My Orienteering Experience.

A day or so ago I was sent an email by my good friend Kiran.


"...I'd like you to write a blog post about the club and what you think about orienteering. Will you be able to do that?"

and I replied,

"Yeah I'll definetly do that. Sounds good. LOL."


Well then I went downstairs, made some food, ate it, listened to some music, made a tea... then I remembered what I was meant to be doing and started to write this post.

Has anyone reading this post ever heard of orienteering? No... I can hear a few sprinklings of yes... for the benefit of everyone I shall talk about what orienteering is.

Basically you have a map and other useful tools like watches, torches, x ray vision glasses (the last one was a lie) and you have a wide area where you have to tag certain points within a certain time... that's the basics of it anyway. The area that this is done is varied; woods, fields, mountainous regions and so forth.

Kiran is a keen orienteerer. We visited an undisclosed Leicester pub and talked together with a cider and a beer. The conversation turned to the orienteering classes that Kiran had been going to and on a friendly whim he said that the next class would be the next day and I should go with him.

I believe in the well known philosophy know as 'F***k it' and so I immediately said YES!... and that was how it all began.

To be honest I never even knew that this whole thing existed until I was enlightened by Kiran. The one thing about competitive stuff is that I'm not at all competitive in any way, but I'm up for a good laugh so this new experience was going to be beneficial one way or another.
I set off in Kiran's car and got to the the location, a sports field behind a school. There were about six other people there between the ages of about 12- 70 including the two of us.

We did the starting exercises,

1. Jogging in a circle while throwing our arms around the place for some reason.
... and...
2. Doing funny walking like John Cleese... the latin term being Walkinus likius eiya spazzus.

Then it all truly began.

It was completely dark when we started the main activities. We had twenty minutes to tag all of the locations that were somewhere within about four of the fields in front of us. I hadn't got a clue what was going on so I teamed up with Kiran. After the first try we were told that we would do the whole thing again but this time we had ten minutes to do the exact same thing... which left everyone taking part knackered.
Each of us had been given a tag that you strap to one of your fingers... an electronic tag (that works like the ones that I believe must be somewhat similar to the ones that get convicted of crimes... I'm just saying...).

Kiran seemed to do really well with reading maps... I had no clue so it was my duty to hold the torch.

How did I find the experience? Intriguing.

Intriguing is the word.

I want to try fire walking next... and jousting.


Over and Out.
ED.

*In order for me to push myself to do it I shall say that I will be writing a blog post every day in November because I did it in February last year. Now that it is recorded for all to see in blog form... it is law.

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit.

I started to watch an anime a few days ago called "Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit"... an adaptation of the book series by Nahoko Ufhashi... who I have never heard of either.



The reason that I started to watch it was that I saw a trailer of the series and immediately started to writhe on the floor and speak in tongues.

I bought it from amazon... shoved it in the DVD thing on the laptop and started to watch it.

Holy Fu... cow!!!

When it comes to watching television or tv series, I find that there are not really any programmes that I have a dedication to or a strong connection with... I have not really been a television watcher as of late. It was not until recently that I started to taking a bigger interest in anime when I ACCIDENTALLY signed up to an anime streaming website where I ACCIDENTALLY paid £4.99 for a one month membership. In order to get my money's worth, I started to watch series that were on the site. I found shows such as Attack on Titan, Sunday Without God and Gargantia and got utterly blown away by how visually stunning they were and how much I clicked with the stories. I had dabbled in anime before with Death Note, Ghost in the Shell and Spirited Away but now... it was on... more than it had been anyway.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The synopsis;

"At a time when the balance of nature still held the civilizations of mankind in thrall, a single drought could spell the end of society and doom its inhabitants to piteous deaths. Prince Chagum has been possessed by a water spirit that exists in egg form in his belly. Court advisers only see one solution. Chagum must be put to death by his own fathers hand because this is thought to be the necessary thing to do for the good of the kingdom. His salvation is in the form of Balsa, a spear woman and mercenary from the kingdom across the mountains. Her skills are legendary, and although reluctant, she is held by a mysterious vow to save eight souls before she dies. Can she fend off an entire empire and make Chagum her eighth soul?"

