Happy Holidays everyone!

Well yesterday (or last night/this morning) was the Winter Solstice here in the northern hemisphere. For me, this particular holiday is one of stillness and transition process to the new year. Everyone's running around, preparing to be visited by or to visit relatives, most people are fussing over buying gifts and decorating and runrunrun...

What I prefer to do is wait for the full moon, and on a clear night I'll take a walk to where there isn't anyone around, by a body of water preferably. I'll listen then... sometimes I just hear myself breathing, and the snow underneath my feet. I may hear wild geese calling to each other, or the wind. I have a little moment of zen, and I admit I may talk to myself (or whatever may be listening). If you never go outside, especially at night, I highly suggest taking on a little adventure like this.

But then, maybe that's just how I roll.

So, I hope this holiday season, whatever you celebrate or if you choose not to do anything at all, is blessed and that you are with the ones you love.

Here's 'Snow', by Loreena McKennitt

Fun Links

I feel like I haven't seen the sun in weeks. I'm just waiting for Solstice (Dec. 21) to be over and done with so when I get out of work the sun is actually above the horizon. I've been staying in, mostly to save money, but also to catch up on my reading. Currently I'm reading a book about alien animals, the authors clearly believe in their existence. I'm more curious about the folk lore aspects... I'd say to anyone who has seen or believes such creatures exist... well I believe that you believe that. :) But still, I find the whole idea of ghost animals, or undiscovered creatures very interesting, and how people react to, or validate, or write off the existence. It's more about the process than the proof for me.

Anyway, on to the fun links!

First off, self promotion!
I've updated some stuff on my Etsy store, so if you like shirts and prints, go check that out. Also, if you're in Second Life, I've got a new little gallery thanks to Manx. If you're in world, say hello. My name is Emilie Cryotank.


I find this woman hilarious. I almost envy being able to get so emotional at movies. But no, I'm more likely to analyze the whole damn thing to death.

Check out this blog jwz it's a good source of consistent awesome.

This was found on the Columbus Underground (check it out if you're local)


And this is what I've been listening to lately:


Have a good week!

Chill McGrill

Well, since I last posted Thanksgiving here in America has come and gone. I hope yours was festive (if that was a holiday you celebrated, if not happy 4th Thursday of November).

Well, we’ve reached that null time. Leaves are gone from the trees, light here in the northern hemisphere is thin and pale even in full daylight, & the moon rises high in the night sky plus the constellation Orion is out. As a kid I was very into astronomy, and identifying constellations, but for some reason the winter ones are what I know best, I have difficulty with the summer ones… and Orion is my favorite. If you want to look for him, in the Northern Hemisphere look to the south, identify the three stars in a row that make up his belt, find the ‘box’ of stars around them, and you’ll have the basics for Orion. Look for a bright star east of him, that’s Sirius, the dog star who follows him across the night sky. Look south of the middle star in his belt and you’ll find three fainter stars that make up his sword/dagger, the one in the middle is the Orion nebula, where baby stars are being formed. So yah, pretty groovy.


click here for more info

So yah, in some other bits of randomness that I find interesting... if you are interested in European acheology you might dig this article from the NY times about new finds from lesser known pre-Christian cultures dating way before 5000 B.C.E.; & here's another interesting bit making the blog rounds. John Michael Greer, the Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA) is getting attention from, several places I read for one his recent post titled 'Lies and Statistics', regarding how we view energy/production in relation to the GDP, and how the current model we uses fails us. So yeah, if you're interested in this train of thought you may want to give his book a read. I'll be slapping that on my to-do list.

For myself, I've been reading quite a bit. I just got a hold of Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth on DVD and I'll start watching that tonight (it's been a while since I've really delved into his writing and I tend to be more of an audio learner, so this will be good times). I really need to remember to sit down and write down my thoughts... but I keep forgetting to because I put it off. New habits can be hard to start if you procrastinate eh?

Ah well, only way to go is forward!

Song today by Vitalic, Song: Still, from the album Flashmob