Blessings Darlings!
We have our own business. It's primarily writing software for B2B applications, mostly involving HID class devices (Keyboards, mouses, etc) and TCP/IP applications (remoting controlling your shark tank).
But it JUST dawned on me that I can't think of this as a "technology business", but that it's FAR more like being (or being married to) an author.
Not only is the process of creation the same ... but you don't get paid until/unless the work is written and edited. And if one project takes longer than projected, you don't get paid when you expected to be. And, again, if one project takes longer than expected, you ALSO don't get to work on, and then get paid for, the NEXT project on time.
Which explains why I'm not doing my Big Shopping Trip this month. Which is okay, the usual trip lets me get a bit more of all staples than we usually use each month. But, fundamentally, we'll be spending half of what we'd be getting on food stamps this month.
So, we'll be eating lots of bean sprouts. Lots of beans. We ALWAYS eat lots of soups, so that won't change.
I'm a bit concerned that my grand plans for paying off our debts by a huge amount this year won't be happening, let alone the planned increase in our savings.
OTOH, I DO have some plans on ways to increase income, but they won't be immediate .... but that's par for the course, isn't it?
How are your New Years Plans working out so far?
Frondly, Fern
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
New Cauldron.
Blessings Darlings!
It being THAT time of year again - like, winter - I did the annual refresh/re-dedication of my Healing Cauldron. And, due to the fact that last year the cauldron ended up literally overflowing with healing requests, I swapped out the old cauldron for a bigger one.
For how I use the Healing Cauldron, look at this post from last year http://fernsfronds.blogspot.com/2011/01/healing-cauldron.html. This year, since I refreshed the healing altar AFTER the coven's Bridget ritual (referenced last week), I have the Bridget's Candle I took home from the ritual on the altar. Since I do daily work at that altar that candle won't last very long. But I'll do a flame-to-flame handing down Bridget's fire to each candle in turn. It's all great.
Frondly, Fern
It being THAT time of year again - like, winter - I did the annual refresh/re-dedication of my Healing Cauldron. And, due to the fact that last year the cauldron ended up literally overflowing with healing requests, I swapped out the old cauldron for a bigger one.
For how I use the Healing Cauldron, look at this post from last year http://fernsfronds.blogspot.com/2011/01/healing-cauldron.html. This year, since I refreshed the healing altar AFTER the coven's Bridget ritual (referenced last week), I have the Bridget's Candle I took home from the ritual on the altar. Since I do daily work at that altar that candle won't last very long. But I'll do a flame-to-flame handing down Bridget's fire to each candle in turn. It's all great.
Frondly, Fern
Monday, February 6, 2012
Super Bowls
Blessings Darlings!
I do not watch football. I do not care who wins the Superbowl. I am writing this Sunday at noon eastern time.
We DO, however, have a Family Tradition for Super Bowl Sunday. We eat.
Now, to be honest, we eat every day and we eat too much every day. But on Super Bowl Sunday we elevate this closer to an art.
So we have a a quart and a half of guacamole (we started with two quarts, but half of one container seems to have disappeared). We have store-bought corn chips, and I'll make some fresh corn chips. There will be ribs and rib-tips. There will be home-made pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. There will be celery sticks and blue cheese dressing (not that I eat that). There will be chicken wings with three dipping sauces. There are donuts and there are Rice Krispie Treats. There is beer and wine. There are antacids.
BTW, there are only 3 of us eating.
I don't know if I'll be out of the food coma by the time this gets posted. Oh, and I might watch the commericals, but I will certainly not watch the half time show.
Frondly, Fern
I do not watch football. I do not care who wins the Superbowl. I am writing this Sunday at noon eastern time.
We DO, however, have a Family Tradition for Super Bowl Sunday. We eat.
Now, to be honest, we eat every day and we eat too much every day. But on Super Bowl Sunday we elevate this closer to an art.
So we have a a quart and a half of guacamole (we started with two quarts, but half of one container seems to have disappeared). We have store-bought corn chips, and I'll make some fresh corn chips. There will be ribs and rib-tips. There will be home-made pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. There will be celery sticks and blue cheese dressing (not that I eat that). There will be chicken wings with three dipping sauces. There are donuts and there are Rice Krispie Treats. There is beer and wine. There are antacids.
BTW, there are only 3 of us eating.
I don't know if I'll be out of the food coma by the time this gets posted. Oh, and I might watch the commericals, but I will certainly not watch the half time show.
Frondly, Fern
Friday, February 3, 2012
Coven Rituals
Blessings Darlings!
As you may know, for my PERSONAL practice I use my local climate/watershed/landmass for my cues. So it's still a few weeks from Imbolc for my personal practice.
However, last night I celebrated Imbolc with my coven. Because we set dates for celebrating High Days all at one time, once a year, so we are better able to arrange everyone's schedule. And because the group members are spread over such a large geographical area that, say, hawthorn leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear at vastly different dates for some of us.
If we were all in the same neighborhood, rather than spread across 3 states, we might better be able to see the local signs and then celebrate as a group 3 days later. But that's not our reality. And even with everyone knowing the date in advance - had the celebration been on a night the Spawn was called in to work I'd not have been able to make it, and one coven member had to miss the ritual as it was.
That's life.
Frondly, Fern
As you may know, for my PERSONAL practice I use my local climate/watershed/landmass for my cues. So it's still a few weeks from Imbolc for my personal practice.
However, last night I celebrated Imbolc with my coven. Because we set dates for celebrating High Days all at one time, once a year, so we are better able to arrange everyone's schedule. And because the group members are spread over such a large geographical area that, say, hawthorn leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear at vastly different dates for some of us.
If we were all in the same neighborhood, rather than spread across 3 states, we might better be able to see the local signs and then celebrate as a group 3 days later. But that's not our reality. And even with everyone knowing the date in advance - had the celebration been on a night the Spawn was called in to work I'd not have been able to make it, and one coven member had to miss the ritual as it was.
That's life.
Frondly, Fern
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Havamal, Part 3
Blessings Darlings!
So, we've gone over some of the rights and responsibilities of host/guest, or neighbors, or business interactions, or politics (for all of them are social situations, thus fundamentally the same). Now the Havamal moves on to more situational awareness and survival, then 'thrival', strategy.
Who travels widely needs his wits about him,
The stupid should stay at home,
The ignorant man is often laughed at
When he sits at meat with the sage.
Of his knowledge a man should never boast,
Rather be sparing of speech
When to his house a wiser comes:
Seldom do those who are silent
Make mistakes; mother wit
Is ever a faithful friend.
A guest should be courteous
When he comes to the table
And sit in wary silence,
His ears attentive, his eyes alert:
So he protects himself.
I consider the above verses wisdom on situational awareness, especially when on the road/in a business situation/in ANY social situation. It's less succinct and ... cutesy than "you have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you speak".
They speak about a really basic truth - anyone who is clearly trying to impress others DOES tend to impress them ... negatively. If you're so hot, those around you won't need you to tell them. And if you're talking smack about how rich your family is, all that you're going to do is set them up to be raided, especially if you're explaining exactly where your defenses are at the same time!
And if you keep YOUR mouth running, you can't evaluate those around you. You need to know who is sensible, who bullshits, who sees everything negatively, who sees everything too positively, who talks behind others' backs, etc.
Fortunate is he who is favored in his lifetime
With praise and words of wisdom;
Evil counsel is often given
By those of evil heart.
Blessed is he who in his own lifetime
Is awarded praise and wit,
For ill counsel is often given
By mortal men to each other
Evil counsel and ill counsel are only different in what motivates them. Their effect, if you follow the counsel, is the same for you. You'll be sorry. Always consider the source when folks give you advice, and their motivation.
BTW - you ARE evaluating my words here that way, too, aren't you? What are my motives in posting this, and in my amplifications?
Better gear than good sense
A traveler cannot carry,
Better than riches for a wretched man,
Far from his own home.
Better gear than good sense
A traveler cannot carry,
A more tedious burden than too much drink
A traveler cannot carry.
Less good than belief would have it
Is mead for the sons of men:
A man knows less the more he drinks,
Becomes a befuddled fool.
Yes, drinking can cause problems. I suppose that this advice comes from the time before everyone drank because the water was fouled by human contamination? It's a bit of a wonder, tho', since in all the Eddas and Sagas you don't hear about people being served fresh cold water to drink, or even herbal teas, and the only time I recall milk being mentioned was when it was poured down a well to drive out poison. For that matter, the only time I recall Thor drinking water was when he was enchanted and thought he was drinking ale from a big horn .... the other end of the horn was the ocean! So just what WAS one expected to drink if not mead and ale?
On that note, I'm off to make myself another cup of tea.
Frondly, Fern
So, we've gone over some of the rights and responsibilities of host/guest, or neighbors, or business interactions, or politics (for all of them are social situations, thus fundamentally the same). Now the Havamal moves on to more situational awareness and survival, then 'thrival', strategy.
Who travels widely needs his wits about him,
The stupid should stay at home,
The ignorant man is often laughed at
When he sits at meat with the sage.
Of his knowledge a man should never boast,
Rather be sparing of speech
When to his house a wiser comes:
Seldom do those who are silent
Make mistakes; mother wit
Is ever a faithful friend.
A guest should be courteous
When he comes to the table
And sit in wary silence,
His ears attentive, his eyes alert:
So he protects himself.
I consider the above verses wisdom on situational awareness, especially when on the road/in a business situation/in ANY social situation. It's less succinct and ... cutesy than "you have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you speak".
They speak about a really basic truth - anyone who is clearly trying to impress others DOES tend to impress them ... negatively. If you're so hot, those around you won't need you to tell them. And if you're talking smack about how rich your family is, all that you're going to do is set them up to be raided, especially if you're explaining exactly where your defenses are at the same time!
And if you keep YOUR mouth running, you can't evaluate those around you. You need to know who is sensible, who bullshits, who sees everything negatively, who sees everything too positively, who talks behind others' backs, etc.
Fortunate is he who is favored in his lifetime
With praise and words of wisdom;
Evil counsel is often given
By those of evil heart.
Blessed is he who in his own lifetime
Is awarded praise and wit,
For ill counsel is often given
By mortal men to each other
Evil counsel and ill counsel are only different in what motivates them. Their effect, if you follow the counsel, is the same for you. You'll be sorry. Always consider the source when folks give you advice, and their motivation.
BTW - you ARE evaluating my words here that way, too, aren't you? What are my motives in posting this, and in my amplifications?
Better gear than good sense
A traveler cannot carry,
Better than riches for a wretched man,
Far from his own home.
Better gear than good sense
A traveler cannot carry,
A more tedious burden than too much drink
A traveler cannot carry.
Less good than belief would have it
Is mead for the sons of men:
A man knows less the more he drinks,
Becomes a befuddled fool.
Yes, drinking can cause problems. I suppose that this advice comes from the time before everyone drank because the water was fouled by human contamination? It's a bit of a wonder, tho', since in all the Eddas and Sagas you don't hear about people being served fresh cold water to drink, or even herbal teas, and the only time I recall milk being mentioned was when it was poured down a well to drive out poison. For that matter, the only time I recall Thor drinking water was when he was enchanted and thought he was drinking ale from a big horn .... the other end of the horn was the ocean! So just what WAS one expected to drink if not mead and ale?
On that note, I'm off to make myself another cup of tea.
Frondly, Fern
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Daily Affirmations
Blessings, Darlings!
I'm all for doing magical spells and workings to improve one's life. I do them from time to time myself. But doing daily affirmations that change, well, daily? Nope.
Slow it down. Remember the adage Festina lente: make haste slowly.
You are NOT going to change or create a long-standing mindset in a day. Give it more time! I'd say at least 3 weeks, and that a full moon-cycle would be better.
Yes, that means you'll do fewer affirmations in the same time period. But it also means that you will make deeper and fuller changes. And .... you'll have to prioritize changes, not just throw everything including the kitchen sink in.
Quality over quantity for the win!
Frondly, Fern
I'm all for doing magical spells and workings to improve one's life. I do them from time to time myself. But doing daily affirmations that change, well, daily? Nope.
Slow it down. Remember the adage Festina lente: make haste slowly.
You are NOT going to change or create a long-standing mindset in a day. Give it more time! I'd say at least 3 weeks, and that a full moon-cycle would be better.
Yes, that means you'll do fewer affirmations in the same time period. But it also means that you will make deeper and fuller changes. And .... you'll have to prioritize changes, not just throw everything including the kitchen sink in.
Quality over quantity for the win!
Frondly, Fern
Crumbs
Blessings Darlings!
The Julian calendar says today is Imbolc - which is a milestone and high day to be sure, but it's still just the middle of the 'hungry time of the year'. So making food stores get thru' till first good harvest is still a priority, especially for those of us who farm and/or garden.
Part of the art of frugality (and surviving, and MacGyverism in general) is the 'expanding the marginal utility' of everything. You know - re-use, re-purpose, re-cycle type mind set. Like - I just started onion seeds in egg cartons.
That's a feature in my kitchen as well. Not JUST pre-planning use of leftovers, tho' I certainly do that.
Let's talk bread.
We who make our own bread know that it has, especially in winter, a variable lead time from starting it to getting it on the table. Yeast prefers warm weather, and we who use as little heat as possible have house temperatures that vary greatly day to day. This is because, while I raise the temperature for a few hours in the morning and evening, after that the rate at which the house temperature drops varies by how cold and windy it is outside. So I have to pre-emptively bake bread, anticipating need.
I don't always do this well. Sometimes I get a lot of bread in the house at once, and there is risk of some of it getting moldy before it all gets used. That's where making bread cube dressings for chickens and such comes into play, or making bread puddings, etc.
So the LOAVES can have their marginal utility expanding. But what about bread crumbs? After all, slicing that lovely, crusty home-made bread really does produce a heck of a lot more crumbs than you get buying pre-sliced bread!
First, how would you collect the crumbs from slicing? In my case, I've set it up so the cutting board we use for bread sits in a low-sided quarter baking sheet. It nests very nicely! Slice bread, the crumbs stay contained. And they build up FAST.
So, you have lots of crumbs, now what? First you use them in the dishes that normally require bread crumbs - topping casseroles, frying foods, buttered crumbs on veggies, etc. But when the Chubby Hubby or the Spawn leave slices of bread out that they've cut badly (like, they only got half a slice, etc) then I end up with LOTS of stale bread and crumbs. What then?
The you look online, and find lots of recipes for cookies made from bread crumbs! They aren't half bad, either. I'd share them, but I really haven't changed them at all, and I don't have the links handy (Printed them out LONG age).
Crumbs. They're for dinner. And dessert.
Frondly, Fern
The Julian calendar says today is Imbolc - which is a milestone and high day to be sure, but it's still just the middle of the 'hungry time of the year'. So making food stores get thru' till first good harvest is still a priority, especially for those of us who farm and/or garden.
Part of the art of frugality (and surviving, and MacGyverism in general) is the 'expanding the marginal utility' of everything. You know - re-use, re-purpose, re-cycle type mind set. Like - I just started onion seeds in egg cartons.
That's a feature in my kitchen as well. Not JUST pre-planning use of leftovers, tho' I certainly do that.
Let's talk bread.
We who make our own bread know that it has, especially in winter, a variable lead time from starting it to getting it on the table. Yeast prefers warm weather, and we who use as little heat as possible have house temperatures that vary greatly day to day. This is because, while I raise the temperature for a few hours in the morning and evening, after that the rate at which the house temperature drops varies by how cold and windy it is outside. So I have to pre-emptively bake bread, anticipating need.
I don't always do this well. Sometimes I get a lot of bread in the house at once, and there is risk of some of it getting moldy before it all gets used. That's where making bread cube dressings for chickens and such comes into play, or making bread puddings, etc.
So the LOAVES can have their marginal utility expanding. But what about bread crumbs? After all, slicing that lovely, crusty home-made bread really does produce a heck of a lot more crumbs than you get buying pre-sliced bread!
First, how would you collect the crumbs from slicing? In my case, I've set it up so the cutting board we use for bread sits in a low-sided quarter baking sheet. It nests very nicely! Slice bread, the crumbs stay contained. And they build up FAST.
So, you have lots of crumbs, now what? First you use them in the dishes that normally require bread crumbs - topping casseroles, frying foods, buttered crumbs on veggies, etc. But when the Chubby Hubby or the Spawn leave slices of bread out that they've cut badly (like, they only got half a slice, etc) then I end up with LOTS of stale bread and crumbs. What then?
The you look online, and find lots of recipes for cookies made from bread crumbs! They aren't half bad, either. I'd share them, but I really haven't changed them at all, and I don't have the links handy (Printed them out LONG age).
Crumbs. They're for dinner. And dessert.
Frondly, Fern
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