Edmonton Tarot: The High Priestess (II)

Interpretation: The High Priestess card signifies guidance, teaching or wisdom of a spiritual or moral nature which comes from a mysterious source such as dreams, intuition or the unconscious. Inner knowledge and deep perception are the gifts of the High Priestess to those who listen and pay attention.

Image: This beautiful and mysterious Geisha is painted on the side of a building in Edmonton's most vibrant shopping neighbourhood -- Old Glenora's High Street shops on 124 Street. I don't know who the artist is but she appeared a few years ago and has graced the area ever since.

[Photo by Debra She Who Seeks]

"Thank you for looking so tired"

Japanese people work very, very hard. Exhausted salarymen (corporate businessmen) sleeping on the Tokyo subway are a common sight. When we were in Japan, our tour guide told us that the greatest compliment anyone can receive from their boss is to be told: "Thank you for looking so tired."

This must be why there are a gazillion vending machines in Japan selling an infinite variety of canned coffees. Endless caffeine is what keeps salarymen and other workers going.

I snapped this photo of a typical canned coffee machine in a hotel near Mount Fuji. BOSS COFFEE / COFFEE BOSS says it all, really. Drink coffee, work harder, keep your boss happy!

In this ancient land of tea, tea houses and the tea ceremony, coffee is marketed as a hip foreign American drink. In advertising, Japanese canned coffee imagery often uses western spokespeople and English words or phrases.

[First photo from the internet; second photo by Debra She Who Seeks]

Cat-Friend vs Dog-Friend

What if our friends behaved like cats and dogs?



Thanks to my bloggin' buddy Ricky Shambles -- I found this crazy video on his blog, Cause for Concern!

Open Wide!

So I'm off to my annual dental checkup today. Wish me luck! It's so important to have a beautiful smile.

Gimme My Crying Towel

Oh, the thrill of victory . . .

. . . and the agony of defeat.

Final score -- Toronto Argonauts 35, Calgary Stampeders 22.

What can I say, except -- Next year! NEXT YEAR!! The West shall rise again.

[First photo by Sean Kilpatrick, The Canadian Press. Second photo by Nathan Denette, The Canadian Press]

It's Grey Cup Sunday!

It's finally here! The 100th Grey Cup championship game is being played today in Toronto between the Calgary Stampeders (Western champs) and the Toronto Argonauts (Eastern champs).

The Calgary fans have all arrived and checked in at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel . . . .

. . . . while Torontonians are already confidently parading the Cup in front of City Hall.

And the Big Game's half-time show should be . . . interesting . . . too: Justin Bieber, Gordon Lightfoot and Carly Rae Jepsen. Jeez, something for everyone, eh?

Okay, Calgary! GO, STAMPS, GO!! Make the West PROUD!!!

Edmonton Tarot: The Magician (I)

Interpretation: The Magician draws energy from the universe (ideas, creativity, spirituality) and directs it into practical applications. He transforms ideas into action and makes potential manifest. The Magician has tremendous powers of concentration, focus and determination. He knows that magic is not performed by magic.

Image: Who else could possibly be Edmonton's Magician except for the NHL's greatest hockey player, Wayne Gretzky? When he played here in the 1980s, the Edmonton Oilers was the best team in the league and won the Stanley Cup five times. This statue of The Great One stands outside the hockey arena where the Oilers won their many victories. Gretzky and the Oilers made Edmonton "the City of Champions."

[Photo by Debra She Who Seeks]