Oh I could write a sonnet.

Happy Easter, good Skull & Pumpkin patrons.

I hope you are all enjoying your families and friends on this Easter Sunday. I hope that even if you aren't, you are enjoying yourself.

Also, I hope that no matter your religious persuasion (or lack thereof), you are at least giving thought to the great renewal of life that is symbolized in the annual Spring festival known as Easter.

Birth, sun, water and earth, eggs, blossoms -- life.

For me, a fallen Catholic, there are special reasons to enjoy this decidedly non-Hallowe'enish holiday.

One, it's pretty much halfway 'round the year from Hallowe'en. You have to love the symmetry of that.

Two, if you consider, as Christians do, that Jesus came back from the dead, then we can at least entertain the notion of Jesus being a kind of reverse zombie -- back from the dead, but then (for Catholics at least) we eat His flesh instead of being eaten ourselves.

By the way, for those cynics who make fun of the story of Christ by calling Him the first zombie, I offer the absolute fact that He was certainly not the first. That would be Lazarus, raised by the hand of Jesus.

I know, I know. Some will scream that the very idea of Zombie Jesus is sinful, blasphemous, sacrilege. Hey, I told you, I'm a fallen Catholic. Plus I'm a Hallowe'en Lovin' Monster Kid running a Hallowe'en pub. Is an explanation even necessary?

Besides, it's not like anyone seriously thinks Jesus was a zombie.

But to make amends for any weird feelings, and to celebrate one of my all time favorite musicals and Easter films, I have filled the Hallowe'enith radio to the brim with the entire original soundtrack recording of the 1973 film version of Godspell.

 Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak's fantastic show and the talents of Victor Garber, David Haskell, Lynne Thigpen and the rest of the cast make for a perfect Easter listen.

The story of Jesus' life and death, and for believers His resurrection, will always be a fascinating, inspiring and thought-provoking part of my life, and there is no denying the great impact that story has made on the world over the last two thousand years.

For the better or the worse is up to you. As I've stated before, Linus' admonition about discussing religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin is taken seriously here at the S&P.

But it's Easter, for... well, for Christ's sake. And it's wonderful music. Please give it a full listen, it will reward you many times.

In the words of Nosferhoptu...

... Happy Easter Sunday, from the Skull & Pumpkin.

  

DUMDUMDSHREKPEEPS!

Long Live God.