Friday, October 31, 2003

Post Halloween Amusement

Which Anne Rice Vampire are you?


I'm Armand...figures.

Samhain Musings

Spent my Halloween night as a wage slave,but dressed as Death. How fitting. Now it is Novemeber 1st, the Celtic New Year. A time for reflection,divination and discourse with the unseen worlds. Leave milk and bread out for the faerie folk, read tarot cards and have lovely,lovely dreams. The world will come back at us with a vengeance soon enough. Enjoy what respite can be found. Here in the time between the worlds...

Thursday, October 30, 2003

Cartomancy of the Day (divination with playing cards)

Queen of Swords

A dark woman, attractive,helpful,strong. Can be tempermental.

Six of Spades

Perseverence brings improvement. Betterment through continued effort.

myth of the day

detritus

Wednesday, October 29, 2003

Tarot Cards of the Day

Five of Swords (Defeat): A success earned through personal degradation. Separation from friends brought about by an unfeeling and coldly calculated act. Temporary victory tainted by dishonor and providing fuel for eventual defeat.

Seven of Wands (Valor): Standing courageously for your beliefs in the face of adversity. Fear of failure overcome by the will to succeed. Great obstacles met with heroism and determination. Inner strength brought to bear at a critical moment.

myth of the day

detritus

Myth of the Day:Odysseus

by James Hunter

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Odysseus (called Ulysses in Latin) was the son of Laertes and was the ruler of the island kingdom of Ithaca. He was one of the most prominent Greek leaders in the Trojan War, and was the hero of Homer's Odyssey. He was known for his cleverness and cunning, and for his eloquence as a speaker.

Odysseus was one of the original suitors of Helen of Troy. When Menelaus succeeded in winning Helen's hand in marriage, it was Odysseus who advised him to get the other suitors to swear to defend his marriage rights. However, when Menelaus called on the suitors to help him bring Helen back from Troy, Odysseus was reluctant to make good on his oath. He pretended to have gone mad, plowing his fields and sowing salt instead of grain. Palamedes placed Odysseus' infant son in front of the plow, and Odysseus revealed his sanity when he turned aside to avoid injuring the child.

However reluctant he may have been to join the expedition, Odysseus fought heroically in the Trojan War, refusing to leave the field when the Greek troops were being routed by the Trojans, and leading a daring nocturnal raid in company with Diomedes. He was also the originator of the Trojan horse, the strategem by which the Greeks were finally able to take the city of Troy itself. After the death of Achilles, he and Ajax competed for Achilles' magnificent armor; when Odysseus' eloquence caused the Greeks to award the prize to him, Ajax went mad and killed himself.

Odysseus' return from Troy, chronicled in the Odyssey, took ten years and was beset by perils and misfortune. He freed his men from the pleasure-giving drugs of the Lotus-Eaters, rescued them from the cannibalism of the Cyclopes and the enchantments of Circe. He braved the terrors of the underworld with them, and while in the land of the dead Hades allowed Thiresias, Odysseus' mother, Ajax and others to give him adivice on his next journey. They gave him important advice about the cattle of the sun (which Apollo herds), Scylla and Charybdis and the Sirens. From there on the travels were harder for Odysseus, but they would have been much worse of it wasn't for the help of the dead.

With this newly acquired knowledge, he steered them past the perils of the Sirens and of Scylla and Charybdis. He could not save them from their final folly, however, when they violated divine commandments by slaughtering and eating the cattle of the sun-god. As a result of this rash act, Odysseus' ship was destroyed by a thunderbolt, and only Odysseus himself survived. He came ashore on the island of the nymph Calypso, who made him her lover and refused to let him leave for seven years. When Zeus finally intervened, Odysseus sailed away on a small boat, only to be shipwrecked by another storm. He swam ashore on the island of the Phaeacians, where he was magnificently entertained and then, at long last, escorted home to Ithaca.

There were problems in Ithaca as well, however. During Odysseus' twenty-year absence, his wife, Penelope, had remained faithful to him, but she was under enormous pressure to remarry. A whole host of suitors were occupying her palace, drinking and eating and behaving insolently to Penelope and her son, Telemachus. Odysseus arrived at the palace, disguised as a ragged beggar, and observed their behavior and his wife's fidelity. With the help of Telemachus and Laertes, he slaughtered the suitors and cleansed the palace. He then had to fight one final battle, against the outraged relatives of the men he had slain; Athena intervened to settle this battle, however, and peace was restored.

Related information

Pronunciation

{oh-dis'-ee-uhs}

Images

Odysseus

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A little Experiment...

Try typing the name of any well known Greek mythological figure into Google, and odds are it'll turn out to be the name of a web application. Just as a general rule of thumb.

Tuesday, October 28, 2003

Henna time is here again...

Or is that too much information? I'm sitting here with my head marinating in organic products which are intended to turn it a subtle shade of red. I feel like a beef tenderloin.

Another one for the favorite authors list...

Nick Hornby

Kurt

Kurt Cobain, Journals...
Just, as it claims, the photocopied, handwritten notebooks of Kurt Cobain, sometimes funny, sometimes insightful, sometimes insane. Contains playlists for mix tapes and his mom's stroganoff recipe alongside original lyrics, letters to friends and philosophic expounditure. There is an angry,tragic irony to the journal entries about how wrong everyone was for painting him as a suicidal addict, guilt ridden at the prospect of success.

Moonpoem #2

My moonlight was weightless

it bore me aloft

knew my sadness before it had a name

left me sleepless and awaiting answers

from one who slept days away in paralell madness

Lunacy is the goddess' kiss

her mark upon your brow

alien and strange

She brings you words you must be rid of

and dreams you cannot shake

and showers you in broken glass

as you drift back into oblivion

And if I am an ocean wave poised to drown you...step back and listen for my voice in seashells...

Eve

Eve of the poisoned apple

has crimson lips to be bitten

and crisp white flesh

that tastes of

Death

and the sweetness of

her ruin

If you were to cut her in two

at the center

her heart would be a pentagram

a magic older than time or sin

and be you Adam or serpent or

fallen angel

still it tastes the same

And she is

not the root of all evil

Evil is in the eye of the beholder

but no man's eye can hold her

Myth of the Day:The Legend of Herne

"There is an old tale goes that Herne the Hunter,

Sometime a keeper here in Windsor Forest,

Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight,

Walk round about an oak, with great ragg'd horns;

And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle,

And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain

In a most hideous and dreadful manner.

You have heard of such a spirit, and well you know

The superstitious idle-headed eld

Receiv'd, and did deliver to our age,

This tale of Herne the Hunter for a truth. "

The Merry Wives of Windsor

(Act 4 Scene 4)

Wiliaml Shakespeare

Golden Dawn Tarot Cards Of The Day

Princess of Cups

Creative, fertile energy that has the power to take on substance or form. Unceasing power to generate images and ideas. Energy like that of a waterfall. A young woman who is sweet, gentle, kind, poetic, imaginative, artistic, and dreamy. Imaginative and dreamy, at times indolent, yet courageous if roused. (If ill-dignified: she is indolent, selfish, and luxurious.)

7 of Pentacles

Unprofitable speculation and employment, promises of success unfulfilled, disappointment. Loss of apparently promising future. Hope deceived and crushed. Little gain for much labor. Misery, slavery, necessity and baseness. A cultivator of land, and yet a loser thereby. (Sometimes it denotes slight and isolated gains with no fruits resulting therefrom, and of no further account, though seeming to promise well. According to dignity.)

Click on it, and they donate food to the hungry...it's that simple.

The Hunger Site

Monday, October 27, 2003

Celtic Radio links from Live365...my favorites are "Shite and Onions," a Celtic Punk station and the Fergus MacCool show ("brought to you by Tasteless Choice coffee...") but there are many more. How come nobody loves the Pogues but me?

The Temple of Hecate Online : Site Map

The Temple of Hecate Online : Site Map: " Back to the Main Page"

Online virtual temple to the Goddess of the Underworld (who is, incidentally, the Myth Of the Day
Ogham reading of the Day:



Heather



Dreams and luck



You have dreams for your life, but perhaps are not doing what you can to make them real. See if there are ways you can weave your dreams into your daily life. You are now in, or are about to enter, a time of good fortune; enjoy and benefit from it!



Heather, the eighteenth Ogham tree, has long been considered lucky. Like several others of the Ogham trees, it is low-growing but has woody stems, fitting an ancient definition of a tree. Most varieties of heather are evergreen, and the flowers are symbolic of luck in love. Heather sprigs can be used as a springy bedding, too, and are said to bring good dreams. -This Ogham is sometimes associated with mistletoe as well.





Yew



Change and regeneration



You are in a time of deep transformation. Many changes are happening, and your life will be quite different afterward. These changes cannot be either rushed or stopped- so take the time you need for them, and permit yourself to feel all the related emotions, negative and positive. Difficult though things may be now, new opportunities and possibilities await.



Yew is the last of the original twenty Ogham trees. Just as birch stands for new beginnings, yew symbolizes death and regeneration; the old passing away to make room for the new. As the yew ages, some branches die but the whole survives- some for 2000 years! Its wood is tough, often used for bows. The challenge of the yew is to deal with the sorrow that a deep transformation can cause; even when the new is welcome, the old can be sorely missed.

MythHome: Greek Gods and Their Associates

MythHome: Greek Gods and Their AssociatesHekate

( Hecate )

Greek goddess associated with the underworld and with magic. Not mentioned in Homer, she is believed to have originated in Caria in southwest Anatolia. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria. Elsewhere she is said to be the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was also a goddess of crossroads and waysides, and pillars known as Hekataea were commonly erected at crossroads and doorways,perhaps to ward off evil. She was especially associated with travel by night, although it is not clear whether she was regarded as the protectress of night travellers or their chief peril. Hekate was also considered a patron of Medea and of witches,and she had an occult following among women in Thessaly, where she was regarded as a moon goddess. She assisted in the search for Persephone after her abduction by Hades. In this connection, as well as in connection with her role in night travel, she was depicted bearing a torch. In later representations, she was shown as having three bodies, particularly in the Hekataea which allowed her to keep watch over all roads at once. Her epithets included Enodia, a reference to her role as a goddess of waysides, and Trioditis, a reference to her role as a triform goddess of crossroads.

Sunday, October 26, 2003

Ger is one of the runes that touches on the cycles of the year, in this case the fall harvest. These cycles are eternal, which is represented in the rune by the fact that it is unchanged by reversal. Ger can represent pregnancy or other forms of fruitfulness, and is especially indicative of the cycles of providence and karma - that which has been sown is now being reaped. This rune can also represent the cycles of wealth, for crops were frequently a sign of wealth.



Fehu is the rune of cattle, the symbol of wealth in the old Norse civilization. Since Fehu is the first rune in Frey's aett, it is a rune of fertility as well. As seen here reversed, it can represent barrenness or the loss of wealth. Some interpret Fehu as representing children, in which case the reversal may portend the distancing of a child from her or his parents.

Saturday, October 25, 2003

More audio-literary detritus

Sherman Alexie wins the 1999 Heavyweight Poetry Championship

Other Burroughs Sites

http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/7629/lunch/index.html

http://www.popsubculture.com/pop/bio_project/william_s_burroughs.html

>

And:

Neil Gaiman

More Eeriness in light of the season...

The ghost of William S Burroughs...

That's why they're called "of the day"

Don't forget to check the updates to the Myth of The Day and Portents of the Day,they still update daily.
WHITE DRAGON (Pai). This tile represents the mysterious unknown. Documents are important. Ghosts. This tile was originally a blank tile in the set.



4 Bamboo. CARP (Li). Peace and contentment lead to a long life. Longevity is indicated.

Adam's First Wife...

LILITH

by merry todd



"Lilith, whose name means 'screech owl,' became the center of many Hebrew legends..." (Pollack 128)



Lilith was known as the wife of Adam. Adam was created from dirt and Lilith was created from "filth and excrement"(Monahan 78). In the first version of Genesis, in the Bible, it is stated "Male and Female he created them," however; later on the Bible seems to change its mind when it claims that the female was created from within the male. Contrary to this, Lilith was created simultaneously with Adam. When Adam suggested intercourse, Lilith willingly agreed. Adam told Lilith to lie down, that he would be on the top. Lilith, however, felt that she and Adam had been created as equals and therefore should mate as equals. Because of her apparent misconception, Lilith was then banned and replaced by Eve in the Garden of Eden. God created Eve from within Adam thus making her subservient to him.



When Lilith was banned from the Garden of Eden, she demanded that the Lord give her wings and she flew to the western deserts where she had orgies with elemental spirits and demons. Some say she produced demon children by the score. Another variation of the story says she was cursed with sterility. Going along with the idea that Lilith did produce scores of demon children, the story tells of Lilith's revenge on Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, Lilith would come to Adam each night and have intercourse with him. She would use his "emissions" to form demon babies.



Lilith was also a threat to children. She had power over them in their first week, the first of each month, and over the children of the unmarried. Lilith usually stole children at night. She liked her victims smiling, so before she strangled the babes she would tickle their feet. If a mother saw her baby smiling or laughing while sleeping, she would tap the child's nose thee times and say, "away Lilith, you have no place here" (Monahan 79). Mother's also feared jackals, owls, kites, pelicans, wolves, and wildcats, which were all disguises favored by Lilith.







Questionable remodel

Visited the newly remodeled Target store at Broadway and Rosemont in search of Halloween costumes for the girls. There are these giant redstone cement spheres on the sidewalk outside that look like somebody dismembered theVenus Of Willendorfand posted her body parts out front as a warning to others.

Apparently there's an international tournament...

For the "Rock,paper,scissors" game?

The World's Smallest Chess Set...

Smallest Chess Set
Guinness Book of Records

Found a clip of Lizzie's boyfriend...

...demonstrating cable wrapping techniques, for all the world to seeStagecraft: Members' Gallery: Over/Under Cable Wrapping (Real Video).

Friday, October 24, 2003

Hey... Cool :) Lizzie here... I took the Greek god test. Apparently, I am Hecate. Which makes me happy in a brooding sort of way.

-LizzieHecate
Hecate



?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla


Webradio-my current little addiction

AccuRadio.com -- Internet radio YOU control!

Mommy's Little Helper

Maggie was overtired today and I let her play hookie, I know, bad Mom. Still, she was grateful. She offered to help by feeding the baby breakfast. What was her choice? A bag of assorted cookies with orange juice. Nice try, but no cigar. And Sarah rewarded her by spilling the juice all over her chair. Sometimes I feel less like their mother and more like the zookeeper in the monkey house. Welcome to the monkeyhouse. Lalalalala...tommorrow is another day.
Tarot Cards...



Five of COINS

Loss of prestige, degradation; paying too high a price for settling for less than hoped for.



JUDGEMENT

After many delays, all burdens and obstacles are removed and lasting progress begins to be made.



myth of the day

detritus

Australian Dreamtime

Australian Dreamtime: "The 'Aboriginal Dreamtime' is that part of aboriginal culture which explains the origins and culture of the land and its people.



Aborigines have the longest continuous cultural history of any group of people on Earth - dating back - by some estimates - 65,000 years. Dreamtime is Aboriginal Religion and Culture.



The Dreamtime contains many parts: It is the story of things that have happened, how the universe came to be, how human beings were created and how the Creator intended for humans to function within the cosmos.



As with all other cultures - it speaks of Earth's Creation by Gods and Goddesses - some of whom were kind hearted - while others were cruel.



The Australian Aborigines speak of jiva or guruwari, a seed power deposited in the earth. In the Aboriginal world view, every meaningful activity, event, or life process that occurs at a particular place leaves behind a vibrational residue in the earth, as plants leave an image of themselves as seeds. The shape of the land - its mountains, rocks, riverbeds, and waterholes - and its unseen vibrations echo the events that brought that place into creation. Everything in the natural world is a symbolic footprint of the metaphysical beings whose actions created our world. As with a seed, the potency of an earthly location is wedded to the memory of its origin. The Aborigines called this potency the 'Dreaming' of a place, and this Dreaming constitutes the sacredness of the earth. Only in extraordinary states of consciousness can one be aware of, or attuned to, the inner dreaming of the earth.



- Faces of the First Day: Awakening in the Aboriginal Dreamtime by Robert Lawlor



"

Thursday, October 23, 2003

Word Games

Friday night mutual admiration society

Tastes like lemon drops and sarcasm

Smells like trouble

Some of us remaining nameless

And others invisible

Shut out the rest when they don't get our jokes

Mock the world we're smarter than

Someday they'll make us eat these words

Someday we won't be

Safe and out of danger

Instant Karma comes knocking

We'll get what we deserve

Or more than we bargained for

I used to be nice

You used to be quiet

Before we started to play clever games

Which taught us how clever games should be played

I have more words you have more wisdom

You can spell and I can cast a spell

Which one of us knows how to spell remorse

and is there a fifty point bonus?

Sarah has a crush on Dan Rather

The CBS News is on and Sarah Keeps waving "hi" every time they cut back to Dan Rather. Also, she likes the pretty graphics.

Which Greek God Are You?

Apparently, I'm...


Athena
Athena



?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla

Which Greek God Are You? A Quiz.

Bizzare funny little NPR current events quiz show

Wait,wait, don't tell me

Would you put them back in your mouth after that?

Fisherman's Lucky Bite Gives Man His Teeth Back

Oh,those swinging lower life forms...

CNN.com - Size matters for animals that change sex - Oct. 22, 2003

Icarus

Icarus: "Icarus...



The story of Icarus is one of the most tragic ones in Greek mythology. There was once a very wise king, King Minos. His wife was cursed by one of the gods to fall in love and to copulate with a beautiful bull. When Minos' wife gave birth to the result of said copulation, the Minotaur was born. He asked Daedalus to create a maze from which the terrifying monster, the half-bull/half-man, could never escape. Daedelus was a brilliant architect who could devise an answer to almost any sort of logic problem. When he finally created the amazing maze, King Minos trapped Daedelus and his son, Icarus, into the maze along with the Minotaur. Minos did not want anyone who could guess the maze's solution to live outside of the maze.



Daedelus' spirit may have been hurt by his captivity, but his mind was still brilliant. After many trials, and probably many errors, Daedelus finally devised the plan of creating wings tacked together by beeswax for his son and he. The two escaped, soaring high. Before they had gotten off the ground, Daedelus had tried to warn Icarus not to fly too closely to the sun. Icarus, being an irrascible boy, did not listen.



He forgot all inhibitions when he discovered the freedom of flight. Icarus soared high and happily. Unfortunately and sadly, he got too close to the sun. It melted the delicate beeswax with which his wings were held together. As the feathers fell, so did Daedelus' heart. His soul tore when he saw his beloved son falling into the sea from thousands of heights in the sky. Icarus found death when he tried to soar too high.
Knowledge and preservation



You have already taken steps to preserve things you value for the future- something many forget in the rush of everyday life. Perhaps you have also spent time studying in preparation for the future. These steps have given you a solid foundation from which to approach the current situation.



Linkages



The situation is a part of a wider whole, and your life is a part of a larger pattern. Remember that your actions are a part of a larger pattern, and affect all the others within it- make your decisions with this in mind.



myth of the day

detritusKnowledge and preservation



Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Opinionated Blondes speak out on behalf of Issues...

Courtney Love does the Math


Pam Anderson responds to Siegfried and Roy

Music links: weird little bands with cult followings..

Old 97's

the pernice brothers

the austin lounge lizards
myth of the day

detritus of the day
Neil Gaiman "1602" issues 1-3: Clever idea, combining history and comic book lore , plus the added geek bonus of making you guess which characters are which. Basic description being that it's the Marvel Universe played out in the Elizabethan age. My one complaint being that every other page is ads. Makes me feel slightly exploited. Maybe it's just been a while since I bought a comic in non graphic novel form. In general. one can just never go wrong with Neil Gaiman. I shall be eternally thankful to my friend James Waslow for all time for introducing me to Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore. Wonder what ever happened to James Waslow and his techie friends? One of many acquaintances I've let fall by the wayside.

Getting up off my intellectual derriere

Dear goddess, do I need to get a life. I just put up a subblog for my opinions on things and then realized I hadn't read or seen anything new lately for which I could conjure much of an opinion. I'm up in the morning against my will these days, so I'm going to make a pact with myself to do things like listen to NPR or that uber liberal thing they have on in the mornings on KXCI. I'm going to go to more intelligent websites than just humour and music links. I'm going to start behaving like a smart person again, for good or for ill. My baby will live if I start rationing her Disney channel a bit and if I'm going to be sitting around on the couch too tired to move, might as well use my ears for something, right? I'm going to start watching the news and listening to webradio and so forth. Wake up, Julie, a year's gone by since last you were interesting.

National novel Writing Month...

Great,another thing I won't be able to accomplish...

Mythology Guide - Orion

Mythology Guide - OrionOrion



Orion was the son of Neptune. He was a handsome giant and a

mighty hunter. His father gave him the power of wading through

the depths of the sea, or as others say, of walking on its

surface.



Orion loved Merope, the daughter of Oenopion, king of Chios, and

sought her in marriage. He cleared the island of wild beasts,

and brought the spoils of the chase as presents to his beloved;

but as Oenopion constantly deferred his consent, Orion attempted

to gain possession of the maiden by violence. Her father,

incensed at this conduct, having made Orion drunk, deprived him

of his sight, and cast him out on the sea shore. The blinded

hero followed the sound of the Cyclops' hammer till he reached

Lemnos, and came to the forge of Vulcan, who, taking pity on him,

gave him Kedalion, one of his men, to be his guide to the abode

of the sun. Placing Kedalion on his shoulders, Orion proceeded

to the east, and there meeting the sun-god, was restored to sight

by his beam.



After this he dwelt as a hunter with Diana, with whom he was a

favorite, and it is even said she was about to marry him. Her

brother was highly displeased and often chid her, but to no

purpose. One day, observing Orion wading though the sea with his

head just above the water, Apollo pointed it out to his sister

and maintained that she could not hit that black thing on the

sea. The archer-goddess discharged a shaft with fatal aim. The

waves rolled the dead body of Orion to the land, and bewailing

her fatal error with many tears, Diana placed him among the

stars, where he appears as a giant, with a girdle, sword, lion's

skin, and club. Sirius, his dog, follows him, and the Pleiads

fly before him.



The Pleiads were daughters of Atlas, and nymphs of Diana's train.

One day Orion saw them, and became enamored, and pursued them.

In their distress they prayed to the gods to change their form,

and Jupiter in pity turned them into pigeons, and then made them

a constellation in the sky. Though their numbers was seven, only

six stars are visible, for Electra, one of them, it is said, left

her place that she might not behold the ruin of Troy, for that

city was founded by her son Dardanus. The sight had such an

effect on her sisters that they have looked pale ever since.

Everything must have its place...

Here and forever more, the following features of my web site have their own independent blogs: the myth of the day

the divinatory reading of the day

critiques and opinions


So as to not clutter up my little weblog. And so as to force me to keep a proper journal.
Tarot Cards of the Day :



Seven of Wands (Valor): Standing courageously for your beliefs in the face of adversity. Fear of failure overcome by the will to succeed. Great obstacles met with heroism and determination. Inner strength brought to bear at a critical moment.



Nine of Wands (Strength): A pause in the current struggle to ready oneself. Preparation to meet the final conclusive onslaught. Forces assembled in anticipation of trials and tribulations. The steeling of the will to stand or fall. A line drawn in the sand.

# posted by corbid @ 1:30 PM



Random lines in search of a good home

Sublimation made a monster out of me.



Who's more self-absorbed?

The one who always has to be right?

Or the one who always wants to be wronged?



Sometimes a differing opinion is just a differing opinion and not some sort of subtle power play or attempt at asserting intellectual dominance.





Tuesday, October 21, 2003

Ogham reading of the Day

Gorse


Generosity and persistence


Your work is bearing fruit, and you are reaping its benefits. Remember that generosity is an appropriate response to abundance! Persist in your efforts, too; the blessings you have seen are a result of perseverance, and require continued effort.

Gorse or furze is the seventeenth Ogham tree. It thrives outside the forest, even in inhospitable lands. Although its mature growth is tough and spiky, its new shoots are a favorite food of sheep, and it blossoms with sweet yellow flowers throughout the year, to the benefit of the bees. For these reasons, gorse symbolizes both generosity and persistence.


Willow


Intuition


Your intuition will help you understand the situation and what is best to do. Give yourself the time and opportunity you need to allow your subconscious to communicate its knowledge to you.


Willow, the Ogham's fourth tree, is closely connected to water, the unconscious, the moon, and thus the feminine. It is symbolic of intuition, the ability to make connections and gain understanding without knowing exactly how or why one knows

Myth of The Day: Dryads

Mythic detritus

Dryads

Courtesy of Mythography:



Dryads and hamadryads are two types of wood nymphs in Greek mythology. These female nature spirits were thought to inhabit trees and forests, and they were especially fond of oak trees. Dryads were often depicted in myth and art accompanied - or being pursued by - their male counterparts, the satyrs.



There are many stories of dryads in myth and legend. One famous dryad was Eurydice, the beautiful but ill-fated wife of Orpheus. According to the tale, Eurydice was killed by a snake when she tried to escape from the unwelcome amorous advances of Aristaeus. The fact that a dryad such as Eurydice could die demonstrates the idea that these nymphs were not immortal. And indeed, the hamadryads were even more vulnerable, for it was believed that their lives depended on the health and well-being of the trees they inhabited. The myth of Erysichthon illustrates this point.



Erysichthon needed wood to build a hall, so one day he entered a grove of oak trees. Now, this particular grove was sacred to the goddess Demeter, and was also a favorite location of those gentle nature spirits, the dryads. But these facts seemed lost on Erysichthon. He simply starting chopping down the largest, oldest tree standing. At first strike of his axe, the tree began to bleed. Undaunted, Erysichthon continued to cut through the bleeding bark. Then he heard a sound coming from the wounded tree. It was the voice of the hamadryad who lived in the oak. She begged Erysichthon to stop, telling the heartless man that not only was he killing her tree, he was also murdering her in the process. Erysichthon ignored her pleas. Eventually the helpless hamadryad died, along with her beloved oak tree.



The goddess Demeter learned of this horrible crime from the other dryads who inhabited the grove. In the end, Erysichthon was punished for defiling Demeter's sacred grove and taking the life of a hamadryad. The details of this story - as well as Erysichthon's punishment - can be found in the Metamorphoses of Ovid.



Monday, October 20, 2003

Shakespeare's Ophelia...

"And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,

That suck'd the honey of his music vows,

Now see that noble and most sovereign reason,

Like sweet bells jangled out of tune and harsh,

That unmatch'd form and feature of blown youth

Blasted with ecstasy. O, woe is me

T'have seen what I have seen, see what I see."



William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act III, Scene I

Waterhouse: Ophelia « Paintings

Waterhouse: Ophelia « Paintings

Waterhouse: Juliet Painting

Waterhouse: Juliet « Paintings

Sunday, October 19, 2003

Runes of the Day

DAGAZ

Awakening, understanding, hope, synthesis of opposites, awareness, a new way of seeing.


INGWAZ

Patience, inner growth, fermentation, introspection, self-awareness, fruitfulness, fertility.

Myth of the Day

Guinevere


Famous image of the legendary Queen.

Guinevere

Guinevere

by Brian Edward Rise

Arthur's queen. According to Giraldus Cambrensis, the inscribed cross from the royal grave at Glastonbury named her as Arthur's second wife. Nothing is known of this first wife. Since the only surviving drawing of the cross only depicts one side and, presumably, any allusion to the queen was on the other, the claim of Giraldus is unverifiable. Those who believe Arthur died and was buried at Glastonbury generally accept that Guinevere was buried with him.



By the hand of Geoffrey of Monmouth, Guinevere becomes a beautiful lady with a Roman heritage, raised in the house of Duke Cador of Cornwall. Little else is said until the end of Arthur's reign when she betrays the King by becoming the lover of the usurper Mordred. However, while the two are in battle, she runs away to Caerleon and enters a convent. The recurring theme of her entanglement with men besides her husband, whether by consent or abduction, has many variations. When kidnapped, she must be saved. On the archivolt in Modena Cathedral is a depiction, maybe pre-Geoffrey, of Arthur rescuing the queen. He must do it again in Caradoc's "Vitae" of Gildas, this time the queen having been abducted by King Melwas of Somerset. When connected to the theme of infidelity later, the rescuer becomes not her husband but Lancelot.



These depictions might arise from a misinterpretation of the traditions of Celtic queens. A Celtic queen, like Medb of the Irish saga Tain Bo Culainge, was the equal of her husband in power and wealth. She also had affairs without reproach. Medieval writers could not have seen this free and equal behaviour as anything but stubborn infidelity. Their altered social perceptions would have precluded any true understanding hence Guinevere has since been cast as the unfaithful woman.



The romances depict her as the daughter of Leodegan, previous owner of the Round Table, which she brings as part of her dowry to Arthur. She has a doppleganger named the False Guinevere, another daughter of Leodegan, who tempts Arthur away from court. The queens conduct is given further excuse by Arthur's encounters with Morgause and other women. Whereas the Welsh are always critical of her (until recently, to call a girl Guinevere in Wales was a reflection on her chastity), the continental writers show a sympathy for her that cause them to break totally from Geoffrey. They redirect the Queen's attentions from Mordred, whose lustful advances are rejected with scorn, to Lancelot, a more noble and magnificent character.



The affair is well established by the time of Chr�tien de Troyes. A constant problem for writers is the King's disposition about it. Rare among literary characters, Arthur is cuckolded yet is able to retain his dignity. He refuses to acknowledge the problem until it is scandalously forced into the open by Agravain. When Arthur tries to fufill his duty and execute her, she is resued by Lancelot but the ensuing conflicts and rivalries signal the beginning of the end to Arthur's golden age.



In Malory, the Queen reaches a depth that had only been hinted at by his predecessors. She becomes giving and tragically passionate. She is childless in a marriage to a man she respects but doesn't love and in love with a man she can never have. The love affair with Lancelot, while jealous and sometimes cruel, endures and is undeniable. She enters the convent at Amesbury after the final battle. Lancelot visits her there and she sends him away with a fond but penitent farewell, realizing that their deeds have brought about the ruin of the noblest group the world has known. Malory says, "She was a true lover and therefore she had a good end."

Just in time for Halloween...

But not at all for the faint of heart

The lifeless shells of famous former people

Myth of the Day

The Siren

He listened in thrall to the song of the siren,

Her voice like a star as it flew through the air.

He drowned in her eyes as she called him to follow,

And likened the sun to the gold of her hair. She swept up her arms and held him close to her,

Her soft lips caressing the lines on his brow.

He could not resist her, a magic had trapped him,

And nothing could save him, for she had him now. She pulled him down with her into the clear water,

He gasped as death started the grip on his soul.

His life ebbed away as she dragged him still further,

And laughed when she saw she'd accomplished her goal.

(Charlotte Lester)

Waterhouse painting of same.

Tarot Cards of the Day

Death: A major change or transformation, possibly traumatic and unexpected. Freedom from the shackles of the past. A new beginning. Death coupled with rebirth, usually related to consciousness and lifestyle.


King of Cups: The essence of water behaving as air, such as a billowing cloud in the blue sky: Great maturity, endless patience, tolerance of other points of view, and a deep knowledge of human nature. One who intuitively knows the strengths of those around him, and gently cultivates them. Remaining calm and relaxed in all situations, and making artful use of diplomacy or a quiet word to resolve conflicts. The ability to listen to what another person is saying, and truly understand what is in their heart. A rewarding partner and a beloved leader.

Forced to watch Turner and Hooch...

...because it has a doggie in it. Maggie is obsessed with doggie movies right now.

Saturday, October 18, 2003

Maggie's Capsule Movie Review: "Good Dog"

"M'kay, well, I don't like you...but it was a good doggie movie."

"What was your favorite part?"

"When the doggie howled and played dead."

"Did the dog talk?"

"Yes, he talked..Hey,mom, why's there no sound on the tv?"


Words are weapons, sharper than knives...

If you haven't seen it yet...

Poetic Vitriol

Legend of the Day

The Trumpeter of Krakow (a true story)

The Trumpeter of Krakow

This is the story of the "Hejnal", as it's called:



From the tower of the Church, for centuries past, the Hejnal, or Hymn to out Lady(whose Church it is), was played by a trumpeter. He played it four times to the four winds, and he played it every hour. One day, many, many years ago, as he played, the trumpeter saw in the distance a cloud of dust which grew bigger with every passing moment. It was a large army of Tatars galloping towards the city. These cruel invaders from the east had more than once advanced to Krakow, nay, even farther, and they had pillaged and burned, looted and murdered and carried off the young people to be slaves in their camps. The trumpeter was horror stricken. How could he warn the city, how could he convey to the people the approach of danger and give them time to prepare their defense? There was only one thing he could do. To go down into the town and spread the alarm would be foolish, for it would waste precious minutes. He must play the Hejnal, over and over. That would surely arouse the citizens, they would certainly be aware of approaching danger. So he played, again and again. At first the people of Krakow were puzzled.



Why was the trumpeter playing over and over? and with such loud urgency? But they quickly realised that it was a warning and that from his lofty tower ha had seen danger approach. The soldiers sprang to arms and took up their stations on the walls of the city. The burgesses ran to secure their houses and place their wives and children behind locked doors. The apprentices seized their arrows and their cross-bows, the artisans seizes what tools they could lay their hands on, and they all marched to the defense of their city. Suddenly, the sound of the Hejnal ceased abrubtly.The notes had reached the ears of the Tatars as they approached, and their keen eyes had espied the figure of the trumpeter. As soon as they came within bow-shot, their leader, the surest marksman of them all, loosed his bow, and the deadly projectile logged in the trumpeter's throat.



But his task was accomplished, and Krakow was saved. Thanks to his warning, the people were able to defend their city, and they inflicted a crushing defeat on the Tatars, killing one of their princes.



And since that day, the Hejnal has been broken off at the same note on which it was broken off by the Tatar arrow in honour of the trumpeter who gave his life for the city.

Ogham Reading of the Day

Ivy:

You have pursued a goal with admirable persistence, even when faced with hardship, and have made progress towards it. It might be wise to examine this goal in the light of changing circumstances, and ensure that it is still the goal you wish to pursue, and that the methods you have chosen are the best ones for the task.


Hawthorn:

The situation has been frustrating, and you may have reacted somewhat hastily. Examine the past and see if you rushed matters, or too-quickly chose between undesirable alternatives. Time has changed things, and perhaps opened up new options which could benefit you.

Stuck...

Home with a fussy teething baby. Sang her John Lennon songs for an hour, now we're watching the Wiggles with no sound. Oh, the howling, oh the crying, oh how I love her in spite of all that.

Friday, October 17, 2003

Fisher King

Fisher King: "The Myth, of the Fisher King



A young man (the Hero or Fool) leaves his forest home in the Waste Land to follow the knights of King Arthur. He has many adventures, but when he seeks to return home to his dying mother, the young man loses his way. Eventually, he happens upon an old fisherman in a boat. The fisherman instructs him to go upstream to a hill, from where he will see the fisherman's house. At first, the young sees nothing, but then spies a tower in the distance. He rides to a castle where he is welcomed and ushered in to a great hall.

There, he finds the fisherman and a lavish feast waiting. The old man gives the boy a sword, and tells him that once he himself was a great knight, but a wound in his leg, which will not heal, confines him to his home. He now passes the time by fishing.



As they talk and dine, a procession of youths passes before them-a boy carrying a white lance with blood spilling from its tip, two youths carrying golden candlesticks burning ten candles each, a young girl carrying a golden grail; embedded with jewels, and a girl carrying a silver dish.

The young man wonders about the meaning of all these objects, but remains silent. Upon awakening the next day he finds the castle empty. He begins to search for members of the household and is told by a maiden in the forest that he has been in the Fisher King's castle, and that by not inquiring about the procession, he failed in his quest, putting the kingdom at risk.

Wishing to set things right, he tries to find the castle again is hopelessly lost. He wanders for five years before finding the castle of the Fisher King. Again, he is welcomed and led to the king who is waiting with a great feast. Again, the mysterious procession passes before them, but this time, the young man asks, 'Whom does the grail serve?"

Myth of the Day

The Fisher King

Ogham Reading Of The Day

Gorse


Generosity and persistence


Your work is bearing fruit, and you are reaping its benefits. Remember that generosity is an appropriate response to abundance! Persist in your efforts, too; the blessings you have seen are a result of perseverance, and require continued effort.


Aspen


Courage and endurance


You will be entering new territory soon, and this may make you nervous. You do have the courage and the tools you will need to thrive; even if things become difficult, persevere and you will benefit.

Thursday, October 16, 2003

Perhaps this might be a metaphor for relationships in general

I adore my baby Sarah. I love the smell of her, her insane baby laugh and every little dimple. But she has this exhausting need to stick to me like velcro at all times. She literally clings to the hem of my clothes so that I can barely walk and bursts into tears if I turn my back on her for one second. After a while, in order to get anything accomplished, you have to steel your heart to the tears a little bit to keep from becoming tyrranized by the incomprehensible whims of an infant. I hate to see her cry at all, but sometimes a person has to eat or take a shower, for instance. So I kind of choose my battles now and spend extra time cuddling her when I can to make up for the times it's impractical to do her tiny bidding.

Hades (See you in hell)

I could burn for a thousand years and never be warm enough

Could melt with a thousand suns

and never feel a thing

I could eat the pomegranite seeds

and stay here forever

In the burning lands

where old gods wither

and dead men walk

with their eyes of glass

and cold,cold souls

In the underworld

lower than beyond

and further still

I am a pale ghost, pretty wraith, a Persephone

Bring me back into the sunlight

And at a glance, l'll disappear

Should any hapless Orpheus

bargain for my soul

with the Lord of the Dead

Like Lot's wife, I'll turn

Better taste the salt off me while you can

before I turn bitter

Salt of the dead ocean

Of tears no longer to be shed...

Pan Poem

When I was young

the wild god came to me

I found his graven image

in a shop by the sea

and wore it on a silver chain

between my breasts

and learned the arts

of womanhood

and you should know the rest

I found my heart's desire

the pendant broke in two

I put the remnants aside

And thought of them no more



Years went by and I

became a dull thing, a statue

stone mermaid on the prow

and now

the spark of me lay buried

somewhere in the skeletal cage

somewhere in the labyrinthine mind

It was time

for a change



And so I dreamt an invocation

of the goat god

the mythical swain

Wild Pan of the mountaintops

player of pipes, chaser of nymphs

god of forests and wanting

I called upon him unknowing

and drew upon me

both a blessing and a curse

the thing I never knew I'd wanted



Be careful what you wish for

you might be left



Wanting

Randomly Arranged Duran Duran Song Lyrics

They always sounded cool and everything, but what on earth do they mean?


The union of the snake is on the climb..

It's gonna race it's gonna break -

Gonna move up to the borderline..


There's a dream that strings the road

With broken glass for us to hold

And I cut so far before i had to say


Shake up the picture the lizard mixture

With your dance on the eventide

You got me coming up with answers

All of which i deny.


Out on the tar plains, the glides are moving

All looking for a new place to drive

You sit beside me so newly charming

Sweating dewdrops glisten freshing your side


For rumours in the wake of such a lonely crowd

Trading in my shelter for danger

I'm changing my name just as the sun goes down -

In the eyes of the stranger!


Oh, the reflex what a game he's hiding all the cards

The reflex is in charge of finding treasure in the dark

And watching over lucky clover isn't that bizarre

Every little thing the reflex does leaves you answered with a

Question mark


(no. 1)

Public figure, what a pain

Just puts another rattle in your brain

Take another green but it's not the same

Now you're on the sandlane everyday

Dancing with the bulls in any old way

Running like a fox to keep up with me.


Runes of the Day

Runes for Anonymous: "Isa is the rune symbolizing Ice - cold, stagnant, frozen, and unchanging. This rune suggests heat removed not just from anger or conflict, but from passion as well. Paradoxically, Isa conveys images of slippery slopes and unsure footing, but also of circumstances that have crystallized and become utterly immutable. Remember that in the cold north, ice is not just THE challenge to be overcome, but the very nature of the environment. Be courageous, for you work against this element every day. Will you fight alone or with others against this, our common foe? Is there much worse than lack of change?"


Raido means to ride. In this rune, the image is not so much the riding of a horse as in riding in a cart or as cargo. As such Raido may suggest a journey, but is much more indicative of communication. Alternate interpretations based on the use of Raido as a cognate in other words give it the meaning of council, judgment, and moral correctness. Therefore, this rune is the rune of wise advice and good leadership.

Wednesday, October 15, 2003

Myth of the Day

The Wild Hunt

Myth of the Day: The Wild Hunt

http://www.orkneyjar.com/tradition/hunt.htm

Belief in the Wild Hunt is found throughout the British Isles, as well across Northern Europe.



Although the basic idea is the same in all variations - a phantasmal leader and his men accompanied by hounds who "fly" through the night in pursuit of something.



What they are pursuing is not clear although Norse legend has various objects such as a visionary boar or wild-horse and even magical maidens known as Moss Maidens.



Later Christian influences had them summoning the souls of evildoers and unbaptised infants. Although the tradition is almost certainly Northern European in origin, like all folklore it adapted to fit the area it later became attached to.

Moonpoem

Lay small tokens at her altar

sandalwood and moonstones

Swatches of silk and linen

silver chains

and scents

and songs

She is a jealous orb

she wants the toys from your attic

the skeletons from your closet

nothing of value to anyone at all

easily missed

but more precious than gold

She demands reverance

and blood

a sharp cry

in turn for a future promise

the remnants of your soul

in turn for absolution

She is most easily displeased

or pleasantly surprised

perhaps with the proper sacrifice

She can yet be persauded.

Ogham reading of the Day

Hawthorn:

Patience is required. A time of frustration may be upcoming in the situation- either the appropriate action isn't possible for a time, or the options all look bad. Troublesome though this is, time itself may improve the situation- or give you the opportunity to chart a middle course between the undesirable alternatives.


Birch:

A new beginning will change the situation dramatically when it arrives. Much will be different then, so it would be wise to anticipate this by resolving old business, enabling you to truly begin anew.

Worst mom in the world awards

I forgot picture day and dressed Maggie in a Powerpuff T shirt. Then I forgot it was a half day and they had to call me to pick her up. OH, the shame of it all...

Tuesday, October 14, 2003

Cryptic lyric in search of a good home...

Sublimation made a monster out of me.

Work in Progress

I could burn for a thousand years and never be warm enough

Could melt with a thousand suns

and never feel a thing

In the burning lands

where old gods wither

and dead men walk

with their eyes of glass

and cold,cold souls

In the underworld

lower than beyond

and further still



This poem's beginning to suck again, but I'll get it eventually.

Kinderpunk Maggie

There's a baby doll hung in effigy from the window blinds. She's tightrope walking the bag of the couch to the strains of Oingo Boingo and when admonished responds with a sullen "I just don't like you Mom." Now, one can only tolerate this to a certain degree, but you still have to admire her spirit.

Myth of The Day

The Green Man

Green Man

[ Tue Oct 14, 11:53:46 AM | corbid ravenous | edit ]



URL: http://www.pantheon.org/articles/g/green_man.html

Green Man: "Green Man

by Alan G. Hefner

A legendary pagan deity who roams the woodlands of the British Isles and Europe. He usually is depicted as a horned man peering out of a mask of foliage, usually the sacred oak. He is known by other names such as 'Green Jack, 'Jack-in-the-Green' and 'Green George.' He represents spirits of trees, plants and foliage. It is believed he has rain making powers to foster livestock with lush meadows. He was frequently depicted in medieval art, including church decorations.



Green George, as he is usually called in spring Pagan rites, is represented by a young man dressed head to foot in greenery, who leads the festival procession. In various festivals, Green George, or an effigy of him, is dunked in a river or pond to ensure that there will be enough rain to make the meadows and pastures green. >{? It is also believed by some the Green Man shares an affinity with the forest-dwelling fairies since green is the fairy color. In some locals of the British Isles the fairies are called 'Greenies' and 'Greencoaties.' In the myth of 'The Fairy Children,' there appears two fairy children, a brother and a sister, who have green skin and claim to be of a race with green skin"



"Green Man." Encyclopedia Mythica.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/g/green_man.html

[Accessed October 14th, 2003.]



http://www.spiralgoddess.com/GreenMan.html

Tarot Cards of the Day

Wheel of Fortune: The path of destiny. Karma on a grand scale. An unexpected turn of good fortune. A link in the chain of events. Success, luck, and happiness.


The High Priest: Faith in tradition and the old school. A justified and ancient source of power. Being supportive, sympathetic and loyal. Receiving instructions, learning, guidance or inspiration. The ability to hear a higher or inner voice.

Sunday, October 12, 2003

Myth of the Day

Endymion, beloved of the Moon

Endymion

courtesy of online-mythology.com:



Endymion was a beautiful youth who fed his flock on Mount Latmos.

One calm, clear night, Diana, the Moon, looked down and saw him

sleeping. The cold heart of the virgin goddess was warmed by his

surpassing beauty, and she came down to him, kissed him, and

watched over him while he slept.



Another story was that Jupiter bestowed on him the gift of

perpetual youth united with perpetual sleep. Of one so gifted we

can have but few adventures to record. Diana, it was said, took

care that his fortunes should not suffer by his inactive life,

for she made his flock increase, and guarded his sheep and lambs

from the wild beasts.



The story of Endymion has a peculiar charm from the human meaning

which it so thinly veils. We see in Endymion the young poet, his

fancy and his heart seeking in vain for that which can satisfy

them, finding his favorite hour in the quiet moonlight, and

nursing there beneath the beams of the bright and silent witness

the melancholy and the ardor which consumes him. The story

suggests aspiring and poetic love, a life spent more in dreams

than in reality, and an early and welcome death.

S. G. Bulfinch



The Endymion of Keats is a wild and fanciful poem, containing

some exquisite poetry, as this, to the moon:



'The sleeping kine

Couched in thy brightness dream of fields divine.

Innumerable mountains rise, and rise,

Ambitious for the hallowing of thine eyes,

And yet thy benediction passeth not

One obscure hiding place, one little spot

Where pleasure may be sent; the nested wren

Has thy fair face within its tranquil ken.'



Dr. Young in the Night Thoughts alludes to Endymion thus:



'These thoughts, O Night, are thine;

>From thee they came like lovers' secret sighs,

While others slept. So Cynthia, poets feign,

In shadows veiled, soft, sliding from her sphere,

Her shepherd cheered, of her enamored less

Than I of thee.'



Fletcher, in the Faithful Shepherdess, tells,



'How the pale Phoebe, hunting in a grove,

First saw the boy Endymion, from whose eyes

She took eternal fire that never dies;

How she conveyed him softly in a sleep,

His temples bound with poppy, to the steep

Head of Old Latmos, where she stoops each night,

Gilding the mountain with her brother's light,

To kiss her sweetest.'"

Tarot Cards Of The Day

The Fool: Thoughtlessness. Folly. Extravagance. Lack of discipline. Immaturity. Irrationality. Insecurity. Frivolity. Delirium. Frenzy. Enthusiasm. Naiveté.


Nine of Coins (Gain): Accomplishment. Discernment. Discretion. Foresight. Prudence. Material well-being. Love of nature.

Neilgaiman.com

appears to be broken:)

Strange Dreams...

No one's writing to me, but everyone's invading my subconscious, it seems.

Is there anybody out there?

Nobody's emailed me all weekend long. Except for spam. I really need to get a nonelectronic social life.

Saturday, October 11, 2003

Mythological Norse Vegetation of The Day

Yggdrasil: The World Tree

Yggdrasil: The World Tree

Yggdrasil: "In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil ('The Terrible One's Horse'), also called the World Tree, is the giant ash tree that links and shelters all the worlds. Beneath the three roots the realms of Asgard, Jotunheim, and Niflheim are located. Three wells lie at its base: the Well of Wisdom (M?misbrunnr), guarded by Mimir; the Well of Fate (Urdarbrunnr), guarded by the Norns; and the Hvergelmir (Roaring Kettle), the source of many rivers.



Yggdrasil." Encyclopedia Mythica.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/y/yggdrasil.html

[Accessed October 11th, 2003.]





Four deer run across the branches of the tree and eat the buds; they represent the four winds. There are other inhabitants of the tree, such as the squirrel Ratatosk ('swift teeth'), a notorious gossip, and Vidofnir ('tree snake'), the golden cock that perches on the topmost bough. The roots are gnawed upon by Nidhogg and other serpents. On the day of Ragnarok, the fire giant Surt will set the tree on fire.



Other names for the tree include: Ask Yggdrasil, Hoddmimir's Wood, Laerad and Odin's Horse.











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Old Norse: Mimameidr"

I came, I saw, I ate everything I saw ...

Tucson Meet Yourself (There's still time left, you know):


My particular menu today included pierogi with sour cream, fry bread with honey, grilled shrimp on a stick, stuffed grape leaves, and hungarian pancakes filled with raspberry jam. Not to mention the music and dance and art and what have you. Or you could all just sit home in the dark.


Friday, October 10, 2003

My little girls have learned the meaning of sisterhood

In other words, they've proceeded to try to beat each other up on a regular basis. And I'm assuming this is just the beginning, having had a sister of my own...

The adventures of Lizzie Stardust

Ha Ha, found it on my own! My former adolescent partner in crime has a blog of her very own now.

Daughters Of The Moon Tarot Cards Of The Day

KUAN YIN

When she appears you know your magic is working and you are moving forward in a spiritually positive direction. Kuan Yin also represents well being in all your elements: balanced emotions, material security, mental agility and the ability to act


FOCUS

The Focus card also addresses how we pay attention to others, thereby empowering them. The celebrity or star system is an example of unbalanced focused attention. We all deserve and need recognition. If everyone gives and receives, there is no scarcity or need to compete, as there will be enough for everyone

Just a Thought

Sometimes when one is trying to prove one's worth to others one just comes across as an unbearable snob instead. Or maybe it's just me that does that.

TUCSON MEET YOUSELF!!!

Festivals Tucson, TUCSON ENTERTAINMENT, Culture Clubs


It's friggin mandatory. And it's as old as I am.

A complaint...

Been following Neil Gaiman's 1602, and this month's comic is kind of a rip off, comparitively, being as literally every other page is an ad. So says "comic book girl." Why not put in enough ads to make the thing free, then? Why charge so much? Oh, yeah, maybe because the ads are mostly for other comics. And video games. Who do they think I am?

Thursday, October 09, 2003

Bizzare news item of the day: bruising one's ego literally causes pain

News at Netscape

Site of the Day II

F1-Live.com

Site of the Day

Sherman Alexie: The Official Site

Runes Of the Day

KENAZ ( Reversed )

Over-heating, ignition, fever, repressed lust, lack of life force, suffocated fire.


OTHALA

Material property, acquisition of property, security and protection, harmony within the relationship and family, contact with forebears.

Myth Of The Day

Sheila-na-gig





The goddess of fertility in British-Celtic mythology. She is prominently displaying her genitals in an attempt to allay the power of death. With the advent of Christianity she is portrayed (even on the outside of English churches) as a female demon to ward off evil.



"Sheila-na-gig." Encyclopedia Mythica.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/s/sheila-na-gig.html

[Accessed October 10th, 2003.]

Questionable Celtic Myth of the day

Sheila-Na-Gig

http://corbidity.blogspot.com/

I'm apparently way too presumptious

Learned I had strange things in common with a couple of friends I thought I already knew on a nearly telepathic level. Lesson learned. Never take anything for granted.

Tarot Cards of the Day

Seven of Cups : Daydreams and things seen in the glass of contemplation. The scattering of energies by strong desires and unrealistic goals. The pursuit of illusions and the dissipation of energy on false choices. Intoxication, delirium, and hallucination, leading to the negation of effort.


The World: Completeness and intricacy of design. A great work. Achievement, reward, and well-earned recognition. A time of success, prosperity, security and joy. May also indicate travel or a change in residence.

Maggie's Life Lesson Of The Day

If you tell someone you love them, they will give you ice cream.

Wednesday, October 08, 2003

The Understatement of the Decade

I need to get out more.

Barbara Kingsolver Quote

"Don't wait for the muse. She has a lousy work ethic. Writers just write."

I ate an ice cream cone for breakfast today...

Because I could.

Myth of the Day: Clotho

Clotho: "Clotho

by Hilary Thomas, Clarksville Middle School

Clotho, a goddess from Greek mythology, is the youngest of the three Fates, but one of the oldest goddesses in Greek mythology. She is a daughter of Zeus and Themis. Each fate has a certain job, whether it be measuring thread, spinning it on a spinning wheel, or cutting the thread at the right length. Clotho is the spinner, and she spins the thread of human life with her distaff. The length of the string will determine how long a certain person's life will be. She is also known to be the daughter of Night, to indicate the darkness and obscurity of human destiny. No one knows for sure how much power Clotho and her sisters have, however, they often disobey the ruler, Zeus, and other gods. For some reason, the gods seem to obey them, whether because the fates do possess greater power, or as some sources suggest, their existence is part of the order of the Universe, and this the gods cannot disturb."



Clotho." Encyclopedia Mythica.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/clotho.html

[Accessed October 08th, 2003.]

Myth of the Day: Clotho, the youngest of the Fates

Mythic detritus

Debunking Urban Legends

My public service of the day, to make up for all that Duran Duran jr high level self indulgence, or whatever...

Howstuffworks

Tarot Cards Of the Day

6 of Swords

Work requiring consistent effort; travel.


4 of Swords

Enduring peace, recovery from sickness, change for the better.

Duranduran.com The official Duran Duran website

Duranduran.com The official Duran Duran website


This is possibly the most obnoxious website in the world...

Simon Le Bon's Book Club???

Okay, well I had to take the bait...

My 15 year old self reeling with anticipation at the thought.

Book Club

Bookslut

Site Of The Day:Bookslut.com


sample quote:

"I'm not sure if the scary thing about Simon LeBon's book club is the fact that it exists or if it's that his book club is a lot more alluring than Oprah's. I mean, they're reading Master and Margarita, Cryptonomicon, and The Black Dahlia. I bet Jonathan Frazen would be honored to be chosen by the Simon LeBon book club, logo or no. "


Bookslut

Tuesday, October 07, 2003

Sarah Says Hello

Literally, this is all my baby says right now. She waves and says "hello" to everything and everyone in sight. Pets, people, toys, television characters, pieces of toast...

Myth Of The Day

Deirdre and the Sons Of Usnach


corbidity.blogspot.com

Myth of the Day: Deirdre of the Sorrows

In Irish Gaelic literature, folklore, and mythology, a legendary heroine. Deirdre, who was renowned for her beauty, was brought up by Conchobar, King of Ulster, who planned to marry her. However, she fell in love with his nephew No�se and they fled to Scotland, accompanied by his two brothers. Emissaries of the king induced them to return to Ireland, and when they did, Conchobar had the three brothers treacherously killed. Deirdre then died of grief.



This story is told in the Ulster Cycle and inspired many later playwrights, poets and writers, such as William Butler Yeats, and forms the basis of J. M. Synge's play Deirdre.



"Deirdre." Encyclopedia Mythica.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/d/deirdre.html

[Accessed October 07th, 2003.]

tarots of today

FOUR OF STAVES

This card is a herald of success drawing on apace. Good financial opportunities. As for your health, don't forget that talking can be releasing and healing. This card also stresses the importance of friends .


SEVEN OF COINS

This represents the circulation of wealth and material goods. It predicts money coming and going in a steady and regular flow. Thus, you won't accumulate possessions. Reason is stronger now than feelings or it analyses them. Emotional therapy, psychotherapy. Love is androgynous, ambivalent, platonic.

Monday, October 06, 2003

Tarot Cards Of the Day

KNAVE OF COINS

Playful, unhurried and somewhat geeky, it often seems as if he makes things unnecessarily difficult for himself. A message containing new and unusual ideas is received.


VIII. SWORDS

Controntation, much criticism, blame; painful truths come to light.

Saturday, October 04, 2003

Send word...

corbid@cox.net

Myths of the day...

...can hereby be found on sister site corbidity@blogspot.com.

Persephone: Queen Of The Underworld

Saturday, October 04, 2003

Persephone (pur-SEF-uh-nee) Beautiful daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Carried off to the Underworld by Hades. Sometimes considered an Olympian. She paroled Sisyphus from the Underworld. Peirithous and Theseus attempted to abduct her.



Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was the goddess of springtime and, after her abduction by Hades she became his wife and Queen of the underworld for six months of each year. The mint and pomegranate is sacred to her.



Persephone is the goddess of the underworld in Greek mythology. She is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, goddess of the harvest. Persephone was such a beautiful girl that everyone loved her, even Hades wanted her for himself. When she was a little girl, she and the Oceanids were collecting flowers on the plain of Enna, when suddenly the earth opened and Hades rose up from the gap and abducted her. None but Zeus had noticed it. Broken-hearted, Demeter wandered the earth, looking for her daughter until Helios, the all-seeing, revealed what had happened. Demeter was so angry that she withdrew herself in loneliness, and all fertility on earth stopped. Finally, Zeus sent Hermes down to Hades to make him release Persephone. Hades grudgingly agreed, but before she went back he gave Persephone a pomegranate to eat, thus she would always be connected to his realm and had to stay there one-third of the year.

# posted by corbid @ 5:07 PM

Runes of the Day

Raido

This rune represents travel or movement. This can mean a journey through life itself, a pilgrimage, quest or a spiritual one towards enlightenment. It can mean information in the form of a message both received and given. Changes will operate at all levels when this Rune appears.



Isa

This rune represents freezing, coolness within friendships or relationships, inactivity, stagnation and waiting. Your plans may have to be put on hold or remain as they are until a more favourable time. Patience will be needed.

# posted by corbid @ 5:02 PM

Ariadne Of Naxos

****************************************************************

Myth of the Day :Ariadne of Naxos



Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete, who attacked Athens after his son was murdered there. The Athenians submitted and had to sacrifice 14 youths to the Minotaur in his labyrinth every year. She fell in love with Theseus, a young man who volunteered to come and kill the Minotaur, and helped him by giving him a magic sword and a ball of thread so that he could easily find his way out. She ran away with Theseus after he achieved his goal. But he left her sleeping on the island of Naxos, and Dionysus wedded her himself.

****************************************************************

Tarot Cards Of The Day:



Ace of Stones: Health. Prosperity. Beauty. Good weather.



Five of Stones (Material Difficulty): Wintry times. Money troubles. Illness. Isolation.



hmmm...opposites...





Psyche

Wednesday, October 01, 2003

"O foolish Psyche, is it thus you repay my love? After having disobeyed my mother's commands and made you my wife, will you think me a monster and cut off my head? But go; return to your sisters, whose advice you seem to think preferable to mine. I inflict no other punishment on you than to leave you for ever. Love cannot dwell with suspicion." So saying, he fled away, leaving poor Psyche prostrate on the ground, filling the place with mournful lamentations.

# posted by corbid @ 11:26 PM

Tarot Cards of the day:





Strength: Inner strength. Love and gentleness. Confidence. Ability to give love.



Seven of Wands (Courage): Courage and daring - possibly, the courage to retreat. Using one's power for transformation.





# posted by corbid @ 11:26 PM

Bulfinch's Mythology, The Age of Fable - Chapter 11: CUPID AND PSYCHE

# posted by corbid @ 11:25 PM

Brunhilde

Myth of the Day (Norse)



Brunhilde:



A mighty female warrior, one of the Valkyries, and a heroine from the German epics, especially in the Nibelungen saga, in which she is a Icelandic princess. She defied Odin and in punishment he imprisoned her within a ring of fire on earth, decreeing that there she would remain until a brave hero rescued her. Siegfied (Sigurd) braved the fire, broke her charmed sleep, and fell in love with her. He gave her the ring, Andvarinaut, unaware of its curse. Eventually she kills herself when she learns that Sigurd had betrayed her with another woman (Gudrun), not knowing he had been bewitched into doing so by Grimhild.



"Brunhilde." Encyclopedia Mythica.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/brunhilde.html

[Accessed September 29th, 2003.]



# posted by corbid @ 8:31 AM

Pan

Classical Deity of the day:Pan



The Greek god of shepherds and flocks, who was especially popular in Arcadia. He is a son of the god Hermes. He was depicted as a satyr with a reed pipe, a shepherd's crook and a branch of pine or crown of pine needles. He had a wrinkled face with a very prominent chin. On his forehead were two horns and his body was hairy. He was a swift runner and climbed rocks with ease. Pan belonged to the retinue of Dionysus. Pan was also a god of fertility, unbridled male sexuality and carnal desire. He chased nymphs through the forests and mountains in the shape of a goat. Pan was not very liked by the other Greek gods.



"Pan." Encyclopedia Mythica.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/pan.html

[Accessed September 25th, 2003.]

Circe

Circe

by Marc Mangum

Circe, daughter of the sun, was a sorceress best known for her ability to turn men into animals with her magic wand. The daughter of Perse and Helios, and whose daughter is Aega (goddess of the sun) she is remembered for her encounter with Odysseus and his men, and renowned for her knowledge of magic and poisonous herbs.



When Odysseus and his men landed in Aeaea, his crew later met with Circe and were turned into pigs. Circe's spells however had no effect on Odysseus who earlier was given an herb by Hermes to resist her power. Circe realizing she was powerless over him lifted the spell from the crew and welcomed them in her home. After about a year when Odysseus leaves she warns them of the sirens they will encounter on their journey. Circe and Odysseus also bore a child together named Telegonus who later ruled over the Tyrsenians.



Circe also has the powers for spiritual purification as she purifies the Argonauts for the murder of Apsyrtus.



"Circe." Encyclopedia Mythica.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/circe.html

[Accessed September 23rd, 2003.]

Dionysus

Mythological Figure of the Day: Dionysus



Also known as the Roman god, Bacchus. God of wine, agriculture and fertility. Central figure in the Eleusian Mysteries (along with the Earth Goddess Demeter.) Dionysus was also the god of intoxication and of Dramatic arts. He is something of a mysterious and Christlike figure about whom stories are varied and conflicting. Among the myths told of Dionysus are the following: He was the son of Zeus and Semele (a mortal woman.) Semele was struck dead upon seeing Zeus in all his thunderous glory, and Zeus then gestated the unborn Dionysus in his thigh. Thus is he known as "twice born." Dionysus is said to have, upon adulthood, undergone a journey to the underworld where he successfully pled for his mother's return to the mortal world. There are stories of his wanderings before officially being accepted as an Olympian god, presumably due to his mortal lineage. There are several in which entire cities are destroyed or reduced to intoxicated madness after failure to acknowledge the divinity of Dionysus. There is a very strange tale in particular in which a disguised Dionysus is a passenger aboard a ship whose crew bear him ill will. He beseeches Zeus to come to his aid and the elder god sends such a violent storm that all aboard are forced to abandon the vessel. Rather than allow them to drown, Dionysus transforms them all into dolphins. Dionysus is also said to have rescued Ariadne when she was abandoned by Theseus and to have made her his lover and consort. The Maneads were the mythical madwomen who worshipped in the service of Dionysus in his capacity as god of wine. They are said to have roamed the wilds in intoxicated mania, ripping men limb from limb and devouring them. It was a band of Maneads who were responsible for the death of Orpheus, after they heard his lament for dead Eurydice.



(Culled from several sources as well as my own recollections)

# posted by corbid @ 3:50 AM
BLOGGER :: Manage Posts

The Ultimate Bowie Link

(there's also bowie.com, but that's a bit expensive...)


http://teenagewildlife.com

Dark Labyrinth

Dark Labyrinth


A sequel to the Bowie movie fanfictionwise

Myth of the day

Sisyphus:


In Greek mythology Sisyphus (pronounced "sis'-i-fuhs"), the sly son of Aeolus and king of Corinth, outwitted even Death. When Death came to get him, Sisyphus bound him in chains, preventing everyone from dying until Zeus rescued Death. Sisyphus then went to Hades, having instructed his wife to give him an improper burial. He was allowed to return to Earth in order to settle this matter, but refused to return to Hades. When Death finally claimed him, Sisyphus was condemned eternally to roll a heavy stone to the top of a hill, only to have it fall back each time.


# posted by corbid : 12:16 AM

Sisyphus

Sisyphus:



In Greek mythology Sisyphus (pronounced "sis'-i-fuhs"), the sly son of Aeolus and king of Corinth, outwitted even Death.



When Death came to get him, Sisyphus bound him in chains, preventing everyone from dying until Zeus rescued Death.



Sisyphus then went to Hades, having instructed his wife to give him an improper burial. He was allowed to return to Earth in order to settle this matter, but refused to return to Hades.



When Death finally claimed him, Sisyphus was condemned eternally to roll a heavy stone to the top of a hill, only to have it fall back each time.

Persephone (pur-SEF-uh-nee) Beautiful daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Carried off to the Underworld by Hades. Sometimes considered an Olympian. She paroled Sisyphus from the Underworld. Peirithous and Theseus attempted to abduct her.


http://corbidity.blogspot.com/

Runes of the Day

Raido

This rune represents travel or movement. This can mean a journey through life itself, a pilgrimage, quest or a spiritual one towards enlightenment. It can mean information in the form of a message both received and given. Changes will operate at all levels when this Rune appears.


Isa

This rune represents freezing, coolness within friendships or relationships, inactivity, stagnation and waiting. Your plans may have to be put on hold or remain as they are until a more favourable time. Patience will be needed.

Verbosity is an Onionskin

God shakes his golden curls and laughs and says

he doesn't believe in you either

there's no proof that you exist

you are too paradoxical and

insubstantial as rhetoric

meaningless as words

a house of cards

you fall at a touch

an onion,coreless

peel away to the center there is nothing

no one

you are made of air

perhaps in truth

you were never there

Friday, October 03, 2003

Tarot Cards Of The Day:


Ace of Stones: Health. Prosperity. Beauty. Good weather.


Five of Stones (Material Difficulty): Wintry times. Money troubles. Illness. Isolation.


hmmm...opposites...


****************************************************************

Myth of the Day :Ariadne of Naxos


Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete, who attacked Athens after his son was murdered there. The Athenians submitted and had to sacrifice 14 youths to the Minotaur in his labyrinth every year. She fell in love with Theseus, a young man who volunteered to come and kill the Minotaur, and helped him by giving him a magic sword and a ball of thread so that he could easily find his way out. She ran away with Theseus after he achieved his goal. But he left her sleeping on the island of Naxos, and Dionysus wedded her himself.


Wednesday, October 01, 2003

Tarot Cards of the day:



Strength: Inner strength. Love and gentleness. Confidence. Ability to give love.


Seven of Wands (Courage): Courage and daring - possibly, the courage to retreat. Using one's power for transformation.


"O foolish Psyche, is it thus you repay my love? After having disobeyed my mother's commands and made you my wife, will you think me a monster and cut off my head? But go; return to your sisters, whose advice you seem to think preferable to mine. I inflict no other punishment on you than to leave you for ever. Love cannot dwell with suspicion." So saying, he fled away, leaving poor Psyche prostrate on the ground, filling the place with mournful lamentations.
Bulfinch's Mythology, The Age of Fable - Chapter 11: CUPID AND PSYCHE