Don't Wait -- Fix It Yourself

Hi!

Even though this was a short week, it still felt like a long one to me for some reason.  I hope your week went well.

Hoping to get the frame for my "portable" Tarot booth finished this weekend.  Have most of the pieces put together and painted -- just a little bit of fitting and hole-drilling left.  Still trying to figure out how to put the fabric on -- I'll post pictures later, but if you think of an upside-down "L", you'll have the basic shape.  I'll put fabric on the top and back, but am wondering if it'll tip over in a strong wind.  I'll probably leave slits in the fabric -- maybe even not attach the bottoms?  Will play with it once the frame is complete.

Then it's on to finishing the roulotte!

Let's jump into a weekend reading!

We'll start with -- the Six of Cups.

I helped a group design a set of tarot cards once -- one of my cards was the Six of Cups.  I painted a picture of a child's lemonade stand for the image.

The Six of Cups suggests the feelings and wants we had as a child.  When you're a kid, you don't worry about jobs, or taxes, or crime, or foreign affairs -- you just want to be loved, to be comfortable, to feel secure.  The yearning for that sort of security is what the Six of Cups is about.

We all want it -- but most of us have to work to get it.  I have friends with really lousy jobs -- they'll complain constantly about them.  Whenever I suggest "Why don't you look for a new job?", they're full of excuses about why they don't do so.  I figure if you have a problem -- but choose not to try and solve it -- then you've accepted the situation and shouldn't complain about it. 

You ALWAYS have options -- you just have to decided to make the effort to look for them and implement them.

Want security?  Want to feel safe and comfortable?  Then determine what you need to do in order to gain that security -- then do it.

So what does our second card say about this?  The Ace of Pentacles ...

Well, that pretty much affirms what we've already suggested.  The Ace of Pentacles is about beginning new projects, new ventures -- especially commercial or professional ones.  Are there actions you can take to help make your life more comforable and secure?  Maybe it's a new job -- but maybe it's making a better effort in your existing position.  Maybe it's re-evaluating the things that make you uncomfortable -- perhaps you're misrepresenting the situation?  Maybe it's new hobbies that make you feel more capable and competent?  Maybe it's spiffing up your living quarters -- or fixing up an unreliable vehicle?

Whatever it may be, if it's something that's keeping you from feeling safe and comfortable, look for ways you can remedy the situation.  No need to wait for things to fix themselves; take an active hand and fix them yourself!

That's it for now -- hope you have a great weekend!

Woodsong

Get Rolling (Part Two)!

Hi All,

Hope you had a great weekend -- yesterday was a holiday in the US, so we had a long weekend.

I had a busy one -- my son in Chicago got out of the Navy!  Flew up there Friday morning and drove his moving truck back to Houston (well, actually, to about 2 hours south of Houston).  Took us three days -- I've done it in a day before, but we wanted to stop Friday night, then wanted to stop again Saturday night to watch the LSU-TCU game.

Not the most scenic drive in the world -- the Illinois portion is pretty plain -- as is the Missouri and half of the Arkansas part.  Once you turn west at West Memphis, you start getting into some hilly terrain and it's kinda pretty.

Driving the truck wasn't so bad -- Penske seems to have the best deals on trucks.  Got 10% off for reserving online and another 10% off for AAA membership.  Top speed was about 65 MPH, so I rarely had to worry about passing anyone.  Finding diesel got a little squirrely at times -- don't understand why a station would put the only diesel pump right next to their building so that a long truck could not manuever there.

Anyway, made the trip with no trouble; trying to get back into the weekday mix again!  Not ready for it!

But am ready for a new reading for this week!  Let's start ...

Our first card is -- the Page of Wands.

Pages are interesting creatures.  They tend to get really excited about things -- that's both their strength and their weakness!

Strength -- because that initial excitment really powers you and fills you with energy and confidence and fuels you to tackle the challenges you may face.  Wands in particular provide the energy and excitment -- but don't really point to the nature of the challenge.  This is kind of good -- because it's like a "wild card" that applies to any sort of challenge you may approach.

But -- the weakness!  Pages tend to be so excited about projects that they have a hard time actually getting started!  Thinking about the potential is exciting and invigorating -- actually knuckling down, getting to work, and getting their hands dirty isn't so exciting.

Still -- it's a good starting point for a new challenge.  If you don't begin being excited about the project, it's hard to make yourself get busy.  It's like being able to see the end before you even start -- it makes the trip seem much more attainable.

So how can we kickstart our Page of Wands?  Let's look at our next card -- the Nine of Wands.

I like this guy -- I always picture someone who's just completed a difficult task.  He's tired and spent -- but feels a great sense of accomplishment after powering through his challenge.  It was tough -- but he saw it through.

When we put these two together, they really fit well.  The Page offers the energy we'll need to face a challenge; the Nine suggests how great we'll feel once we complete the challenge.  This might be the incentive we need to stop thinking and start doing!

That's it for now -- hope the rest of your week goes well!  Talk to you later for a weekend reading!


Woodsong

Munca!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Some relatives and I have a "language discussion" group going.  Everyday, we introduce a new word from our assigned country.  We have French, Italian, German, and Romanian going (I get the Romanian).  Kind of like a "word a day" type thing.

The other day, my Romanian word was "munca" -- which means "work".  It somehow seems meaningful when you say "It's Monday -- time for another week at 'munca'".  What's it called when the sound of a word suggests the meaning of the word?  It's not like "Bang", or "Pow" -- but "munca" just feels like it matches Monday morning!

I mean, you can say "Unnnhh ... need coffee.  Time for work."  Or, you could say "Unnnhhh ... need coffee.  Munca." ... and I think everyone would still know what you were talking about.

I did a little munca this weekend on my tarot booth -- and also took the grandkids for back-to-school shopping.  Nothing like a day with three little boys under 5 to get you looking forward to a nap!

Or even Monday morning and "munca"!

How about our reading -- again, two cards.  First starts us off, second completes the message.

Our first card -- the Knight of Cups.

Here's the thing about Knights in general -- they're powerful cards, loaded with energy and good intentions ... but there's always some important piece missing.  That missing piece makes them less efficient and effective than they could be.

The Knight of Cups is kind of an opposite knight.  His problem isn't that he's missing something -- it's that he's got too much of something!

This knight's problem is focus -- he's got too much of it!  He's so steel-set on some item -- most likely an emotional one -- that he's oblivious to the external factors around him that affect things.  I mean, look at the picture!  The Knight is completely absorbed by his goblet -- and his horse isn't moving at all (even though it wants to).  His focus is completely inward and the Knight isn't moving -- and he needs to shift that in order to be effective.

His weakness is actually compound -- not only is his focus misapplied, he tends to stay there.  It's very difficult to get this knight's attention in order to get him looking at other factors.

So -- Cups suggests he's concentrating on issues that concern him emotionally.  What emotional matters are absorbing your focus?  Are there issues you're having trouble turning loose?  Do you find it hard to move past certain matters?  Grudges you find hard to release?  Hurt feelings you keep thinking about?  What-ifs that you just can't quite implement?  These are all "Knight of Cups" situations. 

Let's see what our second card offers -- the Four of Swords.

The Four of Swords is the "take a break" card.  Let it loose, rest, refresh, relax -- take a break.  After doing so, you can re-enter the game stronger and reinvigorated.

The Knight of Cups can't stop thinking about something -- and the Four of Swords says "Stop thinking about that!"

Well, kind of obvious and easy to say -- but hard to do.  Sometimes, when it's hard to stop thinking about something, you might find it worthwhile to replace it.  Introduce something new -- a new project, new responsibility, new social activities, new environment.  Maybe you can shift attention by changing things -- take a day off, try a weekend road trip, attend a concert or theater event ... just find something different!

Sometimes when you're stuck, it takes a little "knock" get you unstuck -- so look for that "knock"!

That's it for now -- hope you have a good week at "munca"!

Woodsong

Get Rolling!

 Hi!

Sorry I'm late this week -- have been at a customer site all week and it's been taking up a lot of time.  Am back doing the normal stuff today and am trying to catch up.

Have been building a new booth in my back yard for my tarot reading at Sherwood Forest Renaissance Faire.  Will move it out there when I'm done. 

Actually, am building three booths -- two vardo's (gypsy wagons) and a regular stand-alone booth.  Working on the stand-alone booth (will leave a picture when it's done) and realized I'm not as strong as I used to be.  Built part of it on my deck, but now can't move that part off the deck by myself.  Oh well, my daughter has burly male friends I'll have to borrow.  I feed them often enough ... so I ought to be able to ask a favor!

I probably over-built it anyway -- made it much stronger and heavier than it needs to be.  Oh well.

Let's jump into today's reading -- we'll pull two cards.  The first offers some starting point or thought -- the second offers a suggestion as to how we can best utilize that beginning card.

Our first card is -- the Seven of Cups.

This card suggests daydreaming or planning; we're thinking of things that might be.  We all go through this all the time before we actually make any moves.  We might envision how we might rearrange the living room furniture -- we might go through this thought process several times before we actually switch the first piece of furniture.

We might think about career changes -- or new projects -- new friendships -- or learning new skills.  The whole bit that our mind is likely busy doing throughout the day!

Nothing wrong with this -- this type of planning is really essential if we want to be successful implementing our plans.

Here's the problem, though -- at some point, it's important to actually move on to implementing those plans!  We don't want to spend all our time planning and no time actually doing.

It's nice to think "What if things were different or better?"  BUT -- we don't want to stay there -- we want to actually take action to make things different of better.  It means putting out some effort or taking a risk -- but we might gain something if we do so.  We're safe if we just continue dreaming -- but we'll never accomplish anything.  Which do you think is better?

Let's look at our second card for a tip on how we should proceed -- the Eight of Pentacles.

Have you ever been working at a task -- and been so absorbed -- that you don't really notice the time passing?  That's the Eight of Pentacles -- it suggests that sort of enjoyment you gain when you enter into a new project or task. 

Doesn't mean the task will be successful -- but it does mean that it'll be worthwhile.  You gain even if the task ultimately fails -- because the "journey" is the real reward.

So -- our first card is a "planner" ... and our second card is a "doer".  Seems pretty plain what the message is ... consider actually doing some of those neat things you've been thinking about!  Take some risk, take on the effort -- and you'll reap a reward! 

Or -- "Quit stalling!  Get moving!"

What do you think?  Do you see anyplace in your life where this could apply?

Talk to you later --

Woodsong

Be Strong ...

Greetings!

Hope you had a fine weekend and that your week's begun well.  I worked a lot on a new tarot booth for the Renaissance Festival.

There's a saying in woodworking -- "Measure Twice, Cut Once".  My version is "Measure Twice, Cut Once, then go back to the store and buy more wood because you messed up the cut."  My first attempt had the dadoes going in the wrong direction (dado == those little notches you see on the ends of Lincoln Logs).  Mine were angled and I did the angles pointing the wrong way.

My new version won't use dadoes.  I'm not even sure if I'm spelling it the right way!

On to this week's reading:

Our first card -- the Ten of Swords.

We've seen this card fairly recently.  A lot of people gasp when they see the image -- and it does look a little grim!  Really, though, this card has a positive message.  It suggests those times when you feel everything is going wrong and that things cannot possibly get any worse.

And this is good news?  Yes, it actually is!  If things cannot get any worse ... then that means they can only get better!  Any movement has to be an improvement.

So -- don't get discouraged when things don't seem to be working out.  You CAN move on to better things if you try.  It's when you get discouraged and don't try that you get in trouble.

But what can you do to improve things?  How can you gain a positive outlook when things seem to work against you?

That's where our second card comes in -- the Hermit!

Another card we've seen recently.  The Wise Old Hermit is patient, thoughtful, and realistic.  He's not going to go off on tangents when he gets bad news.  He knows that bad news happens to everyone ... we shouldn't take it personal.  He knows that what we need to do is move forward to make things better.  Sitting still and moaning about things won't accomplish anything; we have to put on our big kid pants and take control.

So -- when things aren't going your way, don't let it throw you off track.  Don't shut down and huddle in a ball -- look up and forward, take control, and make things better!

Be strong ...

Woodsong

The Hard Ones Mean the Most!

Hi again!

Hope your week's gone well so far -- I've had a pretty good one over here.

My son and his family are moving back to Houston from Chicago -- really glad to be able to see the grandkids more often.  They're 3 boys -- I've heard boys defined as "Noise with dirt attached" ... I think that's fairly accurate for these three!

Let's pull a quick reading for this weekend -- our first card is the Nine of Wands.

