To: Jim and Chuck
From: Sandra
Subject: Recycling
Recycling and Acid Trips
Subject: Recycling
Recycling and Acid Trips
Occasionally I have these moments of incredible perspective
that make me feel infinitesimally small and amazed at the same time. Last night
it was one that made me feel smaller than usual. I was thinking about the
beginning of everything, the big explosion that started it all and the idea
that those things happen over and over.
that make me feel infinitesimally small and amazed at the same time. Last night
it was one that made me feel smaller than usual. I was thinking about the
beginning of everything, the big explosion that started it all and the idea
that those things happen over and over.
It started with me reading this quote from Carl Sagan that I
posted on Facebook last year
posted on Facebook last year
“Anything else you’re interested in is not going to happen
if you can’t breathe the air and drink the water. Don’t sit this one out. Do
something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment
in the history of our planet.”
if you can’t breathe the air and drink the water. Don’t sit this one out. Do
something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment
in the history of our planet.”
I am an environmentalist at heart, but I recognize that it
is really all about the impact it has on humans. People who say we are
destroying the earth drive me crazy. We may be changing it, but we are not
destroying it. Our environment has been changing since the moment the particles
started clinging together to make the rock we live on. To believe we can keep
the environment static is ridiculous.
is really all about the impact it has on humans. People who say we are
destroying the earth drive me crazy. We may be changing it, but we are not
destroying it. Our environment has been changing since the moment the particles
started clinging together to make the rock we live on. To believe we can keep
the environment static is ridiculous.
Once the thought “particles started clinging together to
make the rock we live on” entered my brain, I started thinking about the “Big
Bang” and the fact that one day, our sun will die. Even if we are fortunate
enough to find other planets to live on in other solar systems, one day our
universe will begin collapsing and eventually form the dense particle that
everything came from. What does that look like? It will be full of elements we
will never see, huge atoms that could never exist under any conditions we could
create. Whatever it is, all life, and all evidence that we ever existed will be
erased and everything will start again. Billions of years will go by before
life exists again.
make the rock we live on” entered my brain, I started thinking about the “Big
Bang” and the fact that one day, our sun will die. Even if we are fortunate
enough to find other planets to live on in other solar systems, one day our
universe will begin collapsing and eventually form the dense particle that
everything came from. What does that look like? It will be full of elements we
will never see, huge atoms that could never exist under any conditions we could
create. Whatever it is, all life, and all evidence that we ever existed will be
erased and everything will start again. Billions of years will go by before
life exists again.
I was trying to go to sleep but instead I wondered “how many
times has this happened before?” and I wondered what the intelligent life form
looked like each time, or if they even got to the point where there was an
intelligent life form each time. The good news is, no matter how terribly we
screw things up, it will all be erased when the universe is condensed back into
that particle and it will be a fresh start each time.
times has this happened before?” and I wondered what the intelligent life form
looked like each time, or if they even got to the point where there was an
intelligent life form each time. The good news is, no matter how terribly we
screw things up, it will all be erased when the universe is condensed back into
that particle and it will be a fresh start each time.
Talk about recycling, that is the ultimate recycling
program.
program.
To: Jim and Chuck
From: Sandra
Subject: RE: Recycling
Subject: RE: Recycling
I know there are many ideas as to what will happen, I have
to admit physics drives me crazy. There are so many unknowns, and we are
unlikely to ever be able to actually observe or measure the things we need to,
to fill in the gaps. So, the model I choose is the recycling model. It is
better than an ever expanding universe that is just going to die one day.
to admit physics drives me crazy. There are so many unknowns, and we are
unlikely to ever be able to actually observe or measure the things we need to,
to fill in the gaps. So, the model I choose is the recycling model. It is
better than an ever expanding universe that is just going to die one day.
To: Sandra and Jim
From: Chuck
Subject: RE: Recycling
Subject: RE: Recycling
Sandra,
What a great read. Your
“notion” is not just better, but also much more likely. I mean how could
it really be any other way?
“notion” is not just better, but also much more likely. I mean how could
it really be any other way?
I’ve been fixated on the smaller
recycling episodes – continental crust and see attached cartoon. You have
bested me by a Universe!
recycling episodes – continental crust and see attached cartoon. You have
bested me by a Universe!
Chuck
To: Jim and Chuck
From: Sandra
Subject: RE: Recycling
Subject: RE: Recycling
One of the things I fixated on was that everything has to be
relearned again, everything, from discovering fire to the creation of calculus.
