Wedding Website

As some of you know, my boyfriend Sonny proposed to me earlier this fall. We're getting married in 2010, and we've launched a website to document our planning of the great event.

You can visit our site here, at www.sonny-and-andrea.com.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday!

Very Interesting-Looking Documentary

I'm hoping to have time to watch this documentary, entitled "Hoopeston", which was directed by Thomas Bender.

Review to be posted upon watching. But if you have time before I do, hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much to Jason of The Wild Hunt for, once again, posting the best Pagan News of Note.

The Winter Holidays

Or, Yule, Christmas, and the middle way...

As you can see from my abundant lack of posting, things have been unbelievably busy but wonderful. I had the great pleasure of attending a Yule ritual put on by the Northern NJ Pagan Fellowship on the 21st. I was a bit tentative about attending my first public ritual, but honestly, it was such a wonderful event. It was so different from working as a solitary - I've been composing tomes in my head about the different feel of the energy we raised.

The friendly open-ness of the group was also amazing. Everyone was so friendly, from the moment I walked in the door. I felt badly for not having brought food (I had been visiting my family in PA and had just driven back to Jersey for the ritual, so had no time to cook anything properly. Honestly, I need to leave enough time to cook things twice any time I arrange to bring things - just in case I ruin it the first time.), so they let me help prepare the food that was there. We had all sorts of wonderful tubers (potatoes, yams, etc), and such to bake up, and a wonderful chicken pasta, as well as this glorious cider. Gwaeron, the group leader, was also kind enough to share his mead stores.

I need to devote an entire paragraph to this mead, actually. I don't like alcohol - I'll have a margarita or a mamosa from time to time, but usually only one (at most two). I don't like the way alcohol tastes, honestly. But I took a sip of this mead, and honestly, it was like drinking sunshine. I will definately be sharing more about it as I find out where it came from - and will be very glad to incorporate it into some of my own personal rituals.

I'm going to be working on something to celebrate the New Moon on Saturday, if I can. While I may not actually be able to perform anything, the gesture of planning for the next go round would be extremely satisfying to me, I believe. I really want to do more work with the moon - I feel as though that's where I draw a lot of my energy from when I am in need, and would like to recognize that wonderful gift.

In any case, now that we've sort of covered Yule...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I celebrate the togetherness of family and the birth of a very important historical figure here - I may not be Christian, but that doesn't mean I can't admire a man who was truly great in spirituality. The presents thing is pretty awesome too, honestly. It is great to be so close to my family around the holidays - I can feel so disconnected out in North Jersey, and being near everyone for these days is amazing. I am so lucky to have such a great family!

The TRUTH

Obama's Inaugural Choice

Today, an article in CNN touted the fury of liberal democrats at President-Elect Obama's choice of an inaugural speaker: namely, Rick Warren, conservative pastor of the Saddleback Church (and author of "A Purpose-Driven Life").

Yesterday I commented on a post by Jason at The Wild Hunt. It was in reference to teaching spirituality in schools, and how mainstream religions are always happy to be taught in schools but get all persnickety when it comes to giving fair treatment to other spiritual paths - such as, oh, say, Paganism.

I bring this up because I think people sometimes forget that equal representation and free speech mean that everyone gets a voice. Just because you don't agree with someone, or because you find their beliefs offensive, doesn't mean they can't speak their minds. When we are oppressed (meaning we as general people), we are quick to express our outrage - but when someone we don't agree with is silence, well, it's just not quite as awful, now is it?

Wrong. Democracy means that we are all on equal footing - we all get to hold the mike, no matter how repugnant or distasteful our ideas may be to others. Without this freedom, and without respecting it for everyone, we wouldn't be a truly free society (which some would argue we already aren't).

Rick Warran is opposed to gay marriage. He opposes abortion rights. But he's entitled to those views. And just because he holds them doesn't mean he, as a gifted speaker, should be refused an invitation to an important event. He is a spiritual leader to a large portion of American Christians - and he's also a good guy (as near as I can tell), and just because I disagree with him on several important issues doesn't mean I think he should be excluded from the national stage. And I certainly don't think he's going to take the opportunity to stir up contraversy - he's probaly just as excited to have Obama as a president as we all are.

Part of being an equal society means giving everyone equal voice. Without this fundamental right, how can we ever hope to achieve equality for anyone else?

UPDATE:
An excellent rebuttal from the president elect...

Deep Down, Everyone Is Pagan (or wants to be...)

I attended an absolutely amazing event last Saturday - the Phoenixville Firebird Festival. It is my goal to attend this event year year from here on in, as it was ridiculously fun, absolutely entrancing, and a wonderful expression of community in an otherwise "P.C." (politically correct) world.

I would like to thank Schamis for taking this wonderful picture, which I borrowed from his blog. (I did not think to bring my camera this year, but will definitely do so next year).



This video really captures the "Burninating" (we love you Trogdor!!!) beautifully - and the marshmallow toasting (which was great, right up until the wings almost fell on said roasters). The point of this post was really more to analyze the reaction of the crowd to this event. There was singing, drumming, and an enormous crowd of onlookers.

At one point, I turned to my good friend Molly (who follows a similar spiritual path to my own) and remarked that it was one of the most pagan events I had ever attended - and the crowd, by-and-large, probably would not consider themselves to be such.

I believe that paganism strikes a chord and resonates with the most basic parts of our human spirituality. I'm glad that there are still venues in which our increasingly politically correct and otherwise expressionly-stunted culture can come together and celebrate such a primal instinct and joyous refrain.

In short, huzzah for giant burning effigies - it's great that they still bring us together. :-)

Awesome...

What more could I say?

Pagan PR Manual

I read a very interesting post over at The Wild Hunt today, regarding high-profile pagans who have recently been featured in news articles. Jason (as always) very succinctly points out how these two profiles affect the pagan community as a whole, one (sadly) with bad information and the other (unfortunately) with one person's views representing our religion as a whole.

The first case involves someone who (rather ridiculously) compares the losses pagans have suffered through the years to those suffered by those of Jewish faith and descent during the Holocaust. First of all, it is absolutely irrational to compare the sufferings of different groups of people, however large or small (or whatever their origins). If a small tribe in northern Kenya gets wiped out during a small-scale feud, is it any less tragic than what happens in the Sudan? The question doesn't even make sense - both are tragedies. Both are terrible. People suffered, and any suffering is terrible. But to say that one or the other is 'more or less' awful is completely irrational. It's enough that people have died - don't cheapen anyone's loss by comparing it to somebody else.

Anyway, the second case was much less egregious - it was simply someone expressing their organization's personal beliefs, but it was presented in such a way that it would seem all pagans share the tenet (not the fault of the person being interviewed, but poor reporting).

My solution is this. A Pagan PR manual. I love branding, I love PR, and one of the most intricate and careful balances that must be struck in any sort of public awareness campaign is an overall representation of an idea that is truly nuanced at its core. Not all pagans are Gardnerians - not all pagans are solitaries, not all pagans follow Asatru, etc. etc. etc. We're all different, but we DO have common threads. Respect the earth. Love for our fellows. So on and so forth.

While it was recently pointed out to me by the very astute leader of the Fellowship I attend, Gwaeron, that we don't all follow "as it harm none", we are the same in that we embrace an earth-centered, positive lifestyle that is built on ancient traditions.

Anyway, enough rambling - I just like the idea of a Pagan PR manual, so that we can all speak about our religion and our community without lumping everybody together into one individuals beliefs, or simply to avoid sounding like an insensitive idiot (see Jason's post).

Week in Review

Since I'm taking a break from my homework (nothing like studying the 'innovation' behind three aspects of the current Web 2.0 networking scene to really stimulate the ol' brain cells), I'm quickly reviewing a meeting I attended this week.

The Northern New Jersey Pagan Fellowship is a great bunch of folks out here in NJ. They have meet and greets once a month, haven't missed a Sabbat in like 5 years, run Esbats that are geared towards learning and collaborative fellowship, and have a real dedication towards creating a group that is built on a foundation of dedicated, core members and is also open to the general public. A hard balance to strike, but they definitely do a great job.

They're having a Yule celebration on the 21st, and I am definately aiming to go. I've been to two meetups so far (one before my engagement, this past week after life finally simmered down enough for me to attend again), and they've been great. I'm interested to report back on how things go.

Also, some GREAT news:

After watching my beloved tripod Norn hobble around in the colder weather, I have been very worried about the state of her hip. I still plan to get her some fresh X-Rays after the holidays (unfortunately they're expensive, and without sign of an infection I won't rush it), but after observing her all weekend I feel greatly reassured. Norn's a recovering feral cat (who is very sweet and gentle, but still wild), and she doesn't like me hovering over her. She scuttles around from comfy spot to comfy spot, but I can see now that she is happy and comfy and even playing with her sisters. I feel greatly reassured.


