clip for the troops » Warriors and Kin

The Most Powerful Magick of All

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Feb 112012

See? Even his tag says he's awesome!

Good morning everyone and Happy Saturday once again! So, do you have any plans for Valentine’s Day? We’re not going out to eat anywhere, as Ron and I have discovered it’s just not worth it. All of the restaurants are booked, and even if we were to score a reservation, many of them run on a limited/themed menu that may not be what we want to order. And, because they’re so busy, we tend to get poor, rushed service. Sit down, eat up and GTFO. Not exactly romantic, and our pocketbook suffers as well. I get why the restaurants are in such a tizzy to get those booths filled; February is generally the slowest month in the industry, so they’re getting what they can while they can get it. But for us, it just isn’t what we want to do, so we’re staying in and making our own fabulous dinner and probably watching a good, classic movie. Hmmm… should we watch Dawn of the Dead? Goodfellas? Conan the Barbarian? Or, ooh! I know! Maybe even Pulp Fiction! Those are my ideas of good movies! I know the lines by heart.

I can’t imagine how hard it must be for those whose loved ones are a million miles away. What makes the separation a little less painful? These days, we have Skype and email to bring each other closer, but it is in the written form that truly speaks from the heart and resonates the greatest magick of all – love. Love is such a powerful emotion, and yet it is perhaps the most underrated magick in existence – a power that can be harnessed for the greatest good and can travel across time and space. Almost every story ever told, the great and the forgotten, has been themed around a love story, because storytellers know it is a power and an emotion that affects us all in some way. Great love stories involve a strong degree of sadness, struggle or tragedy, with or without the happy ending, because it is these stories that feel the most real.

I recently came across a series of Civil War era love letters are very touching and poignant. They offer us a glimpse into what their lives were like so long ago and yet how similar their lives are to ours. These letters from a Soldier, left on his laptop for his wife and infant daughter to discover, brought tears to my eyes. This series of letters, written by a young Soldier in Afghanistan to his mother and family, had me smiling and laughing out loud due to his choice of words, his misspellings and the obvious shift from boy to man. And the letter captured in this article, written during World War II and published during Vietnam, has me wondering what became of these star-crossed lovers. Did they meet again afterward? Did they build a life together? What happened to them?

For the ones you love this Valentine’s Day, consider giving the gift of your written words alongside the chocolates, jewelry, tickets or teddy bears. Even if you’re not exactly the poetic type and rely on a store-bought card to say how you feel, add a line your special someone will know comes from your heart. I like humorous cards, as they reflect my personality, though sometimes I will select a card that is somewhat more heartfelt. And when I write to people, usually via Word these days, I try to find an image that lessens the seriousness of my message. When I wrote to Ryan each day he was away, I closed the letters with funny pictures. There was the one about when I was sick, with Dr. House saying “It’s NOT lupus”. There was the encouragement letter that included the KISS Army scrubbing latrines. And one I’m particularly proud of, when I wrote about Ron and me going to his favorite restaurant on a date night, I included a taunt/tease in the form of a picture of their specialty hamburger – the one he loves, of course. Yes, this mom is an Evil Mom! That one apparently made the rounds in his platoon, with all the guys both salivating and saying just how wicked I can be. Muhahaha!

Now before I close, I know many of you have been waiting anxiously about the coupon count for the Clip for the Troops campaign. I finished up last night, and once again, we broke another record! $22,136.52! Holy Savings, Batman! And yes, we get another adoption out of the deal, so please welcome the U.S. Army post in Grafenwoehr, Germany! If you’re interested in helping out with the campaign, visit the site and feel free to ask any additional questions you may have. Again, the address is:

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

I check the post office box downtown on the last Saturday of each month.

As some of you know, postage has gone up to $5.15, so if you can spare a buck to toss in with the coupons, or just want to help out in that department, I’d really appreciate it. In last month’s batch, a promised check for $80.00 came in from Addison, IL which I greatly appreciated, and it helped tremendously with covering that. THANK YOU!

Well, I do need to wrap things up. Have a great weekend and a wonderful Valentine’s Day – however you wish to celebrate it!

Celebrating Imbolc and Pagan Chaplaincy

family, military, Paganism 1 Response »

Jan 282012

Good morning everyone and Happy Saturday once again! And yes it is happy for me, because some of the frigidness has passed. Yesterday afternoon, it was warm enough to walk without buttoning my trench coat, which seems awful funny for this time of year. After all, next Thursday is Imbolc, also called Candlemas, usually the coldest time of the year, so to not be complaining is a good thing.

How will you be celebrating? Will you be honoring Brigid? Will you be attending a gathering? What special meal do you have planned? Will you be making candles? I have heard it mentioned candles are a precious commodity for our active troops out in the desert, even the flameless variety. So, I’m genuinely curious how someone celebrates a holiday – one that celebrates the promise of light returning and is symbolized with candles – when there aren’t (m)any available, and making them is pretty much out of the question. I suppose one would have to be even more creative if he or she was in prison, unless there was perhaps a visiting chaplain who was permitted to bring them in.

While it’s true ritual items like candles aren’t necessary for practicing our various and collective faiths, but to me at least, not having candles for Imbolc is like not having a tree for Yule. It just seems… incomplete. Lacking. Missing that certain, special… something. It is for reasons, even simple ones, such as this, it is important for our Warriors, and equally for those paying back their debt to society, we have clergy available for them. As many of us know, there are currently no Pagan chaplains in the military and very few are working in the prisons in comparison to other faiths represented. While I get it we as Neopagans as a whole are a minority in this and every other country around the world, and thus the demand for chaplains of our own are much less than for those for other faiths, they are still needed. Pagans have children. Pagans get married. Pagans die. And, Pagans celebrate their lives and collective faiths between those times. Therefore, yes, there is a demand, and our brothers and sisters shouldn’t have to rely upon, say a Christian chaplain, to minister to them.

So who has taken up the call to champion this cause and serve? One such lovely woman, Kidril Telrunya, has spoken with me on the topic, and I’d like to share her works with you. Her duty as a Wisconsin representative for the American Pagans n’ Witches Association, founded in 1973, is to update the information on Pagans referenced by the military and prisons for their chaplains. She is seeking volunteers to help with the collection of information throughout all of the counties in Wisconsin and will be collecting all of the gathered info and will create a database. She will submit that information to the proper authorities to get it placed into the system.

The local volunteers she is seeking will be in charge of two to three Wisconsin counties each, to gather info and create a database of all federal, state and county government departments. Most information can be found in the local telephone book the rest of the information shall be found online, especially the jails and prisons.

Example:
- Business names, complete addresses and contact information.
- All city/town/village/township facilities.
- All county facilities, including the local jails.
- All state government facilities.
- All united states federal government facilities, in each volunteer’s area, including local jails.

Ms. Telrunya notates there are only a few people who run the main association, and there is one representative per state, with volunteers helping gather the necessary information. Should anyone wish to contact her who is interested to be a volunteer for Wisconsin or would like further information, her email address is lady kidril at gmail dot com.

