TT #98: random stuff

Thirteen random things It has been a while since I did a TT, so here's a new one. Just some random stuff I'd like to share with you. Today is Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) in The Netherlands. You can read more about it here. Queen Beatrix and her family will visit Apeldoorn, but there are activities throughout the country. I especially like the freemarkets on the streets in almost every town or village, where mostly children (or so it should be...) sell old toys, books, stuff! Last weekend Ron and I went to the Elf Fantasy Fair in Haarzuilens, a medieval / gothic / fantasy / pagan festival on the grounds around Castle "De Haar". I'll post about it later and add my pictures. Ron is still recovering from his surgery. The pain afterwards is worse than expected; they really should have told us about it. It's slowly getting better and his armpits and hands are still dry. He is a happy man! The last few weeks I was a member of the application committee that was interviewing people for the job of coordinator of the pool of voluntary people helping others with their own experience. As a member of the pool I was added to the committee. It was very interesting work! Maia has been neutered today. She is still a bit woozy, but everything's okay. She is almost two years old now, but she remains very little. That poor little body with a big cut on her tummy... I spoil her rotten! ;-) This is my 98th Thursday Thirteen. I want to do 100 and then it's time to quit. Time for a new meme, a new challenge. Do you have a tip? Let me know! This coming weekend Ron and I will go to a pagan forum meeting in Hengelo to celebrate Beltane. I hope the weather will be nice, so we can have the ritual outside and make some great fires! I have finished the fifth and last book in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles. I simply love this series and now it has ended... The heroine can be described as "Buffy in regency-era London", a brilliant setting with unexpected plots. Don't know it? Lucky you, because you have 5 great books to read! Colleen Gleason is an amazing author; on her website you can read all about her and the series. Around this time I would have been initiated with the other Ara-girls, but it wasn't meant to be (yet?)... We are very disappointed and consider our possibilities. I'd still love to be initiated in the Ara tradition, but there are some issues that have to be solved first. This year around Midsummer Ron and I will go back on vacation to the lovely cottage near Lier in Belgium where we stayed last year. We are invited to stay there for two weeks while our friends (the owners) are away. Although I'll miss the cats very much, I really look forward to spend time in this little paradise again! I am busy organising a walk in the dunes near IJmuiden with a guide that has been a ranger there for years. He knows a lot about everything that grows and lives in the dune area. The walk will have the focus on herbs. Have you seen the video of Susan Boyle in Britains Got Talent? She has a fabulous voice. Looks can deceive... Everyone was laughing at her, until she opened her mouth. Wow!! I hope her dream comes true, she deserves no less. A new Star Trek movie is coming! I have to see it of course. I'll have to get used to new faces with familiar names, but that doesn't have to be a problem. Did you watch the trailer already? The release date is May 7. ~*~*~*~ The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted Unfortunately the original TT website doesn't exist anymore. There's a new hub : Thursday-13!

TT #97: Thirteen strange buildings

Thirteen strange buildings around the world I got these in an e-mail last week. Perhaps you've seen them before; I didn't, so I thoughts I'd share them here. I've been in the Cubic Houses in Rotterdam years ago, when they were just finished. My absolute favourite is the Kansas City Public Library though, I love it! What's your favourite? ~*~*~*~ The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted Unfortunately the original TT website doesn't exist anymore.That's a pity, but I'll keep on doing TT's and I hope everyone else will. There's a perfect new hub : Thursday-13!

TT #96: online pagan shops

Thirteen pagan webshops I like to browse pagan shops online. Sometimes just reading, getting ideas, etc. but I also regularly buy pagan stuff online. I listed 13 shops I like. Most of them are in Great Britain, because that's cheaper in postage for me. Abaxion - USA, I bought my Millenial Gaia statue here, and some other stuff. They have a lot, but I especially like the statues. Astral Aspects - GB, I bought my Chakra Energy Generator Crystal here, and other things. I'd love to have this ring, but they only have one size left. Have you seen it anywhere else? Please tell me! Pagan Dreams - GB, 3 departments: The Craft, Jewellery and Incense. Cybermoon Emporium - GB, donates a portion of all sales to charity (for example animal welfare). I like the Charmed Kitty section! Druids Keep - GB, their incense and aromatherapy items are very good but there is more interesting stuff to find. Every Witch Way - GB, they have several things I didn't find in other shops. GaelSong - GB, I love their Circle of Cats candleholder. One day I'll order it. :) Lost Legends - Germany, 3 shops in one: ritual, MiddleAges, Gothic. My BOS comes from this shop. Pagan Magic - GB, great stuff and a lot of info in the online BOS-section. The Goddess and The Green Man - GB, I bought my Earth Pathways Diary 2009 here and more. The Gem Tree - GB, many unique things like their own jewellery designs New Moon Occult Shop - GB, a wide range of products and interesting articles / info Magick Rose - GB, a lot of stuff, very userfriendly website I know there must be many more interesting ones worldwide. Any tips for me? Let me know! It doesn't matter where it's based. ~*~*~*~ The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted Unfortunately the original TT website doesn't exist anymore.That's a pity, but I'll keep on doing TT's and I hope everyone else will. There's a perfect new hub : Thursday-13!

