Author: Ed Raby Sr

Summer Time

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Happy Sol’s Day!

I have found myself back home in Michigan and I need to do so much in a short time. That said most of it is appointments. It’s the wait time in between that needs filling. Order can be a little flexible on this as it is mostly about getting certain things to happen.

Health: I have started walking every day. I am trying to get my time back up so that hiking is more of a reasonable possibility. It’s actually going better than expected. My old gym is getting used and my diet is more restrictive so I am expecting to lose some weight over the next few weeks.

Reading/Writing: I am going to spend some time reading more every day. I of course am writing each day at this point. trying to find my muse.

Career: By the end of June I want all my training completed that’s still left online and to be ready in some respects with a plan for next year. I have one formal test to take late this month I need to pass so I am studying for that.

Camping: I am trying to get my camping gear tested and ready. The tent is working out and I have lighting and a solar power generator pack coming for testing. I need a few things like a small stove for cooking. etc.

Hopefully, with all this preparation, I will be able to return to Michigan next summer and spend time with a base camp and day hike life at that time.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Transitions

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Happy Sif’s Day!

This past week has been one of transition. At its beginning, I was still teaching in Texas finishing up the school year. Road Trip on Wednesday and Thursday. Set up my tent on Thursday Afternoon and I now am camping out on my daughter’s lawn in Michigan this week.

But it isn’t just a location that has shifted, but a mindset. I am moving away from my job (not entirely as I have the stuff to do related to my career) and more to working on myself. Health and Other concern related to me are now at the forefront. I have some training to finish, some professional development to finish to be sure, and some education books to read, but the main focus is my own goals and habits.

The routine is shifting some senses as well but the main center is still intact. More on the summer routine tomorrow.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Love – “Runes”

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Happy Freya’s Day!

I know the combination of the Viking Runes and Love might be a little puzzling but it’s the whole mysterious thing that I am going for. The Viking Runes are without a doubt mysterious in a lot of ways and while there are a lot of theories as to what they mean, not a lot definitive is known.

This ignorance hasn’t stopped people from playing the game of trying to figure out the Runes or co-opting them for their own purposes or adding their own meaning to them. This means any discussion of the Runes becomes either very hypothetical, theoretical or just what runes mean to each person.

Doesn’t that sound a little like the concept of love? I think the mystery of anything, particularly something most of us consider a virtue or a necessity, causes us to engage in even more emotional attachment.

Love is one of those virtues that I pursue. To be seen as a loving person. To do this requires waking the trail of mystery. To walk without complete understanding or knowledge of what love is is par for the course. Changing loves applications and meanings. Give the correlations – just maybe the runes are all about love.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

On the Road

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Happy Thor’s Day!

I am on the road right now traveling to see my family. I want to keep my streak going so I want to write this ahead of time. It will drop on Thursday.

I do have some thoughts about travel. I guess in my old age I am starting to hate driving myself somewhere. I like going places and part of my goal this summer is to get my Passport renewed what I don’t like is the monotony of driving on American highways. I think there is something to be said for the old days where Highways were about the trip as much as the destination. It seems to be more about the destinations these days. If that is the case, I would rather leave the driving or flying to someone else.

In my next post, I will be in a new location.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Nine Noble Virtues – “Courage – Fear is a Choice”

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Happy Odin’s Day!

“I will face my fears and defend my family and kindred from all dangers”

As a Christian, I was sold on the notion that perfect love casts out fear. Until you realize that the organized monotheistic religions all live and continue to exist based on fear of hell or punishment. There is no real love in it. So love doesn’t really cast out fear.

There is also the statement that Fear is not real. But the statement kind of indicates fear is a choice. I am not sure about that completely, but I get the sentiment that we choose in some ways to let fear paralyze us. It is a choice to be fearful. Or perhaps we chose to deal with our fears by either submitting to them or dismissing them and forging forward despite them.

The only part of this philosophy I truly follow when it comes to the Nine Noble Virtues is to face my fear and defend those who I love as an action. Courage is the force that overcomes these. Courage is the choice to defend rather than to run.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Mythology – “Geri and Freki” – Odin’s Wolves

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Happy Tyr’s Day!

Odin also has his two wolf companions. Geri and Freki are Odin’s extra muscles. What they represent as ‘Hunger’ and ‘Fury’ is another matter. Some call this Passion and Anger. Need and Want are what I call them. Hunger and Desire. We all have certain things we need to survive, and some of us are further blessed with the philosophy to not only survive but thrive and prosper. For me, it is this dual aspect of Odin’s Wolves that I find interesting.

