Medieval Faire 2006

"Take what ya Can!...Give Nothing Back!"...

Well we finally made it to the Medieval Faire yesterday and I have to say that that was the hottest, muggiest, most uncomfortable Faire I have ever been to. Usually this faire is pretty nice as far as that goes, because it is in a woods, but it had rained all week and though it was sunny on Saturday, the entire place had been turned into a mud bog swamp. I think they would have to come up with a new scale to describe the kind of humidity that pervaded the entire area. Though everyone I talked to said "it was better than the previous Saturday when it poured down rain for most of the day", I think I would have rather had the rain. Wearing heavy layers of medieval clothing certainly didn't help it any.

It was a good Faire though, with seemingly many more people attending than any other Faire I had gone to before. We figured that many of the people that were there had planned on going last weekend when the rains came and probably came this weekend instead, effectively doubling the crowd.

My son "Z" and I didn't sit through as many of the shows as we had at previous Medieval Faires, opting instead to stay in the shade, because most of the seating is out in the sun. There are many different pathways that snake through the woods at this place, and it's sad when you choose which ones to take by how well they are shaded by the trees.

We watched the "Joust" from the side that is lined by trees, though you have to stand, we figured it would be better than the side with all the benches that are out in the direct sunlight. We also watched the "Human Chess Tournament" from a position fairly far away, once again, standing in the shade of the trees. The Chess Tournament's seating area does have a suspended canopy, but by the time we got there all the benches under the canopy were taken. The Tournament this year was Robin Hoods Merry Men versus the Sheriff of Nottingham's Men.

I really wish they could hold this event in the fall when it is much cooler, but you take what you can get. They surely sold a lot of beer, wine and lemonade yesterday, but it seemed I couldn't down lemonades as fast I sweated them out. Later on in the evening as the sun was lower in the sky we watched the "Falcon" show and it was actually reasonably comfortable, making us wish we hadn't gone quite so early.

I promised pictures and these are about as good as my old 2.1 mega pixel digital camera can do. I could have set the quality higher but I don't have a very large flashcard, and wouldn't have been able to take very many pictures. I really need to get a better camera. I also promised pictures of myself, and I wouldn't want to go back on my word...."Pirate!"...."Drink up me hearty's, Yo Ho!"...

(Yarg! If ye want me "Dead Man's Chest" you'll be diggin for it, but don't say I didn't warn ye!)...

(And yes, I was soaked to the bone, as I said it was really, really hot, and today I'm doing laundy to wash all the white salt marks out of my medieval garb.)...

Dagoth Uncovered...

This is for Spider Walk who asked very nicely if I would maybe post a picture of myself today. Of course you can't expect me to come out of my shell all at once. I want to thank Liz for the use of her "News at 11 eye blackout thingy" so I could still retain some of my anonymity. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to show the rest of me. Spidey I hope you had a wonderful day and I hope you are not too disappointed when you finally get to see the rest of me...

Best Friend

I haven't heard from my best friend "Jul" lately. She used to call me all the time but she's been having some problems at home and hasn't been able to call much lately. When she has called me, I could tell she was sneaking the call in by the way they have abruptly ended. She just had a new modular home built and they have had all kinds of problems with it, not to mention how long it's taking for her old home to sell. I hope everything is going well on that front.

We met each other when we were 15 and became good friends right from the start. I remember times when we would ride our bikes for miles to see each other, as we didn't live very close to each other.

Her and I shared one locker all through high school, I seem to remember she said she "wanted to keep one book there, for a class that was close by" and had moved everything in within a week.

We hold world records for talking on the phone, with some calls having gone on for three and four hours.

Though many others have come and gone she has always been there for me, except for a period of time during her first marriage when her husband made it clear I wasn't welcome (he was an asshole, and that's all there is to that.)

After we each got divorced from our first spouses, we hooked back up again and have been together ever since. Through my second marriage and divorce, her second marriage, lots of girlfriends for me and boyfriends for her, we have always been there for each other. I hope we're not loosing contact again.

Part of the problem we have always had is, we're both insatiable flirts, and when we get together, well lets just say our mates haven't always appreciated the way "Jul" and I act towards each other. All I have to say is "to hell with them, she has been my friend longer than anyone, and if they can't deal with it, tuff."

To say my second wife, "T2", didn't care for "Jul" very much, would be an understatement. "T2" had a jealous bone that would rival, in size, any dinosaur bone that has ever been unearthed. I asked "Jul" to be my "best person" at our wedding and that didn't go over very well. The problem started when we decided to have a country-western wedding. "Jul" rented the same Tux that the rest of us did, but since it was a guy's Tux, you can imagine that the pants didn't fit quite right. She asked me if she could substitute a black skirt instead and I said that it was ok, but when I told "T2" she had a cow. I didn't think that "Jul" was being unreasonable, "T2" just had to pick out something to get "bent out" about.

