|
|
|
May 29th, 2012
nontacitare
 | 07:09 pm - results of mammogram
So I had my mammogram today. ( Read more... )
|
rhiannon76
 | 01:09 pm - Fake Monday is fake
That was a good weekend, though I feel like I could use one more day off. I had a day of sloth and gentle errand-running, then a productive day of troupe practice and dinner-party-hosting, then another day of sloth + gardening and troupe practice. At least this will be a short work week. And payday, which will be welcomed with great cries and exaltations.
Sunday night I had a dream about the zombie apocalypse, from which I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep for a while. And then I got up Monday morning and heard about the naked cannibal zombie guy in Florida, and thought "It has begun." Following this, I thought "Tonight, I would like to dream of winning a large sum of money." As far as I know, that didn't happen.
I have berries growing on my strawberry plants. And the beginnings of little broccoli florets. And tons of tender yummy lettuce. And my potatoes are going crazy. More gardening needs to happen this weekend.
Current Mood:  hungry
|
hearthstone
 | 03:12 pm - A few more yarns
This is mainly for my own reference, but if you like to look at amateur yarn, here is some:
( Cut for pictures that are on the big side )
Spinning is fairly relaxing, but I think simple knitting is still more of a stress-buster.
|
dqg_neal
 | 02:32 pm - Long Con Weekend
Back from Balticon, but this day back at work is really dragging. There is nothing I want to do more than just go home and go to sleep for the night. The allergies/con curd isn't helping either.
One thing I noted this weekend is that when there are conventions back to back, people are bringing their con crud to the next event. And people are coming down with it in the middle of con, instead of after it. That really sucks.
|
verginiamus
 | 11:43 am - Tarot and Dragons: Intro
To understand divination more deeply, one important tool to know is the Tarot. Although I am not particularly enamored of the Tarot, I have gained much from learning its symbolic system. Also, I enjoy the creativity displayed by many authors of Tarot decks. Since I am a nature enthusiast, I collect oracle and Tarot decks on this topic. In addition, I do own four of the decks that feature dragons.
Because many Tarot decks usually follow either the Rider-Waite or Thoth symbolic structures, it is easy to grasp the meanings of cards once these two set-ups are learned. This makes it easier to understand the topics presented in various Tarot decks. I like how these decks explore a particular subject in depth through the use of the symbolism of the Tarot. For me, this both sparks my desire to learn more and allows me to explore in depth each topic.
For example, “Animals Divine Tarot” by Lisa Hunt has the condor represent the Eight of Swords. For the meaning of this card, Lisa Hunt writes “inflexibility, self-imposed restrictive thinking.” At first glance, condors would be more appropriate for the Nine of Swords (Nightmare) or the Ten of Swords (Failure), since these birds feast on the dead. However the condors of the New World are related to storks instead of hawks. These large birds are going extinct because they are restricted in what they eat and where they nest. (They evolved to feast on the carcasses of large mammals in the Ice Age.) Hence “restriction” is an appropriate association for condors.
Because I am visually oriented, I enjoy looking at and collecting Tarot decks. I like to see how various people exhibit their creativity about particular subjects. Because of my orientation, I can glean a lot of information from each card beyond the usual Tarot meaning. Therefore the visual aspect of each Tarot card is important to me in divination and meditation. The Tarot cards that I enjoy meditating on are usually colorful and modern in their artwork.
I believe that my experience with the various Dragon Tarot decks would be similar to the decks I already have. When I read a Tarot card, I usually tap into the imagery of the card. Because I regard the Tarot to be a road map to other worlds, I usually follow its direction in these matters. For me, the Tarot delineates landmarks and places to go. In addition, the Tarot helps me to safely explore these other worlds.
I think that the Dragon Tarot decks would offer a gateway to the world of dragons, and would further my understanding of dragons. These Tarots can offer clear pathways to the world of dragons. Since the Tarot offers the way in and the way out, I feel safe in exploring the world of dragons. Moreover, each card can act as a gatekeeper to watch over my interaction with the dragons. Through these Tarots, I can discover more about these magnificent creatures.
