Japan: The Fearsome and Bizarre

Akaname - The spirit who licks the bathroom.

Jorōgumo half-woman/half-spider surrounded by her spider children.

A Nuppeppo is a Japanese spirit; appearing at midnight in ruined temples or near graveyards--a chunk of dead flesh walking by itself. The kind of pet you think is darned cute at first but then the smell eventually gets to you. Like a ferret.

Dodomeki - the ghost of a pickpocket, her arms are covered in eyes.

The amikiri, a creature that exists for no other purpose than to cut mosquito netting. Which isn't so bad, by the looks of it.


Long ago, a Samurai was walking at night down the road to Kyōto, when he heard someone calling out for him to wait. "Who's there?!" he asked nervously, only to turn around and find a man stripping off his clothes and pointing his bare buttocks at the flabbergasted traveler. As if this weren't traumatizing enough, a huge glittering eye then opened up where the strange man's anus should have been.

so much more that is wonderful
and scary

Best Methods for Escaping Zombie Ladies

She was now a rotting form of flesh with maggots and foul creatures running over her ravaged body.

Crying out loud, Izanagi could no longer control his fear and started to run, intending to return to the living and abandon his death-ridden wife. Izanami woke up shrieking and indignant and chased after him. Wild shikome or foul women also hunted for the frightened Izanagi, instructed by Izanami to bring him back.

Izanagi, thinking quickly, hurled down his headdress which became a bunch of black grapes. The shikome fell on these but continued pursuit. Next, Izanagi threw down his comb which became a clump of bamboo shoots. Now it was Yomi's creatures that began to give chase, but Izanagi urinated against a tree, creating a great river that increased his lead. Unfortunately, they still pursued Izanagi, forcing him to hurl peaches at them. He knew this would not delay them for long, but he was nearly free, for the boundary of Yomi was now close at hand.

here

Nosebag

EASTER

Optimism for a Paper Schlepper

Their job is tedious, but dullness, “The Pale King” suggests, ultimately sets them free. A typed note that Wallace left in his papers laid out the novel’s idea: “Bliss—a-second-by-second joy and gratitude at the gift of being alive, conscious—lies on the other side of crushing, crushing boredom. Pay close attention to the most tedious thing you can find (Tax Returns, Televised Golf) and, in waves, a boredom like you’ve never known will wash over you and just about kill you. Ride these out, and it’s like stepping from black and white into color. Like water after days in the desert. Instant bliss in every atom.”

but if you must distract yourself

The Playing Card

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Stole this car from me in 1933

Marasmus

"The year 1938 was notable for the publication of his first novel, “Murphy,” and for a French pimp by the misleading name of Prudent, who stabbed Beckett in the street, just missing the heart. “I don’t know why, sir, I’m sorry,” he said, when his victim inquired about a motive."

here

this thing got broke somehow

where are all my colours?

Toronto?

I had a stack of invitations I kept peeling off

"While most of the five or six of them were having a high old time and I was calling around trying to find the party, or any party, to get them out of my hair, Carluccio was looking through my books. Finally, when their beers were drained and before they could go for seconds, I pretended someone had given me an address on the other side of town and sent them on their way. A week later I received an envelope from Carluccio containing a sheaf of tiny stories typed on the backs of pink "While You Were Out" notes. It was the first of more than a dozen such envelopes."

http://ekotodi.blogspot.com/2008/11/hooliganism.html

Oven Nostalgia

After

Before

winter like its not your business

Christmas Book Collage

Life as figurine

A figurine (a diminutive form of the word figure) is a statuette that represents a human, deity, or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay. Modern versions are made of ceramic, metal, glass, wood and plastic.

Figurines and miniatures are sometimes used in board games, such as chess, and tabletop role playing games. Figures with movable parts, allowing limbs to be posed, are more likely to be called dolls, mannequins, or action figures; or robots or automata, if they can move on their own.

No Class New Camera New Home

Farine Five Roses

After watching The Testament of Dr. Mabuse last year, my movie watching companion told me this anecdote from Arthur Miller's autobiography, about his inspiration for the naming of the main character in Death of a Salesman:

"He explained that the origin of the name Loman was derived from a character called "Lohmann" in the Fritz Lang film The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. "In later years I found it discouraging to observe the confidence with which some commentators on Death of a Salesman smirked at the heavy-handed symbolism of 'Low-man,'" Miller wrote. "What the name really meant to me was a terror-stricken man calling into the void for help that will never come.""

The moment occurs about halfway through this clip, when the lights go out and Hofmeister is left crying out 'Lohman' to the dark:




I thought of Miller's comment when I came across this video of Montreal's Farine Five Roses sign:

At one point I know the days were numbered for this now irrelevant, but still iconic, neon sign. It is still there so I hope that time has passed. It is possibly my favourite thing in Montreal.

More Farine Five Roses Here.

Lest We Forget

"Oh I've seen people wearing those apple things here!"

Halloween was on Friday

Costume left overs up for grabs:

One hat that fits too small and feels like its about to fall off but doesn't which causes you to hold your neck at weird stiff angles and move unnaturally like you've just gotten your hair done up for prom and you don't want to ruin it.

One ultra suede vest that seems perfect for washing you car.

One plunger.

One toad stool hat. Italian design.

Two Hunter S. Thompson inspired sunglasses and cigar holder sets. Debate continues as to which one gives off a greater authenticity, and which one references HST but through the Deppsian lense.

I think at least two pairs of fake breasts.

One really freaking scary werewolf mask.

One pair of Kim Jong II glasses.

One gray fringe with elastic strap and possibility of super powers.

One pimp cane complete with hoe finding compass and secret compartment for magic potions.

One cable cord. Other possible uses - Indy's whip for the upcoming 'Indian Jones and the Ancient Cyborg Cult'

One pair of hulk hogan muscles. They might be a bit sweaty, but they're Brooke approved.

One little white lie.

One random afro wig.

One random devil mask.

One giant tea bag.

One sleepy Sarah Palin.

A picture frame and a Pollock.

A telephone.

One beard a la Abraham Lincoln. Well you can't actually have it. You can have the necktie though.

One Amie Phipps.