2015.12.21 13:00 - Happy Solstice

The Guardian for this meeting was Aphrodite Macbain. The comments are by Aphrodite Macbain.

Aphrodite Macbain: Hi Bruce!
Bruce Mowbray: Heya, Aph!
Bruce Mowbray: I arrived half an hour early for your session today!
Aphrodite Macbain: I've been wondering what we can talk about four days before Christmas
Bruce Mowbray: (so did Elan!)
Bruce Mowbray: yes, just a sec... Elan seems to be stuck in the weeds.
Aphrodite Macbain: smiles- I'm glad you are both so keen!
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi Elan
Bruce Mowbray: I'd confused it with Wednesdays!
Bruce Mowbray: Riddle was also here, though!
Aphrodite Macbain: I used to be on Wednesdays...
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi druth!
druth Vlodovic: hey'all
ElanVitalo Resident: Hi, druth! Hi, Aph. Hi, Brucie!
Aphrodite Macbain: Grinch, meet Santa, Santa meet Grinch
druth Vlodovic: grinch?
Bruce Mowbray: ooops.
Aphrodite Macbain: enjoys the fact that everyone is getting into the holiday spirit- clothes wise anyway
Aphrodite Macbain: that's my Grinch under Bruce's knee
druth Vlodovic: ah
ElanVitalo Resident smiles.
druth Vlodovic: trying to get in to the spirit but i seem too have accumulated only peculiar xmas costumes
ElanVitalo Resident laughs
Aphrodite Macbain: love your glowing hood druth
Aphrodite Macbain: How is everyone?
Aphrodite Macbain: overwhelmed with Christmas cheer?

Model train

Bruce Mowbray: I'm good. Spent most of this day helping my typist build his HO gauge model train.
druth Vlodovic: neat
Aphrodite Macbain: neat!
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, fun!
Aphrodite Macbain: where have you put it?
ElanVitalo Resident: I helped too!
Bruce Mowbray: It will be suspended from the living room ceiling.
druth Vlodovic: ummm
ElanVitalo Resident: ummmm?
druth Vlodovic: odd place for a train set
Aphrodite Macbain: how do you reach it?
ElanVitalo Resident: One improvises, with minimum space, you understand.
ElanVitalo Resident: Just a sec... I will show you....
Aphrodite Macbain: cool
Aphrodite Macbain: Happy solstice, btw
Aphrodite Macbain: Longest night of the year
Aphrodite Macbain: wish it would snow....
druth Vlodovic: I have considered doing a block and tackle thing with my bed to get it out of the way in the daytime
Aphrodite Macbain: raise it to the ceiling?
druth Vlodovic: but I am not sure what I would use the extra space for
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Bruce Mowbray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U66pqWZzxjA
druth Vlodovic: goon the roof with a snow blower
Aphrodite Macbain ponders gooning the roof.
Qt Core: Hi all
ElanVitalo Resident: Heya, Qt.
Aphrodite Macbain: Hiya Qt
Bruce Mowbray: Heya, Qt!
Aphrodite Macbain: Happy solstice
Bruce Mowbray: Happy Solstice to you, too!

Solstice rituals

Aphrodite Macbain: Tonight I may head down to the community centre- there will be fire dancing and singing and hot cocoa
ElanVitalo Resident: Wow!
ElanVitalo Resident ponders fire dancing.
druth Vlodovic: hi qt
Bruce Mowbray also ponders fire dancing.
druth Vlodovic: love how you did the lights
Aphrodite Macbain: It draws everyone from the neighborhood
Bruce Mowbray: I can imagine -- just to keep warm?
druth Vlodovic: beltane?
Aphrodite Macbain: well- as it is the longest night of the year
Aphrodite Macbain: people celebrate the returning of the light
druth Vlodovic: you have to bring some of the fire home and keep it going until next year
Bruce Mowbray: Ahhh!
Aphrodite Macbain: so fire dancing is a good way of doing it
Bruce Mowbray: That's a wonderful custom!
druth Vlodovic: you leap through the flames
Aphrodite Macbain: It would be great if it were a clear sky
Aphrodite Macbain: so we can see the stars
Bruce Mowbray: It's really wet here, too, Aph.
Bruce Mowbray: rainy.
Aphrodite Macbain: Hello Rosatta
Rosatta Resident: Hello, Aph : )
Aphrodite Macbain: Hello Zen
Aphrodite Macbain: Happy Solstice
Bruce Mowbray: Heya, Zen and Rosatta!
Zen Arado: Hi all
Rosatta Resident: Hi, Bruce! Good to see you again
Aphrodite Macbain: love your Christmas outfit Rosatta
Rosatta Resident: Ty : )
Qt Core: Hi Rosatta, Zen
Qt Core: on a traditional level most of the longest night/shorter day celebration are stuck at 13th December (solstice in pre Gregorian calendar
Aphrodite Macbain: Interesting-
Aphrodite Macbain: wonder why the 13th - it's a week too short
Rosatta Resident: Don't the solstice dates change? I thought they did
Qt Core: remember the 10 days we shifted when we got to the Gregorian calendar, Aph
Bruce Mowbray: Nope, always the 21st.
druth Vlodovic: supposed to be the 21st, but it does change
Aphrodite Macbain: No, I forgot that Qt
Qt Core: 21 +/- 1
Qt Core: (astronomically speaking ;-)
Aphrodite Macbain: but but but... Today is still the shortest day, whatever number it is
Rosatta Resident: That's to keep us on our toes
Bruce Mowbray: Right... + or - 1, I forgot that.
druth Vlodovic: so there!
Aphrodite Macbain: where?
druth Vlodovic: lol
Bruce Mowbray: Technically, the Solstice is not until tonight, though...
Aphrodite Macbain hopes Zen won't get too cold (Zen is changing his top)
Bruce Mowbray: a bit after 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
Aphrodite Macbain: yes- tonight
Aphrodite Macbain: longest night
Rosatta Resident: Does anyone celebrate solstice?
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
Aphrodite Macbain: I prefer celebrating solstice- it belongs to all religions
Bruce Mowbray: "illuminaries"
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
Bruce Mowbray: afk for just a minute....

Bonfire jumping

Aphrodite Macbain: In some countries they celebrate it by lighting bonfires
Aphrodite Macbain: and sometimes jumping over the bonfires
Rosatta Resident: Do you know jumping the bonfire symbolizes?
Aphrodite Macbain: something to do with fertility
Aphrodite Macbain: they do it on summer solstice too
Aphrodite Macbain: in Ukraine and some other northern countries
Aphrodite Macbain: Do you know Rosatta?
druth Vlodovic: shakes the eggs loose, saves on brooding time
Aphrodite Macbain: giggles
Aphrodite Macbain: poached eggs
Zen Arado: was just reading that Christmas was a feast celebrated because in old days they didn't know if they would make it through the winter
Aphrodite Macbain: so...better celebrate while the going's good?
Rosatta Resident: On the fertility thing: (sorry I'm so slow) I'll bet it is for men to show off their virility - proof of their suitability as fathers. Works for me : D
druth Vlodovic: they had to encourage the sun to buck up and reenergize
Aphrodite Macbain: right!
Aphrodite Macbain: show him how it's done
druth Vlodovic: the women were the jumpers, probably a bit of both
Zen Arado: we forget how fragile life was
Rosatta Resident: Maybe, also, a 'the hard work is over, time to party thing' before it gets too miserable
druth Vlodovic: pre TV and internet people liked to show off physical prowess, whatever the excuse
Rosatta Resident: Virile women - that works, too lol

Skating party

Aphrodite Macbain: Partying and celebrating - nothing else to do at that time of the year. I hope everyone can come to the skating party on Wednesday.
Aphrodite Macbain: I've been trying out my skates
Rosatta Resident: SL skates or RL skates?
Aphrodite Macbain: SL only
Zen Arado: better get our skates on
Aphrodite Macbain: I don't have anything to skate on in RL
Rosatta Resident: I couldn't skate in RL
Aphrodite Macbain: Zen - can we get some skating music?
Zen Arado: yeh I'll play slow songs
Aphrodite Macbain: I skated about 100 years ago
Rosatta Resident: lol me, too
Aphrodite Macbain: there's a lot of green countryside here to practice on and San is building a winter wonderland up on the platform
Zen Arado: there was a couple in the UK who won an ice skating championship skating to Ravel's Bolero
Zen Arado: Torvil and Dean?
Aphrodite Macbain: a perfect skating song.
Zen Arado: yes it was
Aphrodite Macbain: Torvil and Dean - they have won a few Olympic medals,no?
Zen Arado: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zbbN4OL98
Zen Arado: yes

Rosatta Resident: I've been gone over a year. I'm glad I'm back. It's nice to have so many people at a session, too
Aphrodite Macbain: I'm glad you're back too Rosatta
Rosatta Resident: None of my landmarks were good and search didn't pull up anything. Fortunately I have Qt as a friend
Aphrodite Macbain: MY sessions are changing to Fridays next year
Aphrodite Macbain: same time same place
Aphrodite Macbain: I am taking some painting classes on Mondays now
Aphrodite Macbain: (Poor Qt is having a terrible time)
Bruce Mowbray: Long time since I went to a Friday session -- miss the Oni!
Aphrodite Macbain: I promise to continue the tradition
Bruce Mowbray: Yayy!

Onigokko

Bruce Mowbray: onigokko
Bruce Mowbray: stop
Aphrodite Macbain: I remember, when I was first in SL I laughed till I cried
Bruce Mowbray: It is a fun tradition.
Aphrodite Macbain: onigokko
ElanVitalo Resident wonders why he doesn't have an oni.
Aphrodite Macbain: stop
Aphrodite Macbain: I won't touch that one Elan
ElanVitalo Resident: I will ask Brucie for one.
Aphrodite Macbain: Mine seems to be working
Zen Arado: amazed mine was still activated
Rosatta Resident: Well, I thought I put mine on
ElanVitalo Resident: Now I will try mine out!
ElanVitalo Resident: onigokko
Aphrodite Macbain: We should try and find another animation
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
ElanVitalo Resident: stop
ElanVitalo Resident: Whaaaa! Mine doesn't work!
Aphrodite Macbain: onigokko
Aphrodite Macbain: stop
Aphrodite Macbain: are u wearing yours Rosatta?
druth Vlodovic: been a bit since we did it
ElanVitalo Resident: I thought I was wearing THREE of them!
Aphrodite Macbain: nods
Aphrodite Macbain: maybe they cancel themselves out
Aphrodite Macbain: just wear one
Aphrodite Macbain: we should find a new dance for 2016
Aphrodite Macbain: just for a change
druth Vlodovic: have there been any "dance" songs out recently?
Zen Arado: millions
Aphrodite Macbain: I'm sure they are out there....
Rosatta Resident: I have to admit this is one of my favorites lol
druth Vlodovic: we got a bunch in the 80's that became wedding reception staples
Aphrodite Macbain: wedding receptions?
Aphrodite Macbain: one more try...
Aphrodite Macbain: onigokko
Aphrodite Macbain: hmmmm
druth Vlodovic: everybody gets up and does the macarena and chicken dance
Aphrodite Macbain: ah yes
ElanVitalo Resident: I'm wearing it, but it doesn't seem to work with robots, alas.
Rosatta Resident: It says I'm wearing it
druth Vlodovic: not quite bonfire jumping :-P
Aphrodite Macbain: not sure why yours isn't working Rosatta
Rosatta Resident pouting
Aphrodite Macbain: stop
Zen Arado: oh silly dances you mean
Aphrodite Macbain: yes- silly dances
Rosatta Resident: Well, I can always throw a beaut of a temper tantrum lol
ElanVitalo Resident: ha ha!
Aphrodite Macbain: go for it!
ElanVitalo Resident: Yikes!

Aflac

Zen Arado: remember the little Japanese one?
Aphrodite Macbain: Yes
Zen Arado: you had to wear a tambourine
Aphrodite Macbain: what was it called?
Bruce Mowbray: yes, I remember.
druth Vlodovic: oh, animations go by one of three priorities, try taking off any AOs you have on
Aphrodite Macbain: yes- take of your AOs
Zen Arado: hard to search when you don't remember the name :)
Aphrodite Macbain: we need one with music
Rosatta Resident: Fun but on music
Aphrodite Macbain waits to see what Rosatta will do
Zen Arado: aflac
Aphrodite Macbain: I have sooo many animations
Aphrodite Macbain: yayy
Bruce Mowbray: aflac
Aphrodite Macbain: aflac
Aphrodite Macbain: stop
Rosatta Resident: aflac
Rosatta Resident: stop
Rosatta Resident: I don't know what I'm doing
Zen Arado: it just runs out I think
Bruce Mowbray: :) Join the club, Rosatta.
Aphrodite Macbain: i wonder what aflac means
Rosatta Resident: aflac
Aphrodite Macbain: you seem to have something preventing yr animations Rosatta
Rosatta Resident: I checked to see if I am wearing an AO and didn't see one. hmmm
Rosatta Resident: Now that's just sad that I can throw a temper tantrum but can't dance. That's just wrong
Aphrodite Macbain: Go to Movement and Stop animating me
Aphrodite Macbain: see of that works
Rosatta Resident: Ok

Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Aphrodite Macbain: you seem to have found the tiny seat Bruce
Bruce Mowbray: yeppers.
Zen Arado: aflac
Aphrodite Macbain: yayy druth can do it on her knees
Aphrodite Macbain: claps
Zen Arado: stone piercing shoes:)

Christmas plants

Aphrodite Macbain: Who has a Christmas tree?
Zen Arado: in RL?
Bruce Mowbray checks for tree.
Rosatta Resident: No room and too many cats lol
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
Bruce Mowbray: oh, in RL -- not moi.
Zen Arado: have a small fibre optic one
Rosatta Resident: Or did you mean in SL?
Aphrodite Macbain: I have no room so I decorate my potted plants
Aphrodite Macbain: in RL
Rosatta Resident: That's a good idea
Aphrodite Macbain: I have an amaryllis that is beautiful
Rosatta Resident: I love amaryllis
(Bruce rezzes a big Christmas tree)
Bruce Mowbray: How's  that?
Aphrodite Macbain: nice tree!
ElanVitalo Resident: Yikes!
Zen Arado: show me the way to Amaryllis
Aphrodite Macbain: this is sort of what mine looks like
ElanVitalo Resident loves amaryllis.
Zen Arado: i have never ever lived in a house where we had a real tree
Aphrodite Macbain: really?
Aphrodite Macbain: I guess they are rarer in Ireland
Zen Arado: oh no
Zen Arado: everyone has them
Rosatta Resident: It's really a German tradition to start with, isn't it?
Zen Arado: just not us :)
Aphrodite Macbain: maybe u should create a giant shamrock
Rosatta Resident: Oh, ok
druth Vlodovic: they sell branches now, so you can get the scent in the city without cutting any down
Aphrodite Macbain: :-)
Rosatta Resident: A fresh fir wreath is wonderful for that
Aphrodite Macbain: you can make wreaths from branches too
Aphrodite Macbain: snap
Rosatta Resident giggles
druth Vlodovic: we had real trees growing up, but they always look smaller in RL than in the living room
Aphrodite Macbain: ;-0
Zen Arado: some on the boats put lights around them
Zen Arado: in the marina
Aphrodite Macbain: nice
Rosatta Resident: We have a boat parade in this area. That's a lot of fun
Bruce Mowbray: cool!
Rosatta Resident: I love the lights of Christmas
Aphrodite Macbain: there are a lot of building cranes in the city here and they put xmas trees on the tops
Aphrodite Macbain: must look cool if u are on a plane
Zen Arado: nice
Rosatta Resident: Anything to add to a feeling of festivity works for me
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
Aphrodite Macbain: sometimes the festivity is depressing
Aphrodite Macbain: and sometimes not
Aphrodite Macbain: some feels very artificial
Zen Arado: I never understood the huge amount of food consumed
Aphrodite Macbain: nods
Aphrodite Macbain: I think it's because it's winter
Zen Arado: but perhaps it is attached to old fears of not getting through the winter
Zen Arado: yes
Bruce Mowbray wonders what might happen if we treated "depress-ability" the same way we treat "offendability" -- Just not make ourselves depressible....
Zen Arado: i do that now