I should point out that this good state of health is, in no small part, due to the gift of a heated pet bed by my sister Amanda. I wanted to buy one for her but couldn't afford it (they are enormously expensive). Her gift meant a lot to me, and it is something all the cats enjoy every day.

PLAGUE!

The next time my friends' kids have 'a little tummy bug', I am putting Quarantine stickers up on their house. For cholera.

Instead of spending the weekend with my fiance at Frog Hollow Evergreen Farm (the best place in the world to get a Yule/Christmas/Holiday tree if you can get to the Lancaster, PA area), with my family for my grandmother's birthday party, or anything else amusing, I have been doing this:


The only difference is, in this picture, I look happy.

Anyway, enough whining. I always have fun babysitting them, and will just be wary of the germ-swapping for the future.

The great news is that I got a lot of work done on Sonny's (my fiance) scarf. I should have no problems getting it done for this weekend. HUZZAH! (Will post pictures when it is done)

Food For Thought

Here's another assignment from my MBA program.

Prompt:
Creativity and innovation often come from "thinking outside the box," but too much divergent thinking can result in chaos. A well-run business requires order and routine to function effectively. Therefore, managers must learn to balance the need for stability with the need to create an environment that encourages new ideas.

What corporate competencies and environmental strategies can managers and organizations cultivate and employ in order to foster creativity, innovation, and success? How would you as a manager go about implementing and measuring these strategies?

Response:
One thing that quickly comes to a researcher’s attention is the plethora of conference synopses that contain the words “manage people innovation”. Business updates, briefings, and a variety of other corporately-sourced documents all include these buzzwords with the same frequency a nouveu riche drops names at a dinner party. When I starting poking around for information to build this discussion post on, there were pages of them in the Business Source database.

Helen Walters, a writer for BusinessWeek, agrees that the term ‘innovation’ is grossly overused in today’s business world. Quoted from her article “Voices of Innovation 2008”, Walters states:

“As executives have bandied the word about to describe everything from new product introductions to layoffs, it has become increasingly difficult to discern genuine innovation from wishful thinking or marketing spin.” (1)

Her article goes on to briefly describe the “Voices of Innovation” article that will be forthcoming shortly. In the meantime, her statement that “genuine innovation balances quick hits with long plays” resonated with me enough to continue to explore this idea of balance in innovation. (1)

After reflection on what would be the underpinnings of a successful manager who creates a fertile environment for forward thinking, and balancing responsibilities with the risks that are inherent with any change. Further searching on the web brought me to another concept that I believe has an enormous amount of influence on a manager’s ability to foster and incorporate innovation into their business world. That concept is Emotional Intelligence.

In an article written by Rachel Tonn of the Colorado Springs Business Journal, Nick Tasler (director of research and development for TalentSmart) is quoted as saying, “If we don’t teach them how to manage themselves, is it reasonable to expect them to lead us toward a prosperous future?”. Tasler’s approach towards teaching ‘them’ (in this case Generation X and Yers who will soon be taking up the management mantle in the workplace) to manage themselves is training them in the four Emotional Competencies: (2)
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
- Social Awareness
- Relationship Management (3)

The Emotional Competencies model was presented by Daniel Goleman, and encompasses EI as an ‘array of competencies and skills that drive leadership performance’. (3) I believe that these four qualities have enormous potential for aiding the up-and-coming management generations in acting as a midwife to the birth of enormous innovation and change. The first reason is because this emotional intelligence fosters communication and adaptability. These two traits are what I believe to be the most important parts of an innovation friendly personality or environment (work or otherwise). Second, these four traits are not necessarily inherent. They can be, but more importantly, they can be LEARNED.

These four steps towards a well-rounded, healthy emotional outlook are both essential to developing a positive work environment and can also be learned by any person willing. With this sort of double threat, emotional intelligence (as well as awareness and pursuit of it) can be the true key to unlocking hidden potential within companies across industry barriers.

Resources:
1. Walters, H. “Voices of Innovation 2008”. BusinessWeek. 10.20.2008. Accessed 12.3.08. http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2008/id20081020_393399.htm
2. Tonn, R. “Improving Emotional Intelligence of a Younger Work Force”. Colorado Springs Business Journal. November 28, 2008. Retrieved from Business Source 12.3.08. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=L54436495CSBJ&site=bsi-live
3. Wikipedia. “Emotional intelligence”. Accessed 12.3.08. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence

A Sad Day...

Today, dear Elmo was laid to rest. After a long and bitter emotional struggle, it was decided by Elmo's caretakers and doctors that because he had been abandoned by his owner at such an old age (13), and at such a delicate and difficult time (he was diagnosed with diabetes as he came into the shelter), he was suffering both physically and mentally.

He doesn't have to be afraid or worried or alone anymore. Though I only knew him a short time, (and I feel a bit silly being as upset as I am), Elmo really made an impression on me and I know I will miss him and think of him for a long time.

I offered to sprinkle his ashes at Valley Forge Park, so he could chase squirrels and deer to his heart's content. We don't know what he liked especially, but I figured a place full of the spirits of the soldiers who died at Valley Forge would be the perfect place to send him - where he'll be surrounded by people and fun outdoorsy stuff.

I felt a bit weird offering my services in this regard (this, after all, isn't my cat and I didn't know him for very long), but I feel better having made the offer. The folks at the shelter are so kind to me - I have always appreciated their generosity of spirit.

I'm glad that Elmo was known and will be remembered by us. I'm not unexperienced at missing someone never truly known, so this feeling is not a new one. I hope you sleep well, Elmo.

Post-Poem Regret

Ugh.

You know, late at night, I always get these silly urges to be creative and 'express myself', and then I usually end up with the sort of lame poetry that was featured last night. I apologize for this lapse in judgment. This is what happens when I spend too much time alone with my thoughts. :-)

Last night the kittens were adorable - for anyone who might not be familiar, I have three. Frigga and Freyja are the playful ones, and last night they definitely were in 'a mood'. I was sort of flirting around with going to bed, and apparently it wasn't quite fast enough for them, because they started trying to pin my arms down on the bed every time I moved something off of it. (At my apartment, the bed is usually covered in books/clothes/yarn)

This is an awful picture of me (why I shouldn't slouch), but this is a great example of the kittens. Trying to do homework? They sit on me. Trying to blog? They sit on me. Trying to play MarioKart Wii? They sit on me. AND try to eat the nunchuck cable. It's great.

Honestly, though, it's great to have little somebodies in the house. It gets lonely up here in North Jersey, and their decision to grace me with their presence brings me a whole lot of joy. (Frigga is on the 'bottom', Freyja is on the 'top')

Tonight I'm going to Mt. Pleasant (an animal shelter I volunteer at), and I'm going to be spending some time with one of the cats there. His name is Elmo, and he's really adorable. He's 12/13 years old, and diabetic. He requires injections two times a day, but aside from that slight issue, there's nothing wrong with this old boy. He's a sweetie and I'm worried about finding him a home. Luckily, Mt. Pleasant is a no-kill shelter, but because he has a special diet he has to stay in one of the (albeit roomy) cages all the time. I don't think he likes that at all. (This is Elmo, by the way).

I know it's not responsible to want to bring another cat into the house, but my heartstrings didn't stand a chance against this guy. He's like a big lion! With diabetes. But that's okay!

I'll be hoping and praying he gets a home. I'm going to put up the same runes I did for Callie (who was adopted!!!) when I was worried she wouldn't find a home.

Poems

I went through all this effort in college to produce poetry. When I was in high school, I had a well-meaning but misguided (in my opinion) English teacher who turned me into a wonderful technical writer but turned off my creative talent (if it could be called that). She was a great lady, and taught me a lot of good things, but I've never been able to re-discover that switch that was turned off in 10th grade. The closest I've come was with a creative writing class in college that forced me to write poetry or fail.

I'm going to try doing that again. I have trouble motivating myself to write sometimes, and hopefully this exercise will get me going. There's something extremely satisfying about writing a poem that neatly fits a rhythm I aim to accomplish. Not that they're good, mind you, just that they have a nice lilt.

Glance
Can you hear it too?

This thickly muffled pounding,
dully pulling me forward
from under my ribcage.

I can feel past all these
heavy bones and thick flesh,
pulsing ahead,
becoming.

I can touch all that I
have so roughly lost;
reach beyond these simple
confines of blood and skin.

I can HEAR them screaming
into this familiar emptiness,
silently crying with harsh rasps.

All that I have ever hoped for is
so nearly close, I can feel it
under my skin, and yet
so far beyond my fingertips.

What undying agony is this,
rattling with newly old
cries in my heart?