Tag: March Magic

  • How the hell is it already April?

    How the hell is it already April?

    It’s April. Crazy. March flew by and I barely noticed. We had my birthday, Seth’s birthday, my sister-in-law Niki’s birthday. Traci and I went to New Orleans. I got my first dose of the Moderna Vaccine. I made a new friend through roller skating and got to try out my new babies for the first time. I dyed my hair blue/teal. Generally it was a good time.

    We recorded and released the first episode of Girls, Ghosts, Ghouls Podcast! (you can listen/watch here.) We also did a live reading of Hop-Frog; Or, The Eight Chained Ourang-Outangs by Edgar Allan Poe. I bought a new mic after the first recording and am waiting to receive a ring light so the visual and sound on my end will be improving.

    We have officially announced this month’s film which is…Psycho!! I am a huge fan of Hitchcock’s work, even if he was kind of a disaster of a human, and Psycho is one of my favorite horror films of all time. I also have a bunch of stories around the film, so I am going to ramble a bit which I’m sure will be exciting for all.

    I added the footage of our most recent live reading of The Masque of the Red Death by Poe recorded on Saturday April 3 below. The beginning is a little odd because we were having issues getting the live stream to work, but after some chatting and silliness the reading is pretty fun. So, enjoy.

    This month we are obviously recording another episode. My mother, sister, friend and I will be going to a socially distanced drag show. Seth and I got new hiking shoes, so we are planning to go hiking soon. I am going down to Newark this weekend to take some photos for a story I am working on. So much happening.

    Oh, and I gave the blog a spring cleaning. What do you think of the new layout? Yes? No? Let me know.

  • Day 10: Pandemic Pen Pals

    In the light of social distancing and quarantines I have begun writing letters to many of my friends. Some are prearranged Pandemic Pen Pals and others are just me writing letters to let people know I am thinking of them.

    I got an idea that I might want to write letters differently just for fun so one of the ideas I came up with was writing on a library checkout card and pocket. I was able to find some easily and started sending them out today. I am actually quite happy with how they are turning out. Not every letter I send will look like this, but I am absolutely in love with them.

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    Now I am trying to think of other interesting ways to send/ write letters for my lovely new pen pals. I found some paper I had bought several years ago that is pieces of maps that were misprinted, so I think I may write some on those. I am thinking about playing with some origami stars as well. I have already broken out my various seals for the occasion and my myriad color of pens. Who knew letter writing could be so fun?

    I haven’t written this many letters since I was in middle school. I used to write so many letters and lists and intricately folded missives between myself and my friends. I wish I still had them. When I was a teenager in a fit of pique I threw them all away. I regret that now that I am older and would love to remember that awkward girl.

    Are you a letter writer? Do you enjoy receiving letters? Were you a crazy teenage letter writer? Can you fold a letter in about a dozen different ways?

  • Day 9 of the Hostage Situation: Divination

    I love tarot and oracle decks. I have been reading since I was 16 and I have loved them ever since. I think they are a divination tool of such beauty, and each deck is unique with new insights to share. I am a bit of a collector when it comes to decks and I have well 6 right here beside me and an additional 8-10 more. I may be underestimating that amount as well. I might have a problem (nah!). In the last month I received a new oracle deck as a gift and I received a tarot deck my husband kickstarted for me as well. I am awash in new divinatory tools and I love it. I thought I would share my first impressions of both decks in case you were looking at them, or so you might want to.

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    Deck 1: The Literary Witches Oracle written by Taisia Kitaiskaia and illustrated by Katy Horan – The artwork for this oracle is lovely. The cards are divided into two types: The Witches and The Witches’ Materials. There are 30 witch cards with portraits of famous literary women and 40 material cards which are common images found in literary work like wolf, cauldron, white dress, etc. The deck comes in a sturdy box and has a guidebook that has basic meanings for each card as well as sample spreads. Here is a quick look through the guidebook.

