November 3. Or as I will be calling it: Leftover Halloween!
I still have lots of pictures and relevant things to say about the last three days. It can’t be over already! Look at that very cool picture! I took that with my CAMERA phone. Sometimes I still cannot get over how good technology has become. Wait until you see this picture of a snake we found. The pictures are so clear, it’s like you can see into his soul!
But this is a good picture for today. This is pretty much what it looks like outside right now. I guess we are lucky no more. Autumn seems to have arrived, all damp and bone chilling. I will not complain though, because the last few days have been beautiful and it is supposed to stay in the 50’s for the next week or two. That means I do not have to turn the furnace on yet! I try every year to see how long I can wait. It’s usually until the kids complain they are freezing, and actually cry tears. It sounds worse than it is. Usually the temp in the house is about 58 or 56. That’s not really even all that cold considering the air temps. It just seems cold when it’s in a house. There is a debate on what the record is. I think it may be Nov. 4 or Nov. 20th or so, around my daughter’s birthday. The BF thinks we might have made it all the way into December. I don’t know about that. It gets cold very fast around here, so that seems unlikely. But for the new record this year, we are easily at November 3. Go nature!
Final shot, as promised. It is very late and the dead have returned to their rest for another year.
I don’t know if I built it up too much, but I like it. I like the idea of this small altar with the skulls and flowers all around and the candles that will burn into the night.
Picture this altar, meticulously and carefully arranged upon a stone slab in a crowded graveyard in a burnt-orange town or sand-blown village. Children are laughing and playing amongst the dusty tombstones. Families are sharing food and drinks while gentle breezes skip, soft and dry, touching lightly and lifting easy over warm and blushing skin, the way it does when you are far out in the desert. As darkness falls, the dusky air gets cooler and the little ones gather and tuck in closer as night takes hold. Final words are said and prayers are whispered too low to hear, eyes and hands search and fold, clutching at the skyline, but the time has come to say goodbye. The dead are left to lay, quiet and peaceful, resting again, with their own. They remain as bodies below our feet, yet spirits within our hearts and minds. While the flames of our steadfast watch silently burn, deepest night arrives. Black and still, it covers and comforts even the most restless soul and it seems intrusive to stay. When dawn lifts her weary head to herald in a bright new day, the magic will be gone, hidden amongst the wilted flowers and broken candy shells. In the glare of unforgiving sunlight, the altar is just a colorful reminder of what we remember and why. We feel lucky and joyful to be alive. We pay our respects but save a bit for ourselves. We must now carry the honor of living for those who cannot. Time belongs to us again and we have a job to keep.
(Dia de los muertos by Pristine Cartera-Turkus)
God pours life into death and death into life without a drop being spilled. ~Author Unknown
Sugar Skulls and Marigolds
Frustrated!! That darn paper took 5 hours! From first word typed to printed and e-mailed to the teacher. I do not know why I put so much effort into things that I could probably get away with doing half-assed. But it was six pages of fun and thankfully it’s done. (That rhymed!)
I am also a little irritated that the picture of my sugar skulls and the marigolds is all grainy and computer-y looking. That’s the best I could get from taking the picture with my phone camera directly off the computer screen. It looked better when it was smaller in my photo files. You can still get the idea though. And that should encourage you to go out and find something better! Blah..I know. More homework. Do we have to do everything for ourselves?!? Geez. If you go the site above, they might have a whole gallery of new artwork dedicated to the Day of the Dead. I didn’t have time to check totally. Let me know.
Below is an altar picture to give you an idea of just how lavish and detailed this celebration can be. This particular website is worth clicking on even after today. It covers a lot more than just this holiday. I know some of you out there will really like what they have there. Trust.
I have one more picture that I will post later. It’s really more fitting for after the sun goes down. It will give my website that sense of seriousness and solemn gravity mixed with a measure of mystery and the feeling that something supernatural is about to happen. Suspense! Until nightfall then.
Feliz Dia de los Muertos
(kitchenandresidentialdesign.com)
I only gave myself fifteen minutes to post this including picture search and photo gallery. I have three minutes left. Then I HAVE to do that cursed paper for Soc. class so I can leave this house. It’s supposed to be unseasonably warm and then rain. I cannot stay inside all day!
Since I have nothing of my own picture-wise or artsy to show for you, I looked on the internet and took pictures with my phone camera of some things I thought were kind of cool. Credits are below each picture.
If you want more more info about Dia de los Muertos, and you have some free time, you can read my post from yesterday, just below this one, or take a quick look around the airwaves. You can start with the sites I posted and go from there. It really is an interesting holiday and there is a lot of good info from serious to extreme. It may be my new favorite and I am none of the cultures that usually celebrate this day. But you can judge for yourself.
Ok that’s it. Time’s up. There is another pic below to make things even. Lots of artwork is based around this holiday. These are two of the mediums. Go look for more. The range is so broad and there is so much out there, I guarantee you will find something that appeals to you. Later.
All Saints Day. Second in the Trifecta of creepy holidays in a row.
First, though, in my newest series of “skeletal trees against a sky background.” I’m not sure why I like taking pictures of the trees as they sit quietly in their places losing their leaves and turning their bark to a dark brown-black color, but I noticed that I have about 5 or 6 different pictures of various trees in various stages of dormancy, so what better time of the year to post them to a website that is mostly just for my amusement anyway?
In case you are scratching your head, like, what?, what other holiday is there besides Halloween this time of year?? Well, now that we have scared all the ghouls back into their rightful resting places, we want to make sure that they stay there.
So today, we have All Saints Day. A Christian/Catholic day to honor our Saints (and martyrs), known and unknown. The Catholics are real big on martyrdom, just ask any Catholic raised child with a Catholic mom…oh the sacrifices she has made for her children…with one hand to the forehead, and the other clutching at her heart…That’s why it’s a good idea to just hang out at the cemetery and throw goodwill all over the place, because you just never know who is sanctified and who isn’t. It’s the total Catholic way, better safe than sorry!
Then we have All Soul’s Day tomorrow. A much more exciting and morbid celebration of the dead. It even has an awesome title:
El Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Also Catholic, mostly celebrated as you have probably seen in Mexico, with the skulls and candles and colorful skeletons. In a nutshell, it is basically a day to go visit relatives/spirits in the cemetery and assure them that all is good and they should just stay where they are at and not bother rising up and creeping around all benevolent and zombie like. Technically it’s celebrated on the First and Second. I researched it and the children and babies that have passed get today for their festival and the adults get tomorrow. I like this particular holiday because it is so specific and it has very uniform traditions. The main components are sugar skulls and marigolds and the departed’s favorite foods and beverages. All brought to the grave and offered up like gifts as if the dead have any other choice but to stay where they are at. Some believe that the spirits are allowed to walk around for this one day after resting the whole year, so it needs to be a real celebration. But not too good. The world is crowded enough without the undead returning to the population.
Sugar skulls and marigolds. It sounds like a rock band. But I am impressed by the fact that they have very particular items in their prayer rituals. Classic sugar skulls, which are basically just a candy-type confection shaped like a skull. They can be sugar or chocolate, and can have your name on it. They are representative of someone alive and symbolize “eating your own death.” I’m not really sure about the marigolds. It may be because they are colorful, and the celebration itself is supposed to be upbeat and joyful, or it may be that they stink and they keep the spirits happy visually, but repel them from trying to take up any real residence back in the world.
That’s it for my educational information for today. I had started this post at 9 am this morning but I got sidetracked helping a real friend in need. Seriously. You can hardly ever say that you had to go help someone who truly needs it. But this girl did.
Then when I got home I actually exercised. Yes. I said exercise. Two days in a row. Goal accomplished!! I will now be setting all my goals in the extreme short term. So much more satisfying then stretched out hopes and long term failures. I may set the goal to exercise tomorrow too….but I don’t want to get all crazy with it now.
Besides, I seriously have got to finish my school paper/project that I have not even started on. The only thing do I have is an idea about what to write, and if I have learned anything from the last 9 weeks, it’s that I stink at putting fingers to keyboard and just finishing my damn homework. Sorry I had to use a cuss word. I frustrate myself to no end with all this procrastination and I either have to stay up all night now or frantically try and finish it tomorrow morning. I’m starting to get off track here and I’m feeling tense and stressy. I just need to post this already and get some dinner for my family. Another home cooked meal (from the pizza place down the street) coming right up! I stink at cooked-meals-in-a-row too.
So that’s it. Hopefully you remembered someone you loved today and wished them peace and maybe said a little prayer for yourself, if that’s your thing. If not, you can try again tomorrow. Go hang out at a cemetery if you can and feel the earthly vibe of walking over restless spirits. Bring a lunch and offer some up to the deceased around you. Toss out some compliments and take pictures. I don’t think you necessarily have to know the person to pay your respects and wish them a good rest. It’s just good manners for the living and the dead. If I get off this site and do my work, I’ll post the rest of the stuff I have for these few days. There will not be any more serious and thoughtful musings on life and whatnot. It will all be silly jokes and goofy pictures. You know. The usual. I think we have all learned enough for this week. Later.
Candy Collecting Sugar Skyline
It’s been a few hours and I think I am recovered now from my earlier attempt at pre-candy calorie control. I managed to crawl my shaky, sweaty body all the way to the couch and stare at the candy for about an hour. Then I got up, took a few puffs from my inhaler, drank some water, took a shower and put on a pair of tight jeans and a few t-shirts. It’s called “layering”. Good for fashion and for lump coverage. I walked around the house and outside, doing little chores and tasks that I like to do when I am avoiding my homework. I cleaned up the yard a bit, filled up the bird feeder, picked some dead flowers, and took some sky pics. The usual. I have resisted eating any of the candy. Hard work and shortness of breath can help you re-prioritze your original plan for the day. That was to get stupid sick on candy and alcohol while NOT doing my social norm assignment. Instead, I now choose to just walk around with my children, enjoying the dropping temperature and pretending to be excited for fun size Snicker bars. I don’t even like Snickers. Gets stuck in my teeth and causes deep dental pain. But that’s just me. The kids are home and getting ready to go. The village says we can only stay out until 6 pm. Halloween stinks on Monday. Most of our neighbors aren’t even home yet and won’t be until later. Usually after the time. I know I never got home until 7. Well, at least it’s not raining and my kids do have very cool costumes this year. If they let me, I’ll take their pics and post them later. MORE exercise! Here I come! I guess I can lay flat all day tomorrow then right? No. I have actually set a goal for myself regarding exercise. The goal is to do two days of exercise in a row. That’s it. TWO days of actual exercise. TWO days, IN A ROW. I get in once a week at best lately and that is not going to cut it if I plan on running that 10K again next May. I barely finished it last year and I cannot repeat that sad event. Freezing cold and hyperventilating, with just enough breath to keep me upright, and fifth from last, is not my idea of success. I need to be at least 20 to 30 people inside the tail end and sprinting, instead of hop-walk-shuffle-staggering to the time strip. Standards, people. I didn’t even get a post race snack because I was so late crossing the finish line. But hey, it wasn’t on the police cart, so, small victories. OK enough. The soldiers are restless and night is falling. To the streets we go. Later.
Stevie’s HALLOWEEN Joke of the Day!
Why didn’t the skeleton cross the road?
Because he didn’t have any guts!
Classic and still bone jarringly F-U-N-N-E-Y. The E is for that little “extra.” Humor with Love.
A Treat! Spidey Style!
Never give up the dream to live a Super Hero life!! Just because I don’t have a job doesn’t mean I can’t post pictures of people dressing up at work. And people that are really getting into it! This is no thrown-together-at-the-last-minute-crap-it’s-Halloween type costume. This took thought. This took time. This took GUTS. Not many would wear a full-on SpiderMan costume, all day, to an office/warehouse/plant building, but some will reach for the gold, while the rest of us secretly dream and take pictures.
In case you forgot, my BF is actually one of those people that has a job. I just casually asked before he left today if anyone dresses up at work, and surprisingly, he said yes. And that it’s allowed. And encouraged. It’s a serious company. Lots of smart engineer types. And, it would appear, a whimsical bunch too! Who knew?
With great power comes great responsibility. Thank you! Times two. One, for letting me post you, and two, for posing in true super hero style! It definitely rocks harder with the super-stance than it would have just sitting at the desk! Carry on my sticky, web handed friend! You. Are. Awesome!
FYI, I also hear there might be a “Homer” there too! So stay tuned!
Back of the Bench because I know you want to see it
This is my favorite bench so far. I am pretty sure I haven’t put up even half of the bench pictures that I have in my files, but when I do, you will agree, this one is really cool.
I had to take a short 45 minute exercise break. Here’s a question…if an overweight middle aged lady collapses in her house all alone gasping for air, does she really make a sound?
Well I didn’t fall but I was making some unusual noises. Heavy footsteps, creaking limbs, pounding heart beats, throbbing head bangs, wheezing, moaning, and dry throated screaming. Not to mention the shaky limbs and dripping secretions. It really is like a haunted house over here. It’s a middle aged nightmare! Too bad it’s broad daylight and so damn sunny and temperate outside. Kind of takes away from the whole horror scene situation. Just makes it sad. It’s embarrassing how out of shape I am. Especially with all this free time I’ve been having. I should not be struggling to breathe and laying near the door with the phone half dialed to 9-1-1. Wait. I think I forgot to unlock the deadbolt. Crap. Death AND a broken door. Tricks on me. Boo.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Home all day edition!
Well, I seriously thought I would have a job by now! This stinks! BUT…I am still “being actively considered” (thank goodness for that at least) by several hospitals, so I guess I just have to wait. Now that’s a trick! Scary too. I have never been unemployed this long in my whole life! Anyhomeeverydayway….
I spend most of my time on the computer filling out apps, checking sites and reapplying where ever I can. It takes a long time believe it or not, and some of these hospitals have a really complicated application process. We should get points just for filling them out all the way to the end. After staring at the computer screen all day and trying to come up with new ways to write a cover letter or explain (beg) why I want this particular position, I am burnt out and not interested in posting about my failures.
But today is a brand new week. And a brand new month is about to strike. Besides tomorrow is the really scary day. All Saints Day. The spirits get restless and try to walk around. That’s the day to go hang out in the cemetery. Nothing like swirling demons and the undead to occupy your mind and time. Bring them some of that candy, light a candle, say a few words for peace and staying in the grave and carry on. If I’m up top it’s already a good day. So, anyway, I have pictures and other fun stuff like that, that I have been doing when I am not actually sitting on this hard ass bench desperately searching for a way out of my ever increasing depression! Cheery!
Obviously today is Halloween, so that means free candy! My kids are going to suck it up one more year and do the ho stroll for tricks and treats. So in addition to the exercise I am about to go do so I can eat all that candy without guilt, I will be getting additional exercise later walking around gathering more with the children. They are old enough to go on their own and I don’t think they’ll get kidnapped or sex offended but they like for me to go too. And since I have discovered the joy of walking around with a holiday “beverage”, I am happier, the trip is easier, and I stay warmer longer! Winning!
Well I have lots more pictures I will just throw up every few minutes or hours depending on what else I do today. The above picture is from the “Benches” collection that I gather over the summer. They did a special one for Halloween so I captured all the angles and the accompanying decorations in the surrounding area. I will post more in about an hour or so. I have to go do that cardio I was talking about or I can’t eat any more junk. And that would make me even sadder. And we can’t have that. No suicide attempts on Halloween! That sounds like a good book title! Or at least a good headline for my next post. Later.
just shy of pretty 