tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62419834863551280932024-03-19T09:36:48.837-07:00Wax & Pins: Confessions of an Intolerant WitchThe ramblings of a gay pagan.Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-29481472595698541272015-03-12T17:03:00.000-07:002015-03-12T17:30:39.397-07:00The Loss of a Master Author<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sir Terry Pratchett passed away today, aged just 66.<br />
For those who don't know (as if anyone could not?) Terry was the celebrated comic author of the Discworld series of novels, creating many, many dearly loved characters.<br />
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In 2007 Terry announced that he was suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He made it clear that he would prefer 'assisted suicide' (for want of a better term) before the disease reached critical point.<br />
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It is a cruel injustice that a man with so active a mind should fall prey to an illness that would cause his mind to deteriorate. If there is a bright side to his early passing, it is that he was 'himself' to the end.<br />
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The last tweets from his Twitter account were from his daughter Rhianna - <i>"Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night." </i>and a quote from the character "Death" as saying <i>"AT LAST SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER;"</i><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bbcdeathnotice_70-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Pratchett#cite_note-bbcdeathnotice-70"></a></sup> the final tweet of his account simply read: "The End."<br />
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I feel bereft. Silly really, since I never met the man. But his writing touched me; his novels weren't just humorous but also thought provoking, exciting and sometimes heart-breakingly sad. His characters took on a life of their own.<br />
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Rest well, Sir Terry. You did good. <br />
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<br />Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-9403708741611375192013-02-11T14:42:00.000-08:002013-02-11T14:43:29.796-08:00'A Matter of Faith' or 'The Complexities of Marriage Equality'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My faith is of the utmost importance to me. As a pagan I see faith as a living thing, evolving, <i>growing</i>. As we mature, (or, at least, get older) life reveals new mysteries to us, which is how we in turn are led to grow.<br />
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Blind faith is another matter. I have seen far too much of that in the last twenty-four hours.<br />
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This entry has been prompted by a... conversation on Facebook concerning marriage equality. It is a subject that provokes some strong feelings on both sides, which is exactly as it should be. Marriage is not an institution I would want to be taken lightly. My handfasting to Keith is incredibly precious to me. So too, in its own way, the civil partnership that gave our union legal recognition.<br />
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But there is the case in point - a fundamental inequality, biased against same-sex relationships. I call Keith my husband, but it has been pointed out to me more than once that legally he is my <i>partner</i>. We are not married and did not have a wedding; we are in a <i>civil partnership</i>. (<i>Side note: I did try to be civil. For the whole day. It made my teeth ache.</i>) If we can't call our union a marriage, well, that differentiates our relationship from that of a heterosexual couple. It is a line drawn in the sand.<br />
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Semantics, you might say. Others have. But words are never just words, they really do matter. They can be used to label, to segregate, they carry the weight of connotation. If they did not, why would certain sectors of society be so intent on denying us the use of such terms as <i>marriage</i>, <i>husband</i> or <i>wife</i>? <br />
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This is the definition of marriage as found in the Oxford Dictionary:<br />
<ul class="sense-entry">
<li class="sense sense-type-core scrollerBlock"><div class="senseInnerWrapper">
<span class="definition">the formal union of a man and a woman, typically as recognized by law, by which they become husband and wife:</span><span class="exampleGroup exGrBreak"> <i class="example"> she has three children from a previous marriage</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6241983486355128093" name="marriage__5"> </a><i> [mass noun]</i><span class="definition"> the state of being married:</span><span class="exampleGroup exGrBreak"> <i class="example"> women want equality in marriage</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6241983486355128093" name="marriage__7"> </a><span class="definition">(in some jurisdictions) a union between partners of the same sex.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
Fairly straightforward. And not one mention of religion. So why does Christianity (in its myriad forms) hold so much sway over how the term can be used?<br />
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The Church of England is the most vocal opponent to same-sex marriage in the UK, claiming such unions will devalue the institution of marriage. 'The greatest threat to the church in 500 years' it has been said, which of course is all rather flattering... and utter nonsense. Scaremongering, bigotry and homophobia, all passed off as adherence to scripture. <br />
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This should be a secular matter and yet it is not. The whole debate about marriage equality has been dragged down by dogma, stalled by a faith reluctant to evolve and to grow.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6241983486355128093" name="marriage__8"> </a><span class="exampleGroup exGrBreak"><i class="example"></i></span></div>
Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-81775638180265448322012-11-05T12:47:00.002-08:002012-11-05T12:49:11.892-08:00Helen & the SirensSpent a fantastic Samhain night at The Bedford in Balham, a great music venue! There were three acts on that night, but we were only there to see one - Helen & the Sirens!<br />
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Since it was Samhain we decided to dress up a little. My darling hubsand was an evil demon, robed and tattooed with burning red eyes. I was a zombie.<br />
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We had a few odd looks on the way, but it <i>was</i> halloween so most people took us in their stride. One teenager did comment, 'Why are they trick-or-treating? They're, like, twenty or something.' Which halved my age. Score!<br />
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Helen & the Sirens were excellent, as always. In fact I'd say that this was their tightest performance yet! And they looked fantastic, terrifying, dressed as Stephen King's Carrie. Prom dresses and corsage flowers were liberally drenched with blood!<br />
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Most of their set can be found on their EP (which can be purchased <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gold/dp/B008L95TR6/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1352062312&sr=1-1-catcorr">here</a>) but they also performed two covers. The first was Justin Bieber's 'Baby', an hilarious take on the song (you have to hear it to understand...) The second, especially for halloween, was a mash-up of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' spliced with 'Tubular Bells' - just perfect!<br />
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The whole show can be seen <a href="http://www.justin.tv/thebedfordlive/b/337603745">here</a>, although the sound quality doesn't do their live performance justice.
Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-77420791008618945082012-09-30T06:42:00.001-07:002012-09-30T06:42:30.521-07:00Superman and Wonder Woman, Sitting in a Tree...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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...although what this will mean for Lois Lane is anyone's guess.<br />
<br />Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-74490044422447263022012-09-28T08:55:00.002-07:002012-09-28T09:11:37.739-07:00Samhain Festival 2012Pagan Future Fests are holding a Samhain festival this year on Sunday 21st October.
