Well things have been going well I'd say. Though I still have a long way to go. I've made a few changes to my attitude and made a few decisions about what I'm going to do with my life. First I'll address the objectives I laid out last time in this blog.
As far as acquiring a kimono I did some searching around and determined that there is a severe lack of good looking men's kimono's available. It seems to me that the market focuses on making gorgeous feminine kimono's for the ladies and gets a bit stingy when it comes to making the men look good. So, I've decided to resolve this problem by going back to the old project of just making my own Japanese style clothing.
I'm shooting for an image like this guy...yea.
I also like to alert people to the legacies of the Japanese. There is actually a Japanese inn that has been run by the same family for 1300 years! Not only that but while there were five sword schools in Japan in the 14th century, there are still only those five standing today! The discipline, the legacy, and the dedication are astounding. By points like these I can truly make a case that the inspirations I've gotten from Japanese made entertainment in manga and anime are not simply childish fantasies.
Anime features Katana wielders so much because of the greatness they are and the greatness that gives birth to them!
By my calculations the man I am now is only one one billionth of the man I need to be. The problem is that there are serious obstacles and opponents to overcome in order for any subculture to rise to prominence and be at least tolerated and hopefully respected. Unfortunately there is no hope of this unless strong men and women rise to the challenge and can manage to hold confidence in the face of adversity. This can only be accomplished if said men and women can build enough strength to bear the burden. I intend to be the first of these fighters. The dream life can't be lived unless the nightmare battle is fought and won first and foremost.
Recently I have been inspired with some heroic visions that make me feel that I can do it after all.
Ultear
Ul from Fairy Tail has become on of my favorite anime characters in spite of the fact that I'm only on episode 18 of that anime. She earned my respect so quickly because of the few short flashbacks in which I saw her raise two kids and seal the darkness of the traumatized Gray along with the great monster Deliora by making a badass and epic sacrifice of turning herself into an Iced Shell and doing it with a missing leg replaced by a prosthetic Ice one. I love this character immensely. It says a hell of a lot when a character can give so much quality with such a short amount of screen time.
Such quality... ;)
I'm also rapidly coming to identify with and love Rikuo from Nurarihyon no Mago in both his incarnations...
Mostly the badass demon incarnation but I do like both...
Great strength, rationality, and gentleness with a concern for his allies even though they are subordinate to him. Actually, because of the bad taste authority has left in my mouth through my life I tend to like any character in authority who is kind and caring to his/her subordinates.
I am now engaging on a mission with three main parts to it. Number one is that I must build my strength in body and spirit and intellect to the highest caliber that I can achieve as long as I am living. Number two is that I will seek out true friends who will be my trusted and beloved allies in the adventure of life who will be by my side and I at their side as we build ourselves up to greatness. Finally, number three is that this group once formed is to embark on a life long quest to liberate the world from stingy outdated rules and regulations and advance the world on a creative, fun, and meaningful path with friendship, love, and family.
The goal is actually quite simple, but it's challenging because it requires a courageous step into unknown worlds.
I have written out carefully thought out principles that I hope will serve as a personal guide for me. Hopefully if they are good enough they will serve others as well. I have them laid out here:
Values
(Operationalization)
Honesty,
Integrity, and Trust: It is necessary for people to
formally agree in direct, clear, and personal communication upon the
standards and demands of one's relationships to others and
responsibilities for ones position(s) in the community.
Discipline:
We believe in decisiveness. we live
by the decisions we make or fail to make and all
decisions and promises must be followed through with maximum energy
and effort.
Humility:
We are all
vulnerable to both failure and misfortune, to proclaim otherwise
either publicly or within ones heart is to embrace a self-comforting
yet ultimately unhealthy illusion which spawns arrogance and instills
in people contemptuous and rude attitudes towards one another.
Compassion:
Humility is
understanding our own weakness' and vulnerabilities, while compassion
is understanding weakness' and vulnerabilities in others. We must
confess recognition of the challenges that our fellow humans must
face, and help and forgive them insofar as it is reasonable to do so.
Zeal
and Zest: We must
decide to spend all of our time in healthy, productive, and
fulfilling pursuits which promote happiness and love. We must always
look for a way do survive and thrive especially after having failed
at something!
Simplicity:
We must maintain
our health and the positive mindset needed to be the best we can be
and so we must never push ourselves too hard or too fast with
excessive complexity and overly numerous or strenuous tasks. If
stress is a part of your life that is normal, but if stress defines
your life it is too much. Success achieved by losing more than what
is to be gained is simply a waste.
Unity:Individuals
are of great importance, this is true of all individuals and so we
must care deeply both for ourselves and those whose lives we connect
with. People shall speak and act for the most positive possible
outcomes for everyone including themselves.
Legacy:
Whatever we know
and learn will be passed down to newer/younger members of our family
to carry on after we are no longer able to.
Spirituality:
A reverence for
the Universe and a belief in power within the soul. We assert that
life must have meaning and value and that some higher power is at
work in our lives. For who can account for the meaning of life
without invoking some supreme universal force? The universe has a
soul!
Statement
of Purpose
We will work hard to learn as much as we can and build
the highest quality things that make life of the greatest achievable
quality. Furthermore, we will bond with one another through mutually
beneficial speech and action that creates shared memories. Finally,
we confess recognition that every reward demands a sacrifice and that
this is an inescapable dilemma of life that serves to give our lives
meaning. We will sacrifice what we must to reap the rewards that are
of greater worth!
I've begun with the summer class I'm taking now, the CLEP test I'm taking in Spanish at the end of this month, and the surge in ebay selling I've begun doing. All of this developed within the past two weeks in accordance with my claim on this blog back then!!!
I'm going to learn Spanish and I'm going to do serious research and writing in my class. On top of that I'm starting to rekindle my profit making ability with my salesmanship. On top of this I am additionally going to restart my martial arts practice. I've got five years of formal training but then fell out of it for economic reasons. But now I'm taking it up again as a hobby on my own time with my own creative training methods.
I am so very proud and excited that I've managed to work up the nerve to set forth on this endeavor to rise above my usual mediocrity. I pray that in time I will have a life that grows brighter and brighter with each passing day, with my happiness and power seeping into all who are around me!
Let's see this become reality!
Wish me well everyone!
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