HELLO WITCHES




In making space for my collection, I found a jewel in peaceful slumber. The past has been unearthed and I hold in my hands the testimony of a fast rise. This is the deck of cards that was the right hand of a Holy Trinity, my first three decks: Faeries Oracle, Voyager Tarot and Vertigo Tarot. Wow! I ran my fingers through the feathered edges in delight. This first edition out of print deck is a legend!
Just look at all these Major Arcana cards... There is little I can control and Wheel of Fortune agrees. I am not going to resist. I am going to throw caution to the wind and get immersed in a world of beauty, of wishes and of the reassurance that I can do whatever it is that I need to do on time. Yes!

Cycles are present throughout the spread in the face of the Sun, the Moon and the Wheel of Fortune. Situations rearrange and accommodated to better suit the transient feeling of the seasonal changes. There are changes going on all round, but most importantly, there are changes going on within. There are hopes, dreams and wishes to see through.

Last week's reading had a very different energy to it. It wasn't as synchronized as this one, and felt at odd times as if the manifestations were jutting out. Crooked. It was a funky week to experience, and as we bid it farewell, we thank it for its lessons. A whole new week is starting up, though, so let's get ready to do it over!

WEEKLY PROJECTIONS:


 Monday. Hermit. This one was my most frequent card back in the day and I'm not surprised it is the first one that comes up. I started using this deck at a time in which I felt very disconnected from other people. I even had social anxiety that took four years to cure! Going out every day posed a problem because it meant I would have to face people to do things; that's just how the campus is at Ringling College. Everything is done face to face with a few things done online. At least that's the way it was my freshman year of college. This card is where the not-so internal joke that I am a hermit crab surfaced from. Funny!


The Hermit shuts out worldly distractions and noise to seek the answers within. It is also the quest to nurture the higher self in order to be able to heal others, which is very appropriate for the time. Seeking answers, seeking new truths in order to become a stronger person. The not so glamorous side of it is that the Hermit feels estranged from others. In feeling like an outcast, we can retreat into ourselves. That's not exactly healthy, but it is the way that things used to be. I still uphold the essence of this card today.

Tuesday. Sun. You are allowed your day in the Sun, you are allowed to be happy. This is light that brings with it joy and desire to do something. When things go the way you would like for them to, you soar. Nothing feels impossible, you feel you can do anything. All the goodness in the world is offered to you, as well as lavish amenities to make up for anything you could have lacked before. Things are good, and in your contagious spirit, you may inspire others to feel the same. Rejoice! Come together. There is no better time than now.

Wednesday. Moon. Hello, signifier. Hello, comfort! This room is absolutely romantic. It depicts soulmates, romance, illusions and the madness that comes with night time adventure. The world of the night is colder and more quiet than that of the day, but to me it is also so, so much more interesting. It's lovely. Don't you just love diving into a dream, taking flight and soaring once more, this time through all of the things you would like? Oh, yes. Absolutely divine!

The Moon symbolizes the law of cycles. The changes are gentle and conservative, but evolutionary and create inherent new beginnings. Delusions of romance can strike and so can emotional attachments that never go anywhere, so you will have to feel out the truth. Awaken the awareness of your subconscious motivations and drives. Look into past lives and how they affect you now. You need to be careful because you could be led into emotional instability. Your feelings may seem out of control. You could even have moments of lunacy.


Thursday. Star. Lovely. See, she floats in the void and encounters many things that are divine. This poses inspiration and beauty that is not of our world, broadens our imagination and gives us wonderful memories to go by. It's luminous, it's beautiful also. It's easy to feel like the center of everything. You are seen as a star by others in acknowledging your own star quality. Standing in the star shower, receive information from the heavens. Your head is in the stars. Follow thoughts that are lofty, imaginative, progressive, and inspiring. Draw from the waters of inspiration and believe in the beauty you create. In not seeing your beauty, your starlight is distant and cold. You would be spaced out, too far removed from your light to help yourself and others.

Friday. Wheel of Fortune. Those rings are familiar, I have seen them before in an impressive vision. Cycles are once more present here as they have been before. They eclipse one another and align in a dissonant way. You benefit from knowing how to receive the wealth of opportunities that come as if by luck. They are completely unexpected, but no less desired. Turn things around and find yourself surprised by how well things turn out when you are optimistic. Be agile, flexible and alert... but most importantly, be ready to move.

