Autism Fundraiser

If you, or anyone you know, is into comic boocs, or robots, you might be interested in BOTS:

"Inspired by Nic's son Ben, PPS set out to create a project to promote autism awareness and raise money for the Autism Society of America. BOTS is a collection of artwork, donated by many of today's top comic artists. Contributors include Tim Sale, Randy Kintz, Sanford Greene, Lesean Thomas and Craig Rousseau. BOTS is currently in production and will debut at Mega Con in Orlando, FL, February 24th-26th. "

http://projectautism.blogspot.com/
http://www.portalproductionsstudio.4t.com/index.html

Aquila Memorial Auction

Upon the sugestion of several community members, we've put together an auction to help support Aquila's family. Please consider donating or bidding on an item.

Aquila Memorial Auction

Can't Stop The Signal

Firefly: Season 2

hmmm

I find that I'm full of a great deal of anger and pain today. Frustrated at a system that seems to be designed to let parents fail, frustrated at the people who suggest extremes, rather than support smaller actions that'll prevent larger problems.

One of the drawbacks to not being a member of an organised religion is the lack of a built-in support network. And it's not that the desire or the will to help isn't there in most pagan groups, it's that the needed infrastructure dosn't exist. Many churches have resources to draw upon when needed, from social support to financial assistance, and these are often supported by tithes and tax free donations.

I need to take some time today to collect myself.

Honor the Warriors, protest the war

"Talk show hosts like Hannity, O'Reilly and Limbaugh act like they know all about war; then they refuse to give any credence to soldiers like me who have been to war and seen the brutality of war. These guys are nothing but WEAK SPINELESS COWARDS hiding behind microphones while soldiers come home and are losing everything they have."
--Spc. Doug Barber, who took his own life Tuesday, after struggling with PTSD for two years

More backstory here at angry_biscuit's post on the subject.

Look into it yourself. How is the current administration 'supporting our troops' once they come home, unable to serve?

No More Abuse

From my friend John. He is wise.

"What right do you have to be happy?
"You're not good enough, you haven't done enough, and you haven't met my standards. You should feel sad, and anxious and dissatisfied, you should never relax and feel contentment or peace, until you've changed yourself to fit my mold."

Every day people hear those words, or words that mean the same thing. Every day people suffer in silence, wondering if they'll ever measure up. They struggle and carry on, but every time they improve, the standards get stricter, and the criticism harsher.

Does it make matters better if I tell you the abusers are suffering just as much? Or does that give away the punchline?

Shouldn't every victim be allowed to say "Stop! I'm not perfect, but I'm trying! Back off and let me be the best I can! Let me learn who I am, without being picked on and yelled at and scorned and mocked, and once I know who I am, then I can decide if I like it, or figure out what I want to change!"

Would not most victims agree that contempt, mockery, and unbridled criticism are among the worst ways to create positive change?

Ah, but the rules often change... when the victim is one's self.

"it's for your own good"
"the real world is hard, so I have to be hard"
"it's what you need"
"I just want you to live up to your potential"

So harsh and ugly when laid bare, when seen in retrospect, where the full extent of the damage done is visible.

And yet they're done to and by the self with impunity, dozens of times a day, by millions of people across the world... the only time when being a cruel abuser is considered acceptable... or even, sometimes, a virtue!

Crazy world we live in, isn't it?

dreaming

In all my time doing birth related stuff, I've found that one of the biggest challenges has been finding the space to do things. Most of the time we don't need space every day, or even every week, and finding someplace that is cost effective, comfortable, and available is sometimes beyond our ability.

My dream is to have a birth professional's co op, where people can use the space as needed, for teaching classes, or holding workshops, or meetings, or consults with clients. Someplace that parents can call and get hooked up with many different services, and birth pros can call for space, knowing it's going to be a calm, soothing birth-friendly space.

Someday, when I win the lottery ;) Or at least find enough like minded people to start a LLC.

eep

I sent off The Story to be critiqued at a writer's workshop, at the gentle nudging of the organizer, who also happens to be a published author and former Hugo nominee. He seems to think it's good, we'll see if anyone else does.

Also sent it off to a friend of Blade's for an editorial once over, since I know my ability to catch silly spelling and punctuation mistakes is pretty slim.

Resolution for 2006 is to actually submit it to publishers. Heck, I'll even start at the top and send it to Asimov's and F&SF, first. Heh. Maybe.

Great Mysterium Roadtrip 2006

I've started plotting and planning this. The basic idea is for a bunch of us to meet in one place, load people and things into cars, and drive a caravan across to Spokane.

Right now I'm looking at two different routes, from the two big PNW travel hubs, Seattle and Portland. I'm looking at distance, attractions and facilities on the way, and other interesting things along the way. Once I have those mapped out, I'll put up a poll to chose between them.

Some quickie FAQ:

1) This would be a full day trip. Straight driving from either Portland or Seattle runs about 4-5 hours. I dislike driving straight through, and it's impractical with a caravan, so we'd be making regular stops.

2) We'll stay together. If you're the kind of person who doesn't want to be held up by others, or drive only 70, this might not be the adventure for you.

3) There's Stuff to Do along the way, and I want to plan time in for those.

4) There will be some financial outlay. Some of that will depend on what we come up with as far as vehicles, gas, food. No one would be turned away for lack of funds, though! (I might just put them to work...)

5) You will be responsible for getting to the launch pad in Portland or Seattle. I highly reccomend the Amtrak Cascade train for any travel between Vancouver BC and Eugene OR.

Spawn of Eleri

time for some cute kid pics.
Tiffer:

(note the product placement. Usually his shirt says "Adobe" on it somewhere.)

Pookie:


Mousie:


They are 15, 12, and 5, respectively. Tiffer lives with my parents, and Pookie lives with her dad.

What's to do in UU

So here's my question, other than to hang out and chat about things, what else is going on that would entice me to travel back underground?

Well, while there is no new content or ages happening, people have gotten very creative in finding things to do while they're hanging out underground. There's often live music, games, events, celebrations (there was even an IC wedding once)

And, given the recent IC activity on the DRC site, everyones talking about the future.

Quote of the Day

Does Aslan make us draw parallels to Christ? Sure, especially the whole risen from the dead following the sacrifice, but then again he rips the Queen's face off, which is decidedly not turning the other cheek. It is, in fact, eating the cheek of another.

dotsahveht D'ni

We will be holding ORIENTATIONS, to introduce people to the dotsahveht D'ni concept, on three different shards:

Tapestry Shard Jan. 4th, 4pm pacific
L.A.S.T. Shard Jan. 5th, 5pm Pacific
Great Tree Shard Jan. 6th, 3pm Pacific
Taperstry Shard Jan. 7th, 11am Pacific

These orientations will take place by the Great Library of D'ni. Please come early if you need to make an avatar and collect your KI.

The hope is that people will attend the orientations, get an idea of what dotsahveht D'ni means, and how it works, and then carry that to their home shards and start dotsahveht D'ni there. Tapestry Shard will have a dotsahveht D'ni neighborhood, that will have regular gatherings on Mondays, and will be open to all for In Cavern conversation. With the recent activity on the DRC forums, and the return of IC there, now is the time to dust off our skills!

dotsahvet D'ni webpage

Hurrah!

My name is back up on the Birthing From Within mentor listing, and I should be getting my packet of level one materials soon. I've polished up my work webpage, and I'm all set. Bring on the pregnant women!

That sound you heard...

Was me screetching in shock/glee/hysteria.

There's STUFF happening on the DRC site. I swear my heart just stopped for a bit.

*falls into drooling fangirlness*
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG

*ahem* well yes... back to your regularly scheduled decorum.

Unchecked Power

...The result is that the president's wartime powers, with its armies, battles, victories, and congressional declarations, now extend to the rhetorical "War on Terror": a war with no fronts, no boundaries, no opposing army, and -- most ominously -- no knowable "victory." Investigations, arrests and trials are not tools of war. But according to the Yoo memo, the president can define war however he chooses, and remain "at war" for as long as he chooses...

...Unchecked presidential power has nothing to do with how much you either love or hate George W. Bush. You have to imagine this power in the hands of the person you most don't want to see as president, whether it be Dick Cheney or Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michael Moore or Ann Coulter.

From Bruce Schneier's blog, discussing the security implications of the recent spying issue.

Bruce brings up a vital point. This is much less about Bush having this power, it's about any president, any leader, having this power. If we let something as funadmental as the Fourth Amendment get chipped away at, what else will start to happen? Things like THIS OHIO LAW, which "would let police arrest people in public places who will not give their names, address and birth dates, even if they are not doing anything wrong."

Can I see your papers Citizen? Really, if you've done nothing illegal, there's nothing to fear, it's all for your own good, you see, and National Security.

I believe Rev. Martin Niemöller's WWII verse is appropriate:

Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Kommunist.

Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat.

Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten,
habe ich nicht protestiert;
ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter.

Als sie die Juden holten,
habe ich nicht protestiert;
ich war ja kein Jude.

Als sie mich holten,
gab es keinen mehr, der protestierte.
~~~~~
When they came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I did not speak out;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

Side Effect of the War? Economy? Apathy?

Toys for Tots has just about run out of Toys. Dozens of nonprofit agencies in King and Pierce counties that rely on donated toys and gifts collected by U.S. Marine volunteers have been told there will fewer toys available for Christmas or none at all. The numbers define the problem: By this time in previous years, Marines had collected as many as 300,000 toys. This year, the number is barely 60,000!

This makes me very sad.

C is for COOKIE!

Today is Cookie Baking Frenzy Day!
My mostly-virgin oven (it's had a heat-and-eat meal in it) at the new house will be inaugerated with the baking of holiday goodies.
On tap are Orange Teacakes, Caramel Popcorn Balls, Soft Ginger Cookies and Gingerbread Men. Might try to squeeze some Maple Crescents in there, too.

And considering I need to make about umpteen dozen of each, we'll be busy long into the night.

Follow up to the snark

I am not offended when someone wishes me a "Merry Christmas", nor when someone says "God bless you" or offers me their prayers. I take it in the spirit in which it is offered, that someone wishes me well, and holds me in their good thoughts. How could I be offended by this? The more good wishes going around, the better. I mean the same thing when I tell someone "Blessed be."

What bugs me is that here you have a group, who's beliefs are plastered all over everything, who dominate the winter season from pretty much October to Jan, and they're crying "Help! Help! We're being oppressed!". Oppressed? Because other people have stood up and said "You know, it's not just you. Some of us have been celebrating winter holy days since before Jesus was a twinkle in his mother's virgin eye." You have got to be kidding me. It's not about excluding Christmas, it's about including the rest of us.

Morning Snark

I'll belive that Christianity is an oppressed religion, and that there's a "War on Christmas", when Jews, Muslims and Pagans get their major holidays off work without asking, and when the stores have just as many menorahs for sale in October as they do Christmas tree ornaments.

The only 'war' on here, is to force Christanity to admit they aren't the only game in town, and that they can't pretend the rest of us don't exist anymore. Heads up guys, Christmas was put in December, because the pagans and the heathens were already partying and celebrating.