Good Bye 2014 and Flowers

It is the last hour of the last day of 2014.  I've had a very hard time keeping up with these two blogs and in fact would have had trouble keeping up with one.

I completely failed to learn Greek in the last three months.  This is what's kept me from writing.  I have been studying at least a half hour a day the last three months and have learned some, but I did not study the 90 minutes to two hours a day and most importantly I did not practice live with someone.

The need is still there.  I still need to learn Greek, and fast.  I do have other responsibilities and goals, so now what I'm going to do is let this blog stop right here.  I will no longer post on this blog at all.  I will make any posts on Illini6 only.  I will push up my Greek studies to a minimum of one hour a day and I must find someone to practice with at least once a week.  I can't do anything until that's done.

Goals for 2015 include getting a different job, loosing 20 lbs (in order to keep healthy and in my current size pants), enrolling in grad school and finishing the "Hate to Say I Told You So" story on Illini6.  I'm not yet sure how these goals will all fit together, but those are what I have.

We had a few exciting things happen in 2014.

• EHL turned 18 and got her first tattoo.
• We went to our first Brazilian steak house
• EHL graduated from high school and started college.
• SEL went to two week Girl Scout camp for high ropes
• SEL applied for and made it into Extension Arts
• SEL helped me take CML back to school in Boston and 
• got to see Boston for the first time
• saw the ocean for the first time
• flew in a plane for the first time
• CML started her final year of college as an RA
• CML started playing Rugby
• I played my first Rugby game with GJL
• We saw the All Blacks vs USA Eagles in Soldier Field
• MAL and I went to a Wolves game
• MAL continued to get awards at work
• MAL traveled to many foreign countries:  UK, Italy, and Kansas
• CML saw her first ballet
• We all visited a pet shelter to view the dogs
• GAK family visited from AZ for Christmas

Καλό Μηνά Christmas Season

Everybody is back at school.  We all had a lovely week of visiting for Thanksgiving.  We went to Oak Lawn on the day itself, and Chicago on Saturday for brunch.

On Wednesday we went down to Da Loop to look at lights and take pictures for our Christmas card.  I don't know if we got any that were good enough, but we'll try to make do.

Tuesday was the Mrs.'s 50th and she got a lot of nice greetings.  She got some lovely cards, a nice dinner at Morgan's, a fruit bouquet, a cupcake cake, a promise of cleaning ladies, and tickets to a Wolves game in December.

I grew a mustache for November, but as far as I can tell no one donated money in my name.  I'm going to keep it until the end of the week.  I'm still hoping for it to really come in.

I'm afraid I'm not nearly as far along in my Greek as I had hoped to be.  I think a lot of that has to do with my not having found a daily language partner.  What I need (what is recommended) is someone who will treat me like a parent treats a two year old.  We all know two year olds who talk but no one can understand them besides their parents.  Instead of correcting a child who calls a theater a, "peuter" they say, "Yes, we can go to the theater and see Frozen again" (turns out that child thought that movie screens were giant computer monitors and was trying to say "computer" but we knew what she meant).

I am much further along than I've ever been, and I still have a month.  I'm going to have to redouble my efforts, and the Mrs has promised to help (though her patience wears thin quickly).

Justice, The Universe and Cheese

The Doctor, Superboy,
and a Bears fan
making the ultimate sacrifice for charity

They outlawed costumes for Halloween at work.  Three rebels bucked the system to fight for justice, the universe and cheese!

I'm going to participate in Movember this Movember by growing a mustache.  The lovely Mrs. doesn't like me in a mustache so you know she is making a supreme sacrifice.

She does like the rugged scruffy look so I'm going to mix the two.

I'm going to use the above picture for my before and hopefully my after will look like this:

However, I should take heed of Borimir's words:

Cthulhu Can't Play Rugby Either

In the waning minutes before the witching hour of Halloween I'm going to make one final Cthulhu post here on Flowers.

Next year I'm going to keep the Cthulhu in Illini6, but for now, here you go:

And for the warm and cuddly readers who want to know why I'm going back to Illini6:

Problems With Knowledge

I had a problem with posting what I wanted to in my last post.  It was most likely most confusing, however, that is only to be expected.

The human mind was not meant to know, to understand everything.  That is the only way we can survive.

I'm going to make another attempt to fix that image.  If I can't it will be because of something H.P. Lovecraft wrote a very long time ago.

Still Studying

I'm still studying Greek frantically.  I haven't yet gotten a language partner, but every day I do my studying and I'm getting better inch by inch.

Somebody please reassure me that this is not - knowledge that must not be known.

Cuddly?

There is such a thing as plush Cthulhu.  I know it is strange, it is madness, but hey, that's what Cthulhu is all about.

I think EHL could have used on because she isn't feeling well.  We brought her home this weekend and she spent most of Sunday getting some much needed sleep.

I don't think she would have slept as well if she had seen this, sort of bed time story.

Have You Been to Papa Stories Lately?

Today's Cthulhu post reminded me of all the cool stories over at Papa Stories.  There are some great campfire stories over there as well.

I'm going to be posting a horsey story and a story without an end.

Travel, Goal and Answer!

MAL went to Europe last week.  Don't worry, she didn't go by boat.

Still from HPLHS's "Call of Cthulhu" off the site: Oh No Cthulhu

The answer to the last post is the fourth pen.  Lovecraft chose the most plain.  I guess he figured the more men know the worse it would be, and the more you see the worse off you are.

Anywho, I've been doing fairly well with my Greek studies.  I asked MAL how I was doing and if she noticed a difference between my efforts before and my efforts now.  She hadn't even noticed earlier efforts (except of course, when I was actually taking classes).

I've even gotten myself a Greek pen pal and a Greek facebook friend who want to help.

Dizzy and Nauseous

I haven't been feeling well the last two days.  I woke up dizzy and stayed nauseous all day.  Normally this might be fodder for writing horror, but I've got to be over it before I can use it.

Here's something Lovecraftian for you today.

Since I'm into fountain pens now I wondered what pen Mr. Lovecraft would have used circa 1900 - 1930s.

I found some information that indicates it might be one of these below.  I'll let you know which one tomorrow.

You Are Cthulhu's Play Thing!

Do you remember when Woody tried to explain that he wasn't a REAL Space Ranger?

This is a quote from H.P. Lovecraft's story, "Call of Cthulhu."

Look it up and read it.  It's free.

Or is it?

Not Nice to Fool Cthulhu

This one reminds me of a story I wrote that involves Global Climate Change:  "Northern Faerie Ring".

If you want to hear a cool British guy read the story go here.

Αργά Aλλά Kαλό Mήνα - Better Late than Never?

I have a dilemma.

I don't even like fishing, but what is cutting bait?

I have things that I would have shared on Illini6 before, things like pens and hobbies and Rugby and pen pals and philosophy, especially thoughts and philosophies.  Originally this site was to share the goings on of the actual Flowers of Mundelein.

Should I share thoughts, theories and philosophies here?  Will that overshadow the intent of sharing family highlights?

While I think things like my writing thoughts and ideas belong on Illini6, they sort of break up the flow I've established of providing story parts.  For the past several years I've posted an image a day related to H.P. Lovecraft and Cthulhu.  Should I post them on Illini6?  They seem wildly inappropriate for this blog.

I think I have decided.  And I thank you for helping me.

I'm going to put all that stuff here.  Illini6 is only going to be for writing things: stories, story ideas, submissions, acceptances etc.

In honor of that here is your first ever, Flowers of Mundelein Cthulhu Month image:

One Goal - Eνα Υκολ!

Clear the Decks!

I have decided that I have but one goal this year.  There is one thing I must do and in order to do it I must forsake all other goals.  There really is no other way around it.  The only way I can make the time is to drop every other goal and mostly the other things I'm doing.

Writing will have to take a back seat.

I have to keep up my exercise program because of health needs, but it is really not that time consuming and in a way it helps.  The exercise program is 90 days and I'm going to make my One Goal - Ενα Υκολ for 90 days.

In the past I've done NaNoWriMo in November.  This requires me to write for two hours a day, every day in November.  I'm going to take that (and I know I can do it because I have) and spend two hours everyday in the last three months of this year only speaking/writing Greek.

I've got a lot to do so I'd better get steaming!

Kαλό Μήνα - Goals Bad, Pens Good

Baoer courtesy of Amazon.com

I'm not doing well with my goals at all.  I've been terribly busy and overwhelmed by events.

To recap, my goals are to learn Greek and to get my NaNoWriMo novel published.  I have done nothing with my novel, The Hidden Temple to the Lost Gods.

I have been practicing my Greek, but nothing formal.

On the plus side, everybody is healthy.

I finally committed and bought ink for the fountain pen I bought at Christmas time.  I've been using my Lamy Al-Star, but that takes cartridges.  I've been wanting to try samples of bottled ink.  I got a six pack sampler of bright blue from Goulet Pens and one called 54th Massachusetts.  The ink is very nice and they came with a lovely handwritten note from the staff.

We are going to be very busy this month.  CHL and EHL will be starting school on the same day in Boston and Chicago (two cities that need no state to introduce them).  SEL is starting school the very same week.  It is going to be a fantastic juggling trick.  I'll let you know how it goes.

June 14 Review

Here's a quick recap of what's been happening since last post.

CML has been home and taking two classes in UIC so that she can graduate BU at the end of next year.

SEL, CML and I went with the CS troop to downtown Chicago on a Chocolate Tour that was very yummy.

SEL finished 7th grade.

