The Guardian for this meeting was stevenaia Michinaga. The comments are by stevenaia Michinaga.

Storm Nordwind, Paradise Tennant, Lucinda Lavender and Jackson Drechsler, a new being here, joined me this evening for a chat about holidays of the day and the food that accompanies them for millenium. 

stevenaia Michinaga: greetings Storm
Storm Nordwind: Hi Steve. Good to see you. How are you?
stevenaia Michinaga: doing well, quieting down recently as we had many house guests earlier this week
Storm Nordwind: A special occasion?
stevenaia Michinaga: the rush of delayed work seems quieting :), yes new year holiday, dinner for 20 on night and 14 the next
Storm Nordwind: That sounds quite a challenge :)
stevenaia Michinaga: nods, and the challenge wasn't necessilly the cooking
Storm Nordwind: Mediating between disparate personalities?
stevenaia Michinaga: actually spouse's family is quite close and a pleasure to be around, as is mine, but over an extended time, you do get worn out
Storm Nordwind: Fair enough!
Storm Nordwind: .
Storm Nordwind: Mrs Storm and I are happy to keep our own company nowadays.
stevenaia Michinaga: I thing really good times should only last a limited amount of time before you jsut need a break
stevenaia Michinaga: *think
Storm Nordwind: I agree
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, the quiet times with close ones are then appreciated again
Storm Nordwind: I wonder how you would fare in Sweden :)
stevenaia Michinaga: what happens there
Storm Nordwind: A thousand years ago in Sweden, King Canute declared that Christmas would last a month, from December 13 (the feast of St. Lucia) until January 13, or Tjugondag Knut (St. Canute's Day) - with Jul (Yule) in the middle of that!
Storm Nordwind: Though I must say i do enjoy that time of year in Sweden
Storm Nordwind: of course it may be the glögg!
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: I always felt it was smart to have 2 day holidays so each side of the family can have a part of it, rather than say, every other year
Storm Nordwind nods
Storm Nordwind: There are many interesting traditional festivals at this time of year, around the world.

--BELL--

Storm Nordwind: For instance, I think we're coming up to the Moon festival, the Chinese autumn festival. I miss the Mooncakes I could get when working in Malaysia.
stevenaia Michinaga: I think if you look around the world, there are always always festivals somewhere, it is almost the equanox
stevenaia Michinaga: Moooncakes?
Storm Nordwind: yes. They're very unusual. Made with lotus seed flour i think. With an egg inside
Storm Nordwind: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncakes
stevenaia Michinaga: never saw one
Paradise Tennant: hiya stev storm :)
Storm Nordwind: Hi Paradise!
stevenaia Michinaga: Hi Paradise
stevenaia Michinaga: we were talking about holidays and mooncakes
stevenaia Michinaga: I will look for them next time I am in chinatown
Storm Nordwind: I think the Moon festival is on the 30th
Paradise Tennant: how is everyone tonight :)
stevenaia Michinaga: hi jackson
stevenaia Michinaga: feel free to join our little group
Paradise Tennant: hiya jackson ..welcome :)
Jackson Drechsler: ty, what does your group do?
stevenaia Michinaga: have you been here before?
Jackson Drechsler: no
stevenaia Michinaga: We are called Play as Being
stevenaia Michinaga: we come here 4 or so times a day to explore the nature of reality
Paradise Tennant: smiles and chatter about really everything :)))
stevenaia Michinaga: we record our conversatiosn and post them on the groups Wiki, do you mind being included?
Jackson Drechsler: sure
stevenaia Michinaga: thanks, I have a notecard here somewhere...checks pockets
stevenaia Michinaga: the notecard tell you a bit more about the group and where to find the Wiki
stevenaia Michinaga: I was looking at the theme sign and I can't figure out how to change it to mooncakes
Paradise Tennant: is the moon festival the theme ?
stevenaia Michinaga: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncakes
stevenaia Michinaga: more of a seasonal theme
Storm Nordwind: Steve was telling us how he'd catered for a different festival at home recently. Then we chatted briefly about other festivals

--BELL--

stevenaia Michinaga: Nice thinking that , on a certain day you are eating something that has been prepared for this day for thousands of years
Paradise Tennant: hmm going to have to try them now :)
stevenaia Michinaga: eating a bit of history, mythology
Storm Nordwind: Mooncakes are... er... "unusual". But I do miss them.
Jackson Drechsler: They look tasty, too
Paradise Tennant: eating harmony :) longevity the moon :)))
Paradise Tennant: all sound good :))
stevenaia Michinaga: there is a holiday in spring where the cookie is in the shape of a hat worn by they one who dried to destroy a group in Persia, a recurring theme, destruction and feasting
stevenaia Michinaga: *who tried
Paradise Tennant: wonder what they would think about that .. being remembered as a cookie :))
stevenaia Michinaga: and being eaten by those you swore were your enemy... and yet so tastie
stevenaia Michinaga: I suspect the power of symbolic food rituals are overlooked, et re-inacted every year, or even more often
Paradise Tennant: well they bond us :))
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, prepared by one or a group, and usually shared by many
stevenaia Michinaga: the gift of food seems like a very basic compassionate act
stevenaia Michinaga: since it sustains life at the most basic level
stevenaia Michinaga: I knew there would be a path to the week's theme here somewhere :)
Storm Nordwind chuckles
Paradise Tennant: well we meander so well ;))

--BELL--

stevenaia Michinaga: changing the subject for a moment, here is something that for some reason captivated me tonight
stevenaia Michinaga: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG20nWOb7Ks&feature=player_embedded#!
stevenaia Michinaga: no idea why
Paradise Tennant: very cool
Paradise Tennant: wonder how they managed to keep so co-ordinated
Storm Nordwind: time lapse
Paradise Tennant: smiles
stevenaia Michinaga: thre a how they did it at the end
Paradise Tennant: hiya luci we are watching a archectural performance :))
stevenaia Michinaga: hi Luci
Lucinda Lavender: :))
Lucinda Lavender: wow this is a busy cushion
Lucinda Lavender: hello everyone
stevenaia Michinaga: wb
Jackson Drechsler: Thanks
Storm Nordwind: Hi Luci :)
stevenaia Michinaga: feel free to join us anytime we meet, there's a schedule of hosted times on the board over there
Lucinda Lavender: Hi Storm
Paradise Tennant: any dreams luci ?
Lucinda Lavender: not this week:)
Lucinda Lavender: so far
Lucinda Lavender: and you ...or anyone?
Jackson Drechsler: Could I have that YouTube URL again? it crashed phoenix viewer. I'll try it directly with Safari this time.
stevenaia Michinaga: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG20nWOb7Ks&feature=player_embedded#!
Paradise Tennant: I had a bit of a dream
Lucinda Lavender: listening...
Paradise Tennant: you know the bits you remember don't always make sense
stevenaia Michinaga: I so need to write them down again... my dreams always seems to dissappear like smoke
stevenaia Michinaga: Do you keep track of your dreams Storm?
Paradise Tennant: I was getting into bed and when Ipulled back the cover there was just piles of mud .. lots of it .. and bit of seaweed .. I looked down at the dog but this was way to much for him to have carried in on his body or paws :) and I just stood wondering how it got there ...
Storm Nordwind: I did once. In the early 90s. When I was training myself to do so. No longer though.
Paradise Tennant: a little mystery dream bit :)

--BELL--

Lucinda Lavender: yes...makes me think of global warming...
stevenaia Michinaga: I think I should head to bed, Luci , I can help you with your picture for the board tomorrow
Lucinda Lavender: very good Steve:)
stevenaia Michinaga: thank you for joining me
Lucinda Lavender: thanks
Paradise Tennant: nite nite :) stev
Storm Nordwind: Thank you for hosting Steve :)
Lucinda Lavender: sweet dreams Stevenaia
stevenaia Michinaga: Nice meeting you Jackson
Storm Nordwind: I too will disappear.
Paradise Tennant: nite nite storm ;)
Storm Nordwind waves
Lucinda Lavender: waveing to you too
Lucinda Lavender: good night Storm
Lucinda Lavender: Jackson is this a first time here?
Jackson Drechsler: yes
Lucinda Lavender: Welcome...
Jackson Drechsler: Thanks
Paradise Tennant: smiles it is an interesting group :)
Jackson Drechsler: Yes, it is. I'll drop by again, I ran across you out exploring.
Lucinda Lavender: :) great!
Paradise Tennant: some nights are just general chat and others are more specificly targeted to a theme :)
Lucinda Lavender: I have a very long lag tonight
Lucinda Lavender: sorry if it takes me a while to participate
Jackson Drechsler: That's ok
Lucinda Lavender: also...I have a lot of fruit flies in the room with me:)
Lucinda Lavender: sort of distracting
Lucinda Lavender: the plums and pears have come inside
Paradise Tennant: smiles you are making jam ?
Lucinda Lavender: drying fruit and making wine
Paradise Tennant: plum wine ?
Lucinda Lavender: drying fruit and making wine
Paradise Tennant: sounds yummy
Lucinda Lavender: everythink is a little sticky
Lucinda Lavender: sort of harvest themed around here
Jackson Drechsler: I have to go, see you next time
Paradise Tennant: good nite jackson nice to meet you :)
Lucinda Lavender: nice to meet you!
Jackson Drechsler: Great to meet you as well!
Paradise Tennant: smiles just noticed boxy's picture :)

--BELL--

Paradise Tennant: nite nite :)