Draculla

Dracula's Castle' Up for Sale in Transylvania

Monday, July 02, 2007

BUCHAREST, Romania — A Habsburg heir is hoping someone will take a bite of his offer Monday to sell "Dracula's Castle" in Transylvania.

The medieval Bran Castle, perched on a cliff near Brasov in mountainous central Romania, is a top tourist attraction because of its ties to Prince Vlad the Impaler, the warlord whose cruelty inspired Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, "Dracula."

Legend has it that the ruthless Vlad — who earned his nickname because of the way he tortured his enemies — spent one night in the 1400s at the castle.

The Habsburgs formally put the Bran Castle on the market Monday, a U.S.-based investment company said. No selling price was announced.

Bran Castle was built in the 14th century to serve as a fortress to protect against the invading Ottoman Turks. The royal family moved into the castle in the 1920s, living there until the communist regime confiscated it from Princess Ileana in 1948.

After being restored in the late 1980s and following the end of communist rule in Romania, it gained popularity as a tourist attraction known as "Dracula's Castle."

In May 2006, the castle was returned to Princess Ileana's son, New York architect Archduke Dominic Habsburg. He pledged to keep it open as a museum until 2009.

Habsburg, 69, offered to sell the castle last year to local authorities for $80 million, but the offer was rejected.

On Monday, he put the castle up for sale "to the right purchaser under the right circumstances," said Michael Gardner, chief executive of Baytree Capital, the company representing Habsburg. "The Habsburgs are not in the business of managing a museum."

He predicted the castle would sell for more than $135 million but added that Habsburg will only sell it to a buyer "who will treat the property and its history with appropriate respect."

Habsburg said in a statement: "Aside from the castle's connection to one of the most famous novels ever written, Bran Castle is steeped in critical events of European history dating from the 14th century to the present."

According to a contract signed when the castle was returned, the government pays rent to Habsburg to run the castle as a museum, charging admission.

The government has priority as a buyer if it can match the best offer for the castle, he said.

Opposition lawmakers have claimed the government's decision to return the castle to Habsburg was illegal because of procedural errors.

In recent years, the castle — complete with occasional glimpses of bats flying around its ramparts at twilight — has attracted filmmakers looking for a dramatic backdrop for films about Dracula and other horror movies.

Some 450,000 people visit the castle every year, Gardner said.

Bomba: old school with a kick

its a realy great energy drink. Caution though, the official site looks like a porn site till you load it. Not quite sure what two naked people climbing over each other has to do with energy drinks. Its old school, and not as powerfull as red bull or any of the new stuff, hence it doesnt wire you up as hard as the new stuff. Just got lots in at the store. Basking in Bomba.

Being somethone worth waiting for

Be afraid. Be very very very afraid. You are about to experience some bad prose. Written late at night, or if you prefer, early in the morning. I woke up to use the restroom. Something a friend said stuck in my mind. Oh ya, if you ever need a good ego boost, hang out with friends from highschool. You may not make the life choices ( not needling my mother here at all, nope) your parents would like, but at least you didnt sleep with your girlfriend, and dont get smashed on the weekends, and dont do the whole one night stand thing with anything that wears a skirt.

Being someone worth waiting for: Composed in the basement, 2:40 am.

It was a friend of mine that coined the term-
he was using it as an excuse for the way he was living-
Saying that if he had a good christian gil-
He wouldnt be doing the stuff he was doing-
and while he was just making an excuse, to make himself feel better-
(cause his mom had certainly taught him better)
It was a good point, one i'd never thoughtabout before-
Not gonna lie, I've thought about sex and there's times it would have been easey-
It never happened, we claimed beliefs and ideas kept us safe-
But sometimes it felt a whole hell lot more like being afraid of consiquences-
It's never easy to wait, if they say it is-
Thier lieing.
But-
to change the way i live-
to live the way i think-
to ask God-
to let God-
make me be someone worth waiting for-
that would be somethin', wouldnt it?
(ps that last lines a statement, not a question)

Updates Updates

So i'm sitting here at the old desk waiting for a call, then i can leave. I figured it was a good time to update the old blog. Well, not much to update. Nothing much is happening. Army friends not here till 1 of july, which also happens to be the day my best friend is getting married. Other than that its been a typical summer, work, mow the lawn, do stuff. Kinda boring.

