Thankfully that doesn't happen to me too much although I was talking to this woman on the phone the other day who wanted to know if I just did websites for other people or if I had any of my own. So I told her about Neural Gourmet and described it as a community site for atheists, scientific skeptics, humanists and other freethinkers. She didn't know what an atheist was. She was literally 85 years old and did not know what an atheist was!

So I told her atheists were simply people who did not believe in any gods. "Oh! You're one of those people who're against god." Uggh. #1 misconception about atheists. In order to hate or be against a god we'd have to believe in one. And we don't. We're not antitheists.

Now, this was a woman who prior to finding out that I'm an atheist thought I was the nicest, smartest person on Earth. I reminded her of her (deceased) son. All of a sudden you'd think I was evil incarnate.

"Well, you believe in Satan don't you?" she asked. Nope, no need for gods means no need for devils either.

So she says to me, "Well, I don't know how anyone can not believe in god." This is always a good point to mention that everyone is atheistic when it comes to some gods, atheists just take it one god further. Of course, it never helps the conversation, but it's always worth it to see a true believer's brain do cartwheels as it tries to contemplate that they're an atheist too. :-)

Sounds kind of like my mom. She thought an atheist was someone who worshipped Satan. She had trouble wrapping her head around the idea that I also don't believe that Satan exists. I asked her if she'd been living in terror of me for the few months between when I told her I was an atheist and when I explained to her what that means, and she said "Well I figured as long as there wasn't blood on my doorstep, I was fine."

Hey there, careful how you talk about believers. Pat Robertson may call in a few favors and have you smitten.

And here I thought this would start a conversation about cycling shoes.

hey Rich ! nice shoes ! let me know how you like them. i am in the market for new shoes as well. i've had specialized mtb shoes for many years and they are awesome ! have fun !

Smitten? Smotten? I know I'd be scared if Pat Robertson was smittened with me. Anyway, I don't think I have to worry about that because Pat must have done something to piss off god. Maybe he took god's name in vain too many times?

Rich, great minds think alike. I bought those
same cycling shoes last summer. What color
did yours turn out to be? -Todd

I bought the Titanium (silver!) colored ones. Of course it's the only color my shop had, but I like them.

Liz, I've only used them once, but I really like the comfort. When I started cycling I had a pair of Bernard Himault shoes, then I got a pair of Puma Greg Lomonds, and then several pairs of Adidas. It never seemed like they put much thought into comfort. But these seem to fit me better and feel great.