Well here we go again!
Current mood: busy

Ok so my life Is full of changes!!!...and surprises!
I broke up with Teri...Have Rhiannon full time now, am working and going to school, and (I must brag now) I am getting low to mid 90's on all my tests!...However there is no such thing as sleep,and I am beginnig to feel like a zombie, but I am just beginning and am learning some time management techniques, so maybe by mid semester I'll get caught up on some sleep. I just want to say that if you have been wondering why I haven't written or called you...there it is there!(along with the fact that I just got internet back on yesterday) But you are all on my mind and in my heart and prayers...daily....off to bed I go!

1:33 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Camp Covington and Veterans for Peace
Category: News and Politics

Ok, so I haven't been able to sit at the computer for awhile...but here's the latest from VFP:

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counter

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blog bloopers .2
Current mood: determined

Ok so I've  done this 4 times now to no avail....ltes see if it will take a paste from  Word:

VFP CHAPTER 110 CAMP COVINGTON & BEYOND CARAVANS OF HOPE

SEPTEMBER 29 UPDATE

Sorry we have not been able to do an update until now to fill everyone in on the latest information about our hurricane efforts here in Southern California.  The phones are quieter, the mail is smaller, but the need continues.  Hopefully we will be able to put out an update on a weekly basis, unless a particular need arises as with now!

All of the volunteers from the first caravan are home and have had a bit of well earned rest.  All but seven people from the second, much larger, caravan have also returned to CA.  The others, who remain in Mobile, AL, or in MS and LA to continue the work being done there, plan to return within about the next two to three weeks.

Everyone has their own remarkable, colorful, heart wrenching stories to tell, some of which we will be able to have on the web site as space permits.  While in the Hurricane Katrina area they worked from early morning to very late at night distributing supplies and offering aid to those who have not been helped by anyone, let alone the Red Cross or FEMA.  Ranging from deep within the projects in New Orleans up through the lowland areas of the Mississippi Valley, to the entire coastal region of all three states. 

Devastation is the word most used by everyone, unbelievable devastation with people everywhere without homes or even shelter let alone the common everyday needs of life.  Our people have gone into little towns, communities and parishes, taking supplies and encouragement to shut-ins, disabled and elderly people, along with the local pastors in these communities.

Last time we sent an update was just as we were trying to get our people out of the area before Hurricane Rita hit with what turned out to be a milder slam than expected.  Not to say there was not destruction; however, being more prepared after watching the chaos of Katrina, the local authorities, with their immediate reaction before Rita hit, helped to prevent the huge loss of life that could have occurred.  New Orleans was flooded again because the temporary levies obviously did not hold anything back, let alone gale winds and the flooding from another hurricane.  Naturally, the only dollar figures discussed these days regarding both areas are "billions," long past millions.  What dollar figure do they put on the many lives lost which could have been prevented?

Fortunately, a small town you have heard us mention before, Tylertown, MS, put up the volunteers left in the area who decided to stay rather than evacuate totally.  We spent several sleepless, worried nights, as did their friends and families, until we were able to resume communications, which are still poor at best.  The Reverend Hart and his community opened their arms to our people, feeding them and allowing them to sleep in the church at night.  During the day, they were out working again to see what they could do for anyone in need, driving to New Orleans and Covington, LA and then back to Tylertown at night.

The entire operation is now headquartered out of Mobile, AL being lead by the people with Operation SOS (Save Ourselves).  A local portion of a national group that our VFP National Office by way of Michael McPherson, ED, has arranged to take over the operations begun by Chapter 116 of VFP in Camp Covington. They have a warehouse for supplies, along with more volunteers, and houses throughout the city where some of the volunteers may stay while there.  Everyday, from what our people tell us, the volunteers load up at the warehouse and head out for coastal areas, New Orleans and other places in dire need still.  They tell us of the sour stench of death and the nauseating smell of waste and mold, almost too much to bear. In some areas clean up is in process, but the people there still must eat and be provided shelter. 

Besides Operation SOS, the Veterans For Peace, Chapter 116 fund has also been used to help set up and maintain a clinic being run by AIDSAIL, an international organization which travels anywhere in the world usually where AIDS is the demon instead of hurricanes. They provide doctors, nurses, medical care and supplies where needed.  The clinic is located in Algiers, one of the poorest areas of New Orleans along with Ward 9.  Our volunteers have been distributing day to day living supplies to these people who had no place to go before or during the hurricanes hundreds of them.

At the home front here we are as busy as ever, having loaded a 53 foot semi truck on Tuesday night with the help of about 15 wonderful volunteers, some of whom came from as far away as LA County to help us.  Quite an operation I must say, people doing jobs at every inch of the gas station, boxing, labeling, numbering, weighing and eventually when the truck came that evening, loading it with 8 tons of very needed supplies.  All of these supplies were contributed by people all over Orange and Los Angeles Counties, from school children with their collection drives, individuals dropping off supplies they just purchased or collected from their neighbors, to the truck load brought to the station by the wonderful guys from KPFK Radio donated by their listeners during our VFP radio appeals, and many others. 

The outpouring throughout So. California has been phenomenal.  But more is needed!  More supplies and more volunteers!

In speaking with Vivian, the woman handling the warehouse in Mobile for Operation SOS, she told me that they keep running out of supplies because of the huge need.  Remember, there are three states involved, and now, add East Texas to that need.  Our volunteers are going everywhere, door to door if necessary, to bring supplies to the people.  You cannot even imagine the people who haven't been reached in small communities that seem to be ignored.  Almost always the poorest of the poor who were not living at a human level before the hurricanes, now they are even worse off.  Something we, in our cozy homes in CA cannot begin to imagine.

We are hoping to have enough money on Monday to send another caravan, only volunteers on this trip. They are needed to replace people that must now return to their own lives after working in the areas for a week, some two weeks, some a month now.  If there is a small amount of supplies ready to go, we will probably send them; however it is more cost effective to send the supplies in a semi rather in vans or cars.  The urgency to get the people there is great and a full load not only slows them down, but puts a hurt on gas mileage.

One of the major problems of course, is money!  We do not receive any money from anyone other than another chapter in Oregon who has been helping as they could.  Aside from them, we have received only individual donations to do this work here, to send the people, rent the trucks and everything else that has been needed down to the packing tape for the boxes.  Without your immediate financial support, we will be unable to continue this most urgent relief effort.  And we feel this is too important to just give up, so please help with whatever you can.

Please spread the word, let's get the momentum back up and help our fellow Americans still suffering from these demons of nature.  We need donations, we need donated supplies!   Another list of supplies needed will be on the web site as soon as possible for anyone who can help.  There is also a link there for donations and instructions if you would like to donate directly to the fund.  Anything is appreciated. 

We have truly helped people and saved lives with our efforts through VFP Chapter 110's Camp Covington & Beyond Caravans of Hope!  Please join us and have your life changed by being a part of something bigger than everyday life.

Thank you and God Bless! 

9:12 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

blog blooper

There is something wrong with the last blog... I had pasted that once and then added my own note, and when I posted it , it posted twice, and with no note.....so here's the note:

As I have said before I will do all I can to make this space a place to voice my activism... I think VPF is a good organization and I belive that they are accomplishing a lot, so pleas help them as much as possible, even if that means only passing this on.

Also: please check out thier website:

http://www.veteransforpeace.org

Thanks for your care!

Cetandi

8:45 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

I QUIT!!!
Current mood: crazy

Well so far so good!

Quitnet.com says I have 3 days 2 hrs, 46 cigs not smoked $9.88 saved, and 8 hrs of my life....wow...I wonder how they figure how many hors of my life?

I've been coping by talking on the internet...becoming a real computer geek....

Also by writing....stories....got two written....need to edit them still.

I forgot how much I like to write.

Anyway i thought I was going to go crazy last night....lots of lightning!!!!!!

Loved it, but I was a little overwhelmed with the energy cause i'm  totally open right now...no defense against all the feelings...everything is raw, and many things are surreal, so between the crazy feelings of detox, and the storm, things were interesting.

Also I went to go get sage last night (full moon is a good time to pick at night)and the sage fields wer completely gone...couldn't see if they were gone as far back as the hills. but there was nothing where I was standing at the front gates, but a huge( and I mean golf course size) hole in the ground.

I couldn't stay long....it hurt too much, but I gotta go up there soon to the plateau and say some prayers...did that last night, then a cop came and hassled me...not too bad though...it coulda been much worse .

Why is it that we can't leave what is sacred alone?

Why is it that we have to re arrange it all over and over again till we have nothing left?

Gonna go check out the Spirit of the Sage Council, and see if there is anything thats being done.

See ya later.

10:40 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Tobacco
Current mood: determined

So yesterday was beautiful...and so was today.

