As I write this post, just a few weeks before Christmas, I am looking out onto my backyard filled with orange and lemon trees. Roses and succulent plants are blooming in my front yard. It still feels like Christmas time with lights all a glow and the steady parade of mail, Fed-X, UPS, and Amazon trucks. We’re even wearing sweat shirts and sweaters.
Snow is something we (people who live where I do) drive to see. It is only about an hour to get to the first patches and then thick blankets of higher up the Sierra Mountains towards Lake Tahoe. From where I live we await the first look at snow covered mountains in the distance.
I’ve never had a White Christmas in all of my 159 Vampire years.
Some of you reading this have your good Christmas snow memories. Feel free to share your stories or comments after doing the poll.
Burning Question #41: Are you dreaming of a white Christmas?
Feel free to leave additional comments about snow, holiday songs, cover songs, Vampires, or anything else you care to talk about.
December is here so it is time for Burning Questions Holiday Editions.
Saint Nick aka Santa brings joy and toys to kids who are good. But what about everyone who is bad? We have Krampus for that job. Unfortunately he has been a little lax of late.
Seriously I wish Krampus had been around for a few of the psychotic brats my children went to school with. 99% of the kids were good but then there were those holy terrors and their holy terror parents.
Krampus is a Northern European and/or German creature. He drags away bad children. I imagine he might even snag a few adults. We can only hope.
But if you’re here I am sure you know who Krampus is. If not look at all of the charming pictures I’ve posted here. As you can see he was quite the party animal too.
Burning Question #39: Should Krampus Be More Active in 2018
So have you been naughty or nice? Will Krampus be knocking at your door. He won’t knock, he’ll just come in and drag you down to hell.
Feel free to leave your own comments about Krampus, December, holiday stuff, or anything else that you have to get off of your chest (including your cat.)
This whole Burning Question thing came out of an afternoon with sports playing on the Tee Vee and somebody asking “Is a hotdog a sandwich?” I say NO. A lot of people said yes (really?) Then I decided, against my better judgement, to have 50 BURNING QUESTIONS. SO here we go on #38.
Some people are rule followers.
Some people don’t follow the rules.
Some people are in prison. Some aren’t.
The laws of nature seem pretty solid unless…certain events change them, but maybe not.
Philosophy is confusing.
Physics is confusing.
Motion and momentum are connected.
Do you follow the exact rules when you play Monopoly. If you answer YES you’re a LIAR. Nobody follows the rules exactly.
But, but, but… some rules can’t be broken. Ever. Never.
Or is there an exception? Or is it just laws that are meant to be broken?
Of course we all know that hearts can be, and will be broken. Is that a rule? Feel free to discuss it below.
Burning Question #38: Is there an exception to every rule?
Read this carefully. Is there an exception to EVERY rule? Not just some but EVERY rule.
I posted this for no reason. I just thought it was stupid and funny. This blog has no rules therefore there are no rules to be broken.
I have nothing else to say on this matter. Did it make your head spin? Discuss this below. Or discuss whatever you want. Do you have your Christmas lights up yet? Do you have a dog? Do you make biscuits from scratch or from a can? Are you wondering what Vlad the Vampire King doing for the holidays? Let me know. Share. Please.
Who will be at your Thanksgiving table? I know who will be UNDER my table. But this is about who will be above the table.
Thanksgiving will soon be here. Yes, this week’s Burning Question is about the upcoming holiday. If you don’t celebrate the traditional American (USA) version of Thanksgiving you can still imaging who you would like at your table at any large celebration where there is a lot of conversation and wine.
Are you tired of the same old Thanksgiving conversations about Uncle Beezie’s corns, or Aunt Lulu’s prize winning rabbit hutches, or why Cousin Karl can’t get his shit together? Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to yell, “Shut the fuck up,” before the turkey is even carved?
Just imagine if you could mix it up a little. What if you could add three more new and interesting famous or semi-famous people (animals or Vampires) to your guest list?
I’ve complied a list of writers, artists, creative film folks, scientists, and others who I think would be interesting. I can’t guarantee they all like turkey, but that’s ok. Everybody can bring their favorite side dishes and deserts to share.
If you don’t know who someone on the list is just look them up. You ought to be able to find everyone if you do the Google thing.
Burning Question #36: Pick Three Guests to Join Your Thanksgiving Table
Hey, if you have room add up to five more guests. The more the merrier.
