Alright... Which one of you re-activated me...? And Thanks.

Recently, there has been a surge in reality TV shows about ridiculously large families, such as Jon and Kate Plus 8: tlc.discovery.com/tv/jon-and-kate/jon-and-kate.html, Table for 12: tlc.discovery.com/tv/table-for-12/table-for-12.html, and 18 Kids and counting: tlc.discovery.com/tv/18-kids-and-counting/duggar-family.html. Further, you have Octomom: www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2009/02/octomom-erupts-video-showdown-with-her-mom-over-babies.php. These families are massive, to the point of there being no fucking way to raise the children without some level of serious neglect. Three of these families have reality shows, where you see all the pretty, happy, candyfloss bullshit without any of the real stress of raising children... And the Duggar family is STILL SPAWNING. To these families and all others like them I say the following: IT'S A VAGINA, NOT A CLOWN CAR!!! Quit FUCKING, and let's figure out this whole FOOD/AIR deal first, then figure out how to care for the children you have. AND STOP FUCKING. I mean, "Be fruitful and multiply," yadda yadda... If not for your reality show, you'd most likely be on government assistance of some sort.

And OCTOMOM??? Oh, holy... holy fuck. World-class Twatwaffle. 'Nuff said. I mean, you could write a book about the sheer number of issues she obviously has.

My sentiments on this matter say nothing of child exploitation, which TV shows covering these families really comes down to... If these families were not so large, no one would know who they are. I mean, the Goselins would be nobodies, as would the Duggars, and no one would really have an opinion one way or another on Octomom, either. These people are using their children as a fast ticket to fame, and I can only hope they have a much shorter fifteen minutes than they want. Imagine not only having too many siblings to really get proper attention from your parents but also having a TV producer, camera and sound crew surrounding you at all times. What do you think that would do to you? If you're lucky, you'll avoid ending up in a clocktower cuddling a rifle.

Lorelai and I have ONE child together. I am a father of four, but only Lizard lives with us. In some ways that should bother me, but in many it's a blessing. You see, Lizard will never have to feel like she's left out of anything children should be allowed to participate in because big brother/sister needs this/that. Now, I am certain that there are exceptions to every rule, but they are few and far between. I am the oldest of 6, and once we got to the point where there were 4 of us, we all for the most part ceased to exist because our parents couldn't handle us. This of course did not stop my parents from having 2 more. I have met families of even 8 who did not have that kind of problem, but I highly doubt there are many.

So if your family is that damned big, do us all a favor: STOP FUCKING AND DON'T USE YOUR KIDS FOR ATTENTION. Society and your children will thank you.

So in case you were asleep, November 4, 2008, marked a milestone in our nation's history... But the milestone of which I am speaking is not the one you might think. Barack Obama's election to the office of the President of the United States of America marked two milestones that day. You see, on the one hand, you have the election of our first ever black President. On the other hand, you have the day that we found out just how far our nation still has to go in achieving a true balance of equal respect amongst the various races that ultimately make up the human race (or what passes for it in this country).

You see, it was no later than six o'clock the following morning that I heard, "well, we're fucked now. Obama got elected. That nigger's gonna take my guns, protect the muslims and fuck us all over."

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, When explaining to another commuter why the bus was going to be late that day, I heard, "Great, next they'll give our NIGGER PRESIDENT a fuckin' holiday..."

Today, which happens to be President's Day, Lorelai comes home from work, giving the usual summary of what sucked about her day, and quotes a caller, who said, "well, clinic's closed, they're celebrating that NIGGER HOLIDAY..."

It's been an average of once a week I have heard at least something negative about our new President. And alarmingly, almost HALF of these negative statements are centered on the COLOR OF HIS FUCKING SKIN. Now I ask you: WHAT FUCKING CENTURY IS THIS? After all the EQUAL RIGHTS LAWS and various steps we've taken to ensure equal treatment for all races, how is it that we still have such intolerance in this country based on something so superficial as the COLOR OF ONE'S SKIN?

I am one quarter JAPANESE, somethinng on the order of about one thirty-second Sioux, and my last name is Wilcox. My last name is something of interest because of the following: Approximately HALF of the Wilcox's in this country are BLACK. It's in my fucking family tree. There is every likelihood that, given these circumstances, I have some black genes in my makeup.

And all I can say to that is: Virtually everyone in America, on some level, has some African genes in their bloodline. There are very few undiluted peoples in this world, and you will find them in the most remote and inaccessible regions of Africa, Papua New Guinea, and the jungles of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. And guess what? YOU LOOK NOT ONE FUCKING THING LIKE THEM. Why? Because MOST of the world has been cross-breeding either through consent and inter-marriage or rape throughout history. Now, given this hard (and terribly inconvenient, to some) truth, please, oh PLEASE explain to me how the fuck one gets off spouting racial epithets about ANYONE?

Take the so-called "Master Race:" Blonde hair, blue eyes. How can you have a Master Race comprised of RECESSIVE genes? Brown eyes and blue eyes get together, the kid will have BROWN eyes. Brown or black hair and a blonde? Yup, you guessed it, the darker color will dominate. Further, civilization originated in the Fertile Crescent, that arid land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. AND THEY WERE NOT WHITE. The white race originated from a string of genetic anomalies, passed down from generation to generation, which helped us adapt to the circumstances that climate presented us in our area. We developed a long nose (for warming the air we breathe), fair skin (less exposure to the harsh sun led to less melanin produced for protection) and so on. The root race? Well, the oldest known fossils representing early man come from Africa, hence the name of the species: Australopithecus Afarensis, "the Ape Man of the Afar (Africa)." THERE'S YOUR MASTER RACE. Can't handle it? Then here's how you solve this problem: Go out to a remote area, lie down in the snow, take out a gun, put it in your mouth, and pull the fucking trigger-- effectively removing yourself from the human race and letting us get on with striving to achieve a better world.

It is those that feel themselves superior to someone because they happen to have a different level of melanin than someone else that piss me off to no end. It is those people that make me angry that society still has that far to go. It is those people that make me regret my very humanity because I feel tainted by their presence.

Now, some folks haven't bitched about our President's skin color. They have, however, attempted to blame him for the state of our nation. To them I say this: NO, the LAST President we had did that. Obama's trying to UN-FUCK us. But since it hasn't magically occurred overnight, they are quick to bitch about it. After all, our nation was left in financial ruin by a President who spent a several trillion dollar surplus into a several trillion dollar deficit fighting two wars, one of which was a fucking publicity stunt. This same man wiped his ass with our Constitution, with such strokes of genius as warantless wire-tapping and waterboarding authorized as means for acquiring intelligence. Guess what? Rome wasn't built in a day, and regardless of what that book you find in every hotel room says, the world wasn't created in a week, either. This will take time. If you're not willing to wait that long, then get the fuck out of my country. Because, after all, what other choice do you really fucking have?

I am not a patriot, not by a long shot. I know too much about our nation's true history to get behind all that bullshit. I didn't own a flag on 9-10, and I didn't buy one on 9-11. What I am is an American, born and raised. I believe that our nation is capable of great things, under the right circumstances. If you aren't capable of attempting to understand the scope of the mess that Barack Obama inherited on Inauguration Day, and the scope of what may need to be done in order to clean it up, then you are not American in my eyes.

It seems that some people in the Society for Creative Anachronism can't get it through their heads that two groups of people can't be good at the same thing and not hate eachother. Those two groups of people in this case are Fire and Steel, my performance troupe, and Ignition, a performance troupe led by another man named Khan (SCA name used here). BUT... The drama comes from a source completely outside of these two entities. I figure I'll address this drama, as if I've heard it, they've likely heard it too.

It's come to my attention by way of the same asshole quoted in my last Blog entry that APPARENTLY: I seem to think Ignition is stealing Fire and Steel's thunder. Ok, re-read that part. Again. Got it? You sure? Okay, read on: The Kingdom of An Tir is a HUGE place, spanning multiple states and last I heard, even part of Canuckistan. Given that both troupes really only ever overlap paths is at Seadog Nights (In other words, ONE event per year) one would think there's plenty enough thunder to go 'round, right? RIGHT? See, I thought you'd agree. I mean, we average four or five events per year. Ignition performs a lot more than we do. BUT-- Aside from Seadog, our paths don't intersect. So--- What thunder are they stealing, exactly? And who thought this up?

Second, it's also come to my attention by way of this same asshole that I think they're getting gigs that should be ours. All I can say to that is, "REALLY???" Seriously, let's look at the simple logistics of this issue: We're based in and around Portland, OR. They're based around Seattle, WA. Okay, now let's see here:

Here's a set of directions to a nightclub I found on Google, starting at my place (My address omitted):



1:
Start out going NORTHWEST on xxxxxxxx. 0.8 mi

2:
Merge onto OR-217 N toward PORTLAND. 2.2 mi

3:
Merge onto US-26 E toward PORTLAND. 4.7 mi

4:
Merge onto I-405 N via the exit on the LEFT toward ST. HELENS/SEATTLE. 2.3 mi

5:
Merge onto I-5 N toward SEATTLE (Crossing into WASHINGTON). 168.2 mi

6:
Take the W SEATTLE BR/COLUMBIAN WAY exit, EXIT 163. 0.1 mi

7:
Take the SPOKANE ST. ramp toward SAFECO FIELD. 0.4 mi

8:
Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto S SPOKANE ST. 0.4 mi

9:
Turn RIGHT onto 1ST AVE S. 1.0 mi

10:
End at 1950 1st Ave S Seattle, WA 98134-1406


B: 1950 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134-1406



Total Time: 3 hours 6 minutesTotal Distance: 180.15 miles

Now granted, this club was the FIRST result I could find using Google. I do not know if Ignition performs there. But pay special attention to the last line in the directions... Total time: 3 hours 6 minutes, Total distance: 180.15 miles. NOW-- Tell me WHAT exactly makes sense about me supposedly whining that they're taking shows from us? I mean, we'd spend about 300 dollars in gas money and fuel for the show, leaving little to nothing for profit... Plus spend six hours on the road to perform for one. In any scenario for a paid gig, you need to stay local or be willing to work for nothing when the cash totals out. Not logical by any means. So what shows, exactly, are they taking from us? And who thought THIS up?

Now, I can see where some may think I've said negative things about Ignition, but they're not, really. The following is an objective truth: They have PHENOMENAL teamwork-based acts, but they do need to work on developing more individual styles for acts where there is only one performer onstage. They practice together a lot, and this is not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination, but this can also lead to homogenization of styles. The opposite is true of Fire and Steel. We have some AWESOME individual performances, acts, and styles. Our teamwork-- not so much. We need to work on that, ourselves. It's going to be slow going, because we're scattered all over the place and don't get much opportunity to practice together. You see, just because you might hear about what I perceive to be one troupe's weakness... Does NOT mean that I am unaware that Fire and Steel, my own troupe, has its shortcomings as well. And if you ask me at any time, you will find I will outright tell you what our weaknesses are. I call them like I see them and tell it like it is. PERIOD.

Personally, I do believe that Ignition can and will learn to develop more individual styles for single member acts. I believe that both troupes have their strengths, and that these strengths happen to be the things that the other needs to work on. I believe that both troupes will get these things down, and that both troupes will be equally unstoppable. AND THERE WILL STILL BE ENOUGH THUNDER TO GO AROUND. If you think I've actually taken up arms against Ignition, you have another thing coming. For instance, Khan HIMSELF can tell you about Autumn War two years ago, when I stood in their encampment and freely handed out tips and information ranging from helping to keep your tools from fraying to useless bundles of Kevlar to which chemicals, when added to denatured alcohol, produce which colors. Does this sound like someone at odds with them? Likewise, he and I can both tell you about Seadog last year when he happened to have his leather repair kit onhand when I needed a rivet to fix a broken shackle strap. Does this sound like someone who hates me? Or has anything REMOTELY personal against me?

So bottom line: Here you have two troupes of performers, both of whom excel at fire performance. We're in competition, yes, but are we adversaries? I tend not to think so. You see, it just doesn't make any sense for there to be personal friction between the two groups, as we are too far apart, and are too different. Those who don't see it that way: All I can tell you is that I hope you eventually fall into the crack-- The one filled with people who ask why they HAVE to have a favorite and not just enjoy both troupes' shows.

Recently, in a group on FetLife, I ran into this little gem of a post (names eliminated to protect the identities of those I would rather see left alone and most of the responders have been left out):


workshop fireplay:dancing with the sun by Sol December 27th at the asylum
Xnumber1 started this discussion 1 day ago

Saturday December 27th The asylum(Eugene, Or) is pleased to welcome nationally recognized presenter XXXXXX. This is a class I have taken, and it is not to miss. It's my opinion that Sol is one the best in the business at fireplay, and this class is a bargain compared to what it might cost in other cities.
XXX on Fire Play: Dancing with the Sun!

Letʼs talk a little about Fire Performance. Why do we dance with fire? It is because of the primal nature of the element. Man lives in awe of the elements and has worshiped them from the dawn of time. Using the elements brings incredible power to any art. When man harnessed the element of fire the primal nature was tapped. Or have we harnessed it? The illusion of control has at times led to devastating effects. Yet man is still fascinated by fire as he dances with utility and the power he will never control.


In this discussion xxxxxx will demonstrate dancing with fire as it pertains to BDSM play and beyond; for the dance is a must, because control is an illusion. A fire performer learns to move with the fire and guide it in a profound and fascinating dance. We will discuss how a fire performer develops a relationship with the uncontrollable and manages the risk while maintaining intensity. In the BDSM world we use the intensity of fire to build and thrill, and also to massage and relax with sensual touch. Fire is a dance and a journey of the spirit as well as the body. Come see a Dance with the Sun.
about XXX

XXXXXX "XXX" is a nationally recognized sex-positive educator and performance artist active in the fetish, bondage and BDSM communities. Beginning consciously in 1980, XXX's alternative journey has resolved into a commitment to merge art, spirituality and connection into his lifestyle in expressions of sacred sexuality, alternative relationships, and participation in BDSM and bondage that include Japanese rope bondage, body art, Edge play, sensation play and photography. Additionally XXX works with the community in developing interpersonal communication and group dynamics. While teaching technique is a forte XXX believes the soul of relationship is what gives expressions potential.


XXX is the leader of (INSERT BONDAGE COMMUNITY NAME HERE), a proud member of the NCSF, and has been an active contributor to many lifestyle conventions, venues, and organizations. Some of these include the Folsom Fringe, Paradise Unbound, GWNN Bash, Club X, Edges Dungeon, SAADE, the Training Camp, APEX, and the SF Citadel. (These entities left named because they don't indicate his identity. There are plenty of people who are involved in all of these.)
the cost of this class will be $10 and will start at 6pm. The doors will open for this class at 5:30pm
to attend this class You have to be a member of the XXXXXX or have applied for membership(thats how You get the adress). if You are not a member take a minute to apply at our website (LINK REMOVED.)



Ok now... Let's see... So am I reading about a BDSM Dom of high caliber? ... OR... Is this taken from a brochure about a noted Motivational Speaker? Which is it? The second paragraph is where I have my issue. There is no mention of actual curriculum aside from the "dance as it pertains to BDSM." Now, I have practiced fireplay for 7 years, and at no point have I heard of a "dance" being involved... But as the article says, "the dance is a must, because control is an illusion..." Wait-- WHAT? Run that by me again? This whole thing reads like some overblown, overly indulgent self-love affair.

...And I posted my opinion stating as much.



masterfrederick responded 1 day ago:
No offense meant, but this sounds like the most over-indulgent line of PR I have ever read. Did you actually write this, or was it taken from a promotional brochure?

And of course, the Dickwagging begins:


xnumber1
responded 1 day ago:
well lets here Your bio then........I am sure You are also a presenter who has taught all around the country right?


My profile is linked in my first reply for those interested. If anyone can find any claim to that effect, please feel free to point it out.

My response:



masterfrederick responded about 16 hours ago:
WOW, how very defensive we get all of a sudden... No,I am not a presenter who has taught all over the country-- I simply don't profess to be the "End all Be all, the Alpha and the Omega" of what I do.
As for a resume, I've been into fireplay for 7 years now. In that time I have done more demonstrations in fireplay than would be truly believable if described here, and if I did in fact put it all down, I would at least not put on airs.
Now don't get me wrong, some of the stuff listed in this thread are things I tip my hat to, but for the most part it sounds too self-indulgent for me to really put much stock in.
Let's hear some real statistics. How long has XXX been practicing fireplay? Estimated number of fireplay acts? Estimated if not total number of related injuries to self or subs? Give me something I can put stock in. Therein lies the credibility of one's methods. For all I know he's taught all over the country and horribly scarred someone at every stop. Now I am NOT saying this is the case, but there is little here for me to go on. Let's be realistic here: Oregon happens to have plenty enough teachers who are competent at their forte, so if you really want folks to go to these classes, you're gonna need more than the "Grand Poobah" routine.


Now, I have never played in the public scene because first, there has been no need to. Second, there are too many people who need to be reminded that it's just one big game of "Let's Pretend." These folks come in two varieties: The newbies, who haven't realized it yet, and the Veterans, who once knew this but now the simulated power and simulated submission have gone to their heads. They've forgotten. And there are more in the public scene than in private. I have spoken with many a competent Dom (used interchangeably with Domme, Master, Mastyr, Mistress, Madame, and all other terms meaning a simulated superior role) who gets this. They feel nothing but sympathy for those who don't or once did but have forgotten. It's not really the case for the majority of public Scene players, but there are enough of them to just shred any desire to get involved.


Xnumber1 responded about 14 hours ago:
dude I don't know what your deal is. If you knew anything about anything You would know that a presenter writes his own bio and class sescription. I didnt write any of XXX's material. And XXX is one of the most respected presenters in the undustry, and he knows his shit,=. I have taken his class before. I wont speak for him about on how many of this and how many of that he has done.
I realise you have probably done all kinds of presentations of fire play at sca conventions, thats cute and all, but I have never heard of You before, but I do know plenty of people who are master so and so and talk alot of shit about other people. I dont recall ever seeing your name anywhere at a convention. as far as my bio goes it is currently listed ont he websites for shibaricon, kinky kollege and kinkfest, its pretty easy to find information on me.
and as far as me getting defensive, I would have never had to get defensive over someone that is a friend and a skilled presenter if you hadn't acted like such a douchebag and made your comments, which are not usefull and not invited, and as far as I am concerned hold no ground because you obviously don't know what you are talking about

Ok, now I'll let my response do the talking here, because it says it well enough:



masterfrederick responded about 14 hours ago:
So you have never heard of me... What do you think that means to me? Not a thing. Why? I don't do what I do for fame. No one should. I could just as well point out that I've never heard of you either... Honestly, it doesn't matter to me WHO you OR XXXXXX XXX are. When I read something, I will speak my mind if I feel like it. I am sure there are plenty of things you and I would BOTH agree on. This just happens to NOT be one of them. The world is full of people who don't always agree with you. Can't handle that? Buy a Helmet.
And by the by... When you post someone's bio, then step to their defense, what do you expect me to assume? Note that at no point do I mention that I think you are XXXXXX XXX. I asked if you wrote it or got it from another source, didn't I? I left you the benefit of the doubt. Or did you not notice? I said I thought his bio sounded pretentious. Because it DOES. It's full of endorsements and credentials from such and such organizations, and a whole bunch of romanticized BS, but no REAL information. You know, the kind of thing someone (who already has what he teaches in common) wants to know before blindly signing on to a class full of shit I already know?


As it turns out, Xnumber1 is the owner of a "prominent" bondage "Dungeon." And as the whole thing progresses, he goes so far as to BAN me from ever going... Not that I ever really had the desire to. I was going to go there, but only because some of my contacts REALLY wanted me to go. My feelings on the matter: A BDSM club is really the Scene equivalent of a Starbucks. And I can get coffee at home...

The rest is more of the same, until it gets to this post:



Xnumber1 responded about 8 hours ago:
I see the douchebaggery continues........
yes You are right alot of people play nice to my face, and then go talk shit behind my back.....just like they seem to do to you. I have received many private messages from peple you think are friends telling me what a douchebag you are....
You obviously think you are hot shit, and I hear you were going to try and come to this class so you could cockblock it. Of course we have a no douchebag policy, so You won't be able to attend.
I think instead of talking shit about other people you should take a look in the mirror.........better yet take a look in your picture folder, because your bondage work is crap my friend.....why don't you go off somewhere and spend a few years working on your bondage before you start talking shit about other peoples skill in bdsm.

just a hint though, you might want to stop buying silk cord from the craft store. Thats a free piece of advice from me to You.

Ok then... Let's see. At no point have I or will I say I think XXXXXX XXX doesn't know his game, and might I ask where someone got that I would try to "Cockblock" his class? I mean, holy shit... How would one even go about doing that? I am sure the club is going to get a big draw from this guy being there. One man against a mob? Yeah, them numbers make sense. That and I am not one to blindly attack someone's professional reputation. You have to have DONE something before I take things to that level. Hell, I had a bloody feud with another performer some two years ago, and I didn't pull that shit. If I linked the whole thread, you'd see that this guy is struggling with the fact that no matter how hard he tries, he doesn't matter to me. It's so important for him to matter to me... And all I can ask is, "why?"

And then it gets REALLY funny:

"I think instead of talking shit about other people you should take a look in the mirror.........better yet take a look in your picture folder, because your bondage work is crap my friend.....why don't you go off somewhere and spend a few years working on your bondage before you start talking shit about other peoples skill in bdsm.
just a hint though, you might want to stop buying silk cord from the craft store. Thats a free piece of advice from me to You."

Now, I did mention my profile is linked, right? Well, since not everyone will be able to read it, allow me to highlight the following:

"I do not claim to know everything there is to know about BDSM (as no one should) but I can tell you without ego that there is little if anything left for me to learn about fireplay."

I don't pretend my ropework is all that good. In fact, I bluntly tell people I consider myself a novice at it. And I could bother to point out that it's not the rope but rather the intent with which it's used that matters, and that not all of it is "silk", but rather the thin stuff is Kevlar drum cord, with a test of 900 pounds... But that's not the point. The point is that this is the classic Dickwagger's last act of desperation. He's run out of ways he can fuck with me regarding the actual topic at hand, and resorts to attacking my character from a completely irrelevant angle.

And all the while, he's danced around the main thrust of my initial statement: The bio posted DOES sound pretentious, nothing more than over-indulgent self-love. And all the Dickwagging in the world is not going to make any difference in how I read it. When I consider someone to teach me anything, fuck the credentials. I want to hear what they KNOW. I want to know that this person is not going to be showing me shit I already know. I want to know that I don't already surpass him and could save time and money by not bothering. There is no content to the initial article. There is only fluff, pomp, and pretentiousness. He may know his game like no other, but there's nothing in his bio that would tell me that.

I just updated my blog, but it's so image intensive this time around that rather than duplicate the entry in its entirety I have chosen simply to post the link to my LJ entry. http://masterfrederick.livejournal.com/28073.html

There are TONS of pictures from our shows in this entry, so prepare to have your mind blown.

I think it's time to let a few folks who read my blog (my loyal tens of readers) know a bit about the differences between Fred Wilcox and Frederick the Reckless. You see, if you know me from events, and only from events, you don't know me at all. Frederick the Reckless is a "Larger than Life( tm )" version of myself, and even then, not my WHOLE self. It is a persona derived from a few of my more boisterous traits, completely out of proportion. Frederick the Reckless is an arrogant, bawdy, cocky individual whom even I can't stand at times. He is my competitive nature, my outspokenness, my ego blown up to the point where he even disgusts ME. He's fun to play-- for a while. I can't even really stay in persona for a full event at a time. He's mentally taxing and sometimes physically exhausting to portray. Think it through: How tired would you be of swaggering everywhere, performing with fire or weapons, fighting, all the while flirting with every woman who looks good in a bodice? For a whole weekend? Funny thing is, if folks would drop by my encampment most times, they wouldn't find Frederick the Reckless there. Not even if I'm sitting in a chair outside my tent. Finding this hard to follow? Good. You're not alone. Even I have a hard time keeping up with him, and I'm the one playing him.

Now, I make some wonderful things-- Talons, shackles, leather garb and accessories-- and I take pride in my work. This is not something that most, outside of their knowledge of Frederick the Reckless, would view as arrogant. I am an excellent performer with fire or live steel weapons. I take pride in that, too. Again, not something that alone would make me seem arrogant. I am an okay fighter (once upon a time I took it more seriously, and was MUCH better then) but really would classify myself as mediocre these days. It is only my persona that makes me seem more proficient with a weapon in battle than I really am. It's more showmanship than anything else. I take pride in my ability to entertain. Once again, this is a trait that, viewed alone, would not make me seem arrogant.

It's only when you add this all up, and throw in a heavy seasoning of roleplay that I seem arrogant. But this is not Fred Wilcox you view when you are bearing witness to the grotesque bravado and rampant testosterone that is Frederick the Reckless. I have only one justification for Frederick's existence: I can back up every brag that HE makes. If Frederick says he can do something, I can back it up. It's that simple. I learned early in life that you shouldn't make brags you can't support. It only takes one person, one time, to say "Oh, yeah? Prove it," to destroy every last bit of your credibility. It's the fact that I have so many things I CAN back up that make Frederick seem more arrogant than even HE is. I am at once one of the most respected and hated people in the Kingdom of An Tir. For the same reasons. Either people wish to be like me, or they are too like me. To be respected by someone because they want to be like you is called being a Role Model. To be hated for the same reason? That is called Jealousy. To be respected by someone because they are very much like you is called Kinship. To be hated for the same reason? One is left to ask whether that person hates himself or not. But whether you like me or hate me, regardless of the reason, you shouldn't if all you know is the persona you meet at events. That's not me. You should get to know Fred Wilcox, and make up your own mind.

What is He? A rebel among rebels. Pirates in the Kingdom of An Tir are pretty much considered the rebels of the SCA. Their presence is looked down upon at many sanctioned events, to the point where some high-horse riding soap-boxers will even refuse to speak to a pirate. But when the trend drifts to the point where pirates run rampant, and every one and their respective siblings are portraying pirates at events, who rebels against them? You guessed it. Frederick the Reckless. You see, one can rebel against such a trend in two ways: You can either portray a PERFECTLY period piratical persona (DON'T try to say THAT three times rapidly) and dedicate your time to educating those not in proper period attire on how things were done/worn/carried... And lose a lot of friends for being a "Period Nazi." OR... You can portray a pirate so over-the-top that most other pirates can't stand you, and find out which folks are REALLY your friends. I'll give you three guesses which route I chose, and the first two don't count.

Who am I? A cornball. I was the Class Clown all through school. I took drama in high school. I had imaginary friends as a kid. LOTS of them. I wet the bed until I was thirteen. I play Dungeons and Dragons. I am, at my heart, a geek. Simple as that. I have been, in my working life, many things. Soldier, Security Guard, Gas station attendant, unskilled labor in concrete sewer pipe manufacturing, air valve manufacture, injection molding, circuit board assembly and warehouse worker. I am currently and have been for the past ten years a sheet metal finisher. I am a father, a husband, a friend to those who have looked past the veil that is Frederick the Reckless. I am all this and more, too many traits and features to list in a simple blog entry. Just, I imagine, like YOU.

On Fairness (Let's HAVE SOME, Shall We?)

Some of you know that I have not one but two sons, not one but two daughters, four children in all. Some of you know that I have been paying child support on one of them, to the tune of $688.00 a month, for the past four years. And some of you know that, due to the arrival of my youngest daughter, I recently filed to have the child support amount reduced. Very few of you know what followed that filing. READ ON...

When I filed to have the amount reduced, it was not long before I got a witholding order stating an obligation of $427.00 per month in child support with a balance due of $11,500 dollars or so. Okay, I'm used to seeing a back child support balance (I was unemployed for ten months in 2004 with no way to make payments) so I figured it was just back child support they recently uncovered and tacked onto the order. It was not until I received a CHECK for $344.00 that I realized it was a balance due... TO ME.

I got the euphoria that you usually get when you get a windfall, which lasted all of five minutes. Just long enough for me to ask myself: "Hey... Uhm...er...who's footing the bill?" Then it dawned on me that some sort of terrible mistake may have been made-- like writing down my daughter's birthdate as 2-8-06 instead of 2-6-08, or that perhaps my sloppy handwriting made my "8" look like a "6," as it sometimes can if I'm in a hurry. I took out my calculator, and added it all up, multiplying the check amount by the number of months it would take to make that kind of typo. About nine grand... No, that's not it.

I pondered this for a few days, then I remembered something: Shortly before I returned to the working world, I attended a hearing, during which the judge lowered my potential income to minimum wage. Shortly afterward, I received a paper stating that my monthly obligation would be $427.00 per month, with a back child support balance of a little over $5,000.00. Well, okay, but when I got a job, I received a witholding order stating a monthly obligation of $688.00 per month, with over $8,000.00 back due. I figured, "they know better than I do as far as what they're doing. Besides, who am I to question the courts?" And I lived with it.

I eventually caught up on my back due support, and all was well with a universe clever enough to contain yours truly... Or so it seemed. I overdrew my bank account many times over the next four years, sometimes relying on the bank's willingness to cover transactions and take an overdraft fee rather than return a transaction in order to ensure that my rent was paid and I had my bus pass. I endured months where I had to choose which utility bill to pay, and catch up later if I could. But for the most part I made things work as well as I could. I adapted, knowing that at least I was able to meet my obligation.

Then came the day: February 6, 2008. Our daughter, Lizard, arrived. I was hesitant at first to apply for modification of the child support obligation, deciding to see if we could make it with the payment as it is. we found daycare for a sweet deal, that fit into our budget, and lorelai gets great benefits, so Lizard's covered there, so no biggie. But soon our daycare provider, who had also been trying to make it on very little, came to us needing more. We agreed to raise her pay, knowing it was worth it-- Lizard ADORED her. This meant I needed to stop putting it off and apply for a modification, hoping the mother of my third child would not see it as some sort of personal thing (We rarely speak-- there are some issues, not up for discussion here. I will not elaborate on this. Deal with it.). So I went to the courthouse and got the necessary paperwork, filled it out, and sent it in. And waited.

Okay, go back up and re-read that second paragraph. Okay, go back and re-read it. Again. Got it? Okay, read on...

Now I'm panicking, and it dawns on me: When I got the order for child support with an obligation of $427, I never got a witholding order. Previously, I had received witholding orders for $688, intended for my old place of employment. It dawned on me, four years later, that they SENT THE WRONG WITHOLDING ORDER TO MY NEW JOB. They had been taking $271.00 per month MORE than they should have been. Total it all up, and it makes up the balance due to me. Almost to the penny. This meant that the mother of my third, to whom I had been paying child support, was IN DEBT to me for over $11,000.00!!! Which meant that she would be receiving reduced checks for nearly the next three years. Less than $100.00 per month, in fact.

The first thing I did was to call the courthouse to see if I was right about how this came to pass, which I was. The next thing I did dropped the attorney's jaw on the desk: I asked, "Is there any way I can just walk away from that debt, you know, let her keep it?" It's then that things started getting muddier and muddier. See, there's no precedent for that. They sent a cease witholding order, terminating payment of child support. This is their solution to the problem? Leave my third child with NOTHING? Yeah, they decided to terminate child support until the balance is caught up. Then they transfered me to another department because I had questions. That department's solution? CLOSE THE CASE. Oh, holy fuck, this is BULLSHIT!!!

So finally, I get a free moment, and the mother of my third calls me. I explain the situation, and how it's nothing she or I did wrong. The STATE screwed up, but somehow or other she is supposed to be held accountable for it. The thing that absolutely INFURIATES me is that had I not applied for a modification, they would STILL be taking that extra money. Go back and re-read the fifth paragraph. Now I ask you: DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE MONTHS $271.00 MORE WOULD HAVE PREVENTED AN OVERDRAFT OR KEPT ME FROM FALLING BEHIND ON MY UTILITIES? Every fucking month. But THEY screw up, THEY misfiled the witholding order, THEY let it go for four years, and now SHE has to pay for it??? BULLSHIT!!! FUCKING BULLSHIT!!! It's not right, it's not fair, and I would rather not have the money back if it means I have to run a FIVE YEAR-OLD through a MEATGRINDER to get it. Because that's who ultimately suffers for the State's mistake.

So in two weeks, I intend to go with her to the courthouse and file whatever paperwork I need to to get that debt off her shoulders. It's not her mistake, it's theirs. I also intend to talk to a lawyer about who I need to sue to see to it that fairness is served. It would be nice if I could also get punitive damages for pain and suffering, but I'll settle for the money-- and some semblance of my life-- back.


So to the Dead-Beat Dads of the world: You dodge your child support obligation, I meet mine. You avoid finding work to get out of paying for it, I bust ass at my job to make sure I meet my obligations to both my third child and my family here at home. You find out you have money coming, you take it, regardless of who suffers and how they suffer. I am willing to refuse the $11,450.00 owed to me because I refuse to allow a child to starve. I am more a man than you will ever be.

To the Flock:

Another election year is upon us, and once again the country galvanizes itself and divides into two schools of thought. Once again the issues are debated. Once again the mud flies. Once again, common folk on the street and in the workplace confront eachother and try to sway views. And once again, people are criticized over differences in beliefs.

The biggest one on my plate of late is the War in Iraq(tm). This is debated at my workplace, a sheet metal shop in the aerospace industry. The single biggest proponent of the War(tm) is a man who wears Marine Corps regalia every day-- T-shirts, Sweaters, Ballcaps, Pins, not one of his four different vehicles has less than three stickers or magnetic ribbons touting the alleged superiority of the Marines over all the other branches of the United States Military. This type of branch worship would be respectable, if not for one point: HE'S NEVER SERVED. His sons are all in the Corps, and he lives vicariously through them. He tried today to goad me into a debate on the War(tm). He did not like the result.

Now, before I go on, allow me to be CRYSTAL FUCKING CLEAR on one point: I am former Army. I come from a family (TWO, if you count my first stepfather) with a long history of military service. I do not in ANY way disparage anyone for serving. Regardless of your branch, you served the interests of this country. You should be thanked for your self-sacrifice, regardless of how you served, during War- or Peacetime. It is you, the Men and Women of the United States Armed Forces that have my respect. I do not owe any respect to a poseur living vicariously through his children because he was either unwilling or unable to serve.

The War(tm) on the other hand, I do not support. I did not think we had reason to be there before it began, I certainly didn't think it was justified after we found NO WMD there and changed tack and decided to Liberate(tm) Iraq, and changed tack again in order to capture Saddam Hussein and I don't think we should be there now. I feel this way for a few reasons, which will be explained shortly.

Now before you grab the Soapbox(tm) and balance it precariously on your High Horse(tm) and come at me with,"You should be happy you live in America, where people fought and died so that you could be free to say these things!!!" Allow me to tell you to shove it up your High-and-Mighty Ass(tm). I am well aware of the sacrifices our men and women have made, and am grateful for them, thankyouverymuch. It still doesn't mean I have to agree with you.

The debate ended thusly: "Tell you what, Vicarious Poseur-- I'll be more than happy to join your little flock of sheep when you can tell me how exactly the War(tm) is preserving our Freedom(tm). Or for that matter, how this War(tm) has made us more free at all...? Or when, exactly, Iraq was ever an actual threat to OUR Freedom(tm)? And while you're pondering the answers to those questions, I'll throw in a bonus question: Why is our Department of Defense(tm) ALWAYS on the OFFENSE? On someone else's behalf? Janis Joplin said it better than I ever could: FIGHTING for PEACE is like FUCKING for VIRGINITY."

He had no answers to my questions, and so far, NO ONE ELSE has had any, either.