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A picture is worth a thousand words (Unknown)

A picture shows me at a glance what it takes dozens of pages of a book to expound (Ivan Turgenev)

As the Chinese say, 1001 words is worth more than a picture (John McCarthy)

The right balance of habit and novelty -- that people need for there to be enough of the familiar and yet enough of the new and unexpected to make it "lifeful" (paraphrase Terrance McKenna)
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Jul. 4th, 2009 @ 10:59 am Dance Pictures Coming!
Current Mood: awake
Wulfwalker and I are planning to go to the River Falls contra dance tonight. This is a wonderful rustic dance hall with LOTS of character. It has been too long since I've gone. The longer summer hours should allow me to get some great pics. This is necessary because dark-time pictures are VERY challenged because of the low lighting levels. Capturing crisp movement requires lots of light!

Here is a picture of Bear with some artificial enhancements. Really... his tounge is not that pink!

Bear the Wolf-Dog with Pink Tounge - IMG_8378
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Cat - Gater
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Jul. 3rd, 2009 @ 11:28 pm Labradors Play
Current Mood: amused
It is neat to watch the labradors play. They are just under a year and a half old and probably at their full size. They like to mix it up with each other. Their MOST favorite play is to double tackle Bear. It is something to watch one at the front of Bear and the other pulling on Bear's tail.

IMG_8360
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cat - raptor
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Jul. 2nd, 2009 @ 07:18 pm No Standard Readings
Current Mood: contemplative
This week on The Fashion Show the contestants saw a professional psychic and then designed an outfit based on the card they drew. I have to say everyone drew good cards. There were no Tower cars present. Two of the contestants got the six of swords and this was interpreted as traveling. Another got the four of cups and this was interpreted as "connection with nature". The rest of the cards were the two of pentacles, the four of pentacles and the High Priestess. To me these really speak to relationships in their multiples of two.

Reading over the psychic's shoulder was weird. Her interpretations of the cards were either too simple or they really deviated from the textbook meaning. This was true on the four of cups. This is typically of card of being too sure of oneself and indicates a place of lazy danger. It is not typically a 'friendship, love, nature' card.

The caveat here is that there is not really a thing such as a typical reading. While one does have the textbook to fall back on (traditional meanings), the cards can easily take on meanings different from typical, especially when they care combined with other cards to tell a story. With that said, that four of cups card coulda/shoulda been read different to provide a warning instead of reassurance. BUT, the grand lady they used was a professional psychic and I'm just an engineer, so what do I know? (smile).
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Frylock Side
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Jul. 1st, 2009 @ 11:48 pm Playing Tonight
Current Mood: tired
Tonight I played a few hours of Fall Out 3 as a play outlet. I've finished Broken Steel and now I've started Point Lookout. I'm kinda brain dead right now from work work work. This weekend Wulfwalker will probably travel to give me a bit of "fun", or at the least, a break from the rut I am in now.

IMG_6381
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Cat - Sleepy
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Jun. 30th, 2009 @ 10:50 pm Challenged to Have Fun
Current Mood: contemplative
I think I've forgotten to have fun... well, at least some versions of it. I've been so focused on work that ways I used to have fun seem like another life. What to do? I don't know...
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Cat - Black
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Jun. 29th, 2009 @ 08:14 pm Horror Movie Trivia
Current Mood: amused
Here is a question for horror movie fans... What movie has the following dialog:

Q: What the hell is in that bag?
A: Rabid weasels.
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ATHF - Moonnites Rule
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Jun. 29th, 2009 @ 04:16 pm Horror Movie Mental Note and Psychic Abilities
Current Mood: contemplative
If I'm in a really spooky place, and find a animal (especially a cat!) in a cabinet, I should leave immediately. On a second note... if I get the eyes of a person who could see the dead, or to whom the evil spirits were poured into, I should expect to have dark visions that will require me to travel to a far away place to resolve.

But seriously, it is a terrible ability to see the death of somebody. I have one friend who can do this. In the movie I saw today this premonition was interpreted as curses by the village people. To be aware of the future does not mean that one is bringing that future. It is said that awareness of an event can change that event. I don't know if that is true. I do know there are possible futures to choose from, and some are more harmonious than others. The truly accursed seer is one that can see the future, especially a dark one, and has no power to choose.
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Cat - Black
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Jun. 28th, 2009 @ 08:43 am Booth Babes in Infommericials
Current Mood: contemplative
I seen something new today... booth babes in infomercials. This took place during Kevin Trudeau's 30 minute spot, "Free Money Book". Kevin has quite a history that includes lawsuits from the FTC regarding his health related publications/informmercials. Additionally, this 20/20 segment on YouTube puts Kevin in a very dim light. I've got some of his health related book in my library.

Anyway, the thing that caught my eye was Sara and Kara. They were the two young ladies "interviewing" Kevin. At first I thought it was one of those beauty product informmercials. No, even though one was dressed in something that looked like her underwear. Lotsa cleavage. I looked online and found the blurb: "Some of these ads includes panels of women, including Playboy playmates, who've assembled to discuss unknown ways to reduce your debt, or natural remedies for health ailments." Of the two I saw, Kara was there just for the looks as Sara (who wore the undergarments as overgarments) did most of the talking.

The booth babe concept is not new. As a professional I've seen them used at industry conventions by reputable companies. So using the ladies does not make Kevin a thief, but it is a phenomenon new to me on TV.

Note... do not order any of Kevin's books through his organization. Feedback on the Consumeraffairs.com website gives numerous examples of up-sell fraud. Maybe I will find the book in the thrift market like I did on the others. Consumer be warned!
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Sinfest - Reefer Madness
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Jun. 27th, 2009 @ 10:38 pm Sewing Hems
Current Mood: accomplished
Right now I am up against a deadline to finalize the program I've been writing. It has to be locked into a production before installation qualification and user acceptance tests are performed. This finalization effort is reminding me of the drama on Bravo's "The Fashion Show". Each week the contestants have a limited amount of time to design and construct an outfit for the competition. Invariably there are last minute adjustments to the outfits even as they are about to go out onto the runway. Getting a computer application "perfect" feels like this. I suspect that I will get it adequate, and really quite good in some places, but feel there was more I could do to make it "perfect". The trick right now is to remove/fix those things that really impair the proper use of the program. Yep... that is the plan.
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Cat - Black
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Jun. 26th, 2009 @ 08:27 pm Color Me Crazy
Current Mood: annoyed
I am struggling thinking myself to be a monster. It is a self-worth challenge. So tonight I post a villain of other colors for which I am watching tonight...
Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant,vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gonevexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition.The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity ofsuch shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous.Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction,and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.
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Cat - Bill The Cat
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Jun. 25th, 2009 @ 10:25 pm Most Sexy Vampire
Current Mood: amused
More movie nights! It is easy since my lovely mate found a bunch of horror/thriller films for me at a thrift store. Tonight I finished an Ingrid Pitt double feature - two Hammer horror films from 1970. Ingrid's lovely face and impressive buxom are featured in Countess Dracula and The Vampire Lovers. In the former Ingrid was rejuvenated by virgin blood. In the latter she was a full-blown vampire. In both cases she was sexy, though I liked her brunette persona as Marcilla the vampire. This movie was a bit naughty time for the time as there were explicitly depicting lesbian themes. It is too bad that one of the partners was destined to die if Marcilla was not stopped.


It is almost worth dying for...
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Sinfest - Media Manipulator
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Jun. 24th, 2009 @ 10:39 pm Play Night
Current Mood: crazy
I've taken my work home with me the past three nights. I kinda did the same again tonight (had to set up a laptop for an application), but I spent the vast majority of the evening finishing up the Broken Steel expansion to Fall Out 3. Maybe there is hope for me...
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BRA - Dangerous
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Jun. 23rd, 2009 @ 11:12 pm B Movies
Current Mood: amused
Tonight I had the pleasure(?) of watching the classic movie "Slave of the Cannibal God". This 'horror' thriller was set in the jungles of New Guinea. Ursuala Andress, a former Bond Girl, played the the wife of an anthropologist who is missing in the unforgiving jungle. Quoting the dust jacket, "The highlight of their eventual encounter with the cannibals is when Andress is stripped naked and forced to participate in a primitive ritual ceremony". The DVD dust jacket also warns, "this film is not for the faint of heart".

Now... I found it to be a forcibly silly mixture of nature show (animals attacking animals, some extreme violence here) and stylized cannibal shinnagins. The ending was silly, quite silly indeed, when the white adventure somehow out fought the natives while using their own weapons. Yeah... they've only trained from knee-high on how to use them and a relative stranger to the same would best them in combat almost a dozen times. Yep... very silly indeed. BUT... then again there was Andress nude. I guess that counts for something (evil snicker).

Interestingly this movie was quite controversial in its day. According to Wikipeida, "The film was banned in the UK until 2001 for its graphic violence and considered a "video nasty"."

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Sinfest - Succubus Rogue
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Jun. 22nd, 2009 @ 10:06 pm Spooky Woods
Current Mood: amused
This week's Most Haunted (Pembrey Woods) featured a haunted woods and beach. Part of the vigil involved hanging out in tents while listening for paranormal activity. Here is a question... is it possible to be in the woods, already be spooked, and not hear strange sounds in the forest? On top of that, they were near the ocean, and it makes all kinds of sounds. Shoot, many years ago I lived in the relative country and had the honor/horror of listening to a bobcat howl while walking in the woods. It sounded very much like a woman screaming. When I camp I assume an optimistic assumption that I will be safe while tucked away in my tent. Strange, I assume that when I visit abandoned places (during the day!!!) also.

Now, with all that said, I have visited a wooded area during daylight hours that had a super creepy feeling, and I very much believe there was a presence in those woods above and beyond the normal wildlife. The impression was that death had visited the glade and some imprint of it remained. I get shivers now when I think about it.

IMG_5381
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Cat - Bill The Cat
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Jun. 21st, 2009 @ 10:10 pm Intent
Current Mood: contemplative
My lovely mate and I had an interesting talk this weekend. I was looking over The Key of Solomon the King (Clavicula Salomonis) by by King of Israel Solomon and S. L. MacGregor Mathers. This classic book is the basis of much ceremonial magic. Wulfwalker told me that she had spoken to a ceremonial person who swore that he did not use magical intent in his work. What is magical intent? One definition of it is that magical intent is associated with some form of desire at least equally powerful, and difficult to forget. If this is the case then the ceremonial person was correct. He did not embrace his work with desire. Instead he worked by rote, relying on the correct methods to make things happen.

This may be the case, but Wulfwalker and I believe that some degree of intent is involved with any magical working. In our thinking intent is necessary even if it is just a purposeful focus on an outcome. Purpose is a close cousin to desire, and hence even the ceremonial guys cannot completely escape the grasp of intent.

In the end Wulfwalker and the ceremonial person agreed to disagree. We suspect that the gentleman had a definition of intent that he could not approach. It had become something of a four letter word for him, at least in respect to how he did his magic. Wulfwalker says that the ceremonial person could not come anywhere near the word intent. Instead he said it was all about the mechanics. In this word, mechanics, was tucked away purpose, focus, and something like intent. Interesting...
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Cat - Black
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Jun. 20th, 2009 @ 09:24 pm Red Faction
Current Mood: tired
Today [info]wulfwalker and I had a good time running around the wonderful town of Easley. I got Red Faction for my b-day present and I'm looking forward to playing the game after I finish Fall Out 3. The only downer is that I have a slight sinus infection with aches and tiredness.

IMG_8310
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Cat - Felix Face
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Jun. 19th, 2009 @ 09:57 pm Lotsa Phones
Current Mood: contemplative
I have an antique Treo 700w bought brand new years ago. Now there are lots of new phones out. Any suggestions on which one to get?
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Shaman - Horse
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Jun. 18th, 2009 @ 09:48 pm Wondering About People
Current Mood: cranky
I'm in this grumpy state in which I wonder about the overall goodness of mankind. Are we salvageable in spite of all our flaws? I don't know. I suppose I am seeing the desperate side of mankind at work as people scramble around for various reasons. This sometimes is not real pretty and it is against this background that I am getting grumpy.

**UPDATE 6/19**

A while after I wrote the above I realized that that I was wondering if I was salvageable. Ahhh...
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Cat - Black
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Jun. 17th, 2009 @ 07:04 pm Choice of Girls
Current Mood: amused
I learned today about "B-Girls" on The Fashion Show. Color me clueless, but I had to go on Google what a B-Girl was. The designer who lost on the show did so because she didn't really know what a B-Girl was. Her excuse was that she was from Indiana. Me? I guess the last time I was hip with fashion was during the 80s, and that was pre-hip hop.

I looked on Google and found out there are at least three types of B-girls....

1) gals of the Scream Queen era (think B movies)
2) a woman employed by a bar to act as a companion to men customers
3) a girl devoted to hip hop culture, more specifically, bboying/break-dancing.

The Fashion Show was focusing on #3. I have a preference for #1. I think I'm drawn to the danger angle. Ahhh... different strokes for different folks.

IMG_1825
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Cat - Felix Face
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Jun. 15th, 2009 @ 11:44 pm Spring Cleaning
Current Mood: content
Here is a fun way to spend an evening... five or six hours of cleaning wooden floors as part of a dust bunny hunt. DIE BUNNIES. I found the small shop vac worked really good to suck them up. All of this is to get the house ready for my lovely mate to visit this coming weekend. Yep!

IMG_0427
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Cat - Felix Face
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