TT #95: about me

Thirteen random things about me I've been tagged for several random-things-about-me-memes and I decided to do them in the form of a TT. The first one (tagged by Mike) exists of 9 random questions, the other two (tagged by Randilin and Beverly) just ask random facts about me. Have you ever been on TV? Yes, years ago Patrick Stewart (Capt. Picard) was in The Netherlands to promote the first Star Trek The Next Generation DVD-box. I was interviewed with some other Trekkies for a live morning program called “Goedemorgen Nederland” (“Goodmorning Netherlands”). Have you ever sung in public? Not solo, but several times together with others. Have you ever had your hair blond? My hair is darkblond and I have strings of lightblond done, like I had them naturally when I was younger. Have you ever eaten frogs' legs? Yes, but I didn’t especially like it. I prefer chicken. Have you ever received a present that you really hated? Not that I remember. Gifts that weren’t really me, but hated? No. Have you ever walked into a lamp post? I’m sure I have, I’m clumsy enough to do it again. Have you ever cooked a meal by yourself for more than 15 people? Noooooo way! I hate cooking and I never do. Ron is the cook in our household and a very good one too. :) Have you ever fallen or stumbled in front of others? O yes, often. I have fear of failure. I have learned to hide it by acting sure of myself, but before I could do that I was a mess. Still am sometimes. Have you ever done volunteer work? Yes, since my teens. I like doing it. I have worked for a cultural foundation in our city for quite some years. Later I switched to the local Animal Welfare Unit and pet shelter. I still do work for those. In highschool I had a lot of foreign penpals (no e-mail back then): in Lithuania, England, France, USA, Philippines and lots more. The most letters I exchanged with a girl from Denmark called Lene Andersen. She played in a school orchestra which came to The Netherlands one day, so I could meet her. Over the years we lost touch. I met Ron in a drumband. I was a majorette and he drummed. I had just broken up with my fiancé and Ron was fooled by his girlfriend. We took it slow, but the only way was up! That is almost 23 years ago. I have done my driving exam 8 times. I was so nervous I failed the test 7 times. The 8th time was different. I had a nervous breakdown before I stepped into the car, so the driving went okay. I couldn't believe I finally did it! That was in 1991 and I wouldn't want to miss my license! I don't drink alcohol and I don't smoke, but I have several addictions. To name a few: chocolate, books, internet! :) ~*~*~*~ The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted Unfortunately the original TT website doesn't exist anymore.That's a pity, but I'll keep on doing TT's and I hope everyone else will. There's a perfect new hub : Thursday-13!

TT #94: diet quotes

Thirteen quotes on diet and weight(loss) It's the most talked about subject in January and this time I go with the flow! Yes, I'm trying to lose weight too; aren't I always..? ;-) A diet is the penalty we pay for exceeding the feed limit. If I had been around when Rubens was painting, I would have been revered as a fabulous model. Kate Moss? Well, she would have been the paintbrush. ~Dawn French I'm on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it. In eating, a third of the stomach should be filled with food, a third with drink and the rest left empty. ~Talmud The cardiologist's diet: If it tastes good, spit it out. I tried every diet in the book. I tried some that weren’t in the book. I tried eating the book. It tasted better than most of the diets. ~Dolly Parton If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the solution. I have gained and lost the same ten pounds so many times over and over again my cellulite must have déjà vu. ~Jane Wagner Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake. I don't diet. I just don't eat as much as I'd like to. ~Linda Evangelista My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people. ~Orson Welles Never eat more than you can lift. ~Miss Piggy In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and cahins. Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale. ~Stephen Phillips ~*~*~*~ The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted Unfortunately the TT website doesn't exist anymore.That's a pity, but I'll keep on doing TT's and I hope everyone else will. The link to the code doesn't work (comes automatically with Mr. Linky). Leaving your link is extra important now, so please do! update: There's a temporary solution: Thursday-13!

