Once Upon Ago in Geistopia, pt. 2

Hey, gang! Welcome to my life – where anything is possible and nothing is as it seems. I’m Freedom and I’ll be your host, coming at you from within the depths of Geistopia. 

DOC: Velcum To My Life ees a prochect, un experiment in Life unt ART. A living storyboard, if you will. Its premise ees zat life ees experiential, unt zat you can, unt do, experience ze life you choose. It ees based on Ze Veel of Life unt Ze ARTs for Ze New Millennium as life building tools. Ja, it’s true! 

WALT: Welcome to my Life is a Geist…House Players Production, in association with the Center for Creative Inspirationalism. JustUs Productions, the parent company, would like to give a ‘Shout-Out’ to the following for their ongoing, and oft-times unknowing, inspiration and support:

Princess Cuddlebug

Princess Sunshine

Big 'D'

The Shaman

The Pillar

F’n Bob

The Entire Putt-Putt-Putter Clan

Professor Siggy Chong

Sparky Wentz-eclaus

The Mayor

The VanMan and General Ralph Glossop, Sir Richard Slouch, and Craze (may they R.I.P.)

The Messengers of The Galactic Federation

 Looch

BJ & The Bull

Ace

Bert-On

The Baker of the Cornbread

Andy Pandy

The Mudder

Wilson

Zason

Mysteria

Lydia the Tattooed Lady

The Drunken Maid

St. Diane & You (4)

Brother John

The Bee Man

Spooky Queen

Boom-Boom Snuffbox

The Nameless One

Tim-Bo

PDT

The Wix-ians

The Socialite

The Village of Idiots

Piz-Niffer

Dancing Queen

Downtown Encyclopedia Brown

Chicken Witch

Dick Pointer

Soup, the Son

The Legendary Pink Elephants

Baby-Mama Rabbit

Wisconsin Belle

The Babes

Aaaand, of course, a very generous sponsor who (not-so-much) wishes to remain anonymous.

It is…Sunday, December 7, Two-Thousand and Twenty-Jive. Time...Shifting

Theme – Pass it Along

I've received quite a few blessings lately and I find my natural inclination is to pass them along. A good for instance is last night. The Theatre usually takes pretty good care of me when I go to see a show. I went last night and had bought my ticket in advance without any of the "higher ups" knowing. In fact that was mentioned. "I didn't know you paid for your ticket." "I know. I did that on purpose. You can't make money if you keep giving stuff away." Anyway, I was told to order whatever I wanted and they would cover it. Now, I had budgeted $60 for last night, including tip. I had figured at least $10 for tip and that would be fair for anything I ordered. In fact, I figured the less I ordered, the more I would tip. I budgeted the money and I had it. When they insisted on covering my bill I made a new plan. I told the server she had to charge me for something so I could giver the full tip. I had $20 in cash on me. She got that plus I added $10 to the card. I figured I spent about half of what I budgeted. So, I passed the blessing on to her.

Lesson – Tough Love

This is something I have been wrestling with all week. It's something someone said to me. Maybe The Princesses need some Tough Love for a change. They are making a huge, life changing choice. Maybe they need to realize that choice always brings consequence. NO different than when I left Geistopia foe homelessness. At the time there was no going back on that and they remained distant. I had to face the realities of my choice. I will swear till the day I die that it was the best thing for me. I am a different and better person since then. Stronger. I've been wrestling with different things. Do I get them something for Christmas? I can't get them actual gifts because I don't know what they want or need. They never talk to me about such things. So I thought about getting them gift cards and sending them to them. But why? Craze & Co. didn't get me Christmas presents after I left. I made something for each of them that first year, [They were on The List.] But they got nothing for me. They even cut me off from the house Wi-Fi so I couldn't access it while parking in The Putter's drive overnight. The thing I'm learning about Tough Love is that it's called that not just because it is tough on the person receiving it, but also on the person giving it. No parent really wants to ground their child or spank a child or anything else that falls under the umbrella. But sometimes it is necessary. [I think it's the same with G-d and man.] It is completely against my nature to not get The Princesses something. Just thinking about it hurts my soul a bit. But maybe it is what is needed...for everyone's sake. I've had similar thoughts about streaming services. I pay for them. They use them. I even pay extra for a couple so they can use them. Such as Spotify. I pay quite a bit extra for a family plan so they can have their own account and playlists and such. Imagine if one day they woke up and couldn't access any of them anymore. They'd hate me. But then...they already do.

