“Oooohh…” Flintstone exclaimed in awe, “it’s bootiful.” 

      The little Tussock Moth caterpillar was taking a break on the side of my car, Hedwig, and Flintstone was absolutely right, it was bootiful.  I reminded him not to touch it, and gestured him into the car.

      “I want to look at it more, Mommy, pleeeeeaase.”  So we took a moment to simply watch and appreciate the tiny, lovely, interesting creature. 

      Once Flintstone was buckled into his car seat with some snap peas to munch on, I gently moved* the caterpillar off Hedwig to the base of some nearby foliage. 

      It was a lovely start to the day.  And an odd counterpoint to one of the stories I heard on NPR on the drive:

“New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was hosting a group of school children in his office when the spider appeared. Christie did not grant it a pardon. He joked it was one of the perks of being governor — you can kill critters on your desk without getting into trouble.”

      The article also mentioned that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had issued a statement opposed to the Governor’s action.  And I cringed.  The whole story – from the spider slaughter to the PETA statement – made me cringe because I immediately knew where it would go.

      And already, it’s happening.  People are getting all wacky and polarized over something and it is making that something seem stupid and minor – or more major than it really is.

      When I was growing up, PETA was vilified in my neighborhood.  There were all these stories of the “crazy” things. I remember being told that PETA was trying to stop children from seeing chicks hatch from eggs and that PETA would capture wild deer and starve them to death to “protect” them from hunters.  As an adult who is more skeptical of such asinine stories as these, I did my research and discovered, lo and behold, PETA was actually not as “crazy” as they had been made out to be.  Yes, they oppose hunting (I haven’t found anything about the alleged baby chicks story), but they do so based on rational and scientific bases and through logical legal channels.  Actually, after my research I was left thinking those spreading the lies about PETA were the ones who had the real “issues.”

      But even with all that said, it is easy – especially in areas like the one where I grew up – for people to spin stories like this in order to discredit PETA.  And this effort to discredit PETA isn’t about spiders, deer, or chicks.  It’s about money and politics.  The main slanderers of PETA’s anti-hunting stance are unregulated gun lobbyists.  Those spreading BS about PETA’s stance on farm animals?  You guessed it, the factory farmers and corporations who benefit from torturing animals, wrecking the environment and public health, and keeping the greater society in the dark about it.

      So I cringed, because I foresaw the slew of headlines making PETA sound ridiculous for taking a stance on a person squashing a spider.  

       Before we buy in to the spin, let’s take a look at what PETA really said.  PETA President Ingrid Newkirk issued a statement saying:

” Christie probably killed it without thinking.  Some people put the spider outside, but spiders are often scary to some people, and that can prevent people from pondering their worth.”

      Not a particularly extreme statement in my mind.

      Now on to the other end of the over-polarization I was worried about: This getting turned into something about the benefits of killing spiders, or the personal liberty to kill spiders, or how horribly dangerous spiders are, or some other related malarkey.  People are actually rallying to justify squashing a spider as if it were to justify civil disobedience to end oppression.  Now who’s getting extreme?  (I’ll give you a hint, it’s not PETA).

      For my part, I was disgusted by the Governor’s actions.  Not because I am an outspoken spider’s rights activist, but because I am a human being who believes in compassion.  And because I am a mother who would be pissed as hell (for lack of a more eloquent way to put it) if this had happened in front of my kids.  Especially given what Mr. Christie chose to say after the incident.

      I live in a “put it outside” household.  We don’t kill things without reason.  We respect life and living creatures.  We follow the guidance of the sage Dr. Seuss in many issues.  In this particular area, we subscribe to his proverb:

“A person’s a person no matter how small.”

      If something is causing us harm – like fleas on the dogs or other parasites – we will kill those creatures, but we do not do it with joy or flourish, and we do not do it for entertainment.  We do it because it is necessary.  We very rarely eat meat (and NEVER dairy – horrible), but when we do, we take a moment to recognize that the meat came from a living being and to give thanks and respect to that being.

       Much of this we do out of a reverence for life and for nature, but it is much more than that.  We do this for our children.  We do this to teach them compassion and to teach them to embrace life. 

      It has been proven over, and over, and over again that people who are violent to animals are violent to humans.  Violence begets violence, and a desensitization to the infliction of harm will be as easily applied to animals as to humans.

      Further, it is a well established fact that children raised to be compassionate and peaceful are happier and healthier.  Compassion is a true gift to the self and to the world, and there is nothing I would rather teach my children.  The greatest wisdom, the greatest health, and the greatest happiness all start with compassion.

      So we teach our children compassion for all living things.  We teach them about the interdependent web of life and how we are all a part of it.  We teach them how even the “scary” or dangerous creatures fit into the web and serve important functions.  And we are rewarded as parents with the awe and reverence on our children’s faces when they spot a fuzzy caterpillar or a crawling ant.

      Then there was the statement of Governor Christie:

“that’s also another fun part of being Governor.  Any bugs that are on your desk, you’re allowed to kill them and not get in trouble.”

      This is why I would be really ticked if one of my kids had been in that class.  One of the perks of being in charge is getting away with stuff?  Killing things is fun?  Getting away with stuff is fun?  Doing things that are morally wrong but not getting in trouble is what makes a job fun?

W.T.F??

      Punky went to kindergarten in New Jersey.  She is now in 4th grade, and I’m now pretty darn glad she’s not there anymore.  I don’t want my kids taught that getting away with things is a perk of working in government and I really don’t want them to think that killing – even bugs – is fun.  I especially don’t want respected authority figures perpetrating such a negative message.

      I’m starting to wonder why we ever let politicians talk to school children…

*I used a piece of cloth to move the caterpillar – you don’t need a background in entomology to pick up on this animal’s cues, bright colors and long hairs say “don’t touch me;” and if you do happen to have a background in entomology and an affinity for arthropods like me, you’ll know that touching a tussock moth’s hairs can cause a negative reaction in some people.

The post Chris Christie Kills Spider – Everyone Misses the Issue appeared first on Urban Earthworm.

      The integration of Chalica into our holiday activities has been an ideal way to imbue our festivities with even more meaning and thought without adding the “bulk” of another holiday to our schedule.  I think Chalica presents a wonderful opportunity for families of any religion to really embrace the spirit of the season.

      Chalica was developed as a Unitarian Universalist holiday in 2005.  While the first reaction of many is to cringe a little at the thought of “yet another” holiday at this time of year, or any “new” holiday at all, I think a closer look at Chalica reveals it to be more of a beautiful flourish or a thoughtful overlay to what you’re already doing for the holidays.

       The beauty of Chalica is in its simplicity and flexibility.  The concept is simple: 7 days, 7 candles, 7 principles.  Every day for 7 days  you light a new candle representing one of the Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism.  On that day, you pay particular attention to that principle and plan actions that promote and embody that principle. 

       The Seven Principles are:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

      Chalica is supposed to kick off on the first Monday in December (which was the 3rd this year) and culminate on Sunday.  I, obviously, completely missed that deadline, but another beauty of Chalica is it’s flexibility, which is why our family is doing it this week!

       Today is our first day of Chalica, the day when we are focusing on the inherent worth and dignity of all beings (you’ll notice the principle states “every person,” but we expand it to all beings in our home).   This is typically treated as a day to develop compassion for those we dislike or disagree with – a time to mend broken bridges, forgive and forget, and to seek understanding of the positions of those you disagree with.

      There are many ways I could embrace this.  It fits in perfectly with my mission to complete the Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life.  I considered extending an invitation of friendship to one of three people in my life who seem to be on a constant mission to anger me or otherwise (unsuccessfully) meddle in my affairs, but, alas, I have done that before only to have those individuals continue on with their silliness.  I understand the insecurities their behaviours come from, and I try to look on them with compassion, but I will no longer be the one offering friendship in those cases.  There are literally dozens of ways I could embrace this Principle today, but ultimately I decided to be especially compassionate to one person in my life who I just have a hard time seeing eye-to-eye with.  This is a much bigger deal than it sounds like on its face.  This person annoys the heck out of me, and their stances on everything just seem wrong to me most of the time.  Today, I will ensure that our differences to not blind me to the inherent worth and dignity of that person.

       I will also be strictly vegan today in keeping with this principle.

(Obviously, I started this post on Monday.  Then 600,000 things needed my attention.  We are now on day four of Chalica, and it has been lovely so far!)

Timing:

      When I decided to do Chalica, I was worried about the potential for it to become somewhat of an afterthought:  “Oh, it’s 7pm, let’s light the Chalica candle.  How can we practice the first principle in the next hour and a half before bedtime?”  To remedy this, I decided to follow the Jewish tradition – viewing the day from sunset to sunset.  We lit our Day 1 candle at around Sunset last night, recognizing that we would be embracing the first Principle all day today.  At sunset tonight, we will recap our successes and light tomorrow’s candle.

      No matter what your religion, I encourage you to take a closer look at Chalica.  It is an ideal way to imbue every day for a week with meaning, and to add a little more magic to your holiday season.  For an extensive list of Chalica resources, a Chalica day-by-day printable coloring book, as well as suggestions for every day of Chalica, visit http://chalica.blogspot.com/.  The site is packed with information, references, and activities!

How is Chalica related to Sustainability?

I am a strong believer that sustainability goes far beyond simple science – it is a compassion for the Earth, for mankind and all living creatures on the planet, that real sustainability stems from a desire to do what is best for the world.  I believe Chalica is in every way in keeping with that spirit.

The Apocalypse

      I would be remiss if I didn’t so much as mention the impending Apocalypse.  The mania with the Mayan calendar was just starting to spin up when MacGyver and I first moved in together.  With my background in Anthropology and his studies in sustainability, climate change, and engineering, we both found the concept extremely amusing.  We are not doomsday preppers, but we are doomsday discussers, in as much as MacGyver loves to design crazy contraptions to see us through the apocalypse – like a gyroscopic house (effectively a house in a hamster ball).  Then we discuss.  My part of the conversation is typically about food production and world domination.

