Vampiric culture

It's under everyone's eyes that we are facing a Vampire invasion lately,especially after the fortunate Stephenie Meyer's saga. But sometimes I wonder (ehm...yes, I also wonder about stupid things!):didn't people know that those creatures are practically as old as biblical times???
I mean,you don't have to dig much into anthropology or folklore to know that these blood suckers (or life/soul/energy suckers,as they were in the beginning)played an important part in mankind's folklore & superstitions. Starting from Eastern Europe,where these legends were widespread pretty much anywhere,we can find similar creatures in Greece,Scandinavia,Arab countries,China,Mexico,Australia...you name it. They had different names & characteristics,of course,but they were what we would call a vampire now:undead corporeal being who was alive once and who can still haunt people in search of their energy,whether it comes from blood (a most recent trait the vampire got) or from the soul.In fact the first vampires known in legends & myths didn't have bleached white fangs...because they didn't need them!!!
Anyway,if the theme interests you,you can find folklore/anthropology books pretty much anywhere,so I won't spoil you the fun of discovering new things about those fascinating creatures that cover,like nobody else,most of our world's dark aspects and taboo:fear,passion,sensuality,death,lust,pleasure,desire,immortality...

Anyway in the picture there are 3 of the books I really enjoyed reading lately.
*The one on top is a sort of Mammoth book of the Vampire stories,as you can easily guess from the Italian,lol! It's like 1,000 pages for around 80 stories,starting from the very first short novel known,The Vampire by John William Polidori (published in 1819 and whose creation is fantastically connected with the creation of Mary Shelley's Frankesnstein) up to early 1900s stories and passing through authors like A. Conan Doyle,Bram Stoker with his Dracula's Guest (believed to be the first,deleted chapter of his later,more famous book we all know:Dracula),Gogol',Maupassant,and lots more.Including the beautiful,intense Carmilla (1872) by Le Fanu,where we first find the most female vampire! To cut it short:a whole century of blood suckers! It also includes a looong list of vampire (or vampirish) movies from all over the world.Amazing!
*On the left: an accurate biography about the real,historical figure behind Dracula:the Wallachian voivode (a slavic,military title spelled in a dozen of ways) Vlad III Tepes,lived in the XV century.
I finally found a good,well written book about the historical figure known as Dracula.The author (a Romanian scholar specialized in the ancient history of his country and the Balkans area and also a professor at University in Paris) couldn't avoid to mention the mythical figure this prince turned to in books,movies,comics and media of all kinds.But he dedicates this aspect a short chapter,just to mention it.
*On the right: a very vintage book,LOL! My mother's copy of Dracula.She bought that book in the 60s and it's still a relic for me. And yes,that is the copy of the book we only have at home.
Definitely a classic.Highly reccomended.

Wow,bad day for celebrities!

When icons die

Since I'm here at the computer at this hour,I might as well add another confession before going to bed. I just heard yesterday about Farrah Fawcett's death after reading long ago abouth her long struggle for cancer. I always thought she was the most beautiful of the Charlie's Angels and let's face that...how can't we love her famous hair???Madonna's 2005 hairdo was clearly inspired by this sexy icon of the 70s when she launched her new image,concept & style for one of her best selling albums,Confessions on a Dance Floor (which inspired this blog as well!!!).

Now I'm following the news on BBC World about Michael Jackson. Whoa...another icon dies.
I have never been a big fan of him,musically speaking,although I strongly wanted and bought his Bad album,back in 1987.
But one thing,as a huge dance lover this time,I have to admit,and you just try to prove me wrong...No one else will ever be able to shake and move on a dance floor like him.Period.
Don't tell me you never watched videos like Billie Jean,Thriller(great dancing zombies!),Bad or any other of his clips and wondered what his legs were made of!Were they really attached to his body??And his feet...simply incredible!

Funny.This is my first deep and personal confession here.I will never forget my first year at the modern dance school,in 1988,just when the single Smooth Criminal from Bad album was released. I swear all of us girls danced our butts out to imitate his moves in the video. Our dance teacher was compelled to prepare for us a very simplified choreography that mixed samples of Michael Jackson's moves taken from both the Bad & Smooth Criminal videos.We had rehearsals for an entire month before getting some barely good results. But damn,we were ALL so freaking happy at the end of the day!!!
That is also when I started imitating Jacko's moves for the pleasure of entertaining my family whenever there was the chance,lol. I could jump out of the blue in the middle of the room after wearing my sister's black hat and tied my curly long hair on the back and...bam!That was my little show. Shhhhh...don't tell anybody...I still do it every now and then to make my
parents laugh!!
Oh well,I link the Smooth Criminal video here.Check the choreography from minute 6.30.Just amazing!

Time Phobia

P-a-p Emotions deco.I used 3D Vintage Elements & alphabet

P-a-p Favourite My Themes

These are decos you should see around these days since it's not long time that I made them;) I guess my TIME phobia is very clear in these two booklets,hehe!
Alice in Wonderland has always been my childhood heroine...I love her stories!
She's cute,smart,innocent,curious.It's hard not falling in love with this character!But she did something very stupid:why on the earth would you EVER follow a freaky,neurotic,psychopathic white rabbit jumping here and there claiming it's always late???? I'd say:"Run away girl!Run for your life!Let the crazy giant rabbit go!".
I'm literally scared by people who always say it's always too late!For damn what?Oh well,this is me,I know. I never wear watches,they imprison me.I just bring my mobile with me (whenever I remember of) and check the time there.
My very personal daily time clues?? Easy ones:
-Is it getting lighter outside and birds start to sing?Then it's dawning.
-Do I see and perceive some hastiness around?It starts the noon/early afternoon period of the day.People go home and have lunch.
-Am I out and see the same hectic movements...back & forth??Late afternoon.People come back home from work.
-Does it start to get darker?It's sunset time and twilight is getting closer.
-Total darkness?Then it's my favourite time,hehe! And sleep is an option;)

Other clues?Hmmm...Let's see...
Is it hot outside?Can be late Spring or early Summer.
Is it really really hot?Definetely Summer.
Is it so hot that you're sweating your soul out??Still Summer (boy,when does it end??)
Is it fabulously temperate? Mid-September & October (Rome latitude,lol)
Is it cold?Autumn/Winter (Rome is seldom exceptionally cold)
Is it really really cold??Late January/early February (yup,still in Rome).
Is it raining?It can be whenever...just don't forget the umbrella-ella ella eh eh eh (Rihanna taught us too well *smiles*)