Sam Guay

I will forever die on the hill that one of Florence's biggest influences and inspirations (and very rarely acknowledged because most music journalists don't see past the rigid boxes they put artists on) is Loreena Mckennitt. From the aesthetics, to the voice, the vibe, the music. They are truly mother and daughter. The arrangements of the recently released Chamber Edition of Everybody Scream just prove my point.

Everyone who plays around with Tarot cards long enough winds up with a “bad” card that they love. I just barely persuaded my husband not to get the Ten of Swords tattooed on his body; traditionally, it shows a corpse with ten swords stuck in their body and means “utter ruin,” but he thought that if it took ten swords to kill you, then you must have put up a pretty good fight.

I’m so insanely frugal/penny-pinching that the devil card has become a reminder that money is meant to be used. It often comes when I’m just getting through the drudgery of life, not really doing anything to enjoy it. The core theme of imprisonment collides with the theme of materialism for me, because allowing myself to buy small things, to enjoy life, is freedom.

One card reinterpretation, although not this unexpected, that kinda blew me away, is the one for Death in the Blood Moon Tarot guidebook. The focus of Death in Tarot is usually on accepting that things have to end so that others can grow in their place - it's on the fact that that change is positive, even if painful.

BLM has published a plan to maximize logging in Oregon forests, including old growth forests, without due regard to wildlife (including endangered species) and waterways. They're claiming it will help prevent forest fires, though that seems to be contrary to current science, including that published by the forest service (you can find a list of sources here). This is in response to Trump's executive orders 14223, Addressing the Threat to National Security From Imports of Timber, Lumber, and Their Derivative Products and 14225, Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production.