Tarot Nova: Whew, just missed

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 02 Nov 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Talisman	02 Nov 2002
'Lo all, I am following the format jmd suggests in his sticky post above. Please read it. jmd and Lee put together an index of Tarot decks you all have discussed. It is fun to read. (Just the other day, I wanted to talk about a deck whose initials are WS, and which had "world" in the title, and I checked the index, and low and behold, there were dozens of spreads about this deck. Not wanting to drag last month's newspaper before you, I refrained.) So, this here Tarot Nova has been dicussed a couple of times here, but not under that title. (Look for, "How I spent my summer vacation," or something.) I had to go to Border's bookstore to get a book I really needed, (of course, a couple of really, truly absolute bargain books just jumped up and joined in), and imagine my surprise, when I got home, to discover that, under the guies of some kind'a set with a palm reading book and called "Fortune Telling," the Tarot Nova had somehow sneaked along. I know that in the past, I've been just a little tiny, teensy-weensy, ittle-bitty insignificant so you'd hardly notice it critical of you folks who will collect anything printed on pasteboard and stuff it on your groaning shelves. Tarot-a-holics, or whatever. As for me, I can take it or leave it alone. And, I'm enchanted. But, don't start thinking I've become a Tarot collector. For one, this deck is so small (without measuring, about 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches) it hardly counts, and for, for two, it only has 77 cards, When I got home, and realized to my chagrin the deck had followed me, I sat looking through the cards one by one. And realized there was no Ace of Cups. (Cry. I'll never get a chance to do a new deck spread.) Now, truthsayer will tell you that I am absurdly fundamentalist, but to me, a 77-card deck just ain't Tarot. So, it don't count, right? I mean, in the grand scheme of things? And, I'd really like to talk about this little non-Tarot deck, 'cause I think it has a lot to offer. Talisman

Lee	02 Nov 2002
Hi Talisman, I think I recall from past threads that others have had the missing-card problem, and they were able to obtain the missing cards by contacting the publisher. Glad you like the indexes! :) -- Lee

wavebreaker	02 Nov 2002
Hi Talisman, My Tarot Nova had only 75 cards. I contacted Running Press and after some initial communication problems (they said they hadn't received my first few emails) they've promised to send me the missing cards. So hopefully my Tarot Nova will be complete soon! You might give that a try as well. Unless of course you don't want it to count as a tarot deck so you can still keep on denying you're a tarot collector... }) ;) Edited to add: I received the missing cards from Running Press today, so my Tarot Nova is complete now!! :)

RingTheory	02 Nov 2002
Yeah, it must be a packaging mistake, since I've had the Tarot Nova for about a year, all 78 cards...the palmistry book was useless to me, but the cards themselves give suprisingly accurate readings for me....

Talisman	05 Nov 2002
'Lo all, Just a few thoughts . . . Fairy Hedgehog has written a great review of this deck which you can read right here on Aeclectic, and if you're interested or curious that's a good place go. I've taken tarotlady's advice (thanks) and wrote a letter to the publisher asking for the missing Ace. In the meantime, lacking the Ace, I still could do a new deck spread by using an extra card, a lawyer guy card, but I don't believe I will. In small print on this card appears this: "These cards may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher." This just suggests to me all that Solandia has to wade through so we can enjoy the wonderful card images from all the decks. What a pain in the neck! I am not arguing with the idea, however. Just read about what retrokat went through (I think the thread is called "Golden Tarot") when her deck in progress was illegally copied and sold everywhere, even proudly labeled on e-bay as "the real pirated edition." The simple art on the Tarot Nova reflects a style called "tole painting" (for painting on tin with a black lacquered background), an old European peasant folk art originating in the 18th century. The backs of the cards are a beautiful example of this style. I really like them. The little white book which comes with the deck actually has a black cover and is a phamplet some 7 inches by 9 inches or thereabouts. It shows a thumbnail of each card, with suggested upright and reversed meanings, but does not describe the cards at all. That's left up to you, and, as Fairy Hedgehog observed the designs are very simple but on closer inspection there is a lot more going on than there first appears to be. And, the "LWB" gives full credit to Julie Paschkis, who illustrated the deck, along with Dennis Fairchild, who wrote the guide. Don'cha hate it when the name of the artist is relegated to the tiniest little print somewhere, as if the artist were insignificant? Talisman

fairyhedgehog	05 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Talisman Fairy Hedgehog has written ... Thank you Talisman, I'm blushing now :) Quote: The simple art on the Tarot Nova reflects a style called "tole painting" (for painting on tin with a black lacquered background), an old European peasant folk art originating in the 18th century. The backs of the cards are a beautiful example of this style. I really like them. Why not write your own review of this deck? You have some really interesting insights to add.

truthsayer	11 Nov 2002
talisman, one of the early signs of tarot holism is tarot co-dependency. this is when you secretly get more decks while fully denying to the world that you are not a tarot-holic. you also unwittingly help get others involved in the vicious cycle of tarot-holism. my advice to you is to get help quick! you are drowning but you don't know what desperate straits you are in. i'm sure we can all convince you to face and accept your growing dependency thru the tarot-holic 12 step program. once you can accept yourself for who you are then procuring new decks is free of guilt and self-restraint. every time you consider getting back on the wagon, let us know and one of us will be glad to kick you off! you are not alone, brother! btw, what is this hit and run barbs and sniper hits at me from you thru various threads about? :D ;) }) is this some kind of fascist underground attempt to overthrow the liberal faction of tarot-holics? ;) }) LOL

Jewel	12 Nov 2002
*RFOLMAO* @ Truthsayer ... well said sister!

Talisman	12 Nov 2002
'Lo all, "btw, what is this hit and run barbs and sniper hits at me from you thru various threads about? is this some kind of fascist underground attempt to overthrow the liberal faction of tarot-holics? LOL" -- truthsayer When my very favorite, best ever written, Tarot book is published, truthsayer will have written a chapter. (I'm just waiting for Thirteen to write it. Politely, she sees through the veil. In Talisman language, she cuts through the ------) So, what's the above quote all about? Those of you who are, like I am, Constant Readers, know I once challenged truthsayer to a duel. Well, we're all honorable people here, so we subscribe to the ancient Code Duel-ello (truthsayer probably even knows how to spell it.) And that means, the person challenged gets the choice of weapons. Oh, my! Truth, who really is a soothsayer, has many arrows in her quiver. I ain't got none. What if she selected, for instance, common sense? So, being an honorable believer in this ancient code, I plumb flat out skidaddled. I got a Tarot journal. I've often talked about this shaggy, baggy mess. What I'm about to quote comes from this journal, jerked so far out of context it has no context, and probably from before the Aeclectic crash. My notes: Truthsayer said: " . . .a new branch of biblical study called "process theology." The theory behind this is that god/dess is not static but is ever evolving and changing. God learns and grows as human beings grow and learn through experience. Fundamentalists argue that god spoke his mind about the right values and right way to think many millenia ago and hasn't changed his mind first . . . "It appears to me we are breaking down into two different Tarot camps here: the liberals and the fundamentalists. The liberals believe that Tarot is ever evolving and changing. Human beings are constantly reinventing ourselves so why can't the Tarot? Fundamentalists believe that Tarot is basically static and follows a traditional set of Tarot meanings/illustrations that started many years ago . . ." Anyway, no matter what my fragmented notes may suggest (and, please, please don't hold truthsayer responsible for my sloppy note taking), there is a way of thinking of Tarot here. Ain't that what we're doing, thinking and talkin' about Tarot? In her sweet and gentle way, truthsayer is always challenging us. (Just like every sentence Fairy Hedgehog writes is charged with intelligence and breadth of reading, and if you don't get it, you are so dim I don't even want to argue with you.) But, Holy Cow!* truthsayer. Do you really see me as a fascist? (*Holy Cow! is obviously one aspect of the goddess. The masculine is 'Holy Bull!' and I've never heard anyone say this.) I wanna talk about Tarot Nova, but I haven't received the missing card yet.* (*If the person who started this thread resents my talking about other things, well, tuffy-wuffy.) Talisman

truthsayer	12 Nov 2002
ROFLMAO at talisman! thank-you for the witty repartee. i don't really think you are a fascist, talisman. i was just trying to say something outrageous enough that i might get a response. :) }) all said in good fun and friendship. though i do feel ever so slightly embarrassed that you put what i said in your journal! i didn't think it was that extraordinary a thing but it was fun! :D

fairyhedgehog	12 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Talisman Just like every sentence Fairy Hedgehog writes ... I'm blushing, I'm smiling, I nearly fell off my chair. Thank you, Talisman.

The Tarot Nova: Whew, just missed thread was originally posted on 02 Nov 2002 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.