PETA Bread

My dog and I find an average of three cents a day when we go for a walk. That's what, $10 a year? That's money that kinda drops out of the sky. My luck has been trmendously bad (see practically the rest of this blog) but in some ways it's been tremendously good. My dog Pony is the greatest dog in the world...yes, see, Pony, I've typed it in the blog, so get off me now, ok?

So what to do with the money? Especially since I'm unemployed? After the total disappointment of Philly Pagan Pride Day, I've been thinking long and hard about my real spirituality. I've decided it has nothing to do with wearing pentagrams, dressing in black and going to things called Pagan Pride Days. It means to try and do as much good as possible, including spreading some of the good luck that's come my way back to the people that means the most to me--animals. Since I'm so discombubulated at the moment, I joined PETA and let them have the fun of dealing with a lost cause. It's a good echo of life--we try to live it as best we can, even though we know we're going to die at the end of all the hard work. So let's keep smilin' and carrying the SAVE THE WHATEVER signs.

Pity Philly Pagans

Paganism is not an organized religion by any means. Idealogically, this is a good thing as it encourages you to think for yourself and not feel threatened by other points of view. However, it's not so good when trying to get together the Philadelphia Pagan Pride Day of 2006 in Clark Park, West Philly. Basically what happened is that a couple dozen people in pentacles got together and stared at each other, asking, "Is this all there is?" I'm sure in my 36 years, I've been to more pitiful events, but at the moment I just can't think of any.

Bad luck played a part in killing Philly Pagan Pride Day, as scheduled speakers just decided to send their astral bodies instead of their physical ones. A nice lady gave out free tarot readings and there were 7 or 8 tables of bright shiny objects for sale (including pepper spray for the Mars worshippers) but outside of that, nada. If there were any talks or lectures or anything else, everyone was sure I left before they started. I stayed for nearly two hours and gave up. It's a bad day when you get more free literature from the Mormons than the Pagans on Philly Pagan Pride Day.

At least no one need fear us--we've proved we're harmless!

What would help bring out attendence to Philly Pagan Pride Day 2007...or 2008 if next year's is called off due to befuddlement. Here's some suggestions:

• A cute mascot


• A game of Pin the Blame on the Donkey


• A slogan...like "Witchin' Is Bitchin'" or something.


• Perhaps handouts on easy tips to help save the enviornment...we are a nature religion, right?


• Clark Park has the world's only full size statue of Charles Dickens. Seance, anyone?


• Pinatas for the kids or those needing a safe release of pent up anger

All kidding aside, I'm glad there is such a thing as a Philly Pagan Pride Day (whether anything happens or not)and I wish it the best of luck on finding a really good spell to whip it into shape.

A New Low In Pop Culture

I love Dragons. They're a part of my personal mythology. I think they're the stuff in between atomic particles. Almost all cultures in the world have some draconic thingamabob in their mythology, which shows they're in the human unconsciousness somewhere. I also think they used to allow themselves to be seen but now sit back in hiding in between subatomic particles and laugh their invisible asses off at us. We certainly give them a lot to laugh about.

But this is just a tad bit tacky. I'm all for free artisitic epression, but here's"Rider From the Mystic Realm", coming to a coupon booklet near you. This is only part of a trend to turn Dragons into Elvis. We're seeing him everywhere on everything. It's bad enough that there are dragon christmas ornaments, dragon fabrege' eggs and dragon collectable motocycles, but now there's dragon urban slang and computer smiley dragon feti. I don't know about you, but I'm really scared.

Now, I know Dragons are no sacred cows and enjoy a good laugh just like anyone else. Perhaps they even enjoy a Silly Dragon. But I do worry that there might be a fundamentalist fringe group among Dragonland that's gonna take this way too seriously and start blasting collectors or Prescious Moments dragons. Random arson among tacky dragon art collections can't in any way hold up to be arson by dragons in any world court. We'd wind up blaming each other and maybe even start sanctions and trade embargos and worse between the collectors and the not-collectors. This is the kind of thing I think about 'cause I can't find a decent job. Perhaps that's the work of fundamentalist fringe Dragonists as well.

I think I can work this up into a good conspiracy theory (unlike a really sad conspiracy theory). Maybe then I could get a manuscript published. I could build the dragons an altar and give to all kinds of Dragonism causes with the money (hint, hint, Dragon Gods ).

