u/Don_Quixotel

I went to my daughter’s open house. They had a bulletin board full of AI-altered photos of the whole staff. I said to a coworker, “I’m glad no one did that to us!” Then she showed me an AI photo of my team.

I hate it it and did not consent

Every year I post a “Summer by the Numbers.” It’s probably not accurate but it’s the best I can do. What did your summer look like?

My summer by the numbers

120 Books read (26 Novels, 5 Poetry, 84 Comics, 5 Non-Fiction)

31 New beers tried

20 Miles hiked

8 New dishes cooked (Azberjaini plav, Polish pierogi, sausage/gnocchi/cherry tomatoes, smoked al pastor, chicken parm sandwiches, apple butter ribs)

7 World Cup Games watched

7 TV Shows Watched (Attack of the Clones, The Bear, Spider-Man Noir, X-Men 97, Little Fires Everywhere, Legends, Man on the Inside)

6 States visited (GA, SC, NC, TN, KY, VA)

4 Cult Classic movies (Rocky Horror, Killer Clowns, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Barbarella)

3 National Park Units visited (Manhattan Project in Oakridge, TN; Cumberland Gap National Historic Park; MLK National Historic Site)

1 Movies seen in theater (Mando & Grogu . . . I wanted to see the Odyssey but it didn’t happen)

1 New cocktail tried (espresso martini)

Too many to count - days at the pool, cheap beers, cups of coffee, days woken up by 8 year old before 7 am . . .

My mower wouldn’t start. Over the past two days I’ve tried everything and made multiple trips to the hardware store: changed spark plug, new gas, new oil, new air filter, tune up spray, and even rebuilt the carburetor.

It worked fine for an hour. When I ran out of gas, I refilled and pulled the cord and WOOOOSHHH

Had to call 911

My 8 year old daughter was scared to death. All the neighbors came out to watch. Flames got over 10 ft high. I was afraid there was going to be an explosion close to my house.

Funny thing is, at every trip to the hardware store I saw a family friend. On the last trip I said, “If this doesn’t work, I’m setting it on fire.”

I have pics, but unfortunately this sub won’t allow it

TL;DR I rebuilt my mower, it caught fire, and I had to call 911

I somewhere between agnosticism or atheism (depends on the day you ask me). I am seminary trained, used to be in the ministry, and am married to a minister. Somewhere along the way I lost my faith. A former professor of mine went through the same journey but came back to Christianity via mysticism.

I’m wondering if anyone on this sub has undergone that same journey. What is your story? What resources were valuable to you?

• side note 1: I’ve read Augustine, St. John of the Cross, the Cloud of Unknowing, Brother Lawrence, Thomas Merton, Meister Eckhardt, Richard Rohr, etc., so I’m not “new” to mysticism

• side note 2: please do not try to evangelize me

That’s it! That’s the post!