Scary stuff I saw in Europe this past summer

I know it is now Halloween, but the following scary sights were from the bright days of summer. Imagine how horrible they would have been on a dark and stormy night!

It was a dark and stormy afternoon in Prague

Scary building in Prague..ok, it's a church, but it has a sort of Exorcist look about it eh?

Not the WC although I'm sure it was scary. No, look behind and see the sign for the Museum of Torture!

My brother being stalked by a mastodon in the Museum of Natural History in Prague - put this one in here to see if any of my family actually read my blog......

Oh no!!!!! McDonalds are everywhere! This one in Prague across from the aforementioned museum of natural history.

Assimilation is complete. We are now all part of Apple. This one in Munich.

And a Game Stop in Munich! You can't escape them! Put this in here for a certain young man who remain anonymous, just to see if he ever reads this.

Yes, for certain there are lots of scary sights in Europe. It is the continent that brought us Vlad the Impaler (Count Dracula) after all. Boo! Have a fun and safe Halloween!

A Haunting Treat

Reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven," I caught this wondrous photo of a large black bird (raven?) as it flew from a rather spooky looking tree. Perhaps he is on his way to visit the ill-fated and grief-stricken narrator of that dark poem.

Of course this was taken during the day and such things as messengers from beyond don't exist, do they? Well, do they? Nah, didn't think so.

And, by the way, for those interested in Poe's "The Raven," by far the best reading (by the incomparable James Earl Jones) and illustration of it I've seen thus far was actually part of a Simpson's episode, one of the Treehouse of Horrors. Here is a link to the best one I could find on YouTube. Bart Simpson as The Raven - sublime. Enjoy!

On my way home

Now that I have a job and a routine drive, I've started looking around a bit at the sights along the way. Because I live and work in the fifth largest city in the United States, I was surprised to find a bit of country on my evening route. This afternoon I took the time to stop and snap some photos.

Not sure, but I think they're alpaca.

Very woolly and curious, coming to see what I'm doing.

I'm thinking he is the stud - very regal and proud.

A curious emu.

These two followed me around.

Pretty pony - notice that compared to the fence, this pony is about the same size as the emu.

Taking time to relax on a Friday afternoon and to really see what is around me is a great way to unwind and start the weekend. Cheers.

Where have I been?

I haven't been at my computer blogging, that's for sure. I have now what is known as a "job." Before I was "funemployed" but thanks to the Summer of Recovery and the upswing in the economy, I now have a fascinating, high paying, meaningful, green job. No wait. That isn't right. It's because the economy still sucks that although I am working, it is in a temp position. The company I'm working at is trying to sell off this very division, so they can't hire an actual employee.

But at least it's a fascinating, high paying, meaningful, green job - right? Um, no. It's about as mind-numbingly irrelevant to my life as it could possible get. I sit in a cubicle farm all day making phone calls to other people in their cubicle farms that owe my cubicle farm money. Blegh! (Guess I can't reveal my blog to my co-workers now.) So, here I am, barely keeping my head above water:

Turtle, but he looks happy right?

However, if I am anything at all, I am a blissful optimist. I look at the opportunities that are out there, set goals and look for the blue skies all around me:

Groovin' on a sunny afternoon!

Life is too short to give up so much of my life doing something without meaning; now is the time to seek what I want to do. The possibilities really are endless and now I am really motivated to find something else by which to earn a living. I'm excited to think where all this will lead. Freebird playing the background and I'm off!

Readers:  I welcome any and all suggestions you want to make in the comments. Keep 'em clean though, I'm not That Kind of Girl!

Astronomical Clock in Prague, Czech Republic - Awesome!

I was privileged this past summer to go to Prague and see this amazing clock first hand:

Prague's Astronomical Clock

Notice the astronomical symbols.

More information than I can remember can be found at Wikipedia, so I won't be too redundant here except to say that the clock tower includes astrological signs, statues representing among other things vanity, death, a philosopher, an angel, an astronomer and a chronicler, as well as the Apostles that march by every hour. It may even tell time!

In celebration of it's 600th year,  a video mapping has been produced that shows computerized projections right onto the clock tower depicting it's history. Here's a link to the video The 600 Years. It's ten minutes long, but worth watching.

Being a tourist on a casual Saturday in my home town

Last month I wrote that you don't have to leave your own city in order to be on vacation, that it was more a state of mind than a location thing. Look at your surroundings every day as if seeing them for the first time and let your mind take flight even when you can't.

In that spirit my weekend wanderings took me to Desert Ridge Mall in North Phoenix, a place I have been to countless times before, but this time I decided to take my own advice. This is what I saw:

artwork in structures

The moon through the patio lights.

Another brick in the wall.

I love geometry.

I wonder how many people don't look up when they walk here?

nice plant life

Date palm under-lit by evening lights.

awesome shoes

Amazing how easy it was to go up and ask this young woman if I could photograph her shoes.

surprised by a band

Love a good sax!

They were quite good even though the acoustics were not.

Sorry, I don't know who they are - if you do, post a comment.

and a little girl living large and free as only a the very young can

Gonna be a heart breaker one day!

All in all the weather was balmy, the sights and sounds great, and the time memorable because I looked at things with different eyes rather than just running around shopping or going to dinner.

Does this ever happen to you?

So, I'm off with my BFF and we are sitting at a Paradise Bakery, drinking our coffee, surfing our computers. Time passes. A lot of time. You realize that now it is past noon and the just rolled out of bed look you came in with is no longer working for you. You find this out as you go to the bathroom and look in the mirror at your hair which is shall we say less than well groomed. Then you spill water on your foot and look down to realize that your legs are in need of shaving. You already knew you actually had just rolled out of bed to head down for coffee with friends, but these new revelations have now made you uncomfortable. People must have noticed by now. People are talking. Paranoia strikes deep.

Worst yet is that the blog you were going to post just isn't happening yet; pictures need to be tweaked a bit first.

But I promise - there will be a new blog before day's end. Oh yes. There will.

I hope I didn't quite look this bad!

Misty's Misty Magic Kingdom

Who hasn't seen at least pictures of Disneyland/Disneyworld's Magic Kingdom Sleeping Beauty castle? We are all familiar with the distinctive silhouette; it's even used in their logo.

Well, I was privileged to see the real life castle upon which Walt Disney based his design. It is called Neuschwanstien Castle (Schloss in German) and is located in southwest Bavaria, Germany.

Schloss Neuschwanstein in the mist.

As you can see, the day I was there it was quite overcast and drizzling. I know there are better photos on the internet, but this one is special because I was there, feeling the mist, simultaneously holding the umbrella and taking the shot.

Nothing is like being there in person. No amount of web surfing or library research can prepare you for the awesome wonders of the world. Go out and experience them yourself and let me know what you think.