Blessed Lughnasadh!

I'm feeling pretty good today, despite being a little low on the energy scale. And having just dumped a half cup of coffee onto my keyboard. I smell like pretty peach blossoms. I got a great email this morning from one of my oldest friends that really touched my heart. And it's Friday! This means cooking dinner and snuggling with the boy and working. Tomorrow is Bellypalooza-- I'm taking Artemis's Turkish Romany workshop and Lisa Zahiya's upper levels tribal combos (possibly hip hop fusion?) one. I decided on only one day of workshops-- with TribeO coming up and me trying to see if I can't fit in Mira Betz and/or Suhaila Salimpour in the same month, I'm trying to get a good mix of my favorite teachers within my budget. Our local dance community has been really great about organizing wonderful events this year, and I am sadfaced that I can't do them all.

I am also wearing my new Parrish Relics sacred heart pendant-- it has little carnelian flames, an antiqued gold patina and under the stained glass, it says "Open." Soooo pretty, you guys. Jen did an exquisite job. I have the most talented friends. I wore my Alchemy of Time earrings from Wyrding Studios the other day and also got lots of compliments. I know that a lot of time, I wear my own stuff for promotional reasons, etc., but I like having pieces made for me, too. :)

I've also been parsing over some online debate since last night; it's not something I'm involved in, nor is it a topic that I'm particularly well versed on or emotionally invested in, so I've been mostly just watching the discourse and trying to fact check as best I am able. It's been a good experience, mosly, because it gives me a jumping-off point to do more research about a situation I've always known is a truly complicated and full of heated emotions. And that in itself is a bit intimidating-- even in a mostly civil thread, emotions have been sparked; from where I sit, which is somewhat more objective simply due to the topic at hand, I've been tempted to point out flawed logic I've seen. One cannot make a generalization about an entire culture and then ask not to be generalized oneself. This logic no worky, please buy thyself a mirror. When you point one finger at someone else, three more point right back at you. Etcetera. For the most part, though, good points are being made on both sides and it's taught me a lot already about history and perspective. And it's given me the opportunity to think about topics about which I have that same knee-jerk logic fault where emotions are concerned. Where my own history and beliefs keep me from seeing that others have their own history and beliefs just as deeply ingrained. Much of this is completely subconscious, and all of it informs the conflict. It's amazing to me how much fuel this blindness can throw on the fire. I need to be more aware of how this principle operates in my own life.

Aaaanywho, hopefully a productive week ahead. Commissions to be discussed, shipping to be done, dancing and sewing. Good stuff.