The Magic of Science

The world is full of wonders, but it becomes even more wondrous when there is science to help us appreciate it. I suppose that may seem strange coming from a putative magical thinker like me, and I suppose the oxymoronic title of this blurb might offend some. But I've clearly stated in my mandate for this little web of mine that nothing I believe goes against proven physical laws of nature. Some of what I believe hasn't been proven to be true or false - yet. And that's as far as I go with my magical thinking. Mind you, that's pretty far, because it's an immeasurably vast Universe and there's so much we have yet to learn. And how are we learning it? Through science, through the study of the natural world, and inner and outer space. Through biology, neuroscience, physics, astronomy, chemistry, geology, and numerous other disciplines and branches of science. Humanity is able to probe deeper and farther than ever before. The strides made in the last 100 years in science and technology are greater than in all of previous history. What an exciting age we live in.
I enjoy reading popular science books. I want to know how things work, at least at my basic science 101 level. I need to understand fundamental principles, the how of things, before I can ponder the why of things. The latter is much more my purview, mostly because I'm a writer, actor and storyteller, and not a scientist. I'm often more comfortable living in my imagination than I am in the real world. But when the real world out there takes my breath away with its splendour and wonder, and it frequently does, I want to understand it. I want to learn about it. I want to be able to name whatever natural phenomenon has caught my fancy. If I can do that, then I'm able to explain why I'm awestruck. That's when I'm able to share my wonder, to talk about it in comprehensible language. Understanding how something works has never diminished my awe. Indeed, it magnifies it.
I'm a bit of a white-knuckle flier. I can't wrap my head around the fact that I'm sitting in thousands of tons of metal that manages to get off the ground and fly thousands of feet up into the stratosphere. Even my nascent understanding of thrust and lift and trajectory does nothing to quell my fears. But my awe and respect for the people who designed and made these feats of engineering is increased when I realize how much knowledge and expertise they have in order to do what they do.
Knowing that the sweet sounds of the cicada's buzz in high summer is coming from creatures who have spent 17 years underground makes their sound even more special, and yes, more magical to me. Somebody studied these creatures over many years to determine their life cycle. The patience and dedication required to do long-range studies of anything inspires me.
The English word science is derived from the Latin scientia, meaning knowledge. The axiom "knowledge is power" pretty much describes for me why I love science. I feel stronger and more capable when I know what's happening. Doesn't everybody? Imagine the fear when superstitious ancient peoples gazed up at a solar eclipse or a comet. Now we can enjoy the sight of those astronomical wonders without all the widespread panic.
Every time I understand something about the natural world and the vast reaches of outer or inner space just a lttle bit better, even at my lowly level, another piece of this grand puzzle we call life falls into place. That's when I start to muse about things unseen, unknown, and unexplained - so far.
But all the things that fascinate me will only ever be properly understood through scientific study. I probably won't be around when some of the big questions about the nature of existence are finally and fully explained in one big, fat unified theory, but it's thrilling to be a part of the ride.
- G.P.

Live and Learn

We are all teachers, and all of us are students, too. That's one of the best lessons I've ever learned. It helps me cope with people who annoy me, or simply don't like. In fact, I find those very people are the ones who have the most to teach me. When I regard individuals who make me grind me teeth, or put me into a slow burn, I ask myself what exactly irritates me right now, and what can I do about it? Try to change and/or teach the offending individual? Hardly. In that case I'd be putting myself in the position of teacher or mentor, the one who thinks they are wiser or know better. Whether or not that is true, it's not a good way to approach life and learning.

Be a student. Live to learn - from everyone and everything. Talk less, listen more. Breathe deeply. Pay attention. I try to live by these simple rules all the time. I'm not always successful, especially when I encounter people who really irritate me to no end - the guy who leans on his horn in a traffic jam, or the selfish old biddy at the cash desk who takes forever to count out all her change, or people who butt in line, or constantly interrupt conversation. These are just some of the minor annoyances. The more someone bugs me, the bigger the lesson I have to learn.

Sometimes I feel the need to teach. That's when I can be a model student as well. I won't call myself a sage, but I can pretend to be - by keeping silent and observing. That's teaching by example. And while I sit in pseudo-sagacious silence, I'm learning as well, maybe not hard facts and information, but something far more valuable than that - patience and tolerance. (Now don't get me wrong. Cruelty and hatred must never be tolerated.) But everyone has something to teach us, whether they do it intentionally or not.

Anyway, that's all I have time for now. I don't want to preach. I was just thinking "out loud."

- G. P.

Starry Night

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Wow! Now there's an original, pithy little maxim. But as trite as it may be, it pretty much describes what I'm feeling right now. I haven't met my own standard of performance level with my current gig after 4 shows, and I'm trying to not let it get me down, becuase it won't serve me well for what's to come. So I'm going through the usual, self-help affirmations about letting the past go (in this case the very recent past) and moving on. Every day is a brand new beginning. (And the clichés continue!)
But I really do have to think these things in order to undo my current frame of mind. The only way to eradicate my current disappointment is to establish a new, firm foundation by getting one good show under my belt, and building from there.
I'm actually quite surprised I'm confessing all this in a public forum. It goes against the mandate of my little web, and I'm not wont to spreading my personal little insecurities on-line. Like who cares anyway? But it's my little web and I'll wobble if I want to. I also like to believe that my simple solutions to ordinary problems might serve others. That's basically why I do this. I like to think my little web has some broader appeal than simply being an on-line journal. I've got a pen and paper journal for that kind of down and dirty complaining. But I digress...
A bumpy beginning does not mean the rest of the journey will be the same. I know I've mentioned a number of times that I believe the first day or time at anything sets a tone, and I still believe that, but I also believe that that none of that is set in stone. Then what purpose does a bumpy start serve? For little old, new-agey me it means I have to work a little harder and climb a little higher to overcome an unwelcome challenge. What I'm doing is challenging enough without the less-than-stellar start. But that's where things are and that's what I have to deal with.
So there you have it. I've laid my soul bare for all the world to see, and I'm declaring a brand new day and a brand new life starting now. That's a bit of a challenge for me, because in case you don't know or haven't noticed, I'm a tad superstitious. Being a magical thinker is one thing, but allowing superstitious hokum to derail me is entirely another. The Universe is offering me a chance to prove to myself that I can change that at anytime. And the time is now.
I'm turning lemons into lemonade and proving to myself that it's not over 'til it's over and the fat lady sings. I'm relying on the wisdom of hackneyed clichés to pull me through my own morass of self-imposed superstitious bilge. Just watch me. (Okay, so you can't literally do that. But please allow me just a little more worn-out rhetoric. I'm doing my best, so work with me here.)
Anyway, I needed to do this. Thanks for "listening." Maybe this little pep-talk to myself helped someone else out there who has the same flaky issues. I hope so.
- G. P.

Hot and Lazy

It's so hot right now that even sitting perfectly still makes me sweat. That's okay, too. I like sitting still, and if I have a really good reason, such as if I were moving and doing something, it might make me woozy, then all the more reason to sit and do nothing. Of course, writing on my little web, as I'm doing right now, isn't really doing nothing, but since I have nothing to say, I figure it's just about the same thing.
I can read, of course, and I have been. I've also been writing in my journal. But mostly I've been saving my energy for my work these days, which is doing a short summer theatre gig. I'm grateful, in a way, for the enervating, sweltering heat. It makes me too laid back and low key to be nervous. Anticipating the preview tonight brings butterflies to my stomach, but I'm too hot to shiver.
Which brings me to a serious question ... Why is it politically incorrect to suggest that cultures and countries in warmer climates are more laid back and less inclined to be rushing and pushing to get somewhere? I've mentioned that a couple of times in conversation and have been roundly chastised for it. How dare I make such sweeping generalizations? I'm not saying tropical cultures are lazy and less ambitious (although I don't think the latter is such a bad thing), I'm merely pointing out that Mother Nature rules, and always has, which is something I repeat over and over again in these blurbs of mine. Climate and geography have determined people's culture in so many ways, from the way we dress, to the buildings we occupy, to the things we do well or don't do at all. And much, much more. After all, necessity is the mother of invention, and the circumstances we live in determine what we need. (Let's face it, the Jamaican bobsled team in the 1988 Winter Olympics was an anomaly.)
Humans are shaped by where they live on this planet. Sure, we influence each other, but this earth of ours shaped us first, and continues to do so. She gets us to move house and home even if we don't want to, just as much as any oppressive political regime. Weather affects our moods on a daily basis, so why on earth shouldn't it affect an entire group of people's consciousness over thousands of years? My mood and behaviour right now have been caused almost entirely by the hot, sweltering weather. It makes me respect this earth and all her wonders more than ever.
Go ahead. I dare you. Go outside wherever you are and tell me that what's going on out there in terms of weather doesn't influence your mood in some small or large way. Of course it does. So think about this planet of ours and the myriad different moods and faces she's had over the millennia, and notice what a great tapestry of people's and cultures there are, and where they are, and how they are. That's the power of this earth. That's the power of Nature. How dare we try to conquer her.
Go with her flow. Live in harmony. And if that means being lazy and doing nothing on a hot summer's day, then all the more power to you.
- G.P.

Sweet Nothing

It's early in the evening, and I've spent all of my spare time today mostly doing nothing. "Nothing" consists of some quiet meditation, a little reading, eating something here, drinking something there and briefly browsing the web for some inspiration on how to do nothing - which entails visiting minimalist sites. All this, mind you, was only in my spare time. I'm currently living in a lovely, sleepy little town in my part of the world, rehearsing for a light dramatic piece of summer theatre. The cottage I'm living in for five weeks is perfect for one person. When I'm not at the theatre rehearsing for our 2 and a half week run which begins in 3 days, I spend most of my time doing nothing. And I love it.
I haven't listened to the radio, watched t.v. or read a newspaper since I arrived here. I guess that's a holdover from having been in foreign lands for a while before coming here, because I didn't do any of those things then either. The most engagement I have with media and the wired world at large is on my computer, surfing the web a little, writing the occasional little blurb here on my little web, as well as reading and writing emails.
I haven't felt this centred and balanced for a long, long time. Sure, I miss yoga - there are very few classes available to me here, and I'm not disciplined enough to practise on my own - but I'm hearing sounds and seeing sights that haven't been filtered and edited by technological wizardry. I don't really miss music, either, although last night when one of my fellow cast members drove me home, she had the fabulous songstress Adele's latest c.d. playing, and I daresay I had a rocking good listen for 5 minutes or so. But mostly I'm fine just being quiet, alone and still during my down time. But there's one slight problem...
This morning, before going to the theatre, my slow, easy time alone at my temporary home almost made me feel guilty. I felt as if I should be doing something besides being quiet and contemplative. I should have been producing something. I should have been active and engaged in a high speed, high-tech life. I felt so calm and centred, and somehow still managed to feel a residue of guilt for it. After all, couldn't I do everything I'd done, or not done, at least with the radio or stereo on? Maybe I should have caught up on the news. After all, I'm supposed to know what's going on so that I can have an opinion on it. And I must admit a couple of times in the last couple of weeks I've certainly felt out of the loop about certain headline making shenanigans by corrupt media moguls, but a couple of well-placed questions filled in the gaps quite quickly, at least enough to satisfy my waning curiosity in the affairs of the outside, material world.
So I'm okay. I'm presently ignorant of the nitty-gritty details of current events, but I'm okay. I'm sure I'm not harming anyone or anything more than usual, including myself. In fact, I believe I may be treading even more lightly on this beautiful, wondrous earth of ours than I would be if I were engaged in a loud, busy, urban life. During the day I'm being creative and getting paid to do what I love to do. The rest of the time I'm mostly minding my own business and letting the rest just be. So what's wrong with that? I'll tell you what. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Namaste.
- G.P.

ha ha ha

That's it. I've had it. No more.
The cyber sprites are at it again and have rendered the list of my fanatical followers invisible.
Okay you guys, you win.
I won't go on about this sordid little business anymore on this little web of mine.
But I will leave a lovely picture of an invisible butterfly for my fans to enjoy.
And a big fat raspberry to you.
So there.
- G.P.

Cyber Sprites

Okay. That's it. Just as I was finishing my last blurb mere minutes ago, and railing about how some unknown element of the Universe is laughing at me and how the list of my followers will probably appear back on my web to make me feel like an even bigger fool than I am, my entire blurb fell off the screen, (I have no idea why, I wasn't doing anything I don't normally do) and within moments a whole new screen came up with all my followers back in place, and all the technical problems I've been having with engineering my web for the last 5 months gone. (I won't even go there - but suffice it to say, the recent problems have made entering these blurbs a lot more difficult for me lately.) Anyway, my little web is working better than ever. I've got my followers back, and I feel a bigger fool than ever. But I don't mind. (If you just joined me now, dear reader, take a look at the previous 2 entries and you'll know whereof I speak.)
The upshot of all this is I've now figured out just what is laughing at me. It's technology. It always has, and I guess it always will. Damn those cyber-sprites. They'll get you every time.
- G. P.