Wrapping Things Up

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I almost bought this iris based on name alone. ::laughs::

Same with this one:



And then there was a third named “Mother Earth”. But I was good and reigned myself in. I only bought another planter and potting soil for the daffodil bulbs I haven’t planted yet. Plus seeds for lavender, green onions, and spinach for next year’s garden.

I then spent the afternoon playing in the dirt. I repotted the daffodil bulbs from earlier this year (sadly, only 3 survived; none of the lily bulbs did), planted the newest bulbs, and then added extra dirt around the rosebush.

I then did some fire magic. I wrote down 13 wishes for the new year and burned them. I also finally got around to burning the affirmation I had written back in October for the Jack-o-Lantern. I then mixed the ash in with the dirt, so the wishes and affirmation can grow and blossom in the coming year, along with my plants.

Getting Ready

written: December 30

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I spent most of the day setting up my BaBuJo (Bastardize Bullet Journal) for 2019. This is my spread to keep note of my Year Ahead reading I did. Hopefully this will help me pay more attention to it. plus, I’m doing spreads each month to reflect on the Tarot and Oracle cards I drew for that month. I got the idea from Samantha Menzo’s YouTube Video “My Witchy Bullet Journal + Book of Shadows”. So we’ll see how that works out for me. ::chuckles::

Well, I couldn’t wait any longer. I emailed the High Priestess back, accepting her invitation to join the ToK Coven’s study group. I am so excited. And she was excited that I accepted. ::chuckles:: I’ll get the calendar sent to me in late January or February for the dates for the year for the classes.

So how can you tell that you need to redo your Dream Guardian’s altar? You get a shit ton of nightmares. So yeah, I cleaned everything off the bedside table I have. I dumped the salt in the tray that I keep there. I put in new salt, cleaned everything off, and set it back up. Hopefully that appeases my Dream Guardian and the nightmares can stop. Everything will get a full blessing and whatnot on the January full moon, but hopefully this will tide things over until then.

Formal Invitation

written: December 29

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My pair of Tourmalinated Quartz Generators arrived today.

Those black lines are bars of Black Tourmaline running through the quartz. This was the last “for me” gift I bought for myself.

So I had my meeting with the High Priestess and the Guardian of the ToK Coven this morning and I just love them. And I like everything they told me about the Coven itself. And I was SO STOKED to receive my official invitation this evening to join their Student group. It’s a 13 moon long study group that starts in mid-March. I haven’t responded yet, as I do want to sit with all the information they gave me and really check in with myself that this is what I want and that I can meet their requirements. But I’m 99% sure that I’m going to accept it. ::smiles:: I’m super stoked.

So that’s my big happy news of the day.

Other than that, I worked on two Year Ahead tarot readings for friends. I got those done and sent off to them. I still have InaRae’s to do and write up. And then next Sunday, I’m meeting up with Hazel to do hers in person. I’ll still type it up like I’ve done all the others, but it will be fun to do it in person. ::smiles::

Hard to believe there are only 2 more days left in the year. I’ll need to verify that I have everything I need to make the black-eyed pea bean dip for New Year’s Day. I need to go cut some holly sprigs for us to turn on New Year’s Eve (to burn away all the negativity of this year, so it doesn’t follow us into next year). And I need to pick up a few more supplies for some home protection charms that I’m making for some friends. I have one major component already, and have ordered the second major part, so really I just have one thing to pick up and I’ll be ready to rock and roll on those. Then, the really fun part is mailing them out and surprising my amazing friends. ::grins::

So yeah, 2018 is wrapping up quite nicely right now. ::knocks on wood::

Chill Day

written: December 28

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Dragon Shrimp at Red Lobster. We went courtesy of a gift card from my Mom for Christmas.

It’s been a pretty chill day all around. Lots of relaxing and just following my whims today.
I did get my Year Ahead Reading. And holy crap – it’s almost scary how synced up it is to what I have planned and dreamed for 2019 to look like. I ended up using two decks – my beloved Jade Oracle Deck and the Gilded Tarot deck.

My totem for next year came to me right as I was about to fall asleep. It’s perfect for the year, especially with the goals and big things that are going to happen. Now I just need to find some good artwork so I can make a spread in my journal to start off the new year right. I’m still kicking around ideas on what my Word of Focus will be.

Wishes

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Just a cool stone that I’ve had for ages. I don’t remember when or where I got it, just that I’ve had it as long as I can remember. I think this is what Tara calls a Wishing Stone because of the white lines on it. I’ll have to double check with her to see if it is and if so, what the magickal properties are for such a stone.