The end of the month is "Jul's" birthday; I hope she has a great one. I probably won't see her before then but maybe we'll be able to sneak in a phone call. Her and I have shared a lot of life together and I hope we get to share the rest of it together as well. Having a female best friend, for a guy, is somewhat unusual, but I wouldn't have it any other way. "I love you and miss you kiddo."

Rainout

My son and I made a valiant effort to go to the Medieval Faire today but we got rained out. We actually made it all the way to the fairgrounds, all the time hoping the rain would let up, but it never did. The weather channel's radar made it look like the rain ended right around where the fairgrounds are, and we kept thinking we would drive out of it, but this was not the case. They say the Faire is "rain or shine", and I've been there when there were small downpours sending everyone scurrying for the tents, but that was a little too much precipitation for our liking. We turned around and headed back, choosing instead, to try again next weekend. Last weekend we couldn't go because "Z" was out of town at his grandmother's house, and this weekend we had a rainout. I suggested that we could try again on Sunday but "Z" wanted to go to a festival they are having in the small town where he lives and tonight and tomorrow are the last days for it. Next weekend will be better anyways because the theme for that weekend is "Pirate Invasion" which it just so happens is my Medieval Faire Garb. So hope for good weather.

Last week I saw a chubby old woodchuck run out behind my shed, I ran out after him but when I got behind the shed he was nowhere to be found. I love woodchucks, and whenever I pass one beside the road I always yell out at them "Get off the road, Chubby!" Tonight I was looking out my backdoor and he was right beside the deck I am tearing down, just behind my back porch. I stood there watching him for a while, contemplating whether I should run out yelling at him, just to put a little excitement into his life, but I didn't. I just waited and watched until finally he ran under the floorboards that are part of the shed. Now I know where you're living. Maybe he'll become friends with the red squirrel that lives inside my shed and teach the red squirrel to clean up after himself.

The Personality Test on my last post, I found in Spider Walks archives, and this one Hope found at the same site as the personality test. This one has also shown up on Wolgrrrls site and from there traveled to Boston Pobbles site and lord knows where all else it has gone. It's fun watching how these things travel around. I am not surprised that I was linked to this movie since I am always a very calm, cool and collected person, who seldom stresses out over anything..."Getcha motor runnin"...

What Classic Movie Are You?
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Personality Test

I was rooting around in Spider Walks archives and I came across this personality test and decided to give it a try. I don't know how accurate these things are, I'm a firm believer in the fact that I change from one minute to the next and quite often my judgments are swayed by that belief. I feel if I take one of these tests an hour later, I will get totally different answers. I take pride in the fact that my thoughts, decisions and beliefs are never carved in stone (except for maybe that one). I believe that every minute of our lives, changes us, and therefore would change what answers I would give to any given question. It is good for a snapshot though, so there you go, and that's what I was at that moment...

Advanced Global Personality Test Results Extraversion |||||||||||||| 60% Stability |||||||||||||| 53% Orderliness |||||||||||||||| 63% Accommodation |||||||||||| 43% Interdependence |||||||||| 36% Intellectual |||||||||||||||||| 76% Mystical |||||||||| 36% Artistic |||||||||||||| 56% Religious |||||| 30% Hedonism |||||| 30% Materialism || 10% Narcissism |||||| 30% Adventurousness |||||||||||| 50% Work ethic |||||||||||| 43% Self absorbed |||||||||||| 43% Conflict seeking || 10% Need to dominate |||||| 23% Romantic |||||||||||||||||||| 83% Avoidant |||||| 23% Anti-authority |||||||||||| 43% Wealth |||||| 23% Dependency |||||| 23% Change averse |||| 16% Cautiousness |||||||||| 36% Individuality || 10% Sexuality |||||||||||||| 56% Peter pan complex || 10% Physical security |||||||||||||||||| 76% Physical Fitness |||||| 30% Histrionic |||||||||||||||| 63% Paranoia |||||||||||||||| 70% Vanity || 10% Hypersensitivity |||||||||||| 50% Female cliche || 10%

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Stability results were medium which suggests you are moderately relaxed, calm, secure, and optimistic.

Orderliness results were moderately high which suggests you are, at times, overly organized, reliable, neat, and hard working at the expense of flexibility, efficiency, spontaneity, and fun.

