Salutations from West 'byGod'

[Carmen]

Hello all!

I was fortunate enough to find LM via a windy little road from Facebook. I have been extremely impressed with the level of scholarship, understanding, and dedication to education and quality I've found in every publication (both online and in print), in the products, and in the people I've had to opportunity to read about/look into works from.

I'm not a huge fan of using labels except that they're so darned handy for communication I've studied various religions, philosophies, magical traditions, and (weirdly) mental health (family biz) since about the age of 14, and have always been interested in healing. I'm intensely curious, and hope to always be learning. In terms of making a living, I am fortunate to work from home as an independent Marketer/publisher/business development consultant. I like to wear a lot of hats (never a dull moment!). I've recently finished my course work and internship for Clinical Mental Health Counseling with specialties in grief counseling and sex counseling, and am hoping to complete a final exam to finish the degree (if I can drudge up the interest to bother with it - I don't care much about pedigrees, either, they are just sometimes so handy). Since that huge chunk of time is now free, I'm back to more philosophical and magical and creative wanderings.

My immediate chosen family includes my love Stephen, our other love and roommate Sempi, her love Colin, my brother William, *his* love Marcus, all our cats (5 in total: Samekh, Freya, L'ila Penelope Princess of the Prettyfoot, Funny-Face, and NinjaBlanca), and a spot of land just outside of city limits where we've begun to grow a (not-so) little garden.

My gratitude to all the folks who are working to keep this forum, and all the LM (and associated) work going - it seems you are all exceptional, and exceptionally warm and welcoming.

[catherineyronwode]

Welcome to the Forum. This is a fun, active, lively place to discuss and learn about hoodoo ... so just browse around, ask questions, and enjoy yourself!

[MoonBreath]

Hi Carmen,

Welcome aboard! This is a nifty place and you will be able to learn LOTS.

[Carmen]

Hi Miss Cat, Hi MoonBreath!

Thank you so much for the warm welcome!

I have been looking around, and very much enjoying the exemplary information.

I keep trying to think of a conversation-starting question, and then find that all my questions (thus far) have been answered, and then some (with awesome music to boot)!

I must thank you, Miss Cat and everyone invovled with teaching and preserving the art of hoodoo. As I bounce around the site reading and learning more, in so many ways I am learning names and a different perspective on many things that I've lived and seen as a (somewhat estranged) child of Appalachia who was transplanted to the city at a young age. I keep hearing echoes from my very young childhood with my parents and grandparents in North Carolina and West Virginia, before we moved to Baltimore.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard my first radio show; the team was talking about divination with bones, and preparing them for use. Miss Michaele talked about needing an ancestor's altar (a term I had never heard before). When I heard her say it, I looked over at the place in my room where my mother's and aunt's urns are, alongside effects from a number of grandparents and great grandparents (photos, small trinkets passed down over years, like jewelry - my family has always done this)...and it was a bit like a wallop on the head: "I've GOT one of those..." and right on the heels of that, I swear it was my Mom: "Yeah, well, you're not really USING it, are you?"

Since that time, I'm in touch with them in a way that I had never really been mindful of or considerate of before. I am sprucing up their place, and listening. And I'm grateful to have had it pointed out.

I will be around, learning and trying to keep up with all of you great folks, just as often as my schedule allows. I'm hoping to carve out that Sunday afternoon time slot as sacred time so I can listen in. Look at that, after 33 years, someone finally got me going to church How ironic.

[calawyn]

Hi! My name is Nathan. Very nice to meet you! It sounds like you have a pretty great family there! Looking forward to getting to know you on here! And yeah, the rootwork hour is pretty phenomenal!

[Carmen]

Hi Nathan!

It's nice to meet you too!

I do feel very fortunate to have my family. I haven't always been in the position I'm in now, and I'm very grateful to them for their support (and their ability to put up with me ). I didn't manage to carve out sacred rootwork hour time today, but I did get to spend excellent time with them making some major decisions that we think will have positive effects. So - a great day, and hopefully I'll be able to catch up on the radio show recording.

I'm also looking forward to getting to know you! I rooted around and found an introductory post of yours, and it sounds like we share some common interests (besides the obvious). One of the last posts I saw was about you starting a record shop (but I admit I did not read them all); how's that going? It sounds like it would be very cool.

I'm looking forward to seeing you around! Be well

Carmen

[calawyn]

Hi Carmen,

No worries about missing the rootwork hour! There's always next week! They are always good!
The record shop is going really well so far! I love vinyl, and it's been making a pretty steady comeback over the last decade. It's also fun hunting down inventory...I've been able to curate a pretty nice collection of jazz, blues and country for myself as well as the store. Anyway, hope your week is going well! I'm waiting on an order from Lucky Mojo, so I'm sure I'll have plenty to read and practice this weekend! Lol. Slowly whittling down my wish list, including the required purchases for the correspondence course. I look forward to starting it in the next few months!

[Carmen]

I hope your week is a good one as well! Mine has been productive but relaxed, which is nice.

I know it's not quite the same, but I used to hunt down rare cheeses for a fromagerie/restaurant in Baltimore, and I really enjoyed the challenge of the search for something hard-to-find. It was a ton of fun!

It sounds like you're getting into some great stuff! I'd love to hear about your experience with the correspondece course as you get into it, if you'd care to share. I've reviewed the homework, and some of the online materials thus far. Good luck with it when you get there!

Be well!

Carmen

[Miss Aida]

Hi there,
Although I enjoy reading this conversation, maybe the 2 of you ought to PM each other.
Also, please remember not to discuss any material from the course online or with non-students or non-graduates.
Take care, both of you!!

[calawyn]

Will do, Miss Aida. Thank you!