2015.12.21 13:00 - Happy Solstice

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    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?
    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 on 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!
    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....
    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
    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!
    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!
    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:)
    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
    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

    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: yes
    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


    uting.

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