Today is my fourteenth wedding anniversary. I'm not surprised Kristine and I made it this far, really. I am often surprised at the shape our life together assumes. Insofar as I thought marriage meant "settling down," I was very mistaken. Things continue to change, grow; we still discover new thoughts and hopes in one another. Living with and learning from each other occasionally knocks one or both of us out of our comfort zone. But on the whole, I value learning, adapting, and discovery more than comfort.
We're not perfect and we're not always happy. We're not numb with familiarity to one another either, which shows that our relationship is a live thing, and that's enough to be very grateful for.
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According to Saturday's New York Times, NASA has revised its mission statement to de-emphasize research pertaining to Earth's environment. Since 2002, the agency stated that its mission was "To understand and protect our home planet; to explore the universe and search for life; to inspire the next generation of explorers ... as only NASA can."” Now, that mission is "to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research."
A NASA spokesman explained that the mission statement was revised "to square the statement with President Bush's goal of pursuing human spaceflight to the Moon and Mars." Understandable, according to NASA scientist James Hansen, who was recently criticized for speaking about problems caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change had been a research priority for the agency in recent years. Hansen commented that "“They're making it clear... they have the authority to make this change, that the president sets the objectives for NASA, and that they prefer that NASA work on something that's not causing them a problem," he said.
Read the Rest ************************
What is the attraction of fly fishing autobiography? What makes so many anglers want to excavate and explain their origins? Why do fly fishers turn their piscatorial beginnings into a personal creation myth? I ought to be answering those questions myself, having indulged the autobiographical impulse here. Maybe sometime over the long winter. For now, I'll commend another such literary efffort from an Alabama angler on his (apparently new) blog. Though he's making his journey in a different place and time, I see a lot in common with my own beginnings with the long rod. Check out Tennesee Valley Angler.
Tags: Relationships; Environment; Politics; Blogs; Fishing; Fly Fishing
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