A Ghostly Encounter Of The Shadowy Kind

In November I was invited to join a 'Personal Ghost Stories' group, on Facebook by a friend. This friend isn't someone I know in real life, we met via Facebook - she lives in the USA and I'm in Australia. I've been meaning to post some of my own stories to this group, I just hadn't gotten around to it. So I've decided that I'll type my stories up, and post them both here on my blog and in the Facebook group. So here's the first one:-

Approximately 20 years ago, I had come to a cross road in my life. I was sitting on a lounge chair with my knees pulled up to my chest, I was pretty much 'asking' my own mind 'what should I do'? As I was doing this, over the top of my knees I saw, what looked like a dark shadowy curtain, blowing in the wind, except where I was sitting there wasn't window or curtain - it was also daytime. When I looked up I saw a dark shadowy human figure, he slowly moved across the room and disappeared, I 'heard' that his name was 'Mr B'. He was also floating about 50 cms off the floor. The best way I can think to describe his appearance, is that of the funeral directors from Oliver Twist. He had a long cape, top hat and some kind of staff.

I had no idea what I had just encountered! At the time of this event, I was sharing a house with a friend. I told her what had happened. She didn't like this at all, the fact that I had said that he was dark and shadowy, really concerned her. (My friend is also quite religious) I didn't have any further experiences for a few weeks. Then one day I began to see him out of the corner of my eyes on a regular basis, but always in his 'shadowy, billowing curtain' form.

My friend had not seen him when we lived at that house. At some point we decided to move closer to the city and that's when my friend started seeing him. We'd both see him in mirrors, we'd see him flit across the ceiling and one day another friend saw him - we had not told this friend about him. The new house we lived in was double storey, I was upstairs and my friend went downstairs to make a phone call. The next thing I know my friend was screaming! I raced downstairs to find my friend pointing to a corner in the room, she started saying that she was on the phone and saw a dark man in the corner, she described him with a top hat, cape and staff..... Exactly the way I had first seen him! So I told her all about Mr B.

My housemate started telling me that the house would smell bad during the day while I was at work (my housemate worked from home). I didn't know what to think, as I had never smelt it/him. Mr B had never frightened me in any way, but I was aware of his presence. Around the same time, we'd both seen something at different times, travel very quickly along the upstairs hallway, and then out the window of the room at the end of the hall. My friend said it was Mr B, but to me it just didn't feel like him. As we rented privately, the owner used to come around uninvited. One day my housemate asked the owner if she knew any of the history of the house? Specifically if someone had died there. The owner said that she inherited the property from her Grand Parents, and they had told her that apparently someone jumped out of a window before they owned it - the house was over 100 years old.

Then one day my housemate told me that she felt 'something' try and shove her down the stairs. That was the last straw for her! So during the day for one week while I was at work, she would pace the house reading the Bible out loud. I didn't know she was doing this, until after the week had passed. Neither of us saw Mr B again.

To this day I have no idea who Mr B was, I don't know what the 'B' stood for, I don’t know if he was good or bad. . . I don't know if it was Mr B who tried to push my friend down the stairs. All I know is he appeared in my life, when I was looking for direction.... 

(Ugh! I tried to add more pics, but blogger was acting up and wouldn't let me!! Grrrrr)

Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation

My wife started the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation challenge about a month ago, and she has lost weight, however in saying that, she also goes to the gym six out of seven days. I have been eating the same diet and have not seen any change.... Not that I was expecting too! lol You can't just eat without exercise and expect to lose weight.

So where am I going with this post I hear you ask? lol Okay, Could I eat MB's food for the rest of my life? No. Does it taste any good? Most of it... Yes you're correct if you're hearing a 'but'.... lol The easiest way I can put this is that, say for example, you only eat 'light ice cream', you wouldn't want the regular stuff. However if you're one of those people who eats regular ice cream occasionally, then has a mouth full of the light stuff, you will immediately notice a change in both the taste and the texture. This is the best way I can describe MB's food.

Now I consider that what we have always eaten, to be considered as healthy food. The reason my wife started this challenge, was because she had plateaued with her weight loss, and thought that a change of diet/food might get things moving again, which it has. 

