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A Tarn’s Eye View Tal! Welcome to the 78th issue of The Gorean Voice. A Short Word of Thankfulness Laudatory speeches are customarily given at the close of a time cycle, but I think the following acknowledgements are best given at the start of this calendar year. As I prepare this January 2005 issue, I am once more struck with the talent that people have shared with us. Some of the contributors have been known to our readership for a long time, while some have begun contributing this year and have already made a positive mark. Some names are deeply missed. The commonality is that each individual who contributes does so with the commitment to share something of quality. Moreover, each person who has, does, and will contribute demonstrates the ability to bring excellence to this work. As both the current editor and a reader, I am thankful for the dedication, creativity, and genuineness that our contributors offer each month. Great work, people!
In this Issue In the Booknotes department, Socrates begins Fighting Slave of Gor, the volume that begins the Jason Marshall saga. The Art department showcases Vanion and BKHOOK. Vanion delights us with views of A Morning at Home, a Tavern Dancer, and a quiet Stolen Glance. BKHOOK gifts us with an intriguing mystery in the form of a Ship of Acquisition - unexpected encounter. The Maps and Scenic Images department adds two breath-taking maps and three photographic-quality scenic images. One map is of the Rainforests, and the other combines the Rainforests with the Southern Plains. The scenic images reveal a portion of the Ua as it winds its way over thousands of pasangs, part of the Falls and Cataracts of Bila Haruma, and a glimpse of the canal in the midst of the swamplands between Lakes Ushindi and Ngao. Any extra loading time for these creations is absolutely worth it. As usual, Xerxex rocks! The Geography department brings you notes on The Rainforests Interior. Mishel’s extremely popular Crossword Puzzles continue their allure with Explorers of Gor, chapters 21-31. In the Health department, prism gives practical suggestions for keeping New Year’s resolutions successfully. The Recipes department also helps with New Year resolutions as holly{B} gives us tools with which to monitor mealtime and snacktime calories. kaylee{G} reflects on Perfection in Service with right-on perspectives in the Slave Heart department. In the Kajira Korner department, kajira{Master} gives a serious, succinct introductory answer to a question from an outsider. There are times when it seems best to ignore certain questions, perhaps based on our perceptions of the intent of the person asking. The reply of kajira{Master} reminds us that there may also be times when it is appropriate to choose to make a response, even to someone who does not seem to be at a place in life to understand and even when the questions are phrased in an unsophisticated manner.
Meditation: Newness in Ordinary Times In the Gor books, calendric time is marked with reference to solar-planetary harmonies. At the solstices, the planet is at its maximum tilt, and at the equinoxes, the planet is at zero tilt. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, and the days thereafter begin getting longer. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, and the days thereafter begin getting shorter. At the equinoxes, day and night are of equal length. These are extraordinary days, and the Books show a pattern that newness is recognized at extraordinary times: the spring equinox is generally taken as the Gorean New Year, Torvaldsland and Ar count years from their respective foundings, and Port Kar counts years from the beginning of the Council of Captains. While these book-facts are never far from the recollections of Norman’s fans, our reality is that we celebrate the start of each new year at a time when all seems ordinary. January 1 relates to no sun-planet harmonic, no seasonal rebirth of vegetation or animal propagation, no pivotal historical event. Whether January 1 occurs in your winter or summer, it is one day like another. Perhaps this is one message that our new year’s day brings: newness occurs in ordinary times, and newness can happen at any time. We, not the planet, and not the seasonal rhythms of plant and animal life cycles, make things new in our lives. Selecting a day to be our New Year’s Day is more than an affirmation that everyone gets a second chance - it is an assurance that personal renewal, reinvention, revitalization, recommitment, and all other types of newness that you can think of are continually within your ability to make happen. Happy New Year, whenever you choose for yours to start!
Watch for This The Free Woman, Pleasure Gardens, and Reviews departments will return. Because there are always proposed contributions in progress, The Gorean Voice is preparing other really nice surprises for you as well.
Possibilities for Contributors There are many possibilities for contributors. If any of these departments appeals to you as a place where you might find a writing or other artistic niche, and of course, if you have ideas for a new feature and are willing to help, then read the guidelines for authors and let us know! Although some possibilities are more appropriate for one person to manage over time, many departments benefit from many contributors. Even if you are thinking about contributing only once, say, through Gorean humor or a book review or perhaps a poem, you should still contact me.
I wish you well, Hersius
TGV Editor mail to:
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gorean_voice@hotmail.com
TGV Editor