arliss: (owl)
( May. 13th, 2005 01:19 am)
I picked up StY and we went to collect boxes being held for him. He's packing to move out of the apartment he's shared with his GF for the last three years. They've been winding down for a while now. There's no animosity, just sadness and a little regret. I honestly think he'll miss the dog and cat more, and being part of a couple. He's moving back in with H and me, at least for now. If he's able to find (and afford) a place of his own in the next couple of months, he'll ask to take the cat, who likes StY better, anyway.

After playing with the dog, snuggling the cat, and womanfully not crying, I went to Barnes & Noble to meet a friend whose SIL was recently diagnosed with bowel cancer. They're still doing tests to try and pin down what type it is and determine the best treatment. He's had surgery once, and will have it again as soon as they have a treatment regime in place and agreed on. Prognosis isn't good. They have a five-year old daughter, adopted from China.

While B ran to the ladies' I prowled in the "spiritualism" section looking for a couple of books I'd seen online. If they proved as interesting as they'd seemed, I would look for them used. While I was wandering, I maneuvered around a couple of young women (tats, visible piercings) who were discussing Reiki and "pagan". B joined me, and I showed her a couple of the herbalism books we'd talked about. I saw a spine lettered, "The Solitary Wiccan" and muttered, "oxymoron." B asked, "Why?"

If you're Wiccan, I told her, you're initiated, if you're initiatied you're not solitary. Being B, she had to argue the point. And I conceded to her nitpickery: yes, as a Wiccan you are not *always* in company. You can be solitary in your room, or in your car, wherever. This does not, however, make you a Solitary.

One of the younger women, wide-eyed, asked, "Do you know pagan?" Oh dear. (Like, the big dude with the antlers and the robes? I wanted SO badly to say. But didn't) She said she "used to know some," but then there was a long, confused sketchy story of being freaked by being "taught by a man." I'm afraid I cut her short--dear, really. Would rather not know. She asked if I could recommend any books, and reached for one with a cauldron and a black cat on the cover, with a title like, "Wizards and Wiccans" or something similar. I looked and found the Higgenbothams' Paganism, which gives a general overview of the various paths and some of the attributes of each. It's a good starting place for someone who's essentially clueless and/or confused. She was prattling about "animal spirits," and "little spirits," and "working spells." She asked me directly, "Can you read people's minds?" (Me, personally, you mean? Yes. Yours is...on 'hum')

Well, you can observe body language, and notice facial expression, tension in the body, inflection in the voice, and learn to be intuitive about the attitudes, moods, and emotions of other people. "You can sense strong emotions," B added. The silent companion nodded.

"You can really learn how to do magic, right?"

Firmly, but as kindly as possible, I told her, "There is no 'magic.' There is energy, and there's intent. If you're patient, and learn to focus, you can work with those. Start here," I patted the book in her hands, and with that, B and I made our escape.

Gah. At least she didn't bring up Piper, Phoebe and Paige.
arliss: (owl)
( May. 13th, 2005 01:19 am)
I picked up StY and we went to collect boxes being held for him. He's packing to move out of the apartment he's shared with his GF for the last three years. They've been winding down for a while now. There's no animosity, just sadness and a little regret. I honestly think he'll miss the dog and cat more, and being part of a couple. He's moving back in with H and me, at least for now. If he's able to find (and afford) a place of his own in the next couple of months, he'll ask to take the cat, who likes StY better, anyway.

After playing with the dog, snuggling the cat, and womanfully not crying, I went to Barnes & Noble to meet a friend whose SIL was recently diagnosed with bowel cancer. They're still doing tests to try and pin down what type it is and determine the best treatment. He's had surgery once, and will have it again as soon as they have a treatment regime in place and agreed on. Prognosis isn't good. They have a five-year old daughter, adopted from China.

While B ran to the ladies' I prowled in the "spiritualism" section looking for a couple of books I'd seen online. If they proved as interesting as they'd seemed, I would look for them used. While I was wandering, I maneuvered around a couple of young women (tats, visible piercings) who were discussing Reiki and "pagan". B joined me, and I showed her a couple of the herbalism books we'd talked about. I saw a spine lettered, "The Solitary Wiccan" and muttered, "oxymoron." B asked, "Why?"

If you're Wiccan, I told her, you're initiated, if you're initiatied you're not solitary. Being B, she had to argue the point. And I conceded to her nitpickery: yes, as a Wiccan you are not *always* in company. You can be solitary in your room, or in your car, wherever. This does not, however, make you a Solitary.

One of the younger women, wide-eyed, asked, "Do you know pagan?" Oh dear. (Like, the big dude with the antlers and the robes? I wanted SO badly to say. But didn't) She said she "used to know some," but then there was a long, confused sketchy story of being freaked by being "taught by a man." I'm afraid I cut her short--dear, really. Would rather not know. She asked if I could recommend any books, and reached for one with a cauldron and a black cat on the cover, with a title like, "Wizards and Wiccans" or something similar. I looked and found the Higgenbothams' Paganism, which gives a general overview of the various paths and some of the attributes of each. It's a good starting place for someone who's essentially clueless and/or confused. She was prattling about "animal spirits," and "little spirits," and "working spells." She asked me directly, "Can you read people's minds?" (Me, personally, you mean? Yes. Yours is...on 'hum')

Well, you can observe body language, and notice facial expression, tension in the body, inflection in the voice, and learn to be intuitive about the attitudes, moods, and emotions of other people. "You can sense strong emotions," B added. The silent companion nodded.

"You can really learn how to do magic, right?"

Firmly, but as kindly as possible, I told her, "There is no 'magic.' There is energy, and there's intent. If you're patient, and learn to focus, you can work with those. Start here," I patted the book in her hands, and with that, B and I made our escape.

Gah. At least she didn't bring up Piper, Phoebe and Paige.
arliss: (map)
( May. 13th, 2005 12:06 pm)
In a dialog in [livejournal.com profile] castlebreaker's journal, we got into a discussion of participant vs. observer.

navel-gazing here )
arliss: (map)
( May. 13th, 2005 12:06 pm)
In a dialog in [livejournal.com profile] castlebreaker's journal, we got into a discussion of participant vs. observer.

navel-gazing here )
.

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