Ms. Telrunya also states,

…as far as the Pagan military chaplains go, there is no set guideline on how active they have to be, but it would make sense that they would want to be active. It’s not going to be easy being a Pagan chaplain, lots of downs, but lots of ups, and to change the face of what Paganism is and can be in the military, it’s going to take a lot of hard work. Laying low on the back burner and letting people come to you wouldn’t really be the best method.

I applaud these efforts tremendously, and I trust the rest of our Community does as well!

Now as far as the efforts we have going on here with our Clip for the Troops campaign goes, this month is going to be yet another bell ringer! I have word there is another huge package of coupons waiting for today’s monthly pickup at the post office of over $20,000 worth! HOOAH! Those totals will be made available hopefully by next Saturday, and yes, I have someone who stated she would be volunteering to help with the sort. THANK YOU! I’m definitely going to need it! And too, tomorrow’s paper will have four inserts, which is a huge bonus. (I certainly do love those weeks, especially when there’s promise of plenty of food coupons! Show me the savings!)

So allow me to wrap up our housekeeping so we can high tail it to the post office and get to work. I hope you all have a wonderful Imbolc, watch those flames around curtains, little fingers and whiskers, and I’ll be back next week! Blessings to you and yours!

Homeless vets and the cold

family, military, Paganism, veterans No Responses »

Jan 212012

Good morning everyone and Happy Saturday once again! Winter has finally arrived here in Chicago, blanketing the city in several inches of the white stuff and reigniting our annual dibs tradition. I’m going to be honest here and say outright I’m not a fan of the cold and snow, as I would rather broil than freeze. Plus, we’re pretty notorious for that “rip your face off!” wind chills, which would have some people assuming as a native, I’d be more used to it than I am. Nope! Mostly, it’s due to my feet; once my feet get cold, my day is completely ruined. I cannot warm up without taking a scalding hot shower, dealing with a shiver that will not go away, and that hot shower will not happen during my workaday schedule. Dad used to make fun of me by calling me cold-blooded, and sometimes, I think perhaps he wasn’t all that far off the mark. Could it be I’m more reptilian in nature than most? RAWR!

Are you like me and don’t fare well in colder climates? How do you handle it? I’m well-versed in the skills of layering up and plugging up the gaps in the window panes with silicone and anything lying around – adhered with duct tape. (That plastic stuff you use a hair dryer on? Naw, our cat tears right through that with a few indignant swats!) It’s no surprise then I find myself longing for summer: Camping, picnics, driving with the windows down and cute sandals. I will say though, little things like my comfort factor have me appreciating what I have that much more, even if we’re not all that well off than many others.

I think of those folks scraping by at this time of year, propping open the oven and flipping on all the burners just to add a little extra heat. Been there, done that, and without much thought behind the resulting insane gas bills. “They can’t turn off the gas until Spring!” is the reasoning, kicking the can further down the road. But what about the people who don’t even have that luxury? Some folks had their gas shut off last year (or the year before!), and now they’re taking the next step, becoming reliant on several space heaters, jacking up the electric bill. And what of those who already used up that? I remember running a kerosene heater in our apartment as a kid, having to crack open a window periodically to let the carbon monoxide escape and shutting it off at night while we slept beneath several layers of blankets.

But what of the folks who don’t even have a home as a luxury? Huddling around a kerosene heater, wrapped in the aforementioned layers, doesn’t sound all that bad. Sometimes, you can tell who’s homeless from a mile away, but there are others who are pretty hard to distinguish. Homeless people aren’t all “dirty bums sleeping on the sidewalk”; many look just like you and me, many times with their families in tow. They live in seedy motel rooms week to week. They couch surf from one place to another until their welcomes are worn out. They sleep in their cars, using public facilities to clean up. They go “camping” for several weeks at a time. And they ride the trains all night, switching at platforms so as not to get kicked out of the stations. I’ve been through varying degrees of homelessness throughout my life, so when I say “I get it”, I really do mean it.

Many of our vets are in varying degrees of homelessness, and I have actually heard some people say,
“Why didn’t they re-up or get a job?” as an easy answer to a complex issue. That answer only applies to those who have a network to fall back on and the mental/physical capacity to move on. What about all the other vets who don’t have that going for them, also known as luck? When I hear those types of comments, it makes me both disgusted and befuddled. Talk about your privilege showing! And when I hear comments like that, when a “warm day” is in double digits, and those same people have the privilege of being in a warm home sipping something hot and comforting, it tells me they really don’t have a soul – or a clue.

As an optimist, I’m going with the latter, that they just don’t know any better and perhaps need to be smacked with a clue-by-four. Okay, so there are options out there, such as the VA’s hotline (toll-free: 1-877-424-3838). And there are shelters, both for individuals as well as for whole families. And, many vets have kept in touch with friends and family willing to help until they can find their way. But again, these answers do not solve the underlying problem of homelessness. While there are some who say they prefer to be homeless than having to live and work like the rest of us, I can’t possibly believe the majority of homeless vets, which account for 15% of the homeless population, choose to “be bums”. And 15% of 23,000 vets counted means surely some of them are our Warriors from our Community.

So what is the answer then, especially now that it’s absolutely frigid outside? More shelters? More targeted jobs? More healthcare? More workshops and networking? More praying? I say it’s all of the above and then some. But the job is so big – what can we do? I was asked once at a job interview,

“How do you eat an elephant?” and my simple response was,
“One bite at a time – with a little seasoning.”

Besides the obvious and direct way by volunteering at a VA hospital, perhaps for counseling or honing job skills, if we’re employers, we can opt to give a vet with few civilian skills a crack at a basic position. If you’re concerned he or she won’t work out, start them off with jobs that won’t take too much time out of your day training them, like filing or basic janitorial work. (Let’s face it, no one likes [re]training!) When I started as a receptionist at a law firm, I was asked to go to court one day and see how I do. And guess what? I did so well at it I ended up becoming their paralegal and worked there for nearly seven years. Someone gave me a chance. When I applied for college, I didn’t pass their ACT requirements (my advanced math always sucked, even though I’m great at crunching numbers!), but they accepted me anyway, as I had seventeen letters of recommendation. Someone gave me a chance. And when I had no formal writing skills, I still managed to score several paid writing gigs, interviewing some of my favorite bands and fulfilling one of my several life goals. Why? Because someone gave me a chance there, too.

I have a Rawk Stah resume, but I didn’t write it all by myself; I had lots of people help me! If you’re good at writing resumes, perhaps you wouldn’t mind doing a freebie side project or two and helping a vet have a nice resume, maybe even going the extra mile and giving him or her a nice outfit you don’t care for anymore. And, after writing the resume, bless it and teach him or her how to handle an interview. At the window washing company, I have seen so many people coming in who obviously had no clue as to how to fill out an application, dress or present themselves, and it really saddened me. Our guys are blue collar workers, so we don’t expect them to come in wearing a suit and tie, but when I see grown men who struggle to fill out a basic application, similar to the types you can buy at an office supply store, I wonder why. Not being snarky here but rather frank and concerned: Didn’t anyone teach these guys?