Saturday. Nine of Coins. All the wealth you have sought is provided to you. Things are in abundance, things are ready for the taking and you should not hesitate. You should feel wealthy and bountiful with all that you have offered to you. There is so, so much and it is a product of your hard work. You've got enough and you've done enough, gather it together, package it and take it to the market place. Believe in the value of what you have produced. Harvest some of these provisions for when you need them later, for inactive periods and winters of austerity.



Sunday. Eight of Coins. This is, oddly enough, the step that comes before completion and it is in a sense a backpedal. This looks like a Topsy-turvy scene out of Lewis Carol's Alice in Wonderland. Everything changes constantly. Adapt to a new reality, conform to the present situation. Be malleable and adapt to the changing circumstances and realities. At times life seems like a mismatching puzzle, but it's up to us to put the pieces together and make sense of where everything is supposed to go. If we're not ready to take the challenge on, we remain in stagnant comfort zones and don't really go anywhere.

What to avoid. Justice. Ouch. There is not so much room to move here. Only the right way takes us through, and doubt makes us stumble. Tests like these require elegance and grace. For every action, there is an equal reaction. Every change creates new balance-imbalance. Keep a flexible mind capable of adapting. Adapt to changes gracefully. Be both analytical and creative, mathematical and poetic, intellectual and dreamy, decisive and reflective. Look at a situation from all sides. Be fair to yourself and to others as well. Be suspended in time and space, and find therein the answers you seek.

♡ What to strive for. King of Wands.
Oh, my. This card is the staple of the opposition to Justice. He is passionate and he pushes through without second thought. He does as he likes and he makes a show of it. A spectacle for everyone to see. He is full of life and desire to make things meaningful... he's definitely not your average Joe. Your masks and costumes work differ in the situations you're in. Embody different personalities. Be spontaneous with the possibilities and surprise yourself with how much you enjoy doing things differently. Be creative and spark some passion with it.

Many of these were paraphrased using the Voyager Tarot handbook.
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ABYSSAL TAROT



I am mesmerized by this brand new acquisition to my collection. It is perhaps the one that resonates with me the most because of its artistic qualities. It feels like a venture within dreams, dreams that are contained in jars or some sort of ethereal body of water. This is the place where everything happens in slow motion. Even suspended in time, there is a great connection amongst them. We owe this to the stylistic approach, which is executed flawlessly by Shelly Corbett. Out of 1,000 limited edition copies, I own #319. This is a first edition.

This is perhaps to be dubbed a sister tarot deck to Vertigo. The cards are much larger than standard and the stock is not meant to stand up to long years of use. Honestly, they thought more about the picture quality, which is of course flawless. The colors really pop and the cards are large enough to invite you inside for an enlightening conversation with the ethereal figures that lie inside.





I'm going to allow these beautiful cards to speak for themselves.

ABYSSAL TAROT INTERVIEW:

What is your most important characteristic?
Two of Swords.
The two women are in combat, but they reach a point in which they can look at each other in the eyes. Just for this moment, time stills and they can both think. It is a draw, a balance that will be broken once they start to move again. The next action should be thought out carefully, because it could very well be their last.

Mild Whisper. This deck speaks in whispers. It is not quiet but it isn't loud either, and the tone is distinctly female.

What are your strengths as a tarot deck?
Empress. This card seconds that notion. See, this ethereal beauty floats through time and space and reflects her beauty around her. She is compassionate and she is a lady, which is just the right tone for a healer. There is much beauty in this deck, both sweet and seductive. The Empress embodies that.

Blue Autumn Glory.
The keywords describe my favorite my favorite season paired with an unlikely color, but still shows the delicate beauty of the Empress.

What are your limits?
High Priestess. She floats between time and space, between light and dark, what we know and what we will never know. She knows it all, she is enlightened but she can't show you everything. You must understand that it is up to you to learn the lessons she can see from experience, otherwise you will not know how it feels or learn from it. Her knowledge is so high that a price cannot be put on it. It is invaluable, and meeting her alone can change your life. Her visions are vivid, they take her to another world. You haven't ever dreamed of a place like this.

Veiled. There are secrets that she knows but cannot share. Bow your head instead and pay respects to her.


