Decade in Review
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2000 : This was a big year for me, I began dating Rich (officially) in March and then later in the month began working at Owens Corning. I also officially joined the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron.
2001 : This year, probably forever, will be defined for me by the terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and D.C. And while I am not the type of that believes that it was the world changing event it often claimed to be and I do not want to discredit the attacks that many other countries have faced over the years. It truly was life changing for me.
2002 : My first niece was born in July and at the same time Rich and I truly began to feel like family.
2003 : Was a pretty quiet year for me.
2004 : In this year my Sister-In-Law died. She had chosen to go through with a 2nd heart-transplant and after some complications contracted some serious infections. She never awoke from the surgery and the decision was made to take her off of life support after several weeks. My Mother-In-Law once told me her only regret was not letting her go sooner because she felt that the body being kept alive for some time had no longer been "Rosie".
2005 : This was the year of that an attempt was made to organize at Owens Corning. As these things sometimes go, it got pretty ugly. Looking back now I know that this was the beginning of the end for my time there. No matter how far I went or how good of a job I would do there were some who would never trust me and would hold this time against me. I honestly believe everything I did was right and necessary at the time and I would do it again.
2006 : We bought our home in October and niece #2 was born in December. Right before her birth my Sister and Brother-In-Law invited Rich and I over and asked us to become the God-Parents of both girls which is an amount of trust and love that still floors me and a role both Rich and I were honored to take.
2007 : Looking back this was a pretty ugly year for me. My mentor, and minister, at the UU Church had made her decision to leave the church and due to some, what I consider, out dated and asinine carry over from Christian ministry she chose to cut nearly all her ties to those of us back here in her old church. A new interim minister was chosen who was one of the most difficult people I have ever worked with. There was a lot of ugliness from some congregants towards those of us who had close ties to my mentor. It was ugly. On the other side of the story I joined ADF in September specifically to pursue the Dedicant Path.
2008 : The biggest thing that stands out with me during this year is the creation of Silver Falls Grove (Protogrove at the time of course) and my coming to terms that ADF was my religious home. In July I was separated from Owens Corning. My dedicant path was approved right after Samhain.
2009 : Despite not having any success in finding work and I not being sure how much longer I will be able to scrape by on the dole this has been a pretty great year for me in many ways. My expanding role in ADF has brought me a lot of fulfillment and Silver Falls received our provisional charter. We have also began a Queer Men's Circle, and we have a name now -- The Brotherhood of the Dark Moon, which has already in the short time we have been together become really important to me. Not for the least of reasons is that Rich has decided to take part in these rituals so far, something he has never done in the past.
So there are some of my "Decade in Review" highlights (and low-lights I suppose). The 'aught years brought a great deal of change to my life, most of it good and fulfilling change, and I look forward to the teen years of the new century to really feel and experience a deepening in my personal and religious life.
May Be It Be So
2000 : This was a big year for me, I began dating Rich (officially) in March and then later in the month began working at Owens Corning. I also officially joined the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron.
2001 : This year, probably forever, will be defined for me by the terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and D.C. And while I am not the type of that believes that it was the world changing event it often claimed to be and I do not want to discredit the attacks that many other countries have faced over the years. It truly was life changing for me.
2002 : My first niece was born in July and at the same time Rich and I truly began to feel like family.
2003 : Was a pretty quiet year for me.
2004 : In this year my Sister-In-Law died. She had chosen to go through with a 2nd heart-transplant and after some complications contracted some serious infections. She never awoke from the surgery and the decision was made to take her off of life support after several weeks. My Mother-In-Law once told me her only regret was not letting her go sooner because she felt that the body being kept alive for some time had no longer been "Rosie".
2005 : This was the year of that an attempt was made to organize at Owens Corning. As these things sometimes go, it got pretty ugly. Looking back now I know that this was the beginning of the end for my time there. No matter how far I went or how good of a job I would do there were some who would never trust me and would hold this time against me. I honestly believe everything I did was right and necessary at the time and I would do it again.
2006 : We bought our home in October and niece #2 was born in December. Right before her birth my Sister and Brother-In-Law invited Rich and I over and asked us to become the God-Parents of both girls which is an amount of trust and love that still floors me and a role both Rich and I were honored to take.
2007 : Looking back this was a pretty ugly year for me. My mentor, and minister, at the UU Church had made her decision to leave the church and due to some, what I consider, out dated and asinine carry over from Christian ministry she chose to cut nearly all her ties to those of us back here in her old church. A new interim minister was chosen who was one of the most difficult people I have ever worked with. There was a lot of ugliness from some congregants towards those of us who had close ties to my mentor. It was ugly. On the other side of the story I joined ADF in September specifically to pursue the Dedicant Path.
2008 : The biggest thing that stands out with me during this year is the creation of Silver Falls Grove (Protogrove at the time of course) and my coming to terms that ADF was my religious home. In July I was separated from Owens Corning. My dedicant path was approved right after Samhain.
2009 : Despite not having any success in finding work and I not being sure how much longer I will be able to scrape by on the dole this has been a pretty great year for me in many ways. My expanding role in ADF has brought me a lot of fulfillment and Silver Falls received our provisional charter. We have also began a Queer Men's Circle, and we have a name now -- The Brotherhood of the Dark Moon, which has already in the short time we have been together become really important to me. Not for the least of reasons is that Rich has decided to take part in these rituals so far, something he has never done in the past.
So there are some of my "Decade in Review" highlights (and low-lights I suppose). The 'aught years brought a great deal of change to my life, most of it good and fulfilling change, and I look forward to the teen years of the new century to really feel and experience a deepening in my personal and religious life.
May Be It Be So