Autism, Fundraising, Willy Wonka and Folk Music

Wired’s Autism Test

Wired has an Autism test on their website. I found it when a friend took it and posted the results on Facebook. I decided to give it a whirl and was surprised by the results and intrigued by the questions. While the quiz isn’t a medical opinion or diagnosis tool, it does offer interesting insight into the reality of people with Autism and Asperger’s. Take a few minutes to take the quiz. I think you’ll find it interesting. I did. My score was 29. What’s yours?

Circle Sanctuary’s Fundraising Drive

I recently got a letter from Circle Sanctuary that I really got a kick out of. The letter itself was like many fund-raising letters (which tickled my funny bone) but it really caught my attention and got me thinking. As a member of a tradition in Georgia and a student of a local coven, you might assume I’d not think of an organization in Wisconsin as something that affects me. Circle Sanctuary does affect me and is important to me. The Pagan green cemetery, the Lady Liberty League, CIRCLE Magazine, and, most importantly of all, Pagan Spirit Gathering are things I believe in, benefit from and want to support. If you’re a solitary then Circle Sanctuary is a great place to find community when you need it.

If you can, take a moment to pledge a small monthly contribution to Circle Sanctuary. As our recent article by Shauna Aura Precourt (who I met through Circle Sanctuary at Pagan Spirit Gathering) reminds us, we need to support what we value. Maybe what you value are the great events, programs and activism that come from Circle Sanctuary, maybe the great news coverage of The Wild Hunt or maybe a local organization that gives life to the Pagan community. If something feeds your spirit, consider giving it a little financial support. Even $5 a month can go a long way.

Willy Wonka and the Shamanic Journey

Willy Wonka is not a nice man. He takes a group of children, upends their sense of reality, takes them on a terrifyingly amazing journey where they are picked off one by one. In the end, he reveals this was just to test the honesty of a single boy. What a jerk!

When you listen to the things Wonka says, and look at the story from a mythic point of view, he becomes the guide of a shamanic journey. Imagine the children are a composite of a single child. Greed, gluttony, narcissism, obsession, and rudeness are all eliminated and only the good virtues survive the ordeal. It’s really quite a fantastical shamanic journey through “heaven and hell”. Try watching “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” with mythic eyes. It’s fun!

Looking for Leanansidhe and Monika McGee

Back in late ’99 I fell in love with a lot of great Pagan music on MP3.com. The site has gone to seed, but my love for Emerald Rose, Gaia Consort, Green Crown, Brobdinagian Bards, Wendy Rule and other Pagan artists never died. However, one really great artist from those days has up and disappeared and I’m hoping readers can shed a light on the mystery.

Monika McGee and Leanansidhe recorded an amazing song called “Wise Woman”, which won the songwriting competition in the Auckland Folk Festival for McGee in 1999. I love the song and think of it every Samhain. I tried to find the song or info on the artist and turned up nothing. Any Australia Pagans know the artist? What happened? Is there anywhere you can buy cds or legally download the music?

I found this file hosted online by a questionable site but is safe to listen to. I link to it here in hopes it might jog someones memory.

Wise Woman