What are you here to teach me?
The Lovers. Love makes us vulnerable. We can surrender to it and allow for it to take us where we need to go, but we won't know where it is that we are being taken. We take a chance when we fall in love with our surroundings, and then we find that however dark it goes, we still need to face it. What lurks in the shadow? Are there good intentions hidden in the dark, where we can't see them? Can we trust our better half? Where is divinity? Up above, but we don't feel it when we are submerged in the darkness of doubt. That's deep!

Buttery Violins. Is that what life feels like when you're in love? There is music everywhere, blending harmoniously in the background of your perfectly cinematic life. You probably don't even notice it, but you dance to it's rhythm and surrender yourself to its beauty.

How can I best learn to collaborate with you?
Hanged Man. This Hanged Man isn't hanging! Well, he is hanging out. His gaze is pensive, as if he just went through something upsetting and he is letting his thoughts settle. He is submerged in the darkness and finding clarity within himself, but I wonder if it brings him any solace. It must, right? He does seem peaceful as he floats here, probably because he finds that the best thing to do is to rely on himself. I looked into the booklet and found something possibly enlightening; the crown of his head touches the surface and rises above the water. Even though he is submerged, his mind is in a higher place. This really makes the card for me. He finds enlightenment in solitude.

Mock Supplicant.

What is the potential outcome of our working relationship?
The Star. Beautiful! Well, beauty. It suggests working alone and discovering the brilliance of light that is offered in this 78 page interchangeable book. She bathes in the waters of inspiration and enlightenment, and invites us to do the same. Nude and vulnerable under the light, exactly as we will be when judgment is passed upon us. This is an achievement.

Agnes. Means purity or light. Bathing in water under the moon can be a purification ritual. It could also be a baptism for a newborn or the welcoming of somebody torn into a new life. It symbolizes redemption, enlightenment and inspiration.


Which card do you want to show off?
Judgment. Creepy... Anyway; the booklet states that it doesn't matter what your social status is, because in the end, it's all the same. You will be judged and your material benefits or mundane influences won't help you now. This deck drills into the soul, your naked essence. There will be no additions, no accessories and no pardon slips to exchange with the judge. Oh no, you're on your own, and you are weighing your sins against one another to see if you find redemption.

Rustle of the Sea. It's all cyclical. Sometimes the crash is stronger than others, but it's mostly the same.

How do you see me?
Six of Cups. A child in rememberance. There are streaks of color filtering through the environment. They are picked up by the senses as secret combinations that unlock part of the banks of our memory. Thoughts that otherwise lay dormant and forgotten are now breathed life into, given the color of light to remind us where we come from. Who would have thought that in such a desolate place lies an answer so powerful? Keep remembering, do so gracefully and accept that nothing is as it used to me.

Wish to Tell. Disposition to help others. Wanting to share an outer body experience with others who are not prepared to listen. Facing the music, and the fact that it's time to move on.

How do you see yourself?
Four of Cups. Pausing to smell it, or turning your face away from the intoxicating scent? She feels dizzy, the wafting aroma overpowers her senses and causes her to faint. This deck is beautiful but it can be deadly, it can be poison if you're not ready. I dare say that it packs a mean punch. It'll knock you off your feet.

Absolutely Modern. Yes, yes it is.



How surprising! Just look at all the Major Arcana cards present in this spread. Those are big shoes for a new deck to fill, but see — it does so flawlessly. I find these cards entrancing and a little dangerous, but I will be happy to work with them in conjunction with other decks. I feel like as a single unit, these cards can be overwhelming. Yes, they are beautiful but they also hold a dark nature to them that can be unsettling in a time of need. I am happy I bought this tarot deck!
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HELLO WITCHES




Last week was wonderful, but it did start out the other way. We were scared, at a certain point in time we were once more shut out in the dark. It isn't easy when all odds are against you. When everything feels as if it's going wrong, it's easy to lose hope. It's easy to want to give up. However, there is satisfaction in knowing that you made it through, even if it required a sacrifice. Give yourself a pat in the back and get ready to celebrate!

Once things started to run, everything felt smooth and in place. I felt a great deal of relief, it is as if you are given your life back. Thankfully it was only taken away for a little while. In knowing this is a transient stage, I feel much more at peace and so do those around me.

This week is ruled by four Major Arcana cards, one court card and opposing scenarios. The energy is erratic, as if it is pulled out of its usual container, shuffled around and then placed back inside, but in a different order. The predominant colors are muted; grey prevails over green, red falls into an accent color. It suits the current weather in Puerto Rico. The mood, however, is not as uniform. It is highly contrasted, light vs. dark in an alternate matter.

WEEKLY PROJECTIONS:

Monday. The Tower. This card is erratic. I feel from it that we get shaken up from [un]natural circumstances. There is a person falling that seems to have jumped from the window, but honestly also seems to have been dropped from the angel. The people outside seem offended and even in anguish from what they see happening up above. This isn’t by any means a happy scene, it points to a riveting reality that can be haunting and difficult to deal with. Whatever stability or foundation we have could be shaken up today, so be open and ready to deal with the shift when it starts. Even the strongest foundation can fall to the ground, and it will have an impact no matter how prepared or not we are for it.

Tuesday. The Hermit. Seeking guidance outside of that world being shaken up. Time passes and we may not have a notion that it is passing. We are immersed in our world, cut off and away from our usual routine. However, we are so present in our current reality that we don’t care. What we are doing in that moment is more important and will lead to finding answers. There will be encounters along the way and will help us find more details to what we are missing. Seek the light and don’t give up until you come out the other way. It’s okay if you don’t keep in touch with those close to you as you used to. Go your own way.

Wednesday. Three of Cups. Rejoice! We’re getting back together in a merry note. This is very clearly reconciliation with the outside world. Getting back in touch with the senses, with routine and with social circles that have previously been ignored or not as in touch as you’re used to. Come back together.

Alternatively, this poses an interesting situation. We see two men passing by three women in celebration. They are onlookers and possibly future suitors. There are more than enough girls to go around, but somehow, this seems like the setup of a love triangle. It can get messy if we’re not careful. Although now that I think about it, this could be one crazy party.



Thursday. Four of Swords. Temporary rest. Are we all partied out now? It looks like sickness, reminds me of the hospital or of the need to rest before things pick back up again. We see three swords on the wall and one conveniently placed near the one at rest. The window is to the outside world, but is ignored for now. This person is not yet ready to return to daily life.

Friday. Knight of Swords. Going too fast and problems that arise when we do. This isn’t a good sign, rather, a warning not to move too impulsively. If we are in need of rest, why do we go against our instructions? Why do we grow defiant even though we are not in optimal shape? No. That’s not okay.

In this case it’s definitely my Mom trying to be Wonder Woman. She will take this on as a challenge rather than listen to what her Doctor said. She has been advised many times, but she still has her own opinion about the situation. Well… how can anyone convince her otherwise? Her mind is set on getting better fast. It just doesn’t work that way.

Saturday. Temperance. Learning to take things slow. This card is of divine alchemy; learning how to mix up different elements to make something rare without necessarily having a chemical or physical reaction in the process. The chemical/physical reactions will come as a product. Perhaps it is medicine or patience in combination to bring us into a peaceful state of mind, or a peaceful circumstance. This angel stands by a stream of irises and gentle green hills. You can spot a mallard duck peacefully swimming. A peaceful environment can be of immense help if we are in the right mindset for it.



Sunday. Seven of Wands. This man has courage to stand above the problems as they are all speared towards him. He isn’t standing on the most stable ground, but at least he has the leverage he needs over the trouble. He is resolute to come out of this the victor, and lucky for him, he’s the one on top. The sky is clear and so the space feels free enough to move around as we need. However, we shouldn’t go too far, because the obstacles will follow us there as well. If we take care of daunting tasks now, we won’t have to deal with them later when we are occupied.

What to avoid. Four of Cups. Solace comes when we least expect it, but sometimes it doesn’t come at all. We should not sit to wallow on our feelings, our losses or things that we lack. And we should also not expect for there always to be a proposal in our advantage. Let’s face it, we’re not always #1. We’re not always winners. We are not the center of the universe, even if each person is a microcosm. If we want things to happen, we have to do something about it. Let’s not sit and day dream about how things could be. We could be out there instead doing something about it and making it happen.