If you know of a vet who is homeless and wants to dig themselves out, they may need even more than a chance, a resume and some clothes. They may very well need an address and phone number, and perhaps even a state ID and social security card. Hardly anyone is going to hire someone on the spot anymore, and even day labor companies need those basics. Everyone knows someone going through a hard time, and those of us who believe in Karma know very well how even a small extension of our time will come right back to us. Set them up online for an email account and voicemail retrieval number (they’ll need that on their resumes anyway) so they can check on their messages at the library. And, if you’re okay with someone stopping by periodically and don’t mind going the extra mile, accept their incoming mail until they secure their own place. Sure, you can always get a “street address” from private mail box companies, but they cost money.

And of course, we can always put in some time at a soup kitchen and donate clothes. If you’re donating non-perishable food for the homeless, keep in mind they may not have a lot of access to food prep stations, so try to keep your items toward the processed/ready to eat side. I know, it’s not the best food, and some of us wouldn’t even call it food at all, but when someone is truly hungry, a can of ringed pasta is better than nothing. Think cheap, quick and basic! When they get their own kitchens, even if it’s at a tent city, we can work on better quality food preparation. (Oh and too, if you’re donating to a tent city, they’re also in great demand for firewood!)

On that notion, here is yet another way our Clip for the Troops campaign helps! As I’ve said, when you’re clipping away, I don’t expect you to send me every coupon in the paper. (Tomorrow’s paper will have two inserts by the way!) Keep what you can use and send me the rest. This includes retaining coupons for that aforementioned canned, ringed pasta and buying some of that up when it goes on sale and donating it to your local food pantry. I know for some of us who are lucky enough to have those double coupon stores, that can mean (nearly) free donations! And, if you have the capacity, you can even go the extra mile and start your own food pantry, perhaps with handouts on how to move on to the next level. Start with your friends, family and coven members, then spiral outward. If you go to that length, cheerfully accept coupons in addition to everything else so you can keep building up your donations. We all give at the Pagan Pride events, and many of us are also very charitable around the holidays. But what about the rest of the year, especially now that it’s so bitterly cold?

Just thought I’d put out some more ideas into your heads on this super chilly day. Stay warm, help where you can, and pray to your Gods and Goddesses that even one vet will find their way today.

What an amazing ride it’s been!

family, military, Paganism, veterans 1 Response »

Jan 142012

Good morning everyone, and Happy Saturday once again! And before I get to those year-end numbers for you all, I again wanted to thank you profusely for supporting our Clip for the Troops campaign. Really, there is simply no way I can possibly thank each and every one of you enough for your love, support and generosity, but I do hope it not only continues but grows! As you may recall, we launched over Memorial Day weekend, and that first batch was pretty much lil ole me tossing in some extra coupons I had lying around. Soon enough, my visits to the post office box became my giddy little thrill, finding all kinds of packets in there from all across the country, as well as wonderful little thank you notes and letters from the military installations. And with 2012 now here, I can only imagine how much further we will continue to grow.

So maestro – drum roll please… (and yes, you have to watch all the YouTube clips before reading on…)
.

In 2011, we have adopted the following posts and bases, covering the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines:

Alconbury, UK
Ansbach, Germany (That’s right, another NEW adoption occurred in December! HOOAH! Woot-woot!)
Bamburg, Germany
Gaeta, Italy
Illesheim, Germany
Incirlik, Turkey
Iwakuni, Japan
Lakenheath, UK
Okinawa, Japan (Army)
Okinawa, Japan (Air Force)
Sasebo, Japan
Wiesbaden, Germany
Vicenza, Italy

Yes, the Pagan Newswire Collective now directly contacts thirteen (13) military installations overseas via the campaign, helping hundreds and perhaps even thousands of people in our own way – without preaching or guilt-tripping anyone. As I’ve stated before, it’s my hope and vision we will be able to directly, gently and positively touch the lives of every family out there, helping them help themselves put food on the table and get the sundries and other needs met, without as great of a reliance on food pantries and/or food stamps. I know what it’s like not having the basics covered, and having to use those services, while greatly appreciated, is a humbling experience, sometimes humiliating. (I remember having to endure a day-long revival dealie just to get a bag of groceries, with a Bible included and pestering follow-ups – natch.) The people who risk their lives for ours should not have to be subjected to that, so sending out coupons we either don’t need or can’t use really helps these folks maintain their independence, pride and dignity. So let’s keep it up!

For December, our coupon collection total came to…

$15,993.23! Yes! Another banner month for us and new record! Awesome!

And throughout the year, we have collected a total of…

(no scrolling now… that’s cheating!)

$50,121.41!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Over FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS collected in a little more than half a year! WOW! And again, that was done in about half a year, so for sure we can double that in 2012 and probably surpass it! How? Well, just by keep on doing what we’re doing, as well as to push the envelope further. Please pass on the message to your friends, family, coven mates, community organizers and hey, even your online buddies, what we’re doing, and see if they can’t contribute as well. All it takes is a little time and a stamp or two, or in the case of our good friends in Addison, IL, a giant priority box by getting an entire retirement community involved!

And yes, postage to all these places cost money, so here’s the total on that:
- $163.35, which includes the packs I need to ship out today! But that’s cool, because thanks to you fine folks, a total of $24.00 has come in ($3 I found just last night mixed up in some coupons while doing the final count! Thanks!), and Addison has a $80 check for me in the mail. No problem, I can wait. I’m the queen of patience. After all, I’m the one who took the time to find all those YouTube clips I asked you all to suffer through! Ha! Every penny collected toward postage is seriously, greatly, totally appreciated, because as you can see, we’re definitely growing, and I can’t handle it all by myself anymore. So if you send a pack of coupons, please toss a buck in the mix. I’ll find it (eventually? hehe!).

Welp, it’s been a long week for me, so I’m going to wrap things up, get in a couple hours of sleep and head down to the post office. Thanks again everyone, and keep on sending those coupons! It’s so incredibly appreciated! And by the way, I’ll go ahead and post the details for you so more folks can join in and help our military families overseas!

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

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

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

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

I check the post office box downtown on the last Saturday of each month.

4) Drop a buck or two into the pot. So far, I’ve received $24 towards the postage, which is greatly appreciated, and I have received word a check for $80 is on the way. THANK YOU!!!! Mailing little slips of paper doesn’t seem like much, but paper is heavy, even newsprint, and each package has been costing me $4.95 to send. If you would like to donate via PayPal, please email me so I can provide you with the email account (my husband’s verified business account, so you know it’s safe!). Again, my email address is doom diva (at) yahoo (dot) com (I’ve had that address since ’98).

