On traitors and un-loyal twits…..

I have been in many different groups, sports, ren faire guilds, ale stand crews, online groups etc., in my lifetime. There is little that pisses me off more than a traitor or un-loyal asshole that decides it is their purpose in life to try to destroy a group/team/guild/crew. These are the people that try to steal your members and take them to a new group, or will stay with your group only to act as a mole for a rival group, reporting back to the rival group all of your ideas, strengths, weaknesses etc.

I have no problem with people leaving one group to join another or even start their own. However, do not try to steal my members, do not try to give the ruling board of my group an ultimatum or lesson on how things should be run (if you think you can do better then quit talking and let’s see some fucking actions. Go start your own group if you think you can do better.), do not stay around just to be a spy (I would really rather you just leave), do not come up with some bullshit reason why you have to leave (when we all know the truth already), do not try to bring drama to my group just because you’re an asshole.

To put it bluntly, if you want to leave fine. Be up front about it, be honest about why you’re leaving and don’t give some bullshit sob story or try to give the heads of the group an ultimatum or lesson. You will most likely find that it will all backfire on you. In fact, the rest of the group doesn’t even need to know that you’re leaving or why unless the heads of the group want them to. So don’t post some bullshit email or social networking post saying good bye, and how sad you are to be leaving etc., because we all really know that is just a ploy that you use to get people to try to ask you to stay, because for some sick reason you have some deep seeded need to have everyone like you. The only response that you will get from me is”Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.”

To be honest, my group will be bigger, stronger and altogether better without you. There will be less drama, backstabbing and Jr. High School histrionics. We will thrive and grow and get better. People will find us and ask to join. Your departure will not deter us from becoming a stronger more closely knit group. In fact it will have just the opposite effect; we will become a force of nature. So remember if you leave and try to cause drama on your way out, when we become that force of nature do not even begin to think that you will ever be let back into the group. Like a Phoenix we will rise from the ashes and become more than what we were.

The Black Gryphon was at one point down to only 3 members…….we now have more than 40 members on our gate list, and we DON’T recruit. Yes, we are THAT good.

A non-artist in family full of (lowbrow) artists

I cannot draw to save my life. Seriously, the best I can muster is stick figures. So how is it that I come from a family FULL of artists? Two of my nephews are artists and Tattoo artists and my husband does amazing kar kulture style hot rod art as well as building some amazing miniature cars out of styrene. So how did I come to be surrounded by artists? GOOD QUESTION.

My nephew, Zac, started drawing when he was about 4, I believe. I remember walking into my sister’s house and seeing him sitting at the coffee table in the living room with pencil and paper and in front of him was a soda cup from Little Caesar’s Pizza Pizza. As I looked over his shoulder to see what he was drawing I was shocked and amazed to see that he had drawn the Little Caesar’s mascot exactly as it appeared
on the cup, except twice as large. Then and there I knew he was talented. And that is when I made the commitment to ALWAYS encourage his art. From buying him drawing and painting supplies to paying for him to take extracurricular art classes. Even taking him to Renaissance Faire at the age of 10 expanded his artistic nature.



My nephew Rob also started drawing at a young age. He started tattooing at an early age
and thus Zac began his apprenticeship with his big brother at an early age. Both are now amazing artists and amazing tattooists.




Now I realize that many people see tattooing  “Lowbrow” art. But really, so what? Art is art. Ed “Big Daddy” Roth is considered lowbrow, Chris “Coop” Cooper is considered lowbrow as are Brandon Bond, Dave Mann, Frank Frazetta, Frank Miller, Joseph Barbera (of Hanna-Barbera), Tim Burton and virtually every comic book artist that has ever laid pen or pencil to paper. Lowbrow art is art for the people and lowbrow artists don’t have to wait until they are dead for people to appreciate their art.

I am incredibly proud of my nephews. They can take pencil and paper or tattoo machine and ink and create beauty or whimsy out of thin air using only their imaginations. This ability is something that should be encouraged wherever it is found and in whatever style it is found. Whether it is in the traditional arts such as drawing/painting, sculpting, photography, design or in the performing arts. In these days of budgets cuts when schools are cutting art and music classes I feel that it is the responsibility of everyone to make an effort to encourage children to draw, play, sculpt, design, sing, dance and act whenever and wherever they can. They are the future and a future without art is a very dismal future and one that makes me sad to even think about.

