Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
I guess I come to this discussion as someone who lives among many 
goddesses but if I tried to take any of those tests I'm sure I'd flunk 
the physical.  No matter how many times I take it.  

It seems like the book should be assigned reading at maybe age 12 or 
even before -- just about the time a young goddess would come to realize 
that the boys are stupid but if you can get their attention long enough 
to keep them from pitching the tent in a riverbed ahead of a rainstorm, 
they might survive and be teachable.  Or not.  My daughters have that as 
their mantra - Boys are stupid - but they keep bringing them home.  

I had a conversation with Mesa Broek, an artist in Bolinas, about the 
transition for young women when they leave Bolinas to go to high school 
in Mill Valley.  She said they come from Bolinas with all this power and 
awareness of life then they can be confused and disillusioned by what 
they see over the hill (Bolinas talk for Mill Valley and points East).  

That's the reverse of your journey, it seems, heading out to the country 
from the big city.  Is one path preferred over the other?  It seems to 
me it's a lot easier to be closer to the earth when you're closer to the 
dirt and the wet parts of it. 
  

    
Welcome <bratwood>, Penny, and <bbraasch>.  Again this is a driveby
post - 5 minutes on a borrowed computer.  So I won't say much except
that <bbraasch>'s comment about 12 year old girls leads right into what
I was wondering.  My travels the last few days have shown me a whole
range of age groups, many more teens that I'm used to being around, and
what I wonder is how do the Modern Goddesses age.  Have you thought,
Francesca, about taking these Modern Goddesses through the traditional
goddess stages - virgin, mother, crone?  What does a Threefold
Trickster Goddess look like?  Or a Threefold Activist? Or a Threefold
Goddess-Just-Wants-To-Have-Fun?
  

    
I think the book is fun, a useful reminder to work toward our best
selves. Though I have to admit one passage went bump for me. On page
156, as part of the pledge:
    "I will never think there is something I can't achieve. I will
never tell anyone else that about themselves."

I think that even goddesses have their areas of specialty and that
means accepting limits. To expect to be unlimited seems more like a
weakness to me than a strength. Perhaps the statement was simply
intended to shake off some naysaying attitudes, but it reminded me of
younger days when I expected too much of myself. 
  

    
Omigoddess. A woodprint of the trickster goddess. Let me know when
you’ve done it.

There’s almost nothing (I know of) in myth about female trickster
deities. So, for women like you and me, Bratwood, we’ve got to create
the images ourselves.

As to brilliance outside of SF, I’ve been writing a lot about that.
But what it seems to come down to is: No one is hip just because they
live in the city, are in some “scene”, or are on first name terms with
someone they consider hip. Hip is what YOU are or are not and it boils
down to having integrity with all its myriad implications. That’s
something I hope folks get from reading this book: the support we all
need to maintain integrity. When we have that, we can create amazing
lives. 

Umm, Penny, hmm. I’m blushing. Thank you. Wow.

Now anything I post will be a let down after that high praise.

And thanks everyone for the well-wishing on the move.

As to pink-power, yes, Penny. I wear pink a lot and maybe some people
think that that shows me to be lightweight. But I find remarkable magic
in the color.

Religious battles; whether Christian/Pagan or Pagan/Pagan, they’re
awful. So much harm and hurt. The biggest part of them for me is
fighting my own bitterness when the religious bigotry of Pagan or
Christian has done me serious harm. The bitterness does equal damage to
me. 

Re the disillusionment of young women, I remember being newly married
in the 60’s, a nineteen year old bride. I was stunned to suddenly
discover I was to keep to the “women’s place.” I hadn’t even known that
place existed up to then. Everyone, even other women, delegated me to
that exile from life and excitement. When the Feminist Movement
burgeoned I quickly joined in.

There is a 12 yr old I heard about yesterday who’s stolen the book
from her mom and won’t relinquish it. The young’n has proudly declaring
herself a Sex Goddess a la the book's definition which is that you can
be a Sex Goddess who is celibate. The book talks a lot about how to
own your sexual power, including the sexual power of celibacy as a
temporary state or lifestyle.

I lahlahlove the idea of a three-fold take on each of the Goddesses.
You know, I think the questions regarding this almost answer
themselves.  What challenges does a maiden trickster face? What
strength does she have that the Mother or Crone Trickster doesn’t? Just
ask yourself lots of question about each aspect. We’re all--as in all
humans--brilliant enough to come up with great answers.
  

    

 
Thanks, bratwood. Horrors, I am a major proponent of people respecting
their own limits. I just finished a book for teens and say that exact
thing! I even say in it that when you ask for help it wakes up the
God(dess) within, with all her/his power.

In The Modern Goddess' Guide to Life I tried to be really clear about
that, but maybe failed. Right before the materiel you quoted the pledge
says, “I will not expect perfection of myself....” and goes on at
length about expecting too much from yourself and others so I thought
the two parts of the pledge balanced each other. I am hoping maybe you
missed that earlier part. Also, (she added defensively), in each
Goddess section I detailed the strengths and weaknesses of each
archetype. The section you’re quoting was meant, as you said, to help
with one’s negative tapes. Reread and let me know if you think I messed
up, Bratwood. I would want to know.

In any case, Bratwood, someone said that the opposite of any great
spiritual truth is also true, and the belief that you can accomplish
whatever you choose is one such truth. It's important to know when to
embrace a given truth or its opposite. So you shouldn’t use that part
of the pledge right now!
  

    
So each of us is a deity, but we're not all-powerful, all-knowing, all
anything (except all ALL).  We're "all too human."  With joy.  With
the ability to shift into different forms of divinity as we choose and
need to.  Hmmm...

"Hump Day," as they say.  In honor of our Corporate Goddesses, would
you like to talk a little about them.  Especially in light of the
evolution of the women's movement, as you've seen it.
  

    
I had to review a bit, but Dave (tnf) hasn't posted his own words,
he has provided the valuable reposting of off well comments.  I
don't know if this was straightened out or not, I skimmed a lot of
the earlier posts.  I know I was confused when tnf was quoting
Penny, it didn't sound like his voice to me.  Penny made some good
points.

Did I miss someone explaining why Vermillion SD was so special?
I know you can find "special" in the strangest of places.  Okay,
if you look at it right, I might as well complete the phrase.
  

    <scribbled by bratwood Thu 8 Jul 04 07:01>
  

    
Hmmm... I'll have to think more about that answer.
  

    
Oh my!  Triune or trinitarian truth dependencies revealed.  ;-) 
  

    

> I had to review a bit, but Dave (tnf) hasn't posted his own words, he has
> provided the valuable reposting of off well comments.  I don't know if this
> was straightened out or not, I skimmed a lot of the earlier posts.  I know
> I was confused when tnf was quoting Penny, it didn't sound like his voice
> to me.  Penny made some good points.

Thanks for pointiing that out, Jeff.

The hosts of this conference - <jonl> and <bumbaugh> and <tnf> - field emails
to inkwell-hosts@well.com and post them in the topics.

I always mark the posts by naming the correspondent in the pseud and int he
first line of the post itself.
  

    
Flawed deities is a very Pagan concept. But then, I’m very Pagan.
Think Zeus with all his philandering. 

it’s also one of those paradoxes I so love. I do believe all power is
in us as gods. I also believe we’re only human. When we bring those
opposites together in a practical, down to earth, and compassionate
way--as opposed to the absurd way Bratwood so rightly condemns as
harmful--we have a route to happiness. (I am not talking about this
paradox just b/c of what Bratwood said. Read any of my serious books
and you’ll see me go into it.) 

As to the book’s Corporate Goddess let me address that tangentially.
Yesterday, someone told me that you couldn’t tell from this topic what
is actually in the book. So I want to spell that out all in one post.
It is a self-help book that uses humor, games, party themes, quizzes,
and so on to empower women. The different modern Goddesses represent
some of the various wondrous ways a given woman might manifest her own
type of power. There are quizzes to find out which Goddess you are (or
are this moment), then text on each of the thirteen Goddesses in the
book: general descriptions of each Goddess, her strengths and
weaknesses, helpful hints for women who embody that Goddess, and
fashion tips. There are also games to help you gain the power of any of
these modern Goddesses. Then there are some other odds and ends, like
“A Goddess’ Pledge, The I’m Willing to Accept Diamond as Homage
Manifesto.” 

