veterans » Warriors and Kin

VA emblem update and Mother’s Day

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May 112013

Good morning everyone, and happy Saturday once again! I can’t believe how fast the week has gone, and it’s because I’ve been putting in around 16 hours since early Monday morning. I get up around 4:30 or 5am, then jump straight on the computer to do my daily postings and return emails, then at 9am, I return phone calls, then I jump in the car and show places, finally returning home around 8:30-9pm to eat a later dinner and go to bed. Our son even came into town late last night for Mother’s Day, and I barely feel like I’ve talked to him at all. However, I did get in a good conversation with him I think many of you will like: He’s considering going with me to Pagan Spirit Gathering!

Ryan has a consult coming up in a couple weeks after going to MEPS, as there’s something going on with his flexibility and/or balance. So yes, please continue to send him good vibes he’ll get the all clear so he can get a ship date! He’s been steadily watching his diet as well as pushing himself physically, but sometimes, personal effort isn’t enough. As many of you know, Ryan’s been at this now for three years, and he hasn’t given up on his lifelong dream of being a Soldier, and his recruiter and even the MEPS doctors see that he’s make a great one. At the end of the day, it’s pretty much a 50/50 chance, a yea or nea, so let’s up those odds, shall we?

And, please add to that when he gets his ship date, not if, that it’s after PSG so he can indeed go with me! We figured out with the new car we bought last Saturday (well, it’s new to me – a ’01 Mazda Tribute) there’s room enough to take him, the extra things he will need and all of my camping gear. More importantly though, I think if he attends, it would make a wonderful send-off for him, especially since there are so many other Pagans who attend who are of the military persuasion in one way or another who can offer him some much-needed advice, guidance and blessings.

And, speaking of Pagans and military (the main focus of this blog, doncha know), some wonderful news broke today which thankfully has not been deemed all that newsworthy: Thor’s Hammer Approved For Veteran Headstones and Markers. I will readily admit, I about fell out of my chair when I started seeing the news posted about, because it shocked me this wasn’t all over the news like when the pentacle was added in 2007. And of course, I was so happy for my Heathen brethren who use a symbolic Mjölnir to represent their faith. It took me a while to pause on that non-news being good news, because in order to get an emblem approved, someone who has served has to have died and their next of kin needs to put in the request. So when you think about it, the hubbub that came along in 2007 was that much more disturbing by repeatedly denying someone a final request – or in that case, I believe it was several.

The other thing I found fascinating is this is emblem #55 and the pentacle was #37. Look at how many other interesting emblems have come along since then, such as #48 (Medicine Wheel) and #53 (Four Directions). Considering Native Americans have been serving in our military since its inception, it’s pretty sad a sliver of their many beliefs have only been officially recognized in this way so recently. So, when folks wonder when the Druids will get their fair shake, I figure it won’t be too much longer, and it certainly won’t take centuries. However, I won’t say please be patient, but rather I would suggest patient vigilance is warranted.

If there is one thing each and every one of us, and that of course includes those who are or have served, it’s that we all have a mother. True, some of us refer to them as mere birth-givers, but for many of us, our moms mean the world even when they’re no longer with us on this plane. Moms love their children unconditionally and miss them even more, and that love can be made more profound while their adult children serve and especially if they pass while doing so. Gold Star Moms have been officially recognized since 1928 but got their humble, somber beginnings during World War I. During World War II, the Blue Star Moms came about, providing comfort and camaraderie through volunteerism and hard work while they anxiously awaited to receive a good word or three (as in, “I’m coming home!”). So on this Mother’s Day, the only thing I really want is for the Blue Star Moms to get their phone calls (missing a call can be so downright painful!) and the Gold Star Moms to feel their child’s presence.

That’s about it for me this week. I have a jam-packed day ahead including a lease signing, which is why, in case you’re the first readers, you noticed this is actually published Friday night. I just really want to catch a few extra zzz’s in the morning before retrieving any calls or emails at 9am. I think I earned that this week.

Thanks again everyone and have a great week! Many blessings to you and yours!

The bottom line vs. what matters most

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Mar 302013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! And, to all those who celebrate, be it the secular or religious variant (or someplace in-between), happy Easter as well. So how has the last week been for you? For me, it’s the last week of the month, so I’ve been very busy showing places to people. Yesterday, we finally had some Spring, and it sure is nice to hear the robins singing again. I go through the same thing every year, realizing how much I missed the robins, and green grass, and driving with the windows down, and not wearing a wool trench coat, and… Everything just seems so… alive! The temps will dip a bit next week, but just being able to forgo blasting the heat is much appreciated. I can dig it!

Reviewing the past week, the news has been rather grim. We were reminded it was forty years ago the last of the troops in Vietnam were sent home, Lt. Dan Choi is still on trial, a vet bragged about fighting With Al-Qaida and is being charged for it, and of course, King Joffrey… I mean Kim Jong Un, is pissed our guys flew overhead and is raising his threats. And then, on top of everything else, a columnist in St. Louis says only hero-heroes should be awarded with military honors upon their deaths. Really?!

In some small way, I get what he’s saying, that a guy who was drafted, was assigned a cushy job stateside and didn’t pull a Forrest Gump isn’t of the same caliper as someone like these guys. He did his time, he went home unscathed, got a job in an office, married, had a few kids, retired in Florida with a pension and benefits, lived long enough to see his grandkids graduate high school and died peacefully in his sleep. The end. But let’s think about that for a minute: This fictitious man, while he got lucky and didn’t have to see any action, he probably didn’t know he would get lucky. He could have very easily fled to Canada or crapped his pants. No, he was brave in the fact his number came up and showed up to serve his country, even with Walter Cronkite scaring the bejeezus out of him. That denotes courage, courage deserving of the honors awarded him and everyone else who has ever served, and that’s good enough for me.

And yes, I do get we’re broke, that we need to make some painful cuts in the military, and there are always more important things tax dollars should be going. But y’know, sometimes, it’s the little things that matter – not just now but down the road, too. Some feel spending $80k on a stone circle for Pagan Air Force cadets was wasteful. Others feel suing the Veterans Administration so the pentacle can be placed on military headstones was a waste of taxpayer dollars as well.

And y’know, I again get that to a small degree, because the people balking are either extremely fiscally conservative or are staunchly against supporting much of anything that does not adhere to their principles. Perhaps it’s a little of both. And yes, again, we’re broke, and with it being tax time, the “53%” (which we are technically now a part of since we paid this year instead of getting a refund, and we get no ~~entitlements~~ benefits) are looking at the bottom line. I’m fiscally conservative. Some have even said behind my back I’m related to Mr. Krabs. (Yikes!) I will admit, it pains me to spend money on things unless it’s absolutely necessary or I really, really have wanted something for an exceptionally long time. But I do. But even Mr. Krabs is a Navy vet who was a cook on the S. S. ~~Gourmet~~ Diarrhea, and I’m certain he would be okay with a few pennies going toward my fictitious man mentioned. Well, Eugene might cry about it a bit at first, but that tiny heart of his might give in, perhaps at his darling daughter Pearl’s urging. (I watch too much Spongebob to know all this, don’t I?)

I had mentioned the news this week was rather grim, but not entirely. On Monday, my Facebook wall went red, since at least half of my Friends changed their profile pictures. To folks who have a serious gripe with the Human Rights Campaign, and yes, the folks who are against marriage equality as a whole (still shaking my head about the local peeps’ comments!), they may feel tax dollars being spent on the Supreme Court hearings is a waste. I readily admit I have no horse in the race, so I should also be against my tax dollars going towards this, right? No, because I see marriage equality as not just a baby step but a huge leap toward making our country stronger. That does involve me, so there goes that logic right there. How? Well here’s my sterile, business-minded rationing:

- Marriage, not holy matrimony, provides a plethora of benefits not extended to cohabitants. Ron and I lived together for a couple years before we married, and when we did, we immediately saw a huge difference in how much more money we had available to us. More money in peoples’ pockets means more money available to stimulate the economy.

- Things like married health care benefits means healthier people since it’s cheaper to be on someone else’s plan than to get your own. A healthier populace means more productivity.

- Married couples are greatly preferred over singles and cohabitants when it comes to adopting children. Getting kids out of foster care means fewer tax dollars being spent, and children who grow up in loving homes with support systems have a much better chance of becoming productive citizens than kids who “age out“.

- Marriage always means money for the surrounding community, from beginning to end. Traditional weddings involve caterers, florists, reception halls, dress makers and so much more. And yes, divorces certainly make lawyers happy.

- It’s been said happy people make more money, and the more money one has, the more there is to spend. So why would anyone encourage two people who love each other not to marry, when marriage makes people happy?

Welp, I’ve got another busy Saturday scheduled, so I do need to get things wrapped up. Many blessings to you and yours, and yes, be happy!

The Few and the Proud

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Mar 162013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! And yes, Happy St Pat’s Day/Irish Heritage Day/All Snakes Day, Blessed Ostara and don’t forget – Mercury goes DIRECT tomorrow! Can ya feel it?

Well, this week, I thought I’d do that journalist thing and provide you all with another Pagan military member interview. So, I’ll leave my parting here. Have a great week everyone, and many blessings to you and yours!

When the average American envisions a U.S. Marine, he or she may imagine a recruitment billboard: A tall, physically fit, broad-shouldered, square-jawed man standing in attention in a flawless dress uniform. The ads remind us there are only a few guys like these, and they sure are proud of it, and we all should aspire to be just like them. Or perhaps, some may recollect the stereotypical, perhaps frighteningly comical, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman screaming at his new recruits – some excited, some scared, and almost all well aware they will most likely be pulled for Infantry thousands of miles away from home. Then there are the action images we all picture – the dirty, adrenaline-infused Warrior firing off rounds in a foxhole while sneering at his enemies with a blunted cigar gnashed between his teeth.

But are any of those reflections accurate? The only time we do not picture a Marine as a strong caricature but instead as a human being, is either on homecoming clips or as wounded warriors struggling to adapt to a new norm – perhaps someone to pity. And in those homecoming clips, thousands of them we see every day, reminding us to thank them for our service but their individual faces we quickly forget, it’s either surprising the family or kissing his wife or girlfriend in a long-overdue embrace. And even then, when we do see Retired Marines (never say Ex-Marines!) who returned home whole, they are always projected as decidedly straight and Christian, perhaps as fist-shaking grumpy old men telling the neighborhood kids to stay off their lawns or as the over-protective, authoritarian fathers intimidating the new boyfriends of their teenaged daughters.

Whichever image is conjured, there is, I believe, one constant: a Marine, whether active or retired, represents the epitome of what it means to serve our country – a standard only a select few of us will ever achieve. A Marine is the toughest of the tough – a true badass in every sense. They say “Don’t Mess with Texas”, but that’s really just a stern request not to litter on the highways. Now “Don’t Mess with Camp Pendleton” – while it doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, well my Gods, that’s what I would call a serious warning! Don’t even think about it. Seriously. Just don’t.

One image we collectively do not picture for Marines are as being gay or Pagan, and definitely not the two combined. With that said, I would like to introduce you all to Sobu, a gay, Pagan Marine.

Sobu (left) and his handfasted partner, Phoenix

Thanks for taking time out for our readers, Sobu. I understand you were active duty in the U.S. Marines from 1996 to 2000, back when DADT was still fairly new and women of course were barred from direct combat positions. What was it like for gays in the military back then? And too, this was during the time when Pagans were decidedly not welcome in the military, recalling Bob Barr’s and George W Bush’s comments from that time, so please enlighten us on that aspect of the culture.

From what I experienced it wasn’t the best place for gays back then. I knew several gay service members who were discharged. It was definitely an atmosphere of fear and mistrust…even meeting other Marines who admitted to being gay could be a risk. At one point they added “Don’t Pursue” to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell , which meant that if someone was suspected of being gay they weren’t supposed to be investigated, but it did happen. I was actually accused of being homosexual by one of my roommates. His “evidence” was that I had bodybuilding magazines (just like every other Marine did) and there was a cd in my music collection that had the words “gay-friendly” on it. It was a cd of a political-oriented band that a friend had given me.

Being Pagan was a bit different. I got into Paganism while I was in the Corps, and never really faced any real prejudice about it, at least to my face. I was pretty much out of the broom closet to most of the people I knew. The chapel on Camp Kinser on Okinawa gave us our own space to meet in, and we held weekly classes and had open rituals that anyone could attend. The group when I was there was called ARC (Alternative Religious Circle) and I eventually became one of the co-leaders. It was a great time. There were a few other groups on Okinawa that we coordinated with and we all met up for Sabbats, camping trips, and the occasional picnic. I have very good memories of being Pagan on Okinawa.

Because your active duty service ended a full year before the terrorist attacks, the overall defense climate was different as well. Would you care to detail where you were primarily stationed and your position?

I was a Weather Observer, MOS-6821, stationed on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. I was one of the people in charge of our mobile weather vans, meaning I spent a lot of time deployed. I’ve climbed Mt Fuji twice, toured Korea and mainland Japan, and spent one night in Bangkok while in Thailand. The climate in Okinawa was a bit tense at times due to the horrifying rape case that occurred there a few months before I arrived. There were a lot of protests and attempts to remove several bases from the island, so security was always on the forefront of our thoughts.

You are handfasted to your wonderful partner, Phoenix, but I would like to inquire if it is legally recognized as a civil union in the state of Illinois. Are you two looking forward to Illinois moving forward to marriage equality?

The Illinois Senate has passed a gay marriage amendment, and the governor has stated he will sign it into law, so we’re just waiting on the House to approve it. I’m very much looking forward to marrying Phoenix, but we’re in no hurry. We enjoy each other very much, and there’s no doubt in our minds it will happen someday, but we’ve both been in relationships before that have taught us to take our time and not rush into anything. We handfasted in 2011 at the Pagan Spirit Gathering, and we consider ourselves engaged (in the real world), but as far as I’m concerned he’s already my husband.

With things progressing forward in the Supreme Court, do you believe we will see equal marriages occurring throughout the United States by this summer? How will you celebrate?

I don’t know about this summer, but I think it will happen eventually. As for celebrating…ha…maybe watch a few episodes of Will and Grace. We’re kinda low-key.

As someone who was raised in a small Midwestern town, how difficult is it for you to be open with your family and childhood friends about being gay or Pagan? What about at work?

With family and friends we are totally out. Even my grandmothers love Phoenix! He’s really fit into my family and I’m ecstatic about that. It wasn’t always easy, though. For years I felt like an outsider because of my homosexuality and distanced myself from my family. I spent so much time being afraid of losing the love of family and friends and I realize now that I sold their love short. When I came out I received so much support and well-wishes from so many people it was overwhelming, even friends from the Marine Corps were very supportive and happy for me.

I’m pretty much out at work. Several of my co-workers have met Phoenix, and ask me about him from time to time. It’s been a great experience to be open about that aspect of my life and have my co-workers be supportive or even indifferent to my lifestyle.

Being Pagan, on the other hand, is something I don’t really advertise. I work in a very Christian environment, and my family is also very Christian. Open-minded yes, but only to an extent. I have Pagan listed on my Facebook page as my religion, and I’ve had several people ask me about it, but not as many as I thought I would have.

With the climate being much more tolerant in the military toward gays and Pagans, do you believe your time in service would have been easier? In that respect, what has been your greatest challenge?

I think it would have been much easier! The main reason I got out was because I couldn’t handle not being true to myself anymore. I mean, you give up a lot of things when you join the military, and it’s worth being away from your family and not having the freedom to do what you want when you want, and I looked at hiding my sexuality as one of the sacrifices I could make to serve my country. I was proud to be a Marine, and I still am. My time in the service was one of the best times of my life. But the Corps Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment were something I couldn’t truly uphold. I was lying to myself and to my friends and that started to wear on me. I had friends that knew, and they were cool with my being gay, but it started to get to be too much.

For those who are thinking about stopping by the recruiter’s office, what would be the one piece of advice you’d give them?

Do it! It will take you places you’ve never been and you will see things you can’t even imagine! It will change your life!

And before we part, I’d like to ask: If you were given the opportunity to restart your life just prior to enlisting, would you still serve? I know your family has a long history of service, so was that a huge factor for you?

I would definitely do it again. I’ve seen amazing parts of the world and been introduced to so many exciting cultures, foods, and experiences that I never would have if I hadn’t joined. My family’s history of service was very important to me, but it really didn’t factor into my decision to join.

Mercury retrograde screwing us up again

family, military, Paganism, veterans 1 Response »

Mar 092013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! I closed out three leases this week, and the rest of my time was dedicated to catching up on some documentaries while wrapping up our 2012 tax stuff. Our appointment is today, and while we love our accountant (who says that?!), it looks like we’re going to be seeing more of him now that I have to switch to quarterly filings. With the Mercury retrograde in full swing, I’ve been extra careful to double check all of our paperwork, including those leases, doing stuff manually, making sure nothing is out of place. While I may not be big on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, I swear this year, I’m going to hoist a couple of beers just to celebrate the messenger planet going direct.

And some of that proofreading has already paid off, as Ryan’s paperwork to reenlist actually went through Wednesday. Finally! He hasn’t heard anything negative as of yet, so he’s moving straight forward on waiting to retake MEPS. That’s pretty good timing, since he won’t be presented a contract until after things go back to normal, so it’s all good. So, if I could ask you all to keep our son in your thoughts, I would really appreciate it!

One thing I’m very disappointed to learn is the U.S. Army announced yesterday they have suspended their tuition assistance program, GoArmyEd, just after the Marines decided to go the same route. Things are still up in the air for the Air Force and Navy, but with this sequester thing going on, which is putting half of the cuts squarely on the military, I would assume that sadly won’t be too far off. I understand cuts need to be made, but I would like to think ensuring our vets an opportunity to transition into civilian life via educating them for civilian jobs wouldn’t be included. Silly me.

Now me being the optimistic cynic, at least I can be assured the issue of the VA sending sensitive info unencrypted wasn’t due to sequester cuts. That’s good, because the last thing we need is people screwing up all on their own and… Wait, what?! They’re saying no security breach occurred, but I don’t feel all that warm and fuzzy about veterans’ and dependents’ Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other private health data going over nearly open airwaves, on top of a bunch of other stuff. It also has me thinking with deeper cuts, things like that will only become more commonplace as overworked folks will seek to cut corners wherever possible. Not. Good.

Of course, that news took a deep back seat to the talking filibuster this week over the drone usage policy courtesy of the Obama administration, brought to you by the Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. Hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day. It’s directly because of that the White House sent out a press release President Barack Obama does not have the authority to use a drone to kill a U.S. citizen on American soil if the citizen is not engaged in combat. So ummm… was that in place before or after the filibuster? Just askin’.

And of course, some folks got really riled up when John Brennan, the guy who got the CIA director job, the guy they were supposed to be talking about before Paul got to talking, took his oath without a Bible (oh noez!) and on the first draft of the U.S. Constitution… the version that doesn’t have the Bill of Rights on it. With all this drone business going on, the new head of the CIA swearing an oath on a document that doesn’t include the following makes people nervous. Let’s go over them, shall we?

I. Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion and Petition – Y’know, this is the one where I, as a journalist (a hack at that, but whatdahey), can voice my cynicism, and both the Occupy folks and the Westboro folks can protest.

II. Right to keep and bear arms – Oh yeah, the whole gun rights thing. Like that hasn’t been in the news lately.

III. Conditions for quarters of soldiers – Okay, so I think we can all agree on this, that we don’t have to provide troops with housing in our private homes. It’s a nice gesture though I suppose, but naw, I don’t think anyone would argue against forcing people to supply room and board.

IV. Right of search and seizure regulated – Okay, back on target regarding Brennan’s new job. Without #4, the cops can come bust down your door on a hunch. (Some say they already do, but that’s besides the point. let’s keep up appearances, shall we?)

V. Provisons concerning prosecution – “I’ll take the Fifth,” said every mob boss ever. But it’s for you, too!

VI. Right to a speedy trial, witnesses, etc. – Oh we already tossed this with the Patriot Act. Who’s that guy again… Bradley somebody? Yeah, that guy.

VII. Right to a trial by jury – See #6.

VIII. Excessive bail, cruel punishment – So wait, we can’t water board people? I’m confused.

IX. Rule of construction of Constitution – Okay, now I’m really confused, but that’s okay, because this one seems to confuse a lot of people. Something about privacy or something. Hmmm… CIA. Privacy. CIA using Facebook and Google? Okay, I think I get it. Maybe? Nah, that’s just a conspiracy theory. Paging Mr. Ventura… Mr. Jesse Ventura…

X. Rights of the States under Constitution – And this one here, this is so the federal government isn’t the only game in town, that the individual states get their say-so in how things are run. But, there’s always a million ways the feds can get the upper hand. What comes to mind is when they wanted the drinking laws to be 21 across the board back when I was a kid. Sure, the states can do what they want, but they don’t get any federal road dollars for doing it. Carrot, meet stick.

So as you can see, while sure, it can be a stretch deemed by some Brennan didn’t intentionally mean to choose that version of the Constitution to swear on (damn you, Mercury retrograde!), that he was going for the one George Washington had signed to be all fancy-like, others are seeing it as a wake-up call. Now I do think it was a good idea to ditch the whole Bible thing, since it signifies he’s doing the work based on man’s law and not God’s… yeah, I see where that can be viewed as more than just an oops. What say you?

Welp folks, I’ll leave it at that this week. I’m actually getting this article squared away the night before so I can be fresh for meeting with our accountant in the morning. The last thing we need is for me to do something stupid like forget our shoebox full of receipts! (Or like last year, go down there without the checkbook! My bad!)

Take care, and many blessings to you and yours!

Back to the (Job Hunting) Front?

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Mar 022013

Good morning everyone, and happy Saturday once again! Well, I’m a year older as of yesterday, and I had a very good day with rentals – knocking down two lease signings in the same day. That’s another milestone for me, and I’m hoping the two pending applications will be approved soon as well. Between that, grocery shopping and showings, I also picked up Ryan from the train, as he came down to celebrate my birthday as well. And yes, he said the cake I baked and the dinner I prepared were both really, really good. Coming from Picky McPickerson, that’s a really big compliment.

So yes, it was a good day for sure. I’ve been working really hard to get some new clients while I wait for people to arrive at the showings, so I’m hoping too my March will be at least as prosperous as my February. I tell ya, while sometimes it can be a little scary to not know when or how much I will earn at any given time, it’s nice to know every cent I do earn comes directly from my hard work. I have never had a 9-5 hourly job where I have felt such a wonderful combination of appreciation and satisfaction, and most of it comes straight from within myself. I know what I’m doing is helping people obtain a basic need (shelter), and out of curiosity, in my first year, I have even exceeded the minimum requirements listed in the job descriptions of the largest rental company in the city. Not that I would want to work for them, I like where I’m at, but it’s very satisfying to know if I wanted to, I could apply and count on my resume being reviewed. Go me!

I was just talking to one of my clients the other day, and he was surprised to learn how little is needed to do what I do – a high school diploma, a clean record, a few months of schooling – at home! – and about $500 toward my books and various fees. He was saying how it cost his daughter about $250k with housing and whatnot for her career, and she’s been looking for several months. I know, it’s almost sickening by comparison; he said he could have bought a six unit building for that, earning $6-10k per month! But like he said, the difference is how much I value my investment, wondering how many others went through the same thing only to quit a few months later when they realized they either were not cut out for the job or just didn’t like it. I’ve rented a lot of apartments for him, and I’ve gotten to know this landlord well enough to where I want to be one of his tenants in the fall when our lease is up, and I know where he comes from – from dire poverty just behind the Iron Curtain. So yeah, when he compliments me, with that very cutting get charming accent no less, it too makes me feel pretty good. Go me – part deux!

The reason why I mention this is not to brag or pat myself on the back so much but because I know with the sequestration now in effect, people are wondering where they’ll be after it kicks in next month, so people might be looking at alternate modes of employment. This of course doesn’t even include those who, like my client’s daughter, are struggling to even start their careers, many with mountains of debt behind them, those who have jobs but aren’t earning enough to live without assistance, and those who are returning to civilian lives and can’t find work. Of the $85billion (with a “B”) in cuts until October, half of that will be in the defense department. That tells me people like our son, who has been trying to rejoin the military for a couple years now, have now had that opportunity cut in half. It also tells me those who are currently wearing the uniform have half a chance of signing new contracts. And that doesn’t even begin to include the areas near military installations who depend on our current numbers for their day to day. After all, fewer Soldiers at Ft. Bragg, for instance, means fewer sales at the local businesses, and fewer sales means a lessened demand on supplies delivered by fewer truck drivers, and so on and so forth. Hmmm… sounds like trickle-down economics to me.

With Ostara being just a few weeks away, perhaps those of us whose incomes aren’t all that guaranteed may want to consider sowing some seeds – literally and figuratively. It’s definitely harder to do than it was ten years ago, which seems like a distant memory at this point, but it is not impossible. Here are some ideas I’ve suggested to others that have proven to work.

- If you are currently on unemployment, perhaps you have some extra time on your hands to volunteer. Use some of that time to do meaningful volunteer work. You can list that as your current form of employment on your resumes, which more often than not, listing yourself as “Currently Employed” gets your resume reviewed by an actual person. And when you get the interview, do not divulge you volunteer status unless directly asked; it’s not lying to hold back, and you’re not padding your resume by doing so. If you think about it, working in a soup kitchen isn’t a whole lot different than working in a real kitchen. Building homes for Habitat for Humanity is still building homes. And, manning the front desk of the airport USO shares some of the same responsibilities as a host/ess of a small hotel. Have a few friends flesh out your resume, and tell your supervisor you’re applying for related work so he or she can be prepared to answer questions in your favor.

- Don’t count on that $9 an hour minimum wage increase down the road to help you out; count on what you already have. If you have squeezed the juice out of your very last penny, you may want to consider looking at your same income to be spent in a new way. Did you know if you receive food stamps (SNAP), you can purchase seeds with them? It’s true! This is when seeds are at their cheapest, so if you have some space, perhaps at a community garden if you’re a city dweller like me, you can buy up packets of seeds of your favorite fruits and vegetables and stretch your allotment. Did you also know you can use coupons with them? You bet! And, did you know not every CSA comes at a hefty price tag at the beginning of the year? There’s a non-CSA here in Chicago you can participate in, and I’m sure it’s not the only one.

- If you’re looking for a new job and you’re a minority, do not leave any indication of your minority status if you can help it. It’s disgusting to even consider prejudice in the hiring department, but it most certainly exists. (It’s not just for racial makeup, but your sex, weight and age all play a part.) At least get your foot in the door to an interview for them to discover your complexion. This article explains the “diversity form” on Monster being used against minorities, and I’ll fill you in on a couple other dirty secrets. Not only do resumes get tossed by bigoted hiring managers based on your name, but also by the neighborhood you live in. If you live in a predominately black or Hispanic neighborhood, even if you have a name like Sally Jones or Robert Smith, your resume may get tossed. I would highly recommend using the mailing address of a friend from a predominately white area, especially an affluent one, or buying a UPS mailbox in such a neighborhood.

- Scrub your online presence! Sure, Sally Jones may have thousands of results, but perhaps you have a more uncommon name that is quickly identifiable. If you look me up on Google, you’d know right away what I look like, my religious beliefs and some of my interests. I know it hurts my chances of being hired by a very conservative company, but I wouldn’t want to work for one anyway. I also believe it’s why the other women who share my name are very careful to include their middle and/or maiden names online so people do not confuse me with them, making me the Lori Dake by default. (So, uhhh, I win?) So when you Google yourself, see who comes up first. If you’re like the other ladies I mentioned, maybe fleshing out your name like they do to differentiate yourself from someone you feel will jeopardize your chances is a good idea.

- Stop beating yourself up. I’ve been there, having to go to revival tents for food, school supplies, shots, clothes, hair cuts and whatnot for our son when we were struggling. I know what’s it’s like to live with roach and mice infestations and landlords who won’t fix the furnace/appliances – one time having to take our free Thanksgiving turkey to my brother’s house because the oven didn’t work. I’ve been through the eviction process, what hunger pangs, homelessness and no medical insurance feels like. I get it. Believe me, I get it. The thing is, I didn’t beat myself up over it, and I never give up. I may be cynical at times, but, at the risk of using an oxymoron, I’m an optimistic cynic. Yeah, I think it’s disgusting Nancy Pelosi feels cutting her salary is undignified when so many would be living like kings on even half of what she makes, especially considering her hubby can easily afford to cover her ass-ets, but I’m going to just keep swimming and you should, too.

- Keep a log of the good things in your life. I know it’s a dig to say even the poorest Americans have it better than over 60% of the rest of the world’s population, but it’s true. So whatever you got, you still got it good by chance of the birth lottery. At the end of the day, a $2 win on the Mega Millions ticket for matching a couple numbers is better than not matching any at all. I buy tickets because it’s fun, and it’s a cheap sort of fun that costs less than what some people spend on lattes. So like last night, when none of my numbers matched and I didn’t win a single thing, I just ask myself if I had fun playing. Yes, yes I did. Ask yourself with the game that is life, have you had fun playing? If the answer is no, then you might want to think harder. We got Tucker to apologize last week, even if it was a forced half-apology. That’s good, right? If you’re still coming up with nothing, you might want to change that. Maybe volunteering isn’t such a bad idea, after all.

Welp, that’s all I have for today. Each week when I write, I write from the heart, and I hope you all read it as such. I enjoy it very much, and I hope you do, too! Please feel free to comment.

Thanks everyone, and have a great week. Many blessings to you and yours!

Every little thing we do is magic(k)

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Feb 022013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! And yes, a very blessed Imbolc to you all! And hey, Punxsutawney Phil, the famous forecaster, did not see his shadow, so you know what that means – early Spring! Oh course that excites me, even though we’re only just now starting to experience Winter, because I readily admit I’m a big baby when it comes to being cold. I’ll even make a deal and hope for a soggy early Spring in order to help replenish the Earth. Wet, yes. Floodapalooza? No! (Besides, rain’s better than snow anyway, at least as far as I’m concerned.)

So, do you have any plans to celebrate today? How do you celebrate? Where you are, are you allowed to have candles? Do you even have a place to just sit and be for a few moments? I came across an article recently where they were trying out mindfulness meditation down in Camp Pendleton in order to help troops deal with stress. For some people, they hear something like that and think it’s a bunch of baloney, but I say, hey – if Warriors are already saying the foux-foux hippie stuff is actually working, then by all means go for it! It’s not like this is an entirely new idea or anything.

So how do you handle stress? Do you have a favorite form of meditation? Me, the only time I feel like I’m not doing something is when I’m watching TV, and even then, I’m flipping channels the second something gets boring or a commercial comes on. But some years ago, I accidentally discovered working meditation. Actually, I’ve been doing this my whole life, but it wasn’t until then I found out there’s a name for that. The mindfulness meditation is kind of like that but more of a concerted effort, at least it seems that way for me. It has you focusing on an object, noticing its tiny details. The way I understand the technique they’re training the troops with is it’s kind of like when you’re bored, sitting someplace for a long time, and you suddenly start to notice patterns and such. (I’ve seen daisies appear on a hexagon-tiled bathroom floor while just sitting there. And after a while, I’d begin to notice not all the flowers were the same, with tiny cracks and whatnot.)

Sure, we’ve all played that game, and I can see that helping out a great deal – focusing on your feet in your boots, like grounding, instead of taking in the horrors of war going on all around. And the way I see it, forming habits and rituals based on something positive can only lead to positivity. Tomorrow is the Super Bowl, and it’s been said athletes practice more of these tiny rituals than just about anybody. It’s the biggest game of the year, so you know these various “silly superstitious rites” will be performed. Why? Because it gives them confidence they’ll be at their peak when they get out on the field. The fans have their own little rituals to help their favorite team along, because “It’s like magic, only real”:

Many of us have “certain things we do”. For me, I play “The Ripper” as I drive up to an apartment just before a showing. (It’s Track 2 on “Sad Wings of Destiny” in case you’re curious. Great album! Total classic from the 70s!) That first fifteen seconds of the song pumps me up, puts me in a great mood no matter how terrible the last showing went, and it renews faith in myself. I know, it sounds odd thinking a song about a 19th century serial killer could put someone into a positive vibe, but it’s not so much the lyrics but the harmonics – even though I do sing along… badly… as I’m no Rob Halford. But meh, the windows are up. And, if the showing felt like a winner but the people were still sitting on the fence about the place, I switch over to another favorite song as a “labels out” ritual. That song? It’s another one that its inclusion in this ritual I suppose only makes sense to me: “Powerslave“. (Iron Maiden is my all-time favorite band, so perhaps that’s a part of it.)

Of course, there is a communal type of ritual just about each and every one of us practices, spanning all cultures throughout time, and that’s simply sharing our feelings and voicing our concerns. Our cat has been very sick, urinating blood, not making it to the litter box, even wetting himself in his sleep. He’s getting up in years, and it was looking like the end for him. I wrote a very long-winded post on my Faceypagez, noting he even went through an expensive surgery some years back that turned him into a her, physically speaking. We just can’t go through that again. So many of my FB friends, including those I know in person, sent out their positive vibes for him, our buddy, who has done nothing but unconditionally loved us. At his vet visit yesterday, which very well could have been the visit, the vet, who also treats the big cats at the zoo, said he can get our furbaby turned around. So, we took him home with a huge sense of relief, along with even pricier food than we usually buy him and some antibiotics. Oh, and yes, he can haz cheezburger! (Well, bits of actual hamburger, with a touch of salt even, but real food and not the stuff from the golden arches.) So yes, positive vibes from people I’ve never even met I do feel has helped heal our buddy, and I wanted to thank you all for that.

So this week, I’ll leave you with this as a thought to just be positive. Ole Boy Phil says this Siberian Arctic blast will go away soon, just as every terrible experience in our lives will pass. How we prepare for and handle the bad stuff is not just on ourselves: We’re not in this alone. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help, and be open to trying out and exploring new ways of thinking.

I have a long day today chock full of showings, and last Saturday, a couple people actually kept their appointments and actually showed up, so I guess I should start getting dressed. Have a great week everyone and many blessings to you and yours!

Take care!

(Re)Learning the opposite of -isms

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Jan 262013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! So how has your week been? Me, I’ve been crazy busy, and I honestly haven’t done this many showings since July. My schedule is booked solid today, and even though Saturdays usually turn into a bunch of no-shows, I have a strong feeling it’ll be worth it to get out of my jammies and warm up the cold car. Yes, cold, as in it dropped to the negatives with the wind chills here, and we finally got some measurable snow! They say it’ll be back to spring-like temps next week, so I can definitely handle this.

Ron and I had a funeral to attend last night for a coworker of his of ten years or so, and quite honestly, it really was a celebration of life rather than a mourning of death. We ventured down to Chatham to attend the services, and actually, another coworker did the preaching, as he’s a minister when he’s not washing windows from highrises. Let’s just say I’m not used to seeing him preach. Yes, every other word was “Amen” or “Jesus”, which no, that’s not my thing, but what I paid attention to was the really great singing, which was amazingly good. And check it out, the conductor who sang is a celebrity now, not to mention those little angels he works with.

Ron and Mike were good friends at work, so he was saddened at his passing, as he was young with many children – waiting for a kidney that never came. (It’s why being an organ and tissue donor is so important!) And, Mike was a mentor for Ryan when he worked there, as he was also a Navy vet, and he would provide me insight with my weekly articles. He really was a funny guy; he always brightened my day when I worked there, and I’m happy Mike’s services were extremely upbeat and lively. When we got home, Ron and I both said when we die, we want something like that – joyful and happy, truly celebrating life. Sure, there was sadness, but not at all like we’re used to. But knowing us, we’d want perhaps a metal tribute band to perform or something – maybe a death metal band too so we can house a kegger, provided there’s a lower level so as not to scare off grandma haha.

One thing that kind of irked me though is when I said where services were being held. “Was he… black?” was the repeated statement, with the follow up of wondering how I knew the guy, as if there was some kind of problem. I wasn’t asked if he was close to us, or what the circumstances of his death were, or whatnot. Oh no. People just wanted to know why a nice white woman like myself would be driving to the south side for a funeral, especially that south side. Chatham is very nice actually, where the lovable, nerdy Steve Urkel supposedly lived, and it’s similar in fiscal class to Hyde Park where the President is from. But I wager the people asking me wouldn’t have ever cared to learn that anyway. They just heard south side, as in that south side, near Englewood south side – the area that’s on the local news nightly. Dum dum duuuuuum! So, feeling “put on the spot” a bit, I felt it necessary to explain why a nice white woman like myself was going down there. It’s so sad I felt the need to do that in this day and age.

I get it a bit, as I always try to take in what other people are thinking. Maybe they were genuinely concerned for my well-being, because the media sure does scare the crap out of people. It’s like Ron and I were saying last night while we were driving down there, most of the people who live in impoverished areas aren’t thugs, and they too want to live in safety and comfort. Do people really want to see their kids get shot? Do people really want to live in urban squalor? Of course not. I’m not exactly proud of the fact we’re once again being called the murder capital of the nation, with the majority of violent crime being predominantly isolated in just a few neighborhoods. You hear the same thing over and over, and it starts to sink in that you avoid placing yourself in certain situations. Kind of like this:

And why were Harold and Kumar suspected terrorists? Because people got scared by the media, and it has people thinking this:

But it’s not just the media scaring the crap out of people, it’s presumptions, stereotypes, prejudices and whatnot. Earlier this week, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced the end of a ban on women in combat roles. Watch the press release below:

What were people thinking when that announcement occurred? Well, I can tell you what I was thinking:
“Wow! Holy crap! That was out of nowhere!” For an announcement like that, I was expecting something a little more formal, perhaps a little more drawn out. Not just a “Oh hai! Wimminz can haz combat jobs naow! Okthxbai!” I feel such an exciting bit of news should have been done with a bit more pomp and circumstance. It’s a celebration, a triumph even, of blasting stereotypes, and yes, it means hundreds of thousands of positions will be made available to anyone who applies, no matter what their plumbing is. It’s another “it’s about damned time!” moment for sure.

But other people were actually thinking something else and repeatedly asking the same two questions:

1) Will the requirements to enter the Infantry, be it Army or Marines, be lowered? That I get, because just a few months ago, two volunteer female lieutenants had failed the Marine Corps Infantry training, and the level was not lowered (read by some: coddling). I’m sure that report is going to be revisited a thousand times over during the transition.

2) Can women carry a wounded 200lb man, plus a combined ~140lbs of gear, out of harm’s way? Okay, this too I get, because in general, women do not have these strength capabilities. I’ve said it myself many times if a woman can indeed do this, I see no reason in the world why she can’t be side by side on the front line – a line that is a lot more blurred these days. We’re talking about human lives here, so I do get that.

It’s that blurring of the front line that the announcement came about in the first place, because women are already in combat zones. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth lost her legs from being on the front line, and she of course is happy to see the changes. So yes, it was necessary to lift the combat restrictions, no different than the repeal of DADT. But what pissed me off was some of the reactions, like what I saw on Hannity the other night. (And for those of you asking, I watch and read everything in order to get a full picture, and I jokingly say “so you don’t have to”.)

Yeah, thanks Heather. Women are a bunch of dirty whores and can’t be trusted, and on the front line, with grenades and rockets blasting all over the place, all women are going to be thinking about is getting it on, even saying,

“Sex is inevitable. Eros is a very powerful and irrational passion.” Orly? So that excuses rape then, because it’s “inevitable”? And not just on women, but men, too? Because, y’know, after a while, a couple of beers and ya never know, right? You, Ms. Mac Donald, are the irrational one, and I have a big Eff Ewe for ya. It’s this same -ism that went around about the repeal of DADT, that gay people, namely men, who have always been in the military, are all of a sudden going to start raping men in their bunkers if DADT were to be repealed. Well, that hasn’t happened. If anything, the numbers of rapes are higher solely because more troops are reporting it, and it’s starting, finally, to be getting taken seriously.

These presumptions, stereotypes and prejudices need to stop, not just in the military but everywhere. Black people are people. Brown people are people. People who believe differently than you do are people. Women are people. Gay people are people. People just like you and me. We come into the world the same way, and we all return to the Earth as well. While I was at Mike’s funeral last night, “We All Come from the Goddess” went into immediate earworm mode. Because while I was the minority there, I felt very close to people I had never met before through their joy and celebration of his life, and it deeply touched me. We may look, worship and love differently, but we care about the same things and ultimately have the same hopes and dreams. Isn’t that why we’re here?

Well, my 10am just confirmed, so I do need to get going. Take care of yourselves, and many blessings to you and yours.

Meeting the needs of us all

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Jan 192013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! So how has your week been? Me, I’ve been extremely busy, and quite honestly, I had no idea so many people moved in the winter. I haven’t been this busy since July, and I’m certainly not complaining. I’m seriously wondering if part of it has to do with the fact it’s been unseasonably warm. We’re approaching a full year since we’ve gotten any measurable snow, though next week, we’re supposed to get that “rip your face off” negative wind chills I grew up with that we haven’t had in… a couple years maybe? Meh, at least I don’t have to stand on an elevated platform waiting for a train that never seems to come.

While sure, I’m not complaining about the lack of snow, since here in the city, all it seems to do is create traffic problems and then melt into salty, black slush. But the Earth really does need it- yes, even here. Granted, we get our water from Lake Michigan, which I’m sure Chicago water bills are exceptionally low compared to the southwest. And, many people here believe our water is limitless, but never doubt there is a limit. We’re only two inches away from the lake being at its all-time low set back in the 60s, and if it gets six inches down, the Chicago River will need to be locked off so pollution doesn’t spill into the lake. Many people are unaware the river is all but total raw sewage they’re just now talking about cleaning up, not to mention a bunch of other stuff. It’s why I have no problem when they dye the river green for St. Patrick’s Day. At least it’s a nicer shade, even if it still smells like… well, you know where I’m going with this.

Of course, the Great Lakes isn’t all that’s having problems. The U.S. has been in various states of drought for quite a while now to the point where ranchers have been feeding candy to their cattle in order to save money on feed. (What’s wrong with that? I mean, it’s still mostly corn, right? In HFCS form, true, and that’s even though cows are supposed to be eating grass, but meh, that’s okay. Chocolate bars make hamburgers taste better. Or something.) It’s because of this widespread drought the Mississippi River may soon be unnavigable. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has its hands full trying to keep the water moving, and where the water is moving somewhat to the way it should be, they have way too many levees to repair. It all leads me to thinking if there is any branch of the military that needs a few extra sets of hands from the many Pagans who put the environment at the forefront of their beliefs, it’s this one.

Debby Morris

Now of course, we all know there are indeed many Warriors amidst the ranks, and this week, I would like to highlight someone who deserves a good deal of recognition. I got the opportunity to interview Debby Morris, a Biomedical Engineering Technician and LGBT Special Emphasis Programs Coordinator at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. She also acts as a liaison to the Chaplain’s Office for Earth Centered Religions and was a 2nd class Petty Officer in the US Navy, from 1981 to 1988, on Active Duty and a Reserve until 1996. She is also on Circle Sanctuary’s Military Ministries Team, assists with Operation Circle Care, and makes herself available for the Chaplains in her area to consult about ministry Pagans and ministering to them when called upon. Quite the list of titles and positions!

So last week, I read one of her posts online where she was talking about how well her gathering went, and let me tell you, it was no casual get-together. At the Veterans Administration hospital in Washington, DC, they held the Winter Haven Stand Down for homeless veterans, in which she was requested by the Chief of Voluntary Services there to work the LGBT information table. This of course greatly piqued my interest, as there are sadly so many homeless veterans spanning all age groups, and yes, this includes those who are LGBT.

LGBT information booth at the Winter Haven Stand Down for homeless vets

As it turns out, the event was extremely successful, helping so many veterans with a leg up and confidence boost. Since she has lived in the DC area for over twenty years and having worked at the VA for the last decade, Debby is keenly aware of the need, and her help is greatly appreciated. At the Stand Down, Debby stated,

We were able to chat with several of the homeless and at risk veterans and direct them to the informal support group formed by our Social Work Service in the wake of the repeal of DADT. We want to be welcoming and assure our vets that it’s ok to be who you are, authentically here. You are in a safe place to receive your care.

We had several employers with tables, as well as the DC Department of Employment Services, Montogmery County (Maryland) Employment Services, and a variety of others. We also had the housing resources, showers, haircuts, medical and dental attention, clothing, a hot meal and other things.

Since I work for the VA, I try to make sure I remember that I serve my brothers and sisters to the best of my ability every day. I care.

Obviously, the need is great, so I had asked Debby what her personal thoughts were in regards to rectifying the problem with homelessness among our returning troops. She stated,

We need to make absolutely sure that our returning troops are debriefed properly, and that they are screened properly for Traumatic Brain Injury, and PTSD. We also need to make sure that employers know that hiring Vets is the best way to go.

Yes indeedy, a very inspiring woman.

And before I let you all go this week, I wanted to add a little boost of happiness with you all: Wiccan books will soon be appearing in the religion section at bookstores nationwide. As I posted on my Faceypagez, Wicca is now an officially recognized religion in the book biz, meaning you may start to see Wiccan books appearing in the religion section right next to the bibles. There will still indeed be a metaphysical section, because not all Pagans are Wiccan of course, and many books on Witchcraft are not just for Wiccans. Basically, Wicca got a promotion, but some authors may choose to have their books hang out with their buds in metaphysical instead of taking the promotion for reasons cited in the article (it is a business, after all). But the fact the promotion happened is a big deal, because a whole industry recognizes it.

I would venture “Big Blue” would be a good candidate to enter into the uncharted waters, just for the fact it stands the least amount of chance of losing monetary value. Every Pagan knows what it is (and yes, I include all of us in the community under that Pagan umbrella for consistency’s sake), and the book is always recommended, so people looking for it will wander over into the religion section to find it.

Methinks after a few books written by Big Name Pagans manage to hold their heads above water over in the religion section, like I dunno, five years or so, the smaller publishers and authors will take a stab at the code classification. That is, of course, if major bookstores manage to survive. Five years from now, who knows- maybe the only chain that exists will be Amazon, and the coding won’t matter anyway. But that’s here nor there if you ask me: Just getting some equal shelf space is enough to make me a happy camper.

Welp, that about does it for me this week. I hope you all have a great weekend and an even better week. And if you live in the Midwest, it’s (finally?) time to get out the parka!

Many blessings to you and yours.

2012 Year in Review

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Dec 292012

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! So who’s got plans for New Year’s Eve? For Ron and I, it’s our other anniversary, as we met on a moonlit night at a Meat Puppets show at a bar just before midnight in 1995. So yeah, it’s kind of a special night for us, but we’re not as big on painting the town red as we used to be. Six dollars for a cheap domestic surrounded by a bunch of amateurs is no longer our idea of a good time, but we do have plans to go out for a nice dinner. Ryan’s coming home Sunday, so we’ll be with him as well. Next year, he’ll be 21 for New Year’s, so I’m wagering he’ll have plans of his own. I tell ya, I’m starting to feel a little old.

Welp, yep, another year is just about behind us, sadly without Dick Clark around anymore to catapult us into 2013. So, let me note a whole bunch of things, in no particular order:

- Rod Blagojevich and Drew Peterson went to jail (Grumpy Cat says “GOOD”).
- Obama got reelected and a bunch of douchebags didn’t. (Grumpy Cat actually smiled that time!)
- The economy still sucks, but they say it’s getting better (in spite of the looming fiscal cliff).
- Americans (think they) know more about Mormons now than ever before.
- The invisible horse dance craze happened, and it still hasn’t quite died down.
- A U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were brutally murdered on consulate grounds.
- The Mayan Apocalypse was a Y2K 2.0. (Some speculate Pestilence was tardy for the party.)
- There was the Summer Olympics in London.
- A bunch of celebrities and VIPS were caught being bad (as usual).
- There were a good deal of natural disasters this year, from the snow, tornadoes, droughts and up to the hurricanes.
- It was a demented banner year for lone gunmen.
- Americans can’t adopt Russian orphans anymore.
- Movie theme highlights this year included pot-smoking teddy bears, male strippers and hobbits.
- Being gay isn’t all that taboo anymore, but bullying (finally!) is getting there.
- It’s official: Nobody likes Westboro Baptist Church. Nobody.
- A guy skydived from space, Venus passed by the sun, and there were solar flares a-plenty.
- Two states are now cool with the chronic, but there’s no more Twinkies left to pair it with. Oh, and no more bladder-busters in New York.
- Clint Eastwood talked to a chair. (Yeah. Really. That happened. Seriously. Look it up!)
- My hometown just surpassed its 500th homicide for the year, but at least Chicago’s not in the top ten for overall violence. (Um, yay?)
- The ladybits became the topic of dinner table discussions, as did gun control.
* NATO and Chick-Fil-A protesting (and counter-protesting) happened.
- The Wild Hunt left Patheos and went back to its roots.

Did I miss anything in general? Well, speaking of which, Jason over at The Wild Hunt is covering the top ten in Pagandom, so I’m not even going to try to top that. On the home front, I broke my job-hopping streak by starting a career (even got some schooling done so I could get a license), went to Pagan Spirit Gathering, Ryan moved out, and we did a lot of redecorating and organizing. Really, that seems to just about cover it.

So, I bid adieu until next Saturday, which yes, will be next year. I really don’t have any resolutions other than to keep on keepin’ on, and that includes to be grateful for everything I have. A friend told me I live a blessed life, and while I don’t have a lot of money, I do have everything I need and a family who loves me as much as I love them. I think that’s all anyone can ever ask for.

Many blessings to you and yours, and Happy New Year!

* Yes, yes I did forget stuff, and those were kind of a big deal. Yep, it’s been a very busy year!

Aggravation, Fear, Anger and Harm None

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Dec 222012

Good morning everyone and Happy Saturday once again! And nope, no apocalypse. So how was your Yule? Mine was a busy one, which started last Sunday, as Ron took me to see The Hobbit. (Yes, this happened in there!) I’ve heard it many times I’m worse than the kids, and yesterday once again proved that. I was up at 4am, looking for something, anything to do, just so the time would fly by. Why? I was waiting for Ron to wake up so we could open presents! I went outside at the point of solstice, pretty much to see how much snow fell (we got a dusting), and then went out a second time at dawn to see if I could catch a glimpse of the sunrise. Ron didn’t end up waking up until after 8am, which was fine: All that anticipation was worth it, because yes, it made me feel like a kid again!

I had a full day of showings, with my first one a mere hour after a scary bus accident. There were police swarming all over the place, and my immediate fear was a shooting had occurred where I was trying to rent apartments. That’s the only time I ever see that many police in one spot. No, it wasn’t that – it was indeed a bus accident with no immediate, serious injuries – so at least my potential renters weren’t scared off by it. The driver supposedly went into a diabetic shock and lost control of the bus. The thing is, I couldn’t help but think what if. Had my showing been scheduled just an hour earlier, I would have been parked right there, sitting in my car, waiting for people out front. With 21 cars struck, many of them totaled, it’s honestly a miracle not a single person, outside the bus driver and a passenger, was hurt. Truly, a miracle happened in Logan Square yesterday.

Outside of that, my day was filled with showings, so I was pretty busy. It’s the end of the month, so people are in crunch time for finding apartments. Typical panic mode. Add that to holiday stress, and well, folks are frankly more moody than usual. Ah well, the thing that’s nice about my job is at least when I get people like that, I know I probably won’t run into them ever again. And yes, after seeing that bus crash, I was actually feeling pretty grateful to even be dealing with that; their anger/stress/aggravation didn’t really affect me. I’m also filling in for another agent who’s on vacation, so I’m that much more busy than usual. I just think to myself, meh, at least I’ll close a couple extra units this month, which means more bills getting paid. It’s all good, and it’s all part of the job. Stay positive.

And for our Yule dinner, actually, it was at a Mexican restaurant. Why? Because it was Ron’s company’s holiday party! Lots of good food and many a margarita to be had – and I didn’t have to cook. Definite bonus there, especially after all that happened throughout the day. Needless to say, when we got home last night, I was pretty exhausted. Honestly, I’m really amazed I woke up at 5am this morning, jumping right into writing this article.

The thing is though, the whole day, right from the point where I started getting giddy about it being Present Time, and the bus crash, and the cranky people, and the party, I couldn’t help but think of those poor families in Connecticut. Their holidays will be solemn and surrounded by sadness, and there are presents under the tree that will never be opened. There will be one less bright-eyed child scrambling to crawl under the tree to see if Santa had gotten their request. I read an article somewhere the author saw one of the memorial items left at Sandy Hook was written by a child which simply said,

“I hope you have a nice Christmas in Heaven.” Quite honestly, I believe that’s the most poignant reference made – from the pure innocence of one child to another, even more than the SNL intro last Saturday night.

So much talk has been made about this sort of tragedy happening yet again, and very few people are agreeing on what to do about it. As President Obama stated, it’s not just this particular tragedy. It’s not just those who were killed and injured at the movie theater, or a mall, or… It’s every. single. family who has been shaken by gun violence, including those right here in Chicago. People ask me all the time if a particular neighborhood is safe, and even though I know this city inside and out, legally, I can’t tell them. And too, I know the main thing people are really asking me about is gun violence. Even break-ins aren’t as scary as the thought of getting shot for just walking down the street or watching TV in their own homes. And know this: As someone who has been shot as a kid for just walking down the street, I get it.

So what do we do? Do we ban all projectile weapons from all civilians? Just weapons that aren’t designed for hunting? Just certain types of guns? Make the rules harder? Hire more armed guards? Many readers of W&K are either trained service members, active and retired, or family members of those who are or have served. And as such, many of you who fall under this classification are of various Pagan faiths which have rules which revolve around the use of guns. Harm None is pretty common. But what does that mean specifically? Some take that to mean only a pacifist, vegan lifestyle is acceptable. Others, like me, have no qualms against protection and self defense, and I do believe registration and training for everyone is a good thing. I’m also (surprisingly?) happy to see online gun sellers changing their practices. I’ve even said if I was one of the Sandy Hook parents and saw Westboro gleefully celebrating my child’s life being snuffed out, I would be knocking out some teeth. I would definitely need to be pulled back from letting my anger take over, and for their sakes, I hope someone has the foresight to do just that.

With all that stated, I’d like to close this week with a thought for everyone:
We just celebrated the rebirth of the Sun, and all things are anew. The New Year is just days away. Even the Mayan calendar restarted, with some believing we are now in the Aquarian age. Let’s all think how we can make 2013 a better year than 2012. Let’s start with working on making ourselves better people in whatever way works best for you, and together, we can strive to make 2013 a year with a few less senseless deaths.

I hope you all had a wonderful Yule, and for those of you who celebrate other holidays, may they too be filled with merriment. Take cake and many blessings!

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