At the Aksahic Library – Friday the 13th!

Sekhmet sat out on the lawn basking in Ra’s warm rays when the news came by way of Hermes.

“Have you heard?  Over a fourth of the internet users are blacked-out on the Italic peninsula!” he said breathlessly, “And of course we know who’s to blame!”

“Do tell … ” meowed Sekhmet a little bored. “Serves them right! These humans are always trying to imitate the Gods with their technology.”

“Ah, but you should know, your protegé was among the many who are isolated!” he said strolling off.

“What!!!” she jumped up indignant! “This will not do at all. I’m really so tired of Loki’s tricks!  Of course this is a personal affront to Me, Sekhmet!”

Bastet came down to the lawn about then with a piece of parchment in her paws.

“I’ve just gotten word from Georgia.  She won’t be able to post at all today.  Seems her internet is down too.”

“So I’ve heard and of course Loki is to blame!” Sekhmet snarled.

“Well, I’m working on it with the crisis group and maybe this time it’s not Loki.  You see today is Friday the 13th … ”

“And what does the date have to do with the problem?”

“Well, humans actually have a great hidden mental capacity.  Some call it the power of belief. It’s a low electrical charge that runs and connects people in a common cause or belief.  But it’s also an energy that makes things happen if enough people believe it will.”

“Really.”

“Oh yes,  Athena gave a lecture on the subject just the other day.  She says they are capable of creating great good works just by believing something ‘en masse’ … but also great disasters.  Seems that there are millions of people who believe that Friday the 13th is the harbinger of disaster, especially in Italy with its ancient roots that go back more than just a couple of millennium.  We’re working on it.”

“So when will the problem be resolved?” asked Sekhmet “We’ve so much work to do getting that book of children’s stories together …”

“We?  I haven’t seen you move a paw to do anything!”

“Pshaw!  I am the mover … the inspirer … it is I, Sekhmet the reason that she writes, no?”

“NO!” said Bastet as she left a surprised Sekhmet with her jaw opened.

“I wonder what’s gotten into that kitten!”

Akashic Library: Lord Oberon and Queen Titania for Tea

The other day, Sekhmet decided to invite Lord Oberon and Queen Titania over for tea.  This was a rather unusual affair, as anyone who knows Sekhmet must realize she believes that other’s should invite her and not the other way around.

But there’s a story here to be read to understand Sekhmet’s invitation.

Just a Note! November 11, 2013

Hello world!

Working

Here’s a photo of where I work.

At The Akashic Library: The Johari Window

Sekhmet had set up an easel on the lawn of the Akashic library.  She held  her paint brush up before her, one eye open.

“Whatever are you doing Sekhmet?” asked Bastet rather perplexed, Sekhmet not being renowned for her artistic talents.

“I am going to paint a Johari Window!” she replied haughtily.

“Isn’t that a sort of psychological game.  You know, where you describe yourself in 4 points?”

“Not at all!  It’s about knowing perspective.  That’s why I’m measuring with my paint brush. So I can get the perpective right!”

“I do remember distinctly that it’s about how you see yourself in the world compared to how people see you!  In that sense they’re talking about perspective”

“Oh really Miss Know it All!  I just asked Johari if I could paint one of his windows, I’m sure he would have told me if I were to paint myself in the window too!”

There was nothing for Bastet to do but go and read a book.

For the Promptless: Johari Window

Suggested Prompts:

• Share one, or all, of your areas with us
• Show us a picture that represent perception
• Compare a self-perspective to an outside-world-perspective
• Describe yourself from the perspective of a stranger
• … or make up your own related prompt!

Participants in Kintsukuroi:

• TheMatticusKingdom – And what a story it is
• Serendipity -Restored to State of Grace
  • FishOfGold- Fish With Gold
  • The D/A Dialogues – Broken
  • As The Forest Bird Flies – Golden Scars
  • Blog it Or Lose It – On Mending Porcelain
  • Photography Journal Blog – Leaves in Gold
  • Mahabore’s Mumblings – A Real Hero
  • BreathingSpace- A List of Beautiful Broken Things
  • Bastet & Sekhmet – Modified Choka
  • Rarasaur – Aren’t we lucky?

Just a Note: Through the Eye of Bastet

Hello world!

From the Station where I’d parked my moped.

I thought I’d make this official!  Bastet now blogs on her own!  That’s right, I’ve opened a new blog dedicated to photography called: Through the Eye of Bastet.  I’ve already transferred many of the photographic posts I’ve done here over to that blog, and shortly will continue the migration.  Once completed, all those posts will be deleted from Bastet and Sekhmet.

