Category Archives: Personal

Personal, Religious

Intercessors of the Sick: Saints Who Answer the Call

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In my last post on Friday, I talked about my accident and the injuries that I received from it, as well as the excellent care I received from the doctors and nurses at the Royal Alexandria Hospital. Since I am still suffering from a sore and stiff neck from said accident, I figured I would look up some saints to call on and decided to share my findings with you today.

The first saint I want to mention is Saint Ursicinus, who is the patron saint of stiff necks. He was a disciple who followed his abbot into exile from northern France in the seventh century. Here’s a prayer we can use to invoke his intercession:

O Holy Ursicinus, you who know the discomfort and pain of the body, be my swift intercessor. I ask for your prayers, particularly for the relief of this stiffness and soreness in my neck. Ease the tension, quiet the pain, and restore flexibility to my body, so that I may turn my attention fully to God’s will. Amen.

The next saint is St. Gemma Galgani, the patron saint of spinal pain. She developed spinal meningitis at age sixteen but was cured. She claimed it was due to her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She later died young of tuberculosis and was canonized by 1940, and was also declared a Virgin. Here’s a prayer for her intercession for those who are suffering any type of spinal pain:

Dear St. Gemma, you bore immense suffering in your body, yet your faith shone brighter than your pain. Look upon me now as I struggle with the persistent discomfort and stiffness. Through the merit of your own suffering, pray to the Lord to grant me strength, patience, and a miraculous lessening of my burden. Help me to use this cross of pain for the salvation of my soul. Amen.

The next person I am praying to for intercession is Blessed Michael McGivney. Although he is not yet officially a Saint, he was beatified in 2020 after a miracle was attributed to his intercession, and we pray that a second miracle will lead to his canonization. As the founder of the Knights of Columbus, he dedicated his life to practical charity, particularly supporting families who were suffering from the illness or death of a loved one. I call upon Blessed Michael McGivney not just for physical healing, but for the patience and courage needed to endure this lingering recovery.

Here is the prayer we can use to invoke his intercession and support his cause for sainthood:

God, our Father, protector of the poor and defender of the widow and orphan, you called your priest, Blessed Michael McGivney, to be an apostle of Christian family life and to lead the young to the generous service of their neighbor.

Through his intercession, I humbly ask for the favor of my own healing from this persistent neck stiffness and pain.

May the inspiration of your servant prompt us to greater confidence in your love, and we humbly ask that you glorify Blessed Michael McGivney on earth according to the design of your holy will, granting the miracle needed for his canonization. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The next saint I am seeking intercession from in heaven is Saint Luke, the Evangelist. Before he became an evangelist, he was a physician and is considered the patron saint of doctors and healing today. He also wrote two books of the Bible, the one named after him and the book of Acts. Both were letters to a friend of his, whom he was trying to persuade to become a believer in Jesus. No doubt he took the time to interview the people he wrote about as his physician training would have demanded of him, including Saint Paul, whom he travelled with.

Invocation to St. Luke the Evangelist: St. Luke, beloved physician and faithful Evangelist, I ask for your intercession on behalf of all healers and for my own recovery. Grant wisdom to those who offer me counsel and care, that they may rightly discern the path to my recovery. Pray for the healing of my injury, that I may experience the wholeness which Christ offers to all who seek Him.

Amen.

To round out my list of intercessors, I’m calling upon St. Raphael the Archangel. His name is derived from the Hebrew words Rafa (to heal) and El (God), meaning “God Heals” or “Divine Healer.” He is one of the three Archangels named in scripture and features prominently in the Book of Tobit, where he guides Tobias on a journey and brings about the healing of his father’s blindness. Today, he is widely regarded as the patron of travelers, the sick, and those seeking healing for any physical, mental, or spiritual ailment. Calling upon St. Raphael is a way of asking God Himself to oversee and complete my recovery.

Here is the prayer we can use to invoke his intercession:

Invocation to St. Raphael the Archangel: Holy Archangel Raphael, whose name means ‘God Heals,’ guide me on my journey to recovery. Send the light of heaven to banish all darkness of pain and despair. Guard me from discouragement and lead me to the means of grace that will bring about my restoration. Heal me, O Lord, through the prayers of your faithful Archangel, that I may serve You better.

