Ministry of Magic

Man, the Ministry of Magic is teasing us terribly. They're putting out all these great new tracks that are going to be on their next album but which are, of course, not downloadable. I am SO getting the album when it comes out.

Go to their MySpace page (link above) and give a listen to "Old Enough to Die" and you'll probably come to the same conclusion. Aren't you glad you got "The Triwizard Champion" album? And if you haven't yet, what are you waiting for? Buy it from them directly or mosey on over to iTunes and get it as a download.

Today's Wizard Rock offering

The Curse Breakers have a new song up, "Erised" which you can purchase there through Snocap for 99 cents. Jessie's voice is as lovely as ever.

As always, for my own curiosity, please comment if you listen and like.

March Madness: The month of March includes

Six medical appointments.

Three Girl Scout special events (nope, turns out, just two. The Girl Scout Encampment is in April, not March). Am not sure whether the two regular Girl Scout meetings will be cancelled or held as usual.

Karate portraits.

Fiona's birthday (must get her birthday portrait taken).

Delia's four day class trip. (Get paperwork signed by doctor and turned into school)

Planning meeting for Fiona's Mexico mission trip (get paperwork signed and notarized).

Fiona's Mexico mission trip.

Peg's personal retreat.

Belt test pictures taken at two different dojos on two different dates.

Minicon.

Forty-four karate classes, if we went to every one (we won't).

Ten sessions of cleaning the dojo, split between Rob and me. (Between the karate classes and cleaning the dojo, someone from my family is at the dojo every day of the week.)

Delia's first black belt pre-screening.

A church council meeting that Peg won't be able to attend.

A church education group work meeting that Peg also won't be able to attend.

Lenten Souper suppers, followed by confirmation class. Fiona has been cutting these to go to black belt class. I may stay for a few, since they're following a parent/child format for a series called "Parenting Your Teenager."

Easter. We'll be at Minicon instead.

A school parent meeting.

Oh yeah, and we have day jobs in there, somewhere.

My calendar is a mess.

Personal retreat

I am going to go on a personal retreat the week after next. I will be driving to St. Benedict's Monastery (run by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict) in St. Joseph. I get a private room and three meals a day for $45 a day, which is within my budget. I can walk the grounds (they have a prayer labyrinth). I can request a massage, if I like. I can join the sisters as they follow the office of the hours of prayer. I can choose to eat in the dining room in a room set aside for those who wish to eat in silence. I can request spiritual counseling, if I like.

I plan to pack as simply as possible. Walking shoes. Blank journal. I would like to bring my yoga mat--if there isn't someone giving a class nearby, I could run a yoga dvd on my laptop. If I bring the laptop (only for the Yoga DVDs, not to check email or anything); am not sure if I will. I don't plan to listen to my iPod while there, although I reserve the right to listen to it in the car. I'll bring the prayer shawl my mother knit for me. I plan to bring a huge pad of tear off sheets of paper and drawing pens for brainstorming. Perhaps collaging materials. I may bring a couple of carefully chosen books--not for entertainment purposes, but for study on some subjects which need to be carefully considered.

What have you done on a personal retreat? Suggestions (with the understanding that, of course, I can make different decisions than you might?) What have you brought with you?

Since knitmeapony asked: Here's my ribbon coat

Click on each picture to see them close up. This coat is made by starting with a pretty standard plain denim jacket from The Gap and sewing antique ribbons all over it, along with other findings: buttons, hanging beaded tassels at the shoulders, patches, etc. (kijjohnson was the one who taught me how to do this). I have been working on this jacket for a number of years, but I still have more ribbons to add. It always garners admiring glances whenever I wear it.

Ribbon Coat: Front

Ribbon Coat: Front Detail

Ribbon coat front

Ribbon Coat: Back The ribbon on the top of the center back has not yet been sewn on.

Ribbon Coat: Back detail With a close up of an antique French ribbon made from a copy of a portion of the Bayeux tapestry.