I happened across the blog of a certain, 60 year old angry white police officer in California and he said that he was gripping "his freedom". And I thought to myself "this is so sad that certain people are having such a hard time with who the president is now. "I personally think he is superior to his precursor, but history will make the ultimate judgement on that. Like or dislike Obama, really, how much power does he really have? As Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2) said , there is "No fate but what we make".
I'd like to show you all a picture of my freedom:
Instead of a Smith and Wesson snub nosed .38. mine is a pair of Atomic Metron3 skis.
How many magical places that they have transpoted me to. Like this 2.5 mile run in Bristol Mountain, NY.
Or to this magical place in Colorado along the Continental Divide...
Or amongst the "Land of the Giants" at Aropahoe Basin...
Or maybe it's just at the local ski hill with my son, who is growing up to be twice the man I ever was, when school was cancelled because it was 25 degrees below zero...
Yes, there are those who will hate and sow discontent. Hopefully, there are many, many more like myself who love and appreciate the wonderful gift that living in this place and time offers us. I have so much to be thankful for in this holiday season. God bless us all!
16 comments:
I luv your skiing photos -- such an awesome thing to share with your son, too!
Paula, it is awesome! We are like Batman and Robin out there. Doing daring deeds of speed and flight. It is truly living a comic book existence. If you have never skied you jusat have no idea. So amazing. It peels the years off. For a while you are 22 again. Then, you take alleve! :o)
I like the contrast between what others and what you consider "freedom". I'm not anti-gun by any means (I actually own a 9mm which is at my Mom and Dad's since I can't be arsed to renew my FOID card), but it's pretty frightening that so many people have felt the need to stock up on firearms and ammunition because of that "colored fellow" currently occupying the White House.
It's especially weird when you consider the fact that nothing has been done to curtail gun rights. In fact, Obama recently signed a law that gave gun owners the right to carry in National Parks, a right they never had previously. It isn't just scary that people hate... it's even scarier when they live in their own little fantasy worlds and cling to their guns for comfort.
Mary & Joe- I own several rifles and used to go hunting. I certainly am no anti gun liberal. One day I just realized that sitting in a deer blind freezing my butt off waiting for a deer was not as fun as making fresh turns in powder! Love to eat venison and all, and have shot a couple myself but just isn't my thing anymore. I don't keep them at home. They are in a safe at mom's house. Don't need a teenager getting "curious". I have not shot them for six or seven years. It's that somehow this guy feels powerless and that having that handgun gives him some kind of control or whatever that he would not have without it. To paraphase Obama, economics, life choices, whatever have passed him by and so he "clings to guns and religion" instead of finding a new way. People like this also have contempt for education, thinking that college is silly. It's amazing how stunted your thinking can get when you never get outside your box.
One one side, "gripping one's freedom" is almost phallic language.
On the other. the current President did indeed fire a shot across the bow of the gun-rights ship (odd metaphor, I admit) when, as a candidate, he attacked people in Pennsylvania for embracing their gun rights and freedom of religion.
"One one side, "gripping one's freedom" is almost phallic language."
Oh God Dmarks! That was hillarious! You can really crack a good joke. You are so correct in that observation. It never occurred to me until you said it
:-)
I'm not that worried about the gun grabbing or whatever. As Joe mentioned they seem to be making it easier every day to own, and carry guns.
Gosh that was funny! Still snickering...
He didn't attack anyone. He explained how he viewed their feelings, and a lot of the people he was speaking about acknowledged that he was right. If someone decides that their interpretation of his words is important but his actual actions in increasing gun owner's rights is not, then I have to stand by my statement about them living in their own little fantasy worlds. Actions are real - saying "He meant this because I feel he meant this (or because Fox News said he did)" is not.
Joe: He DID attack them with his verbal assault on both the 1st and 2nd amendments.
"and a lot of the people he was speaking about acknowledged that he was right"
That he was right??? That it is actually wrong to be proud of freedom of religion and firearm rights? That's pretty nasty, when it is somehow "good" to hold two important parts of the Constitution in such contempt.
"Actions are real - saying "He meant this because I feel he meant this (or because Fox News said he did)" is not."
What does Fox News have to do with anything? Let's check the actual record:
DM- It was an off the cuff remark that certain people whom the economy, society, whatever, had passed them by and that they "cling to guns and religion" to cope with that. I don't think that that is an "attack" on "guns and religion". I think that both you and Joe need to lighten up a bit. There are those on both the left and right that look for any little provocation to set them off to go into a verbal tyrade. This is not the place, okay? I am totally not anti gun or anti religion. I am a gun owner and a Christian. I will say that guns can cause a lot of trouble if not handled in a responible way, but responisble people owning guns is not a problem at all. If you all want to fight over the merits of the second ammendant do it somewhere else. My point is that there seem to be a bunch of rightwingers who think there needs to be a revolution because their guy didn't win, and that they need to state their case to America in 2010 and stand or fall on the outcome of that election, because having a revolution right now is exactly the worst thing for America. Elections, GOOD. Armed insurrection, BAD.
And isn't skiing a more POSITIVE OUTLET than politics, at this point? Why STAY whipped up, day after day...
Tim said: "Elections, GOOD. Armed insurrection, BAD."
I agree. The last people I would trust to decide that the government is too corrupt and needs overthrowing is the "Michigan Militia" and its allies. So I think we are in agreement there (even if we probably disagree on "off the cuff" comments, which I tend to think reveal the character of a politician, and how they really think outside of smooth speeches).
Sorry I did not answer your question about skiing from the email... at that time, there wasn't much snow, really. Now all the local ski resorts are reporting real good conditions.
I spent too many childhood years in an area that had only one ski resort that I know of, so... I did not get into skiing.
Well Dmarks, It just so happens that my wife and I went up to Nub's Nob this weekend. Perfect conditions (no wind, 30 and sunny with 2 feet of freshly packed powder) skiied my butt off and slept like a log!
Maybe one day you'll have to teach me how to ski.
I am still somewhat traumatized by my first, and only effort almost 30 years ago at a local spot here in Vegas.
And now I have a little more fear... or sense.
Great pictures Tim!
DMarks and Dave- I'd love to get both of you on skis. I'm sure I could teach you in a couple of hours. It may taker a bit longer to progress on to the Black Diamond runs. I still can't do moguls too well and I don't ski thru trees, but I'll go steep and fast! sheer terror! Can't help it. I love to scare myself to death.
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now. Keep it up!
And according to this article, I totally agree with your opinion, but only this time! :)
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