Wednesday, September 30, 2009

It's Official


You are The Hermit


Prudence, Caution, Deliberation.



Via the MySpace distraction What Tarot Card are You?):

"The Hermit points to all things hidden, such as knowledge and inspiration,hidden enemies. The illumination is from within, and retirement from participation in current events.

The Hermit is a card of introspection, analysis and, well, virginity. You do not desire to socialize; the card indicates, instead, a desire for peace and solitude. You prefer to take the time to think, organize, ruminate, take stock. There may be feelings of frustration and discontent but these feelings eventually lead to enlightenment, illumination, clarity.

The Hermit represents a wise, inspirational person, friend, teacher, therapist. This a person who can shine a light on things that were previously mysterious and confusing."


A significantly more upbeat interpretation than the one on Wikipedia.


The Hermit is related through a cross sum (the sum of the digits) to The Moon. While The Hermit mostly integrates the lessons of the sunlit world, the Moon stands at the threshold of light and dark and churns the waters of life. In both cases, treasures can be uncovered through contemplation of what is brought forth. In both cases, monsters may be found.

Some say that The Hermit is a Threshold Guardian, representing an obstacle the Querent, the hero of the piece, must overcome to move on.

A potentially dangerous aspect of The Hermit is his retreat, his isolation. We all need to retreat sometimes; retreat and renewal are necessary for growth. But The Hermit may be tempted to completely withdraw from the world, not because the journey is done, but because the dragons of the real are too daunting, or because the trivial pleasures of the cave are too intoxicating. Withdraw at the wrong time, stay withdrawn too long, and growth stops.

The cowl The Hermit wears protects him and isolates him. Hopefully, at some point, he casts it off and rejoins the world.

Some say that The Hermit represents the time we learn our true names; who we really are. The Greek philosopher Thales is reported to have been asked, “What is the most difficult of all things?” To which he is said to have answered “To know yourself.” The Hermit is given time to obey the Delphic Oracle’s demand: know thyself.


So you're saying I should just go on doing what I'm doing? Thanks. That's Tarot cards, ladies and gentlemen: reinforcing your worldview since the 5,000 B.C....though I'm sure some Wikipedia dick would tag that last "citation needed."

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Florida Raises Man-Eating Snake Alert Level to "Muthafucker!"

Via ABC: Muthafuckin' snakes!

Now if only those giant, man-eating cormorants would get off their fucking asses and put the fear of God back into the "great" state of South Carolina.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

New Review: Hulk Vs. (2009)



Hulk Vs. (2009) - Marvel and Lions Gate attempt to tide us over between blockbusters by throwing us two animated bones for the price of one.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Wordslinger

Special Announcement:

I'm proud to contribute my 2005 Evil Time Traveler story The Final Voyage of Carl Denning, 1609 to issue #2 of the ezine Death's Head Grin. Read, browse, and lend your support to any- and everyone who's made it their business to publish stories.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Thanks To (and shamless plugs for) Joseph Lieberman

The author of School Shootings took the time to answer a few of questions today. Details to follow. In the meantime, I'd just like to say we met at SE Portland's premier hole-in-the-wall, wi-fi/coffee bar, The Funky Door. (Give them money.)

But sheer coincidence, August 1, 2009 is the 43rd anniversary of Charles Joseph Whitman's attack on the University of Texas, Austin...a fact (believe it or not) I didn't even realize until just this moment.

Things went off without a hitch thanks to the vast improvements in microphone technology the CIA's seen fit to show us (I kid the CIA--we're really very close, they and I. No, not really.) I tremble at the thought of what Macaulay Culkin might've accomplished back in 1990 with the aid of my little Sansa. In fact, the damn thing worked so well I can hear just about everything in the room. So the quest begins for a good freeware sound mixer. In the ultimate scenario, the mix will bring Joe's answers into the clear while completely eliminating any

Thankfully, my subject was a professional. So much so that most of his answers come complete with their own paragraph-breaks. Expect a transcript and new movie review this week...just don't quote me on that. The Dog Days are almost here, and it's only getting hotter.

Take care of each other.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Friday, July 10, 2009

Broken Onion News

No, really. I've just got so much to read it takes awhile longer than it use to. Which is why I'm only just now noticing this piece, from last May's Onion:

Extra-Slanty Italics Introduced for Extremely Important Words

NEW HOPE, MN—In an attempt to address writers’ ever-growing word-emphasis needs, Minnesota-based Pica Foundry has developed a new, extra-slanty italic font, design director Jordan Soderblum announced Monday.

“When writing important words, authors too often bypass regular italics in favor of all capital letters, which not only look awkward but also disrupt the flow of the text,” said Soderblum, whose new italics design is slanted at a more acute 60-degree angle instead of the normal 75. “We believe that the additional 15 degrees of slant will allow authors to create a much more intense and immediate reading experience.”

Soderblum said that his design team is currently developing a demi-semibold typeface for writers who “kind of, but not really” want to accentuate subheadings.

--May 3, 2007 (via rightreading.com)

Monday, June 29, 2009

Everybody knows things are bad. And I don't want to reheat any particular plate of scaremongering hash today. The corporate media has that market cornered. I don’t want to make you my complacent audience. You're already that: look at you. Look at us, glued to our chairs, muscles atrophying into dust. But like Howard Beale, the mad prophet of the airwaves, I’m not going to leave you alone. I want you to get mad.