Happy Halloween!

I love this time of the year -  it has always been a time that marks the close of the "light" half of the year and the beginning of winter and the onset of the "dark" half of the year, as well as a time to remember our Ancestors and those that have passed before us. 

Traditionally, it is also the night that many adults raid the kid's candy bags after the children have gone to bed.  However you choose to celebrate, have fun and beware of chocolate hangovers!

Central London on a Clear, Fall Day

I had an interview today off Haymarket and came home through Trafalgar Square - it was one of those crisp clear Autumn days that are tops!

For Patricia - Inspired by Harlot's Sauce excerpt

I stumbled on a fantastic voxer recently who is publishing a book called "Harlot's Sauce".  She has a great website at Harlot's Sauce and you can find her blog at Patricia Volonakis Davis - please check it out - I guarantee that you will enjoy it!  At any rate, during an interchange this evening with her on vox, I was saying that I had enjoyed her excerpts, especially the one on the evil eye.  After commenting back, I wanted to share my own evil eye amulet - hehe - right in my front window - so here it is!   Toof toof toof!

Evil Eye protection

Some Mythological Offerings from the V&A Museum

Eurydice - wife of Orpheus

Flight of the Buddha

Sunna the Saxon God

Valour

Pluto and Proserpine

Pandora

Buddha

Mother and Child

Diwali

Tomorrow - weather permitting - I am off to Trafalgar Square to attend the Diwali celebration.  Diwali is the Festival of Lights and signifies the Hindu New Year.  Lamps are lit in recognition of the Light of God (by all names) in all of us and how we must light ourselves as well to attract all that is positive.

A Lakshmi puja is celebrated during Diwali to attract the Goddess Lakshmi's favor in bringing health, wealth and prosperity.  The most beautiful Diwali I participated in was several years ago and the puja was so uplifting.

Blessings of Diwali and Lakshmi to all - may your lights burn bright!

I found this poetic description of Diwali and thought I would add it:

"The word "Diwali" is the corruption of the Sanskrit word "Deepavali" - Deepa meaning light
and Avali, meaning a row.   It means a row of lights and indeed illumination forms its main
attraction. Every home - lowly or mightly - the hut of the poor or the mansion of the rich -
is alit with the orange glow of twinkling diyas-small earthen lamps - to welcome Lakshmi,
Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Multi-coloured Rangoli designs, floral decorations and
fireworks lend picturesness and grandeur to this festival which heralds joy, mirth and
happiness in the ensuring year.  This festival is celebrated on a grand scale in almost
all the regions of India and is looked upon mainly as the beginning of New Year. As such
the blessings of Lakshmi, the celestial consort of Lord Vishnu are invoked with prayers.
Even countries like Gkyena, Thailand, Trinidad, Siam and Malaya celebrate this festival
but in their own ways.  This Diwali festival, it is surmised dates back to that period
when perhaps history was not written, and in its progress through centuries it lighted
path of thousands to attain the ultimate good and complete ecstasy."
-  Malini Bisen, Diwali Festival, India

Some More Autumn Offerings from London

Misty rainy day today so I decided not to tromp through the mud at Highgate Cemetery and opted instead for Hampstead Heath and Keats Grove. 

It is amazing what you can find just wandering through the streets! 

Plus, I went for some more close-ups to see how my little digital would hold up as I was inspired by LaidOutInLavender's latest glories!  Here you go - hope you enjoy!

Late Night Ghouls at the V&A Museum

SO many cool things to do in London and one of them is the late nights at the V&A Museum. 

The theme for tonight was Who's Afraid of the Dark? and between the gothic dj's, spooky tours, pictures of yourself as a corpse and flowing wine and beer, I would say that they have the Halloween Spirit (haha) just right! 

Unfortunately, I got there too late to get a ticket to one of the spooky tours - Tortured Souls and Ghostly Presence or Death, Ghosts and Apparitions at the V&A - but it was a good reference to check back and see what else they have going on in the coming months and to make sure and get there early.  At that time of night, just riding the Tube is a pretty entertaining experience and seeing all the club chic and goth looks as well! 

It was a great time to wander through some of the exhibits that are available at the V&A - it is a HUGE building that goes on for at least a block - and of course, for me, the Sculptures exhibit was primo!  Tons of Rodin - that was the first I have seen that many of his in one place.  I scooped a map to head back another time and see more but I was well impressed! 

Sipping a glass of wine and perusing sculptures of mythology while the DJ's in the Grand Entrance Hall were spinning the Monster Mash was a pretty fun Friday night!

Link to Flickr Set for V&A Museum

Late night at the V&A

My Favorite Month - October

In the great silence of my favorite month,
October (the red of maples, the bronze of oaks,
A clear-yellow leaf here and there on birches),
I celebrated the standstill of time.

The vast country of the dead had its beginning everywhere:
At the turn of a tree-lined alley, across park lawns.
But I did not have to enter, I was not called yet.

Motorboats pulled up on the river bank, paths in pine needles.
It was getting dark early, no lights on the other side.

I was going to attend the ball of ghosts and witches.
A delegation would appear there in masks and wigs,
And dance, unrecognized, in the chorus of the living.
 
-   Czeslaw Milosz, All Hallow's Eve
Translated by Czeslaw Milosz and Leonard Nathan 

Autumn Dreams

I know the year is dying,
Soon the summer will be dead.
I can trace it in the flying
Of the black crows overhead;
I can hear it in the rustle
Of the dead leaves as I pass,
And the south wind's plaintive sighing
Through the dry and withered grass.

Ah, 'tis then I love to wander,
Wander idly and alone,
Listening to the solemn music
Of sweet nature's undertone;
Wrapt in thoughts I cannot utter,
Dreams my tongue cannot express,
Dreams that match the autumn's sadness
In their longing tenderness.
-  Mortimer Crane Brown, Autumn Dreams

Samhain Cometh

I will dance
The dance of dying days
And sleeping life.

I will dance
In cold, dead leaves
A bending, whirling human flame.

I will dance
As the Horned God rides
Across the skies.

I will dance
To the music of His hounds
Running, baying in chorus.

I will dance
With the ghosts of those
Gone before.

I will dance
Between the sleep of life
And the dream of death.

I will dance
On Samhain's dusky eye,
I will dance.  
-  Karen Bergquist, An Autumn Chant

Hunt My Head Please!

this week has been busy as I am putting out CV's and setting up interviews.  An extra step here in the UK is that Recruiters actually recruit Recruiters so that has been quite an experience.  It is a little amusing to have "recruiter speak" used on me as a candidate.  Putting the good Yank spirit to work to cut through some of the BS roundabout (now I know how candidates feel occasionally!) and setting up bunches of interviews which is great.  I am becoming better and better at finding my way on the Tube and around the City as that is where I will commute to for the most part.  I have spoken to several US companies - International Nurse Recruitment firms - which would normally be a shoe-in for me but due to Congress holding up the visas for International nurses to go to the US, it has placed a huge pall on that sector of recruitment here.  So, contemplating changing sector, overcoming obstacles that healthcare recruitment is not passive in the US (like it is here) and basically trotting myself out daily on the phone and in person.

I will be glad to get a job - finding one is harder than working :)!