There is a time for everything…

December for me is more than just the signal of a new calendar year on the horizon. It’s also when I turn another year older. This month I find myself reflecting on 2024 and age 45; all the amazing experiences, the hard ones, laughter, anger, excitement, worry, wonder, hope, despair… it’s almost like every emotion I’ve felt was, at some point in the year, counterbalanced by it’s opposite. I’d still say, though, that 2024 (and 45) was a great year. Of course the mountain top experiences are wonderful (and welcome) but as I told my sister the other day, and I don’t know if I’ve ever said this out loud, but I kinda like the valley, too. It’s in the valley that I’m most reminded that I can’t do anything good on my own. I need help.

But it’s not just the need that I embrace, it’s who I need from. And that’s God. He’s the only one that can rescue me from all valleys (and mountaintops, too). I’d hate to have a life where everything is easy and comfortable. The risk of shuffling God to a side priority would be so high, so those valleys, they aren’t really that fun but there’s a song I’m reminded of from back in the day where the lyrics say, “valleys fill first.”

When God pours out his blessing, mercy, grace, love, rescuing, the valleys fill first.

That was a little bit of a tangent, wasn’t it? This year has been a lot of fun from the camping/travelling, triathloning, working, generally being with people that mean a lot to me whether that’s family, old friends, new friends, my dogs, the neighborhood horses, the pup across the street who stretches in the most cute way, volunteering around town, it’s been a good year.

I find it a nice fit that next year the pastor will be preaching on Ecclesiastes, probably my favorite book in the whole Bible. In chapter 3 is that familiar part where it says there’s a time for this, a time for that, etc. But the whole book is about all the things the author has experience and accomplished in a search for meaning. At the end, and this is sort of a spoiler but go read the whole thing anyway, he says this:

Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
    for this is the duty of all mankind.

Isn’t that refreshingly simple? The other day I was staring at my sleeping dogs and admired them. They don’t worry. They don’t have much anxiety about life. They get fed and they’re happy. In a way, I want to be just like that. Not tangled up in trivial matters, but just living each day knowing God is going to take care of me. Peace. Rest. Excitement.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew)

I look forward to the days when I am fully dependent on God alone. It won’t happen overnight, I’m a feisty Capricorn after all. But I’m pretty pumped that each day I’m changing, even if it’s little by little, into someone more selfless, more compassionate, more willing to listen, more patient, and more happy. 2025 is going to be great.

-Out of the Wilderness

Is the Hummer Crabwalk Useless?

I keep seeing commercials for the Hummer EV highlighting the crabwalk feature. I’ve written about it before, too. Recently, there’s one airing for the winter holidays with a Hummer showing the crabwalk in a completely useless snowy scene.

I’m old enough now that I don’t drive in snow. I just don’t. But if I did, I’d definitely feel comforted knowing I can drive at a slight angle (said no one ever!). I don’t see a real-life scenario where this crabwalk serves any meaningful purpose. Now with that said, I do think the independent shifting of the front and rear set of tires can be great when they’re used to turn tight corners. In other words, the front and back are positioned in opposition positions, as shown towards the end of this YouTube short…

Do you think the crabwalk will be useful as it’s being advertised (sliding left or right)? I can say this for sure: Having a big vehicle that can make tighter u-turns is a very nice benefit, but otherwise, just give me the usual.

-Out of the Wilderness

Rosanna and a Right and Left Through

The lights dimmed. The music was queued. Standing in a group of four and off we went! There were meltdowns, swings, California twirls, and a lot more in last night’s techno contra dance (although techno-cally there wasn’t a right and left through as the title of this post might lead you to believe 🫣). Using pop/techno music is a twist on the traditional folk music/ live band usually accompanying contra dances. I was only a little bit sure of what to expect because I’ve participated in just one other contra dance that featured pop music… and… last night…

The sounds, the energy, the people, the laughing, all of it was such a high. Like a great workout at the gym but with music and friends and dancing. I was talking to someone about it recently, saying how contra dance is a welcome addition to my life. I have triathlon stuff, church stuff, family stuff, but going out to dance allows me to embrace a different aspect of my personhood. If you have a chance to try contra dancing in your city, I think you should. You might end up liking it!

But then don’t do what I did afterward: on the way home I accidentally hit a possum. Very sad. In its honor, I named it Rosanna because that song came up on my Spotify playlist this morning as I passed by the scene of the incident. Rosanna… I’m sorry. I hope you had a fulfilling life and thanks for your work in the woods! You were awesome.

-Out of the Wilderness

Iam Tongi Sings Silent Night

Iam Tongi, the winner of American Idol in 2023, has such a soothing, rich voice. If you watched his season, just a few episodes into the live shows it was pretty clear he was running away with it. Crowds loved him, as did the judges, and of course his voice and his story were both fantastic. Here are a couple favorite performances he’s done, one from American Idol and another with a friend of his.

From his pre-Idol days, along with friend Eta Lauti. When he softly sings the word, secures… I basically melt into a big ol’ puddle of joy.

And just recently, Iam covered the Christmas classic “Silent Night.” A beautiful rendition that only would have been better, echoing a comment on YouTube, swapping out the piano with a ukulele.

-Out of the Wilderness

Is Tracker a show worth watching?

Justin Hartley stars as a rewardist, reward hunter, treasure seeker in a show called Rewardist Reward Hunter Treasure Seeker Tracker. He goes by the name Colter Shaw and he’s got a team of smart people around him– two lesbians, an Asian lawyer, and a black guy with prosthetic legs. How many social justice boxes did CBS check off having those eclectic characters on the team, am I right!? Kidding of course, the actors playing these parts do their job well, even if the lines are a little cheesy sometimes.

Tracker reminds me a lot of Psych. Remember that one?

That was a great show with Shawn and Gus teaming up for hilarious crime-solving antics. So in Tracker, Colter Shaw basically does the same thing Shawn Spencer (Psych) did. They both use acute observation to narrow down who did what and when, relying on a team of experts supporting their investigation.

I can’t remember all the details of Psych and I’m sure there were things I didn’t love, as is the case with Tracker. Here are a couple of things I noticed (besides the few cheesy lines of dialogue peppered throughout the episodes).

  1. Colter lives in an Airstream. Very cool. But it’s such a weird coincidence that whenever a new case comes up or there’s a break in a current case, Colter is always like, “No way, I’m like 2 streets away already!”). I know there has to be an element of suspended reality but this “lucky proximity” happens often enough that I laugh every time it happens.
  2. Speaking of humor, the show is lacking the good kind. This is part of what made Psych so good. There was mystery, intrigue, action, and yes, a decent amount of humor. Tracker has more tense scenes, but a dose of laughter wouldn’t kill anybody, would it?
  3. I’d like to see Colter setting up his campsite every time he arrives in a new location. Having travelled around the southeast living in my travel trailer, it’s a heck of a job sometimes. This could be an area to add in some of that humor, too, because in my experience there is a whole world of characters Colter could interact with in an RV park.

Is Tracker worth watching? Absolutely. It’s a murder mystery type show that will keep you guessing and I think you’ll like it!

-Out of the Wilderness