13 Must-See Stargazing Events for 2013

by Roberto Bertero

Spotted this on tumblr. Stashing it here for future reference.

13 Must See Stargazing Events for 2013
— Listed In Chronological Order 

1) January 21 — Very Close Moon/Jupiter Conjunction
A waxing gibbous moon (78% illuminated) will pass within less than a degree to the south of Jupiter high in the evening sky. Your closed fist held out at arms length covers 10 degrees. These two wont get that close again until 2026.

2) February 2-23 — Best Evening View of Mercury
The planet Mercury will be far enough away from the glare of the Sun to be visible in the Western sky after sunset. It will be at its brightest on the 16th and dim quickly afterwards. On the 8th it will skim by the much dimmer planet Mars by about 0.4 degrees.

3) March 10-24 — Comet PANSTARRS at its best
First discovered in 2011, this comet should be coming back around for about 2 weeks. It will be visible low in the northwest sky after sunset.

4) April 25 — Partial Lunar Eclipse
A very minor, partial lunar eclipse (not visible in North America) where only about 2 percent of the moon’s diameter will be inside the dark shadow of the Earth.

5) May 9 — Annular Eclipse of the Sun (“Ring of Fire” Eclipse)
It will be visible in Northern Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea but mostly within the Pacific Ocean. See all the solar eclipse paths for 2001-2020 here.

6) May 24-30 — Dance of the Planets
Mercury, Venus and Jupiter will seemingly dance between each other in the twilight sky just after sunset as they will change their positions from one evening to the next. Venus will be the brightest of all, six times brighter than Jupiter.

7) June 23 — Biggest Full Moon of 2013
It will be the biggest full moon because the moon will be the closest to the Earth at this time making it a ‘supermoon’ and the tides will be affected as well creating exceptionally high and low tides for the next few days.

8) August 12 — Perseid Meteor Shower
One of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year producing upwards of 90 meteors per hour provided the sky is dark. This year the moon won’t be in the way as much as it will set during the evening leaving the rest of the night dark.

9) October 18 — Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon
Visible mostly in Asia, Europe and Africa, at this time the 76% of the moon will be covered by the prenumbral shadow of the Earth.

10) November 3 — Hybrid Eclipse of the Sun
A Hybrid Eclipse meaning, along its path, the eclipse will turn from Annular to Total and in this case most of the path will appear to be Total as there will be a slight ring of sunlight visible near the beginning of the track. This one will begin in the Atlantic (near the East Coast of the U.S.) and travel through Africa. See the path here. The greatest eclipse (with 100 seconds of totality) will appear in Liberia, near the West Coast of Africa.

11) Mid-November through December — Comet ISON
The second comet this year, ISON, could potentially be visible in broad daylight as it reaches its closest point to the Sun. It will reach that point on November 28 and it is close enough to the Sun to be categorized as a ‘Sungrazer’. Afterwards it will travel towards Earth (passing by within 40 million miles) a month later.

12) All of December — Dazzling Venus
The brightest planet of them all will shine a few hours after sundown in the Southwestern sky and for about 1.5 hours approaching New Years Eve. Around December 5th, a crescent moon will pass above the planet and the next night Venus will be at its brightest and wont be again until 2021.

13) December 13-14 — Geminid Meteor Shower
This is another great (if not the best) annual meteor shower. This year put on a show at about 120 meteors per hour and in 2013 it won’t be much different so expect another fantastic show. However, the moon - as it is a few days before full phase - will be in the way for most of the night obscuring some of the fainter meteors. You might have to stay up in the early morning hours (4am) to catch the all the meteors it has to offer.

Hogmanay

"Divine Grace" - by Rassouli

Because the Scottish term for New Year's Eve is much cooler. 

Damn. Wasn't it just New Year's Eve already? I can remember going downstairs trying to watch the peach or ball drop, but my parents were watching some other thing, and I missed it, and I kept thinking: "Jesus, it's 2012 - the year we've all been waiting for." 

And now it's gone... until you remember that we, as humans, put too much value in the concept of time.

2012 was probably the best year I've had yet (they seem to get better and better), full of interesting experiences, meetings, dreams, chats, and inspirations. I had a traditional "goal" list like I do every year, but when I dug it up the other day, I realized I had only completed about 5 items on it, and decided I wouldn't make goal lists anymore. I will just be, and accept all experiences as they come, continuing to work on my passions, working from the heart, with no regard to how people will respond or react. As astrologers keep saying, 2013 is the year for Pisces to really shine. I will ensure that I do.

The final draw - which concludes the Sacred Days of Yule - is for Hogmanay, or New Year's Eve, and represents the best way to release the old and bring in the new. I picked Three of Earth - Plant Life, which is a sweet little "ending" card because it's all about blooming... blooming with beauty, with new life, with new creativity and abundance. Seems to be a common theme with my cards/readings these days. It's true, though... I feel like I have the potential to really be something, but I have all these factors holding me back (mainly family). So 2013 will be a year of blooming for me. I'll make sure of that. Traditionally, though, this card is about working together with people to produce something wonderful, but I don't get that from this card at all, so I'm ditching that interpretation.

(Jeez. At this rate, I really will get my Druid Craft deck after my brother leaves. Still out of stock... hm.)

I had another intensely productive world-building day yesterday, thanks to my parents & brother going to see Django. I'm at 12,600 words, or 31 pages of how society, magic, government, customs, etc., work in this world. At first, it was a bit painful, because I just want to get to the story already, and I found myself thinking too hard - not letting it flow. But now that I'm 12,600 words in, I'm finding the world really coming together, which means it'll be a lot easier to describe when I actually begin writing the first draft. I'm excited.

But I still don't know whether it's worth it - or wise - to post information about this story on the internet for all to see. I wrote a thread asking about this on the dA forum yesterday, but no one has bothered to respond. So now I'm not sure who to ask other than actual artist-writers who do this, and most of them are busy and popular which means they have lots of questions coming in daily. Hmm. 

That brings me to my next thought: I really want to try this drawing-a-day challenge. I wanted a blog to keep track of this stuff, but I encountered the problem of: do I make it under P.R.? Do I relate it to my personal projects? Or must I will myself to draw things completely unrelated to my projects? 

I was thinking that I could be very discreet about it, and instead of saying "this is so-and-so character from this story," I could just say: "character from personal project." That way, I can acquire interested peeps, but not reveal too much about the story that would either A.) affect publishing outcomes or B.) be stolen by thieves. Because I'm much more interested in producing art for my writing than I am in producing art for other reasons (not that I would be disinclined, but I do favor the art that goes into visually describing a world). 

We'll see, I guess. I need to make a quick decision, though, what with tomorrow being the first day.

In other news, I finally caved and downloaded Guild Wars 2 to try, at my brother's ceaseless insistence. He does have a point - there's no harm in trying. Plus, from what I've seen, GW2 may provide plenty of inspiration for my personal writing, especially for Winterspell. So in some ways, I'm kind of hoping I do enjoy it, or can at least work up to enjoying it; that way, when I hit a block, I'll have new, fresh material to assist me. I did try GW before, and didn't care much for it, but according to my brother, GW2 is a totally different - and vastly improved - experience. I guess I'll see when he wakes up in a few hours. 

Like last year, I'm not doing anything special for NYE. It's traditional for me (and brother) to have a shrimp ring to eat this day (don't ask) and to have some bubbles (for me, sparkling blueberry juice, for brother, champagne). But other than that, nothing special. 

Well... it seems that's that. I got a lot accomplished this year, and hope to accomplish even more for 2013. 

Happy New Year!

Day of Rest

"Sea of Serenity" - by Rassouli

Aghh. Crapcakes. 
I remembered my dream this morning and even took a moment in bed to sit and think about it, but the second I began thinking about what I had to do today, it all vanished. Now I just remember one brief dream about a cardinal, although that's actually quite significant, because cardinals are my totem, and they don't visit my dreams often. This is a reminder of humility, of nobility and grace... so I need to incorporate that, methinks. 

Today's draw is for Day of Rest, which focuses on how I can walk my path in a relaxed and confident manner. I drew Yule, which kind of represents the "new dawn," or, at least, the gradual return of light. This can also indicate an ending or some kind of change; I also interpret beginnings of creativity/fertility, and reaping final rewards before a new cycle. But the emphasis here is on light/the sun, which shines through from behind the trees and the two characters depicted. Interesting. 

I had a very productive day yesterday. Although I still haven't decided whether it's wise to share content on the internet from a project that hasn't been published yet, I did discover a most fabulous list of questions that helps one with world-building (especially in regard to magic/fantasy), which is perfect for Winterspell. It's a bloody long list of questions though - a whopping 33 pages in word with 12 point font... but it's so worth it, because it's forcing me to really immerse myself in this world. Indeed, there's a lot of staring at the screen (or out the window) contemplating, and a lot of back-spacing... and sometimes I just want to skip a part and go to the more interesting questions. By the time I finish, I will really know the world of Eron, though. And yesterday, I contributed 5,600 words to this world-building.

I also did some reading - one of my favorites, City of Bones, by Martha Wells. This is not to be confused with Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, which I haven't read. Martha Wells is one of my favorite authors; I wish I had the money to spend on more of her books. 

(Oh Shiva - I keep looking at all this dust that's coating my desk... no wonder I sneeze 2-3 times each day. I really need to clean in here.)

Looking forward to today because everyone else in the house is going to be seeing that Django film, which means complete and utter quiet for me. At this point, I'm grateful for anything that gets my brother or dad out of the house for a couple hours. I hate to say it, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to deal with my dad's controlling energy, and my brother's nosy, arrogant behavior. In fact, I butted heads with my dad last night while we were playing Settlers of Catan, because he and mom just did some big-time cleaning in the kitchen, and he told me I couldn't leave my tea mug and fork out on the counter to reuse anymore. I told him this was stupid, because it's just one mug and tiny fork on a counter that has now been completely wiped clean of stuff, and he made comments about how he's tired of living in a "sty." So now I put said mug/fork in the pantry out of sight because it would piss him off if I left it out. 

I mean, I get it. We do have a lot of stuff. It's nice to see some open space in the kitchen. But my dad hates clutter most out of any of us, so when he demands things be clean/cleared, he gets really strict about it, and we have no choice but to obey his will - otherwise we risk pissing him off (and when my dad's pissed off, he makes it really obvious even though he may be completely silent). Forget about the feelings of everyone else in the house. Forget the fact that my dad spends the most time away from the house. Nope - it's all up to him.

But I digress. 

I'm trying not to think about the fact that I'm back in school a week from tomorrow. Eight days. That's all I have left. But I have to roll with it. I have to enjoy it and remember why I'm there: not to follow my parents' path, but to assist me with my own. The days will be long; however, I'll manage just as I did with last year's winter and spring quarters (although I'm not too excited to be coming home at 8 PM). And then... I'll just have spring quarter, and I'll have another lovely 3-month break to be as productive and/or lazy as I'd like. 

Day of Nymphs

"Daughter of Flowers" - by Rassouli

Today's draw is for Day of Nymphs, which emphasizes the best way for one to connect with her inner child/playful nature. The card I drew is Three of Fire - Venus, which has caught me completely off guard because it's all about love and/or attraction. There's nothing light and fluffy about this card at all, so in terms of connecting with the inner child.. maybe it's just a straightforward way of saying I need more love in my life: love for self, love for others. I have been a bit serious when it comes to other people (mainly my family), because for some reason, I've been very withdrawn and antisocial lately, and I keep pushing people away. So I can accept this card's message.

I woke up a bit later than I would've liked this morning (8:40), but I did recall my most recent dream, which had me picking up an acquaintance at the airport and using the restroom there (more details in the Burrow, self). Typical standard dream material it seems. Hmm. 

I've been doing more thinking about the whole identity/art/writing thing and decided that yes, I will split identities. P.R. will be the identity associated with headworlds/novels and the art associated with it. Real name will be for whatever professional jobs I may acquire in the future (although I'll be very stubborn about it). E.R. is my "spiritual" identity to cover psychic art and blogging. And a fourth identity for the miscellaneous art that I would like to produce but which does not fall under any other category. 

So now, my biggest question is: is it wise to post art relating to a headworld/novel that hasn't yet been published (or even completely written, for that matter)? I would go around and ask, but I fear that those who have experience in this matter are either too busy or uninterested to give me a reply. I know plenty of people who have done this, but at the same time, most of them haven't actually published. One such person is Adele Lorienne (known better by her dA username, Saimain), although she isn't the best example because she still makes money off of her headworld through art books and the like. But still - she hasn't actually written or published the story in novel format. I believe she tried, only to have it be too time-consuming. 

I do know others, though, like one of my idols, known as Dreyse on dA. He consistently posts illustrations, conceptual work, and character designs from novels he has in progress, but he hasn't actually revealed much of the story at all. However, on his tumblr, he went in-depth about the characters and was even answering questions about his headworld and what the story was about. Sooo... 

Hm. I would think that it'd be a good marketing technique - a way to gain exposure and interest. You know... people would see the art, be interested in the story, want to know where to find it, etc., etc., and you find yourself with a whole line of people wanting to read it, whether it be in comic or novel form. Thousands upon thousands of people post their characters and stories online for the world to see. But do many of them actually get published? I don't think so. They always have ambitions of being published, though.

I would ask about this on dA but the problem about that is the people who prowl the forum are usually very rude, critical, or arrogant. 

Pah. 

In other news, I've been meaning to clean my room, but now that I have a little over a week left before I start school, the motivation has dropped to zero. I've been wanting to clean/reorganize/redo my altar because it's now become another surface on which to store things. I wanted to get a new cloth for it (the current one has melted candle wax on it) and a Shiva statue, etc... but this probably won't happen for a while.

Time for some productivity, I hope.

Artist Troubles

by satanarchist @ deviantART

Not an entirely relevant topic, but it does have a significant impact on my life, so I'm writing about it here. Feel free to ignore this one if you'd like. 

Feeling a bit overwhelmed right now.

A while back I had this whole spiel about pen names/artist names/pseudonyms and how I would establish myself as an artist in this world. Well... as I was getting myself organized with a new art blog, I was beginning to have second thoughts about my "identity." P.R. was always first and foremost a pen name for me. So sitting here with a blog utilizing P.R. as an artist name... well, it has me feeling hesitant.

Okay. I should back up. A little while ago, I was trying to create myself a new gmail account for this new art blog, but Google kept prompting me to give them a phone number for verification, which I did not want to do (I think it's because I have two Google accounts already), so I went and made another hotmail account under the P.R. name. Because it's hotmail, and not a Google account, I couldn't make another blogspot, so I decided to run with WordPress after some research (whether artists tend to utilize WordPress). 

I picked up some helpful tips on how to gain exposure as an artist, and after creating that WordPress blog, I began sprucing it up, and got to the "About" page before I realized: 

Holy crap. Should I really be using P.R. as an artist name?  

It was definitely a question that stopped me in my tracks. I kept rereading what I had written about myself, and then contemplating how this would all work out in the future. After all, I'm an illustration student, and there may be a chance I work "professionally" for a certain period of time (although I like to think this won't happen). If this is the case, wouldn't it be more professional to use my real name?

This is a huge deal to me. I always went with P.R. up until now because I was/am a student. My technical work is average - maybe a step above decent. So it didn't bother me that I used an artist name, because I didn't have anything spectacular to show. I was just a student trying to improve her skill.

But now... I'm almost halfway done with my schooling, and even if I am successful enough with my own ambitions so that I don't have to take on a "professional" job as an illustrator, there's still the matter of identity - or presentation - to consider. I wondered first if acquiring a pseudonym as an artist was a wise thing to do in terms of copyright and whatnot. Unfortunately, a lot of that is over my head, which means I have a lot of reading to do. 

Ugh. I have too much to say about this. My thoughts are all over the place. I've been doing quite a bit of research today on copyright, art thievery, pseudonyms/pen names, how to gain exposure, and so on... it's all very complicated and part of me just wants to give up, to throw in the towel and say "Screw it, I'll just spend the rest of my life as a slave like everyone else."

I've been doing a lot of comparing, seeing how artists put their work out there. I've seen plenty of artists posting artwork relating to a novel (or series of novels) they haven't even published yet, which makes me very nervous - and it isn't even my own work. It's a bit frightening to think of the millions of people who prowl the internet each day, stealing ideas from others to use for their own gain. Of course, it wouldn't be such a big deal if we were all respectful of each other's ideas (and didn't have to pay bills). But unfortunately, society hasn't changed yet in that area, so I will continue to guard my precious work until I know for certain it's copyrighted.

That's why I was agonizing over the idea of having a blog to begin with. But then, I look at all the well-known artists who post their work without a moment's hesitation, because that's how they gain exposure. You need people to see your work if you expect support. I can't be a "successful" artist without people knowing about what I do.

That still brings me back to the whole thing about identity, though. I could just make this really easy and use my real name for everything, but that would make me unhappy. Sure, I could use it for my "professional" work; however, what qualifies as "professional"? If I do end up freelancing or working for a company of some sort, I'm going to need a portfolio, and if I'm working under a pseudonym, will that lead to confusion? Will I even be hired? I can't run a blog/website under a pseudonym and then use the same works for a professional portfolio using my real name/identity. I feel like that would cause a lot of trouble.

So now I'm at a loss. There are plenty of artists out there who draw for the sake of drawing under cute, silly, serious, wacky usernames. But what happens when it comes to professional work? Do they still use those names, or do they switch to their real name? Do they hide behind a pseudonym?

Unless something changes, P.R. will still remain my pen name. I will let people assume I am male; that means nothing to me. But as far as art is concerned... I'm struggling, here. It's not uncommon for artists to take on several pseudonyms as means of preventing confusion amongst fans (e.g. one name for watercolor painting and another for classical portraiture). So what does that mean for me? As an artist, my interests are varied. My primary interest lies in creating art for the stories I write, but I don't want to disclose too much information about those worlds until they're actually published.

In fact, I was reading about that today, too. If I do post any artwork relating to stories I want published, I have to be very careful about what I post, because that may interfere with my ability to get published, assuming I go the traditional route and not the self-publishing route (although I'm leaning toward the latter only so I don't get screwed over). 

Damn it. So what do I post? Should I even share my art at all? Do I take on different pseudonyms like I would prefer, or do I just go the "professional" route and use my real name? 

I need exposure if I'm going to fulfill my ambitions. But because of my varied interests and goals, the matter of "identity" poses as a pretty big problem. My parents will expect me to commit to a job as an illustrator of sorts, and will therefore expect me to use my real name. 

Aghhh. I don't know. This would be much easier if I was just a writer, because then it'd be easy: one pen name. But nope. Aspiring author, spirit artist, spiritual blogger, potential professional illustrator, and passionate artist of varied forms all in one. 

Maybe answers for this will come later... hm.  

Feast of Alcyone

by Felideus @ deviantART

Today's draw is for the Feast of Alcyone, representing a personal inner message (as guided by Leon). I drew Eight of Water - Cerridwen, which makes me smile, because this card is all about magic and transformation. Setting intentions and shaping the future with your decisions. There is definitely an air of magic and mysticism with this card... it reaffirms my need to become a magician or alchemist in my life. Nice pick. 

I'm feeling a lot better this morning after having a lot of introvert time yesterday. Winterspell wordcount is now at 10,500, and I find I'm still receiving plenty of inspiration, so I'm still going strong.

I've been talking with Lulu about this whole ruffled feathers thing again and it made me realize what I have to do. So while I was reading her post for today, I would sit back and actively become pure awareness, reminding myself that I am another pair of eyes for Adonai - not a force of anger, or spite, or judgment. I did this every time I read something that would irk me - even in the slightest. I will continue to do this until Lulu no longer bothers the "ego-self" (I say this in quotes because I still haven't determined what "ego" actually is for myself). Until I can become pure awareness.

I'm looking forward to this afternoon/evening because I'm pretty sure I'll be catching up on some alone time. Brother's going to hang with his peeps, and parents are going to a party of sorts. I'm going to have to take advantage of this time to the best of my ability, because it's probably not going to happen again for a while, unless my brother hangs out with his friends again another day.

In other news, I recently watched Michele Knight's Pisces overview for 2013. Now that I've had two other annual readings, I'm interested to see how they compare with the astrological predictions:

•  January: Changes/new potential in regard to friendship(s). Big expansion of energy. Honesty. At the end of month, a big sigh of relief in the area of family/home. Positive home changes.
• February: Flowing with unconditional love. People may be drawn/attracted to you. At end of month (28th), you are in your power, kind of like casting magical spells into the universe.
• March: An idea from the past returns to inspire you.
• May: A global "high", but also good vibes in the family sector.
• June: Pleasure, new ideas/beginnings, creativity, a spiritual leap forward.
• July: 29th - Star of David, amongst a handful of other things. Spiritual awakening (global). Something intense or dramatic may happen.
• August: Evolving, growing, blossoming... in regard to having fun and adventure. Trusting creativity and intuition. 
• November: Healing something from past to make a huge leap forward.

For the most part, this seems to align with what I - and that member from SF - received, give or take. Especially June. June appears to be a very significant month for me. I'm interested to see how it all plays out... 

Oh - I finally received my SS gift. My Santa drew Xehebel for me - I'm very happy with it. It's always a treat to see how another artist portrays your dearest characters. 

And speaking of art... I finally decided on making another blog for my art/illustration. Blogspot, I mean. I may do a tumblr to go along with it - just for exposure - but I'm not completely sure, because I know how crediting and sourcing is often lost in all those reblogs. I do plan on watermarking, though, so maybe it won't be all bad. I'm not sure how soon I'll be posting art relating to my writing; I'm concerned with people thieving my material (I see it a lot with artists who post their "headworld" art). For now, I'll probably just focus on standard illustration... maybe some school stuff or personal art that isn't related to my precious stories.  It'd be a nice way to document progress, too.

I'll have to make a separate account for that, though. Oh, well. It takes less than 30 seconds to switch between accounts. Pfft.

We're nearing the end of 2012... holy Shiva. 

Birth of Freyja

by hoooook @ deviantART.com

Today's draw is for the Birth of Freyja, representing love, luck, creative expression, and female wisdom. I pulled Samhain, which is a little surprising because this card is all about ancestry, darkness, reflection, and strong spiritual connections. I feel that this is a focus on creative expression and female wisdom - not so much love and luck... in which case I feel I know exactly what's being said here. It's all in the darkness, reflection, and strong spiritual connection. Almost as if it's saying to draw inspiration from my own life. Technically, I'm already doing this. But it's nice to have the confirmation.

I have to admit... I'm very ruffled today, mainly thanks to last night. My patience these days is wearing thin, and everything other than my ambitions is agitating me. I was even thinking about the reckless decision to run off, ditch school, and go live, rather than be a good little piece in the socioeconomic puzzle. That's how desperate I'm getting here. I'm feeling very boxed in lately - caged, almost - and with people putting their expectations and judgments on me... well. I'm feeling a bit like Leona-cat right now (we think it's a girl). About to bite someone's hand off. I'm sick of my family telling me what I should and shouldn't do, sick of them telling me that my goals are unrealistic and that I'm sheltered and need perspective because for Shiva's sake, I'm trying to change the world here. 

But the main reason I'm ruffled at this moment is because of my brother. I was afraid this would happen - that he'd be sticking around for so long that I'd become sick of him. I forgot what it was like to live with him for more than a few days. It's been almost a week since he arrived and I'm already wanting him to go - but nope. I have to deal with him until the 6th - the day before I go back to school, which means little to no introvert time before the 20-week crawl toward summer (my spring break is only a week and a half long). 

My brother is cool for a few days, because it's all love and laughter and catching up on life. But once all that has passed, it then becomes tense, because I want my introvert time and he wants to hover, and to top it all off, he has this personality where he thinks he's doing the best for you - he thinks he's more experienced - and he'll belittle you and pat you like a little child and treat you like you're five years old so that he can tell you how you should really do something. However, the moment you try to challenge him - the moment you try to fight or rebel - he becomes agitated. He gets that from my dad.

Very frustrating.

So now I'm sitting here wringing my hands because I've got ten more days (counting today) to spend with him and I'm looking at the calendar realizing I'll be back to school in a flash and even though it's almost been a month and a half I feel like I've only been out for a couple weeks and I'm not ready to sit at school from 11 AM to 7:30 PM amidst all that stress only to come home and have my dad on my arse demanding to know what I'm doing or how I'm feeling about school and whether I still have intentions of staying enrolled.

Damn it. 

But, of course, this is an ideal situation for learning to apply my new mindset: the one I've been talking about but haven't actively been incorporating into my lifestyle (not entirely, at least). I am the water, not the rock. I have to revert into a state of pure awareness... not awareness with judgment. I can't allow these stresses to dominate me. That'll get me nowhere. 

In happier news, though, I have now contributed 8000 words toward Winterspell. I wrote my three favorite scenes, so I can now begin to write the others based on those. This is actually the first time I'm writing a story using this method. The part of me that digs organization always wants to write it all in order, but I haven't been very successful because I always hit a wall. I'll be interested to see how this new technique goes...
  

Yuletide

"Joy of Union" - by Rassouli

And without a moment's glance, "Christmas" is now over. 

It rained practically the whole day yesterday, blowing in another cold front, so now it's all cold and windy today. Good thing I have nowhere to be.

Having BB over was nice. We pretty much only talked for a few hours after our late lunch before she had to leave at 6. But as I expected, she came bearing gifts: a beautiful box filled with all sorts of accessories and trinkets for me, and some homey-type things for my parents, such as dish towels and tea. I was therefore empty-handed (and pissed), but I did send her away with some of my sweets, so it wasn't all bad. 

The only thing that ruffled my feathers was my dad asking how school was going for her, which led to the whole conversation about me not wanting to go to school, and BB's awkward inquiry of what I wanted to do in life (I never told her; only my brother truly knows). It then led to a whole spiel from my dad about how I should take up a job for "perspective" and how I'm lucky to be attending a school that would help me get a decent job and I was just so freaking irritated, trying to keep my cool, trying to play it off and change the subject.

I'm fighting like hell to maintain my optimism, my idealism. I don't want to live in a world where I have to pay to be able to live on it - where I have to basically be a slave to a grand system of greed. Why has no one tried to change anything? Can we not recognize the power we have as a collective? There are billions of people on this planet, yet everyone keeps their heads down, shuffling along like little sheep because they think, "We can't do anything, someone else will do it, nothing will change, it's the only way."

Pah.

Anyway... today's draw is for Yuletide, which focuses on how one can express her protective energy and/or attend to her family. The card that popped out for me was Mabon, which traditionally reflects the harvest. My own impressions - aside from "harvest" - are that of receiving "assistance" from another, or connecting to someone who has wisdom and guidance to offer. But the standard card meaning reflects weighing the consequences of a decision. Hmm... that kind of makes sense. Will have to stew on this one.

Speaking of cards, my Druid Craft deck is still out of stock, so I'm not quite sure when to expect it. I suppose they're taking their time because it's a less-popular deck. No idea. I guess I'm not in a hurry, though, especially since my brother is here... he'd be all nosy about it. 

I sat down with Lucifer instead of Leon to ask about this friendship problem because I decided to use my Fallen Angel oracle instead... haven't used it in a while. I pretty much asked for 3 cards to help me decide what I should do about this situation.  

Initially, I had my own idea about it: that I should let go. After all, this snippet had found its way to me a week ago or so:

Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.

A soul mate's purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master.

But Luci had a different answer. He provided me with Amdusias, Orobas, and Gomory, whose keywords are harmony, honesty, and love. Amdusias is all about peace and friendship - gathering people of like minds. Orobas, about avoiding devious means of belittling others or guilty secrets. And Gomory... about romance or the renewal of existing love. 

Well, damn. Of course, the ego-based me wants to run and hide. It's sick of this. But "true" me doesn't want to let go. Quite the predicament... though it seems I have my answer. At least for now.

I finally received a brief annual reading from a member at SF. I had done my own annual reading last month, but wanted to see how this person's would compare. It wasn't a lot of detail, but the things this person mentioned pretty much gave me specifics to my own reading, which was nice. Now to just wait and see how it all plays out...

Here's another glimpse into the Winterspell world, with TSFH's "Identity Crime":

    

Festival of Life

by Josephine Wall

Christmas already, huh? It hasn't felt like Christmas for years... so for me, I guess today is more about Yule and celebrating spirit/life. 

I remembered more parts to my dream than usual, but I don't know enough detail to make any sense of them. I did, however, have a bit of a revelation regarding a friendship both in-life and in my dream, just like my Pisces horoscope suggested. I still, however, am not sure what my course of action should be; I suppose I'll consult Leon later for a bit of advice.

Today's draw is for the Festival of Life, which puts an emphasis on how to connect directly to spirit. The card that I drew was Four of Water - Bridget, who is primarily associated with all forms of healing, but also the elements, it seems. The light bursting through the trees... I find this also very applicable, because it's true: I still require healing in a few areas; I also have been connecting more and more with nature because I'm finding myself detaching more from my shell with every week that passes. The light filtering through the trees is a powerful image, too. It's kind of like saying, "You're almost there..." 

Yesterday was a chill day. We went out in the rain and cold to retrieve our sushi/sashimi platter, then our ham for today, and came home to eat, make some food, and play games. Mom and brother enjoyed their gifts, and I now have enough sugar to last me half a year (lol). 

BB's coming over to eat and chill with us for most of the day. I'm really hoping she's not bringing any gifts, because I have nothing for her in return (she never did tell me), and then I would feel obligated to whip something up for her. Freaking commercial holidays, I swear.

Okay. I have to blab about Merlin now, so for those who aren't interested, or for those who don't want spoilers, ignore the rest of this post.

I guess I'll first say: it was a lot better than I had anticipated. Now, I'm actually very unfamiliar with the Arthurian legends. This is actually why I never bothered to give Merlin a try in the past - because the Arthurian legends were never something I had read or been interested in before. So I had no idea that Arthur is supposed to die in the original legend (but I was enlightened by all the people who were commenting on the videos). 

I was misty-eyed - not going to lie. I didn't know whether I wanted happy or sad/realistic, but now that I've watched it a second time, I'm kind of glad it went the way it did. 

BUT - what the hell was with that ending? Is that supposed to be the foreshadowing for some kind of sequel (like the alleged film trilogy)? I mean, I guess it was interesting to see that Merlin still stuck around Avalon hundreds of years later, but that was... peculiar. If that's the basis for the trilogy they've been talking about, then I'm a little hesitant, unless this supposed trilogy is based on the rise of Arthur. 

Now... the episode itself was, like I said above, a lot better than I expected in terms of content. I was wondering how the battle would play out, but Jesus - talk about erratic. I didn't mind so much because I was entirely immersed in the Merthur bromance (oh my holy Shiva), but now that I watched it a second time and had the chance to see exactly how the episode proceeds, I'm a little disappointed. It really did seem like it was thrown together. Morgana's death was pretty anticlimactic, and that whole Gwaine/Percival adventure seemed like a cheap way to kill my favorite knight off. 

I am glad, though, that they went the bromance route. I wasn't expecting 75% of the episode to consist of the journey to save Arthur's life, but I'm quite content with that, because it was bloody moving as hell. I adore the boys' performance in this one. They did really well not only with the bromance, but with Arthur's reaction to the magic, too. That seemed like a fairy realistic reaction considering everything the two have been through. I'm very pleased that the writers gave us the chance to see Arthur witness all Merlin's been doing for him over the years. It was so sweet.

So yeah. I'm not as disappointed as most other fans are, but as far as the actual writing goes, it could've been a lot better. I think they were mainly focused on feeding the rabid fangirls wanting Merthur action (I was totally expecting them to kiss after Arthur said, "Hold me." JESUS), in which case I can't complain, because that's the main reason I watch this show. 

I'm a little sad that it's all over, but I'm just grateful I was able to see the fifth series as it aired in the UK. If it wasn't for those few YT users, I would've had to wait 2-3 months (maybe even longer) for it to be uploaded on Netflix streaming. 

I don't know how long I'll keep rewatching. This is usually how my obsessions go; I'll get really into a show or film and keep rewatching it over and over for weeks at a time until I've finally grown tired of it. It's been a month since I began watching Merlin, and I haven't tired of it yet, so... who knows? Maybe something else will come along. Actually, I still have to keep up with Once Upon a Time, but I think I'll wait until the 2nd season is released on Netflix streaming. 

Thanks for another enjoyable show, BBC. You guys always do so much better than us, even if your endings are disorganized. 

Now I think I'll go work on Winterspell stuff before everyone wakes up... because I probably won't be able to until tomorrow.   

Feast of Mothers

"Awaited Child" - by Annelie Solis

Trying to get my blogging in before my brother wakes up...

I'm once again frustrated because of the dream recall thing. Only this time I'm aware that part of it was Merlin related and part of it involved my godfather. But all other details were lost because I've been tired. Maybe this is a because of all those restless nights I've been having - that I'm finally having a chance to sleep. Maybe this is a time when I don't have to remember my dreams, or maybe they'll return when I'm not as tired. I don't know. I'll just go with the flow, I guess. 

Today's draw is for Feast of Mothers, which represents connecting to one's ancestors and determining the wisdom and guidance they have to offer. I drew Three of Air - Scrying. This is all about seeing from another perspective, reflections, exploring the options that are available to you, and being observant of imagery in all forms. I find this interesting; I will have to ponder this one to determine what I should be looking at here... In fact, this seems to align with a recent dream I had that informed me I was taking the wrong path. I wonder if this is school-related...

It seems like we're going to have a rainy next few days - including today. I don't mind this so much because I enjoy the atmosphere of rainy days. Makes it all cozy inside. On Christmas Eve, it's traditional for us to open whatever gifts/stockings we have and eat snack-like things such as chips and dip, sushi platter (which we have to retrieve at noon), and sweets. I sure am psyched for that sushi platter, though. I'm going to have to hold back on my mindful eating to get the most out of it. Haha.

Speaking of gifts, I finally posted my Secret Santa gift to dA yesterday and was relieved to discover that my recipient fully enjoyed it. I always get nervous when it comes to other people's characters... but yeah. Now I'm just waiting for my SS gift. Not sure when to expect it, because the host told us we can submit anywhere from the 21st to the 28th. So for all I know, I might not see it until later this week. But that's okay. 

Whoa. I'm beginning to remember bits of my dream. I have a stray cat outside to thank for that. 

And speaking of cats... I was able to sit a step away from Leon-cat yesterday as he ate. He was skittish as hell but was still determined to finish most of his food while sitting there. I just want him to know that we have no intention of hurting him. I'm not sure how long that'll take.

But also, mom and I were talking about getting a kitten. On the surface, it seems like a good idea. A lot better than dogs, anyway (we tried a dog for a few weeks but it didn't work out for us). And as much as I would love to have an animal companion (a nice, neat, quiet one), I keep thinking of all the things that I don't want to deal with, such as poop/vomit on the floors, a messy bathroom (since the litterbox would probably be in mine), illnesses, biting/scratching, and so forth. And if the parents do leave overseas - or both of them, anyway - then all that crap would be dumped on me while I'm busy at school and maintaining the home.

I don't know. It's a tough decision. 

Next on the list: I'm very happy to have been able to write 3000 words toward Winterspell yesterday. That only happened because my brother left at 5 PM to go to a party of sorts with old friends he hasn't seen in a while, and didn't return until after 11 PM, when I went to bed. I don't know whether I'll be that productive today since we've got some things going on. Maybe I should hurry up and finish my morning internet routine so I can do that...

Ugh. I'm so fidgety for the finale of Merlin tonight. And it didn't help that I was reading the comments of others, who were sharing their hopes and fears for the magic reveal, such as: "Arthur knew all along!" or "Merlin's really telling Gwen, after Arthur has died in battle." I reaaaaally hope that "Dragoon the Great" doesn't take over the majority of the episode. I want to see young Merlin, man. That's the whole POINT. 

Please don't disappoint us, BBC.   

Hopi Time of Renewal

"Bluebird" - by Josephine Wall

Whew. Finally catching a brief break from my brother.

I mean, I love the guy, but he's been hovering a lot since he's arrived and it prevents me from doing the things that require my privacy and concentration, such as blogging and writing. It's a bit frustrating for a huge introvert such as myself - and to think that I'll have to deal with this for the next two weeks... with barely any private time to spare before I start school on the 7th... agh.

Like yesterday, I remembered my dreams at about 7 or so, but then I fell back asleep because I've been tired. Staying up till 1 the other night seems to have thrown me off schedule. And it sucks, because once again, I remember my dreams being pretty interesting/informative.

Today's draw is for Hopi Time of Renewal, which is based on finding the best way to purify and renew oneself. The card that popped up for me is Three of Water - Flora, which is a totally appropriate card seeing how it's based on fertility, creativity, and abundance. So this card basically tells me to get involved with creative endeavors, but to enjoy them from the heart. That's the key here. So yes, this is very fitting.

Because of my brother's presence here, I'm not expecting much to happen for the next couple weeks. I could be wrong, but the guy always hovers - and what's worse is that he adores my bed (memory foam), so he spends all his unoccupied time lounging on it, talking about things, and, much to my annoyance, repeatedly telling me to try Guild Wars 2. Seriously. He mentioned it at least 10 times yesterday. It's taking quite a bit of patience not to snap at him; I think he has the impression that I'll cave in. 

We went to see Hobbit yesterday. I have to say - it was a lot better than I expected, although I feel bad for my dad, who claimed that he was 30 minutes into the film when he realized he "can't watch films like that anymore." It was very inspiring for me in regard to Winterspell stuff... even watching the trailers and previews beforehand got me fired up, thinking: one day, my work will be here. The visuals - especially the environments and scenery - were freaking beautiful. So yeah. I gave it an 8/10, but I'm not a particularly strict critic. In fact, I tend to look for all the good things in a film. 

My brother and I then watched half of Attack of the Clones last night, but we were both tired, so we're finishing the rest of it today. Meh. 

And finally... Merlin. 

I was all over the place watching this episode. For starters, I couldn't watch it seamlessly without interruptions like before because - you guessed it - my brother kept lurking. I didn't want to watch it in front of him because 1.) he would begin making stupid comments about it and 2.) I tend to get really into a show/film, which means I prefer watching it alone. 

At first, I freaked out because the normal YT user had her second account deleted and she stated she would no longer be uploading. But I found that another user had uploaded it... and watched half of it before my brother came upstairs and began lounging on my bed. I watched a bit more while he showered, but then he came in and asked if we should watch Star Wars, and I knew that he probably wouldn't be leaving anytime soon, so I decided to save the last bit of Merlin for later.

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. The preview for this episode had me excited, but... I don't know. It didn't really come through for me. There were a few moments I really enjoyed - such as that lovely Arthur/Merlin moment ("Find the path!") and the scenes between Merlin and his father; however, the rest of the episode seemed very slow and uneventful, and it makes me wonder if this was just building up to a really epic finale. Based on that awfully short preview, I can't say I'm entirely pleased to see where this is going. I can understand, however, why they're taking the "old man Merlin" route.

I'm hoping the lack of information about the final episode means it'll be really good. If not, then... shame. 

At least we don't have to wait too long to find out.

Hoping to have some private Winterspell time today...   

Time of Beth

by Annelie Solis

Well, I certainly had an interesting morning, and I've only been up for an hour. It could've been a lot worse, though. 

I initially remembered my dream at 7 AM or so, but because I had gone to bed at 1 AM (waiting for my brother and his friend to arrive), I was tired and fell back asleep. Darn. And I think it was an important dream, too. 

It's nice to have my brother back around, but once again, I'm reminded that I'm of least importance to him in the family - that I'm a last resort when it comes to communication... unless it regards a matter that I would understand better than my parents. I'm curious to see how he's going to spend his free time while he's here - in my bedroom or downstairs with my parents. 

Right now, he's off taking his friend to the airport so the dude can retrieve his car. I also just found out that we're seeing Hobbit today at 1:30. Initially, I had the idea we were seeing it tomorrow... but apparently not. I'm not too sure what to expect, because I've heard great things and not so great things about it... and whether it lives up to LotR. To be honest, though, I'm a little miffed that we're seeing it today because I'm not feeling too hot (lovely lady cramps). Maybe things will improve by one o' clock.

Today's draw is for Time of Beth, representing any resistances and blocks holding me back on my path. I'm a little stumped by the card that came up: The World. While this card does apply to my life and the mindset I'm trying to achieve, I never would've associated it with resistances and blocks holding me back. This card's all about wholeness, unity, the cycle of life, feeling connected with the world... is there an area here that is blocking me? 

Ooo. But there's a sense of balance between spiritual and material here, too, because the woman depicted draws from the stars and from the earth. Maybe that's my keyword here: balance. I'll have to stew on this one, because it may be referring to something I'm not immediately aware of.

Speaking of cards... I, uh, bought that Druid Craft deck after all. But for good reason! See, I was sitting there yesterday after having discovered those two nature/pagan decks, and I thought, "Okay, these are cheap enough, and I want them, so universe, if you think now's a good time to own one of these decks... well, let me know."

I go and check my wishlist later last night, and lo and behold! Druid Craft had dropped to $10. So I took that as a "Yes, now's a good time," and made the purchase. The only thing, though, is that it's temporarily out of stock, so I'm not sure when to expect it (thank goodness for Prime shipping though). I should probably expect my mom or brother to be asking what it is when it arrives... pah. 

Actually, I'm not sure if my mom knows about my decks. I don't know how she feels about tarot/divination; I'm assuming it's the same as her feelings about "contacting the dead," although I find this hypocritical because we were having a brief conversation yesterday about her "visiting" me when she passes away, and she made it sound like she was really inclined to do so. 

My brother, on the other hand, would be more open to my cards. I can see him expressing curiosity over them, making a few inquiries, and maybe showing a bit of skepticism or amusement. But he knows about my spirit/psychic art stuff, and he thought it was cool, so.. maybe he'll feel the same about my cards.

I was supposed to meditate last night, but due to starting my lovely lady time and having my brother drive in so late, that never happened. I guess I'll wait till later... but it's something I need to be doing again. It's just a tad tricky because all my good ideas come to me right before I sleep (specifically for my creative projects). Then again, a few minutes a night isn't too much to ask.

Didn't get so much Winterspell stuff done yesterday; my energy is still "scattered," so the only thing I could do was play MS for most of the day. I'm planning to start writing the scenes I've envisioned to get me started, because I've found that it's always helpful for me to write all my favorite scenes first, despite having them be out of order. Will probably only get to a bit of that today, though.

And last - I'm freaking stoked for tonight, baby. New episode of Merlin. There will probably be a lot of raging (and fangirling) coming from this end. Hahaha. 

Off I go then.  

Musings on a Solstice Sun

It seems so strange. 
12/21/2012, yet it feels like any other ordinary day. I guess what I mean is that we've been waiting so long for this day, and now that it's finally here, it's like: what now? Whether you're into the "shift" or "new age" or just shrugged it off as another day, it will soon be the 22nd for the rest of us here in the Americas, and life will go on. Many will look back and laugh about how we made such a big deal about this date. Some will take note of profound spiritual experiences; others will remember a day of getting wasted or even just sitting in class. 

As for me... my day proceeded just like I mentioned this morning. I played a bit of MS. Cleaned my bathroom. Wrapped those two presents (and put them under my baby Yule tree downstairs). Worked on some Winterspell character development. Helped my mom unpack a buttload of groceries. Chilled. 

I don't know what I was expecting to happen. I didn't want to be that hopeful, but just like an acquaintance of mine was somewhat hoping the rapture would be today, I was somewhat hoping that something "big" would happen to me today. Some kind of awakening or energetic shift that would change the way I perceive the world. Then again, the day's not over yet. I know it may be silly - getting all hopeful about this one date - but a girl can dream, right?

Meh. It's not a huge deal. But it's just a little depressing, I suppose, because all the "spiritual" folks I keep up with put such an emphasis on the shift, ascension, the new age, the Age of Aquarius, oneness, and galactic alignment, and many of them were reporting having these cool energetic experiences or blissful meditations; meanwhile, I'm sitting here doing what I've been doing for the past few weeks. 

But hey. This is my life, and my perspective, and no one else will experience this moment in the same way, so I should be happy with what I have.

On a somewhat related note, I came across a quote on tumblr that I feel is very applicable to not only something I've been thinking about, but something that should be kept in mind for all those who praise the "shift":

Your work is not to drag the world kicking and screaming into a new awareness. Your job is to simply do your work: sacredly, secretly, and silently - and those with 'eyes to see and ears to hear' will respond.

It's true. I actually need to accept this as a reminder for myself. Although my "work" takes place on a creative level, I still need to remember to focus on the act of creating and not on the act of forcing people to accept a new perspective. If change is meant to be dramatic, then it'll be dramatic. Otherwise, it will proceed slowly and steadily, unfolding just as its meant to be, with one person affecting many others, and so on. So there's no rush. 

..I came across two more tarot decks this morning which really caught my eye. They're both pagan/earthy: the Druid Craft Tarot and the Wildwood deck. I love Pagan/nature/Wiccan decks as much as I love darker decks, so I was very happy to find these... and they're both about $13! Agh. Very tempted to buy those. Perhaps if I receive some money for Christmas, I'll spend it on those two decks (or the Mary-El... ooh. This'll be difficult). If not, then... I guess I'll wait till March or something, when my birthday rolls around. I suppose I can wait three or so months.

A couple things I wanted to mention before I proceed with my evening: apparently, my brother and his friend decided to leave earlier. He got off of work today at 1 PM or so; he and his friend were originally supposed to sleep and leave late tonight to arrive at noon tomorrow, but they both agreed they were good and just decided to leave early. They left about 2 hours ago (2 PM), so we're thinking he'll show up here at midnight... possibly later, depending on holiday traffic and cops. I wonder if I should bother going to bed at all, since I'll probably have an even more restless night knowing he's on his way.

And last... Leon-cat. He's getting more and more... comfy with us. Now, when I say  "comfy," I don't mean that he's interested in being close to us. I mean that he's stopping by more frequently. It started last night when my mom went to go turn on the back light for my dad, who was coming home. She just so happened to look down and noticed Leon-cat's face at the screen door. And it was dark. 6 PM. He has never showed up in the dark. 

Then, this morning, he shows up at 9:30. I feed him, and he eventually wanders off. Mom comes home with groceries at around one, and he shows up again. So she feeds him. And now, just twenty minutes ago, he shows up a third time, although he didn't entirely finish his food (a bit of kibble left). 

I wish I could sit down with him and try to determine his "story," but I haven't had the chance because it's hard to do with my mom hovering and baby-talking him. Hmm. 

Now we're wondering if he's going to show up in another 3-4 hours. Lol. 

I guess I should enjoy the last several hours of my privacy before my brother comes in tonight.    
 

Yule

by nieblastocks @ deviantART

Well, the weather certainly is suited for Yule/winter solstice today. The rain from yesterday blew in a cold front, and now it feels like 22 degrees with all the wind out there (which is apparently something like -5.5 degrees for out-of-country folks). That makes me a little miffed, because I wanted to spend a little while outside today... just for the sake of connecting with nature during this significant time. At least the sun is shining.

I had a very interesting night. Before I went to bed, I programmed my picture jasper with the intent of recalling my dreams in great detail and put it under my pillow with my quartz, lapis, and angelite. But once again, I was very restless in my sleep, so I would wake every hour or few hours, only to recall this one piece of a dream. It soon got to be 7 AM, and I woke remembering one significant image from my dream: seeing a dark-haired woman dressed in white with a knife, ready to kill my dad. 

I mean... whoa.
Now, to touch on the cards I pulled from yesterday.. they basically told me that my dreams would be based on new beginnings, potential, adventure, perfect timing, divine inspiration/guidance, and following the path that has been laid out for me. And when I think about it, that one image I woke up remembering was the perfect "message." A woman in white... white representing the purity of spirit, spiritual perfection. Killing my dad. Why? Because my dad is the only obstacle standing on the path to my contentment. My mom shares his view on wanting me to stay in school and get a degree, find a stable job, etc., but she's much too passive and submissive and doesn't really say much about it unless it's brought up. 

So yes. Mother Night delivered the one sole image I needed to see. 

Today's draw is based on Yule, which marks the beginning of the sun's reappearance. As such, the card I draw will give advice on how to best connect with the light within and around me. That card is Nine of Water - Lakshmi, who represents prosperity, emotional and spiritual abundance, creative fertility, and spiritual harmony/enlightenment.

I'd say this is also kind of fitting. There is a sense of spiritual peace and wisdom about this card... I feel like it's reminding me of my true nature, since I haven't been connected with it lately. I haven't been feeling it. So I think that's my answer: to feel the prosperity, abundance, and fertility that I am, to be aware of the light that I am. 

Works for me.

In other news, I have a few things to do today, including tidying up my bathroom and wrapping a couple of gifts. My brother drives in tomorrow at noon (he's leaving at around 10 PM tonight) and will be with us a couple days past New Year's, I believe, so today's pretty much the last day of privacy I have until then. I just have to remind myself to enjoy my brother's company and to not get too pissed when I find myself lacking on introvert time. 

Also, I'm a bit flustered with Amazon right now, because it's making me want to buy things, and I really don't want to spend the money, because I need to save it. However, it's marking down a few items I've been keeping my eye on, such as a couple card decks and an expensive but lovely statue of Shiva that decreased $16 in price. Gahh. 

And speaking of card decks... I stumbled upon a freaking beautiful deck called the Mary-El tarot, which is a bit grotesque but wonderfully surreal and somewhat dark. And I like "darker" cards. The light and fluffy ones do me no good. The only thing about the Mary-El, though, is that it's $26, because it comes in a nice box and everything. There are a few cards in the deck - specifically the minor arcana - that are a little plain to me, such as the Seven of Wands (a wolf face?), the Four of Swords, and the Seven of Cups. But the rest are freaking lovely. Click the link if you're interested in seeing the cards (thank goodness the artist had the courtesy of posting them all). 

I was also on the lookout for a dragon-themed deck, but I wasn't satisfied with the ones that have been published. I was originally looking at the Dragons Tarot, which had some nice illustrations; however, I couldn't resonate well with the imagery and what it symbolized. The other dragon decks were either illustrated in a style I didn't like or were too plain. I'm kind of tempted to just make my own when I start creating decks, although I'm going to need a lot of dragon anatomy practice...

The last deck I was introduced to recently is the Tarot of the Silicon Dawn, although I haven't completely decided whether I resonate with this one. I like the bold, graphic imagery of this deck, but there's not enough detail in there for me. So it's just wishlisted for now. 

That Mary-El tarot... *whistles*
I'll tell you something else, though. I'm actually waiting for a deck that I resonate so freaking well with. The only thing is, it's a work in progress. It's called the Dreams of Gaia Tarot, and it's being drawn/designed by the same artist who illustrated my Mythic Oracle deck. Click this link for a sample of the Gaia deck - it's so beautiful. Unfortunately, the artist, Ravynne, claims it probably won't be published until late 2013 due to health problems she's had and whatnot. 

It's going to be hard to wait for that one, but I suppose Mary-El can keep me company until then. I just have to wait until I have some extra funds to buy that one.

Jesus. Freaking cards, man. They get you hooked. 

Anywho. I guess I'm off to take advantage of some less-populated servers before getting my tasks done today.