Let me hold your bags, will you?

I don't claim to be psychic, but I definitely have the ability to pick up on others' feelings all the time from time to time. I am able to feel what other people are feeling and most of the time I take it into myself and don't realize that it's not my feelings that I'm feeling.

I really think that is what most of my anxiety problem is.  I don't like to go to places where there are large groups of people because it's overwhelming on so many levels. I can usually tell when someone is in a bad mood without them saying a word.  Yeah... Yeah... body language... but it's much more than that.  I can just tell.

Normally I try to stay away from those people until they work their shit out.  Sometimes it's unavoidable.

On the other hand, I am a Paranormal Investigator so it definitely comes in handy during investigations.  Sometimes, things just get weird.

I was on an investigation a few months ago and the entire evening I was stressing and thinking that I left my car lights on and that I would get into my car at 3am and the battery would be dead.  I don't know how many times I walked around the house to the edge of the porch and checked my car, each time knowing that the lights were off.  (But were they really off the last twelve times I checked and I just couldn't tell because  of the way the streetlight was shining?)


When we were all packed up and ready to go, I gave strict orders to another investigator that he was not to leave until I had turned my car on and was ready to go.  I got to the car, turned it on and it turned over.  I was so relieved.  I drove home (checking my back seats twelve thousand times to make sure I didn't have any hitchhikers), pulled in, and went to sleep.

The next day what do I find, but another investigator that had carpooled had to be jumped when he got back to another investigator's home.  He had left his lights on and his battery died while we were at the investigation.

Coincidence?  Maybe.

Maybe not.

A few weeks ago, I was involved in an investigation at Pennhurst Asylum.  It was amazing.  At one point, we were in the basement of the Mayflower building when I got the distinct impression that there was a little girl with us.  We were doing an EVP session and I asked, "Is your name, Emily?"  There was no response.

There is a new show on Bio called The Haunting of (insert celebrity name).  It's a show that takes the celebrities from Celebrity Ghost Stories and takes them back to the scene of their experience, with a psychic, Kim Russo (Paranormal State), and she does a reading there.

On this particular episode, The Haunting of Beverley Mitchell, Kim met Beverley back at Pennhurst where Beverley had an experience filming a film.  They entered the Mayflower building where a lot of the filming took place.  Kim and Beverly were on the second floor and Kim said that she felt a little girl with them and she got the name Emma or Emily.  I almost fell off the couch.  How could I have gotten the same thing?!  Yes, my middle name is Emily, but I rarely think about it.  It just popped into my head.

I have a psychic friend who told me that I would be getting signs that I was ready to step more into my "abilities" and to welcome them.  Well, I welcomed them and they keep coming.  I don't think I'll ever call myself a psychic, but I am intuitive and sensitive.  I guess we'll see where this takes me.

Have you ever had a strange experience like this?  I'm dying (no pun intended... well, kinda) to hear about it!

Sock Obsessed

Most people that know me know that I love knitting.  Well, maybe love is not the right word.  I’m obsessed.  In particular, I am in love with knitting socks.  I can’t get enough of them.  I started knitting socks a few years ago when I was trying to think of something to make my husband for Christmas.  I’ve been hooked ever since.

I don’t even know how many pairs I have.  It’s horrible.  I get the yarn, I knit the pair and then I move on to the next.  I don’t even think I wear all of them.  I should probably make and give away, but I can’t seem to part with them once they’re done.  I don’t feel like many people appreciate the time and effort it takes to create something.  I don’t want to send my creations to a home where they won’t be respected.  It sounds so silly.  It’s not like I’m fostering an animal; they’re just socks!

I think the reason that I like socks so much is that they don’t take long. I have a relatively short attention span.  I also have no patience for long, convoluted instructions.  I have tried to knit larger projects, but if I come to something I don’t understand, I get overwhelmed and put the project down.  I invariably forget where I was in the project and it sits until I decide to take it apart and start something new.  I have started a particular project more times than I care to count or admit to.  I don’t know if I will ever finish it. 

