Posts (page 2)

Last night was a good night for dreaming, and strangely enough both my
daughter and I had Harry Potter'esqe dreams. Now I've always been an avid
dreamer. Lucid, transcendent, lyrical, hysterical, psychotic and the rest
of the lot. I guess it's that MorfeuV blood that runs through my veins. My
daughter, however is much LESS a dreamer...she shares a connection with a
much more mathematical, ordered and logic-filled paternity. So I'm the
Verbena and her dad is a Virtual Adept (among other things) and she is quite
the 50/50 split between us.

But last night we both had dreams following the Harry Potter world of
"magic". My dreams was very simple...I was probably 13 or 14 years of age
and it was the summer. I needed to go into some magical retail area to
purchase some school supplies and I stopped at this water park (that doesn't
actually exist outside of the Dreaming) in Stow, Ohio. The road it was on
had some new stores that weren't there the last time I had visited the
place, but I was there because a childhood friend was swimming there.

I asked him if he wanted to come with me to get my school stuff and he asked
how we were going to get there and I told him "by broom." He told me that I
wasn't allowed to do magic outside of school and I corrected him that "I
wasn't allowed to *get caught* doing magick outside of school." He asked
how we weren't going to get caught, and I told him I had a pretty good
invisibility charm to conceal us.

So he dried off and followed me. We climbed a tall maple tree and climbed
on my broomstick and I did the hocus-pocus to make us invisible and we took
off. Landing was a bit tricky, because we needed to land in the middle of
the street, were many magick-folk were already shopping and they were
questioning me of "who this was" because they had never seen him and were
suspect that he was a maglinot.

Somehow I convinced them that he was visiting from somewhere else and
everything was copasetic and then my dream dissolved into something else.

Mia's dream was much more fun because it involved both the Harry Potter
world and characters as well as characters from the story I'm writing that
is set in a school called NOX. In her dream she was walking down a corridor
and Draco Malfoy (whom she has quite the crush on) asked if he could walk
with her to the Slytherin tower.

Once they get there there are tables filled with luscious food. They grab
plates and dig in. Mia opens up a silver chafing dish and spots Russer, the
cat/guardian from my NOX story, who is an orange tabby-cat with a Cockney
accent who can transform into a weasel. He is INSIDE the chafing dish going
"Nom, nom, nom" on a bunch of pork bellies.

Mia says "Russer, what are you doing in there" and he replies "What, these
is the most 'delicious food. Nom, nom, nom. And', nom, nom, I *am* a
weasel!"

So Mia tells him he's got to go and he won't budge so Mia picks him up by
the scruff of his neck and he's still got a pork belly in his mouth and he's
trying to shout around his food for her to put him down, and she throws him
out of the Slytherin dorms.

Whee! You see Russer is a character that is based on one of the orange
tabby-cats we own, Lucifer. And Lu is a skinny, long-tailed,
always-into-everything cat. To imagine *that* cat with a cockney accent and
magickal powers is quite a character.

And I guess it's also means that I've developed a believable character if
Mia's is able to dream about him!

Yeay...

Marriage
I've been "single" my whole life. I've gotten close to marriage a few time,
but when it really boils down, I like my independence. A lot! Don't get me
wrong. I love my Inner Five friends. I'd do anything for them, and I think
it would be reversed.

I have a gaggle of "really, good friends" who are a little less filled-in on
the dirty details of my life, but I'm pretty open with. They broaden my
support. Some of them are previous Inner Five members who, for various
reasons, have moved beyond that capacity. (I can understand that even when
it *is* because of some girlfriend who is intimidated by me for some
reason, but I don't have to like it, and I sometimes think that I'm not
affected when I lose a true friend to some fraidy-cat girl. I also don't
think said girlfriends would feel much better if I said "*Don't worry Miss
Thing...If I wanted to have him as a lover I could, so fret not little
trooper!)*
**
But, the majority of the world, including my friends, are searching the
world and all the social networking groups for their perfect match. So I
though this cartoon was rather humorous.

[image: The full analysis is of course much more complicated, but I can't
stay to talk about it because I have a date.]

I also have an eight-year old daughter who would really like to have a dad
and is always suggesting cool males for me to marry. We were watching
the first
Addams Family movie
over the weekend and I realized why I have never married. I have never
found my Gomez Addams . Dark, a
romantic passion for the macabre, eccentric and *filthy rich!!!* You show
me that guy....and I reconsider!

Cara mia!

Whee...listen to a piano play
Pi

Lasers
Now I've never apologized for being a smarty-pants girl... I value being a
geek quite a bit. This morning a friend sent me a link (hi, Pat) to an
illusionist who performs with lasers and it
reminded me of the very first time I ever saw a laser. It wasn't in a
classroom. It wasn't in an institution. When I was a tyke I lived out in the
bush-lands. I lived on a street with five houses and nothing much around
them. My across-the-street neighbors had two sons who were 3 and 4 years
older than me. I think I was 10 or 11 so that would have been '80 or '82.
Their good friend was Karl Fickey...the youngest son of a family of six or
seven rouge children! I loved the Fickey family. They were role-models of
how to be a nut-case! Karl somehow got the entire families helping of
brains. He was a genius...and *also* a nutty fella too!

So one day I went out to ride my bike and there was this red line hovering
about 3.5 feet above the ground. It *shimmered* and I had a special affinity
for shimmery things. I looked left and it continued down the entire street.
I looked right and it progressed nicely down that way too. I put my hand out
and touched it, but there wasn't anything to hold. Just a bright red dot
appeared on my hand where I broke the line.

Since I have always had a left-handed grip on reality, I didn't worry. I
didn't fret. I just followed the line. I thought it was a type of divine
instruction. :) So I followed it down Charlene Drive and then it abruptly
turned left and went up Meadow Lane. I kept following it. As I rode up
Meadow Ln. I saw Karl, sitting at the junction between Meadow and Quick. He
was sitting with a little box where the red line commenced.

There, I learned what a laser was.

*Weird Words: Turgescent*

Another funny thing that listening to a friend explain the details of Pagan
psycho-drama brought up was how, in my younger years when I was
transitioning out of being a Choate
and into a more ceremonial mage
(call it my Undergrad to Graduate
transition) one of my first mentors thought me a smart-ass kid and gave me a
few sheets of paper with a banishing, then invocation to perform diligently
for 30 days. Right...no problem. I've done this before; S, N, W,
E...circle...whoosh. Clearing. Then a 'hey' I wanna talk" thing right!!!
Easy.

He *told* me it was a Tower invocation. And I *knew* that was really to
kind of way to invoke one's Jedi trials, but I really *didn't* know*. *How
could I?

In this particular tower ritual I sort of bound myself up in the "tower"
until I drove myself crazy (really not that far of a drive) and then emptied
myself...then I invoked Parfaxitas .

Except...my experience was really more of an *evocation* than an
invocation. I never understood if that was intended or just the way it
happen for me. But there I was, crazy when this big red-skinned fella with
horns *(ask me later how I knew he was a fella)* and thrill seeking me was
sufficiently crazed NOT to poo-poo in my panties, but I was fairly wigged
out!!!

I can't write with any clarity what actually happened in those sessions with
Parfaxitas the rest of that month, but suffice to say I've never been the
same since...and I learned to *respect* ceremony in that time. That and my
understanding of sexuality sort of grew in latitude as well...

Am I glad it happened? Yes. Did the guy probably think he was going to
scare me away. Maybe. I've since to go one to *much more* interesting and
esoteric workings and Parfaxitas is still something I would consider to be a
friend...no, ally. He is in a mental ward after being incarcerated for a
violent crime. But that's not such a bad thing...maybe it is exactly where
*he* needs to be. His own Tower procedure. *wink*

I love the Left-Hand Path. HAIL!!!

One of the *good* things about being a Satanist is that I'm usually outside
of the usual drama that sometimes goes on in the pagan community. That's
not to say that there aren't the usual finger point and sneering that goes
on between the TOS or the COS or the UCOS or any of the other satanic
factions...but I've just been *outside *all of that for a while.

For me...all action either serves to increase or reduce suffering. If it
would increase suffering --> don't do it. If it reduces suffering --> go
for it.

But in doing that I've put myself for the past...um...five years in an
environment in which I have only a few confidants and a whole slew of
acquaintances, or less. Confidants I consider those who 1) listen to me as
much as I listen to them, 2) practice *active* listening, and 3) consider
based on situational instead of personal opinion or judgments.

Acquaintances are usually coming to me to tell me something about their
life-experience or to get my opinion on an issue they are having. They
aren't usually wondering how my day is. But being in recovery...we get
sponsees (those who are trying to figure out the recovery process and turn
to "the more experienced member" for support) and in magical orders I find
lots of people who want to learn how to summon a demon (funny thing...they
never add the all important "and *NOT* get eaten".)

So...I have lots of acquaintances...and a few, very few confidants.

In my world it takes a lot to be a good friend and I just don't have the
energy to truly be a good friend to more than five people at a time. Maybe
you are better than me...I have learned to respect my limits.

But I was listening to this person go on and on about the petty infighting
among two of the local Pagan groups concerning the upcoming
Mayboncelebrations. The obvious
solution of "why don't you just join forces and
do it together", seemed to be out of the question. But I realized how
thankful I've been to have eliminated much of the psycho-drama in my life.
Maybe it is because I'm 36. But things seem to be more settled.

As it is...so be it
*Ut is est. sic exsisto is*

Remember Death
Black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love
*Memor Mori
Niger ut abyssus , validus ut nex , dulcis ut diligo*

Never give up Hope
*Nunquam redono Spes*

Um....should I be more concerned about this? Why is this the first I'm
hearing of it???
>
>
>
> > [image: AFP] Go to Google News
> >
> > The DNA double helix. A top judge proposed that every British citizen
> > and all visitors to the country should have their DNA logged on the national
> > database, sparking protests from civil liberties groups.
> > Related News
> >
> > - Judge causes furore by calling for record of everyone's DNA
> > Times Online - 1 hour ago
> > - Judge sparks row over DNA database
> > The Press Association - 3 hours ago
> > - UK Judge Calls for Expansion of DNA Database (Update1)
> > Bloomberg - 4 hours ago
> >
> > Full coverage »
> > Protests over call for DNA register
> >
> > 11 hours ago
> >
> > LONDON (AFP) — Every British citizen and all visitors to the country
> > should have their DNA logged on the national database, a top judge proposed
> > Wednesday, sparking protests from civil liberties groups.
> >
> > The database, used by police to snare criminals, is already the largest
> > in the world, with 5.2 percent of the population -- around four million
> > people -- on file.
> >
> > Since 2004, everyone arrested in England and Wales for all but the most
> > minor offences -- regardless of guilt -- has been logged on the database.
> >
> > Lord Justice Sir Stephen Sedley sparked a debate by arguing Wednesday
> > that was unfair and everyone's DNA should be on file -- which would
> > therefore also allow detectives to catch far more criminals.
> >
> > "Where we are at the moment is indefensible," Sedley, one of the top
> > appeal court judges, told the BBC.
> >
> > "We have a situation where if you happen to have been in the hands of
> > the police then your DNA is on permanent record. If you haven't, it isn't.
> >
> > "It also means that a great many people who are walking the streets and
> > whose DNA would show them guilty of crimes, go free."
> >
> > He accepted logging every British citizen, and even weekend visitors
> > from abroad, was an authoritarian measure.
> >
> > "Going forwards has very serious but manageable implications," he said.
> >
> > "It means that everybody, guilty or innocent, should expect their DNA to
> > be on file for the absolutely rigorously restricted purpose of crime
> > detection and prevention."
> >
> > The database is 12 years old and growing by 30,000 samples a month,
> > taken from suspects or crime scenes.
> >
> > Numerous cases have arisen of DNA samples being taken in connection with
> > minor incidents which have later proved guilt in very serious crimes dating
> > back decades.
> >
> > "The DNA database has revolutionised the way the police can protect the
> > public through identifying offenders and securing more convictions. It
> > provides the police on average with around 3,500 matches each month," said a
> > spokeswoman for the Home Office.
> >
> > But civil liberties campaigners blasted his call, insisting it would be
> > a dangerous attack on personal freedoms and a step towards a "police state."
> >
> > "A database of every man, woman and child in the country is a chilling
> > proposal, ripe for indignity, error and abuse," said Shami Chakrabarti, the
> > director of human rights organisation Liberty.
> >
> > Phil Booth, national co-ordinator of the NO2ID campaign against identity
> > cards, said: "You can't make an 'indefensible' system better by expanding
> > it."
> >
> > Nick Clegg MP, home affairs spokesman for the opposition Liberal
> > Democrats, bitterly opposes the idea but said Sedley was at least honest
> > enough to voice what he said the government was trying to achieve by "cloak
> > and dagger" methods.
> >
> > The interior ministry is undertaking a review of the Police and Criminal
> > Evidence Act 1984, which will consider whether those on the database should
> > be kept on it.
> >
> > Home Office minister Tony McNulty said he was broadly sympathetic to
> > Sedley's call but there were no plans to act on the suggestion.
> >
> > "There are no government plans to go to a compulsory database now or in
> > the foreseeable future," he told BBC radio.
> >
> > [image: Hosted by Google] Copyright(c) 2007 AFP. All rights reserved.
> >
>

Elephant out of rehab, didn't see
Lindsay
Article from: Reuters
From correspondents in Beijing
August 30, 2007 02:25pm

*A ONCE drug-addled elephant fed heroin-laced bananas by illegal traders
will soon return to the wild after being weaned off his addiction through
methadone and round-the-clock care.*

Big Brother, a bull elephant that once lived peacefully with his herd near
the China-Burma border in Yunnan province, was caught by traders in 2005,
the *China Daily *reported today.

"To control it so that it could lead the herd to where they wanted, the
traders kept feeding it bananas laced with drugs," the paper said.

However, the traders were caught trying to sell Big Brother and his herd
after a tip-off to forest police.

By that time Big Brother had developed a raging heroin addiction and posed a
danger to people if denied his fix, the paper said, citing police.

A drooling and twitching Big Brother had to be transported to a special park
in the neighbouring island province of Hainan for treatment, after cold
turkey proved so tortuous at a local centre that "even its iron chain could
not contain it", the paper said.

After being diagnosed as a heroin addict, park authorities in Hainan spent a
year gradually weaning Big Brother off his dependence through methadone,
regular bathing and massage.

Now clean, Big Brother would soon be returned home, the paper said.