Psychedelic Music… at the Library?!

You heard right! Electric Cloud Sequence, a teenage band working on its first CD, will transform the Albany Library into a concert venue alive with experimental psychedelic music.  Wrap up the summer with a unique and memorable evening. The concert begins at 8pm (when the library doors close), Tuesday, August 19.

It’s Not too Late!

the 25-hour prize

The teen summer reading program continues through Saturday.

If you haven’t come in to collect your prizes yet, now’s the time to come and get ‘em!

While you’re here, why not click the “Review a Book” tab above and enter to win an iPod Shuffle, too?

Burn it? Return it?

Not all of Stephenie Meyer’s legions of fans were happy with the final installment of the Twilight series.  After eagerly awaiting the August 2 release of the book, some of those who have raced through it already are taking their disappointment to the Internet. An Amazon poster is urging people to return their books to the bookstore where they purchased it.  Other disappointed fans had different plans for the book.  What about you? Did you love Breaking Dawn? Burn it? Return it?

Have you ever seen a ghost?

I’m one of those people who keep a Life List.  I just can’t seem to stop myself.  Do I want to go to Paris?  Sure, put it on the list.  See the Northern Lights?  You bet.  Drive cross-country with a pickup and a big ol’ dog?  In a heartbeat.  Trouble is, most items on my list involve money, time, and more than a fair amount of luck.  So, when I was a kid, my dream to See a Ghost didn’t seem at all likely. 

However . . . if Hear a Ghost counts, then I’ve had my very own ghostly experience.

It happened when I was a teenager, on a hot summer afternoon at Mission San Miguel.  You’ve been on those family car trips, right?  Well, this was one of them, and I was (secretly) enjoying every minute.  At one point, though, in serious need of some Alone Time, I found myself outside,  in an isolated section of the mission.  For a moment I enjoyed complete solitude and silence.  Then suddenly . . . my bubble of silence was broken by a low mournful cry.  I turned quickly.  There wasn’t a person in sight.  Not a cow, not a joke-playing little brother, not even any wind.  I was hearing a ghost.  No doubt about it.

It wasn’t until years later that I learned of the long-ago violence at this mission, the rumors of buried treasure, and the raid in which 13 people were killed.  No treasure was ever found, but the ghosts of those victims are said to haunt the property.  I like to believe that I heard one of them on that hot summer afternoon.  And that’s one pretty cool item to check off of my Life List.

Well . . . that was my brush with the supernatural.  How about you?  Have you ever seen a ghost?  A mysterious light in the sky?  Had an eerie experience with ESP?  Or maybe caught a glimpse of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster?  Btw, my Life List also includes “See Nessie”.  Maybe someday . . .