He's been calling for a long time.

I had to wait at the dealership for about two and a half hours today for my car to get fixed.  While doing so, I spent some time with a few books regarding everyone's favorite mad god, and pondering His holy symbols.  And you know what?  I think he's been calling me for a long time.  I was just too bull-headed myself to listen.  Brief summary...

-Above the main entry/exit of every house we've lived in, my parents (Christians) have hung a carved mask of a bearded man with ivy woven through his hair.
-High school mascot was a panther.
-Childhood friend once told me I was a Leopard, and the nickname stuck for a while.
-Childhood fascination with sculpting masks.
-The series of pitchers sitting in every kitchen at every house my parents have lived in, shaped like roosters.
-The Labyrinth at OSU, where I most strongly felt the pull of polytheism for the first time.
-Alternating fear and fascination with snakes (how many people with a serpentine phobia can enter trance by handling snakes?)
-Grapes follow me everywhere.  No, seriously.  And Ivy.  I remember watching Ivy being pulled off an old building as a child, and weeping for hours for the lost beauty, the insanity of removing such a wonderful plant.  My mother thought I was insane.
-Pines and evergreens are kinda my thing.
-Caves.  I didn't know Dionysos was associated with caves, yet I've always met him in one.

I think Dionysos has been stalking me.  Y'know?  I'm pretty okay with that.

On a different note, Sannion recently put out a call for members of the Thiasos to submit poetry, altar images, prayers, etc. to be posted on the group's website.  I sent him one of mine already, but beginning next Monday, I'm going to write a poem or prayer every day, in line with the group's daily devotional calendar, culminating with what will probably be a very long, personal SOMEthing for Dionysos on Sunday.  Wish me luck.