I worked on my Year Review – basically the high points and low points of the year. It’s part of my Tabula Rasa ritual. I just need to print it out now and have it ready for the rest of the ritual. Which I should probably do tomorrow, as hubs will be at work all day. Gives me plenty of solo time to do the ritual at my own pace. I need to reread the article on it and make sure I’ve got everything I need for it.

Ok, just read the article. I’m so glad I have it saved as a PDF on my computer. Makes it so easy to pull it up and read over it quickly. The author does 5 different forms of divination – I’m only doing one. So that will cut a lot of time down. I do need to come up with a boon (a wish) to ask for in the coming year – most likely a good library job that pays well AND that I enjoy. And I’ll need to take my goal lists into ritual. I want to go over them and check off the ones completed, cross out the ones that I no longer wish to pursue, and come up with realistic steps to take to start achieving the others.

Winter Altar

written: December 26

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My Winter Time altar. I really like how this one turned out. Nice, simple, and crisp feeling.

I went ahead and did 3 of the Year Ahead card readings for friends today. Now I just have to type everything up for them and send it to them. I let them choose the deck they wanted me to use and thus has forced me to use some decks that I haven’t touched in ages. And was the first time I used the Dreamtime Oracle.

I spent most of the day working on updating my 10-year journal. I have notes for everyday up to yesterday, but I’m months behind transferring those notes over into the actual journal. I take notes in a freebie planner the local Teacher’s Union drops off at the elementary school. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I don’t have ready access to these. ::chuckles:: I’ll probably just have to have one of my after school program coworkers snag one for me each year. Or maybe I can just grab a whole bunch at once and just use those – it’s not like I really need to know what DAY a particular date falls on for the notes section. And besides, the Union drops off close to 200 of these planners, and typically 150 get tossed for recycling, so it’s not like I’m STEALING from anyone. Yep, I think that’s what I’m going to do. I’ll just snag enough to finish out my 10-year journal. I’ll need like 8 of them just in case. ::scribbles down a note to do so in her planner:: Seriously, if I don’t write it down, I will never remember it.

Xmas

written: December 25

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The various holiday cards we’ve received this month. I like hanging them up in the kitchen. We don’t do a lot of decorating for Christmas, so this is an easy way to do some decorating. ::smiles:: Next year though, I will be getting us a small tree to decorate.

We didn’t do Christmas today. After my Mom came up on the 15th, that was pretty much Christmas for us. Mom called to wish us a merry Christmas and I texted my Brother. After that, it was just low key, introvert heaven. ::smiles::

Which, lemme tell you, is something we both desperately needed after the craziness of the past few months. I am hoping that next Christmas time, I will have a new full-time job in my chosen career field and we can do a bit more celebrating than we have in years past. I would like to do either big projects for the house or maybe a trip for the two of us. And it certainly doesn’t have to be trips during this time of the year. Instead, we chose a trip for the next year that we want to do, and start actively putting money towards it. Same for any house projects we want/need to do.

I do need to check and see if my Mom happens to still have the blueprints to the stockings Fwing (my grandmother) used to make for all of us. I should get photos of those stockings as well. They are GORGEOUS. I want to try my hand at making some. The local library here has sewing machines that I can use, which would make the bulk of the stocking easier and less time consuming. The beading will have to be done by hand, but I am actually looking forward to that.

Creativity

written:  December 24

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Josey pup, sitting on her box, in her sun spot. ::smiles::

I’ve been working on updating my Witch’s Journal. I hadn’t touched it since the end of September. I know, bad Witch! ::laughs:: But I’m loving working in it, and I need to really start honoring the time I had initially set aside every Thursday morning to work it in. Once the school year (work), the university semester (class), and my Practicum hours (volunteer) start up in January, I’ll probably have to be a bit more flexible in what day I dedicate to working in my Witch Journal. But the plan is to still dedicate at least one day a week to Witchy stuff. Or at least, creative stuff. I could definitely do some work in my various art journals as well.

Speaking of which, I need to do a serious de-cluttering and cleaning of the art table I have up in my room. It’s just a catch all for EVERYTHING at this point. ::shakes her head::

Oh, I did figure out when I’ll be headed to Louisiana to meet up with my Canadian Twin. She’s only a 6 hour or so drive, which isn’t that bad. I’ll drive down there on January 2nd and then drive back sometime on the 3rd. A quick trip for sure, but it will be awesome to finally meet her in person.

Gift Exchange

written: December 23

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Awesome gift basket Hazel put together for me. it was great hanging out with her for a bit tonight. I do feel like of bad because I didn’t get her a whole lot. And it was stuff I already had. BUT it was stuff she really wanted so I’m calling it good enough. Plus I’m planning on making some charms for her for when she gets her new apartment in March, plus helping her smudge, cleanse, and bless it as well.

I need to reign in my spending though. Holy hell. ::laughs:: There have just been so many deals and 90% of the stuff I buy is pretty damn cheap, so it’s easy to just nickel and dime it out. But yeah, I’ve got to pump the brakes here. Next semester is going to be a little rougher on my paycheck, due to me having to do the Practicum hours (unpaid) and paying for the toll tag and tolls to do it. But, I just keep reminding myself, it’s all for the greater good. It’s to get me free of the after school program and into a full time job. With full time pay and benefits. So, keep the eye on the prize and curb the spending for damn sure. Goddess grant me strength!

Tumble

written:  December 22

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A tumble of antlers.
You never know what you’ll find in a Witch’s room. ::chuckles::

The shed antlers are a gift from a former student who had this natural knack for spotting them in the brush. The ones with the skull plates attached are from deer my brother has hunted in the past.

Beautiful full moon riding the sky tonight. Josey pup and I just hung out and basked in the moonlight. That dog does wonders for my spiritual side. She always encourages me to be outside and just soak up the natural energies out there. I need more of that in my life.

I’ve figured out my Focus Word for 2019. I’ll be getting a Story Goddess with it once Brigid’s Grove reopens their etsy shop. Now all that’s left is to figure out what 2019’s Totem will be.

Winding Down

written: December 21

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Under Her Watchful Gaze

My little cup of feathers with the Sekhmet painting by Kimberly Sneed in the back and the Sekhmet statue was a gift from Susan from years ago when her husband was stationed in Egypt.

I’ve decided that next year, I’m not going to observe the Sabbats. They just don’t match up with the seasons here in Texas. Hopefully, I will be a part of a Coven next year, so I’ll just partake in their Sabbat ritual and that will be that. Instead, next year I will focus on the Moons.

The year is winding down and I like this calm. I need to do my Year Review leg work for my Tabula Rasa ritual. I also need to figure out when I’ll be headed to Louisiana to meet up with my Canadian Twin! I definitely want to do that. And I’ve put out some feelers to see if anyone of my journaling buddies would be interested in doing a Journal Round Robin in January. So far, only Doreen has responded, but I’m pretty sure I’ve never swapped with her, so I’m excited to include her.

Shifting

written: December 20

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I remembered to bring home the calendars I made AND got them up on the wall.
It’s 4.5 feet long.
Now I just have to start filling it in.

I’m a lot less rage-y today. I’m still grumpy, but less rage-y. I was sulking around all morning because I just knew today was going to suck because it’s our Winter Party at work, which means CHAOS (in all caps, mind you). And I’m still pissed that they are adding two new kids to my program even though we are already at our cap.

When I was getting ready for work, I just decided to stop being so damn pissy. I decided that by god, I was going to have a good day. And that the kids they were adding to my program were going to be good kids. And that everything was just gonna work out.

And you know what? I did have a good day. The party was chaotic, but it was a good chaotic. It was one of the “calmer” parties we’ve had yet. So that was really good. Megan (previous aide who resigned at the end of November) even came back to hang out with the kids – which totally made their day. And Todd (a previous student) came and hung out and it honestly was just GOOD all around.

So yeah, I’ve really got to shift my thinking. I have a hand in creating my own reality by the way I’ve decided I feel about it. I need to get back into the habit of setting my intentions for the day before I go to work. I really fell off the band wagon with that one.

Breaking Point

written: December 19

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Little Texas Spiny lizard, desperately searching for some sunshine. It’s not the greatest shot because I really had to zoom in, but I didn’t want to get any closer and scare him off.

I got an email today from our secretary that they are adding TWO new students to my program when we get back from Winter Break. We are already at our cap for enrollment. I emailed her back like “say what?” And she said that it was a special favor to Esmeralda (supervisor) and Kelly (head boss), and that yes they knew I was already at my cap when they approved these two students to join. I was fucking LIVID.

You wanna know how mad I was? I came home and start looking for library jobs because nothing would have made me happier than to give my 2 weeks’ notice and fucking quit. But then I remembered…almost all part-time jobs do NOT have benefits. And there’s no way I can afford my antidepressant without insurance. So, I smoked a cigarette, bitched about it all to my husband, and cooled back down.

All I can say is that they don’t understand what they are fucking with right now. I’m a deeply loyal person. But push a loyal person to their breaking point, and we become the most dangerous individuals. So yeah, I’ll do my job. I’ll do my job to the best of my abilities, no matter what shit they throw my way. but, I won’t be carving up my free time to get those library hours. I will honor my after school time to the extent that it doesn’t negatively impact my paycheck. But the cool things the library is doing that occur during the after school hours? Yeah, I’ll go to those. Because in the end, I’m leaving this damn job as soon as I can land a full time job in a library. So I need to do the things that will make me that much more appealing to those hiring at the libraries.

