10 Questions with Patrice Chaplin

by Administrator, posted in Books, Interviews

1. Your book “City of Secrets: One Woman’s True-life Journey to the Heart of the Grail Legend” is an incredibly intimate memoir. Was there any hesitation on your part about sharing your past?

I did not hesitate about sharing what is published but it isn’t complete by any means. I wanted to give a sense of the power of the relationship. Also I had written about Jose before in “Albany Park” and “Siesta”.

2. The story primarily takes place in Girona, Spain. Would it be wrong of me to describe “City of Secrets” as a love letter to Girona?

Right! Definitely a love letter to the place and the man at that time.

3. “City of Secrets” is so personal, do you sometimes find doing all these interviews a little, cold or disconnected? Do you ever want to just yell “This is my life, not just a book!”?

I am used to doing interviews and some are better than others. Let’s say some interviewers bring out new stuff by their attitude and questions. Others are not at all on the wavelength and have an agenda of their own.

4. How did finding love in Girona evolve into seeking out answers with regards to the Grail?

That is what the book is about. Going from that first powerful connection to the much later research which was not without a certain danger.

5. This won’t mean anything to those who haven’t read “City of Secrets” yet, but I have to ask, for me, do you ever regret not going up the mountain with Jose?

I have been up other “mountains” metaphorically with him and they can be catastrophic.

6. A number of your works have been translated into films or for the stage. What’s it like watching someone take your work and reinterpret for a different medium?

I can see what a director does to the writing and concept and go running from that place – Or I try to reconnect with them and the intention of the piece. Sometimes I have to admit “the enemy” has a point – other times what they bring, the directors and actors, makes it a different but excellent work. Ultimately you have to give it over and trust.

7. I went to The Internet Movie Database online to read about “Siesta”, the movie based on your novel of the same name. Under “Memorable Quotes” was this line, “The marvelous thing about making mistakes is that you can keep making them, the same ones, over and over again.” Is that yours? Because it’s fantastic!

No, that quote is from an artist friend I knew who truly lived on the edge.

8. “City of Secrets” is so cinematic, has there been any interest in turning it into a film?

Yes, but I distrust “options”. The work can get lost. I’d rather give an option of time and take the book back if its gone nowhere.

9. What is your next project we should be looking for?

A book about the journey of the intiates from Girona to the portal following a Venus Magic Square under the Constellation The Great Bear and Seven Stars with 11 sites. It takes 2-3 weeks and is a journey of evolvement – sometimes not easy with accounts from 4 initiates in the 1800s and one in 1956 – it’s a continuation in part of “City of Secrets”.

10. Parting shot! Ask us here at The Magical Buffet any one question.

Is a portal the next phenomenon taking over from interest and fascination in the Grail? I have heard from a high initiate that the Grail is “the key” or “activator” to open and enter a portal.

The Grail and Portals are both items of interest in spiritual circles. I think the recent interest in the Grail: what is it, what it did/does, etc. has started getting some people to wonder if there is or could be a connection. I’ll leave it to the experts to decide.

About Patrice:
A writer and playwright, Patrice Chaplin has written over 25 books.
Her novel Siesta became a film starring Jodie Foster and Isabella Rossellini. As a Bohemian in Paris she spent time with Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Married to Charlie Chaplin’s son Michael, in Hollywood she worked with Lauren Bacall, Miles Davis, and Salvador Dali. She lives in London. To learn more visit her website.

Help I’m Alive and Other Lamentations from Metric

by Administrator, posted in Music, Reviews

I love the new Metric album “Fantasies”. If you want, I suppose you can skip reading the rest of this article, but if you like synth pop/rock influenced by the 80’s and Weezer, you’re going to want to read on.

I guess Metric is old news. “Fantasies” is their fourth album but they’re new to me! It’s hard to clearly define the “sound” of this album. Their lead singer Emily Haines has a light, feminine voice which makes the sometimes visceral lyrics really stand out. For example on the song “Sick Muse” her airy voice sings “Watch out Cupid, Stuck me with a sickness, pull your little arrows out, let me live my life.” The accompanying music is low, guttural guitar, and yet it comes around to a chorus that could have been written by Rivers Cuomo (Weezer) for all of the pop perfection that it embodies. In fact, the whole album dances the line of rock and pop quite well. Some songs like “Stadium Love” are straight up, Weezer-esque pop/rock tunes, others such as “Twilight Galaxy” lean heavily on the synthesizer sound, and yet others like “Gold Guns Girls” are female fronted rock and roll excellence.

Lyrically, these songs are not telling stories, they are conveying emotions. I mean this as a complement, but this album would make an excellent soundtrack to any drama on television, particularly a police procedural. If I was involved with the television show “Life” (which is great, by the way) I would be securing the rights to use the whole album. Maybe you won’t hear it when you try out the album, but it’s something that struck me after repeated listening.

Unfortunately there isn’t a music video for their song “Help I’m Alive”, which was the song that got me to pick up the album. However, I did find this nifty documentary clip about Emily Haines writing the song! Enjoy!

Happy 100th!

by Administrator, posted in Books, Magic/Occult, Products

Happy 100th birthday “Rider-Waite Tarot Deck”! Hmmmm….how do you celebrate the 100th birthday of such an important piece of occult history? Could I suggest with the purchase of the “Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set”?

This massive set pays homage to Pamela Colman Smith, the artist behind the “Rider-Waite” deck. First, this set includes the “Smith-Waite Centennial Edition Tarot Deck” reproduced directly from the original 1909 “Rider-Waite” deck. Since the “Rider” part of the name was merely there because they were the publishers of the original deck, U.S. Games Systems (the current publisher) dropped the “Rider” and added “Smith”, now giving credit to the two people behind the creation of the deck, Pamela Colman Smith and Arthur Edward Waite.

Another part of the Smith tribute is the book “The Artwork and Times of Pamela Colman Smith” by noted tarot expert and all around bad ass Stuart R. Kaplan. This book is a fascinating look at the life and works of Smith. For someone like myself, who only is familiar with Smith through her contribution to the tarot world, this book gave me an eye-opening look at not only a talented artist, but also a gifted writer and storyteller.

Just to make the set complete, “The Pictorial Key to the Tarot” by Arthur Edward Waite is included in an updated format. To round out the tarot side of things there’s also a tarot spread sheet guide and an organza bag to hold the tarot deck in.

In case that wasn’t enough to dazzle, you’ll also get a 5”x7” photo of Pamela Coleman Smith (who is adorable), three more 5”x7” reproductions of Smith’s art, and six postcards featuring even more of her artwork!

All of this comes in a beautiful, double-sided display case that carries the heft of a serious collection of stuff.

This impressive set is an absolute must for anyone who is serious about tarot, but would also make an interesting gift for an art lover.

To learn more, click here.

Tree Medicine, Magic and Lore: Beech

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors

by Ellen Evert Hopman
illustrated by Will Hobbs

The ancient Indo-European word for Beech has bequeathed us the following words in several modern languages; mug, box, buck (to wash or soak in hot lye or buck) and to eat, nourishes, property, luck, rich, God, and to apportion, giving us a sense of the veneration placed upon this tree by our ancestors.

Beech nuts were rendered into soap and the Beech nut oil was used for cooking and lighting. The smooth grey bark of the Beeches may once have been used to carve symbols, leading to the words for letter, stick for writing, and book in several languages. Ancient Runic tablets were made of Beech wood (the Runes were an ancient Scandinavian magical alphabet). On the Alban and Esquiline hills of Rome there were once Beech groves sacred to the Goddess Diana. Beech nuts were an important food for swine, totem animals of the Celts. There was a Red Beech in Ireland called Ruadbetheach that was the Bile or sacred tree of the O’Connors. Beech was an important medicinal for Native American herbalists. The Cherokee chewed the nuts to pass worms, the Chippewa used the bark for lung problems. The Iroquois used the bark for tuberculosis, in abortive mixtures, and in blood cleansing formulas. The leaves were used in poultices for burns and the Potawatomi used the leaves as a poultice for frostbite. The Rappahannock made a wash for poison ivy from the north side of the bark. The Forest Potawatomi relished Beech nuts as a food. They took advantage of the industry of Deer Mice who carefully shelled the nuts and stored them in hollow logs and trees. The Indians were led to these stores by examining the refuse of the mice, scattered on the snow.