Every time something new is discovered, invented or accomplished it is a big
deal. But, what if it has all happened hundreds or millions of times in the
past? The idea that EVERYTHING is erased just amazes me. I have never been on
an acid trip, but I think these would be cool things to think about with a
little acid.
relearned again, everything, from discovering fire to the creation of calculus.
Every time something new is discovered, invented or accomplished it is a big
deal. But, what if it has all happened hundreds or millions of times in the
past? The idea that EVERYTHING is erased just amazes me. I have never been on
an acid trip, but I think these would be cool things to think about with a
little acid.
To: Sandra and Chuck
From: James
Subject: RE: Recycling
Subject: RE: Recycling
I’ve
been on acid trips dozens of times and thinking about stuff like this leaves
you permanently damaged. That’s my excuse (and probably Chuck’ s too).
been on acid trips dozens of times and thinking about stuff like this leaves
you permanently damaged. That’s my excuse (and probably Chuck’ s too).
To: Sandra and Chuck
From: James
Subject: Re: Recycling
Well,
I always think about the galaxy inside the pendant around the cat’s neck in
“Men in Black”. How many universes, how many times and is it
all just a nightmare in something else’s imagination . . .? Our demise is
assured.😈
I always think about the galaxy inside the pendant around the cat’s neck in
“Men in Black”. How many universes, how many times and is it
all just a nightmare in something else’s imagination . . .? Our demise is
assured.😈
To: Jim and Chuck
From: Sandra
Subject: RE: Recycling
Yeah, I sometimes wonder about the “Whoville” possibility.
It is difficult for me to accept that there is nothing outside the universe.
Everything but time is finite, so there must be an end to our universe and
something outside it. And even time being infinite bothers me.
It is difficult for me to accept that there is nothing outside the universe.
Everything but time is finite, so there must be an end to our universe and
something outside it. And even time being infinite bothers me.
“Time starts with the Big Bang.”
Time is time you can’t just arbitrarily say “Time starts
here”. But, if it didn’t start there, when did it start? because everything has
a beginning and an end. Physics is supposed to provide answers and I felt like
there were never enough answers to those questions. This comic strip was in the paper
when I was in college and its timing was perfect.
here”. But, if it didn’t start there, when did it start? because everything has
a beginning and an end. Physics is supposed to provide answers and I felt like
there were never enough answers to those questions. This comic strip was in the paper
when I was in college and its timing was perfect.
To: Sandra and Chuck
From:
James
Subject: Re: Recycling
James
Subject: Re: Recycling
So
Sandra, do any of your ruminations have an impact on your belief or disbelief
of a “supreme being “?
Sandra, do any of your ruminations have an impact on your belief or disbelief
of a “supreme being “?
To: Jim and Chuck
From: Sandra
Subject: RE: Recycling
Subject: RE: Recycling
No, I have neither a belief nor a disbelief. What I believe
is that we don’t know. I assume I will learn the truth after I die (or I
won’t). For someone who likes answers for things, I am surprisingly ok with
that.
is that we don’t know. I assume I will learn the truth after I die (or I
won’t). For someone who likes answers for things, I am surprisingly ok with
that.
To: Sandra and Chuck
From: James
Subject: RE: Recycling
Subject: RE: Recycling
Well,
I agree. Have you heard the song “Let the Mystery Be” by Iris
DeMent? You’d like her. It’s a cool song about that.
I agree. Have you heard the song “Let the Mystery Be” by Iris
DeMent? You’d like her. It’s a cool song about that.
To: Sandra and Jim
From:
Chuck
Chuck
Subject: RE: Recycling
At the risk of never again being
included in Sandra’s very compelling deep thoughts…
included in Sandra’s very compelling deep thoughts…
I don’t know the song or artist
(“Let the Mystery Be” by Iris DeMent).
But I remember Frank Zappa’s song “The Adventures of Greggery Peckory”
(sometimes spelled peccary). Gregory Peckory invented the
calendar. And since Wikipedia did a good job describing the song’s story
I take their work and provide you with edited excerpts:
(“Let the Mystery Be” by Iris DeMent).
But I remember Frank Zappa’s song “The Adventures of Greggery Peckory”
(sometimes spelled peccary). Gregory Peckory invented the
calendar. And since Wikipedia did a good job describing the song’s story
I take their work and provide you with edited excerpts:
The calendar, upon release,
immediately causes chaos, as people suddenly can keep track of time and plan
ahead, thus making life aggravatingly mechanical, and also allowing people to
discover how old they were. A group of hunchmen, just a few of the “very
hip young people” of the world, attack Greggery on the way home from his
office one night, enraged at the prospect of birthdays and being aware of their
own aging.
