I like chocolate

[alias_sqbr]

I haven't been in a very post-to-the-interent mood but a few things:

Wedding is in a week and a day OMG! For the many guests who have likely not looked and may have lost their invites: Details here. I realised the pre dinner drinks/nibbles are booked from 5, not 5:30 like it says on the invites, oops. Apologies to those we didn't invite, we're not having an open ceremony, sorry :( I have every intention of throwing a big, open, "Yay we're married!" party at some point but am not going to even think about organising that until after the honeymoon. I couldn't even be bothered with a hens night.

Mostly organised but a few things still need to be done and these niggle away at me.

I ate a whole medium sized easter egg today, it made me remarkably jumpy, but oh it was good.

Currently teaching myself the basics of Tarot with a guide Cam got with a set he bought for gaming. It's not something I believe in(*) but is so prevalent in fantasy and our culture in general I thought it'd be interesting to have a better understanding of. An idea I had: if stuck for the plot of a story, do a tarot reading. The open-ended interpretation and dense imagery seem perfect for germinating plot ideas.

(*)No offense to those who do, I'm skeptical about pretty much everything.

Comments

[nicholii.livejournal.com]

So, in other words, you are going to do what Dick apparently did with The Man in the High Castle? Except that he apparently used the I Ching, rather than Tarot cards.

[greteldragon.livejournal.com]

Dude, that was weirdest book.

What is I Ching btw?

[nicholii.livejournal.com]

Its a Taoist thing. Look it up on the information multiblagotubonets. Traditionally you use yarrow stalks, but you can use dice or coins, or whatever. It's all about finding out the current flowing through the world at that moment, or something.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Ching

[kadeton.livejournal.com]

It's a form of bibliomancy, which is kinda neat.

[alias_sqbr]

The advantage of Tarot is your imagery is right there in front of you. Admitedly if you're too literal there'll be lots of dwarves and sticks and stuff, but that could be ok in a surreal fantasy :)

[purrdence.livejournal.com]

I've rolled dice to determine story plot points.

[pooxs.livejournal.com]

re tarot in stories - also incredibly cliched, but even so it is a very good tool

[alias_sqbr]

Damn, and I thought I was so inventive :)

[sonictail.livejournal.com]

Using tarot for plot ideas is nothing new, see if it can work for you :)
Btw, good luck for next week, you're going to need it to avoid spontaneously combusting, Dr Ambrose :)

[alias_sqbr]

Soon to be Dr MacFarland!

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

There is no need to believe in the supernatural powers of tarot for it to be useful - its useful for working out how you feel about something by throwing different suggestions at you. But as you point out, its perfectly useful for story ideas etc without applying to real life either.

But the symbolism is a powerful and complex one that rewards a closer look anyway. I have many books etc.

[alias_sqbr]

Yes, I found it quite interesting to do (crappy and simplistic :)) readings for myself and see what interpretations my brain came up with. Much more interesting than horoscopes. The book was quite remiss in that it implied that it told you all there really is to know, and didn't mention all the interactions between cards and stuff which I came accross looking on wikipedia. Personally I'm not sure I care enough to learn about that stuff, maybe in the future since currently I've moved onto reading about the discovery of other galaxies. I have a very short attention span :)

Promethea is definitely one of the Tarot-influenced fictions that made me want to understand the cards better (and gave a much more visceral description of the meanings of the cup, wands etc than the introductory book I read :)), another is "Last Call" by Tim Powers. I should read it again and see if I enjoy it more.

I didn't mean to come accross as quite so dismissive, but I didn't want people thinking I was about to go around giving people readings etc since that's very much against my character. Hmm. See, now I'm thinking about why people with vague, superficial, unspecified "spiritual" beliefs who smugly claim to Know Things bug me more than pretty much any other religious standpoint that isn't actively socially destructive (and thus I am paranoid about people thinking I'm one). Perhaps a question to ponder when I'm less sleepy :)

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

Oh, and another thing - awesome way to learn some interesting stuff about the tarot is by reading Promethea.

[wolfhound.livejournal.com]

good luck with your wedding

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks!

[ataxi.livejournal.com]

I had no idea it was so soon. I hope you have an absolutely wonderful day.

[alias_sqbr]

Aw, thanks :)

[blkgrphn.livejournal.com]

Have fun at your wedding.
With the Tarot card, it originally came for a really complicated card game, which my mum used to play. My mum tried to teach me but I kinda got bored. Just a random fact.

[alias_sqbr]

Yes, it was interesting to see on the wiki page that apparently it's mainly only in english speaking countries that the cards are primarily used for divination.

[stableglynn.livejournal.com]

I've not said it before, so congratulations on finding someone worth getting married to, and even more for doing it! Best wishes, good luck and health etc. ;)

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks! Though we both find it a little surreal when people ask if we're nervous about making such a big committment since we've been pretty much married in all but name for like five years. My main worry is accidentally feeding gluten to the guest with Coeliacs :)

[stew-pot.livejournal.com]

Hey! What's up? I just added you, hope that's ok? Just in case check out my journal if you are interested in reading a new kind of comic.
Sorry if this sounds like a commercial or a spam, it's not. I'm just looking for new friends! Buh Bye!!

[alias_sqbr]

Hmm. See, on the one hand the last time I was rude to someone on the internet I later regretted it. On the other hand, this really does look like spam. I would be a lot more openminded about your motives if your comment was remotely personalised or showed any signs of having read the post it's attached to or having the slightest interest in me or my comics as anything other than a way to promote yourself.

I'm aware of your comic from webcomics, and think it's nice enough but not really "new", webcomics about university room-mates and their wacky adventures with a sardonic animal stopped being cutting edge some time around 1995.(*) Which isn't to say you shouldn't draw it, creativity is as much about the execution as the idea, and you execute it well enough, especially since you've only just started. Just don't advertise it as something it's not.

That said, from your userinfo I came across a few comics communities I didn't know about, and I think any flaws in your online behaviour are made up for by your admirable volunteer work. If you actually want to be my friend feel free to read my livejournal and comment (as long as it's not more spam), but don't expect me to read your webcomic. I have too many to read as it is!

Sorry to be rude, but I had an ex-friend spam my entire friends list recently promoting her website, and there was lots of drama and badness, and it's made me rather narrowminded about spamming.

(*)Of course you've only just started, so I have no idea where you're going with it. And anyway, better a good comic doing something a little hackneyed than a crappy comic going all First and Ten.