Out of The Broom Closet

WARNING: I firmly believe that religion is a personal thing and no one should be judge on how or what they believe or don't believe.(side note: I also believe no one should be judged on race, color, creed or orientation.) This post will probably offend many but that isnt the intent. Theses are MY PERSONAL FEELINGS.  Read with an open mind

Due to the recent posts on facebook regarding my joke of Happy Zombie Jesus Day i felt the need to finally write this post. I say finally because i have been thinking about this post for a long while. I guess I will just come out and say it. I am not a Christian. I am Wiccan. There its out there. You that know me best already know this.


Let me start off by saying i was baptized catholic, confirmed episcopalian, was an alter boy and a server for years. I also attended 4 years of catholic high school.

I have many reasons why i am not a Christian. First and foremost i dont feel connected to the Christian church and never really have felt a connection. I have always felt more comfortable reading about the occults, paganism and wicca. Secondly, after branching out and studying other religions i actually learned more about christianity than as a member of the church. This is a major issue for me. The Christian church does not teach the history of their religion and where the holidays, colors, rituals etc actually come from. Ill wont leave you hanging...these are from Pagan traditions. Pagans were widespread throughout the world (and still are). When Christianity was on the rise pagans were killed if they didnt convert and in an effort to convert as many as possible, pagan traditions were incorporated into the church. Third, I feel that Christianity has become a religion of sheeple. Sheeple dont ask questions or move away from the flock. They think you should believe one way and thats it. Again IMO the way they believe is dictated by one man's or woman's (Priest/Preacher) interpretation of the Bible. Fourth, I believe the Bible is a man made book that has been rewritten over time. It is also translated from a dead language. How many things can be translated wrong from a dead language, My guess many. Many things have been left out like the story of Lillith. Also, people pick and choose what to follow out of the bible even though they consider themselves bible literalists. Example Leviticus 18:22. However they seem to ignore everything before this in the same book.

People very close to me are upset by homosexuality and are extremely disturbed that my child isnt baptized. Really.
I dont what my son to grow up knowing one thing. I want him to choose what he wants and to be who he is.... Not be something he is forced into and is expected to do because that what others want.

My crazy beliefs go as follows:
1) Duality  - God and Goddess
2) Elements of Nature and associated elementals. These can be called for assistance in situations
 Earth  - gnomes
Air -sylphs
Water - undines
Fire - salamanders
3) I believe in fairies
4) Celtic gods and goddesses
etc etc etc

In all reality i could go on for a while about this topic. Again these are my beliefs and reasons for not being a christian. I dont look down on you for being a christian, or a buddist, or shinto, or atheist or whatever. Be who you are. All religions have one fundamental belief; Be a good person. So go out and be the best person you can be.

If you are offended I dont apologize. Feel free to call or email me if you want to have an adult conversation about this topic.

Bright Blessings

Homeleasingship?

One of the joys of owning a home is the pride of taking on and accomplishing projects around the house. Completing the small must do tasks is rewarding but planning for larger more extensive projects that enhance the beauty and value of your home is titillating. And then it happens. the dream project which is about to become reality is quickly shattered. Shattered by the reality that others have control over what you can do on your property. These people are the local governments.

I had the grand idea to build a pergola in the backyard. After many rough sketches I had a plan and was about to make it happen. Then i decided to call the City to see if permits would be required. I didnt want all my hard work to be ruined by not pulling permits then having code enforcement bully me into tearing the pergola down. Of course permits are required for a nominal fee of almost $300. This fee doesnt include the detail structural and architectural professionally engineered stamped drawings that need to be approved before work can begin. Oh yeah and a survey of the property is needed as well. My little project is now over doubled in price.
Which leads me to ask,  do we really own our homes?
I totally understand having an inspector come over and look at the work to ensure safety. But really 5 feet set backs from the property lines (utilities are above ground), fees, numerous inspections to build on MY property.
Very frustrating!!!!!

The realization of defeat

Why cant anything ever be easy? This a rhetorical of course. I asked my wife this question and as she pointed out "This is life. Life is not simple."

This particular event all starts with my stubbornness and cheapness. "Why should we get a new swing set when I can fix our current one for a quarter of the cost." Mind you our current swing set is at least 10 years old. It all started a few weeks back with me opening my big mouth saying i can fix it. I can fix anything.

So last friday I went to Lowes to purchase the wood I needed. I  planned on having Lowes cut the wood for me because, once again, I am too cheap to purchase a circular saw. I load up my cart with pressure treated wood being that the swing set is outside and pushed the cart back to the saw.  The nice Sales Associate in a 10 minute conversation informed me that Lowes no longer cuts pressure treated wood. "How can this be I asked? When i worked at Lowes we cut pressure treated wood." New Policy that started this year. Then he informs me Home Depot doesnt do it either.  OF COURSE. So now i have 2 choice: give up or buy a circular saw. I did the latter. After purchasing the wood I returned home to begin the demolition of the swing set. My first objective - replace the steps. 

Saturday afternoon in the dead heat of midday i decide to tackle my task at hand. A simple 30 minute project turned into a 2 hour ordeal. I cut the boards to length and tried to slide them in the existing nocks in the wood. Due to the swelling of the wood and dry rot from years of weathering the intense heat of the Florida sun the nocks ended up being too small. So i ended up filing down each nock and had to hammer the boards in.

During my mayhem my dear wife came out and i showed her one of the boards i removed which was now covered in termites. upon further investigation i realized the termite damage around the entire swing set was too extensive and i raised my white flag. I can say that i planned a full out assault but lost the battle at Termite Hill. The battle was too great and i succumb to the fact that thousands of little bugs kicked my ass.... the war was over and I agreed to purchase a new swing set. One that isnt full of termites.

Out of the saw dust and termite poop came a shining light of realization.  I kind of like wood working and may have a little of that Gadbois trait. Gadbois/Van den Dyke our fench name meaning dead) No i am not as good as my grandfather at woodcarving (yet) and no i am not as talented of a carpenter as my father (yet); but i plan on continuing to try these things and learn as i go.