Routines

“Courage Like Freya” – A Skald’s Life – Foundational Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Moon’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

I have already talked about the god of justice and courageous valor a couple weeks ago with Tyr.  So with hi crossed off the list who to go with?  Freya is the next obvious choice.  1) She is one of the choosers of the slain for her hall.  Hall the fallen warriors go to her and the other half to Odin’s Valhalla.  2) She is the goddess of love and war. 3)  I think she represents courage in a broad sense, not just of the battle nature, but that bold confidence in dealing with relationships as difficult as love.

For me, this foundational example of taking the courageous risk to love and form new friendships is the challenge.  Freya calls one to take that risk despite past hurts and dangers.  To understnad, it takes courage to form new friendships and love is her heart.  Not only the war courage but the loving courage too. Confidence and pose no matter what is what Freya’s example teaches.

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 by March 2024.

Today’s post is 295 consecutive days of posting for The Grey Wayfarer.  Getting close to passing the 300-day mark and ten straight months. Getting close now so need to stay focused and prepared.

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 by March 2029.

Just a not on a lot of my goals here as what some of them hinge on is a new job. Mostly a better-paying one. But I also see in my goals and bucket list items that this job needs to lead to a career that I enjoy.  I have some life left to live and some bucket list items to cross off that depend on that too.

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, 2021 to the point I can take a test and show my self proficient.

Two things I need to get better at are studying Latin and writing.  Period. That’s the Truth.

Higher Virtue: Love:

I have a conflict of love right now.  Self-love vs. self-sacrifice is a big issue for me.  I have done a lot of the latter in my life and very little of the former.  Time switch that up for a while.

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. Stretching / Yoga
  6. Breakfast, Medications, and Supplements.
  7. Shower and Personal Hygiene
  8. Get Dressed for the Day

Slipped a little on this one this week.  But for the most part, the important things are intact.

I remain.

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

Skaal!!!

Disciplined Like Snotra – A Skald’s Life – Self Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day

Journal Entry:

Snotra is one of the handmaidens of Odin’s wife Frigg. She is herself the goddess of prudence or wisdom and self-control. One of the joys of learning of this goddess in Norse mythology is that it confirms that self-control or discipline is coupled with wisdom in Norse thought. This is very much in line with my own thinking on the subject and it has been a nice confirmation.

I don’t know to many people who were dumb luck successful.  Those that are often don’t know what to do with their success and squander it.  It is the disciplines and wise that take the slow measured success and once they have it are able to maintain it.   Snotra and her sphere are a constant reminder of that simple fact.

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 Be following a full Paleo Diet by March 31, 2020.

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

I need to be harder on myself these days.  That way life later won’t kick me so hard or at all.

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.

Tattoos are on my mind a lot as my connection to the idea of documenting my journey in life. Of reflecting who I have been, who I am and who I would like to be.  This concept dominates my mind every time I think of getting one and it has started burning in my mind more and more. If only my bank account was a little more fluid to allow this part of my journey to start.

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 (achieved)

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

Heritage and ancestry are important and I need to seek out my own.  If I can be loyal to anything it is the memory of those who have gone on before.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom: 

I find it difficult to be wise these days.  Last year at this time I was not very wise but I felt better than I had in a long time.  The foolishness of love was more desirable to me than wisdom and it has its charms and wonders.  I don’t regret that part of it.  I do regret that I wasn’t wise enough to see the trap that was being set for me while I was under its spell, however.  Never again.  Stay disciplined.  Stay wise.

Rest Day Routine: 

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  3. Blogging – Organize, revise, write a new post for the next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
  4. Walking – 1 hour.
  5. Cleaning – varies but one room of the apartment at least.
  6. Reading – half an hour for enjoyment.

Yes.  I think I will make writing an everyday thing.  It needs to be right there with blogging as it keeps all the writing I need to do every day right together. I will make the change officially at the beginning of the week.

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

Goals Achieved: 3

  1. Graduated College with a BS in Political Science and minors in Economics and International Business – December 2018
  2. Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019 – May 2019
  3. Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation – June 2019

Bucket List Items Achieved: 0

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

The Family ‘Pagan’? – Odin’s Eye – Paganism

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Thor’s Day.    

Discussion:

Them: “So you’re a pagan?”

Me: “Sort of, I have pagan tendencies”

Them: “Pagan tendencies?”

Me: “Yeah, I believe the pagan spiritual concepts are pretty interesting, but I am not much into religion anymore, so I am not into that part of it.”

