I’m a closet science fiction fan. Well, not so much in the closet, as all over the house. I’ve got overflowing bookshelves in the office and the living room, and books scattered here and there all over the house. And none of that fantasy stuff for me—I like space operas and post-apocalyptic novels.

I’m a quilter. True, I may not have actually picked up a quilt since I got divorced, but that’s just due to having no time at all. I have very good intentions, and my sewing machine is out, even though you can’t see it under the stack of clothes to be ironed. I’ve got several UFOs (unfinished objects) that I think fondly of from time to time. I bound one and hung it on the wall, but it’s not really finished yet. I was always very good at the little nit-picky stuff. The ladies in my guild thought I had a very nice hand-quilting stitch, and I’m a whiz at appliquée. 

I’m a Republican. I don’t broadcast that much on the internet, where everyone and his brother seem to be on the other side. But I’m a very liberal Republican, if that makes a difference. I’d probably be a Libertarian if I sat down and thought about it, but I don’t care that much, so what’s the point?

While I’m annoying people: I’m also an agnostic, unless I really get riled up about it, and then I’ll claim to be an atheist. I rarely get riled up about it—my philosophy is “don’t know, don’t care.”

I’m a card-carrying member of the NRA. That goes nicely with number three, but not so much with number four. At various points in my life I have run a small rifle range, held a concealed weapons permit, shot in high-power rifle competitions, and sold firearms (legally.) I always have good intentions about doing more shooting, but that time escapes me as well. I really enjoy it, and my next gun purchase will either be a rifle fit for elk or a .22 pistol.

I’m also a member of the Farm Bureau and the American Waterworks Association, but somehow those don’t seem to get people riled up. It’s like having a library card, I guess, although I don’t happen to have one of those.

Damn, I had intended for this to be a list of ten, but it seems that there just aren’t ten things about me that I’m not sure that everyone knows. I do live my life right out there, for the most part.

And clearly, it’s a slow week if I’m making lists. I’ve still got the ear thing, and I haven’t been to Cowboy’s in a couple of days. But you were all tired of reading about horses anyway, right?