Writing

“Wolfsbane” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 15

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Thor’s Day

Rogue Wizards Journal – September 7th, 2019

Amber definitely has lycanthropy and Lunette and I have been debating what to do.  I hope the ‘cure’ I just tried with Amber works but it is probably going to take a couple days to know for sure. But I am getting ahead of myself and should take this in order.

Amber displayed the restless sleep and the rapidly dilating pupils on the first day.  She woke up screaming the second night.  Then I knew she had it as I have been there.  Lunette for her part at that point created a magical potion from Wolfsbane that is supposed to slow the progress of the disease but the inevitable march would come so the three of us one day sat down to debate what to do.

The first thing we talked about was not Amber’s disease, but the possibility of a werewolf pack being around.  We continued our routine as much as possible including the skinny dipping but we were now much more watchful and we did it earlier during the day saving night time for discussion time.

I set up some wards on the cabin and sauna shed and the path between the two. they would give me a warning buzz in my head if anything got too close. Skinny dipping in daylight would have been interesting but it was now more about a quick cool off before retiring quickly to the cabin.  Our relaxing time had been interrupted by actual danger and that had us all on edge.

Last night we talked about what to do about Amber’s developing lycanthropy.  She, of course, did not want to be a werewolf despite the power.  You slowly but inevitably go feral and there are only a couple cures. The one used on me required killing a werewolf draining its blood and the magical power of Mrs. W. who used both healing and mental magic on me to affect the cure which involved bathing in the blood of the werewolf. The whole ritual died when she did, so that was out.

This, of course, brought out all the other known cures real or legendary.  One of note involved a ritual of wolfsbane potions and a magical altar that reputedly a mage had built for the express purpose of curing lycanthropy. No one knew if it was even real.  Some healing mages of the past and developed enough power to cure it but that was legendary.  Most of the rest were dreams of desperation.

In the end, the discussion turned to me and my antibodies. Mostly how we could use them to cure Amber.  I wasn’t sure how that could happen.  Mrs. W. and I never talked about this and I had always assumed that it was because it was irrelevant, but I had to now consider the possibility that had I been brought forward to cure others it would have tipped people off to my existence a long time ago and that boys and girls would have led to my death.

Now though that the Council was very well aware of my existence, it seemed that this discussion would have been helped if I had approached people with healing magic and asked but I never thought to do so.

How does one normally transfer antibodies from one person to another? Well, you can make a serum from the blood.  But that requires a lab and in this case, a full alchemy lab which we didn’t have access to and would take a lot of energy and time which might reveal where we were. Amber wouldn’t hear of it. Transfusion?  There were other issues most notably biological blood type but more importantly for us, the equipment we didn’t have.

Suddenly Lunette laughed. Amber and I raised eyebrows and watched her for a minute as she chuckled endlessly, then she spoke.

“Fluid transfer, that’s all we need.”

“Ok, Lunette what are you getting at?”  Besides the fact, Amber and I think you have just lost it.”

“Remember when you almost died Edward from that poison blade? How did we cure you?”

“How could I forget?  I lost my virginity and learned to supercharge my healing powers at the same time. Well basically I had sex with you, that’s also how you got those wings of yours.”

“Yep, but the sexual exchange is what did it.  It is the only thing inherently magical about what humans and in particular mages do.  Sexual magic is the key to making it work.  You just need to use it to transfer the antibodies to Amber and you can do it through a combination of magic and sex.

“Now…”

But my voice trailed off as I saw Amber’s eyes.  She had that look on her face where she felt excited but awkward at the same time.  She knew I wanted to take that part of our relationship a little slower. At the same time, she was afraid of what was happening to her and she wanted to make love to me a long time ago.

“Ok. how does that work exactly?”

Lunette explained that the antibodies were magical in nature and that they would be present in all my bodily fluids. The trick would be to get them to magically jump from me to Amber.  This would require natural magical energy and both Amber and myself to focus on what healing skill we had through it.

“Basically Edward you have to do what you did back then and Amber has to open herself up to the transfer with her own healing magic. The sexual act provides the energy boost and the means of transfer. Sexual healing at its finest.”

I had to admit her logic was sound.  I had gone over again and again about how I had not died that time so long ago and it came down to the supercharged nature of the sexual exchange between fairies and mages.  It saved my life and gave Lunette new wings.  The old pink and light purple ones had been ripped off by Elpis.  They had been replaced by these black and dark purple ones and I had a hand in that.

I got up and moved closer to Amber.

“A long time ago, I resisted what Lunette is talking about.  I tried everything else and in the end, it didn’t;t matter.  Practical sexual magic won the day and healed us both.  I am alive because of it.  Now, here you are Amber and my feelings of love for you are brand new. You also have a horrible disease that right now is just beginning to take hold of you.  It is weak and my temptation is to try some other way because it is weak, but every time I do that I regret just going full-on and getting it over with. So, if you think it is worth a try my love, I am willing to try as well.  I mean I am not asking you to do anything horrible but it might be for nothing.  I just wanted more time to get to know you better before we did this.”

“Oh, Edward… I have wanted to make love to you for a couple months.  It’s not me that I worry about.  It’s rushing you.  I love you too much to do that, but I don’t want to be a werewolf either and this does make a lot of sense.  It’s rushing you that doesn’t sit well with me.”

I nodded.  Then I stood up.  And put out my hand.  She took it and I led her into the bedroom with the double bed. No door but I slid the curtain across the doorway and I head Lunette leave the cabin. I took Amber in my arms.

“Gentle, I still am a little sore from my wounds”, she remarked.

“Absolutely, gentle and loving, my love.”

I am not the kind of guy who kisses (or has sex with a girl) and tells.  So, no details other than I am now sitting here in the early morning. looking at her naked body laying in the middle of the bed.  As soon as I finish this entry, I am going to cuddle back up with her and wake her up in a style more befitting a lover.

I hoped this worked.  Lunette is in the other room sleeping on the single bed.  She seems at peace. as well.  I can feel it – love for both of them.  I don’t know where the future leads, but I want them both with me.

Writer’s Notes:

The only thing I am going to comment on is the idea that a person can love romantically more than one person.  given my own experience, I say it is very possible to do so.  It is only our western society that says it is wrong, but I have yet to find any traditional reason to say so.  One form of sexual orientation is bisexual and that kind of assumes a Trois relationship for such a person to be satisfied completely.  I also think that it is more of an ownership thing of saying you control someone else’s sexuality and you don’t simply because you are lovers.

The one thing I think is for certain is the human race is not naturally faithfully monogamous. We have to work at it and that makes things unnatural at times. I suppose if we git rid of jealousy, envy, and desires to control sex and sexuality, it wouldn’t be a problem. But here we are – the human race – flawed and unhappy because of it.  

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Streetwise” – Space Tramp – Chapter 7 (MegaTraveller Fan Fiction)

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Thor’s Day

Story:

Jeremiah did land on his feet, but it wasn’t the way he expected. He was looking for a new ship to serve but everyone was pretty much full and he would have had to take a position as enlisted if he settled for a couple of the jobs.  Then a job with the Free Trader branch office on Regina presented itself. He was fairly sure this meant staying planetside for a year, but he figured it was at least a position that was acceptable for a 2nd Officer.

He became one of the Free Trader Office’s representatives with the various labor unions on Regina, particularly the starport dockworker’s unions. This involved a whole different kind fo diplomacy as the unions were often at odds with the free traders because each captain had to contract individually with them or in small groups of ships.  This was very unlike their contracts withe various star lines, but on occasion, the Free Trader’s Union would negotiate a flat rate for all free Trader captains.  But then it would change and the whole game would start over again.

So Jeremiah worked for a lot of different Free Trader captains negotiating rates for the dock workers. It actually offered him a deeper look into the underworld nature of Regina.  Yeah. regina is the Sector capital and yeah it’s tech level is high, but it also has a seedier side and Jeremiah found out about various parts of it.  He wasn’t sure this past year which had been handier to have – his ability to party at a bar with union bosses; his blade on his hip that he could use well; or his developing sense of being streetwise.

One union boss tried to drink him under the table but he reversed it on her and in the process got a better deal for three Free Trader members.  The next day to show there were no hard feelings; she took him to bed so that lead to even more deals with her particular union group.  Some forms of negotiation were definitely very enjoyable.

Another occasion involved a strike of some of the dockworkers but one hand on his blade was enough to send them packing.  A thug from another union tried some shit with him and the blade came in handy again. Although he never actually got any blood on it.  The threat was enough and only once did he have to pull it and the wide eyes of the thug whose neck it suddenly found itself pointed at were enough to make Jeremiah smile.

Of course, there were some deals that were less than above board legally.  Getting sensitive goods around customs for example. Some union bosses would offer a lower rate for a wink and a nod when it came to other activities of a less than legal nature. Smuggling was everywhere. Jeremiah simply learned how to do these things and who to talk to when it counted. Between his new understanding of the streets and his legal knowledge, he walked the fine line between legal and illegal many times.

It was a long year where he never got past the cargo holds of most ships but he learned a lot about the starport dockworkers and the Regina criminal underground.  His old days on Strouden now made a little more sense. Navigating this underground, and its less than savory world, had a lot of uses.

His contract complete with the Free Trader Union, he sat in now what had become his favorite hangout The Naked Gypsy. He now hoped the next contract would get him back into space. He heard Captain Juros had settled into retirement, so that was out.  No, he needed to have the deck of a ship under him again and to see new worlds again.  He disliked this last year financially because it required he maintain an apartment and so he hadn’t made any money but had survived.

He downed his glass and according to custom headed upstairs to the brothel.  He was a little wiser and it was still a long few years until he could test for his 1st Officer exam.  Time to learn and grow as much as possible.  Well, that and enjoy life when possible.  Madam Heather said there were a few new girls since his last visit.  Time to try one out.

Megatraveler Notes:

Free Trader 2rd Officer Jeremiah Kilwood

Rank: O3 – 2nd Officer   Terms Served: 1

UPP: A67A74   Age: 23  Homeworld: Strouden UWP: A-745988-D N Hi In

Skills: Pilot – 1, Navigation – 1, Engineering – 1, Sensor Ops – 1, Legal – 1, Carousing – 1, Small Blade-1, Turret Weapons-1, Grav Vehicle – 0, Computer – 0, Handgun – 0, Vacc Suit – 0

Brownie Points: 4, Bonus Money: 25000 Cr.

Year Six:

Roll for position availability: 8+ 1 for Intelligence = 9  – position available.

Roll for assignment: 7 + 1 for Social 5- = 8 – No Business

Survival Roll: 5 – survives,

Skill Roll: 3 – Skill acquired.

Bonus: N/A

Roll for Skills: ( 1 fo skill roll): Rolls Planet Life Table: 2 – Streetwise – 1

MegaTraveller Shorthand

Free Trader 2rd Officer Jeremiah Kilwood

Rank: O3 – 2nd Officer   Terms Served: 1

UPP: A67A74   Age: 24  Homeworld: Strouden UWP: A-745988-D N Hi In

Skills: Pilot – 1, Navigation – 1, Engineering – 1, Sensor Ops – 1, Legal – 1, Carousing – 1, Small Blade-1, Turret Weapons-1, Streetwise – 1, Grav Vehicle – 0, Computer – 0, Handgun – 0, Vacc Suit – 0

Brownie Points: 4, Bonus Money: 25000 Cr.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Happy 1st Birthday to The Grey Wayfarer!!!” – The Rabyd Skald

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Tyr’s Day

One year ago today, I laid down my first post on this blog. It seems like a lifetime ago in some respects.  That first post was fairly simple as I chronicled briefly my history with blogging in general and then introduced the main concepts behind The Grey Wayfarer.  After that, I created my initial list of posts that would appear and proceeded the next week to get the ball rolling.

