What is a Quafaie?


Quafaie (pronounced: kwa FAY) are fantasy creatures that exist in the fantasy writing of Hugh Kemeny, and are created by him. They are primarily in Hugh Kemeny’s Black Phoenix short stories...

To learn more, read this post: What is a Quafaie?

Sunday, May 17, 2015

A Starting Point to Change

I have often in my life struggled to decide on a path to focus on, In daily tasks that can take time, and in the overall direction of my life. I have moments of clarity where I can focus and get the work I choose done. (Often if I have the work assigned I can get the task completed.)

For a number of years this has made me feel like I have been at a cross-roads in my life; do I go left or right, or postpone the decision....

Over the past couple of years a few things have presented themselves as opportunities of learning how to reshape my life more towards what I may want it to be. Don't get me wrong I'm content in my current situation, I am wanting to make myself happier with myself. 

A couple years ago I picked up a book on overcoming procrastination, and yes I have been procrastinating on reading it. I started it and found I should treat it more like a work book than a novel, and that was what made me put it down.

Last week I heard about http://www.theminimalists.com/ and started to look into it (not too much as yet). From some of what I saw it made me think about several years ago when I looked into Buddhism, and something I would like to begin to pursue - cutting back what is extraneous and unnecessarily cluttering my life.

Today I briefly thought about how some of the things I do (surfing the web, playing games, facebook, etc) are just ways I avoid myself and facing the tasks I should be working on. 

My hope is over the next while (months, years, who knows), to actually write some of my thoughts and progress here in this blog. To identify where I am trimming the fat and where I am changing habits, and perhaps see where I am going. 

With that in mind, there will likely be things written that reflect a hidden, possibly darker, or shocking side to me for those that know me offline. 

~~~

It is probably a good idea to start off with where I'm at at the changes I have begun.

I own a house. I bought it in 2008 when I went back to University to get a second degree. I rent out room in the house, currently to a gay couple and another man. Since buying the house I always felt there would be a time to sell it, and it has always been "in a couple years". I have put work into renovating it, and trying to maintain it, but there are a few quirks that I feel I can live without. I enjoy the location and the neighbourhood, and my tenants. My mortgage is up for renewal next month and have looked into the mortgage rates etc, and once again it will be "a couple years" before I sell the house. I have also presented the idea to the gay couple of them buying the house from me (in at least couple years), and expressed I do not need to know their thoughts for about a year (to then give me a year to prepare the house to sell - minor renovations needed to sell the house on the open market, painting etc). I have though begun to purge my stuff. I have rented a storage unit to help move some of my boxes out so my tenants can store their stuff where mine currently is (and not in the middle of some workable space).

My career is on a holding pattern at the moment as I work towards certification. This last year I managed a major progress by taking a job out of town. My second degree was in Education and here it requires 2 years of certified teaching to get a permanent teaching certificate. The job I had from September to April was teaching upgrading courses at a (very) small college, which luckily turned out to count towards my permanent certification, only 80% mind you. The college is about 425 km from my house (another reason to consider selling), so not a daily commute. I have conditionally accepted to work there again this September, on condition they send me a reasonable contract. At the moment I am substitute teaching which I have mixed emotions about. I enjoy the more relaxed work load, but not the uncertainty of work. I have been on the substitute teaching list with the same school board (near my house) for the past 2 years, and I would hazard a guess that I'm probably no where near 20% of their teaching year (I was given the name & number of someone to ask and have yet to check). With the way the funding is (was; we just had a change in government) for education here, I'm not even certain I would like to work full time in the public school system. That being said, I have not had an opportunity to have an extended experience. At the small college, my largest class size was 8 students (no where near the 30+ I have seen subbing). I have thoughts about possible work arrangements that I could enjoy settling down with, but I feel I want my permanent teaching certification before I make some of those choices.

Love life is one that has generally been absent in my life. It it one thing I do not understand how to start working towards without doing things that are so far outside my comfort zone they are not me. There is also the factor that I consider myself queer, not just because I am more attracted to men then women, but because of other factors that make me feel totally out of the norm. (More on this topic will likely appear in later posts.)

I think this is enough for a first post on this new venture for this blog.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Blog updates and changes

For those who actually follow this blog, you will notice I haven't really posted much here in a while. That is in part due to busy at work and in life, and, well as you may have noticed most of my recent posts have been quotes.

I have set up a couple other blogs, through Tumblr, that seem to fit a little more of my purposes at the moment.

http://quafaie.tumblr.com/ - is the one I have for all my quotes I post. There will be a post daily there, well, just about daily (the archives will show daily)

http://quafaie-2.tumblr.com/ - has links to science and other things I find interesting

I hope to still use this blog for more like my thoughts, maybe some actual commentary on the articles I read, or more on nudism. I'm not yet sure.

Feel free to continue following this blog, but also please check out my 2 tumblrs too.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Daily Inspiration

I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done.
- Buddha
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Wed 31 Dec 2014

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Daily Inspiration

He only acquires (virtue) who endures routine and sweat and postponement of fancy to the achievement of a worthy end.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Tue 30 Dec 2014

Monday, December 29, 2014

Daily Inspiration

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.
- Buddha
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Fri 12 Dec 2014


The true Way is sublime.
It can't be expressed in language.
Of what use are scriptures?
But someone who sees his own nature finds the Way, 
even if he can't read a word.
- Bodhidharma
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Sat/Sun 13/14 Dec 2014


We live but a fraction of our lives.
- Henry David Thoreau
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Mon 29 Dec 2014

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Daily Inspiration

Without recognizing the ordinances of Heaven, it is impossible to be a superior man.
- Confucius
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Tue 9 Dec 2014


The universe constantly and obediently answers to our conceptions; whether we travel fast or slow, the track is laid for us.
- Henry David Thoreau
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Wed 10 Dec 2014


The most violent element
in society is ignorance.
- Emma Goldman
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Thu 11 Dec 2014

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Daily Inspiration


The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.
- Confucius
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Sat/Sun 6/7 Dec 2014


Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.
- Chuang Tzu
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Mon 8 Dec 2014


Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.
- Confucius
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Sat/Sun 27/28 Dec 2014

Friday, December 26, 2014

Daily Inspiration

Ask yourself constantly,
"What is the right thing to do?"
- Confucius
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Thu 4 Dec 2014


We sink to rise.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Fri 5 Dec 2014


Better a diamond with a flaw
than a pebble without.
- Confucius
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Fri 26 Dec 2014

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Daily Inspiration

The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it.
- Confucius
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Tue 2 Dec 2014


Real knowledge is to know
the extent of one's ignorance.
- Confucius
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Wed 3 Dec 2014


He who loves the world as his body
may be entrusted with the empire.
- Lao Tzu
Zen, 2014 day-at-a-time calendar; Thu 25 Dec 2014