Halloween romance~ if only.

My memorable Halloween, embelished slightly.
In a flurry of heels clanking against the hard wood steps, me grasping at the railing, breaking a nail or two in the midst of it, I bounded down the stairs in 4 inch stelletos, with as much grace as a baby learning to walk. When I hit the floor in a giant heap of lace, mountains of flowing satin and a beehive hair-do that looked more like a hornest nest my dad extended his hand to me, a giant smirk plastered on his face.He was a smart man and kept his comment to himself."Bumble butt!"Or not."So, how do I look?" I asked as I rubbed my head an egg forming and excitement roiling in my tummy. Halloween was my favorite holiday of all time. The spookie stories, the thrasher movies, the small hope that paranormal entities really did exist, the candy.... My love of chocolate is still unriveled. To this day I still don't understand why we had to go to school or work on it... Anyway, my dad shook the keys to the old plymouth in my face and said, "You may not be Cinderella, but you still turn into a pumpkin at midnight. Don't drive like me and try not to get caught. You're fifteen. If you do, I'll tell them you stole the car. And try not to scare everyone away. Stop into the hospital, remove the powder wig so your mom doesn't die of consumption and show her your new Farrah-do."Okay, took that as my opp to to get the hell out and so I did. "Love you." Snatched the silver trinket from his grap and bolted down the driveway. Crammed about twenty yards of material into the driver's seat, yanked the seat forward~ way forward so I could reach the peddles and proceeded to hit the pavement, gleeming with a new found freedom. Nothing could rivel this. I would later be proven wrong.One quick trip to the ICU, where my mom took up a bed as a cardiac patient, I lifted the wig and gave her a second heart attack. All my goldy locks were now on the floor of someone's beauty salon. Two feet of hair, nearly half my height~gone baby gone. A loud gasp brought nurses rushing in.Good luck with that happening today with the nursing shortage...We laughed over it once she had the O2 mask covering her face and she wasn't a putrid shade of grey. I showed her my mask for the ball. It was pewter, hefty lil thing. A hand-held mask for the masquerade party. The top was a crown embellished with blue diamonds, alright crystals but I told everyone they were real diamonds. My mom said she'd get used to the new do. I hoped so. I hoped she had time to. Her heart attack nearly did me in too.Back in the old jalopy, heart thumping louder than Michael Jackson's, Thriller, as it blared on every radio station, did I just date myself? Oh well, I had reason to be super excited. The two men in my life were going to be at this party. Prince Charming, the reason my heart thrived or stopped altogether when he walked into a room... and looked right past me. I blamed it on my height, or lack there of. Then there was the other one. Drac, he made me insane. Always teased me, poked fun at me and made certain he had a audience around when he did. Humiliation at its best-or worst. I'd heard tell all week that's what they were going dressed as. Both boys were the same height~ridiculously tall, same hair color~golden blond and curly and both had light green eyes, only one was the devil in disquise.Up and down Broadway cars were parked at different angles taking up the entire street. Kids and parallel parking don't go together well. I ended up three blocks from the house and cursed every step of the way in my little fake glass slippers. The blisters would be worth it.Those shoes were a wake up call that all that is pretty is not comfy and yet today my closet is nothing short of one hundred pairs of heels in every color and style.The noise blared down the street better than a marching band. Clearly, parents were not within the confines of the home. Happy dance...Up the front porch stairs with only a minor slip, my shoe getting caught in the hem of this god forsaken gown, my BF greeted me. This was her crowd. Her friends. She fit in here with these people. I think our friendship began as a pity party. She felt sorry for me but in the end she fell in love with me or the idea of saving me from myself. To date, I can still screw up anything at any given time. I was that diamond in the rough she continually tried to polish yet no amount of spit shining gave me acceptance to this breed. "Here," she said as she shoved a glass of spiked punch under my nose. "Drink this. You'll need it. They're both here and both have the cheerleaders ogling over their every move. Tonight's your night. Don't waste it on them. There's a whole new world out there waiting for you. Trust me."I set the glass down. "Dad gave me the car. Gotta be on my best tonight."Loved watching her jaw drop."You are so spoiled."Shrugged my shoulders and grinned. "If only." I pointed to the two boys congealed between Cyndi Lauper and Madonna wanna-bes, a cheerleader~how original was that one? and a few other people mingling, looking more lost than me trying to fit in.
We walked in, me as Cinderella and she as Bo Derek, with her hair done in corn rows and a slinky Danskin leotard and little skimpy skirt. Can ya guess where all the eyes went?Yeah!Anyway, Miss wall flower here stood back from the mob of pirahnas and watched as we were sized up and down and shredded. Well, me to be politically correct. She was whisked away by a guy who's costume looked like real werewolf. Even smelled of mange. Made my eyes water.
"You should have just come as the great pumpkin. You wouldn't have had to get a costume."The voice was dubbed with helium. Sounded more like Donald Duck than Drac. But then maybe that's what vamps sounded like. Someone full of hot air.I ignored him and walked away. He trailed on my heels.It hurt me that he said that and oddly at the same time I was thrilled he even took the time to make his way from a maze of cattle, who, if all had tails would've waggled them under his fine nose. I glanced across the room. I saw him there, the most handsome man alive. I did the Queen's waggle of hand.Prince Charming never lifted his gaze my way all night. Swarmed by every giggling, bubble-gum chomping, lip glossed girl in school, he was too busy, but damn if Drac didn't continue his chase."Can I dance with you?""What?""You heard me. Dance with me.""I don't dance with ducks.""Touche`.""You probably just want to trip me in front of everyone." He grabbed a guy with a hand full of balloon, untied the end of it, stuck in his mouth and inhaled, deflating the entire balloon."You already did that."I burst out laughing at his silliness."Figures you would notice that.""I notice everything about you if you haven't noticed."I looked into those gorgeous green orbs of his and damn him altogether he bent down to kiss me.I swooned. Could've kicked myself in the ass for it too, but it was a done deal. Closed my eyes and puckered up in anticipation. I could hear Carly Simon singing that tune as if she stood in front of me. Yes, me, miss practical pants. I always believed I'd swoon in Prince Charming's arms, not his nemesis'. Drac's aim however was totally off. Maybe he had first dibs on the spiked punch. The dude had his lips glued to my neck. Giving me a freaking hicky. I was dead. This guy was gonna get staked by my dad if I came home with some giant purple bulseye on my neck.I felt dizzy, weak in the knees and elated all at the same time. I tried to say, "Stop," but then his lips covered mine and all I could taste was one, the musky Jovan perfume I wore and two, a sweet yet metallic slime from his lips. I raised my hand to my throbbing neck and damn if I didn't have bloody fingers.The stupid bastard really bit me. My jaw dropped this time. I looked about the clouded room only to see more faces coming in close to inspect my wounds. My BF was busy grabbing a pony tail on one girl and yanking her back away from me. "She's mine," she shouted. I loved her. Always there for me."Are you alright? Is she alright?" My friend sounded hysterical. Was I in that much trouble?I'm guessing so since it was the last thing I remembered.I woke up in the back seat of my dad's car wrapped in blankets and also in Drac's arms. Oddly I felt safe until I saw my girlfriend driving. I tried to sit up but Drac tightened his grip."She can really drive.""What happened?" I was barely able to speak. Felt tlike I was Alice trying to climb my way out from the rabbit hole, only there was nothing to grasp and I kept slipping back down further and deeper with each attempt.Drac touched my neck and the pain I'd felt earlier lessened. Healing touch? He lifted his mask.His face came from a god. Blond curly hair cascaded to his shoulders. Emerald eyes beckoned me and he had a full mouth I wanted on mine again. He obliged without my even asking. "I always thought you despised me.""Come with me." He unraveled all my blankets and held out his hand. "You are far more enchanting than Cinderella. Allow me to show you how fairy tales really end."The rest of my night was a dream. We went to the moon and back, literally. I floated in the wind with him as we flew over the city, taking in the lights, the beauty and freedom I experienced. I was freaking flying like Superman only this sure as hell wasn't Clark Kent who had me crushed against him. Magical. It was the best night of my life until we pulled into the driveway just as the clock struck midnight. My dad waited in the window, his nose pressed around fogged glass. I didn't want my time with him to end."Who are you really?" I asked. I should have been freaked out that he bit me or that we spent the evening in the clouds but I wasn't. Not at all."I'll see you tomorrow night."He vanished in thin air. My BF turned and smiled. "You just had your initiation to my world. We'll talk tomorrow." With a snap of her fingers she too vanished. That one did it. I was scared. Just me, now sitting in the driver's seat of my car trying to figure out what devilsih mess I just got myself into this time. To date, I'm pretty certain I married that devil in disguise. He still makes me weak in the knees, drives me batty and nibbles like there's no tomorrow :)Happy Halloween.Here's to hoping there really are things that go bump in the night....

