Woman Speak 2-27-2015

The goddess is Aurora...and with this goddess comes the happy anticipation of Spring, new beginnings, second chances, clean slates, rejuvenation. Plant new life-seeds now, and watch your future blossom. To honor & invoke this goddess, we're doing a short ritual to The Four Winds (Aurora's children)...join me.

Confessions of a Pagan Mom~ Confession #7

I am exhausted.

That's it, this is confession #7.

It doesn't sound like much of a confession, does it, but it is (sort of, kind 'a) considering that, for some reason, people expect me to be cheerful, exuberant, enlightening, inspirational, and energetic (or "chipperfuck", as my husband Joe calls it) all the time.

I hate to disappoint, but I'm tired.  I have to admit that when I put some of my most recent videos together, I'm numb with exhaustion, and a couple times I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open.  But, for some reason, there are people like me (thank insanity, or stupidity) who just feel they need to keep going, and going, and going, and...

Why am I so tired?

1)  This gawd-forsaken never-ending Winter (said with great disdain and a scowly face).  If I were confronted by Frosty the Snowman today, I'd shoot the bastard.

2)  Financial stress...too many bills, not enough money coming in.  Budgeting on a shoestring is not all it's cracked up to be.  And this is so funny-- some days this topic seems overwhelming; and other days it's given barely a nod of recognition.  I think that it all depends on perspective.  It comes from trying to look at the Big Picture, when the Big Picture is too overwhelming and can't possibly fit into the everyday frame of life.  Sometimes, I tell myself (and other people tell me), take a deep breath and just think about/take care of One-Thing-At-A-Time.

3)  Job related stress, or the lack there-of...I've been doing so many really cool things-- damn cool neat shit (some I can talk about, and some you will probably never have a clue).  Life has been very exciting, life has tossed out some unexpected and new experiences for me to taste, just like chocolate chip cookies; but the ironic thing about all this damn cool neat shit is that it is not bringing in one penny of income (at least not right now, nor in the foreseeable future).

Ideas for Jobs...

I am apparently not qualified for any sort of employment, or Regular-Jobs, in this community. (Yes, I've tried dozens of places, dozens of applications, only a couple actual interviews.)  So I figure I have to look at what I CAN do, what ideas I have for jobs related to me and Things-I-Can-Do:

1)  My Own Business...we are pondering, in an on again/off again way, about starting up some sort of shop-- a magickal shop?  a coffee shop?  a tattoo shop?  a tea n' tarot shop?  a book shop?  any or all of the afore-mentioned?  To tell you the truth, I've wanted to do this for years, but to tell you the truth, at my age (I'll be 58 this year) the prospect of taking out a Huge Loan and trying to physically organize and run a new business, with no experience at doing this I should mention, is rather daunting.  And, if we were to open up a business, where would it be?  I can't hardly see me opening a Tea n' Tarot Shop in Fremont NE.  Most people I've talked to about this point their finger westward-- "You need to be in California." they say.  Tell me about it.

2)  Books!...yay, I have a new book coming out.  This is exciting, and I'm proud, and anxious, and feel deliciously accomplished and successful.  BUT, this book isn't even being released until April, and after that it will be months and months before I actually see a penny coming in from it (sometimes not until the end of the year).  In the meantime, I am a bag of nerves, and I spend many hours (too many hours) trying to push and promote, to hawk and sell this book online, through radio appearances, through word-of-mouth, through blogging (ahem), posting at various sites, etc. ad-infinitum.  I actually contacted Ms. Magazine the other day (an email to Michele Kort, the editor) to inquire if they would be interested in doing a review (all reviews are done in-house).  After really going over this magazine (I'm thinking, I'm a feminist, the book is on spiritual feminism, what's not to love) I realize that I probably don't fit into the glossy modern business savvy political female persona of that genre-- which is so ironic, even among the Feminist, I am a unique individual who doesn't fit any of the molds. 

3) Radio!...okay, Woman Speak was first conceived as a radio program, then as a google hangout, and then back to a radio program, and it finally evolved into a "Video Series", which is a Youtube video that is monetized.  But lets face it, unless a video goes viral, you're only going to be making pennies on it-- literally!  And do you want to know the truth-- my aspirations for the Woman Speak project actually went way beyond radio, I was thinking that this could be a really Cool talk show.  And I don't mean the usual woman drivel Let's-Look-At-Wedding-Dresses and What-Are-You-Feeding-Your-Babies-These-Days; but a television show that would touch on touchy Feminist subjects, a show that wouldn't be afraid to dip it's tippy-toes into the Pagan World as well as the mundane world of the Unusual Woman, women who live and think "outside the box".   (If there's a producer out there who's interested, call me.)

Are you tired?  Tired of Winter?  Just plain tired?

What's making you tired? 

And what can you do to fix the situation?

Links, Links, & more links

I updated the "Links" page at my website "The Witch's Corner".  I didn't realize that I had so many links!  The music on this page is Joanie Madden ("The Black Rose"), enjoy.

Links Page, click  Here

 

 

Woman Speak 2-20-2015

The goddess is Cybele.  The topics include sexual orientation, transsexuals, transgender individuals, acceptance, and tolerance.  We talk about learning to accept ourselves and celebrate our unique individuality.  We also talk about how society has to move forward and improve how it accepts-- and treats-- people who live their lives "outside the box".  Ms. Jenner...this one's for you.

 

 

My afternoon...

I spent the morning cleaning house and doing dishes, but the afternoon was set aside to make poppets.  There's been a rush on this item recently, for some reason, lots of orders coming in.  I'm not sure if it's the season, or the holiday that goes with it...or both!  :)

I dragged my tubs of craft (and "Craft") supplies
upstairs to work at the living-room table.

 

The creation process under way.

 



The Black Poppet, the most popular item at my website.

 

I want to thank all my customers for being so patient!  I use to keep merchandise made up way ahead, but I've been so busy with "Other Things" lately that I've just let it go.  I should have all orders caught up by the end of this week.

 

The Witch's Corner

 

New-Age Merchandise

 

 

 

Confessions of a Pagan Mom~ Confession #6

Here I am again, wracking my brain, and I've come up with two subjects for this post:

Things I Have Not Done:

1.  I've never had a credit card (yet).
2.  I've never gotten drunk.
3.  I've never seen the ocean.
4.  I've never cooked a soufflé.
5.  I've never eaten raw eggs.
6.  I've never planned a surprise party.
7.  I've never driven a motorcycle.
8.  I've never been to New England.
9.  I've never been abroad (and I'm not sure, with the world the way it is right now, that I would want to do this just yet).
10.  I've never met Oprah.

Things I Want To Do:

1.  I want to start my own (brick & mortar) business.
2.  I want to taste champagne.
3.  I want to visit both coasts and stand on a beach at each end.
4.  I want to hire a chef (no more cooking for me).
5.  I want to have steak in an Old Market restaurant at least once a week.
6.  I want to have horses again.
7.  I want to visit Maine and California (and the Pacific NW, as long as I'm in that direction anyway).
8.  I want to visit Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
9.  I want to meet Marylyn Manson just to see what he's like in real life (I'm kind of hoping it's a polar opposite of his stage persona, and that's the way it usually is).
10.  I want to meet Oprah when she interviews me for a New York Times best selling book (as long as this is my wish list, I'm wishing big).

BIPPIDY BOPPIDTY BOO!
 

Woman Speak 2-13-2015

Woman Speak...The Goddess is Aphrodite, the topic is birthdays and how we celebrate these milestones in connection with the Goddess and all the unique stages in a woman's life. The discussion is about-- Beauty. What's beautiful, what's not...How has our society and culture influenced our idea of physical beauty, our idea of youth and aging...How can we relearn to recognize and appreciate the inner beauty we all possess? How can we redefine what's beautiful?

 

 

Surprise!!...Author Copies

LOOK what I got today!!…my *Author Copies*…the big box arrived this morning as an unexpected surprise.

 

 

 

Release date:  April 24th, 2015
Pre-Order at this link:  click  Here

 

 

Woman Speak 2-6-2015

Come plant rosemary with me...the Goddess is Thalia, the herb blessed Rosemary. Where ever you might live, whether on an acreage, or in an apartment, plant a garden to invoke goddess energy. Here's what to plant at the four corners and at the elemental quarters. And what shall we put in the center?...let's find out.

What do you do in Fremont, Nebraska?

This is what we did today, some of my girls and I. 

First, we piled into one very small car:

The Backseat Girls
(Kind of sounds like The Backstreet Boys)

The Designated Driver
(and the owner of the small car we were smooshed into)

My Gaga Girl & My Preppy Girl

My Goth Girl
 

We live in kind of a semi-rural housing development where we still have gravel streets.  Two blocks from our house are open fields and shelter belts.  So on our way "Into Town", as we call our journey, we stopped to take some very pretty "Country Winter Photos". Stopping the car along the way, Laura (with her phone camera) and me (with my $75 35millimeter Wal-Mart treasure), would hop out and slog along the ditches shooting snow and trees, and more snow, and more trees (watching all the time for oncoming vehicles).

This is a house at the very-- very-- end of our street.
They have Lots-of-Trees.

Lots of Evergreen Trees...and snow

A Drive-Way-Through-the-Trees

This is an entrance to our Dr.s House.  He's somewhere in there, amongst 40 acres and lots and lots of trees.  We have no idea what his house looks like; but he's a very nice man who told us to wander the shelterbelts and take pictures to our hearts content.  So he's okay in my book.

A Regular Tree & Evergreen Trees
(It must feel kind of naked & embarrassed amongst all those hoary evergreen trees.)

More Trees...and snow

Yep, another tree...and more snow

A Bunch of Trees
(I think they call this a grove.)

On our journey 'Into Town", we took the back way, past the golf course, and we had to stop for a train.  The two ladies in the two cars ahead of us looked at me like I'd lost my mind when I got out of the car to snap a picture.  They do the "I'm going to look straight ahead and pretend I don't see you thing", as they purse their lips.  I don't know why people "purse their lips" when they disapprove of something, but I'll bet other orifices and sphincter muscles are just as tightly puckered.  (she says with a malicious smile).

The Train
(I actually got a kick out of jogging up the road to
photograph the train, I felt all "Photo Journalist".)

Once we crossed the invisible line between "out-of-town" and "in-town", our route took us down 23rd Street.  Pretty much anything that you will ever need while living in Fremont, Nebraska, will be found on 23rd. Street.  There is a very small "old-market" kind of area on South Maine St., but that's not where we were headed today.  So 23rd Street it is (which is really Highway 30 in drag).



23rd Street-- West End
(Almost right around the corner from the train.)

McDonalds Just Ahead!
(We've spent many blissful hours here clogging our arteries.)

Stoplight at the Corner of 23rd. & Clarkson
(There is a Scooters at this corner-- yummy yogurt bar!)

First Stop!...the infamous "Kwik Shop".  These places are the hub of activity in small communities (seriously). 

Okay, everyone out!

My Cappuccino Girls

My Iced-Slurpy Girls

Okay, everybody, back in the car!



My Gaga Girl & Mum
(I'm clutching a: White Chocolate Caramel Cappuccino)

The man who owns the white pickup paused while we snapped this picture before stepping off the curb to get in his vehicle.  He was giving us sort of an odd, "I wonder what they're doing" look, so I said to him, "We're hard-pressed for entertainment here in Fremont, Nebraska...he laughed. (It's nice to hear someone laugh, a genuine "this-is-really-funny" chuckle.)

Where to next?

Well-- if you've got coffee, you need pastries. (I'm sure this must be a written rule somewhere.)

Yep...23rd. Street
(Right down the road from the Kwik Shop on Bell Street.)

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

The Flower Shop @ Hy-vee's Entrance
(The End)

And this answers the original question: 
What do you do in Fremont, Nebraska?


You can click on the pictures to make them BIG!