Thursday, November 28, 2002

Wow. It was quite the night at the Comm Grid. I was supposed to get let go early tonight, right at the height of the witching hour, when the gremlin hoard struck three links at once. Between the spell castings and the record keeping, I was two hours late heading out.

Not much to say tonight, I'm really tired, going after a restorative draft and a *pillow* spell. Have a great night out there in the blogverse, and happy *gravystuffing* to you all!

*POOF*

Wednesday, November 27, 2002

Ok, enough of the *philosophy* spells. It's been a long week already. The Comm Grid was very active last night, it was many hourglasses before I was able to break free and fly the dragon home. Also, there is a little snowing going on in this corner of the blogverse. At least there was yesterday. The season of the Snow Goddess has arrived, in all it's stark beauty.
Dreaming Us:

You have to see it's a benevolent God,
That allows his dreams,
To choose...

Their dreams.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/27/2002

Author's Comments:
Just thinking.
I'm rather in a *Philosophical* mood today, so I shall look inward to my vision, and see what the #Universal Truth# allows me to imagine today:

Facets:

I know not all will agree,
But this thing I seem to see,
So many spirits all shaved off the same block,
Santa and the Winter Goddess,
My very own Tarash Sparau,
Father Time and Baby New Year,
The Grim Reaper,
The Greek pantheon and the Norse,
The Earth spirits of the Americas,
Every piece and parcel of the mystic force,
If God is pure imagination and understanding,
Then we all worship the same God,
But because of the distortions in our spiritual vision,
There are a rainbow of facets,
Through which different people see,
Because in the end we relate to anything Holy,
Through some point on the crystal of shining faith,
So does it matter so much,
Which face you saw through?

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/27/2002

Author's Comments:
I believe very strongly there is one God underlying this universe,
and everything we imagine, including ourselves, are just facets
of the universal mind of God. This is why faith matters so much.
God would and will exist without us, because there are so many
facets of God that the only way we can exist is if we believe we do.
Fear is just inverted faith - a belief that there is something outside
God which aims against His will. Stop believing in evil, and it
fades into the nothingness of misconception unless some other facet
believes that fear must exist. Christ said we could all walk on water
or move mountains if we only believed. That we are all sons of God.
We are as the things we imagine, specks within the imagination of God.
We remain separate from him because we believe we are.

Tuesday, November 26, 2002

And with all that, I must be off for a *PILLOW* spell. Thank you all for visiting!

*POOF*
First Snow:

The night is hushabye dark,
Christmas lights appear overnight,
Some form of wondrous magic,
And look out where the street light is,
You can see big puffy white flakes,
Falling, glinting, shining, twinkling,
There is no wind and straight down,
The temperature that perfect early Winter breath puff,
Digging the window scraper out from beneath the seat,
Seeing the steaming pond surrounded with surreal white,
Driving off the headlights show Winter in a flattering light,
Slow and easy or the sled will slide,
But Heaven just helped me immensely,
I feel just like a child full of magic,
Delighted with a simple white inch blanket.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/25/2002

Author's Comments:
Our first snow of the year in The Great Windy was tonight.
Sunfire On Ice:

The sun shines this morning,
On fresh white snow,
The first of the year here,
The pond is frozen over for the first time,
And the sunlight is burning across the ice,
Everything is bright and shining,
Freshly white and crystal flaming.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/25/2002

Author's Comments:
Beautiful...
Just a bit of early Christmas magic for all you Watchers out there, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Rupert Roars, The Christmas Lion:

Rupert Roars was a Christmas Lion,
All gold and shiny made of glass,
He was from the Brookfield Zoo,
But he was such a nice lion they let him go,
His fur mane was white and frosty,
Like snow upon liquid gold,
And he had wise blue eyes that looked a little sad,
And silvery shiny cheeks with black whiskers,
His favorite thing was to climb Christmas trees,
And hang from a little silvery hook,
Delighting children on Christmas morning,
For how many children see a friendly lion,
Small enough to cup in their little palm?

Often the tree was so big,
That some Mommy or Daddy,
Had to help little Rupert Roars into the tree,
And they would put the silver pin,
Right in Rupert's magic hat,
Which was shiny silver and gold,
Just like Rupert himself.

One day when a little boy tried,
Really tried to help Rupert into the tree,
He pushed so hard he broke poor Rupert's hat,
Which made Rupert very scared,
Because you must see,
Rupert was a toy lion,
And even though he was a toy Christmas Lion,
Broken toys often meet a lonely sad end,
Off in the trash heap,
Even when Christmas Snow falls.

Rupert was a very lucky toy, though,
And the little boy's Daddy kept Rupert,
And the pieces of Rupert's broken hat,
Which were sharp and would bite because they hurt,
And he kept poor Rupert in a dark box,
Alone with the remains of his broken hat,
For years poor lonely Rupert was in the box,
But still the Daddy kept him,
Because it would have broken his heart,
To throw Rupert away.

You see,
The Daddy was once a little boy,
Who went at Christmas to the Brookfield Zoo,
And found a friendly little Christmas Lion,
Who had asked very nicely,
To come hang in the little boy's Christmas Tree,
And the little boy had loved little Rupert Roars,
Whom only on Christmas did he get to play with,
Because of course,
Rupert Roars was a magic Christmas Lion,
Who could only talk on Christmas Eve,
And then on Christmas day,
For the rest of the year his spell was still,
And he had to live in the box.

Each Christmas,
The Daddy who once was a little boy,
Opened the box and told poor Rupert,
"I wish you could hang in my tree,
And roar that the presents are coming soon,
Just like when I was seven, Rupert.
I miss you hanging in the tree."

Poor Rupert was lonely,
But at least he knew the little boy,
The one who had grown up to be a Daddy,
But was still Rupert's little boy,
Would never forget him,
And had never thrown poor broken Rupert away,
It's awful for toys thrown away.

One year the Daddy was putting up the tree,
And he had a friend who was secretly a Whizzyrd,
And liked to do nice magic spells,
Especially 'round Christmas,
Because that's the best time of year for good magic,
And the Daddy showed his friend the Whizzyrd,
Poor broken Rupert and his broken hat,
And the Whizzyrd thought Rupert was a really nice Christmas Lion,
So the Whizzyrd took Rupert back to his tower,
And started calling on Santa for Toy Magic,
To fix poor Rupert's broken hat.

Rupert wasn't quite sure,
And he couldn't speak yet,
Because it wasn't yet Christmas Eve,
But the Whizzyrd's crystal screen glowed,
And out popped some old Elf tools,
A little jar of Liquid Fixit,
And a roll of Christmas Lion tape,
And red and green Christmas pens,
And the Whizzyrd and Rupert heard Santa chuckle,
And say in a merry yet gravely voice,
"These are all you need to spin your magic,
And fix little broken Rupert Roars all up,
Because I've seen his name always on my nice list,
And he and his little boy,
Well, they never stopped believing,
That one day Rupert would once again,
Roar in the Christmas tree."

The Whizzyrd set to Fixit painting,
Poor Rupert's broken hat,
He set to Lion Taping,
The hat on Rupert's golden head,
And because Christmas magic is white,
Just like Christmas Snow,
He took the red and green Christmas pens,
And painted little Rupert's hat,
To match the colors of Christmas,
And just as he finished,
The Christmas bells started to ring,
It was midnight on Christmas Eve,
And for the first time in many years,
Golden Rupert Roars roared in pure joy!


Suddenly the flames leapt in the tower fireplace,
And Santa Claus walked out,
His blue eyes were smiling,
His red cheeks were ruddy,
And his cherry wood pipe glowed a curl of smoke,
Which Santa stepped right out of,
Like the Christmas Spirit he was,
And held out his hand.

The Whizzyrd knew what was coming,
And he heard Rupert Roars purr,
As Santa vanished into the pipe smoke around the chimney,
Rupert Roars the Christmas Lion,
Was the first toy to ride twice in Santa's sleigh.

The next morning,
Christmas morning,
The children woke up early,
And ran hustle bustle down the stairs,
And the Mommy and Daddy followed,
Rubbing sleep out of their yawny eyes,
And everywhere out the windows,
Where there wasn't window frost,
They saw a white blanket of snow,
And big sparkly white flakes falling,
And there under the tree a great pile of presents,
But then everyone was looking at the Daddy,
He had a big crocodile tear in his left eye,
And he walked over smiling,
Just as golden Rupert Roars the Christmas Lion,
Hung right in front of him on a tree branch,
And roared a great Christmas roar!

The joy of Christmas,
Came back to them both just because,
They remembered the two things Christmas needs,
Always love kindly forever,
And always in yourself and love believe.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/;26/2002

Author’s Comments:
This story was inspired by the broken Christmas lion ornament
I just repaired for a friend. The lion he got many years ago
at the Brookfield zoo, and never threw away. I figured out
how to fix the lion, and my friend was happy like a little boy.
Somehow, I think the lion looks happier, too.

Monday, November 25, 2002

The crystal screen is slowly coming back to order, probably the thing is as well ensorcelled as it's ever been. It's so good to be back in the blogverse. Here a couple of seasonal spells I cast this evening:

Christmas Star:

They say the star shined in Heaven,
The night was cold and seemed lonely,
Yet there were happenings abounding,
Lying in freezing cold and the pains of birth,
Husband unable to do more than watch,
The Star fell from Heaven,
And breathed the cry of an infant,
Breath you could see in the cold night air,
Just as the witnesses came under it's guiding light,
The Star of Christmas nursed a mother's loving breast,
And grew into a message we so desperately needed,
Still need more than any other,
The keys to the Kingdom of Heaven,
Are found in two simple words,
Love, and Faith.
Believe in a loving God,
And live a loving life,
The star shined this into the world,
And everything else is just window dressing,
The blur of the dull glass of interpretation's panes.
Believe in a loving God,
And live a loving life,
That's all you need.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/25/2002

Author's Comments:
This is what really shines about Christmas.

***********************************

First Snow:

The night is hushabye dark,
Christmas lights appear overnight,
Some form of wondrous magic,
And look out where the street light is,
You can see big puffy white flakes,
Falling, glinting, shining, twinkling,
There is no wind and straight down,
The temperature that perfect early Winter breath puff,
Digging the window scraper out from beneath the seat,
Seeing the steaming pond surrounded with surreal white,
Driving off the headlights show Winter in a flattering light,
Slow and easy or the sled will slide,
But Heaven just helped me immensely,
I feel just like a child full of magic,
Delighted with a simple white inch blanket.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/25/2002

Author's Comments:
Our first snow of the year in Plainfield was tonight.

I do love these *POETRY* spells.

Friday, November 22, 2002

I am one tired whizzyrd! I've been going through the roof trying to restore all the spells on my crystal screen, it got flushed right down to a completely blank screen. There is definitely a side benefit, though. I got rid of some agravating *glitch* and *quirk* spells that were jazzing out the crystal screen. I just got done putting an anti *codebug* spell into my crystal screen. Looks like things are finally going right with this machine

Time for that *pillow* spell.

*Habrus Cadabrus, whizstle and hoooooowl, then peace and quiet, the sandman's in town.*

*POOF*

Thursday, November 21, 2002

Well, the last two days have been no *pillow* spells at all, and massive upgrade *surgery* spells on my poor crystal screen. I just got it back in action this afternoon. With funtioning Dee Essell! Now, time for that way overdue *pillow plop* spell.

*POOF*

Tuesday, November 19, 2002

Interesting. I was wandering my way home from the Comm Grid this morning, riding the dragon through the Physiverse. Now, out there, it's supposed to be the peak morning for something called The Leonid Showers. This is an interesting and powerful vision where rocks scream the sky at fantastic speeds, leaving glowing trails through the eythre and ayre as they burn like Demofire. It was supposed to be possible to see up to two thousand of the blast balls from outer space per *hourglass* spell. Unfortunately, there was a slight *fog* spell surrounding the Great Windy area, as well as a full Moon, and close to sunrise. Combined with the huge excesses of *torchlight* spells around the Great Windy, and all I saw was one measly rockfire trail out of the corner of my eye whilst in the middle of maneuvering the dragon. Next year, I shall go out into the Wilds where it is much darker.

Now I do have to say, the faint red glow of Sol's birthing, the spectacular view of Lady Venus glowing, Father Jupiter shining, and Orion the Hunter and all their twinkling friends was quite beautiful. All natural magic, no greenspells required. I certainly do love the chance to just look up and enjoy at times.

The Comm Grid was rather peaceful and quiet tonight. Just the usual faint *tincan* spells going off and rattling briefly as gremlins snuck past, but they did no more than nibble, really. I did work with a newly formed whizzyrd clan, the Teedeess AcheBeeceess, ensorcelling some new links. They made a couple of minor flaws in their castings, but I was able to detect them and get the voice castings in progress.

Also lately, I've been studying a new form of White Love Magic. Not the *redlight* kind, or the *goldring* kind. This is the *kindness*, *peace*, and *blessings* kind. It requires a good deal of inner calm to operate, but it is really good for all whizzyrds in this plane of existence. The more practitioners there are, the less *Horrible Blast* spells the Dimuns can turn loose on the Blogverse, Physiverse, and most importantly, other whizzyrds. Dimuns feed on *FEAR* spells, they love raised *hackles* for breakfast. The Triumvate of White Love and *FEAR* spells are opposite energies, so if one is present it tends to push away the other. Let's just say that the keep and the life will both stay much happier and neater with *TRIUMVATE* spells than with *FEAR* spells, and conjure peace through *blessing* life's *flip-flop* points. *Flip-flop* points are places on the path where you can only choose one direction, and the steps down the path tend to lead to one form of magic or the other. Can you guess upon which path you find most practitioners of *Blech Mejik*?

Well, anyway, I think it's time for one of those wonderful *pillow* spells.

Good night all, and many *BLESSINGS* to you. Thank you for visiting my little keep here in the Blogverse.

*POOF*

Monday, November 18, 2002

This was from about five this morning, there was a powerful BLogfog, and I was unable to scry through to release the missive.

This is fun. I've added a new quill and parchment for a Visiting Whizzyrds' Registry at the bottom of the *Spell Book* pages, and also registered the *Spell Book* with the Bloghop Whizzyrds' Guild, complete with a *ratings* spell. I quite like that. I've also done a bit of reading other whizzyrds' *Blogspells*, and left a couple of notes. Now to check the inbox for fresh quills from all over the BLogverse. I'm expcting a couple of missives at any time now.

Thank you whizzyrds, Watchers, and other Blogdizens, for checking in at the *Spell Book*. Please stop by often, and *Blessings* to you all.

AquarianM *POOF*
There's been a lot going on this past weekend.

Saturday, I went to Tike Wondo school, and we had a double class. Being fully Six Feet Six and two hundred and eighty pounds in my white Tike Wondo Whizzyrds' Uniform, it tends to get a bit interesting. There was the time the previous instructor was teaching us all the *Flying Sidekick* spell, and he needed a very powerful magical shield to ward off this much flying whizzyrd. But I digress. The instructress Magette Anjliek, had another instructor there this session. He has trained with the Olympiad Tike Wondo Masters clan, and his training methods were quite unique. Aside from the usual *Block*, *Punch*, and *Kick* spells, (As always preceded by a *FLEXERSTRETCH* ritual) we learned to cast such spells while in motion, and got to beat up giant stuffed bean bags and even worked minor *Spar* practices. We had a double length class, since the instructors will be away on Holiday next week. I am going to a couple of week night classes to gain more spell practice during the week.

Today, MyLady Seer's Parent whizzyrds conjured a magical feast at Ye Old Mill Inn, which is set in an old limestone village along the Foxhound River somewhere amongst a beautiful tree park. There was a moat just out the window, and flotillas of magic birds were paddling about, which quite enraged the moat monster as he was bespelled from eating them. I could sense his evil vibration from below the still waters, but no one and no creature had breached Magic Etiquette, so he wasn't allowed to eat while we were about the place. After a wonderful dinner amongst many beautiful decorations and *twinklight* spells, MyLady Seer and I walked about the tree park along the river, crossing a *Choo Choo* bridge covered underwalk path, we went over the river and walked down the way, admiring the beautiful old limestone keeps along the gentle looking waters just at dusk. We stopped at the Palacial Herringbone Inn, and the bar whizzyrds conjured up the most marvelous hot coffee and cream drink, with quite a *kick* spell underneath. It tasted absoplutely wonderful, and the potion was a visual delight as well, steaming in large clear goblets. It was similar to the favored drink of many Irish whizzyrds, but also had certain *spice* spells and a I suspect a *Cinnabon Liquor* spell as well. The bar whizzyrds were not divulging the ancestral secret potion components, however. They simply asked for their greenspells and smiled. The place was absolutely beautiful inside, with a grand staircase winding up into the tower, limestone fireplaces, oaken doors and trim, large vases of fresh flowers, and a buttery yellow hue to it's heavy earthen walls. Absolutely luxurious. We shall have to cast a few greenspells into an overnight *abode* spell at the place in some future memory casting.

