Monday, October 25, 2004
The dark half of the year is coming and it is coming fast. I have definatly been feeling the effects of the passing sun but things are still good. I am grateful and blessed to be alive, feel the energy of the universe and have good friends and family.

Samhain is coming, one week to go. I originally planned to host a Samhain/birthday breakfast on Sunday for my mother and the family but I am not sure.

I have some very good things that have happened in my life and I would like to share. My best friend since highschool just found out she is with child. I had a feeling and she confirmed it last week, who said I wasn't psychic, LOL. She is about a month or so along and I am going to be an auntie!

I am also working hard on developing my new line of jewelry for my business. And I sold my first bracelet and it was very exciting!!! I have several more orders and it is awesome to see your pieces on someone else.

As the seasons change and the god dies I find that I am really working on balance in my life. I know that the coming of the dark is not just about death but is about the coming of the light and rebirth. Many things have been reborn since I left my old spiritual group and reunited with old friends and sisters to create new. My spirituality has been reborn, my business is being reborn, friendships have been reborn........... life is good.

And the book is still coming along.

Until later,
Crystal
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Well, I got to meet the wonderful and beautiful Laurell K. Hamilton yesterday at the Barnes and Nobles in Jack London Square. It is amazing the level of excitement I had. It was like those fans that finally get to meet Michael Jackson and then they faint. I was close! LOL

My hubby went with me and we sat in line for 2 1/2 hours. My awesome friends Linda and Christine met me there around 6:30. It was more than I could have hoped for. I was very close in to the front of the line and got great seats up front in the second row. She did a Questions and Answers session and it was awesome to see her speak. I have heard this woman in my head for more than 17 books of reading pleasure but never got to hear her voice until then.

She was witty and eloquent on stage. I saw so much of Anita Blake in her personality. Her husband was awesome as well.

Somehow the tour shirts were forgotten and they were unable to give them away or show them to the audience. They asked if anyone had one on and I was the only person in the audience with a tour shirt on. So.............I was invited to stand next to Laurell so they could show the audience the shirt. I made a joke out of it and everyone laughed. She gave me a great hug and I sat back down.

She personalized all my items and took pictures with me again. It was awesome!!!!! Afterwards my friends, jon and I went out to dinner.

As soon as I develop the pictures I will post some!

Blessings times three.
Crystal

P.S. I had the wierdest experience at the book store. Jon was talking to someone who had a pentacle on and figured out that she had read my article on witchvox. She came over to me and was very nice and said how much she enjoyed my article.

I got another email from someone who read the article and made reference to not feeling scared anymore and being empowered. RIGHT ON!!!
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Greetings all, I have much to share that has happened in the last 2 weeks since I posted. Things are well and moving right along.

The new Anita Blake #12, Incubus Dreams, came out and of course I was late to work because I waited outside of Barnes and Nobles in order to buy it the morning it was released!!! I have been waiting for sooo long and the anxiety was overwhelming. Laurell K. Hamilton is coming to town on October 11th and I am very excited to go there and have her sign the book. Hopefully I will meet up with some friends and have a blast meeting my favorite author.

I have signed up for some classes and I am now back on track with my spiritual education (so to speak). I am taking some classes on herbs, gems and stones and of course still working towards my degrees. I am very excited about being back in the full swing of things. Actually I feel more comfortable with learning in this manner because it feels concrete and structured. I am finding that I learn better in that type of setting.

Several of my group sisters are also taking classes so we will have the opportunity to study together before tests and stuff, which is really cool.

I wrote an article for witchvox several weeks ago. They post the topic of the month for others to write articles or essays on and this time it was on solitary practice. I was inspired by that and decided this was something I wanted to do.

I submitted the article and it was approved!!! It is now on the website, www.witchvox.com, for a week until the next update on Sunday, October 10th. After that it will still be accessible in the section for topics of the month. You can look up topic essays for the past several years.

I am really grateful to be able to write something from the heart and share it with people. and I have received several emails from people (some I know and others I don't) that said they really liked it and felt inspired. That is worth all the struggle right there.

Also, I went to a group sisters wedding this past Sunday. It was beautiful and she looked like an angel. It was nice to be with all of my friends and sisters and enjoy something as special as Monica's wedding. I am very blessed!!!

Blessed Be!
Crystal





Hubbie and I

Hubbie and I