Actually, I’ve been reading Free Republic for many years.
I’ve been a small government conservative all my life, but I only decided to begin contributing on the forum fairly recently, as you noted.
No epiphanies for me, much to the chagrin of some of my former girlfriends. ;)
At 64 (former fitness trainer), I was an avid runner, but to spare the bod these days, I do spinning and a once a month 5K or 10K.