Zom-B-Log

Benny

2009-04-22T20:55:00.005-04:00

Tonight I have to write about my old friend and first love Benny, who died on Sunday. There's a memorial service for him tomorrow evening, and as much as I'd love to get up and speak about him there, I don't think I'll be able to do that. I'm not sure I even have a right to do that. But I can't let his death go unmentioned because although I hadn't seen him in two years, he was an important part of my life for almost as long as I can remember.

I met Benny when I was twelve. He was one of a bunch of kids from my neighborhood who all hung out together for one long summer on a hill in Highland Park. Many of us were from extremely dysfunctional families or single-mom households. I think we all gravitated toward each other as a result of our perceived insecurities within our own biological families and general pre-teen angst. Parents could be raging alcoholics, fathers could desert their children, but your friends would never let you down. We clung to each other that summer like our lives depended on it, and maybe they did. To this day there's never been a group of people I've felt closer to, and I'm proud to say that I still count some of them among my best friends. We shared a profound bond that will never break completely. It was a "Stand By Me" kind of summer, without the dead body.

Benny was sweet, beautiful, vibrant and exciting. I fell in love with him before I really knew what that even meant. He carved my initials into his arm to prove his love for me; it was the most wildly romantic thing I'd ever heard of (and, in hindsight, really pretty bizarre and kind of alarming). Young love is fragile and fickle, however, and he broke my heart when he fell for someone else a few weeks later. I got over it - sort of - and moved on. After that summer I didn't see him because we went to different schools. I ran into him about a decade later and our "affair" briefly fired up again. And then it ended again. (Sadly, the scar left by my initials had faded by then.) And ten years later we repeated the process. And again ten years after that. I was able to capture his attention for only a few days and then he'd disappear - off to Florida, Hawaii, Washington, wherever - for a decade.

In 2004, out of the clear, blue sky, Benny appeared on my doorstep like he'd never been away. He was the same frenetic Benny - smiling, eyes twinkling - but I could see physical changes in him that indicated he hadn't been living a healthy life. I'd known for a long time that he'd had trouble with drugs and alcohol, but not quite to that extent. He'd survived at least one very serious suicide attempt that I knew of, and I hoped that he would stay in Pittsburgh and clean up. He had two older sisters here who adored him and would look after him. He didn't stay in town at that point, but came back again for Christmas. When he came back I invited him and some of the old Highland Park gang over for a reunion. In retrospect, it was as much a farewell party as anything. But that night was magical - pictures of that party are full of orbs and good energy. It was the first time we'd all been together in close to thirty five years and it felt warm, familiar and secure. Benny went back to Seattle where he'd been living, and then returned in the Spring. He'd decided to live here permanently again. He arrived in town with two incurable diseases he contracted through IV drug use. Neither of them had to be a death sentence, but he told friends that he viewed them that way. He continued his downward spiral.

The last time I saw him was two years ago when he and my friend Chuck put a new roof on my gargage. I thought I'd love having him around, but his behavior was so disturbing and so un-Benny that I made a conscious decision not to be around him any longer. It was obvious to me and everyone who knew him that he was using and he didn't seem particularly interested in getting clean. He was headed for disaster and I didn't want to witness it. I kept tabs on him through Chuck, but I never laid eyes on him again. Aside from work, Chuck didn't hang out with him, either. Benny found people who were into the same things he was.

Chuck told me yesterday that at one point Benny asked him why I hated him. That makes me feel awful -- I never came anywhere close to hating Benny. I could never. I hated what he was doing to himself, but I always loved him. And now he's gone. Part of me is relieved that he's not torturing himself anymore. Another part is devastated that he wasn't able to conquer his addiction and whatever drove him to it in the first place. A part of me feels guilty that I shut him out even though I know it would have made no difference to the final outcome. A part of me is really pissed off at him.

One thing is certain: My world is darker tonight for his absence.

Rest well, Benny, and wherever you are, be kind to yourself. You were always worthy of love.

All Is Well

"Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped into the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used
Put no difference in your tone,
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,
Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near,
Just around the corner.
All is well."

By Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918)
Canon of St Paul's Cathedral

Lou Perryman

2009-04-03T22:59:00.002-04:00

I was saddened and sickened to learn this evening that Lou Perryman had been murdered in his Austin, Texas home earlier this week.

