Maebius Musings

Sometimes you need to shake things up a bit in life, in order to really appreciate the little joys that make up your experience of this Reality.

Two Examples:

Recent ‘World of Warcraft Drama‘ has evolved into a sizable portion of the guild leaving over an argument regarding ‘proper’ group makeup for a specific dungeon (which I won’t go into details on), and the folks remaining much more focused on enjoying each other’s company, and a solidifying of Who We Are. Things are still in flux, but boiled down to requiring me to re-enforce our policy of “Casual-Social Guild” and not one to require every 5-group to include a ‘tank’, a ‘healer’ and such “standard” roles. We may not dominate the dungeons and often just scrape by…but by the Light, do we have a blast trying!

This fracturing of the guild has led myself (and a few others) to realize how much fun we have, and that our style of gameplay is not one driven by quest loot, and Epic Adventure. I believe now that things are calming down and the group is smaller, we can all enjoy ourselves much more, and just PLAY. There is a time and place for a proper group effort for certain in-game adventures, but we don’t make such things our priority.

Second example: The Maebius Bathroom is currently undergoing an overhaul. Our once-white walls have been painted “Happy Camper” green with a crumpled tissue paper texture, which does wonders to hide the old scrapes, nail marks, and general “oldness” of the walls. The lower portion of each wall now has a lovely Wainscoting of the oak-stained variety! While the whole project is still in-progress, already it has made me feel a bit more excited to clean up the rest of the house.

Amazing how much your entire day can be brightened up, your spirits lifted throughout work/home/etc….just from a simple redecoration and love poured into the project.

Hope you all are cheery, renewed after any recent Drama, and otherwise enjoying this wintery season as we creep ever-closer towards Spring.

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Feel free to ignore this post, if you are not interested in world of Warcraft…..I’ll be using game-terms here, sorry forfolks who may not play and be confused.
Recently, I have been playing world of Warcraft very regularly, slightly more than every other night and both weekend evenings. My new favorite character is a Troll Holy Priestess named Kanandi, on the Farstriders realm, and she is currently level 57 at the time of this writing.

The guild she is in, known as “The Refugees”, was one which had existed long before, and collapsed. After the collapse, it was three people around level 25-30, and I joined up with them after a really enjoyable dungeon run. The main folks I ran around with are a real-life couple (from Mexico & Canada, moved together to Connecticut!). We had a blast, quoting movies, being silly and all wiping after some crazy strategy like “lets fear the patrol and see how many we can get at once. Keep us healed, Kanandi!” All in all, the fun of playing the game became much more than the completion of quests and earning new items.

Time passes, a few other friends-of-friends and random great people joined the guild as a result of our quirky recruitment “rules”, which mostly revolved around knowing the meaning of ’42′, and which positions Ruby Rod wanted in that movie. (you don’t know?! Be gone from this blog!… /sarcasm)

Currently, the guild is comprised of 61 characters (many alts), and around 35 actual people behind keyboards. We range from folks being online once every other week, to some hardcore PvP folks who chat infrequently, but enjoy the game as a game. I’ve been an officer for the entire time, and my progress in-game has slowed due to helping out others instead of completing (mostly green/grey) quests.

We have a few brand-new players, who received the game over the holidays. I never have encouraged running low-levels through high-level content, but will gladly answer questions and make suggestions on their particular situation, to help avoid unnecessary hassle (like hunters just learning how to tame/train their pet skills).

I have maintained the guild website as a sub-domain of Everthorn, out of my love for the game, and to help keep tabs of things for folks who are away from their home computers and such.
Last week, the leader decided to step down from the role, and passed it to me after what apparently was a unanimous vote from the other officers. I am honored, and yet, this has changed the entire game for me…not sure for the better or worse quite yet.

One one hand, I am now in charge of maintaining the guild bank, to consolidate the accumulated wealth of 20+ people. I am the de-facto mediator in all drama such as the recent invite of a very chatty, teenager who is a nice person but was irritating the others with constant babble about school and “Epic Lootz” he hoped to get someday. I am now in the process of delegating a few roles to other officers, which is something I had campaigned for with our old leader.

The issue is our founding principles, which are to be a casual, friendly group who likes to play the game. If we sometimes do things “wrong”, if it’s enjoyable, its “Right”.

We do not raid for epic loot (though when the high-level folks explore dungeons they do get nice new toys!).
We do not concentrate on dominating the PvP battlegrounds (though there are two or three folks who created characters specifically for this type of gameplay).
We do not enforce strict roleplaying rules, and in-character discussion (though there are a buch of folks, myself included, who are more in-character than OOC).

The problem now is, that I feel this unspoken weight regarding the game.

This past week our officers have ‘been gellin’ and seem to honestly appreciate a rather forceful takover, to define our goals and provide contacts for various types of things like who can manufacture crafted items for the younger folks. I created a few more ranks with different permissions to access guild-related things in-game, so it was not simple “members” and “officers” like it had been. Basically speaking, trying to organize a group of thirty middle-age volunteers with a myriad of interestes, backgrounds, and playstyles who all enjoy playing the game in their own way.
I’ve even drained my own meagre gold-coin into making sure all our active and “member-rank” folks are outfitted with some bag-space for their inventory, and encouraged everyone to at least create a profile on the website so we can try to coordinate guild events, or provide help for the new players.

