requiescat et pace (RIP) John Gavin - (1931-2018), played Julius Caeser in the 1960 movie Spartacus.

Of all the actors to play Caeser, I think John Gavin was the most handsome. Runner up would be Karl Urban who played Caeser in the Xena TV series.

The man himself, Julius Caeser is a fascinating man. So much more to him than Shakespeare wrote. I look forward to learning more about him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar

 I’ve always been fascinated with ancient cultures, civilizations, and mythologies. My main interest has been ancient Egypt and Greece. And I’ve always been meaning to study the Roman Empire. I’ve also always wanted to learn another language when I retired. I want to learn French, Greek, Latin, and Tolkien Elvish. I decided to start with Latin, because I already have a background in it, having been brought up in the Catholic Church when Latin was still used.

In my Latin studies, (which fell by the wayside in recent months due to my need to have cataract surgery), I also decided to study the history of the Roman Empire. I started reading the “Ceasar and Christ” volume in the book series “The Story of Civilization” by Will and Arient Durant. Then I’ll go on to Gibbon’s “The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.”

What’s Love Got to Do With It? -- It has EVERYTHING to do with it.

What’s Love Got to Do With It? -- It has EVERYTHING to do with it.

So as it happens, a anti-adoption person who writes for Huffington and who was pissed when my sister Gert McQueen commented on her articles and wrote a blog post on her old blog suffered some bad luck while on a trip to New Zealand. She took a ‘trip’ and broke her ankle - and I guess her other ankle was sprained. So she’s now stuck in a hospital in NZ and trying to line up rehab for when she returns home to the United States. -- I’ve never been one to feel happy over someone’s ill health, but I can recognize karma slapping someone in their face.

But that’s not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about Ms. M.R.’s saying she needs to ‘re-home’ her cat - because now that she will essentially be disabled, she can no longer care for him properly and it wouldn’t be fair to him.

What? She is throwing that cat out like garbage!!! How dare she? Does she not know the trauma she will be putting that cat through? He has to forget about the only home he’s ever known, the only human parent he’s only known, and has to go a new home, new human parents, perhaps have his name changed, have his identity stripped away from him?

Why is it all right to do that to a cat, but bitch when something similar happens to human babies? Now, now, don’t give me that “a cat is an animal, not a person.” How do you know? Cats have emotions too.

So let’s take a look at a human baby born to a young unwed mother. She had birth control, but it failed. She doesn’t have any family to rely on to help her with her baby. She has a job - minimum wage. How will she work and take care of a child at the same time? Maybe she also is handicapped - perhaps she has MS and is working as a cashier in a grocery store a few hours a day. She is in a wheelchair and finds it difficult to manuever around her house let alone run after a toddler.

Thinking down the road as she awaits the birth of her child, she thinks “perhaps I should give the child up for adoption, so he can have a better chance at life than I could give him.”

So if Ms. M.R. can see the need to give her cat to another home -- she should be able to see why sometimes adoption of human babies occurs.

So getting back to cats and emotions. In October 2016, a dear friend of mine had to move and her new landlord wouldn’t allow pets. I agreed to take her cat Mahmi. It was an unfortunate occurance and poor Mahmi! She was so scared when she came to my house. --  “Where is my human mom? Why am I here in this strange house? Who are these humans? I don’t know them. I want to go home.”

Mahmi hid behind the couch for a week. She did let me pet her - but I had to reach down behind the couch to do it. She only came out in the middle of the night to eat and use the litter box when John and I were in bed. I put out her toys, she wouldn’t play with them. I would try to get her to come out -- “come here sweetheart, no one’s going to hurt you.”

A week after she came to my house - I went to house and dog sit for my cousin who went to Florida for vacation. Meanwhile, my husband John made sure Mahmi had food and water. He told me the cat wouldn’t come out. My cousin only lives just over a mile from me, so I came home and Mahmi heard my voice and started to come out from behind the couch - but then she saw John and hid again.

When my cousin returned from Florida and I came home, and Mahmi heard my voice, she poked her head out - “Come here sweetie,” I said. She still wouldn’t come out. It took me another week to get her out. I kept calling her ‘sweetie,’ and I accidentaly changed her name - she would never come to me when I called her Mahmi - but would come when I called her Sweetie. (her identity was changed).

Another month goes by and now Sweetie is running around, playing, sitting on my lap when I’m lounging on my couch. I discover she loves yogurt. I always have some yogurt when I’m watching Young and the Restless and we develop a routine. She sits on the arm of the couch near me while I’m having my yogurt. When I’m done, I give her a little bit on the spoon. She licks the spoon clean, then licks the container clean. Then she settles down on my lap.She purrs. She likes when I pick her up and snuggle her. I smack my lips with kisses for her. Then I notice she’s putting her face in my ear and making little smacking noises!!!!

I’ve been a human parent for furbabies continuously from 1979 to 2013. In 1979 I had a kitty named Gigi, then in 1982 I got another cat from my friend John (he who is now my husband). Gigi went to kitty heaven in 1983, but Francois was with me until 1992. John had 3 cats - Renaissance, Morris and PeeWee - Morris and PeeWee were daughters of mama Renaissance. Francois was Morris’ son. In 1987 John and I moved in together (we got married in 2002). So Francois was re-united with his mom, sister, and grandma. lol.

Morris had a litter of kittens one week after we moved. Try setting up a new house with 4 cats, and new kittens underfoot! It wasn’t easy. Then PeeWee had a litter. We found homes for them. A year later -- more kittens. We kept one of Morris’ - a beautiful black kitty we named Samantha. A year later - Samantha was pregnant and we kept one of her kittens, Muffy. I started squirreling money away. By this time, Rennaisance had gone to kitty heaven (1988). As soon as we had enough money, we got Samantha spayed, then we got PeeWee and Muffy spayed. We didn’t bother with Morris, because she was getting old and in early 1990, she too went to kitty heaven, followed by Francois in early 1992, leaving us with Samantha, PeeWee, and Muffy.

In 1993, John brought home a beautiful dog - a three year old Siberian Husky named Brandy. The cats hated her. lol. PeeWee the Bitch walked up to the dog and POW! slapped her right in the snout! oh dear. Well, that 65 pound Husky/Malamute acquiesed to the 9 pound Alpha dog, er, cat.

For a surprise birthday present in August 1996, John brought me two kittens - a guy he worked for had a cat who had kittens and was looking for homes for them. There was a boy and a girl, whom I named Isis and Pippin. Unfortunately Isis was sick and at 6 months old, had to be put down. PeeWee followed her shortly afterward.

Pippin and Samantha didn’t really get along - Samantha still didn’t like the dog, but Pippin loved her. Brandy went to puppy heaven in 2002 and Samantha went to kitty heaven in 2004.

We had Pippin for another 9 years, when at the age of 17, he too had to be put down. I was so heartbroken. In 2013, for the first time since 1979, I had no fur-babies! I didn’t want any more. But a year later, I found myself thinking about getting a couple of new kitties. But I never seriously went ahead with it. Then Mahmi/Sweetie came into my life.

And I fell in love with her. And she with me. But then just one year later, Mahmi/Sweetie became ill. I called my friend, Mahmi/Sweetie’s mom, and together we took her to be put down.

Love is love. Why can’t people see that? John and I loved ALL our fur-babies and I’m sure Ms. M.R. loves her cat and I’m sure he loves her. But she, stuck in a hospital in New Zealand, and thinking practically, made the painful decision that she must re-home her cat.

And that happens to humans as well. And for all those adoptees out there dissing infertile women -- how heartless they are. I happen to be an infertile woman. It took me years of trying with my first husband to get pregnant, only to lose my son through miscarriage in June 1985. To me, and many other pet parents, those fur-babies ARE our children. It’s called LOVE. And yep - if 30 years ago, if I had the option and ability to adopt a human child after I lost my son - I would have and I don’t give a damn what any anti-adoption person thinks about that.

Sweetie/Mahmi -- Auntie Ruth loved you very much.

Eyes Update by Ruth Sippel Pace (LadyMoondancer)

Got my new bi-focal glasses yesterday. they look very nice. Because the prescription is so different I didn't wear them out of the store. I put them on as I got up this morning. - a little tip an optician told me years ago - when you're having problems adjusting to new glasses, put them on when you first wake up.

A new minor problem came up when I had my exam for the glasses a couple of weeks ago - I am slightly seeing double - the right eye sees things slightly lower than the left eye. Due to a muscle imbalance. The doctor said it probably started some time ago and I never noticed it due to the cataracts.

So my new glasses are 'prism' lens - which corrects that. I've never had prism glasses, and that's probably why I'm going to need time to adjust. But at least now I can read without the hassle of putting on readers, taking them off -- it was maddening trying to pay bills last week - I can read the computer screen just fine - when I was on my bank's website, then I go to enter things in my checkbook register - I can't read. So on go the glasses. Need to enter the amount on the computer - off go the glasses. On, off, on, off, on, off. I have had enough of that shit!

And having to function outside with no Transition sunglass lenses??? Yesterday was a nightmare. This vampire had a lot of problems in yesterday's bright sunshine. I drove with the dark dark sunglasses/visor the doctor's office that did my surgery gave me. But those remind me of the visor that Spock wore in the episode "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" -- very large and cumbersome. So when I parked, off they came, and regular sunglasses go on. Get in the store - off go the sunglasses. Another case of on,off, on, off - plus the added step of interchanging sunglasses.

Still, with all these aggravations - I am so happy with the outcome. I am amazed at the medical technology that not only took care of the cataracts, but gave me such improved eyesight.

I send my thanks to my doctors and everyone involved in my care these past 3 months.

Ruth Sippel Pace's new blog regarding the libelous book Forbidden Family by Joan Mary Wheeler now known as Doris Michol Sippel, and related topics.

Welcome to the new blog regarding the libelous book Forbidden Family by Joan Mary Wheeler now known as Doris Michol Sippel, and related topics.

I've had my original blog since December 2009, one month after Joan/Doris published her book. I got a notice the other day from Wordpress that my blog was suspended because it "contains content written for gaming search engines" -- I have no idea what that means -- I do play that stuff online, but my blog is not about that. Gert's blogs also were suspended for that same reason. I suspect some glitch in their algorithm programs. And because our blogs are linked, they all got suspended. -- Our blogs are not about fooling around, they are about restorative justice.

We are very mystified and upset with WordPress - that their mistake has messed up our blogs. We notified WordPress, but to no avail. Well, it is what it is.

So I have to rebuild - but that's not necessarily a bad thing, because we know from experience that Joan/Doris will not stop attacking and belittling us, her birth sisters, everywhere she goes on the internet. It's her favorite past-time. Because she has no life. We, on the other hand, have lives, and as much as we are disappointed with WordPress - this has given us a chance to examine things.

Our main objective to our blogs - to refute the lies in the book has been done. We covered every page, every lie - and many lies were refuted using actual police and court document, letters written by Joan (some in her own handwriting) that are a direct contradiction (lie) of what she said in the book and on the internet.

A second objective was also achieved: using that documented evidence, we proved to her first publisher, Trafford Publications, that Joan/Doris lied in her book, in violation of the contract that she signed with them -- that 'everything' in the book was factual and true. And that by putting in a footnote that led her readers to an article she wrote in 1990 that contained my real name, she did not protect my identity -- she led her readers right to me - affixing a real name and identity to those lies. In May of 2011, Trafford pulled her book from publication.

Because of our activities online, we have also been able to counter and refute her lies about us online. Yes, she still has a bunch of 'supporters' who believe every word she says -- but in examining them, we have found them to be as damaged as she is. And others reading our blogs have discovered how damaged she is - I have through the years, had several adult adoptees, and former friends of Joan/Doris contact me through my blog and even on facebook to give me support and tell stories of how they too were maligned by her.

And since we know that Joan/Doris will not cease in her hatred of her birthsisters - because she resents us deeply - in the fact that our father relinquished her to adoption, but not us - we need a venue such as a blog - to continue refuting her lies. Because if she has the 'freedom of speech' to lie about us - we have the freedom to tell the truth about us.