    The cards are well made and solid, but a little large for my hands when it comes to shuffling. The imagery on the cards is gorgeous and lush for the Witches and beautiful but simple for the Materials. I love the idea of working with imagery as a divination tool and I look forward to using this deck. Here are some examples of my personal favorite Witches and some of the Materials I liked a lot.

    Deck 2: The Oriens Tarot by Ambi Sun – The imagery for this deck drew me right in when Seth showed it to me on Kickstarter and I knew I needed it. The artwork is stunning and comprised of animals and insects. The colors are lush. I have been waiting for this for a while. The deck came in a beautiful sturdy box, and I also got a reading cloth in the design from the back of the cards. The deck does not come with a physical book, but I was able to download a copy onto my computer and phone, and you can look at the meanings of the cards on the website.

    The sides of the cards are gilded in an amazing holographic silver that catches the light beautifully. The cards are of a nice thickness and fit really well in my hands. I could shuffle them all day if given half the chance. (I find shuffling super meditative and relaxing.) I am massively in love with the animal imagery and the beautiful colors. I am so excited to get into using this gorgeous deck. Here are some of my immediate favorite cards.

    Do you read tarot? Or do you collect them like me? What do you think makes a great deck? Do you enjoy oracle decks as well?

     

  • Day 4 of the Hostage Situation (Keeping calm in the world of Covid-19)

    Day 4 of the Hostage Situation (Keeping calm in the world of Covid-19)

    How are you all holding up? I will be honest I am alternating between being super anxious and being laissez faire. Thanks Anxiety and Depression. This is also proving to me exactly how extroverted I am. Truly it isn’t so bad currently, but the thought of how much longer this will last and how many things are being cancelled is daunting, disappointing and, well, depressing.

    On the positive side I have started a pen pal group for the Wenches. And will be writing to another lovely friend as well. I have so many books to read that I can work my way through, and I have a stationary bike I can use for exercise. Things are truly not all doom and despair but things are very different and it may take me a minute to adjust.

    I need to find the motivation to write and to make art, but currently my axiety is too high for that. Hopefully I can snap out soon.

    Stay sane my friends.

    If you would like to be a pen pal as well feel free to message me your address and I will gladly send a letter.

    The photo for this post is my new part time coworker, Samhain, helping me work. ❤

  • Fifty More Random Things!!

    This came up on Facebook, so I grabbed it and decided to do another one. 50 (Yes, fifty!!) Things You’ve Never Been Asked. 