well well, another forward

so i got on one of my teachers forewearding lists. Just a snippet from the latest:A bill in Congress makes it a crime for pastors and churches to speak against homosexuality.
and it encourages me to pass it on so people can fight to preserve our "freedom". Dont recall the early christian doing that, calling up thier local senator, telling him to get on his chariot and make a mad dash for the forum to stop the "Lets throw christians to the lions " bill. I would bet money its a urban legand. I'm sick of people thinking we have to go out and fight stuff, that gosh you have to protect your rights. All i've got to say, i'm not afraid, and bring it freakin'n on. Lets stop being pansy's, gov does not define morals, marriage, what i beleave. they want to make it a law that i cant say what i beleave. Throw me in jail.

moods and music

some interesting thoughts and some music. My life has a soundtrack.
"Surrender"

My hands hold safly to my dreams
Clutching tightly not one has fallen
So many years I've shaped each one
Reflecting my heart showing who I am
Now you're asking me to show
What I'm holding oh so tightly
Can't open my hands can't let go
Does it matter?
Should I show you?
Can't you let me go?

Surrender, surrender you whisper gently
You say I will be free
I know but can't you see?
My dreams are me. My dreams are me

You say you have a plan for me
And that you want the best for my life
Told me the world had yet to see
What you can do with one
That's committed to Your calling
I know of course what I should do
That I can't hold these dreams forever
If I give them now to You
Will You take them away forever?
Or can I dream again?
"Mirror"

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me

You don't define me, you don't define me

great song

heard it on the radio this morning. its sad, but it made me happy. go figure.

The Last Night Lyrics

You come to me with your scars on your wrist
You tell me this will be the last night feeling like this
I just came to say goodbye
I didn't want you to see me cry, I'm fine
But I know it's a lie

This is the last night you'll spend alone
Look me in the eyes so I know you know
I'm everywhere you want me to be
The last night you'll spend alone
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go
I'm everything you need me to be

Your parents say everything is your fault
But they don't know you like I know you
They don't know you at all
I'm so sick of when they say
It's just a phase, you'll be o.k. you're fine
But I know it's a lie

This is the last night you'll spend alone
Look me in the eyes so I know you know
I'm everwhere you want me to be
The last night you'll spend alone
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go
I'm everything you need me to be
The last night away from me

The night is so long when everything's wrong
If you give me your hand
I will help you hold on
Tonight, tonight

This is the last night you'll spend alone
Look me in the eyes so I know you know
I'm everwhere you want me to be
The last night you'll spend alone
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go
I'm everything you need me to be

I won't let you say goodbye
And I'll be your reason why
The last night away from me
Away from me

corection:i'm single

the wording would have been better, a girlfriend. figured a post is better than just fixing the origanal post, cause i dont know how many of you have read the origanal already.

things you should never tell woman

Like, hey my best friend i've known all my life, whose wedding i'm the best man in, is more important than you. So it wasnt that blunt. but it was kinda blunt. this is the second time i've had to do this. funny thing is this time it wasnt to my girlfriend it was to the former. whom i've known six monthes. she wasnt happy. ah well. not sure i care. Dont quote me on that.

Friends dont let friends date friends

A truer word has never been spocken. Or words. Anywho, having a good day. Being mildly outgoing and talking to this chick at work. We both snowboard, not sure if that subject can last the day, but heck, i only have to make it to 4:30. Might go see shrek together. so far the only person who actualy wants to see the movie that i know. Could be fun. Could be disastoruous. anywho, facebook awaits.

some randome thoughts

So i start work tomorrow. not incredably excited. It does mean i have highspeed internets more or less from 8:30-5:30. It also means that i get to mop floors, clean up spills, clean cans. Whoop te do. But it pays the bills. the bills need to be paid. indeedy do. well anywho. thinkin' about life. not much goin on. bored. can think of anything to type. going...somewere else.

Ahem, not sure what to post

cool song. dig it alot.
"Yours To Hold"

I see you standing here
But you're so far away
Starving for your attention
You don't even know my name

You're going through so much
But I know that I could be the one to hold you

[Chorus:]
Every single day
I find it hard to say
I could be yours alone
You will see someday
That all along the way
I was yours to hold
I was yours to hold

I see you walking by
Your hair always hiding your face
I wonder why you've been hurting
I wish I had some way to say

You're going through so much
Don't you know that I will be the one to hold you

[Bridge:]
I'm stretching but you're just out of reach
You should know
I'm ready when you're ready for me
And I'm waiting for the right time
For the day I catch your eye
To let you know
That I'm yours to hold

[Altro:]
I'm stretching but you're just out of reach
I'm ready when you're ready for me

