This blog is for all those Nancy Drew fans who loved the game Ghost of Thornton Hall, which reminds me; this blog actively includes spoilers for the whole game. Please play before you read, if you intend to play the game spoiler-free.
Courtesy of Youtube.com
Again, this is your last warning. Don't spoil a game for yourself if you don't have to. You can come back later.
Is everyone else ready to discuss Charlotte? Great! Let's get into it. The plot of this game is simple. A woman has gone missing while having her bachelorette party at a property haunted by Charlotte Thornton. The search for this woman is going differently than planned. Nancy is sent by a previous character (Savannah Woodham) to go check it out.
Today's post is about the ghost we repeatedly see in the game, Charlotte Thornton. She died in a fire the night of her 21st birthday ball. This takes place in the south. There are three theories as to what she is, all of which I'll explore in detail. The end game (I warned you!) claims Charlotte was the result of carbon monoxide gas (which messed with your mind post-seeing her picture). Most of us don't buy that entirely, but we'll see what the evidence says.
Theory one says Harper Thornton, the surviving younger sister of Charlotte, is tormenting Clara Thornton (cousin to Charlotte) because she did the crime (she did set the fire). The idea is that Harper is using the secret passages to scare her into a confession. Clara has also tormented Harper mentally to keep her secret, which explains some game events where Harper takes pleasure in messing with Clara in outright mean ways.
Theory two says it was carbon monoxide. Before you shout your opposing remarks, I'll be showing you real hauntings proven to be carbon monoxide poisonings, not hauntings. Let's look at the scientific evidence and what the game shows us, then we can talk about the possibility Nancy was hallucinating some of the time.
Theory three says she's real, a bonified ghost that has business to attend to. This is the popular theory since Charlotte does lead us to clues revealing the truth of her death. Some hauntings happen outside the house, which point to this theory being at least half true. The carbon monoxide theory follows the logic that the furnace Harper started caused the carbon monoxide and the end-game fire, but it won't explain the times our ghost shows up in the ruins - twice. Or the statue's head turning in the cemetery.
Harper Did It -Theory One
This one I don't entertain, mostly due to the reaction you get from Harper by merely suggesting it. Harper loved her sister. On top of that, most times the culprit wearing a costume stows the costume away somewhere. Herinteractive games love disproving ghosts and show you the costume if it exists. Could Harper throw on a dress from Charlotte's room? Sure, since she's in the passages, but the game won't show us a costume anywhere. I refuse to believe that the game developers who love disproving ghosts wouldn't show us a costume if Harper were to blame.
On the other hand, you do find a film with Charlotte in it, which could be projected anywhere. But the hangup lies in rigging the house. Did she have time? Yes, Harper would have, but again, you find no evidence of a rigged haunting. While Jessalyn could have put on that dress from Charlotte's room (Harper's hair is quite untamed), the see-through ghost would need to be rigged to be faked. These games all love disproving ghosts. They would show you how the house was set up to be faked if it was a faked haunting. Not one shot in the game reveals a rigged room or a costume.
The motive is real on this one. Clara set the fire and Harper saw her do it. Many events are proving how much Harper has been mentally abused through time. Ask Harper if she pushed Clara off the widow's walk and watch the reaction. She won't fess up to it. I don't believe she did. There is a theory going around suggesting that Clara attempted suicide and failed, then covered up her attempt by framing Harper. Harper maintains she went to a mental hospital and Clara says she didn't. The film in the ruins is planted by Harper, who wants Nancy to reenact Clara's reaction because she thought it'd be funny. It isn't, especially when you consider the guilt Clara is feeling over her past actions. Harper was mentally tormented and framed by Clara. She tells you to ask Clara who her daddy is, which is heartless given Clara begged to know and was never told. You tell Harper you upset Clara after that and she'll say "she's done worse to me". It breaks my heart what happened to Harper. The motive to torment her as a ghost is there, but the evidence says no.
Carbon Monoxide - Theory Two
I'm going to shock you. This is possible. First, look at the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms: dull headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, passing out, drowsiness
Do these sound like Nancy during the game? Yes, they do. She passes out at least three times and talks to her friends in a less-than-normal conversation style. They get worried about her. Her vision does blur at times. Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, and colorless, and is produced by burning things found in an old furnace. When improperly ventilated in a small space it accumulates to highly dangerous levels. Harper put everyone in danger the entire game. It is dangerous if you sleep in this environment, which Nancy does. Oops. It stays in your bloodstream and builds up, which may explain the outside hauntings. Did Nancy hallucinate the entire game? Maybe she did. Nancy only sees Charlotte as the picture in the book, and only after you read the book do you see her.
Courtesy of Pinterest
Do you want proof of hauntings proven to be carbon monoxide? I've got it. There are documented hauntings that have been explained by hallucinations in toxic houses. This American Life Podcast explored one where a woman saw people at the foot of her bed, her bedcovers were pulled off of her, she felt followed and there were footsteps from unknown sources. Her brother then got checked for carbon monoxide poisoning. A faulty furnace - yep, the same source as this game- was to blame. You can see all kinds of things when you are slowly being poisoned. Hallucinations? Yep, it fits. And check my sources for even more stories about hauntings caused by carbon monoxide on the brain.
On top of all this, the house burns down because of the furnace. It kind of explains why Harper is so ill and erratic, as if she wasn't thrown off balance by life already.
She's Real - Theory Three
The proof that this may be a real ghost lies in Savannah sending Nancy instead of going herself. The witness accounts didn't all include the house. Odd. Not everyone lit the furnace. Not everyone explored the house. So, this leads to the conclusion that maybe not all ghost sightings are toxin fueled.
Another thing that bothers me is the way Charlotte leads you to the crypt key. A hallucination wouldn't do that. She wanted Nancy to find the truth. Then there is a second chance ending that really freaks me out. If you refuse to cooperate with Jessalyn she actually sics the ghost on you. What?! And Charlotte comes when she's called! I call that proof of a real ghost.
The shadows you see and the sightings in the house that lead to nothing (but Nancy passing out) may be hallucinations, but the instances that lead you to clues I am sure are not. What could be an egging on for Nancy to check out the bedroom was the door opening and closing.
Another sign it could be a real ghost is the end of the game fire. Say it wasn't just the furnace and the ghost wanted Clara to die. It's possible. Now that Nancy had the will Charlotte could take everything from her, including her life. At any rate, it caused a confession to fall from Clara's lips in a desperate plea of "I'm sorry" and "I sat at your grave for a year". Post-fire the island's gloom lifts, which indicates the ghost may have finished her business on earth. Wade tells you that on the brightest summer day the island is just as gloomy. Post-fire you see the sunshine on the island. I think that speaks volumes.
Conclusions
I believe that two theories are the answer. I think Nancy is seeing the real ghost and the hallucinated one in the same mystery. She exhibits symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning that many others have. Everyone was seeing things, remember that. Clara would know what she'd done and expect a confrontation from the ghost, so it stands to reason she'd hallucinate one. It didn't help that Harper was leaving little nuggets for Nancy to find and show Clara. It would only feed that.
What do you think? Leave your comments below and tell me what you think about Charlotte Thornton's haunting.
I have film suggestions (and one play suggestion) that use the bookend technique. What is that, you ask? Think about how some films end and begin with a similar sequence or shot, like two bookends. It gives closure to the audience. Today I'll illustrate the concept using movies and one play that executes this wonderfully.
Courtesy of Lionsgate
I'm going to begin by listing the movies I am using for illustration purposes. You will find spoilers in this post for all these films and the one play I reference. In one case, three Simon Pegg films are referenced as a set (because they are a set, technically) since they use the same bookending technique in their dialogue. The movies and play I'm using will be:
Knives Out, Frankenweenie, Hot Fuzz and Shawn of the Dead and At World's End, White Christmas, Cabaret
You have been warned! Watch these before you proceed, should you want to be surprised by Knives Out or Hot Fuzz, which are mysteries. Either way, they are fantastic.
A lot of bookending techniques can be seen as foreshadowing. Mysteries are full of bookend elements. Not all these bookend movies are mysteries, but at least two are. When we say foreshadowed we mines well have said bookended.
This technique can be used via dialogue, visual elements, settings, and situations. In several movies, the same dialogue at the beginning and end can mean two different things, but be worded verbatim. Objects will show up in scenes that were featured in previous scenes. Set pieces may appear twice.
Knives Out
The movie is set up brilliantly. The basic plot is this; Benoit Blanc is investigating the death of Harlan Thrombey, a prominent mystery writer who has, according to authorities, committed suicide. It complicates from here and I won't go into it. I'll try not to tell you the culprit in this section. You might deduce it logically from here. I just won't say the name directly.
I did a watch-and-blog approach for this film specifically. It has so much detail to it that I had to. First off, we see a mug that says "my house, my rules, my coffee!!" come into the second shot in the film. At the end, Marta is holding that mug (the last shot of the film). This is bookending visually. Another visual bookend could be the knives chair seen during the interviews, which the culprit pulls a knife from at the end, in the same room.
This may just be a plot point, but the game that Harlan played with his daughter (the code on paper shown early in the film) is one of the elements of the last scene of the film (when Linda reads the note she finds on Harlan's desk). This is definitely something, because "You tell her or I will" is a part of the dialogue early in the film when Linda's husband is being questioned. Harlan did tell Linda of her husband's affair, even after his death, which is a bookend closure situation. Richard opens it to find it blank, but it all had to do with the game Harlan played with Linda.
Yet another bookend is the case of who hired Benoit Blanc, which is only solved in the next-to-last scene (when the true culprit is revealed). This one is self-explanatory. Another little nugget is the inability to lie causes Marta to throw up in the first interview with Benoit Blanc and then the last scene, where she lies to the culprit about a phone call result. That may be nothing, though.
In Marta's flashback of what truly happened that night, there are several examples of bookending, such as the "not knowing a real knife from a stage prop" dialogue and the medication being identified correctly despite the label mishap or a missing label. The knife is important because our true culprit (who stole the antidote meds) picked up a prop knife and tried to kill Marta in the second to last scene (and is directly referenced in the same sentence as the prop knife). The medication is simply the closure of the mystery and the proof that Marta did nothing wrong. Lots of mysteries are bookended for simple closure reasons. Even the conversation about how "in ten minutes" Harlan would die "if someone switched the meds on purpose" is bookending since that is what was intended to happen. This movie's script was cleverly written, giving you the solution early in the film under your nose. Harlan figured out the murder method himself. Later Marta also hears that Fran has a relative in the medical examiner's office, which gets mentioned at the end reveal, as well as Fran's stash, referenced early in the film. Nana seeing everything is also bookended since our detective talks to her later on. Ransom saying only the help calls him Hugh is another instance where it makes an impact on the ending.
Frankenweenie
Is this one really bookended? Yes, just look at the film that the main character made. It mirrors the ending, where all the kids' pets being brought back to life causes Godzilla-like chaos in the town. His dog Sparky saves the day by taking out the flying bat-cat (much like a furry pterodactyl). His dog even dies and comes to life all over again. This is foreshadowed first thing in the movie, literally, the first scene you see. Soon after the first scene you will see the dog get hit by a car and later brought back to life. The middle of the movie is just him hiding Sparky.
Let me break it down. No, actually, let me show you the end and beginning scenes together. Watch the first scene, then one of the last. It isn't exact, but the scenario itself is extremely close.
Simon Pegg Films
Hot Fuzz, At World's end, and Shawn of the Dead are a series of parody films. They are all starring Simon Pegg. They all include references to Point Break, but they also do the same bookending in every single one. The beginning dialogue and end dialogue are near exact. The tone is never the same as the first instance of the phrase. One parody is an alien movie, one is a buddy cop film, and one is a zombie movie. It's best that I show you what I mean.
These are brilliant. I can't explain it any better than these videos already do. I love all three of these films, but most of all Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. Let me just add a video about the third film before I move on.
See what I mean? These are written to be like this. Same formula.
Cabaret
This one is a musical, one that focuses on several characters, and yet, it is all about the Nazi party taking over. The Nazi party destroys everyone in the musical until no one is okay. If you're looking for a light musical you might want to skip this one tonight. It is on this list because one song is sung twice in two different tones. The opening and closing songs have the same lyrics.
The video below is the first opening song. Listen to it first.
And now watch this.
The idea is that the Nazis in Germany killed everyone's happiness. I watched this one live at the Players Guild. It had a female narrator instead of a gay man narrator (the one singing), but I actually liked that spin. If you didn't know, homosexuals were killed along with Jews under Nazi reign. So, if you didn't understand that last video you now know. I think the contrast in songs makes everything quite clear. The whole show paints the entire picture. It happens slowly, with subtle changes taking place as the plot continues. It is so much better performed live, though. See it live. Spring for the theatre tickets.
White Christmas
Why this one? Simple, the Major General. The set piece at the end and the whole unit returning to honor the Major General make this bookended. They sing to him in both scenes. They don't throw that in just because they can. There is a reason we begin with the scene honoring the Major General. Take a look at the scene below.
This next song is at the end.This is the same tone, which makes it unlike Cabaret, but it is the same song. It's heartwarming. This one is good to watch when Christmas rolls around.
I released a book!
Have you heard? I have released Wrenville after a year of editing! I am ecstatic. Check out my book at this amazon link. It is available in paperback and Kindle ebook. Leave a review if you read it. I can't wait for all of you blog readers to enjoy it. Below is a celebratory meme and a blurb about my new book. Happy reading!
If I said I had a family-friendly movie to bring to a family gathering, what do you picture? While I'm sure you don't expect me to bring Game of Thrones or Fifty Shades of Grey to the party, you definitely don't expect me to bring a 1930s short film showing black stereotypes in a blatantly offensive way. My point is this; it all depends on the year you are currently living in.
Courtesy of weareunheard.com
Some films and cartoons age poorly as the culture changes. Most of us cringe at old media showing racial and gender stereotypes that no longer fit the culture we have been raised in. Fun for the whole family thirty years ago is different from what it is in 2023. Let's talk about the family-friendly rating and how it has changed.
First, we all need to know what "family-friendly" is defined as. Law Insider says this:
"Family Friendly with respect to any Entertainment Property, Consumer Product or other Content, means that such Entertainment Property, Consumer Product or other Content is targeted to and reasonably appropriate for family audiences and consumers. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Motion Picture or a Television Motion Picture will not be deemed to be Family Friendly if it would receive a rating more restrictive than “G” or “PG” under the rating standards used by the Motion Picture Association of America (regardless of whether such Motion Picture or Television Motion Picture is actually submitted to the Motion Picture Association of America for rating)."
Short scan version, it has to be targeted to families and be no more than PG or G rated. G contains nothing that would offend the parents of the child and the child could watch it on their own with no worries about inappropriate content. PG means parental guidance needs to be exercised and some inappropriate content could show up, so young children may not be able to watch this without their parents.
As you can see, what is and isn't offensive depends on the era and time period we are living in. This is why you should probably do research before you judge a generation's film you don't relate to. You don't know what they find shocking. The film trend I'm seeing is the trend of darker media. While I do think making media too brightly ignorant of the outside world is bad, the reverse of that is bad too. There is a spectrum of dark to light and I feel you need both to make a good film. That opinion aside, let's get into it.
What was family-friendly in the past
Starting in 1920, we have the radio that the family could sit around. Everyone sat around and listened to it as leisure time became more common in the home. Shows like Amos N' Andy were well liked, but now we'd probably cringe at the negative stereotypes toward black people. Around this time there was also The All Negro Hour (the actual title, or else I wouldn't be using the word). This included all African-American entertainers, which was a step toward better representation of the black community. Speaking of, jazz and swing music started playing on the radio, along with the blues and ragtime. Same community, as you might have guessed.
The radio was targeted at everyone. The media we have today is not. Radio shows and dramas were common forms of entertainment. Remember, your TV didn't exist at this point in time. The only films you could see were at movie theatres. What should be remembered is that they were also transitioning from silent to talking pictures, which means they added sound. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, and several others took over the film stage. What a lot of families probably flocked to were comedies, epics, and westerns, as well as those new talkies. Everyone went to the movies. It was a fun activity for all ages. This era does have a category for dirty films, but I'm almost positive they were only viewed in private locations. I'm also pretty sure they wouldn't have let them play in a full movie theatre for all ages during this time period.
Next we hit the 1930s. The depression wasn't great, but families still had their fun. Radio and movie theatres were still going strong. The Talkies were beginning about now. To be clear, the TV is here in 1939. Sports games and fun contests were common ways to entertain the family. Media by our definition is limited.
I'm moving to the 40s due to the fact entertainment didn't change much. Lighthearted films started to darken around this period of time. War does that. Artists began experimenting with new ideas. The film noir style made its way to theatres and was a hit. Radio was still major. Comic books and books, in general, are popular. Digital media changed, but the form they came in didn't. TV did exist, but it wasn't the most popular way to spend an evening, and it was probably expensive.
Noir style books and films have a distinct style, one that is cynical and sexual. It is all about suspense, shadows, and mostly pessimistic main characters. I love the Marlowe books. Philip Marlowe fits this style like a glove. The one thing that does bother me upon rereading the books is the way the women talk in the books and are portrayed. You can tell a man was fantasizing when he wrote it. Femme Fatale is the term for a seductive, dangerous woman. These characters show up and behave in scandalous ways. Case in point, Carmen Sternwood from "The Big Sleep" (1939) propositions Marlowe by getting into his apartment. He comes into his bedroom to find she's in it naked. He makes her leave, but she later attempts to kill him because he rejected her. Femme Fatales don't behave like most women you've met. In fact, I doubt most real women would do anything they do. Given that Noir films toned down some of the books, I'm sure kids could watch this. The scene referenced was never put in the film, but can be found in radio broadcasts of the book. All the same, this maybe shouldn't be marketed toward kids who might imitate it - both genders included.
1950 is when the TV comes into play. Everything on that TV was seen by the entire family, so - much like radio and theaters - it was not going to publicly play pornography and graphic content (though I have no doubts about pornography being in existence). You'll notice a theme before computers, which is the fact most entertainments were in person and face-to-face. TV, radio, and movie theaters bargained on the whole family coming together. TV shows in this era included I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, The Price Is Right, Leave It To Beaver, The Today Show, and The Mickey Mouse Club. Westerns hit their peak at the end of the era. This development hit movie theaters and book sales hard. People worried we were becoming "couch potatoes". It isn't unwarranted to think that even today. Bring a book into a public space and see how many people come up to you thinking you are lonely or bored. TV still competes with book sales.
I used to call this era "the groupthink era". The cold war was impacting entertainment, forcing comics to become more good vs. evil, rather than varied genres. It also limited what could and couldn't be broadcasted everywhere. People were actively being controlled by propaganda and the media gatekeepers (those that approve what is and isn't broadcasted). Creativity got held back and you can blame the red scare for that.
Rock and roll took off as teens listened to it and parents tried unsuccessfully to stop them. The drive-in movie theatres were doing well, playing movies that teens liked. Some of those films fed right into the propaganda. After the devastation of war, everybody wanted normal, which led to rigid social boundaries being reinforced by all kinds of media. It was not a shock to see the next generation become so free-spirited post-cold war era. We cringe at 1950s media today and sometimes forget that people were being controlled by expectations, expectations media policed actively. We mock it, but it was meant to be serious.
1960s media completely let go of all the rigid social expectations and embraced freedom of thought, which means family-friendly is no longer a strict standard. Helicopter parenting was not common here. Parodies became a category of media. The western theme continued onward in Bonanza. People asked questions more and became more liberal. The Vietnam war and other factors from the previous era produced more rebellious younger generations. The media of the time reflects this. Politics were all over the TV content. Theaters were more or less replaced by TV living rooms. As politics swarmed the screen, drug use and freestyle living became more popular, since it seemed the world was self-destructing anyways (sound familiar?). Aside from that, you could also catch Star Trek, Twilight Zone, musical variety shows, sitcoms, old movies, dramas,or Saturday morning cartoons.
Let's talk parodies. I've watched one called Support Your Local Sheriff that made fun of the western trends and cliches. There is a whole list of parodies from the 1960s. The Pink Panther starring a character named Inspector Clouseau came out in March of 1964. We still watch these movies. Families were enjoying Mary Poppins, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Absentminded Professor, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and 101 Dalmations. All these are generally lighthearted and silly. Conclusion? People wanted to laugh and smile. Dark content was not in the family-friendly category as far as I can tell. A lot of adult jokes probably made it into G and PG-rated films.
TV took over everything by the 1970s. TVs were in color and music players (Sony Walkmans) were new. The civil rights movement made black entertainment in any form rise up. Except for the "blaxploitation" films, which were rejected completely by black communities. Disco and punk rock rose up from the New York Underground. The Godfather drew people back into theaters at a time when they were struggling (again, sound familiar?). Jaws and Star Wars dominated several other films at the box office soon after. Not much else to report on this era. Disney, as usual, made a killing in children's content. Based on what was rated G and PG I see musicals and comedy still reign supreme, as well as westerns. It is hard to say whether any 1960s standards changed, which is a sign that it didn't change much.
The 80s were a time of bright colors and parachute pants. CDs, which are now less popular than before, were new. They are still here with us, though. VHS was also a major source of entertainment. The idea of portable music became even more popular through more devices that were a bit bulkier. My family used to have a Blockbuster in our town. It is gone forever now, and to think they could have teamed up with Netflix. Anyway, Blockbuster debuted in this era. Home video marketing and special effects in films were getting noticed and loved. Movies got a boost in popularity due to the ability to watch them at home. (We just got lazier from here.)
Sitcoms and the 80s go hand in hand. We are still entertained by those sitcoms. MASH, Seinfeld, Knight Rider, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Golden Girls, and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air are all 80s sitcoms we still like to binge-watch. Another trend that continues is arcades, the elder relatives of modern-day video games. They were around in previous eras, yet here we find arcades are beloved hangouts. This was also the beginning of computers and cell phones. This era has what some people call the mooks and midriffs. It is a phrase used for boys acting like fools and women wearing half-shirts. It taught boys to be huge goofballs and women to wear less clothes (because they looked cool at party scenes in movies). The mook sometimes got the girl in the films, further encouraging the behavior (which may be in the 9o's too). It has gotten increasingly harder to pinpoint what is actually G or PG. Only one sitcom in the previous list is going to be marketed family friendly, maybe three. Nearly all of them include sex jokes somewhere in them. Subtle jokes were hidden for the adults and went over the heads of the kids, but yet some of these weren't subtle. Yet, families felt they could watch these together. Anything broadcasted over the air had to meet a standard. There is a standard for all these, thus they were all approved by somebody.
The 80's blended right into the 90's, which held a particularly interesting cartoon called Rocko's Modern Life. The actual creators of the show have openly admitted that they made it a personal goal to cram as much past the censor as possible. You can tell the censor started to give up. Nickelodeon has tried to ditch and ban the worst examples of this lack of censorship. People, naturally, have found them anyway.
Another note to be made is that Kim Possible and many women around her wear Midriffs. Ron and Kim fit the Midriff and Mook stereotype. I didn't think about that until today. Other shows include Recess, Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Ren and Stimpy, Doug, Catdog, Pokemon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter's Laboratory, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Johnny Bravo, Arthur, Ed, Edd, and Eddy, The Wild Thornberrys, A Pup Named Scooby Doo, Cow and Chicken, and Captain Planet. I'm not even listing all of them. Cartoons took off like nobody's business. Most of the time kids watched these on Saturday mornings and after school. Some of these got weird, like Rocko's Modern Life. Courage the dog was something I was never sure of. Johnny from Johnny Bravo was constantly hitting on women and not getting any. Dexter and the Powerpuff Girls were kind of bizarre. I vaguely remember the character Doug sitting upside down on a park bench, but couldn't tell you much else about the show (I was far too young to understand much of it). Captain Planet is a weird superhero trying to save the planet in the cheesiest way possible (with kids that look like they came off the magic school bus and grew up into tweens). Recess and Hey Arnold were some of the staples of my childhood. In retrospect, a lot of these are kind of weird and explain why my childhood brain was so weird. Ed, Edd, and Eddy is quite odd - yet when you have no brain power it is still funny. A lot of these require no brain, which means the family can sit and relax together - unless it is just so odd you are not allowed to watch it (cough cough, my husband's childhood). In retrospect, history has shown us cartoons get a lot of dirty jokes past censors, especially in the 90s.
Adult cartoons began here. Do you like Rick and Morty? You can thank the early adult cartoons for it. South Park debuted in this era. Family Guy and Simpsons also came out.
And now I stop here, because this is too long already. Oh, and I wrote a book!
If you want to check out my book "Wrenville" the link is here. It is available in paperback and kindle ebook version.
I feel like social media is not being used in the way it was intended, much like every invention in the long history of inventions. Today I revisit what it was for, as well as what we shouldn't be doing with it.
Photo courtesy of dlpa.com.au
It was not intended as a way to attack people, harass people, stalk people, turn a country against itself, manipulate someone, or otherwise harm people emotionally. Yet, we can see proof of all this happening in our social media. Let's think about that for a beat. Pause and reflect on what we have recently used our social media to do.
The intention was to connect with others and make it easier to communicate, all while sharing cute photos of animals and sharing about our lives. Connection with others was the original intention of social media. It has become entertainment, too, but depending on the entertainment form that isn't all bad. Hamsters, dad jokes, games, and other innocent forms of fun are not bad things. Jokes that harm others in the process, however, are not funny. Making a difference for a cause is not a bad thing, either, as long as you don't become entirely obnoxious about it, which actually harms your cause more than furthering it.
Why has it become a dangerous place? Simple, the human race has the potential to be good or evil and most are a mix of both (which is actually proven quite quickly by observation). We aren't perfect. As a direct result, we see that some good things have become tainted and are used for evil rather than good. The anonymity of the internet spurs some people to do what they wouldn't ever do face-to-face. That isn't good. The deep web and a few history lessons can prove that there is nothing new under the sun.
Social Media Ups and Downs
The original purpose was a connection, plain and simple. What we see now is not only scammers, politicians, and creepers, but the comparison game (which is yet another thing that isn't anything new to humanity). Cyberbullying is also in existence and they have to make new laws to adjust the legal system as a direct result. Law enforcement has a cyber division in place for stuff like this, and the law can't do all that much if you've been scammed. You can report scammers, though, and you should.
The other issue here is addiction to social media. I use it for my blog and writing career, as well as connecting to my friends and family who live a distance away. I find that scrolling wastes precious time I could be using to do other things, like consuming my vast collection of books and enjoying my hobbies outside of my devices. Yet, I catch myself scrolling. It takes writing time from me. My resolution this year is to only use my devices when I need them for a purpose, which has resulted in me finding the time I didn't know I had. Try it and see what you think about it. I promise that it is indeed worth it.
The different aspects of social media have bright and shadow sides. For instance, DMing (direct messaging) can be a positive way to plan an event with a friend and catch up with someone. Or it can be a way scammers take money from you, a bully belittles you, or you get hit on by people who friended you because you were pretty. Look up Charlotte Dobre on Youtube and you'll find the shadow side quickly. Apparently, the human race can use anything incorrectly (and I do include myself in that statement).
What We Should Do With It
Most of us are on social media, whether we want new ideas for a crochet project, need character inspiration, or simply need to ask what yesterday's math homework page was. It is incredibly useful. We should be using it to encourage one another and connect with those we love. Keep sharing those art ideas and writing prompts. Keep those small businesses going. Share those small authors out on your social media accounts (hint, hint, wink, wink). Talk about your favorite moments and chat with your friends. Make plans with your loved ones. The point is this; life is too short not to love the people around you and encourage each other.
Courtesy of Pinterest
We should all be careful what we post, too. There are people out there who are out to hurt you. Yes, that means you. Scammers exist, bullies exist, and predators exist. This is serious. Don't post personal information online for them to see. As for scammers, this is what experts suggest. Double-check your facts before giving anyone your money for any service or reading out any account numbers to anyone.
1. Keep an eye out for any contact from businesses, especially the social security administration or IRS.
2. Is it coming out of nowhere unprompted by you? Hang up/stop messaging and go to the official website of that business (or call). It will debunk the scammer quickly.
3. Are they pushing you to do it NOW? Stop and think. Most scammers want you to rush and not think clearly.
4. Be aware of misspellings and grammar mistakes. Yes, some people don't do grammar well, but broken English is a common trait of a scammer (though some people who aren't scammers do speak broken English).
5. Refusal to appear on camera or in person is never a good sign. You may be dating a scammer.
6. A price too good to be true can be just that. Verify what you are buying.
7. Easy money is never easy money. Don't deposit a check for anyone. Don't buy iTunes, Amazon, or Google Play cards for anyone. Lottery prizes that require payment upfront are a scam.
8. Unusual forms of payment are a dead giveaway. Reread number 7.
I do not suggest scamming a scammer back or messing with scammers. Just report them and block them. I know people do both of those things, but please don't risk it. The fraud division will handle it.
Anonymity can shield the predators in the world. You can pretend to be anyone online. It is too easy to fake. If you think someone isn't who they say they are, go through that list of scammer signs and check all that apply.
What You Shouldn't Do
Common courtesy says if you wouldn't say it to their face you shouldn't be posting it online. It is as bad as talking behind someone's back, only so much worse. You literally made a problem between two people everyone else's problem and humiliated the person involved. Don't throw more daggers in someone's back. Solve it privately and move on.
Courtesy of pearlsandpantsuits.com
Arguing online is fruitless. Politics, taste in fashion, whether someone is vegan or not, opinions on literally anything... No one goes online for that, and if they do they are looking for content to react to. If you'd like to see yourself on Youtube go ahead, but I doubt that'll look good. Seldom does commenting with your own agenda in mind work out well. It never comes across the right way if you are pushy about something. That makes most of us take two or more steps back and distance ourselves. Calmly state if you have a concern in private, please.
Posting any sort of relationship or family issue publicly is the wrong thing to do. Please remember that every passive-aggressive public post is another dagger in someone's back. That is another wrong you have to right later in life. Maybe at the end of all the drama, they cut you off, declaring you a toxic person. Do you want to risk that? No. You also make a fool of yourself in others' eyes by doing this. You don't need to be attacked by another person to make a public fool of yourself.
It goes without saying that you shouldn't be using it as a weapon to divide or harm others. Catfishing (faking an identity online) is also wrong. Stalking online is a sticky issue as social media becomes easier and easier to stalk people with. The legal definition of online stalking is this according to Privacyrights.org:
"Online harassment may involve threatening or harassing emails, instant messages, or posting information online. It targets a specific person either by directly contacting them or by disseminating their personal information, causing them distress, fear, or anger.
Cyberstalking is a type of online harassment that involves using electronic means to stalk a victim, and generally refers to a pattern of threatening or malicious behaviors. All states have anti-stalking laws, but the legal definitions vary. Some state laws require that the perpetrator make a credible threat of violence against the victim. Others require only that the stalker’s conduct constitute an implied threat."
Look it up based on your state. A quick google search can give you everything you need to know, given that you read a credible website. Check facts. Make sure you are on a credible site.
Social Media Addiction
An addiction to social media is defined by the Addiction Center as:
"Social media addiction is a behavioral addiction that is defined by being overly concerned about social media, driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to or use social media, and devoting so much time and effort to social media that it impairs other important life areas."
Keep in mind, we all scroll at times. You say you'll give it a quick check in case your husband messaged back about dinner and suddenly you're looking at a cute video of a hamster in a doll house bathtub. If you looked at my social media you'd find more hamster videos like it because they are the cutest creatures ever, but that is here nor there. The point is addiction has to interfere with daily life. Me stopping to watch a hamster play in sand may derail my work day for two minutes, but it doesn't stop me from going about my day and beginning work again.
Courtesy of adosefromdrdenise.com
Signs of addiction include mood rising while on social media (like a drug addiction), an abnormal level of focus on social media, using it more and more often, physical and emotional consequences when not using social media, interpersonal issues due to overuse of social media, and relapsing back into using it after abstaining from it for a while. Basically, it sounds like drug addiction, only you replace the word drug with social media.
Social media is not a good thing when used to cope with stress, loneliness, and depression. Interpersonal problems can drive someone to use more social media to avoid their problems. The brain responds to social media as if it is a drug. If you want more information, click here. Get help if you need it.
Courtesy of blogspot.com
I've got amazing news! I have released my novel, Wrenville. The link for the paperback and kindle ebook are here: https://a.co/d/4CtAXn3
Have you ever thought "I'd like to sell my homemade (insert item here) someday"? You may find it a little harder than you thought, but it isn't impossible to do. What you have to understand about it is this; it takes consistency to make it a business and takes work to make an object worth buying (unless you are an adorable child).
Courtesy of Chicago Tribune
So, you want to sell your handmade whatever for extra money. Before you rush into making ten million handmade whatever and expect major sales, you first need a vendor's license to go to craft fairs. You also need to take into account that there is sales tax to turn in at one point in the year, another thing to keep track of based on county and state. My dad does this as a side business, as a carpenter who makes toys, cabinets, and doll furniture. It paid for some of my wedding and the rental of his tux, as well as giving an extra boost to the family finances. Is it worth it? Absolutely, but depending on what you sell and where you choose to sell your wares success varies.
One factor in success is how often you show up to craft fairs. Your first go at selling at a farmers market or flea market, when nobody knew you were going to be there, may not be the most successful. What you want to do is give it a month or two before you expect more sales. Again, it depends on your product, too. Also, your audience makes a difference. Some craft shows there are people who literally walk around and buy nothing, while other times you see people come to buy. Note the craft shows that few show up to and avoid getting involved with those shows. The more foot traffic, the better your chances of actually selling your wares.
How To Get Started
First, the vendor's license. How do you get that? Let me help. Click here to go to the online process. This is for Ohio, because I write from Ohio, but I'm sure that you can easily find other states' licensing websites via google. Make sure it is a legitimate website before you put in all your information.
Next, set up a way to track sales. Excel, notebook and pen, word document......As long as you have a way to track what you sold and for how much you are in business. Sales tax should be calculated after every craft fair based on county and state. If you need a basic guide on what sales tax is, start at this link.
Courtesy of theneocom.com
To get into some craft shows you have to get on a waiting list (if it is a crowded, big show) or just keep your eyes open for the advertisements that say "vendors wanted". Keep in mind that foot traffic is a must if you intend to sell anything at all. If no one walks through everyone is in the same boat, and no one is happy at the end of the night. You can start with flea markets and farmers markets every weekend if the option is open to you. Once people start noticing you are there often they may come back to you. You have to pay a fee for doing a show, farmers market, or flea market to use the space. Keep that in mind.
Pricing is another point that makes a big difference. How much do you charge for an item? As a general rule, it is this; pricing is how much time you spent and the resources it took to make the item. Keep in mind sales tax takes some of your gains away from you. It is a good practice to have some expensive items out, but to keep the less expensive items out on your display so that those with only a limited supply of money can still get something from you. You can negotiate prices if you want, just don't cheat yourself. You know how much time it took to make that. You should be paid for your time.
What To Make and How Much
The items you are making may cost more to make. You could also take a long time to make something. Don't short yourself because one person thinks it is too expensive. The truth is that a lot of people will go by your stall or display and not intend to buy anything, or worse, say they can make it themselves. The majority of the people probably won't and you should never give them the pattern if they ask for it. You are selling it fully made. A lot of patterns also aren't free and forbid you from giving it away for free.
That being said, what you make can either make you blend in or stick out as interesting. The more common the item you are selling, the less likely the people you are trying to sell it to will be interested. The unique items get more sales. Anything that someone can't commonly handmake is also a major plus. Is it hard to handmake and not many people have the time or tools? Then you should sell it. Given that, you can still sell your crocheted cats, hat and glove sets, wreaths, and knitted sweaters to your heart's content and make a living. It is more how you sell it in the long run, not what the item is. Sell what you want to sell. It may take trial and error to see what sells better. Determine whether you are doing custom orders or not and stick to your decision.
Sell what you want to sell. Keep in mind that people want something that improves their lives. If it is easy to carry out the door (minus furniture that people get at flea markets), has a reasonable price, and is either a need or want you will do well. Reasons someone buys usually have to do with self-improvement, how we are seen by others, and purposeful products. It may benefit you to sell something easy to carry or offer to take it to their car when it is heavy. They can also pick it up from you at the end of their shopping trip. Again, put a range of prices out there. Some people only have a twenty left in their wallet or have bills to pay later. Focus on your specialty and go from there. You'll want to create a brand for yourself and not hide behind your table. Make your display look good and welcoming. Grab attention with what you put out in your space.
What Crafters Hear and What Is A Problem
As someone who has several family members who sell craft items and someone who has put out crochet for sale, you hear a lot of things people should keep to themselves. This includes those that decide to say out loud that they could make it themselves or their friend could make it. Do they mean to insult you? Maybe not, but it doesn't come across well. Most crafters feel anger toward the ones that say it out loud and have to hold it in.
Some people ask whether they can get a discount because they got there before opening, according to madeurban.com, but I haven't ever heard that one. Still, it isn't a good thing to ask. This scenario is when you aren't set up yet.
When asked whether you could copy another vender's work, please don't. Anyone saying this should be pointed in the direction of the vendor that has that product made. It is insensitive to say the least. If you need someone to stop taking pictures at your booth say something. If they don't stop, you might want to get your hand in the way of the picture and warn them again. Keep getting in their way and they may give up.
If someone wants to know how you made it, hesitate to answer unless you can give vague descriptions (ones that aren't enough to make it). If they are curious and don't intend to make it themselves it is not a harmful question. If they push for detailed descriptions, well, say you can't reveal all your secrets and stop talking. Also, speak up when they take pictures with intent to copy, even put up a sign that says please don't take pictures.
Complaints about price are common. Some lowering of price may be okay. For instance, if a small child only has so much money to spend and you can lower the price slightly to allow them to buy it (without devaluing your item) it is probably okay. Manners also go a long way toward whether someone gets a discount. That is a scenario that depends on the item you are selling and the attitude of the customer. An adult trying to haggle lower than the lowest price you are willing to present is a problem. You can say no. You can say that is the price and it goes no lower. Your stuff is worth the money, if the price is set correctly. Don't let someone devalue your work or you.
