About me. My Kingdom of Jubilee.
LOOKS LIKE MY PIXS ARE DOWN. I'LL GET THEM UP ASAP!
Hi I'm V'lé Onica. Nickname, Vamps.
I was born July 9th, 1957
in Santa Monica, California USofA.
I am recently wed (May 17th, 2005). Previously divorced, twice & have two children, over 21 & am a teetotalling, non-smoker.
My hobbies are target shooting, crafts & vamping music. I'm a dead shot at 50 yards with a pistol. I enjoy most crafts which allow total creativity. I love clothing from the 1750's, the mid to late 1800's and the 1940's. I also enjoy fishing, but alas I never seem to be able to go. I love to rearrange music "eclectic éclat" using a variety of classical, movie scores & sound effects to create a new piece of music, hence my nickname, Vamps. The more familiar definition of the word vamp, does not apply to me. I'm a little eccentric, according to my sister-in-law Flo & flamboyant, according to my daughter Katrina, though I can't imagine why they think so.
In 1997 I was compelled to move to Ireland and did just that in August 2002. I sold my horses & car, packed my things, loaded the rental car & drove leisurely to New York. With my boat ticket in hand I hopped aboard the Cruise Ship "Queen Elizabeth II", (though not a tall ship, as I had hoped to travel, it was a pleasant trip) I traveled on the 2nd leg of my journey via train from England to S. Wales, where I was beset upon my a magical feeling, tho' carried on to my next part of the journey, being a huge ferry to Ireland, landing in Rosslare, County Wexford. From there it was back onto another train to Sligo by way of Dublin. The countryside is absolutely breathtaking. The water and sky are as rich a blue and the land is as green as one could imagine, but this, it seems, was only a temporary placement for I found that place where I truly belong, which is Pembrokeshire County, Wales. In 2005, it's presently 2009, my husband & I moved to Arizona, onto my property, in order to fix it up, sell it & return to where I belong, but the economy, being in the gutter, has thwarted my desires for the time being. I, however, am not so easily shot down. Just 2 days ago (May 29th,) I took in trade for a down payment, a very nice, 34' foot Motorhome, & as soon I regroup I'll be departing for greener pastures, both figuratively & literally. First to the Ozarks, then to Florida & onto a ship bound for Portugal or Spain. Next by land back to my beloved Wales. From there I shall travel about all I can. My hubby can work place to place & then perhaps I can relax & write Treasure Trove. It BTW is, that's right you guessed it, the 3rd in the trilogy. Captain Roberts told me several years ago that he made a trip to Laguna Beach, CA. When I investigated I discovered that there was indeed a period of about 3 months when no news of him was heard. This coincided with the time this venture was supposed to have taken place, & if you have read my books you know I investigate every detail.
Wish me luck on my return to Wales, however, as much as I love Wales, if I could live aboard a tall ship, I would.
More about me: I have spent my life around horses & am adept in all disciplines of riding, training & instruction. I have for the most part given up my life's vocation since moving from the U.S. of A.
My favorite colors are Pink & Crimson.
I am a strick teetotaler and being allergic, I can not be around those who smoke.
My favorite food. Hmmm... Well considering I hate just about everything. My favorite meal is a Porterhouse steak, jumbo breaded shrimp with tartar sauce, corn on the cob, a baked potato with sour cream & butter, but then I have to watch my cholesterol. Fortunately I'm happy with a Chocolate shake, a Whopper & some fries.
My Pirate Site was created because they were fascinating people. Despite their sometimes ruthless & daring exploits, I'm in favor of their democratic ways, the ONLY true democracy in history. A few were honorable, men with a great deal of intelligence & cunning, the greatest of these is Captain Bartholomew Roberts. Several pirates were knighted, even though a couple of them were blaguards. Some were pardoned & most were very courageous. Within my pirate site is 'Swashbucklers Cove' which contains all the movies I could find, so they would be easy to find by others, who may, as did I at one time, not know the title of my favorite movie, which is 'Frenchman's Creek' (original version). I don't have any synopsis within this site but I do list the major star(s) which appeared. I plan to add books to this site soon. I love pirate movies. Errol Flynn & Douglas Fairbanks are my favorite Swashbucklers. The greatest and most successful was Captain Bartholomew Roberts and in the approximant 100 pages occupying Daniel Defoe's 800 page book, 'A General History of Pyrates,' and ne'er an unkind word written about this illustrious pirate, who was a true gentleman, howe'er I did note a twinge of jealousy. The definitive work is "That Great Pyrate" by Aubrey Burl.
Should we ever get fortunate enough to have a movie with Captain Bartholomew Roberts as the leading male character my choice to play him would be Johnny Depp. In numerous roles he has displayed a variety of talents making him the perfect, if not only, actor capable of playing the part. And it's only fitting that the sexiest fictional pirate alive play the part of the sexiest man who ever lived.
If such a movie had been made in the 40's, It would of had to of been the luscious Latin, Arturo de Córdova, who in makeup whilst playing the role of the French pirate in 'Frenchman's Creek' was not only the spiting image of the devastatingly handsome Captain Bartholomew Roberts, but the role proved him to be the the definitive choice.
Of a more recent vintage I love the movie Cutthroat Island. Geena Davies is one of the reasons for this I believe. Her portrayal of Morgan Roberts is the best female pirate I ever had the pleasure of watching. I would like to see more pirate adventures of this caliber with Geena Davies in the lead. I couple sequels to Cutthroat Island would be nice.
Playing: The "Moonlight Sonata". All three movements.
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827).
Brilliantly preformed here by a superb pianist, name unknown.
I'm sure most of us are familiar with the first movement. Sit back & enjoy the entire Sonata. You will be impressed.
The Moonlight Sonata ("Sonata Quasi Fantasie" - translation "Like a Fantasy") was my father's favorite piece of music & only piece of music I learned on the piano. We also had a big Wurlitzer organ which I liked to play (by ear). My father owned a 1907 Duo~Art, 5'4'' grand, reproducing piano. Not knowing how to read music, but desperately wanting to play my father's favorite, I learned the first movement by watching the keys go up & down. It took 3 months :-). I couldn't learn the run (about 3/4 thru) so my father taught me. My father passed away in 1977 & the last time I played the piece at his brothers (1992 or 3 after not playing it for years). My Uncle Chris remarked that I played it exactly as my father, right down to the way I curled my right pinky when not in use. I was honored for I knew my father was helping me. I have placed the Moonlight Sonata here (on this page) in honor of my father, ''Thank you, Daddy''.
I still can't read music, but I play by ear fairly well. Rick, my brother & my uncle Bob are the musical members of the family. My daughter, Trina, can pick just about any brass wind instrument & play it. I regret not being able to afford her instruction when she was a child. My brother writes some very nice keyboard pieces & even wrote a piece for Trina when she was born. My uncle Bob is very a talented pianist.
A player piano simply plays the music, but a reproducing piano recreates the piece as it was played by the pianist.
A sonata is a music composition of 3 or 4 movements differing in rhythm & mood but related in key.
Beethoven (born in Bonn, Germany into a musical family) wrote this sonata in 1802. It's interesting to note that he began to go deaf when he was only 30. Before his death he was recognized as the greatest composer of symphonies of all time.
