who are you (updated)
Caterpillar: Who are you?
Alice: Why, I hardly know, sir. I’ve changed so much since this morning, you see…
Caterpillar: I do not see. Explain yourself.
Alice: I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, you see, because I’m not myself, you know.
Caterpillar: I do not know.
Alice: I can’t put it any more clearly, sir, because it isn’t clear to me.
Are you really interested, or are you just poking your nose in places where it might not belong? It doesn’t particularly matter to me, but one should really think through their reasons for going places and doing things.
I have a presence in several places on the web:
- Dancing in the Moonlight this is a mirror of my primary journal hosted at InsaneJournal.
- Nightstalker (My fandom journal.)
- Weregaming, or ‘they were dead before we met them…’ – unless you are part of our gaming group, you probably wouldn’t be interested, but if you want to read my gaming logs and thoughts on the subject, feel free to add it.
- I am also to be found on Twitter (bbr_tarot, ashareem, weregamer1, and nemedcuculatii) Tumblr and a few other places, many of which are listed on my Dreamwidth profile page.
- My “professional” website is Babbling Brooke Readings – Tarot & Tea with Ashleigh and friends; I’ve been reading Tarot since around 1969, when living in Las Vegas I acquired my first Tarot deck. I finally set up my business as such in 2019, just before the COVD-19 Pandemic struck (and during a Mercury Retrograde period. Being a Virgo with Sun, Moon, Mercury and my Ascendant in Virgo, you would have thought I might have known better than to launch a business venture during such a time. Yeah, I figured I could stubborn it out. Live and Learn …
Now, about me…
I once considered being a teacher, and toyed with the idea of going in to Law .
I majored in Religious Studies in University (and have a PhD for it) and took a lot of Child Development, Business Administration and pre-Law courses.
I miss being able to get advice from my parents; they’ve been dead since 1988 (dad) and 1998 (mom).
I love just about any kind of ethnic food – particularly Mexican and Basque.
I’ve been married for over 40 years to raven aka Katrina, aka nephir , or that is to say nephir, aka Aislinn of Amberwood. We married about six weeks after meeting, and I am eight years older than she, and yes, that last ‘nym is her name in the Society for Creative Anachronism; mine is Renée du bois d’Ambré, and I’ve been an on-again–off-again member of the SCA since 1973 (most recently active as a member in the Canton of Porte de l’Eau.
Jim Croce and I agree on this: “I don’t like spiders and snakes.”
I enjoy reading as a major source of relaxation. It doesn’t much matter what the subject matter is, I just like to read.
Much the same can be said of my musical tastes.
I’ve been known to listen to Joan Jett, Sigur Ros, Dar William, Tanita Tikarum, Cindy Lauper, Oingo Bingo and the soundtrack to “Once More With Feeling” from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for days on end, on shuffle.
Some of my favorite movies: “Paint Your Wagon”, “The Sound of Music” and I have a special place in my heart for “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, as without it, I might very well have never married. “Torch Song Trilogy”, anyone?
We no longer have broadcast or cable television, and rely entirely on streaming services for what television we do consume. As a result, things like “spoilers” often occur in our lives, despite our best attempts at avoiding them.
I like good single malt whiskeys like Oban and Laphroaig. Too bad that since my Bariatric surgery a couple of years ago, I’m not supposed to have them anymore (and should not have for several years previous due to diabetes, but hey – a girls gotta have some sins, right?
I collect dust. Well, it certainly seems that way at times. I’m a horrible housekeeper.
I dislike driving in wet weather or at night. However, I love to drive, and do so for relaxation.
I was a Russian translator while in the Navy, and formerly was passably fluent in several languages (French, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Irish and Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and a smattering of Ukrainian, Greek and Hebrew), including English. My “dream job” growing up was to become a translator for the United Nations. Being a Navy linguist mostly fulfilled that desire. These days, I’m passably fluent in sarcasm.
I have a significant loss of hearing, primarily in the human vocal range, but if you are whispering, I will probably be able to hear you just fine.
I am a disabled veteran, a diabetic, have chronic pain, asthma, arthritis, fibromyalgia and PTSD. I frequently mention these topics here; if you are disturbed by this possibility (or the reality of it, there is a simple way to avoid reading it. You’re an intelligent person, I am certain you can figure that out on your own.
If you think I’m ignoring you, it’s more likely that you didn’t get my attention in the first place. When I choose to ignore you, I’ll let you know.
I have practiced the Craft for over 50 years. Maybe someday I’ll get it right. For over 45 years I have followed a path of Traditional Witchcraft (in particular that form as taught by Lady Gwynne Thomson of the New England Coven of Traditionalist Witches) as the primary manifestation of my spirituality. I am also an initiate of the Wica and have worked in other religious forms of Witchcraft as well. My major field of study in university was Religious Studies. Over the past 4+ decades I have contributed articles and columns to a number of publications, most of which relate to these topics. I occasionally write poetry and short stories and inflict them upon certain of the readers of this journal. (Note comments about filters, above.)
I am a transsexual woman who transitioned late in life after many previous attempts; polite questions are welcome.
—————————–
I shall go into a hare;
With sorrow and and sighing and mickle care;
And I shall go in the Horned God’s name —
Aye, ’til I come home again.
—————————–