Thursday, March 20, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Subscribe for Video Readings!
Hi There!
So I was getting ready to post another video reading -- when I realized those darned bagpipes were wailing away in the background again!
I'll do another reading from a non-pipey setting and will try to post it by tomorrow ... so be watching for the notice.
On that theme, it looks like a lot of the email notifications didn't get delivered this week. If you didn't get an email this week, you can go to YouTube and do a search on "Woodsong Tarot" to find the readings posted so far.
You can also "subscribe" to the readings on Youtube -- highly recommended. This'll mean you'll get automatic notification from YouTube when I post a new reading; since their email servers are much more robust than mine, you're more likely to receive the notice! Plus, you'll hear about it before anyone else.
I'm off now -- hope you have a great day! Be looking for a video reading tomorrow!
Woodsong
So I was getting ready to post another video reading -- when I realized those darned bagpipes were wailing away in the background again!
I'll do another reading from a non-pipey setting and will try to post it by tomorrow ... so be watching for the notice.
On that theme, it looks like a lot of the email notifications didn't get delivered this week. If you didn't get an email this week, you can go to YouTube and do a search on "Woodsong Tarot" to find the readings posted so far.
You can also "subscribe" to the readings on Youtube -- highly recommended. This'll mean you'll get automatic notification from YouTube when I post a new reading; since their email servers are much more robust than mine, you're more likely to receive the notice! Plus, you'll hear about it before anyone else.
I'm off now -- hope you have a great day! Be looking for a video reading tomorrow!
Woodsong
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Video Reading!
Hi all!
Arm and hand are still healing; I can type a little, but still not even halfway back.
Am going to try video readings in the meantime -- check out the first effort at Tarot by Woodsong at Youtube!
Please leave me comments either here or on YouTube and let me know what you think! I'm still learning with microphones and such, so I hope future readings will be a higher quality!
Have a great week!
Woodsong
Arm and hand are still healing; I can type a little, but still not even halfway back.
Am going to try video readings in the meantime -- check out the first effort at Tarot by Woodsong at Youtube!
Please leave me comments either here or on YouTube and let me know what you think! I'm still learning with microphones and such, so I hope future readings will be a higher quality!
Have a great week!
Woodsong
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
No Mr. Grumpyhead For Me!
Happy New Year Everyone!
Well, at least tomorrow will be New Years -- hope everyone has a wonderful and safe time celebrating tonight!
My hands are still giving me problems, so I'm going to keep the typing short this time -- heading back to the doctor's Thursday so I'm hopeful I'll start making progress again.
Have the setup to record Youtube readings almost done -- once I've got that set, I'll probably start mixing these email readings with Youtube readings just because it's so difficult to type right now. Actually, typing isn't that hard -- it's typing and hitting the right keys that's difficult!
On to the reading -- two cards, first offers a starting point, second offers things to consider to best recognize the positive attributes of our starting point.
Our first card -- the Two of Wands.
This is probably a very good card to start off 2014 with -- this two is a card of preparation. If we want to be successful and accomplish the goals we set, we have to be realitic. we want to do the things necessary in order to be successful -- ie, we have to PREPARE!
This means defining our goals, understanding them, understanding the obstacles we may face, determining how to best overcome those obstacles, discovering what resources and skills we need, acquiring those resources and skills, etc, etc, etc.
Sounds like a long and complex process, right? But -- if we want to optimize our chance for success -- it's an essential process. We may want to jump straight to the "succeed in your goal" part, but if we skip the groundwork, we're not likely to achieve our goal.
Take the time to understand your goal and what is necessary to achieve that goal -- that's how you can best achieve that goal.
What does our second card have to say about this? Oh no, it's the Four of Pentacles.
Not this guy again -- Mr. Grumpyhead!
This suggests someone who has missed a turn somewhere when he was defining his goals. His goal became internal and distorted -- he neglected to consider the people around him and how his goals might affect those folks. While he might achieve his goals -- he likely will not be satisfied with the results.
Remember that we're not isolated islands -- we're a social people. Doesn't mean you should give up personal goals -- but does suggest you should consider how you can best enjoy those results with the people you care about.
This is one I could wax about for awhile, but my hands aren't cutting me much slack ... so I'm going to quit while I can! I think you probably get the idea, anyway.
Once again, have a happy and safe New Years! I'll see you again next week -- and maybe in a Youtube video next time!
Woodsong
Well, at least tomorrow will be New Years -- hope everyone has a wonderful and safe time celebrating tonight!
My hands are still giving me problems, so I'm going to keep the typing short this time -- heading back to the doctor's Thursday so I'm hopeful I'll start making progress again.
Have the setup to record Youtube readings almost done -- once I've got that set, I'll probably start mixing these email readings with Youtube readings just because it's so difficult to type right now. Actually, typing isn't that hard -- it's typing and hitting the right keys that's difficult!
On to the reading -- two cards, first offers a starting point, second offers things to consider to best recognize the positive attributes of our starting point.
Our first card -- the Two of Wands.
This is probably a very good card to start off 2014 with -- this two is a card of preparation. If we want to be successful and accomplish the goals we set, we have to be realitic. we want to do the things necessary in order to be successful -- ie, we have to PREPARE!
This means defining our goals, understanding them, understanding the obstacles we may face, determining how to best overcome those obstacles, discovering what resources and skills we need, acquiring those resources and skills, etc, etc, etc.
Sounds like a long and complex process, right? But -- if we want to optimize our chance for success -- it's an essential process. We may want to jump straight to the "succeed in your goal" part, but if we skip the groundwork, we're not likely to achieve our goal.
Take the time to understand your goal and what is necessary to achieve that goal -- that's how you can best achieve that goal.
What does our second card have to say about this? Oh no, it's the Four of Pentacles.
Not this guy again -- Mr. Grumpyhead!
This suggests someone who has missed a turn somewhere when he was defining his goals. His goal became internal and distorted -- he neglected to consider the people around him and how his goals might affect those folks. While he might achieve his goals -- he likely will not be satisfied with the results.
Remember that we're not isolated islands -- we're a social people. Doesn't mean you should give up personal goals -- but does suggest you should consider how you can best enjoy those results with the people you care about.
This is one I could wax about for awhile, but my hands aren't cutting me much slack ... so I'm going to quit while I can! I think you probably get the idea, anyway.
Once again, have a happy and safe New Years! I'll see you again next week -- and maybe in a Youtube video next time!
Woodsong
Monday, December 23, 2013
Be Successful
Hi All!
I hope your holiday preps have gone well -- it always seems like there's more to do and less time to do it in every year. We've had the Christmas cards sitting on the table for weeks -- but haven't had a chance to address and mail them yet. I figure if we get 60% of what we had planned to do completed, we're doing good.
My hands are still a problem -- although typing is a tiny bit easier (not messing up every word -- more like every other word). My handwriting is completely illegible now -- not that my scribbles were all that discernable before!
I know everyone's likely rushing to get ready, so I'll keep this one short. Let's jump straight into this week's reading:
First card -- the Six of Wands.
This is a personal celebration card -- it suggests that when you've done well, it's okay to feel good about it. Sounds kind of obvious, but our culture usually says you're supposed to be humble about personal accomplishments. There's something to that -- you shouldn't be obnoxious about it .. but it's really okay to take personal pleasure in doing things well.
People don't always pat you on the back when you do well -- so when they do, it's okay to feel good about it. Even if you don't the get the accolades, it's good to take an honest moment to tell yourself "I did good!"
The "extended" message of this card is "Yep, you did good today, so feel good about it. BUT -- tomorrow's another day and you have to start over again!"
In this case, it's particularly appropriate -- because of our second card, the Three of Pentacles.
This Three suggests personal and professional competence -- doing a job well because you have the skills and attitude necessary to do so. It suggests the personal pleasure you attain while performing a job to the best of your ability.
What it's telling us here -- when preceded by the Six of Wands -- is that you shouldn't rest on your laurels. Just because you succeeded yesterday doesn't mean that today's challenge is any easier or deserves less attention or effort.
Certainly, success in a sequence of challenges gives you confidence that you'll continue to be successful. But, you must continue to put in the effort to attain that success every time! Don't expect any free passes!
This really isn't a discouraging message -- you have the talent and aptitude to achieve success. If you apply yourself, there's no reason you shouldn't expect to be successful.
The key phrase is "If you apply yourself"! If you expect good results from less-than-your-best efforts, you're likely to be disappointed at some point. You can do it -- so be the best and expect the best from yourself!
That's it for now -- hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas time!
Woodsong
I hope your holiday preps have gone well -- it always seems like there's more to do and less time to do it in every year. We've had the Christmas cards sitting on the table for weeks -- but haven't had a chance to address and mail them yet. I figure if we get 60% of what we had planned to do completed, we're doing good.
My hands are still a problem -- although typing is a tiny bit easier (not messing up every word -- more like every other word). My handwriting is completely illegible now -- not that my scribbles were all that discernable before!
