Friday, January 21, 2005

Adjustments

I've been adjusting to my new work schedule, and getting up before 8 AM, which has taken away from my normal blog updating time. I'll try to get back to it, especially as I've just joined a message board community. Other people may actually come read my blog now. I'm a little scared.

Still working through Be A Goddess. I got a little behind on this weeks lesson (see above for reason) but I've done the ritual and I need to practice the Purification by earth another time or two. This would be easier in March I think. I don't have bare earth to stand on, just snow. And my objection to that doesn't have anything to do with the snow blocking the energy, just with me having cold, wet feet.

Must shower now. Skiing today with Jess. :) I'm also going to Wal-Mart.

Merry Part and Blessed Be

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Happy Birthday Baby!

Today is my husband's 25th birthday! He'll be older than me now for 2 weeks.

Some days I have serious doubts about the company I work for. I just heard a high pitched cry of "Who wants to drink heavily!?" coming from our supervisor, Taffy's, office.

I got my new schedule today. It is sweet!

Sunday - Thursday 10 AM - 7 PM.

Christine also works the same schedule as me Monday - Thurs, so I can carpool again. Woooo!

Wow I feel old...

I just watched the Pirates of the Carribbean special features disk and found out Keira Knightley is only 19. She wasn't even legal when she made the movie! Guess Orlando wasn't hitting that... aahhh... Orlando... he might bump Matthew Perry of my List. And his birthday is two days after my husband's.

I stayed home from work today. I know, I'm such a slacker. But after vomitting in the restroom at work yesterday, I wasn't anxious to see the place again so soon. Doing better now, but it was nice to get to spend another lazy day with my wonderful husband.

Okay, I think it's time to head for bed. Merry Part and Blessed Be!

Sunday, January 09, 2005

I'm sick again

Once again my husband has mutated the common cold into some kind of virulent nasty plague that I have caught. He only felt bad one day during his sickness, and is now well on the mend, while I am just hitting day 2 of feeling really bad. I'm taking vitamins and tea and the whole bit though, so I should be good soon. I hope.

Going to work today... grumble grumble. Even though Dale doesn't deserve it because he's baled on the last week of work and left me with people in training and people who are getting fired so they don't care about doing work anymore. But if today is anything like the last week was, we will be pretty damn busy, so I should really go in to keep us from getting any farther behind.

Ah, green tea. Nature's remedies are so nice, aren't they?

Last night we went up to campus to see everyone. Jeff played EverQuest II, and I watched Garden State. He's not hooked, so it's safe for now. I think at some point he may give in and get World of Warcraft, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I enjoyed Garden State, but probably not as much as I would have if a) I wasn't sick and b) if Paul hadn't built it up so much. The story was interesting. I thought the movie dragged like hell for the first 30 min, til Natalie Portman's character showed up. While I understand this could be seen as part of the interpretation of the script, the main character, Largeman, had been heavily medicated all his life and him going off the abundance of medication coincided with him meeting her. So as his life got interesting, so did the movie. Ah, I'm no movie critic. It didn't suck. I give it a thumb and a half.

MP and BB, must continue bolstering my immune system.

Sunday, January 02, 2005

LAUNCHcast

I found this neat program on Yahoo.com, it's Internet radio. Now I've used similar programs before, but I've never seen what that lets you create your own station, and picks songs based on your preferences, and ratings of the music they play, my only problem so far is I don't have a ton of ratings, so mix isn't really good. I've got 3 Doors Down, Michelle Branch, Sublime, Evanescence, rated, along with Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Gretchen Wilson and Johnny Cash. Whenever I add country artists, it plays more country, whenever I add more rock/pop it plays more rock and pop.



Merry Part!

Thursday, December 30, 2004

Book Reviews

Recently I've been writing reviews for the books on Wicca I'm most familiar with for Amazon. I know I certainly read the customer reviews before buying, so I figured why not offer my two cents. I'm re-publishing the reviews here.

To Ride A Silver Broomstick by Silver RavenWolf
***-- Okay, stone me but I kind of liked this book, December 31, 2004 (If you read any other reviews for Silver RavenWolf, you'll understand why I gave this review that title!)

