Spain

I have arrived in Madrid, Spain via a train. I detest trains, they are so noisy, uncomfortable, and crowded. I stayed in my cabin the entire time, but there was one point when a loud group of drunken men tried to open the door. I was highly unpleased to have been awoken in such a rude way that I jerked open the door and grabbed the first one and drug him into the tiny compartment. After giving him a quick blow to the back of the head I shoved him back out the door into the arms of his inebriated friends. Needless to say, they did not bother me for the rest of the night.

So when I got into town I tracked down some of the old buildings by Sabatini. The Royal Customs House and the Post Office were the first two monuments to draw my eye. This evening I decided to do something that I have not attempted in a while. I decided to break in to the Church of Calatrava. It is such a lovely building that I had to pay homage to such a wonderful masterpiece of stone and mortar. The baroque period of masonry started in Italy and spread outward in the 17th century, it has also been called Renaissance architecture. Most of the best baroque architects used many windows, stained glass, statues, and would go all out to decorate the entire structure with art. There was no need for a young punk to come by with a can of paint, those architects put their entire being into the buildings.

Back to the story though, I decided to break into the church. I wanted to have some alone time with the historical beauty. As soon as I entered I knew someone was watching me. I found the organ with no trouble and started playing a haunting melody from my boyhood days. I could still feel the eyes on me. After 30 minutes it became so disconcerting that I had to get up and find the source of the inquisition. (ha ha)

It turns out that I was not alone. When I found the person, who was standing in a wall cutout, I immediately struck out with my lasso. Ladies and gentlemen, I am a murderer in Spain. On my first night I killed. The addiction is growing strong apparently, I had so much rage that I took the statue’s head clean off it’s marble body.

-E

Operation Smile

Ok, so I think I have figured out a way that non payment of royalties due to me will be half way ok. I have decided to open a store on my website. www.crankyphantom.com

When people buy items from my store, or donate to the website, a portion of the proceeds will go to Operation Smile. Operation Smile takes children who might not have been born perfect and transforms them, via surgery, to look like normal, happy, healthy, children. Don’t be a heartless bastard, buy something from my store so we can help these children. Give them the chance I never had.  Oh, and while you’re at it, buy my stuff the portion that does not go to OS, goes to me. It pays for things like webhosting, my salary, gifts that I may want to buy for Christine, etc.

-E

Madrigal -Phan Review August 1st

After some thought I’ve decided to let the phans know that we will have a review of Madrigal the first Saturday in August. This allows everyone enough time to get a copy, read it, and then do our reviews. The first Saturday in August I will post my review of the book. Your thoughts and opinions may be placed as comments in the post. The following day I will post a Q&A post.  In the comment section you will post any questions for Ms. Lindforth that you have.

So we have the first Saturday in August (August 1st,2009) for our Phan Review of Madrigal and the following day – Sunday (August 2nd, 2009) for the Q& A session. (Q&A could change due to the author’s schedule. If so phans will be notified on the journal(blog))

I look forward to it, and I eagerly await my phans perception of this piece.

-E

I’m back from my evenings spectacle

Tonight I made my way to Raoul’s estate. It wasn’t that hard to find, it was the most garish, outlandish trainwreck of a building I’ve ever seen. None the less, I quietly made my way to the stables. There in front of my eyes I beheld the magnificent stallion. After giving the young stud an herbal relaxant, to calm his nerves I did what any man in my position must do.

Raoul now owns a gelding. For better insight, please look that up in your dictionaries. I assure you the horse is fine and still a fine horse, only losing two of it’s friends. I do hope he wasn’t planning on breeding him…

I am having some tea and retiring now.

Good Eve
-E

Calling All Phans – Competition

After giving this some thought and looking through endless shoppes, I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for. I need an assistant. Someone familiar binding journals. I’m in need of a new one.
-E

Calling on my phans – those that have this knack to create layouts send your best Erik’s Diary layout/wordpress theme to me. Whomever wins the competition and makes the finest journal (layout) Will have their theme used on this blog. Please keep in line with the time period of The Phantom, and keep your themes dark in color. Erik is searching for the perfect layout to use. Winner gets full credit and a post directly to them to be displayed. ( if you have a website, or twitter, or make layouts that can be placed on the blog too. ) Whomever wins, gets the honor of having The Phantom use their layout here at the blog.

send in zip format to
erik@crankyphantom.com

A Calculated Scheme

I do think before I start my travel outside of France (which I no doubt will speak about here in this journal) I have devised the most appropriate scheme to be timed right for late this eve, into the early morn. No doubt it will prove to thrill me and I do promise to get the most delightful joy from it.  After, I will retire home, write about it here before the clock strikes midnight and then sleep sound – with visions of this in my head. The elation, the delectation of it will carry me over the next few weeks as I travel abroad.

-E

An evening of relaxation

I have come to know that there is no better way to spend a weekend relaxing, refreshing the mind for the week to come. It appears as if this week is going to be extra hard to deal with, I have several goals for myself to accomplish. Yes, even I have goals. It has been nice to be able to sit and play the violin, listening to it’s lonesome chords echo throughout my home.

Tonight I played “The Orphan’s Prayer” for my Christine, knowing that she would not hear my emotion for her, instead filling myself with music for her. If you wish to see the music you can find it here. The Orphan’s Prayer

-E

Madrigal book

I have been hearing such wonderful reviews of this book, that now I have to track down a copy to read. From my understanding Jennifer Linforth is a huge fan of mine. She wrote the book about me, and gave a small role to a young girl Anna. I could have that backwards, but that is my understanding of the book. Now, most of my fans want a couple of things, the want Christine to stay with me, and the don’t want the story to end. Well, Ms. Linforth has given a trilogy to me and the story. Her story is not Gaston Leroux’s, nor is it Baron Andrew Lloyd Stealer. Her story comes straight from the heart, out of her mind, and onto the pages. Those pages are ones that you will want to read, and when you get to the end curse because there is nothing more to read. I humbly ask that those of you who are true Phans, go and buy this book. Perhaps we shall have a group study session on the blog for it. If you would like more information about her book, please visit her website. It is tastefully decorated, and stacked with loads of information. Visit her page, buy the book, and read it. 

I will be reading this Ms. Linforth, I only hope that you have not been talking to Nadir too. The more time goes on, the more I see that he has more than just a big mouth, he owes me a lot of money too!

Please do be grown up about it and keep an open mind. I do not want to hear anything or get mail because someone didn’t agree with aspects of her book. There are aspects I do not agree with on many Phantom related media. Save it for a Wednesday, you can bitch all you want then. 

Please visit : www.jenniferlinforth.com and BUY THE BOOK MADRIGAL It’s about me, now who could resist that?

Cesar

As if the young aristocratic dolt has nothing better to do, today as I am minding my own business in my underground sanctuary, I recieve a note FROM Madame Giry. Now, not that she should not give me notes, or receive a small stipend for doing some of my dirty work (thanks for the clean clothes last week), but she gives me a letter from the Paris Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They sent me a post, informing me that someone had turned me in for denying a living animal the right to fresh air, exercise, and sunshine. Of all the things!  I asked Madame Giry to wait as I penned a note back to the meddling ass.

Dear Sir, 

I assure you my steed garners plenty of time outdoors, just last weekend we took a drive through the countryside with a beautiful young woman. I make a sizable salary each month and can afford more than enough food and water for him, in addition to fresh straw in his stable each night. I can only imagine what parasite turned me in for this crime, and thoroughly wasted your afternoon on this nonsense. I have a foe that is apparently jealous of my good fortune, as his own stock were recently stolen, and has decided that I am his prime target for revenge. I would greatly appreciate it if you would butt out of my business now. I do not like being pestered by petty fools who have no idea of what I am doing. You sir have now wasted my time on this matter, do not make the mistake of wasting it any further.

O.G.

I remained calm until after she left with my reply. I threw nothing, I broke nothing, but temperance can only last so long. After demolishing a miniature model of a new building that I wanted to construct, I felt a lot better. Now, I have to contemplate more horrors for the imbecile who turned me in. I wonder if his new pony likes molasses oats…

Raoul’s Newest Additions – Horses

So I see that the Dandy de Chagny had to go out and buy himself new fine horses. Apparently he needed to replace those that were lost to him on the way to pick up Christine last week. 

What I find so funny is that he is caught between a mare and a stallion (a foal). Well, I’ve been saying it for a while now. Raoul is caught between choosing the love of his life, a man(-child) or a woman. Which did he pick ladies and gentlemen? Neither, he chose BOTH.

How fitting for him to do that. Just like he picked Christine and still would be able to frolic about. I know that money can buy a lot of things, and happiness is not one of them, but really, he wanted to give them a good home? When he answers so femininely, (oh no doubt of it) I am almost obliged to send him a gift basket full of womanly products. Make up your mind boy, do you want a woman or yourself?

Maybe I should send him one of my new products:

Erik’s sniveling brat wipes.

For the douchebag in your life.

-E