Warriors and Kin

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?

family, military, Paganism, veterans No Responses »

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!

Oh Fox.

family, Paganism 2 Responses »

Feb 232013

Good morning and happy Saturday once again! So how was your week? Me, I’ve been working hard as always, and we had our son over for a couple days, too, as there was an art show at the Double Door his friend was a part of. So yeah, it was nice to have him over again. My birthday is next Friday, which Ryan said he was going to come over for that, and this time around, the cake will be white with white frosting – not the death by chocolate like for him. It was delicious, but very rich, and Ron could only eat a very small amount, as his chocolate tolerance is low.

So throughout the week, folks were reporting back after Pantheacon, and now there are a bunch of people out at Convocation, and I’m sure this year’s Paganicon will drum up even more attendees than last year. While flying out to conventions is not something I can afford to do, I do appreciate they exist, because the knowledge gained from these events is always shared by several voices. I learn more and retain information more clearly from explanation and casual conversation than from books and hard facts, always have. So yes, I wish I could afford to attend; it’s not just in terms of money but in time. But thanks to the Internet, I can at least read the reports you all send back. Allow me to point out a few articles:

- Setting the Record Straight: Pagans and the Press
- The Fleshiness of PantheaCon
- Ways That Pantheacon 2013 Supported Change for Pagans of Color
- Dispatch from PantheaCon: Preparing for Our Future
- The Week in Review—PantheaCon, Wine, Fox, An Apology

And yes, “Fox” and “Apology” – what’s that all about? That comes from what I saw Sunday morning while I was up clipping coupons. As some of you know, I have Fox and Friends running in the background while scouring for deals, not really paying much attention, but I’m not fond of absolute quiet. (I know, once again, I get the Bad Pagan! smack.) And on Sunday mornings, there really isn’t much on – not even with my fluffed out cable package. So, here I am, getting giddy over $1 off two Oncor dinners (Ron loves Salisbury steak) when I hear the Friends mention the University of Missouri’s acknowledgement of holidays, including those of the Wiccan faith. I dropped my scissors, because I knew this was going to be good, and by good, I mean get the popcorn good, because they’re about to make asses of themselves.

That’s me gearing up for the “Oh No They Didn’t!”

I was not disappointed.

I so wanted to jump on Facebook right that minute and see if anyone else caught that, because even I was taken back by the backhanded-ness, but I didn’t. I had a bunch of stuff to do on Sundays. Pretty much too, because I’m of the rare variety of Pagan that regularly watches Fox News and figured it hadn’t gotten around yet. What I got from the segment was Tucker saying,

“Wow, what a bunch of maroons!”, with Anna somebody, the younger and hotter Alisyn Camerota fill-in, nodding along with whatever the guys and her earpiece tell her to (because eye candy is the purpose of female journalists, doncha know – except token unhottie Gretchen, of course). And then, Clayton Morris “came to our defense” with a,

“Hey, hey, hey now. They’re okay Joes. Sure, they’re a bunch of losers, but they’re alright. Jeez, guys, cut them some slack. Not everyone can be as enlightened as we are. Jeeeeez!”

That’s what I got out of it anyway. As they say, your mileage may vary. Oh and Tucker repeatedly referring to Wicca as Wiccanism over and over was straight up annoying. Didn’t his earpiece correct him?

So anyway, when I finally logged on the next morning, I was again not disappointed with the shitstorm that came of it. So apparently, I’m not the only regular viewer. Yay! Somebody else had to be watching in order to catch that and put it up on YouTube for everyone else. And when people emailed, posted and Tweeted demanding an apology, Tucker tweeted the following:

I don’t spend a lot of time on Twitter, so I’m not sure of the dimensions of it, but I’m pretty sure that I’m unpopular in the witchcraft community, and I understand why. I probably was unduly harsh. As far as I know, most Wiccans are peaceful taxpayers. I’ve never been mugged by one anyway. So I apologize for hurting anyone’s feelings.

Nope, that just made things worse. So he Tweeted again a little later:

To Wiccans and pagans: Sorry for my pointlessly nasty remarks. Your holidays still confuse me, but you seem like nice people.

Better, but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. And when I thought that was the end of it, nope. Apparently, Fox News really didn’t want this to die. Bad publicity is good publicity, doncha know. Last night, Bill O’Reilly talked about it a bit, with clippage featuring a friend of mine, Don Lewis from Witchschool. Nothing’s surfaced on YouTube yet, but I didn’t think it was derogatory at all. And at about 5:40am this morning (6:40amEST) on Fox and Friends, Tucker again apologized, sincerely, with a “Well said” comment. (I told you I watch this channel!) So yes, I think we can drop this now, but I do admit I love the fireworks while it lasts.

The thing is, this type of nonsense will be back. Again. And again. And again. Not just for us as Pagans, but for minorities of all calipers, be it religion, race, creed, sexual orientation, or what have you. Sometimes, I think we Pagans are a little hypersensitive, and deservedly so, but yeah, even I saw last Sunday morning’s segment to be blatantly rude. And that’s me saying that, and I do let a lot slide. The thing is, sometimes, you have to call people out on their shit, and with some of the wonderful discussions that just happened last weekend at Pantheacon, the timing For the Friends stereotypical remarks couldn’t have been more awful. Quite honestly, I was surprised they didn’t comment about Wiccans having a bunch of cats in the home, or any far-fetched connection to some type of Harry Potter nonsense.

What I find the most interesting and curious of the whole thing, and perhaps it’s why this whole Tucker issue annoyed me so much, is because Fox News is known as the flag-waving, troop-supporting news channel. Moments ago, they had a segment on how the Green Berets stress the notion of knowing your ancestry, the good and bad, and how their principles can lead to happier, more tight-knit families. Good stuff! And, it’s something many of us Pagans espouse – have a Warrior spirit, know where you come from, care for and depend upon one another. So yes, it kind of puzzles me just six days ago, the same guy who’s sitting there nodding in absolute agreement during this segment can be so appalled when a university wants to make sure their students have time to reflect upon their ancestry and work with their communities, calling it the PC police running amok. Oh, that’s right. It’s a different way of doing things. Right. Got it.

Welp, that’s it for me this week. When I come back next Saturday, I’ll be a year older, and Ryan will be here to share it with me. I’m looking forward to that! I hope you all have a great week as well! Take care and many blessings to you and yours!

Fun Times this week

military, Paganism No Responses »

Feb 162013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! So how was your Valentine’s Day? Me, I worked my ass off from 4am when I got up until 7:30pm after I got home and wrapped up phone calls. My day ended very well, as Ron had dinner almost finished as I got home, plus a box of chocolates hiding under the sofa cushion. It was so sweet of him, and I was very grateful dinner was made, because I was exhausted. After we ate, we just laid down and watched TV. That was it; I was honestly too tired to do much of anything else. And the thing is, I’m pushing myself hard, because I took the car into the shop earlier in the week, and that cost $780 in various repairs, not to mention when our cat went to the vet earlier in the month. And Ryan’s birthday was last week, and taking him birthday shopping cost money of course. February has proven to be a very expensive month, but at least I have a lot of good apartments to rent to help balance it all out, a few of which I’m all but exclusively showing.

Ah well, at least all my efforts haven’t been for nothing, as the asteroid passed overhead without even knocking out any cable satellites, though it did race beneath them – pretty close! Seriously, losing cable was pretty much my greatest concern, in spite of the meteorite crashing in Russia. They said there were no fatalities, and most of the 1200+ injuries were from broken glass and collapsing roofs, and yes, I do hope everyone is okay. There are reports of a second meteorite in Cuba, but none are confirmed by verifiable sources – not a peep from the mainstream media – so I can’t say for sure one way or another. One would think a second meteorite would have the big guys tripping over themselves to head out there, stopping the less-than Carnival cruise line interviews mid-sentence, but nope – didn’t happen.

Yeah, it’s been a happening week in the news. The Christopher Dorner manhunt is over, the Pope is giving up Pope-ing for Lent, and combined with the space showers, it has the End Times folks clutching their Bibles that much harder. So, is it time to run around in circles yet, or should we instead stock up on more guns? I’m sure our President would discourage that, especially considering he was just in town giving a speech on gun violence. Oh and yeah, let’s not forget about North Korea is still playing with nuclear weapons while their people starve to death. End Times? Nah, I believe the expression is Fun Times.

Meh, I’m just going to continue to keep my eyes open, prepare for the worst but plan for the best by working harder, saving my pennies and counting the days until the gates at PSG open. That announcement was made last Saturday, and it’s being held at the same place under a new name, bought by a local yoga instructor who attended PSG last year. I registered for the full week right away, as did many others, having me think this is going to be the biggest PSG yet! It also makes me all kinds of happy to know the land will not be turned into a corn field and instead continue to add a spiritual vibe. I wish I could be in San Jose right now, but I’ll just have to be like the rest of yas here at home waiting to learn how Pantheacon went.

