Asator

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:32:09 GMT

snowing at Stonehenge

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-205818

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:03:22 GMT

Was in Philly June 6th-16th... It seems different now.. I don't feel like I miss the east coast. I miss my family... Even friend are not missed that much. We are all very different people. I am a very different person than that fat goth metal head 5 years ago. I don't see myself moving back to Philly. So it goes.

We came home and had a rune meetup. Every time we do I get get angry at how hard it seems to be to find asatru... And here the ones we have found are far apart. the idea of traveling an hour to hang out with a friend seems very difficult for me. Philly made it that way. Everyone was around the corner. Laure and Jo we're only a couple of minutes away even if we didn't hang out. (I suppose in the end it seems our paths in Heathenry have turned out to be very different things anyways)

Life is a funny thing. I am so secure in my faith and it screams in me to be more active... yet I can't be. It's so hard for me to be vocal... And anytime I do step up and state opinions in any way I seem to stir the drama pot more than I would think so I go inactive for another long stretch. That's the interwebs part of it...

The other parts are harder... We get invited to AFA events a lot. Shiela McNallen tries to get us to come out, and though I really want to meet these folks and get to know other local asatruar social anxiety makes it hard... I know right away that on various issues I am going to disagree with folks in the AFA. I'm a member and go read their internet forums and boards daily... However within all faiths their will disagreements on political or social levels.

Sometimes I wonder what made me so shy... Because when I am around folks I am close to it dissappears. Most of my closest friends are shocked by the general shyness and how reserved I am with strangers. My parents we're not social beings. They we're fine sitting at home all night and watching TV or working on various hobbies. So in my mind I use that to justify how we spend our evenings.. However I yearn for more. And the things I want don't seem to exist. I'd like for m neighbors to be Heathens. So we could put down the keyboard and turn off WOW and head out and do craft things together. I'd like for my neighbors ot share in land with us. So that during the days rather than driving 25 miles to South Sacramento we could tend our land and feed our families as a unit...

I suppose I am some sort of .. weird person.

I am Asatru.
I believe that not all Astruar need to come from entirely Northern European background but feel that all elements that may be brought to Asatru that cannot be documented through sources of antiquity should fall outside of the confines of the practice of Asatru.
I believe that a tribal community is a healthier way of living for man.

Couldn't fate have worked in a way where all those who agree'd with each other lived within 100 miles of each other? The internet has created a strange web. Folks who never would have met or had the chance to met, or never even would have known about the others existence can meet on these little boxes... However to continue for them to be friends or build relationships they must exist more on these littles boxes and less in the real world... Creating a very unhealthy cycle. (Ps. I met my wif eon Myspace and moved 3000 miles. I know a lot about these boxes and the relationships they can buildhehe.)

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:01:52 GMT

Today is the primary election here in California. I registered democrat, hoping to be able to sink either front runners ship, but my chosen candidate dropped out. (Joe Biden is a hero.) As such, this is the first time since I turned 18 that I will not be voting in a primary election. Hillary, nor Obama are good for this country.

I'm hoping that John McCain came overcome the attacks of the Christian right past couple of days and score the win. The man would make a fine president.

Also RootsofYggdrasil.org is up and running. Th frontpage has a blurb about the kindred asa whole, and I have finished the faith page. I'm trying to keep things very simple.

Dicking around with Kindred websites...

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:45:57 GMT

We'll I am trying to figure out this whole interwebs thing. Or the making of the interwebs. I have dreamweaver cs3, and a very small knowledge of things from WAY back in the day of netscape, and angelfire interwebs making.

I still suck.

However this is close to what I would like to see. We has a url, as you can see. I am putting things in odd places of the server as of now because the interwebs is tricksy business.

http://rootsofyggdrasil.org/Roots2/Roots%20of%20Yggdrasil,%20An%20Asatru%20Kindred/Index.html

The wife is awesome at this stuff, but weighed down in other projects, and this one is a priority of mine. A new presence is an awesome tool, I say. We also has a yahoo group, made by a rune meetup member. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rootsofyggdrasil/?yguid=162807488 Right now it's her, myself, and tracy due to otherfolks being in the process of living. matt and abby are moving, and tom hates teh interwebs. Dick also has problems with regular web access. Silly marines.

I do plan on trying to be a presence in the harvest festival and thigns in the area, but due to work situations actually saying "I CAN DO THAT!" time wise is hard. Silly retail management.

I, honestly, feel that I have a lot to offer a community in terms of knowledge, and spirit, but I don't have knowledge in the doings area. Actually jumping on things and getting them done in proper time management. I can reset half of a sam's club in two days, but actually saying "ASATRU WELCOME" is so much more of a project. The modern world leaves so little time for religious, or other interest.

