Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Mercury's direct, so let's shake off the goo and get something cooking! And shaking!!

For some reason, this last Mercury retrograde, which just ended yesterday, really affected me, getting me stuck like something sticky, stuck in something stickier than molasses that was set outside in the frosty air, which would cause it to harden, so it's not only stuck but frozen in place, with a hold stronger than Crazy Glue used on something set adrift on an ice floe, only to find itself stranded in the middle of the Antarctic, with nowhere to go.

THAT kind of stuck.

It began on Election Day, where things ended up going very much in (I feel) not only my favor but the world's favor, but still scared us so witless that a bunch of us got together at our place and ate copious amount of junk food, including but not limited to red velvet cupcakes, until our President was re-elected and we sighed a huge, palpable sigh (but I didn't "trust" the outcome until about a day later, because it was, in fact, Mercury "if anything wacky can happen with technology it WILL happen" time) and has lasted just about three weeks and now it's finally gone and I say "good riddance" and "don't let the door hit you in the bum on the way out, you bum!"  Because I had the darnedest time concentrating, getting simple things like emails and invoices done.  No time for blogging, heavens no!  Because I was really only able to focus on stupid TV shows, or Angry Birds and Scrabble on my Android.  And even then, I sorta aimlessly sat there on the sofa, pecking away at my smarty phone, while the world whirred around me, and along with it, many of the things (other than theatre; did three shows in about 7 months and I need a break) that fed my soul (my book, books I'm reading, meditation, tarot, life coaching, planning trips, planning parties, planning sweet surprises for my sweetie, etc.). 

http://www.lorraineannehughes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/mercury_hermes.jpgBut now, as the pesky mercury retrograde in Scorpio/Sagittarius ends, I'm swept up in the directness of the zippy Messenger planet, and it appears as though I've gained a whopping amount of mental clarity, as if the stuckedness was almost a gestation period, and now I'm ready to plow ahead like a plucky Engine Who Could - and CAN.  In the last 36 hours or so, I've contacted a social media guru to help me with my book, wrote out countless emails and invoices, sent thank you notes and cards for various occasions/reasons, wrapped gifts, bought gifts, settled some money issues (some not to my liking, but at least I have clarity on some things and, really, it's all for the best), put stuff up for sale on Ebay, sent out emails and posted things on Facebook regarding my book and accompanying 2013 calendar (A nifty gift idea!  Contact me to learn more!!), and had enough mental clarity to buy the ingredients for a simply smashing cocktail to surprise Ben with last night.  Here's what you do:

1 oz. tropical white rum
1 oz. lemon juice (preferred Meyer lemons, but any old FRESH lemon will do.  Don't sully this experience with bottled lemon juice, please.)
1 oz Lillet blanc
1 tbsp. honey syrup (to make, take 1/4 cup honey and two tbsps. of water and cook it for a little bit on the stove and that's that)

Shake it with ice, drain it into a glass, drink it and exclaim, "My GAWD, this is an amazing cocktail!  Where has it been all my life?  My life has been a sad shadow of what it could've been if this cocktail was part of it sooner."  (BTW: can't find the recipe for it that I originally found in a Chicago magazine at the chiropractor's office, but here's at least a different article about the many benefits of living with Lillet in your fridge, from an earlier Chicago magazine article: http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/July-2012/Its-Cocktail-Hour-for-Lillet/.  You're welcome.)

So.  Today is my baby Ben's birthday, and I'm surprising him with, well, he's probably going to read this before the event, so I won't say, but it'll be a fun, relaxing, festive and food-filled evening.  And, besides the material gifts he'll receive, he's got the uber bonus of a fully-realized wife again.  And that, my friends, is the sweetest thing of all.

Even better than a Lillet cocktail ...Jardin de Podensac from Bernard’s Bar


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Election Special. Super Tarot Tuesday. Summoning the 6 of Wands

The 6 of Wands Tarot Card based on Rider-WaiteThis has been, without a doubt, the most derisive, hard-fraught, nasty, and mercurial election season that I've witnessed in this lifetime.  Powers on both sides are unwavering in what they believe is true.

And they both hope and pray that their guy will be riding the horse of victory later this evening.

Okay.  Enough of being party neutral.  I'm an Obama girl, through and through.  I'l be wearing all blue today, and tonight I'll be watching the results of the election with friends.  We're serving blue cheese and crackers, blue chips, and the drinks on the roster include blueberry juice and blue curacao.  So there.

But let me extrapolate that a bit further.  What I'm creating today, throughout the day, is a surge of positivity for my President, for the Democratic party in general, and I'm doing this not only with my vote, but with my attitude and energy.  And, very importantly, I'm focusing on all of them winning.  I'm seeing them in the most positive terms and not giving any energy to the Other Side.  Because what we feed grows.  And, right now, the only thing I want to grow and manifest is a huge Democratic victory this evening, with the Blue Team riding with the heads held high, Forward, onto victory.

I'll be lighting a blue candle and saying prayers and summoning angels.  I'll do some tarot work (focusing on the victorious figure in the 6 of Wands card) and take a walking meditation.  I'll have a picture of President Obama and his family happily taking the stage at McCormick Place this evening to thank everyone for voting President Barack Obama into a victorious second term.  This, besides my vote (and some monetary gifts) is the very best thing I can do for the furthering of democracy, acceptance, and equality in this country.

Please join me.  The blue, tranquil waters are lovely...
nautical photography / water, tranquil, blue, lake, serene, monochromatic  20" x 20" print on metallic paper

PS: If you're interested in what some other metaphysicians are saying, please take a look at this article and follow through with the links.  Fascinating:  http://astrology.about.com/b/2012/11/02/mercury-retrograde-and-american-political-witchcraft.htm?nl=1

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween! Blessed Samhain!

Photo: Happy Halloween!

 http://instagr.am/p/Rc2nilqGBv/Whether you're handing out tricks and treats, or celebrating the New Year, here's a little pastiche of fun for the season:

How about a "very Brady Halloween"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h2cGxsjeUiw

Or perhaps you'd like to listen to the Disney Hautned Mansion record from your childhood?  Well, here ya go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DMS_3Vro6Ls

Or maybe you just have the same guilty pleasure movie that I do?  Midnight margaritas, anyone?:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1Ihb6FLSh64

But really, what's the day without a little "Bewitched". specifically Serena?:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4_Mxe25aJvI




Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The enchantingly beautiful (inside and out) Elizabeth Montgomery.

Elizabeth Montgomery has been a long-time hero of mine.  Not only for her work on "Bewitched" but her other endeavors, as well as her support for the gay community.

Please take some time to view this great little tribute to this wonderful actress:

 http://www.afterelton.com/2012/10/29/bewitching-elizabeth-montgomery

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Calgon! Take me away! It's almost the Taurus moon...

Do you remember this classic commercial?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVLzkTuVmrw



It's 11:33 AM on a Tuesday.  But I have the strongest desire to run a bubble bath, slip into it, and sip on some Limoncello, while listening to bossa nova.

Just read that the upcoming Full Moon on October 29th will be in Taurus.  And that pertains to earthly, sensual pleasures.  Its effects are starting to have their way with me. 

This is no surprise; my Moon is IN Taurus.  I'm quite the fan of comfy, sensual, tactile, aromatic things and places.  I've also had a lot of Taurus men as friends, and sometimes as more.  I'm hardwired for this.

So please pardon me right now, while I prepare that candlelit bath, pop on Herb Alpert's "Whipped Cream and Other Delights", and bliss out,  not moving for a delicious 15 minutes or so.  I have lots to do after that, lots of clearing and cleaning and organizing, but for that quarter-hour, nada.

Oh, let's not forget the limoncello.  Just a soupcon...

Lose yourself in luxury.  I'll be cleaning the house while wearing velvet.  And some Chanel No. 5.

 limoncello

Monday, October 22, 2012

Monday is Tarot Day: Celebrate good times, come on!

The 4 of Wands Tarot Card based on Rider-WaiteSee these happy folks?  Well, although they're wearing togas and not early 20th-century attire, they resemble our cast and crew of "A Little Night Music."  You see, alhtough we had a rather disjointed rehearsal process, and the space is tiny (so much so that we're essentially a human Jenga game backstage, moving deftly out of each other's way to necessitate correct and timely entrances - and so we don't inadvertently kill each other), and we have one-third the musicians we thought we'd have, we have a GOOD show.  A solid show.  one that I'm proud to have folks pay money to attend.

We went into opening night not really expecting much in the way of enthusiasm or kudos.  We weren't really sure how the piece would land.  But we had a standing "O" on opening night, and solid, enthusiastic responses since then.

Thursday will mark the start of our second weekend.  I'm looking forward to donning my crimson Desiree wig again and stepping valiantly into another "weekend in the country".

Monday, October 15, 2012

Monday is Tarot Day: Desiree Armfeldt and the Queen of Wands. And me.








I rarely use significators IN a reading.  I always keep them in the deck so that they might be pulled for any card position in a spread.  But I do have a significator, who I meditate upon from time to time.  She is the Queen of Wands and She.  Is.  Awesome.

And I'm basically portraying her in a musical at this moment.

I've written about her before.  But I'm going to take the liberty of doing so again, under the rosy-sensual lens of the character I'm playing in "A Little Night Music."  Because, although my character and I don't have THAT much in common, we're still alike in some ways.  Only in some.  I'm certainly not as flighty as she, and I have but one love, but when I'm playing full-out, I know we share the same Queen of Wands attributes of independence and sense of play.

I'm Desiree Armfeldt: actress, mother, daughter.  Lover to many, but love to only one.  Sometimes not someone you can trust your husband to. Doing character work for Desiree, I've decided she's a glass of champagne.  She's flighty, like the wind.  She's a whisper, a child, rambunctious and fanciful.  And she's happiest when bubbling, even when she works that bubble into a slow simmer.  She likes to indulge herself, likes to touch, to sip, to sniff.  She's fire, buoyed on by all that airiness, energetic and creative: much like the Queen of Wands.

But remember what I said about not trusting her around your husband?  Yes, that's there, but she's extricating herself out of that world - and thanks heavens for that!  She's wielding her magic Wand, creating a new life for herself.  Okay, so she's manipulating things to her advantage, but that's what she's learned in order to survive.  But she's realizing she's grown beyond that and she wishes to create a "coherent existence" for herself and her daughter - and for the man she loves.

Thanks for letting me share a little about Desiree and her twin soul, the Queen of Hearts.  If you're interested in seeing the production I'm in, it runs Oct. 19 through Nov. 10, 2012 at the small-but-mighty Village Theatre Guild in Glen Ellyn, IL.  http://www.villagetheatreguild.org/