beathog

Now that it is officially party season,* I thought I might like to offer a few tips for for a successful season**.  Some people*** are very experienced and adept party-goers, but I've come to realize that most of us can benefit from a few reminders! 

So, here they are:

1.  RSVP = "Répondez s'il vous plaît", a French phrase that asks you to "please respond", whether to confirm attendance or to decline the invitation.   It requires, then, a YES or NO answer, not, simply, "I'm calling to RSVP." 

Letting your host know whether or not you will attend  very often makes a difference in the amount of food or chairs needed, whether or not parking is adequate, and eases worry over whether everyone has arrived safely to the party destination. 

2.  Guests do not invite guests. . . that is, without asking the host if it is okay.  Spouses (boyfriends/girlfriends, whatever you want to call them) are usually okay, unless you have received a formal invitation (like to a wedding) and there is no mention of a guest attending with you. 

Usually, your guests may be welcome, but ASK FIRST.

3.  Children may be  welcome, but, again, ASK FIRST.  If the invitation was addressed to your family, children should be welcome! 

Please do NOT bring children to an obviously adult party**** and, if you do bring your children, PLEASE SUPERVISE THEM. 

If there is a swimming pool on the premises, or if the party is beside a lake or on the beach, DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYE OFF OF YOUR CHILDREN.  It is not anyone's responsibility to keep them safe but yours.

4.  Pay attention to the HOUSE RULES.  If there ARE any, that is! :-)  At Osd Cu Buidhe, we have only a few, but they are very important!

• If you see a closed door, DO NOT OPEN.*****  We have cats who are not allowed outside, but I shouldn't need to justify this, as it is my house.****** Mind your manners!  :-)

• Absolutely NO GLASS near the pool.  We have many plastic choices for your favorite beverage.

• The refrigerator in the kitchen is off-limits, unless you live in my house or I have given birth to you.  You are welcome to enjoy whatever you find in the refrigerator in the garage.  You are also welcome to ADD anything to the refrigerator in the garage.  Sharing is a good thing!

• NEVER put your drink on the piano!

• No Wet Seats in the house, please.  HEY, if we're all outside, that's where you should be, as well.

• Come prepared to have fun!  Please do NOT attempt to use my computer or watch my television or sit and text your friends.  Play with me, and my other guests, or go home.
   

5.  A good party is only as good as the guests make it!******* 

You were invited to a PARTY, not a movie!  Please do not sit and wait to be entertained. . . engage in conversation, participate in the planned games or activites, offer to help with the cooking or serving refreshments, etc. 

Being a good guest is so much more important than being able to throw a good party!

6.  Remember to thank your host/hostess for a marvelous time. You're sure to be invited back next time!  :-)


* officially, summer (and, officially, my season!)
** officially, EVERY season is party season at Osd Cu Buidhe!
*** Cliar Cu Buidhe
**** one that might include whoring, public drunkenness or unbridled thievery
***** DO NOT OPEN, really!
****** Hey, there could be ANYTHING in there!
******* this is the most important one!

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The 7th Annual Cliar Cu Buidhe Birthday Bash is next Saturday, July 4th.  If you don't have any plans to celebrate that day, and would like to help us celebrate our birthday, drop me a line and I'll send you the details. 

For the rest of you, have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Cat Stevens was on Leno last night.  He's a bit older, and hasn't been Cat Stevens for over 30 years.  His name is Yusuf. 

But, he's back, and I still love him.  The love might be a bit wrinkled, but it's there.

That is a very comforting feeling.

... birthday, hroar !!!

Have a healthy, healthy, healthy year and a happy, happy day!

XXO

We did it and we did it well.  At least as well as possible, under the circumstances.  And I, personally, did not die (as I hoped to, several times), run away (as I threatened to), or leave the SCA forever (as I thought I might have to).

Pentathlon 2009 is over.  If you participated, congratulations!  You rocked the house, really!  You all really inspire me, truly.

Most of you, who were interested, came to see the entries yesterday.  If you missed my entries, I will be discussing most of the details in becomingbeathog , as most were tied to my own persona development challenge. 

[But, first, I have to find my passwords and my emails and my address book and my photos and all my documentation.  While I was at Pentathlon yesterday, my computer committed suicide.  Luckily, miss_eabha 's gentleman friend was here to save the bits and install a new computer.  He assures me all is still there... I just can't find them!]

I am so proud of Team Cliar Cu Buidhe: bardelder , miss_eabha , caitlincw , estokien , beathog (who all had individual entries, as well) laumlyu , and rampantmouse .  We entered, to my best recollection, 6 Visual, 2 Culinary, 7 Fiber,  12 Performance, 4 Functional and 3 Compositional Entries.  Then, we drank several Margaritas, each, and fell asleep.

We came home with quite a few 1st and 2nd place certificates.  Yay!  But, the very best...

miss_eabha 's Persian dance was selected by HRM Kolfinna as one of her favorite entries!   She was so excited and bardelder  and I (and all the rest of CCB) are SO proud of her!  Thank you, kottr , for all the wonderful things you said about our baby girl. :-)

caitlincw , bardelder  and I were awarded L'Honneur De La Chansons!  bardelder  and I received this award last summer by TRMs Edward and Mora for our troupe performances, and now we have received the award for our individual vocal, instrumental and dramatic performances over the years.  We are so honored, and were so humbled by kottr and svendog 's kind words.

We <3 our king and queen!

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Please, any of you who are on the Laurel's list, forward our most sincere appreciation to those that came yesterday, especially to those who came back after judging a full day, to talk to us about our entries and offer words of encouragement to us all.  You must know how very important that is to all of us!  Please take a moment to try and imagine the amount of hours we have put into our efforts.  If we don't have your support, or capture your interest, it can be pretty disappointing.  We also appreciated those of you who attended our performances.  It is VERY hard to perform in a classroom, standing beside the teacher's desk, leaning against an overhead projector and staring into an evil smoker poster.  We don't usually perform to be judged, but, rather to please an audience.  Thanks, everyone, for helping us out and making it seem a bit more familiar.  Also, if any might have seen any of my entries but did not have the opportunity, yesterday, to speak to me about them, please find me at a future event.  I welcome your comments and suggestions!

A very personal, specific thank you to eowyna ! 

usqueba !!!

We have so many household birthdays this month, we should rename it Fe-buidhe-ary!!

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Much birthday love!
XXO

miss_eabha !

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We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup
And raise our tankards to your health now that you're all grown up
This Special Day - a holiday - your Sainted Mother's Whelping Day!
We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup.

Now shimmy for our dancing girl with coins upon her ass
With lips a-shine with lip balm and her tongue so full of sass
She sings with zest - her sleeve is cool - her tasseled tribe is Ban-dál-ful!
Now shimmy for our dancing girl with coins upon her ass.

We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup
And raise our tankards to your health now that you're all grown up
This Special Day - a holiday - your Sainted Mother's Whelping Day!
We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup.

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You'll always be my baby!
XXO

Now!

Everybody!*

Go to www.oprah.com and download this book, Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan, for free!.  The offer expires next Thursday, January 15. 

Yes, I understand that you don't like Oprah Winfrey.  Who does?!  But, I love all of you**, and CARE that you are finacially secure and will stay that way.  There is some really good advise offered here.  Just look, okay?

I saw bits of the Oprah Show (this is how I heard of this free offer) and was SHOCKED.  The studio audience was full of people with huge credit card debt, many in amounts well over $50,000 (NOT including mortgage amounts).  That wasn't the shocking part....

... The shocking part was they were asked to do the following three things, as a sort of babysteps first warm-up to fix their money woes:

1.  Go ONE DAY without spending any money.
2.  Go ONE WEEK without using a credit card (of any kind).
3.  Go ONE MONTH without eating out at a restaurant.

ONE MONTH WITHOUT EATING OUT IN A RESTAURANT?!!!!!!!!!  NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was the deal-breaker for nearly half the audience!  One woman had nearly $80,000 in credit card debt, only $200 in savings, but she "didn't think she would be ABLE to stay out of restaurants for a month". 

AYFKM?!!***

Please, please be smart with your money, everyone.  This book really does have some good advise for all of us, no matter what our age or financial situation.  We've all made some mistakes in the past, but this is not the time to make more,  if we can help it.

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*especially you, miss_eabha !
** but , I love miss_eabha  more. :-)
*** miss_eabha all of you KNEW I would say that!   XXO

Yay!  kindredsgirl !

Have a happy, happy day!!

Often, when a character is hit over the head with a hammer, the transition
to unconsciousness is not instantaneous.  They keep doing their thing for
five to ten seconds, then fall over unconscious.


Yep.  I'm good.

... less is best!

An old, wise woman (me!) once said, "I was never richer than when I had less."   It's true!  I'm not talking (specifically) about money, but, rather, clutter!  Sometimes, too much affuence brings unnecessary clutter, not necessarily the clutter of things, but the often untangible clutter that is associated with having, doing, and being just too much. 

I just had a very enjoyable holiday season!  Harder economic times forced us to give simpler, less expensive gifts.  Consequently, we made more of our gifts, or gave simpler gifts, many of which supported charitable causes or a greener, healthier planet for all of us to enjoy!  We gave the gift of time to each other, and spent many hours this past month with family and friends. 

I don't like to make New Year's Resolutions (who does?).  But,  I think we all benefit when we stop a moment and take stock of our lives,  focusing on a new direction, if necessary.  I also happen to love lists!  So, here's a list for the new year:

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1.  I will rid my home of excess clutter!

Who says it is better to have more books than bookshelves, or more fabric than you will ever use?  Who decided that "he who dies with the most unfinished projects" wins?  I'm not buying that load of bunk, not anymore!  I am going to organize (and use up!) my fabric stash and catch up on my reading before I buy any more books.   I've been in far too many 'SCA houses', and my house is not going to become one (or become MORE of one).   Clutter makes it hard to clean, and creates a very depressing environment to live in.    

2.  I will rid my body of excess toxins!

I will eat less red meat and LESS toxic, overprocessed foods!  I drastically changed my eating habits about 5-6 years ago, and lost 40 pounds in the process!  Yay!  No diet, just a healthier lifesyle, and it WORKS.  What happened?  We got lazy and started eating out way too often and started eating TAKEOUT food again.  Yuck, gag.  It doesn't even taste good, so why do we eat it?  We will eat out for the enjoyment of it, only, and NEVER bring takeout home.  We both are good cooks and have a well supplied and stocked kitchen.  No excuses.  Just do it.

WTF?!!  Lazy = fat = Lazy.  A simple life equation. :-)

3.  I will get up off my @ss and actually DO something!

I spend FAR too much time on the computer or in front of the television!  As a result, I think that both my brain and my body are dying!  Yes, I know they are, anyway, but they're failing me at a much faster rate than necessary.  More people, more garden dirt, more volunteering, more activity for my very painful knees.  Hells W. Bells!  I guess that means more exercise.  Ack.

4.  I will have less sex!

Ha.  Kidding.  Just checking to see if anyone is actually reading this. :-)

5.   I will care less about what acquantances think of me and care more what my friends think. 

6.  I will waste less, spend less and worry less about what I cannot change.

7.  I will perform less and play more!

This means no Bard of Caid Competition for me this year!  Cliar Cu Buidhe has just spent two VERY busy years performing every chance we got, and I just retired as a very active Lyon Bard.  It was a great honor to serve in this manner, and a lot of fun, but I'm TIRED.  I look forward to going to an event and not having to worry about a performance of one kind or another.  I feel like hanging out and just enjoying the day once in awhile.  Yay!  Starting with Twelfth NIght.  Hope to see you there!

8.  I will stop procrastinating!

I spend far too much time making lists, but far too little time actually doing the things on the list!  Not this year!  No more lists for me!  oops


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Hope to see a lot* of you all in 2009! 
XXO


*less is NOT best in this case!

hahaha. :-)

We were at a New Year's Eve party, and at the stroke of midnight, I began singing, "Auld lang syne"!  A few people looked at me like I had two (very gray) heads!  When did people forget this traditional song?

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Anyway, I looked it up.  Here's the version sung on hogmanay:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

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auld lang syne = times gone by
be = pay for
braes = hills
braid = broad
burn = stream
dine = dinner time
fiere = friend
fit = foot
gowans = daisies
guid-willie waught = goodwill drink
monie = many
morning sun = noon
paidl't = paddled
pint-stowp = pint tankard
pou'd = pulled
twa = two

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Anyway, learn if for next year.  (There may be a quiz.)  :-)

dieppe 's birthday!

Everybody sing!  You should all know the words by now.  If you don't, you will soon, as we are fast approaching Cliar Cu Buidhe Birthday Season. :-)

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... divinite !

Hope you have a happy, happy day!

XXO

mistresshuette !

Have a great day!

We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup
And raise our tankards to your health now that you're all grown up
This special day, a holiday - Your Sainted Mother's Whelping Day!
We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup.


XXO

Just about the last thing in the world I wanted to do last weekend was attend Collegium Caidis.

I usually really enjoy collegium.  But, bardelder  has had the Cliar Cu Buidhe troupe locked up in the recording studio since the middle of July.  We have just released our latest CD, two worlds' tour, and we are desperately trying to finish our yule CD, wassail!, in time for a Great Western War debut. But, having taught at collegium for quite a few years, I am well aware of the disappointments instructors experience when no one shows up for class!  So, I dutifully trudged off to Calle Mayor, knowing full well I would pay for it and have to double up on studio time to make up for the lost weekend.

 Wowie Zowie!  I am so glad I went!  My first class on Saturday was Inkle & Cardweaving: Next Steps.  The teaching team packed so much information into my brain, over a period of nearly 4 hours, that I was certain my head would explode!  Hopefully, when I lose a few more of my aging brain cells and make room for some new ideas, I will be able to warp my loom and attempt to experiment with a few things I learned in class.  I have received personal challenges from several of last Pentathlon's fiber judges and I want to make good on them.  They have been following my progress a bit and I am truly inspired to not let them (or myself) down.

I was a bit disappointed in Soothsaying Through the Ages.  I was really looking forward to this class, as I am truly interested in the subject and I KNOW the instructor is very knowledgeable in this area ::waves to firedrake_mor :: .  But, there were two people in the class who NEVER shut up, who had a comment on EVERYTHING the instructor had to say, one of them even muttered disclaimers under his breathe when he was not interrupting the class with his know-it-all attitude.  ACK!  Hey, if you know so much, why don't YOU teach the class?!  ::waving, again,  to firedrake_mor ::  Next time you teach, don't tell them!

I then took Uncial - Learning a Calligraphic Hand.  I already do know (a bit) about several hands, but was very happy to take this class.  I am glad I challenged myself with attempting a hand I have not tried, in front of the Master of Calligraphy (at least one of them) in Caid!  No more excuses!  I will finish the scroll assignment I have been given without fear! 

On Sunday, I went to Practical Hearth Cooking.  I was disappointed that we were not able to do any actual hearth cooking, but the class was so inspiring!  We had a round table discussion and I came away with SO MANY ideas, a few of which I may be playing with at GWW.  This was such an inspiring hour!  I truly love experimenting with SCA-period cooking ideas and recipes.  As I have no desire to cook feast or publish my personal redaction projects, the comraderie I hoped to experience on SCA cooking email lists has not been inspiring.  Most of the cooking talk seems to apply to those cooking feasts (I can cook for 150! I can cook for 250! I can cook for 800 perople without a kitchen!) or just cooking at home (?!).  But, too many of these SCA cooks do not use period techniques AT ALL while camping (which is quite understandable), while an alarming number (most, it seems) do not even attempt to eat SCA-period foods at all while camping (which is not).  It was great to sit in on this class discussion and never hear the words "SCA feast", or "Competition"  in regards to cooking at an SCA event.  Ha.  Just some period cooking, in camp, of period foods... just for fun!  Yay!

The last class on Sunday was Stamp Printing.  To be honest, I took this class as a last-minute decision.  I'm not sure I'll ever use the technique on garb as was demonstrated, but I did have fun and I was truly inspired by the creativity I witnessed.  She had some good ideas for other uses of the printing techinique I might try, as well.  It was definitely time well spent.

Anyway, I am SO inspired and SO ready to (get done in the studio and) get back to work!  I am going to start packing the trailer for GWW, now, to ensure room for my inkle loom and my calligraphy supplies and light table and my harp (I promised dieppe  and caitlincw )  and my supplies for my portable hearth experiment and for the mud oven we are building with another household and my ingredients for making fresh cheese (to go with the freshly baked bread) and my other instruments and CDs for our performance on Merchants' Row (don't forget to stop and get yours!).  Oh, and then I can visit my Laurel, as well, and maybe talk a little pottery.  Ha!  How DO they find time for fighting at these wars?!

Anyway, just about the best thing in the world I could have done last weekend was attend Collegium Caidis!

What do I smell like?

