BASS!

This is just another photo from last week's hunting trip.

I wish I would have been able to hold the fish closer to the camera for a better representation of its size. I think this on was about 2 1/2 pounds.

What fun! 

Crosshairs on my forehead

I have a general policy of not writing about anything that would be considered political. There are several reasons, primary among which is my desire to not alienate anyone. There is so much that people are divided on that I want my journal/blog/whatever this is to be somewhere that anyone who knows me can visit and not feel unwelcome.

Having said that, I also want people to know who I am and what I'm about, and what's on my mind if it is something significant.

Well something has been on my mind for a while now. This is a very hot-button issue and I feel very awkward just sticking it out here, but I feel as though I owe it to my own heart to write about how I feel about this issue. The issue is abortion.

This issue is such a huge divider in contemporary culture. I want to be cautious and say that I do not desire to judge or condemn anyone because of their opinion on this issue, I simply want to share my opinion and why I hold it.

Abortion seems to constantly get fought over as a womens' rights issue. I can certainly understand why it would appear to be a womens' rights issue, because only a woman could have an abortion -- because only a woman could become pregnant.

I want to come out and say that I strongly oppose abortion. While I understand the feelings of "being told what to do" that having laws limiting or prohibiting abortion could generate among women with unwanted pregnancy, my sense of sympathy for the defenseless is greater.

I see abortion only as killing of a defenseless person -- a baby no less. This absolutely breaks my heart. I just held my 7 week old daughter and all I wanted to do is care for and protect her. I think of the innumberable children killed in the name of womens' rights and I feel physically ill. This also stirs up incredible anger that at times borders on rage.

The thought of a society so blinded by its lust for convenience that is has legitimized and legalized the wholesale slaughter of its' sons and daughters sends chills through me. I cringe on thinking of what a more rational, compassionate society will someday say of our generation and our legalized practice of killing our unborn if they interfere with our plans for our life.

I have heard all the arguments -- what about rape, incest, a child whose life would amount to only suffering, overpopulation, and the list goes on... and I understand the thoughts behind each of these. I cannot allow any of those thoughts or fears to supercede the sense of injustice of placing the responsibility for those things on the heads of those who can only be a victim of them. A child's life should never be sacrificed for the sake of any of these things.

I understand that I have never had to endure rape, or being pregnant as an unmarried teen. I understand that these things are unfair, terrifying things. But when did we as a society become capable of removing value completely from the life of an innocent human.

This is what we have done. We have not made society safer for women in bad situations, we have decided that the life of a person who cannot speak or defend themself is not worth allowing to exist. "Benefits" of this decision are only consequential and to me can never justify the cost.

All this is why abortion is such a big deal to me -- and many others like me. It is the single most important issue to me in any election. People have told me "Get over abortion, there are bigger issues" -- and I can honestly reply "Not to me, no there isn't"

I read an article about abortions failing in the UK -- babies born alive after failed abortion attempts -- which prompted me to finally write this entry. The author clearly attempts to steer away from making any moral judgements on the practice of abortion, but it again simply broke my heart. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1892696,00.html

The closing lines of the article are a quote from a survivor of an attempted abortion:

“If abortion is about women’s rights, then what were my rights?” she asked.

“If people are going to talk about abortion, then it’s important for them to know that these are babies that can be born alive and survive.”

Thanks for hearing me out. I know that there are people that I love that are pro-choice. I hope that if you stand on the pro-choice side of the fence on this issue that you do not feel as though I reject you or value you less. I also hope that you see my heart regarding this issue.

I have had comments moderated on this blog because of some unprovoked vile comments that have made their way onto the page. Once I publish this post I will not moderate comments until I post again, so leave your thoughts.

Back from Hunting

I had an amazing time hunting with Randy and his son Jake. I got a small whitetail first thing on Monday morning. Later that day I got a pheasant, 2 chukkar, and a quail (all with a bow).

That evening I caught a whole lot of fish -- brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, crappie, and walleye.