Amen.

As I continue to cope with the stiffness and soreness in my neck, I find immense comfort in knowing that there are so many powerful intercessors ready to “answer the call.” I humbly ask that you keep me in your prayers, asking God, through the intercession of St. Ursicinus, St. Gemma Galgani, St. Luke, St. Raphael, or Blessed Michael McGivney, to bring about my full healing and recovery. More importantly, let my search be a reminder to all of us: if you or someone you know is suffering—whether from a debilitating injury, chronic pain, or a difficult diagnosis—take a moment to call upon one of these Heavenly advocates. May their prayers bring comfort, hope, and true healing to all who are unwell.

Personal, Work and Life

My Accident on Remembrance Day and It’s Aftermath

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Hello everyone. I need to take a moment today to share a challenging experience I had recently. On Remembrance Day, I had an accident, and the immediate aftermath—and the recovery I’m going through now—has been tough. This story is ongoing, so if you could send some prayers or good thoughts my way, I would be incredibly grateful.

Just before noon that day, I decided to take a relaxing bath, as it was a holiday and I wasn’t rushing anywhere. I filled the tub with warm water, got in, and proceeded to bathe. When it was time to get out, I pulled the plug and stood up. Instantly, I felt light-headed, so I dropped down to my hands and knees to try and avoid fainting. I thought the feeling had passed and tried to stand up again, but that’s when I passed out and fell down hard.

A few seconds later, my eyes opened to a sickening sight: a large pool of blood on the floor. My head and neck were throbbing with pain. When I was finally able to get up and look into the mirror, I gasped. The left side of my face was coated in my own blood, and I had two visible gashes in my head—one right above my left eye, and another hidden higher up in my hair. Reaching up, I even pulled out a small clump of hair from the higher wound.

My next priority was cleanup. I turned on the water and used toilet paper to try and clean myself and the room as best as I could. I then got dressed, using a rag to stop some of the bleeding, and looked up transit directions to the nearest hospital: the Royal Alexandra on Kingway Avenue. With my keys, phone, and wallet, I began the painful walk to the bus stop. Along the way, strangers noticed my state and asked if I was alright, suggesting an ambulance after I told them what happened. I arrived at the Emergency room shortly before 1 PM.

It took about fifteen minutes for the triage nurse to see me. After asking me several questions and wrapping my head in gauze, I was directed to sit in the waiting area until a bed was ready. I was also informed that I’d be receiving a tetanus shot, since it had been over 20 years since my last one. I sat there, bored, for the next three hours. I passed the time occasionally reading on my phone and sending updates to my dad, supervisor, and boss. By 4 PM, my hunger became overwhelming—I hadn’t eaten since 5 AM—so I got directions to the Tim Hortons nearby. I bought myself a wrap and an orange juice and returned to the Emergency Room. I was lucky enough to finish eating just before a nurse came and finally escorted me out of the waiting area and to one of the beds inside the department.

Inside the department, the nurse asked me to change into a nightgown. I got onto the bed and was soon connected to the monitoring equipment and given a call bell. The waiting continued; about an hour later, I used the bell just to go to the washroom. Boredom was still a major factor, and I tried to conserve my phone’s battery since I’d forgotten my charger or power bank in the rush.

Soon after, a doctor-in-training assessed me. He asked for the gauze to be removed so that pictures could be taken of my two head gashes and then new gauze and wrappings (that were moistened in a saline solution) were applied. During the assessment, I was completely honest and did my best to follow his requests, supplying all the information I had—including what my smartwatch had recorded about my heart rate immediately after the fall.

Around 7:30 PM, the night nurse, who had replaced the daytime staff, brought me some applesauce with crushed Tylenol, which was a welcome relief. Shortly before that, I had finally received the tetanus shot. An hour and a half after eating, I was placed into a neck brace and then wheeled away to get a CT scan.

