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.

  posted by Hobbes @ 2:07 PM

 

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.

  posted by Hobbes @ 12:56 PM

 

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!

  posted by Hobbes @ 1:44 AM

 

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.

  posted by Hobbes @ 3:38 PM

 

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.

  posted by Hobbes @ 2:16 PM

 

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.

  posted by Hobbes @ 2:47 PM

 

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.

  posted by Hobbes @ 10:10 AM

 

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.

  posted by Hobbes @ 11:23 AM

 

Reflections of a Greater Glory

I teach a Paganism 101 class at the Crescent Moon School on Wednesday nights, so last night we were watching an NFB documentary on pagan spirituality, the new feminist movement, and the environmental movement (Full Circle).

With so much on Goddess spirituality in the mainstream media, the concept of Goddess spirituality is certainly well-known. I'm sure that in 1992 (over 13 years ago), this would've been a relatively new concept to hit the mainstream consciousness.

So the film was more than a bit dated for my students, as well as myself. There was also a nasty undercurrent of anti-male sentiment that I found disturbing (that the males were responsible for everything that had gone wrong in the world). That type of male-villification just gets my blood boiling (so don't get me started).

I was discussing this with Ms. Carotte last night and I said:

"The movie attributed everything to the Goddess! The oceans, the moon, the animals, and the earth is the Earth Mother. And what about the God? The God gets regulated to the Sun, sperm, general security, and taking out the garbage. Argh!"

"Think of it this way," she smirked. "The only reason we can see the Moon at all is because it reflects the light of the Sun. What does that say about the Goddess?"

I grinned malevolently. "I'll be sure to use that on some unsuspecting pagan feminist. Maybe I'll go get my tombstone done now and avoid the rush."

There's a reason I love that girl. She always trying to get me killed in some kind of spectacular way.

  posted by Hobbes @ 2:05 PM

 

Feet are Wet

Remeber back in August when I posted about fighting Cold Feet about my new business idea? Since then, I've been meeting with a few people, discussing the project and generating some interest, but no one has formally given me the Nod.

Until this morning.

I got my first committed client and work on the project will start in January 2006 (although the setup work will probably start this month). When I complete this project, I will formally launch my new company project with some kind of shindig, probably in the Spring.

In the meantime, I celebrate my first victory. I'm very excited and terrified at the same time.

  posted by Hobbes @ 11:32 AM