AquaticApe In reply to Kiyo-chan666 [2009-07-06 22:45:37 +0000 UTC]

Thanks, I'm glad you think so!

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AquaticApe In reply to l0stwithalice [2008-11-17 16:50:46 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, I just can't stop playing Diablo 2. Although I haven't beaten it on Hell (I always grow weary before that), it's the kind of game that I'll pick up again at least once or twice a year, with some brilliant new skill combination idea, and play it intensely for a week or so.
Sweden right now is snowy and kinda cozy. The downside is the darkness; sun sets around two o'clock in the afternoon, so I really don't get that much daylight considering I work the nightshift.
Where in the US are you from?

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l0stwithalice In reply to AquaticApe [2008-11-20 00:12:03 +0000 UTC]

From NJ, where everything costs a fortune. I always wanted to visit Sweden I hear your country in general is the most content with their lives. Wow 2 oclock thats so early! What about during the summer does it stay out extremely late? So i have an interest in religion, what are common practices in Sweden? I am Pagan, but I am definitely not the norm. Although we are on the rise. Any neat Yule/Solstice/Christmas practices? Sorry im so nosey, I am just very curious!

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AquaticApe In reply to l0stwithalice [2008-11-20 16:05:48 +0000 UTC]

I'd say we have a pretty decent country here, yeah. Political power is rather well balanced between the many parties, so most people feel they have a say in things. We have a solid welfare system, too, even though the current government is upsetting things a little. We also have a very strong personal integrity movement.
In the middle of summer, it never gets dark at night here. It differs from where in Sweden you are, though. It's a very large country, and the southernmost parts are a lot more balanced when it comes to daylight.
Religion sure is interesting. Personally, I oppose all organized religions; I don't think people should need rules and boundaries to be good people. I'm a bit of a Pagan myself, and one of my favourite Swedish holidays is the Eve of Valborg's Mass. It's the last truly pagan holiday still left, when we light giant bonfires and sing in welcoming of spring. Resembles Beltane a bit, just a bit more child friendly. Also, Midsummer's Eve is another one which has a lot of old traditions attached to it, such as jumping over seven fences and picking seven flowers at midnight for your dreams to reveal your true love's face.
Christmas here is pretty much like in the US nowadays, except we aren't as extreme when it comes to spending, and most people still like to go to the countryside for the holidays. We have some odd practices before and after Christmas though, such as the celebration of the saint Lucia.
Sweden doesn't have a religion of state, but the most common one is still protestant Christianity. If you ask the typical Swede about their religion, they'd probably say "I don't believe in God, but I believe in a Higher Power." Very diplomatic.
You say you're a Pagan; tell me more!

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l0stwithalice In reply to AquaticApe [2008-11-20 21:28:06 +0000 UTC]

Wow, I see that Sweden is very similar to Alaska, well now that i think of that of course lol. You said a lot of people still like to go to the countryside? Is that because of family? Do most people have family in the country? Yes the US and our spending is horrible, and the stress is a lot for us around this time also because of the amount we are expected to spend. I probably drop about 1000k on xmas. We dont really have a lot of pagan traditions we celebrate here as a country. There are a lot of christian holidays which capture pagan traditions. I have been a practicing witch since i was about 13. It kind of just found me. I believe in an universal energy which flows through us all. Im not sure where i go from there. But by putting faces and masculine and feminine energies it becomes easier to connect with. I believe we created the gods in our image and not the other way around. But i do believe they are real entities...kind of confusing isnt it? I celebrate the 8 sabbats. Which are solstices and equinoxes, but since my family is primarily christian i also celebrate those holidays also. I am a solitary, which means for the most part im on my own, but i know the pagan community of NJ and different groups around here. I tend to hop back and forth and have made friends with everyone. I have two little girls, and I teach them to be careful who they tell about what I practice and our gatherings because society can be cruel and naive. I love being pagan because it isnt really an organized religion and we dont really believe in sins. Have you ever been to the United States? We have some beautiful places to visit. Ive never been outside the US but I hope to travel the world. We dont have a State religion either...but mostly christian, then prob catholic, then jewish....
I am so glad to have met you!

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AquaticApe In reply to l0stwithalice [2008-11-21 22:51:58 +0000 UTC]

Well, right back at you!
Celebrating christmas in the countryside is just one of those idealistic images still loved by most swedes. Most have, as you say, a family member outside of the cities, and many who do go there to celebrate. Also, it's quite common for people here to have summer houses in the countryside or by the sea, and some use them in the winter as well. Though, not everyone leaves the cities, of course. Some even go abroad to warmer places.
Personally, I'll celebrate with my boyfriend and his family at their old rundown farm this year. A few days later, we'll go to my childhood home in the far north; a small village by the sea, where my father and grandparents live.
You seem to have the same thoughts on life and spirituality as I do. I was really fascinated by Paganism and Wicca as a teenager, and still am, though I never found anyone here who shared my beliefs. So in time, it became more of a philosophy than a religion to me.
You must have been quite young when you became a mother. I'd say your girls are lucky to have a mom with different beliefs than what is "normal". It will probably teach them empathy and to keep an open mind.
I've never been to the US; in fact I've hardly even been abroad at all (just a few miles into Norway and Finland each). I would like to travel though. Ireland is high on my list, as well as Iceland, Italy and northernmost America. I'd really like to see a Redwood tree one day; I love trees, to me they're almost sacred.

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l0stwithalice In reply to AquaticApe [2008-11-22 00:18:39 +0000 UTC]

Yes I was very young, I was 16 when I had my oldest daughter, I went to school and worked fulltime and held down an apartment. Eventually I started college and a few years later met my husband and had another. Its been hard being a young mother, but I love my girls and I am at a very happy place right now. I graduated school 2 years ago and I am now an art teacher. Well even a rundown old farm is a great farm, I wish I had a farm to go to for xmas lol. It is really neat that people have more then one house, while some people have vacation homes here, most of us are just struggling to make our mortgage. I rent a house right now, i hope to one day to buy a home. New Jersey is extremely expensive and the houses here are triple the cost of the south and the midwest.
I also would love to visit Ireland, Scotland, and Italy. Maybe one day you will come visit america and at least youll have a friend here! I can show you New York City haha. Perhaps then Ill have a house with a guest room to offer you ;O)
I feel a spiritual connection with trees also, I think they really are pieces of history...records of energy.
So what do you do for a living? Do you live with your boyfriend, I hear the maternity benefits over there are amazing for when you decide to have children.(and if lol)

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AquaticApe In reply to l0stwithalice [2008-11-24 00:36:43 +0000 UTC]

Wow, that is very young. I'm glad it all worked out for you; after all, if you have enough strenght and love, you can do anything. Didn't work out as well for my biological grand mother. She, too, had her first when she was 16, and she ended up giving up my mom and her sister for adoption. Can't say it didn't bring good things though; I loved my grandparents when they were alive, and I still have a good relationship with my biological grandmother.
It might sound rich, having more than one house, but it's not as fancy as it sounds. Most people here live in appartments or smaller houses, and the summer homes are usually very simple, often without indoor bathrooms and sometimes even electricity. You could say it's a way of returning to a simpler life.
You sure seem warm and welcoming; if I ever get enough money to go to the US (highly doubtful of that), I'll have to give you a shout.
I work with taking care of physically and mentally disabled people, night-time. Here, we call it "personal assistant"; I don't know what the proper term in english would be. My job is to make sure that these people can live as normal a life as possible, despite their handicaps. My dream is to be able to work with something creative, though.
I live with my boyfriend, yes, and the thought of children does start to seem very appealing. We do have great maternity benefits; a whole year's leave to be divided between parents, with 80% salary, plus certain other economical benefits.

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l0stwithalice In reply to AquaticApe [2008-12-03 00:46:05 +0000 UTC]

Wow taking care of disabled people is a very noble job. I see 140 children a day besides my own lol and i am exhausted, I always have a lot of respect for special ed teachers. In the US we get 3 months of unpaid leave...makes things very difficult. I think it was a lot harder to have children at a younger age in the past, now there are just so many opportunities out their these days, you just need to be strong enough to find them and endure the hardships.

