Music
Speaker Spotlight: Thor Halvorsen
Thor Halvorsen is a Deaf Pagan, Poet, Educational Interpreter, artist (the crafty kind), activist. Norwegian/Welsh American, Geek of Technology and Linux. He walks many paths including Norse, Welsh, Wiccan, Heathen, Ancestral Veneration, Reiki, and studies Runes including practicing RunValdr.
Thor’s interests include being an Audiophile (LOVE MUSIC), science fiction, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, transpersonal psychology, anything Norse, and to do with Deaf culture and Social Justice. (Did I mention I am a Technology Geek?) He loves folklore, mythology, and words (fairytales is misnomer, honestly).
Thor is a longtime fan of Richard Bach.
“If you argue for your limitations, they are yours” Richard Bach, Illusions. “That to be human, is to recognize the humanity in all, if you expect them to honor the humanity in you.” “If belief was wind, the stars, the seas, then all will be fair, the mysteries would be preserved, and all can know these things are alike and equal” also recently been delving into Wendell Berry’s works.
Thor Identifies as a “Military brat”, and has lived in South Korea, Germany, east and west coast of USA, as well as Maryland, Arizona and Washington. His stepdad emphasized cultural relativity long before he found a word for it. He had exposure to the culture of Norway via dad’s and stepdad’s Scandinavian family, as well as Welsh from Mom’s side of the family. He gained familiarity of the dieties, stories, and culture, and eventually the food, from visiting Scandinavian countries.
Thor is a published author, his poetry in The Tactile Mind quarterly magazine, Virtigo issue: Vertigo.
Thor has been a practicing Wiccan for almost 20 years, with recognized Clergy status in Maryland, 3rd Degree Elder, High Priest of the Coven of Amber Heart, of the Coven of Amber Rose family of Covens. He was a visiting member of Ecumenicon, then migrated to CTCW (honored to return each time). He also does readings in Runes & Tarot cards, encouraging people to jot down notes during readings. I go slow. My rule of thumb is if I go too fast, and you don’t remember, then what was the use?
Thor is a Professional Educational Interpreter for the Deaf, language facilitator, ASL Adjunct Professor at College of Southern Maryland. His goals are to network and build awareness of Paganism in the Deaf World, continue being an artist and writer, and has offered to get involved in making Youtube presentations and videos alongside CTCW.
Concert! Rhiannon’s Lark!
Rhiannon’s Lark is a solo music project created by Alyssa Yeager (sensual vocals, growly guitar, 
candy-coated ukulele) to express the reality of life as a geek, goddess, and girl. Alyssa is known for her “magickal, mystical storytelling”. She began touring the festival circuit in 2005 with the band Telling Point, and has shared bills with artists including Frenchy and the Punk, Wendy Rule, Kellianna, and Tuatha Dea. She has released 5 original albums, including a children’s album designed to encourage kids and caretakers to be creative and tell their own stories in song. Alyssa’s background in music therapy motivates her to create songs that connect to the daily experiences in the lives of her listeners. She brings gaming, fantasy, morality, and t-rexes together into a show that will comfort your ears, get you laughing, and possibly even make you think.
Speaker Spotlight: Catherine Kane
This delightful lady is Catherine Kane, “small medium at large”, who has probably done more classes at CTCW than anyone else. (To see the full list, go to Catherine Kane’s page.)
She is an amazing palmist, an empath, a psychic, and has become a popular author with her accessible and useful books such as Adventures in Palmistry and The Practical Empath.
This year at Changing Times-Changing Worlds Catherine will be presenting bringing back a Touch of Acupressure, a workshop she’s been giving Sunday mornings for years- showing you how acupressure can take care of those aches from sleeping in a strange bed, or being on your feet or sitting in hard chairs, migraines, flaggin energy, sinus issues from breathing hotel air, and a host of other unwanted baggage that seems to come bundled with the good stuff that we come to the con to get. She’ll also be teaching Kaizen: Baby Steps to Work Wonders, a way to tackle intimidatingly large issues by taking tiny steps toward success. We’ve also asked her to bring back her popular Practical Empath because empaths appreciate learning the techniques she’s discovered to make what can feel like a curse into the blessing it can be.
Cathy is also an incredibly talented palmist, and reader of I Ching (and other techniques). If you can’t wait to meet her (or see her again) you can find her and Starwolf on weekends at the Connecticut Rennaissance Faire through the end of October, or soak up her wisdom and wit at her blog Foresight Your Psychic.
