I couldn't resist doing this.If I have this figured out right, everybody who comes to this blog has automatically found their way to within the requisite six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon.
Check this out. . .
We learned yesterday that one of our blog friends used to live in Bloomington, IN. where the Dalai Lama's brother lives. One night, our friend had the DL's brother and his wife over for dinner. Okay, so that puts the rest of us at two degrees of separation from the Dalai Lama's brother, which puts us three degrees away from the Dalai Lama, himself. Which puts us four degrees away from Richard Gere. :)Which puts us, I'm guessing, five or at most six degrees away from Kevin Bacon, because surely either Gere knows him or Gere knows people who know him.
We made it, and with possibly even a degree to spare!
Now we can relax and go on about our lives. ;p
Did I do that right?
27 comments:
Plus I really, really like ghost stories.
Andif, And I really really like you!
Now that you almost know Kevin Bacon and all. :-)
A "Bacon number," lol, katiebird. Personally, my bacon number is one pound, crisp.
You need to do something about that cough. :)
I have a great deal of belief, though, in the ability of the human mind to make tangible even the most ephemeral of visions.
That's what's really odd about this, Andif. I'd done a lot of folklore research before I did my first little ghost story book (from folklore). I didn't believe in them at all. Not a wit.
I found, and still find, an overwhelming array of created from thin air ghost stories. Hotel, and Bed & Breakfast ghosts, for example.
Hear a strange noise, see a light in a window, look up who died in the old house and, bingo, you got your ghost story. The more interesting the death, the better.
After the book came out, I started meeting people who had ghost experiences. Eventually I met more and more of 'em. Finally, I'm speaking about ghost experiences and people rush me from all corners for a private conversation about their own experience(s).
Oddly, most ghost experiences told to me are not the least but ephemeral. Nor diaphanous.
There are no little wisps of mist in the corner nor slightly glowing doodads around the corner or behind a tree. It's not like that at all.
Most ghost experiencesd told to me are, well, clear as day. The experience is marked with clarity, even starkness. Which is what tends to make the experience both puzzling and indelible.
The ghosts are often just people in the middle of the day. Most people can tell me what the ghost was wearing when they saw one. Talked to one. The words spoken are clear. The sounds are loud. The touch firm.
No one has ever once told me, for instance, of an encounter with a ghost, or any other figure, wearing a shroud or wispy clothes. No one has ever told me of putting their hand through a ghost.
It's much more as if the ghost is caught in the headlights, rather than loping along in the darkness at the side of the car.
Sometimes they knock on the door, come in and sit down. And talk. When one person sees a ghost, the other people present have seen 'em too. 99% on that one.
Among the literally hundreds of ghost experiences I have had told to me (by the person involved) in only one instance did anyone see a ghost (or ghosts) when others present did not.
That involved a literal head trauma. The person had an accident and a head injury, was in a coma, recovered, and years later suffered debilitating migraines (the kind that dorp you to your knees and make you throw up).
I heard this story from her mother, who at the end of our conversation got her daughter on the phone to confirm two incidents when she lifted her head from the migraine and saw rooms full of people in "old timey" clothes.
The migraines were infrequent. The daughter's mother knew of two incidents (she was present at one) and called to school to help her daughter at the other instance.
The mother, who was attending my ghost seminer, got her daughter on the phone and the daughter gave me a few more details but wasn't all that delighted to have her mom ratting her out. The daughter admitted to me no other incidents, but you never know.
These episodes make me wonder how the mind works. The episodes are very detailed, btw, but there is scant room here to go into them.
I'm not apathetic, though. I am avidly curious about it all. But mostly I am curious about the experience the person had, is having, etc. I am not at all concerned about the science of the event. I prefer to let that mystery be.
And it is a mystery. But, it does happen. Frequently. In fact, I find it rare that a person has no ghost experience, comfort visit from the recently dead, etc. in their lives or their loved ones' lives.
I find these experiences common, rather than uncommon. People generally don't know how to talk about them. Given the invitation, however, my oh my, they do tell.
As for agnostic. Well, yeah, I am stupid about these and many many other things. But I do believe in prayer (can't explain it and I'm never sure who I am praying to), magic, ghosts, witchcraft, e.s.p., religion, and love.
To me this stuff is not paranormal. It is normal.
I don't have to have any of the above explained to me by science or physics. I have simply seen it, experienced it, rely on it... and, well, heck, in my life that makes it real.
I believe in daily magic. Once I realized it was there, it just keeps coming.
I'm really NOT trying to argue. Really truly, I'm not. For 30 years I agreed wholeheartedly with your assessment en toto. Now I kind of think magic, ghosts, religion, angels, witchcraft and love are all sort of, well, the same thing.
Meanwhile, I don't know where people (including myself way back when) got the idea that encounters with ghosts were wispy ephemeral, somewhat ethereal experiences. Must come from gothic novels or movies or something.
My experience with hearing ghost experiences is that the person confiding their experience to me had the tangible event (very much so) and they are asking me to explain it with ether. I can't, of course.
But I can share with them dozens of similar events happening, and having happened, to people in similar circunstances. For them and for me, that's enough. For most people I've talked, to their ghost experiences are handprints left in concrete.
Oddly, most ghost experiences told to me are not the least but ephemeral. Nor diaphanous.
Oops. Make that not the least bit ephemeral. Sorry.
HA HA HA. Well, I've met Christopher Walken, who rates as a two according to katiebird's link, so we're practically related to the guy!
What a wonderful relating of some of what you do, green. Thanks for taking the time. I loved hearing about all that, but then you know me. I would!!
I'd have to say all of you are the most famous people I know, and Manny I didn't know you were in the Hollywood set.
Man Eegee, hi! By the time we're finished we may find out we ARE Kevin Bacon, lol.
Christopher Walken seems so fabulously strange in the movies. Does he seem like that in RL?
Greenminute, thanks for sharing all that. Truly. I may be a cynical, skeptical, apathetic agnostic but I try to be open-minded about being close-minded. ;)
I don't know if I should laugh or cry.
Hi, fm! Glad you didn't melt entirely away today.
lol, boran2!
My hometown and high school were transformed into a Hollywood set, FM! (The Prophecy)
nancy - Yes, he is just as bizarre as his characters. I didn't even ask for an autograph because of how kooky he was acting, but at least I can help us achieve Bacon Zen :)
"Bacon Zen"!
I can't stop laughing at that, Manny, because of course now I can only think of the edible variety. Bacon Zen Koan: What is the sound of one strip of bacon cooking?
This is going to sound odd, but...
I thought Christopher Walken was Kevin Bacon.
No. Wait, sorry. Dang, I was thinking of Crisp Bacon.
Too fun, Andif; and you do a terrific job of it!: I may be a cynical, skeptical, apathetic agnostic but I try to be open-minded about being close-minded.
You guys are too amusing, and you're keeping me up late. :)
See you manana.
Greenminute: "People generally don't know how to talk about them. Given the invitation, however, my oh my, they do tell."
This must be true. Because your comment reminded me of a couple of experiences (they happened at around the same time) that I would love to talk to you about -- but I don't think I can type it out in this forum (even though I couldn't think of a friendlier place.)
You all are making me HUNGRY!! (reading all this before my 8 a.m. meeting...why yes this is an ungodly hour).
As to Bacon-ness, I can claim about 2 degrees in many directions, but I laughed when I checked the Oracle. It can't connect Dennis Lehane (II - the writer), even though Dennis penned Mystic River. Guess even oracles are fallible...at least those based on databases are. ::g::
::stumbles off to find caffeine::
Hi Maria,
I think (I read someplace) the Oracle only uses the actors -- I don't think it's working on the other roles people play in making a film.
G'morning. I think I'll leave this up awhile, out of sheer slothiness. Plus, katiebird, you have inspired some cogitating that may lead to a post.
Wow. I really have nothing to add… just wanted to let everyone know I'm paying attention though!
Good morning Nancy.
Slothiness is a good word. It reminds me I've been up long enough this morning and it's time for a nap.
I wonder what I said? I was really more in FAR's position -- just wanting to let people know I'm paying attention!
Hi, Maria, family man, and farfetched! I hope I havne't missed anybody this morning.
Hey Nancy, I'm feeling all left out of the six degrees triangulation since I'm the one who started the whole Bloomington is the hub of the universe trend (not to mention that I'm the one that's eaten in the DL's brother's restaurant -- so I've sustained his* existence).
*intentional ambiguous antecedent
Ah, yes, Andi, m'dear, but did you actually meet the DL's bro when you ate there? If you did, my abject forelock tugging apologies, and clearly we have to include you as a Prime Number. If you didn't, okay, you can have 1/2. :0
katiebird - d'oh, that makes sense.
Still, a fun time-waster. :)
I had a very close call. A friend of mine knows him (my friend, rather oldish guy... in his 70's). My friend has an incredible story and we have the book under agent rep right now. I also wrote up a treatment at friend's request with my cell phone number and email on it. Friend went backstage and hung with Kevin Bacon who took treatment and said, basically, "I'm not allowed to look at this unless it comes through my agent." I don't know if that's entirely true or not, but Bacon might have possibly glanced at my email or phone number... which I figure puts me at .5 degrees of separation.
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