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Author Topic: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016  (Read 10312 times)

Chatelaine

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #15 on: December 20, 2016, 02:47:20 pm »
Quote from: SunflowerP;200271

London 1553 hrs / 0804 hrs GMT


Local sundown up here, close to the northern coast of Essex, was 15:47. I wonder if we're really that further east from London (I assume the data centres on the Greenwich Observatory) that the difference registers.

I was out at sundown, because we studenty folk had an unexpected afternoon off in Chelmsford and went off for coffee, pizza and Rogue One goodness (not necessarily in that order), so I only came in a few minutes ago. Candles are on, as are PJs, and I'm pondering a hot drink. I have way too many different teas. :ashamed:
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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #16 on: December 20, 2016, 04:10:09 pm »
Quote from: Chatelaine;200285
Local sundown up here, close to the northern coast of Essex, was 15:47. I wonder if we're really that further east from London (I assume the data centres on the Greenwich Observatory) that the difference registers.

I was out at sundown, because we studenty folk had an unexpected afternoon off in Chelmsford and went off for coffee, pizza and Rogue One goodness (not necessarily in that order), so I only came in a few minutes ago. Candles are on, as are PJs, and I'm pondering a hot drink. I have way too many different teas. :ashamed:



Oh, I hear you with the way too many teas thing. My husband has declared a moratorium on me buying any new teas until I drink some of the backlog. It's a bit embarrassing when someone comes over and wants tea...and legitimately have to play 20 Questions with them to narrow down what sort.

As for the Solstice vigil, I've found a nice desktop wallpaper that I liked so much that I thought I would share it.

http://wallpaperswide.com/christmas_forest-wallpapers.html
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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #17 on: December 20, 2016, 04:14:46 pm »
Quote from: missgraceless;200284
It's interesting that Boston and NYC are (seemingly) so close and yet there's actually a full 15 minutes between sundown times. And I'm almost directly between them and my weather app says sundown is 4:25.


The solstices are the two times of the year when the length-of-daylight differences by latitude are most exaggerated, so this makes sense to me.

Only 20 minutes until New York falls!

I'm realizing that I haven't yet posted the exact moment of solstice:
10:44 UTC
(5:44 AM Eastern time for North America)
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Chatelaine

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #18 on: December 20, 2016, 04:37:21 pm »
Quote from: Allaya;200288
As for the Solstice vigil, I've found a nice desktop wallpaper that I liked so much that I thought I would share it.

http://wallpaperswide.com/christmas_forest-wallpapers.html


Very nice. Very American in the quantity of lights. :P

I've got this one for the occasion. Nearly all my festive wallpaper cache is about trees (I really don't care for Santa), but the particular one even got the moon phase right. Okay, reversed, but it's still a quarter.

http://wallpapercave.com/wp/3R83GjQ.jpg
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Alexeigynaix

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #19 on: December 20, 2016, 04:42:19 pm »
Quote from: missgraceless;200284
It's interesting that Boston and NYC are (seemingly) so close and yet there's actually a full 15 minutes between sundown times. And I'm almost directly between them and my weather app says sundown is 4:25.

 
Sunset right here is juuust about right now.

Lucky me, I work till midnight. :P

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #20 on: December 20, 2016, 04:45:42 pm »
Quote from: Chatelaine;200285
Local sundown up here, close to the northern coast of Essex, was 15:47.


...and now, across the Atlantic, New York has gone dark! About 15 minutes ago.

My black, last-all-night candle is lit, my sacred ring and pentacle donned, my wild pagan music blasted and danced to (twice).

It will be my honor to explore the dark over the next several sleepless hours with you fine people.
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Altair

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #21 on: December 20, 2016, 04:50:00 pm »
Quote from: Chatelaine;200285

I was out at sundown, because we studenty folk had an unexpected afternoon off in Chelmsford and went off for coffee, pizza and Rogue One goodness


Yes! Rogue One is the first Star Wars movie I've liked since Return of the Jedi. As with Jedi, it's not that I didn't have reservations (as opposed to the original and The Empire Strikes Back, which I worship unreservedly), but when it was all over, I had a big smile on my face.

Or, in only slightly greater detail:
http://www.cfcooper.net/your-sacrificial-moviegoer

And since you mentioned Rogue One, that ties into my non-theme post...
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

missgraceless

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #22 on: December 20, 2016, 04:58:03 pm »
Quote from: Altair;200294
...and now, across the Atlantic, New York has gone dark! About 15 minutes ago.

My black, last-all-night candle is lit, my sacred ring and pentacle donned, my wild pagan music blasted and danced to (twice).

It will be my honor to explore the dark over the next several sleepless hours with you fine people.
I missed the actual sundown because I was busy straightening my hair (which takes a freaking hour) but I'll be popping in and out of this thread until probably around midnight or so.

Sadly I don't have any of my pagan-y things with me as I'm on vacation and didn't think to pack them but I'll probably do some meditating if I can find some time to myself.
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Altair

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #23 on: December 20, 2016, 05:21:22 pm »
Quote from: Altair;200295
And since you mentioned Rogue One, that ties into my non-theme post...

On tonight's non-theme of making it through dark times, I'll avoid the obvious political choice and focus on the personal.

I spent most of my childhood and young adulthood feeling like I was buried alive. That's the best way I can describe growing up closeted back in the '70s. I knew I was gay from 5 years old, but even back then knew enough to hide it. To outward appearances, I was fine, happy even; but inside I felt like I was trapped in a box, buried beneath tons of earth, desperate for air and screaming to be let out, but no one could hear me.

Needless to say, it was a dark time. (And yes, I was that cliche who considered suicide--my 13-year-old self sat with a big kitchen knife across my lap one time when I was home alone, trying to screw up the courage to take my terrible secret to the grave. I couldn't do it--thank goodness.)

And then in the nick of time, Star Wars came along.

I never resorted to drugs or alcohol to take the edge off, like so many oppressed LGBT folks do--I was too much of a goody-two-shoes for that--but fantasies were my refuge. I'd long ago wandered into Middle-Earth and never wanted to come home; and in my family, sci-fi was the air we breathed. I'd been surviving on a diet of Star Trek reruns and old Flash Gordon serials on PBS...

And then I heard the 20th Century Fox fanfare, read the magic words ("a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away"), heard the blast of John Williams brass, saw the preface scroll up the screen just like in Flash Gordon...and then the ships zoomed over my head, and kept going, and going, and going...and my jaw dropped.

I spent that summer in the movie theater, sometimes on a Saturday going to the first matinee and sitting through the next 2 showings as well. It's not an exaggeration to say that being able to escape into that fantasy may very well have saved my life, until I found my legs and strength in college, to come out and finally escape that living tomb.

To this day, I love spending inordinate amounts of time at the movies (esp. SF--I'll be seeing Passengers in about an hour, review to follow at my website), losing myself in someone else's reality, inhaling popcorn, and remembering how I survived my dark time by escaping to a darkened movie theater.

So here's to the dream makers! The George Lucases and J.R.R. Tolkiens, the John Byrnes and Chris Claremonts, the Gene Roddenberrys and Ray Bradburys, who in creating other worlds for me to visit helped me to imagine better for myself, fight for it for others, and create some wild fantasies of my own to share.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2016, 05:24:58 pm by Altair »
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Chatelaine

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #24 on: December 20, 2016, 06:31:23 pm »
Quote from: Altair;200298
So here's to the dream makers! The George Lucases and J.R.R. Tolkiens, the John Byrnes and Chris Claremonts, the Gene Roddenberrys and Ray Bradburys, who in creating other worlds for me to visit helped me to imagine better for myself, fight for it for others, and create some wild fantasies of my own to share.


And here's to the game developers, the Mark Rein-Hagens, Phil Brucatos and Stewart Wiecks, for building a World of Darkness where I felt more in place than in the real one.

I was bullied at school. Not the extreme, life-threatening kind, but the consistent sniping that would allow me no expansion beyond academics in that environment. 20/20 hindsight says it was all because I was more academically advanced, as well as having some pretty niche interests. Being 11 and wanting to talk about Tolkien rather than boys can ruin a girl's cred fast. Preferring the Mediaeval Baebes to the Pussycat Dolls can do that even faster. Going goth style brought self-harm jokes from kids and similar concern and watchfulness from adults. For the record, I never cut, I was never suicidal, and I wasn't even antisocial, just pushed away. The breakdown of my parents' marriage was just the garnish.

In response, I discovered paganism, fell in with Hecate, and through like-minded people I was introduced to pen and paper RPGs. Both paganism and gothic aesthetics turned out to be phases I grew out of (though I will forever cherish both), but the games have remained. My old Mage books are by now too battered and fragile, so I've retired them to the honour bookshelf and bought them again in digital form, to print and abuse as necessary.
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Wanderer894

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #25 on: December 20, 2016, 06:53:21 pm »
Quote from: Altair;200298
On tonight's non-theme of making it through dark times, I'll avoid the obvious political choice and focus on the personal.
.........

So here's to the dream makers! The George Lucases and J.R.R. Tolkiens, the John Byrnes and Chris Claremonts, the Gene Roddenberrys and Ray Bradburys, who in creating other worlds for me to visit helped me to imagine better for myself, fight for it for others, and create some wild fantasies of my own to share.

 
I am glad you found refuge.

Besides the obvious political climate, dark times now consist of facing my mother's impending death and then adjusting to living by myself. I kind don't want to think about it too much, but it's also difficult to not think about it. Being alone in this house, I mean. Except for the dogs.

