On again, off again...

  I did warn you this would happen. At least I meant to. Another interest got in the way of my blog - my very eclectic blog - and I haven't been around much. Mind you, the COPD and Fibromyalgia have also had a hand in that, but it's primarily been the study in film-making that has distracted me.
  But before I go any further, I would like to wish all my Pagan, Wiccan, and Druid friends a very Happy Summer Solstice (or Yule, south of the Equator). 

'Tis the time to circle round,

In the path the Faye have found...

May you all find serenity and plenty.

  Back to my ramble. As pretty much everyone knows, there has recently been a lot of rain. Now, by "a lot" I mean HUGE AMOUNTS that have resulted in multiple floods, road closures and failures and general chaos and unease. (Please note here that I am doing my best to not promote hysteria. This is an enormous feat for me, and I do expect kudos for it. He-he-he.) What fewer people know is that high humidity has a really horrible effect on people with COPD, asthma or pretty much any lung disorder/disease. I remember before I got really ill. It would rain heavily - even torentially - and I would think "Gee, it's muggy!" Now when it rains, not even particularly hard, I feel like I'm trying to breath at the bottom of a fish tank. Please, people, if you have a friend, family member or neighbour who has "problems breathing", when it rains ask them if they could use a ride somewhere or need you to run an errand for them. Otherwise we are essentially trapped inside out own homes until the weather clears...seriously.

  Also when the air pressure goes up and down and up and down, as it is wont to do during storms, my Fibromyalgia flares up horrifically! Every nerve in my body tells me that there is critical damage happening, even though there isn't. In short, it hurts! It hurts as if I have been punched repeatedly. I can tell you that this is fairly accurate because I know a woman who was beaten and has since developed  fibromyalgia, and she swears that this is so (as far as we know the two are not linked). The point to graphically describing this is so that you will understand when I say it leaves me unable to type or sit upright for long due to oh-my-god-this-is-awful pain.

  And then there is the previously mentioned new interest.

  I have developed a real - well, you might call it an obsession - with film making. I really am finding setting up the lights and calculating camera angles and revising scripts (5 or more times) absolutely fascinating! It's a good thing I didn't find this out prior to having children or my kids may never have come in to being! (Sorry guys. You can sear at me later.) I think I may create a new page just for my adventures in film making ... which seems to me to be a good title for it actually. So keep an eye open for it.

  And now it's time for me to end this post. As you've probably noticed by now, this is not exactly my strong suit. I generally sputter out and finish with something lame; I know this. This one is not going to be any different. So live long and prosper, have a nice day, be happy...and stuff. So.......yeah.

Religion and the Net

The following contains religious icons changed to suit this blog by little old me. Reader discretion is strongly advised...as is a sense of humour!

We are in constant contact with each other these days. So constant, in fact, that we do little else. Those who spurn this never-ending virtual and telecom connectedness are considered backward, disassociate, and ignorant (unless, of course they are in excess of seventy years of age, which seems to be some arbitrary internet literacy cut-off point). There are even online church services.
Gone are the days of having to slog through toe-deep snow, lightly drizzling rain or beautiful sunshine to fellowship with actual people of similar faith in person. Now all you need do is select your virtual church, tabernacle, temple or synagogue and register. But, what if you happen to miss the live net broadcast of the service? No worries; simply click on the web-cast version and “attend” later. Some of them even provide live Twitter and FACEBOOK feeds for those on the road.
So, what would it be like if every religion throughout time had been originated on the net? Well, outside of the probability that, if internet and electronic communications had been around 20,000 years ago, humanity would most likely have never evolved (or left the Garden of Eden, or whatever) because they wouldn't have gotten off their lazy…But I digress;


Behold, Inana, one of the oldest of human deities, the Goddess of the Harvest in all Her glory. She provides nurturing and nutrition, as well as guiding us in to this world and holding our hands as we leave it.
 
 Now how would she have been depicted as Goddess of Satellites? Would she have lovingly cradled a dish, raised to the sky for better reception? And would she ever have actually gotten the crop in?

And what of Isis (or Ah-set)? 

Would the Orb of the Sun in its Sky Boat have been replaced on her crown with a telecommunications tower? Would she have paid quite as much attention to her son Ra? Would an entire pantheon exist?

Next, Christianity! (Ah, hitting a little closer to home now, are we?)
The Feminine Divine in the religion of the followers of Christ is, of course, his mother the Virgin Mary, the Madonna, the Queen of Heaven, She to whom all souls entreat at the end of their time on Earth.
How much easier would that entreaty be if you had her mobile number, or better yet, if you could drop her an email…

I cold go on and on.
My point is, get out there and see people!  Meet them in person at your place of worship, or anywhere else, for that matter. Agree with them, or disagree with them, but do to in the same room with them. Have a cup of coffee or tea or a pint of beer, ale or mead with them, but do it away from your computer, mobile or tablet!
I’m going to go talk with my family now, in person, using speech. You all have a great time.