444 Knock On The Door

I’ve spent a lot of time dabbling in the mystical. https://thewisenovelist.com/pagans-who-knew-magic-in-the-most-unusual-places/

I’ve recently mentioned that I enjoy the magical flavor of pareidolia and apophenia in my daily recipe to keep my life interesting, at least to me.

https://thewisenovelist.com/the-wonder-of-seeing-things/

So here’s another example of how that works.

When I notice multiple numbers, particularly on my iPhone, I cannot help but lock in those numbers with a reflexive screen shot.

This morning, after I came in from my nocturnal chores – Claire and Honey really like to shit under those heat lamps – I returned inside and tossed on my TikTok feed to play in the background while I pondered what I would write about today.

After I went through all of my emails and checked my FB, Nextdoor and LinkedIn pages – including losing inordinate amounts of time going down a few rabbit holes that may appear on those pages – I did, as I usually do, pick up my phone to scan for photos that might trigger an idea.

This morning when I finally reached for my phone, I was watching/listening to a young medium/psychic rattling off patterns in a rhyme. She had just rattled off “444, knock on the door,” when I spotted my sleeping iPhone screen and grabbed the opening screenshot.

The next random TikTocker to slide onto my computer screen was Tarot.tini,

Who was reading from an unusual tarot deck, and when I just happened to focus on what she was saying, I spotted the card she was holding, which contained the message “Fuck this imperialist bullshit,” which, given the national moment, and next week’s election, felt just about right for me. But more importantly, I noticed the numbers 444 boldly emblazoned across the screen as an overlay to the card. So I snapped a photo.

Now I must follow a solid dozen different Tarot Readers on TikTok. And when I say “follow” it means that I have watched them read a few times and was interested enough in their messages and/or performances to check out their profile pages and click the follow button. Some of the readers have distinct showmanship chops, which like any good carnival barker, causes you to pause and listen. Others are more subdued, some to the point of painful shyness, but a few seconds into their reading exposes their mystical talents.

Now, since I don’t know how TikTok actually works, I’m not sure if that results in more of these Tarot readers random appearances appearing on my sliding screens, but it would make sense if it does. Here are some of the regulars who often appear randomly (and yes, they are all women – another interesting pattern in my life)

There are others in the dozen but I just didn’t have the opportunity capture their images before their screen slid off into oblivion. The minute or so where I was able to capture the above shots all shared particularly entertaining and positive messages which provided an antidote to all of the negative shit I am exposed to throughout the rest of my waking day.

And they really don’t reach out. Although there are many others who use the mediums’ names to try and trick you, so be aware.

This particular crew regularly share some insightful stuff, which provides perspectives that help me reconsider and reconfigure thoughts and strategies, a process I have been employing for 5 of my 6 decades in life. Check out some of my older blogs on Lilydale and Reverend John White.

https://thewisenovelist.com/horoscopes-psychics/

As Bruce Lee always said, use what is useful and discard the rest.

Now it is no wonder I am attracted to gifted women. I’ve been surrounded by them my entire life.

Those of your that have read The Claire Saga will recognize larger than life personalities like my dear friend Bobbi Allison Rouell, the talented psychic medium who predicted Claire’s future impact on my life long before I ever put fingers to keyboard.

Bobbi is the basis for the Bobbi character in TCS. Her husband (not brother) Eddie, makes his appearance as well as the PTSD chef. But my dear BFF, Helen L, is Sapphic, and has led a simply sacred life – https://thewisenovelist.com/helen-lalousis-simply-sacred-life/ – so I wanted to work that storyline into TCS. Bobbi, who I met through Helen, and a confident and complete heterosexual, was completely on board with her character and storyline. Both Eddie and Bobbi have visited Casa Claire a few times and met the magic mule herself. Indeed, if I ever have to leave for Proxima b, I am appointing Eddie as Claire’s caretaker in my absence. Bobbi can be reached on-line by anyone looking for another path towards a wonderful life. https://www.bobbiallison.com/.

And of course, another dear friend Kim Russo, who is rightfully The Happy Medium, has been tremendously supportive in the past. https://www.kimthehappymedium.com.

Word has it that she even predicted Luke & Family’s return from Oz.

Kim is doing a gallery reading on LI on November 7th, for all of you New Yorkers who are looking to be amazed. Book tickets now before they are all gone.

However, I am always open to watching for those relative newcomers (only because they have not appeared on my TikTok screen before), because I believe everyone deserves a chance at fifteen minutes of fame, and if my not scrolling past them gets the TikTok algorithms to notice and possibly monetize the magic of these Tarot readers, then I’m thrilled. There are way too many 9 to 5-vers in this world, and not enough mystics.

I also enjoy it when the reader uses a new Tarot deck I have not seen before. It is visually triggering.

Now Tarot.tini leaned towards the subdued on the persona scale but shared some unique and interesting insights which, as with all these random readers, are offered to the group that happens to be tuning into that reading at that moment. But it was the randomness of the 444 number that I had just experienced for a third time in very short order that caused me to stay tuned.

Now I won’t repeat any of the specifics of what Tarot.tini shared in her reading, but anyone who has read KMAG will feel some deja vu by one of the other rather unique Tarot cards she held up during this reading,

I could not help but think of my arch-frenemy BC, who had just delivered a hair hat to me in the mail Saturday evening, because he believes it will accelerate the big screen success of The Claire Saga among the Hollywood elite if I start to look like one of them. He thought the chapeau toupee resembled my beard.

I guess it’s cheaper than hair plugs or a lifetime prescription of Minoxidil.

But it really is just BC’s way of reminding me that he still retains his boyish head pelt (and personality).

That’s BC on the far right (photo l to r, Donna Serrano, me, Eileen C, Lenny, Joe Serrano and BC), which was taken the night I returned to Riverdale for the reading at Downey’s Bar & Grill.)

To give BC his due, he also gave me the hat – Bad Decisions Make Good Stories – I’m wearing in that photo. Which I fittingly wore for inspiration when I wrote Finding Jimmy Moran.

Still, I like to reread the BC/helicopter scene from KMAG whenever I need some cheering up.

So, there you go. Another example of how random patterns draw my attention – compel even more random mental connections – and impact my totally random creative process.

Well, enough of the fun mental gymnastics. Time to deal with another Monday.

You fine, five readers toss down that final cuppa and head off into your workplace.

Tuck into that next project with gusto – remember it is not your life, just a way to pay for it – but wrap it up early in the week, because Halloween has blessed Thursday, Friday’s handmaiden, so all of our weekends will get an early start for those mystically inclined. I am providing you fine, five readers with that mystical dispensation.

On this end, I need to focus on wrapping up a brilliant set of motion papers by no later than Wednesday. Let’s hope my legal magic holds.

I may put the final touches on it on Samhain, just to fuck with the other side.

But before we get to any of that, I have some kitties to cuddle and rounds to make.

And no matter what any or all of us get up to, let us make today a great one.

Especially the Yanks, who need to start their comeback tonight.