April 2007 Archives

I think back along my life and the various...firsts I've had and I can't help but acknowledge that many happy times came to me during this time of year. In my particular path, this is a time of great joy and happiness in which we celebrate fertile new beginnings. This can be both physical and spiritual in nature.

Just what the heck is Beltane you may ask? I will borrow from Rowan Moonstone who wrote a nice piece that explains this holiday and why it is so special.

Beltane, as practiced by modern day Witches and Pagans, has its origins among the Celtic peoples of Western Europe and the British Isles, particularly Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Dr. Proinsias MacCana defines the word as follows: "... the Irish name for May Day is Beltane, of which the second element, 'tene', is the word for fire, and the first, 'bel', probably means 'shining or brilliant'." The festival was known by other names in other Celtic countries. Beltaine in Ireland, Bealtunn in Scotland, Shenn do Boaldyn on the Isle of Mann and Galan Mae in Wales.

It has been a couple months since I last talked to Dan, although lately he has been in the back of my mind. With my work schedule and life, somehow the nearly constant contact we used to have over the years faded. The phone call I received while in New York a couple days ago of his passing stunned me.

When I first came to live in SoCal in 1991, it was after my final national competition on my flight team in college. The man who sponsored us while we were in Louisiana had an old friend who worked out of Van Nuys and he asked me to go look him up when I got out here. I did and through him I was immediately welcomed into the tight knit aviation community here. Through him I learned many things and even had the opportunity to undertake some adventures in aviation few ever get to see, let alone do.

It's been almost 6 weeks since mom passed and thanks to the love and support of many great friends and family, the pain of loss is pretty much gone and thanks to her many lessons in life, we are clearly focused on what lies ahead.

Several new adventures are brewing and I look forward to seeing them develop. No journey is without its pitfalls however. Without getting into a lot of boring detail, I am grateful to be working with a fleet lead who is not only a charismatic leader, but an honorable person as well. It truly sucks when someone who is supposed to be in a position of senior leadership in an organization doesn't know the first thing about it and interjects themselves into your affairs when they have no cause to, and in doing so causes financial turmoil simply in the interest of trying to be popular to a whiney < ahem >.

You know, growing up you are taught about history, the founding principals of this country, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and The Constitution of The United States of America. We learn about why there are checks and balances to the various branches of government, and most importantly that it is a government of the people and by the people. We don't have a perfect system here, but it's the best in the world in my opinion.

At one time, serving your country was a high calling, a honorable duty whereupon you swear an oath to "support and defend the Constitution". Leaving aside politics and the multitude of rants that could cover multiple political parties, it seems that some of those in Federal Service need to be reminded of whom they represent and what serving is about. They should perform their duties swiftly, efficiently, honestly, and without bias to anyone or any group. I know all too well the darker side of Federal Service as I have served in it, seen the apathy and abuse of power and position, and promptly got myself out of it to do something I dearly love.

Sadly, for years our government, founded on the principals of religious and personal freedoms, has been discriminating against a religion which pre-dates many modern day ... mainstream... religions and in which they owe much of their structure and ceremonies to. The umbrella term for it is paganism, which can be anything not mainstream Christian, Jewish, or Muslim based. Specifically I am addressing the religion of Wicca.

Wicca is just one of the many nature based religions that has its roots in pre-Christianity and has endured (read survived) time and rabid unfounded bias. It is enjoying a "re-birth" of sorts as more people get educated about the actual nature of the pagan religions and find out that all the "scary stuff" they have been told all along just isn't true. To put it simply, it is living life in balance and harmony with nature and your fellow humans.

Ok, what can I say. I'm a sucker for the heroic pet stories. Even though those who know me will avow my "Lupine" qualities, you gotta give a Kitty their due.

This from the Fox News site:

Hero Cat Roused Sleeping Owner as Carbon Monoxide Filled Family's Home

"I really believe cats can sense these kind of things," she said.

Even with smoke and CO detectors by our room, I guess next time the cats are pawing at us to wake up and meowing at us, I should pay more attention to what's going on instead of mumbling a caveman-like threat to turn them into hats.