I know this conversation because I have had it a couple times.  To say you are spiritual but think all religion is made up is a hard thing for people to grasp. I mean I have my rituals of meditation on the Nine Noble Virtues and my ritual of putting on my pendant for the day but that is pretty much it. Mostly I look at paganism spiritual concepts as a way to address the possibility of spiritual reality.  In truth, I lean toward the deist side of things with an unknowable divine creator(s). The paganism simply allows me to reach out with my own sense of love and spirituality and address the question of what that divine creator or creators might be.

The issue of course for my family is that they are mostly Christian with a few exceptions.  Mostly though I think they have trouble dealing with their long-time husband, father, and grandfather, who used to be a devout Chrisitan, who now doesn’t even go to church or even pray anymore. n short I have a far easier time adjusting to them than they do to me.

Time to Look Through the Eye:

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

Faith:

My faith these days is more about lining up my spiritual philosophy of the Nine Noble Virtues with real life.  Living virtuously means more to me than the whole mythology of choice thing. I like the Norse myths but the idea that any of those gods actually exist is the real of fantasy and no better or worse than any other mythology out there.  For me, Norse mythology is closer to my ancestral roots and resonates with me more. But I ain’t praying to Odin or Thor. If there is any concept I like it is that we don’t pray to them.  If there is a divine power of some sort, I would rather have this attitude of standing with them rather than bowing before them.

The reality of my faith is that if there is a god or not is irrelevant to it.  If there is my pursuit of virtue should be honored. If there isn’t living by virtue in this world has its own rewards.  Either way, this is the reality f choice when it comes to faith.

Religion:

My pagan religious aspects are few:

  1. I meditate on the Nine Noble Virtues every morning along with my goals.
  2. I put my pendant around my neck for the day after taking my shower.  Mostly this marks the end of my morning routine.
  3. I try to view all of life as a large spiritual lesson.
  4. I celebrate holidays with my family and do it more with a pagan mindset, which is very easy as Christians have stolen most of the symbols for their holidays from the pagans.

I suppose you could add that I study pagan spirituality and religious practice as like reading about the Norse myths. I suppose if I were to ever join a Brethren it would be more for companionship and common interest. Not really all that different than most people in the church.

Theology:

Human beings are emotional, physical and rational.  My theology simply adds spiritual to the mix as a way of tying that all together.  There is a unified cohesion to things when you add the spiritual to me. That’s pretty much it.

Spirituality:

That spirituality is what gives me my pagan tendencies as I follow the basics of looking at life through a spiritual eye from time to time. Paganism is very much a matter of individual spiritual taste and I embrace that.  mY pagan tendencies fit me and who I am and that is pretty much Ok with every pagan I know.

Conclusion:

I guess i am content to be the family ‘pagan’ for now.  I don’t have too many problems with it. So far things are simply awkward when people want to talk about church and Jesus and I don’t really live in that context anymore.  Nor do I wish to ever again.

 

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Self-Reliant Like Freyr” – A Skald’s Life – Business Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Wooden’s (Odin’s) Day

Journal Entry:

For those that know Norse Mythology, why I pick Freyr, the Norse God who is venerated by all and one of the chief gods, is no surprise.  The god of the Vanir and the god of fertility (agricultural and personal), harvests, wealth, and peace. Everything one needs to be self-reliant is right there in everything his sphere touches. Heritage, Harvest, Hearth, and Home.  The kind of small steading a Viking wanted where he could do all things for himself with only himself as his master. Freyr is the symbol of that to a large degree.

Self-reliance depends on one’s determination to be self-sufficient and work hard to both gain it and maintain it. Something I work hard to do these days.  I want to have that place in the world that I maintain by myself.  The stories of Freyr provide some inspiration for that.

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 September 2019.

Bucket List: To own and run my own successful business or company by March 2029.

At the heart of it all is the desire for freedom where no one interferes. Independence.  To get that I need the job and ultimately to be my own boss.

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: Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019 – May 2019 (achieved)

Bucket List: Write A Novel and Get it Published by March 2022.

I want work that I enjoy.  I enjoy working in general, I just want to be doing something that I consider a career that is fulfilling and not just the work for work’s sake. Writing offers one such avenue as I love doing it, I just want to be more disciplined at doing it regularly.

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/participant in a group of some kind.

Bucket List: To own my own home by March 2024.

