Month: November 2008

  • Tattoo: The Interlude
    Tattoo
    the webnovel so far…

    Chapter 1: Blood is Thicker
    Chapter 1.1 in which Glory is not mindful of the store
    Chapter 1.2 in which Glory is made to do something she would really rather not
    Chapter 1.3 in which Glory thinks she might be sick
    Chapter 1.4 in which Aaron makes a mistake
    Chapter 1.5 in which Glory is made to see the error of her ways
    Chapter 1.6 in which the circle remains unbroken

    Chapter 2: A Farewell to Arms
    Chapter 2.1 in which Aaron makes another mistake
    Chapter 2.2 in which Glory reflects on her path
    Chapter 2.3 in which we learn Aaron is not really a nice boy
    Chapter 2.4 in which Glory speculates on the holiness of salt
    Chapter 2.5 in which Glory learns of the necessity for upper body strength, but makes do with  what she has
    Chapter 2.6 in which Aaron tries to make amends, but is still pretty much an ass

    Chapter 3: Small Sacrifices
    Chapter 3.1 in which Glory is spat on, twice
    Chapter 3.2 in which a cop is threatened
    Chapter 3.3 in which someone is crying
    Chapter 3.4  in which there’s more to the moon than meets the eye
    Chapter 3.5  in which Glory comes face to face with an loony environmentalist
    Chapter 3.6 in which Glory gets turned around
    Chapter 3.7 in which Glory is threatened
    Chapter 4: The Shape of Things to Come
    Chapter 4.1 in which a doctor makes his rounds
    Chapter 4.2 in which Glory is asked some awkward questions
    Chapter 4.3 in which Glory adopts a pet
    Chapter 4.4 in which Glory gets a surprise, but decides she should not have been surprised at all
    Chapter 4.5 in which Glory explains why there are no debts where duty is concerned
    Chapter 4.6 in which a shapeshifter is an enemy to no man
    Chapter 4.7 in which Glory defends Toby’s right to make a phone call
    Chapter 4.8 in which the nose knows
    Chapter 4.9 in which good pizza is wasted on a possum
    Chapter 4.10 in which the ruse is discovered and much blood is shed
    Chapter 4.11 in which names are dropped and there is much frustration

    Interlude
    The Head I’m not at all happy about how this page turned out, but I’m tired of fighting with it. It will probably change later on this week.
    November 30th

    St. Andrew was worshiped today as a version of the deity Andros, a god of manhood and virility and an aspect of Dionysus.


    Birthday of Oberon Zell, founder of the Church of All Worlds.



  • Black Friday: A most ignoble death




    Sorry about no post yesterday. My computer and Xanga were not speaking to each other.

    Speaking of yesterday….

    Black Friday is my least favorite day of the year. I feel there’s a reason more people kill themselves during the holiday than any other time of year. I’d be willing to bet my life savings (as small as it is), that the majority of people who kill themselves are probably in retail.

    Speaking of retail related deaths, yesterday a man was killed by a shopping mob in a Walmart. I really don’t think I can adequately convey how utterly disgusted and horrified I am by this! Everyone who went shopping yesterday should be ashamed, whether or not you went first thing in the morning, but ESPECIALLY if you happened to be part of this crowd and COMPLAINED about leaving the store after MURDERING someone as you DESPERATELY sought a bargain. WTF people. You disgust me. If you don’t understand what is wrong with this kind of behavior then I revoke your right to be called human. Whether or not you were part of this mob, you were still part of the mob that descended upon shopping centers yesterday like a swarm of rabid locusts. You played right into the hands of the retailers, and you have no consideration for anyone but yourselves.

    Yeah, I know I’m generalizing and not everyone is a bad shopper on Black Friday, but think about it! Crap people! They lead you around by your noses with these sales. They control you on this day. On this day, more than any other, you are nothing but a number. You are nothing but a zombie, a blind consumer. I suggest everyone take away the power of big business and boycott Black Friday sales from this day forward. There’s no excuse for pushing in the doors of a Walmart and trampling someone in search of sales. I know our economy is crap, but I like to think a human life is more important than a frikkin bargain!

    Look, I didn’t even know this guy, and chances are that no one who reads this knew this man, but he’s everyone of us. That could just as easily have been me or you or someone we do know. How much do you want to bet that there will be no accountability here? Who will his family sue? The Walmart? Hardly. No matter how much Walmart has fostered a sale-minded culture, it’s not their fault a zombie horde busted their doors down.

    Look, it may seem like I’m cutting my own throat here since I work in retail myself, but you really need to boycott Black Friday, everywhere. If you have any regard for human life, you need to boycott Black Friday. Don’t let poor Jdimytai Damour’s death be in vain. If nothing else, this should teach us that our culture has gone too far in terms of the holiday shopping frenzy.

    Buy from catalogs. Buy from the internet. Buy throughout the year so you are done shopping by now. But never, ever go to a store on Black Friday. You take your life into your own hands, and worse, you become a component in the death of retail workers throughout the country. Whether first hand through mob indifference, or second hand by suicide, you are responsible for this and other deaths if you shop on Black Friday. If you have never worked in retail, you probably think I’m being melodramatic. Everyone else…. you know where I’m coming from.

    To the family of Jdimytai Damour, I am so very sorry that this happened. I wish I could do something more than this blog. I hope that Walmart at least makes some kind of outreach to you over what happened, that they take some responsibility for his death. Even though legally they will probably not be held accountable, they are still responsible from a moral standpoint. That mob would never have been at their doors if they had not encouraged their behavior with their sales. I think I can speak for any retail worker who heard about this crime yesterday when I say that our hearts go out to you. I feel like someone in my own family was killed.
    November 28th (yesterday)


    The 13th day of Tybi was a Feast of Hathor and Sekhmet. This is the Day of prolonging life and the goodness of Ma’at.
    November 29th (today)


    A festival of the sons of Saturn in their saintly guise as St. Saturnius. Saturnius, “son of Saturn,” was a name taken up by Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto.



    In Rumania, strigoii (vampires) leave their tombs and return to their former homes. Garlic is hung by the windows and doors to keep them out. Failing to find victims, the strigoii will fight among themselves before returning to their graves.



  • A gourmand’s carnivorous feast
    How was your turkey today? Or ham?

    Despite our modern tradition of having a Thanksgiving turkey, it’s probably not the only thing the Pilgrims had at their first feast. And virtually everything else we associate with the meal was probably not on the menu for the Pilgrims. Though our modern celebration for the most part centers on a meat dish with many sides, their meals included many different meat dishes and very few of our current staples. Vegetable dishes didn’t really play a large part in seventeenth century feast mentality, and depending on the time of year, many vegetables weren’t even available to the colonists.

    The celebration lasted for three days (try getting off from work that long these days!), and in addition to the food, there were games, races, and music. Exactly when the festival took place is uncertain, but it is believed it took place in mid-October (not November). The true tradition of Thanksgiving did not begin until three years later however, when an unusually hot and dry spring and summer caused the crops to die in the fields. Rain came soon after a day of fasting and prayer and to celebrate, November 29th was proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. During the American Revolution, a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress, and by 1817, New York had adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. Many other states were also celebrating Thanksgiving by the middle of the 19th century. It was not until 1863 that President Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving, and since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday.

    The pilgrims probably didn’t have pies or anything sweet at the harvest feast. Though they had brought sugar with them on the Mayflower, by the time of the feast, there was little left. Of course, they didn’t even have an oven, so pies and cakes and breads were not at all possible even with a sweetener. The pilgrims used many spices, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, and dried fruit in sauces for the meats. Cooks in the seventeenth century did not use proportions like teaspoons and tablespoons however. They just improvised by taste (kind of how I cook).

    By our standards, the food that was eaten at the harvest feast would have seemed fatty, but it was probably more healthy for the pilgrims than it would be for people today. The active lifestyle of the colonists dictated a diet richer in protein, and heart attack was the least of their worries. The best way to cook things in the seventeenth century was to roast them. But this meant that someone had to sit for hours at a time and turn the spit to make sure the meat was evenly done. Also, since the pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians had no refrigeration in the seventeenth century, they tended to dry a lot of their foods to preserve them. They mainly had dried Indian corn and cornmeal, and fish.

    The biggest meal of the day for the Pilgrims was at noon. This was called noonmeat or dinner. Supper was a smaller meal that they had at the end of the day, while breakfast consisted of leftovers from the previous day’s noonmeat. The meal probably included cod, eel, clams, lobster, turkey, goose, duck, crane, swan, partridge, eagle, venison, and seal. Other dishes might have included pumpkin, peas, beans, onions, lettuce, radishes, carrots, plums, grapes, walnuts, chestnuts, acorns, liverwort, leeks, dried currants, and parsnips.

    The colonists and Wampanoag Indians ate similar foods, but their eating patterns were different. In a pilgrim household, the adults sat down to eat and the children and servants waited on them. Also, the Pilgrims were served by status, the choicest dishes near the most important members of the group, and there was no passing of the dishes. You ate what was nearest. While the colonists had specific meals—breakfast, dinner, and supper—the Wampanoags tended to eat when they were hungry and to have pots cooking throughout the day. This may have made those three days easier for the four adult women remaining among the pilgrims who would have had to prepare the vast feast.

    What Was Not on the Menu

    The following foods, all considered staples of the modern Thanksgiving, did not appear on the first feast table:

    Ham: There is no evidence that the colonists had butchered a pig by this time, though they had brought pigs with them from England.
    Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes: These were not common.
    Corn on the Cob: Corn was dried out by this time of year. Even dried corn, which is a regional favorite where I live, was not available to the Pilgrims. Dried corn such as we enjoy it now came with the Pennsylvania Dutch settlers.
    Cranberry Sauce: The colonists had cranberries but no sugar to sweeten it.
    Pumpkin Pie: This is not a recipe that existed at that point, though the pilgrims had recipes for stewed pumpkin.
    Chicken/Eggs: The colonists brought hens with them from England, but it’s unknown how many they had left at this point or whether the hens were still laying.
    Milk: No cows were aboard the Mayflower, though it’s possible that the colonists used goat milk to make cheese.




    There are no holy days today aside from the secular celebration of Thanksgiving.

  • Talisman for Protection
    Today on a Pagan forum, someone asked for help making a protective talisman for someone being deployed in Iraq soon. Since I’m sure there are others out there who have loved ones going or currently in the Middle East, I thought I’d post here what I sent to her. With Yule coming up, some of you might want to do something like this to send to your loved one as a present. If anyone has any questions about any of the information here, please let me know. I can help you fine tune it if need be.

    I’m not sure what kind of talismans you are familiar with making, but this is what I would do if I were making this charm myself. I have a preference for sewing herbal sachets. I’d take some white and red fabric (white for protection, red for vitality) and sew a pouch. You may sew protective and/or astrological symbols into the fabric, or symbols of specific deities that might be interested in his welfare. I’d suggest the astrological symbol for Mars as he is protective of warriors, or Thor or Tyr (hammer or sword) if he has a preference for Norse mythology. If neither Mars, nor Thor or Tyr are suitable, let me know what pantheons you or the person you want to make the talisman for prefer to work with, and I may be able to suggest something more specific. A star would not be a bad idea as a general protective symbol. I like to sew in a new penny that I have found and blessed into any protective charm I make as well. It’s important to me that it’s a found penny, maybe not so much to you. I tend to save all of my found money separately in a little box as a kind of luck repository. I prefer pennies because of the “find a penny” saying, but anything would probably work.

    Now for what you fill the sachet with, that’s up to you. I don’t know if you have more of an affinity to herbs or stones. I find I work better with herbs and so I usually fill it with appropriate herbs and then anoint the exterior of the pouch with an oil. But if you have a better affinity for stones/metals, there are definitely stones that can be put int the pouch for the same purpose. I would not recommend metals and herbs because some herbs do not like metals. If you want to combine the two, it is possible to sew the metal to the exterior of the bag, separating it from the herbs. Make sure it is very secure though. For instance, if you intend to add a penny, you could use red fabric for the entire bag and white only for the star. Put the penny and any stones/metals you want to use under the star and you won’t have to worry about actually sewing them to the bag itself (which can be difficult). I also like to fine tune such charms to their recipient, so I reduce a person’s name and birthdate to numerological terms and sew those numbers into the charm somewhere. I’d suggest using white thread if you sew it into the red fabric or red if you choose to sew it into the star.

    Now some common protective herbs are: Aloe, Alyssum, Amaranth, Angelica, Anise, Ash, Bamboo, Barley, Basil, Bay, Beans, Birch, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cactus, Cedar, Chrysanthemum, Cinnamon, Clove, Clover, Cotton, Cumin, Cypress, Dill, Dogwood, Elder, Euphorbia, Fennel, Fern, Flax, Fleabane, Foxglove, Frankincense, Garlic, Geranium, Ginseng, Gourds, Holly, Honeysuckle, Horehound, Ivy, Juniper, Larkspur, Lavender, Leek, Lilac, Lime, Linden, Marigold, Mint, Mistletoe, Mulberry, Mullein, Mustard, Myrrh, Oak, Olive, Onion, Orris, Papaya, Parsley, Peony, Pepper, Raspberry, Rhubarb, Rice, Rose, Rosemary, Rowan, Sage, Snapdragon, Thistle, Vervain, Violet, Wax Plant, Willow, Yucca

    This is an abbreviated list, mostly of things you could find in a grocery store or in your backyard/environment. I have a few of these in my garden or as houseplants. I would tend to go with spiny or pungent smelling herbs. Many of these can be found in oils as well. Personally, I’d anoint the talisman with frankincense or myrrh oil. I underlined any herb that has an astrological affinity to Mars.

    Protective stones include: agates, amethyst, amber, Apache tears, (black) jade, garnet, jet, labradorite, malachite, smokey quartz, (black) tourmaline

    In all honesty, if you’re making this for a friend or loved one, I’d show him/her this list and ask if s/he has any preferences for any of the herbs or stones. That would help you attune the talisman to them even more. Also, if your friend has any animal guides, you could add that to the pouch, or if you do and would like to ask them to look out for him, you can add those symbols to the pouch as well.




    November 26th


    Paracelsus, the Swiss alchemist, was born today in 1493.



  • The fairy and the clockwork samurai
    Another weird dream last night… No, really…. you’re gonna love this. (I really need to come up with a new adjective to describe the oddity of my dreams.)

    So I was a human-sized fairy with gossamer wings in a steampunk Victorian England investigating a possible murder of an inventor by a clockwork clay samurai uncovered from a tomb in the Great Wall of China. The inventor was hiding in a grandfather clock though. Not dead after all, despite all the blood. That never was explained actually.

    Just remembered that itty bitty snippet, but what a snippet! lol I could base a whole novel on that snippet! Man… if I had the money, this would so be my Halloween costume next year.

    I am feeling much better today. Thank you to everyone who sent energy. I really don’t know what was wrong with me, but I’m glad it’s done.




    November 25th


    Today honors Persephone (Proserpina, Kore, Arianhrod, or Catherine, Queen of the Shades) ruler of the souls of the dead.



    This day was known as Women’s Merrymaking Day at one time, a celebration of women’s mysteries.



  • Numerological Forecast

    Too tired and feeling icky with whatever is making me sick, so tonight you get… my numerology report… This is uncannily accurate in most respects, but I’d have to pay for a more detailed analysis. :-/ Yeah… I’m cheap. It’s not going to happen.

    Sorry I’m just not up to digging through the featured question archive, but last week’s writer’s choice questions were barely touched upon, so feel free to backtrack a bit.

    Your Life Path of 9 …

    You are a deeply spiritual individual who often displays a deep interest in religion or the occult at a very early age. In fact many nines grow up to be psychics, healers, priests and nuns. You probably feel responsible for keeping up the morality or spirit of mankind in some way, or even responsible for their very souls. This is why many nines also end up working for the law as policemen or judges or in some aspect of spiritual or psychological counseling.

    The emphasis of your life path is on finding ways to communicate the divinity of man in a practical context. As many nines are also very artistic, this connection with the higher powers might also be expressed through a talent such as writing, music or painting.

    At some point in your life you have probably sworn to yourself to make this world a better place. You are extremely compassionate and feel above the matters that you feel causes factions of society to be divided. You are very aware of feeling as insignificant as a grain of sand in the Universe and believe that materialism, prejudice and lust just don’t matter in the long run.

    You have a charismatic and very open personality that attracts you a lot of friends. You are very social, sometimes at the expense of your other responsibilities. Sometimes a number nine might take too much time out during the day “to smell the flowers” and incur the resentment of those that are left to pick up the slack.

    Your attitude towards life in general is very selfless and you usually have a good connection with God or a higher power. However often the number 9 faces a unique challenge at some point in his or her life that seems to be a test of faith. Usually this incident takes the form of a devastating personal loss, disease or some sort of tragedy. This triggers a period of time that lasts a few years that is often called the “dark night of the soul.” It is usually during this period of your life that you find the extreme courage and strength to become what is called a wounded healer.

    Your life may seem too tough to handle at times which makes you vulnerable to finding substitutes for the family unit. As you are naturally very lonely and insecure, you are particularly vulnerable to joining a cult or becoming fanatical in the religious sense.

