Pagan Manners in Christian Church

I am a member of Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF). One of the great benefits of being part of an organizatoin like ADF are the group’s mailing lists. ADF has many great lists. I am currently subscribed to 10 of them. That’s probaby like five too many because I can never really keep up with it all. However, the information and participation I do get from them is a huge help to me day to day.

One recent descussion we’ve been having on one of the lists, is how to approch the attendance of Christian churches during the holidays. It’s inevitable that most of us will be invited by some well meaning, or sinisterly diabolical, family member. Since most of us want to TRY to be part of the family, even if they don’t always want to claim us, it’s nice to have some idea how to act. The following eMail from ADF member “Bren” seems very helpful in that area, so he gave permission to republish. Enjoy!

With the holiday season upon us, a reoccurring question for me is now at the forefront: how exactly should a neo-pagan such as myself behave when going to a Christian church? To me, this is a time to be with family and participate to the extent possible in family activities, and that often includes going to some kind of church service at some point or another.

I’ve always tried to be polite and respectful. There are some clear and easy rules based on that respect that boil down to: don’t make a scene. But there are some points which I have been ambivalent about, and have handled in different ways in the past. For example, how should one behave during congregational parts such as reciting Creeds out loud or singing hymns?

After some dialogue I recently had with the fine folks at “Oh How I Love Jesus” on this topic, I came up with the following guidelines based on my hard-polytheistic world-view:
* A church is the “House of God,” therefore, rules of basic hospitality apply. We should be respectful then, not only of our family and members of the congregation, but of the deities involved: Jesus and Yaweh (and possibly others: The Holy Spirit, Mary, various saints, etc.)
* We should dress appropriately, in “Sunday Best” or whatever mode of dress is expected.
* No overt pagan symbols. I would go so far as to say that we should not even bring any pagan symbology or tools. If, for some reason, you have to have something with you, I suggest it be “peace-bonded.” That is, it should be tied up or encumbered in such a way as to be clear that it cannot be easily accessed, and also stored out of sight so as not to invite questions. When we are in the home of Christian deities, it is in a spirit of “truce” and at least temporary peace no matter what our feelings may be, and we should bend to their preferences to the extent it is reasonable and possible to do so.
* We should not participate in communion. Receiving the blessings of their god should be left to his followers.
* We should generally speak only truthful words. Any kind of participatory speaking should be limited to saying things you actually believe in. A respectful silence should be maintained at other times.
* We should not discuss our beliefs or mention other gods. It is clear that theirs is a jealous God, and would not want such discussion in His home.
* We should give money when an offering plate is passed. As guests, especially somewhat unwelcome ones, hospitality requires that we bring a gift for our host. The congregation might not want offerings from Pagans, but it is none of their business. Since we shouldn’t discuss this matter, they have no reason to even know. Offerings are made to the God(s), and concerns a matter between him/them and us alone.
* We should not make prayers to our deities, not even silently.
Presumably, if our gods can hear our silent, unspoken prayers, then of course He can too, and it would be rude. We should wait until we are on our own ground and our own time to revere our gods.
* We should sit or stand with the congregation as they do. With a congregation that kneels, I would suggest remaining seated. Kneeling is more than respect, it is a sign of obeisance, which would be inappropriate.
Bowing is not inappropriate, and so I feel bowing our heads during their prayers as requested is properly respectful.
* I have been to churches where it is routine for them to ask rudely personal questions such as: ‘do you have Jesus in your heart?’ I admit, I have always lied and said, ‘yes.’ Since this is an intimately private matter, I believe it is permissible to lie to protect my privacy. Any answer, as long as it is polite, would be appropriate, but in a congregation that would ask such a question, a truthful answer is just inviting trouble.

I invite comments on this article, as this is an issue I continue to struggle with ­ this list being just a snapshot of where I am with it right now. I might amend this list as new thoughts and ways of looking at the issue are presented to me.

Winter Break

I have about two weeks off from work, thanks to now working at the college.! Now that’s the way to start a job. Work a week and a half…have a four day weekend. Work another two weeks…have a two week break. Then we’ll come back from that work a four day week and one full week…then have another three day weekend. Not bad at all. Viva la vacation! …or something like that.

Dixie-Narco Dinner - Dec 2005

The Dixie-Narco group had dinner again last night. This time around we met up at Mi Rancho’s over on the North side so that I could make it on time.

Several people showed up. The food was good. We had the regular chit-chat. Well actually…let me rephrase that. *I* had the regular chit-chat. See, I think I have a problem. I think maybe…just maybe…I talk too much. It’s actually quite possible that I may like hearing myself talk so much that I don’t let anyone else get a word in edge wise.

