Month: April 2020

“Taking a Hiatus” – The Rabyd Skald

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Tyr’s Day!

I’m on a temporary hiatus from the writing on this blog until May 3rd. After breaking the steak of consecutive posts, I realize that writing here had become a burden rather than a joy and that means I need to stop and recenter a bit.  I will be back on May 3rd. Mostly I need to get my life in order a bit and regroup.

COVID-19 is making the country nuts and this, of course, makes it harder for me as I feel everyone’s fears and anxiety.  I could literally make every single day right now a Grey and the Wayfarer post but that would be redundant and boring.

Stay safe everyone and I will be back May 3rd.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Taking a Deep Breath” – A Skald’s Life – Business Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Thor’s Day! 

Journal Entry:

Probably this week could be summed up with the simple act of taking a deep breath before the plunge of getting going. On the one hand, I feel anxious (the good kind) when it comes to my business virtues and that would normally make my vision of the future distorted but a simple deep breath, hold it and then breathe out might be all i need right now.

Self-Reliance:

“Self-Reliance is the spirit of independence, which is achieved when each person is their own master and no one else’s’ .”

Principle: To walk in the spirit of independence by being my own master and no one else’s

Goal:  To find and engage a new career path that puts my new degree to work.

Bucket List: To be a published author of at least five books.

I like what I am doing here.  My career as a writer needs to become primary, but I feel my secondary career is a good compliment. The main goal of being financially independent is still in front of me.

Industriousness:

“Industriousness is the willingness to work hard, always striving for efficiency, as a joyous activity in itself”

Principle: Work with the enjoyment of work itself.

Goal: To write 1000 words per day for a year.

Bucket List: Write A Novel and Get it Published.

I like any work but I am working toward enjoying what I do as well.  I find that what I now need is a greater challenge.

Hospitality:

“Hospitality is the willingness to share what one has with one’s fellows, especially when they are far from home.”

Principle: To share out of my abundance to help people where I can with their life’s journey.

Goal: To begin regular significant donations to The Clergy Project as a way of paying them back.

Bucket List: To own my own home.

Just to want to give back to a group here who has done so much for me. Far more in the last year than all my churches combined ever did.

Higher Virtue – Justice:

Time to do right by myself, time to make it work for me.

Work Day Routine:

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Workout – Gym/Walking after work.
  3. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  4. Reading – 1/7th of a book
  5. Blogging – Organize, revise, post for the next day.  Write a new post for two days out.
  6. Writing: 1000 words/day.
  7. Training – 2 hours.
  8. Personal Business: record financial transactions, savings plan actions, budgeting, appointments, job search, other actions, etc.
  9. Check Communications and Email after 4 pm but before 6 pm.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“The End of a Streak” – A Skald’s Life – Foundational Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / 3 Comments

Happy Tyr’s Day

Journal Entry:

My final count was 560 days of blogging at least one post a day and that came to an end yesterday as I made the willful decision to end it that day.  The problem is twofold: 1) I need a little more time to do something I need to do and 2) the steak was becoming more of a slavery than a joy. Monkey off my back, I am free to pursue this blog as I see fit again.

I will continue to write regularly but only about five posts a  week.  I will be doing the following order.

Week A – Of Wolves and Ravens (Mani’s Day) and Freya’s Chamber’s (Frigg and Freya’s Day)

Week B – Dark ShieldMaiden (Odin’s Day) and The Pagan Pulpit (Sol’s Day)

Repeat.

This week is me engaged in some final thoughts before plunging in and finalizing the bigger picture regarding each virtue.

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 – To possess a feeling of inner value about myself and my future with a desire to find the same in others.

Goal: Maintain my YouTube Channel with at least two videos uploaded a week.

Bucket List: Hike the Northern Lakeshore Trail along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Solid Here – trying to build my YouTube Channel and keeping my big hike in view.

Courage:

“Courage is the bravery to do what is right always.”

Principle – Act with Courage at the right time.

Goal: Cross two things off my bucket list by March 31st, 2021.

Bucket List: Go Back to Budapest, Hungary for a vacation.

Two Bucket list items need to go this year. I think it can be done easily enough.

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 – To Honestly Pursue, Accept and Speak Truth to All who will Listen.

Goal: To Write a Book by March 31st, 2021

Bucket List: Read 52 books (one per week) in a year.

I need to get a book written this year and start at some point reading a book for a week for a year but I think that might start later in this year say September when I truly put together my reading list.

Higher Virtue: Love:

I flipped a switch this week and I have gone full-on love me first and that was a bittersweet moment.  I know some people are not going to like what I am going to do in the long term – fuck em.

Morning Routine:

  1. Stretching / Yoga
  2. Review Nine Noble Virtues (NNV), Principles, Goals and Bucket List
  3. Meditation – 5 min.
  4. Breakfast, Morning Meds.
  5. Check Communications and Email.
  6. Paper Journal: Update To-Do List.
  7. Shower, Personal Hygiene, Get Dressed for the Day.

New and good.

I remain.

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Time Saving and Restructuring” – The Rabyd Skald

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sol’s Day!

I have been reassessing my time and how I spend it and I have made a decision to limit most of my social media interaction in order to get something done that needs to have time spent on it and move forward with my life. This means that probably very soon my blogging everyday streak will come to an end.  I simply have limited time to get things done and need some more time and I do spend about an hour a day on this blog and that needs to be limited a little.

What will not change is my three journal posts a week on Tyr’s Day, Thor’s Day and Sif’s Day.  I need these to keep my life structured as much as possible.  But The Pagan Pulpit, Of Wolves and Ravens, My New Fiction series – Dark Shieldmaiden and Freya’s Chambers will be on rotation and will drop in one of the empty days when I complete one. I am going to try to complete two of these a week but no guarantees.  This is hopefully not permanent but jut until I have finished my other stuff.

I am also going to downsize my YouTube Channel to two videos a week for many of the same reasons.

I don’ know precisely when the streak will come to an end, just there will be a day when something is not ready and a post will not drop.  I am shifting my priorities and some things need to be done before this blog now. Not stopping just backing off a little.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

 

“Final Form – Self Virtues” – A Skald’s Life – Self Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sif’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

Not going to write too long here as my goals for Self are much the same but the differences are based more on focusing on results.

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.

Goal: To develop and follow a results-focused nutritional plan that results in fat loss, muscle gain or maintenance, and a lower A1c.

Bucket List: Do a rebellious act that most Christians would not approve of.

I need a nutritional plan that simply works to d the three main things of fat loss, muscle gain, and sugar control.

Perseverance:

“Perseverance is the ability to stand up and return from defeat and failure”

Principle: Keep getting up after every defeat or failure.

Goal: To engage in stretching every day, to follow a practical strength-building program nad to walk 5k three times a week baring weather.

Bucket List: To get a tattoo.

Training is still the same three-fold thing, just more structured.

Fidelity:

“Fidelity is the will to be loyal to one’s moral philosophy, to one’s family, one’s friends, and most important to one’s self, and loyalty to one’s friends is valued as highly as loyalty to one’s family.”

Principle: Be loyal to those who have been loyal to me.

Goal: To research my family tree to the point I can create a final copy to present to my family.

Bucket List: Discover all the countries of origin from my genetics and visit them all.

Nothing here except to more fully understand heritage.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom:

Just looking for the wisest course for me now. I can’t really think of too much else.

Rest Day Routine: 

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  3. Reading – 1/7th of a book
  4. Blogging – Organize, revise, post for the next day.  Write a new post for two days out.
  5. Training – 5 hours.
  6. Cleaning – varies but one room of the apartment at least.
  7. Writing – 1000 Words

Goals and Bucket List Items Achieved (Since Summer 2018):

Goals Achieved:

2018-19 – 7 Goals Achieved.

2020 –

Bucket List Items Achieved: 0

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“New Format and Changes” – Freya’s Chambers – Sensual Art

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!

