Ramblings for the Evening (01/10/06)

Tuesday.
Tomorrow is hump day (for those of you with a high school mind, that's another term for Wednesday).
I have to tell you, I love the sitemeter.
Looking over the number of people who looked for Sherno today, I found a few people had been to the blog by searching for, "Mr. Leab's Blog."
What does this tell me? It means more students have been googling my name.
Am I nervous? Does this face look nervous?
How about we get to tonight's ramblings. It's short.
So, without further ado: PUNCH IT!
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It's like the Necronomicon:
Anyone who reads this blog a fan of H.P Lovecraft? Ok, then how about Ash from the Evil Dead series? I'm betting for more of you it's the latter. There's nothing wrong with that. I, myself, am a big fan of the Evil Dead series.
For those of you unfamiliar with the series (or with Lovecraft), the films revolve around The Necronomicon, or the Book of the Dead. Essentially, the book, which is, "written in blood and bound in human skin," has the power to raise the dead (called Deadites...seriously). Now, throughout the three films, Ash, played by Bruce Campbell, has to deal with his friends being possessed, his friends (and girlfriend) dying, and with a malevolent demon that casts him back in time. While the first film was supposed to be horror, the lack of budget actually made it quite funny. The direcetor, Sam Raimi, was able to capitalize on this and made two sequels that were both cult hits and quite funny. For example, the best gag in Evil Dead 2 finds Ash (our hero) having to cut off his hand (which has been possessed. Just go with it). Now, his hand attacks him, etc, etc. He grabs his cut off hand and beats it with a book, then throws it in a trash can and throws that book on top of it. The book? A Farewell to Arms. How brilliant is that?
At this point you're asking: "Leab, why the hell are you talking about this? What's the deal?"
Well, I read an article today about a bunch of books in Brown's library that are bound in human skin. That's right, boys and girls, human skin of the "bring out your dead" variety.
Does it make sense? Sure. Bibliophiles, if you're out there, back me up.
Skin makes a great binding because of it's ability to last. When we embalm a person, the fluid keeps the skin from rotting. Binding a book in the 1500s was probably the same way.
Even better? The books Brown has are medical texts. It works out perfectly.
There are several people who have picked up the text and freaked out at the fact it's made from us (IT'S PEOPLE!!!). I asked my wife:
"Honey, would you ever pick up a book made of skin?"
"What? Ewwwwww."
"Oh come on. How is that really any different from leather?"
"It's people."
"Yeah, but it's not like they went to a prisoner and flayed him, then threw the skin on a book. They probably tanned it, and such."
"It doesn't matter."
See, even rationally thinking people are frightened by it.
I'm not, but then again, maybe it's just me....
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You know what? That's going to be it for the night.
Tomorrow, I'll tell another story...maybe. I've noticed story time doesn't generate any comments (or real mail). One student did ask me today if I was almost married (yup).
Still, that student also has goyum issues. It works out.
Until tomorrow.
Namaste.