Lou was a veteran character actor, best known among horror fans as "L.G." of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. He was also just a really nice, warm and funny guy. I had the good fortune to meet Lou at Cinema Wasteland several years ago. As luck would have it, our tables were set up next to each other, and he entertained me with that wonderful Texas drawl, telling me funny stories for three whole days. I bored him with pictures of my animals and forced a pack of SpiffyCards on him which he graciously accepted and took home for his daughter. I was thrilled to run into him again at Wasteland a few years later, and though we weren't set up near each other that weekend, we took a little time to chat and laugh and take some snapshots, one of which is posted here. I will always remember Lou with fondness and I will miss him. My deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends.

It's About Time

2009-02-18T18:36:00.003-05:00

It's been ages since I've blogged, so I figured I'd throw some thoughts in here and make some constructive use of the space.

Watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show the other day, I was reminded how absolutely yummy Simon Baker is!

Our roosters have finally found a new home! I know it's news to most that we even have roosters, but three gorgeous roosters have been living on our "campus" at school for nearly two years. They appeared on our property one day and decided to take up permanent residence. From what we've heard, some irresponsible woman in the neighborhood owned them and when she moved away, she just turned them out to fend for themselves. Along with some compassionate neighbors, we've been feeding them and keeping them healthy. We love them dearly, but we're grateful that they'll have a real home on a real organic egg farm not too far from here. Long live Rob, Chip and Ernie!

The "octomom" is a twit, but as nuts as she is, her doctor is the real criminal. His license should be revoked and he should be forced to support those kids until they're out of graduate school.

Pittsburgh's child-mayor Luke Ravenstahl has decided to squander $250,000 of taxpayers' money on garbage cans bearing his name. He ought to be impeached for his enormous ego alone.

I've been busy drawing up new t-shirt designs for my shops at CafePress.com and my new store at Printfection.com. More info about them can be found on my Ghoulish Gifts pages.

Convention season is about to begin again and my first outing this year will be Chiller Theatre in Parsippany, NJ. Come out and visit me! For more info, visit my Conventions page.

Will somebody please get the hook?

2008-05-24T17:07:00.004-04:00

Back in the days of vaudeville, they employed an inelegant but effective tool for getting a bad act off stage. It was called "the hook." I'd like to propose that the DNC and super delegates use that hook on Hillary Clinton. NOW. Her "RFK assassination" remark has given us all a really ugly glimpse into her subconscious mind, and I, for one, am frightened and truly appalled by what I see there. This was not a simple "misstatement" -- it was a Freudian slip.

I'll let Keith Olbermann sum it up -- in my opinion, his tirade is right on the mark.

Part 1

Part 2

Saturday Surprise

2008-05-05T10:21:00.002-04:00

My Saturday morning ritual typically involves drifting around the house in my PJs, drinking coffee and watching a horror movie from my own tiny collection, Netflix or TV. It's my favorite way to start the weekend, a habit begun and lovingly nurtured in my childhood, immersing myself in Chiller Theater's weekly offering of schlocky horror. As I perused the meager choices on Comcast, I natually found myself in FearNet and realized I'd already gone through most of the movies (good and bad) there. My beloved Fido was on, but I have the DVD and I was in the mood to see something new, or, at least, new to me. I went to the "Zombies" menu and spotted the title "Romero Dead Films." I clicked on it.

Surprise!!!

It was our FearNet interviews from Texas Frightmare Weekend! I loathe seeing myself on screens, small or large, but it was fun watching because it was unexpected. The piece is only eight minutes long, but there are interview segments with Judy O'Dea, Russ Streiner, John Russo, Michelle Morgan, Tom Savini, Pedro Arce, Shawn Roberts, Antone DiLeo, Robert Joy, Howard Sherman and Joe Pilato. It's supposed to be available through June 30, so catch it before it leaves forever!

Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors - Los Angeles

2008-05-01T09:40:00.005-04:00

I've only been back from Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors a few days and it's already kind of a blur. I seem to have spent the weekend in a fog of jetlag and sleep deprivation. Maybe I only dreamt about it. If that's the case, it was a decent dream.

Friday night there was a midnight screening of Night of the Living Dead at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. I didn't go because I couldn't even keep my eyes open. How pathetic is that? I didn't spend much time hanging out with my Dread Central buddies at this convention, either. I did have two lovely dinners with Judy and Bill, which is always a treat, but we were all pretty burned out from the very long days. We "dead" people didn't stay at the host hotel, so we were separated from the bar-life and parties that typically fill convention evenings. All things considered, that may have been for the best.

Socially, however, all was not lost; I did meet some very cool people of the non-celebrity persuasion. I picked up a couple more tattoos for my Tattoo Gallery and finally met Bobby Villalba, a guy whose tattoo was already in my gallery. I remembered his name as soon as he showed me his tattoo, and that his brother had done the tattoo. I can't remember my own name some days, but there's just something about the people who have my face tattooed on them that I can't forget. It's a strange bond.