After the wondrous potions, we rode Fandango back to the keep, by way of the China Red Dragon Flagon, where we picked up a small bite on the fly, and fed Fandango a large draft of *Flaming Petro* potion. We also traded a few greenspells for some *vision discs* and spent an enchanting evening casting *vision* spells and crafting wonderful *Snugglers*. I am not at liberty to further discuss our quiet evenings' castings.

So, I have crafted a new spell commemorating the Old Quills' Home and celebrating their new keep. The Parchment Angel Club is moving to a new *webkeep*, and this was the casting I quilled for them:

Peekin' In The Windows:

I walked in the snow all about the new house,
It was cold outside,
I let loose a mighty shiver,
Breath puffing up in the dark air,
My footprints all about the door,
Under the windows behind the shrubs,
They had been moving our furniture in,
I could see the leather bound bags,
Travel stickers all about them,
But my keys had not yet arrived,
It was so late all were asleep,
No one could yet hear me knocking,
So I took one more look,
And I trudged back to the old homestead,
Blue walls and familiar door knockers,
All the scribblings we'd made on the walls,
A thousand little memories of good times,
And I spent one last night back in the old place,
Laid my head back on the floor,
Turning parchments about,
Light from one old candle stub,
Found somewhere in Imagination's old closet,
A few old family photos still to be going,
I stoked the fireplace another log,
Embracing it's eerie magical blue glow,
Knowing 'twould soon be cold, dark,
But that life would go on in fine style,
As soon as those keys showed up at the Postmaster's!

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/18/2002

Author's Comments:
Just reminiscing and walking about.
(Moving PCLA to a new forum host.)

Saturday, November 16, 2002

A spell vision I was granted this past eve:

Goldfire Sky:

Overhead,
Grey-white-purple-yellow sheet,
Interspersed with robin egg blue,
Look West and see the fire,
Thin razor line of gold flame,
Shining burning bronzed cotton puffs,
Dusky orange almost pastel soft pillows,
A vee of geese races through the fire,
And the burning gold orange ball breaks free,
Flung out as the tattered burned cotton floats East,
If I could paint as the masters,
How you would see fire in the sky,
But God and His Sunset Angels,
They have never failed.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/16/2002

Author's Comments
I sat on the dragon just watching sky this evening.
It was glorious.
This is more *PRAYER* than *Spell*, so here goes:

Addition's Attrition:

"Walk with me through the Valley of the Shadow,
Will you please,
And picture with your brilliance the fingers of sunshine,
As the clouds begin to depart."

I see great joy in each heart that adds to the wave of kindness,
The shadows will soon fall away,
We must have faith in the world of the loving come to pass,
If all we picture is clouds and blight,
Surely such has no choice but to form,
But if in each heart there is a choice to be loving and kind,

Then the shadows fall by attrition,
Because of a gentler addition.

"If a man shall beleaguer his neighbor in continuance,
Saying naught but his visions of fault,
Then how can the neighbor walk above such faults?
Choose instead the gift of benevolent imaginings,
Should the person next door stumble and fall,
Let them not hear 'You are wicked, foolish, wrong,'
For his mind will take this a little more to heart,
Each time in the hearing.
Far better should your neighbor hear,
'Next time you will prevail with better,
For you have seen where lay the mistake and learned.'
Let his mind take this to heart."

Then the shadows fall by attrition,
Because of a gentler addition.

"When you speak to yourself,
Tell yourself,
'I am kind and strong and caring and peaceful,'
Not 'I am weak, failing and a source of pain,'
For every time you tell yourself what you are,
You become just a bit more so,
And if you do not speak to yourself of love and strength,
Who will do so once you no longer possess these things?
It is said you must love yourself to love others,
Be loving when you tell yourself who you are."

Then the shadows fall by attrition,
Because of a gentler addition.

"All that is begun and carried on in fear,
Will beget only more pain,
All that is begun in love and kindness,
Has a far greater chance of bringing joy and hope,
See within which you carry in your travel bag,
As you embark upon your journey."

Then the shadows fall by attrition,
Because of a gentler addition.

Only by additional hearts choosing to see a better future,
Will such a future come to be.
Choose love and kindness every chance you can.

Then the shadows fall by attrition,
Because of a gentler addition.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/16/2002

Author's Comments:
This is something I've come to believe more
strongly every day. We and our world
become our collective beliefs. I want to be
more careful of mine. Our words hold far
greater power than many of us will ever know.

Friday, November 15, 2002

Time for a *coffein* spell. It's been a frustrating night on the Comm Grid. We have a *VoIP* spell link to the Webvoice that just will not report an active link, even though it seems to be carrying voices. We have appealed to the Maker tribe wise men to get the correct spell components, meanwhile the *tincan rattle* spell that goes with it is rattling loudly because it is detecting a gremlin bite we can't heal in the link.

On top of that, I lost my magic words that let me look into crystal screen and see the *VoIP* spells, so I have to get a new one from an Engineering whizzyrd in the *VoIP* spell cabal. Those whizzyrds are daylight only, none of them are night bats like me.

I spoke to my sister, the Sorceress of Christmas for this year, she is planning all the *chow* spells and *game* spells and suchlike for this year's gathering of the clan. She has gained use of a large keep in the Frozen North, and we cast voices to compare notes and just keep in touch. After all, clan is what really matters.

I am only five days from getting the *Dee Essell* spell crafted by the Yayhoo Beecees. I received a *Oopeeiss* spelled box full of magic tricks at the front gate of my keep this afternoon. There were *filter* spells, a *Ceedee Rum* spell, a *NIC* card, and most powerful of all, a *Dee Essell* Mowed Em. My palms are itching just thinking about getting my *Dee Essel* spell working!

Well, back to the Comm Grid, I don't want any more gremlins getting loose. Thank you Watchers for stopping by, and good wishes and *lucky charms* to you all.

Oh, by the way, just so you'll all know, a *SPELL* is major magic, but a *spell* is minor magic, and there are various grades of magic between.

*POOF*

Wednesday, November 13, 2002

Time is short today, the hour glass has lots of stuff marked up on it to do. It's the Seer's Birthday, and I've been conjuring cards and presents...

I also just sent some more *tinker* and *cobble* spells off to the LUF whizzyrds to see if they can add them to their idea magic.

Last night at the Comm Grid was extremely busy. We had a major link to Apple Tons that the Provisioning clan THOUGHT they were supposed to move, but it turned out to be the wrong ones, so we had to tell the Bee Cees and Merry Ticks not to touch it. They were disappointed, they had thought they were going to have a magic feast on the old link's spell power.

Then we had Tellyou Group clan links going down and coming backk on all over the kingdom. I also had to put in a new *lightlink* gizmo for an impending link spell, but the older and weaker *lightlink* gizmo, well, they forgot to give me a *transpo* spell to Port it out. Also, they forgot to add enough megger byte chips to the new gizmo, so they are going to have to *transpo* some megger byte chips to me to put into the spell.

Off to the party!

Tuesday, November 12, 2002

Voices of wayward spirits I heard in my last vision quest:

Buckthorn and Black Walnut:

The trees sway in the evening breeze,
The low slanted rays of late Fall afternoon,
Touch the bark and grass and creek with Midwestern gold,
If there is a color that defines the American midwest,
It is a word not often used,
Tawny.

The lime stone so yellow and prevalent,
The soft yellow clay just a foot or two below black earth,
Trees with brown red and yellow Autumn leaves,
The golden yellow of the grasses and shrubs,
Their clinging seeds will follow you to new homes,
The brush of cat tails above a marsh,
Where brown ducks swim with the brilliant green headed Mallards,
And brown and black Canada geese oversee the flotilla,
And red, brown and yellow brick is the solid choice,
Where once the soft warmth of the gentle tipi held sway,
They looked for all the world like angel wings growing,
Straight up out of the incredibly tawny plains,
And meld into the ice and snow and gold grass tufts.

Some of the whites now listen to the land,
Have been born and bred of it's very bones,
To those who hear the spirits the land cries for healing,
For simplicity blended with their mechanical roots,
And slowly the spirit of the Tinkerer is joining,
With the spirit of Land,
They will one day walk under the gaze of Harmony,
And perhaps their children will grow strong,
Once fear and it's bastard child hatred,
Leaves the hearts of all the races of man,
Who were birthed in the tawny land.

I heard the spirits of Buckthorn and Black Walnut,
Of Pine and Cattail and Milkweed,
They danced a dance of future remembrance,
That some times I am just privileged enough to see,
The afternoon Sun whispered golden rays upon them,
The blue Sky brushed their reaching branches with a breeze,
As the Buckthorn pods fell dark brown to Earth,
Millions in deep dark reddish tawny brown,
And the children of Black Walnut fell to Earth rolling,
In the green pods that look like tennis balls.

Buckthorn took the hand of Black Walnut,
And their spirits walked back into the tawny past,
Future,
Past,
Future,
Past,
Tawny,
Sun.

Together.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/12/2002

Author's Comments:
I was struck by how much I identify this color with "home".
I was born in this land, and no matter where I've gone,
I always feel "home" when I see the tawny gold of grasses,
Coming up through the snow along the highway,
Or blowing in the cool fall breeze. This is the color of home.
I also hold a vision of technology embracing nature and the two
working together instead of in conflict. If it's ever going to happen,
it needs to be found here. I don't know why I believe that, but I do.
Spent the past half hour reading wayward magic scrolls and burning the ones from sneaky Seller Trolls trying to trick me into giving them some of my greenspells. Nothing much else to report at this time, other than the parchments made it to the LUF whizzyrds, but they haven't had time to respond yet, I think. The guy down in Tecksrocks can be a bit of a curmudgeon, but he is also quite realistic and seems well suited to deciding what is practical and what is "Shoot the Moon" magic. Practical magic is always the best. Of course, many *movie* spell watchers learned this a couple of years ago. More later.

*POOF*
Well, I just sent magic scrolls to some whizzyrds of the LUF clan, who think we should have whizzyrd colonies off our rock. I rather think it's a good idea but will be a long time in coming. They are creating an experimental keep in the land of Tecksrocks to try out some of their ideas, and were speaking of crafting a special keep called a "green house." This has nothing to do with common greenspells. It's a place to grow plants for all sorts of whizzyrdly purposes even when Lady Winter is casting *snow* spells and *freezer* spells and such. I pitched in a couple of ideas as I like the chaps and think they are fun with all their *tinker* spells and such. One of them even built a *dam* spell, but it was hit with a Tecksrocks *DELUGE* spell and lost it's upper half, wasting much magic. They are still discussing ways to craft a stronger *dam* spell using the minimum amount of greenspells. I sure hope they figure it out safely. So far, they haven't blown any whizzyrds up by accident, they are pretty careful to avoid that. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what they think.

And on that note, it's time for a nice *pillow* spell. Thanks all you magical creatures for scyring my screens.

*Cotton cloud and fluff ball pile, sleep and rest all the while.*

*POOF*

Monday, November 11, 2002

Just ran a *scan* spell on what the Bank Trolls are charging for Keep Tolls this month. The results are rather interesting.

Now time for a quick *shower* spell.
Hmm. Heated up a percolated *coffein* spell in the *Nukrowave*. Interesting device that bathes the moleculites of anything in it with magic waves until they shiver hard. I'm listening to a little Coldplay with Mylady Seer and it's pretty nice. Reminds me a good bit of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but not.

Not much new at the moment, sky is again the ever-present Great Windy grey, and I'm just peeking at the Universe's response to my latest spells to see if the bells weather...

More lter, hope all of you watchers out there are having a pleasant afternoon and evening.
Well, it's time for that *pillow* spell. I've written my fingers near off tonight trying to send out *peace* spells, hope all of you don't mind a screen full, but it's with the best of hopes and intent. A good night to all, and thank you for visiting.

*Puffed and stuffed and looking downy, lay my head on that pillow and dream kind dreams.*
The Ice Mask:

The tribe walked in glory,
Tall and proud were their men,
Their women pretty as the jewels of Heaven,
And they walked all in fierce strength.

The grey concrete wore holes in his boots,
He passed so many in the crowded city,
There was no notice, no kind smile,
Seeing such he cast the spell they all knew,
The ice mask they wear as they walk past,
No eye may meet or the sin is staring,
No smile may be seen or the con might be daring,
Just walk like the faux stone under thy feet,
The creed the motto the stigmata unseen,
Frozen eyes go by in the frigid soul cold,
But the spell falls flat,
In the face of genuine fearless warmth.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/11/2002

Author's Comments:
Do you recognize the mask? You see this every day
in most parts of our country.
On that note, I think it's time for me to cast a *folding* spell on some hot laundry. Thank you all kindly for stopping by. More on the crystal screen in a bit.

*POOF*
Fire Fall, Blue Hush:

We walked out amongst the sands,
At the edge of the drive way was the burning bush,
Alive with vivid sunset yellow-gilded orange,
Almost cartoon brilliant,
The colors of fall turning the trees and shrubs,
Even dune grasses turning to gold,
And my love and I walked bundled hand in hand,
Out on the soft yellow rippled sands,
The sky grey blue and muted,
The lake so vast and steely blue,
The low gentle waves,
Subconscious roar and hush,
Up and back, up and back,
The hints of magenta through the gun metal sky,
As the camp fire of Earth was falling low,
The sliver Moon peeked one second through,
As we walked back past warm window glow,
And always the sound near,
Blue hush, blue hush, blue hush,
Skipped one stone back home.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/11/2002

Author's Comments:
Once again, the inspiration is life.
I just saw something and it really made me aware of many things I'd been completely ignorant of. Knowledge being the most important magic of all, I thought I'd share what it was with you:

Movie Of The Century:

There is a film just out,
One that opens eyes,
Sheds light and hope,
There is a way out of the dark,
Once you even know you're in it,
Take a look for yourself,
Does it make sense in your heart,
What can you do to with knowledge,
Just go see with an open heart,
I know the poets will know.

Bowling For Columbine.

The most relevant film I have ever seen.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 10/11/2002

Author's Comments:
Live and learn, it's not necessary to "confront" anything
or one to make life nicer. Fear is soul poison.

Saturday, November 09, 2002

I just remembered something from the news scroll yesterday. Guy whizzyrds, watch out for new *shaver* spells. The old kind that are simple metal charms and require no further magic after their making aren't the problem, but it appears that a couple of poor whizzyrds out east got their faces blown up by the kind that use magic to operate, the Leck Trick kind. Be very careful, one was brand new in the *cardboard* and bought at the local Whizzyrderia. Both whizzyrds had injuries to their face, neck, hands, and upper torsos. It seems some evil Blech Mejishun put very powerful *Bad Juju* in them that caused them to explode. I would advise checking with your local bomb squad before using a new Leck Trick *shaver* spell. I really do not like those evil Blech Mejishuns. Didn't their Mommies ever teach them about being nice or sharing?

In other news today, I got two of my favorite monthly news scrolls, Popular Spells and Popular Magic. I have *subscription* spells placed on them so they automatically copy to my keep after the Calig Raffy whizzyrds quill them. It only took a few greenspells to get that *subscription* spell going, it is very enjoyable.

Also, my father the Engineering whizzyrd got himself a new *webmail* spell that works on any crystal screen that hooks up to the magic web. He can now go to the scroll collection at the library and send magic parchments. (His crystal screen is a very early model and he is having difficulty getting it linked to the magic web.) I'm going to help him later with some magic link spell components, we'll see how he does then.

I missed my Tike Wondo training today, I was very tired and got up late. Even my *Shrieking Alarm* spell couldn't get me moving. I will have to make up the Tike Wondo class later this week one evening. Which is *OK*, because the Seer and I are going off to Duneland for a day to walk the Sandy Blue Edge. Then we are going to have Gore May dinner at a little magic food shop we know of. It's Mylady Seer's birthday this week, (She gets a whole week) so we are doing something nice and meeting her son and his sorceress.

That's really all the missives for today, so all of you Blog Watchers have a great day and evening and enjoy the *balmy* spell if you're near the great Windy. Thank you for visiting my little vision.
*POOF*
Now for a brief morning spell:

*Pink Morning:

The pink washes slow across the blinds,
I can see daylight coming on like a child slowly growing,
The sun is a happy face on the rise,
Far away the sand lies filled with tall grasses,
The wind there whispers in tune with the waves,
They call my name in the cool hush,
And tell me of soft walking amongst golden grains and blue,
I whisper back they hold my dreams,
And the waves hear what the sky does too,
Soon, I'll spend pink morning,
Somewhere where the wave meets sand and sky,
And so do I.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/09/2002

Author's Comments:
Plans for the near future.*

Good morning, all. Time for the *pillow* spell.
Ok, the McBugfrees say there is no *Bad Juju* lurking in any corner of my crystal screen, That's good, I don't want to help the *Bad Juju* escape to other crystal screens. You never know what that stuff is going to do.
Made it home. Right now, I'm in the process of crafting more recent *antibug* spells for my crystal screen. I just gave it a whole chip full of 256 Megger Bytes a little bit ago, it's much faster at things now. The McBugfree clan is providing the magical expertise via a spell link. Will be back shortly after I sew the patches in.
Ok, ok, it could have been HER. If so, she should get to be Grand Poobette. After all, fair is fair.

