These days, I am keeping myself pretty busy. So busy, that sometimes I get a little overwhelmed. I am
in school of course, and going 3/4 time with two classes. My classes this semester are fascinating: "The Jewish Liturgical Year in Diaspora" and "The Sacred and the Substance".
For my final papers/presentation in the Jewish class, I am presenting a "Jewitch" ritual, including a seder. While I am not of Jewish ancestry (that I know of), I know many many folks who identify as both Jews and Witches and will be presenting my theological ideas to them before presenting the final product to class. In the Sacred and the Substance, I will be writing a paper on the use of substances in modern witchcraft- from entheogens and flying ointments to herbs for oracular divination. You know, ordinary master's degree topics?!
My son is getting huge and he keeps me busy (I had to pause just then for a toddler dance and cuddle break). He is walking (or should I say running), starting to communicate with us in earnest, and understands simple commands like "bring the keys to mommy". I am astounded at his progress. He is tall for his age and walked early, so many people assume he is older than he is. This is fine until he tries to poke their kids eye out or slap them on the top of the head (we are working on the concept of "gentle"- especially when he is excited). He goes to
Pagan Playdate a couple times a month (I host one a month, and his daddy takes him to another). He also sees his best pal, Esme, several times a month (travel and such has kept it from being weekly lately). We got him a membership to the zoo for his birthday, and we have taken him there several times since. He still loves all animals.
I started several new projects: I am the Bureau Coordinator for
Pagan Newswire Collective in the
Bay Area. This means I recruit volunteers, edit the content submitted, assign stories, facilitate meetings, keep the project going, as well as write stories myself.
I have written two stories so far (we started the project in January). Both are on pagan parenting- this time at
PantheaCon.
I have also started a "completely for me" project: I am studying to be a wildlife rehabilitator and get certified! I plan on working with corvids mainly when I am finished.
The place I am apprenticing to gets mostly birds (lucky me!) but also some mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. They have a museum attached to the hospital and have several animals that are educational because they cannot be released for one reason or another. Their collection includes many owls (ooh!), a raven (yay!), and even a bald eagle and coyote. I go every Saturday for a while to learn, then I will volunteer regularly in the hospital.
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| Wheel of Fortune, by Watts |
I have been volunteering at the
local UU in the kids department. I start out each Sunday in the nursery (where Rowan plays), then go up to be with Club UU (4th-6th graders), then I go to worship myself. It's been great working with kids again, and it has made me consider doing it professionally again.
I continue with my Witchcraft studies and am working with my teacher toward initiation. She often gives me work to do independently, and I also have pet projects in this regard: this year I intend on honing my divination and oracular skills.
I am going to create my own runes (finally!) and re-do a project I did oh-so-log-ago: color my own deck of BOTA tarot cards. Both projects help because you spend a week or so with each card/rune- learning its meanings, meditating on it, and finally coloring or etching it. I will also be working with my mask and other tools to help me be a good, skilled oracle.
