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December 18th, 2008
November 4th, 2008
01:34 pm - Only 2 things are certain in life. Death and taxes.
On Monday night, November 3 at 10:45 p.m. my mother released all her pain and suffering due to lung cancer.
She stopped smoking in 1960 when she was pregnant with me.
My boss who is an environmental hygienist thought that the cause of her cancer could be radon. My mother lived in an upscale part of Los Angeles not too far from the O.J. happenings of the 90s. I looked on a USGS map and it showed that that part of LA was a hot spot for radon. Yet, she never had her house tested for it.
It took about 5 years for the disease to consume her. I knew she had passed even before my sister had called me. As I was driving home from work at 10:30, a voice in the back of my head started saying "It's ok to go. It's ok to go" over and over again for about 10 minutes. when it stopped, I felt a chill down my spine. I wanted to call my sister who was at my moms side and let her know what I felt. But within 5 minutes of the chill, she called me in a 3 way call with my brother in Sacramento letting me know that mom had passed.
I told my brother and sister what I heard and felt. They said they did not feel anything. My brother said to me that I was "touched by an angel". I know it was her special way of saying good-bye to me. I have always been spiritual but not religious . I reassured my mom that at her funeral, we would celebrate her life.
I collected my personal photos of her, everything from my first haircut to her showing off her cupcakes birthday cake for her 70th birthday. There are more photos of her at her house. I will collect them to make a collage for her guests to enjoy after the services at her house.
I love you mom.
You inspired my creativity and a love for life and adventure.
You brought real magic into my life.
You are at a better place now, away from your pain and suffering.
Sally Alcalay
May 28, 1937 - November 3, 2008
Current Mood:  sad
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November 1st, 2008
06:40 pm - I got a new rain hat today!
Current Mood:  happy
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October 31st, 2008
10:46 pm - Happy Halloween.
Hey there,
It has been a while since I posted my last post.
It is not like I had nothing to share with you all, I just did not make the time to actually sit down and write anything. Well, lots has been happening. 2 weeks ago I took a trip to Los Angeles to assist my friend Dennis in selling off some magical paraphenelia he bought at a magic auction. Dennis collects magic tokens and he wanted several that were mixed in with a bunch of other coins and money magic that was in this lot. So, when he was up here visiting, he brought the box of stuff and we went through it item by item as he took out what treasures he wanted and cataloged the rest. The swap meet was the first Saturday of October. I flew into LAX and was met at the gate by my magical friend Deborah who flew in from Phoenix at the same time. Dennis picked us up at the airport and then we made our way over to the Magic Castle for lunch. Lunch was great. Many old friends stopped by our table to say hello and catch up on what was going on in the local LA magic scene.
After lunch, we went back to Dennis's house and rested a bit. At about 6:00pm we started it all over again. This time we had to change into our evening wear. Dennis was performing that night in the Parlor of Prestadigitation and he was doing the late shows there. If you do not know, the Castle has a strict dress code.
This time, we meet at Canter's Deli on Fairfax with some other friends who are also in town for the swap meet. and after dinner, back up to the club.
The swap meet was Saturday morning and we had to be back at the castle at 7:30 am. afterwards, Dennis's house for a short nap and back to the Castle. Home again at 2:30 in the morning. Sunday, we had to be up at 6:30 AGAIN!!! this time for his kids fund raiser pancake breakfast at their High School. From there we go see an UNBELIEVABLE magic poster collection dating back to the early 1800's. While touring this private colletion, I get a call from another friend saying that he was at the Magic Castle
and wanted us to come by and see him before I went back home. The entire weekend spent at the Castle!!!
Tonight (Halloween) I went with a friend to see the Pirates of Emerson haunted attraction. This was a compound of 3 walk through "mazes". well in actuality, it was 1 maze and two 3-D haunted "houses." Lots of animatronics in the larger ones and mostly a dark walk through with people jumping out and saying boo. the set up was nice, but too much chemical smoke. There was not too big of a crowd so the lines moved relatively quickly. We had a good time.
At my work place, we dressed up for halloween and had a little party with games and prizes. I won two 10.00 Starbucks gift cards. so here I sit sipping my misto and writing this.
here is how I dressed this year for Halloween: 
I hope you all had a safe one!!!