    If you are a number nine you may find your life seems more difficult than others. This is because it is common human nature to take advantage of your compassion, empathy and generosity. It may seem unfair to you that others do not appreciate the spiritual gifts that you have to offer, especially when you demand so little materially from the world. This is part of the problematic path of the number 9 who is often fated to learn that the path of true compassion does not necessarily result in spiritual rewards for the healer either.

    Although you may feel quite clear about your divine purpose and goals in life, others may perceive you as weird or spacey. This is why it is often difficult for a number 9 to keep a job for long. Relationships might also be very difficult for a 9 to sustain, as this particular path is a rather lonely one. Part of the 9′s spiritual development is usually being presented with situations that force them to let go of emotional situations and connections that might interfere with the higher purpose that the cosmos has in store for them.

    Your Expression of 22 …
    Your Potential Natural Talents and Abilities

    You are a master number and often referred to as the “master builder.” You are probably fated for great things in your life, as a 22 is usually the creator of some kind of structure that transforms the life of society. Usually this change is a positive one but there are some 22′s who have misused their powers to create chaos instead of progress.

    You are very strong leader and blessed with keen analytical powers, enhanced intuition, intelligence, creativity and the ability to manifest the greatest ideals as a reality. You are often reserved and efficient in your approach to things but if you want to be heard you also have the power to make your thoughts and ideas widely known. Usually a 22 is thrust into the public limelight as a great achiever or as a subject of controversy at some point in their life.

    In terms of your self-expression you may be a bit of chameleon having experienced many different roles and careers in your life. Your intelligence and foresight often leads you to a wealthy or powerful position in society eventually. As you are also a very balanced individual blessed with almost superhuman stamina and organizational abilities you usually are able to maintain a stable family life and satisfy your thirst for adventure without compromising either.

    You are charming, good looking and impress all that you meet with your way of making them feel special. Others may feel an instant connection to you even if you don’t necessarily feel that connected to them. This is partly why you make such a good leader. You will excel in any occupation, but whatever it is, you will probably end up in a position of great authority and responsibility.

    Others are often also touched by the noble nature of your ambitions. They sense that everything you do is for the higher aim of the good of mankind. The only drawback of having so much power over others can be expressed by that phrase “Absolute power absolutely corrupts.”

    As one of the ways you succeed is by familiarizing others with new ways or unorthodox solutions that danger is that you could become fanatical or overpowering.

    You have no problem attracting members of the opposite sex as many find you irresistible. However you are such a dominant personality that very few survive a long-term relationship with you. Your identity is so strong that others often feel swallowed up by it. When choosing your partner it is a good idea to choose a naturally submissive individual who does not mind living in your shadow.

    As you are such a powerful personality you also have to be very careful in how you express your opinions and choose your words carefully. Other people are very influenced by your thoughts on both a physical and astral plane. Usually a 22 is naturally positive and subscribe to the term “you are what you think.” However as you are a great idealist, you are often disappointed by the limitations and self-sabotaging behaviors of humanity. One of your challenges is to be patient with those that are not capable of seeing the world in the same way you do.

    Throughout your life you will probably also be known for the political, literary, scientific or artistic contributions you make to humanity. As you are the great artisan, you are sure to be broadly recognized for your talents at one point in your life. Often the contributions you make to history endure for centuries.

    Your Soul Urge of 11 …

    What You Desire To Be, To Have, and To Do In Your Life

    Your soul’s purpose is to manifest ideals into reality but usually such an endeavor means that you must be a catalyst for change. For this reason many who encounter you actually fear you as what you suggest and say is a threat to their emotional and physical security. However this does not usually bother you as you have an innate realization that without chaos there can be no personal transformations or betterment of society.

    Your highest calling is to become the master of a religion or of a spiritual realm. This can be a painful process emotionally as it often means the stripping away of the personality and ego. Many elevens travel a very difficult path, fraught with personal, physical and financial obstacles as the cosmos tests their mettle to have faith only in their higher self.

    You are the ultimate seeker of truth and will go to any lengths to find a spiritual teacher or guru. This search often leads you on a path that is full of many pitfalls and disappointments as you realize that one spiritual system doesn’t work for you or that a guru or teacher is only human after all. However by the end of your life, you are fated to acquire a great deal of practical and esoteric wisdom. Many of you become as hard and clear as diamonds when it comes to your clarity about the human race.