Oddly enough most of those post types remain.  The only one that is gone is The Grey Wayfarer (a fantasy serial) that I killed because I think it might be the seed for a novel.  The Rabyd Skald, Odin’s Eye, Of Wolves and Ravens, A Skald’s Life and The Pagan Pulpit have remained regular weekly features from day one until today. They have become the trunk of the tree that is the blog known as The Grey Wayfarer.  They also have definitely fulfilled their objectives.

From that first post is the following paragraph:

Now, one final word on the nature of these posts and the blog as a whole.  This is a new blog, and while it has at its roots the substance of the old blogs and its trunk is hopefully all the aspects of what makes good writing, it is its own tree, so to speak. Where its main branches, tributaries, and twigs end up is anyone’s best guess. I have come to the belief that the best blogs are a good blend of organization (pruning) and organic growth (freedom). You never know down which branch the best flowers and fruits will be discovered.  A balance of reasonable inquiry and creative discovery is what I am going for here.

I would say that it has grown into a solid sapling and its future may yet to be seen but I am very proud of this little blog right now. It has also given my life a little structure and substance.  Something that was a goal right from the start.  Another paragraph from that first post:

The problem has been for me that without blogging my life seems very much adrift. I am struggling with school and even though my marriage seems better, I seem to be losing track of what I ultimately want for me and my marriage as well as other things. My struggles with faith have come to a standstill and several emotional issues are just not being resolved.   I am not writing about these things and so I am not making progress. Blogging has been my personal therapy for a long time and without it, I am not sure what I am doing with my life. #True Story

I can now say that I have the start of a good moral compass in the virtues, with attached principles to follow.  Out of these has been created goals and a bucket list. I am no longer adrift.  I can also say that my struggles with faith and spirituality have made significant progress.  Getting past all the gobblygook and instead focusing on virtue has been a great move for me.  I guess I have made progress on my emotional issues, but the struggles with lost love, betrayal, and purpose remain. But I can at least focus on them by writing about them and every time some insight or progress is made so The Grey Wayfarer has lived up to its name.

Some milestones and facts for the past year;

  1. Almost 5000 views – For a first-year blog it is not my best, but certainly not my worst.
  2. Almost 2500 visits which means that people spend a little time here looking at more than one post, so that is cool.
  3. Almost 500 likes.  It sounds like a whole bunch of almosts but it indicates people enjoy the content so I will keep plugging along.
  4. Most of my traffic is from the United States but there are honorable mentions to Australia, Canada, India, The United Kingdom, and Ireland.  72 countries in total.  Definitely an international blog.
  5. The most typed in search phrase that got me found, I find interesting – ‘ed raby blog’  – Given that this blog was forged into existence because I shut down my old blogs; so then, if someone didn’t know from my Facebook page about the new blog, they would have used this search to find me and I find that very interesting.  But I never lost a Facebook follower in the last year, but I have gained about 14 of them.  So this might be people shooting in the dark.  Old friends or enemies.
  6. Some of my most popular posts have been things that were very recent. I had a lot of traffic for my year ago retrospect posts in August. particularly the post on my breakup with Miss Salty.  That month actually had a lot of traffic and it seems that people might just still be taking an interest in my personal life. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry about it.
  7. My traffic feed comes from two major sources – Facebook (my page) and the WordPress reader.
  8. As of today: I have 82 followers from WordPress and 64 on Facebook.  Some duplicates there.  I am linked to my Twitter feed but I don’t really use it. Considering I started at 1 with myself, it has been a good year.

This will be the only post today.  I know Space Tramp normally falls on today, but this day is marked for one thing – celebrating the birthday of this blog one year ago. May it have many more.

I will double up on Thursday with Space Tramp and Rogue Wizard to make up for the single post today.  My plans include keeping the streak of consecutive days posting going for as long as possible.  The first year was only the beginning.

So join me in wishing this blog a happy first birthday.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Corsair” – Space Tramp – Chapter 6 (MegaTraveller Fan Fiction)

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Tyr’s Day

Story:

Captian Junos shook Jeremiah’s Hand for the last time as his captain.   She told him it had been an honor to serve with him and to be his captain.  He, in turn, thanked her for all the training and support she had given him for the last five years.  She was retiring and selling the Regina Strider because the last speculative trade run had not only been very profitable, it had put the last pieces in place for her to retire on Regina, her homeworld.

Jeremiah thought back to the day after the refit was finished and the captain had accounted what was going to happen that next year. Firstly that he was not going to be the pilot or engineer that year.  He was not even going to be the Steward/Medic.  Rather he took the role of navigator/security officer.  Captain Junos had hired a top-notch pilot and engineer and they were not going to need a steward as they were engaged purely in a speculative trade run in very lucrative goods along the border of the Empire.

That’s why the refit of the Regina Strider had also involved installing a weapons turret with a missile launcher. Something that before they left Jeremiah was trained to operate as it would be his responsibility in the event of a pirate attack to use the turret in combat.  In simulations, he was eventually very good at it.

The one problem was that he was a security officer and he realized he had never actually been trained in anything martial.  He began to ask around and discovered that the new engineer had been in the military and has some knowledge of weapons.  Jeremiah asked if he would train him and the engineer, a rough middle-aged man, suggested he learn to use small blades.

