Michael Powe

Christian, Democrat with a big 'D' since JFK was elected President, married with children. Pro-choice and I vote. No alcohol, nicotine, recreational drugs.

"Love is the only thing you get more of by giving it away."

I help whomever I can, whenever I can. I don't try to determine if someone "deserves" help. I leave judgement to God. When he says, "Whatever you didn't do unto the least of these who are members of my family, you didn't do unto me," I absolutely believe it.

I have been poor enough to have been one step away from living under a bridge; and wealthy enough to spend my work days flying around the country on an expense account. From these experiences I have learned to love God and accept no other master. I have learned that I am not an exceptional man, but an ordinary mortal who seeks grace and struggles with understanding. I have been called an a**hole, to which my reply is, "Yes, but I'm not a selfish a**hole."

I am well-read in literature, philosophy, American and English history. In my youth and middle years, I read almost exclusively English literature from the 18th C and 19th C. Roughly, 1700 to 1914. With few exceptions, I do not read literature in translation.

I do read the Bible in English, but I have a set of books for teaching myself Biblical Greek. I studied a year and a half of Attic Greek at Portland State University in the late 80s, in the hope of transferring that knowledge to koine, but it didn't work out.

My primary interest in American history has been colonial history, particularly Constitutional history; Civil War and Reconstruction; and late 19th C/ early 20th C politics and economics.

I am a self-taught computer "geek." I am A+ and Network+ certified. Linux has been my preferred home OS for 15 years. I regularly program in Java, PowerShell, Javascript and Python. To me, writing code is like writing poetry (which I used to do). Every word has to be exactly right, the syntax and structure have to be exactly right, for the outcome to be what you want.

I am formerly a long-distance bicycle rider who has become somewhat decrepit. In 2009 and 2010, I completed "sprint" triathlons at Lake Piseco, NY in 2:02 and 2:09. 0.5 mi swim, 11 mi. bike ride, 3 mi run. In 2011, I am out of shape and did not compete. Maybe, next year.

I love God, I love my family, I love my friends, I love learning. "I thank you, God, for most this amazing day..."