My odd hobby of listening to exotic radio stations from all over the world has more or less died. Little interesting is left on the shortwave bands, although more stations are accessible than ever through apps and websites like TuneIn Radio. A couple clicks and you hear music, news, sports, and entertainment from virtually anywhere on the globe.
But I've latched on to a new interest, backyard astronomy. The views from the glare of the city aren't as good as under dark skies, but in the past year I've still managed to work my way through five detailed lists or "clubs" finding objects that include galaxies, star clusters, multiple stars, and small moon craters. My family thinks I'm embarassingly geekish when I'm geared up with my scope and red headlamp hanging out in our driveway or a rural field in the wee hours, even in the middle of a Minnesota winter. Nothing I see looks like Hubble photos. Many objects I hunt down are just faint gray smudges, but all inspire awe when I consider their immense distance, size, and variety. Like Psalm 19:1-2 says, "The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known" (NLT).
