Alrighty, I’m going to spend the next month trying to come up with a re-vamped Playground, and I’m soliciting ideas. For the last 5+ years (wow, it’s been that long?) I’ve had a chain theme going. The main reason, was because of the changes I’ve been going through. Working through each link to find the weakest point and breaking the my shackles. Well, I’m at the point where I think they’ve fallen away, and thus, the need to change the theme of the Playground. The chains no longer represent where I’m at, but I can’t come up with anything that represents this point. I’m contemplating something a bit more Celtic, maybe a bit more Fianna, if anyone has suggestions for backgrounds that involve knotwork. I’ve contemplated finally talking to my tattoo artist and seeing if he’d be willing to draw up the crane I want for my leg, and uploading that image. Because, while I’m past the chains, I’m still in transition, between the veil, so to speak. The crane is an excellent representation of that.

But, I’m open to ideas, so shoot some my way, please? If you have links or images, send them my way too, and I’ll see how the spirit moves me. 🙂

I think I’m finally getting back to being useful.

Last night was spent in the company of teammates and my WT, watching Georges St. Pierre kick the ass of Matt Hughes and take his title from him. Proper send off to retirement for Hughes, if you ask me. The Monson/Sylvia fight disappointed me from Sylvia’s side of things. The man knows his ability to hold on to his title is based only on his ability to stay away from his opponent long enough to get a judges’ decision. I think he’ll be sorely disappointed when his fight against Vera comes up and he’s forced to actually fight. I don’t see Vera standing around for 5 rounds to size Sylvia up. He’s going to jump right in there and start throwing stuff. With that said, I was saddened to see Legionarius lose, I’m a huge fan of Sakara, mainly because of his love of his country’s history (all of his tattoos are traditional Roman Legion crests and Italian folk, I want his skin when he passes).

Because WT was with me, I stayed up a bit later to play catch up with him. We’re both so busy that being able to play catch up just isn’t happening. But it was fun to hang with him and my teammates.

This morning I slept in, snuggled with my Scotsman and my cats. Then off to Cabbagetown for brunch, where we ran into moonbird and her wonderful companion. Then off to a lazy day in L5P to look around. Found some cool stuff I liked at Junkman’s – like new monster flops….why they have them in winter and not summer is beyond me. Didn’t snag them though. Saving up for the new laptop and other toys. Came home and cleaned the front hallway and sitting room. Might do the dining room tomorrow if I get the inspiration. But it’s really nice, sitting here in candlelight, incense and listening to The Changelings. Lexus is occupying the half of my lap not taken by my laptop, and Elan is beside me. Very comfortable space, I think winter won’t be that bad this year, least, not insofar as my mental trappings go. I’m still hoping for snow. I feel that I’m at a very even point right now. Not terribly stressed, and pretty even keel on my temper. Still have some changes I wish to make, but I’m in no hurry right now.

About the poll…

Yes, Myspace sucks ass, I won’t dispute that. But what more can you ask from a site that’s financed primarily through ads? The reason I picked it, is because I already have a nice sized network there, I can upload videos there when I don’t have the ability to access my server and leave them there till I can transfer them. It’s got a blog and calendar function and it’s fairly easy to update all in one go. Which is not what I get through the Playground. There, I have to upload my files, update the video page, update the journal and update the updates page. Not something I’m always going to have time for. Yes, I could do things through blogspot, but I run into the same problem with my site, as the page itself would be hosted on my server. Then I run into the issue with the archives, as I already have a blogspot blog I host on my server.

Anyway, the point of the poll was not to find out who would or wouldn’t read it based on where it was hosted. The point was to find out if there was an interest in a page, separate from here that dealt specifically with my travels, where everything dealing with my travels would be linked from. As the Playground gets updated with my travel files, they won’t be in one place. The journal entries will be mirrored here (although probably later than what will be on Myspace), the video journals will be located on the soon-to-exist video page. The picture files will be in the picture gallery. Needless to say, if you wish to keep up with it sans Myspace, you’ll have to keep up with the individual pages. I don’t post a lot of site updates here, outside of something new, or something being messed up. Not sure how I’ll rig it, unless there is an interest in me setting up an email update list for those of you who want to avoid Myspace, but are still interested in my travels. Feel free to respond here and let me know your thoughts.

Scorpio for this week:

You were standing in the doorway with your crooked smile as big and wild as the morning light. I was spellbound–lost all memory of who I’d been before that moment. You were as shockingly real as the perfect giant spider web stretched across my front porch when I left my house today. Did I hallucinate what you said as you murmured into your cell phone? Or did you really say, “I’m looking for someone who’ll teach me how to live forever as we make love with exploding hearts”? That was too sweet and fierce to bear. So here’s my loving complaint, which is also my bragging promise: I want you so much I want to be you. I adore you with such painful lucidity that I think I could learn how to find you in every bird’s cry, every cloud’s flow, every changing face.

FreeWill Astrology

Now, that is a situation that is right up my artist’s heart’s alley. Reminds me of something my warrior brother would say. Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

So, what has the freak been up to? Well, I’ve been training, and working, and training. I’m planning a trip to Finland, Denmark and Norway this summer (sorry Sweden, not this time around) for approximately 2.5 weeks. So I’m starting to learn Danish, which, I’m having fun with, and once I get the basics on that language I’ll work on my Finnish. I’ve also been reading this lovely book on Elves and Fairies by Rev. Kirk, forword by John Matthews. It’s a beautiful book to read, even if I can’t quite lose my reality grip to actually believe it’s a first-hand account of Rev. Kirk’s interaction with Sidhe. However, as far as his desciptions of them go, I’m right there with him and can follow them with the nodding of my head. 🙂

I’ve been doing some more head writing, and things are slow enough that I might be able to actually start getting it down in my journals.

Cheers!

I’d like to thank all my friends, family, and those I don’t know, for having the balls to defend our nation in peace and war. May your efforts not be in vain, and may those of us who speak up give you hope over those who wish to degrade you. Hoorah!

Thank a Vet today guys. It’s by their blood that you have the right to speak your mind in this country.

Scorpio for this week:

“Talent hits a target no one else can hit,” said German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. “Genius hits a target no one else can see.” That could and should apply to you, Scorpio, at least during the month of November. I believe that you have a heightened ability to access special talents that have been partially dormant up till now. If you summon the gall to be almost crazily confident, you’ll soon be scoring bull’s-eyes on targets that no one else can see, let alone hit.

FreeWill Astrology

I’ve been noticing that this month, started on Samhuinn. While it’s nice, it’s also requiring me to maintain some level of impartiality. Normally, that’s not a problem, but it’s a little too close to home to not be a problem. Though, it is helping me with my fighting. The flip-side, is that I’m also in my focus spot, which means not much of a desire to talk to much of anyone. I’m still not really answering my phone, I’m on limited contact via IMs and mail. Strange. And my grove responsibilities are about to increase. I was given “the hint”.

I’m not sure how I feel about the events of today. But I will say, I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it’s held up by the hope that the moderate Democrats will have more balls than their liberal counter-parts. So please moderates, don’t make me lump you in with the idiots I see in my cynical world. You’re my hope that this government isn’t run by a bunch of fools. Stand strong, and govern for the people who elected you, not for the party line that got you there.

EDIT: This is not a slam against the Republicans. I’m actually more Republican at the federal level than I am Democrat (I fall in line with what’s referred to as “Southern Democrats”). The fact is, I don’t like the Nancy Pelosi and Murtha Democrats, at all. I would like to see the Democratic party pull back from the edge, and return to its roots. My only hope is that the newly elected moderates of the party will have the balls to stand up to the Pelosi’s and Murtha’s of the party and redefine it, while not running us down the shitter, as I believe Pelosi’s latest declarations will do. With that said, I’m not holding my breath.