Ren. Fest. 2012

This weekend I went to the Georgia Renaissance Festival with one of my friends. I have to say, I am not sure how those people can stand to be in all those heavy clothes when it is so hot out. Very impressive.

I really love going to Renaissance Festival. It is a lot of fun going around a looking at all the booths and seeing all the different things people have made. You can tell the people that are really passionate about what they are doing. I love when the vendors will stop and talk to you about their items without actually trying to sell you something.

There are a few places that I am going to have to look into more, because the vendors were very friendly. Raven's Nest Herbals is one. One of the vendors spent at least 15 minutes talking with me about different oils and oil blends, while giving me different ones to smell until she came up with a scent she thought that I would like. Another lady spent sometime talking about different herbs.

I really liked the one lady that was working at the weaving demonstration. She was another one that stood there and talked to us while we tried to do some weaving. She was very patience with me when I kept messing up mine. When I figure out the name of the group I will have to post it.

Being at Ren. Fest. really made me want to do some art. Maybe I need to break out some clay and make something. I think that would be an interesting way to make a living, to travel around to different festivals. It would probably be a bit risking, not knowing if you art is going to sell.

The Weekend and a Pendent

Went and saw "The Avengers" over the weekend. I thought that it was a good movie. The fight scenes were pretty impressive. Lots of smashed cars and buildings. I wonder how hard it is to digitally destroy a building? I imagine that it would take a long time. Not sure if I would have the patience to do that. I would defiantly go see a sequel.

Had some family come down to visit for a few days. It was a nice surprise since it was a last minute visit. Though I have realized that unless you are going to go out drinking, there is really not a lot to do after nine at night. Guess that is why I spend a lot of time at home.

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I guess something less interesting to the world and more interesting to me was that I wore my triskele out in public for the first time. For those that don't know what that is, here is a drawing of one (thanks Wikipedia).

triskele

It is a familiar symbol that occurs in several early cultures and often appears in Celtic art. I bought it about a year ago from the Renaissance Festival. Mine is silver pendent.

For me, the triskele is a reminder of the sets of threes that occur in life: child, adult, elder... past, present, future. There is also spiritual sets of threes that it can represent as well: mind, body, spirit... fire, well, tree... sky, earth, underworld.... gods, nature spirits, ancestors. 

I had been keeping in my pocket since it turned up a couple of months ago (I put it in a drawer and then forgot where I put it). So what is the big deal about finally putting it on a chain and wearing it? Well, you've got to start somewhere. I have had pagan leanings since I was a senior in high school. 

Does the whole world know? Not until this post they do. 

I am I going to come out and tell everybody? Not right now (we can get to why another time). But by wearing this symbol it is a little baby step closer. 

Will I wear it everyday? Probably not. Mostly because it is a little bigger than I like for necklaces. It feels a little chunky to wear all the time. Maybe I can find one that is smaller. 

I have a Celtic knot pendent that I have been wearing for years. I really love it and I don't think that  it is going to be replaced any time soon. But it might be nice to have something to rotate it with.

Are the necklaces or the symbols really all that important?  Not really. It is the feelings and ideas that the mean to the person wearing them. But it is nice sometimes to have a physical reminder.

And the question on the minds of everybody reading this: why did you bother to do a big long post on the subject of one pendent? It is nice to get it out in the open and out of my mind. This is a "Looking Glass" after all. 

Fighting Birds

So, I saw something really cool yesterday. I was sitting outside and heard some really loud squawking. I happened to look up at just the right moment. To my surprise, I saw a hawk being chased off a branch by two little birds. The two little birds flew after the hawk and chased it over the top of the house. I find it amazing that two little birds would take on a hawk that is twice their size. I am quite sure that if one of those birds were on its own, that hawk would have to trouble taking it down. I wonder if they were protecting chicks or something.

I suppose that for a moment we can get philosophical. This could be an illustration of being able to take on something bigger than yourself with the help of friends. Friends often seem to make us braver than we are alone. We are more willing to take on our troubles if there is someone by our side. Even if that person is only there to offer a shoulder to lean on or to give advice. Or is willing to fight off something that can rip you apart.

Anyway, I thought that I would share. Isn't nature awesome?

First Post

Hello world!

I thought that I might create a little corner of the Internet just for me. I suppose the first post of a blog should tell a bit about the author.

Lets see... I'm a 20 something teacher currently looking for work...sigh... hopefully something will come up soon. Anyway, I enjoy reading. I read a lot... manga, sci-fi/fantasy, I have even been branching out into romance and some non-fiction stuff. I cross-stitch and would like to start doing more craft stuff.  What else... right now not a whole lot. Up to this point I have been spending a lot of time working. I guess if people would like more information they can ask.

Why the name Looking Glass? Actually, I have a horrible time naming things. The name actually came to me in a flash, which really sounds silly. But it sounds nice and hopefully will give me some inspiration.

What will I be posting? At the moment, it will be a mixture of whatever strikes my fancy. It might be weird, but I decided to this with no clear topic in mind. Have to see what comes up.

Not sure if anybody will read this, but at least I have started. Keeping my fingers crossed that I will remember to post!