Cruising Speed

In lieu of writing about my own experiences, which consist primarily of making Welbornian travel arrangements (not to Europe, just somewhere warm this fall though I'm also itching for a NYC weekend such that I may go solo), I thought today I'd write a post documenting the adventures of Ham of Bone.

I'm calling it Cruising Speed after the documentary of a week in the life of William F. Buckley but I could've titled it The Last of the Rugged Individualists, seeing how Ham is a sort of Eustace Conway for the computer programmer set (to the extent that's not oxymoronic).

Son of a non-itinerant preacher, upon coming out of the womb he asked the doctor to turn off the lights not because they were too bright but out of concern for the hospital's electrical bill. He grew up in the belt of Protestant Christianity and has slowly come closer to the Catholic faith, albeit balking at his paternal (the Pope) and maternal (the Mother of Jesus) inheritance. A fan of the evangelist Francis Shaeffer, he considers himself non-denominational today.

A few months ago he informed me that his retirement date is set for the end of next year, he who is all of 45 and has 4 kids between the ages of 5 and 13 (give or take). [Insert gasps here.] If true, it's primarily due to a case of a strong work ethic and intelligence (which provided him a good salary) along with draconianly small spending habits. These two potent ingredients, along with his avoiding taking a bath in the recent stock market debacle, has resulted in a good-sized nest egg which promises him a future freedom which I'm not sure how he'll use.

So, he's focussed on God, his family, his investments, his job...leaving no time for political concerns, right?

Wrong!

Despite almost weekly commutes to Manhattan from Ohio, he is politically engaged to the point of making a speech at a local tea party and, now, on a moment's whim, marching on Washington.

(The real reason for the trip, it is said, is that he's too cheap to pay for cable and so has to watch the beloved OSU Buckeyes in a hotel room...the latter which is free, I understand, due to the frequency of business travel.)

He's taking the whole family and his flexibility in travel plans is awe-inspiring, seeing how for me a trip across town is planned farther in advance.

Ham o' Bone has come far in his knowledge of politics, religion, and his chosen career - in fact, everything but beer.