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Friday, June 11th, 2010
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3:45 pm - Some LairLinks y'all should know about (Newly Revised)...
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I believe we're Ready to reveal our full range of online LairShops, folks! The Cafepress LairShops harbor teeshirts, caps, coffee mugs, sweatshirts, mousepads, provocative boxers and the like, all with the LairMistress's original art and photographs, Including but not Limited to Irish ones! Also, the Big News is that our Cafepress Premium LairShop, The Lair of Cards, is Now OPEN and RUNNING!! Dedicated primarily to our images on paper products--Posters, Postcards, Greeting Cards, and the like, this new LairShop is still being Built, but is now fully Functional! We may even feature EP CDs and Print/eBooks there in the not-too-distant future; meanwhile, we've got everything Paper-Oriented from Stickers to Framed Prints! We just need to make a Clickable icon Below to help you get to it. Better still, we are researching possibilities for designing posters for other folks as well--I've done this Before, after all, but thus far only on a Volunteer basis. The newest LairShop, Created as a part of the Lair itself, sells Original prints and Neolithic-inspired art stickers!
Anyway, here are LairLinks to our five Cafepress LairShops:
UPDATE (THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2009): There's been a bit of a shakeup on our e-commerce front, LairCronies! The Lair's private collection of prints for sale, the Nifara Gallery, has been permanently Retired and Deleted from the Lair. This is because 1) we weren't getting any sales; and 2) we decided to leave things like custom matting and framing to professionals. Therefore...we are Instead expanding our Imagekind account (see LairLink with the LairMistress's self-photo Below)! Having upgraded to a Pro account, we are expanding both the number of galleries and Uploaded images; we now are Allowed up to 100 galleries with up to 50 images Apiece! These galleries feature Custom matting and printing for each image; and we don't have to purchase these materials ourselves. Sounds like a plan! ALSO: We're still trying to decide what to do with our Photostockplus account, currently Deactivated pending renewal/upgrade. To upgrade or not, that is the question: the Annual upgrade price is a little Steep. We'll hopefully get Around to that eventually. Plus, we're doing Squidoo Lenses now! Check out the LairLink below to our Lensmaster profile! NEXT: Look for us to (finally!) upgrade at least two of our basic Cafepress LairShops to Premium, now that we can afford to expand our CP base a wee bit...stay Tuned for an announcement on those developments shortly!!
*****
   
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Anyway, dear LairCronies, do check out these lovely LairShops; hopefully something will catch your eye, and you'll discover that it's got your name on it! That, and they make Lovely gifts for all occasions! I mean, c'mon, who hasn't gone bloody Bonkers trying to come up with a wedding gift for the couple who have everything (then again, I always find that you can't go wrong for that occasion with some nicely trimmed, dark red table linens from J.C. Penney...)?! TOGETHER ACROSS THE WORLD!!
SPECIAL UPDATE (FRIDAY, DEC. 7): Right now, friends, we would like to ask y'all to consider donating to the LairMistress's recording project fund. Our funds are quite low at present, which has prematurely curtailed the recording of said LairMistress's first full-length album! Interested persons are hereby Invited to donate to this fund via PayPal:
Thank you very much in advance! And please accept our best wishes for the Holiday season, whichever holiday or festival you and yours prefer. And have a Happy New Year besides!!
current mood:  hopeful
current music: Starbucks radio
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| Saturday, December 5th, 2009
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9:06 pm - Liam Clancy, my birthday-mate, has crossed the Divide...
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Well, folks, sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'm having a bit of a hard time focusing on much of anything at the moment, given that Liam Clancy finally broke free of his body yesterday, December 4. Apparently his pulmonary fibrosis was Worse than he let on to us at the message board, and he'd been in a hospital in Cork for at least the Past couple of weeks. We'd all been wondering why he hadn't posted since early September or So.
Being a bit Shellshocked right now, I will have to get back to this post tomorrow, perhaps; meanwhile, here (behind the cut) are a few videos of Liam at Various stages of his life and career. I'll write more Later, along with LairLinks to Various articles and tributes to my favorite Irish/folk musician:
( Liam Clancy (1935-2009) on Youtube )
*****
Dammit, I'm so bloody Tired of everyone I care about dying! Why has nobody found a cure for this condition Yet? It's the same thing with cancer--decades spent researching, billions of dollars in research funding and grants Provided, millions of lab rats Subjected to God-only-knows-what...and what have they to show for all this Alleged "research"? Have any of them come up with any vaguely Useful knowledge after all that; or have they all just been putting in time?? And now, we hear that Canadian folksinger Kate McGarrigle of the McGarrigle Sisters, better known Nowadays as Rufus Wainwright's Mom, is battling clear-cell sarcoma of the liver, probably Similar to the kind my Dad had for over five years. How long before we hear of her checking out too?
Still, this is about Liam; he and his brothers and Tommy Makem came into my life when I was ten years old, a shy, miserable, Scapegoated "new kid" at my grade school in Frederick, Maryland; and showed me that there was still a way to find joy in living--not in Organized religion, but in Spirited, joyful, passionate, soul-renewing folk music. They came through stereo speakers, grabbed me by the heart and soul, and changed my life Forever. I may be still Alive today because of them. And now, it is for me, not only to celebrate their lives and carry on their music; but also to seek out the Nearest astral pub where they are now launching their first Clancy Brothers reunion tour since 1984...
Some LairLinks for Liam Clancy (more will be added as we find them):
Liam Clancy's Website Liam Clancy's Message Board (registration required)
NPR Tribute to Liam Clancy Liam Clancy: Google Index of Tribute Articles
Irish Times Condolence Book for Liam Clancy
current mood:  crushed
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| Thursday, October 29th, 2009
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5:35 pm - 'Bout time to start these folks up Again...
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Folks, we almost forgot about our Virtual Village for Awhile there! I've got several more additions to the photo album from Chief Alitipa's tenure (she's still there, as far as I know, since I've had the game on 'Pause' for the Longest time!). Thought we should post them here prior to archiving them on the hard drive:
( Village of Starcross: Newest Pics )
Anyway, folks, that's the most Recent of our Virtual Villagers' photo album! Sorry I haven't posted them Sooner; I have a lot of catching up to do in the area of photo and digital art processing. I also had best get into the VV3 game and get our broken statue Repaired pretty soon, even though my builders don't have much to build at the moment; hence, not much training except in the fine art of Hut Repair.
In other news, Cafepress LairShop expansion continues Apace (at least, when I can wrench myself Away from the Continuing demands of the U-District travel agency and its Chronic dearth of email-typing skills). See the Home Lair soon for an Updated list of things I need to catch up on. And keep thinking good thoughts for Liam Clancy (who has been AWOL from his Message Board since just before his/my birthday in September; we're wondering if he's on retreat in Florida, Hawaii, or some Such place); and please send condolences to the family and friends of Taylor Mitchell, a promising young Canadian folkie tragically snatched Away from us in a freak coyote attack while hiking Alone in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia at the young age of 19. More on this will follow...
current mood: creative
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| Saturday, October 3rd, 2009
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9:02 pm - Hello all, I'm Home!
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Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I went off to visit my Aunt Sharon over in Colville, and forgot to bring my camera Along. Too bad, we did quite a bit of driving and hiking, Including over to the town of Republic, mostly to see their Stonerose Fossil Museum. Sharon's got five dogs and two cats Now, including one foster dog from the Local pet refuge where she volunteers part-time.
While I was there, I also started watching videos of a ghosthunting show called Ghost Adventures--I guess, because I enjoy a good ghost story; and because I know a number of RL ghosthunters. I question whether the Ghost Adventures guys really take the right approach--they go into a place, rather Often, in a Heightened state of anxiety, and they often yell and challenge the Supposed resident ghosts to "give us a sign!", which seems a little Disrespectful. But it is Entertaining, at least. And speaking of entertainment, did you see/hear Ghadafi's speech at the U.N.? I don't know what that guy's issues are; but he rambled on for 98 minutes in front of the General Assembly, and hell if anyone could make sense of what he was on about. This, while he was looking for a place to camp out in New Jersey, and no one wanted Ghadafi camping out in their neighborhood. That dude's nuttier than a Stereotypical homeless guy.
Now, I'm back here in Seattle, keeping an eye on the Federal healthcare debate. A lot of folks still want a public option; the right-wing legislators don't want insurance for the uninsured, because it might lead to a "government takeover of healthcare" (and--horrors!--it might help more people afford to see doctors when they need to! Can't let poor people see doctors, for God's sake!).
Anyway, I'll have to shut down the laptop for Now; coffee shop's closing. Will supply more LairLinks later...
current mood:  rushed
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| Thursday, September 17th, 2009
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5:21 pm - Still worried about my Irish muse...
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Hello, again! This is the first I've posted since my Recent birthday. I've got my laptop Back, and have a lot to catch up on. Trouble is, I've been Worried about Liam Clancy again, since he's still struggling at keeping pulmonary fibrosis under control. He and I have the same birthday; he just turned 74 on the same day I turned 45, just in time for the release of his new biographical documentary, The Yellow Bittern: The Life and Times of Liam Clancy. Back in my 20's, I used to be a Notorious hypochondriac, imagining all sorts of dire Impending doom on myself any time I got a slightly Unusual headache or abdominal twinge. Now, I seem to have more or less recovered from that; but Lately, I've been worried Sick about my Favorite musicians and other Important links to my younger days, Liam being among them.
I'm sending him distance Reiki every day, and posting get-well messages on his message board; but I wish there was more I could do to help him, and that I knew him well Enough to communicate with him regularly via email (I actually happen to know his email address, but I'm wary of using it unless I clear it with him first). I wonder if healing visualization/meditation can help another person at a distance? I don't know enough about that to have any idea about whether it works or not. I really want to see him Again while I still can; I'm just not Sure how this can be arranged. Better start working on it Soon, I guess.