TT #93: online pet peeves

Thirteen online pet peeves I like surfing, reading my favourite blogs, browse websites, etc. Sometimes bloggers and/or website designers (amateur AND pro) don't make it very easy to enjoy their work... pop-ups – I have pop-up killers, but still I get them from time to time. Even if the content is appealing I click them away. pop-unders – See pop-ups websites that automatically play music – I play my own music, thank you very much. Please add an immediately visible button to kill it! Or even better, make it an option to play in the first place. too much advertising – I don’t mind ads, my blog has them too. If I have to search through the ads to find the actual content, I give up very quickly though. unreadable text – Too little, unreadable font, colour… If you want me to read your website at least make the text clear! too busy background – It’s a BACKground, people! It shouldn’t get all the attention. If you really want that lively picture on the background, set the text in a box with plain background. page loading too slow because of content – I know you want to show everything you got, but if the loading takes too long I’m off to the next site. dead or wrong links – I hate those! I double-check every link I use and click old links regularly to see if the pages still exist. If you ever find one nevertheless, please let me know! writing in all caps – Especially when used with lots of !!!!!!! You’re screaming! No need to scream online. I won't listen to real-life screaming, so I won't read online screaming. stealing content from others – If you use content from another site, ask permission or at least mention the source. It’s unfair to get credit for something you didn’t create. And it is even more stupid if you copy and paste text without removing the language errors. use of unknown abbreviations – Everybody knows what LOL means, IMHO is fairly well-known too, but otherwise: if you use an abbreviation, explain it at least once after the first time it occurs in your text. back button switched off – I use the back button of my browser quite a lot. Why switching it off? I hate it when websites do that. I know there’s a solution (use the little arrow next to the back button), but still! long text without structure – If something seems to be interesting I’m willing to read a long text but without use of paragraphs, new lines, etc. that’s hard! Make it a bit easier for your audience! ~*~*~*~ The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted Unfortunately the TT website doesn't exist anymore.That's a pity, but I'll keep on doing TT's and I hope everyone else will. The link to the code doesn't work (comes automatically with Mr. Linky). Leaving your link is extra important now, so please do! update: There's a temporary solution: Thursday-13!

TT #92: update

Thirteen things about my life at the moment I haven’t been participating in TT for quite some time. A lot has happened and I just didn’t have or make the time, so this week an update will be suitable. The holiday season has started. Yesterday afternoon I finished writing the holiday cards. The tree is up, but nothing’s in it yet… Ron’s nephew and his wife added a new baby to the family yesterday. It’s a healthy little girl called Iris Sophia. We haven’t paid a visit yet, but we will soon! Talking of family news… My brother and his girlfriend are engaged to be married! The big day will take place in May next year. On December 24th I will go to the hospital to have my xanthelasmata removed in surgery. My what??? Haha! They are a sharply demarcated yellowish collection of cholesterol underneath the skin on my eyelids. It’s hereditary, my whole family has them. They are harmless and painless, but disfiguring and awful looking. Ron gave me the best holiday gift ever: a leather-bound, 5 cm (2 inch) thick Book of Shadows, filled with recycled parchment-look paper. I love it! This weekend (probably Sunday) Ron and I will go to the Midwinterfair again in theme park Archeon. It is for the 6th time and I’ve been there since 2004. It’s a mix of fantasy, paganism, middle-ages, Celts, etc. with stands, demonstrations, live action role-playing, storytellers, bands and lots more. Ron got very bad news from his boss. After two years of burn-out he was building up to fulltime working again. He felt good and enjoyed being active again. He was told they were looking for a good place for him within the company to make full use of his knowledge and experience. Well… not really… Last week he had a personal talk with the after sales manager and the head of the personnel department. They evaded to say it literally, but there is no longer place for him with the company. They’ll at least pay for outplacement guidance. To make it even worse, his salary will decrease with hundreds of euro’s, with retrospective effect from September… This coming Sunday Ron and I will be married for 13 years. We are together for much longer (22 years), but that cold day in December 1995 will always be a warm and loving memory. It was a great day! Ron is very happy to have his sisters and their families back after the death of his mother. Although I had my reservations at first because of the past, I must say I like it too. They seem to accept and respect me now. It still feels fragile to me at times, but that’s okay. The aftercare self-help groups we were trying to start in Haarlem and surroundings didn’t work out. Although we were told all the time that there was a big need for these groups and we made a lot of publicity, the applications failed to come. Just a few people wanted to join in. After two years of trying we decided to take a long break. The motivation faded; a lot of work and almost no response. We’ll give it a try again later. This afternoon Ron has an appointment in the Sudor clinic, specialised in hyperhidrosis (excessive perspiration). He has tried all the available tips and treatments, but it never really helped. This clinic does surgery, thoracoscopic sympathectomy, in which part of the nerve is burned. The success percentage is 98 %. I spend a lot of time on Facebook. Staying in touch with people I know, but also playing the games. I have a virtual fairy garden, blue cove with fish, an army of snowmen, a green patch and lots more. I play word games, vampire hunting, slot machines, etc. I exchange all sorts of gifts with my friends. I save animals and square feet of rainforest (for real because of game sponsors). Everything is free! In short: I’m addicted! ;-) Next Wednesday I’ll have my appointments with the cardiologist and internist of the chronic fatigue centre. I hope I’ll hear more about what they can do for me. ~*~*~*~ The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted

TT #91: online purchases

Thirteen online purchases I often buy things online. Mostly books, but also CD's, witchy supplies, Tink stuff, etc. I love second hand and auctions online, but I also buy new. Here are 13 of my purchases online in 2008! Tarot of White Cats - The Tarot of the White Cats is very much in the tradition of the Rider-Waite Tarot - except for the blue-eyed, white cats drawn in the cards, instead of people. buy UK / buy US Earth Pathways 2009 Diary - Celebrating the work of artists and writers who inspire our connection to the Earth and the healing we are all part of. The artwork and writing is placed within the context of the Celtic Wheel of the Year and includes UK astrological information, moon phases and signs, permaculture, environmental awareness, a page a week view, a page a month view and year planners. buy UK Akshara Weave Reiki Healing (4 CD's) - Each CD represents one reiki symbol and works with different aspects of healing, based on The Reiki Principles. Cho Ku Rei offers healing on the level of the physical body, Sei He Ki on the emotional body, Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen on the mental body and Dai Ko Myo on the spiritual body. Each CD is sonically unique, as each one translates the geometry of the Reiki symbol into sound using sacred geometry, ancient tunings and phi ratio harmonics. buy UK / buy US The Faeries Oracle by Brian Froud - Take a journey into Faeryland and enjoy beautiful scenes of elves, pixies, trolls, and of course faeries in the beautiful world of Brian Froud's art. buy UK / buy US Luister naar je lichaam by Mirka Knaster - In English: Discovering the Body's Wisdom, a guide to the principles, theories, and practices of Eastern and Western body therapies explains how to get the most out of seventy-five different treatment approaches--from massage and yoga to Rolfing and reflexology. buy UK / buy US Tetris for the Nintendo DS - Tetris is one of the most renowned puzzle games of all time, simple to pick up and play yet limitlessly entertaining. Very addictive and my favourite game! buy UK / buy US The Cat in Magic by M. Oldfield Howey - An illustrated history of the cat as a powerful symbol of the supernatural throughout the ages, compiling manifestations of cat-worship in many parts of the world e.g. the Egyptians' two-headed cat goddesses. Examines the age-old relationship between man and cat. buy UK / buy US Millenial Gaia Statue by Oberon - You can see it here. I wanted this statue for years. In the end I ordered it at Abaxion, but if you Google on "Millenial Gaia" you'll find European stores too. Mindfold Mask - This eye mask is guaranteed to block at all light. Due to the unique design your eyes can be open or closed, allowing more comfort and allowing eye make up to be left untouched. I use if for meditation and journeying. buy UK / buy US Chakra Energy Generator Crystal - The body's chakra alignment and balance can be improved by the use of an energy generator. Mine is hand-carved with 8 facets, finished in silver and adorned with 7 semi-precious gemstones which correspond to the Chakras. I ordered it at Astral Aspects. The Stonewylde books by Kit Berry - I posted about this series in June: I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down. I love Stonewylde and I can very much recommend it to you! buy UK / buy US When Twilight Burns by Colleen Gleason - The 4th book of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, of which I'm a huge fan. It is described as "Buffy The Vampire Slayer meets Jane Austen", as the series features a vampire hunter in Regency-era England. buy UK / buy US Moon Tides, Soul Passages by Maria Kay Simms - The book guides your understanding of your past and present, your power of personal choice and evokes new insights of soul and spirit. The Moon Tides software (included) provides all you need to apply the book's in-depth interpretative material—even if you have never before studied astrology. buy UK / buy US Do you buy online? What? Where? ~*~*~*~ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

TT #90: birthday presents

Thirteen pictures of my birthday presents The guests on my 40th birthday party have been very generous! I made a slideshow of 13 pictures showing my pictures. ~*~*~*~ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! ~*~ Anthony North ~*~ Sandy Carlson ~*~ Susiej ~*~ Hootin' Anni ~*~ Claudia ~*~ Adelle Laudan ~*~ Candy Minx ~*~ Kristi ~*~ Lost Hemisphere ~*~ jehara ~*~ Lori ~*~ SJ Reidhead ~*~ Meju ~*~ marnini ~*~ Darla ~*~ Shoshana ~*~ Julia ~*~ Sassy Mama Bear ~*~ Sassy Mama Bear 2 ~*~ Gattina ~*~ B Boys Mom ~*~ Storyteller ~*~ Brenda ND ~*~ Donna ~*~ Gayle ~*~ Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

TT #89: Life begins at forty!

