Mid-Week Pick me up: SNL Digital Short - YOLO

Ok, so Sara from Sara's Organized Chaos gave me a great idea for today's post. It's hilarious and is inspired by this post of hers.

Oh and if you don't already read her blog....you suck. No really, the only remedy is to click on the link and read....she is AWESOME and HILARIOUS!!!

I Hope We're Still BFF's?!?!?!

You’d think we would be old friends by now. At the very least, we’d understand one another. 

Nope. 

Not a chance. 

I’ve been trying to get to know you and your idiosyncrasies for years. It started way back in 8^th grade when I perm’ed you. (It was the early 90’s.) 

And the perm fell out. 

No really. Beautiful bouncing curls. No washing of chemicals for a day and a half. And they fell out. 

I should have learned at that moment. 

Nope. 

My mom took me back to the salon three days later and they perm’ed you again. This time the perm sort of took. Alas, we weren’t going for the dreadlock look. 

No seriously, you did resemble dreadlocks unless I was actively brushing you. 

Then we got along a little better in high school. I left you long and highlighted. No muss, no fuss. I embraced the straightness of you. 

College came. I let you grow until you gave me migraines with your weight. I cut you from my waist to my chin. Getting shorter and shorter until you were an inch and a half long….and platinum blonde. 

Then I decided to make you pink. First, bubble gum, pink streaks. Which you didn’t care for and promptly let wash out. 

Again. Did I learn?

No. 

I decided to cover all of you in hot, hot pink. I fused retinas on the backs of eyeballs of people that had to look at me. Well for a little while. Then you let most of that pink wash out. 

Not all of it, mind you. You got your revenge with the small pink yarmulke back there. 

I relented and let you grow out. We got along for a while. You even seemed to like the Mary Jane red I dyed you. 

You didn’t want to let go of that. I tried to take you back to your beautiful, natural, caramel blonde color.

Nope. You didn’t want to let go. So I made the hair dresser bleach you three times in one sitting. And you were still slightly pink. 

But you retaliated for that lapse of judgment on my part. I was lucky you didn’t fall out. You just decided that you had had enough. 

I waited a few months again. And tried to make all of you the same color, instead of platinum ends and caramel blond roots. 

Nope. 

I ended up with dark ashy roots and platinum ends. You refused to soak up any more color. You were tired and fried. 

I waited a few more weeks until I could cut off all the platinum ends. And dyed you a dark ashy blonde/brown color. You looked really pretty. Finally!!!!

We seemed to have come to some sort of an agreement. 

Then I tried to go the natural shampoo route. I tried Apple Cider Vinegar. You stank and hung crisply for everyone to see. 

I gave that one up fast. 

Then I let you grow out and decided, when you were covering me like a winter blanket in one of the hottest summers and while I was pregnant, to donate you to some child who would be better served by you. 

We were free and floating in the breeze. That was another nice time together. 

I tried the natural-ish shampoo route again. This time using an actual store bought shampoo but sulfate free. We did okay with that. I even gave up conditioner. Well mostly. Every now and then you still demand it. 

Finally we are where we are today. I wash you every other day. You don’t get crazy greasy and you actually let me style you somewhat. 

I feel our relationship is better than ever. 

Except today.

When I left the house, you looked great. 

Now I have a weird kink in you and I look like a goddamn cockatoo. 

What the fuck hair?!?!?! 

Please tell me this is just a passing fancy and that we really are BFF’s. 

Please?!?!?!

Mustachioed Fun

So Amber over at Chronicles of Amber, sent me a mustache in my Halloween Swap box. Yes I know I've mentioned her in my last post. She's awesome. If you didn't already know that. And I promised her a pic of me in all my mustachioed glory. So for everyone in my corner of the blogosphere...

Now that I've thoroughly made an idiot of myself. Here's to a Fun and Silly Pre-Halloween/Samhain week.

Let's see some costumes posted. What are you going as? Me? I'm a Fall Fairy or a Greek Goddess. It'll depend on the weather here in MI. I'll post pics of Angel Baby and Squeaker after Halloween. But they're going as a Queen and Yoda.

Spooktacular Swap - Swag Time!

So as some of you may know, I joined in on the Spooktacular Halloween Swap hosted by Sara of Sara's Organized Chaos and Jamie of This is Me; Consequently. Well, I lucked out majorly and got the Bomb Diggity of all Swap Partners!!!! Amber of Chronicles of Amber.

You can all see the Spooktacular spookiness of my Swap stuff from her.

There were three additional boxes of candy. Peanut M&M's, Chewy SweeTarts, and a box of Mike and Ike's Berry candy. As you can see, I've mowed my way through three boxes of candy already. Eeek!

The Day of the Dead sugar skull pendant is really cute. In fact, I'm wearing it today!

It kind of reminds me of Ded Bob of the Ded Bob Sho at the Michigan Renaissance Festival.

And if you don't know who Ded Bob is. Check out his site. If you go to the main site. The password is "Hey what?"

I hope you are all enjoying the Halloween/Samhain season. I know I sure am! I watched Prometheus the other day. Nothing too freaky. Not Event Horizon type of shit or anything. (Though that was a great movie!) But it was a good prologue to Alien. The end of the movie was kind of a set up for another prologue type of movie. Kind of a sequel prologue. Prometheus as evidenced from the title was more about mythology and spirituality. Where do we come from? Why are we here?

Now that I've hijacked my own Swap post for a movie review, I'll call it quits here.

Hope everyone's enjoying the holiday season. And I hope my fellow Swap participants got some sweet and spooky stuff!

What I've been doing...

Since I've been gone I've been up to a few things.

* Konad and Shany Nail Art Stamping. I used to do my nails all the time, but got out of it for a few years. Now with this fun system I can't wait to try new ideas and patterns.



* Cooking. In fact, I tried out making a rainbow cake. But it didn't turn out all that well. I think since I made it from scratch and I over stirred. But check out these awesome cupcakes.



* Working with the Wee One and the potty. Yep, she's all interested in it. Which is great since then we can stop buying diapers. But I don't think she's going to master it anytime soon. No rush.

* Taking a bit of an internet fast. Just trying to cut down on how much I'm online. It was getting a little out of hand.

* Working on my spiritual path. It's wonderful to be able to finally focus on that part of my life.

What are you all up to?

Surprise Blog Birthday Giveaway

So, it's been one year since I started this blog. It's been a little hit or miss lately, but I've really enjoyed my little corner of the blogosphere. It's interesting to look back over the year to see what I was dealing with, worrying about, or enjoying 365+ days ago.

Of course, I'm still enjoying being a Mommy! My little angel is the light of my life. Everyday with her is a beautiful day! And I swear I can't have a day where I don't hear her laugh. Happiness!

The Hubs and I are in a wonderful spot right now. Enjoying each other's presence and really sharing our life together! Talking and having deep conversations! He really is like a cuddly blanket. Comforting, protecting, and perfect!

In the interest of sharing my wonderful blog birthday, I thought I'd have a Surprise Birthday Giveaway! And the winner....drum roll please.....is....Mary from Moontides and 7 other blogs! This woman is such a blog superpower. She keeps up 8 blogs and each one has it's own theme. Definitely check her out. She is a wealth of knowledge. And you may remember she is the only interviewee that I've had. You can check out our interview here.

You may be asking yourself, "Hmmmm, why did Mary win? Well, I compiled all the comments my lovely readers have sent for the last year and Mary had the most comments. Therefore, I decided to show a little love to the one who's shared the most love with me this year.

I will post what I've sent her after she's gotten it. After all what's a surprise if you give it away.

Hope you are all doing well! I know, I've enjoyed reading all your wonderful posts for the last year!

Here's to many more years together!

Cheers!

Lavender Dreams by Domestic Witch

Hey everyone! Now's the time to get your lavender on.

Check out Domestic Witch's AWESOME Lavender Dreams Giveaway!

Things I Learned at the 3-Day

• The 2 most common words are: Thank you.
  
• The 4 most common words are: Thank you for walking.
• Kindness is everywhere.
• You will be brought to tears for a bag of ice or a quick icy dunk of your bandana.
• If you feel it is too hot outside, just go into a port-a-potty for a few minutes. When you come out it will seem as though the world is air conditioned.
• Blisters are common and will heal fast enough.
• The last mile of the day feels like 5.
• Negativity has no place here. You worked hard training and fundraising. Why spend your walk whining? Besides, whining causes blisters.
• After walking 16 miles with someone you just met, you can call them a true friend.
• I will never forget when my daughter ran towards me and into my arms.
• A wonderful sight is seeing all different people walking. Short, tall, old, young, etc. Everyone walks. Because we walk for those who cant.
• Everyone deserves a lifetime.
• Yes, I will do this again.

Disconnected

Lately, I've been feeling a bit ehh. It's sort of a fog I guess. I haven't felt inspired to do much of anything. I obviously haven't been blogging. But even more surprising to me, I've taken a sidestep on my spiritual path. I've done a better job this year celebrating holidays with a ritual and for Litha?!?!? Nothing. I even forgot it was the Solstice until I heard it on the radio on my way to work. Then in the evening I couldn't even bring myself to do anything other than have a Sam Adams Summer Ale. I swear I feel like I'm behind a cloud or veil half the time.

Yesterday, I started to feel a bit more like me. I went grocery shopping, got a butt load of stuff done at work, made homemade lemonade, gave the Wee One a bath, read a bit and hung out with the Hubs watching some Food Network and the History Channel.

I hope this is a turning point for me. Let's hope it was just dregs of vertigo from the cruise.

Update on My Birthday Giveaway Extravaganza

Okay, I told you all that I would fill you in on what Sara and Dawn received in their giveaway winnings.

Here's the loot as it looked upon arrival.

• And here's what was inside all the lovely packages.
• Toblerone chocolate bar
• Saunders Swiss Dark Fudge topping
• Lay It On Thick hand lotion
• Nag Champa incense
• Variety Puzzle book
• Mini Sage Smudge stick
• Matches
• Handmade Feather earrings (by one of my employees)
• Mini Moleskine sketchbook
• London Jeans tote bag
• Calendula seeds
• Handmade Scrying mirror. (Made by moi out of a picture frame and black paint.)

So, again, congratulations to Dawn and Sara!!!! (Go visit their blogs, they are wonderful & inspiring bloggers!!!)

Witch, Please

(borrowed from GreenWoman then from moonfirewolf then from Kelly)


Here are the things I don't care about :

I don't care what the name of your religion is.
I don't care what the names of your gods are.
I don't care how old your religion is.
I don't care if your great-great-whatever grandmother passed down your famtrad Book of Shadows under the watchful eye of the Inquisition.
I don't care if an entire civilization worshipped your Goddess for ten thousand years.
I don't care if you made Her up based on manga or Tolkien or a dream you had.
I don't care where you place your altar.
I don't care which direction you call Earth.
I don't care how psychic you are.
I don't care if you're smarter than me.
I don't care why you eat meat, or don't.
I don't care how many shields you think you need.
I don't care how your childhood trauma made you a powerful magickian.
I don't care if you spell "magic" with a k.
I don't care if you were an Atlantean Magus in your last life.
I don't care if you're brand-spanking new.
I don't care how much you hate Christians.
I don't care how many degrees you have.
I don't care if people call you "Lady" or "Lord."
I don't care if you're King of all Londinium and wear a shiny hat.
I don't care if you can read minds or light candles with your breath.
I don't care how the world owes you a living.
I don't care if you've been studying the Craft for thirty years or thirty minutes.
I don't care what your totem animal is, especially if it's a wolf, raven, or unicorn.
I don't care if you can trace your lineage back to Gardner.
I don't care if you think I'm a moron, fraud, or basket case.
I don't care how many books you've read.
I don't care how much or how little money you have.


What do I care about?

I care that your religion has made you a kinder, more compassionate person.
I care that you can hold down a job.
I care that you're growing past whatever happened to you as a child or last year.
I care that your gods help you become stronger without coddling you.
I care that you are willing and able to adapt and change as your life does.
I care that you care about the Earth.
I care that you care about someone and something outside yourself.
I care that you practice your religion with devotion and reverence.
I care that you respect others' paths.
I care that you never stop learning.
I care that you can conduct adult relationships with respect and understanding.
I care that you get how hilarious life is.
I care that you know when to ask for help.
I care that you realize that someone will always be smarter, more powerful, and more together than you.
I care that you realize it doesn't matter, because tomorrow you'll be smarter, more powerful, and more together than you were yesterday.
I care that you have reasons for everything you do, even if those reasons are purely intuitive.
I care that you can admit when you're wrong.
I care that you know you're both a tiny speck in a vast universe and a rare, precious jewel in the darkened sky.
I care that you're making a difference.
I care that you know when to speak and when to shut the hell up.
I care that you are seeking a relationship with Deity and with Nature.
I care that you are healthy.
I care that you're contributing to your family and community.
I care that your capacity for love and joy increase with every passing year.
I care that you believe in yourself.
I care that you're doing the best you can.

Loving my LUPEC Sisterbroads!!!!

Okay, so I'm a member of a lovely group of women called LUPEC. Which stands for Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails.

It's such a fun group. You get together once a month, one Lady hosts. She comes up with the theme, drinks, appetizers, everything. You come dressed according to theme and try out some cool retro drinks and get to hang out with a bunch of fun-lovin Chicas! Plus, you get to come up with fun Drink nicknames. Mine is "White Lady." And if everyone's hosted a meeting or to switch things up you go on "Field trips" to bars. To release the drinks you love back into the wild!

This weekend...well tomorrow night to be exact. My sisterbroads and I are going to hightail it out of town for a Cottage weekend trip to celebrate out 1st year anniversary!!! We've been doin this for one full year ladies. And it's been a blast so far!

For those of you that aren't in LUPEC, it's not difficult to start a chapter. You can always comment here and I can give you the 411.

And since I'll be away all weekend, I don't know what sort of internet access I'll have. But don't forget about my birthday giveaway, remember the person with the most entries gets one of the two prizes!

Beautiful Blogger Award....Me??!?!?!? Really?!?!?!?

My first ever award! Wow! I feel so special. Squee!!! Thanks Dirgesinger so much!

Rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic!
4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

Seven things about myself:

1. I wear a men's belt. I wear belts as a utilitarian purpose (most often) and therefore, need a belt that will fit around my hips. Plus, this way, I can get a reversible belt and only need one instead of a black and a brown one.

2. I've been told that instead of thinking outside of the box, I don't even know the box exists. I think this is a true statement about me. But I don't always try to reinvent the wheel.

3. I refuse to swim in lakes or any body of water where I can't see the bottom. I'm terrified that something's going to reach up and grab me or bite my legs off. Blame a random viewing of Jaws as a child.

4. I don't like choker necklaces or turtlenecks cause I feel like I'm choking. Hmmmm. Maybe in some previous lives I either drowned in a strange accident or was hung/choked/strangled.You know, I really need to get that past life regression done.

5. My right foot is almost a full half size bigger than my left foot. Which is why I love slides, flip-flops or slingbacks.

6. I LOVE eyeshadow. The bolder the color the better. In fact, Panacea81's youtube videos always make me smile. And she inspires me to go for my dreams.

7. I watch WAY too much tv. Fave shows: Glee, The Mentalist, RuPaul's Drag Race, Project Runway, Mad Men, & Daily Show. I rely on dvr or else I'd never see them. Though with training for the 3-day, I'm happy to say I'm outside more and more!


The 15 dear bloggers: I know this award has gone around to many people that I follow, plus I already did a tag earlier this week. So, if you already got this, don't worry about reposting it. (unless you want to.)

• Sobeit @ A Herbal Journey & A Witch's Daily
  
• Mary @ An Inner Journey: The Moon, Mythology & You & Moontides
• Lea @ Arcanium, USBos & Writing Magic
  
• April @ Cafe of Dreams
• Erin @ Chaotic World of a Single Woman
• Jess @ Confessions of a Book Hoarder
• Leathra @ Confessions of a Crafy Witch
• Anastasia @ Deep Inside my Broom Closet
• Dawn @ Domestic Witch
• Moonwolf @ Howling at the Moon
• Wild Witch @ I'm Not Wiccan, I'm a Witch
• Katie @ Katie's Epic Tale
• JennyMac @ Let's Have a Cocktail
• Luna @ Luna's Blumen
  
• Mother Moon
  
• Magaly @ Pagan Culture
• PJ @ Seens From the Backs of My Eylids
• Sara @ Sara's Organized Chaos

Okay, so it's 18. So kill me. I love you all! You really brighten my day with your posts!

Tag....You're It

There's a new game of tag hitting the blogosphere. The lovely bloggette Anastasia from Deep Inside My Broom Closet tagged me.

The rules go like this:
Open your first photo file
Scroll to the 10th photo
Post the photo and tell the story behind it
Tag five more peopleI took this picture during the summer of 2004 (I believe). I went to a Alumnae-Active picnic hosted by my sorority at Metro Beach metropark. I took a walk and saw this guy just sitting here above the water. I just remember thinking.....how in the world did that horsey get there. So I had to take a pic.

I tag:
Domestic Witch - Her blog was one that inspired me to start my own.
Moontides - Mary's always got great stories about her life.
Sara's Organized Chaos - Though I'm a bit scared to see what she'll share, it should be very interesting nonetheless.
Luna's Blumen - I'm so impressed with her Random Kindness acts this month.
USBoS - Lea was one of my first blog friends after I started my own blog. I'm really intrigued with her spiritual journey.

Beware the Ides of March

Caesar:
Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue shriller than all the music
Cry "Caesar!" Speak, Caesar is turn'd to hear.

Soothsayer:
Beware the ides of March.

Caesar:
What man is that?

Brutus:
A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.

Julius Caesar Act 1, scene 2, 15-19

Beware the ides of March. Keep your wits about you. I know I will on this gloomy, rainy, icky day. So sad that I have to go to a funeral today too.

Clarifications and Books

Okay, just to clear things up. I've been told, by a little birdie, that some of my entry conditions are a bit confusing for my giveaway. I updated this on the original post, but here it is for everyone else.

You get:

• 1 entry for being a follower.
• 1 entry for blogging about my giveaway and posting the blog address.
• 1 entry for every person that moseys over to my blog and participates. They must, however, mention your name. Otherwise, I wouldn't know who to give the extra entry to.

You can enter via the last two ways as many times as you want.

Ok, whew. I hope that clears things up. I apologize if it's confusing. I too don't always like to blog about giveaways and I don't want anyone to think that's a requirement. Thanks to the little birdie!!!

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

Books. I recently have started reading a few old series. I read the first book of the Caroline B. Cooney Vampire trilogy and the first two Kelly Blake: Teen Model books back in the day. Well, now I have the complete series for both. Obviously they're not classic literary works, but it's interesting to read them now and to reflect on how I felt reading them 18-19 years ago. (Man I feel old now.)

In fact, I did a book report on The Cheerleader in 7th grade. Wow, does that take me back.

Are there any books you used to love as a kid? I have been meaning to re-read R.L. Stine's Fear Street Saga (Really Trilogy). See if they're really as gory as I thought.

Many Times, Thanks

I have to send a big, huge, ginormous thank you shout out to Luna and Sara! They helped me see things in a better light.

I have a tendency to have knee-jerk reactions sometimes and it helps to have people there to give different perspectives.

So muchas gracias to them! Be sure to sign up for my giveaway. You have until Saturday morning.

Pots on Simmer

I'm sorry for the radio silence here. It's been a whirlwind lately. Not only do I have a wedding I'm standing up in at the end of the month, but I have a bachelorette party this weekend and a ton of other things simmering for February.

I've debated putting this up here since I try not to put much that can identify me. (Not out of fear for my safety or some nutjob thing like that, since many people here do know me in real life. But out of a sense of privacy, odd but that's me.) But I figure, what the hell.

I decided to do the Susan G. Komen 3-day walk for breast cancer. I agreed to walk 60 miles in 3 days. Crazy I know. I've always wanted to do this. Prove to myself that I am the She-ra capable of walking three 20 mile days, back to back to back. Many people, including me, won't really jump start training until March or April. This said, I'm trying to fit any sort of exercise in my day.

Training aside, I have to raise $2300 to walk. This was the stopping point for me for many years. But I decided to join an established team, that can help me with fundraising tips and tricks and the support anyone needs to do this event. So, I've got all these different pots on the stove, Euchre tournament, Superbowl Squares and a Packzi Sale to name a few. Which is why I've been running around all crazy like.

And to end this in a predictable but necessary fashion...If you would like to donate to help me reach my goal, please include your email in a comment on this page. (I'm still trying to be as non-identifiable as I can. LOL) And I will email you the link to the site.

Lazy Sunday Movie: The Polar Express

Ok, I know I keep mentioning this movie. But it is my favorite holiday movie. I love the premise. A little boy is having a "belief crisis" about Santa Claus. Does he exist? He has all this evidence that he doesn't. A picture of him pulling a department store Santa's beard off. Mechanical Santas in store windows. A definition of the North Pole as "devoid of life". Then on Christmas Eve he has a magical journey on a train that takes him to the North Pole to meet Santa. He meets different people on this train, fellow children (a little girl, a poor little boy, a know-it-all boy) the conductor, the engineers, and a hobo (ghost?).

While on the train he talks about Santa, does he exist? He wants to believe, but he doesn't want to be tricked. He doesn't want to find out it's all been a lie. He doesn't want to think he's been stupid for believing in something that doesn't exist.

All of the little boy's issues with Santa have been mirrored in my own spiritual journey this year. Is there a higher power? I have evidence that he/she doesn't, I didn't want to swallow a lie because everyone else believes. I am one that likes to be logical, rational, everything has a reason, a purpose. However, having had my beautiful daughter last year, I have started doubting all my logical and rational reasons for not believing in a higher power.

There has to be someone/something out there. Has to be. How else could the magic of life happen? The magic of conceiving, of carrying and growing a child in my womb, of delivering this living, breathing, giggling, smiling, laughing bundle of joy? It's too difficult for me to believe that this all is a happy coincidence.

So, now that I know there's a higher power, what form does it/he/she take?

I have issues with the traditional male patriarchal Christian idea of God. Issues going back to my early religious upbringing. Nothing against my parents, they put me in the best school they could afford. But being told constantly that what you do is wrong, you will always do wrong unless you believe/do exactly as you are told. Even then, humans are sinners. Ugh, enough.

I've done a lot of searching in my life. Which religious path is the one that speaks to me. Which one rings of truth? Well, none of them. So I decided to take a little of each different faith, meditation, prayer, energy work, spell work, ideas, rules, everything. I just needed to find a God/Goddess that made sense to me. I asked for signs, symbols, anything to show me evidence of a pressence. Isis made that connection to me. She reached out to me when I asked for a hand to hold. I feel for the first time in my life a connection to the divine. There is evidence! I had my magical journey. From my discussions with friends, and acquaintances, I have come to the same conclusion as the little boy. I belive. Like the conductor says to him, "Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

A Chat with Mary of "An Inner Journey: The Moon, Mythology and You"

Here's my first interview of a fellow blogger. Mary from "An Inner Journey: The Moon, Mythology and You" is here for a quick chat.

I'm a 62 year young crone. I was born in the beautiful countryside, but have been living in the city for 30 odd years now. I've spent much of my life in search of a path that I could feel comfortable with. It wasn't until I began working on my family tree that I discovered my Celtic background. I I've got about 4,000 ancestors on my tree--from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Britain, Germany, and Cornwall. I have studied to become a Bard through the New Order of Druids. I'm also an astrologer, have worked with numerology, enjoy mythology, psychology, sociology.

Your profile says that you have been searching for years for a path you feel comfortable with and found that you have a strong Celtic background. Is the Celtic path the path you finally feel comfortable with? If so, why?

Yes, it is the Celtic path. I've been into Rosicrucianism, Wicca, Golden Dawn, became an ordained Interfaith minister, gone to Mosques, Catholic Churches, Christian Churches of all kinds, but was never able to find a place where I felt I belonged until I stumbled on my Celtic line. I feel such an unexplainable closeness and felt as if I was being welcomed into a long line of family ancestral lines.

Wow! You have had a long spiritual path haven't you! I understand about feeling the familial ties. I have a strong Scottish background and though I changed my name when I got married, I still love the fact that I have a Tartan. It's actually been something that I could discuss with my father when we weren't all that close. (It's much better now.)

Your profile also says that you’ve studied to be a bard. What exactly is a bard?

In bygone days, there were Bards, Ovates, and Druids. The Bards were the keepers of the tradition. They had to memorize everything because nothing was put on paper. So, they were the ones who passed down all the genealogies and the mythologies. The Ovates were the ones who were responsible for knowing the mysteries of life and death and rebirth; they were the diviners and those who conversed with the ancestors who had passed on to the Otherworld. The Druids were the highest level. They usually worked very close with the king and had the main say about the laws and regulations. They were known to walk into the midst of a battle and stop it just like that. Today, there is not such a dividing line between the three. In the Bardic section I worked a lot with the mythologies of the Celts and communing with nature. In the Ovate course, we continue to work with nature, but are learning more about the psychology of the myth and archetypes.

So your studies to be a bard and Ovate and possibly a Druid are part of your Celtic path now?

Definitely.

You recently posted on your blog about your Croning Ceremony. What’s been the most interesting part of accepting your cronehood?

I'd say learning how to rely on my own wisdom, mentoring others who come to me for advise. I've also become more accepting of the life cycle.

You said in a comment on my page that “learning to like myself and becoming comfortable spending time by myself has helped me to become happier and more content.

There was time when I 'never' wanted to be alone, always had to have someone with me, but I now cherish my alone time.” How long did it take you to accept this? Oh, gosh, it seems like it took me forever.. I grew up in an alcoholic family and a sense of abandonment because I felt my parents weren't there for me. I grew up co-dependent, always latching onto the wrong relationships...went through 4 marriages and I became the caretaker of them all (2 alcoholics, a sex addict, and an abuser).. Then, when I met my current hubbie I latched onto him and wouldn't let go. I needed him home with me all the time, and when he did go out, the jealousies kicked in. I almost destroyed this relationship, but something inside me told me to get help and I went into counseling. That's was 18 years ago. And we've been together ever since. Today I look forward to having the house to myself.

Congratulations on facing your demons! It takes a lot of work to deal with issues that we have. (I've had some counseling myself.) And hey, by facing them, you've reaped such a long lasting relationship! I hope one day to say that I've been married 18 years...or more. ;)

What ignites your spirit?

Living, life, the world. The beauty in my surroundings because even here in the city, there is a beauty and a sense of mystery and awe...a sense of wonder if you dig deep enough. I agree. There is an amazing world out there. The part we see and the part that if you look a little closer, you can see all it's splendor.

Thanks to Mary for chatting with me. Please go check out her blog and get to know her if you don't already. She's got a ton of information and tips there.

As always, if anyone else would like to be interviewed, just let me know.