September

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night,
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Ba de ya - say that you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love,
Remember how we knew love was here to stay

Now December found the love that we shared in September.
Only blue talk and love,
Remember the true love we share today

Ba de ya - say that you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - golden dreams were shiny days

Some bells were ringing
Our souls were singing
Do you remember,never a cloudy day?

Ba de ya - say that you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - golden dreams were shiny days

Earth, Wind & Fire

It's been a busy year, and for some reason the months keep getting busier and busier. That's good, right? Yeah, it's good.

Life is short. Leave nothing undone.

You people out there, you are special to me...Thank you! You know who you are. I have much to be grateful for.

The Great Pennsic War

I'm back!
amazing war

I've gone to a good number of Pennsics. They each have their moments, to be sure, and I learn more each year, about melee combat, or something or other I am not expecting, at times.

There have been special Pennsics:

the year of the Spartans: a year of brotherhood, of having more than a year of training pay off in spades, battle after battle...a year of pride and accomplishment, spartan poetry, the god of mead, the long march back from the woods that existed in stunned glory, in praise unlooked for, in the tears of a great man humbled by the adoration of strangers, who gifted a moment in time to recognize a leader and his weary warriors.

the year of Paterno: what did I do to deserve a brother like this? Well, whatever the reason, thank the heavens for it. To stand side by side with my brother on the field of honor, there is nothing better.

the year of Narah/not Narah: Well, OK, there was a lot more than just Narah, but she is a fine example of the magic that exists in the world... Joie de vivre! There exists a unique joy in watching someone who has mastered their art and through their hard work, sweat and tears elevate it to the sublime. tatheg and I learned that there are only two kinds of belly dancers. Sorry to all the rest, but I'll stand by that. Call forth your champions if need be, it's an argument I shall forever be willing to make. and still there was Maurya, Christopher, Ciaran, and the joy of the pas d'armes. Tatheg and I crossed greatswords with a stout company, and learned much. Life is rich with magic.

This year also was special: family. it just felt like family. Like home, but better. Gere, Isa, Lucas, Jules, William, Gzu, Rhoudland, Tymm, the ladies! ok everyone made it what it was! I am leaving people out, sorry, but I'm lettting this kind of come out the way it wants to come out. The best camp in Pennsic, the secret camp that's not on the map, that exists by the good will of the Coopers, heavens bless them. They cultivate magic. A place of faerie, that exists because we will it to be so, and also because they remember, those who visit each year with rocks the size of their heads, and chocolate, and songs and tales. And because of the hard work done by Those Who Come Before, and I am humbled by Them, for they clear the land, and make it ready for the magic, making it fertile with selfless labor, brotherhood, and the sweat of their brow. I love these people. Call upon me if ever you should need me.

Home Again!
Back from Japan
~
What a long flight...jet lag...this should be interesting for a couple of days, but it may well work to my advantage as my work schedule has me getting up in the middle of the night anyway, so...
~
What a beautiful country! It is truly filled with magic and mystery, everywhere you go. The fact that the ancient and the modern live so closely together gives the feeling that anything can happen, and that it would not be out of place there.
~
There was a lot of walking. This was the truly limiting factor for our trip, as one could spend weeks and months there and not see but a small part of the wondrous sights held in every corner. We were fortunate to be in Kyoto during the Gion Matura festival, and we visited Senso-ji temple in Tokyo during the time of special pilgrimage, where our visit was equal to 46,000 visits. May our prayers for well being resound in all the corners of heaven loud and long.
~
It was a wonderful experience, to visit the land of Goku, Musashi, of temples and noodle bars.
~
Sayonara!

Land of the Rising Sun

*

Off to Japan in a week and a half, Gareth's pick this year. Expensive. Wonderful. Too much to do! It is the hardest trip I have had to prepare for, so much information out there, and hard to find the gems of wisdom required to make the big decisions about how to spend your precious time in this place of ancient traditions and modern wonders. The language barrier is going to be intimidating as no other place I have visited, the written word included. It will likely tax my non verbal skills, and should be amusing were anyone to watch me fumble my way through the many attempts ahead of me.

