As I come into the new year I just need to make some blogging and writing announcements and offer up some thanks to my readers. It should be noted that my last post I passed a milestone of 100 posts on this blog and this is 101.
Firstly with the new year you are going to see some changes in the pages at the top of the blog. Mostly this is a practical change as after three months the pages are getting a little crowded with posts so I need to start breaking things down by two month intervals each with their own page which will be sub page under the main headings. I am going to make sure more links are available for navigation purposes.
There are also going to be new pages reflecting some new post types. I already started the page for Crossing Bifrost my new series on Norse Mythology. I will also be starting a new fictional page for sort stories and poems under a new heading of some sort. That will make its debut in January sometime.
My daily writing schedule this coming year will hopefully look something like this.
Blogging: (every day)
Page the previous days posts.
Edit today’s post.
Write tomorrow’s post.
Write blog fiction for a half hour
Writing: ( 4/ days a week)
Edit previous writing
Put 1000 words on paper.
I thought about this a lot and I don’t find this overly ambitious considering a lot of things that used to take up my time like school and ministry are no longer present. I must consider being a writer as a possible career or side career and this is as good a time as any to do so.
Thank You and Happy New Year:
I want to thank all my readers for this year. If you hung around the whole thing you know I went through three blogs, a thousand personal crises and tremendous stressful change. If you hung around and were supportive though all that, I give you my most sincere thanks. Thank You and mostly thank you for reading no matter who you are. It’s what writers live for – to be read.
Finally, Best wishes for the New Year. May 2019 be your best year yet.
Yours,
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Happy Moon’s Day. It’s the 12th night of Yule. This is the Night of Oaths. This is the night with the greatest feasting; it is a sacred night that marked the final passing of the Wild Hunt. This is night when oaths for the coming year were made. The custom of caroling has its origins in this night. That and New Years resolutions. Only with the vikings this was a night of oaths. Sacred oaths which were considered the most holy on this night. Especially those sworn on Frey’s boar or Thor’s Hammer.
Journal Entry:
I have never been one for resolutions and as the year draws to a close I still feel the same way as most people who such resolutions are done and often fail. I have found that the best time to resolve to do something is when you are thinking on it and are emotionally motivated and that can happen at any time.
I also already have plans that have been developed with goals, a bucket list and other motivating factors in place where I am trying to achieve certain ‘ends’, so oaths or resolutions don’t really help there.
I also think the best advice about oaths is found in Matthew 5:
“Again you have heard thatit was said to those ofold,‘You shall not swear falsely, butshall perform your oaths to the Lord.’But I say to you,do not swear at all …But letyour ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’
In short keeping your word in general is far better than making oaths and I heartily agree. But I also see that oaths are needed in certain situations. Otherwise, motivation can be lacking and so oaths bind us to act. I do then have an oath to take.
My Oath for 2019:
By all that is truly holy, I swear to:
Be loving and act in love toward my wife, family and friends.
To execute justice when the power to do so is given to me.
Act wisely in all my endeavors.
I know this is not specific but I am new to this oath thing so this year it will have to do. As I go through this year, the oaths I might have to swear on oath night next year will become clearer I think.
Honor:
“Honor is the feeling of inner value and worth from which one knows that one is noble of being, and the desire to show respect for this quality when it is found in the world”
Principle – Be positive about my future
I was a good weekend and I am feeling like I am developing a sense of inner value or worth again. I am also learning to respect those qualities in others.
Courage:
“Courage is the bravery to do what is right always.”
Principle – Act with Courage at the right time.
Bravery is something I find a little easier. This coming year I am going to need lot of it as I start something completely new for myself. I need to take risks and at my age that can be hard to do. I must however engage in actions that would befit someone younger and bolder.
Truth:
“Truth is the willingness to be honest and to say what one knows to be true and right. It is often better to not say anything at all if one cannot be honest.”
Principle – Pursue knowledge, wisdom and truth at all times.
Honest assessment of where I am is needed and honest words. Time to take the spirit of Oath night and make it something I do all night long.
Morning Routine:
Review Nine Noble Virtues (NNV) and Principles
Meditate on the Virtues
Review Goals
Review Bucket List
Full Body Stretch
Breakfast
Supplements and Medicines
Shower and Personal Hygiene
Get Dressed for the Day
Solid. I only really want to look at the meditation part and get a much more formalized way of doing it.
Bucket List:
Go Back to Budapest, Hungary for a vacation.
Get My Tattoos.
Actually Get Drunk.
Smoke a Joint.
Hike the Northern Lakeshore Trail along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Two things have to come off this list in the coming year. Finding out which ones is going to be the excitement of it.
Weightlifting:
Need to find a new gym but my employer keeps messing with my hours. Finding a new job may be essential to getting back to weightlifting. I need the resources to get back to something I love doing and miss greatly.
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Happy Sun’s Day. It is also the 11th Night of Yuletide. This night is sacred to the Valkyries and Warriors. We remember those who choose the slain as the noble and honored dead destined for Valhalla, and those warriors who were chosen. Today we remember the virtue of Self-Reliance.
Announcements:
We don’t pray here – we figure God, the gods and goddesses, or whatever powers that be either know already, don’t give a fuck, or are busy with more important matters than our petty stuff. We also kind of assume that they expect us to do stuff that we can do for ourselves, and that we will do them ourselves and not be lazy. We also believe in being good friends, so we don’t presume on our friendship with the powers that be by asking them all the time for stuff while giving them nothing in return.
We also don’t take an offering here. We figure the powers that be probably don’t need it. Let’s be honest, offerings are not giving to the divine powers, they are given to an organization to support it. Just being honest. God, the gods or whatever never see a dime, farthing or peso of that money; it all goes to the church, mosque or shrine.
Today’s service resembles a concert more than a service. Basically, the idea struck me that I should do the past year, one month at a time, in song. So there will be no text or sermon today. Just one song per month (two for one month) representing each month as I experienced it. This probably as much as a reflection on this past year, but rather than write about it, I will just give you a song on each month and a little commentary.
I suppose a warning is in order as I am going to be pretty open here about my thoughts. I also should note that I had to take a break twice while writing this post. There are a lot of strong emotional memories to 2018 for me. Some good; some bad. In any case, my hope is a little more closure on a year I hope to not repeat. Overall it changed me for the better, but it was a helluva ride.
Music for me is still a an expression of the real emotions and thoughts I am having I can’t express in words. I think for this reason this way of doing a year review is probably more accurate in many ways than just writing about it.
January: No Rest for the Wicked – Godsmack:
I choose this song for the theme for the entirety of 2018. I started with the struggle to be a ‘man of God’ who had lost his faith. The whole year was me not getting enough rest because of all my struggles. In the end, I dropped the masks and I am probably far more at rest because I am more genuinely who I really am now. The verses of this song really reflect some of my thoughts to this day, so it fits.
February: American Pie – Don McLean:
In February, my long time organist and friend died. This represented the last of three great musicians/vocalists in my church and with this death for all practical purposes it was ‘the day the music died’ both in my church and my soul. It was my grief over this, and the fact only one person understood it at the time, that left me vulnerable.
March: Losing my Religion – REM:
March was a transitional month for me as I started to fall in love with someone I shouldn’t have. Looking back on it, and as warning to others, grief over the loss of two good friends in less than a year, a weak marriage and looking for comfort, left me open to this. That and not caring about my religion anymore. I had lost my faith a couple of years before due to theological reasons, but now the emotional side of it came crashing down.
April: Don’t Stand So Close to Me – The Police:
Lot’s of secret love this month. Both directions and both forbidden. I have come to a greater understanding of this song than I ever wanted to this year. Now when I hear this song, I remember the lessons of this past year vividly. Mostly how easy it is to submit to temptation, especially when you are hurting and want something to ease the pain. There is really no excuse for this, but there are reasons people do this which I now know all too well. I have no excuses, but I did have those reasons.
May: Monsters – Shinedown:
The shit hit the fan in late May and my monsters got loose. I think I made the remark at the time that the Pagan was freed from his cage and was kicking the Christian’s ass. I suppose this song stretches into June as well.
The reason it does, is I trusted someone I considered to be a friend with something important. They took advantage of that trust and betrayed me to get one more win over me, probably to stroke his already overly inflated ego. Yeah, rage doesn’t begin to describe what I felt when I found that out. It became greater as more details emerged during the summer and I began to discover how planned and maliciously thought out this betrayal was. It still is something I struggle with and quite frankly I finally found someone I don’t believe I can ever forgive. At least not until the scale of justice gets balanced first. Til then my monsters stay hungry and patiently wait.
June: Familiar Taste of Poison – Halestorm:
I fell in love with Halestorm this summer. I also fell fully in love with a young woman. It’s a decision I now regret. I think the relationship was full of natural chemistry but part of that chemistry was the additional effect of generating a toxicity that was wonderfully deadly. I didn’t want to be saved and I didn’t want to be sober. In the end, I think that toxicity killed it. I probably should be glad for that, but there is still a sadness and pain to it all for me. This song definitely captures that feeling for me still.
