Parentalia

As February marks the last month in the ancient Roman calendar, the Romans spent their time setting themselves in accord with the world. The 9-day festival of Parentalia begins on 13 February and culminates in the day of Feralia, which began at sundown on the 21st. Parentalia was a sacred time to commune with the… Continue reading Parentalia

Wednesday Word: 26 January

Today is my birthday. I am not going to say which one, but that’s more because I like my privacy rather than any particular problems with aging. I like being an elder. Prefer it even. I still have to deal with boomers patting me on the head and pretending that I’m a child so that… Continue reading Wednesday Word: 26 January

Wednesday Word: 19 January

Home is where and how you meet your needs. It is both a place and the work done in that place, be it actual housework or all the varieties of care that are given without productive physical output. Home is the support and refuge in life. Home is people as much as a locus. The… Continue reading Wednesday Word: 19 January

Wednesday Word: 12 January

I watched Don’t Look Up the other day. This is an unusual occurrence. I have steadfastly refused to learn how to operate my home entertainment system. Because I don’t find it all that entertaining. Mostly degrading and time-wasting and irritatingly inane. Also because I don’t want to fall into the trap of sitting here alone,… Continue reading Wednesday Word: 12 January

Wednesday Word: 22 December

The stockings are hung. There is a large balsam fir in the doorway that never gets used between the office and the dining room covered with all manner of sparkly flotsam and jetsam. It serves as a fairly decent record of where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing with much of my life. There… Continue reading Wednesday Word: 22 December

Wednesday Word: 15 December

Saturnalia begins on Friday this week. Much like with Mardi Gras, this holiday is not particularly my thing. But I do relish the breakdown of order. All the more so since I'm not overly fond of most order these days. Tricksters in the Tree The David and David tome that everybody is reading right now… Continue reading Wednesday Word: 15 December

Wednesday Word: 8 December

In my part of the world, we have reached the days of earliest sunset. Night falls at 4:11pm. Tomorrow will be the same. But Friday, the sun will hover on the horizon for one more minute in the evening. The days will still be growing shorter for a couple more weeks, but that trend of… Continue reading Wednesday Word: 8 December

Wednesday Word: 24 November

I don't like Thanksgiving. I never have. I don't appreciate the the days of preparation necessary for one meal, much of which becomes an endless stream of leftovers that nobody wants to touch. I can't eat the sugary things anymore and don't want to eat a turkey. I spend far too much money to find… Continue reading Wednesday Word: 24 November