Thursday, December 18, 2008

Yule thoughts

A few thoughts as we approach Yule, and the darkness begins to lift:
  • Interfaith marriage = celebrating both Yule and Festivus.
  • The DaVinci Code is great for non-church-goers this time of year.
  • The Mists of Avalon is also great for said reason.
  • Mistletoe isn't necessary for passion in your marriage (but I still wish I had some).
  • Mistletoe sap was once believed to be the semen of the gods.
  • Some Christians actually hate Christmas because of its close ties with Yule and Saturnalia.
  • A secular Christian, such as myself, can easily adapt this holiday to its more pagan roots (Xmas Tree, mistletoe, wreaths, yule logs, eggnog, etc.).

Happy Yule, and blessed be.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Dream Sequence #5

My husband and I ventured out to our local star-gazing field, along with dozens of others who chose to sacrifice sleep on this magical night. We all heard that tonight was the best night to view falling stars, and that we'd wait a long time for another perfect viewing night like this. We stood anxiously, my husband wrapping his arm around my waist. I smiled up at him, soaking in the pleasure of the moment.

Suddenly, I was distracted, as I saw movement in the sky. But instead of the beautiful falling stars I was hoping for, I saw strange orange lines forming.

"Do you see that? Look, there are more!" I kept looking over at my husband to see if he was seeing what I was. A woman a few feet away was saying the same things to her husband. Apparently, they were not seeing this.

We all had been looking up at the night sky, admiring the abundance of stars in the black velvet night. Suddenly, the little orange lines started connecting some of the stars, and then connecting groups of stars. Was this a trick? How could this be happening? I didn't understand if the lines were showing us some message, or if they were making constellations.

The lines formed faster and faster, and my husband finally began to see them as well. Just as he noticed what was happening, flashes of the same orange light started dropping toward the ground rapidly. I knew in my gut that whatever was happening, horror and destruction would surely accompany it. I grabbed my husband's hand and ran back into my parents' house, turning off lights instantly as I entered.

"Mom, get down on the ground. Where's the baby? She needs to be on the ground." We were all hiding on the floor of the kitchen, beneath the window. We hoped they couldn't see us, whoever was making all the noise outside.

I looked up at my husband, realizing that all his sci-fi dreams had come true; aliens had finally visited us. But the shrieks of terror outside our window were not those of welcoming hosts. The aliens had begun killing everyone on that field, perhaps everyone that saw the orange lines connecting the stars. They were witnesses. Would I be able to remember all the intricate lines I saw? Would I even live to try? Perhaps if we live through this, I can describe what I saw to some scientist. But who would believe me?

b.b.

Monday, December 1, 2008

The Yule Log Menorah

I was recently reading about Yule in a book called The Provenance Press's Guide to the Wiccan Year by Judy Ann Nock. Ms. Nock suggested that one spiritual practice for the Yule season is to bring a yule log into your home, cut eight holes in the top, and place candles in the holes. She wrote that one should let the candles burn all the way down.

Sound familiar? It's a menorah!

I did a quick search on yule logs online, only to find that most earth-based practices suggest using three candles instead of eight. So I'm not sure why Ms. Nock prefers eight candles, but it made me think that there should be such a thing as a yule log menorah. Why not? Hanukkah is a festival to celebrate bringing light into a dark world (as well as some supposed miracle that happened to the Maccabees), and Yule is a pagan festival to also celebrate/encourage the return of light during our darkest time of the year.

So maybe someday I'll make my own yule log menorah and market it to secular and/or earthy Jews.


Blessed be.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Earth-based Thanksgiving

As I struggle with our celebration of Thanksgiving, I think about the hardships of the Pilgrim settlers, but more about the sorrowful colonization of the Native Americans. I read a touching story by a woman of the Dineh nation, titled Thanksgiving: A Native American View.

This year, I have compiled three prayers that help me feel the thankfulness of the day while also honoring the Native American experience. I include St. Francis of Assisi because of our family's Christian relatives and secular Christian identity.


Thanksgiving Prayer
We return thanks to our mother, the earth, which sustains us.
We return thanks to the rivers and streams, which supply us with water.

We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.
We return thanks to the moon and stars, which have given to us their light when the sun was gone.
We return thanks to the sun, that has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.
Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in Whom is embodied all goodness, and Who directs all things for the good of Her children.

~ Iroquois Prayer, adapted


For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


The Canticle of the Creatures
Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord,
All praise is Yours, all glory, honor and blessings.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong;
no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

We praise You, Lord, for all Your creatures,
especially for Brother Sun,
who is the day through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,
of You Most High, he bears your likeness.

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Moon and the stars,
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.
We praise You, Lord, for Brothers Wind and Air,
fair and stormy, all weather's moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made.

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Water,
so useful, humble, precious and pure.

We praise You, Lord, for Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night.
He is beautiful, playful, robust, and strong.

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Earth,
who sustains us
with her fruits, colored flowers, and herbs.

We praise You, Lord, for those who pardon,
for love of You bear sickness and trial.
Blessed are those who endure in peace,
by You Most High, they will be crowned.

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in their sins!
Blessed are those that She finds doing Your Will.
No second death can do them harm.

We praise and bless You, Lord, and give You thanks,
and serve You in all humility.

~ St. Francis of Assisi

Monday, November 24, 2008

Giving birth: life and creation

Finding out that I was indeed not pregnant, with a visit from la regla (in Spanish), I have been thinking about creating life. My first- and only- pregnancy gave me the experience of giving birth, and what it feels like to be a part of creation.

I read in Starhawk's The Earth Path this weekend, that the traditional (Judeo-Christian) creation story simply does not make sense with our eco-feminist experiences. Women bring life into the world through sweat, pain, and hella physical involvement. Yet, the Judeo-Christian creation story claims that a male god gave birth to the earth, and only with commandments, not any physical involvement whatsoever (except maybe a little of his breath blowing on the waters or some such nonsense).

After reading about this in Starhawk's book, I thought about how offended I felt. Here I had given birth to a beautiful daughter, through my own hard labor- hours of hard labor- and I'm supposed to believe that our earth and all its living inhabitants were "delivered" simply be a man saying "do it"? It is tough to swallow, now knowing first-hand what the delivery process really entails for a woman.

A man doesn't deserve the credit.


b.b.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Northern Illinois Deer in Winter

Yesterday, while enjoying some forest preserve time with my husband and daughter, we tried to find deer. After not seeing a single deer, I pondered: What do deer do in the winter? Do they hibernate? So here are a couple answers to what they do during the winter in Illinois:

Wiki Answers: They will find a place where there is little snow, like under a short tree. Or in a thicket of bushes.

The Wilderness Classroom: Deer like to eat a variety of different vegetation. In the summer they eat acorns, green plants, nuts, fruits, and aquatic plants. In the fall they switch to eating grasses and evergreen plants. During the winter they eat woody plants because that is all that is available. A varied diet is important for deer because it allows them to get the right nutrients at different times of the year. If winter lasts a long time than often starvation will kill the deer because of a lack of nutrient rich trees.

Nixon et al: Studies of large mammals suggest that most migration behavior is learned from kin, not genetically fixed. In Illinois, however, where landscapes are flat, forages are seasonally abundant and winter weather seldom threatens deer, such behaviors, while rare, are still present. Indeed, migration behavior was observed from the earliest years of deer reintroduction in Illinois, as deer moved seasonally toward and away from the Rock River in northern Illinois. The climate of Illinois is temperate continental, with cold winters and warm summers. Jan., the coldest month averages -3.1 C, and Jul., the warmest, averages 23.6 C in central Illinois. In most years, snow seldom covers the ground for extended periods even in northern Illinois.

Snow seldom covers the ground for extended periods even in northern Illinois? I beg to differ! Last year, I don't remember seeing the ground at all during winter, only snow. So what do the deer do then? Did they migrate last year to south of Chicago?

This post begins my new attempt to learn more about my local ecosystem. Schools don't teach it any more, though at the turn of the 20th Century, it was required coursework in American public schools. Perhaps my daughter will grow up knowing more about her local ecosystem than I ever did.


Blessed Be.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Dante's Prayer, by Loreena McKennitt

When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone

I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and the fire

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars

Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me...


b.b.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Dream Sequence #4

Where is all that noise coming from?

I was naked, but I still needed to go to the window to see where that noise was coming from. Sure enough, it was coming from Marie's unit. Her dog was watching TV, and the volume was up as loud as it will go. And it wasn't even her dog! It was someone else's dog in her apartment!

"So what is all the noise?" My husband asked as he entered the bedroom.

"It's dumb-butt's dog watching TV again, except it's not even her dog this time. It's someone else's dog. I hope I run into her again. I'll give her a piece of my mind."

b.b.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Thr First Friend I Lost

John was the first friend I lost, lost because of my religious searching. He was an adult chaperon on a trip I took as a teenager, and for years we kept in touch afterward. I saw him as a mentor and friend, though he was a solid 15 years older than me. One day I confided in him that I was questioning the Christian faith, and searching in other religions for something that fit me better. He condemned me; he scolded me (over email) for questioning my faith.

Soon thereafter, I married an amazing man- the love of my life. I invited John to the wedding, only to find that he was no longer answering emails. There was no wedding RSVP from him.

Looking back now, I realize that such common things- like expanding our minds and exploring our world- can end relationships. I live a double life, writing this blog, and never telling any family members or Christian friends about my new found love of paganism. But I fear losing them, as I lost John. He was only a friend, and I only rarely miss his advice and commentary on life. But how could I bear a similar experience with my parents, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my closest friends from college?

I continue living this hidden life. I hope that someday paganism will be accepted and valued in our society. In this world I imagine, gays can marry, women have rights over their body, the environment is more than just an afterthought, and pagans live peacefully without witch-hunts.

b.b.

Monday, November 10, 2008

My Life as a Baobob


Yes, if I were a tree, I would choose to be a baobob. Not only are they unique and bit freaky, but every part of the tree can be used for some practical purpose. You can build a canoe out of it, eat its fruit, enjoy its shade, admire its aesthetic strangeness. After re-watching my favorite movie this weekend, The Fountain, I see this tree as embodying the message of "death as an act of creation." In the death of a baobob, many other living beings are allowed to keep creating.
Thanks to sweet friend, un-named, for sending this picture from Africa, where she helps educate about and fight AIDS.
Blessed be.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Dream Sequence #3

I could tell my daughter was hungry. Panicking, I searched the room for something she would eat. Nothing. Then I remembered- I had packed a large skillet, a gallon of peanut butter, and a two-foot banana. I quickly mixed the two in the skillet and began to fry. This would be perfect for her to eat.

My science book lay beside me while I cooked. Oh hell, I forgot my science test was tomorrow. I served up the food for her to start eating while I quickly crammed for the test in my bedroom. How could I read an entire science book in one night and be ready for the exam? I had not attended any classes, has not read any of the book, and had not done any of the assignments. I opened the book up to Chapter 1: Teletubies explain science. I turned on my daughter's Teletubies dvd, knowing it would help me remember what I read.

"Hey, what'cha doin'?" My husband walked in the room and began to seductively lie down next to me. Not now, not when I need to read an entire Teletubies science book! I looked up at the tv without answering him. I needed this information to sink in.

The Teletubies show has Kelsey Grammar playing my husband, and it drew me in more. He was naked, and looked exactly like my husband. I glanced over at my husband, confused, and realized that I wanted him more than anything at that moment; I could not resist my desire for him. We started making out, rolling over each other on the bed. I decided that the Teletubies science test could wait. Maybe I'd ask the professor if I could take an incomplete for the semester.


b.b.

Friday, November 7, 2008

The World Has Changed

Our nation has changed, and thus the world has changed. We influence the world profoundly. I say the following only half-jokingly.

The world changed in 2008 when America's Next Top Model winner was a plus-sized model.

The world changed in 2008 when the American Idol winner turned out to be a guy with actual talent.

The world changed in 2008 when Americans elected Barack Obama president.

The world is forever changed.

blessed be.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Bodicea

Sadly, I cannot find much information on my new person-of-the-moment, Bodicea. I only know she was a Celtic warrior / goddess mentioned in a book I read last week. Here is the book. Here is what I've learned of Bodicea (and here). I have found a Wikipedia article on her, under the name Boudica.

I am suburbian woman warrior; I fight my enemies naked, with blue paint covering my unmentionables. I haunt Lincolnshire.


b.b.

Dream Sequence #2

Coming out of the movie theater, I saw him walking toward me, and I wondered to myself: How can I spend more time with him? His walk was more forceful than usual, and I saw something in his face that could have been anger or just plain stress. With his towering height, it almost frightened me, but also aroused me. He looked up an noticed me, not slowing his step at all until about two feet before me.

"Are you okay? You don't look so good." I wanted to wrap my arms around him, but I knew there was a very good chance he'd reject that.

"I can't believe it! How could they have done something like this?" He was shouting, people were staring, and his long arms were making gestures that could have knocked out a small child. I didn't care a bit; I wanted to hold him and cradle him to make whatever this was go away.

At that minute, my phone vibrated in my pocket and I realized I was late meeting Megan. He told me he was running back to his room, so he walked away from me, starting up his long strides of anger again. I felt like a piece of me had been torn out; how could someone who doesn't even want me have such a tight hold on me?

I walked back home, the 8 blocks of upity neighborhood that I walked through every day to get to class. Megan was in the park waiting for me, also looking like she needed a shoulder to cry on. I listened to her latest heartbreak and then shared of my encounter with him. She gave me a motherly smile, the kind that says "I know exactly what you're thinking."

"I think I need to get home and make a phone call."

She shot her secretive smile at me and replied, "I know."

I called him on my cell phone while I was still 3 blocks from home, hoping he would answer.

"Hello?" His voice sounded somewhat calmer, but still agitated.

"Hi. It's me. Do you want to talk?"

"Yes. I'm walking to your place now." My heart raced. He thought of me and wanted to come to me in his time of need. Maybe it meant nothing, but I could still cherish the time with him.

I decided to cut over to Main Street and try to intercept him. I got there, turned right, and saw him a couple blocks south of me still. I started running, craving the emotional connection that I wanted him to feel for me. I felt at home in his arms. I felt safe tucking my face into his neck. Please, please let him feel that for me.

I got to him a little out of breath, looked up at him questioningly, and waited to see what he wanted. He wrapped his arms around me. I was home.

I loved you the first time I met you.

You broke my heart and I loved you.

We got married and I loved you.

Our child came and I loved you.

Through the distance or haze, I love you.

b.b.

Entering the Darkness: Samhain / Halloween

Halloween isn't a candy holiday; it's a holiday of fear. We fear for our children when they trick-or-treat; we fear for the candy that strangers give them; we fear their costumes are too revealing; we fear that weirdos will use the day as an excuse for violent crimes; we fear the dead walking among us; we fear the darkness.

Life's mysteries happen in the dark. We are created in the womb, in darkness. When we die, we return to darkness of our soils. Halloween / Samhain acknowledges the mysteries of life that happen in darkness, and begins a new year in darkness. The new year begins as our dark season begins. The day itself begins as the sun sets, leaving us to wonder in the presence of the darkness.

May we fear less and embrace the mysteries of the dark.


Blessed be.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Dream Sequence #1

Sarah finished singing, frowning at me as if I understood that she somehow made a mistake in her unbelievable performance. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to have such an amazing talent, to be able to bring music out of nowhere just by opening your mouth. I clapped and smiled, proud that my close friend was the center of everyone's attention. The stadium full of thousands of fans began to suffocate me, so I found my way out into the corridors. I didn't want a soda or a pretzel, just a chance to hear my own thoughts for a few minutes. I wondered then if anyone ever became a smoker just to be able to "go for a smoke" when they needed a break from a large crowd. As I pondered this, and the ridiculous logic behind it, I found a cozy nook to rest in: a small area of wall where no one was standing and no vendors were vending. I cocked my head upwards and closed my eyes, unsure if I could just sneak out completely without Sarah noticing. She was done with her performance after all. I didn't need to hear everyone else; I had come to support her and I did.

Then I saw him.

He was walking by, tall, handsome, and smiling at me as he walked by. Something too familiar entered me as he walked by. Had I known him in college? High school? Did I have a date with him and not remember? All I knew was the feeling of connection. I was connected to this stranger and I couldn't just walk away.

"Do I know you? I mean, have we met before?" I tried not to sound crazy, and hoped my smile would soften the awkwardness of the moment.

