Not every woman who came through the Lady Hawke Gym had aspirations of a career as a professional wrestler. Some were curious. Some were serious about learning something new and unique. But many of the women who chose to become a part of the gym all agreed on one thing. It was an amazingly effective way to rid themselves of a lot of stress.
    Much like the women who've recently discovered the wonders of boxing work-outs, these women found spending time in the ring was just what they needed to leave a stressful day in the corporate bubble far behind them. Equally interesting was that not all the women at the gym were cute, fit 20 somethings.
    There were women ranging in age from eighteen to over fifty. Few considered themselves especially athletic and many had never before had an opportunity to be aggressive in any way to speak of. Following the program that begins almost at birth, they bought into the theory that it's "not ladylike" to be physical or in any way aggressive. As they embarked on an entirely new and unique experience, many discovered they were capable of far more than they realized. They discovered their strength, both physical AND mental. They found a comfortable kind of liberation. And they found themselves having fun. All stuff that gave them stress relief. Stress relief from a VERY different perspective.

You Are a Visionary Soul

You are a curious person, always in a state of awareness. Connected to all things spiritual, you are very connected to your soul. You are wise and bright: able to reason and be reasonable. Occasionally, you get quite depressed and have dark feelings. You have great vision and can be very insightful. In fact, you are often profound in a way that surprises yourself. Visionary souls like you can be the best type of friend. You are intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, and a good healer. Souls you are most compatible with: Old Soul and Peacemaker Soul

You Communicate With Your Ears

You love conversations, both as a listener and a talker. What people say is important to you, and you're often most affected by words, not actions. You love to hear complements from others. And when you're upset, you often talk to yourself. Music is very important to you. It's difficult to find you without your iPod.

    Giuseppe leaned across the table, his face inches from Dominic’s. “You got twenty-four hours, pissant. Capice? I either get my money or I get you. Gino and Aldo’s gonna be here same time tomorrow night. You be here with my money, or I’m gonna have a piece of your ass in a fancy urn on my god damn fireplace mantle.”
    Dominic stared at Guiseppe and nodded his head. “Don’t you worry. I’ll be here.”
    Guiseppe grinned and glanced up at Aldo. “Do I look worried?” Without another word he stood up, stared intently at Dominic and walked away, Gino and Aldo following close behind.     Dominic’s hand shook slightly as he swallowed the last of his drink and slammed the glass on the table. He was desperate. The money was gone. Dominic had no idea how to replace it, but knew if he hadn’t used it to cover his gambling debts he’d already be dead. At least this way he’d bought himself another day. It was the story of Dominic’s life, always one step ahead of serious trouble. He was a small-time hood who fancied himself a big-time gangster.
    Dominic’s mind was racing. He didn’t have enough time to set up a scam and he’d run out of sources to borrow from. A cloud of smoke belched from the rear of the Cadillac as Dominic stepped on the throttle and darted into traffic. There was only one thing to do. He’d have to hole up somewhere until he could make a plan. Dominic parked and walked up the steps to a dilapidated brown-stone. He pushed several buttons on the entry panel. A male voice anwered. “Yea, what is it?”
    “Got a delivery for ya.” Dominic grinned as the door latch released and he ran up the stairwell. He was amazed the scam still worked. Tracy’s apartment was on the fourth floor. He knocked loudly on the door, but there was no answer. He knocked again, but still no answer. Dominic fumbled in his pocket and unfolded his pen knife. A few minutes later he was inside Tracy’s apartment, sitting on her couch drinking a beer from her refrigerator. It was nearly midnight when Tracy returned home to find Dominic asleep on her couch, the television droning in the background. She nudged his shoulder. “Hey! Wake up, dammit!”
    Dominic roused himself and smiled. “Hi babe. Where ya been?”
    Tracy’s expression was sheer displeasure. “None of your god damn business! What’re you doing here?”
    “Aw c’mon, Tracy. I wanted to see you. It’s been awhile and I missed you.” Dominic hoped she believed him.
    “You’re as full of shit as a Christmas goose.” Tracy scowled. “I hope to Christ you don’t plan on staying here. My old man’s gonna be home day after tomorrow and he’s not gonna like finding you here.”
    “Hey! I’ll be gone before he gets in, I promise. I just need a place to stay tonight.”
    Tracy gave him a look of resignation. It was always hard for her to turn her back on Dominic. She wasn’t sure why. Turning him away would feel like running over a squirrel. She couldn’t do it. “Alright, you can stay. I’ll get you a blanket.”