Observation – Transmutation

In some tribal cultures, snake medicine people are initiated by being bitten by various venomous snakes and they must transmute the poison within their bodies. That's kind of how I feel about the Princesses at the moment. They have nothing but contempt for me and all of the energy they send my way is very negative and toxic. I need to receive that energy, transmute it to love within myself and send it back to them.

The Post

 Another week come and gone. I'm sure, Fellow Travelers, you want some sort of follow up from last weekend. There's really not much to tell.

Everyone made it back to The Valley in one piece. The Princesses haven't had any contact with me since returning except today when Cuddlebug texted me that she needed to get her "stuff out of storage ASAP." I've come to peace with it all. I mean as much as one can. I suppose my daughters have just become part of my past. The nice thing is that once something is in the past you no longer need live in it.

They have made the choice to cut me from their lives. I don't know why. I don't know what I did or what has made me such a terrible father or person. But, ultimately, the choice is theirs and all I can do is respect it.

But that's not why we're here, is it? We were being led in another direction before the trip.

I was telling you how there is something special about this family. Big 'D' said it best this past weekend as we discussed this and that. "We are a Christmas Family." It's true. We are. We always have been. Everyone got in on it, too.

The whole house transforms. [I mean, at one point, there was even Christmas toilet paper.] It becomes a Winter Wonderland, a Christmas Village all its own. It was even more so when Craze was alive. However, the understanding is that it all begins with Big 'D.'

My grandmother told me she has always been big on Christmas, ever since her youth. That has carried through her whole life. She is Mrs. Christmas. No doubt. As I said, she decorates like no one I've known. Every room gets a transformation - every room. [Yes, even the bathroom.]

There are Snowbabies and Christmas villages and lights and random ornaments hung here and there. The Christmas cards received all get hung up along the doorways between rooms. There is a collection of snow globes and a collection of Santas. Both of which would put any store to shame. But decorating is not her only gift.

At Christmas, her kitchen should be in the North Pole. It's true that Once Upon Ago she made a Christmas Dinner fit for kings. But that is not what had people anxiously awaiting the holiday. It's the cookies. Oh, those cookies. Those very sweet, melt in your mouth cut out cookies. People practically put in orders. Not that they needed to - she had a list and almost everyone was on it. I've known her to ship them to California.

I can't tell you what it is. I only know they are pure magick. I've never had another cookie like them. And only she can make them right. So many people have tried and none have gotten it. Well...two have come pretty damn close. As much as I hate to admit it, Mama Rabbit came a pretty good close second for the past several years. However, Big 'D' and I determined this year that Cuddlebug has far surpassed her. I told Big 'D' it is because she has the two things that Mama will never have. First, it's simply a matter of genetics. [But I'll touch on that another time.] Second, she has Big 'D's absolute love of doing it.

I have forever said that the love was the secret ingredient and no one else would ever reach it. It is a tedious job. Mixing all that dough and the rolling. Oh, the rolling. The cookies must be as close to paper thin as possible. That's a lot of rolling. And it takes so much dough to get a decent amount of cookies.

And gifts. Oh my lord the gifts. This is what her whole year was about. She shopped and saved and used her yearly bonus until she put together the biggest pile of gifts for each person that anyone has ever seen.

She was so contagious that even Craze got into it. He would put lights up outside that would light up the whole neighborhood. The driveway looked like Santa's runway. He was even featured in the local paper once.

But, his real claim to fame was the tree. You've never seen such a tree. He always went to the mountain to pick it out ands cut it down. Guaranteed every year it was actually too big for the space and we would have to make lots of adjustments. But the tree was always large and full. He would take at least a week decorating it.

He would start with strings of large lights. He would wrap them up the whole tree and, "the trick," he said, "is that they had to be as far back as you could get them. He would work them up and out at the same time. But not to far out because next were the smaller, oft times twinkling, lights. After that he would place the ornaments.  So many ornaments. Each one evenly placed. The spacing was always precise. Then wraps of garland. Finally, the crown jewel of it all - Tinsel! Never have you seen so much tinsel on a tree. Never have you seen so much tinsel with each little strand so meticulously placed.

People would travel from far and wide just to come see the tree. [And, of course, be treated to the cookies along the way.] He never did the same tree two years in a row. He had a rotation of them - Red/Green, Green/White, Red/White, Blue/White, Red/White/Green, Multicolor.

Yuletide is a special and powerful time of year. It is part of the year and so very seperate from it. The spirits and magicks of this time are unlike any other I have known. Olde Geistopia truly comes to life at Yuletide.

We are a Christmas family.

Perhaps more than we know.

TO BE CONTINUED...

If you’re not already there, go to the Welcome to my Life Facebook page – WTML. Or the YouTube channel – WelcomeToMyLife08. You can also find me on Facebook under Rev. Matt. And there is the newer TikTok @WTML23

I appreciate you all.

Wherever you are and whenever you are – Like, Comment, and Share – we’re on a Journey and it takes you to get there.

So, without hesitation, for now and for always, from here in Geistopia, this is your beloved Rev…

WALT: And Walt…

DOC:  Unt Doc…

JOHNNY: Aaaaand Johnny…

And those guys, saying, “Stay Tuned-In, Fellow Travelers,” and wishing you Peace, Love, Light…

WALT: And Freakishness, Baby.

The Totems & Archetypes

from Ted Andrews’ Animal Speak

Cardinal - Renewed Vitality through Recognizing Self-Importance

They remind us that, regardless of the time of day or year, we always have the opportunity to renew our own vitality and recognize our own life roles. Whistles are often reminders to listen closely - to pay attention to what is blowing on the winds. Reflects that we should be listening to the inner voice (the feminine) more closely for our own health and well-being. Almost always reflects a need to assert the feminine aspects of creativity and intuition more strongly. Can reflect a need to b more careful about your diet, that what you are eating may be injurious to yourself and affecting your overall vitality. Reflects the rhythm of 12 that is going to become more predominant within your own life. Reflects lessons associated with responsibility and the recognition of the task at hand. May reflect past-life connections with the church, or even a reviving of more traditional religious beliefs, regardless of denomination. Remind us to add color to our lives, and remember that everything is of importance. 

Crow - The Secret Magic of Creation is Calling

Magic and creation are potentials very much alive during the day. Alchemy. Represents “ingredients,” the initial state of substance - unformed but full of potential. A reminder of what an happen if we are not looking for magic and creation every day. Magic and creation are ‘cawing’ out to us every day. Health, home and respect. Working with crows can help you to see how the winds are going to blow into your life and how to adjust your own life flights. Finding a dead crow was a sign of good luck. Wherever crows are there is magic. Symbols of creation and spiritual strength. Look for opportunities to create and manifest the magic of life. They are messengers calling to us about the magic that is alive within our world everyday and available to us. 

Falcon - (whatismyspiritanimal.com)

Time to sit in the seat of power. Help creating strategies. 

Hawk - Visionary Power and Guardianship.

Messengers, protectors and visionaries. Visionary power and leading you to your life purpose. There is a message coming. What you eat, you become. Kundalini. Childhood visions are becoming empowered and fulfilled. The ability to soar and glide upon the currents. Great Heights while still keeping your feet on the ground. Attacks by people who won’t understand you - attack your ability to soar. Teaching of higher expression of psychosis and vision. Beauty and harmony in moderation. Lead you to using your creative energy in manifesting your soul purpose. Hope and new ideas. A need to be open to the new or shows ways that you may help teach others to be open to the new. Be observant. Life is sending signals. Careful in expression. Comments and actions will be strong and powerful with the ability to tear and/or kill. 

Owl - The Mystery of Magic, Omens, Silent Wisdom, and Vision in the Night

Symbol of the feminine and the night. Ties to fertility and seduction. Bird of magic and darkness, of prophecy and wisdom. Symbolically associated with clairvoyance, astral projection and magic, both black and white. Hints of the light of the sun, alive in the dark of night. Meditation on this alone will reveal much about the magic of Owl within your life. Will be able to see and hear what others are trying to hide. What is not being said. See what is hidden or in the shadows. Detect and pinpoint the subtleties. Unique ability to see into the darkness of others’ souls. And life. Their medicine can extract secrets. If your neck is stiff and inflexible, you are hindering your perceptions to a great degree. Often reflects that you were born very perceptive - with a vision of others that you may or may not have recognized or acknowledged. Unique ability for seeing into the eyes and souls of others. Keep silent and go about your business. Eliminate those aspects that are not beneficial and unhealthy.