August Re-Cap

August Re-cap:
Books Completed:
8/30: Animal Wisdom by Susie Green
8/13: When I Knew by Robert Trachtenberg
8/13: Wacky Chicks: Life Lessons From Fearlessly Inappropriate and Fabulously Eccentric Women by Simon Doonan
Books Received:
8/1: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change by Joseph F Healey
8/10: Animal Wisdom by Susie Green
8/10: Animal Messages by Susie Green
8/13: The Best of Friends by R. J. Stevens
8/13: When I Knew by Robert Trachtenberg
8/15: What the L? by Kate Clinton
8/30: Jesus and the Lost Goddess:The Secret Teachings of the early Christians by Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy
8/30: The Jesus Mysteries:Was the "Original Jesus" a Pagan God? by Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy
8/30: The Laughing Jesus: Religious Lies and Gnostic Wisdom by Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy
Books Awaiting: [We have a feeling the following books will never come.]
Best Lesbian Love Stories 2005
Box Lunch: The Layperson's Guide to Cunnilingus by Diana Cage
Dyke Drama: Your Guide to Getting Out Alive by Leslie Lange

The Laughing Jesus

The Laughing Jesus: Religious Lies and Gnostic Wisdom
by Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy
This book discusses the connection and destructive nature of any and all fundamentalist faiths. I started to read it but it's a bit dry, a book to read during the day when your awake and alert, not just before bed. I'll have to put it off until I have more free time [whenever that will be!]
Received: August 30, 2005

The Jesus Mysteries: Was the "Original Jesus" a Pagan God?
by Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy
I think the title says it all. This book is their first and discusses the possibility that the gospel of Jesus Christ was just rewritten pagan myths. Sounds interesting...
Received: August 30, 2005

Jesus and the Lost Goddess: The Secret Teachings of the Original Christians
by Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy
This book looks really interesting. It talks about the original teachings of the Christians and lost secrets of Christian mysticism.
Received: August 30, 2005

Race, Ethnicity, Gender, & Class

Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change
by Joseph F Healey
I just started my new classes one of which is on diversity; this is the textbook from the class. I hate to say it, but I'm already disappointed. The short discussion on gender had articles from "scientists" who believe that gender roles are biological and completely omit evidence of pre-Christian societies where women held positions of power that in Christian society were deemed only appropriate for men. They also hardly even mention the GLBT community as a minority, which seems ridiculous with how much this issue is in the forefront of politics and business. The short mention only includes gays and lesbians with out a mention of bisexuals or transgender persons at all. I've read the first chapter and if this is a good representation of the rest of the book it was a huge waste of money.
**Update**
Well I am realizing this book is good for what it is, not what the class description claimed it would be. This book is mainly about race & ethnic relations as minorities and that's it. The class claimed to be about minorities in regards to race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability and class. So my wrath should be directed at the school for it's misleading class description. I still stand on my reasons above they are just now directed at the curriculum instead of this book in particular. Following is the course description from my degree handbook.

"ETH/123 Cultural Diversity: This course is designed to educate students about issues of diversity, including, but not limited to, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and class, and to provide the tools necessary to promote a more respectful and inclusive society."

Animal Wisdom *Completed*

Animal Wisdom
by Susie Green
This along with [Animal Messages] was the featured selection from [OneSpirit]. I really like how they sounded so I accepted. I'm trying to get enough points to get a free book and then I plan to close the account. Cindi has an account with them we're going to leave open.
**Update**
I started reading a little bit of this today between doing laundry and homework. It has talked quite a bit about Shamanism and their connection to the "Upper World" and spiritual direction from animals. I am not surprised I was drawn to it; I've always been interested in learning more about attaining spiritual connections to animals. This book describes magical attributes of each animal and what they have to teach us.
**Update**
This book has some really good meditations to find your animal guide and learn how to communicate with it. The women we circle with have all decided we'd like to try them in the near future. I thought that would be a good place to try it. I've finished the introduction and am reading the portion with the different animals and their descriptions, each one has so many amazing qualities that I probably wouldn't have thought of on my own. I can't wait to have a dream or a connection with an animal so I can use this portion of the book.
**Update** I finished the book portion of this and am now going through the portion that lists the animals and their "messages" and strengths. I really like it and look forward to doing the trance with my circle to find my animal guide(s).
Received: August 10, 2005
Completed: August 30, 2005
Rated: **** [4/5]

When I Knew *Completed*

When I Knew
by Robert Trachtenberg
Cindi had two more books to buy from [InSightOut]. Since she's joined this one book a month club we figured we might as well close this account since most of the books we wanted we can get through [Zooba]. We decided to order this book and one other one.
**Update**
This book was really cute! Very well illustrated with pictures and drawings. It contained short little stories about when they, their parents, and the world knew they were gay. Most were funny but a few were sad. We just received it today and I've already finished it; a very quick read.
Received: August 13, 2005
Completed: August 13, 2005
Rated: ***** [5/5]

Wacky Chicks *Completed*

Wacky Chicks: Life Lessons from Fearlessly Inappropriate Fabulously Eccentric Women
by Simon Doonan
Another wonderful birthday gift from Cindi. A book about wacky chicks including Amy Sedaris, Brigid Berlin, Susanne Bartsch and many more. I hate to admit but the cover art always really attracts me to a book and I love the cover art on this one! I'll update when I've read it, it's on my to read pile.
**Update**
I started reading this a few days ago though with all my school work, ritual planning meetings and classes I haven't made too much progress. What I have read I really like; though he bags on traditional feminists too much for my liking. Can't you like Wacky Chicks who are fashionable and wear tons of makeup but also appreciate feminists who choose not to shave, wear makeup or become a slave to fashion [aka society (& men's) idea of what women should look like]?
**Update**
I'm enjoying this book but am a bit disappointed; most of the women he has talked about so far are very fashionable [superficial], something I cannot relate to at all. I'm just hoping there are wacky chicks I can identify with.
**Update**
I finally finished this book today. It ended up being better than I thought. Once he got to Amy Sedaris I really enjoyed it. He included some Hippy-Wacky Chicks and Wacky Chickletts as he called them; Women I could identify with. I would have preferred the entire book be dedicated to these types of Wacky Chicks, but I'll take what I can get.
Received: June 26, 2005
Completed: August 13, 2005
Rated: *** 1/2 [3.5/5]

Animal Messages
by Susie Green
The second item of the featured selection from [OneSpirit]. It has a little book and and cards for each animal.
Received: August 10, 2005