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Past · Imperfections
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Like Norse legends and the writing of JRR Tolkien condensed together in one book. Yes, I’ve just ordered a hardback book which I already have a really good idea of the contents; however this way I can sideline the material content and just savour the literary genius. http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Sigurd-Gudrun-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0547273428 Professor Tolkien used to give lectures on Norse literature, language and archaeology, dang they would have been awesome to witness. Shame I'll not ever be able to, but his son does do an excellent attempt at putting together Professor Tolkiens academic notes on the Lays of Gudrun and Sigurd (even to the point of the paragraphs breaking mid sentence, when copying his fathers mnemonic notes on the subject). The Lays are not so much a direct translation, as an interpretation using english and the grammar rules of the period, to create a new interpretation of my favourite saga. From what I've read so far, it's akin to Sheamus Heaney's interpretation of Beowulf http://www.rambles.net/heaney_beowulf.html in the fact that it uses not a direct translation, but a quality literary interpretation in English. I'm savouring it, if you can't guess. …And then I don’t feeeeeel so bad :)
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 happy | |
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It's been a while since I've made an archaeology focussed post, but with the recent report of this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8047319.stm it seems an ideal time :) Venus figurines: usually exaggurated female forms in clay, or carved from bone. The smart type academics wax lyrical, but it tends to boil down to 'we don't know exactly, so they're an object of deep ritual significance' However, they can spend entire papers figuring out that they don't know exactly what they were for... Wikipedia is my friend, and can say things much better than I can -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_figurines This is, to date, my favourite one, it's a little unusual from the standard figurine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_of_Brassempouy , the standard understanding of venus figurines being a large breasted and hipped figurine, such as this (note that the other attiributes such as arms and legs are reduced or absent on figurines: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_of_Willendorf as well as being carvedf, they can also be made out of clay and fired: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_of_Doln%C3%AD_V%C4%9BstoniceMost figuines of this type seem to taper at both the head and foot ends with the widest part of the figurine in the middle, and depict a pregnant or obese female form. They are found from the Pyrenees to Siberia, and are of varying dates (Archaeologists are still playing around with the accuracy of radio-carbon dating) They are mostly categorised by geographical area instead. There is a whole argument for the fact that an obese form in prehistoric times, must be because there was a surplus of food (possibly being given only to a few women) and therefore an obese form represented a successful group, clan or tribe. Most tend to go for the ritual meaning, as the figurine design is constant, and widespread through a long period of time. Feritility, Great Goddess representations, security or success: It's all pants, they really have no idea.
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impressed | |
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With the town library closing for four whole days over the Easter break, It's time for me to stock up on recent stuff and snaffle some more to tide me over the holiday. I've just finished The Learners by Chip Kidd ( http://www.amazon.com/Learners-Novel-Chip-Kidd/dp/0743255240 ) Which is worth a mention, although the graphic design references are in-jokes and I didn't really get them, there was plenty of other charicatures, office based imagery and situations presented for me to really understand the subtlety of the storyline and the compexity of flawed human nature as portrayed. Not sure about the ending, it seems little tacked on, especially as the literary technique used in the last two pages is totally different to the remainder of the slow steady image focussed build of the book. I've just started The Lost Diary of Don Juan by Douglas Carlton Abrams http://www.lostdiaryofdonjuan.com/ and so far I'm loving it :) There An Ungodly Child ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R24P80Q5CX4KZT ) and Trickster makes this World http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trickster-Makes-This-World-Imagination/dp/1847672256/ref=pd_sim_b_3 waiting for when I'm finished. That should be enough to seee me across four days sans library. While I remember; there's the first of the four Doctor Who specials for the year being shown Saturday night :) *can't wait* See you again after the break :)
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 mostly reading | |
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Ok, here's the question: the big one , the zen question which should (if I judge this right) provoke many extreme (either way) responses, so here goes: Woolley 2009? On another note, I seem to have misplaced my membership to allow me to post directly to the members of the Woolleysheep community. If some kind person could restore it, I'll duly get on with the planning and foo.
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 hopeful | |
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http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usma&c=holidays&id=1991So, it's Ostara or the Vernal Equinox and the official beginning of Spring. Time for the promises of Autumn to begin showing growth, and the days to head towards the peak of summer. I'm eagerly watching the progress of the daffodils in the small flower bed we have, and have begun seeing the first bees of the year amongst the early crocus. Green shoots, the physical promise of new life have begun to show, together with milder weather and warm rains. |
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So, Google have managed to plans streets for cities and towns in the UK in three dimensions. Aside from the current valid debates about privacy and personal security, as an archaeologist I'm looking a this a little differently: what an utterly amazing resource. To be able to view street plans, clothing trends, architecture, vehicle designs, street names and to a certain extent, the provision of schools, emergency services, libraries, green spaces and current building projects and enhancements is an incredible gift to leave for future generations of archaeologists and historians. Ok, so I am making the big assumption that the internet will survive, or perhaps that the project will be updated in years to come. If it is, I hope that they can see the value in keeping the older versions of street plan accessible online. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/mpl?layer=c&moduleurl=http://maps.google.co.uk/help/maps/streetview/mapplet.html&mapclient=google&utm_campaign=en_GB&utm_medium=mapshpp&utm_source=en_GB-mapshpp-emea-gb-gns-svn&utm_term=svlSadly this is about as close as I can get to my house... http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/mpl?layer=c&moduleurl=http:%2F%2Fmaps.google.co.uk%2Fhelp%2Fmaps%2Fstreetview%2Fmapplet.html&mapclient=google&ie=UTF8&ll=53.311782,-1.480925&spn=0,357.714844&z=8&cbll=53.311782,-1.480925&panoid=ERvcJcnWfFEZlxeqUm1FwA&cbp=12,202.89454236592863,,0,3.2692307692307687
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 excited | |
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...or rather book. I've borrowed a copy of Tideland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tideland from the library recently. I began reading it last night, and got about halfway through before I realised what time it was and reluctantly put it down. It's very surreal in a beautifully childlike logical way, and the fact that Terry Gilliam was involved in the film version comes as no surprise. I can only say one thing about it: ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) chamonkee , I read this, and thought of you...
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 bookish | |
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Twilight by William Gay - it's a gothic novel set in the Deep South - the claustrophobic emptiness shines through in use of language, setting and characterisation. Unsettling and disturbing, because I can imagine places not to far of being like this...
Sabriel by Garth Nix - well worth the read, and the following two are sat waiting to be read :) Somewhat beyond the usual teenager + magic standard formulaic books, this is more teenager+necromancy with bells on. Literally. Hope the following two are just as good.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imbolc The mid point of the Dark half of the year, and time to mark the beginning of the ascent into summer :) ( Imbolc ) May those who wish ill to me and mine Find their attempts well entwined. May the mirror around us be shiny and bright All the better to deflect the blight
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 contemplative | |
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Making a quick trundle round the internets and I find this : http://pagancalendar.co.uk/ It's got some nice calendars, and best of all the contents are free to snaffle :) Tonight I head to the Chesterfield gathering, I'm contemplating riding there, but am still not sure about this riding solo lark.
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impressed | |
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A poem by William Cullen Bryant, called Thanatopsis written in 1817, when the poet was just 17. I'm not usually one for flambouyant poetry from the age of Paradise Lost, but this is quite beautiful. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Thanatopsis
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thoughtful | |
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This is my favourite time of year spirit flickers in the corner of vision, one finds pennies in peculiar places, things go a little sideways and all that is concrete gives playful way to the amorphous and abstract. Everything – trees, cars, junk mail – is transubstantiated, its hypostasis relocated from the materia to the mythic realm. The masquerade that the mythic wears in the mundane is somehow just a little less convincing. Borders, boundaries, prose transmuted into poetry. And so to the Dead, the crossers of the border, those who are transported into memory; we remember and pray for you, our spells bolt you to our skin, if only for a little while. Blessings be on the Dead that are; Blessings be on the Dead that know.
Samhain prayers are arriving in all flavours of fluffy this year: however, this one is a nice simple one that I really like: Those gone before, you who wish me good, hear me; guide and guard me, and when the time comes, greet me. You are neither blind nor deaf to this life I live; you did yourself once share it. I come to you in love and trust. I seek to honor you. Ancestors, you who came before us and were the roots of our line, we ask you to come again into our lives so that we may share in your wisdom and love. Beloved friends who went before us, we ask you to come again into our lives so that we may once again laugh with you and stand strong together through turmoil.
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contemplative | |
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As I said I would; here is (hopefully!) the first of a few posts on the norse legends: To start with, the source material. There are six major sources of Norse mythology, and many smaller texts. Here are notes on the main six: ( Sources of Norse Myths )Secondly an overview of the myths themselves. The order of them can (and does!) change, so I've tried to make sense of them as best I can: here is the main story arc, the themes and the explainations of the interdispersed litanies ( The literary structure of the myths )
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busy | |
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MabonMabon marks the middle of the harvest, a time of equal day and equal night. A time to reap what you have previously sown, give thanks for the harvests, finish up old projects and plans and begin to plant the seeds to new ideas, a change of lifestyle or a new project. A time of celebration and balance. A time not just to look back on the old year, but to reflect on your life and begin planning for the future. A time of rest and celebration, after the hard work of harvest. Warm (and mostly wet...) autumn days are followed by chill nights, a time of giving thanks to those who have helped you achieve, or strive to achieve your goals. http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/holydays/autumnequinox.shtml
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...weight gain has a positive correlation to promiscuity - would that make you a wanton whore? laugh if you get it, it's bad, but my brain is tired and is currently running away with thoughts of Beowulf: the abridged musical. So sue me.
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 tired | |
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And I've come back with various parts sunburnt, Oh yes... ( Pagan Camp 2008 )I'm still unpacking stuff slowly, so I figure I'll be done by the weekend ;p
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happy | |
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As I won't be here from tomorrow, swapping the civility of Chesterfield for a field in Birchover for the annual pagan camp weekend, I wish you happy Lughnasadh for tomorrow! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lammas and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lughnasadh I hope that your first harvests are fruitful, and productive. Time to begin to reap the rewards of hard work from earlier in the year, a time to celebrate, but also being the begining of the harvest and storage of food to last through the winter. As the end of summer and the beginning of Autumn, the first image of the sacrificed god (known as John Barleycorn amongst other names) to come into the pagan year, a time of bounty, and a celebration including a sabbat fire, and a ceremonial bread loaf traditionally made from the first harvested grain:) Also known as a time of crafts, especially traidtional ones, in the Medival period... At Lughnasadh, the Wheel of the Year begins to shift from growing time to harvest time. The subtle changes of the waning sun that occurred at Summer Solstice becomes more evident as the balance of day and night seem to shift more dramatically. The slight seasonal changes in weather, and the declining arc of the sun, the southern movement of it rising and setting are other indicators of this shift. "After Lammas, corn ripens as much by night as by day."I'm hoping that the weekend will include all of thses things, and a few workshops to attend besides. I'll be giving a lecture over the weekend and hopefully doing a good few runecastings for folks :) Now all I have to do is find my 'Loki made me do it' t-shirt and I'm all set ;D *back Monday* |
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Is tonight/ tomorrow morning! The Summer Solstice, probably the most celebrated pagan festival of the year, a time to be inspired by the sun, it's strength and power to create life. The height of life force and feminine ways in the year as a whole. This is a time to celebrate growth and life but for Pagans, who see balance in the world and are deeply aware of the ongoing shifting of the seasons it is also time to acknowledge that the sun will now begin to decline once more towards winter.
