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In honor of World Dracula Day I present some Dracula Paper Dolls. It celebrates the date Bram Stoker's novel Dracula was first published in 1897.

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I will ALWAYS share Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu… ALWAYS!

NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE (1979) | dir. Werner Herzog

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The weird science behind Dracula's sunglasses

As many of you know, in Bram Stoker's Dracula, the count could venture out by day. Night was just his more natural time. He was nocturnal. The 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula movie gave him a pair of cobalt blue pince-nez sunglasses.

Then in the 90s the manga and anime Hellsing (and then the Hellsing OVA) depicted Dracula (going by the name Alcuard) in round, red (or orange), sunglasses.

This is probably an aesthetic choice but there actually is some science behind these choices. First we'll discuss Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992 movie). In the late nineteenth century it was believed that different colored sunglasses could treat different ailments. Round, brown-tinted "tea shades" (old term for Lennon style sunglasses) were often worn by light sensitive people when out for sunny, afternoon tea. It was also a convenient way for Opium users to hide their bloodshot eyes. Blue or specifically cobalt was for seriously light sensitive people who had eyes that were frozen in dilation or have trouble dilating. The dark blue tricks the brain into thinking it is dusk and the eyes will adjust for dimmer lighting. They are very effective sunglasses but have the draw back that if you remove them while still in sunlight you will feel like you suddenly left a dark theatre for the harsh light of day. This is part of why blue sunglasses aren't so popular anymore, because they so accurately simulate the sky at dusk that some people consider them harmful. In general they would be excellent for nocturnal creatures. ___________________________ Now for red. Red sunglasses filter light very clearly while creating a red light filter. Nocturnal animals like bats, coyotes, racoons, skunks, and cats, are actually not bothered by light when it's filtered through red. Red light will not upset the natural cycles for a nocturnal animal, or frighten, confuse, or disorientate them. They would also work well to hide if eyes changed color to red or were red. So red is actually good for nocturnal animals (of which Dracula shares traits and can transform into). And blue (cobalt) replicates the sky at dusk and with human eyes it tricks the brain and eye dilation into thinking it is dusk. This could be useful for keeping one such as Dracula alert by day. Bonus: Lestat's violet sunglasses described in Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles likely contain useful aspects of both of these.

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The Red Spectre | 1907

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Merry 2000 Trained Rats, everybody

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Mari Lwyd meme.

“I wish all [PEOPLE WHO HAVE HOUSES]

A very [LET ME IN]”

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source

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I'm knitting in the corner at a party

and guys my age stop by to tell me I remind them of their aunt, of their grandmother. This is a compliment and I take it as such. They confess to having tried crochet once, and I smile. They get back in line for the bathroom.

I'm knitting in the corner at a party and a queer woman sits on the floor next to me, arranges her skirt, and smiles up at me. (I try not to blush.) She asks me all the questions on her mind about my craft and I answer them, hands still moving. We swap yarn sources. She doesn't stay, but she knows where to find me.

I'm knitting in the corner at a party and everyone knows where to find me when they need a minute, when socializing is too much and the music is too loud and they need to catch their breath. They pretend to be checking in on me, which is sweet, but I can see the relief in their eyes the moment they stop performing for a house full of people. They sit down and tell me things and all the while they never take their eyes off my hands.

The party has wound down and I'm still knitting and the hosts, two guys in their twenties, thank me for "helping to curate the vibe." I had no idea that's what I was doing. I leave the party having forgotten to drink anything and without that woman's number but with many rows added to my top-down raglan sweater. I call it a night, and a good one.

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Look how cute they (all) are!!!!

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Deal with werewolves in two easy steps! :D

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Dracula’s signet ring (2020)

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vice dot com I do not think that's legal

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instagram | prints

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Today we’ve got Nosferatu, named as such because they didn’t have the rights to Dracula. Or as he’s known as in Nosferatu The Vampyre, here’s Dracula.

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Tips for writing those gala scenes, from someone who goes to them occasionally:

Generally you unbutton and re-button a suit coat when you sit down and stand up.

You’re supposed to hold wine or champagne glasses by the stem to avoid warming up the liquid inside. A character out of their depth might hold the glass around the sides instead.

When rich/important people forget your name and they’re drunk, they usually just tell you that they don’t remember or completely skip over any opportunity to use your name so they don’t look silly.

A good way to indicate you don’t want to shake someone’s hand at an event is to hold a drink in your right hand (and if you’re a woman, a purse in the other so you definitely can’t shift the glass to another hand and then shake)

Americans who still kiss cheeks as a welcome generally don’t press lips to cheeks, it’s more of a touch of cheek to cheek or even a hover (these days, mostly to avoid smudging a woman’s makeup)

The distinctions between dress codes (black tie, cocktail, etc) are very intricate but obvious to those who know how to look. If you wear a short skirt to a black tie event for example, people would clock that instantly even if the dress itself was very formal. Same thing goes for certain articles of men’s clothing.

Open bars / cash bars at events usually carry limited options. They’re meant to serve lots of people very quickly, so nobody is getting a cosmo or a Manhattan etc.

Members of the press generally aren’t allowed to freely circulate at nicer galas/events without a very good reason. When they do, they need to identify themselves before talking with someone.