One of my curries.

So why do I have a 'but' when it comes to how does it taste? lol Okay here's another example. We don't eat curries all the time, remember... Eat in moderation... Curries are often high in calories as they usually contain coconut milk or cream, plus they are served with rice. MB's curries exchange the coconut milk/cream for stock. So again, in that first mouthful you immediately notice a difference in taste and texture. Yes, it kind of tastes like a curry, but it doesn't taste like a 'true' curry. 

Another example is, that instead of serving a dish such as a stir fry or a curry, that would normally be served with rice, it's served with pureed cauliflower. Now there's nothing wrong with pureed cauliflower, it tastes fine with some cracked pepper thrown in, but it isn't an adequate substitute for a carbohydrate, and I find that about an hour after dinner..... I'm starving!! Instead serve the pureed cauliflower as a side dish, but not part of the main meal, otherwise - like me, you'll be raiding the pantry, an hour after dinner and probably eat something you shouldn't.

Most dishes are also served with a side of steamed beans, asparagus etc. Again, I don't have a problem with steamed veg. I have a bamboo steamer and use it often, however the steamed veg I make usually accompanies a dish that has either rice or coconut milk/cream or a moderate dressing or sauce. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can cook, good healthy meals without compromising the flavour. Use your commonsense, don't eat seven curries in seven days or pasta or rice seven out of seven days. Look at the size of your portions? How big are they? It is possible to cook and eat healthily without sacrificing the flavour of your meals.

I guess this MB challenge, due to cooking a whole bunch of new foods can be hit and miss when it comes to what you like the taste of. I'm sure that once this challenge is over, there will be some recipes that we will keep and some we may modify. I will be the first to admit that I love food, and I will also be the first to say, that I can taste 'diet' food straight away. It's like the old TV commercial, where they would blindfold people ask them if they could taste the difference between Coke and Pepsi..     

Transsexuals Can Not Give Birth!

I read an article yesterday and it really annoyed the hell out of me!!! This post will probably offend someone, but I'm sorry, I really don't care. The article was titled "In Argentia, pregnant groom weds in a legal first". Firstly I want to say I'm all for equal rights, I have gay friends and I have friends who are transsexuals. Transsexuals have a hard time getting to where they want to be in life, they virtually have to start their life from scratch. A 'true' transsexual, undergoes hormone replacement therapy, psychotherapy and irreversible surgery.

Anyway, back to the article.... The article describes a 'transsexual' couple:- one male to female and one female to male. It goes on to say:- "Alexis Taborda, who legally is male as he self-identifies as, is 36 weeks pregnant, with the couple's first child. Neither had sex reassignment surgery".

Alexis Taborda and Karen Bruselario

So what's wrong with that paragraph? Firstly that in the full length article, they refer to themselves as transsexuals. Secondly, a true female to male transsexual would Never want to give birth! Sure a female to male transsexual may want children, but wanting children and giving birth are two entirely different things! The point of being a transsexual is to become the opposite gender to which you were born..... Completely. So if you're born a female and want to become a male, then you become a male.... You cannot 'self-identify as a male and be 36 weeks pregnant", sorry, it just doesn't work like that. Males do not give birth.... In any country.

If you're a boy that likes to wear girls clothes, or you're a girl who likes to wear boys clothes, fine! Good for you! I don't have a problem with that, go for it..... But I hate to explain this to you... Without hormone replacement therapy, psychotherapy or surgery, you're a cross dresser, not a transsexual.

It's no wonder that the general public is sooo bloody confused when it comes to transsexuals and how to treat them. People like these two, truly make a mockery out of those who are real transsexuals. Rant over!

The Death Penalty

Years ago, before I met my wife (yeah it was a while ago lol) I used to have a website solely dedicated to the abolishment of the death penalty. I also had a number of pen pals who were on death row or sentenced to life. A lot of people think, that people who write to inmates are crazy. I wasn't a 'groupie', I used to just write to people who had no one to talk to. Were they guilty of their crime? I don't know, I wasn't there.... I didn't write to them to judge them or try and save their souls. Nor did I jump all around waving a flag trying to get the American Presidents attention, because I believed that my penpal 'Joe Smith' was innocent because, he had such lovely penmanship and a fantastic sense of humour. This isn't my point, the point of the website I had, was to educate people regarding capital punishment.

It has been proven time and time again, that killing people to teach people not to kill, simply does not work. There is also the other issue where a number of inmates have been executed and then only after their execution, they have discovered that the inmate was actually innocent. Or how about those inmates on death row who have some form of mental health issue or intellectual disabilty? In any other country they would be sentenced to serve time in a psychiatric facility, but not in America. In America they lock them up then strap them to a table and stick a fatal needle in their arm. 

Some readers may think that I'm anti-American or an United States basher. I'm not, America, like all countries has some very good points. America is also one of the world leaders, other countries look to America for direction. It's just a real shame that America can't lead the world in capital punishment reform. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against prisons or locking offenders up. I believe if you do the crime, you do the time, I don't believe in execution. I've heard many non-victims say it brings closure, however there are many victims of crime organisations out there that state that even after viewing an execution, it brought no closure to them. Some of these victims of crime organisations are actually against capital punishment, as they have found that it's a total falicy to believe, that to take a life because another life was taken simply doesn't work. I've also heard people say 'if it happened to you, you'd want them executed'. Actually I wouldn't. I'd want them locked in their cell, I'd want them to loose their freedom.   

So why am I writing about capital punishment now? Well I just recently decided to write to an inmate on death row. Again is he innocent? I don't know, I wasn't there. What I can say is that I have looked at his legal paperwork and he wasn't given a fair trial from the get go. He was coerced by the police when he was arrested - this is documented, the police also threatened to harm his family if he didn't admit guilt - this is also documented. He was also denied access to a lawyer, despite requesting a lawyer twice - again this is also documented. 

He's been on death row for 10 years, some inmates are on death row from anywhere between 10 - 20+ years. I don't know if he'll get off death row, transferred to a life sentence or executed. But in the meantime I'll keep replying to his letters, and try and stay as positive as him and hope that the American President calls for a moratorium on capital punishment. Killing is wrong, it doesn't matter who's doing it.

I have started a separate blog in which I will continue to discuss my thoughts and feelings on Capital Punishment. It can be found here.

Clean Garages and Disco Inferno

Okay, I'm confessing that I haven't completed the painting that I said I would in my last post. I've patched and sanded, so that's one thing right...? In all fairness, my wife and I have been busy doing other things, which I will leave for another blog post and it has kept us busy. So I am banking on finishing the painting next week, fingers crossed, because believe me when I say, that I do want it done!!!!!

Photo bombed by Bob the dog!

I am happy about one thing! My garage is now clean and tidy!! We put a load of junk out for council collection and I can now move around in the garage without becoming lost or dying under an avalanche of junk. My work table is under the window, and a friend of mine who also likes ceramics as a hobby, comes around and she uses the table in the middle of the garage. Given that it's a trestle table, I used to fold it up and un-fold it when I knew she was coming around, but now I just leave it there. It's a good large space to unpack new stock when I get it.

You wouldn't believe it, after I put the junk out for collection.... I found some more stuff that could also go. So we're going to book another collection for next week. Those items on the table are just a couple of the bits that I found when I was cleaning. Just when you think you've gotten to the bottom of the clutter, you find some more hiding lol

Anyway onto another topic lol Last night I was watching a show and whenever they cut to a commercial they play some random song.... So last night they played The Trammps - Disco Inferno (Burn Baby Burn). It gave me a great idea! I didn't know who sung this song, so of course I Googled it lol You see every year that I have a Halloween party, it's themed.... The last one I had was a murder mystery party where everyone had a role to play and the theme was Zombie Town. It was a hoot!! 

So even though I didn't have a party this year, I still had no idea what kind of theme I would have for next year... Then I heard this song and I thought "Disco Inferno - Burn Baby Burn - Wow! A perfect theme!!" A Halloween party for disco zombies and ghouls!! I watched the above youtube clip and I had images of zombies with afros, bell bottoms and platform shoes! lol I can't wait for Halloween next year!! I've already planned what I'm going to wear lol Yes, I know... What can I say? I'm a sad case :o)