http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlYrOBvt9IQ&feature=related

Moxy Fruvous is gone. Asylum Street Spankers is retiring. Peter Gabriel only tours rarely. I need a new favorite band...this may be it.

From ursulav blog, worth reading, go check it out:
http://www.redwombatstudio.com/blog/?p=4186

"All that’s really happening, of course, is that the uterus is wandering around going “Hey! Anybody in there? No? Alright, let’s get this crap out of here!” and the ovaries, which are among the most personally malicious parts of my anatomy, are sulking and snarling that if they aren’t happy, nobody is going to be happy, and my endocrine system, a dumb, good natured Labrador type, is cheerfully playing fetch with all the hormones they keep throwing out."

I went to the UCC church in Santa Cruz with ppfuf this weekend, and they spoke a sufi poem in it that resonated. It got me thinking about some recent Pennsic adventures (connection with my favorite whirler) and so I think I'll hack the poem. Here's a first try (composing on the fly, be kind to this guy)

"A Golden Compass" by Shams-ud-din Muhammed (c. 1320-1389) hacked by John Schmidt 2010

Forget every idea of right and wrong Any seneschal or Bod has tried to scare you with

Because
An empty heart, a tormented mind, unkindness, jealousy, and fear
are ALWAYS the testimony and sign that you have been MADE A FOOL!

Turn your back on those who would imprison your amazing spirit with deciet and lies.

Come, join the honest company of the Tigershark-- Those gamblers, scoundrels, and divine clowns, and those astonishing fair courtesans
Who need Divine Love every night.

Come, join the courageos! Cast off the rules of fear, they have no choice but to bet the world
That indeed, you can live in Jeannieland.

She will lead you into the crew, drinking wine, playing tricks,
you can trust them for true guidance which will aid you
in this blessed calamity, life.

Look at the Captain, at the camp's Center--

She spins, and whirls, like a golden compass!

The center pointing back to you.




(I dunno. Still too subtle. Need to focus either on God, or the Captain. Still, the message is: don't give into the fear.)

1. The foot blisters at the beginning of July? From the athlete's foot cream. Got them again, dang it! ITCH!

2. The wedding/dance/puzzle hunt on Saturday? Wonderful! And the bride and groom were amazingly beautiful in their tux and dance dress. And advanced squaredancing uses calls I've never heard before that are amazingly precise.

3. Guess what? Guys who are about 3 or 4 say "Guess what?" a lot as a conversational starter. I am working with some youth on bird identification and building The Most Useless Machine.

4. Evidence of termites in house has returned: time to go look for damage.

5. Pennsic, Burning Man, vacation...I want to get a job so I can go on a vacation!

Or, well, what's in my head.
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Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Pass it on like the virus it is.

1. Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit (I consider them one large book) JRRTolkien
2. "Redliners" David Drake A book that sparked some great discussions
3. "Retief" by Kieth Laumer
4. "The Witches of Karres" James Schmitz
5. "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" Don't like the empire, do like the book

Wow, this is HARD. I have authors I've memorized, like Terry Pratchett, Elizabeth McMasters Bujold, Phil Foglio...and books I love to reread...and there are too many.

6. The Bible.
7. The Dictionary No, really, these two will stay with me.
8. "Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
9. "Sandman" graphic novels by Niel Gaiman etc.
10. "Karate-do: My Life" by Shoto (Ginchin Funakoshi)
11. Having to pick a Terry Pratchett Book: "Darwin's Watch"
12. "Drawing of the Dark" Tim Powers
13. "Halting State" Charles Stross
14. "Tipping Point" Malcolm Gladwell
15. "It's a Lot Like Dancing" Terry Dobson

No cough. Looks like I'm healthy, or at least not caught whooping cough. Yay! Still staying clear of kids, at least for a week.

And Changes.

Wisdom comes from...experience. Experience comes from adventure. Adventure comes from bad choices.

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What do I want to do? What do I need to get?
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