So how did I end up surrounded by artists? I have no idea, but I consider myself LUCKY.

Peace on earth.....

Good will to Man?

No thank you. I hate humans, Yes you read that right. I hate humans. Because really....all the problems that exist on this planet started with Humans. Bigotry, religion, racism, sexism, war, pollution, it all started with humans.

Think about it....you've never heard of a lion bombing a building in the name of "Their" god. Nor have you heard of a dog judging someone because of the color of their skin. You've never heard of an animal killing for the sport of it. Nope they kill to survive, it's called the food chain. There is nothing good or bad about it. It simply is.

However, then humans evolved...and as the human race evolved so did racism, bigotry, religion and hate. Pollution and overcrowding started to take hold....then wonders of wonders humans invented a way to travel into space.....now we have SPACE junk! WTF!?!?

So yes...I say, and will defend it, that the blame for all of the problems that exist in the world today can be laid squarely at the feet of "Humanity".

The single biggest enemy that the environment has today is HUMANS.

So as far as Peace on Earth (it will never happen as long as the human race as we know it exists) and good will to Man I say BITE ME!

"Designer" anything???

Ok....so I'm looking at an Ulta cosmetics ad and I see that they have Ed Hardy fragarence and makeup on sale. Really? Don Ed Hardy is a legend in the world of tattooing, but really do women want to SMELL like him? Is he really qualified to create a fragarence? Or did someone else create the fragarence and Ed Hardy simply put his name on it? Perhaps I am a purist or maybe you would call me a snob, but it saddens me to see a legend become a sell out. Now I could get behind a line of, perhaps clothing with Ed Hardy's art on it....after all he is an artist. But a PERFUME? Really?



Then there is the ENTIRE line of Von Dutch clothing and accressories. Yes Kenny Howard aka Von Dutch, was the best pinstriper that ever lived, yes he is a legend in the hot rod world, yes I have mad respect for what the man did, "brought pin-striping as a high art from motorcycles to automobile bodies". But who out there that is sporting any of the Von Dutch line really know anything about who the man was? It was his daughters that sold off the rights to his name and imagery simply for the cash after his death, which goes against EVERYTHING that he believed in. No, he really wasn't a likeable person, but he was an unbelieveably talented artist and I personally feel that selling off the rights to his name and imagery is not a good way to honor his artistry. Von Dutch helped change the world of car customizing right up there with Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. If you want to know more about who Von Ducth really was check out Kenny Howard | The Pinstriper Known as Von Dutch you WILL be surprised by it.

Now I am not against desinger fragarences or clothing or accessories. My favorite purse is a Mark Ecko Red purse that is decorated with Tattoo inspired art. I carry it ALL THE TIME! I have seen several other Mark Ecko purses that I would like to have but cannot currently afford. The difference here is that Mark Ecko is a designer. He did not start out as a car customizer or tattoo artist. His family did NOT sell off the rights to his name after his death. If fact he is still alive!

So, is there a point to this rant? Maybe, maybe not. But personally I would not wear something with a "designer name" just because it is trendy. I own no Ed Hardy anything and I would never own any Von Dutch clothing or accessories. (For Goddess sakes they make PINK Von Dutch trucker hats!! PINK!!! UGH!)
When you go to buy that Von Dutch hat or hoodie or shirt, stop and think, Von Dutch was an eccentric, not a particularly nice person and above all else an artist. Did you know ANY of that before you read this?

Before you buy that Ed Hardy perfume (or make up...yes there is a line of Ed Hardy make up too) stop and think...what do you know about the man? Did you know he was a pupil of Sailor Jerry? Hell did you know that Sailor Jerry is more than just a rum?

I am all for education. I beleve in educating myself about things and people before I choose to patronize or advertise for them....But that is just one woman's opinion.

Coincidence??? I think not Part II

Tune in this Friday Night (November 6, 2009) @ 10 pm on Animal planet to see what happens!!

Pit Bulls and Parolees

BTW That is Uggi kissing that guy's face in the trailer

End of the world in 2012?

Ok....so people keep saying that the Mayan calendar predicts that the world will end in 2012. Soooooo, if the Mayans were so accurate with predictions you would think that they would have seen their own extinction coming, right?

