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[Charmaine]

Anybody ever actually get stuck with a bad penny? Oh well, decided I needed to start putting in a regular appearance again. Wasn't sure if it should start here or the Welcome Wagon. Um, so what have I been doing in the long interval since I last cracked wise here?

1. Had a bit of a breast cancer scare -- turns out I have a small benign "anomoly" that should be watched, nothing more.

2. Been studying belly dancing -- I can do all the moves, just in slow motion! Even after years of doing hatha yoga, my spine has never been so flexible!

3. Have started writing for Weird USA, an online magazine that also puts out a series of books (Weird New Jersey, etc.), The Gilded Serpent (an online belly dance mag) and Zaghareet! (a print magazine) and Gothic Beauty (yes, a goth culture print magazine) - - figured that if I was bored stiff by writing about local zoning issues and the wonders of wallpaper for very little money that I might as well branch out into more esoteric publications for fun and even less money!  I'm hoping to have an article about the annual Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland, Colorado up on the Weird USA web site soon, and will have a profile of Theda Bara in the winter issue of Gothic Beauty. Have a profile of veteran belly dance music impresario Eddie "the Sheik" Kochal" in the current Zaghareet! and will have a looong story about Sol Bloom, the entrepreneur who brought early belly dancing to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in The Gilded Serpent.

And this weekend I will be covering the Mike the Headless Chicken Days in Fruita, Colorado for Weird USA.  The wacko details are here: http://www.miketheheadlesschicken.org/

Also, involved in home renovation, nursing my husband through bad cycles of esophogeal spasm (looks like he might finally get it under control), and the usual challenges of life...

Such a lot of threads to get through! It will take me quite awhile to catch up so hope ya'll will be patient with my general cluelessness.

[dhparker]

Wow, Charmaine, no wonder we hadn't heard from you in a while.  You are a very busy person.  Glad things are well with you and that your husband is improving.  Welcome back!

Donna

[Ingrid]

Good grief, Charmaine is back!  That's wonderful.  Welcome back.  We've missed your humor.  Glad all is well with you again.

Ingrid

[Elena]

Whoopee Charmaine 

You're back 

Was just thinking about you the other day and wishing you were still here with us - welcome back!!!!!!!!  And, thanks for catching us up on your doings.   Let's see - A Gothic belly dancer meets a headless chicken - oops, this is starting to sound like a personal ad 

Good to hear from you, and let's hear more!
Elena

[Peg H]

Welcome back, Charmaine. 

Peg H

[Kathy Wendorff]

Charmaine! It's so good to see you back. I hope you have time to squeeze us in your extremely interesting schedule -- weve missed you.

Are you still working on the same mystery, or are have you moved on to a belly-dancing Goth cozy?

Kathy W.

[Charmaine]

Thanks to you all for the warm welcome!

Not sure what mystery I was discussing when I was here last, Kathy. I am working on one featuring a psychologist whose practice specializes in unconventional clients.

It occurred to me that goths and other off-beat types have the same problems as every one else, but they must get very exasperated when other counselors think that making them over into more conventional citizens is the answer.

[Kathy Wendorff]

Let's see, I may have details wrong, but as I recall, you were working on a mystery about a woman -- back from the Peace Corps? -- who inherits her uncle's biker bar.

It was on my Future "To Be Read" list, for sure.

Kathy W.

[Brenda B.]

OH Charmaine! So good to hear from you! Glad to hear you're writing for fun and profit! And spreading the word about the Frozen Dead Guy Festival! I too, was wondering about you just this week, and am glad my curiosity has been sated.

As another with a DH with chronic gut problems, here's hoping yours soon calms down for good and ever.

On again, off again,
Brenda B.

[Lynette]

Hi there Charmaine,

It's great to see you back. I'm glad you're  into the writing again and your book sounds like one I'd like to read. It's always fun to hear what everyone has been up to. It's been a while since we heard from some of the "old timers"  --  and I'm not referring to age when I say that.

Lynette

[penny]

I'm so happy to have you back, Charmaine, I really missed you.

Penny

[Charmaine]

Awwww!

I missed y'all, too!

I decided to transplant my biker chick and do a makeover -- I was bored with the story, and wanted a closer locale to keep it fresh.

And Brenda, try to get your DH to a practitioner in Chinese medicine -- that's what gave my sweeties his years-long remission.

I did cover Mike the Headless Chicken Days in Fruita and it was fun, although those folks have a long way to go before they're as wonderfully weird as Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland.

The trip was long -- a six-hour drive one way, but at least it was through some of the magnificent scenery I've ever seen. This part of Western Colorado has mountains that resemble the Grand Canyon in places, others like the ruins of still huge and magnificent fortresses. The town is tiny, surrounded by fields.

I hope Weird USA will post my videos and photos -- I am not expert in taking 'em and hope they're OK. The sight of grown men tumbling over each other in a game of flag football -- with a greased rubber chicken as the ball -- while (I kid you not) a live polka band plays -- has to be seen to be believed.