A Little Magical Spice for Everyday Life

Dearest Obnoxious Orchid,

Delving into our beliefs is at times harrowing, because even the most innocuous ones can hint at deeper, darker tendencies. Simultaneously, such revelations yield control over our image, and as you wrote recently, this is freeing and exhilarating, if mildly terrifying. So I’ll just come out with it — I think I should start this by saying I’m a Slytherin; sometimes I’m a lot less cute and cuddly than I pretend to be (this disclaimer is for the dear reader, honestly). So, beware, perhaps there’s some sinister inclinations ahead.

Oh, So You Like the Spooky Stuff?

I have always loved the supernatural, and I am sure it stems from the media and books I consumed over the years; you are what you eat, after all. I am a devotee of the chronological approach, but I really can’t recall what came first, so I guess let’s just say that these things all happened relatively around the same time. Late 90s — Charmed came out on what was then The WB (now The CW), a show about sister witches who must fight assorted evil nasties with their Power of Three. I watched each new season’s episodes as they were released weekly, in addition to taping reruns on TNT so that I might snack on them as the mood struck. Thereabouts, my then best friend discovered a series called Sweep, by Cate Tiernan, and we devoured these short fantasy YA books about an awkward teenage girl that discovers she’s a natural witch (a pre-adolescent kid's dream, honestly).

Somewhere in the swirl of that time, I found a homemade recording of Practical Magic (1998) on VHS and watched it when no one was around to stop me, and have seen it dozens of times since (not the VHS tape, the movie itself); I likely discovered The Craft (1996) a bit later, sometime in high school, adding it to the rewatch list, as well. And instead of staying in the fiction aisle, I branched out and began reading books on Wicca and Witchcraft — these tomes still grace my bookshelves (specifically: The Craft: A Witch’s Book of Shadows by Dorothy Morrison; To Ride a Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft by Silver RavenWolf). Wicca was the first spiritual practice that spoke to me, even as an atheist who distrusted organized religion. Before I discovered that I am absolutely shit at sticking with anything that requires daily or weekly consistent activity, I dabbled, trying on Witchcraft for size.

But let’s not limit ourselves to witches — I adore everything. All sorts of preternatural folk living alongside humans, either in secret, as featured in the Night World series by L.J. Smith (best known for the now-adapted Vampire Diaries series); or in the open, as seen in the Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton. The brooding, vindictive vampires and do-gooder witches central to Amelia Atwater-Rhodes’ earliest writings; and who could possibly forget the sparkly vampires lighting up the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer (I read these as they were released, and by book four, they had lost their je ne sais quoi for me). If I grew tired of in-your-face paranormal storylines, I would switch to the more questioning style of The X-Files, wanting to believe just like FBI Special Agent Mulder and loving a skeptical approach just like FBI Special Agent Scully.

But You’ve Never Actually Seen Anything?

I took you on this abbreviated tour of “media Aster loves” because a. I can’t resist a meander down recollection avenue, and b. all of these shows, books, and films molded me. You asked about my relationship with the supernatural, and I guess I would say it’s unrequited — I probably “believe” in it as much as I believe in anything I can’t see. I have never personally had an experience that I could not explain, though I have many stories from people close to me.

However, as a cautious human being who does not like to tempt fate, this also doesn’t mean that I would typically go out of my way to check out rumored-to-be-haunted places on inky nights with full moons, my possessing a copy of Haunting Illinois: A Tourist’s Guide to the Weird & Wild Places of the Prairie State by Michael Kleen aside. I like to mitigate my risky behaviors via random precautions that seem sufficient in the moment, and as a result, I of course have offered fate all sorts of tasty morsels to see if she would bite. Have I wandered cemeteries after dark, jazzed on Sazeracs, embracing the spooky elements? Yes, I have. Have I had my palm and Tarot read, to perhaps catch a glimpse of a possible future? Yes to this, too, and you were with me, Orchid! But almost as though on purpose, I cannot recall a single prediction or spread any longer, so I’ll never know if any of it came true. My spotty approach in these cases assures that my reputation as a dabbler remains very much intact.

Be Careful What You Wish For

I suspect that none of the beloved preternatural folk with a holding place in my twisted little heart exist (witches! vampires! shapeshifters! necromancers! demons! oh my!). And yet, a deep desire of mine is that it’s all true — every scary story, recorded in the annals of history to elucidate inexplicable phenomena, every spooky character roaming the edges of the earth, gobbling up unsuspecting visitors and curious adventurers alike. I don’t know if it’s the drama of something unfathomable turning out to be real, or the inclination to add a little magical spice to everyday life, but I think if I had one wish, it would be to stir the pot and bring the supernatural into being. Imagine our concerns then. Okay, there’s that strong Slytherin energy I knew would come ambling out.

Eternally yours,

Austere Aster

P.S. Let’s talk personality — I bet our Hogwarts houses offer as much insight into who we are as any of the other kajillion options (MBTI, DISC, Enneagram, Sparktype, and so on). What are some defining features of your personality that you believe have had an outsized effect on your life? Which, if any, of the personality assessments out there resonate with you and help you navigate the world? What do their accompanying labels and definitions offer you? What is something they never manage to effectively capture?

P.P.S. Here is my favorite, shortest Sorting Hat quiz, in case you're looking for a quick confirmation!

[Currently listening to: the Anastasia (1997) soundtrack, because what a hopeful story that never had a snowball’s chance in hell. And also, “David Duchovny” by Bree Sharp — it’s best with the accompanying music video; don't skip the credits!]