My Unsual History in Santa Cruz
Apr. 22nd, 2008 09:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
purplerabbitI lived for eight years in Santa Cruz, California, where I got my undergraduate degrees in Professional Writing and Anthropology at UCSC. While there I did a lot of unusal things that makes those eight years seem like a much longer and full time that most any other in my life. For example, just a few of the things I did while there:
I first walked into Elfland my first summer in Santa Cruz, but got my best real introduction from ocicat a couple years later. I spent a lot of my time in Santa Cruz in the redwoods above the campus. They were central to the reawakening of my spirituality and my healing from past traumas. As part of that, I helped literally shape the landscape that is the magical world of those woods. I return there frequently to write in a journal in those woods. These now jounals are shared with others in the woods and are full of many people's writings. They are part of something we created fifteen years ago, called Cat's Cradle. Last year, I was asked to come speak to a class on campus called "The Unnatural History of UCSC." I gave a walking tour, answered questions and shared some of my old photographs. That class grew into a book project that has now been published:
The Unnatural History of Santa Cruz
I have been asked to participate in another walking tour for UCSC Alumni this Saturday and the book party next Tuesday. It is exciting to see this book and I would like to encourage anyone who loves Santa Cruz to support the project. The book is fascinating. Even an old local like me has learned a lot from it.
One of the things that was a big part of our Elfland experience was rescuting the totem pole, moving it to another site and erecting it were it now stands in a sacred circle we dubbed, Caer Ellilon. Unfortunately, just this week, some idiots decided to climb the wheathered old redwood totem pole. They broke it and it fell. Some of the people were injured. This means that the totem pole is now in danger. We moved it to save it from the UCSC administration originally. This latest problem means that it might be destroyed. At the very least, it is damaged and down. We are working on a plan to save it. We may have to actually move it to a new site. The one it is at now has become too well known and much more visible than it was when we located it there fifteen years ago. Luckily, there is a younger generation of appreciate the pole who may be able to help us. If you are interested in assisting in any way - finanical, labor or ideas -- let me know.
- Was a reporter for The Sun, a weekley left paper.
- Was a clown, did singing telegrams and was an exotoic dancer (stripper).
- Taught writing at UCSC, both as a Writing Tutor but also my own class in "Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing and Publishing".
- Discovered about body image. Founded and ran a non-profit organization, The Body Image Task Force.
- Experienced the Loma Prieta earthquake and spent three days digging for a friend's body afterward.
- Co-authored and worked to pass the Santa Cruz Anti-Discrimination Ordinance which, among other feats, added "sexual orientation, gender, height, weight and physical appearance" to the categories against the law to discriinate based on in Santa Cruz City.
- Discovered Wicca/Paganism and became an active member of several Pagan orgainzations including the first UCSC campus Pagan group, "Circle of the Thirteen Moons" and our own coven "Coven Coile Sidhe."
- Met, fell in love with and married airshipjones.
- Came out as bisexual, helped organize the first bi contingent in the Pride Parade and was one of the founders/leaders of what became the Santa Cruz Women's Bisexual Netork. Helped edit a bi anthology on the UCSC campus.
- Was an active part of what was known as Elfland.
I first walked into Elfland my first summer in Santa Cruz, but got my best real introduction from ocicat a couple years later. I spent a lot of my time in Santa Cruz in the redwoods above the campus. They were central to the reawakening of my spirituality and my healing from past traumas. As part of that, I helped literally shape the landscape that is the magical world of those woods. I return there frequently to write in a journal in those woods. These now jounals are shared with others in the woods and are full of many people's writings. They are part of something we created fifteen years ago, called Cat's Cradle. Last year, I was asked to come speak to a class on campus called "The Unnatural History of UCSC." I gave a walking tour, answered questions and shared some of my old photographs. That class grew into a book project that has now been published:
The Unnatural History of Santa Cruz
I have been asked to participate in another walking tour for UCSC Alumni this Saturday and the book party next Tuesday. It is exciting to see this book and I would like to encourage anyone who loves Santa Cruz to support the project. The book is fascinating. Even an old local like me has learned a lot from it.
One of the things that was a big part of our Elfland experience was rescuting the totem pole, moving it to another site and erecting it were it now stands in a sacred circle we dubbed, Caer Ellilon. Unfortunately, just this week, some idiots decided to climb the wheathered old redwood totem pole. They broke it and it fell. Some of the people were injured. This means that the totem pole is now in danger. We moved it to save it from the UCSC administration originally. This latest problem means that it might be destroyed. At the very least, it is damaged and down. We are working on a plan to save it. We may have to actually move it to a new site. The one it is at now has become too well known and much more visible than it was when we located it there fifteen years ago. Luckily, there is a younger generation of appreciate the pole who may be able to help us. If you are interested in assisting in any way - finanical, labor or ideas -- let me know.
