THE NERDERY
“You see, the work I'm doing is so important to the war effort.”
IT’S MAGIC TIME ✨
Thanks for checking out the first edition of
THE NERDERY, where I revel in stuff I like! With leaves changing to vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds and cool breezes beckoning me explore the woods and feast on harvest bounty, autumn is my favorite season. 🍁🍂
So, it feels appropriate to kick this off with a seasonal celebration and get a little Halloween-y with it. After all, it’s officially time to don the costumes and indulge in sweets, treats, and tricks! Since I’ve always loved witches, I devote this issue to all who believe in and practice magic.
LET’S DIVE IN! 🎃
Read on for more insights + tips!
⚠ 👁 Photosensitivity Note: Animated and flashing, colored lights in GIFs below
🆕 Issue 1✨
MOVIE MAGIC
A trippy ‘70s flick where an independent, single woman uses witchcraft to fight Nazis? I’m in!
Definitely a formative film for me, I always enjoy giving “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” an annual watch when Witch Season rolls around. While “Hocus Pocus” was the iconic witch movie of my youth, I think this technicolor masterpiece from 1971 is a must-see romp for all aspiring anti-fascist witches. Meet the mother of musical magic who fought against Nazi invaders while sheltering children evacuated from London in her idyllic hometown.
In retrospect, I’m astonished I was allowed to experience this film as a child, considering my parents were Evangelicals who thought Halloween was a path to witchcraft and devil worship. Perhaps the Disney VHS cover didn’t give the plot away, and the title was more “household items” than “war-time journey through animated lands to gain the magical power to defeat Nazis.” In any case, I think it was pretty progressive for its time and it learned me a few things in a way the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe could never.
My favorite takeaways include:
It’s very cool for a woman to live in an adorable cottage to do witchcraft.
Memory issues aren’t a barrier to doing great things.
Animated quests and mnemonic devices, fun for all ages!
As with any film from this era, it’s not without problematic content. The biggest multicultural scene is laden with racist stereotypes, and allies and audiences deserve better than such depictions. Still, I feel a bittersweet gratitude that more than 20 years after its release, this film was the first time I saw and heard a steel drum on a screen in a small Midwestern town. It kindled my curiosity, and it made me want to learn about and work among different cultures. Plus, what’s not to love about a woman turning an annoying man into a harmless white rabbit?
CARDS, CAULDRONS, AND MORE! 👇🏼
Trick or Treat?
RECENT FAVES
Print and get into color magic with these small, foldable spell books.
COLOR: DIY GRIMOIRE
I adore Amy Cesari’s planners and coloring book of shadows, and this free mini series is a great intro.
Add magic to bath time and hygiene, and build a crystal collection!
CRYSTAL: CLEANSE
Hand-crafted, paraben-free vegan soaps, bath bombs, and self care treats infuse joy in self-care rituals.
Make, deliver, and use potions in this cute and funny couch co-op.
GAME: INNCHANTED
This adorable, amusing, family-friendly game is one I’m glad to replay. Brew up some cooperative antics!
What happens when a couple wanders into a magical musical?
SHOW: SCHMIGADOON
A spectacular cast navigates realms of tropes in an otherworldly series about the magic of love and happiness.
TEACHINGS OF TAROT
About a decade ago, a mysterious package was delivered to my address. No names were on the label — not mine, and not the sender’s. I don’t know where it came from or who sent it, but I’ve come to believe it was sent by the universe because the perfect tarot deck for me and my animist ways arrived at a time when I needed to rebuild trust in my intuition.
The Wild Unknown by Kim Krans gave me a framework to do that, and the ritual connected me to cultural traditions I was kept from but longed to engage in. With the basics in hand and a companion tarot journal to color, I was enchanted.
This deck is like a blunt big sister.
Through all the years since, I’ve used tarot to explore my feelings, sync up with the rhythm of the seasons, and focus my intentions. Each new year, I pull a 12-card spread plus one card to serve as the thematic key. After that, I meditate on the monthly card and draw threes on each full moon and solstice to dive deeper with questions focused on the present moment and the future I want to create. If I need to investigate something thoroughly, the 10-card Celtic Cross Spread brings clarity and helps me ground.
How could I know my spell was broke?
Before this deck arrived, I struggled to find one I resonated with. The court structure comprised of gendered and hierarchal authorities never sat well with me, and I much prefer to engage the suits as elements:
Wands — or, in the case of my deck, twiggy sticks — kindling the fire of inspiration, and creativity related to ambitions and dreams.
Cups, ruled by the element of water and and governing emotions, the quality of relationships, and matters of the heart.
Swords, the suit of air, representing action, conflict, and power. Can you hear the blade as it swipes, or the blades of grass blowing in the wind?
Pentacles, the earth element, involving all the material things that ground us, like our our homes and income, and reflecting on generosity and greed.
My favorite aspect of this deck, beyond the fact that each colorful, hand-drawn card is so intricately detailed and beautiful, is the reinterpretation of the court as a family, and the depiction of animals rather than human characters. These shifts add layers of depth and meaning to my interpretations as well as a tangible sense of connection to the world and all who inhabit it. I yearn to be a good relative to myself, to the world, and to life. These cards help me chart my path and stay on track, even — or maybe especially — when I’m feeling lost or unmoored.
The short, one-page descriptions in the accompanying guide book are thought provoking while gently leaving room for open interpretations. Sometimes, I’ll do extra research into the meanings other practitioners have derived from their readings and the relationships between the cards, but the questions are the most important part for me — looking to the past for roots, considering how they branch into the present, and wondering how to cultivate the future. In all seasons, I look forward to returning to the deck for cyclical reflection on what to keep, what to release, and what to seek.
Hi there! I don't usually talk about it much bc I don't really have the spoons to be running sales right now - though if the job hunt goes on much longer, I may have to find some. 😅 I like to crochet cute shit, take pictures of outside things, and design, paint, + write stuff! linktr.ee/virtuistic
— 🧣 Scarf-by Capa-cozy 🍄🍂 [Feral Edition] (@virtuistic.bsky.social) 2025-07-14T18:20:34.103Z
Original Inspiration
THAT WITCH
You’re so nice. You’re not good. You’re not bad. You’re just nice.
I’m not good. I’m not nice. I’m just right. I’m the witch. You’re the world.
I’m the hitch. I’m what no one believes. I’m the witch.
You’re all liars and thieves like his father. Like his son will be too.
Oh, why bother? You’ll just do what you do.
One might reasonably assume my interest in witches began with a green goth riding a broom o’er Oz, a weird old crone stirring an inordinately large pot full of an unsavory, bubbling liquid, or perhaps a confusing cannibal living in a confectionary casa who inexplicably opts to cook kids instead, but the true root of my appreciation is much more campy. “Into the Woods” was the first Broadway show I saw, and it quickly became my favorite musical. The glorious theatricality of Bernadette’s witch is a big part of why. As a character, I loved her from the start. She takes gardening seriously, and doesn’t tolerate un-neighborly, non-consensual snatching of her veggies. Certainly not a role model, but oh, what a fun role to play, with so many shrieks and punchy morals to deliver!
The view from the front row at the Guthrie Theater in 2023.
A few years ago, I snagged a pair of seats for me and my sweetie at a masks-required performance of the Broadway revival on tour. The creative staging and amazingly talented cast put a unique and refreshing spin on this classic from my childhood. I’m grateful I got to experience it in a way that kept the audience, crew, and performers safe, and to the choir teacher who originally introduced me to this wonderful mashup of old (and grim) fairytales and the magic of the stage. Thanks, Robin.
Nerdy Nods
NEW FINDS
These items crossed my radar and sparked joy. Hooray for good nerdery!
Go to war with your feet!
🎮 Baby Steps Endorsement
Must read, laugh-out-loud funny game review.
From film to stage…
🎭 Musical: Purple Rain
New and set to debut on November 5th in MPLS.
Controversial evidence!
🔬 Rocks: Rewrite History?
Life evolved earlier and more than once, maybe?
A Final Note
NO-AI EDITOR, WRITER AVAILABLE
If you or someone you know would be interested in working with an editor who’s accurate, responsive, and won’t leak material to an AI black box, please forward this newsletter or reply to get in touch! I’m happy to provide a list of services and rates for a variety of projects, and I’m open to barter and trade!
Similarly, if you or a publisher you know are hiring writers who use traditional research methods to produce authentic, trustworthy articles and engaging educational media, I’ll gladly provide my resume and references for freelance opportunities as well as part- and full-time positions.
Until next time,
Shelby
October 2025 - Word Nerdery and Sundry