Sacred Condoms

As I left the Union today a beautiful devotchka did ask me if I would like a free condom. I answered affirmative and was given a Johnny.



Perhaps I could bless it and send it to the Pope? I might just.

Dies Saturnii

Saturday evening presents so much consumer choice. I can sit in my bridge of sighs bed-sit and be miserable. Or at a price I can go to a really loud alehouse. Or a really loud alehouse. Or a really loud Alehouse. Or a really loud alehouse. Or a really loud club. Or a really loud club. Or a really loud club. Eardrum splitting muszak everywhere.

This evening however it turns out that there was a free film to be seen in the City Art Gallery, well spotted my olde mate Doctor Fotis! The theme was tunnels. First set of films about various tunnels, on New York Subway mainly plus a sewer and pumping station plus the catacombs of Saint John the Unfinished big Steeplehouse in New York City. Either the filmmaker was crap at soundtracks or it was not played properly, or it was cunning use of sound by filmmaker. I suspect the first. Next very short about some clowns making a film by posing for a closed circuit television surveillance camera on New York Subway it would seem, and then filming public output. Lots of quotes from “1984” by George Orwell. “Big Brother is Watching You” “Sanity is Statistical” “War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, Freedom is Slavery” and recording of apparently public reaction at other end especially as security move on said actors. “What they trying to say?” “That there are surveillance Cameras Everywhere” “Yes we know that anyways, so what”

Then some weird Frog film set on Paris metro apparently very 50’s black and white. Well composed scenes and shots. Then some further French film, this time soundtrack aok but couldn’t understand a word of it as it was in French with no subtitles.

Well you can’t complain about a free film. Whether or not it was worth watching is another matter. But what else is there to do in Leeds on a Saturday nite. Doctor Fotis mentioned about how the concept of the underground in Athens took some getting used to, and took a while to build. Plus yes. Tunnels have a certain aura to them, yet they are such an essential part of the world of the 21st century. Catacombs, sewers, underground railways, mines, wine cellars, basements.

What I Did In My Holidays (part two)

I am Gnakered! Since arriving back in Olde Blighty it has been a blessing to chat via various mediums to fellow survivors of Gnosis about how many days you need to recover from Gnosis. Perhaps I just don’t want the Magick to end.

Dies Veneris

So, to begin at the beginning. The minibus finally arrived at the Parkinson steps. It must have been hell for our much loved driver. Then off to a supermarket to stock up on the fruit of the vine. Wish you could get Moroccan stock cubes from Tossco. Perhaps I will follow Merrick’s lead and write to Tony Blair.



So up the Great South Road we headed. Funnily no one had a map, but we got there. There was a bit of singing an impassioned spontaneous production of “Hotel California” and “The Diggers Song” amongst others. Guess who brought copy of “Rise Up Singing”.

We arrived at Featherstone Castle. Perhaps it is not so much a castle as a fortified manor house. Whatever. You really can get lost in it! I did a few times. Wonder if the Northern Musgrave family who had the castle built have a rich vein of eccentricity flowing. Well we certainly do!

So into the kitchen. Coffee! OK this is all stream of consciousness innit? No worries.

I met Rosie the Unshockable on the green staircase. “Hi she says, I’m Rosie”

“I’m Bluebell” says I.

“Bluebell?!?” she says unshocked.

“Oh yes” I say with a smile. She continues:-

“I’m Rosie short for Rosemary”

“And I am Bluebell short for Bluebell”. I do recall the opening of the castle anthrax scene from “King Arthur and The Quest for The Holy Grail”. (I am Sir Galahad the chaste! I am Zoot, just Zoot)

Anyway great opening ritual. An invocation of Aphrodite. Aphrodite, with 3 graces, the Graces leading us into trance dance.

The ritual over, there is that post ritual pause broken by a shout of “Goldstrike!” A shot of Goldstrike for one and all, how else to begin Gnosis!





The Gnosis veterans had grabbed rooms, which where warm, the dormitories we where warned would be cold. I thought let a room grab me, eventually that night finding a small dormitory and sleeping warmly enough even though




There was a lovely feast complete with Date wine.



I heard that Naked Pete was due to do the fighting arts of ancient Egypt workshop. But he had not arrived but was due. I thought it would be another Pete until I heard told the story of how he acquired the nickname Naked Pete. Identical to the story told once by my old Mate from Leeds the one and only Nudie Pete.



Stayed up late and continued to socialise at the fireside in the gun room. I was so frightened of missing anything…..