July: 400 Lux – Lorde:
I don’t like describing people as addictions. It makes them seem like they’re not people but the relationship I had was addicting. Relationships are things. We were always killing time together in July, so the lyrics fit too. It’s no accident I chose the video for this song that has scenes from The Perks of Being a Wall Flower. It’s a reminder, that life needs to be lived and not just observed. It’s also a book I probably will not read again for the foreseeable future. Maybe someday I will pick it up again with new eyes, because I really liked it. There are too many memories associated with it right now. That and the Song All of Me by John Legend. This song by Lorde I can still listen to and remember without it being too painful, but not that one.
August: Stuck with You – Huey Lewis and the News:
August was a roller coaster month. It was pivotal turning point. I went from being very special to the young woman in question to becoming someone they used to know in the space of less than a hour. I found a new job, but this happened the same day, so the joy of that disappeared. I found myself alone and bleeding from my soul pretty bad. In that state, I also woke up and began to think that my wife and I could save our marriage. From my perspective, it was a long shot and I fully expected my wife to tell me to go to hell.
But she didn’t. She accepted my apology and apologized to me in return. We talked, I mean really talked, for the first time in years. It started a healing process that is still in process, but we are better than we have ever been in a long while. This was the start of that.
Long story short, we found our way back together. In all of this, the only one who really never stopped loving me is her. The only one who exercised ‘Christian’ love, mercy and forgiveness was her. It overwhelmed me and I fell in love with her again. We picked this song as our own while on a weekend away. I am happy to be stuck with her and she is happy to be stuck with me.
September: Love Walks In – Van Halen:
In August I was standing in a convenience store when this song was played. I started singing it out loud as the cashier was doing so too. He stopped and asked me if it had meaning to me and I said it did now. I continue to play this song on my ‘Wife Playlist’, it makes me think of this moment and her every time. Throughout September it was my second favorite song next to Stuck With You.
October: I have two for this month. Sorry I couldn’t choose just one.
Both of these songs are on my current walking play list and have been so for a long time. In October as school began in earnest, I found myself listening to them every day. I still do when I listen to music.
Prayer – Disturbed:
It is the way I pray – ‘living isn’t hard enough without ‘god’ making it harder. I love the lyrics of this song and the feelings behind it. It reflects a lot of my continued struggles with faith.
Voices – Disturbed:
I love the video of this song as it reflects the song so well. I like how the guy is bullied, made fun of and has that girl he likes moment where she dissed him. He then fantasizes about how to get even with them all – the voices speak in his head. Instead of acting on them though, he just leaves work and goes to a concert and lets it all go instead. I listen to this one a lot when I am having dark thoughts. It helps them simmer down.
November – Hammer to Fall – Queen:
I include this one for a lot of reasons: 1) The biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was released this month and my daughter and I had a date and went to see it. Best movie I have seen in a long time. 2) I think in some ways it became a month of returning to ‘normal’ where my wife and I, my family and the friends I have left are back to some sense of stability. This song kind of is symbolic of that as my daughter and I got back to talking music, books and movies – instead of the chaos of my life. 3) The message of this song. The hammer is going to fall, so live life fully. 4) Plus it wouldn’t a music list without Queen.
December: Dreams – Van Halen:
Reflective of the end of the year. I graduated college (with a little work to do) and my wife, myself and family have been celebrating the holidays together. I am starting to dream again about what my life will be. Dreams are what love is made of according to the song and honestly my life has started to reflect that again.
Parting Thought:
Wishing you the most prosperous journey as you travel through 2019.
I remain,
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Happy Saturn’s Day. It is the 10th Night of Yuletide. Today is sacred to Sunna, goddess of the Sun and Light. It is about the celebration of the return of the sun more and more each day until Midsummer. Today we remember the higher virtue of Justice. That is light bringing out the truth, so that we can be just.
I suppose it is fitting that the day I begin this series is also the day of Yuletide that celebrates the goddess of the sun Sunna or Sol. I have decided to call this regular feature that considers Norse Mythology: “Crossing Bifrost”. The Bifrost Bridge being the burning rainbow bridge (rainbows being created by light from the sun) that connected Midgard (earth) with Asgard (the realm of the gods) in Norse Mythology. The idea is to travel across this bridge into the world of Norse Mythology and in so doing learn something of value.
