thorn & calyx

Seems I need information about Baron Samedi. I'm not sure where to start. Suggestions? Data? Personal experiences?

Thanks!

I have my beeyootiful new Sidekick, Plumblossom, and all I want to do is play with her and get her shiny apps and games and stuffs. It is somehow typical of my luck that I got her during a major data service disruption. The bad news is that I can't download anything. The good news is that I seem to be able to get online. The phone and texting features aren't affected at all. Also, T-Mobile is crediting all customers with a free month of data goodness as a we're-sorry-we-suck gesture. So, yeah, I guess I'll consider this extended foreplay and hope that it was worth the wait.

After languishing at 96 miles for the last 3 or 4 months, I've finally gotten back to the Walk to Rivendell challenge, and tonight I put in the equivalent of 3 miles cleaning and rearranging my study. I've now logged 102.25 miles on the road to Rivendell, putting me a wee skoonch past "The Forsaken Inn: the last inn along the Great East Road".

I've had such a rough time getting back on the Road that getting the near-immediate gratification of my 100 mile shield is just incredibly inspiring. Tomorrow, it's down to the basement to dust off my exercise bike and hopefully spend some time with my ankle bells.

Please to be dropping the beating stick.

Thank you.

I get it. I do. Taking 3 classes over the summer was disastrous. Having only 2 days off from June till now was the course of folly. I've been sick for a week now and my head cold is flirting heavily with bronchitis. When I woke up to drag my carcass into class, my boo "suggested" that I take the semester off. I've been killing myself trying to catch up after such a shitty start, and I've now used up my allotted absent days, and I'm far enough behind that it's going to take Herculean effort to catch up and I don't even have non-Herculean effort in my arsenal.

So I've dropped my classes and written to my professors and I'm taking my medicine and vitamins and drinking my vile tea and I can be feeling better nao, k?

Yours,
Jess

I made a nummy Moroccan butter beans with mint spread and the dukka to go on top (dukka is a blend of cumin, coriander, and sesame seeds dry-toasted and ground up, kind of like a North African gomashio, as ubiquitous as salt and pepper and used on just about everything), and I made an also nummy white bean and basil pesto, pine nuts only added to my bits so I don't kill my sweetie. Both the bean spreads were a little too sharp immediately upon finishing. Either the flavors will soften in the fridge over night or I'll cut the lemon juice by a third. Halfway through the curried tempeh salad and chickpea cutlets, my back went all kinds of wacky. My boo popped me in the tub with her special oil for muscle ouchies and gave me a bucket of muscle relaxant herb tea, and then she put away the cooling tempeh and the ground up chickpeas. My black beans are still soaking on the counter, and I didn't even start the chickpeas soaking for the lablabi.

So, yay for what I did get done, and double yay for my boo for saving the stuff-in-progress, but boo-hiss for not getting to finish a very workable set of dishes. I hate having stupid body tricks get in the way of what I want to accomplish, especially when what I want to accomplish is really fairly trivial. I hate that I always always always assume that the problem stems from my vasty tonnage. Some of my back issues are definitely exacerbated by my weight, but this thing in my shoulder blade just isn't. I hate that the spasm make me grunt like a belligerent gorilla and make it impossible to breathe until the muscles let up. Wah. On the other hand, while it hurts and embarrasses me, at least the current back thing doesn't prevent me from moving around, so I should stop whining and be grateful for the grace that's given me. And remember to stretch tomorrow.

Finally got my grades posted from the last of my summer courses, all A's. At least I got decent grades for such a lot of hassle.

Fall classes start Monday. I'm taking speech and history (culture, race, and gender in the US) on Monday's and Wednesdays and Spanish on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I managed to keep Fridays free. I'm neutral on speech. I actually like public speaking and enjoy the practice, especially as I suck at projecting my voice despite Lorrie Wood's lessons in how to talk to the bush, but my last speech teacher was such an unbearable loon that I dropped her class. I have lingering dubiousness. Suspicionality. Thing. The history class looks marvelous and is a two-fer, meeting both the need for history and for a multicultural diversity course, so yay. I'm hugely looking forward to the Spanish class. Not only will fluency in California's second language render me vastly more employable, but I'll also be able to read all those books and papers about Oshun that I'm currently (mis)translating with my dashboard widget.

I'll be on campus more than usual this semester, as all of my classes are in person. I was able to schedule them all early (for me) in the day, so I won't have to be on campus alone after dark. It's a pretty safe school, but still. hypervigilant PTSD girl remains hypervigilant PTSD girl and I do better if I can avoid unnecessary anxiety. I have to be in class by 10:30 at the earliest, so even with the drive over the mountains to get to school, it should be easily doable even with my nocturnal leanings.

On the home front, I've been making my own skin care stuffs, heavily featuring rosewater and glycerin. Later, I'm trying a solid lotion with cocoa butter, coconut and avocado oils, and sparkle. Lots of fun. I'm also playing with more portable vegan noms, in preparation for taking lunches and maybe breakfasts to school with me. I've got black beans soaking, and I'll be throwing together a batch of chickpea cutlets and some curried tempeh salad later.