I always picture this card representing someone who's finished up with a difficult task.  He's looking back over his work and is pleased with the results.  He's tired, but is probably thinking "I did a really good job!"  He didn't shirk from the hard task -- he knows that accomplishing a difficult task provides it's own reward.

Pretty positive card to begin with -- let's see where it goes.

Our second card ... the Five of Swords.

This is one where I differ from many readers.  Many (don't want to say most) see this as a negative card -- perhaps suggesting conceit or haughtiness.  I don't see it that way, though.

I see this card representing someone who has faced superior odds in an endeavor -- and overcame those odds.  He's rightfully feeling pleased with himself -- because he knew most people expected him to fail.

When we put these cards together, I see them enhancing each other.  You know you're capable of completing a difficult task -- and you know how good you'll feel when you succeed.  Furthermore, you shouldn't shy away from necessary tasks simply because they appear difficult -- or the odds seem stacked against you succeeding.  Overcoming the odds and succeeding in these situations mean you'll be even more satisfied when they're done!

You want to really feel good -- don't take on easy challenges, look towards the hard ones instead!

And that's it for now -- hope you have a great weekend!

Woodsong

Enjoy Yourself -- But Don't Overdo It!

Hi There!

Hope your week's begun well.  Mine been a little busy -- been at customer sites.  Today's gig cancelled at the last minute, so I'm able to finally get to this week's reading.

Is it hot where you are?  It is blazing hot here in Houston -- temp's at or over 100 degrees most days.  Hoping for a little relief this weekend (who would think we'd consider 95 degrees as "cooling"!), but I'm sure our summer swelter will quickly return.

On the plus side, football season's started!  That means cooler days in late September are in sight!

We went to Baton Rouge this weekend -- had to deliver the last bit of my niece's stuff to her folk's house, plus we thought we'd go visit LSU's Mike the Tiger prior to the first game.  On the way there, we decided that Mike's demeanor would give us a clue about the upcoming season.

Well, I'm hoping that's not the case.  Evidently, the heat got to Mike as well.  He was sacked out on his back in a very undignified position.  We hopefully decided he was mooning Nick Saban.

BTW, Mikedoesn't live in your typical animal cage.  His habitat includes a jungle setting with shady bushes, trees to climb (and eat!), a large pond to swim in, rocks to climb, and tons of toys.  He also gets plenty of visitors!

I used to work at LSU way back; I remember one year some Tulane students opened up Mike's cage one night as a prank.  I wonder what they thought when they realized they had just loosed a 500 pound Bengal tiger!  The student's weren't hurt, but Mike did eat several pine trees before he was recovered.

Let's move on to our reading this week -- the first card starts us off, the second card offers things to help enhance the first card.

Our first card is the Six of Wands.

Looks like a pretty happy fellow, doesn't it?  I always see this card as a victory parade.  You've succeeded or done well in some endeavor ... and are now taking some time to feel good about it!  Not only are you celebrating, others acknowledge your success.  It's nice to be able to say "I did good" -- but it always feels better when someone recognizes your efforts and says "You did good!"

The first part of the message of this card is "You've earned it -- so enjoy it!"  Being humble is nice -- you don't want to annoy people with your crowing -- but you need to enjoy that sense of accomplishment.  It's a nice reward for your efforts.

The second part of the message is just as important -- "Yeah, but don't get a swelled head, because the game starts over again tomorrow!"  True -- success today doesn't mean we can coast and expect to be successful tomorrow.  But -- we can feel good about it today!

Let's look at our second card and see what it has to offer -- the King of Swords.

I've said before that I always see my dad in this card -- and he's glaring at me because I've just done something stupid!  He's saying "You knew better -- why did you do that?" ... and I'm saying "I know I knew better -- I don't know why I did it!"

This King always knows the answers -- he always the right -- and smart -- thing to do.  He also knows that you know the right -- and smart -- thing to do as well.  He's disappointed when you don't follow what you know is the right path ... and I'm sure you and I are disappointed in ourselves when we don't choose the right path.

This King fits in well with the second part of the Six of Wand's message -- "Don't get a swelled head!"  If we're successful -- and then decide to coast on that success, we're bound to eventually fail.  The King of Swords can then rightly ask "Why did you do such a stupid thing?"

This King reminds us to keep our heads together -- don't let events distract us from doing what we know is the right thing.  There are times to enjoy our efforts -- and then there are times when we need to get back to work on the next endeavor.

I didn't intend this when I mentioned football season -- but if you're following the Johnny Manziel story, you'll probably see how these two cards apply to his situation.  He had unbelievable success as a freshman at Texas A&M (only student ever to win the Heisman Trophy as a freshman), but has since proceeded to party his way into distraction and trouble.  At some point, he may look back and say "Why did I do such stupid things?"

That's it for now -- and "Go Tigers"!  (and I hope your teams do well, too!)

Woodsong

Think of Others

Hi Folks!

About to jump on the road, so this one will be a quick one for the weekend!

Interestingly enough, even though this will be a quick reading, we ended out pulling two Major Arcana cards -- suggesting we might want to consider this message a little more seriously than we might ordinarily do.  Even though it's "quick" -- it still could be important.

Our first card is -- The Hermit.

Well, we saw the Hermit just the other day.  This card suggests applying wisdom you've gained through experience and training.  Not quickly reacting and jumping to a conclusion, but patiently and fairly evaluating all conditions first in order to understand a situation the best you can.

How should we apply this?  Let's look at our second card, The Emperor.

The Emperor cares about his responsibilities -- he wants to make sure the trains run on time and that all of the needs of his people are satisfied.  Only then might he think of himself.

When we put these two together, we get a suggestion that we want to think before we react to a situation.  Be patient and try to understand the situation (and the people involved and their motivations) as best as you can.  Ask questions if you need to.

Furthermore, rather than evaluating a situation by how it affects you, examine it to understand how it affects those you care about.  Consider their needs -- I don't want to say put their needs before yours, but consider how being able to satisfy their needs will affect your own well-being.  You may find the feeling of being able to be responsible for those you care for provides it's own reward.

Sorry for the quick reading this time around -- will see you again next week!

Woodsong

No to Nay-Sayers!

Hiya!

This week has hit the ground running so far -- I've been playing catch up since Monday.  Still haven't caught up completely yet, but finally hit my first breather a few minutes ago.  Figured I'd try to take on a reading before I get back into things.