Disclaimer:  The topics covered in Freya’s Chambers include serious discussions of sex, sexuality and related issues.  If it isn’t your thing; you can move along, otherwise enjoy and feel free to discuss.  Given the nature of some subjects be prepared for nude images as there may be some.  I avoid genitalia as a general rule but is not always possible.

Discussion:

I just want to use this post to announce some changes to the format.  I will continue to discuss issues related to what I have before but there will hopefully be two changes that I hope everyone will enjoy. Number one I plan on making some pages soon to separate the topics on Freya’s Chambers.  This will happen over time as a topic is posted under a certain heading and I will organize things.

Secondly, I am going to start a pin-up girl of the week feature to deal with my favorite form of sensual art – the vintage pin-up.  Not just in art form but photos as well.

Pin-Up Girl of the Week: Kathy MacDonald – Miss Playboy Playmate March 1969

See the source image

See the source image

See the source image

See the source image

I have looked at these photos many times from the month I was born. Kathy is still alive but I doubt very much she still looks as lovely as in these photos. A simpler and classical time for pin-up girls and for Playboy Magazine. A beautiful woman.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Final Form -Business Virtues” – A Skald’s Life – Business Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Thor’s Day! 

Journal Entry:

When it comes to business I want to leverage my recent success into further success.  I need to put my new degree to work, get writing more consistently. and find a way to start donating regularly to The Clergy Project.

Self-Reliance:

“Self-Reliance is the spirit of independence, which is achieved when each person is their own master and no one else’s’ .”

Principle: To walk in the spirit of independence by being my own master and no one else’s

Goal:  To find and engage a new career path that puts my new degree to work.

Bucket List: To be a published author of at least five books.

My routine needs to include a time to regularly study for my new certification. Other than that things ae the same.

Industriousness:

“Industriousness is the willingness to work hard, always striving for efficiency, as a joyous activity in itself”

Principle: Work with the enjoyment of work itself.

Goal: To write 1000 words per day for a year.

Bucket List: Write A Novel and Get it Published.

.Writing 1000 words every day needs to be a habit.

Hospitality:

“Hospitality is the willingness to share what one has with one’s fellows, especially when they are far from home.”

Principle: To share out of my abundance to help people where I can with their life’s journey.

Goal: To begin regular significant donations to The Clergy Project as a way of paying them back.

Bucket List: To own my own home.

It’s been almost two years since I stopped giving to the church and you know what this donating thing helps my heart a lot but I need to not be to imaginary characters anymore.  The Clergy Project has helped me a lot and it is time to pay it forward.

Higher Virtue – Justice:

I need to be focused on advancing myself this year to a good level of extra prosperity. Time to gain back what I lost being a minister for all those years.

Work Day Routine:

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Workout – Gym/Walking after work.
  3. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  4. Reading – 1/7th of a book
  5. Blogging – Organize, revise, post for the next day.  Write a new post for two days out.
  6. Writing: 1000 words/day.
  7. Training – 2 hours.
  8. Personal Business: record financial transactions, savings plan actions, budgeting, appointments, job search, other actions, etc.
  9. Check Communications and Email after 4 pm but before 6 pm.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Battle’s End” – Dark Shieldmaiden – Prelude

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Odin’s Day!

September 25, 1066

Anya the Bold knew she was dying.  She still clung to her sword while sitting with her back against the tree.  She had lost so much blood through her wound on her left side that she was sure death would come soon.  She had seen this many times before in others but now she knew it was coming to her. A mortal wound that she knew would be her end.

Not that she feared death.  Vahalla awaited and now she had more than enough reason to enter its gates. She had watched her husband die as a warrior.  Vagnar had stood on the bridge with his great axe holding off the Saxons long enough for the rest of them to escape. She knew he would fall but she had not waited around to see it.  She honored his sacrifice while hiding the fact that she herself had been stabbed by a Saxon sword.

She lay dying she thought of his embrace knowing it would soon be renewed in Vahalla. Her thoughts turned to his strong arms around her and the last time they had made love on the morning of the battle when King Godwinson’s army then surprised them.  They had enough time to arm themselves and then battle ensued.  Had not their own king fallen and their ally Earl Tostig, King Gdowinson’s brother fallen as well, things might have been different.  The Saxons had completely surprised them.

She knew her husband had felled many Saxons that day.  How many had fallen would surely be the stuff of legend as the tale was retold.  For now, though she knew he had only proceeded her in death by some hours. She stared at the trees in front of her while her vision darkened…

She awoke but it was not the hall of Vahalla she saw.  The same English trees lay before her and she felt strange. It was now nightfall and she was alive; something she had not expected.  She actually felt renewed and yet also had a feeling like she had downed far too much mead. She could move which when she had fallen asleep she could not do. She had lost too much blood.  How was this possible?

Looking down at her wound, her breath caught in her throat.

“Odin.”

It was healed like it had never existed.  Her head swam in disbelief.

“It’s alright, You were dying and I saved you.  You might not, however, believe how.”

She looked to see one of her fellow Norseman standing over her.  He had a strong young face, but his eyes betrayed an age much older.  She had seen him before but did not know his name.

“Why?”

“Because the wife of a brave man needs to be around to hear his tale.”

He held out his hand and helped her to her feet. Then she smashed her fist right into his face, knocking him on his backside.

“You rob me of Vahalla and my husbands embrace.  I should kill you.”

The man sat there, rubbing his chin.  He smiled.

“No.  You will join your husband someday, just not yet.  And killing me might prove far more difficult than you might imagine.”

Anya raised her sword and drove it down; but in a motion, which she did not see, the man stood to his feet and caught her wrist.   The strength of his grip caused her hand to flex and the sword to fall from her fingers. He then put the arm behind her back and his other arm went around her holding her still.  His strength was far superior to any man she had ever met.

“I have given you a gift.  A gift that you need to understand and I am willing to teach you, but you must calm down and listen.  I have given you a chance to tell your husband’s tale for generations to come.  But more than that, I have given you a chance to truly live.”

Anya relaxed.

“Why would you do this.”

“Because your husband was not the only one who has loved you.”

He let go of her and she spun and looked at him.

“Anya the Bold.  I have watched you for a long time. From the time you were a child.  You have a strong spirit and an intelligent mind. You are brave and a passionate heart.  I have come to love you, but I would not dishonor your marriage.”

“Who are you?”

“Just call me Erik. Listen, If you want to honor your husband’s sacrifice, live and give him vengeance. What happened today cannot go unpunished.”

Anya looked at Erik grimly and then nodded.  She then held up her sword.  The sword her husband had given her a few years ago.

“I shall avenge my husband, twenty Saxons will fall to this blade, I swear by Odin the All-Father.”

“Good, and I will tell you more about what happened to you. But for now, we must join the others and return home. The Saxons will wait until another day.”

As he turned and she followed a tear formed in her eyes. If only she had known the horrors that awaited her, she might have killed Erik for his ‘gift’.

Writer’s Notes:

Its been a bit since I started something new. My hope is this series is intriguing enough and entertaining enough for me.  It is a story I wanted to read but seeing no one has written it yet, I decided to do it. 

I remain.

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

 

“Final Form – Foundational Virtues” – A Skald’s Life – Foundational Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Tyr’s Day

Journal Entry:

So it is time to finalize some things for the coming year.  My Journal posts are about keeping me focused on the virtues, principles, goals, bucket list and routines I need to make my life more than it is.  This has also been instrumental in my battle against The Grey. The whole blog really has.  This week it is time to get things in their final form and get moving on my goals for the year.

A few universal things – my bucket list has been revised and the time element has been removed.  The goal under Courage will always have crossing off a certain number of bucket list items each year so that is my time limit point of reference. Old Goals have either been replaced or edited.

Details under each Virtue.

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 – To possess a feeling of inner value about myself and my future with a desire to find the same in others.

Goal: Maintain my YouTube Channel with at least two videos uploaded a week.

