Adopt a Black Cat this Halloween
It's common knowledge that animal adoption agencies change their adoption policies for black cats near Halloween due to fears that they will be sacrificed or tortured in Halloween pranks. The most disturbing rumor I've heard about it is the idea that some folks will get a black cat to go with a costume and return it later on. That's twisted. As far as sacrifice goes though, it makes no sense. I am aware of the story that Samhain is the celebration of a Celtic God named Samhain who demanded sacrifice of animals on His special day in order to release the spirits of the sinful dead or some non

Sweat Lodge Safety
Many Pagan spiritual retreats feature sweat lodges. Indeed they seem to have become quite fashionable in the past few years outside of Pagan circles as well. With the recent sweat lodge tragedy at the Spiritual Warrior self help retreat in Arizona, it may be prudent to take a look at sweat lodges and safety issues associated with them. (We can talk about paying $10,000 for a spiritual retreat in some other blog...) A sweat lodge is a Native American tradition. It is much like a sauna and uses hot rocks and

In a World Gone Mad...
This has been a week of shocking news. First, NASA shot a rocket at the moon in search of water. Why a rover wouldn't have been a better choice for this mission, I can't say. But the real question is why does it matter, really in the big picture if there is water on the moon? Unless of course we're planning for the day when we have no water left on Earth? Or does it have more to do with the idea of abandoning Earth altogether after we've fucked it up and going to live on the moon? I am having a really hard time with this. I understand that the moon is uninhabited and the rocket wasn

Thinking Abut Health Care (what choice do I have?)
I admit it, I'm bitter. I've been working the same soul sucking dead end job for the past five years and before that it was the same job, different place. Why? Because it's safe. I work in an office with lots of other moms like me. I don't do it for the money or job satisfaction. I have a second job to buy groceries and without my husband's income I could barely put a dent in our bills. I work in an airless office where I am expected sit in one spot with nothing but my fingers moving for 60% of my waking life for the free health insurance. One day, when those kids have their own insurance (or my husband finally gets a job that includes health insurance) and I don't have

Review: This Witch for Hire by Kim Harrison
I spent last week in bed with the flu; an annoying situation made tolerable by my latest book club delivery. It was a hardcover 2fer, This Witch for Hire (Dead Witch Walking - The Good, the Bad, and the Undead) which is the first two books in the Hollows series by