| Saturday, September 6th, 2008 |
| 10:52 am |
Source
I'm reading about Paganism right now and various differences in beliefs. One of the ideas seem to be to go back and re-create what was done before. And part of me likes that and part of me thinks it's going to be caught up in problems of those times. I believe we each connect to whatever there is to connected to as immediately as anyone else. I want to know how those ancient ppl strived to connect and learn from what they learned in the process of trying. But just b/c they did it a long time ago does not mean that they are closer to the truth. Coming from a long tradition where ppl learned from those who tried to connect before them offers possibilities of learning much more than I could on my own. But it also has the problems of picking up crap that didn't work - but got codified for other reasons or of only being relevant to that place/time.
I want to connect to the source that each person has a chance to connect to. That each person tries to imagine as best they can. I believe in the source. I don't know if it is an imagined thing inside our psyches that just needs comfort/support/validation/etc.. Or if it is something inside us that is "real" or outside us that is "real" - but I believe that million have a connection to something. (or somethings) I believe in looking at that source. I am tickled by the idea of calling myself a Sorceress - but sorcery has it's own meaning. So maybe I should call myself a Sourcer.
I have the strangest sense of deja vu that I've reached this conclusion before. |
| Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 |
| 12:33 am |
The Dance of Anger - book notes I'm reading "The Dance of Anger: A Woman's Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships" by Harriet Lerner. It is basically about boundaries. But it uses terms that are easier to understand (psychologists use the term boundaries to means something other than what most ppl think it means) and breaks things down in easy to see examples. The terms she uses are: Overfunctioning/underfunctioning. i.e don't do other ppl's work for them and don't let others do your work for you. This is what psychologists mean by boundaries. A good example is: when I itch - you scratch me for me. The book suffers from gender stereotyping - but if you look beyond that - there are lots of useful concepts and examples. Here are my notes: ( Read more... ) |
| Monday, September 1st, 2008 |
| 9:59 am |
differences vs divisiveness and Unity vs conformity
I've been focusing more and more on how we are all one. A Unity concept. I find this belief to be a powerful motivator toward loving others. It is also useful in helping me clarify my anger toward many injustices in the world. How can one dis-empower or hurt or kill others when you know that we are all one? This is what was wrong with the Christianity I was raised with. It divides us into the saves and the unsaved. Divisive. It is what is at the root of what is wrong with so many structures in our society - some people matter and others don't. In group vs out group. "It's ok to take from them in order to give to us b/c they don't matter." I am happy to have identified that I value this Unity concept.
But yesterday I realized that I have another value that when put next to the first idea seems to contradict it.
I value celebrating the differences in others. We instead seem to want everyone to agree with our way of doing things. To recognize that the values we have are the right values. To worship the way we do - to eat the same kinds of foods we do - to value the same laws that we do etc.
The Christianity of my childhood is certainly guilty of this. It proscribes an exact belief system and demands conformity of face casting out (being damned to hell etc).
So how do I hold these seemingly contradictory ideas in my head? I value Unity that celebrates diversity. I value seeing that each unique individual has a right to live as he or she chooses and that we are all in this together. And that we all lifted up when one of us raises up and we are all pulled down if one of us is pulled down. And what if two parts of this whole disagree about what raising someone up looks like? What if Phillip thinks it is raising someone up to discourage them from harming others (living a homosexual life) - like I think it is raising someone up by discouraging them from harming others (being a pedophile). Do I celebrate his difference? crap - that's too much to get into now. I think I'm going to focus on holding onto the concept of valuing Unity that celebrates diversity.
I want an image to hold onto that embodies this concept. And the image I came up with is the body. Each organ is different and without those differences the body would die or lose some of its abilities. Yet each organ is a part of the whole and anything that harms one organ harms the whole body.
Anyone else have a good image for holding these two concepts together? Other thoughts on the topic? Thanks! :) |
| Sunday, August 24th, 2008 |
| 10:14 pm |
Note to self: eggplant recipe to try
Eggplant Dip (Melitzana Dip)
List of Ingredients
1 large Eggplant
1/4 C Olive Oil or less
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
juice of one Lemon
chopped Italian Parsley, for garnish
Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste
Recipe
Score the eggplant and bake in the microwave for 12 minutes.
Cool eggplant and split open. Discard skin and seeds. Scoop out all the flesh into a food processor.
Add oil, lemon or vinegar, crushed garlic, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Process until creamy.
Scoop mixture in a bowl, garnish with chopped parsley and sprinkle on it a teaspoon of olive oil.
Serve with toasted, seasoned pita pieces. |
| Saturday, August 23rd, 2008 |
| 8:43 pm |
The Elemental Balance Test via ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) wicked_groovy Fun test - tho I don't understand which chakra they are referring to by the Creative Chakra.... is that the sex chakra? They refer to it as orange and the sex chakra is usually the orange one. Maybe this is what happens when one's husband teaches one about the chakras. ;) I'm not surprised I scored high on Earth b/c I spent the last half hour sitting in a tree reading about grounding and the elements. ( Valley ) |
| Friday, August 22nd, 2008 |
| 9:59 am |
Life imitates art imitates... There is a scene in "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman where the characters pretend to be bank guards and take money from customers just like in this article: http://www.2news.tv/news/local/27136339.htmlI can't believe someone actually did it! I'm sure Neil Gaiman got the idea from real life first - but life imitating art (imitating life?) is really funny! (link found via xiombarg - Thanks!) |
| Thursday, August 21st, 2008 |
| 10:01 pm |
bike route I biked to and from MADD today! I rock! http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2194112(I hope the link works for you this time H) Pedometer says it was 19.1 miles - but the pedometer on my bike says 19.67 miles. And I did do some getting lost that isn't on the map. max speed 29.5mph (that was one wicked hill!) time: 1 hr, 48 min, 32 seconds. average speed: 10.8 mhp. There were HUGE downhills on the way there - so I must have climbed those hills on the way back - but they were not all at once. |
| Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 |
| 12:55 pm |
bike My goal today was to bike to MADD in preparation for biking there tomorrow when I'm scheduled to volunteer at 1pm. I did not make it the whole way. I made it this far: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2189779then decided to turn back b/c I was about to go down a Steep hill and did not want to have to come back up it. So I retraced my steps. I need to figure out that last bit by car and see if there is a way to do it without huge hills - or if I want to take the bus back! |
| Monday, August 18th, 2008 |
| 8:48 pm |
Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage My nose is at a similar angle and my smile is about as open as Rachel's here. ( Rachel Weisz = 74% ) |
| 8:46 pm |
|
| 8:43 pm |
Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage I think at 61% the only thing that can be said is that I have 2 eyes, a nose, and maybe a mouth - just like these fine ppl! ( Erica Durance 61% ) |
| Saturday, August 16th, 2008 |
| 10:53 pm |
|
| 3:32 pm |
egg plant
Just made a nice eggplant dish. If I ever want to do it again - here it is.
Cube 2 to 3 eggplants.
Put some olive oil in the bottom of the big pot (the one like the frying pan only deeper),
Stir fry for a bit, add ~ 2 cups water 1/2 C at a time, boil/sautee with lid (stirring occasionally) until eggplant becomes a sauce. add 3 or 4 smashed cloves garlic. salt and pepper, 2 medium zucchinis and cook another 10 minutes until zucchinis are soft (but not mushy).
eat.
YUM! |
| Friday, August 15th, 2008 |
| 12:01 pm |
The Perception Personality Image Test via jerelk I got the Humanitarian as my result on the Perception Personality Test. ( Humanitarian )I got 0 (between -10 and +10) on Nature vs Humanity and they scored that as Humanity - but if they had scored it as Nature - I would have had "Guru" as my result. |
| 10:15 am |
A Girl Like Me via ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif) body_impoliticThe scene with the little kids holding up the white doll as the "good" doll and the black doll as the one that they look like is heart wrenching. |
| Thursday, August 14th, 2008 |
| 10:19 pm |
foodie meme My friends list had 2 different versions of this meme right next to each other... so I'm choosing the below rules: Instructions: 1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions. 2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten. 2a) Italicize any item you'll never eat again. 2b) Asterisk any items you'd be willing to try but have not yet. 3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. 4) Optional extra: Post a comment at the originating site http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results.
( 100 lines of food ) |
| Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 |
| 9:35 am |
Como Park Zoo
I just got a call from the Como Park Zoo regarding my letter about the poor bison care. Jean said that the bison in question is an elderly bison and they are aware of the condition - and are doing everything they can. With bison - in order to touch them - they have to let you or you have to knock them out. This bison won't let you touch her and knocking her out might kill her due to her age. They did add wallows to the enclosure to try to help with the fly problem.
So I was very grateful for the call - I wish I'd asked why the volunteer did not explain all of this - tho frankly - I wouldn't expect all of the volunteers to be able to remember all of that for every animal. So I feel much better about the zoo. YAY! :)I'm glad I wrote and got a reply! |
| Sunday, August 10th, 2008 |
| 10:26 pm |
Sacred Harvest Fest We are back from Sacred Harvest Fest. We had a great time! too tired to post much about it now - hopefully more later. I am behind by over 200 posts on LJ. Let me know if there is something in particular I should see. Thanks! :) |
| Monday, July 28th, 2008 |
| 11:45 pm |
bike Today's route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2122027Thank you to jdoggiedogg for picking me up when I decided i was too tired to bike back. Despite what it looks like on the map - there is no way to go from the railroad trail to Wheelock Parkway - the road crosses over the trail on a bridge. Also - quite easy to get turned around in the Waterworks park (and rather hilly) - but beautiful. :) Odometer says: Av speed: 10 mph, 9.74 miles, max 20mph, 57 minutes. We biked to and from the Como Zoo the other day: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2122033I did not record the Odometer readings - but it was not a bad ride. Too bad the zoo was so disappointing. Oh and I went to the local UU vigil for the Knoxville TN shooting tonight. It was smaller than I thought it would be, but I'm glad I went. |
| Sunday, July 27th, 2008 |
| 9:04 pm |
|
