Rosa Mundi est Lilium Coeli

And in this is a deeper mystery

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:46:32 GMT

One of my favorite lines from Liber Librae: "Act passionately; think rationally; be Thyself."

I misremembered the first part in the car this morning as "Think Rationally; Act Passionately" - and promptly burst into giggles as I realized that as notariqon it spells TRAP!

Sesame Street: still subversive after all these years

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:30:25 GMT

Quote from today's episode: "Pirates love F-words!"

Thunder, Perfect LOL

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Wed, 14 May 2008 04:14:16 GMT

So there's a Gnostic poem of the divine feminine called Thunder, Perfect Mind. (If you haven't read it, please do - it's beautiful. May it lend you strength for that which is below.)

However, that divine progenitress of Bad Taste Bhakti, jessicamelusine, just couldn't leave well enough alone....

Ceilingcat sended me.
I haz come to kittehs who reflectid on me.
I am finded with kittehs who lookd for me.
Look at me,k? Listen me, k?
You who iz waitng grabz me
No makez me invisibul.
No your mouf hatez me, no your earz hatez me.
No ignore me. Iz FAIL.
OMG! Look out!
No ignore me. Iz FAIL.

I iz first and last,
Dey honorz me, dey scornz me.
Iz ho. Iz ceiling catz.
Iz wife. Iz vurgn.
Iz mom. Iz bebe.
Iz mompartz.
I no haz kittehs. I haz lotz of boikittehs.
Iz bridezillah. No can haz husband.
I iz midwife.I no haz kittehs.
I helpz mah own labor painz.
Iz bride. Iz bridegroom.
Huzband iz dad. OMGWTFBBQ?!

But wait... there's still more wrongness in the original post.

I cannot express...

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:37:37 GMT

...how happy this icon makes me (stolen from princekermit). Now I just need to figure out how to dissect animated gifs so I can add frames for "tenant" vs. "tenet" and "loose" vs. "lose".

Edited to add:: also "altar" vs "alter", "censer" vs. "censor", "mute" vs. "moot"....

Changes

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:12:43 GMT

The Freepeople household will be undergoing some major changes over the next few months. elocinnuala and ladyaraia will be moving elsewhere, with a tentative timeframe of around the end of June.

It's something we all really wanted to work, but for various reasons it hasn't been, and it's better to move on honestly than to continue trying to force it.

The parting is amicable and we all hope to remain friends.

And yes, the Cancer party (July 12-ish) is still on!

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:30:28 GMT

This seems to be a staggeringly useful concept. Or perhaps more accurately, a fantastic articulation of how I usually operate instinctively, and why I get so damned frustrated when people bitch without proposing an alternative solution.

Basically, if you bitch, you get responsibility for fixing it. As a result, fewer people bitch, and more shit gets done.

ginger theater

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:45:32 GMT

We're off to the zoo today, but before I go, a quick recounting of last night.

mlerules and ebony_sphynx had corralled a mob to go see Cabaret at the 5th Ave Theatre. We met up for dinner beforehand at Wild Ginger.

I think that may have been the best food I've ever had in my life. Fragrant Duck. Salmon Satay. Wok Pot Lamb. ZOMG. If any of my foodie friends come to town, I now know where to take them.

The show was decent, though I have to be a heretic and say I think I liked the movie better. I might have gotten more from the show had it been subtitled (Andrei kindly printed the libretto for me to follow along, but it was a different version of the show and missed most of the inter-scene connections). Oh, though, note to self - next season the 5th is doing Sunday in the Park with George. I may have missed Into the Woods this year, but I am *not* missing Sunday in the Park!

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:05:22 GMT

LA LA LA

BRAIN FRIED
FRIED BRAINS
CRUNCHY FLAKY FRIEDY BRAINY BITS
I WILL SHOW YOU THEM

*drool*

because I have not the brainpower for more content

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:16:29 GMT

You're feeling: tired
To your left: table
On your mind: sleep
Last meal included: yogurt
You sometimes find it hard to: open
The weather: damp
Something you have a collection of: books
A smell that cheers you up: bacon
A smell that can ruin your mood: diaper
How long since you last shaved: years?
The current state of your hair: tangled
The largest item on your desk/workspace (not computer): easel
Your skill with chopsticks: moderate
Which section you head for first in a bookstore: speculative
Something you're craving: painting
Your general thoughts on the presidential race: worry
How many times have you been hospitalized this year: none
Favorite place to go for a quiet moment: woods
You've always secretly thought you'd be a good: gardener
Something that freaks you out a little: bungee
Something you've eaten too much of lately: sugar
You have never: died
You never want to: kill
You're feeling: tired
To your left: table
On your mind: sleep
Last meal included: yogurt
You sometimes find it hard to: open
The weather: damp
Something you have a collection of: books
A smell that cheers you up: bacon
A smell that can ruin your mood: diaper
How long since you last shaved: years?
The current state of your hair: tangled
The largest item on your desk/workspace (not computer): easel
Your skill with chopsticks: moderate
Which section you head for first in a bookstore: speculative
Something you're craving: painting
Your general thoughts on the presidential race: worry
How many times have you been hospitalized this year: none
Favorite place to go for a quiet moment: woods
You've always secretly thought you'd be a good: gardener
Something that freaks you out a little: bungee
Something you've eaten too much of lately: sugar
You have never: died
You never want to: kill
Where is your cell phone?: purse 
Your significant other?: snuggly
 Your mother?: maine 
Your father?: pennsylvania
 Your favorite thing?: kittens
 Your dream last night?: water
 Your favorite drink?: redbull
 Your dream/goal?: harmony
 The room you're in?: quiet 
Your ex?: alive? 
Your fear?: numbness
 Where do you want to be in 6 years?: famous! 
Where were you last night?: gypsies 
What you're not?: extraverted 
Muffins?: blueberry 
One of your wish list items?: bookcases 
Where you grew up?: chicago
 The last thing you did?: lullaby 
What are you wearing?: sweats 
Your TV?: off 
Your pets?: cats 
Your computer?: shiny 
Your life?: journey
 Your mood?: pensive
 Missing someone?: always
 Your car?: prius 
Something you're not wearing?: makeup 
Favorite Store?: art 
Your summer?: crazy
 Like someone?: several!
 Your favorite color?: emerald 
When is the last time you laughed?: dinnertime 
Last time you cried?: PMS

what you can do with tetris

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:55:04 GMT

We were searching for Human Tetris on youtube the other day and couldn't find it. (We found Japanese Human Tetris instead).

Whee!

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:03:06 GMT

Whirlwind weekend.

So Friday was the Aries bash... and we had a surprise sprung on us that we never saw coming.

ladydrakaina, tisonlyherself, darkzelda98011, elocinnuala, ladyaraia, mlerules, akaejin2, shivana, stealthcello, and valeri0n conspired to fly s00j and omnisti out here FROM ARKANSAS for the party.

That's just - I mean, dude. Beyond awesome. I can think of only one person on the face of the earth that if she'd walked in would have caused Andrei's jaw to drop lower than it did then. (All right, fiannaharpar, I guess we have to get you out here for the next party, because otherwise we're *never* going to top this ;)

Even disregarding the Unexpected S00j (and how can you ever disregard that??) the party was awesome. Every event we have I think we can't possibly fit more people in the house, and then, well, we do. Good thing our next party will be in July when we can spread out to the backyard!

Oh, lesson learned: six extra rolls of toilet paper is NOT sufficient for an 8-hour long, 60+ person party...

Saturday we recuperated and then went up to the TAB to see the Pan's Moon ritual. I'd only seen their Full Moon ritual before. That was hot :)

Today we're cleaning the house up a bit (well, right now Andrei's cleaning while I'm posting) and then going to the Unexpected Tricky Pixie concert in Redmond. I'm torn between wanting to spread the word so people know about the concert and hoping that few enough people will be there that there will actually be room to dance :)

Quote for the day

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:46:12 GMT

From sol_et_luna:

"Magick is just poking at reality with a stick to see how it'll react."

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:20:52 GMT

Right. Not doing the April Fool's thing this year (I rarely do it anyway) as I have been pranked by my own uterus.

Worst. PMS. Evar. Very short fuse. May need to escape house so I don't explode. A lot.

News Flash! Gay Scientists Isolate Christian Gene!

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:36:16 GMT

Note that the humor is not in Christian-bashing, but in the turnaround of the argument.

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:39:42 GMT

Fairy Festival today, and the first vending event for the Fire Sea Crafty Coalition. Things look to be promisingly under control thus far.

Wish us luck. (And, for that matter, come out and see us! There's even a Gaia Consort concert tonight!)

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:40:40 GMT

Aiden didn't want to go to sleep. He wanted to stand at his window and point at the snow :)

BWAHAHA

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:52:01 GMT

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating

fluff!

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:42:36 GMT

It's been entirely too long since I had utterly fluffy-happy content-free, well, fluff on here.

Top ten fictional characters I wouldn't kick out of bed (limiting to one from each universe, because, well, the entire cast of Firefly at once would be far too interesting):

-Inara from Firefly
-The Tenth Doctor
-Spike from Buffy
-Willow from The Wicker Man
-Tyr from Andromeda
-Allison from The Breakfast Club
-Katrianna from Shayara
And because I refuse to stick with only visual media:
-Gilly Coppercorn from Newford
-Mariko from Shogun
And for the sake of pre-teen nostalgia... Han Solo from Star Wars

Language comprehension!

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:40:32 GMT

So I've posted a couple of times about how difficult it is to know how much Aiden is really understanding or trying to communicate, since pure chance will have signal and interpretation overlap from time to time. It's impossible to know if he's saying "hiiiii" with the intent of greeting until we see it not only repeated a lot at the appropriate times, but NOT used at inappropriate times.

That being said, he does seem to be using it with intent! Today one conversation went thusly:

"Hiiiii!"

"Hi!"

"Hiiii!"

"Hi! Are you really saying hello?"

"Yeah!"

We've been playing tracing games on his magna-doodle of late, including tracing his hand; but we hadn't done it today. Today we had traced several toys when I said, without gesturing or leading him in any way, "Can I trace your hand?" and then he put his hand down! Next I said "Can I trace your foot?" (which, I might add, we had never done before) and he promptly put his foot down to be traced! Then, of course, it was nothing but foot-tracing for the next ten minutes....

So it's confirmed - we have not only language comprehension, but a couple of rudimentary words and the ability to have conversations.

Guess that's means no more discussing degree secrets in front of him ;)

A New Year

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:34:34 GMT

Let me riff for a moment on the concept of the Thelemic New Year.

For those not familiar with the Thelemic calendaring system, it runs in cycles of 22 years, and the new year starts on the vernal equinox. The year is represented by two numbers, the number of cycles and the number within the cycle. The year that finished yesterday was IV:xv; the ~~fifteenth~~sixteenth year of the fourth cycle of 22 years since 1904 (since both cycles start with 0).

Each of those two numbers can be attributed to a tarot card. IV is the Emperor: "the influence of wisdom upon the organized man." The voice of authority. XV is the Devil. Worldliness, blindness, imprisonment, debauchery, disillusionment. Losing your way or your vision. The two together: the Emperor seen through the lens, or under the influence of the Devil.

So this last year, simply looking at the Thelemic correspondences, could be said to be a year of patriarchy gone bad; leaders charging blindly into chaos and dragging the rest of us behind them; all of the wisdom and guidance of the Emperor corrupted and tainted by the lost sight of his path.

Hm.

