I’m drafting this with an actual pen and paper in a borrowed notebook. Because my phone died on the Underground. An excercise in poor planning, typical of me. It’s a wonder I’ve made it this far with my writing streak, to be honest!

Now, to today’s actual topic…

As I’ve mentioned in Scribblings past, I’m a little bit of a Norse obsessive.

I wear a Mjolnir pendant almost 24/7, I want to learn Icelandic despite the fact I suck at languages and Vikings is maybe my favourite TV show ever*. For a history buff like myself the fact accuracy is not sacrificed in dramatisation is very pleasing.

The root of my mild obsession is that the Norse mythos is just so damn cool. From Ygddrasil to the World Serpent, from Hel to Valhalla, it’s incredibly… Metal. And I do love me some metal. (not screamo though… Just the heavy drum, bass and guitar lines)

I don’t just wear the Mjolnir pendant because it’s neat looking and metal as hell though. There’s an element of superstition behind it too.

Only superstition, though. Not belief, and certainly not faith. I don’t believe in Odin or Thor (much as I think they’re awesome), just the same as I don’t believe in any god. But I do wear the pendant like a talisman. A good luck charm as it were.

Perhaps that’s all it takes. Half believing that the pendant brings me luck — even if I don’t truly think so — changes my mindset enough that things work out better and I perceive it as luck.

Maybe I just ruined that effect for myself by thinking too hard about it. A placebo effect as it were. It remains to be seen.

Sometimes a little magic is nice. But not in the face of facts. Somehow show me evidence of Odin and I’ll happily pray to him.

Phew… that was hard work. Massive respect to anyone who slogs through NaNoWriMo using pen and paper!

Until next time — Skál!

Though for the day: Rune of Perthro — “The beginning and end are set. What’s in between is yours. Nothing is in vain, all is remembered.”