Alright, time to scroll the reports and fly the dragon. I'll cast voice prints back to the Blogverse crystal screens after I fly to the Keep.

Meanwhile, thank you all Watchers, Blogsters, and Whizzyrds for visiting my little blogscreen. Prayers and *peace* spells to you all.

*POOF*
Interesting. I just heard there was a meeting of the three biggest Prayer Clubs here in the Great Windy yesterday. It seems the Krsistins, the Moos Limbs, and the Juice were all doing *gum-flap* spells about working together and being nice to each other. Now that is a good sign, whizzyrds of Am Erica. I really hope they can work such a spell web out. They were talking about helping out magicless whizzyrds with *Keep* and *Mangia* spells, as well as helping get them free of *Zombie* potions if they want. I think combined efforts on such a web are a GREAT idea. Incredibly, one of them even admitted that they all pray to the same God, and that it's their fault for all calling him different names. I am amazed that some whizzyrd finally got a *sense* spell on that crowd. Let's hope it grows stronger and better. Matter of fact, I'll throw a few prayers towards that myself. Whoever cast that sense spell, I want to make HIM the Grand Poober. Way to go.
Well, the spell combobulator worked just fine, it made a whole bunch of magic that just dissipated. At least we're now assured it will combobulate when we need combobulation.

I called and said good night to Mylady Seer, she was happily peering through new scroll collections and spells before casting her own *pillow* spell.

I must admit our Votedom's politico whizzyrds are really making me nervous. I think they've cast a giant *Hebejebis* spell all over the Blogverse. They are trying to get a certain clan of Sand whizzyrds to give up their giant *roaster*, *toaster*, and *pox* spells. The Rockies Sand Whizzyrd clan says it's all about greenspells and Boil Potion. Boil potion is used to create magic all over the Blogverse, as most of you know. It comes in especially handy for *taxiport* spells. Personally, I wouldn't be too surprised if that was behind much of the Chief Shrub's voice prints and castings. Like many whizzyrds, I am casting little *peace* spells and prayers every day in the hopes that no more whizzyrds get cooked by war spells. I don't really want to see any USER or Rocky whizzyrds get goose cooked. I hope the politico whizzyrds can all find some good sense spells and learn to be nice to each other. I also hope the Rockies will give up the roasters and poxes. There's enough of those around already. Personally, I think the United Whizzyrds should lock in all the whateverdoms' borederlines and say everybody is stuck with the lines they have, from now to Doom's Day. I also think anyone should be allowed to cross the line as just an individual whizzyrd or a simple whizzyrd family if they can no longer stand towing the line from the side they are on now. I also think all whizzyrd should have the right to free *Mangia* spells and *Keep* spells so no whizzyrd ever has to go hungry, thirsty, or without shelter. Such things should be the basic minimum rightuals of every whizzyrd no matter what lines they're stuck behind. .Maybe some day all the politico whizzyrds will catch a vision before they get eaten by Soul Burners. I would love to see the day.

Friday, November 08, 2002

Well, I just finished my favorite version of the coffein spell. I ran a *Percolatotor* spell. I love how when you put the magic in it the water bubbles up and you can smell the delicious coffein potion brewing. Absolutely the best. Why anyone bothers with *Drippy Filter* spells is beyond me. they completely change the flavour of the coffein potion. It doesn't taste nearly as nice.

I have to go test the emergency magic maker this evening. It's a spell combobulator that starts making magic whenever the Common Eddy clan's spell combobulator distribution links get hit by a gremlin hoard. We test the combobulator every once in awhile to make sure we will be able to route castings and ventrilloquism spells and bitbyte spells if the Common Eddy combobulators aren't getting through. Heaven forbid!

Time to imagiport to the combobulator area!

*POOF*
This is a bit of magic that I am always reminded of as the holidays approach. It is not written in magicese as it holds it's own special magic just as it is.

"A few years ago, I had been on the verge of abandoning a life-long commitment to finding a partner in life and a stable marriage partner. A string of failed relationships had nearly completely darkened my outlook on love relationships in general. I won’t go into details, but one simple gift changed my life. It was close to Christmas, but not specifically a Christmas gift. After a wonderful first date out seeing holiday decorations together and walking the Naperville Riverwalk in a fine light snow, my then future wife felt an overwhelming urge to give me something. She placed a simple polished black hematite stone in my hand as I was leaving to go home. On it was engraved one word. “Believe.” At that moment, I decided to give love one last chance. We are now happily married nearly two years and I am very glad of that night. Quite simply, the most precious gift another person has given me was a simple piece of stone. That could only be true, of course, because the gift was given along with the most precious thing this life offers: love."

There was no potion needed for this spell, the only requirement to making such magic is two truly loving hearts.
Ok, I've done a good little bit of review of the new format link spells. There's still a good ways to go, but it's pleasant reading new spell books.
But at the moment, it's time to wind up reports, report in to the guild Monitor whizzyrds, then hop on the dragon and cruse off into the sunrise back to Pear Tree Keep.

Once again, I'd like to thank all you Blogwatchers for your viewing sands through your hourglass spells. It is always a pleasure to have you read my scrolls, and I wish you all a great day. I'll give a brief status report later from the keep.

*POOF*
This is rather fun. I'm getting to learn a few new Comm spells! It's not often I get to research new spell techniques, I'm usually pretty busy applying what I already have mastered. Thing is, the magic slowly evolves and changes, and if you don't slowly update your spell inventory, you can find yourself unable to work current magic. Back to reading scrolls...
Sometimes it is just too difficult to keep all these Comm whizzyrd guilds straight. I just cast voices at what I thought was the link for the Mikeyson River clan, but it seems there was a split of opinion related to greenspells, and the spell number I have in the scrolls is the Mikeyson clan, while the links that were in trouble were still the Mikeyson River clans'. The problem is, I don't have a good link number for casting voices to the Mikeyson River whizzyrds. Thankfully the gremlins backed off and the Mikeyson River links became magical again. Being a Telecom whizzyrd sure can bring confustication spells one's way!
Hmmm. That was wierd. Must be a gremlin in the keep. My crytal screen spell wonked out just as I was about to cast the runes on the parchment. Now I get to magic waggle the quill on the scroll all over again. Magic inkwork can be tricky.

The comm grid has been doing pretty well tonight. One gremlin, I chased him off before he could do more than look cross-eyed at a link spell. The spell of course froze up. I had to stop and start the magic flow, then it worked again just fine. The whizzyrds at the other end didn't even have to to send a scorched parchment spell at my guild.

I just sent a voice casting with a sweet dream wish to Mylady Seer a few sands through the hourglass spell ago. She is such a sweet sorceress!

Thursday, November 07, 2002

*I am so glad I cast voices to a Merry Tick!*
Things are going great! I just cut my Invisible Voice Casting costs by 50 greenleafs a month! (I was on a two year old plan with the Run Fast clan.) Guess what I'm getting for that same 50 greenleafs??? Dee Essel !!!!! 768kb/sec down & 128kb/sec up, Yayhoooooooo Ess BeeCeeeee!!! 11/20/02, countdown to the activation of the Dee Essel spell!!! Day One: Enthusiam spells are washing all over me, I am going to have killer access for my crystal screen!!! (I will do my very best to put an ignore spell up against all the impatient spells coming in from the Eythre.)

So, it's off to the Comm Grid, with *glee* spells all around!

*POOOOOFDA*
*Aquarianm reaches back into the Blogverse briefly*

Whoops, almost forgot to leave my morning spell, thought you all might appreciate a peek.

Morning Fog Hush:

As I drive home the sun just brushing sky,
Faint light and fog drifting low on the land,
First frost on corn stubbled fields,
I see tendrils of steam rise from the slow moving river,
From the quiet of the morning pond,
Like some ethereal dream the world is waking,
I see pink and blue dancing together now,
Just above the cloud drifting at eye level,
The birds are singing and the orange ball rising,
Just as I pull into the drive at home,
The geese and ducks appear and disappear,
My mind on a quiet gentle wave,
Feeling the hesitancy of a tentative season,
Winter is on her way home,
And all the world is beauty awaiting,
In this pillow soft morning fog hush.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/07/2002

Author's Comments:
True to life this morning, it's beautiful out there.
Hmmm....there was a huge magical disruption in my corner of the Blogverse this morning, a total Blogfogout for more than three hourglass spells. I sent a scorching scroll to the Universal Plane manager whizzyrds that should scorch their ears the second it's read.

I'm online with the invisible link voice casting whizzyrds, they are charging me a greenspell ratio from two years ago, I'm telling them to get the ratio updated to what whizzyrds currently pay, or I'll find other invisible voice casters. It seems the Fast Runing clan is still willing to take my greenleafs, even at the lower rate. This should work out great. The best part is, the difference in price should allow me to get hooked up with the high speed link Yayhoobeecee clan for access to the blogverse and other assorted webcasting spell zones for the same amount of greenspell energy I'm already spending or a little less. THAT is going to help me become a much more adept WebWhizzyrd. No wonder everyone over there is always yelling *!YAY!* (I probably will do a big Yayhoobeecee yell myself if I can get the Dee Essel spell going!) On that note, it's time for a shower spell!

*Scrubba Dubba Bubba* *POOF*
Well, the weak spell appears to have worked. You'd have to look close to see it, but it helps. The Comm Grid seems to be holding pretty steady at the moment, so it's time to wrap up my report scrolls and hop on the dragon. He's probably well ready for a stretch after hanging out in the lair all this time. I'd like to thank all of you Watchers out there in the Blogverse for tuning me in on your crystal screens, and wish you all a great day.

*AquarianM vanishes out of the Blogverse in a puff of electric blue smoke* *POOF*
Getting a few strange warbles in the spells after I tried a new tweak to the blogform spell...let's see how it turned out.
*AquarianM phases back into the Blogverse looking haggard*

Well, I'm glad we have all those string and can spells about to warn us. It appears a golem clan had found somewhere in the territory of the Merry Tick whizzyrds to nibble on link spells. They bit this one pretty hard before they scurried off into the Netherworld. It had lost magic completely for a few moments. It was only a simple voice casting link, one that allows twenty four whizzyrds at a time to cast voices from one of our golems to one of the Merry Tick golems. So far it seems like looking cross-eyed at the poor link was spell enough to chase the gremlins off. I hope they find somewhere far away to chew next, I have report parchments to calligrify before I ride Fandango back to my Keep.

I really like my Keep. Mylady Seer has done a wonderful job with *Knick Knack* and *Paint* spells to make it beautiful. It's set inside a Pear Tree Circle and we planted a real Pear Tree in the center of the circle. I think the land spirits are pleased with that. We also have crafted stone biers and a stone compass marker ward, and best of all, I found a wonderful sun catcher at the Garden Whizzyrd shop to help brighten the place up. We even have a couple of pumpkin golems out by the dragon lair.

*AquarianM phases back out of the Blogverse quill and parchments in hand*

Well, plenty of action on the Comm Grid tonight. We've got South Dakota links bouncing, one to Minneapolis, move orders on a link to Springfield, echo spells transmogrifying a ticket spell, lots of fun. I've finally gotten the Questing clan a vision of the spell warbling on that pesky Minneapolis link, maybe now they will be able to find out where the Gremlins are nibbling magic in their territory. Time for a coffein spell after all that.

Mom sent a parchment awhile earlier asking for help with her crystal screen, it was acting strangely, and she was trying to conjure the proper spells into the new one to get it to mesh into the spellweb. I think we got it straightened out, it was just a matter of picturing the right miniature glass calligraphy and scrolling the proper magic words. I'll have to check back with her tomorrow. If need be I'll just use a ventrilloquism spell. (Casting voices)

I seem to have been hit with a headache curse this evening, With any luck the charms and acetomenphen wards will drive it off by the time I get to casting my pillow spell in the morning.

It seems the Kingdom of Windy is expecting a possible peasant uprising tomorrow. I hope the peasants can get some satisfaction without any real trouble. I like them mostly, but it's hard to gain persuasion over Finance whizzyrds when you don't have much in the way of greenspells. It takes a LOT of peasants casting together for the poor folk to be heard. Hopefully everyone will have head cooling spells to ready and everything will be ok.

On that note, I'll do another check on the Comm Grid and see how it's holding up.

*AquarianM phases out of view and passes into the foggy plane of the Comm Grid peering about*

Wednesday, November 06, 2002

Sometimes I wonder if I've been hit by a *Glued to the Crystal Screen* spell. I need to get that shower spell re-started!

A very cool & interesting blog on wandering through the Italyverse:

Girl Detective

*Splish, splash, dangit!*

*POOOOOOF*
So, we have quite the mixed bag. Statewide it's mostly Democrat bollweevils, but nationally it's Republican bollweevils. The races this year were not nearly as close as two years ago. I am really sad that we didn't get many wins for Libertarian bollweevils. I think they would have done this plane of the Blogverse a great deal of good. So now we all have to watch out for the party line. That is quite some spell they have going. I wish we could get law spells passed that forced the oratory contests to include any bollweevil that won a ballot spell. I think it's very fish stinky that they leave any balloted bollweevil out of the speeches.

On the business side of the house, the Grand Federooney has lowered the amount of greenspell kickback required to borrow greenspells between the Bank Trolls. This should be a good thing. Many whizzyrds are likely to trade greenspells for stock spells and bond spells if they think the Bank Trolls are going to have to be nicer. This whizzyrd is more interested at the moment in lowering the greenspell kickback ratio on the Castle spell clauses. That could possily even halve the time it will take the castle spell to become stable, requiring only maintenance of the tax spell. (Yes, the bollweevils demand greenspells to add to their tax spells or they will give your castle to whomever will give them the required greenspells, whether the castle is solidified or still slightly liening.) We shall peer into the crystal this week and next, and cast voices if we can find light anywhere in the Bank Troll tunnels to see if a troll will agree to the proper and decent greenspell ratio for our castle. (It takes Mylady Seer and I quite a bit of magical oomph to maintain the castle spell, getting relief in fifteen years would be much better than thirty.)

I also just sent a good news scroll to my father the Engineering Whizzyrd today, via my brother's crystal screen. It seems the Keeper and Copier of Scrolls likes his story spells, and would like to see him cast more of them her way. The parchment of her scroll was positively glowing. I shall attempt to cast voices with him on the way to the Comm Grid this evening, and inform him of the good news. The Keeper and Copier may even be Hard Copying some scrolls containing his story spells for the edification and pleasure of distant whizzyrds all across the Blogverse. I believe this will be a happy occasion for him.

On that note, I will cast a shower spell and return to the Blogverse later. I hope all of you out there in Blogfog are having a pleasant day and would like to thank you for visiting my little corner of the crystal screen.

*Splish splash, I was takin' a bath.....* *POOF*
*POOF*
Zzzzzzzz...
It's a little slow and fuzzy right now. It seems the Democrat bollweevils took the cake and the cheese, but that's ok. I'll practise the new form of magic I'm learning, trading in fearful visions for happy and peaceful ones. Perhaps it will help, at least my sanity.

I could really use a good tropical beach spell today. Complete with terrycloth and sand components, and do not forget the sounds of waves and sea gulls. Maybe even salt water incense and sea weed candles. maybe I could draw a starfish inside a sand dollar and light candles on the star fish arms while chanting wishes to Neptune. I could wear my mermaid t-shirt from the North Shore Dive Shop, too.

* Sandman's Respite:

Soft sand,
Whispering rythmic blue,
Sunlight heat bathing,
Mist upon the breeze,
See the sea gull flare to land,
Foam tickled toes are wet,
Skip a flat rock seven times,
My vision of rest is full.

AquarianM *


By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/06/2002

Author's Comments:
I just wanted to fall asleep on hot sand in the breeze.
The Comm Grid has been acting quite up tonight, I had a nasty run in with some whizzyrds from a rival faction of the Comm Sector that we utilize for service to a particular area, they just didn't believe what our crystal screens were telling us and it took several hours to prove our case and get the spells for that part of the grid repaired. There was also a spell upgrade going on to strengthen some of the magic in time for the holidays, as well as routine maintenance and watching for alarm spells throughout the grid. You never can tell when gremlins might bite a spell and fray it, or a junior whizzyrd cast an improper spell. One can lose many bit spells and byte spells by the time the cause of all the mischief is found and re-spelled. On that note, it's time to review grid status. *POOF*
I just sent a ghost parchment off to an old friend far away in the land of the Dreamwalk.I was thinking of her today and wondering how she's doing, as she hadn't been feeling well. We've worked on some team parchments and missives for the Mystical Quill Society in the past via magical coorespondence. We've never met, however, even though we've had a friendship via the crystal screen for seven years or so. It's kind of hard to drop by for tea and a chat with a whole ocean between houses, even for whizzyrds. I'd love for her and her husband to meet my Lady Love the Seer some day. I invited her to comment or note to the spell book if she wishes, she always has wonderful stories to tell from down there on the other side of the Blogverse. She may still be under the weather, though, so no promises.
Hmm. Seems I need to polish my own crystal screen. Only nine Watchers so far this week. Wonder how many are myself and family? I guess that's ok, though. It's still the first week. Just think how much fun some of them will have when they go peeking in the castle basement years from now and open the dusty old tomes! I do need to get the word out, though... Maybe a bullhorn spell? I certainly do not liker the idea of a spam spell! That stuff tastes awful!!!
Ok, ok, I know Skinner's not exactly friendly sounding either, but he gets indigestion from tax spells!!!
Just one question for the poll spellsters. How can you possibly vote for some whizzyrd called Blaggy Vick?
Well, it's looking like a win for the evilest bollweevils. At least the Democratic bollweevil sings Elvis music to his wife. On guard, all spell masters! Watch the gates, batten the coffers, hide your greenspells, 'cause here go the tax weevils again! *POOF*

Tuesday, November 05, 2002

Hmm..enjoyable little spell, I think I'll keep it. At least now I'll know how many times the castle window has been peeked through...*POOF*
AquarianM reaches back into the blogverse with a tentative tweak to his plane of residence...
Ok, we cast our vote spells for the bollweevils. It was kind of funny, I had wanted to vote for all Libertarian bollweevils, but there just aren't enough of them running through the maze this year. So I voted for all the Libertarian bollweevils I could find, and then I voted against any bollweevils that I knew had already had their chance to go add Bad Juju to the Bad Juju spells and done so. Then I voted for a bunch of Republican bollweevils because they smell a little like the Libertarian bollweevils, and I figured it would be easier for the Libertarian bollweevils to mark the territory with their scent if the rest of the crowd smelled at least similar. (Similar smelling bollweevils tend to use their stored up vote magic on similar spells.) The fun part was the Judging Authority whizzyrds had set it up to directly ask the voting whizzyrds whether to create new parks and community whizzyrd college extension campuses. I am highly in favor of as much education as any whizzyrd can stand, so I voted yes on those, but I voted to do it using the tax spells they already had rather than adding vote spell power to the tax spells being strengthened. I did add a vote spell to their request for a strengthend BOND spell, which means tentatively they have to pay the spell energy back to those who add to it at some point in the cloudy future of their crystal screen.

Now, I'm quite content sitting back sipping a HUGE coffein spell to recover before I go off to the Comm Grid to cast repair spells. I just wonder which evil bollweevils will win the Politico Maze Race. I hope it's the least evil of the bollweevils. I know my brother is watching, he thinks these races are just huge fun, the cat's meow, so to speak. Actually, I heard a familiar talking about it in Catonese the other day and they were just meowing because the smell of bollweevil makes them hungry. Funny thing is, every cat that ever tasted bollweevil has had to go running for the water bowl to wash the taste out. They've mostly learned to substitute mouse or can-begging spells when the smell hits them. The ones just out of kitten school sometimes don't listen, then it's a real paw scrabbler on the kitchen floor racing for the water bowl.

Anyway, I hope all you Watchers and readers out there have a wonderful evening, sit back, Watch the news, and please don't be afraid to click on the quill and parchment spell up there if you have a comment, suggestion, or new spell! (Whizzyrds LOVE parchment missives. It adds to the whizzyrdly airs and image, don't you know. ) I shall report back later with the results of the vote spell castings and other whizzyrdly visions. *POOF*
Drat! I've been attacked by a swarm of wild yawnies! Where is that coffein spell...?!? Hmmm... maybe a SHOWER spell! That might do it! Certainly a brush and paste spell won't hurt. Just watch out that little plastic missile doesn't hit your eye instead of your teeth... It's been known to happen if a whizzyrd is under the influence of a swarm of yawnies and groggies. Then, it's don the whizzyrdly robes and trinkets, and off to cast vote spells for my favorite bollweevils! Uhm, I mean Politico Whizzyrds. (Can you tell I'm not too hip on the Politico clan?) Anyway, I know this minor faction called Libtertarians that are less unpalatable by far than the majority of that clan. They favor the least amount of rule wards and even less evil tax spells. Those tax spells! Bad juju! All they do is magnetically swallow the vast majority of greenleaf spells on the planet! Leaves a lot less greenleaf power for things like food spells, castle spells, vacation spells, Christmas present spells, even retirement spells. Off to cast my vote spells against rule wards and tax spells! As any good whizzyrds should do!
Well, it was a rather uneventful night in the Communications Grid. That is a good thing, mind you. Where I work, action means trouble for someone or hazards to communications. I spent part of the night doing the monthly survey of magical energy production equipment and reserves. Those rectifier spells and battery spells need checking up on so that we are assured of a steady supply of lightning magic to make our bit spells move through the talking glass. (As opposed to looking glass)

I also spent some time this morning after work sending some of my father's spells out through the crystal screen. Perhaps his story parchments will be enjoyed. I hope so, but now that I've put a publishing spell on them, I think it's time to read what I bespelled...

After a good pillow spell, that is, and a vote spell after that. (Can't let the Evil Bollweevil Politico Whizzyrds have all the votes, now.)

*Shimmy, shammy, no pajammy, just give me cotton and give me fluff, I think one comforter will be enough!*

*POOF*
An early morning Winter spell in anticipation:

Veil Of The Ice Queen:

Her pale blue gaze called us home...

The sun set in muted grace,
The light simply faded from grey,
Uniform sheet of ash blown cotton,
The unmistakable sight and hush of falling white,
The only thing left was the dance of falling flakes,
Drifting snow snakes and white dunes,
The glow of street lights underlit the clouds,
At various points where cities lie on the horizon,
But here the Whizzyrd walks,
Indeterminate age in a cool gaze and face,
Blue gaze as the ice upon the pond,
Hair tawny yellow as the corn stubble and winter grass,
Breath steaming like the trickling waters of the snow-banked creek,
The only clue to heart smile-wrinkled eye corners,
Walking the country with a lone star above,
Polaris peeking through the Veil of the Ice Queen,
Looking down from the night,
Distant points of light graced the fields,
Homesteads and warmth and pillows,
Perhaps fires bringing the scent of smoke,
Which would be falling to the ground from it's height of release,
Yet the Whizzyrd walked in the hush,
Only the trickle and burble of creek on stones,
And saw the land at rest and awaiting,
Awaiting the love of the holidays,
Awaiting the dances of the joy of Spring,
Setting the stage for child's play,
Sledding and ice skating and snowballs,
Yet the Whizzyrd just walked,
Silently observing,
You could fathom the spell of peace,
Only in his eyes.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/05/2002

Author's Comments;
I think we all could use visions of peace in these times.
There is more than enough fear flying free, we all need to
gift our beloved world with visions of loving peace in
these so troubled times. Perhaps by doing this, we can
ease hearts and help bring back love and peace.

Monday, November 04, 2002

*AquarianM reaches back into the Blogverse for a final tweak...so he thinks.*
*POOFITY POOF POOF*
One last little tweak...(Couldn't resist)*POOF*
Well, time to go grab the nucrowave spell & get some food on the platter. after that, hop on Fandango and fly off in the Sunset to the great Comm Grid. Now that I've conjured up a readable blogspell for the Blogverse to coexist with, I can work in peace and harmony. On that note, I shall leave you blogging through the Blogverse in good cheer, oh merry readers, and perhaps some day i'll get a nice missive or two from the Sea of Phantom Watchers. Please remember, you can always visit at Whizzyrds.com and click on a parchment spell.
And the last little spell. I like the new look. Still primitive, but webcasting is not yet my area of magical expertise. Perhaps I shall be able to discover a guide who can spirit me through it. I certainly am having fun with the new spell book. Life in the Blogverse is good.
A touch of size tweaking...
Tweak number four....
Still tweaking...
Nice...now another tweak?
Let's see how that spell went...
Hmm. I like that. I like it a good little bit. I think I will be doing some HTML spell research over the next few days to see if I can tweak things a bit here and there, but overall, this is good juju.
Let's try a bit different look on the crystal screen spell, a minor magic tweak, if you will.
The whispers of sunlight are turning orange and red. Awakening was pleasant and somewhat fuzzy, until I shook the last remnants of the pillow spell loose with a bit of coffein magic. I spent a good portion of my waking listening to and composing mystical messages in front of the crystal screen. The spell web was mostly full of offers for various bits of magic in return for grenleaf spells, but I found none that I really need. There was one however, that did violate the rules of decent spell casting, using visions of red light magic in blatant display of behind closed door materials. I saw no point to wasting any further spell energy on that.

I sent a note off to someone that I hold dear but have been somewhat at odds with of late, I will be holding white magic visions and blessings close for the future to be better. Please say a blessing if you have the inclination and time.

I had a lesson at whizzyrding with my wife the kind enchantress, we are going over a new book of magic I am learning, and it is a path of kind magics. I like to follow the white path where it leads, the scents are nice along the way.

Soon I will be off to work communications spells for my greenleaf suppliers, hopefully my co-mystics and I will solve a few more riddles of the universe without rasing the hackles of any trolls. Communication magic often works best when it hums along like a quiet whisper of light.

Next on the list, a quiet dinner spell. Tomorrow is a big day, we get to cast wishes for politic fishes that do not adhere to the piranha school of thought, hopefully. I am putting out a blessing for those I agree with and believe will do good. *Universal grant the divine plan be fulfilled and the one that best fits it shall gather wishes and hope close, and that blessings, peace, love, and plenty are brought forth in harmony with divine right* Afterwards i shall accept the divine result and hopefully my choice was in accordance with that plan. Magic always is best when that's true.

Well, that last spell has used up all the energy from several coffein spells, so I think it's time for another pillow spell...

Puffin, fluffin, snoozin, nod, wrap me up in soft cotton,
rest this tired old bod...

Zzzzzzzzz
my finished spell for the evening:

Translucent:

Wood dark and warm,
Ancient,
Soft white the scene set,
Long ago era horses grazing,
Like a world of soft white ice and snow,
And people to match,
Ancient Chinese secret,
More like ancient Chinese dream,
The ice people caught forever,
Huddled at camp in a soft glow,
Whispered into shaved white stone,
Ice people camp on one side,
Unfettered but frozen,
Ancient Chinese letters on the other,
The ancient Chinese secret,
Was how did they ever craft something,
So lovely, peaceful, timeless,
So translucent.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/04/2002

Author's Comments:
Something I saw at the Lizzadro Lapidary Museum
this past afternoon. An ancient table screen from China.
It was about one and a half by one and a half feet square,
and framed in warm dark hardwood. Absolutely stunning.
Lapidary art is the art of crafting objects from carved stone...
The image below is linked off the Lizzadro museum site and please do not copy it.
It also is a link to their main website for interested parties.




Florentine Mosaics
A memorial portrait of Joseph F. Lizzadro, Sr. was commissioned in 1972. It contains more than 1,300 pieces of natural stone, precisely cut to fit together without the use of grout. Created by Bruno Lastrucci of Florence, Italy, the technique is called ?commesso DI pietra dura? (the joining together of hard stone.) This art form has been practiced in Florence, Italy for hundreds of years. The Museum is fortunate to have several examples of Florentine mosaics.

Sunday, November 03, 2002

It takes some serious magical energy to move these blog spells where you actually want them!!!



*******************************






Well, I did it. I set off an early alarm clock spell and awoke like a shot. They should label spells like that black whizzyrdry! Or maybe BLechk!*! Whizzyrdry!~ Even the music doesn't make that harsh awakening better. Much nicer when the spirit of morning whispers sweet nothings in your ear...

We flew the dragon out to the stone whizzyrds' palace in the little village of Elmwood. My dragon friend is a sunset orange red dragon named Fandango. He's quite fond of riding off into the sunset, even at ten in the morning! (I wonder if those Detroit whizzyrds will EVER come up with a magic-efficient dragon...)

My brother and his wife were sutiably impressed with the rock spells cast by clan Lizzadro! They managed to conjure up a four thousand year old Chinese prayer wheel right at the door, and that was just the beginning. They had stone fish and sail boats and picture mosaics from Italiano Whizzardos, and anything else you could make out of colored stone. All for only four measly greenspells per head. I don't know how they manage to wring such creations out of so little magic.

Interestingly enough, they had one of the world's top stone whizzyrds in today. He was head of the rock evaluation department in the Gemology clan. He told us great bits about the Ural mountains and bad Russian food spells, even worse taxiport spells, and then showed us a vision showing how the worlds' top stone whizzyrds do things. It was amazing. Forty foot green malachite columns no less! And the grand whizzyrd from the height of the Russian stone age, the incredible jewel whizzyrd Faberge'. This guy actually laid diamond and ruby and gold eggs for the Czars & Czarinas of mother Russia. And the diamonds and gold and rubies were all swirled up in the same eggs, not even separate! Talk about a swooning swan spell! They tell me one of these magic Easter eggs (He laid them every year at Easter for many years) recently went for a blowout eight MILLION greenleaf spells! Wowza, there's some potent magic in those little jewelled farm bombs! (They are really pretty, too.)
Well, it's time for me to turn water into wine and go off to wake up my favorite enchantress with a glass of blush and a smoochfest spell. *S* HUMMINAYUMMINACADABRA!*POOF*
Zzzzzzzzz......
Hmm... I think it's about time for a pillow spell. Let's see, a tuft of cotton, a feather of down, cover and fluff, lie my head down, sweet dream breeze, ocean surf roar, with all that noise, you won't hear me snore, blessings I'll send upon night winds, wish spells for good and well, all my family and friends.

Goodnight.
*POOF*
I'll bet most of you will prefer this spell:

In an attempt to learn a new spell:

The cats are hiding somewhere in the castle walls. It's time for some evening spell casting. My brother and his wife teleported down from the north to enjoy the sights for a day, and we watched a story about the magical being known as Santa Claus this evening, which was quite pleasant. However, I am almost certain he had a tool belt hiding under that red coat....

We dined at a cute little place called Cozymel's which has managed to pull a corner of the Latin American coastline into the suburban dimension. Their whizzyrds are quite skilled, not only do they do a wonderful latino sea food spread, they also managed to conjure a charming atmosphere with lots of glass and beach house wood and twinkle lights. It's really quite amazing being able to eat while watching the sunset and not freezing your buns off this time of year. Of course, they did request I perform a perfunctory Visa spell after their awesome display to prove I hadn't joked about being in the Whizzyrds' Council of North America.

The Tae Kwon Do spells my instructor gave us this morning produced quite a good bit of grunting, groaning, yelling, and a curious side effect, heavy breathing and profuse perspiration. It will be all worth it if I can some day get her to teach me that Superfly spell! The last instructor did teach us a flying side kick spell, but it was dispersed after one session. I don't THINK it had anything to do with a six foot six inch three hundred pound whizzyrd flying full throttle into the large leather pillow he was using as a shield, or the four feet back the spell teleported him.
No, Probably not.

Well, I have just prepared a percolator spell to be ready for my brother and my sister-in-law in the morning. All they need to do is give it just a little spark.

On that note, I'll cast a thought spell here and leave a minor vision for passers by.

Fuzzy Sunsets:

Soft grey clouds wisp all over the sky,
Some muted pastel palate,
Just far enough either direction,
Left or right of the sun,
The Rainbow Dimension peeks through,
Like dimples on the cheeks of the sky,
Which now smiles in muted reds and oranges,
Maybe a touch of hot pink,
And the glowing orange ball slowly sinks,
Into the sea of black ink,
And I wonder if it scorched the sheets,
Of now dark cloud.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/03/2002

Author's Comments:
The back drop of dinner tonight.

Saturday, November 02, 2002

AquarianM rushes off to martial arts training. Whizzyrds do not generally revere the use of cold steel, but will train their bodies just in case their list of spells is inappropriate to the situation. (Why turn an ordinary bandit into tofu when you can put a lump on his head and send him running?) Besides, one must be gone before the housekeeper spell is set loose on the castle. Even the dragon leaves for that one...
The soft glow of an incandescent light bulb appeared in a vision of a white bubble over the Grand Whizzyrd's head. He had devised this year's Halloween spell. Every Whizzyrd must come up with at least one new spell on Halloween to remain qualified with the Whizzyrds' Council, it was their dues. AquarianM let the bubble melt and went on about swaggling the quill pen on parchment to record this years' dues:

Sweet October:

Invented in the late 1880's,
So they surmise,
A sweet celebration of the harvest,
An inseparable Halloween tradition,
Even more wonderful slightly warmed,
That super sweet yellow orange white,
Candy corn...

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 11/02/2002

Author's Comments:
For those interested, you can find an overview
of the history of candy corn at:
http://www.hauntedbay.com/history/candycorn.shtml
It's actually kind of interesting.

Friday, November 01, 2002

In a flash of electric blue light and a puff of Aqua blue smoke, AquarianM teleports into the Blogverse. The grand question? Will they survive each other? Stay tuned for the next casting of *Spell Book* and don't mind the silver dragon.
In a flash of electric blue light and a puff of Aqua blue smoke, AquarianM teleports into the Blogverse. The grand question? Will they survive each other? Stay tuned for the next casting of *Spell Book* and don't mind the silver dragon.