Corvallis Vandals

Or, the other half seeking rights to the best coffee shop in town ♥

Teamwork

Oh my! This is a hammier picture than I first thought!
Preparing to talk at the OHEN Conference, I dressed carefully and thoughtfully. I brightened my hair and left it down, thinking of Madeline. I'm wearing the jacket Kelli gave me, which is identical to one Holly has. I've got Hannah's belt as a scarf, my goddess from Mary and a chain from Trisha, around my neck. Scotty gave me the bra and the boobilicious shirt for Xmas ♥ Girls courtesy of God. That's Mitch's belt. The skirt came from a hippie store in Asheville, NC, Ren's favorite town. Aunt Donna gave me the best pair of black longjohn -legging -thingies (yay the 80s are back!!) I'm also wearing orange socks from the Lovejoy Clan ♥ In my bag, I had Hannah's ashes and a singing card from Caren.
Not exactly channeling, I suppose, certainly conjuring feelings of support, feeling the love. Doesn't much matter how they got there, so long as I appreciate the presence (presents). Right on time. Oh yeah, I played Exactly on my phone just before I spoke. Perfect. Yay Team!

Have I told you lately, I love Michael Moore?

~~The diana disclaimer: I really hate the terms "Liberal" and "Conservative" I'd hope that as human beings we're ALL Liberal with our Love and Understanding and Conservative with our Judgment and Scorn. Name calling isn't right, even if done on the High Road.
I've rewritten the Pledge to remove divisive language. It's here in it's original, signable form. ~~

Originally: Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives:
Alternately: America's Pledge to Disheartened Citizens:

To: Conservatives and Republicans Fellow Citizens

I, and my fellow signatories, hereby make these promises to you:

1. We will always respect you for your conservative differing beliefs. We will never, ever, call you "unpatriotic" simply because you disagree with us. In fact, we encourage you to dissent and disagree with us.

2. We will let you marry whomever you want, even when some of us consider your behavior to be "different" or "immoral." Whom you marry is none of our business. Love and be in love -- it's a wonderful gift.

3. We will not spend your grandchildren's money on our personal whims or to enrich our friends. It's your checkbook, too, and we will balance it for you.

4. When we soon bring our sons and daughters home from Iraq, we will bring your sons and daughters home, too. They deserve to live. We promise never to send your kids off to war based on either a mistake or a lie.

5. When we make America the last Western democracy to have universal health coverage, and all Americans are able to get help when they fall ill, we promise that you, too, will be able to see a doctor, regardless of your ability to pay. And when stem cell research delivers treatments and cures for diseases that affect you and your loved ones, we'll make sure those advances are available to you and your family, too.

6. Even though you have opposed environmental regulation, when we clean up our air and water, we, the Democratic majority people, will let you, too, breathe the cleaner air and drink the purer water.

7. Should a mass murderer ever kill 3,000 people on our soil, we will devote every single resource to tracking him down and bringing him to justice. Immediately. We will protect you.

8. We will never stick our nose in your bedroom or your womb. What you do there as consenting adults is your business. We will continue to count your age from the moment you were born, not the moment you were conceived.

9. We will not take away your hunting guns. If you need an automatic weapon or a handgun to kill a bird or a deer, then you really aren't much of a hunter and you should, perhaps, pick up another sport. We will make our streets and schools as free as we can from these weapons and we will protect your children just as we would protect ours.

10. When we raise the minimum wage, we will pay you -- and your employees -- that new wage, too. When women are finally paid what men make, we will pay conservative ALL women that wage, too.

11. We will respect your religious beliefs, even when you don't put those beliefs into practice. In fact, we will actively seek to promote your the most radical religious beliefs (i.e. from Christianity: "Blessed are the poor," "Blessed are the peacemakers," "Love your enemies," "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God," and "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."). We will let people in other countries know that God doesn't just bless America, he blesses everyone. We will discourage religious intolerance and fanaticism -- starting with the fanaticism here at home, thus setting a good example for the rest of the world.

12. We will not tolerate politicians who are corrupt and who are bought and paid for by the rich. We will go after any elected leader who puts him or herself ahead of the people. And we promise you we will go after the corrupt politicians on our side FIRST. If we fail to do this, we need you to call us on it. Simply because we are in power does not give us the right to turn our heads the other way when our party goes astray. Please perform this important duty as the loyal opposition.

I promise all of the above to you because this is your country, too. You are every bit as American as we are. We are all in this together. We sink or swim as one. Thank you for your years of service to this country and for giving us the opportunity to see if we can make things a bit better for our 300 million fellow Americans -- and for the rest of the world.

Sincerely,

the People of America,
Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

Speaking of CSUN

Lookie what Scotty found!before glasses, before Mitch, before children...

Ken & Barbie are Republicans

How would I know? Bear with me, by the end of this post you, too, will understand...
Because I registered to vote as a Republican (to vote for Ron Paul in the primary)
I received this piece of mail: My assumption was therein would be pictures of dead babies in garbage cans.
How nice they were actually concerned for how that picture may warp a child's mind forever.
I was completely unprepared for what followed... Your support of this organization will ensure children never, ever have information provided for them that may shift their view of sexuality to a perspective of healthy and happy and whole. They might encounter someone who will tell them that sexual pleasure is *gasp* a divine gift, perhaps directly from G-d!
♥ that'd be me ♥ My curiosity is peaking here... I happen to love Planned Parenthood and am eternally grateful for the services they've provided for me over the course of many (sexually active) years. Never once did they recruit my heart, mind nor soul. I was an adult who went there of my own free will.
So it's time to open the envelope... in front of my only small child, of course!I *just* recommended this very book to over 1,000 unschoolers, as a great way to "strew" sexual development information to a child who may not want to have "the talk." One human's comprehensive sex ed is another human's view of sex as a sin. Maybe this is what they want their kids to see when they look down -- a big blur. Maybe they live their lives as though nothing below their chin actually exists? How do they have kids? How do they think *they* came to be (yep, your daddy put his penis inside your mama's vagina and moved around until he spurted semen filled with sperm inside her, which then swam to her egg to create YOU -- godly, apathetic, and godless alike!!)Note: these pictures portray activities that only work if you have actual *genitals* --
Blur on Blur doesn't work, not even in fetish porn! I don't think the creators of Ken and Barbie *really* wanted to create a world of people
who wished for nothing in their panties.
I'd really like Republican to mean what it used to mean
-- no government in my bedroom nor my doctor's office --
I scoured their website, there is no official Republican Party promotion of sexual dysfunction.
I shall pray for an earth-shattering orgasm to visit each of the repressed folk
responsible for this piece of trash recycling.

Our Gifts, addendum

along the trail of sharing our gifts...
I'm an ASL interpreter. It's not what I do, in large part, it's who I am.
I became interested in signing 30 years ago (yes I was 10), found uncommon ways to grow in proficiency (language immersion with Deaf community & classes directed at adults) and began interpreting at 16 (when my friends earned $3.35/hour at McDonalds, I earned $6.50-$10/hour interpreting in the community).
Upon arriving in SoCal in 1986, I found great opportunities to continue interpreting (adding some Spanish/ASL/English interpreting to my repertoire) and grow as a professional. I worked at High School and College level interpreting, which I much prefer to community work (predictability? relationship? yeah, both!). Eventually, I worked at CSUN with amazing pioneers of our field (Gary Sanderson) at a time when there was little respect for interpreters as human beings. I'm glad to have been part of the movement toward better pay, minimum hours and humane treatment.
When I returned in SD in 1994, I was horrified!! I'd had 10 years professional experience since I'd left, though with the new legislation requiring certification (test administered by the monopolizing interpreter referral agency) and me without certification, I was offered $7.50/hour (yes, I pointed out to them that was a $1 raise for 10 years experience -- they pointed to the blank spot on the wall where my certification *should be*). I got a job for better pay at SD School for the Deaf, in the dorm, direct care of Deaf children ♥ The Joy!!!
Eventually, Life's Path lead me again out of the Deaf Community, to an educational secretary -- less skills, more pay, better insurance :D (perfect timing -- as Mitch was dx with his brain tumor while on this better insurance policy!!)
There came a point, however, when the neglect of my gift was more guilt than I could bear. I sought ways to take the certification exam and give back to the Community I loved & missed so much. I got a great score, though I feel the results were tainted by the examiners' knowledge I would not be working for their organization. Be that as it may, just weeks after Hayden was born I began my first real venture into community interpreting, with a far more ethical organization. I found a care-giver for my kids, whom I would pay the same 2 hour minimum pay that I was receiving. Between jobs I would stop by, nurse my babies, and head out to the next assignment. (Mitch was just returning to work after his radiation treatments, a split shift with a nap in between)
Along this path, there came a time when having a job with insurance benefits became a dire necessity... I met an interpreter who was working at an elementary school and looking to delve more deeply into community interpreting -- We traded jobs!!
By now, Mitch was home full time on chemotherapy and was willing to be primary care-giver to his kids ♥ I Loved, Loved, Loved my job!!! The entire 3 months I was there...
When Mitch died, I quit immediately, and became a full-time mama ♥ the bestest job in the universe ♥
And now 7 years later, I sit with this amazing gift I'm once again not using...
In the planning for our move to Oregon, I did some cursory searches for what may be required of me to venture back into interpreting. There was no state legislation to be found and I ended my search, in favor of part-time baking and occasional public speaking for pay! In the back of my head was a voice saying, As soon as it lands in my lap, I'll pick it back up again.
The first universal nudge came when someone commented there were two interpreters for our local Vagina Monologues performance. There was some discussion about volunteer vs paid jobs (the Code of Professional Conduct prevents an interpreter from volunteering for a job that would normally be a paid position-- it's stealing money from our colleagues and promoting a less than professional view of our work) and the spark of realization: There are Deaf Consumers in our community!! There was another nudge when I was asked to share my ASL with the unschoolers in our community. And yet another nudge when I met a friend, by accident, in a local restaurant who shared another friend of hers is soon to be working at OSU (Go Beavs!) as an interpreter. **hint, hint** I reiterated my *landing in my lap* philosophy and went happily on my way.
It was just an hour later that I was giving Victor and his dogs a ride to Philomath, thinking deeply and passionately about Gifts and their use.
When I woke up, I called OSU.
I have an appointment/interview on Friday afternoon.
The Gift shall be utilized in the community I so dearly love.
Wow! Life Is Good ♥

