ATA Update and "Other" stuff

As some of you have heard, ATA airlines went under this week just after Aloha air filed for bankruptcy. After Aloha went under, we did a quick check online to make sure our tickets were safe in the hands of ATA, but just days later, it too filed for chapter 11.

It looks as if we are not going to be able to go to Boston this year, and we may also have to push back our date of arrival to Bellingham until ticket prices come back under control. Most people do not buy their tickets several months in advance, so it is likely that we will be able to get a decent deal on them once again.

I went to the bank to file a claim, hopefully to receive my money back from the now useless tickets. After filing the paperwork, they said it could be a few days or a few months, I'm guessing the latter. It did sound promising though, or perhaps this was a savvy clerk I was dealing with, well versed in the methods of putting anxious customers at ease. Again, I would put my money on the latter.


Other Stuff:
I spoke with my father this past week about fatherhood and faith, two topics which I knew would come into light at some point or another. I would just like to put a final touch to the conversation we had that night and thank him for being kind and compassionate.

A little history to catch up on my current state:
A long time ago, I had a friend. Our interests brought us to desire to see what was behind the veil of religion, to see why we believe all of the things that we do. Our endeavors brought to light a universe of ideas not constrained by fundamentalism. A community of intellectuals that relies on the evidence provided by our wonderful planet to seek out reason amid the darkness of scientific ignorance. His path, mostly a philosophical approach to the use of scientific knowledge, considers the evidence of social constructs of human nature to sift through for gems of reason and useful information. While I dabble in philosophy, my path has led me quite differently. Math, Physics, Chemistry and Anthropology were the staples of my intellectual diet (though I claim a Communication major--> Bah!). The physical makeup of the world described through such classes offer overwhelming evidence for not only how things work in the real world, but just as importantly, how things do not work. A long time ago, I was pulled in by creationist Kent Hovind's message. I enjoyed watching and listening to him make fun of Darwinism and cherry pick through to "disprove" evolution. Watching now, I can gladly say that I can point out and disprove each and every claim he makes in all seven of the same videos that I was once enthralled with. More still it is interesting to note that not a single person in the scientific community takes the man seriously, and never did. He is revered by people who don't know anything about science because he sounds like he does.

There is something that I noticed only very recently that has given me encouragement to continue in my, well, adventure. I have noticed that I look forward to learning more. When I watch a video or read an article, there comes satisfaction from the realization that there is still more out there for us to know and understand. We will never get to it all, but that is why it is fun. I remember church growing up. I enjoyed church, the people, the community, I still wish for it even now. I would sit and think about how I was a bad Christian, I was a Sunday Christian. I would promise myself that I would go home and read to learn more. But there was no real desire. Not like I have today. There was no sense of self-fulfillment that I received after studying. Only regret the following Sunday while surrounded by others who might ask me what I really believed. I have studied the Bible more since I became skeptical of it than before when I believed in its perfection.

I would most like to thank my friend Joel and my loving wife Sadie for helping me and kindly waiting for me to catch up. It has been a long time coming.

Expect further updates on the Baby!