Queen of Cups

Card: Queen of Cups, Minor Arcana

Description: The queen sits on a throne on the shore by the ocean. She holds in her hand a large golden cup.

My thoughts: Cups traditional element is water. Water is elusive, always moving, never constant, therefore, cups are the symbol of emotion and relationships. The queen is gazing sedately at the cup. She seems to be a woman who is content and loving. However, she can be a lioness if any threatens her or her family.

Traditional meaning: Sensitivity and loving. Deep caring.
Reversed: Emotional access. A distinguished person who is not to be trusted.

Thurisaz

Rune: Thurisaz (thoor-ee-saws) #3 The god Loki and belonging to the goddess Freya

Loki was known as the Prince of Lies and Sly One because he delighted in causing trouble. He was one of the gods who lived in Asgard. He was the trickster who shape-shifted. He used his magical ability for personal gain. He eventually became malevolent and was destined to be responsible for triggering Ragnarok, the final conflict that resulted in the destruction of the world.

Object: Knife
Animal: Snake
Tree: Blackthorn
Color: Purple

Meaning: Mischief making, unrealiability.
Reversed: A hasty decision that causes anxiety and regret.

Eight of Pentacles

Card: Eight of Pentacles, Minor Arcana

Description: Man sits working, chiseling a pentacle onto a disk. Another lies on the floor and six others hand from a column. Not all the pentacles chiseled in are symmetrical.

My thoughts: Hard work will bring success.

Traditional Meaning: This is the apprentice card. It is a card of starting over, new beginnings. A time of learning, making mistakes, beginning anew.
Reversed: Dread of work, poor performance at work, doubt in abilities.

Two of Swords

Card: Two of Swords, Minor Arcana

Description: Woman sits beside a choppy sea in the evening. Her back is to the ocean. She is dressed in a long white robe and she is blindfolded. She holds in her hands a pair of crossed swords.

My thoughts: A decision has been made and the one who made it is blind to any other suggestion.

Traditional meaning: A clash of ideas with the questioner caught in the middle.
Reversed: falsehood, duplicity, disloyality

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Jacob Jankowski is ninety, or maybe he is ninety-three, he can’t remember for sure. What he does remember in vivid detail is his life the year after his parents died and he missed his final exam in veterinary medicine at Cornell. He walked out of town, leaving everything behind him and jumped the first train that passed by. This one just happened to belong to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. His life in the circus was hard work, little or no pay, and a political structure that rivals any college campus. He falls in love with Marlena, who is married to the abusive animal trainer. He also falls in love with Rosie the elephant whounderstands Polish and is often the target of Marlena’s husband’s torturous abuse. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time. I did not like the ending, but what I mean by ending is the very last paragraph. I did not like the very last paragraph. It made no sense, but the rest of the book was awesome! I listened to the unabridged audiobook. It was 11 ½ hours on 10 CDs. It was read by David LeDoux and John Randolph Jones.

This review may also be found at:
http://bookmoochtbrclub.blogspot.com/2007/08/water-for-elephants-by-sara-gruen.html

Mannaz

Rune: Mannaz (mawn-nawz) #20 The All-Father and belonging to the god Tyr.

Man is represented in runes because he has gained supremacy over the other creatures by his power of reason.

Object: Man
Animal: Hawk
Color: Orange

Meaning: Man-woman-human being. Reflection, self, humaniarian attitude.
Reversed: Selfish, egotistical. Be warned of an enemy.

The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier

The dead all lived together in one city. They stayed as long as one person left living remembered them. Luka was one of the dead. He printed a newspaper and passed it out among the other dead that grouped together at the coffee shop. Soon, there are less and less dead. More and more were going to that "other place", the place you went when no one living remembers you. A virus has spread and was killing off millions of people. It was a rapid virus, people died within the day the symptoms started. Fewer people were remembered and more and more were going to the other place. Laura Byrd was alone and trapped in Antarctica. She had been working on an exploration team for Coca Cola. The radio had broken. Her two team mates had taken one of the sledges to see if they could make it to the main camp. They had been gone three weeks, far longer than it should have taken them to get there and back. The cabin’s heating was failing. It was getting colder. She finally takes the remaining sledge and makes it to the camp only to find it deserted and twenty burial mounds in back. Where had her team mates gone? What had happened to the team that was stationed here? Back in the city, more and more people were disappearing. How long before they all disappear?

I really liked this book. It was very well written and all the elements of the story tied together in surprising ways.

This book review can also be found at:
http://bookmoochtbrclub.blogspot.com/2007/08/brief-history-of-dead-by-kevin.html