Happy Mother’s Day!

 family, military  No Responses »
May 122012
 

Good morning everyone, and Happy Saturday once again! And for all the moms out there, I hope you’re all spoiled rotten tomorrow! I mean, it’s not like you’ve earned a single day “off work” or anything. Do you know of any plans? All I want to do is drive to the suburbs and visit Ikea; that place simply makes me happy – especially the kitchen accessories. They have so much cool stuff at prices I can actually afford, and I get to bring home some cinnamon buns and lingonberry jam. Yep, spending the day with my guys and shopping – that’s my idea of a nice Mother’s Day. What’s yours?

I hope however you spend your day tomorrow, it’s a special day. For those of you whose sons and daughters are far away from home, you are able to hear from them, even if the only chance they get to call wakes you in the middle of the night. You can always go back to sleep later, perhaps with some wonderful dreams. To help you form them, perhaps you’ll enjoy some of these clips:

Different kinds of moms, and every time the same reaction! Very cool!

Before I leave you all, I wanted to let you know while I was downtown Tuesday taking my final exam (which I got a 92% on! Yay!), I was able to visit the post office and pick up some of the coupons you’ve all sent in recently for our Clip for the Troops campaign. Thank YOU to Leadville, CO, our good friends in Addison, IL and a mysterious contribution where no return address or even a postage mark is present. My only clue on that is three red “Love” stamps in a large manila envelope. Loooove the mystery! Thank YOU so, so much! I’ll go through them later this afternoon, since it’s the first real downtime I’ve had in a few weeks to see what’s inside.

Again, if you would like to help out, PLEASE contact me for a mailing address. We’re going to be switching over to a new post office box next month, so in the meantime, I’m asking folks to send their contributions to me directly. I don’t want to publish my home address publicly, so please contact me at doom diva (at) ya hoo (dot) com or call me at 773 (dash) 697 (dash) 4474. Thanks!

And again, I hope you all have a special Mother’s Day! Blessings to you and yours!

 Posted by Lori Dake at 12:53 pm  Tagged with: ,

Housing award letters and such

 family, military, Paganism  No Responses »
May 052012
 

Good morning (errr afternoon!) everyone and Happy Saturday once again! It’s been an extremely busy week here, and this morning has been even busier. As I write you, I am in the middle of tracking down a deployed NCO, conversing with a landlord for a good reference and going back and forth with a property management company. You see, I’m trying to help an active duty Soldier and his new family relocate here in Chicago, so not having a long distance bill is definitely a blessing. If ever my flair for professional writing has come into play, it’s now, so I hope you all can forgive my late and brief posting. At least I know if the landlord approves him and his young family, I’ve maybe a brownie point or two, and I will definitely be saving the letter for the other agents I work with so they too will know how to phrase things with potential leery landlords.

I think that’s the thing I like about my job more than anything – that I’m actually taking an active part in helping people. The rental market is really tough around here right now, so people relocating here have said time and again how much they appreciate talking to someone who really knows the city and isn’t a recent resident themselves. I tell people straight up I’m a native (with the hard-voweled accent to prove it!), I’ve lived in apartments all my life all over the city, and I know off-hand where they’ll be happiest based on their criteria. (Big bedrooms? Try Jefferson Park. Exposed brick and condo quality? Look by Ukie [Ukrainian] Village, Wicker Park and Bucktown. Free and plentiful street parking? Avondale and interior Logan Square are your best bets. Best bang for your buck? Humboldt Park. NOT rehabbed/classic? Rogers Park, Hermosa and Belmont Craigin have some real gems!) And of course, I know more than just where the train is; I actually know where to eat besides the trendy write-ups, where to really shop and how long of a REAL commute you can count on.

I passed all of my basic tests, and my final exam is scheduled for Tuesday at 1:30. After that, I take one more test (I know, not all that final LOL) with the state. After I pass that, I’ll be an official leasing agent, no longer showing apartments on my student license. So if I could get some extra good vibes from you all for my tests, and too for the Soldier and his family I mentioned above, I would be very appreciative. And yes, I will definitely be wearing my tiny, stylized pentacle at my tests just as I always do at my showings. One of the perks of working for yourself is you get to be yourself, but there are of course some risks involved. Being in sales, I could always be risking losing a closing due to a prejudice, which is unfortunate. But quite frankly, I see it as a small risk, since I’m offering something people not only want but need.

Other than my busy schedule, things are surprisingly quiet around here. Ryan left for a trip to New York City yesterday, so we gave him our nice camera to take lots of pictures. Even though I’m extremely busy right now, the TV’s on and Ron’s shooting zombies in the next room, without our son here, things sure are quiet and lonely. I hope he’s having a wonderful time, and his plane brings him home safely next week. He booked on United both ways, so at least he didn’t go with some no-name company – even if United Breaks Guitars. (They better not break that damned camera!) I will say though, even if it comes at the heels of much rabble-rousing (isn’t that always seem to be the case?), United recently changed their pet policy specifically for the troops and their families.

Now as far as other pertinent news stories going around, I wanted to make important mention on an article I came across recently:

- Women Sue West Point and Naval Academy for Being Awful to Rape Victims: Just days after Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that the military would actually start punishing sexual assault rather than covering it up by gaslighting alleged victims with psychiatric diagnoses, two women who claim that they were raped while attending U.S. service academies sued military officials Friday for failing to address widespread reports of sexual assault at the elite schools. – Jezebel

Why does this not surprise me? And why does does it, again, always seem that in order to get anything accomplished, much public embarrassment/rabble-rousing and/or lawsuits need to happen? I’d like to think things like human decency and basic rights would be factored into things, but maybe I’m just too much of an optimist and perhaps a wee bit naive. The tick went up, Panetta said he’s going to put a stop to it, and I do genuinely believe he does care:

“Since taking this office, I’ve made it one of my top priorities to do everything we can to reduce and prevent sexual assault, to make victims of sexual assault feel secure enough to report this crime without fear of retribution or harm to their career, and to hold the perpetrators appropriately accountable.”

Of course, changing these kinds of patterns and mindsets, such as the one our buddy Liz Trotta seems to have, words don’t mean a whole lot. I’d say let’s all hope for that change to come, but ummm… hope? No – demand!

Now before I leave you all for the week, I wanted to let you know I’ve been receiving more coupons in the mail, my personal mail, for the Clip for the Troops campaign, this week coming from our friends in Leadville, CO. Thank you so much! Again, please contact me for my personal home mailing address until further notice. Next month, we’ll be getting a new post office box, one closer to our home and that has far better hours. We’ve had the box downtown for several years, but because they’ve changed their policies so drastically, it’s become nearly impossible to get down there before they start sending stuff back on us. Is it right? Of course not, but I guess with all the cutbacks, they’re just not going to be accommodating anymore.