Requests such as whether you deliver, last minute shoppers asking how soon it can be done, and general discount questions are what you will find in the craft shows everywhere. Define what you won't and will do. Stick with the discounts you'll be willing to give and whether you do or don't do custom orders. The scenario and item being sold will adjust what you are willing to do.
Another issue highlighted by many people is touching and breaking merchandise. Do exactly what the stores do in this scenario. "You break it and you buy it" will probably keep people from touching it, too. Speak up. It is your booth and not theirs. Touching with intent to buy is one thing, but touching with intent to break in order to get a discount is whole new issue.
Courtesy of imgflip.com
I released my first novel Wrenville! If you'd like to check it out, here is the Amazon link: https://a.co/d/4CtAXn3
You can get it in Paperback and Kindle ebook form.
It is done, ladies and gentlemen! I released a book on Amazon after a year or so of editing and lots of pre-planning for promoting it. Today is a glorious day.
Courtesy of Cathy Baker
Many of you have been following the saga of my getting ready to publish this novel. It is called "Wrenville" and will be linked at the end of this blog and on my website (which is linked to this blog website). Share this blog everywhere. Share the post that goes with it everywhere. Tell the world! I need your help, loyal blog readers.
Do you want the plot? Here it is (without giving you spoilers). A private investigator named Jack Thomas moves into a small town in Illinois after he stumbles upon a complicated case. He thinks he's safe in this small town of Wrenville, but the case he ran from follows him here. From there you can check out the book itself. You aren't getting more than the teaser.
This blog post is going to be super short. I have been editing and writing this for so long that I thought I'd never get here. Here I am! I am ecstatic to be here and be an author. Check out my book at this link. It can be bought in kindle and paperback form on Amazon.com.
I did it before and I'll do it again for kicks. Flower meanings are back because I have gotten into darker topics and need lighter ones. I'd like to dedicate this to Mom, because this was a good idea that I can pull out of my hat whenever I need a lighter topic of discussion. Thanks Mom!
Watercolor carnations courtesy of Pinterest
Gerbera, Carnations, and Peony are my focuses today. I'll go in just that order in this post. I picked 3 common flowers that get put in bouquets because almost everyone will know what they are.
Gerbera
Gerbera Daisy is found native to South Africa. The victorian meaning is happiness. Egyptian meaning is like it, but slightly different. They said it meant closeness to nature and devotion to the sun. Celts said it lessened sorrows and stress. If someone gives a gift covered in these it might be suspected they are hiding something. Mostly the meaning comes to the innocent happiness of children. These are playful and celebratory flowers that give energy.
Gerbera Daisies courtesy of blogspot.com
Much like other flowers, the colors do matter. Orange represents the sunshine of life, red means unconscious in love or fully immersed in love, white means purity and innocence, pink is admiration and high esteem, and yellow is cheerfulness.
Fun fact, a man named Robert Jameson discovered these at a South African mine while on a trip for mining. These also turn toward the sun, much like sunflowers.
Carnation
Carnations are often dyed in all different colors all the time. They don't cost too much, either, and are used to fill holes in bouquets. This makes them popular and easy to work with in florist shops.
Their mythology gets very weird, though. According to floraqueen.com, this is the myth they are attached to.
One of the stories of the carnation comes from the tale of the goddess Diana. Diana, the goddess of the hunt, was out on an expedition when she returned home empty-handed. On her journey home, she came across a shepherd playing the flute. In her opinion, her prey was scared off by this music, so it was his fault her hunt was unsuccessful. She could not control her temper and attacked the shepherd, cutting out his eyes. Where blood was shed, carnations grew.
In a less gruesome tale, some scholars believe carnations history lies in the Latin word carnis, which means “flesh.” They believe this refers to the pink color of the flower. Some also believe that it comes from the Latin phrase incarnacyon, which means incarnation. In Latin, this means “God made flesh.” This may be a very fitting explanation because carnations are often called the “flower of the gods.”
I'm not too sure if that is their origin mythology. They were commonly used for garlands, too.
Again, we dive into colors. I'll give you a chart because this might be a long one.
light red - admiration
dark red - deep love and affection
white - good luck and pure love
yellow - disappointment and rejection
purple - given to sudden and unaccountable change
pink - the power of a mother's undying love or gratitude
This one we can dive into countries, holidays, and faith, too.
Netherlands - (White carnations) opposition to WWII and to honor veterans
France - (purple) used in funerals
Spain and Slovenia - the national flower
Christianity - the virgin mother's tears as Jesus died on the cross
May Day - (red) the labor movement and socialism
Carnations are part of the beauty industry, medical industry, and floral industry.
Peony
Peonies can mean honor through success (to families), wealth and riches, romance (with focus on love between strangers), all forms of beauty, and shame. Mythology says that Zeus had to turn a student into a flower when they surpassed the teacher and got his wrath.
Peony courtesy of Flickr
Chinese tradition says this flower is an emblem of China. It ties to honor and royalty. The Chinese name translates to "most beautiful".
However, the greek myth says nymphs hid their naked forms in Peonies, making the meaning shamefulness and bashfulness during the victorian era. If you dug up one of these shrubs during the middle ages it was frightfully unlucky because fairies weren't known for kindness.
Colors are a short list for the Peony due to the variety of colors. Pink is the most romantic, ideal for weddings if you need a wedding flower suggestion. White or pale pink represents regret or embarrassment. Deep red conveys honor and respect, especially in China and Japan where it is also wealth and prosperity.
This one is medicinal in use for the Paeonia herb, which allegedly purifies against evil spirits. It's also great for all kinds of other needs, but only in the pure extract form.
