Letters from the Editor

Well, things have been interesting.

Back at the end of April, I put up a post begging the gods for a break, some sort of help since things had been going wrong for some time.

A week later, I put up a post of Thanksgiving (in this case meaning literally “to give thanks”).

Now, on Memorial Day in the United States, less than two days away from the end of the month, I’m ready to explain why.

The bad luck I have been operating under for some time now has finally broken. I don’t know what happened, if it was my plea, if it was you all and your well wishes for me and mine, or if it was simply the wheel of life coming around again, but things have been going better lately.

In order:

• We got financing on our house (Yes, we are going to be able to buy and live in our own home)
• My wife got a job making just a little bit less than I do, so we now have two incomes
• I was compelled to file my taxes and it turns out that I’m owed a HUGE refund
• I’ve been invited to (and had to turn down) three separate invitations to be a guest speaker at Pagan gatherings or events (mainly because I can’t take the time or travel to them)
• I’ve gotten my car fixed so I can drive again
• My daughter was accepted to Nashville School of the Arts (a really big deal)

There are others, but those are the ones that matter the most. And this is not to say that I haven’t had bad days and times, because I have, but things are going very well for us. So well in fact, that my wife keeps wondering when the train is going to wreck because every other time this has happened, it’s been just before major disasters. Not going to happen this time though.

We close on the house on Wednesday, as I said, two days away. I have to get one piece of paperwork and then sign the papers.

So if you have ever had any kind of kind thought toward me and mine, or wished that things would be better, or included me in your rituals, thank you. Thank you so much for that. It does work, and I’m glad to say that it does.

I can’t tell you how happy I am.

Well, it arrived.

Isaac Bonewits recently wrote a book called The Pagan Man. He contacted me to request permission to include “It Takes A Real Man” in that book, since it fit with the theme of the book.

It’s been out for some time now, and I wrote him and got a copy.

Wow. I’m in print. I’m REFERENCED! WOOHOO!!! Right there on page 213. Cool!

I’m planning on going through it and writing a review soon, but it may take some time.

There’s my site, right along with Isaac’s own site, and Deborah Lipp’s site (his ex-wife). Wow, I’m in such exalted company….

Okay, here we go, another one…

I get SO FREAKING TIRED of misinformation and supposition being spread around as “fact”.

One example of this is “9 Million European Women being burned at the stake during the Burning Times”.

I mean, MY FREAKING FUCKING HORNY GOD, how difficult is it to type in “9 million women” into Google and do a little RESEARCH on this topic? It has been so thuroughly debunked at this point that there are entire sites dedicated to this myth and to busting it wide open. Five minutes. Five FREAKING minutes of research.

Is that REALLY that onerous and so hard? Are those who don’t do this kind of research REALLY that lazy?

ANY fact is like that. A fact can stand up under the light of scrutiny. A fact is supported by evidence. Doing research into a fact has NEVER harmed anyone, and most times it has helped many out.

An opinion is unsupported by evidence and can collapse under scrutiny. But still there are those who love their opinions so much that they continue to cling to them despite mounds of evidence to the contrary. This is one of the hallmarks of being a fluffy-bunny is holding on to an opinion despite being proven wrong.

It’s also a hallmark of a child, one who is so threatened that they cannot have anything they believe challenged or they will break down and cry.

Other “facts” that are regularly challenged and proven to be incorrect are:

The Druids survived the Romans
Wicca=witchcraft
Only Witches were killed in the Burning Times

and many others.

I also can’t stand those in forums who sanctimoniously start hitting me with the Clue By Four when I start pointing out that their opinon is not a fact. I have the facts on my site, and I’m not politically correct nor am I willing to pull punches when it comes to challenging incorrect “facts”. Being told to grow up, open my mind, have a spine or to be nice makes me want to be even nastier.

I’m generally a nice guy, I am typically calm and collected, but when I get told to back off and to be nice, I go nuts.

Do some goddamned research before opening your mouth and showing just how ignorant you are.

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” –Abraham Lincoln.

I added some thoughts to another blog entry here:

A Thought

Man, I’m posting a lot….

Okay, just got another couple articles finished.

Shields and Wards, which is actually the collection of other information on this site, is up for your reference.

No Psychic Attacks is a new article which talks about the likelihood of being psychically attacked by some malevolent force. Easy to guess that I don’t think it’s likely.

Okay, I found a plug-in for Wordpress that helps with the SPAM. I’ve turned on commenting again, and we can see what happens. I’m leaving everything to be moderated though. It’s a pain in the arse to have to go in and delete comments, better by far to just leave them in moderation until I approve them.