I've decided against further pocket pets for now, and I'm going to put their stuff in the basement and add a few much needed shelves in my study. After we no longer have cats, Tala and I are thinking of putting a guinea pig heaven in the living room by the opening to the book nook, but that's a ways off. Much as I love hamsters and cavies, I'm only going to get busier once I transfer to grown-up school, so I think it's unfair to the pets I already have to get new guys who need some of my increasingly limited time. *sigh*

I got a hair cut. Not a trim, but an actual hair cut. No more stringy hippie hair for me. Nope. My hair guy, Angel, gave me exactly what I asked for and suggested that it'd be cuter shorter; and he's right, so I'm going back in a week or two to get the rest of it lopped off. I'm still getting over the shock of the change, but I'm pretty happy with it.

Got my Gummy Bear Tarot a few days ago. It's very cute, especially the tin it comes in. The Whimsical Tarot is said to have shipped, but it hasn't arrived yet.

Being in a much better mood now that I'm done with my classes (for a few days), I thought I'd take a moment to balance my usual whining with a recognition of recent things that don't suck.

sitting of an evening on my porch and seeing the grey fox who's denning on our property across the creek leave the driveway and go trotting down the street just like he's on his way to market

on my porch again, in the middle of the day, and looking up to discover that the tikkatikkatikka I heard was a group of 4 young stags, all in their velvet, trotting up the road and into my yard

getting to spend all day geeking on Tarot stuff and jamming stuff in my new Tarot journal and not doing anything more useful than making super-nummy coconut curry cauliflower and tofu for dinner

my ever-awesome and adorable boo

working on my vegetarian Heathen for great huh? essay for Fire and Ice and only panicking a little tiny bit

discovering that tea without scads of cream and sugar is not very appetizing, which does actually kinda suck but not when it means that I have a chance at breaking my addiction to the creamy sugar caffeinated tit. I know that, as a college student, I'm supposed to live on caffeine, beer, pizza, and ramen, but none of those are really good for me. And it's hardly like I'm going to give up ramen any time soon, being more or less fueled by the tasty noodles of bliss.

FINALLY getting a chance to watch Bride & Prejudice with dancing hijras for great yay!

people who still love me after I fall off the planet for a while. Yeah, that'd by you guys *smooosh*

I'm officially out of pocket pets. Tule died in his sleep all curled up in his nest sometime this afternoon or evening. It wasn't a shock, as he barely roused when I checked on him this morning. He'd been winding down, and he had a good long life for a Viking battle hamster. I sorta wish I'd thrown a toothpick over him and dedicated him to Óðinn before he died, but I'm not sure Valfather would appreciate a teeny but persistent toe-nibbler scurrying around the joint.

Dammit.

I'll continue to research cavies (aka guinea pigs). My boo kept cavies as a kid and really liked them. They are bigger and slower and more affectionate than hamsters and, honestly, after Tribble, I wanna take a break from hammies. She was irreplaceably awesome. I've been curious about cavies for a while, so I'll try one of those next. My boo pointed out that I probably have room for a hammie and a cavie if I shuffle things about a bit, so it may not be an either/or situation. I'll probably need to special order a cage that can span the support brace on the bottom of the shelving unit, but that shouldn't be too hard or expensive.

Dammit.

On the other hand, at least I can give my opened treat packages to my evil twin for her ratties, so someone will benefit.

Dammit all anyway.

Well, hammie, as the only one left is Tule, the Viking battle hamster. Sadly, I think the little guy is staring at a straw death. No Valhalla for this fuzzy warrrior.

He's been entertaining to watch but entirely unsatisfactory as a snuggly pocket pet. Why, then, am I a little sorrowful that he seems to be winding down?

Hey. Hi. Yeah, so. Today is the last day of your super craptastic psych class (now with 100% less psychology to burden your brain!). I know you hate the class. I know you hate your professor. I know that he's an evil-minded egotistical petty despot with lower academic standards than your ailing hamster.

Suck it up.

This is the last day.

All you have to do is take a test and document everything that is left unarchived.

What you can NOT do is keep watching the ever-awesome weofodthignen's video blogathon on YouTube instead of taking your test.

It doesn't matter than she actually pronounces things correctly and gives you happy little tingles in your pedantry.

It doesn't matter that she's saying all kinds of smart and interesting stuff, like this post on Oðinn.

La la la, it's not for you.

Not until you finish your test.

So make the tea and take the test and then go play.

Gods, you're such a toddler.

Exasperated and out of patience with this shit but still loving the good grades,
Me

This is the last day of my monster work load. I only have 2.5 essays, 2 chapters, and an exam to complete by midnight, followed by one more week of the sociology/sex ed class that's been posing as a psych course (that's another rant when I have the leisure). My Web design class continues on until a week before the fall semester starts (also wah! how'd I end up with only 5 free days between semesters?!), but that's easy and fun. So, on my last day of real push, can I focus? No. Concentrate? Maybe if I tried really OMG Tule's so cute! Yeah, like that. All I really want to do is finish organizing my study and set up my altars. One more day. 6 more hours. I can do this.


Wah!

First of all, deepest thanks to weofodthignen and puca for their incredibly generous and useful help with Old Norse and Anglo-Saxon terms for lady-parts and gentleman-bits. You're all scholarly and splendid and stuffs!

Secondly, thanks to everyone, both here in Dreamwidth and in LJ, who offered condolences when Tribble died. You guys are very sweet, and your support helps make her loss easier.

Third, birfdays:

Happy (belated) Birthday to jamie! I'm sorry I missed your special day, but I'm hoping that the coming year sees you happy, healthy, and wealthy enough for peace of mind and a bit of fun!

Happy Birthday wulfmann! May the candles on your cake burn like cities in your wake! Happy birthday! *thud* Happy birthday! *thud* May your deeds with sword and axe equal those with sheep and yaks! Happy birthday! *thud* Happy birthday! *thud* *birthday hugs and howls*

Happy (teeny bit early) Birthday ravan! Wishing you all good things this coming year!

Finally, an open letter to my life:

I'm sorry, baby. I know I fucked up. I never should have taken three classes over the summer. I made a horrible mistake. I don't know if you can forgive me, but I'd really like to see you again. Are you ever coming back? It's been so long since I've seen you. I don't know if I can go on without you. I miss you. Without you, my time is an endless drudgery of homework, housework, and sleep. Please, life, can't we work this out?

Love and longing,
me

One day, I too shall die.

Like, right the fuck now.

Lopt's tits, 19 essays on the psychology of human sexuality in 2 days.

Yep, I is dead now.

*thud*

This entry was originally posted at http://sweetwater-siren.dreamwidth.org/10389.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

I've found documentation for Old Norse "kunta", cognate to Anglo-Saxon "cunte" or "cunt". I've also heard "cwmn", "cwym", or "quim" for old English terms. Can anyone confirm or refute that last? It's for my psych class. Thanks!

Oh, and does anyone have similar terms for gentleman-parts? Moar thanks, now back to the ink mine.

(LJers, post wherever you like; I haven't had time to change my settings and prolly won't for a bit yet.)

So, okay, after having goofed off with Dreamwidth for a while, I've decided that I really do prefer their service and philosophies to LJ, which has become increasingly icky over the past few years. I'm keeping this journal so I can read my LJ friendslist, and I'll keep cross-posting from my Dreamwidth journal (sweetwater_siren) but I'm asking anyone who wants to comment on my random babble to please do so there. I'll stick a link in my posts so you don't have to track me down or create a Dreamwidth account if you don't want one simply because of their happy-making awesomeness. I'm notoriously craptastic at keeping up with blogging, email, etc, and trying to juggle 2 journals is too much for my poor overworked brainmeats. Thanks!

As part of my personal Heathen calendar project, I've been planning an Independence Day blót to our country's founders (fathers and mothers both) and freedom fighters, in honor of their sacrifices and striving to ensure that we have freedom of religion, among other things. I don't think our country is perfect or even an accurate reflection of our founders' stated ideals, but I do believe in those ideals. Even more, I am deeply attached to the land itself, and to the spirits who live here. Which leads me to think that I should, perhaps, include an offering to the spirits of the land on that big big scale. Iceland has their 4 major landwights. What do you think America's are? Lady Liberty? Uncle Sam? The American Eagle? California, the bear state, obviously has a landwight that shows itself as a grizzly (even though grizzlies themselves are extinct here) and maybe also Califia, the Amazon queen after whom the state was (probably) named. Perhaps the I know the major (and some minor) wights of my valley and some of the surrounding area, but the landspirits of the country itself? What do you guys think?

Happy day, dearheart, and may your coming year be filled with magic and wonder and love and abundance and all manner of good things!

*SMOOOOSH*

I'm up to date on my Dreamwidth journal. Now, I have to catch up on LJ and email.

Not only did I whiz past Frogmorton at a rollicking 14 mph,





but I also earned my very first shield! I've walked or ridden my exercise bike 25 miles in the last 11 days!




My next goal is the Brandywine Bridge, which will finally see me on my way out of the Shire and into the wild world.




Sometime within the next couple of days, I'll be moving my babbling about the Eowyn Challenge to betony_chubb on Dreamwidth. I'll post major milestones here, but I'll stop boring you all with the wiggle by wiggle recount.

Today, my "anywhere but here" is a snug little shack in an empty cove on an uninhabitated islet up near the San Juans in Puget Sound. I'd bring my notebook, gallons of hot tea, my boo, and a warm nest for sleeping, and I'd spend a week watching the orcas, writing, and resting. I'd make tiny fires from driftwood, and spend my evenings watching the colors in the fire, eating nothing that wasn't cooked on a stick or figs or cherries or watermelon, and I'd amuse myself by singing to the stars. Mornings, I'd go play in the tidepools, and I'd take naps buried in warm sand in the afternoons.

Where's your "anywhere but here"?