As for the update on the Victoria Sinclair interview, she is a very busy lady. Asides from being a news anchor, she has another side business, and tax time has proved to be more trouble than anticipated. We will have an interview up as soon as possible.
As for “X,” I thought I was really clever in making up a word. Honestly, I still think that it's clever, but nut as original as I'd thought. I also made up the word “Bibliophile” – book lover. I wasn't the first on that either.
The word I created for “X” was “Xenophile.” A xenophobe is one who fears outsiders, so “Xenophile” is meant to be a love of outsiders; I'd rather talk to someone from a different part of the world than hear yet another local bitch about the weather and the Maple Leafs. (the hockey team, not the foliage.) I find it fascinating how growing up in a different part of the world will flavor someone's perspective. I like talking to first-generation Canadians, because they have one foot on the Old World, but are familiar enough with my frame of reference to communicate the differences and similarities.
Then I was watching a Harry Potter “Extra” introducing the new characters. Remember Luna Lovegood, the quirky blonde with the dreamy voice? Guess what her dad's name is. Oh yeah, Xenophilious. Since I've read the books and seen the movie, the word must have taken root and re-emerged, making me think of how very clever I was.
On a more positive note, Andrea was home with Chickerdoodles last night, and the wee'un started playing with the front of her pants. The following conversation ensued:
A: Do you have to pee-pee?
C: Pee-pee.
A: Do you want to use the potty?
C: Yeah.
Note: she says “yeah” to anything you ask her, that's how I know that she's a Soundgarden fan. But, lo and behold, she has now left her first little puddle in the potty! A new day has dawned.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Frightfully Sorry
Hey Folks! I know that I promised you an interveiw today, but we seem to be having a hard time connecting. It will be up here as soon as I can get ahold of Victoria.
Friday, April 22, 2011
I Read A Romance.
Harlequin has begun a new imprint that mixes Romance with Reality (have they exhausted their expansive repertoire?) Called “True Vous.” They take people's real-life romance and from an extensive questionnaire, they novelize it. So, if you're involved in a stellar romance relationship with an intriguing back-story, you may have an avenue to get your story told.
That's just what a friend of mine did. Her story of how she met her husband and their whirlwind romance spanning several years and half of Southern Ontario.
I read it, and honestly, it's a romance. The first I've ever read, so I have no frame of reference. After the first 50 pages or so, I was able to get into the story since it got past the trembling-caresses-and-voices-husky-with-desire part. Then there were the actual “love scenes.” I skimmed over those. They are friends of mine, and there are certain visuals that I just don't need. I got especially interested when Andrea & I were mentioned. That's right, your truly has a cameo in this book. Andrea has been friends with her for years, and she and her husband have become dear friends of mine as well.
I's called “Victoria's Got A Secret.” If I tell you what the secret is, it won't be much of a spoiler, since it's on the back-cover blurb. She is Victoria Sinclair, the first anchor of the Naked News. This isn't your average internet undressing affair; it's a classy, intelligent program. On Tuesday, as part of the A-Z Blogfest, I will be having an interveiw with Victoria Sinclair right here, so be sure to tune in!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
The New Focus
Yesterday, I posted about how the Occultism of a hundred and twenty years ago reflected psychology. Modern books and documentaries reflect the new science of our day, and I'll bet that you know just what I'm talking about.
Have you seen “The Secret”? For those who haven't, it relies on the Hermetic “Law of Attraction” to make the point that we all attract our situations to ourselves through our thoughts and moods. Honestly, it doesn't serve as more than a conversation starter. It's a gateway to esoteric topics. A much better movie along those lines is “What The Bleep Do We Know?” staring Marley Matlin. There's a lot more focus on the science.
Quantum theories of the last 50 years have focused on the connectivity of all things, with experiments on split atoms and how one will react to the stimulus of the other, even over a significant distance. There is also the phenomenon how the smallest units of matter that are observable will be either a particle (matter) or a wave (energy). The crazy part is that it becomes matter when it's directly observed, making it merely an energy pattern when it isn't observed, like the tree falling in the forest that no one hears.
How this relates to Occultism is that we can alter reality with our focus. Therefore, by being aware and deliberate in our focus, we can be better able to influence our circumstances. But here's the rub: it takes a lot of work to be that aware. One method I've heard is to choose a daily activity and just be present. For example, when I'm shaving and brushing my teeth, I focus on the feel of the razor, the smell of the shave gel, how the temperature of my skin changes when I splash the water on my face, etc. After doing this for awhile, I'll notice throughout my day how random thoughts pop up, and spot patterns, both helpful and detrimental.
