Imaybehappy
@jrmacd.bsky.social
Mostly photographs made while biking/hiking.
Jim/James
Go Cubs
Banner - Graffiti reading "Do Wat feels Bien or Don’t” in Oaxaca, MX
PFP - A man in a t-shirt & ball cap sits on a log facing the water on a beach. Next to him a bike leans against a palm tree.
Jim/James
Go Cubs
Banner - Graffiti reading "Do Wat feels Bien or Don’t” in Oaxaca, MX
PFP - A man in a t-shirt & ball cap sits on a log facing the water on a beach. Next to him a bike leans against a palm tree.
My original opposition to the death penalty was 100% "Murder by the state is wrong. Full Stop" and that's still true but there are times where it weakens to "well, the insurmountable issue is it would and could never be applied fairly and equally."
November 13, 2025 at 12:30 AM
My original opposition to the death penalty was 100% "Murder by the state is wrong. Full Stop" and that's still true but there are times where it weakens to "well, the insurmountable issue is it would and could never be applied fairly and equally."
30 years ago in my Moral Philosophy 101 class, my friend and I were the only two people (in a lecture hall) to raise our hands in opposition to the death penalty. The old cliche that people's views get more conservative as they get older . . . I'm thinking about that for no reason at all right now.
November 13, 2025 at 12:26 AM
30 years ago in my Moral Philosophy 101 class, my friend and I were the only two people (in a lecture hall) to raise our hands in opposition to the death penalty. The old cliche that people's views get more conservative as they get older . . . I'm thinking about that for no reason at all right now.
It was a simple pleasure he had denied himself. Maybe because he had to (or only thought he had to) as part of his cover. Maybe because he was always "too busy" and just never prioritized it to make time. I think about that all the time and wonder what my own "hockey(s)" is/are.
November 12, 2025 at 5:17 PM
It was a simple pleasure he had denied himself. Maybe because he had to (or only thought he had to) as part of his cover. Maybe because he was always "too busy" and just never prioritized it to make time. I think about that all the time and wonder what my own "hockey(s)" is/are.
There’s a scene (I might be misremembering) in The American’s after Philip “retires” from being a Russian spy where he’s going out the door with his son carrying hockey gear and Elizabeth asks him what he’s doing, and he says( somewhat defiantly) something like “I’m going to play some hockey.”
November 12, 2025 at 5:17 PM
There’s a scene (I might be misremembering) in The American’s after Philip “retires” from being a Russian spy where he’s going out the door with his son carrying hockey gear and Elizabeth asks him what he’s doing, and he says( somewhat defiantly) something like “I’m going to play some hockey.”
My risk averse, moderate Dem 83yo Mom was ok not seeing me & my bro (& being alone) on Thanksgiving cause we couldn’t fly if it meant people had healthcare. I had 2 flights cxld this week but that’s small beans compared to people dying. And they just caved. Burn these mfers to the ground.
November 10, 2025 at 1:50 PM
My risk averse, moderate Dem 83yo Mom was ok not seeing me & my bro (& being alone) on Thanksgiving cause we couldn’t fly if it meant people had healthcare. I had 2 flights cxld this week but that’s small beans compared to people dying. And they just caved. Burn these mfers to the ground.
Compassion without pity. A name for a feeling I’ve probably thought of as empathy in the past, but more like a cousin to it, a more precise description. Time to reevaluate some memories. And a new way to go forward. It’s weird how putting the right words to things can change them so.
November 9, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Compassion without pity. A name for a feeling I’ve probably thought of as empathy in the past, but more like a cousin to it, a more precise description. Time to reevaluate some memories. And a new way to go forward. It’s weird how putting the right words to things can change them so.
Good luck. Had my flight to Newark cancelled last Sunday morning and had to fly into JFK instead. $200 car to get to our friends in NJ. Not ideal. Air traffic control issues given as reason. Not looking forward to trying to get back home this Sunday. Glad our friend who can host us if we get stuck.
November 6, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Good luck. Had my flight to Newark cancelled last Sunday morning and had to fly into JFK instead. $200 car to get to our friends in NJ. Not ideal. Air traffic control issues given as reason. Not looking forward to trying to get back home this Sunday. Glad our friend who can host us if we get stuck.
The total blindspot people have for car violence is just mind-blowing. Kid on one of these things hits a ped "BAN THEM! BAN THEM! BAN THEM! SUE THE MANUFACTURER!" Driver in car hits ped in x-walk "Oh well, accidents happen. Ped probably wasn't looking. Gotta be more careful! Anywho what can you do?"
October 29, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The total blindspot people have for car violence is just mind-blowing. Kid on one of these things hits a ped "BAN THEM! BAN THEM! BAN THEM! SUE THE MANUFACTURER!" Driver in car hits ped in x-walk "Oh well, accidents happen. Ped probably wasn't looking. Gotta be more careful! Anywho what can you do?"
This would be great. My local beach, and has always blown my mind there's no bus running down there in summer. Seen drivers to stupid things and park illegally as my gf and I just pedal carefully past the endless line on our bikes.
October 28, 2025 at 8:48 PM
This would be great. My local beach, and has always blown my mind there's no bus running down there in summer. Seen drivers to stupid things and park illegally as my gf and I just pedal carefully past the endless line on our bikes.
I should have put "taught" in air quotes. Because, ick.
October 27, 2025 at 5:34 PM
I should have put "taught" in air quotes. Because, ick.
"Boys play at love to get sex, and girls play at sex to get love" was something my partner's HS school nurse taught the freshman girls.
My Dad tried to talk to me once about dating driving back from a Boy Scout hike when I was like 12, and I was so uncomfortable I tried to pretend to go to sleep.
My Dad tried to talk to me once about dating driving back from a Boy Scout hike when I was like 12, and I was so uncomfortable I tried to pretend to go to sleep.
October 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
"Boys play at love to get sex, and girls play at sex to get love" was something my partner's HS school nurse taught the freshman girls.
My Dad tried to talk to me once about dating driving back from a Boy Scout hike when I was like 12, and I was so uncomfortable I tried to pretend to go to sleep.
My Dad tried to talk to me once about dating driving back from a Boy Scout hike when I was like 12, and I was so uncomfortable I tried to pretend to go to sleep.
I am constantly re-re-reminding myself "More music, fewer podcasts." I'll never listen to a podcast episode again, but every time I hear a song it will acrete another layer of memory, bringing meaning to something as meaningless as sitting at my desk at work, listening to a song from 30 years ago.
October 24, 2025 at 5:06 PM
I am constantly re-re-reminding myself "More music, fewer podcasts." I'll never listen to a podcast episode again, but every time I hear a song it will acrete another layer of memory, bringing meaning to something as meaningless as sitting at my desk at work, listening to a song from 30 years ago.
This is such a wonderful insight and since it was the water I swam in growing up I never thought about it being any other way, but I guess it can be, I never realized what a gift I was being given.
October 24, 2025 at 4:54 PM
This is such a wonderful insight and since it was the water I swam in growing up I never thought about it being any other way, but I guess it can be, I never realized what a gift I was being given.
Every time you post one of these you send me down a rabbit hole, reminding me of bands and songs I love but forgot about in the intervening 30 years. It's awesome. I vividly remember my friend who was trying to teach me good taste in music playing this for me in his Mom's apt the first time.
October 24, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Every time you post one of these you send me down a rabbit hole, reminding me of bands and songs I love but forgot about in the intervening 30 years. It's awesome. I vividly remember my friend who was trying to teach me good taste in music playing this for me in his Mom's apt the first time.
Gotta leave space so one of the garage cars can pull in/out.
October 24, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Gotta leave space so one of the garage cars can pull in/out.
It's already bad enough that he's VP JD Vance. Him getting to be President even if by default is just too much.
October 23, 2025 at 10:49 PM
It's already bad enough that he's VP JD Vance. Him getting to be President even if by default is just too much.
Don't have to worry about Black Little Mermaid or Lady Ghostbusters anymore. They'll still find something to get mad about, probably like "What do you mean I can't make an 'all the ladies are naked' version? What are you talking about 'consent'?" And yet I keeping hearing Bluesky is a bubble . . .
October 23, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Don't have to worry about Black Little Mermaid or Lady Ghostbusters anymore. They'll still find something to get mad about, probably like "What do you mean I can't make an 'all the ladies are naked' version? What are you talking about 'consent'?" And yet I keeping hearing Bluesky is a bubble . . .
True. As a guy, the only people responsible for managing my emotions are the women in my life.
October 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM
True. As a guy, the only people responsible for managing my emotions are the women in my life.
Between these, ring doorbells, Life360, camera phones . . . it just blows my mind the extent to which we've just willingly and eagerly 1984'd ourselves.
October 23, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Between these, ring doorbells, Life360, camera phones . . . it just blows my mind the extent to which we've just willingly and eagerly 1984'd ourselves.
I carry a Patagonia duffle with padded shoulder straps & even that is a lot to carry when full. Reminds me of the ultralight backpacking trend of frameless packs until people realized that having a 16oz basic frame was worth the weight compromise when carrying even 20lbs on your back for 8 hours.
October 23, 2025 at 3:49 PM
I carry a Patagonia duffle with padded shoulder straps & even that is a lot to carry when full. Reminds me of the ultralight backpacking trend of frameless packs until people realized that having a 16oz basic frame was worth the weight compromise when carrying even 20lbs on your back for 8 hours.