Goals

A Skald’s Life – Business Virtues – Tools of Navigation

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Wooden’s (Odin’s) Day

Journal Entry:

As I take the some new steps to reorient my life goals and ambitions, I have to understand all the tools I have at my disposal to navigate the paths and the waters ahead. This blog is a tool for that and  large one.  Writing allows me to take my scattered thoughts and form them into something a little more organized and purposeful.  The Journal Posts force me to check my course and see if I am on track with the plan.

I mention it sometimes but I also have a paper journal which is more of system of checklists. It allows me to see daily and weekly progress on my routines. It is a form of self accountability.  For weightlifting and exercise I have a logbook.

I have found that there are some essential things to be learned from navigators.  1) Is to know where your going and have a route to get there. 2) Have alternate routes ready whenever possible because sometimes the road you want to take is blocked, so you need alternative ways to get where you are going. 3) Keep records – you can look back and remember things both bad and good.  Stuff to avoid in the future and stuff that surprised you as how it made the journey that much easier.

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: To achieve and maintain personal independence and advocate for independence in my family, state and nation.

Goal:  Find a new, better paying job by the end of June 2019 or before.

Bucket List: To own and run my own successful business or company.

I really like the progression here.  I did however have to change the goal time frame to  the end of June, as I passed the end of March with no new job. I have decided to step back and redo the whole procedure this week.  I also have chosen the end of June for another reason. I am searching my home state right now with no limitations on where I can go for a job. Very willing to move.  After the end of June, the whole country becomes my search field. I am getting to the point where I need to go where I need to go to make my life go where it needs to go.

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.

Goal: Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019

Bucket List: Write A Novel and Get it Published.

Internship is going well. I start my novel this week. My concern usually at work is trying to find ways that are more efficient and effective.

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: By March 31st of 2020, to be the leader of a support group of some kind.

Bucket List: To own a home by March 2024.

I want to start researching different types of support groups this week as well. I want to see what I can do or am willing to do. Both of these items here are very much dependent on where I end up for work,  In the meantime I still try to be as helpful as I can to others without bankrupting myself.

Higher Virtue – Justice:

Finding just solutions to life’s interactions has been challenging but very fun to me.  I really like negotiating between parties and always have. Might be  career path for myself.  Justice is very much about being Self-Reliant so I am not a burden to others, Industrious so I provide some usefulness and Hospitality so I can help when I can.  A real balance between holding to the right path and mercy is required in everyday life.

 Daily Routine:

  1. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  2. Blogging – Organize, revise, write new post for next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
  3. Reading – half hour. Priority order: work, school, pleasure
  4. Study / Homework / Research: half hour per day minimum or until all necessary work is completed.
  5. Personal Business: record financial transactions, savings plan actions, budgeting, appointments, other.
  6. Check Communications and Email after 2 pm but before 4 pm.
  7. Latin – half hour
  8. Weekly Routine Items
  9. Nutrition: Daily Carb Count – 1

My only worry about this routine is it might be too long. If it turns out that it is, than Latin can go to the Weekly stuff. So far though I have to think it looks good on paper. I have three days to test it and see but I will probably continue to try well into the next week before I would make a change.

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

Skaal!!!

A Skald’s Life – Foundational Virtues – Walking On

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Moon’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

Happy April Fools.  That said you won’t get an April fools joke from me. I prefer a more traditional approach to All Fool’s Day.  Everything backwards or upside down.  Next year this will be my day to do something out of character and do something truly risk taking.  Smoke a Joint, Get Drunk, Go to a nudist resort, etc.  Something where I throw the virtues to the wind for one day and live life a little risky. Something where the socially unacceptable becomes normal for one day.  I have a year to plan it so this should be interesting.

This year, however, today marks the second day of my ‘walking on’  I have realigned my compass, taken a look at my map and conformed a more clear route and I am now taking steps on it. Journey of Life resumed.

Implementing everything is going to probably take the entire week to really get going.  I have tested the morning routine and it is solid like before. Now I have three days off from work from Tuesday to Thursday where I plan on implementing the rest. The problem of course with it is things need to be set up for some things to be routine. Learning Latin. for instance needs a little work to decided how to proceed step by step o the days off will allow me to do that. By the end of the week I should have all of that done and be moving forward.

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 a daily blog streak of one post per day for an entire year (365 days).

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

I feel valued these days at work and by the few friends I have left. I feel positive about my future. I sometimes struggle with myself.  Throwing off the whole light verses darkness thing and just being a man walking in life as a human being has been a difficult but necessary transition.  It is also one where I feel far more at peace.

The daily blogging hits a half a year with this post. A milestone for which I am giving no fanfare. Half a year to go. To be ready for the hiking trip is going to require training and acquiring some gear. Planning and scheduling.  My walks at least three days a week are the first steps.

Courage:

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

Principle – Act with Courage at the right time.

Goal: Cross one thing off bucket list every year. Deadline March 31st

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

The concept of fear being a choice has changed a lot of things for me. Danger is a real thing but fear is a reaction that can be controlled. I have a lot of things to do that will require courage in the next few months so I need to keep making these choices.

I did make one change to the goal here to make it one a year for the bucket list as many of my bucket list items are now more long-term goals. I actually have two that need to be completed by next year at this same time so this should be easy.  Hungary and Budapest awaits, but it will probably be a few years yet.

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 Be Honest and Speak Truth to Myself and Others.  To Be Silent in the presence of Fools.

Goal: To Write a Non-Fiction Book by March 31st, 2020

Bucket List: Learn Latin by March 31st 2020 to the point I can take a test and show my self proficient.

Honesty is really not my problem.  Bluntness is. I am glad I added the part about learning to be silent in the presence of Fools.  I find myself getting involved in less and less social media discussions. If it wasn’t for writing and memes I might not be involved at all anymore.

The writing schedule will be two days a week on the non fiction book (because it is a goal) and one day on the novel (because it is a bucket list item).  I had to dust off the Latin books and read the “How to do this’ section but I am starting to take baby steps.

Higher Virtue: Love:

When comes to Truth, Courage and Honor, I am definitely adding the notion of love here as I ask how these three express love all the time. It is a guiding virtue for me in these regards.

Morning Routine:

  1. Review Nine Noble Virtues (NNV), Principles, Goals and Bucket List
  2. Meditation – 3 min.
  3. Check Communications and Email.
  4. Paper Journal: Create Daily Log and To Do List.
  5. Breakfast, Medications and Supplements.
  6. Shower and Personal Hygiene
  7. Get Dressed for the Day

Love this now. It allows me to use the beginning of the day to think, plan an prepare. Not hard at all.

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

Skaal!!!

The Rabyd Skald – Realigning Routine

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Saturn’s Day

Well, not going to get to a Crossing Bifrost post this week either.  I  really need to get this realignment done so I can get on with other things. I will double dip next week to make it up to you. Maybe.

Now that I have aligned each Virtue with its Principle, Goal and Bucket List item, there is one task that remains so my three weekly journal posts are complete – Aligning my Routines so that what is on them is actively taking steps to reach those goals and items.

I don’t consider routine or forming routines to be a restriction on living life, but rather a tool so goals can be achieved.  The goal is having more time to live life and achieve results that make my life more enjoyable. They actually, in the long run, give me more time to do what I want to do. This is because routine should be about being efficient and effective.

There are other issues with this as well.  Certain habits that I need to develop because they good habits. Stuff that is more connected directly to virtue than a goal or item on my bucket list. But all of it must relate to a goal at least indirectly in that it keeps me developing skills and habits that help strengthen me in some way so the goals are easier to achieve. The other thing is activities that are flexible in that they can be used for one goal and then transition into another. Study, Reading and Writing are good examples as they can be used professionally, as a student or personally.

I have the same resources as anyone else: Time, Possessions and Relationships.  Finding ways to utilize them to help me get to what I need and want is the issue here and Routines are a tool to help me do that.  What I need to do here as well is identify things that will be the product of routine and others that are just items to list to be done.

Step One – List the Goals and Look at Full Bucket List.

Goal’s Listed

  1. Maintain a daily blog streak of one post per day for an entire year (365 days).
  2. Cross one thing off bucket list every year.  Deadline March 31st.
  3. To Write a Non-Fiction Book by March 31st, 2020
  4. Find a new, better paying job by the end of March 2019 or before.
  5. Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019
  6. By March 31st of 2020, to be the leader of a support group of some kind.
  7. To follow A FULL Paleo Diet Plan from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020.
  8. To engage in an exercise program that involves weightlifting, hiking/walking and stretching/ yoga an average of three days a week from April 1st, 2019 to March 31st, 2020
  9. Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation

Bucket List Items Listed: 

  1. Hike the Northern Lakeshore Trail along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
  2. Go Back to Budapest, Hungary for a vacation.
  3. Learn Latin by March 31st 2020 to the point I can take a test and show my self proficient.
  4. To own and run my own successful business or company.
  5. Write A Novel and Get it Published.
  6. To own a home by March 2024.
  7. Do a rebellious act on April Fools Day, April 1st, 2020.
  8. To get at least one tattoo by March 18th, 2020.
  9. Discover all the countries of origin from my genetics and visit them all by March 18th, 2029.

Step Two – Revise Routines.  Basically, I am coping the old routine and making revisions based on the above.

Morning Routine:

  1. Review Nine Noble Virtues (NNV), Principles, Goals and Bucket List
  2. Meditation – 3 min.
  3. Check Communications and Email.
  4. Paper Journal: Create Daily Log and To Do List.
  5. Breakfast, Medications and Supplements.
  6. Shower and Personal Hygiene
  7. Get Dressed for the Day

This is the first thing in the morning when I get up stuff. This is every morning, every day. The idea is to set a tone and plan what to do for the day as well as remind myself of obligations. Once this is done, it is time to work the daily routine. I am having breakfast again as it is the best way to remember to take my medications and supplements.

 Daily Routine: (in priority order) 

  1. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  2. Blogging – Organize, revise, write new post for next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
  3. Reading – half hour. Priority order: work, school, pleasure
  4. Study / Homework / Research: half hour per day minimum or until all necessary work is completed.
  5. Personal Business: record financial transactions, savings plan actions, budgeting, appointments, other.
  6. Check Communications and Email after 2 pm but before 4 pm.
  7. Latin – half hour
  8. Weekly Routine Items
  9. Nutrition: Daily Carb Count – 1

The reason this is in priority order is because it might not get finished every day and Weekly Routine Items are a special case in that when they can be done and need to be done they jump to the top of the list. Blogging is there at the top because of the goal to blog a post every day.  Reading is essential for school and writing.  Study/ Homework / Research covers work, school and writing.  Personal Business is expanded to include a lot of items.  Just wanted a time every day to ask the questions: “What personal business needs to be done today? And did it get done?”.  Latin I debated but truth is it is probably one of those things I will have to do every day or it won’t happen at all. Nutrition is still a work in progress but allowing one carb high carb item a day will keep me from going completely nuts.

Savings Plan actions are purposeful activities where I save money toward certain ends.  Right now I am saving a set number of dollars every paycheck toward my tattoos and a mini-vacation with the wife for our anniversary. Then after that saving up for the genetics test will be on my list. The idea is things that need money to do them need a regular plan of building that money to achieve them.

The trick with the Daily is it needs to be long enough so I don’t put it off but short enough that it is doable even when the weekly items are added. It has to have the right balance and that is why the Morning Routine has me making this up every morning to as the question of is this both Realistic and Challenging enough?

Weekly Routine: 

  1. Weightlifting/Stretching – Minimum 3 days per week.
  2. Walking – Minimum 3 days a week
  3. Job Search – Minimum 3 days a week
  4. Cleaning – 3 days a week.
  5. Writing – 3 times a week
  6. Cheat Meal Count: 3 per week.

As you can see, I have decided to go with the number three a lot.  Mostly this makes the log entry easy.  Lifting and Stretching will come back into my life next week as I have decided to spend some of my tax return money on a gym memberships and I will probably do it every day after work.  This should actually give me four days as week, but I allow for special things to happen where I might have to forgo once a week or so.  Walking will probably be on days off along with the job search and cleaning. Writing I am going to look for days where it will work. The compensation for only having one high carb source a day is to give myself three cheat meals a week and that includes special occasions.

That should do it other than spending the rest of today doing preparation work to make this start happening Sun’s Day.  Mostly this involves redoing mt lists for meditation and getting my paper journal prepared. This process has really streamlined things as well as made it simpler and more lined up.  One thing leads to another pretty well. That said, glad the process is over although there are some small items to do on some of the items listed above to get the specifics.  Time to make this thing work.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

A Skald’s Life – Self Virtues – Realigning Fidelity

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day

Journal Entry:

I have always been a loyal friend.  I have always been a loyal father and grandfather.  Understand if you mess with my kids (including my daughter-in-law and son-in-law by the way) or grand kids, prepare to reap something you will not enjoy. I am loyal to mother who yesterday turned 78.  The memory of my father and grandparents I honor every day. I was loyal to my church and even at the end my thoughts were always on how I could withdraw without hurting them any more than necessary.  I never turned my back on them, until they were misled into thinking I had, and turned their back on me.

No. Fidelity is a struggle in a very specific areas for me.  The rest of it is solid. The areas that need work are obviously my wife and I and my trust issues now with possible new friends. The first is much better.  My wife and I have been counseled and we have reached a place where we trust each other again and are supportive.  We still have some issues of course like any couple but we are working on them together.

What remains for me is that I tend to trust people and give them the same loyalty I expect from them. The problem is that I assume they feel the same and they don’t, and I don’t pick up on that.  It can make me naive at times as to what people, who call themselves my friends’, real intentions are or even their real nature.  It has blindsided me more than once.  In this last year it happened twice with pretty catastrophic results.

Well, at least until recently this was true.  Now, I skeptical of everyone who calls me ‘friend’ with very few exceptions. I have made a commitment to keep my circle very small for this very reason. It also why not much has changed in regards to he virtue or principle I follow because I forged both of these things in the fires of betrayal – my own and of those toward me.

“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.”

No changes but perhaps some definitions are in order.

  1. My gods are the virtues I follow and my philosophy of deism, humanism and paganism.  Nothing more or less.
  2. My ‘folk’ are my immediate family and those friends who have earned through their own loyalty the title of friend.  Like the virtue says, my friends are family.  I hope that is understood.  There is only one difference.  If friend betrays me, I have no problem throwing them out of the family.
  3. Myself – yeah, in equal measure to those above I work on being loyal to myself and being truly myself. No more masks, no more lies to cover the real me. I will no longer be ashamed of my true self.

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

Recent events have the caveat ‘ ‘who have been loyal to me.’  Betrayal is hard when you do it and I now see more than ever the value of fidelity from me toward others.  That said, I get truly pissed off about people who betray me as a result too. Once you do that, my loyalty to you goes right out the window. People screw up, it should be no cause to be disloyal to them. Something me and my wife have learned together which is probably what makes our relationship much tighter in some ways than it has ever been.

