Our Father Who art in Heaven Hallowed be Thy name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil

Amen

Jesus is Lord! Come Lord Jesus!

Come Lord Jesus! Christ is Lord!

The apiary be Scottish run to mute Late December this hugger And seeing simply rise What time in Hearst for Will Enough of oak And seeming simpler For five octet and lane And pasture by the law Economy forever- and nines to the Moon Giving ray to God And night shall let us be- the end of war.

Walk in Peace

And faith The pogroms of India will despise Bitter lonely and clear For night do they quarrel Listing their love unto house Raiding in China A prayer for the earnest To Scotland then and here Nightsrealm to the Apple defer Meaner than meaning A redundance of sense Multiplying days of the time And Everyman two And quarter at time The Earth will recover- her view

For touchdowns imbue The flashing assault To roddery at four And the summon A day without fear Longing to row Ending this week for the poor And livid this day Fortuned to reef A style of the reel to commend And queue and wait solid The discs of her voice Thoughts for the deal- making news

At springtide return To the year of unpeace Profanity kill and redact The night of illegal Rotations to right Sights to unponder- Nightflight

And Claris dues The Sacrament of the poor And duties in fashion Miscreant apology At nine four

To crystals they come And the forging of noise Seen from the left To the right

A place for December In court and contempt The continuous gold- and re-her The Princess to shore Fighting wave and sea Re-figured to Rome And April search Fires of the Aspyr To London The cheap and the Christened Faithful in prose To Her Majesty’s peace- in command The boler in share And topsview to Sweden Placed to vehemence- alone Faulted to Water For this air to keep moving The British, they keel- for clean Water And Earth at its wits For tides here and glow A solemn but super- I know.

Vile

This fever caught me low And substance can’t Stupefied to relation East to sleeps London seeing Olivet Spring Mercy speak And files waiting In her and knowing you This day of whimper For never loaned But listened April running fools And temperate we sail The money war to abide For justice all to simmer My days are mid and laughter But wherefore And points The ecstasy of green To know and go ahead The licensure of rain To gain a tower And hear in faith What God to life Is known to this little life And Holy Hour Beckons to departure For then at yew Major in the making 50 days til you My solace friend to be Supportive to a fault And ending all that lands And purchases told Seacrest from the heart Escaping her- this Salmon be A prayer in good repose And 10 The lights of wind Scurry to the tropics A day without May 11 for the finish And I will tow- my heart betrothe And love you better- through lasting heat.

I missed a day. The 15th of july, A whole day without writing, I know. you can throw tomatos at me if you want, tell me how i abandoned my own pages, how i let a day pass without leaving some proof that i existed. But at the end of the day, you cant really do anything about it. I’ll write when i write. You’ll read it if you like it or not. These are my words, my pages and my thoughts. you’re nothing more thn someone who comes around and reads them. thats all you are.Yesterday wasnt exactly a day worth documenting anyway. i was mostly asleep. when i was not asleep, i was dealing with a headache that felt like it was trying to split my skull apart. eating became a challenge because my body decided it didnt want anything to do with food. So yes. the great writer himself disappeared for a day because he was busy doing nothing. i know, too impressive to be true. but anyway, despite how awful the day was, i did something that somehow made it feel a little less miserable. i texted her. soooo cool, i know. we talk. and somehow, even after everything, she still manages to make ordinary moments feel different. theres something about her that i cant really explain without sounding like someone who has completely lost his mind. maybe i have. shes just breathtaking, the way she talks, the way she thinks, the way she somehow makes me forget about everything else for a little while. i dont know how someone can have that effect on me, but she does. she always has.

Anyway, Its 1 AM now. Im going to spend the rest of the night working, maybe play some games for a little while, and drink tea. Yes. The tea she told me to drink, I listened. Miracles happen. I love her. Thats it.

Sincerely, The writer who missed a day

Het stukje over de lijpe en de rijpe

Wie zijn het die nooit een keer de voor opgemaakte afspraken nakomen altijd overal komen droog deppen na kleddernatte dromen die voor ze het in de pedaalemmer smijte de tube volle mayonaise maar half leeg knijpe iedereen denkt het zijn de lijpe maar die zijn het niet, ut zijn de rijpe

Wie zijn het die het nooit kunnen laten van niets nog minder te maken nooit op hun kant het stuur zo draaien dat ze de wal raken die telkens weer elke eer over hun eigen lijf op treden strijken die altijd andersom dansen en ook nog naar verkeerde pijpen zijn het dan nu wel de lijpe? maar nee hoor weer niet het zijn nog steeds de rijpe

De rijpe, die ververste lijpe je hebt er nooit het laatste over gehoord ze hebben na het waarschijnlijk laatste stiekem nog een woord bewaard voor dat ene moment waarop ze verder willen teren zij zijn het waarom jij en ik, en hun, en die anderen verderop allemaal per stuk met elkander in onmin verkeren als het even kan zitten ze verborgen in de stads jungle stilletjes op duizenden kleurloze potloden punten te slijpen en als ze over de markt wandelen langs alle met vruchten gevulde manden gaan ze moedwillig overal in knijpe dat waren ooit de zeer hoog gesubsidieerde werkzaamheden van de best nog wel een beetje bruikbare lovenswaardige lijpe maar deze taken worden nu geheel vrijblijvend en immer ondergewaardeerd stelselmatig uitgevoerd door de rijpe

De rijpe Zijn de nieuwe lijpe de lijpe zijn nu verplicht om te vallen binnen het spectrum van de meest respectabele tonen en ze moeten daar dan met minder lijp beoordeelde anderen knokken om dezelfde diep gezakte lonen hun oude positie in de uiterste kantlijn van het praatballon oefen kladblok van lieden in de periferie van de rijken is nu in bezit gekomen van een nieuwe groep buitenstaanders die door hun veranderde positie naar elders moesten uitwijken en zo is logischer wijs de verwarring ontstaan tussen de lijpe aan de ene zijde en aan de andere zijde de rijpe

snappie...

Sometimes change is necessary. Sometimes it is a matter of survival, or at least it is a matter of finding your way out of a difficult situation before it becomes impossible to get out of. I think that is where I am at right now. I look around me and see that without change my career may be in trouble. Not because my chosen profession is going away, but because those that I am responsible and accountable to are making it impossible to succeed. Promises have been made that I never agreed to. Expectations have been set that were never realistic. Now it is either meet these or be thrown under the bus as a scapegoat for poorly conceived plans and even more poorly conceived measures of success.

The question is what change is the right change? Do I take steps to make a more drastic change leaving the type of role I have held for years for something completely new and more exciting? Or do I pursue change that keeps me in the same type of role I have had but in a different setting with different players hoping that it will be different this time? My head is telling me to take the more adventurous option, do something different and see where you end up. My cautionary internal voice is telling me to not rock the boat too much, go with the change that you are familiar with and that will be more comfortable. As with any large decision in life, there is rarely a completely obvious choice. Everything comes down to a series of calculated risks and how much risk you are willing to take for the potential of a larger payoff later on.

I don’t know exactly where I am going to land yet. There is more contemplation to be done and more questions to be asked. Yet there is one thing I know for sure, change will happen.

Adobe Stock, the software company’s image and visual assets library, now offers a number of recent wildlife photos from Technology News & Literature. Photos in the new collection were taken this spring and summer at wildlife sanctuaries in Cape May, New Jersey and Fairfax, Virginia.

The current portfolio has bird species — American oystercatchers, geese, osprey, and red-winged blackbirds — both adult and juvenile. The collection also has a cityscape image, shot this past spring in midtown Manhattan. We plan to add more street and urban photography later this summer.

Adobe Stock offers a range of digital content beyond photos: illustrations, vectors, video, and audio tracks. An AI Studio is also available for customizing assets before licensing.

Copyright © Technology News and Literature. All rights reserved.

My acquaintance Alan (@legendofalan) at Substack posted a writing exercise.

Bleeding feet Burning eyes Broken shackles

Consider the exercise if you want. Here is what I wrote.

The pencil sits on the table. Yearning to be used. So is the piece of paper next to it. Your thoughts want to burst out but is restrained by not others, but your own worries, blocks, and the automatic response of self-censoring.

But you pick up the pencil anyways. You move your hand closer to the paper. Broken shackles the second the two writing tools touch. That first line scratching, then another, and another. Finally, those lines form a coherent message.

You’re finally free.

#writing #practice #Substack

Your core question is about how to establish and check Natural Point of Aim (NPA) in ISSF 11‑meter air rifle and small‑bore standing, specifically the transition from rifle on the stand → mounted position → NPA check.
Here is the distilled, ISSF‑relevant method based on authoritative shooting‑sport sources.

---

🎯 Key takeaway

NPA must be set before you aim, and checked after you mount the rifle.
You adjust NPA by moving your body/feet, not the rifle.
The stand is only a repeatable starting reference—not part of the NPA itself.

---

🧍‍♂️ How NPA works in standing (ISSF air rifle & small‑bore)

NPA is where your rifle points when your body is fully relaxed, with zero muscular correction.
If you must “steer” the rifle onto target, your NPA is wrong.
carnimore.com NRA Family

---

🧱 Step‑by‑step: From rifle stand → mounted position → NPA check

This is the workflow used by elite ISSF shooters.

1. Build your stance at the stand

• Feet placed in your consistent reference position.
  
• Hips square or slightly open depending on your style.
  
• Shoulders relaxed.
  
• Head upright, not craning.
  
• Your left hip/elbow triangle (supported position) or free‑arm position set.
  Let's Go Shooting

The stand is only a reference anchor so your mount is identical every time.

---

2. Mount the rifle from the stand

• Lift the rifle the same way every time.
  
• Let the rifle settle into your shoulder pocket.
  
• Set cheek pressure and hand position identically.
  
• Do not steer the rifle to the target yet—just let it settle.
  

This is where your true NPA begins to reveal itself.

---

3. Perform the NPA check

Two authoritative methods:

Method A: Eyes‑closed relaxation test

1. Aim normally.
   
2. Close eyes.
   
3. Take 2–3 relaxed breaths.
   
4. Open eyes.
   
5. See where the sights are.
   If the sights drifted, that drift is your real NPA.
   carnimore.com

Method B: Eyes‑closed mount test

1. Keep eyes closed.
   
2. Mount rifle from the stand.
   
3. Open eyes.
   Where the sights land is your natural mount NPA.
   NRA Family

---

4. Adjust NPA

You adjust your body, not the rifle.

For standing (right‑handed shooter):
– Left foot = large horizontal corrections.
– Right foot = fine horizontal corrections.
Shooting Sports USA

Vertical corrections:
– Move left hand forward/back on the fore‑end.
– Adjust buttplate up/down.
Shooting Sports USA

---

5. Re‑check NPA after every shot or every few shots

Standing position settles over time, so NPA drifts.
Elite shooters re‑check constantly.
NRA Family

---

📌 What ISSF shooters specifically emphasize

✔ Consistency from the stand

The stand is used to ensure your mount is identical every time.
If your mount varies, your NPA will vary.

✔ Zero muscular steering

If you feel tension in:
– wrist
– shoulder
– lower back
– neck
…your NPA is off.

✔ Footwork is the primary NPA tool

ISSF shooters rarely adjust the rifle first—feet first, rifle second.

✔ Watch for “fade” at the shot

If the sights drift just before the shot breaks, your NPA is wrong.
Shooting Sports USA

---

📊 Quick reference table

Component	Purpose	Adjustment method
Stance	Foundation of NPA	Foot placement, hip alignment
Mount	Repeatable rifle position	Shoulder pocket, cheek weld
NPA check	Detect drift	Eyes‑closed test
Horizontal correction	Center left/right	Left foot (large), right foot (fine)
Vertical correction	Center up/down	Hand position, buttplate
Ongoing monitoring	Prevent drift	Re‑check every shot or cluster

---

🖼️ Visual reference

---

Want deeper guidance?

I can walk you through your exact standing position, including:
– stance geometry
– rifle mount sequence
– NPA drift diagnosis
– how to use your stand more effectively

Which part do you want to refine first:
stance,
mount, or
NPA check?

Good question — there's actually a well-documented routine for exactly this transition (rifle stand → mounted position → NPA check), and it's a common technical gap.

The core routine, as taught by ISSF-level coaches:

The recommended sequence is to pick the rifle off the stand and go through your normal routine up to the point right before you'd start settling on the target. At that point, rather than closing your eyes, you shift where your eyes are looking without moving your head — this checks whether the rifle's natural rest point matches where your eyes/head are already oriented, isolating position error from visual correction.

This matters because NPA is the combination of a balanced, low-tension stance and consistent rifle setup — if you repeat the same setup at the firing point, the rifle will always point to the same place. Coaches recommend doing a full NPA check at the start of a session to establish your baseline, then a lighter NPA check before every single shot in the string, adjusting as needed rather than muscling the rifle onto target.

How the correction should be made — this is the most consistent point across sources:

Multiple coaching sources agree on the same principle: don't fight your natural point of aim by adjusting the gun with muscle — instead adjust your stance so the rifle points directly at the target on its own. Practically, this is almost always accomplished by moving the feet, and once NPA is found, the feet shouldn't move again until you're done firing on that target.

For standing specifically, the feet do double duty: the left foot generally stays fixed while the right foot is used to fine-tune the aim on target, and the stance itself acts as the pivot point for horizontal correction, while extending or pulling in the left hand along the stock adjusts for vertical differences in target height.

A caution for coaching younger/newer shooters:

One CMP training note is worth flagging if you're working with beginners: fine NPA adjustments — small shifts in rifle height and horizontal position — should only be introduced after hundreds of dry- and live-fire repetitions of the basic stance; new shooters should first just learn to bring the sights onto target with a consistent foot position, not chase fine NPA correction too early.

One more practical detail — speed of settling:

Practicing the stance repeatedly builds muscle memory, which helps a shooter settle into position quickly — and the faster the settle-to-shot cycle, the better results tend to be, since spending too long hunting for NPA causes tension to creep in and pull the shooter off target.

---

How this fits your lesson plan: This maps almost exactly onto the “Drill: NPA Reset Between Shots” I built into your standing plan — the sequence there (settle → close eyes/breathe → resettle → recheck without moving arms) is the same core mechanism these sources describe, just using eyes-closed instead of eyes-open/head-still. Both work; some coaches prefer the eyes-open version because it more closely mimics actual shot conditions. Want me to add this as an explicit “rifle stand to position” checkpoint at the top of the standing lesson plan?

I've been searching for a 'platform' to write my thoughts. A platform where there is no subscription-payment to join, no-one has to subscribe or pay to read my posts – and I, likewise don’t pay to read theirs – and it's independent of everything and everyone.

I asked Claude.ai – not in the exact above words – to find me such a platform – and write.as and another were the recommendations. Write.as is the one I shall start with.

So, what can I do here? Where's the formatting buttons? How do I insert an image. Ironically, my first post is about how to use this beast (trust me, Claude.ai did not refer to this platform as a 'beast,' nor did Claude.ai write this post – every fingered keyboard stroke is my own!)

So, poking around and mousing over the top-left icon (W), a drop-down menu surfaces and I see that I can switch from the 'Use Plain Editor’ to ‘Use Rich Editor.’ Great! Now, I have a menu at the top!!! So exciting! Wonder if I can insert an image? Yep, there it is… let’s stick something in here; I’m an amateur photographer (sometimes semi-pro $) and I love images, especially my own :D

---

NEAT! I wonder what else I can do! (Already my mind is racing, but as Claude told me—and I did ask for simplicity and independence—keep it simple. So, sit back, take a deep breath and relax. Write that simple blog post that you’ve always wanted. Distraction free! No commitment from or to anyone! Learn some markdown syntax and go from there. Yay!

Finally, to keep it basic and make me happy, I will place a border around my image. A quick internet search yields this result:

<img src="YOUR_IMAGE_URL" style="border: 2px solid #555555;     padding: 5px;" alt="My Image">

Therefore, by switching back to the plain editor and thereby having my image show as code, I can modify and insert the search code to display the css on my image. That said, the modification failed and that's a wrap for this post. I shall update the 'trick' for a future post.

Have a nice day :)

W

No MLB today, but there is serious cycling.

As we're only a day away from the 2026 MLB All Star Game, there are no regular season MLB games to follow. But since this is July, that means the Tour de France is being run. And since Peacock TV is providing great daily coverage of the Tour, I've got that to satisfy my sports hunger.

And the adventure continues.

Summer remains a challenge for me. Especially when I'm trying to start new habits. I think I always find new habits difficult. Or rather stopping old habits difficult. It's recommended to ease in. I'm really not an ease in kind of personality. I'm on that all or nothing plane of existence. As in, I'm all full of a lot of nothing right now.

I'm finding having patience with the world challenging. I'm not accustomed to being irritated so much, I find it uncomfortable. Like an annoyance just beneath the skin that I can't quite reach. I am continuing to adjust, but I fear I'm losing pieces of myself in the process. My preferred pieces...

I guess that often occurs with the whole being an adult thing. I don't know. I suppose, it's time to get more strict with myself. That's really not my thing. It pushes my creativity to the back of my mind. Mostly I just want to get out and move.

The sun is a cage I'm determined to escape.

Written July 15, 2026. © 2026 AnOublietteofThought.