OOC: Crowdsource Tarot Readings!

[sythyry]

I'm going to do Crowdsource Tarot readings tonight.  Ask a question in a comment; I will give it a shorter or longer answer as a comment.  I'll edit this to say "Too Late" when I'm done for the night.

Edit: Bedtime is 11:00, and I've got all I can handle before then!

If you have an important question that you want an answer for soon, ask it and I'll answer tomorrow.  (Crossing my palm with Paypal wouldn't hurt on getting that answer, y'know?)  Otherwise, I'm going to do this now and then!

Comments

[perlandria.livejournal.com]

Monday, skirt or pants?
If add on allowed, button top or wrap?

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Monday, skirt or pants? If add on allowed, button top or wrap?

Klutz, reversed
A harlequin is trying to juggle mystical symbols: a pentacle, an ankh, a crescent moon, a wand. Most of them lie scattered around his feet. He is reaching for one that is outside his grasp, and about to trip on the pentacle.
Meaning: Your carelessness is your greatest liability.

Well, that suggests that you should wear the least risky clothes suitable for the occasion. I don't know what those are for you -- for me it'd be pants, but I present as male. Buttons do sound advisable.

Crow
An emaciated lion wearing a jacket and tie considers a dead crow in the middle of the road.
Meaning: You may need to take your sustenance where you can find it, even if it is distasteful to you or others.

The lion's clothes suggest pants to me, though in my mental image of the card, he's not actually wearing one. Dress for practicality. Your clothes are a tool in this situation -- choose them accordingly.

Overload, reversed
A man in filthy clothes stands immobile in front of a supermarket shelf filled with many brands of laundry detergent, looking dazed and stressed. His cart is empty.
Meaning: You continue to collect more information in lieu of making an actual decision.

Crowdsource Tarot says, "Oy." Only it's not quite so nice about it.

[waywind.livejournal.com]

I've been hemmed in by various misfortunes. When can I expect this situation to improve?

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I've been hemmed in by various misfortunes. When can I expect this situation to improve?

Well, first of all:

Gazebo
A gazebo stands unused in an open field, bedecked with flowers. A group of adventurers eye it warily, weapons drawn.
Meaning: An orientation toward fear and defensiveness creates problems that did not previously exist.

Some of the problems are of your own making, or your own enlarging anyhow. Step 1: stop making more problems. Deal with new situations calmly -- take a bit more time to think about what might be going on. Some people and forces that you think are your enemies are not actually your enemies. That doesn't mean they're your friends; they may be neutral or apathetic. But treating them as enemies just makes matters worse.

Flight, reversed
Icarus soars through the sky on a pair of wax wings, his face shining in ecstasy. The sun is visible, but still far away.
Meaning: The people who are advising caution aren't trying to spoil your fun. They care for you, and they're pretty smart.

Part 2: Get sensible local advice, and listen to it. Your friends know a lot more about your situation than some guy at a computer a thousand miles poking at a virtual card deck.

Cat
A tomcat sits on a fence under a full moon, yowling.
Meaning: You should be ready to make noise in order to make sure your needs get met.

Part three: Push for the redress of wrongs against you, and otherwise stand up for your rights.

Tea
Athena and Albert Einstein are chatting in a tea shop. An oriental-style black dragon refills their cups.
Meaning: Seek out companions and surroundings which inspire you.

And, be sure to take some time for yourself. Put problems aside as best you can, and do with you need to do to help your sanity and personal balance.

Best of luck to you!

[xolo.livejournal.com]

Should I stay with the job I have, or should I look for a better one?

[xolo.livejournal.com]

Or I should ask perhaps not 'better', but 'more fulfilling'.

[kobolds.livejournal.com]

I run one society, play an important part in another and sit on a council for a national event. I'm going into the third year of a four year course. I also write and GM a game.

Am I taking on too much this year?

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I run one society, play an important part in another and sit on a council for a national event. I'm going into the third year of a four year course. I also write and GM a game. Am I taking on too much this year?