Back In The USofA

One year ago today, my dog Pony and I left England to go live with my Mom in the Philadelphia area (the area of my breeding and training). We were in Bathwick and had to get to Gatwick on the other side of the country by 11 am. This was fun. It required we wake at 4am to catch a 5am train out of Bath Spa Station (convincing Pony that the train was not a monster--she literally had to make a leap of faith to get on the train), transfer at Reading, then on to Gatwick. At Gatwick, we discovered US Airways could not give us a dog crate although they originally said they could. We then had to take a taxi to British Airways, ALL HAIL BRITISH AIRWAYS, who felt pity on us and GAVE us an abandoned dog crate. Then we faced about a 10 hour journey to Philly International (with all the delays) where Pony had more room, a good sleep in the dim hold of the plane while I was crammed in a tiny sleep surrounded by strangers who seemed obsessed with bright shiny objects.

But we made it--'cause we had to. So what have I learned in a year?

• American Bacon Butties suck.


• Monty Python just keeps getting funnier and funnier


• Blogging is fun


• Home is not a place...it's just that all the other four letter words were taken.

Get Your Population Under Control

Why do people want to have kids? I've never figured that out. Especially since the world is so overpopulated. Hell, I'm looking forward to any and all apocolypses since then I'd never have to worry about a parking spot. I'd also have a very good chance of finally getting a job. Anyway, it's not as if human beings are an endangered species.

So why do we have infertitlty clinics? That's always boggled my mind. We have more than enough kids, but yet we spend money and what's left of our resources on bringing more mouths to feed and butts to wipe? I don't get it. I think these infertitlity clinics should offer the option of giving women a chance to give birth to a panda. The world needs more pandas. And here are the benefits of having a panda instead of a crumb crusher:

• The average birth weight of a panda is 3 1/2 OUNCES.


• The average birth weight of a panda is 3 1/2 OUNCES. I know I've repeated myself, but the information is just so significant, it's worth repeating.
  
• Pandas can't grow up to run away from home to another country and shack up with an alchoholic (unlike some blog writers....)


• They never outgrow their cute phase


• They're grown up in five or six years


• They don't sue their own parents


• They don't do this


• Or this


• And, most importantly, they don't do this

People might be important--no one can prove that they are or are not--but we sure as shooting are not the end all and be all.

Hope for Humanity Yet

Most days I feel like I have to apologize for the rest of my species to the world. Sometimes, though, I actually can LIKE being a member of the homo sapiens.
Enjoy. And even more cause for hope. Maybe next time I decide to run away from home, I'll go to Finland.

And if that weren't enough, then there's this which I nicked from Beliefnet.com:
A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's artwork. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."The teacher paused and said, "but no one knows what God looks like."

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing the girl replied, "They will in a minute."

More of the ususal pounding my head against a wall next time.

Warning: I'm Pissed Off

NOTE: The following post is NOT directed at anyone who was directly affected by 9/11. In fact, you're better off skipping reading this post and watching this

Right. As mentioned in the title, I am pissed off. So, I decided to take the pissed off-ness energy and do a blog post rather than bang my head against a wall...which, actually, is pretty much the same thing at times. ANYWAY

I'm really hoping America (those not directly suffering from the tragic events of 9/11)gets over 9/11. As a student of mythology, I see 9/11 as having a potential to wind up being a whopper. In one sense, it was a day where a lot of Americans lost their sense of security, which is actually a good thing. This is being written by a person who has survived flood, arson, homelessness, being put in hospital by the man who claimed to love me and trans-Atlantic airplane rides. Yes, it was a tragedy. But do we HAVE to be kept reminded of it? Billboards, banners planted in the front yard, TV mini series, supermarket circulars proclaiming "Remember!"...hell, I can't even go SHOPPING without paranoia being thrown in for free? I can see 9/11 greeting cards and 9/11 carols right around the corner, folks:

So sorry you lost someone in 9/11
At least he's smilin' down from heaven!

America seems more paranoid now than when I left it (I was living in Cranliegh, England on 9/11 and couldn't phone the US that day...that was surreal..."Leave a message, and the country will try to get back you")That's a shame, because Americans seemed to really like a good time no matter how crappy the day. Now the Americans I meet and see on TV are jumping at their own shadow.

That's not living, folks. Yes, 9/11 was a nightmare. But we got through it, and we know that we can and will survive. Want to piss off Al Quieda? Live as you did on 9/10/01. Case in point, the dogs of 9/11.
They do not stop to make speeches, paint murals or plant flags. They keep on being dogs. The day always begins with a wag of the tail. There's a great lesson in that, in that they can see what we can't. I hope one day we will remember 9/11 breifly only on 9/11, and then live as happily and as fear-free as we can the rest of the year. That would be the best memorial of all to the victims.

