Wizards Duel Challenge Temperature Check~

Hey Ho My Wizard friends and Enchantresses!

Last Fall I issued a call to arms on Hopes and Dreams and Goals....
Remember?
I'm just checking in on your Ride!

How are you faring?
Have you made progress on your Journey?

I remember your stated goals and thoughts....
Please check in & tell me how you are doing! I want to hear about YOUR quest and journey!

I have made quite a bit of progress on my plans...

If you remember I made a commitment to you all that I would work on the following back in October:
Space, Independence, Creation, Love, Music, Spirituality, Writing, Friendship, Lust, Adventure, Leader/Teacher, Empowerment, Generosity.

Changes I have made so far include Adding the following components to My Life:

1) I am writing to "a person a day" in my circle to tell them some positive thoughts of how I feel about them. If I were to never see them again, or if something were to happen to me, or them, I want them to know my thoughts of love and admiration for them. This one component has made a HUGE difference in my life. Hopefully theirs too. Why save shit up for a goddamn Eulogy? Tell them NOW. Live NOW is my thinking.

2) Working on writing My Story. You haven't seen it here. It is a work in progress. Only a select few have been my sounding board for some really weird and amazing stories. I am also currently taking a Memoir Course on Writing and reading some Memoir books of other published authors. This is very delicate, fun, scary and empowering to me. Scares the shit out of me, and some of my stories have scared the shit out of others....and some of them make us laugh too. It's a goodly thing.

3) I am committed to my health and overcoming the obstacles in my way that Menopause has so lovingly laid before me. I've added Yoga, walking to my weekly habits. Drinking 65-80 ounces of water a day, keeping my calories down, drinking less coffee and alcohol, eating very little junk and trying to get more solid sleep. I ache less. I have more energy. My BP is phenomenal. 98/65 this morning! Have kept off 19# this last year. Want to lose more, but commitment to healthful living is best.

4) I am taking a more Pro-Active role in my life of Music. I am trying to practice on a more regular basis and MAKING Harry set aside time out of his busy schedule to do so. Not always easy to tackle him for it. He's on the go a lot and when he's home he wants to veg.
I am learning some new music: "Lannigan's Ball", "Loch Tay Boat Song", "Long Black Veil" are all in the memory banks now. Am starting to learn "The Foggy Dew" and "Nonesuch" (with an additional verse that I wrote :) I also have written several Mischievous verses to "Scarborough Faire" which I will be adding to my Faire repertoire. I've been playing and performing for a long time....so there is an effort involved in keeping it fresh and exciting.
It's like being married for a long time. While it may get boring or complacent...it doesn't have to be that way.
You have to work at the magic....but the magic is still there, you just have to keep it interesting.
New songs, new venues, new costuming. New Story Songs to learn and live.

5) Visited St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC which I ADORED. Am setting up some more Church/Cathedral tours to local lovely architecture sites this year with friends. There will be outings and wine involved :)

6) Have joined 2 new writing ventures:
The Pagan Blog Project- writers once weekly tackle an alphabet letter (for 2 weeks) on subjects of interest to us Spiritually or inquisitively. It's been a lovely, fun learning experience. I have one due out tomorrow on my "Eclectic Spirituality".
Surf to my other blog for this: www.Merlynsmagick.blogspot.com

Magpie Tales: A poetry writing prompt via photograph opportunity. I post them on Mondays. It's been lots of fun to do this. While I can write reams (and do) this one I am trying to keep short, succinct and deliberate with my words. As Sheldon would say, "It's fascinating." The other writers are very interesting to read too.
Surf this blog www.Merlynmischief.blogspot.com under the labels of "Magpie Tales"
to find some of these works.

7) Continuing on with My StoryBook Club. This has been one of the JEWELS in my life along with Music. We have added new members, and we meet at different locations. There is always delicious themed food and drink, laughter, insightful discussion from highbrow to bawdy...and swearing is most certainly involved. No kids. Just smart, immature Adults who LOVE Children's Literature. Since October we have studied the following: Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Zombies, The Golem, Trolls, Damsels in Distress. This month's upcoming theme for March is: Banshees. :) I'm SO HAPPY I started this gathering.

8) Putting myself on a Priority List. To love others better I need to love myself. Take care of ME. That means lovingly, cutting myself out breaks, giving rewards and offer forgiveness to ME for my past, my mistakes and my self induced failings.

9) I have offered Forgiveness to Others. I accept that others are who they are. I FORGIVE them. It's ok to hurt. But once it scabs over....it's better to put on the balm and soothing salve of Forgiveness...for them...but mostly do it for YOU. Move on. You can't change the past, no matter how much you'd like to. So GO FORWARD.

10) Friendships are high priority. Have made an effort to make get togethers happen, large and small for myself, for fun and for others. It's good to have close friendships. It's good to have parties. Even if my house is too small and people are crammed in. You know what? They don't seem to mind. To have a companion for walks, or snuggling with movies on the couch, for chat, for adventures, for phone calls, IMs or whatever. It's good to have a couple of really close bosom friends to be able to write to, bitch with, cry with, get the weirds laughing with, to have a glass with. I treasure them all FAR beyond what they will ever realize.

There you are....I am sitting pretty comfortable in the saddle. It's a long, arduous journey..But there are my high points of my journey. In offering my life up to you, it is hoped in my heart of hearts that it helps you in some way on your path.

So...
How are you?

Talk to me.