Why would I think such a hideous thing might be possible? Because I don’t think anyone who was sitting near me tonight got to speak for more than two or three minutes. I mean two or three minutes the entire night. Unfortunately I’m not exaggerating.

I started talking shortly after we say down and I didn’t stop until we were back in the parking lot.

This is something I will have to add to my list: I talk to much. Must learn to listen more. Talk less.

In any case, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Although, they did all suggest we get a round table for the next dinner so that everyone has a chance to join in the conversation. I think they might have noticed I had a problem. I just hope they invite me next time. I like keeping in touch with them. Somewhere along the last couple of years, I’ve apparently started to like the idea of having friends again.

I am that I am

I’ve been having dreams again. Well I always have dreams, but I’ve been having particular dreams again.

Lately, I am being accosted by all sorts of beings in my dreams. They are in fact really starting to annoy me with the crap. Obviously, they have something important to tell me, but I mean damn, do they REALLY have to beat me over the head with it. I’ve had to take to using “my words” on them again. Controlling them with “my words” seems to be about the only thing that will work. I’m pretty decent at lucid dreaming, but these “people” just don’t want to play along unless I make them.

Besides the aggressive nature of my would-be messengers is the fact they don’t seem to be able to come right out and say anything. Whatever messages they might have are totally wrapped up in a riddle of some sort.

So I sit each morning in front of my computer at work and try to decipher them…it’s not like I have anything else to do.

After much thought and deliberation, I have come to one clear conclusion.

They are trying to tell me to get my head out of my ass.

I want to be pagan. Hell I am pagan. I really always have been. I know it. The cosmos knows it. Apparently, many many beings know it. So why the heck am I fighting it!? Well, that I’m still unsure of. It’s likely a tinge of Christian programming which still makes me feel slightly guilty about the whole thing. But you know what…I am what I am. If what I am is pagan, then so be it. It’s not like the Christian god wants to talk to me anymore anyway. All we’ve ever done is argue. And hey…if he ever wants to make up…he knows where to find me. Right?

So from here on out, I am pagan. Hopefully it doesn’t put my grand-parents in the grave, but I refuse to continue to deny myself simple because others may not like it.

Chris: “Hello. Hi. My name is Chris and I’m a pagan.”
Chorus of the Cosmos: “Welcome Chris.”
Chris: “So umm…where are the refreshments? I was told there’d be refreshments.”

My Job at the USCA Helpdesk

About a week ago, I started my new job with the USCA Computer Services Helpdesk. I haven’t been very intuitive where my career is concerned lately, but I do have a good feeling about this job.

Within an hour or two I actually felt pretty comfortable with everyone I was working with and the position in general. That’s extremely unusual for me. I typically keep up a “polite front” for a couple of weeks. Although, now that I think about it…maybe I haven’t been doing that lately.

The Helpdesk has four full-time state employees, including myself, plus four part-time work-study students.

The job has to this point been extremely easy. In fact, the only complaint I have is that we don’t really seem to DO anything. Even when we do something…it doesn’t amount to much. I could easily say that what all eight of us do together as a whole is probably only about a third of what I’m used to doing by myself. But I’m getting used to it. I can’t exactly complain too loudly about having too little to do…or at least I won’t anyway.

Our Halloween 2005

Halloween has now come and gone.

We ended up not doing much at all to celebrate. We did carve a pumpkin, but we didn’t dress up.

We’ve been dressing up every year since we’ve been together too. It’s strange that the year we should have really been celebrating it, we ended up doing nothing. Of course that is mainly my fault…since I got all confused.

I’m just still having difficulty deciding if I want to practice any form of paganism or not. I know my mind wants me to, but my heart doesn’t seem to be in it. I seem to have lost my inspiration…hopefully I can find it again.

Our pumpkin did turn out pretty good though. So at least Ashley got to do that. She enjoys carving them. It’s one of the things she makes me do each year as she attempts to give us some “traditions” of some kind or other. She tries really hard at that, and I usually just fight her every step of the way…which I always feel guilty for after the fact.

So this year we carved a pumpkin. Then we bought two huge bags of candy. We sat up the candy in our little plastic candy bowl pumpkin by the door and then settled in to watch scary movies.

Are there any scary movies anymore? Well if there are…we didn’t find them. We also didn’t get any trick-or-treaters. That’s partly because of where we are located in town. It’s also partly…and a lotly…due to many children not being allowed to go around due to their Conservative Christian parents.

Apparently, they’ve had the realization in the last few years that Halloween will steal their child’s soul through candy addiction or something. So…in typical Christian fashion…they have decided to co-op it into some sort of anti-hell campaign night. But I digress…

So we didn’t dress up. Our movies were a flop. No trick-or-treaters showed up. We didn’t do a ritual. Nothing. It was a complete loss and all my fault really.

But then…

My sister and her baby-daddy stopped by to show off her son in his first Halloween costume. That made it all better.

Little Nick was dressed as a Georgia Bulldogs football player….his daddy is a fan. The poor Georgia boy is now having to live in The Valley…but that’s a whole other story. Anyway, Little Nick was cute as always. Ashley can’t ever seem to get enough of him.

Christian Exodus

“ChristianExodus.org is orchestrating the move of thousands of Christians to reacquire our Constitutional rights and, if necessary to attain these rights, dissolve our State’s bond with the union.”

Maybe you need to re-read that…I know I did the first time I came across it. This is an actual organization led by some guy from California named Cory Burnell. They just had their first annual meeting in Greenville, SC, over this past weekend.

This is a group of Christians who have taken it upon themselves to relocate to MY state, take over MY state’s government, and then, as they say, if necessary to meet their goals, secede from the union.

OK, admittedly, anyone who knows me knows I have issues with this state I live in. South Carolina is about as backward as they come in many areas. However, I have the right to work to change the state more to my liking because it’s MY state.

These guys are openly admitting that their plan is to move in outsiders in such numbers that they will be able to co-op the local, county and state government positions through election. At that point they will began passing their own laws and changing those they don’t like.

I can only say two things to this: 1) They obviously have no clue how independent we Southerners are, or how much we detest outsiders trying to manipulate us. 2) Umm…I’m pretty sure a group of people has already tried this whole secession thing once…and if I remember my history right…it didn’t work out so well for them.

You will definitely be hearing more from me on this in the near future. Take some time to check these people out though. There is an active discussion on them over at WitchVox.

These Exodus guys are a scary bunch…course not nearly as scary as I’m going to be if one of them tries to tell me *I* don’t have the right to believe and think how I want to in “THEIR” state.

Don’t make me angry Mr. Burnell…you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.

Who I’d Like To Meet #1

The idiot who designed those damned ziplock cereal bags. As if a 16 OZ box of stale Captain Crunch wasn’t enough. Now I’ve got a 5 POUND bag of stale Captain Crunch! Come on scientist/inventor people! Focus! We need a new cause for cancer…not another source of eBay packing material!

Lunch with Ervin

Had lunch with Ervin today. I worked with Ervin while I was at Maytag/Dixie-Narco. Since I have a couple of weeks off, I thought I’d try to catch up with people I haven’t seen in awhile.

Since I left, there have been fist fights, arrests, several of the people I really liked have moved on, and one person I really liked was fired under extremely questionable circumstances. There has been some progress, but all in all, I’m glad I left when I did. If I had taken either of the positions they offered me in Washington state or Iowa, I think I would have regretted it.

It was good seeing Ervin again. He’s a good guy who’s getting a bad deal. Luckily he’s finally gotten some help. Maytag closed another plant up in Florence and they moved the one and only IT guy they had up there down to work with Ervin at Dixie. I’m glad, because even though it wasn’t my fault I had to leave there…I still felt bad about leaving him stuck there by himself.

Brits in America - Episode 1: Baron John of the Devine

With the Urban Execs now on my shit list...and far too much free time with my unexpected eight week vacation, my mind began to wonder ...which is never a good thing.

A little background: Calvin and John are both Brits. They apparently worked with each other at another company previous to their teaming up at Urban. Calvin is the big man in Information Technology. He hired on John about six months ago to run most of the department for him and to oversee a few big projects. The problem is of course...well actually you can read my previous posts to become pretty clear on what the problem is. So let's begin.

Brits in America - Episode 1: Baron John of the Devine

"Ahh! Right-O, this chap has a smart suite! Let's make him...err...Commander of the Queen's Army! Jolly Good! He's a Baron you know...that and a silken suite and all that! Bloody Colonists don't stand a chance. Might as well jump off the great rock, ruddy American rebel rousers!" Calvin is surprised as someone nearly falls into his office attempting to knock on the empty opening in the wall where there should be a door. "Merlin's beard! " He nearly drops the resume and attached photos he'd been perusing. "What the bloody hell are you on about then Jeeves!!?"

The man who has just fallen through the doorway stands, adjusting his "smart suite". He sticks out a hand, "John, my good sir."

"John!?" Calvin takes a quick look around the room, then glares back at the intruder. "Ill have you know this is NOT the john! This is my office my good man! The john is three open doorways down on the right...just past the filing department...yes yes...those stacks of boxes by the water fountain! And Ill have you know, we refer to it as the Loo here...not the...the John!"