For about 3 years now, I have actually done very little blogging. With our main objectives reached, there hasn't been that much reason for me to spend that much time on it. And since I've retired two years ago, my life has taken new directions.

We are in the start of a new year - the time of new beginnings. The time to end one chapter and start a new one. "The word January comes from the Roman name for this month; it was named after the god Janus, who had two faces. This diety ruled over beginnings and endings, the past and the future. Since January is reckoned as the first month of a new year, this connection with the god Janus is appropriate. It is an excellent time to work on putting aside the old and outdated in one's personal life and making plans for new and better conditions." -- from "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway - 1997 Llewellyn Publications.

As most of us make New Years resolutions, so had I. I had started studying Latin several months ago, but got sidetracked when my eyes started having trouble and in October had my first cataract surgery. In December, I had my second surgery. Around the New Year I got reading glasses and started back reading. I'm still a bit near-sighted in my left eye, and am now waiting for new bifocals.

I had thought about what my New Years resolutions for 2018 would be and decided that I wanted to get back to my Latin. There are also three areas of my pagan spirituality that I've been reading about in the past years, and doing it rather haphazardly. These areas being: the pagan holidays and changing seasons, (how our ancestors observed them, how they are observed in modern times); the moon and its lore, how our ancestors developed lunar lore, (there is a treasure trove of moon folklore from all ancient cultures). And lastly Tarot cards.

Last week, I went through my personal library and pulled out my books on these subjects and mapped out a loose "study plan" - certain days of the week would be set aside for studying a certain area. Monday (moon-day) obviously will be for reading about the moon. Saturdays and Sundays for seasons and Sabbats (neo-pagan term for holy day). And then there is Tarot Tuesday, with Latin being studied on Fridays. I figure by the end of the year, I will have read and studied all 18 books that I have on my moon and seasons/sabbats, and made a dent in the 10 books I have on Tarot. As for Latin, I hope to have mastered conjugating verbs.

Yes, I am planning on growing - learning new things and totally revamping my front garden this year. Partly because the gas company ripped part of my garden up when they put in a new gas line and partly because I always wanted to have no lawn - just a garden.

So yes, as D.J. Conway says in her book "Moon Magick," " (it is) .... time to work on putting aside the old and outdated in one's personal life and making plans for new and better conditions."

Dealing with people you dislike

This was my response to a topic on a forum I belong to - Earth Based Spirituality

It certainly is a challenge to deal with rude and abusive persons, be they customers (in my case, patients), or co-workers. Or even a rude neighbor. I have always followed the "3 strikes" rule. If somebody crabs at me the first time, I give them the benefit of the doubt. We are all human, and we have all gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. If it happens a second time, I still don't say anything, but I do watch them. If it happens a third time, and if it is appropriate, I will speak up (positve assertiveness) and ask if there is something I have done to make them speak to me so rudely. 9 times out of 10, the person backs off, and we continue peacefully. But there will always be that last person who is an a-hole. And depending on the circumstances, I deal with them as little as possible. I don't respond to their negativity, I ask them to stop, and then I just walk away. I may say hello to them as our shift begins, but I don't really interact with them.I follow that line from Desiderata: "Avoid loud and aggresive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit."

If the person is a co-worker and steps over the line, I may choose to pursue a hostile work environment complaint with my manager and/or human resources.I may choose not to let their negativity affect me, but I won't tolerate continued rudeness, especially after I asked them to stop.Rude neighbors are a difficult bunch. In the inner city, where I live, asking them to stop a certain behavior (loud noise, trespassing, etc) can lead to them going out their way to step it up, just to annoy you. There are a lot of a-holes out there.

Star Trek colognes

Star Trek Scents
submitted by First Officer Ruth Pace
From The Buffalo News, Sunday, March 29, 2009, by Susan Martin
Star Trek Scents
The world of fragrance is about to boldly go where few have ventured before: the Trekosphere, reports the Chicago Tribune. Maryland-based Genki Wear will release three Star Trek-themed scents April 24—two for men, one for women (about $30 retail). It’s all tied into the May 8 release of J. J. Abrams’ new Star Trek film, chronicling the beginnings of Capt. James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise. The scents: • “Tiberius” is based on Kirk’s character and carries the tag line “Boldly go.” It is described as “warm vanilla, white musk and sandalwood” base. • “Red Shirt”—with its leather and gray musk aroma—has the tag line, “Because tomorrow may never come.” • And for women, there’s the “Pon Farr” perfume, which refers to the Vulcan mating ritual…and that’s all we’re going to say about that.
First Officer’s Pace’s comments: I read the above article to Crewman John Pace. He is not interested in the scents, as he is not a cologne man. He just dabs a little “Old Spice” on. On rare occasions he will use “Aramis”. I think “Tiberius” will suit him. And I’m not about to buy something called “Red Shirt.” That’s just asking for trouble. I’m looking forward to the “Pon-Farr” scent for me. Mr. Spock, watch out!
It’s interesting that the illustration on the “Tiberius” bottle is the sword through Earth emblem of the Mirror Universe Federation. Boldly go, mmmm? The bottle for “Red Shirt” has a delta shield on it, with what looks like an engineering and ship’s services emblem.
Speaking of Mr. Spock, the article in the Buffalo News was accompanied by a small picture of Leonard Nimoy as Spock from Star Trek The Motion Picture with the caption Dr. Spock. Come on people! It’s been more than 40 years and you still can’t get it right? It’s MISTER Spock, not DOCTOR Spock. Geez! And you call yourselves journalists?

Older People Deserve Respect Too Ya Know!

Okay, I won’t name names, I’m not going to say who wrote it – but I read somebody’s blog and I am appalled.
This young woman who works at a Donut place wrote a rotten piece about “old people.” She says she can’t stand it when old people come into the donut shop. “They can’t count, they take a long time.”
You know this pisses me off Big Fuckin’ Time.
Who are you to judge other people, especially people who have been on this Earth longer than you and know a lot more than you.
So an older person takes a long time? How much time?
I don’t know the blog writer’s work hours, but let’s say she is in the shop for 4 hours. So the older person takes 30 – 60 seconds longer to count out their change or their arthritic fingers prevent them from grasping the little coins. Is the cashier going to get out of the store any faster? She still gonna be there for the duration of her work hours!
So an older person can’t count – neither can a little child – you gonna condemn them too?
How long does it take to help someone? MMMM? 10 – 20 seconds? Oh that is SUCH A BURDEN!! You know helping someone JUST might make you feel better in your heart.
Oh gee- what if a 30 year old person with MS comes in and their disability prevents them getting their change out fast enough for you – you gonna condemn them too with your shallow standards?
Remember Missy, one day YOU too will be old. I hope people will be more kind to you than you are to your older customers.
Why don’t’ you stop looking at your customers as old burdens and look at them as “people.” Why don’t you try looking at them and wondering what they were like when they were your age. I’ll bet they really brought the house down swing dancing to the Big Bands.
Several months ago, one my patients died at the age of 73. I found out that she used to be a Burlesque Dancer, billed as “Miss Tassel.” (wow!) Burlesque Dancers had much more class than today’s “pole dancers,” they didn’t shove their crotch or butt in your face.
Anyway, I saw some of her pictures - - What a gorgeous woman. Absolutely stunning! Oh, how I wish I had seen her back in her day and watched her dance!
But she was an “old” woman when I met her – and because of her age, not that she asked for this to happen to her – she peed her bed. Well, I’m here to say, I am proud to have cleaned up after her!
So what if your older customers take a little extra time in placing their orders and getting their change out – like I said before – you ain’t gonna get out the door any faster. And even if they are encroaching on your quittin’ time – What’s Your Damn Hurry?
“Cos you know what Missy? Time is gonna fly right out from under your ass – 50 years will go by fast and you will find yourself on the receiving end of such insensitivity and you will have earned it baby.
Remember Karma baby - IT’S A BITCH!