Abe Williams

The Troll and the Toymaker, Part 2

Posted by abraham.williams@gmail.com on January 24, 2010 in Books, Children's Story, Weblogs 2 Comments

The Troll knew the ways of the woods. He knew the plants and which
are best eaten and which are not. He began to think of the
beautifully carved wooden horse and that those who chased him into the
sea must surely find such creations valuable. The Troll found just the
vine he was after. It had no scent or taste but, if handled, it would make one quite ill. In his heart, he truly wished no harm, but his
mind was clouded with anger. He could not hear his heart.

He began carving all manner of
forest creatures and covering the carvings with the nectar of the
vine. He had to use leaves of other plants to apply this nectar to protect his own hands lest he himself become ill from touching
it. After he had made many of these wooden creatures, he filled his
bag with them and sought to make himself a disguise so he would look
more like those who had chased him away. The Troll spun flax and made a
large weave to cover himself and to cover his head. It was large
enough to cover his whole body so that he could stoop to be the size of
an ordinary human. He covered his skin with white spores. He looked
at his reflection in a pool, added more spun flax of a lighter colour
to cover his head, and was quite pleased with his disguise. Still, he
was very wide, but he thought little of this and headed to the village
early the next morning.

The Troll came to the village and called
out in a sing song voice that he had wooden animals. The children were very interested as the
disguised troll began to take out the wooden creations. As the
children gathered, so did the parents. They all admired the handy work
of this mysterious carver. Even the Old Toymaker came to see and did
admire the creations. When asked where did he come from, the Troll answered
in a high voice like a bird that he had come from beyond the forest.
When asked if he had seen a troll, he said he had not. The people of
the village hearing the high voice and the flaxen locks began to call
the troll an old woman. The troll handed out all of the toys to the
village children and saw they were happy as they ran off to play. The
Old Toymaker asked how the mysterious old woman had come to be such a
wonderful carver. As the troll answered, his heart began to feel
heavy. He knew the children would become ill from handling the toys but forced his mind to remember being chased by fire. The Old Toymaker invited the troll to her shop, the troll became
more anxious with each step. As he stepped inside the shop he was
amazed to see so many wonderful creations.

It was full of
carved figures. Some were in the shapes of animals he recognized and
some were beasts he'd never seen. There were tools everywhere. There
were even soft dolls that were wonderful to touch. The troll marveled
at the wonderful creations and was unaware that with each step he was
treading upon his cloak. With each step, his large green troll body
was becoming exposed. The Old Toymaker was no fool and quickly
realized that this was the troll that had been chased away the previous
day. Still, the Old Toymaker said nothing. She only waited for the
troll to realize his cloak was on the floor. The troll realized soon
enough and was unsure of what to do when the Old Toymaker asked what
the troll was doing with the bundle of the children's things just
before the villagers chased him into the sea. The troll explained and
the Old Toymaker shook her head. She knew the people of the village
were easily frightened and quick to judge. She told the troll to put
his cloak back on and to stay in the shop. She told him she would find
a way to help the people of the village to know that the troll was a
good soul. Now the troll remembered the wooden toys he had given out.
He began to feel terrible that the children could become sick because
of his anger. He realized is folly and told the toymaker the whole
story. She listened carefully and scolded him for letting his anger
get the best of him. She asked if there was anything he could do. The
troll knew what would turn back the effects of the sickening vine, but
he would need to leave quickly to make it. They devised a plan and
the old woman quickly lead the disguised troll out of the village.

Once
out of the village, the troll ran as fast as he could, leaving his
disguise in a hollowed tree as he could run much faster with out it.
Trolls can run fast, very fast. In the times of old, trolls used to
run and catch their horses by the tail. In no time at all, the troll
had found the leafy green fragrant clump he was looking for and in no
time at all had made his special brew. He carried it in an earthen jug
and ran to the village, putting on his cloak and flaxen locks along the way. The
disguised Troll and the Old Toymaker called upon each of the
villagers in their homes. Some children had began to feel ill and so
the old troll treated them with his healing brew and also took back the
toys with a promise to return them the next day. And so it was for
each house they visited. None of the children felt ill for long. For
the healing worked just as the Troll knew it would.

All the
carved toys had been accounted for and once back at the Old Toymaker's
shop, the Troll quickly began to make new toys. He had such a joy
using the tools of the Old Toymaker and she marveled at how quickly and
finely the Troll could work with such large hands. The Troll worked
all night until he had remade each carving. He was particularly good
at carving horses. The Old Toymaker suggested he rest after each of
the toys had been redelivered. This was good advice as the Troll had
not slept since the night before last. After the toys were delivered, he lay down and fell into a
deep sleep.

When he awoke, the Old Toymaker told him her plan.
He was frightened but agreed. Shortly after, the Old Toymaker went
into the square and called all the village people. She reminded the
village people of the troll they had chased into the sea. She reminded
them of the bundle the Troll carried. She explained that he was
bringing the children's belongings back and that this was evidence of
the good in him. Many disbelieved, but the Old Toymaker persisted. She told them
that the troll didn't die in the sea and that the troll in great anger
had come disguised as an old woman intending to do harm to the
village. Now upon hearing this, the village people began to shout and
roar. The Old Toymaker had much work to do in calming the crowd. She
quickly told of the poison and the change of heart. Still the
villagers were angry and frightened, but they could not deny the
healing brew. The Old Toymaker spoke of the good in the Troll over and
over. The villagers trusted the old woman, but they did not trust the
Troll. The villagers agreed that the Troll could stay, but only under
the care of the Old Toymaker. A few of the villagers found this
agreement too unsettling and decided to keep the toymaker's shop under
watch that evening.

The Troll was frightened at the presence
of the watchful villagers, but the Old Toymaker just told the troll to
do his good work. The Troll wondered what he should do. He remember
the joy on the children's faces when he put his carvings in their
hands. He remembered how the children especially loved the horses. He
decided to make a horse big enough for a child to ride. He worked into
the night. The Old Toymaker smiled upon his diligence and persistence. He dreamed of
children riding the horse and just what kind of movement it should
have. In his mind's eye, he pictured the movement of the horse rocking
and rocking. On the bottom of the horses legs he carved two large crescent moons from the front leg to the back leg, one on each side, so that the horse rocked back and forth. By morning, he had completed
this rocking horse.

The Old Toymaker was amazed at the Troll's
work, so finely crafted and beautiful to behold. The villagers who had
meant to keep watch had actually fallen asleep and where startled by
the Old Toymaker as she opened her shop doors and asked the Troll to
bring out his work. The villagers were still frightened by the troll,
but they were also amazed at this beautifully carved wooden rocking
horse. They had never seen the like. One of the villagers went to get
his children and they rode upon the rocking horse with
great joy. The Old Toymaker and the Troll were overjoyed. The
villagers slowly approached the Troll. They asked his name. He said
he had never had one. The Old Toymaker suggested Horace since it was
so close in sound to the wonderful horses the troll created. The Troll
agreed and he was called Horace from then on.

The people came
to find Horace to be quite handy and useful in the village. Not only
could he carve beautifully, he could also easily lift a wagon or move
any number or large stones. Of course, as the villagers called on him
to help, they also returned favors. A seamstress made him a fine set
of trousers and tunic. A cobbler made him sturdy boots, although
Horace preferred to be barefoot. And so with all the villagers it
went this way. The people of the village had become very friendly with
the Troll now called Horace. Horace had become very friendly with
those around him. What made him the happiest was helping the people of
the town. He had been alone all his life. He had never known
companionship. He had never known the the joy of children laughing,
but now he knew it everyday. He made a rocking horse for every child
in the village. He watched them rocking back and forth and holding races
with each other and laughing the whole time. Seeing this filled his
huge troll heart full of joy. There was no doubt in the mind of the
villagers that Horace was a good soul. In fact, they were so
convinced, they decided to rename their village Rocking Horse
village. The Old Toymaker was quite pleased as you know, it could have ended differently.

Times were good for Horace, the Old Toymaker, and the villagers of Rocking Horse village until some villagers had come back frightened from a trip into the forest. A fearsome creature that was quite large, similar in size to Horace, and looked to be mostly red had chased the villagers a great distance from the forest. Some said it was a troll, but others disagreed. One thing was certain, the villagers were afraid for their village. After a discussion with the villagers, Horace agreed to seek out what this thing was to get a good look at it. He was by far the quietest and had the greatest sense of smell and sight, not to mention the largest and strongest. However, Horace was not fearless. In truth, he was very fearful. Given that he cared a great deal for the villagers and that they were such great friends, he would put that fear aside and sneak into the woods to find out just what this thing was.

Part 3 coming soon…

The Troll and the Toymaker, Part 1

Posted by abraham.williams@gmail.com on January 4, 2010 in Books, Children's Story 4 Comments

Once upon a time, there was a little village near the sea where the
people lived very happily. In this village, there lived a very old
woman who made toys of all kinds for boys and girls. The old woman's
toys were always made of wood, or fabric or stone. There was no shape
that was beyond her skills. All the people of the village sought her
to make special toys for the children.

Outside of the town, down
deep in the forest, there lived a Troll. The Troll was very large
standing over nine feet tall and six feet between the shoulders, with
long arms and short legs. It had green skin with very oily hair, and
it's top and bottom clothes were made from the forest plants. The Troll's
face was like a cross between a man's and frog's with a broad flat nose
and big eyes. The Troll lived in a hut it had fashioned out of dead
trees, rocks, and dirt. The hut was very finely assembled and the
Troll was very handy with tools. He would often carve pictures into
his table and chairs and they had become very ornate. The Troll was
alone, always. He only ever saw the animals of the forest.

One
day two children had been allowed to go into the forest to gather herbs
for their grandmother's favorite soup recipe. It was a beautiful day
and the children decided to make a picnic and bring along their
favorite dolls. The children walked deep into the forest and after
finding the herbs found a lovely spot with a ring of trees around them
creating welcome shade from the noon day sun. They ate happily and
then brought out their dolls. They played and laughed. They didn't
know it, but they had decided to picnic just a stone's throw from the
hut of the Troll. And the Troll did hear them laughing.

It was
such a strange sound to the Troll, he thought it must be birds.
However, these were not any birds he had ever heard. So the Troll
walked to where he heard the sound. As large as the Troll was, he was
as quiet as a fox, for he did not wish to scare the birds. As he
peeked through the ring of trees, he saw the children. He watched them
and admired their game of dolls. He watched them for a few minutes and
then a moth flew by and alighted on his nose. As he brushed it away,
one of the children then looked towards him and screamed. This, of
course, led the other child to scream, as children will do, and they
both jumped and ran as fast as they could go back to the village. The
Troll was as surprised as the children were. He wondered if there was
something frightening behind him. He quickly dropped to the ground and
looked behind him all around. He couldn't see a thing and decided to
pickup the things left behind and take them to the children. The
Troll thought the children were similar to birds as they took to flight
when frightened.

It wasn't long before the children had reached
the village and word spread that there was a Troll in the woods. Most
of the people in the village believed that Trolls were awful creatures
capable of horrible things and that something must be done to protect
the village. Some of the younger men of the village gathered in number
with clubs and torches while the others stood by telling them to take
care. The Troll was just coming up the hill carrying the things that
the children had left behind when the villagers were coming out of the
gates. When the villagers saw the Troll, there was a yell to attack
and they began to rush at him. The Troll was frozen with fear and just
stood trying to understand what was happening. He had only seen the
first two people he had ever seen when he spied the children. Now,
here was a huge mob coming at him screaming and with fire. Soon
enough, he understood that they meant to hurt him. He dropped the
bundle and turned to run. Clubs and fire began to rain down on him as
he ran for his life. The angry villagers split into two with one mob
blocking him from the forest and the other continuing to push him
towards the sea. The poor Troll had no chance but jump into the sea.
As the villagers drove him over the cliff, they shouted for joy as they
believed him finished.

Now, when the Troll jumped into the
sea, he was fortunate as he hit no rocks, and Trolls can breathe
underwater. So, he stayed under the water and swam as far away from
the village as he could but keeping close to the shore to make his way
back into the forest later. The villagers were quite satisfied and
went back to celebrate. All the other villagers came out to meet
them. Between them, everyone then noticed the bundle on the ground
where the Troll had dropped it. It was the old toymaker who remarked
it strange that the Troll was bringing these items to the village.
These were the things left behind by the fleeing children. Why would
the Troll be bringing it back? While everyone agreed it was strange,
it was dismissed that anything good could come from the Troll.
Although, the old toymaker and a few others, began to wonder. The
villagers then went into the village and prepared to celebrate the end
of the Troll.

Meanwhile, the Troll had come out of the sea and
had made his way back to his forest hut. He was confused, very
confused. He wondered why they attacked him. He wondered what made
them so angry towards him. He wondered what he had done that was
wrong. Then, he realized the children must have screamed because they
saw him! He wondered if he really was frightful and, if so, what was
it exactly? He walked back to the clearing where he had spied the
children and then he noticed something on the ground. Something that
was forgotten by the children and something he had missed. It was a
carved wooden horse. It had been carved beautifully. Every detail was
expertly done. He had seen a real horse once or twice before and this
carving was very good. He wondered who had made it. Of course, it was
the old toymaker who had made it, but the Troll had no idea of this.
While it was not right to keep the horse, he decided to keep it since
the risk of going to the village was far to great. Again, he
remembered that angry mob and how afraid he was. His fear was
beginning to turn to anger. The more he thought about it, the angrier
he got.

He went into his hut and sat down. He said to himself
that these creatures were not good. He would make them feel worse than
he felt. Deep in his heart, he knew this wasn't right, but he just
kept getting angrier. A plan began to form in his mind, a plan he
would start on right away. The Troll quickly set out in the forest to
gather the materials he would need.

Part 2 coming soon…

Deep Breathing

Posted by abraham.williams@gmail.com on January 2, 2010 in Deep Breathing, Flu, Health, Posture

I have the flu. Or fever and congestion…whatever name it has. I have it. On this 3rd day of this flu, I am coughing for sure. Nose clogged as well. However, I am resting and am quite calm. When it’s really unpleasant a little Tylenol helps. Please be certain, it’s not how I’d choose to spend my vacation, but with a bit of bad comes a little good.

Come next Monday in the office, I’d like to maintain this calmness. An idea came to me about deep breathing and how I’d like to make this a practice in the morning before doing anything…100 thoughtful breaths. Something like that. I figured why not start now while laying in bed. Can’t sleep anyway.

I started deep breathing. Trying to fill the lungs, then exhale as much as I could, gently. Lungs rattled, nose wined, and desire to cough was strong. I wondered if I could do 100 thoughtful breaths. The cough reflex went away after a few breaths. It also seemed better to go slow so I didn’t pass out. Around…I don’t know…maybe 50 breaths a nostril opened up. I just kept going. It turned out to be quite interesting. I started feeling a little better. At one point the cough reflex got me, but it was dry as if the fluid in my lungs was drier. It was no longer a “productive cough”.

After a bit I felt good enough to get up. I was a bit dizzy, but thought I’d do some deep breathing with the chest erect and do more deep breathing. As I was doing this, I actually got energized and was feeling pretty good. Both nostrils cleared. Definitely positive…however, there was an even better side benefit.

Ever heard this saying or something like it, “Take a deep breath and raise your chest”? It is possible to take a deep breath humped over, but it definitely feels more natural to take a deep breath standing erect. In any case, the chest lifts itself. As I thought about it a bit more, I suspect that deep breathing correlates not only with calmness but with erectness and good posture. It’s a hypothesis I will test. Granted my results are quantitative, but whatever works for you, right?

So far, deep breathing, all positive.

Slow cooker recipes for friends

Posted by abraham.williams@gmail.com on November 18, 2009 in General 1 Comment

Lena’s Chicken (serves 6)
3lbs chicken boneless and skinless thighs
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped garlic
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white vermouth
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup pitted green olives
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup capers

1. Toss chicken with olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl and marinate overnight.
2. Put it in the slowcooker either on high for 5 hours or low for 7. My wife often does high for 4 and 3 on low.

