The Wonderfully Fantastic and Sometimes Curious Life of John Patrick Rausch

 Hey Everyone - just wanted to let you know that I will be moving over to Substack for all future publications. You can find more here...It's a work in progress but go ahead and subscribe and stay tuned!  https://johnrausch.substack.com/

     This will be a bit of a different post than my usual: a blast from the past. In the Blast From the Past series I'll periodically look back on some fond stories from yesteryear. Now, there may be some things that seem to crazy to have occurred or maybe unrealistic, but you know what, you weren't there so you don't know. hah!  In the first installation I'll reminisce on my first big backpacking trip at the Grand Canyon after freshman year of Rolla. The trip was instigating by my dear friend Zoe Rechav who texted me. "Grand Canyon?" to which I replied "Yes." I then pulled in my friend Daniel and Zoe got our other friend Kate. Boom. We had the expedition crew.      We started planning in mid summer of 2018, as I recall, while I was on Co-op with Gardner Denver in Sedalia. Missouri had a pretty mild winter that year so I think I got in some good fall training before the actual expedition. Our group would Zoom once in while as we sorted out logistics,

       I was listening to an episode of Father Mike Schmidts' Catechism in a Year this morning and he was discussion the four cardinal virtues: Temperance, Prudence, Justice, and Fortitude. Go give the episode a listen for yourself; its a 10 minute reading from the catechism and then a 10 minute or so reflection.       Here are my thoughts on the readings and podcast. How would one succinctly summarize the moral life in one sentence that contains all the fruits of the four cardinal virtues? That is one heck of a challenge but I'll take a stab at it.        Living the moral life, as God demands of us, might be put like so: it is doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason in the right way with the right implement to the benefit of the right cause especially when it is most difficult.     Let me give a example from my start of the day today. It is waking up at 5:30am in order to pray my morning prayers and devotionals in order to fan the flames of my lov

"Motivated, dedicated, and a little bit dangerous"  Date: August 26th Location: Bell Mountain and Johnson Shut-ins Route: Bell Mountain Loop from Highway A & Johnson Shut-in Footpath Stats: 14 miles @ 2,000 ft elevation gain Weather: Overcast with a little showers, mid to upper 80s.       Unable to sleep due to the sheer excitement of another day spent hiking and swimming my body was excited out of bed by 3:30am. I went about my morning routines and around 4:40 the first intrepid adventurer showed up. A steady stream of people started rolling in until we reached critical mass at 5:30am and rolled out.      The group got on trail by 7:30 after a very very high energy drive down. Starting off with a trail rosary we ascended the first big pitch of the day. The trail then petered out as we got onto the main loop and we all settled into a variety of fun and serious conversations. Things went by very quickly in a way that could be described with a thousand words or in just a

 Date: July 22nd Location: Hawn State Park Route: White Oak and Whispering Pine Trail Double Loop (Figure 8)  Stats: 13.1 miles @ 1463 ft elevation gain Weather: Cool clear morning to hot mid day After making a rather pleasant hour and a half drive from my domicile, myself and a few other trepid hikers embarked on what would turn out to be a very diverse ~13 mile loop at Hawn State Park.  I was very excited to be checking out another new state park (three in as many months.) The trail we selected was two big loops with an additional small loop at the very far mid point. From start to finish we traversed steep rocky pitches, bluff lines, river side trails, hiked in the river bed for a while (off trail), some flat woodlands of both pine and oak, and a couple open spots. It was a mostly shaded trail which was much appreciated as the day aged and the cool morning gave way to sweltering heat.  The trail itself was very easy except for the last couple of miles (going counter clockwise.) In

Oh how those twin glows are abused Ignorant of all earthly laws when used Ironically lit but not terribly bright When a finger flips the hazards light No earthly vice can so quickly break me Honking and yelling I get quite angry  Amazon or Doordash will get my therapy bill All for the silly orange lights on their grill  So next time you see a driver activate their hazards which make John irate flip them the bird and honk the horn  giving idiotic drivers justified scorn

