Busy creating content

Ciao a tutti,

It's been very busy here!  I've spent that last couple weeks working on products like reformulating and pricing our incense. We've even had a few nibbles about wholesaling the incense to some stores.  :-)

For the past week or so, Mike and I have been looking at redoing the Streghe.US website. I think it needs a new look, better UI, a place (permanent home) for my blog, and...   forums.  Yup. We're looking at getting forums set up specifically for Italic Craft. 

The forums would be for all manner of topics on Italic-American traditions and practices as well as for folks native to Italy and Sicily.  Although the focus will be primarily Italic Craft as spiritual and religious practices (Stregheria) there will be room for Italic Craft as a magical practice (Stregoneria) allowing overlap with more broad discussions including mystical and folk practices (Benedicaria, la magia popolare, etc.) regardless of spiritual path.

The plan is to have user profiles and let folks either register at the site or use their existing IDs for other sites such as FB but to not left folks post to the forums unless they register.  I would like to get it set up so users can create their own groups so they can narrow down particular areas of interest to them.

Suggestions are welcome!

Benedizioni,

---Enzo

9 Days and Counting

9 day and counting until I leave for my trip.

While gone, I play on keeping a travel log of my journey and my thoughts. This seems like a really good place to keep.

As part of getting ready, I've been reviewing my social networking presence. The number of "groups" that I am part of is really very large - much larger than I thought.

Since I don't want to be bombarded with wading through groups messages while I'll be away with spotty internet connection, I'm going to be (at least temporarily) removing myself from groups on FB and other networking sites.  If you admin one of the groups that I drop out of, please don't take it personally!

Yesterday, I had to go to 3 banks just to get my "travelling cash" in Euros. I never though that getting foreign currency would be so difficult.  Also, my custom luggage tags arrived.  They're VERY visible and colorful so I'll be able to tell which bag is mine at a glance. :-)

This morning I spend about an hour researching descriptions that I plan on integrating into the book draft. It's amazing the more you understand about a culture, the more you understand the connotations (and root meaning) of a word and recognize how it's changed over time - especially when the word has crossed cultural boundaries over time. I was specifically looking into "Stregoneria, Magia, Sortilegio, Stregheria, Benedicaria, La Vecchia Religione, praticos (wise people), guaritori (healers), fattucchiere (fixers), donne che aiutano (women who help) and mago, maga or maghiardzha (sorcerers)".

That's all for today!

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo