Blogging – Page 2 – The Laughing Wolf

Prayer Request

Long-time reader and commenter Old Paratrooper has let me know via a comment that he has had a stroke. I’d like to ask you to join me in praying for him and his recovery.

Well, the annual Old World Christmas Village was a success and I mostly survived it. Had some issues yesterday that I suspect were a result of only eating one real meal a day for several days and then eating some very rich food. Bouncing back, though tired from a week plus of long days helping get ready for the event. Totally worth it. Just sorry I missed meeting one person who came by.

That out of the way, I want to thank everyone who has donated towards my seminary course(s) including covering my deposit! I can’t tell you how much I do appreciate that. I’ve spent part of this morning working on getting set-up via the online system and think I’ve got the important things done. I need to go back and take care of some minor things, but there is no rush on some of those. Almost wish I was an in-person student as they are doing some cooking lessons on campus that sound wonderful.

There is more to come this week. I am behind on posts, but will get caught up — one day. It’s going to be a busy week, as it also appears that I will be switching gyms. Have the chance to join a much nicer facility courtesy of silver sneakers, which will give me a lot more workout options over winter. More on that soon. We also have some extra services this week, so that is also a factor. Even with all that is going on, hope to get some things done here.

More soon, very soon, I hope!

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Cloudflare Strikes Again

If you can read this, it means you aren’t going through Cloudflare to get here. Once again, Cloudflare is having problems and chunks of the internet are not online as a result. X is up sorta (intermittent and there are media problems) and a variety of other sites, such as SciTechDaily, are still down.

I’m old enough to remember that one of the ideas behind what became the internet was decentralization and distribution so that the network could and would stay up in the face of disasters up to and including nuclear war. That the system would route around gaps and stay up for as many people as possible.

However, the ‘best and brightest’ alleged-elites thought the internet would be better centralized and controlled (and much easier to turn off if the peasants proved too revolting). Thus we have centralized operations and single-point failures even without apparent ill-will. I use apparent advisedly as I have wondered if certain things were not various actors, state and non-state, testing and trying on occasion. After all, theoretical knowledge is useful but there comes a point where you have to test before you use it.

Right now, I lean towards incompetence (and I regard any engineering that allows single-point failure modes as incompetent) but how many times have we had major internet outages in 2025? Heck, this is either the second or third just for Cloudflare. It does make one wonder, and one also wonders if anyone in U.S. leadership at any level has started to tumble to the fact that centralizing internet operations might have been a mistake? If Elon is smart, he has an alternate internet based on Starlink ready to go at need (and after he is safely off Earth).

A Bleg Of Sorts, Update 1

Back in July, I did a bleg post sharing a bit of what I was facing , and how your kind gifts to me through the Bard’s Jar in the upper right were being used. I think it’s time to update that as some of what was being talked about has changed.

I’ve had the physical therapy, and am still waiting to see what happens with the insurance appeal. An appeal was necessary as the insurance company approved the physical therapy, then decided for reasons they really did not make clear (but may have been paperwork issues) refused to pay for it. I technically could still be on the hook for about $5k, but am hoping that things are now resolved. We will see.

Other things I mentioned have taken place, and the net result has been a very large positive. My mobility and flexibility (and balance/vertigo issues) are much improved as a result of physical therapy, physical activity, and massage therapy. This is particularly true of my lower body, and while there is still a ways to go it is almost like night and day. It has also helped with the edema, and I am hoping to be able to take the water pill “at need” within six or so months. We are already down to every other day on it.

The cognitive is improving as well. The music therapy is really helping with that, and I thank both my voice coach and our music director at Church for their work and patience. My voice still keeps dropping (as opposed to extending my range upwards), but it makes for a great reading voice and the ability to sing low bass/profundo on some things. Why it is still dropping is a mystery, but there are worse things that could be happening.

There have been some other changes in life, and I am looking at some serious changes to my path. Most of those revolve around Faith. I am doing more at Church, and next year I will making a pilgrimage to Bulgaria and Mount Athos as part of a process of spiritual growth and discernment. Most of my time will be in Bulgaria where I have a chance not only to spend some time at a couple of monasteries; but, I will have the chance to learn, worship, and grow at the “home” of my Church. In addition, we are working on my spending several days at Mount Athos in Greece, and I may be spending a week in Romania as well. Not only has my Priest given his blessing and help to this, my Bishop is providing spiritual guidance as well.

So, here is what I need/where your gifts are going:

First, right now every non-designated donation that comes in is going towards the pilgrimage. I’ve bought my airfare and am working on paying it off. Where I can buy train or other tickets in advance for trips to Mount Athos and other locations, I am doing so. I will be arranging housing in Bulgaria soon, and am trying to get as much done and paid for in advance as I can. For long-term readers, you will not be surprised to learn I’ve been able to arrange some cooking lessons, mostly one day events, and I’m looking at trying to pay for them as far in advance as possible. I will also need a new cell phone (and plan) for the trip, as well as some other odds-and-ends. The total budget for the trip isn’t huge for most (excluding the new cell phone, I think it can be done for around $3k), but my small monthly stipend doesn’t allow me much room. Any and all help is appreciated.

Second, I am going to be coming up on the annual payments to keep this blog up soon. Any help towards that (and you can drop me a line and let me know if your gift is intended for that) is very much appreciated.

Third, help with music and massage therapy is very much appreciated. Both are having a large positive impact on me, and again you can drop me a line and let me know if your gift is intended for that. Massage therapy is roughly $100 per session and I get four lessons for $190 from the voice coach. The latter is a small discount, but will take any discount I can get.

Fourth, efforts are underway to gift me a car. It’s far from new or pretty, but it runs and is reliable. Insurance and other costs were not in my yearly budgeting process, so again any help is appreciated.

Fifth, I would love to do some regular personal training at the gym if possible. Not sure what that will be, but it is a “nice to do” as it were.

I want to thank everyone who has sent me gifts, especially those towards the pilgrimage. I can’t thank you enough for your kindness and generosity. I also want to thank those who have kept me in their prayers, as those are very much needed and appreciated.

Life has not gone anywhere close to what I had planned when I first stated the fundraiser on Give Send Go. Rather than moving out West and becoming a bit of a secular hermit, I may be headed towards a more clerical or monastic life. Where that takes me, spiritually or physically, I don’t know other than I am content wherever it takes me. Been feeling that there was something I was supposed to do/be doing ever since I stood up alive after being hit by lightning. This very much feels like the right path, though I know not where it leads. I’m content to simply be walking the path, knowing that God knows where it leads.

Again, my profound and sincere thanks to all who have provided the gifts and prayers that have kept me going since those early days. Words can’t express my thanks, and how much I appreciate you. Thank you. I look forward to sharing this new journey with you.

Posting May Be Lite

For the next few days at least. I’m attending a religious conference here in town tomorrow, and along with other things already scheduled it is going to be a long day. Sunday, of course, I generally don’t post as it is a day of worship and rest. Monday will see me having to get a fasting blood draw and then going down to Church to help with a special Vespers Monday evening, as we will have a special liturgy on Tuesday. Wednesday evening will see me at Vespers and a class on the life of St. Xenia of Petersburg. Thursday I have to be back down around 1300 as we are distributing fliers for our upcoming Christmas Village/Market followed by a cookout.

For those wondering, it’s not just attendance. I’m helping our Deacon with the care and feeding of various lamps and candles, and as a chanter I’m singing and reading various prayers and such as part of the services. Some of it is a challenge, and all of it is rewarding. I’m learning a lot and slowly memorizing a lot of things I need to for the various services. Give me a few thousand repetitions on the latter and I will eventually get them memorized.

I do plan to get some posts up, but things may be a bit spotty through next week. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Law Dog Files

I’ve added the Bugscuffle Gazette, aka the Law Dog Files, to the “If I Am Absent” section. Lot of good food for thought there. Check it out.

No Pasarán Returns

Four months ago, for reasons known only by Google, it was taken down. Now, the blog No Pasarán has been restored. Not sure why, but a lot of people raised a stink about the situation and somebody at Google finally got around to noticing. About time.

No Pasarán has been around for 21 years (as has this blog) and is a great resource for those wanting a different view of what is going on in France and Europe. Relentlessly anti-communist, pro-truth, and with a sense of humor, it has shared a side of France (and Europe) oft missed by corporate media.

Good to see it back, and check them out if you get the chance.

Thank You

To all who offered condolences, prayers, and humor (did need the laughs), thank you. It’s hard to believe that it’s just been a little over a week, as in some ways it feels like it’s been two or three. Sunday was sorta weird, in that I kept expecting to see him come through the door at his usual time.

Doing confession is going to be interesting, as some there have had him as their confessor for more than 40 years. Our liturgy may start on Orthodox time (late, in other words) because now there is only Father John to hear confessions and he can’t start the liturgy until all that need to do so have done confession. Father Stevan usually took care of that.

Hopefully back to more regular posting soon. Thank you for your good thoughts and patience during this time.

Nope

Given that I almost threw the dirty laundry in the trash, and the trash into the dirty laundry bin, don’t think I’m up to writing today. Enjoy your day!

Dreams

Finished up with physical therapy today, several weeks ahead of schedule because of good results. Mobility and balance are improved, working on getting strength back where needed, and making lots of progress. So much so, thinking a couple of things I would love to do may well be possible.

One is to do the bike rides previously discussed. Think Scottsdale is out of the question simply due to time (too close). Others, we will see.

The others involve travel. Not typical tourism travel; rather, there are some places I would love to go for other reasons.

The lowest on the totem pole is a trip to Vietnam. I’ve been reading about some amazing success the Russian Orthodox Church says it is having there. Not what I would have expected, and frankly I’m curious. That I also happen to like some aspects of the culture and love most of the food (Vietnamese spring rolls are the best in SE Asia IMHO) would just add to it. I would like to spend a few weeks, or even a month or three, seeing what is being done, how it is being done, and along the way practice/learn proper Vietnamese cooking.

Now, I would also love to visit the Holy Lands. Already have a good idea of where I would like to go including St. Catherine’s Monastery, burning bush, Jerusalem, etc. For a number of reasons, doubt it will happen, but can hope and am plotting it out just in case.

What I do think is doable is a trip to the Balkans. While most of it would be in Bulgaria, it would also include some time in Romania, possibly Serbia, and at Mt. Athos in Greece. If I had the money, have looked into going by cargo ship but it may be cheaper to fly. Romania has my interest because of a train trip into the Carpathian Mountains and a chance to spend a day cooking with a chef. That I could also work in some Churches and such is a bonus.

Most of my time would be spent in Bulgaria, where I’ve plotted out 20+ monasteries, ending with visiting the tomb of St. John of Rila. From there, I would go down into Greece and spend a week (if possible) at Mt. Athos. Now, I would do some other things while in Bulgaria, and am working with some natives to make sure I see the best things. Not necessarily the touristy things, but the right things.

My current plan is to use rail, bus, and other means, up to and including shanks mare, to get around. A number of the monasteries are clustered, which makes it easy to get between them, and they also can provide places to stay. Which makes the trip financially doable. With working out and continuing to do some of the physical therapy at home, it’s doable even if I have to walk a good bit.

To be honest, if I had the money, would look at hopping a cargo ship in Greece to Egypt, see some of the sights, hop a plane to Jordan to visit the Valley, then go back to Egypt and from there into the Sinai and Israel. A man can dream.

Just a crazy idea (ideas) to share with you. Who knows what will happen, but if it does happen, will be glad to post and share the adventure(s) with you.

Category: Blogging