There were a lot of reasons for this.  Inside a starship, a battle was going to be close quarters and so distance weapons would be less important.  Secondly, a blade was a solid weapon that on most systems one could still wear openly or concealed for personal protection.  It was easier to learn knife fighting than most other things. The entire trip the engineer trained him in small blades and even though he never had to actually use the skills he had learne, he was good at using them by the end of the trip.

The real test came as they entered a system to refuel at a gas giant.  There was no good starport so they were simply going to top off the fuel tanks and run the onboard purifier.  The process took some days because you had to travel to the gas giant. Doing hyperspace jump in a strong gravity well is dangerous.  So, you then had to travel enough distance away from the gravity well of the gas giant to jump all the while letting the purifier refine the fuel.

They were approaching the gas giant when the corsair starship appeared. Hails did no good as it was clear that the pirates intended to disabling the Regina Strider and boarding her. Jeremiah activated the missile launcher and after getting a target lock fired a salvo of three missiles.  The corsair had not expected a merchant ship with teeth but continued to pursue despite the missiles. Jeremiah guided the three missiles and used his skill to make them come in from three directions.

The Pilot maneuvered their ship to be evasive and Captian Juros showed a little knowledge of ship tactics.  The end result was the pirate ship was hit twice but did manage to hit the Strider with its own beam weapons which disabled the maneuver drive. The corsair, however, must have been gravely damaged as it broke off and disengaged. limping back the way it came. Jeremiah sent a couple missles after it to keep it moving away.

The engineer and the rest of the crew of Strider went to work getting the maneuver drive back up and running and succeeded in a few hours. With the corsair nowhere on the sensors, they fueled up and headed to the jump point. The hyperspace jump was a welcome relief as everyone was on edge thinking the corsair would reappear, but it never did.

A couple jumps later they were back on Regina.  The cargo they brought had done far better than expected. Jeremiah was given a large bonus and Captian Junos announced her retirement.  As it turned out the pilot and engineer were old friends of hers who had over the years invested in her ship.  All of them were going to retire to very comfortable lives.

All of them met at The Naked Gypsy for a combination of celebrations.  Captain Junos’ retirement from the Free Traders was well celebrated by many free trader captains. But also Jeremiah had passed his 2nd Officer exam and had been promoted. Captain Junos said it was fitting that as she was going out, a bright star of the future was rising.  She was very proud of the man he had become and even said so. She was glad that she had taken a chance on a young man from Strouden those five years ago.

Eventually, the celebrations died down and Captian Junos said goodbye to him.  She had a ship to put up for sale and then was traveling to another city on Regina where she had purchased a home. She did something he didn’t expect while telling him if he ever needed her help with something to not hesitate to call her; she kissed him.  Gently and with a lot of motherly love, something that Jeremiah had never experienced in truth until then.  He watched her leave with a large sadness in his heart.

The rest of the evening he sat at the bar and pondered his next move. His possessions were in a duffle bag at his feet and everything else was on his person. It seemed strange to not have the Strider to go back to as it had been his home for five years.  He had learned a lot these last five years and now it was time to put that to the test in finding a new ship and captain to serve. He was wondering what challenges were in store for him next.

He downed his last drink and then gathered his duffle bag over his shoulder.  He was a Spacer and he would land on his feet.  In the meantime, it was time for some companionship of the female variety, so he headed upstairs to the brothel.

Megatraveler Notes:

Free Trader 3rd Officer Jeremiah Kilwood

Rank: O2 – 3rd Officer   Terms Served: 1

UPP: A67A74   Age: 22  Homeworld: Strouden UWP: A-745988-D N Hi In

Skills: Pilot – 1, Navigation – 1, Engineering – 1, Sensor Ops – 1, Legal – 1, Carousing – 1, Grav Vehicle – 0, Computer – 0, Handgun – 0, Vacc Suit – 0

Brownie Points: 3 

Year Five:

Roll for position availability: 8+ 1 for Intelligence = 9  – position available.

Roll for assignment: 9 + 1 for Social 5- = 10 – Speculative Trade

Survival Roll: 5 – survives (barely -again),

Skill Roll: 5 – Skill acquired.

Bonus: 9 – Bonus – roll: 6 muster out table: 50,000 Cr / 2 = 25000 Cr. bonus.

Promotion: 8 – Promoted to 2nd Officer

Roll for Skills: ( 1 fo skill roll/ 1 for promotion): Shipboard Life Table: Blade Combat Cascade: picks Small Blade – 1, Free Trader Service Table: 5 – Space Combat Cascade: Picks Gunnery Cascade: picks Turret Weapons -1

1 Brownie Point for promotion:

MegaTraveller Shorthand

Free Trader 2rd Officer Jeremiah Kilwood

Rank: O3 – 2nd Officer   Terms Served: 1

UPP: A67A74   Age: 23  Homeworld: Strouden UWP: A-745988-D N Hi In

Skills: Pilot – 1, Navigation – 1, Engineering – 1, Sensor Ops – 1, Legal – 1, Carousing – 1, Small Blade-1, Turret Weapons-1, Grav Vehicle – 0, Computer – 0, Handgun – 0, Vacc Suit – 0

Brownie Points: 4, Bonus Money: 25000 Cr.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“A Strong Foundation” – A Skald’s Life – Foundational Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Mani’s Day

Journal Entry:

This week we return to the beginning and talk ao but Virtues; particularly the virtues of The Nine Noble Virtues of Asatru and the Higher Virtues. In my own philosophy, I have broken these down into three groups of the virtues each with their own corresponding higher virtue. This is my conceptualization and other followers of Asatru might do it differently.

The first group for me is what I call the foundational virtues: Honor, Courage, and Truth with the corresponding higher virtue of Love. For me, this is symbolized by the bottom triangle of the Vulknut.  It is about the part of my philosophy that is foundational in the sense it deals with everything and all situations. These are the virtues that form the bedrock of my philosophy.

