get a job and everything was going to be fine. I’m guessing this is because I was caught in a tornado in Austin in 2002, just before I came north. I drove away from the experience with a calm acceptance of my own mortality and a whole nother perspective on life and the stuff that happens. When I suffered a complete renal failure, still following in my father’s footsteps in 2006, I stayed happy. I’m having a great time, but it’s all just borrowed. And I’m still working.

The rest of the good parts of my life (you'll have to dig your own dirt, thank you) are pretty well covered in other parts of this website.

I've been married and divorced twice. I've never sired a child, but I have five grandchildren, having married a woman with two teenagers. I like kites, bicycles, kids, computers and freedom. I've been a Toastmaster since 1981, made DTM in October of 2002. I've been in recovery from liberalism since 1992. I bought a motorcycle in May, got a Suzuki Boulevard 90, because I don’t like the styling of the 109 and I couldn’t find a gray candy-apple 50. It took me two weeks to put the first 600 miles on it -- I haven’t had the power of an atlas rocket between my legs since I was 30.

I discovered Rush Limbaugh in 1991. I was moved by his advice to a recent college graduate who was complaining that she couldn't find a job. Limbaugh assured her that the scarcity of work wasn't the problem, but rather the fact that there were jobs she wouldn't take. That kind of resonated with me, and I’ve listened ever since. If you want to know what I think about anything political, just ask Rush.

God is good.

( To be continued)