Beech trees aerate the soil and distribute potash through their leaves. All trees will benefit from having a Beech in the vicinity. Beech leaves make an excellent stuffing for mattresses. Animals who thrive on Beech nuts include deer, thrushes, pigeons, bears, martins, squirrels, partridges and turkeys. Beech magic: find a twig of Beech and carve your wish or dream upon it.

Bury it under the full or waxing moon.

about the author:

Ellen Evert Hopman is a Druid Priestess, herbalist and author of “Priestess of the Forest: A Druid Journey”, “A Druids Herbal – Of Sacred Tree Medicine”, “Walking the World in Wonder – A Children’s Herbal” and other volumes. Visit her website for more!











Bibliography
Adams, Barbara Means, Prayers Of Smoke, Renewing Makaha Tribal Tradition; Celestial Arts, Berkeley, CA 1990

Baker, Margaret, Discovering The Folklore Of Plants; Shire Publications Ltd., Aylesbury, Bucks, U.K. 1975

Beith, Mary, Healing Threads, Traditional Medicines of the Highlands and Islands; Polygon, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1995

Brunaux, Jean Louis, The Celtic Gauls: Gods, Rites and Sanctuaries; Seaby, London, 1988

Calder, George (translator), Book of Ballymote: Auraicept Na nEces (The Scholars Primer); Edinburgh, 1917

Carmichael, Alexander, Carmina Gadelica, Hymns and Incantations; Floris Books, Edinburgh 1992

Cunliffe, Barry, The Celtic World; St. Martin’s Press, New York, New York, 1993

Cunningham, Scott, Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs; Llewellyn Publications, St Paul, MN 1986

Ellis, Peter Berresford, Celtic Women; Wm. B. Erdman’s Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1996

Erichsen-Brown, Charlotte, Medicinal and Other Uses Of North American Plants; Dover Publications Inc., New York, NY 1989

Evans-Wentz, W.Y., The Fairy Faith In Celtic Countries; Citadel Press, New York, NY 1990

Farrar, Janet and Stewart, The Witch’s Goddess; Phoenix Publishing Inc, Custer, WA 98240

Frazier, James G., The Golden Bough, The Roots of Religion And Folklore; Avenel Books, NY 1981

Friedrich, Paul, Proto-Indo-European Trees; The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL 1970

Green, Miranda J., The Celtic World; Routledge, London, 1995

Green, Miranda J., The World of the Druids, Thames and Hudson, London 1997

Grieve, M., A Modern Herbal, Dover Publications Inc., New York, NY 1971

Hoagland, Kathleen, 1,000 Years of Irish Poetry, The Gaelic and the Anglo-Irish Poets From Pagan Times To The Present; The Devin-Adair Company, Old Greenwich, CT 1981

Hopman, Ellen Evert, A Druids Herbal For The Sacred Earth Year; Inner Traditions/Destiny Books, Rochester, VT 1995

Hopman, Ellen Evert, Tree Medicine, Tree Magic; Phoen

The Wiccan Rede Project: Lyn Bullard-White

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors, Religion, Wiccan Rede Project, Wiccan/Pagan

When Rebecca asked folks to write about the Wiccan Rede, I had to think for a bit about it. I am more of an eclectic pagan than a true Wiccan, though Wiccan beliefs are a part of my personal belief system. Like many people before me, I started out as a Christian and stumbled into paganism. I’ve pulled beliefs and ideas from across the spectrum. I’ve used everything from high magick and European traditions to eastern mysticism and kitchen witchery to form a belief and magical system that work for me.

I’ve seen the Rede, most often in it’s short version: “Do as ye Will, an ye harm none”. In theory, it’s a wonderful idea. In reality, it’s not entirely possible. The very act of living means causing death and destruction. It probably sounds terribly pessimistic or being doom and gloom, but it’s not. It’s something older than the Wiccan Rede; it’s the natural cycle of life.

A prime example is this: in order to live, we must eat. Whether you are an omnivore or a vegetarian, you cause death or harm to creatures or plants by their consumption. Whether it’s that lovely baked potato or a savory steak, something died to provide your sustenance. The potato plant had to be pulled from the ground to harvest its tubers and the cow had to sacrifice its life to provide meat. In the end, you’ve caused harm. Realistically, it’s how life has worked from the very start.

On a different level, there is the issue of how to deal with a person who hurts others. By definition, a police officer who captures a criminal is causing harm. The officer may have to chase and tackle the person, or he may even have to shoot that person. The criminal may end up in a jail cell. Those things, from the criminal’s point of view, would be considered harm. However, what about the greater good? If the criminal isn’t stopped, even if it means that harm in some form comes to them, then more harm happens to other people that the criminal later goes on to hurt.

Those are some obvious issues. Many more statements could be made about simply living in today’s modern word; gas and energy consumption, the toxic materials in electronics, the conditions the clothes and shoes we wear were created in, animal testing by companies who produce the products we use, and so much more.

I did some research and found out that the word rede comes from middle English and means to council or advise. (thank you, Wikipedia!) If you take the Wiccan Rede as advice, it has some great stuff. The longer version contains a great deal of pagan and magical knowledge. The general principal of the shorter Rede, if taken as a moral rather than a rule, councils us to not cause harm to others and the world around us. That is a beneficial rule to live by. That philosophy has come to us in many forms throughout time. There is the “golden rule” that says to do to others what you would want done to you. That moral has been stated, with far more eloquence, from religions such as Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity (to name a few).

Personally speaking, that viewpoint works better for me than if it were a rule or law. It falls in line with my own personal beliefs, for the most part. From my perspective, the Wiccan Rede is a nice source of wisdom and knowledge but I don’t take it literally or as law. What works for others will, of course, vary. And that’s how it should be!

Author’s Bio (Lyn Bullard-White):
I was asked to write a short blurb about myself and perhaps provide a picture. Being as how I’m not a big fan of being in front of a camera, I think I’ll decline the photo option. As to who I am…I’m a 36 year old mom of three kids. We have cats, fish, and a leopard gecko. I have more plants than anyone living in an apartment probably should have, but that’s okay. I was introduced to other views of the world quite young by having grown up in a haunted house. I formally began studying magic when I was 15 and I’ve been learning and growing since. I’m a a gamer, I love anime and manga, and I read and watch sci-fi and fantasy. That’s me in a nutshell.

A Sufi Rapper?

by Administrator, posted in Books, Islam, Religion, Reviews

France has ghettos, there are projects in France. I know it sounds ridiculous to say that, as if you didn’t know. Here’s the thing, until the riots in Paris a few years back, I was totally unaware of this fact. Press reports would say the people involved were from the “deprived Paris suburbs”, but it’s true, that in that moment I realized that Paris is a large city and like most large cities, there is probably some equivalent of what Americans call the “projects”. It was also during this time that I learned that France has a vibrant rap scene. Oddly, the concept of French rap was less shocking than coming to grips with the idea that Paris had “deprived suburbs”. Want to learn more?

Then I would highly recommend the book “Sufi Rapper” by Abd Al Malik. This book is a great read. It follows the spiritual journey of the author from his beginnings as an aspiring criminal in Neuhof, described as a “difficult” quarter, into becoming a leader in the French hip hop community, and through his discovery and evolution within the Muslim faith. “Sufi Rapper” gives the reader a look at the life of a street hustler and a musician, a history of rap music from the French perspective, and an introduction to many Islamic paths. It’s like he wrote the book for me!