The main focus of the series is the relationship between the adult, commoner, warrior- woman, Balsa and the young, noble prince, Chagum.
My initial ideas going into the series was that Chagum was going to be a brat, an assumption that was proven wrong in the first episode. He turned out to be a good- hearted soul whose knowledge of the world outside royal life was little.
What I find interesting is that although we have two opposing sides, one being Balsa, Chagum and their allies and the other being soldiers and servants of the royal court; it is clear to see that there are no bad guys in the piece, no good or evil. One side is bound to save a child's life from death and the other is bound by duty and the protection of an entire kingdom to find and dispose of a threat- both are valid, both points are understandable... yet I know which one my preference is.

This is not an action orientated anime, although their are a few wonderfully done action sequences. It can be argued that not a lot happens in a few episodes, for example in one episode all that really goes on is that the pair leave their house, go to the blacksmith and then return home. Personally I like the so called normal moments because it emphasises what their life is truly like... and it allows you to focus more on the dialogue, the facial expressions and the people instead of massive fight sequences and explosions, that may be thrilling but doesn't really add much to the main story- line.

Moribito is not needlessly showy but it gives you exactly what you need to see.

An anime for people that are charmed by the small things in life, the bonds that keep people together, strong female characters and literally breathtaking visuals.... literally.

Over and Out.

ED.

Principia Discordia (A Topic of Interest).

'"One day Mal- 2 asked the messenger spirit St Gulik to approach the Goddess and request Her presence for some desperate advice. Shortly afterwards the radio came on by itself, and the ethereal female Voice said YES?

"O! Eris! Blessed Mother of Man! Queen of Chaos! Daughter of Discord! Concubine of Confusion! O! Exquisite Lady, I beseech You to lift a heavy burden from my heart!"

WHAT BOTHERS YOU MAL? YOU DON'T SOUND WELL.

"I am filled with fear and tormented with terrible visions of pain. Everywhere people are hurting one another, the planet is rampant with injustices, whole societies plunder groups of their own people, mothers imprison sons, children perish while brothers war. O, woe."

WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH THAT, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO?

"But nobody wants it! Everybody hates it."

OH. WELL, THEN STOP.

At which moment She turned Herself into an aspirin commercial and left the Polyfather stranded alone with his species."'

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The above quote is taken from a book known in an underground book called the Principia Discordia, the founding religious book of Discordianisn.
What is discordianism?...

"POEE
is the one manifestation of
THE DISCORDIAN SOCIETY
about which you will learn more 
and understand less

We
are a tribe
of philosophers, theologians,
magicians, scientists,
artists, clowns,
and similar maniacs
who are intrigued
with 
Eris
GODDESS OF CONFUSION
and with
Her
Doings"


One of the things that Discordians do is to hand out business type cards that declare that the holder is instantly a Pope and so should be treated right. Discordians are encouraged to gives these cards out to the general public...

I certainly advocate a bit of weirdness in life and this is the perfect example.

There is a motto that all discordians have, that 'all discordians must stick apart'. This means it is a bizarre non- movement... if that makes any sense in any way.

One event that I heard that a group of discordians did got me laughing. They gathered in a main city centre in America... I believe they were dressed in Santa Claus outfits. Some people in the group were protesting against 'things', another group of them were holding up signs showing that they believed in 'things' and were for them completely, one last group were on the fence about 'things'. When a member of the public asked one of them about what was going on this type of conversation occured...

Member of  Public: Whats's this all about?

D1: We are here to say that we are fully against things!

D2: But I am fully for things!

... and then a whole argument would ensue about... things.

Oh yeah and who is Eris Goddess woman?...

Firstly she is also called Discord... hence discordianism and she is goddess of... yes... confusion. She is a Greek lass. Zeus was preparing a wedding feast for Peleus and Thetis but didn't invite Eris because she was a bit of a troublemaker (bit rude of Zeus though if you ask me). Eris was a bit miffed with the old lightning thrower and so fashioned a golden apple and inscribed the word 'Kallisti' on it which means 'to the prettiest one'. During the feast she rolled the apple into the feast and all of the female gods started to squabble about who the apple was meant for. After a while, most of the gods couldn't be bothered anymore and so gave up, leaving only Athena, Hera and Aphrodite yammering on. Zeus said that someone should decide who the prettiest one truly was and so picked a human from Troy called Paris. Each of the goddesses approached Paris secretly attempting to bribe him to pick them. Athena offered heroic war victories, Hera offered wealth and Aphrodite said she would give him the most beautiful woman alive. Paris picked the last offer and thereby started the fabled Trojan War...

Discordianism certainly is not anything that is to be take seriously. The book declares,

'Principia Discordia is the official bible of the most relevant religion ever conceived. A legendary underground classic, out- of- print for years and impossible to find, this new edition truly contains "Absolutely Everything Worth Knowing About Absolutely Everything"... (a) religion for these screwed up times.'

II found a pdf version of an early incarnation of the book here if you want to read it... you can also buy it online as well of course.  http://www.principiadiscordia.com/downloads/Principia%20Discordia%20(Wholly%201st%20Edition).pdf

Over and Out.
ED.

A Quote That I Found Already Quoted In Another Book.

"There are not many, those who have no secret garden of the mind. For this garden alone can give refreshment when life is barren of peace or sustenance or satisfactory answer. Such sanctuaries may be reached by a certain philosophy or faith, by the guidance of a beloved author or an understanding friend, by the way of the temples of music and art, or by groping after truth through the vast kingdoms of knowledge. They encompass almost always truth and beauty, and are radiant with the light that was never on sea or land."


Have that quote on me.

Over and Out.
ED.

Folklore and Urine.

This is a good question to start off this blog post... Do YOU want to have inexhaustible money?

"Sure do Ed... carry on typing and let me know how to get that!"

I know what you may be initially thinking that I might tell you. Perhaps I shall tell you that you should save a £5 a week in a separate bank account or get into business and learn the ropes of making money... perhaps you were thinking that you could put some money in shares or something... well you were wrong.

THIS is how you get money...

If by accident, you find the back tooth of a horse, carry it about with you as long as you live and you will never want money: but it must be found by chance.

DO IT NOW!!!

Quick fact: Alan Sugar and every other rich person that has ever existed always keeps a horse tooth in their pocket at all times... that's why they are so rich... obviously.

Have you ever wanted to turn invisible? I sure have... and here's how,

Get a raven's heart, split it open with a black- hafted knife, make three cuts and place a black bean in each cut. Then plant it and when the bean's sprout put one in your mouth and say,
"By virtue of Satan's heart,
And by the strength of my great art,
I desire to be invisible."

I could go on and on about the amount of times that I have taken a bean sprout from a rotting bird corpse and become invisible... I mean the amount of raven's I've had to kill in order to become invisible beggars belief.

I'm joking of course about the above superstitions...

A few months ago I was given a book called 'Lady Wilde: Ancient Legends of Ireland' and have been looking up various superstitions, folk customs and belief out of a curious amusement.

The folk customs that I have read don't sound any more bizarre (bizarre= wonderful) than what some scientists have been doing lately. Today I read on the Independent newspaper website about SCIENTISTS GROWING HUMAN TEETH FROM URINE.
This is the article that I read if you want to also read it... http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-grow-human-tooth-using-stem-cells-taken-from-urine-8737936.html

I heard a few years ago about scientists who were trying to grow teeth through human hair... but I wasn't aware of the old urine.

But in all seriousness I do believe that there is something to all this superstitious stuff. I think that if you truly believe that something will work then the subconscious mind will make things happen that will conform to the beliefs. Say you have a wart and someone says to go and roll in mud and kiss a pig... if you believe that this remedy will work then your mind will make it work... the mind's a powerful thing after all... I'm not sure how far this idea goes to turning invisible... although I can easily turn invisible, I don't know if this is true with anyone else...

Brilliant stuff.

Over and Out.
ED.

Cut Up Technique.

This is a good writing exercise and there are many ways to 'do it'. You can get a newspaper, magazine or even you can use your own writing and you cut it up randomly into a series of statements, words or sentences. You then organise these cut ups randomly and then see what comes out of it.
In this case I put two pieces of writing I had done ages ago and tried to see what I could get out of it.

This is one of my pieces of cut up writing...

My mind and my will believes life must be in a persons thinking, it has to be nothing to do with anything given outside. Live godhood to the god while the law is with some people. It is right being that brought out trying.

Many thought that people must exist, reading about the created ones preached through a book. We are the thoughts in order to live and hence the lounge recognises itself as many lives age.

Shall the life thank and explain life? Is God their situations? Do not point at destiny as one. The best people exist the laws! As now the individual is I!  No one can party more with the universe.

What but power thought of knowledge? Take their product away from the law and from the divine. The fault must and can only be of the devil that fully made nothing they taught and understood. He taught techniques on how thoughts are comforting. All this occurred and it brings  life.

One reference to themselves will be good- looking. We must search clearly for the main shows to create purpose and forsake conditions alot. Modern? It’s you that makes people magicians. It has people aware to a wonderful and releasing doubt that teaches everything.

Their people feel sound into thoughts. How better you release life that consciously takes responsibility, whatever its mind is unconsciously saying.

My circumstances? My mind? My will? My life? I am thinking about nothing given as  godhood.  To the outside he lived while the law that had me right was literally trying.

Many ‘thought beings’ brought people to read. It helps existence to prefer what is preached to us through a book that the created ones in us live and recognise thoughts in us. Hence they lounge themselves and in their old age many lives go in many ways. God came because we are responsible. It is he that has changed us, it may mean everybody. Reality pushes life already.

I ‘am’ because of the universe. That is my life.

Over and Out.

ED.

Dream Work.

Here I shall write down five dreams that I have had recently.

1.
"I was trying to climb up a massive slide in a room in a crumbling castle, with other people around me. All of the people, both male and female, were bald. At the top of the slide was an old woman that was dressed in clothes that you might expect a woman from Ancient Rome might wear. She was wearing something like this... 

While she was looking at us climb, she was throwing buckets of sewage down the slide so that it was slippery. We were getting absolutely covered. At some point I remembered that I could fly so I flew over the slide, noticing what a lovely scene it was above the slide. I flew out of the castle and traveled to the sun for a while. I came back and I found that the old Roman woman was gone and all the people around me were dead, lying in the sewage... I rubbed my face defiantly.

2. 
I was walking around my home village aimlessly. Every so often I would stop, touch my leg with both hands and then continue walking. I was outside Tesco... I checked my leg once more... to my complete fascination I found there was a thorn sticking out of it. I pulled upon the thorn and out came a worm. The thorn was the top of the worms head... I threw the worm on to the road and felt the hole that was left where the 'thorn worm' once was. I continued to walk around aimlessly... I checked my leg again. This time there was a lump. I pulled on the lump and a thorn poked through. I pulled on the thorn and another 'thorn worm' came out. I threw it on the ground and felt the second hole that had been made on my leg. I think I must have pulled a few worms out because I remember feeling my leg and there were many, many holes.

3.
I attempted to give  a high five to a cat. It gave me a high five to the BACK of my hand. The cat looked at my hand and realised that it's claws had been out at the moment of contact. There was a hole now in the back of my hand, showing that inside were robotics that were covered in organic veins.
The cat said, "Oh shit" casually, went onto a light brown sofa and just yawned, then got slightly fatter.
"Lazy cat" I thought.

4.
A man was on a stage in blue jeans, shirtless. He was laughing... stopped... and laughed again.
At some point in the performance I got up and shouted,
"Don't you dare make it like that!"

5.
I was sitting next to the mirror. The face of the mirror was facing a wall with floral patterns on it. I was trying to bring some being into physical existence. I felt a sucking force and then a bang as if someone had fallen on the floor. The creature was invisible but I knew it was a genii. I was excited.

Over and Out.
ED.