When people look at wolves some see evil and some see good. I don’t see either but rather the simple wild creature who is free. The concept of a domesticated wolf is one I raise my eyebrow at now. Mostly because Odin’s wolves seem to hang out with him but are they really ‘his’.

What they represent to me in my philosophy is the concept of the hunt for what one needs and what one wants. It’s OK to feed these wolves because they lead to living longer (survival) and prospering (building something better). Nothing wrong with either of these things.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Memorial Day

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Happy Mani’s Day!

For those of us who live in the USA, Memorial Day is pretty sacred as far as national consciousness. It’s a day to remember those who have fallen and died in our wars. To honor their sacrifice of life for the freedoms we enjoy today.

For me, it is also a day to remember those who died that served. They didn’t necessarily die in combat but they spent part of their life serving so I still remember them.

My Grandfather, Capt. Edward William Raby was not really my biological grandfather, but he did adopt dad and served as a B-17 pilot in WW2. Not wounded, he did find himself in some very interesting situations that resulted in two distinguished flying crosses. He said it was more of he crashed his plane and the crew survived – twice.

My dad has a less dramatic story to tell. He was a chaffer driver for admirals in Florida and his most memorable moment was the Cuban Missle Crisis of which he was a part. At six-foot, two inches, he must have cut quite a figure in his dress whites with a sidearm. Probably why my mom fell for him.

In any case, I love these two men even though they are gone. To all the honored dead today we lift our mugs and say “Hail, to the honored dead!”

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Work Routine – How to Make Work Easier

/ Ed Raby Sr / 1 Comment

Happy Sol’s Day!

This Last Year I found myself teaching full-time for the first time. With any job I’ve ever had, I have looked for a routine. That’s because Routines build basic skills that once mastered can really save you a lot of time on the job. I need to focus more on teaching and less on the admin so I work to do things admin-related in particular as a routine. I would say I cut down my time to about half when I started.

Mostly though work is at work and home discipline is separate. I do as much as possible at work when it is work-related. Having a salary kind of makes it works whenever and wherever but I feel that work is done at work and that makes my happy home happy.

Next year, I have a lot to do in regard to classroom discipline but my Admin skills are good. I actually think it will be a much better year next year. What will make it easier is routine.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Not a Great Week (Summer Planning)

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Happy Sif’s Day!

From a Discipline standpoint, this wasn’t a great week. I am about to shift my life for the next couple of months, but mostly it is a sickness that has kept me from having a lot of energy. Between the end of the school year and this illness, I have been tired and lacking in focus.

That said excuses are not something that sits well with me. So I am looking at using the summer to make adjustments and move forward in a different way. So my summer plans have a lot to do with gaining knowledge, getting back in shape, and getting more consistent with my habits. So with that in mind, I am heading to Michigan for a couple months.

  1. Time to get some walking and hiking on the trials. Part of getting back in shape and getting some fresh air away from the city.
  2. I have teacher training to finish to be fully certified and for professional development.
  3. I and the gym need to get reacquainted – more getting in shape.
  4. Summer Reading List
  5. Camping out – getting back to minimalism and living in a tent for the summer should get me a little different perspective. Hopefully, this will carry over into other things.
  6. I am going to think about teaching but in the broadest terms about class management mostly but also an overall approach to the curriculum.
  7. I am looking at my Atheist activism with more of an overall approach and hoping this will give me some better ideas.

Time to sail home for a bit and regroup. Then come back for another year of pillaging Houston.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Relationships – “Look at the Long Haul”

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Happy Freya’s Day!

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about what I am looking for in a woman in the Post: Looking for a Shieldmaiden. In that post, I said I was looking for three main qualities: Fidelity, Peace, and Intimacy.

The reason I was looking for these qualities is that these qualities are long-term. I have no desire to enter temporary relationships because my time is limited. No time to play around with games and such. More of a both of us placing what we have on the table and looking at a simple question – can we build something with this that will last?

THat’s why the qualities of Fidelity, Peace, and Intimacy. Fidelity, so we stay with it. Peace – Because prosperity is not built by conflict. Intimacy – the mortar that holds it together. Long-term building materials.

It takes work to maintain a good relationship but also takes good building materials and that is why I want a Shieldmaiden.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!