We used to ask this, somewhat rhetorically, wondering what people thought about us.  I guess it came from a childhood experience with a classmate that everyone avoided, due to her somewhat *unpleasant* odor.  Sometimes, when I was feeling ignored or neglected, I would ask,

What do I smell like?

I think the odor we exhude is somehow related to the treatment we receive from friends and family members.  If we smell like @ss, we are probably going to be treated like @ss.  But, do we smell like @ss because we are treated that way?

bardelder  always has claimed that he smells like flowers.  I think he's correct, he does (usually) smell like flowers.  But, that is because he wears a girl deodorant (he shares mine).  I think he smells strong.  And he IS strong.

What do I smell like?

 I had fun with the Purse Meme, actually, but I am rather curious about this one.  What do you pack in your SCA basket before heading out for a day event?  In my basket, I typically carry:

- money and SCA Membership cards
- a small thermal bag (that I cover) for keeping water bottles cold
- Cliar Cu Buidhe CDs (Don't leave home without them!)
- current fiber project (nalbinding, knitting or drop spindle and wool)
- an extra guitar capo (in case bardelderforgets his)
- my Lyon Bard favor and Apprentice belt
- a coif
- small leather notebook (made by bardelder) and calligraphy pen
- small box of blue Doggie Doo bags (Don't leave home without them!)
- some kind of snack, usually nuts or fruit
- 2 drinking cups
- 2 linen napkins 
- my "emergency kit", consisting of reading glasses, chapstick and Tide pen
- little scissors on a string*
- camera

*pet name

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If you're in the SCA, consider yourself tagged!

...because I was tagged by llightfoot...

What I have in my purse at this moment (which isn't much, I admit, because I take my husband with me more often than I take my purse).

- glasses case containing sunglasses and 60 cents (which I will put in the Cliar Cu Buidhe pavilion fund!)
- a change purse (with no change!), containing a chapstick and a pocket watch
- a pocket pack of Kleenex, unopened
- an OLD tin of Wintergreen Altoids (but I will still eat them)
- 5 disposable vials of Refresh Plus eye drops
- wallet containing driver's license, SCA Membership cards, insurance cards, debit and credit cards, and a few phone numbers
- personal contact cards, SCA
- small wallet, $200 cash
- glasses case containing my "emergency kit" of reading glasses, chapstick and Tide pen
- Office Depot store receipt
- World Market store receipt
- small notebook (the kind you write in) and 3 pens
- business card from EmbroidMe (screen printers who made the Buidhe Rogers for us)
- pink heart-shaped mirror, "It's who you are... you have to look" from the Loud *R* Mouth production of the Vagina Monologues
- my cell phone is actually BESIDE my purse (because I am charging it), but it should be inside

By virtue of your unwavering dedication to fill Our fair realm with sounds of song and melody, it is thus Our pleasure to bestow upon Cliar Cu Buidhe ~ L'Honneur De La Chanson ~ for exceptional performances in ~Musical Performance ~   Your skill not only fills the soul of the musician, but brings joy to those around you, and adds a measure of grace to Our Realm.  Done by Our hand and signature, on this 19th day of July in the year 2008 A.D. being the LXIII year of the society.  Edward, Rex Caidis.  Mora, Regina Caidis.

Wow.

Okay.  So I'm bragging.

But, we were blown away.  What an honor!  While we certainly do not perform to hear the words of appreciation, I can honestly say HRM Edward's words, yesterday, as He bestowed this honor upon our troupe, meant so much to all of us.  As HRM Mora admitted to us, it was not His usual style, but the words of praise just poured from His mouth, and it was obvious that the words were truly from His heart.

Thank you, everyone, for your words of congratulation, as well.  If any of you happen upon one of those unrelenting whining types, who insist that there is no support for the Bardic Arts in Caid, please tell them that Cliar Cu Buidhe, and everyone present at Lyondemere Anniversary yesterday, says otherwise.

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I was, also, inducted into the Order of the Lion's Paw, by virtue of my service to the Barony of Lyondemere.  His Excellency thanked me for exceeding "Their already high expectations" in my role as Lyon Bard.  I will proudly wear the token of this award close to my heart, as that is where this great Barony of Lyondemere now lives.

Your result for The hardcore SCA Test...

King's Advisor

Take The hardcore SCA Test at HelloQuizzy

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Don''t we already know our results before we take this test? :-)