    Dominic smiled and grabbed her hand. “I thought maybe I could slip into bed with you.”             “Hell yes! Just as soon as the moon falls into the god damn Atlantic. Meanwhile your ass is sleeping on the couch!”
    The sound of the phone ringing roused Dominic from a sound sleep. He lay still, debating whether to answer or not. He managed to outwait the caller and the phone ceased jangling. He lit a cigarette and sat up. The phone began ringing again. Dominic’s curiousity got the best of him and he answered. It was Tracy. “Dominic, I’ve gotta work a double shift today, so I’m not gonna be home until way late. When I do get home, I want your ass gone.”
    Dominic agreed and hung up the phone. He finished his cigarette and frantically thumbed through his address book. He dialed several numbers, but no one he spoke to was willing to put him up even for a few hours. Dominic considered leaving town. As he sat pondering his next move, Dominic spied a scrap of paper under the coffee table. It was a yellowed piece of paper. He picked it up and examined it. He wondered what the Hitchcock Railway was, figuring it was probably the name of a kid’s ride at the amusement park. He jammed it in his shirt pocket and wandered into the kitchen, pawing through the cupboards in search of something to eat.
    The afternoon wore on as Dominic passed the time watching soap operas and a show about cooking. He glanced at his watch and frowned. A sense of fear began to settle over him. He was sure Giuseppe would be pissed about now. Gino and Aldo were about to go looking for him. Dominic smiled, secure in the fact he was well enough hidden for now at least. He went to the kitchen for more coffee. As he poured himself another cup, there was a knock at the door. Dominic froze in place, barely breathing. There was another knock, louder than the first. Dominic eased toward the pantry, anxious to find someplace out of sight. He heard the lock rattle and the door opened. There was silence for a moment and then two sets of footsteps. Dominic was shaking with fright as he heard the footsteps coming closer. Suddenly Gino appeared in the pantry doorway. “Hey, Aldo! There’s a cockroach in the pantry.”
    Aldo stood behind Gino with a threatening expression on his face. “You got the money?”         Dominic was filled with terror. “How in the fuck did you guys know I was here? Did that bitch tell you?”
    Dominic never considered they might have followed him when he left the bar the night before. Neither Gino or Aldo spoke. Gino stepped toward Dominic and grabbed him by the arm throwing him face first against the wall. “I’m only gonna ask once more. You got the money?”     “No! No! I don’t have it yet, but I’m working on it. All I need’s another day.”
    Gino glanced at Aldo. “Did we hear him right? He don’t got the god damn money?”
    Aldo shrugged. “That’s a shame.” He grabbed Dominic and dragged him to the living room. Dominic was screaming loudly. Gino’s fist crashed into Dominic’s face and he fell backward onto the carpet, unconscious. Aldo opened the window, Gino picked Dominic up and the men dropped him out the open window, watching as the body hit the pavement with a sickening thud. The sound of screeching tires and frightened screams could be heard as the sight of Dominic’s lifeless body attracted attention from pedestrians and traffic passing by.
    Dominic shivered with fright as he peered in the windows of an abandoned train station. The sound of a long, lonesome train whistle in the distance attracted his attention. He ran to the end of the boarding platform and stared out into the distance. He saw a brown leather bag lying in the dirt near the tracks. He jumped down and retrieved it. Dominic’s eyes widened as he opened the bag and looked inside. "Sweet Jesus! There must be one hundred grand in here. Son of a bitch! Who says wishes don’t come true?"
    Dominic took the bag and climbed back onto the platform, pleased with his good fortune. He had no idea where he was. At least it was far away from Giuseppe and he had plenty of money. There was a loud noise coming closer. Dominic stared, as a sleek, black locomotive appeared, pulling seven railcars and a caboose. The locomotive looked like the ones he’d seen in his history books in school, except there was something eerie about this one. It was unnerving, but Dominic had little choice. Anywhere away from here was good enough for him. As the train came to a stop, a tall, elderly conductor stepped down onto the platform. He peered at Dominic and shouted. “All aboard!” Dominic took the bag and walked toward the rail car. The conductor stopped him. “Excuse me, sir. I need your boarding pass.”
