Part 1 (of ???)
Hello, Steemit, creatr here. It's about time that I said "hello." Unfortunately, I'm discovering that (despite the claim that "Styling with Markdown is supported," this is not quite true... :( I'm in the process of "fixing" this, please check back in a little while? ;) OK! All fixed! (I think?).
"Born in the USA," I grew up in America shortly after WWII. My life has been one of progressive disillusionment with the "powers that be" and of painfully learning the truth that, contrary to what I was told in grade school, the US isn't even remotely a "free country." I'm labeling this as "Part 1" because I can't quite imagine being able to comprehensively tell you who I am in a single post.
Do I expect you to accept this date-stamped photo as "proof" of who I am? Not really, but know this; nobody would want to be me, much less pretend to be me, and you can quote me on that! If you read what I write from time to time, you'll find it to be fairly consistenly "me." Feel free to question me in the comments section about anything that I post; you'll find whatever level of depth you may be looking for.
In my long (and very checkered) career, I've been an orderly, a carpenter, a technician, a sign maker, a software engineer, a hardware designer, and a consultant. I've attended and presented at Libertopia, been shunned and run out of churches, and been dragged into federal court by the "Incompetents Robbing Society." I've had a number of patents issued in my (true) name, though all as "works for hire." I'm an amateur astronomer and theologian and a die-hard surfer, a dreamer, an author of science fiction, and I occasionally stand in for Santa Claus.
By the way, little kids that see me in stores often say, "Look, mommy, it's Santa!" My granddaughter, on the other hand, had it right from the beginning; she'd look at pictures of Santa and say "Look, it's 'Ampa!"
I've lost a sizeable fortune (~$120,000 at today's valuation) in the MtGox/bitcoin debacle but I try not to let that dampen my spirits. I'm a serial entrepreneur, and for the past dozen years or so, a practicing agorist.
I'm also a music hacker, with modest skills on the guitar and keyboards, as well as long-ago brass experience in bands and orchestras. Over the years, I've written songs for my kids and grandkids and just because. I can pick up almost any musical instrument and be producing recognizable melodies in minutes.
As time passes, I hope you'll see a very eclectic array of submissions under my byline -- which I will admit up front may be one or the other of my noms de plume. Eclectic, because I find that I am interested in virtually everything, and I tend to write best about what I find inspiring and fascinating at the moment.
I'm working on another brand-new article for Steemit right now, but I figured that I'd better get this "introducingyourself" entry out there first. I also have quite a lot of older stuff that I hope to publish or re-print here from time to time; please don't conclude something here is plagiarized just because you may have seen it somewhere else in cyberspace? Check me out; ask me questions; go ahead and assure yourself that I am, in fact, the author.
The New Me
I'm a big believer in "new." I like to do new things.
Background Meme Image is a portion of an image courtesy of NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration (HubbleSite: gallery, NewsCenter) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
I'm an inventor, simply because that's the way God wired my brain. Much of what I've done in the past I've tagged with a very simple pseudonym, creator, and I point out that the initial "lower-case c" is not a capital because I'm not trying to compete with "The Big Guy." It's just that I tremendously admire His handiwork and desperately want to emulate Him. I find it fascinating that many technological advancements are based on biomimicry, as over time we learn to recognize and value the work of The Swift, Sure Hand.
I'm always thinking about new ways to do things, new things to make, and new ideas. I find "the maker movement" to be a wonderfully hopeful present day phenomenon, and I hope that I will be able to inspire you to make and do and think about new and wonderful things.
The Improved Me
What do I mean by "Improved?"
While some people live and learn, there are times when I feel that I just live. However, reviewing the six-plus decades of my life, I'm encouraged to believe that I may not be static and immutable after all, but that I have, in the course of my life, learned and changed and become more in tune with truth and reality.
For instance, I used to be a Republican. I used to agonize over elections. As the years passed and I observed the perfidy of the political world, I continued to "move to the right" until I came to understand the false dichotomy of "right/left" politics; I began to see that virtually all of the political actors are plants and puppets, not to be trusted.
I wrote more than two hundred articles for a libertarian-leaning website that offers a platform for everyone on the Nolan Chart; most articles were in support of a notable exception to the political norm, Dr. Ron Paul.
By Proud User [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
I have since then come to believe that most, if not all, political involvement is not only counterproductive, but immoral and destructive; actually a violation of Jesus' directive to "love your neighbor as yourself." And so nowadays I limit my political activity to mere resistance, choosing to spend my time on other, far more productive pursuits. I am a voluntaryist and an agorist, and give no tribute to the violent pretenders in human governments, aka "the state," other than what they forcefully and/or fradulently rob me of. I consciously live my life as a "stranger in a strange land."
Where do I fit nowadays on the Nolan Chart? Somewhere well above the most northern peak; I am an anarchist with respect to my fellow man, and a thearchist in my personal relationship to Jesus my God.
Original Blueprint/Sketch
Why do I want to participate in Steemit?
Perhaps it may be to share insights and observations with you from a perspective that you've never, ever considered before - simply because my perspective is so far off the edge of the bell curve that I might even be the only living soul who holds it.
Maybe it's to gather some of my thoughts and writings "under one roof," so to speak, a roof that I hope may have some persistance.
Perhaps it may be possible that my past experiences and present knowledge might save you from one or two of the traps, delusions, and backwaters that have hobbled, hampered, and hindered me in days gone by.
I hope you find all this somewhat intriguing, and I invite you to Follow me on Steemit and find out what you may have been missing.
The Emerging Me
I'm not done changing; the best is yet to come. I tell my friends that I envy antediluvian man, who reputedly had a lifespan of 900+ years. Why, when Noah and his fellows were my age, they were effectively teen-agers! I, on the other hand, can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I fear that it is an oncoming train.
Photo courtesy of Alex Read and http://unsplash.com
Nevertheless, I (like Woody Allen) hope to achieve immortality by not dying. Unlike Allen, I base my hope of eternal life not in myself nor in improvements in life-extension technology, but in the promise of my personal God (most widely known as Jesus the Christ) who has said:
"And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish." - Jesus
John 10:28, ESV
The eternal life Jesus promises me is quite literal, and by His kindness I fully and honestly expect to spend the coming endless millenia exploring the far reaches of the universe. If you're interested in joining me on those adventures, I'd love to discuss it with you.
What to Envision Going Forward
The Vision VTOL by Michael Waters - Just around the corner? I'll continue to hope so...
Expect the unexpected; poetry, music, reports about and experiments with "free energy," aviation dreams, tales of my personal surfing adventures? And of course, you can expect me to give credit where credit is due in every case.
I hope to share my children's stories, theological fantasies, science fiction, serious musings on God and the bible, comments on manufacturing engineering, and diatribes against religious bigotry... I could go on and on, and (God willing) I will.