Better Tuesday

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Apparently the Universe felt bad for what a shit-show yesterday was and did its best to make up for it. I came home to this awesome surprise gift from John (a journaling buddy). Such a fun surprise to come home to.

Today was my mid-year evaluation/discussion/goal-setting meeting with Esmeralda. It went pretty good and I’ve got some solid goals for what I need to accomplish before the end of the school year.
And then tonight was the choir performance, which means they won’t be practicing in my cafeteria anymore! At least not this year. Yay!

And other than some “brain bruising” (migraine hangover essentially) this morning, no headaches today at all. Yay! Guess me upping my water intake is helping.

It looks like I may be making a quick trip over to Louisiana over Winter Break. Brandy, my Canadian Twin is in the States, so I’m hoping to pop over and get to meet her face-to-face and hang out a bit. She says there’s a nature preserve not too far from her parents’ house that, if the weather behaves, we may go check out. I’m super excited.

I need to draw up some huge calendar grids at work and laminate them for January – May 2019. I want to tape them to my bedroom wall (with painter’s tape) and really plan out what those months are going to look like in regards to work, school work, and practicum requirements. I want to laminate them so that I can write on them with dry erase markers while I sort everything out. Hopefully I can work on that tomorrow, or at least snag the papers to work on at home and then take it back up to work to laminate.

All Day Migraine

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You get a migraine selfie today. An ALL DAY migraine that fluctuated between a level 5 and a level 8. ALL day. I took two of David’s migraine pills plus six OTC Tylenol. Didn’t even make a DENT. It seemed to just fluctuate on its own, however it saw fit. ::shakes her head:: So here’s a photo of me, basking in the light of the little space heater, trying to get my brain to stop throwing a temper tantrum.

In happier news, Josey pup’s Christmas cards came in and they are too stinking cute. So now I’m addressing and mailing those out and I should be done with Christmas cards for the season.

We’ve entered the final countdown to Winter Break.
Today was the last day of the choir practice in our cafeteria.
Tomorrow will be their performance AND my mid-year evaluation with Esmeralda.
Wednesday should be a quiet day.
Thursday is our Winter Break Party with the kiddos.
Friday is early release, which means an extra-long workday for us. But it’s the last day before Winter Break, so we’ll make it.

Just 4 days and counting.

Tarot & Tea

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A quick little sneak peek at my Yule/Full Moon Altar that I just put together this evening. I still need to cut some branches from the Red Berry Tree and am debating if I want an antler on the altar or not.

I did Tarot & Tea with Hazel. Her husband tagged along as she had asked if I could do a reading for him as well. She also requested I bring the Tarot deck, as she was in need of some brutal honesty. ::chuckles:: Honestly, the Gilded Tarot wasn’t nearly as vicious as it usually is. But it certainly hit the nail on the head for Dallas and even had him sputtering a few times as the cards called out some things that they had just recently discussed.

Hazel’s reading for me foresees a number of challenges headed my way. February will be the key month. If I can get myself back on track by February, then my March shouldn’t be as bad as the cards say it’s going to be. From what the cards are saying, March may end up being a very unstable month for me, if I don’t get my shit together by February. I need to start doing things NOW that positively impact my overall well-being.

And in the spirit of that, when I got home from the Tarot & Tea with Hazel, I took Josey pup for a walk. Haven’t done that in ages, and boy we both needed it. Boy, my body wasn’t used to it, which means I need to do more of it. And eventually I want to also start using the elliptical again and possibly get into using the weight machine as well.

Early Christmas

written: December 15

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It’s a tradition in my family to always receive a new calendar and a set of stamps at Christmas. ::smiles::

My Mom came up today to do lunch and an early Christmas with us. We boarded Josey pup for the day and just hung out with my mom after doing lunch at Red Robin. I always forget in the moment to suggest taking photos! I hate that. I should set a reminder on my phone for when I know I’ll be with family to TAKE FUCKING PHOTOS. Because I never remember. ::laughs:: Maybe that should be one of my New Year’s Resolutions….

Speaking of goals and shit, I really should pull out my list of 37 goals to accomplish in my 37th year. I haven’t looked at them since I wrote them back on my birthday in November. ::shakes her head:: December seems to be a month that I’m just letting everything slide. For good reason, as this was one hell of a semester for me in grad school, and honestly, I just need a BREAK from it all.

