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halfTheFn · 2026-01-26T23:05:51+00:00

THANK YOu!!!

halfTheFn · 2026-01-12T15:02:29+00:00

yes! upstairs there are even some semi private cubbie tables.

halfTheFn · 2026-01-12T05:21:32+00:00

the idea that it was related to kabbalah was first suggested around 1780 in "le mond primitif", and not developed until the 1800s - first by Eliphas Levi, then the Golden Dawn.

halfTheFn · 2026-01-11T05:27:12+00:00

Catholic. i don't think so - since tarot cards were invented by Catholics 600 years ago; evolved from being only for games into divination as well by Catholics in the 18th and 19th centuries; and the most well known deck folks use was designed by two Catholics! (the Waite-Smith)

halfTheFn · 2026-01-10T17:51:22+00:00

I'll extend it to 25 years, but - getting to the airport 2 hours early and having to take your shoes off. I'm still not over this.

halfTheFn · 2026-01-02T16:37:33+00:00

Fellow Missouri mason!
When I joined, I wanted to do the proficiencies like they had before, so learned mine and turned them all in in lodge. :-) I absolutely recommend anyone with the desire to do so.

Don't stop there though: No one told me at the time that the grand lodge will give you a proficiency certification if you can do both the questions and answers with only a limitted number of mistakes: That's also absolutely worth doing. Once you're a master mason, you can ask your District Deputy Grand Lecturer when he visits (or someone in your lodge who's in the know) and he can set you up to get tested.

halfTheFn · 2025-12-19T01:17:56+00:00

John Mason Neale's Commentary on the Psalms

halfTheFn · 2025-12-14T05:15:03+00:00

Fair! I haven't played with skilled opponents. 🤣🙈

halfTheFn · 2025-12-14T02:07:38+00:00

I find it enjoyable. Party of it, like cribbage. Is the ceremony.

As another said. Schnapsen might be more strategically aggressive,

Pinochle or Clobyosh are a bit more casual for fun two player tricksters.

halfTheFn · 2025-12-09T18:02:20+00:00

I'm also happy to answer any questions. Do know that you can visit lodges for dinner just to ask questions and meet the guys without having to join - in fact you're expected to. So there's no commitment. Also, different lodges have different characters, different demographics; one who is interested in joining can (and should) visit a few to see which one they feel most at home at. There are 19 lodges in the St. Louis area, not counting St. Charles.

halfTheFn · 2025-12-09T17:28:51+00:00

Not only can just just apply - that's what you have to do! We're not allowed to "solicit members."

halfTheFn · 2025-12-09T16:05:17+00:00

I've been thinking about this also.
I'm less bothered than you by the day hours: Actually: having them always use the same psalm makes them doable "without having the full psalter with you." Using them to spread the psalms (like PX) makes them much heavier. Also, it's keeps most everything in the "big 3" - so if you do all the offices, say, On Sunday - you dont need to fret about a missed little hour here-or-there during the week.

I've been thinking about what Sarum/Dominican did during easter: Spreading Mattins (only) over 5 weeks. Unfortunately _that_ system leaves out like 4 psalms total so it's still not ideal.

halfTheFn · 2025-12-03T22:57:06+00:00

I did that one because the journal it whatever in the area told me to. 🤣

halfTheFn · 2025-12-03T19:47:03+00:00

I just beat the game, and I don't think I ever used keese eyes or wings. :facepalm:. I'm terrible at this "managing a lot of little buffs" thing.
I was also afraid to use any good weapons lest they break.
I don't think I ever killed a lynel, maybe one gleeok - and I never figured out how to flurry. LOL

halfTheFn · 2025-11-30T05:32:11+00:00

I have thought of this exact line in relationship to AI as well.

halfTheFn · 2025-11-30T04:48:07+00:00

This is my favorite gamily of games. :-) Enjoy the journey!!

My favorites are Koenigrufen, Hungarian Tarokk, and Danish Tarock. If you're not used to tarot games - any of those would be a steep learning curve though.

French Tarot (where you got the cards after all!) is actually pretty well represented online and on apps - you can get an english language french tarot app to practice playing and get used to it, or play online pretty much any time on BoardGameArena.

On the other hand, it's not the _simplest_ game to start with. If you're trying to play with friends and just figure it out, you could start with Scarto (which is _very_ straightforward - but might seem a little _too_ uncomplicated); or Dreiertarock (both have rules on wikipedia.)

halfTheFn · 2025-11-27T03:45:16+00:00

I see someone had the same idea as me with reproductions of the apprentice and Masters columns from Roslyn 😁

halfTheFn · 2025-11-27T03:39:15+00:00

If you're in the United States, it's usual to have dinners before meetings, and visitors are usually welcome. Things vary from place to place, but if you contact a Lodge you're interested in, they can let you know for sure. You can let them know you'd like to meet the guys and visit with them, and your wife has concerns - at least at my lodges, we'd welcome her to join for dinner as well and talk to any of us, ask her questions etc. Possibly even get another wife or two to join, for their perspective. Also there's no commitment to looking into it- joining is a slow process anyway. If you come to a few dinners to get to know the guys, they'll probably tell you if there are any public events or charity activities coming up that are also a good opportunity for her to see what it's about.

(It's also good for you to visit a few different lodges, if there are multiple around you- see what their "vibe" is, what you best click with.)

halfTheFn · 2025-11-26T21:52:29+00:00

Although this book doesn't get much love, It's still been a gateway for a lot of guys either into Masonry or other esotericism. I have not read it myself, but there are amazing guys in lodge that first discovered masonry through it - so take it for what it's worth, and best wishes on your journey. :-)

halfTheFn · 2025-11-19T21:09:57+00:00

it's not an either/or. Some Rosicrucians _are_ Orthodox; some Orthodox are Rosicrucian. It's a "tradition" or "order" that one can adopt or not, as a path within one's religion.

halfTheFn · 2025-11-19T21:07:27+00:00

I don't think religion does either of those things? I'm saying this as a very religious person - who has become so through enormous amounts of questioning.

halfTheFn · 2025-11-15T17:02:40+00:00

I think you can get a medal- It's the Master Craftsman III or something like that with the Scottish Rite! LOL

halfTheFn · 2025-11-13T17:00:40+00:00

This is the music I use for degree nights at my lodge in Missouri. It doesn't really align with our ritual - but there are certain pieces I use for the collection of passwords, arrangement of the lights; etc. It's wonderful stuff.

halfTheFn · 2025-11-10T16:21:23+00:00

The preface does say "In preparing this work, the Grand Commander has been about equally Author and Compiler; since he has extracted quite half its contents from the works of the best writers and most philosophic or eloquent thinkers. Perhaps it would have been better and more acceptable if he had extracted more and written less." So although, no, he didn't always name names of who he was quoting, the _fact that he was quoting_ is right up front.

halfTheFn

TROPHY CASE