How would you grade President Obama's first 100 days?

A: He's done an excellent job so far. Very impressive.

B: It's been a reasonably good 100 days. I'm feeling optimistic.

C: Fair job, but I was expecting more.

D: He's down near the bottom rung of Presidential successes.

F: OMG. We are SO doomed.

Feel free to elaborate upon your answer in the Comments.

My husband makes staffs, canes etc from the oak branches on our property.  Well, he made one this weekend, and set it in a bucket of vegetable oil to soak up.  The bucket was on our patio, well-barricaded so as to not fall down.  Or so we thought...

This morning, there was a large oil puddle on the patio by the screen door.  And Hunter was looking for sympathy.  Hmmm.... the punching bag top is not where we left it to keep that bucket sturdy.... and where's the bucket....?!

It was easy to figure out what had happened.  It was confirmed later on this morning when he went in the yard, and out came a dark stream of gold from the backside. 

He's going to be VERY regular for a few days.  ;)

Catherine, my older daughter who's getting married next Apr/May 2010 (depending on when they can get a good venue), has requested I send out the word for a few good leads for a small-budget wedding/reception.   Event will be held in San Antonio, no outlying areas.  Any recommendations on the following appreciated:

Venue (Attendance 150-200 people, venue will be for wedding & reception together.  Ideally an outdoor ceremony, but should be able to move it indoors in case of cantankerous Texas weather.)  Something with a dance floor, or a place they can lay one out.  No honkey-tonks or deeply downtown.

Photographers

Caterers (nothing earthshatteringly fancy, nice basic, more likely brisket & beer kegs.  They'd like to provide their own kegs rather than have the caterer do it.)

DJ (no live band)

Any ideas appreciated.  Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB4YSNHOlQI

For those of you who know my older daughter Catherine (aka, Kyllo),
especially from CMA, I am happy to announce that she got engaged during
her trip to China! Boyfriend Michael proposed on the Great Wall of
China (they've been together 4 years). I'm going to be a MIL!

No date set yet; she's still getting adjusted from the 8-hour time
difference. When her head clears, the planning shall commence. I'm so
excited!

She crossed over Tuesday morning, 7:40 am Texas time.  

Shortly before Alexandria & I were heading out the door, she tried to get up, which meant she wanted to go to the litter box.  I carried her there, and on the way back, she had a seizure.  Within 5 minutes, after about 3 breaths, she was gone.

She died by her favorite window, with the early morning sun just starting to come in.  Her family surrounded her, gentle hands petted her, familiar voices spoke to her.  Her crossing was quick, painless and she was not alone.  I can't think of a better way to move on into spirit.  

Now we will deal with her loss.  We will adjust, adapt, and remember.  Thank you, Stormlight, for 19 wonderful years.  I'm sure you've found a house on the other side to play in, perhaps with your dog companion Jewel who preceded you.  I can see you now, tearing through the house like Psycho Kitty.  Enjoy your playtime, until we join you.

I can still hear your meow and feel your fur.  I will miss you so much.

Thank you to everyone who offered their condolences.  I appreciate all of you.

She is 19 years old and beginning that decline.  She's been a bit off for about a month now, but things started turning last week when I was TDY in Orlando.  This past weekend the serious slide began.  Currently, we are keeping her comfortable, as she does not exhibit any signs of being in pain.  Mostly she remains asleep, but rallies here and there.  She gives a "where are the people" meow, and we go pet her and talk to her until she drifts back into sleep.

She is no longer eating, but still drinks.  However, there is really no more measurable urine output, she can no longer stand.  She is in an open crate with a padded mesh cube, to help her feel secure.

Here's some pictures from this weekend.

I have mixed feelings about celebrating St Patrick's Day. Yes, it's pretty much secular here in the United States. I'm 1/4 Irish, so Ireland is part of my heritage. And mostly it's just about wearing green and having fun.

However, the religious side of me has reservations, since St Patrick's primary claim to fame is the legend of him driving the snakes (aka, the pagan faiths) out of Ireland. Now, realistically, I know this is pretty moot. There was no forced mass conversion. Pagans tended to be syncretic; they didn't really care what name the Deities were called. "Oh, you call it "insert saint name here" in Christianity? You have a dying/reborn God? Sure, Christianity's OK with us." The Celtic people weren't a bunch of morons. I'm sure a reasonable percentage converted in good faith with no real reservations.

But it just seems a contradiction to me personally to celebrate a holiday that gives a good name to a symbol of pagan faiths being taken over.

Am I overanalyzing this? I don't know. What are your thoughts?

I'll be experimenting with different layouts since the 2.0 upgrade, so this page might look funky here and there.  Please pardon the dust.

Seshen's note: The below announcement is directly from the Pagans for Obama E-list.
__________________________

Please copy this to your personal lists. All are welcome to join us in body or in spirit. Bright blessings for the future, from Caroline.

Animating the Spirit of Democracy With a Ritual of Unity and Blessing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5 JANUARY 2009
CONTACT: CAROLINE KENNER
301-384-8455
301-412-1760

SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND, 6 JANUARY 2009

The Washington, D.C. community of magical and spiritual progressives will join together on Monday afternoon, January 19th, at the Jefferson Memorial Plaza, to sweep the town clean and welcome President-elect Obama and his administration to the White House.

The Ritual of Unity and Blessing is organized by a triumvirate of native Washingtonians, one of whom is the great-granddaughter of slaves, one the great-granddaughter slave owners, and one the daughter of a populist New Deal Congressman. The ceremony will begin promptly at 2pm with a Witches' Broom Dance, intended to cleanse Washington of the malfeasance, deceit and partisanship of the last eight years.

Washington Witchdoctor Caroline Kenner, a Pagan shamanic healer and organizer for the Sacred Space Foundation, says, "Many of us are worried by the ruinous course our country has taken for the last eight years, and we are also concerned for the safety of the Obama and Biden families. This ceremony gives us a chance to request help from our loving ancestors and our multitude of deities, and to bless and protect the incoming administration. We will begin the work by magically sweeping away the detritus of the worst administration in American history with our consecrated Witches' Brooms."

Wiccan Priestess Katrina Messenger, founder of Connect DC and the Reflections Mystery School, and faculty member at Cherry Hill Seminary, says "We have an opportunity not only to sweep away the old, we also need to bless this beautiful city in preparation for what is to come. With all that is churning around the world in recent times, we need clear leadership and compassionate hearts at the helm of this great nation. Washington is such a jewel in the larger fabric of peace, freedom, beauty and justice, let us charge this historic incoming administration with all the good juice we can conjure!"

Caroline W. Casey, founder of Coyote Network News (the Compassionate Trickster Mythological News Service) as well as the host-creator of Pacifica Radio Network's, "The Visionary Activist Show," said, "The word "inauguration" comes from the "augur", the pattern-tracker, the diviner within us all. The augur would walk out into nature to divine the patterns indicating which human was deemed the most responsible steward of the Common Wealth, the well-being of all our relations. And that chosen person would be "inaugurated" as the ruler who weds the land. We invite you to contribute your medicine blessing to our collective brew, and toast our new President, with whom we vow to collaborate: Barack Hussein Obama!"

A large quartz crystal resembling the Washington Monument will be charged with the blessings of unity and protection during the ritual. At the culmination of the ceremony, the crystal will be sacrificed into the Tidal Basin, whence it will broadcast the energies of the ritual to the Potomac River and the world at large. A Drum Circle will follow, lasting until 4:45pm. People from all religious faiths and spiritual traditions, or none, are welcome to join us.

A detailed description of the ceremony, including instructions for parking and what to bring, can be found at www.paganreligiousrights.org starting January 9th.