Extraversion results were moderately high which suggests you are, at times, overly talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting at the expense of developing your own individual interests and internally based identity.

trait snapshot:
clean, self revealing, open, organized, outgoing, social, enjoys leadership and managing others, dominant, makes friends easily, does not like to be alone, assertive, hard working, finisher, optimistic, positive, likes to stand out, likes large parties, respects authority, practical, high self esteem, perfectionist, dislikes chaos, busy, not familiar with the dark side of life, controlling, high self control, traditional, tough, likes to fit in, conforming, brutally honest, takes precautions

That Kind Of Trust

I don't know where this week went. It's not like I had a whole lot going on to make the time fly by. I just spent the whole week inside my head, in places I really don't want to be. I think seeing "K" again sent me spiraling into memories of "what could have been." Most of the time was spent with the dark wings beating about my head, sending me further down into the abyss that I have been trying to climb out of.

You see "J" was quite a wonderful and amazing person. I remember times when I would be sitting in my living room, and she would come up and curl up beside me and start burrowing into my brain. She wasn't the kind of person that would wait for you to take "your walls" down, oh no, she was coming inside those walls, ready or not. She had an amazing way of asking pointed and deeply personal questions, in a manor that wouldn't let you evade or take cover, but with a gentle touch that allowed you to let go of your fears. It didn't take long before I stopped trying to evade and really enjoyed those conversations. She would also show you just as much of herself, to equal the things that she dug out of you. She could instill a trust in you, unlike anyone I've encountered before.

She decided one day that she needed a haircut, and I was going to be the one to do it! I really did try to get out of doing it because I know how much "the hair" means to most women. She wasn't going to take no for an answer though, and pulled a chair out into the middle of my kitchen and handed me the scissors. I think that is the most my hands have shaken in a very long time, and that's not a good thing when you are trying to cut someone's hair. It turned out pretty good though and I didn't even draw any blood.

I would like to say that her ability to create a trusting relationship was reserved for her boyfriend, but it wasn't. I know of quite a few people who inhabited my bar that required her insights on a daily basis. Many would come down, quite distraught over something in their lives, specifically looking for her guidance. If she weren't there, they would turn to me next. I guess they expected that since I was her boyfriend, I must have been able to wield the same magic she did, that I could also, somehow, make everything seem all right. I never had any kind of a talent such as that, to give the perfect advice that would help people fix their lives. I would just use my bartender abilities to quietly listen to their problems, and hoped that she would show up soon. It was hard to see those people when they came down to the bar after the accident, seeming so much like children lost in the woods, with no one to guide them out.

I have to admit that I grew dependent on her disarming manor as well, her ability to see past the camouflage, her ability to look deep inside me and never bat an eye at anything she found. She saw me at my best and at my worst and accepted both with equal happiness. When the heart finds that kind of trust, which seems to be so very rare these days, it becomes attached very quickly. The kind of trust I hope some day I can find again.

One big smile can make your day.

I got done mowing my lawn tonight and really didn't feel like making dinner. Since I had to go to the store anyways, I decided to pick up something to eat. I decided to run through the Wendy's drive through, which I haven't gone to in a while, mostly because it's a little difficult to get to it from the store.

I made my order and pulled up to the window, and there, running the drive through was my girlfriend's daughter "K". Her face lit up when she saw me. I only got to talk to her for a minute, but it sure was nice to see her, and see her so happy to see me.

She thanked me for the birthday card, and told me she "had meant to write and thank me but hadn't gotten around to it." She told me "I should stop down and see them more often" to which I said, "Yeah, I'm a bum." I told her that "I loved her and missed her, and to tell her sister 'E' that I loved her and missed her too."

I wish more than anything that I could have kept "J's" children, but I was just the boyfriend, and didn't really have any parental rights to them. I think "J" would have liked it though. I grew so attached to them when I lived with them, and took care of them for the months after the accident. It hurt so much to see "J's" family, my family, broken apart like that. I miss the girls and her son "N" and of course "J" so very, very much.

The Old Silverback

About thirty years ago my father and I went on a day hike at a very beautiful place here called Wintergreen Gorge. He drove to a cemetery that is up above the gorge and parked the car there and we went to the back of the cemetery where there is a beautiful lookout and also a path that leads down into the gorge. This path is extremely vertical and going down it can be quite treacherous as you run from tree to tree, to keep yourself from gaining too much speed.

We hiked up and back through the gorge all day, even making a little fire and cooking lunch that I had brought in my daypack. We stopped at one point to watch some guys that were repelling down one of the sheer rock faces that this gorge is known for.

When we finally made it back to the path, I took off running up the steep vertical incline. I felt it was the best way to try to make it up to the top and after maybe about ten minutes I crested the top and collapsed onto the ground gasping for air. Though I was 14 at the time, it still was quite an exertion, even for me. After about ten more minutes my father showed up at the top of the cliff, sucking wind, but by then I had caught my breath and was seemingly just sitting there waiting for him. Years later he told me that, that was the first time in his life that he felt old.

This morning I went out and started tearing down an old deck in my backyard that I had built a few years ago. I spent about two hours on my knees unscrewing deck screws so that I can get the decking off before the major mayhem and destruction begins. When the battery on my cordless drill finally gave out, and I went to stand up so I could go inside to get another battery, both my knees and my back refused to bend. I had to climb down off of the deck and go inside all hunched over.

Now I have worked until parts of my body didn't function anymore, but that always required some seriously intensive labor that lasted all day, not two hours! I remember building this deck, years ago, when I would start early in the morning and not stop until the sun went down and I couldn't see anymore. Today for the first time I really felt old, and I realized that I'm the same age my father was when I ran up the cliff and made him feel old for the first time.

One of the things I didn't want was to become my father. Don't get me wrong, I love my father dearly, but after he divorced my mother, he spent the last forty years of his life alone, never dating again or remarrying. I swore when I was younger that I wouldn't let this happen to me. It appears now that I'm getting exactly what I didn't want. I've become an old, broken down, warhorse, with few prospects and little to offer any prospective mate other than an old silverback gorilla that is well past his prime and ready to wander off into the jungle. It sucks when the universe "whops" you on the head (or in the knees) and says you "arn't a big dog anymore" and maybe you should "get up on the porch." At least I understand my father better now and know why he has spent the last years of his life alone.

End Day

I wanted to post tonight but Blogger wasn't being very cooperative, so I'm going to make this a quickie while (if) the connection lasts.

I was watching a show tonight on "the National Geographic Channel" (yes I watch that kind of stuff) it was called "End Day". It was about possible scenarios for the end of the world.

There have been a lot of shows and movies out lately about the end of the world and possible post holocaust scenarios and this just happens to be one of my favorite subjects. I really like shows like "Armageddon" and "The Day After Tomorrow."

There have been so many documentaries lately about the impending pandemic, super volcanoes, tsunamis, global warming, ice ages, and meteors that it seems like every other show is about some extinction level event (e.l.e. which has now crept into our vocabulary.)

My questions to you, my gentle readers, would be, do you think that some catastrophe is about to befall us and if so which of the many possibilities do you thinks is most likely? Do you think all these shows are nothing more than hype?

Goings On...

There were a lot of things I wanted to get done this weekend but the weather really isn't cooperating. The humidity here is unbearable today and the forecast is calling for thunderstorms, so I don't think I'm going to get a whole lot done. I did manage to get the lawn mowed yesterday, knowing that it was supposed to storm today and also got the oil changed on the "old karaoke battle wagon", which was overdue. This morning started out beautiful, it was overcast, which kept the temperature down, but then the sun came out and it started to get miserable. Now it's clouded over again and the wind has picked up, which is helping it somewhat, I hope the storms move in soon to cool it down. I notice the hotter that it gets the more of my clothes come off.

I do have laundry to get done, so that will be the major chore for the day. I have extra laundry to do this weekend because I didn't do any last weekend. It's really a good chore to do on a day like today because I get to spend time in the basement which is much cooler than upstairs. I went down in the basement and got it started this morning and ran into many spider webs, which I cannot stand. Today would be a good day to do some extra cleaning down there. Running into a spider web is something that annoys me to no end. I try to let the ones go that are on my back porch because they keep the bugs down, but I really can't tolerate them inside my house.

I picked up the ingredients to make Hopes Mexican casserole yesterday. I was going to make it last night but it was just too hot to think about turning on the oven. If it cools down out there, and it does seem to be getting better, I will try to make it tonight. I was able to get all the ingredients for it except for the Cheesy Nacho Hamburger Helper, which is the main ingredient. Apparently my grocery store doesn't carry that particular type, so I have substituted Cheesy Enchilada Hamburger Helper instead. I think it will work just as well, though it won't be exactly the same. Come to think of it I didn't eat dinner at all last night, I seem to loose my appetite when the weather gets hot.

Next weekend is the beginning of the Great Lakes Medieval Faire that I have been going to for the last couple years. Last year I took my son "Z" and he really seemed to enjoy it. I have to get a hold of him and see if he wants to go again this year. A couple of weeks ago he broke a bone in his ankle while playing basketball and has to wear an air cast. I hope it's well enough for him to do all the walking around that is required. One of the nice things about the Medieval Faire in Geneva, Ohio is that it is all set up in the woods, which makes it much nicer to be able to walk around in the shade. The bad thing about this is you have to watch out for the roots of the trees that are sticking up, so you don't trip. With Z'z broken ankle this might not be a good thing, though I understand he has been taking the air cast off, so it's not a break that incapacitates him. Last year he mentioned that he was interested in getting a Kilt in the family plaid so I think this year we will try to find it for him.