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Gltterature in pink glitter font

9/1/2020 0 Comments

This Tiger Earned Her Stripes Through Community Service

Sister Donatella Soul

Guardian of the Googly Eye, Fully Professed Member of The Asylum of the Tortured Heart, Pictionary player.

July 26th is a date to celebrate. It is not only the day to recognize her friend's birthday, but it is also the day Tiger's Pictionary was born. That evening in 2011 turned from a small event at #1 Fifth Avenue for the dear friend's birthday party to the bar staff asking if Tiger would return for a weekly event. That event turned into a weekly fundraiser that has been going for nearly a decade - Tiger's Pictionary!
Saint Tiger on the mic hosting the weekly Pictionary fundraiser at #1 Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest, San Diego.
Saint Tiger on the mic hosting Pictionary at #1 Fifth Avenue.
Tiger says of those first Pictionary events, "People began tipping me and I felt undeserving of this because I, too, was having so much fun. I collected my first one hundred dollars in tips and donated all of it to my favorite charity in San Diego, Special Delivery."
Special Delivery San Diego logo: yellow human figure holding bag of groceries.
Click on the image above to learn about Special Delivery and to access services.
Tiger continues, "I began my initial fundraising for Special Delivery San Diego. Later, I began to add other charities to meet a variety of community needs and to fulfill requests for fundraising directly from the community."
Saint Tiger showcasing the piles of toiletries gathered by the STAT program for distribution to San Diego's homeless population.
Saint Tiger showcasing the many toiletries gathered by the STAT program that were distributed to out of home individuals in San Diego.
In 2015, Tiger founded St. Tiger's Annual Toiletries Drive. 

"I created the STAT Drive in an effort to help the rapidly growing homeless and houseless population in San Diego. Through Tiger's Pictionary and social media, I collected toiletry item donations and monetary donations to buy toiletries in bulk. These items were bagged and distributed annually directly to the homeless."
Members of the community and The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence gather at #1 Fifth Avenue before distributing toiletries to the homeless population.
Members of the community and The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence gather to distribute STAT Drive toiletries to out of home individuals.
Members of the Hillcrest community and The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence joined Tiger to distribute the STAT Drive toiletries to out of home individuals on the streets. Says Tiger of the process, "It was an incredibly moving and humbling experience every year."
Over time, Tiger sharpened the focus of the Drive on homeless students who needed assistance. The project is called the SIN Drive, for Students In Need, and operates as a fundraiser. An annual donation is made through The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
Picture
Sister Ida Know (aka Sister Vanna Whiteface) with St. Tiger. Sister Ida assisted Tiger with Pictionary for many years.
The first few months of Pictionary experienced growing attendance and donations. Members of The San Diego Sisters were attending on a regular basis. Tiger reminisces, "It became a bit too much for me to handle on my own, so I asked the Sisters to officially become a part of it. The role of the Sisters was to collect donated gifts for our giveaways and to assist each week. In exchange, I would reserve the first Wednesday of every month as a Sister fundraiser."
Members of The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at Tiger's Pictionary.
Members of The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence with Saint Tiger during Tiger's Pictionary at #1 Fifth Avenue.
The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Asylum of the Tortured Heart, Sainted Tiger for her community service. The Sainting was conducted on the sidewalk in front of The Loft. Tiger describes the experience, "A Sister was visiting from San Francisco and she carried with her the ashes of the very first Sister of Perpetual Indulgence, mixed with the obligatory glitter of course. There was a brief meeting of the San Diego House, water was poured from a pitcher onto the ground for me to walk across, followed by a Blessing and Anointment with the first Sister's ashes. I was completely taken by surprise, but deeply moved and honored to become a part of the Sister family. Being Sainted strengthened my resolve to continue my work in the community."
Ms. San Diego Leather 2010
Saint Tiger during reign as Ms. San Diego Leather 2010.
The Sainting of Tiger as St. Tiger of the Holy Phuck, Patron Saint of Phelonious Phun honored her for her community support since 1989. Tiger also holds the titles of Ms. San Diego Leather 2010 and Mama's SD Tiger.
"San Diego, specifically Hillcrest, holds a huge space in my heart, and I continue to enjoy supporting our community. One of my favorite events is my annual Tiger's Comedy Drag Birthday Fundraiser. It is an absolute tsunami of fun and laughter and we raise thousands of dollars each year."
Saint Tiger gets a pie thrown in their face during a fundraiser.
Saint Tiger gets a pie in the face at a fundraising event.
"I try to keep the FUN in fundraising, the "cum" in community camaraderie, and I want each and every event I do for the community to include copious amounts of laughter and good cheer."

How has Covid-19 Affected Pictionary and Fundraising Efforts?

"Since Covid-19 risks shut down our venue [#1 Fifth Avenue], I moved Tiger's Pictionary online as a non-fundraising event, knowing that many people lost their income as a result. I didn't want them to feel guilty for not being able to donate."
"Because of the long-term relationship between Tiger's Pictionary and The San Diego Sisters, and because I love the Mission of the San Diego House and its ongoing support of the greater San Diego LGBTQ community, I offered The Sisters this continued opportunity to raise funds for their minimal overhead, and for their own charity recipients, even during the Covid-19 shutdown period. I want them to continue the great work they do in our community."
"We are now doing limited fundraising for The San Diego Sisters only; still on the first Wednesday of every month to keep with tradition."
"Tiger's Pictionary takes place the first Wednesday of every month from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Tiger's Facebook Page. Join the fun by clicking this link: Take Me To Tiger's Pictionary.
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4/13/2020 0 Comments

Not Free to Go Outside, but Free to READ!

Sister Rita Booke

Protector of the Iliterate, Fully Professed Member of The Asylum of the Tortured Heart, The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, student of Library and Information Science.

Sister Rita Booke reading Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum to children outside the Chula Vista Public Library during Drag Queen Story Time.
Sister Rita Booke reading "Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum" to children outside the Chula Vista Public Library during Drag Queen Story Time.
     Hear ye, hear ye! Verily, I say that you need not despair! Have you an internet connection or mobile data of some kind? If you do, then you have an entire universe of books, videos, music, and more available at your fingertips. Escape into a fantasy world, read that classic piece of literature you’ve been putting off, and laugh your ass off at some old Popeye cartoons. There is a valuable community resource that I would like to tell you about to help you pass the time while self-isolating. It's available to you now, wherever you are, and all you need is an internet connection.

Archive.org : Not Just for Books, But It’s Also for Books

Internet Archive logo
     The Internet Archive found at archive.org is a non-profit online archive and library that is free to use. There, you can find books, podcasts, music, videos, photos, movies, and more. This is a fantastic resource with materials ranging from the commonplace to the obscure. Many of the items are available with a single click. Other items, similar to physical items at a library, can be checked out after creating an account (5 minutes or less to create your account and verify your email address). Like a traditional lending library, the Internet Archive sometimes has waitlists for popular items, but do not fear! During this global pandemic the Internet Archive has created a National Emergency Library, eliminating all waitlists. Their millions of books are available to you right this very minute! If you need some suggestions to get you started, I have compiled recommendations for folx of all ages. If you’re not feeling like a book, you are still in luck! Check out the article 10 Ways To Explore the Internet Archive For Free to learn about some of the other rad ways you can use the Internet Archive. One of my personal favorites is the Wayback Machine, an archive of defunct Webpages (like those that make up the Website for Space Jam, the 1996 film). Take my recommendations or leave them, but I encourage you to explore the Internet Archive to your heart’s content.
Wayback Machine logo

​A Note on Problematic Materials

    Archive.org, though it is full of many contemporary materials, is also a historical archive. History is full of mostly white, male, cisgender, heteronormative, and capitalist perspectives. While browsing the collections on the Internet Archive, you may often encounter these types of views. In fact, these perspectives can be found in many libraries. I recommend that when you encounter these items, look at them for what they are: information resources. Information in and of itself is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. Individuals may use information (or misinformation) in malicious ways, but the information in and of itself is not inherently evil.

     These are stressful times and you have every right to pass on these offensive items. You may, however, feel empowered by studying these materials as a means of arming yourself against the oppressive and limited mindsets of some. As a liberated global citizen of the 21st century, I trust you to see these materials for what they are. Read them or pass on them, but do not let them interrupt the potential for JOY that resides within this fantastic community resource.
American Library Association logo
Click the American Library Association logo to view The Freedom to Read Statement.

Your Local Public Libraries

    Check out your public library’s Website! Many are currently offering temporary library cards so you can access their digital content right away. If you already have a library card and have not yet accessed them, now is the time to check out their digital offerings. See if they have a digital catalog of their special collections as you can find some fascinating items there. You may even be able to go see it in person (once it's safe to do so, of course).

     You can access The City of San Diego Public eLibrary here and their Digital Archive here.

Nun-required Reading,
Or, Suggestions for Exploring the Internet Archive on Your Own

For Adults, Or  Those Wise Beyond Their Years

FICTION

  •  Cat's Eye     Margaret Atwood
  •  Christ the Lord : Out Of Egypt     Anne Rice
  •  The Color Purple     Alice Walker
  •  Giovanni's Room     James Baldwin    
  •  The Goldfinch     Donna Tartt
  •  The Inheritance of Loss     Kiran Desai
  •  Jam On the Vine     LaShonda Katrice Barnett    
  •  White Teeth     Zadie Smith​

ACTION, FANTASY, and SCI-FI

  •  Black River     S.M. Hulse
  •  Brown Girl in the Ring     Nalo Hopkinson
  •  The Chimes     Anna Smaill
  •  The Dragon Waiting     John M. Ford
  •  The Hobbit     J.R.R. Tolkien
  •  Watchmen     Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Len Wein
  •  Who Fears Death      Nnedi Okorafor​

HORROR, MYSTERY, and THRILLER

  •  Amuse Bouche : A Russell Quant Mystery     Anthony Bidulka
  •  Cemetery Road     Gar Anthony Haywood
  •  Death By Surprise     Carolyn G. Hart
  •  Land of Shadows     Rachel Howzel Hall
  •  'Salem's Lot     Stephen King
  •  Summer of the Big Bachi     Naomi Hirahara​

BIOGRAPHY, HISTORY, and POLITICS

  •  Different Daughters : A History of the Daughters of Bilitis and the Rise of the Lesbian Rights Movement           Marcia M. Gallo
  •  Frida Kahlo     Hedda Garza
  •  Hatshepsut     Ryōko Yamagishi   
  •  Steps In Time     Fred Astaire
  •  The Trouble With Harry Hay     Stuart Timmons​

NON-FICTION

  • A Taste of the World : From One Community     ( Community Cookbook )     Find it here
  • The Power of Now     Eckhart Tolle
  • The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability     Miriam Kaufman, Cory Silverberg, and Fran Odette

CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS, and THOSE YOUNG AT HEART

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

  •  Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe     Benjamin Alire Sáenz
  •  The Boy in the Dress     David Walliams 
  •  The Giver     Lois Lowry
  •  Midnight at the Dragon Café      Judy Fong Bates
  •  Once Upon a Marigold     Jean Ferris
  •  The Vast Fields of Ordinary     Nick Burd

AMERICAN LITERATURE

  •  1984     George Orwell
  • Animal Farm     George Orwell
  • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer     Mark Twain
  • Their Eyes Were Watching God     Zora Neale Hurston
  • The Jungle     Upton Sinclair
  • A Tree Grows in Brooklyn     Betty Smith

ADVENTURE, FANTASY, and MYSTERY

  •  The 7th Knot     Kathleen Karr
  •  Beowulf     Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman
  •  Celtic Fairy Tales     Joseph Jacobs and John Dickson Batten
  •  English Fairytales     Joseph Jacobs and John Dickson Batten
  •  The Hobbit      J. R. R. Tolkien ( Prequel to The Lord of the Rings series )
  •  Peter and Wendy     J. M. Barrie
  •  Robin Hood     Paul Creswick and N. C. Wyeth
  •  The Swiss Family Robinson     Johann David Wyss
  •  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz     L. Frank Baum
  •  The World of King Arthur and His Court : People, Places, Legend, and Lore     Kevin Crossley-Holland and   Peter Malone 

NON-FICTION

  •  Friends in Feathers and Fur, and Other Neighbors : For Young Folks    James Johonnot
  •  It’s NOT the Stork! : A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends ( The Family Library )         Robie H. Harris
  •  Warriors Don’t Cry : A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High    Melba                 Pattillo Beals
  •  Zoology     Frederick Warne
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3/27/2020 0 Comments

In Response to Covid-19: Spiritual Approaches for Coping

By Sister Kali

Sister Kali is a Spirit-Worker, Feri Initiate, Witch, Root-Worker, Reader, Spiritual Counselor, Presenter, Writer, and Artist.

Sister Kali of the San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
Sister Kali of The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
In this challenging time of the outbreak of Covid-19, the disease caused by the Novel Corona Virus, folx are often seeking means and ways to protect themselves and to ease their concerns. Having worked in Public Health as a health educator, first and foremost, Wash Your Hands!
People have been asking me, not for public health advice, but, for magical and spiritual approaches. There are neither magic spells, candle workings, sigils, nor herbal remedies that will protect from Covid-19. This does not mean there are no places for such practices, for such magical and spiritual applications work wonders as support services. 

**Consult Your Doctor If You Have Symptoms of Covid-19**

During stressful times, magical and spiritual techniques work well in addressing mental, emotional, and spiritual complexities that may arise. Let's review some options that may be easily incorporated into your daily routine while sheltered in place.

MEDITATION

Meditation is one of the simplest things to do, yet yields maximum results. Meditation brings us, and most importantly our minds, into focus, into the moment right here and now.
​
  • Sit quietly in a comfortable position
  • Focus your attention on your breath
  • Breathe normally, inhaling and exhaling
  • Count your breath, starting at one and counting through 10
  • If  a thought enters your mind, simply start counting from 1 again
  • ​Ten is not a goal, merely a focusing technique

INCENSE

Incense is an ancient device used throughout the history of humanity for effecting and affecting  environments. Incense helps to cleanse and calm a space.

**Do Not Burn Incense if You are Experiencing Respiratory Issues**

There are two types of incense that I find helpful.

Lavender & Cedar

Lavender produces a lighter smoke and is great for providing balance and promoting a peaceful home through its enticing aroma. Lavender lightens a space and creates a calming atmosphere that facilitates restfulness and deeper sleep.

Cedar disperses stagnant and negative energies and attracts positive influences. Cedar smoke purifies and cleanses while emitting a pleasant scent. Cedar is believed to revive the spirit and to help with fatigue and listlessness.

ESSENTIAL OILS

If you are unable to burn incense, lavender and cedar essential oils may be used. Essential oils can be used with a diffuser; with a few drops on top of a candle; and with a cotton ball, allowing one to inhale the properties of the oils.

Lavender essential oils can lift the spirits, lighten depression, and ease anxiety. Lavender is known to have a calming and soothing effect on the brain.

CANDLES

Candles are a lovely way to de-stress ones self and ones space. Use any candle you prefer. Candles emit a  soothing light. A white or light blue candle may be used to promote a peaceful home. These colors offer a softer, cooling effect. 

Focus on the candle and meditate or pray for what you wish to manifest in your space. You might focus on creating a calm, peaceful, and loving home; a productive work space; or overall positive and healing energies for any space you inhabit.

READING

With social distancing and sheltering in place, now is a good time to read a book.
THE FEAR BOOK by Cheri Huber is a brilliant look at how we do fear. Huber presents principles of Zen Buddhism that help guide one away from a fear based perspective of life.
The Fear Book by Cheri Huber book cover.
For fiction reading, a personal favorite of mine is THE EARTHSEA TRIOLGY by Ursula K. Le Guin. The author tells a lovely story of coming into ones own fullness of self. 
The Earthsea Trilogy book cover.
 OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT by Malidoma Patrice Somé is a brilliant autobiographical tale of the early life of a present-day African Shaman living between two worlds - western culture and his original tribal culture.
Of Water and The Spirit book cover.
Guard Inya of The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indugence at the Sisters' fortieth anniversary Conclave white procession through the Castro in San Francisco.
Guard Inya at the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Fortieth Anniversary Conclave White Procession through the Castro in San Francisco.
Guard Inya recommends THE DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN series by Anne McCaffrey as excellent and engrossing fiction with subtle, uplifting messages of perseverance and rising above the doubts of others.
The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey book cover.
However you decide to spend your time in isolation or quarantine, remember to take some time each day to check in with yourself and unwind. 
0 Comments

7/11/2019 0 Comments

Grey

GREY

As part of Novice Sister Gwenn N Dowtte's Novice Project, we offer this blessing of the color GREY:

Are you feeling lonely and depressed? 
Are you being pressured to make decisions? 

Embrace the Grey with GreEriya, the first familycological on the market to help you feel calm relief in this chaotic world. 

GreEriya is like nothing you have been fed before. The missile-shaped capsules are easy to swallow and come in over 50 shades of grey including 

  • Steely-Blue
  • Tea-Green
  • Mauve
  • Dust Rose
  • And Greige!
A graynbow of colors to choose from within the unassuming cool grey bottle!  One a day is recommended to relieve confusion and allow space for reflection.

Start feeling secure and confident in your well-informed decisions made in your own time. Talk to yourself about GreEriya today!
0 Comments

7/10/2019 0 Comments

Brown

BROWN

As part of Novice Sister Gwenn N Dowtte's Novice Project, we offer this blessing of the color BROWN:

Does a bear shit in the woods?  Well I sure hope so! A brown bear drops its brown poop at the base of a brown tree.  This fertilizes the tree, so it can grow big and strong and sprout leaves and fruits, which the brown bear eats, which is then digested into… poop!  And the cycle continues. Brown is the basis for the cycle of life!

Bears and trees, the most natural signs of strength we know!  Though brown is also the color of deserts, dry brush, and ashes… it is the basis of life.  It is the start and end. It is the cycle. Hidden within the stoic brown trunk of a forest tree springs moisture and life!  Without the strength of a tree’s roots, there would be no leaves, no flowers, no other colors in the world! And so we honor the color Brown for providing us with life, with nourishment, with beauty.

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7/9/2019 0 Comments

Black

BLACK

As part of Novice Sister Gwenn N Dowtte's Novice Project, we offer this blessing of the color BLACK:

In the shadows, in the darkness, lurking behind in mystery.  Black represents all things spooky, and odd, and scary.  

Black is the color of darkness, of everything combined together yet nothing visible.  Black represents the end, the final destination, death.  

Every day we are alive is a blessing, but only because we know we will not live forever.  Life is precious because it can disappear into the darkness at any moment.  

Through the AIDS crisis in the 80’s… through Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in the 90’s… through the tragic death of Matthew Shepard in the early 2000’s… the queer community has a long history of death and darkness.  

We fight every day for our right to exist and feel safe from the darkness that others try to force upon us.  We fight for our very survival.

But in the darkest of times, we remind ourselves that as a community, we survived the AIDS crisis; We overcame Don’t Ask Don’t Tell; We rallied our strength after Matthew Shepard.  

And in the face of continued oppression, we stand together in the fight to preserve marriage equality; We stand together in opposition of the Transgender Military ban; We stand together to fight for the right to use the bathroom in public.  

Because we are strong, our community is strong, and we will not be kept down!

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7/8/2019 0 Comments

White

WHITE

As part of Novice Sister Gwenn N Dowtte's Novice Project, we offer this blessing of the color WHITE:

White
A blank, clean slate
Start over fresh 

It can be great

A lack of color

Yet the total sum

An empty vessel

Yet the basis of all

White face reflection

White veil starting new

A great brightness

Shines upon us all

White
A blank, clean slate
Start over fresh 

It can be great

0 Comments

7/7/2019 0 Comments

Pink

PINK

As part of Novice Sister Gwenn N Dowtte's Novice Project, we offer the following blessing of the color PINK:

We’re goofy
We’re silly

We blow bubbles in our gum!

We’re bright
We’re fun
We’re just so full of JOY!

Rejoice in pink, for pink is the color of fun, party, silliness, and joy!

Rejoice in pink, for pink pussy hats are a symbol of the resistance!

Rejoice in pink, for we’re all pink on the inside!

Through our rose colored glasses, we can see the best of the world around us.

We can see a world of freedom, of welcoming, of love!

We will never be anything but loud.  We will continue our pussy riot until our voices are heard!


Hit the town

Fool around

Let’s go party!



0 Comments

7/6/2019 0 Comments

Purple

PURPLE

As part of Novice Sister Gwenn N Dowtte's Novice Project, we offer this blessing of the color PURPLE:

Purple is a rich and vibrant color, with deep layers hidden within its folds.  It is the color of royalty, because it embodies depth and power.

Purple represents the bisexual and genderqueer concept of “both”.  Lighter shades of purple represent androgyny. These all represent the merging of blue and pink.  It is not surprising that purple is used in so many flags within our queer community, for it reminds us that we can all mix together and be beautiful!

Purple represents Spirit!  The spirit of the queer community runs through us all.  It lifts us up in times of struggle, and it cheers us on through celebrations.  There is a richness to purple, a depth, a power. The same can be said of our community!  We are diverse! We are the combination of so many different things! We are a beautiful tapestry of all the many who have found a home with us!

We honor the depth and richness of our community when we think of purple.



0 Comments

7/5/2019 0 Comments

Blue

BLUE

As part of Novice Sister Gwenn N Dowtte's Novice Project, we offer the following blessing of BLUE:

Blue is the color of emptiness, of blood being ready for oxygenation.
Blue is the color of calmness, of relaxation after a long day.
Blue is the color of coldness, of winter ice covering a pond.
Blue is the color of maleness, of masculinity.


Blue is the color of serenity, of the ocean on a calm afternoon.

Blue is the color of a reset, of the sky on a bright beautiful day.


Blue is the chance for a new start.



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The San Diego Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence ∙ The Asylum of the Tortured Heart
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