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    Edition 18 * March 15, 2002 
Welcome Back!!! 
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My Beautiful Hippie Chick
On the path toward enlightenment, bliss is to be found within non-attachment, something of a
kind-hearted indifference – or so I was taught. Yet, every now and again, perhaps merely once in a
lifetime, the seeker encounters a young soul, vibrant and utterly alive, whose wisdom and innocence
proves far more profound than any sutra, any ritual or initiation. The one on the path is then faced with
a choice – to embrace or to deny herself that which is truly sacred. For me, no choice has ever been
so crystal-clear.
"Silly salmon, me! I knew I should have ordered my lavender sooner. Spring just arrived a bit earlier
than I had expected, but I should definitely have it early next week, " explained the beautiful blonde
hippie chick before me. "How many do you think you'll need?
Her smile was as sincere as any I had witnessed. Her eyes sparkled as she apologized for her faux
pas. With a small pad and pen poised within her tiny hand, she stood in a manner that proved, for me,
utterly irresistible. Her silver belly ring glinted in the sunlight, a stunning contrast to the deep bronze of
her abdomen.
Need? Enveloped within her broad smile and deep green eyes, I suddenly, momentarily, forgot my purpose.
For your yoga studio," she offered as a means of jogging my memory.
Ah, moving day. A milestone of microcosmically epic proportions. Having rented several cramped,
dusty spaces since my initial move to New Hope just over two years prior, I was ecstatic to have finally
secured a quaint yet spacious storefront on the town's Main Street.
Adjacent to my studio on the west stood a tattoo and body piercing salon, Iggy's Ink, which just so
happened to provide lots of traffic for surrounding businesses, especially during tourist season. Owned
and operated by a couple of imaginative, free-thinking brothers, the salon attracted a wide spectrum of
sorts when it came to clientele. Biker chicks, pseudo-swamis, artists, lovers and the occasional Baptist
preacher passed through their doors from early afternoon into the wee hours of the morning.
My neighbor to the east, you ask? Maggie, owner of Maggie's Groovy Garden and hippie chick
extraordinaire.
Oh, yes, I responded in a rather clumsy attempt at regaining my composure. Well, to be honest, I
haven't given it a whole lot of thought. I'd need, what, twenty to line the walk?
At least, she agreed. "But, in the meantime, I have virtually every variety of sage you could possibly
imagine to intersperse with the lavender – or stand alone, whatever – which I'm sure you'll agree is
absolutely essential to healing.
Okay, to some, Maggie "Moonflower" Miller may have appeared rather clueless at times given her
light-hearted disposition and unique sense of purpose, but this girl definitely knew her herbs. She was
also an incredibly savvy yet uncompromisingly ethical businesswoman. Despite the knowledge and
instinct that would have turned others into monster capitalists, Maggie remained true to her intention to
influence the world around her with an abundance of unconditional love and respect, not to mention her
flower-child's outlook on life.
I admit it. Maggie caught my attention the moment I first laid eyes upon her, but it was only through the
day-to-day contact, the mundane made magical, that I was able to fully appreciate her for the
incredibly sensual, spiritual – and seemingly flighty – young woman she was. And, in short time, I,
yogini of balance and composure, couldn't help but to find myself completely enamored.
It took Maggie only a couple of days to come up with my lavender and just slightly longer for us to
become the best of friends. Indeed, I found Maggie's presence in my life to be utterly refreshing. She
was unlike any woman I had ever encountered, much less had grown to love. Though rather young in
years, a mere two decades and a half, Maggie knew precisely who she was and where she was going.
A graduate of Northwestern, Maggie had abandoned her degree in global economics in an effort to
"heal the world via cosmic orgasm.
For Maggie, every breath, every touch, every moment was sacred. Yet, despite her philosophy and
worldview – or perhaps because of them – Maggie possessed the ability to take everything life had to
offer in stride. That is, until she happened to work herself into one of her rare yet always memorable
frenzies. With Maggie, there was no "happy medium" as my own mother used to say – other than as a
"happy medium" with a direct line to the source of cosmic consciousness.
As much as I adore sharing the practice of yoga with others, the rare moments in which I am able to
focus upon the rhythm of my breath and the sensations within my own body are a treasure. See, in
teaching, the rewards of the practice emerge from the sense of peace and illumination experienced by
one's students. Yet, when practicing alone in the stillness, the teacher herself is presented with the
opportunity to re-connect, renewing her spirit so that she might offer her gifts with the fullness of
patience and understanding.
For such renewal to take place, the moment of stillness is essential.
Oh, thank Goddess, you're not teaching!" Maggie cried, flying into the studio as I studied my
Tittibhasana, firefly pose, in the mirror.
Not until three-thirty, I replied, directing my response toward her reflection. I'm just working on my
postures and asanas. Why?
Oh, Cass, it's Shiva! He's hurt!
Okay, Maggie, slow down. Tell me what happened.
Maggie made a sincere yet futile attempt at catching her breath.
I was conducting a smudging and
You sage smudge your snails?
Of course. We all need to purify our energies, Maggie explained matter-of-factly. He had seemed
rather lethargic. It was obvious that his Kundalini wasn't flowing properly. Anyway, I have to get him
to Kaleo immediately.
Indeed, Kaleo was known far and wide for his capacity to heal all beings by tapping into the essence of
their true nature and renewing their spirit through the power of breath and touch. Once an
accomplished artist in Japan, Kaleo had turned his focus upon the art of healing upon reaching the
States. He was one of the few of whom I was never skeptical. Kaleo was as genuine and luminous as
the sunrise.
I'd lock up," she continued, but I'm expecting a delivery – and a busload of senior spirits from
Sacred Heart Assisted Living. Would you mind watching the shop 'til I get back? I hate to be a
burden but I don't know what else to do.
This was serious. Shiva meant the world to Maggie. Whereas most gardeners maintain a less than
amiable relationship with land snails, Maggie loved them all with an unceasing and utterly unconditional
love. Always certain to care for their every need, Maggie invested more in her snails' happiness than
most would invest in their biological offspring. Now, Shiva, her first and most beloved snail child, was
hurt.
You're not a burden at all, I assured her. Come on, let's go.
I grabbed my keys and followed Maggie next door to her shop.
I can't thank you enough, she said as she held Shiva protectively to her breast. Maggie's voice
cracked. Her eyes brimmed with tears.
Hey, Mags, he'll be all right. I promise.
Thanks, Cass, she whispered before bestowing a hesitant yet tender kiss upon my cheek.
Hours passed with no sign of Maggie or Shiva – and I began to worry. I still had a class to teach, but
in the short time since they had entered my life, Maggie and Shiva had become of utmost importance to
me.
A few minutes before class was to begin, I ran out to post a note on the studio window.
To my delight, my students enjoyed practicing in Maggie's gardens even more than I had expected.
The warmth of the sun soothed their muscles, allowing them to experience their bodies with greater
depth throughout the postures while the fresh air offered a clarity that can only be obtained within the
natural world. As the session drew to a close, they were all eager to learn when class would again be
held in Maggie's space.
The sun had set more than an hour prior and with nightfall, I closed up shop. I found myself restless
with concern and decided to keep busy with a bit of housekeeping. Granted, there isn't a whole lot to
dust or polish within an organic garden; yet, I trusted that my intentions would lead me to my task.
Enveloped within the rhythm of my breath as I worked in my otherwise silent surroundings, I was
quickly brought back to the moment with Maggie's arrival. The usual melodic tinkle of the chimes grew
to a feverish pitch as Maggie swung open the front door.
Shiva's going to be okay! Maggie announced. Better than ever, in fact!
I told you he would be fine, but I'm relieved to hear the good news, I replied. "What did Kaleo
say?
Apparently, Shiva's release with the smudging was so powerful that it manifested with great enough
intensity for a temporary shut-down. He lost consciousness.
Has he been out all this time? It's nearly ten.
No, thank the Universe. He came to about an hour after I brought him to Kaleo. We've been
meditating over him since.
It never occurred to me that I could possibly be miffed by the length of time Maggie had been away;
yet, she seemed eager to ensure that I knew my efforts were appreciated.
Please, Cass, let me take you to dinner. I owe you. It could have been so much worse. Because of
you, Shiva is going to be okay, able to live more fully than ever before.
I tell you what," I countered. You must be starving. After all you've been through, you deserve a
relaxing dinner yourself. My treat.
Okay, I accept, she said with a wide smile. "Just give me a minute to run upstairs and get Shiva
settled.
Once Maggie re-emerged, we made our way together through the night, strolling down Ney Alley to
Muse Avenue, where we crossed the canal via footbridge and entered La Luna.
Given that it was still early in the season, we found ourselves to be the only couple seated on the patio
overlooking the canal and the last to enjoy dinner before the kitchen closed for the night. Brimming
with animation, Maggie continued to fill me in on the day's drama. And, once the conversation began
to drift, we fell into an enchanted silence as we watched the moonlight dance and shimmer upon the
water below.
You want to come up for a bit? she asked as we returned to the shop, above which she maintained a
small studio apartment. I know Shiva would love to see you.
I looked into her eyes and found her vibrant statement subdued by an almost vulnerable tenderness.
It would be an honor, I replied.
