An Interview

Raise Me Up: Choose somebody from the Vocal community and interview them about their experience throughout winter.

It has been my utmost pleasure to interview fellow Creator, Gary Ragnarsson, who describes himself in his Vocal profile, as:

"Deep thinker, stoic, and writer from the UK, sharing everything from philosophical insights to my most intimate, personal stories."

"In a world consumed by chasing more, I’m over here embracing less on purpose."

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1) You are with Peter Pan on a cold winter's night. Tell me what the two of you are up to.

Cold and frosty in Neverland? Well we’re most certainly thinking up the possibilities of the next great snowball war! Well that… and what kinds of amazing foods and teas we can conjure up for breakfast 😋

We’ll have snowmen for target practice and wooden barricades to shelter behind and warm fires to huddle around when we’re soaked through and finished playing!

And that nasty hook will watch from the frozen shoreline with his grumpy face and his nasty red wine. I can see it now!

(Find out more about Gary's marvelous adventures with Peter Pan here in this wonderful story of his, one of my personal favorites:)

2) Tell me why the winter is "stoic," like Gary Ragnarsson.

First up, I do enjoy being likened to as stoic, though, I’d hardly say I’ve quite cracked that. The best way to describe myself would be as a studying stoic, or an often-late practitioner!

I consider winters stoic when we simply see what nature goes through. The trees stand bare, patient, against the cold, rain, and wind. The fields harden and even crack against the frost. But, soon enough, it all comes full circle. Leaves return, so too do flowers and crop and the birds that populate and peck at them.

Winter is a perfect opportunity to truly understand the core concept of stoicism. The obstacle is never in the way, it simply is the way.

(Gary knows we have much to learn from nature, and here is another example:)

3) In some of your stories, you write about napping and the importance of sleep. Do you actually do more of that during winter's months? And you've also mentioned that you have dealt with depression and anxiety (like countless others of us;) is that more of a problem for you on cold and dreary days?

Ordinarily I’d say yes to the naps part, but this year things have been a little more hectic all around. I have taken on three more children and a much busier household along with it!

These days it’s more the odd doze on the sofa or an occasional slink off into the bedroom for forty-winks. Me and my fiancée do seemed to have adopted their sleep schedule though!

Depression for me is absolutely worse during the winter — especially this winter. Though saying that my entire financial situation lives and dies on the weather.

What I refer to as depression may just as well be the symptom of not being the most put together person. And that’s putting it mildly. Like the late Uncle Ben once famously said: with great creativity, comes a great responsibility to underperform in life!

(That quote is a great lead-in for the pup in Gary's story here:)

4) What winter activities await you and your family, Modern Viking? Are there any traditions involved?

I love walks across solid earth! The crunch in the grass beneath a solid frost, the brisk air in your lungs as you trundle through a silent, undisturbed woodland. Walking is about the most you’ll get out of me this time of year, especially if it’s with a steaming hot chocolate and a lamb & mint bake from our local Curtis to encourage me along!

Other than that I enjoy certain labour tasks like chopping wood, and staying indoors in my dressing gown watching movies or reading a good book.

Am I mad enough to go skinny dipping along the north shore… yes! Do I get any company? Absolutely not haha

(Gary shows us how to live the essence of freedom:)

5) The final question I have for you is, "what does Loki have to say about winter?"

Well if you ever find out, you’ll have to let me know! But considering that he is (to my understanding) born from and bound to the changing and chaotic essence of fire itself, I’d say he stands as a solid reminder that everything ins changeable, ever moment has its purpose, and that given the test of time, most of our obstacles will naturally attract most of their solutions if we simply stand by and be patient. Not a bad friend to share a hot cup of tea with on a cold morning, indeed.

(Gary has an absolute grasp and insight into the heart of Loki...you will really enjoy his story:)

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A Little More Information about Gary (from his own story, How To Make The Most Of Vocal- Part 2:)

"you’ll likely find me writing fiction, some stuff about lifestyle and philosophy, and a whole lot about audience building, content writing, and techniques regarding the craft of writing itself."

"I started my writing journey when I was around 16, having developed some health issues that made it difficult to get out to work. The site I started on was Hubpages, where I wrote content on fitness, Paganism, ancient religions, and a little fiction here and there."

"I’ve dotted around the net, worked successfully as a freelance ghost-writer, set up some author websites and platforms, and worked as a writing coach for authors that wanted to get serious about bulking out their audience and growth. I’m a learner and a researcher, a teacher and an observer. An ideas man. And that’s worked out great for me so far."

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On January 26, 2024, The Vocal Trophy Hunters Group was launched by administrator and moderator, Gary Ragnarsson. The goal of this group, in Gary's words, is to "add a little extra to your Vocal.media writing journey with task-based trophies and seasonal challenges! Badges, titles, ranks, and more."

This is the first challenge: