I made a little video

... as part of a contest entry. One click and you're in the voting booth, and the result for me COULD BE a walk-on role on AMC's Mad Men. Which would be like, the greatest thing that ever happened. to me. or anyone.

blogs.amctv.com/mad-men-co...as-pete.php

Enjoy it. I enjoyed the hell out of making it.

my thoughts on Kathie Lee Gifford, cause everyone is posting

This is one of those situations where ignorance and moral superiority (and meanness) all come together for the good of the people. Which people? Exactly.

She's not hurting anyone. She's not using words that have any real meaning or power. What she IS doing is giving real wiccans and pagans and druids (oh my!) an opportunity to rebut, and have our moment to step up to the microphone and explain, rationally, who we are and why it's backwards thinking to put us down.

Ultimately, there is no debate, and it's free press for us.

Thanks, KLG, you dolt.

Orien Rose signing I Love You from her hospital bed

The family is happy to have me post this.

And expresses their gratitude for all the support.

Orien Rose is fine, great, and amazing

The surgery went perfectly. Faster than we were led to believe, and with no complications of any kind. Orien Rose's skull and brow are fully intact; there is nothing to do inside her head now. There was very little bleeding, so healing should be quick and the hospital stay should be short. She's asleep now. Orien and Christine are amazing; full of gratitude and happiness.

The full story is here: orienrose.blogspot.com/

There was a problem with the Moonfinder blog; Christine is trying to get it straightened out, but in the meantime, it's still there: moonfinderbeams.blogspot.com/ and you can read the backstory, see pictures, and donate to the family via PayPal from the Moonfinder site.

Blogging for Orien Rose

Orien Rose is a miracle. She is a nine year old girl who, just over a year ago, was in a horrific boating accident. There was skull, facial, and brain injury. Really bad stuff. Tuesday morning, June 24th, she is having surgery, and we are looking for as many people on this earth as possible to simply think of her, and send positive energy.

You should see her now; have a look at this article (www.recordonline.com/apps/pb.../article from the other day. Orien is an exuberant and hilarious kid, and the interviewer doesn't even mention how she burped the entire alphabet for him.

If she were doing only half as well as she is, the doctors would still be baffled by the speed and thoroughness of her recovery.

She is alive, well, and burping today due to teams of skilled and dedicated paramedics, doctors, nurses, and therapists, the fierce dedication of her parents, and the power of community. Circles have been cast for her healing from the first night of the accident. Blessings have been sent at some amazing gatherings at the likes of COSM, Starwood, FSG, and I'm sure countless others. Orien Rose has been prayed for by Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Santeros, she's received energy from witches, Reiki masters, and anyone willing to simply hold a positive image in their minds for a moment.

Tuesday morning she faces the final hurdle: Replacement of the missing portion of her skull; a coordinated effort by neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons, and infection control specialists. AND by the people who've been sending her positive energy of myriad forms for this past year.

Orien, her father, asks that people put a reminder on their alarm clock. A reminder to just think about Orien Rose when you wake up. They check into Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, R.I. at 6:30 AM (eastern time) and the procedure begins an hour or so later, and it will go on awhile, so whatever time you get up will be fine.

You can read Christine's blog (moonfinderbeams.blogspot.com/) about Orien Rose's progress, and their progress as a family.

Feel free to repost this on your blog, or link here, or write your own version in your own words (or all three). Feel free to customize (that stuff about circles cast and specific gatherings, I am ONLY posting here in Tribe.)

Oh! And now that I think of it, if you do go to Christine's blog, leave her a comment. I'd like to see her blog crashed by the spike in activity.

Thank you for being part of this very real miracle. Blessings, all.

in and out of touch

So this year I am not going to Free Spirit Gathering. I just wasn't feeling it, wasn't able to decide, had (valid) trepidations, have been broke, (and didn't want to work security like I have the last two years), and so I wrote it off.

(That was the Out of Touch section of this post.)

Only now I totally want to go.

There is a burst of heat (literally, with the 90 plus degrees of stickiness) which allows me to feel, viscerally, what Free Spirit feels like, and I'm way connected with my community (this is the In Touch portion of this post) and turns out EVERY FREAKING BODY is going and I'm a bit sad over my planning, or lack thereof. Now I feel strongly like I belong there this year, only turns out I don't, cause of how I'm not going.

I am feeling the love, and that's a good thing. I'm feeling sorry for myself, not such a good thing.

Addendum... it's about gaging myself and seeking balance. Even a few weeks ago, the notion of going to a festival felt overwhelming and foreign, and like it would throw me completely out of balance. And now as things are shifting, it feels like an imbalance to not be going. It frustrates me, that aspect of my character; that I am so emotionally and impulsively driven, but my tactile memory can woefully short-term, therefore leaving me shortsighted.

After the fire

I was remembering a conversation I had with a friend about the mandatory 'go around and hug people' moment that follows certain rituals and, in the case of this conversation, an all-night fire circle.

I don't remember his take exactly, and don't want to misrepresent, but suffice it to say it is not (or at least, was not at the time of the conversation a couple of years ago) his favorite moment.

I am a very outgoing person. Like, really really outgoing.

But sometimes I am terribly shy. Sometimes unfriendly.

And when it's time for those hugs, I am scared. Awkward and embarrassed and all the bad feelings about not knowing how to jibe and not wanting to be rejected. And actually, worse than not wanting to be rejected… not wanting for people to hug me back when they’d really rather not. My self-hatred lives right there; in thinking that to force you to hug me is an imposition. That you know you’re doing me some kind of favor. I am so horrible and ugly and unlovable but you’ll throw in the charity hug. And I am so transparent, you KNOW how needy I am, how desperate for your attention, and that grosses you out further.

I was thinking about how it would probably be surprising for people who know me that this is my experience. (Or at least, partially my experience.) (I have the glory moments too.)

And I wondered about my friend. Because one time, before we’d really met, we’d both been in that post-fire 'hug your neighbor' place, and not hugged. Too scared.

And I thought, if he had hugged me, if this person picked me to hug, it may well have made my morning.

And THEN I thought, how many hugs have I withheld that would have brought joy?

Good question.

My performance this week at Blend...

... was wonderful. I wrote about it here: starsandmoon145.wordpress.com/200...ght/

Ring Dings are ruined.

Few months ago I was shocked and awed to see that some Yodels in a vending machine had new labeling... Drakes by Hostess.

W. T. F.

Yankess by Mets?

These are two equal and opposing forces in the world, and you can really only love one.

As a Jew, with 100% Brooklyn blood, it was no contest, ever. Twinkies were a Republican conspiracy, Ring Dings were mannah from heaven.

And when I saw this horrible merger in front of my eyes, I thought, well they won't mess with perfection, they're just trying to combine the pool. Corner the market. Get all the money, if you will.

Dear god why. Why. WHYYYYY??????

Yeah so they taste like crap now. Kind of like A FUCKING HOSTESS CUPCAKE. The formerly creamy center is now gooey. Stringy. Not fluffy at all, but gummy.

It hurts my heart, I tell you.

Performing at a cool event, for anyone in/near NJ this Tuesday night

Tuesday, May 6th 7pm
Blend
17 Chestnut Street
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
www.blendbar.com

No cover. That's NO cover.

I am a featured performer, accompanied by the lovely and talented Todd Urban (toddurban.com/) on bass. The evening starts at 7:00. Each act has two sets of 2-3 songs. I am scheduled to go on for my first set at 8:25, but you never know if things will get changed around, so c’mon, show up at 7:00. Come early, grab a bite (food is good) and a drink (drinks are way good), and enjoy the entertainment. But mostly me. Enjoy me.

It's kind of a big deal because this plays pulls talent from the Tuesday night thingy as opening acts for national artists that play the mainstage. So I could open for like, I dunno. Someone cool.

And yeah, I will be performing my angstiest original <i>Stowaway's Compromise</i>, soon to be featured in a non-major motion picture! (An independent by filmmaker Jim Haggerty called From the Inside, due for release... we're not sure. Maybe late summer.)

Tuesday Singer Songwriter Showcase, hosted by Bob Suede (www.suede.tv), on the Bistro Stage (that's straight through the restaurant, in the back, with table service, its own bar and access to the patio).

Kisses--

Roberta