Climbing the stairs to her apartment, I was taken by the way in which she had created a space so
utterly her own, so inviting and warm. As I reached the landing, I slipped off my sandals and made
myself comfortable on the futon.
Settling into my usual bound lotus, I observed Maggie as she retrieved Shiva from his ultra-luxurious,
custom-built snail home. Turning toward me with Shiva resting in her palm, she smiled as she joined me
upon the futon and set Shiva between us. He did, in fact, appear happy and quite alert as he extended
his tentacles and slowly made his way toward me, eager to climb atop my big toe and along the arch of
my bare foot.
I'll be right back, Maggie said with a soft laugh as she traversed the few feet to her kitchen area.
You two look like your having a moment.
She soon returned with a slice of cucumber and a juicy wedge of peach, which she handed to me as an
offering to Shiva.
Thank you for everything, Cass, she began. "You can't imagine how much your help today means to
me.
It was nothing. You know you can always count on me to be there for you, Mags. You never need
to worry about that.
I know. It's just that… Well, you I mean I Cass, please stay with me tonight.
Without a word, I leaned forward and gently eased her back upon the futon. A glow of innocence
emanated from every pore of her smooth, flawless skin. Her lips, soft and full, quivered slightly in
anticipation though she did not avert her gaze.
Our caresses intensified, our bodies began to undulate and Shiva, in all of his great wisdom, made his
way to the corner of the mattress to safely enjoy his evening snack.
With her head nestled at my breast, Maggie drifted into a deep and restful slumber. I remained awake,
observing the slight flicker of her lashes as she slept. Gently lulled by the softness of her breath, I
couldn't help but to ponder the moment of our final, seemingly eternal climax.
For, within the split-second's time of release, I found myself overcome by a crystal-clear vision of the
most perfect gold-blue lotus, moistened by dewdrop tears. There sat the goddess Arya Tara, youthful
and exquisitely beautiful, with her left leg drawn up and her right leg slightly extended. Her face,
reflecting that of Maggie's in all of its purity and passion, glowed as the light of a thousand
constellations dazzled with brilliance in the heavens. Only then, amidst the stillness and serenity, a blaze
of lightening cracked with fierce intensity, illuminating the vast celestial sea embraced within my vision. I
gasped. My breath stolen. Yet, as desperately as I yearned to cling to the magnificence of the image
before me, it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
I lay quietly within the hush of the night as a single tear balanced upon my lashes. Then, it hit me and I
began to laugh softly to myself. So, this is what she meant by her intention to heal the world via Cosmic orgasm, she whispered as she placed her palm lightly over my heart and once again drew
herself in close.
© 2002 Cassandra Snow  press release
SWITCHBLADE KITTENS - Xmas Songs, CD Promotion
BEST GIRL BAND CONTEST - Happening at GirlMedia.Com
SISTERS OF SHARON - All Girl Band from Hong Kong - Press Release
SUBMIT YOUR SITE - to a girl friendly search engine (similar to Yahoo)
ANJANI THOMAS - New album The Sacred Names Press Release
The SWITCHBLADE KITTENS, a straight-edge power pop/punk girl band from
Los
Angeles, is geering up to go on next year's WARPED Tour. In the
meanwhile,
they have recently released their remix of "ODE TO HARRY POTTER"
available
at: http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/165/switchblade_kittens.html
The band is also having a special promotion for those who buy their
debut CD
before they head out on the worldwide tour. You can find more
information
at: http://www.girlmedia.com/sk.shtml. If you would like to do a
special
promotion with the Switchblade Kittens, just give me a email.
http://www.switchbladekittens.com
THE BEST GIRL BAND CONTEST (on GirlMedia) has recently announced it's
10
finalists: Tuuli,Danielle LoPresti & The Masses,Sisters of Sharon,1/2
Mad
Poet,Triple Creme,The Lollies,Luster, The Color Guard,Barbee Killed
Kenn,The
Hail Marys. Voting ends December 31st and the winners will receive
prizes
from Daisy Rock Guitars, ROCKRGRL and The Indie Bible. If you could
please
make mention, or cast a vote!, that would be great. The voting/info
page is:
http://www.girlmedia.com/best-girl-band.shtml. You can also read to see
who
won the Best Girl Web Site Award and who the original 55 nominated
bands
were.
The SISTERS OF SHARON are a 4-piece, all girl band from Hong Kong.
Singing
mainly in English, the girls do perform their pop/rock songs in several
langauges as well. Clever, cutting edge and rocking, The Sisters of
Sharon
are such a great band that I volunteered to promoted their new album
UNDERGROUND RECIPES. Please check out their web site at:
http://www.sistersofsharon.com.hk and their audio at:
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/95/sisters_of_sharon.html. If you like
what
you hear, please email me and I'll have them air mail you a press kit
and
the CD. If you would also like to arrange an interview (email
preferred), we
can work one out with you and the band.
ANJANI THOMAS, keyboardist and back-up singing for LEONARD COHEN, CARL
ANDERSON and several other notable musicians has released her follow-up
album to her self-titled debut. THE SACRED NAMES dramatically changes
the
direction from Folk/Hawaiian/Jazz and enters into a new realm of
musicial
soundscapes, best described as classical/new age. You can find out more
at:
http://www.anjani-music.com or http://www.mp3.com/anjani_. If you would
like
to receive a press kit or arrange an interview, please contact me.
Thanks!
Ruby World
http://www.girlmedia.com
http://www.advantage-music.com
A VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN,
THE RIGHTS AND INVOLVED DUTIES OF MANKIND CONSIDERED In the present state of society, it appears necessary to go back to first principles in search of the most simple truths, and to dispute with some prevailing prejudice every inch of ground. To clear my way, I must be allowed to ask some plain questions, and the answers will probably appear as unequivocal as the axioms on which reasoning is built; though, when entangled with various motives of action, they are formally contradicted, either by the words or conduct of men. In what does man's pre-eminence over the brute creation consist? The answer is as clear as that a half is less than the whole; in Reason. What acquirement exalts one being above another? Virtue; we spontaneously reply. For what purpose were the passions implanted? That man by struggling with them might attain a degree of knowledge denied to the brutes: whispers Experience. Consequently the perfection of our nature and capability of happiness, must be estimated by the degree of reason, virtue, and knowledge, that distinguish the individual, and direct the laws which bind society: and that from the exercise of reason, knowledge and virtue naturally flow, is equally undeniable, if mankind be viewed collectively. The rights and duties of man thus simplified, it seems almost impertinent to attempt to illustrate truths that appear so incontrovertible: yet such deeply rooted prejudices have clouded reason, and such spurious qualities have assumed the name of virtues, that it is necessary to pursue the course of reason as it has been perplexed and involved in error, by various adventitious circumstances, comparing the simple axiom with casual deviations. Men, in general, seem to employ their reason to justify prejudices, which they have imbibed, they cannot trace how, rather than to root them out. The mind must be strong that resolutely forms its own principles; for a kind of intellectual cowardice prevails which makes many men shrink from the task, or only do it by halves. Yet the imperfect conclusions thus drawn, are frequently very plausible, because they are built on partial experience, on just, though narrow, views. Going back to first principles, vice skulks, with all its native deformity, from close investigation; but a set of shallow reasoners are always exclaiming that these arguments prove too much, and that a measure rotten at the core may be expedient. Thus expediency is continually contrasted with simple principles, till truth is lost in a mist of words, virtue in forms, and knowledge rendered a sounding nothing, by the specious prejudices that assume its name. That the society is formed in the wisest manner, whose constitution is founded on the nature of man, strikes, in the abstract, every thinking being so forcibly, that it looks like presumption to endeavour to bring forward proofs; though proof must be brought, or the strong hold of prescription will never be forced by reason; yet to urge prescription as an argument to justify the depriving men (or women) of their natural rights, is one of the absurd sophisms which daily insult common sense. The civilization of the bulk of the people of Europe, is very partial; nay, it may be made a question, whether they have acquired any virtues in exchange for innocence, equivalent to the misery produced by the vices that have been plastered over unsightly ignorance, and the freedom which has been bartered for splendid slavery. The desire of dazzling by riches, the most certain pre-eminence that man can obtain, the pleasure of commanding flattering sycophants, and many other complicated low calculations of doting self-love, have all contributed to overwhelm the mass of mankind, and make liberty a convenient handle for mock patriotism. For whilst rank and titles are held of the utmost importance, before which Genius "must hide its diminished head," it is, with a few exceptions, very unfortunate for a nation when a man of abilities, without rank or property, pushes himself forward to notice. Alas! what unheard of misery have thousands suffered to purchase a cardinal's hat for an intriguing obscure adventurer, who longed to be ranked with princes, or lord it over them by seizing the triple crown! Such, indeed, has been the wretchedness that has flowed from hereditary honours, riches, and monarchy, that men of lively sensibility have almost uttered blasphemy in order to justify the dispensations of providence. Man has been held out as independent of his power who made him, or as a lawless planet darting from its orbit to steal the celestial fire of reason; and the vengeance of heaven, lurking in the subtile flame, sufficiently punished his temerity, by introducing evil into the world. Impressed by this view of the misery and disorder which pervaded society, and fatigued with jostling against artificial fools, Rousseau became enamoured of solitude, and, being at the same time an optimist, he labours with uncommon eloquence to prove that man was naturally a solitary animal. Misled by his respect for the goodness of God, who certainly for what man of sense and feeling can doubt it! gave life only to communicate happiness, he considers evil as positive, and the work of man; not aware that he was exalting one attribute at the expense of another, equally necessary to divine perfection. Reared on a false hypothesis, his arguments in favour of a state of nature are plausible, but unsound. I say unsound; for to assert that a state of nature is preferable to civilization in all its possible perfection, is, in other words, to arraign supreme wisdom; and the paradoxical exclamation, that God has made all things