Every life has those key moments. Some are happy, some are sad.
All of them shape who you are.
Today, I'm thankful for each of those moments, even the sad ones, because they've taught me a powerful lesson in life: That our time upon this planet is short, and seizing the moment, enjoying life to the fullest, is one of the gifts our Creator has bestowed upon us.
Those moments helped me get over my reluctance to move out of my comfort zone, where I had a home, a portion of my life that extended over twelve years. But I drove south and made a new home in Iowa.
Those moments helped me ask a beautiful woman out on a date. In my solitary existence, I had the companionship of pets, and a schedule that was all mine, to eat, sleep, and exercise when I wished. I stepped outside that comfort zone to know love and companionship.
Those moments helped me speak with another man about how I loved his daughter and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, and ask for his blessing.
Those moments helped me take that beautiful woman on an unusual date involving a helicopter ride, at the conclusion of which, I got down on one knee and asked her to be my wife.
Those moments led me to today, when she will become my wife, and I her husband, in front of family and friends.
Thank you, God, for all those moments.
06 April 2013
30 January 2013
From http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/8759
This past weekend, a small group of perhaps a dozen protesters gathered outside Dayton's Hara Arena to protest the sale of modern sporting rifles at Bill Goodman's Gun and Knife Show.A convicted rapist, no less. Hmm, guess he's not hot on a woman having to "explain how her attacker how he ended up with two bullet holes in him", as Ann Coulter once said.
From the article:
"We know that guns are being sold on the floor inside Hara Arena illegally" said Jerome McCorry. "No background checks no identification of any kind."After reading the article, a Buckeye Firearms Association supporter decided to contact McCorry, the apparent protest organizer, to inform him about the inaccuracies in his statements about firearms (it isn't illegal for private individuals to sell a gun at the show without a background check, people aren't selling M16s or fully-automatic AK-47s at Hara Arena, modern sporting rifles are used for hunting, gun shows are rarely used by criminals as a source for guns, rifles [of any type] are used in murders far less than fists or baseball bats, etc.).
McCorry said "AK-47s and M16s are not gonna be used for hunting, they're not going to be used to protect anybody. These are the weapons that are coming back and being used in mass murders and mass killings."
The supporter quickly found more than he bargained for. A simple Google search for Jerome McCorry reveals that the man trying to tell the public what weapons they should be allowed to own is a convicted felon.
23 January 2013
What part of "Shall Not Be Infringed" don't you understand?
The beauty of Constitutional rights is that I don't have to justify or explain my need to exercise that right to anyone, least of all a Briton by the name of Piers Morgan.
02 January 2013
A long year
It's been a long year.
- January: After fighting with MediaCom cable for two months, my cable TV service was restored. Never is a long time, so I'll just say I'm extremely reluctant to give them my business again. So far, Qwest/Centurylink hasn't pissed me off.
- February: Short month. Nothing memorable besides Valentine's with the girlfriend.
- March: This is when my job situation started to change. One co-worker was fired, and my boss announced his move to a different department. In early March, I was contacted through Facebook by neighbors of my aunt, whom had been discovered by police in her home after having passed away some ten days prior.
- April: All alone at work, as my colleague returned to India as his year's tenure in the States expired. I was excited to see the 1940 U.S. Census. And I took my girlfriend on her second and my first cruise. To the Bahamas.
- May: RIP Morgan.
- June: RIP Bailey. Dori has a health scare. 801 Grand. Okoboji. John Deere turns 175. One year since I met my girlfriend.
- July: God-awful heat. Cooler in Florida! Telltale signs of the drought: Waist-deep water at the buoys at Storm Lake.
- August: Dori develops tooth problems. And I suffer from a month-long affliction of high body temperature and general lousy feeling. But I don't let it deter me from educating myself on diamonds and doing a little shopping.
- September: My first helicopter ride. And I ask her: "Will you marry me?"
- October: My folks visit. The two set of parents meet.
- November: Thanksgiving in Kansas City.
- December: Blizzards, icy roads, dead batteries, and a Boxing Day cold. My last Christmas as a single man.
24 December 2012
17 December 2012
Gun-grabbers
It happens every time.
A tragedy like the massacre of 27 adults and children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, is cause to mourn for most rational people. For the left-wing gun grabbers, it's a time to act, before strong emotions give way to logic and reason.
Soledad O'Brien goes on about how "a rational person could say that having access to a high-powered semiautomatic rifle is inappropriate. That there's no reason to go deer hunting with that, there's no reason to have access to that. And that is the connection that these killers have access to those weapons."
Ms. O'Brien, do you know what a semi-automatic rifle is? It fires a single bullet every time the trigger is pulled.
So does a revolver.
But the word "semi-automatic" gets gun-control advocates in a tizzy. I think they picture a hail of bullets spewing from the barrel and tearing through the flesh of innocents. Yes, the bullets come out a rate defined by how fast the shooter can squeeze the trigger and for the gun to load the next bullet from the magazine.
