tag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:163818firefly124firefly124firefly1242011-09-21T16:12:18Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:163818:112569Snabbled from flist, plus Happy Mabon to those celebrating!2011-09-21T16:11:35Z2011-09-21T16:12:18Zamusedpublic0I kind of saw this coming (heh) from a mile away, given how some of the questions were set up. I actually think Martha or Donna would make more sense, but I'm hardly complaining.<br /><br /><a href="http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/testgen/5189/"><img src="http://stat.rumandmonkey.com/tests/9/8/5189/20509.jpg" title="You are Captain Jack Harkness" alt="You are Captain Jack Harkness" border="0" /></a><br />You are Captain Jack Harkness<br /><a href="http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/testgen/5189/">Take The Doctor Who Personality Test and Horoscope today!</a><br /><small>Created with <a href="http://rumandmonkey.com/">Rum and Monkey</a>'s <a href="http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/testgen/">Personality Test Generator</a>.</small><div>You are a charming person who is not afraid to try new things (in the bedroom or otherwise). In situations of high stress, you step up to the plate and pull out the pistol you have been smuggling in your bum to fight your way out. You live life hard and fast and ensure everyone involved has a good time. You are also not beyond bending a few laws (natural or otherwise) to accomplish your goals. You will one day introduce every member of your office staff to the joys of homosexuality.</div><br /><br />Also, I am made of fail in the Gratitude Project this year. Let's just consider most days were all about me reminding myself that I'm grateful to have a job, any job, in this economy, and call it done. <br /><br />Which, calendar-wise, the project is for the year, so Happy Mabon to those celebrating, and Happy Fall/Spring (depending what side of the equator you're on) to those who aren't!<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=firefly124&ditemid=112569" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:163818:94641Spiritual babbling2011-01-12T15:03:45Z2011-01-12T15:03:45Znervouspublic2I've been seriously resisting any and all suggestions that I ought to be pursuing clergy work as a thing. I mean, technically, I'm a minister of the Universal Life Church, which has so far led to presiding over one very nonstandard baptism in the past 12 years or whatever it's been, but that's about it. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://firefly124.dreamwidth.org/94641.html#cutid1">Cut for lengthy babble.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div> Because part of all this is figuring out Who among my Patrons wants what from me, and what I'm willing and able to commit to. So, um, yeah. That's clearly going to be a major theme this year. Whee!<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=firefly124&ditemid=94641" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:163818:86668Last night was made of awesome2010-11-05T12:52:23Z2010-11-05T12:52:23Zhappypublic0Went to see "Experience Hendrix 2010" last night, and wow! I absolutely loved every minute, though one of the highlights was definitely Doug Wimbish of Living Colour kneeling on the floor about ten feet away from us and playing the hell out of his bass for this little boy who was obviously just awestruck. At least, I assume the little boy was awestruck, because I sure as hell was!<br /><br />One of the best things, I thought, was the way each act took a classic Hendrix song or three and included both classic Hendrix touches (e.g. Steve Vai playing the guitar with his tongue) and something of their own spin on it (e.g. hints of "Cliffs of Dover" in Eric Johnson's playing). To me, that was an even better tribute than "just" covering Hendrix's songs, as it spoke (at least to me) of not only how much each of these musicians loved Hendrix's music but also the ways in which he had inspired their own musical paths, truly passing on a musical legacy.<br /><br />I hadn't been to a concert in ages, and I'm so very glad to have gone to this one. <br /><br />In other non-musical stuff from the evening, Patsfan and I had a surprising conversation over dinner facilitated, weirdly enough, by Facebook. Seems one of his coworkers is friends with Priest Dude, saw me comment on one of PD's posts, and started asking Patsfan about HTAZP. There was a degree of "OMG, freaky Pagan stuff!" in this, apparently. Leading to Patsfan trying to explain stuff he totally doesn't get but, from the sound of it, making an admirable attempt that was probably less confusing than anything I would've said, and in the course of which Patsfan quoted himself as explaining what a free spirit I am.<br /><br />I kind of sat there and blinked in amazement for a bit, because, dude, I came away from that retreat a few weeks ago refreshed, yes, but also feeling slightly like the Pagan equivalent of a stuffed shirt. "Free spirit" isn't actually a phrase I would have ever thought to use to describe myself, but I kind of like that he does.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=firefly124&ditemid=86668" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:163818:84799Running around like a headless chicken, ticking boxes2010-10-08T03:26:05Z2010-10-08T03:26:05Zcrazypublic0Today came with a loooooong to-do list. Smack in the middle of it was a student government meeting, which I've somehow managed to avoid ever attending at any college I've been to in my semi-professional-student life. So while in some regards I'd like that hour and a half of my life back, it was probably good to experience it once. Emphasis on <i>once</i>. Better since the one issue that had me there ended up being resolved with much, much, much less drama and venom than all the buildup had suggested there might be.<br /><br />Less drama is good.<br /><br />Governance not being allowed to censor us into the most G-rated campus I've ever set foot on is also good. No, seriously, it's actually kind of weird once you notice it. As that was at the root of some of the objections to our club changing its name, once that went away, things were much better.