The venue is The Bedford in Balham (full address below), a great music venue... handy, since Inkubus Sukkubus will be playing!
There will also be workshops and stalls selling all kinds of goodies!<br />
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The Bedford
(Pub/Theatre)<br />
77 Bedford Hill<br />
Balham<br />
London
SW12 9HD<br />
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Tickets are available in advance through their site (<a href="http://www.paganfuturefests.org.uk/id1.html">here</a>) or on the door.
Should be a good one! Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-82782665930517059102012-09-28T08:45:00.000-07:002012-09-30T06:52:56.134-07:00 Pope Decides Gay People Aren’t Fully Developed Humans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Aged bigot in a dress decides gays aren't fully developed humans. Priests who commit pedophilia are fine though...
Full story <a href="http://www.care2.com/causes/pope-decides-gay-people-arent-fully-developed-humans.html">here.</a>Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-43704990690878599752012-09-27T12:27:00.001-07:002012-09-27T14:05:04.150-07:00BrotherDid I know you once?<br />
Or was that just a masque,<br />
Once worn, now discarded?<br />
Reality ill suits you,<br />
A face set in cold, hard lines.<br />
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<i>I</i> am unchanged,<br />
Older, wiser, perhaps -<br />
But still, at heart, the child you knew,<br />
Craving your attention.<br />
Denied, ever denied<br />
By the bitterness of shared blood.<br />
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If man's love for man is such a taint<br />
In <i>your</i> eyes<br />
That hatred can be made a virtue,<br />
Then better I am tainted!<br />
Should I deny myself, my heart,<br />
For your approval? No.<br />
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And so I cut you free. Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-79126962734736105952012-04-14T13:19:00.003-07:002012-04-14T13:26:57.885-07:002012 so far...<span style="font-style: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmJZ-yOQpoKJUqogWJcSN1G0k1ObVtZu3Gn-_YzZ7w1CAyvIErc5_7F8Fdt-6oNbM2JPatQEDCwxW8P-3m92958Rx8frA2oVvxqPEXEK5mShyphenhyphenMRULXOyZpf8lRHzP4RXvcc_mg-9vsL0-/s1600/Anastasya.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 243px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmJZ-yOQpoKJUqogWJcSN1G0k1ObVtZu3Gn-_YzZ7w1CAyvIErc5_7F8Fdt-6oNbM2JPatQEDCwxW8P-3m92958Rx8frA2oVvxqPEXEK5mShyphenhyphenMRULXOyZpf8lRHzP4RXvcc_mg-9vsL0-/s400/Anastasya.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731353854005598466" /></a><br />First post of 2012 - I'm getting very lax...<br /><br />So here is my new roleplaying character, Anastasya Nicolayeva. She is a former KGB agent, now self-employed...<br /><br />In other news I had another fantastic Zombie LARP experience (for more on these great events see <a href="http://zombielarp.co.uk/">here</a>). So want to do another one RIGHT NOW but there are no more in the pipeline. </span><i>Sigh...</i> <div><br /></div><div>Off to Cornwall next week for a much-needed break, so hopefully will have fun things to post when I return.</div><div><br /></div><div>That was all a bit of a ramble. I should be more concise.</div>Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-77135527017126507612011-12-13T12:11:00.000-08:002011-12-15T12:35:37.047-08:00A Valiant DeathA tale of Zombie LARPing.<br /><br />It was my last survivor run. Two teams of us had banded together for safety. Yeah, that just made us a more tempting target.<br /><br />We were crossing the mall from one unit to the next when someone shouted 'White Knight!'* And there he was, running full tilt down the mall with an axe in his hand. Everyone scattered! I found myself separated from my group with a guy I didn't know. I had a spade and he was unarmed. Of course, the White Knight came after us.<br /><br />We ran through the store, down the stairs to the cellar, not stopping to switch on our torches. It was dark. We waited with baited breath, hoping the White Knight wouldn't follow us down. It may have been my only bit of luck on that run...<br /><br />Hearts pounding, we crept back upstairs. The White Knight had left! Better yet, we could see our groups at the Bioflex Recruitment Desk, just across the mall from us! <br /><br />Reunited, I allowed myself to relax in the illusion that I was safe.<br /><br />We forged ahead. I was at the front of our group, the only person with a melee weapon. That was fine. I was backed up by my allies, all armed to the teeth. They had my back, right?<br /><br />Turning a corner, there was the second White Knight. I shouted a warning, backing up with my spade <span style="font-style:italic;">en-guard </span>. Someone shouted, 'Don't run! Stand and fight!' So I did. I even got a hit in against the Knight! But then there was a terrible roar to my left...<br /><br />Father Flexmas attacked without mercy; a dark-robed, imposing figure in a featureless white mask, twin blades slashing. I fell beneath his knives wondering where my team had got to. Out of, what, eleven of us? only two had stayed to fight.<br /><br />I died, but at least it was dramatic. And I'll know better next time. Apparently 'stay and fight' actually means 'run like billy-o'. Who knew?<br /><br />* A White Knight, for those who haven't attended Zombie LARP, is a fast, strong, intelligent undead monster. Although savage in combat, they are also capable of coming up with strategies (such as keeping poor, stupid survivors occupied while Father Flexmas sneaks up on 'em). They are very scary indeed.Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-38218678041689047972011-12-12T05:42:00.000-08:002011-12-13T12:11:28.582-08:00A Very Zombie Xmas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI12r8gZxxaDDiH7imvz9KarwFFJMm3fk8JTds0zWA9WVvTo_mHguWlGgk7oXDeyq6yH0ekFU6HJiEExm4TDmz4WS1ok-y11GnigaQ55G20s7Hxga1Lh1NObVWyaqIRcxYlUK_W6XeE4wa/s1600/Happy+Zombie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI12r8gZxxaDDiH7imvz9KarwFFJMm3fk8JTds0zWA9WVvTo_mHguWlGgk7oXDeyq6yH0ekFU6HJiEExm4TDmz4WS1ok-y11GnigaQ55G20s7Hxga1Lh1NObVWyaqIRcxYlUK_W6XeE4wa/s400/Happy+Zombie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685249472960659602" /></a><br />I spent a fantastic day running around a deserted mall on Saturday, fend off the hoardes of the undead. No, really, I'm not making it up.<br /><br />I had never been to Zombie LARP before (see their site <a href="http://zombielarp.co.uk/">here</a>) and wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I had heard stories, read blogs, but nothing really prepared me for how awesome my day was going to be.<br /><br />First of all let me tell you about the setting - Friar's Walk Mall in Reading, a derelict shopping centre. I would soon be running through the empty shop units, up and down escalators, through the darkness of the basement... A fantastic venue, really creepy!<br /><br />We had weapons to defend ourselves against the zombies. Nerf guns of all shapes and sizes, LARP melee weapons, the works. Our favourite was the foam spade, quite satisfying for smacking zombies across the back...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcaGcxCZLf1HfcSBhIUxdCqnGQ_dzHOCuQvhu0s9kuQw9lX2MyC2Ds_p8Q1Dc06i6lXlsVLrxbkjTbyDEnOMzXr8kCPhyh7lNLk61akHlGAkza69-Thbwm1ifvVGNfCsSHHkTte4KCA3c/s1600/Me+Gun.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcaGcxCZLf1HfcSBhIUxdCqnGQ_dzHOCuQvhu0s9kuQw9lX2MyC2Ds_p8Q1Dc06i6lXlsVLrxbkjTbyDEnOMzXr8kCPhyh7lNLk61akHlGAkza69-Thbwm1ifvVGNfCsSHHkTte4KCA3c/s200/Me+Gun.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685238673779779554" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEoqQDv6G-ZhrQIj9uiAjt3v-PGTt-HQ6kUOLNaSmvYePVzkj7-R9MeV-MhxtVvTuKp0Dg0oyOR8bUzqssIsqdbLRTjLggw6tbpJkUCZigC8bRusvYX45nD5cHeVlvDDFsSSYTBaachyN/s1600/Stephanie+Gun.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEoqQDv6G-ZhrQIj9uiAjt3v-PGTt-HQ6kUOLNaSmvYePVzkj7-R9MeV-MhxtVvTuKp0Dg0oyOR8bUzqssIsqdbLRTjLggw6tbpJkUCZigC8bRusvYX45nD5cHeVlvDDFsSSYTBaachyN/s200/Stephanie+Gun.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685239154048009426" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyAuVw8l_UhBWMf5glyEeo_rpRrPT3XHb-GIU2Plto1i3yVI2Ie4afYJUD7YEnsA4zjbLNKghyHHueCb_7dOp1ZhnSxGai0bkuB3hJEoNZNQFm2V375B849VS1vrH756QW7z7eb5IwKuU/s1600/Stephanie+Spade.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyAuVw8l_UhBWMf5glyEeo_rpRrPT3XHb-GIU2Plto1i3yVI2Ie4afYJUD7YEnsA4zjbLNKghyHHueCb_7dOp1ZhnSxGai0bkuB3hJEoNZNQFm2V375B849VS1vrH756QW7z7eb5IwKuU/s200/Stephanie+Spade.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685239374583069506" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And fun as it was to play as a survivor, being a zombie was great! There is something empowering about lurching around after terrified survivors, getting knocked down but never for long, monsters at the top of the food chain!<br /><br />Some friends of mine got into the festive spirit as Santa and Mrs Claws with their elves - disturbing :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW2yd7vZZT2mcyNrXERgdKllyhx6AQS6i0SRENTofawaWVF98LXdLC7AriJ8YCW2fN8nsgXVd_7MY7yfNaNtK3XyqxZFk_paKLhXpQ2YVBAYbUIcSkbMaPX5_yN9oTSHNAwX7Ps6FtOiX/s1600/Zombie+Xmas.jpg"><img style="float:centre; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW2yd7vZZT2mcyNrXERgdKllyhx6AQS6i0SRENTofawaWVF98LXdLC7AriJ8YCW2fN8nsgXVd_7MY7yfNaNtK3XyqxZFk_paKLhXpQ2YVBAYbUIcSkbMaPX5_yN9oTSHNAwX7Ps6FtOiX/s320/Zombie+Xmas.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685244672748554946" /></a><br /><br />Myself and Stephanie were not as organised as all that, just going for creepy zombie make-up. I was particularly impressed with Stephanie's bleeding eyes...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeU7zpPDkLK0zrqVgm8VJYsBveQpltvrF-sT2rZwyv4QMvcG1xuI0cbqLpyTdmzTa1I1cdeKkYDUfiEfxNlkfurFLhrqNllF4Yil0M0o72mcvD1DCyTRGNQ1yNpZnsJJKhZas9LcTJN710/s1600/Zombie+Me.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeU7zpPDkLK0zrqVgm8VJYsBveQpltvrF-sT2rZwyv4QMvcG1xuI0cbqLpyTdmzTa1I1cdeKkYDUfiEfxNlkfurFLhrqNllF4Yil0M0o72mcvD1DCyTRGNQ1yNpZnsJJKhZas9LcTJN710/s320/Zombie+Me.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685245250381580882" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_twkWK1m1XVXsNj-dLsrimTDNYnOLKfT8T51t9I7153l4zjDLq8QuFm8s3rboBkXIITFaPPms5KRaxVe_9Q7_ppdfSSc7UBz4hVcXmD9Jd8ppAmBIrcGYt_3WrV4y38JNKdjsENiCfzW/s1600/Zombie+Stephanie.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_twkWK1m1XVXsNj-dLsrimTDNYnOLKfT8T51t9I7153l4zjDLq8QuFm8s3rboBkXIITFaPPms5KRaxVe_9Q7_ppdfSSc7UBz4hVcXmD9Jd8ppAmBIrcGYt_3WrV4y38JNKdjsENiCfzW/s320/Zombie+Stephanie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685245601713072898" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />All in all a fantastic day - I would heartily recommend booking up for one of these events if you are able to get to Reading. They sometimes run events at different venues (Norwich and London I think) but Friar's Walk Mall is such a great venue it has to be seen to be believed.Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-37299220057496756472011-12-06T13:40:00.000-08:002011-12-06T13:41:43.669-08:00Christmas...Posted this on Facebook. Since I havn't posted anything on here recently I thought I'd share.<br /><br />A few of my friends have been posting that they are "reclaiming Christmas". It's your faith, more power to you. But in the interest of balance...