"You Will be Assimilated!"

Game carried on from Miss Doom's blog. If you want to play, leave a comment that says "Resistance is Futile" and I will leave you five questions. Mine from Doom are: [and I like that they're almost all SCA questions. She knows me well enough to know that I have nothing else going for me!]

1. What do you enjoy about fencing?
I have to admit that I really like just knowing how to do something completely off the wall and awesome. But it really is one of the only "sports" I could ever get into. I like playing historical sports. It appeals to the uber geek in me.
2. What keeps you playing in the SCA?
The people. I mean, no matter how much of a historical geek I am, I would get my fix elsewhere if the people were awful.
3. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Tough choice. I really, really love the plains, and I"m not sure I could leave them permanently, but I would love, love, love a chance in England, at least for a few years.
4. If you won the lottery, what would you do first?
Well, probably pay off my school loans. It's tempting to say travel, but if I could pay the durned things off, I'd be free to do whatever I wanted with the money I was no longer giving to the bank.
5. Would you ever want to be an SCA peer?
It could be fun, in a horrible sort of way. I'd give it a whirl.

Hotels Inspire Laziness

I have eighty bajillion different projects I could be working on, particularly my overall life's goal of learning everything there is to know about anything that ever happened in the past. But no. I am in a hotel, therefore I feel like a lazy bum who has no motivation whatsoever in my life. I'm going to sit around and watch anime online. I'll be productive when I go home tomorrow.

It has to get better than this

I am sitting alone in a hotel room, in my pajamas watching sappy, depressing chick-flicks, while I crochet one blanket, with another one across my lap. Please see post title.

"Everything I Know I Learned in a Song, or: Lyrics to Live By"

Simple Man

Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day

Oh, take your time don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
Go find a woman you'll find love
And don't forget son there is someone up above

And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can?

Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied

And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can? Oh yes, I will

Boy, don't you worry you'll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied

And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can?



I think this man had life figured out. "Be something you love and understand." I'm not sure I love who I am, much less understand who I am. You know what towels look like when they're soaking wet, and have been wrung tightly as possible? That's kinda what I feel like. It's time to figure out how to unwind, unwrinkle, and get a few things straightened out.

Crazy As Always

Took Tom to the Celtic Women concert last night. I think he enjoyed it immensely and enthusiastically. Win! We wanted to do something nice for him since he's always doing things for everyone else. Only after the concert, he said he would return the favor by taking us to the opera. I'd love to go see the opera with him. But the point was not that it would be a favor requiring another in return! *sigh* Tom is Tom, as usual. The show really was great. I've always liked Celtic Women, but wasn't as stoked about them as Tom is. It's easier to pay close attention to all the details when it's a live show though. One of the words that repeatedly came to mind was "exuberant." It's a very uplifting performance; there is nothing negative. Whether the song is heart-wrenching or joyful, it will make you feel like a better person simply for having experienced it. They played some of my favorites--the Shenandoah fiddle solo brought tears to my eyes--and I've had "The Spanish Lady" stuck in my head ever since then as well! And some new ones. I didn't count how many encores they did, but at least half a dozen. The fiddle impressed me most...I don't think I've ever heard such depth and range of emotion come from a solo instrument, a singer, or an entire orchestra. Every note clear and perfect. Amazing. Anyway, before this starts reading like a newspaper review, I'll move on, just saying that if you ever get a chance to go, even if you think you aren't interested, go anyway!

Gearing up for the Griffin Needle Challenge this weekend. The team is down to 3 of us, but I think we'll do fine. We've got some talent. :) Need to print off the research tonight, wash fabric, and round up materials. And make a packing list for everything I need to bring!

Wish us luck!

More Stolen Wisdom

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion,butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balanceaccounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders,give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a newproblem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fightefficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects!" -- RobertHeinlein

I am Broken

I stole this from Sorcha's blog:

“life will break you. nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearnings. you have to love. you have to feel. it is the reason you are here on earth. you are here to risk your heart. you are here to be swallowed up. and when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. tell yourself that you tasted as many as you could.”
- louise erdrich, the painted drum, p. 247