My kick butt day

So in case you havent notticed, i've beeen having a sucky couple weeks. Today i think i've turned the corner from the she left me blues. no promises emo me wont be back every now and again ( last girlfriend it took me round about christmas to get over the whole break up thing), but we're clear for awhile hopefully. I had a freakin' amazing day.
1. Comotose. I dont know if you have had a piece of music transform before your eyes to something different, something, better. It'd been my new favorite sad bastard music to listen to. Then this morning, it transformed itself to a get off your ass and get moving sort of thing. Made me happy. Really cool cd. everyone should go out and buy it.
2. I wore a suit coat. Suit coats make me happy. Suit coats also make me hot. "nuff said.
3. Spent the day withe the R.O.H ( responsible other half). My cousin. best friends for well, a bazillion years. Ate at the three tomatoes, which is an amazingly cool, Italian eatery. Nothing makes me happier than great food with unpronounceable names, or with simple names like Sicilian chicken, nothing like chicken that will mug you if you don't eat it quick. I didnt have chicken, i had some sort of tomatoe/portabello mushroom panini sandwich that was amazing.
4. The Army Dude called last night. Friend in army, going to iraq. had a long talk, very excited he's coming home.
5.Bought the essential billy joel. great music, sing me a song mister piano man...

Comotose by Skillet

Very cool. Probably the most interesting bit of music released by a Christian artist well, since switchfoot came out with their new cd. Very very amazing. Also very very depressing. Makes a guy remember all the girls he's dated, the fun times, the sad times, and well just feel lonely as heck. So thats basicaly my mood right now. Lonely. which of course the fact that i cant stop listening to it. Wahhhhhhhhhhhh....brent is single. Oh and i shaved my head. not feeling emo at all right now. Nope. think i'll go cry in the corner. At least my since of irony is still with me, and i'm laughing at myself.

belated b-day party

So we couldn't celibrate my b-day in oklahoma, so we had the party today. Food was...amazing. pie was great ( coffee, brewed by myself, was pretty dang good as well). Presents were also pretty tasty. Scored some sweat shirts. expanding my wardrobe also makes me happy. got some cash from the ragester which expands my buying power, er, i mean savings, yes thats what i mean. Got some pretty sweat floor mats to. Thinking about painting the old car white, doing the inside in black. We'll see. Have to work out the logistics of painting it myself, figure that works better with ground effects if i every get the money to purchase, well have some internets searching to do.

summer goals revised

think i'd date just not to be bored, going out of my mind. boredddddddddddddddddd

oh yes, update on my emo self ( or hair)

i cut my hair cause i was bored, then i died it. Black. Inspiration: that really cool scene from the Bourne identity were he dies her hair, black. Anywho thought a couple people will flip. Should be good times. Yay for me.

My Goals for the summer

1. Gain 20 pounds. Actually its probably more like 25. I'm roundaboutish 155 right now. soccer i made it to 160, would really like to be 180. A fit 180.
2. read lots. have an amazing reading list. gonna be freakin sweet.
3. make money. always a must
4. volunteer at the homeless shelter, hopefully, but have to see what the job does before i can give them hours to be there.
5. Date someone. Date here being Brentish for hey lets do stuff together, get to know each other and if we click we do, and if we don't, then thats cool to. Have a friend coming home from college here in a couple weeks ( a her). anywho, moving on.
Ridding a blue funk right now, wrote some crappy poetry was going to post, but lost the urge. Well other spheres of postage await me and my mad writing skills.

Emo times for all

Miss having someone to hold. Badly. Know that i just have to keep being stubborn, pretend everything is ok and it will eventually not be that bad. Time , its all i need. this sucks.

my bleeding heart

Ok, so i'm feeling sort of emo right now. Dont worry, in a moment or two i'll be playing ps2 games and watching 24 and it will all go away and i'll be back to my normal angst ridden cynical self. Frankly i'm missing having someone beside me. Some one thats just mine. On the same token i'm kinda enjoying the carefree responsibility freeness of being able to flirt and move on. Smile, make eye contact then move on, never meet, never have to pay attention, fix problems and communicate with. On the other hand, not sure i'm diggin' on the whole limitation thing. I sort of want possibilities. You know, nothing dead set, just see how the relationship goes. Think i've been aproaching every relationship i've been in with the idea that it must end, so why not get it over with? the ex was going to pr, the former was going to be a million miles away, bound to break up so lets do that, take control, make the decisions. Kinda would like to just see were things go. You know, no have to do the whole relationship thing, but can if we both want to, no breaking up cause of distance. But then dont think i'm ready for any new person in my life. It'd probably be just a way to forget the former. Its that probably thats getting me, the forever what if that haunts my footsteps. Well enough, here's a great song.
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams"

I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
and I'm the only one and I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line
Of the edge and where I walk alone

Read between the lines
What's messed up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah
Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I walk alone
I walk a...

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone...