Catching up - birthdays and interfaith
Jan. 22nd, 2009 04:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rowanfBoy, I sure have gotten out of the habit of writing in Lj. I suppose I should catch up and try and keep going. I was put off at the beginning of the month by the layoffs and didn't want to post until I got my Lj-book together. But having done that I still didn't post. *shrug* So... the highlights.
I had a great birthday week. Tuesday I went to dinner at MacArthur Park with Russell, Marina, Brigid, Fiona, Ember, Albert, Linnnea and Chris. The food was great (almost all of us had ribs) and they were out of Gloria Ferrer so they gave us Moet Chandon White Star for the same price. Score! Pictures on Flickr.
Then Thursday for Pagansing I bought two cakes and after we had sung for awhile (including an amazingly silly song called "She Can't Be 55" to the tune of "I Can't Drive 55" written by Kurt we shared cake. Yum, Prolific Oven rocks.
Then Friday I got taken out to dinner at the Grill on the Alley and had filet mignon crusted with blue cheese that was awesome. And more champagne. Yay.
There was a lot of playing of World of Warcraft and a bit of time in Second Life (which is not behaving very well). OTOH, Ricoh bought my Snapz Pro so I could make a short video in SL of someone handing off a document. Yay! I haz machinima ambitions again.
In other news, our coven is doing very well and have an initiation coming up. I am really happy in my spirituality at the moment. I spent a lot of time in December/January working on the interfaith event on January 19th in celebration of MLK Day and the eve of the inauguration. The event came off beautifully with about 400 attendees. I wrote the litany we used and put the program booklet together. For the first time in several years of attending steering committee meetings with the local South Bay interfaith folks I actually feel like more of them see me as a part of the group and not some fringe person. Kurt, Marina and Chris joined me at the event and Ember represented Earth Religionists by reading a litany section. I had thought I might sing in the mass choir but I decided at the last minute I didn't want to sit where they were. LOL But it was the right decision.
Russell recorded the inauguration on Tivo and we have been watching bits of it. I am feeling more hopeful than I have in a long time. The notion that we will go back to funding UNFPA again is great news. And science unfettered by right wing ideology. On the other hand, the invasion of Gaza by Israel and the syncophancy of the US media makes me crazy.
Each "I commit" paragraph was read by a different faith representative. Ember did the "respect nature" one of course.
Litany of Hope and Dedication
In this time of change, of challenge, we find ourselves called to stand up, to speak up, to step up to action. Creating communities of hope starts within ourselves, in our families, in our workplaces and among our networks of friends. We must come together as a community, and as a nation, working together for the common good.
I commit to respect myself and others.
Let us come together to promote a tolerance of differences. Will you stand up, step up to reach out to the other, look for the best in each other and give the best you can give in return? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to open communication and social harmony.
Let us come together to share honestly and to work to solve problems peacefully and with grace. Let us listen carefully to one another, especially those with whom we disagree. Will you stand up, step up to listen, to forgive and to be courageous in your life? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to social justice.
Let us come together to seek abundance without greed, to seek companies and cities and states that are transparent and mindful of the common good. Will you stand up, step up to hold to the integrity of your word and expect no less of our leaders? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to respect nature.
Let us practice care and respect for the planet we share. Let us seek sustainability and leave a living planet for future generations. Will you stand up, step up to be a steward for the earth and our environment? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to support education.
Let us create a world where teachers are respected and have the resources and support to educate our children. Let us nuture the children who are our future, our hope. Will you stand up, step up to help prioritize education and the welfare of our children? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to helping to create a better world.
Let us come together to promote a world without want, with adequate healthcare and access to the tools needed for success, where men and women are respected as equals, where all peoples work in a global partnership for the common good. We are all interconnected and what is done to one effects us all. Will you stand up, step up to work for a better world?
Thus, each of us, citizens of Silicon Valley and the greater Bay Area, commit ourselves as best we can to create communities of hope, one community at a time, starting with our own.
I had a great birthday week. Tuesday I went to dinner at MacArthur Park with Russell, Marina, Brigid, Fiona, Ember, Albert, Linnnea and Chris. The food was great (almost all of us had ribs) and they were out of Gloria Ferrer so they gave us Moet Chandon White Star for the same price. Score! Pictures on Flickr.
Then Thursday for Pagansing I bought two cakes and after we had sung for awhile (including an amazingly silly song called "She Can't Be 55" to the tune of "I Can't Drive 55" written by Kurt we shared cake. Yum, Prolific Oven rocks.
Then Friday I got taken out to dinner at the Grill on the Alley and had filet mignon crusted with blue cheese that was awesome. And more champagne. Yay.
There was a lot of playing of World of Warcraft and a bit of time in Second Life (which is not behaving very well). OTOH, Ricoh bought my Snapz Pro so I could make a short video in SL of someone handing off a document. Yay! I haz machinima ambitions again.
In other news, our coven is doing very well and have an initiation coming up. I am really happy in my spirituality at the moment. I spent a lot of time in December/January working on the interfaith event on January 19th in celebration of MLK Day and the eve of the inauguration. The event came off beautifully with about 400 attendees. I wrote the litany we used and put the program booklet together. For the first time in several years of attending steering committee meetings with the local South Bay interfaith folks I actually feel like more of them see me as a part of the group and not some fringe person. Kurt, Marina and Chris joined me at the event and Ember represented Earth Religionists by reading a litany section. I had thought I might sing in the mass choir but I decided at the last minute I didn't want to sit where they were. LOL But it was the right decision.
Russell recorded the inauguration on Tivo and we have been watching bits of it. I am feeling more hopeful than I have in a long time. The notion that we will go back to funding UNFPA again is great news. And science unfettered by right wing ideology. On the other hand, the invasion of Gaza by Israel and the syncophancy of the US media makes me crazy.
Each "I commit" paragraph was read by a different faith representative. Ember did the "respect nature" one of course.
Litany of Hope and Dedication
In this time of change, of challenge, we find ourselves called to stand up, to speak up, to step up to action. Creating communities of hope starts within ourselves, in our families, in our workplaces and among our networks of friends. We must come together as a community, and as a nation, working together for the common good.
I commit to respect myself and others.
Let us come together to promote a tolerance of differences. Will you stand up, step up to reach out to the other, look for the best in each other and give the best you can give in return? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to open communication and social harmony.
Let us come together to share honestly and to work to solve problems peacefully and with grace. Let us listen carefully to one another, especially those with whom we disagree. Will you stand up, step up to listen, to forgive and to be courageous in your life? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to social justice.
Let us come together to seek abundance without greed, to seek companies and cities and states that are transparent and mindful of the common good. Will you stand up, step up to hold to the integrity of your word and expect no less of our leaders? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to respect nature.
Let us practice care and respect for the planet we share. Let us seek sustainability and leave a living planet for future generations. Will you stand up, step up to be a steward for the earth and our environment? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to support education.
Let us create a world where teachers are respected and have the resources and support to educate our children. Let us nuture the children who are our future, our hope. Will you stand up, step up to help prioritize education and the welfare of our children? (Yes, we will!)
I commit to helping to create a better world.
Let us come together to promote a world without want, with adequate healthcare and access to the tools needed for success, where men and women are respected as equals, where all peoples work in a global partnership for the common good. We are all interconnected and what is done to one effects us all. Will you stand up, step up to work for a better world?
Thus, each of us, citizens of Silicon Valley and the greater Bay Area, commit ourselves as best we can to create communities of hope, one community at a time, starting with our own.
