"MAYA ANGELOU'S" BEST POEM

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

enough money within her control to move out

and rent a place of her own,

even if she never wants to or needs to ...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

something perfect to wear if the employer,

or date of her dreams,

wants to see her in an hour ...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a youth she's content to leave behind ...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a past juicy enough that she's looking

forward to retelling it in her old age ...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill,

and a black lace bra ...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

one friend who always makes her laugh ...

and one who lets her cry ...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a good piece of furniture not previously owned

by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,

and a recipe for a meal

that will make her guests feel honored ...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a feeling of control over her destiny ...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ...

how to fall in love without losing herself ...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ...

how to quit a job, break up with a lover,

and confront a friend

without ruining the friendship ...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ...

when to try harder ...

and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

I don't know whether this really is by Maya Angelou, but I like it!

Ghost Hunters

Appropriate to the theme of Halloween, the SciFi Channel last night presented a live, six hour live presentation of Ghost Hunters. In case you don't know, this is the crew from TAPS - The Atlantic Paranormal Society.

I enjoy watching this show led by Jason and Grant, founders and lead investigators; Steve, Dustin, Andy, Donna, Tango and others who are investigators, tech people, case managers and whatever else is needed. We also got to meet the three finalists for a position as investigator in training. We'll find out next week who Jason and Grant choose. This is the season finale, so be sure to watch, although I'm sure there will be repeats of the finale, if not the Halloween show.

The purpose of TAPS is not necessarily to prove the existence of ghosts or paranormal events, but to first prove the cause is not ordinary, rational, and explainable. When you remove what it isn't (creaking floors, reflected lights from cars, people walking overhead, noises from furnaces, banging pipes, and so on), you have what it could be.

All of the members of TAPS are ordinary, down to earth types who hold down regular jobs in their Rhode Island hometown. Every one of them is the type of person you would probably think of last to be interested in the paranormal, much less those who spend their free-time ghost hunting.

I've had my own personal experiences with the paranormal, so I have a vested interest in the genre. I'm not looking for proof of what happened. I know what happened and I know why. If I'm looking for something, I guess I'm looking for proof that there is something more than just what we see. But, I'm enough of a skeptic that I need proof. There are things I can put my faith in without having all the answers, but when it comes to the paranormal, I need something more than "it just is". I am happy that TAPS is not running around trying to find ghosts, but first trying to find logical answers. Their clients are usually happy with their findings, even if TAPS won't agree that their home is haunted as they may have secretly hoped for. At the least, the client understands that "ghosts" don't always perform on cue.

Last night's program was broadcast from the Waverly Sanatorium outside Louisville, Kentucky. It began as a tuberculosis hospital back in the '20's or '30's and was later a geriatric facility. At the time it was a sanatorium, there was no cure for TB. Patients pretty much either lived through it, or more likely got worse and died. Thousands died at Waverly; I believe I heard them say last night that there was an average of 60 deaths a day. And, there were at least two suicides.

Waverly fulfilled its promise. Last night, most of the crew had something happen to them; they heard something, saw something, or something touched them. I couldn't hear what they heard because of the music SciFi insisted on playing, I guess as ambiance. They may have thought it lent something of a mystical tone, but all it did for me was annoy. There were also plenty of plugs for Stephen King's new movie Mist, SciFi shows such as Destination Truth and a new international version of Ghost Hunters.

Balls rolling, shapes, reflections in glass that wasn't there, voices, sounds, everything was in place for a great Halloween show. I taped it, so I can go back and listen to various segments to see what I might have missed.

It's not Most Haunted (Travel Channel Friday at 10:00 EST), but for that I'm happy. The MH crew hasn't met a building yet that wasn't haunted and someone is swooning or screaming with fright. TAPS proves first that a building isn't haunted, then comes to the conclusion that it's haunted or at the least, that something is happening. They do it with professionalism and honesty.

Ghost Hunters can be seen on the SciFi Channel on Wednesday at 9:00 EST.

FIREARMS REFRESHER COURSE

1 .An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.

2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.

3. Colt: The original point and click interface.

4. Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.

5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?

6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.

7. Free men do not ask permission to bear arms.

8. If you don't know your rights, you don't have any.

9. Those who trade liberty for security have neither.

10. The United States Constitution (c)1791. All Rights Reserved.

11. What part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?

12. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.

13. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.

14. Guns only have two enemies; rust and politicians.

15. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, nopeace, no safety.

16. You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.

17. 911: Government sponsored Dial-a-Prayer.

18. Assault is a behavior, not a device.

19. Criminals love gun control; it makes their jobs safer.

20. If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.

21. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.

22. You have only the rights you are willing to fight for.

23. Enforce the gun control laws we ALREADY have; don't make more.

24. When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.

25. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.

New Face

I decided that I would change my face here, so changes are a-comin!

Links will be deleted and added over the coming days and weeks. Links may or may not work right away. If you click on a link and it doesn't take you where you should go, please be patient. I'll be checking links as I go and hopefully, fixing everything as I find them.

Thanks for your patience!

Halloween Costume...











I just lost my appetite


Gives my post label a whole new meaning....

Why Halloween Is Better Than Sex

10. You're guaranteed to get a little something in the sack.

9. The uglier you are, the easier it is to get some.

8. It doesn't matter if the kids hear you moaning and groaning.

7. Less guilt the morning after.

6. It doesn't matter if they fantasize you're somebody else, because you are.

5. Forty years from now, you'll still enjoy candy.

4. If you don't get what you want, you can always go next door.

3. If you get tired, you can wait 10 minutes and go again.

2. You don't have to compliment the person who gives you some.

1. You can do the whole neighborhood!

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