A single ray penetrating the mine shaft  Landed on two blue sapphires unsurpassed  the stones glowed and glimmered lifting his soul casting far flung beauty in the deep dark hole Reminding the sooty miner of a higher prize On the homestead in his wife's sparkling blue eyes The first explorer sailing into the Caribbean Was amazed at the clear blue waters in new meridian A sailor for many years, he had seen seven seas Yet never chanced upon water that put him at ease Struck gazing at ripples the sailor recalled his home A port where his love's deep blue eyes similarly shone Quietly waiting in the gentle summer breeze  The Old Man used binoculars to watch the trees He was keen to observe something particular  Plumage of the Indigo Bunting, Blue Bird, or Warbler Seeing Two taking flight brought him memory of his missus  When he used to sit and watch her fluttering blue iris'  Two beautiful blue eyes are oft to capture  Reminding men of gems, oceans, and nature Greater treasures

This is currently a work in progress...trying to evaluate the themes and then working on the meter and vocabulary for punch.  His face was set like stone A grimace and a growl I'll pray this prayer to atone For the priests liturgical foul  A careful examiner of the Mass He only goes to the perfect church Vising others with a magnifying glass Instead of praying, he sits on a perch He thought love was in the rubric When it was really written on the heart Wormwood played him a good trick How pitiable the man in the dark Take note you unhappy churchman  because the imperfectly consecrated hand Can still fan the flame  That is meant to light the land

I feel like my brain is shredding apart A million different things stretch my heart  Tore up the script; where do I even start? John, free to hangout? I’m about to dart  Can't help but say yes to all the invites Running around with all these socialites Not enough sports but I'm tired of the bikes  Looking around wishing I was taking flights They telling me I should just be patient  Odd, I   thought I was your patient  My heart's been shown to the medic tent It's a hopeless case, all my time was spent Attacks start to rain on my castle wall "Don't get up again, you're going to fall!" "You can't focus, oops you dropped the ball!" "You're lost in the clouds about to stall!"  I've had enough I'm breaking free Dark One won't be the warden of me I'll follow the King, you just watch and see  About to leave my cell, finally found the key

       I was in a hurry. It was incredibly hot and sunny outside as I rode my bike into downtown Webster Groves coming back from a friends house and one my way to another friends house for a BBQ. Something, or rather, someone caught my eye as I blasted down the road in hot pursuit of a cold beer and good company. An older man in long sleeves and jeans was standing leaning a little against a brick wall. Normally this would be quite unassuming but immediately my brain flagged this as a level 10 emergency.       No one would go outside in the heat dressed like this and the old man was paused not in the shade but in the sun. I've always had a pretty good sense of when I need to help people and that sense is quick to confirm in me when I listen to it. This time that sense was lit up telling me to help the guy. So I grabbed a fistful of breaks and whipped around to go see what was going on. I roll up and say something like," Excuse me sir, are you alright? Can I help you?"....a

 Last week was a wild week. Here's a full breakdown of everything I did that does not include getting paid to stare at a computer screen.  Monday - Mass and group ride with the boys then indoor volleyball. Towards then end it all started to click and I was making really good sets and spikes.  Tuesday - Almost crashed in the Tuesday Crit when my tire exploded in downhill corner with 3 laps to go. Then got locked out of my house for 2.5hrs. My neighbor Amanda and Husband Bobby (on the phone) and I tried picking the lock with an actual pick set. I got at best 4 out of the 5 pins and couldn't get it. Luckily a former roommate ended up having an old spare.  The lockpicks in action Wednesday - Road trip with Tommy down to StGen to watch him sing in a quartet featuring an accordion and a priest. Then I got to try the famous StGen pork burgers which as it turns out are quite delectable. Tommy showed me around the family farm which devolved into blasting around some trails on the family

It's been a while since I last updated my bucket list.....Considering I made good progress on the last one. Here is the new updated one! Hike some 14ers in Colorado Try Para gliding Track day with motorcycle (try racing?) Sky diving Scuba Diving Buy Life Insurance Finish my Will and Testament Gambler 500 (Missourah Endurah)  Smoke a FAT stogie after bossing a bike race  Perfect Spiking a volleyball in sand Learn to serve Spikeball ambidextrously  Try riding a dirt bike Sport rock climbing - DONE Learn to belay and lead climb - DONEish Recite poetry I've written from the tops of Mani Sauk falls to a beautiful woman at sunset Go busking with Joe Meyers and also not go to jail that night Convince Father Anonymous that we need to take out the rogue bunnies in my yard and enlist his help killing them with his pellet gun Improve my salsa and swing dancing Make sourdough bread pizza Show 10 more people Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1 down) Go to a shakespear play Convince an Italian th

   three days of water and sun catching up in dark isn't fun bonfire is my only beacon Gondor calls for john sleep on the cold sandy shore raging fire warms their core T-bones sawzall for the win Everything wet when dew sets in Hermann lowkey kinda far spikeball on that sandbar four brothers and four kayaks after deli, nothing lacks cayman jacks, summer shandy Gentle river is dandy our Sunday rule is to rest cooling dips are the best barges suckin and scoopin we arrive in New Haven gifted the sun's color show mass in the AM, time to go three days of water and fun sunscreen stoped the sizzling sun sardines packed in the taco B & G calls from Jeff Mo

Cliff diving and drive-ins  Float trips and wide grins Tan skin and a long day Fun starts in May Stargazing and smores Ice cream and hearty roars Long nights with good friends Wishin' summer never ends Sand dancing and cold beer Memory of a good woman near Moonroof open with bestie on aux  Sunset on the lake of rocks Vagabond John and Co Minivan of adventure in tow Mountain man and river rat Two years wearing freedom hat Work all day and chores galore Labor hard and don't be a bore Summer of 23 is here Cheers to all its a good year

Proud head cast downward Rain drips off creased brow Two steps, make a yard Push on, prove a vow Started 'fore break of day Switchback upwards for hours Summit is still so far away Georgia trees are towers At 5000 feet, the temp drops Rain turns to pure snow White up to boot tops! Pushing worries low Daylight grows stronger Land below peeks out not much longer!  effort bests doubt A bad day to hike weather not ideal A good day to hike the summit surreal

Proud and mighty Oaks towered in the meadow Recalling nurture and growth begun ages ago Dad loved to nap in their refreshing shade One afternoon sky darkened with a sudden storm Twisting summer tornado began to take form Against rings of wood did nature invade Running from basement to his lovely trees Finding only splintered limbs he fell on knees Once peaceful meadow strewn by natures grenade A swift and savage motion he never foresaw His heart broke as he carried his chainsaw Pressed into the labor of a lumberjack The lifelong lesson of love and loss stain In sawdust and broken bark which remain and the dense firewood stacked high outback As the years passed and the trees proved warm He started what he was meant to learn When the time was right, he passed along "Son, You plant the seeds and prune the trees Cherishing lovely days in the summer breeze Naïve to what comes in the next dawn So you can fester in anger or heartbreak Rebelling from God's plan you shan't retake T

       So while I was driving home on Christmas Eve a thought occurred to me: If 2023 was my last year alive, how would I spend it? The usual wanderlust sand daydreaming that plagues my life melted away into an honest conversion about something more than “New Years resolution” or “new year new me.” It became a simple conversation of who am I, what should I keep doing, what should I stop doing, and what do I want to accomplish if I only had one shot at life (spoiler alert: everyone only has one shot.) Tha planning for next year has already gotten underway but I’d like to lay out my plan for 2023 for all to see. The plan is going to be ambitious. I wouldn’t do it any other way, but I will say that I genuine hope to accomplish everything and look back next Christmas and see what happened. Now the age old adage about “How do you make God laugh? Tell him your plan” might well take effect so let’s start with the things that I can 100% reliable commit to and then go from there.  First up is o

Merry Christmas to all! As the year draws to a close I wanted to look back at some of the highlights that made this year crazy and awesome!  January - March for Life in DC, best friends Tristan and Maria got married! Big Denver road trip.  Last Semester in Rolla- had a blast goofing around with friends, invested a lot of time at the Newman center, had fun with the Funhouse Gang, made some solid memories.  May- Graduated from Rolla with my degree in Mechanical Engineering, solo kayaked 300 miles on the Missouri, visited a bunch of friends all over Missouri. First time going to a wedding of friends from Highschool (what a blast!) Read Fellowship of the Ring June - worked the family farm for Blueberry Season, reconnected with old Highschool friends that were still in the area! July - spent the month living on the road traveling 5000 miles around the US hitting a ton of fun spots and making incredible memories. Read Two Towers.  August - moved to St.Louis to start my new job! Started explo