right, and that evil has been introduced by the creature whom he formed, knowing what he formed, is as unphilosophical as impious. When that wise Being, who created us and placed us here, saw the fair idea, he willed, by allowing it to be so, that the passions should unfold our reason, because he could see that present evil would produce future good. Could the helpless creature whom he called from nothing, break loose from his providence, and boldly learn to know good by practising evil without his permission? No. How could that energetic advocate for immortality argue so inconsistently? Had mankind remained for ever in the brutal state of nature, which even his magic pen cannot paint as a state in which a single virtue took root, it would have been clear, though not to the sensitive unreflecting wanderer, that man was born to run the circle of life and death, and adorn God's garden for some purpose which could not easily be reconciled with his attributes. But if, to crown the whole, there were to be rational creatures produced, allowed to rise in excellency by the exercise of powers implanted for that purpose; if benignity itself thought fit to call into existence a creature above the brutes, who could think and improve himself, why should that inestimable gift, for a gift it was, if a man was so created as to have a capacity to rise above the state in which sensation produced brutal ease, be called, in direct terms, a curse? A curse it might be reckoned, if all our existence was bounded by our continuance in this world; for why should the gracious fountain of life give us passions, and the power of reflecting, only to embitter our days, and inspire us with mistaken notions of dignity? Why should he lead us from love of ourselves to the sublime emotions which the discovery of his wisdom and goodness excites, if these feelings were not set in motion to improve our nature, of which they make a part, and render us capable of enjoying a more godlike portion of happiness? Firmly persuaded that no evil exists in the world that God did not design to take place, I build my belief on the perfection of God. Rousseau exerts himself to prove, that all WAS right originally: a crowd of authors that all IS now right: and I, that all WILL BE right. But, true to his first position, next to a state of nature, Rousseau celebrates barbarism, and, apostrophizing the shade of Fabricius, he forgets that, in conquering the world, the Romans never dreamed of establishing their own liberty on a firm basis, or of extending the reign of virtue. Eager to support his system, he stigmatizes, as vicious, every effort of genius; and uttering the apotheosis of savage virtues, he exalts those to demigods, who were scarcely human--the brutal Spartans, who in defiance of justice and gratitude, sacrificed, in cold blood, the slaves that had shown themselves men to rescue their oppressors. Disgusted with artificial manners and virtues, the citizen of Geneva, instead of properly sifting the subject, threw away the wheat with the chaff, without waiting to inquire whether the evils, which his ardent soul turned from indignantly, were the consequence of civilization, or the vestiges of barbarism. He saw vice trampling on virtue, and the semblance of goodness taking place of the reality; he saw talents bent by power to sinister purposes, and never thought of tracing the gigantic mischief up to arbitrary power, up to the hereditary distinctions that clash with the mental superiority that naturally raises a man above his fellows. He did not perceive, that the regal power, in a few generations, introduces idiotism into the noble stem, and holds out baits to render thousands idle and vicious. Nothing can set the regal character in a more contemptible point of view, than the various crimes that have elevated men to the supreme dignity. Vile intrigues, unnatural crimes, and every vice that degrades our nature, have been the steps to this distinguished eminence; yet millions of men have supinely allowed the nerveless limbs of the posterity of such rapacious prowlers, to rest quietly on their ensanguined thrones. What but a pestilential vapour can hover over society, when its chief director is only instructed in the invention of crimes, or the stupid routine of childish ceremonies? Will men never be wise? will they never cease to expect corn from tares, and figs from thistles? It is impossible for any man, when the most favourable circumstances concur, to acquire sufficient knowledge and strength of mind to discharge the duties of a king, entrusted with uncontrolled power; how then must they be violated when his very elevation is an insuperable bar to the attainment of either wisdom or virtue; when all the feelings of a man are stifled by flattery, and reflection shut out by pleasure! Surely it is madness to make the fate of thousands depend on the caprice of a weak fellow creature, whose very station sinks him NECESSARILY below the meanest of his subjects! But one power should not be thrown down to exalt another--for all power intoxicates weak man; and its abuse proves, that the more equality there is established among men, the more virtue and happiness will reign in society. But this, and any similar maxim deduced from simple reason, raises an outcry--the church or the state is in danger, if faith in the wisdom of antiquity is not implicit; and they who, roused by the sight of human calamity, dare to attack human authority, are reviled as despisers of God, and enemies of man. These are bitter calumnies, yet they reached one of the best of men, (Dr. Price.) whose ashes still preach peace, and whose memory demands a respectful pause, when subjects are discussed that lay so near his heart. After attacking the sacred majesty of kings, I shall scarcely excite surprise, by adding my firm persuasion, that every profession, in which great subordination of rank constitutes its power, is highly injurious to morality. A standing army, for instance, is incompatible with freedom; because subordination and rigour are the very sinews of military discipline; and despotism is necessary to give vigour to enterprises that one will directs. A spirit inspired by romantic notions of honour, a kind of morality founded on the fashion of the age, can only be felt by a few officers, whilst the main body must be moved by command, like the waves of the sea; for the strong wind of authority pushes the crowd of subalterns forward, they scarcely know or care why, with headlong fury. Besides, nothing can be so prejudicial to the morals of the inhabitants of country towns, as the occasional residence of a set of idle superficial young men, whose only occupation is gallantry, and whose polished manners render vice more dangerous, by concealing its deformity under gay ornamental drapery. An air of fashion, which is but a badge of slavery, and proves that the soul has not a strong individual character, awes simple country people into an imitation of the vices, when they cannot catch the slippery graces of politeness. Every corps is a chain of despots, who, submitting and tyrannizing without exercising their reason, become dead weights of vice and folly on the community. A man of rank or fortune, sure of rising by interest, has nothing to do but to pursue some extravagant freak; whilst the needy GENTLEMAN, who is to rise, as the phrase turns, by his merit, becomes a servile parasite or vile pander. Sailors, the naval gentlemen, come under the same description, only their vices assume a different and a grosser cast. They are more positively indolent, when not discharging the ceremonials of their station; whilst the insignificant fluttering of soldiers may be termed active idleness. More confined to the society of men, the former acquire a fondness for humour and mischievous tricks; whilst the latter, mixing frequently with well-bred women, catch a sentimental cant. But mind is equally out of the question, whether they indulge the horse-laugh or polite simper. May I be allowed to extend the comparison to a profession where more mind is certainly to be found; for the clergy have superior opportunities of improvement, though subordination almost equally cramps their faculties? The blind submission imposed at college to forms of belief, serves as a noviciate to the curate who most obsequiously respects the opinion of his rector or patron, if he means to rise in his profession. Perhaps there cannot be a more forcible contrast than between the servile, dependent gait of a poor curate, and the courtly mien of a bishop. And the respect and contempt they inspire render the discharge of their separate functions equally useless. It is of great importance to observe, that the character of every man is, in some degree, formed by his profession. A man of sense may only have a cast of countenance that wears off as you trace his individuality, whilst the weak, common man, has scarcely ever any character, but what belongs to the body; at least, all his opinions have been so steeped in the vat consecrated by authority, that the faint spirit which the grape of his own vine yields cannot be distinguished. Society, therefore, as it becomes more enlightened, should be very careful not to establish bodies of men who must necessarily be made foolish or vicious by the very constitution of their profession. In the infancy of society, when men were just emerging out of barbarism, chiefs and priests, touching the most powerful springs of savage conduct--hope and fear--must have had unbounded sway. An aristocracy, of course, is naturally the first form of government. But clashing interests soon losing their equipoise, a monarchy and hierarchy break out of the confusion of ambitious struggles, and the foundation of both is secured by feudal tenures. This appears to be the origin of monarchial and priestly power, and the dawn of civilization. But such combustible materials cannot long be pent up; and getting vent in foreign wars and intestine insurrections, the people acquire some power in the tumult, which obliges their rulers to gloss over their oppression with a show of right. Thus, as wars, agriculture, commerce, and literature, expands the mind, despots are compelled, to make covert corruption hold fast the power which was formerly snatched by open force.* And this baneful lurking gangrene is most quickly spread by luxury and superstition, the sure dregs of ambition. The indolent puppet of a court first becomes a luxurious monster, or fastidious sensualist, and then makes the contagion which his unnatural state spreads, the instrument of tyranny. (*Footnote. Men of abilities scatter seeds that grow up, and have a great influence on the forming opinion; and when once the public opinion preponderates, through the exertion of reason, the overthrow of arbitrary power is not very distant.) It is the pestiferous purple which renders the progress of civilization a curse, and warps the understanding, till men of sensibility doubt whether the expansion of intellect produces a greater portion of happiness or misery. But the nature of the poison points out the antidote; and had Rousseau mounted one step higher in his investigation; or could his eye have pierced through the foggy atmosphere, which he almost disdained to breathe, his active mind would have darted forward to contemplate the perfection of man in the establishment of true civilization, instead of taking his ferocious flight back to the night of sensual ignorance. Join us next month as we continue this publication with Chapter Two...