And speaking of bonds, I met Sharon Jenkins, a long-time fan of NOTLD, who noted my Obama obsession and brought me an adorable Obama bobblehead! It was an unbelievably sweet thing to do, especially because she, herself, is not an Obama fan. We hung out for a while at my table and discovered we have a lot in common. Aside from our political ideologies, we could be twins who were separated at birth. It's nice to know I have a sister on the west coast!

I also met a couple of artists whose work I absolutely love. Gina Quaranto's skulls are pictured in this photo; she was kind enough to load me up with all of these and I want to thank her again for her generosity and kindness. I have the skulls hanging all over my house and they make me smile. I love "Day of the Dead" imagery - hers, particularly. Visit Gina's MySpace page and throw some business her way. Her artwork is wonderful and she's a super-nice person. I had a great time talking to her and her husband throughout the weekend.

Victor the Snake Mannn (yes, there are three "Ns" in his name) had a table there. He makes gorgeous sterling silver jewelry and I picked up one of his little silver spider pendants. Check out his work at Nightwind Creations.

Eddie Allen of Haunted Memories Changing Portraits was there, too. He's a really nice guy, and coincidentally, went to high school with Judy O'Dea's daughter! I spent the weekend drifting toward his table, mesmerized by the portraits, and after staring at them for three days I bought three of the 5x7s. They'll reside on a wall among some old family photos.

Max Brooks moderated our panel on Sunday and he asked about Spiffy. As you know from one of my previous blog entries, we love him! He was as nice Sunday as he was at Pittsburgh's ZombieFest in October. At the end of our panel, they showed a snippet of the documentary attached to the new release of Night of the Living Dead. It's called One For The Fire: The Legacy of Night of the Living Dead, and I'm very eager to get my hands on it. It includes my dad's last, very emotional interview and I'm very thankful to Mike Felsher, who edited the documentary, for leaving it in. I was present for that interview and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. We were all privileged to witness a very special and beautiful reminiscence that was, blessedly, preserved for all time, and for all to see. It was a thoroughly anti-Harry Cooper moment. I just pre-ordered my copy and while I was there I pre-ordered Diary of the Dead which I have yet to see! Both are being released by Dimension Extreme on May 20. Just a few more weeks!

Our next stop on the tour will be Fangoria (again), but this time in Secaucus, NJ. I think I'll be a little more relaxed and rested for that one because I'll finally be on my summer vacation. Yippeee! I'm looking forward to seeing some east coast friends while I'm there.

I didn't take too many pictures at the convention, but the ones I do have are here. Enjoy!

And Happy May Day!

Pennsylvania Primary

2008-04-22T21:28:00.000-04:00

What an amazing day it's been! The weather was beautiful, I didn't have to go to work, and I voted for someone I really believe in. When I went to the poll today at 10am, I was the 119th person to vote, and for the first time ever, I had to wait in line. It was great! Some of the people in line appeared to be first-time voters, and I suspect that has more to do with Obama's campaign than it does Hillary's. I just don't see her being able to galvanize many white men in their 20s and 30s the way that Obama can.

The polls closed a little over an hour ago and I'm watching the returns trickle in. No one holds out much hope for Obama actually winning this state (there are a lot of older women in Pennsylvania), but I hope he makes a good showing in my county. If the yard signs in my neighborhood are any indication, Obama's got Pittsburgh wrapped up. Time will tell what happens here, but I believe Barack Obama will be our next president! *fingers crossed*

Spiffy Luvs Max

2008-04-12T21:17:00.004-04:00

I was perusing the Fangoria/Creation site today and discovered that Max Brooks will be attending the L.A. Weekend of Horrors and hosting the Night of the Living Dead panel on Sunday! This gives me great joy because Max Brooks is one of the nicest people I've met in all my "carnie" years.

Max attended Zombiefest here in October of last year and as luck would have it, he was set up right across the aisle from my table. I had Spiffy with me that Sunday to hawk her cards and drum up donations for the Animal Rescue League. People who like dogs are usually drawn to dogs, and Max, himself a dog-lover, came over, introduced himself to Spiffy, proclaimed her to be thirsty, and proceeded to pour water from his fresh bottle into her bowl. Spiffy introduced me to Max and we chatted about dogs.

Anyone who's nice to Spiffy (or any of my furkids) wins my heart forever. We luv Max. I can even overlook that zombie-hating thing.

Happy Birthday, Spiffy & Rusty!

2008-04-01T21:26:00.005-04:00

My two little April Fools. :)
Spiffy is 11-ish today, and Rusty is 8-ish!
Of course, April 1 has always been their honorary birthday; they were strays and/or pound puppies, so I don't know the actual dates of their births.

Long live Spiffy and Rusty (and Linnie and Dimitri the Huge)!

Horrorfind Weekend

2008-03-31T23:20:00.004-04:00

It's hard to believe the second date of our Night of the Living Dead 40th Anniversary Tour is already behind us. We've all eagerly anticipated each of these events and it's a shame they pass by so quickly.

One of the highlights of my weekend was having dinner at Mo's Seafood in Baltimore with Judy O'Dea, Bill Hinzman and Michelle Morgan of Diary of the Dead. Thanks again for driving us, Bill! You really are the #1 Zombie!

I reconnected with some old friends and made some new ones (always networking!) and I look forward to seeing them at other venues in the near future. I even collected a few more tattoos for the gallery!.

Thanks to Horrorfind and all the NOTLD fans for a great weekend!

Our next stop will be Fangoria in Los Angeles next month. Come on out and see us!

xo,
~K
P.S. Oops! I almost forgot -- Horrorfind pictures are posted here.

Li'l Sugarcat Linnie

2008-03-24T17:28:00.002-04:00

And in other news...

Now I know why my Li'l Linnie is so sweet! She's been diagnosed with diabetes. She's in the hospital right now but she'll be coming home tomorrow. :) She'll require daily insulin injections and a different diet. I've been reading a lot online about feline diabetes and there's a lot of conflicting information. I guess we'll have to find what works best for us and shut out the other noise.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed for Linnie.

Tibet

2008-03-24T17:26:00.001-04:00

I received the following e-mail today from Avaaz.org. Please take a minute to read it and sign their petition. The people of Tibet desperately need a voice and we can give it to them. Thanks.

"After decades of repression, the Tibetan people are crying out to the world for change. The spotlight of the upcoming Olympic Games is now on China, and Tibetan Nobel peace prize winner the Dalai Lama is calling to end all riots and violence through restraint and dialogue--he urgently needs the support of the world's people.

China's hardliners are lashing out publicly at the Dalai Lama--but we're told that President Hu Jintao may believe dialogue is the best hope for stability in Tibet. China's leadership is right now considering a crucial choice between repression and dialogue that could determine Tibet's--and China's--future.

We can affect this historic choice – for President Hu, China's global reputation matters. He needs to hear from us that the 'Made in China' brand and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing will succeed only if he chooses dialogue over the hardliners' repression. An avalanche of global people power is moving to get his attention. We're closing on our goal of 1 million signatures and the largest global online petition in history - click below to join the global outcry, and then forward this email to friends and family right away:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/39.php?cl=65952265

China's economy is dependent on "Made in China" exports that we all buy, and the government is keen to make the Olympics in Beijing this summer a celebration of a new and respected China. China is also a sprawling, diverse country with much brutality in its past, so it has good reasons to be concerned about stability -- some of Tibet's rioters killed innocent people. But President Hu must recognize that the greatest danger to Chinese stability and development today comes from hardliners who advocate escalating repression, not from those Tibetans seeking dialogue and reform.

We will deliver our petition directly to Chinese officials in New York, London and Beijing, but it we must reach our goal of 1 million signatures first. Please forward this email to your address book with a note explaining to your friends why this is important, or use our tell-a-friend tool to email your address book--it will come up after you sign.

The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for decades. It is finally their moment to speak--we must help them be heard."

Here, kitty-kitty...

2008-03-20T23:54:00.004-04:00

A friend of mine sent me this today and it made me giggle. I just had to share it. Looks a little like Alf, no?

"Not very friendly." Heehee!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T12:44:00.001-04:00

AFI Dallas/Texas Frightmare Weekend 40th Anniversary Tour Kick-off

2008-02-27T23:03:00.004-05:00

Last week, Texas Frightmare Weekend and AFI Dallas kicked off the Night of the Living Dead 40th Anniversary Tour in grand style. The AFI Dallas screening of the film at the beautiful Inwood Theater included a thrilling Oscar-type red carpet entrance, papparazzi and interviews. In attendance were George A. Romero, John Russo, Russ Streiner, Judy O'Dea, Bill Hinzman, George Kosana and myself. After shivering on the red carpet (Dallas was a lot colder than I'd anticipated) we stepped into the sold-out theater to introductions by the AFI Dallas representative, TFW's Loyd Cryer and Malcolm McDowell.

The audience for the evening included, among others, horror movie royalty Dee Wallace Stone, Kristina Klebe, Harvey Stephens, Tom Savini, Greg Nicotero, Tom Atkins, Scott Reiniger, Courtney Gains, Eugene Clark, Joe Pilato, Pedro Arce and Ken Foree.

The film itself was one of the scratchy old prints one would have viewed through fogged-up car windows at a drive-in. As much as I love Elite's cleaned up Millennium Edition DVD, a beat up print makes for a far more authentic theater experience; the scratches and missing frames received rave reviews from the audience. We were whisked away during the film to be interviewed by a reporter from Hollywood Life magazine. Immediately following the movie, AFI Dallas presented each of us with a framed certificate to commemorate the 40th anniversary screening of Night of the Living Dead. Malcolm McDowell then hosted a very brief Q&A during which George told a strange story about an owl and an ill-mannered monkey. It was appropriately surreal.

The reception afterwards was very nice, and surprisingly sedate; everyone was dressed up and on their best behavior (the monkey wasn't there). I cut out fairly early and went to bed.

Texas Frightmare Weekend itself was a blast, of course, and very well organized. I saw old friends and made some new ones. It was wonderful reuniting with Judy O'Dea, and I look forward to spending more time with her throughout the rest of this year, and our tour. She's very smart, extremely insightful, and she likes martinis. She is the perfect traveling companion.

This was my first trip to Texas (since I was two years old) and I definitely want to go back again. I just hope it'll be warmer next time!

Kudos and many thanks to everyone at AFI Dallas and Texas Frightmare Weekend for making our inaugural event so perfect and so memorable!

Click here to see my photos of TFW.

Chihuly at Phipps: Gardens and Glass

2008-02-17T18:58:00.006-05:00

This is the last week of the Dale Chihuly Gardens and Glass exhibit at Phipps Conservatory. It's been around since last summer, but events, large and small, conspired to keep me from seeing it. I finally saw it last night, and I'm so glad I finally did! It is breathtaking! I only wish it would stick around a little longer so I could see it again, but it's already been extended a couple of times.

The Gardens and Glass show really is magical; descriptions, and even photos, don't really do it justice. I took a lot of pictures, but my camera ran out of memory space a little over halfway through the show! Wah! The photos I have can be seen here. Enjoy!

Reservations are required for this show. If you're in the Pittsburgh area, jump online and buy your tickets at the Phipps Conservatory website. If you're near Pittsburgh, it's well worth the trip here. If you haven't already experienced Gardens and Glass, do yourself a favor and see it before it leaves forever. You will not regret it!

Obama Video

2008-02-04T21:58:00.000-05:00

This video arrived in an e-mail from the Obama campaign this evening, just in time to inspire voters in tomorrow's primary elections. The Pennsylvania primary isn't until April, but I'm already inspired by Barack. Here's something that may help get others motivated to vote for him. Enjoy! (And VOTE!)

Nothing, really

2007-12-04T22:50:00.000-05:00

In just a few weeks 2007 will come to an end and I just can't wait to kiss it goodbye. It doesn't really deserve a kiss; maybe I'll just flip it off instead. Or maybe I'll stab it, bury it, and dance on its grave. The important thing is, it'll be over, never to return. I know 2008 will be a vast improvement over 2007, and I'm looking forward to it with almost a sense of desperation.

El Gato Gordo got sick two weeks ago and had to have surgery for bladder stones. The dry prescription diet he's been on the last few years has evidently not done its job. My vet and I have changed his diet to primarily canned food (prescription) and I'm hoping for a more successful outcome than his dry diet provided. It may also be better for weight control. (God knows he needs that!) He seems to be feeling really good now; he's much more playful than he was before.

Last Friday morning I got into my car to go to work and the car refused to move forward or backward. Why? Because it was sitting on four flat tires. There were small slices the size of a knife-tip visible in each sidewall. A roving band (or perhaps just a duo) of morons was out that night, merrily slicing its way through the neighborhood. I presume it was not an individual; that sort of thing is probably much more entertaining when one has an audience. They got one tire on a car across the street and at least four cars around the corner. It's yet another reason I want to flush 2007 and (almost) everyone in it down the cosmic commode.

The good news is that now everyone here is healthy. Spiffy and Dimitri just shared a brief kiss and all is well with the world. 2008 will be fabulous. It will. You'll see.

Random Thoughts and Other Stuff

2007-10-12T20:27:00.000-04:00

I'm still dealing with the loss of my dad, a man who expected to live forever, and who fell woefully short of his goal. It's strange not being able to talk to him or e-mail him. I have some voice mail messages from him on my cell phone and I will never be able to delete them. I listen to them from time to time, and I can hear his physical decline with each message. I can't believe I'll never hear his voice again. It's been over two and a half years since my mother died and now I can't remember what her voice sounded like. There's no way I'll ever be able to delete my dad's messages, so I guess I'm stuck with Verizon for life. I'll definitely have to pay those bills on time.

