Trick or Treat?

Today is a big important holiday in this country I call home. I suppose I'm not much of a patriot after all, I was never bothered by it. October 31st is important to me because of Halloween. What did you excpect after all? Of course a ''holiday'' like this will be right down my alley. Día de Muertos even more so, it would literally be a dream come true for me to be in Mexico for this event at least once. But enough about that. Back to Halloween. I feel like I haven't complained enough over this country and Halloween traditions or lack of them for that matter. I get it, it's an ''imported'' holiday, since it's big in the States but honestly, looking at the origins should it really be imported? Halloween also known as All Hallows Eve or All Saints eve is a celebration observed by a number of different countries all over the world. It is believed that many if not most traditions originate from Celtic harvest festivals, which may have pagan roots. Halloween was supposed to be Christianized from a Gaelic festival called Samhain, which was a festival marking the end of the harvest season and the begining of winter or as they called it ''the darker half'' or the year. Samhain is believed to have Celtic and pagan origins since there is evidence that the very date October 31st was an important one in ancient times. It was the date the cattle was brought back down from summer pastures, livestock was slaughtered for the winter, they lit fires which they believed had protective and cleansing powers. They believed that on Samhain the barrier between our world and the other side was down, making it easier for the spirits to come into our world. The souls of the dead were believed to be revisiting their homes, and places at the table on their feasts were left empty for them. As part of the festival people were actually going door to door in disguise, reciting verses in exchange for food. Disguises were meant as a way to scaring away the so called Aos Si or the nature spirits. In medieval Britain, “supplicants moved from door to door asking for food in return for a prayer for the dead,” and they would carry “hollowed-out turnip lanterns, whose candle connoted a soul trapped in purgatory.” (Halloween—From Pagan Ritual to Party Night). But I think unfortunally we can all agree that lately it's more of a commercial celebration, just like Christmas, shopping malls and people ruined the charm of both holidays. Nothing upsets me more the when I see Christmas decorations in stores before Halloween. And this is not because of my love for Halloween. This is because it's stupid. Christmas lights, trees, god damn Santa all in the middle of October? What for? So the stores sell more? Idiotic. The whole point of the holiday is lost. It's supposed to be a family holiday after all. Not about the presents not about celebration but about spending your time with your family. Even if you shouldn't really need a holiday to take time for your family but let's leave that right now.

In some places of the world Halloween is more important then here, there's things like trick or treating, costume parties, pumpkin carving, bonfires, pranks, haunted houses, scary stories and movies...so on and so on. What I find funny though is how some, not all but some religious people preach about Halloween being evil, a satanic holiday due to it's pagan roots. Of course we all know how Christians tend to flinch each time you say ''pagan'' or ''atheist'' but calling a holiday satanic is really far fetched. The only ''evil'' part of it is the golrifiying vampires, witches, ghosts, satan or whatever else you chose to dress up in. Calling it satanic is just as silly as saying black cats are evil. You know where that comes from anyways? Christianity of course, after church stole Samhain and named it All Hallows eve, people believed in witches and black cats were supposed to be witches companions they believed a witch can actually turn into a cat. You do know what a black cat crossing your way means right? No? I'll tell you. It means that the animal is headed somewhere.

Then you've got the pumpkins, I think everyone when somone says Halloween thinks about the States and the pumpkins. That's a tradition that I actually love. It's fun, it's creative and it's artistic. But where did it come from? There's evidence that the roots of pumpkin carving or Jack o lanterns if you will actually comes from Europe. They were supposedly invented to scare away the evil spirits from homes that left them on their door steps on Halloween night. Others believe it's used as a light to guide back the spirits. Some believe it's from a legend about a man who played a game with the devil who prevented him entering heaven or hell and was condemned to wander the earth forever, a Jack o lantern to light his way, but the truth is the tradition was brought to America by British and Irish immigrants, though they were carving turnips at the time and people later decided that a pumpkin is much easier.

And the colors orange and black? It could be as simple as orange representing autum or pumpkins and black as the short days, the darker colder part of the year. Let's be honest though, black is mysterious, dark, a little scary too I suppose. Nobody wants to read about the ''mystical powers'' of orange right?

Then you've got spiders and bats. Any Halloween party you walk into you are sure to see spider webs, spiders, bats,...Now I'm not sure about spiders, should they have a meaning beyond they're creepy and they fit into the whole idea of Halloween but bats are a different story...they are creatures of the night so that's obviously a plus but what it is back in the time of Samhain they had big bonfires which would attract moths and bats, they were most likely pretty common and that's why they stuck with the new version. Not to mention the vampire folklore, vampires can turn into bats and all that, and the fact that there are actually bats that feed only on blood? They are probably most hardcore Halloween stuff there is.