To tell the truth my Thanksgiving celebrations have been absolutely wonderful with family and wonderful friends. But hey, we always have an open door and welcome new folks at my home.
I’ll have more on Thanksgiving later. In the meantime put in your vote (you can vote multiple answers on this poll) and add your own thought in the comments.
PLEASE add them in the comments below even if you’ve added something to the “other” choice. That doesn’t always show up.
And if you vote YOU GET A STICKER. And if you vote by mail you can feel good about yourself knowing that you voted.
My message is for everyone to VOTE on Tuesday. I might not agree with you or even respect your opinions BUT I DO respect your right to vote. I honor your right to vote. And remember…there are people in other countries who DIE for their right to vote (yes, that still happens).
Also do your RESEARCH. Know WHO and WHAT you are voting on. The ads on TV and the radio don’t tell the truth or only tell half truths. Don’t listen to actors or comedians or late night talk show hosts or haters. Listen to the words of the people running for office. Look at their records. Look at the facts. The better informed you are the better you’ll feel when you vote.
Don’t be IGNORANT. It isn’t attractive. I always tell my children to never date anyone who doesn’t vote. Yes, I do have strong opinions on this subject.
Burning Question #35: Are you going to vote?
By the way, I’m working as a Poll Officer on Saturday, Monday, and on Tuesday. THAT is how much I care about this. And yes, we do take an oath to make sure you get to vote. Also, don’t yell at your local poll workers – they don’t make the rules. Call your local county officials and yell at them.
My husband Teddy, Cody (our Vampire in training – a new Vampire from the Silicone Valley), Lola (my great great great grandmother), my brother Val and the two extremely elderly Vampires (who were sitting on the floor doing bead work or something crafty).
Cody asked “You’re all US citizens, right?.”
“Of course we are,” said my husband Teddy.
“You were born in Panama.” Teddy always thought that was one of the cool things about Teddy.
My parents were US citizens. I was born along the way when they headed out for the Gold Rush in 1849. That made me a citizen of the United States, because my parents were citizens.
“What about you?” He asked Lola and the ancient ones.
“I was born in Rome but I have lived here since 1801.” Lola’s father was a Pope a very long time ago but that is another post.
“The places we were born don’t exist anymore, at least not as cities.” Called one of the ancient Vampires from the floor.
“Vampires vote.” I said. “As do Werewolves. We all work, pay taxes, send our kids to public schools. We drive on the roads, use the parks, need law enforcement and the help of the fire departments. And there aren’t enough of us to help with National Defense. So of course we vote.”
“We pay taxes,” said Val, “more than our share.”
“What about ghosts?” Cody just had to ask.
“They’re dead.” We all said that at once.
“Zombies?”
“If they’re not quite dead yet they can vote, but if they’re dead with complete brain failure and their soul is gone they can’t vote.” I said
“Do Vampires ever run for office?” Cody looked at all of us.
Val answered. “We have but it isn’t a good idea these days with the media being all over the private lives of those running.”
“It could endanger us all,” I said. “We prefer to work in the background. After all, more often than not it is the background people who make the decisions and really run the show.”
“Has there ever been a Vampire president?” Cody asked.
“Not a president but there have been a few elected officials in high places,” Lola answered. She would know. “A Vice President or two.”
“Why don’t we just come out of the closet?” Cody was new to all of this. The new ones always ask this question time and time again.
“They’d kill us,” said Val. “That or try to put us in camps. It would be a blood bath. No pun intended.”
“People are afraid of what they don’t understand.” The elders said in unison in their quiet musical voices.
“And most people don’t want to understand,” I added.
Teddy looked up and took off his reading glasses. “It is easier to stay ignorant than informed. So let’s get back to the facts.”
So we sat with our voter books and laptops and did our research. Most of us had made up or minds but it was always good to take another look.
I’ve posted a few times about my Zombie friends (see below for “Lunch Date With Zombies)but what about Zombies who aren’t our friends? You know the type. So enough of the fluff, let’s use or lose our brains and get down to business.
So when you see rotting Zombies shuffling your way…
Burning Question #34: Are You Ready for a Zombie Apocalypse?
I know, everyone from Val Lewton to Shawn have covered Zombies. You know what they are. You know who they are.
So are you ready? What would you do? What HAVE you done to get ready? Tell us below. And let me know where you’ll be when WWZ arrives. Let’s get this party started!
And last of all don’t forget to see the new movie “There’s No Such Thing As Zombies.” A new thriller written by my friend Michael Haberfelner.
~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman
A Lunch Date With Zombies
(a true story from Juliette Kings)
Fridays are usually my lunch hunt date. I switched things up this week and took Cody, my young “Vampire in Training” out with me on Monday.
Lunch dates are fun ways for Vampires to hunt right out in the open. They involve fun, flirting, a bit of seduction and just enough blood to get you going for the weekend ahead. And regular humans never even suspect. They just leave the situation feeling warm and fuzzy, a little tired, and they think they’ve, well, you know.
Cody and I had arranged to meet an old friend of mine at my office with an associate of his. They were Lobbyist for the farming industry (after all we’re in the State Capitol and in the largest agricultural state). Mike and Melissa. I’m in public relations and do work for them from time to time.
Cody is shy by nature, a sweet likeable young man, but when it comes to hunting he is extremely shy. Most new Vampires can’t wait to get hunting, but with Cody it is more of a sweet romance, rather than just taking what one wants.
So to make a short story long, a guy in a suit shows up at the door. He looks like he’s been to hell and back then I recognize him as Mike. Behind him is Melissa, who is usually the perkiest blonde I’ve ever met, looking ashen and un-perkey.
I wonder if someone died, then realize, somebody has. They don’t smell right. They don’t look right. My stomach turns. Even Cody is picking up on something.
I step back.
“Juliette” says Mike “You have to help us.”
He puts his hand on my arm and I immediately feel it – ZOMBIES.
Funny, likable and extremely smart Mike, a sixth generation California farmer, graduate of UCD (THE Farm School) and successful advocate for the farmer is now…for all practical purposes DEAD.
And don’t give me any crap about being a Vampire. My flesh isn’t rotting and I’m not craving human brains for lunch. Plus I know where my soul is.
I’m confused. Both Mike and Melissa look good, all things considering.
Plus I thought all the Zombies had been confined to a compound in the Mojave Desert outside of Barstow.
“We’ve taken massive amounts of antibiotics to help prevent the rot and we’ve been drinking a lot of embalming fluid. That keeps the smell off and slows down the rot.” Mike told us.
The pair was driving across the Imperial Valley when they were stopped at a roadblock. Little did they know what seemed to be police were actually rogue Zombies. Later that night they were picked up by the authorities and brought to the super secret Area Z, where Zombies are kept to be monitored and studied.
I thought of long afternoons with Mike and how sweet his blood tasted. I thought of the slow seductions and languid after glows. Now here he was, doing everything he could to keep his skin from falling off in sheets. Holy crap, this was bad.
“What do you need?” I asked.
Mike put a hand to his face, adjusting his left eye back into the socket. “I want you to turn us into Vampires.”
OK, this is where the sound effects do a screeching halt. The very idea of a Zombie is revolting but putting my lips on the flesh of a Zombie and sharing blood. Putrid rotting blood.
“Has this ever been done?” Asked Cody.
“No, or at least never that I’ve heard of.” I said. “So much could go wrong.”
“Nothing could be worse than it is already.” Melissa wailed and watched as her thumbnail fell to the floor along with the tip of her thumb.
I thought about it for a moment then spoke in secret to Cody. I had an idea. If it worked we’d be heroes. If it didn’t we’d have to kill the Zombies, no matter that they were our friends.
I took Cody into the small kitchen area of the office where we bit into our wrists and let our own Vampire blood drain into two coffee cups.
The Zombies drank and before our eyes their skin went from gray to the color of their former living flesh (peaches & cream and coffee & cream – Vampires always think of everyone in terms of food, we can’t help it).
“I won’t turn you, not yet, but see if this helps. Don’t tell a soul, or anyone without a soul. Don’t tell anyone or I will hunt you down and kill you myself. Do you understand?”
They said they understood. I thought my stomach was going to drop out and my head would explode as they left the building.
Cody was about to speak when I told him. “The same goes to you Cody. If you tell a soul I will kill you and it won’t be fast or painless.”
“Got it.” Said Cody. I thought of my favorite movie line and said to Cody. “This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Cody smiled. Then and there I knew he’d make a great Vampire.
I’ll keep you posted on Mike and Melissa – when and if I hear anything.
