D Is For The Devil

And Dracula.

Really, D is for both of them.

I didn't want to make a decision on which one to write about because both are such heavy hitters when it comes to Halloween. These are probably the two most common Halloween costumes. At least they were when I was a child. Now I bet kids are dressing up like Kim Kardashian and that dude from the Jersey Shore. The one who can't keep his shirt down.

To be honest, they frighten me more than the devil and Dracula combined. Chances are they'd be more effective in driving evil spirits away anyhow.

These two have been battling it out for years to sit at the head of the spooktacular table. Little do they know, witches won the fight years ago. That's right. Witches are the bosses, the top dogs of terror - Halloween is their night to shine. It makes sense, really. There are more girls in the world than boys and every single little girl goes as a witch at one point or another.

Isn't it interesting that the main choices for girls when it comes to costumes is a witch or a princess. Doesn't that speak volumes?

That's getting off topic.

One of the things I love about the Devil is...Actually, I don't really have anything to add. I just wanted to start a sentence like that. Whenever I think about the Devil, images of horns, a tail and pencil thin moustaches comes to mind. When did Lucifer get this crimson persona? I mean, it makes sense that he is the Captain of the Occult and Halloween's head-honcho, after all he is the personification of evil, according to several religions, but when did he start wearing a cape? Why does he wield a pitchfork?

I mean, I know in religious readings such as Christianity he was a fallen angel and took the form of man. There are no horns and tails and pitchforks in those tellings. When it comes to paganism, I know the devil often comes from representations of the god Pan, who was often portrayed as a goat man, or horned god. But what's with the red? Is that simply because Lucifer is supposed to guard the gates of Hell, which is all about brimstone and fire,

Still doesn't explain the pitchfork. Unless it's what he uses to stoke the fires of Hell.

This, of course, is all just ramblings from my head.

Now, unlike the Devil, Dracula is more cut and dry. He makes more sense. Not so much mystery surrounding him. The Count first made his literary appearance in Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1897, but where did he come from? People believe he is based off Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, who was posthumously named Vlad The Impaler. His patronymic name was Dracula. This name was connected to vampirism by Bram Stoker and it is speculated that he found the name in a book about the Wallachia history. Regardless of where the name came from, Dracula is one of the most famous characters in pop culture and has been portrayed in a vast array of films and television shows. Of course, Bela Lugosi will go down in history as the most popular of these depictions.

So, there you have it. Two of Halloween's bigwigs fighting it out for the 'D' slot in this months A-Z Blogging Challenge. See you tomorrow!

C Is For Candy Corn

All morning the only thing in my head was 'cats'. And I didn't want to do a post about cats. Not because I dislike them. No, I love them. They are wonderful creatures. I even had one. Yes, had. As in past tense. Because of a rather crappy incident, Etnie can't live with me right now. This is probably why I don't want to discuss cats.

And yet, here I am. Talking about cats.

Instead, let's talk about the worst candy ever invented. Candy Corn.

As a vegetable, corn is probably my most favourite. I love it in all forms, except creamed. I really don't enjoy eating things that resemble baby barf, which is what I think creamed corn looks like. That said, candy corn was made by the devil and the devil's name is George Renninger, who invented this hideous confectionery in the 1800s. The ingredients are sugar and wax. All right, fine, there are other things in it, but that's what it tastes like: sweet wax. Have you ever chewed on wax? It's disgusting.

This Autumnal treat has always been a staple for Halloween, though I've never actually witnessed anyone eating it. I remember getting handfuls of it tossed into my pillowcase and promptly throwing it out when I got home, along with the lose peanuts some families handed out. To this day I don't understand why people thought it acceptable to hand out loose candy. Once, I got unwrapped Scotch Mints. Talk about lazy.

Now, this confection is hugely popular in Canada and the United States. Overseas people will have to let me know whether they have this over the pond or not. If not, thank your lucky stars. The funny part about this? I can't even eat it. It certainly isn't a Vegan treat, as one of the ingredients is egg whites, but the appalling nature of this candy has stuck with me. For over twelve years. I think that speaks volumes.

So, why was it named Candy Corn? Well, the colouring on these bitty bites, the beautiful yellow, orange and white stripes, was selected to mimic a  kernel of corn. Oh, and it contains a very unhealthy dose of corn syrup. Though this colourful candy tastes like awful, it was actually kind of interesting to read about and investigate.

The fact that something this terrible tasting is still around and  that it's recipe hasn't changed all that much in the last two hundred years dumbfounds me. And people keep buying it! It's pretty much a miracle. They keep creating different kinds too. Trust me when I say they don't taste any better either. A popular variation that appears in stores around Thanksgiving is called Indian Corn and it has a special chocolate brown end that replaces the original yellow one. Even more exciting, they have additional colour variations for other seasonal holidays. The Christmas kind, which some people call Reindeer Corn, is red and green. Valentine's Day produces one called Cupid Corn, which is red and pink. Then there is Easter, which was dubbed Bunny Corn, and is only a two colour candy that comes in a range of pastels with white tips.

As the years go by, and Candy Corn sticks around, I get to thinking, about how some things never change. Except, some things do. Like Oreos. You might be wondering how Oreos ties in with this ranty post about Halloween's most treasured, and least eaten, treat. Well, I'm going to tell you. The Candy Corn craze doesn't end with a hundred different types for any and all occasions. Recently, I saw an article about Candy Corn flavoured Oreos. No, I am not making that up. When I read about it, I actually laughed out loud. Wax flavoured Oreos. Yum. How adventurous. I shudder even typing this.

Maybe it is time for me to redirect my passion elsewhere.

See you tomorrow for la lettre 'D'.

B Is For Bat

This may or may not come as a shock to you but bats are actually one of my most favourite creatures. They are only trumped by the great and mighty Octopus and wise old Owl. Personally, I think a number three ranking isn't anything to scoff at. And to be honest, I don't know if bats are even the scoffing type.

Whether other people like it or not, October is synonymous with Halloween. When you think October, you think Halloween. It's the same with December and Christmas. They go hand-in-hand. You can't help it. And you can't undo it. This is just the way things are.

The bat is one of the mascots of Halloween. To clarify, there are a couple. They include a pumpkin (and/or Jack-O-Lantern), a cat (preferably black), ghosts (silly little white ones) and, of course, the bat. Some other representatives  which people might misconstrue as mascots are: Frankenstein, the wicked witch, Dracula, and the Werewolf. These are not mascots at all. These are the captains of the football teams. The most valuable players.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "But Tyson, the bat is the counterpart to Dracula!"

And you're right. The bat is a vampire in their sneakiest form, or so the horror urban legends and movies would have us believe. But this is precisely why I have selected the 'bat' to highlight the letter 'B' today. Because they are unique. Also because I couldn't think of another 'B' topic other than bodacious babes, which really have anything to do with October at all. Except for all the scantily clad women that come out on the 31st dressed as sexy nurses and kittens to ward off the evil spirits. That's what they are doing, right?

There are many reasons why the bat is worthy of a blog post all its own. First, and most important, bats pollinate. This is why the decline in bat population is a bad thing. (You know, other than the species dying off and slowly becoming extinct.) A lot of people don't know that many agricultural plants from bananas to cashews to dates and figs rely on bats for pollination and seed dispersal. Crazy, right? Yeah, I know. Funny how all these creatures we take for granted actually are integral parts of our ecosystem. Imagine that.

Other than being hard working participants in nature, bats are just cool. They are nocturnal,meaning they come out and play at night and rely on echolocation to get around. For those of you who don't know what that means, bats use noises that bounce of walls and objects so they can navigate their way through trees and caves and barns. They can tell the distance by how quickly the sound travels back to them. There are a ton of other great things about bats, like how they have a thumb and four fingers and the skin of their wings are stretched over them, but I only have a limited amount of time here.

Because Halloween is synonymous with October and bats are a mascot of Halloween it is only natural that we pause for a moment to recognize the sheer awesomeness of this warm blooded mammal. It dumbfounds me when people are afraid of this animal. Then again, I like spiders. Speaking of which, would they be considered another mascot of Halloween?

Things to ponder as I continue the A-Z Blogging Challenge. See you tomorrow!

A Is For Apple

When I was selecting the title of this post it reminded me of grade school and how 'apple' always seemed to be the example for the letter 'A'. Somehow it seems fitting that this is where I'm going to start the A-Z Blogging Challenge. At the beginning. With an apple.

A lot of people don't know that I eat an apple a day. Well, at least I try to. There are some days, like vacations and weekends, where I don't manage to do so. But Monday to Friday, I eat an apple. I've heard it keeps the doctor and the dentist away. This is absolute hogwash, of course, because I still have to go to the dentist and the doctor. That said, I was reading an article not all that long ago about apples, and the fifteen health benefits of eating them. Now, I'm not going to recount all the benefits here. Heck no, I don't want to bore you to death. Besides, this A-Z challenge thing is supposed to be about October, not health. If you are super curious about the health benefits of eating apples you can Google it. But one of the reasons actually was that they make your teeth whiter. Then I started thinking, how exactly do they figure these things out?

But that's neither here nor there. So, how do apples tie in with October? Well, I'll tell you...

When I think of apples, I think of two things.