This place was unbelievable, and I got to experience 2 great sunrises and sunsets. 

Where a Kid can be a Kid

I took the kids to Chuck E Cheeze today. They had a lot of fun. I've been working a lot, and it seems like I end up shooing them out of my office more than I play with them.

Nancy, Abby and Nancy's mom went to a craft show all day, so I decided to take the two older kids for a little fun.

After Chuck E Cheeze, I took them to Arrow Dynamics and got a few things for hunting. They sat behind me on the bench while I shot a few arrows just to make sure that I was on. They shared a root beer while I shot and were really patient.

So I leave tomorrow after church with Randy and his son Jake for a few days in Nebraksa hunting white tail deer. Randy is pretty much the most dedicated and skilled hunter any person is likely to ever meet. He can shoot a bow or rifle with such consistency and precision that it awes me to see it, and I consider myself priveleged to accompany him on a hunt.

This is also the first time I will have hunted with a bow. I've hunted successfully with a rifle and a shotgun, but there is a significant difference in shooting a bow and a gun. I feel very confident in my aim though, so it's just a matter of a deer happening by my stand. I've spent the evening packing and prepping the bow and broadhead arrows.

Now I need sleep so I'll sign off until I return Tuesday. 

Recent Family Photo

A few weeks ago my folks came over and so we could give them some photos to take with them to Pennsylvania to give to my grandmother.

My mom took this while she was here. We don't have many photos of all of us, so I thought I'd put it here for anyone who hasn't seen us all together. 

Dinner by Firelight

Tonight for dinner Nancy made portable food and we ate in front of the blazing fire.

We turned off all the electric lights and enjoyed a relatively quiet dinner watching the fire's glow. Abby slept in the "snuggly" attached to Nancy.

Afterward we had marshmallows. We didn't have the chocolate and graham crackers to make 'smores so we just ate plain toasted marshmallows.

Corben had a marshmallow and exclaimed "Mmmm... Monkeypads!"

We have no idea what this means but he's been saying it for a few weeks now whenever he enjoys something. I grilled him to find out what he meant and where he heard it. He thinks the caterpillar on "A Bug's Life" says it at some point during the movie. If you could hear Corben's inflection when he says it and if you are familiar with the movie, then you would immediately understand how he could have heard something from the boisterous German-sounding caterpillar and misunderstood it.

We consistently have a pretty good laugh whenever he says it. 

Music?

OK, this is one of the coolest musical things I've come across. Pandora has been around for a while but now it's free.

You enter the name of one song or artist that you like, and it uses... The Force? Divination? ESP? I'm not sure what exactly, but it finds other music that is similar to what you like in construction. It seems to work pretty well.

I think it's very cool, and I like the intferface functionality.

Just an experiment

I know everyone bows down in reverent worship of Photoshop, but I like trying to make something cool with free software.

This isn't supposed to blow anyone's mind, but it is kind of fun to come up with and it's done entirely with my digital camera and Picasa -- free from Google. 

All things in moderation

Well I've had to step up security here -- which is too bad. Now all comments will be moderated to keep unnecessary nasties off the page. Sorry commenters -- it shouldn't affect the vast majority of you, it will just delay posting of comments.

And thank you, anonymous commenter - thanks a lot.

.peace.

Suddenly busy

Well, two larger projects that I have been working on for a while finally came in -- all in the past week.

So it looks like the doors will stay open for a while longer.

I finally feel like this is my job -- working for myself out of my home office. It's been 1⅓ years since I started, and until recently it felt like all I was doing was "side-work." The other day I was driving somewhere and was chatting with my dad -- which, it seems, is what I do when I have to go somewhere for a meeting during the day -- and it hit me that I was doing my job. I was meeting with clients to help determine what they needed to have done, in preparation for getting the job and programming it.

It feels reassuring to know that I am doing my job, not just a collection of side-work. I don't know if that makes any sense or not, but that's the best I can explain it.

I don't get out much...

This is a neat little service that lets you generate a map of all the countries you have visited:



create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide