Prove It!

Blessings Darlings!

Yesterday a guy left a 13 month old alone in a tent at OccupyDC, wearing very little clothes.  In 40 degree temperatures, and a cold rain.  Occupiers heard the baby crying, found her neglected, called the police, cared for the baby until the police arrived, and when the guy came back (at least an hour after leaving the baby alone) he was arrested.  The baby is okay.  The response to the situation was correct.

Apparently the guy had arrived a few days earlier and set up a tent.  No word on if he was homeless and just there because he could put up a tent or if he claimed to be part of OccupyDC. 

So some folks (NOT campers, BTW) want OccupyDC to 'vet' everyone who stays in the park.  As if OccupyDC OWNS the park and can and SHOULD say who can camp there.  Because, they say, only folks who are 'totally unimpeachable' should be in the park, or part of the movement, so .... I guess so that no one not a part of it won't have an excuse to dismiss it.

Unimpeachable.  Gandhi wouldn't qualify, as he sexually manipulated his female followers (he slept with them - without sex - as 'purity tests'.  Just sleeping.) 

And, let's see.  Gays make some folks uncomfortable. Unwed mothers. Transexuals. Homeless. Undocumented workers. The poor. The handicapped. Ex-cons. Legal immigrants. Blacks. Browns. Asians. Gingers. Old folks.   The hearing-impaired. The visually impaired. Pagans. Jews (and, yes, there are a few folks who post on Twitter under the #OccupyDC hashtag who want all Jews out of the OWS movement).  Catholics. Mormons. Buddhists. Hindus. Atheists. "Radicals".  The list goes on and on and on, if you want to screen out all those who are in some way "impeachable".

But some folks want OTHERS (who, in a leaderless movement, I'm not sure) to vet those who stay in the park and/or are 'part of the movement' for appropriateness.  I'd love to hear what criteria they would use. And, since they say that this is to weed out 'bad apples', why they think that 'bad apples' would tell the truth in such a screening? 

And how they'd 'prove' to the press if a person was vetted and a 'real part of the movement'. Issue ID cards - official papers? Keep a list of the names (so handy for the govt to round everyone up under NDAA!  Good going, do the fascists list making FOR THEM!)? 

At least I'd never make it on to their list of "real Occupy Protesters", since I'm totally impeachable.  I swear, all the fucking time.  I've had tax liens, so clearly I've violated tax regulations.  I'm Pagan and say it out loud - and have an electronic trail of that.

Some folks would throw all those who are 'not unimpeachable" under the bus for political gain.  And some of those people CLAIM to be part of OWS.  In MY never humble opinion ... they lie about supporting OWS's principles by holding that view.

THOSE people would fail the vetting if *I* was running it.  Pack up your tent and leave.

Frondly (sarcastic snort), Fern

Full Moon in Cancer

Blessings Darlings!

Today's the Full Moon, which makes it a Wiccan Esbat. Many of us will be working magick today, as esbats are good for that. With the full moon in Cancer, it's probably especially good for family/relationship magicks, I'd guess.

I wish that there was going to be an Esbat working at OccupyDC, but none is planned.  I'm too far away (and have no car today) so can't make it there to see about organizing one.  OTOH, this is as good a time as any for me to start looking into if the DMV (that District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) Pagan community has anything going to support OccupyDC, and if not try to get something going.  Nothing based on the coven I'm in or the two Pagan denominations I'm in, but Pagan individuals working to support the protestors, especially the ones sleeping in the Plaza.  I'd REALLY like to make sure that, if Occupy wants it, that there an be an Imbolc celebration there. 

Frondly, Fern

Dreaming of cookies.

Blessings, Darlings!

Weird dreams. The intersection of 'Tara and Frank, in Chicago' (or north suburbs?) was important.  Gathering wild bamboo shoots was important.  But they were not shaped like they really are.  And ... oddest of all .... Roman Catholic communion wafers that were shaped sort of like palmiers but had the image of crucified body on them, but often just skeletons, colored differently each which  might have related to the Loa or to chakras - it wasn't my path, either Christian or Eastern or Afro-Caribbean, so I didn't examine it closely.  And we were getting cookies from a Jewish Temple as well.  But the hosts HAD been consecrated at a Mass, and I was surprised that they were being handed out in bulk.

The oddest part is that I so rarely remember any of my dreams at all.  Maybe it's the influence of tomorrow's full moon?  Or the siren call of cookies? 

Frondly, Fern

SSDD

Blessings, Darlings!

I have to admit, I was hesitant to blog about trying to lose weight and modifying recipes.  And then I remembered that about half my posts are ALWAYS about me and food.  So it's not really any different than usual....

Frondly, Fern

Recipe Modification

Blessings, Darlings!

So, since I'm trying to lose weight to lower my blood pressure, I suppose I'm going to have to modify a recipe or two.  Like the chicken & Dumplings I'm planning on serving on Sunday.  The guys like it, uh, with puff pastry instead of dumplings. That's probably not my best choice in starches ... and, really, it's not my favorite starch anyway. 

I'll probably serve THEIRS that way, anyway, since I heat the chicken/veggies/sauce apart from baking the puff pastry.  But for me, hmmmm.....

I thought about serving it over brown rice, sort of like chicken a la king.  That would be okay.  Over barley? No, not appealing.  Lentils?  Oh!  Now THAT sounds good.  I'll use brown, only because the red ones become more of a puree and I don't happen to have any green ones.  And, yes, I'm using evaporated skim milk instead of cream in the sauce.

First-world problem solved!

Frondly, Fern

These Dreams

I was in the desert southwest.  Most or all of the coven was there, too, tho' I only remember Monica, Daniel, and Jen.  Petroglyphs, all sorts of 'big stuff' to see. But then ... looking closely and quietly, there were these small things, about an inch in diameter and two inches tall.  They were shaped sort of like the Capitol Dome, out of wicker or grass.  With an opening/doorway and .... I'm sure that there was another opening, but I can't really say where.  On the 'floor' of each was a stone or other .... item.  Were the woven things offerings, or were they altars and the item inside was an offering, or a symbol of the Divine?  I'm not clear. I do know that Wakan Tanka was referred to in the dream, but I've NO idea if Wakan Tanka is from that area.

I do know that I'll be working on making some, and seeing what info comes to me then.

I'm Back! And Front!

Blessings Darlings!

Yes, I've not blogged in FOREVER. I haven't had anything to say that didn't sound like whining to me, so I didn't impose it on y'all.

I'm planning on being back now.  Not that it's a RESOLUTION or anything.  I have goals, not 'resolutions'. SMART goals - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-limited goals.

Some of them have to do with our finances: reduce debt by $12K this year, and increase savings by $5K.  These aren't the most realistic and achievable, but I'm aiming high this year.  Last year was all about surviving, and nothing more.  Of course, this means that my spending money will be just as limited this year as it was last year.  And I'm considering selling my blood plasma for a bit of extra income. 

Yeah, I also have fitness goals.  I want to drop my blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides.  To do these things, yes, it's lose weight, exercise, and work on stress management.  I started exercising, some, while I was away from the blog.  I kicked it up at the end of December.  My upper body is unhappy right now, due to yesterday's workout, but at least my butt isn't complaining about the bicycle seat any more.  If I EVER got the tendonitis in my arm reduced I'll get back to pumping some iron.  My minimum weight goal (notice that here, unlike finances, I'm NOT aiming high?) is to drop 25 pounds this year, about two pounds a month.  Diet specific goal is to eat at least 5 servings of fruit and veggies a day, and aim for 9 servings.  Right now having even 5 is being a challenge. 

So, that's what's up here right now.  What's new with you?

Frondly, Fern