... grocery store orchids...

It’s that time of the year when I miss the beautiful blooms of my garden. I have indoor terrariums and hyacinths bulbs but I want more! I actually ran to the grocery store today to pick up a hyacinth bulb for my office. I bought a bromeliad too because I find them terrible alien-like and amusing. They’re also quite beautiful. Beside them were grocery-store orchids. I’ve always liked orchids and have

even gone to the state orchid show a few times. They’re usually white or light purple. Some of the more unique ones even have speckles but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one as stunning as the one I purchased today. Inside it’s a dark purple; in the sun, it’s more deep wine.  Phalaenopsis orchids, also known as moth orchids or what I call grocery-store orchids are one of the easiest types of orchid to grow, and are often referred to as the beginner’s orchid. Considering I’m a beginning, this works for me. I read up on them and it appears that their blooms only remain for a few months and then they fall off. These orchids only bloom once a year. This beauty is going to live in my bathroom where hopefully my fella’s Pouncey Paws, as I call her, won’t attempt to eat it.

...horror book club meeting...

Years ago I was a member of a book club. The kind where not everyone read the book and we often argued about which book we were going to read next. It really wasn’t a good fit because we were all friends with quite different reading preferences. I think the club ended when I *made them read* Tim Lucas’ The Book of Renfield: The Gospel of Dracula. I liked it but none of my friends did. Anyhow, the book club disbanded and ever since I’ve wanted to find a new one. So much of my time as a professor includes discussing literature but it is different when I’m in a room with peers.

About a month ago, I discovered that there is a local Horror Book Club that is open to new members. The Horror Book Club was started in 2012 by members of a local Halloween haunted attraction company. That pretty much sealed the deal in my head. They also had a list of their past reads and several of the books were ones that I liked a great deal or were on my own reading list.

Book 1: "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter" by Seth Grahame-Smith
Book 2: "The Hellbound Heart" by Clive Barker
Book 3: "At the Mountains of Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft
Book 4: "World War Z" by Max Brooks
Book 5: "The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson
Book 6: "Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
Book 7: "The Exorcist" by William Peter Blatty
Book 8: "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson
Book 9: "Feed" by Mira Grant
Book 10: "Dark Hollow" by Brian Keene
Book 11: "Ghost Walk" by Brian Keene
Book 12: "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
Book 13: "The Canterville Ghost" by Oscar Wilde
Book 14: "20th Century Ghosts" by Joe Hill
Book 15: "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" by Alvin Schwartz
Book 16: "Innocence" by Dean Koontz
Book 17: "At the Behest of the Dead" by Timothy L. Long
Book 18: "Dagon" by H.P. Lovecraft
Book 19: "The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins
Book 20: "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad
Book 21: "The Shining" by Stephen King
Book 22: "Night of the Living Trekkies" by Sam Stall
Book 23: "Something Wicked This Way Comes" by Ray Bradbury
Book 24: "The King in Yellow" by Robert W. Chambers
Book 25: "House of Leaves" by Mark Z. Danielewski
Book 26: "Hell House" by Richard Matheson
Book 27: "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James
Book 28: "The Reaper Virus" by Nathan Barns
Book 29: "The Complete Works of" Edgar Allen Poe
Book 30: "Seed" by Ania Ahlborn
Book 31: "KRAMPUS, The Yule Lord" by Brom
Book 32: "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving

This month they were reading Ransom Rigg’s Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children which meant that I was going to have to read the first novel as well since I had never read it. I was so excited about the book club but once I started reading, I didn’t love Rigg’s books. The concept is great but something about the execution just didn’t meet my expectations. I almost didn’t go to the meeting because of that (and because I’m an introvert and it really is just easier to be alone)… but 2015 is a year to try new things; and, trying new things sometimes means going outside one’s comfort zone… so I went.

There were seven of us in attendance with one other new member. Not only did they have their own professional bookmarks with logo but they also had a member reading chart with themed stickers (based on each book) for those who attended meetings. (Sorry my picture is a little blurry but it seemed sort of dorky to ask them to let me take a picture of the chart… so I did it a bit too quickly). The group was welcoming and very engaged in the discussion. One of the bonus points of attending meetings is that those in attendance select the next book. 

We’ll be reading Joe Hill’s NOS4A2. I started it this morning and I’m already enjoying it quite a bit. It has been on my reading list since its publication. This is just another reason that having a themed book club seems like the right choice for me.

... "Never to suffer would have been never to have been blessed" ...

Had my bridal portrait by Abigail Larson framed

Brit Austin print that I bought

Last weekend, I knew that the week was going to be long and difficult. There were some evenings that I didn’t get home until 8:30pm only to have to go to bed around 9 and then get up at 4:30am and do it all again. Because of that, last weekend was more *work* than play. This weekend, I’m happy to report, has a bit more *play*.

Abigail Larson print that I bought

Birthday Bash Schedule

Yesterday, I headed to Poe’s Birthday Bash 2015 at the Richmond Poe Museum. There are so many highlights that this might be a mega-post. To start, the weather was supposed to be in the low 40s so I tried to dress accordingly only to have the weather actually be in the 30s. I ended up freezing! Sadly, I wasn’t the only one because local artist Abigail Larson, who was there was her handsome new fiancé, and Alexandria artist Brit Austin of BLA Illustration & Design had set up sales tables outside. Brrr even if they were dressed more weather-appropriately than I was. I’ve been a long-time fan of Ms. Larson’s work but this was the first time I had the opportunity to meet her in person. Actually, I tend to avoid meeting the artists whose work I adore because if they turn out to be big ol’ meanies I end up loving the work less. Never fear, Abigail Larson is one of the most lovely humans I’ve ever met being both personable and friendly. <sigh of relief> To support the arts, I *had to* pick up a few prints.