What I would like is a group where I am developing some new friendships.  When I was in the church a created a small group where people shared their struggles with life and faith and it was good for me and many others.  Now that I am a heathen I guess I need to find the equivalent.

Higher Virtue – Justice:

I still desire justice for a lot of things, but at the same time, I ain’t looking for a fight.  So I move on trying to be as just as I can with others. My issue is trust and I don’t trust anyone right now.  The product of trusting a couple people a year ago and having them fuck me over.  It creates problems in personal relationships right now and I am fighting through it because justice involves trusting a person until they prove otherwise.  That is difficult for me right now.

Work Day Routine:

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  3. Blogging – Organize, revise, write a new post for the next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
  4. Weightlifting: Gym time – 1 hour after work.
  5. Writing: One Hour on top of the blogging routine each day. Alternate between Non-Fiction Book and Novel.
  6. Language Study: A half-hour on Latin
  7. Personal Business: record financial transactions, savings plan actions, budgeting, appointments, other actions, etc.
  8. Check Communications and Email after 2 pm but before 4 pm.
  9. Nutrition: Daily Carb Count – 2

I may have writing an everyday thing too right under blogging and reduce it to a half-hour.

Still walking,

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

Skaal!!!

“Honor Like Balder” – A Skald’s Life – Foundational Virtues.

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Moon’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

Over the next three weeks, I am going to take each virtue and attach it to a god or goddess of the Norse mythology as a way of illustrating it. I will not use Odin, Tyr or Thor as I already have used them. Today I am looking at Honor and the god Balder.

The Norse God Balder is a tragic tale.  Beloved by everyone, Balder is ultimately killed despite the foresight of his mother Frigg seeing his death. Balder is mourned by everyone and had it not been for Loki’s interference, he would have not found himself in Helheim.

Balder is not the strongest of the gods, far from it, but he is the most honored while he lived.  I large part this is because he is simply honorable. Balder simply lives in such an honorable way everyone honors him. He is a reminder though that not everyone respects honor.  Some people are quite jealous of it.

For me, this story is a goal of sorts.  To be like balder and be honored simply for being honorable. It is a worthy goal.

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 by March 2024.

I want to have an inner feeling of value right now and the problem is I feel I am in the wrong place doing the wrong thing. That makes it difficult even though honor has nothing to do with either, for me they are a distraction from focusing on honor.  I am distracted these days.

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 by March 2029.

Ik now the brave thing to do.  I just don’t know how others are going to react.  People are going to have to adjust but then again I don’t like putting people in positions that are uncomfortable.  I also have no desire to do something that forces another person to do something they do not want to do.  For myself, I think it is the right thing at the right time for a major change.

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, 2021 to the point I can take a test and show my self proficient.

I don’t talk much, see my principle for why.

Higher Virtue: Love:

Love is a key factor,  The issue as always is mutual happiness. There cannot come a point where to make someone else happy you are miserable.  I never want to be there again.

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. Stretching / Yoga
  6. Breakfast, Medications, and Supplements.
  7. Shower and Personal Hygiene
  8. Get Dressed for the Day

Solid. The most enjoyable part of the day.

I remain.

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

Skaal!!!

“Notes on Exercise and Nutrition” – A Skald’s Life – Self Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day

Journal Entry:

One thing that needs to be done here is to make some notes on possible changes to nutrition and exercise.

As I head into the next quarter weightlifting changes from a more bodybuilding style to the more fat burning style of endurance lifting.  That is high reps, low weight, and only a couple sets.  The last set of the two done to failure. This is designed to make the muscle burn a little hotter and with the heat and dietary changes, I am hoping to lean out a little in this July – September quarter.

Nutritionally, it is probably time to carb cut a little more and be more conscious of the few things I need to do.  One is to switch to more water to drink than other things. Paleo doesn’t allow for much more than water and fruit juice but fruit juice is diabetically a bad idea.  It’s probably time for a cleaning time of water only and I need to get on that.

It is good to stretch every morning.  It is one of those real alone moments where my head clears.

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 Be following a full Paleo Diet by March 31, 2020.

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

The goal is to be fully Paleo by next year’s March.  Every quarter I need to take steps toward that.  This quarter I need to focus on learning more things I can do as far as recipes to cook and I need to drop drinks that are not Paleo.

My idea for my rebellious act will be to take a mini three-day vacation with April 1st in the middle of it.  Once again the idea is to do something that society at large might frown on but isn’t illegal.  There is the goal of not getting in trouble with the law as well.

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.

The weightlifting and stretching are going well, the hiking needs to be a little more difficult.  Backpack with some weight should do it when I am doing my Rest Day walks.

My tattoo has only one obstacle and that is funding.  I save money every paycheck.  Thing is I don’t know how much it will cost but I  know I would rather spend money and get something good than be cheap.  So I might be saving for a bit.  I do have a concept of what I want and I am hoping the tattoo artist will have some ideas as well.

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 (achieved)

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

The only thing left is the genetics and ancestry thing and that will definitely take flight with a better job. Once I know where I am from, exploring family history will be a lot easier. It has also become a spiritual pilgrimage type thing for me.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom: 

I am always changing things to reflect my changing understanding of the world and how I do things. There are two ways to approach change.  Resist it or use it as a tool to better yourself. I choose the later.

Rest Day Routine: 

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  3. Blogging – Organize, revise, write a new post for the next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
  4. Walking – 1 hour.
  5. Cleaning – varies but one room of the apartment at least.
  6. Reading – half an hour for enjoyment.

This is pretty good.  I enjoy it much more and it doesn’t take long to do.

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

Goals Achieved: 3

  1. Graduated College with a BS in Political Science and minors in Economics and International Business – December 2018
  2. Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019 – May 2019
  3. Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation – June 2019

Bucket List Items Achieved: 0

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Work Day/Rest Day Dichotomy” – A Skald’s Life – Business Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Wooden’s (Odin’s) Day

Journal Entry:

One significant change in my routines is the new work day/rest day dichotomy.  A work day is truly that – work from the beginning of the day to the end. A rest day routine truly leads to rest and recharge focus. that I need. Now that I have done it for a few weeks, I wish I had thought of this sooner.

The thing is I can work all day once I am in the mindset of working.  So it is much easier to carry that over into the rest of the day after I get out of work and do some work for myself like writing, personal business, and language study.

On the other hand, when I have a day off. I am in that mindset so activities that recharge my batteries and get me some rest work in that mindset.  The biggest change her is I am not trying to mix and match the day and it works much better.

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 September 2019.

Bucket List: To own and run my own successful business or company by March 2029.

The job search continues but at this point, I am expanding the search to where I am willing to work – anywhere in the United States.  I need to have something different before the summer is over.

The ultimate end is true self-reliance and I will be my own boss again.  If I ever fire myself at that point it will be because I have found someone to run the business that I trust or have enough money to sell it and actually ‘retire’.

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: Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019 – May 2019 (achieved)

Bucket List: Write A Novel and Get it Published by March 2022.

Writing my novel is pretty regular these days. I have a The Rabyd Skald post coming up about it my writing so I will talk more about it then.

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/participant in a group of some kind.

Bucket List: To own my own home by March 2024.

I am not sure what type of group I want to be a part of but I know from a social interaction point of view I need it.  I just don’t feel comfortable doing that sort of thing where I live right now. Too many memories and people I no longer want to associate with.

Owning a home or at least be making payments in less than five years requires a new job so that comes first.

Higher Virtue – Justice:

I am trying to be just to myself these days.  It is something I work on.  I made my mistakes and some of them pretty big ones, but it’s in the past and I think I have paid the price for them so time to get moving.  The best way to be just to myself is to start treating myself to a little hospitality and working hard to be self-reliant.

Work Day Routine:

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  3. Blogging – Organize, revise, write a new post for the next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
  4. Weightlifting: Gym time – 1 hour after work.
  5. Writing: One Hour on top of the blogging routine each day. Alternate between Non-Fiction Book and Novel.
  6. Language Study: A half hour on Latin
  7. Personal Business: record financial transactions, savings plan actions, budgeting, appointments, other actions, etc.
  8. Check Communications and Email after 2 pm but before 4 pm.
  9. Nutrition: Daily Carb Count – 2

It makes a day busy but also I feel productive which is a good honorable feeling at the end of the day.

Still walking,

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

Skaal!!!

“Adjustments” – A Skald’s Life – Foundational Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Moon’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

Starting next week I want to do what I did last week by taking each virtue and one of the Norse Pantheon to reflect that virtue and discuss more deeply the Virtue, its Principle, and the attached goal and bucket list item. I think this would be an interesting way to look at it for a period of three weeks.

For today though, and the rest of his week, I need to talk about a few things and mostly when it comes to the stuff below my journal entry it is a matter of adjustment.  Fine tuning things as I go into the July through September quarter of the year.  I think these things are going to go much better as my philosophy of life and spiritual viewpoint are starting to be clearer.  More solid.

Now, if I can just come up with a long term plan to deal with The Grey and all the triggers I have been running into these days, I might be a lot better off.  I still have seven of my nine goals for the year still on my plate and nine months to get them done.  Grey or No Grey, I need to move forward with my life.

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 by March 2024.

This is day 281 of this blog in a row.  I started it on October 1st, 2018.  To put this in perspective I have 84 days to go, less than three months and I will achieve the goal here.  It isn’t that far to go.

I want a job with enough disposable income to get my hiking gear and start gearing up to my hike in the UP during a vacation or something before 2024. A lot of my bucket list goals depend on something changing as far as my employment.   I need to focus on that from now until the end of September.  Hopefully, something will come up sooner than that.

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 by March 2029.

The bucket list is designed to be more long-term than the goals but one of the goals is to get one thing off that list each year. That way progress on my bucket list is ongoing. I am thinking the tattoo will be first.

There is only one major city in the world I have liked in my life when I was in it and that was Budapest, Hungary.  I want to go back.  So many of my bucket list items involve travel. Hmm. Wayfarer and travel, I wonder if there is a connection?

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, 2021 to the point I can take a test and show my self proficient.

I know what I am going to write and I know what the outline is because as a Chrisitan I used that outline several times.  Just now I am going at that same outline as a skeptic. The only thing I wrestle with regarding this book is so many of my friends and family are Christians and I know the contents of this book will upset them.

Latin in a couple years, the only thing is I feel sometimes a modern language might make me more employable, but I like the romance of learning Latin. Who knows maybe I will get this done quickly and move on to a Modern language after that.

Higher Virtue: Love:

It has been one of those weeks where the virtue of Love and I have had our struggles.  I am trying to figure out love these days more and more.  I am not having a lot of luck.  It is as a struggle because love has been both the best thing for me at times and also the worst.  It has to be one of the most dangerous things ever, if not properly handled.

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. Stretching / Yoga
  6. Breakfast, Medications, and Supplements.
  7. Shower and Personal Hygiene
  8. Get Dressed for the Day

Still a solid thing and now I do this routine a little less pressed for time by putting the blog post each day at 4 pm.

I remain.

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

Skaal!!!

“Self Vision – Like Thor” – A Skald’s Life – Self Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day

Journal Entry:

If there is a struggle with Self in my life it is the ability to consider myself first.  In truth the only thing you have all the time to achieve anything is you. Relationships, money, possessions all come and go.  The one thing you have will you all the time is yourself. For the characters, of Norse Mythology Thor emulates this the best.  Yes, he has his hammer and his great strength, and he is a god. But none of that matters without the supreme belief in himself that he takes into every single situation.  It is a self-confidence born of internal fire that burns that gives Thor the immortal quality that has made him the favorite god of the common warrior.

I resonate more with Odin, but Thor’s story teaches us the values of staying focused (discipline), the refusal to accept defeat (perseverance) and being loyal to those who have shown loyalty to him (fidelity).

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 Be following a full Paleo Diet by March 31, 2020.

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

Thor in battle is a focused man driven by one desire – honorable victory.  Now he is a god that had a lot of natural ability as a warrior but even he indicates the need for skill in battle, to the Vikings of that day, where they knew to be like Thor in battle took disciplined practice. For me, it is the daily discipline and the continued desire to be successful that I want to emulate here.

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.

Thor fights a lot of battles and he doesn’t always win or be perceived to have won at first. The only battle in the mythology where he doesn’t get up and try again is the last one where he defeats the Midgard Serpent but loses his own life as well. That is the goal of every warrior to win the last battle no matter what it is.  Thor’s story teaches that.

“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 (achieved)

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

Thor travels a lot with Loki and despite the fact that Loki is a trickster god who often gets Thor into trouble, he stays loyal to him. He knows that even Loki gets him out of jams sometimes. For me, this is a valuable lesson in not judging a persons’ other character as much as I judge their loyalty to me and then give that same loyalty back.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom: 

Thor is not equated as the wisest character in some regards. His temper often gets him into trouble.  Yet, within his story arc is this person who stays loyal and fights with both skill and never-ending determination. Wise characteristics I want to have as part of my life.

Rest Day Routine: 

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  3. Blogging – Organize, revise, write a new post for the next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
  4. Walking – 1 hour.
  5. Cleaning – varies but one room of the apartment at least.
  6. Reading – half an hour for enjoyment.