I think the lesson to be learned here is, to not depend on an extinct people if you want accurate predictions. Just sayin'.

Autumn is in the Air! WOO HOO!

Yesterday as I left the office to head home it hit me; the smell in the air, the quality of the light…Autumn is here! With Autumn comes Samhain (Halloween) and our neighbor’s big Halloween party. So seeing as the party is actually on the 31st this year I’ve decided that I want to take a traditional Pagan/Witch Samhain dish to the party.

Now what to take? So I Googled “Samhain Recipes” as my search results came up I noticed something..umm interesting, shall we say. The names that some of these people take for themselves! They go from the pretentious, Silver RavenWolf (a fairly well known, albeit “fluffy bunny”)author, to the downright silly, Lady Walking Turtle (as opposed to Flying Turtle??), Starfire(Teen Titans anyone?) , Amethyst (that’s not a name it’s a stone), StormWing (??), Moon Mistress (Frank Frazetta much? Mistress, Maid, whatever…it still feels Frazettaesqe), Star Breeze (umm….sorry no atmosphere in space so no breeze, Star).
Why do these Neo-Pagans feel the need to take on such pretentious, ridiculous names? Ok, I suppose if you are a business person that owns a non pagan business that you might not want your business associates/customers to know your religious beliefs…but, Griffyn Elvyncraft? REALLY?!? SERIOULSY? Dude, step away from the D & D manual!

Even more puzzling to me is the fact that they take the “choosing of a Wiccan/Pagan” name so seriously. I’ve been a Witch (not Wiccan a Witch) all of my life (or at least for as long as I can remember) and while I will admit I am known by many names … Mistaya (Bear), Nyx, Lucifair, Strabo, and Violence (online on the “gothic side” of the web), Rhiannon M. Boyle (at Ren and Pirate Faire), Vi Suvius (in the Roller Derby World) and finally, Yvette, which is my real name. I have never felt the need to give myself a Witch name. Dear Goddess I cannot imagine adding yet another name to the list of ones I already have!

I have noticed that many that have felt the need for a Wiccan/Pagan name are what I call “short timers”. Those that have been part of the Craft for less than say 20 years OR that have come to Paganism from another religion (usually one of the Christian based factions). I suppose that they feel a need to break away from what they once were…or they just fall in and get advice from what I and others call the “Fluffy bunny” factions of Paganism. “Fluffy Bunnies” are followers of Wicca that will tell you that they are “White Witches” or that they are “Wiccan” NOT Witches. The ones that still believe you MUST HAVE special tools and special places to do any type of ritual or spell work Of course if they say that they are “Wiccan NOT Witches” then they probably don’t do any spell work to begin with.

I want to now address these things. First of all “fluffy bunnies” - “White” Witches; do not exist. A truly “White” Witch would be forbidden from doing anything to protect themselves from attack, whether psychic or physical. Magick is not black OR white it is both. What determines how it is used is the person using it. If they are doing it to help or hurt. It is all about focus and intent. But I digress, this is not meant to be a lesson (I suck as a teacher, regardless of what the Grandfathers think).

Now for the Wiccans that aren’t Witches. If you have chosen an alternative religion but are not fully utilizing the teachings of said alternative religion…..then why bother? Seems to me it’s a lot of work for nothing.

As for needing special tools and a special place for ritual or spell work. Well what can I say, I’ve been doing this all my life (about 49 years now) so I can pretty much use anything and be anywhere and still cast an effective spell (even when I’m not trying). Oh don’t get me wrong…I do have my “altar” but I will still use whatever knife I have handy for cutting herbs (most times I’ll just break them off by hand) and my mini-cauldron incense burner is pretty much an all purpose tool at this point. Perhaps this knowledge will only come with time for the Fluffy Bunnies and the “Non Witch” Wiccans.

So Happy Autumn everyone – get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather. And Happy Samhain/Halloween!

Now, I will sign this in the tradition of the short timers and fluffy bunnies of the world.

Merry Meet and Merry Part,
Lady Mistaya Nyx Lucifair Strabo Violence Rhiannon Vi M. Bear-Boyle-Suvius
(LOL) Thanks for reading my latest rant! ;D