Readers Studio 2012 Part 2

When we last left our weary traveler, she was trying to shrug off an almost-all nighter and seem sprightly and fit in Shawn Nacol’s Tarot session, the second of our three main presenters at Readers Studio 2012. Shawn is such a kick. You’d think elemental concepts like hot and cold and wet and dry would be light and easy. Shawn’s presentation made something that might look at first like a kiddie ride turn into rockets to the moon. I love his lightning-fast pace, even with a throbbing headache and “patriotic” eyes (that’s red, white and blue). I quickly caught up on the half-hour I had missed and though I did not have a partner this time, I worked through the exercises that were part of his class. It was good solid stuff, and just what I had hoped for, witty, fun, fast and deep. I knew I had to save his comprehensive notes for a time when the brass band in my head wasn’t competing for real estate with my thought patterns.

Mary K. Greer graciously asked me to have lunch with her and we were joined by James Lee and Joan Iris Eisenberg. The lunch conversation soon turned to sociological and financial cycles with a lively discussion between James and Joan. I soaked it up along with my lobster bisque and the bit of sunshine through the window.

After lunch I retreated to the bar for some lighter fare and was treated to fun and crazy conversation with Thalassa Therese, Barbara Oliver, Paul Nagy, Lon Milo DuQuette, Bob Place, Elizabeth Owen which featured Thalassa’s rendition of “Smoke on the Water” in her best Ethel Merman voice. Somewhere about the time when I was pretty sure we were going to put together a chorus line with Lon, Paul and Bob in “Sparky-the-Wonder-Bat” thongs, we were about to go back to the main room for our third presentation. Truly, a picture would have been worth a thousand words here, maybe two thousand, but alas it was not to be. Perhaps another time!

James Wanless, dressed in what my then sparkly and exhausted brain could only process as a Star Trek version of a Virgin of Guadalupe shirt, truly stunning with a shimmering beam-me-up quality, explored our very human side with a spread that felt like First Contact. With cards designated as the spirit, head, heart and feet, plus left and right arms, we walked through another deceptively simple and gentle self-analysis. I blinked down at my cards. I was using a favorite deck, Carol Hartman Devall’s Cirque de Whimsy Tarot. And I had three feet. Grounded, I thought. I’m grounded. It seemed right in every sense of the word. And my assertive right hand was strong and reached forward where my shy receptive left hand was, at least, represented. Some people next to me said, “I have no head.” Seriously, I thought, eyes still sore from the night before, that should be me today.

I dashed out of the session to take the last of my work conference calls to heart and was pleased that our software release had gone well overall. I exchanged a few words with Dan Pelletier about the financial planning in general, then headed to my room to change into my costume for the evening. Transformed into the Hermit, I went back to the banquet, pleased that I had ordered the fish and the fruit for dessert. Mary Nale and Reenee Cummins snapped my picture and threatened to take my frog-cane for Mary’s collection. We laughed and ate and enjoyed the show after dinner. Nancy Antenucci’s dance of the novice 2 of Swords becoming the High Priestess was wonderful. The musical members of our tribe played and sang. And, the crack up of the evening, Dan Pelletier and Jeannette Roth of Tarot Garden performed their own rendition of Point/Counterpoint with all the risk and raunch of vintage Saturday Night Live.

And after that, there was yet another evening session. Sheilaa Hite’s very popular Past Life Regression reading discussion was such a hit that they had to bring in another table and more chairs to seat everyone. It was worth the effort and we were tempted to purchase her books, quickly snatched up. When all was over that night, this little Hermit had to head for the barn. Happily, I turned in for the night knowing that fun awaited on our next and final day.


Tarot Bingo at the
Readers Studio 2012


While I was in the middle of the near-all-nighter, I realized that the topics covered by the presenters were heavy, heady, meaty and serious. I was the Sunday Breakfast Roundtable facilitator and I knew I could not, on the last day ask people to think hard and deep over their free breakfast. I found just the thing to wake people up on a happy note. Tarot Bingo! I had found a print-your-own bingo card site on the web a few weeks ago and had created bingo out of the 78 tarot cards. With the help of the front desk I printed out plenty of cards and after having everyone introduce themselves, we got down to business. One very competitive table cried with joy or despair at each card called, but it was Joan Eisenberg who won a free copy of my new Dust Bunny Lenormand deck, currently at the printers. It was fun and lasted just long enough to let people gather their thoughts before our final session with Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone.

As a last treat, we had break-out sessions with so many good choices it was hard for me to settle down. I finally landed at Barbara Moore’s table where we received tips on publishing. We asked our hard questions and Barbara showed her experience and expertise. And then, finally, we received our certificates of completion of this year’s Readers Studio 2012.

You’d think that was the end. But it wasn’t.

An informal review of a Lenormand reading with Donnaleigh de LaRose with expert help from Rana George was not only fascinating but also inspiring. None other than Ciro Marchetti attended with interest. Will he produce his own Lenormand soon? Only time will tell.

R-L: Nancy Antenucci, Beth Palladino,
 Marcia McCord, Jude Alexander
with tiaras, perfect for the Tarot Game
at Readers Studio 2012

A raucous ride in a white stretch limo to Uncle Pete’s with our party of 22 post-RS dinner buddies for a delicious dinner followed. Back at the hotel, Jude Alexander, Nancy Antenucci, Beth Palladino and I determined to play the full version of the Tarot Game, all of us winners, of course!

I packed my zillion decks, my mini-pirate rubber ducks, my travel Tarot Game handmade by Jude, my notes from our brilliant presenters, my three computers and my frog-cane, safe from Mary Nale after all, and flew home. Yup, gotta go next year. BINGO!!

Best wishes!