It is now officially spring, but I think that someone forgot to tell the weather. We heralded the return of the sun on Saturday at the CUUPS open Ostara ritual, and now we are just waiting for spring to actually appear.
Actually, we did more than just show up at CUUPS and follow directions. Somehow we've managed to get ourselves onto the ritual planning team and are now thoroughly involved in the group.
Sweetie made eggs for the ritual. He made something close to 50 plaster eggs to be painted and blessed. He spent most of the last week casting and sanding and priming the eggs. They were really cool - and people seemed to enjoy painting them before the ritual. A lot of people didn't even notice that they weren't real eggs. I for one am happy that they are now out of our house. I was getting a little tired of the plaster dust all over the place and they were begining to invade every flat surface we had.
I spent the last 2 weeks working out ASL translations for 2 of the chants, and then got to sign them during the ritual. It was fun and challenging and nerve wracking all at the same time. Poetry is some of the hardest things to translate, and chants are basically short poems set to music repeated over and over and over again.
I was so nervous about it that I had to tell Sweetie not to let me back out. "From this point on, any complaints of being sick or other reasons that I can't go are to be considered lies." I told him at about noon. When it was over I was very glad that I had done it. Next time it will be easier. Eventually I won't have to tell Sweetie not to believe me.
This is just the begining. I will be translating more of the chants for the next ritual. And as my skills improve, I'll sign more and more of the rituals until eventually I'll be interpreting them whole. That's daunting to think about now. Even still the small steps that I'm making will help, and when it gets to that part I'll be ready. At least, that's what I prayed for and meditated about during the ritual.
So now it's spring, I've planted my pea and with it my plans to continue growing in ASL. Wish me luck.
Posted by Becca at March 22, 2004 12:16 PMWow! sounds like you two were a couple of busy Ostara Bunnies this year! Congrats of the sign interpretation gig, and coolness on the plaster eggs (ah, plaster dust).
Of course, now that you've beome involved in CUUPS there will be no escaping for you!
It is good to have someone there to make sure you go to stuff, no matter how badly you sudden;y suffer from cold feet. That's why two people who care for each other are stronger than one person alone.
Congrats to you both!
In Peace
Michael