Banshee Studios has its winter issue out (with a really cool issue name that I can’t pronounce but which I think means ‘winter issue’), featuring the winner of their essay contest.

More and more, I find myself staring into the faces of old women. I observe them on the bus, the subway and on the slow train that carries me on selected weekends to my childhood home. I look into the deep sockets around their eyes - take note whether they possess laugh lines around the mouth and overall observe if they seem beaten and worn or caressed and glowing or perhaps something in between.

Good, thoughtful stuff (and certainly not written in a crazed 24-hour haze like that last ‘winner’) — well worth checking out.

Samhain
How is it pronounced? "sow-in." or "sow-een."

You have to love that Celtic language stuff.

Interesting article regarding it can be found :

http://ladyhedgehog.hedgie.com/samhain.html