Last week for three days MAL took CML and SEL downtown.  While MAL was at a work conference the children had the run of the Magnificent Mile.

As far as my goals.  I've been studying my Greek, but making little progress.  I have not had a lick of time to work on my book.

I'm going to try to at least make this sort of post at least once a week here, just to keep up to date.

Respectful Memorial Day

I don't want to wish a, "happy" Memorial Day since it is intended to be a day of respect, remembrance and honor for those fallen in our nation's defense as members of the armed forces.

It's been a a long time since I've posted here, and even longer since I've posted my goal progress or family matters.

CML is home from Boston.  EHL graduated from High School.  I mention these in chronological order.

MAL and I flew to Boston and drove back with our eldest on the weekend of the 10th.  It was fairly uneventful except that we had to stay overnight in her dorm and discovered a mattress that is even more painful than our own.  As an aside, MAL and I went on a sort of date to see The Amazing Spiderman 2 (least of several evils) and a dinner at the Bull and Finch (the "Cheers") pub. CML has been working there as a receptionist.

EHL graduated last weekend.  It was a grand affair in the Sears Center Arena in Hoffman Estates. Brazil Express Churrasco Grill in Schaumburg.  It was a small place in a strip mall but very good, and the service was excellent.  I would recommend it as just as good as Fogo de Chao in Chicago.  The Brazil Express will tell you it's cheaper, but I don't think by much.  Apparently now the restaurants of choice for Mundelein birthdays and events are Brazilian steakhouses.  I don't think we will completely abandon our old standbys of Bob Chin's Crab House or Tsukasa in Vernon Hills.
 Afterwards we had dinner at

As far as goals go, I've been behind in my writing because of lack of time.  It is a real lack of time and not a lack of priorities as I do not have enough actual, real time to do everything my family needs, exercise, work and get more than about 4 hours of sleep a night.  I'm really not sure how I'm going to get everything done, but something is going to have to suffer.  It is just a matter of what and how badly.

I have been studying Greek nearly every day, but it's not the kind of study that will get me forward very quickly.  I'm going to have to bite the bullet here and make some very big sacrifices as this is absolutely the highest priority.

I Played Rugby Again

Last Saturday the Chicago Griffins Old Boys played the Chicago Lions Old Boys in a little match (I heard 30 minute halves, it could have been shorter).  I went out with EHL and met Mike, Garrett, Patrick and Amy there.

There was supposed to be unlimited substitutions, but we had no substitutes to sub in.  Garrett and I played the two Lock spots while Mike played at Prop.  We all played the whole game.

I had hurt my right calf on Thursday while helping coach the High School Rugby club so I was a bit slow.  I told them I couldn't sprint and they all laughed.  They wondered why this game would be any different.

We lost 5- 0, but this was the first time I got to play with Garrett.  It was a bunch of fun.

EHL's wearing my hoodie, off camera

I Are a Rugger Again!

Ready for a line-out (ask me about it)
With Mike in the number one position

Thanks to Mike McCormick and the Chicago Blue Rugby Club I got in a little more than a half of Rugby match last Saturday.

I was fairly sure I would be dragging around the pitch, barely able to keep up.  I thought I ran pretty well, though I shied away from some of the more reckless hits.

Lovely venue

I had at least one big tackle that was quite satisfying.  I carried the ball several times and provide good ball in the rucks every time.  I know at least one time, if not two or more I actually stole the ball in the tackle (legally).

I missed one big tackle, but that guy was really really big and fast.  I also should have fallen on the ball once and was too slow.  A back kicked it away.

I was fair in the scrums and lifted in the line-outs to some affect.  I think when I was in there was no drop in quality of our play.  I actually thought I got around the pitch very well and quickly.  We lost in the end, quite handily, but we did have a forward try while I was in.  Mike scored right in front of me.  Congrats to him.

I had a good time.  MAL and SEL came with me to Milwaukee, we saw Amy and I was invited to come back.  I am a very happy Rugger.

Polls, Princesses and Polyglots!

Princess Aniela Radziwill

Our last poll was about Disney Princesses.  Voting was split evenly between Cinderella, Merida and Elsa (with one each).  I think I forgot to vote.  I vote, Jasmine.

I hope this next poll gets a bit more action than the princesses did, so to speak.  I'm taking a different tack entirely.  How many of you out there speak any languages besides English?

If you are capable of having a light conversation with someone or at least ordering food entirely in that language it counts.  You don't have to be a UN translator, but just taking it in high school for two years probably doesn't count.

FYI, the photo is from a Princess Poll (or rather a Pole Princess as in Polish).  According to Arrayed in Gold, Princess Aniela Radziwill was born on 3 October 1781 in Vienna, the eldest daughter of prominent Polish-Lithuanian nobleman Michał Hieronim Radziwiłł and Helena Przeździecka.  I'll bet she was a polyglot.