~

We have rented several Hayao Miyazaki films (Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, Spirited Away was out, but we've seen it), as we are going to visit his Ghibli Museum, where we can spend some time in child-like play and look at the world with wonder. This is a good lesson I hope to keep with me throughout the trip, and if I could keep it for my whole life that would be a boon I would be ever thankful for. I will look to give myself this gift in each moment, and sometimes I will succeed, and that is good. My little ones don't know that there's a giant robot from Castle in the Sky on the rooftop garden of the museum, I willl save that suprise for them to discover.

~

Shortly after our experience of zen rock gardens, buddhist temples, bustling, crowded train rides, and culinary adventures, I will be on my way to the Great Pennsic War. Anyone want to go? There should be a good number of my dear friends on the field of battle this year, it proposes to be an unusually good war. Earl Seosaidh, Knight of the SCA, patriarch of the Blacksword Household, who was my leader in battle, and mentor off the field for many years, has returned to take up the sword once again. This is a time of renewal, and perhaps as so many of us gathered to his call to arms all those years, some of us will answer it again.

~

Was the last time we were at Pennsic together the time when we marched in Spartan ranks, shields on weary arms, to a standing ovation along the road home from the woods battle? I don't think I have ever had a prouder moment, or have ever felt such wonder in pulling some semblance of victory from defeat. Our final charge across the woods will ever be in my mind as one of the best moments of my life, even though it was not until the Queen of the East Kingdom came to address us as we lay exhausted and frustrated next to the field of battle, victory having been only a handsbreadth away, that I knew it to be something other than disappointment. To have the Queen of the opposing army tell you that she was inspired by your deeds is a singular moment. I could not tell you what she said, only that it affected me deeply, and that it was well done for here to take a moment and give us such a grand day, and take our lowest moment and make it our highest. Such is the power of a lady in the world of chivalry. It is a blessing to be in such a brotherhood, and know that great things were done because we stood together, we strove side by side against overwhelming odds, and that the world does not require us to win to feel greatness.

~

Much to do, much to do. I have many plans for new gear, and precious little time. If you look for me, I will be with needle and thread, fire and clay, hammer and metal, pen and paper.

*

Be well

The Wise Old Turtle

  I was driving back home from picking up a plastic barrel for making armor. I was out on a dirt road, just off the edge of nowhere, driving by a cross street.  I glanced off to my left to look for traffic...there was none, just the dust hanging in the sunlight. And there, just beginning to cross onto the road I was driving down, was a very large turtle, making his way one step at a time. 

  I stopped, being impressed and somewhat awed that a turtle would survive to be this big in parts where turtle stew must be a delicacy...in any event, he was a grand sight. I watched him take a few steps, somehow acheiving grace in slow motion, and making the word "plod" somehow a thing deserving of respect.  I looked behind him at his tracks through the sandy, dusty, dirt road, looking back at them running off into the distance, and wondering how long it took him to come down that road.

  

  "Hey there, grandfather. How are you doing?" I asked of him.

  

  He looked at me, pausing in mid-step, and blinked, at this apparition which had suddenly appeared out of nowhere in a cloud of dust.

  "Try walking a mile in my shoes, sonny," was his reply.

Indeed.  

My trials and tribulations are small compared to a stroll in his shoes. 

Live long and prosper, grandfather turtle.

Greetings all,

  The month of May will be a month of heavy training for me. Training with the sword, making and training with a new shield...Adapting to the heat as it starts to come on in full force with the humidity...Spending some quality time with the new Pell, which goes up tomorrow.

  Dr. Glassman has said that Intensity is the key.

  Here's to being in the moment.

Post Scriptum: For any fans of the Sword of Truth novels, I don't know how I missed this coming out, but here is a link to the series produced by Sam Raimi, it's up to episode 18 already...

http://www.hulu.com/watch/48323/legend-of-the-seeker-prophecydestiny#x-0,vepisode,1

The Journey Continues

*

War is done, and all went...maybe not "well" but anyway, it all got done.

*

The fighting was good, and the company of old friends that I have missed was sweet. All the rest falls by the wayside, be it good or ill, for I have sat by the fire with my comrades in arms, and with good friends who share a dream worth dreaming.

But even this long week of intense busy-ness, scattered about with moments of silence and bliss, even this turns out to just be a stop along the way.

I will journey a bit longer on the road I am on, and try to rebuild the Triskele Legion of Trimaris into something more worthy of the dream it started as. So I am on the road to War still, or so it seems to me. There is so much to do, and as captain, I have not done enough to make the unit successful, and it's about time I did something about it. Though I did not seek out this position of responsibility, still I accepted it, it is mine. We are undermanned with soldiers, and our activity level is low except at war. We have little respect on the field as a unit, and there is no reason it should be any different right now, quite frankly. Yet I hope to change all that in the coming months.

*

The Hope Challenge has helped me come to this decision, and will help me to reach my goals, so I have to give many thanks to my fellow followers of Hope! Giving up was never really an option anyway, so here I go. You inspire me to do more, to dream what can be done, and to make that dream big.

This path of intention puts me in a warrior frame of mind, or rather keeps me in the one I have been in for the past few weeks. When setting out on such a path, it seems fitting to take a moment and marry your purpose with that of heaven, and thus try to ensure your path is one of right action and not violence or hatred. So what follows is the prayer from "Ibn" the 13th Warrior...

*

Merciful Father.... I have squandered my days with plans of many things.

This was not among them.

But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few minutes well.

For all we ought to have thought and have not thought... All we ought to have said and have not said...All we ought to have done and have not done...I pray thee, God, for forgiveness.

*

Committment

I try to see life in its simplest, most beautiful form, but the mundane stuff is an obstacle for me. Seeking the divine is not hard for me when I'm trying to do it, and certainly moments capture me, and my breath is taken away, at odd and unexpected times. But most days the mundanities stand in my way.
Such a thing is Committment.
It is at once a noble thing, a thing that allows for Purpose, and Loyalty, and Dependability, and yet it binds and chafes, at times. I find that when it seems a burden, I long for the simpler times, when Duty doesn't lead into Honor, but instead Honor can roam around and seek it's own way.
But Duty will not be forgotten, and it is to be respected. So on with Duty, and there I go... grabbing moments of my own when I can. Is this at all familiar?

I should not complain, my work is not so hard as I make it seem, and surely it is a joy to me to have a duty to fulfill, and I am sure that being without purpose is not good.

War cometh, and with him a host of duties. Who else will answer the call but me? Perhaps I will be suprised at who steps up, but even if it is just I, I will stand and answer.

St. Patrick's Day next Tuesday! How fortunate! That evening, I will be assisting a friend to hold a torchlight tourney. He will hold the field against any who would do honorable combat with him, in celebration of being named a Baron of the court one year ago. He does great honor to the crown, I think, and I will be glad to spend my St. Patrick's Day in support of that good deed of arms.

Almost time to pack.

Drums, drums, drums in the deep

Somehow I got the flu or something. It kind of stinks, mostly involving a ton of sneezing and sniffling, none of which is very becoming.

Went to an event this past weekend with Jason, we got him authorized to fight and we fought A LOT! It was a good event, even feast was good (the mushroom and leek pie was yummy!).

Still following the Zone pretty steadily, it continues to be the bomb. I think I have lost 5 pounds, but I'm not checking too often, preferring to go more by how I feel and how I look than what my actual weight is. I like the Zone.

be well, all, may your sneezes be few and far between.

War is coming

Gulf Wars will soon be here and preparing for it will consume all of my free time. So many projects to complete, so little time! This year I may be bringing a couple of friends from work, if I can get them up to speed and officially authorized in time, and all that. Doing the extra stuff will take a bunch of time and some serious finagling, but if Finagling is called for, then I shall Finagle.

I am through my first week fully on the Zone and it's great! I'm still working out times and getting used to being on different schedules weekday/weekend, but I feel great and it continues to do good things for my blood sugar. The whole family is now eating zone meals, and its very new to them, so we'll just keep on plugging and trying to keep the fridge full of the good stuff. It takes a lot more time to prepare to eat this way, but the payoff is so huge, how can I not? I have big hopes for the health benefits for my children to get into the habit of eating in a balanced way, hopefully for the rest of their life.

Thanks to T for posting the link to Randy's awesome video, I was proud to see him and his Most Excellent Acheivement. It is very Inspiring.

Go forth and conquer, friends

The Zone

I finished all of my Zone books, and worked up all my numbers and started eating right last week. Already I can say the following about the Zone:

~It feels great right away

~It isn't that hard to do most of the time

~If you don't do it for a meal, you just do it right the next meal

~My blood sugar seems much better regulated and lower than it has been

Still, I can't completely trust anyone that recommends me eating large quatntities of Brussel Sprouts. But really this is probably the regimen of eating I will follow for the rest of my life.

I put on armor today and did some fighting, mostly instruction. That was good. Got my helmet strapped, but still much to do before Gulf Wars in March.

I have exercise and meditation planned into my days, but I have yet to work them in consistently. Better every week, but still work to do.

I hope everyone is doing well out there. Times are tough and will probably not be much better for some time, though there is Hope, and that is no small thing. I'm here if you need me.

In giving thanks I want to mention something that often comes to my mind. A couple of years ago you will recall that my brother in arms Tymm and I stood a fighting vigil for our departed friend, Allessandro, known also as Scout.

Shortly before the event I was diagnosed with Diabetes, and was experiencing a lot of pain in my feet and legs, and not sleeping a wink most nights. It was a tough time for me.

The day before the vigil I was hurting so bad I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stand, much less fight, and the prospect of trying to do so all day seemed impossible.

The next morning, after a few hours of sleep, I awoke to the impossible. Somehow, after weeks of pain, my feet felt ok, my legs fine! This was nothing short of miraculous to me, and I stood the field all day with Tymm, and we honored our friend, and it was a good thing.

Afterwards, Terry wrote me a short note telling me how everyone in CT was supporting me, sending me good energy, well wishes, and standing vigil with me through the night, with sacred fire and strong hearts. Then I knew what had happened. You all lifted me up, above the pain, and I was able to answer the call and celebrate a good man's life.

I think of that often, and give thanks for your great spirits that gave me so much, and I wish I could tell each of you every time I think of it. It is humbling, inspiring, and amazing to me, and I thank you for it.

Thank you Gerb, you were under the weather yourself and you performed a meditation that sent me strength and comfort.

Thank you Claudia, for performing a meditation and sending me your support.

Thank you Randy, for with Terry you prepared a sacred fire in the old ways, and stood vigil from dusk til dawn, speaking of brotherhood and enabling me to stand on my own two feet when I could not on my own.

Thank you, Terry, your medicine is strong.

Mitakuye Oyasin

O Me! O life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew'd,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring-What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer.
That you are here-that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.


WALT WHITMAN

The Powerful Play goes on. I finished Enter the Zone and have moved on to Mastering the Zone, all of it excellent reading, very insightful. In fact I really did not understand what my Diabetic medicine was actually doing to my body until I read Dr. Spear's notes on the subject. It is amazing what they don't tell you, hehe. But that better understanding should help me significantly, so I hope.
The Zone seems to be the way to go for me, it remains only to put it to the true test. I have been moving my meals towards being zone friendly, but now it's time to do it all the way. As someone who dislikes measuring anything, I need to just buckle down and do that right now, until I get a feel for how much is in a block of everything.
I plan on building a spreadsheet of my numbers and my plans today, and take a look at what else is out there online already built.
Other things I have done in the last couple of weeks:
~finished the last 2 Alex Ryder books: Snakehead & Ark Angel
~watched two movies that are all about HOPE: Slumdog Millionaire & Henry Poole is Here both excellent!
~worked out some, but not consistently. I admit I am having a hard time keeping focused on more than one thing at a time. Anyone else having that issue?
~My Three Rules to Live By are written down. It is really amazing to try to boil down all of life like this, and in such a personal way. What is important in life, to me? I don't propose that I have found anything new or unexpected, but I think each person should make this journey, I have a better feeling about who I am and what purpose there is in my life.
1. Be nice.
2. Forgive.
3. Give Thanks.

Yeah, that's it. They're bigger than they look at first, and filled with terrible complexity and limitless salvation and endless joy and/or sorrow in their execution. I'm afraid I haven't been very good at living by these rules, but today is a new day. And the powerful play goes on...

A Lyst of Books

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It's hard to narrow down a list of my favorite books, but if you don't limit the list it just goes on and on all by itself, thus showing in its vanity its attempt to become a book itself! So I will try to keep it short. I am looking forward to hearing other's favorites, but please keep yours short as well, so I don' t have to spend too much on books this month...

.

Charles' List of Most Favorite Books Ever:

.

• Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkein
• The Phoenix Guards by Steven Brust
• Yesterday's Children by David Gerrold
• The Riddlemaster of Hed by Patricia McKillip
• The Sword of Truth: Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind

.

OK it's hard to stop but there they are. There's an awful lot of good books left off this list, so help me out...

.

P.S. Heard from the job today, NOT moving to Arkansas after all.

Crazygood accomplishmentizing this sevenday:

.

Reading of Books! A Week in the Zone by Dr. Barry Sears, On the Dry Side by Louis L'Amour, Men's Health magazine (hey man, that don't count! But it has Lance Armstrong in it!)

Doing of things! 3 days of Exercise, sweat drippin, heart poundin, raggedy breathin, muscle buildin, spirit raisin EXERCISE! (gonna try to stick to 3 days a week)

Eating of Zone meals has begun! (Veggies? Oh yes, veggies indeed.)

Traveled to Arkansas, land of the giant red bristly backed pig, interviewed for a new job. Let me tell you, preparing for an interview is some kinda work. Oh yeah, you already know that.

Meditated. ON what, you ask? Nothing.

(get it? that's a joke.)

OK thats not funny. Here's another joke.

.

So the Zen master steps up to the hot dog cart and says: "Make me one with everything."

The hot dog vendor fixes a hot dog and hands it to the Zen master, who pays with a $20 bill.

The hot dog vendor puts the bill in the cash drawer and closes the drawer.

"Where's my change?" asks the Zen master.

The hot dog vendor responds:

"Change must come from within."

.

That's funnier, I think.

What else?

Spent time with my son, tonight we had some father/son time, the most valuable time in the world, right up there with father/daughter time! We ate Manburgers (1/2 lean beef and 1/2 ground turkey, spiced up with some hot BBQ sauce, sauteed onions, smoked gouda cheese, wheat buns, small serving of fiber rich beans, pile of brocolli and yellow squash, glass of red wine for me, jug of water to wash it down). We watched a Man Movie (Bangkock Dangerous) and then wrestled, during which time I invented two new moves, the Bangkock Bite and the Dangerous Dog, both which must remain secret to all you nonbelievers. It is good to be Men, is it not? Do not answer that, wimmen folk.

.

Almost done with the Dalai Lama's book, and I will return to Kaman One after this week. My energy is a little scattered and likely to remain so until next week I think.

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SOng of the WEek: I'm a Rover by Great Big Sea. Sing that in a great big man voice, it'll shore fix what ails ya.

.

See that full moon last night? mmmmmmmm Good.

The Zone


Hooray! My Zone books came in today, so now I have lots of reading and planning to do!

If all goes well I should be eating zone-ishly in a few days. mmmmmmmmm...

Patience

Well it has been an interesting two weeks, not without its own set of trials this holiday season, but surely nothing more difficult than anyone else is going through this Christmas. I hope all of you are meeting with success in your ventures thus far! I am getting back on track after a small hiatus, and my drive to enter new territory, to explore new places (both inside and out) is even more than what it was.
Inspired by T's journal entry about the crossfit FGB routine (BJ Penn is one of my favorites, so you got me with that one, bro!) I downloaded some good workout songs and a program called Audacity to edit them (it's free!) down to one minute each which I hope to finish today. I used them for an exhausting workout yesterday, and it felt great!!! I am also shifting my sleep pattern a bit, which I know impacts my health, body, mind and spirit in ways that I often underestimate.
I have read several books since my last post...Yesterday's children, NOt for Glory, Ranger's Apprentice the Battle for Skandia, Through Wolf's Eyes, Berserker Wars, and I am currently reading Beowulf's Children.
My spirit is filled with hope, as the new year commences I cannot help but feel that this is a year of new beginnings. Somehow it feels that way, though not because I wish it to be so. It just IS of its own volition. Can a year have a character of its own, or is it merely a reflection of our needs and circumstances?
This year I wish you peace, and hope everlasting.

Post Scriptum:
My workout playlist before editing to one minute each:

Monosyllabic Girl - NOFX
Blitzkreig Bop - Ramones
Brat - Green Day
Hands Down - Dashboard Confessional
I Like to Move it - Madagascar 5
White Riot - the Clash
Lose Yourself - Eminem
What's my Age Again? - Blink 182
Girls - Beastie Boys
The Old Black Rum - Great Big Sea
Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
Yellow - Coldplay
Kryptonite (LIVE) - 3 Doors Down
The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy SLim
Temperature - Sean Paul
Excursion Around the Bay - Great Big Sea
Young Ned of the Hill - the Pogues
The Night Pat Murphy Died - Great Big Sea
March of Cambreadth - Heather Alexander
Move it on Over - George Thorogood & the Delaware Destroyers