"Come, give me your hand: what's done cannot be undone: to bed, to bed, to bed."
— Lady Macbeth, Act V, Sc. 1

General Election of Personal God Oct 13

You know, I'm going to miss Tony Blair. He was so much fun to make fun of. He took the blame for everything in the UK from political suicide to pay toilets. He was PM the entire time I lived in England...heck, he was PM even before I had my massive metal breakdown...even before I was 30!

Which got me thinking about my personal Diety. (Why? What was I supposed to think of?)I don't have one. As a student of mythology and a pagan, I know that no matter what you call it, it's still the same Great Spirit. But heck, I want to be part of a spiritual Illuminati. So I need to dedicate myself to a personal God. I hate long campaigns, so I'm going to make my pick this October 13. And, just as with Tony, if this God doesn't deliver, Ill hold another election. So here are the main canidates:

• Jesus H Christ Well, beel there. Done that. Didn't even get a damn T-shirt from the bugger. He was in power for nearly a 20 year term in my early life, so I highly doubt His bid for re-election is for real.


• Buddha A really well-qualified and proven canidate with a good voting record, but technically not a God.


• Peter Gabriel All right, technically he's not a God, either, but has the sexy charisma I seek for in any Diety. I think he'd be fun to sin against. So, he's a front-runner.


• Hecate. She's the guardian Diety of my dog. My dog managed to get a better AND cheaper seat on a trans-atlantic flight than ME. 'Nuff said.
  
• Raven I can't get away from this bugger. He's been in my writings in one form or another since I was a little girl. Maybe I should just give up and give him a term in office. All leaders are Tricksters, anyway.
,

May the best God/dess win!

My Birthday Is Nov 18

Happy September first. Just as a reminder, you have plenty of time to get a gift for my birthday. I'll need a lot of comforting as I'll be 37. If I was a Thoroughbred racehorse, I'd be dead. As it is, I'm just an unemployed unpublished writer who occassionally amuses with a blog post or two. Surely keeping my tiny little mind from going pop is a good enough cause to contribute to. Here are a few gift ideas:

• Oh. My. God.


• My own cult...oh, heck, I could share it with Peter Gabriel if I'm in a good mood


• Come to think of it, just send a red ribbon around Peter Gabriel and I'll be all set for my mid-life crisis.

If you can't manage any of those, I'd be honored if you were kind to an animal as a gift not only to me, but to the world. Heck, start now and maybe you won't feel guilty about that turkey at Thanksgiving.

Do We Have The Right To Worship Any Damn Way We Want?

Okay, by now I bet you heard that the crazy leader of a splinter Mormon cult, the FLDS, was finally captured because his car's plates were unreadable. ABC News keeps playing a years' old clip of a blond follower of The Prophet shaking in rage bellowing "I HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP ANY DAMN WAY I WANT!" which got me thinking--do we?

Now, grant it, I've never had any personal contact with this cult. They haven't sent me any threatening letters or promotional literature. I do take issue with child abuse, and splitting up families for a whim (as this cult does.)But, as I do believe in religious freedom, does that mean I have to feel bad for a guy who is crazy enough to have 60 kids?

No, it doesn't. This guy hurts others. That's a little hard to defend in any court, celestial or otherwise. One advantage of kooky cults is that they're ususally all in one place, so we can keep an eye on them. I have nothing against kooky cults. Especially kooky suicide cults (and the FLDS looks as if it's going to be one). They're worth it for the entertainment value alone. They want to hurt themselves, fine--but as soon as you drag someone who isn't willing, then things get psycho. It would be like dragging little chidren off to Sunday School on a perfectly sunny Sunday. AHHH!!!

So, I hope that cults themselves, no matter how kooky, all cults can be allowed. But as soon as they break the golden rule, smack the individulas responsible. And then give them all Darwin Awards.
Besides, we used to do human sacrifices. We could think of suicide cults as voluntary human sacrifices to save the rest of us. Sounds good to me--my ass is saved.

Write On

So, it's been nearly a year since I and my puppy tucked our collective tails between our legs and went across the Pond home to Mommy because my handmade home was burnt down, with my mauscript inside of it. I'm unemployed, trying to readjust to the culture shock of living back in the Philly area, am trying to remember what country I learned phrases from, and learning Mom's computer. So what's the best thing I could do?

Write another book, of course! Not that I've ever gotten one published, but hey, that's not the point, is it? It's trying to ride to life's bucking bronco before the bell rings. As before, I define spirituality as whatever keeps you bothering to breathe and writing books that will destined to be trashed seems to be my way of worshipping. Keeps the nightmares at bay, anyway.

I'm on Chapter Thirteen of this damn thing, and so my blog posts will most likely be a bit sporatic until I have a presentable mauscript. It touches on spiritual themes in a sort of modern myth grabbing a few heroes from past and future. So far it used to be called Rena's Story, but I'm not in it, so now it's
A Work In Progress Titles have the virtue of being the easiest part of a book to change. The story is told in third person, but mainly through the eyes of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. (He's the only Star Trek character in the book...so far) I have an Everyman character who is based on Peter Gabriel, who really needs to be in more personal mythologies. I don't think I can give his actual name without incurring Peter's wrath....wait a minute...maybe I will stick his name in, then. Off to stare at a blank piece of paper until drops of blood appear on my forehead...

RUN! HIDE! IT'S A FAIRY!

My absolute favourite telly show is Sesame Street. I was born a day or two after the show premiered. It is the only show that has survived all of my 36 years (going on 37). So I get really nervous every summer wondering if the series will get renewed. Granted, since the mid 1990's I haven't been keeping up with the show. But I'm glad to see it still exists and has an infusion of new blood to keep it alive. This pic here is, of course, the spawn of Satan, the evil incarnate ABBY CADABBY!

She's not human! She's a fairy! She admits it! She can do magic! She's PINK, for goodness' sake! THE HORROR!

As if we don't have anything else to argue about. World peace...the hole in the ozone layer...deciding whether or not Pluto deserves to be a planet...apparantly these all pale in comparison to the affrontery of a blatantly pagan character joining the ranks of conservative Christian parents and television critics. I guess they watch the show more than their kids do.

The argument against Abby is that she's a faery. What kind of positive image does that give young girls? A Goddamn good one, I say. Women contain the mysterious ability to have babies--that's magick. Ever talk to men? They tend to view women as creatures from another planet (and women generally hold the same view as men.)

Give a kid a metaphore and they'll roll all day with it. More than their parents, apparantly.

Minister Says To Sunday School Teacher "You Go, Girl!"

Now, I'm sure you've heard of this by now: An 85 year old lady who taught Sunday School in the same church for over 50 years was fired by letter from the new pastor. His reason is a line from St. Paul the Arsehole that women should be seen but not heard. I'm starting to think the pastor was the real killer of Jon-Benet Ramsey. The Bible also condones slavery--so does St. Paul--so I'd love to see the letters any of the blacks in the church are going to get.

I have NOTHING against Christians. I was one myself for nearly twenty years until I finally got tired of pounding my head against a wall. My own Mom is Catholic. But what is this taking every word in the Bible literally attitude? And why, if you're going to do that, pick on some topics and not others? Jesus also said to give up all that you have and give to the poor if wanted you to follow him. How poular is that, eh?
That may be one reason Jesus himself never wrote His words down--I doubt he ever meant for them to be taken one rigid, unchanging way all the time for all people in all circumstances. The only way to explain the unexplainable is through allegory and poetry. No sacred text is to be taken as Gospel...except maybe songs by Peter Gabriel, but that's another post.

So, my advice to this brave lady kicked in her behind---be a Witch! You know you want to!

Deep Thought About Living

Hey-ho, rraven the blog here with another edition of the Bloggit Show! ::Applause::

Anyway, on with it.

One of the struggles I've had all my spiritual life is how important or individuality is. Why struggle all your life to Know Thyself if, after death, we are all absorbed by the Great Sponge In The Sky? If we are all part of the picture, then just how important are those individual pieces if in the end all the pieces fuse together? These are the things I think about after ten cups of tea and unsuccessfully tring to find a job. Anyway--

Ever keep going to the same town on your vacations and, even after years, know you haven't seen all that town had to offer? Or how about a favorite book--or movie--at each reading/viewing, you see different things. Perhaps The Great Spirit works like this.

Perhaps each creature is a differnt point of view of God/dess. We all are different incarnations of each other. And all of these incarnations are living simultaneously. I guess then end of the universe will happen after Last Call. Then we go home to bed, sleep it off, and do it all over again.

Yes, I hear you--"Go get another cup of tea."

This Confirms Our Suspiscions

AOL today reprts that a (where else?) California chocalatier found a chocolate figurine in the shape of the Virgin Mary after cleaning a piece of the equipment. Apparantly the Goddess got caught with her finger in the cookie jar, so to speak. I guess it was that time of the month. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who thought chocolate was sacred. The Aztecs and Mayas knew it was ambrosia. Is it any wonder that a top chocolatier called Godiva?