I can see these rest days as being far more valuable now to me. They defiantly help me more than the other way I used to do things.

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

Goals Achieved: 3

  1. Graduated College with a BS in Political Science and minors in Economics and International Business – December 2018
  2. Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019 – May 2019
  3. Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation – June 2019

Bucket List Items Achieved: 0

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Business Vision – Like Tyr” – A Skald’ Life – Business Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Wooden’s (Odin’s) Day

Journal Entry:

Tyr is the Norse God of War and Justice.  I know it seems like an odd choice at first for discussing business but the main virtue and vision I have for my business life is the idea of justice.  Justice is the central core of my business philosophy and my understanding of the noble virtues of Self_reliance, Industriousness, and Hospitality.  Money is part of that but human relationships are the real nuts and bolts of the business.  Money is just a medium of exchange in those relationships and it is not the only one.

Tyr’s story is one of courage as he was the only god willing to put his hand in the mouth of Fenrir when the gods were trying to bind him with their last-ditch attempt to contain Fenrir’ raw power and might.  All the gods became afraid of Fenrir and what he could do and Odin’s vision that Fenrir would be his death drove Odin to find a way to stop Fenrir.  So after several attempts they created a binding thread that was at last able to bind Fenrir but they had to convince him to put it on. Tyr convinced Fenrir to try to break the thread only after he put his own hand in Fenrir’s mouth as a way to get him to trust him.  Fenrir was unable to break the thread so he bit off Tyr’s hand.

Tyr had been the only one not afraid of Fenrir and so he had played with Fenrir when he was small and onward.  He had built a relationship with Fenrir.  One might argue that he used it to trick him, but I am thinking given Tyr’s noble nature, he might have simply though Fenrir would simply break the chains of he wasn’t able to that Odin would release him.  In the end, had Fenrir been released, by Fenrir’s own words, he would have been loyal to the gods.  Because they had not, he committed himself to their destruction.

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 September 2019.

Bucket List: To own and run my own successful business or company by March 2029.

Tyr recognizes the need to sacrifice the moment for lasting peace and prosperity.  He isn’t concerned with the short term in his relationships which leads to dependence.  Rather he takes the initiative to bring about a solution that allows for continued peace for a time. In war, you do what is necessary and that is also sometimes true to avoid one.  Tyr understands that independence needs to be maintained by self-sacrifice at times. You give up something to achieve something greater.

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: Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019 – May 2019 (achieved)

Bucket List: Write A Novel and Get it Published by March 2022.

Tyr is also a god of disciplined fighting.  He works hard to be the best warrior the can. He represents noble hard work to achieve mastery of something and that is also something to take inspiration from. Ding the daily drill of business and maintaining the relationships you need every day is something to pursue.

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/participant in a group of some kind.

Bucket List: To own my own home by March 2024.

I think Tyr shows the fact that to be a god of justice, one needs to be generous at times.  The dichotomy injustice, as far as business in life is concerned, is not righteousness and mercy but rather the balance between self-reliance and hospitality. Independence and compassion. These two threads are far easier to get to cooperate than the normal thing one thinks of when it regards justice.  Tring to maintain freedom and graciousness is more easily achieved to me than balancing mercy and righteousness because in many cases you can’t do it with the later.

Higher Virtue – Justice:

Tyr is the God of Justice, Law, and War. He is someone to look at in the mythology but his role is very light in what survives.  I think this is what gives him the appeal to me as a writer and someone who gives me some vision regarding justice. I can imagine him as being so just in maintaining people’s independence and being compassionate at the same time.  That he was well loved and avoided a lot of unnecessary drama in his dealing with people.  In this context, he gets a lot done in my mind.

Work Day Routine:

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  3. Blogging – Organize, revise, write a new post for the next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
  4. Weightlifting: Gym time – 1 hour after work.
  5. Writing: One Hour on top of the blogging routine each day. Alternate between Non-Fiction Book and Novel.
  6. Language Study: A half hour on Latin
  7. Personal Business: record financial transactions, savings plan actions, budgeting, appointments, other actions, etc.
  8. Check Communications and Email after 2 pm but before 4 pm.
  9. Nutrition: Daily Carb Count – 2

The workday routine makes more sense to me these days. It gives me a lot of hope I can be more productive and it makes sense to put it here under business to talk about it. My philosophical viewpoint will be more apparent as the routine that moves it forward the most will be here as well.

Still walking,

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

Skaal!!!