Got to go rock climbing with my 18 year old and her Bo, and my son.

Didn't have too much of a problem except  oe took a tumble....took it like a little man though....I'm proud of him...later on,  we went to lodge...he sat with the men for the first time last night...sometimes I think he really wants to pray this way...but I'm afraid he's only doing it to seek my approval...but time will tell.

Really powerful things in there...lots....one thing though....I had to lay the cigs down, I was told I couldn't carry certain things if I couldn't get it together in this area.

They were strong in the message,and I listened.....I cannot go back...not even to detox...I will not today and haven't.

When I got in, the tobacco was choking me(never been that way), then I saw that I needed to put it down...then I heard I needed to put it down...so here I am not smoking today..one more minute now and I'll be past 27 hrs.

The commitment I made was brought up in there....How serious am I really? what am I willing to do or not do? How far am I willing to walk this Red Road, and how uncomfortable am I willing to be?

I don't know how difficult this is going to be (probabaly as difficult as I make It), but I know that this time It might as well be heroin i'm smoking, cause that's how serious I am about quitting...I Quit heroin.....today...I can quit smoking too.

I wish I could have known just exactly how powerful the addiction was before I started, but I probably wouldn't have listened anyway.

Thank you to the people who are helping me already....my sponsor, Mary....Don....S and C, and Oe for nagging me senseless.

Anyway life was good today too.....worked outside all am, then went swimming with Oe.

I'm pretty much beat right now, so I'll call it a night.

Big hugs,

Cetandi

11:45 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Pleas help these people!!!!!
Current mood: hopeful

Here's more info to help...pleas pass this page on to every one you know




http://www.vfproadtrips.org/..donation

3:09 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Gratitude
Current mood: grateful

Hi everybody!
Here's a cap on whats going on right now.
I am gratefully almost completely moved in in Lucerne Valley with My heart sister....YAY!
(finally)...She's been trying to get me to come up here for a while, but I got in that "I started something here and I'm going to finish it if I kills me" thinking....Thank god I let go of that cause it is truly beautiful here, and we have all sorts of plans for community building.
Hopefully someday soon I will be able to be with every one that I love, but right now everyone is spread out all over the place, and It's been that way for a while...It seems that I have to learn how to be a Friend, Mom, and Lover when all those in my life are not physically present(living with me).
I could really get down about this.....I could complain about my disease...Blame it all on my health, blame the government and my Ex for being the idiots they are and keeping me from my children...I could blame my honey for not pulling up and moving here, or moving me there ..I could blame myself for not being exactly who I wanted to be...a long time ago....so that none of this would have ever happened...I could divert my attention from the truth for a long time...and belive me I'm good at it!
But the facts remain.... the truth is ....that I am walking my path the way I'm supposed to.
I can only do what is right at the time I'm doing it....I can't control any of the people in my life...(certtainly not my children,a nd unfortunately not the government) and I have to learn to take the moments that I have with all the people in my life and make them as sacred as possible...right down to the last drop...and give my self fully to the will of Tunkasila, (Grandfather) Unci Maca, (Grandmother Earth), and let all the guilt, shame, and regret pass through me the toubled winds they are....disturbing, annoying, but passing, and certainly not my reality.
So..... what is to be done today?
Right now, to share this blog, then to get on about my day and do the work that is in front of me...and breathe, and love and, and create with the hope that I am walking in beauty.
I am grateful because I have this....and want to take this time and space to share with you that I found out the other day (through KPFK...Pacifica Radio) That Veterans forPeace is creating a ongoing caravan and asking those who can to Join them to help the victums of Hurricane Katrina, and also to let you know that when they got there for the first time a few days ago....they (veterans for peace) were the first people that had been seen in the area to help.....no AMERICAN RED CROSS....no HELP from OUR GOVERNMENT!!! NOTHING!!!
I wish I hadd good enough health to take a week off, and go out there, but if you can or know any one who can, please call 949 830 3604 Veterans for Peace(no one has had time or manpower to post a page for this I guess)or call KPFK... who is the meeting place to caravan to new orleans @818 985 2711 and PLEASE DO NOT GIVE YOUR MONEY TO THE RED CROSS!
Give it to Veterans for Peace....but better yet get together with them and give your time and labor!
I will update more with more info as soon as I get it.
Big hugs to all my relations, the ones I know and the ones I haven't met yet.
Cetandi

12:44 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment