In the end, we are all basically...

[raison_d'etre]

Now I'm going to have to find a photo or two of my cats Oliver and Zimmerman.

Rifleman, I never meant to imply that atheists can't find joy, happiness or can't have "spiritually" moving moments. I also never meant to imply that atheists cannot have intense interests and passions. Some of the most passionate people I know are atheists. After reading your post I can't help but be slightly jealous of your accomplishments and adventures. I would love a chance at studying wolves, the geology of certain places, or go on an archaeological trip.

[rifleman]

Originally Posted by raison_d'etre

Now I'm going to have to find a photo or two of my cats Oliver and Zimmerman.

Rifleman, I never meant to imply that atheists can't find joy, happiness or can't have "spiritually" moving moments. I also never meant to imply that atheists cannot have intense interests and passions. Some of the most passionate people I know are atheists. After reading your post I can't help but be slightly jealous of your accomplishments and adventures. I would love a chance at studying wolves, the geology of certain places, or go on an archaeological trip.

Thanks! It's been truly enlightening to m mind and life, and it's given me some amazing memories and options to take my various children along in my later years. So... now you just go out and do it, raison! Audit a few biology, geology or archeology courses at your local university of college, and tell the prof(s) in those courses that you'd like to have the opportunity to go along with one of his or her grad students on their field trips. Another set of helping hands! I did this while doing my first biology degree, helping a PhD student in capturing deer fawns (we only took one of any twins we found, given that in the wild the second fawn almost inevitably does not make it...), and also worked with some black bear studies! (The deer we captured led a very easy and secure life, btw... and we all learned lots about their behaviors!)

Locally here, in central WA , (you live close enough, I believe, to possibly participate. Hey; we could meet there this next spring!), Central WU has an archeological dig site near Naches, (which is just west of Yakima...) where they have unearthed mammoth bones (almost intact!) and other compelling stuff! They have been at this dig for well over 5 years, with lots of people having worked on it.

(As in: I believe they have also found some tools. all of this pre-dates, well, anything the bible claims in it's fanciful chronology, and to boot, the mammoth find is resting on top of the great inland basalt flow that is known (by drilling and core sampling) be be well over 10,000 feet deep, and there were probably flows before that!)

Oh and they do love volunteer physical help to carefully unearth hese startling reminder of our ancient past and ancestors.

A weekend spent on your (padded of course..) knees with a small spoon and brush can be humbling, but aso educational! (The UW archeology team component of this dig has taken my personal Alaska source mammoth tusk and aged it @ between 13,500 and 14,200 yrs of age. The same time-frame that the Naches "herd" was milling about getting speared by some rather fit young men! To hold this artifact in my hands and "feel" the spirituality of it, to imagine the original young owner (hey said it was a two to three year old...) wandering the lush Alaskan jungles.... it's overwhelming!).

Studiously unravelling the wonders of this earth and it's fascinating past and current "physiology" ("It's alive, I tell you! It's ALIVE!") is a wondrous course of action. We must keep your minds constantly open, but by doing so, we also let the fresh air of change and learning blow through uninterrupted.

Invigorating, and prone to passion-inducing!

[raison_d'etre]

Photo of Oliver(black) and Zimmerman(white). Oliver is now 25lbs, down from 27 and Zim is 17lbs. Both healthy according to the vet. Oliver is the wise one who judges before he leaps, Zimm just leaps...
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/387040_10150365431840583_595725582_8491062_4985290 80_n.jpg (broken link)

Originally Posted by rifleman

Thanks! It's been truly enlightening to m mind and life, and it's given me some amazing memories and options to take my various children along in my later years. So... now you just go out and do it, raison! Audit a few biology, geology or archeology courses at your local university of college, and tell the prof(s) in those courses that you'd like to have the opportunity to go along with one of his or her grad students on their field trips. Another set of helping hands! I did this while doing my first biology degree, helping a PhD student in capturing deer fawns (we only took one of any twins we found, given that in the wild the second fawn almost inevitably does not make it...), and also worked with some black bear studies! (The deer we captured led a very easy and secure life, btw... and we all learned lots about their behaviors!)

Locally here, in central WA , (you live close enough, I believe, to possibly participate. Hey; we could meet there this next spring!), Central WU has an archeological dig site near Naches, (which is just west of Yakima...) where they have unearthed mammoth bones (almost intact!) and other compelling stuff! They have been at this dig for well over 5 years, with lots of people having worked on it.

(As in: I believe they have also found some tools. all of this pre-dates, well, anything the bible claims in it's fanciful chronology, and to boot, the mammoth find is resting on top of the great inland basalt flow that is known (by drilling and core sampling) be be well over 10,000 feet deep, and there were probably flows before that!)

Oh and they do love volunteer physical help to carefully unearth hese startling reminder of our ancient past and ancestors.

A weekend spent on your (padded of course..) knees with a small spoon and brush can be humbling, but aso educational! (The UW archeology team component of this dig has taken my personal Alaska source mammoth tusk and aged it @ between 13,500 and 14,200 yrs of age. The same time-frame that the Naches "herd" was milling about getting speared by some rather fit young men! To hold this artifact in my hands and "feel" the spirituality of it, to imagine the original young owner (hey said it was a two to three year old...) wandering the lush Alaskan jungles.... it's overwhelming!).

Studiously unravelling the wonders of this earth and it's fascinating past and current "physiology" ("It's alive, I tell you! It's ALIVE!") is a wondrous course of action. We must keep your minds constantly open, but by doing so, we also let the fresh air of change and learning blow through uninterrupted.

Invigorating, and prone to passion-inducing!

I am not ashamed to admit this... This post while reading it, gave me goosebumps and has inspired me as well. Thank you for sharing this. These same things are passions I share as well. I might just have to go this spring. My fiance is always when I go on a hike and bring back various stones (with the property owners permission that is) like geodes, quartz, petrified wood, and the like.

There is so much to still learn and discover in regards to the past. I love going to antique stores and finding old photos, books and letters to learn about and wonder what people were like. If only we had a concept of preserving history from the beginning...nvm, that would take all the fun out of discovery.