Blog o’ Gnosis

…the point of memes like this, but I am nothing if not a joiner. (Joke. That was a joke.) So here is my response to Chas’s challenge. The rules for this book meme:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

I am still hoping to write something about my experience at PantheaCon two weeks ago, and I am still struggling with issues of perspective. I could give a jaded insider’s view of the con, complete with snarky gossip-y non-information that some people would think was hilarious but many more would think was self-indulgent and boring. So no, that’s not the blog post I want to write (though it is tempting).

I could give a lengthy, informative run-down of the sessions I attended, the interesting conversations I had, and what I think the state of Pagan-dom is based on all of the above. Yet writing that post does not interest me. I am tired of thinking of the state of Pagan-dom, tired of the responsibility of knowing so much history and holding so many confidences, tired ultimately of being looked to for words of wisdom.

I did promise to blog again after being “well and fully rested” from the ordeal of PantheaCon. Well readers, I must submit to you today that perhaps such promises are not the wisest notion. For I was no sooner back from Pcon than I was laid flat by the flu, or the bronchitis, or whatever it is that renders people completely helpless, fevering and delirious for days on end.

Okay, well two days on end. On the third day I had to haul myself out of bed for my radio show and a couple other things. By today I’m feeling quite a bit better, though I still haven’t done all my post-Pcon bookkeeping. Yet progress is progress. And considering that this week I have had more rest than activity (besides, do we ever fully recover from ordeals?), I must admit that it is time to blog about the Con.

That’s PantheaCon, for those of you jaded enough to think something else. Yes, the much-ballyhooed annual Pagan gathering is commencing this Friday, held in the splendor of a downtown San Jose hotel, and will run all through the long President’s Day weekend.

My crew and I will be at the Serpentine Music booth just inside the front entrance to the vendor’s room, playing all kinds of Pagan music, and selling CDs, songbooks, and DVDs. This year I have teamed up with the excellent Jason Pitzl-Waters from over at the Wild Hunt Blog and A Darker Shade of Pagan radio. Jason suggested some great new music to carry, and I managed to get his very favorite in stock. (If you come to the booth and give the secret blog-reader handshake, you can see his whole top ten list.)

We have had a break in the constant rainy weather of the past few weeks, but this was the first clear day that dawned with no wind. My dog was in desperate need of a bath and I was in desperate need of a walk in the sun, so off we went to walk on [...]

We had a lovely memorial yesterday for Susan with her mother and aunt, her young students, new and old friends all in attendance. As was fitting, there was a lot of music throughout the afternoon.
The problem with priestessing memorials is that afterwards you go through not only the familiar post-ritual letdown, but you are [...]

I may hate myself later for doing this; in fact, maybe I already do. But I seem to have lost the struggle against my better judgment, so will say a little bit today about the Democratic presidential primaries.
I have been trying to view the candidates by two criteria: the content of the policies they are [...]