A lord, a witch and a healing focus
A world of magic inside Once in a Blue Moon By Marisa Rubin A “blue moon” actually occurs once every two and half years, as a second full moon of the month, occurring in 41 months per every hundred years. Inspired by that magical lunar occurrence, Rick “Shadow” Werner, or Lord Shadow to the masses, opened the new age metaphysical Wiccan gift store, Once in a Blue Moon. The store offers everything from candles and incense to hand crafted daggers, crystals and specialty literature. Originally located on Sylvania Avenue near the Westwood Theater, the store is now on Monroe Lady Darkest and Street (near Jo-Jo’s shop owner, Lord Original Pizzeria), Shadow, heal the offering more space world through for literature, clothing, Wicca. crystals and jewelry sections than the previous location. The store, which represents human opened about three and energy. The most commonly purhalf years ago, is familiar Many of the chased items are pentacles, to the Wiccan community. items in the store a protection amulet repreYears ago, two of Toledo’s are handmade, senting air, fire and water elder witches, Lady Circe including candles and and a star which repreand Lady Taliesin, had sents human energy. incense— they also a store about five doors take custom orders down called The Boutique for personalized of the Unusual. daggers, wands and robes. An inclusive community, Wiccans A growing coven, heal through the use of nature, a growing community utilizing crystals, stones and candle Born and raised in Toledo, Lord burning. “People come into the Shadow began learning Wicca in store in a saddened state of mind, the 70s, and earned the title “Lord” and we try to help them, sometimes 15 years ago, when the presence with certain stones to broaden their of the Wiccan community was less day or a particular candle to help pronounced. The Wiccan religion them become grounded,” says Lady focuses on nature and energy— Darkest. Lord Shadow states, “We healers of the Earth. are healers of the Earth. Trust us, if Influenced and inspired by the you were here all day with us you’d city’s head witch, the late Lady be amazed by the number of people Circe, “She was the big thing in we help on a daily basis.” Toledo. She was the head of the witches and I asked her if I could Learn the ways start a group called the Northern of the elders Spirits Coven of Witches,” reflects Once in a Blue Moon hosts a Lord Shadow. The coven met weekly meeting of the Northern at the Collingwood Arts Center, Spirits Coven of Witches, open to the but outgrew the space. Now, the public, Sunday evenings from 6-9pm. coven meets every Sunday at a The meetings include classes for space adjacent to Once in a Blue each degree within the coven: first Moon to teach Wicca 101— the degree (neophyte), second degree different candle colors, the gods and (Lady or Lord), third degree (the goddesses. right to openly practice) and fourth degree (Elder). The first four weeks Behind the doors are free, after that there is a fee of Lord Shadow explains that the $10 per month. store is “about healing, energy and Wicca.” The most commonly Once in a Blue Moon, purchased items are pentacles, a 4348 Monroe St. 419-810-1478. protection amulet representing facebook.com/once-in-a-blue-moon air, fire and water and a star which
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Unrealistic Expectations = Frustration2 City Government
Great expectations What you want isn’t what you get By Johnny Hildo
Politics is about people’s expectations. The voters want certain basic things from elected officials. They want to feel like their voices are heard. They want city services provided in an efficient manner. They want government to be responsive to their needs. The electorate wants people in power who can do all those things. They vote for those they perceive can best meet their justifiable expectations. Lately, though, it seems like voters’ expectations have become outsized, bordering on the impossible. Voter anger is the result. But that comes as a natural result of wanting what you can’t get. Here are some examples.
Damned if you do
All winter long we heard the whining and complaining about the streets. Potholes that break axles. Sinkholes that swallow cars. The voice of the people was loud and clear. Fix the damn streets! Now there are orange barrels all over town. Douglas Road is closed, Central Avenue is a nightmare. Bridges are down to one lane, major thoroughfares have become slalom courses. Hey, T-Town, what did you expect? You thought mebbe the rough roads would just magically disappear without some inconvenience? A magic wand would be waved and the streets would suddenly be smoothed out? Sorry, folks, you can’t complain about potholes and then whine about the road construction needed to fix ‘em. You expected the impossible. Example numero dos. Mayor Paula HH. People complain that she isn’t dynamic. She’s too wonkish, muddling around in the bureaucratic details of her position. She hasn’t come through with pizzazz. She hasn’t had any breakthrough Big
Ideas, focusing instead on what she calls “good governance.” Hey, T-Town, what did you expect? Paula has spent a lifetime working as a bureaucrat. She was legislative aide to City Council, Director of the Board of Elections, and legal counsel in the state budget office. Her career has been spent deep in the bowels of government. You thought mebbe she’d magically transform from stagehand to superstar overnight? She’s built her life on good governance. She isn’t about to change from wonk to shamwow anytime soon.
You get what you pay for
For good measure, one last example. With a couple outlier exceptions, Toledo City Council is a less-than-inspiring muddle of puddin’-heads. A bunch of retirees, some fuddy-duddies, and a couple of off-brand rejects. Several barely have high school educations, and many have little practical experience to bring to the task. The few that can swim with their heads above water are the rarity, lost in a sea of mediocrity. Hey, T-Town, what did you expect? Council members are paid a pittance to operate a budget close to a billion dollars. Pay a part-time wage, get a part-time effort. Old folks and pensioners are mostly what you get. Add to that the intense pressure, constant scrutiny, and impossible expectations, and it takes a special breed of masochist to seek elected office in the first place. You see the result. You should have expected it. So there you have it, folks. Have unrealistic expectations, keep getting frustrated. There’s only one known cure. Dose of reality, anyone?
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