The Ghost Ship

I have read several versions of this story.   They are all very similar but vary slightly in the details.  Every version of the story has the same ending and carries with it haunting images of ghost ships and skeleton crews.  I'm describing my favorite version of this story.

In 1812, there were two young sailors named Charles Jose and George Leverett.  The sailors were friends, but a woman came between them.  The woman's name was Sarah Soule and both men fell madly in love with this beauty the first time they glimpsed her.   Their friendship quickly turned to rivalry and hatred as the two men each wooed the lovely Sarah.  As is always the case, only one man won the heart and hand of the beautiful Sarah and the other was sent off to brood and mourn.  George was the luckier of the two.  He married Sarah and his love for his wife was so great that he named his ship, Sarah, after his wife.

The ship was doomed from the beginning.  One night, when the ship was out to sea, the crew of the Sarah noticed they were being followed by a dark ship.  Leverett tried desperately to shake the dark ship that was chasing him, but the dark ship was faster.   Charles Jose and his black ship quickly overtook the Sarah.  They boarded the ship and killed every member of Leverett's crew.    Charles thought death was too easy for George, however.  Charles wanted George to suffer as he had suffered.  He wanted him to die slowly and to feel true hopelessness.  So Charles bound Charles to the mast of the ship and set the ship adrift deep at sea.  He set him adrift so far out to sea that there was no chance of George every being found or rescued.

Leverett quickly lost hope.  He couldn't escape his bonds and he had no idea where he had been left.  He knew death would come for him.  However, the death that came for him wasn't the death he expected.   Slowly, the corpses of his murdered crew rose up from the floor.   They rose up and took control of the ship and guided it to Harpswell, Maine.  Those who saw the ship come to shore, describe a ship full of ghosts  coming into shore in the fog.    The ghosts said nothing.  They set Leverett safely ashore and returned to the ship.  A heavy fog drifted in as the ghosts boarded their ship and when the fog had lifted, the ship was gone.  The Sarah and her crew were never seen again.

Shoes may just make the lawyer

Today I learned about the wonders of drunk driving representation. And by learned, I mean obsessed over the speaker's killer leopard print strappy heels while questioning how well they would go over in court (this lady obviously runs six miles every day and has never worn sunscreen in her life). I'll leave it to your imagination....

A few things she said, I got. YES, the state DOES have to prove the case. YES, sometimes scummy people will walk when they were obviously loaded and driving around. And YES, the youtube videos can be quite amusing at times. (Her favorite is attached at the bottom of this post.)

Others, I am not so clear about, either ethically or from a legal standpoint, including: 1) Why the state would use cameras in vehicles if it makes it that much easier to get a drunk person relieved of their charges; 2) Why the state finds it necessary to keep both DUI and DWI on the books (I vaguely remember her saying something about how the offenses play out but again.....shoes); 3) How refusing to blow gets your license suspended for six months, but if you go into court and are found not guilty of the charges, it most likely gets dismissed, and MOST IMPORTANTLY:

4) Why the fuck I can't manage to get out of a damn speeding ticket.

Ghostly, Paranormal, and Fun Books for the End of Summer

 I have been reading a good bit lately and I've been lucky to have come across some truly haunting stories.   Some of these books involve ghosts and hauntings, and one is just good fun, but they are all worth a read.  Sometimes the best ghost stories can be found in fiction and these books are definitely examples of that.  I love haunting and supernatural stories that take me to another place.  They never get old.  Whether I'm exploring regional folklore or reading a good novel,  they make my day a little better.  These are some of the books that have made my day a little better lately.

Her Fearful Symmetry:   This bestselling novel was written by Audry Niffenegger, the author of A Time Traveler's Wife.  It hasn't been as well reviewed as The Time Traveller's Wife and I've read that some folks have been disappointed by it, but I loved this book.  It is set outside of London's Highgate Cemetery and involves some strange theories about ghosts and their relationship to the mortal world.   How could I not love this book?  It tells the tale of two sets of twins and their unhealthy relationships with each other and the rest of the world.   One twin is a ghost for the duration of the book and her struggle to become part of the living world is the driving force of the novel.   This book is creepy and the end is disturbing.  I think it is a haunting addition to any ghost lovers library.

Shadow Fox: This is Ashley Barnard's debut novel and it is excellent. This book is not ghostly, but it is fun. This book is a dark, urban fantasy about a young man who is struggling with Heroine addiction in London. His life is a mess and everything seems to go wrong for him. He is self destructive and would seemed doomed until he finds a mysterious journal that sheds light on his shadowy antecedents. Suddenly, he finds himself in a world where his gifts will make him the hero. This is the first book in a series and it definitely hooks you a draws you into a mysterious world.