<br /><br />Oh, what name change? <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://firefly124.dreamwidth.org/84799.html#cutid1">Lengthy babble about how our GSA became The GASM League</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Have also somehow caught up all my paperwork for school. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://firefly124.dreamwidth.org/84799.html#cutid2">Click only if you want to be bored with my list of school work. Or want to freak out about what your workload may look like next semester, in one case.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Next project: get packed to take off to the woods of upstate NY for a three day retreat.* I can't even begin to explain how much I need it. Last week was a disaster of epic proportions on multiple levels to the point that the fact I failed an exam (but have since somehow miraculously gained back enough points to pass) was actually the lowest priority blip on my radar. Considering how I used to wig out over an A-, that's saying something. So a weekend of meditation and Reiki and ritual and music is just what I need. Hopefully, when I check back in either Sunday night or sometime Monday, I'll be all refreshed, renewed, centered, and ready for anything. That's the goal anyway. :-)<br /><br />Have a great weekend, all! *waves*<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=firefly124&ditemid=84799" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:163818:82933Gratitude Project catch-up2010-08-29T05:23:18Z2010-08-29T05:23:18Zgratefulpublic0Hoo, boy, have I got a lot of catching up to do! So, things that I'm grateful for, more or less associated with days on which I was particularly grateful for them.<br /><br />Sun 8/15 - A Sunday with no commitments whatsoever to actually relax.<br />Mon 8/16 - A friend got good news on her husband's health status, which may not yet be great but is improving.<br />Tue 8/17 - Last visit with the in-laws of the summer. Sort of a mixed grat, but mainly that it went all right despite a near-fiasco assembling MiL's new flat-screen tv. And then disassembling it and packing it back up to be returned. After losing screws inside the tv set itself. It's actually very funny in retrospect.<br />Wed 8/18 - For being able to make lemonade out of lemons and spend a day at <a href="http://www.kripalu.org">Kripalu</a> doing yoga and workshops and hanging out with <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://ubiquirk.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://ubiquirk.dreamwidth.org/'><b>ubiquirk</b></a></span>, whose other vacation plans had fallen through.<br />Thu 8/19 - Patsfan's birthday. Ummm. That we got to have a little time together despite work.<br />Fri 8/20 - Discovered flu shots available already! Got one before school could start nagging about it! (Later learned they've decided not to make it a requirement unless our specific assigned hospitals require it after all, but I was still very psyched Walgreens was offering them already. Regardless, it's done, and with the way the asthma has been, I should probably be getting it, required or not.)<br />Sat 8/21 - For the opportunity to spend a day with my new niece. I'd been feeling oddly disconnected, having only seen her at the hospital and then one other brief visit. So having a day of babysitting was actually very nice. <br />Sun 8/22 - That despite the rain, <a href="http://www.ripaganpride.org">RI Pagan Pride Day</a> went off well. (Note to self: next time, remember your audience when referring to Pagan Pride Day as PPD. Fellow nursing students are likely to misinterpret. *g*) Also, that people were so receptive to the <a href="http://www.worship.htazp.org">Hellenic Temple of Apollon, Zeus, and Pan</a> ritual. Usually, PPD closing rituals are a bit more open/generic. But folks were very receptive, whether they participated or observed. Also grateful to Tim for opening up the last round of libations to other Gods. Obviously, I included Kwan Yin. Another Temple member later said he'd bet someone I'd do that. My response? "Seriously, what idiot took that bet? That was a gimme!"<br />Mon 8/23 - I think I spent most of the day in bed recovering from the weekend. I think I've already been grateful for having a day to do that earlier this month, so I need to come up with something else. Unfortunately, as that is probably all I did, I'm not sure what else there is!<br />Tue 8/24 - New student orientation went well. Other GSA members showed this time as well, so we got to hang out a bit. Got quite a few people interested in joining too.<br />Wed 8/25 - Local library has wifi, making it a safe place to escape to whilst the landlord cut a hole in our bedroom wall. (Originally tried staying home, just at the other end of the apartment. Lungs decided that wasn't good enough.)<br />Thu 8/26 - Kind of covered by drive-by post: 1st day back was survived.<br />Fri 8/27 - Personality Disorder Role-Play Theater! No, seriously, that was the absolute best part of the whole day. The prof who designed this should do more stuff like this instead of reading her PowerPoints to us. Interactivity=much better learning experience. I got to be Adam Avoidant, which probably came off more like Social Anxiety Disorder than Avoidant Personality Disorder, but seemed to more or less work anyway.<br />Sat 8/28 - Angel Food Ministries. So far, I'm very pleased with the program and the site. This month, I had enough leftover frozen meats that I just got the fruit & veggie box, and it all looked good when I unpacked it. We'll see whether that continues once we get into fall and winter and things are out of season, but for now, it's working out really well.<br />Sun 8/29 - I'm grateful that my other niece (on Patsfan's side) is progressing well enough in her pregnancy that her shower today is still on. There have been concerns about placenta previa and possible pre-eclampsia, so this is definitely a non-trivial thing. Just about a month to go. Looking forward to meeting my third great-niece. (Well, second great-niece. Other is a great-nephew. Again, where is the gender-neutral collective for this relationship? Grrr.)<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=firefly124&ditemid=82933" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:163818:77343It's been a great couple of days2010-07-26T01:12:50Z2010-07-26T01:12:50Zpeacefulpublic0Friday was a beach day with <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://bluedolfyn.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://bluedolfyn.dreamwidth.org/'><b>bluedolfyn</b></a></span> (miss you already!) and a couple of other friends. It was rainy, and the water was <s>f&%#ing freezing</s> a little cold, but that totally didn't matter, as we had a blast. <br /><br />Yesterday was nothing particularly interesting. Today, on the other hand, was the celebration of <a href="">Kwan Yin</a>'s Enlightenment at <a href="http://www.baus.org">Chuang Yen Monastery</a>. I always love going there, as it's just such a peaceful place. This is the second time I've made it to one of Her festivals there, which is an entirely different experience to just going and meditating, <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://firefly124.dreamwidth.org/77343.html#cutid1">not least because I literally don't know the language.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Compared to my pre-fandom days, I don't post all that much about Pagan stuff lately. I was reminded last night, courtesy of a Pagan behaving badly (Wrong On The Internet doesn't even cover it), both why I don't post about this stuff more often and why I probably should. Because if only the completely out-there types do stuff publically, well, then, that's all anybody outside the various Pagan groups has as a point of reference. That isn't good for anyone. I'm not sure how much my (generally pretty disjointed) blatherings contribute. Several folks on my flist/reading list are far more knowledgeable and experienced, so it's tempting to leave the Posting of Non-Fluffed-Up Non-Whacked-Out Pagany Stuff to them. But doing so means that then there's just Teacher Types and IRAB* Pagans at opposite ends of the spectrum. So, in the interests of filling in the middle hues someplace, I'm thinking to post a bit more of this sort of thing, fwiw. Which may turn out to be good intentions that go nowhere, but August 1 is coming up, so there's the <a href="http://estaratshirai.livejournal.com/43147.html">Gratitude Project</a> if nothing else.<br /><br />*IRAB=I read a book (and thus am now the expert on everything)<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=firefly124&ditemid=77343" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:163818:62506May holidays and birthdays2010-05-01T11:34:06Z2010-05-01T11:38:42Zawakepublic0First up: happy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltane">Beltaine</a> and/or <a href="http://persephones.250free.com/thargelia.html">Thargelia</a> to those celebrating one, the other, or both this weekend, and happy May to everyone else!<br /><br />Of course, there are some folks who have May birthdays, too. *checks <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/birthdays.bml">LJ</a>, <a href="http://www.insanejournal.com/birthdays.bml">IJ</a>, and <a href="http://www.dreamwidth.org/birthdays.bml">DW</a>*<br /><br />Happy May birthday to <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://harmony-bites.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://harmony-bites.dreamwidth.org/'><b>harmony_bites</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://stellamoon.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://stellamoon.dreamwidth.org/'><b>stellamoon</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://ever-obsessed.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://ever-obsessed.dreamwidth.org/'><b>ever_obsessed</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://dreamy-dragon73.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://dreamy-dragon73.dreamwidth.org/'><b>dreamy_dragon73</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=melusin_79'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=melusin_79'><b>melusin_79</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://gm-weasley.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://gm-weasley.dreamwidth.org/'><b>gm_weasley</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://brock-tn.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://brock-tn.dreamwidth.org/'><b>brock_tn</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://lux-astraea.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://lux-astraea.dreamwidth.org/'><b>lux_astraea</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://hobgoblinn.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://hobgoblinn.dreamwidth.org/'><b>hobgoblinn</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=jo19844_twfic'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=jo19844_twfic'><b>jo19844_twfic</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=mistythorin'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=mistythorin'><b>mistythorin</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=septentrion1970'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=septentrion1970'><b>septentrion1970</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://ramie-k.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://ramie-k.dreamwidth.org/'><b>ramie_k</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=minuet99'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=minuet99'><b>minuet99</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=_odella_'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=_odella_'><b>_odella_</b></a></span>, <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=skitty_cat'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=skitty_cat'><b>skitty_cat</b></a></span>, and <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://lechatnomade.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://lechatnomade.dreamwidth.org/'><b>lechatnomade</b></a></span>. Hope you all have wonderful birthdays and happy, healthy years to come!<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=firefly124&ditemid=62506" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments