Back in Texas

 Well, I’m back in Texas at my house after a few months away. I went to Chicago, then Boston very briefly on my way to Portland ME, then Nashua, then Ithaca, then I stopped over in Chicago again before coming back to my house. I wanted to share what I learned………….. as soon as I learn it!

In summary, this is what I’ve learned or remembered:

1. Never give up:  results only come at the end.

2.  Talk is cheap:  people say shit they only mean if they don’t have to prove it—and often.

3.  Be True to Yourself:  that is often said, but what does it mean? Humans have been around a while, but we have a lot to do. It would be foolish to waste your life on one other person when we have so much to do (and don’t get me started on flying cars).

4. Level up:  as far as we know, we get this life. Make it count. After my father passed when I was a boy, I was raised by my mother. While I was fortunate to have two parents until then, every configuration presents challenges. I once read a quotation that helps me when I face challenges:  “People weaker than you have overcome more.” (Or something like that.)  When I was a boy, I ran cross-country. And what I learned from that was that they only tally results at the end. My mother taught me, in various ways, that girls are smarter than boys. This had the effect of me wanting to learn what girls knew. Once, I asked a girl, “What is the purpose of life?” She was female and foreign, so I was pretty sure she was two steps closer to God. She paused and thought about it, then she answered, “To be happy.” This seemed profound and true to me, but I actually disagree with it now. Indeed, we have more to do. And don’t even get me started on flying cars. On one hand, we have come far and no longer live in mud huts. But on the other hand, there is so much more to do. We should use the privileges we’ve been granted to give future generations more privileges. There’s nothing wrong with pleasure, but some day, the sun will absorb the earth, and humans need a plan for getting out long before that.

And I get that I’m describing an event that’s _far_ away, but:

a. I have concerns that predictions so far out are accurate.

b. Humans have a lot of potential—don’t squander it!

c. How do you relocate billions of people? I’d guess that’ll take ages to figure out, then more ages to do.

Anyway, the bottom line is that I traveled far and long (though just on earth so not that far and not that long), and I still have issues. But I’ve gotten markedly better, and I have hopes to get significantly better from here. I also have a plan, and I have a backup plan. I believe I have learned a lot from this experience, and I hope I can do something useful, ideally with stereoscopic eyesight, which I want tout de suite.