Berin Kinsman

Daily Affirmation: Scholasticism

Berin Kinsman — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:00:21 +0000

Education is important because it causes us to challenge our preconceived notions about things. It makes us look at the larger world, the larger universe. It forces us to acknowledge that there are other sorts of people, other points of view, other ideas and practices and methods of doing things.

That’s why some people are afraid of education. They’re found their safe place, their comfort zone, and they like it there. Either through experience or experimentation, they’ve discovered a worldview that works for them, and they settle into it. They reject anything that doesn’t fit into that worldview out of hand. They go through great pains to make things fit into their worldview. They twist and distort reality to make things fit, rather than accept things as they are.

To be a successful human being requires a certain kind of open-mindedness, and that is only cultivated by a dedication to lifelong learning.

For more thoughts on this topic, visit my spiritual brother Gary E. Weller at his blog http://geweller-fiction.blogspot.com

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: affirmations

Daily Affirmation: Vulnerabilities

Berin Kinsman — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:00:20 +0000

There’s a school of thought that says that rather than focusing on developing our strengths, we should pay more attention to eliminating our weaknesses. Some of this come from our insecurity at having vulnerabilities; we want to protect ourselves. Some of it is ego; we don’t like to admit that we aren’t perfect. Sometimes this means we give up being exceptional in one area in order to be more “well rounded”.

As with all things, there is a balance. We can acknowledge our vulnerabilities and work with our limitations without obsessing over them. We can make sure those things are taken care of so that we can turn our attention to our strengths without worrying about those blind spots or potential points of failure. But we cant’ develop any strategies for dealing with our vulnerabilities until we admit that they exist.

For more thoughts on this topic, visit my spiritual brother Gary E. Weller at his blog http://geweller-fiction.blogspot.com

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: affirmations

Free Verse: Empty Boxes

Berin Kinsman — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:51 +0000

When I was a teenager
there were boxes full
of my old stuff
stored under the stairs
I would pull them out
every few months
at least once a year
and look at them
I can’t remember what
any of that stuff
even way
As I look around I wonder
how much of this
junk and clutter
I could simpy lose
to a cubby hole
under a staircase

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: poetry

Your Daily Quote: Thomas J. Watson

Berin Kinsman — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:36 +0000

Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.

— Thomas J. Watson

Disclosure of Material Connection – Affiliate Marketing Links

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: quotations

Character Workbook Party Planner [BUNDLE]

Berin Kinsman — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:00:22 +0000

Four character workbooks (Fighter, Cleric, Rogue, and Wizard) in one low-priced started bundle! Perfect for putting together a brand new adventuring party, especially if you’ve got new players who are just learning the ins and outs of character creation and leveling up!

Buy it today at RPGNow!

And look for Character Workbooks for other classes as well, from Asparagus Jumpsuit!

Filed under: blogging & writing, published work, roleplaying games Tagged: asparagus jumpsuit, pathfinder, rpg

Daily Affirmation: Judgement

Berin Kinsman — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:00:43 +0000

We often think of judgement as weighing actions, or the people who take those actions, against a fixed set of standards. We deem behaviors to be “right” or “wrong”, or people to be “good” or “bad”, and we’re certain of these things because we’re confident that the standards we’re using are the best ones. What good judgement truly is requires continually questioning those standards, pitting ideas against each other, and deciding which path is the better one. That’s hard. It requires a level of openness and flexibility, a willingness to change, and the humility to admit that we might have been wrong in the past.

Some people are afraid that if they question their values and beliefs, it will lead to abandoning them. If something is truly good, truly worth doing, truly worthy of following, it can withstand the scrutiny.

For more thoughts on this topic, visit my spiritual brother Gary E. Weller at his blog http://geweller-fiction.blogspot.com

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: affirmations

Free Verse: Bacon, Chocolate and Bad Film

Berin Kinsman — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:00:03 +0000

There aren’t enough poems
about bacon
chocolate
or bad movies
Someone should
get on that
as soon
as possible

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: poetry

Your Daily Quote: John Maxwell

Berin Kinsman — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:23 +0000

Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.

–John Maxwell

Disclosure of Material Connection – Affiliate Marketing Links

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: quotations

Daily Affirmation: Visions

Berin Kinsman — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:00:12 +0000

None of us can completely see the “big picture” — the world we live in is simply too large — but too many of us can’t see beyond our own little worlds. We are so absorbed by dealing with our own wants and needs, or own real or perceived crises, that we don’t look up to see what’s going on in the world around us. Worse, we don’t see the impact that we’re making on the world, or the many ways in which we could be making an impact, either positive or negative. We need to be able to see current reality, at least within our spheres of influence, so that we can not only take advantage of opportunities we might be missing, but so we can take control of what we are, and want to be, putting out into the world.