Abd Al Malik’s writing has a lyrical, enchanting quality to it. It shouldn’t be so surprising, coming from a lyricist. Seriously though….

“Despite everything, I cannot help but feel affection toward this father-child. No doubt he also served me as an anti-role model, with his fickleness and libertine habits, whose consequences we suffered. But I have never been able to nurture the slightest feelings of bitterness toward him.”

….if I could write like that I wouldn’t be here blogging to you people, I’d be published and an Oprah pick!

As much as I enjoyed the glimpse into the art of crime and learning about the French hip hop scene, the most fascinating part of “Sufi Rapper” is Abd Al Malik’s evolution into, for lack of a better descriptor, a Sufi rapper. Any person who has been on a spiritual journey, or struggled with finding a place in their faith, will see themselves reflected in this story. Or, if you’re like me, and just nosey about how people practice their faith, you’ll like it too!

Crime, music, religion….I love this book!

Oneonta Spiritual Arts Fair: The Aftermath

by Administrator, posted in Events, New Age, Organizations

As you all know, this past Saturday I attended the 5th Annual Spiritual Arts Fair in Oneonta, NY.

When we arrived, we paid our $3 per person entrance fee and got our hands stamped so we could come and go. Once inside I made a beeline for the primary reason I wanted to make the trip.

And I found her, Llewellyn author Deborah Blake. She had a small table set up where she was selling, and signing, her books, including her latest “The Goddess is in the Details”. She was also doing mini-Tarot readings and had a small selection of the jewelry she makes on display. It was so wonderful to meet the author. What can I say? If you read her books, you really do know her. She is just as warm, friendly, and funny as her writing. I was as happy as a fan girl to buy a copy of “The Goddess is in the Details” and have her sign it to me!

While Jim was taking pictures of us, Barbara Ellen from AURA’ bout You! asked if he would mind taking some pictures of her set up. In return, she took an energy field photo of me and interpreted the results. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that not only would I email her the photos Jim took, but that I ran a website and would be writing about all of this! Barbara was such an entertaining lady. From my photo she told me I was friendly, open, social, that I have bright ideas, and that I’m optimistic. This is just hitting the high points; she gave me a complete form detailing my results and how they were interpreted. Barbara also mentioned she does hand readings based off your fingerprints, which sounded interesting. Although I hate seeing photos of myself, I am happy to have such a unique souvenir from the event.

The room was packed with vendors and after a very short period, we found our arms filled with goodies. It was then we decided to make a trip to the car and unload our loot and take a long look at the workshop schedule to see what all we wanted to do.

This took some real time and consideration because there were over twenty workshops taking place! So many that I couldn’t even consider seeing any of the 13 readers and/or healers working at the event. After some time a battle plan was made and a schedule was set. Then, the afternoon took an unexpected turn.

With the difficult workshop decisions made, we went out for lunch. It was while leaving the restaurant that Jim realized the car keys were not in any of his pockets. Yep, upon walking back to our car we could easily see our keys sitting in the cup holder with all our doors securely locked.

First off, my insurance company offers 24-hour roadside assistance for just such occasions. If only I didn’t have all that information in the glove compartment! Next, the nice folks at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta (the location of the Fair) let us have a wire coat hanger to mangle and shove into our car in an attempt to press the unlock button. That wasn’t working. I then went back into the Fair and cried to Deborah Blake who sprung into action and started grabbing people associated with the event and asking, “Do you know how to break into a car?” Everyone can rest easy knowing that the Spiritual Arts Fair community is lacking a criminal element. However, Deborah directed me to Andrew, the spouse of the henna artist at the Fair, who said he had some tools and would take a look.

With Andrew’s assistance, and odd assortment of tools, including brake line, we got into our car. Jim isn’t a hugging sort of guy, but I think he was sorely tempted to give this fellow a big ol’ bear hug. After double-checking with him that his wife was the henna artist, Jim and I decided it was time for me to get my first henna tattoo.

