Monday, Monday.

Well, here I sit at work on a Monday morning. The sun coming up over the cool, quiet land of Central Texas, dew on the thistles and the rustling of the oaks as the Earth wakes. I tell you, there are few places more beautiful than this land of ours, and we would all do well to pay it some respect here and there. The gifts it gives to all of us are manifold and generous. Need a caffeine uptake? Chew on a Yaupon cutting. Got a nasty infection? Make a paste out of honeysuckle blossoms and spread it on, or make a tea for something in the throat. Hungry? Most things are edible, we have nuts and fruits aplenty, and most everything will grow here. Seriously, look it up.

The weekend was grand as forseen, though lazier than expected! Alexandra and I found ourselves sleeping away a great part of it in naps. Who knows why we were so tired! Naps are a wonderful thing, though, I must admit. Especially when Double Dave's Pizza is holding a lg pizza for $6 deal and you want to be lazy. For sure, that Corn Beef I made on Friday was excellent, but once it ran out, it was out.

Friday a dear old friend, whose wedding we are helping with, came over to work on her Bridesmaids' dressed with Alex. It was nice to sit, drink coffee, and chat whilst the girls worked. Jenn and I go back quite a ways: we met at college orientation at UT, and have been friends ever since, save a brief period of estrangement in there. There really are few people in this world whose company I'd actually miss if I had to go be a hermit, and she is surely one of them. She and Alex became fast friends after they met, as they're quite similar ladies, and now she's Alex's best female friend, as near as I can tell.

On to other thing, as you all (may) know, I am a concealed handgun carrier. This is Texas, afterall, and one is wiser to be prepared. Better to have it and not need it. So, anyhow, I carry a few guns, depending on the occasion, and lately I've been looking for more of an opportunity to carry my Colt Single Action Army (also known as the Peacemaker). It is a traditional gun, with a large caliber, and just damn imposing if you're on the other end of it, I wager. Problem is that it can be bulky and difficult to conceal for a man of my stature. Here's a holster style I just discovered though, that may work. Remember Tom Cruise's character in "The Last Samurai"? He carried something similar.

I'm rather fond of it, and with a jacket over it (or a frock coat, as my lovely wife is working on some) it would be wonderful. The strap across the chest would be visible, but that isn't illegal, only seeing the gun itself is. I rather like that notion.

This week should prove to be quite loverly in its own right, I think. Today we're waiting on the arrival of my friend, Bob Hingtgen, who I have been friends with for over a decade now. We've not seen each other that much since we've been in school, but hopefully we'll remedy that soon. He is going to come down today and stay 'til Wednesday. Then, this weekend we've got a trip to go camping scheduled. I could use that. We're headed out to Canyon of the Eagles park on Lake Buchanan. Nice place, good fishing.

Well, I do believe that's about all on my mind right now. I'm deleting the facebook a week from today. I find it ironic that most people who have complained, though not all, are the ones who make no effort whatsoever to keep up with me. Funny, isn't it?

Until later! Hope all your weeks go well.

A Day Off

Well, friends, I had a day off today, finally.

Yesterday I finished my last final, as noted in a previous post. It went awfully. Whereas the professor in question asked us to look over a set of exercises, which I did and then studied some like them, apparently he really just wanted us to memorize those exercises, because he put them verbatim on the exam. That has to be academically immoral somehow?

At any rate, I have thoroughly enjoyed a day off. Last night I attended my first night of Iaijutsu practice, and thoroughly reveled in that. I've waited so very long to have something to do that would give me an outlet like this. I really like the group, the sensei, and the overall feeling I get there. I think this will be a new home for me. For that, I'm glad. It certainly was strange, putting on clothes I haven't worn in five years. I wasn't entirely sure I'd be able to remember how to do everything, but in those years I've tried to maintain what I knew and how to handle a sword. I did exceedingly well, so I suppose I haven't lost too much.

Here at home today, after dropping Alex off at the bus this morning, I have been lazy for a change. I went fishing this morning when everyone was bustling to work, I sat by the river and enjoyed the rain, drank a Dr. Pepper and felt at peace. I came home, owing to the fact that the same professor mentioned above decided not to go to work today (I needed to meet him to get some things from his office), and thus didn't some other errands. Here at home, I'm just watching shows on Hulu, drinking tea, and relaxing. There's a Corn Beef in the crock pot, and my Dove of a wife gets home in two hours. I'm a happy man.