If you ever need to contact me, you can call me at 773 (dash) 697 (dash) 4474 or you can email me at doom diva (at) ya hoo (dot) com. And of course, dropping a buck or two into the kitty for postage is incredibly appreciated!

Thanks again everyone, and I hope you and yours have a wonderful week!

 Posted by Lori Dake at 8:17 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

Coupons going out! And Blessed Beltane!

 family, military, Paganism, veterans  1 Response »
Apr 282012
 

Good morning and Happy Saturday once again! And before I go any further, I sincerely want to put out a shout-out of thanks for another $15 contribution toward the Clip for the Troops campaign. This, plus the $10.30 I received earlier this month, plus of course a good portion from my own pocket, is enough to get ALL the back coupons out the door. I felt so incredibly bad for the families having to wait, but quite frankly, the sheer volume is getting really expensive for me to handle alone cost-wise. I so seriously appreciate it! Thank you!

As I mentioned prior, the post office box renewal is next month for our location downtown, and we will not be renewing it, but instead getting a new one nearby where we will have much more access. When I get the new address, please make a note of where to send your coupons. In the meantime, you can drop me an email at doom diva (at) ya hoo (dot) com where I will provide you with my home address to ensure I receive them. Or hey, give me a jingle at 773 (dash) 697 (dash) 4474. (Notice how I break stuff up there!)

And now, I also want to go ahead and wish you all a very Blessed Beltane! However and wherever you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful celebration. For us, it’s going to be pretty low-key, including a very good polishing of our home altar. Unlike my husband, I’m not the tidiest person in the world, and I must admit I have let a few dust bunnies creep into the scene. Not. Good. My home office as a whole has gotten a little chaotic as well, with me running around ragged in combination with my studies toward getting my license, so I’m very thankful that part is almost complete.

Yep, I have PASSED all of my at-home courses and am now ready to take my final exams! Per my astrology buddies, May 8th, toward the afternoon, is recommended for my test. So, once the May schedule is up, I’m going to be booking that for the first of two tests. (Please keep me in your thoughts on that day!) Like I said to my broker, if Ronald Reagan could plan his calendar around what his astrologer told him, then it’s not all that far-fetched for me to go that route on such an important test! (He thinks I’m kind of “superstitious” but is all about doing whatever I feel is necessary to add a little more confidence.) If I pass that test, which is basically proving I actually earned the grades and didn’t have my broker turn in my work, then I move on to taking the test that will get me my sponsor card while I wait for the pocket card in the mail.

Which has me thinking back to when Ryan had to take his MEPS and other tests before taking the Oath, how hopeful and also concerned I was for him. I hate taking tests, because I build up a lot of anxiety. So knowing how important those tests were, it surprised me he was so much more casual about them than I was. How do you fare with test-taking? What test drove you to near insanity? What do you, or have you done, to get through your hardest test with confidence? And, have you ever taken a test where you know in your gut you nailed it only to find out you failed? What did you do then?

Well, I need to wrap things up early this week. I know, this isn’t the 2000-word weekly article you all have become accustomed to, but with this being the end of the month, I have a very busy Saturday of apartment showings. I almost scheduled some for tomorrow as well, and I’ve been trying my hardest to reserve Sundays for myself – all work and no play, and all that.

Thanks again for visiting, and again, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! Many blessings to you and yours!

 Posted by Lori Dake at 12:06 pm  Tagged with: ,

Meet Ava Stone

 family, military, Paganism  No Responses »
Apr 212012
 

Good morning everyone, and Happy Saturday once again! Another incredibly busy week here on the homefront, as I’m sure it must be busy on your end as well. My phone will simply not stop ringing, even at 2am. Seriously – who calls about an apartment in the middle of the night? I tell ya, I’m soooo glad I got a VoiP phone and am not giving out my cell phone number like a lot of other brokers/agents do, because my cell is also my personal number. At least with the VoiP phone, I know whoever is calling me is either a telemarketer or doesn’t need an immediate call-back. It can wait until morning.

I know I’m not the only busy person in the world, even if my 12-16-hour days, six days a week, seems like a lot more than what other people put in. The difference is, I can choose not to answer the phone, read the email, whatever. Of course, my choice affects my financial outcome, but hey – it’s only money, right? I can always scale back on a few needs wants. But for people whose even longer days revolve around their loved ones, whose jobs cannot be be put aside if they feel sick, tired or they just want to catch up to the latest Game of Thrones episode, it sure does put things into perspective. (I tell ya, that little shit Joffrey would be gettin’ his ass swatted by the flat side of a broadsword if it were me!)

Anyway…

One of the many purposes of Warriors & Kin is to give a voice to the Kin who serve and sacrifice just as greatly as the Warriors in their lives. I had a wonderful opportunity to converse with Ms. Ava Stone, whose husband serves in the U.S. Army National Guard and resides near Omaha with their two young daughters, about what it’s like to be a Pagan military spouse.

Warriors & Kin: Thank you, Ava, for taking time out of your day to chat with W&K today!

Ava Stone: Hi Lori, thanks for inviting me to talk to you!

W&K: I understand you have been together with your husband for thirteen years, with six of them married. Was your husband in the service when you two met?

AS: No, my husband wasn’t in the service when we met. We met the summer after I graduated High School and he still had one more year of High School left. To look at him now you never would guess he was the Punk Rock loving, dog collar wearing teen he was back then. He tells me he’s not surprised he joined the military, but I sure was! He did join the service before we were married; before we were engaged actually.

W&K: I see. Since you mentioned prior you were not reared in an active duty military family, did you go through any kind of adjustment or even culture shock the first time your husband was deployed?

AS: The first major adjustment was basic training. Like I mentioned, we weren’t married yet, but we had been in a serious relationship for 3 or 4 years. The furthest we had been away from each other was the hour drive between our two cities. By the time he joined the military we had been living together for a year or two. I remember crying a lot, missing him, not knowing what to do with myself. I can handle the separation much better now. When I was younger I think the emotions hit me harder, and had the young girl drama reaction.

W&K: During his service, what has been the longest deployment you and your husband experienced to date?

