Beast Witches this Special Day!
1926 - On this date, Magician Harry Houdini dies of gangrene and peritonitis that developed after his appendix ruptured. (from Wiki)
The Colors of Death...
Lately, as I drive around our fair city, I've found myself staring at the trees-alot. Trees are among my favorites, they have so much character. They have a 'spirit', and there is just something about them that mesmerizes me. But lately, just in the last couple of weeks alone, they have taken on their fall brilliance, the reds, yellows, golden orange... look beautiful! But looking around the world, and with all the things going on with my Dad and all this weekend it began to seem so morose to me. What we pine for, what we just can't wait for, these fall colors in all their glory, became a symbol of death to me. All of the things that are alive and lush and green all summer long, become their most beautiful just before dying. It's like their 'death rattle'... we're seeing the last gasp, so-to-speak. Sounds crazy, I know... but it occurred to me. We don't see humans the same, when a person is near death they can be dreadful to look at, depending on cause of death I guess... just seems ironic and unfair... the colors of death.
Happy Halloween, or Happy Samhain depending on your culture and heritage... I will always love this time of year... no matter what. And why not bring in some good imagery in honor of death. It IS a part of life, we have to deal with it. It would be nice not to think of it in such a horrible fashion... Nobody wants to fear losing the things and people that they love, but it happens. The important part is to make sure that you have many wonderful memories to cherish, something wonderful that will allow them to live on in our hearts always.
Well, given that here is my piece of useless Halloween/Samhain trivia... please indulge yourself with caution... :)
The Colors of Death...
Lately, as I drive around our fair city, I've found myself staring at the trees-alot. Trees are among my favorites, they have so much character. They have a 'spirit', and there is just something about them that mesmerizes me. But lately, just in the last couple of weeks alone, they have taken on their fall brilliance, the reds, yellows, golden orange... look beautiful! But looking around the world, and with all the things going on with my Dad and all this weekend it began to seem so morose to me. What we pine for, what we just can't wait for, these fall colors in all their glory, became a symbol of death to me. All of the things that are alive and lush and green all summer long, become their most beautiful just before dying. It's like their 'death rattle'... we're seeing the last gasp, so-to-speak. Sounds crazy, I know... but it occurred to me. We don't see humans the same, when a person is near death they can be dreadful to look at, depending on cause of death I guess... just seems ironic and unfair... the colors of death.
Happy Halloween, or Happy Samhain depending on your culture and heritage... I will always love this time of year... no matter what. And why not bring in some good imagery in honor of death. It IS a part of life, we have to deal with it. It would be nice not to think of it in such a horrible fashion... Nobody wants to fear losing the things and people that they love, but it happens. The important part is to make sure that you have many wonderful memories to cherish, something wonderful that will allow them to live on in our hearts always.
Well, given that here is my piece of useless Halloween/Samhain trivia... please indulge yourself with caution... :)
Samhain in Modern popular culture
- The young adult series "The Midnighters" makes references to Samhain as the end of the world
- Samhain is also the name of a Glenn Danzig-fronted band that formed after the dissolution of the Misfits
- Samhain is the name of a Host-based intrusion detection system similar in function to Tripwire designed by Samhain Labs (notably, there are add-ons named Beltane and Yule)
- Samhain is scrawled on a chalkboard in the film Halloween II
- Samhain and the Festival of Samhain is described by Conal Cochran (actor Dan O'Herlihy) in Halloween III: Season of the Witch.
- Samhain is the name of an experimental and famous computer worm
- Samhain was a low-budget horror movie based on the legend of Alexander "Sawney" Bean
- Samhain is the name of the Lord of the Dead in King's Quest VI who presides over the Realm of the Dead
- Sam Hain is the name of the living spirit of Halloween who was a recurring villain in The Real Ghostbusters
- In the Season 3 episode "The" of the Adult Swim cartoon Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Dr. Weird opens the show by tearing out Steve's spine and yelling "Samhain forever!!"
- The Song "Medusa and Hemlock" by Cradle of Filth describes a Samhain ritual
- Samhain is referred to in Anne Rice's second Vampire Chronicles book The Vampire Lestat as a ritual in which blood sacrifices are made to a vampire god
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