Dear Patricia,
Thankyou for your help. Actually, though, he makes no secret of his felony...and, in a way, that has turned out to be a strenghth: the Florida Department of Corrections publishes every Florida inmate's photo and record on its official website which, actually goes a long way towards reassuring people who, might otherwise imagine really awful things. This guy is not "really awful" but had a substance abuse problem that had started spilling over into some burglary...none of which do I condone and, it IS sort of horrible in its way too, but, not in the blood-curdling terrifying way violent criminals or serial killers are...so, in a way, it actually is to his benefit that people can see his record is not one of murder or violence.
He is Anthony L. Roberson and his Dept. of Corrs. number is DC#A-X18999. You can find him on their website and, if you care to write him after that you'd address the envelope:
Anthony L. Roberson DC#A-X18999-A-1-101up, Madison Correctional Institution/workcamp, 382 S.W. M.C.I. Way, Madison, FL 32340. Unfortunately, they keep moving him from dorm to dorm which, disrupts contact with him. Last week he was in -B-1-100up and this week he's in -A-1-101up which, is even more confusing that it is "up" since he is actually downstairs.
His extreme interest in Odin and the runes and so on has led me over the past couple of years into an even greater interest in both, especially as I always knew I had the Ganger in my ancestry and knew vaguely about Odin, and, this young man is Irish as far as he knows not from Viking ancestry but from the olf Gaelic clans...it does give me pause and makes me wonder if there may not BE some Viking ancestry in him somewhere, though he is not aware of any, and if there is after all something like genetic or "atavistic" memory at work.
I don't know, but I do believe he has a bright mind and a deep and genuine interest and, I truly hope that he has licked his addictions and will not repeat any bad patterns of behaviour...
I learnt only recently, that, Sweden will pay new immigrants to study Swedish the first three years they are in Sweden...so if he would be allowed to emigrate perhaps he could really connect with his destiny in Scandinavia.
Blessings,
Randall
Patricia <originalpatricia@...> wrote:
Hmmm there's no should about it at all, has your friend a little knowledge of German - I found that helpful in my own case but we cannot compare, (one is a young guy and the other a little old lady)
Having said that, why not !! I should say - since I'm studying Old English concurrently with Old Norse, that provided you keep separate notebooks 'n' stuff it will be good for your friend.
With all skills - and he may have this skill - use your skills before you lose them.
Emigration is a Touchy Subject about which I know nothing, much may of course depend on the Friend and whatsoever was his felony, you may not want to share that with us, I would say I would not, he is fortunate to have someone who cares
Bless
Patricia
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 8:11 AM
Subject: Re: [norse_course] my son got killed and I have a friend in prison
Well, thankyou, Patricia.
I am wondering if Old Norse should be studied concurrently with modern Icelandic? I also have no idea whether my friend will be allowed to immigrate to any Scandinavian country after his release? I haven't wanted to shoot down his dreams, but, am pretty certain I've heard that, no passports are ever issued to former felons?
Randall
Patricia <originalpatricia@...> wrote:
Happy to be of help, I will be glad if our resident expert should return this will make things easier for you, I have a feeling I might just be the Oldest member, but by no means does that mean I am the most academically inclined.
Bless
Patricia
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 6:24 AM
Subject: Re: [norse_course] my son got killed and I have a friend in prison
Dear Patricia,
Thankyou for your helpful recommendations.
Your friend's being in Jail for what ever reason should not be an obstacle to learning Old Norse, there should be plenty of opportunities to enquire at a library in your own town for books, personally I have a strong feeling for the books published by the University College London, for they also run the Viking Society for Northern Research, these books are not really expensive and Amazon would likely have them, but try Googling for the Viking Society for Northern Research and see what develops
The Books are by Michael Barnes and Anthony Faulkes, Professor Barnes' knowledge of Old Norse is outstanding, as indeed is that of his colleague.
The books are in three Volumes soft cover, and doubtless a Dictionary (Recommend Zoega)
of course you will find there are many people still devoted to E V Gordon's Introduction to Old Norse, but the Viking Society's books have the edge to my mind, Biased - oh Yes but not I think without reason
Well Randall I wish you every success
Patricia
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2005 6:18 AM
Subject: [norse_course] my son got killed and I have a friend in prison
Hi, I am new to this group. My nineteen-and-a-half year old son got
drowned trying to save his mother in a flood 56 weeks ago in
Virginia.
Jamie (my son) was very into dragons and had dragon tattooes which he
had designed himself. My penpal who is in prison in Florida and
extremely into runes and Odin had a vision in which he saw my son
feasting with Odin because he had died a hero and he drew me a nice
picture of a dragon in honour of my son.
I am a descendant of Odin through Rolf the Ganger and my friend, who
is
of Irish ancestry, knows of no such descent himself but is extremely
drawn to Norse and Viking culture. Because he's incarcerated in Florida
which maintains a website showing every inmate's photogragh and record,
it is possible to check him out thoroughly in advance of any contact
with him.
I found this group searching on the Internet for a way to help my
friend learn Norse so he'd be able to
study original texts about Odin
but, I am not really sure how to go about this. I've never taught
anyone a language before and, haven't learnt Norse yet myself.
Cany anyone please advise me?
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