My name is Raymond Francis.

I'm alive and aware in the universe -- and if you understand these words, so are you. Hello! Our status as conscious beings able to consider ourselves and our surroundings, and to plan and choose our actions, comes with a responsibility to learn how to best do those things. We have to work to know the nature and workings of ourselves and our world, and take action to achieve the potential of each. Being alive comes naturally, but living is entry-level cosmonautics.

I've been working on it for some time; I'm getting better at it, but still learning.

I'm interested in the history of life on Earth, the story of civilization, and the future of society, as well as aviation, space exploration, public transit, democracy, ethics, and how those things fit into a better future and a thriving natural world. I like flying, biking, canoeing on lakes, walking in the forest, reading, and sometimes writing.