#cuspian

Working in a library is fun! I work as a very rural branch, but we're connected to other libraries all over Missouri through the Missouri Evergreen program! It's also very lowkey, just how I like it.

As for my top five books, well, that depends on what category you're asking about! I'll run through a few:

Fiction:

Iron Widow | Xiran Jay Zhao

Dragonology & Wizardology series | Dugald Steer

The Art of Destiny volumes 1 and 2

Magic The Gathering Legends: A Visual History | Jay Annelli

The Dragon Ball Super manga series | Akira Toriyama and Toyotarou

Nonfiction:

On Writing And Worldbuilding volume 1 | Timothy Hickson (I'm looking to get volume 2 in the near future!)

The Old Farmer's Almanac 2022 and 2023 | Robert B Thomas

Ozark Folk Magic | Brandon Weston

Grovedaughter Witchery | Bree NicGarran (hi Bree!)

Queer Magic & Morbid Magic | Tomas Prower (I'm looking forward to getting his Justice Magic and La Santa Muerte books in the near future too!)

If I remember correctly, in Ancient Greece, necromancy was related to summoning/speaking with the spirits of the dead, but then at some point it was revived (ha) and related to the dead more broadly, which is how we have the Dungeons and Dragons approach of "DIY zombies". I happen to have a whole bunch of posts about death magic, necromancy, and the like saved in the necromancy chapter of @jasper-grimoire! I've also seen Daniel Ogden brought up several times in regards to this topic, so see if you can find some of his works!

I've actually been wanting to get into spirit work as a whole, but damn if it's not a daunting subject. Right now I'm just sitting here with my servitors, thoughtforms, and Witchy the Charmander.

And thank you! I always get excited to talk to folks, and it always comes as a surprise to me when people say that I'm one of their favorite blogs. I basically just sit in the creek and mutter to myself, but online.

I think the best part about being a wizard is that, in these lull periods between the fucking around, I can find out. That is to say, the research phase is my favorite part of magic.

And I managed to put together a seven-foot-tall artificial Christmas tree on my own today! I also built my first spell jar in a while and put it under the watch of the Eevee Bank, Guardian of the Quarters.

I've become somewhat inspired by the book I'm reading over on @jasper-is-live-reading, Rebel Witch by Kelly-Ann Maddox, and I'm dipping my toe into non-religious "sacred texts" for my own practice. Up front and center is the Wizardology series. I look forward to adding my D&D-MTG crossover rulebooks to my magical tomes once I finish my studies of these.

Also, I have continued my rivalry with an ask blog that has another character named Jasper. Yes, I am indeed so petty that I will become rivals with someone else's character. I'm actually friends with the Mun themself and they're chill.

I also reused my Shame Corner decks. I took out the cards I like and I am now using them as bookmarks. As much as I hate Aleister Crowley and all of his works, the Death card in the Thoth Tarot slaps. Just a funky dancing skeleton guy with a scorpion buddy and a fish buddy, not even reaping any souls or anything.

And I'm working hard on things for my shop within the Coven of Cards Discord server! I'm hoping to provide other services besides my tarot readings. As of right now, I also offer a spell-searching/building service, but I'm brainstorming other things to do as well. I'm hoping to launch new things at the turn of the year, once my schedule is cleared of all these Christmas parties.

Speaking of which, yeah, I have six Christmas parties to attend in total this month. I've already done two (one for my fire department and one for my Community Emergency Response Team), so now I have my work's party (I work at a library), another fire department's party, my Amateur Radio Emergency Service's party, and Christmas Eve with my grandpa and that side of my family. I'm a little busy in December, thinned out, stretched, like too little butter over too much Jorts.

I've also cleaned up my cup collection, so I will be having more tea and hot chocolate in the coming days. For my poor cracked mug, I'm going to use that as a new planter for either my Rosemary (which is actively dying) or my Basil (which is still alive somehow).

So...yeah!

I'm very interested in stories like that! It seems like I got most of the story just by scrolling down on it.

I also saw the note that my necromancy chapter link didn't work, here's a new one. Hopefully this one works!

Hello again!

Aw, I'm so glad to hear that! You're very welcome. Thank you for the feedback!

Hi there, Esoterica!

I also used Shadow, my Urban Crow Oracle, for this reading. "Where is Esoterica headed?"

You got SURVIVAL. The crow is stuck in a bush as it is being hunted by a predator fox. It is trapped and unable to fly away. When we are stuck in survival mode, we are restricted, confined to a certain way of thinking. We have this sort of tunnel vision, our only thoughts are to survive and get out alive. Unfortunately, this narrow field of vision makes it hard to see the options around us. We get so stuck in this mode that we forget to enjoy the life we are living.

Now is the time to decide, do you want to stay trapped, waiting for the predator to make its move? Or do you want to start formulating a plan of escape? You have a choice; you do not have to stay stuck in survival mode forever. While that mode has helped you get this far in life, it is obscuring your vision. You are not able to see the love and opportunities around you. Shadow is telling you that you aren’t actually trapped, you just feel as though you are. Grant yourself permission to step away from the survival mode and see the world through a different lens. You are free to be yourself, free to fly away and escape. There is no predator trapping you now. Open your eyes, open your heart, to the world around you.

Thanks for stopping by and feedback is always appreciated!

~Crimson