satyir

Must be seen to be believed...

Heya my one or two readers left....

B & I drove out to my mother's house in MA this week past. I had an exam to administer on saturday morning, at 8 am. It was due to run to ten, so we figured B would load the car, get K (whom we were dropping off in NJ) and we'd be set to leave by 10 when the test was done.
The test was done in an hour- it was a final exam, but only of the same caliber as the other exams, so the kids probably studied harder than they needed- which is good. I helped pack the car and we set out to get K at her home outside town.
We left town, after picking up K, at 10:30 as the snow began to fall lightly- fully aware that we were going to have to sleep over in PA. I had arranged a hotel in Harrisburg, PA. It took us 12 hours to get there (9-1/2 hours estimated travel time). We were flooded with snow, even on the interstates we were going 35-40 mph most of the way. At one point, while I was driving, a pick-up truck swooped around us and fishtailed- going maybe 50-55. He shot across the highway, only nearly missing us and another red car next to me. He barely clipped the guardrail and ended up tearing through the saplings on the other side of the guardrail. Luckily, both me and the other driver kept to the road and kept our cool. K called it in, and we managed to see the remains of other accidents, but have no more close calls.
We got to southern NJ the next day in 5 hours. Roads were still horrible everywhere. From NJ, we managed to pull into Haverhill about 8:30 in the evening. We stayed overnight at mom's, then we lodged at J's house the rest of the trip. Her home was, as always, a blessing and a sanctuary.
We are pretty sure, but not thoroughly certain that Mom's cancer has spread. they are testing her for bone and liver. In the beginning of the week she looked pretty ragged, but by the time the end of the week rolled around, she was getting rest and looked a hell of a lot better. Aimee wasn't doing too well- she's sick but the stress of mom being ill has really affected her. Jessie and Dad are about the same. Everyone liked the presents they got and we spent the majority of time hanging out at mom's house.
J had people over, letting us use her house as a meeting place. Thankfully a few folks came out- it was good to see SW and just hang for a bit (thanks as always for the meade!). We were really wiped out, and didn't even make time to visit other people in town, although we wanted to. It was just too much stress and demands on us to take the hour or two... especially since every day we were driving up to mom's from J's and back again.
We were determinedly pixie-led this trip: every time we set out to or from mom's house we got turned around- even though I've been over these roads effortlessly many many times before...
T was an angel (of a special sort) and made sure to set aside time for us- we needed adult friend time and she was a blessing. We got to meet her fiancee and we think they are a good couple. B & I are looking forward to the wedding in August!
As the week got on, the travel, stress and lack of sleep really caught up to us. We crashed out the last night there and didn't even make it out of the house. J.P. came by in the evening for a quick visit, and then we all schlepped off to bed.
It took us 22 hours total driving to get back home. We'd thought we made the trip in one shot before, but we then remembered we had only gone to/from Upstate NY- not all the way to eastern MA all at once. Of course, in the winter, even that trip is problematic.
Which leads me to apologies for missing people. I had speculated briefly about stopping in upstate NY to see people (you know who you are) but the time and the weather plus mom's health put that plan out the window. We couldn't coordinate schedules with a certain NH witch either. We couldn't even stop over briefly to see K & S- whom I have missed every time we go out east- even though they were close to our route up from NJ.
Damn and damn...

We wore out our music too. Two days in the car each way, plus the few hours each day of traveling had depleted our tunes supply greatly. I am pining for happy hippy music, but I'm sick of it all- is there any new, happy but talented and upbeat equivalent of bubblegum pop out there?

There is a lot I'm not writing. It has been a thoroughly shitty Yule season. Prayers and well-wishes go out to all the people we know from this winter who have had health problems: E & V, Mom & Family, B's Family, and even a X-mas scare from J's dad....
I miss my peeps. A lot. It is really sucking the older I get and the more time I spend away. It was ok being away when I could touch base with people more often, but that happens less and less. I just hope those of you who read this know I do think of you, and I love you.

I hope that the new calendar brings new health and joy, and less darkness and misery to all of us.
Blessings,
^o^

The pop-up ads on LJ are really pissing me off.
There are already ads everywhere.
If this continues, you can expect this blog to disappear.
Peace,
^o^

OK Everyone,
Here's the scoop: In previous years we have tried to cover all our bases and pack in the lovin' from our NY/MA crowd. We cannot do that this year. We are only going to be out East for a week, and we want to be able to visit family while there.
Plus, my mom is sick. She has a (malignant) tumor that is going to be removed on Thursday. Hopefully all will go smoothly, but for anyone who knows my family and medicine- there will probably be _something_ unusual that requires the rare extract from a flower that only blooms once ever 33.67296 years on an eclipse in the unreachable passes of the Himalayan mountains... you know. Something like that.
We will be staying at Chez Jill, and we'd like to see as many of you as we can. I suspect Jill will do her usual amazingly wonderful hostess thing and try to organize one night to have people down.
We want to see you all.
We will accept offers to go out for dinner/breakfast/drinks/coffee... most of you have my phone number. If you don't, email me and I'll get it to you.
It is my hope that we can at least swing through NY on our way back West and at least get some hugs. We'll see.

As you already know, we are moving to India for a year. We aren't leaving until next September, so we are planning on visiting people in the summer- We'll let you all know ahead of time.

The schedule so far- I am giving a final exam on Saturday the 19th, 8-10am. From there B is going to pick me up and we are headed out East. We'll be stopping in NJ to drop off our friend K, then swing North. We hope to arrive by Sunday sometime.
From there, we don't know. Xmas day will be with family, but otherwise, like I said above, we'll be hoping to hook up with folks we only get to see once a year. We plan on leaving the next Sunday.
Let us know if you're interested- and follow up with us while we're there, ok? I'm a little flaky anyhow and its shaping up to be a pisser of a holiday already.
Love & peace,
^o^

From the International Advisor for Goldman-Sach's (remember..? our money bailed them out after they failed us and, ahem, took & wasted our money?)

“We have to tolerate the inequality as a way to achieving greater prosperity and opportunity for all.”

Seriously, WTF? That's it. I'm becoming a Marxist....
...or something.
Good night.
^o^

Oh, and B & I are confirmed as having jobs when we get to India next year!
Now, please, pray for grant money....
^o^

visited 38 states (76%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

Clearly I have some traveling left to do....

It may be....

India.

Film at 11.

^o^

Just a few tidbits from my life.

Busy working on the PhD. Waiting to hear from eco-minded intentional communities that will put up with an anthropologist (hey, I'm at least somewhat trained in eco activities) for a year or so. Preferably overseas. Trouble is, no replies yet from the ones I have contacted. Need to know where I'm going soon- so: stress there.

Motorcycle is back from the shop and working fine. Very happy, and may take a ride later.

Started swordfighting again last night. B went and even started to lear along with me. I am pleased to report that I haven't lost all of my muscle memory. Feeling good about my bad-assery there.

That is all for now.
Peace,
^o^

Heya,

B woke me up from the parking lot, calling to tell me my bike was on its side again. We had a storm last night, with typical gale-force winds (up to 60mph gusts) and even a funnel cloud.
Last time this happened (the motorcycle falling over, not the wind- wind happens all the time) it set us back $1300.00 body work and assorted other damage, including a snapped off gas tank bolt. However, last time it happened I hadn't yet bought tip-over bars...



Today?



After righting my dear Levvy, the only 'damage' is paint scratched off the tip-over bars. Oh, and the cloth bike cover is scuffed up.
Yay!

Heya,

(for those lazy or only mildly interested, a summary is at the bottom)

The summer feels like its just about over and its only begun for me... the thesis took up my summer, and working the festivals kinda took away my feeling of vacation. B has been working too much, like 7 days a week for a couple weeks, so we haven't had time to hang out either.
It just doesn't feel like I've gotten very much R&R this year, and school starts next week.
The fact that it's been dismal and overcast for the past couple days hasn't helped.

Speaking of school: My major prof & I had a very productive talk. I admitted that part of the problem was with me and he conceded that he had had a stressful time too. So, the short is he is still my major prof- we'll call him MP from now on- which is good. This is why: He is the main reason I came to Purdue, and he is a very good scholar. I love his work, and want to learn from him. So, in general, I'm glad we have worked out some stuff, although I need to keep in mind how very different our communication styles are, and make allowances for other differences.
Just like most other relationships, yes?

Speaking of relationships, B & I are still wonderfully blissed out with each other, and I've started to do more housework to get her a little down time after her busy days. She has her first saturday off this weekend coming up (after about three weeks) and I plan on allowing her lots of free time, and giving her lots of pampering too.

We have stalled on unpacking.
I still don't care that much. I'm just glad to be in a quieter home.

I still do not have a PhD project. Still vacillating between the three I had listed before, plus trying to broaden my scope to outside the U.S. It would be very very beneficial to me to work outside the States for my fieldwork. Aside from a love of travel, Anthropology is all about culture- all the world's cultures. It is easier to get a job as an Anthropologist if one has actually, oh, say, been somewhere.

My school schedule is pretty full: I'm retaking an ethnography course that I already passed because the instructor is very different from the previous one, and I want to learn different methods of ethnography. I also am doing a directed readings course with our new Environmental Anthropologist to get back up to speed with environmental issues- I discovered, while writing my MS thesis that I am woefully behind in environmental knowledge...
Finally, I am taking a course on Developmental Anthropology. This is the anthropology of development projects, and is an important aspect of my interests, since environmental projects are usually also development projects too.
That is just my course load. I also am TA for an ANTH 100 course, which involves teaching 3 recitations and attending two lectures a week. I asked for that, though. I want more teaching experience.

Haven't ridden the pikipiki much, since I have been waiting to get the steering head bearings replaced. Its not so bad that I can't ride her, its just... uncomfortable... riding with loose steering.

Anyway, that's enough for now.
To Sum: B is working too much, but we're still happy.
Motorcycle needs to get fixed so I feel better riding it.
Taking many courses at school, still haven't decided on a PhD project, but at least my Major Prof (MP) and I are doing better.
Peace,
^o^

Heya,

Just got back from Cornstalk (hereafter called CS). What a great festival! I once again was opening bartender for the Green Man Tavern... good times, good times. Chaos Camp was, again, 8 people. All good people, too. Props to my peeps, for sure. B went off to work WI ren faire(e), missed her lots.

I think our totem is the Pine sometimes....

I did my first ever sweatlodge too. It was exactly what I needed it to be. Very cleansing, cathartic, purifying... I see future work here perhaps.

The ride back was fun, although my shoulder and leg on my right are very sore: I have to order some bar risers (so I don't stretch forward as much) and fix my air seat (to compensate for my lack of biological padding).

My phone died- it was rainy. ludicrously rainy. Anyhow, if you need to contact me, don't call for a few days (until I get a new phone)- I may be putting a massive shout out to have numbers sent to me, since there is a chance they won't be able to save my data- it's that dead, really. Thank goodness it was warm, and although over the top, still fun. My phone was the only casualty- no new scars this time!

Now, I'm home, surrounded by the unpacking I didn't finish from the move, and the unpacking to be done from the camping trip.... I'm just shy of taking off again, just to avoid it.

Now, I'm ramping up for school, working on getting classes lined up and preparing for the next phase.
Good fortune to you all,
^o^

I mean REALLY busy work:
Round 6 or 7 of revisions on the thesis (for publishing, not content). The instructions I get change every time... acgh, don't even get me started....

In the home front we are moving thursday. Not out of state, or even to a different street! We are moving to an upstairs apartment in another building due to the neighbor's noise....which has gotten worse with the arrival of a cat of some kind. I love cats, and it looks adorable, but it spends most of the day in the window yowling.
Seriously, do they purposefully go out and find loud pets?

At this point I just need to get out of here.

What all these revisions and the move means though, is that I haven't been out to Wisteria for volunteer weekends yet (although I did make it to solstice, and I am going to Cornstalk- check it out! http://wisteria.org/cornstalk.htm )

I had planned on going up to IL, and possibly out motorcycle camping (I mean, forget about going out East, know what I mean?), but my summer has been pissed away with continuous revisions (my inability to use Word to its fullest is vindicated however, since no-one else I've talked to- including professional info people and secretaries- knows how to do this crap either). Now its the move.

Its starting to look like school, when it starts, is going to be my 'down time'
(Sigh)

Anyhow, that's why I'm not around much.
Wish me patience & luck,
^o^

Heya,

I've been busy, but not steadily so. The thesis is delayed (yet again) because my major prof gave the paperwork to "someone in the office".... and now we can't find it.

This is a problem. I can't deposit the thesis w/o the paperwork, and I can't even finish turning it into the type of file they need until I get the paperwork because digital versions of the forms have to be in the file.

This is, in some ways, making my future projects easier to decide. I was thinking of a few different tracks I could take for future research:

1- Continue doing the intentional community/environmentalism thing. There's a lot here- like how do other groups, especially intentional communities (Xian, secular, Pagan, Buddhist) enact environmentalism, promote it and internalize environmentalist ethics into their belief system and how does this reflect on identity formation? Does this affect the outside world? Do they want it to?

2- Authenticity and Paganism. Pagans have no 'doctrine', no way to confirm through outside sources, the validity and authenticity of their religious beliefs and practices. How do they cope with this? How do they present a 'valid' religion to the rest of the world and what does the experience of being a Pagan get them in terms of security, validation and identity reinforcement as members of an accepted and 'true' faith?

3- Environmentalism as an imported ideological system of belief and practice in other parts of the world. How do people, especially non-western people, deal with the environmentalism that is part of the Western belief system? Environmentalism is proselytized across the globe as a salvific orthodoxy that claims to have 'the way' to save the world. How do other peoples with different value systems and different ways of dealing with the perceived world deal with this (often imposed) belief system and its attendant clauses (such as 'scientific method', rationalism and so on)?

So that is some of the stuff I'm working on. Which of these three (out of several) will become my PhD topic? Well, at this point, the one that moves me away from needing my current major professor as my major professor for the future.
It's a lot to consider.

To Hel with it all: I'm going for a motorcycle ride.(Edit-) I won't be taking my tank bag with me though, as Button has found another use for it:




Talk to ya later.

Heya,

First: Happy B-Day Jill!

The Solstice event went really well, aside from my submission for "village idiot": It was a rainy, stormy night, and we of Chaos Camp (AKA 'Unseelie Court') were passing the mead bottles and the cordial bottles when I decided I would take myself to the porta-johns nearby. As I stood, so did a guest, one of the most amazingly sweet, friendly and all-around wonderful people anywhere (we'll call her SR). Now, SR is very fit, whereas I, aside from being inebriated, haven't exercised in like 4 years or so. She said she had to go too.
I, seeing her rise, said "I'll get there first"
She said "Wanna race?"
I haven't mentioned yet, but she had this whole like perky, hot/cute thing going on too- not that such things affect _my_ judgement...
I'd just like to mention that, since it may have had a factor in my brain deciding that yes, it would be wonderful to race an athletic woman through the dark, in the rain, down a slippery gravel road whilst drunk.
I started out ahead, but as we neared the porta-johns she pulled in front. Being the smart, stable man I am, I grabbed her by the hips. She spun. Centrifugal (I looked it up to be sure; not centripetal) forces spun us apart at great, drunken wet speeds. She managed to maintain her footing.
I slid on my right knee and wrist until I slammed shoulder and head into the object of our race.
Instantly my leg was covered in blood. B (who had followed) and SR stood aghast at the copious stream of blood pouring from my knee, up and down my leg.
Taking advantage of the situation, I claimed victory by ducking into the porta-john first. I win.
:)
After, we went to the med tent (really a room, but the name seems to have stuck) and I got cleaned up somewhat, and managed to avoid a trip to the hospital by claiming that I did not want stitches, but rather a cool new scar.
Next time you see me, I'll show it to you- if you ask.

The event itself was fantastic- we partied, held sacred space, chopped wood (nekked, of course) and carried water. There are a lot of stories from this past week, but they shall be held in abeyance until I have processed them, and thus they shall be doled out at appropriate times.
However, one cool thing that happened was the official opening of the Green Man Tavern. Seriously, a bar and lounge (with stage straddling a small wet run) hand cut from a great fallen hickory tree, under the stars in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. I am one of the bartenders. Yeh, that is my 'work shift'- I pour beer in an outdoor tavern.
They don't have epic smiley faces for LJ, but I'm grinning even as I write this....
The motorcycle ride out there was, as usual, fantastic. Still, after 5-6 hours in the saddle it's time to invest in one of these:

http://cyclecrafts.net/Wood_Bead_Seats.html

While riding home I stopped at a Cracker Barrel (AKA 'Crack Basket'- different story). There I met up with 2 people who were going to become Chaos Camp members before they disappeared for 2 years! We lunched and chatted and it felt really really good to reconnect with them. I look forward to seeing them more in the future.

B had invited a group of young people from the Purdue chapter of the Pagan Academic Network (PAN) to camp with us. I loved all of them but one, and even that one- although at times trying- could not dampen my experience.

There is another fantastic thing that happened this week, and I've been saving it for last. I worked pretty hard in the beginning of the week- we had to finish setting up the tavern, and although most of the heavy work was done during construction, there still was large chunks of lumber to move, stumps to haul, and a fence to put up in the woods around the tavern area. Then, of course, we partied as if we only see some of these people once a year, we had the mead-maker's mead-n-greet (much revelry ensued) and we stayed up around the fire til the wee hours (sometimes as late as 4am). So, lack of sleep, overexertion, and perhaps a bit of imbibing...
...but no CFS collapse.
My recovery period seems to be approaching something I can deal with, and more to the point, I have found I can push myself and not pass out and be dead to the world for a week. Not even a day.
(crosses fingers)
I may be getting over the hump.

With that cheery news, I bid you all sweet dreams and happy awakenings,
Hugs to all
^o^

My defense went well, I guess.
A lot of people showed up- my thanks to you all!
IMHO it was disorganized, brief and kinda anticlimactic (but I'll take that over disastrous any day).
I was advised to cut out the boring bits (that I didn't want to focus on anyhow), re-write a portion of the rest of the paper and re-do the conclusion.
None of which is getting done until I get back from Wisteria.
Peace out, folks, and wish us all good camping weather.

And an early happy Summer Solstice to you all.

^o^

So.
On Wed. at 2:30 (EST) I begin my Master's thesis defense. I have been writing and re-writing this damned thing for soooo long now... I just want it over with.
So I can begin the even more difficult PhD process.
(Sigh)
I had to re-write my concluding chapter over the weekend, and I just sent it off around 1pm today. That means my committee has just a couple days to read and critique it before my presentation.
I still have no clue how I'm going to present my 112 page document (not including bibliography) in about 20 minutes and make it somehow informative and moderately interesting. At this point I'm just hoping they don't say something like "well, you really need more work..."
Gah.
Of course, I'm bitching because I have chosen this, and I'm just letting off steam. In fact, I've already begun to think about potential future research. Also, the fact that i am more an initiator than a thorough-through kinda guy also make actually finishing this long, tedious paper that much more tortuous.

A woman in the next set of apartments over from ours is moving- she's putting her academic life on hold to get married and live with her beau. I wish her luck. I am sometimes still a little bitter about a missed opportunity I had just after getting my BA, and I hope it works out better for her.
On the upside of this is that we are flooded with cardboard boxes- like maybe half what we need to pack up our stuff for our (eventual) move. We haven't heard anything about that yet, but the director of Purdue Village has assured me he is trying to get things expedited.

As if I could pack at this point in my career.
Well, anyhow that is the big stuff on my plate at the moment.
I am excited about my big motorcycle/camping trip, however- once again I get to ride my bike (now with fresh new brakes and a new front tire) to Ohio and enjoy mountain roads and greenery.
In less than a week I'll be at Wisteria for their Solstice festival, relaxing, running around nekked in the woods and generally having a really good time. Gods know I need it.
Then I come back, pack the apartment and format the thesis (after making recommended changes) for depositing.

Wish me luck!
^o^

Happy Beltaine everybody!

...and a reprieve.

Fail because i didn't get it done on time, and a reprieve cuz I still can get it done, just a month or so late.

I am postponing my thesis until June.
I don't know when in June, but I am not ready now- I'v been ill (again, damnit), and I just don't have it together enough to force it.

Things still suck RE our upstairs demon, ahem, neighbor, but we may move soon.

Thanks for the words of support everyone, I appreciate it.
Peace,
^o^

I hate my thesis.



I'm told this is normal.



Balls.





Hmpf.
^o^