Theres plenty of these symbols, like skelletons, skulls, ghosts, representing the dead, and the costumes, people would dress up to hide from the evil spirits and such. To me Halloween holds precious memories, good times spent with people that are no longer in my life and most important getting to dress up into something I'm not. Someone I'm not. Sometimes it gets really hard to be in my skin so being someone else is a welcome vacation. So there you go, Happy Halloween if you celebrate and if not then enjoy your day none the less.

You know what they say about the crazy ones...

Heaven isn't too far away.

Oh my god you guys, Suicide Squad was amazing! Of course I'm pissed over so many Joker scenes being cut but I loved the movie anyways. Harley is amazing, she's just the right amount of crazy and funny, you have to love her. Careful Nikki your geek is showing. In that spirit let me share two of my latest drawings with you, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Jared Leto as the Joker. The King and Queen of Gotham.

It took me well over 20 hours for each to complete, spread through a couple of days. Who has time to sit around drawing for 20 hours right? I wish I did to be honest. Art is my first love and nothing would make me as happy as making it a job as well. But then again a friend once told me, if life is happy you're doing something wrong. At the time I thought he was too pesimistic for his own good, lately I tend to agree. Anyways this blog is not about this, there's enough negativity in my life as is, no need to whine and complain here as well.

I used completly basic Faber castell colored pencils set of 24 sometimes less is more, Koh I noor graphite pencils numbers 2B and 6B, technical pencil 2B for tiny details in the eyes and teeth, white ballpoint pen, a shading tool and a lot and I do mean A LOT of nerves on Harley's hair. White paper and white hair do not mix well. If nothing else it's a good patience practice. I hope you like them, I am for the first time really satisfied with my work so I sure hope you enjoy them as much as me.

Now I advice you to step away, this post is going to get real fucking sad real fucking fast. Yesterday was August 11th as you know. And despite it being my mothers and Chris Hemsworths birthday I hate it more then anything on this planet. Why? Because of 11.8.2011. The day that ripped out my heart. There were plenty of dates like that in the past, some worse some better...yet this one...this one fucking hurts. It's the day Jani Lane passed away and I miss him like crazy. I know you're going to say I'm crazy, you're going to say I didn't know him, you're going to say...whatever else it is that you're going to say...but here's the thing, Warrant are one of my favorite bands, I love their music so much, I love him so much and the thought of him struggling so much, I know he wanted to be sober, I know he wanted to get better and I know that all the evil shit people were saying about him really got to him...knowing all that and knowing he fought so hard and didn't make it, it breaks my heart into little tiny fucking pieces. I wish things turned out different, I wish he was happier, I don't even care if he'd make more music or not, I just wish he was happy. And that is obviously a wish I'm not getting. This is a band that just like Guns n' Roses it's been in my life for so long that I can't even remember when I started liking them. Songs like Heaven, Sometimes she cries and Bed of roses are songs that I listen to when everything is completly wrong, when I feel like I'm about done with everything and life itself. I listen to his voice, or watch the 91' Tokyo full concert all over again. And it just...it makes me feel better. And I just can't bare the thought that he will never get to be happy again, or watch his kids grow up or graduate or get married and have their own kids...god...that hurts. Hurts like hell. And I said I won't let it get to me, yet it did so many times and it still does now, there'd be Heaven video on tv and I'd break down in tears, as stupid as it sounds I wish there'd be something I could of done, anything really...I wish I could punch every single person that said anything evil about him in their fucking throats. Why? What good did it give you? Do you enjoy brining pain to other people? Just because someone is a celeb you don't like you think that makes it right? Why so much hate? You don't like something that's fine but shut your mouth turn around and walk away. What's the point in hurting someone? Oh so because they're famous they can take it? They get a lot of critics anyways? Guess what? They're just people like you and me, nobody likes being brought down like this...I saw some comments about him and they made me sick, they made ME sick, can you imagine how he felt? He took everything to heart, all the nasty, rude, mean, disgusting stuff you said to him...can you imagine how he felt after that? I don't care about people's opinions, ever, I don't let it get to me but I'd be lying if I said that sometimes it doesn't hurt, all the sluts and whores and cunts I get slammed with. And I can't imagine how much worse that must be if you're not as tough as me, if you're not able to just laugh it off and walk away...

My sweet angel...I'm so sorry for the way things turned out, you were a musical genius, your lyrics were so good and honest and amazing we lost you way too soon...I'm so sorry for the way people treated you, the way life treated you, if I could go back and change something, anything, then I would no questions asked. I hope at least part of the whole heaven and hell is true and you're enjoying life somewhere right now. At least the thought of you being in a better place now makes me feel a little better. Maybe you're drinking with my best friend, he loved you just as much as I do...here's a lovely thought...I love you and miss you both, rest in peace and raise a little hell wherever you are.

And you guys, stuck down here with me, do me a favor and play a little Warrant this weekend, lord knows we need more happiness and good music on this planet. Y'all stay safe out there and enjoy your weekend to the max, that much more for those who don't have the chance to anymore.