Who We Are

Live The Dream

Is an education and support group for those who, originally inspired by the writings of Robert Heinlein, Robert Rimmer, and Marion Zimmer Bradley, are now ready to LIVE such alternative lifestyles as cooperative living, open relationships, and group marriage. Many of our concepts on multiply committed relationships come from Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Live the Dream also sponsors a Nest of Church of All Worlds, the real-life, over fifty-year-old spiritual movement inspired by Stranger in a Strange Land. Live the Dream was founded in 1987 by Terry Brussel and Brian Gitt, inspired by Family Synergy founded in 1971 by Hy Levy and Pat LaFollette.

Saturday, March 16th

Dragonriders of [Poly] Pern

 and 

Tribute to Mark Merlino, Founder of Furry Fandom

This event is on Zoom from 11 am to 1 pm and Live from 11 am to 4 pm

Discussion includes both Anne McCaffery’s original Pern series and the even more specifically poly writings of her son Todd and daughter Gigi McCaffery in that same universe. 

Anne McCaffery lived in Ireland for much of her life, and her children spent a great deal of time there as well. The feel of Ireland is very much a part of Pern,  most notably in its song and poetry.

Join with your Dragon in the Mating Flight! Feel passions deep and demanding. Rider’s mate, males chasing the Queen Rider as their Dragons chase the Queen. Who catches her will determine who is Weyr Leader in the Turns to come—who shall protect the people of Pern from the fall of Deadly Spores (called Thread) with Fire Breath.   We will discuss the unique lifestyle of a culture where land is Held by one sort of leader, others tend and ride the Dragons who protect that land, and all who live in it. Todd McCaffery’s stories particularly have actual triads, couples in open relationships, and other relationship configurations familiar to the Poly community. These involve love, intimacy and loyalty in times of danger as well as passionate sexuality. 

Last year, this event was led by Mark Merlino and Rodney O’Reilley, founders of Furry Fandom and of The Prancing Skiltare, a group house spanning decades. They were in an open committed relationship (which has often included long term lovers/housemates) for 35 years. This meeting will include some footage from that one and other times we caught Mark and Rodney on camera speaking about group living, Furry Fandom, and polyamory. Mark Merlino passed at 2 am 2-20-24 from complications of stroke and cancer. This is a Poly tribute to Mark, though his actual Memorial has been scheduled in Garden Grove on March 23rd , details still being worked out as of this writing.

  • Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
  • Saturday, February 17, 2024: 11 am – 4 pm
  • 1 pm | Potluck Lunch – Corned beef and cabbage provided by your host and hostess. Bring something healthy and delicious to share.
  • 2-3 pm | Our High Priestess Ealswythe will lead a Spring Equinox ritual, with flowers, joy, and gratitude for the beauty and abundant fertility of Mother nature. We remember today that  Life and Death are all part of Nature’s cycle.
  • 3-4 pm | Hot tubbing and/or listening to Pern-inspired music—tends to be pretty Celtic.  Schooling on Pern is done by Harpers from the Harper’s Hall where musically inclined lads and lassies are apprenticed as early teens to become storytellers, singers, composers and musicians. 
  • Live from 11 am to 4 pm, Zoom from 11 am to 1 pm
  • Live location: 8515 Penfield Ave, Winnetka CA 91306
  • Zoom meeting ID: 317 597 1626  Passcode: Heinlein



Saturday, April 20th

Alternative Dating Etiquette
11 am to 4 pm (available on Zoom 11-1, then LIVE only)


Monday, April 22nd

SPECIAL UPCOMING EVENT: PASSOVER SEDER Live only. 

 1st Night 6 PM MONDAY APRIL 22, 2024 LED BY ROB MILANDER

RSVP to 818-886-0069


How did the term “polyamory” come to be?

In a 2004 video interview Oberon is asked about the origin of the word and begins a reminisce that is quite revealing. The year was 1990. As he recalls it, Morning Glory was in the middle of a favorite and long-running rant about how people in the pagan community who were in non-monogamous relationships just could Not Follow The Rules about conducting multiple relationships successfully.

She happened to be voicing this complaint to her spouse of 16 years, Oberon, and Diane, their spouse of 8 years, who had heard it before, many times. Diane innocently suggested that since the rules were so important, maybe MG should write them up for everyone to see and they would publish them in an issue of the Green Egg, the premiere magazine at that time of the pagan and neo-pagan community. If she did that the rules would be read by thousands.

Morning Glory loved the idea and set right to work, pulling her two spouses into the project for inspiration. Sometime during the process, they came to the realization that there was no single term that everyone agreed on or used to describe what they do, and that the terms in use were awkward or bulky. Oberon, with his love of the Greek language, pointed out that the Greek prefix poly was already in use to describe other non-monogamous relationships. There was polygyny, polygamy, how bout poly- something? The problem was the Greek suffix fidelitus sounded more like a disease than a desirable life choice.

MG solved the problem in great fashion. In a separate interview in 2013 with cable program Destination America, she stated that she really liked the French term amor, and also the Latin amo, amos, amat, so she combined the Greek and Latin together to make polyamory. An enduring term and the primary identifier of a movement was born.

Here, then are The Rules, as delineated by Morning Glory Zell in the fall 1990 issue of the Green Egg.

Read More…