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.

Honor is not just a word to me.  I do find the struggle interesting of being an honorable person is a modern world that seems not to have any at all at times. Having a feeling of inner value and worth seems to be constantly challenged. My foundational drive is to have that sense fo honor. I also seke to recognize and praise the honorable. Honor is a tricky and difficult virtue, probably the most difficult.

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.

Doing what is right is not always easy to figure out.  Once I do I have gotten much better at acting on what is right but it still is the question of what is right?  That takes some time to figure out and honestly, my track record tells me I take too long at that part of it. I am getting better because time is something important to me and wasting time trying to make decisions that ate perfectly right is not ultimately productive.

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.

It takes a while to get real shit (truth) form me because I don’t just give that out to anyone. I prefer silence when it comes to the truth to most other people.  Most people don’t want the truth anyway, they want comforting lies.  The more real issue to me is remaining truthful with myself.  It helps that I now see this as a loving act toward myself to be truthful.

Higher Virtue: Love:

Honor, Courage, and Truth coem together to form the foundation of love.  That leads to one aspect that I now struggle with which is creativity.  For me, my muse has always flown from something or somebody I have loved.  For whatever reason, when I have a certain type of love for someone it is the best kind of foundation for creative work. For me writing, in particular, is fueled by this kind fo love. my best times of writing and most productive is where I have had someone I loved very deeply and it flowed to my fingers and out on to digital paper.

The frustrating thing is this has never worked with my family, even my wife.  I wonder sometimes if this is because certain love is expected and not just freely offered.  I know my most productive time of creativity was Feb 2018 to July 2018 but that was Miss Salty and that also had some serious downsides in the end.  Now, I just search for a new muse and I wonder who or what I have to love to find her.

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 a Daily Log and To-Do List.
  5. Stretching / Yoga
  6. Shower and Personal Hygiene
  7. Get Dressed for the Day

Solid, working more on consistency at all levels.

I remain.

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

Skaal!!!

“A Fireplace, A Sauna, and A Skinnydip” – Rogue Wizard: The Fire of Fury – Part 13

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Thor’s Day

Rogue Wizard’s Journal August 27th, 2019

It’s been a week of hiding out and I think we are all going a little stir crazy. It’s late summer so we don’t have to deal with cabin fever at least.  Yet. The three of us put on more passible civilian clothes to go to town.  Amber in jean shorts and a tank top is something to see.  Unusual to not see her in that red dress.  The town trip was uneventful as the only person who actually saw us was the keeper of the small grocery store.  We bought some fresh milk and meat and some other stuff. I dropped off a magical letter in the post office.  It would only reach my daughter if I died.  Until then it was pretty much unnoticeable.

The cabin looks ordinary enough but Lunette informed me that it had some magical features.  The lights were candles and oil lamps that went on and off with the wave of a hand near them.  The fireplace required no wood but in true fairy-fashion burned magic. It might be late summer but the cabin is shielded buy tall think trees and this is the Upper Penisula or what we Michiganders call ‘true up-north’.  It was starting to get cold at night. So the fireplace was a welcome addition in the evening as the three of us would gather on the couch and talk and watch the flames.

The icebox was also magical.  There was no electric line to the place so it all was magic.  The consequence was no internet or television.  My phone sat inert and its battery quite dead at the bottom of my pack now. Better that way, no way to trace me using it.

The same was true for the sauna by the lake as it was powered by magical rocks that you threw water on to get steam, which did have to be dipped from the lake in a bucket.  There was one of those metal portable tubs hanging from the wall that we had been taking turns in getting a bath.  Well, the girls have as I can’t really fit in it, so I fill it and then sponge bath myself standing in it (with Lunette helping scrub my back) and then pour the bucket of water over my head to rinse off.  Up until three days ago, the pattern was me and Lunette going down and helping each other bathe and sauna together. Then I come up to the cabin and Amber goes down and Lunette helps her. They usually come back together, often after an hour or so.

Three nights ago it was however particularly hot for a lot of reasons.  One was the night temperature didn’t drop much and it was still late summer heat even at night.  So the whole sauna bath thing was even hotter and I was literally sweating bullet-sized drops.  Lunette being a pixie is less affected by changes in temperature but even she was feeling it I could tell.

“Let’s cool off in the lake. Skinnydip time.”

It kind of brought back memories at my uncle’s cabin when all us cousins would get in the sauna and then do skinny dip time to cool off. We were all little kids so the whole girl boy thing hadn’t really dawned on us yet.

So I saw her get up and followed her perfect naked backside out into the lake and jumped out into it with her.  Soon we were waist-deep. The lake wasn’t dirty at all, in fact, I remarked how clear it was to Lunette and she said her family owned the whole thing.  They called it Mysterious Clear Lake.  But in truth, you will not see it on the map.  Her family had used their abilities of illusion and suggestion to basically make it disappear.  So you could see the sand even in deep water below you and when it was calm it was like a mirror. Tonight the moon was shinning out on it and it was wonderful.  I took Lunette in my arms after splashing each other for a bit.  I kissed her.  After a few seconds though we were interrupted.  It was Amber clearing her throat.

“You two mind if I join you?”

Before I could speak, Lunette said no we didn’t.

“Oh, thanks.  It’s pretty hot in the cabin.”

I was about to speak when Lunette pulled me close and whispered in my ear.

“It’s OK.  Were all adults here and I would like to know where she stands with you. Her being naked means she doesn’t have anything up her sleeve.  Gods Ed, I am still a pixie about this, I don’t own your sexuality.”