"Uh, no I don't think so." His voice sounded like the voice you would want to hear when you have the flu and can't even get out of bed for a can to throw up in. He lingered, looking at me, possibly feeling something I felt.

"I, uh... I was going to go get some coffee. Would you want to join me?" Too forward, he'll never agree to it. I looked down at my shoes and suddenly remembered that I didn't look too horrible tonight. My emerald green evening gown with the high waist was flattering to my not-so-thin figure. I had my hair styled into flowing curls earlier that day, and my cleavage wasn't too horrible either. I looked up at him expectantly.

"Yeah, I would like a break." He smiled and looked around at our options.

I wasn't ready to let this moment slip by, certainly not as one of us stood in line for a pretzel. I saw an exit door and asked if he wanted to go to the Starbucks across the street.

As we left the concert hall, it occurred to me that he might be here with someone else, and that I knew nothing about him other than the gut feeling of connectedness.

"Oh, there's also that pub next door. You have a preference?" Let him make the decision. Then you're not the crazy one.

"I could really use a beer. You mind?" I suddenly saw in him a sadness and weariness that I had not noticed earlier. I shook my head and we crossed the street, trying not to let the cold wind get the best of us.

"Can you believe this weather? It's only November!" The small talk seemed superficial and fake as I thought about the feeling I was having, the feeling that we had talked about much more than this in some previous life.

We sat at the bar, where I saw him glancing at my dress, my cleavage, and my crossed legs. It felt natural, like I had tried to look good just for him. The way his black suit hung off his shoulders made me feel even more drawn to him as we ordered.

"I'll have whatever is on tap. Something dark."

"And for the lady?" The bartender must assume we're together. Play along.

"Uh, how about a margarita, or do you even have tequila?"

"Sure. What flavor?"

"Pomegranate if you have it."

The bartender nodded and walked to the opposite end of the bar to enter our drinks in his computer.

"So tell me about yourself." I was so eager to know this man, every detail. I wanted to probe into his mind, his heart, his past, and maybe not scare him off in the process.

"Well, I study math in a PhD program. I like comic books, sci fi, alternative music, indie movies." He probably would have gone on forever, but looked self-conscious and stopped. "Yeah, I'm a nerd."

He didn't look it. He looked handsome, respectable, kind. "The fact that you have such a creative and intelligent mind is just fascinating." I wanted to say more, but told myself not to scare him off. "And, uh, girlfriend? Wife?" Appear confident. Don't regret that you said it. Maybe the emerald dress gave me more confidence, but I still wondered if I had crossed a line asking him these questions.

"Yeah, she dragged me hear tonight. I hate these kind of things, especially classical music. I'd much rather be at home, reading a book and enjoying the sound of the rain, except it's probably too cold for rain." My heart melted. He's perfect. And taken.

"So she's your wife?"

"No, no. We got engaged a while ago. It's not something I like to talk about."

"No, please, go ahead. I'm a good listener, I promise." I reached over and touched his hand to emphasize that I'm being sincere. But I suddenly felt an overpowering image of laying naked with him, us holding each other and kissing every inch of the other person's skin. The image was so vivid and quick, that I wondered where it came from. A movie? Deja vu? I quickly pulled my hand away, embarrassed that I had felt this for another woman's fiance.

"Well, I wasn't ready to be engaged. She kind of convinced me to go on this trip to Europe, she had a ring for herself already, and she pulled it out under the Eiffel Tower. I feel ashamed that I even let her do any of it." The pain in his face was visible, even though I didn't know him well. I could see his unhappiness, and wondered why someone this amazing should ever have to be unhappy.

I touched the back of his head as a comforting gesture, then let my hand slide down his neck. "You deserve to be happy. Why are you with her if you don't want to marry her?"

"I get lonely." He looked at me and I swore I saw the passion that I was feeling for him.

"Tell me more about you. I don't want to talk about this any more."

I sat up strait and described that I was a researcher for a radical grassroots group that wanted to change laws regarding compulsory schooling. "Most of the families I work with either don't agree with schools' morality teachings, or they just simply don't believe kids should be forced into schooling."

"Wow. I've never heard of that. It sounds interesting."

