Life can be just fantastic, even if only in little sips at a time.

I went golfing today for the first time. Some gents from my Church had talked about this some time back, and it seems like me, took their time making it happen. Well, it is good to know I am not alone in living a complicated, difficult to schedule life, if for different reasons. As well, it offered me the chance to order a set of golf clubs, buy some tees (teas?), and finally just the other day to finally pick up some golf balls.

It was a fantastic thing! I did not hit perfectly, I did not shoot great often, and saying I regularly shot ok might be pushing it. Hitting the ball at all was a plaguing trick. Hitting it straight seemed to come naturally. Getting loft was a bit of a struggle, as I grounded about half of my shots. Finding the ball was fairly straight forward, albeit the ruffs (roughs?) were very tame. I am not sure how far I shot, but my best three were as far as the better golfers or at least in that range and on the fairway. What fun, even if we were rained out before we could finish the 4th hole.

There was another gentleman, of about my size, who was also a first time golfer. Which was perfect, since we were able to share the clubs. He too had a great deal of fun, and has set his mind on a set of clubs for himself. As well, he has indicated an interest in going again and practicing together. To top it off, one of the experienced golfers did compliment me, saying that I had “really” made some great hits. He is not the type to hand a compliment without being literal, and maybe a little impressed. The other regular golfer just sort of looked at me with a bit of surprise, being young and an exchange student, I think he is still a little unsure of his place though so he did not say anything.

I had thought I would get in lessons before we went, but like I am want to do and with my several and varied recent expenditures, I was not able to do so. Actually, I am glad I did not take lessons. As well, I will probably play many rounds to get a pattern down before I go in and try to improve, as trying to improve an irregular shot seems odd to me at this point.

In my opinion, even if you have always been an anti-golfer type, just try it. You don’t need new clubs, most clubs will rent those. You can probably find an inexpensive club ($14 for 9 holes, with a cart, in a generally very expensive region to live). And you don’t need lessons (though I might suggest a course map, as the other new guy and myself fell behind a time or two and ended up ). All in a daysshooting at or nearly shooting at the wrong holes work. I still have a lot to learn, including course etiquette, but I think I will enjoy getting out of the house for even one more thing.

Another new thing is coming up. I feel a bit more comfortable with it, now that I have tried a long feared, dreaded, and sometimes disliked sport and not only enjoyed it, plan on continuing, and did ok for a new guy. I will be practicing shooting my Springfield XD .45 acp tactical (tactical means a 5” barrel, part of the name) in preparation for, I believe, and ISPCA(?) event. I won’t be competing, but I may get to do an un-timed run through the course. I probably won’t compete with this particular pistol, as I plan on having it as home use, personal practice, and maybe a carry pistol, so installing ghost rings and an internal laser sight, none of which is acceptable for competition. However, there are a lot of other pistols and revolvers out there just taking up case or closet space. Sigh, but money is allocated for a bit. With camping gear, climbing gear, reloading (yes, ammunition reloading) equipment, Xterra mods, all in the pipeline, and my next gun purchases probably going for a bear defense gun (either S&W .460 or .500) and maybe a .357 revolver, it would be next summer before I could really look into a competition pistol, all the rigging, and travel and club fees and costs, the pistol mostly likely being a Para-Ordnance .45 acp hi-cap.

What do I know?

I try to keep this place clean of politics, controversies of the popular and typical nature, and just offer thoughts and questions, a few of my answers, and specifics about my life. In real life, I am much more defined, give or take. I have started to wonder if I am in fact hardcore. Well, not that really, as I am. I guess I wonder if I am acidicly hardcore. If I am difficult to be with, repulsive in a general manner, and or too strong in my opinions and beliefs to be enjoyed by fellow humans.

Really, I hope everyone thinks about this. But more, I hope everyone worries about this. I would much rather talk to a woman who didn’t put on mascara, lipstick, or drop a breath mint yet worries about this than a typical non-thinking feminist, lesbian, or rude woman. What about the guy who believes in a government which would suppress my current rights so that he would “feel safe” and doesn’t even realize he is rude or his thinking is extremely debatable and dubious? Should I even talk to those people? Once again though, I am back to my first thoughts. Am I too harsh?

I do not mind asking the question. Though I might have a middling average answer, collected and averaged over a dozen days and with a dozen moods on those days, it is for me and unimportant for others. The outliers, should these data be graphed, can be annoying, debatable, and humbling as I see them. But that I look and worry is a comfort rather than the cause for greater concern. I could ask if these aforementioned folk do the same, but they are not the issue and never will be, for me. Or, at least, I don’t believe they should be.

What the Godless do is of no concern to the Christian should it not be made a concern of the Christian. These things, I leave in their hands, while offering a prayer for them. As for me, I think I’ll keep on looking at myself in relation to the rest of my kindred, for my part. I will ask myself if I am too brutal. I won’t always like the answer, but I know where to go to get straight. I do have some abstract distanced sympathy for those who do not know where to take this should they blindly stumble upon it, but for those who choose not to know I give nothing. Yes, I can be brutal.