I hope all your weekends prove to be grand. Mine will be.

Scruples

I never compromise on my morals or scruples. I hold myself to a very high code of honor. This means I have the unfortunate tendency to say the truth always. Know that.

I am sick and tired of having to turn a blind eye to indiscretions for the sake of not losing employment. I refuse. I would rather starve in contentment that have a bounty bought with shame. I just don't think I am going to tolerate this much longer. How far does this have to go?

The code of conduct I was raised with (I am both a Texan and a Texas Czech, you know) does not permit this. Nor does any code which I have studied and enjoyed in my time (either chivalry or bushido).

Heads may roll, foundations may be shook, but in the end, right must prevail.

That is all.

The Very Last Final

I am preparing to take the very last final exam of my Master's Program. This is my comprehensive in Czech Stylistics, and it is scaring me to death, partially due to the lack of preparation on the part of the instructor and partly due to the mass of knowledge that is being tested. Wish me will! I have many things on my mind, and focusing on this is the hardest thing right now. It isn't that I don't love Czech, I really, truly do, it is simply that an exam on grammar is not my idea of a good time. I pride myself when my grammar is correct, as Czech is no picnic in grammar (seriously, you take a language that was illegal to speak in towns from 1620-1805, have it revived, and never standardized until 1918 and see what you get), it is simply that I would rather have more practice just getting to speak. That is the nice thing about language.

The party last night was fantastic, and we all had a good time. Pavla and Bara, our two Czech exchange students, visited with us 'til late, and were great company as always. They're off to Mexico for a couple of weeks, then they will be back for a brief visit with us in Texas before heading back to Prague. I do hope to see them over the Summer when I visit there, and Pavla has graciously asked me to stay at her family's home in Prague for my time there. How could I say no?

For now, I ought to get back to studying, but I am thoroughly enjoying this blogging, my friends, as opposed to the facebook. It makes me feel young again, back in the fledgling days of LiveJournal.

Until later!

Cast Party

You know, there are few things I like doing more than entertaining. It's true: give me a nice, Spring day, some friends, an ice chest full of beer and a barbeque pit ready to go. That's my element. Anyone who has been over for one of my cook-outs will agree, I think. Wouldn't you?

So tonight we're hosting the cast party for the UT Czech Spring Play. These kids are great, although a couple won't be able to make it, one due to illness, and the other due to finals. I lament the loss, as they are two of the coolest folks out there, but it does happen, I suppose. With the house all ready, I'm off in a moment to the store to get some viddles.

A moment to comment on what's going on with me, though:

My sister, Lisa Tomecek-Bias, the expert on all things Japan, I have always been convinced, recently discovered that we have in our backyard a iaijutsu/naginatajutsu dojo. For those of you who aren't familiar with Japanese sword arts, I do suggest you google the term. All of you who know me should know that I've long had a burning desire to study a nice, honest-to-goodness Japanese sword art. Hell, I just love swords. Here one is, right here near us. I couldn't feel any luckier! I'm going this Thursday evening to check it out, and fates willing, will start to train there next week. Wish me luck!

On another note, after many years of work, I think I may have reasonably located my family's home village in Moravia, a place called Horní Lideč, near Vsetín. For those of you not familiar with Czech geography, it is in the far east of the country, a few kilometers from the Slovak border. It will take more work, but we were always told we came from "lische," a town that does not exist. However, in German records of the time, there are notes of Ober Lisch, Czech variant being Horní Lideč. This makes sense, if you consider that my Great Grandfather would have heard that we were "od Horního Lidče," which to him likely sounded like it was referring to a town in the mountains (the Horní part), not a proper name of a town, and the Lidče slurred would sound like Lische, ironically. Fun!

Hey!

So, I am awful fond of ramblings, and my lovely wife has endeavored to deal the deathblow to her facebook, a thing I very much support, so I show my support in similar action.

More to come!

Hobbitses?

Just a quick note...it may be three years away, but two Hobbit films are slated for 2011 and 2012. I could squeal with joy!!!!!!!!!!