At the same time, I need to get Ready for playing at the Pike Place Market Buskers' Festival this Coming Sunday; and my trip out to visit my aunt in Colville next week (September 21-28). I also have a lot of work to do on expanding my Imagekind gallery and newly-Upgraded Cafepress LairShops. It's just that it's hard to concentrate and focus on these things when you're worried Sick about someone on the other side of the planet who is Important to you personally. I don't know how many other folks would understand that I see a 74-year-old ballad singer in County Waterford as one of the soulmates and biggest influences of my life; and that I can't stand the thought of him leaving this plane of reality anytime Soon, and silencing, IMO, one of the most Gorgeous male voices ever Created (yes, I am definitely Biased!).
I don't know, I guess I get Obsessive about stuff like this; but reading about Liam's Recent health struggles has been very Distressing, and messing up my focus on other things Bigtime. And ever since Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan died suddenly and needlessly a dozen years Ago, I've had a hard time believing that praying for someone does any good, or that the Conventional Western God-Figure will do anything in response to Said supplications but kill their subject off Regardless. Sounds awful, but my trust in said Higher Power was seriously Compromised when Nusrat was snatched Away; and I'm not Sure what will restore my sense of trust in things turning out Okay.
Meanwhile, I've got loads of things to get Done in the Near future, and am trying to focus my attention on that stuff as well as I can...
current mood: worried
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| Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
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6:23 pm - 9 x 5...
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I'm 45 today, folks! Or, make that the 20th anniversary of 25! Whatever. It's been pretty Uneventful, really, aside from all the construction tearing up the streets all over my neighborhood. It looks like a Freaking war zone, or a regression to the age of dirt roads and cobblestones. Takes forever to get Anywhere when you have to get to a store or bus stop.
Anyway. I'm planning to see HBP again Tonight. Nothing else Exciting going On till this weekend, when Bumbershoot is once again Afoot...
current mood: 45
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| Friday, August 21st, 2009
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4:23 pm - Snakes in a Cathedral...
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I had the Weirdest dream just last night, in which Liam Clancy was putting on a concert in a Huge cathedral in Ireland. Like a lot of dreams, it was really Disjointed, Confused, and made very little sense (NOT the way Liam puts on concerts in RL, you can be Sure about that!). The show included an appearance by a large snake (I'm not Sure what kind) that was let Loose and allowed to slither all over the floor. I remember speaking to Liam during the highly Chaotic intermission, and telling him that I was feeling Depressed at not having the chance to take part in this performance. It was also one of those dreams in which I bring a lot of Personal items (including my guitar) to a Particular location, and keep losing one thing after another. I wonder if I should post this to Liam's message board? Maybe he's got a knack for dream interpretation.
Right now, I am writing from one of the computers in my friend's travel agency, as my laptop's motherboard has apparently dropped dead on me AGAIN, for the second time in two years! And this time, it's no Longer under warranty! Gah. Does this happen to HP motherboards Often? Now I've got to call up HP tech support to get the packaging to ship the laptop off to Tennessee again for a couple of weeks; and I probably have to pay by debit card in advance! I really must get in touch with Hewlett-Packard online as well, and find out a thing or two about the Average lifespan of HP notebook motherboards! I could have a reimbursement claim in the works for this thing...
current mood: laptop-deprived
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| Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
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6:02 pm - Well, I haven't posted in a while, have I...??
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I don't know why I haven't posted here in quite a while, LairCronies. Guess I've been Busy with Other things...my Mom came to visit early last month (while she was attending a classical "music camp" of sorts at Seattle Pacific University). I spent a lot of time racking my brains Beforehand, trying to come up with fun things for her to do; in the end, I decided that her ideas were better than mine--so we visited the Northwest Native American exhibits at the Burke Museum at UW (which I'd never really seen in depth Before); visited the Frye Art Museum on First Hill; and spent a fair amount of time hobnobbing with the desk and security staff at the Sorrento Hotel, where she spent several nights. I'm not an expert on wine; but they've got some very nice varieties at the Sorrento's lounge and restaurant. Their vanilla creme brulee was very nice too.
I'm also a bit Behind on updating Squidoo lenses; and I'm struggling to get my newly-Upgraded Cafepress LairShops fleshed out as quickly as Possible. That's kept me quite busy Lately. I've also got a newly-Upgraded Imagekind Gallery to expand; and I'm trying to get a handle on which photos on my hard drive are Ready to be Uploaded onto one site or another. I still haven't gotten around to seeing the new HPB (Harry Potter film no. 6) film Yet; but I will be there shortly.
I still have some Virtual Villagers shots to process and upload here; but my village has been somewhat Upstaged lately by my newly-Discovered addiction to the 18 Wheels of Steel games on my laptop! Imagine me, spending Untold hours as a Virtual truck driver, operating on a sort of Sims standard-time (that is to say, with minutes going by at the speed of seconds, for some reason)! It is quite Fascinating though; I've been delivering stuff all over the U.S. and Canada, in all sorts of weather conditions; and I've even hired a fleet of three Virtual drivers, contracting them to Virtual companies to deliver stuff for them, making a commission of some kind on each delivery. Don't worry, though; I haven't abandoned my Virtual Village completely. It is, however, taking them an awful long time to repair the giant Broken statue, as there aren't nearly enough skilled builders in my tribe. They don't really have anything Else to build at the moment, aside from general hut repair and Such.
And, of course, there are the Usual struggles with trying to make, as well as inheriting, money. I don't know if I'll attract more attention with the LairShops by upgrading them or not. I'm working on a little Finale Songwriter exercise (not a composition, exactly, though it sounds pretty cool), to see how to work with percussion on that type of scoring software. I want to get myself a MIDI keyboard that's Compatible with Finale software, in order to do scoring more quickly and efficiently; I've never really worked with one of those Before, and I might like to use it with my own recordings. I'm still quite serious about composing music for films and TV, and otherwise being professionally Involved with such projects; and I'm starting to put my idea for filming the Earthsong Trilogy novels out there, beginning with posts on my Facebook profile. Shoot, I've got actual celebrities and composers on my friends list on Myspace; it's about time to communicate about this and other ideas with them!
More later, especially about new digital art projects in progress. Suffice it to say, I've got Plenty to do at present. Now, if I can just keep depression at bay long-term. I think my Paxil dosage needs adjusting again, after a number of years at the same level. I'm also having plenty of fantasies, once Again, about making out with beautiful, Dreadlocked pirates...!!
current mood: busy
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| Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
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7:44 pm - The HBP film: Why don't I want it released Yet??
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What's wrong with me, for Merlin's sake?! The newest HP film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, has just been Released, and is now Playing at Various theaters all over Seattle; but for some reason, this makes me Unhappy. For some reason, I don't want the new film to come out Yet. Why? It doesn't make sense.
I'm definitely going to see it--that, and probably the new Star Trek film, and Johnny Depp's new one, Public Enemies. So, why does the release Today of HBP make me sad? Perhaps I feel somehow "Unprepared" for its arrival. I've been rather out of the loop in HP culture Lately. I haven't stopped liking and enjoying the stories, fanfiction, Racy fanart, Outrageous pairings, and all that; I've just been quite Busy with a lot of things involving music, photography, and Related stuff. Perhaps I'm afraid of Said culture "going away", with the books all Published now (as far as I know), and the last couple of films being Created at present. Maybe it feels like the Cinematic retelling of the stories is progressing too fast for me to keep up with them. Plus, I've got an AU fanfiction blog to keep up with.
In any case, I've been feeling like hitting a Proverbial "pause" button on all this, and enjoying the Magical world as it has stood prior to this film coming Along. I often find myself wanting to be a part of it somehow, wanting to be magical; or at least to be Shamanic enough to fit into the Wizarding world. I recall my theory that fictitious stories, characters, and environments actually exist in the Astral plane of reality, brought to life and kept alive by the emotional and psychospiritual energy their fans and admirers put into them. If this is, in fact, true, then there's plenty of life in the Astral version of the Potterverse yet. Perhaps if I were to visit it in meditation or journeying more Often, I'd feel less Anxious about the rate in which the story is playing out...
current mood:  nostalgic
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| Friday, June 26th, 2009
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6:49 pm - Where were you when...
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...the Grim Reaper swept Down on our pop culture icons this week?
Michael Jackson is dead at age 50. Farrah Fawcett also died Yesterday at age 62. Ed McMahon died on Tuesday.
And Dick Freaking Cheney is still Alive and Kicking, keeping his nose Stuck in Guantanamo.
Does anyone besides myself see a serious Karmic screwup in this picture?!!
The passing of Farrah, that Ubiquitous mid-1970's blond-goddess pinup girl, is sad, but not Unexpected, given the state of her health over the past year or more. Ed McMahon...ehh. I can take him or leave him.
Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, the Man of a Thousand Faces (my favorite nickname for him)...that one's the Big Shocker. I was never a huge fan of his (though I admired his dancing, and his chutzpah in being an Unabashed eccentric); but it's still a Big Shocker. Some reports are saying he pulled an Elvis, or a Heath Ledger, with too many of the wrong meds in his system interacting with each other; but official results pinpointing what caused his cardiac arrest (some say he was dead before the paramedics got to him) may be weeks Away yet. Why do his death and Public decline over the past few years remind me so much of Oscar Wilde..??
Then again, maybe it's not so Shocking. For some reason, celebrities keep being fed scads of medications by money-Grubbing doctors these days (actually, this has been going On for some time). Ozzy Osbourne may have narrowly dodged the grave when he threw his stash of Prescribed pills away, and fired his physicians. Besides, one can easily expect Michael Jackson to want to make a great big splash with his death, the way he made a great big splash with practically everything Else he did. I wouldn't expect him to have died in obscurity at a Ripe old age, with much of the world having forgotten about him. That wouldn't be like him at all. Still, even though I wasn't a fan of his, I didn't want him to check out like this, at such a young age. He had three kids to raise, and new songs to write, and a whole bunch more concerts to put on Shortly. Now journeying to the next reality (probably a bit Confused and Bewildered--does he realize he's left his body Yet?), hopefully he can find real peace, and the happy, Innocent childhood he didn't have in this reality...
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current mood: shocked
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| Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
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6:10 pm - Having a hard time Concentrating...
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...and it's mostly Liam Clancy's fault!!
No, I shouldn't (and DON'T) blame the poor guy for being ill, and seeking Inpatient treatment for a combination of RA and lung fibrosis; but I've been worried Sick about him for the Past several days, and unable to focus on much of anything Else. He's the last of the original Clancy Brothers (which he doesn't like thinking about too much), who were a Huge part of my childhood; and if something were to happen to him anytime Soon, on top of my Dad passing on back in March, I'm afraid it would just about finish me Off too. I just hope he gets good results from whatever meds or other therapies he pursues, and that a lung transplant (if he's able to get one) proves Successful as well. I've been visiting his website (LairLink above) and his message board quite frequently, to post messages of love and concern (including one about my teenage fantasy of playing fiddle/guitar backup for Makem & Clancy!). Here is the LairLink for Liam's Message Board (where he himself writes posts now and Again), for anyone who would like to post get-well messages or whatever (you do have to register, with a password, to post messages; you can read others' posts without registering or logging in).
As an Added treat, here is a Youtube vid of Liam in concert, singing his most Famous song (written by Eric Bogle) back in 1992. He's sung the same song thousands of times since the mid-1970's; but he does it in Awesome dramatic form every time I've heard him...
Anyway, I'm sending him Reiki energy at every opportunity. Get well very Soon, Liam! I want to see you Again, in person, this side of the Divide, before you embark on the next Clancy Brothers Reunion Tour!!
current mood: worried
current music: And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda - by Liam Clancy
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| Saturday, June 20th, 2009
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7:51 pm - My fertile village, and Chief No. 3...
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My Virtual Villagers tribe was exceptionally Fertile today, folks! Most of the younger women are now nursing infants; one 18-year-old girl, Kolea, whom I've been trying to train as a Builder in preparation for fixing the statue, "went indoors" and came out with freaking TRIPLETS! That's the first set of triplets we've had in this village. This latest sexfest happened shortly after the oldest villager died right in the middle of our new Chief's daily lecture.
Oh, yes--we've got a new Tribal Chief too--our third. Chief Tikina died recently, at age 77, I believe; and the magical Chief's Robe picked a younger person for our next Tribal Leader: a pretty, Vital 33-year-old Scientist/Farmer named Alitipa, one of Elixir's kids, now all Grown Up. She had a baby too this afternoon, along with most of her tribal sisters of childbearing age. Anyway, the Village of Starcross now numbers somewhere around 75! Like I said in a Previous post, all you have to do is click the "Parenting" preference on a bunch of them, and they can't keep their hands off each other! LOL...
On a more Serious note, it seems that our favorite Irish folksinger, Liam Clancy, is dealing with a case of pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lungs), which may be Connected to his other Chronic condition of rheumatoid arthritis. I don't want to be too Alarmist about this; but pulmonary fibrosis is what eventually killed his brother Bobby back in 2002. I don't know how severe Liam's case of it is; but he has had to cancel some performing gigs recently, and he admits on his website's Message Board that he's been needing Supplementary oxygen. He'll be going to the hospital on Monday for evaluation; let us all send him good energy, prayers, meditations, Reiki, or whatever you're into. I hope that treatment for these conditions has improved recently! He may need a lung transplant, if he can get one. I finally told him, on a Message Board post, that I wish I knew him better than I do, and that I want to see him Again one of these days--it's been 20 years since I last saw him in person. I've been wanting to tell him that for a long time Now...
current mood: mixed
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| Sunday, June 14th, 2009
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7:02 pm - More Virtual Villager pics (if you can stand 'em)...
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Okay...so what's the Latest on our Virtual Village, aka The Tribe of Starcross? Well, Chief Mariuna made it to the age of 75, when she passed away on May 29, after a total of 67 years as our first Tribal Chief. This was very sad, of course; but we all have to go Sometime, as they say. The tribe numbered around 43, I think, at that point; and I immediately began picking up villagers to get them to try on the Chief's Robe and see who would be Invested as the second Tribal Chief. Trouble is, a lot of the women were nursing infants at the time; which, for some reason, prevented them from trying on the robe, which was hanging as Before above the ampitheater podium.
Finally, someone fitted the robe--it was Tikina, one of our Master Scientists. After this, of course, she was then immediately Surrounded by dancing children and Various adult well-wishers, as she sat down on the pedestal, looking a bit Bewildered at this turn of events. Personally, I would have preferred one of the younger folks. Tikina is healthy and active; but she was 56 at the time of her investiture; so she's obviously not going to be in office 67 years, as Mariuna was (Mariuna was only 8 at the time she became the first Tribal Chief). Still, the Chief's Robe has made its choice; I have no say in the matter. So here, first of all, is Chief Tikina's personal icon portrait (she looks way better in the Chief's Robe than she did in her Original, rather drab dark-blue outfit):
( More pics from our second Tribal Chief's tenure at Starcross Village: click each image for its full-sized version. )
Well, that's all the new pics for now. I imagine there will soon be a third Chief being picked (as of today, Chief Tikina is 74; the Average lifespan has gone up to around 77). The tribe now numbers about 63. Besides being very hard workers, our villagers are also very Passionate lovers! All you have to do is click the "Parenting" preference on a handful of them, and an Indoor orgy is soon Underway! I haven't had to "encourage" any pairing-off in quite some while now! At the same time, we are quickly accumulating Tech points toward a Level 3 Leadership status, which will enable the Chief, whoever it is, to begin directing the restoration of the giant fallen statue. Stay tuned for that one; it's been a long time Coming...
current mood:  sleepy
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| Thursday, June 11th, 2009
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4:58 pm - Seven Reasons Obama is Not a Druid
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Folks, I am getting so sick of the Religious Right. I really shouldn't let them get to me; but I've seen so many of them on Squidoo lenses Lately, attacking President Obama every time he blinks an eye, and throwing, for all I know, their own mother-in-laws' shit at GLBT people every chance they get. And then, when you criticize them for any reason, or stand up for your own viewpoints and values, they accuse YOU of "hatred" and "intolerance" (which sort of begs the question: how much intolerance are progressives, gays and Barack Obama supposed to tolerate, exactly?), making themselves out to be victims of prejudice and "religious discrimination." They have no qualms about dishing out abuse Galore against others; but when the shoe lands on the other foot (or, better yet, shoes are thrown at their heads--LOL), they freak out and go all Medieval on your ass. And claim to be victims of "hatred" and "Christian-bashing." At least in this country.
I recently came across one Squidoo lens promoting the series of videos by a group called the "Christian Anti-Defamation League", entitled "Seven Reasons Obama is Not A Christian." The "reasons" cited include claims that Obama is pro-choice, gay-friendly, is not a Biblical literalist, and thinks the Muslim call to prayer sounds nice. I wanted to ask these folks what they think of George W. Bush's claims to be a Christian, despite being a pathological liar, domestic and international scofflaw, and war criminal; but they've disabled the commenting mechanism on all their videos on Youtube. Chickens.
I also got the Brilliant idea, just last night, to write a parody on the Squidoo lens promoting the Aforementioned videos--if it's okay, According to the site's moderators, to write a lens parodying or satirizing another lens. Meanwhile, my Basic idea looks like this (this is just an outline, to be Elaborated on Later):
SEVEN REASONS OBAMA IS NOT A DRUID:
1) He has no magickal credentials. Ever hear him reference a Druidic order? Study of magickal properties of herbs and trees? I didn't think so. Reading Harry Potter doesn't count. Sorry. Plus, his Celtic roots are rather thin, the Corrigan Brothers' song notwithstanding.
2) He's spent WAY too much time in Chicago. Druids much prefer natural to urban environments.
3) Did you see any Druids at his Inauguration? Nope. Me neither. It doesn't augur well.
4) His daughters' private school is affiliated with the Society of Friends (Quakers). Quakers are lovely people. But they're not Druids.
5) He has no record of publishing poetry. Druids are supposed to be masters of the bardic arts. I've never seen Obama touch a Celtic harp, have you?
6) He never uses the Celtic Ogham alphabet. Not that Congress would have the slightest clue how to read it if he did...
7) When he visited the U.K., he never went anywhere near Stonehenge. That's gotta tell you something.
BONUS REASON: He has yet to acknowledge, or proclaim, the ancient Celtic festivals. Where was Obama last Samhain? Imbolc? Beltaine?
*****
Anyway. Whatever. Personally, I don't give a flying rip about Obama's religious beliefs. If he's a Muslim, as he's often Accused of being, he's a bloody poor one (I've never heard of him observing Muslim prayer times, fasting during Ramadan, or even contemplating a Hajj pilgrimage, that I can recall). But even if he was, so what??
But getting back to Religious Right whingeing, here's a great video deconstructing this tendency, with Specific mention of the Abovementioned CADL...
current mood: weary of Religious Reich
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| Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
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5:11 pm - Virtual Villagers Part 2: Now I KNOW I'm Losing My Mind...
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Okay, folks, here goes: Presenting the Official Photo Album of my Virtual Villagers TRIBE OF STARCROSS!!
*fends off guys in white coats*
Now, first of all, a tribute portrait of our lovely, Iconic tribal leader Mariuna, who recently celebrated her 60th anniversary as Chief (our first pic links to the Virtual Villagers website):
--Mariuna, First Chief of Starcross Tribe
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( Click here for the rest of our Virtual Villagers Portrait Gallery (click each picture to see its full-sized version)... )
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Well, now, a Charming little bunch, aren't they? I'm very Proud of them; they've got all but two or three of their puzzles Solved now, and they number 35, Including one infant! Mariuna will likely die of old age Soon, alas; but it will be very Interesting to find out who the Chief's Robe will pick to succeed her! Kya baat hai (Urdu, "Great job!"), Mariuna! I'll miss you when you check out; but I know, like any good Clan Mother, you'll be watching over the tribe you're so Proud of!
Anyway...that's our portrait gallery so Far; if I persist in this phase of Weirdness, I'll probably do more print-screen documenting of our growing little community in the Near future (sigh)...
current mood: eccentric
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| Monday, May 11th, 2009
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4:24 pm - Virtual Villagers 3: I'm getting way too emotionally involved in this game...
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Egads...Is anyone else in LJ playing Virtual Villagers games? They're a bit like Sims games, only with teeny-tiny humanoid beings on a desert island trying to stay fed and healthy, with a special Designated hut to get laid in. And all three games to date are Addictive in the extreme. To the point where you start to worry about the "villagers'" long-term survival, and practically cry when one of them "dies." I keep telling myself, "Dammit, they're NOT human beings; they're just human-shaped PIXELS! They're freaking cartoons, for crying out loud!" But still...they've got names, faces, skills, likes and dislikes; and they quite Often seem to have minds of their own (you haven't truly lived until you've seen three or more villagers go into the Designated Love Shack together, and then have no idea which guy fathered the resulting kid or two! In fact, Virtual Villagers gangbangs are not that Uncommon!).
I'm very Proud of my little tribe (now up to 25, including infants). They're extremely Dedicated, hard workers; and we've solved more than half the puzzle challenges Together already. I feel like they and I have been through a lot Together. I especially love my little Tribal Chief; her name is Mariuna, and she's done an Incredible job in tribal leadership for more than 50 of their years. She was only eight years old when she assumed the chief's role (and she didn't choose to be Chief; the magical Chief's robe chose her, out of the Original core group of nine people); but she's risen to the challenge unbelievably well, even when nursing an infant in her early 20's. She has overseen the development of the orchard; taken the vial of special potion to the sea to dispel the sharks from the tribe's fishing waters; directed the uncovering of the secret archival chamber; and directed, as well, the completion of the public bath, complete with aromatherapy basins. She especially enjoys delivering lectures to the little kids these days, on all the Various skills they need to learn while growing up; and both children and adults seem to enjoy attending her talks. Trouble is, she's a grandmother now, in her late 50's; and while she's still in good health, she won't be Around a great deal longer. I don't know if I'll be able to stand losing her; and gosh knows who will be able to fill her shoes (well...robe, actually), considering how High she's set the bar for Tribal Chiefdom. I have taken to naming some children after the elders who have passed on, and...
GAH. As I said, I'm getting way too emotionally Involved in this game. I'm wondering if I should have gotten Involved in it at all. I'm really way too Busy to spend my time watching little Virtual Villagers build huts and make babies and stuff. But...here I am, worrying about who will succeed Chief Mariuna, just as the giant Goddess Statue is being Restored...
*****
current mood: tribal
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| Friday, May 8th, 2009
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4:10 pm - Favorite Quotes of the Week...
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"A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it." --Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a Communist." --Dom Hélder Câmara, Brazilian Catholic Archbishop (1909-1999)
*****
current mood: moody
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| Monday, May 4th, 2009
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3:54 pm - Happy Belated Birthday...
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...to our old People's Music Network pal, legendary folksinger PETE SEEGER!! His actual birthday was Sunday, May 3; but we were a bit Slow on the uptake, and forgot to look it up in a Timely fashion.
May he roll on Forever, like his Beloved stretch of water, the Hudson River! Meanwhile, let us serenade Pete with an Appropriate chorus for a Lifelong activist, penned by fellow Nonagenarian folkie, Faith Petric:
"Well ya ain't done nothing
if ya ain't been called a Red.
If you marched or agitated,
then you're bound to hear it said.
So you might as well ignore it
or love the word instead.
Cuz ya ain't been doing nothing
if ya ain't been called a Red."
--chorus of "Ya Ain't Done Nothing If Ya Ain't Been Called a Red", © by Faith Petric; found, we think, in the IWW's "Little Red Songbook."
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--Pete Seeger's famously Inscribed banjo; photo courtesy of Greybike at the Pop and Politics Music Blog.
*****
current mood: Red
current music: The Emperor Is Naked Today-O - by Pete Seeger
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| Friday, May 1st, 2009
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2:59 pm - What the hell are they teaching Social Work students...??
