I’m a writer, even though I don’t get paid for writing. That’s fine with me. However, the only way I keep my sanity is by learning about people who defy odds in the battle for freedom and human rights. My greatest concerns include those two necessities. Get rid of anything or anyone who stands against them and we will see both our souls and the earth begin to heal. Unfortunately, those in power will never go quietly. Much bloodshed and suffering is yet to come, I fear. Still, love, truth, and optimism are the greatest powers in the universe, and I take my stand with them.
There is so much we don’t know, things we can’t prove exist but somehow we sense are there (like love, truth, beauty, etc.) and which make life possible. Those are the things that sustain me, even in the most dreadful times. It is civilization by force that has forced us to forget who we are and of what we are capable. The time has come we have begun to remember. And if that’s not optimistic, I don’t know what is.
If you want a definition of sustainability, it is this: rolling back the advances of civilization by force. – The Decivilizing Effects of Government – Jeffrey A. Tucker
From the old About page:
What are luminaria?
Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light.–Spike Milligan
Luminaria are candles set in sand inside brown paper bags that line entrance-ways and walkways. When lit, they give off a beautiful caramel glow in the night as they offer a path. They remind me to listen to things that really matter–my heart, my intuition, my body, and the natural world, the greatest teacher of all.I sort of ripped the header photo, so let me know if it’s yours and I’ll give credit. Anyway. the fact that it was taken in a graveyard at night in the snow seems very metaphorical to me, in this world right now.
I live in Portland. I’m garrulous, dubious, genetically skeptical, and wayward. I adore trees, forests, animals, honesty, and acerbic wit.
My psyche is bruised with every instance of injustice, cruelty, dehumanization, objectification, imposition, gentrification, authority, domination, institutions, ignorance, fearmongering, lies, privatization, and secrecy. I also die a little more each day from the incessant roar of traffic, the loss of wildlands, and the careless and oblivious treatment of what’s left of the natural world.
I support any steps taken to enact a journalistic shield law that includes bloggers. Blogging should be protected by the First Amendment.
I also support anyone and anything that helps to bring down this cancerous system that demands rapacious growth and profit at all costs, and claims to own natural “resources” and human beings. I don’t belong to any group, party, or organization, and I don’t believe in anything except life, the power of connection, and intuition.
I’m one of those wanna-be fiction writers who suffers from occasional mind lock and uses that as an excuse not to do the hard work. I have something like twenty unfinished manuscripts languishing in drawers, shelves, folders, and boxes. I figure that if I don’t 
write or finish a project, I can’t fail. Not good. Not good. So I’m trying to teach myself how to “write what I know,” although that directive is maddeningly ambiguous. I went to Goodwill and bought a stack of spiral notebooks for $1.50 (good deal!) and am getting down memories of people and places and attempting to form them into stories. I’m not so sure keeping notebooks is helpful. I rarely return to them to dig out “treasures” of things I didn’t want to forget. Mostly these notebooks just sit around and collect dust while my ADHD goads me on to ever-newer (unfinished) projects. Good lord.
Anyway, thanks for your visit. I encourage you to leave a comment on your way through so I can visit you. 
Sincerely,
luminaria
nice little blog and your heart seems to be in the right place – you might want to add the state to ‘Portland.’ There are a lot of them and the two most prominent have 3,000-odd miles between them – my son, a deejay, lives in one or the other, I forget which
As for writing, ADD, or ADHD, seems to go with the territory. I too am a writer – also for nothing – also jake with me – I too have notes all over – your blog might be a way to gather your thoughts, though it is extremely short form, unless you do it the way I do. Anyway, keep the baby, Faith and try not to try too hard (J.T.)
Nigel Watson freethinker 727.493.1990 skype orbizen2
Blog: ORBizen Memo http://orbizenmemo.blogspot.com/
“There is no greater disaster than greed.” – Lao-tzu
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” – Krishnamurti
I’m your St Pete visitor
Nigel-Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment. I really appreciate it. And your blog looks interesting indeed.
I saw your forum post about blog scrapers and sploggers. Perhaps this how to post will be helpful http://onecoolsite.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/splog-off-dealing-with-content-theft/
Best wishes for happy blogging.
Glad to have you back!!
Good post. Now I know beyond any doubt…..blogging is special, unprecedented. Let the cream rise.
Okay, I did a little sleuthing and found out that “infamouskiller” has an email at none@ok.com, who’s from the hoax forum http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/. I thought I smelled fish in his comment, and now I’m holding my nose. Good try, killer.
Hello Luminaria,
Good for you ! He needed it !
Rich
This blog isn’t called “Luminari.” It’s called luminaria” in exactly the sense I describe. Your words reveal a lack of knowledge about the Hispanic cultures of Central and South America. These candles in paper bags have long been used during La Navidad, and many people along the West Coast of America have adopted this custom. My blog has nothing whatsoever to do with your implications. Don’t read something in where nothing’s there. And where did I ever “refer to darkness of light?” My metaphor has to do with lighting a candle where there is darkness. Nothing more, nothing less.
The Luminari are old and do not refer to candles to make such claims is funny.Perhaps you need to read about the Luminari more but I do like the name.Seeing so much about illumnati being evil are Luminari the good?
It is funny how you refer to darkness of light. As this is the soul core of Luminari text. Do you know about these things?
Your thoughts are delightfully compatible … I enjoy your views. Creativity makes us companions, you describe many of my own issues … thank you.