Another thing about socks is that you can experiment with some of the more difficult stitch patterns.  It’s easier to practice techniques on a smaller project.  That way, if I ever decide to try something larger and more challenging, I will have had practice. 

Right now, I’m obsessed with anklets.  They take almost no time and they’re more friendly to warmer weather.  I wear socks to bed all year round and these are perfect for sleeping.  You can also experiment with the more expensive fibers without such a large monetary commitment. 

There are a lot of patterns on Ravelry.  The one I seem to be obsessed with the most right now is the Summer Sock Hop Sock. It’s quick and easy and is easily modified.  It’s written to be knit using the Magic Loop technique though I prefer DPNs.  I’ve knit it with and without the ruffled cuff and I like it both ways. 

I’ve knit this pattern using Panda Silk and also Knit Picks Felici Sock Yarn.  I like it in both.  I don’t have any pictures right now, but I will post some as soon as I can.

I think that these anklets will keep me occupied all summer while I plan for my Fall and Winter knitting projects and Christmas gifts for the next holiday season.  It seems to be so far away right now, but time is sneaky and it will be upon us in no time.

In the meantime, I’ll keep knitting these anklets and adding to my stash of socks. 

Getting Ready

All this editing I have been doing has really re-stoked my writing fire.  I really think I may want to write again.  I always have, but I never was very serious about it.  I like words, but I preferred to take the journalistic route and went to school for Journalism.  When that train left the station without me, I left those desires to marinate while I pursued things like a job, groceries, paying my bills, etc.

It’s not that I have a lack of drive and I am certainly not lazy.  What I do have is a lack of confidence and a fear of wasting time.  Sure, I have a lot of great ideas, but when push comes to shove and things look like they might be hard, I hesitate. 

As most of you know, I have a huge anxiety problem.  I’ve had it since I can remember.  I have to take things one step at a time.  If I look at a starting point and then where I want to be in the end, my mind gets fuzzy with all of the details.  I get overwhelmed, my pulse quickens, a fire rises from my toes to me head, and I throw my hands up in the air and say, “Forget it!”.  I retreat back to the familiar.

I also am the type of person that likes to know everything before I start something.  I am always getting ready to get ready.  Right now it’s easier for me to hide behind someone else’s work, to perfect what they’ve already created.  I get lost in the sentence structure, the punctuation, and the dialogue between the characters.  It’s easier.  I don’t have the pressure of creating.  I move slowly through each sentence, each paragraph, and each chapter with little responsibility.

I do want more, but right now I’m happy to get lost in someone else’s masterpiece.  Someday I may change my mind, but today I’m happy to play a supporting role in someone else’s success.  You can call it laziness or lack of drive, but I call it Getting Ready. 

Exciting things are on the horizon…

So, I have been a very busy bee.  There has been so much going on in my life and I haven’t had/made any time to blog in a very long time.

I’ve been involved with my photography and have been busy getting photo’s for a friend’s new book, a paranormal investigation book. The team that I belong to, HAPS, has traveled to some famous haunted locations in order to obtain evidence for the book.  I’ve gotten some amazing shots, some of which may be seen on my photography site RecklessShots.  We also took part in the National Haunters Convention in the beginning of May.  Some of my shots from that event are on my site as well. 

I’ve also edited the third book in the same friend’s teen horror novel series.  This book has now been shopped around La La Land and has been picked up for a motion picture!  They liked my editing and it was mentioned that I may pick up some part-time work for this particular producer.  I’m super excited. 

I also have a radio show on Para-X on Tuesday nights.  The Blurred Line features HAPS team members as well as paranormal experts, cryptozoology, the weird, and the strange.  I also co-host a show, The Dark Side, on Friday nights with some of the same people on the same station.

On top of all of this, I’m working full time, investigating residential properties with HAPS, trying to get some other hobbies in, visiting friends and family, and trying to relax.  I’m not sure how I get all of this done, but I sure am enjoying myself.  I’m not sure what will happen if hubs and I ever realize the dream of a family. 

Keep a eye out!  You may see me zipping by somewhere…

Sunday Cooking

There is nothing like a good burger and with today being a beautiful day, hubs and I decided that a cookout was in order.  Bacon, mushroom, and cheddar-stuffed burgers with oven fries was the perfect menu.

Bacon, Mushroom and Cheddar-Stuffed Burgers
2 .5 lb ground beef (your choice in fat content)
1/2 lb bacon fried and crumbled
1 portobello mushroom cap chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Fry the bacon until crispy.  (There is nothing like the smell of bacon cooking.  I Lurve Bacon.) Once bacon is done cooking, place on a paper towel to dry.

Fry the chopped portobello mushrooms in the left-over back grease.  Once the mushrooms have achieved sufficient crispiness, remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

Crumble the bacon and combine with the cooled mushrooms and 1/2 cub of cheddar, in a bowl.

Form one half of the burger.  Choose a small amount of meat and make into a small patty.  (I use an old Tupperware hamburger press that my mother gave me. ) Place about a tablespoon and a half of the cheese mixture on top of the small burger.  Make another small burger and place on top and crimp the edges to make a larger burger.

Once all of the burgers are formed, season how you would like and grill/cook to your desired temperature.

Oven Fries

1 lb fingerling potatoes

Olive Oil for tossing

Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit
Cut fingerling potatoes in quarters and toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper.


Cook potatoes for 20 minutes or until done.













Serve with copies amounts of ketchup.

Enjoy!

Sunday Cooking

I love cooking on Sundays so I've decided to start a series of posts called Sunday Cooking.   Sunday meals are a long-standing tradition in so many families.  Each week, I will post a recipe/link to a recipe that the hubs and I are making.  Enjoy and please send along any suggestions!

I LOVE MEATBALLS.  I can't stand going to a restaurant, ordering Spaghetti and "homemade" meatballs only to find they are the frozen bag-variety meatballs so I went on a mission to find a good meatball recipe. I immediately found this one.  There were a ton of good reviews so I figured what the heck! Today I bring you, Rao's meatballs!  This is the best meatball recipe that I've found.  They are amazing.
Rao's has been in business since the late 1800's and has been serving home-style Italian food ever since Charles Rao bought the saloon at West 114 Street in Spanish Harlem in 1896.  This really is such a great recipe.  You have to try it!

I won't repeat the recipe here because it's not mine, but it has a good bit of of cheese and breadcrumbs in it.  It really makes the outside crunchy and the inside really moist.  The meatballs really hold up well in the sauce.   I've eaten them on rolls, but tonight we're having Spaghetti and Meatballs.  Comfort food is wonderful!

Of course, no great Italian meal is complete without some good wine.  We're pairing tonight's meal with Pinot Evil Pinot Noir.


Look for more Sunday Cooking posts. Hubs and I are toying with a food blog.  Tell me what you think!

Enjoy the week!  I will be enjoying left-overs!

Avoidance

I could make all sorts of excuses for not blogging, but who cares really.  I've been telling myself that I would like to be more creative, yet I haven't really picked up my camera in a month or so and hadn't picked it up in months before that.  I haven't set foot in this blog for two months.  I seem to have lost my mojo.

I've started to take pictures with my iPhone again.  Baby steps.  Nothing happened really.... I didn't even get bored.  I would do that thing where I would see something that I would love to photograph, promptly did an inner shoulder shrug and kept doing nothing.

Maybe I'm depressed.  I get that way when the weather starts to get colder.  Though I love the way the leaves look when they start to turn, I notice at the same time that my moods start to shift.  Got a case of the Blahs...  Maybe a vacation to a sunny destination would be just the ticket.

Anyway, I'm not going to make any silly promises about blogging more.  I enjoy it and just need to make time for it.  You can only stare at the boob tube so much, right?