I Was Wrong

This blog is closing in on its 8th anniversary and today I'm here to tell you I was wrong. I was wrong in saying the Earth is round. I was wrong in saying climate change is real. I was wrong in saying evolution is real. Midnight is actually the end of the day (see yesterday's post). I was wrong about salt lamps. I was wrong about essential oils. They really do cure everything. There really is a dark side of the moon and it's made of cheese! I was wrong about it all! Don't believe in science because it will lead you down a dark path full of lies. Ignore everything I said.

Oh look...is that April 1st on the calendar? APRIL FOOL'S!!! May your April 1st be filled with truth, reason, and critical thinking!

Beauty of State Parks

Our dog, Astrid, was out of control with energy yesterday so I decided we were going for a long hike at a nearby state park. It was a beautiful day and this dog just needed a looooonnng walk, so that is what we did. Again, a beautiful day out as evident in these pictures I took.

A fantastic fall day. We did a two hour hike on various trails throughout the park. I was worn out, but I'm not sure the dog was. LOL!

After the hike, I stopped at a McDonald's for an Oreo McFlurry because I'm an adult and I can. LOL! It was a delicious McFlurry. :-)

Moral of this story? State parks are wonderful places and you should take advantage of them, particularly in the fall when the leaves are turning and the outside temperature is not as hot. You likely have a state park not too far from you and admittance is generally low cost. Where I live, the entrance fee is $7, but for $50 you can get an annual pass, which we did at the start of 2020. With COVID-19 preventing us from doing many other things we normally would have done, we've spent more time at state parks this year than in any year in the past. We definitely got our money's worth out of the annual pass.

Delayed Posting

Well, turns out it is hard to keep up with 5 posts a week given all that is going on in life. With a new job, kids involved in sports, and a new puppy, life is busy! I'm decided that I can't keep up with 5 posts per week, but do plan to post when I can, hopefully a couple of times per week.

Coming up soon, I will share some pictures of our shorter vacation to Clifty Falls State Park in southern Indiana. We took our dog with us and had fun hiking the park and checking out the shops in the historic downtown. Fun times. We also drove through the huge Jack O Lantern Spectacular in Louisville, KY. It was very cool!!! Thousands of carved and painted pumpkins setup in themed sections with appropriate music. Wow!

This Blog's History: Indiana Dunes State Park

 In case you missed it the first time, for This Friday in This Blog's History, I point you back to the post I wrote detailing our trip to the Indiana Dunes State Park. A great park with some very cool hiking trails across the dunes, and of course, the beach! If you want a challenge, take the Three Dunes Challenge! Great views!

Indiana Dunes State Park

Register to Vote

The 2020 general elections are quickly approaching and voter registration deadlines in many states are quickly approaching in the next week or so. I do not focus much on politics on this blog, but readers will know that I definitely lean toward one political party in the United States. I'm always going to support the party that shows the greatest support for developing policies that follow the science. 

If you haven't registered to vote, please do so and go out and vote! For more information on how to register to vote, here is a great resource:

How to Register to Vote

Make your voice known by voting! You have a chance to make a difference, and yes, ever single vote matters!

Annual Flu Shot Reminder

This is my annual reminder to all readers to go and get your flu shot. My family is headed out this weekend to get ours. The flu is deadly, with several tens of thousands of Americans dying each year due to flu complications. The flu vaccine is not perfect and some years provide better protection than others. An imperfect flu vaccine is not an excuse to not get vaccinated, however. Even in a year in which the vaccine is not as effective, it still provides more protection than not getting the shot.

Getting your flu vaccine in 2020 is even more important with the COVID-19 pandemic. As of today, there are still 40,000+ new cases of COVID-19 each day with 700-800 new deaths each day. The flu vaccine will not protect you from COVID-19, but it will help you from getting the flu. If you were to contract COVID-19, having the flu at the same time could be a recipe for several illness or death. 

Please, please, please, take the flu seriously and get your vaccine!!! You can get your vaccine at you doctor's office, or pretty much any place that has a pharmacy. Most grocery stores that have a pharmacy have flu vaccines available. Don't wait...now is the time to get your flu vaccine.

Knight Errant - A Star War Book Review

My latest book read was Knight Errant by John Miller Jackson. This is a Star Wars book in which a young Jedi is trapped in a system trying to free slaves and help the people from the evils of the Sith. Your basic Star Wars book and nothing special, but it was a nice escape from the real world. That's the joy I find in books. They are a nice, temporary escape from the troubles of the real world. And books are powerful. :-) With technology today, I am never without a book in my hand. It may not be a physical book, but with e-readers and my phone, no matter where I am, I have a book available. And that is awesome!

Another Dog Picture :-)

Now that we have a dog, you can expect lots of dog pictures. Sorry. This dog is just too cute not to post pictures! :-) Today's picture is of her resting in my car while I'm waiting for my daughter to finish up softball practice. The way I see it, she's just recharging to be ready to terrorize the cat when we get home. :-) Don't sympathize too much with the cat, because he eggs on the dog and is 50% of the problem in their battles!

How can one not love this dog?!?!?! She's a puppy and her endless energy can be frustrating at times, but we love her!

This Blog's History: Indiana Dunes National Park

In case you missed it the first time, for This Friday in This Blog's History, I point you back to the post I wrote detailing our trip to the Indiana Dunes National Park. A great park with some very cool hiking trails across the dunes, and of course, the beach!

Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes State Park

A few days ago I shared a few details and pictures from our trip to the Indiana Dunes National Park. The national park has a cool beach and some very cool hiking trails. If you have more than one day in the area, be sure to check out the Indiana Dunes State Park. It also has a cool beach and some great hiking trails. In fact, the beach at the state park was easier to find a spot to sit and socially distance given there is more sandy area between the cliffs and the water.

When it comes to hiking, there are several trails in the park, but if you want a challenge, do the Three Dune Challenge, which is a circularly loop that takes you up and down three large sandy dunes. You'll definitely get a workout and feel it in your calves when you are done.

Above is an example of one of the dunes, looking down. The elevation change isn't high, but the angle is steep, around 35 degrees for each of the dunes. That and a sandy ground that shifts when you step on it adds to the challenge making the climb. But the climb (all three) are well worth it when you get to the top and see views such as this one below.

My 10 year old daughter and I did the Three Dune Challenge while my wife and 13 year old daughter hung out on the beach. We joined them later. It was a fun hike although there were a ton of biting flies, which was kind of annoying. It kept us moving because whenever we stopped, the flies would start to bite. Not sure why there were so many biting flies. But despite the flies, it was a great hike and a lot of fun. 

To conclude, please don't assume a national park is better than a state park. That is certainly not true with the Indiana Dunes. Both are fantastic parks and you do not want to miss either!