Happy New Year.

Hope you survive it, and that it doesn't make you wish you didn't.

Something interesting happened the other day. I was grabbing some dinner and noticed a small black cat staring at me from a few feet away. She kept this up for fifteen minutes, and I noticed how emaciated this thing was. I could count the bones even from far away. So when I left, I made sure to drop some scraps for her.

Two blocks later, she caught up with me. And refused to leave.

I've been told multiple times before that I should have a black cat. I'll admit, her company isn't horrible. She's actually rather cute, if you look past the bones and ragged fur, which can easily be fixed with time. She has gorgeous golden eyes, though her left ear's been half ripped off by something. I'm already thinking of places I can take her to be looked over and given the proper shots, so I guess she's staying.

Now I just need to come up with a name...Lenore seems pleasing, but I'm not sure...

...Alright, I called her that, and she looked up. So Lenore it is.

Oh. My. GOD.

From the front page of Wiki:
The Red Book by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung is published and displayed in public for the first time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Book_(Jung)

The Liber Novus. Written after Jung's break from Freud, during what many believe was a psychotic episode as he had what he described as "a voluntary confrontation with the unconscious". Written in the span of sixteen years; over 200 pages of illustration and calligraphic text all from his own hand. THIS was the book he worked on while he developed his theories of archetypes, the collective unconscious, and individuation. And until 2001, his greedy little heirs refused to share it with no more than a select handful. But now...now as of yesterday, it is available to the public, completely translated. Jung's most personal and important writings.

I...I am so glad no one is around to see me right now. I'm shaking like a giddy schoolgirl, it's ridiculous. Sweet cryin' Jesus, I need to find a bookstore. NOW.

Alright, alright, I've caved. A lot of you have been telling me I should get an online blog of some kind, and with all of the traveling I've been doing recently, now seems to be the best time. Ta da.

As mentioned, yes, I've started my haunted little road trip about a week ago. So far, though, I've only had time to visit Headless Horseman in Ulster Park. It was...alright. An average event, with better atmosphere than scares. They suffered from overcrowding, which is understandable for a first night I suppose. The hayride was enjoyable - note I said enjoyable, not frightening. The actors were crude, and relied heavily on the shock effect, and the easy prey of teenaged girls. It was the same for the corn maze (I hesitate to even call it that, since "maze" implies you're not herded down a single, narrow path), and the haunted houses. Predictable, and borderline ridiculous at times, the place at least did understand their strength in the houses lay in the creepy, unsettling effect (to prepare for the boring jump-and-shock routine), which they played up to nicely.

Everyone else was jumping and shrieking, however, so I guess they're doing their jobs right. I just have high standards. Nothing wrong with that.

Three out of five dead crows. If you're in the area, or frighten easily and enjoy that sort of thing, I'd make the trip. If you're looking for a bit more, as was I, don't bother.

I'll hit Maryland next, then travel down the east coast to Georgia and Florida, then continue west as planned. I say this to assure those of you I planned on meeting (Ghoul, Mulysa, Zombiegeek and DeathsHead) that I will, barring anything beyond my control, still make it to your states on the scheduled time. Cheery, dear, you still need to e-mail me about whether or not Florida is a go.

Here's the schedule so far. No set dates, save the ones for the four or five mentioned, which I'm not about to make public.

Netherworld - Atlanta, GA
Halloween Horror Nights and Howl-O-Scream - Orlando, FL
The 13th Gate - Baton Rouge, LA
The Beast (and its sister houses; The Chambers of EAP! <3) - Kansas City, MO
Cutting Edge - Forth Worth, TX
Asylum Haunted House - Denver, CO
Freakling Brothers Horrorshows - Las Vegas, NV (Possibly, I'm not sure anymore. Definitely Las Vegas, though)
Halloween at Disneyland - Anaheim, CA