A Biker in the Making and Free Thinking

I'll often use my breaks at work to write in my blog but I'm finding little time for that lately. Between the increase in traffic traversing our airspace due to the Oshkosh airshow and the smallest staffing numbers I've ever worked with, I've had much less laptop time. I'm not complaining but the thought of retirement has never been more tempting. I think back to all of the false starts I've had with my plans for retirement and how I've been reluctant to call it quits because I just wasn't feeling like I was ready to be done. I always felt I'd know when the time was right and the feeling I'm getting now is that this time it's for real. I'm still focused on my January 2nd date and barring some medical issue, I think I'll make it. 161 dtg and no more.

Tammy and I had a mini date last week when Tammy's good friend Brenda offered to watch Elaine for 4 hours so we could go out and spend some time together. That was so nice of her. Brenda is also a nurse. We made the most of our time: a walk around Lake of the Isles, lunch at Chili's and a little shopping at Costco. Thanks again, Brenda!

Rachel had her first taste of long-distance cycling when she joined a volunteer group she was part of in college (STLF) for a two-day ride from Kenosha, Wisconsin to Chicago, Ilinois. They did some volunteer projects along the way similar to what they did on their spring break trips across the country. We had done some rides together over the last couple of weeks to help get her conditioned and I think it helped.

She's no stranger to the bike having gotten much use out of her own bike before getting a car but she told me a few nights ago that she wants to do even more riding now. Good for her!

In keeping with my blog being a place that I'll be returning to in years and decades from now I'd like to make mention of where my head is at with respect to my faith in God and my politics.

I grew up in a family that attended church each Sunday and I more or less continued that routine when I left home. Even while serving in the Navy I'd sometimes attend church at the small chapel on base when my ship was in port in San Diego. It felt right to do in a centering or grounding sort of way.

That's all changed now thanks to a takeover of our congregations by a conservative ideology that has absolutely no resemblance to Jesus. None! I've never been so far from the church as I am today and I see very little chance that I'll be making my way back any time soon if ever again.

I've become much more of a free-thinker who now wonders if my previous beliefs were shaped more by man in a Fox News sort of warped way rather than by what God intended.

The most disturbing thing to me though is the marrying of religion and politics. I saw where a Facebook friend and member of our former small group posted the graphic to the left on her wall the other day. It's this sort of thing that has me so disappointed in the direction my Christian brothers and sisters are moving. This kind of thing happens much more often than it should.

Former GOP presidential nominee Barry Goldwater once said:

“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.”

It's gotten to the point where I'm spending less and less time online, preferring to avoid having to see such utter nonsense and the need to feel I have to respond to it. It's not worth it. I'm much happier without it.

On a lighter note, I did a tour of our yard recently...



A stroll around our yard to check out our gardens at the end of the first week of July. I try to do this yearly so I'll have something to look back on the see how changes evolve over the years.