"On no no! Begging you're pardon governor! My name...my name is John...John Devine!"

Calvin is still distracted by the vague resemblance this man has to someone he'd just seen recently, "Devine John!? Well I should think it'd be as clean as it is...and rightly so! And as I said, we call it the LOO!"

"No no no! We seem to be having a communication problem! My NAME is John Devine."

"A communication what!? I dare say you're out of line Sir! We'll have none of that talk here!"

"Right you are! I do apologize my good man! I believe these sodding Americans may have made me a bit daft!"

The pair have a good laugh after which the intruder smiles revealing excellent British dental work that even the Queen would be proud of...reminding Calvin where he had recently seen the intruder...he looks down at the resume photos still in his hand. "Jolly good! Devine! Why didn't you say so! You're hired!"

Just then there is a loud explosion and flames burst from a nearby server cabinet engulfing half the surrounding office space in a matter of seconds. The 20 or so good looking young American interns crammed into the space run screaming from the area...each shouting a warning to exit as they pass Calvin and John secluded in Calvin's hole in the wall.

"By the Queen! What are they on about!?"

John sits quietly unaware. "On about?" He turns, "Oh I dare say this bunch is a tad tight in the knickers aren't they."

"Yes. Yes. I do hope you'll be able to remedy that problem my good Sir."

"All in good time...all in good time."

"Right then, how about a spot of tea?"

Pinkies extended, they enjoy a Queens cup as the ceiling behind them collapses and flames engulf the Urban Outfitters banner hung over the upturned trash can the interns had been using as a break area.

Golden Child Gets the Job

“You SUCK!!!! Only you could quit one job and have another one lined up the next week.” That’s how Sonya responded when I eMailed her and Ryan about my job interview today.

Looks like I have the job. I won’t know for certain for about two weeks, however, I was all but told it is mine. Then again, with my apparent loss of intuition where jobs are concerned lately…anything is possible.

The position is with USCA, University of South Carolina at Aiken. It’s only about 15 minutes away. They have a very casual, blue jeans environment. Good hours. Decent pay and benefits. They allow one free class each semester and work with your schedule if you want to take additional classes during the day. They have a very well funded and supported IT department. All in all, it is exactly what I’ve been looking for. So I’ve asked that I receive the job if it’s right for me. I plan to do visualization and spellwork this weekend too…just in case.

Sonya’s response made me take another look at how these cycles seem to occur with me. Now that she mentions it…I guess it is a little odd how this sort of thing always happens. To be honest, I never really gave it a second thought before then. In fact, I just assume that sort of thing will happen…which is possibly why it always seems to happen? Could be.

Except for the major fall I took when WorldCom went bankrupt, I have never had the slightest problem where work is concerned. Each and every job I’ve ever interviewed for…and wanted…I have gotten. Any time I leave one position I find another as soon as I set my mind to do so. Finding work, like most things in my life, have always come to me with little more than the conscious decision that I want them.

This new job with USCA in fact is a perfect example. I actually applied for the position back about four months ago before I started with Urban. I had not heard a single word from them since I applied online. Then, Friday before last, I make the decision to quit Urban. The following Monday, just three days later, I came home to an eMail from the IT manager asking if I was still interested in the job.

His eMail basically said that he had somehow missed my application the first time through. Then he just happened to come across it the same day I decided to quit Urban.

Funny…but that’s just how things seem to work for me. I’m barely even aware of it these days unless someone points it out as Sonya did. Back in the day I used to refer to myself as “The Golden Child”. I wasn’t really being serious, but I’d always found it odd how easily I seemed to cruise through life.

My only concern is that I don’t want to seem cocky. Of course, the very fact that I am cocky…and naturally expect good things to happen…could be a direct cause of those good things happening. Hmmm…too deep for me today. I’ll have to give that one some thought later.

Serenity

Awesome movie! Not that I had any doubt Joss Whedon would do any less. That man is an genius!

From beginning to end, full of the unexpected humor, plot twists, characterization and action we’ve all come to expect from Joss. He’s got a winner! Take that you short-sighted bastard television corp execs! HA! Naaanananananaaaaa!

Be sure you’ve watched the Firefly series before you take in the movie though! See it on DVD the way it was meant to be seen ! You’ll be happy you did.

Grrr! Arg!

"He said You Think You're Better Than Me!"

Well Urban is now over, but everyone keeps begging me to find out what happened. So here’s the story as recently told in eMail to a former co-worker at Urban:

Well I had already had my fill of Bryan and his anti-Southern overtly racial bullshit. I mean I may not like the south, but that’s because I know it could be so much more…not because I think everyone here is the scum of the earth.

