GhostWolf's Hobbies and Interests

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Hobbies and Interests

Crafts

Drawing (pencil and charcoal), calligraphy, writing poetry, leatherwork, woodworking and carving; all of these are expressions of my soul. I also have worked with pottery clay, doing some sculpture.

The drawings in the above links are but one expression... years ago, I got involved in Dungeons and Dragons well enough to become a Dungeon Master; part of it was collecting and painting the pieces using acrylics... I now have a good camera, so I'll have to get some close-ups of some of the pieces and add the pics to the website...

American Indian Culture

My parents and grandparents all suppressed our American Indian heritage, as did my ex-wife. For too long I ignored the very precious teachings of my paternal grandfather - On one hand, he was proud of being Cherokee; on the other hand, he ruthlessly ensured no one knew, because Indians were considered the bottom-most social class. I am no longer ignoring my heritage.

HTML and Graphics

What can I say other than I am hooked? Wry grin...

I started out using vi (a text editor ported from UNIX - yes, emacs folks, I used vi to create the first 23 megabytes of my website), and have since gone on to DreamWeaver (wonderful program)... Somewhere/sometime, I have to allocate the time to really work through the tutorials of all of my packages - I've yet to completely RTFM any of the manuals - been having too much fun just diving in!

Reading, reading, and more reading

Science fiction and fantasy, historical fiction, classics, techno-dramas, Louis L'Amour's westerns (particularly the Sacketts). The Sackett series holds special appeal to me since the central theme is family sticking up for family - with the caveat that family also calls (holds accountable) those who go against ethical behavior.

Turtledove's alternate history novels are also fascinating; using in one series (The World in Balance) an alien invasion during WWII to draw dramatic comparisons between the various combatents; the interchanges between Nazis and Jews is fascinating, particularly from the perspective of an abuse survivor in recovery.

A wide variety of music

Classical music (no opera!), 1960-1980s popular music including the Moody Blues, Cusco, Beatles, Pink Floyd, Animals, Rolling Stones, etc.; Yanni, Enya, Kitaro, ELO, Robby Redford; some country western and easy listening. I prefered the Moody Blues while Graeme Edge was still in the band; when he left, the music changed, and the stuff they produced afterwards just doesn't cut it.

Classical music that appeals to me includes all the music from Fantasia; The New World Symphony by Dvorak; the entire Pier Gynt suite; i.e. powerful music... opera and chamber music leave me completly cold.

Particular songs I like: Paint It Black, Satisfaction, In-A-Gadda-da-Vidda, Hair, Dark Side of the Moon; Dust in the Wind, Is There Anyone Out There, Nothing Else Matters; all of these and others like them draw me powerfully; as does Yanni and Enya.

Camping and Fishing

Generally; being outdoors away from the cities, crowds, and congestion - with Martha at my side.

This is what I consider the real me; what I'd be doing if I was totally financially independent. I literally am a mountain man; I love to travel through mountains and deserts, through undeveloped country. I love waking up to the sun coming up over the mountains while the air is still cool

I feel most comfortable, most at peace, most serene, when I am out in the forests, up in the high mountains. The picture of Martha and me is very very accurate; it really is me.

Claw Machine Stuffed Animals

Denny's restaurants west of the Mississipi have "claw" machines full of stuffed animals... you put in 50 cents, and if you're lucky and skillful, you get a stuffed animal...

As a child and teen, I was not allowed to have any stuffed animals because "men don't do that stuff"; so, it's a form of therapy for me, and it's a skill I enjoy. Now that I've been at it a while, I'm actually getting them for less than what they'd cost me in a store

At one point, I had somewhere around 100 in my office at Sun plus another 200+ (roughly!) at home. Here's a more recent pic that shows me with some of the stuffies. Yes, all of those came out of the Denny's claw machines!

Futzing with Computers

Thus far, it's been Intel and Apple computers - anyone have some old Sun Sparc 5, 10, 20 - or even an Ultra 1 could have?

Before I moved back to California (from New Jersey), I had a small partnership with a friend from work; together we built Intel-based computers from scratch; i.e. literally from components purchased from various vendors. I didn't have the funds to buy a computer myself; and my business partner didn't know (before we stared the business) how to build a PC... So, we started the business; I was the technical side, he was the financial side. It worked out; we both got decent computers out of the profits.

It's something I enjoy immensely as my wife Martha, my son and his wife and several friends can attest, and it's also something I'm good at - including upgrading Macintoshes, and even more recently, Sun SPARCstations.

Recently though, I've reached the point where I'll work on a machine only if it's absolutely necessary; it's finally become cheaper to buy a machine than fix it (wry grin)

Religion: Yeshuite

I.E., a follower and believer in Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah and Savior.

So why "Yeshuite" instead of "Christian"?

I don't follow any established religions/churches, nor the dogma and doctrine that nearly all seem to add on top of the original scriptures, teachings, and letters. I consider my faith to be between me and my HP (no, no, not the computer! grin)

Basically, I cringe at and abhor the modern-day "Christians" who ram their beliefs down the throats of everyone they meet... and/or condemn others because those others don't follow what they perceive to be "right"

In my NOT so humble opinion, they are most definitely not emulating the Jesus they proclaim to follow. Why? Simple; Jesus never had a captive audience. He never forced anyone to "listen", to believe, to accept.

He simply taught and preached and discussed in the open; people were free to come and go as they pleased, and; to ask Him questions if they so desired. Christians are supposed to emulate Jesus, so...

The bumper sticker I have expresses it well as far as I am concerned: My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter. For that reason, I call myself a Yeshuite

'nuff said...