Works Used
Drury, Neville, “The Tarot Workbook”, Thunder Bay: San Diego, 2004.
Fontana, David, “The Essential Guide to the Tarot”, Watkins Publishing: London, 2011.
Hunt, Lisa, “Animals Divine Tarot”, Llewellyn: St. Paul (MN), 2005.
Perrins, Christopher, ed., “Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds”, Firefly Books: London, 2003.
Zerner, Amy and Monte Farber, “Tarot Secrets”, Zerner/Farber Editions: New York, 2009.
Bird
|
erynn999
 | 12:45 am - Moving forward again
Today was largely spent dealing with pilgrimage things, as I'd intended. I talked with ![[info]](http://l-files.livejournal.net/userhead/450?v=1319189397) fififolle about the UK train tickets (I can't purchase them from here so she'll arrange them for me), sent a bunch of stuff to the pilgrimage email list, and spent a few hours chasing down some links for the group. I want to find tales and mythology regarding the places we're going, a little info about the locations themselves, and articles and whatnot about the various mythic figures, and the concepts we'll be dealing with.
The flamekeeping liturgy was sent off to the list as something for folks to consider, given that we'll be receiving Brigid's flame in Kildare, and some of the participants may want to think about developing a flamekeeping practice. This will give them one potential model to consider.
I've collected a few titles of things I want to send as suggested reading, though I don't imagine that folks will get to all of it before the pilgrimage. That said, if they find it of interest, they can always pursue the material when they get home again, as they're working on integrating the pilgrimage and its experiences into their lives afterwards. I sent links to a few things today, in addition to the liturgy.
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1) gra_is_stor is supposed to be up tomorrow afternoon. I'll be heading over to the AFK in the evening, and she'll be off at band practice. Wednesday I have shrinkage, and Thursday is group at the VA. Friday and Saturday I'll have ![[info]](http://l-files.livejournal.net/userhead/146?v=1287083917) isquiesque and her husband over, as they want to go to a big roller derby thing happening this weekend in Everett, and they don't have a car. I offered to let them stay with me, so it would be easier to get to downtown Everett than having to take a bus in from Seattle. I'm looking forward to seeing them. I haven't met him yet.
Right at the moment, I'm still feeling pretty brain-burnt from trying to focus so long on the online research. I've discovered that using a different browser window instead of just tabs helps me ignore the siren call of the social media when I'm working, so that was good. And now the DoDC+3 is giving me pitiful looks and seems to want out.
Current Mood:  listless
Current Music: Gending: Mandulpati/Ladrang Agun-Agun
|
May 28th, 2012
erynn999
 | 10:45 pm - Sarasvati altar
Current Mood:  calm
Current Music: Kodo: Wataru
|
seamus_mcnasty
 | 10:22 pm - Why am I so broken?
So this past weekend was Wellspring and it was good seeing so many great people. I performed my last duty as Vice Arch Druid, which was presenting the ADF awards. The awards were my favorite part of the job. Drum is now VAD and everyone seems happy with how things worked out. I didn’t run this year as most of you know. I didn’t run because I didn’t feel wanted on the MG. I have tried to be nice, smile and talk about how I hated the politics of it all but now that I no longer have a title and seem to be losing friends in ADF every day I can try to be a little more honest, at least with myself. I did want to run but felt it better for ADF to let it go. Drum and Kirk seem to be on the same page and will work well together. I always felt like most of the MG didn’t respect me and at best humored me and at worst outright disrespected me and my ideas of bringing ADF into the 1990s…anyway long story longer it’s done, as of this weekend my report was given and awards handed out and everyone went home happy… So I have been carrying this thing around for a couple of years and I can’t let it go. It just keeps welling up in me and I think it’s time to at least tell the story. At this point I don’t seem to have anything or anyone to lose…This is the story of how I lost my smile. I have been in ADF for a while; I have tried to work hard for the church, to be a good druid and friend. Some years ago the Cranes started doing a food plan for Summerland’s Festival and after a couple of years we were invited to co-sponsor the festival. The first signs of trouble began when their Senior Druid and I disagreed over a simple issue. I felt that it was ridiculous to charge the ADF store vendor space at the festival. Why wouldn’t we waive the fee for ADF and consider it a donation. The bottom line is their SD did not like the then store manager and hated the idea. That was probably the first crack in the wall. As