<br />Your christmas tree? A nordic pagan symbol of male fertility, just as the wreath represents feminine fertility.<br />Christmas presents? The giving of gifts is a holdover from Saturnalia, an Ancient Roman festival from around this time of year that predates Christ's birth by over 200 years.<br />25th December? The date of Christ's birth is never explicitly stated in the bible but historians have narrowed it down to sometime between the end of September and mid-February. Theoretically speaking. Maybe it was easier to hijack the pagan celebration of Yule than to compete with a much older festival?<br />(Interestingly enough early Christians didn't celebrate birthdays, not even the birth of Christ, considering it to be a pagan custom! Only the Jehovah's Witnesses have stuck to their guns on THAT one.)<br />So I do know how you feel, having your holy days renamed, plagiarised and subsumed. The same happened to us pagans, by some imported middle-eastern religion as I recall. I forget the name :)Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-860486149692491682011-08-26T15:44:00.000-07:002011-08-26T15:49:33.709-07:00More Pics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DSROH7EbXwd0rRcGnqClX9AH1v0RzonAjkL5BByQES-TBE8QGDBNIP-SoDEayIgY8aVY_BAL0WxL7eQopg5KXgq06SxejimAbroJhfKUw5mnO7FS5yXC-NhyphenhyphenE7Zly9XpFFvr5CBReicU/s1600/Aurora+Surefoot+Update.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DSROH7EbXwd0rRcGnqClX9AH1v0RzonAjkL5BByQES-TBE8QGDBNIP-SoDEayIgY8aVY_BAL0WxL7eQopg5KXgq06SxejimAbroJhfKUw5mnO7FS5yXC-NhyphenhyphenE7Zly9XpFFvr5CBReicU/s320/Aurora+Surefoot+Update.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645299385335832450" /></a>
<br />This is a character I've been working on for a while - Aurora Surefoot, a shifter druid. The idea for the character was partly inspired by Cheetara from Thundercats.
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<br />This is Olivere, a villain I created for my roleplaying game. He was possibly the most hated character in the game - a vindictive, supercilious cross-dressing murderer...Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-87679807081642599052011-06-25T05:03:00.000-07:002011-06-25T05:21:57.141-07:00Roleplaying PicturesHave been doing a few sketches for my roleplaying games.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BBj7XXx3kK8Y8X9PB3h6vtiwCLB-8SKZnDstum68poGmt9xzYvW-GxHoABfyDnyNUozPMLplhI7EfqQWms75l7KMH4Kxj8xD4eEW2p2XAXd0cxMUGSK0-RQ6JeRAFvF_DqQMU5rrAmmU/s1600/Jacob+%2526+Artur+small.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BBj7XXx3kK8Y8X9PB3h6vtiwCLB-8SKZnDstum68poGmt9xzYvW-GxHoABfyDnyNUozPMLplhI7EfqQWms75l7KMH4Kxj8xD4eEW2p2XAXd0cxMUGSK0-RQ6JeRAFvF_DqQMU5rrAmmU/s320/Jacob+%2526+Artur+small.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622126942695989570" /></a><br />These two are Jacob and Artur, two of the heroes in my game (and spin-off stories :p) Artur was heir to the throne until his untimely death and his resurrection has remained a secret. Jacob is a young mage with more power than control.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2zIHtqXLgoPymg60eyWJWaoTmWTO1ZCMlwuXkhZhOKNY63iUnbsdytpB99hR9P5GUhfl_XH_Y9X-jTio4byCFn9fkYIRPbKjo8v3zhvO891zcxE3mky-FVIikDLXNNGmm2WBDeMTyn5Q/s1600/Beliah+small.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2zIHtqXLgoPymg60eyWJWaoTmWTO1ZCMlwuXkhZhOKNY63iUnbsdytpB99hR9P5GUhfl_XH_Y9X-jTio4byCFn9fkYIRPbKjo8v3zhvO891zcxE3mky-FVIikDLXNNGmm2WBDeMTyn5Q/s320/Beliah+small.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622127581136170370" /></a><br /><br /><br />Beliah is Jacob's familiar, a great, white-furred hunting cat. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKLgFF7iuQYbF5CP1EpNt6dUZHO-IJWUdUMtHeUiZzNup5fmElSMiZhEgvLPRh1cvenQI6Y4GyDC_jOoTRwu8EOUEWhJ59AL7kuKoWYm_HDFYm1_vEdio1PduF-7Tnjk9dvHIl0lqSPK1/s1600/Colwyn+small.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 232px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKLgFF7iuQYbF5CP1EpNt6dUZHO-IJWUdUMtHeUiZzNup5fmElSMiZhEgvLPRh1cvenQI6Y4GyDC_jOoTRwu8EOUEWhJ59AL7kuKoWYm_HDFYm1_vEdio1PduF-7Tnjk9dvHIl0lqSPK1/s320/Colwyn+small.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622128185193139698" /></a><br /><br />Colwyn is Jacob's father, a former adventurer with The Golden Gryphons, now owner of a tavern with the same name.Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-22822533739200337202011-06-25T04:44:00.000-07:002011-06-25T05:00:03.864-07:00Headache-Ridden PonderingsWell, I've had a headache for three days now and this morning I felt <span style="font-style:italic;">really</span> rough, so no work for me. I've slept all I can, now I'll catch up on my poor neglected blog.<br /><br />Litha has come and gone - surprisingly late this year, the 24th of June. The hubby and I had a nice meal to celebrate but did nothing in the way of ritual. We were invited to one but it was outdoors and tipping it down with rain so we didn't go. Does that make us fair-weather pagans? Besides, Keith wasn't too keen to go because the guys holding the ritual seemed 'too tree-huggy'. Go figure.<br /><br /><br />I have a new hat ready for my Samhain outfit - a proper, handmade, 100% wool top hat! I don't usually suit hats either!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSbRVHR-0gLGXIKozW5XaCJWx-3-ukVBn6wzIfdBET7mYcuQd6hAx8UcLWpt2UbCZIBloNv5M9bRbd4BDjpey-lwr_jygZrRnaTdyaElnHZNuIUN01Aag4IwsIWLR5jIbPTkUGqAXidwJ/s1600/IMG_0880small.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSbRVHR-0gLGXIKozW5XaCJWx-3-ukVBn6wzIfdBET7mYcuQd6hAx8UcLWpt2UbCZIBloNv5M9bRbd4BDjpey-lwr_jygZrRnaTdyaElnHZNuIUN01Aag4IwsIWLR5jIbPTkUGqAXidwJ/s320/IMG_0880small.