I spent some of this morning watching YouTube videos of speeches made by Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris.  I already own a couple of books by Mr. Harris, and now I’m feeling the need to run out and get Mr. Hitchens’ book as well.  I’ve seen it on shelves in the Philosophy section at B&N, but I don’t buy books of that nature like I used to– I’ve felt for some time now that I’ve heard just about every way of saying what I think I already know about religion, and that I don’t need to hear yet another well-versed angle on the same statement.

But this guy, Christopher Hitchens, dares to say things I’ve been reluctant to say publicly and in polite company for 25 years, and after listening to his speeches and various TV appearances, I’m ready to read something from him and consider being more active in my opposition to religion.  Perhaps more verbal when the subject comes up in the future, for a start.

This might be something that should wait until I’m out of the military, but I think I can at least make something out of this place that will serve as a soapbox.

Here’s a good example of the kind of things Christopher Hitchens says.

And another video of c-span discussions that makes a good point about the viral nature of religion, and of the fact (in my mind) that if you’re not doing what it says in your book, you’re half-assing it, and there’s no defense for you.  So, if you’re religious, start doing it.  Please.  Mr. Rosenbaum brings up a point that I’ve agreed with in the past– that it’s the radical religious types that we should worry about, and not the gentler version of Christian and Islamist people who are all around us in America.  We should leave them alone.  I’ve accepted that in the past, until I heard Mr. Hitchens’ response. I have to say I agree with him and I’m moved to learn more from his book, God Is Not Great.

I’m not in school this semester.  Instead, I’m reading hard sci-fi stuff, playing Spore and Warhammer Online, and loving on my Ian and Raina after being gone for two weeks.  Eric and I are kicking around the idea of getting gamebabbleon.com into a more active state, especially since we’re pretty impressed by Spore (now that it’s finally out).  We figure if you’re gonna get back in the saddle, why not do it with Spore?

Ian missed his daddy.  He’s really trying to make up for it this weekend.  I just got back in last night.  Next time the Air Force sends me to Hanscom AFB, I’m not driving.  I’ll spring for the air ticket out of pocket if I have to.

‘Till next time.  Just had to put something up here to stay active.

Yesterday evening, 24 hours ago as I write this, Raina and I came home to find that Grizz had died.  We knew it was coming, but we weren’t prepared, of course.  Raina is devastated.  Grizz was a member of our family for thirteen and a half years.  He was a great friend to us, and he so loved his mommy.  Toward the end, he spent every possible moment by Raina’s side.  When he lost his hearing a few months back, the only way he could know he was in the same room with her was to have some part of his body touching the chair or couch she was sitting in.  That way, when he felt movement, he knew he need only look up to see where she was going so he could achingly get up to follow her.  After a while, his arthritis pain kept him from doing that.   Lately, he had been panting nearly all the time, which we learned indicated a possible heart problem.

Raina was most sad over the fact that Grizz died alone.  Alone and scared, not understanding what was happening.  We think he died quite suddenly of a heart attack or some kind of respiratory failure.  He was lying on the cool bathroom tile, where he liked to lie down during the hot parts of the day, and it looked like he was merely asleep.  When I passed the room a second time and he still hadn’t moved (and usually he could sense when we were home through the vibration of the doors), I knew something was wrong.  When I touched him and he was cold, I had to get up and go prepare Raina.  That was very hard for me.  She just fell apart crying.

Raina has lost so much in the last couple of years.  Both parents in 2006, an aunt and uncle, and now this.  We’ve done a lot of holding and crying the past 24 hours, and it’s been difficult explaining to Ian that Grizz won’t be back.  He asked why his eyes were broken, what color he would be when he came back, and why weren’t we just taking him to the doctor.  It was awful, and it made Raina cry so much as she tried to explain the situation to Ian.  On the way back from taking his body to the vet, Ian began to sing softly and sadly how he was going to miss his puppy.  Raina thought it was the most adorable and sweet thing ever.  When we came up the driveway, she stayed in the car to hear Ian finish his song.

We will miss Grizz so much.  It still hasn’t quite hit me what we’ve lost, but it’s starting to sink in.

Done with school for a while. This past semester I took Philosophy, Anthro-Archeology, and ‘Library Science,’ which were great classes, but I’m happy to be done with them, nonetheless.

So now I’m hitting the hard stuff and playing video games (things I couldn’t do much while I was still in class and working for the Air Force full time), so I’m blissful.

Raina plays more WoW than I do, and there’s someone we’re supposed to travel to Orlano to meet who Raina raided with quite a bit. I plan to drag Eric with us (friend from work), in case I don’t know what to say to this person. We’ll eat out (probably at Chili’s) and get kraunk, so it’s all good no matter what happens.

I’ll keep you posted. “You” meaning Mom, probably, since I doubt anyone else reads this prolific, popular blog.

Johan Daveed Leekiemeister

For the past three days now, I’ve had Labyrinthitis. It’s an inner-ear infection that, scientifically speaking, makes life suck. My eyes do circles and I feel as if I’m moving when really I’m not. I’m taking Meclizine for it, and, while it serves to take the edge off, it still leaves me holding the walls to get from one end of the house to the other, and it makes me so tired. It’s a great relief that I can read and do things on the computer. If I couldn’t do those things, I would need to be sedated for my sanity.

A good thing to come of this misadventure is that my dreams have been fantastic. Planes looping and making those elusive “water landings,” small craft caught in a “perfect storm,” tossed from one giant wave crest to another, and finally holding on to the top of a car for dear life while it slaloms its way through the city streets. No one does anything to help. Great stuff.

I’m told it will last only a couple of days. I think I’ll start with the extended version of The Fellowship of the Ring and make my way through the LotR movies again. Why not?

John