This has already gone on longer than I meant to, so I'll go post now. Tomorrow, I have an announcement about my first interview, and whether you know her or not, I have no doubt that many of you will be interested!
Have you seen “The Secret”? For those who haven't, it relies on the Hermetic “Law of Attraction” to make the point that we all attract our situations to ourselves through our thoughts and moods. Honestly, it doesn't serve as more than a conversation starter. It's a gateway to esoteric topics. A much better movie along those lines is “What The Bleep Do We Know?” staring Marley Matlin. There's a lot more focus on the science.
Quantum theories of the last 50 years have focused on the connectivity of all things, with experiments on split atoms and how one will react to the stimulus of the other, even over a significant distance. There is also the phenomenon how the smallest units of matter that are observable will be either a particle (matter) or a wave (energy). The crazy part is that it becomes matter when it's directly observed, making it merely an energy pattern when it isn't observed, like the tree falling in the forest that no one hears.
How this relates to Occultism is that we can alter reality with our focus. Therefore, by being aware and deliberate in our focus, we can be better able to influence our circumstances. But here's the rub: it takes a lot of work to be that aware. One method I've heard is to choose a daily activity and just be present. For example, when I'm shaving and brushing my teeth, I focus on the feel of the razor, the smell of the shave gel, how the temperature of my skin changes when I splash the water on my face, etc. After doing this for awhile, I'll notice throughout my day how random thoughts pop up, and spot patterns, both helpful and detrimental.
This has already gone on longer than I meant to, so I'll go post now. Tomorrow, I have an announcement about my first interview, and whether you know her or not, I have no doubt that many of you will be interested!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Early Psychology, or Much Older?
Like many religious/spiritual movements, Occultism manifested as a reflection of it's time.
The Occult movement of the late 1800's and early 1900's borrowed heavily from psychology. When they wrote of learning astrology, it was with the understanding that planetary associations were models of psychological traits and states. Indeed, everything that they studied – qaballa, alchemy, or tarot was understood through this filter.
One of the primary aspirations of the rituals was knowledge and conversation of your holy guardian angel. This was interpreted as coming into contact with one's inner genius, or higher self.
At the time of the Spiritualist trend, psychology was a new discipline, and like all things new, it was attractive to intellectuals. At the time, many of the British educated class found a lot charm in Occultism. It related to the Spiritualist trend, without the stigma of the mediums and palm-readers. The latter would have been seen as soothsayers to the superstitious, whereas occultism was seen as a self-driven act of psychic ascension.
Since the Occult sciences fit so well into the psychological models, it's easy to believe that earlier practitioners really had an understanding of the human mind, and the manipulation of it. But this is what I want to believe, so I'm inclined to be extra-critical, so as not to get emotionally swept away by facts that may or may not fit the beliefs. At the end of the day, Alistair Crowley said it best: “The truth of the myth is not so important as the affect the story has on the believer.”
The Occult movement of the late 1800's and early 1900's borrowed heavily from psychology. When they wrote of learning astrology, it was with the understanding that planetary associations were models of psychological traits and states. Indeed, everything that they studied – qaballa, alchemy, or tarot was understood through this filter.
One of the primary aspirations of the rituals was knowledge and conversation of your holy guardian angel. This was interpreted as coming into contact with one's inner genius, or higher self.
At the time of the Spiritualist trend, psychology was a new discipline, and like all things new, it was attractive to intellectuals. At the time, many of the British educated class found a lot charm in Occultism. It related to the Spiritualist trend, without the stigma of the mediums and palm-readers. The latter would have been seen as soothsayers to the superstitious, whereas occultism was seen as a self-driven act of psychic ascension.
Since the Occult sciences fit so well into the psychological models, it's easy to believe that earlier practitioners really had an understanding of the human mind, and the manipulation of it. But this is what I want to believe, so I'm inclined to be extra-critical, so as not to get emotionally swept away by facts that may or may not fit the beliefs. At the end of the day, Alistair Crowley said it best: “The truth of the myth is not so important as the affect the story has on the believer.”
Another Scary Word.
At the beginning of the A-Z Challenge, I wrote of a commonly misunderstood word, “cult.” (Special thanks to Dark Mother Goddess for the extra clarification) Even more misunderstood is the term “occult.”
It means “Hidden.” It really wasn't meant to be any more than that. In the late 1800's and the early 1900's, the “occult sciences” came into vogue with all kinds of “Spiritism.” These things included seances, near-death stories, and all kinds of related things. Most of the seances were faked with table-shaking and helpers that created effects. Oddly, the most famous whistle-blower on these charlatans was Harry Houdini. Really, who better to sniff-out such tricks?
The trend did allow for some great books to be published by the likes of Dion Fortune and Israel Regargie. Much of the Mystery School tradition was laid bare and the rituals became known, and their purposes. Much of the Masonic-based ritual that was exposed was shown to be solid methods of self-improvement. With the use of ritual, the conscience mind – the part that's always chattering away – is by-passed, and the goals of surpassing your base nature is ingrained into the deeper parts of the initiates mind.
This is the nature of Occultism. To condition your mind with what you choose, and not what's dictated by your native culture.
Occultism has been misused for mind control through isolation and sleep-deprivation by all kinds of dangerous cults. If anyone you know is in a group that encourages late nights, early mornings, and a lack of communication with family, STRANGER DANGER!!! There are bad guys that use occultism, but they also use electricity and toasters.
It means “Hidden.” It really wasn't meant to be any more than that. In the late 1800's and the early 1900's, the “occult sciences” came into vogue with all kinds of “Spiritism.” These things included seances, near-death stories, and all kinds of related things. Most of the seances were faked with table-shaking and helpers that created effects. Oddly, the most famous whistle-blower on these charlatans was Harry Houdini. Really, who better to sniff-out such tricks?
The trend did allow for some great books to be published by the likes of Dion Fortune and Israel Regargie. Much of the Mystery School tradition was laid bare and the rituals became known, and their purposes. Much of the Masonic-based ritual that was exposed was shown to be solid methods of self-improvement. With the use of ritual, the conscience mind – the part that's always chattering away – is by-passed, and the goals of surpassing your base nature is ingrained into the deeper parts of the initiates mind.
This is the nature of Occultism. To condition your mind with what you choose, and not what's dictated by your native culture.
Occultism has been misused for mind control through isolation and sleep-deprivation by all kinds of dangerous cults. If anyone you know is in a group that encourages late nights, early mornings, and a lack of communication with family, STRANGER DANGER!!! There are bad guys that use occultism, but they also use electricity and toasters.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Dark side of the coin
Yesterday, I was discussing with my wife and our friend Michelle how I had to do “N,” and I was a little tapped for ideas. In unison, they said “Narcissistic.” Time for some soul-searching, methinks.
But enough about me (See! They don't know what they're talking about). One of the most important things to get right in fiction is the nemesis. If the hero isn't sufficiently challenged, they aren't very heroic, are they.
Let's take the Joker. I've heard his motives described as chaos for chaos' sake – pretty two-dimensional, but he's such an eccentric and unpredictable character that we like to see him succeed from time to time.
One of my favorite's was Magnito from the X-Men. He was friendly with a protagonist, Xavier, and his motives were understandable. (having seen his parents hauled-off by Nazis, he was deeply suspicious of the government's treatment of Mutants, and fostered an uprising. The villains weren't bad for the sake of being bad, they were scared and defensive, and who can't relate to that?)
Of course, if I didn't mention Darth Vader, you may think that this was plagiarized or guest-hosted. In the first movie, he pretty-much got by with being a big, dark, raspy robot/monster. His motives of “retrieving those plans” served the episode, but not the character, but he mirrors the hero in his access to magic (there aren't many Force-users in their world) and magical weapons (there seems to be three people in existence with Light Sabers; two by the end of the movie).
Who are your favorite Nemesis', and why?
But enough about me (See! They don't know what they're talking about). One of the most important things to get right in fiction is the nemesis. If the hero isn't sufficiently challenged, they aren't very heroic, are they.
Let's take the Joker. I've heard his motives described as chaos for chaos' sake – pretty two-dimensional, but he's such an eccentric and unpredictable character that we like to see him succeed from time to time.
One of my favorite's was Magnito from the X-Men. He was friendly with a protagonist, Xavier, and his motives were understandable. (having seen his parents hauled-off by Nazis, he was deeply suspicious of the government's treatment of Mutants, and fostered an uprising. The villains weren't bad for the sake of being bad, they were scared and defensive, and who can't relate to that?)
Of course, if I didn't mention Darth Vader, you may think that this was plagiarized or guest-hosted. In the first movie, he pretty-much got by with being a big, dark, raspy robot/monster. His motives of “retrieving those plans” served the episode, but not the character, but he mirrors the hero in his access to magic (there aren't many Force-users in their world) and magical weapons (there seems to be three people in existence with Light Sabers; two by the end of the movie).
Who are your favorite Nemesis', and why?
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