Red Ajah Newsletter January 2011
Contents
Red Ajah News
A newsletter of the Red Ajah Community of TarValon.Net
Volume 1, Issue 2-January 2011
Message from Hilwa
Happy New Year everyone! How were the Holidays for everyone? Did you get all the presents you wanted for Hanukkah/Christmas/Kwanza? Have you started any new resolutions for 2011? This particular issue will pull together the end of last year and start off the New Year. Please note that some of the articles will be “past events” and I hope that too many eyes won’t roll. I would like to thank all whom have written articles or contributed in any way to this newsletter. You are all appreciated! My family and I had a wonderful Christmas and on New Year’s we went to a local “Hafli” where my son immediately fell asleep at 830pm. It was ridiculous, the music was blaring and there were people everywhere but he just slept. AAHH...Youth!
So, let’s get right to the newest and “hottest topic on the Site”. Yes, I’m speaking about our own Leora “Highest” Sedai, our “Mistress of Facts” being chosen as “Keeper-Elect”! How cool is that?! Honestly, it is my humble opinion that a better person could not be chosen to fill the huge gap that will be left with Drayln’s resignation, but then I am partial. Congratulations Lacy! I’m certain that you will bring your own special brand of class and quiet confidence to your new position. We all wish you well in your new endeavor!
Yours in the Light,
Hilwa
Message From the Head of Ajah
Hi everybody! It's been a while, but I hope you enjoy this second edition of the re-launched Red Ajah Newsletter. Since our last edition, Hilwa was raised to Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah. She received a lovely Red Shawl and some other gifts that you can see in the picture below. She'll tell you all about them in a follow-up post!
In other news, congratulations to our new Sitters, Anirfyan and Eveanyn, for the Spring 2011 term: sit well, ladies! :D Also, thanks bunches to Relinya for staying on for her second consecutive term as Heart. I think she like to be punished. :p
Have you been to one of our Red Ajah Public Chats, yet? If not, there is one coming up in February, details will be posted in General in the coming weeks!
As of right now, there are EIGHT Reds planning on attending Anni Party in March! :eek I think this is the largest group of Reds in a while so you all should be very, very excited.
~Leora Sedai, Head of the Red Ajah
Red Spotlight
We're skipping our normal set of questions and instead directing you to this month's Member Spotlight in the TVT since it features our very own Leora!
Ask the Reds
Ask the Reds is accepting questions to answer in our next newsletter, please send me any and all questions to Hilwa via PM. Questions can be silly or serious.
This question comes from one of those annoying "Get to Know You" chain letters: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Roast Beef: Hilwa, Anirfyan, Eveanyn
Mortadelli: Ariana
Prosciutto: Leora
Turkey: Anirfyan, Demonfaer
Pastrami: Anirfyan
Ham: Valadilene
New Honorary Red!
The Reds got together and decided that the awesome Dame Judi Dench would TOTALLY be Red Ajah. What did she do to merit such an awesome honor? She has a penchant for Subversive Cross Stitch (Warning: Adult Language), a long-beloved art form among the Reds! (Source) In fact, as part of her Accepted Project, Leora embroidered one of the Subversive Cross Stitch patterns for every Red Aes Sedai. WELCOME TO RED, JUDI! :D
Red Bites
Things Reds have been saying around the boards, as collected by Leora. Humorous, maybe, and probably taken out of context.
Relinya: DAMN IT WHY AM I NOT THERE TO HELP PREGNATE LISA?! :(
Katherine: eating raisin bran and feeling bitchier than normal
Hilwa: Did I hear of a Red takeover? :look Let's just do it.
Leora: I AM NOT WEARING ZASHA'S VIRGIN UTERINE LINING SHAWL :|
Eveanyn: How else am I going to get anywhere with her if I don't pin her down and hump her?
Lyuna: Hi, I like you for not liking Sparklepires :D
Question of the Month
Post your answers here! If you guess correctly you'll get the satisfaction of knowing you were right :p How many members of the Red Ajah are married?
Did You Know?
According to kabbalah, RED string and has many and varied virtues but its primary aim is to keep you from the evil eye.