I know everyone's likely rushing to get ready, so I'll keep this one short. Let's jump straight into this week's reading:
First card -- the Six of Wands.
This is a personal celebration card -- it suggests that when you've done well, it's okay to feel good about it. Sounds kind of obvious, but our culture usually says you're supposed to be humble about personal accomplishments. There's something to that -- you shouldn't be obnoxious about it .. but it's really okay to take personal pleasure in doing things well.
People don't always pat you on the back when you do well -- so when they do, it's okay to feel good about it. Even if you don't the get the accolades, it's good to take an honest moment to tell yourself "I did good!"
The "extended" message of this card is "Yep, you did good today, so feel good about it. BUT -- tomorrow's another day and you have to start over again!"
In this case, it's particularly appropriate -- because of our second card, the Three of Pentacles.
This Three suggests personal and professional competence -- doing a job well because you have the skills and attitude necessary to do so. It suggests the personal pleasure you attain while performing a job to the best of your ability.
What it's telling us here -- when preceded by the Six of Wands -- is that you shouldn't rest on your laurels. Just because you succeeded yesterday doesn't mean that today's challenge is any easier or deserves less attention or effort.
Certainly, success in a sequence of challenges gives you confidence that you'll continue to be successful. But, you must continue to put in the effort to attain that success every time! Don't expect any free passes!
This really isn't a discouraging message -- you have the talent and aptitude to achieve success. If you apply yourself, there's no reason you shouldn't expect to be successful.
The key phrase is "If you apply yourself"! If you expect good results from less-than-your-best efforts, you're likely to be disappointed at some point. You can do it -- so be the best and expect the best from yourself!
That's it for now -- hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas time!
Woodsong
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Compromise
Hello!
Hope your week's begun well -- my oldest son is back from the Navy, so that's a mark on the good side! On the other hand, I'm off to the dentist this afternoon, so that's a mark on the bad side!
Shouldn't be a bad visit, though. All the tough (and painful) work was done a few weeks ago; this should just cap things off (literally!)
My keystriking and spelling is still off -- still can't feel with my hands - so please excuse any glitches I miss. I'm messing up almost every word, so I think I'm catching most -- but I'm probably missing a few.
I think I finally have everything set up to do Youtube readings -- I'll let you know as soon as I post the first.
Let's jump into this week's reading -- first card offers a starting point; second card offers suggestions to consider that might help us best use the first card.
Our first card is ... the Five of Wands.
Looks like a little tussle -- contention, strife, struggle. Pretty much what we've all got going on every day. This sort of engagement can be fulfilling and exciting -- but it can also be frustrating and discouraging. All depends on how we take it in.
Most of all, we have to be sure not to make it "personal" -- this sort of struggle isn't a value judgement of ourselves -- it's just being realistic. If we go down the "everyone is always working against me" road, that's a losing path. We want to avoid it.
What might we consider to help us best approach this card? Let's look at our second draw ... the Five of Cups.
This card reminds us that we should not focus on things we may not gain -- but instead focus on those things we do acquire. It's kind of a "count your blessings", but it's a little stronger than that. It's close to the Rolling Stone's "You can't always get what you want -- but you may find you get what you need!"
When we put these together, I start thinking compromise and priorities. Maybe we can't achieve everything we wanted -- so let's make sure we at least gain the most important things. Maybe we can bargain and trade-off in order to do so? Maybe we can "lose" some battles in order to ensure we win the one's that really matter to us.
Is it realistic to say "I want everything"? Maybe not -- but I think it's okay to go in using that as a starting point -- as long as you realize it's probably not likely to work out that way. Refine your goals so that you know and understand which pieces are going to be most important to you -- and focus on what you can do to attain those goals.
Hope it goes well for you -- I'll be back later with more!
Woodsong
Hope your week's begun well -- my oldest son is back from the Navy, so that's a mark on the good side! On the other hand, I'm off to the dentist this afternoon, so that's a mark on the bad side!
Shouldn't be a bad visit, though. All the tough (and painful) work was done a few weeks ago; this should just cap things off (literally!)
My keystriking and spelling is still off -- still can't feel with my hands - so please excuse any glitches I miss. I'm messing up almost every word, so I think I'm catching most -- but I'm probably missing a few.
I think I finally have everything set up to do Youtube readings -- I'll let you know as soon as I post the first.
Let's jump into this week's reading -- first card offers a starting point; second card offers suggestions to consider that might help us best use the first card.
Our first card is ... the Five of Wands.
Looks like a little tussle -- contention, strife, struggle. Pretty much what we've all got going on every day. This sort of engagement can be fulfilling and exciting -- but it can also be frustrating and discouraging. All depends on how we take it in.
Most of all, we have to be sure not to make it "personal" -- this sort of struggle isn't a value judgement of ourselves -- it's just being realistic. If we go down the "everyone is always working against me" road, that's a losing path. We want to avoid it.
What might we consider to help us best approach this card? Let's look at our second draw ... the Five of Cups.
When we put these together, I start thinking compromise and priorities. Maybe we can't achieve everything we wanted -- so let's make sure we at least gain the most important things. Maybe we can bargain and trade-off in order to do so? Maybe we can "lose" some battles in order to ensure we win the one's that really matter to us.
Is it realistic to say "I want everything"? Maybe not -- but I think it's okay to go in using that as a starting point -- as long as you realize it's probably not likely to work out that way. Refine your goals so that you know and understand which pieces are going to be most important to you -- and focus on what you can do to attain those goals.
Hope it goes well for you -- I'll be back later with more!
Woodsong
Friday, December 13, 2013
Recover -- Don't Hide!
Hello All!
Hope you've had a good week so far -- it's warming up a tiny bit here in Houston, but is expected to get really cold in about a week. 'Course, it'll probably be 80 degrees the week after that -- winter in South Texas!
I've been working on a really tough project at work - all the pieces finally came together this week and the darn thing finally worked! Big sigh of relief from over here.
On the downside -- I have a Tarot booth every spring at a Renaissance Festival near Austin (Sherwood Forest Faire). It's located at the "top" of a ring of shops on a hillside.
Two years ago, one of the retail shops in the ring and a food seller moved in. Many of the shops in the ring were clothing sellers and they complained about the food smells and grease getting into the garments they sold. The food seller is a nice guy -- but putting a food booth right next to clothing shops wasn't really a good idea.
The next year, he put up a bunch of picnic tables in front of his booth. Worked for him -- but for the rest of us, it was the same as putting up a wall. People could no longer walk "around" the ring -- they'd hit the mass of people sitting at the picnic tables and would then walk away. End result is that our foot traffic dropped by nearly 90%!
More complaints -- the food seller decided to move and the fair management said he'd be replaced by another retail vendor.
But -- just found out the faire is replacing him with ... a bar! Now, we can look forward to stale beer and cigarette smells and liquored up crowds still breaking the traffic flow. I'm tring to see an upside -- it will draw crowds, but they're not the type of crowds to browse and buy, they're the type that'll sit and drink.
Not too excited about it -- will see what we can make of it, but am considering relocating as well.
BTW -- the bar owner is going to be ... the Faire managers! So ... no hope of talking them out of it.
On to the weekend reading!
Our first card is -- the Four of Pentacles.
If you've been reading these posts for a while, you may remember that I promised a young couple that I would always call this card "Mr. Grumpyhead" when it came up -- so, meet Mr. Grumpyhead!
Mr. Grumpyhead is someone who has walled himself away. He's thinking "I don't need anyone, I can keep to myself and be happy". If we look at his dour expression, we can see just how happy he is. He's not noticing any of the joyous things in the world around him ... his mind is completely closed off.
There's quite a lot wrong with this card -- but one thing that strikes me is that he's static -- he's not changing or growing ... and he doesn't even realize it. He's missing out on so much; if he would just open his eyes and his heart, he'd see so many opportunities he could be joining.
What do we do? Let's look at our second card -- the Four of Swords.
This card suggests taking a step back and taking a break -- resting, relaxing, recharging. Once we're refreshed, we'll likely see things in a different manner.
Going back to Mr. Grumpyhead, we might ask how someone gets like that in the first place. I'm thinking if someone's had a bad experience -- they might close themselves off to feel safer and less vunerable.
If we instead used the Four of Swords to recover from a bad experience, we'd find ourselves more prepared to move forward rather than just sitting still. When we relax and recover, we build our strengths back up again -- and let the boo-boo's heal.
So - when you run into rough spots, take the time to recover and heal -- don't make the mistake of walling yourself away!
Make sense? Hope it's something to think about!
Have a great weekend -- I'll see you again next week!
Woodsong
Hope you've had a good week so far -- it's warming up a tiny bit here in Houston, but is expected to get really cold in about a week. 'Course, it'll probably be 80 degrees the week after that -- winter in South Texas!
I've been working on a really tough project at work - all the pieces finally came together this week and the darn thing finally worked! Big sigh of relief from over here.
On the downside -- I have a Tarot booth every spring at a Renaissance Festival near Austin (Sherwood Forest Faire). It's located at the "top" of a ring of shops on a hillside.
Two years ago, one of the retail shops in the ring and a food seller moved in. Many of the shops in the ring were clothing sellers and they complained about the food smells and grease getting into the garments they sold. The food seller is a nice guy -- but putting a food booth right next to clothing shops wasn't really a good idea.
The next year, he put up a bunch of picnic tables in front of his booth. Worked for him -- but for the rest of us, it was the same as putting up a wall. People could no longer walk "around" the ring -- they'd hit the mass of people sitting at the picnic tables and would then walk away. End result is that our foot traffic dropped by nearly 90%!
More complaints -- the food seller decided to move and the fair management said he'd be replaced by another retail vendor.
But -- just found out the faire is replacing him with ... a bar! Now, we can look forward to stale beer and cigarette smells and liquored up crowds still breaking the traffic flow. I'm tring to see an upside -- it will draw crowds, but they're not the type of crowds to browse and buy, they're the type that'll sit and drink.
Not too excited about it -- will see what we can make of it, but am considering relocating as well.
BTW -- the bar owner is going to be ... the Faire managers! So ... no hope of talking them out of it.
On to the weekend reading!
Our first card is -- the Four of Pentacles.
If you've been reading these posts for a while, you may remember that I promised a young couple that I would always call this card "Mr. Grumpyhead" when it came up -- so, meet Mr. Grumpyhead!
Mr. Grumpyhead is someone who has walled himself away. He's thinking "I don't need anyone, I can keep to myself and be happy". If we look at his dour expression, we can see just how happy he is. He's not noticing any of the joyous things in the world around him ... his mind is completely closed off.
There's quite a lot wrong with this card -- but one thing that strikes me is that he's static -- he's not changing or growing ... and he doesn't even realize it. He's missing out on so much; if he would just open his eyes and his heart, he'd see so many opportunities he could be joining.
What do we do? Let's look at our second card -- the Four of Swords.
This card suggests taking a step back and taking a break -- resting, relaxing, recharging. Once we're refreshed, we'll likely see things in a different manner.
Going back to Mr. Grumpyhead, we might ask how someone gets like that in the first place. I'm thinking if someone's had a bad experience -- they might close themselves off to feel safer and less vunerable.
If we instead used the Four of Swords to recover from a bad experience, we'd find ourselves more prepared to move forward rather than just sitting still. When we relax and recover, we build our strengths back up again -- and let the boo-boo's heal.
So - when you run into rough spots, take the time to recover and heal -- don't make the mistake of walling yourself away!
Make sense? Hope it's something to think about!
Have a great weekend -- I'll see you again next week!
Woodsong
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Change It Up!
Greetings!
Sorry to be late this week -- I had Monday off (recovering from Dickens) and had to play catchup yesterday.
Dickens was ... well, it was COLD!!!! Attendance was only 30% of normal -- the cold and winds kept the crowds away. We did okay, but was really, really glad when it was over and we could go and stay somewhere warm for a day or so.
For those who don't know, Galveston has a historic downtown area called "the Strand". First weekend in December, they do a Victorian-themed street festival called "Dickens-on-the-Strand"; the streets are closed off and many street vendors put up vending booths (including our own "Tarot by Woodsong" booth!).
We had a pretty decent spot -- just inside a busy entrance. We were the only booth on our side of the street, though (others were across the street).
Funny thing was that the big cruise ships docked about three blocks away just down the same street. These huge ships blocked much of the wind when they were there -- but when they left in the afternoon, the 35 MPH freezing winds hit us full force!
Planning ways we can heat the booth (and keep the heat in) for next year!
Let's jump into this week's reading before I get too distracted!
We'll pull two cards -- first offers a topic to consider, second offers tips to help us thing about the first.
Our first card is ... the Eight of Wands.
This is a card suggesting movement -- or "change". This disturbs a lot of people because change ... well, change might be scary. Many folks don't like change -- even if they don't like where they are, they dislike change even more!
Why dislike change -- well, because things might be worse. This is true -- but things might also be a heck of a lot better, too! That's the part we need to focus on. If we're not changing -- if we keep doing the same things the same way for the same reasons -- then we're not growing. The whole idea of this life journey we're all on is to grow and improve ourselves ... so we really need to keep an open mind about change.
Why? Well, let's look at our second card ... the Wheel of Fortune.
The Wheel reminds us that sometimes we're on the top of the world -- and other times we may feel like the world is on top of us. It's a cycle -- if you're on top, don't get too complacent, because your fortunes may fall. If you're on the bottom, don't get too discouraged because things may improve.
The real message about the Wheel is that if you take an active hand, you can extend your time on the top or hasten your rise from the bottom. Don't sit back and let events dictate things -- take an active hand to guide your fortunes.
And how do we do this? Well, not by doing the same things the same way for the same reasons -- we do it by introducing and accepting "change". Look for good things you can do to improve your fortune -- and look for bad things you can stop doing that are hindering our advancement. Find the changes that will help you the most and set them in place!
That's about it for now -- my fingers are still numb from the weekend! I'll see you again soon -- and have a great week!
Woodsong
Sorry to be late this week -- I had Monday off (recovering from Dickens) and had to play catchup yesterday.
Dickens was ... well, it was COLD!!!! Attendance was only 30% of normal -- the cold and winds kept the crowds away. We did okay, but was really, really glad when it was over and we could go and stay somewhere warm for a day or so.
For those who don't know, Galveston has a historic downtown area called "the Strand". First weekend in December, they do a Victorian-themed street festival called "Dickens-on-the-Strand"; the streets are closed off and many street vendors put up vending booths (including our own "Tarot by Woodsong" booth!).
 |
| Tarot by Woodsong at Dickens-on-the-Strand! |
We had a pretty decent spot -- just inside a busy entrance. We were the only booth on our side of the street, though (others were across the street).
Funny thing was that the big cruise ships docked about three blocks away just down the same street. These huge ships blocked much of the wind when they were there -- but when they left in the afternoon, the 35 MPH freezing winds hit us full force!
Planning ways we can heat the booth (and keep the heat in) for next year!
Let's jump into this week's reading before I get too distracted!
We'll pull two cards -- first offers a topic to consider, second offers tips to help us thing about the first.
Our first card is ... the Eight of Wands.
This is a card suggesting movement -- or "change". This disturbs a lot of people because change ... well, change might be scary. Many folks don't like change -- even if they don't like where they are, they dislike change even more!
Why dislike change -- well, because things might be worse. This is true -- but things might also be a heck of a lot better, too! That's the part we need to focus on. If we're not changing -- if we keep doing the same things the same way for the same reasons -- then we're not growing. The whole idea of this life journey we're all on is to grow and improve ourselves ... so we really need to keep an open mind about change.
Why? Well, let's look at our second card ... the Wheel of Fortune.
The Wheel reminds us that sometimes we're on the top of the world -- and other times we may feel like the world is on top of us. It's a cycle -- if you're on top, don't get too complacent, because your fortunes may fall. If you're on the bottom, don't get too discouraged because things may improve.
The real message about the Wheel is that if you take an active hand, you can extend your time on the top or hasten your rise from the bottom. Don't sit back and let events dictate things -- take an active hand to guide your fortunes.
And how do we do this? Well, not by doing the same things the same way for the same reasons -- we do it by introducing and accepting "change". Look for good things you can do to improve your fortune -- and look for bad things you can stop doing that are hindering our advancement. Find the changes that will help you the most and set them in place!
That's about it for now -- my fingers are still numb from the weekend! I'll see you again soon -- and have a great week!
Woodsong
Monday, December 02, 2013
Decisions, Decisions ...
Hi!
Hope everyone had a wonderful week last week -- for many of us, it was a Thanksgiving holiday. For my family, that means great food, great naps, football, and the movies.
We saw "Catching Fire" on Thursday -- really enjoyed it! I didn't see the Hunger Games, but have read all the books. The movie was pretty faithful to the book, so had no trouble following it. I don't get out to the movies all that often, so this was a very pleasant time.
My older son's getting out of the Navy this month. He had 30 days of leave accrued -- but Navy rules say that he can't take them all at once -- so he came home for two weeks, then is flying back for a week, then is taking the rest of his leave while he's being discharged. It's been nice to have him home -- in fact, both sons will soon be out of the Navy (youngest already is). It was a good experience for both of them and really helped point them in the right direction.
Went and did the nerve test for my hand problems (if I'd have known how much it was going to hurt, I might not have done it) -- they found some pretty severe nerve damage in both arms. Haven't talked about the next step yet, but will probably opt for the surgery.
I'd usually be more "talkative", but typing is kind of difficult (well, typing is actually fairly easy. Hitting the right keys is pretty difficult!) right now, so will be kind of brief. My apologies; hope to make up for it after my hands are working again.
Almost done -- "Dickens on the Strand" is this weekend in Galveston! I'll be down there doing tarot readings -- if you're there, come by and say "Hi"! (look for the green-and-red booth -- I think I'm in location 716)
Okay -- time for the reading! We'll draw two cards -- the first offers something for us to think about, the second suggests things we might consider when doing so.
Our first card is ... The Two of Swords.
The Two of Swords is a decision card. It suggests times when we're faced with having to make a decision about something -- likely a difficult decision. What most of us do when facing a weighty decision is to "stall" -- we're not sure what to choose, so we put it off and don't do anything. We might say "I'll think more about it tomorrow" or "I'll decide later", but what we're really doing is stalling.
The thing about stalling is that it in itself is a decision -- by not choosing anything, we're committing ourselves to a course of action. We're having to do whatever it is that happens when we don't choose our own course!
In my mind, it's always better to make your own choices rather than have them be made for you.
What's the worst that can happen? You might make a poor decision? So what if you do? You just correct it, change your mind, backtrack, solve the problems ... and learn from your decision so you can make a better choice next time!
What do we have to help us make our decision? Let's look at our next card -- the Nine of Pentacles.
This is a card of comfortable affluence. This is a person who's made wised decisions based on their personal financial and physical welfare and is enjoying the results of these wise decisions.
What this suggests is that we really take into consideration how our decisions may affect our personal fiscal well-being. Rather than just going on "gut-feeling", maybe we should run some numbers to see what makes the most sense. Having issues with the old car and want a new one? What will is cost per year to maintain the old one? Will it be more than the payments (plus maintenance) for the new one? Should you spend a bonus on spiffing up your wardrobe -- or pay off a credit card instead?
What will aid you most in the long run? Sometimes the "wise" decision isn't the "fun" one -- take a little time to try and identify what makes the most sense.
And that's it for now! Have a great week -- I'll try to catch you again before "Dickens"!
Woodsong
Hope everyone had a wonderful week last week -- for many of us, it was a Thanksgiving holiday. For my family, that means great food, great naps, football, and the movies.
We saw "Catching Fire" on Thursday -- really enjoyed it! I didn't see the Hunger Games, but have read all the books. The movie was pretty faithful to the book, so had no trouble following it. I don't get out to the movies all that often, so this was a very pleasant time.
My older son's getting out of the Navy this month. He had 30 days of leave accrued -- but Navy rules say that he can't take them all at once -- so he came home for two weeks, then is flying back for a week, then is taking the rest of his leave while he's being discharged. It's been nice to have him home -- in fact, both sons will soon be out of the Navy (youngest already is). It was a good experience for both of them and really helped point them in the right direction.
Went and did the nerve test for my hand problems (if I'd have known how much it was going to hurt, I might not have done it) -- they found some pretty severe nerve damage in both arms. Haven't talked about the next step yet, but will probably opt for the surgery.
I'd usually be more "talkative", but typing is kind of difficult (well, typing is actually fairly easy. Hitting the right keys is pretty difficult!) right now, so will be kind of brief. My apologies; hope to make up for it after my hands are working again.
Almost done -- "Dickens on the Strand" is this weekend in Galveston! I'll be down there doing tarot readings -- if you're there, come by and say "Hi"! (look for the green-and-red booth -- I think I'm in location 716)
Okay -- time for the reading! We'll draw two cards -- the first offers something for us to think about, the second suggests things we might consider when doing so.
Our first card is ... The Two of Swords.
The Two of Swords is a decision card. It suggests times when we're faced with having to make a decision about something -- likely a difficult decision. What most of us do when facing a weighty decision is to "stall" -- we're not sure what to choose, so we put it off and don't do anything. We might say "I'll think more about it tomorrow" or "I'll decide later", but what we're really doing is stalling.
The thing about stalling is that it in itself is a decision -- by not choosing anything, we're committing ourselves to a course of action. We're having to do whatever it is that happens when we don't choose our own course!
In my mind, it's always better to make your own choices rather than have them be made for you.
What's the worst that can happen? You might make a poor decision? So what if you do? You just correct it, change your mind, backtrack, solve the problems ... and learn from your decision so you can make a better choice next time!
What do we have to help us make our decision? Let's look at our next card -- the Nine of Pentacles.
This is a card of comfortable affluence. This is a person who's made wised decisions based on their personal financial and physical welfare and is enjoying the results of these wise decisions.
What this suggests is that we really take into consideration how our decisions may affect our personal fiscal well-being. Rather than just going on "gut-feeling", maybe we should run some numbers to see what makes the most sense. Having issues with the old car and want a new one? What will is cost per year to maintain the old one? Will it be more than the payments (plus maintenance) for the new one? Should you spend a bonus on spiffing up your wardrobe -- or pay off a credit card instead?
What will aid you most in the long run? Sometimes the "wise" decision isn't the "fun" one -- take a little time to try and identify what makes the most sense.
And that's it for now! Have a great week -- I'll try to catch you again before "Dickens"!
Woodsong
Friday, November 15, 2013
Plan!
Greetings!
Hope your week's been treating you well -- I've had another busy one here. Got to most of the things I had planned -- as well as a few that weren't planned.
The biggest unplanned one was a dentist visit for a toothache that turned into a massive root canal ordeal. Had that Wednesday; am still drugged up because of it. That, combined with my carpal tunnel hands, has resulted in some very interesting typing and spelling. Every time I hit the spacebar, I also hit the "m" key. I'm going back and correcting as I type, but I'm sure I'll miss some.
Let's jump into a reading for this weekend -- again, we'll pull two cards. First offers a starting point -- second suggests where we can go if we implement that starting point.
Our first card -- is The Emperor!
Interesting -- we began with this card in our last reading! Guess he's not finished with us yet.
Rather than repeat what this card suggests (it's the same as last time), I'll just short-cut it a little. The Emperor is about preparing to ensure a good, solid infrastructure -- not about enjoying the results of that infrastructure. The Emperor cares about planting the fields rather than thinking about the harvest -- because he knows you have to plant before you can harvest! Because of this, he usually sees the big picture and plans well for the future. He doesn't get impatient waiting for results ... he knows that if you prepare properly, the results will come in time.
Well, if we take the long view ... if we plan things out and prepare accordingly, what can we expect?
Our next card suggests exactly that -- the Three of Cups.
This is a celebration card -- it suggests that things work out and we attain success. Furthermore, it's more of a "we earned it", not a "we were given it" type of success. You have to work for it -- but if you do, you gain the success you deserve. Furthermore, since you do work for it, you'll appreciate it more!
So -- think about spending a little more time planning. I know it's easiest just to "go with the flow" and deal with things as they happen -- but if you really want to attain something, you're best served by following a plan. Whether that's schooling or experience to gain a better job, wanting to further a relationship, or even advancing to better housing, you'll further your chances of success by careful planning --and then following (and adjusting as necessary) that plan!
That's it for now -- hope you have a great weekend!
Woodsong
Hope your week's been treating you well -- I've had another busy one here. Got to most of the things I had planned -- as well as a few that weren't planned.
The biggest unplanned one was a dentist visit for a toothache that turned into a massive root canal ordeal. Had that Wednesday; am still drugged up because of it. That, combined with my carpal tunnel hands, has resulted in some very interesting typing and spelling. Every time I hit the spacebar, I also hit the "m" key. I'm going back and correcting as I type, but I'm sure I'll miss some.
Let's jump into a reading for this weekend -- again, we'll pull two cards. First offers a starting point -- second suggests where we can go if we implement that starting point.
Our first card -- is The Emperor!
Interesting -- we began with this card in our last reading! Guess he's not finished with us yet.
Rather than repeat what this card suggests (it's the same as last time), I'll just short-cut it a little. The Emperor is about preparing to ensure a good, solid infrastructure -- not about enjoying the results of that infrastructure. The Emperor cares about planting the fields rather than thinking about the harvest -- because he knows you have to plant before you can harvest! Because of this, he usually sees the big picture and plans well for the future. He doesn't get impatient waiting for results ... he knows that if you prepare properly, the results will come in time.
Well, if we take the long view ... if we plan things out and prepare accordingly, what can we expect?
Our next card suggests exactly that -- the Three of Cups.
This is a celebration card -- it suggests that things work out and we attain success. Furthermore, it's more of a "we earned it", not a "we were given it" type of success. You have to work for it -- but if you do, you gain the success you deserve. Furthermore, since you do work for it, you'll appreciate it more!
So -- think about spending a little more time planning. I know it's easiest just to "go with the flow" and deal with things as they happen -- but if you really want to attain something, you're best served by following a plan. Whether that's schooling or experience to gain a better job, wanting to further a relationship, or even advancing to better housing, you'll further your chances of success by careful planning --and then following (and adjusting as necessary) that plan!
That's it for now -- hope you have a great weekend!
Woodsong
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Make It So
Hi All!
Hope your week's begun well -- I've had one of those days where you're so busy you don't notice time passing. S'good most of the time -- except when you notice the time and say "Oh no, I wanted to do the reading this morning!"
Back to that in a minute -- wanted to tell you about something fun that I did the other day. Way back in my ill-spent youth, I used to play in a rock 'n roll band. Played bass, guitar, and keyboards. We were actually pretty decent and toured around the southern states.
Played in a jazz band in college -- and playing in a band with horns is a really cool experience. That was all many, many years ago, though. Haven't played in a group since.
Until the other day -- found a local Meetup group of younger folk and "old farts" who get together each month to play old standards. I was originally supposed to play trumpet, but the keyboard player didn't show so I played keys instead.
It was a complete blast! We played old blues, Buddy Holly, BB King, Ray Charles, Elvis, Allman Brothers, Santana, etc, etc. Even took solo's on the organ -- something I haven't done in over 35 years!
So now I'm motivated -- there's also a jazz group with brass section, so I'm practicing on my trumpet (actually a cornet). You may remember me talking this summer about a jazz class I took -- I'm able to apply all the jazz information to trumpet and it's really opened up my eyes (and ears).
I had forgotten how much fun this stuff is!
Enough about me -- let's jump into this week's reading. We'll again pull two cards -- the first offers a beginning point to think about; the second offers tips on how we might best implement the first card.
Our first card is -- The Emperor.
The Emperor is about responsibilities -- he cares for his people and is happiest when they're happy. The Emperor doesn't care about driving a fancy car -- but he does care about the roads being in good shape. He doesn't care about having an impressive job title -- but he cares about doing a good job. He's not impressed with empty titles -- but he is impressed by wisdom. He doesn't care about symbolism -- but he does care about substance. He knows that in order for those he cares about to thrive, they need the infrastructure to be effective.
An Emperor moment -- he determines what his people need to be productive, then he puts that in place so that his people can be productive. Actions please him, not praise or platitudes.
Another Emperor moment -- determine what you need ... then get it done! Results matter!
How can our next card help us here -- the Queen of Wands.
This Queen tends to be strong, active and confident -- if you need things done, she's the gal you want to talk to.
She has the skills you need to make things happen -- she has focus, she can work independently, she's creative in resolving problems, and she has energy to attack issues. Most important, she KNOWS she's going to succeed -- mainly because she's done it before.
By the way -- notice that black cat sitting in front of the Queen? That reminds us that there could be a dark side once this Queen gets going. She can be stubborn, she can be overbearing, she can drive her subordinates crazy, she can't understand why other people don't see issues the same way she can. Be wary and try to avoid these traps.
When we put these cards together -- what's that line in Star Trek? "Make it so." That's what these two cards suggest.
The Emperor suggests where we should look to find things we can improve -- that we should look closely around ourselves. The things that matter most will be the things that affect the people we care about (including ourselves!).
Once we've located an area we can improve, the Queen suggests we get right down to "Making it so". Be focused, be confident, be strong -- we've all been around the block ... we know what we need to do to make things happen. Again, "Make it so"!
And that's probably a good place to start our week -- let's show ourselves how productive and effective we can really be!
I'll be back later with more -- until then, have a great week!
Woodsong
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
If you really care ...
Hi All!
I'm day late -- had the day off yesterday and caught up on some reading (and sleeping!)
Read Tarot at the Middlefaire Renaissance fest up in Hillsboro, Texas this past weekend. It's a small faire, but was nicely done. I accidentally set up my booth off the beaten track (I was supposed to set up in back of the tavern -- but I couldn't figure out which side was the back. I guessed -- and guessed wrong!) but still was able to visit with a number of very nice people.
My main incentive was to give my "portable Tarot booth" a test run -- glad I did, discovered some
changes I need to make. Also was glad to see it held up well to the relentless winds in Central Texas!
Hillsboro is near Czech country -- we had a school bus of young folk show up Saturday to perform Czech folk dances. Very energetic and entertaining! Sunday's dancing was interesting as well -- the "jesters" led the entire royal court in the "Time Warp"!
Only downside is that my carpal tunnel has gotten really intense and painful. Feels like I'm typing with a catcher's mitt on; I'm mis-spelling almost every word and having to go back and correct constantly. Please excuse me if you find some errors I've missed!
I'm starting to think I might ask the doctor's to cut after all.
Let's jump into the reading this week! First card offers a starting point to think about; second card offers suggestions regarding how we can best realize the benefits of that starting point.
Our first card is ... The Empress
This card is a nurturing and compassionate card -- if you think of an Earth Mother, you'll be close to the idea. This is a caring card -- caring both for people and also for nature. This is a creative card as well as being a sensitive card. This card doesn't just want good things to happen to those in her care, it wants to make good things happen.
So -- think of the people you care about, think about projects or issues you care about. Not only political issues, but also personal issues -- maybe even things like arranging new seating in an backyard garden. This card wants to care about -- and enjoy -- the physical environment surrounding her.
Now, think about things you'd like to have happen to improve the things and the people you care about. How can you best achieve these things? Let's see what our second card suggests ...
Our next card is ... the Ten of Wands.
When you look at this image, you see someone carrying a heavy load. I get the impression that this person also carried a heavy load yesterday and again on the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before ...
Even though this card suggests a weighty task, this person is not broken down by the task. He was successful in the past ... and he expects to be successful in the future. He's learned that hard work is necessary to achieve the things he wants -- and he's not scared off by the challenge. When he looks at a task, he sees the reward at the end of the task and isn't daunted by the requirements of actually performing the task.
So .. our Empress sees what she would like to achieve -- and our Ten of Wands reminds us that putting in an honest effort is the most assured way of achieving what we want. It may take time -- and it may not be easy -- but if we put in the effort, it's certain we'll achieve our goal.
Just caring about something isn't enough. We have to care enough so that we put in the work to get there -- that's the real sort of caring that's most meaningful!
And that's it for now -- will see you again later this week! Hope you have a good one!
Woodsong
I'm day late -- had the day off yesterday and caught up on some reading (and sleeping!)
Read Tarot at the Middlefaire Renaissance fest up in Hillsboro, Texas this past weekend. It's a small faire, but was nicely done. I accidentally set up my booth off the beaten track (I was supposed to set up in back of the tavern -- but I couldn't figure out which side was the back. I guessed -- and guessed wrong!) but still was able to visit with a number of very nice people.
My main incentive was to give my "portable Tarot booth" a test run -- glad I did, discovered some
 |
| Portable Tarot Booth at Middlefaire in Hillsboro, TX |
Hillsboro is near Czech country -- we had a school bus of young folk show up Saturday to perform Czech folk dances. Very energetic and entertaining! Sunday's dancing was interesting as well -- the "jesters" led the entire royal court in the "Time Warp"!
Only downside is that my carpal tunnel has gotten really intense and painful. Feels like I'm typing with a catcher's mitt on; I'm mis-spelling almost every word and having to go back and correct constantly. Please excuse me if you find some errors I've missed!
I'm starting to think I might ask the doctor's to cut after all.
Let's jump into the reading this week! First card offers a starting point to think about; second card offers suggestions regarding how we can best realize the benefits of that starting point.
Our first card is ... The Empress
This card is a nurturing and compassionate card -- if you think of an Earth Mother, you'll be close to the idea. This is a caring card -- caring both for people and also for nature. This is a creative card as well as being a sensitive card. This card doesn't just want good things to happen to those in her care, it wants to make good things happen.
So -- think of the people you care about, think about projects or issues you care about. Not only political issues, but also personal issues -- maybe even things like arranging new seating in an backyard garden. This card wants to care about -- and enjoy -- the physical environment surrounding her.
Now, think about things you'd like to have happen to improve the things and the people you care about. How can you best achieve these things? Let's see what our second card suggests ...
Our next card is ... the Ten of Wands.
When you look at this image, you see someone carrying a heavy load. I get the impression that this person also carried a heavy load yesterday and again on the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before ...
Even though this card suggests a weighty task, this person is not broken down by the task. He was successful in the past ... and he expects to be successful in the future. He's learned that hard work is necessary to achieve the things he wants -- and he's not scared off by the challenge. When he looks at a task, he sees the reward at the end of the task and isn't daunted by the requirements of actually performing the task.
So .. our Empress sees what she would like to achieve -- and our Ten of Wands reminds us that putting in an honest effort is the most assured way of achieving what we want. It may take time -- and it may not be easy -- but if we put in the effort, it's certain we'll achieve our goal.
Just caring about something isn't enough. We have to care enough so that we put in the work to get there -- that's the real sort of caring that's most meaningful!
And that's it for now -- will see you again later this week! Hope you have a good one!
Woodsong
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Don't Sit Still
Hi Everyone!
Sorry I'm late this week -- Monday and Tuesday were incredibly hectic!
Some good news regarding my recent theft -- we found out who did it (it was our houseguest). He sold all the guitars to local pawn shops and a Guitar Center -- they have his picture, video surveillance, and his ID confirming all of this. My daughter has gone pit bull with ther police -- she called every ten minutes demanding they schedule an investigating officer. They finally did (probalby to quiet her) -- this would normally take months to do. She gave him all the information; they've issued a felony warrant for his arrest. We also have two people who drove him to the local stores who will testify against him (he told them his dad had given him the guitars). Turns out he stole some jewelry from one of them as well.
Total cost of the stolen items is now over $20,000 ... this pushes it into a more serious felony (doubling the jail time).
Don't know if I'll get my stuff back -- not sure how it works. Cops said "Sure, you'll get it back", stores have said "Sure, we'll sell it back to you".
Still, it's a good start to the week for me. Heading up to Middlefaire in Hillsboro this weekend. If you're in the area, come pass by and say hello!
How about we jump into this week's reading?
Our first card is -- the Eight of Pentacles.
This card suggests that pleasant feeling we enjoy when we're learning and applying newly learned skills. It suggests the sort of focus we have during this time. This type of exercise does take some effort -- but it's the type of effort we don't mind ... because what we get back from the effort makes it worthwhile.
Let's see what our second card suggests about how we might apply this effort -- the Nine of Cups.
I call this one the "Fat and Happy" card -- doesn't mean you'll be fat and happy, but does suggest taking time and being able to enjoy and appreciate the things we've earned. Sounds kind of obvious, but many of us don't take the time to slow down and appreciate the fruits of our labor.
When we put them together, we might ask "Why should we commit ourselves to a project?" The answer ... "Because you'll enjoy the process -- plus, you'll be able to enjoy what you've earned because of that effort."
It's hard to sit pat with the skills you may have. There's always something new to learn ... you never really stop learning. How can we see this learning process as something to enjoy rather than something to fear? Just remember how good it feels when you learn a new skill -- you feel so much more capable and pleased with yourself. Then think about the extra benefits you may gain because of the learning -- new job assignments, praise, maybe even some monetary or physical benefits.
Basically, you become a more capable and better person. And ... that's how it's supposed to work! Don't sit still -- keep moving, learning, and growing. The payoff makes it worth the effort.
And that's it for now -- I'll be travelling Friday, so may not make it in time for the weekend reading ... but I'll try to do so!
Woodsong
Sorry I'm late this week -- Monday and Tuesday were incredibly hectic!
Some good news regarding my recent theft -- we found out who did it (it was our houseguest). He sold all the guitars to local pawn shops and a Guitar Center -- they have his picture, video surveillance, and his ID confirming all of this. My daughter has gone pit bull with ther police -- she called every ten minutes demanding they schedule an investigating officer. They finally did (probalby to quiet her) -- this would normally take months to do. She gave him all the information; they've issued a felony warrant for his arrest. We also have two people who drove him to the local stores who will testify against him (he told them his dad had given him the guitars). Turns out he stole some jewelry from one of them as well.
Total cost of the stolen items is now over $20,000 ... this pushes it into a more serious felony (doubling the jail time).
Don't know if I'll get my stuff back -- not sure how it works. Cops said "Sure, you'll get it back", stores have said "Sure, we'll sell it back to you".
Still, it's a good start to the week for me. Heading up to Middlefaire in Hillsboro this weekend. If you're in the area, come pass by and say hello!
How about we jump into this week's reading?
Our first card is -- the Eight of Pentacles.
This card suggests that pleasant feeling we enjoy when we're learning and applying newly learned skills. It suggests the sort of focus we have during this time. This type of exercise does take some effort -- but it's the type of effort we don't mind ... because what we get back from the effort makes it worthwhile.
Let's see what our second card suggests about how we might apply this effort -- the Nine of Cups.
I call this one the "Fat and Happy" card -- doesn't mean you'll be fat and happy, but does suggest taking time and being able to enjoy and appreciate the things we've earned. Sounds kind of obvious, but many of us don't take the time to slow down and appreciate the fruits of our labor.
When we put them together, we might ask "Why should we commit ourselves to a project?" The answer ... "Because you'll enjoy the process -- plus, you'll be able to enjoy what you've earned because of that effort."
It's hard to sit pat with the skills you may have. There's always something new to learn ... you never really stop learning. How can we see this learning process as something to enjoy rather than something to fear? Just remember how good it feels when you learn a new skill -- you feel so much more capable and pleased with yourself. Then think about the extra benefits you may gain because of the learning -- new job assignments, praise, maybe even some monetary or physical benefits.
Basically, you become a more capable and better person. And ... that's how it's supposed to work! Don't sit still -- keep moving, learning, and growing. The payoff makes it worth the effort.
And that's it for now -- I'll be travelling Friday, so may not make it in time for the weekend reading ... but I'll try to do so!
Woodsong
Friday, October 25, 2013
Keep Earning It!
Greetings!
Hope your week's been going well -- mine has been pretty busy, but pretty productive, too.
I'm heading up to Middlefaire in Hillsboro, Texas next weekend; had to go to Fort Worth this week and found a new route in the process! Much easier than what I've normally done. I can take the same route to Hillsboro, so I'm pretty pleased.
My daughter's off to have some (elective) surgery this afternoon. I'm not supposed to know what it's for (tatoo removal? I wish!), but have to take the afternoon off to do driving duty. I don't mind sitting in waiting rooms -- get to catch up on reading!
Let's jump into this weekend's reading ...
Our first card is -- the Six of Wands.
This card is a celebration card -- it suggests those times when we've been successful and that success is being acknowledged. The message here is "You earned it, so enjoy it!" Seems a ridiculously obvious thing to say, but society tells us we should be humble. Humility is fine -- but you want to be realistic as well. It's okay to feel good when you come out on top!
There's a slightly darker side to this message, though. It's saying "You did well today -- but don't get cocky ... tomorrow's a new day!." It's reminding us that we face challenges every day. Just because we're successful one day doesn't mean we don't need to put forth an effort the next day.
And our second card refers to this -- the Three of Swords.
If I were ever tempted to remove one card from the deck, it would be the Three of Swords. It suggests heartbreak -- great sadness.
In this shared context with the Six of Wands, I see it leaning towards that darker side of the Six.
It's okay to be confident -- to assume you'll be successful in the future just as you may have been successful in the past or present. However, that doesn't mean it's automatic -- you have to face your challenges and put forth a good effort to overcome those challenges.
None of us are entitled -- if you want something, you have to work for it and earn it. Don't sit back and expect it to happen -- you must make it happen!
Hope you have a great weekend -- I'll see you again next week!
Woodsong
Hope your week's been going well -- mine has been pretty busy, but pretty productive, too.
I'm heading up to Middlefaire in Hillsboro, Texas next weekend; had to go to Fort Worth this week and found a new route in the process! Much easier than what I've normally done. I can take the same route to Hillsboro, so I'm pretty pleased.
My daughter's off to have some (elective) surgery this afternoon. I'm not supposed to know what it's for (tatoo removal? I wish!), but have to take the afternoon off to do driving duty. I don't mind sitting in waiting rooms -- get to catch up on reading!
Let's jump into this weekend's reading ...
Our first card is -- the Six of Wands.
This card is a celebration card -- it suggests those times when we've been successful and that success is being acknowledged. The message here is "You earned it, so enjoy it!" Seems a ridiculously obvious thing to say, but society tells us we should be humble. Humility is fine -- but you want to be realistic as well. It's okay to feel good when you come out on top!
There's a slightly darker side to this message, though. It's saying "You did well today -- but don't get cocky ... tomorrow's a new day!." It's reminding us that we face challenges every day. Just because we're successful one day doesn't mean we don't need to put forth an effort the next day.
And our second card refers to this -- the Three of Swords.
If I were ever tempted to remove one card from the deck, it would be the Three of Swords. It suggests heartbreak -- great sadness.
In this shared context with the Six of Wands, I see it leaning towards that darker side of the Six.
It's okay to be confident -- to assume you'll be successful in the future just as you may have been successful in the past or present. However, that doesn't mean it's automatic -- you have to face your challenges and put forth a good effort to overcome those challenges.
None of us are entitled -- if you want something, you have to work for it and earn it. Don't sit back and expect it to happen -- you must make it happen!
Hope you have a great weekend -- I'll see you again next week!
Woodsong
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
The Sun Will Rise!
Hi All,
Sorry I missed yesterday -- this week's started off very busy for me.
Hope you had a good weekend -- we had some company and did the Renaissance Festival thing. Had a really good time -- but also had something unfortunate happen.
Some of you long-timers may remember I've had a couple of instances where someone snuck into my house and stole guitars. Happened again this past week -- they took 16 guitars, 3 mandolins, and a viola (about $15,000 total worth) What's screwy is they left most of the guitar cases!
We've had a house guest (one of my daughter's friends) who was supposed to only stay for a weekend while his new apartment was readied. Ended out lasting almost three months! We don't know 100% that he took the gear, but we do know he constantly left our house unlocked (even after being told not to do so) when he was gone during the day.
We'll do the police report thing this afternoon -- although I'm not expecting the police to do anything. The first time I had guitars stolen, I watched the thief auction them off one at a time on Ebay. Reported each one and the name of the seller to the police as it appeared; they did nothing. The second time I had guitars stolen, my son actually caught the thief inside our locked house (he had climbed in a window). The police again did nothing. I don't expect anything different this time.
Anyway, it's a new day and a new week. Not going to let it get me down!
How about a reading to start our week -- we'll again draw two cards. The first offers a suggestion to consider; the second offers perspectives we might use to help us think about the first card.
Our first card is -- the Six of Swords.
I've mentioned before that when you see an old black-and-white movie where the gypsy fortune teller pulls a card and says "Oh, you will be taking a trip over water" ... this is the card she pulled.
It doesn't mean you'll be taking a trip over water -- but does suggest some sort of change you might be considering. One of the reasons we fear change (even if we want it) is because we fear the uncertainty it involves. "Things might be worse if I change!" True -- but they might be a heck of a lot better, too!
It's normal to feel unsure when you're considering change. When you're in this situation, it helps to recall the reasons you're considering change in the first place. Want a better job? A better living environment? New relationship? These are types of reasons for change. Think about the reasons you desire change and it helps get you over the uncertainty involved in making that change.
Our second card suggests what we may encounter during a change -- The Sun.
One thing that you always know -- the Sun will rise! When you're unsure about things, you know that you'll eventually be able to clear away that uncertainty in order to analyze things as they really are -- so don't shy away from issues because you're unsure about them! Of course you're going to be unsure about something new -- but as you learn more, you'll be able to view and know them clearly. Just let the Sun rise!
Hope your week goes well -- I'm off on the road tomorrow, but hope to be back in time for a weekend reading. Talk to you later!
Woodsong
Monday, October 14, 2013
Confidence Gets You Through!
Hi!
Hope you had a good weekend -- we had a wet one! Didn't get the flooding that other areas in Southeast Texas received, but a good soaking.
Did a little woodworking, watched some football -- fall weekends in Texas! My favorite time of year.
I appreciate the feedback on the radio show -- and I think the Youtube channel might be the best way to start. I'll have to find a young person to show me how to use my camera first, but I hope to have something started in a week or so. I'll keep you posted when something happens!
Let's move on to our reading to start the week -- we'll again draw two cards. One offers a thought to get us in motion, the second refines that thought so we can best utilize it.
Our first card -- the Knight of Swords.
I've said before, some cards are masculine, some are feminine. The Knight of Swords is probably the most testosterone-laden card in the deck! In the deck I use (Robin Wood), the knight has a sword, he's riding a horse ... and it can fly! What can possibly be more "guy" than that?
This is actually a good card -- it's full of energy and full of confidence. This knight sees a challenge and is charging off after it. He's eager to solve the issue!
His weakness is his eagerness -- he's so quick to act that he often misreads the challenge. He's charging off for a solution in one direction -- but may be more successful if he looks in a different direction.
Sometimes the core issues aren't blatantly obvious -- we have to reason things out in order to understand them. Only then can we make a careful and thoughtful decision regarding how to approach our problems.
Not to say the Knight of Swords won't be successful -- but he's probably not going to be efficient and may make several false starts before he finds the right course.
False starts can cause us to lose confidence -- we'll win if we stick to it, but constant failing makes it hard to stay the course.
Let's see how our second card can help -- the King of Wands.
If this King were a person, he'd be a very successful businessman -- or maybe a powerful and benevolent statesman. He's extremely confident -- this spreads to his followers; they become confident, too. This King believes in himself and in the rightness of his actions. He knows the right thing to do and he is confident that he will reach the outcome he's chosen.
When we look at both of these cards, we see that the danger of the energetic Knight is that he may lose confidence -- especially if he fails a few times. The King, on the other hand, is supremely sure of himself. The King tells us to remain confident in ourselves and our ability to achieve what we desire.
Let's use the energy of the Knight -- and try to temper and guide this Knight with a little evaluation -- and use the confidence of the King to get us through any temporary setbacks we may encounter. These are merely stumbling blocks -- we can overcome them!
And that's it for now -- hope your week goes well! I'll be back with more later ...
Woodsong
Hope you had a good weekend -- we had a wet one! Didn't get the flooding that other areas in Southeast Texas received, but a good soaking.
Did a little woodworking, watched some football -- fall weekends in Texas! My favorite time of year.
I appreciate the feedback on the radio show -- and I think the Youtube channel might be the best way to start. I'll have to find a young person to show me how to use my camera first, but I hope to have something started in a week or so. I'll keep you posted when something happens!
Let's move on to our reading to start the week -- we'll again draw two cards. One offers a thought to get us in motion, the second refines that thought so we can best utilize it.
Our first card -- the Knight of Swords.
I've said before, some cards are masculine, some are feminine. The Knight of Swords is probably the most testosterone-laden card in the deck! In the deck I use (Robin Wood), the knight has a sword, he's riding a horse ... and it can fly! What can possibly be more "guy" than that?
This is actually a good card -- it's full of energy and full of confidence. This knight sees a challenge and is charging off after it. He's eager to solve the issue!
His weakness is his eagerness -- he's so quick to act that he often misreads the challenge. He's charging off for a solution in one direction -- but may be more successful if he looks in a different direction.
Sometimes the core issues aren't blatantly obvious -- we have to reason things out in order to understand them. Only then can we make a careful and thoughtful decision regarding how to approach our problems.
Not to say the Knight of Swords won't be successful -- but he's probably not going to be efficient and may make several false starts before he finds the right course.
False starts can cause us to lose confidence -- we'll win if we stick to it, but constant failing makes it hard to stay the course.
Let's see how our second card can help -- the King of Wands.
If this King were a person, he'd be a very successful businessman -- or maybe a powerful and benevolent statesman. He's extremely confident -- this spreads to his followers; they become confident, too. This King believes in himself and in the rightness of his actions. He knows the right thing to do and he is confident that he will reach the outcome he's chosen.
When we look at both of these cards, we see that the danger of the energetic Knight is that he may lose confidence -- especially if he fails a few times. The King, on the other hand, is supremely sure of himself. The King tells us to remain confident in ourselves and our ability to achieve what we desire.
Let's use the energy of the Knight -- and try to temper and guide this Knight with a little evaluation -- and use the confidence of the King to get us through any temporary setbacks we may encounter. These are merely stumbling blocks -- we can overcome them!
And that's it for now -- hope your week goes well! I'll be back with more later ...
Woodsong
Monday, October 07, 2013
Be Optimistic -- New Challenges!
Hi All!
Ready to start a new week? I know, I know!
The weather took a turn here in Houston over the weekend -- we had a real cold front come through Sunday. Temps in the low 70's; people in Houston are trying to remember where they stored their winter gear!
It rarely gets really cold (like down to freezing) in Houston. When it's in the "cool" range (which means anything below 70 and 50 degrees), we break out our sweaters. When it's "cold" (read between 50 and 40 degrees), we break out the winter coats. Not sure what we do when it's "freezing" -- it just doesn't happen all that often!
One year, we had a fluke cold front that unexpectedly brought temps down to the mid-40's. I had no idea where our cold-weather gear was, so ended out sewing up a handful of quick-and-easy fleece earbands (take a look at Fleece Ear Warmers!)
The only downside to our "cold" fronts is that our normal "hot" weather usually returns after just a few days. I remember days in February where we hit 100 degrees!
It's not as bad as it might seem -- we spend a lot of time in air-conditioning!
Before I jump into this week's reading, let me ask you a question. I've been considering hosting a weekly web-based radio show -- probably about a 15 minutes segment. You could listen to it either online or via phone at a toll-free number. You can even post questions and comments.
Question is: Do you think I should do it? Would you be interested in listening if if I do so? If so, what times/days do you think would work best? I did a test show last week at 4:30 CST on Friday afternoon. Do you think earlier is better? Or later? Different day?
I'll look forward to hearing what you think -- just leave a comment below to let me know.
Okay, now lets jump into this week's reading -- we'll again pull two cards. The first suggests some starting point to consider; the second offers some perspectives we might want to consider.
Our first card is ... The Fool!
It's hard not to like this card. It suggests innocence, excitement, looking only to the positive and ignoring the negative. It suggests new engagements, new directions, new potential and possibilities. It only sees the good side, not the bad side.
True, it sometimes gets into trouble with this approach (it is called The Fool, after all!); but it also can stumble into grand situations. Remember, this card doesn't mean you follow this approach throughout your experience with a new situation -- just that you let your optimism lead you into potentially good situations. After all, if we always look at the negative side of things, we'll never get out of bed in the morning!
It's good to be blindly optimistic about good prospects sometimes -- but once we get moving, what should we consider as we deal with issues?
Our second card suggestion -- the Eight of Pentacles.
This is actually a good follow for The Fool. The Eight of Pentacles isn't afraid of new endeavors. He enjoys taking on new challenges and learning new skills; he isn't afraid to put in a solid effort to help himself succeed. In fact, if the Fool suggests the beginning point, the Eight is a perfect mid-point. This Eight isn't really worried about the end result yet. He finds comfort in doing the work necessary to lay the groundwork so that he can achieve his ultimate success. He's not impatient -- because he's enjoying the learning and effort involved in the mid-point work.
Will you succeed? Maybe so, maybe not -- but The Fool will get you going ... and the Eight of Pentacles helps you through the mid-game. Play these two right to lay a solid foundation to increase your chances of achieving your goals!
That's it for today -- hope your week goes well ... and keep looking for opportunity!
Oh -- and be sure and let me know what you think about the radio show!
Woodsong
Ready to start a new week? I know, I know!
The weather took a turn here in Houston over the weekend -- we had a real cold front come through Sunday. Temps in the low 70's; people in Houston are trying to remember where they stored their winter gear!
It rarely gets really cold (like down to freezing) in Houston. When it's in the "cool" range (which means anything below 70 and 50 degrees), we break out our sweaters. When it's "cold" (read between 50 and 40 degrees), we break out the winter coats. Not sure what we do when it's "freezing" -- it just doesn't happen all that often!
One year, we had a fluke cold front that unexpectedly brought temps down to the mid-40's. I had no idea where our cold-weather gear was, so ended out sewing up a handful of quick-and-easy fleece earbands (take a look at Fleece Ear Warmers!)
The only downside to our "cold" fronts is that our normal "hot" weather usually returns after just a few days. I remember days in February where we hit 100 degrees!
It's not as bad as it might seem -- we spend a lot of time in air-conditioning!
Before I jump into this week's reading, let me ask you a question. I've been considering hosting a weekly web-based radio show -- probably about a 15 minutes segment. You could listen to it either online or via phone at a toll-free number. You can even post questions and comments.
Question is: Do you think I should do it? Would you be interested in listening if if I do so? If so, what times/days do you think would work best? I did a test show last week at 4:30 CST on Friday afternoon. Do you think earlier is better? Or later? Different day?
I'll look forward to hearing what you think -- just leave a comment below to let me know.
Okay, now lets jump into this week's reading -- we'll again pull two cards. The first suggests some starting point to consider; the second offers some perspectives we might want to consider.
Our first card is ... The Fool!
It's hard not to like this card. It suggests innocence, excitement, looking only to the positive and ignoring the negative. It suggests new engagements, new directions, new potential and possibilities. It only sees the good side, not the bad side.
True, it sometimes gets into trouble with this approach (it is called The Fool, after all!); but it also can stumble into grand situations. Remember, this card doesn't mean you follow this approach throughout your experience with a new situation -- just that you let your optimism lead you into potentially good situations. After all, if we always look at the negative side of things, we'll never get out of bed in the morning!
It's good to be blindly optimistic about good prospects sometimes -- but once we get moving, what should we consider as we deal with issues?
Our second card suggestion -- the Eight of Pentacles.
This is actually a good follow for The Fool. The Eight of Pentacles isn't afraid of new endeavors. He enjoys taking on new challenges and learning new skills; he isn't afraid to put in a solid effort to help himself succeed. In fact, if the Fool suggests the beginning point, the Eight is a perfect mid-point. This Eight isn't really worried about the end result yet. He finds comfort in doing the work necessary to lay the groundwork so that he can achieve his ultimate success. He's not impatient -- because he's enjoying the learning and effort involved in the mid-point work.
Will you succeed? Maybe so, maybe not -- but The Fool will get you going ... and the Eight of Pentacles helps you through the mid-game. Play these two right to lay a solid foundation to increase your chances of achieving your goals!
That's it for today -- hope your week goes well ... and keep looking for opportunity!
Oh -- and be sure and let me know what you think about the radio show!
Woodsong
Friday, October 04, 2013
Put the Rabbit in the Hat
Hi All,
It's almost the weekend! A cold front is scheduled to pass through Houston -- bringing temps down to the mid-80's! (Well, that is a cold front in Houston).
We've got cleaning and straightening up scheduled all weekend. Will probably end out not doing anything, though. That's just the way is seems to go.
My daughter's getting her Associate's degree in December -- went through the process yesterday to get it all arranged. She's going on to University of Houston in the spring for her BS in Marketing -- they have several campuses in addition to their main one. They have an excellent business campus in downtown Houston and I think that's the one she'll be attending.
I told her to consider continuing on for an MBA -- if she plans the courses right, it'll only add another year to her schooling.
It's so hard to go back to school after you're out in the working world (that's assuming you can find a job in this 14% real unemployment world -- but that's another story!); we've been telling her to get all she can now. I think she's starting to understand that a little bit now!
She's been working at her first real job for the last two months -- part-time waitressing. Some night's she'll do really well -- like maybe $300 in a three hour shift. Other nights, not so well - like maybe $8.00 in a shift! Still, she's starting to see things from a working taxpayer point of view.
In other words, she's now reaching that grown up point where you realize you don't really know everything after all!
How about a reading for the weekend? We'll start with -- The Empress.
The Empress is a very maternal, nurturing, and caring card. It suggests taking time to consider personal relationships that matter to us -- to consider ways we can better the way we handle our environment -- and to consider ways to create a better living environment for ourselves and those we care about.
Where does this bring us? Let's look at our next card, the Three of Wands.
I envision this card depicting someone who is expecting his ship to arrive. He's done the front-end research necessary to be successful, he's put the pieces in place so that he can realistically expect success. And ... after doing all the prep work, he's now taking a moment and is expecting to succeed!
He's not seeking success by playing the lottery or hoping for a quick fix -- he's taking the longer but more certain route by doing the right things in order to be successful.
I've been corresponding with a wonderful person for years via this Tarot medium (I'm not going to name her, but she knows who she is). Recently, I emailed her that "The best magician cannot pull a rabbit out of a hat -- unless there's already a rabbit in the hat!"
The message -- don't worry about the outcome. Instead, start laying the groundwork so that the desired outcome becomes inevitable. If that's schooling, then get it done. If that's work experience, then get it done. If that's contacts, then get it done. If that's learning a particular process, then get it done.
Once you've done these things, you've greatly increased your chance and expectations of success. If you keep it up, success is inevitable.
In this case, since we began with the Empress, I'm thinking we're looking more at personal issues rather than professional issues. Think of your living environment, your friends and family -- what would you like to improve? Then ... what can you do to best encourage that improvement? Start picking away at the obstacles -- once done, you can realistically sit back and expect success.
That's it for now -- have a great weekend!
Woodsong
It's almost the weekend! A cold front is scheduled to pass through Houston -- bringing temps down to the mid-80's! (Well, that is a cold front in Houston).
We've got cleaning and straightening up scheduled all weekend. Will probably end out not doing anything, though. That's just the way is seems to go.
My daughter's getting her Associate's degree in December -- went through the process yesterday to get it all arranged. She's going on to University of Houston in the spring for her BS in Marketing -- they have several campuses in addition to their main one. They have an excellent business campus in downtown Houston and I think that's the one she'll be attending.
I told her to consider continuing on for an MBA -- if she plans the courses right, it'll only add another year to her schooling.
It's so hard to go back to school after you're out in the working world (that's assuming you can find a job in this 14% real unemployment world -- but that's another story!); we've been telling her to get all she can now. I think she's starting to understand that a little bit now!
She's been working at her first real job for the last two months -- part-time waitressing. Some night's she'll do really well -- like maybe $300 in a three hour shift. Other nights, not so well - like maybe $8.00 in a shift! Still, she's starting to see things from a working taxpayer point of view.
In other words, she's now reaching that grown up point where you realize you don't really know everything after all!
How about a reading for the weekend? We'll start with -- The Empress.
The Empress is a very maternal, nurturing, and caring card. It suggests taking time to consider personal relationships that matter to us -- to consider ways we can better the way we handle our environment -- and to consider ways to create a better living environment for ourselves and those we care about.
Where does this bring us? Let's look at our next card, the Three of Wands.
I envision this card depicting someone who is expecting his ship to arrive. He's done the front-end research necessary to be successful, he's put the pieces in place so that he can realistically expect success. And ... after doing all the prep work, he's now taking a moment and is expecting to succeed!
He's not seeking success by playing the lottery or hoping for a quick fix -- he's taking the longer but more certain route by doing the right things in order to be successful.
I've been corresponding with a wonderful person for years via this Tarot medium (I'm not going to name her, but she knows who she is). Recently, I emailed her that "The best magician cannot pull a rabbit out of a hat -- unless there's already a rabbit in the hat!"
The message -- don't worry about the outcome. Instead, start laying the groundwork so that the desired outcome becomes inevitable. If that's schooling, then get it done. If that's work experience, then get it done. If that's contacts, then get it done. If that's learning a particular process, then get it done.
Once you've done these things, you've greatly increased your chance and expectations of success. If you keep it up, success is inevitable.
In this case, since we began with the Empress, I'm thinking we're looking more at personal issues rather than professional issues. Think of your living environment, your friends and family -- what would you like to improve? Then ... what can you do to best encourage that improvement? Start picking away at the obstacles -- once done, you can realistically sit back and expect success.
That's it for now -- have a great weekend!
Woodsong
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