In other news of a Catholic flavour, dogs attended their annual mass in Bolivia. Of course, they only have to attend once a year, so put that guilt away, all you human Catholics. And remember, only on blog posts do human chocolate and dogs mix--although a delightful colour of Labradors is called chocolate.

All I know for sure is that I'm out of chocolate, so God/dess help us all.

Thoughts From The Dentist's Chair

Perhaps God/dess wasn't awake enough when He/She/It created the universe. Hot caffinated beverages had not been invented yet. Perhaps that's why things are as screwy as they are. If I were God there's a lot of things that would be different. Like what, I hear you clamor? Ah well, since you insist:

• Teeth would NOT have NERVES in them (replay title link)


• You should only remember what you wnat to remember


• Any white person attempting to rap should spontaneously combust.


• Male nipples would be pockets you can hide headache medicine in--or at least do SOMETHING, dammit


• Coerce Peter Gabriel into making more albums. He's in the second photo in this post. Come to think of it, I'd make posting Blogger pictures easier, too


• Oh, yeah...probably that world peace thing...

Henge a Henge

Pardon me as I reel from all the outpouring of love Pony received for her 2nd birthday. Imagine--the world has been blessed with two years of Pony. Thanks for the kind thoughts. She even got a video from Starfleet.

Yes, from the above link you can see that I've discoverd YouTube.com This is the sort of thing I would've killed for as a teenager. So I'm making up for lost time.

Which leads us to Stonehenge, and all the other stone monliths and circles and other more or less geometrical patterns. Every now and then I wonder why these damn things were built. (Some people's spirituality requires prayers and flowers--mine seems to require pondering questions that have surprisingly little to do with my everyday life.) Calander? Temple? Job Fair? What?

Which brings us back to YouTube and, of course, Star Trek: The Next Generation. I'm stunned by the amature vidoes on here, ones that are actually quite funny and quite visually spectacular. Partcularly the Star Trek vs Everything category. How many hours did these things take to do? The selecting and editing and layering and posting and then commenting on these video tributes to Star Trek, Star Wars, the Mentos commercial--in order to do a decent parody you have to really know your target. That takes time. And usually a certain ammount of affection.

Perhaps that was why Stonehenge came to be. It was cool. That's why they did it.

Now back to partying with the Pony puppy...

Heca-Tea

My dog Pony is two years old tomorrow. About a year before she was born, I knew I was ready for another canine in my life, after the death of Rusty. As I was homeless at the time, I couldn't adopt a dog from the shelters. So I asked the Goddess Hecate for the right dog, preferably a girl dog. I'm not kidding. I did. I wrote a poem about the perfect dog for me, and Hecate responded. (Reminds me of the saying, "Be careful what you wish for--you may get it.") Pony and her three sisters were born on a day sacred to Hecate. Pony is consecrated to Hecate--sort of a Divine Mother of All Godparents. I'm writing all this today in case I get zapped from either too much partying with the pup or get zapped by Hecate for not having a funny enough blog post.

One of the reasons I asked Hecate, besides Her love of dogs, is that She also cares for the homeless. Food as offering to Her was traditionally left at a place where three roads meet. The food was most likely eaten by homeless or travellers and not by the Goddess or Her Holy Hunting Hounds.

I wish this tradition could be revived, especially in honor of Pony. Tea instead of wine or mead, please. Even if stray dogs eat it instead of people, there would be just that little bit of mercy placed in the world. I can't leave meals out in Philly these days. I'd be arrested for encouraging rats. And rodents, too.

The Angels Are Laughing At Me

Well, this week I've rambled on about how guard dogs should be doing the work of guardian angels, since my ex-guardian angel was a bit of a flake. As you recall, we split up about 1994 so he could go live in England.

I guess he works for Scotland Yard now. Nice to know he's on the case, since my Mom who is a saint has to fly to Canada in one week.

Perhaps my ex-guardian angel Dusty was working with Barney the ex-guard dog in Wookey Hole last week. Who knows what was in those teddies! Perhaps that will be the next thing banned on airplanes.

Someone is looking after my Mom as well as myself--always good to know. Britannia, Brittania rule the international airways.

Zen Master Puppy

I've been reading on and off about Zen Buddhism for 20 years now, (as well as Paganism, Christianity, Hinduism, etc)and it never really sunk in until I stumbled upon this photo on the Nuthin' Butt Dogs site. I can't put it into words--and I've got a feeling that's the point--but Zen Master Puppy here is Zen.