Fortune Telling – Part V

Ceromancy, one of the most ancient forms of divination, is similar to tasseography (tea leaf reading) in that it depends on the interpretation of shapes. In this case, the shapes are produced by dropping melted wax into water.

The most common way to try ceromancy is to heat wax until it’s molten, then to pour it directly into cold water. The shapes and movements of the wax as it cools and solidifies can then be read to forecast the future.

While you can heat the wax in a small pot, most people find it’s easier to use a candle. Any color will work, although darker colors show up better. And candles that are made of natural waxes, like beeswax, are best because they provide more drippings. Simply light the candle and tip it over a pan of cold water so the wax drips into it. Let the shapes solidify fully before trying to interpret them.

Listed below are some of the more common meanings for the shapes that can result.

Airplane: A trip or a disappointment.
Anchor: Your loved one is faithful.
Baby: Troubles are coming
Ball: Your problem will not last.
Bed: A restful holiday would be good for you.
Bells: A wedding.
Bird: Expect news soon.
Bridge: Take a chance.
Broom: Time make a change.
Candle: Spiritual growth.
Cat: A friend is untrue
Chain: Go ahead with your plans.
Circle: Time of reconciliation.
Cloud: Something or someone threatens you.
Cross: Protection.
Crown: Sickness
Cup: Quarrel with a friend.
Dog: Low self-esteem.
Ear: Listen for opportunities for advancement.
Egg: There will soon be new developments.
Fan: A surprise is coming.
Feather: The problem will be solved.
Fish: Someone will betray you.
Ghost: Someone from the past is looking for you.
Grass: Good fortune is approaching.
Hat: There will be a change of location.
Heart: Friendship will turn into love.
House: Better times are coming.
Key: A setback in plans should be expected.
Kite: Your wish will come to nothing.
Ladder: You need to change your attitude towards an old friend.
Leaf: There will soon be changes.
Lion: An unpleasant situation.
Moon: More money may be coming.
Mountain: Good friends are willing to help.
Pants: You will be tempted
Pen: Letter from a friend or relative.
Pipe: Peace and comfort.
Ring: Marriage may happen in the near future.
Scissors: Separation.
Shoe: A new acquaintance may be untrustworthy.
Snake: Beware.
Spider web: Pleasant occurrences.
Star: Happiness.
Sun: Good fortune.
Table: An abundance of blessings.
Tree: A good time for new ventures.
Umbrella: Trouble is coming
Walking Stick: Go and visit friends.
Wheel: Someone journeys home soon.
Witch: Danger will pass you by.
Worm: Business troubles may be ahead.

The Clouds of Grathos IV

As you might have guessed, last week was not a good week writing-wise. Or anything-wise really. But it was but it was and I’m making neither apologies for neither. Things happen. Or don’t, as the case may be.

I missed my fortune telling post, which is a little disappointing on my part because I had all the research done, I just didn’t have the desire to put it all together.

I seem to be swinging back and forth between reading too much and gaming too much. Now, writers should read, that’s a given, but they should read a variety of things and I seem to be fixated on Nora Roberts lately. Mostly her romances. Sometimes her romantic suspense.

But the good news there is I’m currently on the last of one of her quartets right now and Indigo/Chapters won’t be delivering any more until May 7th. Obviously they’re using Canada Post again instead of UPS. But this also means I’ll be forced to read something else, like something from my to-be-read bookcase.

We won’t even discuss the gaming. It’s just pure escapism.

I’ve been good at giving myself a stern talking to when it comes to my lack of, well, anything, but I’m also pretty good at ignoring myself. I seem to be productive one day, then a slacker for two. This week’s goal is to be productive at least every other day.

We’ll see how it goes.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The cloud was talking, and you know what that means. Yeah, that’s right. The weather control system was off its grid again. I’ve been working the night shift so I’ve been sleeping during the day, or I would have noticed it sooner.

Of course one of the other scientists stationed on Grathos IV could have mentioned it, or left a report or something, but Garth and Sandy enjoyed talking to clouds, Richard and Sven were too focused on their work to notice, and Kate, Beckett, and Taylor just didn’t care. Of course the clouds rarely talked to them.

We’ve put in seven of our twelve month stretch here. It would have been well into our eighth month if we hadn’t had to sit around in orbit while the microbiologists and biochemists argued about whether or not the virology in the ecosystem of the planet was safe for humans. Ultimately they decided it was harmless, and we were green to go.

Once we get the weather stable enough to sustain itself without the grid Grathos IV will be ready for settlement. It should have been ready long before this, but every time we shut down the grid we get talking clouds, or worse singing clouds.

It’s a little disconcerting to venture outside and have them whispering above you. Sometimes they just carry on monologues, sometimes they ask questions, but more often than not they offer advice. It was amusing in the beginning, but not so much when they start interfering in our personal business.

They see everything, you understand. They’re clouds, vapor. There’s no locking them out, no hiding behind closed doors. They know everything we do, even things we hide from the others. And they like to share, so there are no secrets on Grathos IV.

It’s not like they’re sentient, any more than the rocks, grass and water was, at least that’s what the environmental specialist claims. We managed to silence all the voices except for the ones in the clouds. But we’ll get them too, eventually.

Well, better get back to work.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Wordage Report

Wandering Wizards – ? words
I tinkered around a little, but my heart wasn’t really in it last week. Hopefully I’ll to better this week.

Weekly Prompt – 349 words
I actually like the way this little prompt story turned out. If I can figure out a way to expand it at little, I might even try marketing it.

New Prompt
Use this as your first line:
After the goblin invasion we realized all the dark lords were dead.

Happy Writing!

Camilla

Will wonders never cease – I got this post up on time.

It’s really hard to focus these days – on anything, not just writing. I’m plugging away, putting in time, but it all feels off.

I made the mistake of bringing my lap top out of the office one night, and I used it in the living room for the next couple of days. It was kind of frightening how easy it was to slide back into my old habit of mindless gaming.

It took a couple of days but I finally clued in to what I was doing. It wasn’t exactly an epiphany, more like a wakeup call. It occurred to me that once the isolation orders are lifted, the daughter will be going back to work in her office and we’ll be looking after the granddaughter during the day, unless the powers that be finish out the school year, which is highly unlikely.

I don’t want to look back on this time and think about all the time I wasted. So I thought I’d get a jump on my prompt story and pulled out my notebook to write in long hand. Once I started it came fairly quickly, but when I was trying to figure out how to wrap it up I got all kinds of ideas to expand it into a really cool, urban mythology story.

I haven’t finished that one yet, so the story you’re getting below is the original. But it got at least one of my wheels back on track again. I wrote the prompt story one day and worked on Wandering Wizards another day. Yesterday I threw myself a pity party and didn’t do much of anything except wallow. I guess every day can’t be a winner.

But it’s a start.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

People called her Camilla – not that that’s her name. She appeared without fanfare, wandering the streets pulling a small battered wagon (that might once have been red) behind her, picking through the trash left on the curb

Treasures, she called them, the bits and pieces she found. Some of the treasure found its way to the junk store or pawn shop, the rest was added to her own vast collection. No one knew where she came from. Within a few weeks it was as though she’d always been wandering the streets with her wagon.

The old men who sat gossiping on the steps of the brownstone claimed she was a lost heiress. One day she took a wander on the wrong side of the tracks and was mugged, lost her memory from the trauma. There’s a big reward waiting, if only they could figure out who her family was.

The hookers on the corner said she was a former exotic dancer. She had that look about her. When the titty bar she worked in shut down she had nowhere to go – thought herself too good for their line of work.

The social workers who made periodic forays into the neighborhood figured she was just another lost soul, down on her luck. Maybe she had mental issues and could no longer afford her meds, or maybe she’d escaped from an abusive relationship. It didn’t really matter. To them she was just another statistic.

There was no point in asking her, Camilla wouldn’t answer questions. In fact, she never spoke at all. No one knew whether she couldn’t or just wouldn’t – it was cause for more speculation.

She lived in a squat in one of the abandoned warehouses down by the river. A couple of kids who had nothing better to do than spy on her, said she made a nest with her treasures, like a dragon with its hoard.

She was a familiar enough figure around the neighborhood that it only took a couple of days before people noticed she was missing. Still, it was another couple of days before anyone checked her squat. It was empty – no Camilla, no hoard. She vanished as mysteriously as she’d appeared, as though she’d never been there at all.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Wordage Report

Wandering Wizards – ? words
Oops, I didn’t keep track. Howard’s up to his neck in hot water, and the rest of the gang has just realized he’s missing. It’s moving forward!

