I'm in Desperate Straits, Folks

 

I come before you today, a man in desperate straits.  Somehow I managed to rack up $900 in overdrafts.  I fully realize my responsibility in this.  I don’t know how it happened, but it happened.  I never have been that good with handling money.  Being a Cancer I often let my heart rule my head, when it comes to buying things.   But I stay on top of my checking account.  I don’t know what happened on Tuesday.  I had plenty of money to cover all my checks and debits, then suddenly I’m 900 in the hole.  Bank of America doesn’t know either.  My housemate Tegwedd believes it was those damned Japanese and Russian pornographers cramming me again, but I don’t think it is.  The Bank of America guy could find no evidence of their having touched my account when I talked to them on Tuesday.  Tegwedd disapproves of pornography because it builds up unrealistic and unhealthy expectations in the men who use it.  I like it because outside of IMVU,  2^nd life,  and Virtual Girls, it’s my only sexual outlet.

While I am not a proud man, and as the old rhythm & blues song goes “I ain’t too proud to beg,” I am not asking for handouts.  I pride myself on returning value for value given, in the shape of readings and classes.  You can call me at 916-455-2267 and have a reading over the phone, or set up to have a reading with webcam and voice over Yahoo IM Windows Live Msgr, Skype, Google Talk or AOL Instant Messenger.  I can give you a  reading or a class for just $32.  If you order the reading you get your choice of deck/method/other divination tool in my rather splendiferous collection.  If you order a class, it can be on any topic in the vast realm of magick.  If you order both, it’s only $60.  Just as an example, you could get a reading and then a class on how I did it.  You can also contact me on 1-800-ASK-KEEN 1-800-275-5336 ask for Stephen6580. Or call 1-800-280-8496.  This is my referral number for Zodiac Group, my 2^nd psychic reading service that I work for.  These numbers you can give out to anyone who didn’t vote for George W. Bush or anyone like him.  But those who voted for George Bush wouldn’t want to help anyway.  They’d just as soon I rolled up and died because if you make less than 6 figures per year you might as well not bother living.  .  

     

We are looking for assisting staff to do the groups with us.  If you work as hard as we do, you get a year and a day’s worth of free readings and classes.  Just before the shit hit the fan for me, when Bank of America said I had money, I bought the first thing I’d bought for myself in over 3 years.  It’s the Vampire’s Tarot of the Eternal Night.  It’s my 3^rd vampire deck, and I’m very excited about it.  It includes a book and a box that has a magnetic closure to make storing it easier.  As it I’d want to store it.  I’m having too much fun reading with it.  I’ve done 30 readings with it over the past 5 days.  The artwork is absolutely drop-undead gorgeous. It’s by Lo Scarabeo, which Tegwedd says is an imprint of Llewellyn.  It’s Italian.  She’s very familiar with it, since she has about 30  decks by them in her collection, which is catching up with mine.  The authors of the deck are Barbara Moore and David Corsi.  I have other decks by Ms. Moore, and  so does Tegwedd. The book is profusely illustrated, in color yet. I think one of her faery decks is by Ms. Moore. It’s my new favorite deck, and I’m devising a spread that will utilize all three of my vampire decks.  Tegwedd lent me one of her new decks, but I haven’t even read with that one yet, I’m so fascinated with the vampire deck.  Tegwedd is just as fascinated by it as I am, and says she wants to get one too, the next time we go to Beer’s.  So call the Keen number, and ask for her, too, so that she can get one.  She goes by Teiweth ShadowDancer on Keen and her number is 8342.  At this writing, I don’t know when I’ll be able to get to Beer’s again.  I pray to Brigit my patron Goddess that it won’t be another 3 years before I can return.

Before this calamity happened, I had so many plans.  I was going to go out every day, exploring Sacramento on the bus and light rail system, and meet people, drumming up business  for both readings/classes and the Abbott’s Inn International School of Magick.  Tegwedd can stay home and write; it might make it easier for her to concentrate on her writing, since I wouldn’t be here to disturb her when she’s trying to create.  She is a real artist with the written word.  It would be nice if you could get hold of her ebooks.  Three of them are on Silk’s Vault http://www.silksvault.com.  Aengus’ Sweet Duet, Arianrhod’s Bracelet, and Yule Yelps [The Fattigman Files].  If they’re not offered on the site anymore, write them and demand downloads.  Unfortunately the other 2, Takuhi’s Dream and Roman Rhapsody, are at a publisher that had to close due to a serious relapse of the CEO’s chronic illness.  FireDrake’s Weyr is the name of the publisher.  Find out what you can about it.  The site has been closed. Tegwedd has digital copies of the books on her harddisk, so if you cross her palm with some silver electrons (money) she will send you a copy.   She’d get more money this way anyway, and she’s a mercenary by necessity like I am.

We are members of Pagan Radio Network and Rhapsody.  The main difference is that you have to pay for Rhapsody, while the Pagan Radio Network is free, although I’m sure they’d enjoy it if you donated.  Rhapsody is planning on expanding their Pagan music collection.  I’m trying to get a job at Rhapsody to be a liaison between Rhapsody and their many Pagan members.  PRN doesn’t have a blog, but they do have a forum.  They also have a toolbar, which is free.  There is a connection between PRN and Mind-n-Magick, but I don’t know what it is.  Maybe you folks can find out for me.  I want to talk to Timothy at Mind-n-Magick and see if I can talk him into doing blogs there.  I also want to talk to Lew at PRN and see if I can talk him into doing blogs there beside or instead of the forum. Abbott’s Inn International is now on 22 networks, including 8 of our own   If you know of any  other networks that we should have a presence on please let us know.  I’m doing everything I can to deal with this financial setback.  I’ve applied to Microsoft, 2^nd Life, IMVU, Rhapsody,  and even Dell, although their computers are pieces of shit.  The job that I have suggested to these companies is Pagan liaison, because there are Pagan members of all these sites.  If any of you have any ideas of where I can apply as a Pagan liaison, please let me know.  I feel I have skills I’m not using, so if you have suggestions of anywhere else I should apply, please let me know.  We may have as many as 500 magickal teaching groups over the 22 networks we’re on.  We have such groups as Pirates for Pagans, Putties for Pagans, and Geriatrics for Pagans. 

We’re presently working on Facebook, when I can tear myself out of this depression I’m in because of my financial situation.  I have to admit that Tegwedd is much more disciplined about it than I am, and keeps me on track.  Geriatrics for Pagans, one of our newer groups, is tied to Order of Humor Magick and Paranoia for Pagans in being a group based on humor.  You really can’t join it unless you are at least 50 years of age.   

     

Sorry about this folks.  Tegwedd attempted to copy and paste this email from one of her groups, and doesn’t know how to get rid of the extraneous junk. Is your faith about to be demoted? By Kathy Nance Special to the Post-Dispatch       Digg Yahoo! Del.icio.us Facebook Reddit Drudge Google Fark Stumble It! Is your faith first-tier or second-tier? A case currently before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in California could establish that some faiths are indeed more equal than others–and that minority faiths are not entitled to First-Amendment protection. Patrick McCollum. Photo courtesy Lady Liberty League. In a previous post, I wrote about Patrick McCollum and his suit to gain equal standing for Pagan chaplains in the California prison system. Currently, only chaplains who represent one of five faiths–Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim or Native American–can have staff positions and the full access that affords in the system. A new amicus brief was filed this week by a group called Wallbuilders, Inc. The Wallbuilders brief calls on the court to state that the First Amendment itself does not cover Paganism. Or really, anything but Christianity or some other monotheistic faiths. According to a statement from Patrick McCullum: I originally sued on behalf of myself and Pagan inmates as their chaplain, but about a year later several inmates joined the lawsuit. Together, we claimed that it is unconstitutional for the state to deny the Pagan inmates their religious rights, their religious materials, and their religious services. During the course of the case, the CDCR, [California Department of Corrections] other related defendants, and the Assistant Attorneys General who represents them have argued before the court that Pagans are not deserving of equal civil rights as are provided adherents of the preferred faiths. In one of their first arguments to the court, the defendants said that certain “traditional” faiths are first tier faiths and that those faiths were meant to have equal rights and protections under the United States Constitution, but that all of the other faiths, for example, Hindus, Pagans, Buddhists, Sikhs, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jains, are second tier faiths deserving of lesser rights, and therefore are not meant to have the same equal rights and protections under the United States Constitution as the first tier faiths. Now, in an amicus brief filed in the Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in support of the CDCR and the other defendants, an organization called Wall Builders,Inc, which is represented by the National Legal Foundation, has argued that Christianity is the only religion that should be protected under the Constitution or at the very most other monotheistic religions might also be included. They also argue that the term religion only applies to Christianity or monotheistic faiths, and that anyone else, including the Pagans, are not really a religion for the purpose of Constitutional protections. Recent court cases have found Pagans and other members of minority faiths–Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, Jains, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, and otheres–do in fact have First Amendment protection to practice their faiths. I myself am not a strict constructionist when it comes to Constitutional arguments. I have always thought that the Constitution’s flexibility and openness to interpretation in the face of societal change was its greatest strength. I doubt that even men as visionary as the founders would have imagined a 21st century American society in which people of such diverse ethnicities and religious faiths live together in as much harmony and tolerance as we manage. I am certain that they were well aware of the price of religious intolerance. The English Civil War was barely a century behind them when Independence was declared and the Constitution framed. In living memory as well would have been the Witch Trials of Salem. And the establishment of Pennsylvania and Rhode Island as havens for Quakers and other religious dissenters. And the Pilgrims, leaving for the Massachusetts Bay Colony to escape an Anglicanism they found too liberal. And the Cavaliers, heading for Virginia to escape Cromwell. Just because the framers didn’t know of a religion or its practitioners doesn’t mean the Constitution can’t protect it For more about the case, see The Wild Hunt. Also, Circle Sanctuary has created a page for expressions of support to McCollum. Addresses for California state officials can be found at both sites, for those who wish to write and express an opinion about this case. Another suggestion–McCollum is dedicated to the Goddess Brigid. Brigid is Celtic Goddess of forge and flame, poetry and birth: all transformations. Pagans could ask Her for transformative assistance through the courts as part of this year’s Imbolc celebration. (Imbolc, the festival of the first stirrings of spring, is commonly celebrated on February 2. This year, the cross-quarter day falls precisely on February 3. So take your pick.) And for anyone concerned about religious liberty for all–prayers in your tradition would be most welcome. -- ज़ैवलानन्ड President of Asheville Homeless Network - http://ashevillehomeless.org Administrative Editor of Eternal Press - http://eternalpress.ca Moss' Malas, http://mossmalas.ecrater.com See my new site, Med Free or Working On It, http://medfree.ning.com சிவாய நமஹ __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity: Visit Your Group Start a New Topic MARKETPLACE Going Green: Your Yahoo! Groups resource for green living Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use . __,_._,___ Reply Reply to all Forward Invite Moss Bliss to chat Reply | ) . ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Is your faith about to be demoted? By Kathy Nance Special to the Post-Dispatch Email this Share this Print this Digg Yahoo! Del.icio.us Facebook Reddit Drudge Google Fark Stumble It! Is your faith first-tier or second-tier? A case currently before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in California could establish that some faiths are indeed more equal than others–and that minority faiths are not entitled to First-Amendment protection. Patrick McCollum. Photo courtesy Lady Liberty League. In a previous post, I wrote about Patrick McCollum and his suit to gain equal standing for Pagan chaplains in the California prison system. Currently, only chaplains who represent one of five faiths–Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim or Native American–can have staff positions and the full access that affords in the system. A new amicus brief was filed this week by a group called Wallbuilders, Inc. The Wallbuilders brief calls on the court to state that the First Amendment itself does not cover Paganism. Or really, anything but Christianity or some other monotheistic faiths. According to a statement from Patrick McCullum: I originally sued on behalf of myself and Pagan inmates as their chaplain, but about a year later several inmates joined the lawsuit. Together, we claimed that it is unconstitutional for the state to deny the Pagan inmates their religious rights, their religious materials, and their religious services. During the course of the case, the CDCR, [California Department of Corrections] other related defendants, and the Assistant Attorneys General who represents them have argued before the court that Pagans are not deserving of equal civil rights as are provided adherents of the preferred faiths. In one of their first arguments to the court, the defendants said that certain “traditional” faiths are first tier faiths and that those faiths were meant to have equal rights and protections under the United States Constitution, but that all of the other faiths, for example, Hindus, Pagans, Buddhists, Sikhs, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jains, are second tier faiths deserving of lesser rights, and therefore are not meant to have the same equal rights and protections under the United States Constitution as the first tier faiths. Now, in an amicus brief filed in the Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in support of the CDCR and the other defendants, an organization called Wall Builders,Inc, which is represented by the National Legal Foundation, has argued that Christianity is the only religion that should be protected under the Constitution or at the very most other monotheistic religions might also be included. They also argue that the term religion only applies to Christianity or monotheistic faiths, and that anyone else, including the Pagans, are not really a religion for the purpose of Constitutional protections. Recent court cases have found Pagans and other members of minority faiths–Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, Jains, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, and otheres–do in fact have First Amendment protection to practice their faiths. I myself am not a strict constructionist when it comes to Constitutional arguments. I have always thought that the Constitution’s flexibility and openness to interpretation in the face of societal change was its greatest strength. I doubt that even men as visionary as the founders would have imagined a 21st century American society in which people of such diverse ethnicities and religious faiths live together in as much harmony and tolerance as we manage. I am certain that they were well aware of the price of religious intolerance. The English Civil War was barely a century behind them when Independence was declared and the Constitution framed. In living memory as well would have been the Witch Trials of Salem. And the establishment of Pennsylvania and Rhode Island as havens for Quakers and other religious dissenters. And the Pilgrims, leaving for the Massachusetts Bay Colony to escape an Anglicanism they found too liberal. And the Cavaliers, heading for Virginia to escape Cromwell. Just because the framers didn’t know of a religion or its practitioners doesn’t mean the Constitution can’t protect it For more about the case, see The Wild Hunt. Also, Circle Sanctuary has created a page for expressions of support to McCollum. Addresses for California state officials can be found at both sites, for those who wish to write and express an opinion about this case. Another suggestion–McCollum is dedicated to the Goddess Brigid. Brigid is Celtic Goddess of forge and flame, poetry and birth: all transformations. Pagans could ask Her for transformative assistance through the courts as part of this year’s Imbolc celebration. (Imbolc, the festival of the first stirrings of spring, is commonly celebrated on February 2. This year, the cross-quarter day falls precisely on February 3. So take your pick.) And for anyone concerned about religious liberty for all–prayers in your tradition would be most welcome. -- _,_.___ ,_._,___

New window Print all Expand all Collapse all Forward all Sponsored Links PS3 Giveaway 30 Days & 30 PS3's. Enter Each Day for a Chance to Win a PS3! www.UGO.com Block Spam Block 99% of Spam at Server Level! Try Hosted Service - GFI MAX MP™ Free-Trial.gfi.com Wanted: A Better Life Rediscover Your Joy & Passion & Create A Breakthrough Life www.SilvaLifeSystem.com Blood Pressure Discovery Hugh Downs Reports: Artery clearing secret from Nobel Prize Winner www.bottomlinesecrets.com More about... Faith » I Wanna Rock Lyrics » Slander Law » DVD Faith Hope Love » About these links

 We ate tonight at a great, reasonably priced soul food and barbecue restaurant.  It’s called the “Oh Taste & See” restaurant.  It’s on Stockton Blvd.  in Sacramento, CA.  They’re Christians, but they’re affable and pleasant.  If you’re ever in Sacramento, stop by and see us, then if we’ve got money, we can go to the restaurant, but not on Mondays because they’re closed then. 

If you know anyone who wants a fairly cheap housing situation with two congenial Pagan magickal housemates in an ethnically mixed neighborhood in Sacramento, contact me at tezra.reitan@gmail.com or Stephen at abbottsinn_school@yahoo.com or Stephen at his phone number 916-455-2267.  Also, we desperately need  donations to keep Abbott’s Inn International School of Magick afloat.  You can send donations of any size to either Stephen’s Paypal account at abbottsinn@gmail.com  or abbottsinn_school@yahoo.com or my Paypal account at tezra.reitan@gmail.com.  If it’s for at least $32, you’ll get either a reading or a class from our vast collections of divination decks/methods/tools or for the class, pick a topic from our vast repertoire in the field of magick.  For $60, you can actually have both a reading and a class.  I don’t have my webcam hooked up yet, or my mic, but with Stephen you can have sound and video on Yahoo IM, Windows Msgr or Skype. With me for a short while, it’ll be just phone or typing on Yahoo IM or Windows Msgr.  Thank you for using and disseminating Stephen’s Zodiac referral number 1-800-280-8496. Stephen1580. It helps ever so much when you use it instead of the regular number because you don’t pay any more, but he makes three times as much.  We’re both on SSI, thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger drastically cut both of our checks, and Keen isn’t coming up with the paying calls.  I haven’t made one cent since signing on with Keen.  My clients all demand free five minute readings, and refuse to go over that five minutes for a paid reading.  In fact, it’s cost me money to bid so altogether, Keen has been pretty much of a total loss for me.  If you need money, kids, mow lawns or babysit, don’t join a psychic reading service, because it’ll just suck in what little money you do have. 

Do check out the PaganRadioNetwork.net  It’s free, although they certainly do accept donations.  Doesn’t everyone?  Seems like everyone has his hat out nowadays, and we’re sorry to be part of that, but the situation is dirt. We almost lost our power yesterday.  In these times of smaller SSI checks, a bankrupt state, and practically non-existent paying KEEN calls, the prices just seem to be rising all the time for less and less service or quality.

AT&T is offering a “free” cell phone deal.  Don’t fall for it.  It is a scam.  You have to open up a new account for a friend or family member.  This will end up costing you more than the phone is worth.  So beware of any “deals” AT&T offers you.

If you’re ever in Sacramento, look up Walter Rhoads and Julie Maahs.  Together they own Gallery 14 at 14^th St. and 60^th Avenue.   We’re promoting them big time.  Walter  Rhoads has a very interesting and different approach to art.  He compares himself to the late great Jackson Pollock but there are two main differences:  Rhoads is still drawing breath with a healthy 98.6 degrees temperature (except when he’s sick, in which case it’s somewhat higher) and I think Jackson Pollock was gay, and Rhoads is, like us, hopelessly hetero. 

       

  

 .  .