100 Things About Me, for Me, to Me Significant Pt. 1

100 Things About Me, for Me, to Me Significant part 1 of 4

(Begun in May 2019)

1. Divinity. A lot of people start their lists with God, like the tablets from Moses on Sinai. I am not sure about the Hammurabi Code, or the Magna Carta, but you get the point. My point about God and me is that this exists, whether you believe in Him as I do or whether you know or care who I am. God and me are a thing; we are not static or cookie cutter. I believe we all are. Unique. He is, you re. And as billions believe, God is great, so try to show some respect and deference; one of my mottos. Must be careful how we tread, always. Easy to be flippant and glib, but holy things deserve our best foot forward, or backward.

I think I could blather on about this topic for a few books. Others have done it before, likely better. That suffices on the subject of the Divine, for now.

2.  Maps. I really like maps. They show a lot of things, tell a lot of stories. Like people, or planets, or scientific laws and treatises on the universe, much so much simpler and cuter to absorb, to fathom.

3. Books and their authors. This is the best thing since sliced bread. Documenting in written form articles, reports, novels, poems, songs, epics, scriptures? Nothing against sliced bread, but books and their writers are right next to the divine. A book does not even have to have a cogent map or reference to God to be genius.

4. Sports. I could break this down into its respective parts, like basketball, baseball, bowling, and golf. To each his or her own. If you have ever been passionate about a sports player or a team, you get it. If not, someday you should understand, because that is how a lot of us tick. It helps me organize a few things, if nothing else.

5. Music. This is a vast and spiritual if not intellectual and sociological universe. Music to the ears. We don't say that for nothing.

6. Justice. Some can conflate this with God, which is fine by me. Admittedly, both can be elusive. Coincidence? Possibly. Sure, probably. Justice and God belong together, as well as their apparent absence from cases...

7. Languages. I have spent significant parts of 5 decades trying to get a grip on different languages. They are sweet and awesome. I hope that I have another 50 decades to attempt to track down all the languages that elude me.

8. Love. Love at number eight, after being a life-long Beatles fan? Love should be bigger or higher than number eight. Up there with God. It deserves books, too. I realize this order is not particularly reflective of a prioritized list.

9. Wife. I could not have done better. I could have searched for a thousand years and not find a better person.

10. Children/kids. They have been real work and real joy, with some moments of wonder and fulfillment. They motivate me to work more, work harder, and to share.

[Separated by away time in Louisiana. Answers/explanations are now shorter. Must find paper on which I originally wrote the list.]

11. Father. Would not trade him. He is a hero in many ways.

12. Mother. Unique, wonderful, flawed, emotional, spiritual, great.

13. Family. I am a brother to all. I am commanded to love my enemy, and forgive all their trespasses as they forgive mine.

14. Economics. Fascinating and frustrating. Those who understand how to make things work: trade, taxes, inflation, interest rates, financing... Genius.

15. Nature. We need it, it needs us. It inspires and keeps us alive. We must respect it, enjoy it, and preserve it.

16. Countries. There are hundreds on paper. 200 or so. There are also thousands of them in fictitious realms and universes. Each collective entity poses myriad fascinating possibilities and realities.

17. Geography. I love it. For 16 years I have contemplated a Doctorate. If I were to get one, it would be cultural geography. I have spent many hours and days trying to understand earth geography and many aspects of it. Arthur C. Clarke is probably my favorite science fiction author because of his expostulations of geography, which involves a lot of cosmology. I have spent time memorizing the states of Mexico, Brazil, India, and China. I recognize that there is so much more.

18. Elections. I follow them, especially national votes and referendums. Some votes I have followed meticulously. USA Today in 1994 was an example, or the Iowa Caucus in 2008.

19. Computers. Use them a lot, they are tools to our world. I like spending time working and playing on them. The technical glitches are a constant source of frustration, probably worse than cars.

20. Movies. They are bigger than life, they can become life. I watched two yesterday, a day when I woke up and played basketball, cleaned the church, came home and read and did computer stuff, got my teeth cleaned, spent some quality time at the library and read the paper and checked out more books, watched baseball, and did Boy Scout certifications.
I wanted to be a film major for a few years, especially younger, to help create some. That desire or impulse is there, but it is related to my relationship with writing.

21. Television series. I have seen parts or whole episodic series across the decades. Gilligan's Island, Love Boat, Star Trek, M.A.S.H, Cheers, etcetera. They become part of our thinking and dialogue, especially the characters. Alex P. Keaton, Sam Malone, Frazier?

22. Radio. I listen to it more as an adult than I did in my youth. It influenced me for a the year in Afghanistan, in my 40s. Pop and jazz, classical and talk. Commuting and moving in vehicles it is huge.

23. Internet. Ahh, how times changed in my mere lifetime. Wikipedia is a thing. Sociality has changed. Much less newspapers. Much more "online time". Like right now.

24. Board Games. I have played quite a few throughout my life. Does chess count? I learned at age 31 and I have overplayed my share.

25. Temples. Marvelous, majestic, firm, inspiring, family connecting, history provoking, cleansing. I could go on, like with most of the above.