Visit Colorado's Stanley Hotel, Stephen King's inspiration for "The Shining." Check!

"Some places are like people. Some 'shine' and some don't. When something happens, things can leave a trace of itself behind. I think a lot of things happened right here in this particular hotel over the years. And not all of 'em was good." - Dick Hallorann, The Shining

"Do you believe in ghosts?"
I nearly dropped the book, startled by the worn, raspy voice of the restaurant hostess. From behind the podium just a few feet from where I sat at the bar, she lowered her head gingerly, her brown eyes flashing above the edge of red trimmed glasses. Paula, as her name badge read, grinned widely. I found it unnerving.
"Oh, I'm sorry, honey," she sighed, pushing the glasses further up the bridge of her nose. She turned her attention back to the list of customer dinner reservations. "I didn't mean to scare you."
Paula looked up again, leaned forward and winked.
"That's the Stanley's job."
I winced, closed the book and laid it on the bar. Glancing at the hardcover, I caught the image of ghostly eyes peering through the clouds that now seemed to bore right into me. I sipped my beer - Redrum ale, no less - and pushed the book away, flipping it over.
Unconsciously, I flinched again.

This place is eerie
Though blessed with old world charm in a majestic setting against the rocky mountains, the hotel does have its creepy factor. The spiraling staircase. The long corridrors. Those creaking noises in the night. I understand how this place inspired Stephen King to write "The Shining" during a mini-vacation here.

Room 217
The Kings almost weren't able to check in. The hotel was closing for the off season the next day and the credit card slips had already been packed away when the Kings rolled in. They ended up the only two guests in the hotel that night, checking into room 217, rumored to be haunted by a chambermaid who had served the hotel's namesake's family most of her life and reportedly packed away King's clothes in the drawers as he and his wife went for a walk. King immortalized her in his novel as the terrifying "dead woman in the bathtub."

Placing my hand on the door where my favorite author stayed, I felt star struck. And a tad nervous. Though I felt no presence or saw anything out of the ordinary, I wondered how King felt staying there, especially after waking up screaming from a nightmare where a fire hose was chasing his children down the hallway. While filming "Dumb and Dumber" there, Jim Carrey lasted only a few hours in the room before calling for his chauffer to drive him to another hotel to stay. He has refused to talk about the Stanley. What scared him so bad?

The orbs are everywhere
Exploring the fourth floor, formerly the servant's quarters, provided the chills I had hoped to find. Paranormal activity is quite active here with the sound of children playing in the halls when none are present. I didn't hear them, but I did capture these images of orbs floating on that floor, on the staircase leading to it and all over the place in the ballroom.
Orbs are believed to be floating bubbles of energy and proof of the human soul. Sometimes, you can even see faces in the orbs. Sure, they could also be dirty lens or kicked up dust. But where's the fun in that?

When I magnified the orb in the ballroom photo, the image of a human face is distinctly clear. Flora Stanley, wife of the hotel's namesake F.O. Stanley, is said to haunt the ballroom and play the piano. The orb is right above the piano keyboards.

Things that go bump in the night
I’m certifiably insane.
The sun set hours ago, draping much of the grounds in darkness save for the rays emanating from the lamps within the hotel.
In the small hotel room on the third floor that I’ve staked as mine, however, light is in short supply. Brightening the four corners are only the moving images across the television screen.
“My girls, sir,” the caretaker in the movie droned to Jack Nicholson. “They didn’t like the Overlook at first. One of them tried to burn it down. But I ‘corrected them’, sir. And when my wife tried to prevent me from doing my duty, I ‘corrected’ her.”
The Shining is on TV. And I’m alone with my imagination and the image of “those girls.” Jesus, those ghostly images are scary. More than once as I turned a corner in the hotel, I expected to see them standing there staring at me, chillingly taunting me with pleas of “Come play with us … forever.”
This what crazy people do, right?
I slept with the lights on that night. In full sweats with shoes near the door … just in case. I'd hear a creak every now and then and without thinking, buried myself further under the covers. Probably just the age of the building venting.
Probably. Maybe.
I awoke early the next morning, packed my items into the duffel bag and scanned the room as I opened the door. I wasn't thinking so much of what I was potentially leaving behind. But rather, what was I taking with me?
Another chill. Then I closed the door.