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

So what’s new for 2012?

family, military, Paganism, veterans 1 Response »

Jan 072012

Good morning everyone, and Happy Saturday once again! So how was your New Year’s? 2012 is already gearing up to be an interesting one (be it good or bad), and with it a Presidential election this year, it’s sure to be one of many ups and downs – with a lot of dirty laundry being aired out. So I’m sure the blogs and news articles will be filled with political slants and views, W&K included. Just puttin’ it out there, as they say.

So many people have said their one-word description of 2011 is “sucked”, and there’s a topper that came on New Year’s Eve: The potential for indefinite detention of U.S. citizens. I’m pretty indifferent to our President for the most part, as I voted against Palin when I cast my ballot for Obama. Among other things, I’m one of those crazy people who think people should only be hired if they have prior experience instead of “learning as you go” or relying on book-smarts or others. Therefore, I wasn’t cool with voting for someone without any military experience to become the Commander-in-Chief. Some days, I think he’s a pretty awesome guy, like the repeal of DADT, and other days, I wonder what the heck he was thinking. Yes, yes, he needed to get some funding for our military, but at the cost of our freedom? Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

An article that appeared yesterday in conjunction with the cutbacks he made in signing the National Defense Authorization Act points out concerns a smaller military will put us in jeopardy. I’m all for a leaner, meaner military, but is it really feasible this late in the game? Reminders have been posted for Soldiers considering re-upping there will be fewer opportunities after January 31st due to some of these cuts. Again, just puttin’ it out there.

Now as far as a couple good changes for this year, I did want to share these:

- New law will expedite Soldiers thru airport security: This will include a family member as well, to the best extension possible, so yeah, I think this counts as not only a good thing, but one of common sense. My only hope is more common sense will be extended for everyone, because frisking Grandma is ridiculous.

- 2% increase to BAH: Good! Excellent! Fab-U-Lous! The increase is on an average, but most families should see some help coming down the pipeline very soon, if not already. As I’ve posted before, many folks are under the assumption the military takes care of every need, with the paycheck being almost like bonus cash. Ummm… errrr… not so much. Yes, Tri-Care provides free medical care, the commissary (grocery store) costs are slightly above wholesale with no sales tax, and BAH helps a good deal on housing costs, but ask any young family on a tight budget how much diapers and peanut butter costs. And as I’ve pointed out too, a spouse trying to get a job is extremely difficult due to all the moving around. Many employers don’t want to hire someone they worry will up and leave on a whim, because hey – no one likes training new people. (I’m sure the folks training me, while they do seem to like me, get annoyed with me constantly asking “dumb questions” and hope I’ll be out of my honeymoon period soon.)

- And lest I forget to mention, a new friend I’ve made at last year’s Pagan Spirit Gathering (which is now OPEN for registration!), Kidril Telrunya, announced she is “…now leading the State of Wisconsin in revising United States Military/Prison Chaplains Manual”. This is awesome news, especially for our military, because it sure would be nice for our Warriors to have a chaplain to confide in who truly gets them. I asked her to provide further details on her mission, which she was more than obliged to do once the dust settles. I’ll keep you all posted.

Have you been alerted to any new changes for 2012? Please do share!

And now onto couponing news!

Coupon Haul for December, 2011

Well folks, fiscal fourth quarter is officially over, and I’ve been very busy here at home getting up December’s coupon count for you all. I have everything sorted and separated, but I will need a few more days to count everything up. My canvas bags overfloweth! Just judging by my sorting and eyeballing, I can safely say we’ve at least come close to matching November’s totals of over $13k if not surpassing it, and I really thought it wasn’t going to happen. There were two weeks without any newspaper inserts, so my portion was on the slim side by comparison. Therefore, I’m counting on our end-of-year total to be around $50,000 worth of coupons! How cool is that?! It was our first year, and we didn’t even start until Memorial Day weekend, so I can only imagine what 2012 will be like!

I want to take a moment to thank the following who’ve generously donated for December: Leadville, CO, Frederick, MD, Westminster, CO, Gardena, CA, and of course Addison, IL (including the retirement community contributing to those batches!). In the batches, there was also $11.00 in cash, which I greatly appreciate, as it helps defer the cost of the packages I send out. I also wanted to share with you a thank you letter *we* received from the Army post in Wiesbaden, Germany. I scanned it into PDF format, which you can read by clicking here. (I Haz a Happee they addressed us as “Pagan Newswire” – proof our generosity does indeed garner some positive Pagan awareness without proselytizing in any way. We’re just ordinary, good people out to do good.)

I hope we’re able to make another new adoption! But what I’d really like to know is if U.S. commissaries accept coupons up to six months expired. The FAQ reads it’s true for overseas, but it does not specifically state what the policy is within the U.S. When it comes to coupon policies, I’ve come to find ambiguity means me winning at the register!

And I’ll go ahead and post again how YOU can get involved!

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

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

I check the post office box downtown on the last Saturday of each month.

4) Drop a buck or two into the pot. So far, I’ve received $21 towards the postage, which is greatly appreciated, and I have received word a check for $80 is on the way. THANK YOU!!!! Mailing little slips of paper doesn’t seem like much, but paper is heavy, even newsprint, and each package has been costing me $4.95 to send. If you would like to donate via PayPal, please email me so I can provide you with the email account (my husband’s verified business account, so you know it’s safe!). Again, my email address is doom diva (at) yahoo (dot) com (I’ve had that address since ’98).

And now, before I forget to mention too, since this always makes me happy, I received a couple more thank-yous from military folk in private emails. This is for another charity I’m involved in, Operation: eBook Drop, which provides free eBooks to military personnel. To date, over 100 free downloads of my book have been received, which is more of a light-hearted, how-to book on festivals. I hope more Pagan authors sign up for the program, because it’s another great way to gently promote positive Pagan awareness as well as provide something for our Warriors to read. If you want to sign up for free eBooks or want to donate your works, check out the site!

Have a great week everyone and until next Saturday, take care!

And a Happy 2012!

family, military, Paganism, veterans 1 Response »

Dec 312011

Good morning everyone, and happy Saturday once again! So who’s got plans tonight? For us, not anything extravagant. I’m making some split pea soup for luck, letting it simmer s-l-o-w-l-y so all the flavors come through, and we’ll probably chillax on the sofa while watching the tube. (Is Dick Clark still around?) And yeah, I’m sure come Sunday, I’ll be putting in some overtime on the Kinect trying to drop a few pounds… especially after baking all those cookies last week! (Pssst! Did you find the recipes I hid in there? If not – look again!)

Do you have any resolutions? The old standbys are to lose weight and kick an addiction or vice, but perhaps you have a different goal in mind. Maybe you want to find a (better) job. Or go (back) to school. Or pay down/off a debt or three. Or master a new skill. Or travel someplace spiritually meaningful and fulfilling. Whatever you resolve to do this year, remember you have a whole year to do it. That’s 366 days – an extra day due to the leap year!

Whatever you choose to resolve, choose a goal that is hard but not impossible, and tell supportive people in your life about your resolution. If you’re significantly overweight, resolve to become healthier – not a supermodel. If you want to quit smoking, don’t beat yourself up if you cave in on a nic fit two days in. (I hear it takes many people seven tries.) And if you want to finally make that pilgrimage, reserve the time off and then start pinching pennies. And what if you “fail”? So what – there’s always next year, when you’re that much more determined to reach that goal.

Now for Ron and I, New Year’s Eve is a special night indeed, even if we tend to keep things low-key these days. You see, it’s our other anniversary. We met at a Meat Puppets show on New Year’s Eve sixteen years ago, beneath a full moon no less, and have been exclusive ever since. (Who says you can’t meet a nice guy at a bar?) Needless to say, “Backwater” has a special place in my heart, even if the song’s about heroin addiction, which is not at all romantic or beautiful. I vividly remember that night – the band’s lineup, that beautiful moon outside, what we were wearing and the conversations we had, and it doesn’t seem like all that long ago. Funny how time flies!

What does New Year’s Eve mean to you? Besides the obvious, to me it means a fresh start, and for many of us, a clean slate is definitely needed. I know so many members of my family and friends have been struggling to hold on to even the basics, where the light at the end of the tunnel seems to keep getting pushed back further and further. So many have begun to give up hope, falling off the rails that barely held them before. I say not to give up hope, to push that much harder, because I know from experience what it’s like to struggle.

Where I am now is certainly a far cry from the newspaper job I had when Ron and I met that very magickal night. It was so bitterly cold – my hair turned white, and the soles of my feet split in two, and all for mere $140 a week. But it was work, so I limped through it. And when I think of where I’ve come from, as a poor kid from a broken home in the inner city, with no car and oftentimes no phone, whose only friends were kids in sitcom families, where I am now is a huge change.

I can safely say I know what it’s like to struggle – to wonder if the food pantry will be generous enough, if the roaches will get into the food that wasn’t expired, if even used clothes can be afforded, and if rent and utilities will be paid. It’s because of that and more, I truly appreciate all the blessings the Gods have bestowed upon us. And too, it’s because of that I know there has to be something better down the road for my family and friends who need a leg up. It’s a new year – change is coming. Believe it! Faith not a four-lettered word.

To further illustrate the change for the better we’ve all collectively experienced, let’s look at some important pieces of news within the military this year:

- Death of Osama bin Laden: Whether you rejoiced or felt a quiet calm, one has to admit the world certainly did feel a little bit safer that day. Of course, it was pretty tense right before the President’s announcement; I was shitting bricks thinking the worst when all the channels went to that pending special report!

- Openly gay service member appointed to West Point board: Just a couple months after a former lesbian cadet was denied re-entry to West Point due to DADT still being on the books, our President made this appointment. Whether or not it was a token gesture, I feel this certainly made an impact on how our military views those who wish to serve as they are.

- DADT officially repealed: It took what seems to be a lifetime, but it happened nonetheless. Here’s hoping DOMA is next on the chopping block!

- Air Force Academy’s Pagan Circle news coverage went *positively* mainstream: What can I say? I’m so proud of our friend here at the PNC, Cara Schulz, for garnering some much-needed attention!

- Pagan Warrior Radio launched: If you haven’t tuned in to the podcasts live, be sure to download the archives.

- Orthodox Jewish Rabbi sworn in as military chaplain: When I saw this article, in addition to a Sikh Soldier completing basic training a little over a year ago, it had me thinking it won’t be long until a Pagan chaplain is sworn in as well.

- Iraq war officially ended: The troops are coming home in droves! Thank the Gods! A lot of people, including myself, are rather pissed there is no celebratory homecoming for them, but at least we’re out of that hot mess. There’s still Afghanistan, and Libya, and a host of other battles out there, but at least Iraq is over.

- Two women share first kiss upon Navy ship’s return: And speaking of homecomings, this beautiful moment was made possible thanks to the DADT repeal.

Do you have any points you want to share? Please do tell!

And before I wrap up for 2011, I wanted to make a special mention about our lil ole campaign we got going on – Clip for the Troops! We’ll be heading downtown for this month’s haul, which I’m not sure what will be there. December had the last two weeks with no inserts due to the holidays, so that may have put a kink in our totals for this month. But BAH! We’ve already amassed over $35,000 in coupon contributions since Memorial Day weekend, which is no small feat! THANK YOU! Please continue to contribute however you can; there are many ways:

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

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

I check the post office box downtown on the last Saturday of each month.

4) Drop a buck or two into the pot. For November, I received $10 towards the postage, which is greatly appreciated, and I have received word a check for $80 is on the way. THANK YOU!!!! Mailing little slips of paper doesn’t seem like much, but paper is heavy, even newsprint, and each package has been costing me $4.95 to send. If you would like to donate via PayPal, please email me so I can provide you with the email account (my husband’s verified business account, so you know it’s safe!). Again, my email address is doom diva (at) yahoo (dot) com (I’ve had that address since ’98).

So once again, HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s a fresh start!

Bearded Rabbi is Latest Army Chaplain, Remains Dumped in Landfill and Incredible Couponing News!

family, military, Paganism, veterans No Responses »

Dec 102011

Good morning everyone, and Happy Saturday once again! So how has your week been? As you know, I needed a little extra time to wrap up the coupon count for the Clip for the Troops campaign, and in a few, I will post the final tally. Why? Well, because the haul was just so massive for November, and with just me doing the sorting and separating, on top of working a full-time job, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Is it hard work? Well, it’s not labor-intensive, but it does require a good amount of time and attention to detail, and I’ve never been one for half-assing a job. Let’s get to that in just a moment.

Congratulations to First Lt. Menachem Stern!

In the news this week, a couple articles have been making theirs rounds that I believe are definitely worth mentioning. I am delighted to learn a a bearded Rabbi has become the latest member of the Army chaplaincy, which of course bodes well for the military accepting Pagans into the fold. Just a year ago, a Sikh Soldier completed his training, donning his beard and turban, which obviously shows the military is becoming much more accommodating, open and forthcoming in regards to minority religions. And of course, let’s not forget the beautiful stone Circle the Air Force unveiled recently! Yes indeedy, I feel pretty secure I can call my bookie now and place my bet on a Pagan representative in the chaplaincy, which only a few years ago seemed to be a pipe dream. I got the 2013 block secured, what sayeth you?

Taking on a version of the compliment sandwich, I wanted to discuss something in the news that outright disgusted me this week: The remains of Air Force personnel dumped in a Virginia landfill, lumped together and incinerated with medical waste. When I saw the first articles emerging, my heart sank and my blood boiled at the same time. What?! How can body parts of our troops’ ashes, from those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, be treated like absolute garbage? These are people – people who cared enough about us and our country to follow their calling by defending it – whose remains were unceremoniously dumped out of a truck like dry concrete at a job site. And this didn’t happen in some third world country – this happened right here, in our Capitol’s back yard no less! While I do appreciate efficiency and am all for curtailing our tax dollars, there are some things like a honorable ceremony that is not only expected but demanded.

