO all was not too bad, and we stopped at the Swedish Bakery in Burlingame and I didn't care if I had some GOOD baked goods! LOL And bless WGB he loves me through the rough times too!

  
 
 

 

The Fourth Circle of Hell

Hum...now I am scurred! I just found out from a Flickr post where I might be headed!!!! YIKES!!!! How many hail Mary's should I do now?!

"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate." ("Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.")

The Fourth Circle of Hell
Those whose attitude toward material goods deviated from the desired mean are punished in this circle. They include the avaricious or miserly, who hoarded possessions, and the prodigal, who squandered them. Guarded by Plutus, the miserly group pushes great rocks towards the center of the circle; the wasters must take the rocks back to their own side of the circle (Canto VII). This is an antithetical punishment; the sinners must do the opposite of the actions they carried out in life.

Have to find JOY

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor. -- Truman Capote

I don't mind doing this poorly in order to learn to do it better! I am SO enjoying this watercolor class! I am really going to miss every one when I stop going! ONE more week!  During a week where my work just sucked the life out of me, it was FANTASTIC to have life affirming JOY at the class! Stress makes me tired...and this week my job has SUCKED the life out of me...and I am going to enjoy RELAX down time!

When you see the photo of Gay drawing the Oregon Coast and you then see MY landscape...hahaha at least I am willing to do things poorly in order to get better at it! : D  This is why Gay and Christina are the teachers!

I love my rocks! and Sue who sits next to me did her's in blue and gray colors that were fantastic!

In this class I just see things differently now, as ops for drawing! I was at a light on my way back to work when I saw this AMAZING Bumble Bee Bike! I am SO going to draw this! I was disappointed because I never saw the owner! The black and yellow look like velvet! Funny bike!

  

2,182 Steps today

There are no such things as limits to growth, because there are no limits to the human capacity for intelligence, imagination, and wonder. -- Ronald Reagan

Today I was really grieving, and so I wore a Lucy skirt and wore my silk ribbon embroidered shirt that I did, Lucy LOVED silk ribbon too!

Today at lunch I thought I would do my homework, but lunch came so fast I couldn't finish it at Country Gourmet...WGB took me there today, I have been feeling down, and he knows I like it...At home I finished coloring yesterday's homework and started today's.

The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. -- Allan K. Chalmers

They sucked the life out of me at work today...creating some art to have JOY! These boots are now toast...the water from the puddles leaked into them today walking to lunch! Today I set up some special treasure to draw today...each has a meaning connected to a friend...

Today I received my new Brenda Book! Now to start using it huh!  My knitting on the Noro hat is doing really well this time...I am so happy this time! I WAS doing the stitch backwards!

This morning started out great! I got into my new Secret Lentil outfit! This is like an Urban outfit! I love the top AND the bag had to have the monster on it! Grin The monster is a SoManyIdea's creation...I love my flickr friends! I even got a GREAT RAOK from BennyLove, but she doesn't want me to share it...so only a little sharing...she sent one for Fatty Boy too! SO cute how he responded! AND as I was leaving work there were the SILLY Chickens! On the Light Pole! LOL

Then the day turned, I had to come home early because our facilities decided to have the FLOOR down stairs done, and the glue made me SICK!!!! No time off my SL though! Because I complained IN WRITING this time telling of my asthma attack, headache, dizziness, upset stomach! AND I don't feel guilty! They should NOT do that kind of work while we are there! There is balance some where...

Don't let the fear of striking out hold you back. -- Babe Ruth

This just made me feel SO happy to see Fatty SO happy!

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." -- Dr. Seuss 
A good one to remember when you are grieving...

"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance." ~ Japanese Proverb 
I choose to dance even in the rain! My hair was a disaster today...rain and thunder...makes it misbehave!

Today's steps...2,268.

Balance:
I am emotionally exhausted after talking to my son...you know those conversations about personal responsibility? They never seem to end, even when they are adults...sigh...I have to learn to give an ear, and some advice, and NOT take on the problem, or take it personally when my kids make bad choices...a lesson I always have to relearn!

It was a good day though, Holly's shawl came in the mail AND it matched what I was wearing! Go figure! The Universe takes care of you! I am starting to attempt the 2nd Noro Hat...and it looks like it may be working this time.