I hope you all had a great week, and I’ll be back next Saturday. Take care everyone, and many blessings to you and yours!

More than just building Karma points

family, military, Paganism No Responses »

Feb 092013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! For me, it’s a very happy one, because our son is home visiting. He turned 21 earlier this week, so immediately after I picked him up from the train, we paid a visit to the DMV to get his driver’s license renewed. After that, we went back home, got caught up on stuff, ordered Chinese for dinner and then presented him with the cake I made. Oh and he loved it, too: Devil’s food cake in three layers, with Oreo cookies, chocolate frosting and chocolate pudding in between, plus covered in chocolate frosting and surrounded by maraschino cherries. What’s funny is he not only loved the cake itself, but Ryan said the cake is iconic. Neither Ron or I understood that, so he said it was a video game reference, which of course I had to dig up. So it seems a mother’s love had just unintentionally proved the cake is not a lie, and here I was thinking I was just creating a decadent dessert. Silly me.

One thing’s for sure, I’m just grateful we once again avoided any serious bad weather. Sure, we got a few inches of snow Thursday night, but it’s nothing like what everyone else is getting socked with. I’m just hoping folks in New England and the East Coast were prepared, especially after Sandy just a few months ago. I could crack a Finding Nemo joke, or even one revolving around the mannerisms out that way, or perhaps I could even throw in a Stephen King reference, but uhhh… I’ll just hold off on that until I know everyone’s okay! Please send a report on how you all are doing.

As I was doing my showings yesterday, I couldn’t help but notice the postal workers sliding around on on the sidewalks, since unfortunately, there are so many folks out here who don’t shovel their sidewalks, much less lay out salt or chip away at the ice. (And come this summer, they’ll have one less day to deal with the weather.) Oh sure, they’ll call dibs on parking spots they didn’t even shovel, but they’ll be damned if they’re actually going to do anything that helps their community. In case you can’t tell, I’m not a fan of dibs, because unless there really was a blizzard and there’s really no place for the snow to go and it’s only a temporary thing, I think it’s kind of selfish. And yes, this is coming from someone who was brought up around the notion. My dad – ooh, if you parked in his spot, never mind the fact he didn’t actually shovel it out or that it’s a public street in the first place – if you picked up his broken furniture and parked your car there, well by gawd, you were going to keep that spot. He would come out with a bucket of ice water and pour it on your locks. Nice, huh?

It’s like I’ve said before, I was raised in a Me and Mine mentality and all others be damned. We were a very insular lot with no real care for the outside world or even a connection to folks outside our small circle. I readily admit I still don’t know who my neighbors are, mostly because people move so much around here. But, I at least know some of the stationary folks like the Chris Rock look-alike mailman (Jesse), the UPS guy who’s a short-haired Antonio Banderas (Alex) and the Psychobilly grocery store cashier (Eric). It’s kind of odd how I grew up if you think about it, not even talking to anyone else, much less getting to know them, especially in this day and age where everyone is connected to everyone else. Me, I’ve upgraded that notion I was raised in to Me and Mine First, because while I do believe in helping others and being a better person, I’ll do so if I have my own shit together first. It’s like how they say on the plane to secure your own mask before putting it on the kids. Or even, how you shouldn’t offer to help someone clean their house when your own place looks like an episode of Hoarders.

But even in those examples, I do believe there is always a little bit of help that can be extended, because well, I categorize my shit. (Ha!) We’re not millionaires by any stretch, so what I can’t give in the way of money I can in explanation by way of example, labor and time. And true, my time is very limited these days, since well, time is indeed money for someone who works on straight commission, but I would like to think whatever free time I have, after I’ve made sure my family has gotten some, I help out. There’s always a few dead minutes between showings; I make sure of that so I’m never late. So if I see a beer bottle on the street (or a nail!), I’ll pick it up so someone doesn’t roll over it and get a flat tire. I say hello with a smile to complete strangers as I walk past them (trust me – this is a big deal in the city!). And yes, I do make sure my voice is heard when it comes to politics, because it all circles back to the benefit of us all.

I foresee this whole gay issue, the women in combat issue, the various minority religions issues, and so many others, slowly going the way of the Dodo. It’s not just about building Karma points, it’s not just about doing the right thing, and it’s not just a cluster of personal issues, but it’s a combined mass of good societal issues which betters us all. I came across a political cartoon the other day that sums things up well:

It’s like I’ve always said: Hatin’ has no business in business because it’s bad for business. And business doesn’t always mean dollars and cents, but sense.

- Two guys want to hold hands at the commissary? Okay, whatever. They’re still shopping there, right?

- A woman wants to try out for Infantry. Okay, whatever. If she graduates, maybe she’ll end up saving a life or three.

- Big Gay Al wants to be a Scout leader? Okay, whatever. His scarf may be out of uniform, but at least he’s not a pedophile!

Catch my drift?

Here in Illinois, we passed another hurdle toward marriage equality, and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is setting up benefit extensions for partners. Unfortunately, hands are tied on equality due to DOMA, but I’m really praying that gets repealed come this summer. Even the Boy Scouts are rethinking their stance, though methinks it has less to do with doing the right thing over doing what’s right for the coffers – and so far only on a limited basis. Now some people ask me why I even care about this stuff since I’m not gay. I mean, I get that to a point. Why do I care? It’s not my thing. So if I have to go beyond stating I believe equality for some means equality for all, including Pagans being more openly accepted, well, I go back to my Me and Mine First stance and state I genuinely wish my deceased uncle was able to see this come to fruition. Fair enough? Also, yes, equal rights are good for business, which yes, that circles back to the betterment of all involved.

Just yesterday, one of the folks I rented to a few months back emailed me and the landlord a lease update request, as she had become recently engaged and her partner wants to be added to the lease. The landlord, who’s an oldschool Eastern European, caught the partner lingo, and he didn’t even bat an eye. Not too long ago, even stating something like that could raise red flags, and by certain people, it still does. A safer route would have been to say “roommate”, so I admire her for being open. Like he said, “that’s their thing”, which has nothing to do with housing. So far, the rent’s been paid on time, the unit’s been kept clean (one of his higher end units by the way which of course I’m keeping in mind!), and the current tenant is quiet. So to him, all he sees is even a further guarantee on his rent by adding a second person, which is good business sense. Done and done. Yeah, I like that landlord; he’s definitely an okay guy, and I totally dig his accent. Oh and where it’s equally important, even his cheaper, standard apartments are kept up very well. It’s little wonder why I have no problem renting them out quickly.

Welp, I’m going to wrap things up for this week, get in a shower and watch Ryan sleep. He may be a full-fledged adult now, but to me, he will still always be the little boy who picked dandelions for me.

Take care everyone, and 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.

Prevention over reaction

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Jan 122013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! It’s been another incredibly busy week for me, and most of the day today is booked solid. With the flu going around in a mean way, I’m taking extra special care to remember to take my vitamins, drink lots of tea and eat lots of soup. I honestly can’t afford the time to be sick. I had Hamthrax a few years back, and it knocked me out of commission for two solid weeks; at one point, I was on all fours just to catch a breath, and I didn’t have any sick time then, either. (I believe this bug is a swine flu as well.) This situation is different though, since I work for myself now, but the end result is the same: If I don’t work, I don’t pay bills. So no, I refuse to get sick. Not allowed!

I think one of the reasons the flu’s getting around so fast right now is because it’s nice out. It was in the 50s yesterday, and it’ll be the 50s again today. When it’s unseasonably warm, people go out more, and not everyone is courteous about covering their coughs and washing their hands. (And yep, warmer weather also brings an uptick in violent crime.) And as this article pointed out, this strain may be getting around fast, because it came when people were visiting family over the holidays and whatnot. Plausible, but why did it come so early? Sure, we’ve had a pretty mild winter while a lot of other states got their fair share of snow. But overall, we did indeed have the warmest weather on record for 2012, and at the rate things are going, it looks like we might top that, too. I’m still surprised it’s been almost a full year since we’ve had an inch of snow, breaking record after record. All I want to know is when I should invest in northern Illinois’ first orange grove.

So what does this all mean? Well, my guess is there will be another drought during the growing season, and if this keeps up, history may repeat itself, foretelling of Dust Bowl II. (Hey! Turn off that music! I’m being serious here!) And just like any other natural (or perhaps in this case, man-made) disaster, we call upon the National Guard to help out. It’s reactionary, dealing with problems we may very well have created after the fact – defense over offense. (If you haven’t seen Earth 2100, you might want to take some time out to watch it.)

It’s one of the problems I have with Doomsday Preppers – that reactionary mindset. While it’s one of my Must See TVs, and yes, I do learn a lot from it (sometimes what not to do), it seems the people are primarily preparing for the worst over working toward prevention – throwing their hands up in the air and just expecting the inevitable. But is climate change really inevitable? Absolutely, prepare for the worst. That’s why I like that show! For my pacifist readers, they featured Kathy Harrison, a lady many of you may want to grow up to be someday. From even the people I have deemed nutjobs on that show, and there are more than a few, I’ve learned so much about making a dollar stretch, especially in the way of groceries, and I am not about to wear rags when I learned how to get designers at the thrift store for pennies on the dollar (like my $10 wool/cashmere blend full length trench coat that was only missing a button).

Do more than just hope for the best. At the very least, set things up so problems don’t get any worse than they are. That’s why I’m boosting my immunities now, especially with all the hand-shaking I’ve been doing this past week. Like I said, I can’t afford to get sick for two weeks again, and I honestly don’t want to taste the nastiness that is Robitussin. It’s even the other reason why I do my part to be a little greener each day. (I say other, because first and foremost, “going green” to me has to be practical, affordable and yes, convenient, so I find ways that blend all three.) It’s also why I got all giddy last night when I learned about a notCSA right in my own back yard. Just thinking about finally being able to get my hands on an abundance of super fresh, super local fruits and vegetables had me fawning over food dehydrators for my upcoming birthday. The reason they even all but call it a notCSA is because I get to choose what I want in my pickup, and I don’t have to fork over hundreds of dollars up front, at the leanest time of year no less, paying as I go throughout the year. And too, food stamps (SNAP/EBT) are accepted, so the people who need the fresh stuff the most can actually afford it. So yeah, thanks Ed Hubbard for cluing me in on this!

If there’s only one take-away I’ve learned from all of you military folks is efficiency, and that efficiency doesn’t have to be a scary thought chock full of cutbacks, pigeon-holing and over-categorizing everything and/or an overall Spartan way of life. Time management is a big part of my life – always has been. I’m a Time Nazi, been called that many times, and I’m proud of it, always arriving at least ten minutes early if I promised someone I’d be there, always turning in my work early, always setting up early and so on. (Screw you, Gandalf! Your jokes ain’t all that funny.) The notion of Pagan Standard Time is just plain rude, and to me, “lived in” is a nice way of saying messy, and I’ve seen more than my fair share of “lived in” Pagan abodes to where I’ve come to expect it. (I know, “Wow! Judge much?” and yes, in this case, I have no problem saying I went there.)

But before you call come over to snap pictures just to prove I’m not perfect, I do indeed have a few areas that need work:

- My office isn’t at peak efficiency, but it’s close. Things need to be orderly so I’m not wasting time looking for stuff, and I utilize Outlook’s calendar and tasks to the max.

- I buy stuff when it’s on sale in combination with coupons whenever possible.

- I keep my pantry full.

- I make as much of the stuff I need and want as I am capable of – and as time allots.

- I only keep what I genuinely love, need or makes me money, getting rid of, upcycling or upgrading to multi-taskers whenever possible – even clothes.

- I also do not bring anything home if I do not have a place to neatly store it, and it must be of the highest quality I can afford, with cash, and I save up for whatever I want or need whenever possible. (Sometimes, I do have to bust out the credit card for emergencies, but I do so grudgingly.)

- I even go so far as to be completely honest and saying what I mean, even if it comes at the expense of “being a dick” if I feel it’s absolutely necessary. Ya can’t please everyone, but at the end of the day, you have to please yourself.

- I have even taken the notion of worry out of my life, because worrying does no one any good. If there’s a problem looming, even a bad one, I ask myself if I have done the absolute best I could. If not, then I work on that. If I did, well then let the chips fall where they may. Sometimes, shit happens, and sometimes too, ya gotta do whatcha gotta do.

So am I really being judgey here? I don’t think so. What I think I’m doing is showing how even this Pisces can get her shit together and make order out of chaos, working on the offensive instead of the defensive, prevention over reaction. One side tangent I feel still qualifies in this is the much ado about whether one calls themselves a Pagan or not. One one hand, it is certainly more efficient to just go with the categorization if your beliefs have a lot more commonalities than not. (Time management and all that.) Quite honestly, I want in on the head count, because even though I’m decidedly solitary, being part of something bigger than myself makes me feel like I’ve helped that something bigger become bigger still. I contributed. I did something that means something. I’ve made my mark in life. And all I did was just joined in with a very eclectic group of people who share a few general, common beliefs. No big deal, right? But really, it IS a big deal.

Think about it: Anything you become a part of makes that thing bigger. It also has the capability of transforming that thing into something entirely different, which can be good, neutral or bad. That’s just science right there. Take two hydrogens, pop in an oxygen, and you make water. Take a few occultists, add some nature worship, and you’ve got Wicca. (Okay, waaaaay over-generalizing there, but you catch my drift.) But my point is, when you consider huge gatherings like PSG, where you have a combination of a thousand people, many of whom do not share exactly the same faith and come from different parts of the country and different backgrounds and values, all of whom are sharing that one primary thing, Paganism in its most loosely generalized term, that is indeed a big deal. You’ve taken just yourself, added a bunch of other people, and you created a community. Community with a capital C even. And from there, you exchange ideas, you learn and you grow. And the outside world, they learn, too. Pacifists learn from Warriors and likewise. Like someone once commented, it’s taking the notion of church camp and making it our own.

On the other hand, there’s people like me who don’t have a strong need to invoke even the all-encompassing Mother on a regular basis, perform all-out rituals or even be tied directly to Nature worship, so I get wanting to make the distinction. The bulk of my worship in fact is through my private journaling and daydreaming. I know, that sounds a bit batty, flaky even. But when I write with pen and paper, even if it’s just on a legal pad while I’m waiting on people, I think of the most obscure stuff, and I write it all down. When I review it, my nonsense freewriting reveals some of the deepest, most meaningful stuff – between a bunch of rambling, natch. Some would argue I don’t get much out of it, because I don’t put much into it. I see things differently, that I get so much more out of the freedom to do my own thing without a specific laundry list of tasks and repetition, and it makes me happy and a better person. And it’s not from a lack of trying. Seventeen years in, attending many different rituals, even joining a coven at one point, working with and for specific Gods and Goddesses of yore, and still, here I am – a seeker with Wiccan-esque tendencies. (I do like some of the formalities and especially the holidays, as it synches well with my need for efficiency and organization.)

So the way I see it, it’s fine to do your own thing, and it’s cool to call yourself whatever you want. For me, I want in on the Pagan head count, no matter what the bean counters decide to do with the data. I just hope people will still have me.

Welp, I got a lot of running around to do today, so I’ll wrap things up. Take care of yourselves and each other. Many blessings on you and yours, and don’t be afraid to eat a few extra oranges this week!

A busy first week of the new year!

family, military, Paganism No Responses »

Jan 052013

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday once again! I had a pretty busy week, since Ryan came down to visit us, and a lot of landlords have contacted me with new listings. Poor Ryan was sick almost the whole time, so I encouraged him to stay here so I could take care of him and help him get some rest. And that he did; I think he slept more than the cat, and the cat’s pretty old. But, when he was awake, we made sure he had a nice time here. I made Yule II dinner, he had some nice presents to open, and we got around to watching a few movies. Looper was one of them, and before renting it, Ron asked who’s in it. Ryan and I both replied “You!” in unison, since Ron really does look a lot like Bruce Willis – just with the addition of a cleft chin. Yep, it’s little things like that which makes it fun to have Ryan around.

Because Ryan was in town, and because the landlords were keeping me busy, I did a whole lot less news following than usual. (I’m just hoping I get around to tearing down the tree and decorations sometime this weekend!) But just because I was busy does not mean I don’t pay attention. A lot happened this week, so I’d like to go over them if I may:

- Tulsi Gabbard, First Hindu In Congress, Uses Bhagavad Gita At Swearing-In: This, this right here, is kind of a big deal, because it’s one of those things that proves things are indeed changing for the better. Personally, I wish everyone were to take the oath on a copy of the U.S. Constitution and not on any religious text, but I’m pretty excited about this leap forward. The fact is, we now have a U.S. Congresswoman (yes woman, and a minority woman at that) who feels confident enough her minority faith, without ties to any Abrahamic religion, is just as valid as any other and is proud of it. Testify! Every time someone of a minority faith makes such a historical mark, no matter how insignificant it may seem at the time, it opens another door for our community.

The 113th Congress, which just came in this week, is the most diverse ever, with more women than ever, more faiths represented than ever, and yes, it also includes another first – a lesbian. Whodathunkit? I’d love to give these folks a honeymoon period like most any new employee is graced – some time to get acquainted with their new offices in Washington, figure out the best places for lunch, etc., but sorry folks – you’ve got work to do! You’re replacing the most inept, do-nothing Congress ever, so get to work!

- Obama Signs FISA Warrantless Wiretapping Program Extension Into Law: This is one of those reasons I can easily point out to any Obama lover why I’ll never be a fan, and they’ll usually have to agree with me (usually with a but…). While this law specifically does not target Americans and is for spying on people overseas, things don’t look so hot when you mix in a few other laws. Back in May, he extended the Patriot Act and NDAA was signed into law by Obama which could allow the military to indefinitely detain Americans. Of course, this doesn’t even include things he’s in charge of like Homeland Security overstepping their bounds (really, what does a fake Coach bag have to do with national security?). Oh, and if you think airports are the only places the TSA is hanging out, places the government has a hand in, perhaps it’s because you haven’t been to a football game lately.

- Obama signs bill warding off fiscal cliff: After much sobbing and hand-wringing, everyone got together and finally got this stuff resolved… well, kinda-sorta. One of the biggest pieces of news is pretty much everyone’s taxes are going up (middle class Joes and Janes can count on their paychecks missing ~$12), and people who make more than $400k (up from the original $250k) will be sending Uncle Sam about $15k more by year’s end. However, there’s a cap now in place on those $250k+ (let’s just say rich) folks for how much they can deduct on taxes. People on unemployment who were told the extensions were being dropped will be getting them back, and it’s retroactive, so a lot of needy folks are breathing a sigh of relief. And yes, because stuff got rectified, no civilian workers for the military will be furloughed.

- US Reportedly Tested Secret Tsunami Bomb: Here’s a random article I came across I thought some of you would find as interesting as I did. All I want to know is if the conspiracy theorists have tied this into HAARP.

- Puerto Rico to Activate National Guard: The newly-minted governor of Puerto Rico is working hard to curtail the drug smuggling going on through their ports, so he’s taking this drastic measure. What’s interesting is Puerto Rico is not a state, but last November, for the first time, the majority of the people feel they’d like to come into the fold. This has me wondering how bringing in the troops is going to affect the voice of the people in the months and years ahead.

- Illinois Gay Marriage Vote: Bill Approved By Senate Committee, Floor Vote Delayed: It’s not over until the fat lady sings, as they say, and my home state has a pretty good chance of moving forward with marriage equality. Of course, the Catholic Church is none too pleased, but honestly, I don’t see it as being any of their business anyway. Well, it is their business, as far as business goes, because Catholic Charities was already told they won’t get any more government backing, namely for their adoptive services, if they keep hatin’. And sadly, they fought adopting children to gay couples tooth and nail until they just said screw it, took their ball and went home – affecting so many children in the process.

The way I see it, in spite of the Church being assholes (and people wonder why I left ~20 years ago), the U.S. majority is cool with gay marriages these days. Here in Illinois, we’ve already had civil unions for about two years now, which is a stepping stone; it gets people who are sitting on the bench comfortable with the idea. Then of course, as a cynic and a fiscal conservative, even my doubting side can’t get past the simple, hard truth Illinois is broke. So if anything, damnit, we need the money!

Let’s consider all the money full-on gay marriages can do for our state: There’s tourism for sure just in Chicago, as we have a beautiful skyline and incredible architecture. Ron and I were married at City Hall, and the marble backdrop of our wedding photos would never have people assuming it was a quickie-cheapie. If you want a more classic-style setting, Galena is a wonderful choice. From filings and tax status changes all the way down to the local florists, that’s a lot of money we could be getting that states like neighboring Indiana are losing out on. Of course, David Salisbury, who’s not just one of your friendly PNCers but also of the Human Rights Campaign, and I disagree on when the DOMA repeal is going to change that chance of extra income (remember, my call is March, 2014), but hey, even one extra summer of weddings sure could put a dent in boosting our economy.

So hey, Illinois, contact your reps and let’s all be a part of history!

Welp, that about wraps things up for me this week. Take care, and many blessings to you and yours.

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