I've set it to music. Now, I just have to find some manuscript paper and a piano.

Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.
We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove
At recess, in the ring;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, be passed us;
The dews grew quivering and chill,
For only gossamer my gown,
My tippet only tulle.

We paused before house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.

--Emily Dickinson

Current Mood: lyrical

Nabbed from caersidi: Some images not work-safe.

Which Goddess lurks in your soul? Nyx A child of the darkness you are! Nyx is the Greek Goddess of the Night and inhabits those souls who desire darkness. Not necessarily an evil or good person, you simply desire to surround yourself in all things mystical that inhabit the night time landscape. A fascination with the stars and celestial bodies also tends to accompany those whom Nyx has taken up residence in. Embrace the darkness baby because it’s already embraced you! Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

caersidi

My authentic japanese name is 由貴 Yuki (meaningful value) 泉 Izumi (spring of water).
Take your real japanese name generator! today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Name Generator Generator.

No, I'm not pregnant. My friend fallenseraph just gave birth to a girl! :D

TV: ( Here be spoilers for Bones and House. )

Wicca; Coven was good last night. We held our Beltane celebration by dancing, drumming, and summoning totem animal spirits. I wore my Endora Tribute Robe, which is a caftan (actually a dressing gown/caftan sort of thing) in hues of fuschia, purple, and deep sky blue with sprinklings of other colors. When I first saw it, it reminded me of Endora's flamboyant clothes on Bewitched.

Must go. Bye!

Work: Work was pleasantly busy--enough to do without feeling overwhelmed. I'll have to type a couple of reports tomorrow and send some information packets out, then work on the April travel vouchers.. After that, filing, if I have time.

I went out to lunch at La Madeleine with a couple of co-workers. I had their Wild Field Salade and a cup of tomato basil soup. They make the best soup and salad in the world. I am totally not sorry that I threw over the Petite Caesar Salade for the Wild Field one.

Movie: We're going to see Iron Man tomorrow night. This is a superhero I've never heard of, so the movie should be interesting.

Journal: I decided to return to the Papyrus font that is what I originally used for this journal. I was using Arial Black for a while because of clouding in my lens capsule, but that has gone away, and I want the prettier font back.

I wish everyone who celebrates it a Blessed Beltane and a Happy May Day! :)

Go find a Maypole, and dance!

Current Mood: happy

My term paper has been turned in! I'm all done for the semester. Hurray!

*flops onto couch*

Current Mood: accomplished

I want to practice writing these.

• Welsh Syllabic Meters
  
• Cynghanedd
  
• Cywyddau
  
• Englynion
  

Courtesy of hardvice, who got it from Alton Brown.

Recipe

I'm interested in trying to make this, sometime, just to see what homemade mayonnaise tastes like.

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the three major credit reporting companies, will begin providing accessible credit reports to people with vision impairments starting October 31, 2008, according to one of their press releases.

The reports will be available online and in Braille, to enable people with vision impairments to monitor their credit and protect themselves against fraud and identity theft. This was done by the three companies mentioned above in conjunction with the American Council for the Blind.

A Poet's Work

Grandfather
advised me:
Learn a trade

I learned
to sit at desk
and condense

No layoffs
from this
condensery

I like Niedecker a lot.

Current Mood: contemplative

Wicca: I am looking for advanced books on Wicca to read. Currently, I am studying The Wiccan Mystic and a book called Wicca 401. I'm looking for books which are beyond the usual 'This is how to set up an altar, and this is what the Sabbats are' kind of thing. Titles of books which delve more deeply into Wicca, especially along the lines of mysticism, would be appreciated.

Work: My mid-year review went quite well. Today, we're having a breakfast for Secretaries' Day. I refuse to call it 'Administrative Professionals Day' until it is actually believed by people that the support staff are professionals. To accord us that courtesy title without the salary of a so-called professional is empty and not anything I respect. Just call me a secretary. Besides, 'Administrative Professional' is a bloody mouthful.

Today, I am wearing the exact same outfit I wore on St. Patrick's Day, but everyone is acting as if they've never seen it before. *rolls eyes*

I am sipping on a bottle of V-8 juice. The breakfast doesn't start until 8:30. and I'm hungry now. (g)

Current Mood: awake

I'd like to eat at Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge someday. It's located in northern Minneapolis and serves fascinating food--rum-raisin pizza, for instance, and cheese curds.

And tonight, I got to see episodes of Bones and House for the first time in months! At last, I feel normal again!

Current Mood: pleased

Three women: one engaged, one married and one a mistress, are chatting about their relationships and decided to amaze their men. That night all three will wear black leather bras, stiletto heels and a mask over their eyes.

After a few days they meet up for lunch.

The engaged woman: The other night when my boyfriend came over he found me with a black leather bodice, tall stilettos and a mask. He saw me and said, 'You are the woman of my life. I love you.' Then we made love all night long.

The mistress: Me too! The other night I met my lover at his office and I was wearing the leather bodice, heels, mask over my eyes and a raincoat. When I opened the raincoat he didn't say a word, but we had wild sex all night.

The married woman: I sent the kids to stay at my mother's house for the night. When my husband came home I was wearing the leather bodice, black stockings, stilettos and a mask over my eyes. As soon as he came in the door and saw me he said, 'What's for dinner, Batman?'

Current Mood: amused

And the result of the coven meeting is...

...that I will be organizing the Midsummer Solstice ritual.

*entering panic mode now* :)

School: The paper draft that was due today has been turned in.

Current Mood: accomplished

Dude...6109 words!!!!! From 8am to 1:30pm.

*faints*

I don't know how the heck I did that!

In other news--Coven meeting tonight for New Moon.

Current Mood: accomplished

Nabbed from caersidi:

Take the Quiz here!

Current Mood: sleepy

Borsetti pasta stuffed with ricotta and Brie, covered in a steaming parmesan-basil sauce, sprinkled liberally with Parmesan and Asiago cheeses.

Ahhhhhhhhh.....*swoons*

Current Mood: enthralled

I want this said at my funeral:

"In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all... Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You cannot now realize that you will ever feel better... And yet this is a mistake. You are sure to be happy again."

~ Abraham Lincoln ~

Current Mood: awed

Free Rice.com will donate 20 grains of rice to the UN world hunger organizations for every vocabulary word that you match to its correct definition.

I have donated 5000 grains of rice, already.

Go for it!

Another lovely piece of prose found on the Web:

"Desiderata"

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.


--- Max Ehrmann, 1927

I heard about this at work and thought I would pass the information along to anyone who has a vision impairment or who has a friend or relative with one.

Mind’s Eye Travel creates tours for people who are visually impaired or blind. Our hosted trips let both visually challenged and fully sighted people tour comfortably and free of worry. Our itineraries are customized not only for great comfort, camaraderie and enjoyment but also for full sensory discovery, and they offer options for independence. Our destinations are carefully screened in advance and we hand-pick activities, restaurants and lodging while keeping in mind our needs as visually impaired and blind travelers.

Our trips for 2008 include:

• Discovering mid-coast Maine.
  
• Sedona, AZ and the Grand Canyon.
  
• Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
  

It is amazing to me, the cool stuff you can find on the Web.

"Blind Man's Mark"

Thou blind man's mark, thou fool's self-chosen snare,
Fond fancy's scum, and dregs of scattered thought ;
Band of all evils, cradle of causeless care ;
Thou web of will, whose end is never wrought ;
Desire, desire ! I have too dearly bought,
With price of mangled mind, thy worthless ware ;
Too long, too long, asleep thou hast me brought,
Who shouldst my mind to higher things prepare.
But yet in vain thou hast my ruin sought ;
In vain thou madest me to vain things aspire ;
In vain thou kindlest all thy smoky fire ;
For virtue hath this better lesson taught,—
Within myself to seek my only hire,
Desiring nought but how to kill desire.

--Sir Phillip Sidney

Sent to me from a co-worker:

9 WORDS WOMEN USE

1)Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with "Nothing" usually end in "Fine."

(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of "Nothing.")

(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. "That's okay" means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you; do not question, or faint. Just say "You're welcome." (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says "Thanks a lot" - that is PURE sarcasm, and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say "You're welcome" ... that will bring on a "Whatever.").

(8) Whatever: Is a women's way of saying
Curse on YOU!"

(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking "What's wrong?" For the woman's response, refer to # 3.

Current Mood: amused

Coven: We had a good coven meeting last night. Instead of doing the usual Ostara ritual, we all sat down and made some decisions about changes we would like to see made in the coven--where it's been and where we'd like it to go, and how we want to implement those changes.

Firstly, we decided that our days as being primarily a teaching coven are past. We have a good group now, and all of us are reasonably experienced people, capable of functioning as high priest or priestess as needed. What we need to focus on now is deepening our skills and our personal perceptions of and relationships with deity. This means doing a lot more work, planning, and practice than we've been doing. It means making more of an effort to live the faith than we have been. I think that's all to the good.

I also spoke to them all and let them know that I consider myself a deist now. When it comes to paganism, this is a good thing, because it frees me to accept the divine in any deity because, to me, they are all aspects of the same greater thing. I told them that I had had doubts for a long time as to whether I should be attending a Wiccan circle because I didn't feel Wiccan; I felt more Christian. Then I realized what my root disagreement with Christianity is, and I realized that deism fit me the best.

I think regarding the world from a deist perspective will help a great deal in the ritual work, and, since we're about to concentrate more on the actual practice of Wicca--the nuts and bolts of it, instead of just doing rituals eight times a year, this should be a beneficial thing.

Another thing we're going to do is create a private mailing list for the core members. Right now, we have a mailing list that began as private but that grew to include close friends and prospective members who never joined the coven. So we're going to two mailing lists now, so that serious coven business can be conducted only among the committed and initiated members, and more general announcements can be sent to the public list.

Music: The accompanist for the NATS spring student auditions and I finally got in touch with each other. She lives way out in BFE, otherwise known as 'somewhere near Cypress, Texas.' I hope the accompanist for next year will live closer in to town.

Family: We celebrated my Grandma Smith's 94th birthday yesterday. She is still pretty alert, though I think she's beginning to have some short-term memory problems; it's hard to tell. We had Italian creme cake and ice cream. Mark, our friend Donna, and I also celebrated our friend Tom's birthday yesterday around noon. We took him out to Casa Ole.

Oh, one funny bit about dining at Casa Ole--The waitresses were all wearing bunny ears, which was especially hilarious when they would walk past with a tray of drinks in one hand, reminding me so much of waitresses at the Playboy Club that I had to restrain the urge to giggle!

The were wearing their regular uniforms, though, not Playboy Bunny outfits, by the way. (g)

Writing: I spent much of Sunday morning writing, working on a fantasy story. I'm finding that I already want to make changes. Another weird thing--I now know why my main character's former teacher always insisted on himself and his apprentices having long hair and beards. It's because he incorrectly cast on himself the spell that gives mages in that universe longevity. Instead of allowing for normal cell division with a low rate of telomere degradation, he did the math wrong and instead got himself a low rate of cell division with normal telomere degradation.

This means that it was very difficult for him to heal from injuries--so he didn't want razors or barber shears anywhere near him.

I love the interesting little details like this that you come up with while writing. They are what make writing the most wonderful occupation in the world.

Current Mood: good

Writing: I've been wrestling with my poem "Sword" all evening. It is based on Paul Graves' story, but told in metaphor, and my first version of it was a religious poem--except I was never satisfied with it. It was too long, and I felt like parts of it were schmaltzy

I'm still not satisfied with it. I've cut quite a few lines, even some of my favorite ones, but this poem is definitely turning into a piece of 'sullen art.' I hope the end result will be worth it, because I'd like to enter it into a poetry contest if I can find a suitable one.

Must remind myself to buy a copy of Poet's Market 2008 in April.

Voice Lessons: "Simple Gifts" is coming along a lot better; I just have to keep practicing it like crazy. Having the sheet music, instead of just the lyrics, helps a lot.

The NATS spring student auditions will take place Saturday, March 29th.

Life: I am off work for Good Friday; I'm going to see about attending services at the Catholic church around the corner from my street, since the buses will be running on a weekday schedule. I'm looking forward to it.

Mark and I spent the afternoon today at a pub called McGonigal's Mucky Duck. We had Guinness, a black-and-tan, and hard apple cider, and listened to music by Wyndnwyre and irish Session.

Mark and I both know Wyndnwyre's harpist, Therese Honey, through the SCA, but I learned today that Mark also knew her when she was a student at Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. That was two years after its inception. Small world!

We had fish and chips for lunch, and we were seated right next to the stage--unbelievably good seating. The place was packed and, thanks to Houston's no-smoking ordinance--smoke-free. Hurray! It's so nice to be able to listen to good music and drink beer in a bar where you can actually breathe!

I have to say, though, all I had was the black-and-tan and a pint of cider, and I'm still a bit buzzed--more than five hours later. What was in that stuff?!

Got to go back to work tomorrow. *whine*

Dreams: I have been dreaming for the past two nights about being in the hospital and having IV's inserted into my arms. It's really weird.

Writing: I began working on a story that I'm calling 'Iscala Keep' until I can think of a better name for it.It's a fantasy piece with an amusing scene of a mage in the waiting room at the local magistrate's office. He doesn't want to be obtrusive, so he's in there wearing very plain robes, mending a shirt.

What's amusing is that all of the mothers of marriageable daughters are eyeing him and whispering to each other. They figure he's got to be a bachelor, if he's doing his own mending, so they're all trying to strike up conversations with him--or contrive ways to introduce their daughters to him.

Poor man. He'd have brought a book, but books are expensive and certianly not the sort of thing one takes to read while waiting for the magistrate.

I'm babbling. sorry.

Current Mood: sleepy

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Bring out your green, orange, or blue!

Green - Catholic Irish
Orange - Protestant Irish
Blue - the liturgical color for St. Patrick (go figure).

Mark and I will be heading off to the Mucky Duck this afternoon for their celebration. Looking forward to it!

Current Mood: cheerful

I have entered my poem, "Remorse" into the Foley Poetry Contest sponsored by America magazine.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I really want that poem to win. :)

Two Useful Tools for People with Low or No Vision:

Read This to Me is a service for the visually impaired that will read to a person anything that is faxed to them, including bills and letters. The downside to it is that you have to be able to fax things, which means (unless you own your own fax machine) going to your local Kinko's--if you can get transportation. I think I've mentioned them in this journal once before.

System Access To Go is free screen reader software from a company called Serotek that you can download to any computer, wherever you are, whereas JAWS software must be installed on your computer and limits you to that one computer.

I'm not impressed with their website, because it only has the screen reader on it (Click on the 'Begin' button.) and doesn't go into much detail that it is a screen reader, though it does show it working on the site. I would think most computer users would like to know the specifics of a download before they do download it. Other than that quibble, no objections.