The year that has just begun is IV:xvi. The Emperor as seen through the lens of the Tower: destruction, disaster, violent change, but also the clearing and fertilizing of ground so that new growth can occur. My favorite image of the Tower anywhere is from the New Vision tarot, which shows the standard Rider-Waite images from a different perspective, adding new details and depth to the scene. In this version of the card, the lightning-struck tower is seen from behind, where a young apple tree is growing from the fire-scorched ground.

In conjunction with the Emperor and following the Devil, it could be the bitter consequences of blinded leadership, or the revolution from underneath it; a change in dynasty, a new aeon in miniature. But it will not be a peaceful change.

The Tower is when all truly seems lost. But it is not until the tower is destroyed and the fire in the ruins dies that it is dark enough to see the light of the Star beyond it.

Hang in there, everyone. And Happy New Year.

Not politics as usual

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:47:24 GMT

This is amazing.

HUZZAH!

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:56:46 GMT

Finally - FINALLY - I heard back from Faerieworlds.

WE'RE IN!

Now we have a hell of a lot of work ahead of us, but the way forward is lifted of that big wobbling cloud of "maybe" :)

Brains and energy.

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:40:22 GMT

Hrm.

My recurring problem: remembering that my energy comes not from resting, but from doing the things that fulfill me. Even when I know this in my head, I seem to be fighting against a lifetime of conditioning that the only way to regain energy is to do as little as possible.

How do you break lifelong conditioning like that? I have years of experience countering it, my head knows it's wrong, my heart even knows it most of the time. And yet I find myself being surprised by it approximately twice a week.

I have a lifelong preference for rejecting the "standard" wisdom in favor of finding my own path. Frequently I discover that the standard wisdom is actually correct, or at least has a damned good reason for being the way it is. (Case in point, standardized bedtimes for toddlers. Aiden is *so* much easier to cope with now that he has an 8:00 bedtime....which is the standard wisdom, but I had to try other things first to truly see and understand why.)

How is this related to the source of my energy? Well, here is a place where I feel the standard wisdom (that energy comes from resting) is completely and utterly wrong, and yet I can't shake my own assumptions based on that "wisdom". It's maddening.

On the bright side, I made wings this evening.

18 months

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:46:39 GMT

only a week late....

18 months

-The eighth tooth has *finally* sprouted!

-Aiden is starting to learn how things are used. As much has he hates having his nose wiped, he has picked up a tissue and dabbed it at his own nose. And when he's in the bathroom with me, he has taken a square of toilet paper and tried to stuff it between my legs. He will bring his shoes to me and lift his feet one at a time for me to put them on, and will help put his jacket on and then run to the front door to go outside.

-He's also starting, kind of almost, to not only understand boundaries but respect them (unless, of course, there's something *really* interesting on the other side).

-We're playing games! Full-on interactive games! First it was the kaTHWUMP game, where I would count to three and then drop him on the bed. After a little while of this, it evolved - I would count to three and he would throw himself on the bed! And if I stopped counting, he would grunt in the same cadence I was using to count and then throw himself on the bed. This morning he started counting to three and then pushing me down! It's awesome.

-He also clearly knows the word "chase", because if I start saying it, even when he is looking away from me, he'll start running and laughing. A variation is "ambush", where he will run away, look back, I'll be peering around a corner and hide when I see him, at which he will run back for me to jump out and pounce him, to gales of laughter.

-Bedtime has seen some pretty major changes in the last couple of weeks. I now put him to sleep in his own bed around 8pm, and we actually get a couple of hours to ourselves before we move him into our bed when we go to sleep. And just in the last few days I've started working on getting him to sleep without nursing him the whole way. But those couple of hours each evening have done wonders for my state of mind.

-His 18-month pediatrician appointment measured him at 25.8 pounds and 33.5 inches tall - 45th and 90th percentiles respectively. Tall boy!

Gadget lust

shimmeringjemmy@livejournal.com — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:33:02 GMT

The Kindle. Dude.