And now for something completely different...

...Actually, it will probably be more of the same.

This is usually where I say it's been way too long.

"It's been way too long!"

Now that that is out of the way I can move on.

So, what's been going on? Good question. I wish I had a good answer. I've been putting off doing my thesis because I have no earthly idea how to do a thesis. I have a rough idea of what the topic will be, now I need to do some honest to god research. You know, that means documenting what you read and where you read it. I've never been all that good at that kind of research. I've always been more of a read everything at once while trying to learn everything I can. I've never really worried about where I read what, or who said what where. I just read it all and let the ideas simmer in my head for awhile as I try to come to some form of understanding. This whole bit about having to write stuff down goes completely against my learning style. As one of my professors (the one who I'd like to be my thesis advisor), "Get over it!"

My daughter (I can't really call her my "baby" girl anymore, she's almost two and well into toddler mode, but she'll always be my "baby" girl on some level) is running around all over the place. She's climbing stairs upright now, and doing her best to overcome gravity at every turn. Unfortunately, this means that sometimes there are some scraps and bruises. We signed her up for daycare this week, but she won't start until we get back from Pennsic. This is both exciting and terrifying all at the same time. I want my wife to be able to get some sleep. I want us to have access to the gym (we're putting her into the "YMCA" daycare, and it's cheaper if you're a member), but at the same time, I'm a little concerned about turning over my daughter to someone else to raise. The Y does this all the time and they have a really good reputation in town for being an excellent daycare. That doesn't change the fact that I'm concerned.

As for the SCA...I'm doing the best I can to find some joy. There's another gentleman who happens to be a foster squire to the Knight I primarily train with. He and I try to keep each other motivated when the chips are down. Two years ago, he hatched a plan. It was a cunning plan, it was a subtle plan (Baldric, you wouldn't know a subtle plan if it stripped naked, painted itself purple and....sorry tangent). It was his idea that he and I would challenge the world. We would setup a list field and a couple pavilions at an event, and challenge anyone to come fight us for the sheer joy of it. Well, two years ago, my wife was weeks away from giving birth. That meant the plan got shelved. This past week, I took it out, dusted it off, considered it, wrote out a formal challenge to everyone, saved it as a draft and emailed it to him for his review. He read it. Then he called me a bastard for remembering it. Then he said he was in. So, sometime this Fall, at an event that takes place right about equi-distant between the two of us, we will set our camp, and hold the field against all comers for about 6 hours straight. It's going to kill both of us, but it'll be a heck of a lot of fun.

I'll type more later. Take care world.