The Abandoned: This is Amanda Steven's lovely prequel to the Graveyard Queen series. This book has it all. It is the story of a young psychology intern working on her master's degree. She works at a shadowy mental hospital and picks up a ghost when one of her elderly patients dies. After she overhears a devious conversation, she is drawn into a mystery that involves old cemeteries, secret societies, and haunted places. She also finds herself drawn into a relationship with a sexy ghost hunter. This is definitely haunted fun and to make it better, it is free on kindle.

Why law students gain weight....

Yeah, you can click it to make it larger..........

First week of classes? THAT'S OKAY!

I like linking up with Neely and Amber for It's Okay Thursday.....especially because I sometimes need that reassurance. ;)

It's okay....

to refuse to get out of bed until you get your eight hours of sleep.

to eat string cheese and a fiber bar for breakfast.

for you to purposefully skip your period using BC because you don't want to have one for your birthday.

to think Casey Anthony is pretty even though she's probably a very twisted individual.

to shop for your Halloween costume in August.

to want to kick 2Ls in the head just for being 2Ls.

to wear a Transformers t-shirt and a Jagermeister keychain around your neck at the same time and still demand respect because YOU ARE A 3L.

when ALL YOUR FLORESCENT LIGHTBULBS GO OUT AT ONCE (5 years my ass).

to keep every single shoebox your shoes have ever come in (never know when you might need them).

to go on cleaning purges so severe that your stomach actually hurts at the thought of them.

to stuff your dog's Kong with turkey so she will let you blog uninterrupted for ten minutes.

to mumble comments under your breath about marriage, divorce, maiming unfaithful spouses, and how the law is wrong during your DR class.

Haunted Chattanooga

I have spent the last week or so struggling with a lot of drama around this book, but I have to say now that it is in my hand, I can forget the drama.   The book is out and that is all that matters.  My new History Press book, Haunted Chattanooga, was released today and is now available at amazon.com.  The first shipment has arrived at Barnes and Noble and Books a Million and will be shelved soon.   I'm overjoyed.  A lot of work and stress went into this one and I think it is lovely.   I have to confess that much of that loveliness is due to my coauthor, Amy Petulla.    Her chapters introduced me to some amazing new ghost stories.   The chapter on the Black Aggie is particularly riveting.   She certainly knows the dark side of Chattanooga.    Now it's time for me to put my feet up and celebrate.   I'm thinking I may even be bad and have a beer.  Thanks to all of you who supported me through the writing of this book and supported me through last week's drama.  You all were part of making this book possible.

  

Buy Haunted Chattanooga Now!

"The Plan"

I'll go ahead and admit that I'm not always the most loved person in class. I like to bullshit with the teachers, have an opinion on a lot of subjects, and sit in the front row. I'm essentially a gunner sans the annoying asking questions part of the equation (which I would argue is essential to being a gunner and thus excludes me from their ranks). I'd also argue that I'm not a gunner because my seating on the front row stems from years of being unable to see the chalkboard because of my lack of VISION (you can re-read that blog entry here, if you want to inform yourself about how I'm blind and all) and not due to my need for the professor to see my hand. What you don't understand is that this is all part of the plan.

Let me explain: I had a couple classes I did not like my 1L year. Sure, the material wasn't that difficult, but I hated the subject. During those classes, I would make comments. And then I noticed something...because I spoke, then the teacher would NEVER CALL ON ME. EVEN WHEN I WAS UNPREPARED. (Which was essentially all the time...who am I kidding?) I went through Contracts 1 and 2 without EVER.BEING.CALLED.UPON. (And this is a lady who literally checked people off as she went along.)

Genius, right?

........Right?..................

Now, about my personality and the realization that doing this could make me potentially unpopular........

Let's not kid ourselves--law students are a particularly annoying bunch of people. The people that generally sat at the front of the classrooms in undergrad. The students that asked follow-up questions and made sometimes-astute-observations regarding the subject at hand. The type A personalities that freaked out and did the group presentation work all on their own. The type B personalities that fucked up your curve...quietly.

The people bitching about gunners now were almost certainly that bunch in undergrad.

And they can kiss my law-loving ass.

(Although I am inclined to want to bodyslam anyone who talks with 30 seconds remaining before the class ends.)