Looks like I'm not the only one who's planning a major renovation for the new year. History Channel has apparently given up any pretense of respectability.

In happier news, however, it looks like they're starting up a new open access online Egyptological magazine. Although it's still in the planning stages, this will definitely be something to keep an eye out for.

And finally, in Dionysos-related news, scholar Roger Scruton has a new book out called I Drink Therefore I Am, which is a meditation on wine and the soul. I'll drink to that!

Well, after a decade and change Sannion's Sanctuary was officially shut down last night. I now reside in The House of Vines. The scenery is much better. You can see the future through the leaves. So update any links you've got, and help spread the word if you feel so inclined!

Also, I've got a new blog. It's not going to replace this one, although I will be posting all of my serious content and writing over there from now on. LJ will be reserved for recording the minutia of my daily life, posting bizarre links, and offensive rants and childish humor as it was always intended.

Here's to the future and the wonderful and strange things it holds in store for us!

Edited to add:
And here's the syndicated feed for LJ users, courtesy of a kindly soul:

http://syndicated.livejournal.com/houseofvines/profile

Nope, it isn't the library. I finally have Internet at home, which means I also have a phone again, for those of you who want to call me.

As I suspected, my outage was a result of maintenance being done somewhere in the area. Grrr. 

Every year Thomas and I have this yen to enjoy a road trip. We've done Namibia twice already and this past year we drove up to Johannesburg. And each time I swear on my nelly I'm not doing it again, only to have the memory of the pain wear off. I expect in about six months' time I'll have forgotten schlep and will reach for the atlas and start planning the next drive.

There's something to be said for driving through those small, obscure rural half-donkey towns and wondering about the people who are born and die there. What twist of fate had me born in Cape Town and not Hanover?

Hanover will always have a special place in my heart. About 72km outside of Colesburg, literally in the centre of South Africa, it can't have a population of more than about 3 000 people. It's on the N1 and the only big income I can see it having is by providing tired motorists with a clean bed and breakfast while they're en route either to Cape Town or Johannesburg.

I'm glad we stopped. We were both tired and it was getting rather late. I arrived at the Hanover Lodge only to be told that there were no rooms available but something in my hysterical tone when I told the owner I'd sleep in a shed if I had to had him relent and give us a room that he'd been refusing the three-dozen other hopefuls who'd passed by. He hadn't want to let the room because it didn't have a bathroom but at that point I was past caring. I'd been on the road for almost 8 hours and needed some place where I could be horizontal for a while.

It was still a hell of a drive through the blistering Karoo the next day but at least we could attempt the Great Trek after a few hours' rest.

I'm seriously considering a drive-and-flop excursion for my next road trip. I'm thinking the Garden Route and spending some time out near Knysna... but outside of tourist season.

"Hermes, the patron of literature, was rightly considered of old to be a god common to all the priests and the one presiding over the genuine learning relating to the gods, one and the same among all. Hence our predecessors were wont to ascribe to him their discoveries in wisdom and to name all their respective works Books of Hermes." - Iamblichus, On the Mysteries 2:1

"For the Egyptians pursue a philosophy of their own. This is principally shown by their sacred ceremonial. For first advances the Singer, bearing some one of the symbols of music. For they say that he must learn two of the books of Hermes, the one of which contains the hymns of the gods, the second the regulations for the king's life. And after the Singer advances the Astrologer, with a horologe in his hand, and a palm, the symbols of astrology. He must have the astrological books of Hermes, which are four in number, always in his mouth. Of these, one is about the order of the fixed stars that are visible, and another about the conjunctions and luminous appearances of the sun and moon; and the rest respecting their risings. Next in order advances the sacred Scribe, with wings on his head, and in his hand a book and rule, in which were writing ink and the reed, with which they write. And he must be acquainted with what are called hieroglyphics, and know about cosmography and geography, the position of the sun and moon, and about the five planets; also the description of Egypt, and the chart of the Nile; and the description of the equipment of the priests and of the places consecrated to them, and about the measures and the things in use in the sacred rites. Then the Stole-keeper follows those previously mentioned, with the cubit of justice and the cup for libations. He is acquainted with all points called Paedeutic (relating to training) and Moschophatic (sacrificial). There are also ten books which relate to the honour paid by them to their gods, and containing the Egyptian worship; as that relating to sacrifices, first-fruits, hymns, prayers, processions, festivals, and the like. And behind all walks the Prophet, with the water-vase carried openly in his arms; who is followed by those who carry the issue of loaves. He, as being the governor of the temple, learns the ten books called "Hieratic;" and they contain all about the laws, and the gods, and the whole of the training of the priests. For the Prophet is, among the Egyptians, also over the distribution of the revenues. There are then forty-two books of Hermes indispensably necessary; of which the six-and-thirty containing the whole philosophy of the Egyptians are learned by the forementioned personages; and the other six, which are medical, by the Pastophoroi (image-bearers), -- treating of the structure of the body, and of diseases, and instruments, and medicines, and about the eyes, and the last about women. Such are the customs of the Egyptians, to speak briefly." - Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 6:14