What galls me is this attitude of "We know what's best for you." It's not just limited to guns. Drive an SUV? These nosy, ruthless bastards will stop at nothing to force you drive a hybrid or electric vehicle with the relative safety of a gas tank inside a cardboard box. But you're getting great gas mileage, they'll tell you. You're saving the planet!
But I can't haul lumber for my home addition, or river rock for my landscaping project.
Well, you don't need that much space to live in, anyway. And your desire to not live in a cramped shitty apartment in a dense, high-tax, crime-ridden urban center contributes to urban sprawl, and prevents us from controlling all aspects of your life!
But that's the point!
The gun-grabbers then try to tell you that the point of the Second Amendment is for a militia. Even if that interpretation was accurate (and the learned folks in the black robes in the highest court of the land do not think it is), the militia was made of citizenry who often brought their own weapons to the field of battle. That's what distinguishes a militia from an army. As Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia observed, if the Second Amendment is meant to apply to collective rights, it is unique amongst the other rights all reserved to individuals in the Constitution.
Then there's the inconvenient facts in this particular case:
A tragedy like the massacre of 27 adults and children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, is cause to mourn for most rational people. For the left-wing gun grabbers, it's a time to act, before strong emotions give way to logic and reason.
Soledad O'Brien goes on about how "a rational person could say that having access to a high-powered semiautomatic rifle is inappropriate. That there's no reason to go deer hunting with that, there's no reason to have access to that. And that is the connection that these killers have access to those weapons."
Ms. O'Brien, do you know what a semi-automatic rifle is? It fires a single bullet every time the trigger is pulled.
So does a revolver.
But the word "semi-automatic" gets gun-control advocates in a tizzy. I think they picture a hail of bullets spewing from the barrel and tearing through the flesh of innocents. Yes, the bullets come out a rate defined by how fast the shooter can squeeze the trigger and for the gun to load the next bullet from the magazine.
What galls me is this attitude of "We know what's best for you." It's not just limited to guns. Drive an SUV? These nosy, ruthless bastards will stop at nothing to force you drive a hybrid or electric vehicle with the relative safety of a gas tank inside a cardboard box. But you're getting great gas mileage, they'll tell you. You're saving the planet!
But I can't haul lumber for my home addition, or river rock for my landscaping project.
Well, you don't need that much space to live in, anyway. And your desire to not live in a cramped shitty apartment in a dense, high-tax, crime-ridden urban center contributes to urban sprawl, and prevents us from controlling all aspects of your life!
But that's the point!
The gun-grabbers then try to tell you that the point of the Second Amendment is for a militia. Even if that interpretation was accurate (and the learned folks in the black robes in the highest court of the land do not think it is), the militia was made of citizenry who often brought their own weapons to the field of battle. That's what distinguishes a militia from an army. As Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia observed, if the Second Amendment is meant to apply to collective rights, it is unique amongst the other rights all reserved to individuals in the Constitution.
Then there's the inconvenient facts in this particular case:
- Adam Lanza, with his history of mental illness, did not legally obtain the firearms used in the shooting. They were registered to his mother.
- Indications are that Lanza attempted to purchase a "long gun" about a week before the shooting, but was denied because he didn't want to subject to the required background check and 14-day waiting period. Sounds like someone who either was impatient or knew he would be rejected. At this time, it's unclear whether Lanza had been diagnosed with mental illness. If he had, the federal authorities would know, and he could forget about the gun. By refusing to submit to a background check and thus in effect withdrawing his application for the gun, Lanza may well have avoided showing up on the feds' radar.
- The Bushmaster .223 rifle, reportedly used in the shooting, is a semi-automatic rifle, but it is not an assault rifle. An assault rifle is a select-fire weapon, capable of burst or automatic fire.
07 November 2012
Can we survive another four?
Albert Einstein is often quoted as describing insanity as performing the same action repeatedly and expecting different results.
Tonight, America's voters have spoken. And they voted for insanity.
What does it say when I catch a glimpse of CNN covering the election results tonight, and they point out three-quarters of those exit-polled did not agree that the solution to our economic woes lies in raising taxes? The CNN host was confused by the results, pointing out the same people were telling the pollsters that they voted to re-elect Barack Obama!
As I write this, it's been a little over a week since Hurricane Sandy wreaked untold billions of dollars worth of damage on the states of New England. Residents of New Jersey and New York still without electricity. Or heat. Or with more than a foot of water in their living rooms. Tone-deaf New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg decides to continue as planned with the marathon, then reverses himself when he no doubt realized how heartless it looked to have people from out of town force newly-homeless residents out of hotel rooms and then run in a marathon.
Speaking of heartless, I'm given to wonder if these people still without the basic luxuries of life we take for granted here in the industrialized world wish that Sandy had struck a week earlier, or the election had been a week later. We're seeing a failure of Big Government.
A Big Government that Mr. Obama espouses. Government which can violate centuries of established contract law and nullify the pensions of 20,000 non-unionized Delphi workers in favor of UAW workers who reliably helped deliver the election to Obama tonight. All due respect to Mr. Romney, but it isn't a question of whether Detroit should be allowed to die. Detroit has already died. GM has already died. They can't compete! They're making a product that consumers don't want (e.g. the Chevy Volt). The taxpayers still own a sizable share of GM. Funny, my dividend check hasn't arrived in the mail...
It's just one of many policies I disagree with this president on. The math just doesn't add up. But trying to convince the short-term beneficiaries of the long-term cost of these freebies is an exercise in futility. A recent interview asked S.E. Cupp what her favorite joke was. Her answer: "Keynesian Economics". And she's absolutely right. You can't prime the pump forever. Eventually, the bill for this massive debt will come due. And the near-majority of the country that lives off the fruits of the near-minority's labors will turn to the "wealthy" to pay the bill, only to find the wealthy aren't there anymore. The smart ones will have relocated themselves and their wealth to a more hospitable climate, if it exists. The not-so-smart ones will be next to you in the bread lines.
Unlike my colleagues on the opposite side of the political spectrum, I prefer not to wallow in despair because my guy lost the election. I prefer to see the silver lining. Four years ago, then-Senator Obama's election ended up resulting in my being laid off after almost twelve years of employment with a defense contractor. In the three years since finding myself unemployed for a few months, losing a beloved pet at a too-young age, and exiting a loveless relationship, I opted to relocate from Minnesota to Iowa in pursuit of a contract position. I found a new job with a well-known employer. I not only enjoy the job immensely and recognize its greater room for growth, but my move resulted in me meeting my future wife. In adapting to my new circumstances, I found new opportunities and reaped new benefits. Even tonight, my sour mood has brightened a little as I count my blessings.
I also notice the trend. Now that Obama has a record (of failures, I might add), his staggering election win in 2008 has been chipped away at a little bit. Perhaps people who voted for Obama in 2008 realized their mistake? Perhaps more people will be introspective in these coming four years, and we can slowly pull our country back from the fiscal cliff that stands between us remaining an economic superpower and us becoming a banana republic.
Tonight, America's voters have spoken. And they voted for insanity.
What does it say when I catch a glimpse of CNN covering the election results tonight, and they point out three-quarters of those exit-polled did not agree that the solution to our economic woes lies in raising taxes? The CNN host was confused by the results, pointing out the same people were telling the pollsters that they voted to re-elect Barack Obama!
As I write this, it's been a little over a week since Hurricane Sandy wreaked untold billions of dollars worth of damage on the states of New England. Residents of New Jersey and New York still without electricity. Or heat. Or with more than a foot of water in their living rooms. Tone-deaf New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg decides to continue as planned with the marathon, then reverses himself when he no doubt realized how heartless it looked to have people from out of town force newly-homeless residents out of hotel rooms and then run in a marathon.
Speaking of heartless, I'm given to wonder if these people still without the basic luxuries of life we take for granted here in the industrialized world wish that Sandy had struck a week earlier, or the election had been a week later. We're seeing a failure of Big Government.
A Big Government that Mr. Obama espouses. Government which can violate centuries of established contract law and nullify the pensions of 20,000 non-unionized Delphi workers in favor of UAW workers who reliably helped deliver the election to Obama tonight. All due respect to Mr. Romney, but it isn't a question of whether Detroit should be allowed to die. Detroit has already died. GM has already died. They can't compete! They're making a product that consumers don't want (e.g. the Chevy Volt). The taxpayers still own a sizable share of GM. Funny, my dividend check hasn't arrived in the mail...
It's just one of many policies I disagree with this president on. The math just doesn't add up. But trying to convince the short-term beneficiaries of the long-term cost of these freebies is an exercise in futility. A recent interview asked S.E. Cupp what her favorite joke was. Her answer: "Keynesian Economics". And she's absolutely right. You can't prime the pump forever. Eventually, the bill for this massive debt will come due. And the near-majority of the country that lives off the fruits of the near-minority's labors will turn to the "wealthy" to pay the bill, only to find the wealthy aren't there anymore. The smart ones will have relocated themselves and their wealth to a more hospitable climate, if it exists. The not-so-smart ones will be next to you in the bread lines.
Unlike my colleagues on the opposite side of the political spectrum, I prefer not to wallow in despair because my guy lost the election. I prefer to see the silver lining. Four years ago, then-Senator Obama's election ended up resulting in my being laid off after almost twelve years of employment with a defense contractor. In the three years since finding myself unemployed for a few months, losing a beloved pet at a too-young age, and exiting a loveless relationship, I opted to relocate from Minnesota to Iowa in pursuit of a contract position. I found a new job with a well-known employer. I not only enjoy the job immensely and recognize its greater room for growth, but my move resulted in me meeting my future wife. In adapting to my new circumstances, I found new opportunities and reaped new benefits. Even tonight, my sour mood has brightened a little as I count my blessings.
I also notice the trend. Now that Obama has a record (of failures, I might add), his staggering election win in 2008 has been chipped away at a little bit. Perhaps people who voted for Obama in 2008 realized their mistake? Perhaps more people will be introspective in these coming four years, and we can slowly pull our country back from the fiscal cliff that stands between us remaining an economic superpower and us becoming a banana republic.
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