Saturday, October 31, 2009

November, 2009

Happy Samhain, everyone.

The annual run to secular “Holiday Day” (Dec. 25) is gearing up. Both large Calgary handicraft fairs are running on subsequent weekends later this month, and while they both feature party food, kitsch, and expensive gifts, there are usually a few booths of interest to the discriminating pagan. The Taboo Sex Show is also happening mid-month… for some odd reason pagans are also attracted to this one!

Budding and experienced writers on my mailing list might be interested in National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a. NaNoWriMo) going on throughout November. For a “mere” average output of 1,667 (unedited) words per day, you can qualify for a nifty certificate and other goodies if your output reaches 50,000 words by month-end. A bit easier to tackle, I think, than the three-day novel-writing marathon on the Labour Day weekend.

Tour Alert: Noted author Dr. Brendan Myers, Ph.D. and hedge-witch and blogger Juniper Cox are making their Calgary stop on their “Magical Philosophical Raggle Taggle Great Canadian Road Trip” at Tipperary’s Pub near U of C from 6-10 p.m. MST on Tuesday, November 3.

November's Birthdays: Helen L., Christine L., Molly S., and probably some of my other Facebook friends. Sorry if I’ve missed yours.

November Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Nov. 1, 12:00 a.m. National Novel Writing Month begins. Go! Info: http://www.nanowrimo.org
Nov. 1, 2:00 a.m.: Return to Standard Time. Fall back!
Nov. 2, 12:14 p.m.: Full (Beaver) Moon.
Nov. 3, 6:00 p.m.: “Looking for the Magic in Calgary” with Brendan Myers and Juniper Cox at Tipperary’s Pub, 2002 – 16 Ave NW.
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m.: Institute for Contemporary Shamanic Studies presents a free open house with Barbara Butterfly Dreamer at Scarboro Community Hall, 1727 - 14 Ave SW. http://www.icss.org
Nov. 5: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul. Info: http://www.meetup.com/The-Eclectic-Circle-TEC
Nov. 7: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Nov. 11: Remembrance Day.
Nov. 12-15: Taboo, the Naughty but Nice Sex Show at the BMO Roundup Centre. Info: http://www.taboosexshow.com
Nov. 16, 12:14 p.m.: New Moon. Ngetal (Reed) lunar month begins.
Nov. 17: Leonids Meteor Shower peaks.
Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m.: Calgary Witches’ Meetup, hosted by moi, in south Calgary. Info: http://www.meetup.com/Calgary-Witches
Nov. 19-22: Calgary Art Market Arts and Crafts Sale at the Convention Centre. Info: http://www.artmarketcraftsale.com/
Nov. 26-29: Festival of Crafts at the BMO Roundup Centre. Info: http://www.ourbesttoyou.ca/calgary/


Blessings,
Hergest

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Hallowe'en or Samhain?

Happy October, everyone.

Fall is here, a chill is in the air, and Orion is making his brief appearance in the morning sky. Slasher flicks hit the movie theatres, and teenage girls await the next appearance of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. The young dress as zombies, or vampires, or witches and wizards, or Death himself in one of his many guises (Darth Vader, Jason, Freddy, Chucky, Jigsaw, and so forth). Some do it to embrace their dark side, others to deny Death by laughing in his face. Hallowe’en has become a commercial holiday season second only to Christmas, and it’s fun to openly wear our witchy “drag” for a weekend or two.

Normally I tend to postpone Samhain celebrations until after Hallowe’en weekend. Somehow between the kids trick-or-treating and the adults going to costume parties, it’s normally best to postpone the sombre, more personal aspects of Samhain until the popular (dare I say “secular”?) celebration is past. But when Samhain falls on a Saturday, as it does this year, it seems appropriate to celebrate on the night itself. Unfortunately it means that people sometimes have to choose, or to split the difference. So it goes, as Kurt Vonnegut used to say.

October's Birthdays: Danni, Jo, Kellie, Jennifer-Lynn, Linda, Jane, Dennis, and probably some of my other Facebook friends. Sorry if I’ve missed yours.

October Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Oct. 1: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul. Info: http://www.meetup.com/The-Eclectic-Circle-TEC
Oct. 3: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Oct. 4, 12:10 a.m.: Full (Harvest) Moon.
Oct 9-31: Scream Fest at Canada Olympic Park. Info: http://www.screamfest.ca
Oct. 12: Thanksgiving.
Oct. 17, 6:00 p.m. on: Calgary Pagan Community Potluck: Ethnic Night. Info: zara1204 (at) gmail (dot) com
Oct. 17, 11:33 p.m.: New Moon. Gort (Ivy) lunar month begins..
Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by moi, in north Calgary. Info: http://www.meetup.com/Calgary-Witches
Oct. 23-30: CJSW Funding Drive. Info: http://www.cjsw.com
Oct. 24: International Day of Climate Action. Info: http://www.350.org
Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. sharp: COGCOA Samhain Ritual.
Oct. 31: Samhain.
Nov. 5: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul. Info: http://www.meetup.com/The-Eclectic-Circle-TEC
Nov. 7: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron.

Blessings,
Hergest