Happy New Year 2023

 I hope 2023 is a better year for us all!  

November 2022

 So it is the beginning of November. Our family has had a very different year.  My husband was diagnosed with tonsil and lump nod  cancer back in April - yes we have heard it all and it was not April Fools!

We spent 7 weeks down in Iowa at the Hope Lodge while he went through extensive treatment.  The good news is that he is cancer free at this point.  He is so fortunate to have had a curable cancer. 

I went on a cruise for 10 days from Canada to Alaska with my sisters. It was a great trip.  We had a wonderful time.  We saw a glacier up close, raptors and bears.  

Hope

 After a year, I finally have some hope. 

  Tomorrow my husband and I have appointments for our first Covid-19 vaccine. Both my daughter-in-laws  and two of my sons have had Covid. (one of them twice!) So this has been quite a year for us as I am sure for you also. I learned to shop on-line at my local grocery stores and restaurants. 

At this time our grandsons with their parents have moved to Texas and we miss them so much. They are actually living close to where my life started!  I think one of the reasons they left was for warmer weather, but we just heard their weather is about the same as ours and they even had snow!! I don't think as much as we have had.  Our temperatures this week are ranging from -4 F to -20 F without the wind chill.

I've started doing taxes again for AARP and enjoy the times when I can make it so that our clients get their overpayment or their stimulus checks. 

I am sorry I missed you all during Chalica this year but I just couldn't share the negativity that surrounded me at that time. I've done a lot of thinking about Chalica and I still think we should have this special celebration but I am being to think that maybe December is just too busy and we are getting lost.  I would love to hear from others how they feel about this. Some people have suggested that we celebrate one Principle a month. Others have suggested celebrating it in January.  

Well stay warm. 

Blessed be, 

Kathy

Lonely?

Feeling lonely and isolated or just frustrated with staying home? Or just tired? I am. We have our two usually adorable grandsons staying with us. They are only 18 months apart. They are having too much togetherness and thus this leads to conflicts that are wearing me out. --- So I basically lost it a few minutes ago... where has this raging person come from?? but miracle of all they are now working together quietly!!! ah the power of music we have been listening to We Are The World, Branden & James,  Justin Hines and Meg Barnhouse

One thinks he's a fox and has been just talking in fox language... sometimes I can translate but today my world translator from Star Trek is not working.  The other one just seems angry.  They have dealt with a lot.  Their sister died in the womb just a week before this whole quarantine happened here in Iowa.  Their parents are fortunate to have jobs at this time, and only live 25 miles away but at this time that can seem like a million miles. Their uncle Jeff lives in New York City - where the reports of what is happening make it sound like a war zone. Their uncle Wes & his wife Bethany live in Des Moines where they had to close their just opened restaurant.
My sisters - Karen (& her husband & one son), Sandy and Vicki (& her daughter & granddaughter) live in Southern California.  Vicki's son & his family and Sandy's daughter & family live in or near San Fransisco.  Karen's other son lives in Mass.
We are blessed to have our family but at the same time it is hard to be so far away from our loved ones.
My heart goes out to my former scouter and now friend Ryan. His father lost the fight against cancer and they cannot have a serve for friends to attend.  Hopefully they will have a celebration of life in the future.

As I am venting - here's one thing that has been bothering me... people blaming the Chinese for the virus. Just because it started there doesn't mean that we should blame the chinese people for the spread of the disease.  That was done by people who didn't know they were infected. You are exposed today, but you don't come down with the disease for 14 days. You continue your regular life and spread the disease to 10 others, who then spread the disease to 10 people, and now the 100 people spread the disease to 10 others each... and the next things we hear 1 million people are KNOWN to have the disease.  KNOWN is important because not everyone is getting tested that have the symptoms. So the numbers could be much higher... after all if you are not diagnosed with it, did you have it??

For updates on Iowa

For updates on the World

stay healthy, wash your hands and be kind to all.

Love,

Blessed be  Kathy

U.S.A. For Africa - We Are the World (Official Video)

What to do with your children

Hello this chilly Monday.  I am just curious as to what age/grade level children we have in the neighborhood right now?  Our grandchildren are with us during this time.  They are J 7 years old 1st grade and T 8.5 years old and 2nd grade. 

Just a note Raz Kids is offering free subscriptions at this time - many of the schools also use this. Teach Me is offering their apps for $1.99 each or 6 of them for $7.99.  (i have to admit I'm not that familiar with this program yet, but James is going to teach about it as he uses it in his class)

We are also using Epic, BookFlix (this one has to be set up by a teacher so Leigh is trying to set it up as UNI was one of the possibilities)

Also available are these google sites with information:

List of sites for parents to use while school is closed

Art at Home

Having done homeschooling in the past (in the USA and Malaysia) it good to start about 1 hour per grade level a day works for formal education, but then you can have "projects or center activities" available for your children. Remember that a lot of what you can offer children can be multi-subjects.

For example J loves foxes, so we will be researching about foxes and then he'll be writing a report about it. Also if anyone is up to having your children connect with others (other children and or adults)  I would be glad to set up a zoom room.  Good luck! 

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

I know we all are in shock and worried and anxious about family and friends.
What can we do to help?

• Keep informed - look at a variety of information, but pay more attention to site like the CDC, the World Health Organization and medical personnel than our elected representatives.  
• Wash your hands - my dad, who was a doctor, use to say that the healthiest people were nurses and housewives because they always had their hands in soapy water. 
• Keep in touch with your friends - call, txt or email
• What do you say to those that are in high risk areas and or that have contracted the virus? I love you and are thinking and praying for you.
• What do we do with our kids? My grandchildren are staying with us and thus many of my teacher family & friends (past and present) have been sending me links. Plus the boys and I had already been searching on Youtube for things to do. I am putting a list together and hopefully will arrange it by age or grade level soon. Things to Do in one place.
• Here's a link to Why the Coronavirus is such a big deal.

What's happening in my family

Like you all I am worried about my Family and friends.
I have family in California - one who is at home with the symptons - she has been told to stay at home until she has a temperature of 105 F or she can't breath.  What can we do? Think and pray for her...

6th Day of Chalica Saturday 12/7/19

We light our chalice for the goal of world peace, liberty and justice for all.

Will we ever have a fair and peaceful world? Maybe we can just work on having a fair and peaceful and safe place around each of us. That hopefully one day will grow to include more spaces.  One comment that I have heard is that how will we know what is fair if we don't have unfair situations. and how will we know what is peace if we don't have conflict? What are your thoughts? Can the lion lie down with the lamb? 

I like to think that my Women of Faith group is helping to make us more aware and accepting of people of other faiths.  

Definitely traveling and meeting people from around the globe helps.  This year we have opened our house to young people from across the nation and the world who are here in Iowa working on campaigns for the different candidates. Some have come just for a night or two and others for months.  It has been interesting to meet them all. Our latest, Stormy will be leaving us shortly to go back to Washington, D.C. for Christmas and his wedding. He has been a great addition to our household.  And the grandkids have stopped yelling stranger, stranger when he walks in the door. I know they will miss him when he leaves. 

So this a picture that I took in Halifax, NS this fall. It is by the water and I just loved the different colors. 

What are you doing to help make the world a fair and peaceful place? 

Blessed be, 

Kathy

5th Day of Chalica Friday 12/6/19

We light our chalice for the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.

What does your congregations do that supports the democratic process? 

Right now in the USA our democratic process in the society at large is all about preparing for caucus in Iowa and primaries in other states. What is a caucus? It is a time where each party in each precinct gets together in person to talk about the candidates and the issues and then votes on them.  We started with about 24 candidates in the democratic caucus this time and I think we are now down to 14. Our caucus will be held on Feb. 3, 2020 this time and we will be again the first in the nation to vote. For more information about our caucus check out the Wikipedia page.  This year will be the first time the democrats have proposed a satellite caucusing plan. There were a few of these in 2016 as test sites.  

There has been a lot of news out there about what else is going on politically in the USA, but it is so depressing I think I'll end with this.

Take care.

Blessed be,

Kathy

4th Day of Chalica Thursday 12/5/19

We light our chalice for a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

Would you be willing to go to jail for your beliefs like Nelson Mandela? He was in prison from 1962-1992 on a charge of treason. He was against the white heads of state that started apartheid and he fought against the government to end it.  Four years after his release he was elected the first black President of South Africa.

Have you ever marched or protested for the truth as you saw it? When I was a kid I worked with my dad on Robert Kennedy's campaign - it was interesting to meet all the "big shots" in the Democratic party in Southern California. 

Where were you when Martin Luther King was shot? 

Or when the towers fell in New York City? 

What does the 4th principle, a free and responsible search for truth and meaning, mean to you?

Happy Chalica,
Blessed be,
Kathy

3rd Day of Chalica Wednesday 12/4/19

We light our chalice for acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.

One afternoon after my cruise, my grandsons and I had been to our local YMCA to swim and as we came out of the building we saw this beautiful sunset. One of the interesting parts of my class at the YMCA is that a few of the other members are also members of my local UU congregation. 

I have also been lucky that I have found a group, Women of Faith, outside of my congregation (but again many members of my congregation are also members of this group) that has been aiding in my spiritual growth these last few years. We meet once a month for good food (potluck no meat) fellowship and a program.  The reason that our food is meat free is that we have members of the Muslim and Jewish faiths that need special treatment during the slaughtering of the meat. But we can have fish so long as the fish had scales. Interesting things you learn about when meeting people of different faiths.  That we aren't so different after all.
Happy Chalica!
Blessed be,
Kathy
below is an article I wrote for my congregation about our September Program. I call it Pilgrimages in Faith

Pilgrimage was the theme of the Sept. 17th program at the Women of Faith meeting. After enjoying a delicious potluck dinner of dishes made without meat we were treated to talks about pilgrimages by women of two different faiths that were eerily similar.  The first talk was: Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca by Salma Akbar. Salma told us about her fears of not surviving, getting her will up-to-date, about how the women dressed modestly and the men dressed all in white. About walking 7 times counter clockwise around the  Kaaba. How “once there all labels disappeared” people were people not doctors or lawyers or rich or poor. About how when she was close to the Kaaba, she stumbled or was pushed and reached out and touched the door of the Kaaba and was filled with light, hope and godliness.  It was a transforming experience for her.

Our next speaker was Elizabeth Popplewell, the rector at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Elizabeth talk was We Make the Way by Walking, the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage. She told us of the bones of St. James being found in a box by the sea and moved 500 miles to where they are buried. She told us of her accident and how when it happened there was a doctor there to help her and when she need her stitches out there were two nurses at the lunch table to help. About sleeping in refugios (hostels for the pilgrims), eating in outside cafes, meeting people,

She told us of how the first 10 days were a time of healing for her body, the 2^nd 10 days for her brain and the last 10 days were for her soul. She walked 15-18 miles a day. She told us about see the iron cross at the end and taking a rock to lay at the base and how disappointed she was that at that point she didn’t feel anything, but then as she walked away she felt a lighting, a healing and a reconnecting to God. A transforming experience for her.

Both these women came away with these ideals that Elizabeth summed up for us: surrender to the pilgrimage, I can do hard things, everyone must experience their own pilgrimage, embrace the unknown, be present to where you are, but look behind you to see where you have been, enjoy that climb and maybe see a fabulous sunrise, cherish the people you meet, keep going and come home.

Not all our dinner meeting have speakers some are just a chance to meet women of other faiths and to find a common ground between us.

I invited you to join us at the next Women of Faith Dinner/meeting or find one near you or start one in your area. 

2nd Day of Chalica Tuesday, 12/3/19

We light our chalice for justice, equity and compassion in human relations. 

While on the cruise we were treated to the wonderful songs of Branden James and James Clark. They are such accomplished young men. Vicki and I saw two of their performances and talked with them a little after the 2nd show. During the 1st show James had said we could take and post pictures so long as we credited them correctly https://brandenjames.com/photos/, which of course I forgot how to do, so I had to research them and wow... they are very impressive guys. 

Braden was on America's got talent in 2013. And he was a season 8 finalist. [See video above]

And if you can't tell he did study Opera, but sings other genres. Oh and he also plays the piano. 

James is a cellist and plays piano. He has a masters in cello performance from Cal State Long Beach. 

They met, became best friends, fell in love and last year they got married. 

https://brandenjames.com/our-wedding/

So I did find out a lot of this information in my research, but then late one of  the last nights of the cruise Vicki & James picked out tables next to each other for our after the show snack and tea. And I just had to tell them how impressed I was with their talent, drive and journey. Thus started an hour long conversation with them, finding that we had many things in common, Vic & I like Branden had grown up in Southern California. James and I had both suffered the lost of a young family member. Branden has a sister like Vic that is a special education teacher - which came out when I signed 'shit' to Vic and he picked it up. We have told many of our friends to check out their videos and tour schedules and urge you all to do the same. On their blog is their tour schedule and as you will see they perform all over the world and I urge you to see them in concert if you can. I am hoping that next year they will be doing a Mid-West Tour!! If not I might have to visit family in Southern California when they are performing there. 

Well, for my friends in Australia and China, sorry this is a bit late being posted. but I wanted to make sure this was correct and give them the credit that is due them.

Blessed be,

Kathy

And I'll leave you with another favorite: Somewhere only we know

1st Day of Chalica Monday 12/2/19

d



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We celebrate our First Principle; The inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Click on the Days tab above for ways to celebrate this special UU holiday.  Or watch Jeff's video's. 

Right now I'm thinking about how and why I started this Chalica blog 9 years ago. When I first found out about Unitarian Universalism I realized that it was a way of life (not just a religion) that spoke to me. It was more that principles that the people. I wish I could say we all follow our principles but in reality who does follow all the rules? I would like to think that I try.  This principle was especially on my mind this year as I traveled on a cruise ship and in Canada.  My sister/friend, Vicki and I decided to travel together on a 14 day cruise.  I hope she had as good of time as I did.  

We both agreed that everyone - staff and other passengers were so friendly and welcoming. 

I had an interesting or rather unique experience one evening. There was a magician, Naathan Phan, performing on the large stage and as many of you know I'm a huge fan of magic; [My husband is a magician and we are members of the Magic Castle in Hollywood.] so I made sure we had front row center seats. At one point Naathan asked for a volunteer and out of the 800 people in the audience, I was the only one who raised their hand.  Well I got on stage and Naathan went into his routine next the captain's voice came over the speakers, and went on and on; so there we are in front of everyone with nothing to do. Naathan was such a good sport. As soon as the captain was done Naathan started back up.  It was fun to have complete strangers come up to me during the week to comment on the show. It was a unique experience for the behind the scenes kinda person that I usually am.

There we meet so many interesting people and had such wonderful adventures.

Happy Chalica!

Blessed be,

Kathy

7th day of Chalica

Light your chalice today for respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
I am again listening and watching to Peter Mayer's "Blue Boat Home" as a YouTube Video. 
Today I will end my celebration of Chalica with evan austin's first Chalica song - "The Chalica Song" some people put the song down because it uses Adam Sandler's original tune but the words are evan's and it makes me remember that there are others out there that were Unitarians and/or Universalists. 

As usual we share this day of caring for our earth with The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting.

I have my ritual for Chalica and when it is 7pm I light my candle "for one hour to honor the memories of the sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandchildren who left too soon." For our family especially this is our nephew, Tyler Joel Rudy, our dear friend Robert, and Chris' twin (a son of our hearts) Steven Carpenter and for the families that have been left behind. We have to remember that we were lucky that these children have been in our lives even for such a short time. 

Some people have asked "what will happen to Chalica if there is an 8th principle?" If this happens I would like to hope we would start on the Sunday of December as day 1 with the following Sunday as day 8. But as I always say its in the future and lets live in today.

Blessed be,

Kathy

Peace to the world, we hold it in our hands!

6th day of Chalica

It has been a long and busy week!  I would like to say I now know all there is to know about the 2018 tax laws, but sadly I don't.  The good news is that I have a number of tax books to refer to when I have a question.  The good news is that the standard deductions have gone up a lot this year. And there are no longer exemptions and for most it will take away the need for itemizing for Federal Income taxes, unfortunately here in Iowa those that have itemized in the past may still want to collect their receipts for their State taxes.  

As I write this I am listening to Dan Flores 2010 "Infinite Light" - after all these years this still is a WOW to me! In my line up is 

Peter Mayer's "Blue Boat Home", "One More Circle" and "Holy Now", and "My Soul", the Unitarian Universalist Hymn "May Notheing Evil Cross This Door" and will finish with the 2010 "Light A Chalice" by evan austin

I have had a hard time getting into the holiday spirit this year. I don't know if it's because there is just so much going on around me in the world, or just in my country.  I have wondered for years how things slide backwards in this world - equality, acceptance, tolerance and love.  But I just look around in my own country and state and hear words that come out of some people's mouths.  

I think what would have happened to my ancestor if they had to go through what immigrants have to go through today.  When as a world have we become so fearful that a peaceful world is not our goal.

Please light your chalice today for the goal of world peace, liberty and just for all.

Blessed be,

Kathy
P.S. If you are wondering why I listen to many of Peter Mayer's songs go to his website, in his Biography look at his picture and see his necklace, I have the same one.  

Day 3 of Chalica

We are free to learn together is a very good title for my last three days! I have been going again to training sessions on the new tax laws and the tax program Tax Slayer. I will again be a volunteer for AARP this upcoming tax season. I really enjoyed the experience i had with it last year.  Here in the Cedar Valley we have a number sites where the volunteers do taxes for people for free. Since it is with AARP our goal is to give free tax preparation to those over 65, but as I found last year we also have younger clients. There is no better feeling than the one of giving of yourself to help others.  

What are you doing today to promote learning? 

Happy Chalica

Blessed be,

Kathy

Monday, Dec. 3, 2018

Happy Chalica 2018!

If you are celebrating Chalica this year, please go to our Chalica! facebook page, or comment below and tell us about your experiences. Welcome back to returning visitors and welcome to our new United States visitors from Mountain View, Sherman, Germantown, Port Saint Lucie, Tallahassee, Boise, Baton Rouge, Perryman, Mount Prospect, Houston, Albany, Garberville, Ashland, Levittown, Fredericksburg, Anchorage, Omaha, Dallas, Cary, Tampa, Amarillo, Ventura, Portland, Cotati, Dover, San Ramon, and Pfafftown. Welcome also to our visitors from Canada (Cranbrook, Calgary, Vancouver & Toronto) and Orenburg, Russia!
I’m going to start something new this year. I’m going to put up my daily post a day in advance so that those on the other side of the world can see them.
Tomorrow is the first day of Chalica. So….
Happy Chalica!
Here’s what I posted 8 years ago when I first started this blog so that there was a place where everyone could find information about Chalica. .

“Well it is finally here, day 1 of Chalica 2010. What have you planned? Will you tell people Happy Chalica? Or will you be like my husband Leigh, he likes to say, "Cheerful Chalica!" Will you remember to listen to everyone today? Will you value the people around you? Are you going to try to forgive anyone? Have you noticed that a lot of holidays do have a day for forgiveness? If you can't think of what to do click on Monday of Just Do It! and follow it.”

I am a member of the Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalist here in the Midwest. Our Social Action Committee is having a Mitten, Scarf and Hat Tree. They are asking our congregation to please bring new or clean, gently used hats, mittens, and scarves for the “mitten tree”.
The drive will start December 2nd and at the end the donated items will be distributed to local people in need of warm clothing this winter. So for the 1st day of Chalica I will be collecting mittens for the tree. What will you do?
Please let me know how you are celebrating Chalica or just that you are celebrating it this year. You can post in comments below or email me at klinkzeitz@hotmail.com

Happy Chalica! 2018!!!

Kathy

To Be or Not To Be

Every once in a while at this time of the year when someone brings up Chalica there tends to be conversations about the name. I really feel like it's time to stop. You either like it or you don't! I didn't put this website together to change minds. I put this website together because Chalica called to me and I have found others that feel the same. If you want something else, work on it, do the research, do the grassroots. Put together the info and put it out there!

One of the best answers I've found is a comment made on February 13, 2013 at 11:04 am by evan austin

2. I hear and understand that others DO have a variety of issues with the name, and
3. I am at a loss as to how a broad name-change campaign would even work…to the point of saying it wouldn’t.

“If I am understanding correctly, the Chalica! movement came from the grassroots . . . it’s difficult to imagine a cohesive change-of-name campaign working in the same way.”

Indeed! I REALLY love this article and the attending comments…anything that gets insightful, respectful conversations going is a winner in my book. I have done and continue to do a lot to support Chalica both locally (southern California) and internationally, including having written and performed a couple of silly songs (and one serious one) about the holiday. I find myself with a three-fold quandary:

1. I don’t have a specific problem with the name “chalica”,

People are already using alternative names, dates, and rituals/elements to mark this unofficial holiday, so maybe the “official” name of it is the least of our worries, or even a non-issue. Maybe the purpose of Chalica is less to be a single thing, and more to simply say “You’re free to choose and make your own meaningful thing.”

How many days?

There are 4 days left until Thanksgiving.

There are 15 days until Chalica.

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Special shot out to our most recent viewers: Mountain View, Menlo Park, Sun Prairie, Fremont, China and Ireland!

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