Inn of the Wandering Dragon

Yep, the midnight banging around of the upstairs people is not due to things like, a weird facination for doing construction at 11pm or trying to learn irish dancing at 3am - it is because a mouse has moved in.
On occasion they ask to borrow the cat to sniff it out. Traps with cheese have been set out under the fridge and behind the stove. There has been much cleaning of late as well to discourage the fuzzy intruder but when there is a big bowl of dog food set out as a free buffet it is hard to drive it out. And it's driving the people crazy! So when it sounds ike they are pulling wires through the wall at midnight - it is because one of the people has caught a glimpse of the intruder and they're tearing the house apart to try and catch it.
I'm hoping they catch it before it discovers the downstairs suite and invites the neighborhood in!

Every night when I go to bed I put my cat in the workroom and close the door. This enables me to actually sleep through the night, and Chalk has a big room with his compfy chair, treats and toys to keep him ammused. Last night I was working on some collage pieces so I make sure to put away any inks, glues, papers etc so Chalk can not get into it. However this morning I see he has a 2" grey stripoe down one side of his body, and a large yellow smudge on the other side?! I checked my desk and my pastels, nothing was out that should have done that. So now we're all puzzled as to how my cat is getting so colourful, and I'm wondering just what my furry friend gets up to at night.

So I have successfully re-arranged the furniture - I'm still working on the de-cluttering. This is going to have to be broken down into pieces I can tell. It may be a small house but it can be overwhelming when you still have a busy life to deal with. But durring this I have dug out my old travel journals from years ago, I was looking for entries about language.
While the majority of my travels have been through english speaking countries I have spent some time in Indonesia where most people did not speak english and I had to learn at least some basics to get around. One of the first phrases I learned was to say was, 'I'm sorry, I do not understand'. Needless to say at the very start of my trip I used that a lot! One man in the market loudly berated me and while I did not understand the words I picked up the tone and rough meaning quick enough (something along the lines of I should not be traveling if I do not know the language). But for the most part people were patient with me, corrected me when I needed it and we tried with some humour to make ourselves understood.
I have forgotten most of what I learned, mainly from lack of use, but I did take notes back then so I have been re-visiting them for a project I'm currently working on. There is something facinating in text that I do not understand, especially trying to puzzle out the meanings and relationships of these essentially abstract symbols.

language begins at the tongue

but dreaming london doesn't mean it's the only dot on the map. not when you grow up different, not when shopping malls suffix every parking lot


and when it doesn't begin at the tongue? I've whispered with fingertips, written words that no longer know how to speak. Japanese chases itself inside Turkey then sits on the page a vision of China. appearances speak volumes. 1... 2... 3...


or like other times, when linguistics was a map of my mouth. when a sentence will end long after the period. a promise you hadn't yet said. when latin replaces math

they didn't notice, but "I" and "r" can be versions of the same letter. can be, to her ear, the same sound. listen, there's a reason dreams happen beneath eyelids. there's a pattern. Trust me when I say I'm going to sew buttons on the underside of shirts, read them across ribs


hearing sideways in the morning may be your idea of verbal action. in turn, I will be consumed by midnight, only not that mercuric. the street crammed with lawn intentions, remnant of camouflage, veiled postures, faux balconies


lip service - by Nicole Markotic

Autumn has to be my favorite season - at least it's tied with summer anyway. It's not just the pretty colours or the fun of stretching out the summer activities as long as possible before the snow hits. It's not just about the fall cleaning and getting ready for winter. For myself the months of October and November (specifically) are all about change. Despite school always starting in September it is the following months that have a special meaning for me.
With very few exceptions, my job situation has always changed durring those two months. My biggest trip abroad started and ended in those months. In fact I am planning another trip (a shorter trip) overseas that will take place in October. Studio time has always been more intense at that time as I look to complete more before Christmas. As per my last post I am looking to re-organize areas of the house as well as do some serious de-cluttering. One of my favorite holidays takes place at the end of October - Halloween! My boyfriend could care less (and outright disapproves I think) but I always look forward to the carving of pumkins, making of costumes and generally having a fun time with friends. My Halloween activities are going to be curtailed this year due to the timing of my trip but I can accept that.
I have been to parts of the world where the changing of the seasons is so subtle as to be missed by those who don't know what to look for. I honestly missed the seasons, and all the activity they bring.

I live in a small space. In fact, most of my friends would rather have me come over to their house than come over to mine. But I do persist in inviting people over occasionally - and it usually poses a challenge.
Some time back I re-arranged the place by switching rooms around. What was the work room became the bedroom and vice versa. Short of buying all new furniture there really isn't much I can do about the rest. I was quite happy with the new set up as it offered more flexibility - principally for having people over. But I am not one to refrain from tinkering with the layout. Now I have thought of a way to improve the space for working on my art (and yes it will still be used for gaming with friends). This basically comes down to re-assigning purposes to the different furniture. I am swapping the kitchen table for the desk, to give me more room to work. (making christmas cards takes a lot of room) The desk can now go against the other wall for storage and the plants. When needed, both pieces can still be pulled together in the center for a large gathering.
I shall have to try this out this week.

You are The Moon

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Moon is a card of magic and mystery - when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window.

The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. You can and should trust your intuition.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

I am reminded of the old circus act, that of fitting a whole bunch of clowns into a tiny car. One by one they tumble out as you shake your head and wonder how they all fit in the first place. I have a couple of house guests this week. And while it is only another two people, that is still in addition to the two + cat that already reside in my little place. Early this morning my boyfriend and I were going about the usual routine of getting ready for work while trying to make the least amount of noise and light possible. One of his sisters has only had about 7 hrs sleep in the past 48 so she is in the spare room while the other is on the couch. The door to the spare room is slightly open to accomodate the ramblings of the cat (well, the ltterbox has to fit somewhere!). I am not convinced that anyone has slept particularly well, but at least we'll have fun while they are here!