Klutz, reversed
A harlequin is trying to juggle mystical symbols: a pentacle, an ankh, a crescent moon, a wand. Most of them lie scattered around his feet. He is reaching for one that is outside his grasp, and about to trip on the pentacle.
Meaning: Your carelessness is your greatest liability.

Yes and no. You are capable of handling all of that. But if you are careless organizing your life, you will mess it up severely. That's pretty much generically true about when you're running at capacity.

Dumpster
A shabbily dressed man rummages through a dumpster behind a fancy restaurant. He has already collected a large bag of salvageable food.
Meaning: There is a lot more to glean from your current situation than you think, if you will take the time to look.

On the other hand, you waste a lot of time and attention. You can actually squeeze a couple of hours of stuff you really won't miss out of your day -- cutting down on aimless net-browsing, perhaps -- and use that time to great effect on things that you actually love.

[jenett]

What should I be listening to, to help make my library sing?

(this is obviously work related: things are falling into place, but I want to make sure everything does, and I don't leave out something important.)

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

What should I be listening to, to help make my library sing? (this is obviously work related: things are falling into place, but I want to make sure everything does, and I don't leave out something important.)

Dumpster
A shabbily dressed man rummages through a dumpster behind a fancy restaurant. He has already collected a large bag of salvageable food.
Meaning: There is a lot more to glean from your current situation than you think, if you will take the time to look.

You should be listening to things that you used to like, but have ignored or thought you moved beyond lately.

Pretzel, reversed
On a crowded city street, a vendor sells dry-looking pretzels from a cart. A teenaged boy looks dubiously at his girlfriend as she buys herself one.
Meaning: You cannot stop others from making their own mistakes.

Everything won't fall into place, even if everything that you control does. But the failures will be minor and localized.

[arkofeden.livejournal.com]

I'm in Army ROTC leadership this year. Apart from following rules and orders, what should I do to make sure that I don't screw this up? o_o

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I'm in Army ROTC leadership this year. Apart from following rules and orders, what should I do to make sure that I don't screw this up? o_o

Rice (Alpha of Foods), reversed
An Indian woman stands behind a steaming pot of rice -- steaming so much that it nearly obscures her. She holds out a bowl of rice, her hand piercing the steam.
Meaning: You provide abundantly for others.

Give people treats.

Give people the most fundamental support, too. Expect to have lots of crying on your shoulder, and other problems which you can solve. If you get the reputation as the one who fixes things, it will serve you very well indeed.

Shear
Seven sheep, their fleece the colors of the rainbow, wait in a line in front of a farmer holding shears.
Meaning: Take what you will, so long as it can be spared.

Only exploit your power in the most careful and innocuous of ways -- especially around issues of homosexuality, which are going to arise.

Chef
A cheerful chef, his white toque adorned by mystical symbols, its top flopped into a lemniscate outline, stands at a counter with a measuring cup, a chef's knife, and a plate on it. He holds a whisk triumphantly skyward in one hand.
Meaning: You have the power that comes from being skilled. Your cuisine reigns supreme.

It's gonna work wonderfully.

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

Not sure if this counts as one question or two:

Should I accept the current equilibrium? If not, how should I change it?

PS - How are you deciding how many cards to use in each particular reading since it seems to vary from one to the next.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Not sure if this counts as one question or two: Should I accept the current equilibrium? If not, how should I change it? PS - How are you deciding how many cards to use in each particular reading since it seems to vary from one to the next.

(I'm in a sort of Tarot-based trance, kind of. I read until I come to the end of the reading, which is obvious when I get there.)

Emergence (Alpha of States), reversed
A tiny iridescent dragon hatches from a mottled green egg.
Meaning: The most important thing is tiny and fragile; you must nurture and protect it.

No; the current equilibrium, even now, is giving way to a newer and rather more glorious disequilibrium. Standing in its way to maintain equilibrium would be a terrible shame.

Puzzle
A child places the last piece into a jigsaw puzzle, on which is depicted the classic Rider-Waite image of the World.
Meaning: Everything is about to fall into place the way it should.

You know how, or you will soon know how. You're not asking this question totally out of the blue, are you?

Coelacanth (Alpha of Beasts), reversed
A coelacanth swims serenely in a beautiful blue-green sea.
Meaning: You focus too tightly on things of interest to very few people.

Well, maybe you don't know, but that's because you're not paying attention ... or you're deliberately avoiding knowing.

Lightbulb (Alpha of Devices)
A large, clear lightbulb, filament glowing, is surrounded by blindingly bright light. Inside it, two flies are screwing.
Meaning: Your ideas are really good. Go for it!

When the (fairly obvious) right answer occurs to you, you will know it. Follow it.

[aprivatefox.livejournal.com]

Mufi and I are writing a game. What have we been forgetting, that we should do before the game is done?

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Mufi and I are writing a game. What have we been forgetting, that we should do before the game is done?

Spiderweb, reversed
A large black spider checks her web to find a tiny fairy caught in it.
Meaning: You are caught in a situation from which it may be impossible to extricate yourself.

Avocado, reversed
A pretty waitress presents a halved avocado in both hands, her position hinting at other pleasures.
Meaning: The offer is purely commercial. Enjoy yourself as you think best, but guard your diet, your wallet and your heart.

You need to remember that, in the market of games, you are pretty small and pretty powerless. No matter how pretty your game is, you will need to be very careful that you get the benefit of it.

Klutz
A harlequin is trying to juggle mystical symbols: a pentacle, an ankh, a crescent moon, a wand. Most of them lie scattered around his feet. He is reaching for one that is outside his grasp, and about to trip on the pentacle.
Meaning: You are trying to do too much at once, or something more ambitious than your skills allow.

The game you've got in mind is more than you and Mufi alone can do as well as you'd like. You have many friends and allies who would probably love to assist you. Call on them. (Yes, I am volunteering.)

Rooster
A rooster crows a welcome to the new dawn from the top of a fence, his tail and comb brilliant with firey colors. Goblins and tiny gnarled monsters flee into the shadows.
Meaning: Dawn is coming. The night and its terrors flee before the light. You can have a fresh start.

(1) You're gonna have to advertise it and make a big noise! Also, (2) Ooh, it's gonna be wonderful when it gets here!

Mecha
Two anime-style mecha duel with overly-adorned swords and energy blasts in front of a pagoda. The one that is facing the viewer has an open cockpit; a terrified androgynous Asian youth is piloting it.
Meaning: You don't think you can do this, but you can.

These are all second-order considerations. Of course you're forgetting stuff; that always happens. You are going to do most of what you wanted, and it'll be great.

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

All of my life, I have a hard time concentrating on things that I should do (my work, in college, the classes of my major), and an easy time concentrating on things that are not central to my life (right now: Arabic and music.)

What should I do about it?

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

And... if I didn't say this before...

THANK YOU for running this crowdsource tarot!

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

All of my life, I have a hard time concentrating on things that I should do (my work, in college, the classes of my major), and an easy time concentrating on things that are not central to my life (right now: Arabic and music.) What should I do about it?

Random
A long string of digits streams across the face of the card, against a background of paint splotches.
Meaning: Go ahead. Give in to your whimsy.

You wanted to find a pattern in that number, didn't you?

Anyways. Ancient Greeks divide food into "sitos" (staples, bread mostly -- the stuff that keeps you fed and alive) and "opson" (relish -- everything else -- the tasty stuff.) Chinese food theory has a similar division, and surely other countries do too. The things you should do are your sitos; the non-centrals are your opson. They are both essential to a balanced ChipUni psyche. If you managed to banish Arabic and music, you'd be a miserable depressed lump.

Edgewalker, reversed
This card is divided along the diagonal. In the upper half, a shaman speaks with guides in the spirit world. In the lower half, he sits in trance while the family of a sick man looks on worriedly.
Meaning: You should seek counsel or expert help.

Having said that, you do need to focus more on the sitos. You cannot do this alone. I think that the counsel in question is probably legal counsel (IIRC, Eli is a lawyer?), not ADHD drugs or such. Imagine that you're billing your hours -- to yourself. Chop your day into 15-minute segments, and write down what you're doing in each one. Show the results to Eli (or whoever). No comments are needed: the process of doing this will make you more aware of what you are doing with your time, and more aware of time and responsibility in general.

Fashion
An impossibly tall, thin woman wearing a featureless mask struts down a runway in a frilly lingerie ensemble, while camera flashes illuminate her.
Meaning: Present yourself in the way in which you want to be seen.

In particular, present yourself in your billable hour list as you want your wife and yourself to see you, and that'll do it.

[khereva.livejournal.com]

Politics is becoming progressively less fun to observe. Should I ignore it and let its consequences fall on me unawares, or continue to stoke the rage?

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Politics is becoming progressively less fun to observe. Should I ignore it and let its consequences fall on me unawares, or continue to stoke the rage?

Flambe, reversed
A waiter in a tuxedo presents a wide-eyed catgirl with a flaming rainbow-scaled fish on a platter, surrounded by parsley.
Meaning: Look, don't touch, for now. Don't get burnt by jumping in too fast.

You certainly shouldn't ignore it. But you shouldn't be a part of it, or not more than you have to ...

Shear, reversed
Seven sheep, their fleece the colors of the rainbow, wait in a line in front of a farmer holding shears.
Meaning: You are about to get fleeced.

But you can't avoid the consequences, even if you'd really rather like to.

Zucchini
A tired person in wizard's robes leans on a hoe in the middle of a zucchini patch. Glorious green zucchinis and brilliant yellow blossoms surround him.
Meaning: The essentials of life may not be fancy, but they are fresh and abundant.

Focus on tending your own garden for a while. Not wholly avoiding politics, but politics doesn't make very good fertilizer for the stuff that counts.

Umbrella
As a storm approaches, a street vendor selling incense and water pipes switches over to selling umbrellas.
Meaning: Be prepared to take on opportunities that are likely to present themselves.

Besides, you're going to go off doing or thinking about something different and rather more worthwhile soon.

[striderhlc.livejournal.com]

Between instability at my job and family illness, this has been by far the most difficult week in recent memory. What can I do to improve my situation?

- HC

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Between instability at my job and family illness, this has been by far the most difficult week in recent memory. What can I do to improve my situation?

Crow, reversed
An emaciated lion wearing a jacket and tie considers a dead crow in the middle of the road.
Meaning: Beware of pride; it will not serve you well.

Denial, reversed
An ostrich hides its head in the sand of its backyard, while bill collectors knock at its front door.
Meaning: Ignoring your problems will not make them go away.

Umbrella, reversed
As a storm approaches, a street vendor selling incense and water pipes switches over to selling umbrellas.
Meaning: When it rains, it pours.

Well, um ... sorry about this, but for a while, stuff will suck.

Cat, reversed
A tomcat sits on a fence under a full moon, yowling.
Meaning: The way you are dealing with what matters to you is becoming annoying to everyone else.

And, to make matters worse, you're leaning on your friends at bad angles, too. Not too much, but at bad times, and you're not listening to them as much as you should be.

Tea
Athena and Albert Einstein are chatting in a tea shop. An oriental-style black dragon refills their cups.
Meaning: Seek out companions and surroundings which inspire you.

However, leaning on your friends the right way will make things much better. That way being: getting together with them, and focussing on doing things with them -- not one word about your work or family illness (beyond what is basically socially necessary). This of course will not fix the problems, but it will leave you much more able to handle them.

Coelacanth (Alpha of Beasts)
A coelacanth swims serenely in a beautiful blue-green sea.
Meaning: You are connected to something very ancient.

Meditation, religion, or other traditional practices are likely to be helpful too. They have provided peace and calm to many people over many thousands of years; they are effective tools, whether or not you want to use them generally.

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

I'd love a reading. I expect the cards will know what aspect of my life they want to talk about, though finding ways to make my creative efforts profitable is much on my mind of late.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I'd love a reading. I expect the cards will know what aspect of my life they want to talk about, though finding ways to make my creative efforts profitable is much on my mind of late.

I've never done an unfocussed reading with this deck before, and my usual methods of doing them with Tarot decks don't seem to work, so this is random and experimental.