Despite the recent loss, life goes on. I adopted my dad's cat Dimitri, and he's even larger than Pink was. Hard to believe, I know, but Dimitri is about twenty pounds of solid cat-fat. His physique is testament to my dad's cluelessness about people of the feline persuasion. Dimi is a nice boy and he's already made friends with my dog Rusty (The Chainsaw.) My girl-kitty Linnie loathes him and Spiffy (Dawg of the Dead) only wants to chase him. Nevertheless, Dimitri has settled in and he's doing well.

Zombiefest is coming up in a few weeks and the organizers are putting together a tribute to my dad. They have also invited The Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania to set up a booth there to take donations and begin adoption proceedings for rescued animals. Sandy, Rich and the entire The It's Alive Show cast and crew are generous, caring people. Zombiefest will be held October 27 & 28 at the Pittsburgh Expomart (which is not really in Pittsburgh, but rather in Monroeville at the infamous Dawn of the Dead mall). In addition to the traditional convention stuff (signings, vendors, etc.), they are planning a Zombie Ball and another record-breaking Zombie Walk at the mall! All the best Dead people will be there. Even Dawg of the Dead will be there on Sunday, hawking her SpiffyCards. Fifty percent of all SpiffyCards proceeds that weekend will be donated to the ARL. For you zombie-haters (GASP!) out there, Max Brooks himself will be in attendance, no doubt giving tips on surviving the zombie plague. Yeah, like that's possible.

I have one more thing I want to say before I sign off tonight, and that is "thank you" to all the people who have left condolences on my blog, my MySpace page and in my dad's guest book on the P-G website. It is heartwarming to see how many people loved my dad. Thanks for your kindness and expressions of sympathy. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Horror fans are the nicest people in the world.

~xo

My Dad

2007-09-23T22:58:00.000-04:00

My dad, Karl Hardman Schon, a.k.a. Night of the Living Dead's Harry Cooper, succumbed to pancreatic cancer just after midnight on September 22. He was exactly 80-1/2 years old.

He spent most of his last summer undergoing tests to determine why he was losing weight, but the cancer wasn't discovered until the end of August. At that point the cancer had advanced beyond surgery or treatment. The prognosis for pancreatic cancer isn't good under the best of circumstances, but I'm sad and angry that he had to spend his last precious days and energy being constantly poked, prodded and misdiagnosed. He deserved better.

My dad was a great guy -- always the life of the party -- and it's the good times that I will ultimately remember. He was smart, funny, talented and a lot of fun to be around. I loved spending time with him and I will miss him more than I can say. He enjoyed attending conventions and mingling with fans. It really tickled him that Night of the Living Dead was still so popular and he really loved it when fans would tell him how much they hated Harry Cooper. (He was nothing like old Harry in real life, thank God, yet he agreed that the cellar was the safest place.)

Oddly, the IMDB had, for years, erroneously listed my dad's birthday as September 22, 1922. I tried several times to correct it, to no avail. His actual birthday was March 22, 1927. I discovered last week that they finally corrected the date. It seems eerie now that his date of death would turn out to be September 22. My dad would appreciate the "coincidence" -- if, indeed, there is such a thing.

There will be no public memorial service, but anyone wishing to do so may send donations to The Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania, an organization that was near and dear to my dad's heart.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also has a Guest Book where comments may be left.

I'm back ... again!

2007-05-27T09:50:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time since I've been able to post a blog or update my site, but as of late last week, I'm back! This time it's for good. I am finally the master of my domain(s). GhoulNextDoor.com and SpiffyCards.com are finally under my complete control so there should be no more outages and lags between updates. Total world domination is at my fingertips. ;)

Stay tuned for more substantive posts; right now I'm going outside to make the most of my Memorial Day weekend.

Fear Files

2006-10-20T14:08:00.001-04:00

Oops, I almost forgot!
Tuesday, October 24 at 8PM, The History Channel will be airing Fear Files, a documentary about Zombies in Voodoo and in popular culture. The program will include interviews with Sid Haig, Rob Zombie, Joe Knetter, Sharon Ceccatti, Clayton Hill and me (along with many others). Check your local listings.

Conventions and Sick Cats

2006-10-20T09:14:00.001-04:00

I want to apologize for my lack of attention to updates and e-mails on GhoulNextDoor.com and messages on MySpace. I'm not intentionally ignoring anyone -- I just haven't had any time to sit down and read and reply. Rest assured that I will, but it may be a little while.

In the last month, I've attended three great conventions and met oodles of really cool people. Fans of the horror genre are definitely the best people on the planet! I hope to find some time this weekend to post some photos from Crypticon, Cinema Wasteland, and Rock and Shock. I have several beautiful new tattoos to post, as well.

I was pretty well caught up with messages and mail after Wasteland, and then one of my cats (Pink) went into chronic renal failure (along with a heart murmur to further complicate matters). After five days in the hospital, he's back home with me and being treated with meds at various times of the day, a special diet (which he hates) and lots of love (which he tolerates). As a result, I haven't been logging too much time on the computer. Spiffy (Dawg of the Dead), Rusty (The Chainsaw) and my other kitty Linnie are royally pissed off that Pink is receiving so much attention, but they'll get over it. He's in pretty dire straits at this moment and I'm trying to get him to eat and drink to regain his strength. He despises the kidney diet that's being forced on him, and the phosphorus binder I have to give him is making him constipated (I suppose this falls into the category of too much information), making him want to eat even less, so I'm giving him canned pumpkin to alleviate that problem. It's a vicious cycle. If anyone has been down the FCRF road, and has any tips, let me know. If you're the praying kind, please mention Pink in your prayers. If not, just send some good thoughts his way. He needs all the help he can get.

Zombie Walk

2006-09-24T21:57:00.000-04:00

Pittsburgh's first Zombie Walk went off without a hitch and was attended by hundreds of enthusiastic, undead participants. Gawkers lined the street and cars stopped to watch the zombie parade. Diners in upscale restaurants along Carson Street were surprised, horrified and/or entertained by overzealous zombies pressing their gory faces to the windows. (I'm really glad I didn't have to clean those windows the next day.) Luckily, the rain held off and the night was reasonably warm. We made our way to The Rex Theater where The It's Alive Show taped their Halloween episode. Everyone agreed that the night was a huge success and we all hope to do it again soon!

The Forbidden Five

Professor Emcee Square of The It's Alive Show takes the stage:

Pointy presents the Professor with his favorite instrument of torture...
The rubber chicken:

The Professor threatens to beat Fritz with the rubber chicken:

DEATHMOBILE

It's Alive! (again)

2006-09-11T18:32:00.000-04:00

Pittsburgh's first-ever Zombie Walk will commence Friday, September 22 at 7:30PM at The Town Tavern on the South Side. At 8:00PM or thereabouts, zombies will begin shuffling, staggering and shlepping to The Rex Theater (about four blocks) for a night of fun and BRAINZZZ! The festivities will include music by DEATHMOBILE and The Forbidden Five, comedy by Stiffy the Dead Clown (don't worry, kids -- dead clowns aren't nearly as creepy as live ones), and a classic zombie movie! I wonder which one it will be.

The Zombie Walk is being organized by none other than Pittsburgh's hottest horror hosts Professor Emcee Square, Pointy, Fritz and Stiffy, of The It's Alive Show. Dress up, come out and show some love for ZOMBIES and for It's Alive!

(Click the banner for more info.)

VladRok Monster Music Festival/Party/Mayhem

2006-07-27T22:53:00.000-04:00

I'll be appearing at VladRok Monster Music Festival in Pittsburgh (at the Thunderbird Cafe in scenic, downtown Lawrenceville, no less) Saturday, August 19. Creighton (everyone's favorite hunchback) from Ghoul A Go-Go will be there, too, all the way from New York. Yay!

Hang out with us, dance with us, and ply us with alcohol!

I'm back!

2006-07-21T16:09:00.001-04:00

I haven't been able to get into my server for two months, but now everything is fixed and I'm able to post stuff again. The broken images and links on my site were driving me crazy and there was nothing I could do about it. (It's the internet equivalent of walking around with toilet paper on your shoe - yuk!)

I'll be at the Brattle Theater in Harvard Square (Boston) tomorrow (July 22) for the Zombie InFESTation. For more info, click here and follow the links for "Showtimes and Film Info."

In addition to zombie movies, there will be a "Zombie March" starting at South Station. Zombies will receive half-price admission to the Brattle. Yay zombies!

Want Ad!

2006-05-24T23:29:00.000-04:00

Anyone in the Pittsburgh area looking to hire an artsy zombie, please e-mail me. I'm in the market for a part-time and/or full-time job, starting immediately. Benefits are not essential at this point, but money is. Thanks.

Ghoulish Garden

2006-05-16T22:02:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd share some pictures of my garden. Until this year, the bloom times of these plants were a little later and staggered a bit. This year, with the exception of the Snow Drops and Crocus, they're all blooming at the same time, and really early. By June there will be nothing left in flower except for the annuals. If my garden is any indication, global warming is real.

Snow Drops

Crocus

Trillium

Painted Trillium

Dogwood

Virginia Bluebells

Lilies of the Valley

May Apple

Sweet Woodruff

Linnie in the Grass (Found only in Pennsylvania)

Wild Violets

Pansies

Barbary Hedge

Happy Spring!

Inflatable Zombie!

2006-05-16T20:47:00.000-04:00

No, it's not a sex toy for necrophiliacs. A 27-foot tall inflatable David "Flyboy" Emge from the original Dawn of the Dead has been making the rounds in Pittsburgh for this summer's Pittsburgh Roars events. He was tethered in the sculpture garden at the Carnegie Museum of Art for a while and he'll be making other appearances throughout the summer and fall. If you're "the 'burgh," check him out, but don't get too close!

Ain't he cute?

SpiffyCards and The 1 Second Film

2006-03-13T09:17:00.000-05:00

SpiffyCards is proud to be a producer of The 1 Second Film!

You can be a producer, too, and help raise money for the Global Fund for Women.

The It's Alive Show!

2006-02-19T11:34:00.000-05:00

I'll be appearing on The It's Alive Show at 10 PM, Saturday, March 25 on WBGN-TV! If you're in the Pittsburgh area be sure to tune in!

Check here for the channel in your area.

The new season begins Saturday, March 11! Watch The It's Alive Show with Professor Emcee Square, Pointy, Fritz and Stiffy the Clown, every Saturday night at 10 PM!

Image Trowels

2006-02-03T22:03:00.000-05:00

I've been getting lots of e-mail inquiries this week about my Limited Edition Image Trowels. They are sold out, not merely out of stock; the Limited Edition trowels have run their course and no more of them will be created.

The good news is that the Unlimited Trowels are still alive and kicking and ready to ship! And they're every bit as cool as the Limited Editions!

Site Update

2006-02-03T22:01:00.000-05:00

I've just finished updating my "Links" section, so go and check it out. The new Romero site is there along with some other choice "Dead Links."

The Great Browser Disaster of 2006

2006-02-03T21:37:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I lost a year's worth of e-mail, my entire address book and all of my bookmarks in a freak browser accident. I blame it on the Republicans.

If you have e-mailed me in the past year, please drop me a line so I can add you to my address book again. If you have sent me tattoo photos and I haven't posted them on the site yet, please re-send them because they are gone forever.

These things never happened when Clinton was President.

I'm a Bunny!

2006-01-31T15:30:00.001-05:00

I just discovered that Night of the Living Dead is on the Angry Alien website!

Check it out here: Night of the Living Dead Bunnies

I love seeing myself as a Bunny! It rocks! :)

Ghoulish Guidance: Advice for Zombies and Other People

2006-01-19T13:10:00.000-05:00

If you find yourself mired in a moral dilemma, look no further. Advice Mavens and Afterlife Coaches Ghoulfriend and Spiffy are at your service!

We'll counsel you on any topic, free of charge! Just write to us at: kyra1@earthlink.net
and we'll post your question and our answer in our bi-weekly feature on the Dread Central website.

< R a n t >

2006-01-19T12:43:00.000-05:00

I got one of those heinous forwarded e-mails last night from a friend who does not happen to share my political views. I won't go into the details of the mail, but it was apparent that it had been mindlessly forwarded a million times by people who had an ax to grind. It was defamatory in the extreme and it reeked with the stench of propaganda. As has become my custom, I "Snopes'd it" (Snopes.com) and discovered that my suspicions were correct -- it was a pack of lies.

The thing that surprises me about the incessant forwarding of some of these mails is that people that I know for a fact to be reasonably intelligent will fall for those "Aol, Bill Gates and Intel will pay us all a zillion dollars if we waste precious minutes of our lives filling our friends' inboxes with spam" mails.

Before you forward garbage to everyone in your address book, do them and yourself a favor: Go to Snopes.com and confirm its veracity. There are other websites that verify or dispel urban legends and stupid e-mails, but Snopes is my personal favorite.

< / R a n t >

~A Day in the Life of a Zombie~

2006-01-18T12:14:00.000-05:00

This blog will serve as the "News and Updates" section for GhoulNextDoor.com. In it I will post news, convention reports, pictures of events, musings and rants about daily life and other stuff.

<--- gratuitous Crawling Eye.