Had a lot of plans this past weekend -- and then relatives came into town unexpectedly and we spent time with them instead.  Went to the movies -- my sister, my daughter, my niece-in-law (is that the term?), and I all like scary movies.  So, we went to go see "The Conjuring"!  Everyone else took the kids to see "Turbo".

It's really hard to make a good scary movie -- most directors don't bother to try.  They'll instead make "slasher" movies -- which really aren't really psychological scary.

Anyway, "The Conjuring" is kind of a cross between a haunted house movie and "The Exorcist".  Didn't rely on glitzy special effects but instead was a suspense-filled story.  Like I said, I thought it was really well done.

If you don't like scary movies, you won't enjoy it, though!

How about that reading?  We'll again pull two cards -- the first gives us a message, the second tells us a little more about how we might consider that message.

Our first card is -- The Seven of Pentacles.

A couple of people have written to me about their interpretation of this card ... which differs a little from mine.  That's fine -- many of us have our own feelings about a particular card.  I always get a particular message when I pull this card, so I'm going to stick with it.

This card depicts someone who has just completed a hard task -- and is taking a little time to feel satisfied about his efforts and the results (at least, that's how I see it!)  This is something that's been a little bit of a challenge -- there's no guarantee that things would have worked out.  When you're able to bring a challenging task to a successful conclusion, you SHOULD feel good about it!  You accomplished something.  Sure, someone else might complain about it ("You took too long", "You should have done it another way") and try to bring you down, but don't fall into the trap of feeling like you failed -- because you didn't. Not only is the task complete, but YOU did it.

Our second card gives us something to think about -- The Chariot.

The Chariot is a "will power" card -- this is someone who accomplishes something because he won't accept anything else other than success.  He'll find a way to make something happen -- even if the task is difficult.  He's not really big on accepting advice or listening to other people's opinion -- he's relying on his own feelings and interpretations -- and he wants to do it his way.

BTW -- I'm from the old school -- and the way I learned it, "he" and "his" are gender-neutral words.  "She" and "hers" are female; "he" and "his" are neutral ... unless the context notes the subject is male.  I can't stand work-arounds like "he/she".  When I use the words "he" and "his" I feel it applies to either gender.  If I used "she" and "her" instead, then I'd be specifically talking about a female subject.  That's just the way I learned it a million years ago in school.  If I changed, then I know my third grade teacher would show up and draw red "X"s all over my blog!

Back to the reading -- there are a couple of ways we can put these cards together.

One way would be to consider The Chariot to be validating the efforts portrayed in the Seven of Pentacles.  Yep, you did it your way and achieved your goal -- therefore, you should not only feel good about the results, but should also feel good about your abilities and focus in achieving those results.  Don't listen to nay-sayers -- after all, they're not the ones who accomplished what you did!

Another way is to consider that sometimes you've got to be The Chariot -- since you're the one on the spot, you need to take control.  Other people's opinions are relevant -- but you're making the final decision.  You're not going to please everyone, so don't try.  In fact, if you try to please everyone, you're likely going to fail.  No one else is in the same spot you are -- and just because someone expresses an opinion doesn't mean they actually care about what happens.  They'll just move on to the next project and express opinions from the outside without actually having a stake in the game.

So -- take pride in your accomplishments!  Don't listen to the nay-sayers!

Hope to talk to you again -- not sure if I'll make it again before the weekend; have to run an errand this weekend beginning Friday.  Will try -- if you don't hear from me, then have a great weekend and I'll see you next week!

Woodsong

Bad News Might Be Good News

Hi!

Hope your week has gone well -- we've been keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Dorian over here.  Looks like it might head into the Gulf.  Don't think it's going to be a strong one, though.

Been going over my hurricane stash, just in case.  I grew up in Louisiana, so I know all about being prepared for hurricanes.  You don't wait till the last minute and then rush to the store with 57 million other people and try to buy stuff -- you take care of things before hand.  Have lots of food, water, fuel, generators, etc already stocked up.  Problem is, my stash gets moved every now and then so I'm not 100% sure where everything is.  Need to review that so I don't have to go looking for things in the dark.  Just in case.

Actually, on my side of Houston, we're not in that much danger.  We're about 50 miles from the Gulf, so storm surge isn't an issue.  We might catch some wind damage, but that's about it.  Power loss and fuel shortage are the biggest worries ... and we've got that covered already.

If you're in hurricane territory, I hope you're getting your preps ready!  Don't wait till the last minute!

How about a reading for this weekend?  Once again, we'll pull two cards.  First card sets the tone for the reading, second card suggests how we can best turn it to our advantage.

Our first card is -- The Three of Swords.

Some people think The Devil -- or perhaps Death -- are the worst cards in the deck.  Nope -- to me, it's the Three of Swords.  I've since had a change of opinion -- it is a powerful card, but if you use it properly, you can take advantage of the message.

The Three of Swords suggests heartbreak or great sadness.  Not a very encouraging message, right?  My change of opinion on this card comes from what this really means.

For instance, something that a teenager might claim would "wreck my life" might not affect an adult one bit.  It's how you perceive a situation that makes the difference.  A situation you might feel is eventful might not be so if you view it in a different manner.

We might look at this card by thinking of events that have made us sad -- maybe layoffs, breakups, lost friendships ... things like that.  None of these sound very good, do they?

Or do they?  What do we learn from events like these?  Do they make us stronger people?  Do they help us better prepare for future mishaps?  Do they help us focus on the things that really count rather than on superficial things?  If we look at it this way, a sad event might turn out to be extremely helpful to us.

What helps us perceive things in this manner?  Well, experience and a cool head helps.

Which brings us to our second card -- The Hermit!

The Hermit is the wise old hermit -- he's wise because he has knowledge, experience, and patience.  He's even-handed and is not going to go running around in circles if he receives bad news.  He knows that life simply happens -- and sometimes it's good, sometimes it's hard.  That's just life -- no need to take it personal.

When things happen -- no matter good or bad -- we can learn from them.  It's the "learning" that's important -- so the Hermit isn't going to waste an opportunity.  He'll take advantage of any event in order to build his experience and become a more complete person.

And that's an approach that may work best for us.  When we receive bad news, we can let it wreck us -- or we can learn and grow from it.  It's our choice -- and with a little help from the experienced Hermit, we can make the right one.

Hope you have a great weekend!  See you next week ...

Woodsong

Where and Why!

Hi There!

Hope you had a fine weekend -- I'm making progress on my new roulotte.  Got the trailer part almost done (just need to put the tires on).  Began painting some of the upper roulotte part.  I'm going to try and paint it all before assembly.  Will probably paint it again after assembly, but figure this will make it last longer.

Still haven't quite figured out the "floor plan" yet -- it'll either be 4 feet by 8 feet ... or it'll be 6 feet by 8 feet.  I've got to get the tires on the trailer before I can figure it out for real.

How about we jump into the reading?  We'll pull two cards; the first will suggest some behavior or attitude; the second card represents the destination the first card suggests.

Our first card -- the Knight of Swords!

This is a fun card -- I very much identify with it.  I've mentioned before, there are masculine cards and feminine cards ... and this is probably one of the more testosterone-laden cards.  I mean, we have a Knight in shining armor, he's swinging a sword, and riding a charging horse!  In my Robin Wood deck, the horse even flies!  What could possibly be more "guy" than that!

Of course, even though it sounds great, being a Knight suggests some strong weaknesses to go along with the positives.

This Knight is always ready to charge into a challenge -- he's confident that he can solve most anything by beating it to submission!  That's the good part -- energy and confidence.

The bad part?  Well, most problems need a little more tactful approach rather than "beating them into submission".  Furthermore, while this Knight has jumped right into the fray -- he never took the time to figure out which direction (or approach) offered the best chance of success.  He didn't take the time to consider the problem first in order to determine how he should solve the problem.  He might have even adopted a familiar method he's used before -- without determining if the old method best suited the new problem.

Basically, this Knight's main weakness is focus.  He's ready to take on the problem, but lacks the focus necessary to approach the problem in the best manner.

We might consider situations in our own lives where we've made similar errors.  Are there issues where you are trying to solve them in the same old way?  While familiar and comfortable to you they may be, they may not be the best way to approach the situation.

What might happen to us if we pursue problems in this manner?  Let's look at our second card, the Four of Cups.

While this card doesn't appear to be distraught -- he doesn't look too happy, either.  He's not satisfied with where he is -- he's made it to a particular position, but doesn't seem to be able to move forward from there.

Perhaps he needs to change his tactics?  He may need to re-analyze how he perceives things -- relying on old and familiar methods won't always let you understand current and complex situations.  Old methods might even make problems worse.

What do these two cards suggest? 

Bottom line -- take the time to understand where you're heading and WHY you're heading there.  Your initial motivations may no longer be relevent -- the world changes, issues change, and you change.  A little initial internal review may offer insights and understandings you'd otherwise miss.  Before you charge into a problem, make sure you understand both yourself and the problem!

And that's it for now -- hope to see you again before the weekend.  Have a good one till then!


Woodsong

Put Your Shoulder in and Push!

Hi All,

Well, I've been on the road the last week and a half -- and realized that it's the business travel that gets in the way of the readings!  I used to be excited and envigorated years ago when I travelled -- now I'm just tired.  As a result, the readings suffer.

Fortunately (for the readings), I rarely travel anymore.  Back in town this week and have about an hour before my next call, so let's see if we can slip a weekly reading in!

Our first card is the Two of Cups.

We've seen this card a lot recently.  The Two of Cups suggests a new emotional relationship or friendship ... or a renewal of an existing one.  Quite often, it suggests looking towards family or friends where a troubled friendship could be fixed.  There may be some ill feelings over harsh words or actions -- and these feelings are in the way of what could be a rewarding friendship.  Usually, one side has to swallow those feelings and make the initial step towards reconciliation.  What this card reminds us is that the payoff is worth the payout -- what you'll reap from a renewed friendship is most often worth the temporary discomfort of "making the first step".

So, tell us more about this situation -- what things should we consider?

Let's look at our second card -- the Ten of Swords.

This card suggests a really failed relationship -- one that may seem to have hit rock-bottom.  That's acually good news in a way -- if things are at there worst, then any change can only be an improvement!  It's that old "darkest before the dawn" thing.

If we want to consider friendships to renew, we might start by looking at some that might seem most damaged.  These might actually be the easiest to fix.  We might also consider emotional relationships that seem to be stuck in a rut -- they may not be getting worse, but they're not getting better.  These also might be the type of relationships most receptive to renewals.

Friendships and relationships take a lot of work -- but the payoff is always worth it.  Sometimes a little nudge is all that's needed to get things moving in a better direction -- consider being the one to first put your shoulder in play to provide that nudge!

Hope you have a great week!

Woodsong

Risk and Rewards

Hi All,

Sorry I'm late this week -- yesterday was kind of hectic!

I tend to do pretty much all of the cooking at home -- even when I was back in college with roommates, I was usually the cook.  I don't know that I'm all that inventive -- don't follow recipes that much.  I'm half Sicilian and half Cajun French -- so I normally cook either Italian or Cajun style.

Our four-year old granddaughter lives with us -- and she's been taking over the house.  She's made it known that she expects pancakes for every meal -- so my cooking has been very one-dimensional laterly!

You may recall me talking about a Jazz Improvisation class I've been taking.  Class is over, but a small group of us has continued on with additional assignments.  This last one we did is probably the first one I feel I did okay on -- it has some glitches and flubs, but I don't think it's all bad.  If you want to give it a listen, here's  My Improvisation for How High the Moon .  Please be gentle!

Let's jump into this week's reading -- again, we'll draw two cards.  The first will offer something to concentrate on, the second will offer tips on how we might be realize the positive message of the first card.

Our first card is ... The Empress.

The Empress is a very maternal card -- it suggests the things we typically associate with maternal feelings.  Note that you can be the toughest, hardest, manliest guy around and still have maternal feelings.  Don't believe me?  Gather a bunch of tough guys and show them a cute puppy!

Maternal means caring and nurturing.  It also suggests a special and strong attachment.  You may feel caring for people in general, but you'll feel a stronger caring for family and friends who are close to you.  This maternal caring is a two-way street -- you'll receive benefits as well as give benefits.

How to best realize these benefits -- our second card, the Four of Wands.

This is a celebration card -- there's a reason to celebrate and someone to share that celebration with.  I've always envisioned a crowd of people watching the celebration and acknowledging the appropriateness of the celebration.

When we put them together, the message is pretty straightforward.

Care for the people you should care about -- and let them know you care!  Don't keep a cage around your heart -- I know some of us keep folks at arm's length because we don't want to be vulnerable.  However, the rewards for opening up and reaching out tend to outweigh the risk!

When we do so and reap those rewards -- then we have a reason to celebrate ... and someone with whom we can jointly enjoy that celebration.  We'll have a sense of belonging, contributing, and feeling important and needed.

Yes, it might be a risk.  But there are rarely rewards without risks. 

Hope things work out well for you this week -- take care, and I'll be back in a few days!

Woodsong

The Right Way

Hi All!

Hope you had a great weekend.  I finally got to work on my trailer this weekend -- have it about half assembled (thanks mainly to my air ratchet!).  Only had to take it apart and reassemble about three times because I put parts in backwards or upside down -- that's way better than average for me.

Summer's in full swing in Houston -- the heat has arrived.  Hope things are bearable where you are!

Let's move on our reading this week.  We'll again pull two cards -- the first suggests a particular attribute or positive message; the second suggests ways we can best recognize this message.

We'll start with -- The Hierophant.

The Hierophant is a rule follower.  When he needs to do something, he checks "the book" to see how it's supposed to be done.  If "the book" says it, then he doesn't feel it needs changing.

This guy really bugs me because he always has an answer -- but I do have to admit ... he's correct most of the time!

The "book" got to be "the book" for a reason -- most always, it's going to give you the best chance of success.  Even if it's not the most exciting or interesting answer, it's just about always the best answer.

What this means is that we don't have to wrack our brains trying to devise new and innovative solutions to our issues -- we just need to look at what the established and accepted wisdom says about resolving our issues.

When someone says "Well, this is the accepted way of doing it", we always feel "Yeah, but that won't work for me -- my case is special."  If we're really honest about it, though, we might find out our circumstances really aren't that unique -- and we can likely take advantage of the accepted way of doing things.

Well, that's no fun -- but it'll almost always work for us.  How can we best realize this?

Let's look at our second card -- the Ten of Wands.

The Ten of Wands is a successful card -- and it's successful because of hard work.  This fellow is carrying a heavy load -- and he likely carried a heavy load yesterday and the day before.  The hard work isn't wearing him down -- because he knows he'll be succeed if he just keeps putting one foot in front of the other.  He knows his key to success is to just keep working at it.

And that's how we recognize the positive message of the Hierophant.  The Hierophant's not going to give us a quick solution, he's going to give us the best solution.  And that means we're going to have to be willing to dig in and put in the effort necessary to realize that solution.

Don't get discouraged if you don't have a quick fix -- if you can see the solution down the road waiting for you, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will arrive in the right place!

Maybe a good message for the start of a work week -- just keep doing the right thing and plugging away; you'll be okay if you do!

And that's about it for now -- hope your week goes well; I'll look forward to talking again later in the week.

Woodsong

Make The Call

Hi All,

Hope you've had a fine week so far -- it's been a little busy here, but I'm starting to feel caught up. 

Spent an enjoyable time with my grand-daughter last night.  She's 4 and I'm trying to transition her from standard little kid picture books to more advanced fairy tales with more writing and fewer pictures.  She wasn't crazy about the idea, but after I read her a couple of stories she began getting hooked.

The good thing (besides being more interesting for me) is that she doesn't get all wound up looking at pictures.  Instead, she sits back and listens -- and gets relaxed instead.  Starting to get the concept of sleepytime "bedtime stories" introduced!

Weekend's coming up -- so let's jump into the weekend reading!

Our first card is -- Judgement.

Judgement suggests all those things you'd like to have if you were to be judged.  You'd like honesty, fairness, impartialness, patience ... things like that.  You'd like to evaluate situations without any preconceptions or bias -- which is exactly what you would hope for in a fair judgement.

So -- our first card suggest implementing this sort of fairness and impartiality.  What sort of situation should we be looking for where this would best benefit us?

Our second card offers a suggestion -- the Two of Swords.

This is really a choice card -- where we have to make a choice between competing solutions.  It's probalby not an easy choice to make, too.

What we normally do when faced with a difficult choice is ... to stall!  We put off making the choice, we'll think about it later, we'll gather more information, etc, etc.  All of this is just playing word games -- we're really just avoiding having to make a choice!

When you think about it, not making a choice is the same as making a choice -- since it obligates you to a course of action.  It's just not a course of action that you've chosen, it's a path that defaults to you because you haven't made a choice!

I figure it's always better to control whatever you can -- go ahead and make the choice!

Why might we fear the choice -- well, I think it's generally because we're concerned about making the "wrong" choice.  If you ask me, I'd say there is no "wrong" choice -- there are just choices.  It's what you do after choosing that determines whether it's "right" or "wrong".

And this is where "Judgement" comes in to help us.  Be fair and be honest with yourself.  Don't worry about preconceptions .. about what others may think .. about whether the choice is hard or easy.  Be honest about deciding whether what choices can be best for you.  Once you've identified this, make the choice ... and then proceed to implement the work (maybe hard work!) to make that choice work for you!

If you've taken the time to honestly and fairly evaluate your options, then you can't fault yourself on your choice.  You've honestly made the best call you could have made at the time.  Don't look back on whether you could have done differently -- instead, look forward to identify what you can do to make things work!

And that's about it -- hope you have a great weekend!

Woodsong

Doesn't Mean You Shouldn't Try!

Hi There!

Back from a beach weekend -- had a great time, ate way too much, enjoyed some rain, some sunshine, and good company.

The Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area along the Gulf of Mexico at the Florida/Alabama state line is about 8 hours from Houston -- we and the in-laws try to go every summer.  We usually visit on July 4th week, but it's always really crowded.  Tried it on Father's Day this time and crowds were much more reasonable.  Had some traffic on I-10 so we routed along the Highwy 90 beach road through Bay Saint Louis -- some really beautiful beaches (and no crowds at all) there!

Back home again, though.  Time to try to get back into the weekday thing.

Including the readings!  Let's draw our first card -- the Five of Swords.

The Five of Swords at heart is a competition card.  In this case, the card has faced strong odds and has overcome them.  Nice story -- of course, it doesn't always happen ... but it does sometimes!  We might take the message that just because the odds seem against you doesn't mean you shouldn't try.

Our second card extends the message -- the Wheel of Fortune!

Interesting pull here -- especially after my "plagiarizing myself" issues a week or so ago!  Since I'm writing my own message here, I don't have to worry about that anyway!

The Wheel reminds us that sometimes you're on top -- and sometimes you're not.  Or -- you win some, you lose some.

When we put these two cards together, we get the very real message that there aren't many guarantees -- if you try, you might win ... but you might lose.  Losing is always a possibility -- so you should accept that up front.

Losing is not a terminal condition -- just because you might lose doesn't mean you have to stop right there.  It's just another step in the process -- just continue the competition until you arrive at the solution you desire.

That's it for this one -- will see you later in the week!

Woodsong

Voltage Drop

Hi All,

Heading off to the beach in a few hours (Orange Beach, Flori-Bama area)!

To many folks, going to the beach means sun and sand.  To me it means relaxing in the air conditioning inside and reading.  I am such a party pooper.

Finished up my Jazz Improvisation course.  I'm posting some links to two of my assignments if you want to hear me destroying some guitar solos. (that's "destroying" as in bad, not in good!)

First solo, https://soundcloud.com/user919802974/olhos-de-gato-assignment2-1.  This one was part of my final exam.  Right when I began, my speakers in my laptop blew out.  I grabbed some headphones to hear the backing track, but that meant I couldn't hear my guitar!  So, I did the solo "blind" as it were.  You'll hear a couple of bum notes because of this! (That's my story and I'm sticking to it)

Second solo was from a couple of weeks ago -- https://soundcloud.com/user919802974/l03-500-miles-high-assignment.  I still hadn't figured out the recording balance level, so the sound quality's not the greatest,  but I think the playing was decent.

Got a surprisingly low score on this one (we're graded by fellow students) -- one guy gave me near perfect marks, the other gave me a zero so it averaged out low.  He said he gave me a zero because it sounded like I had practiced it!  Well, duh .. of course I did!  That's how you get better at anything -- practice!  Did he think we weren't supposed to practice the material???

Anyway, passed the class okay and am now taking another class in audio electronics.  While the subject matter is interesting, the class reminds me of everything I detest in some college level courses.

The instructor's purpose seems to be to demonstrate how smart they are rather than teaching students the subject matter.  You see, there are a handful of mathematical functions you need to know to accomplish the goals of this class -- they're very simple functions and require nothing more than simple multiplication or division.

Rather than teaching these, the instructors are spending 90% of the time showing how these functions were derived.   Much more advanced math (calculus, linear algebra, differential equations) and much more confusing.  For this class, all we need to know are the functions and how to use them -- not how they're derived.

Fortunately, I found a website that teaches all this.  After less than an hour on the website, I now understand everything the other course mucked up in two weeks!

Okay, rant mode off -- since I'm beaching it tomorrow, let's get the weekend reading going!

First card -- the Page of Swords.

I've mentioned before that I call this the "Who let the kids play with the power tools?" card (oops -- did I plagiarize myself again!)

It suggests those times when you become completely absorbed by a new idea, cause, or project.  You're excited, you're enthralled, you expect everyone else to be equally excited (and of course, they're not -- and they're tired of you talking about it all the time!)

This sort of excitement and energy is wonderful -- it can carry you quite a far ways towards implementing your project.  But -- you might need to temper the excitement and become a little more realistic in order to be successful (and in order not to drive everyone around you completely batty!)  Basically, you can do harm to those around you (like swinging around a power tool) if you're not careful.

Our second card helps us here -- Justice.

Justice suggests fairness, patience, and handling things with reason.  Becoming a little more mature and realistic, in other words!

If our Page of Swords asks himself questions like these -- Am I carrying things a little too far?  Why should other people share my level of interest? Am I bothering or boring people? -- and can answer them fairly and honestly, he'll become much more even-mannered, easier to live with, and can still retain his interest and energy in a particular project.

Kind of like using series resistors to drop down the voltage in part of a circuit for an audio electronics project.  (Sorry, couldn't resist that!)

Y'all have a great weekend -- see you next week (I'm still out on Monday, so will probably be on Tuesday)

Woodsong

Do Good, Feel Good

Hi All...

Hope you had a great weekend.  I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped (it rained a lot), but did make some progress.

Had an interesting thing happen to me last week -- was accused of plagiarizing ... MYSELF!

I've been writing some Tarot articles for an internet directory.  One of my articles was rejected -- the editors claimed I had copied part of the article (my description of the "Wheel of Fortune") from someone's website pretty much word-for-word and provided a URL to prove it.

This threw me -- I've developed my particular original descriptions over 20-plus years and had never seen the particular URL they provided.  I checked it -- and yes, the description was pretty much word-for-word the same.

I then checked the publication date of the site -- January, 2012.  I checked the earliest I had used my particular Wheel-of-Fortune description on my blog site -- and it was February, 2007!  Five years earlier!  Turns out the other site had copied from me.  (And ... if you've been receiving these readings for a while, you know that I published weekly readings on my www.woodsongtarot.com website for about 6 or 7 years before I started the blog.  So I'm sure I did it before 2007, but 2007 is the earliest I could prove.)

I sent this information to the editor -- they wrote back and said that while this instance was true, they had also found dozens of other sites using the same description, so obviously we were all using a common "purchased" description.

I checked the dates of all the sites -- and every single one was written after my February 2007 article -- and had all copied my text word-for-word!

Again showed the editor -- and he replied that it didn't matter.  Since so much plagiarizing was going on, they couldn't use any of the material -- even though I was proved to be the first and original author.  Basically, I was accused of plagiarizing myself!?!

Oh well -- I think I wrote a while back that one benefit of getting older is that you learn when you're not going to win an argument -- even though you're in the right.

So -- found a different publisher.  No more articles for these guys!

Let's jump into this week's reading (with original descriptions!)  Our first card is -- the Knight of Cups.

This is probably the one card that frustrates me the most -- mainly because it's so opposite of what I think people should do.

The Knight of Cups is a seriously emotional card.  He honestly is driven by his massive empathy for others.  When other people suffer, this Knight suffers even more because he feels so deeply for them.

Nothing wrong so far -- in fact, it's admirable that this Knight cares so much for others.  My problem with him is that this is about as far as he goes.  He cares about others -- but never gets around to doing anything about it!  He is basically paralyzed by -- and controlled by -- his emotions.  If he sees something as a problem, he likely thinks someone else should solve it.