What to strive for. The Lovers. Seek company, seek a connection and understanding. Be open to relationships and support that comes in finding companionship in somebody else. The two lovers stand face to face with an angel hovering over them. The angel gives them his blessing, reminding them that there are divine influences that matter more than the mundane situations they may be facing. There is a great deal of work to be done, but it’s so much better when you have support. Watch out for third people trying to find their way in. This presents temptation and could disrupt that balance of the two that are joined together under divine eyes.

With so much back and forth, this week shows little to no personal time! Let's welcome the week with a happy smile and the disposition to do as we must.
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MY PHONE

A great deal of the appeal to the Android platform is how customizable it is. Back in 2010, I was amongst the crowd that loves Apple but doesn't identify with the iPhone. [And I still am.] The iMac works wonders, but the interface of the iPhone isn't ideal for my uses. I have to admit they run real smooth, but that's not enough to win me over. I like to have control over user interfaces.
When I first started using Android, it was through the Motorola Cliq XT. I loved almost everything about it, although I did wish that I still have my qwerty keypad. It had a fancy LED light that made up for the lack thereof, though. It was later traded away for the ability to have a pink keyboard. I know— total sellout!

This post is for all you keitai lovers and phone freaks out there. While my phone is not straight out of Soft Bank, it still has some appealing features I would like to share with you.

MY PHONE:
The first thing you see is the Ashley Wood lock screen. This is my favorite illustration by him, and it makes me happy to see it daily. When you slide the phone open, you get a live wallpaper with a bridge, passing clouds and the full moon. There are two rows of main menu icons, five scrolling screens of application and an application drawer that is easily accessed through the star button. It's an eternal work in progress, although yesterday I rearranged many elements to make room for the Hello Kitty diary widget. It gives me a quick look into my decorated calendar. Love it!






HELLO KITTY DIARY:
My favorite find of the month includes a decora style day planner and diary. I like that you can keep your own private diary entries separate from the other calendar. You have a monthly, weekly and daily view and you can also set certain events to repeat each year. I really like that you can decorate the monthly view with stickers. This is something we used to do feverishly in high school, and that I still do today in my current day planner.

The user interface is busy and girly, but it is highly functional. It even has a password lock to keep unwanted visitors from looking into your plans and your secrets. I only wish they had more stickers to put on the calendar, but I guess that means I need to get creative with how I apply them.







LINE:
This is another recent addition to my phone, which poses as a bit of a threat to my spare time. It is an application for free calls and messages that allows you to have your own customizable avatar and timeline. It mixes together games like Ragnarok Online and Gaia Online with the social network of Facebook into a simple and more intimate experience. It looks like a great way to stay in touch with people without giving them your phone number, which is something that applications such as WhatsApp and Kik are striving to do.

I especially like the mini games and the diary. It is like a Facebook timeline because you can share and like photos, but the plus side is that you can do it with less prying eyes. While there may be a lot of strangers looking at your entries, if you are smart about it, they won't be able to find you elsewhere. I think that it's nice for sharing with a select group of close friends. You can share the best parts of your life without being too overt on the internet.






I admit to being a feverish diarist. That's not a surprise, but I hope my love for diary-keeping is contagious.
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HELLO WITCHES





Last week was interesting. The cards manifested beautifully, showing Two of Swords as a brief moment’s hesitance when purchasing a new computer. The Devil was about a situation I had no say in, but still had to deal with. Knight of Swords was an impending operation again that did not happen because we toughed it out. All in all, I am quite pleased with how the week turned out.

The fives bring an element of unbalance to a week that otherwise seems pretty healthy. They sit side to side like the terrible twos, projecting for two troublesome days. It doesn’t help that they magnify by the Moon card next to them. The Moon is in turn affected by the High Priestess, who looks to the Wheel of Fortune. With so many Major Arcana cards this week, there is a lot to look out for. I think that with so much magic implied in these cards, it’ll be a good period to cleanse cards and break open the grimoire.

Nothing is as it seems this week. Things believed to be true may turn out to be false, and whose fault is that? Should we punish ourselves for being gullible? It isn’t a notion too complicated to understand; when we are dazzled, we let our guards down and end up getting taken for granted or used. The important part is to get back up, wipe the trails of tears from our faces, straighten up our threads, and keep walking. There is power in acceptance and there is maturity in being able to face it. Yes, it was lovely while it lasted, but what makes us think that dreams last forever? No, come back to Earth. Dreams are fleeting unless you document them. If you don’t take care to preserve a memory, it is gone before you can even realize it.

These musings are inspired by the narrative quality of the spread. It will be lovely to return a week from now and assess just how skewed or on point it may be.


Monday. Six of Wands. The start of the week gets off on the right foot. The soldiers return from war with their colors held high, their pride in the right place and with evident smiles in their faces. The worst is over and now it’s time to celebrate. Spirits are high when a big obstacle is overcome, and on that note it seems that will be the last of the trouble for a little while. Now it’s time to move forward with plans and with ideas for what comes next. We did it!

Tuesday. Five of Wands. Or did we? Strife breaks out once more when there are agendas at play. Don’t play versus someone else’s agenda, you’ll find yourself confronting not just them, but the people that back them up. After such a celebratory note, falling back into the roller coaster of uncertainty would be a bit much. There is always a winner and a loser in a confrontation, but pick the battles that are worth fighting. Ignore the rest, and don’t be an instigator.

Wednesday. Five of Coins. Look at that dark environment. It is the same as that of the hospital; stained glass windows, dim light, a feeling of sterility and sickness wafts through the air. There is a hint of putrefaction, of decay and of bleach everywhere you go. It feels like the place you come to for comfort only to leave feeling downtrodden. It’s a tough place to be in, and one you tire of. Watch those expenses, the hospital sucks them up. Focus on work even if you’re tired and see this day through.



Thursday. The Moon. With such beauty, she shines. I love this Moon card. It embodies the perfect psychic sense of intuition that you don’t need to tap into — you harness it, you embody it and you go with it. You grow with it. You relish the feeling, the gift and the understanding that comes from it. That’s how you grow. That’s how you learn This is a soothing presence in my spread because it embodies something familiar: psychic sense of intuition, illusion, dreams, night time, stars, astrology, love, soul mates. It is everything that I like and everything I enjoy put together in one card. Madness ensues.

Friday. High Priestess. See, she sits on her throne with her book. It contains all her secrets that she knows you want to know, but is not yet willing to reveal to you. Her expression is that of someone who knows, possibly without having had the experience. She just knows how it goes. It is a sign that even when we are aware of something, we should keep quiet. There is no need to disrupt the rhythm life is flowing in, and there is an advantage to knowing. Yes, I know your secret. No, I won’t tell you that I do.

Saturday. Wheel of Fortune. Things change, they do so outside of our comfort zone and then we find ourselves in the vortex. Where do we get pulled off to next? As one cycle comes to a close, which one starts? It’s a balance, one end for a new beginning. A sacrifice for a chance. A tear for a smile. It spins, we get pulled along. Sometimes we come out on top, other times we find ourselves scraping our shame from the floor. Will we drag over it or will we rise? That is for time to reveal.



Sunday. Knight of Coins. He looks like he comes from a far place. In his travels, he has met with interesting people. He has had wine with the finest, drank ale with the dirtiest. As he returns, he bears a gift, a token to remember him by. He is never quite the same whenever you meet with him next, but he still keeps something that remains essentially the same. As a messenger, his gift is the message that he carries for you. What did he bring this time? Enjoy.

What to avoid. The Magician. As above, so below. Don’t fall for illusions, don’t fall for tricks. The sweet talker is lying. Protection comes from an unlikely place. Illusions are wonderful while they last, but once they conclude, you will find you are missing something you once had. If you got pulled into someone’s magical world, be prepared to make your way back out alone. It was never real to begin with. We learn the hard way how to tell lies from truth. It’s okay, you fell for it. How are you going to get back out, though?

What to strive for. The Hanged Man. He hangs with disinterest in the world around him. He can’t enjoy nature’s beauty when he is up-side-down and the blood is rushing to his head. He isn’t dressed appropriately but he doesn’t care, look at the position he is in. He turns his face from the viewer to show he’s not interested in paying attention. How does the world look from his view? What is he sacrificing in order to gain a new understanding of his surroundings?

The secret recipe to get through the week seems to be to remain idle. Don’t take the initiative; don’t start something you’re not even sure that you can finish. Take it as it comes, but rest first so that you will be in the right mentality when it does. Even though the guy in the cards is not in the most comfortable position, he remains calm and he can think about a quick way out of the tight spot he’s in. It’s all about how we work with the circumstances we’re in; this week I am to be dormant.
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