#8: Getting my fortune told by a psychic

I've always had a sort of fascination with the supernatural -- I love astrology and reading horoscopes (mine and others), I believe in ghosts (although I have no desire to ever be haunted/confronted by one) and I count The Craft among my favorite movies (although Fairuza Balk creeps the hell out of me, even to this day!). Needless to say, when you know all of this about me, it seems sort of obvious that I'd want to get my fortune told by a psychic as one of my 30 things. In truth, fascination aside, this stuff also totally scares me to death, so I'd never survive taking a midnight ghost tour, leading a seance or viewing a screening of Paranormal Activity with my sanity in tact. Psychics on the other hand, seemed to me to be supernatural-lite. Stare into a crystal ball and see your future, sans anything scary jumping out at you or trying to steal your soul. Right?

Enter Cassadaga. A small town in the middle of nowhere and yet conveniently just about 40 minutes north of my hometown of Orlando. Also conveniently known to hold the largest concentration of psychic mediums in...what is it, the nation? The world? Regardless, it's a lot, trust me...

So, desire to have a psychic reading? Check. Location that sounds promising? Check. Willing victim to accompany me on my journey? Check, thanks to my sorority sister and best friend in Orlando, Melissa. And thus our adventure began!

The first thing I noticed about Cassadaga is that it really is in the middle of nowhere. It's off a random exit in Volusia county where there are absolutely zero shopping centers, restaurants, gas stations or the like. Just miles of green, with the occasional small 1960's era home dotting the landscape. Now, I had actually read this much in my research about the town -- that it had a population of 100 and boasted a single post office, hotel and restaurant to it's name -- but it's quite another thing to see it in the flesh. I mean, psychics have to eat and fill their cars up with gas too, right? Or do they somehow procure these items via their supernatural powers? Somehow I can't imagine that they all congregate at The Fish House (the lone restaurant) every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I digress...

Once arriving, Melissa and I did a quick walk through of the Cassadaga hotel (and gift shop) and then crossed the gravel road to the official bookstore where amongst other things you could purchase your very own crystals, candles, dreamcatchers, crystal balls, tarot cards and even "cleansing sage" (which Melissa purchased). Then at the back of the store in the "information center" you find a whiteboard with the names and phone numbers of the mediums available for readings that day. According to the instructions, you are supposed to look at the names and see who speaks to you (they refuse to make recommendations), then use the white telephone on the table to call the person and ask for their availability.

After some hesitation, Melissa and I settled on the curvy script of Judy Cooper (the only psychic to use a red marker...we are very scientific in our approach) and a few minutes later had appointments for 30 minute readings to the tune of $60 each (I know, I know, kind of crazy...but this is a once in a lifetime thing!).

We arrived at Judy's home a few minutes early and were quickly greeted at her door. The good news is that Judy a) was not wearing a turban and carrying a crystal ball and b) she seemed friendly and warm immediately. The weird news is that I immediately noticed that one of her incisors was fang-like. Whether this was purposeful or not, I cannot say. The bad news is that because Melissa was having her reading first, I was relegated to sitting on the patio in 90-degree heat until her 30 minutes had lapsed.

Two issues of "Horizons" magazine later (the free psychic circular left on her patio for people to peruse through) and I was up. Judy brought me into a side room and had me sit in the chair opposite of her. She must have noticed that I was nervous because she immediately told me to relax, that nothing scary was going to happen (I had been psyching myself out during my 30 minute wait, naturally). Then shortly after she started to spiel. Here are the highlights:

• I have a strong GREEN aura -- apparently this means that I am very nurturing -- which is then surrounding by pulsating ORANGE, which indicates that I am a highly creative person, but am not meeting my intrinsic need to be creative right now (this is so true as I constantly crave performing in some way like I did in most of my youth). The final colors of my aura included AQUA and ROYAL BLUE, which supposedly indicate sensitivity, strong communication skills and the role of peacemaker between people (true in my family, less so in personal relationships).
• I am a very intuitive person who can understand the true meaning and emotion behind people's words, even if they are saying something completely different than they mean (true). Apparently, this mean that I probably had psychics in my ancestry and have some psychic elements myself. She mentioned that if I meditate and/or take a class on this, I might be able to become a psychic myself (and for $60 for 30 minutes, that doesn't sound so bad!).
• I am currently working in the wrong field, and while I am very analytical, my business job isn't tapping into my true talents. Apparently, I should have been a nurse, psychologist and/or counselor, and she sees more education in my future (I have considered going for my PhD someday).
• I will be facing a job decision in November (close enough, as my TSA with DCL ends in December) and she sees me staying with Disney for now, but not forever.
• She also doesn't see me settling in Florida, but rather a big city. She mentioned Atlanta and the Carolinas as possibilities (a dud here as I've never considered living/working in either area, but heck, maybe this means I should be!)

In a few ways she was eerily spot on. She guessed that I was a Cancer without me giving her any indication of the month of my birth. She knew that I felt uncomfortable in large group social situations and preferred 1:1 friendships, which is also very true. In other areas, she was completely off. Apparently there is a female spirit on my mother's side watching over me...only none of my maternal relatives have passed, unless you count my great grandmother who died before I was born. She also asked if I was married (no) or if I was in a relationship (no), but when I countered that I had recently ended a relationship, she commented that she felt the connection between us was still really strong and that's why she thought I was married (umm, yeah, usually when you break up with someone the connection doesn't fade immediately...part of the reason break ups are so damned hard!). Of course she did tell me she sees marriage in my future (from her lips to G-d's ears...please!), but not until I was 33-34 and apparently this man is going to be up to 7 years older than me and very stable financially and emotionally (well, one should hope so). Until he shows up, she told me I need to work on my blockage in my throat chakra. Apparently, I compromise too much in relationships and have trouble expressing my needs. Huh. Who knew.

At the end of the day, did I receive $60 worth of pertinent information to guide my path moving forward? Eh, probably not. But was it fun and something totally out of the ordinary? Absolutely! It's an interesting thing to say you've experienced and I would have done it all over again if given the chance. Now I just have to sit back and relax for the next 8 long years waiting for the man of my dreams to arrive. Til then, at least I can work on that pulsating orange aura!

Stay tuned for a new blog post next week as my childhood best friend Aynsley and I swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove!