It’s no surprise that I love YouTube and pop culture. So, when I found this awesome little piece – just in time for Halloween I might add – I knew I had to share it.
Speculative fiction is when a story has one or more elements that aren’t considered part of the real world including magic, fantasy creatures, and unreal settings. It includes such genres as horror, fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal, and yes, even vampire romances.
Since Shia isn’t an actual cannibal, as far as we know, this lovely piece of internet is a solid horror story instead of a factual recounting. It is also the most bizarre thing I’ve seen all year, and that’s saying something.
Just in time for Halloween I’ve found what has to be the strangest Michael Jackson music video out there – the 40 min long “Ghosts” featurette. In it, a quiet community is up in arms about one of the stranger residents because he doesn’t fit the norm.
Although it was shot in 1996, the film is meant to be set somewhere in the fifties which makes it stranger to see an angry mob of Leave it to Beaver wannabes storming his house armed with torches, yes, actual flaming torches, but no pitch forks – that would be silly.
Jackson does his best to scare the townsfolk away by making silly faces. They aren’t impressed so he summons his legion of ghost family who dance and gyrate and pelvic thrust in a way that only is found in a Michael Jackson video.
Some interesting notes – the film was co-written by none other than horror novelist Stephen King. Also, Jackson plays five different roles including that of the stuffy town mayor who wants to run him out-of-town.
It isn’t Thriller by a long shot and I can only guess that this was trying to relive those glory days. If anything it comes across as gross and a little silly. Still, it was enough to keep my nearly three-year old up all night with nightmares.
We all love Mondays, right? No? Why are you all looking at me that way? Put down the pitchforks and hear me out.
For most, Monday mean a return to the drudgery of work and school and the unending cycle of stuff that must be done. It symbolizes the end of the weekend, a time we have psychologically set aside to recharge our batteries. It means schedules, to-do lists, and responsibility.
When forced to look at it that way, I want to go back to bed.
Then I remember, I’m a mom AND a writer, two occupations that don’t get weekends or holidays off. Monday isn’t a return to anything because I haven’t left anything. The only change is that hubby dearest must go back to work and the kids have to go to school. The process of getting everyone up and fed and dressed is more urgent on Monday morning but it also means that when I finish I have fewer people here to mother when I finish.
For that reason I kinda like Mondays.
For me Mondays are a fresh start to a new week where I can, at least in the first few hours, pretend that I am a responsible go-getter and feel like I’m on top of what needs to be done. It’s a brand new start to a brand new week where goals can still be reached and dreams are still possible. I get more done on Monday than on any other day of the week.
Today I feel like I can conquer my to-do list. I’ve already done the initial getting to school scramble, and even with a 15 minute “Ooops, it was Daylight Savings wasn’t it?” moment of panic delay – one child is already out the door, dressed and fed. So far, so good. Now for the rest of the day!
For a happy dose of good attitude, here’s a feel good song to get your Monday back on track.
Jodi L. Milner, Author 