Sunday, November 08, 2009

The King's New Clothes

Argh! Blogger *promised* me I could retain my old design after I upgraded my template! But when I upgraded and pasted my old template in, it had errors that prevent republishing.

This is what I get for trying to stay current. *growl*

My original design is much better than this thing. Fortunately, I backed up the HTML code for my old layout, so I'll just have to tinker it all back together.

Not that I'm looking to keep this blog up-to-date or anything, but it's a little piece of my history I like to keep active and be nostalgic now and again.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Epic Fail on the Posterity Note

Obama's in, Bush is out, nothing went wrong.

Very glad that I was incorrect in posterity.

Hey! If you're visiting, did you know that I started a StoryBlog called Shortening the Road? I've committed to posting one stream story a month. Have a listen!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Posterity Note -- May 23rd 2008

Whew. Haven't posted here in awhile. Hope you've all been keeping well.

I had this thought about a year ago and I remember remarking to friends with the prelude "Mark my words ..." So I thought I'd take my own good advice and literally mark my words.

As we draw ever-near to the end of George W. Bush's reign of terror in the "free" world, I had this horrible scenario pop into my head. Right before the election, something horrible is going to happen. Another attack will occur on North American soil (not ruling out Canada here), executed by a "terrorist" group that managed to sneak one under Homeland Security's collective noses.

When that happens, Bush will take control of the United States government and "postpone" the election, saying that in light of what has just happened, holding elections now would not be in the country's best interest.

What's terrifying is that the President does indeed hold that power. It's in the rulebooks that the president can take control of the governments in a time of crisis.

How long will the President be able to maintain that power? That's really up to us, isn't it?

I really hope I'm wrong.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

On Hiatus

As you've probably noticed, I haven't been updating much. Life's been pretty complicated lately, what with me dislocating my knees in a snowmobiling accident and then Ms. Carotte breaking her leg. I hoping that it's just February that's turning out to be sucky, rather than 2006 being a bad year.

So for the time being, I'm going on Hiatus for a bit. I'll probably come back to this blog eventually, but I need to sort some stuff out first.

If you're dying to read my writings (and really, who can blame you), I've been updating my LiveJournal more often.

Thanks for checking in.

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Happy New 2006!

I hope this blog entry finds you happy, healthy, and surrounded by friends and/or family. Thanks for staying with me on this blog (despite the silences). I hope we get to do some celebratin' in the next 12 months!

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Internet Blackout

My Bell modem went belly-up on Friday, so I'll be without Internet access for a few days until I get a new modem sometime next week.

If you need to get a hold of me, it's best to phone.

I shudder to think of the amount of email that's going to be dumped in my lap after four days of non-access. Gak.

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Gazettified

The article I mentionned appeared in the Montreal Gazette on Saturday (page A-3). It's a great article and the photo is classic. I'll be laminated the article... :)

The Gazette coverage really brought in a gaggle of folks to the fair and the ritual. The counts vary, but it seems to fall somewhere between 75-90 people. And I was expecting 40-60! Yikes!

The Ritual went off without too many hitches. There were a few things I hadn't counted on and could've planned for better, but I didn't really have time to work on it this week (with the end of the contract looming and all).

Many thanks to all who helped out, especially to Ms. Carotte who made me a gorgeous vest for the ritual.

Thursday, December 01, 2005



Montreal Sabbats presents
Battle Royale for Yule
Public Yule Ritual 2005
led by Hobbes

Concordia University Pagan Society (CUPS)
7pm (after the CUPS Yule Fair (10am - 6pm)

The harvest has been taken in and, as the snow piles and the winds blow, we can't deny that Winter is upon us once again! Join us as we celebrate Yuletide with our special guests: the Holly King and the Oak King.

After the CUPS Yule Fair has wrapped up, you can bear witness as the Solstice brothers do battle to see who will reign from the Winter Solstice to the Summer Solstice.

Each participant in the ritual need to bring a candle that they can hold in their hands lit (so no wax spillage). Also, participants should NOT bring feast food because having food on the Mezzanine is problematic.

Experience is not necessary and all paths are welcome to attend. Pagan Standard Time does NOT apply (don't be late). The ritual will start promptly at 7pm.

Friday, November 25, 2005

Making the Papers

Last night, I went out to the West Island to join a few other fellow pagans to be interviewed by the Montreal Gazette. With Yule coming up, one of their reporters was curious about what Pagans do during the holidays and asked to interview us about it.

We talked about Pagan philosophy and Pagan practice. We talked about Pagan creeds and guidelines. We talked about rituals and symbology. We talked about community and public reactions. We talked about good and bad experiences about being Pagan in a non-pagan society.

He wrote all of it down and his photographer snapped off a few pictures of us in discussion and some of us in posed shot with an athame and a goblet of wine (symbolizing the Great Rite).

All in all, it was a nice discussion and we were well-pleased with it. The article is supposed to appear in the paper sometime before the CUPS Yule Fair (on December 3rd). But before the reporter left, I asked him what section the article would be in, and he replied "The A section".

The A section. That's the front of the paper. It has all the city news in it. I suddenly worried about what this would mean. I was going to be Pagan in a VERY public way now and I'm worried about what that might mean. Not worried enough that I'm going to ask for a retraction; I volunteered for this interview and I'm sticking to it.

Actually, I'm more worried what this might mean for Ms. Carotte. She's a devout Christian and she attends an Evangelical Church. She's starting to make friends there and getting involved in that community. I do stuff for that Church too since I think it offers positive contribution to our neighborhood (not that any of them know I'm Pagan).

I don't care if these Church people started to treat me differently based on my religious affiliations, but I would hate it if they started to treat Ms. Carotte differently. That would suck.

Friday, November 11, 2005

Take a Moment

If you missed the 11am moment on the 11th, take a minute now to sit or stand silently and meditate on the sacrifices made by those who were left behind and who live on today.

I find reading this poem helps to put me in the proper headspace. Lest we forget...

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.