There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.--Oscar Wilde

Complete silence for the past 3 hours. Only now the sounds of a fan, of the crickets outside, and of the air brushing through the palm fronds. I am concentrating on these lovely things rather than the occasional machine noise of cars passing by. The night air is merciful. Finally, thankfully becoming cool. The lights of the city are twinkling in the distance of my picture window--past the inky silhouettes of palm trees against a violet night sky. I've always felt a calm looking at city lights in the distance--wherever I am. And such excitement at seeing the lights of a city upon approach. My mother often comments that I felt or acted this way even as a tiny toddler. Perhaps it was growing up in a small town with a bit of wanderlust in my being (I think inherited perhaps from my maternal grandmother's mother). The tiny city lights in the distance take me back to those quiet childhood moments sitting alone in the living room in the dark gazing at the simple beauty of the lights on our Christmas tree.
Through the weekend I've stolen time to read a bit of Oscar....my romanticized, idealized, glass-half-full take on him. Feeling close to Wilde--a fellow Libra. And some shared Irish blood. A lover, not a fighter. An observer. Perhaps bit naive in some respects. A dreamer. An admirer of the gift and beauty of nature. For better or worse though these characteristics may be in certain contexts or situations, I feel overall its these very parts of a being that keep our souls young and in tune with the earth, the moon, the sun and the stars. These qualities give us sympathy, understanding and forgiveness of other humans and keep our eyes wide open to all that can be possible.....
Some particular quotes today I am feeling in tune with....
"Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are cultivated. For these there is hope...."

I love that he was so much of a lover of nature....aren't you there with him right now?:
"The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac; or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn."

And well, I do quite like this one..... ;)
"I prefer women with a past. They're always so damned amusing to talk to."

first time

so the moon was right for this. i had been saying for 2 weeks i was going to start a blog or website about my dog and her adventures. but i decided to do this instead. she'll have a starring role, of course.

i went with this name incorporating "steel magnolia" because my aunt has often referred to me as such the (the urban dictionary defines the term as, " A southern woman who is strong and independent yet very feminine.") i think all of the women in my family are steel magnolias for the most part. some are a bit more steel, others way more magnolia. i've learned so much from all of them.

rick levine @ tarot.com has amazing horoscopes. sometimes eerily spot on. i used to enjoy the ones from the ny post a few years ago, but then they changed astrologers. not that i live by these things by any means, but i do believe there is something significant, our scientific/magnetic connection to the universe. where the earth was was lined up in relation to the sun, the moon, and the other planets when we were born, and where the planets are lined up each day.

(yes, i am wearing a dashiki right now. but i was wearing my purple marc jacobs rainboots and a proper trench coat earlier. i'm not "just" a hippie, mind you.)

i do feel i've always been particularly tied to the moon. i really take it in visually every night. i love to see the moonrise, the different phases, and of course the full moon makes me a bit crazy and keeps me awake.

suffering from insomnia as i often do, i was sick of tossing and turning so i left the warmth of my cozy bed around 5 AM today and read the "daily horoscope overview" for all signs. it seemed to work with what i had been aiming to do. and this is much more fun than the menial tasks i really should be doing.

"The Moon enters intelligent Aquarius at 4:17 am EDT, highlighting our connection with information technology. We are more attached now to data than to our feelings. Even if we ponder our relationship to the community, it is less personal as we reach out beyond our individual perspectives and seek a broader, more universal view of the world. Staying in touch with our emotions can be a struggle as we stretch into a more mental posture."

ok, i feel a bit doogie howser right now....... they were so ahead of the trend ;)