I nodded, but my eyes had not left Amber.  She kicked offer sandals and pulled her tank top up over her head.  She undid her bra and dropped it into a pile with her shirt and sandals.  She then unbuttoned her shorts and in one motion dropped them and her panties down to her ankles and then stepped out.  Looking at the front of her, I now knew she was truly a redhead.

‘There, fully disrobed, well except for my tattoo.”

I didn’t have to ask as she turned around and showed us.  Well me, because Lunette had probably seen it before.  It was a tramp stamp but it was flames of red, orange and yellow all mixed beautifully together.  The flames actually moved a bit like they were real.

“Is it magical?”, I asked.

“Oh, yes.  It augments my flame powers.”

Then bold a brass she strode down into the water up to her waist as well.

” I got it from an alchemist tattoo artist who specializes in that sort of thing.”

“Is that common.  I have been thinking about that as well.”

“Yes.  There are quite a few now that tattoos are less taboo with mundanes.  It has the advantage of being a talisman that can’t be removed.  You are pretty powerful already. I am not sure what a tattoo augment would do to your powers.”

I caught myself staring at Amber and then turned to Lunette who was smiling a wry smile.  She leaned over again and whispered.

“You know I think you are part nymph yourself. You need to focus and find out where her loyalties lie.  She is no longer your bodyguard now, so why is she with us still?”

I nodded.

“You know Amber, you don’t have to stay with me anymore.  You are not under orders to guard me anymore?”

“I know.  I could just join the underground and fight, but I feel in a way my place is still with you.  You have a tendency to draw trouble and end up in awkward and tense situations.”

“Yeah, like skinny dipping with two beautiful women.”

This time both women laughed.

I sighed and looked back and forth between the two of them they were both alternating between looking at me and each other.  Then it hit me.

“You girls are up to something. I have been set up haven’t I?”

“I told you, Amber.  He is pretty quick on the uptake when it is staring right at him.”

Amber shrugged then spoke.

“Ed, I have been your bodyguard now for some time.  I have come to care about you in that time like no one else except maybe Lunette.  Things have changed, you are right but something has been building for a while now inside me toward the both of you.  I can only describe it as affection, maybe the beginnings of love. I know my place is with both of you.”

“Ok, this is truly awkward and tense.  Are you saying you love both of us?”, I asked.

“Yes.  I have already expressed this to Lunette.  As a Pixie, I knew she would understand but we both worried about you.”

“Yeah, how you would react, Edward.  I know you just finished mourning your wife nad our relationship is still new.  You have a hard time with this heart stuff, I know. But Amber is still with us because she loves us.  No other reason than she is in love with both of us and doesn’t know any way to express it other than protect us.”

I sighed, “Well, leave it to the women in my life to complicate things. I don’t even know what to think right now. I really am a little more fae in my understandings of these issues now, but it is still all very new to me.”

Lunette spoke, “Edward, we thought about that too.  We don’t want you to rush things.  I know you wouldn’t have that type of relationship or sex with any woman you didn’t have some feeling of love for and my guess is that; true to you; the relationship between you and her has, up until now, been a professional one. She and I want that to change.”

“You both do?”

Lunette sighed, “Yes.  We have been talking.  Edward when you got back with me you said you understood what I was and what that might entail in our relationship.  I am a fae and sexual fidelity is not in the cards and you said that was OK.  That it didn’t affect our loyalty to each other because you knew how I am. Well, you should know that I find it as easy to cuddle up to a girl as a boy. I’m bisexual. Amber and I have…”

“Been getting cuddly.  I see. Ok. I am good with that.  I said I would be and so there it is.  But I am not sure about me and Amber.”

“We know Edward.  That’s why Amber and I felt you should be told this way and then gradually be brought into it. For starters, we want to stop the separate bathing times and bathe and sauna together.  Skinnydip too. It would just be good if we can dress, undress and be naked in each other’s presence without inhibition.  The cabin is just too small for any real privacy anyway. It will lead to more conversation and emotional intimacy if nothing else. There is also a practical concern.”

“Yeah, I know.  When we bathe and sauna separately the one person alone is vulnerable.  We should try to be together as much as possible. Ok. I will go along with this.  I guess we will see how it goes.”

For the last three days, we have been doing the fireplace, sauna and skinnydipping together.  Amber is a redhead and fire mage, but definitely, not a hothead and her passion I can feel is that quiet kind.  I can see her and Lunette sleeping right now from the table where I am writing this journal out by hand. I slept alone last night and let them have a night together. They are both beautiful women both outside and in. While I am still not completely sure about this, I am willing to stay open-minded. After all, life may be very short for us and we need to enjoy as much as we can while it lasts.

Author’s Notes: 

I suppose I have to say that any similarities to the characters and events in this story are purely coincidental with the exception of yours truly. I have to say that because for some reason during The Hedge Wizard of Redburg some people actually thought I was relaying all true stories.  Most of the time I was not.   

When I write fiction of any type I like to push social mores. Hell. I like to slap them in the face, knock them on their ass, and then kick them when their down. The context of this story is that we have a male wizard, a female wizard, and a female pixie.  The two mages already push the social boundaries of this imaginary world by being mages.  A little nudism and sex outside the lines are not going to phase them.  Especially since I have established in past canon (now deleted) that nudity and sometimes sex is necessary for some magic to even work or take place.

Lunette is even further off the chain when it regards sexuality and nudity.  As a fae, she is immune to disease including STDs.  In addition, she cannot get pregnant except with another fae and only if she wishes it. I ask you what kind of social mores about sex would you expect if this was the case in fae society?  None – pretty much other than perhaps incest being taboo, maybe not even that given the fae are also not subject to genetic disease either. The faerie spends more time naked than clothed when among their own kind as well. Needless to say, each faerie and pixie has probably seen a lions share of boobs, asses, and penises regardless of their own sex. Nudity does not phase them. 

In this story, Edward is hunted, a widower and pretty much looks at sex and nudity like a fae, with reasonable precautions relating to human beings.  He can get another female human pregnant without protection and STDs are real things.  But not with Lunette and Amber has a few magical tricks up her sleeve (when she is wearing clothes) regarding her own feminine issues. Edward is very well aware at this time every day could be his last so yeah, he is looking for any bright spot in that situation.    

I am simply extrapolating what would happen in this context given all the above. There is no reality here and I am not relating any real event that happened in my life at all. In real life, I am married and have been (since my wife and I’s reconciliation) faithful to her.  I want that understood before the gossip hounds go off relating this story to everyone.

Yes, I know from my stats on both my Facebook page and here that traffic indicates some people from my former congregation probably still check me out. Oddly enough, I never lost a follower on my author Facebook page last year, but I did lose a lot of facebook friends on my personal page.  Some of you are waiting to run off and tell my wife some story so you can be ‘right’ about me and warn her what an awful person I am.  I am going to say this with all the love in my heart I can muster for you – Go fuck yourself.   

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“A Warm Fire” – A Skald’s Life – Business Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Wooden’s (Odin’s) Day

Journal Entry:

I haven’t quoted the Havamal in a while, but this stanza seem applicable today as I look through my bucket list items this week.  That is kind fo what the bucket list is about you know – “Embracing life without shame”

I talked about minimalism on Mani’s Day and in this regard and my bucket list, the bigger goals make a lot more senes.  I want my own home, but I don’t need it to be big or extravagant – a house in the woods with a fireplace.  Mostly I value a place that is comfortable where I could write, relax and on occasion entertain the few close friends I have. The one thing I value most is privacy when it comes to where I am.

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 March 2019.

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

Owning my own business someday seme like a faraway dream, but it could very well be that this business could be simply that I am a self-employed writer and that I can keep doing well into old age if I wish. As I reorder goals and bucket list items, I think being a writer first and anything else second. I think about an image of what that means when I am a writer alone someday and I like that image.

I had to change the goal to just reflect the year-long nature of my goals.

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.

Getting a novel published is one of those bucket list items I have to change very little.  There it is, time to get about writing it.

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 want someday to be sitting by a fire in a fireplace, reading a book in a comfortable chair in my own home.  It is really all I need in the end.

Higher Virtue – Justice:

If there is any force of justice in this world, I think all the needless sacrifices I have made over the years as a minister need to be balanced out with a little prosperity. I want to enjoy the rest of my life as best as possible but be just at the same time with others.

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: Half-Hour on top of the blogging routine each day. Alternate between Non-Fiction Book and Novel.
  6. Reading – 1 chapter min.
  7. Personal Business: record financial transactions, savings plan actions, budgeting, appointments, job search, other actions, etc.
  8. Check Communications and Email after 2 pm but before 4 pm.
  9. Nutrition: Daily Carb Count – 2

Removed the Latin for now.  I need to think about this more. Everything is good here, I just need to be more disciplined in doing it consistently.

Still walking,

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

Skaal!!!

“Downtime” – Space Tramp – Chapter 5 (MegaTraveller Fan Fiction)

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

 

Happy Tyr’s Day

Story:

Jeremiah sat at the bar and reflected on how this past year had been probably the most boring he had so far in the Free Traders had it not been for that close call he had had in this very bar a few months ago.  This year had been of one getting The Regina Strider her ‘stem to stern’ refit.  So for this year, he basically had been stuck on Regina.

Not that he went unpaid.  Captian Juros didn’t want to lose him so she offered him the pilot’s job again but she hadn’t needed a pilot.  She was at the port all the time during the refit making sure the techs and engineers did their job.  He, on the other hand, spent a lot of time at the local bars and brothels.

Not that it was completely wasted time.  He had to be cautious about his money as normally he had one week in port and the other three weeks were in space.  He still lived onboard The Strider in his stateroom.  So he couldn’t just blow his funds but he had a lot of time on his hands.

So he spent a lot of his time in the bars nursing the same drink for hours and talking with the patrons. You pick up a lot of information that way.  Mostly he learned to mingle with strangers as the bar patrons were constantly changing.  His confidence turned to ease is social situations that were much more suited to being a captain who could connect with people. Something he had not considered but he was learning that it was important for the purpose of forming business relationships and keeping customers happy and entertained.

There was however the one night when his interest was another Free Trader officer.  She was a young woman and just newly a 4th Officer called Kate.  He joined the celebration of her passing the exam when her boyfriend showed up who lived on Regina.  He became hostile with Kate for taking up the Free Traders.  When she told him it was over and he needed to leave, he grabbed her arm.

Jeremiah took exception to this and the guy pulled a knife.  He stabbed Jeremiah, but thankfully only a flesh wound, but it could have been worse.  Jeremiah for his part knocked the guy out with a punch.  After the paramedics and local police handled things it was late.  Jeremiah’s wound was handled and sealed, he would be fine in a day or so.  Kate thanked Jeremiah and he said it was nothing and prepared to leave.

She stopped him.

“Hey, I am shoving off tomorrow morning and my captain is going to take us toward the capital of the Empire.  I have a room rented next door in the hotel.  I would like to thank you more tangibly.”

Before Jeremiah could reply, she unzipped the front of her jumper revealing both of her well-formed breasts.  Then while Jeremiah sat there for a second shocked, she zipped back up and took his hand and walked him speechless out of the bar.  They spent a few passionate hours together. In the morning Jeremiah found himself alone in the hotel room.  She was gone.

As he sat in the bar now, he wondered where Kate might be but she was at least three hyperspace jumps away.  He drank the rest of his drink and looked around.  He had finished his first term in the Free Traders and had enlisted for his second.  The Regina Styrider’s refit was finished and they were getting ready to shove off the next day.  Time for one more night in the Regina Spaceport. There was a brothel down the street and he headed there for his last fling. Only when he walked out an hour later did he realize the girl he had hired looked like Kate.

He sighed and started walking to the Strider.  Downtime was over.

Megatraveler Notes:

Free Trader 3rd Officer Jeremiah Kilwood

UPP: A67A74   Age: 21  Homeworld: Strouden UWP: A-745988-D N Hi In

Skills: Pilot – 1, Navigation – 1, Engineering – 1, Sensor Ops – 1, Legal – 1, Grav Vehicle – 0, Computer – 0, Handgun – 0, Vacc Suit – 0

Brownie Points: 2 

Year Four:

Roll for position availability: 7 + 1 for Intelligence = 8 – position available.

Roll for assignment: 4 + 1 for Social 5- = 5 No Business

Survival Roll: 3 – survives (barely), Skill: 7 – Skill acquired. Bonus: N/A

Roll for Skill: Merchant Life Table: 2 – Carousing

Roll for Reenlistment for a Second Term: 7 + 1 for being an officer = 8.  Success

1 Browning point gained for the term completed.

MegaTraveller Shorthand

Free Trader 3rd Officer Jeremiah Kilwood

Rank: O2 – 3rd Officer   Terms Served: 1

UPP: A67A74   Age: 22  Homeworld: Strouden UWP: A-745988-D N Hi In

Skills: Pilot – 1, Navigation – 1, Engineering – 1, Sensor Ops – 1, Legal – 1, Carousing – 1, Grav Vehicle – 0, Computer – 0, Handgun – 0, Vacc Suit – 0

Brownie Points: 3 

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“The Ghost of You” – Skald Tales and Poems – Poem

/ Ed Raby Sr / 3 Comments

Happy Sif’s Day

Poem: “The Ghost of You” by Edward W. Raby Sr. – written from September 10th to September 14th, 2019

On the edge of the vision of my spirit

Is the Ghost of You

You haunt my dreams and my waking moments

You trouble me without even being here.

Like a poltergeist,

you disturb the objects of my mind

Like a wraith, 

Memories of you shimmer in my heart

Like a phantom,

you stand on the side of the road

Haunting my soul as I travel on

Stop Haunting Me!

Keep Haunting Me.

I can’t decide.

When I reach for you,

You vanish.

When I don’t.

you laugh.

Author’s Notes:

Well according to my archives this is the first poem I have written since April 2019. I still have the same problems with them.  On the one hand, I love them because I feel when I write poems, they are even a more true representation of my heart and feelings than any other thing I write.  One the other hand the person who opened up the world of poetry to me is remembered – Miss Salty.  And that has a whole pack of emotions that just flood in.

Especially since this poem is about her.  The idea for this poem came right after I wrote these words in a The Grey and The Wayfarer post (link) on August 9th that were directed at her:

I ain’t going to lie, I miss you. But I struggle with who exactly I miss. Was it really you or the character you were playing?  Was it MaKala, Miss Salty, Elpis or someone else?  I do know that whoever she was, she came into my life at a very cold, dark time and offered a lot of warmth and light. For that, I thank her, whoever she was.  She was truly the salt in my life that gave it flavor at the time. She will always be Miss Salty to me. There will always be a small piece of my heart that loves her. It is just the way I am.  I don’t know if not being able to get rid of love completely for a woman I have loved is a blessing or curse sometimes. Please don’t take advantage of it.

My words in my head were at the time I finished writing this paragraph were: “It is like she is a ghost.”

About a day later the seeds for this poem started flitting around in my head – like ghosts.  I tried for the last month to just not think about it, but it kept haunting me.  Seriously. I am no coward and so I intend my puns, but this is literally how it felt.  I think it even triggered a recent episode of The Grey a few days ago and that’s when I decided to write it and get it out of my head and into concrete form, hoping to eliviate that.  Time will tell if it works.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Routine Rewrite”- A Skald’s Life – Self Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / 3 Comments

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

Yeah. I am rewriting my routines again.   Mostly I am trying to make writing more central and along with that reading. This means shifting some things or resigning myself to the fact that days I work don’t have a lot of free time and that is OK.  I am working toward being a published writer and a solid secondary job that allows some progress toward my other goals.

My good report on my health is no cause to rest on my laurels.  I still don’t have a ‘normal’ A1c and I would like to get there. Exercise and nutrition are still central to this so we continue.  Some changes are needed as far as diet and getting back to walking more regularly before the snow flies, and that is all part of my routine as well.

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.

To be following a full paleo diet I need to do a couple more things.  One is to eliminate all liquids that are not water and two get rid of dairy products.  The first means slowly making sure I drink less and less of other things and put more water into my routine instead. The second is a bit harder, I like cheese and cheese has no carbs.  But I must see if full Paleo has solid effects before I modify it with say some Keto elements.

Another thing I am returning to is intermittent fasting.  Mostly from the time I get up until lunchtime.  I skip breakfast and any early snacking.

My cheats on this are to allow one thing I am craving a day and two cheat meals a week which are basically an hour slot of time where I can eat what I want to eat and drink what I want to drink.  Part for social reasons but also it’s nice to get off script every now and then.

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.

Weightlifting is doing well, but I need to walk more. Fall colors will be out soon and that is not something I want to miss as it is my favorite season.  But also this might be the little bit more that I need to get truly leaned out.

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.

Goal achieved here.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom:

Being wise right now is key.  Balance and focus are all important and I need to order my life more effectively so that the things I do each day lead to my eventual success. The best course of action every day is what I am looking for now.

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.

Of all my routines, this one will probably change the least.  This one is more about execution.

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!!!