News has reached Casa de la Bohemia, that Kegals are not only ineffective, but possibly counter-productive. The newest news suggests that the key to a strong pelvic floor is having a big firm booty. The brilliant scientist that came up with the newest news says we should be doing squats instead. Okay, so I get very excited on the first day and start squatting every chance I get. I counted 80 squats that day. (Did I mention, that the little witchlings and the little cat think I've gone and dropped my basket?) No, sweat. Next morning, no soreness. This continued for several days, til I got to thinking that my tiny little white girl 'no-ass' (as my friends lovingly refer to it) is obviously NOT muscular enough. This should be a bit painful if it's going to be effective. So we checked the all knowing internet and found that we are doing squats ALL wrong. Essentially, while doing a squat, you should appear to be sitting down onto a chair. Your feet should be hip length apart & pointed forward. You should face directly ahead (which is hard while squatting, so I suggest doing it in front of a mirror) and I find that placing a book on my head helps me stay more balanced and 'drawn in' while doing this exercise. Your knees should never move forward of your toes & keep your posture nice & your back slightly arched. Now is the part where I mention that if you plan on doing this exercise in front of a mirror, give yourself an extra 15 minutes, cuz you will want to have the time to laugh at the jack-ass in the mirror with a book on her head sitting in an imaginary chair and falling like a damn fool. And if ya wanna go hard core and build a butt, you should use weights. I used 11 lb barbells and I am sorry. Gauge weight size, by if you can do 10-15 squats easily while holding them. If you can, they are too light. Every time you want to quit, just think of Depends. And for some real incentive, go check out the Mama Sweat blog where the original info is!
Now I'm gonna go tippy-fuckin-toe to a hot bathtub, so I can soak my tiny sore hiney and relax with the knowledge that, after seeing this, the kids will never think me infallible.
In the spirit of Summer, here at a latitude near Hell, I have some cooling tricks (minus the air conditioner) to share.
Windows
During the hottest part of the day, when the air outside is much hotter than inside or the Sun is shining in and heating things up, you must keep the heat out. Use heavy drapes with a white backing (which reflects the ultraviolet rays) to keep the Sun from getting in. This isn't really the most effective method because, like in your car, heat gets trapped between the glass and the curtain. What works best, as tacky as this seems, is to tinfoil your windows. Yes, you just read that right. I said tinfoil your windows. From the inside of the window (with the shiny side facing out) press the tinfoil onto the glass, using tape to hold it in place if necessary. Crinkling the foil a little helps prevent it from blinding passers by. I recommend disinfecting your windows with something strong, like bleach, before you do this to prevent mold from growing between the window and the foil. If shiny happy windows do not appeal to your neighborhood association, you still have options. White shoe polish. Yep, you heard that one right, too. Most neighborhoods, complexes, & communities require that your blinds or curtains show white from outside, Luckily, white reflects light best of all the colors (unless tinfoil is a color), and is a good second choice for painting your windows. Shoe polish is my favorite product for the job because it applies without much mess and washes (scrapes) off easily enough when the weather starts to cool. It may take several applications to get it on there thick enough. But it's essentially the same principal as the tinfoil, to reflect the light and the heat away from the glass, not through it. If you plan on keeping your windows closed and not painting/tinfoiling them (like if you are using an AC), you can 'double pane' them yourself. It's just like insulating your windows in the winter. Use plastic wrap or clear plastic sheeting to make an airtight cover around the window, leaving space between the window and the plastic.
During the hours that the sun is not shining in or the air outside is cooler, you'll probably want to open your windows and doors. You can decide which ones to open to direct air circulation throughout the entire house or to a specific area. Generally you want more windows open in the direction the wind is coming from and fewer open where the wind is going to. If most of the wind is coming in at the North side of your house, you want to open as many windows & doors possible on that side and then a few on the South side to let the air out.
Similarly, you may want to direct air in from a certain direction. If, for instance, you have a patch of trees to the back of your house and highway out front, then you would want cool forest air coming in and hot air not getting in. This is easy if the breeze is coming from the cool side, follow the directions above. Open lots of lower windows on the cool side and a few upper windows on the hot side. If upper and lower aren't applicable then just ignore that part.
The upper lower thing can also be used to completely air out a house more efficiently. Open lowers in the direction of the wind and uppers in the direction its going. The air comes in from the lower side and pushes the hot air (that rises up) out the upper windows.
Tip: It's worth every penny to make sure you have screens & that those screens seal around the edges, especially when the heat drives every bug out from under it's rock to find a cooler spot. I use clear packing tape around the edges of my screens to keep the creepy crawlies out.
Fans
Fans can be used to direct air flow, and though they are used many different ways, that is all they ever really do. My favorite kind to use is a cheap-o Dollar Store box fan. They are so versatile and usually fit perfectly in windows.
If the air is cooler than your body temperature, a fan cools you by blowing cool air towards you, replacing the air around you that has been warmed by body heat. If the air is warmer than your body temperature, you are likely sweating and the fan speeds the evaporation of warm sweat off your skin and into the air. It takes it's heat with it. For this reason, having a fan blowing in an empty room does not necessarily cool it.
Freeze gallon jugs or 2-Liter bottles full of water. (as many as will fit in your freezer, preferably) Put a frozen jug between you and a fan and enjoy. When it melts, replace it with a frozen one and put it back in the freezer. Because the jugs of frozen water keep the freezer cooler longer, keeping them in there offsets the electricity it takes to freeze & refreeze them. And because the freeze is coming on less often, it is putting off less heat.
Ceiling fans are most effectively used only when someone is in the room (they don't do a good job of pulling in cool air or pushing out hot air) and on the setting where they pull air up rather than pushing it down.
Use fans in windows and doors to force a certain pattern of air circulation. Force a cross-breeze when there isn't one. Direct air in from cool areas out through hot areas (like the kitchen). Create more air pressure in a room that has fewer windows/doors by directing air in from the outdoors or in from the indoors to cool a room faster.
There are also little exhaust fans that blow cool air. These are a great last resort for those who just won't or can't turn on the AC. They use very little electricity; comparable to that used by a large fan.
Cool Living
You've heard of Green Living, this is similar. The objective is to create as little heat as possible.
Turn off any appliances, devices, & lights you aren't using and try to use those things less.
Use energy saver lights, they produce WAY less heat.
Turn off your T.V. You won't believe how much heat they produce.
Cook less. Make more salads & slaws. Cook in a crock-pot, and put that crock-pot on the balcony. (Defend against ants with a protective circle of ground cinnamon. No Shit! It burns them like acid!) Grill your food. Resist the urge to bake anything.
If you must cook, use a fan blowing from the interior doorway to your kitchen and another blowing out the the exterior opening of your kitchen. If you have only one fan, choose the interior doorway, blowing air from inside the house to the outside.