I had also had about all I was going to take of the corporate in-fighting and absolute lack of communications. Actually…the complete inability to communicate…and very little interest in doing so.

That set the stage for my trip to Philly.

I got up there and of course everything is happy happy perfect. I’m told everything I want to hear and a little more. I’m given assurances that everything is now resolved. I’m also told that I have John’s full backing and support.

What I’m not told is “You’re hired.” John had told me for the past three months that he wanted to get me up there so they could hire me. I left with only the further assurance that an offer was being put together. So needless to say, I left pretty much pissed off. I had waited three months just so I could go up there and have someone look at me and THEN say, “Oh yeah…we should hire you.” The job I’d been doing wasn’t enough. The amount of shit I’d put up with for those three months wasn’t enough. The fact that I’d already been doing the job without fail for three months straight wasn’t enough to get me the job. What was required to get the job was whether or not they liked me enough after drinking beer with me. That in my book is absolute bullshit. Of course it didn’t matter because I still left with only a promise. A promise from someone who had yet to keep a single promise that had been made.

So I came back. I was trying to put the best face on it. I figured I would actually be hired, it was just anyone’s guess when. I also felt a little better about the position since I had actually heard John say the words, “You have my full support.” I hadn’t been able to get anything like that out of him until then.

Then I went to work on Friday. Immediately received shit from Bryan…which I immediately returned to him. Then he went running to John and twisted something I had said into a complete line of BS. John then…giving me his full support…immediately called me up and jumped my shit.

Not only did he jump my ass based off the pathetic BS Bryan had spouted out…he did so without even letting me say a word in my defense. Told me he didn’t want someone like me on his team. That he didn’t need people with my attitude working for him. Continually berated me and tried to tear me down. I assume he was trying to put me in my place…which he finished off by saying I needed to watch my mouth because whether what Bryan had said was true or not…he didn’t have time to deal with it. Basically told me to walk on egg shells around Bryan and not do anything to annoy him. Tried to break my ass down and put me in my place!?? HA! Dude I was in the U.S. military for 7 years. No pale ass Brit has a chance in hell of ever BREAKING me. Just not gonna happen.

So I came home and told Ashley what happened. In typical Ashley style, she told me that she wanted me to quit and tell John to kiss my ass because we don’t take BS from anyone. So I was only doing as I was told when I sent him my resignation letter late Friday night.

I spoke with him on Saturday. You know what his excuse was…and he was full of lame ass excuses for everything I tossed his way. But you know what his excuse for jumping me on Friday was? “I was having a bad day.” Ummm…and?? Is that supposed to mean something to me? Should I care? Are you not a manager? In my book I should never know what sort of day my manager is having because it should not be conveyed to his subordinates. In my book a manager has more tact and objectivity than to let his personal problems cause him to loose an employee.

But the best part is…you know what Bryan told him I said? You know what pissed him off so bad that he felt the need to call and jump my shit after all the BS I’ve put up with from him? You know what he actually had the nerve to call me and say? “Bryan said you said you think you’re better than us.” LOL I shit you not! As the words came through the receiver…I’m pretty sure I heard the end of recess bell on the other end of the line.

I will NOT work for a company whose ethics and business sense could be bested by any bully on the middle school playground. And I’m pretty damned sure that no where in my job description does it say “Punching Bag for those Really Stressful Days”.

So that’s that. End of story.

Urban Outfitters Final Week

The final week with Urban went by fairly smoothly.

John is apparently pretty good at keeping something quiet when it doesn’t make him look good. It was Wednesday before anyone at the local site seemed to know anything about me leaving.

I wasn’t going to tell anyone it was my last week except Sonya, the lady I work with in IT. All those good-byes and other niceties…most of which are a bunch of polite crap…I can do without. There were a few exceptions though. A few people I will miss working with and might actually miss having me around. I realized over the last couple of days there are a few people there I wish I’d taken the time to get to know better.

All in all though, this week has been the slowest, most boring week since I arrived. We’ve literally had entire days without a single phone call or eMail. It’s unreal. This should be an extremely busy week with the two major system roll-outs. Instead I find myself sitting in my cube counting the minutes until I can leave. I hate sitting around doing nothing.

One bit of excitement was on Wednesday. I was in the middle of showing Sonya some things with one of our systems which she’ll be maintaining now. Right in the middle of it my access stops working. I try to log into a couple of other servers and get Permission Errors.

Somebody up at corporate apparently decided I no longer needed to be able to do my job. This ticked me off a little considering I was asked to work this week and would much rather be off doing other things. There is a movie I want to see for instance. I could be doing that. Instead I’m sitting there doing nothing.

