The Holiday Spirit

Thursday, December 2Nd, 7:51 P.M.
Mood: Festive, Energetic
Music: Christmas Lights, by Coldplay

Happy Holidays all, it would appear that the season is upon us. Thanksgiving is over and I now find myself preparing for Christmas. Well, that and Meán Geimhridh, the Celtic winter solstice. I plan to build a replica stone circle in my back garden that will line up with the setting winter sun on Dec. 23Rd. But anyways back to Christmas. The season of giving is here, and so I think some thanks are in order. But before I start, please let me say that I am thankful for all you readers, it would be nothing without you. Now with that said, I think we should begin. (A small note, these are in random order, I just wrote them as they popped into my head.)


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*ahem* I, The Raven King, am thankful for:

Saphira Bjartskular, Dragons, Wyrms, Sea Serpents, Cryptids, Cryptozoology, Lake Monsters, Lochs, Europe, Computers, Blogs, Steve Jobs, Nikola Tesla, Bill Gates, JRR Tolkien, Skulduggery Pleasant, Albert Einstein, Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Edgar Allan Poe, Ray Bradbury, John Keats, Uthire Pendragon, J.R.R Tolkien,Chris Marten, Thomas Riley, Coldplay, Phoenix, U2, Daft Punk, Paramore, Paranormal Researchers, Brazing Goggles, Mothman, UFO's, Point Pleasant, Paranormal Authors, Ghosts, Reptiles, Dido, The Broken Bells, Oingo Boingo, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Aragorn, Gandalf, Tanith Low, Drake (from the tunnels series), Data, Edward Steam, Victor Evernight, Thomas Riley (the character this time), Barnaby Grimes, Black Tigers, Regular Tigers, Spotted Lions, Flying Snakes, Switzerland, Giant Lizards, Melangistic Big Cats, The British Big Cat Society, SteamPunk, Magic, Dragons (again), Poetry, Science, Gloom, Ipods, Laptops, Merlin, Music, Airships, Mysteries, His Majesty's Dragon (series), Evil Genius (book), Large Black Greatcoats, Purple Tinted SteamPunk Sunglasses, Alice In Wonderland, The Lord Of The Rings, Ghost And Paranormal Researchers, Truly Dedicated Cryptid Researchers, Apple Computers, Airman, Artemis Fowl, Space Travel, The Fact That Space Shuttles Are Getting Retired, Slashdot, Thinkgeek.com, Dracula, Brahm Stoker, Narnia, The Tunnels Series, Quantum Physics, Skulls, Blogspot, Dragons (yet again, I love them), KnightRider, Star Trek, The International Society Of Cryptozoology, The Loch Ness Monster Fan Page, Grooveshark, Night Vision Goggles, Etsy, Gifts, DARPA, Robots, NASA, Blender, Illusions, Free Software, DOSBOX, Playing Cards, The Prestige, BlendSwap.com, Instructables, Rush, Josh Groban, Enya, R.E.M., Soundtracks, Runes, Fantasy, Magic, Poetry, Technology, Science, Art,The Middle Ages, Books, Movies, Illusions, Dreams, Machines, Droid Phones, The X Files, Swords and Other Ancient Weaponry,Programming, Christopher Paolini, Ancient Sites (Such as Stonehenge), Mysteries, Dreary, Sad, or Gloomy Things, Robotics, Animation, Directing, Puppetry, Astronomy, Mechanics, Physics, Alchemy, History, Dragons (YES AGAIN), Writing, DIY, Dark Matter, The Unknown, The Universe, SteamPunk Couture, The Elvish Language, Science Fiction, Writing The Evernight Chronicles, Elvish Couture, Stone Circles, Gears, Steam, The Celts, Armor, Swords, Pikes, All Manner Of Cool Weaponry, Canes, Scarves, Theater, Thespians, Tophats, Goggles, Encyclopedias, Libraries, Black Leopards, Ireland, Scotland, Superstitions,

AND DRAGONS, DEAR, LOVELY WONDERFUL DRAGONS!!!!

And thank you again to all you readers out there! Take a bow!

Before you go, leave me a comment about your SteamPunk, Fantasy, or just cool Christmas ideas to help make this holiday season truly unforgettable.

Thanks,

The Raven King

Tim Burton Stuff

Wednesday, April 29, 9:46 A.M.

Mood: Gloomy

Music: Clocks, by Coldplay

I have to say that by far Tim Burton is my favorite film maker.
His twisted and gloomy settings, dark yet inspiring stories, and all around flair keep me enthralled and calling for more.

My favorite film of his, strangely enough, is a little known stop motion animation he created at Disney early in his film career. It is entitled Vincent.

(To Watch Vincent, Please Click Below)





Vincent is the story of a small boy who wants to grow up to be like Vincent Price. All throughout the seven minute film Vincent's regular life is shown in mostly white and gray scenes (the film was in black and white) that show him doing such things as playing with his sister, his dog, speaking nicely with his aunt and putting up with living in a crowded house.

The scenes then switch to his inner fantasies, what he wants his life to be like.

He imagines living alone in a dark and spacious home where he can "wander the halls, alone and tormented", dunking his aunt in a vat of wax, and preforming experiments on his dog, ambercrombie ( in hopes of creating a horrible zombie.)

He is sent to his room in the middle of the film for digging up his mother's flower garden in hopes of finding his "poor dead wife". After being banished to his room he sits alone and reads Edgar Allan Poe. (While other children read books like, Go Dog Go, Vincent's favorite author was Edgar Allan Poe.) After reading he pretends to be the tormented main character in The Raven. He imagines that he is trapped in his room forever, with only a portrait of his "beloved lost Loraine" to keep him company. He convinces himself that it has been years and that he is going insane. In the final scene he falls to the floor and, quoting Poe, says

"And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!


Interestingly enough, after it's completion the film was rejected by Disney for being "To dark for children."

I personally think this film is brilliant and one of Burton's best.


No matter what your opinion of him is, you must admit he is a brilliant and visionary director not only in terms of cinematography, but writing as well.

I hope he continues to make films that delight and inspire the eccentric in all of us.