Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Kim du Toit and Twenty Questions

Kim du Toit says he’s going to stop blogging except for occasional posts. He has said so before and he has come back to his computer. His is a necessary and valuable voice in the gun rights movement and he will be missed if he does not return to blogging.

He, and others as well, has suffered for his right of self expression. He lost investors in a software project because of his blog, he has had to put up with comments that attack him, and he has put a lot of time and money into his site.

I can understand his frustration with blogging although I am not in his league. Partially because Bill and I choose anonymous (at least to our last name) we haven’t suffered for our blog and we haven’t put as much effort or money into our site as Kim and his wife have done with theirs.

Still, we’ve put some sweat equity into this blog. It’s sometimes hard to come up with a post even though Bill and I have a lot to say. Other times, particularly because of a new project at work, I come home with my brain fried and all I want to do is watch poker on television.

There’s also a fair amount of administrative work. I find it hard to keep up with e-mail partially because I have two work accounts and several personal accounts. Sometimes I just don’t click on my personal and blog accounts since I don’t want to read or write another word.

That’s enough of the blogger’s blues. There are many rewards. I get to express my thoughts to readers from far away who have read my work. I have electronically met many people I would never have met otherwise. Frequent commenters like blueeyes, Drew, Seth from Massachusetts, and others have enriched my life by challenging me to think a little harder and giving me valuable information in return.

In honor of Kim, I'm going to answer his Twenty Things a Man Should Do only I took the liberty of editing them for a woman.

1. Shoot a gun larger than a .22. Done. I’ve fired up to a .45-70 and I plan to shoot a .50 cal someday. Of course, I've also shot shotguns include a 10 gauge.

2. Teach a kid to shoot. Done. I’ve taught several kids some of whom have grown up and now own guns.

3. Cook a meal out in the open (and I don’t mean a backyard BBQ). Done. I’ve cooked on camping and hunting trips.

4. Kill an animal which can kill you. Not Done (except deer, but they don’t really count in this case and I guess ducks could have killed me, but let’s not stretch it that far).

5. Taste a good brandy (no French cognacs need apply) and a fine single malt Scotch. Done and Done.

6. Visit at least eight countries outside your own continent, none of which speak your home language. Partially Done. I’ve visited France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands. If Wales counts, I’ve been there too. I’m not answering for Bill, but he could add several other countries to the list courtesy of the Air Force.

7. Read any six Shakespeare plays. Done. I read them while in school and read several afterwards for pleasure.

8. Win a solo sporting competition—anything that involves physical exercise. Done. That is, if you count shooting sports, c'mon there’s exercise involved.

9. Be part of a winning sports team. Not Done, and probably never will get it done.

10. Make love with a woman in a forbidden place. Done. No comment.

11. Have a strange woman invite you home with her him; and refuse her him, because you’re married. Done sort of. I’ve been married twice and while I have had this opportunity, I didn’t create it to take it.

12. Build something tangible—out of wood, steel, brick, whatever. Done. Bill and I have built bookcases, china hutches, and other furniture. I’ve built bookcases all by myself too for any purists out there.

13. Sit up all night comforting a sick child. Not Done.

14. Tell the truth, where a lie would both be undiscoverable, and keep you out of trouble. Done.

15. Watch at least one real virtuoso play a musical instrument—in any kind of music. Done. Including YoYo Ma and others.

16. Perform on stage (music, theater, whatever), to a large (500+) audience. Done (sort of). I’ve given lectures and presentations to groups larger than 500. There’s a certain degree of performance involved in giving a lecture to a large group.

17. Play at least one musical instrument competently. Done. I played clarinet and saxophone in high school and can futz around on a piano and guitar.

18. Make love to a woman at least ten years older younger than you are. Done. I turned it around for a woman’s perspective.

19. Tell a government bureaucrat to fuck off. Done. In so many ways.

20. And finally: tell a true story to your grandchildren. Not done. No grandchildren.

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