Rae of Sunshine

My boyfriend is stationed in GA, near the FL state line and we haven't seen each other in a while so I'm flying out to see him. We will have access to a car, so driving isn't a problem. I'd like to take him country swing dancing (also known as western swing dancing), and generally that's also offered at places that provide country line dancing. He's underage still (turning 20) so it needs to be an 18+ place if possible. I've heard both really good and really bad things about Mavericks at The Landing and relatively neutral reviews for Silverado (Silverado's?) as well which is in Orange Park.

I'm also wondering about the line dances out there; I'm from Norman, OK and most of our dances are four counts but I'm hearing a lot of people say they're eight counts in FL? And that y'all have to wear ties into the clubs? Is the dress code just more formal or...?

So good recommendations and a run down of dress code + differences if y'all can manage. Thanks!

My girlfriend tried to wash my favorite hoody and put it through the dryer. Now instead of soft the inside is all pulls and is itchy as hell. I don't want to just replace it because this was the last thing my great grandmother gave me and I'm really upset and need to fix it. Is there any way???

The razor thing won't work. The inside is all like that now.

Or, to be more specific:

Would you rather be in a medically induced coma to keep you from suffering an unimaginable amount of pain or forget the only person you ever really loved?

And why?

For my Writing From Personal Experience project for Creative Writing, I'm planning on trying to do something that no one in my high school has ever really done before, and that's mixing the JROTC with the Arts Groups. I mean, we have students who are members of both the Fine Arts Major program and the JROTC, but we haven't really ever tried to mix the two programs in a public way. So for my WPE project I want to write a series of Comparative Segmented Essays about my experience with the people in the JROTC program. Because my boyfriend is on the UDT, I've been spending a lot of time at the practices and getting to know the people in it. I'm even going to be attending a major drill competition next weekend.

Here's the thing: I get the basic idea of WHAT is being done, but I don't really get anything beyond that. Does anyone know enough about the commands to explain it, and could you debrief me on how the meets usually go? I know it's an all day event (it was the first thing that the Colonel warned me about-"We'll be there all day, are you sure you want to go?") but I don't know how it works. I've spent the past week online and in the library but I just don't really have much information. I'd ask the commander since she's a good friend of mine, but they're so busy preparing that I don't want to bother her right now. Could someone give me a basic rundown so I know what to take notes on when I go observe?

Hello all! Hope you're having a wonderful week.

As you well know (who could avoid realizing it with all the heart shaped boxes and gag-me scented perfumes in our local stores this time of year?) Valentine's Day is coming up and Imbolc just passed. And with all the holidays I thought that I would maybe do something nice for my boyfriend for Valentine's Day and making something by hand just feels right. And that tends to be a very spiritual experience for me because anything that is made by hand comes from the heart and has will and intent in it.

I was thinking of making a charm box for his room to help clear the air because he doesn't get to cleanse his space as much as he'd like. But I know that there have to be better ideas out there, something more substantial than a box or an oil that could do that. The problem is that my idea of my practice is very spartan and spacious. I have my altar, I keep my tools organized, and I have a more spiritual than magickal view on my own life. And my personal space is very well tended as far as spirituality goes because I am very careful and frequent with my blessings and cleansings. So I've never had to do this before and it never even occured to me to try because a few consecrated stones, a dream catcher, and some sage and lavender have always been enough for me. But this is something that would help him out a lot, I'm just not sure where to begin or what to look for.

Blessed be and I hope you have a great week.

And to all the unkind and self righteous folk out there who feel safe behind the anonymity of their computer screen, I hope whomever you believe in blesses you too. Happy Valentine's Day.

Okay so this is going to sound stupid.

I used to play video games when I was little. But it was easy crap that my dad put on to keep me quiet because as a single parent trying to start a contracting company he had a lot on his plate and I was a very active, talkative, annoyingly play-by-play type of kid. So he would sit me down with the easiest level of Tony Hawk Pro-Skater 3 (which I never succeeded at. Ever.) or Monster Rancher 2 (I was okay with it) or something else painfully simple. The only time he tried to include me in Halo I blew myself up within the first thirty seconds.

Then I moved to my mother's house for about six years and had almost no contact with video games because her husband constantly told me girls didn't game and that I was too stupid and that it was a waste of his time to even bother trying to teach someone who wasn't a boy because no girl could possibly fathom what gaming really was. (Yes, my mother divorced that ****** before you ask.)

And now I'm in my late teens and have no knowledge of video games other than how to play Fire Emblem Sacred Stones and I didn't get past the ninth section there either. Video games are a really big deal to my boyfriend, though, and he's always asking me to play them. However, the few times I've tried to pick one up I've found that I don't enjoy it. It bores me, it takes too long, and I get frustrated easily and ditch it. I have as much experience with video games as your average two year old.

Okay now that I think about it, let's say two year old from ten years ago.

I don't enjoy it. I don't know how to play. He's got the instructing part down and he's really patient so there probably won't be any yelling, at least on his part. But can you guys give me any tips on how to not want to pull my hair out or punch someone? Like, what do you enjoy about gaming? I need to look for positives so I'm not miserable.

I'm trying to surprise my boyfriend for an upcoming date night. Most of his time is spent in JROTC events and practices or doing PT with the marines in preparation for attending Annapolis for college, and he's always exhausted on the weekends and scrambling to find time to both do things with me or with my family and find some time to breathe and relax. Because I have a very large, tightly nit (see-the mix between Puerto Rican and Irish families) family and his is very small and solitary, he spends most of his free time at my house because of how welcoming my parents and aunt have been with him coming to our home. So he really doesn't get much "chill time."

For Valentines Day I was thinking that (since we always do things at my house or out in places I want to go doing things I want to do like rock climbing and hiking and paintball and basically more strenuous activities like he does all week) we could do something he really likes doing, which is playing video games and watching movies. And I was thinking that I'd make him dinner with stuff that he likes, which is mostly finger foods and easy stuff that doesn't take much effort to eat.

I know I'm going to make my dad's bean dip because he's obsessed with it (basically re-fried vegetarian black beans with ground beef, peppers, hot sauce, and cheese) and I was thinking of making home made cheese sticks. But the thing is that it was just the Superbowl and he spent that at my house too, so I don't want a repeat of the same old chips, dip, wings, and cupcakes sort of thing we did there. What I need is food that won't make a total mess and doesn't take too long to prepare, as I'm going to have to prep everything at my house and bring it over to just cook at his house. (And don't worry if it has to be kept at a certain temperature or anything, he lives right down the street. I can drive there in less than five minutes.)

And since the lazy, common answer is "Try Google," yes. I have looked on Google. What I want is advice on what he might actually like eating because all I get are Superbowl results.

Have a great week, guys! Thanks!

An old couple meets a pair of young newly weds and invites them back to their house for drinks. The older couple is stiff and constantly making jibes at each other. Throughout the night, they continue to spin this story of their son, with both of them making comments that direct the son to love one parent more than the other. At the end of the night, the old man tells his wife that their son died in a car crash, and it is found out that the son never existed: the couple was incapable of conceiving children, and so they made up a story to ease their pain. The "death" of their "son" was meant metaphorically to be his way of ending their "fantasy" so that he could start living a real life with his embittered wife again. The young couple simple looks on during this, seeing it as a warning to what their life could be like if they don't respect the sanctity of their marriage. It was a great play, and I've googled everything that I can think of, but I simply can't remember the name. Any ideas?

For my 11th grade research paper, I'm writing about the effect of the witch trials on the eradication of classical paganism, and it's revival on later developments as a new, revitalized, practical and nonprejudicial modern religion. So far, the books I've found are Witchcraft in America, Triumph of the Moon, and Her Hidden Children. Where can I get other sources that would have information from other media than just books?

For my 11th grade research paper, I'm writing about the effect of the witch trials on the eradication of classical paganism, and it's revival on later developments as a new, revitalized, practical and nonprejudicial modern religion. So far, the books I've found are Witchcraft in America, Triumph of the Moon, and Her Hidden Children. Where can I get other sources that would have information from other media than just books?

For my 11th grade research paper, I'm writing about the effect of the witch trials on the eradication of classical paganism, and it's revival on later developments as a new, revitalized, practical and nonprejudicial modern religion. So far, the books I've found are Witchcraft in America, Triumph of the Moon, and Her Hidden Children. Where can I get other sources that would have information from other media than just books?

I'm wondering what kind of jobs or occupations exist working with emotionally disturbed children- be it anxiety/depression/eating disorders/self-harm, or the run of the mill sadism/behavioral disorders. I'm mostly interested in education, but counseling jobs interest me as well. I'd just like to know what's out there, as I'm getting ready for college next year and I'm interested in a career in this outlet.

I've googled and didn't come up with much, though, so any experienced workers advice would be great as well. Thank you!

My main character's first name is Hope. Is it alright to use it as a word as well? ie- "Her eyes flew open and she turned to him, hope and relief causing her to feel weak and dizzy." or some such statement, I kind of made that up on the fly. Can I use words like hope, hopeful, or hoping? And is she allowed to use those words in dialogue or would it just sound awkward?

Now don't attack me here, I'm just genuinely curious, but why is it that, even though we all worship the same higher power (because it would be ridiculous to be so high and mighty as to assume that there are several different higher powers who did the same things, and yet yeilded only one result: us.) peope attack each other's religions?

For instance: Wiccans who believe in ONLY light mock those who acknowledge that there must be a balance of light and dark?

And

Christians and Catholics attack those of other religions. particularly those religions related to the Craft? Those people acknowledge the existence of God, they simply incorporate Goddess as well, and is it really so ridiculous to believe that, since there must be a balance (Heaven and Hell, good and evil, light and dark, etc) there is a Feminine to the Masculine? Didn't Mary give birth to Christ though she was yet a virgin? Do you not call that an embrace of femininity? And did the word Magdalene not MEAN Priestess? Was that not yet another sign of God acknowledging that the feminine is just as important as the masculine? Who are we to judge those who simply embrace this more fully?

Hindu and Buddhist clans went to war in the old days, and we burned 'witches' (normally innocent Christians and Pagans, though I won't go as far as to say ALL were innocent, though that doesn't mean they deserved death.) Magick is just a form of prayer, I've heard many Wiccans, Druids, and Heanthanistics (forgive me if I've misspelled it) say so! I've heard pastors agree! (Pastor Evans is one cool dude, just saying)

And if all THIS wasn't enough, I'll add one more. Three words:

The Holy Wars. Crusades. One was fought by CHILDREN.

'Nuff said.

I'm not attacking anyone. I'm just genuinely curious. Does ANYONE know? We're all equal, we were all created in the image of the Divine (and I use this term to avoid segregation), so why can't we just respect each other and get along? Our Creator(s) want(s) us to be at peace, and to love each other as brothers and sisters. So why can't we?

Not to be cheesy, but..."Why can't weeee be friends? Why can't weeee be friends? Why can't weeeee beeeee frieeeends?"

It was just too easy, I had to.

But seriously. Why not? If it's what our God(s) desire(s), why are we so incapable. And don't say Sin. It's no excuse, the Devil does not sway you to hate your brother, nor can he sway you to hate your fellow man. That's all on us.

I'm writing a book and I need to know reasons that someone would be freezing cold in summer. Situation is: when they (the characters) find him (the afflicted character) he's unconscious, but this doesn't necessarily have to have anything to do with his body temperature because there are other reasons for that as well. But he's freezing cold even though it's the middle of August and the room he's in is hot even with the fan that his captors left in the room (one of those crappy ones that are about 20 dollars in Wal-Mart and look like a thin ribbed box.)

So all in all hot room with a fan, unconscious kid, and dangerously low body temperature. Any ideas?

I need a symbol that I could find, buy, or make for a talisman. It has to be something that can be tied onto a necklace, bracelet, ring, or something that can be pinned out of sight inside the clothing (such as looped onto string and pinned w/a saftey pin into a shirt or coat.

It needs to be a symbol of protection and containment or, I suppose, inner strength.

I know, you need back story, so here it is:

people in my town, especially young witches, both male and female, are being plagued by darkness of some sort, some dark entity(ies). We're sick of it, we're tired, and we're frightened, so a few of us are taking a stand, at least a small one. I'm going away for the summer and I'm kind of a stand-in HPS until we situate ourselves and decide if we're really a coven or just a get-together-on-sabbats-group. I was picked because I'm also a mentor for some less experienced witches, and one in particular is a close friend of mine who's being traumatized as much as I am. (We're two of the worst-suffering that we KNOW of. A lot of the town is very secretive about it and won't mention it, so my being an outsider that just moved here about two years ago isn't helping the situation. People either are closed off to us or pretend it's not there. Maybe some really are just ignorant. Hey, ignorance is bliss, so whatever.)

Anyways, he's unexperienced, volatile, and ever since he got introduced to Magick he's had less control on his own energy and I'm worried about what will happen to him while I'm gone. If he gets attacked again, I won't be here to fix it and make it all go away. I'll be 2000 miles away in hicktown USA (I'm going to the bible belt too, so I REALLY can't help!!!!!!)

Anyways, to at least hold us off until August, we're doing a cleansing ritual. It involves a HP and HPS and either three or five other witches, the HP and HPS being the most afflicted 2: that being my friend and myself.

You guys know how it is when you start out doing rituals, that rush you get from the energy and such. And I'm sure at least a few of you know how it can be a blow to you on the emotional level when you 'come down' from that.

He was having a rough year last year when he found me (and Magick). He was getting better. Then we did a ritual and it was like he got kicked back two steps in healing himself (though this may be circumstancial as well, I suppose). What I'm worried about is him losing control and getting pushed back to how he was last year, when he nearly killed himself a few times and when he was cutting. He's stopped that, and he doesn't have (as many) suicidal thoughts. Despite all his home-circumstance-based issues, he's been getting better. So our theory was to make a charm of some sort for him to wear or keep hold of to help him control his own energy, especially during our upcoming ritual. He's just not used to energy movement or big Magicks yet.

I know, we sound like confused dramatic kids, but we're not. If anything, it's not their fault, it's mine.I'm the one pushing for this ritual, because I refuse to leave him unprotected all summer. But a friend of mine gets back in August, and he can handle it then. This is just temporary.

So does anyone have ANY idea? I mean, we've considered Dragon, we just wanted to know if there was anything else you guys could think of. Thanks!

Blessed be )O(

Am I the only one who's scared of 'fluffy bunnies.' And I don't just mean they annoy me or I find them weird or something. I mean genuinley scared. Radicals of any kind worry me, but ones with something like the witch trials (the public was uninformed and fearful. yes, what they did was wrong, and it wounds me deeply, but I don't have to go throw it in everyone's faces all the time) behind them is just...scary to me. Plus they're so intense....I hid behind my friend last time we encountered one....and he's not even a wiccan....

Am I the only one who feels this way about them?

Trying to watch a show that plays default in Japanese. How do I switch it to english? (freaking hate anime...dangit....-growls-....)

I am sick and tired of my friends ragging on me for Wiccan, as are my other witch friends. So we decided (last night) that we won't be doing a closed circle, as planned, for Yule, but an open circle for spirituality in general.

We have a spot outside already. Our problem is how to LEAD the circle.

The people invited would be two Catholics, an Atheist, two Wiccans, an agnostic trad-witch, and an agnostic who thinks the Craft is a possibility.

We're fully aware that there's a possibility of terrifying our friends, but they'll be made aware that it is NOT a pagan circle.

We have an idea of what to do (mostly just call up the energy in the group and expell negativity for the start of a new "year" (they weren't invited to Samhain, so this will have to do since it's technically the nation's new year.)

What we need is really the help of some older witches whom have conducted open circles before to help us out because we've never actually had a circle with non witches before.

Thanks!

Goddess Bless.

For a school project! For those of you who need a refresher: stages 1, weakness-lasted for a varying period of time, depending on the victim. 2, sleep-nine days. 3-fever-three days. Meryl fell ill early on in the book.

Yes, I'm aware of that overly-abused invention called Google. I've just spent nearly an hour researching it and couldn't find squat diddly bop, so I'm hoping SOMEONE out there will know!

Thanks!