By Susun S. Weed
Are herbs "dilute forms of drugs" - and therefore dangerous? Or are
they "natural" - and therefore safe? If you sell herbs, you
probably hear these questions often. What is the "right" answer? It
depends on the herb! These thoughts on herbs will help you
explain to your customers (and yourself) how safe--or dangerous-- any
herb might be.
To prevent problems when selling or using herbs:
1. Be certain you have the correct plant.
Be certain you have the correct plant.
One of the easiest ways to get into trouble with an herb is to use the
"wrong" one. How could that happen? Common names for
herbs overlap, causing confusion as to the proper identity. Herbs that
are labeled correctly may contain extraneous material from
another, more dangerous, herb. Herbs may be picked at the wrong stage
of growth or handled incorrectly after harvesting, causing
them to develop detrimental qualities.
Protect yourself and your customers with these simple steps:
o Buy herbs only from reputable suppliers.
Use simples
A simple is one herb. For optimum safety, I prepare, buy, sell, teach
about and use herbal simples, that is: preparations containing
only one herb. (Occasionally I use will add some mint to flavor a remedy.)
The more herbs there are in a formula, the more likelihood there is
of unwanted side-effects. Understandably, the public seeks
combinations, hoping to get more for less. And many mistakenly believe
that herbs must be used together to be effective (probably
because potentially poisonous herbs are often combined with protective
herbs to mitigate the damage they cause). But combining
herbs with the same properties, such as goldenseal and echinacea, is
counter-productive and more likely to cause trouble than a
Different people have different reactions to substances, whether drugs,
foods, or herbs. When herbs are mixed together in a formula
and someone taking it has distressing side effects, there is no way
to determine which herb is the cause. With simples, it's easy to tell
which herb is doing what. If there's an adverse reaction, other herbs
with similar properties can be tried. Limiting the number of
herbs used in any one day (to no more than four) offers added protection.
Side effects from herbs are less common than side effects from drugs
and usually less severe. If an herb disturbs the digestion, it may
be that the body is learning to process it. Give it a few more tries
before giving up. Stop taking any herb that causes nausea,
dizziness, sharp stomach pains, diarrhea, headache, or blurred vision.
(These effects will generally occur quite quickly.) Slippery elm
is an excellent antidote to any type of poison.
If you are allergic to any foods or medicines, it is especially important
to consult resources that list the side effects of herbs before
Understand that different preparations of the same herb can work differently
The safety of any herbal remedy is dependent on the way it is prepared
and used.
* Tinctures and extracts contain the alkaloids, or poisonous, parts
of plants and need to be used with care and wisdom. Tinctures
are as safe as the herb involved (see cautions below for tonifying,
stimulating, sedating, or potentially poisonous herbs). Best
used/sold as simples, not combinations, especially when strong herbs
are being used.
* Dried herbs made into teas or infusions contain the nourishing aspects
of the plants and are usually quite safe, especially when
nourishing or tonifying herbs are used.
* Dried herbs in capsules are generally the least effective way to use
herbs. They are poorly digested, poorly utilized, often stale or
ineffective, and quite expensive.
* Infused herbal oils are available as is, or thickened into ointments.
They are much safer than essential oils, which are highly
concentrated and can be lethal if taken internally.
* Herbal vinegars are not only decorative but mineral-rich as well.
A good medium for nourishing and tonifying herbs; not as strong
as tinctures for stimulants/sedatives.
* Herbal glycerins are available for those who prefer to avoid alcohol
but are usually weaker in action than tinctures.
Use nourishing, tonifying, stimulating, and potentially poisonous herbs
wisely
Herbs comprise a group of several thousand plants with widely varying
actions. Some are nourishers, some tonifiers, some
stimulants and sedatives, and some are potential poisons. To use them
wisely and well, we need to understand each category, its
uses, best manner of preparation, and usual dosage range.
Nourishing herbs are the safest of all herbs; side effects are rare.
Nourishing herbs are taken in any quantity for any length of time.
Tonifying herbs act slowly in the body and have a cumulative, rather
than immediate, effect. They build the functional ability of an
organ (like the liver) or a system (like the immune system). Tonifying
herbs are most beneficial when they are used in small quantities
for extended periods of time. The more bitter the tonic tastes, the
less you need to take. Bland tonics may be used in quantity, like
nourishing herbs.
Side effects occasionally occur with tonics, but are usually quite short-term.
Many older herbals mistakenly equated stimulating
herbs with tonifying herbs, leading to widespread misuse of many herbs,
and severe side effects. Examples of tonifying herbs are: Sedating and stimulating herbs cause a variety of rapid reactions, some
of which may be unwanted. Some parts of the person may
be stressed in order to help other parts. Strong sedatives and stimulants,
whether herbs or drugs, push us outside our normal ranges
of activity and may cause strong side effects. If we rely on them and
then try to function without them, we wind up more agitated (or
depressed) than before we began. Habitual use of strong sedatives and
stimulants-whether opium, rhubarb root, cayenne, or
coffee-leads to loss of tone, impairment of functioning, and even physical
dependency. The stronger the herb, the more moderate
the dose needs to be, and the shorter the duration of its use.
Herbs that tonify and nourish while sedating/stimulating are some of
my favorite herbs. I use them freely, as they do not cause
dependency. Sedating/stimulating herbs that also tonify or nourish:
boneset, catnip, citrus peel, cleavers, ginger, hops, lavender,
marjoram, motherwort, oatstraw, passion flower, peppermint, rosemary,
sage, skullcap.
Strongly sedating/stimulating herbs include: angelica, black pepper,
blessed thistle root, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, licorice,
opium poppy, osha root, shepherd's purse, sweet woodruff, turkey rhubarb
root, uva ursu leaves, valerian root, wild lettuce sap,
willow bark, and wintergreen leaves.
Potentially poisonous herbs are intense, potent medicines that are taken
in tiny amounts and only for as long as needed. Side effects
are common. Examples of potentially poisonous herbs are: belladonna,
blood-root, celandine, chaparral, foxglove, goldenseal,
henbane, iris root, Jimson weed, lobelia, May apple (American mandrake),
mistletoe, poke root, poison hemlock, stillingia root,
turkey corn root, wild cucumber root.
In addition, consider these thoughts on using herbs safely:
Note: Amaranth Womyn Lesbian Community does not necessarily agree with, condone, promote or suggest the rightness of any printed material herein. The ideas and information expressed herein are
solely those of the author. |
|---|
Myra Bradwell Colby
America's first woman lawyer
1831 - 1894
Myra Colby Bradwell was born on February 12, 1831 in Manchester,
Vermont. She attended schools in
Kenosha, Wisconsin and Elgin. She taught school after
graduation. In 1852, she married James B. Bradwell
and they operated a private school in Memphis, Tennessee.
In 1855, her husband was admitted to the
Chicago bar and became a successful lawyer, judge and
in 1873 was elected to the state legislature.
In 1868, Myra Bradwell established the Chicago Legal News, and was the business and editorial manager. This legal newspaper soon gained notoriety as a significant publication. In her paper, she published a three volume story entitled "History of Woman Suffrage," which was edited by women's rights activists Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Matilda Joslyn Gage. This volume discussed women's patriotism, beginning with the American Revolution and continuing to the efforts for suffrage. In a November 7, 1869 edition of the Chicago Legal News, Bradwell wrote about her philosophy of how suffrage would be achieved. She wrote: "You ask us, how shall this great privilege be obtained for women? We will tell you. Not by the class who term man a tyrant, but by the sensible and devoted mothers, wives and daughters of the state unifying together, we mean those who have the respect and love of their fathers, husbands and brothers, and asking them that they give to women the right to vote." Bradwell often used humor to make her point and felt that it was effective in the courtroom. In the April 3, 1880 edition of the Legal News, she said, "A lawyer's wit sometimes, does more than enliven a dull hour in court. It so opens the eyes for the Judge that he sees with clearness a point that otherwise he would have ignored." In addition to her activities as owner and editor of the Chicago Legal News, Bradwell assisted in securing the passage of the 1869 bill that gave married women the right to retain their own wages and protect the rights of widows. Bradwell and her husband participated in the organization of Chicago's first woman suffrage convention and the founding of Cleveland's American Woman Suffrage Association. When Myra Bradwell passed the Illinois Bar Exam with high honors in 1869, it did little for her career as a woman lawyer. The decision which barred her from practicing law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bradwell v. Illinois. The opinion of Justice Bradley in the case reflected the nineteenth century society belief about women not participating in the workforce, he said, "The civil law, as well as nature itself, has always recognized a wide difference in the respective spheres and destinies of man and woman. Man is, or should be, woman's protector and defender. The natural and proper timidity and delicacy which belongs to the female sex evidently unfits it for many of the occupations of civil life. The constitution of the family organization, which is founded in the divine ordinance, as well as in the nature of things, indicates the domestic sphere as that which properly belongs to the domain and functions of womanhood. The harmony, not to say the identity, of interests and views which belong, or should belong, to the family institution is repugnant to the idea for a woman adopting a distinct and independent career from that of her husband…for these reasons I think that the laws of Illinois now complained of are not obnoxious to the charge of any abridging any of the privileges and immunities of cities of the United States." In 1869 Bradwell helped to create Chicago's first women's suffrage convention; the same year she passed the Bar. Despite an appeal to the state Supreme Court, she was refused admission because of her gender. Progress was made when the Illinois legislature opened most professions to women, and Bradwell was admitted to the United States Supreme Court and Illinois Supreme Court in 1892, retroactive to her initial application in 1869. Although the physical plant of the Chicago Legal News was destroyed in the Chicago fire of 1871, the paper continued regular publication. As editor, Bradwell supported woman suffrage, railroad regulation, improved court systems, zoning laws, and other reforms. She drafted and--with the aid of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mary Livermore, and others--secured passage of a bill in 1869 that gave married women the right to retain their own wages and protected the rights of widows. Later she supported her husband's successful efforts to secure legislation making women eligible to serve in school offices and as notaries public, and to be equal guardians of their children. She was a representative of Illinois at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 and played a major role in winning the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 for Chicago. In 1890 the Illinois supreme court, on its own initiative, took up her 1869 application again and admitted her to the bar; in March 1892 she was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. Bradwell died in Chicago on February 14, 1894. She was followed into the law and the Chicago Legal News by her daughter, Bessie Bradwell Helmer. Eventually, Illinois changed the rules for admitting women to the bar. In 1890, Bradwell was admitted to the Illinois bar and in 1892, she received a license to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. Myra Bradwell died on February 14, 1894. Her daughter, Bessie Bradwell Helmer continued her mother's work with a career in law and publication of the Chicago Legal News. The tribute to Bradwell in the February 24, 1894 edition of the Chicago Legal News stated, "The future historian will accord her the breaking of the chain that bound woman (sic) to a life of household drudgery. She opened the door of the professions to her sex, and compelled law makers and judges as well, to proclaim that it was not a crime to be born a woman." |
For people who can't think for themselves... Just... Ask... Jacki
Well,
my little darlings...and you are my little darlings...sort of like newborn chicks that need someone to run,
endlessly, tirelessly, mindlessly to dig up worms and drag them back in her mouth for you (oh,
yuk)...and, um, jam them down your little throats so you don't starve to death from being so scrawny
and weak and weird looking and half-blind and unable to even stand, for gosh sakes...bait for any wild
thing swooping and scouting for delectable morsals, under cover of dark, waiting patienly for the next
bite.
Have you ever even seen little chicks? My! What ugly little things! All squashy, skinny, with
prickly little things poking out of them that are supposed to pass as pre-feathers, flopping over all the
time, squeaking. Not to mention absolutely huge eyeballs that would scare the beegeebees out of most
people. Who in their right mind wouold want to touch them? Ewwww. Not me. Not for a million
dollars. (well, I suppose that's negotiable) Why, I don't even buy chicken with the skin on it. Nope.
Give me those nice little packages of skinless chicken breasts anytime. Cute, little plump things
wrapped nicely in clear wrap, looking oh, so inviting...you've seen them, I'm sure. No fuss and hardly
even much of a bother. A little salt, pepper, garlic powder. Pop them in the oven. Thirty minutes
later...walla! Dinner! Just don't forget to wash your hands when you touch raw meat. Filthy stuff, meat.
Can kill you in a flash. Salmonela, for one thing. Why, even cooked, the stuff is bad for you. Fat,
cholesterol. And what about preservatives and chemicals? It's a rough world out there. Stick to worms.
What was I saying? Oh! Yes! I just thought it would be the "right" thing to do...to tell you that I am not
available to solve any of the multitude of inane problems you all seem to dig up each month, as if I have
nothing else to do except solve your little dilemmas. You think I have no life? No? Well, let me tell you.
I do have a life, and a very full one at that. So full that I haven't the time nor the inclination to sit here at
my computer day in and day out trying to figure out what kind of lives you have that cause you to dwell
on things which at times I just cannot even fathom as remotely important. Certainly not earth shattering,
anyway. Don't you have anything at all to do? Too much time on your hands, if you ask me..and you do
ask me...all the time. Questions which even five year olds don't think of. "Why is the sky blue?" Now,
that's a real question! "How do I get my girlfriend to watch less TV?" For goodness sakes, just turn
off the TV.
Give me a break. Wait!!! No....I don't mean that. Just kidding, kiddies. What? No sense
of humor, either? Sigh. Life is tough all over, isn't it? Oh well. Not my problem, eh? Here's the
scoop....Yes, there is a point here....Ms. Jacki is busy. That's it. None of your business, now, is
it...busy at what? It's my life. I'll do what I want, when I want, and with no explanations to anyone, if
you don't mind...well, even if you do mind, as far as that goes. Just make something exotic up in your
imagination and go with it, ok? Little island in the Caribbean, soft breeze, palms swaying in the breeze,
kettle drum music in the background, lots of cute little things in grass skirts moving to the music. You
get the idea. Don't you? Gees. Anyway, see you next month...if nothing more interesting comes up for
me in the meantime. Keep those questions coming, eh? Remember...without you...I'm nothing (who
decided that?), but without me...you're clueless, darlin'...and don't you forget it! And while you're at
it...don't forget this either...Love ya!
Mrs. Keppel and Her DaughterBy Diana Souhami $2.99 Limited quantities 338 pages, hardcover, new Review: Violet could handle all forms of punishment from society and her peers for her lesbianism, but she could not deal with the punishment from her mother whom she adored. "An electrifying study of
Mrs. Keppel - famously King Edward VII's mistress - and of her daughter Violet Trefusis - notoriously Vita Sackville- West's
lover. This dark and gothic tale of passion and cruelty, of an indomitable mother and a frail daughter, is the more shocking for its
imperturbable, elegant settings - Biarritz, London drawing rooms, Florentine Villas and English country houses." Daily
Telegraph (London)
Review: Margaret Cho takes the stage in San Francisco where the audience is largely composed of Asian-Americans and gay/lesbian people. These are her people - they worship her - Margaret's totally gay oriented schtick is perfect here - and for our customers as well! Cho's jokes are funny and there appears to be plenty of improvisation for those of you who have seen this great comic before. For about half of the routine Margaret Cho explains how and why she is a faghag, for about 15 more minutes she mocks her mother (who was seeing her daughter's act for the first time) and she concludes with a revelatory session telling us of her short-lived career on network TV. Most humor comes from pain and Margaret Cho's is no exception. The tale of her cancelled television series and her subsequent problems with drugs, alcohol and weight loss may bring a ring of recognition from many viewers.
Created by and starring Margaret Cho (TV's All-American Girl, Face/Off, It's My Party), this
critically acclaimed and hysterically funny live performance presents the comedian at her
stand-up best. This film is based on the show that was named one of Entertainment
Weekly's "Great Performances of 1999" and won New York Magazine's "Performance of the
Year Award".
Treat By Angie Vicars Published by Harrington Park Press, Alice Street Editions Copyright 2001 by Angie Vicars ISBN 1-56023-214-5 (hardcover) 1-56023-215-3 (paperback) Reviewed by Cassandra Snow A charming account of lesbian love, Angie Vicars's Treat speaks with tender honesty of the joys and obstacles encountered by two women from different worlds as they embark upon their new, ecstatic romance. Yet, beyond the weak knees and initial breathless moments, little do they realize all that lies ahead. Upon witnessing actress and musician Maxine Ivers upon the stage, Gerd Mackenzie finds herself writhing in her seat as she anxiously contemplates the sensation within her which so intensely resembles desire. But, no, she isn't a lesbian, Gerd tells herself, she merely appreciates women. Nevertheless, with her fiancé Richard seated beside her, this blue blood Virginian of Laura Ashley chic finds herself increasingly confused, not to mention aroused, by her reaction to the dark-haired beauty before her. Enjoying the fortune of meeting Max in the green room post-performance, Gerd's desire is reciprocated by Max herself, who, despite her composure and grace, finds keeping her eyes off the blonde-haired business major an impossible task. And the rest, as they say, is herstory. But, how does a well-bred young southern woman come to terms with the sexual identity she has suppressed for years? How is she to respond to the hostile comments and sneers she receives from those who she had once considered friends? And what about her parents' disgust, disappointment and anger? Indeed, Gerd realizes, it is up to her to figure out the answers to those questions for herself. Lest one neglect to consider the adjustments and frustrations awaiting Max, who quickly discovers the challenges involved in maintaining a significant relationship. Free-spirited though set in her ways, Max knows well that it will take time for her to accept the compromises required in sharing her life with another. But, she wonders, is she truly capable of offering Gerd the support she needs during such a monumental time in her evolution?
With authenticity and understanding, Vicars illuminates the journey traveled by these two young women
as they discover precisely how much they are willing to give and just how enduring the love between
them will ultimately prove to be.
Catch A Concert
Fri., March 15
Portland, OR
1:30-3pm
Sat., March 16
Portland, OR
Sun., March 17
Eugene, OR
Thurs., April 11
Syracuse, NY
Fri., April 12
Syracuse, NY
Sat., April 13
Cohoes, NY (Albany
area)
Fri., April 26
New York, NY
8 pm
Sat., April 27
New Paltz, NY
8 pm
Sun., April 28
Newton, NJ
Fri., May 3
Santa Cruz CA
8 pm
Fri., May 10
Belfast, ME
8 pm
Sat., May 11
Biddeford, ME
Sun. May 12
Springfield, MA
Watch for Fall schedule --will include Boston!
 Catch A Game
Friday, May 10 (Preseason)
Saturday, May 11 (Preseason)
Sunday, May 12 (Preseason)
Monday, May 13 (Preseason)
Wednesday, May 15 (Preseason)
June
Saturday, June 1
Sunday, June 2
Monday, June 3
Tuesday, June 4
Wednesday, June 5
Thursday, June 6
Friday, June 7
All Times Eastern.
Masterfoods USA, a Mars Incorporated company, announced today a worldwide vote
to determine the newest color "M&M's" (R) Chocolate Candies to be included in the
"M&M's"(R) bag. Beginning March 6, 2002, candy lovers around the globe will take
part in the Global Color Vote(TM) and choose from three colors -- purple, pink or
aqua -- to determine which will join the select mix of colors in packs of the world's
favorite candy.
The Global Color Vote(TM) is the largest promotion in the 61-year history of the
"M&M's"(R) Brand. Voters will originate from a colorful mix of countries -- ranging
from Australia to the Ukraine -- including nations in which no citizen has previously had
the opportunity to cast a governmental vote.
Residents from every region of the globe will be eligible to vote by logging on to
www.mms.com, which will be accessible in more than 15 different languages beginning
March 6, 2002. Voters in participating countries will also be able to vote through mail,
telephone or at kiosks placed in select locations. The winning color will be announced in
June 2002 at a gala event in New York City.
Voters participating in the Global Color Vote(TM) will have the opportunity to sample
each color before casting their vote. Specially marked packages, available at retailers
worldwide, will contain purple, pink or aqua "M&M's"(R) Chocolate Candies.
The "M&M's"(R) Global Color Vote(TM) is also the first global promotion in
"M&M's"(R) Brand history. Participating countries will take part in a unified marketing
campaign including advertising, public relations, direct marketing, retail promotions,
sponsorship and Internet marketing.
Go cast your vote for PURPLE!!!!!!! 
MARCH ASTROLOGICAL FORECAST Most of us know our Sun signsâ€"Libra, Aries, Sagittarius, Pisces, and so on through the zodiac. But how many of us know what sign the Moon was in at the moment of our birth? Though people of all sexes have an astrological Moon, women have a special affinity for this mysterious lady of the nightâ€"no matter where you stand in the butch-femme line-up. Luna rules women, moms, the public, the tides, the menstrual cycle, the moods and emotions. She is intuitive and psychic. She symbolizes the great Goddess in all her phases, from maiden to warrior to mother to crone. Planting by Moon sign improves garden production, and planning by Moon sign can improve every phase of your life. The Moon rules home, family, motherhood, and childbirth. Whereas the planet Mercury rules the analytical, intellectual brain, the Moon rules the entire mind, which receives knowledge and wisdom directly from the universe, the subconscious, and the collective unconscious. She also rules habits and unconscious knowledgeâ€"like knowing how to tie your shoes, drive a car, cruise a cutie without getting busted. The Moon gives form to your Sun sign, the way a mother gives form to the spark that becomes her child. You may have a rambunctious Aries Sun, but with a Libra Moon, you’ll warm up that drive and assertiveness with diplomacy, tact, consideration and uncertainty. With a Leo Moon, you’re Xena II! There are 144 Sun-Moon combinationsâ€"what’s yours? Your Lunar Phase at birth will tell an astrologer a lot about your mission in life, and the lunar nodesâ€"a lot more, even, according to Indian astrologers, your true life path. Although women as a rule seem much more in touch with lunar energy than men do, still, Western Civilization keeps trying to steer us away from the irrational, illogical, deep and ancient wisdom of lunar energy, and toward rationality, logic, "common sense", clock time, schedules, facts and figures. In fact, Don Miguel Ruiz, author of the highly recommended "The Four Agreements", calls modern urban humans "domesticated". Which means tamed, intimidated, dumbed down, uptight, cut off from our instinctual, lunar selves. To be truly joyful and connected, we need the freedom to honor our instinctive, lunar identity, which in fact is a big part of our overall personality! Learning your Moon sign, natal Lunar Phase, and sign and house placement of your lunar nodes, is a first step toward better self-understanding. For those who follow the paths of Wicca, Tibetan Buddhism, and so many other spiritual practices, following the phases of the Moon, and celebrating the New and Full Moons every month, are an important part of worship. Honoring the new and full moons monthly, even with a single white candle, can help to reconnect you when you’re feeling lonely, cut off, depressed, flat and dull, or trapped in a boring job, a frustrating relationship, an environment that doesn’t bring you happiness. If you don’t have one, find a picture that you love of any one of the great Goddesses of any world religion, from Virgin Mary to Kali to Kwan Yinâ€"or even mix and match!â€"make a tiny little shrine to the Goddess on your bookshelf or window sill, and start watching the moon phasesâ€"with a calendar, the newspaper, or one of the many online resources that track the phases, such as Lunabar.com. Light that candle twice a month on the new and full moons, light some great incense, ring a bell, give her a brownie or a glass of vodka, and ask Her for guidance, wisdom, love, health, and luck. Connect with her during your period, too. Chanting, drumming, dancing, singing, playing music, making freeform artwork, playing games, meditating, casting spells, working with Tarot, I Ching or runes or other non-linear spirit work can help forge a link back to your lunar self, and back to wholeness and happiness. The New Moon in March is the 14thâ€"the Full Moon is on the 28th. The New Moon is a great time to start a new project. The Full Moon is a time to reap, and a time to wrap up loose ends. # # # Since March brings the spring equinox and the Sun moves into the Cardinal sign of Aries, I’ll give you a quick thumbprint of Moon in Aries: Restless, impatient, quick, fiery, assertive, a natural leaderâ€"Aries Moon likes to be numero uno. Even women with Aries Moon are male chauvinists! They’ve always got one eye on the future and hate to wait in line, and slowpokes drive them nuts. They want to be independent, free to come and go at will, and they want to do things their own way. They like speed and efficiency. Their leadership style is "you can follow me or not-but I’m gonna be out there in front!" A lot of folks with Aries Moon will tell you they had horrible fights at home, especially with dad. They tend to drive too fast, even though their skills and coordination are usually excellent. A partner with Aries Moon needs a long leash. Unless the Moon is cooled off by a tough aspect from planets such as Saturn or Neptune, you need action, speed, and lots of good lovin’. ARIES You’ll experience your Solar Return on or near your birthday, the time when the transiting Sun comes home to the exact place of your natal Sun, setting the tone and theme for the coming year. The first three weeks of the month may find you feeling like you want to check in to a nice quiet convent or ashram or rehab joint somewhere, spend some down time meditating and retreating from all the craziness. This is a great time to clean up some old loose ends, spend time at the hot springs, a yoga or meditation weekend, hit that 12-step program a little harder, stay out of the bars and off the X, and put in time at the library, university, hospital, prison (hopefully as a volunteer!), or whatever other institution you might be linked to. With the Pisces Sun transiting through your 12th House of Self-Undoing, keep your nose clean nowâ€"figure out in what way you are your own worst enemy, and stifle that behaviorâ€"for a while anyway. On March 20thâ€"sistah!--break out the champagneâ€"the Sun’s crossed over into your first house and the sign of Aries, it’s the spring Equinox, full speed ahead for you rams and lambs, and the Sun’ll be hooking up with Venus, putting an extra bounce in your step and zapping up your love life. Mars through your 2nd house may bring financial opportunities beginning the 7th. On the 1st, it may be a good time to buy property or new furniture to spruce up the love shack. It’s also an especially good month for group activities with your sewing circle or biker club or drumming gang. TAURUS The Sun’s in your solar 11th house until the 20th. Time spent socially, with your "people", your groups, political activist group, dream circle, folks you have common cause withâ€"can be energetic, exciting, and way fun. Follow that dream, tooâ€"focus on some of your big life goals, both the possible and the impossible ones. Like they say, write it down, make it happen. If you’re in business for yourself, this may be an "up" period for your balance sheet. This is a great time to bring in new people into your circle, make new friends, making your goals public. On March 20th, when the Sun moves into your solar 12th, things will tend to quiet down for you. Do some spring cleaning, paint the kitchen, pay off your credit card, do a cleanse, get off your Taurus "tochas" and go for a hike or a weekend bike ride. Spend some down time with a few close friends, a lover, a cat, or yourselfâ€"get off your earth-bound trip for a while, light some incense, get a tarot reading, have a massage, go hang gliding, or just a nice hot bath with some bath salts and candles and wine. Educational action is good this month. You may get some added responsibilities at work this month, or find you need to tighten your purse strings a little bit. There may be health worries with a parent, or maybe some confusion or delusions or general weirdness at work. The full moon on the 28th may make everybody a little edgy; don’t forget your Full Moon ceremony! GEMINI Emphasis on career this month, boss-type people, maybe even good old Mom. This is a great time to put some extra shine on things at work; Venus in your solar 10th will give you some nice opportunity to mix business with pleasure, too! You might feel inspired artistically, musically, or moved to volunteer some time at the local children’s hospital, or to help a friend move (if you’re REALLY a saint!). The pagan festival of Ostara occurs on March 21st, the spring Equinox, which coincides roughly with Easterâ€"a little spring fling is definitely called for. You might be a little more serious and hard-working this month, not quite your usual Gemini motormouth self. Careful who you slip off with for a night of joy this monthâ€"your emotions aren’t as reliable as usual. And there might be a real strong urge to do some spring cleaning around relationships, especially on the 22nd. CANCER Pisces Sun in your solar 9th house this month puts the spotlight on travel, higher education (including online study), publishing, spiritualityâ€"and horses (for all you pony girls and boys)! On the 20th, the emphasis shifts to your career, your reputation, and your status (including new committed relationships). You might push for more money and recognition now, and spend time with Momâ€"if that relationship is rocky, this might be a time to take steps toward healing. You might feel inspired to get actively involved in political or social activism this monthâ€"but don’t be SO enthusiastic that you turn everybody else off! You might tend to weight gain this month so lay off the Oreos. The stars might nudge you toward some real electric sex this month, and it also might be a time for you to finally decide to dump that nowhere job and reach for something more satisfying. LEO The first three weeks of the month may be a good time to think about financial security, to take a look at debts, taxes, mortgages, and your and your partner’s shared resources. If you’re thinking of getting counseling for any reason, during this period you may have easier access to your dreams and your subconscious mindâ€"all that buried STUFF that needs to get thrown out. Clean out closets, basements, attics. You may get financial or other support from people who want to help out. Long-distance travel, continuing ed, or working with exotic types may happen for you now. After the 20th, you may feel a new energetic push at work in your career. Jupiter going direct in your 12th house may help improve health issues, especially with stomach and digestion. And keep openâ€"you may meet somebody truly magical and excitingâ€"and friendship may turn to looooooove! VIRGO This is a month for romance, tying the knot, signing a contract with a business partner, bursting into the public eye if you’re a performer. It’s also a great month to start a new relationship, or buff up your current oneâ€"make some resolutions together to strengthen the bond. You may feel a real drive to fix up the apartmentâ€"new paint, new pix on the wallâ€"or maybe something even more ambitiousâ€"tearing out a wall and putting in new linoleum in the kitchen. Toward the 20th of the month start taking a look at your investments, taxes (you may have filed an extension), how the two of you manage your joint bank account or household budget, or if you’re in business together, getting that start-up loan or seed money from a backer. From the 15th onâ€"possible chances for new romance! LIBRA Emphasis for the first three weeks of this month are on your job (NOT your career!) your health, your pets, and your employeesâ€"if you have any! For those fortunate souls whose jobs are also their career, attention you pay to streamlining your efficiency and effectiveness on the job could pay off in increased profits for you. Also, if you have healing skills and talents, these first three weeks are a great time to attend a workshop, or add something new to your healer’s tool kit. After the 20th, the Sun moves into Libra’s FAVORITE houseâ€"the 7th, house of partnership, marriage, committed relationships, as well as business partnerships, legal contests, and the Public Eyeâ€"where some Venus-ruled Libras love to be! From the 20th on is a great time for a commitment ceremony, signing a partnership or business agreement, settling a lawsuit, or moving in with Ms. Wonderful. The new moon in Libra on the 28th is a great time to start a new projectâ€"just not a dietâ€"wait until just after the full moon for that! As the Moon gets smallerâ€"hopefully you will too! SCORPIO Lucky Scorpio! This is your month to have some fun! Creativity, romance, entertainment, gambling, playing or watching sportsâ€"and kidsâ€"all these things are a great place for Scorpio to focus on in March. Any kid-centered projectâ€"children’s theatre, day care, starting a baby, adopting a childâ€"is favored for you this month. It’s not really the time to try to get serious in a relationshipâ€"this time is better for just having some romantic, casual fun. Wait until late April to move in together! Those in a tight relationship might run the risk of have a little domestic spat this monthâ€"resolve ahead of time to agree to disagreeâ€"and fight fair! After the 20th, it’s time to focus special attention on your job and your health. If you’ve been promising yourself you’re going to start lifting, or running, or walking, or even crawling, this is a great time. Just say no to that third helping of Heath Bar Crunch. Hold off any serious spending that involves you and your partnerâ€"instead, you may suddenly decide to re-wire the apartment just for laughs. SAGITTARIUS It might be a little early to be getting the garden ready for plantingâ€"but all 4th house activities are highlighted for Sag this monthâ€"home, hearth, family, the house, gardeningâ€"sometimes "dad" issues are favored now tooâ€"if you need to mend fences with the old guy, this is a time to make steps. Social events at home are favoredâ€"and even though you Sagittarii have trouble staying in one place for long, this might be a good time to put in some work around the house, or stay home and study hard for midterms. For some Sadges, this is the month to tie the knot; for others, if things are looking bleak in the relationship department, this may be the period when it gets over with for good. Things speed up at work this month; this is also a good time to invest some cash in something conservative like a bond fund or utilitiesâ€"you might also get a nice little financial windfallâ€"pay down your credit card debt! If you’re into the arts, this is a great time for creative effortsâ€"write that new song, get your novel finished, go get another tattoo, show yourself off at a slam poetry reading! CAPRICORN Neighborhood and community matters shine for you the front part of the monthâ€"and if that seems pretty boring, how about your evil siblings, uncles and aunts, communications of all kinds (teaching, learning, the news, reading, writing, cheat sheets, documents, mental/intellectual work), and lots of short trips and travel? After the 20th, pull in your focus to your own home and family and circle of loved ones. Work may get intenseâ€"you might find yourself working overtime, or being handed extra responsibilitiesâ€"don’t let yourself be a workaholic, which Capricorn can be prone to. Capricorns tend to rise through administrative and management kinds of work, so if they hand you a bunch of extra assignments, show ‘em what you can do! It may lead to a promotion. Your snoop factor may be get a big boost this month with Pluto in the 12thâ€"investigative, behind the scenes, and research work might be just what you’re good at right now. AQUARIUS Money, money, moneyâ€"financial matters get the spotlight the first three weeks of Marchâ€"specifically, money you earn directly through workâ€"not your investments, tax return, lotto ticket or trust fund! Your income, your personal possessions (your furniture, DVD player, Twister game) and your valuesâ€"the things that really matter to you--get the highlights. The 2nd house is also ruled by Ms. Sensuous herselfâ€"Venusâ€"you and your main squeeze might try something a little new and different this month in the passion departmentâ€"maybe a new flavor of Kama Sutra oil? Something featuring feathers? Then, on the 20th, it’s out of the sack and onto the sidewalk as the focus moves more toward community type involvements in your neighborhood, calling your brother in St. Louis, or taking your Real Estate exams. You’ve also got the universe pulling for you this month as you sit down with pencil and paper and really get serious about your dreams and your goals. PISCES This month, the spotlight is on you, yes, YOU, Pisces person! So get the gum out of your hair, find your car keys, find out if your 1997 tax return is actually somewhere back in the closet behind that stack of songs you wrote five years agoâ€"and put your best foot forward. This is about youâ€"your charisma, your leadership (?), making a good first impression, and kicking off an important new project (a great time to start something new would be the new moon on the 13th). Then, on the 20th, uh-oh, money. Actually, it might be a good time to boost your income, or balance your checkbook (z-z-z-z) or ask for a raise. Things might get serious around the house at some point during the monthâ€"you might have to get that leak in the basement fixed or move all your tropical fish tanks out of the spare bedroom. Things might get shook up a little if you work at an institution, like a library or schoolâ€"but this might also be a great time to get the boss to take you a little more seriously tooâ€"things could move up a notch for you in the career department this monthâ€"make your move!
Want to know more about your horoscope? You can run a chart for free at
www.astro.com. You’ll need to know your date of birth, place of birth, and exact
time of birth. Your birth certificate is a more reliable source than mom, usually. 
For anyone fortunate enough to be passing through PA, the culinary experience is something you will never forget and want to repeat in your own kitchen.
These folks originally populated Pennsylvania in
the 1680s and were primarily Mennonites, Seventh Day Baptists,
Moravians, Amish, and a few other groups. They were
soon joined by Reformed and Lutherans. These
Germanic groups brought with them the recipe secrets and kitchen magic
that makes Pennsylvania Dutch cooking so sought after.
The term PA Dutch is not an accurate as they are Germanic
in heritage. The German way to say German is Deutsch and Dutch is a bastardization of that. Here, each month, you will find some of the most wonderful taste delights which require relatively little creativity in the kitchen, just follow the directions!
Funnel Cake
3 eggs
Beat eggs and add milk. Sift dry ingredients together and beat the egg-milk mixture into it.
Continue beating until batter is smooth. Let stand while you heat the oil to 375 degrees. You
need at least 3 or 4 inches of oil.
Batter can be poured into a small pitcher for easier handling. Use a funnel closed off at the
end by your finger. The funnel should have an opening of at least 1/2 inch and be able to hold around a cup of batter. Pour some batter into the funnel. Take your finger off the end and swirl
the batter in concentric circles into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain
on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, and serve hot. Or you can
serve them with maple syrup or a table molasses (like King syrup) for breakfast.
6 ears of corn, scrapped
Mix together and fry on greased griddle like pancakes.
These are served as a vegetable side dish. These are good! Great for snackin'. 
From Our Resident Licensed Nurse
NOTE: This columns focus is psychological and emotional health/well being. Individual, couple, family and community concerns will be addressed here. I am a licensed lesbian feminist therapist. I am writing this column under an assumed nickname for your comfort and mine. The information and suggestions provided here should not be taken as a substitute for in person therapy with a trained clinician in your area. I offer here my perspective, knowledge, and experience to be taken, accepted or rejected as is.
I would like readers to submit topics of interest and questions you would like me to answer in the column. All questions will be answered with the author's identity withheld unless you specify otherwise. Confidentiality will be respected. Please send your comments, suggestions, and questions to me at shrinkonbarbie@yahoo.com
MARCH ASTROLOGICAL FORECAST Most of us know our Sun signsâ€"Libra, Aries, Sagittarius, Pisces, and so on through the zodiac. But how many of us know what sign the Moon was in at the moment of our birth? Though people of all sexes have an astrological Moon, women have a special affinity for this mysterious lady of the nightâ€"no matter where you stand in the butch-femme line-up. Luna rules women, moms, the public, the tides, the menstrual cycle, the moods and emotions. She is intuitive and psychic. She symbolizes the great Goddess in all her phases, from maiden to warrior to mother to crone. Planting by Moon sign improves garden production, and planning by Moon sign can improve every phase of your life. The Moon rules home, family, motherhood, and childbirth. Whereas the planet Mercury rules the analytical, intellectual brain, the Moon rules the entire mind, which receives knowledge and wisdom directly from the universe, the subconscious, and the collective unconscious. She also rules habits and unconscious knowledgeâ€"like knowing how to tie your shoes, drive a car, cruise a cutie without getting busted. The Moon gives form to your Sun sign, the way a mother gives form to the spark that becomes her child. You may have a rambunctious Aries Sun, but with a Libra Moon, you’ll warm up that drive and assertiveness with diplomacy, tact, consideration and uncertainty. With a Leo Moon, you’re Xena II! There are 144 Sun-Moon combinationsâ€"what’s yours? Your Lunar Phase at birth will tell an astrologer a lot about your mission in life, and the lunar nodesâ€"a lot more, even, according to Indian astrologers, your true life path. Although women as a rule seem much more in touch with lunar energy than men do, still, Western Civilization keeps trying to steer us away from the irrational, illogical, deep and ancient wisdom of lunar energy, and toward rationality, logic, "common sense", clock time, schedules, facts and figures. In fact, Don Miguel Ruiz, author of the highly recommended "The Four Agreements", calls modern urban humans "domesticated". Which means tamed, intimidated, dumbed down, uptight, cut off from our instinctual, lunar selves. To be truly joyful and connected, we need the freedom to honor our instinctive, lunar identity, which in fact is a big part of our overall personality! Learning your Moon sign, natal Lunar Phase, and sign and house placement of your lunar nodes, is a first step toward better self-understanding. For those who follow the paths of Wicca, Tibetan Buddhism, and so many other spiritual practices, following the phases of the Moon, and celebrating the New and Full Moons every month, are an important part of worship. Honoring the new and full moons monthly, even with a single white candle, can help to reconnect you when you’re feeling lonely, cut off, depressed, flat and dull, or trapped in a boring job, a frustrating relationship, an environment that doesn’t bring you happiness. If you don’t have one, find a picture that you love of any one of the great Goddesses of any world religion, from Virgin Mary to Kali to Kwan Yinâ€"or even mix and match!â€"make a tiny little shrine to the Goddess on your bookshelf or window sill, and start watching the moon phasesâ€"with a calendar, the newspaper, or one of the many online resources that track the phases, such as Lunabar.com. Light that candle twice a month on the new and full moons, light some great incense, ring a bell, give her a brownie or a glass of vodka, and ask Her for guidance, wisdom, love, health, and luck. Connect with her during your period, too. Chanting, drumming, dancing, singing, playing music, making freeform artwork, playing games, meditating, casting spells, working with Tarot, I Ching or runes or other non-linear spirit work can help forge a link back to your lunar self, and back to wholeness and happiness. The New Moon in March is the 14thâ€"the Full Moon is on the 28th. The New Moon is a great time to start a new project. The Full Moon is a time to reap, and a time to wrap up loose ends. # # # Since March brings the spring equinox and the Sun moves into the Cardinal sign of Aries, I’ll give you a quick thumbprint of Moon in Aries: Restless, impatient, quick, fiery, assertive, a natural leaderâ€"Aries Moon likes to be numero uno. Even women with Aries Moon are male chauvinists! They’ve always got one eye on the future and hate to wait in line, and slowpokes drive them nuts. They want to be independent, free to come and go at will, and they want to do things their own way. They like speed and efficiency. Their leadership style is "you can follow me or not-but I’m gonna be out there in front!" A lot of folks with Aries Moon will tell you they had horrible fights at home, especially with dad. They tend to drive too fast, even though their skills and coordination are usually excellent. A partner with Aries Moon needs a long leash. Unless the Moon is cooled off by a tough aspect from planets such as Saturn or Neptune, you need action, speed, and lots of good lovin’. ARIES You’ll experience your Solar Return on or near your birthday, the time when the transiting Sun comes home to the exact place of your natal Sun, setting the tone and theme for the coming year. The first three weeks of the month may find you feeling like you want to check in to a nice quiet convent or ashram or rehab joint somewhere, spend some down time meditating and retreating from all the craziness. This is a great time to clean up some old loose ends, spend time at the hot springs, a yoga or meditation weekend, hit that 12-step program a little harder, stay out of the bars and off the X, and put in time at the library, university, hospital, prison (hopefully as a volunteer!), or whatever other institution you might be linked to. With the Pisces Sun transiting through your 12th House of Self-Undoing, keep your nose clean nowâ€"figure out in what way you are your own worst enemy, and stifle that behaviorâ€"for a while anyway. On March 20thâ€"sistah!--break out the champagneâ€"the Sun’s crossed over into your first house and the sign of Aries, it’s the spring Equinox, full speed ahead for you rams and lambs, and the Sun’ll be hooking up with Venus, putting an extra bounce in your step and zapping up your love life. Mars through your 2nd house may bring financial opportunities beginning the 7th. On the 1st, it may be a good time to buy property or new furniture to spruce up the love shack. It’s also an especially good month for group activities with your sewing circle or biker club or drumming gang. TAURUS The Sun’s in your solar 11th house until the 20th. Time spent socially, with your "people", your groups, political activist group, dream circle, folks you have common cause withâ€"can be energetic, exciting, and way fun. Follow that dream, tooâ€"focus on some of your big life goals, both the possible and the impossible ones. Like they say, write it down, make it happen. If you’re in business for yourself, this may be an "up" period for your balance sheet. This is a great time to bring in new people into your circle, make new friends, making your goals public. On March 20th, when the Sun moves into your solar 12th, things will tend to quiet down for you. Do some spring cleaning, paint the kitchen, pay off your credit card, do a cleanse, get off your Taurus "tochas" and go for a hike or a weekend bike ride. Spend some down time with a few close friends, a lover, a cat, or yourselfâ€"get off your earth-bound trip for a while, light some incense, get a tarot reading, have a massage, go hang gliding, or just a nice hot bath with some bath salts and candles and wine. Educational action is good this month. You may get some added responsibilities at work this month, or find you need to tighten your purse strings a little bit. There may be health worries with a parent, or maybe some confusion or delusions or general weirdness at work. The full moon on the 28th may make everybody a little edgy; don’t forget your Full Moon ceremony! GEMINI Emphasis on career this month, boss-type people, maybe even good old Mom. This is a great time to put some extra shine on things at work; Venus in your solar 10th will give you some nice opportunity to mix business with pleasure, too! You might feel inspired artistically, musically, or moved to volunteer some time at the local children’s hospital, or to help a friend move (if you’re REALLY a saint!). The pagan festival of Ostara occurs on March 21st, the spring Equinox, which coincides roughly with Easterâ€"a little spring fling is definitely called for. You might be a little more serious and hard-working this month, not quite your usual Gemini motormouth self. Careful who you slip off with for a night of joy this monthâ€"your emotions aren’t as reliable as usual. And there might be a real strong urge to do some spring cleaning around relationships, especially on the 22nd. CANCER Pisces Sun in your solar 9th house this month puts the spotlight on travel, higher education (including online study), publishing, spiritualityâ€"and horses (for all you pony girls and boys)! On the 20th, the emphasis shifts to your career, your reputation, and your status (including new com |
I'm The One That I Want
New Color 'M&M's'(R) - Purple, Pink, Aqua ...
How will you decide? 
STARS IN YOUR EYES!
Corn Fritters
This Article is still under construction and will be published on March 22, 2002. Be sure to check back! Thank you. 
Check back next month for a continuation of Shady Grove's column. Due to medical reasons Shady Grove was unable to write an article for this month's issue.