Today's Stichomancy for Shaquille O'Neal

The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Tanach:

Psalms 86: 15 But Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Psalms 86: 16 O turn unto me, and be gracious unto me; give Thy strength unto Thy servant, and save the son of Thy handmaid.

Psalms 86: 17 Work in my behalf a sign for good; that they that hate me may see it, and be put to shame, because Thou, LORD, hast helped me, and comforted me.

Psalms 87: 1 A Psalm of the sons of Korah; a Song. His foundation is in the holy mountains.

Psalms 87: 2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

Psalms 87: 3 Glorious things are spoken of Thee, O city of God. Selah

Psalms 87: 4 'I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon as among them that know Me; behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this one was born there.'

Psalms 87: 5 But of Zion it shall be said: 'This man and that was born in her; and the Most High Himself doth establish her.'

Psalms 87: 6 The LORD shall count in the register of the peoples: 'This one was born there.' Selah

Psalms 87: 7 And whether they sing or dance, all my thoughts are in Thee.

Psalms 88: 1 (88:1) A Song, a Psalm of the sons of Korah; for the Leader; upon Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. (88:2) O LORD, God of my salvation, what time I cry in the night befo

The Tanach

The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs:

she he sought. He saw the two sentries standing before its doorway, and he located the habitation of Achmet Zek, where something told him he would most likely find the missing pouch and pebbles.

Chulk and Taglat were, at first, greatly interested in their wonderful raiment. They fingered the fabric, smelled of it, and regarded each other intently with every mark of satisfaction and pride. Chulk, a humorist in his way, stretched forth a long and hairy arm, and grasping the hood of Taglat's burnoose pulled it down over the latter's eyes, extinguishing him,

Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar

The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers by Jonathan Swift:

in a new way, which I doubt not will be to the general satisfaction of the kingdom: I can this year produce but a specimen of what I design for the future; having employ'd most part of my time in adjusting and correcting the calculations I made some years past, because I would offer nothing to the world of which I am not as fully satisfied, as that I am now alive. For these two last years I have not failed in above one or two particulars, and those of no very great moment. I exactly foretold the miscarriage at Toulon, with all its particulars; and the loss of Admiral Shovel, tho' I was mistaken as to the day, placing that accident about thirty-six hours sooner than it

The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll:

you'll find a snap-dragon-fly. Its body is made of plum-pudding, its wings of holly-leaves, and its head is a raisin burning in brandy.'

`And what does it live on?'

`Frumenty and mince pie,' the Gnat replied; `and it makes its nest in a Christmas box.'

`And then there's the Butterfly,' Alice went on, after she had taken a good look at the insect with its head on fire, and had thought to herself, `I wonder if that's the reason insects are so fond of flying into candles--because they want to turn into Snap-dragon-flies!'

Through the Looking-Glass