I'm Sorry . . .

I am imperfect, flawed, a soul walking my own road to the great path. I walk with kindness, compassion, empathy and honesty. I share things from my own pasts to let people know they are not alone. I have lived, died, been rebirthed of my own ashes and that's just in this trip. I am Buddhist person, a mystical being of light made flesh, I am old, I am young, I share freely not to force my beliefs or experiences on you but to let you know I hear what your heart says even as words may fail us both. If my existence or attempts to temper suffering with kindness and stories from my past, or my future, offend you, please be honest, or simply unfriend me. Do not wait until you are angry, fearful and suffering to lash out at me suddenly. Walk in the light, with me, or without, but do not presume to inflict your limitations on my existence because I am not you. I'm sorry I'm not you now if that offends you, but I have been there before. I walk my path based on my perceptions of what is, not based on yours. I am sorry if this makes anyone uncomfortable.

All roads lead to the great path. Many cross. Fair day my friends.

Calogrenant Week 5, August 13, 2012

Calogrenant Week 5, Published August 13, 2012

Calogrenant Week 4, August 6, 2012

If you've not been there yet, clicking on the image above will take you directly to the Calogrenant website.

Simply Priceless. You really want to watch this one. Will Frey and Austin Zenhder are famous. Infamous even.

Just a question... When did wanting to see small businesses have a fighting chance against bloated multinationals and wanting to see that ordinary people have a living wage and a place to live and enough to eat and not have to fear that an illness will beggar them become socialism? And if that is socialism, what's so horrible about it? - Gillian Cameron

Calogrenant Week 2, July 23, 2012

Victimizing the victims - instead of the perpetrators . . .

I am a survivor of Sexual Assault, which in most states in a first degree felony.  My now late husband used power, privilege and money every step of the way to fight from having the light of truth shined on his miserable soul. At every turn he used the courts against me to keep me from having any real closure or protection from his ongoing actions.  Six some odd years ago he died while fighting our divorce. He was found in contempt of court repeatedly for violations of retraining orders, failure to appear and continuing to stalk me. He didn't even get a slap on the wrist.  His death was the only closure I got.  I had to find out about it second hand.  My lawyer who'd been notified by the court that the divorce was dismissed because Earl died didn't bother to contact me. A Friend called to let me know when she heard from one of my husband's friends that he had died.

I've often said rapists and sexual predators should be put to death.  But you know, I'm not completely sure about that anymore, because frankly, Earl got off easy and "escaped" for now, the consequences of his actions.

Regrettably, we live in a rape culture.  Where rapists, and sexual predators are protected while their victims continue to get victimized.

Recently a young woman in Kentucky was sexually assaulted and had pictures of her assault spread to the four winds BY THE two men that committed the assault.  It took a year to get the matter into court, and rather than fighting the charges and getting a real sentence, they made a plea arrangement with the court to get what amounts to a slap on the wrist. Outraged, she tweeted their names and what had happened.

So guess who is likely to wind up in jail? The victim!

Savannah Dietrich, 17-Year-Old Sexual Assault Victim, Faces Charge For Naming Attackers

Once again the victim being victimized instead of the perpetrators.  So I did some digging, and managed to catch more of the information and most importantly, the names and pictures of the two CONVICTED SEX OFFENDERS that attacked Savannah.

First up we have Austin Zehnder of Kentucky:

Austin Zehnder - Convicted Of First Degree Sexual Assault, A Felony.

Don't you just love those eyes? That winning smile? The hardened chiseled features? Ruggedly handsome or lifelong sociopath.  My money is on the later.

Next up we have Will Frey III also of Kentucky:

Will Frey III - Convicted Of First Degree Sexual Assault, A Felony.

Another award winning specimen of humanity here.  These men Sexually Assaulted Savannah in Kentucky and posted PICTURES of the act electronically. They violated a young woman without her consent for their own deviant needs and BRAGGED about it to friends and online.  They were convicted of First Degree Sexual Assault, A FELONY and given a slap on the wrist while Savannah, rightfully upset and violated may go to jail for letting the world know who these men are?  By a FEMALE judge no less.

Once again, Victimizing the victims instead of the perpetrators. Way to go America.  Savannah, we are your sisters and we stand with you.

Calogrenant begins!

My dear friend, brilliant artist, and talented story teller Gillian Cameron of Mythcongeniality has undertaken a new weekly comic set in an around Camelot.  Having been a big fan of anything to do with the old Legend, and or stories based around it, Calogrenant gives us a whole new twist on one of the Knights of King Arthur's round table.  So with great pleasure, I give you the first two pages of this young Knight's adventure.

Now this is what I call progress!

Today, while running errands, I came through an intersection that I'd not really paid attention to in a while.  Or it could be the new glasses giving me a different enough view of the world that I'm seeing more.  Or it could be all the meditation and being instead of doing.  It could be all of the above.

Or it could just be that it's Friday the thirteenth?

Whatever the case may be, I noticed something different about the intersection.  Something changed, new, missing.

Here is the intersection a year ago:

The above image was taken from Google Maps which still shows the Taco Bell Restaurant clearly there. This is from the Galbraith side of the space.  When I moved here in 2008, that's the way the corner looked right up until last year when Taco Bell closed.  When I saw that it had closed I kinda groaned. We all know about urban sprawl.  The obsession with paving over and building on every bit of property till there's nothing natural left. Here's the intersection from the Winton road side:

Today however was a very different story.  The restaurant, parking, blacktop, the blight, was gone and in it's place, grass and trees!  I'm thrilled and amazed.  Progress, in the right direction!  I mean really, planting grass, trees, and shrubs?  Holy Hannah!!!  This is something to cheer about in my book.

Given that my last "profile" picture was taken I think last year - maybe - I decided that a fresh one was in order.  That and of course the fact that I'm now rockin the librarian look, I figured what the heck right?

So as I'm sitting here working away on the computer I thought it was time. To the right, the result. Untouched, unprocessed, and without make-up of any kind is me in natural light. I'm sitting in front of a nice large window that looks out over sky and trees.  So the light was good for a shot.  On the wall, boring stuff like a calendar, a map of the Little Miami Scenic Trail that runs through Ohio, a place I enjoy riding now and then, and a reminder for workouts.  Namely that if you can sing while working out, you're not working hard enough.  Something a friend told me when I was giving thought to upgrading my heart rate monitor.  So there you have it. Short post, new picture, and a smile.