Archive for May 31, 2006

Heeeeeeeere’s Tom!

Tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. (shock! alarm!) I depart for Sao Paulo, Brazil. During that time, I have no idea how much, if any, time I will have with a computer. (I hope to at least check my email daily.)

To keep you company in my absence, Tom will be here. Tom is a blogger of great renown. Seriously. I met Tom on a message board in 1999 and I quickly learned that, in a political discussion, the best thing to do was to wait until Tom posted and then post “What he said.” He’s smarter than me and more astute politically.

Tom has many flaws, chief among them that he says disparaging things about the East Coast. Although this makes him a very bad person, I forgive him because he’s really quite loveable. And I think I mentioned smart.

Please welcome him warmly.

What’s a Festival Like?

Since I go to a lot of Pagan festivals, this is a question that I get asked. Especially by Pagans thinking about going to their first one. Or by non-Pagans wondering why I camp when there’s dirt and bugs and air mattresses and aren’t hotels nicer?

Anyway, via Jason, here’s a fabulous account of Lothlorien Elf Fest. I’ve never attended this particular festival, and each has its own personality, but in terms of what it feels like to be there, this is a perfectly typical, indeed quintessential, description.

Part of my time is spent cruisin’ the strip.
There’s a gravel road that makes a circle through the campground area. I walk this strip, round and round. The merchants are set up on either side of it so I get to see who’s selling what. I get to say hello to the merchants who come back year after year, and see what new things they have and what kind of barter they’re willing to participate in. It’s a lovely walk, too. This also gives me a feel for what the mood of the festival is like. I can kill HOURS doing this, because I nearly always wind up in some deep discussions along the way.

Read the whole thing.

Women’s Magazine

This came up in comments. How come a “women’s magazine” (“woman’s magazine”?) means Vogue or Cosmo or Good Housekeeping or Glamour or Marie Clair, but does not mean Ms. or Bitch or On Our Backs?