This was the first book I bought for myself about Wicca. The first book I read was Amber K's True Magick. I liked the lessons and the writing exercises. I still have the journal writing I did from it, and it's interesting to look back and see what my thoughts were 6 years ago vs. now. I enjoy the stories and anecdotes about Silver's experiences in the Craft.
I don't think Silver puts it forward as being anything other than a general workbook for beginners. It is not supposed to a book specifically on deities of any pantheon or any method of divination. I found it much more approachable than Buckland's Big Blue Book, and much more informative than Cunningham's Guide for the Solitary Practitioner.

As far as her claiming that Wicca as a religion descended directly from ancient times, I didn't get that impression at all. And if that is implied in the book somewhere one needs to remember that this book was published in 1993. Silver wasn't the only one making that claim at that point. Other authors who get a lot more respect than Silver does were proponents of that theory for years, like Marija Gimbutas and Margaret Murray.

As always, I don't think any one Wiccan author be your sole guide, but I think this book as a lot to offer to beginners in Wicca, especially people starting young. Older readers should start with The Spiral Dance, by Starhawk.

** this review in no way is meant to defend any of Silver's other works, like $ilver's Little Book of Prosperity/Protection/Love Spells, Teen Witch or the Teen Witch Kit**

The Spiral Dance by Starhawk
***** If I ran a coven and you were in it, I'd have you read this December 31, 2004

Other books set me on the path of Wicca, this is the one that keeps me there. Every time I pick it up I learn something new, I use Starhawk's beautiful poetic invocations regularly in my rituals. Working through this book got me through a very hard time, the first time I went out into the world without my parents or best friends to support me. I cannot overstate how wonderful I find it. The exercises are incredible, both simple and powerful, like the Tree of Life ground. And some are challenging and thoughtful like the Pentacle of Pearl and the Pentacle of Iron.

The only tiny criticism I have is with the 10th and 20th anniversary editions. I wish the notes and additions were added straight into the text rather than in appendices. It's confusing to read the book, see the ** and have to flip to the back to see what Starhawk said 20 years later.

For me this book would be necessary coven reading. It has given me a solid grounding in magical basics and I use the visualizations and exercises nearly every day. I believe you are really missing out if you haven't read this book. Even if you read it and don't find Starhawk's feminist politics to your taste, you will gain something the experience.

Truth or Dare, by Starhawk
**** If you aren't into self-examination, this book isn't for you, December 23, 2004

Truth or Dare is about the roles we play that society places us in. This is constraining to men as it is to women. There are journal writing exercises and rituals designed to help you break from the roles that are given to us and take on powerful roles of our choosing. It is a very challenging and interesting process.

If you aren't into self-examination, this book isn't for you. However, if you are into discovering what makes you tick, and discovering how to make powerful changes in yourself, this book is for you. Like most Craft books, unless you're willing to do the exercises, it won't do you any good. This is not a good first book on Wicca. Spiral Dance is, in fact if I ran a coven it would be on my must-read-to-join list. This book is also not helpful for people who haven't done a lot of group work, because it asks you to examine your place within your coven/circle etc.

So in conclusion, if you aren't sure you want to really make changes in your life or spend a lot of time working on your spiritual path, this book will sit on your shelf and collect dust. However, if you are ready to do some real magick on yourself, this book is a powerful tool for change.

To Stir A Magick Cauldron, by Silver RavenWolf
**** Her Best Book, December 23, 2004

I have owned 3 books by Silver RavenWolf and also read Teen Witch. No matter how many other books on the Craft and magick I buy, I still end up going back to this one every time I plan a spell or ritual. The chapter on casting circles is invaluable, with plenty of examples of different visualizations and good instructions on how to write a circle casting. I use the chapter Conjuring Minor and Major Magicks a lot, especially the planetary hours. I have found using the right planetary hour definitely adds "punch" to a working, especially when you need to work quickly and can't wait for the right day of the week or the right moon phase. I like Silver's anecdotes, they show that she is a practicing witch and I don't feel like she's just pulling things out of thin air. One thing I especially liked was her discussing "correct" behavior at an open circle. I know as a solitary I was intimidated the first time I went to such an event. I did not feel like I was being talked down to, I felt like earned wisdom was being imparted.
I also owned American Folk Magick and To Ride a Silver Broomstick. I gave To Ride to a friend's daughter at her first blood ritual, because it is a good book for beginners, and American Folk Magick to a Christian friend, because the system didn't suit me.
There are things I disagree with the author on, however trying to get Pagans to agree on everything is like trying to herd cats. If you are interested in making Wicca an everyday part of your life, rather than just something to make a big deal out of on Samhain and Beltane, this is a good book. It shouldn't be the first book you buy about Wicca, but it's good to read a year or so into your studies. But especially as a solitary, no one author should direct your studies entirely. Especially not Silver, because if you read all her books you will get confused. This is definitely the high point for her, but I haven't read To Light a Sacred Flame yet.


