I couldn’t make up my mind between human, feline, or canine, so you’re getting all three. And I have to give credit where credit is due, the human story came courtesy of the hubby. ;-)
The Black Bra
I had lunch with 2 of my unmarried friends. One is engaged, one is a mistress, and I have been married For 20+ years.
We were chatting about our relationships and decided to amaze our men by greeting them at the door wearing a black bra, stiletto heels and a mask over our eyes. We agreed to meet in a few days to exchange notes. Here's how it all went.
My engaged friend:
The other night when my boyfriend came over he found me with a black leather bodice, tall stilettos and a mask. He saw me and said, 'You are the woman of my dreams. I love you.' Then we made passionate love all night long.
The Mistress:
Me too! The other night I met my lover at his office and I was wearing a raincoat, under it only the black bra, heels and mask over my eyes. When I opened the raincoat he didn't say a word, But he started to tremble and we had wild sex all night.
Then I had to share my Story:
When my husband came home I was wearing the black bra, black stockings, stilettos and a mask over my eyes. When he came in the door and saw me he said,
"What's for Dinner, Batman?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A Dog's Diary
Excerpts from a Dog's Diary
Day number 180
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
Excerpts from a Cats Diary
DAY 752- My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.
DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair . . . must try this on their bed.
DAY 766- Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in an attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was . . .Hmmm. Not working according to plan.
DAY 768-I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo". What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.
DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call "beer". More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to my power of "allergies". Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.
DAY 774-I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird on the other hand has got to be an informant, and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room, his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time - -
Mar 31, 2010
Mar 30, 2010
Tell Me Your Fortune - Part IX
The history of pendulum divination, or radiesthesia can be traced back over 5,000 years to the ancient Orient. The pendulum is the main instrument used for this area of divination, although wooden rods are also used. This practice became very popular in the Middle Ages and was a favored practice of divination through to the early nineteenth century. The practice lost favor after that but then there was a great renewal of interest in the twentieth century.
The pendulum is a simple tool. The basic design is a weight of some sort suspended on a fine chain or a thin silk thread.
To make your own pendulum, you'll need a crystal or other stone, jeweler’s wire, and a lightweight. Take the crystal and wrap it in a length of jeweler's wire. When you're done wrapping it, leave a loop at the top. Attach one end of the chain to the loop. The chain is usually between 10 and 14 inches long. (You can also use a ring suspended from a silk thread)
Next, you’ll want to charge your pendulum by placing it overnight in water or salt. Remember that some crystals will degrade in salt, so be sure to check before you do this. Another option is to leave the pendulum outside overnight in the moonlight.
After it’s charged, hold the chain between the thumb and forefinger and let the pendulum hang down about an inch above a flat surface. It should not touch anything; make sure your hand and arm are completely still.
Wait until the crystal or ring has stopped swinging at the end of the chain before you begin. Ask a question to which you know the answer is yes. The crystal should begin to move either side to side, back and forth or clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Whatever pattern the movement follows, make a note that this would always be your 'yes' answer. (You can verify by repeating the question, to make sure). Follow the same steps, this time asking a question to which you know the answer is NO. Again, note the movements and this should always be your own 'no' answer. Then you can start asking questions that you don't have an answer to.
If you are having any trouble discerning an answer, it may be that the question asked is too ambiguous and need rephrasing. It's also possible that the question cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. Consider the wording of the questions carefully. You do not have to speak the question out loud, just focus on it as you begin.
After you have worked with your pendulum for awhile, you might want to determine more than yes and no answers. This is where things get really interesting. A variety of things can be used for pendulum divination: maps, a calendar, pictures, there are even talking boards to use specifically in pendulum work. You can buy a talking board, or make one of your own by putting the letters of the alphabet in a semicircle on paper, and placing it on the table. A calendar can be used to find the accurate date for a birth by laying it on the table and suspending the pendulum in the center above it. Maps can be used in the same way for a number of questions- like finding something that has been lost.
The pendulum is a simple tool. The basic design is a weight of some sort suspended on a fine chain or a thin silk thread.
To make your own pendulum, you'll need a crystal or other stone, jeweler’s wire, and a lightweight. Take the crystal and wrap it in a length of jeweler's wire. When you're done wrapping it, leave a loop at the top. Attach one end of the chain to the loop. The chain is usually between 10 and 14 inches long. (You can also use a ring suspended from a silk thread)
Next, you’ll want to charge your pendulum by placing it overnight in water or salt. Remember that some crystals will degrade in salt, so be sure to check before you do this. Another option is to leave the pendulum outside overnight in the moonlight.
After it’s charged, hold the chain between the thumb and forefinger and let the pendulum hang down about an inch above a flat surface. It should not touch anything; make sure your hand and arm are completely still.
Wait until the crystal or ring has stopped swinging at the end of the chain before you begin. Ask a question to which you know the answer is yes. The crystal should begin to move either side to side, back and forth or clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Whatever pattern the movement follows, make a note that this would always be your 'yes' answer. (You can verify by repeating the question, to make sure). Follow the same steps, this time asking a question to which you know the answer is NO. Again, note the movements and this should always be your own 'no' answer. Then you can start asking questions that you don't have an answer to.
If you are having any trouble discerning an answer, it may be that the question asked is too ambiguous and need rephrasing. It's also possible that the question cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. Consider the wording of the questions carefully. You do not have to speak the question out loud, just focus on it as you begin.
After you have worked with your pendulum for awhile, you might want to determine more than yes and no answers. This is where things get really interesting. A variety of things can be used for pendulum divination: maps, a calendar, pictures, there are even talking boards to use specifically in pendulum work. You can buy a talking board, or make one of your own by putting the letters of the alphabet in a semicircle on paper, and placing it on the table. A calendar can be used to find the accurate date for a birth by laying it on the table and suspending the pendulum in the center above it. Maps can be used in the same way for a number of questions- like finding something that has been lost.
Mar 29, 2010
Manifest Monday
I'm sure I've said it before, but it bears repeating. I am solar powered. When the sun is shining my energy level is high, when it's grey and dismal, I'm grey and dismal too. So, this weekend started out very productively with the sun shining on Saturday, and then kind of fizzled out, just like the sun did on Sunday. This morning I can barely keep my eyes open which does not bode well for work today.
Last week I didn't have any trouble writing or getting my posts scheduled, not even on Tuesday night, when I didn't have as much time because of my poetry group meeting.
Late in the week I created a spreadsheet to help me keep track of my finances. I'm not the most thrifty of souls, so I really need to put myself on a budget. The spreadsheet will help me keep track of where my money's going.
RECAP:
My posts were are written and posted on schedule last week. Unlike this post, which I'm doing before work. Hopefully this won't be the start of a trend this week.
I actually got some new words written on one of my WIPs on the weekend, not a lot, but more than I did last weekend.
I think I need to cut myself off from the games again. It's one thing to play Spider Solitaire to help you think, it's another to play Mah Jong Connect for hours on end.
Saturday, not only did I get our taxes done, I finally created the database for my books. I spent way too much time getting the form all nice and pretty, but in the long run it was worth it because I inserted a whole bunch of combo boxes in the form to save time when it comes to filling it out. I got the whole first shelf of my widest bookcase catalogued, and realized I'm going to need a couple of sub-databases as well. *sigh*
This Week:
Tuesday: Part IX of my fortune telling series will explore the use of a pendulum for divining the future. I'm not sure how much longer this series will continue, I'm running out of fortune telling methods.
Wednesday: Cat? Dog? Human? I haven't made up my mind yet. Rest assured, I'll find something to amuse you.
Thursday: Passion for Poetry this week will be the Paradelle, which has a bit of an interesting story to it.
Friday: Chapter 33 or 34 of the Space Opera. Why might I skip chapter 33? Because Chaney and Nakeisha are about to have s*e*x and I don't know if I can keep it PG enough to post on my blog. ;-)
Elsewhere in my week
I have my Scribes meeting tonight, for which I have nothing written yet. I think the subject was coming home, and we were supposed to write it in 3rd person and then rewrite the same piece in 1st person.
I want to finish reading The Time Traveler's Wife, I'm enjoying the book but it's getting harder to find time to read.
I also need to start paying attention to the news in preparation for The “Behind the Headlines” BlogFest. It's being sponsored by the amazing Ralfast who is Neither Here Nor There
Just like the last blogfest, the idea is to write a short story (no limit this time, but consider the limitations of blogs). The idea is simple, take a news story, any story (tabloid, blogs, twitter, mainstream media) and write a short revealing the “real” story behind the headlines.
This should be loads of fun, so I hope you all participate. This is a week-long BlogFest kicks off on Monday 5 April. You can find all the details HERE
So, that's my week, how's yours shaping up? Anything new and exciting in your part of the universe? Inquiring minds want to know!
Last week I didn't have any trouble writing or getting my posts scheduled, not even on Tuesday night, when I didn't have as much time because of my poetry group meeting.
Late in the week I created a spreadsheet to help me keep track of my finances. I'm not the most thrifty of souls, so I really need to put myself on a budget. The spreadsheet will help me keep track of where my money's going.
RECAP:
My posts were are written and posted on schedule last week. Unlike this post, which I'm doing before work. Hopefully this won't be the start of a trend this week.
I actually got some new words written on one of my WIPs on the weekend, not a lot, but more than I did last weekend.
I think I need to cut myself off from the games again. It's one thing to play Spider Solitaire to help you think, it's another to play Mah Jong Connect for hours on end.
Saturday, not only did I get our taxes done, I finally created the database for my books. I spent way too much time getting the form all nice and pretty, but in the long run it was worth it because I inserted a whole bunch of combo boxes in the form to save time when it comes to filling it out. I got the whole first shelf of my widest bookcase catalogued, and realized I'm going to need a couple of sub-databases as well. *sigh*
This Week:
Tuesday: Part IX of my fortune telling series will explore the use of a pendulum for divining the future. I'm not sure how much longer this series will continue, I'm running out of fortune telling methods.
Wednesday: Cat? Dog? Human? I haven't made up my mind yet. Rest assured, I'll find something to amuse you.
Thursday: Passion for Poetry this week will be the Paradelle, which has a bit of an interesting story to it.
Friday: Chapter 33 or 34 of the Space Opera. Why might I skip chapter 33? Because Chaney and Nakeisha are about to have s*e*x and I don't know if I can keep it PG enough to post on my blog. ;-)
Elsewhere in my week
I have my Scribes meeting tonight, for which I have nothing written yet. I think the subject was coming home, and we were supposed to write it in 3rd person and then rewrite the same piece in 1st person.
I want to finish reading The Time Traveler's Wife, I'm enjoying the book but it's getting harder to find time to read.
I also need to start paying attention to the news in preparation for The “Behind the Headlines” BlogFest. It's being sponsored by the amazing Ralfast who is Neither Here Nor There
Just like the last blogfest, the idea is to write a short story (no limit this time, but consider the limitations of blogs). The idea is simple, take a news story, any story (tabloid, blogs, twitter, mainstream media) and write a short revealing the “real” story behind the headlines.
This should be loads of fun, so I hope you all participate. This is a week-long BlogFest kicks off on Monday 5 April. You can find all the details HERE
So, that's my week, how's yours shaping up? Anything new and exciting in your part of the universe? Inquiring minds want to know!
Mar 25, 2010
Glosa
The Glosa was used by poets of the Spanish court and dates back to the late 14th and early 15th century. The traditional structure has two parts. The first part is called the texte or cabeza. It consists of the first few lines (usually four) or the first stanza (usually a quatrain) from a well-known poem or poet. It can also be done using lines from a less well-known poet or even from a poem of your own, though I think that would defeat the purpose.
The second part is the glose or glosa proper. This is a “gloss on,” an expansion, interpretation or explanation of the texte. The formal rule describes the Glosa as consisting of four ten-line stanzas, with the consecutive lines of the texte being used as the tenth line (called the glossing) of each stanza. Furthermore, lines six and nine must rhyme with the borrowed tenth. Internal features such as length of lines, meter and rhyme are at the discretion of the poet.
There seems to be something about the Glosa that frightens poets, that’s the only explanation I can come up with for the number of variations on the form I’ve seen:
A variety of stanza length – 4, 5, and 8 line stanzas.
Free verse, some with meter, some with rhyme.
The first line of each stanza is repeated as a refrain.
The borrowed line as the first line, the last line, or somewhere in the middle.
Even Glosas where the first four lines of a prose piece instead of a poem are used.
Of course I decided to go with the traditional version. :-)
When I first started researching this form I thought I’d be able to get away with a non-rhyming poem. But then I saw the three lines that have to rhyme and I couldn’t bring myself to rhyme three lines and not the whole thing. Honestly? The thing I found hardest about this form was choosing the four lines to start it.
We are the music-makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams.
We Are the Music Makers, Arthur O'Shaughnessy
The Bard
My weapon of choice is the pen,
Mightier than the sword I ken.
What battles I’ve fought using rhyme;
Winning, time after time.
I’ve never been a risk taker,
Nor thought to be a world shaker,
Yet my friends and I forge on
Until all the words are gone.
Don’t be fooled by the fakers,
We are the music-makers.
A word cannot stand all alone
When inspiration has flown,
It needs others by its side
For even a word has its pride.
Not everything is what it seems
And words can have many themes.
A word can both wound and then heal,
Or alter the way that you feel.
We’re the ones with poetical schemes
And we are the dreamers of dreams
We travel the world with our songs,
Trying to right the world’s wrongs.
The poet, respected and feared,
Holds a power the old ones revered.
For just as we were the king makers
Our power could stop the oath breakers.
We seek others to join on our quest,
For poets truly are blest;
Perhaps we’ll find a few takers
Wandering by lone sea-breakers.
Today, the bard’s a lost soul,
No longer the one in control;
So few left to take up the call,
So few that the words still enthrall.
Though I write on poetical themes
Not everything is what it seems;
So while others eschew the fine pen
I gladly accept it and then
I write in the clearing that gleams
And sitting by desolate streams.
Anyone who’d like to read the full version of O’Shaughnessy’s poem, here’s a LINK
The second part is the glose or glosa proper. This is a “gloss on,” an expansion, interpretation or explanation of the texte. The formal rule describes the Glosa as consisting of four ten-line stanzas, with the consecutive lines of the texte being used as the tenth line (called the glossing) of each stanza. Furthermore, lines six and nine must rhyme with the borrowed tenth. Internal features such as length of lines, meter and rhyme are at the discretion of the poet.
There seems to be something about the Glosa that frightens poets, that’s the only explanation I can come up with for the number of variations on the form I’ve seen:
A variety of stanza length – 4, 5, and 8 line stanzas.
Free verse, some with meter, some with rhyme.
The first line of each stanza is repeated as a refrain.
The borrowed line as the first line, the last line, or somewhere in the middle.
Even Glosas where the first four lines of a prose piece instead of a poem are used.
Of course I decided to go with the traditional version. :-)
When I first started researching this form I thought I’d be able to get away with a non-rhyming poem. But then I saw the three lines that have to rhyme and I couldn’t bring myself to rhyme three lines and not the whole thing. Honestly? The thing I found hardest about this form was choosing the four lines to start it.
We are the music-makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams.
We Are the Music Makers, Arthur O'Shaughnessy
The Bard
My weapon of choice is the pen,
Mightier than the sword I ken.
What battles I’ve fought using rhyme;
Winning, time after time.
I’ve never been a risk taker,
Nor thought to be a world shaker,
Yet my friends and I forge on
Until all the words are gone.
Don’t be fooled by the fakers,
We are the music-makers.
A word cannot stand all alone
When inspiration has flown,
It needs others by its side
For even a word has its pride.
Not everything is what it seems
And words can have many themes.
A word can both wound and then heal,
Or alter the way that you feel.
We’re the ones with poetical schemes
And we are the dreamers of dreams
We travel the world with our songs,
Trying to right the world’s wrongs.
The poet, respected and feared,
Holds a power the old ones revered.
For just as we were the king makers
Our power could stop the oath breakers.
We seek others to join on our quest,
For poets truly are blest;
Perhaps we’ll find a few takers
Wandering by lone sea-breakers.
Today, the bard’s a lost soul,
No longer the one in control;
So few left to take up the call,
So few that the words still enthrall.
Though I write on poetical themes
Not everything is what it seems;
So while others eschew the fine pen
I gladly accept it and then
I write in the clearing that gleams
And sitting by desolate streams.
Anyone who’d like to read the full version of O’Shaughnessy’s poem, here’s a LINK
Mar 24, 2010
Whimsical Wednesday
You all look like you could use a smile today so I dug deep to find some funnies for you. Blame spring for the content. :-)
And Jamie, I swear I did not change the city name in the first one!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Gynecologist's Assistant
A retired man went into the Job Center in Downtown Denver and saw a card
advertising for a Gynecologist's Assistant. Interested, he went in and asked
the clerk for details.
The clerk pulled up the file and read; "The job entails getting the ladies ready for
the gynecologist. You have to help the women out of their underwear, lay them
down and carefully wash their private regions, then apply shaving foam and
gently shave off the hair, then rub in soothing oils so they're ready for the
gynecologist's examination.
The annual salary is $65,000, and you'll have to go to Billings , MT. That's about
550 miles from here."
"Good grief, is that where the job is?"
"No sir. That's where the end of the line is right now."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Judy and Ted got married and had 13 children.
Then Ted died of Heart Disease.
She married again, and she & Bob had 7 more children.
Bob was killed in a car accident, 12 years later.
Again Judy remarried, and this time she & John had 5 more children.
Judy finally died, after having 25 children.
Standing before her coffin, the preacher prayed for her.
He thanked the Lord for this very loving woman and said,
"Lord, they are finally together."
Ethel leaned over and quietly asked her best friend, Margaret:
"Margaret, do you think he means her 1st, 2nd, or 3rd husband?"
Margaret replied: "I think he means her legs, Ethel..."
And Jamie, I swear I did not change the city name in the first one!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Gynecologist's Assistant
A retired man went into the Job Center in Downtown Denver and saw a card
advertising for a Gynecologist's Assistant. Interested, he went in and asked
the clerk for details.
The clerk pulled up the file and read; "The job entails getting the ladies ready for
the gynecologist. You have to help the women out of their underwear, lay them
down and carefully wash their private regions, then apply shaving foam and
gently shave off the hair, then rub in soothing oils so they're ready for the
gynecologist's examination.
The annual salary is $65,000, and you'll have to go to Billings , MT. That's about
550 miles from here."
"Good grief, is that where the job is?"
"No sir. That's where the end of the line is right now."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Judy and Ted got married and had 13 children.
Then Ted died of Heart Disease.
She married again, and she & Bob had 7 more children.
Bob was killed in a car accident, 12 years later.
Again Judy remarried, and this time she & John had 5 more children.
Judy finally died, after having 25 children.
Standing before her coffin, the preacher prayed for her.
He thanked the Lord for this very loving woman and said,
"Lord, they are finally together."
Ethel leaned over and quietly asked her best friend, Margaret:
"Margaret, do you think he means her 1st, 2nd, or 3rd husband?"
Margaret replied: "I think he means her legs, Ethel..."
Mar 23, 2010
Tell Me Your Fortune - Part VIII
OUIJA BOARD
The Ouija Board has been around since the time of the Roman Emperor Valens in the fourth century. It is also thought to have been used as a form of divination by the Greeks since before the time of Christ.
In 1891 a patent was granted to Elijah J Bond for the first modern Ouija Board. The following year the rights to the Ouija Board were purchased by William Fuld. In 1966 the Parker Brothers purchased the rights to the Ouija Board and shifted its manufacturing facilities to Salem, Massachusetts.
For the best results, you should make your own Ouija board. This is simple to do, all you need is a smooth table or board to work from and small pieces of paper to write on. The best layout is to place the word yes at the top and the word no at the bottom.
The letters of the alphabet are placed in a circle starting with the letter A next to the word yes and continuing around until the final letter Z ends up on the other side of the word yes. The numbers from one to nine should be placed at the bottom next to the no.
Any glass will do for the planchette , although a wine glass is the most effective. The responses you get from the Ouija Board will really depend on your attitude and commitment.
The Ouija Board usually requires a minimum of two people to operate it. The two people should sit opposite each other and place the tip of only one finger on the glass. The fingertip should only gently touch the glass.
Someone starts by asking a simple question, such as "is there a spirit present?" If there is no response the question should continued to be asked. The glass eventually moves and answers the question. Once you have your first answer, you can take turns asking simple questions and awaiting the answers.
Once you become experienced at the Ouija Board you will find the pace of responses coming from the glass will increase. In fact sometimes the glass will speed across the table at such great speeds it is almost impossible to keep up.
OUIJA BOARD TRIVIA:
The Ouija Board ended up outselling the game of Monopoly in its first full year at Salem. Over two million copies of the Ouija Board were shipped.
Aleister Crowley advocated the use of Ouija boards, and they played a major role in many of his magickal workings.
Poet James Merrill used a Ouija board for years, and even encouraged entrance of spirits into his body. He wrote the poem The Changing Light at Sandover with the help of a Ouija board. Before he died, he recommended people not to use the Ouija board.
Alice Cooper claims that an Ouija Board suggested that he was the reincarnation of a 17th century witch with the name Alice Cooper, which is why he uses that name.
The Ouija Board has been around since the time of the Roman Emperor Valens in the fourth century. It is also thought to have been used as a form of divination by the Greeks since before the time of Christ.
In 1891 a patent was granted to Elijah J Bond for the first modern Ouija Board. The following year the rights to the Ouija Board were purchased by William Fuld. In 1966 the Parker Brothers purchased the rights to the Ouija Board and shifted its manufacturing facilities to Salem, Massachusetts.
For the best results, you should make your own Ouija board. This is simple to do, all you need is a smooth table or board to work from and small pieces of paper to write on. The best layout is to place the word yes at the top and the word no at the bottom.
The letters of the alphabet are placed in a circle starting with the letter A next to the word yes and continuing around until the final letter Z ends up on the other side of the word yes. The numbers from one to nine should be placed at the bottom next to the no.
Any glass will do for the planchette , although a wine glass is the most effective. The responses you get from the Ouija Board will really depend on your attitude and commitment.
The Ouija Board usually requires a minimum of two people to operate it. The two people should sit opposite each other and place the tip of only one finger on the glass. The fingertip should only gently touch the glass.
Someone starts by asking a simple question, such as "is there a spirit present?" If there is no response the question should continued to be asked. The glass eventually moves and answers the question. Once you have your first answer, you can take turns asking simple questions and awaiting the answers.
Once you become experienced at the Ouija Board you will find the pace of responses coming from the glass will increase. In fact sometimes the glass will speed across the table at such great speeds it is almost impossible to keep up.
OUIJA BOARD TRIVIA:
The Ouija Board ended up outselling the game of Monopoly in its first full year at Salem. Over two million copies of the Ouija Board were shipped.
Aleister Crowley advocated the use of Ouija boards, and they played a major role in many of his magickal workings.
Poet James Merrill used a Ouija board for years, and even encouraged entrance of spirits into his body. He wrote the poem The Changing Light at Sandover with the help of a Ouija board. Before he died, he recommended people not to use the Ouija board.
Alice Cooper claims that an Ouija Board suggested that he was the reincarnation of a 17th century witch with the name Alice Cooper, which is why he uses that name.
Mar 22, 2010
Mistaken Monday
Last week started out pretty good, time management-wise. I got the first few posts done early and only had to schedule them on the proper day. Then Wednesday night I started working on the poetry post and spent more time staring at the screen than writing.
My poetry muse must have taken a vacation because the poem just wouldn’t come. A smart person would have switched to something else when they realized the poetry wasn’t working, but no one’s ever accused me of being smart. :-)
I worried at the darn thing until the wee hours and had a single stanza for my trouble. Next morning I went back at it again before work and managed another stanza. I’ll be the first to admit it’s not my best work, but it wasn’t the fault of the form, I just couldn’t get my head in the right space.
This weekend was even less stellar, between the weather and fighting off the death flu I didn’t have the energy to write anything. Didn’t even get started on the taxes which I’d hoped to have finished by now. C’est la vie.
RECAP:
My posts were all written and posted as planned, although anyone who pays attention to such things might have noticed that the time stamps for Thursday and Friday’s post were a half hour later than usual.
I did not get any extra writing done, except for the short short for my Scribe’s meeting on Monday night. I’m not exactly sure where my time went, but for some reason I also fell way behind on my blog reading and commenting. Sorry all!
This Week
Tuesday: Part VIII of my fortune telling series will examine the Ouji board. Yes, I once used a Ouji board, I was about 8. My best friend and I used it in the basement and asked who we’d marry when we grew up. My response was the letter “W” – which meant nothing to me at the time ‘cause I didn’t know anyone with that initial. Make of it what you will. ;-)
Wednesday: I’ll probably have a human story for you this week, but I found so much funny stuff about cats and dogs that you can be sure we haven’t seen the last of them.
Thursday: Passion for Poetry this week will be the Spanish form of the Glosa.
Friday: Chapter 32 of the Space Opera. Just how much joy will I let Nakeisha and Chaney “explore”? Or will I chicken out again and have something horrible happen to them instead?
I’m only about a third of the way through The Time Traveler’s Wife. I’m enjoying the book but I just haven’t been finding the time to read like I usually do. I blame this on the energy zap from the death flu.
And that’s my week in a nutshell, what are you going to be up to? Don’t be shy, share!
My poetry muse must have taken a vacation because the poem just wouldn’t come. A smart person would have switched to something else when they realized the poetry wasn’t working, but no one’s ever accused me of being smart. :-)
I worried at the darn thing until the wee hours and had a single stanza for my trouble. Next morning I went back at it again before work and managed another stanza. I’ll be the first to admit it’s not my best work, but it wasn’t the fault of the form, I just couldn’t get my head in the right space.
This weekend was even less stellar, between the weather and fighting off the death flu I didn’t have the energy to write anything. Didn’t even get started on the taxes which I’d hoped to have finished by now. C’est la vie.
RECAP:
My posts were all written and posted as planned, although anyone who pays attention to such things might have noticed that the time stamps for Thursday and Friday’s post were a half hour later than usual.
I did not get any extra writing done, except for the short short for my Scribe’s meeting on Monday night. I’m not exactly sure where my time went, but for some reason I also fell way behind on my blog reading and commenting. Sorry all!
This Week
Tuesday: Part VIII of my fortune telling series will examine the Ouji board. Yes, I once used a Ouji board, I was about 8. My best friend and I used it in the basement and asked who we’d marry when we grew up. My response was the letter “W” – which meant nothing to me at the time ‘cause I didn’t know anyone with that initial. Make of it what you will. ;-)
Wednesday: I’ll probably have a human story for you this week, but I found so much funny stuff about cats and dogs that you can be sure we haven’t seen the last of them.
Thursday: Passion for Poetry this week will be the Spanish form of the Glosa.
Friday: Chapter 32 of the Space Opera. Just how much joy will I let Nakeisha and Chaney “explore”? Or will I chicken out again and have something horrible happen to them instead?
I’m only about a third of the way through The Time Traveler’s Wife. I’m enjoying the book but I just haven’t been finding the time to read like I usually do. I blame this on the energy zap from the death flu.
And that’s my week in a nutshell, what are you going to be up to? Don’t be shy, share!
Mar 18, 2010
Balassi Stanza
The Balassi Stanza is named after the Hungarian Balint Balassi (1554-1594), who is regarded as the first great lyricist of the Hungarian language. He was born into an aristocratic Protestant family but converted to Catholicism late in life. He wrote poems about religion, and fighting the Turks, and his love for a lady named Anna Losonczy, who he called Julia.
The first striking feature of Balassi’s poetry is the new use of rhymes. Poets before him and even his contemporaries used only either suffix rhymes (ragrím) i.e. using the same grammatical ending for both nouns and verbs, or simply repeating the very same noun or verb, often through the whole four lines of the stanza, thus creating a monotonous effect. These types of rhymes were suitable for poems which were to be sung, as the melody greatly improved the effect. Balassi successfully employed pure rhymes, sometimes with striking results.
His conscientious effort to improve the rhyme-schemes of his poetry resulted in the invention of what we today call the Balassi stanza, consisting of nine lines with the rhyme-scheme AADBBDCCD and a syllable count of 667667667.
x x x x x A
x x x x x A
x x x x x x D
x x x x x B
x x x x x B
x x x x x x D
x x x x x C
x x x x x C
x x x x x x D
My example is a little on the short side, but I think there's enough of it to give you the general idea of what the Balassi Stanza looks like:
Liar
You stare into the past,
Clutch each memory fast
Until your spirit’s shattered.
The rift between us grows
But this is what you chose;
I wonder if I mattered.
Lost, forgotten, dying;
No use in denying
Your promises lay scattered.
I can’t believe it ends
With us no longer friends,
Our history now forgot.
Your word is writ in tears
That vanish with the years.
Your soul is a tangled knot.
Some things are best left done
I fear that this is one;
See what your lying has bought.
The first striking feature of Balassi’s poetry is the new use of rhymes. Poets before him and even his contemporaries used only either suffix rhymes (ragrím) i.e. using the same grammatical ending for both nouns and verbs, or simply repeating the very same noun or verb, often through the whole four lines of the stanza, thus creating a monotonous effect. These types of rhymes were suitable for poems which were to be sung, as the melody greatly improved the effect. Balassi successfully employed pure rhymes, sometimes with striking results.
His conscientious effort to improve the rhyme-schemes of his poetry resulted in the invention of what we today call the Balassi stanza, consisting of nine lines with the rhyme-scheme AADBBDCCD and a syllable count of 667667667.
x x x x x A
x x x x x A
x x x x x x D
x x x x x B
x x x x x B
x x x x x x D
x x x x x C
x x x x x C
x x x x x x D
My example is a little on the short side, but I think there's enough of it to give you the general idea of what the Balassi Stanza looks like:
Liar
You stare into the past,
Clutch each memory fast
Until your spirit’s shattered.
The rift between us grows
But this is what you chose;
I wonder if I mattered.
Lost, forgotten, dying;
No use in denying
Your promises lay scattered.
I can’t believe it ends
With us no longer friends,
Our history now forgot.
Your word is writ in tears
That vanish with the years.
Your soul is a tangled knot.
Some things are best left done
I fear that this is one;
See what your lying has bought.
Mar 17, 2010
Whimsical Wednesday
DOG RULES
1. The dog is not allowed in the house!
2. Okay, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.
3. The dog is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.
4. The dog can get on the OLD furniture only.
5. Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.
6. All right, the dog is allowed on the bed, but ONLY by invitation.
7. The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but NOT under the covers.
8. The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation ONLY.
9. The dog can sleep under the covers every night.
10. Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.
HOW DOGS AND MEN ARE THE SAME
Both take up too much space on the bed.
Both have irrational fears about vacuum cleaning.
Both mark their territory.
Neither tells you what's bothering them.
The smaller ones tend to be more nervous.
Neither does any dishes.
Both fart shamelessly.
Neither of them notice when you get your hair cut.
Both like dominance games.
Both are suspicious of the postman.
Neither understands what you see in cats.
HOW DOGS ARE BETTER THAN MEN
Dogs do not have problems expressing affection in public.
Dogs miss you when you're gone.
Dogs feel guilty when they've done something wrong.
Dogs admit when they're jealous.
Dogs are very direct about wanting to go out.
Dogs do not play games with you-except fetch (and they never laugh at how you throw).
You can train a dog.
Dogs are easy to buy for.
The worst social disease you can get from dogs is fleas. (OK, the really worst disease you can get from them is rabies, but there's a vaccine for it and you can kill the one that gives it to you).
Dogs understand what "no" means.
Dogs mean it when they kiss you.
1. The dog is not allowed in the house!
2. Okay, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.
3. The dog is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.
4. The dog can get on the OLD furniture only.
5. Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.
6. All right, the dog is allowed on the bed, but ONLY by invitation.
7. The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but NOT under the covers.
8. The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation ONLY.
9. The dog can sleep under the covers every night.
10. Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.
HOW DOGS AND MEN ARE THE SAME
Both take up too much space on the bed.
Both have irrational fears about vacuum cleaning.
Both mark their territory.
Neither tells you what's bothering them.
The smaller ones tend to be more nervous.
Neither does any dishes.
Both fart shamelessly.
Neither of them notice when you get your hair cut.
Both like dominance games.
Both are suspicious of the postman.
Neither understands what you see in cats.
HOW DOGS ARE BETTER THAN MEN
Dogs do not have problems expressing affection in public.
Dogs miss you when you're gone.
Dogs feel guilty when they've done something wrong.
Dogs admit when they're jealous.
Dogs are very direct about wanting to go out.
Dogs do not play games with you-except fetch (and they never laugh at how you throw).
You can train a dog.
Dogs are easy to buy for.
The worst social disease you can get from dogs is fleas. (OK, the really worst disease you can get from them is rabies, but there's a vaccine for it and you can kill the one that gives it to you).
Dogs understand what "no" means.
Dogs mean it when they kiss you.
Mar 16, 2010
Tell Me Your Fortune - Part VII
In the 16th century the celebrated Venetian courtesan, Veronica Franco, was hauled before the inquisition for practicing ceromancy to discover the identity of a thief in her household. She initially beat the charge of heresy by admitting she had participated in the ceremony but didn't believe in it. (One must hold a false belief in order to be a genuine heretic.)
Ceromancy, one of the most ancient forms of divination, is the art of telling a fortune by interpreting the forms produced by dropping melted wax into water. It’s best to use a candle made of messy natural wax or beeswax, as they are the ones that tend to reveal the most information. Use any colour candle, though the darker hues will show up best. Most people simply light a taper and tip the candle at about a 145 degree angle over a pan of water to allow the wax to drip into the cold water.
Listed below are some of the more common meanings for the shapes that can result.
Airplane: A trip or a disappointment.
Anchor: Your loved one is faithful.
Baby: Troubles are coming
Ball: Your problem will not last.
Bed: A restful holiday would be good for you.
Bells: A wedding.
Bird: Expect news soon.
Bridge: Take a chance.
Broom: Time make a change.
Candle: Spiritual growth.
Cat: A friend is untrue
Chain: Go ahead with your plans.
Circle: Time of reconciliation.
Cloud: Something or someone threatens you.
Cross: Protection.
Crown: Sickness
Cup: Quarrel with a friend.
Dog: Low self-esteem.
Ear: Listen for opportunities for advancement.
Egg: There will soon be new developments.
Fan: A surprise is coming.
Feather: The problem will be solved.
Fish: Someone will betray you.
Ghost: Someone from the past is looking for you.
Grass: Good fortune is approaching.
Hat: There will be a change of location.
Heart: Friendship will turn into love.
House: Better times are coming.
Key: A setback in plans should be expected.
Kite: Your wish will come to nothing.
Ladder: You need to change your attitude towards an old friend.
Leaf: There will soon be changes.
Lion: An unpleasant situation.
Moon: More money may be coming.
Mountain: Good friends are willing to help.
Pants: You will be tempted
Pen: Letter from a friend or relative.
Pipe: Peace and comfort.
Ring: Marriage may happen in the near future.
Scissors: Separation.
Shoe: A new acquaintance may be untrustworthy.
Snake: Beware.
Spider web: Pleasant occurrences.
Star: Happiness.
Sun: Good fortune.
Table: An abundance of blessings.
Tree: A good time for new ventures.
Umbrella: Trouble is coming
Walking Stick: Go and visit friends.
Wheel: Someone journeys home soon.
Witch: Danger will pass you by.
Worm: Business troubles may be ahead.
Ceromancy, one of the most ancient forms of divination, is the art of telling a fortune by interpreting the forms produced by dropping melted wax into water. It’s best to use a candle made of messy natural wax or beeswax, as they are the ones that tend to reveal the most information. Use any colour candle, though the darker hues will show up best. Most people simply light a taper and tip the candle at about a 145 degree angle over a pan of water to allow the wax to drip into the cold water.
Listed below are some of the more common meanings for the shapes that can result.
Airplane: A trip or a disappointment.
Anchor: Your loved one is faithful.
Baby: Troubles are coming
Ball: Your problem will not last.
Bed: A restful holiday would be good for you.
Bells: A wedding.
Bird: Expect news soon.
Bridge: Take a chance.
Broom: Time make a change.
Candle: Spiritual growth.
Cat: A friend is untrue
Chain: Go ahead with your plans.
Circle: Time of reconciliation.
Cloud: Something or someone threatens you.
Cross: Protection.
Crown: Sickness
Cup: Quarrel with a friend.
Dog: Low self-esteem.
Ear: Listen for opportunities for advancement.
Egg: There will soon be new developments.
Fan: A surprise is coming.
Feather: The problem will be solved.
Fish: Someone will betray you.
Ghost: Someone from the past is looking for you.
Grass: Good fortune is approaching.
Hat: There will be a change of location.
Heart: Friendship will turn into love.
House: Better times are coming.
Key: A setback in plans should be expected.
Kite: Your wish will come to nothing.
Ladder: You need to change your attitude towards an old friend.
Leaf: There will soon be changes.
Lion: An unpleasant situation.
Moon: More money may be coming.
Mountain: Good friends are willing to help.
Pants: You will be tempted
Pen: Letter from a friend or relative.
Pipe: Peace and comfort.
Ring: Marriage may happen in the near future.
Scissors: Separation.
Shoe: A new acquaintance may be untrustworthy.
Snake: Beware.
Spider web: Pleasant occurrences.
Star: Happiness.
Sun: Good fortune.
Table: An abundance of blessings.
Tree: A good time for new ventures.
Umbrella: Trouble is coming
Walking Stick: Go and visit friends.
Wheel: Someone journeys home soon.
Witch: Danger will pass you by.
Worm: Business troubles may be ahead.
Mar 15, 2010
Misdirected Monday
I still don’t seem to have a handle on the whole time management thing. This weekend was supposed to be a catch-up for everything that I fell behind on during the week, however, I brought some work home with me to wrack up some overtime instead.
RECAP:
Got all my blog posts written and up on time, which surprised the heck out of me! Did not get any extra writing done though, which was pretty disappointing. Didn’t even manage to get the letter to my sister finished. I really need to get that buckling down to work thing mastered.
After getting the progress bars up on Random Writings, I didn’t get anything else done over there. I have another Scribe’s meeting tonight, so at the very list I hope to have a very short short to post later.
This Week
Tuesday: Part VII of my fortune telling series will explore the art of Ceromancy. If you want to know what that is, you’ll have to check back tomorrow. :-)
Wednesday: It’s only fair that dogs have their say, so this week’s Whimsical Wednesday will be going to the dogs.
Thursday: Passion for Poetry this week will be the Hungarian form of the Balassi Stanza.
Friday: Chapter 31 of the Space Opera. Why did Libby do what she did? Did she act alone, or under someone else’s orders?
I’m not going to list anything else that I’d like to do. If the boss has more work for me to take home I’ll probably be doing that instead. After a year of unemployment (which was a fraction of what I was getting paid) and a year of a “living allowance” (which was a fraction of what unemployment was) I can really use the money.
I’ve also got books stacking up faster than I can read them. The boss gave me a couple to read and the daughter brought me the first one in another series. *sigh* I’m very weak when it comes to books.
So, that’s what I’ll be up to this week, how about you? Read any good books lately? Done anything interesting? How can I live vicariously through you if you won’t share?? :-)
RECAP:
Got all my blog posts written and up on time, which surprised the heck out of me! Did not get any extra writing done though, which was pretty disappointing. Didn’t even manage to get the letter to my sister finished. I really need to get that buckling down to work thing mastered.
After getting the progress bars up on Random Writings, I didn’t get anything else done over there. I have another Scribe’s meeting tonight, so at the very list I hope to have a very short short to post later.
This Week
Tuesday: Part VII of my fortune telling series will explore the art of Ceromancy. If you want to know what that is, you’ll have to check back tomorrow. :-)
Wednesday: It’s only fair that dogs have their say, so this week’s Whimsical Wednesday will be going to the dogs.
Thursday: Passion for Poetry this week will be the Hungarian form of the Balassi Stanza.
Friday: Chapter 31 of the Space Opera. Why did Libby do what she did? Did she act alone, or under someone else’s orders?
I’m not going to list anything else that I’d like to do. If the boss has more work for me to take home I’ll probably be doing that instead. After a year of unemployment (which was a fraction of what I was getting paid) and a year of a “living allowance” (which was a fraction of what unemployment was) I can really use the money.
I’ve also got books stacking up faster than I can read them. The boss gave me a couple to read and the daughter brought me the first one in another series. *sigh* I’m very weak when it comes to books.
So, that’s what I’ll be up to this week, how about you? Read any good books lately? Done anything interesting? How can I live vicariously through you if you won’t share?? :-)
Mar 11, 2010
Monotetra
The Monotetra is an invented form developed by Michael Walker. It can have any number of stanzas of four lines each (quatrains), but must have at least two.
The “mono” part of the name comes from the fact that each stanza contains a mono-rhyme, so that the patter of the stanzas is aaaa, bbbb, cccc, and so on.
The “tetra” in the name of the form is because each line of each stanza is written in tetrameter – which means that each line has eight (8) syllables.
The other aspect of the Monotetra is that the fourth line of each stanza is a repeating four-syllable phrase, like an echo, to make it look like a refrain.
To be honest, I rather enjoyed this form, I find it very natural to write in tetrameter. This form is much easier than it looks.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
The dark night of the soul has come
I try my best not to succumb
But it’s too late, it has begun
What have I done, what have I done?
I delved in things best left alone
Done things for which I must atone
Released the demon from his home
Trapped in a stone, trapped in a stone.
I found the spells in books so old
The pages thick and soiled with mold
Some of the letters etched in gold
It was so cold, it was so cold.
Once loosed the spell can’t be contained
And in the end what have I gained?
There’s no one left who can explain
There’s only pain, there’s only pain.
No one to hear my silent screams
Or witness all my shattered dreams
This is what comes of all my schemes
The darkness gleams, the darkness gleams.
The “mono” part of the name comes from the fact that each stanza contains a mono-rhyme, so that the patter of the stanzas is aaaa, bbbb, cccc, and so on.
The “tetra” in the name of the form is because each line of each stanza is written in tetrameter – which means that each line has eight (8) syllables.
The other aspect of the Monotetra is that the fourth line of each stanza is a repeating four-syllable phrase, like an echo, to make it look like a refrain.
To be honest, I rather enjoyed this form, I find it very natural to write in tetrameter. This form is much easier than it looks.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
The dark night of the soul has come
I try my best not to succumb
But it’s too late, it has begun
What have I done, what have I done?
I delved in things best left alone
Done things for which I must atone
Released the demon from his home
Trapped in a stone, trapped in a stone.
I found the spells in books so old
The pages thick and soiled with mold
Some of the letters etched in gold
It was so cold, it was so cold.
Once loosed the spell can’t be contained
And in the end what have I gained?
There’s no one left who can explain
There’s only pain, there’s only pain.
No one to hear my silent screams
Or witness all my shattered dreams
This is what comes of all my schemes
The darkness gleams, the darkness gleams.
Mar 10, 2010
Whimsical Wednesday
Message To Cats
Dear Cats
When I say to move, it means to go someplace else, not switch positions with each other so there are still two of you in the way.
The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note that placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
The hallway was not designed by NASCAR and is therefore not a racetrack.
Beating me to the end is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help either,as I fall faster than you can run.
I cannot buy anything bigger than a king size bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will resort to sleeping on the sofa to ensure your comfort. Look at videos of cats sleeping. They can actually curl up into a ball. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. Please note that sticking tails and tongues out to maximize space used is nothing but sarcasm.
My compact discs are not miniature Frisbees.
For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom.
If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, meeow, try to turn the knob, or to get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. When I exit this room, I will come out the same door I entered.
In addition, I have been using bathrooms for years. Feline attendance has never been necessary.
The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other cat's litter tray. I cannot stress this enough. It would be such a simple change for you.
In return for your following these simple rules, I have posted the following message on our front door.
Rules for Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like to Complain About Our Pets:
1. They live here. You don't.
2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.
3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
4. To you, it's an animal. To me, s/he is an adopted child who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.
5. Dogs and cats are better than kids. They eat less, don't ask for money all the time, are easier to train, usually come when called, never drive your car, don't smoke or drink, don't worry about buying the latest fashions, don't wear your clothes, don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and if they get pregnant, you can sell the results.
Dear Cats
When I say to move, it means to go someplace else, not switch positions with each other so there are still two of you in the way.
The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note that placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
The hallway was not designed by NASCAR and is therefore not a racetrack.
Beating me to the end is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help either,as I fall faster than you can run.
I cannot buy anything bigger than a king size bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will resort to sleeping on the sofa to ensure your comfort. Look at videos of cats sleeping. They can actually curl up into a ball. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. Please note that sticking tails and tongues out to maximize space used is nothing but sarcasm.
My compact discs are not miniature Frisbees.
For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom.
If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, meeow, try to turn the knob, or to get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. When I exit this room, I will come out the same door I entered.
In addition, I have been using bathrooms for years. Feline attendance has never been necessary.
The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other cat's litter tray. I cannot stress this enough. It would be such a simple change for you.
In return for your following these simple rules, I have posted the following message on our front door.
Rules for Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like to Complain About Our Pets:
1. They live here. You don't.
2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.
3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
4. To you, it's an animal. To me, s/he is an adopted child who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.
5. Dogs and cats are better than kids. They eat less, don't ask for money all the time, are easier to train, usually come when called, never drive your car, don't smoke or drink, don't worry about buying the latest fashions, don't wear your clothes, don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and if they get pregnant, you can sell the results.
Mar 9, 2010
Tell Me Your Fortune - Part VI
Podomancy, also known as pedomancy or solistry, was once a very popular method of fortune-telling in China. It is a divination by examining the lines of soles. Similar to palmistry, where the divination is based on the person's palm shape and lines, podomancy is based on the belief that person's feet represent the symbol of that person's soul. Skilled diviners interpret sizes, shapes and lines of the feet to reveal the personality and the future of the person to be divined upon.
Depending upon the size, shape and overall look of your toes, many things can be assessed about who you are, what your personality is like and what character traits are your strong ones and which need a little more development in you.
You don’t need to be able to interpret the lines of a sole to tell a fortune. There is much to be learned just from your toes and the shape of your foot. For example, if you have a very large big toe, you tend to be a big talker but not everything you say is based on reality. A short toe means you have difficulty expressing yourself. A rounded toe conveys sensitivity and tactfulness.
Toes that are crossed over one another mean that person has little faith in himself and finds it hard to trust. For many, a long second toe is common. These individuals have great vision and like to be in charge; however, they can be very opinionated.
A toe bent towards the big toe depicts looking back towards the past and hanging onto the past. A toe bent towards the little toe indicates a rush to reach the future. Crooked toes indicate you modify your thinking to please others, but the act itself encourages devious thoughts. Bent toes show you’re self-conscious of having your own thoughts, and may fear failure and responsibility. Twisted toes mean you look to others for reassurance and may prefer not to acknowledge the truth.
If your little toes are tightly squeezed under the neighbouring toe, you have little faith in yourself and find it hard to trust and let go. This can also be reflected in the sexual arena. In addition, you may feel reluctant to take on further responsibilities particularly within the family. A painful big toe can reflect sorrows being held onto which still affect your life in a negative way.
If your big toe stands apart from the other toes, you need time before you let the outside world know your innermost thoughts and feelings. Webbed second and third toes show that your self-esteem tends to be firmly linked to your activities or career, however you are a potential genius.
The emotional instabilities of a person are seen in the horizontal ridges of their toe nails.
Vertical ridges on nail indicate a metabolic disorder. Horizontal ridges on nail indicate emotional instability. This person also feels insecure due to perceived obstacles and can feel uncertain about protecting certain ideas.
As for the feet themselves, high arches mean that you are an intellectual and prefer to work through issues from an intellectual standpoint. But you can some times be too much of a dreamer. It also means that you have had to learn to be self-sufficient from an early age.
Low arches or flat feet mean that you are ever the practical realist. You need to allow yourself to dream a little more. You do tend to rely on a lot of support from others.
Swollen puffy feet indicate that you are holding much back and are unwilling or unable to express your emotions. Swelling reveals the lack of resolution of past issues and the presence of perceived burdens from the past.
A cracked heel shows that you tend to be indecisive and feel pulled in too many directions. Your security base feels "cracked".
Depending upon the size, shape and overall look of your toes, many things can be assessed about who you are, what your personality is like and what character traits are your strong ones and which need a little more development in you.
You don’t need to be able to interpret the lines of a sole to tell a fortune. There is much to be learned just from your toes and the shape of your foot. For example, if you have a very large big toe, you tend to be a big talker but not everything you say is based on reality. A short toe means you have difficulty expressing yourself. A rounded toe conveys sensitivity and tactfulness.
Toes that are crossed over one another mean that person has little faith in himself and finds it hard to trust. For many, a long second toe is common. These individuals have great vision and like to be in charge; however, they can be very opinionated.
A toe bent towards the big toe depicts looking back towards the past and hanging onto the past. A toe bent towards the little toe indicates a rush to reach the future. Crooked toes indicate you modify your thinking to please others, but the act itself encourages devious thoughts. Bent toes show you’re self-conscious of having your own thoughts, and may fear failure and responsibility. Twisted toes mean you look to others for reassurance and may prefer not to acknowledge the truth.
If your little toes are tightly squeezed under the neighbouring toe, you have little faith in yourself and find it hard to trust and let go. This can also be reflected in the sexual arena. In addition, you may feel reluctant to take on further responsibilities particularly within the family. A painful big toe can reflect sorrows being held onto which still affect your life in a negative way.
If your big toe stands apart from the other toes, you need time before you let the outside world know your innermost thoughts and feelings. Webbed second and third toes show that your self-esteem tends to be firmly linked to your activities or career, however you are a potential genius.
The emotional instabilities of a person are seen in the horizontal ridges of their toe nails.
Vertical ridges on nail indicate a metabolic disorder. Horizontal ridges on nail indicate emotional instability. This person also feels insecure due to perceived obstacles and can feel uncertain about protecting certain ideas.
As for the feet themselves, high arches mean that you are an intellectual and prefer to work through issues from an intellectual standpoint. But you can some times be too much of a dreamer. It also means that you have had to learn to be self-sufficient from an early age.
Low arches or flat feet mean that you are ever the practical realist. You need to allow yourself to dream a little more. You do tend to rely on a lot of support from others.
Swollen puffy feet indicate that you are holding much back and are unwilling or unable to express your emotions. Swelling reveals the lack of resolution of past issues and the presence of perceived burdens from the past.
A cracked heel shows that you tend to be indecisive and feel pulled in too many directions. Your security base feels "cracked".
Mar 8, 2010
Mismanaged Monday
Okay, first up I promised to reveal the one truth amongst all those lies I told last Monday. For those of you who missed it, here’s the list:
1. I don’t colour my hair.
2. When I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian.
3. I’m a morning person.
4. I love sitting out in the sun in summer.
5. I have no problem getting up in the morning.
6. My favorite colour is yellow.
7. Even though I love reading, I’m a slow reader.
And the truth is, #5. Even though I’m not a morning person, I have no problem getting up in the morning.
RECAP
Bless me bloggers, for I have sinned. Other than posting, I had very little presence on the internet last week. Why? Glad you asked. The reason was, I was too busy reading . . . the Twilight Saga. Yes, I’ve now officially read Twilight, and what’s more, I enjoyed it!
That being said, I’m impressed. I got all my blog posting done and I even got the posts up at the right time (except for today!). I finally got my progress bars up over on Random Writings and I included a post with my Scribes prompt. In the mundane world, I got my dresser cleaned out and I did start a letter to my sister.
This Week:
Tuesday: this will be part six of my fortune telling series in which I explore the art of Podomancy (telling a fortune by looking at someone’s feet)
Wednesday: Something humourous of course, I think it’s time for a little cat humour.
Thursday: the Passion For Poetry form this week will be the invented form of the Monotetra.
Friday: Chapter Thirty of the Space Opera. Who poisoned Nakeisha? And why? And will I actually reveal this in this installment?
Random Writings
As well as my post about the Scribes meeting last week, I also updated my long term goals list. I also finally got around to putting the progress bars up and I’d like to see them actually move once in awhile.
This has been more of an overflow blog, but I’d like to start coming up with a little structure to it. I won’t be posting five days a week like I do here, but I would like to have a little more action over there. Maybe do the odd writing craft piece. I’ll give it some thought and do a post about it over there on Wednesday.
So that’s what I’ve got lined up this week, how about you?
1. I don’t colour my hair.
2. When I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian.
3. I’m a morning person.
4. I love sitting out in the sun in summer.
5. I have no problem getting up in the morning.
6. My favorite colour is yellow.
7. Even though I love reading, I’m a slow reader.
And the truth is, #5. Even though I’m not a morning person, I have no problem getting up in the morning.
RECAP
Bless me bloggers, for I have sinned. Other than posting, I had very little presence on the internet last week. Why? Glad you asked. The reason was, I was too busy reading . . . the Twilight Saga. Yes, I’ve now officially read Twilight, and what’s more, I enjoyed it!
That being said, I’m impressed. I got all my blog posting done and I even got the posts up at the right time (except for today!). I finally got my progress bars up over on Random Writings and I included a post with my Scribes prompt. In the mundane world, I got my dresser cleaned out and I did start a letter to my sister.
This Week:
Tuesday: this will be part six of my fortune telling series in which I explore the art of Podomancy (telling a fortune by looking at someone’s feet)
Wednesday: Something humourous of course, I think it’s time for a little cat humour.
Thursday: the Passion For Poetry form this week will be the invented form of the Monotetra.
Friday: Chapter Thirty of the Space Opera. Who poisoned Nakeisha? And why? And will I actually reveal this in this installment?
Random Writings
As well as my post about the Scribes meeting last week, I also updated my long term goals list. I also finally got around to putting the progress bars up and I’d like to see them actually move once in awhile.
This has been more of an overflow blog, but I’d like to start coming up with a little structure to it. I won’t be posting five days a week like I do here, but I would like to have a little more action over there. Maybe do the odd writing craft piece. I’ll give it some thought and do a post about it over there on Wednesday.
So that’s what I’ve got lined up this week, how about you?
Mar 4, 2010
Rubai and Rubáiyát
The Rubai is an Urdu-Persian poetic form. Each rubai stanza is supposed to be a quatrain, in which lines 1, 2 and 4 all rhyme. Therefore the rhyme sounds as AABA. Traditionally in Persia each rubai was regarded as a poem in its own right. When you have a collection of them, they’re known as a rubaiyat.
An "Interlocking Rubáiyát" is a series of rubai where the subsequent stanza rhymes its 1st, 2nd, and 4th lines with the sound at the end of the 3rd line in the stanza before it. In this form, the 3rd line of the final stanza is also rhymed with the 3 rhymed lines in the first stanza.
A rubaiyat, whether it’s interlocking or not, can have an unlimited number of stanzas.
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam is the most famous example of Rubai form. It is actually a meditation on the meaning of life that concludes that we should eat, drink and be merry. Omar Khayyam lived in twelfth-century Persia, under Islamic law. The ideas in his Rubaiyat as well as his enthusiasm for wine were considered heretical. Therefore his Rubaiyat was circulated anonymously, and probably memorized a lot more often than written down.
There is a great deal of controversy about whether Omar Khayyam actually wrote all the rubaiyat attributed to him. He was a famous man in other fields as well - as an astronomer/astrologer, mathematician and philosopher - and the rubaiyat only became common knowledge after his death, when they could do him no harm.
For my example, I chose to do an interlocking Rubaiyat
Day Breaking
The stars begin to disappear,
They know the sun will soon be here.
A glowing line splits sea and sky,
The dark is just a thin veneer.
I bid the night a sweet good bye.
It slips away with just a sigh.
A breath of wind soon stirs the air
And swirls away as though it’s shy.
I sit alone and wonder where
The night goes when it is not there.
I watch until it disappears
As though it did not have a care.
I don’t know why I have these fears,
That haunt me when the sun appears -
I know I’ll see the night again -
This dance has danced for many years.
Of old the sun has been my bane
This rising orb that seems so plain.
I cannot stay, I disappear,
Returning once it’s set again.
An "Interlocking Rubáiyát" is a series of rubai where the subsequent stanza rhymes its 1st, 2nd, and 4th lines with the sound at the end of the 3rd line in the stanza before it. In this form, the 3rd line of the final stanza is also rhymed with the 3 rhymed lines in the first stanza.
A rubaiyat, whether it’s interlocking or not, can have an unlimited number of stanzas.
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam is the most famous example of Rubai form. It is actually a meditation on the meaning of life that concludes that we should eat, drink and be merry. Omar Khayyam lived in twelfth-century Persia, under Islamic law. The ideas in his Rubaiyat as well as his enthusiasm for wine were considered heretical. Therefore his Rubaiyat was circulated anonymously, and probably memorized a lot more often than written down.
There is a great deal of controversy about whether Omar Khayyam actually wrote all the rubaiyat attributed to him. He was a famous man in other fields as well - as an astronomer/astrologer, mathematician and philosopher - and the rubaiyat only became common knowledge after his death, when they could do him no harm.
For my example, I chose to do an interlocking Rubaiyat
Day Breaking
The stars begin to disappear,
They know the sun will soon be here.
A glowing line splits sea and sky,
The dark is just a thin veneer.
I bid the night a sweet good bye.
It slips away with just a sigh.
A breath of wind soon stirs the air
And swirls away as though it’s shy.
I sit alone and wonder where
The night goes when it is not there.
I watch until it disappears
As though it did not have a care.
I don’t know why I have these fears,
That haunt me when the sun appears -
I know I’ll see the night again -
This dance has danced for many years.
Of old the sun has been my bane
This rising orb that seems so plain.
I cannot stay, I disappear,
Returning once it’s set again.
Mar 3, 2010
Today's whimsey is brought to you via the BFF. Keep 'em coming, I'm running low! :-)
* * * * * * * * * *
Donald and Daisy
Donald Duck and Daisy Duck were spending the night together in a hotel room. Donald wanted to have sex with Daisy.
The first thing Daisy asked was, "Do you have a condom?"
Donald frowned and said, "No."
Daisy told Donald that if he didn't get a condom, they could not have sex.
"Maybe they sell them at the front desk," she suggested.
So Donald went down to the lobby and asked the hotel clerk if they had condoms.
"Yes, we do," the clerk said and pulled a box out from under the counter and gave it to Donald.
The clerk asked, "Would you like me to put them on your bill?"
"No!" Donald quacked, "I'll thuffocate!"
* * * * * * * * * *
A college class was told they had to write a short story in as few words as possible. The instructions were:
The short story must contain the following three things:
1. Religion
2. Sexuality
3. Mystery
Below is the only A+ short story in the entire class.
"Good God, I'm pregnant; I wonder who did it."
* * * * * * * * * *
Donald and Daisy
Donald Duck and Daisy Duck were spending the night together in a hotel room. Donald wanted to have sex with Daisy.
The first thing Daisy asked was, "Do you have a condom?"
Donald frowned and said, "No."
Daisy told Donald that if he didn't get a condom, they could not have sex.
"Maybe they sell them at the front desk," she suggested.
So Donald went down to the lobby and asked the hotel clerk if they had condoms.
"Yes, we do," the clerk said and pulled a box out from under the counter and gave it to Donald.
The clerk asked, "Would you like me to put them on your bill?"
"No!" Donald quacked, "I'll thuffocate!"
* * * * * * * * * *
A college class was told they had to write a short story in as few words as possible. The instructions were:
The short story must contain the following three things:
1. Religion
2. Sexuality
3. Mystery
Below is the only A+ short story in the entire class.
"Good God, I'm pregnant; I wonder who did it."
Mar 2, 2010
Tell Me Your Fortune - Part V
Pretty much everyone has a deck of cards laying around the house, why not have a little fun and test out your fortune-telling abilities?
While Tarot is highly symbolic in its images, symbols, color, astrological and mystical references, it shares some important basics with regular playing cards: elements and numbers.
Our modern playing cards are descended from the Tarot – Hearts are Cups, Clubs are Wands, Diamonds are Pentacles (or Coins), and Spades are Swords.
There are thirteen cards in each of the four suits, corresponding to the 13 lunar months in a year. Fifty-two cards correspond to fifty-two weeks in a year.
Hearts correspond to the element of water, and signify love, friendship, happiness, and domestic concerns. Generally speaking, they are "happy" cards. Reversed they indicate pain and suffering.
Clubs correspond to the element of fire, and generally signify business, ambition, and achievement issues. They generally indicate success and happiness. Reversed they mean disappointment.
Diamonds correspond to the element of earth, and generally signify career, and money issues. Reversed they mean difficulties and money problems
Spades correspond to the element of air, and generally signify gossip, challenges, messages, and upsets. Reversed they indicate warnings and caution.
In the interest of space, I’m not going to go into detail of the meanings of the cards. I will however, offer you a couple of very easy spreads, and some links at the end for your further enjoyment.
Aces Yes/No Spread
Shuffle the cards while thinking of your question. Start dealing the cards into a pile. Stop when an Ace tops the pile or you reach thirteen cards. Do this twice more.
If aces top all three piles, the answer to your question is a definite yes.
If aces top two of the piles, your answer is a conditional yes.
If no aces appear, the answer is a definite no.
If only one ace appears, your answer is a conditional no.
Traditional 3-Card Yes/No Spread
Shuffle the cards while thinking of your question. Cut the cards into three piles from left to right. Turn the piles over to see whether they’re upright or reversed (upside down).
All cards reversed: Definitely No
2 cards reversed: Probably No
2 cards upright: Probably Yes
All cards upright: Definitely Yes
A few easy spreads
The meanings of the cards
Meanings and a spread
While Tarot is highly symbolic in its images, symbols, color, astrological and mystical references, it shares some important basics with regular playing cards: elements and numbers.
Our modern playing cards are descended from the Tarot – Hearts are Cups, Clubs are Wands, Diamonds are Pentacles (or Coins), and Spades are Swords.
There are thirteen cards in each of the four suits, corresponding to the 13 lunar months in a year. Fifty-two cards correspond to fifty-two weeks in a year.
Hearts correspond to the element of water, and signify love, friendship, happiness, and domestic concerns. Generally speaking, they are "happy" cards. Reversed they indicate pain and suffering.
Clubs correspond to the element of fire, and generally signify business, ambition, and achievement issues. They generally indicate success and happiness. Reversed they mean disappointment.
Diamonds correspond to the element of earth, and generally signify career, and money issues. Reversed they mean difficulties and money problems
Spades correspond to the element of air, and generally signify gossip, challenges, messages, and upsets. Reversed they indicate warnings and caution.
In the interest of space, I’m not going to go into detail of the meanings of the cards. I will however, offer you a couple of very easy spreads, and some links at the end for your further enjoyment.
Aces Yes/No Spread
Shuffle the cards while thinking of your question. Start dealing the cards into a pile. Stop when an Ace tops the pile or you reach thirteen cards. Do this twice more.
If aces top all three piles, the answer to your question is a definite yes.
If aces top two of the piles, your answer is a conditional yes.
If no aces appear, the answer is a definite no.
If only one ace appears, your answer is a conditional no.
Traditional 3-Card Yes/No Spread
Shuffle the cards while thinking of your question. Cut the cards into three piles from left to right. Turn the piles over to see whether they’re upright or reversed (upside down).
All cards reversed: Definitely No
2 cards reversed: Probably No
2 cards upright: Probably Yes
All cards upright: Definitely Yes
A few easy spreads
The meanings of the cards
Meanings and a spread
Mar 1, 2010
Motivational Monday
Okay. I admit it. I was a complete and utter slacker this weekend. I blame my daughter. She gave me the first two Twilight books. Which I read Friday evening and Saturday, then I went to her place on Sunday to get the other two. I didn’t even get to my usual rounds of blog reading until Sunday evening. Forget getting any writing done.
Despite my slacking, the wonderful Dolly, Queen of the Journals, gave me a Creative Writer Award. Thank you so much Dolly! Be sure to visit her blog Writer Revealed. She always has interesting things to say. And to see why she deserves the title of Queen of the Journals, visit Editing Hat to read her guest post about journalling for writers.
In order to accept this award, I have to make up 6 lies and 1 truth. It’s up to you to guess which one is the truth. I’ll post the answer next Monday.
1. I don’t colour my hair.
2. When I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian.
3. I’m a morning person.
4. I love sitting out in the sun in summer.
5. I have no problem getting up in the morning.
6. My favorite colour is yellow.
7. Even though I love reading, I’m a slow reader.
RECAP
Last week was a busy week for me. On top of my regular posting I had a story to do for the 1K Words Blogfest, a poem for my poetry group, and my business plan (both writing it and presenting it) for school. And it was also my first week at work.
I can’t believe I got everything done! The post for Thursday was a little late (okay, a lot late) but I still managed to get it done. I confess that I didn’t make my Scribes meeting (it was snowing like crazy Monday night) and I didn’t go to the administration meeting for my poetry group on Thursday, but I met all my other obligations and still came out with my sanity intact. :-)
This Week:
Tuesday: Part V of my fortune telling series. I think this week we’ll explore what can be done with playing cards, a direct descendant of the Tarot.
Wednesday: Something humourous of course, though I’m not sure what form it will take.
Thursday: the Passion For Poetry form this week will be the Rubai. You may know it under the more familiar name of Rubaiyat.
Friday: Chapter Twenty-Nine of the Space Opera. What’s the matter with Nakeisha? Was anyone else taken ill? Will she be found in time?
Random Writings
I really have to start paying more attention to this blog. I got lots of nice comments on the story I posted there, and I picked up three more followers.
Tonight is another Scribes meeting, and I fully intend to attend whether it’s snowing or not. So after the meeting I’ll post the prompt and my piece that results from it.
There was something else I wanted to do over there but I can’t remember what it is.
Mundane Goals
This week I fully intend to finish reading the Twilight series and then I’ll update my reading challenge. I will not be doing any more knitting on the leg warmers the kid sweet talked me into knitting for her until I finish reading – she gave me the darned books, she can suffer the consequences. :-)
I need to start a letter to my NB sister, she phoned me from our other sister’s house on the weekend, which means she’s back from her cruise and I owe her a letter.
I also need to clean out my dresser. I cleaned out my closet a couple of weeks ago, and by the time I was finished that I didn’t want to even look at the dresser. But it just doesn’t want to clean itself, so it looks like I’m stuck with the job.
It looks like a lot, but it’s stretched out over a whole week. And I’ve found that now that I’m working, I’m not wasting as much time on games on the computer. So that’s what I’ve got lined up this week, how about you?
Despite my slacking, the wonderful Dolly, Queen of the Journals, gave me a Creative Writer Award. Thank you so much Dolly! Be sure to visit her blog Writer Revealed. She always has interesting things to say. And to see why she deserves the title of Queen of the Journals, visit Editing Hat to read her guest post about journalling for writers.
In order to accept this award, I have to make up 6 lies and 1 truth. It’s up to you to guess which one is the truth. I’ll post the answer next Monday.
1. I don’t colour my hair.
2. When I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian.
3. I’m a morning person.
4. I love sitting out in the sun in summer.
5. I have no problem getting up in the morning.
6. My favorite colour is yellow.
7. Even though I love reading, I’m a slow reader.
RECAP
Last week was a busy week for me. On top of my regular posting I had a story to do for the 1K Words Blogfest, a poem for my poetry group, and my business plan (both writing it and presenting it) for school. And it was also my first week at work.
I can’t believe I got everything done! The post for Thursday was a little late (okay, a lot late) but I still managed to get it done. I confess that I didn’t make my Scribes meeting (it was snowing like crazy Monday night) and I didn’t go to the administration meeting for my poetry group on Thursday, but I met all my other obligations and still came out with my sanity intact. :-)
This Week:
Tuesday: Part V of my fortune telling series. I think this week we’ll explore what can be done with playing cards, a direct descendant of the Tarot.
Wednesday: Something humourous of course, though I’m not sure what form it will take.
Thursday: the Passion For Poetry form this week will be the Rubai. You may know it under the more familiar name of Rubaiyat.
Friday: Chapter Twenty-Nine of the Space Opera. What’s the matter with Nakeisha? Was anyone else taken ill? Will she be found in time?
Random Writings
I really have to start paying more attention to this blog. I got lots of nice comments on the story I posted there, and I picked up three more followers.
Tonight is another Scribes meeting, and I fully intend to attend whether it’s snowing or not. So after the meeting I’ll post the prompt and my piece that results from it.
There was something else I wanted to do over there but I can’t remember what it is.
Mundane Goals
This week I fully intend to finish reading the Twilight series and then I’ll update my reading challenge. I will not be doing any more knitting on the leg warmers the kid sweet talked me into knitting for her until I finish reading – she gave me the darned books, she can suffer the consequences. :-)
I need to start a letter to my NB sister, she phoned me from our other sister’s house on the weekend, which means she’s back from her cruise and I owe her a letter.
I also need to clean out my dresser. I cleaned out my closet a couple of weeks ago, and by the time I was finished that I didn’t want to even look at the dresser. But it just doesn’t want to clean itself, so it looks like I’m stuck with the job.
It looks like a lot, but it’s stretched out over a whole week. And I’ve found that now that I’m working, I’m not wasting as much time on games on the computer. So that’s what I’ve got lined up this week, how about you?
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