A Glutton For Punishment

Yup.  That’s me.  At least, it must be.  Not only am I trying to maintain a weekly schedule on a blog that seems to be getting some decent readership, but now I’m starting another one to deal with two really hot/controversial/will attract possible hate mail topics.  Those topics being ones that I refuse to mention on my other blog: Religion and Politics.  OK, now let’s set up some ground rules here.  First of all, I am allowing comments and that is because I like intelligent discourse.  One of the hallmarks of intelligent discourse is that it is filled with facts.  Please make your arguments from a place of verifiable facts, as I will try and make my posts.  Secondly, while I might post on a topic that you don’t agree with me on, I invite you to try and change my mind.  Everything I post here is opinion and, like any reasonable human, I am willing to reevaluate that opinion based on the situation/facts changing.  Third, please be polite to your fellow commenters (or to me, if it goes that far).  Any comments that I deem inappropriate I will delete.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, let me give you my background.  First, religion.  While I was a Catholic growing up, I never felt like I belonged there.  After much research and years of soul searching, I finally found something that I fit with, and that is Asatru.  For those that don’t know, Asatru is the worship of the Norse Gods (the Aesir) such as Odin, Thor and Freyr.  It is a reconstructed religion that harkens back to the pre-conversion days of Scandinavia and Iceland.  The name of this blog is a reference to the hammer amulet that most Asatruar wear.  My wife, OTOH, is a Protestant Christian, but she it involved in what ceremonies that I do (normally at the New Moon of every month) and accepts what I believe.  Secondly, family status.  I come from a white, middle class background.  My dad was a truck driver and my mom worked at a bank, before getting a job in the treasurer’s department of the town.  I hold a Bachelor’s & Master’s of Science in Engineering and work for a Sheet Metal Contractor as an Estimator.  I have been married for nearly 10 years and have a 3 year old daughter.  I have had ~5 alcoholic drinks in my life, have never smoked or done drugs, not because I don’t think one should, but because I don’t see a need for it in my life.  Lastly, politics.  I’m an odd duck here.  Due to my religious views, I know that there has to be some kind of communial safety net for the less fortunate.  However, I am also big on personal responsibility and freedom.  I believe that a person should be free to do as they please in their own life, as long as it doesn’t harm another.  I also think that the government, on whatever level, needs to live within its means, just like all us plebes.

So, that’s where I’m coming from.  Let the games begin!