Loyal readers, let me apologize for being absent for so long. Some really ugly goings on in my personal life have been keeping me fairly distracted, and because of this I have not really been inspired to keep this weblog up to date. This is a shame, I think, because a lot of great things have been happening for me in Freemasonry, and I'm going to try to remember all of them now.

First, I did finally receive the Scottish Rite degrees and am now a Master of the Royal Secret, 32°. It was an incredible experience and I had the pleasure of receiving degrees from both the Medford and Roseburg Valleys. Shortly thereafter, I was elected to and installed into an office in the Council of Kadosh. Unfortunately, I am so new to everything that I can't remember which office I hold.

I am also now the High Priest of Siskiyou Chapter No. 21, Royal Arch Masons. This has been an interesting challenge, as the chapter is really struggling. It's also the office that I feel strangest talking about, because it's difficult to explain why Freemasonry is not a religion, but I can still hold an office called "High Priest." To those of you reading this who are not Masons, the simple answer is that a Royal Arch Chapter is governed by three officers symbolizing the authority figures in charge of Jerusalem during the building of the Second Temple. The High Priest is the principal officer, corresponding to the Worshipful Master of the Blue Lodge, and he is assisted by the King and Scribe, corresponding to the Senior and Junior Wardens respectively.

Finally, I am now Senior Warden of Ashland Lodge No. 23. Last night our Master was out and I sat in the East for the first time. It was nerve-wracking. I have still not figured out why that one particular chair feels as if it's about ten degrees warmer than the rest of the room!