Thirteen quotes for my 40th birthday This Saturday I'll celebrate my 40th birthday with a big party! My real birthday is Monday September 8. I don't have a problem with turning 40. One of the best-selling selfhelp books, Life Begins at Forty (1932) by Walter Pitkin, implied that a wise if chastened maturity was emotionally healthier and more realistic than adolescent self-confidence. Hear hear!! Life begins at forty! - Walter Pitkin Forty is the old age of youth; fifty is the youth of old age. - Victor Hugo What most persons consider as virtue, after the age of 40 is simply a loss of energy. - Voltaire We don't understand life any better at forty than at twenty, but we know it and admit it. - Jules Renard At age 20, we worry about what others think of us. At 40, we don't care what they think of us. At 60, we discover they haven't been thinking of us at all. - Ann Landers The first forty years of life give us the text, the next thirty supply the commentary on it. - Arthur Schopenhauer At twenty years of age, the will reigns; at thirty the wit; at forty the judgment. - Benjamin Franklin Forty isn't old, if you're a tree. - unknown I'm not 40, I'm eighteen with 22 years experience. - unknown The "I just woke up" face of your 30's is the "all day long" face of your 40's. - Libby Reid Success is like reaching an important birthday and finding you're exactly the same. - Audrey Hepburn Be wise with speed; a fool at forty is a fool indeed. - Edward Young Women are most fascinating between the ages of 35 and 40 after they have won a few races and know how to pace themselves. Since few women ever pass 40, maximum fascination can continue indefinitely. - Christian Dior What's your favourite? ~*~*~*~ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! ~*~ Robin ~*~ Anthony North ~*~ pjazzypar ~*~ The Gal Herself ~*~ Sandy Carlson ~*~ Claudia ~*~ Nicholas ~*~ Lori ~*~ bluebonnetgirl ~*~ storyteller ~*~ Ms. Behaving ~*~ Phil's Grill ~*~ laurakim123 ~*~ Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

TT #88: Entrecard blogs

Thirteen blogs I got to know through Entrecard Some time ago I joined Entrecard, a blogging network. You can drop your card to show other bloggers that you visited their site. Other sites can drop their card on your site too, and you can check them out. Entrecard uses a currency - Entrecard Credits (EC for short). You can use this currency to buy adverts on other sites. There are also forums that you can participate in. I met many familiar bloggers there I already knew from memes like TT and CoT and through other sources. I discover new blogs every day, just by dropping my card on their blog. Here are 13 of them, in no particular order (descriptions by the authors themselves)! Vixen's Den - A blog about a little of everything. Madness and mayhem. Mom, grandma, friend, wanna be poet and wanna be photographer. Witchy Mama - I am your average Witch living a spectacular life! Life being a Pagan mommy and raising my kids Pagan. This blog deals with spirituality, family, health, fitness, beauty well being, the environment and entertainment. From A Yellow House In England - This is a blog about the experiences of an American expat woman living in the English countryside and her adjusting to life in a new place. Luxor - A troublesome but sweet white Oriental Shorthair blogs about himself, his sisters, and human beans. Toltec Insights - I share insights from many spiritual traditions to help you remember it is your birthright to be happy no matter what and that you can create what you want when you want it. Obscure History - Pearls of wisdom about little known facts/events in history and day to day life. A little social commentary on current events is also possible to be found here as well. Dragonfly Cottage - Dragonfly Cottage is a place of rest and respite, solitude, and a life that is made up of animal companions, my writing, my fiber art, and communing deeply with the natural world around me. Margie and Edna's Basement - Margie and Edna are two elderly sisters, the oldest (and nosiest) residents of the fictional town of Jericho, KS. They are cranky and funny, and will share their opinions on pretty much anything under the sun. Sensory Overload - I'm looking to do book reviews, social commentary, and thoughts on current events. This is a departure from any previous blog I've had which mainly dealt in the humor genre. Photography by KML - features the fine art and stock images of photographer, Kathy Libby. KML specializes in Landscape and Nature photos. The stock photos include concepts, food, backgrounds, abstracts, sports, architecture, transportation, and people. Chica & Pumuckl - Funny Blog about two Funny Cats; two Egyptian Cats, first in Egypt, now in Germany. Celtophilia - Celtic music reviews, interviews, & opinions from two dedicated Celtophiles. Find new Celtic Music! Holy Cuteness - Holy Cuteness is a family friendly site which purpose is to brighten up your day ( if your day isn't bright already :-) ) with cute animal pictures and videos. Just 13 don't do Entrecard justice. There are so many more interesting blogs - I could make a lot of TT's! Check it out for yourself at Entrecard. You can find some of my favourites here. ~*~*~*~ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! ~*~ jenn ~*~ Sandy Carlson ~*~ Anthony North ~*~ Claudia ~*~ Sue ~*~ Nicholas ~*~ After Hours ~*~ Phil's Grill ~*~ Army Mom ~*~ bernieq1 ~*~ geriatric nurse ~*~ SJ Reidhead ~*~ YummY! ~*~ Alice ~*~ Danielle ~*~ Dori ~*~ Marcia ~*~ the teach ~*~ Qtpies7 ~*~ Lisa ~*~ Gattina ~*~ Just Me ~*~ Alice Audrey ~*~ Chris ~*~ Penelope Anne ~*~ Mama Bear ~*~ Crazy Working Mom ~*~ Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

TT #87: Olympic Games

Thirteen memorable facts about the Summer Olympics Tomorrow is the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. I'm looking forward to a great sports event. Although I sympathise fully with the protests surrounding these games I hope the sports won't be outshone by politics. After all, the goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. 1916 — Games cancelled due to World War I. 1940-1944 — Games cancelled due to World War II. 1936 — The Olympics were coming to Berlin and Adolf Hitler viewed it as a golden opportunity to showcase his country and prove to the rest of the world that his Aryan race was superior. He viewed African-Americans as inferior and chastised the United States for stooping to use these "non-humans." Despite the endless racial epithets and the constant presence of the red and black swastika, Jesse Owens made Hitler eat his words with four gold medals. 1960-1964 — Ethiopian Abebe Bikila was an unforgettable sight running along the ancient Appian Way during a warm evening in Rome. The skinny Bikila, running barefoot, flew by the soldiers standing with flaming torches along the darkening course that evening and slowly pulled away from his Moroccan opponent before crossing the finish line at the Arch of Constantine in a world-record time of 2:15:16. Bikila would battle back from an appendectomy to repeat as Olympic marathon champion four years later in Tokyo, becoming the first ever to successfully defend a marathon gold medal. 1968 — American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos bowed their heads and raised their black-gloved fists while on the medal podium in Mexico City, marking one of the most famous photographs from any Olympics as well as a memorable milestone in American civil rights. While the protest seems relatively tame by today's standards, the actions of Smith and Carlos were met with such outrage that they were suspended from their national team and banned from the Olympic Village, the athletes' home during the games. The protest had lingering effects for both men, the most serious of which were death threats against them and their families. 1968-1972 — Before the 1968 games in Mexico City, American swimmer Mark Spitz predicted he would accomplish what no one else had: to win six gold medals. He ended up with two team golds, plus an individual silver and bronze. It's tough for someone to be disappointed with four Olympic medals, but Spitz was. He spent the next four years at Indiana University, winning almost every conceivable award, setting almost every world record in existence, and preparing himself for the 1972 Olympics in Munich. At Munich, not only did Spitz win the six golds he predicted four years before, he won seven! And not only did he win all seven, but world records were set in each event. 1972 — Eight Arab terrorists broke into the athletes' compound in Munich. They killed two members of the Israeli Olympic team and took nine others hostage, demanding the release of 200 guerrillas held in Israel. Israeli leaders denied the release. When both sides agreed to let the terrorists and their hostages out of West Germany, shots rang out as the terrorists walked the hostages onto the jet. It's unclear who fired first, but once the fighting began, the guerrillas killed all nine Israeli hostages. Five of the terrorists were killed. 1972-1976 — His long-distance performances in Munich '72 and Montreal '76 gave Lasse Viren sporting immortality. The Flying Finn completed an unprecedented and unlikely-to-be-repeated ‘double double', taking gold in the 5000m and 10,000m at successive Games. Viren originally only intended to run the 5000m in Munich. He had hardly shone in the previous two years but began to peak at the right time. It was a dramatic 10,000m that brought the first of Viren's four gold and the one he most savours to this day. 1976 — During the Summer Olympics in Montreal Nadia Comaneci, a 14-year-old, 4-foot-11, 86-pound Romanian became the first male or female to ever receive a perfect 10 score in a gymnastics event. The 14-year-old Romanian dazzled the judges to the point where they couldn't help but give her a perfect 10. And they didn't stop there, for not only did Comaneci receive the first perfect score, she then proceeded to get six more! 1980 — The U.S. Hockey team scored a major upset by beating the heavily-favoured Russian team, in what came to be known as the "Miracle on Ice." Sports aside, the game held much more meaning, being played at the height of the Cold War and on U.S. soil in Lake Placid, N.Y. The story was later made into the Disney movie "Miracle." 1988 — Jamaica entered the bobsled event, marking a first for the sunny Caribbean country. However, during a run in the '88 games, their sled flipped onto its side, thus eliminating them from contention. The story was later made into the Disney movie "Cool Runnings." 1992 — British sprinter Derek Redmond returned to the Barcelona Games in 1992 after having to withdraw in 1988 due to injury. He entered as one of Britain's favourites to win a medal, and easily won the first round and quarter-finals. But in the semi-finals, his hamstring snapped and Redmond went sprawling to the track. It was what he did afterward, though, that cemented him in Olympics lore. Redmond got up and began hobbling toward the finish line. Unable to continue very far, he again fell. A moment later, his dad appeared at his side, at first to talk him out of trying to continue. But when Redmond still tried to get up and keep running, his dad put his arm around him and helped his son around the track. The race was long over, and officially he got a disqualification, but the crowd gave Redmond and his father a standing ovation as he completed the remaining distance of the race. 1996 — It was a small event, but impacted and touched many observers. When former boxing champion Muhammed Ali held the Olympic torch at the opening ceremonies of the Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia, it brought tears to many eyes. Visibly shaking from Parkinson's disease, Ali lit the cauldron as the arena chanted his name over and over again. Paralympics —The Paralympic Movement started in 1948, when a sports competition was organized for persons with a disability during the London Olympic Games. In 1960, two weeks after the Rome Olympic Games, 400 athletes from 23 countries participated in Olympic style games organized for the first time for the disabled in Rome. These were the first Paralympic Games. The Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games will be the 13th Paralympics. Today, the Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes from six different disability groups. They emphasize, however, the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disability. On 19 June 2001, an agreement was signed between IOC and IPC securing this practice for the future. From the 2012 bid process onwards, the host city chosen to host the Olympic Games will be obliged to also host the Paralympics. sources: Fox News , Infoplease , Associated Content , The Street , Times of India , Paralympics 2008 , Official Site Beijing 2008 ~*~*~*~ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! ~*~ Chelle Y. ~*~ Anthony North ~*~ Nicholas ~*~ Claudia ~*~ Sandy Carlson ~*~ Lilibeth ~*~ Lori ~*~ Meju ~*~ Lisa ~*~ Yasmin ~*~ Adelle ~*~ Danielle ~*~ Nina ~*~ B Boys Mom ~*~ Marcia ~*~ Kristi ~*~ I Must Confess ~*~ Carol ~*~ Tempest Knight ~*~ Dera ~*~ Chris ~*~ Heather ~*~ RaenWa ~*~ storyteller ~*~ Puss Reboots ~*~ Elaine ~*~ Gayle ~*~ Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

