Author: alyssamariemorrison

Cats Read Your Tarot Cards: Will this Surgery Help Me?

Free, Harry and Dash

Card: The World

I sure hope so. You’ve been such a boring lump lately, which is not to make your pain all about me, but more to say I’ve noticed you aren’t yourself. You used to look forward to playing with us, but now we have to goad you into it. And you probably noticed we stopped doing that as much. It’s been mostly snuggles and biscuits lately. If we could do more, we would.

Good news is it’s looking up! I can’t tell you what it’s going to be like exactly but you will be free from the pain you’ve been putting up with for so long. You probably won’t even recognize the feeling afterward. It’ll be so different from what you’re experiencing now that you’ll be in entirely new territory. Whatever it is, it will be a step in the right direction, and we will be with you every step of the way.

-Harry

*You know the drill, I’m no a tarot expert. This is just for fun

please excuse my terrible canva skills.

Interlude: Strawberry Stain, Part 2

Erica, Free

I have an idea. Caitlyn asked our landlord if we could install cameras on the front and back door to keep an eye on Todd. She thinks he was messing with our back door the other night, or at least someone was. 

I’m glad for this new development. First of all, because whether it was Todd or some other person running around testing doors at night, we should have a camera. Second, because I’ve been pushing for this since Todd started messing with me. Third, because it gives me an in. 

A few months ago, I bought a book of scrapbook paper for a crafting project. I didn’t need the whole book, but I had a coupon and figured it would come in handy. When I saw the cameras on my way home the other day, I thought a thank you note would be the perfect opportunity. 

There is a strawberry-printed sheet of paper, but I thought that was a little on the nose. I selected one with a nice, subtle floral print on one side and an almost wallpaper-y polka dot print on the other and set about making the card.

Here’s how I make homemade cards out of scrapbook paper:

  1. Select the appropriate paper: would I have liked to use the strawberry paper? Yes. But, the more I think about it, the absence of strawberries is kind of the point. 
  2. Draw/write out the design for the front of the card on plain, white paper: I just use printer paper, but you can use thicker paper if you don’t want the scrapbook paper showing through. This really helps the design pop on a busy print.
  3. Cut out the design: I used an xacto blade to get as close to the design as I could. Sometimes, I just use scissors and then add scrapbooking stickers to the edges where the white paper shows through.
  4. Glue or tape your design to the front of the card: I have some double-sided tape from my previous endeavor that works great. 
  5. Cut out a rectangle of white (or another solid color) paper that fits nicely on the inside of your card. Write your message on it.
  6. Glue or tape your message to the inside of your card: If you’re using glue, make sure you leave the card open so the glue can dry without gluing the card together!
  7. Send your elevated homemade card to your recipient!

Easy enough!

Stay tuned for next time when I teach you how to put a simple curse in your homemade card! (only works for beings already born with magical powers.) (And no, I’m not going to curse my landlord’s firstborn child or anything like that. I’m pretty sure his kids are my age. And that’s just not how I roll.

-Erica

Cats Read your Tarot Cards: Taking on more responsibility at work?

Uncategorized

Queen of Cups

As much as it rankles me to see the words “more” and “responsibility” together in a positive context, yes, she is making the right choice. She should be cautioned to make sure that the responsibilities she takes on are in line with her future goals. Taking on irrelevant responsibilities just to prove she can do something may lead her in the wrong direction. While this card indicates good things to come, it also signifies loyalty, which can be misused by the wrong person. Her first loyalty should always be to herself. 

-Dash

*Just for funsies, not a legit tarot reading!

please excuse my terrible canva skills.

Interlude: Strawberry Stain, Part 1

Erica, Free

In all the years I’ve lived at this apartment, my landlord has never once done anything to the little patch of dirt where I keep my garden. I’ve ripped up the groundcover where I want to put my plants and done my best to eradicate the poison ivy, but there’s not much I can do about the honeysuckle besides cut it down when I remember to. 

Well someone came out and sprayed it last week. I didn’t realize it until a couple days later when the leaves of my garden plants started bleaching and turning papery. 

I thought it was my own neglect until I saw the honeysuckle on the other side of the driveway had also been sprayed.

Some of my plants, the kale and basil, will die. Some, like the strawberries, I don’t feel comfortable eating anymore since I don’t know what they were sprayed with. 

The kicker is that, while pretty much my entire garden got sprayed, in areas where it is just the groundcover and honeysuckle, only the honeysuckle got sprayed. And I was really looking forward to eating those strawberries. 

It’s not like they were great strawberries. They were little and tart, but they were mine. I tended to them and watched them grow and they were perfect over vanilla ice cream. I still can, but they will be tainted with glyphosate or whatever chemical they used. 

There has to be some way I can get back at them without raising too much suspicion. I do like this apartment and don’t want to have to move. But Ella is out of town, which means I have a little more leeway in how I exercise my powers. 

It’s one of the first rules of fairy tales: Don’t mess with a witch’s garden. 

-Erica

Refreshing Reads: The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Carolyn, Free

When I first saw the title of this book on Bridget’s coffee table, I thought it was going to be some boring historical fiction that overly romanticizes (ha ha) certain historical figures. It is definitely not.

Once I started it, I thought it was going to be a very typical romcom. Nothing wrong with that.

What I found was a delightful, romcom storyline set in a very clever frame. The premise and interesting side characters make this read truly refreshing. I especially want to highlight the inclusion of many LGBT characters, including a non-binary character whose identity is always accepted and never questioned. For anyone who is looking for a pleasant romance that is  interesting and unique, without sacrificing any of the romance, the Dead Romantics is the book for you.

This would be a great read at the beach, the lake, on a picnic, or curled up in the air conditioning. (Guess which one was me…)

P.S. What do I think of this book’s portrayal of ghosts? I quite enjoyed it. The ghosts in this book are much more mobile than I have ever been, but are just as mysterious. I try not to judge portrayals of ghosts in literature based on my experience. No author knows what it’s like while they’re writing, so how would they know?

-Carolyn

The author’s website is here, and you can always check out your local library!

Cats Read Your Tarot Cards: Making Friends in a New City

Free, Harry and Dash

Question: Will I make new friends outside of work? I moved to a new city a year ago and i have a bunch of work friends, but have struggles to meet people otherwise

Card: Two of Wands, Reversed

You’re probably trying too hard. You have a lot of promising beginnings that lead nowhere and you’re letting it get to you. The thing is, that’s how friendship works. You can’t really go out and seek a friend. Take it from me. I don’t seek anyone out. Everyone always comes to me and the ones who put up with my aloofness are the ones who are worthy of my time.

I’m not saying act like a cat. You’re not as cute. But keep hanging out with your work friends. Deepen those friendships. And then find groups that do activities you like. Go to some meetups. Enjoy the low-key social interaction. See if there’s someone you connect with, and go for it. It’ll take some time, but you’ll be fine. 

-Dash

*This is just for entertainment purposes and should not be taken as a real tarot reading.

The Bramble Stitch: Self-advocacy baby steps

Erica, Free

One of the problems with chronic illness is that making doctor’s appointments is often the exact kind of task that always seems like too much. When my old company was bought out, we changed insurance providers, and most of my old doctors were out of network. That was fine with me anyway since I wasn’t terribly happy with either of them. 

The problem is that finding a new doctor is still finding a new doctor, whether it’s on the old insurance portal or the new one. But I had resolved to at least find answers this year, so I had to find a new doctor. I thought about all the barriers I’d let get in my way before and made a plan to remove them. Here are some of the barriers I identified from finding a new primary care physician.

  1. Time and energy: Do the most important things when you are awake and alert. I usually tell myself that I have to do these things after work, but I’m always tired. What’s stopping me from taking a quiet moment at work (on a break if you have to) to search for a new provider and call and make an appointment? Well it might be…
  2. Necessary materials: Get everything you will need together before you start. I knew from past experience that I would need my insurance information and both my phone and work calendars.
  3. Mental Roadblocks: Whatever you need to say to psych yourself up, do it. Embarrassed to make a phone call in an open office? Don’t be. Everyone has to see the doctor sometime. Worried about the receptionist on the other line before? Think about the last time you went to the doctor. At best, the receptionist was friendly, at worst, you barely registered with them. Why would they be any different over the phone?
  4. Appointment Dread: look up the doctor on their network website. See if they have specialization areas that match your concerns. If you need to (I felt like I did), use the filters to select a provider you will feel more comfortable with.

So, where have I been for two months? At a lot of doctor’s appointments. I finally found a primary care physician who didn’t dismiss my debilitating menstrual pain as “just cramps,” and recommended an OBGYN who could help me. I saw that provider, who was able to all but confirm the diagnosis. 

And in all those waiting rooms – bramble stitch.

-Erica

Cats Read Your Tarot Cards: What’s Going on with my cat’s love life?

Free, Harry and Dash

Question: A black outdoor cat is screaming at my cat’s window every night. What does that mean?

Card: Ace of Pentacles

This is just the right amount of relationship for your cat. Maybe the black cat wants more, but your cat is fine admiring beauty from afar. She knows just how much she has at home and isn’t looking for any more than to enjoy the attention of someone pretty from the comfort of her own home. She also finds it very entertaining to drive another cat crazy. We can all be a little antagonistic at times. Just be glad it’s not directed at you.

-Harry

*This is just for entertainment purposes and should not be taken as a real tarot reading.