Vielen Dank

Back in the age of Oprah-the late nineties when the world hung upon her every word I remember sliding into the squeaky leather couch in my den-reclining back and hearing her tell me to say "thank you."  She suggested I keep a "thank you" journal, well not just me, all of America but it felt like she was talking to me.  

I decided that's what I was missing in my adolescent existence.  Instead of selfishly and vain gloriously staring at the trials I underwent daily I would say many thanks.  Vielen dank if you will.  I took the time that was my independent study and found a nook in the library to begin my project. Sandwiched in between the theater section and the periodicals I found a four walled dome to relax.  Here I thought-I would become a new person washed clean of all prior malcontent.

I sat down opening carefully the crisp clean pages of a butterfly journal I had been given for a nondescript holiday and set out on my journey of self-discovery.  Thank you.........for.......I was drawing a blank.  I didn't know where to begin.  What do you write down on paper that you are thankful for?  The sun, the moon, food-pleasant conversation, a clean pair of pants to put on-flan?  It was too much to ponder and with that I closed the door on my thank you journal and on my supposed rebirth.

Why think of this today-nearly ten years after my initial urge plucked my heartstrings.  I realized that it's ridiculous to write down why you're thankful.  What is that going to do?  It's like writing down I will never eat an egg roll again when you know that every Friday you'll stare in the window of a Chinese eatery and end up ordering an egg roll.  I think maybe what I should have been told by the afternoon television guru is perchance go out and be thankful or let people know you appreciate what they do.  Which she may have said anyway.

The Stanley Hotel

When I knew I was going to Colorado-I didn't hesitate.  I  needed to experience the spooky and disconcerting room 217.  Fact: all of the pictures I took around said room turned out blurry.  Fact: I did not intentionally gear them to be out of focus. I personally did not get to stay in "the" room or for the matter the two surrounding it which are purported to be equally as terrifying but I heard the haunting surrounding them and just traversing the ominous hallways left me with an uneasy burn in my gut that can not be replicated.

Apparently these rooms scared the pants off Jim Carey when he filmed Dumb and Dumber here and inexplicably drove him to run out of 217 one night and demand that he be taken to the nearest hotel. For the duration of filming he never stepped foot near the room again and only came in the hotel when he had to.

I am scared, very scared. Of this place on my left. What is it? Why, The Stanley Hotel, home of said Room 217-one of the most notoriously haunted locales in the United States of America.  Created by the man who also is responsible for the Stanley Steamer and most modern inventions we associate with all good things today.

On the right you will find me cavorting posthumously with the owner- Mr. Stanley holding a fish.  If you notice his face....he even appears to be inventing while dangling.

Below, I reset my Macauly Culkinesque hands on my cheeks in ultimate and unbridled fear in the employee tunnel of The Stanley Hotel.  This is one of the spots that Ghost Hunters checked when they visited the hotel where they found so much supernatural activity that they came back repeatedly.  Aside from all of the haunting, this hotel is notorious for being the inspiration of Stephen King's landmark book "The Shining."  

Stephen King was having a dry spell during his early career and decided he needed some inspiration.  Him and his wife checked into The Stanley Hotel at the end of the season.  While the entire staff of the then fading and broken down hotel left-King and his wife stayed.  What he proceeded to stumble upon would become the landmark moments that we would later recognize.  

The most tremendous fact, a residual haunting.  On the night when Stephen King stayed in the hotel he ate in the restaurant  by himself.  While drinking a beer he heard coming from the ballroom one room over what seemed to be music and dancing.  This was ludicrous, everyone had left.  The only two people in the hotel were his wife and himself and she was upstairs resting.  Why, King even had the key to lock up when he was finished. When he entered what he saw was a full blown ball.  Women dancing, men cavorting, and the most taxing element that he couldn't understand was-how come none of them would talk to him?  That would be because none of them knew about him.  They hailed from another time completely.  A moment in time that had been played again on this night.  Another fact, the evening happened to be that of October 31st more notably recognized as All Hallows Eve.

I don't want to reveal too much.  If your interest is peaked, you should take the tour or maybe even dare to stay in Room 217.

Red Glare

This-this right here.  I do not do these.  I do not understand their glory or joy or special context.  Hurling toxins up into the sky to create literally moments of a colorful explosion just doesn't seem important.

Or, maybe it's that fireworks and their mighty blasts facilitated me being loosed from my mothers womb and I'll never forgive them for that.  Either way-I don't get it.  I just-don't-get it.

What I do love about July 4th however is The Twilight Zone marathon on the Sci Fi Channel which almost redeems the day.  Well, that and the barbecues.  I think the most fascinating part about watching the marathon is realizing that some of what they called "future" concerns were right on the nose.  Here, I thought I would be sailing around in a hovercraft.  Instead my planet is melting and the government can track every move I make.  Too bad, the hovercraft would have been fun.