Recapping the Holidays with the Reds
Valadilene on Halloween:
Traditions...well, I suppose they'll be slightly different depending on which pagan path you follow, etc. but Sambaing is basically the middle between the first day of Fall (autumnal equinox) and the first day of Winter (winter solstice). It is a time when the Goddess in her Mother form is preparing to transform into the Crone and the veil between the worlds (spirit/fairy/etc.) is not as strong so you are more likely to see or experience something special. It also means there'll be a bit more tomfoolery. It's also a time for celebrating the harvest and thanking the Earth and the gods and goddesses for their help and blessings which prepare us for the coming winter.
That being said (and simplified) I make a point to share my bounty with the spirits around me. I leave out treats for the fairies, such as cream and orange slices, I make sure to feed the birds as they prepare to winter or fly south, and I do a couple different rituals. These involve lighting candles in specific colors that have been anointed with essential oils and meditating on the gifts I've received and those I have given, where my path is headed in the coming months, and just being open to opportunity.
Of course Halloween/All Hallows Eve/Sambaing/All Saints Day depending on what you call it is also a fun time with children. The dressing up in costumes comes from the belief that the veil is thinner and therefore there are more spirits about. If you don't want to get "tricked" or harmed, you dress like one of them in order to fool them. I really think that tradition can bring a neighborhood or community together around their children. So, of course I dress up as well!
Katherine on Thanksgiving:
I spent Thanksgiving Day with my mother in law, since I have divorced my adopted parents. My mother-in-law made a Turkey that no-one will eat because everyone hates turkey...I've never made a turkey before. I’ve loads of relatives; I’ll go mooch off them.
Leora on Christmas
So, in my family, we are not allowed to get up in the morning until we hear Christmas music playing. I'm fairly certain this originated as a way to keep us in bed when we were little. :look In any event, this still holds strong sway over us as even though we are all grown, if we get up before Mom or someone puts on the Christmas music, we all just sit and look at our stockings and don't open anything.
Mieriana on Christmas
I wanted to do something like that when I was little- my parents told me that Santa will fly by the house instead of coming if I'm awake or sleeping anywhere near the living room. Since "he can see you while you're sleeping and he knows when you're awake" I totally believed them. I believed them so much that one time during Easter, I HEARD the Easter Bunny leaving me a basket near the bed and I kept my eyes squeezed closed because I was afraid if I opened them to look at him that he would take my basket and hop away.
Relinya on Christmas
We stay in our PJs all day! which is a rule, unless of course we are required to visit family. then we make the rounds of calling all family to discuss our day and what was given. eat lounge and watch christmasy movies.
Elia on Christmas
Usually on Christmas we wake up and my mom puts on some musics and we get all mushy and have some breakfast and tea. Then we open presents and talk for a few hours. Then we get ready to go to the extended family Christmas which is usually held at my grand-parents house or my great uncle and aunt's house (they alternate). All the aunts, uncles and cousins and second aunts and second uncles and great uncles and great aunts are there. We eat foods and talk a lot since we see each other probably once/twice a year.
Ferra on Christmas
When we were younger me and my sister would wake up at butt crack dawn and wake up my parents, then we would pick which version of the telling of Jesus's birth we wanted to hear either from Mathew or Luke and my dad always reads it, and we would sit around the tree listening to it. After he was done we would open our stockings which held underoo's -awesome- and socks and candy and just other things. Then one of us would play santa and hand out gifts, usually me and my sister would go first then my parents and then me and my sisters gifts towards each other.
Eveanyn on Christmas
When I decorate the tree, there is the tape of kids' Christmas songs that we play over and over--it includes the Chipmunks singing their Christmas song. It also has on it a Yiddish version of Jingle Bells. It's awesome
New Year's Resolutions
When asked whether anyone was making New Year's Resolutions, the Reds responded with deafening silence. I take it to mean we are our usual perfect selves and we don't need to resolve to improve anything!
Other Stuff
Boston Book Signing for Towers of Midnight where Hilwa was present!
Anybody remember the Red April Fool's Joke from a few year's back? You know, the one where we posted a petition to ask to bond Warders?
For anyone who missed it, it was epic. Here's our "petition":