Beef stew with sun-dried tomatoes and Rosemary (serves 6)
2 lbs boneless stew meat, fat trimmed, cut into 1.5 inch chunks
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
14.5 ounces of chicken broth
1 large onion, cut in half and sliced in moons
4 garlic cloves sliced thin
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes cut into strips
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1. Brown the meat and onions if you want.
2. Put everything except the tomatoes, rosemary and vinegar in the slow cooker.
3. Cook on high 5 to 6 hours.
4. Stir in tomatoes, rosemary and vinegar.

Brisket (serves 6 to 8)
3 ounces tomato paste
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
3 pressed garlic cloves
4 lbs brisket, trimmed of fat
salt, pepper, and paprika
1 tablespoon of oil
2 to 3 yellow onions, cut in half and sliced into half moons

1. In a bowl, stir together tomato paste, vinegar, worcestershire, mustard and garlic.
2. Season brisket with salt, pepper and paprika to taste.
3. Brown brisket on high heat…3 min a side or so. Toss in the onions and brown those, too.
4. Put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours.

Easier brisket
4lbs brisket, trimmed of fat
3 yellow onions, cut in half and sliced into half moons
12 oz bottle of beer
1/2 cup of chicken broth
salt and pepper

1. Put it all in the slow cooker on low for 7 hours.

Slow roasted pork (serves about 5)
2 lbs boneless pork (shoulder or butt)
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon ginger (diced or grated)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1.5 cups chicken broth

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for about 8 hours.

Abe’s beef stew
2lbs of beef stew meat, trimmed of fat and cut in to 1.5 inch chunks
6 carrots, chopped
6 celery, chopped
1/2 lb of bacon
1/2 bottle of red wine
salt and pepper
2 yellow onions, sliced in half moons or chopped

1. In a skillet, cut the bacon into small pieces and cook it.
2. When the bacon is close to done, throw in the onions.
3. When the bacon and onions are done, put them in the slow cooker.
3. Combine ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on high for 6 hours.

Gringo chili
2 lbs ground sirloin
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 green, yellow, or red bell pepper seeded and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans of diced tomatoes with the juice
8 ounce can of tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons chile powder
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano and ground cumin each
Salt

1. In a large skillet, cook the meat, pepper, onion, and garlic until the meat is no longer pink.
2. Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.

Living right…how does one do this?

Posted by abraham.williams@gmail.com on August 17, 2009 in life

I’ve had the recent pleasure of spending a few days with a professor of literature and philosophy. These are subjects I enjoy. Fortunately, I have recently dedicated a portion of each day to studying what great thinkers have written. I do this because I am looking for the right way to live. Because of this valuable habit, I could step into the depth of his knowledge and consider my current circumstances and station in life with different lights of perception.

In reading the older philosophical writings, I have found Seneca the Elder and Marcus Aurelius to be extremely valuable. With the both of these thinkers, the realization that our time alive is finite and all things we create are temporary is the underlying theme that all other views flow. I’m sure this is debatable, but I will pass this over.

Seneca said, and I paraphrase, that we should not look to the future because the all the faculties we have now for the present will be available then. That we should not look the present because it is forever fleeting. But that we should look to the past and to not be afraid of what we will find. Have the strength to look at what you have done and reason best how to proceed on. Also, look to those great thinkers that have come before you. In this way, you make the greatest of thinkers the best of friends and call upon them whenever you wish. By studying the past you can learn how to live. This is my interpretation and I find it extremely interesting. Focusing on the now is a current cultural phrase and I do not find this thinking to be at odds with it.

Seneca also talks about being “engrossed” and “busy” with no time for “leisure”. The two former meaning spending time on the demands of others and the latter meaning studying and focusing on how to live rightly. In this same vein, Seneca mentions how quickly we come to guard our land or possessions, but how we leave our mind and time completely open to others to tread upon with time not ever being recoverable. How completely true this is and how sadly ironic. The things that will most surely leave us and are completely temporary are where our focus goes and the acquisition of wisdom is neglected and our most valuable possession is left out for any to take.

By being critical of our own past actions and gleaning from the great thinkers, we can choose how to spend our most precious possession, time. In this way, one can focus on the present and enjoy the company around us without concern. This time can be fully enjoyed. This is my interpretation.