Walrus, reversed
A walrus walks along the beach with a collection of oysters, chatting amicably. A carpenter trails behind, with a slice of bread spread thick with butter.
Meaning: Someone is deceiving you.

(I've been drawing cards one at a time, and that one came up three times in a row.)

Beldam (Alpha of Callings), reversed
A withered old woman with white hair and a wandering eye offers to lay cards for the viewer.
Meaning: Don't ask a question if you don't want to know the answer.

So I think you'd better figure out where that lie is, and go deal with it. It's not going to be pretty.

---

And, as for making creative efforts profitable:

Firefly, reversed
A wide screen television shows the spaceship Serenity floating placidly through space, its tail section lit brightly. A group of fen stare in rapt attention.
Meaning: Don't waste all your energy on an unimportant, lost cause.

If some line of creative work isn't turning profitable, or at least getting enough attention, after a reasonable amount of time --- squish it. Switch to something that actually does work, or has a better chance of working.

Cat
A tomcat sits on a fence under a full moon, yowling.
Meaning: You should be ready to make noise in order to make sure your needs get met.

Advertising and publicity are the key here. Your material is good, but if nobody knows about it, nobody's going to buy it. (If you're anything like me, you know that already but you hate hate hate hate to hear it.

Wolf
A lycanthrope changes form under a full moon.
Meaning: Honor the bestial and raw within your nature. Do not disdain parts of who you are.

You seem like a very sweet and gentle woman. (Whether you are or not isn't relevant for this: people quickly get the impression that you are.) Many potential customers dismiss you early, thinking that you are too bland and insipid for them. Be sweet like pomegranite juice; be sweet like espresso; be sweet like chutney. And be obvious about it.

[spotweld.livejournal.com]

Will FurFright, especially the gaming rooms (which I'm running.. eek), be a success?

[spotweld.livejournal.com]

Oh, on a separate note (not for the tarot) Will you be there and would you like to run anything?

Two questions:

[amberite.livejournal.com]

How to mediate the conflict between the scary, fascinating career I want to reach and the mellow, comfortable home life I want to keep?

And more specific: (How can / can / should) I survive doing ochem, bio AND physics this year?

Re: Two questions:

[bard-bloom.livejournal.com]

How to mediate the conflict between the scary, fascinating career I want to reach and the mellow, comfortable home life I want to keep? And more specific: (How can / can / should) I survive doing ochem, bio AND physics this year?

Denial, reversed
An ostrich hides its head in the sand of its backyard, while bill collectors knock at its front door.
Meaning: Ignoring your problems will not make them go away.

The difficulties in mediating between the two are real and structural. You will not find a solution to them per se; you will have to give them constant (hopefully mostly easy) maintenance.

Corset
A woman holds her breath as her companion laces her into a brocade corset, her waist made impossibly thin.
Meaning: The rules under which you are working give comforting definition and boundaries to your endeavors.

At least it'll be pretty obvious what's going on. And if when your life is being well-structured, it will look pretty and feel comfortable.

Gazebo
A gazebo stands unused in an open field, bedecked with flowers. A group of adventurers eye it warily, weapons drawn.
Meaning: An orientation toward fear and defensiveness creates problems that did not previously exist.

If you act like you expect people to attack you, they will sense it and attack you. If you act like you expect people to accept you, they will sense it and accept you.

---

Icosahedron (Alpha of Forms), reversed
An RPG player smirks as she rolls a 20 on a 20 sided die.
Meaning: An unexpected opportunity is about to change all of your plans.

... I don't have anything more to say about this yet.

Zucchini, reversed
A tired person in wizard's robes leans on a hoe in the middle of a zucchini patch. Glorious green zucchinis and brilliant yellow blossoms surround him.
Meaning: You feel owned by your stuff rather than the other way around.

Three hard subjects is fun and valuable, but overwhelming. The "stuff" in this case is knowledge, for what it's worth.

Crow, reversed
An emaciated lion wearing a jacket and tie considers a dead crow in the middle of the road.
Meaning: Beware of pride; it will not serve you well.

If you need to drop a course or otherwise cut back on obligations, do it early. That way, you will have spent more energy and time the courses that you wind up sticking with.

Good luck!