The thing I mostly want to do now is get back to our roots, hash out the drama that seems to be inevitable in any group that undergoes a change in leadership, and figure out where/if I want to continue leading. It’s tough to simply login and go kill some random critters to de-stress when I’ll get whispered chats from others for some reason or another. It’s usually good stuff, as the drama is starting to die off, but it’s a whole different level of meta-game that I was not quite prepared for.

Wish me luck!

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((FYI - New Moon muse for this month is online again ))

Just a bit of random news lately, and could not think of a better topic.

• Hung up the Acorn birdfeeder we got from our wonderful friends in PA. Can’t wait until the first wren sits at the Wren-gift and feasts. I’ll take pictures. It looks really cool hanging from the iron hook thingy in our front yard.

• The kid got his first report card this week from Pre-K. Of course he did wonderfully. Still has to work on fine-motor-skills like holding a pencil properly, but aced all the intellectual stuff like colours, counting, reading small words, etc. (He’s the topic of this subject I’m thinking)

• Today, I craved coffee. Lately I have been drinking it far too much, and noticed it was affecting my sleep patterns. I stopped. Today, I have the HEADACHE OF DOOM, but know from past experience if I refrain for another 24 hours, it will go away and I’ll be back to my normal self. I was up to 5-6 cups a day. It’s so easy for me to get into the addiction of coffee it’s scary.

• Dinged lvl 57 in world of Warcraft (speaking of addictions!), which means in one more level, (or as I think of it: 3 more evenings), I will be able to travel to Outlands and actually use the content provided in the expansion I got for Christmas last year. w00t!

• Started keeping a daily reminder at work on a steno-pad, since we have still not gotten our new 2008 calenders and I refuse to buy a cheap $5 one in the meantime. Grrr.. corporate office lifestyle sucks. m’kay?

That’s all for now. Just wanted to post something this week.

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God Bunny is Watching you!

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Happy new Year New Moon!

This post is about food. Specifically, the sacred and divine nature of yummy-ness that is consumed to feed our bodies and thus fuel our daily activities, be they mundane or miraculous. Eating is necessary to survive, and most food is taken in to do simply that. but then there is Food. Food with a capitol ‘F’, and is something which is eaten to Nourish us. Things like rich, organic, 80% cocoa, chocolate bars. Things like fresh-baked bread with a drizzle of honey and butter.

But specific things we can eat, even twinkies, can become Food if we are mindful of their consumption, and attach a bit of thought and intent to the process of sticking in in our gut. Granted, some items are better suited for such sacrament, and Twinkies are not really recommended over healthy foods, but they work as periodic treats/rewards if you are so inclined.

Each day, I am trying to be mindful of my eating choices. Instead of grabbing a bowl of Sugary cereal(like Capt’n Crunch) I choose generic Raisin Bran. Instead of a shoveling in a fast-food lunch, I bring leftovers from home, which taste better and are cheaper. Little steps like this, while small, can add up quite well in the long run, and are helping transition my general eating habits. (See prior post regarding salad-craving).

In addition to choosing what I eat, and this choice is by NO means a strict diet, more of a “I’ll skip the soda today and have a tea” type of thing….In addition to that, I am making an effort to really acknowledge my food as I hold it up before my mouth.

The meatloaf leftovers I have…they taste good, and I remind myself this beef is/was part Norman (our cow). The potatoes are from either our garden or my in-laws. The beans, from the store, but once a green living plant.

I know we all realize on an intellectual level that beans are a plant, and beef=bovine, but the sacred part of what I am trying is to Remind yourself that, each and every time you take a nibble on some food. I don’t feel drawn to offering up a prayer and blessing to cows of the world when I eat a burger, but slowly, the more I am reminded that’s where the burger comes from, the more the deep inner bits of my spirit smile. I now am starting to find my food-origin thoughts are becoming a reflex, that the mental this=that connection springs to mind automatically now.

In the case of a Twinkie, I have to stop and think a bit more, realizing in some way, part of the cake was a wheat plant, which has gotten mangled, drowned, and tortured into the current form. It’s not quite as bad as those particular terms, but they sprung to mind when tracing back to the origins of a Twinkie. This process leads me naturally to think, along the lines of “wheat = grain, perhaps a granola bar or actual home-baked cake leftovers would still be yummy and more wholesome than the Twinkie”.

It won’t stop me from treating myself to one from time to time, but it does make the decision be more informed and help avoid mere cravings for sweet and concentrate more on when I’m actually just hungry. (Though actually I have not eaten an actual Twinkie for years, but is a good metaphor for other foods)

As I mentioned before, keeping up this practice for an entire month on something so ‘mundane’ and continually present in my life such as ‘food’, is practice for the habit of meditation.

Referencing what many would consider the more wholesome foods, such as “80% cocoa” or fresh whole-grain bread with local honey, the experience becomes a bit closer to what some might consider a sacred ritual.

