Things have been happening which have detracted from my “rambling nonsense” brand of blogging. Good things. Exciting things. Things that are going to make me rework my schedule so I can write more for this space. I love this blog and its mishmash of theology and personal idiocy, and I feel bad about not publishing much lately. However, there is good reason for this!

Thing the first: the day after I posted about perhaps writing a book about devotions to Loki and Sigyn, E messaged me with an irresistible offer. A friend of a friend was writing a book about pagan funerals, and she needed a heathen brain to pick for that chapter. We got to talking, the author and I, and she offered me the opportunity to actually write the chapter myself if I felt comfortable with the idea. What? Me be a contributing author (complete with mini author bio) to an awesome book about death and funerals?

I declined.

Hahaha, no fucking way I’d turn down an offer like that. Instead, I cackled gleefully over being invited to write for an author with a publishing contract the day after musing about writing a book. Networking! So I wrote the chapter, and when I was halfway through the project I took a look at the publisher’s release form. Now, I was expecting a small independent press for some reason. So I might have pissed myself a little when I saw her contract is with a major publishing company. Like, the kind of company that sells a lot of books in brick-and-mortar bookshops. Like, this is a book that might be in Barnes and Noble.

The author (who is absolutely delightful and whom I already adore because we have so many discussions about mortuary stuff and paganism and random babbling) has already told her editor about me and my intention to write a devotional about the Twerp, and her editor is enthusiastic about taking a book proposal from me. Again, the timing doesn’t escape my notice. I wrote a little thing about possibly writing something for publication, and within 12 hours the wheels have been set into motion for networking and getting my feet wet. Loki and Sigyn were definitely like, “YOU’RE GOING TO DO THE THING! YOU FINALLY REALIZE YOU CAN DO THE THING. MAKE THE THING HAPPEN!”

Hahahaha. Aight.

Thing the second: I noticed that Leap Year falls on a Saturday, so I asked my kindred how they felt about having a blot for Loki. You know, wonky day with a wonky god. To my absolute delight, they’re as excited about it as I am. So that’s another dent in my “mucking about on this blog” abilities since I’m designing the blot and compiling notes for things I’d like to convey during the discussion preceding said blot. It’s a truly humbling thing to write and lead a ritual, especially when it’s in honor of someone so vitally important to me. At the same time, it’s incredibly fun to weave in little elements that will have a lot of meaning not only to Loki, but to me and my kindred, and to spark some of the magic and energy of the blots from ECT. For example, the bowl I got for Sigyn in Iceland (the one I used in lieu of a horn for her blot at ECT) will be the offering bowl for Loki’s libations. She will be present at the blot, too, as we lift the bowl over the fire (weather permitting) and commit Loki’s offerings to the flames. I’m beyond stoked getting to do this with my kindred and our guests. I really do have the best friends a lunatic could possibly hope for.

My mom and stepdad may also stop in for a bit, which has me pretty geeked out. My mother isn’t religious, but she’s definitely pretty damn heathen (after all, she loves talking about what my paternal grandpa taught her about his beliefs, and she definitely did more to educate me in the old Norse ways than my father did while I was growing up). She doesn’t honor the gods, but she is enthralled with the myths and history, and she takes a lot of pride in my growing role in the community and my connection with Loki and Sigyn. The Asatru temple in Reykjavik is one of the places she demands we visit when we return to Iceland in April. She wants very much to attend a ritual there, despite my constant reminders she can attend ritual here, with my kindred. Her interest in attending a local blot finally sparked when I told her we’d be having one dedicated to Loki (I’m very much my mother’s daughter. Mention Loki and the both of us will be there). My stepfather may also come, though I doubt he’d be comfortable with the blot itself. He’s very Lutheran, active-on-church-council Lutheran, and while he’s hugely supportive of my path and proud of my involvement, he may be too Lutheran to be comfortable at a pagan worship service. But I think he wants to come to meet my second family and enjoy some mead, which has me bouncing with joy. They would both get along so well with my kindred and would have a blast talking and drinking with us. Just makes the whole event that much more special to me.

So while these aren’t necessarily excuses for neglecting this blog, they’re reasons why nothing new has been published in a bit. The chapter for the book on pagan funerals has been completed and submitted, so now I turn my attention to cobbling together a book proposal of my own. And getting things ready for the Leap Year Loki blot. And then writing the book. And somewhere in this, I’ll learn to better manage my time and energy so that I’m still posting here on a more regular basis, if that’s what you the reader would like. I have a lot of posts brewing, many of which are half-written, so there’s certainly no lack of content (and I’ve received numerous requests for my take/practices on various topics, which I’m eager to write about). I’m humbled by the number of readers I have here, and I’ve gotten some really amazing feedback, and I thank you all so much for slogging through my nonsense and sticking with me. This is a very personal blog, hardly academic or useful, but it warms me to know that a lot of people are enjoying it and taking the time to reconsider who Loki is and why he’s worth having around.

Hail the community!