posted April 07, 2007 02:45 AM
Apparently so busy that I just now caught this. :-DLike many Librans, I tend to have my manic moments and the moments where I'm just lazy. Luckily, I do manage to scrape by, though the landlord raising the rent all of a sudden did put extra pressure on me...but that's another story.
As for the dervishes, I expect they might be scandalized to find I'm named for them. I'm a bit too freethinking (or I like to think so anyway), and they'd probably do a double take over how I dress sometimes (like mismatched stockings and zipper boots, studded belt over a mini and a shirt with the Cheshire Cat grinning maniacally, sleeves added on, and a trench coat that I've decorated in all kinds of ways, including in wearing homemade art and a pin another artist made for me...plus odd bits of jewelry, ranging from hemp and beads to Thors Hammers to Pentagrams). I'm fairly alternative in more ways than one.
I got dubbed Dervish back in August of 2001 due to my seeming ability to dance myself into altered states of consciousness, and even eschewing drugs because I get higher dancing without them.
Then 9/11 hit. Friends were worried that someone out there, either a private citizen or someone in Homeland Security or both, might know "just enough" to know that dervishes are Islamic. And, in their idiotic mind, think that therefore Dervish=Terrorist. Or at least terrorist sympathizer.
I thought they were silly, but there was an Indian Hindu of some kind that was gunned down by a vigilante shortly after 9/11 who thought the Indian was a Muslim because of the turban he wore (the irony is that the Indian came to America after having his place of business destroyed in India by Moslems, so the American vigilante did the work of the Muslim extremists that he thought the Indian guy was apart of). And in retrospect, it does seem like it was probably wise.
But having liked the name, I disliked losing it. A couple of years later I needed an on-line name and mulling on it, I recalled Dervish and started using it. So far, no one has complained or thought I was working great evil (I suppose I might be barred from flying, but I wouldn't subject myself to the abuse and indignities of an American airport anyway--and so many others are barred that I would consider myself in interesting company :P).
Anyway, for anyone curious, this was in reference to what I posted at the Lindaland Census. The relevent part is reposted below:
Libra sun (Leo ascendant, Sag moon and mars, Libra venus, Scorpio mercury...and Dog/Chinese.)
As for profession? Hard to say. I get by with crafts (making wrapping paper, candles, etc) and also with spiffing up old clothes for one of the thrift stores that buys my crafts (and some who sell at crafts malls).
I also work as a private contractor for a company that celebrate children's birthdays with themes. I have my own Kim Possible and Alice in Wonderland costume and they have a "miscellaneous princess" costume they'll have me wear sometimes.
Last December I even played the Snow Maiden for Russian expats and visiting Russians at a party (and yes I'm aware that they normally celebrate Christmas in January). That was good and easy money.
I guess that makes me an actress or at least an entertainer.
I also get a "finder's fee" for getting things in the mail and delivering them. The client will pay for it but I get it in my name and deliver it discreetly to them (which is when I'm paid my "finder's fee"). Throughout the year this is magazine subscriptions, but I'm also used to get presents, too.
This last December, I got A LOT of money for that, PLUS I also get a BUNCH of junk mail and catalogues and I made money off that, too. See, I put on lacquer thinner (glad I got it in a 5-gallon bucket a couple of years ago before the prices went through the roof on that!) which caused the colors of the catalogues to "bleed" down onto the freezer paper (gotten from a discount store), making gift wrapping paper. I sold all of that, too. December was a VERY good month for me financially.
I also save a lot by avoiding the use of anything I have to put gas into when I can (and charge for it when I can't and I'm doing errands, or delivering mail, etc) and being somewhat frugal. I'm still on dial-up for example, though I'm thinking of upgrading to broadband. (I also got this computer as barter for a housesitting job and real esate research for a guy staying in Mexico.) And I like to crash art shows for the free food.
My roomie brings in money, too. We do okay.
I do some errands, house sitting, ocassional baby sitting, etc. Last summer I tutored a few others in surfing.
I just call myself a Jane of All Trades (JAT?) I'm rather proud of my way of life. I never worry about having to downsize myself or laying myself off so that I can pay someone a huge, undeserved Christmas bonus without ripping off the shareholders. I make my own hours and I'm 24 and have yet to pee in a cup (I'm in the USA, aka "the land of the pee").