TT #86: posts without comments

Thirteen posts without comments (Yes, I did a TT like this before. It's too hot here to be creative!) Mainly, I blog for myself, like writing in a diary. Doing it online gives me the chance to share it with others and get comments. I like comments, in all shapes and forms: just a virtual hug, a long story that makes me think, sharing something, a helpful link, etc. Sometimes it's clear why a post gets no comments, sometimes it's a mystery. I gathered the last 13 posts on this blog (starting last week), that didn't get comments. They all open in a new window. If you read them and you want to comment, you're welcome to of course. Just please don't feel obliged to do so, that's not my intention. No cause for complaint about comments. :-) 2008, July 18: Medieval Kampen 2008, June 29: European Soccer Championship 2008, June 14: Ara Ritual Apart Together 2008, June 12: Kerstin Fritzl wants to see Robbie 2008, June 11: Ghost Ryder 2008, May 19: BMW E46 meeting 2008, May 11: PFI conference 2008, April 14: First Communion 2008, January 30: Guided tour 2008, January 21: Shadow Workshop 2007, December 24: Yule on the Brookberg 2007, November 21: Romance 2007, July 31: Anno Domini 1407 (2007) How about you? Do you need/like/love comments, do you care at all? Do you leave a comment when you visit a blog? Do you always answer questions on yours? ~*~*~*~ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! ~*~ SJ Reidhead ~*~ Anthony North ~*~ Hootin' Anni ~*~ Malcolm ~*~ Chelle Y. ~*~ Pretty Life Online ~*~ Sandy Carlson ~*~ Puss Reboots ~*~ Yasmin ~*~ Karen Bastille ~*~ Lilibeth ~*~ Bernieq1 ~*~ Poppingbubbles ~*~ Kim ~*~ Joy Renee ~*~ Soul Pockets ~*~ Gattina ~*~ Ben ~*~ Cheryel Hutton ~*~ Lisa ~*~ Tempest Knight ~*~ Clara ~*~ storyteller ~*~ Elaine ~*~ Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

TT #85: Luxembourg

Thirteen interesting facts about Luxembourg A few weeks ago I told you some things about Belgium, where we had just spent our vacation. The coming days we'll visit Luxembourg, so this week that's my subject! Luxembourg is an independent sovereign state neighbouring Belgium, France, and Germany. Luxembourg is home to nearly 450,000 residents, with about a fifth of these individuals residing in or near Luxembourg City. Foreign residents represent more than a third of its population. Luxembourg is a parliamentary representative democracy with a constitutional monarchy, ruled by a Grand Duke. It is the world's only remaining sovereign Grand Duchy. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is just 60 kilometers (36 miles) wide east to west and 90 kilometers (51 miles) long north to south. This small country has a total area of 2586 square kilometers (999 sq. miles). It is located on the crossroads of several major highways; just a four hours drive from Paris, three from Frankfurt, five from Amsterdam or Basel. The written history of Lucilinburhuc (i.e. Luxembourg) starts in the year 963, when Siegfried, Count of the Ardennes and founder of the Luxembourg Dynasty, had a castle built on the territory of the present-day capital of Luxembourg. This castle was the origin of the establishment of a town, which later was to develop into a formidable fortress, known by the name of 'Gibraltar of the North'. At its height, the fortress was girdled by three ring-walls studded with 24 forts, and linked underground by a 23 kilometre network of Casemates. In 1994, Luxembourg City was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. The present ruler, H.R.H. Grand Duke Henri, is the youngest European monarch. He succeeded his father Jean to the throne in October 2000. Executive power is in the hands of the Grand Duke and a Cabinet of 12 ministers. The legislative power rests with a Parliament (Chamber of Deputies) elected by men and women over 18, all of whom in Luxembourg have the right and duty to vote. Already forming a close economic union with Belgium since 1921, the Grand Duchy is a founding member of the EU. Together with The Netherlands and Belgium it forms the Benelux. A lot of European institutions and organisations are based in Luxembourg The linguistic situation in Luxembourg is characterized by the practice and the recognition of three official languages: French, German and Luxembourgish (“Lëtzebuergesch”). The plurilingualism of Luxembourg results from the coexistence of two ethnic groups, a Romanic and a Germanic one. Grand Duke Jean, the father of Henri, actively participated in the D-Day landings. Grand Duke Jean's father was a British Brigadier. Grand Duke Jean is a Knight of the Garter and Colonel of the Irish Guards, therefore rides immediately behind H.M. The Queen during the "Trooping the Colour" ceremony, along with Prince Charles, Prince Philip, and the Duke of Kent. Incidentally, the Luxembourg Army trains at Sandhurst. While the Grand Duchy does not have no Navy nor Air Force, the country does have a sea-going flag. NATO's entire fleet of Airborne Early Warning reconnaissance aircraft is registered in Luxembourg. The Luxembourg flag (used in the TT-header) has three horizontal bands of (top-down) red, white, and light blue (as opposed to the dark blue of the Dutch flag). People may well confuse the Luxembourg flag with the Luxembourg civil ensign. The latter is also known as "Roúde Léiw" which translates as "Red Lion", and is often seen at e.g. sports events to support the national team. History tells us that Luxembourg has been independent, with a dynasty of its own, for a relatively short period of time. In the 19th century, Luxembourgers celebrated their national holiday on Kinnéksdag (King’s Day: the birthday of the Dutch king). The new country’s first real patriotic holiday was Groussherzoginsgebuertsdag (the Grand Duchess’s Birthday). Grand Duchess Charlotte who reigned from 1919 to 1964 was born on 23 January, but to take advantage of the better summer weather, her birthday celebrations were postponed by six months, to 23 June. After Grand Duke Jean ascended the throne, 23 June became the official national holiday. Luxembourg City ranks as the world’s top city for personal safety and security, according to a 2005 Quality of Life survey by Mercer Consulting. The commune of Luxembourg City covers a total area of over 51 km², or 2% of the Grand Duchy's total area. Luxembourg City is not particularly densely-populated, at under 1,500 people per km²; large areas of Luxembourg City are maintained as parks, forested areas, or sites of important heritage (particularly the UNESCO sites), while there are also large tracts of farmland that lie within the city limits. Every summer Luxembourg City hosts the Medieval Anno Domini Festival on the Marche-aux-Poissons behind the Grand Ducal Palace and surrounding streets. The festival provides a live presentation of the middle ages, with the sights and sounds of market life, troubadours, dueling knights and wandering musicians. In 2008 the festival is called "Anno Domini 1408", in 2007 it was "Anno Domini 1407", etc. It is our main reason for going to Luxembourg. Some interesting links about Luxembourg: Wikipedia, Visit Luxembourg, Luxembourg.co.uk, Luxembourg National Tourist Office, Luxembourg City Tourist Office, Luxembourg fansite ~*~*~*~ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! ~*~ Nicholas ~*~ Pretty Life Online ~*~ Sue ~*~ Chelle Y. ~*~ Claudia ~*~ Anthony North ~*~ Sandy Carlson ~*~ Hootin' Anni ~*~ Puss Reboots ~*~ Adelle ~*~ SJ Reidhead ~*~ Carol ~*~ The Gal Herself ~*~ Picturing of Life ~*~ Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

TT #84: wiccan principles

Thirteen Principles of the Wiccan Belief The Council of American Witches was founded in the early 1970's by 73 witches. In April 1974 they adopted the following document. At the time, Wicca and other Neopagan religions were greatly misunderstood in North America. This document helped to set the record straight. The thirteen statements are necessarily vague. They do not precisely and completely match any one Witchcraft tradition. But they do provide an introduction to the full range of belief systems found within "Wicca." Its policy of including all persons, regardless of "sexual preference" -- now referred to as sexual orientation -- was almost unheard of back in 1974. These principles were later incorporated into the army's 'Chaplains handbook' for use in the U.S. Army. Shortly after this achievement the Council of American Witches disbanded, this due mainly to the difficulties inherent in reconciling differences among its many member traditions. The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief lived on however, and today many American Witches continue to endorse it. Introduction: In seeking to be inclusive, we do not wish to open ourselves to the destruction of our group by those on self-serving power trips, or to philosophies and practices contradictory to those principles. In seeking to exclude those whose ways are contradictory to ours, we do not want to deny participation with us to any who are sincerely interested in our knowledge and beliefs, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national or cultural origins, or sexual preference. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that is apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity-as masculine and feminine-and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship. We recognize both outer and inner, or psychological, worlds -- sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc. -- and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership. We see religion, magick and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it -- a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft, the Wiccan Way. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch -- but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and our personal role within it. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way," and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the origins of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or "the Devil", as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being. Sources: Religious Tolerance, Controverscial ~*~*~*~ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! ~*~ Shannon ~*~ Christine ~*~ Gattina ~*~ Carolan Ivey ~*~ Pagan Witch ~*~ Wyndsong ~*~ Nessa ~*~ Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants