On behalf of the Rip Van 'Wrinkleys' of ATS - Hi!

I am enjoying my 'second coming' to the ATS Site after rediscovering it last month.
I will be celebrating my 73rd birthday tomorrow (7th November). My wife (23years my junior) celebrates her 50th on Saturday (Yes, the dreaded 11/11/11). We have been together for the past 31 years. Another 'second coming' for me.
I am not religious but admire and respect anyone who believes and has found the faith.
I am apolitical. I cannot come to terms with people who have been elected on the premise of looking after our best interests; who address their electorates by promising to do all good things when they haven't the slightest intention of doing so and, even if they did, would be prevented from doing so because the 'Party Line' doesn't allow it. Have we really sunk that low in our self esteem?
I am heterosexual but have many Gay and Lesbian friends on my Xmas Card list and would have had many more if it had not been for the AIDS epidemic that struck here towards the end of the last century, taking with it some of the finest people I ever knew.
I have many friends. Some are religious. Some are political. Some are gay (and some are bi-sexual). Some are all three (or four). I never discuss their religious beliefs, political affiliations or their sexual preferences with them as this is their personal lives and not for open discussion. We are friends and that is all that matters.
Here on ATS I am quickly learning never to get into debates concerning any or all of the above. These are unshakable beliefs.
I have also learnt never to ridicule or demean a fellow poster nor attempt to be humorous or flippant in a reply. I did make what I thought was a 'comic comment' on a post regarding the Sasquatch only to have the person pleading with me to understand and I realized that I wasn't just ridiculing his belief I was destroying his entire reason for living as it was his lifetimes quest.
My own interests, although I try to read almost all posts (I am retired remember), are in the Pyramids, Origins of our existence and Aliens so I frequent the Ancient Civilisations forums first.
Many thanks for those who have taken the trouble to read my post right through.
May I wish everyone a very nice day.

Hello, and welcome! Always nice to see another new face, especially one with years of experience and wisdom beyond me! Cheers, and a nice day to you and yours as well.

welcome back to ats..
Along with happy upcoming birthday/anniversary..

Thank you for your kind thoughts.