      In or around 2007, I announced that I would be throwing a huge End of the World Party on the 20th or 21st. I have DIBS on the End of the World party.  Our Party Like it’s 1999 Millenium Party was epic (in my mind at least, ;-))  With my unusual predeliction for astrology, my love of all things South American ancient history, and MacGyver’s doomsday survival inventions, it was only fitting that we throw the party.

      We even went to Chichen Itza on our honeymoon in anticipation of our End of the World plans.

***(I am showing great restraint in posting only these pictures.  This could easily turn into a pictures of our honeymoon post.  We need to get back to Central or South America soon!)***

     Sure, the Mayan apocalypse has been pretty much debunked.  The planetary alignment isn’t going to be nearly as perfect as had been claimed.  The Earth’s polarity probably isn’t going to switch.  And with the discovery of the calendar calculations in Guatemala, it was pretty much all over.

       But that really doesn’t make it any less fun, and it certainly didn’t change my plans.

      Alas, though,something did change my plans.  And that something was work.  Shocking, I know.  We were going to head for Michigan early enough to be home for the Apocalypse, but my work schedule dictated otherwise.

      So the End of the World party is off.  But perhaps there will be a “Fifth World” party.  I haven’t seen any real evidence to back up the Fifth World theory, but why not embrace the coming of a new world where people are more in tune with the planet?  Astrology isn’t going to make that happen, but maybe we can.  And we sure as heck should.  My favorite take on the Fifth World and the new world after tomorrow’s solstice was posited by the AstroTwins.  Here are a few excerpts:

“…a 5,125 year cycle of the Mayan calendar ends and another era begins. Since the human will to live is still strong, we choose to believe this is “the end of the world as we know it,” not a literal Armageddon. In fact, the Mayans call the post-2012 era The World Of The Fifth Sun or The Fifth World. The previous four worlds brought forth minerals, plants, animals then humans. In the Fifth World, humans will be called upon to reharmonize with nature ,as we stop abusing minerals (gold, silver, fossil fuels), restore our connection with nature (global warming, be warned!) and honor our connection to animals. Indeed, we are largely out of sync with nature, so much so that an extended power outage could take us to our knees. While those wacky survivalists might seem like lunatics, maybe they’re onto something. At the very least, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn the basics like growing our own food or otherwise living off the land, if for no other reason than to honor our connection to the planet. (Haven’t I been saying this all along?)”

“Part of the Mayan lore involved the Venus transit this past June 5, when Venus visibly crossed over the Sun, calling forth the divine feminine and awakening women’s power. While a balance of masculine and feminine is the way to keep the world in harmony, the warmongering aggression and violent plays for domination are not exactly doing the trick. Women leaders may come forth or stage a peaceful revolution that rocks the world with its loving vibes.”  I have also been saying for a long time that I’m seeing a positive shift toward a more peaceful feminine power in the world.  Don’t anyone go crying sexist on me, I love men and male power, too, but the balance between the feminine and masculine has been so tilted toward the masculine for so long that it has exacerbated the negative aspects of the greater masculine (both masculine and feminine have positive and negative potential).

      I may not be a “true believer” in most of the New Age stuff, but it all tends to really amuse me.  And as I said earlier, why NOT embrace the idea that after tomorrow, the world is on it’s way to being a more connected, peaceful place.  Heaven knows that’s what I’ll be working for.

      At the moment of the Solstice, which I believe is 06:12 (6:12am) in this time zone, I will be alone with MacGyver.  My plans for the rest of the day will be revealed in the future.  If we’re all still here.  Bwahahaha…

      See you all in the Fifth World!

The Hobbit

      I have no idea why I feel the desire to weigh in on this since it’s so far off topic for this site, but this post is long and disjointed already, why not throw it in? 

      I was super excited to hear about the new Hobbit movie coming out.   My dad has always been very into the Lord of the Rings, and I couldn’t wait to dive in myself as a kid.  I first read The Hobbit in 3rd grade.  It took me over two months, and by the time I finished it I could barely remember the beginning, but I made it through and I loved it.  (I didn’t read the trilogy until 5th grade).

      Even though I had some qualms with the Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies (mainly the way the business between Aragorn and Arwen was changed and the portrayal of Galadriel), I was still quite pleased with the movies overall.

      So I was looking forward to The Hobbitmovie.  Until I found out that the one book is apparently being made into three movies.  My first thought was annoyance at the obvious commercialism.  My next thought was to wonder how they were going to stretch it that way.  I haven’t yet seen it, but I’ve been told most of the “padding” seems to be done using lengthy fight scenes and other focuses on violence.

      If this is the case, I’m disappointed.  While there is a lot of fighting in the book, that isn’t the point, and to add more can only detract from the true mastery of the story.  I have yet to see it, but still, It troubles me.

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