The Clan Mother

Because nothing says American and Freedom like banning a book. /sarcasm

I have been wanting to do a post for a few weeks (maybe a month) of everything that has gone on in my life lately. I have been wanting to - but then I get busy and have to attend to things outside the internet.

Finally, I have the time to sit down and write. I think it might be best to divide this post into sections that cover different subjects. This way, I remember what I want to say and if there is anything you don't want to read, you can skip that section.



And that has been my life up until now. Pretty peaceful and I hope it stays that way for a little while. I would love to get some reading done on my book-list. Which reminds me...I still have to post my book-list.

And now, to answer a question from Kalli:

What is your in-world/realm like? Is it a single place? Is it a large piece of land or maybe a planet? Do you have any moons? What's the name of your world/realm? What's it like to move from there to here with the body you use?

I think Kei wrote it out best in this entry.

But to add in my own words in relation to your question: My home is quite large. It is all built around a central room that houses The Tree in which Omega lives. This room also has a river that flows under the home, around The Tree and out at a different point of the house. It is very natural, with grass and flowers and a circular hole in the ceiling to let the sky in. This room is always very warm even though it is exposed to the sky, because of Omega. He wishes it to be so it is. This is also the tree that is the womb my children reside until birth.

Chaos' room is adjacent to The Tree room and it is always very warm in there. It is almost like sleeping on the sands of a volcano or in a dragon's lair. His room is the heating for the whole home and he even has a fireplace shaped into a volcano.

The sleeping rooms are on the left and right of The Tree. My room is quite spacious and houses my personal library. It is also next to the nursery where the children sleep.

Loz' room has a pirate theme. (He builds model ships.) Though part of the reason that he has ropes and rigging in his room are for his two ferrets, Hector and Sophie.

Sephiroth's room is spacious and a touch oriental. He has patio doors that lead out to a pretty garden and inside his room he has a sand box for the purpose of meditation built into the floor. Every now and again, I find it raked into different patterns.

Vincent has a very simple room with a bed and a few books. Kadaj has much the same, but he has places for his rabbit and his pig to sleep. We have a barn toward the back of the property for Kadaj's horse. His dog has his own little house as well.

My kitchen and dining area are off to the very far side of the home. We also have a living area across the hall from that. And, of course, we have bathrooms. ^_^

Our country is called Sanity's Keep and we have one moon.

As for what it's like to move from inworld to the front. It's like going out your front door to a different place and stepping into a virtual reality in a way. My actions inside the front room operate the body outworld. So for example, as I am typing this to you, I must look rather silly to other people outside of the room as they are seeing me make typing motions, but there is no keyboard or computer present. It's just me making a bit of pantomime. ^_^

I hope that answered your questions.

From EarthJustice:

"The Bush administration wants to severely weaken the Endangered Species Act -- EarthJustice needs your help to make sure this doesn't happen.

For more than 30 years, the ESA has been a safety net for plants and animals on the brink of extinction, including grizzly bears, bald eagles, and gray whales. Yet President Bush wants to gut these protections, despite ESA's overwhelming success ... or, more likely, because of it.

The Bush plan would strip the requirement for independent scientific review of projects that could threaten endangered species, allowing federal agencies to make the final call on how their projects impact these species, which could leave the fox guarding the hen house.

Please speak out now to oppose Bush's assault on the Endangered Species Act!"

You can sign their petition here: Take Action

In our day to day lives, many of us don't think about how we impact the Earth. With all the stress of trying to earn a living to pay all those bills, the fun of hanging out with friends, and many other factors that tend to be at the forefront of our lives, we just don't have time to think about it. And when we do stop to think about all the waste and all the buzzwords floating around out there - it can be so overwhelming! I know many an individual that went into brain vapor-lock just thinking about what it would take to change our ways. Fortunately some changes are very easy and don't require much thought at all! Here is a list of the easiest ways that you can make a difference today. Yes, today.

Now for some of you, this is already old hat. For others, you might be thinking - "We're too far gone! How can I make a difference when everyone else isn't contributing to the change?" You can make a difference - change is infectious. Start with you - even if you are just a drop in the bucket. As David Suzuki says, every little drop helps to fill that bucket.

Of course there are three big things that you can do to make a difference:

Reduce - simply put, use less. Think before you buy something - Do you really need it, or can you live without it? What is it made out of? How long will it last? Can it be recycled?

Reuse - Cloth bags can be reused in shops. Paper bags make useful wrapping paper and twist ties can be used to secure loose items together, such as computer wires. Old envelopes can be used as scrap paper to make notes on. By cleaning glass jars and small pots, you can use them as small containers to store odds and ends. Newspaper, cardboard and bubble wrap Make useful packing material when moving house or to store items. Old clothes can be made into other textile items such as cushion covers or dust rags. Packaging, such as foil and egg cartons, can be donated to schools and nurseries, where they can be use in art and craft projects. Get the idea? ^_^

Recycle -

This is a big one and is really so easy, it is a shame that many of us still don't do it. Recycle as much and as many things as you can! Many materials can be recycled, such as paper, plastic, metal and glass. Other items such as furniture, electronic equipment, building material and vehicles can also be recycled.

Buy products that can be recycled. When shopping at the supermarket, buy products that can be recycled easily such as glass jars and aluminum cans.

Avoiding buying hazardous material. It is difficult to recycle products that contain hazardous waste. Try to find safer alternatives to household cleaners and buy non-toxic products whenever possible. There are several alternative cleaners on the market: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, Seventh Generation, Method to name a few.

Find a recycling center near you. Many centers have a drop off area and some even pay you cash by the pound for your items (this is common with automotive recycling)!

Here are some other ideas from a couple of my favorite places.

This is one of the most amazing videos I have ever seen. I thought I would share. The attention to detail is really...well, just watch for yourself.




and if you can't see the embed, here is the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHoyB81LnE

Source: Pet Promise Pet Food Website

This is a very intriguing concept for biodegradable dinnerware. 



Copied from Veterra's website:




I am highly intrigued.  ^^

Check out this 21 minute video: The Story of Stuff

This is one of the best presentations I have ever seen that explains the product life-cycle . It's animated, smart, and doesn't treat you like you know nothing.  It doesn't pull any punches.

Give it a watch - the video will start automatically.

Some of the facts will astound you.

So, you want to end global warming, you want to save endangered animals, you want to stop pollution of our oceans, you want, you want, you want... but what are you willing to change about yourself in order for all that to happen?  In this case, change really does begin at home.  I know it doesn't feel like much at times, but just changing one or two things about the way you live can have a positive effect to the overall goal.  Are you ready to make those changes?  If you are, I am ready to show you how.

Even today, I am still learning about what I can do to help make this world a better, more sustainable place to live. But I wasn't always so confident that I could make the changes required.  

Here is a basic outline on initiating that lifestyle or household change that helped me.  This list could work for several areas of change in your life, but today we are using it for the purpose of creating a sustainable environment through little actions that we can take.

I will be putting a lot of information in this journal.  Much of this information will come from books that I have read or websites that I have visited.  Most of this information will be written word for word and list a source.  They will then be tagged for ease of use (I hope).

Anything that does not list a source, you can consider being in my own voice.  There may be times when I relate my own experiences and frustrations with climate change or becoming more "green". All of these will go under my own specific tag.

I am also in the process of having some icons made.  

I guess what I am ultimately tryingto say is that this journal is a work in progress right now and until I get things rolling the way I really want them, it might be a little unorganized.

There is a man in San Carlos, California named Eddie House.  Mr. House recycles his paper, metal and plastics by hauling them to a local recycling center himself.  He grinds his backyard waste to powder in his wood chipper and his food scraps are normally put through his garbage dispoal or fed to his dog. He even recylces his larger items by selling them or giving them away to others.

Now okay, Mr House could be doing a lot better by composting his scraps instead of wasting the electricity, but the man is trying. Trying is the first step.

But now, the city of San Carlos is suing him.

Why?  Because the municipal code requires all residents to get weekly garbage pickup from a private hauler. So, because he cancelled his pickup, (Because he doesn't generate garbage) the city is suing him. They even want to recoup the cost of the lawsuit from him!

House made the statement: “I don’t understand a city ordinance that requires you to fill up a can. That’s downright foolishness.”  

I can't agree more.

Apparently the city found out about it because neighbors complained that  he was burning his own garbage and it smelled foul.  They even called the fire department out a few times.  Turns out, he was burning firewood.