Hopefully you will find my reviews helpful too. Let me know if you think they could be improved.

Merry Part and Blessed Be

Wednesday, December 29, 2004

*snicker*

customer name: Lora Swallows

*snicker*

I got email today from Janis. She's doing well in Florida. Someday I'd like to go visit her. I'm having this itch to do something major and witchy, like start up a new coven, or join one, or go to Witch Camp, or something. I just want to immerse myself in it. I also want to start working out again, I meant to stop at the YMCA this morning to see how much a membership is. I could go twice a week in the morning. I never felt so good as I did my freshman year when Kim Finnigan, Brian Brumit and I were going to the Y 2-3 times a week. I'd really like to feel that healthy again.

At work, so MP and BB!

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Pay Raise!

I just got offered my job permanently! They haven't worked out my new schedule yet, but I got my new pay rate, and at 40 hrs a week, I'll be making $450 more a month than I do now. So hurray for me.

Also, I'm now completely addicted to Texas Hold 'Em, thanks to the game Jeff got for Gameboy Advanced. I so want to get some chips and play when the guys get back to Pitt.

Spent the morning doing dishes, and indulging in documentary goodness. Watched some of the first Appendix disc for Return of the King, and the interviews with the Heros of HP and the P of A.

MP and BB!

Sunday, December 26, 2004

Happy Boxing Day!

So, how was your Christmas? Mine was good. We got a beautiful Halloween Village from Aunt Sylvia, and neat tea cups with diffusers from Aunt Sue, a new teapot, lots of movies, including Return of the King, Spiderman 1 & 2, Moulin Rouge and Van Helsing. I got tea, and chocolate, and all kinds of luscious yummy smelling lotions, gels and oils to put on my body. I got some pretty new clothes, and books and a journal. I hope your holiday was as merry.

Today is shaping up to being a lazy day of enjoying our loot. ;-) we'll watch movies and eat leftovers and relax.

Merry Part and Blessed Be!

Monday, December 20, 2004

Adelphia News

Apparently on Friday, my former supervisor Perry Streeter quit. When everyone else left for the staff Christmas party, he packed up his desk and went home. This makes me kind of sad because Perry was always very nice to me, especially when I was sick or my Buick was broken.

In other news my schedule for the holidays are as follows:
Christmas Eve - 1 PM - 6 PM
Christmas Day - Off
Boxing Day - Off

New Year's Eve - 2 PM - 7 PM
New Year's Day - off
January 2nd - off

Mainly I'm putting this here so I remember

Friday, December 17, 2004

New Foamy!

Our Lord and Master's Christmas episode came out today. Go, take the link now, and enjoy.

And on that subject, I have to say I agree. I'm Pagan, but I'm not going to get all offended because you've got a manger scene in your yard. I'm not going to put one in mine, but you can put one in yours. I promise to make fun of it only if it is tasteless, tacky or ugly. Or if you have included Santa somehow in it, because that's silly. Although who do you think gave the Wise Men the Frankincense, Gold and Myrhh? I think "Wise Men" is just another way to say "Elves"

And I sing Christmas Carols. You know why? Because they're pretty! And I already know the words! I'm not singing a re-written version with Pagan lyrics because I'm too damn lazy to learn new lyrics.

And that's all for now. Jess and I are going skiing for a little bit tonight, even though Holiday Valley only has 9 slopes and 3 lifts open. This is such a problem for me... my desire for snow to ski on is conflicting with my desire to drive on safe roads to and from work. I wish Holiday Valley paid better. Then I could work there still and my needs wouldn't oppose each other.

Merry Part and Blessed Be, and only 7 shopping days left!

Thursday, December 16, 2004

Wacky Dreams, again

I dreamed everyone from SAS was in West Hickory trying to get me to play Risk, but it was Sunday I had to get to work in Coudersport by 1:00 PM. Then the boys (Paul, Vita and Adam) were doing something aggravating, so Jamie and I watched off to watch squirrels and found a magical white cat that could enter the Spirit World. The cat had tufts on its ears that were silvery blue. It had kind of a flat face like one of the fancy breeds. Or like Crookshanks.

I either blame a) Vita's Mage game or b) Aqua Teen Hunger Force


Headed to work - Merry Part!

Later: Strange customer name - Xharia Ware. Xharia - does that sound like a porno name to anyone else?

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Praise Patrol saw me doing well

Praise Patrol is something Adelphia came up with to recognize good workers or something. I think for everyone who votes for you, you get one entry to win a prize or something too. Anyway Tina and Barbie both recognized me for Teamwork/Collaboration/Communication. It's a good thing. Maybe this means they'll put me on day shift.

The snow has motivated me to look for jobs closer to home again. I got home at quarter after 10 last night. I am not looking forward to another 3 months of this. So I found a listing for something in Lewis Run, something up at Pitt, and something down in Kane. I'll be sending out the resumes today and making a stop at CareerLink to get an application for the one in Lewis Run.

I think that's all. I feel like a big lazy slug, I slept til 10. The upside to getting 10 + hrs of sleep though, is that when I went back to sleep after Jeff left, I had cool flying dreams and lucid dreams too.

Merry Part and Blessed Be!

(10 Days Til Christmas!)

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

So it's been a few days

Not too much going on here folks. Work yesterday was my own little private slice of hell. We were insanely busy, and the person who was assigned to work outbound campaigns with me (that means calling the people who ordered at Best Buy, online etc, who haven't called in to bitch that we haven't called them yet) does NOTHING all day. 81 calls to make, I made 50, there were 11 left at the end of the day. So how many did Paul G. make, over a 6 hr period? Come on kids, you can do the math on this one. And I took 60 incoming calls too. Today had better improve or I may take a personal day next Monday, just to stick it to the Man. See how they do without me there.... I'll show them...

Other than that, My Kuan Yin book and statue came in from One Spirit. I'm also waiting on some CDs from BMG. I need to get a bigger CD Holder for the car. Or else throw one on the passenger side visor too. Although that could be problematic to retrieve CDs from while driving.

Well I think that's all for now. I'm getting kind of tipsy feeling from the cold medicine I took. Actually I feel quite dizzy and I think I will lay down on the couch.

Merry Part and Blessed Be!

Thursday, December 02, 2004

Wacky customer name

I found an account in Florida with the name Frank Death! Apparently Death has a vacation home in Florida, with Adelphia Cable.

It's the last day of the week. I get to spend tomorrow with Jeff :) Maybe we can go to the movies. Next weekend we are going to make our Yuletide purchases with Jess and Frosh in Erie. I am still clueless on what I'm getting for my parents, Lacy, Allison, Jeff, okay pretty much everybody. If anyone has any requests, let me know at wdrqradiogoddess@hotmail.com, okay?

Merry Part and Blessed Be, I'd best get back to work!

Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Pepito Speaks!

Check out the new S*P.

Nothing worthwhile to post really, they've finally posted 7 permanent positions in my dept at work, but the rumor is the shift would be 2 PM - 11 PM. They better pay me a whole lot better if I'm not getting home til midnight. But we shall see.

And Jamie and Paul need to update!


That is all

Merry Part and Blessed Be

Sunday, November 28, 2004

Happy Belated Turkey Day Everyone

I can still wish you a happy Thanksgiving, after all, if you're still at your parents' house, you're probably still eating leftover turkey. I know I would be. My aunt made an 18 lb bird for the oven and then used the rotisserie on a 9 lb turkey breast. That's 27 lbs of turkey for 13 people! There was also yummy pies and mashed potatoes and I somehow missed the sweet potato casserole until I was too stuffed to eat anything else but pie.

So that was Thursday. Yesterday Jeff's parents came up and we went shopping in Ellicottville and then out to eat with Jeff's Aunts and family at Westline. The meal was excellent, but there was a huge group in our dining room having a birthday party and they were very very loud. I hope if I'm ever with people that are that loud in a restaurant the manager or someone will come up to us and say, "we appreciate that you're having a special event, but there are others here trying to enjoy their meal. Could you turn it down just a bit?

I enjoyed seeing all the neat shops in Ellicottville but not their prices. But in good news I did get a fix for my ski boot problem. They gave me some lifts to put in the heel of the boot to make more room for my calves. So far it seems to work well, we'll see how it goes on the slopes. There was also a really neat toy store that had these gorgeous dinosaur plush toys, as well as plastic figures, which made me think of Stenny and Allison and I playing in the old tunnels at West Forest Elementary.

Ah, but lunch is ready, so I must go. See everyone from campus Friday, Merry Part and Blessed Be!

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

I am so sick

But I'm doing better now. Had you asked me about 12 hrs ago I'd have said, Please decapitate me now, because then I won't be all stuffed up and my chest won't feel like there's an elephant on it cuz I'm dead.

But after much TLC from the Husband of the Year, I am feeling a lot lot better. We watched movies and snuggled and he made me lunch and brought me medicine. He also went out to buy me peaches and more medicine. I really like to eat peaches when I am sick.

That's all I feel like posting now, it's almost bedtime.

NyQuil NyQuil NyQuil, we love you, you Giant F*ck$ng Q!

Merry Part and Blessed Be!

Monday, November 22, 2004

Adam's been a very bad boy...

Last night we finally got to give Adam his much belated bondage birthday party. He was so surprised! He blushed a lot, but I think he had a pretty good time. I think I need to get a set of those Japanese Silk Love Ropes...

Other than that not much going on. Sunday was a pretty ho-hum day at work. I must remember to take Dale Order of the Phoenix today or he'll shoot me. I only have to work with Tonya two days this week because of Thanksgiving. I think that is what I'm thankful for this year.

I also have a cold, so I'm going to doctor myself up with tea and meds this morning so I can get thru work today. No point in calling off if Jeff isn't home to spend the day with. If I still feel this shitty tomorrow morning, I may call off then.

Merry part and Blessed Be!

Saturday, November 20, 2004

Hamlet

Last night Jeff and I went to go see Hamlet in Pitt-Bradford's new Bromeley Family Theater (By the same people who brought us the clock tower)

I had never seen Hamlet before, and I quite enjoyed it, after my ears tuned in to hearing the Shakespeare. It's funny how the meter being different from everyday speech makes it sound like a foreign language for the first scene and a half, even though it's all in English. Then my ears adjust, my brain kicks on, and it's smooth sailing from there.

Eric Brown (who's probably a little crazy anyway) did a very good job as Hamlet, and I also enjoyed the performance of Ophelia. I don't think Megan McCleary (who played Cassandra in Women of Troy) could have played that scene in the white dress with the slashed wrists any better. (equally well of course, but not better) Savannah and the guy known only to me as Superfly, were also very good as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and the gravediggers. We were sitting all the way up in the balcony and I had no problem hearing them at all. The play was set in the modern day, and I liked the replacement of the play within the play with a digital video "written and directed by Hamlet". The costuming was gorgeous, I especially like Queen Gertrude's gown in the last scene. It was rasberry colored, with bright sparkles clustered around the front of the bodice, and trailing off down the dress, like stars coming out in a sunset.

High points for me personally though, were Paul Stefko as Hamlet's Ghost and Adam Hirt playing several parts, including a priest. Apparently someone at the Thursday night show thought Paul was "scary". I'm incapable of seeing Paul as scary, but he was definitely an imposing figure and cut a big shadow across the stage.

I'm no theater critic, heck, I haven't been actively involved with a performance for 5 years now, but I think Hamlet was an auspicious way to open the new theater. I hope auspicious is the right word. I also haven't written anything for credit in over two years... I need to take some classes or something, my brain is atrophying.

Merry Part and Blessed Be!
And To Thine Own Self, Be True!

- Oh, I forgot the other part I really liked, when Hamlet killed Polonius behind the screen and the blood sprayed on it.

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