-S
Current Location: starbucks 94578
Current Mood: caffinated
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October 13th, 2008
October 11th, 2008
06:19 pm - Winchester Misery House
Greetings all,
Today I decided to go to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose to take the Behind the Scenes tour. I went last year and took the mansion tour. That was a good tour which showed the excentricties of a very gullible widow woman.
If you do not know he back story, Sarah Pardee Winchester was married to the heir of the Winchester Repeating Rifle. Her husband died of leukemia, when they were living on the East Coast. Sarah was a woman who believed in the here-after and so she sought out spiritual guidance from a Boston medium. This adviser told Sarah to move out west and build a house as a place for the unrested spirits who fell victim to the "gun that won the west."
Sarah took that advice, moved to San Jose and through seances and other visions built what is today known as the Winchester Mystery House.
If you know the way to San Jose, and you have an hour to spare, I would recommend the main mansion tour. Here you will see the results of a woman with money to burn gone mad. There is plenty of information out there about her and it is easy to find.
Today, I opted to take the Behind the Scenes Tour. I plunked down my $23 and hoped I would find out about more of the excentricties of this woman. Little did I know that back in the 1890's to the early 1900's from her secluded corner of the world, Sarah grew fruit and nut trees. She sold her crops locally and abroad. The tour showed the basic working parts of a farm. a tour into the basement of the gigantic Victorian mansion and strange architecture only she could come up with. But, the bulk of the tour was very underwhelming due to several factors. Not only did I feel rushed through a very a very quick tour, but the 20 something tour guides spiel was monotonous and obviously well repeated.
Well, to make a long story short, after the tour I went to the ticket counter and asked for the manager. The operations manager came out and I explained my dissatisfaction with the tour and he gave me a full refund. So, their customer service integrity is well appreciated,
Now, I sit here at starbucks sipping down a cup of coffee recounting my adventures. I scored 3 Winchester tokens from their slot machines. I am satisfied with the day.
Current Location: starbucks 94578
Current Mood: satisfied
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October 7th, 2008
09:03 pm - Page 56 meme
* Grab the nearest book.
* Open the book to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post the text of the next seven sentences in your journal along with these instructions.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
Even if, through our presentations we give these ingredients a good stir, each spectator still adds his or her own unique spices and it is in their minds the effect is finally baked.
THE IMPERFECT THEORY
"Sleight not what's near through aiming at what's far" - Euripides
It has always annoyed me when I hear magicians discussing the so-called "Too Perfect Theory." Perfection is by definition an absolute state and as such it is not incremental. A thing either is or is not perfect. With that in mind, tying the word "perfect" with the word "too" is a marriage made in semantic hell. Utter nonsense.
- From: Beyond Secrets by Jay Sankey
Current Mood: amused
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October 4th, 2008
September 28th, 2008
08:54 pm - My day at Folsom Street fair
Well,
I decided to venture out to the big city and go check out the Folsom Street Fair.
I got there around 1ish. Took BART in from San Leandro (Bayfair). It was a $8.10 round trip. Then a 4 block walk to the fair. When I got there, the fair committee wanted to charge $7 to get in. So, with the $7 you get a sticker to get a buck or two off alcohol. Well, since I do not imbibe, I tossed in a buck and walked in. Men. Men. Men. and lots of men! Plus, there was a lot of women with out their tops on. Lots of boobage, too. Well, I made two purchases there. My first was a set of horns. A small pair in red. Not over bearing. After walking up and down the length of the fair several times and some guys taking a picture or two of me. I finally decided to purchase a leather blindfold. Blindfold sex. A nice fantasy.
So, about 4:30 I decide to head for home and call a buddy of mine.
needless to say, I tried out the blindfold and WOW!!
I did look good in those horns and now I have my halloween costume.
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September 21st, 2008
01:31 pm - It is Sunday and
I have not posted in over a week.
I have had a cold/flu/general icky feeling all this week.
And to top it off, one of my upper tooth gums had become all swollen.
So, Friday, I had to go to the dentist who numbed up my face to clean out under the gum and then prescribe some Penicillin to make sure the area does not get infected.
To top it off, it is Sunday and I am having Cabin Fever and need to get out of the house.
I should go do laundry.
I need more of a life.
If you can suggest something to help me get out of my sheltered existance, please help!!
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