Star Spangled Banner - Frances Scott Keyes (just because it is the song I've sung to them every nights I've put them to bed since birth)

2. Pope John Paul has called the American Catholic Church "Cafeteria Catholics" because they pick and choose dogma from the Faith to follow or ignore as they see fit. Do you consider yourself like that? Which (if any) teaching of the Church do you ignore, and why?

Yeah I'm a "cafeteria catholic" and yes there are a number of items that I violate. For instance, I broke the "no sex before marriage" one more than a couple of times in my younger days. Also, I'm for the use of birth control and sex for enjoyment as well as reproduction. The "why" should be self evident.

There are other items that I can't really ignore as I can't affect them but I do disagree with. For instance: allowing women priests (a full 50% of the worlds population can't complete all seven sacraments), allowing priests to marry (I understand the "married to the church idea" but other churches aren't having this problem and it was primarily added to ensure property would remain in the church), and zero abortions (we aren't going to get there in my lifetime).

3. Favorite Superhero, (Excluding Captain A), and why? What appealed to you about superheroes as a child, or as an adult?

Good question. While the first part of your question is relatively easy to answer, I believe the second is tied closely to the first. Frank Castle (Punisher) actually comes in a very close second to old Cap. I'll go ahead and mention Jack Monroe (Nomad) as well but I doubt very many people have heard of him. Nomad first:

Jack Monroe started his career as Captian America IV's (not Steve Rogers) sidesick Bucky. I really didn't know anything about him until his last series came out about 10 years ago (maybe more). Don't know why I instantly liked the character so much as the archtype has had to have been used at least half a hundered time in movies and in tv series. While he did pocess one superhero esque device (two discs he could throw with tremendous accuracy) he others looked, walked, and talked like a cliche. Long hair, leather trench coat, shotgun and a couple of sidearms, all either on him or stored with his other few meager possessions on his Harvey Davidson. He was a drifter whose life didn't come into focus until he saved and ended up adopting a prostitute's little girl. Since she didn't have a name he called her Bucky. Many a time after that he found himself in fire fights with the child, complete with a little black Bucky mask and red and blue pajamas, strapped to his back as he tried to save this person or that. That series went for only about 16 issues before it was cancelled but I think someone eventually picked it up again. I never saw them though.

Frank Castle was a Vietnam vet and a family man until one day, he and his family went for a picnic in Central Park when they stumbled upon a group of mobsters killing someone. Not wanting any witnesses, the mobsters shot the Castle family, killing Frank's wife and kids. Frank was the only one to survive. Since then, he's been on a war to stop crime by killing the criminals that the court can't (high priced lawyers) or won't (corrupt officials) get. Working until the name "Punisher" with the trademark white skull, he was always more than just a guy with a gun. He had a strong code or honor, he was a strategist, and was always planning ahead and assessing every situation. No super powers, no super toys. Just a vigilante with a series of big guns and a Judge Dread mentality. Though I don't even own a gun, at this point in my life, Frank Castle is the only type of "hero" I could imagine myself emulating. Though it would take an equally tragic event for that to occur, I'd rather be a father of two and a husband then a superhero.

As to "what appeals to you...about comics," I'd have to say that they are each small little morality plays where "good" fights "evil." I know this sounds like a weird response since the above two guys most definitely could be considered "evil" by many. I guess it is not unlike stories about hedge knights, wandering ronins, and lone cowboys. Heroes like Robin Hood, the Seven Samuari, Zorro, and even the A-team. Characters in movies like Jack Burton, Shane, John McClain, and yes Balynar, Rocky Balboa each have elements that remind me what being a hero means. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a hero story. "Powers" like what you get in comic books just help the average Joe understand how heroes are different from society. Dediciated readers know it's the willingness to take a stand, alone if necessary, against injustice that anyone a hero.

4. Who do you consider your toughest fight (SCA wise)?

Two really. No kidding there is this guy that goes by BdeB that is a really tough fight for me. Putting aside that I'm a lefty and he's really good against lefties in general, I know most of his shots and what he wants to do but he constantly beats and bruises me. All joking aside, I say belt him before he decides to leave the Kingdom and someone else gets to do it. The other one has got to be the guy I was squired to. Corby does and forever will seem to have my number. Sure we have fought against each other twice as much as anyone else I've ever fought but damnit, I'm still waiting for the day when, like Darth Vader, I'm able to drop the line "When we last met you were the master. Now I am the master." Course, I'm not looking to cut him in two...

5. Name something that you did that are proud of that you did as Seneschal of Caer Mear, and something that you regret or wish you had done differently.

Hmm, I guess the proudest thing I did was step up to let someone take a break that needed one while letting another person fulfill her obligations in another role before she stepped up. I was a placeholder not wanting to move a specific "agenda" as I knew I wasn't going to be there long since Pavla and I were expecting our first child. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to provide the level of attention our fair Barony and Fritz* deserved so it was never anything more than a temporary position. That being said, I'll have to tell you all the story of what happened with the site at Stephan and Niobi's coronation that most the world didn't see. Thanks again Arradd, Kevin, Alan, the Kingdom Lawyers, and others for helping us get through that.

Well, them's my answer...