My grandparents worked hard, but knew they would pay their bills through their high school or, generally, less education. My parents knew they would work hard, and pay the bills with a high school education (Or in my mothers case pure determination to do the best she could for her. 6 months as a cashier in a company, running the store 6 months after that.) My generation is finding that without a college education even with HUGE amounts of motivation and drive in ones work, and dedication to one company doesn't guarantee that the lights will stay on, let alone have a roof over your head.

I would give my life for my Faith, why is it that a day to organize or a weekend to do is so fucking hard to come by?

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:57:51 GMT

A video about climate change.

Mose believe, some do not. Video should be watched, regardless as approaching ANY issue without an open mind leads to stagnation, and the possibility of extinction.

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 07:52:45 GMT

More Heathen Projects!

This is.. An end table? Not really. it's right inside of ur door, so I can put my wallet/cellphone/keys down and not lose them. Table still hasn't been finished, the wife has a Yggdrasil to paint on the front doors. We have differing ideas on what that means, though her artistic thoughts flow better than mine.

Table as purchased from michaels. As of yet unfinished, lots of rough sanding, and satinging to do.
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v622/ChildeofSin/Unfinished.jpg[/IMG]

Table sanded, puttied, and stained twice. I have dremeled the image on the top.
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v622/ChildeofSin/Longview.jpg[/IMG]

Close up of dremeled serpent on top.
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v622/ChildeofSin/Dremel.jpg[/IMG]

Eventually the serpent will have runes, and will be painted a red. The front door is going to get an Yggdrasil painted on it. Tracy has the image of a free floating one, but I have the image of the entire front door being painted white, and then having the tree painted onto the white background.

The holidays passed as they did last year, generally. The two of us together, with occasional breaks of our hermitness with her family. They are good people, but I find it hard to relate to them. It's amazing to watch how close they are with each other, though, and that helped to add to our holiday goodvibes.

I think we both yearn for something more Tribal of our own, though. Adopted family. Friends. KINDRED.

Meh. We are teh sick. Tracy has teh bronchitis. I say chances are good that if she does, I do. I got sent home from work early yesterday, sick. Sacramento almost blew away, yesterday. I got nothing. :-D

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:56:42 GMT

Ran sumbel for a local ADF group this past weekend. I did it last year, it was sort of thrust on me, this year I was able to give a little history, and explanation. They do it in the middle of their Samhain ritual. A little unorthodox but it feels like home. Very relaxed three round deal, first to ancestors, given the nature of their holiday, second to deities, third as a "chaos" or open round.

Folks after came up and expressed how awesome it was, how they have never been in anything like that. It leads me to believe that my initial thoughts on someone having a more middle ground group willing to do public rituals and the likes would be good for this area.

Haven't done anything with my AFA membership. Nothing really to do. I read the yahoo groups, and ween information. Interesting discussions but non that pertain myself as a Heathen. Huge influx of NE folk though, since Steve's visit in July. I think the whole ordeal of getting denied entry into the AFA because they looked up my myspace and such has lead me into some bad taste lands. So it goes.

Our rune meetup through www.meetup.com continues. we moved it to twice a month but then folks dropped off, so we are back to one meetup. Two druids, myself and Tracy show regularly. The Odin's man who makes up part of our little kindred (www.Rootsofyggdrasil.org) works a lot and has problem making meetings. Might move them to Sunday afternoons. One of the other folks assoicated with the kindred moved back to Lousiana. No goodbyes or anything. I blame it on him being my wife's ex. Again nothing we could help.

I miss the Philly group. We had such a tight thing going oh so years ago.

Married life rocks. I love my wife. Over a year now, this past October. We planned on coming to Philly, but money is tight. It always is. Looking at this next spring as a possible replacement vacation.

First post in 27 weeks, though I read everyday.

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:04:11 GMT

Kurt Vonnegut, the satirical novelist who captured the absurdity of war and questioned the advances of science in darkly humorous works such as "Slaughterhouse-Five" and "Cat's Cradle," died Wednesday. He was 84.

"...Oh, God --- The lives that people try to live
...Oh, God --- What a world they try to lead them in!"
Mother Night

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:24:23 GMT

Picked up Diana Paxon's Essential Asatru at Borders the other day.

I'm sort of getting of the mind that me going to all the local bookstores and buying things like that and all the "heathen" books be them beginner asatru or not is sort of playing against my finding other area heathens thing.

Anyway... Given the general thoughts about folks outside the troth about Diana and Hrafnar I'm suprisied by the tone of the book. Then again I don't know her or her group so it would be hard for me to judge.

However seeing a friends name and book mentioned in someone elses book is kind of cool. Partically a nun of odin. :-P

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 06:51:16 GMT

Pretty much spot on. I used to be hardcore modernist heathen... Now.. not so much. Too much in the pagan community makes me cringe anymore. Stuff i used to just shrug my shoulders at.

You scored as Traditionalist. You are a Traditionalist Heathen. More flexible than a Reconstructionist, you are likely to admit that innovation is sometimes necessary in your religion--yet you draw the line at political correctness, trendiness, or other changes made for their own sake.

</td>

Traditionalist

70%

Modernist

65%

Eclectic

55%

Reconstructionist

40%

Fake Heathen

40%

Non-Heathen

20%

What Kind of Heathen Are You, Really? (version 2.0)
created with QuizFarm.com

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:15:23 GMT

So I'm moving this weekend and am not sure when we will have internets again. Not back to Philadelphia, so dun hold your breath folks! Next town over, ubercheap apartment, very nice. However... Because I love you all I though you heathens might get a kick out of something Tracy and I did (Read as mostly tracy. I sanded some, and stained, and grouted. The mosiac.. all her.)

We trach picked a table, and with a little elbow grease...

I present...

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 04:43:38 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- A clutch of modern pagans honored Zeus at a 1,800-year-old temple in the heart of Athens on Sunday -- the first known ceremony of its kind held there since the ancient Greek religion was outlawed by the Roman Empire in the fourth century.

Watched by curious onlookers, some 20 worshippers gathered next to the ruins of the temple for a celebration organized by Ellinais, a year-old Athens-based group that is campaigning to revive old religious practices from the era when Greece was a fount of education and philosophy.

The group ignored a ban by the Culture Ministry, which declared the site off limits to any kind of organized activity to protect the monument.

But participants did not try to enter the temple itself, which is closed to everyone, and no officials sought to stop the ceremony.

Dressed in ancient costumes, worshippers standing near the temple's imposing Corinthian columns recited hymns calling on the Olympian Zeus, "King of the gods and the mover of things," to bring peace to the world.

"Our message is world peace and an ecological way of life in which everyone has the right to education," said Kostas Stathopoulos, one of three "high priests" overseeing the event, which celebrated the nuptials of Zeus and Hera, the goddess of love and marriage.

To the Greeks, ecological awareness was fundamental, Stathopoulos said after a priestess, with arms raised to the sky, called on Zeus "to bring rain to the planet."

A herald holding a metal staff topped with two snake heads proclaimed the beginning of the ceremony before priests in blue and red robes released two white doves as symbols of peace. A priest poured libations of wine and incense burned on a tiny copper tripod while a choir of men and women chanted hymns.

"Our hymns stress the brotherhood of man and do not single out nations," said priest Giorgos Alexelis.

More than a mere re-creation
For the organizers, who follow a calendar marking time from the first Olympiad in 776 B.C., the ceremony was far more than a simple re-creation.

"We are Greeks and we demand from the government the right to use our temples," said high priestess Doreta Peppa.

Ellinais was founded last year and has 34 official members, mainly academics, lawyers and other professionals. It won a court battle for state recognition of the ancient Greek religion and is demanding the government register its offices as a place of worship, a move that could allow the group to perform weddings and other rites.

Christianity rose to prominence in Greece in the fourth century after Roman Emperor Constantine's conversion. Emperor Theodosius wiped out the last vestige of the Olympian gods when he abolished the Olympic Games in A.D. 394.

Several isolated pockets of pagan worship lingered as late as the ninth century.

"The Christians shut down our schools and destroyed our temples," said Yiannis Panagidis, a 36-year-old accountant at the ceremony.

Most Greeks are baptized Orthodox Christians, and the church rejects ancient religious practices as pagan. Church officials have refused to attend flame ceremony re-enactments at Olympia before the Olympic Games because Apollo, the ancient god of light, is invoked.

Unlike the monotheistic religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, the old religion lacked written ethical guidelines, but its gods were said to strike down mortals who displayed excessive pride or "hubris" -- a recurring theme in the tragedies of Euripides and other ancient writers.

"We do not believe in dogmas and decrees, as the other religions do. We believe in freedom of thought," Stathopoulos said.

Sun, 26 Nov 2006 08:03:20 GMT

I hate reality television. That said...

Little People, Big World is by far one of the top five shows of the past ten years. It's such an awesome show and really puts a show like the Osbournes or American Idol to shame.

It's just amazing to see a family on television for reasons outside of a preexisting fame or name, or random drug use.

Sun, 19 Nov 2006 11:08:42 GMT

The world tree stands before me.

It asks my sacrifice.

The Gods stand before me.

They ask my sacrifice.

And so it shall be.

Knowest how one shall write, knowest how one shall rede?
Knowest how one shall tint, knowest how one makes trial?
Knowest how one shall ask, knowest how one shall offer?
Knowest how one shall send, knowest how one shall sacrifice?

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 06:03:09 GMT

Just remember kids...

fighting on the internet is like competing in the special olympics... even if you win your still retarded.