Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Friday, December 3, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
The Plague Doctor
So Halloween has come and gone, and along with it all the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the creamy middles...
One of my costumes this year (yes, I had more than one. That's how I role) was that of a Plague Doctor:
Surprisingly, not very many people know what a Plague Doctor is. During the Black Death and the Great Plague of London doctors would wear a special costume used to help protect them from the disease.
Sometimes refereed to as Beak Doctors, the Plague Doctor costume consisted of an ankle length overcoat, leggings, gloves, boots, a hat, a cane, and the most distinctive piece of the costume, the bird beak mask. The beak held dried flowers, herbs, spices, camphor or a vinegar sponge. Doctors believed the herbs would counter the "evil" smells of the plague and prevent them from becoming infected. The doctors also used wooden canes to point out areas needing attention and to examine the patients without touching them.
This sixteenth century poem describes the "beak doctor" costume:
As may be seen on picture here,
In Rome the doctors do appear,
When to their patients they are called,
In places by the plague appalled,
Their hats and cloaks, of fashion new,
Are made of oilcloth, dark of hue,
Their caps with glasses are designed,
Their bills with antidotes all lined,
That foulsome air may do no harm,
Nor cause the doctor man alarm,
The staff in hand must serve to show
Their noble trade where'er they go.
Upon reading this post, I hope you learned a little about the Plague Doctor, and perhaps, a little about yourself?
One of my costumes this year (yes, I had more than one. That's how I role) was that of a Plague Doctor:
Surprisingly, not very many people know what a Plague Doctor is. During the Black Death and the Great Plague of London doctors would wear a special costume used to help protect them from the disease.
Sometimes refereed to as Beak Doctors, the Plague Doctor costume consisted of an ankle length overcoat, leggings, gloves, boots, a hat, a cane, and the most distinctive piece of the costume, the bird beak mask. The beak held dried flowers, herbs, spices, camphor or a vinegar sponge. Doctors believed the herbs would counter the "evil" smells of the plague and prevent them from becoming infected. The doctors also used wooden canes to point out areas needing attention and to examine the patients without touching them.
This sixteenth century poem describes the "beak doctor" costume:
As may be seen on picture here,
In Rome the doctors do appear,
When to their patients they are called,
In places by the plague appalled,
Their hats and cloaks, of fashion new,
Are made of oilcloth, dark of hue,
Their caps with glasses are designed,
Their bills with antidotes all lined,
That foulsome air may do no harm,
Nor cause the doctor man alarm,
The staff in hand must serve to show
Their noble trade where'er they go.
Upon reading this post, I hope you learned a little about the Plague Doctor, and perhaps, a little about yourself?
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Halloweentime!
It's that time of the year. When it's considered okay to go your local pharmacy and pick up cold medicine and a rubber severed foot. When seeing animatronic zombies for sale next to the bananas is considered normal. When carving devils and demons into engorged squashes is not only encouraged, but awarded with prizes. That's right! It's Halloweentime!!
I've always loved Halloween, even when I was a wee lad. If it wasn't for the presents on Christmas, it'd be my favorite holiday. Every year when October rears it's ugly head, every local grocery store, pharmacy, and party supplier goes into Halloween mode. And good god do I love it so. I mean, what other time of year would you see mummified cats for sale???
The answer is no other time of year. The shelves of your local Halloween mart are fully stocked with the most diabolical, nasty, bloody, wonderful things you could ever imagine. Want a severed head? Take your pick!
Sure, seeing all the awesome accessories is, well, awesome, but there was one particular section of the Halloween mart that I LIVED for. The MASK WALL!
I could spend hours starring at that wall, thinking of the possibilities. Marveling at the over-sized Dragon heads that cost $100. Once or twice, after getting a good grade on a test or project, instead of asking for money or a cool toy, I always asked for a mask off of that elusive wall.
It's great to see mask walls still around, but one thing I noticed is that every year, depending on your Halloween mart, there's always a 'theme'. This year, the theme seems to be creepy babies. I think babies are creepy already, so undead zombie babies are even creepier.
Clowns have always been a big theme as well. There's nothing better than a creepy-ass clown. Except maybe a zombie dinosaur.
One thing I always loved were the motion detecting props. Usually it's a witch on a string, or maybe a doormat that screams. Over the years, these 'high end' props have gotten more and more elaborate. Sometimes they can be goofy, but I have to say, I haven't seen any this cool in a long time:
First of all, check out Meckaneck on the right there. I have always wondered what that Heroic Warrior would look like if he became an Overlord of Evil. And now I know. And sweet candy-coated Jesus is he creepy. Now, check out the little dude in the bucket. If you look closely, you can see he's holding a joystick in each hand! He's controlling himself in that bucket of mutagen ooze. I imagine he's sitting on top of a small robot with legs that look like ED 209. Did I mention he was in a bucket?
So if you haven't guessed by now, I love Halloween. I love the decorations, I love the costumes, and I love the idea behind it. Seeing disembodied heads, flying zombie skeleton pirates, and walls of masks make me all giggly inside. It reminds me of a simpler time, when goblins and devils were real and should be feared. Except for that one night a year where they were to be celebrated.
Also, look at this guy.
I've always loved Halloween, even when I was a wee lad. If it wasn't for the presents on Christmas, it'd be my favorite holiday. Every year when October rears it's ugly head, every local grocery store, pharmacy, and party supplier goes into Halloween mode. And good god do I love it so. I mean, what other time of year would you see mummified cats for sale???
The answer is no other time of year. The shelves of your local Halloween mart are fully stocked with the most diabolical, nasty, bloody, wonderful things you could ever imagine. Want a severed head? Take your pick!
Sure, seeing all the awesome accessories is, well, awesome, but there was one particular section of the Halloween mart that I LIVED for. The MASK WALL!
I could spend hours starring at that wall, thinking of the possibilities. Marveling at the over-sized Dragon heads that cost $100. Once or twice, after getting a good grade on a test or project, instead of asking for money or a cool toy, I always asked for a mask off of that elusive wall.
It's great to see mask walls still around, but one thing I noticed is that every year, depending on your Halloween mart, there's always a 'theme'. This year, the theme seems to be creepy babies. I think babies are creepy already, so undead zombie babies are even creepier.
Clowns have always been a big theme as well. There's nothing better than a creepy-ass clown. Except maybe a zombie dinosaur.
One thing I always loved were the motion detecting props. Usually it's a witch on a string, or maybe a doormat that screams. Over the years, these 'high end' props have gotten more and more elaborate. Sometimes they can be goofy, but I have to say, I haven't seen any this cool in a long time:
First of all, check out Meckaneck on the right there. I have always wondered what that Heroic Warrior would look like if he became an Overlord of Evil. And now I know. And sweet candy-coated Jesus is he creepy. Now, check out the little dude in the bucket. If you look closely, you can see he's holding a joystick in each hand! He's controlling himself in that bucket of mutagen ooze. I imagine he's sitting on top of a small robot with legs that look like ED 209. Did I mention he was in a bucket?
So if you haven't guessed by now, I love Halloween. I love the decorations, I love the costumes, and I love the idea behind it. Seeing disembodied heads, flying zombie skeleton pirates, and walls of masks make me all giggly inside. It reminds me of a simpler time, when goblins and devils were real and should be feared. Except for that one night a year where they were to be celebrated.
Also, look at this guy.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Aquarium!
I went to the aqurarium and took pictures wheile I was at the aquarerium. Look at my aquarem pcitures I took while I was there.
A fish
Some birds
My favorite tank
This guy sang the Batman song for us
The zookeeper said these were Lorikeets. She had a hat.
A fish
Some birds
My favorite tank
This guy sang the Batman song for us
The zookeeper said these were Lorikeets. She had a hat.
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