Obsidian

written: December 14

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Finally got my hands on some of those dark blue obsidian stones that Tara had shown off in the Group that she got on her trip to Salem.

I have Indigo Obsidian (4 on the right) and Blue Obsidian (3 on the left).



Indigo Obsidian (notes from what the store had posted about it): Obsidian is strongly protective stone; it forms a shield against negativity. It blocks psychic attack and absorbs negative energy. Obsidian draws out mental stress and tension. Indigo Obsidian is especially good for astral travel and psychic pursuits. It brings tranquility, peace, calmness, harmony, and introspection.



Blue Obsidian: Obsidian is strongly protective stone; it forms a shield against negativity. It blocks psychic attack and absorbs negative energy. Obsidian draws out mental stress and tension. Blue Obsidian enhances all forms of communication, aids in divination, psychometric and psychic development. Provides intuitive knowledge when traveling and brings out creativity.

All in all, pretty cool little stones. I am so glad that I randomly reached out to a lady in the Inked Goddess group when she posted about taking a walk in Salem. She lives really close and was able to go snag these for me. ::smiles:: But yeah, Salem is definitely on my Bucket List now.

Peppermint & Pizza

written: December 13

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A lovely note and a creepy picture from one of my students.

Rylie ended up writing a nice note for all the teachers in the school and I took her into the mail room so she could put them in each teacher’s box.

We stayed in, ordered pizza and watched Peppermint on Vudu. That was a damn good movie. We’ll probably buy it once it goes on sale.

Cards

written: December 12

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I took another photo of my Red Berry Tree (until I know what it actually is, that’s the name it gets!).

Today was much better than yesterday. I don’t know what the fuck was going on but holy hell, yesterday SUCKED so much ass. Still not sleeping all that well – but at least today I didn’t have a Staff Luncheon so I was able to take a nap with Josey pup.

Our Christmas cards arrived from Shutterfly. Well, part of it. We ordered two different kinds. So the “traditional” ones with photos of Hubs and I, plus Josey pup, and Leviathan (snake) arrived. The ones we did of just Josey (were are too cute) should be here by Saturday.

So I spent most of my evening addressing, stamping, and getting those cards ready to mail out. I’m heartbroken because I ran out of the snowflake washi tape I’m using on them. I’ll have to run to Target and see if I can find them in the dollar bin so I can finish out my cards! I do have all of my non-US cards done, so they will go into the mail tomorrow so hopefully they aren’t crazy late.

Man, I am so ready for Winter Break. I need that time completely off from work and school work. I need to deep clean and rearrange my room. I want to hang up stuff on my walls (because they are still bare). And I want to do some cooking! Winter time is always a good Purging time for me. I hope to cut a lot of the clutter that I’ve amassed.

And then I also need to get to work on my Tabula Rasa ritual. It’s the only ritual I have consistently done for at least 10 years now.

Fuck Today

written: December 11

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Another super awesome dinosaur toy left behind by one of my students. So friggin cool. I love these toys.

So today was a super shitty day. It started with the fact that I got about 3 hours of sleep total. My mind just did not want to shut down. And then at 8 am, my mind decided it was time to get up. Even though my body was still tired and we didn’t have to be up until 9. But nope. It decided 8 am was THE PERFECT time to be up. ::sighs::

THEN, I was trying to get my left over pasta out of the to-go box and onto a plate. Yeah, it came up as a huge lump, bounced OFF THE PLATE, and onto the counter. I said fuck it, and heated it up anyways. And then I was reminded that homemade Alfredo sauce doesn’t reheat well. It basically turns to oil. ::grumbles::

Work was crazy. I bashed my knee into one of the benches – the soft fleshy part between the knee cap and the knee joint. Yeah, looks like I have a second fucking knee cap there. I have a knot the size of a LIME.

STILL haven’t heard back from the University if they approve of my Practicum place. I went ahead and submitted a class approval to get me into the Practicum class as well. I ain’t waiting on them bitches. I need this shit squared away asap so I can pay for MY LAST DAMN SEMESTER already!

Too Much Extrovert

written: December 10

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We have this strange tree/bush thing out front of the house that has these beautiful red berries. The Cedar Waxwings (a type of bird) LOVE this bush and will descend upon it at some point and eat every single berry off of it. I need to remember to cut some of those branches to garland my Yule altar next week. ::smiles::

We got Liz as our sub again today. And don’t get me wrong, she’s awesome and I love having her help out. But holy hell, she’s a super busy body. She’s so much like my dog – she tries to anticipate what you are going to do so she can help you do it. And instead, she’s just underfoot the entire time. But she’s so happy to help that you can’t get mad. My campus is super chill and super relaxed and Liz is like the Squirrel in Hoodwinked. ::shakes her head:: I’m so exhausted by the end of the day because of Liz…not the kiddos! ::laughs::

Breathe

written:  December 09

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I received this catalog back on Friday, but just now had the time to look through it. And man, my mind is racing with the possibilities of what to grow in my garden next year. I am not going to lie. I seriously want to grow red corn, so I can grind my own corn meal, and then make RED CORNBREAD. ::laughs:: Which is hilarious, because I’m honestly not that domestic. But for the possibility of having red corn, I just might be. ::chuckles:: But we’ll see what all I come up with for next year. I definitely want to do more than I did this year.

It’s such a weird feeling to not have anything school-related to do. Like I have this massive weight off my shoulders and I can breathe. I’m positively giddy with the thought of all the free time I have and all the possible things I can do with it.

I was looking at all the classes the F. Public Library is offering (where I’ll be doing my Practicum hours) and then I thought, “Why not check my city’s library? It’s like 3 minutes from my house.” Turns out in January, they are offering a free book-binding class in which you will make your own bound journal. Hells yeah! I will take off of work a little bit early – like 15 minutes – to make sure I get a spot in that class. Hazel Nut says she wants to go as well. We’ll see. But I’m promising myself I will NOT flake out on this one, even if she ends up not going.

Freedom!

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Beautiful lynx postcard from Norway via Postcrossing. Only the 2nd one I’ve ever received from that country thus far.

I completed and turned in BOTH of my final assignments for Storytelling and Diversity. Whew! AND my professor has already graded my Diversity assignment – 100%. All that is left is my class participation grade and then I’ll know my final grade for the course. SO glad to have that all over and done with.

I went ahead and submitted my request to enroll in the Practicum course next semester.

And I’ve already typed up my aides’ Mid-Year Evaluations and will do that next week. My eval with Esmeralda is on the 18th and after that it’s all downhill from there until early release day. Then it’s WINTER BREAK, thank all that his holy for that blessing. Can’t wait!

Larvikite

written: December 07

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My second Larvikite generator arrived today and it’s even more beautiful than the first one.



Though, to be honest, this is more of a wand than a generator. It doesn’t have flat bottom, so it won’t stand on its own. Which sucks, because in my mind, I had pictured the Harpies’ altar with a Larvikite generator at either end of it. But there’s no way I’m sending this beautiful piece back.



So instead, I’ll have to create a base of some sort for this guy so it will stand up. I’m trying to tell myself I should NOT roll the dice and buy a THIRD one and write in the notes section that I need one with a flat bottom. We’ll see how long my willpower holds out. ::chuckles::

The big news of the day is that I heard back from the High Priestess of the ToK Coven. I get to meet her on the 29th and see if we are a good fit, Coven-wise. Honestly, I had kind of forgotten about it, with all the craziness that has been going on in my life right now. But I’m really looking forward to that being a possibility for 2019.

Other big news, my Mom will be coming up to visit on the 15th. We’ll board Josey (because she’s just wayyyyyy too energetic to have around people) and then we’ll go out to lunch with my Mom. ::smiles:: And that, essentially takes care of Christmas.

A Damn Good Day

written: December 06

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Found this little feather waiting for me when I pulled the Recycling Bin back up to the house.



It’s from a Ruby Crowned Kinglet bird – had the pleasure of watching one yesterday for a good 30 minutes while Josey just sniffed around the yard.

I had my interview today with the F. Public Library, and Jennifer was just as awesome and enthusiastic in person as she was over email. And given that this is one of the busier libraries with a LOT of cool things that other libraries in the STATE do not have, I went ahead and accepted this practicum position on the spot. Hell, they have a “Book Esspreso” machine, that allows you to print your own book with a full-color cover, JUST LIKE A STANDARD PAPERBACK that you would buy at the book store!!!! How friggin’ cool is that???? And she said the machine is clear, so you can watch it all as it happens. So you KNOW I am going to go play with that machine for damn sure during my Practicum hours. I’ll also get trained on their three 3D printers and their wire-bender (it’s like a 3D printer, but uses wires instead?). I get to set my own hours as a Practicum – I just have to email her 2 weeks in advance and let her know what I’ll be working. And I’ll be trained all over the library. I’m seriously stoked.

My Full Moon witch box from Inked Goddess Creations arrived today and it’s so friggin’ awesome. I’ll do a photo entry over it when it gets closer to the full moon. All I can say is that I want to buy a dozen of the candle they sent – it smells so good!

Shit-tastic Day: Round 2

written: December 05

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My work calendar.
This is how I keep up with what staff member is leaving early on what day, what staff member is coming in late on what day, what clubs are going on on what days, when certain kiddos will or will NOT be attending, what programs are going on in the cafeteria, and what we are doing when. ::chuckles::

Honestly, this isn’t even that busy of a calendar. During the busy part of the year, we had Spanish on Mondays, Acting on Tuesday, Computer Coding on Wednesdays, Art and Choir on Thursdays, and Basketball and Cheer on Fridays.

Today was a much better day at work. I had my meeting with the School Counselor regarding some shit that went down yesterday. I don’t even want to get into it, even here in my blog. It was so damn exhausting yesterday. Suffice it to say, some seriously fucked up, mean, racial, and sexual shit has been said among a group of kiddos. I’m talking “you are a bitter disappointment to your family” type shit. ::shakes her head:: And of course, the mom of the kid that is staying this stuff is all like “well, what were the other children saying to HIM??”. Lady, he told a female classmate to go suck a dick, I think YOU need to focus on what YOUR kiddo is saying here. Oh and apparently, he’s not only looking up porn on HIS school iPad, but is also showing other kids as well. ::shakes her head::

So yeah, yesterday was all about talking to the various parents about what’s going on. And then today was all about meeting with the Counselor, as this stuff is also being said during school and after school, using school technology. And THEN, because of the porn thing, I had to go talk to the Assistant Principal. And THEN, my work day actually started. ::laughs:: Once I got the program rolling and the kiddos doing what they need to be doing, I then got to step out and call my supervisor and fill her in on what today was all about. ::chuckles:: Some days, my job just really, really, REALLY sucks. Yesterday and today are one of those days. Hopefully the rest of the week will be kinder.

A Pile of Sheds

written: December 04

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A pile of Leviathan’s sheds. I tape these down to black cardstock and then laminate them, with the HIGH hopes that one day I will actually put them into her baby book that I started when I first got her. I have two pages done. And she’s friggin’ 12 years old now. ::laughs:: But I do have almost every single one of her sheds. I should find her first shed and take a photo to compare it to her sheds now. She was such a wee little thing when I first got her! ::chuckles:: Roughly 9 inches long and about as thin as a pencil. And now she’s 5 feet 2 inches long and slightly thicker than broomstick at her fattest point.

I FINALLY got our Christmas cards done. I had kind of made peace with the fact that we would just have to use store bought ones this year instead of doing the photo ones that I typically do each year. But then I got some coupons from Shutterfly and thought, eh, they can be a bit late. ::laughs:: With everything going on in my life currently, people can forgive me for being a tad behind on non-Work, non-Degree things right now. So they’ve been made and ordered and now I just have to wait for them to arrive. Then I can address and mail ‘em out as soon as possible. I know my overseas friends/family will definitely be late, but better late than never! ::laughs::

I also got the grade back on the Power Point presentation I had to make for Diversity – I got 100% on it. Even though I did NOT follow most of the directions. ::laughs:: Guess my Master Level skills in bullshit and persuasion are still sharp as ever. ::chuckles::

So, I have one assignment left in Diversity, and I’m rolling in with a 99 for the class. I have one assignment left in Storytelling, and I’m rolling in with a 97.3 for that class. This honestly may end up being my best semester (grade-wise) YET. Insane, with all the craziness I have had to deal with WHILE in this semester. Just got to get the final two assignments done and I’m home FREE.

Grounding

written: December 03

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Day 2: Grounding
I do lots of things to ground/calm myself.
I carry this Galaxite palmstone anytime I leave the house.
When I get stressed or have too much energy, I rub my thumb over it and just focus on the weight and the feel of the stone in my hand.
#30daysmagickalroots

Ok, Power Point for Diversity is as done as it’s gonna get. I’m turning it in and hoping for the best. I always hate this part of the semester. I’m so done. I’m so burnt out. And yet, I still have major assignments left to do. Just gotta keep on truckin’. I’ll get there soon enough. And then I’ll have a month off from classwork, so I can just hang out with the kiddos at work until we’ve all off for Winter Break. Can’t wait!

Alpha

written: December 02

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Day 1: Divination
#30daysmagickalroots
This is from my beloved Jade Oracle Deck. Hands down, this deck is my all-time favorite. I haven’t touched any of my other decks in ages now since getting the Jade Oracle Deck. I am so glad I randomly stumbled across it on Kickstarter and jump on it. I do need to watch the videos and learn how to pronounce the actual names of the cards eventually.

I am about halfway done with the Power Point presentation I have to make for the Diversity class. I’m doing it over the shitty “Pilgrims and Indians” performance the Kindergarten class does every year for Thanksgiving. So at least it’s over something I’ve had time to simmer on for YEARS and am passionate about. ::chuckles::

David rented the movie Alpha for us to watch. It reminds me so much of the book The Dog Master by W. Bruce Cameron. Good movie, even if we had to read subtitles the entire time. But then again, I’m a fan of wolves, and cavemen, and shamans, so this was right up my alley. ::chuckles::

Larvikite Generator

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BEAUTIFUL Larvikite generator that arrived today. Bought it from Sage Goddess. Trying to catch the blue flash in the stone is hard, but I managed to catch one. Seriously, this thing is so beautiful, I immediately bought a second one. ::laughs::

They’ll go on the Harpy’s altar that I’m finally figuring out how I want it set up. I’m enlisting my husband’s help in making a stand/wall mount for the Harpy mask I have. Once that’s squared away, I’ll get him to hang the wall mount and the black shelf I’ll use as Their altar. The two Larvikite generators will go on either side of the altar. If it ends up looking anything like what I have pictured in my head, it’s going to be lovely.

I also received my oil trade today from Candice. I traded my bottle of North Star for her bottle of Release. She also included a really pretty point of dark purple amethyst. I have the point on my bedside table right now.

I got my final essay written for the Storytelling class. I’m the first one to post, so I’ll have to check back to be able to respond to my classmate’s posts (once they get them up). I need to look at what all is require for the final assignment – the Storytelling Journal. And then I’m done with the class.

But before that, I should probably really look at the requirements for the Power Point presentation I have to do for my Diversity class that is due Monday. ::laughs::

2 Interviews

written: November 30

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My awesome trade with Kendra. I traded my bottle of Siren (I liked this oil, but the scent was really faint) for her bottle of Blue Lotus. And I am SO glad I made that trade. Blue Lotus smells AMAZING. It’s one of those that I will certainly keep my eyes peeled to see if I can get a second bottle of it (like I have of Muse and Illuminate).

I had my appointment with my general doc to check in to see how the Pristiq is working for me. It’s doing great, so she’s putting in a prescription of it for three months for me and we’ll touch base again in three months. If I’m still doing well and don’t need any modifications to it, then we’ll go to every six months. Works for me! ::smiles:: Seriously, this medicine has been a godsend. The differences between me before Pristiq and after Pristiq are like night and day. Now, don’t get me wrong. I still have down days here and there, but they are CRUSHING me.

Today was also Megan’s last day working for us. I’m bummed that she’s leaving, as she was a really good worker. Hopefully the person Esmeralda told me about (Christy, who has worked for our after school program before) will be able to start on our campus soon. I’m also hoping that Emily does end up getting transferred and I get someone better to replace her. Don’t get me wrong, she’s doing world’s better, but still. Yeah. She ain’t all that great.

On the Library Practicum front, I now have TWO interviews. My #6 pick, which is swiftly becoming my favorite because Jennifer is SO excited in all her emails about meeting me and she is really prompt at responding (which is a HUGE bonus in my opinion), has me schedule for Thursday (Dec 6th). And then my #7 pick has me scheduled the Thursday after that (Dec 13th) for an interview. I haven’t heard back from the others. The #2 choice wanted me to tell them a bit about myself, which I did. And I’ve heard nothing back since then. ::shrugs:: And honestly, the ranking I have is solely based on how close they are to my house. ::chuckles::

Now though, I need to work on my resume and have that with me, just in case they want it. And I need to make sure I can still fit in my slacks. Please let me still be able to fit. I REALLY don’t want to go shopping for pants. Shit, I should just grab a handful of black jeggings and call it a day. ::cackles:: Those are on the list of things to buy along with some longer tunic style shirts to go with them. A cheaper way to punch up my wardrobe from my standard T-shirts and Jeans.

Charging Forward

written: November 29

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My little growing things.
No clue what is in the upper portion of the planter.
The big plants in the center are broccoli.

Man, it’s scary how swiftly this semester is coming to a close. Don’t get me wrong, I’m READY. But damn…four assignments and then this semester is Complete! And after that, just ONE MORE SEMESTER!!!!!!!!! Soooo friggin’ ready. Our school library stopped me today to ask how close I was to the end. ::smiles:: She’s really rooting me on. Would have been nice if I could have done my Practicum hours with her, but honestly, I need to branch out. I need to do those hours in a public library so I can get a feel for how that job is gonna go.

I am seriously going to miss my students though. I hope I get to know the campus leader that will take over my campus once I leave because I definitely would love to come visit my kiddos from time to time after I leave. Especially Liam. He’s seriously one of my favorites.