the relationship continued it became obvious that we would not being given a say on who would be given free entry as presenters, that their SD would be the only one to decide which of her friends would get in free "as presenters" etc…a second crack… As I took on the role of auctioneer and became more of an active face of the festival it became clear that our role was to be the grunts that moved things, and cleaned up things (and we did all this and had to pay to attend our own festival). This is no longer cracks but pieces of the wall were crumbling. The last year we were a part of this festival was the year Isaac past. It was decided that we would do an Isaac Memorial and it was discussed and decided that one extra keg should be ordered since there would be more people on hand for that, it was also discussed that it might be necessary anyway since for the last two years there were late night runs to town for more beer anyway to keep the drummers etc. happy. So the cost for the keg wasn’t much different than the extra five or six cases we bought anyway. We jump ahead to a month after the festival and suddenly their SD has a problem with the extra keg and somehow it is now considered “MY” keg for my ritual for becoming an ADF priest. After a few emails between our SD and theirs, Three Cranes is charged full price for the keg and life moves on….until… Three Cranes Grove was fired from Summerlands festival via an email. It never thanked us for our service or anything; it was simply a form letter saying something about them going with another grove and if we wanted we could have the kitchen back but not even for the money made off the food plan but as hired help that would be paid less than it would cost to pay admission into the event. We declined. I was pissed that they would treat us like this after the hard work we had done to help them. The auctions were the most successful they had ever been, thanks to me and my performance and the amount of stuff the Cranes had donated to the event. What happened next crushed me… In our next Three Cranes business meeting it was discussed as to whether or not we would take the offer to be kitchen help. I was firmly against it and felt that a boycott was in order. I mean after all why give that grove 25 admissions plus cabin and food plan money after how they had treated us. But the grove was split…bards have to perform, drummers need to drum, partiers need to party etc…so many of the grove showed me that it was more important to them to do whatever than to have loyalty to your grove, to have a pride and kinship to stand united. That was when I lost my smile… Add to that, that no one cared how we were treated or wronged. In my mind it was an honor and respect issue. Even now three years later NOONE from that grove has been honorable enough to talk to me about it. No one cared…expect me. I can’t seem to let it go…I know it childish of me. I want to be a better person but I can’t seem to. The pain is still there. In my mind people have taken sides…well that’s not true no one is on my side. Most have shrugged it off and forgotten about it, if they even gave it a second thought to begin with. Hell, members of our grove are still helping them, even booking music for the event. Each time it is like a knife in my heart. In my mind all it does is continue to prove that whatever relationships I thought I had, I was wrong. Many people in my grove like to use the term “Crane-Kin” but I find I can’t consider many grove mates kin any longer. This past spring I took a “sabbatical” from the grove because of this and other things that I am having a hard time reconciling. My relationship with many in ADF is damaged. How much I don’t even know. I sat in my tent last night and cried instead of going to the main ritual. It was like losing a relative to death or a spouse who no longer loves you no matter what you try to do… There does seem to be some healing for others, MJD has been accepted to do a workshop at Summerlands and I am happy for that. As for me…I have no idea. I think maybe I have Borderline Personality Disorder…I just feel empty inside and I don’t want a bunch of hugs or pats on the head. I know many of you love me etc…I just wanted to tell my side of the story and maybe get rid of it. I have been carrying it for so long…so now you guys know how and why I lost my smile…
Current Mood:  sad
|
caitlin_sd
 | 09:56 pm - CT Refund
Our CT income tax refund arrived last week, in the form of debit cards. There were two cards, rather than a single check made out to both of us. Once we activated the cards, we could each register for the account on line & get an account summary--handy when you've agreed to split the total amount & need to keep track of what you've spent.
So far I've used my share to pay for the cat's insulin ($80), some food, a new fry pan and 2 pounds of lamb sausage from Leyden Farm, at the Amherst Farmers Market.
|
|
|
