My First Tarot

Sounds like the next great Fisher Price toy for kids, doesn't it?

Yesterday I cruised through Happy Trails looking for something fun to send my niece for her birthday, and as I passed a shelf full of goodies I saw the Tarot deck and like an impulsive freak thought, I need this... and grabbed them.

Why? I've no idea. I've never been into this before, but I have had one reading, about a year ago, and it was fun. Yesterday the cards called to me and perhaps I'll soon expand my business to include readings.

The deck came with a fold-out chart that looks like a place mat that shows you how to lay them out and the influences of each card's position. Then there's another paper that explains - very briefly - what each card means. That was useless, so I had to go online for better info.

I think you have to have a single question in mind, like What's going to happen to my hair? or Will I continue to be gainfully employed? I chose the latter, shuffled the cards according to the instructions and went to work.

This is what they told me:
Card 1 - The Knight of Wands. Knights are the spirit of the teenager - all about changes (which explains the annoying hormonal fluctuations). Knights are never still and suggest movement, travel. The Wands represent an exciting trip and likely a long one to an exciting place, likely by motorcycle, car, bus or train. In the first position, it's influencing the atmosphere surrounding the matter in question. I guess that's true. I want to visit David in the UK for at least a week, maybe longer, but I'm not sure I can and still have work when I get back.

Card 2 - The Hierophant. In the second position it reveals or assists the obstacles facing me. Reveals or assists. So, does that mean it shows the obstacles more clearly, or it *assists* them in making them greater obstacles? According to the website reference, this guy is a sage advisor who reminds me that I have the answers to my problems and can solve them, even if it seems daunting. OK, that's true - I do have the answers - I'm good with that.

Card 3 - the Page of Wands. This one represents a message I might receive, possibly from afar about a trip or career change (or a few other things). Now, in the third position, supposedly it means the aim or most practical goal I can achieve or avoid under the circumstances. That totally clears it up. If my question is Will I remain gainfully employed?, the goal I can achieve or avoid under the present circumstances is taking a trip (or not), or making a career move (or not). It's true that I would be OK with a career move - an evolution of sorts - and it's true that there is an impending trip on the horizon, but I'm ambivalent about going. I worry about the kids, and I'm not sure if I can be gone - offline & totally unavailable - for a whole week when I have no backup resources. It's a pickle.

Card 4 brings us the King of Swords - a professional man (that's what it says on the card). According to the website reference, this represents tossing out a new idea, getting thoughts on paper, brainstorming. The ability to see problems objectively and find new and better solutions. According to the place mat, its position represents the foundation upon which the present circumstances are based - the causes. So my current situation stems from a professional man's ideas? Or I need to get my ideas solidified so I can move forward? No idea about this one. Maybe it just means that I'm a true professional and that's my foundation for all pursuits. Yeah, let's go with that for now.

Card 5 is II of Cups - Favorable for business & pleasure. The website says it's recognition of love, of a friend or soul mate. It predicts that you will find someone who 'knows' you, and you, in turn, will 'know' them. It is a very Romeo & Juliet card. So, there is the direction for that swelling of emotion within me, toward this other person. And the place mat says its position represents the immediate past or the influences that *were* present, but are now passing. Oy. That doesn't seem good. But that can happen when your husband works overseas for a number of months, right?

Card 6 - II of Pentacles, which apparently means I'm a juggler and the influence that will operate in the near future - forces that are becoming influential. According to the website, I'm an instinctively adept juggler, though one can't juggle everything forever. Keep at it and relief is on its way. That sounds good. It's not so much the juggling I mind, it's the dropping.

Card 7 is The Fool - with obvious connotations. But it also represents a new start. I might be about to make a move - to a new home, job or new life. More than just change, it's a brand new beginning with "movement" - a fresh, exciting new time. In the 7th position, this represents me, the questioner, and shows my attitude - carefree, a day dreamer, and no idea what all the future could hold. That's actually right on the money, in many ways.

Card 8 brings us VIII - Eights - how coincidental - of Pentacles. A card about strength, courage, movement, taking action and transformation. This Eight means I'm an apprentice - starting over, doing something new, or perhaps just expanding (thankfully not physically). In the eighth position, it represents my present environment - my position in life - and I have to admit, that's true. The real estate photography absolutely feels like an apprenticeship - I'm brand new to it, learning as I go, and have a long way to go before I master the trade. Other things are in the works as well, so this one also seems to fit. (ooooh!)

Second to last - Card 9 - we have a Four of Pentacles (lots of pentacles all up in my business). Fours represent stability, being rooted, established. It can also be something that refuses to budge, like my legs when I don't want to go for a run. The Pentacles is a card about holding tight to what I have, being in a position of status, health, money and comfort - solid and unchanging, and afraid of losing what I have. That's true - after leaving behind a giant, bi-weekly direct-deposit salary to start a new career that only pays me when a job comes in - I definitely worry about the jobs drying up and going back to Ramen Night - all week. And in the 9th position, it represents my fears, hopes or predictions. The card also says to relax, worry less - nothing will be lost and focus instead on making the best of what I have and enjoy it while I'm here. OK!

Finally, in 10th place, we have the Ace of Swords (saw-words). Aces are the root force, the spark, filled with raw potential (hey thanks!). Swords represent east or Spring - the mind awakening for new challenges, usually indicating that the person's mind is feeling sharper/clearer. They (I) want to talk, discuss or write (true). And in the last position, it represents the final outcome - the culmination of all the influences (cards) shown. Huh.

Silly as it sounds, all of this fits to a large degree. But I wonder if all readings would apply in some way - they're all just general enough to work, though some are confusing and leaves a great deal to interpretation. That said, give me a call if you want a reading!

America's Psychic Challenge

And they all knew who would end up winning, right? I caught the last of this show where four psychics (out of an original pool of 12 or 16) compete in psychic challenges for points and the two with the most points go on to the final show down for fabulous cash & prizes.

One of the four seemed like a bit of a poser - she kinda stumbled through the challenges, but kept a serious, determined look on her face like she'd soon knock one out of the park and win the round.

At the end, the host recapped the challenges and told them how they did - what they got right & what they missed, and based on the points they earned for each challenge, which two would be going on to the final round.

The poser came in last - natch - and is out of the running, and in the final "confessional," she actually said - I'm totally not making this up, "I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised - psychically, I knew that."

Accidentally Psychic

OK, so I may be somewhat psychic, without meaning to be.

Last year we were invited to a shindig we couldn't attend, so I graciously declined with an excuse that I had crazy project deadlines and would have to work that weekend.

At the time I had almost no work coming in and few prospects, but thought that would be a safe reason, just to keep things stress-free.

About a week later, a new project was dropped in my lap out of nowhere - with crazy deadlines that would require me to work that weekend.

Then about a month ago we were invited to an event that would have been difficult to attend, requiring a pet sitter we don't have and super tight travel scheduling to prevent taking time off work.

Rather than go into all the details of why it would be difficult for us to attend, I said that David would be away on a business trip and I would have to stay here to hold down the fort.

That was long before there was any chatter about David's trip to the UK. And now David leaves on Monday and he has much to do to prepare.

For the next invitation we decline, my excuse is going to be that I'm expecting a multi-million dollar check and must be home to sign for it.

2008 Psychic Development

Yes, that's right. I've decided to make 2008 my year of psychicness. I feel like it's time. I think I'm ready.

It started as a joke, but now I'm going to see if over the course of this year I can "awaken my psychic powers" and "open my psychic pathways."

I'm not a stranger to psychicness - I've had a few "experiences" in the past that could qualify as "psychic."

The first one I remember happened when I was just out of high school. A guy I barely knew from a group of friends called me up one day, I don't remember why, and the first thing I said to him after "hello" was congratulations on getting a new car. He paused and then quietly asked, "how did you know I got a new car?"

He had just gotten it that day. I hadn't seen or talked to him since high school, some weeks earlier, but for whatever reason, I knew he had a new car. I described it to him over the phone. A white, BMW 2002 with red leather interior, I think it was - hard to remember now - but I remember that I was right, and he was really freaked out. He quickly ended the call and hung up.

See, when you have this kind of power - to see cars and their fit and finishes, it's understandably awe-inspiring and it can make people - the no-seers - uncomfortable.

The next time was in the following year or so. I had a dream about my great aunt passing away, with our whole family traveling to Pasadena for her funeral and I was trying to contact a guy I'd been seeing who'd recently moved to LA. At the time it seemed like a weird dream, but even weirder was when it all came true a month later. Exactly as I'd dreamt it.

Most recently, just over the holiday break, I knew that a friend of mine was going to get engaged. Why, I couldn't tell you. The thought came to me while I was shopping online. I knew her longtime boyfriend was going to ask her that weekend. And sho-nuff, he did. I hadn't talked to either of them in quite a while, so I didn't have any current scoop or hints.

It's unfortunate that I can't tell friends or family which routes or flights to avoid on upcoming trips, or to not delay that next doctor's appointment, but perhaps with this year's training I'll develop my "skill" beyond consumer goods and marriage proposals. Baby steps. Yes... a baby... someone's going to have a baby. Somewhere. I have no idea who or when.