"Yeah, it is. I like it a lot." I noticed that he wasn't interested in hearing more about my career, but just wanted to look into my eyes and memorize my features. Feeling self-conscious, I stood up to go to the restroom. He stood up too, standing inches from me. I could feel his breath on my neck as he leaned in toward me. I wasn't sure what he was doing. Was he breathing on my neck to turn me on? Let it slide. It's working. My hair was moving around on my neck. He was smelling my hair. As his fingers brushed my neck, the shivers only lovers feel shook through my body. I felt his hand on my hip and silently agreed to let him do anything he wanted. I was his.

"You were getting up to dance right?" He smiled at me as he pulled me closer and started swaying to the music.

"Well, no, but it's nice. You're easy to be with." This time I smiled, wondering if this moment could last forever. I felt my body pressed against his and realized that he had slipped his arm around me.

He kissed my neck, sending feelings through me I hadn't know in years. I closed my eyes to picture what might happen if we continue on this path. Then I pictured the girl waiting for him back at the arena. She'd be furious. And I'd be the other woman.

"I can't... I just, I don't think I can do this when you're engaged."

He pulled away, sat back down at the bar, stared into his half-empty beer, then looked up at the ceiling as if he had some grand statement to make. "I know. You don't seem like the type to just ignore other people's feelings. Maybe that's why I like you so much."

He took a long drink of his beer, then took my hand and looked into my eyes. "Here's the thing. I like you a lot. I want to know you better. I want to know everything about you and I want to experience everything with you. Am I alone here? Do you feel it too?"

I looked out the dark pub windows, toward the arena. Be honest. "Honestly? When you took my hand just now, I had visions of a future with you. You're amazing. I felt connected to you before we even spoke to each other. But I can't explore anything with you when I know you're engaged. I just don't do stuff like that."

"Then I'm not engaged. It's over, and I want your phone number."

I looked out the window again and saw snow falling. I wanted to walk through the snow with him, not alone anymore. I wanted to show him how the evergreen outside my apartment looks after it snows. I wanted to save him from this unhappiness that had trapped him. I wanted the chance to make him happy.

"Do you have a pen?"


b.b.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Awsome at 30

As my husband turns 30, I want to list all the ways he is awesome:
  1. Attractive
  2. Kind
  3. Intelligent
  4. Great father
  5. Great listener
  6. Amazing lover
  7. Talented writer
  8. Talented artist
  9. Hard worker
  10. Great taste in music
  11. Great taste in movies
  12. Wonderful sense of humor
  13. Expert foot-rubber
  14. Chooses great places to hike
  15. Cooks vegetarian food for wife and daughter
  16. Introduces wife to new sci-fi that she loves
  17. Lets wife choose Star Trek episodes to watch
  18. Drives long distances to get wife her favorite foods
  19. Rubs wife's back when she is stressed
  20. Gets daughter milk at 4:30AM
  21. Reads daughter books
  22. Plays patty-cake with daughter
  23. Applies for jobs where wife wants to live
  24. Calls wife and daughter every day at lunch
  25. Brings wife flowers quite often
  26. Gets wife cheesecake and/or chocolate and/or apple pie when she craves it
  27. Puts up with wife's crazy conservative family for her
  28. Defends wife to even crazier in-laws
  29. Takes off work to help de-stress wife
  30. Chooses to spend birthday with wife and daughter

Thank you for being amazing at 30. XOXO

b.b.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Yelling at the Universe

Why yell at the universe? I get screwed over, that's why. But when I dared the universe to prove me wrong, that not everything is conspiring against me, a lovely thing happened. Enough said.

Now our dry land is getting the rain is so thirsted for, and I am inside watching and smelling it. Maybe I'm done yelling at the universe for now.


b.b.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Top Ten Reasons to Consider the Earth-based Path

  1. No guilt over supposed sinful nature, or the cheesecake and tequila from last night.
  2. Women can participate.
  3. Women can hold leadership roles.
  4. I can watch reruns of Charmed.
  5. Black is slimming, and not associated with the Devil.
  6. The woods are my chapel.
  7. Nudity is OKAY, especially in my bedroom.
  8. I can name my plants, but only the nice ones.
  9. No plans to burn in hell for eternity.
  10. Halloween is finally okay.

blessed be.