I left John, my boss in Philly a message. Simply told him that if he no longer wanted me working, he only need say so. Told him about the access issue. Explained that I had a movie I’d rather go see, so just let me know if they were done with me. He called back all freaked out and going on about how he “didn’t do this.” “No one should have done this.” And explained that he was going to get it taken care of immediately. That was at about 1PM.

Around 4:30PM I had my access back and a message pleading with me not to leave yet.

So I stayed a couple more days.

It’s now Friday. I’m done. It’s over. Once again I am without an official, “legitimate” source of income. Oh well…time to go see that movie.

Think you’re having a good day? Sleep on it ;)

I came back from a trip to Philly on Thursday. I was all excited and happy.

Friday on the way into work I was looking at houses for sale as I drove down the road. I’d be able to afford one for Ashley and I…actually pay cash for one…in about five years with this new job. I have to admit I was feeling pretty good…maybe even proud. That was Friday morning.

Friday night I drove home believing I was going to be fired and having already decided I was going to quit regardless.

Funny how that happens.

Trip went great!

Trip went great! Had a good time! Looks like I got the job…actually looks like they want to make me Site Manager, not just IT Geek. Whoohoo! It’s about time!

Met everyone up in Philly. It really helped to meet everyone face-to-face. I’ve been working with these people remotely without every really meeting them for three months. I think meeting like this should help end some of the communication problems we’ve been having.

Though it rained a little on my last day, I was able to get in some site seeing. Philly has more things to see and do than any place I’ve been in a long time. Can’t wait to get back up there and do some real site seeing…the kind not done from the seat of a tour bus.

The tour bus took me around, or at least past, all of the main attractions. I didn’t get to actually go to anything though.

I did do a little shopping. Went to the Hard Rock Café and got Ashley a t-shirt and myself a shot glass…Hard Rock shot glasses are the one and only thing I’ve ever collected. Also got to spend a few hours down on South Street looking around and window shopping. Found only a couple of New Age shops though. I’d thought this area was full of those sorts of things. In any case, I found a cool place and got Ashley a few more things.

Only down side to the trip…I seem to have brought city germs back with me. I’m feeling like ass.

Leaving for Philly in the Morning

Leaving for Philly in the morning. I’m supposed to find out on this trip whether or not I can finally move from temp to actual employee. I’ve been waiting nearly three months for this, plus I’ve always wanted to go to Philly, so I’m looking forward to the trip.

The job is with Urban Outfitters. I’ve been temping there since shortly after my last contract ended with Maytag. Those of you who know me know the BS that we’ve been putting up with on this job. It’s been never ending, but seems to have started sorting itself out here recently. I sure hope so. If this one doesn’t work out…I’m done with IT…at least corporate wise.

I’m off…have to get up early for the trip. Wish me luck!

Dear Mr. Postman - Can You Get Your Head Out of Your Ass?

Here's a little letter I wrote up for our local Poastmaster. It's self-explanitory. I liked it. I thought it made my point very well. However, Ashley being the kind hearted person that she is.ouldnt allow me to mail it off. But you tell mewas it really that bad? I mean considering!?

Dear Postmaster,

We have been, and continue to receive several pieces of mail every few days which does not belong to us. On several occasions we have marked each piece of mail with a note that the addressee is not at our box. We then place it into the misdirected mail slot. However, in most cases, that very same piece of mail is returned right back to our box the very next day.

I cannot for the life of me understand how this could continue to happen again and again. In fact, it makes little sense.

Just a little over a year ago, I added my fiance' to my box so that she could receive mail at the same address as myself. Her mail was held however, and not delivered. When I inquired about the held mail, I was told that the mail could not be delivered because I had not shown her picture ID when adding her to the box. To be honest, I found this a little odd, but thought it must have been due to increased security measures.

With that in mind, you can understand our extreme frustration at time and again receiving mail for people who should not be receiving mail at our box. Not only are we getting mail for people who are in no way related to us, do not have similar names as us, are most definitely NOT listed on our signature card, but also for several different businesses that we have absolutely no connection with.

It's bad enough having to wade through the pounds of wasted trees called advertising circulars every day, along with five or six new credit card offers a week. To also have to sort through our mail everyday to find those pieces which do not belong to us, then mark them and return them to the post office so that they can hopefully make it to whoever they belong to, only to have them returned right back to us againits completely unacceptable.

We have a few months still left on our current box rent term, but we will likely not be renewing. I would much rather pay five or six times as much for actual professional service with a box at MBE, than to continue dealing with the rampant incompetence which has apparently engulfed the Langley, SC post office in the last few months.

I would ask however, that until such time as our mail stops being delivered to your post office, you ensure that only mail actually addressed to us be placed in our box. Please use the following names to fill this request.

If the addressee does not have a last name of Spires or New, DO NOT PLACE IT IN OUR BOX.

Dreams - The Snake Dancers

In house (unknown) with people (unknown).

“Lady” gets call on cell. She is told, “They are coming in, so she might was well let them in, otherwise they will just break in. She lets them in.

Group of painted up people come dancing and parading through the door. They go right past us through a door to the basement.

In the basement, they dance around a circle. One of them goes to the middle. He is on a stake. They toss something on him and he burst into flames. His belly appears to be melting, or swelling. Pregnant?

We are all suddenly back upstairs in the original room.

Can’t remember what happens for a short time.

Eventually the intruders all parade back out the door to the outside. We are all relieved they have left.

I go to the door and lock it, but something strikes my hand through the door. Suddenly the line of people flash back and forth between their human forms and a single huge horned serpent colored as they had been painted.

I wake up. Scared. Still feel a pain in my hand as if I had been bit or stung by something. I think something must have bit me while I was asleep but look at my hand and find no marks.

I realize I’m not totally awake. I’m still seeing the images of the intruders flashed between human and serpent form. I’m told…hear…sense…that I’ve been “marked” by “the beast”. I was apparently marked because I tried to lock the door.

I began visualizing white, bright, positive thought forms, in the hope of driving the intruders from my mind. As I do, the symbolic images of the intruders in both their human and serpent forms began to change to a new set of white symbols. They continue to fight me. The images in my mind…in front of my sleeping eyes…alternate back and forth between the white symbols and those of the original human/serpent intruders. This continues until I finally wake up.

As a wake I hear a noise on the other side of the room. It sounds like someone is near the bedroom door. I look but see nothing. Still I feel it there. Then I realize that the sound I heard was Ashley making a grunting sound in her sleep…apparently dreaming.

Still scared, I fall back to sleep.

Sweet Longing Smile

Written around three years ago during the long night after I returned home from the first real date with my fiance’, this is one of my favorite poems.

Sweet longing smile
Hearts melting afar

The question
The answer
Hearts springing with joy

Walking
Clasped hands
Trembling spared

Hopes and cares
Longing to share

Warm lips caress
Only a glimpse

They say goodnight
Their hearts say hello

Today...

Today is my birthday.

Today I start a new job.

Today I get my new digital camera from Ashley.

I was born 32 years ago today. That’s way too damn long ago. Not remembering much of anything before the age of 19 always leaves me feeling I’m a lot younger than I actually am.

I start working at the Urban Outfitters Call Center and Distribution Center outside of town here today. The company’s IT Director basically begged me on Friday to come to work for them. I have to admit, having someone beg me to work for them, after only a five minute conversation, doesn’t leave me feeling too confident about them. Doesn’t really leave me feeling too confident about the company for that matter. I’ll give it a try though. What’s the worse that could happen?

I get my camera from Ashley today. Nice new Canon PowerShot A510. It’s a model year old, but it does everything I really want…and we can afford it. She didn’t think she was going to be able to buy it for me after our little mix-up with the cellphone charges during my trip to Washington. I’m glad she was though because the look on her face when she thought she wouldn’t be able to…it was so pitiful. Luckily the money has been rolling in lately.

Today is July 12th, 2005. Today is a good day.

The Misty. Spirtual Protector. Eater of Bugs.

Misty, is the official spiritual protector and bug eater of our little home.

She has the night shift from around 1am until sunrise. Ever vigilant, she sleeps just outside our bedroom door in her sleep-cube. Misty keeps nearly all of the nighttime visitors from interrupting our sleep or invading our dreamspace. Sure she misses the occasional disembodied shadow, but overall, we couldn’t ask for more.

Now I admit I’m not a cat person, so I don’t know normal feline behavior from that of the three-toed sloth, but our little protector here has some strangely unusual habits.

Misty, or Kitty as she is more commonly referred to, is the first and only cat I’ve ever seen play fetch. Toss one of her toys across the room…she’ll stalk it down, attack it and bring it back for another round. That’s playing fetch in my book.

Kitty also has what I consider the uncanny ability to play toss by herself. She rolls one of her play rings up on her paw, slings her paw tossing the thing high into the air, then jumps up and catches or bats it from the air before it has a chance to hit the ground. Is that normal?

We’ve also seen her try (I kid you not) turning door knobs to open closed doors. She tries her best to use the strings on the windows shades to open them up higher if the current opening isn’t to her liking…which is often.

This is all aside from her extensive vocabulary with very distinct vocalizations for very specific circumstances. She needs water or food…it’s a long low monotone word. Annoy her and it’s a short low meow. Forget to open the window shade for her and she’ll give you a high-pitched, “Open!” Tell her to get out of a room she isn’t supposed to be in and she backs up to a sitting position just outside the doorway, while letting you know, “mew mew mew meow!” Tell her she can’t get on the couch while you’re eating and she waits patiently (most of the time) until you’re done, then asks in a high pitched questioning tone, “Maw?” I swear she speaks.

She just does many very odd things in my book for a cat, which of course is good, because I don’t really like cats.

It’s not a tree…it’s an idea.

It’s not a tree…it’s an idea.

A quote about druidism: "Druidry is not a religion. It’s a philosophy and you can worship a God or a Goddess, it’s up to you. You can be a Christian or a Moslem or anything else and still be a Druid. "But while a Christian will say God made that tree, a Druid will say the energy of a creative force is in that tree." Kieron, a North-East UK Druid.

Druidism is about as close to my personal philosophy as anything I’ve seen. That being the case, I’ve dedicated much of my free time toward the study of druidism as both a philosophy and potential religion.

My personal focus is on Druidry that follows a Celtic path. My ancestral origins are about equal Celtic and Native American, but I lean toward my Celtic heritage simply because it is more accessible.

Through such organizations as Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, or ADF, I’ve begun in the last few months to explore the Indo-European origins of the Celtic way and wisdom of this ancient people.

I’m currently reading:

• The Druids by Peter Berresford Ellis
• The Wisdom of The Celts by Patricia King
• Irish Fairy and Folktales by W.B. Yeats
• Complete Idiot’s Guide to: Celtic Wisdom by Carl McColman

I’ll be writing more on my studies and journey…hopefully at least once a week. In the mean time, if you’d like more information on druidism in general, please check out it’s entry at Religious Tolerance.org.

…or, just ask the funny looking guy in your local city park rubbing two rocks together, while sharing tea and conversation with his bestest buddy…Mr. Oak.

"I forgot to put on deodorant."

I was recently downsized from my latest contract.

Not to fear, Ive already got another one lined up. But

Being unemployed brought back memories of the first time I found myself in this situation. I had been on a contract for three years supporting WorldCom. Then WorldCom decided to go bankrupt in the largest bankruptcy scandal to datetaking my little job with it. My friend Candy messaged me to see how I was doing. It was several year ago now, but the answer remains pretty much the same

candybj (12:17:32 PM): So, how is unemployment treating you?

monkeybrains803 (12:18:57 PM): You knowI COULD be damned intelligent. Sometimes I think I just might beIm just smart enough to grasp it. damned monkey brain!

monkeybrains803 (12:19:22 PM): Make that NOT smart enough to grasp itand so the damning of the monkey brain that limits me.

Call me wrong!? Call me crazed!? Do it all! As you likebut Ill still :p to you allyou cursed monkey brains!

monkeybrains803 (12:23:31 PM): You knowtalk like this is how I got a 1460 on my SATs. Im only a marginal genius. or a genius yet released!

Why am I out of place there? Why do I not fit here? Why do I not know where I belong?

monkeybrains803 (12:39:39 PM): To all that and moreMONKEY BRAINS!

monkeybrains803 (12:39:46 PM): I just dont know.

monkeybrains803 (12:40:20 PM): How can one truly know oneselfwhen by the very act of knowing a thing changes it?

monkeybrains803 (12:41:55 PM): The more I know..the more I realize I never thought to askand so the questions fill my headfill it until it hurts.pounding with questions conceived but less understoodoh we poor soulswe poor prisoners of our Monkey Brains!

monkeybrains803 (12:42:36 PM): DamnI forgot to put on deodorant.

monkeybrains803(12:42:39 PM): LOL

monkeybrains803 (12:43:17 PM): yupthere you go.

monkeybrains803(12:43:30 PM): Question: "How is unemployment treating you?"

monkeybrains803 (12:43:54 PM): Answer: "I forgot to put on deodorant."

candybj (12:45:18 PM): you have a strange way of looking at things

I am Adam! Hear me Waste.

Purgatory of indecision, self-pity, confusion.

Im the tide mastered by the lunar cycles of life.

Im Adamdestined to a life of bliss and happiness in a garden of eden, but banished to a hell of knowing indecision by a single taste of the fruit of knowledgetempted and destiny destroyed by an evil silver tongued serpent known as life.

Its not what we DIDits what we DONT DO in this life that leads to the true hell. A wasted life!

Epiphany! Blessed Epiphany!

-sigh-

I think Im gonna go see a movie.