'80s self-loathing at its finest

Is it wrong to like annoyingly depressed one hit wonder artists from the '80s? I think not.

Don't judge. Let me revel in my guilty pleasure. Thank you! That is all for now.

Bringing It All Back Home

Graveyard Pictures from Scotland Part II: Pictures that Have Nothing To Do With Greyfriars Bobby

I know that Halloween has come and gone, but those of you who have ever been in a poetry workshop with me know that I celebrate the macabre on a daily basis. Thus, it should not come as a surprise to any of you that I'm posting graveyard pictures, even though I should apparently be posting pictures of Christmas trees. I would think that graveyard pictures are more interesting anyway, but who knows? Really, if Tim Burton can produce the Nightmare Before Christmas during the holiday season, then I should be able to post graveyard pictures. Isn't a little early for all the current Christmas hype anyway? Whatever happened to Thanksgiving? Sorry, I digress. For those of you who don't think there should be a deadline for graveyard pictures, I am sure you will enjoy these.


I thought I'd start with a pretty graveyard picture.


Okay. Maybe the mood will be better set with a creepy skeleton carving that can be found on side of Greyfriars Church. I still have no idea why it's there. It's still pretty cool, though.


An inside look at the prison that presbyterian covenaters were sent to by the crown. It is said that their main persecutor, George "Bluidy" Mackenzie, still walks the cemetery and now harasses tourists. I, fortunately, did not encounter his ghost.



But I did encounter his burial site. It is the mausoleum, if I remember correctly.


Most of the graveyard's inhabitants are either entombed in ornate stone or have iron cages (mortsafes) around their plots. This was to protect the corpses from being dug up by resurrection men who came to the cemetery in order to find bodies for medical experimentation. Take that, Dr. Frankenstein!


On a lighter note, behind the graveyard is the private school that inspired J.K. Rowling to create the Harry Potter Series. Another trivia fact: her two daughters attend this school, and the school is in no way associated with witchcraft and wizardry.

And that, unfortunately, is the end of the graveyard pictures. Stay tuned next time for the revelation as to why this blogsite is entitled World Graffiti.

Hope Restored

Yes we can, indeed.

Let's Do the Time Warp Again!

Since Destin unfortunately doesn't show midnight movies of any kind, I'm just going to have to settle for second best: a Rocky Horror double take! Enjoy. I know that I will.

The Time Warp


Sweet Transvestite

Graveyard Photos from Scotland Part I: Fun with Greyfriars Bobby

Greyfriars Bobby's statue and pub.

Since this month is supposed to a celebration of all things dead, I'm continuing my travel narrative by sharing a bittersweet story of devotion that helped to inspire books and movies.This is, of course, the story of Greyfriars Bobby. If you haven't heard about this tale of inspiring devotion between a dog and his master, it goes something like this: A man named John Grey moves to Edinburgh in the early 1800s hoping to find a job as a gardener. Unfortunately, there is no work available for a gardener, so in order to avoid the workhouse, John joins the Edinburgh Police Force. His duty is night watchmen, which requires the use of a watch dog. Thus, John gets himself a dog and fittingly names him Bobby. After working together for a period of time, they develop a bond that can only be understood between dog and master. They become great friends and help each other (like all great friends do). John always made time to take Bobby out for daily walks. He knew Bobby loved them so. To show his appreciation, Bobby would do his share of the chores. Yes, indeed. John and Bobby certainly had a special bond built on trust and unanimous devotion. Yet, just like with all things in life, the bond they shared took a sad turn. After only two years of blissful companionship, John suddenly dies of tuberculosis. His body was put to rest at GreyFriars Kirkyard Cemetery .

The grave of John Grey.

Death could not stop Bobby's devotion, though. For fourteen long years, Bobby lay by his master’s grave guarding and protecting it from unsavory characters. He eventually befriended James Brown, the caretaker of the cemetery. He would soon persuade James with soft whimpers and wet puppy dog eyes to feed him, shelter him, and let him cross the cemetery gates, so he could watch over his master's grave. Sometimes they would watch over John Grey’s grave together. It always was within these quiet moments of mourning that James wondered what sort of reminisces were going through Bobby’s mind. Before he could find out, though, James died in 1868 leaving Bobby alone once again to defend himself and his master against a cruel world.


The grave of James Brown--caretaker of the cemetery.

Luckily for Bobby, though, the city of Edinburgh fell in love with Bobby and his devotion. He soon wins the key to the city. Without any worries about being sent to the pound, Bobby could go freely to the places that were important to him. And Bobby deserved it, didn't he? He certainly wasn't a symbol of fear like other murderous stray dogs. Nope. Bobby was indeed special. Even after his death in 1875, though he couldn’t be buried in the consecrated Kirkyard cemetery, he was buried along the cemetery walls and statue, in his honor, was erected right at the entrance to the cemetery—as well as the Greyfriars Bobby themed pub. To this day, people from all over the world come to visit Bobby’s memorial. Bobby would have been proud. In conclusion, there is indeed someone named James Brown in this story, but it may not be the James Brown we’ve all come to know. RIP, god father of soul.

It's That Time of Year Again

....and you know what that means: yet another short from the vaults of Mystery Science Theater 3000. If you've ever wondered what kind of horror would ensue when an androgynous pixie tries to seduce a confused, prepubescent boy with the power of music, then this is the short for you. Mr. B Natural (in two parts).

Mr. B Natural Part I




Mr. B Natural Part II



In conclusion, graveyard photos from Scotland are forthcoming.