    You also have the highest ideals of any other number and therefore set yourself up for disappointment. Many of you are born to be very sensitive emotionally and many of your soul lessons have to do with detaching emotionally from the pain and misery of the human race. Common soul lessons learned by number 11s are not to take things personally, to realize that everything, including happiness, is transitional and to realize that nothing is perfect (especially humans.) At the beginning of their lives elevens are often very attached to people, but by the end they usually achieve an omniscient emotional distance that is more beneficial and healing for a large group of humans than just a few.

    Often your search for spiritual truth leads you to experimentation with mind-altering drugs. You are fascinated with the idea of altering your consciousness to achieve enlightenment. Rather than drugs, teachings from a master or trips to holy or mystical places would better cultivate your talents.

    One of the dangers of being an eleven is that you think your psyche can take in anything and not suffer damage. Some of the spiritual experiences that you desire may be too strong for your delicate nervous system. For this reason you need to avoid mind-altering drugs, situations that are too extreme or religions that invite you to host dead spirits. You are also more vulnerable to astral attack than the other numbers simply because you are like a wide-open channel that is willing to receive psychic information from others. As some psychic information is destructive you need to learn meditation and psychic protection techniques to shield yourself from negative influences and energies.

    As you are so curious it is very easy for you to be lead down the wrong spiritual path. If this does happen you are better off to forgive yourself and move on rather than dwell on a mistake that you think may have ruined your life. Testing your faith with negative spiritual influences is another way that the cosmos assures that you will eventually learn to transcend the ego desires of your personality.
    November 24th


    Tori-No-Ichi is a Japanese festival beginning the New Year’s celebrations.


    Adar Kansha is a Zoroastrian festival in honor of the Sacred Fire.


    The 9th day of Tybi was a Day of Offerings to Sekhmet.



  • Tattoo Supersized

    Sorry about no posts yesterday. I pretty much got home and passed out. I slept for twelve hours straight, with a minor bathroom emergency at 2 AM. And I was sick-ish today, so Tattoo was late too. But I made up for it with a supersized last page for the super long chapter 4. Caution… it’s pretty gory. Of course, I still left it on a cliffhanger. It just wouldn’t be right to explain everything.

    Tattoo
    the webnovel so far…

    Chapter 1: Blood is Thicker
    Chapter 1.1 in which Glory is not mindful of the store
    Chapter 1.2 in which Glory is made to do something she would really rather not
    Chapter 1.3 in which Glory thinks she might be sick
    Chapter 1.4 in which Aaron makes a mistake
    Chapter 1.5 in which Glory is made to see the error of her ways
    Chapter 1.6 in which the circle remains unbroken

    Chapter 2: A Farewell to Arms
    Chapter 2.1 in which Aaron makes another mistake
    Chapter 2.2 in which Glory reflects on her path
    Chapter 2.3 in which we learn Aaron is not really a nice boy
    Chapter 2.4 in which Glory speculates on the holiness of salt
    Chapter 2.5 in which Glory learns of the necessity for upper body strength, but makes do with  what she has
    Chapter 2.6 in which Aaron tries to make amends, but is still pretty much an ass

    Chapter 3: Small Sacrifices
    Chapter 3.1 in which Glory is spat on, twice
    Chapter 3.2 in which a cop is threatened
    Chapter 3.3 in which someone is crying
    Chapter 3.4  in which there’s more to the moon than meets the eye
    Chapter 3.5  in which Glory comes face to face with an loony environmentalist
    Chapter 3.6 in which Glory gets turned around
    Chapter 3.7 in which Glory is threatened

    Chapter 4: The Shape of Things to Come
    Chapter 4.1 in which a doctor makes his rounds
    Chapter 4.2 in which Glory is asked some awkward questions
    Chapter 4.3 in which Glory adopts a pet
    Chapter 4.4 in which Glory gets a surprise, but decides she should not have been surprised at all
    Chapter 4.5 in which Glory explains why there are no debts where duty is concerned
    Chapter 4.6 in which a shapeshifter is an enemy to no man
    Chapter 4.7 in which Glory defends Toby’s right to make a phone call
    Chapter 4.8 in which the nose knows
    Chapter 4.9 in which good pizza is wasted on a possum
    Chapter 4.10 in which the ruse is discovered and much blood is shed
    Chapter 4.11 in which names are dropped and there is much frustration

    I’ll be running a brief interlude (four illustrated pages) on Glory’s tattoos so that I can take a break through the end of December (because I work in retail and don’t want to go stark raving mad). Chapter 5 will begin in January after New Years.