Dr. M. Thomas Inge

The birthday bash featured two special exhibits including: Reimagining Poe: The Poe Illustrations of Richard Corben.      

Award-winning artist Richard Corben has been producing some of the most compelling and original comic book adaptations to Poe's works for over four decades. Experience some of his best original artwork in this unique retrospective exhibit.

Illustration by Corben

Not only did we get to view the exhibit but local university professor Dr. M. Thomas Inge presented about Corben’s work. Dr. Inge wrote the introduction to Corben's Edgar Allen Poe's Spirits of the Dead and he will be speaking about the influence of Poe on Corben at the annual PCA/ACA Conference in New Orleans on April 3^rd. What I adored most about his presentation is that he shared his excitement of being young and buying the comics. I use the expression “nerd-out” and we audience members could see that Inge was incredibly passionate about his work. He also shared a bit of his uncertainty when he explained that he included descriptions in the introduction that he thought were correct. He laughed and added, “Corben never corrected me so I guess I was right”.

Shadow box by Nicole Pisaniello

The second Special Exhibit included: Chambers of the Red Death: A Study in Light and Shadow by another local artist Nicole Pisaniello from Powhatan, Virginia.     

Artist Nicole Pisaniello interprets Poe's terror tale "The Masque of the Red Death" through an exhibit of shadow boxes.

I hadn’t realized that the artist Nicole Pisaniello was at the Bash until our second trip in to see the shadow boxes. I have to admit that that was the warmest place in the entire bash since most of the activities took place outdoors in the garden. Here work is stunning though so even without the cold temperatures, Pisaniello’s work warranted a second view. Fortunately, she was there during our second visit.

walking tour

Other highlights included Elmira Shelton (portrayed by Debbie Phillips) who spoke about her engagement to Poe which concluded with a walking tour of some of the Richmond spots the two of them enjoyed together.

Elmira Shelton Richmond home at night

hand soap hee hee

After that, we wimped out and just couldn’t stay until midnight for the champagne toast.

...somebody's turning 206 ...

This weekend I will be attending Edgar A. Poe's Birthday Bash at the Richmond Poe Museum. With live music, performances, readings, walking tours, and a midnight toast, the Bash has a little bit for everyone. 

Of course, if you can't get to Richmond, perhaps there are some other activities in your city.

The Baltimore Poe Museum is offering free admission. If you're in Boston, you can visit the statue "Poe Returning to Boston" at Edgar Allan Poe Square (the corner of Boylston Street and Charles Street South in Boston).

OR, if you're in the New York why not see Nevermore – The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe which "is a unique and wildly theatrical musical play combining haunting music, poetic storytelling, and stunning stagecraft to tell the fascinating and moving life story of iconic American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849).
City area (and I wish I were for this
A literary rock star in his day, Poe struggled with tragedy and addiction, poverty and loss, yet produced some of the world’s most original, visionary and enduring literature before dying in unexplained circumstances at the age of 40. At once gorgeous and grotesque, Nevermore blurs the line between fact and fiction, exploring the events that shaped Poe’s character and career and giving powerful expression to Poe’s words “all that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.”

Previews Begin Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Opening Night Set for Sunday, January 25, 2015

It looks interesting but alas I'm not sure when I'll be able to make it to the city. 

... a rose, a fairytale, and one amazing performance...

Last night, my fella and I went to see Beauty and the Beast at the Synetic Theater. Of course, I had to dress the part wearing my Heidi Daus black rose necklace and my new Betsey Johnson Chapter by Chapter clutch.

I’m included two trailers that are slightly different and if you take a moment to view them you’ll see what they meant when they advertised a “Gothic romance”. The theatrical effects including shadow puppetry, the athleticism of the actors, and the gorgeous staging helped to retell this classic story. It was dark, bewitching, and a bit eerie. Nothing of this production felt Disney-like :D

 

The story begins with a crow… a talking crow although she reminds us that crows don’t talk. She tells the story of a girl in the woods who draws the attention of a handsome young prince. Because she wasn’t the “princess type”, the prince’s family is furious and asks him what he’s done. The prince cries “witch” stating that he was bewitched into falling for her. So the not-so-sensible royal family burns her to death! But perhaps young Emmeranne was a witch because her energy transforms into our crow-narrator and the prince is cursed and becomes a beast. The story then becomes somewhat traditions—Beast must get Belle to fall for him; bookish Belle resists until…

Witch Emmeranne, who has the only speaking role of the entire performance, really had me on her side. I mean, she did burn to death because of him and they had been in love!

The ending is purposely cryptic and my fella and I spent our drive home and parts of today discussing *what really happened*… of course Belle falls for the Beast but is it too late? There is a great deal of time overlap and what may have been reality but then it may have been a fairy tale. In all Beauty and the Beast versions, I’m always fussy about when the Beauty falls for the Beast he transforms into a prince or king (blah blah blah… how banal!) I want the Beast to stay the Beast and be loved just the way he is. But no, that isn’t how this story goes… or is it? There is a dying scene and Belle does appear to arrive too late… but then there is a transformation with the Beast becoming a king and dancing with Belle… but then Witch Emmeranne ends just how she begins. “Fairy tales aren’t real. Neither are talking crows”.