Greggery makes a phone call to
find a “philostopher” .
He is sent to a man named Quentin Robert DeNameland, supposedly “the
greatest living philostopher known to mankind”, who hosts a group
assembly. DeNameland’s authenticity as a philostopher is questionable, as he
merely proclaims that “time is of affliction” – more specifically,
“the eons are closing” – before soliciting for payment for attendance
to his assembly.
So there it is. Zappa’s
take. Sorry for the long diatribe, but I couldn’t help seeing parallels
in Zappa’s Greggery the peccary and Bloom County’s Otis the penguin, as well as
DeNameland and “Whoville”. Zappa concludes “If you ask a philostopher
he’ll see that you pays.”
take. Sorry for the long diatribe, but I couldn’t help seeing parallels
in Zappa’s Greggery the peccary and Bloom County’s Otis the penguin, as well as
DeNameland and “Whoville”. Zappa concludes “If you ask a philostopher
he’ll see that you pays.”
And none of that required
acid. Just prompts from Sandra and Jim.
acid. Just prompts from Sandra and Jim.
To: Jim and Chuck
From: Sandra
Subject: RE: Recycling
Subject: RE: Recycling
Thanks Chuck, I didn’t think of it as deep, just a view from
space. I get those occasionally, I like them. They make me feel insignificant,
but that also helps make my problems feel less significant.
space. I get those occasionally, I like them. They make me feel insignificant,
but that also helps make my problems feel less significant.
To: Sandra and Chuck
From: James
Subject: RE: Recycling
Subject: RE: Recycling
Whoa.
Your song is better than mine.
Your song is better than mine.
To: Jim and Chuck
From: Sandra
Subject: RE: Recycling
I found both songs on you tube. Jim’s was much easier to listen to and much
shorter. Chuck’s was 20 minutes long and… I don’t even know how to
describe it.
shorter. Chuck’s was 20 minutes long and… I don’t even know how to
describe it.
To: Jim and Chuck
From: Sandra
Subject: FW: Recycling
Subject: FW: Recycling
I have to admit, I have thought about this a lot. Like the
fact that everything has to be relearned, for example, all of the laws of
physics have to be rediscovered every time a new universe is formed. But, what
if it isn’t relearned, what if the laws of physics are different each time the
explosion occurs? That would be kind of interesting. Too bad no one will ever
know.
fact that everything has to be relearned, for example, all of the laws of
physics have to be rediscovered every time a new universe is formed. But, what
if it isn’t relearned, what if the laws of physics are different each time the
explosion occurs? That would be kind of interesting. Too bad no one will ever
know.
To: Sandra and Jim
From: James
Subject: RE: Recycling
Subject: RE: Recycling
Yeah, like
after the NEXT Big Bang, NO worlds are randomly able to support life, so
nothing gets re-learned by nobody. Or are we in your creator’s Petri dish
and she keeps applying the same physics to all the little universes (they’re
too far away for you to see, but they’re in there) in her dish. And she’s
standing there wondering the same thing you are. And so is the guy who
owns the Petri dish that she is in. AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
after the NEXT Big Bang, NO worlds are randomly able to support life, so
nothing gets re-learned by nobody. Or are we in your creator’s Petri dish
and she keeps applying the same physics to all the little universes (they’re
too far away for you to see, but they’re in there) in her dish. And she’s
standing there wondering the same thing you are. And so is the guy who
owns the Petri dish that she is in. AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Chuck is nothing, I am nothing , you are nothing, this conversation
never really took place except in some real organism’s nightmare and he’s
nothing either.
never really took place except in some real organism’s nightmare and he’s
nothing either.
“Everybody’s wonderin’ what and where
they they all came from
Everybody’s worryin’ ’bout where they’re gonna go
When the whole thing’s done
But no one knows for certain
And so it’s all the same to me
I think I’ll just let the mystery be”
they they all came from
Everybody’s worryin’ ’bout where they’re gonna go
When the whole thing’s done
But no one knows for certain
And so it’s all the same to me
I think I’ll just let the mystery be”
To: Sandra and Jim
From: Chuck
Subject: RE: Recycling
Huh.
To: Jim and Chuck
From: Sandra
Subject: RE: Recycling
You are always so optimistic.
Postcards From Dirt 
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