For more thoughts on this topic, visit my spiritual brother Gary E. Weller at his blog http://geweller-fiction.blogspot.com

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: affirmations

Free Verse: Beautiful

Berin Kinsman — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:00:25 +0000

I cannot make
the world beautiful
but I can try to
say the world
beautiful
and tell
the world beautiful

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: poetry

Your Daily Quote: Norman Vincent Peale

Berin Kinsman — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:16 +0000

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.

–Norman Vincent Peale

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: quotations

Character Workbook: Wizard

Berin Kinsman — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:00:43 +0000

Character creation and leveling up can be confusing, even for experienced players. There’s a lot of keep track of, including abilities to choose and statistics to be recalculated.

The Character Workbook: Wizard for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is a game aid designed for that keystone arcane spellcaster class, walking you through the process of character creation and help you keep track of all those changes as you level up. It’s not a character sheet – you’ll still need one of those – but it will help you make sure you’ve filled out your character sheet completely and correctly. You’ll never have to worry that your character has been short-changed. If you gamemaster asks how and when your character gained a certain ability, or how you calculated a certain bonus, you can show them!

Previously published as the Character Change Log, this new edition of the Character Workbook is also fully enhanced with live links to the Pathfinder System Reference Document at d20pfsrd.com! Most underlined words, when clicked on, will take you to descriptions and explanations relevant to that section of the workbook, saving you time you’d previously have spent flipping through rule books.

48 pages. PDF. $2.50 US

Buy it today at RPGNow!

Filed under: published work, roleplaying games Tagged: asparagus jumpsuit, pathfinder, rpg

Daily Affirmation: Relaxation

Berin Kinsman — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:00:08 +0000

We live in a culture that somehow thinks that productivity means endless activity, that every second of every minute of every hour or every day needs to be filled with something to do. We adhere to this myth of multitasking, that trying to so several things at once is superior to doing only one thing. The end result is that we’re generally terrible at doing something we all need most: nothing.

Turn off the TV. Turn of the internet. Put down the video game controller. Enjoy the quiet. Try being still. You’ll probably have to deal with the stray thoughts in your head, the things you keep trying to tune out with noise and avoid dealing with by being busy. This isn’t a bad thing. Being quiet and still can take some getting used to, and requires practice, but once you get the hang of it you’ll find that you’re less stressed, more sane, and far more relaxed.

For more thoughts on this topic, visit my spiritual brother Gary E. Weller at his blog http://geweller-fiction.blogspot.com

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: affirmations

Free Verse: On Free Verse

Berin Kinsman — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:58 +0000

She points out that
my words have no
punctuation
and don’t rhyme
as if
it were an oversight on my part
for me to go back
and correct

There is a mild shock when she is rebuffed

as if I had been asked
if I want fries with that
and unexpectedly
said no

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: poetry

Your Daily Quote: Stephen Covey

Berin Kinsman — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:29 +0000

Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.

–Stephen Covey

Filed under: journal Tagged: quotations

My Story: May 2013

Berin Kinsman — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:00:58 +0000

For many years I’ve walked along the path where Buddhism and Christianity converge. It’s a long stretch, created from the shared concepts of loving kindness, compassion, and empathy. It’s the path where the values of aiding the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and healing the sick are lived out.

Last night I had a dream that I was leaving a Buddhist retreat and had to hurry to get to a church function. For some reason my street clothes, my dress clothes, had gone missing, and all I had to wear was what was on my back, the simple robes and slippers that I had worn at the retreat. As I went out in public, I was very comfortable, and my feet especially were very happy. No one noticed that I was dressed unusually, and I was not at all self-conscious about my outfit. I was aware that when I got to church there were people who were going to be shocked, but this also didn’t bother me. I was completely at home in my own skin, and in those clothes, and if anyone had an issie it was their issue, not mine.

When I have spoken to Buddhists from other sects, who follow other Buddhist paths, they have always said “Oh, you practice differently than I do! Let’s discuss that and compare note, because it is very interesting! So long as the end result is helping you to become more loving, compassionate, and understanding, it is a good thing!” Whenever I speak to other Buddhists about things I have read, they have said “Oh, you in interpret things differently than I do; let’s discuss it and compare notes! It’s okay to have different understandings of things, so long as it is leading you in the right direction”. Whenever I have spoken to other Buddhists about Christianity, they have been very accepting, and willing to discuss the teachings of Jesus Christ and see the parallels withe the teachings of Gautama Buddha and those who have come afterward.

When I speak to Christians from other denominations, I am always met with mixed results. Sometimes I get the level of acceptance extended by my Buddhist friends, a willingness to meet on the grounds of our common beliefs and practices, and discuss our differences in curious and constructive ways. Too often, though, I find I am shut down. “You call yourself a Christian, but you believe and practice differently than I do, and you are wrong, so you are not really a Christian”. Because I am more about the teachings of Jesus that extoll love, compassion, and aiding the least among us, I am often reminded that there are other parts of the Bible, too, and those state that I must condemn people, exclude people, and mistreat people or else I’m not really following God’s commandments — even though those things aren’t among the teachings of Jesus, or the actual Ten Commandments themselves. If I mention Buddhism, I am often told that I can’t walk both paths, that I am deceived and listening to false teachings.

When I speak to my non-believer friends, especially atheists, about Buddhism, they are generally willing to listen. they say ‘I do not believe what you believe, but I understand why you chose this path to follow, and it sounds pretty cool”. I get acceptance. When I speak to my non-believer friends about Christianity, I often get shut down, am met with opposition and arguments, or get yelled at. Like many Christians, they tell me that I’m doing it wrong, and although they do not follow a Christian path, presume to tell me what real Christianity is. They take their information from the people who pick out the bits of scripture that justify hate and intolerance, and tell me that I’m likewise cherry-picking the bits about peace and love.

A while ago I can to a fork in the path I’ve been walking, and I can only go one way or the others. I continue to believe exactly as I’ve always believed. I recall Christ’s warning that to follow him will not be easy, and will be fraught with persecution. I look at the options, though. Do I continue to get yelled at by other Christians, not listened to by atheists, and face obstacles to actually accomplishing anything constructive? Or do I walk a path where people may tell me I’m doing it wrong and dismiss me out of hand, but don’t yell at me, where people are willing to see what I’m doing, listen to what I’m saying, and support my efforts?

I think, at this point, you already know which fork in the road I’ve decided to venture down. I’m going to follow Jesus… down the Buddhist path. Where I stop calling myself a Christian, but continue to hold in my heart the admonition that however I have treated the least among us is how I have treated Him, to continue along the not-at-all-easy road of feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and aiding the poor. To follow the path started by Jesus himself, to follow him, rather than merely worship him. I will go where I feel I have been led, where my heart and my mind and my conscience all tell me is the right path to follow, no matter who may think of say otherwise. The path where I can just be and just do, without spending so much of my time tied up in debates over doctrine and dogma. Because in the end, what’s more important, the label applied to me, or the way I live out my beliefs>

And that’s My Story for this month. Six months to go until my 50th birthday.

Filed under: journal

Character Workbook: Cleric

Berin Kinsman — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:00:06 +0000

Character creation and leveling up can be confusing, even for experienced players. There’s a lot of keep track of, including abilities to choose and statistics to be recalculated.

The Character Workbook: Cleric for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is a game aid designed for that lynchpin divine spellcasting class, walking you through the process of character creation and help you keep track of all those changes as you level up. It’s not a character sheet – you’ll still need one of those – but it will help you make sure you’ve filled out your character sheet completely and correctly. You’ll never have to worry that your character has been short-changed. If you gamemaster asks how and when your character gained a certain ability, or how you calculated a certain bonus, you can show them!

48 pages. PDF. $2.50 US

Buy it today at RPGNow!

Filed under: published work, roleplaying games Tagged: asparagus jumpsuit, pathfinder, rpg

Daily Affirmation: Cooper

Berin Kinsman — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:00:27 +0000

A cooper is a barrel maker, and all of us, ever day, are making barrels. We are constantly seeking to create order by placing things, whether physical objects or tasks, concepts, and even emotions, into categories and contains. We often have a divide and conquer approach, separating things into buckets or barrels in order to deal with them in some fashion we perceive to be orderly and efficient. By acting as coopers, we learn to understand the world around us and shape our own realities.

For more thoughts on this topic, visit my spiritual brother Gary E. Weller at his blog http://geweller-fiction.blogspot.com

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: affirmations

Free Verse: Profanity

Berin Kinsman — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:00:41 +0000

My love/hate relationship
with profanity
begins with the general
overuse
and the lack of creativity
in how it is applied
A devalued currency
because there is
too much of it
in circulation
A fate no word
should succumb to
But oh
sometimes
those are the best
and only
words for the occasion

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: poetry

Your Daily Quote: John Buchan

Berin Kinsman — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:54 +0000

The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.

–John Buchan

Filed under: blogging & writing Tagged: quotations