    1. What is the color of your hairbrush? I have two main ones; one is brown and the other black.
    2. Name a food you never ever eat? There is no such food.
    3. Are you typically too warm or too cold ? At work too warm, at home cold.
    4. What were you doing 45 mins ago? Playing with one of my birthday gifts.
    5. What is your favorite candy bar? I don’t eat a lot of candy bars, but when I do I eat Mounds.
    6. Have you ever been to a professional sporting event? Yes. A bunch.
    7. What is the last thing you said out loud? “You just backed that ass up right onto my computer.” Said to my cat. 
    8. What is your favorite ice cream? Vanilla with nestle quick powder.
    9. What was the last thing you had to drink? Water with lemon
    10. Do you like your wallet? Yes, it is a floral Betsey Johnson.
    11. What was the last thing you ate? Mexican Rice Bowl ala Seth
    12. Did you buy any new clothes last weekend? Yes, I think so. 
    13. The last sporting event you watched? I think it was a UFC fight at a bar. 
    14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? I am happy with just salted popcorn. 
    15. Who is the last person you sent a message to? My sister in law Niki. Today is her birthday (3/15) 
    16. Ever go camping? Yes
    17. Do you take vitamins? Every Day
    18. Do you go to church every Sunday? Nope. 
    19. Do you have a tan? No, I am ungodly pale.
    20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza? I love both equally. 
    21. Do you drink your soda with a straw? Sometimes
    22. What color socks do you usually wear? All colors and patterns. I love crazy socks. 
    23. Do you ever drive above the speed limit? Yes
    24. What terrifies you? This whole virus thing has me fairly anxious. 
    25. Look to your left, what do you see? My birthday presents on the couch beside me. 
    26. What chore do you hate? Dusting
    27. What do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? Aussie!! 
    28. What’s your favorite soda? Diet Dr Pepper
    29. Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? We don’t eat much fast food.
    30. What is your favorite number? 13
    31. Who’s the last person you talked to? Seth, my husband
    32. Favorite cut of beef? Umm…I don’t really have one. 
    33. Last song you listened to? Something sung by Jameson’s Folly. 
    34. Last book you read? I am reading the poetry book Great Goddeses by Nikita Gill
    35. Favorite day of the week? Wednesday
    36. Can you say the alphabet backwards? Yes
    37. How do you like your coffee? Black
    38. Favorite pair of shoes? Doc Marten Boots
    39. Time you normally go to bed? 10pm
    40. Time you normally get up? 4:30 am on work days, 8-ish on days off.
    41. What do you prefer, sunrise or sunset? Both are beautiful. 
    42. How many blankets on your bed? One Down Comforter
    43. Describe your kitchen plates? Gray
    44. Do you have a favorite alcoholic beverage? All of them. I don’t drink often but I can drink anything. 
    45. Do you play cards? I have been known to play euchre. 
    46. What color is your car? Cafe Latte
    47. Can you change a tire? Yes
    48. Your favorite state? Probably Ohio, but it is a cheat because I love here. 
    49. Favorite job? Haven’t found it yet. 
    50. How did you get your biggest scar?  Had a cyst removed from my bronchial tubes when I was a kid. 

    Some of these were repeats, or close to others I had answered but it was still fun. 🙂 

     

  • My Birthday in a Post.

    My Birthday in a Post.

    Yesterday was my birthday. I am officially 39. I spent most of early yesterday with curlers in my hair getting ready for the Fancy Dress Party at the Forge Tavern later in the day. My husband, Seth, surprise d me at midnight while I was putting my curlers in with my birthday present from him: Dungeons and Dragons Castle Ravenloft the Board Game. It is a stand alone version of the Curse of Strahd which is a module for D&D that I am planning to Dungeon Master later this year. We can play it to prepare, and also use the figurines from the game when running my game later. I am super excited.

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    Once we were ready we met my mom and sister for dinner at Tomatillo’s in Worthington for dinner. They gave me my present from them then. They got me a new Fitbit Versa, the game Punderdome and The Literary Witches Oracle. They also got me a unicorn hand sanitizer holder, which my mom bought before all the chaos really started, but it is super handy now.

    Then we all headed to The Forge Tavern for the Fancy Dress Party. Jameson’s Folly, which is made up of the Wenches a’ Wailing from the Renaissance Festival and their friends, was performing as a St. Patrick’s Day celebration.  The Forge made the decision not to cancel in spite of the covid-19 restrictions and instead to limit the number of people who are allowed to attend. I would say there were about 50 of us in attendance in the end, but it was a lovely night. I was gifted a lovely unicorn music box from my friend Carol, an adorable birthday wineglass from my friend Mary, and my friend Susan made me a necklace based on the book The Starless Sea. I will absolutely admit to having far too much to drink, but in spite of that it was a lovely night. Jameson’s Folly even wished me a happy birthday in a bunch of languages, did a toast to me and sang an encore song just for me.

    All in all it was an absolutely amazing birthday. Today they have officially closed all the restaurants and bars, and I am so thankful that I was able to have one more night of fun before that hit. I am 39 and the world feels like chaos, but last night I was surrounded by my favorite people so it is all okay.

  • 50 Dig A Little Deeper Questions

    50 Dig A Little Deeper Questions

    I found this on Pinterest and thought the questions were fun and interesting. So…

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    1) Do you prefer writing with black or blue pen? – I prefer black, and my favorite pen is Unibal Signo Impact 207

    2) Would you prefer to live in the country or the city? – I am an active person so I am best in a city, but I love the idea of living in the country.

    3)If you could learn a new skill, what would it be? – I would love to learn another language. Currently I speak almost no Spanish and French and I would love to be at least mildly conversational in one.

    4) Do you drink your tea or coffee with sugar? – Nope. I drink both black.

    5) What was your favorite book as a child? – The Pobble Who Has No Toes by Edward Lear, and The Light In The Attic by Shel Silverstein

    6) Do you prefer baths or showers? – I love both, but I love baths.

    7) If you could be a mythical creature, which would you choose? – Well, my myth for the Wenches is the Banshee and I am becoming very attached to her, so probably that.

    8) Do you prefer reading paper or electronic books? – I prefer paper, but for travel electronic is by far better.

    9) What is your favorite item of clothing? – My leather jacket and my favorite jean jacket.

    10) Do you like your name? Would you ever change it? – I love my name. I would never change my first name but I have joked about changing my middle name to Snow (It is legally Jo) so my name would be Betsy Snow White.

    11) Who is a mentor to you? – My mom, she is an amazing person. My fellow lady gangers and wenches. I am surrounded by some of the most amazing women.

    12) Would you ever want to be famous? – If so, what for? Well…I am a writer so being acknowledged for that would be nice.

    13) Are you a restless sleeper? – Generally, no. But when I get anxiety I can

    14) Do you consider yourself to be a romantic? – I do.

    15) Which element best represents you? – I am a water sign through and through (Pisces sun and Cancer moon)

    16) Who do you want to be closer to? – I would love to establish a relationship with my half-sister Chelli. I don’t know if it will ever happen, but…

    17) Do you miss someone at the moment? – I have really been missing my grandparents lately. My grandma died when I was 15 and my grandpa when I was 20.

    18) Tell us about an early childhood memory. – Some of my favorite early memories are swinging with my grandma in her backyard on a spring day. She would sing a little song and you could hear the turtle doves cooing. I still love to swing.

    19) What is the strangest thing you have eaten? – Probably alligator. I am not picky at all, so I will eat anything, but I think that is the strangest.

    20) What can you see outside your bedroom window? – My backyard from one side, and my driveway from the other side.

    21) What are you most thankful for? – My husband, family and friends.

    22) Do you like spicy food? – I love spicy food. When my husband and I got together 13 years ago I was absolutely not, but he slowly introduced me to more spice and now I love it.

    23) Have you ever met someone famous? – I have met Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione of the Dresden Dolls several times at signings. I met Voltaire, Puddles Pity Party, David Sedaris and Ron Funches in the same way.

    24) Do you keep a diary or journal? – I do.

    25) Do you prefer to use pen or pencil? – It depends on the application. In my journals I write in pen, but when I am prewriting etc. I prefer pencil.

    26) What is your star sign? – I am a Pisces with an Aquarius rising and a Cancer moon.

    27) Do you like your cereal crunchy or soggy? – Crunchy please.

    28) What would you want your legacy to be? – I feel like I am working on that. I hope that my work with the Wenches Guild will last and build beyond our work.

    29) Do you like reading? What was the last thing you read? – I love to read. Scythe by Neal Shusterman, Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom and I just started I Am God by Giacomo Sartori.

    30) How do you show someone you love them? – I will just straight up tell them, but I also like to buy very selective and specific gifts that play to what they love.

    31) Do you like ice in your drinks? – Water, yes. Alcohol, not necessary. Soda, maybe.

    32) What are you afraid of? – The dark and I am not a fan of thunderstorms.

    33) What is your favorite scent? – Sandalwood, lavender, rosemary, lemon and mint

    34) Do you address older people by their first or last name? – It depends. At first by their last name, but if they request then I will use their first name.

    35) If money was not a factor, how would you live your life? – I would own my own business, but otherwise my life would be pretty much the same. I would renovate my house.

    36) Do you prefer swimming in pools or the ocean? – I am not a great swimmer, so pools all the way. I only wade in the ocean.

    37) What would you do if you found $50 on the ground? – If I could locate an owner I would return it. If not I might report it somewhere.

    38) Have you ever seen a shooting star? Did you make a wish? – I have seen many shooting stars and I have wished on many of them.

    39) What is one thing you would want to teach your children?  – Well I don’t have any children, but I like to think I am helping to teach my nieces and nephew to be open, honest and inclusionary.

    40) If you had to have a tattoo, what would it be and where would you get it? – I already have several, but some of the ones I am planning are the word Wench on my left arm, and a quote and maybe some artwork from the book The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern “We are all stardust and stories.”

    41) What can you hear right now? – Archer playing on the TV.

    42) Where do you feel safest? – With my husband, family and friends.

    43) What is one thing you want to overcome/conquer? – I would love to better deal with my anxiety. I am already working on self-love, but my anxiety will always come back to bite me.

    44) If you could travel back to any era, which would you choose? – Maybe ancient Egypt, the past was kinda shitty for women, so it is hard to think of going back to those times.

    45) What is your most used emoji? hearts

    46) What is your favorite season? Why? – Autumn, though with climate change it isn’t much of a thing anymore.

    47) How would you spend your ideal day? – Go to Tommy’s Diner for breakfast, then go shopping on high street and to the Book Loft, hit a Mexican place for lunch, catch a show at a local theatre and then go out to dinner for drinks and maybe dancing later.

    48) Describe yourself using one word. – Creative.

    49) What do you regret the most? – Not going after my dreams when I was younger. Now I am just trying to make up for lost time.

    50) Invent your own word. What does it mean? – Somesense: It is more than sense and a direct opposite to nonsense.

     

    There you go! 50 more things about me. Are you getting tired of me yet?

     

  • Rainy Day Musical Round Up

    I am a Musical Junkie! I love them so much. On rainy days I often listen to Musicals to cheer me up and wake me up. Here are some of my favorite musicals in no specific order. Some I love for the music, some for the production. Some I have seen performed, and some I have only experienced the soundtrack. Have a Broadway Day!!

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    How do you feel about musicals? Do you have a favorite?

  • Who am I? 20 Facts About the Weird Girl

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    Hi! My name is Betsy White. I will be 39 in about 12 days; I was born in 1981 and I am either a millennial or a xennial depending on what websites you look at. I have been married for 8 years in October to my amazing husband Seth. We live in Columbus, Ohio with a very large cat named Samhain (Sam for short) and a very small dog named Zoe. Now for some more random facts about me:

    1. I have 5 tattoos with plans for many more. I have the word bibliophile on my right wrist. Huginn (thought) on my left arm and Muninn (memory) on my right. I have an interesting looking gentleman on my right calf whom I have named Admiral Flaneur and declared the captain of an airship. And finally I have a cricket on my right shoulder who is wearing a naval officers hat and has an arm extended with an anchor tattoo. It is a tribute piece to my grandparents; My grandmothers nickname was Cricket and my Grandfather proudly served in the navy. My mother and my younger sister also have the cricket tattoo.
    2. I don’t have a favorite color so to speak, because it depends on the day. I love all colors. For clothing I tend to wear black, but I have been working hard to add color back into my wardrobe. I had far too many years as a goth and old habits die hard. In the rest of my world I am all about color and the brighter the better.
    3. I love vinyl records and have quite a collection. My husband bought me a gorgeous record player for my birthday a couple of years ago. I love the sound of vinyl and I prefer to buy albums if at all possible.
    4. My favorite movie of all time is Labyrinth. I have a binder that has the original screenplay that I printed out once upon a time ago when I was bored. I am a genuine Jim Henson junkie, and Labyrinth is my favorite obsession.
    5. I have been writing poetry since I was a little girl, but I do not share it often. I love poetry though, and especially love to read it aloud. I just bought a new poetry book yesterday by Nikita Gill.
    6. I have multiple tarot and oracle decks. I read tarot very well, but I do not do it professionally and I have never charged for it.
    7. I love crazy colorful socks. I am especially fond of knee high or over the knee stripey ones. I own a bunch.
    8. I have been a singer since I was young. I am a high soprano. In another world I would have been an opera or musical theatre major. I still love to sing, though I don’t do it much anymore. I have been considering practicing and auditioning sometime in the next little bit if I can get brave enough.
    9. I am a pretty good seamstress. I learned to sew from my mother when I was a little girl. I can make viking garb in about an hour since I make it all the time.
    10. I love skulls, bones, taxidermy and many things dark and macabre. I have in my personal collection several skulls including a full alligator skull that I inherited from Seth’s Grandpa.
    11. If I am craving change I always just want to change my hair. Dye it or cut it off. I have been resisting the urge for the past couple of years but I still want to do it.
    12. I have a minor obsession with Fairy Tales. I love them all; the classics and the retellings. I have a massive collection of books, movies, comics and other pieces that are Fairy Tale based.
    13. I am a water sign to my core, and I love to take baths. I am obsessed with bath bombs from Witch Baby Soap. I use hand made soaps by a lovely girl named Katie who runs Elder Forest Soaps. I dream of remodeling our bathroom and putting in a larger soaking tub for me to luxuriate in. Someday.
    14. I am currently fantasizing about opening my own business. I have an idea that I am in love with, but I have no idea where to even begin. I would genuinely love to make it happen though.
    15. I love bookstores! and Libraries! and Books! And Books! I visited my newest local bookstore the other day and even joined a book club there. I am so excited. It is the LGBTQ+Allies book club and I am ready to dig in. Our first book I am reading is Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom. I listened to it on audible today, and I am planning to listen to it again before we meet on the 15th.
    16. I love to play dress up, and have my entire life. I am absolutely unashamed to go out in public wearing the craziest things. It is why I love the lady gang so much, they are dress up girls too.
    17. I have a VCR, a laser disc player, a dvd player and a bluray player. I also have media to watch on each.
    18. I cannot play video games. I had an Atari as a child, but then never had another gaming system in my house until the Playstation. I have absolutely no hand eye coordination in that way. My husband laughs at me because I play so poorly.
    19. I love musical instruments, but I cannot play any. That being said I own two acoustic guitars, a ukelele and several percussion instruments. I am actually working on playing the ukelele but will probably never play the guitars.
    20. I love to make jewelry and specialize in Shrinky Dink charms. I am thinking of making better pieces and trying to sell them.

    So…do you feel like you know me a little better? More about me as the month progresses. Do you have any questions you would love to have answered? Let me know.

  • March Onward!!

    It’s March! It is my and my husband’s birthday month! I will be 39 on March 14th and Seth will be 36 on the 30th. I was very excited that The Forge Tavern is holding another Fancy Dress Party on my birthday, so we have decided to attend that as my birthday celebration. I am going to be doing some random about me posts through the month in honor of my not almost forty birthday.

    On the first day of March here is a photo dump of things I got into in February.

    On the 15th The International Wenches Guild Local 73 met up in my hometown of Newark at the Buckeye Winery, for a Galentine’s celebration. We also hit up the new Sand Hollow Speakeasy and The White Cottage, a shop that sells beautiful jewelry and clothing.

    Last week we saw Stadium Virginium IV: Rock of Love featuring Virginia West. As usual it was an amazing show with amazing performances. I am always so blown away with the quality and production of the West Family shows. They are beyond expectations. There is definitely a reason they sell out all the time.

     

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    February was a mixed bag with super highs and lows that included being sick for nearly two weeks but also amazing shows, several runs of dungeons and dragons, wenches, the lady gang, and amazing shows. I cannot wait to see what March brings.