Happy Tolkien Reading Day!

Tolkien Reading Day takes place annually on March 25th, the anniversary of the destruction of the One Ring and the Fall of Sauron. In celebration of this momentous literary occasion, here’s an expanded update of my previous Tolkien music playlist “Hobbit Day 2021”. This takes us through the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and

Happy Hobbit Day!

My sister and I put together a playlist of festive hobbity music for our celebrations that I just had to share with you because honestly I think it’s just perfect. Well, we worked long and hard on it so it better be! This year we wanted to combine the pagan celebration of the autumn equinox

The Rotting Horse on the Deadly Ground

As my fifty-first birthday approaches I’ve been waxing nostalgic and so, at the suggestion of my sister, have laboured long and hard putting together a retrospective metal playlist to serve as a soundtrack for the coming celebrations. I wanted it to sort of tell the story of how I became a headbanger thirty-six years ago

Camp NaNoWriMo Achievement Unlocked: Night Owl Status Restored!

I take it back, NaNoWriMo.org! I’m not sure if you fixed the problem or if it fixed itself, but this time all it took was two more updates between 10PM and midnight over the past two days to get rid of that hideous mid-day flamingo and replace it with the more sensible, refined character of

Medieval Monday: The Labors of July — Allison D. Reid

“Summer, you who ripen man’s sustenance with the wholesome heat of the sun’s warmth, should be blessed by all manner of men. May your friendly demeanour, and your attractive, cheerful and happy appearance ever be thanked!” – Thomas Hoccleve July was a time for fruit and crops to ripen, and there was always a certain […]

I Am Not a Mid-day Flamingo!

I have a bone to pick with thee, NaNoWriMo.org. I am a night owl, not a mid-day flamingo! That isn’t even a real thing, you just made it up so that anyone who wasn’t either an early bird or a night owl wouldn’t feel left out. But that’s not what I’m here to complain about.

Best Laid Schemes

The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ MenGang aft agley ~Robert Burns, “To a Mouse” Once there was a mouseWho had the rule of the house‘Til the house’s owner got a cat,And that was the end of that. And so the mouse hid in his holeAnd didn’t see another soulFor almost twenty daysAs he studied

Medieval Monday: The Labors of May — Allison D. Reid

May Day marks the beginning of summer in the medieval world. The weather is really warming up, and there are lots of new chores to begin. Planting and harrowing continues, and weeding the grain fields becomes an important chore. Cabbages, leeks, onions, and garlic are ready to be planted, as are those plants used in […]

The Irish at the Gates of Death: 1917 — The Victorian Book of the Dead

In Ireland the living are dominated by the dead to an extent unknown probably in other countries. It is a willing servitude, based upon two powerful sentiments—the constancy of Irish family affection, and their Catholic solicitude for for the eternal welfare of those they love whose mortal existence has been brought to an end. Death, as

Join the Daylight Saving Resistance Movement!

For much of the United States, and for all I know, unknown regions beyond, Daylight Saving Time (or DST for short) begins today. And what pray tell is that, ye who live in saner countries may well ask? Well, never fear, I shall tell you. DST is a pernicious lie that was first suggested by