With this regular feature in place there is a kind of trifecta of sorts to my thinking each week. Of Wolves and Ravens considers philosophy and in particular my philosophy. Odin’s Eye Considers the issues of Spirituality and Religion and in particular my spirituality. Now Crossing Bifrost will be about my thoughts on Norse Mythology and what we can learn as people from those myths.
Religion and mythology are created by men for various reasons. I would say a couple of these reasons are 1) to teach principles a culture deems important and 2) give examples of those principles in story. People resonate with stories far faster than lectures.
A word of warning, I am no expert on Norse mythology. Far from it. I actually am doing this series to help my own understanding and knowledge of the subject. I do however have a lot of experience in looking at stories and drawing the moral meaning out of them. I will probably make some mistakes because of my ignorance. If so, and someone out there knows better than I, feel free to correct me. I am taking the role of learner with this series and perhaps moral commentator from time to time and not necessarily teacher.
I will of course write this series with a main goal of your entertainment and enjoyment. Hopefully, we all will learn something each week and more importantly apply something of virtue and value to our lives. Stories should teach lessons and I feel Norse Mythology does do that. I hope you enjoy it.
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day. It is the 9th Night of Yuletide. This day is sacred to fathers and the All-Father Odin. This is the day we remember fathers and honor them. The Virtue remembered today is indeed Honor. I find it interesting that in Norse mythology for mothers the virtue is Industriousness but for fathers it is Honor. There is something very profound in that if you meditate on it.
Journal Entry:
I was sitting Wednesday at a restaurant with my son who lives in New York but who is home for the holidays. I couldn’t help be very proud of him as I watched him handle his daughter who is ten months old. It was an introspective moment and one where I found myself both challenging and upholding my honor a little.
I have not always been the greatest example of fatherhood. Recent events in this last year give little cause for my children to be proud of me. But at the same time as I look at my children, I have little cause not to be proud of them and I have to say whatever my wife and I did in raising them, turned out really good in the end. They are all three of them good children. They are good human beings and I couldn’t be more proud of them all.
Fatherhood is an ever-changing role. Now I content myself with being as good a grandfather as I can be, and a friend to my children that they know they can always count on if they need me. One day, I will be the Patriarch of the family in truth (May my mother remain the Matriarch for years to come) but for me that is more about influence than authority. I just hope to be fondly remembered at this point and so work to make memories in their lives to that end.
Discipline:
“Discipline is the willingness to be hard on oneself first and then if needed help with the development with others, so that greater purposes may be achieved.”
Principle: Apply discipline to every aspect of life that it can be applied.
There is one change I am considering and that is one of having an evening routine. I have always found these the most challenging because when I get to the point where my bed is calling me it is usually overpowering of any other thing I would need to do. Such a routine would have a little hygiene as well as preparation for the day to come. It would be a short routine because anything long would not get done.
Perseverance:
“Perseverance is the ability to stand up and return from defeat and failure”
Principle: Keep getting up after every defeat or failure.
Looking back at this year, this being the last entry for Self Virtues this year, I still stand amazed that I am still standing. I am a much different man than the one who started the year. I can’t really describe the transformation but the one thing I think I have demonstrated without fail is that I will never, ever quit. I will walk The Grey and get up after every time I am knocked down. I keep coming and I will not quit.
Fidelity:
“Fidelity is the will to be loyal to one’s Gods and Goddesses, to one’s Folk, to one’s self, and loyalty to one’s friends was as valued as highly as loyalty to one’s family.”
Principle: Be loyal to those who have been loyal to me.
I suppose along with the lessons of perseverance, the lessons this year involving fidelity have been pretty extreme. With my wife I have learned that love may not be able to fix broken oaths, but it can start to forge something new that is stronger from the pieces. From this year I also have learned fidelity is not always given even when expected. I have lost a lot of friends this year. I also had someone I thought was a good friend betray me. I loved someone who obviously didn’t share that in return. I have had the whole gambit of stuff done in return to me. I guess some might call it karma coming back on me for my own lack of fidelity. In truth though I only betrayed one person and that person still is loyal to me despite it and she forgave me. Yes, I have learned a lot this year about fidelity, perhaps too much and the wrong way. But, the lessons are learned and I will go forward.
Weekly Routine:
Weightlifting – 4 days per week.
Cleaning – 3 days a week.
Walking – 4 days a week
Man, not lifting a walking has not had as much of a negative effect as I thought it would. Physically, by keeping the nutrition solid, I still feel and look good. I still have improvement that could be done, but I am not in danger of going backwards yet. That said, from a spiritual/emotional point of view, I definitely miss both.
Nutrition:
Nutrition took a step forward this week with my limits being tightened a little. The effect was to make me instantly aware of how close I come right now to going over both on carb count for the day and cheat meals. That said, it is the holidays so it is harder but I also give myself those holiday cheat days for free. The real test will be after new year.
Weekly Recap:
Foundational – Courage, Honor and Truth are becoming more than words to me at last. There is some meaning to them as I hit the end of the year.
Business – Self-Reliance, Industriousness and Hospitality are becoming more than words to me too. The philosophy of Asatru is beginning to sink in and I must say it really appeals to who I really am.
Self – Discipline, Perseverance and Fidelity have all been a struggle this past year, but that is what each day of the future is for – to improve and grow virtue. That is my ultimate quest.
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Happy Thor’s Day. This is the 8th Night of Yuletide. this night is sacred to Skadi and Ullr – The goddess Skadi is a giantess associated with skiing, bow hunting, winter, and the mountains. Ullr is the god of snowshoes, hunting, the bow, and the shield. The idea behind this night is hunting and being outdoors. It is also a day to remember those who provide our meals and sustenance. The Virtue remembered tonight is Truth.
Introduction:
I am wrapping up my four main theological objections to Christianity with the simple but profound fact that the god of the Bible is very suspect in as far as whether or not he is just and acts with justice. I would go so far to say that the god of the Bible does not follow his own clearly stated guidelines for justice – 1) “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth” and 2) Restitution Included. Namely that the punishment should fit the crime and that restitution when merited should be offered. This is the standard of justice found in the Torah or Law of Moses. Jesus of Nazareth takes this on in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 pointing out that the principles of justice were still valid and in fact because things should be done for the love of god, they were even more challenging. God expects Christians to still be just and follow his principles of justice. The issue is: does the god of the Bible follow his own rules. I would say not.
Faith:
From a standpoint of my own faith, the biblical god’s justice, and in particular the doctrine of Hell, has always been a problem. My standard answer throughout my days as a pastor to others that asked was that the justice of god was a mystery. That someday, we would know it all and see that this god was just to send people to hell. Even if they were people who we loved and who this god claimed to love. But it was more than that as some of the stories of god executing justice were a little lacking in justice. Job’s trial is a good example where God allows the Devil to kill all of Job’s children and servants save a few and does it simply to test Job to see if he will remain faithful. The Biblical god’s answer of – “I am god, that’s why.” is a little lacking in reasoning for a supreme being for one and the whole situation is lacking in compassion not just for Job but for all the people slain for another. They all lived and died simply to satisfy a bet between the Devil and the almighty is a little much to reconcile with the idea of God is love. Stuff like this definitely tests your faith and it should.
Religion:
The thing is most religious responses to the justice of God dilemma either cite ‘mystery’ (read – I don’t have a good answer, so I am going to punt) or our ignorance. Simply put they both attempt to give a god a different standard of justice than we follow. How convenient, but also telling that we cannot even use the standard of justice of ‘eye for eye’ with the biblical god. The very standard that this god gives, he does not follow.
The fact that I used to come up with this double standard for god myself bothered me for years when I realized that is what I was doing. A standard of justice is only viable if it is evenly applied to all. It should be logical and consistent enough that it CAN be applied to all without exception. We have learned not to tolerate double standards between those that lead and those that follow so why here? Why does this god of the Bible get a free pass for being hypocritical?
Religion does its damnedest to keep us from seeing this, and it does it by trying to make God so high his different standard of justice is justified. It sounds like a ruling religious class seeking to justify why they can impose rules on others that they don’t have to follow themselves. After all, they are ‘men of god’ and so as Cardinal Richelieu points out in the Three Musketeers movie in 1993 – “The Cardinal is not subject to the laws of men”. Easy to justify if you create a different standard of justice for your god and you then say you are subject to that standard, not the standard of men.
Theology:
But the Biblical God fails theologically and it comes out best in the doctrine of Hell and final judgment. Everything we will do is in a short temporal time of existence but everything about the final judgment of the god of the Bible is eternal. In short, this god is going to punish us in an eternal and permanent way for our behavior in temporal and non-permanent existence. This includes annihilation and eternal punishment views. The only thing that might save Christianity here as far as theology is actually the idea of purgatory where the punishment is redemptive and non-permanent. But even here there is a postulate that punishment can last centuries compared to the shortness of life.
