La Belle Dame sans Merci

I've been having some trouble sleeping lately. I'm pretty sure it's because a pack of crazy dogs starts barking every morning at 6am. I'm hoping for good things this Monday, mon. Today. We'll see!

I saw Coraline on TV a few days ago and it mentioned the Beldam. I've heard that term used before in the distant past, but couldn't remember from where or when. It is an old synonym for "witch" or "hag", but it originates from an old poem by John Keats about a woman "borne of faeries" who enchants a knight with her beauty. He takes her to her hut on his horse, where she sets the knight asleep. In his dreams, there are ghosts who tell him that he has been enslaved by her just as they were. Then he awakes on a cold, lonely hillside. It turns out there are several paintings about this poem and I happened to have one hanging on my wall for the past 10 years.


This is my friend Sophie

Night After Night

Occasionally, I'll spend some hours listening to music and reflecting on friends and family members who have passed away. It usually ends up not being an enjoyable thing to think about, but it reminds me that I'm human and won't be around forever. It's important to keep that in mind.. be a productive, contributing member of society, get a job with people that make you happy doing something you're okay with, and remember to show those that you care about how important they are to you. Oh, and take awesome pictures of your friends: