Well since you cannot talk for Doushibag, I will. I will tell you it was no easy task and I took great measures to meet the challenge and to eventually overcome it. Knowing that I was up against the five great alpha-bits I knew I must call upon five of my own sages to help me in overcoming the challenge.
I met with an old english teacher of mine, who was now a professor at a respected college. I had respected and admired him and grown to know him a little during my grade school years. We spent a little bit of time catching up where he told me of his summer trip for a month to India that inspired him to write a book. He told me briefly of the interesting culture there and how after having written the book, which was also published there, that he learned more of the great respect for writers and overall larger readership that the Indian culture has. Writing the book is what helped him to gain credit to begin being a professor where he came to appreciate the more inherit level of interest that his students had at the college level. After catching up I told him of the tough challenge before me and we got more serious and intellectual. He didn't hesitate long before he began to remind me of all the learning and teaching methods he had once tried to teach me of which I wasn't fully receptive to at the time. I came to appreciate them more and we spent time on the new lessons and methods he had learned and how these could be applied to overcoming the challenge before me. It was time well spent and was good to catch up with him.
I next met up with my martial arts instructor who I'd trained with before years ago. I knew if I was to overcome this challenge I was going to need to be in top physical form for superior mind and body. I told him of my situation and he humbly accepted the honor of being the one that could well serve me. We spent time together where I trained to increase my strength and endurance and to better connect my mind and body.
Next I met up with an older European friend of my, a Scotsman who never missed the opportunity to remind me of what a true Scotsman would and would not ever do. He was a teacher of Go and had once introduced me to the game and taught me the basics. He was originally into Chess as it was more commonly played where he grew up and took pride in his skill as he developed. He got to be a high level amateur, but before going pro he learned of Go and was highly intrigued and interested in the game. He learned the game and continued to play it. He was noticed for his high level of skill despite his being relatively new to the game and was accepted into a dojo in Korea where he trained under a local master and with others who seeked to master the game. He went pro in the game and is ranked a very respectable 5p at the school. He didn't have a lot of time, but us being good friends from the past he couldn't pass up the opportunity to help. He got his board and stones and we sat for a game. With each move we talked and discussed. He taught me of the strategies, principals, and tactics which had served him well and guided him in his learning process. I lost the game as he was far better than I, but gained so much. I thanked him much for his time and knowledge and we parted ways once again.
I next met with my qigong teacher. I didn't attend sessions with her anymore as I had begun performing the practice on my own, but had still not mastered the art. I told her of the challenge before me and seeing how I would need spiritual energy beyond just the normal physical energy and always appreciating the opportunity to help someone further master the art she agreed to assist me. We spent several sessions together where she helped me to remove the bad habits I had developed on my own and helped me to restore and build up the energy I would need for the challenge ahead. This also helped me to improve my personal practice of the art even further and helped me to reach a new level.
Having worked on my physical, mental, and spiritual energies and spending time intellectually with people who understood the strategical and tactical challenge before me I knew I was mostly ready, but I had one more sage to visit. My people who were already aware of my situation had graciously permitted me an audience with one of the elders. Through meeting him I was to complete my preparations seeking final words of wisdom and spiritual blessings. This meeting was a great honor to me and filled me with joy.
I slept well that night knowing the time was near for me to take on the challenge I had prepared so much for. I woke up refreshed and energized. I took my morning shower and exited to a delicious aroma. I dressed and walked into the kitchen. My wife had prepared a morning meal for me and her timing was as great as ever. She set my drink by my plate as I entered and exited the kitchen. I sat on the stool to eat and as I ate my mind began to brew with all the thoughts and lessons I'd learned. I knew I was set to take the challenge. Shortly after I finished eating and drinking my drink my wife returned into the kitchen. She looked at me, set her hand gently upon mine, smiled, and kissed my forehead. She then picked up my plate and walked to the sink. She hadn't said a word since yesterday afternoon. It was with her confidence and blessing that I knew it was time for me to take on the challenge.
I got up and headed to the computer where my challenge awaited me. I loaded the challenge, studied the challenge, and made my attempts to defeat the challenge. It was a tough time and with each defeat I took what I had learned and knew I had not lost, but gained and was increasingly closer to the elusive victory. It was a long and tough journey, hours later victory was still not in hand, but giving up was not an option. I continued in my attempts trying to improve with each one until I had exceeded all previous attempts and was doing better than I had ever done before. I began to feel good about my odds. I took great measures and pains to make each move my best and didn't belittle any small matter on the field of battle. I had learned the flaws of overconfidence. Though I felt so close to victory the battle went on and it was not without its further dips and unexpected behavior. I was mentally and physically tired, but was sure victory was near. I suppressed my enemies and they began to fall and so soon after I was once struggling did I clearly have the upper hand. My enemies were weak and defeated and I joyfully cleansed their remains from the field of victory. I was overjoyed at my accomplishment but also drained and fatigued. I wanted to share the news. I went first to my wife, a woman I love and who was nearest. Overjoyed I proceeded to make short, but intense love to my beautiful wife with the little energy I had left. I then rolled over and passed out exhausted. Still desiring to share the news with others, but not the energy to do it. I awoke the next morning rejuvenated, but not entirely recovered. I still longed to share news of my victory and headed to the Warlight boards where I knew some would see and appreciate it. I chose my words and let people know of what I'd done and in my own way the pride I felt. After adequately informing fellow Warlighters I took a brief break and then proceeded to go about informing all those who had assisted me of my victory and again thanked them for their part. It was a great experience and one which improved my life in many ways. For life without challenge is no life at all and I had just experienced life greatly for the time. That is my story of how I beat challenge 2, what it took, and what it did for me.
