life on the far side

Setting Up Your Magic Shows: Part I - The Secret Factor to a Great Magic Show

2012-02-19T05:02:00.000-08:00

Imagine that you have walked out on stage and just finished your opener to rave applause. Your show continues like a well tuned sports car until you get to the fourth magic effect. You introduce the magic trick and the audience quiets in eager anticipation. You begin to patter and suddenly realize that the trick was not set up correctly. You can't finish the trick. You are standing in the middle of the stage alone with no out and nowhere to go. The crowd's silence shifts from anticipation to nervousness. What do you do?

I have been there and it's no fun. A witty retort like "you didn't want to see this trick anyway" or "bad magic" is a disservice to both the performer and the audience. I want to share with you my simple method of setting up magic shows so this does not happen to you. This method will improve the professionalism of your show, free you to concentrate on your performance, and improve the quality of your show as viewed by your customers. In short, it will improve your magic shows and make your current customers beg to hire you again and again. Why? You look and act more professional and your customers will reward your increased professionalism with more bookings. Happy customers mean happy magicians!

I assume you have a computer. This process can be done manually but it is much easier with a computer. You will need an office suite (word processor, spread sheet, presentation software, etc.). Most computers come with the software already loaded on it. If you need a good FREE office suite download Open Office at: http://www.openoffice.org

Step 1

You need to create a word processing file for each trick you intend to perform at future magic shows. As soon as I get a new magic trick, I create a file for it in my word processor. The file name uses the following format:

Trick-Month-Day-Year.doc

For example, my Substitution Trunk Illusion file is Sub Trunk-08-12-2004.doc. This file name translates to Substitution Trunk Illusion file created on August 12, 2004. The file naming system allows me to easily keep track of my most current file version and have a backup of prior versions if I ever choose to go back to them. I keep all of my magic trick files in a folder called "Magic Tricks" on my computer.

Setting Up Your Magic Shows: Part II - The Great Begining to a Great Magic Show

2012-02-14T05:07:00.000-08:00

The last article described how to create a file for each magic trick that you might use in a magic show. This article will show you what kind of information you need to include in each and every magic trick file you create.

This is an important step, because having this information in a word processing file will be very useful for later steps in stting up your magic show.

Step 2

Each trick file needs to have these sections in this order:

Trick Name

Items Needed to Perform Trick

Setup Notes

Brief Description of Effect

Performance Script

Notes

Trick Name

This section needs little explanation. Use the trick's original name or a name you can easily remember.

Items Needed to Perform Trick

This is one of the most important sections of your file. You need to list in detail every item required to perform the trick. I usually separate out the consumables from the non-consumables. Consumables would include any item that is used up during the performance. For example flashpaper, paper money, and lemons are listed as consumables for my bill in lemon trick. Separating out the consumables means I am less likely to overlook them when packing up my show.

The non-consumables list is a great checklist to make sure you have everything you need to perform the magic trick.

Setup Notes

This section reminds you about any important points to remember when setting up your trick. As tricks come in and out of my performing repertoire, it is a nice reminder of key points I may have forgotten if I haven't performed the magic trick in a while.

Brief Description of Effect

You can use the description from the magic trick's ad or write a brief one yourself. I have found it useful to have a description handy if I am looking to add tricks for an upcoming show. You have a vague idea (or none at all) about what this trick is about.

Performance Script

This section contains the complete script that I use to perform the trick. I write out everything I do and say in the form of a script. This is the baseline for my performance of the trick. Once the script is mastered I am able to freely go on and off script during my performance.

Writing the script is a good way to study the intersection of this magic trick and your performing style. I work on the script all of the time. I view it as a work in progress. It is a good exercise to avoid just using the canned patter that comes with the trick. Try writing your own script out for a magic trick or two. You will be pleasantly surprised with the reactions you get from your audience.

Finally, the script is a nice refresher if you have not performed the trick in a while. I hated having developed a good routine for an effect only to have forgotten most of it because I had not used in a couple of years.

Notes

This section contains any of your thoughts and ideas for the magic trick. Put anything and everything you want to remember or try with the trick. This is a good place to record your insights about why the trick didn't play as well as you thought it would.

life on the far side

2012-02-12T23:55:00.001-08:00

life on the far side

Setting Up Your Magic Shows: Part III - The Most Important Step To Setting Up Your Magic Show

2012-02-10T05:09:00.000-08:00

Step 3

You have created individual magic trick files for all of the effects in your performing repertoire. A customer calls you on the phone and books you to perform at their next event. When you are ready to design a show for a customer here's what to do:

Create a folder called "Customers."

Within the "Customers folder create a subfolder using the customer's name. I don't use a date with the folder because I expect to have several shows over many years in this folder. For example Barb Jones calls me up and books me to perform at her son's birthday party. I create a subfolder called "Barb Jones" in my "Customers" folder.

Create a word processing file (called a "show file") using the following naming format:

Customer-Month-Day-Year In the above example, I might create a file called Barb Jones-01-15-2005.doc. This file would contain the show I performed for Barb Jones on January 11, 2005. This record is great to have when she rebooks you for a show. You have a permanent record of all of your shows.

The show file has the following format:

I. Details of the show including time and place.

II. Opening - including any music or other setups

III. Trick 1 - Trick Name

Items Needed to Perform Trick

Setup Notes

IV. Trick 2 - Trick Name

Items Needed to Perform Trick

Setup Notes

V. Trick 3 - Trick Name

Items Needed to Perform Trick

Setup Notes

VI. Trick 4 - Trick Name

Items Needed to Perform Trick

Setup Notes

VII. Closing - including any music or other setups

I create the show file by going back to my magic trick files and cutting and pasting the first three sections into the show file. Using the order suggested in Step 2 makes this faster. All of your hard work in the prior step makes this step really quick. What you end up with is a detailed checklist customized for each show.

Performing Magic for Kids: Part III - How Your Performing Style Will Make You Rich Or Broke

2012-02-10T05:04:00.000-08:00

The most important secret to doing kid's magic is:

You are not performing for the kids!

You will learn quickly that the most difficult task facing the

children's performer is to design the show to appeal to children and

adults at the same time and at different levels. No I don't mean filling

your performance with phrases that have sexual double meanings. Nothing

is more pathetic and unprofessional than the performer that gets a child

on stage and slyly eyes the adults in the crowd and says "Do I have a

big magic wand or what?"

Children's cartoons provide the best examples of the point I am trying

to make. Take Loony Toons or Spongebob Squarepants for example. These

cartoons work for children and adults on different levels at the same

time. This is what you must achieve to be a successful children's magician

This is very difficult thing to pull off. This is one of the main

reasons that doing children's magic is so difficult. You must DESIGN

your show for both audiences. One key to the show design is your

performing personality.

Your Performing Style is Critical to Your Success

When you perform magic for children, you must have a distinctive and

appealing performing personality. Long gone are the days when the

children's magician can come out on stage in a second hand tux and wow

his audience with a formal magic show. Look at Silly Billy, one of the

most successful children's magicians. His performing personality is fun

and engaging. His show tone is fast paced and humorous.

Even beyond children's magic, examine the performing personalities of

children's television. Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Rodgers, and Peewee Herman

are examples of compelling performing personalities. Each one was

successful, yet, had very different performing personalities. The common

factor was that each performer engaged children through fun.

Your performing personality must engage you audience, children and

adults, with fun and wonderment. You must draw your audience into the

show by your performing personality, but you must wow them with a well

designed show that delivers great magic. This is why doing children's

magic is so tough.

If you want to start your career in magic as a children's magician,

think again. Kids are brutally honest. There is nothing tougher or more

satisfying than have a great children's magic show. Being a children's

magician is not the best way to become a part-time professional magician.

Performing Magic for Kids: Part II - How These Four Things Will Make Or Break Your Magic Show

2012-02-05T05:05:00.000-08:00

Four Critical Keys to Performing Magic for Kids

Children don't understand many of the common cues in a live performance.

Most children are raised in the age of television. Not a bad thing,

except the laugh tracks prompt the children when to laugh. No laugh

tracks and the children are left out in the cold. They are quick and

will get up to speed in no time. But they need your help.

The same issue is even more problematic with applause. Children are not

used to clapping. They don't understand applause cues. Those wonderfully

timed applause cues will leave you and your audience with a lot of

uncomfortable silence.

What can be done? Everything. One of your most important tasks as a

children's magician is your opening. The beginning of your show must do

four things:

Establish audience control

Teach the children to react to applause cues

Set the tone for the show

Introduce your performing personality

The audience needs to be warmed up prior to your magic show. It seems

hokey and a waste of time, but it can make the difference between a

great magic show and a horrible one.

Children love to have fun. Even in school children are taught to obey

those in authority. For some reason, many magicians forget to establish

authority early in the show. The result resembles a saloon brawl in the

wild west.

When you step out for the start of your show, you have the perfect

opportunity to establish the ground rules for the show. I don't mean

that you should bring out a list of house rules for the show. Instead

come out with confidence and warm up your audience.

After you welcome everyone to the show, look out over the audience and

say, "This looks like a really great crowd. Let's see how loud you can

clap. On the count of three ONE. . . TWO . . THREE . .Not bad! Let's try

it again. On three . ." After some byplay conclude by saying, "What do

we do when we like the magic? (pause) What do we do when we LOVE the

magic?" (pause and react strongly to the crowd)

Four things are being done by that warm up. You have taught the children

to clap when they like the magic. It also trains them to react to the

applause cues in the rest of the show. The warm up establishes that you

are in control for this show. Finally, it sets a fun tone for the show.

This is the first time your audience gets a sense of your performing

personality.

Performing Magic for Kids: Part I - The Secret Most Magicians Don't Know About Kid Shows

2012-02-01T05:10:00.000-08:00

You have just discovered the wonderful world of magic. Trip after trip

to the magic shop has added to your ever growing arsenal of magic

tricks. Thirty-three days later the credit card bills arrive to remind

your wife that this IS an expensive hobby.

No problem! You will make back all of the money you've spent and more

by becoming a part-time professional magician. Looking around for places

to hone your craft, you suddenly remember that you niece has a seventh

birthday coming up. You call you sister and offer your services in lieu

of a gift.

Two weeks later the performance time arrives. You pack all of your ace

material into two large cardboard boxes. You start the show for sixteen

first graders and all of your relatives. The show goes well. Everybody

is laughing and having a good time. You take some theatrical pauses to

build suspense as you search your boxes for the next great trick.

Finally, your fifteen minute show concludes after fifty-three minutes.

You never realized you had that much great magic. The kids cheer and

applaud for your debut magic show. Even your sister, wiping the tears

from her eyes, says, "I have never had more fun than I did watching your

magic show. It was great. John got it all on tape."

This is how many part-time professional magicians attempt to begin their

career. They look around and decided that doing kid shows is the best

way to start. Performing magic for kids is one of the most difficult

areas of magic to do well. This series of articles explore some of the challenges of performing children's magic.

Why Does a Magician Wear a Tux?

2012-01-29T05:11:00.000-08:00

This wonderful question has rarely bothered magicians for decades. It should. Some possible answers might include:

He is getting married today.

He just got off work as a waiter.

He is going to the prom.

Wait! The man is about to do magic. Surely anyone doing great magic wears a tux. It logically follows that a person dressed in attire not worn generally by the public in nearly sixty years must be a well trained and entertaining artist.

I encounter responses such as:

"People won't know we're magicians if don't wear our uniform," bemoan penguin-like prestidigitators.

"Real magicians must wear tuxes," cries the part-time professional in his ill fitting and second hand attire.

The question of what magicians should wear has been around for more than a century. The correct answer has been around just as long. Unfortunately, many magicians don't get it.

Jean Robert-Houdin, the father of modern magic, looked around at how his fellow magicians dressed. The common uniform for a "real magician" was to dress up like a wizard complete with a conical hat. Robert-Houdin chose to view magic as an art. He devised many wonderful effects. He would go out on a bare stage to present his magic dressed in formal evening attire. The attire was appropriate and commonly worn for evening theatrical productions. Instead of dressing in way completely different from his audience, Robert-Houdin dressed just like his audience.

The point being made is simple. If you want magic to be viewed as a fine art, take your performance and dress seriously. Let the quality of your magic performance speak to the level of your magic artistry. If you want to be a magic clown, then dress like a penguin.

What about Lance Burton? Great question, thanks for asking. Lance's performing personality makes wearing a tuxedo appropriate for his performance. Mr. Burton consciously links back to magic's historical roots. Figuratively speaking, he wears the mantel of magic passed down through the ages. He portrays the great magician out of our past. Lance performs classical magic effects while donning the classical magical attire.

This is completely different from the approach of 99.998% of the other magicians wearing tuxes. Most part-time professional magicians wear a tux without regard to their performing personality. The key to what to wear is your performing personality. Begin with the assumption that a tux is not an option. Examine the key elements of your performing personality that you want to communicate to your audience. Tailor your dress to consciously communicate those key elements.

Another factor to consider is whether you want to stand out or blend with your audience. Let's say you want to blend with your audience. This is common approach for the restaurant or corporate magician. What will your audience be wearing? Try to dress a little above your audience.

Let's say you want to stand out. Find ways to contrast with your audience that communicates positively to your performing personality.

For example, assume your performing personality is that odd middle aged uncle that all the kids love but make parents roll their eyes. You know the type, every family has one. His style sense will be decades out of style but he will be clueless that he isn't the hippest guy around. If that is your chosen performing personality, then the performer's style will match the outfit. The point again is that the outfit chosen by the magician must relate to performing personality.

Let's get back to the original question. Why do magicians wear tuxes?

Nobody knows including the magicians. Know your performing personality. Select your dress to complement your venue and performing personality. Treat your magic performance like the artistic performance you want it to be.

The Greatest Midlife Crisis Movie Ever Made

2012-01-28T05:13:00.000-08:00

Early on in Save The Tiger the apparel executive Harry Stoner is trying to mediate a dispute in his dress factory between an ancient tailor and a young, flashy designer. The two quarrel ferociously; Harry, needing to keep both happy, tries to be diplomatic and not take sides. The designer storms off with a cruel barb to the old man: "I can't wait till they replace you with a laser beam!" All *he* means is to hurt the old man's feelings, but we take this remark, from our perspective in 2005 (the film is from the mid 70s) as a prescient comment about how quickly the world around us can change.

Just as an idea of how fast things move, let's look at another brief scene from Alvidsen's film (Rocky would be his next project): on his way into the office Harry stops on an LA boulevard to pick up a hitchhiker, a young hippie girl with nothing to do but smoke pot all day. He makes a call from his car phone, a huge contraption hooked into the dashboard with a long cord, and the girl is simply incredulous - she gapes, "My God! You have a phone in your car! Are you, like, super rich?" In just thirty years an episode goes from being so far out of the ordinary to being as ordinary as possible.

Such is life!

The plot of Save The Tiger is relatively simple: Harry and his business partner, Phil, have cooked the books in their apparel company for years and lived the high life. Now time has run out, there are no more accounting trick rabbits left to pull out of the hat, they're going bust. The solution: hire an arsonist to burn the factory to the ground, collect the insurance settlement, cash out.

Why is this so important? Because Harry is having a midlife crisis of major proportions. He screams in his sleep, remembers the names of baseball players from his youthful days in Brooklyn, recalls lovemaking scenes with his wife from twenty years ago, has mirages of his old company from World War 2 before his eyes. Upon repeated viewings one comes to understsnd that this is a movie about time - not clock time, necessarily, but psychological time, the time inside, Heidegger time. How you wake up one day and you're fifty years old all of a sudden and people you've known your whole life are dying all around you.

The brilliant metaphor of the title comes when Harry is walking down the street and an activist with a poster of a tiger that is going extinct calls out, "Hey mister! Wanna help save the tiger? Only a few thousand left in the world!" Even the mighty tigers die out, are not immune to the ruthlessness of time.

At the end of the film, after giving the arsonist a deposit, Harry walks slowly, in loneliness, past a park where some kids are playing baseball. One whacks the ball out of the park, and Harry gives chase and throws it back onto the field. A young player protests - "Hey mister! You can't play with us!" Harry at once seems to accept this remark, as he has not throughout - has in fact fought against accepting it. He sees himself among the youngsters playing, and comes to an understanding that only true reflection and contemplation can lead to. And we see with him.

Drowning in a Pool of Shadows - Mescaline Take Two

2012-01-23T05:15:00.000-08:00

My second mescaline trip also got a little out of hand. Me and three others decided to mix mescaline and acid. We each took two micro dots and one green gel tab. The only thing I noticed about mixing the two is that I had way more visuals then when I had done mescaline alone.

So, there we were, four of us sitting on the couch, taking hits from our hookah laughing uncontrollably. Things were very loud and the trip was very intense. Then, out of nowhere, I hear someone knocking at the front door. I ran over to the stereo to run it down. I walked up to the front door, and looked through the peephole. OH MY GOD!!!!!! IT'S COACH WINTERLING!!!!!! The site of our baseball coach standing there about made me soil my pants. I turned and told the guys......."It's Winterling.....RUN!!!" I grabbed the hookah and a bag of weed then headed out the back sliding glass door. The others followed all carrying with them some sort of paraphernalia. We ran as fast as our legs would take us through the woods behind our apartment. When we thought we'd ran far enough we stopped to catch our breath. "HOLY SHIT!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT JUST HAPPENED!!!!" All of us were frightened yet laughing at the same time. One of my roommates Mike was so out of it when he started to scramble from the apartment that he grabbed a set of our darts and the TV remote. He had no idea why he grabbed those of all things but I guess his mind was racing so fast he didn't have time to think so he just took the first two things he saw.

After about twenty minutes of dipping and ducking through the woods, we figured the coast was clear. We came back to find my other roommate Greg standing in the living room with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Greg was in the shower when we bolted. We left him there to deal with our coach alone. This, of course, was unintentional. We would've never left him there on purpose. To be perfectly honest I forgot he was even there. The only thing going through our minds was to get the f*ck out of that apartment. Greg said Winky, as we used to call him, was only there for a minute. He came by to check out the property damage in our apartment. I guess it's a good thing we covered all those holes in the walls with posters. Speaking of posters and things on our walls, you could've taken a picture of our living room and run an ad for Spencer's Gifts with it. You've never seen so many black lights and black light posters. It was the perfect setting for losing your mind.

The Dead Vault

2012-01-19T05:16:00.000-08:00

Buried Alive in the Ohio Mounds

The Dead Vault

Prologue:

The dynasty XVIII 1570-1293 BC--from the diary of a mound maker, Hesmaglig, from Egypt, Memphis; written in hydrographs, and kept hidden in a vault within a mound in North America, in a land called Ohio, discovered in the year AD 2002. The scribing was found on the pyre within the vault on sandstone and the paper-reed [papyrus].

The History

I left Egypt for a few different reasons, Akhenaten was Pharaoh, and he looked more like a hawk than a king among kings. He was on his second wife, and I know he still loved his first though. No matter what anyone says. I never liked him; he was changing everything, our beliefs, or souls. He neglected our rituals, sanctuaries; in his desert home he lived alone among the scorpions like himself, I also lived there with his entourage for many years. I am only lucky to be able to write this, for surely the royal pharaohs assassins will seek me out until they know I am dead. But I will fool them for the third time. They will not have their way of sweet revenge. Akhenaten's son Tutankhamen is now enshrined in the pharaoh's shadow because of me and my wife and my two friends and a few other people. And so the seer has told me many things for the future.

Things that will never be told to mankind should I not write these down with the little air I have left in the tomb, deep within this mound, I must use sparingly.

I have chosen this way to die for not many people are allowed such a luxury, my mound contains a vault like appearance of timber, 12 feet by 13 feet with in the center of the mound. The mound if you are looking upon it from a distance will stand 20-feet high. Not like the pyramids of Egypt, but it will do. I have some limestone figurines we took with us from Egypt, I am writing my last minutes on them, along with the papyrus. For the air hole that leads down to my vault has been plugged up now, and so it is just a matter of time. The future must know the truth what happened on that day...that day my wife and I, along with our two friends were hired to kill, bash in the head of the pharaoh's son, who was really the pharaoh.

His father changed everything. New gods or should I say, a new God, new everything; but those who hired us, betrayed us, used us as an escape-goat, they are the ones who has sent the bone collectors to fine us, and bring our bones back to them. For they will know me by my bones, for I am 7'3" tall. Yes, big boned, as is my wife. I do not regret what I did, for it was for the gods and the goddesses, and the land of Egypt, but to be betrayed by the very ones that hired you.

III

The Kill

It was late in the evening when I guarded the door, my wife was keeping the two guards busy, she had to surrender her body to them, let them have what they pleased to keep them occupied, but I told her it was for the better, it was for Egypt, and so they fondled her every part, and used her like a sex-rag-doll while I guarded the door that led into the young pharaohs sleeping chamber. He fell to sleep, and my two friends one on each side of the bed, stood silently, and the one on the left side of the bed, it was easy for him, who I will not name, to give the young pharaoh a blow on the back of his head, IT DID DAMAGE TO THE SKULL. And then they both panicked and I ran with my others companions.

I stopped behind one of the great pillars of the palace, and my wife was pinned against it as the guards, six of them now were taking their turns on my wife, I stabbed all six in a rage, stabbed them in their hearts, then grabbed my naked wife, putting a cotton robe around her, I had carried for this very occasion, and made our escape.

The Priesthood

The Amun priesthood had the young pharaoh saying what they wanted for awhile when he was eleven years of age. But when he defied them, they took a disliking to him. They wanted their temples to be restored and the gods reinstated. They wanted undone, what his father had done. I think Akhenaten became ill with this one God concept, maybe he got it from the Hebrews, no one really knows. Everything came from the office of Memphis, the dispatch to kill the pharaoh, and the money to be paid us in gold.

It was a hot year that was over 12-years ago, I remember when the army of scribes had to go to many places throughout Egypt to record how much grain was collected from the farmers. The Nile was high those years if I recall a few floods.

The Crossing

My wife is lying down now next to me, she is dying, her lungs are not as good as mine, and I am breathing very slowly. It took us two years to build this mound, in the far off land, west of Egypt. It took us three months on the mighty ocean to cross, until we found land, that was several years ago. And then we went farther west, and then north, where I found one of my far off relatives, who was related to the great "Queen of the Serpent Watcher." I heard of the legend, and knew I had a heritage that went back to beings that were half human and half spirit. It was said that an angelic-serpent being cohabitated with my great, great, great grandmother, and became "The Serpent Queen," when she died, the angelic-being that looked like a serpent, built a mound not all that far from my mound, in the shape of a Serpent, about seventy-five feet long.

My mound is not special in that respects, but it is classical in that it has this chamber we are in. On top is pebbles, and then three feet of earth, and then sand, and then earth, and then more sand and way down is an alter I had put in place for the gods. Yes I buried myself alive...I am the mound maker, this is my diary, and my roots are the Serpent Queen; I die with dignity how will you die my friend? So think of me as not bad for doing this.

It seems like my wife has stopped breathing, she was a good wife, obeyed me to the last moment: --no, I see her chest, it still moves, there is not much air left. My lungs feel heavy as if to say they are filled up with water, no room to hold air. It is a good time to die, for outside is very cold, and the white snows from the heavens have covered the land. I have never seen this kind of cold in Egypt; I do hope the assassins the betrayers sent to kill be freeze to death. Poetic justice is always sweet revenge.

VII

Ancestry & Genealogy

This mound is my pyramid, and this land is my Egypt, for Egypt is simply the residue of the great Atlantis, where my Serpent Queen Grandmother of long ago once came from. I was told this, and I have no reason to doubt. But Egypt is puffed up, and will not listen to reason; they think they are the only empire worthy of the gods. But Atlantis sank, as will Egypt.

I have told you I did this for my motherland, Egypt. Let me explain, Egypt was dying, and now with Tutankhamen on the throne, the young pharaoh, it was a new beginning, and we all felt that Egypt would gain its revitalization back through him and back through the temple priests who where telling the young Pharaoh what to say, do, and act, but the Nubia kept cutting off necessary goods to us, irreplaceable recourses we needed. And so our economy depended on the fact we control Asia and Nubia, if it meant war so be it. But the new King of Kings was looking a little hesitant, looking at this strange one God his father proclaimed to be, the one and only God. He could not be a martyr for the people, oh now that would not do: -- death by accident was better for the young pharaoh.

As you can see, I am giving my life for my beliefs, my wife gave her body, and we all gave something. Before, that is when Akhenaten was alive; the army was simply his bodyguard, no more, no less. Almost useless, but they kept him alive. Egypt will not find a more faithful man than I. Yet she wants to kill me. I violated my values for Egypt, for I liked Tutankhamen, and his half-sisters; and I liked Smenkare, the half brother to Tutankhamen.

I was Tutankhamen teacher for a year; I helped him learn the hieroglyphs [inscription], the phonetic. I had taught him the first twenty-five, the others were given to him by other teachers, and he learned many on his own, through self study. And so you see, I had access to the palace.

As I lay here almost dead now, still a few more things to write, I remember the hours, so many hours I worked devoted to his writing correctly with a reed bush made soft. I had him practice on pottery first, then on papyrus.

I did not teach him how to swim, but I watched him many times on the banks of the Nile with his sisters, and the royal guards watching for crocodiles. At nine years old, he was already driving a chariot, I'm not sure who taught him that, but one day I saw him from my palace window.

VII

The Ways of Akhenaten

My wife just grabbed my hand, she is dead I think. Yes, she is dead, my only sole mate who dreamed the same dreams I did, who cried when I did, who died for me, at my call, may the gods be with her, and if they are not, maybe the dreamers god will be with her, that is to say, Akhenaten. I do not have the full understanding of the new religion that came about, for only Akhenaten really knew I think, but I do understand one thing, He was a sole God, who Akhenaten felt made the earth alone, no one to help Him; without the help of other gods that is.

Akhenaten was a poet of sorts, and I remember the "Hymn to Aten" which explains that there is only one God--the Aten, and he created everything, earth, people, everything. This is what brought him hate. It was no more Egypt, but more about a poets love for a new god. Thus came the new policies, which was too divergent from the traditional ones.

"Goodbye my love, my life...my wife..." she is dead now. I will be dead in a little bit to. But Nefertiti was her name, the Pharaoh's wife; it stands for beautiful, and that she was. Oh yes, sweet love. Many stelas were erected with her name on them in Egypt.

Akhenaten preached love and peace, and caused the land to become darken with the call of war. For no country wants to bow their knees to Egypt anymore. To be strong, and keep peace you must be able to fight, conquer. No, Akhenaten was not a good ruler, the army was lost and ignored, as was the revenue to collect tax and pay for services. But the Poet Pharaoh carved on tomb walls Nefertiti scenes. Yes the princess stood tall. She had whatever she wanted. For the price of peace he gave gold to the people. And just where did he get his gold, it was from the contributions expected to be brought to Egypt from other kingdoms, and now they were saying, they did not have it. And the Pharaoh turned his back, and in time all such shipments stopped.

VIII

Death in a Vault

By the time you read these stones I write on, and laid upon this pyre [death alter], it will be but ancient memories; they will not stir you as they do my psyche. Images I write, landscape I talk about. But do not let your first impressions take hold of you, look at the architecture, the earthwork, it is done by me, this is my temple. Many tones of stones ravel on top my head now. Rooted in the earth, this is the greatest temple of all. My great...grandmother the Serpent Queen, her shrine which is the Serpent mound, has an egg in it, but it is not an egg, it is he earth she swallows, for this sphere we are on is not round, I have been told that by my seer. That information my Queen knew. And the great flood that was not long ago, about 2500-years ago, in a previous age, the mother goddess my Queen through the seer transmitted this knowledge to me. My seer was called the Python. I have but a few minutes before my light goes out, and I will then be dead, but let me tell you this, for the future: There are multiple layers of secrets within theses mounds, especially Serpent Mound, may the discoverers of the future use their imagination to uncover them, for they will fight with disbelief more than possibilities... light...out... out...out....

Persuasion Through Needs is Achieved in the Film Fargo

2012-01-15T05:18:00.000-08:00

The film Fargo, an Academy Award winner for Best Picture in 1996, has several characters that exemplify the first process premise of needs, in turn making this film persuasive. This film is based around the life of a man named Jerry Lundegaard, whom is deep in debt and is married to a woman whose father has no respect or admiration for him. His typical day at work involves ripping customers off at the car dealership where he works as the head sales manager.

His need for respect and money leads him to hire an ungainly pair of men to kidnap his wife so that he can collect ransom money. Unfortunately, his personal needs lead to a homicide spree throughout Fargo, North Dakota. Determined to solve any case bestowed upon her, Marge Gunderson, the police officer from Brainerd, Minnesota, seems to walk onto the scene of a multiple homicide - which sparks her quest to find the murderer. The two whom kidnapped Lundegaard's wife seem to end up in more trouble than the ransom money is worth. Eventually, Lundegaard is taken in for conspiring and kidnapping, while the other two hoodlums that carried out the kidnapping and murders throughout the movie, one dies at the hand of the other, and the surviving one is taken to jail.

Process premises are very relevant to this movie's persuasive appeal - as several characters appear to be engulfed by their own personal needs and desires. "Process premises rely on psychological factors that operate in nearly all persuaders (Larson 147)." In this movie, the director uses several process premises to persuade our emotions into allowing us to relate to and enjoy this film. Specifically, needs, the first process premise, are used as a persuasive tool, "Each of us has a set of individual needs. Some of them are critical to us - we can't live without them (for example. food, water, clothing, and shelter). Others are not critical - we can get along with out them, at least for a while (Larson, 152)." This type of persuasion is key, "To be really effective, persuaders [authors, producers, or advertisers] must successfully determine their audience's needs (Larson, 152)." Due to the individual nature of human beings, we all have several different priorities. However, the needs that we all feel are similar in nature and can be explained by several different theories.

Through examining the first process premise of needs, Packard's Eight Compelling Needs expose several needs when looking at the personalities and emotional needs of two main characters in the film Fargo. Lundegaard and Gunderson, both fulfill several of Packard's Eight Compelling Needs, which are:

The need for emotional security, the need for reassurance of worth, the need for ego gratification, the need for creative outlets, the need for love objects, the need for a sense of power, the need for roots, and the need for immortality (Larson, 152-160).

The need for Emotional Security is defined as the need to know that one is safe and secure in a world that has an abundance of threatening characteristics. Stability and long-term prospects often are not experienced, while financial strain and personal relationships sometimes go awry. Many different factors put our emotional security at risk.

Lundegaard, his wife and one son are not doing very well financially and his work situation seems to be deteriorating (Weaver). His security for his family and self are not just at risk, but in a more miserable state - his security has been torn. Leaving him no choice but to seek out other ways of ensuring emotional security, Lundegaard stages a kidnapping in order to receive ransom money from his wife's father with the hopes of alleviating his problem and gaining back his emotional security.

The need for Reassurance of Worth can be described as the need to feel that you have accomplished something and that the tasks, which you complete, are of value. This concept is well described by Packard:

... people need to feel valued for what they do

- whether it is in a factory, at a desk, in a classroom, or in a day-care center. Housewives, blue-collar workers, managers, and public sector workers all need to feel that they are accomplishing something of value, are needed by their families and organizations, and are appreciated by others (Larson, 155).

Lundegaard is subject to this need for similar reasons as the first need of emotional security. His job, even though he is the "head sales manager," does not give him any fulfilling rewards or any sense of accomplishment that Packard outlines as important feelings that are desired and needed by all persons. As a way to battle his lack of worth, you can catch the character's eyes gleaming with joy and his face light up with a smile when he has accomplished something that he feels as important. In his own way he is attacking the lack of accomplishment and through his outwardly appearance, this is notable. One of the key reasons that Lundegaard stages the kidnapping is to hide from his wife that he is having financial troubles and to reassure her that he is capable of supporting the family. This reason stresses the need for reassurance of worth- a need that many people feel lacking in their own lives.

Ego gratification is the third need that Packard believes is a need shared by all individuals. This need states the simple fact that people like to be brought up emotionally, and given extra value through compliments, which will increase their own self worth and ego. Self perception is often the culprit of a low self-esteem - this issue can often be alleviated through the careful "'stroking' [and making the person]... feel as if they are really special - a step beyond mere self-worth. (Larson, 156)"

Gunderson's job as police officer in a small town in Minnesota leaves her ego slightly battered due to a lack of uplifting comments. The film does not state whether she has a family- so it is safe to assume that ego gratifying comments must come from friends or colleagues. However, working for a police force in a small town probably does not give many chances for these types of comments. Gunderson uses her own expertise and the way she carries herself throughout the movie to give a boost to her ego. Gunderson "just goes about her everyday business, eating (in nearly every scene), talking to the people in the community, and examining bloody corpses as if no day is different from the next ('Fargo')." However, she does take a rather stern tone with Lundegaard when she is interviewing him about the murders, this tone signifies one of her many attempts to gain ego gratification.

Creative Outlets is a need, which many movie viewers can easily relate to. This need is one where we seek to be recognized for out own individual accomplishments. Straying away from Lundegaard and Gunderson for a moment, the role of the 2 kidnappers must be evaluated regarding this need. The 2 kidnappers represent a stark contrast in personalities. One is a very quite, large, bold, and threatening looking man that tends to keep his public appearance in check throughout the movie. The disparity between the two is seen in the second kidnapper's personality and attitudes. He is maintains a smaller build and can be characterized as a hyper and attention seeking individual.

Through the second kidnappers attention seeking comments - we can see his desire to be recognized for his ideas, reasoning, and general beliefs. Several instances when the two are traveling together, he will make a comment; when he is ignored by the first kidnapper, the second kidnapper will make a comment about him [the first kidnapper] not listening to him. Further, he will badger him for being so quite and uses this type of communication to stress that he is capable of formulating ideas on his own.

The need for Love Objects is experienced through Gunderson's relations with a past friend from her earlier years. The importance of love objects is felt by any person whom seeks the feeling of belonging. Gunderson seeks this feeling, and in trying to fulfill it she meets up with an old friend. The feeling is felt- but too strong for her own comfort when then guy she is meeting comes on to her and tries to put his arm around her. This is an example of a failed attempt to fulfill one of Gunderson's needs.

Power is one of the most important aspects of conversation and even broader, our existence in society (Anjek). The need for a Sense of Power goes beyond control, and into the realm of satisfying several other needs by establishing power. Lundegaard seeks out the fulfillment of several needs; emotional security, ego gratification, and reassurance of worth through the use of money to establish power. He believes that money will be the encompassing solution to his problems. The ends do not justify the means, however, in this situation. Kidnapping and holding his wife ransom to gain financial power is not justified by his need for gaining financial power. The relevance of his needs to the viewers of this film is summed up through Larson's statement; "We Americans, perhaps more than members of any other culture, seem to be programmed to chase potency and power to gratify our need for them symbolically (Larson, 159)."

The need for Roots is one need that many people experience when they move away from home or work for a company that tends to transfer them to a different location frequently. "In the decade following college graduation - The average American moves at least a dozen times (Larson, 160)." The town of Fargo is portrayed by the director in a washed out tone though the blinding white of the snow. Occasionally the film's director paints the scene with the dull grays and browns of police uniforms and winter jackets. The slow pace of the film reflects the town's remote location and unhurried ambiance. The town is a perfect stereotype of the small town that many people in America have left behind as they have grown older and moved to more populated areas of the county. This setting offers viewers a chance to relate and reflect on their own experiences, further persuading the viewers to feel the needs and emotions felt by the characters in the film.

"None of us wants to believe in out own mortality (Larson, 160)." The need for Immortality is a need shared by the characters in this film and the majority of the persons viewing the film. "Studies have show that only the fear of giving a speech, exceeds the fear of dying. (Larson, 160)" The fear mortality shines through Lundegaard and Gunderson in their quests for an ego boost, love, self-worth, and the realization of most of the needs outlined by Packard's Eight Compelling Needs. At several points in the film, each of them say, do and make decisions that will prolong or enhance their lives.

Although Packard's Eight Compelling Needs explain the motives of the characters in the film Fargo, it is important to note that these needs also coincide with Maslow's Pyramid of Needs. These needs include from the lowest level to the highest: Basic Psychological needs, Safety and Security needs, Belongingness and Love needs, Esteem Needs, and Self-actualization needs (Larson, 161-166). Maslow argues that humans will first fulfill the needs at the bottom of the pyramid, or the basic psychological needs. Moving up, eventually to self-actualization needs, people move through several different needs, each one requiring different solutions and fulfillment strategies. Each of Packard's Eight Compelling Needs concur with Maslow's Pyramid of Needs, however Maslow goes further to explain the order which people will fulfill these needs.

The persuasive strategies used in the film Fargo take advantage of the Process Premises, specifically needs, outlined by Packard and Maslow. The persuasive techniques used in Fargo rely heavily on its audience. "...The first premises serve as springboards for persuasion in enthymemes...these needs whether identified by Packard's list or Maslow's Pyramid or some other model, are strongly felt by audiences (Larson, 166-167)." Our emotions allow us to relate to the characters and the needs, which they seek to fulfill. When the audience of a film can relate to the characters, they are persuaded to emerge themselves into the film and experience the same feelings and emotions of those characters. Audiences of this film were divided when it was release, many could not grasp the comedic seriousness of the movie, but the persuasive power of relating to the viewers general needs allowed for the films success. The needs and desires of each character, specifically, Lundegaard and Gunderson, outline these persuasive strategies.

Beauty of Nature Talent of Man, a New Ancient Art Form

2012-01-09T05:20:00.000-08:00

Since Mankind first stood erect and developed a consciousness of the world in which he lived; Nature has been a place of many dangers. Violence and death, the need to survive, and the biological urge to reproduce, and to nurture ourselves and our offspring has always been a prime motivational factor.

Being alert to our surroundings has profound implications, and is as pertinent today as it was in the distant primitive past.

"He's street smart", Is one way that we designate and congratulate the modern man, who has learned to be aware of his basic world and how to survive.

All living things, share this "aware of surroundings, street smart" necessity for survival.

There are many things which separate us as Humans, from other living things. Most are obvious, and have been studied, examined, dissected, and extrapolated ad nauseum.

However, the Human Spirit, has special abilities and insights which help to define the Soul inherent in Human existence, and is actually a definitive proof of its existence.

Recognition of beauty. Not the beauty necessary for reproduction and the sexual urges which enable its success, but a more abstract and intellectual beauty. The "BEAUTY OF NATURE".

An animal will stop and survey his surroundings, sniff the air, look at flowers, rocks, majestic mountains, but his motivation is survival. They are searching for a hidden enemy, or a source of necessary food.

Man is different. He can look at a beautiful sunset or a majestic peak, or a natural wonder like the Grand Canyon, an out cropping of rocks or any one of a million gifts of Natures Bounty and beauty, and feel our Soul vibrate and soar in sync with the abundant largess which Mother Nature, and God, has provided.

Of course we have a Soul, feel it beat in rhythm with the beauty of Nature.

Humanity has always been attracted to these dramatic gifts and we create parks, and national monuments, and fight to preserve these special areas of natural beauty.

The beauty of nature does not exist exclusively on this type of macro scale. There is a unique beauty of nature that exists on a very real, yet micro scale.

A new Art Form. An original way to capture and worship that which "God has wrought." There are certain natural stones which have captured the originality and overwhelming beauty which is inherent on a macro scale by a Grand Canyon. Imagine, the dramatic originality of Nature, "one of a kind works of art", available to enjoy and display in your home or office.

This new art form has several methodologies. The nature of the stone makes it a work of art naturally. This can be further enhanced using certain treatments, applied to the stone strategically, to enhance the effects already within it. Stone is also fast becoming a medium of choice for the innovative artist, as this material soaks up paint and gives a depth to color that isn't achieved on traditional mediums. Sculpture is the most ancient form of stone art; however stacked sculpture is a new form that involves adding stone to a piece to achieve a desired effect.

A gift of Nature, the majesty of the Earth, to cherish and uplift your spirit, and beautify your environment. Bask in the reflective beauty of your World. Stone art provides a true Cornacopia of originality and creativity.

Black Bubble Part I

2012-01-05T05:21:00.000-08:00

Black Bubble

[The Dread of the Yukon]

The Decision

And the Journey

The Witch Speaketh:

Once witches danced

To plenilunal magic

With weak souls to molest--;

Ah! Yes--way back when?

When--witches robbed men

Of virtue and piousness.

[July, AD 1909] I'm over fifty, and Shauna, over forty, she's more on the order of being, so-so in her ways than I, so-so meaning, you never know, and can be very stern if not given her way. My illness is of a peculiar order--I've thought possible she gave it to me--my wife, if in deed, one can give illnesses to another, I'd not put it past her; and the question is: could I go there without becoming fragmented and hurting someone in a panic state as I now often get because of the blame damn illness? This illness no one has a name for but is of some neurological makings, with side effects that disturb the emotional makeup of a person; she thought I'd be fine; should I become panic stricken; that I'd not hurt myself intentionally. I even mentioned--fruitlessly--even death by a hundred different reasons could occur. Again I repeat myself: she was indifferent to these worries of mine. My work used to be rather trying, as I spent much time in the Yukon years ago, now a professor at the University, with cross-cultural clients from every walk of life. I teach psychology.

"Robert doesn't mention any one but you, Lowell," was Shauna's rejoinder.

"I gather he's lonely for travel, or so I expect?" said I in return.

Incidentally, she looked at me as if I was out of my mind, turning toward the window; it was obvious she was dumbfounded in my lack of interest in joining him again on a surprise journey to the Yukon--it was fifteen-years since we had last been there. She didn't push the menu, I might add, but she wanted me to take the invitation, she was acting timid, and that is not her statuette. Robert has what I would call--a not worth mentioning, personality. But he has money, influence, and it pays the bills; or used to. He also has blood shot eyes most of the time, likes to drink you know, like a fish out of water; his expression is dull, dim and flat, and he's 61, too old for such nonsense.

I think of the barren, spacious Yukon, its cold roomy country, a wing of the devils where you can't find much to eat, hard to sleep, and it does not have hot baths. I've been in the Yukon, as well as the far Arctic, it is no dream trip at our ages, or so I feel.

Wealth flashed across my wife's face, and to enticed her, the unscrupulous professor made it worth her time to intimidate me: the fine things of life it would buy he shoved in front of her enigmatic, paranormal face; after the expedition that is shed be the queen of the city, sort of speaking; and the truth of the matter is, I could rest for a year or two, in a quiet work-room and just write poetry, with a perfect cup of coffee, or tea each day, instead of that same old, same old crap. Sure, there is a good point about his, I admit, and not many people would be demanding my every minute once I got back, and it would be only a four month endeavor, but again I say, it is too demanding; and so the Professor asked to me to go along with him, Professor Robert Spellvice; 'why?' to look for old bones, old mammal bones in the Yukon, this is not my cup of tea at fifty-seven years old; not anymore anyway. But if I stay around here, it will be a long winter with my wife, and I can tell you, short in days can be long in months with her, if she'd doesn't make me into a toad in the mean time. Like I said, there are points to this, I admit.

"I spoke with him yesterday, and he really wants you Lowell, he said he wanted your answer today, and not a 'no,' informing me he'd give you three times your wages than the university, along with a big bonus once completed, and he can acquire a leave of absence for you without any issues raised...?" I found myself gazing in the dullness of my library: eyes in a pause, looking at my wife, but not saying a word.

I spoke at length with her about how long we'd be gone--feeling it was a long time, and exactly how much was he was offering was not worth it, and the books that would be written thereafter, and the royalties, was still more work to be done--implying: it was not as simply as she was making it out to be, and I wanted to retire for the most part, I had written twenty-nine books (for god sake how many more must a man write to prove his worth?). Shauna did not budge from her insistence in that I should go, nor move from the archway of our library, as I expected. She kept her dark green eyes on me, a mist formed around her, like a black bubble, it often did when she was thinking hard, thinking and not wanting anyone in to some safety zone of hers, as if I could, or someone might be able to, read her thoughts; it was her compilation of hidden knowledge in witchcraft I was witnessing, and skeptical about: should I not agree to do it, I might end up doing it anyhow as it may appear to me--with her art of magic--I wanted to in the first place, and by the time the spell would fade, I'd be in the Yukon anyhow. I didn't know she was a witch when I married her; it came out when she healed me with some stupid shrub, or herb from it, of scurvy or whatever I had back then, back in l886, if I recall right.

I fought it, but it didn't' do much good until I returned and she hurled her the unexplained, delightful enchantment on me, along with that shrub-herb. Oh, that isn't all, in the Yukon, there are deep dizzy mountains, deathlike, and graves here and there of those before you that tired to find their fortune in it. I scrabbled and mucked like a slave them days. It is the cruelest land that I know. Yes, there is beauty also, the big husky sun, the stars tumble about at night; the caribou run in the wild, it is fresh, silent, a stillness to it also, a good portion of it unpeopled; but there are hardships that nobody reckons; keep it, I will take a hot bath and think about those who wish to go back to that world, should I have such a pleasure in making the decision not to, but I fear not

Instead of me inviting it hopefully, as an alternative, I told her I'd try to look forward to it, but I only did so in depression, a kind of creeping one at that. Here I was to enter a world of fog and slush, gloom and cold; these melancholy thoughts I must put aside. Now she went into her room, with that impassive face, an evil woman at times.

[Interlude I] Lowell's mind was now free for the moment, having Shauna's spell and demand packed away, thus he lost the fearfulness that was lingering within his stomach, his intestines, his head and spine--the uneasiness she could provoke upon and within his system, make it endure should he defy her. Now he committed himself to the irretrievable blunder to be, which lay ahead of him: or so he felt it would turn out to be; he devoted long hours to getting in shape the following two months, for the September trip. He lost over ten pounds, put on some muscle in its place. Found new maps of the Yukon, and Arctic regions, for they'd be in both areas before their trip was over; he was never losing hope the Professor would cancel the trip, and perhaps go in the summer months, but he didn't. He packed away for the trip a few books, one by George Sterling of poetry; he liked his imagery, a great poet out of California; and another one by Gertrude Stein.

It seemed to him, Professor Spellvice had not done any extraordinary preparation for the long enduring trip that lay ahead of them, which required specialization for the most part, hence, Lowell was baffled. His head was whirling with conflict and contradiction of this idleness. Did he think the Yukon, or the Arctic was summer year round? I mean, he wasn't the man he was fifteen-years ago, or twenty-five years ago when they had made their first of several trips to the enduring North. Perhaps the Professor had bones and artifacts in general on his mind so much he forgot that it gets sixty to eighty below zero up there, should they not make it back before winter; and he was playing a most dangerous game trying to beat the cold and freezing up of the lakes and rivers by going in late September. So these were Lowell's thoughts. In addition, He felt the Professor could lose twenty-pounds, minimum, which would do him well; scrap off that pot belly of his; he was only five foot six inches tall, and the bellow lapped over his belt like rolls from a pig, he must had been 190-pounds. He also had a black beard and his back and arms, legs and all was hairy like an ape.

By and large, Lowell McWilliams was in a state of addlement [becoming rotten] when he met the day he and the professor were to take the train from Minnesota to the Canadian boarder; and then onto the Yukon, to Dawson to get supplies, and all the way to the Arctic, and perhaps even to Mackenzie Bay [which was not on the agenda, but in the back of the professors mind which would add another for or five months to the trip back and forth, but should he had told Lowell, it would have only made matters worse]. Both Lowell and Professor Spellvice were aware Peary had made it to the North Pole [April 6, l909] by sledge, and it may have had inspired Spellvice to make the trip before winter, and the summer of the following year, or at least that is what came to mind for Lowell. But Lowell was more interested in the possibility of the fight that was to take place with Jack Johnson, come the summer of next year [l910], on July 4th, thus leaving in August of 1910, would had been excellent for him.

The Yukon

And the Lake

The Raw Arctic

I have seen its vastness--

A lonely land I know;

On its silent splendor,

Its beauty: strung my soul!...

For the first few weeks nobody spoke unless there was an absolute need to, and Lowell chopped ice as they shifted through the waters, his ores heavy with ice, cliffs all about him. Lowell wanted to turn about a hundred times, but his will refused his mind and bodies better judgment. And Professor Spellvice, whom never swore, learned how to somehow this time, as the river become more dangerous, and he become more exhausted. Lowell got thing about this time: '...for some odd reason, it would seem each man wants to prove something in his life before he dies, and thus, puts life and limb in harms way if need be, heart and soul into it, even if he puts others in harms way, and this was one of those times for the professor.' It seemed that, each man had reached his breaking-point during this journey, but jerked back from pulling their revolvers out and shooting the other.

During the evenings in camp, each would take their turns with some kind of hesitated and sort hysterical laugh, and a few hours later they'd both be fast asleep; a way of releasing the pressure of the long hatchet struggle in the Yukon. One blamed the other for whatever anguish had rested on his soul that day, but by nightfall it usually was forgotten, and by morning after a cup of coffee, it was time to loosen up the stiffen muscles and the ache of moving from the sleep of fatigue of the night before.

It was on the 41-day, they had woke up, finished with the coffee, it was dark yet, Lowell rolled up the sagging tent, said to Robert, "Come on, we got to get across the lake before it freezes up; it was thirty-below, and as they started to cross the lake the wind started to freeze up the Roberts cheeks and nose, when he touched them, they were froze hard like an ice cube. He stopped rowing, left the ore by itself as he pulled his gloves off to warm his face with his own fleshly hands. Thus, as they floated down the swift river, shore-ice extended out into the lake and it was hitting the boat as it broke from its main sheet. Lowell didn't see Robert, he was starting a fire in the little iron stove they had in the boat, for it was to be a six hour trip across the lake, and into the river; which would bring them a landing point, just before the water falls; consequently, his back was turned to him.

The older man, Professor Spellvice, was beyond fatigue, and was now rubbing his face, it was dead tissue he was rubbing, tissue that was frost bitten: turning white; his ore had slipped gently into the lake, there was one left, it remained connected to the boat on the other side, then all movement ceased--they hit a big rock in the middle of the lake, the professor fell forward onto Lowell's back, sound like he was in extreme anxiety: "I'll sure go back now," his eyes bulging out of their sockets: then apologized for taking him into this 'forsaken land,' hunting for old bones; then like a sack of potatoes, he fell limp: dead to the world. What had come over him, Lowell didn't know there were no real signs that had forecasted such a quick expiration.

Lowell had food, some gold-dust they had traded for dollars in Dawson, just incase they needed to buy some camp items along the way, should they find someone willing to sell them, along with meat or other needed items, hence, dollars would not hold the value as gold would. He knew he had flour, some beef-jerky, a few tin goods; as he looked about the boat; then he noticed he had one ore. The shore was about a mile away; he'd turn the boat that way, but didn't have it, it seemed somehow to turn by itself in that direction compelled to go that way he told himself--"Why?" He then pulled out a bottle of whiskey, took a few drinks, after thawing out his mustache to get the bottle into his mouth.

He looked at old Professor Spellvice, "So-long, old chap," he said with a regretful- ness, while his red-hot stove gave him new vitality. It was getting colder, for he spit in the air and it froze before it hit the ice in the lake. "It's getting colder all the time..." he told the stove, as if it had a mind of its own, rubbing his bare hands to the warmth of its flames, turning now and then to the back of the book looking at the Spellvice humped over like a lump of lard, chin on his chest.

"Ssh!" he said aloud. He heard a woman's voice from the shore; he could see the shore now. "Huh!" said he, in a whisper to himself. For some reason, Shauna did not occur to him that the voice coming from the shore was hers, or could be; it was some other woman's. As his boat oddly enough was being pulled to shore by some hidden force, the snow in this areas was feet thick, deep snow he noticed. 'Nobody could live up here,' he told himself, the stove now going out, '...only the devil,' he added to his monologue. He felt his legs and knees, he knew his muscles were still strong with warm circulating blood; hence, he could trudge along the snow for a few days once ashore, but he needed to find a log cabin--sooner or later--and wait out the winter. There was no way of going back. He'd bury the old professor in spring, when he'd make his way back across the lake; it would freeze over soon--the lake that is, if not this evening, surely tomorrow or the following day.

[Interlude II] Lowell loved beauty, be it in nature as it was in the North Country here, or in women, for his wife was most beautiful, or in poetry; and now the great north had provided this beauty for him. He and the professor, if they had enjoyed anything together on this trip, it was in the gazing into the magic of its beautiful landscape, it silent nights, its overpowering vastness; it stirred within him, profoundly, within both of them. It seemed to fill the blank pages of his Lowell's mind, those that had been gathering for so many years. These past six weeks he had sung to himself aloud, something he had not done for a very long time. The landscape illuminated both the professor and him, although the professor seemed to have experienced darkness because of his avidly unpreparedness for the trip, he did find time to absorb its wondrous beauty. But now he was gone forever, a sad case at best, thought Lowell. Under all those cloths the professor had on, he was sweating out the old stress and strain he had carried a thousand miles; his shirt clung to his shoulders from the sweat.

Black Bubble Part II

2012-01-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

[Part Two: Black Bubble]

Reaching land

And the

Fate beckoned Lowell McWilliams, one might say, for on the cold desert like sheet of ice came echoes sliding to his ears, echoes from a Polar Eskimo, in this geographical isolated land. Oaassaaluk, a seer of sort whose husband was an Eskimo like her, and hunter and the master seer, was now alone with her children by her side, all waiting along the coast with their traditional sledge of: whalebone joined together with sealskin, no rivets or nails. They had journeyed a long way. She was now moving briskly with her dogs along side her--dogs which were restlessly guarding her, as well as useful for the sleigh. Now the shore passed quickly before Lowell's eyes, catching the glimpse of the female Eskimo. She had two young children by her side, along with the four dogs, he noticed, yet she was small framed, yet pretty--an eye catcher he told himself.

Build strong with a round face, almost harmless, but for some odd reason, he knew she wasn't; I mean, how could she be harmless and with two children in the frozen North like this, waiting by a shore of ice in ten below zero weather. She had willed the boat over, he could see the roof of her tent, plus she had been cooking something. The atmosphere looked good, he was hungry, more than hungry, he was next to starving, and he had a dead body to look at, which was becoming disheartening. Behind the tent was a fairly good size igloo, standing at the lips of a cliff, somewhat lost in the vastness of the almost all white, snowy landscape. He had never used his ore once, it was all by the force that the boat found its way to the shoreline; some hidden force of this Eskimo woman he knew, whose name he'd fine out was Oaassaaluk: yes, the boat was brought to shore by her will.

--Lowell had learned as he met young Oaassaaluk, and her two children, that she was from an Inuit tribe from Greenland, a Thule tribe. When she scented the dead man in the boat, she was a bit fearful, hoping he was not ill-treated during his life, lest he come back to haunt them. She spoke the language of the Inuit's from Greenland, and thus, performed a ritual that evening for the dead man. She circled him like a wolf, wondering if he was going to come back and haunt them, then like thunder in the middle of the night, as the fire was going down, somewhat flickering out, she ran outside of the tent she had, with a sharp tooth for a knife, a tooth from a huge bear, and stabbed him again and again through the heart, to insure he was dead, and would not come back and haunt her children and her; Lowell saw it all, as he had stayed by the fire, and the children in the igloo saw nothing.

She was well understood by/or to Lowell, he didn't' know why or how, but it seemed she had some supernatural power to make it so--thus they communicated without any problems. As he looked at his friends body, she had scalped him, turned his eyes, mouth, ears and genitals inside out, saying, "...it is better my new friend, to kill him once and for all, than to have him follow us at night." Lowell said not a word. He had thought his wife was dangerous, but Oaassaaluk was far more vicious should she want to be, more than Shauna had ever thought of being.

As the days and weeks passed, they both found themselves sleeping together in the tent as one as one would feel to a wife or husband, and he learned many things of her, and she of him. They even taught each other their personal songs. She explained, Perlussuaq was their evil spirit, who could wish living creatures ill, and she believed his friend had met the evil spirit, and thus, he was doomed. Had Lowell continued down the river, his fate would had been the same she explained, but the evil spirit was lazy, and did not think she was close by and therefore felt it had time to squander, for the spirit was looking for her but her magic created kind of black bubble around her so he could not smell, or see her: detect her in anyway. But once she had used her powers, she had opened herself up, had come out of that safety zone, thus was open to his wickedness, it was why she hand to insure the man was dead.

She had taught Lowell by this time, spoken charms, and to chant them softly. And about the taboos of food, and eating of meat: basically, the age mattered as did the kind of animal, and sex. Should he eat the heart, his vitality would diminish. He'd explain to her of his wife whom would use her skills in black magic to insure he'd do as she wanted. But Oaassaaluk never said a word bad about his wife; she turned out to be a good listener. And as the days passed they become not only lovers, but soul mates. In the mornings she'd cook eggs, and have meat, coffee made, where she got those items, he never knew nor asked, but his supplies were almost depleted, and so he was thankful she had a resource, whatever it was.

In her beliefs, she knew she had a soul [her breath], she told Lowell; matter of fact, she had three 'breaths,' if not more, so she indicated, and life was everlasting and She wore amulets, the skin of the upper jaw of a bear her recent husband was killed by, of which, she endowed with pride and courage. And she had in her tent, and in the igloo, skulls of foxes.

[Interlude III] Lowell, as time went by, found his new mate to be most desirable, and seemingly had all but forgotten Shauna, his wife. He now preferred the warmth of his new mate, of which she was more than willing to provide for him. She, Oaassaaluk had produced in him a swimming sensation of bliss he had never felt before; one that accepted death, before idealism. His face flushed when they met often; at the same time his hair became stimulated to its roots. Her gracious spirit drove him insanely excited.

Evil Spirits

The Demon's Ark

Born from the horns

Of a wingless archangel

With the pulse of

Perpetual night--

Lo, the demonic horizon:

Mortals jagged plight.

It was in January, of the year l910; Lowell had been missing for months without any word to civilization, that he was alive. And suddenly when Oaassaaluk had returned one morning back to the camp, she was ill, very ill. Oaassaaluk's husband had been an 'angakkoq,' shaman, or priest, and she had learned much from him. He was the interpreter of the signs, and he was her precedence, and the evil spirit was mad at Oaassaaluk for saving the white man, taking Lowell away from him. As he was angry at Oaassaaluk's husband previously; for they had been escaping, running away from it--the evil spirit, as to not have to give it respect, it wanted, respect in the form of worship, which it pleaded for, and swore it would get revenge should they not give it.

In consequence, in fear and faith they had run a thousand miles, and then of course the evil spirit sent the bear to kill the husband, and she had been lonely and would not sleep with the evil spirit and hid from it; out of loneliness, isolation, and knowing the evil spirit was on a rampage, she helped Lowell escape its deadly intent, his unknowing it; hence, he evaded his fate of death; now she had taken him as her mate. She sang 'ajajas,' calling on the good spirits to help her. Her illness was unceasing though; she became mute and extremely violent at times, then temperate as lamb, yet she held onto Lowell as if he was her breath, or part of it. As she lay dying day after day, Lowell had found himself much in love with her; he loved her dearly, so much so, he stayed with her night and day without eating, only preparing food for the children. He had also found out he did not want to return to his home in the lower states to face his bewitched wife whom kept him as a slave; life was less valuable than he had thought, if it was to be without his Oaassaaluk.

It was a deadly night when he sat in the igloo by her side as she was dying, when all of a sudden out of nowhere, people he had never met seemed to come in and out to the igloo, he knew they were ghost's from the sky, but he said nothing. They were having a feast of some kind, laughter, drums sounded, in the space of a few days, it looked like a village outside the igloo, it had become over populated, fifty people maybe. Despite the influx, the snow did not stop them or the cold, or the small igloo, the guests were puckered eyed, and talked in her concise language.

In the summer of l911, the bodies of Oaassaaluk and Lowell were found, side by side, ugly in the sun, skin rotting as if they were a black bubble of flesh, harnessed to one another like a team of dogs. He had tied himself to her, and ordered the ghosts to tie him tighter, so tight, he'd not be able to get out; for it was said no one could have done it alone. And so as he had wished, they died together, arms and body entangled around one anther. From the edge of the cliff, where the igloo was, the two children were gone.

Nightmare

He lives within the deep

Where others never sleep--

Monstrous fathoms below,

Where Lava Rivers flow,

And crowding waters rush.

He is the nightmare demon

With a flat, untraversable form--

Lying in a bottomless tomb,

Haply awakened from doom

Thirsting diabolical ruin!...

In the Middle, Life Happens: One Woman's Adventure thru Breast Cancer and the Doodles that Healed

2011-12-29T05:25:00.000-08:00

Life has taught me that I do not always have control over what comes my way, only in how I choose to respond. I certainly did not choose to have breast cancer, but I did choose to not let that diagnosis define how I would experience that medical adventure. The trick was in believing that in the heart of all challenges, a gift exists.

I remember those initial feelings of anger and fear that flooded every pore of my being when I first heard the words breast cancer. I kept wondering, "Am I going to die? How can this be happening to me?" In one quick moment my life turned upside down and I felt very scared. Yet, I was determined to see a rainbow in the sky every day.

But how was this going to happen? How was I going to be able to keep my mind from wandering into all those scary thoughts? I discovered it was possible if I could just remain focused in the present moment and not let my mind become fixated in all those "what if " scenarios.

One day while nervously waiting for a doctor's appointment, I took out a pen and paper and began to "doodle" in an effort to reduce anxiety and worry. After doing this for awhile, an amazing thing happened. The more I doodled, the more relaxed, calm and peaceful I was beginning to feel and I knew I had stumbled into something very powerful.

I continued to doodle when I returned home. I even bought a special "doodle book" and took it with me when I knew I would be waiting somewhere (carwash, hairdresser, airports or before meetings). At some point I decided to create one guideline...to begin and end each doodle outline at the same point, without lifting the pen off the paper and to do this in 3-5 seconds. While I had no idea what the finished product would look like, I began to see that there were never any mistakes! I created amazingly beautiful doodles-all by letting go of control and learning to have faith and trust in the process. Not bad for a non-artist perfectionist! I was truly amazed.

I then began to see the correlation between this art form and my adventure through breast cancer. Both were about immersing oneself in a journey--that space between two points and learning to trust in the unexpected twists and turns along the way. I learned that there are no wrong turns, for in every turn a gift can be found. The only mistake is in forgetting to slow down long enough in order to discover what those gifts might be.

I've come to appreciate that challenges come in all sizes, shapes and colors, and arrive when least expected. That's what makes their experience so fascinating.

Over the years, I've learned to embrace the unexpected with a greater sense of trust and faith, knowing that I receive no more than I truly have the capacity to handle.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman Doesn't Disappoint, Unfortunately That's the Problem

2011-12-24T05:31:00.000-08:00

Tyler Perry strikes again as he brings his hugely successful theatrical stage play Diary of a Mad Black Woman to movie theaters nation wide. A cultural phenomenon this is Perry's chance to bring his play to a larger audience, unfortunately the movie, much like the play, falls flat.

Diary follows the life of Helen (Kimberly Elise) as she tries to put her life back to together after her husband, played by Steve Harris of The Practice fame, unceremoniously and rather cruelly throws her out of their sprawling mansion, officially ending their eighteen year marriage. Simple enough story right? Predictable but workable? Well if Diary had just stayed with that storyline then yes, it might have been a predictable but a rather entertaining film. Instead, Diary doesn't stick to just that story line. It goes on to produce not one but five other subplots. These extra stories turn the movie into one big muddled mess that is never sure which way it is going.

In his defense Perry's play is this muddled as well and what saves his play is the same thing that saves this film: Madea. Madea is Helen's trash talking, pistol toting, you're going to respect me or I'll put a cap in your behind, grandma. Played by Perry himself she steals the film and makes sitting through this 116min rambling mess worth it.

Outside of Madea there's not that much else to say about this movie. Tyler's appearance as Joe, Madea's cantankerous, dirty old man, brother is the only other bright spot in the film, as we watch him fight with Madea and hit on anything that moves. Kimberly Elise, albeit a very talented actress pouts, yells, screams and otherwise overacts her way through the role of the jilted Helen. And the absolutely handsome Shemar Moore from The Young and The Restless is convincing, although uninteresting as Orlando, Helen's new and sappy love interest. Orlando's dialogue couldn't get anymore cheesy or saccharine, "I'll love you through your pain" or "I'll be your knight in shining armor." Although he delivers these lines as if he sincerely believes what he saying it stills sounds as if it is straight out of a bad romance novel.

I will say that if you like Perry's stage work, then you will love this movie. He stays true to what works for him on stage, so you Perry fans won't be disappointed. However, if you're unfamiliar with Perry and his work and you were thinking about seeing this film, don't. You'll be sorely disappointed and will demand your money back.

Tunnel of Stone

2011-12-19T05:35:00.000-08:00

I now had waked from my sleep, I looked outside through a corner of my curtain, and day had broken. I went to see Mr. Hampton next door.

Of time, you know nothing of, but time knows a lot about old age. Youth has its pride, age has its wisdom, or so they say; but then, not in all cases. Life is liken to the tides of the sea; they come in, and they go out, a simple observance, philosophy if you will: if that is what it is; thus, another wave comes in, should you have the time to scrutinize it, should you be given the time that is. And as we all know, standing on the shore, big or small, the waves disappear from our sight; blemished into the sea as if they never were, but you seen them, seen them for a moment, just a flicker in the ripple of time, but you've seen them nonetheless, you were there, and should you wait for that same tide to return, you will wait forever, it will not return. It's just the way it is, the way it's always been, the way it will continue to be, like it or not. You may even say after a while: "Was it ever," questioning your sanity. But you know deep down inside it was. Oh yes, you're getting the picture, we are just waves in the sea, sort of.

And so the seasons come and go. The sun is high one day, the next there is no sun. Dogs bark, children cry. This morning when I woke up, dawn was spreading itself out like a carpet over my backyard. As I was saying, they come and go faster now it seems, the days, the dawn, the sounds of dogs barking and children crying:,-and the older we get, the more we realize our days are numbered and these sounds, fade, fade into oblivion, or get louder to where we cannot, or will not bare them, if you live to get old that is, most people will not reach my age, most people in the world that is, and few will see Mr. Hampton's age. The cycle of time wipes out any hope or nonsense within humanity's framed desire to return, they will not.

I had a dream this morning, eyes somewhat open at the last or third try-I say try, because I had the same dream three times it seems. Woke up three times, went back to sleep three times to finish it. Psychic Vampires in my dream I think, the Crown Prince of Hell tried to send his natives to, to find me, haunt me I assume. Everything is, 'I think,' for some odd reason, peculiar today, this morning, as if I sense something, a sixth-sense if you will, save for the fact, I didn't know I had one, sixth-sense-that is. What is a 'Psychotic Vampire,' you ask? Simply one who drains another of his or her vital energy; no more, no less-I feel drained.

There were braggarts in my dreams also, maybe the Psychic Vampires; ones that are-those folks I say-that are with large egos, or in need to satisfy his/her larger ego; ones with impoverished egos, and in need to feed them. I know who they were I think.

I know I said it before, but I'll say it again: it is the way things are, we are but waves in the so called, sea of humanity-life, in the cosmos, and so the seasons come and go. I am at Mr. Hampton's door, next door-this very minute, no one answers; I-l am listening for sounds inside, never taking my eyes off, off the door, or the side window here, my hand seems to be quivering a bit, I wonder why?

[A pause in time]

-I have stood here now for a long moment, he is eighty-six years old-I know I said that before-wait, no I didn't, thought I did, so what, I'm fifty-six, no, no, how about fifty-seven, yes, that is it; a generation apart, yup, two aging bodies linked by words, a fence, two houses, humanity in general, heaven and hell. It is all part of the picture, part of us, it-; it was all figured out long before either one of us were born. I don't think God works, or even thinks in the mode we do: first the angels, then the world, then the animals, then humankind. I think somehow, someway it was all figured out long before the first blade of grass showed up on earth, and we are the residue of this-I shall call it God's dream, His twinkling of an eye, or call it, His dimensional processing, I don't know what else to call it. But here we are nonetheless, and yes, O yes, I am thankful...

-I just now opened his door, walking into the darkness; I'm standing in his living room [a long pause]. Now, now I'm in his bathroom, he's on the floor, pants half down, he was trying to dress himself, must have had a stroke, heart attack, something of that nature; it happens all the time-:he is a bit warm, but dead. His face is waxed a ting, possibly been dead an hour, maybe two, possibly three-his death. His death produces room for another: that is what just went through my mind. Room, we need more room, but couldn't God just make a bigger world; oh well, God has His reasons.

I'm trembling now, not sure why, but its cold in here, and it shouldn't be, should it? My mind: 'we're like waves in the sea are we not, here then gone.' I see dirt on the floor, kind of wet dirt, a path of it, leading down into the basement. Now, I'm taking step by step, creeping down these stairs. I can hear voices in the background, voices of vengeance, producing echoes.

From the stairway, and a few steps beyond, one can see, I can see some great black slimy shapes rising from the entrance, a wall and stone like entrance leading into a stone tunnel. There is vomit all about the entrance, like a struggle had taken place, and the person was dragged the rest of the way.

The shapes were delighted in their work; that is, refilling the tunnel with sand, and breaking down the stone walls to its original form; it's that six sense I was talking about I have, my body absorbs their pulses to their diabolical dark laughter, the dreary doom inside their shadowy make up.

"Oh come forth in the name of Abandon," says a voice, a voice with a smirk, a humorous jeer to its face, with its haunting like shape, shadowy shape.

"Come and feel the hot winds of Hell, from inside the tunnel?" He's looking at me, with his skull like shape, empty skull with large eyes, and fire in them.

My throat just went dry my lungs sting like a bite from a scorpion's bite.

"Hail Satan!" the voice of a huge shape just said [backed up by other shapes looking at one another]; another shape, and an uglier dark shape at that, said: "We are all the same, I and we, my and ours-all the same." Then they all laughed at once, and continued to do their labor.

A voice comes now echoing back from far within the tunnel-I can hear it, it sounds like a million miles away; a million voices, turbulent voices as one-its funny, out of the mass, how I can hear a single voice [Mr. Hampton's I think] sounds like he's being rapped, torn apart by those beings. I can hear him sobbing, with moaning undulated pitch as his teeth chattered; these demonic shapes stretch along side of his; Now the shapes in the basement have just patched up the last part of the wall-resealing it. The last brick is now going in place, wait, I hear, "We go in hate, and we wait for you. When you come to die we'll be there; to take you my friend, the same way, to the same place." The hissing stops, the last brick are now put into place; they have gone, for they already have his soul. I think they wanted to put on a show though, a show for me.

I had passed out evidently, for when I woke up Mr. Hampton's floor in the basement was full of my sweat-I must have lost twenty pounds: my cloths wet, the floor wet, the carpet I was on soaked, and there I was laying; it was now evening, I could see through the small windows that lead to the to the cellar, from outside; yes, it was all dark, but I knew it was the cellar not that other place, not the tunnel. It was all a dream, was it not? Or so I asked myself. I would ask you but I'd get no reply, so I am of course, just telling the story. I went back upstairs to see about Mr. Hampton's body, it had not been moved, it was cold now, no warmth in his arms now, not like before. I called the police, but I was too afraid to tell anyone about the Stone Tunnel, that is, anyone but you.

The Pallid Case of: Nicolai Stein

2011-12-15T05:37:00.000-08:00

Advance: In this new Mytho, hypnotic strangness reaches out of the commonplace, to the convincingly, everyday world of reality, yet lures the mind into its deep imaginations.

I became good friends with Nicolai Stein. He was the son of a top chief in Paris, who was quite well off. But soon after I had gotten to know him, his parents had died mysteriously died that is, or so it seemed; and somehow he had lost or squandered away most--but not all--his inheritance they had left him; which was quite a sum I heard. And so he left his Paris home for the Island of Nantucket, off the coast of old Cape Cod. If you were to ask me why, I couldn't tell you why he selected that particular island.

This island is not huge by no means but has quite a long and enduring history for writers, whalers (of a century past), and artists of today, and so forth and so on. It has its beauty, its lighthouses, and its cobblestone streets, which add to its charm; and let's not forget its coffeehouses and historic inns. So by virtue of a most pleasant location, I trust he made a good selection in settling there for, as he said, '...a season,' and for his own reasons.

Nicolai had rented a hotel room at the Manton Coffin House, a stately three-story, brick mansion built in the mid-l800s. Oh yes, yes, it fit the gracious bygone world, and when he invited me to come live at the hotel--at his expense of course, and finish my book of poetry, I felt most obliged, and accepted immediately his kindly gesture; and upon my taking residence there I felt--for the most part, comfortable at once in this sixty-four guestroom complex; with all its modern amenities.

It was here, here where I got to know him quite well, quite well indeed (possibly too well), or at least, so I thought, for does anyone, anyone (emphatically I say!) really know anyone but himself, and seldom can we be sure of that over implication.

In Paris we had chummed about, but not much, although he took a liking to me. It took me a bit longer; I actually got to liking him more during the first month at the hotel. Nonetheless, I had learned quite quickly, He was reserved, and seemed well educated; although he had kept to himself pretty much while in Paris, that is to say, he preferred a quieter life style than I, we got along relatively well. Should you had followed him around on a daily basis (in Paris; as I look back now) I dare say you would find him with his little youthful friend, whom I will get to in a moment, but at the time I had categorized him as a kid of protégé of his, of some kind. But as I was about to say, you would have noticed he had a flood of mood changes more rapid than the blinking of stoplights. And when he was happy, he was ecstatically happy; and when sad, he was quite gray and gloomy, from his brow to his lowering of his eyes, to his hunchback positions.

But we had a few things in common, and this is where I feel he picked up a liking for me. He liked to read and write, and was the fastest reader I have yet to make acquaintance with. Nor would I care to compete with him in prose or poetry writing. He always had pens and paper and unfinished manuscripts lying about. Not sure if he ever finished anything, but they were there nevertheless. I had read some of his work and it was of a high quality, as I have said before, he was well learned but he wrote on things that to me were in the area of imaginary cosmogony, wondrous phenomena: beyond my comprehension; thus, I conclude, unique it may be but not any contribution to mankind or to me, so I left it silent and made no remarks to its value, just a few gestures of kindliness, to insure our friendship was cemented in good will.

As he walked about Paris, I had noticed he daydreamed feverously, almost to the point he'd get hit by a car had his friend not pulled him to safety a few times while leaving the curve too soon; much like here on Nantucket, apart from, the cars here are not as plentiful.

In Paris, He'd stop at his favored coffee shops, restaurants, like Café de Flora, etcetera: and have his double shot of caffeine, with a little hot milk on the side, and a piece of coffeecake. It was forever the same, a man of habit, as they say; solely predictable.

His youthful friend's name, so I heard, was Sullivan. Not sure if that was a first or last name--surely Irish though; it was all he was called. No matter where he'd go, young Sullivan--I'd say about fifteen years old-- young Sullivan would follow old Nicolai, like a bloodhound. It was only times when I was by him he'd tell Sullivan to go find something to do,--something to do, other than standby us; hence, insuring he was with me alone, for whatever purpose, for we did not talk of anything secret, or worthy of shooing him away.

I had been sleeping when Sullivan had opened the door to my room and woke me up, saying breakfast was about ready: then he proceeded to finish, making the eggs and taste, coffee, for we three lived together in the hotel suite, with separate room of course, and a kitchenette, so as not to have to run to the restaurant all the time to eat.

Said he, "Nicolai will be home shortly," it was close to noon now, and I had stayed up quite late reading the previous night.

After breakfast, Nicolai proceeded to tell me about his so called little experiment; he seemed quite happy and excited to tell me, trusting I'd concur with his way of thinking I'm sure. He had cross-bred a rabbit with a rat: "I want you to take a look at it Lee, this morning if possible?" so he asked humbly.

I put my coffee cup down on the table, replied with scientism: "Are such things possible?" He looked at me a little funny; you know those looks that say: 'seeing is believing.' He was quiet for the rest of the breakfast, and then afterwards he seemed too had gotten some kind manic rush into his system, or blood, insisting now I follow him to see his work of art. I had found myself saying, "Yes, yes, I'm coming," as if we were going to the Opera, or some grand event about to take place within the hour, and we must not be late.

[Looking at the...] "Yes, yes, it really is something..." I admitted to him as he showed me this red serpent tongued creature, that had big eyes like an owl, and ears like a rabbit, teeth like a rats, tale like a cat. It sat upright, as if its spine was durable to the point of being able to bend and arch it at will, even more so than a human. The tongue was a foot long, while extended outside its mouth. Oh yes, it was a feeble looking creature; strange and pitiful; it had web feet which looked more like a hoof, than a bunny's foot. It was all of three feet tall; perhaps seventy pounds.

Nicolai looked at me with a glare, I at him with mortification. The young boy was playing with--what I called in my mind--the hybrid, creature. Not knowing what to say, lost for words, and beyond, and I mean way beyond my own creative fascination; my mouth must had drooped a food, jaw and all. Nicolai could see I was dumbfounded and lost for words. A cold breeze seemed to fill the moment for us three, or was it four now, with the rodent-rabbit-creature on hand. Not knowing what to do, I simply buttoned up my sweater, for we were in an old wooden structure on top of a hill, within the small village, the barn of sorts, or meeting hall, having a date being built somewhere in the mid to late 1600s, was an old gray wooden building, and it kept a chill to it.

Nicolai walked the creature back into his huge cage, it licked his cheek as if it was quite found of him, so much so, I was much taken I by it--some kind of sympathy, or thin-skinned nervousness, overtook me for a moment. I was a bit surprised in his tenderness towards the creature, but I put it aside for the moment, thinking briefly, owners of pets are often kinder to animals than to their fellow man, or can be. Although Nicolai was kind to me, I had never seen him kind to anyone else but Sullivan; he was quite flat with affect, in showing emotions.

Speechless, I started to walk out of the large gray structure, with its old wooden unvarnished floors. Spontaneously, Nicolai burped out of his mouth: "Stop...!" and I seemed to freeze, for some odd reason, some mental evocative force soared in my brain, a hypnotic strangeness buzzed through me, my nervous system stopped like a street car throwing on its breaks--I was blank. "How did you like my... [a pause] rabbit?" This was not a good time to evaluate friendship I told myself, but do I lie or tell the truth, at best, it was disgusting, at worse, I had not yet found the word in the dictionary.

"Nicolai," I said with a kind of remorseless voice, "that is no rabbit, it is something but ... only God, and maybe you know what!"

This was not what he wanted to her by far--I was not witnessing the burning hurt within his breast. His face got read, his veins in his arms stuck out, his neck muscles seemed to go into contractions--in a beastly way.

We now were outside the building and he was pacing, walking the length of the fence that surrounded the property, which was a good one hundred feet or more, back and forth. Never saying a word but occasionally looking at me as if all was not over. He was mumbling, saying something I couldn't understand...a different language I'd expect, or so I concluded.

[Two weeks later] I had moved into another room, and the boy had come out of his to talked to me in a nervous kind of way, saying: Nicolai was very sick, and would not get out of bed. I suggested he call the doctor, but for some reason that was out of the question. I should first explain why I moved into the room next to theirs, and not in their apartment any longer. Nicolai, for some reason didn't quite trust me anymore, for whatever he needed to trust me for I didn't know at the time. In any case, he suggested I move out, and he'd pay the bill, for he didn't want me to move back home, or leave the island, but again, I was not in his full confidence. So now I shall return to where I left off. As I was about to say, Sullivan was quite disturbed with Nicolai's condition, and again, the doctor was out of the question, he [He being: the boy Sullivan] would not allow the doctor, any doctor or medics to visit him.

"What do you expect me to day?" I asked the lad.

Said the boy, with a quivering lip, "You see sir, Nicolai was very proud to show you Nicolai Junior, and I think you hurt him." The boy looked awful pale trying to tell me this. I looked at him as if he was on some kind of drug, having hallucinations.

"The Rabbit sir," said the boy, "is my brother, and Nicolai is our father, we are all crossbred...but with alien blood...from the planet Moiromma, as well as human, we are trying to transform into a suitable human, and our experiments have not done us well." I looked aghast--"What!" I said in disbelief; the boy didn't like the way I looked at him. He continued, "My father is self procreating, he needs no female; yet, he can pregnant. And should the doctor see his system, it would a trying life for him, my brother and me afterwards."

"We were twins," he continued, "twins until after a few experiments, where I gained the human form, and he did not, he was much more of a rodent before than now..." I said to myself, jokingly, a big mouse had bit him and made him ill, than I looked at his feet, they were fur, and webbed, like the creatures.

Clocks, Seasons, and Cycles

2011-12-07T05:39:00.000-08:00

Why should you follow astrology? How can people believe that the planet Neptune is affecting our choices and actions here on earth? If it's been studied forever, then why can't they prove it? What benefit is there in knowing about horoscopes and where the planets are at any given time? How does it work? Why does it even matter?

I could answer your questions with vague concepts that don't mean anything to anyone, and say something like "The electroplasmodic waves of the individual planets travel through the quantum solar field to combine with the neurotelepsychic particles within our individual aura fields, thus causing psychoelectron pulses to begin effecting the synapses within our brains." But answers like that don't really mean anything to most of us and besides I made that up!

The truth is that science has barely figured out how the moon affects us. We know that it moves the tides through it's gravitational pull. We know that women's menstrual cycles are often in alignment with the moon. We know that the apparent waxing and waning of the moon is really just shadows being cast upon it's surface. It isn't really disappearing and reappearing. We know that more babies are born on full moons then any other time in the lunar cycle. We know that lunacy is the weirdness that sometimes effects people during the nights of the full moon. But why? Why should the size of a shadow effect such things? Isn't the moon the same size and therefore have the same amount of magnetic gravitational pull no matter how much shadow covers it's face?

Modern science knows a little bit about our relationship with the moon mostly through observation. When the astronauts walked around on the moon, they didn't find some magical reason for all of these lunar influences.

There was a time in ancient history when mankind thought the moon was a grandmother goddess that decided when women would be pregnant and when they would menstruate instead. If you asked them why they believed it or how did the moon regulate pregnancies and menstrual flows, you would have been told to observe it for yourself. It's no different then the seasons and their continual cycle of birth and death. To argue the point would have been ridiculous. Of course Grandmother Moon is in charge of such things, look for yourself, silly!

Mankind hasn't really gotten too much further along in his understand of such things. We put our focus and energy into studying other things, like medicine, weapons, and commerce. There's so many amazing mysteries to explore while we're on this planet, it's not really surprising to me that we still don't know very much about the magical workings of anything. We observe a lot and take notes to compare future events to past events in hopes of finding patterns and cycles that will somehow explain things or at least let us predict what's next. This is most apparent in our scientific study of weather, earthquakes, and volcanoes. The same holds true for astrology.

Astrologers have observed the planets movements and documented what effect those movements seem to have on humanity. They have discovered patterns. Why do those patterns exist? We don't honestly know. They have also found that as the planets line up in mathematical angles to one another, that too seems to consistently create certain predictable cause and effect scenarios. For someone to use the planets to predict the future is a lot like saying, that when the next full moon comes quite a few women will start menstruating. Why? Don't know, but it's true. Will every single woman who isn't pregnant start to menstruate? Of course not. Will every single pregnant woman deliver their baby on that moon? Of course not. But it's a reasonably accurate prediction to say that more women then usual will deliver babies and more women then usual will start menstruating. The art of astrology is a bit scientific observation and a bit psychic premonition. Of all the events that could be predicted, which one will hold true for the most people?

I think of each planet as a different clock in the heavens. Each one has its own pace and it's own season. Each one keeps time with a different season of the universe. Just like the sun and moon each have completely different seasons and completely different effects at different times. Watching the sun's seasonal effects helps the farmer know when to plant his crops. Watching the moon's cycles helps us in other areas. Astrology is taking all of the other planets' seasons and cycles into account too. Imagine a giant cosmic clock with the moon as the seconds hand and the sun as the hours hand. Mercury would be the minute hand. Add to that a hand for Venus, Mars, and the others. Each one a bit faster or slower then the others. Now telling time becomes a lot more complex. Time becomes bigger and more infinite.

To take it one step further, as each of us is born we are handed our own personal clock that is the time by which we will live our lives. To the untrained eye it looks like my clock is hung upside down with the 6 at the top and the 12 at the bottom. Another person's clock is to be hung with the 2 on top and the 8 on the bottom. So to be able to predict someone's future using astrology, you have to know which angle they hang their clock and you have to compare them to all others who hang their clock that way. Sure enough there's another pattern. This time it's a predictable pattern of personality types, styles, and preferences. So as an astrologer you have to be able to know the typical person of that clock position and then read their multi-handed clock. Then with your very best psychic abilities and intuition, tell them what you believe will happen.

Why does it work? Because it's all patterns and cycles and its predictable and it happens the same way over and over. Maybe the planets were put in the positions they were put in just for the sole purpose of keeping time. Maybe they each have their own weird electrical gravitational pull. Maybe the human brain has some sort of odd multi-handed clock programmed into it, each one as different as a set of fingerprints? Maybe some cosmic creator decided that this would be their universal filing system to help them remember who's doing what and where. Honestly, we don't know why it works. We just know that it is patterns and wheels that can be predicted like the weather changes each season.

Why should you bother to follow astrology? For the same reasons that we follow the weatherman's report. We want to be forewarned of the possibility of storms and conflicts so we can protect ourselves accordingly. We want to be forewarned of sunny weather and positive aspects so that we can take advantage of the blessings about to be given to us. If I know that there's a good chance it's going to rain, then I dress appropriately. If I know that there's a good chance that prosperity and abundance are coming my way, then I want to be well positioned and ready to receive my fair share.

No weatherman is 100% correct and the same holds true for astrologers. Some are better at reading the signs then others. Some have more tools available for reading the skies then others. Both add valuable insight to the possibilities of how your day could unfold. It's always good to be prepared. You don't plan an outdoor wedding ceremony without looking at the typical weather forecasts for that area. You don't plan an international vacation without looking at the political forecasts for that area. Think of astrology forecasts as one of many tools you have at your disposal for timing and plotting the course of your goals and dreams.

Monsters and Demons: A Short History of the Horror Film

2011-11-29T05:55:00.000-08:00

Going to the movies may not seem like a novel way for little kids to spend an afternoon. But have you ever brought your child to see a Disney flick and ended up viewing trailers for Jeepers Creepers 2 or Freddie vs. Jason? When this happened in a Birmingham, Alabama cinema last year, parents became concerned about what the main attraction would be. But before the managers at the cinema could turn off the previews, the main attraction came on, and it wasn't Piglet. Instead they were presented with the gruesome opening of Wrong Turn, an 18-rated slasher flick in much the same vein as the previews.

Is there a more genre more criticized than the horror film? Not bloody likely. There's the argument that horror films are socially and morally irresponsible, even influencing some people to imitate the brutal methods of the killers portrayed on screen. Horror films actually have the opposite effect on normal people - sick minds will commit atrocities anyway. Watching horror films lets us encounter our secret fears, share them with other viewers, and eliminate the terror by meeting it head-on.

The genre is almost as old as cinema itself - the silent short film Le Manoir du Diable directed by Georges Mèliès in 1896 was the first horror movie and the first vampire flick. The movie only lasted two minutes, but audiences loved it, and Mèliès took pleasure in giving them even more devils and skeletons.

In the early 1900's German filmmakers created the first horror-themed feature films, and director Paul Wegener enjoyed great success with his version of the old Jewish folk tale Der Golem in 1913 (which he remade - to even greater success - in 1920). This fable about an enormous clay figure, which is brought to life by an antiquarian and then fights against its forced servitude, was a clear precursor to the many monster movies that flourished in Hollywood during the Thirties.

The most enduring early German horror film is probably F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu (1922), the first feature-length vampire movie. But one movie paved the way for the "serious" horror film - and art cinema in general - Robert Wiene's work of genius The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, still held up as an model of the potent creativity of cinema even to this day.

Early Hollywood drama dabbles in horror themes including versions of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) starring Lon Chaney, the first American horror-film movie star.

It was in the early 1930's that Universal Studios, created the modern horror film genre, bringing to the screen a series of successful gothic-steeped features including Dracula, Frankenstein (both 1931) and The Mummy (1932) - all of which spawned numerous sequels. No other studio had as much success with the genre (even if some of the films made at Paramount and MGM were better).

In the nuclear-charged atmosphere of the 1950's the tone of horror films shifted away from the gothic and towards the modern. Aliens took over the local cinema, if not the world, and they were not at all interested in extending the tentacle of friendship. Humanity had to overcome endless threats from Outside: alien invasions, and deadly mutations to people, plants, and insects. Two of the most popular films of the period were The Thing From Another World (1951) and Invasion of the Bodysnatchers (1956).

Horror movies became a lot more lurid - and gorier - in the late Fifties as the technical side of cinematography became easier and cheaper. This era saw the rise of studios centered exclusively on horror, particularly British production company Hammer Films, which focused on bloody remakes of traditional horror stories, often starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and American International Pictures (AIP), which made a series of Edgar Allan Poe themed films starring Vincent Price.

The early 1960's saw the release of two films that sought to close the gap between the subject matter and the viewer, and involve the latter in the reprehensible deeds shown on screen. One was Michael Powell's Peeping Tom, the other was a very low-budget film called Psycho, both using all-too-human monsters rather than supernatural ones to scare the audience.

When Rosemary's Baby began ringing tills in the late Sixties, horror film budgets rose significantly, and many top names jumped at the chance to show off their theatrical skills in a horror pic. By that time, a public fascination with the occult led to a series of serious, supernatural-themed, often explicitly gruesome horror movies. The Exorcist (1973) broke all records for a horror film, and led to the commercial success of The Omen.

In 1975 Jaws, directed by a young Steven Spielberg, became the highest grossing film ever. The genre fractured somewhat in the late 1970's, with mainstream Hollywood focusing on disaster movies such as The Towering Inferno while independent filmmakers came up with disturbing and explicit gore-fests such as Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

John Carpenter's Halloween introduced the teens-threatened-by-superhuman-evil theme that would be copied in dozens of increasingly violent movies throughout the 1980's including the long running Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street series. Horror movies turned to self-mocking irony and downright parody in the 1990's - the teenagers in Scream often made reference to the history of horror movies. Only 1999's surprise independent hit The Blair Witch Project attempted regular scares.

So go ahead, take a stroll through these favourite horror movies of all time. But pick your way very carefully, this walk is not for the faint of heart. And if you happen to hear what sounds like some subdued whispering or soft creepy grating sounds, just pay no attention to it. It's probably only the wind.

Learn How To Draw Faces Realistically

2011-11-25T05:57:00.001-08:00

Drawing a face isn't as hard as it looks. To draw a realistic human face, it takes mapping out the face correctly before you fill in the finer detail. If you would like to get the most out of this article, I recommend sitting down with a pad and paper and drawing each step as you read it.

To begin, start with an egg shaped oval. Draw a line down the center of this egg. This line will give you a midpoint for measuring eye separation, nose width, etc.

Next, separate the egg shape into 3 equal portions (horizontal lines) with 2 lines. The top of the egg will be be the top of the hairline and the bottom of that segment will be the eyebrows. The second segment goes from the eyebrows to the bottom of the nose. The third segment goes from the bottom of the nose to the bottom of the chin.

Two of these segments turned sideways will give you the measurement sideways from cheek to cheek.

The measurement of one eye should be equal to the distance between the two eyes. The corner of each eye should line up with the wings of the nose.

If you divide the third segment (under the nose) in half, with a horizontal line, you have the line for the bottom of the bottom lip. The corners of the mouth should line up with the middle of the pupil of the eye.

The ears should be visible from a front view as they do not sit flat on the side of your head. These points can be found by finding the middle segment from the eyebrow to the bottom of the nose. The ears should only stick out about as far as from the center line of the head to the wing of the nose.

The hair can be drawn by drawing the hair from the edge of the ear up. The top of the hair is ¾ of one of the segment lengths up from the hair line.

How to Airbrush

2011-11-25T05:57:00.000-08:00

The airbrush is a popular choice for painting craft and hobby projects. This tool is versatile enough to paint plastic models, rc airplanes, t-shirts, nails, and other items.

Equipment and Materials:

A single action airbrush is the simplest design. It is easier to learn to handle, and economical as well. So it makes a great beginner's airbrush. However, the double action airbrush gives you much greater control over the paint process.

Your best air source is a good compressor. Disposable air cans are a good introductory air source, but these will become costly in the long run.

Use the manufacturer's recommended thinner, and thin the paint to the recommended ratio.

How to Airbrush:

1) Prepare the work area. Lay down plastic sheets to protect the area from over-spray, if necessary.

2) Prepare the work piece. Use gloves to handle it.

3) Prepare the equipment. Turn on the compressor and set the spray pressure. Assemble the needle and nozzle into the airbrush if necessary. Attach a color cup or bottle as appropriate.

4) Mix the paint, following the maker's directions. Use plastic droppers to dispense paint and thinner into a small mixing container. Mix the paint with a toothpick or similar.

5) Test spray! Make this a part of your routine. You never know how the initial spray will come out of the nozzle, it will sometimes make a big mess. If possible, spray on something similar to your actual subject; that way you can test for color and chemical compatibility, as well as spray pattern.

6) Now that you've test sprayed, time for the real thing. Always start and stop the spray off or away from the work piece. This will result in even paint coverage, and alert you to any spray issues.

7) Hold the airbrush at an angle to the work piece (vertical is not practical), about 6 to 18 inches away. The distance will depend on the size of the part and the volume of the spray.

8) Apply Multiple Coats. Your first coat will be just a light dusting. For this first coat, make several passes but do not attempt to cover completely with color. Follow the manufacturer's recommendation on length of time between coats. Expect to take at least 3-4 coats to get good even color coverage.

9) Clean Up. Do not omit this step! Do the recommended cleaning when changing colors, and when you're done for the day. Many airbrush problems are caused by improper cleaning methods; dried paint can result in clogs that make it difficult to achieve proper performance.

Reno, The Biggest Little City In The World

2011-11-20T06:01:00.000-08:00

Compared to Las Vegas, the casinos are smaller up here but you cannot beat the hotel prices and the luxury of the small crowds in the sports books and the availability of the great outdoors our region has to offer. You can literally walk and check the lines of 3 different sports books in the matter of 3 minutes, which is always nice when you are looking for the edge in your betting strategy.

We will review all the casinos, sports books and give you information about the town itself in the upcoming months. What type of reviews are we going to pass on to you? We will tell you which sports book gives you the most betting options. Since most of you would be on vacation you would want to know which casino has the friendliest workers and who takes care of you as far as drink tokes. Which casino in Reno is the cleanest and which casino is the best place to watch the games. Which hotels can you get into at a nice price and are the hotels located close to the other fine establishments in Reno. Are you a big spender or just want to kill some time at the tables while you wait for your game to start? If you are killing time, where can you find the lower end tables in Reno? Perhaps you want a quiet place to bet and cheer on your favorite team without the big crowds, then you should read our review on the http://www.thehooksfootballpicks.com/silver-club-casi!

no.html" - Silver Club Casino. We will also tell you which sports book to avoid on Sunday mornings because the line to place a bet is over a half hour wait.

We will explore the region and let you know what shows and clubs are the best to go to and give out links to all the hotels. So stay tuned to Thehooks and we will take you on a journey through Reno, Nevada, The Biggest Little City.

If you love basketball, the University of Nevada is starting to make a name in the basketball world as the football team tries to reestablish itself. The Wolf Pack went to the Sweet 16 last year and is currently in the Top 25 this year. The WAC championships will be held in The Biggest Little City this year. The next two weeks we will be offering information on the WAC tournament.

Would You Like to Be a Party Entertainer? Part II - Breaking In

2011-11-18T06:05:00.000-08:00

In Part I, we talked about the requirements to be a party entertainer. Here, in Part II, we will discuss how to break into this rewarding and well paying field.

You have a finely honed skill, you like people, and you're willing to give up your weekends. Now what?

Well, now it's time to get started.

You have to do two very important things: Introduce yourself to the world, and lay down the foundation for your new business.

Introducing yourself to the world

Even though your skills may be excellent, taking on the role of a paid performer in a party setting will be a new experience for you. So cut your teeth in low risk situations that allow you to perform in front of the public.

o Fairs work well for newbie performers. Depending on how you deliver your performance, you may be able to charge willing attendees individually. An example is a Tarot reader who charges for a reading.

o Non-profit organizations are always looking for fun and innovative ways to raise money. Many hold fundraising events. Your invitation to donate your time or sell it at a deep discount to a struggling non-profit will be very welcome.

Be sure to ask the organizers to list you in their program and prominantly display your name and contact information.

Although you may earn little or no money at these events, you will test your mettle, polish your delivery, build your confidence, and guests will see you perform. Since some will be looking to hire party entertainment for their own events, you will begin to pick up paying gigs.

In fact, being approached for paying gigs by people seeing you perform is an indication that you are ready for prime-time. You are now acquiring a reputation as a performer.

Hint: Bring lots of business cards.

Laying down the foundation of your new business.

Yes, like it or not, once you make the decision to accept money for your services, you are in business.

By conducting yourself as a businessperson, you will increase your chances for success, increase your respect among potential clients and peers and eliminate a lot of headaches down the road.

So how do you do that?

Set up a system to track your income and expenses. It can be a notebook or your copy of Quicken. Print up some business cards, and put together a flyer to describe what you offer. Don't forget to include all of your contact information.

Set up a system to track your bookings. You must, must, must have a failsafe way to record and remember your bookings. The worst thing you can do is fail to show up at a party when you are the hired entertainment

Find out the market rate range for talent in your area and set your own rate within it.

Some newbies are tempted to charge too little when they start out. Don't. You worked long and hard to build your expertise. And you will work hard to perform. Don't shortchange yourself. If you feel your services are not worthy of the market rate, reread the previous section,"Introducing yourself to the World."

Now, you're ready to go forward. Contact local event planners and entertainment agents, put up a website, advertise in the classified section of local magazines or newspapers (Hint: look at where other entertainers advertise).

Other performers

As you perform, you'll start meeting other local performers. Welcome the opportunity.

You'll find that local party entertainers in the same specialty tend to know one another. Even though we are competitors. Most times we work with each other and help each other.

That's because, individually, we benefit more by cooperating than undermining each other.

Entertainers often refer qualified peers for open jobs when their own schedules are filled. We substitute for each other when sudden emergency prevents one of us from fulfilling a commitment.

As you establish yourself as a competent professional, handling yourself with integrity, you'll be accepted by this network.

Now that you're prepared, you're ready to go! I wish you lots of fun and success.

Would You Like to Be a Party Entertainer? Part I

2011-11-12T06:06:00.000-08:00

Have you loved performing magic tricks in front of your friends ever since you were a kid? Can you wow people with your on-target Tarot readings? Tie balloons into wonderful animal shapes? You may have what it takes to be a party entertainer and earn a nice side or even a primary income.

Part I will describe what it takes to be a party entertainer. Part II will describe how to break in and earn an income from it.

Parties and special events are all around us. At some family occasions such as a graduations, weddings or special birthday parties, you'll be helping people celebrate a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Plus you'll meet people from all walks of life - including some of the kindest, most generous people in the world.

Because party entertainment demands a high level of skill, performers are generally well compensated.

Party hosts and event planners are always on the lookout for well-executed entertainment to make the occasions lively and festive.

So what do you need?

o Topnotch skills in your specialty

Good, competent performers have spent years honing their talent and skill. If you aren't quite ready, study, take classes, and practice.

Many specialties such as balloonists, magicians, caricaturists, clowns, etc., have their own trade associations. Go to their meetings and conventions. You'll soak up a great deal of knowledge and make some great connections.

o Excellent interpersonal skills

Party entertainers deal with people from all walks of life. You'll find yourself performing in settings ranging from black-tie to casual. Expect to meet some truly interesting and wonderful people.

Sooner or later, challenging circumstances and people will cross your path. You have to remain cool and professional whether you are handling a difficult child, an overanxious host, or an adult who has had too much to drink. And you must be flexible enough to deal with a sudden downpour at an outdoor event.

o Professionalism

If you commit to a date, you must show up... on time and ready to perform.

People are counting on you: even if you are tired, even if the weather is lousy, or someone just offered you a hard-to-get ticket to a great concert.

And while you're at it, you must be neat, clean and appropriately costumed or dressed.

The special events and party entertainment community is a small world. Your professionalism, or lack of it, is noticed and remembered.

o Give up your weekends

As a performer you work when people party. So most of your gigs will be on weekends, evenings, and holidays.

That's great if you're looking for a side income to complement your day job. But it's difficult if you value a traditional social life.

Are you still ready to take the plunge? Read Part II to find out how to break in and get started.

Basic Palmistry Part I

2011-11-08T07:05:00.000-08:00

Palmistry is an ancient art and one that has many systems of interpretation. It is also an intuitive art that is easily learned just by learning a few basics about the symbolism that is represented by the lines that run across the palm, the mounts (or fleshy parts) of the palm and the structure of fingers.

In some systems, the right hand represents who you are today and the left hand, everything that you were born with when you came into this world. For "palmistry on the run" though it is best to read the hand that the person writes with, as that would be considered to be dominant hand.

In palmistry, the hand as a whole is divided into three different sections. The Fingers represent the mind and the higher self. The middle of the palm represents day-to-day life and the conscious mind. The lower half of the hand represents primal instincts, health and basic drives of the subconscious. Palmistry is all about proportion, symmetry and distortions of what would be considered to be a perfectly formed hand.

You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their thumb and fingers. The thumb has three phalanges. Its tip represents will power. A club shaped thumb indicates criminal tendency. Pointed or long tips indicate creativity and intelligence. The middle phalange represents logic. The longer the phalange, the more efficient and strategic the person. The fleshy part at the base of the thumb is called the Mount of Venus, which represents empathy, emotion, grace and compassion. The fatter and fleshier this part of the hand is, the more sensitive and compassionate the individual.

The index finger correlates to the planet Jupiter and indicates good fortune and career. The middle finger is related to Saturn and limitations and restrictions in life. The ring finger is called the Apollo. It relates to self-expression and intelligence. The pinky finger belongs to the planet Mercury, which is about your ability to communicate with others and sustain relationships. The longer and straighter the finger, the more good fortune a person can expect to have in these areas. All these fingers have their own mounts, which are located on the palm right below each one. The more developed or pronounced these fleshy mounds are beneath the finger, the more developed that trait is in a person.

The Mount of Jupiter below the index fingers represents ambition, leadership, religion, honor and love of nature.

The Mount of Saturn below the middle finger represents sanity, sobriety, wisdom, introversion and karmic events such as good or bad luck.

The Mount of Apollo below the ring represents confidence, creativity, impulsiveness and extroversion.

The Mount of Mercury below your little finger has to do with ability to sell yourself, communication, quickness, connection as well as writing and mathematical abilities. Sometimes the Mount of Mercury will be feathered with short vertical lines that are called Lines of Affection. These sometimes indicate the number of deep emotional connections or significant relationships in a person's life.

Right below the Mount of Mercury (below the little finger there are two more mounts. About half way down is the Mount of Upper Mars, which reflects your temperament: if this mound is fleshy then the person tends to be more courageous or war-like. Below that, near the base of the hand is the Mount of Luna (also known as the Mount of the Moon). This mound reflects such qualities as generosity, warmth and imagination. If it is over pronounced it can indicate a tendency to madness.

Below the Mount of Jupiter (follow the index finger downwards) lies the Lower Mars, which deals with aggression, hostility and capacity for evil. The center of the palm is called the Plane of Mars. If the plane has a dip in it you are calm, cool and collected. If it is raised or flat you are more likely to display a bad temper.

The Heart Line cuts laterally across the upper palm between the mounts of Jupiter and Mercury. Loops, bubbles, cuts and breaks in this line indicate relationships and episodes occurring in a person's love life.

The Head Line is normally positioned and can cut across the palm or curve downward. It is an indicator of intelligence and mental health. An optimum Head line runs straight, is deep and has a long extension almost to the other side of the palm. This more the headline curves downward towards the list, the less control the individual may have over his or her emotions.

The Life Line usually circles the thumb and begins under the mount of Jupiter and extends to the wrist. It encircles the Mount of Lower Mars and Venus and in most cases ends at the base of the hand. This line indicates major life events as well as the health of the subject. The longer this line is, the longer the individual will live.

The fourth main lie on the palm is called the Line of Fate (also known as the Line of Faith. This line runs vertically from the middle of the base of the palm and up towards the middle finger. It is an indicator of material and financial strength. The deeper, stronger and less broken the line, the more likely the person is likely to be successful. It also indicates a serious, business like nature.

The line of Apollo is a vertical line that is found on the upper part of the Mount of the Moon. It has been called the line of the Sun, and the line of Brilliancy, and to it has been ascribed the gift of great artistic talents, wealth and fame. Not every hand possesses this line.

The line of Mercury has been variously called the line of Health or the line of Liver. It is found either on Mount of Mercury or the Plain of Mars. If there is no line you are probably blessed with excellent health. Strong markings in this area indicate troubles with health.

There are many Minor Lines that don't appear in every hand but one of the best known is the Girdle of Venus that starts between the Mounts of Jupiter and Saturn and ends around the little finger. This line looks like a loop circling three of your four fingers and its presence is supposed to indicate beauty and luck in romance. The hand is filled with all kinds of markings, lines, feathers, stars, and crosses --each with particular meanings.

As a rule of thumb (no pun intended) any time you find a marking on a mound, it usually indicates that something special is going on in that department of your life. Next month's New Age Notebook will go into more detail about the meanings of these symbols in the hand.

Freezer Spells

2011-11-06T06:57:00.000-08:00

For the most part, I think that spells can be a valuable way to "act" out your anger, resentment, bitterness or jealousy. The very act of doing a spell can make a person who feels powerless or victimized, feel at least briefly, for at time that they are somehow in control of the situation again. I have found the following "freezer" spells to be quite satisfying to do, if you find yourself somehow dumped, oppressed or just plain wishing for some kind of psychological torture to stop. I am not completely sure if these spells or not, but when someone does me wrong, the first thing that pops into mind is the frosty insides of my refrigerator.

I love these spells because they fall under the category of corny spells, trailer trash wiccanary and because they originate from such an emotional, passionate and old style of witchcraft. Yet at the same time they are very modern because they make use of the fridge. Technically too, they fall under the category of black magic because they are revenge spells, and represent the desire to control another person.

Being somewhat of a collector and connoisseur of corny spells, trailer trash wiccanary and any ritual that allows you to "act out your feelings" without necessarily hurting anyone, I thought I'd share them with you because they are a few of my favourites. Some of them have been sourced from Lexa Rosean, author of the Supermarket Sorceress who is a master of Kitchen Witchery. Still I think the important thing about a freezer spell is to start with the basics and then make it your own. I know one natural witch, (a famous Canadian singer in fact) who knows nothing about freezer spells, yet every time she gets mad at someone, she writes their name on a little piece of paper, twists it up and throws it in the freezer to "make it stop!" I discovered this one day when I was groping through her freezer for some ice cream and a flutter of little pieces of paper fell out to the floor. When I asked her about it, she told me her intuition had told her to put the people "on ice."

The essence of a freezer spell is about time. The idea is to stop something in its tracks. Freezer spells also fall into the category of binding spells, as often their purpose is to paralyse an offender. They are used for protection, but mainly for REVENGE! Here are a few of my favourites.

THE BASIC ICE CUBE TRAY SPELL: This is all-purpose and what I like about it is that you can use magical ingredients to sweeten or sour the mix before you chuck it in the freezer. Basically, you take twelve small pieces of paper and write down the names twelve people or situations who have not been very nice to you or who have irked you or done you wrong. Think of twelve people who have been hostile to you, or who have a bad attitude towards you or who have behaved as obstacles to what you want in your life or career. Now stick these twelve pieces of paper in the ice cube tray compartments and add a little sugar, or honey to sweeten up their attitude towards you.

You could also add a few other things as well if you wanted - a little dill or parsley powder for improved communication, orange water for joy or rose water to increase loving vibrations. Then you fill the rest of the tray with water and stick in the freezer. I like this spell because it is relatively innocent and is persuading others to think of you kindly and not to harm you. A more vengeful version of this spell would be to add substances like vinegar (to sour their experiences) cigarette ashes (to cause depression) or horseradish (to cause arguments.)

If your resentment is directed towards a particular individual, perhaps a male who has dumped you for some one else you might consider doing this IMPOTENCE spell. While shopping for the cucumber at your local vegetable store, try and find one that resembles your ex-partner's actual member when it is erect. At the very least this will get you giggling. Then carve his name and his birth-date into the flesh of the cucumber and throw it into the freezer. It will start to go soft and wither after a few weeks, and while this happens, imagine him and the sweet young thing that he betrayed you having conversations like "I swear this has never happened to me before." "It's ok. I understand."

The ultimate freezer spell however, in terms of sheer nastiness, is this BREAK THEM UP freezer spell in which you write the offending couple's names on a piece of paper (if you don't know the name of the person coming between you write "unknown rival") You put the pieces of paper in a Tupperware container along with a piece of rotten fish, fill it with water and freeze it. Fish are symbols of fertility and happiness, so the ultimate purpose of this ritual is to have the two lovers become turned off from each other. One person, who tried this spell, told me she laughed her head off, when her boyfriend came back to her and complained that his new lover had terrible B.O. I haven't tried this one myself, but she says it worked. Lexa Rosean also boasts success with this one.

I can't guarantee these spells work, but if you are too chicken to enact some real revenge (like turn the person into the I.R.S.) these little rituals at least satisfy a desire for "petty revenge".

Auditions Made Redundant

2011-10-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

After many attempts to become rich and famous, I've finally formulated a foolproof plan. I'm going to go outside and bang my head against a wall again and again until my IQ drops to about 60, and then I'll just wait. After about 20 minutes, someone will put me on TV.

I'm sure this is how things work, these days. I am not, as anyone who has ever met me could probably deduce straight off, a Big Brother fan. The only conceivable point of this series that I can see is that it makes idiots famous. Perhaps - and this is strictly conjecture - there's a government plot to generate renewable energy by hooking up power lines to George Orwell's grave and then creating this program based loosely his masterwork to make him spin like a turbine. Either way, I don't care.

I do, however, read celebrity magazines. My mother buys them, and I flick through them if there are interesting pictures of Michael Jackson's latest deformity. Case in point, I was reading "Now" just, well, now, and this is where the Big Brother connection comes in.

I'm probably the last person to know, but apparently the woman who won the last series of Big Brother was given a presenting job where she said things such as (I wish I was making this up) "Am I the only person who's never heard of this 'Clint Eastwood' ?!" People who are famous, it seems, have some form of lobotomy clause in their contract. Consider Jordan. Or, indeed, Jodie Marsh. Or anyone on Top of the Pops. Or contestants from Fame Academy. The list is endless!

I don't think I'm alone in feeling a little bitter. I, for one, and I daresay you, for another, will probably never be asked to present anything in my life. I do, however, know who Clint Eastwood is. I've even seen "Firefox", and that was bloody awful.

While we're here, I'm also never going to be on Big Brother. Not because I'm not "good" enough, but just because even I have better things to do than parade around in front of the nation in a house full of wankers. I will also never watch the show. If I wanted to watch boring people sitting in a house and getting on each others' nerves, I have a family.

Tracing the tide of on-air stupidity back to it's origins, I think it's all the fault of kids TV. Some time ago, I became aware that all the presenters on kids TV were there because they weren't smart enough to talk to grown-ups. This is a vicious circle, because if, like most families, you rely on the TV to raise your kids, you'll be exposing them to dangerous levels of stupidity. I can clearly remember one of the two interchangeable presenters from Nickelodeon (Moonia and Yiolanda, if we're going to point fingers) thinking that Bristol was in the Midlands, while I corrected the TV in vain, at the tender age of nine.

So, what's to be done with the seemingly endless tide of people who are well known and stupid? I propose a cull. We'll start with Jade Goody, and put her head on a stick on London bridge as an example to others. Then, if anyone is caught polluting the airways with their inane and witless drivel, we'll put them all in a big house and make them live with each other as punishment, and film it for our own amusement.

Basic Palmistry Part II

2011-10-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Palmistry, also known as Chiromancy, is the art of telling a person's fortune by looking at the lines and bumps on a person's hand. However, since the 1920s, the art of Chiromancy has come a long way. Chirognomy is a related science in which hand shape; finger shape, fingers, nails and the texture and consistency of the flesh are examined in order to get a glimpse into the inner workings of the personality. Dermatoglyphics is the study of ridge patterns and formations found on the fingertips and palm itself to detect and diagnose inherited diseases. However here we are dealing with what I would call the "Romany Reader Basics" of the Art.

In an earlier New Age Notebook called Basic Palmistry I identified the major lines and mounts of the human hand. In this article we are going to examine other kinds of markings and characteristics that are common indicators of personality, temperament and fate.

Bubbles and Loops - Bubbles and loops that occur on life lines, heart lines and fate lines indicate significant episodes in your life or a life that is broken by many odd experiences. Strong clean lines without bubbles are always preferable if you are looking for a serene and quiet life.

Broken Lines - These usually indicate that a life will be disrupted in an upsetting manner. A broken lifeline can mean an early or tragic life. A break in the head line can mean a period of insanity or mental illness.

Crosses and cross-hatching: These marks on any mound or area of the hand often represent stressful influences, events or people. Usually the influence is a significant or important relationship. The deeper the line the more traumatic or life-defining the experience is said to be. The nature of the event is determined on which mound you find the cross or cross-hatching.

For instance, if you have a lot of cross-hatching on your Mound of Lower Mars you may encounter a lot of war or violence in your life. Crosses and cross-hatching on your Mound of Apollo can indicate troubles with career, confidence and success. On the outer edge of the hand, just below the little finger and the Mound of Mercury such marks are said to indicate how many children are in your future. If horizontal lines or cross-hatching occurs on your thumbs or fingertips it is a sure sign that you are under too much stress.

Attachment lines: These are lines that occur above the heart line and wrap from the side of the hand and extend out beneath the little finger. This is supposed to indicate the number of significant relationships or attachments you will have in your life.

Healer Stigmata: a long horizontal line that is crossed by three shorter lines indicates this. It is a symbol of natural healing abilities and usually occurs on the mound of Mercury just below the little finger.

Squares: If you find a square on your hand it means that you are a teacher or natural born leader and meant to enlighten others. The area of interest where you will excel is indicated where it is placed on a mound. For instance, a square that is found on the mound of Mercury indicates a career in teaching or education. A square found on the Mound of Venus below the thumb can indicate a nurse, doctor or healer.

Feathery light lines: These can be found all over the hand and are usually an indication of failing health. If the lines travel up from the wrist to the little finger it can indicate a chronic disease or disability.

X's: X's found anywhere in the palm usually indicate travel. If it is found on either of the Mounds of Upper or Lower Mars or on the plain of Mars it means traveling as a result of war or a military career. An X on the mound of Venus (below the thumb) means relocating for love and on the mound of Jupiter an X can mean relocating for reasons to do with career advancement.

Triangles: Triangles anywhere on the palm indicate a decent upbringing and emotional or intellectual strength. This once again depends which mound the triangle is found on. For example: a triangle found on the Mound of Venus indicates emotional strength and understanding when it comes to love. A triangle found on the mound of Saturn beneath the third finger indicates incredible physical and emotional endurance during times of trouble.

The Ring of Solomon: This is a line that circles the base of the Jupiter finger (index finger) and is found in the hands of those who are said to be psychic. It is also believed to represent royal blood or ancestry.

Stars: A star-shaped hatching of lines can mean that you will enjoy especially good fortune wherever that star is located. For instance if you have a star on your Mound of Venus, it can indicate fame. A star on your Mound of Mercury can mean success at relationships. Wherever you find a star on your hand, you are most likely to find good fortune unless it is located on the mound of Saturn beneath your third finger. In that case, it means a life of arrogance and pride without the prizes.

Shirley Temple Stories

2011-10-04T07:09:00.000-07:00

When the Twentieth Century Pictures company had their expensive merger with the Fox Film Corporation in 1935, studio head Daryl Zanuck was depending on two contract stars to pull the new company through its money troubles. Tragedy struck the same year when Will Rogers died in a plane crash in Alaska. Zanuck turned his financial burden on the shoulders of six year old Shirley Temple (she was actually seven but wouldn't find that out till she was twelve).

Fox had signed her in 1933, a bad year for Hollywood with record numbers of movie theaters closing throughout the country. Her ability to sing and dance was off-putting to some scouts at the studio who called her,"a precocious little monster". Later when she became their chief financial asset the attitude around the lot changed. One time little Shirley walked into the commissary and was picked up by a friendly executive," How are you doing sweetheart?" The room went quiet. Everyone was staring. If he dropped her, everyone there could lose their job. Very gently he put her down and backed away.

In real life Shirley the actress longed to have a normal existence, so Zanuck made her yearn for the same on the big screen. Depression era audiences fell in love with her determination and optimism. Because her films required no great special effects, locations or famous co-stars, they made enormous profits making her perhaps the most valuable movie star a studio ever had, which occasionally caused resentment. She once had a scene with Lionel Barrymore who flubbed a line then screamed bloody murder when she corrected him. Another time she worked with Adolph Menjou who left the set cursing," That little blankety blank is making a monkey out of me." Not everyone felt that way. Her dancing partner in The Little Colonel (1935), Bill "Bojangles" Robinson often held hands with Shirley as they walked together through the Fox lot. And John Ford who resented Daryl Zanuck assigning him to direct Shirley in Wee Willie Winkie (1937) came to respect the child's work ethic. Zanuck rightly blamed Ford's bad influence when Shirley started to address the short mogul as "Uncle Pipsqueak."

She was a highly merchandised fad. She could have retired on the sales of Shirley Temple dolls alone. Once Director Alan Dwan was speeding to Twentieth Century Fox when he was pulled over by a policeman. "Ok buddy where's the fi-- Say! Is that one of those Shirley Temple police badges on your passenger seat? My daughter would kill for one of those. OK buddy, give me one of those badges and we'll forget the whole thing."

Shirley's career was guided largely by her over protective mother Gertrude who would grab her by the shoulders before each scene and say," Sparkle Shirley, sparkle." Zanuck frustrated Mrs. Temple by not allowing Shirley to play more varied parts (not realizing she was a child, George Bernard Shaw offered her the lead in his stage version of Caesar and Cleopatra). Zanuck felt Shirley's spunky movie character had to be repeated for her to stay popular. Gertrude would demand that the studio cut any scene where another child looked better than her daughter. This caused great distress for other parents who retaliated by starting a rumor that Shirley was actually a midget.

Shirley's conservative banker father George had a difficult time dealing with the trappings of fame. One time he requested a meeting with Zanuck. "Mr. Zanuck, I want your advice about this fan mail I've been getting. I haven't shown them to Gertrude and I'm tempted." Zanuck was startled to read letters from women across the country wishing for George to father their children. Zanuck, who was famous for his own womanizing ways gave simple advice,"If you can't promise them a little girl, stay loyal to your wife."

Zanuck kept spies to inform him of the child's activities at the studio. One time he interrupted a meeting with John Steinbeck to tend to her after hearing she had fallen and broke a tooth. On another occasion she was visited by HG Wells. Shirley was polite and after the famous author left, the little moppet was told she had just met the most important man in the world. "Uh uh. President Roosevelt is the most important man. And Governor Merriam is second." Later Zanuck heard this report while furiously puffing on a cigar. "Who did she say is third?"

No matter how much Zanuck hid it on screen Shirley aged. When World War II broke out movie goers turned away from sentiment. Twentieth Century Fox began to make weightier films like Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath (1940). Shirley was declared over the hill at the age of ten. As a teen she became more independent. Without her mother to push her she never achieved the same acting success as an adolescent that she had as a child. But her grit and determination represented the American spirit to the world. A false report of her death in Hirohito's Japan in 1943 set off a wild celebration in the streets.

Divining with Ordinary Playing Cards

2011-10-04T07:07:00.000-07:00

You don't necessarily need an expensive Tarot deck to divine the future from cards. You can use a regular deck of playing cards. All you have to remember is that the four suits equate to the following

Hearts represent love or equate to Cups in the regular deck

Diamonds represent money or Coins or Disks

Spades represent hardship or Swords

Clubs represent opportunity or Wands

Perhaps the simplest layout is a three-card spread that represents past, present and future. Or you can choose one card from the deck and meditate on its meaning for the day. I have found that an ordinary deck of cards is also easily adapted to the Celtic Cross, as well as the Horoscope Spread (which involves laying twelve cards out in a circle with each card representing what is going on in each house). Below is a quick guide to the meaning of the cards.

Hearts (Cups)

Ace: triumph in love, perfection, union, happiness

King: Honesty and affection. A generous, temperamental, and passionate man. Usually fair haired or fair complexion - card can also mean unreliability or a bad decision.

Queen: A loving and attractive woman, fidelity, devotion, usually a fair-haired woman. Can mean vanity or delusion.

Jack: A good friend or close friend. Can mean a reunion of separated lovers. Usually a fair-haired young person.

10: good luck, satisfaction, balance, peace, happiness in family or home.

9: good news, relief, the desires of the inquirer will come true,

8: an approach, invitation or proposal (traditionally to a party or celebration.)

7: a severe disappointment, broken promises, cancelled promises

6: sudden windfall, good fortune, generosity (can also mean unwelcome guests)

5: indecision, insecurity, jealousy, and obsession

4: postponement of a date or important matter, can also signify a delayed or canceled marriage

3: a warning to be sensible, watch for deception, bad decisions

2: friendship, a positive connection, a loving trusting relationship

Spades (Swords)

Ace: bad news, a separation or split, conflicts, a doomed love affair, endings, death. Can mean an ambition but thoughtless man. Usually dark haired.

Queen: betrayal, gossip, sabotage, malice, treachery. Can mean a widow or divorcee. Usually signifies a dark haired woman

Jack: obstacles, laziness, and hindrances. A lazy, but indolent, young man. Self-destructive. Usually dark haired.

10: emotional anguish, cruelty, worry, grief, and a turn psychologically for the worse

9: delays, quarrels, opposition, conflict, bad luck,

8: secret enemies, disappointments.also a rival pretending to be a friend

7: loss of friendship, loss of trust, and a battle not worth fighting

6: gradual improvement, ambition, discipline and the efficient carrying out of plans

5: being at the threshold of a project, anxiety about money, financial exchanges - can sometimes indicate great success in business

4: delays, emotional issues, troubles with business or money, illness

3: infidelity, a love triangle, a love or marriage that is ending

2: division, scandal, and deception gossip

Diamonds (Coins)

Ace: new job, promotion, cash windfall, an engagement ring,

King: an old regime, the patriarchy, inescapable boundaries and rules...can mean a stubborn but powerful man. Usually fair haired man.

Queen: sophistication. society, control. Can mean a mean spirited woman or a flirt. A vain woman. Usually fair haired woman.

Jack: bad news, unreliable or shaky circumstances. Unwanted visit from a relative. Destructive or sullen young man usually fair-haired.

10: life changes, a move, a trip for business or money reasons

9: a happy financial surprise or opportunity and surprises, travel, adventure, excitement

8: a new relationship, a renewal of vows late marriage or new relationship, reunion

7: gossip, lies, rumours, , criticism, sarcasm, and bad luck at gambling or love

6: reconciliation, early marriage; sometimes premature end to a relationship.

5: business success, happy news, unexpected windfall, patronage, a loan

4: power, an inheritance, good fortune...sometimes betrayal in business

3: divorce, legal or domestic battles, quarrels, violence

2: a love affair thriving despite great odds, a soulmate

Clubs (Wands)

Ace: artistic talent, inspiration, a love for life, achievement, honour, professional success,

King: prosperity, good business, faithfulness, and philanthropy. An honest, reliable, generous man. Usually a dark haired man.

Queen: Intelligence, flexibility, fairness. Organization.An attractive, caring soul. Usually dark haired woman.

Jack: a reliable friend, sincere but impatient

10: unexpected gift, money or good fortune, a silver lining in a cloud

9: an affair, an infidelity, a new romance..Sometimes disagreements with friends

8: bad decisions, opposition, bad luck in gambling, a loan that is not repaid,

7: success, prosperity, competition, can sometimes mean dealing with rivals in romance

6: a profitable business or partnership, a successful project

5: aid or support from a friends or family, sometimes marriage with a wealthy woman

4: interference, unexpected ill will, failure of a project, bad planning

3: marriage or union...sometimes a long engagement or sex without marriage

2: opposition, disappointment, lack of acceptance in business or social circle.

Have fun!

Choosing, Cleansing, and Charging Crystals

2011-10-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

I have written a lot of articles about gemstones, rocks and crystals for this site that describe which ones are best for prosperity, love and protection. If you look back in the archives here, you will find lots of information about gemstones, crystals and semi-precious stones and their magical purposes.

This article teaches you how to make optimum use of these natural allies of the spirit.

First of all, when you go to a new age or gem store, you will usually find baskets or drawers filled with various kinds of gems. Tumbled stones are usually the cheapest and feature lumpy rounded surfaces. Points are gems that have been cut so that they resemble a geometric shape or a small tower.

The most important thing is to pick up the stone and see if it feels right in your hand. One stone might feel somehow "better" than another. The process of feeling energy from an object by holding it is called "psychometry."

It is very common to set foot in such shops and then step out again holding a bag full of stones that are quite different than the ones you originally intended to purchase. Don't worry, as this is quite common. Many of us make decisions about which stone we need to heal by reading a diagnostic description and then feel a certain rock or crystal "call out to us" in the store. Half of the time that is the remedy for the situation that you really need. For instance if you set out to buy Chinese Jade for money drawing, but instead walk out with a nice big hunk of Rose Quartz (which is more for emotional healing), the fact that you chose this stone might open your way for abundance. It could be that the quartz is a somehow more suitable coin it may soften a "block" you have inside with regards to prosperity. As this is not a pure science, you are well advised in this situation to follow your gut instincts and have faith in the universe.

If you find yourself attracted to a certain color of stone, pay attention as well, as it may reflect a color that is missing in your aura. For instance, an attraction to red or pink stone might represent a desire for more love and security in your life whereas an attraction to a purple stone might mean you are ready to advance on the spiritual path.

Once you have your stones, it is important to cleanse them of any energy they may have picked up in the past. Crystals are little storehouses that can collect various forms of energy and they may have been touched, handled or meditated upon before you bought them. Quartz crystals, in particular, can just pick up vibes from an environment.

There are four main methods of clearing crystals.

The Solar Method:

Perhaps the easiest and quickest method for clearing stones, especially crystals, is simply to place them outside in direct sun for one full day.

The Sea Salt Method:

Bury the crystal in a jar or bowl filled with sea salt and let it sit overnight. Do not use the salt for cooking or ingesting or bathing in after this though. Some prefer to soak the crystal in seawater. If you live near an ocean that's great, but you can make your own 'sea water' by just adding a couple of spoonfuls of sea salt to a container of water. The best container for either procedure is glass or ceramic. Don't leave your stones or crystals in there more that 24 hours as too much salt can cause a crystal to start growing a limb or developing a seam. After 24 hours rinse the crystals with water, preferably spring or distilled water.

Smudging:

Smudging a crystal involves passing the crystal through smoke. Usually the source of the smoke is a burning bundle of cedar or sage (this can also be purchased in new age or health stores.) You can also clear crystals using the smoke from rosemary, sage, frankincense, myrrh or Tibetan temple incense. This ritual finds its origins in both Native American and pagan traditions.

Breath:

Hold the crystal in your dominant hand, or if you bought a huge one, in both of your hands. Focus your thoughts on the crystal and imbue it with the intention of freeing it of all negative influences and energy. As you hold this intention in your thoughts, inhale forcefully through your nose and exhale forcefully on the stone. The idea is that your breath cleanses the rock and makes it your own. This is an Eastern as well as Nordic tradition for clearing objects. It will only work if you do feel truly connected to the divine as you are doing it. If you easily attach emotions, resentments, or are in a bad mood, save this technique for another day.

After you have cleansed your crystal, you need to "charge it" with your intention. There are ways of doing this and you might want to use your imagination. For some charging a crystal is a simple as holding it in your hand, meditating and pouring your intention into it.

Others charge their crystal by a stream (for cleansing), at high tide at sea (for vitality and health), at low tide (for slowing down, relaxation), during the New Moon (for new beginnings) or during the full moon (for abundance)/

Single crystals or stones may also be charged by placing them on a cluster of crystals that have already been charged or on an altar that has been dedicated to the Divine in some way.

The changing of crystals is a personal matter and it is vital to use your imagination when it comes to know how and where is the right time to do it. After you are done charging the crystal, keep it close to you, and soon you will start to notice subtle changes within yourself.