If you use central air, and are trying to keep your kitchen from heating up the rest of the house: Seal it off by closing any doors leading to the kitchen or covering them with curtains. A blanket works fine for this. Close all vents. Direct air in from one exterior window or door and out another. If you only have one exterior opening or one fan, position it to blow from the most interior part of the kitchen toward the biggest/only exterior opening.
Dry clothes on the line, or on hangers outside or in the bathroom. (Direct sunlight is good for bleaching whites and colors, use it like you'd use the chlorine stuff.) Directing a fan at wet clothes speeds the process. I know it seems like a lot of work, but once you've smelled line-dried sheets, you'll never go back.
Leave the hot water heater off most of the time. Look in your breaker box for how to turn it off.
Wash dishes by hand or, if you must use a dishwasher, set it to drip dry.
Other Stuff
Stay hydrated! Plenty of fluids are necessary in hot weather! There are lots of cooling herbal teas & lemonades to choose from. Drinking mint anything is a great idea, too.
Make 'sun-tea'. Put your herbs/tea bags in a tea pitcher full of water in the sun and wait a few hours. Doesn't heat up the the house.
Take cool showers.
Wear as little as you can get away with. (I live in a bikini top)
Mix a few drops of Eucalyptus oil in a spray bottle of water. (preferably with a fine mist setting) Shake vigorously and mist yourself (avoid eyes) for a quick cool off.
Wet your hair.
Try to keep activity to a minimum during the hottest hours of the day.
Use the water hose to spray down your roof & sun scorched walls.
When all is said and done, a little weather magic never hurts either!
We hear lot's of things about sluts, whores, prostitutes, courtesans, and fast women. We've heard that the creature known as The Slut, is in fact a myth. We've also heard about, and perhaps known women who've 'slept their way to the top' in one way or the other. The pilot episode of Sex in the City, ponders the question of whether women can have unattached sex like men and then the inevitable follow up question of whether they should? We Our Puritan/Gluttonous dichotomy of a culture teaches us to view sexually adventurous women as both the ideal 'liberated' woman & as a home-wrecker (poor Angie) or tart. We've, more recently, heard that The Mythical Slut (see above), does in fact exist and it is NOT okay to rape her! (Love these Gals, check to see if they've got something going in your area!) Prostitution has been called the oldest profession, and we have archeological evidence dating back to Pompeii and earlier of a thriving industry. We know the Bible references the cult of Ashera or Ashtoreth, and the sacred prostitution involved in worship (though at one point, the all powerful YHWH was known to seek the pleasures of her bed). And we know that, at least in Judea, Sacred Whores did not like to be likened to prostitutes, as there was a HUGE difference between the two.
Webster gives us the following definitions: Courtesan: : a prostitute with a courtly, wealthy, or upper-class clientele. Whore: a woman who engages in sexual acts for money. Slut:: a promiscuous woman.
At this point, we know a prostitute is the same as a whore and they would both prefer to be Courtesans. A slut, a tramp, a floozie, a coquette, etc all have sex for fun, not money (but maybe drinks and baubles). And there has been ritualized prostitution in a number of cultures for religious purposes throughout history. Now on to the touchy subject of marriage, prostitution, and philosophy. It can be said that every marriage is a form of prostitution, more frequently than not involving both parties acting as prostitute. Before you pull out your scythe, hear me out. Prostitution is generally defined as the the exchange of services (sex) for money or other tangible valuables. Now be honest, your husband would not be out working while you take care of the kids if you weren't in a relationship (these almost always involve sex, in my experience). At the same time, even if you are both working outside the home for monetary gain, you (as in both of you) are still using sex as a way to reduce your bills by cohabiting. So relationship = sex = cohabiting = splitting the bills = monetary gain. Go ahead, have your hissy fit, I know you liberated women out there are smart enough to realize that this is the case and essentially the only way to have a relationship. We trade sex for all sorts of things that aren't tangible as well. We stay in a marriage for the sake of the kids. We have sex because he/she was having a bad day, even if we weren't in the mood. (What did we get out of that? you may ask. Simple answer: to comfort your mate.) Hopefully you've heard me and understand that I am not cheapening marriage with my statement. :) Ladies with a life-partner are doing willing sex work with someone who is (hopefully) also doing willing sex work, & with double the intangible rewards. So a married woman is a cross between a prostitute and a slut with a preference for one lover. Hell, in some cases (I don't have to mention this religion by name) married ladies are practicing a form of Sacred Prostitution, as their religion may dictate that it might piss of a male deity if they dare say no to their husband. Needless to say, there is one last form of The Whore; She is the slave. The one who has been stripped of her power, who has lost her autonomy, and the one who is unwilling and then has the blame heaped upon her.
The Whore has always fascinated me. In fact, I come from a long line of 'traditional' prostitutes, several generations actually. My mother was a self-loathing whore, victim of the Virgin/Whore conundrum. So naturally, being raised in the church, she felt it necessary to confess to me all that she had done, and by the time I was 8, I could accurately describe various sexual acts, std's, and the resulting damage incurred by the female reproductive tract. Despite my mom's best efforts, I managed, by age 25 to really embrace my sexuality in all it's glory. It seems as if I can identify with each type of whore at different points in my life. Perhaps you can too. Right now, I am feeling particularly attracted to The Courtesan, so the second part of this series will deal with her in detail. With any luck, I'll have that out by next Sunday.
As many of you Mothers know, there isn't a whole hell of a lot of material out there for Pagan kids. And there is almost no FREE material, (single mom in the Great Recession here) so I make a ton of stuff myself. I especially LOVE making worksheets and little spells & crafts I can do with my girls. I think one of the main reasons we have so little material is because Paganism includes more factions (I mean, paths) than fought in the entire Lebanese civil war. Seriously, look that shit up, EVERY faction fought EVERY other faction at one point or another. I don't know how the fuck they kept it straight. Anyhow, I have spent the last I don't know how many fucking days compiling a little booklet, designed to be put in a 3 ring binder or similar, called Color Correspondences: A Guide for Kids. I'd say that the age range is about 5 to 12 years old, but you might find it works for other age groups as well. It's about as non-denominational Pagan as you can get. Since this is my first 'public' workbook publication, I'd really appreciate any feedback, good or bad (but be nice!), or suggestions. Unfortunately, you have to print each page separately (working on it).
This carpet freshener recipe is the culmination of many years of experimenting with different powders for different purposes. It is very simple, yet very effective at ridding your house of unwanted odors as well as a number of common household pests & is safe enough to use on the floor your baby chews crawls on. It will kill and repel roaches, fleas, & ants. It is also hypo-allergenic for the most part.
Baking Soda (Dollar Stores are a cheap place to look.
Fragrance or Essential Oils
A large jug or jar with tight fitting lid
The first thing you want to do is mix equal parts Borax & Baking Soda. I hate having a sprinkle of this or that left over and this need not be exact measuring. I use the 4lb 12oz box of 20 Mule Team Borax, which translates to 64 oz. Then I mix in 5 14oz boxes of Dollar Store brand Baking Soda, which translates into 70 oz. This gets me up to about 2 gallons of powder. You can use a fragrance oil, like you find at Wally World, or any combo of essential oils that please your nose. I use about 20 drops of oil per pound of powder. If you used the same measurements I did, then you have 134 oz or about 8 1/3 lbs. so you need about 167 drops of oil or 2.78 teaspoons according to this site. The amount of oil may be increased or decreased to meet your needs. Mine recipe is a little on the aromatic side. I make mine in very large batches but feel free to reduce the recipe. 1 cup of borax & 1 cup of baking soda with 20 or so drops of oil is a good starter batch.
So anyway. You add the oil to the powder in a jug or jar with a tight fitting lid. You should only fill your container about 2/3 the way full so that you have shaking space. Put the lid on and shake vigorously. Shake daily for about a month. Then it's ready.
Now, here is where the magic comes in. I like to use the principals of aroma therapy, astrological influences and herb magic in my preparations. For instance, a floor powder made on a Friday, during a Waxing Moon in Venus, using Rose & Sandalwood oil, & adding in an opal just for kicks, would provide you with a floor powder suitable for stirring up some romance. As a true believer that magic should permeate our lives, I encourage you to use these recipes as a chance to squeeze in some 'everyday magic'. Burn a candle & focus on the intended result as you mix your powders. Visualize your intent when you do your daily shaking of the mixture. Treat it like a spell instead of a cheap, natural, home made carpet powder.
Another thing you can do with this combo is to add Tea Tree Oil to it and use it as an germ killing soft scrub(perfect for toilets). It can be used as a laundry detergent as well, I use about 1/2 cup per load with castile soap.
It's 4 in the morning, here at Casa de la Bohemia, and we have the doors open and citronella burning. I'm sitting at my laptop happily tapping away, searching for the next new Paleo recipe...perhaps something I can put in the crock pot now and eat later?
Rosie:Holy double shit! (her own phrase, I don't know anyone who says this) Fi: What? and why are you yelling. Rosie: (still with headphones on, listening to F.Scott's metal) Flies are attacking the light. Fi: That's not flies, it's moths. Moths are good. I once met one this big.
Funny thing is, this convo is soooo typical, including the cursing. But I never let them use words to demean or hurt others in any way (even, not so dirty words!). Believe it or not I've gotten reprisals from other parents who allow their children to behave ever so fucking hatefully, but don't curse in the process. I ask you this: Is social conformity of higher value to teach our children, than kindness?
I needed to steam the carpets today, so I made the girls some home made play dough to keep them out of my hair. It's a heluva lot cheaper than the shit at Wally World and you can whip up a huge batch in about 5 minutes.
You will need:
3 parts flour (any)
1 part salt (anything but rock salt)
some kind of oil, canola, vegetable
water
vitamin E capsules (optional)
Food Dye (optional)
Make the dry mix by combining 3 parts flour and 1 part salt. In a separate bowl, mix water and oil at a ratio of 3 parts water 1 part oil to total about 1 cup if your dry parts(above) are cups. A few vitamin E's squeezed into the mix will help lengthen the shelf life, and if desired should be added to the bowl of liquid at this time. Also, if desired, food dye is best added at this time. Alternately, for color, one might use a sort of vegetable tea instead of water above. In my opinion, this decreases the raw shelf life of the dough. Most of the plants listed as Natural Easter Egg Dyes will work here. After you finish mixing all liquids, pour them into the bowl of flour and salt. Mix with a fork until it gets clumpy and then knead into a ball. You may need to add a bit more flour or water/vegetable tea at this point. It should feel like regular play dough and taste like salt. Best kept in the refrigerator inside an air-tight container like a zip lock bag with all the air squeezed out. Depending on the temperatures in your area of the world, you may be able to dry your creations outside in the sun. Let them get 'over-done' and make sure you flip them to let both sides dry. Could take a day or a week. You can also dry them in the oven at a low temperature like 225 F. Here you should also turn them over and let them get over done, but make sure they do not burn! After they completely dry, an hour or a day, you can paint them or seal them with varnish.
Some Ideas on What to do with PlayDough:
A blurry pic of some things creations about to go into the oven!
Make beads by rolling dough into small balls and poking holes through with a toothpick. Great for necklaces, ornaments, bead curtains, poppets, etc.
Make an altar tile with a cool design on it like a pentagram or the Tree of Life. Do this by placing a coloring page over some dough that you've rolled out to your desired thickness and poking holes along the lines to create a stencil for you to use on your dough. Or if you have a bit of artistic talent you could free hand carve the picture of your choice.
You can also use cookie cutters to make great shapes for Yule ornaments, Charms, and all other manner of nonsense.
I've made offering bowls, incense holders, coasters, decorative tiles for hanging, little plaques, candle holders, and even little goddesses.
Bits of Glass & Metal can be used in the before baking process. In the after baking process, get creative with glue & paint & buttons & yarn & glitter & so on!
If you make something great, come back and tell me about it! Or even better post pics!
This being near the time of the Summer Solstice, I thought a post about The Sun would be appropriate. I know, I personally tend to shy away from solar energy and solar deities simply because I, and probably most of you consider the Sun to be male. I never really feel comfortable working with male energy, IDK why, it just doesn't feel right. But anyway, because of this, I know very little about it astrologically or magically.
Godchecker lists the following deities associated with the Sun:
Adityas: 12 brother gods in Hindu myth who take turns being in charge of the Sun, and as you may guess, each is associated with a month. They have varied areas of interest from justice to marriage, but the only ones who seem to have anything to with the Sun are Surya and Ansa.
Adrammelech: Supreme Sun god of the Sepharvites, and later the Samaritans. Oft mentioned in Pentecostal churches because of a mention in 2 Kings of infant sacrifice.
Ah-Ciliz: Mayan God of Eclipses, devours the Sun god periodically.
Aja: Babylonian Sun God
Alklha: Slavic monster of eclipses (starting to think these guys need their own list).
Amana: South American creator goddess who made the Sun and manages it's daily movements.
Amaterasu: Shinto Sun Goddess.
Amun: Egyption Sun god.
Anansi: African spider, trickster god who created the Sun & Moon.
Apedemak: Sudanese Sun god.
Apollo: Greek Sun God.
Arinna: Mother/Sun Goddess of the Hittites.
Ashvins: Twin Hindu gods that rode a golden chariot across the sky.
Aten: Minor Sun God turned first Monotheistic God of Egypt. (for a very long 17 years)
Atius-Tirawa: Creator of the Sun, Moon, & Stars in Native American (Pawnee) mythology.
Atri: Son of Brahma. Makes sure the Sun stays in place.
Atum: Egyptian god of the setting Sun.
Au: God of the rising Sun in Oceanic mythology
Awonawilona: Native American (Pueblo, Zuni) God/dess of the Sun.
Aya: Mesopotamian Goddes of the Dawn and consort the the main Sun god.
Belenus: Celtic Sun God.
Ben-Elaba: Mayan Sun God.
Bjort: Freya's handmaid & Goddess of bright sunlight.
Bumba: God who vomited up the universe, including the Sun.
Cautha: Etruscan Sun god/dess of the Dawn.
Chup-kamui: Japanese Sun god.
Dudugera: Sun god in Papau, New Guinea
Freyr: Norse Sun God.
Garuda: Indian Sun God with and eagle's head.
Gnowee: Aboriginal Sun goddess who eternally searches for her lost child with a torch in her hand.
Harmakhis: Another Egyptian Sun God.
Helios: Greek Sun God
Hesperides: Three Nymphs of Sunset.
Horus: Egyptian Sky god, the Sun was one of his eyes.
Huitziopochtli: Perhaps an Aztec Sun god?
Hynahpu: Mayan Sun god.
Huruing-Wuhti: Two old ladies who play ball with the Sun & make people out of clay. Hopi, Native American.
Inti: Incan God of the Sun.
Kaitangata: Polynesian God of Sunsets.
Kalvelis: Baltic Sun God.
Kan-Ajana: Southeast Asian Sun god.
Kinich-Ahau: Mayan Sun God.
Kuat: Brazilian Sun God.
Legba: Hatian Sun God, among other things.
Lugus: Welsh Sun God.
Mahes: Egytian god of Summer heat.
Mawu-Lisa: Sun/Moon brother/sister duo of the Fon people in Africa.
Mnevis: Black Bull of the Moon in Egyptian mythology.
Nanautzin: Aztec god/dess of humble bravery who leaped into a sacrificial fire to become God of the Sun.
Nefertem: Egyptian God of the rising Sun.
Njambi: African Sky god.
OD: Norse Summer Sun god
Page-Abe: South American Sun god.
Paivatar: Sunny Summer Goddess of Finland
Punchau: Incan Sun God
Purusha: Indian God. His eye is the Sun.
Ra: Egyptian Sun God.
Raven: Native American god who stole the Sun and shared it with the world.
Rohini: Possibly an Indian Sun goddess.
Saule: (sow-lay) Slavic Sun Goddess
Savitri: Indian god of the moving Sun.
Sekhmet: Egyptian Sun Goddess
Shakaru: Pawnee Sun Goddess
Shamesh: Mesopotamian Sun God of Law.
Sol or Sunna: Norse Sun Goddess.
Sol (2): Roman equivalent of Helios
Takami-Musubi: Japanese Sun Goddess
Tamit: Native American Sun God.
Tamusi: South American god that keeps the Sun from getting too hot.
Tonatiuh: Aztec Sun god.
Tsohanoai: Navajo Sun carrying god.
Tsui-Goab: Namibian god who makes the Sun rise, and other things
Unelanuki: Cherokee Sun Goddess
Viracocha: Incan Sun God
Vivasat: Indian god of the rising Sun.
Holy Shit! What a list! And Wikipedia lists many more. In addition to the above, the Sun is associated with Yang energy according to Daoist philosophy. Being male, loud, bright, outgoing, ect. Wikipedia also states:
Among Wiccans, the most common Wheel of the Year narrative is that of the God/Goddess duality. In this cycle, the God is born from the Goddess at Yule, grows in power at Vernal Equinox (along with the Goddess who has now returned to her maiden aspect), courts and impregnates the Goddess at Beltane, wanes in power at Lammas, passes into the underworld at Samhain, then is once again born from Her mother/crone aspect at Yule. The Goddess, in turn, ages and rejuvenates endlessly with the seasons, being courted by and giving birth to the Horned God. Versions of this myth vary from coven to coven, shifting the birth, conception, or death of the God to different sabbats.
Another solar narrative is of the Holly King and the Oak King, with one ruling the winter, the other the summer. These two figures battle with each other endlessly as the seasons turn. At Midsummer the Oak King is at the height of his strength, while the Holly King is at his weakest. The Holly King begins to regain his power, and at the Autumn Equinox, the tables finally turn in the Holly King's favor; he vanquishes the Oak King at Yule. Then over the next months, as the sun waxes in power, the Oak King slowly regains his strength; at the Spring Equinox he begins to triumph until he once again defeats the Holly King at Midsummer.[16]
According to Myth Encyclopedia, Sun Gods are more popular than Sun Goddesses and are often portrayed as creators and associated with the fertility of the Earth. Multiple 'kinds' of Sun deities appear throughout the world. Tricksters, healers, Royalty, etc. Often the Sun is not a being so much as something being hauled across the sky, usually in a boat, or later a chariot. In myth, the Sun is commonly eaten or stolen to explain eclipses, and there are a few stories about too many Suns being whittled down to one.
In Astrology, the Sun is considered the most powerful 'planet' although it is a luminary. The astrological sign the Sun was in when you were born is your Sun sign and prolly the one you think of when you look up your horoscope. However popular the Sun sign is now, it came after the Rising sign in order of importance until quite recently. In a nutshell, The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need, says that your Sun sign dictates your overall personality or how the world sees you. The astrological sign associated with the Sun is Leo and the Sun moves through your chart and your houses bringing all sorts of influences depending on the price of tea in China at the time.
There is also a curious case of American Sun worship lasting from the 1960's thru the 1990's, at which point everyone started realizing the Sun will turn you into bacon if you aren't careful. Speaking of turning us into bacon, it is seemingly trying to do just that here in Florida. If science were viewed as a kind of magic, then Global Warming would be one big, fat Karmic slap, imho. St. John's Wort is the most celebrated solar herb and is commonly used for depression and in Summer Solstice celebrations.
As far as my personal practice goes, like I said I rarely work with solar energy, but we do put a shiny, gold Sun on top of the Solstice tree and we say "hello" & "thank you" some time around Midsummer. Hope you enjoyed the article. Feedback is welcome and let me know if there is any additional info you would like to see on this page.
Upon being hired as a birth assistant, I was handed a purple stethoscope and a manual blood pressure cuff and told to practice taking vitals every chance I got. So I got a cute little bag from LoverMan and organized my (sounding very important here) instruments. It took me two weeks of vitals to lose the damn thing...Woe, woe unto me. So I retrace my steps...painstakingly going door to door everywhere I've been for a damn week. No luck so far...I have narrowed down that BohoChick was the last person who's vitals I have taken, but we were high and can't decide if it was park with the Great Oak Tree or the hippie Saturday thing... In either case, my midwives are gonna murder me & it's gonna cost at least an arm.
I've nearly finished my latest creation, a netted outer shower curtain covered with flowers and hung between the living room and the rest of the apartment. It looks awesome, and I was able to make it using an old shower curtain and a $4 worth of artificial flowers from the Dollar Tree. I just want to add...something to it to call it done. This past couple of months, I've been trying to cheer up my house and make it more into the home of a crafty witch & witchlings, instead of a teenager's room. Actually, until VERY recently, my house looked worse than a teenager's room....I am also almost done with my Summer altar, it still needs something too.
On a separate happy note: I volunteered to help with organizing games & such at the Saturday hippie things and they offered to pay me.
And Brittany (who lives suspiciously close to me) is having a great GIVEAWAY!!! I know it's tempting not to, but if you enter please share! She makes some beautiful jewelery!
So, first off. I recently noticed the words to a song from the much played Mulan. Behold: "I'll Make a Man Out of You".
And the lyrics:
"Mulan" is copyright (c) 1998
Walt Disney Music Company. All rights reserved.
Music by Matthew Wilder, lyrics by David Zippel
Let's get down to business - to defeat the Huns
Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons? (Acknowledging that there ARE
You're the saddest bunch I ever met differences between boys & girls,
But you can bet before we're through sometimes being a boy is preferred.)
Mister, I'll make a man out of you
Tranquil as a forest (Calm, Cool, Collected, & Successful. Not bad.)
But on fire within
Once you find your center
You are sure to win
You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot (Definitely no cowards or individuals who
And you haven't got a clue lack physical prowess.)
Somehow I'll make a man out of you
I'm never gonna catch my breath
Say good-bye to those who knew me
Boy, I was a fool in school for cutting gym
The guy's got 'em scared to death
Hope he doesn't see right through me
Now I really wish that I knew how to swim
(Chorus)
(Be a man) (Do I have to say anything here? This is awesome!)
We must be swift as the coursing river.
(Be a man)
With all the force of a great typhoon
(Be a man)
With all the strength of a raging fire
Mysterious as the darkside of the moon.
Time is racing toward us till the Huns arrive
Heed my every order and you might survive
You're unsuited for the rage of war
So pack up, go home you're through
How could I make a man out of you?
Chorus 2X'
So, on the 50,000th or so time that I've heard this song, I have an epiphany: this song is praising "traditionally male" traits like physical strength, passion(fire), mystery, silence, success, courage, and even rage. Yes, rage is normal and natural and is far more pronounced in the male of the species. Why the fuck am I waning poetic about a Disney song, you might ask? Off the top of your head, can you think of any other kid songs praising manhood? I couldn't either. I know lots of songs about being a smart girl, a strong girl, and most importantly an independent girl who follows her heart. It really got me thinking about the emphasis we've put on feminism and teaching girls to dream a little. And then on to how it is just assumed that without tons of help from everywhere, boys will grow up just fine in a country with 26% of children being raised in single parent house holds and 84% of those headed by mothers, and a culture that can't figure out if males and females originated on the same planet or if they exactly are the same. So that's about 22% of the children in America are being raised by strong, intelligent, caring mothers. Now if we assume that there are roughly the same number of little boys and little girls, that means 22% of boys today will grow up without fathers to teach them what it means to be men. Some of them will be lucky and someone will step in and do that job, but just as many boys in "traditional" families will have father issues that don't show up in the census. In fact, the boys with the best manners come from mom only homes, I think. There are well rounded boys from lots of homes but there is an increasing number of boys who can't figure out how to ask a girl out, much less whether or not they should pay the tab. There is a marked lack of masculinity in my generation of American men. There are also high levels of anxiety and a lack of confidence in who they are supposed to be. They rely on countless sources to piece together exactly what they are aiming at, including Disney movies, teachers, neighbors, relatives, books, music, etc. And normally I am so against most kinds of censoring, even in the case of children (note I said most, not all). I don't mean for this to be yet another rant about how delicate our children are and how it's the world's job to censor out anything that might offend our ethnocentric sensibilities. But, REALLY!? If we are gonna take every cartoon and turn it into a personal improvement seminar, then can we really say that boys today need any less guidance than girls?
Okay, on to the second thing...what was the second thing? Oh yeah, I really need some motivation to clean my house. I got about half-way through a second attempt at a spring cleaning and my back gave out on me! And then I stopped for a while and can't seem to get started again. Preacher'sDaughter is coming over on the weekend after July 4th to do some all natural soap making. Got a fabulous recipe for liquid castile soap that from start to finish takes less than 24 hours and can be altered to make body wash, shampoo, handsoap, dish soap, dishwasher detergent (I'm not sure this will work...), and laundry detergent. I will share the whole bit after I've tried it! New homemade soap would inspire me to clean, but I think that's too long to sit on my ass (just by a day or two).
Well, so much has happened since I last posted (lazy little hooligan that I am). I don't even know where to begin except to say I've been making strides. That was my "One Little Word 2011" and boy oh boy! School is over, thank any god/dess of freedom and liberty that you like, but WE ARE FREE, and we're never going back either! I'm really making strides trusting my own instincts and not waiting around for anyone's approval. Got my divorce. It was pretty anti-climactic but it set off a whirl-wind of un-dealt-with emotions. I am a survivor of IPSA, or Intimate Partner Sexual Assault, and my husband had me so brainwashed during my marriage that I didn't really realize what had happened to me until I had to face him again. It was like experiencing every single episode of abuse all over again, but from the perspective of a new woman who knows that it was a terrible crime. I came to terms with what happened to me and feel that I've made some major strides towards healing from that horrifying time. If you have questions about IPSA or think you might be a victim, please check out Aphrodite Wounded. It is an amazing site, with real stories from real women who have experienced this sort of abuse.
I have also landed a job as a Birth Assistant with my midwife! Which is big news, because my kids aren't old enough for me to go to midwifery school yet. This is not only a great job, but a huge stride towards one of my big life goals! I've also made some friends and gotten involved in the local hippie/pagan community. I finally feel like life is really going my way for the first time ever! Better late than never, I guess. Must be why I feel such a strong connection to Ishtar Inanna, I feel like I've walked through Hell and come out the other side with my head held high. Happy Solstice everyone!
It's my birthday, as of 36 minutes ago and my insomniac ass can't sleep to save my life as usual. It has been a crazy fucking week and an even crazier year. Reflection. Yes, the miserable way I spend every birthday, reflecting on what was NOT accomplished in the preceding year. Luckily, this year I am way too stressed for negativity and self flagellation. What crazy shit is specifically going on right now? Well for one, I finally figured out how to black mail my husband into signing the divorce papers (happy evil genius grin). I can't really take credit for that, he's just stupid enough to leave really self incriminating and threatening messages on my machine. I haven't seen or talked to him in almost a year, when I left, and it scares the living shit out of me to have to come face to face with that abusive bastard...and it turns out that I get to do just that on my birthday. If ever I wanted to be stoned on ANY day of my whole life, this would be it. Unfortunately, I'm not speaking to the only shady person I know who could make that happen (my convict brother). So Jose or Jack or Johnny? One of the boys will surely be happy to comfort me. Also, LoverMan and I are having a bumpy spot, between his pain flaring up and my panic attacks from this situation, I guess it's the inevitable thing to happen. Enough bitching now.
I also use my birthday as a personal "New Years" and usually come up with some sweet resolution but I think signing divorce papers says "Happy New Year" like nothing else really can. I just found out that Feralia is on February 21st and it is a fittingly morbid holiday where you might get haunted by your ancestors if you don't honor them. The only ancestor I have unfinished business with is my mother and that crazy bitch would haunt me no matter how much salt I put on her grave. But, still, we are deeply amused that there is some basis for my deep-seated, life-long morbidity (what? you thought Rosie came by it by accident :P) Of the random events that have occurred on my b-day over the centuries, one of the more tragic occurred in 1971 in Vienna. So sad, the end of an era, really. I also share my birthday with Charlotte Church, yep same year too. This would be a great year to do a past life regression...something I'm not sold on, but would be intensely amusing/interesting/etc. all the same.
And in other news: Fiona has announced her first crush...and she's a girl. As impressed as I am at my ability to raise children that don't consider gender, race, or religion in their choice of friends and crushes, I just KNOW this is gonna come bite me in the ass. I mean, I live in the bible belt, what are the chances that LittleMiss's mom feels like lesbian tendencies in your 7 yo is a non-issue? LittleMiss is so very attractive due to her tiny head, "It makes her look so pretty," says Fi. LMAO...
We're going to call this section "Overheard" because I am not, in fact, a part of the vast majority of the conversations that will be described here. In this first Overheard post however, I am, to my great amusement, involved.
(sitting at the dinner table)
Fi: I wish to be a chef when I grow up. (yes, she does talk that way, the little nerd)
Rose: I want to be a mommy when I grow up.
Me: Well, those are great choices! But remember you can choose to be a mommy AND have a career etc. (feminist propaganda about being superwoman follows here)
Rose: Well, I want to be a mommy. A mommy in a box.
Me & Fi: (perplexed looks on our faces)
Her Morbid Sweetness
Rose: Why can't I be a mommy in a box?
Me: Well honey, you can be whatever you want to be, but...What kind of mommy is in a box?
Rose: A dead mommy! (smiles with delight)
Okay, at this point I have sorted out that she wants to be a mummy. But, what kind of kid wants to be dead in a box as her chosen profession? Of course, Rosie's cheerful morbidity astounds us all...quite regularly.
First off, I am apparently a dirty hippie. You may be wondering how I reached an age before discovering this truth...Well, for one thing, my dad was an extremist dirty hippie in denial and compared to him ANYTHING was cleaner. Secondly, I'm probably not the top expert on social norms and although I've lived with a number of families (DCF kid) I've never been very observant of hygiene rituals. See, this whole post was to be about this fabulous blog called A Sonoma Garden I found that provides the SIMPLEST instructions ever for your necessary daily potions and such, like lotion. Well as I was reading through the blog, I found that not shampooing your hair is actually a social movement. Hmm....read through the comments section where people dutifully divulged their shower and shampoo frequencies. And OH MY, I'm definitely a dirty hippie. I like a good shower as much anyone. Well, I probably like a shower better than most people as I spent the majority of my childhood without access to running water. I know it doesn't seem possible in this day and age in America, but believe me it's true(told you he was a dirty hippie!). But apparently "the masses" do something that I don't. They use soap and wash their hair with shampoo on a daily basis. I'm shocked. First off, I shower when I'm dirty, cold, sick, or sad (showers are comforting). This may occur once a week or as frequently as multiple times a day. I rarely use soap on anything but my hands and feet (flip flop addict), and even then it's usually this bulk olive oil soap that I get from my local Middle East food store that seemingly has the power to clear up any dry/itchy skin issue you might have.
Hair is also shampooed as needed, which is usually like twice a month (basically after I have used some hair gel/spray/etc), which isn't to say I don't do other things to my hair. My mother used to spend hours brushing, rinsing, oiling it and anything else you can think of. From time to time I use various things like olive oil, rosemary vinegar (home made), henna (but not long enough to dye it), etc. I might try the baking soda water idea that she has listed on her blog, seems I might be able to get rid of the shampoo altogether. If my skin is feeling particularly dry/rough, I run a hot bath and throw a few family size green tea bags in and soak. You would not BELIEVE what that will do for your skin. Also feel free to drop in some good smelling oil (Rose is my fav). Now after hearing all this you may think that I LOOK like a dirty hippie. Turns out, I'm actually your average vain girlie girl who wears make up and fusses over her hair color like nobody's business.
Rosemary Vinegar Hair Rinse
(For Shiny Hair)
Take a handful of fresh rosemary and put it in a wide mouth jar (old jam jars work just fine). Pound the hell out of it with a wooden spoon, fill to the top with vinegar (I like white vinegar). Sit it in the fridge for a few days, shaking whenever you think of it. Then strain it and pour it over your hair. I like to start with dry hair and let it sit while I'm in the tub scrubbing and whatnot (yes, I do scrub, though without soap). Then rinse it out. Use cold water to rinse it with if you want it extra shiny.
Outside my window...it's gray, overcast, damp, not cold, not really warm enough for comfort either, the wind is fabulous, and it's a dark moon tonight.
I am thinking...wouldn't it be nice if Rose would answer questions for someone other than her sister? Hm...maybe I could take Fi to Rose's next p/t conference, then she would SEE that Rosie really does know all her sight words.
I am thankful for...knock knock jokes that make no sense but are always delivered with giggles.
From the learning rooms...maybe life is telling me to shut up right now.
From the kitchen...2 lbs of fingerling potatoes (halved), 2 lbs of baby carrots, 1 lb of parsnips peeled and cubed, 2 lbs of lean beef roast (whole), 1 whole yellow onion, 4 chives chopped, 6 cloves of garlic, 3 bay leaves, quarter of a handful of dried thyme, bout 30 seconds of shaking worth of rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, & 2 beef bullion cubes in my giant bulk cooking pot simmering on low, covered. All to feed the hungry unexpected army of distant relatives who have suddenly (as in, for the very first time in my life) decided to descend upon us girls.
I am wearing...too big jeans with a stain (what kind? I do not know) on the right thigh, black spaghetti strap, LoverMan's "fancy" brown jacket. How do I know it's fancy? Because he keeps complimenting his own jacket!
I am creating...artificial motivation to get up and clean this house before the relatives get here tomorrow morning.
I am going...to Crystal Connection to pick up some essential oils to make happy spells in my house.
I am reading...still just blogs, and wynken, blynken, & nod.
I am hoping...that my dysfunctional relatives keep it within the realm of only slightly trashy behavior tomorrow. Oh, god pass the pot...why did I give that up again? Oh, RIGHT, those little people...
I am hearing...my Rose mumbling incessantly while Fi is making a suspicious amount of racket in the bathroom.
Around the house...Well, see, yesterday I started spring cleaning (because there wasn't even a hint I'd be having any company) and because I'm super neurotic, possibly bordering on OCD, that means that everything has to be drug out, cleaned, sorted, and put back juuuuuuust right. I'm in between steps 1 and 2. Nuff said.
One of my favorite things...swimming naked in the river when I was 16 and couldn't have cared less about getting caught!
A few plans for the rest of the week: See previous post...oh yeah, and those relatives didn't say when they'd be leaving.
In our home, Imbolc is on the night of February 1st. I had some grand plans over the course of the year for how we would celebrate now that I'm free to practice openly; but here it is and nothing is ready. The healing afghan for LoverMan is still not finished, the house is a complete wreck (I should mention that by 'wreck', I mean something you might see on "Hoarders"), there is no corn dollie, I haven't bought the stuff for making butter with the girls, I haven't set up an alter (for that matter, I haven't taken down the Yule alter), etc...
So this year, Imbolc will be a step by step process leading up to the Equinox. Starting today, with a thorough Spring Cleaning, that is likely to last through the entire season. Is there an app for that? And that lucky little girl who snuck out of bed last night to play video games ALL NIGHT LONG till mommy woke up to make breakfast and the like, and did not go to school...will get to help me do the cleaning. (lucky me it was Fiona, god knows Rose has a lazy bone that must have come from a mastodon)
Tonight, we will lay out the pieces of unfinished afghan as well as the remaining 8 skeins of yarn for the Goddess to bless. We will leave some hay (or a reasonable substitute...do cows like sprouts?) and some store bought bread and butter for the Goddess and her cow. We will also be doing a variation on MrsB's Simple Candle Ritual. Good god, I'm tired just thinking of the day to come. On Saturday, we have the local pagan get together for Imbolc. Anyone got any ideas for a milk based dish to bring? Preferably not sweet, and something no one else will think of!
As for the rest of the season, I have a plan of sorts...
I'm going to work on the never ending afghan of love/healing every time I watch t.v. or a movie.
I am going to wash those flower pots and buy any additional seeds/supplies I need by the 12th.
I will also be blessing those seeds with the girls, an idea we really like from Elsie and Pooka.
I am investigating planting by moon phases/astrological signs, which is something my dad did but failed to pass the necessary info down to me.
I will then be planting seeds for a potted herb/vegetable garden.
We will also make butter! And learn to make french bread!
Oh, and I am shampooing the carpets, washing the walls, and re-organizing the kitchen.
Okay, since this is supposedly a Witchy blog and we're coming up on Imbolc (that's a witchy holiday to you muggles) I thought I'd share my perspective on the season. Imbolc is traditionally celebrated as a festival of the coming spring. Ya know, the beginning of February being about the coldest time of year, it's only going to get warmer and fatter from here on out. It's a time for purification, healing, weather divination, spring cleaning and the like. For me, this is not a pleasant time of year.
I know, I know, every season sheds light on an area of life and the cycles thereof. But, I'll just come on out and tell you, winter does not agree with me. I get cranky, depressed, refuse to leave the house except when absolutely necessary, and then I get impatient. I hope to solve this problem with a slight change in geography at some point, but until then I guess I should learn the lesson. This is the time when the sheep and our Mother is pregnant, about to burst with life. I remember pregnancy. I was impatient then too. Oh, I wasn't unhappy like I get in cold weather, but I couldn't wait to get to the next step. I didn't stop, breath, and enjoy pregnancy. I sat brooding, so excited that it was a miserable wait to meet my baby.
Imbolc comes this year to remind me not of rebirth, but of patience. Yes, Spring will be here soon, but until then there is a season of waiting. The theme of patience keeps popping up. In comments from readers, in bedtime stories, in situations in my personal life. This Imbolc, I am finally hearing the message. It is a time of quiet preparations, a time to turn inward and plan, it is a time to wait, to actively wait with patience. I suck at it. But at least I'm starting to get the idea.
On another note. My daughter turned 7 today. So 7 years and a few hours ago, I was ushering this person into the world, into life. What Magic it is to bring forth life? She is turning out to be everything you could hope for in a daughter. She has a strength in her, I can almost see the woman she will become. Every time one of my girls has a birthday, I mourn a little, that they are growing up and away. I try to remember the words of Khalil Gibran when he wrote on children:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
I hope you follow the link and read the rest of this passage. It's beautiful and wise.
Outside my window...it is cool and the earth is wet. There is the promise of a breeze to come and warmer weather. My willow tree appears to be dying, but I know that with the change of seasons she will return to her usual glory. In the previous sentence 'my' means: I'm the only person in the apartment complex who seems to notice we have such a beautiful willow spirit for a neighbor.
I am thinking...Oh how I love the night! It simply isn't fair that we live in a diurnal world. Hmmm...maybe one day.
I am thankful for...Winter coming to a close. If there were a hell, it would most certainly be cold and wet!
From the learning rooms...today I was faced again with my lack of patience and my need to control my environment right down to the last detail. I'm learning to be less anal about plans. I'm trying to learn to let go.
From the kitchen...a huge pile of dishes. But before that there was an awesome salad, some mozzarella sticks, and two little girls helping put dinner on the table while learning their candle color correspondences. (wow, say that 3 times fast!)
I am wearing...my favorite wrap around skirt that I rescued from Goodwill for...WHAT?! 4 BUCKS! THAT'S RIGHT!. It's got a silky green bottom layer and then a gauzy white top layer with green roses. And my brown button down shirt (cuz I was doing adult stuff today and a spaghetti strap just wouldn't cut it). Bare feet. And an anklet that I made myself.
I am creating...a peppy playlist of massive proportions. Incidentally, I am also creating a blogpost about said playlist as a sneaky way to get free song ideas from you ladies.
I am going...to stride through this year with purpose and grace.
I am reading...blogs. And Wynken, Blynken, & Nod. I also read the same paragraph of whatever I'm reading repeatedly because there are these little people in my house that are strictly averse to me turning a page and will stop at nothing to prevent it! Except, of course, in the case of the aforementioned Wynken, Blynken, & Nod.
I am hoping...that I can get into the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in the fall. And I hope that I decide to put it off for a year because LoverMan decides that the planets have aligned in such a way for us to have that baby we've been talking about for so long now. (fat chance, but I can dream)
I am hearing...little giggles from my bedroom where two little girls are fast asleep ;)
Around the house...cookie crumbs and candles burning. The usual.
One of my favorite things...that hour before a real good summer storm, when the wind is blowing like crazy and you can actually FEEL the storm coming! When I was a girl, I would climb up on the roof, spread my arms wide, and try to absorb it! (on a side note: natural selection has started to fail, just as I surmised, because I never got struck by lightning)
A few plans for the rest of the week: I really need to catch up with friends this week. Specifically I need to call my Peg (aka BettyFuckingCrocker, the demigoddess). But also K, N, the other Peg, and B. LoverMan also would like to go out and do something, though he doesn't know what or when. Make little cheesecakes decorated with flames for Miss Fi to take to school on Friday. Her B-day is the 29th and she has decided that since it's so close to Imbolc she might as well drag my ass kicking and screaming out of the broom closet with her. .
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...
My Awesome Goodwill Find!
If you would like to participate in The Simple Woman's Daybook, click this link. You can also find the experiences of many other Simple Women from around the world! It's a beautiful idea, leave me a link in the comments box so I can read your post. http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
In fact, I'm thrilled shitless! That's right, this occasion calls for previously undiscovered joyful expletive phrases. I have wanted some nude photographs done for a while but I had put on a bunch of weight when I was depressed and I had a husband that simply wouldn't tolerate that kind of thing, etc. Well, over the course of the last year and a half I have lost 43 lbs (and that's not even counting the 300 lbs of asshole that I lost in the divorce!) So I'm all pretty (and humble) and ready to have some photos taken, which I mentioned to my very fabulous lover man. He offered to do them for me and apparently has taken a few classes and is more than capable of getting the job done. Well, his awesomeness doesn't stop there. He has ordered a tripod for his camera, fancy photo paper(idk the difference, personally), and is working on ordering lighting for the event.
BUT WAIT...it gets better. He has also purchased a fancy book binding that he can press the 8x11 photos into and heat and make me my very own hard cover NUDEY BOOK! Now to time it just right. I need to prepare. I might even be willing to go to a nail salon and get a pedicure. And we're gonna have to time it around my ovulation because science has proven that we ladies look our best when fertile. I'm not sure if I want to wax down there or not. I'm not sure what would look better...hair would be fine if they're all black and white, but hairless might look a little raunchy. I dunno but I'm super fucking excited! What a lucky girl I am to have such a fabulous lover. Have any of you gals had nudes done? It's so much easier now that you don't have to develop them yourself or take them to be developed. Just a good photo printer and a digital camera and you're set!
On another note, don't be surprised if the name of this blog suddenly changes...I'm not sure its right.
I'm a little late getting on the train, but a number of wonderful blogs I read have mentioned picking a word for 2011 rather than a resolution. And like the lovely author of Dark Mother Goddess, I also have a massive case of demand resistance so I didn't even bother making a resolution this year. So, I set about trying to think of the right word for me. What do I want out of this year? Well, the only way I can describe how I spent last year is "in flux". So much change and arriving nowhere (how frustrating). I finally left the most destructive relationship of my life, found a part of myself that I thought had been destroyed, and realized that I deserve better. That's great, really, that's all great and I am thankful for the changes that occurred within me, but I need something a little more quantitative this year. I need something I can measure. The thing I need is to be able to say that I am moving forward with my life. And then I heard one of my favorite songs of all time, "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder. So that's my word for 2011. Stride. The very act of moving forward.
Now to put the word into motion (How clever am I?). I'm in no way accountable enough to remember to meditate on my word on a daily or even weekly basis, so I need to find a way to remind myself of it. Getting it tattooed on my forearm is an option but I think I'll wait and see if I still like it that much next year before I do that. So far, I have decided that I will add the song to every musical playlist I use, I will also reupholster my desktop wallpaper with the word, and I will hang little STRIDE signs all over my habitat. And because I have an emergent reader in my life, that last idea means I'm gonna hear this word read to me till I'm willing to stride right off the edge of a cliff. If you've got any ideas on how to incorporate my word into my consciousness, I'd love to hear them!
Besides the above, I think I am going to begin working with Nike. What better aspect of the divine to help me take strides than the goddess of victory and running shoes. Sadly there is very little modern (meaning in this case, not ancient) artwork of her. Hopefully I can find something soon, as I like very much to a visual representation of whatever deity I'm working with.
If any of you have chosen a word, let me know! I'm so curious to hear what the rest of you are focusing on for the coming year and why!
News has reached Casa de la Bohemia, that Kegals are not only ineffective, but possibly counter-productive. The newest news suggests that the key to a strong pelvic floor is having a big firm booty. The brilliant scientist that came up with the newest news says we should be doing squats instead. Okay, so I get very excited on the first day and start squatting every chance I get. I counted 80 squats that day. (Did I mention, that the little witchlings and the little cat think I've gone and dropped my basket?) No, sweat. Next morning, no soreness. This continued for several days, til I got to thinking that my tiny little white girl 'no-ass' (as my friends lovingly refer to it) is obviously NOT muscular enough. This should be a bit painful if it's going to be effective. So we checked the all knowing internet and found that we are doing squats ALL wrong. Essentially, while doing a squat, you should appear to be sitting down onto a chair. Your feet should be hip length apart & pointed forward. You should face directly ahead (which is hard while squatting, so I suggest doing it in front of a mirror) and I find that placing a book on my head helps me stay more balanced and 'drawn in' while doing this exercise. Your knees should never move forward of your toes & keep your posture nice & your back slightly arched. Now is the part where I mention that if you plan on doing this exercise in front of a mirror, give yourself an extra 15 minutes, cuz you will want to have the time to laugh at the jack-ass in the mirror with a book on her head sitting in an imaginary chair and falling like a damn fool. And if ya wanna go hard core and build a butt, you should use weights. I used 11 lb barbells and I am sorry. Gauge weight size, by if you can do 10-15 squats easily while holding them. If you can, they are too light. Every time you want to quit, just think of Depends. And for some real incentive, go check out the Mama Sweat blog where the original info is!