    “I, uh, I’ve got it here somewhere.” Dominic was frantic. He had no idea what to do. As he nervously made a pretense of searching for his pass he came across the yellowed scrap of paper in his shirt pocket. He handed it to the conductor, not sure what would happen next. The conductor nodded and motioned up the steps. Dominic congratulated himself on his ability to run a scam. His good fortune was more than he could wish for. He took a seat and relaxed as he felt the train moving slowly down the track. The sway of the railcar and the steady rhythm of the wheels clicking along the track lulled Dominic to sleep.
    A loud voice roused Dominic awake. “Hey, buddy! Get a hotel room. You can’t be sleeping here.” Dominic squinted his eyes and looked up to see a burly beat cop standing over him. He rubbed his eyes and looked around with an expression of disorientation.
    “I’m sorry, sir. I’m not sure where I am.” The cop peered at him intently. “Get your ass off the bench and get moving or I’m gonna run you in!”
    Dominic grabbed his bag and hurried down the street. As he walked, he realized he was starving. He entered a diner and seated himself at the counter. A waitress appeared, poured him a cup of coffee and took his order. Dominic turned and looked around the diner. He saw a strikingly attractive brunette sitting alone at a table behind him. She glanced up, noticed Dominic staring at her and smiled. He smiled back, debating whether to approach her or not. Up to now his luck had been unusually good. There was no reason to believe his wishes wouldn’t come true again. Dominic picked up his coffee cup and walked to her table. “Hi, I’m Dominic. My friends call me Dom. Mind if I join you?”
    The brunette smiled up at him. “Hi Dom. My name’s Laurie.” Dominic took a seat across from Laurie and they began to chat. She was an enchanting woman. She smiled at him, even when his gaze dropped to her chest. After a leisurely meal Dominic offered to buy her lunch and invited her for a drink. “How sweet of you to buy my meal. Yes, I’d love to have a drink with you.”
    Dominic gave the waitress one of the bills from his bag. She stared at the bill and then at him. “What the hell is this?” “It’s a hundred dollar bill. What’s the matter. You never seen anything bigger than a ten?”
    The waitress scowled. “Hey, Benny. I’ve got a smart ass out here.” A hulk of a man appeared in the kitchen doorway. He was bald and stocky, his body nearly filled the doorway. He lumbered toward the table and took the bill from the waitress. His eyes narrowed as he leaned close to Dominic’s face. “You some kind’ve god damn comedian?”
    Dominic looked confused. “I am paying for it. Hell. Keep the change, if you want.”
    Benny grabbed Dominic by the shirt. “I will as soon as you give me real money, not more of that play money you’ve got.”
    Before Dominic could answer, Laurie layed two twenty dollar bills on the table. “Here. This should more than cover everything.”
    Benny released his grip and the waitress scooped up the bills. “Just a minute and I’ll get your change.”
    Laurie took Dominic’s arm as they left the diner. She smiled at him. “You’re hot! I love a guy that takes chances like you do. Let’s skip the drink and go to my place.”
    Dominic was ecstatic. Just when it seemed his good fortune would evaporate something wonderful happened. He eagerly followed Laurie as they walked several blocks to her apartment. By the time they arrived, Laurie was visibly aroused. She dragged him to the bedroom and tore his clothes off, anxious to get him into bed. Laurie pounced on Dominic, smothering him with kisses as her hot pussy rubbed against his rock-hard cock. “Fuck me until I scream baby! I want you bad!”
    Dominic ran his hands down her back and massaged her ass cheeks as she guided his member into her writhing snatch. She lunged at him, taking his shaft deep into her moist muff as she gasped with pleasure. She continued to pump her hips at a furious pace, gasping and moaning louder as she neared completion. Dominic felt her nails digging into his skin as she clawed his chest. Her face was contorted with arousal as she frantically pumped her hips, screaming loudly as she exploded in a burst of orgasm. Her body quivered as she fell onto Dominic, breathing heavily. “Jesus, baby. You’re still stiff. God you’re fantasic. Give it to me, baby, I can take all you’ve got!”
    Dominic didn’t need any more encouragement. He rolled on top of Laurie and slid his cock into her slit, thrusting himself deep into her. She squealed with pleasure as Dominic continued to pump his hips. He could feel himself nearing release, but for some reason it wasn’t happening. Laurie screamed and squealed as she climaxed again. Dominic continued, driving his cock into her with a vengeance. He was close to ejaculation but it was as if he were dammed up inside. It was a strange sensation, one he’d never experienced before. As a rule his ejaculations were premature. This was unbelievable. Dominic continued to slam himself into Laurie. She was like a wild animal, biting and clawing as she thrashed on the bed. In desperation, she grabbed him by the hair and with all her strength rolled him off her body. “Baby! Oh, Jesus. I swear, I can’t take any more. I need a minute to rest.”
    Dominic lay staring at the ceiling, his pulsing cock aching. Laurie lay next to him, panting heavily. She was too exhausted to speak. As her breathing slowed, Dominic realized she’d fallen asleep. He eased out of bed and quietly left the bedroom to explore the rest of her apartment. Her purse lay on the coffee table. He opened it and found her wallet inside with several bills. He extracted the bills and put the wallet and purse back where he’d found them. He walked into the kitchen and looked through the cabinets. There was a bottle of whiskey on a shelf. He took it down and poured himself a glass. He drank the entire contents and poured himself another. Dominic returned to the bedroom and sat on the bed drinking the last of the whiskey. The effects of the liquor hit him and he fell fast asleep. Dominic found himself in familiar surroundings. He was standing, once again in front of the abandoned railway station. The sound of a train whistle in the distance caught his attention. Dominic was confused, unsure of what would come next.         Slowly the train approached and he saw the familiar sight of the sleek, black locomotive pulling seven railcars behind. It came to a stop alongside the platform and the conductor stepped down from the car. He nodded his head at Dominic. “Come aboard, sir. We’ve been expecting you.”
    Dominic smiled. His good fortune hadn’t run out yet. He walked up the steps and into the car. It was different than he’d remembered it. Rather than a passenger car, this was a dining car. There were tables on both sides of the aisle and there was no one there except one man sitting at a table. He was a slender man, with long gray hair and piercing gray eyes. He motioned Dominic to the table. “Come! Sit with me for awhile.”
    Dominic sat down and peered intently at the man across the table. “Do I know you?”
“Not yet. My name is Andrew. Think of me as your spirit guide.” He hesitated for a moment. “No, that’s not quite correct. In your case I’m just another victim of your many scams. You have no spirit, so it’s impossible for me to serve as your spirit guide.”
    “I don’t understand. Why would you say that?” Dominic was incredulous.”I’ve had more good luck today than in my entire lifetime.”
    Andrew gave him a sad smile. “Good luck? The money that isn’t? The sex that never happened?  The boarding pass you used that was stolen from someone who was only trying to help you? You managed to escape Giuseppe’s wrath. You may find it more difficult to escape the Hitchcock Railway.”

     Alright, I know what you're thinking and no, I don't mean me standing on your front porch in the middle of the night. What I'm talking about is scary movies. This post was inspired by my friend chandab and her post today about the same subject. And so, chandab, here's some flicks gauranteed to get your adreneline pumping.
     The first to come to mind is a movie called The Keep. The setting is in the Himalayan Mountains, an isolated monastery and a special secret it holds. There is a portal deep in the monastery, a large stone lid of sorts which serves as the gateway to hell. The keeper of the gateway is a delightfully sinister monk played by none other than Sean Connery. To summarize, the monastery is overrun by a group of militia types intending to plunder the gold and precious stones within the walls of the sanctuary. The monk played by Connery has no choice but to unleash the demons from below and.... well.... it is, to say the least a deliciously frightful movie.     
     Another incredibly well done movie I enjoyed is called The Sentinal. It is set in a large city where an attractive woman has just come out of a bitter divorce and finds herself in bad need of a new home. She finds a house in the inner city that seems to beckon to her for reasons she can't quite understand. She's given a tour by an unsuspecting real estate agent, buys the place and moves in. Then she discovers it's inhabited by a group of spirits making the transition from life to eternity in pergatory. And that strange scene from the upstairs window??? Yes. That scary figure is the sentinal. The one who stands gaurd over the gates to pergatory, which happens to be right in the middle of the woman's new home. This is a delightfully scary and thought-provoking movie.
     Last, but surely not least, is a movie entitled The Entity. Set somewhere in Texas, a woman finds herself repeatedly accosted by an evil demon that pursues her at will. Barbara Hershey plays the woman, a divorcee with several kids. The music tracks alone are enough to scare you out've your seat and when combined with unexpected scary moments this movie will make you jump and twitch. I've got nerves as steady as anyone's and I found myself damn near jumping out of my seat more than once.
     Great stuff, all three movies. And they're all available through amazon.com. At least I'm reasonably sure they are. Just what you need when you feel the urge to.....see something REALLY scary!