Hectic Weeks

Things have been hectic over the last week or so.  Weird dreams.  Odd hours.  Some projects have picked up at The Day Jobbe, with the result that I've been working a little later into the evening and then inclined to relax and wind down later in the night instead of writing or other creative endeavors. 

Then our older cat, Smokey, had some medical distress, that, after some back-and-forth, has been diagnosed as saddle thrombosis.  For a few days, we thought we might have to put him down.  Luckily, while he's not running around like a kitten, he's made a miraculous recovery and is walking after a fashion.   Cicero continues to be a punk barncat.  

I've continued with some introductory Egyptian hieroglyphs classes, and I'm winding up attending a series of Zoom lectures on ancient Egyptian Magic.  This is Official Writing Research -- the most surprising facet of ancient Egyptian Magic is that it's supposedly outside of the Frazerian concept of sympathetic magic.   I'm not sure I understand how this could be so, but I expect this will be addressed a few lectures down the road.  My challenge will be to write a magic-using character in an Egyptian-like scenario.  

Timelines

I've discovered a new timeline tool.

And I wonder how well it will play with this blog.

Halloween Tea Party

I was scrolling through old blog posts and came across a reference to a Halloween Tea Party.  And now, of course, I want to hold one at the end of this month.  Something with bat-shaped cookies, and black tea, and clever little snacks.  I'm not sure how to make it work, however.  

First, there's COVID-19 and social distancing considerations to take into account.  That means an outdoor event.  An outdoor event means making some sort of provision for rain.  And possibly getting an outdoor heat source, like a fire-pit (heavily regulated by the city) or a natural gas outdoor heater (utilitarian and ugly, or atmospheric and impractical?).  

And then there's the dog, who might have to be boarded elsewhere to keep her from channelling her inner Cerberus and eating someone. 

After a quick check of the 'net... it might be too late to book a city park structure....

Ugh.  I guess this will have to be a Zoom event with tele-snacking... Well, humph. 

I yearn to make up for not having a gathering on last year's Full Moon Saturday Night Halloween, but it looks like that's not going to happen this year.  I will have to think of something else:  perhaps a dawn processional hike of Spencer Butte with top-side ritual-lite tea (and umbrellas) is in order.

Halloween Idea from the Past

 This is a note to me from my past self (11/15/2020)

This year for Halloween, make a Witch-King of Angmar style jack-o-lantern, with a high crown by giving it a narrow-toothed, jagged rim and then turn it stem-side down.  You might even try cutting a second lid for a multi-tiered affect.  Think of that one Ace of Swords tarot trump with a crown surmounting a sword.