Weekly Prompt – 375 words
This story started out well, but as you can see I had a hard time figuring out how to end it. The expanded version will have a much cooler ending.

New Prompt
Use this as your first line:
The cloud was talking, and you know what that means.

Happy Writing!

Fortune Telling – Part IV

Long before people used cards to play games, they were used to foretell the future in the age-old art of cartomancy. You don’t need to learn to use a deck of Tarot cards for this. Pretty much everyone has a deck of cards laying around the house, why not have a little fun and test out your fortune-telling abilities?

Our modern playing cards are descended from the Tarot – Hearts are Cups, Clubs are Wands, Diamonds are Pentacles (or Coins), and Spades are Swords. Once you know the basic meanings of the playing cards, you can choose a spread that is right for you. In fact, you can even choose to select only one card out of a deck to get a fast and easy "answer" to your problem, if you so desire.

Here are a few simple spreads to get you started:

ACES YES/NO SPREAD
Shuffle the cards while thinking of your question. Start dealing the cards into a pile. Stop when an Ace tops the pile or you reach thirteen cards. Do this twice more.
If aces top all three piles, the answer to your question is a definite yes.
If aces top two of the piles, your answer is a conditional yes.
If no aces appear, the answer is a definite no.
If only one ace appears, your answer is a conditional no.

TRADITIONAL 3-CARD YES/NO SPREAD
Shuffle the cards while thinking of your question. Cut the cards into three piles from left to right. Turn the piles over to see whether they’re upright or reversed (upside down).
All cards reversed: Definitely No
2 cards reversed: Probably No
2 cards upright: Probably Yes
All cards upright: Definitely Yes

HUNGARIAN METHOD
Shuffle the question into the cards. Cut the cards into three piles, from right to left. Turn the piles face up. Take the bottom card from each pile and place face up, directly above the pile from which you have taken it. The two cards at the right are the past. The two cards at the left are the future. The two middle cards represent present attitudes.

SIX PILE METHOD
Pick out a court card to represent the inquirer (see card interpretations below and use the court cards); place this card face upwards in the center of the table. Have the inquirer shuffle the question into the deck. Deal the first six cards in a circle around the center card. Do this twice more, there will be six pile of three cards each. They are read to the inquirer as follows:
The first pile is for Yourself
The second pile is for your House
The third pile is for your Friends
The fourth pile is for your Work
The fifth pile is what lies nearest your Heart
The sixth pile is what comes Soonest

THE CARDS AND THEIR MEANINGS

HEARTS
Ace: a new beginning: an important event taking place in the home
Two: great success
Three: problems arising from rash actions
Four: a long delay in marriage
Five: inability to make hard decisions
Six: possible dangers caused by overfriendliness and too much trust
Seven: beware, especially of those who seem too friendly
Eight: a happy event that gives a reason for celebration
Nine: fulfillment of a cherished goal
Ten: things are working in your favor
Jack: an individual close to you; someone you've know for a long time
Queen: a fair haired and fair tempered woman; a woman who is trustworthy
King: a man of good intentions; someone who is too hasty in action.

CLUBS
Ace: wealth, fame and friendship
Two: opposition to one's wishes
Three: changes; several marriages
Four: sudden trouble; collapse of a project
Five: a stable and happy relationship
Six: success through hard work
Seven: good fortune; beware of interference from the opposite sex
Eight: uncontrolled hunger for money causes trouble
Nine: bad luck; arguments with friends
Ten: wealth from an unexpected source
Jack: a faithful friend
Queen: a kind and loving woman; loyalty
King: a generous man; honesty and sincerity

DIAMONDS
Ace: expect something important to arrive
Two: a serious encounter with the opposite sex
Three: arguments and quarrels
Four: troubled times; clashes with friends and family
Five: prosperity; happiness with friends and family
Six: an unhappy ending
Seven: heavy losses in finance
Eight: travel; perhaps a move
Nine: unexpected news concerning money or perhaps travel
Ten: expect money from a friend or relative
Jack: a headstrong person; problems caused by greed
Queen: a flirtatious woman; interference
King: a strong willed man; a good friend but a dangerous rival

SPADES
Ace: misfortune, perhaps in a relationship
Two: change of location; separation
Three: bad luck in love; unhappiness
Four: difficulties caused by misunderstandings
Five: obstacles will be overcome in business and friendship
Six: failure of a well thought out plan
Seven: quarrels that can lead to the loss of a good friend
Eight: use caution to head off serious problems
Nine: bad luck; illness; loss of money
Ten: extremely bad luck
Jack: a well meaning friend
Queen: an evil woman who brings trouble to those around her
King: a man who will stop at nothing to achieve success

If you’d like to do a more in depth reading with your cards, any of the traditional Tarot spreads will work. I’d suggest starting with the Celtic Cross, which you can find HERE.

Keep On Keeping On

I almost skipped this post today. Not because I haven’t been getting any writing done, but because other than in my writing I’m finding I don’t have a lot to say these days. The weather has been cold and grey more often than not, which puts me in a cold and grey mood.

I think one of the worst parts about this age of pandemic social isolation is the uncertainty. We have no idea how long this is going to last. The government sets a time-line and constantly changes it. The spring events were the first to go, then the summer events were cancelled, now the fall events are starting to drop like flies. The question on everyone’s mind is, how much longer?

And humans, even chronically introverted ones like me, are social animals. You have to wonder about the psychological ramifications of this prolonged social isolation. Personally I’m finding the longer I’m holed up in my house, the more I want to stay that way. I’m even starting to resent having to go out to grocery shop – but I don’t trust someone else to pick out my produce, so . . .

It’s a lot to think about, isn’t it? And trying not to think about it doesn’t help either because every time you turn around it’s staring you in the face. I guess we just have to keep on keeping on, and hope for the best.

Like I said, I did get some writing done last week. No prompt story, but I got a few words done on Wandering Wizards and a couple of medium length poems. And I’ve been keeping up my journals, which is saying something.

Since there’s no story this week, I thought I’d share an excerpt of Wandering Wizards. My heroes escaped the clutches of the dark elves, who’d taken over the Wildwoods Elven Realm, and are on their way to meet Jessica’s grandmother, the elven Lady Aracelia. Now that they are out of immediate danger, it’s given Ellen some time to think.

“Well, there it is,” Kaelan said, relief evident in his voice. Even he’d been wondering if they were ever going to reach the Sirene Sea.

The water stretched from one edge of the horizon to the other, with the shadow of hills or low mountains on the other side. The island with the Shrine of Dorian on it was a mere speck on the water.

“We might as well camp here tonight,” Dominic said, dismounting. “The sun’s too close to setting – there’s no point stumbling around in the dark.”

Jessica sat on her steed a moment longer than everyone else, staring at the sea from her higher vantage point. Why was Aracelia so set on them going there? She was still pondering this when they were sitting around the campfire later.

“This Shrine of Dorian,” she asked. “What do you know about it?” The question was directed at Kaelan, Sebastian, and Dominic.

Dominic shrugged. “For my part, I just know it’s a shrine on the Sirene Sea. The Cult of Dorian built it a few hundred years ago and then pretty much died out.”

“Really?” Howard asked. “Why?”

“Most likely because the Sirene Sea is poisonous.”

“Poisonous?” Jessica, Ellen, and Howard chorused.

“Now he tells us,” Howard muttered.

“Didn’t we mention that?” Sebastian said. “It’s why there are no settlements anywhere near it.”

“Then why was Aracelia so insistent we go there?” Jessica asked, voice edging from irritable to angry. The men looked at each other, somewhat at a loss.

“The Well!” Kaelan said suddenly.

All eyes focused on him. “There is rumored to be a Well within the shrine.”

“But if the sea is poisonous, wouldn’t the well—oh, not that kind of well,” Ellen said.

“A Well,” Jessica mused.

“Yes, but surely there are Wells closer,” Howard pointed out. “And Jessica’s not supposed to use her power so it’s not like she needs to replenish it.”

Kaelan spread his hands wide. “I cannot say what was in the Lady Aracelia’s mind.”

“I have another question,” Jessica said. “If the shrine is on an island in a poisonous sea, how are we supposed to get to it?”