The Sunday Walk and Painting the Town Red, as well as all photographic challenges will have their home on Through the Eye, so if you like this series, you’ll need to go there to see them in future.  In the meantime, I’ve already published two photo posts there a Wordless Wednesday (which will remain common to both blogs) and a Weekly Challenge dedicated to an Unusual Point of View.  I consider haiga poetry though so they will stay right here on Bastet and Sekhmet.

I’m also cleaning up my categories here as well as clearing up some older less professional posts.  This blog will be for poetry and short stories etc and Bastet as usual will furnish the images for those posts 😉  If I could I’d add to my original title: From the Akashic Library, but i don’t think I can.

Oh! Do you remember that We Drink published an anthology of poets recently?  I’d like to know how I can make it available from this blog?  Anyone know how to do that?

I almost forgot…Just a Note will remain on Bastet and Sekhmet appearing as usual on Monday morning or when something special comes up.

Thanks for reading and see you very soon!  Have a great week!

Just A Note: September 9, 2013

Hello World!

Well…

That was quite an interesting beginning wasn’t it.  This week has been an emotion packed week.  Not all good emotions either, but looking from a philosophical point of view, one must ask what is good and what is bad.  I’m not one of those persons who believes pain will make you grow nor do I believe that just looking at the bright side of life you will make things positive come your way.  Though I’ve seen that if one wishes to be hosanna-ed one can write extensively on either subject and many will read them in droves.

Some unforeseen problems have been making life a bit rocky for me at the moment, and sometimes that means I look at the keyboard for assistance because nothing wants to be written or read.  Some of my fellow bloggers also have been having their health and family problems which have kept them away from blogging and the place has been a little emptier without them.  Of course, life is an ebb and flow and I know that it’s only a question of time, then the metaphorical sun will rise again, adjustments having been made.  This is the real miracle of life in my opinion.

Publishing

Barb Taub’s book “One Way Fare“ has been published and is for sale!  I’ve been watching over the months as Barb’s been progressing towards this happy day. I wish to offer my personal congratulations to Barb on this effort!  The link will take you to her announcement page, have a look!

@)—>—>—

As for my personal publishing efforts…they’re efforts.  Actually, I’ve never gone to a publisher yet.  I have more or less finished a first short story that might be acceptable to a magazine now that I’ve finished all my refining, retuning, re-editing to get rid of all the grammar, typo, tense and punctuation errors.  I’ve now sent it to my sister, who’s given it to a mutual friend, for final editing.

What’s the problem?  I don’t like what the story has become.  Could be because having spent so much time on it, I’ve just become weary of it.  However, one of my readers said that it was a “traditional” good read.  At that point I shuddered and a lot of my enthusiasm went out of the project.  So, I’ll have to do some re-thinking here.

@)—>—>—

I’m taking part in a daily Haiga challenge this month.  This is an interesting project too.  I’m using my photographs for the most part in this challenge, though I’ve continued to draw in my spare time, which isn’t much right now.

I’ve also become interested in Haibun, thanks to Ese’s Voice and the Ligo Haibun challenge.  I used the Haibun form also this week to write my Friday Fictioneers’ contribution.  It was interesting getting the story and the Haiku all in 100 words.

On the 13th Floor I’ve also published a Power Short prompt;  write a children’s story.  I discovered Power Shorts long before I came across Friday Fictioneers and though they are basically the same thing, my prompt furnishes a requested genre as well as a prompt.

Spam

Alas, oh sigh, I’m plagued with spam.  Each day I have to go to my comment page and weed the stuff out.  I could just do an empty spam, but unfortunately, sometimes not all the spam is spam.

This is a problem that is plaguing everyone as seen through Papizilla’s post on his new blog “The Literary Syndicate“…17 bits of spam on a blog just that had just opened!  By the way, besides this post on spam, Papi’s doing a good job on getting the word out about indie publishers in a big way, have a look.

However, there have been some spammers who’ve been able to infiltrate  the barriers of Askimet.  Two such spammers that came my way this week were via Tumblr and another site.  They made comments on an older post of mine which seemed kind of strange.  I looked them over and voilà, they were two lovely ladies (sic) who run an on-line sex site.  Of course I spammed them out of existence.

Yesterday though in answer to my post, “Thoughts: Women and Writing” I received this long comment which I’m copying and pasting:

“malikoma Sep 8, 9:41 pm

Let’s start with breaking the ‘binary-gender roles’…when we no longer associate genitalia, with one’s capabilities, or entitlements…only then might we know the equalization of the human…

I believe that you’ll have to break the cultural typecasts to advance yourself…. and consider too, any mammalian instinctive behaviors…isn’t that why the human is presumably given the conscious mind…would it be to continue answering to the animal within?

Do you first wish to inspect my genitalia, or will my conscious-mind suffice?
Thank you…
-The ‘artist’ known as Malikoma
p.s. No butt-sniffing please!”

For this lovely answer a Gravitar was created ad hoc.  I haven’t approved the comment on my post, not because of its content, but because the Gravitar was created ad hoc.

Of course this person, whom I suspect to be a shy male 😉 (but one never knows) may be legitimate.  However, once I approve this, and unless I want to moderate each and every comment, this person can comment without approval on any post without moderation and I might be forced in future to take down the comment.  So I posted the comment here.  What do you think about these extemporaneous commenters?  Would you consider this a sort of censorship on my part?  Of course if you wish to reply, have the courage to do so openly instead of hiding behind a ad hoc Gravitar.

Yesterday on “Lucy’s Football” there was an interesting article about Spam and our “followers” many of whom are following just to spam.  The most disheartening thing about “followers” is that you can’t have them unfollow you.  Well, actually, I think you can spam them and they can’t comment on your posts anymore. Have a look at the post and tell me what you think, if you’ve got the time.

In Conclusion:

30 Days of Haiga: September 3, 2013

Haiku

impermanence

leaves turning to gold
invite somber reflections
of impermanence

For 30 Day Haiga Challenge by 19 Planets Art Blog

Just a Note: August 26, 2013

Hello World!

As the White Rabbit said:  “I’m late, I’m late for a very important date!”

I must say, that last week was a very interesting week as far as emotions go.  I feel I wouldn’t be honest if I do not at least give a nod at this very sad occasion.  Feather’s flew and tempers flared as a tasteless act of spectacularism came to the my attention and to that of many of my fellow bloggers.  I won’t speak of the episode though in detail, suffice it to say that it nearly cost us a dear poet, who worried by his reaction, had contemplated not writing anymore.  I personally flare slowly and briefly, and the aftermath for me is saddness…I wrote this poem for the occasion:  Senryu: First Light.

This week I began working on my anthology of short stories.  I’ve opened a private blog where I have 10 readers who help me by reading what I’ve written and give me some tips that may permit me to eventually publish my work, first through e-zines and magazines, then eventually as a complete work.  I find that it’s easier to just throw my things together for the blog and publish.  However, I also realize that publishing is a more time-consuming and meticulous job.  I’ll keep you updated.

I also published two of my “drawings” with Haiku, or Haiga.  I wrote them in English and Italian.  I try to doodle off a drawing in my free-time…the purpose?  I wish to publish a sketch book of Haiku in Italian and English.  Here are the examples (and I’d enjoy, and need real feedback here, not just: “Oh how nice!” which makes my ego happy but doesn’t help creating quality work!)  Haiga 1: Willow and Wind and Haiga 2: Butterfly.

TJ Therien, reintroduced me to a form of poetry that I had forgotten about.  The Arabic Ghazal, favorite form of Hafiz and the great Rumi and Sufi poets.  My first Ghazal was all wrong and thanks to Lilith Colbert I was able to make the necessary corrections, but having fumbled so badly, I decided to write another: Ghazal: Fences of Segregation.

I also discovered that there are oodles of wonderful photo challenges about that had somehow escaped me.  This week I participated at Cee’s Which Way Challenge and Ese’s Weekly Shoot and Quote Challenge.  They were great fun and I especially enjoyed the Shoot and Quote.  I participated with a quote of Oscar Wilde’s. Not to mention, the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge and my own Pixelventures sponsored by We Drink Because We’re Poets.

I’d like you to have a look at the 13th Floor Paradigm, it is a growing blog and I’m sure you’ll find something that will interest you!  I also find that another post is very fun and useful: Friday Fictioneers. I’m waiting anxiously for Rochelle to give us the new prompt for next Friday!

I’d like to thank all you wonderful people for your support and comments and a special thanks goes this week to a wonderful poet, Cubby at Reowr!  And you’ll all find out why during the upcoming week 😉 .  And take a look at this reblog…someone speaks of the Warrior Goddess Sekhmet, wow, was she a Goddess, I’ve just come across this blog and can’t talk to you about it yet, but I’ve got the feeling it specializes in Vampires!

Again, I must excuse myself to the majority of you whom I follow.  I’ve done a little better this week, though.  I have decided (didn’t I say something like this last week?) to really make and follow a schedule.  Wrote that in black to remind myself to do so.  I’m having a little problem by the way with my Daily and Weekly notifications on my e-mail reader as I’m not receiving them any more.  I’ve tried doing instant notifications then to keep up-to-date of those blogs I follow most, but my e-mail is becoming unmanageable (even worse than before!) some of us are really prolific bloggers (she said blushing).

Have a great week folks and keep having fun writing, photographing or whatever it is you do to keep making this world a little better.

Just a Note: August 19 2013

Hello World!

Well here in Italy, the past week was one of those weeks that seems like a passing year…so much pushed into 7 days!  I hardly know where to begin.

St. Louis painted red!

Blogging:

This is always a good starting point.  With another 12 persons and thanks to the organization powers of Sahm King, a new community blog was born this week.  It started out as a group of us chatting about the need, in our opinion, of something that might create a movement of ideas.  You’ve seen my poems about the ideas as they came up, if you’ve been following the blog.  The blog is entitled the 13th Floor Paradigm and it took us a few days to come up with it.  The constant was 13th Floor, but we went from Bards to Troubadours….and finally we voted the name we now use on the new Blog!  We talked about the theme, but it was Sahm who put it together for us.  Lilith has created our email, where you can write to us: 13thfloorparadigm@gmail.com and this is the twitter address: https://twitter.com/13FloorParadigm.  I don’t think though that I will actually use either…never twitter and my present e-mail is already a shambles!

So…that means I now participate on yet another blog, besides Bastet and Sekhmet,  l also write a photo prompt blog with its feature pages for We Drink Because We’re Poets…and I have a personal project or two I want to work on, including a private blog where I’m trying to put up publishable stuff…as in for e-zine or magazines, book publishing or contests.  Basically I’ll have to do a bit of weeding and figuring out how to organize my time.

Recently, my e-mail inbox is so full that I can’t possibly read what everybody writes.  I know you post and sometimes I can read something and do that.  But…basically over the last week, I’ve replied to you who comment and like on the three blogs and look at your blogs!  There is so much to do and so little time.  I guess this is a lesson to be learnt…how to give and still create.

My projects though are the reason I blog…I didn’t realize when I began blogging that there was a community!  In fact if I just did my own stuff, I could manage much better…but I also have come to love and appreciate your various slants on writing and photography.  I’ve got to re-organize my blog too.  I want to do some weeding and fix up my categories…maybe transfer some of my work to a page, rendering the original individual posts private.  So…stuff to do, people to see etc.

For the moment…I’ll just close this by saying thanks to you all who’ve kept following through the thick and thin…love you all and keep blogging, I sure will!  Oh and by the way, if you want to follow everything that I publish in one fell swoop…there is the Bastet Facebook fan page.  Everything I publish or reblog goes directly there, just push the like on this page with the black cat icon and you’re in.

Have a great week!

Georgia from Bastet and Sekhmet!

Just a Note Special: The 13th Floor Paradigm

Bastet and Sekhmet: The Innerworkings

Hello world!

Those of you who don’t know me…join the club!

I was born on February 18, 1952…on a defunct Air Force Base, in the state of Illinois, U.S.A.  My life until I was 18 was a life of constant travel…town to town, state to state and once I lived in a foreign country, the Philippines.  After I was 18, my life was a life of constant travel, but not in the United States…I left it when I was 18 in fact and never returned, except for a few brief visits.

The first 10 years of my adult life, I lived and worked in different African countries.  There I had the experience of civil war, revolution and general upheaval.  Though I loved African and its people, it got wearisome.

In 1982, therefore, I settled down in Italy…though moving from city to city and province to province.  In 1994 I settled down at last.  I live in the extreme north of that country, in the province of Trentino, not far from the Austrian border.

I sculpt, paint, draw, take photographs, write poetry and short stories.  Lately I’ve been doing more of the latter three activities though.  I love to read, like the cinema (but not splatters et al), and any type of music that fits my mood. I used to sing, second soprano and play the piano, though I gave the piano up early in life.   I monitor an English Conversation Group in the winter.  I’m married to an artist and retired teacher (my second husband).  I have three sons and four grandchildren.  So, of course I’m never bored.

Now…for my appearance…my hair is graying, my eyes are light blue tending also to gray , in the summer I tan and get pale in the winter…sometimes I’m thin, when I remember to watch what I eat…right now, alas, I’m a chubby kitty .

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I blog at Bastet and Sekhmet…I chose those names for several reasons; I like cats, my two computers are named after these two Egyptian Goddesses and they express two aspects of my personality…domestic and warrior.

I also monitor for We Drink Because We’re Poets the weekly photographic prompt…my challenge, get people to take photographs for their blogs and if someone writes a poem for their photo, I feel that my work has been useful.

Now, here I am on the 13th Floor, to offer my ideas about poetry, writing, photography and anything else that may be interesting to a world that has lost sight of anything that goes beyond daily hand to mouth consumerism.  Oh, not by explaining anything, I’ve nothing to explain.  As the Zen masters would say: do not say, everyone has their path to follow and each has his own talent, that is my philosophy of life…short and simple.

At present, I’m working on a book of Haiku with my personal pencil and sepia drawings which I hope to publish in Italian and English…I want to put together two anthologies of my short stories and as a member of the Italian Union Photographers, I hope to submit some of my photos to be published and maybe take part in some of the local exhibitions.

So now, you know about as much about me as I do…or maybe not