The first is Christian Bale in The Machinist. Has anyone seen this movie? It is a fantastic film but Mr. Bale is so skinny the thought alone makes me uncomfortable. I read an article where he said he wanted to be one hundred pounds for this role but his doctor advised him that it would be detrimental to his health. He ended up getting down to 123 pounds. Well, the reason I think of this movie and his weight loss when the subject of apples is broached (yes, the subject comes up all the time) is because in order to lose all the the weight for the role, rumour has it that he survived on a well-rounded diet of apples and cigarettes. Of course, that could be a lie, but I read it on the internet so it must be real. (Italics show sarcasm font)

Second up, I think of bobbing for apples, which is a Halloween game that doesn't seem like any fun whatsoever. Basically, there is a tub full of water and apples and you stick your head in and try to fish the apples out using only your mouth. This seems like a water up the nose scenario, and we all learned yesterday that I loathe the feeling of water up my nose. I wear a nose plug in the bathtub. Okay, okay, I'm not that extreme, but I don't put my head underwater when I swim. That's a truth for you.

I have never participated in a rousing game of bobbing for apples. And I doubt I ever will. But this a must have game at any and all Halloween parties, along with Bloody Mary and a Ouija board. Oh, and Spin-The-Bottle. *crickets* Or maybe that's just me.  *Awkward moment of silence*

This is where I tell you my favourite apple is the McIntosh Red, or better known simply as the McIntosh apple. This apple is hugely popular in Canada and, apparently, New England - Wikipedia taught me that. It is perfect, in my opinion, and it just happens to be harvested in early September, which is pretty close to Autumn.

Thinking about this reminds me of how skewed our seasons are. For the most part, we consider September, October and November to be Autumn and December to February to be Winter, but that isn't accurate, really, because Winter doesn't actually start until the end of December. It's just funny how we completely disregard the actual dates that the seasons start. At least most of us do, my coven and myself adhere to the dates fairly strictly in order to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice appropriately, by dancing naked in the moonlight. (That is, of course, a joke.) Though moonlight is the only acceptable light for me to dance naked in.

Well, that about wraps up 'A' and my first post for the A-Z Blogging Challenge. Fairly painless.

I'll see you tomorrow when I will tackle the letter 'B'.

Hard Times

The not-so-awesome thing about going through hard times is that sometimes even the good things start to look like crap. All right, there are a lot of not-so-awesome things about hard times. The tears and strife, worries and anger, frustration and feeling of utter helplessness. But when you start doubting the amazing stuff that used to make you smile, it sucks. When a handful of things don't feel right, everything starts feeling wrong. It's a weird thing to be perfectly happy one day and then, three days later, be wondering who you are, what you're doing and why you're here.

For the most part, I keep positive and lovely, but this last week I've been so negative and harsh. It's the guilt and blame and general restlessness. And last night as I was trying to get to sleep I felt lonely.

It's been a long time since I've felt that way. Alone? Sure, that's not a bad feeling. We all need to have time to ourselves. Lonely? It's not the most pleasant experience. Yes, I do believe we are never truly alone. But I am only human, and the heart yearns and aches, even when we don't give it permission to. When you're down and lonely, lost and a bit broken, you start to doubt things. Things you don't want to doubt. Things that might be wonderful and perfect, but you aren't seeing them clearly or understanding them properly, so you start picking at them. Pulling them apart. Losing faith in them. In yourself.

There have been a fair amount of tests lately. Life tests. I've been kicking the dirt at my feet and trying to keep my head above the surface, but water keeps going up my nose. And I hate that feeling. For the last week it just feels like I've been going in the wrong direction. Backwards. Sideways. Not forward. Battling against the rest of the herd. Getting bashed around.

This constant 'go, go, go' is exhausting. I'm exhausted. Bone weary. Dog-tired.

I need a nap. Except, I can't get to sleep.

Hard times happen to everyone. We all struggle at one point or another. And I know I have a lot to be grateful for. I'm healthy and have a few people who care about me. My dog is cute. There's food in my fridge. My bills are paid (kind of). I have a job. My skin is clear. So on and so forth. But remaining positive and moving forward can be a chore.

I'm not saying I'm giving up. It's just this valley is deep and the climb up to the next peak is going to take forever. Not to mention I'm going to get dirty, fall down a lot, and probably break a nail or two. Good thing I have such sturdy walking shoes, strong legs and don't give a crap about my nails.

In order to de-funk myself, I've decided to celebrate the fact that it is October. Yeah, I know this post doesn't seem like I'm celebrating, but it's only the first and we have thirty one days to turn my bad mood around. So, drum roll please, I'm going to do the A-Z blogging challenge.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know everyone did this back in April, but you all know how I love to be different. And difficult. Besides, I need something to keep me occupied so my general disenchantment doesn't force me to eat  myself into a Bonnie Grape situation. (Yes, that's a What's Eating Gilbert Grape reference. And yeah, if you got it, I think you're super special.) For those of you who don't know what the A-Z blogging challenge is, it means I will be blogging daily, trying to get through the alphabet. I'm picking October as my theme. So, I'll see you back here tomorrow to talk about something Autumny and awesome.