I Say It's My Birthday...

>> Thursday, November 19, 2009


Yep, it's that time again! I am officially old. Again

Wow, what a week. Staying at work late for an endless procession of telecons, this week complicated by a horrible smell of adhesive from the roofwork being done, then coming home, still high from fumes to work on my novel. It's been hard to motivate myself to exercise when my novel is calling to me and, yeah, I haven't been good.

But the blogging I haven't done has translated into novel I have been writing. And I've still been a good mother and so-so wife. But everything else has fallen by the wayside.

Well, today was my birthday, and a long day of telecons, but I went walking with the family and still managed to pump out 2500 words that were, apparently, just waiting to come out. So, I'm blogging.

'Cept I don't have anything really clever to say. Apparently, I'm using up all my clever in my novel. And in the occasional comments on other blogs, and, perhaps, for work.

So, I'm going to do something I never do. I ordered some tarot cards to replace my husband's first deck, one he really loved (but lost a single card to). He has another full deck (by the same artist) but I thought I'd replace his deck. Except, once I finally found a replacement (I think it's out of print) and ordered it, he tells me he's just as happy with the major arcana and he doesn't want it.

So, I thought I'd do a contest to win a very nice deck of Tarot cards with an excellent instruction book (unopened). It's called the Celtic Dragon Tarot. You can find a review of it here.

Tarot cards aren't for everyone, of course. But, I'd like for this wonderful little deck to go to someone who's interested. It's a fun hobby and is certainly interesting. Quite the icebreaker at parties. And, hey, my advice is free.

So, it's not only my birthday, it can be yours, too. Or it can be an interesting present for the hard-to-buy-for.

So, how to enter? Just write me a comment, telling me a thought provoking idea, for other times when my brain is too busy with everything else to cough up ideas. I'll be honest; I'll use all the ones that interest me. But the one I like best wins you the Celtic Dragon Tarot kit. Now, if you want to give ideas, but don't want the tarot cards, just say so in your comment. I'll take those, too. But, if you or someone you love has been interested in dabbling in the occult [insert diabolical laugh here], here's a chance to get a fine deck at no expense to you.

Contest ends on November 28.

And I find the cards a good home.

P.S. Because I'm eating the cost and the postage, I'm limiting this to the US and Canada. I know that's not entirely fair, but I doubt I could get them to someone in Europe or Australia or anywhere else overseas before Christmas.

14 comments:

  • The Mother
     

    So, you're telling us your husband isn't playing with a full deck.

    Interesting.

    I have enough trouble coming up with topics for my blog. You can't expect me to come up with topics for yours.

    I have a great deck that makes me happy. Not in the market for a new one.

  • Stephanie Barr
     

    Well, that's perfectly reasonable. I'm happy with my own decks (now), too.

    If no one decides to enter, I guess I'll have to think of something else. You know, in my voluminous free time.

  • Roy
     

    Well, I kinda like my handmade deck, plus I'm slowly but surely working on another designed in Photoshop, etc., so I think I'll pass on the contest.

    But Happy Birthday! And you're not anywhere near old. My Mom turns 80 in January, and she tells me that is officially old.

  • flit
     

    I could send you a whole bunch of articles and you could read them all and come up with a 500 word position paper about 'em.

  • Stephanie Barr
     

    Um, no. I've got to come up with a technical paper next year for the IAASS conference. I'm not volunteering for any others.

  • Boris Legradic
     

    Not competing here because of my location (is this locationism?? ;), but I still wanted to wish you a happy birthday!

    Also congratulations on your good progress with your novel lately - I am in awe, especially since my progress lately has been woefully slow.

    I do hope you got a nice cake with whose smell to combat the fumes?

  • Darrell B. Nelson
     

    I just want to wish you a happy Birthday and congratulations on the writing spree. I had one myself and wrote the last 15,000 words for mine over 3 (12 hour) days. If I stayed inspired like that I could crank one out every 15 days.
    I don't need the tarot cards as my mom is pagan so I've got a closet full from growing up.
    Here's an inspiration for you, Where does Inspiration come from?
    Like all writers I've sat in front of my keyboard all day only to find 1,000 words typed out at the end, and I needed to throw 900 of them out the next day. Then I have a writing spree like the one I had the past 3 days.
    It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Inspiration.

  • Stephanie Barr
     

    Oh, Boris, I'm sorry. You're the only one of my readers I knew lived outside the bounds. And guilt works exceptionally well on me. I think you're wonderful (and appreciate the birthday greeting). IFF you really covet them (and are comfortable not getting them until sometime next year), you can compete and I'll get them to you. Somehow. If not, I'll just be grateful we can communicate so easily via the internet.

    Project Savior, that IS an excellent suggestion and, though you're not competing (my MIL is a pagan minister herself), I appreciate the idea. It's a good one.

  • Quadmama
     

    I have no ideas for you but I wanted to say Happy Birthday!!

  • Patricia Rockwell
     

    Happy Birthday, Stephanie! Boy, I'd like to know what you think of the large Hadron Collider and if there's a chance it might accidentally send us into the future (or past). I live in Illinois not too far from the Fermi Labs and I think they have something like the Hadron there, don't they?

  • Anonymous
     

    And I like everyone else, wish you a very Happy Birthday - birthdays are my favorite holiday. I have no ideas for you - certainly nothing a rocket scientist would be interested in. I would certainly like the Tarot Cards. I mainly and mostly use the Tarot of the Cat people but I have found different decks give different readings. I have the Tarot of the Goddess as well and I can never get anything but happy positive readings from it. I wonder what the Celtic Dragon would conjure up.

  • Jeff King
     

    Man i thought i already posted, must have not went through...

    congratulations on your good progress on your novel.

    that is just awesome, especially since my progress has slowed as of late.

    no cards for me thanks. i prefer to leave my question up to a pro like you.

  • Dr. Cheryl Carvajal
     

    I am planning on writing some over this week, but I have actually promised myself to take out my tarot and play with it today. I'm even taking it to Thanksgiving with me... see if I have any skill with it while reading for others. I'll be reading the interpretations for a while, but hopefully I can spend December really learning it more. I am not sure whether you or Lee used that deck of yours with me, but its GORGEOUS.

    I would love to see you start a story or poem in a session, and then invite us to continue. First commenter writes a paragraph or stanza, and so on, with you popping back in to add your own stanzas or paragraphs and keep the whole thing going. Given your readership, the final product could be quite cool--and you could offer it up in its final form (with your editing, of course) once it's complete.

  • Dr. Cheryl Carvajal
     

    Ooh, ooh, I have another idea. You have the brilliance and knowledge for this one (and since I don't, I won't feel left out).

    Do a "What Would You Do When..." blog... and tell us what to do when something unusual happens: winning the lottery, surviving nuclear disaster, getting lost in the woods, crashing our vehicle, having a heart attack, filing for divorce, losing the family pet, planning our own funeral, etc.

    It all sounds depressing, but it doesn't have to be, and you know how to think outside nearly every established social box there is...

    Oh, and I told the hubby about the tarot reading you gave him on Ask Me Anything... and he said it sounded DEAD ON. I told him that, of course, it did! That's why I ask Tarot Queene EVERYTHING!!!

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