Oh S#@t, here comes the mailman...

You've done all the work, which is not limited to 40 + hours a week times 6 or more months of dedicated, titilating, heart stopping, drool over the guy with tatts and wicked blue eyes writing. You've missed dinners. Learned the finer art of take out, given your kids PBJ's all week coz you've got a scene in your noggin you can't lay to rest until its on paper (or on the computer) and then you've read and reread your MS. Erased. Made changes. Begged people to read it for you to make certain it flowed through their brain the same way it did yours. Once you've been given that seal of approval from a peer or trusted family/friend/some poor unsuspecting buggar you cornered and pleaded with, you send it off to uncommon grounds. Not certain whether the environment will be hostile or a warm welcome aboard. And you wait.

For the mail man...

Here he comes... I can hear the truck so plainly. Also hear my dog barking at him. (Grin!)

He pops the envelope in your box and drives off unknowing he's just delivered your future fate/state of happiness/wellbeing or dispare into your lap. Will we drinking champagne tonight or will I find comfort in a container of cookie dough icecream???

Or both.

My 1st MS was delivered back to me in 1 week.

For the record, nothing I've ever done in my life has been the easy way or politically right way.

I wrote for a year straight. Got someone to go through my 1200 double sided pages ms and correct my lack of knowledge where spelling and grammer were concerned and I shipped that baby out.

I was so excited until I unfolded a scant piece of paper sitting on top of my work. The only line the publisher wrote me was, "Get a ETYMOLOGY book and a writers guide book before ever sending this out again."

I scraped my jaw off the ground, got into my car and hit the book store and the icecream store on the return trip.

The other thing I've never been good at is taking No for an answer.

Never let another person put you down or your work. If it's something you believe in, never give up. Learn from what others have said but more important, be true to your heart.

Happy Memorial Day to all of you and God bless our troops and their families for their sacrifices.

Jaclyn

Eden's Black Rose

I watched Date Line MSNBC last night. The story of, Stolen Memories, was being showcased. It's a story of a father fighting to get his son back after the boy was kidnapped and taken to Italy by his mentally ill mother. She kidnapped him a second time which landed the child in an orphanage. The story ripped my heart open. This moved me to the point I lost sleep last night and wrote the letter below.

Here's my thought, as bizzare as it sounds. What if~ people wrote to the Pope and asked him to throw his 2 cents in to the Italian senetors who keep postponing this family's life. I keep hearing that there is strength in prayer and numbers. My hope is that each of who read this will post it to your FB page and send the Pope a little note asking for him to intervene in this matter. If it were my child out there I would move heaven and earth to get them back. And since the Pope's as close to heaven as we can get, what a better place to begin.

this is the Pope's e-mail address

benedictxvi@vatican.va.

His snail mail address is:

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City

Here's the letter I used. Feel free to copy and paste it and send it off if you like. Just add your name to mine.

Your Holiness,

I write to you because last night I watched Date Line MSNBC. The show, Stolen Memories, was about a young boy living in your country, who should be back here in the USA with his father, Michael McCarty. It has been 7 years since the boy was kidnapped by his mother. Multiple rulings over the custody have come and gone without resolution. The mother of the child kidnapped him a second time right from the Italian courthouse after a ruling she was deemed mentally unstable. The father was granted custody here. The reason I am writing is this is one, if it were my child out there living without me I would move heaven and earth to get him back to me and since I believe you are the closest man to heaven there is, I would pray you might talk to the senators who keep delaying the reunion of father and son and add your two cents. I realize that the crosses the barrier between religion and state and politics but sometimes a person with a clearer take on a problem is needed. My second reason is, I hear that there is strength in numbers and prayer. I posted this to my facebook page in hopes others would have the same gut wrenching need I do to do something to try and help a total stranger.

This is the link to the program. I do realize you are a busy man wanted by the world to perform miracles of healing and peace. If you were to help this man and his son, you could do both.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Jaclyn Kearney.

To blurb: To babble in a short structured fashion with limited availability or room for adjectives to add flavor to the next word, nouns to make it whole, pronouns to do what they do best, (if only I knew it is what they do), verbs to keep us on the edge of our seat, adverbs to add lib to the verb and give them a lil break, RUN-ON-SENTENCES... anything that expands upon the true nature of what 300+ pages goes into nauseating yet spicy, sometimes downright juicy details to cover the most intimate, intricate webs we've weaved thus giving the readers an insight as to how truly twisted or talented, or (pat your chest to quell the palpitations) how disturbingly trodden one's tale of love, mystery, romance, til death do us part or not quite dead in some paranormal plots can actually be.

Thus, the need for the blub.

Something I've yet to master:)

The End.

Jaclyn

So, we are 30 blissful days into our new year. How's those resolutions going? Mine~eh! My 1st one ended roughly 10 minutes into the year. Vowed to cut back on cussing. Not happening anytime soon. My 2nd one took 2 weeks before I started it. Decided to give the liver some respite. No telling what will happen come St. Patty's Day though. My 3rd & 4th are stuck on a rollercoaster. Getting time to write without being constantly interrupted and getting my workout routine back in shape (or would that be me?) Kinda one and the same. Started the year off with my niece getting married. And will pretty much close out the year with my daughter's wedding in Nov. The dress is bought, and came in yesterday. Her father saw it on her and for the 1st time in umpteen years, the man was speechless :) That however was about as shortlived as my cussing sessation.

So, I always thought resolutions were for people who were unhappy with their life style. I was wrong. They are for people who are trying to better themselves and their families. Whatever goals you've set out to accomplish, may you overcome any obstacles and achieve your deams

staying safe

13 THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU I received this E-mail from my aunt this morning. Usually she shares funny jokes that I look forward to. Today, well, please read this. You can have the last laugh if someone is thinking about breaking into your home. 1.Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator. 2.Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier. 3.Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have. 4.Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it. 5.If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house.. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway. 6.If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy. 7.A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too. 8.It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door - understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather. 9.I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it. 10.Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet. 11.Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms. 12.You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me. 13.A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If yo u're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at http://www.faketv/.com/) 8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU: 1.Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook. 2.The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors. 3.I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature. 4.I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it. 5.I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets. 6.Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address. 7.To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation. 8.If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in. Sources:�Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, whorunshttp://www.crimedoctor.com and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job. Protection for you and your home: If you don't have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's evil plans fo r you.

WASP SPRAY

A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can ofwasp spray instead.
The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one near by at home for home protection.. Thought this was interesting and might be of use.

FROM ANOTHER SOURCE:

On the heels of a break-in and beating that left an elderly woman in Toledo dead, self-defense experts have a tip that could save your life.

Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School . For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door or bed.
Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."
Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says, "spray the culprit in the eyes". It's a tip he's given to students for decades. It's also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for protection, Glinka says look to the spray.

"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out." Maybe even save a life.
Put your car keys beside your bed at night.
Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your Dr.'s office, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around. After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

P.S.
I am sending this to everyone I know because I think it is fantastic. Would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone. My Mom has suggested to my Dad that he carry his car keys with him in case he falls outside and she do esn't hear him. He can activate the car alarm and then she'll know there's a problem.
Please pass this on even IF you've read it before. It's a reminder.

Please share this with all the people in your life.

Christmas Past!

Memoirs of a feeble mind:

When I was 3 years old I lived in West Virginia, a warm sunny state back in the day, not known for an abundance of white fluffy flakes, but moreso steamy nights spent kicking the covers off the bed. December 24th arrived with a heat wave so in my mind Santa had a dilema... how to get his reindeer and sled to my house with my presents. I mean after all I was a good girl all year. I was on his A list for Pete's sake, I deserved all those gifts. Seriously, how much trouble can one little girl get into :) My motto, don't ask and I won't lie to you .... Well, my dad~ who I miss more than words can ever descibe, told me Santa always had a back up plan. At 3, you believe everything your parents tell you. 13 is a hole new can of worms but for today, we'll stick with my exiting toddlerism.

Christmas Eve we sat around listening to melodies ripped out by Bing and Frank and people singing back up to them that had no business singing, (specially after partying all night~yeah, my mom and dad were a part of this). We lived kinda sorta close to the airport, Dulles to be precise since my daddy was a ATC and worked there.

He told me the lights I saw illuminating the sky from the airport were actually Santa's sled getting closer. Well, when the helicopter landed in our front yard and Santa hopped out with his giant red sack filled with presents galore for all the kids in our hood, it was in the words of a little kids, WOW! Santa hugged me, told me I was special and then he hopped back in his chopper and headed out to the rest of the kids in the world.

It wasn't until I was old enough not to believe in Santa, that my dad told me about the pilot that was one of his bf's and played dress up for us. That was just 1 xmas I'll never forget. Each got better as the years passed until my parents passed on. Now its my turn to pass on my memories to my kids, who by their own rights are young adults. My daughter will be married in 11 months and my son graduating from Plattsburgh with his bachelors in Criminal Justice and Sociology. No matter how old we all are we still hope to spend the day laughing and in the arms of loved ones. The gifts are our family and friends. The presents~ the icing on the cake, or more apropos, the little things we do to tell people we love them.

Happy Christmas to all of you and Happy New Year as well.

To my niece, Jennine and her fiance, Joe who will wed on New Years Eve, I wish you a life time of good health, laughter until your cheeks hurt, prospertiy and love.