Bucket List: Hike the Northern Lakeshore Trail along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The main focus is to develop my new soapbox in my YouTube channel The Rabyd Atheist while at the same time this blog will also continue. My bucket list item here has no timeline anymore but that is OK because it is my first major hike I want to do and so when it happens is no big deal as long as it happens.

Courage:

“Courage is the bravery to do what is right always.”

Principle – Act with Courage at the right time.

Goal: Cross two things off my bucket list by March 31st, 2021.

Bucket List: Go Back to Budapest, Hungary for a vacation.

The issue for the goal every year under Courage will be to cross some things off the bucket list.  Because I did not meet this goal last year it will grow by one. I eventually want the standard number to be two every year with modifications made based on the previous year.  Example: Let’s say that this year I do three. Next year it would be two minus one because of the one over two and so I would only have to do one the next year. This goes the other way too.  My main point is to keep crossing things off the bucket list on a regular yearly basis.

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 – To Honestly Pursue, Accept and Speak Truth to All who will Listen.

Goal: To Write a Book by March 31st, 2021

Bucket List: Read 52 books (one per week) in a year.

I just want to write a book and get into the habit of reading here. As bucket list items go it simply means I need to make up a list of 52 books to read and start reading one a week on average. Two habits need to be formed to be a good writer and this is the way.

Higher Virtue: Love:

Time to do stuff for me for a while.  I am heading that direction. Call me selfish if you want but after a lifetime of giving to others at my expense, time to flip the switch and worry about me.

Morning Routine:

  1. Stretching / Yoga
  2. Review Nine Noble Virtues (NNV), Principles, Goals and Bucket List
  3. Meditation – 5 min.
  4. Breakfast, Morning Meds.
  5. Check Communications and Email.
  6. Paper Journal: Update To-Do List.
  7. Shower, Personal Hygiene, Get Dressed for the Day.

This routine gets me ready for every day.

I remain.

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Combining Philosophy and Spirituality” – Of Wolves and Ravens

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Mani’s Day

Discussion:

I wanted to free up a post to do some more fiction writing and felt that the best option each week was to combine Of Wolves and Ravens and Odin’s Eye. In large part, this also salves another problem which is that my spirituality as an atheist starts waxing more philosophical anyway.

Odin’s Eye was slowly running its course as post series in any case.  Now basically I will in addition to considering a philosophical element of my personal philosophy I will be looking at ist through ‘spiritual’ eyes as well. A merger which I think will make more sense overall.

To the Wolves and Ravens:

“Feed the Wolves, but Listen to the Ravens first.”

Needs (Geri):

By doing this I address two needs and it works to unify my view of the world and life and general

Wants (Freki):

I want to write fiction again but I don’t want to add one more post a week.  This solves the problem quite well. Now Odin’s Day will be dedicated to new series which I am still thinking about but also my thoughts regarding philosophy and spirituality are merged.  This needs to happen and I want it to happen.

Reason (Huginn):

Rationally, I think the whole idea of spirituality needed to be merged.  I just don’t look at this in a spiritual way anymore. More like a ‘spiritual’ extension of my philosophy.

Wisdom (Muninn):

I find wisdom in this simple fact, I will not be overextending myself at a time when I really cannot afford to do so. I have a lot to do in the coming months and this blog needs to be a part of it as far as stabilizing my thoughts not a burden of too much writing.

Time to Look Through the Eye:

“To see the truth, change one eye for another”

Meditation:

For me, spirituality now consisted of meditating on my philosophy and seeing some intuitive applications. Reflecting on these meditations should prove beneficial.

Mystery:

Despite the fact that my philosophy tends to be more concrete in my mind.  There is still an element of mystery to life that must be considered in all things.

Spirituality:

All philosophy also has relationships with others which is also a form of spirituality to me these days.  So there are some spiritual aspects to consider.

Conclusion:

I am doing a complete restart on my philosophy and returning to side A because of this change.  I need to reconsider everything fro the top with this new mindset.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!