Time to wear bright sunny colours of yellows, reds and oranges, use disks and circles to represent the sun and it's cycle and eat things made with honey, as I'm planning to tonight, to symbolise the summer harvest from the bees, and also in my case, provide a link with mead - the drink of poetic inspiration in the Norse sagas.
Where friends of mine are headed: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.9587
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happy | |
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Bright blessings to you and yours on this wonderfully sunny beginning of summer :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltane and the Edinburgh festival http://www.beltane.org/Tomorrow night I go to my first gathering ritual, held at a private house in Chesterfield. It'll be the first time in a long long while that I've marked the ritual with others, and whilst I'm looking forward to it, I'm also a tad nervous...
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happy | |
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I go to sleep thinking how not only from Season 3 of the new Battlestar Galactica (when he has a moustache) bears a striking resemblance to - as pointed out by darac, but also following that inference, would look really good in , she is a blonde after all, and that as an old style was somehow logical... O.o ....I need to lay off the late nights/early mornings...
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 weird | |
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Cromford moot last night and in the midst of all the news which immediately preceeds the opening, there was talk of a pagan oath now recognised for use in courts and tribunals. Working within the court system, this is news to me. The Department for Constitutional Affairs has now (as from August 2006!) allowed a pagan oath to be available to practitioners to swear by, instead of having to use the affirmation script. the wording now goes: 'I swear by all that I hold sacred that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth'. Individuals do not need a holy book to swear by, however they can supply their own holy book, which should not be touched by others without permission, other than for security purposes. Don't think it's quite filtered down into the sleepy Chesterfield brains, or maybe it has, and it's passing has gone unremarked. The new Oxford English Dictionary's new edition will now include approx 250 new words from pagan sources, such as athame and sabbat. Go us :) Apparently the original submission included over 2000 words, so maybe on that front it isn't such a big success ;p I guess the other news I would like to record for posterity, is that in the next countrywide census (2011) we are assured that the questions about religion will now either include a 'pagan' tickbox, or 'pagan - ' for the specifics to be written in.
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 pagan | |
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The King of My Heart The King of my heart lies in state
the bier draped
with textile fate
now in desolation complete
I know I will suffocate
in sadness absolute
the colours of life annihilate
the King of my heart lies in state
My grief cannot him eradicate
from now will I not deviate
my devotion never reanimate
the King of my heart lies in state
The past from now will I inspect
with rose glossed memories in tact
I will forever now commemorate
the King of my heart lies in state
Clandestine history forged delicate
my destiny with you now violate
*****
the King of my heart lies in state
He will never again me celebrate
the candle sentries wait
and burn, it is too late
the King of my heart lies in state.
So: there's a line missing which I can't seem to track down. This is the poem so far fashioned from the lines which arrived. As always there are more lines than poem, so here are some of the bits which didn't quite make it. If you have a suggestion for the missing line, do tell: it's driving a small part of my brain to distraction.
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creative | |
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the Universe made manifest, trying to work itself out.
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Just because I said I would :) ...
The last moot was one that I lectured for, and yep, I've been too busy to actually mention how it went. Went very well :) I lectured to about 10 people, so the group was small enough to all have a handout each and have time to do a couple of the meditations that I'd written at the end. It's all good :) Came home feeling proud of myself, as I've never led a group that big in meditation before. As it was on Theiranthropy and Transformational Visualisation, if anyone would like a copy of the handout, just nudge :)
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pleased | |
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7251666.stm
... I jest you not ;p ...currently Colin is patiently trying to explain to his minions why dogs can't get Downs Syndrome... ROFL :) Also there's going to be a total lunar eclipse tonight, or rather tomorrow morning - starts 0143, full eclipse at 0426 and ends at 0509. Hmmm, as much as I want to stay up, I have work tomorrow ;p I have dates for the remainder of 2008-2012, which I'll post here when I have more time... |
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From the lucky dip books from the library I've found a wildlife photographer that I really quite like: http://www.stevebloom.com/index.php His pictures are quite beautiful, especially those of birds :)
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 surprised | |
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Happy Imbolc, the quickening of Spring :) *lights a candle* May you be productive in things that you do, fertile in spirit and rich in thought :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imbolc http://www.ladybridget.com/r/febi001.html We are between worlds, Winter retreats and Spring is promised :) As I are deeply involved in the decorating of the house this weekend (already causing locallised chaos by moving furniture, losing needed things and scareing the cat), my celebration will be tonight instead of tomorrow...
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 celebratory | |
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For those in the vicinity:
The Environment Agency have issued a severe weather warning for the Sheffield / Derbyshire area for Sunday night and into Monday morning. Please be advised that they have forecasted Very Heavy rain that is expected to cause localised flooding and poor driving conditions throughout Sunday and Monday. And for those I'm meeting up with at the weekend: it's a Sheffield football derby at Hillsborough on Saturday. Bah.
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 finding sandbags | |
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The last rune: here we are after nearly 6 months of interpretations. Ok, so there are still some patches to fill in, but hopefully I'll be able to get to them soon and edit the entries to provide a complete record :) Next entry will be on the blank rune, whilst not strictly a rune (being a blank) there are still some interpretations given for it. "Nothing is poetical if plain daylight is not poetical; and no monster should amaze us if the normal man should not amaze" ~ Gilbert Chesterton |
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"It is absolutely imperative that we protect, preserve and pass on this genetic heritage for man and every other living thing in as good a condition as we received it." ~ David R Brower |
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"Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful" ~ Lao Tzu, Chinese Taoist Philosopher ( Laguz - Flow, water, ocean ) |
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ROFL :D
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amused | |
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Well, I'm now out of work for a week, due to Yule and Christmas being so close together :) As I'm well into my New year, I really ought to actually get round to listing all of my new affirmations, however here are the few I've worked out so far: 1) Keep going with and finish off the mammoth cross stitch: get it framed when finished :) 2) Complete and pass my ILEX course through work (Certificate in Criminal Prosecution - should be all done by the coming November, so it's technically a two year affirmation...) 3) Visit two countries other than my own - I really enjoyed my holiday in France, and I'd like more of the same please :) 4) Swim at least one mile most weeks, master front crawl and butterfly, and those pesky tumble turns. 5) Keep working on the size 12 thing: and keep up with the taking more care of myself. I have a few more in there somewhere, but these will do for now :) And with that: I'll be back again in a few days :D Have wonderful holidays, celebrations and be prosperous in the months to come :)
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hopeful | |
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"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." ~Theodore Rosevelt
( Mannaz: man, interdependance ) |
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Last Chesterfield moot (which admittedly was Tuesday last) and we get a wonderful lecture on the scale of the universe. It was awesome, in the way that it inspired awe. I really wish I could get hold of the notes that the chap was using, as he suddenly made it all so simple, elegant and understandable instead of the maths fest that it could have been. He also had a projection going on in the background, which I later learn is a free programme, which shows each of the constellations and planets in real time, their names and how they relate to each other. You can reverse and fast forward it to project where a constellation will be on any given date and to be honest, he could have put that on for an hour and a half and we would have happily all watched that... as it was, we got an amazing lecture as well :) * goes to find books on stars* http://www.stellarium.org/Screenshots:
http://www.stellarium.org/img/screenshots/0.9-constellation-art.jpg Northern Hemisphere. (with the Great Bear recognisable just the right of the bottom centre of the shot...)
http://www.stellarium.org/img/screenshots/0.9-inuit-art.jpg If you download it, check out the art facility :)
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contemplative | |
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"A horse is the projection of peoples dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence" ~ Pam Brown |
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"I'd like to go by climbing a birch tree, And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more, But dipped its top and set me down again. That would be good both going and coming back." ~ Robert Frost |
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annoyed