So the Corporate Goddess is one of these 13. I wanted to honor the
many ways womanhood manifests in all its glory, gorgeousness, and even
eccentricity. The thirteenth Goddess in the book is the Ultimate
Goddess. The section on her helps a woman go a step beyond the other 12
Goddesses by determining which yet whole new other Goddess she is at
any given moment in the day. Every moment of every day we express a
unique aspect of ourselves and can better celebrate and draw on the
power of that unique moment if we name it divine!
  

    
To "Teleological dyslexic" who said "Triune or trinitarian truth
dependencies revealed", I am tickled, touched, and tenderly teased by
so many "T"s!

 
  

    
;-)
  

    
Welcome Francesca and thank you for the opportunity to read your book.
 I have been wanting to read your books and this was just the nudge to
get me started.  I apologize for being tardy in responding to this
interview.  I have not been spending much time in front of the computer
this week and wanted to give this interview the time it deserves.  

First of all, I have to say that the cover really threw me.  It was
pink and glittery!  I love pink!  In fact, just last week I was in
search of the perfect new tie dye shirt for the holiday weekend and it
was the one in pink that kept calling my name.     

However, I thought the cover would be a bit more "serious" (yikes,
like what is serious?), but as I have read through the book I think the
cover is perfect.  In my thoughts, the cover is the perfect way to
reach the up and coming younger goddess who doesn't realize she is one
yet and for also the mainstream who may feel intimidated buying a book
that has a serious cover that may suggest pagan content.  I mean, what
would her neighborhood koffee-klatch think?  

Of course I did the test.  In fact, I took PINK post-it notes and
sectioned off each test, labeled them accordingly and wrote my score.  
I ranked very high in the Mother Goddess, next was the Trickster, and
third rank was the Princess Goddess.  I know I would have ranked very
high if there would have been a Wine Goddess and a Chocolate Goddess. 

Ranking high as a Mother Goddess was not surprising to me at all.  My
best friend/sweetums has often told me that I am a Earth Mother always
trying to take care of everyone I know (including him).  I am often the
fan of the underdog.  I shriek when people do not play fair and I
think wars can be solved over good food and wine.  Sometimes I can be
very bossy.  I know these things.  I think the Mother Goddess kicked in
when I was 19 years old and quit college to take care of my terminally
ill father.  I have wondered if other people recognize this.  I was
married to a man for 20 years and a year into our marriage he moved in
his 6 year old son and 5 year old daughter for me to take care of and
raise.    The Trickster Goddess ranked high for me, as well.  I chalked
it all up to being a Gemini.  

"I will never think there is something I can't achieve. I will
never tell anyone else that about themselves."

Thank you for that. A good reminder.  There are days when I feel like
I cannot achieve certain goals.  However, I quit blaming it on me.  I
blame it on the hours.  There just isn't enough of them (hours). 

The resource section of the book I am definitely going to take
advantage of.   Overall, this was a book with good food for thought,
eye opening and at the same time a quick and enjoyable read.  I found
myself smiling while I read it.  Thanks again.  
  

    

I should re-take the tests and post my resluts.  You, too, bratwood!
  

    

resluts.

guess that says alot all by itself!
  

    
>resluts


It says that you are a Sex Goddess!  
  

    
Lusters!
Oops, the Scrabble Goddess in me had to pop in with the anagram. I'm
good at seeing the order in chaos.

Actually, the Trickster quiz was 100%, although the name for me isn't
"Howard" it's "Leonard" -- a name I gave my oldest cat which got great
reactions.

Mother: Nope, children run from me.
Girlfriend: I can't deal with whining friends. Wake up!
Love: Nay sister. Money makes the world go round. And maybe magic.
Activism: I'm an anarchist at heart. Just Want to Have Fun: Gee,
didn't check a single box. Where was the tea party box?
Corporate: Can't handle the suits. My wardrobe = theater backstage.
Sex: Maybe, but not lately.
Out-to-Change-the-World: It's going to change with or without me.
Bad Girl: Just a little too bad for my tastes.
Princess: HAH! I rise at dawn and hate pink unless it's associated
with sunrise or sunset.
  

    
from gopods energy to your typee fingers.  I'll take it as a short 
pseud.
  

    
Welcome <jal>, <ceder> and <rosebud>!   (<bratwood> got shown the 
Vermillion SD light at a printmaking workshop there.)
 

Couldn't tell what was in the book, eh?  Well, the Trickster
Interviewer has undone his job well!
  

    
Rosebud, I’m happy you wanted to check out my books.

Of course there’s a wine Goddess and chocolate Goddess--you!

Gemini = schizoid Goddess

And thanks for all your kind words about the book!!!

Francesca’s dictionary for Bad-Girl-Goddesses says: “resluts: verb; to
say ‘oh, yes.” Again and again.

Omigoddess, did I leave tea parties out of the book, bratwood? I can’t
believe it. I am a tea party aficionado. Had a Bugs Bunny tea party
recently to celebrate, um, something, I forget what. I dressed up in my
(1930s?) beaded waltz length dress, we all ate scones, and watched old
Looney Tunes. (Bugs Bunny is one of my Gods—a trickster par
excellence.)

Keta, not to worry. It’s not you. That keeps happening with what I
write. I have a book rejection framed in my office. It says “This book
is too multifaceted for our executives. We could never get them to sell
it.”

That was for another manuscript but same sort of deal.

I lahv that y’all are taking the quizzes. It cracks me up whenever
anyone does that: My girlfriends, and even people interviewing me on
radio shows, are so much fun for me to do the quizzes with. I hope I
get to write more humor books.
  

    
Tea parties are lots of fun, especially with themes.  I have been to a
Mad Hatter's tea party and a Tacky Tea.  

Although the quizzes were fun to take, they were also very telling.  I
read the quizzes to sweetums last night and he guessed every one
correctly that I had checked.  This is good thing that he pays
attention and knows me, but then again, should I be more mysterious and
less predictable?    
  

    
That's a great rejection!  Also, I think that there's a way of knowing
that thrives on repeated glimpses and partial revelations.  By the end
of two weeks, I bet this topic will be a way better picture of what's
in your book (and in it's alchemy with readers) that any summary or
single statement could be, even if well thought out, even if created by
a committee.  

And tea parties.  Here's my formula for recreating the world.  Take a
certain percentage of all the conventions and conferences and retreats
and intensives and workshops and
in-depth-comprehensive-whatchamawhosits that happen in a given year,
and designate them No Agenda Play Parties.  Tea parties.  Come to think
of it, our country was founded with a tea party.  (For a great take on
that, read Last Refugue of Scoundrels (I'll get by who later))

And, Francesca, you didn't leave Tea Parties out of the book if we're
to take you seriously and make up whatever games we want.  

So what's your favorite game that's in the book?  

My favorite is The Train Wreck Boogie.  (Although setting it to the
Battle Hymn of the Republic seems to bull on through pretty
impressively).   (In this game, she has some funny and practically
unsingable lyrics, then she invites the player(s) to set them to any
tune they want and try to sing it.  It's not a technical challenge,
it's a make-it-to-the-end-challenge.
  

    



Kate Ruddle writes:



Hi Francesca,
This is Kate, the modern important Goddess ! (yeah!) with all the books, who
came to your Borders Book signing Party! I just want to say thank you and all
your students for all your insights that night! Yes - I am cultivating my
inner Thankfull Goddess!
You really are touched by the Goddess - and are amazing in your own right -
I've been thinking about what you said ever since.  I'm trying to cultivate
my inner Janice Dickenson Bitch Goddess - not an easy path - but something
that needs doing. So world watch out ! (EEK - I'm scared!- Well - O.K - I'm
going  slow)
Humm--- Thankfull and Bitch Goddess - a strange combo....
As for the Princess Goddess - I was just looking at movies I want to rent and
realized that my guilty pleasure in Legally Blond was its Princess Goddess
appeal ! - A surprisingly good movie if you're feeling blue! And VERY
PINK....
As for Tea - my favorite pink tea is red roses tea - very love goddess!
-Kate