I just turned 50, so I am too fucking old now for friends that are disloyal or forming friendships that are not serious.  My pack is small but we fight together and die together if necessary.  This needs to be understood. So yes, you have to demonstrate loyalty now before you get that kind of loyalty from me. Thank you.  Otherwise cue Pantera’s ‘Walk for fake friends.’:

Goal: Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation

Last year my wife and I were separated for our anniversary.  This year we need to make up for that somehow.  Don’t know the specifics, but a ‘weekend’ getaway type thing might be just what we need the most.

Bucket List: Discover all the countries of origin from my genetics and visit them all by March 18th, 2029.

I struggled with this one for a while trying to find something that tied in with fidelity. I mean getting a genetics test is easy. finding the means to research it down to actually visiting each country my ancestors came from is going to require some prosperity.  From my mom’s side, that means France, The Netherlands, and Wales for sure.  I could however find some surprises with genetics test. The first step would then be to get a genetics test. I have set as a time limit on this one my 60th birthday as I needed a true long-term bucket list item and didn’t have one yet.

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 follow A FULL Paleo Diet Plan from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020.

Bucket List: Do a rebellious act on April Fools Day, April 1st, 2020.

Time is pressing now on the nutrition element here.  I need to spend time before Monday getting a plan together. The main issue is of course cutting out from my diet the things I cannot eat. Coming up with new things I can eat to cook and so forth.

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 an exercise program that involves weightlifting, hiking/walking and stretching/ yoga an average of three days a week from April 1st, 2019 to March 31st, 2020

Bucket List: To get at least one tattoo by March 18th, 2020.

I decided to take some of my tax return and get a gym membership near where I work. I will probably stop by after work every day and hit the stretching and weights. The weather is turning nice so walking is about to start next week too. It begins very soon.

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.

Goal: Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation

Bucket List: Discover all the countries of origin from my genetics and visit them all by March 18th, 2029.

Lots of family stuff which is good.  I suspect the goals will be different things that reflect my gratitude for fidelity toward family and friends.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom: 

I learned a lot of humility this last year.  I suppose that this has paved a lot of wisdom for me in the same time frame.  As I relive some of the memories from last year, wisdom and humility kind of beat the hell out of my foolish pride.  It is not an easy time right now and that is for damn sure.  I hope that through Discipline, Perseverance and Fidelity, I can find a gentler way to pave wisdom with humility, but I doubt it. I suspect I might be harder on myself than life is.

Weekly Routine: 

  1. Weightlifting – 4 days per week.
  2. Cleaning – 3 days a week.
  3. Walking – 4 days a week
  4. Writing – 4 times a week
  5. Cheat Meal Count – Currently 2

Tomorrow I will be doing a special The Rabyd Skald post to deal with my routines.  I suspect all of them will change but the main issue is to take each goal and bucket list item and find something to put in the routines that works toward them.

Goals and Bucket List Items Achieved:

Goals Achieved: 1  Graduated College with BS in Political Science and minors in Economics and International Business December 2018.

Bucket List Items Crossed Off: 0

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

A Skald’s Life – Business Virtues – Realigning Hospitality

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Wooden’s (Odin’s) Day

Journal Entry:

With this A Skald’s Life post and the one of Freya’s Day, the realignment process will be mostly complete.  I have one more post I want to do on Saturn’s Day which will be reworking all three of my Routines to reflect the changes in my goals and bucket list.  The idea being that each goal or bucket list item will have something on one of the routines which takes steps to reach them.  There is a purpose to each Routine where I can see it moving me closer to all of my goals.

Hospitality has always been a little bit of a bugaboo for me.  I am an introvert and recluse by nature. That said, I have no problem holding a conversation with the right people or social situations that are more controlled.  I actually have benefited from such things when there is a purpose to them.

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

I have no problem with the Virtue as written.  Being willing to share is not a problem until you realize the scope of what can be shared. Literally everything can be shared under this idea of ‘share what one has’. It is very broad when you think about it.

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

I had to put a Grey Wayfarer element into this somehow. The ‘life’s journey’ thing is something I can say reflects that.  I miss helping people but at the same time know it can drain you beyond what you are capable of doing so ”out of my abundance’ is my check and balance phrase.  Sharing is of course  very road term and so it allows this to be applied to a lot of different things involving helping others.

Goal: By March 31st of 2020, to be the leader of a support group of some kind.

I had one goal left that business oriented about budgeting.  Well, that really is something that fits Self-Reliance and Industriousness as part of achieving those goals. It is also something I have to do as a team with my wife. It also didn’t fit at all with Hospitality.

I freely confess I miss two things about ministry.  Helping people through their life problems as a life coach of sorts and the small support group I created.  I want both of those back and I don’t need to be religious to do so.  This is going to require some digging and research.  I may even have to create something from nothing. but I think it is something I can gravitate to as a former minister.

Bucket List: To own a home by March 2024.

Home ownership is something that has never been a real possibility in my life except once early on in my ministry and we did own a home for a couple of years which we lost because of a job situation in the ministry.  Since then no dice, just not enough money. I hoping that will change with a new career and we really need the baseline of financial security of owning a place to live.