Offendability

Aphrodite Macbain: how do we treat offendability?
Bruce Mowbray: or offendable ...
Zen Arado: I just refuse to listen to depressing stories I might tell myself
Bruce Mowbray: One makes oneself offendable.
Aphrodite Macbain: can you do that deliberately?
Bruce Mowbray: Like, perhaps someone is offended when I talk during drops....
Bruce Mowbray: (just an example...)
Zen Arado: well I notice the stories starting now
Zen Arado: before I would have been lost in them
Bruce Mowbray nods, agrees with Zen.
Zen Arado: not depressing
Zen Arado: just not bothering with them or something
ElanVitalo Resident: Isn't that part of the baggage that comes along with being a story-telling species?
Zen Arado: repressing
Bruce Mowbray: alas, tis true, Elan...
Zen Arado: yes we are all too ready to put bad complexions on events
Zen Arado: the negativity bias
Aphrodite Macbain: nods
Aphrodite Macbain: It's often not a deliberate choice
Bruce Mowbray: Bye for now! I must away and anon
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye Bruce
Aphrodite Macbain: take care
Zen Arado: so seeing that prevents a lot of heartache I think
Zen Arado: bye Bruce
Aphrodite Macbain: nods
Zen Arado: the more I meditate the more I am aware of how I think
Zen Arado: I see through the ego gambits more easily
Zen Arado: not always though

Aphrodite Macbain: Are you acting on behalf of Bruce now Elan?
ElanVitalo Resident: No, I am an independent agent.
ElanVitalo Resident: Give unto Brucie that which is Brucie's, and give unto Elan that which is Elan's
 

Feeling triggers

Aphrodite Macbain: you can compare your emotional state to your previous one
Zen Arado: or notice patterns from before.
Aphrodite Macbain: sometimes an image or a sound can trigger a feeling
Zen Arado: yes
Aphrodite Macbain: someone's voice or photograph...
druth Vlodovic: music is a big one
druth Vlodovic: or scents
Aphrodite Macbain wonders what is Elan's
Aphrodite Macbain: music is so powerful
Zen Arado: you can notice thoughts but don't need to invite them in for a cup of tea :)
Aphrodite Macbain: :-)
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
Zen Arado: Suzuki said that I think
Aphrodite Macbain: good point
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
ElanVitalo Resident: :)
Zen Arado: think I'll go and listen to some music
Rosatta Resident: Bye, Zen
Zen Arado: byee for now
Rosatta Resident: I need to go, too. It was so good being here again.
ElanVitalo Resident: Hey, good people, I hate to leave when I'm having so much fun, but Brucie needs someone to help him scrape up dindin.
druth Vlodovic: winter solstice is at 11:48
Rosatta Resident: I hope you all experience some Christmas cheer
ElanVitalo Resident: Hope to see you again soon, Rosatta.
Aphrodite Macbain: bye Elan
ElanVitalo Resident: and the same to everyone.
ElanVitalo Resident: Bye for now!
Aphrodite Macbain: BY Rosatta
druth Vlodovic: love the train btw
Aphrodite Macbain: looks for the photograph
druth Vlodovic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U66pqWZzxjA
druth Vlodovic: trains are meant to move :)
druth Vlodovic: it gets me thinking I have to re-watch Chitty chitty bang bang for the breakfast part
Aphrodite Macbain: cool!!
Aphrodite Macbain: I forget the breakfast part
druth Vlodovic: he has goldberg machines doing his eggs for him
druth Vlodovic: including a train
Aphrodite Macbain: :-)
Aphrodite Macbain: what's a goldberg machine?
druth Vlodovic: rube goldberg machine
druth Vlodovic: hugely complicated machines that don't always do anything
druth Vlodovic: you see a lot in old Disney movies
Aphrodite Macbain: I've heard of Rube but didn't know who he was...
druth Vlodovic: they had a display at the museum of technology  a while ago
Aphrodite Macbain: when it was open....
druth Vlodovic: they are reopening next year I think
druth Vlodovic: after they get the mold display setup properly