Around 11 PM, the doctor-in-training approached me and asked if I was ready for sutures, which I definitely was. He started with the gash above my left eye, which had narrowly missed my eyebrow. After applying freezing, he began closing the wound. He complimented me on taking it “like a trooper,” but being in the neck brace—and having a very stiff, sore neck—actually made it hard to move anyway! I barely felt most of the sutures, except for the ones closest to my nose, which he confirmed are typically not frozen due to potential complications.

Once his work on the first injury was approved by the attending ER doctor, he moved on to freeze and suture the upper wound. I was incredibly relieved when he mentioned that the membrane surrounding my skull had not been ruptured and wouldn’t require additional sutures!

Shortly after he finished, I got the best news of the night: my CT scans came back clean—no concussion from the accident! They immediately removed the neck brace. Shortly after midnight, I was discharged and sent home. I booked an Uber, got home, and finally went to bed.

Moving forward, I am scheduled to see my family doctor next Tuesday, the eighteenth, for a re-evaluation and possible suture removal. I also have to discuss the fainting episode with him, along with my other existing health issues. The most immediate challenge is the lingering physical aftermath: my neck is still stiff and sore, which is definitely affecting my quality of life. Simple tasks are suddenly harder—for example, I now have to kneel down just to access the freezer compartment in my fridge, and getting out of bed in the morning is much tougher. I’ve already taken Wednesday and Thursday off work, and may need today off as well, knowing that taking time away means I don’t earn money. If this accident leads to any long-term consequences, your support of me via my blog will become even more crucial going forward.

Finally, I am deeply grateful to the staff—the nurses and doctors—at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for their care and dedication during a long and stressful 13 hours in the ER. I would also like to thank all of my readers for their support going forwards.

Personal, Gaming and Technology

Finding My Focus: Why the Medieval European Mindset Changed My Modpacks

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I enjoy creating new modpacks for Minecraft. I originally played packs made by others, but I often found myself changing them just so I could play in peaceful mode. Eventually, I got fed up of always having to customize someone else’s pack. The very first modpack I actually finished and kept focused on one simple idea: What is the absolute fewest number of mods you need to complete the game while playing peacefully? This was back in the days of version 1.16.5, so it wasn’t perfect, but I did manage to get a video series out of it.

The next few modpacks I put together followed a similar pattern. I played them mainly on Twitch but chose to do short video updates for YouTube instead of a proper series for each one, which is something I definitely regret now. Each pack had its own unique focus—from one using Botania’s Garden of Glass mechanic as a base, to one centered around Mekanism, and another focused on Minecolonies. Despite these distinct themes, they all lacked a cohesive whole: I realized they didn’t have a united build style when I played them.

Now, with my Creative Engineering series, I’ve finally settled on my permanent build style: Medieval European inspired. However, it comes with a twist: the aesthetic is old, but the function is modern. In other words, my structures look like they belong in a historical setting, but they operate with today’s efficiency. This fusion of old-world looks and new-world utility is the foundation I will be basing all my world-building on going forward.

Continuing the Focus
Despite this new unified approach, I will still often base my packs around a central anchor mod going forward. And when I replay my older packs for YouTube—yes, that will be a thing—I will now enforce a consistent build style for the towns and bases I construct inside those worlds.

For example, once I finish my current modpack and Creative Engineering series, I want to take a step back and go simpler. To do this, I’m considering designing a new pack built around the combination of Farmer’s Delight and Pedestals.

Why Peaceful Mode is Essential

My packs will, of course, remain playable mainly in Peaceful mode. This isn’t because I’m afraid of the undead mobs of Minecraft, but because constantly having to defend myself from attack really limits my build options and dictates what I must prioritize. I simply don’t enjoy those limitations. By removing the constant need for combat, I free up all my time and resources to focus entirely on Creative Engineering and realizing my vision for the Medieval European-inspired structures and systems.

Final Thoughts
My overall process for creating and releasing modpacks isn’t changing. I’ll stick to the private Alpha stage, followed by the members-only Beta, and then the public release on the blog. The packs will still be peaceful-oriented and mainly focus around an anchor mod or set of mods, like Mekanism, working toward a central goal.

I will be transparent: not all mods work well in Peaceful mode, and I likely won’t create packs focused on combat or those where essential items can only be gained by fighting. I am not a Crusader. I am, at my core, a peaceful builder and explorer of worlds. This new commitment to the Medieval European style is about aesthetics and function, not conflict.

Thank you for reading about my evolving approach to modpack design! My loyalty in real life is to my Monarch and country, and I serve a real God in game and in real life. If you want to learn more about Him, feel free to leave a message—I’d be happy to share more about my faith with you.

Become a Swagnilla Ice Citizen

Did this post spark your interest in my upcoming projects? The best way to support the development of these new, focused modpacks and help grow the Creative Engineering series is by becoming a Citizen.

Citizens enjoy benefits like full access to the blog and getting an early look at new modpacks during the members-only Beta stage. Check out the tiers, starting with Squire at $1/month, to join our community today!

Work and Life, Personal

Levelling Up My Hobbies (and My Content!)

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Hi everyone,

I’m getting ready for the weekend and thinking about something that’s a big part of my life: my hobbies. From reading a good book to making art, these are the things that recharge me and spark a lot of the creativity you see in my content.

You might know that a lot of my time goes into Creative Engineering and A Few Moments with God. But what you might not see as often are the moments in between—the ones where I’m just enjoying a passion project. For me, these are things like getting lost in a good book, writing new ideas down, or getting my hands dirty with some pottery. I’ve also been getting back into playing some old favourites, like modded Minecraft and Factorio on my PC, and even dusting off some classic Wii or GameCube games using the Dolphin Emulator for the latter. These aren’t just ways to pass the time; they’re ways for me to learn and experiment. Reading, for example, has taught me a lot about storytelling, which has been super helpful for my own video series. Gaming has helped me see things from new perspectives and has trained my eye to notice small details that can make a big difference.

I often think about how cool it would be to share more of these things with you. Imagine a series of posts about the new pots I’m making or a deep dive into the latest mods I’m playing with. Right now, it’s a challenge to find the time and resources to do that justice. That’s where you come in.

Your support through Swagnilla Ice helps me turn these small passion projects into something more. It helps me invest in things like art supplies or new equipment. More importantly, it gives me the freedom to dedicate more of my time to these creative outlets. By becoming a member, you’re not just supporting a blog; you’re helping me grow as a creator and bring even better content to you.

So, if you enjoy what I do and you’re excited about the idea of seeing more, please consider joining one of our membership tiers. Even the Peasant membership is a great way to show your support, or if you want full access, the Squire tier is a fantastic option. The more paid members we have, the more time I can dedicate to hosting events on the Discord server. For example, once we hit five paid members, I’ll host a bi-weekly voice chat, with each session focusing on a different topic. At ten paid members, I’ll start a weekly live stream on Discord. And if we can hit fifty paid members, I’ll host a monthly community gaming night with games like Jackbox and Golf with Your Friends. I’m certain that I can also continue to find ways to provide even more content for higher numbers, so please consider becoming a Squire or higher today!

Thank you for being here and for helping me make all of this possible.

Talk soon,
Nathan Pinno (aka Swagnilla Ice)

Work and Life, Personal

My long-term goals are…

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My long-term goals are simple and personal. First, I want Swagnilla Ice memberships to cover my monthly bills. This would give me the freedom to focus fully on creating content for you.

Second, I’m saving up C$5,000 to purchase a lifetime Paid Memberships Pro Plus membership. This upgrade will allow me to give you a better experience on the blog.

Finally, and most importantly, I hope to one day launch my charitable organization, Project Green Light. My goal is to help others break free from the chains of addiction, just as I have.

Personal, Gaming and Technology

Behind the Scenes: New Tech, New Challenges (A Linux Mint Post)

Hi everyone,

Swagnilla Ice here with an update on my switch to Linux Mint. I want to share my experience so far, the technical hiccups I’ve run into and solved, and what it means for the video quality of your favorite content over the next couple of weeks as I learn to use new editing software.

I made the switch to Linux Mint last Friday after getting tired of Windows 10’s updates affecting my internet connection—the last one even forced me onto Wi-Fi. The installation was smooth until I ran into a major issue with my dual monitor setup.

When I installed the recommended Nvidia driver, I lost one of my two monitors. After downgrading didn’t work, I switched to the open-source Nouveau driver, which solved the issue. While some may say this could affect gaming or other GPU-intensive tasks, I’ve noticed my gameplay is just as good as it was on Windows 10. If it means my new video editor renders videos more slowly, I’m okay with that, as having two monitors is more important to me than speed.

Speaking of rendering videos, I’ll have to learn new video editing software, and this is what will affect the quality of my videos for the next few weeks. Since Filmora is Windows-only, I’ve switched to Lightworks, an alternative recommended by Gemini after I decided Kdenlive wasn’t for me. While Lightworks is not designed for beginners, it’s still new software I have to learn. The good news is this change only affects my editing; the quality of my video recordings with OBS on Linux Mint will remain the same.

I’m happy to say my dual monitor setup, USB camera, and microphone are all working perfectly. This means the core video and sound quality of my recordings should be just fine (unless my OBS settings are off). The real learning curve is in the editing process: things like adjusting background music volume, adding text screens and transitions are all different in Lightworks, so I’ll be learning how to do all of that from scratch.

f you have any tips for me, feel free to share them in the comments below. If you’re not yet a member, you can register and then share your advice with the community. Until my next post, take care and God bless all of you!

Site News, Personal

A Promise to Our Swagnilla Ice Community: Maintaining Control, Ensuring Quality

Hey everyone,

I’m writing this post today to talk about something really important to me, and I believe, to all of you who are part of the Swagnilla Ice community.

Lately, there’s been a lot of discussion in the creator world about online channels being acquired by larger equity firms. As I’ve seen these conversations unfold, it’s made me think deeply about the future of Swagnilla Ice and what truly matters to us all.

And that’s why I want to make a clear promise to you: I will never sell Swagnilla Ice in a way that would cause me to lose creative control or quality control over our content.

What does this mean for you? It means that the unique voice, the dedication to quality, and the community-first approach you’ve come to expect from Swagnilla Ice will always remain our top priority. We won’t sacrifice the integrity of our content for external pressures. My vision for Swagnilla Ice has always been to create something special and authentic, and that vision is directly tied to being able to steer the ship and ensure every piece of content meets our standards.

This commitment extends to everything we do, from our free content to our member-exclusive experiences. Our Free Member, Tip Jar Member, and Full Member tiers exist because we want to offer various ways to engage with Swagnilla Ice, all while maintaining the high quality you deserve. And of course, the incredibly rare Northern Lights Tier is a testament to the special bond we share with our most dedicated community members.

This promise is about safeguarding the heart of Swagnilla Ice. It’s about ensuring that we continue to grow and evolve on our own terms, always with your experience and our shared passion at the forefront.

Thank you for being such an incredible community. Your support is what makes all of this possible, and I’m excited for everything we’ll continue to build together.

Consider becoming a member today (it’s completely free with optional paid upgrades) and let me know in the comments what you think about this!

Site News, Personal

Factorio Update: Season 1, Episode 30 Live!

I’ve embedded up to episode 30 of Swag Plays Factorio Season 1 right here on Swagnilla Ice! I’ll be adding more next weekend, and potentially Monday or Tuesday. Just a heads-up that my work shifts (and ability to update) then are entirely dependent on good weather keeping the roads clear for our backfill trucks. I’m taking a break from embedding for today to prevent burnout, but if the road conditions aren’t good enough, I can then work to embed more videos here, so you won’t have to go look for them on YouTube.

Personal

I’ve been lazy and tired…

Hey everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to apologize for the lack of new videos in the backlog lately. I’ve been feeling a bit lazy and tired after work, which has slowed down my content creation process. I appreciate your understanding and patience.

I’m working on getting back into the groove and will do my best to add more videos to the backlog soon. Thank you for your continued support!

Best,
Swagnilla Ice