Last updated: Saturday, 03-Jan-2015 18:11:46 PST

	Crafts Drawing (pencil and charcoal), calligraphy, writing poetry, leatherwork, woodworking and carving; all of these are expressions of my soul. I also have worked with pottery clay, doing some sculpture. The drawings in the above links are but one expression... years ago, I got involved in Dungeons and Dragons well enough to become a Dungeon Master; part of it was collecting and painting the pieces using acrylics... I now have a good camera, so I'll have to get some close-ups of some of the pieces and add the pics to the website...
	American Indian Culture My parents and grandparents all suppressed our American Indian heritage, as did my ex-wife. For too long I ignored the very precious teachings of my paternal grandfather - On one hand, he was proud of being Cherokee; on the other hand, he ruthlessly ensured no one knew, because Indians were considered the bottom-most social class. I am no longer ignoring my heritage.
	HTML and Graphics What can I say other than I am hooked? Wry grin... I started out using vi (a text editor ported from UNIX - yes, emacs folks, I used vi to create the first 23 megabytes of my website), and have since gone on to DreamWeaver (wonderful program)... Somewhere/sometime, I have to allocate the time to really work through the tutorials of all of my packages - I've yet to completely RTFM any of the manuals - been having too much fun just diving in!
	Reading, reading, and more reading Science fiction and fantasy, historical fiction, classics, techno-dramas, Louis L'Amour's westerns (particularly the Sacketts). The Sackett series holds special appeal to me since the central theme is family sticking up for family - with the caveat that family also calls (holds accountable) those who go against ethical behavior. Turtledove's alternate history novels are also fascinating; using in one series (The World in Balance) an alien invasion during WWII to draw dramatic comparisons between the various combatents; the interchanges between Nazis and Jews is fascinating, particularly from the perspective of an abuse survivor in recovery.
	*A wide* variety of music** Classical music (no opera!), 1960-1980s popular music including the Moody Blues, Cusco, Beatles, Pink Floyd, Animals, Rolling Stones, etc.; Yanni, Enya, Kitaro, ELO, Robby Redford; some country western and easy listening. I prefered the Moody Blues while Graeme Edge was still in the band; when he left, the music changed, and the stuff they produced afterwards just doesn't cut it. Classical music that appeals to me includes all the music from Fantasia; The New World Symphony by Dvorak; the entire Pier Gynt suite; i.e. powerful music... opera and chamber music leave me completly cold. Particular songs I like: Paint It Black, Satisfaction, In-A-Gadda-da-Vidda, Hair, Dark Side of the Moon; Dust in the Wind, Is There Anyone Out There, Nothing Else Matters; all of these and others like them draw me powerfully; as does Yanni and Enya.
	Camping and Fishing Generally; being outdoors away from the cities, crowds, and congestion - with Martha at my side. This is what I consider the real me; what I'd be doing if I was totally financially independent. I literally am a mountain man; I love to travel through mountains and deserts, through undeveloped country. I love waking up to the sun coming up over the mountains while the air is still cool I feel most comfortable, most at peace, most serene, when I am out in the forests, up in the high mountains. The picture of Martha and me is very very accurate; it really is me.
	Claw Machine Stuffed Animals Denny's restaurants west of the Mississipi have "claw" machines full of stuffed animals... you put in 50 cents, and if you're lucky and skillful, you get a stuffed animal... As a child and teen, I was not allowed to have any stuffed animals because "men don't do that stuff"; so, it's a form of therapy for me, and it's a skill I enjoy. Now that I've been at it a while, I'm actually getting them for less than what they'd cost me in a store At one point, I had somewhere around 100 in my office at Sun plus another 200+ (roughly!) at home. Here's a more recent pic that shows me with some of the stuffies. Yes, all of those came out of the Denny's claw machines!
	Futzing with Computers Thus far, it's been Intel and Apple computers - anyone have some old Sun Sparc 5, 10, 20 - or even an Ultra 1 could have? Before I moved back to California (from New Jersey), I had a small partnership with a friend from work; together we built Intel-based computers from scratch; i.e. literally from components purchased from various vendors. I didn't have the funds to buy a computer myself; and my business partner didn't know (before we stared the business) how to build a PC... So, we started the business; I was the technical side, he was the financial side. It worked out; we both got decent computers out of the profits. It's something I enjoy immensely as my wife Martha, my son and his wife and several friends can attest, and it's also something I'm good at - including upgrading Macintoshes, and even more recently, Sun SPARCstations. Recently though, I've reached the point where I'll work on a machine only if it's absolutely necessary; it's finally become cheaper to buy a machine than fix it (wry grin)
	Religion: Yeshuite I.E., a follower and believer in Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah and Savior. So why "Yeshuite" instead of "Christian"? I don't follow any established religions/churches, nor the dogma and doctrine that nearly all seem to add on top of the original scriptures, teachings, and letters. I consider my faith to be between me and my HP (no, no, not the computer! grin) Basically, I cringe at and abhor the modern-day "Christians" who ram their beliefs down the throats of everyone they meet... and/or condemn others because those others don't follow what they perceive to be "right" In my NOT so humble opinion, they are most definitely not emulating the Jesus they proclaim to follow. Why? Simple; Jesus never had a captive audience. He never forced anyone to "listen", to believe, to accept. He simply taught and preached and discussed in the open; people were free to come and go as they pleased, and; to ask Him questions if they so desired. Christians are supposed to emulate Jesus, so... The bumper sticker I have expresses it well as far as I am concerned: My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter. For that reason, I call myself a Yeshuite 'nuff said...