So being burned like the rich man is said to be burned is somehow eye for eye and tooth for tooth? In that story, the rich man is burned not because he defied god but because he had a good life and Lazarus was rewarded because he had suffered in life. Go look at the story (Luke 16) yourself, this is the rationale that is given. So because a guy had it good he is punished with burning fire? How is this eye for eye? Justice would have been to have the two trade places for a second life, not that he is burned for a long period of time.
There is little justice in this story, just a god who on the one hand in the Old Testament tells people who prosperity is a sign of God’s blessing and then turning around and saying though that if you do become prosperous, the biblical god is going to burn you as punishment for it. In a full analysis of the biblical account not only are there many accounts where god’s justice is a little suspect but where he violates the very rules he sets forward because he gets jealous or angry. Like the other mythologies, the biblical god is very human and reflects probably more of the attitude of the author of that particular passage than the almighty that actually might exist.
Spirituality:
For me personally, I come back to the quote I have used before. If the god or gods are just then they will judge us based on the virtues we lived by. If they are not just, then they do not deserve to be served. If there are no gods then, we should live in such a way as to be fondly remembered. I worry less about an afterlife; because regardless, it is this life I must live either way. I choose to live based on virtue because, in the end, it is all I really have. My own personal responsibility for the life I live is mine alone. Cue Robert Heinlein.
Conclusion:
I will revisit these objections in the future with other thoughts. Odin’s Eye will continue to be a discussion point on faith, religion, spirituality, and theology. I will continue to use it to find a path to knowledge and wisdom. What you may see in the future is me actually deal with more specific Biblical passages and why they are problematic. There will also be the continued discussions of deism, humanism, and paganism. I probably will have a more detailed plan next Odin’s Eye.
I remain,
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Happy Wooden’s Day. It is also the 7th Night of Yuletide. This night is sacred to Thor and Children. There is an idea here of resurrection and renewal. The idea of continuation in this night with children being the future and Thor’s sacrificing his two goats with his hammer for food and then raising them back to life the next morning as part of the mythology. Thus the basis for the virtue of Fidelity, which is remembered tonight, which is continuation and legacy.
Journal Entry:
I guess the only thoughts worth considering this week were the continued questions of faith with the whole Christmas thing. It is very strange, in a getting used to it sense, to not be celebrating Christmas in the sense I used to celebrate it. That is celebrating the incarnation of Christ. I just don’t buy that anymore. So I move along with people wishing me Merry Christmas and me saying ‘Happy Holidays’ in return and not getting bent out of shape about it either way. There is a pagan part of me that wants to say ‘Blessed Yuletide’ back but perhaps this isn’t the time for me to do that yet. I have a lotto sort out yet regarding my faith.
The truth is though I want any holiday to be a time of community and family. So it is better not be an ass about it and move along given that most of my family is Christian including my wife. It was weird Christmas Eve as it was the first time in a long time that I wasn’t at a candlelight service. Instead I let my wife go alone and I stayed at home. I spent the time thinking and meditating on a few things.
The one thing I will probably be doing in between writing fiction is working on The Book of Rabyd. You can find an older incarnation of this book here: The Book of Rabyd. The design was a book of principles, wisdom and sayings of the family passed down through the years. I was reworking it on the Microphone. I am going to try to rework it again as it needs to be updated. It is the basis for the values of the family. It is also my legacy to my children and grandchildren.
The one thing though that starts today is the active seeking of a new job. Time for me to be about the Business Virtues and pursuing my goals.
Self-Reliance:
“Self Reliance is the spirit of independence, which is achieved not only for the individual, but also for the family, clan, tribe and nation.”
Principle: Work to be self-reliant in all things.
The issue as always is to be independent. To not be reliant on others for my life and lifestyle. This extends to my family as well, and that it is just my wife and I in practicality. The hope is to be debt free and prosperous to the point we don’t need anyone’s help to stand on or own two feet. So far so good, but more needs to be done for the future’s sake.
Industriousness:
“Industriousness is the willingness to work hard, always striving for efficiency, as a joyous activity in itself”
Principle: Work with enjoyment of work itself.
Funny thing is as much as I bitch about work with my fellow employees, I actually am starting to enjoy working for work sake. Now I just need to find something I enjoy doing as well for its sake and mine.
Hospitality:
“Hospitality is the willingness to share what one has with one’s fellows, especially when they are far from home.”
Principle: Be ready to be hospitable to those who truly need it.
You know, we are getting to the point where fiends over for dinner and a movie is not beyond the realm of possibility. if I only had some friends that were local. I hoping through a new job to find some. I just still have this problem of trusting people after being betrayed.
Daily Routine:
Communication / Cuddle Time
Blogging
Reading / Study – 1 hour per day minimum or until all necessary work is completed.
Writing – 1000 words/day outside the Blogging.
Empty In Box
Financial Transaction Input
This new routine is working out better. I still think though that another change is in order in the writing department. That’s why I added the Writing part. Time to start working on that novel and perhaps my career as a writer.
Goals:
Be transparent with my wife to improve communication
Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship.
Find a new, better paying job by the end of January 2019 or before.
In 2019 have a clear budget and financial plan working by the end of the year.
Maintain a daily blog streak of one post per day for an entire year (365 days).
Keep gym membership going somewhere and lift weights minimum of four times per week and walk minimum four times per week through end of 2019
Follow Paleo Diet completely and use intermittent fasting until the end of 2019
Cross one thing off bucket list every six months (Deadlines July 1st, and December 31st of 2019)
Be in the best shape I can be by March 18th, 2019 (50th birthday), take pictures.
# 3 is front and center and # 6. Both I hope to get going very soon, Once Number 3 and 2 are finished I will consider myself on my way to my new chapter of my life. Goals: achieved since Summer 2018: 1
Budgeting:
Basic Emergency Fund – $1000
Debt Snowball
Fully funded Emergency fund
Invest 15% of income into retirement
Pay off Home Early
Build Wealth and Give
I think the real reason we are following this is because both of us can agree to it. It will work we just need to up the income side of things.
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Happy Tyr’s Day. It is also the 6th night of Yuletide. This night is sacred to the goddess Eir and Healing. Eir being one of the Valkyrie who was famous for her healing skills. I know today is December 25th and is sacred to all you Christians out there. It used to mean a lot to me in this regard as well. So Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year. Today we pagans celebrate the virtue of Discipline mostly in regard to taking care of one’s self in regard to health.
Well, this will not be a normal Of Wolves and Ravens. As promised I am establishing a pattern for writing Of Wolves and Ravens. With a pattern I have a pretty good chance of being disciplined in writing it each week. I will be doing the same for Odin’s Eye and my New Series on Saturday on Norse Mythology. Haven’t come up with a unique title for that yet, but I will.
Topics I want to include here in Of Wolves and Ravens must meet the requirement of being a philosophical discussion. So included here is discussions of the Nine Noble Virtues of Asatru, The three higher virtues – Love, Justice and Wisdom. Discussions on Minimalism and Libertarianism will here as well. I must say this would be a good place to discuss economics and political philosophy so that will be here as well as regular western and eastern philosophy. I think a ten week pattern is in order.
Week 1 – Nine Noble Virtues and The Higher Virtues
Week 2 – Honor and Eastern Philosophy
Week 3 – Courage and Western Philosophy
Week 4 – Truth and Love
Week 5 – Self Reliance and Minimalism
Week 6 – Industriousness and Economics
Week 7 – Hospitality and Justice
Week 8 – Discipline and Political Science
Week 9 – Perseverance and Libertarianism
Week 10 – Fidelity and Wisdom
I think this pattern will be a good one as it will keep me covering a lot of different topics and not getting stuck on too many. I will try to bring modern events and other things into the discussion as much as possible.
I want to change the nature of the Wolves and Ravens as far as Need, Want, Reason and Wisdom which will still appear at the end and make them more personal to myself. Taking the discussion about whatever topic is there for the week and putting it into practice personally is the goal at that point. This should keep me writing and more importantly changing for the better as I continue this journey I call my life.
I remain,
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Happy Moon’s Day. It’s the 5th night of Yule. This night is sacred to community. A Feast usually done this night with a potluck, mead, friendship bread and gingerbread people. Tonight is about remembering the virtue of Hospitality.
Journal Entry:
It being the last full week of the year, I am thinking about the changes to my routines and goals and so forth. This has really been a very difficult year looking back on it with deep lows and high highs. Nothing really in between was present. I suppose this is going to be a reflective week and I need to watch that. The Grey is still around and being overly focused on the negative can bring that down with more power.
What I want to do this week is have shorter journal entries and put more writing in the bottom part of the stuff on each journal entry to talk about changes and what I am trying to do there. This is the last full week of the year, so it needs to be done.
Honor:
“Honor is the feeling of inner value and worth from which one knows that one is noble of being, and the desire to show respect for this quality when it is found in the world”
Principle – Be positive about my future
I don’t see any need to change the Principle concerning this Virtue. As far as honor goes think more about my future and less about the past. In that sense I feel some sense of value to my wife and family. I feel valued by the co-workers but at the same time the work I do is not something I can or want to do forever. I need something a little more significant from my perspective.
Courage:
“Courage is the bravery to do what is right always.”
Principle – Act with Courage at the right time.
No need to change things here either. Things are working well and I feel more brave and it is going to be needed more and more as this next year starts to unfold.
Truth:
“Truth is the willingness to be honest and to say what one knows to be true and right. It is often better to not say anything at all if one cannot be honest.”
Principle – Pursue knowledge, wisdom and truth at all times.
No need for change here either. I simply need to get better about being truthful with myself and others. Or just keep my mouth shut. Mostly I am just trying to dedicate myself to study more and reading.
Morning Routine:
Review Nine Noble Virtues (NNV) and Principles
Meditate on the Virtues
Review Goals
Review Bucket List
Full Body Stretch
Breakfast
Supplements and Medicines
Shower and Personal Hygiene
Get Dressed for the Day
I already made changes here and this routine is the most solid I have. I really need to make the meditation part a little more formal but the routine itself is solid and works.
Bucket List:
Go Back to Budapest, Hungary for a vacation.
Get My Tattoos.
Actually Get Drunk.
Smoke a Joint.
Hike the Northern Lakeshore Trail along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
One of these things has to come off this list by June 30th. I don’t want to change anything here and perhaps what I do need to do is put a collage picture on the wall with representations of all these things. That should be side by side with one with my goals.
Weightlifting:
The only change needed here is I need a new gym and need to get back into lifting. This will probably happen after the new year or near the end of this one.
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Happy Sun’s Day. It is the 4th Night of Yule. This day is dedicated to the gods Freyr and Njord. It is about peace and having a good upcoming season. Tonight is about the virtue of love and the developing a sense of community. Compassion, forgiveness and mercy are all present in this night of Yuletide.
Announcements:
We don’t pray here – we figure God, the gods and goddesses, or whatever powers that be either know already, don’t give a fuck, or are busy with more important matters than our petty stuff. We also kind of assume that they expect us to do stuff that we can do for ourselves, and that we will do them ourselves and not be lazy. We also believe in being good friends, so we don’t presume on our friendship with the powers that be by asking them all the time for stuff while giving them nothing in return.
We also don’t take an offering here. We figure the powers that be probably don’t need it. Let’s be honest, offerings are not giving to the divine powers, they are given to an organization to support it. Just being honest. God, the gods or whatever never see a dime, farthing or peso of that money; it all goes to the church, mosque or shrine.
Opening Song: Halford – Get into the Spirit:
Halford is the lead singer for Judas Priest. I really like the fact that metal music can do this kind of thing. Do something different. Some of his takes on classic hymns at Christmas are superb.
Poem: “Yuletide Prayer” – Jenna
Meditation:
Just something personal I have noted in my life. I actually feel far less stress. I haven’t enjoyed the holidays like this in years. Just saying.
Song of Preparation: Pentatonix – Carol of the Bells:
What a great group these people are. I can’t say enough of how I have enjoyed Pentatonix over the years.
Text:
“Happy Holidays”
Sermon:
Just a short word today – Happy Holidays to all that come here and read my stuff. I trust you will find this holiday season full of peace, joy, hope and love. Enjoy the season and live life fully in the coming years.
Skaal!!!
Closing Song: “Baby It’s Cold Outside” – Lady Gaga and Joseph Gordon-Levitt:
You probably can tell where I stand on this controversy, This is clearly two people who have the hots for each other and there is this game they are playing back and forth. Seeing in this version Lady Gaga is playing the part of the person trying to convince the other to stay, is she trying to rape him? Sorry, the notion is ridiculous. both of these people want to go at it with each other. It’s not undo pressure, it’s actually cultural concern by what outsiders will think that is the issue.
Gods, I don’t know when Puritanism became politically correct, but it needs to be stopped. Let’s be honest this is got to be another example of political correctness being something we need to discard as the language and cultural fascism it is. Are we really going to get to the point where flirting and seduction is going to be considered rape itself?
Enjoy the holidays and keep warm with the one you love.
Parting Thought:
I remain,
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
The Grey Wayfarer 