“And the faithful will find the way,” Sebastian intoned. He grinned at the look on the faces that turned towards him. “As I understand my religious instruction, the Followers of Dorian built a causeway.”

“Huh. I guess that’s better than trying to build a raft or something,” Jessica said.

“So,” Ellen said after the conversation died down again. “I get that we’ve been travelling more west than south, but once we’ve been to the shrine how much longer is it going to take us to get to Jessica’s family in the south?” She looked around at her companions. “It’s not that I haven’t been enjoying the adventure and all, but my parents are probably already freaking out.”

Kaelan and Sebastian looked at Dominic who looked anywhere but towards Ellen.

“Guys?”

Dominic scraped a hand through his hair and shot a quick glance at Jessica who quirked an eyebrow at him in return. “From what Jessica’s told me of your world things move at a much faster pace than they do here.” When the expression on her face began to slide towards alarm he quickly added, “But with the aid of the elvensteeds it will shave weeks off the journey.”

“Weeks?” she repeated weakly.

“It should take no more than two, maybe three months in all,” Kaelan assured her.

“Months? Are you freaking kidding me?” Ellen jumped to her feet, fists clenched and face pale. “I’ve already been away too long. If I’m gone for months my family is going to have the Mounties out looking for me!”

Mounties? Kaelan mouthed to Dominic? Dominic shrugged.

“It’ll be okay, Ell,” Jessica told her, not really believing it as she said it. But what else was a good friend to do but lie?

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Wordage Report

Wandering Wizards – 1,000 words (approximately)
I didn’t do as well last week as I did the week before, but any week I have new words to show is a good one as far as I’m concerned.

Weekly Prompt – 0 words
I made a feeble attempt at a story, but only two paragraphs worth. And I can’t see finishing it any time in the near future so time for a new prompt.

New Prompt
Use this as your first line:
People call her Camilla - not that that's her name.

Happy Writing!

Fortune Telling - Part III

Numerology is the marriage of math and mysticism. Though it is believed to have originated in ancient Egypt or Babylonia, it’s usually credited to the Greek philosopher Pythagoras. The idea behind it is that your life is affected by your name and by your birth date. It’s believed that your name and birthday influence your personality and the journey your life will take.

To discover your personality traits through the power of numbers, write out your name in full and below each letter write the corresponding number from the chart below. Add all the numbers. If you get a two digit number, add the two numbers together and again if necessary to get a single digit.

1. Signifies drive and action. It stands for creative activity, boldness, vigour and courage. Persons with this number are likely to plunge ahead in response to a challenge, ignoring possible difficulties. They must be on guard against over-confidence and pride, but they can succeed in positions of leadership.

2. Number of balance, good judgment and quiet contemplation. Persons with this number tend to be warm, but take an intellectual approach to life. They are able to see both sides of an issue, tactful, good judges or peacemakers. Weaknesses include a reluctance to ge involved, and timidity.

3. This is the number of self-expression and the artistic temperament, of intuition and refinement. Persons with this name number should do well as singers, artists, poets, or actors, or in other fields where the ability to empathize is important. These people excel in the limelight and centre stage, but tend to be impatient of details, unwilling to take advice or make long term plans.

4. Persons with this number can persevere at a hard job through all difficulties until they're successful. They have strong scientific and mechanical ability, skilled in organization. However, they lack flash and may be hurt by this. They can be penalized by their willingness to take the hard work others shun.

5. People with this number are quite versatile, playing a number of roles or holding a variety of positions. Independent of thought, willing to try new things. Charming and changeable. May end as jacks-of-all-trades and masters of none.

6. Persons with this number are thoughtful, warm and popular. They have happy marriages, and long-lasting friendships. They must live up to their impression of trustworthiness to be successful in their careers. They must guard against making radical departures in business. 7. A number associated with greatness, renowned mystics, philosophers, composers and authors. These people tend to make few friends but to keep those friends for a lifetime. They tend to be gloomy and idealistic which often leads to impractical actions.

8. The number of power and determination, a drive to achieve success in spite of all odds. Tend to have great executive ability, set high goals for themselves and fight to achieve them. Hazards to watch out for include restlessness, lack of tact and an inability to be happy no matter what success is achieved.

9. A number for large-minded people. Persons with this number tend to seek out careers that combine busy activity with idealism. They have a humanitarian approach that gives them influence with others. Often help solve problems. They must avoid the temptation to domineer weaker personalities.

Name numbers can be changed by changing your name or the way it is spelled.

A long time ago I worked with a woman who had the spelling of her name legally changed because it gave her a better number, numerologically speaking. This may seem a little extreme, but a surprising number of people believe in the power of numbers.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Life Path Number

Your life path number is considered the most important number in numerology, and is based on the date of your birth. As the name suggests, it presents the opportunities, challenges, and lessons you will encounter during your lifetime. It also tells you what traits or skills you possess, and what major life challenges you may face along the way.

Using a numerical birth date, add the numbers as for your name (ie. September 12, 1960 = 9+1+2+1+9+6+0 =2 +8 = 1+0 =1)

1. A born leader. Has strong drive and maintains independence of thought and action. Can achieve great things through originality and creative thought. A strong tendency to go it alone. Must guard against egotism and bullheadedness.

2. Naturally helpful and cooperative, willing to get along with others and ready to compromise. Natural arbitrator. Has a tendency to weakness.

3. A mercurial temperament. Reacts quickly, quick to anger but quick to forget. Relies strongly on intuition, sometimes letting it overrule common sense. Quite popular socially, but negligent of success.

4. Honesty and integrity to the point of stuffiness. Does honest work and expects justice in return. Highly organized, centering on responsibility and discipline, willing to do necessary but unglamorous work. Often easy marks for the unscrupulous.

5. Enthusiastic and curious. Ready to accept new ideas and explore the potentials. Can be great travellers. Somewhat unreliable.

6. Stable and trustworthy. Guided by deep inner convictions. Rarely led into questionable activities. Tend to lose opportunities because of doubts about unconventional propositions. Broad-minded, understanding and sympathetic.

7. An understanding nature. Tend to have great periods of thoughtfulness. A tendency to over-analysis, thought instead of action. Conservative. The intellectual approach to human problems often cause difficulties.

8. Highly developed sense of organization, a great degree of steadiness, strong feeling of discipline. Tend to make big plans. Has a great regard for worldly success, and a drive to achieve wealth and power.

9. A magnetic, warm personality. Usually surrounded by friends. Enormously popular, providing an opportunity for great humanitarian achievement. Tendency toward overindulgence.

Going Into Hiding

No, I’m not actually going into hiding, that’s just the title of the flash piece I wrote. But I gotta tell you, it feels like the whole world has gone into hiding. I’m seeing fewer and fewer people outside, even the dog walkers have been greatly reduced in number. And grocery shopping is getting downright creepy – waiting in line (the required 6 feet apart), then going in and getting out as quickly as possible, not even talking to anyone.

Between the grey, dismal weather, and the self-isolation, I’m not feeling very ambitious these days. You’d think being told to stay away from other people and stay home would be the perfect time to get a pile of writing done, but it’s appearing to have the opposite effect with me. I’m having a hard time getting anything done, let alone writing. And I take only a small comfort in the fact that I’m not alone, feeling like this. A lot of other writers I know are struggling.

Several members of my poetry group are challenging themselves to do a poem a day this month (National Poetry Month) and they’ve been sharing these poems with the group via email. I’ve been enjoying the poems, but I have absolutely no desire to write one of my own. Kudos to those that do.

That being said, I actually did make some progress on Wandering Wizards last week. Be still my heart I might get this sucker done yet! And I wrote a very short, very strange little story to last week’s prompt. So two for two – go me!

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

GOING INTO HIDING

I've got my lantern - now I'm going into hiding. You really should too. You don’t want to wait until the last minute like Geoffrey did. Remember him? Remember what happened to him? Yeah, you don’t want to wait too long.

What kind of lantern do I have? It’s really cool. Vintage even. It’s a kerosene lantern, it belonged to my grandpa. I found it when I was cleaning out the basement of my grandma’s house. You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff she had down there. She even had kerosene for the lantern.

It’s kind of weird that he even had it, it’s not like he ever needed to go into hiding. He died a long time ago, years before . . . you know. All I really remember about him was that he was a stubborn old coot. I bet he’d have been one of those crazies who refuse to go into hiding. They get what they deserve, don’t you think?

I don’t know why people complain about it so much, I kind of enjoy having to go into hiding a couple of times a year. Breaks up the routine, you know what I mean? Never a dull moment when you gotta pack up and hunker down at a moment’s notice.

I got me a real sweet spot, fixed it up real nice. Not that I make it too obvious – wouldn’t do for anyone to stumble across it. Sure it gets a little cramped sometimes, but it’s only for a week or two, right? A couple of months tops. Gives me a chance to catch up on my reading.

Say, did you hear about Simon? A couple of turns ago he invited his girlfriend to go into hiding with him. I don’t know what he was thinking. It was that long turn, the one that ended up being three months long. I guess they didn’t even make it to one month before he snapped. Beat the girlfriend to death with a shovel, and then had to live with the corpse for two more months.

Oops! There goes the siren. Better hurry, you don’t want to be caught in the pre-hiding sweep. Grab your lantern, and good luck.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

Wordage Report

Wandering Wizards – 2,000 words (approximately)
By applying the BICJDI method (butt in chair, just do it) I pushed through to the action again. Whew! The group reached the Sirene Sea, the harpies attacked, and Howard has been kidnapped.

Weekly Prompt – 370 words
It’s a strange little story that doesn’t really seem finished, but it is what it is.

New Prompt
Use this as your first line:
If my life gets any more like the story of Alice in Wonderland I'm going to kill something.

Happy Writing!

Fortune Telling – Part II

One of the very first forms of fortune telling was astragalomancy, better known as cleromancy, the casting of small objects such as bones, dried beans, or stones to divine the future. Certain African witch doctors used special dice for this purpose. The dice Indian Hindu's used are very similar to standard dice except they are spun on a rod. Both ancient Egypt and Rome used dice for divination.

There are dice marked with mystic symbols specifically used for fortune telling and divining. Rune dice are a common type but standard dice may just as easily be used. Tibetan monks practice a dice divination technique called Sho-Mo using three ordinary standard spotted dice.

Dice made of bone or ivory are said to be particularly receptive while wood, stone or a natural material are next best, but don't worry if yours are plastic, they’ll work just as well.

Unlike interpreting tarot cards or tea leaves using dice to divine answers to questions requires little intuition. When you feel too tired or distracted to connect with your imagination and intuition, try casting dice for a quick, clear answer to a query.

Draw a circle 12 inches in diameter with chalk on a wooden table. Shake three dice vigorously, using either a cup held in the left hand or both hands cupped together if no cup is available. Cast the dice within the circle. Add the sum of all three dice before checking for an interpretation.

If one die falls outside the circle then it indicates a block to the developments shown by sum of all three dice. If two dice fall outside the circle it warns of a disagreement about the event shown by the sum of all three dice. If all three dice fall outside the circle, try again. If the dice land beyond the circle a second time, try again the next day as the situation is unclear.

THREE: ponder well on what you intend to do. Rushing into things may cause problems. Caution is advised in all things.
FOUR: something you have been hoping for will happen soon.
FIVE: you have nothing to worry about. Your difficulties will pass. A good time to start a new enterprise.
SIX: you are in for a disappointment, but do not take it too seriously. It may be a blessing in disguise.
SEVEN: scandal may touch you for no fault of your own. Avoid petty disputes.
EIGHT: something out of your past will come back to haunt you. Avoid bitterness and recriminations.
NINE: good luck is ahead in school, business, or love. But keep away from games of chance for some time.
TEN: changes are coming, either for good or for evil. Unless you act cautiously, a loss is certain.
ELEVEN: a family matter will soon have you deeply involved. Do not speak too freely of private matters, especially to strangers.
TWELVE: a quarrel with a friend is indicated. Your behavior will determine its outcome.
THIRTEEN: trouble and bad luck ahead. Put little faith in promises.
FOURTEEN: you may soon have to travel. The journey will be successful.
FIFTEEN: you will have good luck in making an important selection, either in love or in business.
SIXTEEN: you will make a friend who will influence you greatly. But do not desert old friends needlessly.
SEVENTEEN: you will be involved in an enterprise requiring perseverance and industry. Success depends on your efforts.
EIGHTEEN: a lucky toss, indicating success in anything you undertake. Honors and awards lie ahead.