    November 22nd (yesterday)


    Ydalir, the “Valley of the Yews,” occurs today under the control of the Norse winter god and god of archery, Ullr.



    As an aspect of Artemis Calliste, the Lily of Heaven, this day, now called St. Cecilia’s day, is important to music lovers.




    November 23rd


    This is the first day of winter according to the Julian calendar.



    It is also the feast day of Wayland the Smith which was absorbed by the Christian Church as St. Clement’s Feast. Wayland the Smith was a god of smith and metalwork.



    The Japanese Nihinahe or Shinjosai Festival is held in honor of Konohana-sakuya-hime (“Princess who blossoms like the flowers of the trees”), also known as Kami-ataka-ashitsu-hime (“Divine Ata Princess’), consort of Ninigi, the August Grandchild of the Sun-Goddess. The new season’s rice is offered to the Gods and eaten by the Emperor for the first time.



  • WCFQ 25c: Change is for the Courageous
    Writers Choice Featured Questions Week 25
    Powered by ShareThis

    How will you change your world?
    PunkDiva


    I think in the pursuit of any positive change, it’s important to identify your goals and the steps it will take to get there. I’ve done that. My goal is to open my own bookstore, either online or in an actual building. Since the first is more realistic given my finances, an e-business is the plan. Now I am identifying the steps and qualifications I’ll need in order to do it. Part of that was the class I took recently. While it was mostly a waste of $200, it did give me some ideas to work with and some understand of the steps I will need to take. It also discouraged me from opening a “real” store because I simply don’t have the funds and am not likely to be given them by any banks. So if nothing else, the class allowed me to focus entirely on an online front.

    My “world” currently consists of me working for “the man,” “the man” in this case being big business. The bigger the corporation, the more faceless it becomes. I know the names of the people who run Borders, but I don’t know them. I’ve never met them and am never likely to. If I don’t know them, I can’t trust them. And if they don’t know me, then how can I believe that they care about me or anyone at my level of the company? They simply don’t. If something benefits them, they’ll do it whether it infringes upon what I see as my rights or not. I don’t see them taking anything away from themselves to preserve the company, but I do see them taking things away from the “little guy” at my level, and I don’t think it’s fair. We’re wage-slaves. They’re not. They make what they make regardless of how the company is doing and if the company is doing poorly, they simply take from us to maintain their own coffers. This is the kind of attitude that led to Mutiny on the Bounty. If these people were the captain of a ship, they’d be synonymous with Captain Blygh.

    So I need to get out from their thumb. I need to start my own business and be the captain of my own ship. As it stands, I and others like me are like leaves in the wind, constantly being blown all over creation by the whims of the company. We’re not important to them. People are a “dime a dozen” to big business. If I leave, supposedly there are a dozen more people eager to take my place for half the pay. And as much as I’d like to dispute that, it’s true in this economy.

    That’s no way to live. Talk about demoralization! There’s a reason more people kill themselves during the holiday than at any other time of year. I don’t know the statistics, but I’d bet money that a significant portion work in retail! I need to take charge of my life and be the master of my own destiny. So long as I let others tell me where to go and what to do, I am nothing. I am not fated to work for others for the rest of my life. Nietzsche called fate a word for cowards who don’t have the courage to fight for change. So long as I work for others and am unhappy, I am a coward.
    November 21st

    The Mayans celebrated the arrival of Kukulcan around this time every year. They would fast, burn incense, offer food, and create exquisite banners of colored feathers for several days before his arrival.

    This is a feast day of Hathor.

    The Alpha-Monocerotids meteor shower peaks on this date. It began on the fifteenth and will end on the twenty-fifth.



  • Random….
    So I had the weirdest dream last night. I only remember it in snippets really, and I can’t be sure if it wasn’t two separate dreams. Oh I’ve had so many weird dreams in the past, but this wasn’t like those other dreams. It was just about humdrum normal compared to those other dreams. It was what was happening in the dream(s) that was weird, and I don’t know if it was prophetic or not. I mean, who doesn’t want to find money, eh?

    So at first, I was in the music area of Borders (where I work). I’d walk a few feet and there’d be a bill on the floor, a one or a five. I’d pick it up and find another bill in the next few steps. Then I found a baggie of money. The last bill I found was a fifty! I really don’t know how much money I eventually found… close to a hundred at least. Dream money being largely symbolic, who knows how much that’s equivalent to in real money! lol

    Then there was a huge snake on the floor and all the people around were screaming and saying kill it! kill it! I barged in saying “WTF people! Calm down! It’s just a little snake!” Actually, s/he wasn’t all that little. It was at least as thick as my shin and a good six feet if not longer. But I have a reputation for taking spiders, crickets, and birds out of the store by hand, and while a “little” snake is hardly a spider, cricket, or bird, I wasn’t going to let these ignorant bullies kill the poor thing. So I stepped right up and the poor thing crawled over and wrapped itself around my leg. I picked the snake up and carried it outside, but there was snow everywhere. I felt bad about leaving it out there, but I figured it would just hibernate.

    So… maybe I’m coming into money? To dream of finding money denotes small worries but much happiness. To look upon a quantity of money means prosperity and happiness are in your reach. Handling snakes means you will use strategy to overthrow your opposition.
    I’m hoping to be able to start my online store sometime next year after the holidays are over. I’ve really had it up to here with my job. (You can’t see me, but my hand is way over my head. lol) I’ve quit jobs with less stress than I’m currently dealing with. Have I mentioned my hair is going white? Yep, stress. I need some henna…. And my scalps been hurting for a couple weeks now. No matter how I massage it or shampoo, it just doesn’t stop hurting. It feels like I bumped it, but there are no lumps or cuts. It’s just tender and gives me a headache.

    So by February or March, hopefully I will have my own store. I may stay at Borders for some time after that, until my ebusiness takes off, but I’m looking at maybe quitting Borders altogether by the end of next year at the latest. I’m looking into wholesalers who drop ship now so that I won’t have to keep any stock on hand. I may look into also keeping some used titles in addition to the dropships from the wholesalers. It would still mean a lot less in the way of storage.

    Technically, I shouldn’t stay at Borders if I’m also working at “another bookstore.” It’s in the handbook. But if my store isn’t successful right away, I don’t see it as cross purposes if I stay at Borders until it’s lucractive enough for me to leave and still be able to pay bills. Besides, my bookstore will be a specialty market, so I’m not sure if it counts. One of my other coworkers works part time at a used bookstore and the higher ups don’t have a problem with that, so…. I’m thinking I’m in the clear at least for the time being.




    November 20th


    Praetextatus and Paulina, honored today, were guardians of the Eleusinian mysteries, presided over by Demeter. Resisting the orders of the Roman Emporer Valentinian in 364, they continued to allow the rights to be performed in the traditional way.


    The native Hawaiians celebrate Makahiki, the start of the harvest season, when the Pleiades becomes visible. War is forbidden at this time and the god Lono is honored.


    The day of Sekhmet and the Purifying Flame occurs on the 5th day of Tybi.



  • WCFQ 25b: Paradise by any other name

    I’ve got a bit of a headache tonight, so I’ll go for one of the easier choices. This “question” can be taken in two different directions… what would my idea of paradise be and what do I suppose the after life is like. The first is easy. My idea of paradise would be a library where I could read as much and as long as I liked. It’s no secret that when I was a child, I’d stay up all night reading and be “sick” the next day from sleep deprivation. I’d sleep through the morning, or read some more, often skipping meals just to read a bit more. Sometimes I’d nap if my head started hurting too much, but eating… that seemed such a dreadful chore when there was reading to do. I’d have to take time out of reading to prepare the food and then time to eat… time better spent in reading. If I could get away with it, I’d still do that now. But since I have to work and earn money to support myself and buy more books, I suppose I must do the adult thing and go to bed at a proper time and eat as well.

    As to what I suppose the afterlife to be like, it is whatever you want it to be, and it is also not at all what you expect it to be. There is no reward or punishment in death but what you mete out for yourself. Read What Dreams May Come (or watch the movie) and you’ll have some idea of what I’m talking about. (The book was better, but the book usually is.) It’s just a temporary thing though. Eventually, you move beyond that too. You become nothing, or everything, depending upon your point of view. To borrow from the Buddhist teaching, at some point you stop being you and become part of the weave of existence. You, as you define yourself, cease to exist. This is scary to some people because they see that as complete destruction, but it is more like going home or joining with and becoming what you were before splintering off to explore a unique perspective.

    So when I die, you can all come visit my library. And then we’ll talk about reincarnating or moving on to Nirvana.




    November 18th


    In Persia, this was the Day of Ardvi Sura.



    The Leonids meteor shower peaks on or around this day. It began on fourteenth and will end on the twenty-first. It is associated with the Temple-Tuttle comet.