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LairCronies, I'm in a bit of a rush right Now; but we are doing a Certain amount of researching, digging, muckraking, whatever, on the case of the four-year-old special-needs child being ripped Away from her foster family up in Snohomish County.
We at the Lair have suspected for some time that there is a pandemic of corruption and incompetence in state DSHS/CPS agencies Nationwide, mirroring Darth Dubya's so-called "Administration." From getting to know a local Muslim couple Deprived of all their children because they wouldn't admit to charges from which they'd already been exonerated and found Innocent, to my own experience being Interviewed by a DSHS psychiatrist who was absolutely (and wrongly) Convinced that I suffered from bipolar disorder, I am more than half Convinced that many of these agencies are staffed with College of Social Work dropouts who can't get a job Elsewhere. TL;DR--too many of these DSHS staffers and "case workers" are COMPLETE FREAKING IDIOTS.
And then there's CPS itself--as I have told more than one acquaintance in the past, essentially an under-the-table adoption agency for poor kids. Comparing information from many cases I've read and heard about, from the Long/Pomeroy case (white, upper-middle-class, financially well-off) that I posted about Previously, to the Abovementioned Safouane family case (Muslim, immigrant father, family on public assistance, one child dead from bicycle accident), it is Self-Evident that CPS targets mainly poor, unemployed, homeless, immigrant, GLBT, racial-minority, religious-minority families, same-sex couples, and others who are socially and economically Vulnerable (and relatively Voiceless) for child removal, while tending to give upper/middle class white families with Stable incomes one free pass after another. There seem to be assumptions among such agencies that financially-struggling parents are Incapable of raising children properly; and that middle-to-upper class people, in general, can do a much better job of it.
I've seen some people in online forums accuse DSHS/CPS of engaging in "child trafficking." Sounds like a pretty strong term to use for a government agency; but judging by their Frequent patterns of less-than-Honest-and-Upfront tactics and agendas in child-dependency/child abuse cases, and well-Noted tendency to target socially and economically Vulnerable families, "officially-sanctioned child trafficking" may, in fact, not be too far off the mark.
Here, in any case, is a LairLink to followup report on the Langleys' case, in which the Snohomish County foster parents discuss being targeted for retaliation by DSHS after they went public with this whole calamity...
current mood: pissed off
current music: something by Van Morrison
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| Friday, April 24th, 2009
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5:09 pm - Getting Obsessed Again...
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Oh, dear. I don't know what to do to resolve a Certain situation that hasn't been working out Yet; but I'm getting Obsessed with it (Again!), and I simply MUST get it to work out in order to be Content with life in general. I really need a Serious support system to get more performing gigs in folk/Celtic/world music, and I really have no Such support system at all. I'm feeling Ignored again; I can't seem to make money doing bloody anything (musical or Otherwise); and I've been feeling terribly depressed Lately. Perhaps it's partly a sort of Delayed reaction to my Dad passing on; but it's also partly because I'm going on 45, and can't seem to accomplish anything Substantial with my own creative work (musical or Otherwise). Actually, I was feeling pretty much Ignored long before the economy went Haywire, and I don't know what to do to change things. I've been asking myself, "Why aren't there temp agencies for musicians and artists?" There really ought to be such things out there. I need to do more performing, both solo and with others; but how do I persuade other people to work with me? How do I get un-Ignored?
I also need to update my Cafepress shops for spring/summer; but I really want to create more new images and new photos in the Appropriate dimensions First, as Opposed to rehashing the same old stuff once Again. The World Rhythm Festival begins Tonight; and that will take up most of this weekend. Plus, I absolutely MUST persuade You-Know-Who to collaborate with me (I wish I had better powers of persuasion generally!); I will go Stark Freaking Mad if that doesn't work out sooner or later. We should be touring Together right this very moment. I think sharing music is the way to go on THAT little matter; but I need better-arranged/mixed song files for that purpose. I think I should take up an Unusual instrument (by western standards) in order to make my songs sound more Unusual, or something. Kantele, perhaps? I also want to perform with my Irish birthday-mate while he's still Alive. Performing with dead people is a bit Tricky, from what I can surmise.
There are those who say my dreams and goals are "Unrealistic"; but, of course, they never tell me what they think are realistic goals for me personally. They themselves don't dare have any goals that don't involve working for someone else. The first thing I need to do is get up Earlier each morning. I have a sleep disorder of some kind; I seem to be Addicted to sleep, or sleeping in, at any rate. I can't seem to drag myself out of bed much before 11:00 am most days, unless I have an early-morning desk shift. And I'm sick of desk shifts, house meetings and all that crap. I must make enough money to get a Proper one-bedroom apartment Somewhere near here. That's one reason I'm doing all sorts of online work these days; it's just not making any money, at least not Yet. Gah...
Anyway, I will Soon be advertising for help in getting more performance hours in, once I figure out exactly what I need help with, and on which specific work-items...
current mood:  crazy
current music: Kruspolska - by Hedningarna
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virgofolkie's journal