(Note:  Look at the card.  Notice how his horse is just standing still and not moving?)

I see this attitude as a problem -- it started off okay ... the Knight took responsibility in recognizing an issue.  BUT -- he doesn't take responsibility in seeking out a solution.

I think that's the message we should receive from this Knight.  We want to feel for others -- but then we should do something about the problem.  Maybe it's reaching out to help someone who needs it, maybe it's just an encouraging word.  Maybe it's donating some time or resources to a needy cause.  Maybe it's replying to an article in a news journal -- or volunteering -- or joining a club.  Whatever we choose -- we're positioning ourselves better if we try to become part of the solution rather than just recognizing the problem.

And what happens if we do?  Let's look at our second card -- The World!

I mentioned on Friday that there are three "Happy Ending" cards in the deck -- and this is the best one of all!

And it fits perfectly right here!  How are you going to feel if you observe an injustice -- but don't do anything about it?  Probably pretty gloomy.  But -- how are you going to feel if you help someone who needs a hand -- you'll likely feel really good about yourself!

And that's "The World" -- we can best feel great about ourselves if we help others.  Doesn't mean we should quit our jobs and walk the world looking for people to help.  We need to be realistic about things -- but we can likely maintain our normal lives and still fit in places where we can use our skills, time, or resources to do good for other folks.  Volunteer at a library and read "story time" -- sew some cancer caps or fleece blankets for a children's hospital -- donate some teddy bears or toys to a women's shelter -- you don't have to seriously disrupt your normal life to make a difference for others.

And doing good makes you feel good!

More later -- off to the beach this weekend!

Woodsong

Change -- For the Better!

Hiya!

Had a lot of stuff going on this week -- but have cleared pretty much all of it away.  Hoping for a quiet Friday.

I'm planning on expanding my site at Sherwood Forest Renaissance Festival for next year.  Right now, I have a single bowtop gypsy vardo set up with a couple of outside tables for readings.

I'm planning on adding two more vardos -- one will be a French Roulotte style, not sure about the other yet.  Both will be built on small trailers.

Here's an example of the roulotte styling -- kind of like a pavillion on wheels.  My goal is to have at least two vardo's where my partners and I can perform reading "indoors".

Anyway, I've collected the two trailers (Harbor Freight had them on sale), but need to start assembling them this weekend.  So ... that's my weekend plans.

Hope your weekend will be more fun than mine!

Let's move on to the reading -- we'll again draw two cards.  One will suggest some concept we might consider.  The second will suggest a way we might best utilitze that concept.

Our first card is ... the Eight of Wands.

 This card is about movement -- about change.  It suggests moving from one place to another -- not necessarily a physical move, but perhaps an attitude adjustment or a change in the way you evaluate things.

Most people aren't too crazy about change.  I think that's because they're concerned things might be difficult ... or even worse ... after a change.  Well, it's true, they might.  BUT -- they also might be much improved -- so why not consider it?   If it comes with difficulties, then address and resolve those difficulties.  That's not anything different from what you have to do every day.  Once the dust settles, you may find yourself in a much improved place.

What does our second card say about this -- the Ten of Cups?

I tell folks there are three really "Happy Ending" cards in the deck -- and this is one of them.  I call this the "Happy Family Card".  It suggests that we'll find contentment in our relationships with our circle of friends and family -- with the people we most care about (and who most care about us).

Sometimes, a change makes it easier to recognize, appreciate and value those around us.  Sometimes it makes it easier for those around us to appreciate ourselves!  A change in perception can help us realize the things that are really most important.

Do you feel your personal relationships are kind of in a rut?  If so, shake things up a bit -- look for ways you can change both yourself and your interactions with those around you.  This might just clear away the clutter to help you best enjoy yourself and your family/friends.

Have a great weekend!

Woodsong

"Doggie Made Me Drop S'getti!"

Hello there!

Hope you had a fine weekend -- we had a little rain Saturday (was much welcome!), but the rest of the weekend was nice and bright.  Not as hot as you'd expect in Houston this time of year, either.

Didn't get out and do much -- spent most of the time cleaning up around the house.  Heading to the beach in a couple of weeks, so trying to get ahead of the mess curve. 

Made a major boo-boo last weekend.  Was spreading some lawn fertilizer -- had some left over, so I sprinkled it in the vegetable garden.  Bad move!  All my tomato plants died!  Oh well, you learn ...

BTW -- someone had mentioned I should put a Facebook "like" button on this page -- I already had one, but I think it was hidden because of it's location.  I just moved it to the top part of the right-hand column.  I'd be grateful if you'd give it a "like" or a "share"!

Let's take a look at our reading this week.  We'll start with the Two of Pentacles.



I love the Robin Wood version of this card -- it not only has the young man juggling ... he's standing on a tightrope while he's doing it!

Want to know how he feels?  Well, suppose you've got something in the microwave -- you're watching it because you know it's going to boil over in the next 10 seconds or so.  Suddenly the phone rings -- you grab it and it's your sister who starts off on a long story.  While this is going on, the dogs start barking and chasing the cat around the table; they knock over the garbage can.  You notice the dishwasher is leaking sudsy water about this time.  Your three-year old walks into the kitchen and announces "Doggie make me drop spaghetti on floor!"   Oh yeah, the doorbell starts ringing, too.

That's pretty much a Two of Pentacles experience -- it's those times where you're pulled in many directions ... or when you're trying to juggle and tightrope walk at the same time!

Happens to all of us -- although it does sometimes feel like the universe has decided you're going to get a double dose!

It's natural -- don't take it personal!  Don't get discouraged when your productivity suffers -- of course it's going to suffer!  All you can do is hold tight and try and weather the storm -- it will get better.  Prioritize -- deal with the important things, delegate what you can, stall on the rest and handle them later.

Whew!  I'm tired thinking about it -- what can we keep in mind to help us through these patches?

How about The Chariot?



I always think of Julius Caesar when I pull The Chariot in a reading.  Caesar was laser-focused on his goals -- he had the will to make them happen.  I'm sure he had Two of Pentacles moments like the rest of us -- but he didn't let them distract him from what he wanted to achieve.  He used his will-power to stay on course.

And that's what we should do -- don't let the Two of Pentacles become bigger than it really is.  Remember your goals -- and keep your focus directed on achieving those goals.

That's about it -- hope you have a great week!  Talk to you again in a few days ...

Woodsong