Dies Saturnii

So, Saturday morning we had a lovely cooked breakfast! We had a workshop on the cat goddes of ancient Egypt. Then my old mate Nudie Pete turned up hurrah! Or was it the other way round, likesay this is all stream of consciousness……



Then a performance of Thunder Perfect Mind. Managed to stick my student card, some contraceptive devices and “The Electric Michaelangelo" in the cabinet. Also in was the Blue Lotus wine crafted by Rosie the Unshockable. At conclusion of the ritual we communed with said brew. Rosie giving a health warning that it was strong stuff. Perhaps it contributed to the ambience of tranquillity that permeated the gathering from that moment onwards. Or was it just me?

Not sure when we had the mask making workshop. There already was a black mask which I cut to size, touched up the black paint, painted 93 on in silver paint and added a blue and green feather. Oh and alas I don’t have a suspender belt in fat bastard size (road protestors sickness (too much special brew) alas) so improvised with elastic. Alas the Cornerstone Fancy Dress Party did not happen this year, so this being my once in a year opportunity to wear fishnet stockings, I was going to make the most of it. See Liber Oz.

The ball didn’t really happen, lots of ultra loud Goth music was played in the ball room, while most of the mob congregated in the Gun Room in front of the fire.

Then at midnight! Midnight Gnostic Mass of course! Nice to see some Piety. Hurrah! This was my favourite all time Gnostic Mass absolutely transcendent!

Then if I remember rightly, back to the Gun Room for late night fireside chats. Finally some drunken conversations about skyclad rituals. My thinking was we might as well do at least one skyclad ritual. Indoors would be fine. No said Nudie Pete a skyclad ritual is not skyclad without the sky. So Nudie Pete and one other brother and myself said lets go for it. Seeking guidance in bibliomancy and the Book of the Law,

A Feast for Tahuti and the Child of the Prophet – secret O Prophet! (the book of the law 2:39)

Thankfully common sense prevailed, viz, at this time of the year in the North of England an outdoor skyclad ritual should not be for 3 hours…. We agreed that the order of service would be a simple communion. We had no bread but an open bottle of wine. Nudie Pete said something about out into the car park, raise bottle, shout “Tahuti You Rock!” drink and pass bottle to next brother then close circle. So likesay Nudie Pete, another brother, and Bluebell did drop knickers and accomplish said ritual. Tahuti you Rock!

Dies Solis

Had a bit of a Sunday morning lie-in. Missed breakfast. Another fabulous lunch was cooked by Niki. So late breakfast lol! For the most part I think we chilled in the Gun Room prior to Gnostic Mass at about 1600 hhrs. This was my favourite all time Gnostic Mass absolutely transcendent!


One of the brothers had brought a copy of “The Sex Lives of the Roman Emperors”. Wikid! Just what you need at the Abbey of Thelema, the monks and nuns (possibly a few mad monks and mad nuns ;) ) eating their soup in mystic silence in mystical silence while one sister or brother reads from “The Sex Lives of the Roman Emperors” presumably until a sibling finally says “He did What!?!?!?!” Nah! We are all so unshockable.

So after evening meal we had a Ceilidh. It was explained that originally a Ceilidh was a sharing, of a song or a story, prize for the best song, best story and best lie of the evening. We finished with an awards for all the worthy participants and we where oh so worthy. I was dubbed campest Magician of Gnosis ivXIII and was awarded a well earned glass of beer. We continued with singings of “The Grandfather Clock” and “The Hippopotamus Song” amongst others. Oh it had been decided that there would be no more than one singing of “Jerusalem” that weekend so we sung “Jerusalem” there and then.

Dies Lunae

Gaz had warned us that we needed to be out of the Castle by 0900 hhrs. So we had an early start with a DIY breakfast. I had not slept. Had coffee then helped with washing up and restoring castle to previous condition. Then into the mini bus for the return to Old Blighty.



What a gathering! My thanks to the Gnostic Gnomes for making it happen and to all the lovely participants, you each brought so much. Hope to see you all again in this lifetime.

For days afterwards had

“I am the blue lidded daughter of the sunset
I am the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night sky
To me! Always to me!”

Ringing in my ears, as someone played it being sung transcendently by some Swedish Thelemites.

Merry meet! Merry Part! And Merry Meet Again!

FEEL THE LOVE!



Alice in wonderland pics pinched from Lenny, cheers!

Do What Thou Will

Interfaith awareness half week kicked off this morning. On the display board for Kabal had put the principals of Paganism as per the Pagan Federation with a disclaimer that not every Pagan accepted said principals. One chap says he has problems with point 2 the positive morality bit. Weird!

So we had a long rather circuitous though hopefully amicable discussion. He suggested that self harm could be unethical which I conceded (and harm be to none, not and harm be to none but self, that’s logic knowhow). And yet he still said that you cannot do what you will for some reason. I conceded that despite living in a society where consuming animal products was totally un-necessary, not every Pagan in these islands was a loony lentilist animal liberationist, but likesay I don’t see why not (though I respect other people’s position on the animals for food issue even if I don’t agree with it). Then he said how it says in the Bible that it is OK to eat animals. Permitted in certain circumstances said I but nowhere in the Hebrew Scriptures or in the writings of the New Testament is the killing of an animal a trivial issue, just permitted in extreme circumstances. He disagreed. I said that he had misread the Hebrew Scriptures. He said that “Do what thou will” was forbidden in the Bible. I disputed that, surely God given morality is about God forbidding harm to fellow creatures and indeed self. I suggested that he had misread the Hebrew Scriptures and the writings of the New Testament. Cheeky perhas but why not! Anyway, enough. It turns out he is from Ghana.

Blessed be!

Little Englander!

create your own visited country map

not bad for an uitlander?

Je bent 77% Nederlands!

0%: You are either a complete moron, or not a native speaker of the Dutch language. 100%: Makkelijk he, als je de antwoorden al kent? Everything between 50 and 100% is pretty impressive!

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 20% on Nederlands

Link: The How good is your Dutch Test written by cuteandfluffy on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Are These Christians Some Sort Of Cult?

I was approached by some chap who asked was I a member of Kabal (University of Leeds Society for Paganism Magick and Folklore), thought he might be some enquirer wanting to know way to The Brickies or of upcoming Kabal events.

“Did you like our card” he said. Turned out it was the “Now Believe” one. I said it was an interesting concept and verily did ask where they bog standard evangelicals or something more wacky. Nothing wrong as such with being wacky.

“Oh we are just Christians”. He asked me how had Gnosis gone.

“Fantastic!” says I “Feel the Love!” I think I freaked him out. Are these Christians some sort of cult?

They’re The Jollier Sort Of Person

I need to get home ASAP. But anyway just popped in to do a quick blog and found a message in my inbox from someone on BookCrossing. Now dear reader my handle on BookCrossing is scarletharlot. So said BookCrosser asks am I a commitmentphobic. What a load of rubbish! Was tempted to place my reply here, might still do. But likesay have already done so passim. Likesay these monos are some sort of cult.

typo?

Oh what a listless and apathetic lot we have become.

Likesay. Far be it from me to be pedantic.

I recently think I saw a typo in my gmail email signature. I confess it wasn't spell checked as most of my blog posts are.

But I wonder. No doubt most of the people I email are not pedantic spotted said typo a mile off but didn't tell me.

OK have just spell checked said signature and here it is

*******************************************
IN AND THROUGH TRUE COMMUNITY LIES THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD

"I think the most dangerous parts of the current cultural trance are pretty obvious: male domination, materialism, and the absence of spirit. Monogamy is another one in there. These are cultural styles which, if not overcome, will probably contribure to our ever more rapid
acceleration toward, if not extinction, at least a profound brutalisation of life." attributed, by Merrick, to Terrence McKenna.

http://www.endymion.ukf.net/
mirrored at
http://www.geocities.com/bluebell4luv
blogging at
http://www.chicksdigjerks.blogspot.com/

also at bluebell_e@hotmail.com

would you like a gmail invite? e-mail me if you would

did you spot the deliberate mistake?

likesay will correct.

Perhaps however. I would be happy to place a Quakerly wager that I have emailed a few pedants since using gmail. But likesay, maybe they did not read my email signature, just as 97% of people with internet access have never dialed up a blog.

Likesay. The Mother of All Cults is the Cult of Monogamy. Or at least the mother of most cults. I have yet to meet a mono who would discuss the said cult of monogamy rationally. And it is not as if I don't meet a lot of monos on my travels. No, not particularly wishing to provoke such debate anymore, have given up. But likesay have no intention of doing monogamy. There is no virtue in it.

FEEL THE LOVE!

Greetings Herr Rimmer! I am Doctor Hildegarde Landstrom and I am COMPLETELY MAD!

"Greetings Herr Rimmer! I am Doctor Hildegarde Landstrom and I am completely mad!" ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Red_Dwarf_episodes

Guy Fawkes Memoiral Evening

Everything is spasming! Agh!

Anyway. Not keen to head home to my cottage on a council estate.

So glad that there seem at least to be less fireworks on council estates than when I first moved in over 3 years ago.

But likesay you never know…

Deeply grateful to my Friend Simon for a his presence and a fabulous day out in Leeds

Likesay after his arrival in Leeds did proceed eventually to the Art Gallery. His aptitude in art history being a most illuminating. Such as spotting so much in Iris by Atkinson Grimshaw.

Then on to the Corn Exchange. Likesay the Corn Exchange is Great! Therein you can exchange Threadneedle Street LETS for cards, clothes, incense, condoms, jewellery, games, and a whole host of other things but not corn….

Then to the Republican Armouries. Did lead Friend Simon on a bit to the storyteller telling of a poor archer from the Lancastrian side (probably a yorkshireman, Yorkshire being a hotbed of Lancastrian support during the wars of the roses) after the bloody battle of Towton.

Then on to the audio visual exhibition on the Battle of Marston Moor

Then on to Café Sahara for a cup of coffee.

Then to the coach station to see him off on his journey back over the Pennines.

Likesay. Did you know that there was no freedom of speech in Elizabethan England? Viz the treason laws where tightened to such a ridiculous extent.

Of course there will soon be no freedom of speech in Elizabethan England. This time with the tightening of the laws against Terrorism.

Likesay the did not the first Prevention of Terrorism Act passed by an Old Labour Government allow for detention without trial for 9 days?

Was this aimed at terrorism of those naughty boys in the Provisional IRA? Or was it to prevent an anti war movement forming in Great Britain? Or indeed elsewhere in these islands?

Now then. How many people have been held under the “Prevention of Terrorism Act” so called? How many have been charged with offences related to “Terrorism”? How many have been released without charge? How many people so charged with terrorism have subsequently been convicted of “Terrorism” subsequently released when their convictions have been found to be unsafe (such as the Birmingham 6, Guildford 4 and Winchester 3). Are the jails of Olde England full of innocent men and women?

Now then. What of the Criminal Justice Act passed by the last administration.

Now then what of the “Prevention of Terrorism Act” so called passed by New Babylon defining as “terrorism” actions of avowedly pacifist groups such as Greenpeace if they where a threat to “Property”

Now then. What of the current anti terrorism legislation before Parliament allowing for detention without trial for 90 days?

Is nothing sacred under the current New Babylon government? Trial by Jury? Innocence until proven Guilty? Habeas Corpus? Freedom of speech? The rule of law? Doesn’t look like it?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not an apologist for Terrorism. Whether committed by governments or unauthorised.

But since the current definition of “terrorism” under English law is ridiculous…..

Will I really be committing an offence for glorifying in avowedly non violent action which can in no way be described as terrorism?

Would glorifying in the violent terrorist act of blowing up the rainbow warrior by the French Government constitute terrorism? Are we going to send the gunboats to France? Probably not.

May Bush the Younger, Blair and Blunkett be dammed! They should be drowning in their hypocrisy!

Love and Rage!

The Empire of Modern Passivity

The tautological character of the spectacle stems from the fact that its means and ends are identical. It is the sun that never sets over the empire of modern passivity. It covers the entire surface of the globe, endlessly basking in its own glory.

"The Society of the Spectacle:13" by Guy Debord

Now Believe!

I was walking out of the Ed Boyle Library when a nice looking devotchka asked me would I take one of her fliers. Certainly said I, would she take one of mine. I gave her a flier for Gnosis (got a stack who want’s one?) and she gave me a card which said on one side just two words. Now Believe. And on the other side nowbelieve.com nothing else at all. No pictures, no phone numbers, contact details, words of wisdom, words of looonacy nothing.

Who are these guys? Bog standard evangelicals or something more wacky? If the latter the website seems to give no clues.

Likesay cult and fundamentalist trainspotting is dead fun, whish I had more friends into it.


I was listening to the late nite radio. There was an interesting item on how the Roman Catholic Church had published something warning against excessive biblical literalism and fundamentalism. A debate was had with some Chap from the church of rome and a loony fundamentalist with an amerikan accent. Wish I had taped it. Chap from church of rome was conciliatory, presenter/interviewer asked loony fundamentalist did he take everything in the bible literally. Off course said loony fundamentalist. But said presenter the bible does contain contradictions so surely it is impossible to take it all literally. Look at Genesis, it opens with two creation stories. The order of creation is different, viz in the first men and wimmin are created last, but in the second men and wimmin are created before the animals. Loony fundamentalists answer was something like but the bible is inerrant and contains no contradictions. Loon!

No More Glasgow Salads?

Sunday afternoon I walked up to Hyde Park Corner and went into the Yellow Chip Shop (the one with the big poster saying “We cook in vegitable oil” Hyde Park Fisheries next door used to have a sign saying “All our Chips are fried in Vegetable Oil. And Everything Else” think about it…..) and purchased a Glasgow Salad for 1 UKP.

To my horror discovered something horrific therein.

“What is this?” I asked the man behind the counter.

“Oh a piece of kebab” he said apathetically.

“but I’m a vegetarian” says I. No apology no interest.

Left said Glasgow salad on the counter and walked out. Didn’t have the energy to kick up any further fuss.

Must stop purchasing take-aways. Pity cause the yellow chipy did do rather good glasgow salads. And a friend found a piece of ugh in something she purchased in Flames over the road from the parkinson steps. I had had many take aways from said establishment over the years.