Ugh. Absolutely sickening. If any family members would like to collect further information, they may contact the established call center for further information: 1-855-637-2583 or e-mail dover.pm@pentagon.af.mil. I know if there was a chance one of my loved ones was involved, I’d be hopping a plane to Dover right now, and I avoid flying at all costs!

Let’s get out of this for a second, because my heart can’t take that right now.

Now as far as what’s up with November’s coupon haul, I again want to thank Denver, Co and Addison, IL, along with the retirement community providing coupons to Addison, for their love, generosity and support. That can’t be said enough. Really, I can’t reiterate enough how much it’s appreciated! I finally finished the count last night, and the total came up to… get this… $13,586.49! Seriously – no shit! I thought it was going to be around $9k, so I was completely blown out of the water when I was running the calculator! Do you want to know what over $13,000 looks like? Well here ya go!

November 2011 Coupon Haul

As you can see, I had them separated into two canvas bags – food and not food, and I have packed them into NINE shipments. Nine, as in – yes, more adoptions!! We’d like to welcome the following five installations into the fold:

U.S. Air Force in Okinawa, Japan
U.S. Marine Corps in Iwakuni, Japan
U.S. Army in Vicenza, Italy
U.S. Air Force in Lakenheath, U.K.
U.S. Army in Okinawa, Japan

Why so many in Japan? Well, the cost of living out there is insane for one thing (and you thought Manhattan was bad!), but realistically speaking, there are quite a few installations in that small country based partly on its geographical location. Let’s not forget too, they had that meltdown earlier this year, and I can only imagine how badly that has driven up the cost of food. (Yes, I checked ahead, and all these installations are currently in operation.) As you know, our goal is to disperse coupons to every installation currently accepting new adoptions listed on the Overseas Coupon Program website, as well as take on any new leads provided by the installations themselves and of course from you!

On that, I’d be more than interested in taking on bases and posts within the United States, provided they too can accept expired coupons up to six months old. Can they? I know right here in America, many military families struggle to make ends meet, having to resort to accepting food stamps and visiting food pantries just to keep their heads above water. DFAC doesn’t feed the kids, and as we can all agree, no child should ever have to go hungry. And what’s more, our troops have enough things to worry; they shouldn’t have to worry about making sure their families have enough to eat.

As you know, the Clip for the Troops campaign started over Memorial Day weekend of this year, and we have collected over $30,000 dollars worth of manufacturer coupons in that amount of time – with a minimal amount of publicity. I’d like to think that’s a pretty awesome feat, and every month, the hauls get bigger! (There’s already an estimated $6,000 worth sitting on my desk for December!) Not only are we helping the families, but at the same time, we are actively promoting positive Pagan awareness by letting folks know we’re out there, we care, and we’re pretty ordinary folk. After all, what could be more mundane than clipping coupons? We don’t proselytize, we don’t hand out religious information, and we certainly don’t judge. We’re just good, ordinary people out to do good.

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

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

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

I check the post office box downtown on the last Saturday of each month.

4) Drop a buck or two into the pot. For November, I received $10 towards the postage, which is greatly appreciated. Mailing little slips of paper doesn’t seem like much, but paper is heavy, even newsprint, and each package has been costing me $4.95 to send. If you would like to donate via PayPal, please email me so I can provide you with the email account (my husband’s verified business account, so you know it’s safe!). Again, my email address is doom diva (at) yahoo (dot) com (I’ve had that address since ’98).

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

Once again, thank you for continuing to support the campaign, and your generosity can never be thanked enough.

Until next week, take care!

Practical Magick in Gift Form

family, military, Paganism, veterans 3 Responses »

Dec 032011

Good morning everyone, and Happy Saturday once again! It’s been an incredibly busy week for me at the day job, because I was trying to catch up for being four days off in a row. You see, this is my company’s busiest time of year, as the main service they provide is chimney sweeping and repair. With the cost of everything up these days, many people are (re)discovering their fireplaces as heat sources. It makes me a bit sad that it seems everyone is getting their hearths going and I can’t, as our apartment’s fireplace is bricked up. The people upstairs get to use theirs, so I have to assume there’s a reason why ours isn’t usable. Oh well – at least we have the beautiful mantle, which we made look even nicer by painting it earlier this year. With the holiday decorations, it really does pop!

I am also proud to say I have gotten Ron and Ryan’s holiday shopping done yesterday morning. There’s still quite a few items being delivered, since I took advantage of the Black Friday deals online, including picking out my own gift: a $800+ sewing machine for only $159 on an Amazon “Lightning Deal”. (Think of that as an online “Blue Light Special”.) I know, how weird – I bought my own present – but when the deal popped up, I showed it to Ron, and he encouraged me to pounce on it. I’ve been wanting a sewing machine for many, many years, and this one is a high end personal model, so it’s a good one for me to learn on. I have no idea how to even turn one on, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out. I figured out how to use a computer when I was in college (I never even used one growing up), and I figured out the features on my “it does everything” cell phone, so I’m guessing I can figure this out, too. I sew by hand, and I’m pretty good at it, but it sure does take a long time. My Ren Faire cloak took eight hours straight, and there’s not even any fancy patterns on it!

As some of you know, Ron and I have some wooded acres downstate we see as our someday home. The location is more than ideal for a homestead, and with all the camping gear we’ve amassed over the years, we joke if Teh Zombie Apocalypse comes (oh noez!), we can more than make due living on the land. We’ve confirmed there are indeed no building permits or regulations on our property (it’s rural within rural), the taxes are only a couple hundred a year, and it’s right on a newly paved county highway, so it’s all good – just waiting for us to “get our shit together”. Ron spent many summers on his grandparents’ farm in upstate New York, so he has some solid homesteading skills, and he’s good on some carpentry and plumbing (having worked both trades in the past), and I’ve been slowly learning many of my own. Getting the sewing machine I feel will enhance our self-sufficiency that much more, but there’s still so much to learn. My mom has ten green thumbs, so I know at least some of that has passed onto me, but I can’t grow anything in this apartment. I guess I’ll eventually figure that out when the time comes as well.

More than anything, it’s about now when I reflect on all the possibilities available to me. I grow restless during the dark half of the year, wishing I could be doing more than I am. It doesn’t help I live right next to an expressway, where I can hear the sounds of the open road when the TV is off, all but begging for me to jump in the car and drive… go someplace natural and just be. Some of you know about the camping book I’ve written, which took me almost a decade to put together. Almost all of it was written in wintertime while bundled up in sweaters and warm socks, reflecting on all the things I’ve learned in the summers’ past. Do you also grow restless in winter, especially after the holidays are over? Perhaps on your gift list, you too can request something that will enhance your skills (or grab yourself a deal like I did), even if you’re like us and live in a big city apartment. You can cook more meals from scratch, grow (some) of your own food, make repairs – but like any laborer will tell you, you need the right tools for the right jobs.

In an uncertain economy, investing in ourselves is a no-brainer, and going Old School DIY tends to make the Earth breathe a little easier. I was able to wrap up my gift-buying yesterday thanks to an online friend who said to narrow down the list in this way:

Something they want,
Something they need,
Something they’ll wear,
Something they’ll read.

To me, the “something they’ll wear” part is the tricky one, as I hate buying clothes for people. But it doesn’t have to be clothes, as jewelry, makeup, outerwear, and yes – underwear – all fall nicely into that category and can double up in the “want” and “need” departments, too. Ron, for example, needs more thermal underwear tops, and he requested them, so Bam! Done! For our troops, sending gifts can be hard, as we want to make sure what we’re sending aren’t cutesy baubles that cannot be used or appreciated, and with the expectation so many are coming home for the holidays (*YAY!*), that care package can seem that much harder to pack. That’s why I’m so happy our good friend Cara Schulz wrote a two-part article on gift-giving, and a feature includes a section just for our military. Remember, it takes up to a couple weeks for even a Priority box to reach its destination, so get your gifts shipped out right away!

And now onto Couponing News!

November was another great month for our Clip for the Troops campaign, and I would therefore like to thank Denver, CO and Addison, IL for their generosity – and a VERY special THANK YOU! to the folks providing coupons to Addison via a retirement community. As I stated, I’ve been extremely busy this entire week, so I have not had the chance to get a final count. I will have that wrapped up in the next couple of days, which I will post the total on the Facebook page and of course here in a comment field. I will say though, thanks to that retirement community especially, I have a canvas bag almost completely filled with coupons, so I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll be hitting $9000 for November!

For sure, it’s our biggest pile ever (that may not fit the coffee table any longer!), and we continue to grow, so I’d once again like to ask if anyone local has some extra time on their hands to please offer to stop by help me sort after the holidays for December’s haul. We got something special going on here, something our national community can be a part of that only takes a little time and a postage stamp to do, so please spread the word to your friends and family. Even without November’s count, we’ve already exceeded over $20,000 raised, based on my spreadsheet, and our list of installations continues to grow. That list now includes:

Alconbury, United Kingdom
Bamburg, Germany
Gaeta, Italy
Illesheim, Germany
Incirlik, Turkey
Sasebo, Japan
Wiesbaden, Germany

My hope is to have every overseas housing installation tapped by this time next year, alternating as they request (and can handle!). Many people may not be aware, but military families struggle just to put food on the table, many of whom are food stamp and food pantry recipients. Some folks think the military covers everything a family needs, due to housing, free medical care and tax-free shopping that’s only about 5% above wholesale – which yes, they get some good deals there. But when one considers, for example, an Army Sergeant only makes about $25k a year and the spouse has a hard time finding a job (who wants to hire someone who will pack up and leave on a whim?), that money doesn’t go very far – especially when children are involved. So yeah… they really do need help!

Therefore, please continue to send the coupons, Like! us on Facebook and share articles – let’s get the message out! Here’s the address again:

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

And if you wouldn’t mind, feel free to toss in a buck to help cover the postage. Each packet costs $4.95 to ship, so a little help there would be awesome.

Thanks again for your love, support and generosity, and I’ll be back next week with more updates! Take care!

Quick Hello!

family, military, Paganism No Responses »

Nov 262011

Good morning everyone, and Happy Saturday once again! I don’t know about you, but I ate way too much – and I purposely wore jeans! I also got a bit of gift shopping done yesterday online, and Ron and I will probably get a little more done today in person. But before we do all that, we need to get downtown and pick up this month’s coupons! If the post office box is as full as the amount I’ve received in person this month, thanks to a retirement home supporting us, we will definitely get at least the same as last month!

Needless to say, I really need to wrap this up quickly so Ron and I can get everything squared away. There will be one lonely insert again tomorrow, a P&G, but that’s good for the troops, as we don’t really use P&G products. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a stress-free Black Friday. Some folks are calling today Local Saturday, so I might think about stopping by my Occult bookstore for one of Ron’s gifts (he loves their incense) and getting some lunch.

And a Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

family, military, Paganism, veterans 1 Response »

Nov 192011

Good morning everyone, and Happy Saturday once again. So, for those of you doing the cooking Thursday, have you gotten your shopping done yet? No?! Well, you better get dressed and head down to the store ASAP! The shelf clearers are out in full force, taking every last can of cranberry sauce for their 2012 survivalist stockpiles or whatever. Trust me on this – I’ve been doing dinners large and small since I was a kid, with and without any help at all, and I have knocked this holiday down to a science just so I personally am not stressed out on the big day. And because I know many of you are young families who may be doing this for the first time, allow me to post a few of my tips, some of which are veganized:

Oh my yes! Decorating day!

Think like a caterer planning for a banquet: Clean out the fridge and freezer well, chucking anything “forgotten” to make room where you can. Do your shopping, alone, with a detailed list and coupons in hand, only buying Thanksgiving food. (My trip Thursday saved us at least a good $75, and that included beer!) Plan every step, from the cooking, to the cleaning, to the decorating, to the guest list, and see where you can do prep work ahead of time. I do my Yule decorating now, again to save time, as well as to add magick to our home. My star wreath on the door is the first signal our guests have they’re in for a real treat!

Buy your fresh items (veggies, dairy, eggs, etc.) only a few days ahead at a fruit market for extra savings, which will also save space in your fridge and of course will help avoid wilting. A couple days ahead, you can cut up your carrot and celery sticks, then submerge them in water stored in the fridge. That will keep them crisp and cut down on your Thanksgiving morning work. And when you’re cooking that morning, do the bulk of it in your jammies (so you’re comfortable) but with your hair tied back. No one wants to find a loose strand mixed in with the stuffing! Ewwww!

Brine, grease up and rub your bird: (This, of course, if for those of us who have plans serving turkey.) After completely thawing the frozen bird, remove the gizzard bag before stuffing it (so many forget to do this!) and then brine it the night before. Besides using a cooking bag, this also creates a moist turkey. Grease him up with olive oil (I say him, as they’re usually Toms) and rub him with some sage, lavender and a couple drops of primrose essential oil. 65% of Thanksgiving dinners result in arguments, so you want to add some love and magick to your food! Then, feed it into the lightly floured cooking bag (Read on for that).

Use a cooking bag: My dad taught me this, and I will readily admit he was right; no basting required, freeing me up to do my million other things. However, if you want a golden brown, crispy skin and avoid a mushy, gelatinous mess on the bottom, take the instructions that come with the bag a few steps beyond. You need to place the bird on a rack a good inch above the bottom of the pan (a $1 aluminum one will work just fine) and add a couple pin pricks to the bottom of the bag. This way, you will drain just enough of the fat away from the bird while making it accessible for collecting your gravy starter if you like. Wash dishes every chance you get so you won’t have a mess to deal with later. It will keep you in motion, and it will save you from running out of bowls and such you will need to serve with later. (I love my oven/microwave-safe glass bowls, because they’re multi-purpose, have never chipped or shattered even when dropped, come with lids for storage and pretty enough for serving. If you don’t have these, put these on your gift list!)

A half hour before it’s time to come out of the oven, cut off the top of the bag and oil it up again so you get your crispy skin. (The way the bag works is via convection and steaming, so you definitely want to do that.) And too, if you’re using an aluminum pan, put it on a cookie sheet so you can get it out of the oven without spilling grease all over the floor. (Yes, I did that one year, all looking like Jack Tripper sliding around and whatnot.) When it’s done, leave it sit on top of the stove a good half hour before transferring to your serving tray, removing the stuffing beforehand. No bacteria, please! (Refill the cavity with sprigs of fresh herbs if you wish.) Then, toss in your rolls and casserole while making your gravy. Easy peasy, and everything comes out at the same time!

Make the stuffing from scratch ahead of time: However, if you’re using sausage or eggs, hold off on adding those ingredients until right before. You don’t want to introduce food poisoning to your dinner! I have a recipe you can use, which is vegan and can be done the night before, in case you’re making dressing instead of stuffing. (Alton Brown isn’t all that keen on stuffing the bird.) The recipe is here. If you are adding roasted chestnuts, score them well before roasting. One year, I had a dangerous, messy series of explosions in the kitchen that sounded like gunfire and shot shrapnel everywhere, with resulting creamy goodness in my hair. (Go ahead, laugh at the sexual connotation. I did!)

Set the table the night before: The last thing you want to deal with while dripping in sweat is trying to remember where the forks go. This isn’t a problem for me, as we serve buffet style and eat on the couch in front of the TV, but we still rearrange furniture and whatnot. This is also why I do my Yule decorations this weekend; I want things all nice and pretty for when our guests arrive, and I want to enjoy my dinner, too! If you want a centerpiece, theme and frame it around the bird itself, perhaps with scented tea candles. It will save that precious real estate on your table for actual food and make the entree that much more delicious. (Remember, we taste more with our eyes and noses than our tongues!)

If you have been putting off on buying new dishes, they’re on sale now. We got a beautiful service for four yesterday for only $40, though there were classic, simple designs available for $25 at the discount Big Box store (the one with the “!” in the logo). Of course, if you’re having a lot of folks over, you’ll need more dishes. You can always go the paper plate route, but if you can afford it and have the time, a better idea is to stalk thrift stores for large service sets. Just be sure to check each piece for chips, and don’t be afraid to mix and match – just like you do with your wardrobe. I got a silverware set for twelve that way for about $10 – real silver, too!

Don’t bake a pie: What?! Oh no I didn’t! I’m not big on baking (I hate measuring cups and whatnot), so I buy the pie. You can ask a guest to bake one (in lieu of a bottle of wine?), or you can make or order it ahead of time. You see, skipping this one big step frees up my time with the thousand other things I have going on, and I think the bakery department at the supermarket does a good job and sells them for only a couple bucks. So many new cooks fret over the pie, and it’s been my experience over the years the pie becomes a sweet afterthought that gets woofed down instead of savored. Why? Because people are already in the shoveling-it-down mode and in a semi-coma, zombified state. I know, *sigh* – just tellin’ it like it is.

Take time for yourself by planning ahead: I’m not Wonder Woman, so I plan, plan and plan s’more. I prefer to keep people out of my kitchen as much as possible, but I do delegate a few responsibilities. After I cut off the top of the bag and throw the bird back in for its crispiness, I jump in the shower, do my hair and makeup, with my clothes already laid out. I have the guys stir for me at that point, as well as keep our guests amused. You can do this even earlier if you like, before guests arrive; you know your routine better than I do.

Don’t drink too much: Remember what I said about that 65%? Part of it is due to alcohol loosening tongues (the rest is due to actually being with family folks may otherwise avoid). If you don’t have too much liquor out, too much won’t be consumed – simple math there. (It’s kind of the same way I avoid putting on more pounds by not buying junk food to begin with.) And crazy Uncle Bob? He doesn’t need any help swinging into another bender. He can drink the cheap stuff while your good stuff is hiding – not that he would notice anyway.

Apply special consideration for your furry children: Our cat is downright MEAN to guests to where we have a warning sign outside our front door. No really, he’s extremely territorial and nothing is going to change that (not even the operation he had some years back). Let your guests know ahead of time you have animal companions, because some people have extreme allergies. (I’m allergic to cats even at the cleanest of homes believe it or not, except ours, as I have developed a tolerance to his dander.) Whenever we have guests coming over, we set up his food, toys and litter box in a bedroom for the day and check in on him from time to time. If you have dogs that jump on people, at least have someone hold them back when answering the door and allow gentle introductions; claws and delicate clothing don’t mix. And yes, part of your home prep should include defurring the couches or covering them with throws.

So that’s my list of tips and tricks for making your Thanksgiving a good one; I hope it helps! Now as far as news-type stuff goes, I wanted to point out Circle Sanctuary is now collecting for their annual drive, Operation: Circle Care. For five years now, Circle has been sending out care packages for our Warriors so they may practice their faith more fully. If you don’t have any items to send, please consider dropping a donation to help with the mail. Their goal is to reach everyone who asks, which I’m sure you can imagine is a monumental goal. And don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday for Pagan Warrior Radio! (If you miss it live, you can always check out the archives.)

I also wanted to take time out to link to a wonderful article series submitted by my good friend and PNC contributor Cara Schulz. Reading articles like this inspires hope that the military world is indeed becoming much more tolerant and open to new and different ways of thinking and believing. I know when Ryan was down at “The John Wayne School for Boys” (as I’ve heard it dubbed), I didn’t get a tolerant vibe at all, which, as you may have read, had me go into Secret Squirrel mode when conversing with the other moms and personnel online. So after reading Cara’s wonderful articles and talking to her about her son’s experience over the past year, it has me thinking Ryan’s second time around will be a much better go at it.

And last but certainly not least, our campaign, Clip for the Troops, is growing by the day! I have a TON of coupons to go through on my desk, which I need to do before any decorating occurs (much to the dismay of our cat, who is so looking forward to destroying our ornaments [see above]). We also have a ton of laundry we’re busting on now, before I can even get on the coupons. So needless to say, I have already reserved this weekend to nothing but couponing, decorating and prepping. In other words, I am not available this weekend for chatting or surfing around. Sorry! But, I did want to remind everyone those food coupons are out there, especially online, even if tomorrow’s paper will only have one measly insert due to the upcoming holiday.

So as always, send your unwanted manufacturer coupons my way, and I’ll get them out to the military families overseas who could really use them. Mail them to:

PNC Military
Attn: Lori Dake
PO Box 306
Chicago, IL 60690-0306
United States

And if you can, toss in a buck or something to help with the postage; I’d really appreciate it!

Thanks again for all your help. And if you know of another Pagan military campaign or charity, feel free to let me know. I’d love to help get the word out!

Take care and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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And a Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

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