I have to strongly recommend http://www.partselect.com as a source of parts, instruction and related repair stories from DIY customers. Oh and by the way - gas dryers are ridiculously simple.

Archaeologists have discovered what is thought to be the largest known tomb at Saqqara.

The tomb is one of two 26th Dynasty tombs recently uncovered at an area of Saqqara known as Ras El Gisr and are roughly 2500 years old.

It consists of a huge rock hewn hall that branches off into many small rooms and passageways where artefacts such as an amulet of the Eye of Horus and mummified eagles were found. In one of the rooms coffins, skeltons and clay pots were found, while another room contained a well that is 23 feet deep.

Definitely worth a click. The pictures are amazing.

"Hermes tends the wild roving, horned oxen and horses and patient mules ... Zeus himself commanded that glorious Hermes should be lord over all birds of prey and grim-eyed lions, and boars with gleaming tusks, and over dogs and all the herds and flocks that the wide earth nourishes, and over all sheep." - Homeric Hymn 4 to Hermes 560

 Maybe it's the game coming up that is making me so lazy.  I finally got around to taking the Christmas decorations down but they are not put away.  I was going to leave them up until the end of the week but it is supposed to start snowing again tomorrow.

Well......anyway...

....

I have some really awesome news. I'm putting it behind a cut, because when I saw it I had this reaction, and I don't want to cause an embarrassing scene for anyone else. But trust me, it's really cool.
( Read more... )

For those who like to make apologies for the Civil War and claim that the real cause was "states' rights", not owning people, I call bullshit.

The document in that link, "A declaration of the causes which impel the State of Texas to secede from the Federal Union.", published February 2, 1861, clearly lays out (along with similar documents published in South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi) that slavery is the cause, that states' rights are a PROBLEM for the South, especially when Northern states use their states' rights to neglect to enforce bullshit like the Fugitive Slave Law, rather than following the Federal Laws that the slave states would prefer, and then of course there is the expected (but still appalling) bigoted statements about the superiority of the white race over that of the African.

States' Rights is a bullshit dodge. If someone wants to point out the differences in economic bases between the North and the South at the time, and mention how most of the Southern soldiers didn't own slaves and were just stupidly following their leaders the way most people do, fine, I'm with you on that. I'm not out to condemn people's ancestors (most of mine came over via Ellis Island after the Civil War), but quit making the states' rights argument. It's crap.

Edit: My phrasing was bad. The cause of the secession was slavery, not states' rights. The cause of the war was the US government's unwillingness to allow the South to secede peacefully.

“So did these ghosts travel on together squeaking like bats, while easeful Hermes led them down through the ways of dankness. They passed the streams of Okeanos, the White Rock, the Gates of the Sun and the Land of Dreams, and soon they came to the field of asphodel, where the souls, the phantoms of the dead have their habitation.” - Homer, Odyssey 24.12

The musical selections from the last post should give you an idea of the side of Hermes that I tend to deal with. (And Hermes, being one of the most complex of all the gods, has many, many sides.) But if you'd like to get to know this Hermes even better, I highly recommend that you watch the movie Ink, because the character Jacob the Pathfinder is as close to Hermes as I've ever seen outside of my own visionary experiences.

In fact, the whole time that erl_queen and I were watching the film I just sat there with my mouth agape. It was really spooky to hear this character speak lines that Hermes had communicated to me only a couple days before.

Although the whole movie is freaking AMAZING, I'd have to say that my absolute favorite scene is this one here:



That is what magic is all about, folks.