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622125084699471554" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We've also had a visitor to our garden. I like toads so I'll be sure to keep the cats away...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLs7vT32y6OTvNhcuyPFc1gjB0jLLKObOszy-DN9fhm2HmHK7g_JJxgRiNW80FWfs2HKYfSnr61zsuDHeCcQ_eshjV31NT1PV7ahx0kFj-j2kN0adOsjcUOrB_MvYeY8uSGtW-21QeBWqb/s1600/IMG_0852small.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLs7vT32y6OTvNhcuyPFc1gjB0jLLKObOszy-DN9fhm2HmHK7g_JJxgRiNW80FWfs2HKYfSnr61zsuDHeCcQ_eshjV31NT1PV7ahx0kFj-j2kN0adOsjcUOrB_MvYeY8uSGtW-21QeBWqb/s320/IMG_0852small.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622124952084888114" /></a>Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-88466584282560654632011-03-17T13:39:00.000-07:002011-03-24T15:54:45.880-07:00GhostsDo you believe in ghosts?<br /><br /> I do, but I'm not here to convince you. Belief, be it in ghosts and spirits, religion or faith, is an intensely personal matter. So the stories I'll tell here are my experiences from my own point of view. Make of them what you will.<br /><br /> So where to start? My earliest memories of a spirit would make sense. Since I'm thirty-<em>mumbles incoherently</em> now we're going back almost four decades, so some of my recollections may be a little fuzzy.<br /><br /> I don't remember exactly when I first met Beastie, although I was certainly very young. He was (and is) a small child with dark hair and serious eyes, always barefoot, dressed in a striped t-shirt and jeans. I'd guess he looks about four years old. I remember him being something like an imaginary friend to me. Except I'm pretty sure he wasn't (and isn't) imaginary since I'm not the only person to have seen him.<br /><br /> Growing up I had problems with my hearing. I guess that made me a strange, insular child, happier in the company of animals or just keeping to myself, and the years haven't changed me overly much.<br /><br /> I guess that's why Beastie came to me - we were a couple of loners banding together. There may also be a familial connection; my eldest brother was stillborn and my mother has always taken comfort in the thought that Beastie could be him. I'm also willing to admit that I may have made him up (an imaginary friend in all truth), but if that is the case he soon took on a life of his own. I doubt that I will ever know for certain and I can't say that it bothers me overmuch. Beastie <em>is</em>, and that is enough to satisfy my curiosity.<br /><br /> Unlike most imaginary friends Beastie didn't disappear as I grew older. In fact he was most active when I was in my twenties (shades of <em>Drop Dead Fred</em>, although Beastie was <em>never</em> as obnoxious as Rik Mayall). All my friends knew about Beastie, some of them saw him and practically all of them <em>heard</em> him at one time or another. The noise he makes is quite distinctive; somewhere between the tone of a test-card transmission and feedback from speakers, a high-pitched, unwavering hum. We could track his progress around the room by following that sound. One friend was so unnerved by it that he wouldn't stay in my house on his own!<br /><br /> Most often Beastie would make his presence felt when I was angry or upset. He was coming to my defence. Maybe powerful emotions gave him the strength to manifest? Again, the whyfores don't matter all that much to me. I do know that his company brought me a great deal of comfort.<br /> <br /> He brought comfort to others, too.<br /><br /> I worked at Madame Tussauds for several years. It is, in my opinion, one of the most haunted sites in London. Even the hardened skeptics on the crew had some kind of paranormal experience that they couldn't quite rationalise. A few of us collected these stories and were considered 'experts', the one-eyed men in the kingdom of the blind. So when a new lad had a spooky experience he was sent to me.<br /><br /> We'll just call him D. He went on to a career in the police force and might not appreciate it if this tale is traced back to him.<br /><br /> So D had been working in the Planetarium theatre. It was a slow day with less than half the seats filled. D was sat at the front of the auditaurium (about as far from the public as possible, naturally) so he was pretty much alone in the darkness.<br /><br /> Dim light reflected from the domed screen, revealing a young child in the seat beside him. D was certain the boy hadn't been there a moment before and he didn't seem to be accompanied by an adult. All the other seats nearby were empty. When he looked back the child had gone.<br /><br /> Guess who the child was? I described Beastie to D and it had definitely been him; the dark hair, striped shirt, bare feet, those serious eyes (thinking back my daughter had the same solemn mein as a child. Perhaps more evidence to a familial link?). It was all a bit of a shock for D who was something of a skeptic, albeit one with an open mind. This wasn't proof, he told me, but an element of doubt.<br /><br /> A few days later D's grandmother died. I strongly believe that Beastie manifested for D to show that there is more to life than our mortal span, that the spirit lives on. And even if he never saw that visit as proof I think it gave D a glimmer of hope in his time of grief. Or maybe I just have a romantic view of the world and a storyteller's desire for everything to fall neatly into place.<br /><br /> As the years passed I saw less and less of Beastie. I'm married now, have a wider circle of friends, a far cry from the lonely child I was. Oh, Beastie still visits from time to time and I know he visits my parents too. Mother often tells me that she has heard him around the house or that he has hidden her things.