We went to Jessica Halter’s, better known as The Henna Lady, table to tell her of our success thanks to her husband. I then went about selecting an image to be put on my hand with henna. Moments later I had a beautiful flower design on my hand for only $5! Jim offered her a twenty-dollar bill, and she went to give us change. We then asked if she was sure it was only $5, I mean her husband saved us, and she was quite certain it was only $5. What a classy lady! I love my henna tattoo! On a side note, I want to say how impressed I am that not only is she a skilled artist and a kind soul, but she is insured. Insured! How responsible and professional! I have told my husband that I want to have a party where she gives everyone henna body art!

I finished getting my tattoo just in time to make it to the first workshop I wanted to attend, which was the Shadow Chasers Paranormal Investigators and Research. Immediately following that it was a discussion of Hindu Astrology with Philip Hosely. Right after that, it was Zen Mediation with a representative of The Three Treasures Zen Center of Oneonta! I told you there were many workshops! Jim and I agree that the Zen Meditation workshop was the best of the three we attended. Oddly, it had the smallest turn out. If you were at the Fair and didn’t go to the Zen Meditation workshop, you missed out.

After all of that we said our good-byes to Deborah Blake and Jessica Halter, expressing again that her husband kicks ass, and made the drive home. Exhausted we grabbed some take out and crashed. It was a good day.

Things Fun, Petty, Inspiring, and Touching

by Administrator, posted in Events, Messages from Rebecca

Hola all! Just a few things to share that will hopefully amuse, inform, and inspire.

First, don’t forget, tomorrow I’ll be at the 5th Annual Spiritual Arts Fair in Oneonta, NY. If you’re in the area, stop by and join in the fun. Author Deborah Blake will be there, selling, and signing, her latest book “The Goddess is in the Details” (save two for me Deborah!). There are loads of events taking place throughout the day, and I’ll be there, dragging my husband around and hanging around Deborah’s table like a total fangirl. See my original post about this event to learn more.

For those of you that missed it, nearly a week ago I shared my incredibly inspiring form letter that I received from the White House. Not that I’m bitter or anything, but here is another news story about someone receiving a personal response from President Obama. To learn the latest about what’s going on in Zimbabwe, click here.

As many readers will remember, at the beginning of April we featured an interview with Cindy Chaney, the creator of the My Nerd Girl website and all around badass bitch. Cindy is an amazing woman who embodies many characteristics that I wish I had myself, for instance being able to figure out Warhammer and managing to look hot while playing Risk. (I bet she could make a Hero character all by herself with nothing more than a calculator and her cunning intellect.) What many people may not know, is that this incredible woman has been battling Lupus for the past 10 years. Her struggle has left her lungs scarred to the point where she has trouble breathing.

I am going to be honest with you all, I am not a fan of fundraising walk/runs. So much money goes into covering the expenses of these sometimes-massive events that not as much money goes to the charity as I would like. For most causes, I prefer to just mail a check straight to the charity, 100% donating power. But when I learned that Cindy, who has so much trouble breathing that she can’t walk, will be taking part in the June 6, 2009 Walk for Lupus Now event by being pulled in a wagon by her fellow friends and Nerd Girls, I couldn’t help but be moved.

Please take a moment to learn more about Lupus, the Walk for Lupus Now event, and Cindy by visiting her page.

Lastly, as I always like to point out, our readership keeps growing very slowly, but very steadily. We still spend zero dollars on marketing, so all our growth is thanks to you, our readers. By posting links to our articles, by becoming our friends on My Space or our fans on Facebook, and by telling others that you enjoy our website, you have made our existence possible. Thank you for your support. Now get out there and tell someone how awesome our website is! I’m nowhere near poised for global domination, and I want to become supreme leader before I have to start dying my hair regularly to cover grays.

Is Obama Keeping His Promises?

by Administrator, posted in Politics, Products, Reviews

Shortly after President Obama was elected I thought it would be cool to try to track his progress at keeping his campaign promises for The Magical Buffet website. However, then I thought about the time and research that would require and went, never mind. But then I received a copy of “President Obama’s 500 Promises” from U.S. Games Systems.

This box is really neat. It contains 510 cards that compile promises Obama made in interviews, debates, speeches, and on his website while campaigning to become President. It gives the promise, such as Promise 37 “Extend tax cuts for lower incomes” and then provides a bit of explanation. In this case, “Extend the Bush tax cuts for those making less than $250,000 (couples) or $200,000 (single).”

What’s the big whoop about that, you may be asking. Well, if I’m curious as to what is going on with this promise I can just go to www.PolitiFact.com, type Promise 37 into their search engine, and bam! I can find out what’s going on with it. In this case, the Promise is “In the Works”. The website tells me where the Promise came from originally and provides updates as to what is going on with the Promise to justify its “In the Works” rating. How freakin’ easy and sweet is that?

Also, the information isn’t from some hack at a computer, like yours truly, it’s from PolitiFact, who just won a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the 2008 election. A Pulitzer bitches! (I apologize. I just really wanted to say “Pulitzer bitches!”, like I had a Pulitzer of my own.) And it’s because this great group won a Pulitzer that I will forgive them for having the horribly named, “Truth-O-Meter”, “Flip-O-Meter”, and, wait for it, “Obameter” sections on their site. Great sources of information, well presented, and easily read….but silly names.

So, back to this box of awesome I received called “President Obama’s 500 Promises”. What can one do with a box like this? I think any group of politically minded friends would have fun with this. Each person draws a card. Read the Promise to the group. Everyone vote as to whether Obama has kept the promise, broke the promise, compromised, is it stalled, in the works, or has no action been taken. Then go to the website and see who is right. (Perhaps whoever is wrong has to drink. I haven’t quite fine tuned this into a proper drinking game yet. You might just have to play for the entertainment and educational value alone.)

Or perhaps if, let’s say you had an eclectic blog and wanted to occasionally mention to readers various promises that the President has made and let everyone know what is going on with them, you could probably use it for that too.

Promise 122: Expand the Family Medical Leave Act to include leave for domestic violence or sexual assault.

And how is that coming Mr. President?

No action? Get on that.

The Harpy

by Administrator, posted in Creatures, Mythology

By Rebecca
Illustration by Will Hobbs

Generally when we say harpy, we’re referring to, as Random House Dictionary states, “a scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman; shrew, or a greedy, predatory person.” Perhaps it’s that innate fear or repulsion that leads to so much trouble when trying to learn about the mythological creature the harpy.

Let’s start with appearance, one source tells me that harpies started out as beautiful goddesses but over time were morphed into nasty creatures, and then others say they started out down right hideous, but have been toned down to the creatures we generally think of when considering the harpy. Therefore, what are we looking at here? Obviously it varies based on artistic interpretation, but at the most basic it’s a woman who from the torso down is bird and has wings large enough to carry her in flight. Sometimes the face is less human in appearance, with bulging eyes and tusks, other times the face is the only human component and the body is entirely bird. (For the record, for me the harpy will always look like the harpy from the movie “The Last Unicorn”.)

Everyone seems to agree that in Greek mythology the harpies were the daughters of Thaumas and Electra. Of course, how many were there? A few sources say two to three: Aello and Octpete, with Celaeno as a later addition. One source goes so far as to say three to four: Aello, Octpete, Celaeno, and a possible extra to make four! No matter the number, harpies make appearances throughout Greek myth, generally harassing, stealing, or killing anything they feel like.

In the Middle Ages an image of a harpy was used on coats-of-arms. It was referred to as the “virgin eagle”. I have many exciting theories on why the harpy was a virgin, all of them would be inappropriate for me to say, and many of which you can guess for yourself.

In an interesting, and more all age appropriate side note, the largest raptor found in North and South America is the Harpy Eagle. Yup, named after the mythological creature. It’s certainly cuter than any version of the mythological harpy I can imagine. On the other hand, it still totally gives me the creeps.