Strictly speaking — going purely by the astrological omens — I conclude that you would generate amazing cosmic luck if you translated the Beatles’ song “Norwegian Wood” into Punjabi, wore shoes made of 18th-century velvet, or tried out for a Turkish volleyball team. I doubt you’ll get it together to pull off those exotic feats, however, so I’ll also provide some second-best suggestions. You won’t receive quite as much cosmic assistance from doing them, but you’ll still benefit considerably. Here are the back-ups: Begin planning where and when you’ll take a sacred vacation in 2010; meditate on who among your current allies is most likely to help you expand your world in the next 12 months; decide which of your four major goals is the least crucial to pursue; and do something dramatic to take yourself less seriously.

Well of course my fingers got all tingly when I read wear “shoes made out of 18th-century velvet.” So I’m going for the exotic feats.

Friday night was the home group gratitude potluck.  I wore my green embroidered tunic with black leggings and my bad-ass boots.  One totally cool guy, Bob, commented on how cool what I was wearing is.  My friend Susan proceeded to tell him that I probably did it all by hand and that I probably wove the belt.  I blushed and said she was right.  M came over 5 minutes later and asked me if I’d been visiting Sherwood Forest.  I’m telling you it’s really something else how grateful I am at the bullet I dodged.  Bob?  He’s in a relationship.  With a man.  So don’t go getting all excited.

But I’ve been working on the whole Punjabi, Norwegian Wood, be different in my own way thang quite a bit.  I’m sitting here at 50 and realize that it took me a dozen years to discover who I am in sobriety only to find that that changed dramatically with my 50th birthday and a year of getting hit upside the head with the Everything Is Changing stick.  A big stick.

I am becoming very clear on who my current allies are today. And they aren’t people like M who say “Did you just come out of Sherwood Forest” or the other M who said, “that coat looks like my bathrobe.” Gee, thanks. Didn’t know your bathrobe was black polar fleece with thistle enameled buttons, fitted at the waist with Edwardian sleeves but whatev.  That’s what you get hanging out with someone who complains about how old she  is at 44.  Where is that big stick when you need it?

My world is very small right now and I find I like it that way.  My sacred vacation will happen when I’ve finally paid off those who saved my ass this year.  When I go to 100% FTE. But I honestly expect that the most sacred vacation was this past year. I certainly wasn’t working and it certainly changed me spiritually.  What more could I ask for?  As long as my lesson wasn’t that I should ask for less so that it doesn’t hurt so fucking much.  That would be a mistake.

My major goals right now are to finish the little somethings for the covenfolk which I feel  is definitely crucial to pursue.  True love or at least Pretty Darned Good Love is worth the pursuit.  But I think I’ll leave off on the new career thing.  The best dramatic thing I can do to take myself less seriously is to keep wearing things like that green tunic.

My new favorite blog?  Style Scout. London street fashion for the rest of us.  Totally hip and nothing like the magazines.  There’s some wacky fun in there and it makes my little heart sing.  It’s all about the textiles don’t you know?

Oh! And the one crucial thing that is a major goal this year?  Yule cards.  Think I’m going to let them go this year.  I don’t have the energy and don’t want to spend my precious $ on two boxes of cards.