Abe Lincoln knows George W. Bush?

He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met.
--Abraham Lincoln

Happy Zombie Jesus Day

Free Pictures from DrewpyDraws
Join us tomorrow for Happy 1/2 Price Easter's Bunny's Chocolate Day ♥

Dear Heather,

Paul once wondered, "Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?" We got the answer. (insert evil thought filled with vile name calling here) And let me just say, we're none too happy with your response of "No, but I'll divorce ya and do my best to take you to the cleaners, just as your loved ones predicted I'd do, but you were too blinded by my amazing somethingorother to see my gold-diggedness." (let's face the girl must have had something super amazing to lure and trap Sir Paul, he wasn't gonna choose just any ol' plain jane to fill the void left by the Amazing Linda)
Feeded and Needed, it's all the guy asked for. It was too much? Really? You got to have his baby. Yeah, you got to. How honored are you? Not enough. Not even close. He's honored enough for you both, Lucky Bea ♥
Did you hope, ala Yoko, that he would suddenly begin, ala John, taking so many drugs he would forget about his first family (the ones who were actually there while he earned his fortune)? And that you would be the only family he needed?
Or maybe you were hoping that someone would just come along and shoot Paul, ala John, and you'd get the entire fortune, ala Yoko? And maybe, unlike Yoko, we'd come to love you? HA!
I'd rather have Paul divorced than dead, so thanks to all the gods for not allowing that dream to come true.
As for you, m'dear, I'd suggest you give a big chunk of Paul's money to your Land Mine organization, to make up for the donations they will lose maintaining you as spokesperson. I can't imagine there are very many folks (and even fewer with finances and influence) who will align themselves with a Beatle F*cker.
Someday, I'll find compassion in my heart for you as Beatrice's mother. Not yet. Not for a while...

Sincerely,
me
**I'm so proud I was able to write that whole thing without once mentioning my overwhelming desire to rip off your leg and beat you with it!

The War

Who's winning?

Not US Military, they're still dying:
U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 3991
U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation: 1
Total: 3992
Latest Coalition Fatality: Mar 19, 2008
(not counting American civilians who have died working for mercenaries,known as Black Water, et al.)
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Not the Iraqi People, they're still dying:
Civilian Casualties 82,000 - 89,000
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Not the American People, we're still paying:
$110/barrel crude oil -- reaching $4/gallon gasoline -- out of pocket expense
$4 TRILLION and counting-- tax dollar expense
(not counting widow and orphan benefits paid to families of our dead)
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I work hard to avoid war talk, I don't want to lend my energy to WAR.
That said, I need to think of what's happening, our apathy becomes the excuse the warmongers need to continue profiting while human lives are lost -- in vain. There are few things worse in this universe than a life/death in vain.
All of the humans who've died were once tiny babies inside their mommies.
All of them bled red when they died.
All of them are missed by someone who benefited from their life.
All of them deserve to be remembered. All of them.
It's been a difficult shift for me to think of soldiers as humans in uniform; to think of terrorists as humans with deep beliefs; to think of our leaders (even the profiteering warmongers) as humans with Karmic Consequence beyond this lifetime. These are the thoughts that force me to humanize this conflict and renew my stance of Peaceful Resolution and an open, welcoming heart to those who put their *self* aside to do their *job* -- whatever that may mean. I'm a Peace Mongering Soldier Lover -- I want them never to have to do what they're doing right now, I envision a world where their job is digging wells and building bridges, fostering a human connection and compassion wherever they go.
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I saw a PSA the other day... I think it was about discouraging drug use. It sounded to me like they were discouraging all kinds of things, including the military and public schools, with their tagline of something like When you give up the right to think for yourself, you give up your SELF.
hmmmmm I don't think they're saying what they think they're saying....
I agree, though, the kids should listen :D much to the chagrin of the commercial makers