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Current Mood: frustrated

Lupus kills. Today is Lupus Advocacy Day 2011. It's too late for Barbara, but maybe we can save someone else. We need more research.

Current Mood: touched

Santa Left a Forwarding Address: The North Pole - Sarah Klein for the NY Times

“Have you seen the letters?” I overheard a girl in a hair-sprayed beehive ask her friend, who was wearing a skinny tie.

“Have you seen the letters?” I heard when I waited to get myself a spiced eggnog and some shrimp cocktail.

I was intrigued, and when Jim, our tall, rosy-cheeked, cardigan-clad host, came barreling up to me, I had to ask: “Jim, what are these letters everyone is talking about?”

Current Mood: sleep deprived

Won't you join me? Seriously, an open invitation for telling me where you think I am wrong. Can you honestly pass that up?

Six months ago, or “A Reason, A Season, A Lifetime?”

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/577065.html

Current Mood: in pain

Visit to psychiatrist today

It was interesting, in the Chinese Curse sense of the word. Ah well, life is.

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/576973.html

Current Mood: geeky

Prior to the upgrade, I was playing the basic edition. As a result, there were certain races I could not play. The one that bothered me most was the lack of the Draenei. That looked like a really fun race.

Today, I created my first Draenei character, and made her a Paladin. Yes, I said “her”. All my characters in WoW are female. Hey, it’s fantasy, right? Might as well take it all the way. Without further ado, here she is: Continue reading →

Current Mood: satisfied

I did some research, and this past week I shut off Comcast Cable / Internet. I’ve had ongoing issues with the quality of service, as well as consistency of service and pricing. Over the last several months, my bill hadn’t been the same amount two months in a row, and I wasn’t buying pay-per-view. Oh, it only varied a few dollars from month to month, but I could never explain why it varied at all. There were frequent service interruptions, both on TV and internet, but almost never both at the same time. Continue reading →

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/576277.html

If you still bother to read my blog, you'll be happy to know I can write about something else...

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/576241.html

Current Mood: aggravated

In case you are wondering what's been up with me:

• The Dangers of Cymbalta


• Withdrawal arrives


• Latest on my recovery from Cymbalta


• HMO Incompetence – Why Am I Surprised?

Current Mood: lonely

I've had a rough few weeks. Honestly, having the family here hasn't been nearly as helpful as I hoped. Yes, it stopped me from choosing to follow Barbara in the first couple of months, but I still feel so alone I can barely stand it. I guess I am going to feel alone in a crowd, no matter how big that crowd, for a very long time.

Current Mood: accomplished

Noblesse oblige is the motto of the National Honor Society. But before I ever heard of NHS, I knew “noblesse oblige.” I learned it from a teacher in the sixth grade. I came up through school before “TAG” (talented and gifted) was well-known, maybe before the term existed. But my teacher recognized something in me.

Continue reading →

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/575422.html

Current Mood: depressed

I made it through my first holiday as a widow. I baked bread (by hand), and gave a share to Lugh, as appropriate. The bread was good.

But by the Gods, I miss her.

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/575115.html

Current Mood: holding it together

Lughnasadh is a time to celebrate first-harvest, and for the Celts, the end of summer. Not so much on the end of summer here in Southeast Texas, I'm sorry to say. I think I will try my hand at a version of beer-bread for the holiday!

Current Mood: busy

I know your mother would find the most appropriate quote ever from some very poetic source. I'm not her. But I will remind you, sollite, that she would have done that, and suggest you look back at her journal for your previous birthdays.

For my own part, know that I love you now, and always will. Fly far, young arrow, though the bow be no more.

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/574621.html

Current Mood: calm

New post on my blog: Barbara’s Pagan memorial service

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/574270.html

New post on my blog: The music of our life together

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/574008.html

Current Mood: indescribable

Dress: Please, wear bright colors, and dress comfortably. Barbara wouldn't want anyone to have heat stroke, nor would she want a lot of people wearing black "mourning" clothes. The intent is to celebrate her life.

Food: Potluck, covered dish meal after the service. Bring enough for you and your family, and maybe one or two others. Whatever you like. If you can think of something you know she liked, that works for covered dish, then by all means, do that.

Time: Arrive by 3pm. Depart, well whenever you want. This much I will tell you, though, I dare anyone to try to make me leave before sunset. I will see the full moon at dark.

Where: http://magickal-arts.org/spirithaven_directions.php

More questions? Call myself or greeneyedpagan. Or leave a comment where you are reading this. Whatever works best for you.

ETA: More info from Sunshine ( sollite ) which you can read if you are on FB: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=448126334531

She'd like to coordinate the potluck so that we don't end up with everyone bringing the exact same thing. Wise young lady. Also, she reminds you to bring camp chairs just in case, and that we are requesting

In lieu of flowers, donations to a children's or seniors' charity of your choice has been requested. That said, if anybody would like to pick up flowers or some small pretty things to put on an altar we'll have for her, please do so!!!

My 2002 Ford Explorer needs engine work, and I cannot afford to do it. I also really can’t afford to own an SUV and run it in this economy either. Read more ...

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/573633.html

Current Mood: depressed

What does memorializing an account mean? Does it deactivate or delete it?

When a user passes away, we memorialize their account to protect their privacy. Memorializing an account removes certain sensitive information (e.g., status updates and contact information) and sets privacy so that only confirmed friends can see the profile or locate it in search. The Wall remains so that friends and family can leave posts in remembrance. Memorializing an account also prevents all login access to it.

Current Mood: angry

I'm firmly in the anger phase of grief.

http://wyldraven.clanxanadu.org/2010/07/14/anger-phase-of-grief/

Originally posted at http://wyldraven.dreamwidth.org/573108.html