Everything Under the Sun

Just what is out there? Indeed, when we look up at the night sky we observe and are captivated by the distant specks of light that scatter the dark canvas. But what else is out there? And what even is "out there"? I talk of this natural progression of curiosity. The way our brains discover and ask, discover and ask again, and the cycle continues. We aren't satisfied. It seems the universe has an equal incline. Every time we think we've figured something out, about the going-on's of the cosmos, a new event or strange arrangement of matter appear within our reach, almost as if to say, "are you sure, you've got me pinned?" This is why I fell in love with astronomy, cosmology, and quantum physics. It is everything. It is nothing. One could spend a lifetime studying a singular conundrum such as a quasar, and die mostly ignorant. How daunting a task, and how beautiful. This essay is a dissemination of my thoughts on the subject of the cosmos. A humble ap...

Since we were children we've been forewarned by teachers, doctors, family members, and society, what negative effects, doing negative things can have on our bodies.  Smoking causes lung disease.  Sugar causes diabetes (not according to the widely controversial "What the Health" documentary). The Sun's rays cause cancer.  Lack of sleep causes your immune system to weaken and cognition to slow. The vast amount of effort spent in medicine has been spent on what makes us sick.  In fact, we've spent so much time on this as a scientific community that we've been able to physically quantify the effects of negativity in the form of stress.  Stress actually unravels the protective casing on the end of our chromosomes, called Telomeres, which causes premature cellular aging, and damages our DNA.  http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/10/chronic-stress.aspx Stress and negativity in our mentality results in physical changes to our health . It can change ho...

Same question. Never the same answer. Until it is. I always envied people around me growing up who had a singular interest; a hard answer. You find though, as you grow up, that the majority of people see this for the lofty question it really is. As a child, you're taught in terms of black and white. Light is just color, ROYGBIV. Well actually, light is carried by a photon which is a particle. But the particle has wave like tendencies, so it technically does act like color on the photoelectric spectrum. An atom is protons, neutrons, and electrons. Well actually there's quarks and leptons and bosons and it's vastly more complicated than we ever learned. As we get older we're taught to see the grey areas. Our history isn't as clean and polished as we once believed. Our gender, identities, sexuality, and mere existence are all subject to interpretation. But the same illusory question is asked. What do you want to be when you grow up?? Just answer it! Give me a straigh...

A few words on Hiking For as long as I can remember, the magnitude and size of nature has always enticed me. My dad grew up surfing and so as children we'd often go to the beach. Living in Florida it was natural to wade in the water, build teetering sand castles with wet sand, throw a football or pass a soccer ball, and eat cold subs, trying not to mix your sandy towel with the fresh ham and cheese. But I had a different vision. I used to stare out at the sea, counting the waves, trying to guess their height. I would attempt to follow my older brother and father by body surfing those 4 foot giants. I'd exhaust myself battling the waves and the current, pushing my young teenage body to it's limits. But it was exhilarating. Spending all day trying to conquer that ocean's endless barrage of natural oscillation made me feel alive. When we finally started venturing to the Appalachians on vacation in the early 2000's, we'd stay in cabins up around Boone and Gatlin...

As part of any reflective introspection, one tends to go back to past jobs. Not only are they a source of comedic relief in our memory, but I've also found them to be rich with insight into the metaphorical kiln that's molded our current selves. Growing up I heard tales of odd jobs that my parent's had at some point. Dad; an electrician assistant, a loading dock, Men's Warehouse Mom; a department store and babysitting. Over 22 short years I've had 6 jobs; Life-guarding, Retail, Health Insurance, a Peer Mentor, a Swim Coach, and a Financial Analyst. But three stick out to me as having molded me the most. The most impact on who I believe myself to be. To no surprise, they all involved a form of service to others. Life-guarding was simply a pleasure. Evening sun beating down on my back as I sat in that stand and watched a attentive father play with his little girl. Morning dew on the chairs as I watched the responsible mother bring the 4 little ones to play in t...

1. Pale Blue Dot - Carl Sagan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupToqz1e2g Serious perspective in this piece. My favorite line, "this underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another". He also says, "Astronomy is a humbling experience." Yes Carl, I feel the same way. 2. Time for Choosing - Ronald Reagan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpH5L8zCtSk Some Cold War Era magnificence. Ronald had a way with words and a real knack for motivation. What a time to be alive. 3. Bhagavad Gita Quote - Oppenheimer http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/now-i-am-become-death-the-destroyer-of-worlds The Hindu text, Bhagavad Gita is in and of itself a wise piece of literature, but I am captivated by Oppenheimer's choice of quote from the text. It gives me goosebumps every time, knowing the background of that great man. 4. Desiderata - Max Ehrmann https://allpoetry.com/Desiderata---Words-for-Life This is my creed. I live by this. My father gave it to me when I w...