LiveStrong Seattle. Two rides down, two to go.

The downtown Seattle street lies empty; nothing between me and the towering Space Needle that marks the end of the latest peg of my journey to make a difference.

It wasn't an easy 45-miles to complete. Despite having a nickname like the "the Emerald City" because of the lush evergreen trees in the surrounding area, I saw more hills of the concrete kind than I expected. Pushing my way up those streets and taking the steep declines sparked visions of San Francisco. And being on an unfamiliar bike certainly didn't help. But then, this is a "Challenge." If it wasn't difficult, what would be the point? And there was plenty of wonderful scenery along the way as we cruised by the waterfronts, the grey and cloudy skies of the early morning keeping the riders bristling in the crisp air.

I rode with cancer survivors, their family and friends and people carrying the memory of their loved ones with each turn of the wheel. We talked at rest stops and on the streets as we pedaled the course, each enthusiastically sharing their reasons for riding. It was easy to be touched by their stories.

So I finished the Seattle LiveStrong ride, bringing me two steps closer to crossing off one more item: Completing all four LiveStrong Challenges. Philadelphia and Austin will have to wait until 2010, but for now, I can bask in the enjoyment of a truly memorable trip.

And the list goes on ...

I've come to the conclusion that my Bucket List will never be completed. There always seems to be something new that pops into my head; Events that need attending, challenges that must be met, fears that need conquering, people whose hand I must shake and sights that have to be seen with my own eyes. Putting a lot on my plate? I'm just gettin' started!

Learn to swing dance
I see them just about everytime I check out an art and wine festival.
They're the retro cool cats in their vintage 1930s and 40s get-ups, energetically dancing on air while lifting and swinging their partner. People stare and openly wish they could dance like that. I say, "Phfft" to staying on the sidelines. Where do I sign up?










See a show on Broadway.
I've seen a lot of the traveling big shows - Wicked, The Lion King and Phantom, to name a few - but there's got to be something special about seeing the show from one of the best venues in the world.











Tell her. Consequences be damned.
It all comes down to one question. Is it worth the risk?








Take the "Tommyknockers Tour" in Bangor, Maine.
Let's take our imagination to a much darker place. This tour is about visiting the spots that inspired many of the characters and scenes in horror meister Stephen King's novels and stories. From paying respects at Mount Hope Cemetery, the graveyard in “Pet Sematary" to standing before the giant Paul Bunyan statue that came to life in "It," this literary tour is a King's fan dream .. or nightmare .. come true.













Meet Stephen King
Ok, so I've made plans to visit the Stanley Hotel and tracked down a literary tour of his works. But why stop there? I was fortunate enough to meet another of my favorite writers, science fiction master Ray Bradbury, during a journalism conference. But tracking King down will be an adventure in itself. His lectures or book signings go largely unadvertised outside the local community to keep pandemonium by his rabid fans from erupting. But oh for the chance to just ask him, "What the hell goes on in that mind of yours, dude??"











Drive Austrailia's Great Ocean Road
There's nothing like driving down a highway that hugs a coastline and Austrailia surely has one of the best in the world. With little towns and incredible rock formations like the "12 Apostles" along the route, this road offers breathtaking and memorable views. It's one those places I think has to be seen to be believed. Speaking of which ...












Get to Easter Island and solve the mystery of the giant stone heads
I was in elementary school when I first read about the giant monoliths and I was enthralled with the stories of how they got there and who - or what - built them. Aliens? Whoa, how cool. As an adult, I'm still fascinated by this finalist for one of the Seven Wonders of the World.











Explore Brazil
Speaking of the Wonders, who wouldn't be captivated by the sight of the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro? Probably there to forgive all the debauchery that goes on during Carnival!










Take part in La Tomatina in Spain
Spending the morning enjoying pitchers of Sangria, toasting friends and enjoying the warming Spanish sun dressed in the whitest of whites. After heading to the city's central street, someone climbs a greased flag pole, removes a large ham from the top and it's time to cream someone with slightly overripe, squished tomatoes! It's the end of the growing season and millions of pounds of surplus tomatoes are poured into the city streets. Do I have what it takes to survive this food fight?











Cheer on the cyclists at the Tour de France
Pedal power! The Tour has become an annual must-see event for me on television. And watching the Amgen Tour of California live gives me some idea of what it must be like to see this live. But, nah. There's nothing like the real thing!










Join a Dragon Boat racing team
I've been a part of cross country, soccer, softball and cycling teams. How about something completely different? Setting aside any trepidation of being out in open water will be a big accomplishment, but so will undertaking an intense new sport.










Enlist with the Golden Gate Garrison
I saw how giddy my nephew got when meeting one of the stormtroopers at a comic book convention. And then the trooper told me how they spend much of their time doing charity events and bringing smiles to sick kids. Awesome. So when my nephew asked if we could join the Garrison together when he got older, I promised him we would. After all, the Force is strong within us.

Showing up in full costume at a comic book convention. Check!

Now I know what a celebrity must feel like. The constant attention. The repeated requests to take pictures alongside you. Children coming up to you tentatively but with big smiles on their faces. This was my first intro to a comic book convention as a costumed character. And all I can say is: Way cool, man.

My day as the Joker at Super-Con was a blast, made possible only with my sidekick, Vivian, accompanying me. For nearly three hours, we walked around the hall of the San Jose Convention Center, glancing at comic books, talking with celebrities like Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go's, taking photos and videos with other costumed fans and interacting with different people of all ages. We'd just gotten in the door when a convention official ran up and told us we absolutely had to be in the costume contest later that day. If not for other commitments, we would've stayed. And you know, I've no doubt we would have won!

All day long, fans approached us and heaped praise on the costuming. More than one featured artist, guys who draw comics for a living, told V she was the best Harley Quinn they'd ever seen. I'm so proud. One writer pitching his new comic, asked us to pose with his book as a way for him to market it. He's putting us on his Web site!

Another artist caricatured us in anime form. The finished product is amazing! He's an art student at San Francisco State University and teaches on the side. Never was a big fan of caricatures, like the ones you'll see at a lot of tourist spots, but this was something a lot cooler. Now there's copies on my frig and in my office.

Aside from checking out some of the collectibles, people come to see the costumes, like the stormtrooper from the Golden Gate Garrison,

Wolverine,

And some twisted versions of Captain America. Boy, I feel safer already, don't you?

Meeting Margot Kidder, who portrayed Lois Lane in the Superman movies with Christopher Reeve was a pretty starstruck moment for us. She commented on Heath Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight and in talking with her more the next day, she really had great words to say about Reeve, leaving no doubt he truly was an amazing person. You'd think this would be the highlight of the day. But you know...

.. the real fun for me was putting some smile's on kid's faces. And that, everyone, is no joke.

It is to laugh ...

This is Vivian. And in just a few hours, she's going to join me in crossing the line that seperates us relatively cool kids from the world of full blown geekdom.



We've scoured the Web to purchase costumes, makeup and props. We've fine tuned our annunciations and mannerisms. Come Saturday, we'll shed our coolness to become the Joker and Harley Quinn at the San Jose Super-Con.

We're both a little nervous on this day before the big convention. I've got a pretty good idea of what to expect, having gone to Wonder Con earlier this year. But I really don't think V has any idea of what's in store and especially how popular her character is going to be with the boys. Ha, ha, ha! THAT will be fun to watch, my friends.

To help work out the kinks and judge how much time getting this makeup on would take, we did a dry run at her condo that was just plain hilarious. She pulls the costume out of the box, and though I've been sufficiently prepared for the sleekness of it, I'm still blown away by how, well, tight and form fitting it looks. I can only laugh as she ponders how in the heck she's going to raise her arms or bend over to tighten her boots.


The real giggles come when she begins to apply our white and black face paint. A one-time makeup artist for a haunted house, Vivian knows what she's doing. She carefully applies my makeup to match those of the guy appearing in The Joker Blogs, a popular series on You Tube that traces the Joker's seduction of his therapist - Harleen Quinzell - and subsequent descent of the doctor to insansity as she becomes Harley Quinn.

Wow, I sounded like a nerd just then. The change is happening already! Anyway, Vivian comments how unrecognizable I am. Perfect. But her makeup and voice is beyond accurate. She has everything about the character down to a pat. I am put to shame! She even put together a script to read when people come up to her!