And it's a dark time for them too. Joey is used to seeing Mom every day, keeping her company while she watches her favorite TV shows and sleeping in the same room she does. He's been her constant companion. I think he knows by now that she's not coming home any day soon.

Aria seems less affected, but she's a bit quieter than usual. I worry about them both, but mostly Joey. I wish I knew exactly what to do so he'll be OK.

Me? I've been visiting Mom almost every day in hospice. I haven't gone the past two days because I think i caught a cold from one of my students and I don't want Mom to get a cold on top of having cancer.I think it helps to know she's being taken care of by such lovely, capable people. But I have my times when I don't want anyone else around at home (my brother, SIL, and MIL are down to help keep Mom company and help around the house. Niece is here too). During those times I just want to stay in my room and play music all night, and write. I just want to cuddle the dogs and watch TV. And I know that I'm not supposed to be alone at times like this, but...I like my solitude.

Anyway, will check in later. Went grocery shopping with SIL, MIL, and Niece earlier. So I guess I'm a little tired from that.
I love a good metallurgical take on the phrase "What the F---?"

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #26 on: December 20, 2016, 06:55:45 pm »
Quote from: Altair;200242
This year's non-theme--inspiration for what to post, which can be completely ignored if you want to post something completely different (hence the "non" in "non-theme")--is:

Making it through dark times

Interpret that as you will!

 
Checking in!
“Castus, meanwhile, goes straight for the bad theology like one of those creepy fish that swims up streams of pee.” — Darkhawk

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NightFury326

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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #27 on: December 20, 2016, 07:03:21 pm »
Quote from: Altair;200239
Hey, what is this thread? The night beginning at sunset on Tuesday, December 20, 2016, is the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. To celebrate the solstice (summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere; in the North, it's winter solstice, a.k.a. Yule, Midwinter, and probably other things, depending on your tradition), a bunch of us plan to stay up all night and post here in this thread off and on throughout and/or chatter in chat, sharing our experiences or random thoughts...sharing photos or artwork throughout the evening...or just encouraging each other to stay awake!

 
I'd go on chat- but I find the system confusing to connect to in the first place.

Sunset here was about 5:00pm and Sunrise is 7:28am :)

Happy Yule/Solstice... :) I'm probably going to turn on some movies/tv shows on Netflix and maybe turn on one of the classic Star Trek movies..aiming for Wrath of Khan..

I'm hoping to get back into doing Tarot readings for myself, the beginning of this month was stressful so I didn't do it as much as I'd like.
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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #28 on: December 20, 2016, 07:30:24 pm »
Quote from: Heather326SC;200307
I'd go on chat- but I find the system confusing to connect to in the first place.


If you (or anyone else) have questions about chat, I'm glad to help if I can. (I am at this point pretty sure I'm not going to manage up all night, but probably will manage until sometime after midnight eastern US time.)
 
For checking it out purposes, the Flash chat client is probably easiest. This page on the Cauldron website has some info - basically, once you log in as a guest, type the following (each command on a line by its own, with a return/enter after the command.)

out

cl

And then you should be in the Cauldron Lounge (where I'll be, and maybe other people) and from there someone can explain how to say and do things.

(The two things above are commands that will take you from where you log in to the cauldron lounge.)

This thread over here also has a post from me with some explanations about some common things that confuse people about MU* setting sometimes.
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Re: Up All Night: A Technopagan Solstice Celebration 2016
« Reply #29 on: December 20, 2016, 07:41:40 pm »
Quote from: SunflowerP;200271
Nope - I even made use of the USNO site so as to get the proper info for a specific small Canadian location , though mostly I've been using timeanddate.com.

 
*waves back* ^_^

Quote from: Altair;200242
This year's non-theme--inspiration for what to post, which can be completely ignored if you want to post something completely different (hence the "non" in "non-theme")--is:

Making it through dark times

Interpret that as you will!

 
Checking in; the sun has and light will soon be gone from the sky. I managed to finish my errands in less than an hour and get home before sunset, and now I'm going to spend the evening baking, knitting, wrapping gifts, finishing up tree decorations, and sitting in chat as much as I can.

You know, I've been chewing on this non-theme in my head for a while and wondering what it is that's helped me through the dark times. It's been different things over the years (especially science-fiction/fantasy and video games), but honestly I think it can all be boiled down to an ineffable stubbornness on my part. Or maybe not on my part; sometimes I have no idea where the will to keep on going actually comes from. But I do know that since I was a teenager my guiding principle has been Nil illegitimi carborundum and I think that when it comes down to it, I am really just too pigheaded to let the darkness swallow me.

Which I suppose is why Captain America really speaks to me, now that I know more about him (didn't grow up with comics; have a comic-nerd husband now). "No. You move."
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