Squidmas is coming!

And Dorid is working on a coloring book.

I have no idea how atheism is getting all tangled up with squid.

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"I have no idea how atheism is getting all tangled up with squid."

They have all those tentacles. So, you see, it was only a matter of time.

I have no idea how atheism is getting all tangled up with squid.

Does it not occur to you that you yourself might be the nexus between the two?

By Bill Dauphin (not verified) on 25 Nov 2007 #permalink

Ever since Lovecraft, squid have been associated with hopelessness.

Some call it Squidmas, or Octonoël,
To some, it's Kopffüßerweihnachten as well
In Spain they will wish you "Feliz Nautilidad"
And think nothing of it--it isn't that odd.
There are similar phrases in Greek and Etruscan
Expressing a good celebration molluscan
From ocean to ocean, the banner's unfurled:
It's Cephalopodmas all over the world!

It is a plot by the Flying Spaghetti Monster. The more atheists there are, the more people are not believing in false gods, and eventually some of them will seek spiritual meaning and turn to FSMism.

It just looks like a squid because your puny mammal brain cannot truly perceive His Noodliness.

By Flamethorn (not verified) on 25 Nov 2007 #permalink

I have no idea how atheism is getting all tangled up with squid.

C'mon now, have you ever seen a cephalopod in church? Even on Easter or Christmas?

You stand over the the fresh corpse of Jeebus, with a smoking cephalopod in your hand, and tell everyone you don't understand the connection between squid and atheism? J'Accuse...!

What is that about hopelessness? There is a hope: to be eaten first!

In the meantime, Cuttlefish wins teh intartoobz. Again.

By David Marjanović, OM (not verified) on 25 Nov 2007 #permalink

Bah, I came here to point out that it was Cthulhu's work, but was beaten by... everyone.
I'm going to go fondle some tentacles now.

Ah, I wish it were Cthulhu or even PZ that started me on the Squidmas thing...

I have to admit, it's my daughter, who has a "Christmas" tree decorated with sea creatures and dinosaurs. On top of the tree is a brittle star made of pipe cleaners. I'd told my kids I should have a nudibranch on top of my tree, but there was nothing to hold on with... it needed tentacles...

the rest is history...

The "coloring book" will also feature puzzles and connect the dots... all with atheist themes (even the ones that LOOK like they have religious themes ;) )

I have a few more illustrations to go before it goes to publication, but it should be available on December 1st :)

Atheism has nothing to do with hope, either. Which makes it hopeless compared with systems that involve a skydaddy.

And squid ... it's Lovecraft's fault. It just is. You might as well accept the inevitable, PZ.

The Night of the Squidmas

It's the night of the Squidmas,
And all through the sea
Celaphopods stir,
All tenticularly.

While off on the shore
With the squidsox all hung,
The squidwassail drunk,
And the squidcarols sung,

Mamma in her kerchief
And I in my cap,
Are settling down for a
Long Squidmas nap.

When off in the ocean
The start of a swell
A rising and gathering
Wave does foretell.

A wave of Noachian
Size it will be.
A wave bringing Squidmas
To you and to me.

It swirls and it whirls
And it turns and it churns,
And it rises and deepens
As shoreward it yearns.

And then, at its crest,
With a soft luminescence
The first squid of Squidmas
Announces its presence.

Now there are two squid
Now four, and now eight;
Now dozens, now thousands
Of squid all await,

This day of all days.
In the wave's frothy swelling,
They celebrate Squidmas
With octonowelling.

And then, in a twinkling
The wave gathers force
It broadens, it lengthens,
Sets forth on its course:

To the edge of the ocean!
To shore! To the strand!
To the dune! To the marshes,
Sweep over the land!

********

And the wave with its cargo
Of glorious squid
Swept over the Earth,
But no damage it did!

And yet in each home
Where the squidsox were hung,
Squidwassail was drunk,
And squidcarols were sung,

The squid in their wave
Left a present, you know:
A gem of the ocean
In each squidsock toe.

So hark to the squid
In the wave as they pass:
Saying "Good night to all,
And a happy Squidmas!"

By Warren Xmas (not verified) on 25 Nov 2007 #permalink

Wow. Do we really now have two cephalopoets... or has Cuttlefish merely adopted a new nom de tentacle?

I feel a Cephalopoetry Slam coming on!

By Bill Dauphin (not verified) on 26 Nov 2007 #permalink

Dan, let's not get ahead of ourselves, hope or no hope, fairies are garbage.

Back on topic, a haiku:

Tentacles twining
Cephalopods amongst pine
A beaked Claus on high

The Flying Spaghetti Monster exists outside the normal space-time continuum and manifests Itself within a multi-dimensional universe. Thus, when viewed by the constrained consciousness of the human mind It appears as a "squid" to our limited understanding and our limited ability to view Its Completeness which spans across multiple dimensions.

By noodle-soup (not verified) on 26 Nov 2007 #permalink

Cuttlefish and Warren Xmas, bravo.

By John Phillips (not verified) on 26 Nov 2007 #permalink

What is that about hopelessness? There is a hope: to be eaten first!

In the meantime, Cuttlefish wins teh intartoobz. Again.

By David Marjanović, OM (not verified) on 25 Nov 2007 #permalink

Thnks ll

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