Here is a pretty decent summary of the plot. But honestly, if there's any chance you're going to see the movie, hold off. Because it's definitely something that needs to be experienced to get the full effect. Bear with it. It's a little slow and confusing at first. But it definitely pays off in the end.

Lotta people doing the "Ten Years Ago" thing.

In 2000... I have to admit that I was medicated with antidepressants and don't remember much of 2000 at all. I know I was working at the Night Kitchen that year, so I was dangerously sleep deprived, stressed, medicated.

If any of you remember me in 2000 and have stories to share, I'd love to hear them. For laughs if nothing else.

I met the person who gave me the most important tool to staying alive in July, 2001. A long, hard road to Now. Xeper.

There's more, but if there's any one event that shaped the course of my decade, it would be that moment when you slipped the piece of paper across the table to me.

That's enough for now I think.

Oh, what the hell. After posting that last song I figured I'd go ahead and share my whole Hermes playlist.

The Doors - People Are Strange
Jeff Buckley - Dream Brother
Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams
Depeche Mode - World In My Eyes
Tool - Schism
Gary Jules - Mad World
Vetiver - You May Be Blue (Neighbors Remix)
Placebo - Running Up That Hill
Radiohead - Street Spirit
Radiohead - How to Disappear Completely
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ramblin' Man
Audioslave - I Am The Highway
Rolling Stones - Paint it Black
Rob Dougan - Born Yesterday
Depeche Mode - John the Revelator
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand
Jay Gordon - Slept So Long
A Perfect Circle - Counting Bodies

Any other songs you think I should add to it?

This is such a perfect Hermes song for me. The lyrics are very reminiscent of the Fourth Homeric Hymn, but there's also a lot of subtle Hermetic allusions hidden in there, and the music itself just feels like him.

So, TCM ran a "Thin Man" marathon for NYE this year. This would have been much more useful if I had written it before said event, but just in case any of you wants it for next year, or otherwise has considered having such an event on your own, I present:

“The Thin Man Drinking Game”

 

1.       Take a drink every time Nick or Nora takes a drink.

2.       Take a drink every time Nick or Nora denies that the other is his/her spouse.

3.       Take a drink every time Nick or Nora denies that Nick is still a detective.

4.       Take a drink every time one of Nora’s relatives prevents Nick from drinking.

5.       Take a drink every time anyone (including Nora) takes a drink that Nick prepared for himself.

6.       Take a drink every time Nick embarrasses Nora or Nora embarrasses Nick.

 

Optional rules

1.       Special “coup de grace” rule: take a drink every time Nick goads someone into a reaction by implying they committed the crime

2.       Special "film geek" rule: take a drink whenever a character actor appears for the first time if you can name him/her and at least one other movie in which he/she appears.

3.       Special "hopeless romantics" rule: take a drink every time Nick or Nora convincingly professes true love for the other.

4.       Special "who’s in my house" rule: take a drink every time Nick’s old friends hold a party at Nick & Nora’s house without permission.

WARNING: It is not recommended that you apply all nine rules in viewing all five movies. They have been designed with the intention of there being an inverse relationship between # of rules and # of movies. This can be modified according to participants' alcohol tolerance and willingness to pass out before the end.

"Hermes: This is what they call a son of Zeus and Maia, which is, of mind and sense. For the word is engendered from mind and sense. On account of this they also make him winged, as if to be swift. For nothing is swifter than a word. And that is why Homer says 'winged words'. They create images of him as the youngest of all the gods, because the word does not grow old; but they also make him quadrangular on account of the firmness of the true word. They also say he was responsible for profit and an overseer of the businesses: consequently they set up the statue of him weighing a purse." - Suidas s.v. Hermes

So here I am, two and a half pints of Strongbow cider into the new year. First time ever I went to a bar to watch NYE.

Oh, those people. Sad, grasping at the crowd and not yet at the point where they could know that NYE is an arbitrary point in a calendar - the energy is always there for them, if they only knew there was something there to grab anytime they want, at any point of the calendar's scale of measure.

A toast I shared, and sms'd as well to friends here and there:

May the year ahead be a measure of our victories and prosperity.

And adding to that - may we who are awake to it, realize that this point in the spiral of the year is like every other point on the spiral - We Alone are the ones who make it a magnet. Make it the magnet for things you wish to see come into being.