In regards to hospitality and other virtues, my home would have to be able to be bipolar.  On the one hand it needs to be a fortress of solitude where I can go to recharge.  On the other if the small group thing becomes a reality, it needs to be a host site.  It also can’t be more house than a couple can handle and I don’t want a huge yard.  All my virtues would have to be somehow reflected. This is also a decision to be made with my wife but I definitively value privacy and minimalism plus being a good place to have a small gathering.

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: To achieve and maintain personal independence and advocate for independence in my family, state and nation.

Goal:  Find a new, better paying job by the end of March 2019 or before.

Bucket List: To own and run my own successful business or company.

I really like this alignment as it flows one to another. The only issue now is I am approaching the end of March and still no better job.  I am thinking I will have to extend it again and that is a little frustrating. I do however see a three-month plan here where I finish my internship, find a job and move on. It would accomplish a lot of things in my life in a sort time and set me on the path for others.

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.

Goal: Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019

Bucket List: Write A Novel and Get it Published.

Things to enjoy working on here.  I like it and when I get to realigning my routines I see the novel thing being a part of the weekly routine. My internship is actually going on right now I just have to finish the work and get to May 2019.  Once done my degree is supposed to be in the mail by the end of June.

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: By March 31st of 2020, to be the leader of a support group of some kind.

Bucket List: To own a home by March 2024.

I like the realignment as it is about expression of prosperity into helping others. Something that gives my business virtues overall purpose.

Higher Virtue – Justice:

I look at the three virtues above and my definition of justice is all there. Doing the right thing but being self-reliant.  Working hard both from myself and my wife.  Plus showing mercy to those who might need a hand along the way.  Seems very solid now. Justice after all is about how I deal with people.

 Daily Routine:

  1. Communication / Cuddle Time
  2. Blogging
  3. Reading / Study – Half-hour per day minimum or until all necessary work is completed.
  4. Clear In Box/ To Do List
  5. Financial Transaction Input
  6. Carb Count – currently two.

I see some changes here.  Consolidation, plus additions and subtractions.

Looking above you can start to see the pattern for the journal entries is going to be more uniform and consistent.  Journal, Three Virtues, Higher Virtues, Routine.  Only Freya’s Day has an addition with a record of Goals and Bucket List Items achieved. I am glad I did this realignment and it really is starting to streamline and simplify things.

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

Skaal!!!

A Skald’s Life – Foundational Virtues – Realigning Truth

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Moon’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

As I wrap up this realignment process and head into the final week, there still remains a lot to be done. This week I have to realign Truth, Hospitality and Fidelity.  Some of the tougher ones and the problem at this point is that there is not enough left on the bucket list or my list of goals and so some thing are going to have to be created along those lines.

In addition, my Morning, Daily and Weekly Routines need to be modified so that there are things on them that work toward achieving my goals and advancing toward crossing things off the bucket list.  I have made the decision to drop the Evening Routine. All I will basically do in the evening is brush my teeth and go to bed. Some of the things on it will be moved to the other Routines. I will be doing a special The Rabyd Skald post on Saturday to talk about the Routines specifically to handle that.

Things kick off on the 31st of this month so it is crunch time.

Truth is one of the virtues that has been troubling and difficult this past year. I have pretty passive about it as basically my principle was to simply pursue truth and discover it.  But this is not the focus of the virtue.  Rather it is about proclamation.  Something that as a former preacher I understand better than most. So time to change a few things.

“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.”

The virtue as always is not the problem.  It’s application of it that is the problem.

Principle: To Be Honest and Speak Truth to Myself and Others.  To Be Silent in the presence of Fools.

I use the word ‘Speak’ in the broadest sense of the word. To communicate with effectiveness has been a large challenge I have accepted in most areas of my life.  Effective communication is here but what is communicated is Truth. The form of communication does not matter – written, oral or other.  The issue is Truth being communicated effectively.  There is also learning when to be Silent.

Goal: To Write a Non-Fiction Book by March 31st, 2020

This goal is still probably not specific enough so I may further refine it a bit later.  The point is if I am going to proclaim truth on a larger level; than I have been recently, I need a platform to proclaim it from.  I am no longer a preacher but maybe down the road being a motivational speaker or life coach, but until then I need to know what my message is going to be and the focus of this first non-fiction book may very well be creating that message.  Starting now on a year-long process to create and discover this by writing a book might be the best way forward.

Bucket List: Learn Latin by March 31st 2020 to the point I can take a test and show my self proficient.

Trying to add some sense of SMART to my bucket list items as well.  The biggest things I need in my life it seems are deadlines.  They keep me moving.  I haven’t dropped learning Hungarian just delayed it a year.  I will probably work on that 2020 to 2021 as my planned trip to Budapest will probably not be for a few years. This Bucket List Item may always be learning a language or a skill I want to just learn.  After Latin and Hungarian I might want to learn cooking or something.  These are the kind of Bucket List items that fit truth.

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 a daily blog streak of one post per day for an entire year (365 days).

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

Just so people know when this post drops the blog streak will be nearing the half way point.  Yesterday the 200th post dropped on this blog. I would say we have gotten past the start and infant stage.

I really feel Honor is something I can now achieve and this realignment has really help me have a better sense of vision for my life which will lead to a better sense of being positive about my future. Which lead to a better sense of Honor.

Courage:

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

Principle – Act with Courage at the right time.

Goal: Cross one thing off bucket list every six months (Deadlines July 1st, and December 31st of 2019)

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

This Virtue now keeps me focused on the hard issues of achieving my goals.  It forces me to act and pursue them. That’s a good thing.

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 Be Honest and Speak Truth to Myself and Others.  To Be Silent in the presence of Fools.

Goal: To Write a Non-Fiction Book by March 31st, 2020

Bucket List: Learn Latin by March 31st 2020 to the point I can take a test and show my self proficient.

Last summer  was writing a blog called The Rabyd Microphone.  Don’t look for it. It’s been deleted.  The one thing about that blog that I absolutely insisted on was it was going to be raw truth.  People didn’t like it because there was one element about truth that I have now come to understand – If people are fools or don’t want to accept it – they will just get angry. So this blog is also committed to truth.  There is one difference, I now ask myself what good will done by stating the Truth and who will listen? In short, is my potential audience fools? If so, then I just keep some things to myself.

I like the changes here – gives me some things to shoot for.

Higher Virtue: Love:

Honor, Courage and Truth – Love in action.  I just need to identify what is worthy of my  love and act accordingly and things go right. When I don’t, things go wrong.  In know that seems overly simple, but it works.

Morning Routine:

  1. Review Nine Noble Virtues (NNV) and Principles
  2. Review Goals and Bucket List
  3. Meditation
  4. Full Body Stretch
  5. Shower and Personal Hygiene
  6. Get Dressed for the Day

I will be doing a special post on Saturday where my Routines will be Realigned according to all these changes.  The goal there is to take each bucket list item and goal and ask what part of any routine is working toward it. This really the final part of the overall realignment.  This means even though this Routine works the best, it might have some changes as far as addition.

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

Skaal!!!

A Skald’s Life – Self Virtues – Realigning Perseverance

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day

Journal Entry:

As I look at my life I can say if there is any virtue more natural to me than Perseverance, I don’t know what it is. Getting up off the ground is a skill I have mastered and I must say it is part natural and part encoded into me through four years of high school football.  “Get off the ground”, “Coyotes never quit.” etc. pounded in my every practice and every play. It has become a lifestyle.

I know someday I may fall and not get back up.  That came very close to happening last year. But I winced in pain and stood back up and kept walking.  The Grey Wayfarer was born at that moment and to be honest was born of pure stubborn will to succeed or at least survive.

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

It is the best possible definition I can think of.  There are many, but this one just makes it simple and succinct.

Principle: Keep getting up after every defeat or failure.

Yep.  Like this too.  No better way to put it.

Goal: To engage in an exercise program that involves weightlifting, hiking/walking and stretching/ yoga an average of three days a week from April 1st, 2019 to March 31st, 2020

This basically combines two of my previous goals into one goal.  It puts a full package and balanced exercise plan to work to improve my health.  Along with Nutrition this is about improving my health and gaining long term health.  All of these activities not only require perseverance to stick with, but also build strength, endurance and flexibility – key components of perseverance.  It just makes sense to me for this goal to be this way.

Bucket List: To get at least one tattoo by March 18th, 2020.

My tattoos are going to be about my journey,  so they don’t have to come all at once.  They are also a measure of prosperity in my mind as I would use money that is more disposable income to get them. In any case I am taking a long view on this issue and setting a deadline. My list changes from time to time but there have been some consistent points.  I will probably talk more about this next week.

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 follow A FULL Paleo Diet Plan from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020.

Bucket List: Do a rebellious act on April Fools Day, April 1st, 2020.

Looking at this diet question I don’t have a lot of time to really work on it, but the main issue is it being a Full Paleo Diet plan.  Now when I say that, I make exceptions for a few things.  There will probably be a cheat meal once per week. Special occasions will allow for alcohol and addition cheat meals.  But mostly I am struggling with dairy. I will think on it some more.

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 an exercise program that involves weightlifting, hiking/walking and stretching/ yoga an average of three days a week from April 1st, 2019 to March 31st, 2020

Bucket List: To get at least one tattoo by March 18th, 2020.

Seeing the whole picture here means a visual representation of perseverance in my body – it’s health and how it looks. To build through perseverance a body worth putting art on is what you see here.

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.

By the time I get to Fidelity next week, I will either be very clear what should be here or completely lost. The wife, family and friends orientation will have to be present. The goal might still be on my list, but the bucket list is empty here. Another thing to think on.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom: 

I think this realignment has been one of the wiser things I have done.  It really is bringing things into focus and that is good.  I think it also is going to bring my routines in line with everything as well.

Weekly Routine: 

  1. Weightlifting – 4 days per week.
  2. Cleaning – 3 days a week.
  3. Walking – 4 days a week
  4. Writing – 4 times a week
  5. Cheat Meal Count – Currently 2

Going to have to bring this into more compliance with everything.  Next week is all about finalizing the realignment and getting the routines to actually do things that head toward my goals and the bucket list.

Evening Routine:

  1. Take supplements and medications.
  2. Brush and Floss Teeth
  3. Out the Door Preparation
  4. Reading – 15 min.
  5. Go to Bed

Honestly, I think this routine might die.  I think I would be better served in putting the things on it on other routines. If all I do is brush my teeth and go to bed that’s not a routine, that is just a smart thing to do.

Nutrition:

This is going to disappear after today. It’s under discipline with the goal, so I no longer need a separate section.

Weekly Recap:

Name change – Goals and Bucket List Items Achieved.  And that is what this is going to do.  Keep track of the number of each and what they were.  I expect both of them to grow.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

A Skald’s Life – Business Virtues – Realigning Industriousness

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Wooden’s (Odin’s) Day

Journal Entry:

Hitting the Business Virtues is always a struggle because I am changing a lot of who I am and what I do here. It isn’t just about the virtues but something core to every man – who am I?  That said this realignment has been the most helpful here.  Today we look at  Realigning Industriousness.

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

No problems here.  I like it as it is written.

Principle: To work with efficiency and with enjoyment for work itself.

A small change to bring in the idea of being efficient which fits the virtue better and my own sense of economics and the need to be efficient.

Goal: Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by the end of May 2019.

Industriousness needs something to work and a notion that the work is complete at some point.  My degree is almost finished and represents a lot of work.  Time to hang the degree on the wall and move to whats next.  Just a few more months. Added a time frame to make the goal SMART

Bucket List: Write A Novel and Get it Published.

I needed something that reflects my other industrious point – Being a Writer.  Writing is work, no mater how enjoyable, it is still work. I need to be more industrious about getting to this bucket list item, and so here it will be.

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: To achieve and maintain personal independence and advocate for independence in my family, state and nation.

Goal:  Find a new, better paying job by the end of March 2019 or before.

Bucket List: To own and run my own successful business or company.

Now that I can see the whole picture here it looks like the Goal is the next step toward the Bucket List item. As goals are completed here they should be the next step toward the ultimate goal of ownership o my own business that is successful.  This makes things very clear when it comes to self-reliance.

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.

Goal: Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019

Bucket List: Write A Novel and Get it Published.

Goal and Bucket List item are very oriented toward getting something done in a systematic and efficient manner. I suppose it is at this point that I know that I will be asking myself the question of routine.  As in, what routine do I need to add something, so I am doing something every morning, day, evening or week to get a step closer to each goal or bucket list item?  That will be the challenge for next week as I complete the process.

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.

As I draw closer to the last week of the month, I know this one has to be expanded as far as the Principle.  The goal and bucket list item are still up in the air. Although true to the business virtues it will probably be about budgeting so that the element of budget will be a part of it. Hospitality is after all about having excess, so you can show compassion to others who need it.

Higher Virtue – Justice:

Justice is a difficult thing.  It becomes more imperative when your viewpoint changes from a person who believed that the Christian god would make everything right in the end to a person who believes it is highly possible that The Divine may demand justice here on earth now.  Or maybe there is nothing at all and we need to have justice here on earth to right wrongs and balance the scale or they will never get balanced a all.  All I know is that I can just make myself act justly when called for and if given the opportunity balance the scales.. Otherwise patience and forbearance might be the only actions I have.

 Daily Routine:

  1. Communication / Cuddle Time
  2. Blogging
  3. Reading / Study – Half-hour per day minimum or until all necessary work is completed.
  4. Clear In Box/ To Do List
  5. Financial Transaction Input
  6. Carb Count – currently two.

There may be some changes here as Goals and Bucket Lists get finalized next week.

Goals: 

  1. Be transparent with my wife to improve communication
  2. In 2019 have  a clear budget and financial plan working by the end of the year.
  3. 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
  4. Be in the best shape I can be by March 18th, 2019 (50th birthday), take pictures.

As you can see this list is getting shorter; and when this process is complete, it too will disappear.  The Goals Achieved thing will make its way to the weekly recap part of the journal posts.

Goals achieved since Summer 2018: 1

Budgeting: 

  1. Basic Emergency Fund – $1000
  2. Debt Snowball
  3. Fully funded Emergency fund
  4. Invest 15% of income into retirement
  5. Pay off Home Early
  6. Build Wealth and Give

Just can report with our tax return we are sitting on number one being done right now so debt reduction is a focus at the moment. I should note, with one of my goals involving budgeting, this section will also disappear and be joined with that.

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

Skaal!!!

The Rabyd Skald – Thoughts on My 50th Birthday

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Moon’s Day.

So my wife says to me last night that the next day I would officially be old.  I say in return. “Well then, I can also officially call myself a dirty ‘old’ man and start acting like it, let the fun begin.” She has no idea what she is in for now.

This post is dropping at 12:39 because it is that time that is on my birth certificate that I was born.  According to my mother, I interrupted lunch.

Tuesday, March 18th, 1969 was an interesting day – The United States began the secret bombing of Cambodia in the Vietnam War that day.  There was a Solar Eclipse that day. Barbara Bates – the famous model/actress died that day by suicide:

Barbara Bates pin-up from Yank, The Army Weekly, May 4, 1945.jpg

The Song everyone was listening to was Dizzy by Tommy Roe.

I don’t what else people expect in a time where Richard Nixon was President and the late 1960s were coming to an end.  The movies. books and all that were typical for the period.

I don’t remember anything because for me I was an infant and the world was a far different place than it is now.  We hadn’t even landed on the moon yet.

Looking back at 50 years of life, to say I do not have regrets would be a lie.  If you don’t, you really haven’t had to make tough decisions or faced difficult situations.  That said, regrets can either motivate you or cripple you.  For me they motivate me.

I suppose the temptation at this point is to slow down and take it easy.  I really have no such desire. The concept of sitting back and retiring still in my mind is far away. I really don’t see myself playing golf, sitting on beach or any such thing.  Rather, I see myself pumping iron, taking a long hike and advancing a new career and moving forward with my life.  I imagine the words I will rebel to most are – ‘Slow down, take it easy or act your age.”  What does that all mean anyway?

See the source image

Nope, I figure I would rather die doing something than nothing. I can think of nothing worse than dying in bed. I know the grim reaper is going to get me some day, but I plan on facing her bravely and cracking a sarcastic joke as she touches me. Slowing down and taking it easy is not something I think I will do very well, unless it involves books.

As for acting my age, I figure at 50 I should be able to define what acting my age is. It isn’t up to anybody else but me what that means; so to all the judgmental people out there who think the world fits nicely into categories they define for everyone else, fuck you and fuck that. I still plan on being a dirty old man toward my wife and pursuing the things I enjoy. At fifty, I have at least realized life is too short not to enjoy as much of it as you can get.  I haven’t grown up yet and now I don’t have too.

It is time to live life not fade out of it.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

The Rabyd Skald – The Grey and the Wayfarer – Part 7 – Writing and Walking Through It

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Saturn’s Day

I know people are probably expecting a Crossing Bifrost post today but I have a couple pressing matters that I need to attend to and I am currently reading some books on Norse mythology that I want to get a little further in before I write my next post on it.

I also have been fighting The Grey pretty much all week. Part of the reason I am throwing myself into realigning my virtues with my goals and principles is that it really helps with this. I feel there is a key or keys in this process to dealing with The Grey; to a point where I can not only function with it, but actually feel some things without shutting down.

I have been asking a lot of motivation questions because what The Grey threatens and destroys the most often is my motivation.  The odd thing is that my motivation to write is the one that is often the least affected. The trigger this week is the time of year and it will be so until probably the end of summer.  Last year at this time, my ministry as a pastor and my marriage were both unraveling and there are a lot of painful memories associated with that right now.  I can confidently assert that the old notion of time healing all wounds is bullshit.  It can scar them over, but they still remain under the surface.

Writing has always helped with these times in that it gets me through them.  It is often the process of taking the next step in writing the blog article or project that is me taking the next step.  I write for me and I write to overcome my depression.

If a friend were to ask me what issues rise to the top, i would first say that it is not easy to talk about but then I would offer the following four things.

  1. I still deal with my change of faith. Or rather the discarding of Christianity and ministry for good. It is more than just a career change, it is a lifestyle and life course change, and it has been quite challenging emotionally and mentally.
  2. I deal with betrayal and loss.  Both of specific friendships and of the fact there is a group of people I lead as a shepherd for almost ten years than I still don’t feel comfortable in dealing with. Based on the letter I was sent, I feel judged and discarded still.
  3. I deal with memories of loving someone who I don’t know if they loved me at all in return.  It’s debatable if they were as they said “Just acting’, or if that statement was made to make the breakup easier for me and them.  Epic fail on the last one, it hurt like nothing I have felt in a long time.  I have a poem I am working on about this I think I NEED to write; but it is painful to write, so I don’t want to write it at the same time. I mean they seem to have moved on like nothing happened.  The memories for me are making that quite difficult, despite my best efforts to not think about all this by contrast.
  4. Then of course this whole thing brings up emotions regarding my treatment of my wife during this time which I now feel very guilty and ashamed about.

It’s why back in August of last year I wrote something that basically said I wished someone would rip my heart out and kill it.  These feelings are intense and difficult and I wish they would go away.  It makes my depression kick in as a defense mechanism so I don’t feel things. Feeling nothing being more preferred than these emotional memories.

I also deal with the fact that on March 18th I will be 50 years old. Half a century and I am fairly certain its these birthdays with zeros in the second digit that seem to challenge me the most. Another decade down, how many do I have left?  Where am I going now? What am I going to do? Who am I? How do I get where I want to be? When are these memories going to fade to the point where I don’t have to deal with them as much?

I wish I had more answers, but writing seems to help me keep going.  I write for me and I write to overcome.

Walking the Grey,

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

Skaal!!!