2012 ScareFest Convention

The ScareFest is one of the largest horror and paranormal conventions in the United States.  It is held each year in Lexington, Kentucky, and draws large crowds from all over.  The 2012 convention will be held the weekend of September 28-30 at the Lexington Center. 

Some of the "stars" attending will be Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin (Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures), Chip Coffey (physic featured on Paranormal State), Malcolm McDowell (Clockwork Orange & Halloween I & II), and Josh Gates (Destination Truth).

My son and I will be attending all three days, and taking plenty of pictures.  Once we get them uploaded on our website, www.sharrysplace.com, we will let you know.  If you would like to see pictures of the 2011 convention, click here.

If you are a fan of the horror film and/or paranormal genre, I highly recommend this convention.  Even if you are not a fan, just being able to get up close and personal with the stars makes the convention worth attending. 

Talk About Presidential Power!

My son and I went yesterday to see the 4:30 p.m. matinee of Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter in 3D.  I had read the book of the same title, written by Seth Grahame-Smith, who also wrote the screenplay for the movie.  As a lot of movies made from books don't always follow the book, I was curious to see what differences, if any, there were between Mr. Grahame-Smith's book and his screenplay.  There were a few things that were in one but not the other; however, the movie was fairly close to the book.  I personally liked the movie, and recommend it. 

My son will soon be putting a better review up at http://suttonatthemovies.blogspot.com/, so I highly recommend you visit periodically to see what his views were on the movie.

Procrastation maybe?

On my last posting I mentioned that I was contemplating take some classes on computer graphics.  At the present time I've decided to put off those classes for the time being.  That's not to say I won't be taking any classes; now is just not the time.  There are other things I feel are more important at the present time that I need to spend the money on. 

Do I or Do I Not? That is the question...

Do you ever feel like you're between a rock and a hard place on trying to make up your mind about something?  You keep making a list of pros and cons, and the list comes out equal on both sides?  You keep thinking that if you do do it, you wish you hadn't spent the money, but if you don't do it you'll regret it later?

I'm that way about taking some online courses.  I've got a couple of hobbies  I want to get into, but am having a hard time trying to decide how I want to learn all I can about how to do them or if I actually want to do them.  And if I did get into doing this hobbies, can I make any money on them.  I've been told more than once I need to see what I can do with my home office. 

One of the hobbies I've gotten into are making sets (templates) for web sites, and I've sold one.  I'd like to get better at making not only the actual html of the sets, but also the graphics side of of these sets.  The problem is not knowing what graphics classes to take.  I may wind up having to take more than one.  :-)

Learning about computer graphics would also help with another hobby I want to get into - desktop publishing.  I'd mainly like to get into greeting cards, but would also like to dabble in invitations and wedding programs.  When my daughter married in March 2009, I made her invitations and programs, and received several compliments on them.  For several years I made our Christmas cards and all the recipients seemed to enjoy getting a "homemade" card (even if it was printed from the computer).  I recently purchased a Cricut Expression machine which will be used to help dress up the cards, invitations, scrapbook pages, etc. that I plan on trying to make.  

As time goes on, I will keep you posted on my progress.  Wish me luck!

Nick Groff's First Live Performance

It's official!  Nick Groff of The Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures will be at the 2012 ScareFest Convention in Lexington, KY, promoting his new album.  This will be his first live performance.  Nick's first CD, in which he wrote, produced and sang on all the tracks, is called: The Other Side. The lyrics recant Groff's spiritual journey through life up to that point.

Besides being co-investigator and cameraman on the Ghost Adventures series, he is an executive producer and editor of the show.  

On October 31, 2011, Nick Groff and Santi DeOleo, Boston-based designer of Modus Collection, launched their collaborative line of custom shirts – aptly titled the “Phantom Collection”.  The “Phantom Collection” is a series of four limited edition designs that mesh Groff’s love and intrigue for the paranormal with Modus’ urban sophistication and signature chess inspiration.

Happy Mother's Day

Tomorrow, May 13, is Mother's Day.  If you are still lucky enough to have your mom, please be sure to tell her how much you love her.  If she has already passed on, remember all the good times you've shared with her and the many things she taught you.

I'm blessed to still have my mother with me and is in pretty good health considering she recently turned 84.  She has taught my siblings and me more by example than by anything she has verbalized.  As a child growing up with asthma, she was the one I always wanted to massage my chest, which I always thought helped me to breathe better.  During the last few days of my dad's losing battle with cancer, Mom was such a trooper.  The way she handled his illness and subsequent death were more than I would've been able to do.  She's always been there for us, no matter what.  Mom, I love you dearly.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers, step-mothers, grandmothers, and women who have stepped up to the role of mom!

Grandparenthood

I found out on February 24th that my daughter is expecting our first grandchild.  However, it was a few weeks before we were allowed to share the news with everyone.  This was because she wanted to go wait until after her first visit with the doctor before making it official, which I can understand.  Though she is excited, I don't think it will really kick in until she starts to show and after the doctor tells her what the sex is.

She and her husband had been trying for quite a while to have a baby, and eventually they went to be checked out as to why it was taking so long.  Since our son-in-law already had 2 children from a previous relationship, they felt like it had something to do with her.  It was found out that she had the beginning stages of endometriosis, and a procedure (something to do with burning the spots off the lining of her womb) was done by her ob-gyn doctor a few days later, which she was told has a good ratio of patients who become pregnant within 6 months after having it done.  Suffice it to say, less than a month later my daughter's dreams came true.  

I can so empathize with my daughter in her attempts to have a child as my husband and I went through a lot of the same procedures she has while trying to conceive our first child.  In our situation my progesterone level was too low.

My hubby and I are thrilled to be grandparents and are looking forward to spoiling him or her.  The Lord has surely blessed both our daughter and son-in-law and us.  He is Good.