Monday, November 25, 2013

1 liners in emails

Ok so I love hearing for people I really do and I occasionally get an email from people passing through our little municipality from time to time wanting to talk or hang out and they usually write their first email something like

" Hello,
my name is (so and so) I'm passing (through town/moving to town) and am looking for people to talk to and meet with other people of similar intests (lists off interests usually involving paganism, gardening or herbal healing) and have an (intelligent discussion/ mentor/ someone to chill with). ....."

ok that's awesome I'm starting out knowing something about them and we can start a great conversation and maybe meet up and hang out. I haven't really mentored or taught in a year or 2 but I'm always willing to start if the right person asks.
But lately I've been getting a few 1 liners, anyone who RPs or knows some RP terminology knows what a 1 liner is.

"Hello, 
I (like you/ find you interesting/ think you're pretty) message me back if you want to talk."

Hey Thanks!...I think. I've heard the pretty/interesting line a few times before being told that I'm going to "go to hell"  So that can make me a bit nervous. But besides that, how am I to respond? The writer did not give me even 1 thing to expand or start the conversation with, unless he/she wants me to puff up my chest and start bragging about why or how I'm so pretty and interesting.

Please just give me a topic!
Ask me about herbs, the elements, about gravity or why the sky is blue. ANYTHING! is better than nothing.

Now I still do respond to these people and I have made some nice acquaintances this way, but really responding hurts my brain sometimes. I want to write a unique response so everybody because everybody is unique, but it's hard when you see the same 1 liner everyday.


Anyways, I need to go make up a RP character now for a new game.


Blessed Be, and may people give you something to work with,
~Flaming


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Back to nature? or just for show?

Hey all! long time no see,

Again I have something on my mind that I've heard about lately, it could be easily be broken down into many layers but I'm going to try to be a little bit general instead of writing a novel or getting into too many details (for now but anything's open for discussion)

It all started while I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to advertise it so I won't.
But the topic was a fairly common one, but unlike many other blogs and podcasts, I did not hear accusatory notes from this person.

How are we pagans as a whole or as individuals helping the mother (mother earth)?
Now don't lie to yourselves, many of us live in cities and just like the rest of the earthly population many of us are also in apartments and condos, if we're working then we're working 40 or more hours a week and if we're working less or not at all, we don't really have any money to share, hell even some of us working over 40 hours a week have nothing after bills.
So with little to no room and little to no money, it's easy to get caught up in the loop that is " can't do nar ting, if  ain't got nar ting, to do ar ting wit." (bonus points if you can guess what accent I have, and C of Ravens, you're excluded from this because of personal knowledge unfair advantage!)

So what am I doing to help out the mother?

when I lived in an apartment I
-grew veggies and fruits on my patio so that I could eat more sustainable (even if only for a week)
-I tried my best to buy local.
-garage sales and second hand stores are and were a great source to reuse and renew things.
-I tried to recycle (difficult back then before the city really cared)
- I kept worms for a vermiculture/vermicompost (is that the right word for it? worms in a box for a great non smell small compost?)
-I grew some herbs and spices in the kitchen for cooking and healing
- I helped out in other peoples gardens
-used more energy efficient light bulbs (wasn't allowed to change the hogging appliances)
-took the bus or walked  when I could

and that was pretty much it

now I own a house so I added a few things to that list
-I grow a much bigger garden and doubling it this year though that garden will still not feed us all year.
-we have more energy efficient appliances.
-I found out about the wonderful world of freecycling facebook groups
- we took in a few animals
-we can add another person that I help out with in their garden.
-I have 2 very much huge composts
-I'm attempting to grow some larger veggies in my house over winter (lettuce, spinach and swiss chard) the house is heated for us and green plants will help with the air quality so might as well make them edible as well.

and I'm still open to ideas

What do I eventually want in the future?
maybe if we can get around to retiring early (unlikely) or if we can find employment that will make a change of lifestyle sustainable. We're thinking about owning a small hobby farm and trying our hand at some homesteading lite (if we like it and think we're up to it, then we can think about being more involved with it but until we get to that point, we still have debts and bills)


So I guess what I'm doing and hope to get better at is, being more self sustaining and making my footprint smaller. As well as helping other to do the same.


So what are you doing? what do you want to do? and are you stuck in that loop?



Now enjoy a picture I took of a tomato at my old apartment


NOW FOR THE JUST FOR SHOW PART

"It has come to my attention....."

lol

Ok now seriously, I've known about this issue for a while and have read and heard about it for almost as long. Pagans who are just pagans for show.

Honestly, I give up on the issue,
-As long as they aren't harming anything or anybody then they can have right at er.
- If they are helping out in some way? Then all power to them.
-If they're hurting something or somebody, well they should have been raised to respect other beliefs/cultures/the environment/etc better and I may go a little evil on them with a lecture ( I have a temper and little patience for much)

So with the exception of that last point, why the big fuss I keep seeing and hearing? I'm a bit confused.


Anyways

Blessed Be,
~Flaming