Good evening and welcome to the Porous Canoe . As this will be an introductory post , I will start by saying that this will mostly reflect my thinking on a vast variety of subjects including religion , politics , ethics , morals , Christianity and anything else that triggers my many moods . I am a caucasian man in his late fifties , a husband , father , grandfather , and a Vietnam era veteran of the United States Navy . I live less than a mile from the Mississippi River , and have lived near it most of my adult life . My affinity for water draws me back to this Father of Waters , close to this place where I am . When I need a break , a little respite from my cares , I go "down to the River " . Watching the water flow past relaxes me , eases my mind , and allows me to become closer to God , nature , and my own spirit . That is why riverphilosopher is the user name I chose to shelter behind several years ago when I joined a local message board .
  At the present , I am unemployed , have been about six months or so . When you see ads on my blog page , it is because every penny helps , and I hope you won't think less of me for trying to keep the bills paid . At least at first I will be posting in fits and starts , which is basically how my thinking process works lately . I hope to be mostly positive but am still wrestling some emotional and physical issues , so occasionally some nastiness may slip through . Any way , I am an ordinary man with ordinary thoughts and desires , and once in a while an exceptional one . I hate no one , and wish ill on none . You will hear more from me in the near future , and I will try to come up with a tolerable posting schedule , for myself and my readers . For now , may God bless you all .