OK, so maybe we're both a little nerdy to begin with. Any wonder why being around her is always such a blast? I really don't think there's anyone who would jump at the chance to do this. Vivian doesn't even read comic books! But she's got a great sense of adventure and silliness. So for that, I couldn't have found a better "partner-in-crime," if you will, for this escapade. V, you rock!

So we're off to the convention. Crossing the first item off my list is at hand. And by the way. Do you want to know how we got these scars?

Oh, yeah, can't forget these things ...

The continuation of my previous list. I had a feeling it was going to grow. It's part of my longevity strategy. I figure the more I add on, the longer I'll have to stick around to complete it!

Take part in the annual Big Wheel Race in San Francisco: I loved my Big Wheel when I was a kid. And every Easter, other high speed lovers take to Lombard Street with their favorite childhood machine and race down the twisted course. This is how you spell fun.

Be part of a flash mob: If it wasn't for the February rainstorm, this item would've been crossed off the list with the San Francisco Valentines Day Pillow Fight 2009. Hopefully, it will still be around next year, though I've heard because of the cleanup needed due to the rain and all those wet feathers, the city may clamp down on the organizers ... if they can find them.

Learn to play Taiko: The first time I saw Taiko, I knew this was something I wanted to try. As a kid, I used to take two pencils, turn up the music real loud and start drumming away to the beat on my legs. I wore numerous pencils down and reddened my legs plenty. Let's see if I still got the beat.

Witness a space shuttle launch: Can't get much closer to science fiction coming true than watching Earth fire something off into space. Though NASA has done this so many times that we've become largely immune to the magnitude of know-how, I'm still amazed and in awe of how far man has come in the realm of technology.

Visit the Sapporo Ice Festival in Japan: Now these structures are truly amazing. Every winter, about two million people come to Sapporo to see the hundreds of beautiful snow statues and ice sculptures. It's a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow.

Swim with dolphins: Always loved dolphins. Deep water, mm, not so much. So doing this would take care of two goals, interacting up close with wildlife and gettin' rid of that water phobia!

Visit Loch Ness and search for Nessie:

You look at me as if it's not possible there's a million year old dinosaur species living in a lake. Hey, they proved Bigfoot was real! Oh wait, that was a rubber suit. Um, never mind.

Work with cancer patients: I've always had a volunteer spirit, but ever since losing my mom to pancreatice cancer last year, I've felt the need to reach out to those diagnosed with this terrible disease. I've contacted the American Cancer Society about driving patients to and from their treatments and there's the possibility of working as a counselor with Camp Okizu which works with kids who have cancer. Hopefully, one of those can come through.

Complete all four LiveStrong Challenges: San Jose's done and Seattle will be in the books after June, leaving Austin and Philadelphia to close out this series. Just my way of picking a fight with cancer!

Attend a Super Bowl: The closest I've gotten to a title game was the AFC Championship when the Raiders beat up the Tennessee Titans to get to the Bowl. I'll always regret not joining my buddy, Roger, on a San Diego road trip to try and score tickets to the big game. He got in. I'd only want to attend a Bowl if the Raiders were playing in it again, but that might be the least accessible of all my goals since we're still hurtin' from the ass whoopin' we got. Oh well. I can dream can't I?

Go to Wrestlemania: Sigh. Will I ever see a classic scientific match and feud again like the one waged between Rick Steamboat and Randy Savage? Probably not. Wrestling is crap today, without the drama and pure athletic skill that drew me in when I was in school. All the big fueds were settled at Wrestlemania, the Super Bowl of the business. And while I don't watch it anymore, going would be a nice nod to the past. Oh yeaaahhhh, dig it!

Meet Nature Boy Ric Flair: The greatest professional wrestler of all time. I've met two of my favorites already in Rowdy Roddy Piper and Stone Cold Steve Austin, but meeting Flair would be the pinnacle. Just want to share a "Woooo!" with the dirtiest player in the game.





Meet Kikaida: I was watching anime before anime was cool. I used to watch this Japanese superhero on TV RELIGOUSLY. Friends and I would act out the fight scenes on the schoolyard, which explains why I was such a hit with the girls back then. Now I find out he's still HUGE in Hawaii, with an annual festival centered around him. Crazy. Even the original stars come out for it, presenting a unique opportunity to meet these guys and reconnect with my childhood.

Let's get things started

I've had ideas brewing in my head for some time of things I want to get done. Thankfully, I'm in a position where some of these things aren't as out of reach as I once thought, so I better get rollin'! I pared down the original list just so it's not so overwhelming and will post the other goals later. A lot of these and future aspirations aren't exactly earth shattering or life changing, but I'm sure going to have a good time trying to do them! So here we go, in no particular order ...

Take a Greek mythology tour. In Greece.
I've always been fascinated by the stories of monsters, villains and heroes. Beside being just plain fun to read, understanding these myths opens the door to understanding the allusions to these ancient Greek stories in modern language, poetry, literature and pop culture.

Visit Colorado's Stanley Hotel, Stephen King's inspiration for "The Shining."

Now THIS is a real haunted house. King wrote half of his novel in Room 217 and the hotel was actually used in the TV mini-series adaptation, which I found to be truer to the novel than Stanley Kubrick's version featuring Jack Nicholson. The entire fourth floor, formerly the servants quarters, is reportedly quite active with ghosts. Often, the sound of children playing in the halls of the Stanley can be heard, even when no children are present. REDRUM!

Show up at a comic book convention in full costume.

At what point did I become a geek? I used to laugh at Trekkies as they paraded around conventions garbed in full Klingon wear and make-up. But after attending my first comic book convention and seeing all the amazing costumes and the amount of fun they were having, I thought, "Why not?" I have a pretty cool Joker costume from Halloween that grabbed a lot of attention and photo requests so I might as well continue to put it to good use! But, you know, I still think creating your own alien language is a bit much.

Learn to change a flat and make the switch to clips so I can be a real cyclist. It's incomprehensible and downright embarassing that I have yet to change a tire on my bike. Knock on wood, I've never had a flat since I really started riding in 2006. But I'm a nail away from being stuck in the middle of nowhere unless I get this "must know" skill down pat. And yeah, graduating from the cages would be nice too.

Learn to play the ukulele.
OK, so everyone knows I'm obsessed with all things Hawaiian, more so its music, which has at its heart this tiny guitar. I had my first lesson in Oahu two years ago, but still have a ways to go before I can master it. I can already see myself strumming on the beach.

Bike ride the Tuscan coast
What better way to see this side of Italy than from the saddle of bicycle? Tuscany is a land of cyclists, home to such legends as Bartoli, Bettini and Cipollini. It's mostly hilly, with plains concetrated along the rivers and coast. Wherever you pedal, you're likely to cross paths with other two-wheeled affecionados.

Do a dinosaur expedition.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a paleontologist. Heck, I think I was the only the fourth-grader who could even say that word! Everybody digs dinos. Now I want to do it literally. Hey, maybe I'll discover some new kind of species that will make me famous and worth oodles of cash.

Climb the Torre Degli Asinelli in Bologna, Italy
An iconic symbol in the traditional history of my fraternity, the 318-foot high tower (on right) that seems to pierce the sky is one of the most visited and revered sites for Kappa Sigmas all over the world.

Snowboard Whistler
I'm not the greatest at it. And I'm pretty dang slow gettin' down the mountain. But that hasn't stopped me from snowboarding as much as I can. Whistler, Canada is recognized as one of the best places in the world for snow activities. I was all set to go one year until a cycling injury forced me to cancel my trip. My board has never forgiven me and it's still sad.

Recite the star and crescent at 46 East Lawn.
The address is on the grounds of the University of Virginia and was the room where five friends and brothers founded the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. It's obvious the order still means a lot to me, as do the friendships I have to this day from it and the experiences that have helped mold me. Being able to recite what's essentially the creed at its founding would be neat.

See the Hawaii Warriors play at Aloha Stadium

Again, that Hawaii thing. Plus, I'm a huge college football fan. Started following the Warriors about five years ago when I saw their wide open offense for the first time, which made for some great football. And then, of course, there's the Haka!

Visit the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C.

My dad, a Korea War vet, always wanted to see this, but a fear of flying kept him away. I had promised to somehow get him there, but it's the one vow I couldn't fulfill for him before he passed away five years ago. I hope to go and lay a photo of him at the memorial because he was so proud to have been a veteran for this country.