Life is a strange cycle

A path home.

I've been examining my life quite a bit lately. It started when I decided to take a Comparative Religion class online. It's quite an inclusive lesson plan and I'm on week 7. So far I've read several books about different religions: Bhagavad Gita, The Vedas, Tao Te Ching, The Golden Bough, and KJV Bible. I'm super grateful for eBooks!

 That's not all of the required reading and I still have several more books to go, but it's really helping me see the similarities, as well as the differences, between religions. From what I've read they all want us to treat each other kindly, defend and uplift the weak, be honest, to give proper veneration to Diety/s, and to basically not be dicks. They just use different words and terms to teach us that. I can't wait to read more.
 It's also made me take a hard and long look at my own spirituality, especially reading the KJV. I hadn't read it through since I was a tween and it brought back a lot of memories. I used to love reading it to my frog when I was young and I swear he would pay attention. It was my favorite book in the world and I just about destroyed it through use. When I was 12 it was taken away from me because I had odd views and they weren't understood. They still aren't understood by most.
 I believe that God is female and male, and I prefer the female. I see Her as a loving yet stern mother who is always there for you to talk to, but she expects you to clean up your own mess. If you ask for help She'll give it, but it's often not what you had in mind. I also see Jesus as more of a brother and teacher than a savior. I believe he lived and died for us, but if we don't learn anything form his lessons then it was pointless. He showed the way, but it's up to us to walk the path. Not a popular views to say the least and I got into all sorts of trouble proving it until they took my Bible away. I was quite the annoyance.

I've always had trouble keeping my beak shut.

My life since then has been a Comparative Religion class in and of itself, I just never realized it until I started taking an actual class. I've sat with Buddhists and attended Druid groves. I've gone to Circle meetings with Wiccans and attended Catholic mass. To say I've jumped and journeyed would be a gross understatement.
 Reading the KJV Bible on my phone felt like a strange sort homecoming. If it had never been taken from me I would have never gone exploring. If I hadn't gone exploring I wouldn't be who I am. In a way I'm grateful they took my Bible away now, it gave me the chance to return to Her even though I never really left, I just called Her different names.
I ordered myself a paper Bible. It's the ESV translation and I can't wait to feel the thin paper under my fingers as I read it aloud to my zoo.
If you want to read some of the best poetry though you have to read the The Vedas. The Norsemen really knew how to write!

Rainbows are cool!

I went to my first company meeting on Monday

On Monday we took a field trip to Phoenix for the yearly company meeting. It was a lot of fun and I got to finally meet our web designer. I've been bothering that poor man about a site he's building for one of my clients and it was great to put a face to a name. He was super nice and friendly and I learned a lot from him. I also got to meet the entire Phoenix office and that was great. They seem like a nice bunch, but I'm happy with my office. They even served food so no one went hungry! We're going to be doing a lot of new things in the new year. I'm most excited about the giving back aspect. Each office is encouraged to go out into the community and volunteer. That is going to be a ton of fun and I hope my vote for the Humane Society gets the nod. It's going to be an exciting year!

Who could resist?

On a more irritating note I just got a letter from the IRS. They're disputing my tax return for 2012 and want $1600. I know I put everything in it correctly from my salon, maybe they're not letting me use the nearly $1000 a month rent as a business expense or something.  I'll have to call them tomorrow and find out. Every time I think I'm past the whole salon issue and have finally put it behind me something comes up. If I owe it I will pay it though. I hope they take payments! Then it will be over I hope! The past really does haunt you!

It's coming for me aahhhhh...

I hope you had a GREAT holiday season!

Sorry I skipped a ton of time here! I looked up on New Years Day and went oops! I now have an alarm set to go off on Wednesdays to remind me to post here and on a new blog I just started today Betty's Tarot. I just posted the first one over there and I plan to post to both every week. It's going to be the companion blog to my website sliversofmagick.com. We should have that up and running fully in a couple of days. I never would have guessed how much fun it was to build! I plan to sell card readings there and eventually (once I make more) some of my jewelry. I came up with this idea because I want to make money doing something I love that will actually help people. Something that doesn't involve healthcare.
My sales job is going good, I've have 8 clients and I really like them. I've learned a lot and really love being in sales.  I'm looking forward to getting even more clients this year, but it doesn't pay the bills yet and it won't for a while. I'm probably a bit too picky about who I'll take on, but I don't want to work with butt heads. I had enough of that when I worked as a stylist for CC. I'm still painting and attempting to draw, but I've only sold 4 paintings and I need to clean out my closet before the canvases eat me!
This will be an exciting new adventure in familiar territory for me! If you want to join me please do, and if you don't that's fine too. I plan to keep this blog for my personal life and work stuff.
Thanks!
 Betty

This is what happens when you forget the milk in the batter. 

I got this great cupcake maker for Christmas. It came with recipes to make my own Hostess Cupcakes! I tried to use it and the first batch bubbled out like swamp slime. They still tasted great though! How did you Christmases go?