AS: The longest deployment was his first deployment, which was to Iraq. He was gone for 15 months. I had a very strong reaction when he first left. Lots of crying at odd times, unsure how I could handle being alone in the household and wondering what I would do with my time, similar to my reaction for basic training, but with less drama. I did get better as the days went on and I always keep the Chaplains words in the back of my mind that I can either be the victim or the victor. Those words helped me get through it, and I’ve used those words to help cope with other circumstances in my life as well.

W&K: And how has that affected your family? How do you cope? Your girls? Your husband?

AS: We have been through two deployments, and they were both completely different. This last deployment that he returned from a few months ago was probably the hardest for me because it was the first one we had kids for. I decided to quit my job to stay at home with the kids because we felt it wasn’t fair to leave the girls at a daycare for 45 hours a week, barely seeing me and never seeing their Dad except on the computer screen. Family is important to us. That was a huge adjustment for me. The girls, who were 1 and 2 when he left had some emotional reactions that were expected. I took the time to work with them and talk about their feelings since they weren’t old enough to verbalize it, it didn’t make it any less real to them. We struggled with friends and family understanding that my kids weren’t whiny, spoiled brats. They were dealing with a tough time and I gave them a little extra leeway in the behavior department. That leeway wasn’t just letting them get away with anything, it was giving them more time to work through their emotions so they learned how to correct the behavior. It just took them longer than normal, and most people didn’t get that, or didn’t want to get that, so I had a lot of people telling me how wrong my parenting was and what the right way to do it was. Over all, I think the girls coped with Daddy being gone better than I did because they had me to support them and their emotions, but I didn’t have many people supporting me and my emotions.

W&K: Do your husband and children also share your faith? Openly? What, if any, types of unique challenges does that create for you? For him? For your girls?

AS: My husband and I both identify as Pagan, and we choose not to label it any further. Out of the two of us I am more likely to try to find a specific religion I fit into. With that said, I’ve also grown in my personal beliefs to know that if I try to fit myself into any one religion I’m going to be left with gaps throughout the contents of the box, and I’ll be splurging out the top in other areas. In other words, I’m eclectic. There are some things I agree with in some religions, and somethings I believe differently. My husband has always just done his own thing, and it’s only recently that I’ve been doing that. Neither of us are open about our religion with the public, but for different reasons. My husband is a very private person. He doesn’t talk much about himself anyway, let alone his religious beliefs. My reasons are because there are some people I just don’t want to know about my religion, and also I know my religion is MY religion. It is not something I need to share with every single person I meet, but I will share it with those I have reason to share it. Our girls are still a bit young to understand religion, but we do expose them to religious talk of all kinds. We want our girls to be able to choose which religion is right for them, so we’ll let them explore and nurture their choices. We offer spiritual questions, and we answer the religious questions they have by explaining how different people might view it, then ask them what they think is going on.

W&K: And one last question, since I know some folks are out there wondering, how does the military mesh with your beliefs?

AS: For us, our religion is one and the same with our lifestyle. We live by the morals and values we have in our religion. My husband has a strong connection to the Morrigan, especially around the time he deploys. We often do protection rituals and prayers for his and his units continued safety. One of the disconnects I personally have between my religion and the military is that of killing another human being. I’m lucky to know that my husband has never been in a position where he is directly responsible for the death of another, but I’m also not naive enough to know that it couldn’t happen in the future. I struggle on a personal level with the concept of war. I know we need to protect ourselves and we need to defend. I just wish we could do it without killing anyone. I have complete support for our soldiers and I always will. For my part, I will continue to offer peace and positivity to those around me. I know my actions alone won’t solve this personal struggle I have, but at least I’ll know I’m doing my part. My husband will also continue to do his part and serve our country, and for that and many many more things, I am proud of him.

W&K: Again, thank you Ava for taking time from your day to chat. And many blessings to you and yours!

AS: Thank you for chatting with me as well.

I’d like to feature more of your personal input, so feel free to drop me a line at doom diva (at) ya hoo (dot) com or hey, call me at 773 (dash) 697 (dash) 4474. I warn you though, a 2am phone call will go to voicemail. Tee-hee!

Welp, off to get dolled up for a full day of apartment showings. Have a great week everyone and many blessings to you and yours!

 Posted by Lori Dake at 1:36 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

The Valhalla Project

 military, Paganism, veterans  No Responses »
Apr 142012
 

Good morning everyone, and happy Saturday once again! It’s been a very productive week here for me, and quite frankly, I can’t believe how fast the time is flying. I just got notice I passed my fourth (of five) unit test, which means very soon, I will have my real estate leasing agent license. I just have to pass one more unit, which is a tough one, and then I move on to take the city (CAR) and state (AMP) tests after that. I’m well ahead of schedule, which is a blessing, because I really need the extra time to pass this last test then study hard to pass the final exams. I pray the Lord and Lady give me a little extra oomph! so I can pass these tests. C’mon – three more times – I just need a 75% three more times. I’m not asking for the world here – just to get three quarters of the answers right on the next three tests! YES WE CAN!

So, my question to all of you who follow the stars is this: Which days in the upcoming month would you suggest I take my exams?

One other thing I learned this week, which many of you may find interesting, is while the world of real estate is very tight on fair housing and extremely proactive on anti-discrimination matters, it also applies to those on the working end of the spectrum. My last unit covered, in great detail, all the things that can get my ass “fired” (lose my license) as well as cost me a small fortune in fines and legal fees. Scary stuff indeed! (Yeah, needless to say, I was elated to find out I passed that unit test! Whew!) So it had me wondering if my religious beliefs would somehow trigger a discrimination filing. So yesterday, I dropped a line to get some clarification. I specifically asked if a leasing agent could wear religious jewelry while showing apartments to clients, and the answer was that wearing religious jewelry is entirely up to me – no rules against it.

Now granted, the pentacle I wear is very small and stylized and therefore not blatantly obvious, but anyone who gets my business card can easily Google my name and find out a lot about me. So the way I see it, my beliefs are no big secret, but as long as I keep my business life all about business, it’s all good. I do need to take extra precautions in the matter of course, but my religious beliefs are a big part of me, and I am glad I can be myself – even if I am dolled up, covering my tattoos and driving around town in heels n’ hose. I suppose the “My other car is a broom”-type bumper stickers should be kept off the car as well. (I do have a Misfits license plate frame, which I should probably trade in for something more mundane, but I doubt most people look that hard.)

Now before I discuss our Clip for the Troops campaign, I wanted to fill you all in on a wonderful project that is helping our returning troops decompress and begin anew in the civilian world: The Valhalla Project. No, it is not a Pagan-run organization, but its philosophy certainly is. In just a little over a year, these fine folks, led by retired Lt. Colonel Gordon Cucullu, U.S. Army Special Forces, have taken a brainstorming idea while out in the desert of the Middle East to an amazing reality. 200 acres of farm and woodlands have been purchased, farm animals and crops have been planted, housing has been secured and improved upon, a fresh water pond has been constructed and plans to take the property completely off-grid and eco-friendly are in the works. Wow – just wow! I can’t tell you how absolutely amazed I am at so much progress in so little time!

So who is welcome? Per the website:

Valhalla is all about Soldiers and their well being. It will be a facility designed to accommodate individual Soldiers and to hold small unit gatherings. Because of the warrior emphasis on Valhalla, it is envisioned that primarily members of combat units in the Army – active duty, National Guard, Reserves and their retirees who have survived combat – would be principal users. Due to the warrior emphasis, presence of those suffering from PTSD, and other issues, Valhalla would further be designated for adults only. Procedures for selection will be established in time as the demand increases.

Initially it is thought that volunteers will constitute the initial resident population, but all must come with a recommendation from unit leaders supporting their application. A screening committee comprised of the Valhalla Board operating with recommendations from the Valhalla Governance advisory committee will make final decisions.

Now true, right now, their limited scope is focused on working with post-9/11 combat Soldiers (meaning Army, Reserves and National Guard), I read it as being that’s the branches they know best. Start with what you know and all that. As stated,

…to open up Valhalla even to all post-9/11 veterans of all services is a physical impossibility – we are limited in scope and funds. The idea of a facility that serves ALL military veterans would be overwhelming to a small organization. After all, we are new, growing, and trying out a largely experimental project. We are not a mandated governmental program operating with millions of dollars, we are simply ordinary citizens attempting to make a positive difference in the face of an overwhelming challenge. We had to start somewhere and this is our selected starting point. At the same time, we are dedicated to constructing a prototype that will inspire and encourage the start of similar facilities serving other military branches — or other generations of veterans — by anyone who wishes to take on such endeavors.

So what to do to ensure the doors start flying open to ALL vets? Hard work and generosity are needed, of course! This is a 100-year ongoing project for our veterans suffering from PTSD and those who are having a hard time adjusting to civilian life, including those who are having difficulty finding gainful employment. In its current state, Valhalla is “…designed to be a pleasant, refreshing, but ‘tough love’ activity for those Soldiers with issues that a few days or weeks in a work-play environment can help correct…”, and I trust as they grow, they will be able to expand their offerings. I’m sure as the weeks, months and years go by, after the mistakes are made, clarified and rectified, these wonderful people will be able to move forward in their mission.

It appears they’ve taken a liking to updating on their Facebook page, so I encourage you all to Like! the page and keep tabs on their progress. And of course, if you want to become involved, there are several ways to do so. While monetary donations are certainly welcome, it seems they prefer needed materials donations. I, for one, am very enthusiastic about this project, so I have already liked the page. And, after scouring through their website and postings, since I know some of yas are curious, not once did I see any reference to a particular deity or belief system. Good on them for being religiously neutral from the get-go!

So there’s my big contribution in written form for this week. I would like to feature even more good works like these, be they great or small, so please do share so I can pass along the message as well. What programs do you know of which serve our military? You can drop me a line at doom diva (at) ya hoo (dot) com or even give me a jingle at 773 (dash) 697 (dash) 4474. I’d love to hear from you!

And yes, okay, back on to our campaign. I sincerely, from the very bottom of my heart, want to thank you for helping me raise some much-needed postage money so I can get out these coupons! THANK YOU! A few more bucks for the kitty would be much appreciated, so if you want to send some cash via PayPal, send it to my hubby’s business verified account ron (at) rotting corpse records (dot) com. Just be sure you notate it’s for the Clip for the Troops campaign and not for a CD order. I know, you all just love your extreme Metal bands as much as we do, but seriously, we don’t want to take the chance of mixing up the cash. This week, $10.30 was collected, enough for two Priority envelopes! Thanks so much! And of course, if you want to send coupons, because the post office people are jerks, if you email or call me, I can give you my home address. The PO box expires in June, so we’ll be getting a new box near us here so we won’t have that problem anymore.

Well, that’s about all I have for you this week. Thanks again everyone and have a wonderful weekend. Take care and many blessings!

 Posted by Lori Dake at 4:20 am  Tagged with: , ,

Clip for the Troops needs postage funds!

 family, military, Paganism  No Responses »
Apr 072012
 

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! It’s been another busy and productive week for me, and from here on out, I’m sure it’s going to be almost maddening until summer ends. I passed my first and second unit tests for my leasing agent license, and I’m waiting on the test results from unit three. While I wait on that, I’ve been studying for the fourth test, which is on business ethics, rights and legalities, which I’m already very familiar with. Really, except for memorizing a few specific court cases names, some of which I already know well (take Plessy vs. Ferguson for example!). An interesting one I discovered is 40 years old is considered elderly according to the Illinois Human Rights Act. Really?! I guess that makes our son middle-aged! So see there, I just gave you something new to learn today!

Last Saturday, Ron and I took our monthly jot downtown to pick up the mail like we do every last Saturday of the month for the Clip for the Troops campaign. We were very upset and disappointed to learn the post office has made some major changes (again!), one which directly affected our campaign: Mail not picked up from the box in a week will be returned to sender! While we were able to retrieve the little bit that fit inside our mail box slot, the rest of it we usually need to pick up from behind the counter was sent back! Unbelievable! Because of that, I am very sad to report we only have about $2,000 for the month of March.

I know there must be a few of you who sent large amounts based on what we’ve seen come in the past few months, and I am extremely sorry this happened. You can call me directly at 773-697-4474 if you received your mail back or drop me an email at doom diva (at) yahoo (dot) com. I’ll find a way to make this new rule work, and in the meantime, I’m chalking that up to the Mercury retrograde that has since passed. I do want to acknowledge coupons received from Leadville, CO and Westminster, CO. Thank you very much!

I also want to discuss another issue that’s been building up over the last few months – a desperate need for postage funds. I have not been able to afford to mail last month’s haul, simply because it’s nearly $100 worth of postage I simply do not have. I was planning on combining last month’s and this month’s together, and perhaps funds were in the envelopes and packages mailed back. I can’t do this alone, folks – it’s getting too expensive. So while I hate to do it, I’m begging people to please chip in a buck here and there so I can get the coupons to the troops overseas. While it’s true they take coupons up to six months’ expired, which I figured gave me a little extra time to get them out, the clock is definitely ticking at this point. They need time to receive and sort them, which cuts the time back further. So please, if you can help, mail me a buck or two, call me, email me, or send some extra to my husband’s PayPal account ron (at) rotting corpse records (dot) com (that’s his verified business account – he sure loves his zombies!).

And, for those of you who are just hearing about this, allow me to fill you in on what it is we do here:

We started out on Memorial Day weekend last year and steadily grew, collecting over $50,000 worth of coupons last year. This year, we’ve already exceeded that mark, and we continuously grow, grow grow! How do we do it? Lemme tell ya -

We’re helping military families stretch their budgets while maintaining their independence, and by doing so, we’re promoting positive Pagan awareness without any proselytizing going on. After all, what could be more mundane than clipping coupons? We don’t proselytize, we don’t hand out religious information, and we certainly don’t judge. We’re just good, ordinary people out to do good. When the couponing chairpeople receive our envelopes, all that’s included is a sticky note thanking them for their service and sacrifice, and the return address is from the Pagan Newswire Collective’s military beat in care of me. That’s it. We as Pagans love and respect those who believe differently, or choose not to have a faith at all, as we love and respect people simply for being people and wish to extend that love through a bit of a leg-up.

Some people don’t realize just how badly our military families struggle with the basics. It’s true they get free healthcare, cheap housing and the commissaries (grocery stores) only charge shoppers ~5% over wholesale with no sales tax – so what’s the problem? Well, consider this: A Sergeant earns about $26,000 a year, and feeding a family on that is very hard, and spouses generally cannot work due to no fault of their own. Many employers don’t want to hire someone who may get up and leave on a moment’s notice, and a language barrier may be an issue. (In Germany for example, where many posts and bases are located, I’ve learned many refuse to hire people who don’t speak fluent German.) And, the civilian jobs on the installations are usually spoken for. So what’s left? Pyramid schemes, a few online programs and the old standby of babysitting. It’s no surprise then to learn even here in the United States, many military families rely on the food stamp program and food pantries.

Therefore, by sending them coupons, we’re helping the people who sacrifice so much to maintain (some of) their independence and again, we’re running a grass roots operation that says hey – we care, and we’re actually pretty normal folks just like you. We just have a different way of praying is all!

Would you like to get involved? There are many ways!

1) Like! the Facebook page and let your friends and family know what’s going on! This is an exciting venture that more people need to know about!

2) Help me spread the word by mentioning the campaign in your blogs and posts. If you do a podcast or are running a festival, please feel free to contact me (doom diva [at] yahoo [dot] com). I can go on all day about how couponing not only helps ourselves to great deals (including savings on organic fare and fresh and frozen fruits, veggies, dairy and meats!), but again, it actively helps those whose mission it is to serve and defend our country.

3) Send coupons! This is a campaign that is national, meaning you don’t need to even live near a coven or group to get involved, and you don’t need any real ability or skill. Kids can do this. Disabled people can do this. Our Elders can do this. All it takes is a little time and a stamped envelope. Mail your unwanted/expired manufacturer coupons to:

PNC Military – Clip for the Troops
Attn: Lori Dake
PO Box 306
Chicago, IL 60690-0306

I check the post office box downtown on the last Saturday of each month (and obviously now, I need to find a way to visit more often, or get a new box, or something!) If you call me, I can provide you my home address where you can send your coupons directly to me.

4) Drop a buck or two into the pot. Mailing little slips of paper doesn’t seem like much, but paper is heavy, even newsprint, and each package has been costing me $5.15 to send. If you would like to donate via PayPal, please email me so I can provide you with the email account (my husband’s verified business account, so you know it’s safe!). Again, my email address is doom diva (at) yahoo (dot) com (I’ve had that address since ’98).

5) If you’re local, contact me about stopping by for a sorting party! We continue to grow, and I am having a harder and harder time doing this by myself. I live in the Logan Square area of Chicago right off the boulevard (by the “Christmas House“!), right by the expressway, with ample free street parking and plenty of nearby public transportation. I’m an awesome cook and would be more than happy to share a meal for your efforts. (Psst! We always have beer in the fridge and herbal tea on the kettle!)

I have been a part of the Chicago Pagan community for nearly sixteen years, so feel free to ask around for my creds if you’re at all concerned about contributing in any way. My books and doors are always open, and I would be delighted to answer any questions you may have. My service is toward the community and the Gods.

Well, that’s it for this week. Please help anyway you can so we can make it to our first anniversary at the end of next month! Blessings to you and yours!

 Posted by Lori Dake at 12:43 pm  Tagged with:

Mega Millions loser, “Spiritual Fitness” loser, too?

 family, military, Paganism, veterans  No Responses »
Mar 312012
 

Good morning everyone, and happy Saturday once again! Well, we didn’t win the $640 million Mega Millions jackpot last night, but that’s okay – it’s fun to daydream. Of course, we’d take the lump sum (twenty-six years is a big gamble on kicking off at any age!), which after taxes would still be quite hefty at about $125 million take-home, much more than any of us could figure out how to piss away in a lifetime. After all, there are only so many trips to take and islands to buy. And, they say that kind of money changes people and turns people around them into guilt-tripping gold diggers, so having a ridiculous amount of wealth ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.

So what would I do with sick money? I have a few ideas:

- I’d start a Pagan planned community, in which I’d buy a town and take a gazillion applications from folks who want to settle for $1 per home in exchange for ten years’ worth of building up the home and the town. (That’s just a guesstimate in how long it would take from practically zero to bona fide hero.) And yes, each adult would take on a job which would create and enhance a vibrant community, be it a municipal job or private – at a livable wage, of course. I’m sure I could find a few hundred people willing to get in on that, and I doubt I’d have a problem locating a team of lawyers to handle the paperwork.

Part of the town’s purpose would be to help spread positive Pagan awareness without proselytizing. So, while it would be a planned community, it would definitely be open to the public. The best way to do that would be to have a dizzying array of shops and such, but without a lot of competition, just like how well-planned festivals are set up. I would like to see a studio in the town, creating radio and video programs that are both entertaining and engaging. Some would say that sounds awful tourist trappish, but if done right, the town I envision would be a safe haven for those who perhaps have always wanted to live their faith openly without fear of persecution. No fear of job discrimination would be a blessing in itself for so many of us.

- I’d definitely want to spend a year traveling, hitting every fest (both Pagan and MetaL!) across the country and around the globe, hitting a bunch of scenic and historic locales along the way. I readily admit I’m jealous as all get-out about how wonderful of an experience Peter Dybing must be having!

- Ron and I both have already said our moms would get a house, with the taxes, utilities and maintenance bills being sent our way. Like Forrest Gump says, it would be one less thing for them to worry about – shelter. Food and clothing would be up to them, which their social security can cover that thanks to working for so many decades.

- Of course, we’d pay off our lingering debts, which would be the easiest thing to do, as we don’t have much.

- And yes, 10% would go toward “mad money” – the pissing away money one does need with any type of serious windfall. I’m sure we could handle that during our travels.

- Now as far as charities go, I have a few in mind, but I generally don’t put out my list, outside the ones you all already know about, like Toys for Tots. The reason is, all charities are in need, and many are quite deserving, but listing them tends to stir up political arguments. I’ll leave that one for you to ponder.

So the question I leave you with may or may not be easy:
How would you spend sick money, and how much of it would go toward your faith and convictions?

Since I’m calling myself a loser in the jackpot sense (meh, I callz ‘em like I seez ‘em!), I question if I’d also be a loser if I took the military’s “Spiritual Fitness” test. W&K received an email this week on a survey request which, while it certainly applies to Atheists and Agnostics who serve in the military, it may very well apply to Pagans as well. This request came from a doctoral student counseling psychology at Iowa State by the name of Joseph H Hammer. He and his colleagues believe it is important for our troops to add their voice to the project, and I would like to agree. Some of the rank-style questions on the computerized test can be construed as unconstitutional at best (separation of church and state and all that) and prone to push evangelical Christianity at worst, such as:

- “I am a spiritual person. I believe that in some way my life is closely connected to all of humanity. I often find comfort in my religion and spiritual beliefs.”

- “In difficult times, I pray or meditate.”

- “I believe there is a purpose for my life.”

While some of the questions may seem innocuous to us as Pagans, as we do have religious beliefs, and questions like “I believe there is a purpose for my life,” can apply to anyone, it’s the virtual Bzzzzt! for those who “fail” the test that can be rather troublesome. Atheists such as self-described “Foxhole Atheist”, Justin Griffith, a sergeant at Fort Bragg, N.C., checked 100% un-spiritual. When he submitted the computerized survey, the auto-response came back:

Spiritual fitness may be an area of difficulty… You may lack a sense of meaning and purpose in your life. At times, it is hard for you to make sense of what is happening to you and to others around you. You may not feel connected to something larger than yourself. You may question your beliefs, principles and values…Improving your spiritual fitness should be an important goal.

So here’s the survey information as provided to W&K:

U.S. Military Personnel and Veterans’ participation wanted for national online Spiritual Well-Being survey

In October 2009, the Army began measuring the spiritual fitness of troops with the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program’s Global Assessment Tool. This Tool is an online survey that asks a series of multiple-choice questions about a person’s well-being.

Our research group is conducting an online research study on the validity of this spiritual fitness Tool, and on the spiritual well-being of U.S. Military Personnel and Veterans.

If you are a member or veteran of the U.S. Military, you are invited to participate in this survey study, which has been approved by the University of Tampa Institutional Review Board. The survey takes about 15 to 35 minutes to complete.

To participate in, or learn more about, this survey please visit:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/militaryspiritualfitness

If you would like to speak with the principal investigator, Dr. Ryan Cragun, about this survey, please contact him at rcragun@ut.edu.
Thank you again for your consideration.

Ryan T. Cragun, Ph.D.
Joseph H. Hammer, M.Ed.
Karen Hwang, Ed.D.

Welp, that’s about it for today. I’m going to sulk at my lottery ticket a bit, get dolled up, head downtown to check the post office box for this month’s Clip for the Troops haul (the count will be posted next week!), then I get to bust ass on passing the next at-home test for my leasing agent license. I’ve passed the first two, and no, I didn’t take them open book, and I certainly didn’t hand off the sheets to the broker. If I did, I would not in any way be prepared when I have to take the city and state tests while being watched by instructors. Derp!

Have a great week folks! Blessings!

 Posted by Lori Dake at 4:12 am  Tagged with: ,

What would you do?

 family, military, Paganism, veterans  No Responses »
Mar 242012
 

Good morning everyone, and Happy Saturday once again! So how are you digging the weather? It just now went from the 80s to the 70s and 60s, still way above normal, and glorious nonetheless. In just the past couple of weeks, the trees have gone from barren to freckled bright green, and some of them are in full bloom, covered in beautiful white petals. The birds are loud and boisterous, and many of the flying insects have also made their return. In other words, Chicago went from a quasi Winter straight into Summer, all but skipping the step of Spring altogether. Needless to say, this image is quite apt:

Chicago Winter 2011-2012

Chicago Winter 2011-2012

For me at least, 2012 is shaping up to be a great year – Mayan prophecies be damned! I’m doing something I love, I have family who supports me fully, and through the work I do, be it paid or voluntary, I am helping others to fulfill their basic need to be happy. Yes, even in the middle of a Mercury retrograde, things are definitely going my way, though I am being cautious not to become too comfortable. How is life treating you? Hanging out on Teh Faceypagez, I do read quite a few posts where life isn’t going all that well, and many folks have called me a Pollyanna due to seeing the positive in just about everything. (It kind of ruins my street cred as a “Broodal Metal Chick”, but okay. Whatevz.) But really, I just try to take the bad things and chalk them up to learning experiences, and to be perfectly honest, I find it to be my way of coping with the dark side of life. What is your go-to method for coping?

The news has been flooded recently regarding the brutal deaths of seventeen Afghan men, women and children while they slept at the hands of U.S. Army Sgt. Robert Bales. This massacre is indeed heinous, and rightly so are people from both sides of the front line and beyond completely outraged. However, call it the Pollyanna in me, but I do have to wonder what was going on in this Soldier’s head and whether or not he was always the frothing, fanged and clawed green monster we’ve come to learn about.

Sgt. Bales was on his fourth deployment, and it is recorded he has suffered mild brain trauma in Iraq, but many will quickly argue that is not nearly enough cause to go on a late-night shooting spree. According to several outlets, he had a good life at home, with a loving wife and children anxiously awaiting his return. Some wonder if what triggered his rampage was his passover in promotion. The Gods know all too well how infuriating it can be to not be promoted for a job, especially a trying one, but yet we as civilians again do not take out our anger and frustration on others. So again the lingering question is why – why did this Soldier kill unarmed civilians in their sleep?

This important question has been bothering me since the news first broke, as I am sure it has bothered many of you. Why is there such evil in the world? What can we do to make the world a better place, especially for those whose job it is to serve us? What can we do to prevent such tragedies? I strongly believe in advocacy and ministry, because we all need someone to turn to at our darkest hour. I wonder if Sgt. Bales had confided in his chaplain, and of course in his doctor, about the internal anguish he must have been struggling with. People aren’t born bad. From what I can tell, even with his criminal past, and mind you I say this not as an excuse or a half-hearted apology of sorts, but as someone who has genuine concern for others – be it the gunman or the slain, he did seem like a regular guy going through a great deal of internal conflict.

So what can we do? How can we prevent something like this from happening again? Again, I believe we all need someone to turn to, someone who “gets us”, someone who we have no fear of negative repercussions from due to just trying to talk it out. One of the things I love about the Pagan community is we genuinely do care for one another, and at the same time, we aren’t afraid of “telling it like it is”. There’s substance there, a self-reliance intertwined with faith and personal responsibility and accountability – a chosen path for many that isn’t easy by any stretch. If Sgt. Bales did seek spiritual counsel prior to the massacre, I really would like to know if it was of the blind faith variety – the “God will provide/have faith” non-answer.

Chalk it up to a learning experience if you will, that these issues will surface for those who choose to become military chaplains. How would you, as a military chaplain, counsel those you felt may become a danger to themselves and/or others?

 Posted by Lori Dake at 1:56 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Job market for vets and further thoughts on Pagan chaplaincy

 family, military, Paganism, veterans  No Responses »
Mar 172012
 

Good morning everyone (or should I say Top O’ the Mornin’? hehe!) and happy Saturday once again! It’s March 17th once again, the day where homes all across the United States smell like ass from the boiling of cabbage, and I for one wouldn’t miss it for the world. I take my boiled veggies with red wine vinaigrette dressing, pepper and a little butter, which I know isn’t all that Irish, but hey – I’m American, and my taste buds are as diverse as the neighborhoods I’ve lived in over the years. Besides, it’s just plain good like that – try it! However you celebrate today, be it as a day for celebrating Irish heritage, honoring Saint Patrick, or even if it’s like at our home where it’s all about the food (and beer!), I hope it’s a great day for you all!

This morning for me is an especially invigorating one, as last night, I conducted my first lease signing as an apartment leasing agent! I’m still high from the experience, and at noon today, I’m conducting another one, and via e/mail, I have another coming through. I cannot remember the last time I have felt so accomplished, so independent, and so fulfilled all at the same time. Ron tells me everyday he’s proud of me, and that really means a lot to have him backing me like this. And now that we’re both seeing my hard work come to fruition, it makes it that much easier to see that working from home, driving around town (with the windows down! In March, no less!) and talking to people about a topic I know a lot about (Chicago apartments, coming from a person who’s lived in at least twenty since birth!) is an awesome job career to have! And hey, I see what the other agent makes, and it’s not even moving season yet, so I have faith we will be able to knock down some of these lingering debts.

Granted, that independence comes with a great deal of hard work and responsibility, and yeah, I have to put aside some of my commissions toward taxes for next year, but it’s all good. The thing I truly like is the fact I am directly helping people obtain a basic need – shelter, and not having a tyrant of a boss micromanage my every move is a pretty sweet deal as well. I also passed my first of five unit tests last Sunday, moving me up another notch toward being a full-fledged agent (I’m on a student license now you see). And since I’m talking about it, if anyone in the area is looking for an apartment, feel free to give me a jingle.

And it has me thinking too – what I do isn’t all that hard. If one were to really think about it, all I’m doing is taking pictures, writing up an article, booking appointments, unlocking a door and letting people see an apartment. (And yeah, there’s some paperwork involved. Doesn’t every job have that?) Sure, there’s a lot of fancy words I’m learning, and I do have to maintain a schedule, and yes, this is the kind of work that really requires a great deal of dedication and organization, but it’s not really something many people couldn’t do. I know there’s a leap of faith involved, especially since it’s going to cost me about $400 and a couple months of education to get my license, and the income is never guaranteed, but in comparison to the (hundreds of!) thousands of dollars and hours people invest in themselves for college, what I’m paying in time and money is a drop in the bucket – or in some cases, a reservoir!

Therefore, what I’m doing may very well be something our troops may want to consider when they come home. The job market for vets is supposedly getting better, but I think having a few alternatives to a standard day job is a good idea. (And too, I actually worked with a Wiccan woman last week. It’s pretty cool to make a new friend who shares some of my beliefs through work!) And even if it’s not your cuppa, there are quite a few jobs and careers out there that perhaps aren’t being considered for whatever reason. I know I’m not all that fond of the medical profession, as the scent of rubbing alcohol brings back quite a few bad memories. However, not all positions in that industry are out of the question. If something came along in administration, as long as it wasn’t where people were getting stuck with needles, I as a job hunter would certainly take it. Keep an open mind and maintain a positive attitude when hunting! Just like working magick, the key phrase is I WILL, not I hope.

Getting back to last week, I wrote about the movement toward introducing Pagans to the ranks of the military chaplaincy, and it was pretty cool Selena Fox gave me a shout-out on the Pagan Warrior Radio show, now aired on Saturday nights. Thanks, Selena! See ya at PSG! But what I wanted to get at was one of the comments left after last week’s article. If you didn’t catch it, click back; it’s a real eye-opener and is in stark contrast to what some Pagans in the military are now experiencing.

After reading this vet’s comment, it’s painfully obvious how valuable a chaplain who “gets us” can be, especially for those who are open about their beliefs. As I’ve said a million times over, it seems to be par to course when the military starts making changes, so goes the rest of the country, though it’s we civilians who get the ball rolling, many times via grass roots efforts. Hand in hand, changes for the better are being made, but we must be vigilant there is going to be a push-back by those who don’t like change. So how do we go about it? Do we demand, or do we request? While it’s true gentle ways are often stronger than hard ones, it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. (Or more recently for me, it’s the squeaky car door that gets the WD-40.) Please share your thoughts so we can get the ball rolling.

Well, that about does it for me this week. As always, I like to remind folks about the Clip for the Troops campaign that’s going stronger than ever! Please visit the Facebook page, Like! it, and share generously. And also, I hope you and yours have a wonderful and blessed Ostara! I love hard-boiled eggs, and I love coloring them even more! (This link has some adorable egg holders you can print out and color!) It’s already very Summer-y here, to where I was able to get ice cream off the truck yesterday, though I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll get socked with snow at least once more before Nature is done with us. Nothing this good lasts forever!

Blessings to you and yours!

 Posted by Lori Dake at 12:52 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

Moving Forward with Pagan Military Chaplaincy

 family, military, Paganism  4 Responses »
Mar 102012
 

Good morning everyone and Happy Saturday once again! It’s been another crazy week around here, and one that has been quite fruitful. I suppose that’s a good way to work into the looming Mercury retrograde come Monday, right after setting the clocks ahead and throwing people off – natch! I’m getting everything situated and doubling my bets. My calendar is booked solid Monday, doing showings at a single unit one after another. I’m counting on at least one cancellation, which will give me an opportunity to grab some lunch, but I’ll be packing some granola bars and a few oranges just in case. With my luck, I’ll put that bag on the counter but forget to take it, so I guess I better make a checklist.

There have been a couple gorgeous days this past week, offering a glimpse of warm days ahead. For me, there is nothing more invigorating than to drive around with the windows down and my tunes jammin’, with one exception: To walk around the neighborhood and listen to the first songs belted out by the robins. That definitely is tops. It’s funny because every year, I go through the same ritual of being taken completely by surprise. It simply never ceases to amaze me how much I miss hearing the birds sing until I hear those familiar chirps and whistles. I’ll just be running an errand, scooping up the paper, something… and then I have to pause – stop dead in my tracks even – just to listen to their song.

This year, that surprise happened yesterday while I was sitting in the car waiting for my next appointment, minding my own business and checking my emails. The street was quiet, the wind had died down, the sun was setting, and that’s when I heard it. tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet Needless to say, I totally had my game face on when I showed the apartment, which just happened to be one of my favorites, therefore making the entire experience that much sweeter. While my favorite songbird is the fiery red northern cardinal with its boastful “Hey you! Hey you! I’m so purty-purty-purty-purty-purty!” pickup line, its the song of the more subdued robins that truly draws my attention. I guess it’s the same way I like my men: I love the Rawk Stah types, and the more hair the better, but for anything meaningful, I prefer the quiet cool.

I’d like to believe this mentality is not all that different than from most folks, that while we whole love excitement from our sometimes seemingly vapid lives, its the little things that truly draw our attention. It’s no wonder then the evening news is played out in just that sort of way. Call it dark or even a bit morbid, but when I flip over to the local news, I utter the running joke,

“Let’s see who died today!” And unless it’s a truly slow news day, the first segment is one of three things:

- Someone died (or is missing and perhaps presumed dead, especially if that person is attractive and/or important)
- Someone got busted (the bigger the corruption, the better!)
- Impending doom (will it affect YOU?! Dum dum duuuuum!)

And of those three things, it’s the first one, “someone died”, that draws the biggest amount of attention, especially if it was due to a murder, a tragedy or the person was a celebrity or politician (especially under less than natural causes). If it’s a very big news day, the second and even third segments will be inundated with these stories, luring you in deeper so you won’t click over to another channel during a commercial break. “2 dead, 20 wounded in gang crossfire!”, “5-Alarm fire kills 3 children, 12 families homeless!”, “Rock Star found dead in hotel room!”, and of course, our collective favorite, “Governor sentenced to prison for corruption”, with some of us hoping to hear later, “Disgraced governor commits suicide”.

When that commercial break is over, which attempts to stimulate you into buying something you probably don’t need, you’ll be rewarded with the weather. Then, an exclusive investigation story will come up that usually makes you feel better about yourself via Schadenfreude (or a scary-sounding health segment), the sports wrap-up and finally, finally, a human interest story – one that will stick with you as you wind down for the evening. That is what I usually stick around to see – the human interest story. While I like to shake my fist at the TV, and I like to shake my head even more, I truly love to learn how people have done good for others… and usually for complete strangers at that. “Man donates kidney to grocery store clerk”, “Lottery winner gives prize money to charity”, “Girl grows garden for food pantry and feeds hundreds” – that sort of thing.

We haz a happee when we learn of such stories, and we cheerfully pass them along to our connections online. What I’ve noticed too is of all of the news stories I’ve seen passed around, it’s these that garner the fewest comments. Why? Because there’s nothing to argue about. People did good unconditionally, which gives us nothing to flex our virtual muscles. That’s why they’re at the end of the news segments, because there’s usually no follow-up – nothing controversial. Cynics and trolls can (and often do) say selfless people are either stupid or somehow out for themselves, but hey – haterz gonna hate. But what’s lacking in most of these stories is the back story – how they got to that point, other than a sentence or two. Nevertheless, they inspire us to do good in our own way, and one budding human interest story is this:

“U.S. Military inducts Pagan Chaplain” It hasn’t happened yet, but you can call your bookie on it, because it will happen, and my bet is on the table for this news segment to appear in the next two years. So my wager is on the table for March, 2014. Where is your money riding? If you would like to learn how YOU can become a part of this sensational future human interest and international news story, your first steps should be to listen to tonight’s podcast on Pagan Warrior Radio:

Join the hosts and special guest, Rev. Selena Fox, senior minister of Circle Sanctuary, as we discuss the history of the on-going Quest to have a Pagan U.S. Military Chaplain. We will also discuss the requirements for those interested and answer questions regarding efforts to have Pagans serving in the US Military as Chaplains.

Ah-haaa… so that’s what I was getting at with this week’s ramblings! But seriously folks, this is a monumental task at hand! And knowing full well it took almost a decade to get the pentacle on military headstones, I’m still betting on two years for this. Why? Because that happened – literally set in stone! We already have trained Pagan clergy, and I personally know of people who also already have military backgrounds, so I really don’t see how this could not happen in two years’ time. Our brothers and sisters who are serving need someone to confide in who truly gets them on a spiritual level, and to become a chaplain is a calling like no other. You, as a military chaplain, would be there for our troops at their most trying and joyous times when you are needed most – deaths, injuries, illnesses and indeed celebrations – and you would be serving your Deities fully in a way that hasn’t been done in hundreds if not thousands of years. It would truly be a revitalizing of the Gods themselves!

Welp that’s about it for to…

WAIT! Before I run off for the weekend… you folks are probably wondering about February’s final coupon total for the Clip for the Troops campaign! (Thought I forgot, didn’t you?) Well ladies and gentlemen, February’s total is $28,453.96! I gotta tell ya, I almost didn’t get to finishing the count, especially with this leasing agent stuff and studying for my license tests. (I’m running on a student license right now!) But yep, another NEW record! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I’m going to try to get these packets mailed next week, somewhere between showings and other errands, and by try, that means I tend to do. I rarely fail on my efforts.

Thanks again everyone for reading my weekly postings and for your continued support. It’s very much appreciated! Blessings!

 Posted by Lori Dake at 2:24 pm  Tagged with: ,
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