When I was younger I used to keep a box that I would ship back and forth to a woman who was definitely a flower child, we used to fill the box up with notes and small tokens such as pictures, incense ...just random things,
would you be interested? You just keep passing the box back and forth, id love to send you some small things from the US P....

have you read the twilight series? Im soooo addicted...thats what i wasnt on all last week i was absorbed in reading the series!

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AquaticApe In reply to l0stwithalice [2008-12-08 21:46:26 +0000 UTC]

That sure is harsh. It really makes it hard for single mothers, doesn't it? I'd hate to see a three-months-old at a kindergarden; I think it's early enough with the one-year-olds around here.

The box-thing sounds like a really fun idea! I've missed having a real "pen-pal" of sorts. The internet is great for connecting people, but it's not really as personal as getting and sending actual things.

No, I haven't read those. Sounds familiar though; who's the author? Personally, I'm deep into Stephen King's Dark Tower right now. My own addiction of sorts.

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AquaticApe In reply to kime-houdinnie [2008-11-17 03:05:27 +0000 UTC]

Thanks a bunch! I guess I'll have to return the favour and look around.

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kime-houdinnie In reply to AquaticApe [2008-11-17 16:16:21 +0000 UTC]

heh, np ^^

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AquaticApe In reply to tamabald [2008-11-07 17:05:58 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for your comments. I'm really glad you like my work. I guess I will have to keep it up then!

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AquaticApe In reply to l0stwithalice [2008-11-06 22:19:42 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. It really lightens my day when someone sees something more in my paintings than just an image.
Watercolours work well with my inner self; we have the same temper, fragile but untamed and a little headstrong at times.

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l0stwithalice In reply to AquaticApe [2008-11-14 01:23:27 +0000 UTC]

well art is a very spiritual practice for me. Thank you for your comments on my green woman. This was from a live model, a very large live model. I agree ive never liked the hair, i really love how my water based oils came off very translucent as if they were watercolor. Can I ask what your astrological sign is? Just curious.

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AquaticApe In reply to l0stwithalice [2008-11-14 12:26:56 +0000 UTC]

It's quite interesting, painting people whose appearance don't fit in the realm of "normality", isn't it? Much more fun than painting picture perfect models. I like water based oils, too. They're a lot easier to work with than the "real" stuff.
I'm an Aries. Actually, astrology is one of those things that amaze me how correct they sometimes are. (Well, not the newspaper predictions, but the real thing). What about you then?

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l0stwithalice In reply to AquaticApe [2008-11-15 02:09:12 +0000 UTC]

lol im an Aries too! I thought maybe with the water colors you were a water sign. I love water based but ill use reg oil too. Water color seems the hardest for me.

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AquaticApe In reply to l0stwithalice [2008-11-16 01:23:40 +0000 UTC]

Nope, no over-emotional water sign here! (I know way too many cancers...)

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AquaticApe In reply to walrus-gumboot [2008-09-24 19:09:11 +0000 UTC]

Please do! *nudge nudge*

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AquaticApe In reply to paulashins [2008-09-15 09:58:13 +0000 UTC]

Hey, thanks a lot.

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AquaticApe In reply to romansgirl [2008-06-24 17:35:06 +0000 UTC]

I thank you! *Bows*

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AquaticApe In reply to abazou [2008-06-24 17:33:06 +0000 UTC]

No prob! Sorry for not replying in ages, I don't check these messages often enough. It's a done deal then: though you may not know what you've asked for...

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AquaticApe In reply to keofome [2008-06-11 19:38:18 +0000 UTC]

NP. You deserved it!

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AquaticApe In reply to paulashins [2008-05-15 16:33:24 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. Dear me, everyone here is so welcoming I get all fuzzy and warm.

BTW: Odin Sphere is quite a unique game, wouldn't you say?

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paulashins In reply to AquaticApe [2008-09-14 16:50:15 +0000 UTC]

Yes! Odin Sphere is a completely original game! Its unique and you never get tired from playing it XD

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