Why is the cloven hoof of such adorable animals as the deer associated with the devil? If I had to guess, I’d say it has something to do with Pan, the mischievous God of the woods. We also associate ram’s horns with the devil. We often look for symbols in nature, like the dove for…
Tag: quotes
Otherworldly Words: Bedevil
Bedevil is a word that I think is underused. Just think when your car won’t start, “My car is bedeviled!” Or, for a wicked boss: “My boss bedevils me with needless duties to make my life a living hell.” Perhaps the word is not used because, to a certain degree, it lacks seriousness. It feels…
Otherworldly Words: Banshee
I’m going to get personal for a moment. I have an ambivalent relationship with the word banshee. My partner’s younger brother, Matt, and I always watched horror movies together. I often introduced him to movies such as The Evil Dead. As he got older, he introduced me to many movies, too. One of our favorites…
Otherworldly Words: Baleful
Baleful derives from a word meaning pain. Interestingly, most cultures and languages, including English, are dominated by words to express feelings and thoughts like baleful, or negative emotions over positive ones. You know how they say, it takes 20 compliments to make up for an insult. Unfortunately, the compliments can start sounding rather identical while the…
Otherworldly Words: Amaranthine
I’ll admit it: I’m a word snob. I like some words just because I like the way they sound. Amaranthine is one of those words, because I think its sound matches its meaning. Just say it….Amaranthine…Does it make you feel like you’re floating in an endless sea or cloud? Have a favorite word you just love to…
Otherworldly Words: Abhorrence
What leads us to abhor something? I think our fears inform the things we hate and detest. And, I think some of the things we fear the most are the traits we abhor in ourselves. No one likes to see himself in a dark reflection. We know all too well what Nietzsche so succinctly said:…
Seasonal Inspiration
Enjoy the splendors of this new season while it’s still fresh.
Exploring wolf references: “Keep the wolf from the door”
The phrase “keep the wolf from the door” means to avoid poverty or starvation. The phrase may have been inspired by the story the Three Little Pigs (1933 animated version) but is of uncertain origin. The phrase also inspired the title of the first novel in The Runes Trilogy, The Wolf at His Door (now…
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