Example of today’s meatloaf: we raised the cow which provided the meat in this meal. We dug in the dirt, and grew the spuds which accompany it. Consuming this food completes a circle of life and death. Gifts and effort on our part, returning to us again. Energy sent into the world, to care for and keep healthy a bunch of other living organisms is now providing myself energy and health. Can’t define magick better than that, can we?!

And since magic[k] as I understand it is so intertwined with spirituality, and I do believe that Norman had a spirit of his own, I am reconnecting with the divine Spark of Life by taking in this Food. It’s a subtle thing, and much deeper than my meager words can relate to you, but I hope you readers understand the concept between these words.

What we eat, if it is consumed with a nod to the origins, and with an occasional almost-reverence, is Food. Food nourishes our bodies and spirits. I challenge you folks to try this little practice for one week (or one cycle of the moon if daring). I’d love to see comments about the results.

And to paraphrase Valentine Michael Smith…….May you never Hunger.

-Nate

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I was away for the weekend visiting the Danville folks with a friend of mine (boys weekend out = gaming, Tivo watching, and general beer/absinthe infused lounging around being slugs! w00t!)
While there, it reminded me of a few things, which remarkably enough have a vaguely muse-worthy and self-spiritual bent.

We feasted, we sat around playing video games, and generally had a great time playing Rockband. (with a periodic break to convince ourselves we were not JUST gamer geeks by playing a rousing round of Cranium!)

Of course this was awesome, very relaxing, and quite a great vacation, since my friend drove the 4 hours and I got to sit and chatter in his ear the entire time instead of my usual driving.

I realized how addicted I am at Warcraft, since I was wondering if my guild there was runnnig any instances without their pocket heal-bot, but a quick login last night allowed me to run Maraudon and ‘save face’ there. Those folks are awesome, and did miss my [Brewfest Party Keg], but we are such a casual guild no one noticed I was not on.
The thing that was particularly muse-worthy was that this arguably ‘geekdonistic’ weekend made me realize how much I missed being home, playing with the kid, and eating salad.

Seriously, I am CRAVING greens and crispity crunchity leafy stuff like carrots and romaine hearts or even iceberg lettuce. Absolutely no offense to the chef who will be reading this blog. Those meatballs were yummy, and all joking aside about the bruschetta and my tomato-quirks, the food roxxorz my soxxorz. I just realized I tend to eat more salad lately with our home’s slow transition to healthy more-veggie diets than our former Meat&Gravy trend had been. London broil was the dinner leftovers that awaited me, and is one of my favorites…but today I absolutely craved nothing more than a hunk of leaf and a sprinkle of garlic for some reason, with a nibble of Dulce on the side. (I have not gotten this yet, but I will, oh yes, tonight I WILL be eating this!)

That’s all for now, since it is ample fodder for a food-related post scheduled for New Moon musing this week. I’ve started that draft already…..so stay tuned.

Happy 2008 everyone!

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Another year gone, another year in full wintery swing! Welcome to 2008.
(or, as I shall deem worthy of calling it: 2 A.D.- After Druidry)

Most people take the opportunity this time of year to look back and reflect on what has happened in the past few months, and resolve to do things a little differently these next few months. However, the older I get, the easier it is to fall into the same old routines and then look back NEXT new year with at least a faint guilt about not doing somesuch thing. This year, my resolution is similar to my usual “Lenten Sacrifices”, which essentially means I don’t really give up anything except the attempt to give up.

This past year, many wonderful things have happened. If you are remotely interested in them, there’s a wonderful archive of this blog for you to research. *grin* I’ll wait……

Welcome back!

In the coming months, I resolve to try to make a few minor changes in my life that help out either my health (both physical, mental, and spiritual), or improve the health of those around me (again, mind/body/spirit). I won’t make a specific list of goals, for a number of reasons. Firstly, I’m a terrible organizer, and would forget them very shortly as Life distracts me pretty well from day to day. This would lead to guilt or stress if I did not “Do item X on my list”. (related post: here). Secondly, while I appreciate the focusing power of lists in order to help organize things, I am honest with myself enough to realize that I will think of different and perhaps ‘better’ things to do that trump or cancel out something I would add to a list. So, I’m going to work towards General improvements throughout the year.

However, rather than being completely vague and relying on a creative muse to inspire me to better my life as the whims of fancy blow chaotically through the coming weeks, I will resolve to be at least Mindful on one change every two weeks. A careful notice of moon phases will help remind me of such things, as I do want to continue my Moon Muse postings as well, so that you, my Humble Readers, have at least a semi-weekly blog to look forward to. (I do hereby grant myself a license to delay any posting which would coincide with holidays, camping vacations, and the like)

And so, with a new day planner to use at work which I now have marked up with important dates and pagan-friendly events, I will begin pondering more musings, will work on some minor changes to update you on each week if possible (even if only a single paragraph post), and work towards a Happy Maebius.

Kennit?
(By new favorite ‘word’ which is used by a new hire here at work, whom I could sit and listen to talk on the phone for hours!)

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