<br /><br /> Why call him Beastie? I think it was just a childish nickname for a friend without a name. I have considered calling him Mark, the name my parents would have given their stillborn boybut it doesn't seem <em>right</em>, not without knowing for certain that they are one and the same.Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-68249682534349344372010-11-13T08:17:00.000-08:002010-11-13T08:19:38.952-08:00Dragon Age: OriginsBeen replaying this fantastic game - such a rich stroyline, I can't get enough of it!<br />Well, I found a brilliant trailer on Youtube...<br /><br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-iFrHRaH0Os?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-iFrHRaH0Os?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Enjoy!Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-18034808017829633152010-08-23T14:11:00.001-07:002010-08-23T14:14:43.186-07:00Animal of the Day: The Binturong<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5xprFDRKKeseKve5SHdMWmznSJtPF4zGWAlLc0PrNaTND_4yU0zKEekcyqR4C_Qtdtl6ImiKbV3sPZMe2o2cwFlFojBZGwCwE77gGzFH7yOVfMznkNdhPsyCwt55jEGlVVH3926xkEzl/s1600/Binturong.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 218px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508716025013648738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5xprFDRKKeseKve5SHdMWmznSJtPF4zGWAlLc0PrNaTND_4yU0zKEekcyqR4C_Qtdtl6ImiKbV3sPZMe2o2cwFlFojBZGwCwE77gGzFH7yOVfMznkNdhPsyCwt55jEGlVVH3926xkEzl/s320/Binturong.jpg" /></a> The Binturong or Asian Bearcat. It is not actually a bear but belongs to the same family as the civet or genet.Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-2869311153606252522010-08-14T13:38:00.000-07:002010-08-15T08:00:35.549-07:00Boy George vs Lady Gaga (Or People In Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones...)Lady Gaga recently revealed in an interview with Vanity Fair that she occasionally uses cocaine. Not a clever thing to say, not a good message to send out to her fans, but she is a woman who sets out to shock - this is the kind of behaviour people have come to expect from her.<br /><br />Now Boy George has lashed out at her for pretty much the reasons I have outlined above. But surely he isn't in much of a position to preach?<br /><br />You might argue that as a recovering addict that Boy George is best informed to speak out about this subject. Then again, George was recently in the headlines after being found guilty of false imprisonment for <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5292064.ece">chaining up a male escort.</a> This is surely a greater crime than recreational drugs use?<br /><br />I'm not saying that Lady Gaga hasn't done wrong - she has. Some of her fans are young and impressionable. But Boy Beorge is the last person to start throwing stones.Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-60921801515728054552010-08-11T14:46:00.001-07:002010-08-11T15:17:36.411-07:00Geraldine 'Jerrie' Cobb<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jCwmBPMyGFhW1mfFG7BhyIUBo-QjVggBIijrz2ysacTb1Al3GficIfZ6a9SUamjFidvDBZSbCFijw_JOod44X4790QuySkftc_K3gwCaRzBvky37yP90D9MQ1-cvqqyTQKGOB5_T-gwK/s1600/Geraldine+Cobb.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jCwmBPMyGFhW1mfFG7BhyIUBo-QjVggBIijrz2ysacTb1Al3GficIfZ6a9SUamjFidvDBZSbCFijw_JOod44X4790QuySkftc_K3gwCaRzBvky37yP90D9MQ1-cvqqyTQKGOB5_T-gwK/s320/Geraldine+Cobb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504272838920840098" border="0" /></a><br />Since my last post was so very shallow, I felt the need to post something a little more highbrow. So here it is; I've chosen to write about one of my biggest heroes.<br /><br />No, not Wonder Woman (who <span style="font-style: italic;">was</span> my first hero, just as she was for many gay men), I'm talking about Geraldine 'Jerrie' Cobb. Haven't heard of her? Well shame on you!<br /><br />Jerrie Cobb <span style="font-style: italic;">should</span> have been the first woman in space.<br /><br />Perhaps I should explain.<br />Jerrie was born in Norman, Oklahoma, in 1931. She learned to fly her daddie's 'plane at the age of 12. At 17 she had her private pilots license and was paying her way through school by dusting crops and teaching navigation. At 18 she recieved her commercial license, setting world altitude and speed records. She was a very talented pilot and her achievements brought her to the attention of NASA. She was recruited to become an astronaut trainee in 1959, the first woman to be selected for that role.<br /><br />She helped NASA to select other candidates and they became known collectively as the First Lady Astronaut Trainees (or FLATs). Thirteen women completed the first round of training before NASA decided to pull the plug on their female astronaut training scheme. Jerrie and her team were denied the chance to fly any space missions.<br /><br />Jerrie didn't let this setback get her down. She went on to set new world records for speed, distance and absolute altitude and has spent over 30 years performing missionary work in South America. In 1981 she was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work.<br /><br />And that is why she is one of my biggest heroes; a woman who has rallied against her setbacks and come back stronger.<br /><br />(The first woman who actually made it into space was the Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova. In 1963 she spent 3 days in space, performing various tests on herself to see how the female body reacted to space flight. It was 19 years before another woman was selected for a space mission.)Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-31024496848172129582010-08-08T12:32:00.000-07:002010-08-08T13:46:04.411-07:00My Top 5 Celebrity CrushesOkay, I admit, I have a big ol' shallow side. Here are the five celebrities I find most drool-worthy.<br /><br /><div align="left">1) Russell Tovey<br /></div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503124712355988466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dGGqZUAlkL8kWxhLSzQFgkpZDt6xIL-qez33YzEEuzZhfZm4WdYxHVHHbYYWBzWTJfS2eEjg4-o8MBknlbEBQJ4dX3L65bQDMCSzNAw7AteUIndI0APprXIg2kvYNqDC3ykV1xUxhkJD/s320/Being+Human+Bed.jpg" /> <p align="center">(From left to right - Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow, Aiden Turner)<br /></p><p align="left">Russell Tovey is number one on my list of celebrity crushes. For those not in the know, he plays George Sands in the hit BBC3 show Being Human, the mild-mannered hospital porter who also happens to be a werewolf. He was also appeared on stage and film in film in The History Boys.<br /><br /></p><p align="left">My ex recently met Russell and had his photo taken with him. Jealous, me? Well of course! </p>2) James Masters<br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503126784820050226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTaLm2wV7QvGBsUsovVKpM-i0i0vu57hMqRnxasVe2XLEIeyQwoOl8vW683acuqlX650YxBdnonssCJchCKo5QCcJbyfqgdnOMu8k6Dpg7K-KHEfmRDLmh9iKRaLObUjQAj-nSmE5mPDT/s320/Masters.jpg" />Maybe it's the cheekbones. Maybe it's the bad boy vibe (he played Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Brainiac in Smallville and Captain John Hart in Torchwood). Or maybe it's the body.</p><br /><p>James Masters pips his Buffy/Angel co-star to the number two spot...</p><br /><p>3) David Boreanaz<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503128439138042370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpn_2ympg06Vn1soVokB5tr4_BK_oKfOXcgKt4hYDP8F5wvvaUIQoF3AnwtHgyzrdt_M6og4QbCyRsDG9j-D770uPlEMSNUl9TdnISsEh4xsPj0ZfnOBLGEOtPGPoAAfv3SH9CC83UEyZ/s320/Boreanaz.jpg" /> </p><p>Oh Angel! I feel a little guilty for relegating you to number three. It has nothing to do with your recent alleged infidelities or your appearance in a Dido video. You have been a real hottie in Buffy, Angel and Bones, always eager to show off your butt, and for that I salute you. But someone has to take third place, which has got to be better than not making the list at all, right? Right.</p><p>4) Ben Browder<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLQYYr7Y39Tc2CmOxSRIuv4Uu-WLSrpcaKI465OlyPz2dyO-wsXgJRxrSu8e5kapFjrIB-iR0cBR2DrXvlu1Kxew9WxjZPls5aFUKNhrdKfakzdY2jM4uNbipCtziBSJYIay7JD24Twkb/s1600/Browder.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503131431006008066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLQYYr7Y39Tc2CmOxSRIuv4Uu-WLSrpcaKI465OlyPz2dyO-wsXgJRxrSu8e5kapFjrIB-iR0cBR2DrXvlu1Kxew9WxjZPls5aFUKNhrdKfakzdY2jM4uNbipCtziBSJYIay7JD24Twkb/s320/Browder.jpg" /></a></p><br /><p>Ben Browder, star of Farscape (Muppets in Space!) and Stargate SG-1, a vision in leather...</p><p>And he is 47 years old. Forty-seven! </p><p>I must confess to a certain attraction to his co-star Claudia Black as well - those two are the best case for bisexuality I have <em>ever</em> seen.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCC0TikKGcsWnh7IS9QAIRjuhcPesDllIV4JXjaNMr-tTasUV39cGwwmp07yXT6BtEu5Tt2g55XCODRai8IarARfGsH6kLahoUh_8ZkXPJSTR0K8TqCQ2ScYdAZjTyPo8-k8V71AGYamX/s1600/browder+Black.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 226px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503132790990699026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCC0TikKGcsWnh7IS9QAIRjuhcPesDllIV4JXjaNMr-tTasUV39cGwwmp07yXT6BtEu5Tt2g55XCODRai8IarARfGsH6kLahoUh_8ZkXPJSTR0K8TqCQ2ScYdAZjTyPo8-k8V71AGYamX/s320/browder+Black.jpg" /></a></p><br /><p>5) So I'm cheating here - Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki</p><p></p><p></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWncjG9uaVAIr3LZhHYPpdx4SriS8dYrV9-Xdlkjtv3Bta5ExTmCuqv6RAq8QDpG8P6h33lvIVXgDTHNrp-_rGJ8gX79ex3VPVHcssiBTmqfmabjvTTnMgzpXkrDZmRR0VZodMdmXOhoSe/s1600/Supernatural.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 305px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503136028215580514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWncjG9uaVAIr3LZhHYPpdx4SriS8dYrV9-Xdlkjtv3Bta5ExTmCuqv6RAq8QDpG8P6h33lvIVXgDTHNrp-_rGJ8gX79ex3VPVHcssiBTmqfmabjvTTnMgzpXkrDZmRR0VZodMdmXOhoSe/s320/Supernatural.jpg" /></a><br /><p>The Winchester brothers from horror series Supernatural - I couldn't have one without the other (fnar!). </p><p>There should be some honorable mentions for those who didn't make it onto this list. Johnny Depp of course, Lawrence Dallaglio (got to love a rugby player), Nicholas Brendon, Brendan Frasier... too many to mention.</p>Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-42989548442100724292010-08-04T14:30:00.000-07:002010-08-04T14:36:37.659-07:00Proposition 8 Overturned!Just seen the good news - Proposition 8 has been overturned!<br />Let's hear it for equality!Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-77770132491466092442010-07-18T15:31:00.000-07:002010-07-19T12:45:02.380-07:00The Earth's Library - now on Amazon.co.ukThe Earth's Library - A Multidimensional Healing System (otherwise known as the book wot I illustrated) is now on sale at Amazon.co.uk.<br />Find it <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1445214253/ref=oss_product">here.</a><br />I thank you.Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-87364784950881836962010-07-18T14:50:00.000-07:002010-07-18T15:10:56.127-07:00Get Your Own House In OrderSo Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina is upset that his country has voted to allow same sex civil partnerships, the first Latin American country to do so.<br /><br />Apparently he considers it 'a destructive pretension against the plan of God.'<br />'We are not talking about a mere bill but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God.'<br /><br />It occurs to me that the Catholic Church should get its own house in order. With the pope covering up incidences of child abuse, Bergoglio's homophobic attacks become much more than hypocritical. Perhaps the rights of same-sex couples in adult, consensual relationships aren't a cause for such concern after all?Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-80690206554171570132010-03-22T15:00:00.001-07:002010-03-22T15:55:17.955-07:00Holiday in CyprusI'm fresh back from a holiday in Cyprus. The country is <em>beautiful</em>. I've been to Turkey, the hubby has been to Greece, both arid countries. Neither is as green as Cyprus. Wildflowers had bloomed across the mountains, a glorious display of colour.<br /><br />And perhaps I was most excited by the lizards. They were <em>everywhere</em>! I spent many happy hours following them around with my camera.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXOBwUbNh-xLwdrG60H7oD3yTYdqjRhlZoUk4QmgRlSbGVAl02vIdPh5TqNu55r5mFf5rUj_oosxkyt-wHIDjQoXKtjVykwqRspizZ3Xqr75DB9BUFWo554ji4E2NTq6VQdUROPkHbY7s/s1600-h/Agama+4.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451584884169953506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXOBwUbNh-xLwdrG60H7oD3yTYdqjRhlZoUk4QmgRlSbGVAl02vIdPh5TqNu55r5mFf5rUj_oosxkyt-wHIDjQoXKtjVykwqRspizZ3Xqr75DB9BUFWo554ji4E2NTq6VQdUROPkHbY7s/s320/Agama+4.JPG" /></a><br />This fella on the left is an agama (<em>laudakia stellio cypriaca</em>) that we found in the Troodos Mountains. He was only a few feet away from the path, bobbing his head in a warning display. At one point he fled up a tree, only to climb back down and threaten me some more.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlw25AqR6-_HoDSAE1DOWiNpEsn5G2mkz1vY6WiHrlHxwUH2xqJEl2BUcdU_XK2V2yVBQY_lYVu0F2Xp0mmuRtGCXXp8rpQNc2adIjSXsSawBIn-kl_WfnRlN3RHp_AuLsYy72olqR2lws/s1600-h/IMG_0342.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451584267174828642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlw25AqR6-_HoDSAE1DOWiNpEsn5G2mkz1vY6WiHrlHxwUH2xqJEl2BUcdU_XK2V2yVBQY_lYVu0F2Xp0mmuRtGCXXp8rpQNc2adIjSXsSawBIn-kl_WfnRlN3RHp_AuLsYy72olqR2lws/s320/IMG_0342.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />There were many smaller specimens outside our villa. The colouration was slightly different, but I have done a little research and it seems that the juveniles of the species do have darker bands of colour.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyypIpmu6AUk7h6XlerKOprrlHlTDZUdUHxYek_Hts9WJeEixSt60n0FvAwUetryqdCIb6CV2RkmhkSK5c-2HrzL-NqblZYn9GMK0ul5dNsgNypUajsGnlZfpNvuW0JgSJtwKtFtBwoGSU/s1600-h/Troodos+Lizard+Close.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 190px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451587679842364482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyypIpmu6AUk7h6XlerKOprrlHlTDZUdUHxYek_Hts9WJeEixSt60n0FvAwUetryqdCIb6CV2RkmhkSK5c-2HrzL-NqblZYn9GMK0ul5dNsgNypUajsGnlZfpNvuW0JgSJtwKtFtBwoGSU/s320/Troodos+Lizard+Close.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />There were a couple of other species on the island. The troodos lizard (<em>phoenicolacerta troodica</em>) was the most plentiful, a slender, quick-moving lizard that often ran across the path before us.<br /><br /><br />We weren't lucky enough to see any of the native species of snake (something my husband was very grateful for). Perhaps next time.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebZbUlGEMcGeNXeQJCdM3yzx2lyZ9xJt_DTOI0KKvuSeuF6qieXt3BJKndXnzsHxsB3K9vjrjheKZG5pSErTlDx6v6MwlRqltOpd7NLBQiUT8HzM3UWaSEwm0ShVt97BR_N7E10O7wVv1/s1600-h/IMG_0229.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451592446224532706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebZbUlGEMcGeNXeQJCdM3yzx2lyZ9xJt_DTOI0KKvuSeuF6qieXt3BJKndXnzsHxsB3K9vjrjheKZG5pSErTlDx6v6MwlRqltOpd7NLBQiUT8HzM3UWaSEwm0ShVt97BR_N7E10O7wVv1/s320/IMG_0229.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />One of the biggest highlights of the trip was our days in the Troodos Mountains. At one point we were some 1,952 meters above sea level, passing through the clouds to reach the summit of Mt. Olympus. Our ears were popping due to the change in air pressure. The temperature dropped from a balmy 18 degrees at the coast to just 4 degrees at the summit!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4ALeOUW4xto79v5xXfubdsoecmeOR-d3q47uFwXIN1StdHfKYvgnuYSmbI6xv_e88T_BMUG30ypIZCcl9TWrIagtsg_Qhk_YMxiUOqQjBM_wLEr4o85GFCGcB6XK4fKQMuxrMxIIkpBp/s1600-h/Troodos.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451594194043328930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4ALeOUW4xto79v5xXfubdsoecmeOR-d3q47uFwXIN1StdHfKYvgnuYSmbI6xv_e88T_BMUG30ypIZCcl9TWrIagtsg_Qhk_YMxiUOqQjBM_wLEr4o85GFCGcB6XK4fKQMuxrMxIIkpBp/s320/Troodos.JPG" /></a><br />The densely-forested mountains were beautiful, every turn in the road revealing another jaw-dropping vista.Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6241983486355128093.post-83746248657956268162010-02-04T14:56:00.000-08:002010-02-04T15:08:41.866-08:00Begging Kitties<p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy-JzZ_CrQZo9YtRLNQSF9Ln9_ducaUDbXuHSrvuRmE6W7gB3beAKmk7FlgZKsFjpcGN5TRslkmRVW9pQ9ZuQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>The kitties are usually a bit more vocal than this. Guess they got camera shy...</p>Matt Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05126739663923117761noreply@blogger.com0